The Great Dog Demon and the Chinese Warrior
(Part I)
The swamp demon was taken aback at the cold glare he received from the possessed priestess. It was the evil eye—a gaze fixed with malicious intent. The demon's army of eyes was trembling as its body was caught in the wake of Sesshomaru's hatred.
It had been centuries since the demon felt this feeling. It felt so foreign. It was a survival instinct: the instinct to fear a demon with greater power than its own. Now that the demon lord had a body, human or not, the swamp demon could sense the unfathomable power that Sesshomaru possessed. The tantalizingly sweet aura that Kagome once radiated was now completely gone. In its place was viciously swirling demonic red energy.
"Now…" The girl's body spoke in a lower octave. "How many Higurashi children have you devoured so far?" She raised the golden, crescent-shaped bow and took aim at the swamp demon who was frozen on the spot as its body quivered.
The hundreds of eyes on the demon's body nearly popped out of their gray sockets. The mouth was agape before it attempted to speak, "W-Well…! J-Just one!" Its nervous smile was twitching as it spewed out its lines, "I-It was an accident. A complete accident, h-honestly! Y-You know how it happens… You come upon a human and you might be a bit hungry, and then the next thing you know, you end up taking a bite out of them—!"
"Silence," Kagome's order was absolute, and the demon obeyed.
Yoh and the others watched in awe as dark, red energy took the form of a string and an arrow in Kagome's hands. "I'll kill you once for every Higurashi that you've eaten."
"J-Just one!" The demon held its arms out. "It was only one puny human, S-Sesshomaru...sama!"
Kagome looked like she would scoff, but instead, she replied in a scarily calm voice, "I've wasted enough time on you. Demons like you…" The power behind the demonic arrow visibly intensified, growing deeper red and sizzling hot, "are worthless."
That was all.
The arrow shot into the demon's mouth, detonating like a bomb on impact.
Kagome watched the explosion with a stoic expression as the other teens shielded their eyes from the intense light.
Once the smoke cleared, the only remaining traces of the swamp demon was a blackened stain on the ground. It gave off a pungent odor that made the humans grimace and reach for their noses.
Yoh and Manta grinned wide and raised their arms to cheer for their victory, but blinked when they suddenly felt the weight of Momiji and Botan weighing them down. "Eh? Could you get off of me?" Manta sweatdropped, earning a pout from Botan.
"B-but Manta-sama," Her eyes sparkled tenderly. "I feel so weak… Only your affection can recharge my—Eh? Where are you going, Manta-sama?!" The priestess cried out when she noticed that he and Yoh slinked away from her and her twin. The boys were focused on watching their friend's movements.
"Because you did me a favor, I will do this for you," Kagome said, her voice now calm and collected. She then raised the golden bow again, took aim, and blasted the priestess-eater with another arrow. The cave was reduced to mounds of ash, leveling the clearing to nothing but bare soil.
With the demon gone, Botan and Momiji felt like a mountain was lifted off their shoulders. The twins immediately were able to jump to their feet as their usual spry nature returned. They quickly ran to either side of Kagome and raised their staffs offensively.
"Foul demon!" Momiji spat out angrily. "You dare possess the body of a Higurashi priestess?!"
"We saw everything that transpired between you two!" Botan glared at Kagome and accused, "As repulsive as it is to become one with a demon! You crossed the line by tricking her into possession!"
"We command that you leave her body at once!" the twins harmonized while pointing their fingers at their cousin's body. Yoh scowled and cautiously approached the three girls.
Even when the Higurashi twins attempted to trap and threaten her, Kagome's silent, calm demeanor never changed. Her face was completely stoic, unlike her usual expressiveness. One could not predict what she would do next.
Without warning, Kagome turned on her heel gracefully. Her long black hair flowed behind her as she moved. "I have no intention of staying in this body. It does not suit my needs," she said while closing her eyes. An orb of red light then emerged from the priestess's chest and floated toward the sky.
For a moment, all was quiet as the priestess stood there, eyes still closed. Yoh's eyes widened and he quickly moved when he noticed her knees buckle. "She's out cold," the shaman announced after catching Kagome by her midsection.
Manta jogged over to them and patted Kagome's cheek, "She's completely out of it. Being demonically possessed must take a lot out of you," he guessed.
Momiji and Botan nodded in unison, and then Botan expanded, "A regular possession from a ghost wears out the body enough. But a demonic possession is on a whole nother level. It could have serious or fatal side effects. A lot of people die from them."
"Shouldn't being a priestess help her with that?" Manta questioned, his eyes searching desperately for hope. Botan averted her gaze for a moment so Manta looked back at Kagome as Yoh shifted her onto his back. "She should have a better chance of recuperating, right?"
The twins once exchanged uncertain glances. Momiji decided to explain this time, "Well… The answer is yes and no at the same time… You see…" Momiji tapped her chin and tried thinking of how she could explain it easily. "Demons and priestesses are polar opposites in nature. As opposed to the theory of opposites attract, the two cannot coexist within the same body at the same time without damaging effects to the weaker of the two beings."
"Needless to say, but…" Botan continued from where her twin sister left off. "I'm sure that it was pure luck that Kagome survived this entire ordeal." Hearing this information from the twins, Manta completely deflated. He lowered his watery gaze to the ground and sniffled softly.
Seeing his complete change in attitude, Botan and Momiji squealed in delight and cooed, "Aaaawwww, he is so cute! So sweet!" Their serious demeanors had completely vanished.
"Alright," Yoh said out of the blue. "We're ready to go," He while glancing at Kagome's peaceful face from over his shoulder. "Let's get Kagome-chan home," he told them.
The twins paused in their cooing and then nodded in agreement.
By the time the group of teens had stepped back into the Higurashi house, the sun had begun to peek over the shrine. All of them were worn from the ordeal. And Kagome showed no signs of waking up. "Yoh-kun, can you get Kagome-chan up to her room quietly?" Manta asked. "I think she could rest more comfortably up there."
Yoh gave a toothy grin and thumbs-up, "N-No problem...! Leave it to me!" Manta looked down and saw how the shaman's legs were shaking from exhaustion. His legs told a completely different story than his confident, cheery face.
"Ehhh…" Manta sweatdropped. "Are you sure about that?"
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
"Good morning, everyone~ Rise and shine!" Higurashi-san greeted the sleeping teens as she walked into the living room. She expertly avoided the trash and crumbs on the carpet as she made her way to the closed blinds. "It's ten o'clock," she told the slumbering bodies while opening the shades and allowing the sunlight to spill into the room. "Time to get out of bed~"
Manta groaned as he slowly sat up with a sleepy look on his face. He managed to get three hours of sleep but it felt like the shortest hours of his life. He weakly reached for Yoh's shoulder, patting it with all of his strength. "Hey…Yoh-kun…" Manta called robotically. "Time to wake up."
Yoh moaned like a zombie as he slowly rose into a sitting position. He rubbed his eyes and blinked. "Really?" The brunette then released a loud, open-mouth yawn as he stretched. "Is it that time already?" he mumbled. "But I'm still—" Without even finishing his sentence, Yoh fell over and was out like a light again. Manta followed his lead a second later.
The woman chuckled while holding her cheek, "Honestly, how late did these kids stay awake?" She looked at the faces of her nieces, son, and their guests. "I suppose I can let them sleep…" she whispered to herself while closing the blinds. "for a little while longer…"
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
By the early afternoon, everyone had freshened up and enjoyed the brunch that Higurashi-san prepared for them, everyone except for Kagome. She had yet to awaken from her unconscious state after being demonically possessed by Sesshomaru. At first, her mother assumed that she was simply exhausted from such a long day. But a couple of hours after all of her friends and family had awakened, Higurashi found herself trying to smile to save face in front of her guests.
But the troubled look behind her eyes did not fly under Yoh's radar. The shaman then crossed his arms and made up his mind. "Manta," the brunette gave his friend an uncharacteristically serious look as he discreetly waved him over to the hallway. "We have to wake Kagome-chan up, no matter what."
Manta looked mildly surprised as he asked in a hushed voice, "Doesn't she just need some rest after what happened?"
Before Yoh could respond, the dangerously sweet voice of Higurashi-san came from behind them, "She needs some rest after what happened?" The boys cranked their heads over their shoulders to look at the Higurashi matriarch. They were unsure if her sugary smile made them at ease or nervous. Who knew if this woman was completely like her daughter? Was she hiding a fiery temper behind a sweet face like Kagome...?
Yoh and Manta looked at each other, mentally asking the other what they should do. The blond then sighed aloud, his shoulders slumping a bit. He rubbed the back of his head and offered his friend's mother the best smile that he could muster. "Well, you see…"
Explaining what happened to Kagome's mother was surprisingly not as painful as they imagined. Yesterday, their first impression of the woman was that she was welcoming and good-natured. However, they were now convinced that she was actually a saint or angel in disguise. Not only did she allow two strange boys to spend the night in her home, but she also did not explode at them when they explained what happened to her daughter.
She listened to their story without a relatively calm, but somewhat concerned expression. She did not seem surprised at anything that they told her, nor did she interrupt them with questions. "I see, so that's what happened…" Higurashi finally spoke. Her face became thoughtful, concerned, and an inscrutable emotion that the boys could not place their finger on. "Well, I'm sure she'll be fine," she concluded after taking a moment to mull over the situation. "Kagome is a magnet for trouble, but she always ends up alright in the end."
Manta withheld a sigh of relief. The woman before him truly was a saint. He was sure that if his family found out that he was endangered or injured while with his friends, they would have the exact opposite reaction. First, he would have to put up with the taunts and teasing from his haughty, younger sister. Then, his mother would be as complacent as always and allow his father to do something drastic. 'Something like sending me off to some private school far, far away,' He thought dryly. Somehow, his inner thoughts ended up annoying himself.
Manta's thoughts were then interrupted by Higurashi-san grabbing his and Yoh's in each of her hands. The woman smiled, "Don't worry, you two. I'm not angry at you for anything." She smiled when she saw their bodies release some tension. "As I said before, I'm glad that she met you and that you became friends," she told them. "Kagome hasn't been this happy in a long time."
Yoh returned the woman's smile with a grin. He scratched the back of his head, blushing at the situation. He was never in the type of situation where the parent of a friend praised him like this. He looked from Manta's equally embarrassed smile back to Kagome's mother. "You don't have to thank us. We feel the same way about Kagome-chan."
Manta nodded in agreement, "Yeah. I can't imagine a life without Kagome-chan now."
"She may end up causing you a lot of trouble," The woman responded while releasing their hands. "But please continue to take good care of her," she stated before bowing deeply.
The next hour was almost as eventful as early that morning. After Higurashi-san told Kagome's grandparents that she was exhausted from a demonic possession, Kaede sighed as her husband ended up chasing Manta and Amidamaru around the entire shrine.
The old man slapped a sutra on Yoh's face, causing the unsuspecting shaman to fall on his butt—a confirmation of Yoh's true, nefarious nature in his eyes. He then flashed a handful of sutras while aiming a suspicious look at Manta and Amidamaru, the two stiffened before making their way to the door. The priest chased them around for a while, leaving Yoh to peel off the sutra. He offered Kaede and Higurashi-san a sheepish grin while politely dismissing their apologies.
And of course, Momiji and Botan were so dazzled by Yoh's smile that they ended up glomping the boy. Botan threw herself into Yoh's arms, rubbing her cheek into his chest while Momiji wrapped her arms around him from behind.
Souta sweatdropped from the background, 'They're never coming back after this, are they?'
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Kagome finally opened her eyes around mid-afternoon. The familiar color of her bedroom ceiling was an instant comfort. The last thing that she remembered was the sear of Sesshomaru's touch. 'I guess, we did it,' she surmised with a soft sigh. 'Well...he did it,' she corrected herself. She had no collection of what happened when she and Sesshomaru merged, which meant that she ended up possessed. It explained why she felt so groggy. The priestess sighed again and turned to lay on her side, only to be greeted by the sight of Yoh asleep in a chair at her bedside.
The slumbering shaman lightly snored as he slept with his head hung back and mouth wide open. A stream of drool trailed from the edge of his lips down to his chin.
'Was he waiting for me to wake up?' Kagome wondered to herself as she slowly sat up. Her legs swung over the edge of the bed as she sat up and faced the sleeping boy. His face looked so peaceful, like he didn't have a care in the world. And yet, here he was. 'Looks like he worries more than he lets on.' Kagome smiled fondly at the shaman as she leaned forward.
"Hey, Yoh-kun~" She sang in a soft voice as her finger found his cheek. But the shaman did not stir. "Yoh-kun," She poked his cheek again. "Yooooooh-kun." Kagome poked the tip of his nose. She then pushed her finger up, lifting the tip of his nose and flaring his nostrils out wide. "Pfffft," The girl snickered. "He looks like a pig," she noted with an amused, mischievous smile.
Manta then appeared in the doorway, "Yoh-kun, did Kagome-chan wa—Ack!"
Kagome stiffened then froze in place.
The two stared at each other in silence.
"...we don't speak of this," Kagome finally stated.
Manta placed a hand over his mouth to hide the devious grin that broke out on his face. "Make me an offer," he countered.
"...I'll make you three obento next week."
"Sweeten the pot."
"...okay. I'll make you an obento for the entire week," the priestess huffed. "Final offer."
The blond's grin never left his face, even after he nodded to the girl, "Deal."
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
The entire Higurashi family saw the three teens off at the top of the stairs. Higurashi-san embraced her daughter before smiling another silent thanks to her friends. "Kagome, here's some leftover groceries. Make sure to cook the vegetables soon or they'll go bad."
Kagome opened the plastic bag and looked at the contents. There was an assortment of meat and vegetables inside. It hardly looked like left-overs. The priestess then smiled at her mom and said, "Thanks, Mama. I'll cook something hearty tonight."
Yoh and Manta were surprised when Souta gave them both tight hugs. "Next time you come over, you two should play some video games with me! I'm sure you're a lot more fun than Nee-san."
Kagome twitched when her younger brother stuck his tongue out at her. She huffed and crossed her arms, "You're just jealous that I'm better than you."
After a few choice words between the siblings and some silent threats whispered to the boys from Kagome's grandfather, the trio was finally ready to go—or so they thought.
Momiji and Botan sent them off with teary eyes, the twins proclaiming their everlasting and undying love to Yoh and Manta. Manta merely paled and shrunk away from them as Yoh just offered a carefree grin and friendly farewell.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
"My house isn't far from here so you guys can head home now," Kagome told her friends as they crossed the street. The dark curtain of nightfall had fallen not too long ago. "I promise that I won't get lost~" She added in a light-hearted tone.
"Yeah, but we're still coming with you," Yoh responded, his voice laidback. "Right, Manta?"
Manta nodded and smiled, "Mmhm. I'm sure that you won't get lost. But Yoh-kun has been so worried since this morn—!"
The shaman's cheeks lit up as he threw the blond an incredulous look. "H-hey! You were just as worried as I was, Manta!" He shot back while pointing at the shorter boy.
Kagome then leaned close to Yoh and gently nudged him in the ribs, "But, Yoh-kun~ Aren't you the one who watched over me as I slept?"
"Yeah, you should have seen what she did to your face while you were sleeping," Manta added then slapped his hand over his mouth.
All three teens froze on the spot.
'Oh… Shit. I-it just...slipped,' Manta thought as his smile became nervous and wide, his eyes dropping to the ground as he began to sweat heavily. 'S-She's going to kill me.'
A few moments of awkward silence passed.
Yoh then asked, his voice unusually shaky and reluctant, "W-What...what did you do to my face?"
Kagome was suddenly standing away from them with a completely innocent look on her face. She tapped her chin while looking up at the starry night sky, "Hmm, whatever do you mean?" She asked. "I don't recall doing anything strange to your face. It's all so fuzzy."
The shaman then sighed in relief, his shoulders slumping a bit, "Oh, good. It was Manta's wild imagination."
Manta shot an incredulous look up at his friend, 'H-He actually fell for that act?!'
Amidamaru then appeared next to Kagome. He smiled brightly while holding up a finger, "Don't worry, Kagome-sama. I remember it perfectly. You were playing with Yoh-dono's nose." The spirit was largely oblivious to how Kagome's innocent farse cracked as she glowered at him. "You laughed and said he looked like a pig."
"Wah! A pig?!" Yoh slapped his hands to his cheeks and then felt all over his face for human features. He looked at Manta with a panicked expression, "Manta, have I transformed into a pig-human monster?!"
Feeling proud and satisfied that he aided the girl, the samurai spirit turned a smile to her, expecting a heart-felt thanks, only to find the priestess surrounded by a dark aura and a dangerous glint in her eyes.
"Amidamaru-sama," Kagome whispered. "I'll never forgive you, not in a thousand years."
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
The next day at school, Manta found himself doing something that he hadn't done in quite a while. He was sitting alone at his desk while waiting for homeroom to start. 'Where on earth could they be?' he wondered to himself before sighing and settling for laying his head down on his desk. Class would start in less than ten minutes, and neither of his friends had shown up yet.
This was common for the young Asakura because Yoh was casually late to class on a consistent basis. But Kagome usually came to school as early as he did. They usually had plenty of time to chat before classes began. Moreover, Manta lived a few blocks northeast of Kagome so he often waited in front of a specific coffee shop for her. She would always be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed even that early in the morning. It was a stark contrast to Yoh's sluggish demeanor, which Manta was grateful for. He wouldn't know what to do if he had to deal with two lazy friends.
Without realizing it, the morning walk to school with Kagome became something that Manta looked forward to. She was always so happy to see him. And whatever they chatted about, from small talk to things about the supernatural, it all came so naturally and easily with her.
But today, she never showed up at that spot. At first, Manta deduced that she was running late because she slept in from her ordeal with Sesshomaru.
So he waited...and waited, and waited.
He noticed more and more faces of punctual, but not early, students passing him by. He then cursed sped off to school, futilely hoping that they merely missed each other somehow.
Now here he was, sitting alone at his desk with no one to talk to. His old associates stopped talking to him ever since he became friends with Yoh and Kagome. Manta was unsure if it was because they were weird, or because he finally found his own true friends.
In his rare moment of solitude, Manta could not help but notice how his life was changing ever since he had met Kagome and Yoh. Just as quickly as his days became more fun and action-filled, they equally became more mysterious. Sometimes there was even a sense of danger. Sure, he was afraid of getting hurt or losing his life while getting caught up in their supernatural shenanigans. But if he had the choice to go back in time and stop himself from ever meeting them…
He would choose to meet them over and over again. The danger was a small price to pay to be surrounded by such amazing people who opened his eyes to a whole new world. Manta smiled while staring down at his notebook where he wrote out three names and circled them. 'Huh...Why am I getting all sentimental all of a sudden?'
"Boo!"
"Ack!" Manta nearly fell out of his seat. His classmates looked up and shared a short burst of laughter at his expense. Yoh had suddenly popped up into his face while he was completely zoned out. The shaman grinned and leaned back, standing up at his full height. "Damn it!" Manta shouted while pointing a shaking finger at Yoh, "Don't do things like that!"
"Now now," Yoh grinned, trying to pacify his fuming friend. "Don't be such a scaredy-cat…"
Manta cooled down then looked at the clock, seeing that Yoh was here.
Class would start in two minutes…
Another oddity: Asakura Yoh was actually on time for school on his own accord.
"Where could Kagome-chan be?" Manta wondered aloud. The question was both directed at Yoh and himself.
"Maybe she's still resting up after yesterday," Yoh offered with a light shrug. "I know I would be," he added while crossing his arms behind his head.
Manta sighed again before giving Yoh a befuddled face, "You worry about Kagome-chan more than anyone else. How can you put on such a nonchalant face in a time like this?"
"Ah," Yoh blinked. He placed a hand on Manta's desk while leaning over a bit. "It's because there's no use in panicking or stressing about a problem that hasn't presented itself yet," He explained easily. "Besides, if Kagome-chan were truly in trouble, I'm sure that we'd sense it."
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
When did Manta become such a worrywart? Sure, he had always been a "scaredy-cat" as some people put it… But since when was he a worrywart? As soon as they were dismissed from their lessons, Yoh and Manta headed to Kagome's house in an unspoken agreement. Along the way, Manta pulled out his friendship phone and called her cell. After several rings, Kagome's voice answered from the other end.
"Hello?" She asked in her usual bubbly tone.
Manta instantly felt his worries melt away from the sound of his friend's voice. He smiled and responded, "Kagome-chan, it's me, Manta."
"Oh hi~" Kagome replied, her voice was as sweet as sugar.
"Well, Yoh-kun and I are—" Manta tried to explain that they intended to visit her, but Kagome quickly interrupted him.
"Wait, wait, wait. Before you say anything, I have to tell you—"
"What Kago—?"
"I have missed your call. This is Kagome, leave me a message," Kagome's voice announced.
"What's up, Manta?"
The blond abruptly stopped walking, his face caught in a stunned expression.
"What did she say?" Yoh asked curiously. "Manta? Oiiiii, Manta."
Finally, Manta's right eye twitched with annoyance.
It was the exact same scenario with her damn voicemail.
Manta brushed that aside and choose to call her again as they continued making their way to her house. It was the same end result, except the voicemail did not fool him this time.
Ten minutes later, they found themselves standing in front of Kagome's tiny home. Yoh pressed his finger against the doorbell and heard a faint chime resounding inside. After a minute of antsy waiting, Manta reached for the doorknob and twisted it. "Ah," Manta blinked from the knob's lack of resistance. "Figures," he stated while pushing the door open and stepping inside.
Yoh and Amidamaru quietly followed Manta inside, their eyes scoping out the interior as Manta scoured for any signs of Kagome. The shaman quietly took in how quaint and simple the decor was. The walls were painted a neutral beige. The ceiling was low and the walls felt so close together. Unlike the Higurashi house, there were no family photographs to see. The living room and dining room blend together into one indistinguishable space.
This truly was a space for one, a space for a lonely one.
The Asakura expected the interior to be a pastel pink or blue with a floral motif. He expected something lively and attractively feminine, something that suited Kagome's presence. But what he got was a place with living essentials without a touch of the priestess' personality. There was a kotatsu with cushions in front of a small television, but that was all.
This small house was not a home.
Somehow, he could not imagine Kagome truly living in this place.
"Hm," Yoh's eyes fell on a small hallway that led to the kitchen. On either side of the hall were two doors that he guessed to be the bathroom and her bedroom. Without giving it much thought, the shaman headed towards the hall that Manta had already checked. He opened the door on the left and discovered the simple, tiny bathroom. That just left the door on the right. He placed his hand on the doorknob and twisted it slowly.
"Ah, Yoh-kun," Manta stated as he left the kitchen and met his friend in the hall. "That's her bedroom. She's not in there," he told him. "Guess she stepped out. I wonder where she could be," the boy wondered while pulling out his phone again. "I could try calling her again—eh!" Manta froze when he noticed that Yoh's hand was still on the doorknob. "Why are you just standing there like that?" he questioned while narrowing his eyes suspiciously.
Yoh then scratched his cheek with his free hand and replied sheepishly, "I...still kinda wanna look."
Manta blinked when his friend pushed the door open and stepped inside the bedroom. It was the sole room that had splashes of color and personality. The bed was made up of pastel blue sheets and blankets, complete with decorative pillows. There was a fuzzy pink area rug in the center of the floor and a small desk and chair for studying near the window. The walls were painted the same neutral shade as the other rooms, but they were adorned with colorful wall stickers.
Manta watched his friend take in the details of the room and asked curiously, "So are you able to track Kagome-chan using one of her personal possessions or something?"
"Eh?" The shaman looked over his shoulder. He then turned to face Manta, grinning widely while admitting, "Nah. I was just curious."
The shorter teen found himself shrinking away from his friend, a mortified look on his face, "Yoh-kun, just what type of person are you?" he questioned.
Yoh did not seem fazed by the question. He simply exited the room, closing the door behind him. "The curious type?" he asked back as they headed towards the front door.
Manta shrugged and shook his head. Even now, he had a difficult time figuring Yoh out sometimes. That was when he suddenly got a brilliant idea. The blond looked around before calling out, "Amidamaru!" The samurai spirit immediately revealed his presence, making Manta smile.
"You called me, Manta-dono?" The man asked while looking down at his summoner.
"I did," he nodded affirmatively. "Can you fly around the area and see if you can spot Kagome-chan? You should be able to get a good vantage point from up above."
"Of course, Manta-dono," The samurai smiled at the request, thumping his fist against his chest. The spirit looked at his partner for approval, to which Yoh nodded and grinned. "I'll even search the areas she'd most likely get lost in."
"Report back in an hour." Amidamaru nodded and took to the air to get a good view of the area. Manta then turned to Yoh and asked, "We should continue our search too."
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Amidamaru soared through the Tokyo skies, skimming the ground for any sign of the missing priestess. With a bird's eye view of the area, the spirit found the girl in record-breaking time. Kagome-sama!" He yelled from above to get her attention. The said girl looked up into the sky with a puzzled expression, wondering why she heard someone call her name from above.
Kagome rose from her seat on the park bench and cupped her hands together faithfully then inquired the distant voice from above, "Is that you, God?"
"Eh?!" The spirit was thrown off and plummeted to the ground.
"Oh," The priestess's hands fell to her sides. "It's just you, Amidamaru-sama."
"Y-Yeah," Amidamaru chuckled while scratching the back of his head. "It's just me."
"So what are you doing here anyway?" Kagome inquired, tilting her head a bit. "I don't see Yoh-kun anywhere around here," she noted while looking left and right.
"Yoh-dono and Manta-dono are the reason why I'm here," Amidamaru informed her. "I received the mission to find you because they are worried about your wellbeing."
Kagome took her seat on the bench and patted a spot next to her. The samurai took her up on her silent offer. "They were worried that much?" She asked. "Well, I feel a little guilty knowing that. But, as you can see, I'm doing just fine~"
"It would seem that they were worried because you did not come to school, and when they went to visit you, you were not at home either," Amidamaru explained to the girl.
"Mm, I can understand that," Kagome stated more to herself than to the spirit beside her. She sighed softly and looked up at the sky. "I didn't mean to worry them. I guess, I just got lost in thought."
Amidamaru stole a glance at the girl. She was unusually quiet and introspective. Usually, the girl was all smiles or shouts, but now, she seemed smaller than normal. "Care you to speak your mind, Kagome-sama?"
"Well…" even her voice came out softer than usual. "Where should I start?" Kagome asked herself. "I just… I just can't stop thinking about that spirit, Sesshomaru," She confessed. "I think I know how Yoh-kun felt when he was determined to make you his guardian spirit. Somehow, I want to get to know him so we can become friends. It feels like him and me, as partners...like we're meant to be." The priestess kept her eyes aimed at the sky above, either too embarrassed to look at Amidamaru during her confession or too deep into her confession to do anything else. "I was so excited when he said he would join with me…But…It was not quite what I expected."
"That is because he possessed you, you two did not become one," Amidamaru explained simply.
"Yeah…" She whispered. "I think we could be good partners if we were on the same wave link… So…I've been thinking about going back there…to meet him again."
Amidamaru closed his eyes and crossed his arms as he contemplated the girl's words. "Hm… I can not bring myself to tell you not to, Kagome-sama, for you remind me of Yoh-dono right now. If he had not been so persistent, then I wouldn't feel the happiness that I do now. I would still be a lonely soul bound to this world by regret." He stopped speaking for a moment then continued, "However, because you're a priestess, you have a strong bond to the spirit realm, so you perceive the feelings and actions of spirits on a higher level than an ordinary human… So you must be careful."
"In other words," Kagome said. "Be careful because Sesshomaru and I are as tangible to each other as I am to the living," the priestess paraphrased before smiling at the spirit next to her.
"Indeed. You are very wise, Kagome-sama," Amidamaru compliment softly.
"More knowledgeable than wise…" The girl responded. "But thank you."
Amidamaru nodded solemnly before standing up, "I must be going now; it is about time that I return to Yoh-dono." He looked at Kagome and asked, "Shall I deliver the good news to them?"
Kagome nodded and told him, "Yeah, you can tell them that I'm alright. I'll even text them~" With that said, the girl reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. 'O-Oops…' She thought as she stared at the missed-call notifications on the screen. 'How did I not hear those calls?'
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
The color of the afternoon sky had gradually faded to darker tones as night approached. 'I wonder if they're going to watch the stars today…' Kagome thought as she idly swung her legs. A few hours had passed since she had spoken with Amidamaru and the girl was still mulling about the area in a haze. 'I want to see them, together.'
The girl then pulled out her phone, acting on her sudden desire. She entered the group chat with her two friends and typed to them, "It'll be a clear night. Anyone up for stargazing?" Her wait for a reply was not long, as her phone chimed back-to-back a few moments later.
"Heading to cram school so I'll pass for now. I'll catch up with you afterward," Manta replied.
Yoh's text came soon after Manta's, "On my way. See ya soon."
Kagome placed her hand over her mouth to hide her smile at the texts. It almost felt like her friends were right there with her. She looked at the sky again. It was a wide, cobalt canvas where the distant twinkle of the stars was slowly fading into view. She smiled as she got to her feet, "Looks like tonight's stars will be as lovely as ever~"
"If you think such a sky is acceptable, then you are a fool," an unfamiliar voice suddenly whipped back. Kagome gasped softly and looked in the direction of the voice. Several meters away there was a lanky, unlit light pole. Standing on top of the pole was a teenage boy. His features were obscured by the distance, but she could sense a great spiritual power from him.
'This guy isn't an ordinary human,' The priestess told herself before adding, 'As if standing on top of a pole wasn't a clue.' If anything, his aura was most similar to Yoh's. But this boy...his energy carried a heavy air of darkness with it. Kagome unconsciously held her breath. She had not felt this uneasy since her encounter with the angry spirit of the painter.
This person gave Kagome a bad feeling, but…
She could still picture Yoh trying to befriend him. Her friend usually pulled crazy stunts and approached volatile individuals without discrimination or fear. He did that, and things usually worked out in the end. That thought alone was enough to calm the girl's nerves.
"Actually, I know of a great spot where you can get a better view!" Kagome called over to the boy, "You can come wit…" The boy suddenly looked away from the sky and turned his gaze to her. Kagome's voice died in her throat as she stared into molten poles that seemed to glow against the darkening sky.
"Hmph." The golden-eyed boy jumped from the pole and landed gracefully on the ground. "If you think I came here to play house, you're mistaken," he replied in a low voice as he slowly approached the girl.
Kagome tensed and suspiciously eyed the stranger as he came closer. He wore a yellow school uniform that she had never seen before. His deep purple hair was topped with a tongari. His eyes were frigid as he passed her. "Enjoy your headphone boy while you can. I'm coming for him," the boy whispered as their paths crossed.
It was then that Kagome remembered the nightmare that she had recently. 'An apex predator with golden eyes?!' A sense of dread filled her before she quickly turned to question the boy, only to find no visible trace of him.
With a new sense of urgency, Kagome pulled out her phone again and called Yoh. He answered relatively quickly. Without giving the boy a chance to speak, Kagome yelled into the phone, "Yoh-kun, it's an emergency! Hurry to the usual spot, I'll be there soon!"
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
The main downside to being friends with Kagome and Yoh was that they made life a little too fun. Their presence made something as simple as walking into an exciting activity where he could laugh. So of course, walking to cram school alone was boring. Knowing that his best friends were going to watch the stars in their usual spot was enough to tempt Manta to ditch class. It would be so easy. And it would be a lot more fun than toting around gigantic textbooks and listening to more lectures.
Manta shook the thoughts from his head. 'Don't think like that, Manta! Yoh-kun already has the underachiever slot filled!' He could not afford to slack off the way Yoh did. He was not like Yoh and Kagome. He did not have special powers where he could work in a profession that did not involve math and the hard sciences. Once he grew up, he would have to return to the real world.
Botan's voice suddenly came back to him.
"Upon adulthood, your life will become very mundane and a little boring."
Was a boring world like this one the real one?
Or was it the world of wonder that his friends showed him?
Was he truly destined to leave such a free world behind in the future? Or—.
"Eh?" Manta blinked and picked his head up. Just as he was about to enter the crosswalk with the other pedestrians, he felt something. The boy was suddenly frozen in place.
Time seemed to stand still for a few moments.
Manta watched awed and shocked at the sight of a boy stepping out into the street against a red light. A speeding truck blared its horn as it raced towards the boy. It showed no sign of slowing down.
With one swift, fluid movement the boy swung a bladed pole weapon as the truck went by, slicing through the metal as if it were wet paper. The two halves of the vehicle fell on their sides, crashing into anything and everything in their way.
'W-What…?' Manta thought shakily with widened eyes. He couldn't believe what he was seeing! He looked around and found no sign of the boy. 'Where did he go?!'
"Looking for me?" an unfamiliar voice inquired cooly.
The shaking teen spun around and gasped. Within the blink of an eye, the boy somehow ended up standing directly behind him. "W-What… What are you?" Manta could not help but ask.
"Deliver a message to Asakura Yoh for me," The boy ordered, his tone was stoney and absolute. "Tell him that there's only room for one shaman in Tokyo."
"Wha—?" Manta blinked, and the boy was gone. "Who was he…?" He asked as his heart pounded in his chest. That was it. This was an emergency. There was no way that he could go to cram school.
'And if he knows that I'm Yoh-kun's friend, then he must know about Kagome-chan…' The boy thought as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Kagome huffed before scowling down at Yoh as he sprawled himself across the grass. Even after she explained her encounter with the strange boy, her friend did not seem concerned. His immediate reaction was, "Ah? Enjoy your time with me? Maybe he plans to replace you~"
The priestess placed her hands on her hips as she added, "Yoh-kun, you need to take this more seriously! He said that he's coming for you!" Her tone was urgent and pleading as she elaborated, "That's not something a future friend would say! And I can't shake this bad feeling. I think I had a dream about him…"
"A dream?" The shaman asked while peeking an eye open. A playful smile danced on his lips, "Maybe he's the man of your dreams that Botan mentioned~"
Amidamaru appeared, a concerned expression on his face, "Yoh-dono, I don't think it's wise to tease Kagome-sama like—Oh, too late." The samurai spirit sweatdropped when the priestess's aura flared.
"Oh!" Yoh suddenly popped up at the sound of his phone chiming. "That's Manta's ring tone." He pressed the answer button and held the phone to his cheek, "What's up, Manta?"
"Yoh-kun! Where are you right now?! Is Kagome-chan with you?!" Manta responded between panicked pants.
"Yeah, Kagome-chan is with me," Yoh replied calmly while side glancing at Kagome's now curious face. "I thought you had extra lessons right about now."
"I do, but I'm skipping prep school today! It's an emergency!" Manta told him.
Kagome blinked at how Yoh's expression suddenly went from laidback to serious. He asked, "What happened, Manta? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Manta said in response to the second question. "But I'm afraid for you, Yoh-kun! It seems that there's someone just like you here in Tokyo and he has it out for you."
"Someone like me?" Yoh blinked, tilting his head a bit. "You mean like a twin?" he inquired.
Manta suddenly yelled into the phone, "NO! Like another shaman!"
Even Kagome had heard that statement. She quickly grabbed the phone from the somehow still confused Yoh and stated, "Manta-kun, hurry over here! You might be in danger too!"
"Right, I'm already on my way," Manta responded. "I'll be there soon so be careful!"
Kagome nodded, "Yeah, you too. Actually, do you want me to come pick you up?"
"It's fine. Stay with Yoh-kun. He's the primary target here. Just call me if anything changes."
"Will do. Stay safe," Kagome said before the two ended their call.
"So how's my twin doing?" Yoh asked curiously. This earned him a bonk on the head from Kagome.
"Now's not the time for jokes, Yoh-kun!" Kagome chastised with another huff.
Yoh moaned and rubbed his head, "But I wasn't…"
That was when Amidamaru appeared before them and stated seriously, "Kagome-sama is right, Yoh-dono. Surely you must sense that immense dark aura approaching too."
"Of course I do," Yoh said before smiling reassuringly. "My twin is just downstairs, at the bottom of the cemetery."
Kagome gasped and when something dawned upon her, "Along with a few others! I think I sense Ryu of the Wooden Sword down there too! And their auras are flaring up!"
Yoh then slowly stood up and dusted his pants off. He turned to his guardian spirit and stated calmly, "Well then. Let's go, Amidamaru." The samurai spirit nodded in agreement.
"Alright, let's play it safe this time," Kagome agreed as she began following behind him.
But in response, Yoh shook his head negatively, "Actually, I'd like it if you stayed here where it's safe, Kagome-chan." His solemn expression did waver even when Kagome was suddenly in his face with a displeased look.
"No way I'm staying here while you run off to play shaman hero!" Kagome protested. Yoh had expected that she would say that and he only chuckled a bit. "Don't laugh! I'm totally serious about this!"
Yoh then met her eyes and stifled another chuckle as he stated calmly, "So am I."
Kagome blushed and immediately turned away, hiding how warm her face suddenly felt.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
"Damn…" Ryu cursed when he fell flat on his butt. "What's with this kid?" he snarled to himself. In seconds, all of his followers had been single-handedly defeated by the mysterious child. He and his gang planned to teach the brat a lesson for stepping foot on their territory, but they ended up sprawled across the ground.
Ryu flinched then paled when the boy pointed the blade of his kwandao towards his face. In the dark of night, it was gleaming with a silent thirst for blood.
"Tell me where Asakura Yoh is hiding and I might spare your life," the younger teen spat.
"You are a formidable opponent…" Ryu said coolly. His calm demeanor did not reflect how frightened he truly was. "As you must know, I am Ryu of the Wooden Sword. What's your name, kid?" He asked while catching the golden eyes in a heated stare.
"I'll only repeat myself once more," the boy stated irritably. "Where is Asakura Yoh?!" The boy's warning came with a swift slice of Ryu's pompadour.
Ryu gasped and became paler when a portion of his hair fell to the ground. This was the second time that an unusually strong child tarnished his pride and joy.
"If you won't tell me, then you can just die." With no more patience to spare, the boy drew back his weapon and thrust it straight at Ryu's face. The gangster instinctively shut his eyes and waited for the end.
But it never came.
"Asakura Yoh…" the boy said in a low tone as he looked over his shoulder at the person who grabbed hold of his kwandao. "So you finally decided to show your face."
Yoh smiled and replied, "Maybe I should have come earlier. You seem a bit impatient."
"Enough small talk," the boy shot back as he turned around to face Yoh. "I presume you know what I came here for."
"How about you start with your name?" Yoh asked calmly, "We can still be civil here."
"I am Tao Ren." Ren yanked his weapon away from the Asakura. He then looked past Yoh to Amidamaru and smirked. "I see you at least have a good tool."
Yoh narrowed his eyes and replied as calmly as he could, "If you're referring to Amidamaru, then I suggest you rephrase that. He is my friend, not a tool."
Ren laughed heartily at Yoh's declaration. "Your friend?" the Tao repeated in an amused tone. "Did you hear that, Bason?" On cue, Ren's guardian spirit made his presence known.
Bason was a massive spirit whose size was only rivaled by his aura. The spirit leered at Amidamaru with glowing red eyes through his helmet. He was covered in ancient Chinese armor. This spirit was the spitting image of intimidation.
The air of challenge and contempt that Ren and Bason gave off straightened Yoh's face. His eyes never left the other shaman, even as he asked Ryu to get to safety.
Ryu nodded vigorously and complied by rushing off to hide in some nearby bushes.
"What the—?" Ryu asked once he was finally undercover. "What are you going here, Kagome-chan?! Shouldn't you be somewhere safer?!" asked the blue-eyed girl squatting down next to him.
"Ssh!" the school girl replied while putting her pointer against her lips. "You're too loud."
Ryu nodded before asking in a lower volume, "Those kids—they aren't normal, are they?! And what are those men doing behind them?!"
Kagome's eyes widened. She looked at the older teen and queried, "You mean you can see Amidamaru-sama and Bason?!"
"Of course, I can. They're as clear as day." Ryu replied. "Ever since I've fought Asakura those two times…" His voice became even quieter. "I've been feeling different."
"I see… Well, since you're already a witness," Kagome began explaining slowly, unsure if she should share that information with Ryu. "Yoh-kun and Tao-san, they're both shamans. They're humans that can bond with spirits and take on their power… As you can see, Amidamaru-sama and Bason aren't living people," She said nothing else because she was too fixed on watching Yoh and Ren.
Yoh grabbed Ryu's wooden sword that was sitting against his motorbike and said as he looked over to the bush, "Ryu, I'm going to borrow this, okay?"
Ryu stood up and replied, "O-okay!" Kagome did not know why but she followed Ryu's lead and stood up as well.
"Yoh-kun! Be careful!" Kagome called to him. "That guy is dangerous!" She eyed the curved blade on Ren's kwandao. It was not a tool for practice like the wooden sword. It was a weapon for maiming and killing. Before she could say anything else, Ryu pulled the girl back into the bushes.
"Kagome-chan, it would be best if you just laid low with us," Manta stated from her other side.
"You're right, Manta-kun…" Kagome said absently. "Eh—? When did you get here?!" she asked.
"Actually, that's a good question" Ryu stated from her right.
"That's not important right now," Manta said. "I'm afraid for Yoh-kun. That guy, Tao Ren, I saw him cut a truck in two!"
"What?!" Kagome and Ryu gasped in unison.
And then it began, a fight between Tao Ren and Asakura Yoh.
It was the first fight between shamans that the three of them had ever witnessed.