InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Okaeri Nasai, Welcome Home ❯ Oracle ( Chapter 4 )

[Ahem] Here's chapter 4. Unfortunately, because Meg made the stupid mistake of claiming Miroku to be hers (see last chapter's disclaimer), she is now in the middle of impending lawsuit. . .

*offstage* WHAM!! *Meg walks out*

Meg: I'm ready!

Kat: But where're all the lawyers?

Meg: Uh . . . *tries to hide mallet behind her back*

*groaning is heard backstage*

Kat=-_-*

Kat: Meg, what did we say about not killing lawyers? Killing meaning: ending in death, maiming, severely scarring the individual. . .

Akkiko: Shut up, Katsup, and get on with the chapter!

FINE!! *stupid sadistic, homicidal-happy friends that harass me at all hours!*

Okaeri Nasai

Chapter 4: Oracle

"Tell me," Kameko Haru said. "How is it you first came to be in Japan?"

The oracle was still sitting under the tree; Meg, Kat and Akkiko were sitting Indian-style in front of her. Behind them were Sango, Miroku, Inu-yasha, Kagome and Shippo. Meg had her arms crossed over her chest, her expression dubious and bored. Kat looked curious, confused and interested at the entrance of the mysterious woman. Akkiko's eyes were narrowed cautiously, still wary of anything Kameko said.

"Well," Kat said. "We came here on a student-exchange program."

"And how were you chosen for this program?" Kameko asked.

Akkiko took this question. "The principal at our school in Canada decided that it would be us three because it was the quickest way to get us out of the country."

"Were you really that bad?" Kagome asked.

"After placing two substitutes and one gym teacher in the mental institution, yeah, I would say we were that bad." Akkiko laughed maniacally.

"Akkiko, don't fib," Kat said.

"Yeah," Meg drawled. "It was only one sub we put in the mental institution."

"And I don't think the biology teacher appreciated us smuggling those frogs into the cafeteria," Kat added.

"They we still alive!" Akkiko said indignantly. "And much as I love hacking things up in a dissection, those froggies had to be liberated!"

"Oh my god," Meg said solemnly. "Did Akkiko just say `froggies'?"

"Yep," Kat put in.

"THE WORLD IS COMING TO AN END!!" Meg shrieked, head in hands.

Everyone sweatdropped. "Ahem, well, it isn't simply coincidence that you came to Japan," Kameko Haru said.

"Let me guess," Meg said, recovering, "We were preordained thousands of years ago to come to some holy place and call up ancient spirits from the Great Beyond so we can save the world."

Kameko continued smiling. "I'm not sure about `spirits from the great beyond', but the rest of what you say is pretty much true."

Meg fell over. "You're kidding right?" she said. Kat watched her friend's tail swing back and forth.

"Question!" she said. "Why did Meg's body grow...extra appendages, if you will?"

"I will get to that," Kameko said. "But first I must make one thing very clear: it was not by coincidence you three girls are able to travel through the Bone-Eater's well. It is because where you were originally born."

"Eh?" the three girls said at the same time.

Kameko laughed. "Many years ago there were three children born in three families: one was born to a cursed human family, another to a youkai family, and a third to a family of youkai hunters."

Someone made a noise behind the girls: Miroku, who was quickly hushed by Sango.

"These three children were safe within their mothers' wombs, but the Gods decided that their lives would be better suited for another time. . .the children's souls were taken from their bodies, and they were born dead, for without a soul a body cannot live for long."

"Are you saying . . . ?" Kat was in shock, and could not continue.

Kameko Haru nodded. "Yes. You three were those children."

Meg blinked. "And the families-"

"Your siblings are here in this clearing." The oracle stood, and went over to Shippo. "Little kitsune, did your parents ever speak of another child?"

Shippo blinked and thought for a moment. "I once asked Mom and Dad if I could have a brother or sister, and Mom became really sad. Dad told me that I had an older sister, but she hadn't survived birth." He grinned. "I asked that right after I asked where babies came from, so I knew what `birth' meant."

Kameko patted his head. "Well, kitsune, meet your sister." She pointed to Meg.

Meg's jaw dropped. "What? No way! Although I guess that explains why I have a tail. . ." She wagged it thoughtfully.

Kameko nodded. "You are the child of the youkai family. When you came through the well, the demon in your blood sensed that you were back in your true home, and so you were changed back to what would have been your original form, had you survived."

Shippo hopped up to Meg. "So . . . you're my sister?" He looked her up and down. "Can you protect me from him?" He pointed to Inu-yasha, who growled. "He's always hitting me."

Meg bared her fangs in a grin. "Next time he does that, you just tell me and I'll break his hand off."

Shippo beamed. "Okay!" He stuck his tongue out at Inu-yasha as he hugged Meg.

"Monk," Kameko said. "Is it true that you are not the only child of your family?"

Miroku sighed and shook his head. "A few years after my birth, my mother became pregnant again. During the birthing there were difficulties, and I was told that my baby sister did not survive."

Kameko shook her head, her smile never fading. "No, my dear monk, your sister did survive . . . it simply took her a few centuries to find a body." She gestured at Akkiko.

Akkiko blanched. "So you were serious when you said I had been groped by my brother?"

Miroku also blanched. "Oh Buddha," he muttered, crouching in a corner of the clearing. "Please forgive the sin I have committed. . ."

"Yeah, hitting on your sister?" Kat muttered. "How icky."

"IT WAS UNINTENTIONAL!!" Miroku and Akkiko said at the same time, and then glared at each other.

"Yes, I would definitely say siblings," Kameko laughed.

"So I guess that means I'm not going to get a tail or any other demon-esque things," Akkiko said, slightly put out. "I mean, Miroku is all human, right?"

"That isn't exactly true," Kameko said. "You see, the monk's family was cursed by a powerful demon fifty years ago. When someone is cursed, a residue of the person who performed the curse remains in the person who was cursed."

"So you're saying the residue of the demon who cursed Miroku's family is now in me?" Akkiko asked dubiously, then she brightened. "Cool! Does that mean I get pointy ears?"

Kameko sweatdropped. "I'm not sure. You are only half-demon, a hanyou, because of your human parentage. But I am sure your powers will show themselves in time."

"That's reassuring," Meg muttered.

"Um, Miss Oracle?" Kat said, a little shy. "What about me? Who's my sibling?"

"That would the demon exterminator," Kameko said, gesturing to Sango. Sango stood, and walked up to Kat, looking her over.

"After I was born, my family wanted to have another child, so that I would not be lonely. There was a little girl, I remember, but she did not survive. It was after that that my brother, Kohaku, was born."

"And I suppose I'm really all-human," Kat said, smiling a little. "I wouldn't think demon exterminators have any demon in their blood."

"Wrong again," Kameko sang. "It is another thread in the pattern you three have woven. It is through your bond, Katherine, that you have established with your friends that you have your own youkai powers."

"Bond?" Meg and Akkiko looked at each other.

*flashback*

"Did . . . did you just feel that?" Meg asked hesitantly.

"It felt . . . It felt like I was underwater." Akkiko said.

"I felt something grabbing the back of my shirt."

*end*

"Ah. I guess that's cool," Kat said. "But another thing: how did we get here? To the feudal age, I mean."

"Your rings," Kameko said simply.

"These?" Akkiko said, looking at the three metal bands that were intertwined on her finger. "How does that work? We don't even know who sent them."

"I did," Kameko said. Akkiko smacked her forehead.

"Should have seen that one coming," she muttered.

"Each one of your rings has a small piece of the Shikon no Tama within them," Kameko continued, and Kagome took a sharp intake of breath.

"That explains it," she said. "Anyone with jewel shards can travel through the well, can't they?"

"Correct," the oracle nodded. "It is because of their bond with the past. But it is also because of your souls that you are able to travel through time." She nodded to Meg, Kat and Akkiko, who were now all looking at their rings. "It is here that your souls are most suited-this place, this time, is home to them." Kameko bowed. "Are there any questions?"

The three girls stared at each other, then said at the same time: "HUDDLE!"

They crossed the clearing and huddled up, talking in fast whispers.

"Is this really happening?" Kat asked.

"We could have hit our heads coming down the well and been knocked unconscious," Meg said.

"If we hit our head, I think we would be dead," Akkiko put in, "And if this is Hell, it has a warped sense of humour."

"Who says we're going to hell?" Meg said.

"That's besides the point people!" Kat said. "Okay, let's go on the hypothetical notion that this is real, and isn't a warped dream or . . . Hell. Why us? What can we do that they-" She gestured to Kagome and the others "-can't do better?"

"You know," Akkiko said. "It's kind of like Magic Knight Rayearth: three girls are transported to another world so they can save everyone."

"And in the manga there's an all-knowing guru that helps the girls along the way!" Kat said, and all three turned to look at Kameko.

"We have a question!" Meg said. Kameko turned and smiled. "What exactly are we supposed to do here, besides save the world?"

Kameko reached into a sleeve of her robe and brought out the glass ball full of red smoke the group had seen earlier. "This sphere is an early-warning system for happenings in this time. When the smoke is blue, there is peace; when grey, there is war approaching; and when the smoke is red, it means that evil forces are stirring up something big."

Inu-yasha muttered something. "What was that?" Kagome prodded.

"I said, `Naraku'," Inu-yasha spat. "That bastard is probably going to pull another one of his half-baked ideas." He `harrumphed' and crossed his arms. "We don't need three little girls to help us with that."

At this point Kat had to stop both Akkiko AND Meg from killing the oblivious hanyou.

Kameko shook her head. "As I said earlier, hanyou, these girls are very important. You will not be able to win this battle without them. Naraku has resurrected Kaguya."

Miroku choked. "That's not possible! I disposed of that witch through my kazaana."

Kameko looked at him, her smile fading for the first time. "Naraku retrieved her from the world that goes beyond your kazaana. He also brought Kanna and Kagura back."

"You know all this?" Kagome said. Kameko Haru nodded.

"I have seen it," she said. "It happened a week ago. But Naraku's plan does not stop there. He is planning something else-"

"Time OUT!" Meg said, getting annoyed. "Who the hell are all these people?"

Kameko chucked. "Do not worry, kitsune. You will meet them all presently. Have you any other questions."

"I do!" Akkiko said. "Usually when humans are transported to another time, they receive special gifts: armour, weapons, stuff like that. You have anything for us?"

Kameko blinked, and thought for a moment. "Yes, I suppose I could each give you something of use. Especially for you and Kat, since you haven't developed any signs of your demon blood." She walked up to Kat, and reached into the sleeve of her kimono. She drew out a feather and several stripes of paper.

Kat stared. "What good can a feather and some ofuda do?" she asked.

Kameko also handed her a brush and some ink. "Your own power will be transferred into the paper. When thrown, whatever is written on the scroll will materialize."

Meg perked up. "Hey, Kat! Write `Johnny Depp' on one and let's see if it works."

Kat sweatdropped. "In your dreams, Meg." Meg pouted.

*Interruption*

Meg: OH, pleeeeeeeease, Kat?

Kat: I said NO!! *runs away from Meg, ofuda clutched to her chest*

Akkiko: Hee hee! The keyboard is mine!

Computer: Foreign material targeted. Prepare to be vaporized.

Akkiko: EEP! *dodges away from the computer*

Kat: I'm glad I installed that security system *continues typing*

*end*

"I will also give you the power of a weapon . . . do you mind a spear?" Kat shook her head and Kameko held up her hand. A ball of light appeared, and within it was a tiny spear. Kameko touched the ball of light to Kat's necklace. The glow disappeared, and Kameko smiled. "The feather will activate when you say a single word," Kameko continued. "And I believe you'll like the results."

"What's the word?" Kat asked.

"You will know," the oracle assured. "Just know to use it when there is no way out but up."

"Huh?" Kat was perplexed, but the woman had moved on to Akkiko.

"Here you are," the oracle said, and held out a pouch. Akkiko opened it.

"Rocks?" she said flatly. "You gave me rocks?"

"It goes with this," Kameko handed her a slingshot.

"Sweet!" Akkiko said, "I get a slingshot!" She cradled it, a very scary look on her face.

"I am officially freaked out now," Meg muttered.

"Hold out your hands," Kameko instructed. Akkiko did so, and the oracle held her hands over the wrists Akkiko's fingerless gloves. Two balls of light issued from her palms, and within the spheres were miniature twin swords. They disappeared into the gloves. Akkiko blinked and looked up at Kameko as she reached into her sleeves and drew out a necklace.

"You aren't very feminine, but this necklace could still come in handy," she said.

"Whaddaya mean I'm not feminine?" Akkiko snapped, grabbed the necklace, and put it on. She looked down at the pendant; it was a pair of silver wings. "Eew . . . it's, like . . . girly."

"My point," Kameko laughed, and moved on to Meg. "To you, I give this," she said, and held out a scrunchie.

Meg stared. "I already have one, though," she said, holding up the end of her braid.

Kameko smiled. "I know that, but throw it into the air."

Meg took the scrunchie, and threw it up apathetically. *whoosh*

"ACK!!" Meg yelped as something cushy and soft flew under her. "What the *beep*?"

"Meg!" Kat said. "What did I say about language? And were the hell did that cloud come from?"

The group was now staring at Meg, who was floating several feet from the ground on a fluffy light-blue cloud.

"This is the kumo," Kameko explained. "It was spelled into the hair-tie so that when it is thrown into the air, it is activated." [A/N: FYI, `Kumo' is `cloud' in Japanese]

Kameko Haru also gave Meg several littler gifts for the illusionary abilities all kitsune have: a leaf, a top, and the like. Lastly, she gave her a quiver of arrows in a ball of light, which she infused into the bracelets on her wrists, and a bow, in another ball of light, and infused them into her extra hair tie.

"And that is all I can give you for now," the oracle said at last. "My job is finished. Have you any other questions before I leave?"

Meg, Kat, and Akkiko all looked at each other. ". . . I don't think so," Kat said at last. All three were still looking slightly bewildered.

Kameko bowed again, and retreated further into the shadows of the trees. "Then I bid you sayonara. Oh, and another thing-" She flashed the girls a bright smile. "Okaeri nasai."

And then she was gone.

The three girls stared at the spot were the oracle had been. Then they smiled at each other, each thinking the same thing.

*Welcome home . . .*

~~~

After the oracle left, the Inu-yasha gang was growing accustomed to the three girls' presence. The newly-found siblings were also adjusting. . .

"Stay away from me," Akkiko said.

"I'm not going to grope you again!" Miroku said. "I just want to get to know you . . . after all, you are my little sister."

"Yeah, maybe, but you still groped me, you sicko."

"I didn't KNOW you were my sister!"

"That doesn't make a difference!"

So, Miroku and Akkiko were getting along. . .

. . . Shippo was showing Meg how to use the gifts Kameko Haru had given her . . .

. . . And Sango was having issues about Kat's (average, but still quite short for a girl her age) height.

"I don't get it . . . you're so . . . short."

"What's that supposed to mean!?"

Meg leaned towards Inu-yasha and Kagome. "Kat's touchy about the height-thing."

"All I mean is height helps you be a better fighter. I mean, you're shorter than Kagome!"

"Only by, like, a quarter of an inch! And besides, Akkiko's gotten into more fights than Meg and I together-and won every single one of them-and she's shorter than me!"

"Leave me out of this," Akkiko snapped.

Kat stomped off, but her departure was made less graceful by tripping over the Hiraikotsu. She growled, picked up the giant boomerang and threw it without really thinking about what she was doing. It *WHAM!!* hit Miroku in the back of the head and he fell to the ground without a word, unconscious.

Meg stared at Miroku for a second. "You hit my bishie!"

"You hit my brother!" Akkiko said, outraged.

Inu-yasha looked at Miroku, then at Hiraikotsu, then at Kat. "Hey Kagome," he said. "How come she's shorter but you're weaker?

"OSUWARI!!" Inu-yasha meet floor, floor meet Inu-yasha [A/N: That's Akkiko's line, thanx going out to her for letting me borrow it]

Miroku groggily sat up. He pointed in Kat's general direction. "Absolutely, without a doubt . . . related to Sango." He collapsed again.

~~~

Once they revived Miroku, Kagome sighed.

"Now what?"

Akkiko, Kat and Meg looked at each other. "Now we . . . follow our destiny?" Meg suggested, flipping her hair over her shoulder and walking to the centre of the clearing.

"We can't just sit on our butts and wait for the end of the world to come. So, we need to get going."

"Get going where?" Akkiko asked flatly.

"I don't know," Meg said calmly. "But like I said, we are NOT just sitting around."

Sango blinked and turned to Kat and Akkiko. "Are you sure she's related to Shippo? I mean, she seems so . . . collected."

"Oh, wait until you get her on coffee. Or," Akkiko turned to Meg. "Hey, Megan!"

Meg immediately turned on Akkiko with a less-than-happy expression.

Kat sweatdropped. "She's touchy about the Megan."

"AKKIKO!!"

"EEP!!" In the background, Meg chased Akkiko, throwing her scrunchie into the air. The kumo fluttered around her, lifting her off the ground. It brought Meg above the running Akkiko, and suddenly-

*BOOM!!* Akkiko coughed, now covered with black soot.

Meg stared. "Whoa," she said. "This thing comes with lightening bolts!" Enter evil grin.

Kat sweatdropped. "Uh, Meg, I think it's time for us to go home!"

"Gimme a sec!" Meg flew off. . .

Akkiko turned to Kat and coughed. "I think she just got a whole lot more freaky."

"Uh . . . yeah?" Kat turned to Akkiko. "Oh, by the way, Akkiko, thanks for saving me," she said.

Akkiko looked up. "Oh . . . yeah . . . actually, I was more after the bishie with the tail. Any rescuing was purely coincidental."

Kat developed a twitching vein in her temple and smacked the poor half-demon-thing.

Meg flew over and jumped gracefully to the ground. The kumo transformed back into her scrunchie and she tied her hair back. "Okay, let's go!"

Kagome popped up. "Where's Inu-yasha?"

"Over there," Meg said, an evil smirk on her face. She pointed across the clearing at the twitching ash heap.

"MEG!" Kat and Akkiko both smacked her. "Don't hurt innocent people!"

Miroku coughed. "I wouldn't exactly call Inu-yasha `innocent'."

~~~

The four girls congregated around the well.

"We'll be back tomorrow," Kagome said to Miroku, Shippo and Sango. "Akkiko, Meg and Kat will stay over at my house tonight and we should be back early in the morning."

Miroku nodded. "All right, see you soon. We'll be waiting at Kaede's." He bowed to Akkiko. "See you tomorrow, imouto-san."

Akkiko brought out her slingshot. "Just a warning in case I forget tomorrow: If you hit on me, Meg or Kat anymore, I'll shoot a rock at you."

Miroku nodded. "Fine!"

Sango tugged his ponytail. "Oh no, if you hit on my sister, you get a Hiraikotsu in the face."

Miroku gulped, "EEP!"

"WHERE'S THE WENCH?!" Inu-yasha stumbled out of forest, still smudged with soot.

Miroku sighed. "Kagome's right here." He pointed.

Inu-yasha glared. "Not THAT wench! THAT wench!" He shook his fist at Meg.

Meg sweatdropped. "Erm. . . Bye!" She grabbed Kat's arm and jumped into the well. Kat yelped and grabbed the back of Akkiko's shirt. Akkiko sighed and grabbed Kagome's arm. The four school girls fell through the well and a flash of light appeared.

Kat, Akkiko and Meg floated in sub space and then settled onto the firm packed earth of the bottom of the well in the mini shrine. Kagome started climbing the ladder attached to the side.

"Come on," she said, "time to call your house-parents to see if you can stay the night."

Meg was feeling her hairline. "Hey! My ears are gone!" She twisted behind her. "And my tail is gone too!"

Akkiko crouched in the corner. "Hey, Kat," she said, "Here's your textbook!"

Kat growled, grabbed it, and hit Meg and Akkiko both on the head.

"OW! What was that for?"

"Akkiko, you were hit because you stole the book in the first place. Meg, you were hit because you threw it down the well and got us landed in this whole mess." Kat then hugged them and started climbing. Meg and Akkiko glared.

"So you hit us and then you hug us? What's up with that?"

Kat stuck her tongue out at them. "The hugs were for landing us in this mess!" She laughed, and the two girls looked at each other and started climbing up the ladder.

# # #

YEAH!! Another chapter finished!

Meg: Yes, and you will continue with the next one, or else I'll send lightening bolts! *sits on kumo*

Akkiko: Yes, and I'll hit you with my slingshot!

Kat: *snaps fingers, weapons disappear*

Meg and Akkiko: HEY!!

Kat: Until next time! *begins running away from homicidal friends*

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha, so please, leave me alone.

Lawyers: No! We'll never leave you alone! BWAHAHAHAHAH!!!

Kat: *snaps fingers again*

*lawyers fall through trap door*