Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Sealed Past ❯ Chapter 6 ( Chapter 6 )

Chapter 6

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Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

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Kagome looked up the broad steps leading to the local library with amusement as she watched Ranma pace back and forth beside the doors. “Looks like you were right Souta; he's never been to the library before.”

 

Souta merely grinned with evident satisfaction at winning their personal bet.

 

“I'll see you at home tonight, and remember to tell Mama that I may be late.”

 

“`Kay, see ya later.” Souta gave a nod of acknowledgement before continuing on his way.

 

Kagome mounted the steps and smiled in greeting to the agitated teen that waited for her. “I'm glad you could make it.”

 

“Yeah, well…” Ranma mumbled as he scuffed a foot against the ground.

 

“Come on, what we're going to be doing is researching traditional Shinto exorcism methods. Hopefully we'll find something that will work, and if we don't we will have to look for other, less conventional methods.” Kagome explained as they entered the library.

 

“Um, if you're a priestess, why do we have to do this? Can't you just get rid of them?” Ranma asked as he warily looked at the shelves upon shelves of books before him.

 

“Yes, I am a trained priestess, and I could `just get rid of them', but it would be a really bad idea. I haven't performed many exorcisms and they're a rather delicate spell to do properly.” She replied, running her fingers across book bindings, browsing through the titles.

 

“How's that?” He asked curiously as she began to load books into his arms.

 

“Um… how to explain this… Performing an exorcism without proper preparation is like performing a surgery with a chainsaw instead of a scalpel.”

 

“Ouch,” Ranma winced at the comparison.

 

“Yes, definitely, ouch. To compound the problem further, I'm used to performing purifications, which is definite chainsaw work.”

 

“What?”

 

“All purification requires is a blast of power that eradicates everything.” She answered, placing one last book onto the pile before moving towards the tables.

 

“Ah.”

 

Kagome chuckled at his expression as she gestured for him to put down the books and have a seat. “Don't worry. I have no intention of blasting you anytime soon, which is why we have to do research.”

 

***

 

With a growl of frustration Ranma shoved the book away from him, complaining. “This guy doesn't make sense!”

 

“Who's it by?” Kagome asked idly as she continued to scan the book she held. Within twenty minutes she'd been able to tell that not only had her younger companion never been in the library, he didn't read much and hadn't developed the ability to skim read. A useful technique most students developed when their course load was text heavy.

 

But they had time, and she expected to read all the books herself, so she wasn't too upset about his slow reading. She'd brought him to help him feel involved anyway, not because she was expecting much assistance with the research.

 

“Some old woman that claims to be a bat,” Ranma said with disgust, reading the short biography provided in the back.

 

“Is her name Shiori?”

 

“Yes, how'd you know?”

 

“She is one.”

 

“She's one what?” Ranma asked in confusion.

 

“She is a bat,” Kagome said as she finally looked up at him, “A bat demon to be more precise.”

 

“A bat demon?” He replied with a blink.

 

“What, did you think that the only demons are dragons, like the one whose whisker you swallowed? Our history is full of the mythology of fox demons, raccoon dog demons, and other demonic creatures. What's so strange about other animals also having demon counterparts?”

 

Ranma shrugged. “Don't know, never really though about it.”

 

“Well start thinking about it. These books are ones that are publicly acceptable, meaning that the materials have been carefully edited by demon publishers or written by quacks with no genuine credentials. There are others in private collections that we will be researching that are real, written by demons and spell-casters, and dangerously powerful if they were ever found by a `normal' human.”

 

“Dangerous?”

 

“Let's just say they contain truths that humanity would be unable to accept.”

 

“Oh…”

 

“But enough of that, it's getting late and I still have to write an essay so I'll see you here tomorrow as at the same time?”

 

“Yeah, sure.” Ranma replied with an unconcerned shrug, frowning slightly as he remembered his own pile of schoolwork.

 

“You got homework to?” She asked curiously, stacking the books.

 

He nodded warily; hoping she wouldn't nag him like his fiancée's did about getting it done on time.

 

“Bring it next time and we'll take a break from researching to get some done.” Kagome suggested.

 

Ranma grimaced with distaste. He really didn't want to do any homework. Where was the point? In math they were doing proofs, and what was the point of proving something that they already knew was true?

 

She eyed his repulsed expression and guessed that schoolwork was not one of his favourite things. “I've always though of schoolwork like this. You only have to do it once, so you might as well do it well, and never have to do it again. You may say `What's the point?' for some stuff. Put what's the point in repeating an assignment, let alone a grade?”

 

“Huh,” Ranma grunted. He'd never though of it like that before.