Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Sealed Past ❯ Chapter 20 ( Chapter 20 )

Chapter 20

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“Okay, care to tell me what that medallion is?” Ranma asked impatiently, as he watched her tuck the metal disk back into the jewellery box upon her desk and carry the box towards him.

 

“What it is, is a mon[1] of the Chinese Amazons oldest lineage.” Kagome explained as she climbed onto the bed beside him, placing the open box between them.

 

“Then why do you have one and how did you get it in the first place?” He asked with exasperation, as he looked at the medallion resting among other treasures in the box.

 

“Why I have one is easy. I am an honorary sister of the Jo-ketsu-zoku and a Lady-Elder.” Kagome answered.

 

“And the difference between an Elder and a Lady-Elder is…” Ranma trailed off suggestively, momentarily sidetracking.

 

“Is that, one precedes the other, much like a General outranks a Lieutenant General in the army.” Kagome explained.

 

“Fine, I get that now. Back to the part where you explain how you got it.”

 

“I am one of the founding women.”

 

Ranma blinked. Then blinked again. “The whole story please, no more bits and pieces, it's too confusing.”

 

Kagome chuckled and began. “It begins back in the Feudal Era, about the time you and Miroku were recovering from your battle with the demon from the Continent, Menomaru. Where he was from was the Kingdom of Qin, which is called China today.”

 

Ranma nodded, he knew that. What was she getting at?

 

“Specifically he was from the area of Jusenkyo. And while you were occupied with healing your wounds, Sango, Shippou, Kirara and I with Myoga's guidance returned to Menomaru's home after hearing that a particularly large amount of men had been slain in retaliation for the demon's death by Menomaru's followers that had remained behind in China.”

 

***

 

Sengoku Jidai, China, Jusenkyo

 

“Are you sure this is the place Myoga-jiji?” Sango questioned the elderly flea demon as she looked down at the ground Kirara was flying over, taking note of the abundance of springs.

 

“Certainly,” the flea assured her as he sat upon the demon slayer's shoulder.

 

Sango felt Kagome's arms tighten around her waist, glancing back at her friend she was surprised to see a slightly sick expression upon the priestess' face. “What's wrong Kagome?”

 

Kagome grimaced as she fought to quell her queasy stomach.

 

“Miasma,” Shippou guessed correctly from his place between the two women.

 

“Not just miasma,” muttered Kagome sickly, “Hatred as well. Can we land please? I think I'm going to throw up.”

 

“Down Kirara,” Sango ordered hastily, directing the fire cat towards a nearby ridge. The small group settled onto the ground, Kagome sitting down with her head hanging between her knees and taking great gulps of air.

 

A shrunken Kirara jumped onto Sango's shoulder, causing the flea demon to scramble for a new perch, finally locating one atop Shippou's head.

 

After some long moments, Kagome raised her head, feeling that she had successfully stilled her rolling stomach.

 

“Is it better now Kagome-chan?” Shippou asked anxiously.

 

“Yes, Shippou-chan, but I think it would be best if we walked from here.” Kagome reassured the fox kit wanly. Climbing to her feet she slung the bow and quiver case over her shoulder and picked up the demon to reassure him. Nodding that she would be alright to Sango, the two women and three demons began to walk.

 

Sango's eyes constantly scanned the forest around them, comforted by the weight of Hiraikotsu against her back, part of her attention also on Kirara who would warn her of any danger.

 

“Wow,” Shippou breathed large eyed as they broke through the trees onto a ridge over looking a grassy plain. It was not the beauty of the sight that struck him, but the carnage that lay below, great furrows torn into the earth, corpses of humans and demons alike scattered about the battle field.

 

“Myoga—Myoga?” Sango asked, looking about for the flea, “Damnit, Inuyasha's right, that demon runs off every time there's a hint of danger.”

 

“Listen,” Shippou suddenly said as he swivelled his head to the right, Kirara's own ears flicking towards a sound only the two demons could hear.

 

“What does it sound like?”

 

“Fighting,” Shippou said sadly.

 

“Come on then, let's get going,” Sango said as the sounds of battle drew close enough for the two humans to also hear.

 

***

 

Conditioner snarled at the boar demon bearing down at her as she levered her dead father's sword up. The beast may kill her but she swore that she would take it down with her.

 

“For my village!” She screamed as she lunged forward, gasping in pain as another demon swiped at her, claws slashing though her side. Raising her weapon at the new threat she gasped once more when the moth demon exploded.

 

Blinking in astonishment, she heard something large and heavy whirl though the air, jerking her head to look behind her she stared in shock as a massive weapon smashed though a line of advancing demons.

 

The weapon doubled back tearing through other demons, her jaw dropping Conditioner watched as it returned to the black clad figure that wielded it, the weapon's force dragging the woman back across the ground.

 

The woman shouted something in a foreign tongue to another strangely dressed woman.

 

The second one, wearing garments of green and white drew back her notched arrow and let it fly towards a clump of demons. The arrow glowed with a spiritual light, passing through the demons and causing them to explode just as the moth demon that had threatened her had.

 

The battle drew to a sudden standstill. Humans and demons alike shocked at the ferocity and deadliness of these new fighters. Suddenly the demons snarled in renewed anger, Conditioner barely managed to duck beneath the blows of another boar but her sword was wrenched from her hands.

 

Wide-eyed in horror she scrambled backwards to avoid the slashing hooves and tusks.

 

Suddenly another demon, far smaller than the rest appeared between them. He shouted something, his tongue as strange as the women, blue fire blasting from his hands to envelop the boar. Green eyes glanced back at her for only a moment before the demon disappeared into the fray once more.

 

***

 

Kagome rolled her shoulder muscles as she looked at the carnage, relieved that they had arrived in enough time to save all but a handful of the women the demons had been fighting.

 

“That was a lot of demons,” Sango commented as she watched a giant Kirara gnaw on the skull of a bird demon, keeping a wary eye on the foreign women who were watching them and their two demon companions with equal wariness and a great deal of fear.

 

“Yeah, but most of them fled,” Kagome said grimily, shadowing her eyes as she raised them skyward and looked at the direction the demons had run.

 

“Aye,” Sango said grimly, “And they'll be back.”

 

Kagome nodded in agreement as she unstrung her bow and turned her full attention to the Chinese women.

 

***

 

Conditioner watched the strangers warily, grateful that she'd been able to find her father's sword, as she wrapped up Perfume's ribs.

 

“We must thank them,” Perfume said as her ribs were bandaged.

 

Conditioner glanced up in surprise at the woman that had become their leader since their men's deaths. “What do you mean? They consort with demons!” She protested loudly.

 

Perfume gazed serenely down at her younger sister as she spoke mildly, “Those demons also saved us. I even recall the fox saving you in particular.”

 

Conditioner scowled as she looked down at her work, tying the bandage off. “I could have saved myself.”

 

Perfume did not state the obvious, that Conditioner had been in dire need of saving. “No matter, we shall thank them none the less.”

 

Conditioner's scowl deepened as her sister stood and joined by some of the other young widows, walked towards the two women, making sure to give the cat demon a wide berth.

 

She listened resentfully as Perfume expressed the gratitude of the village and invited the two women and their companions to join them. Scowling even more as the magical archer replied slowly and uncertainly, but clearly in their own tongue.

 

Conditioner was down right furious when the two women offered to stay and help fight the demons and Perfume accepted! They could fight the demons without those women's help!

 

***

 

21st Century, Japan, Sunset Shrine

 

“So, what happened?” Ranma questioned, turning the ancient mon over in his hand.

 

“We stayed, Sango taught them how to fight and gave them instructions on how to create weapons and I helped the two priestesses in training that they had.” Kagome said with a shrug as she stretched out on the bed. “It wasn't till we were leaving though, that one of the girls gave us that… the younger sister of the leader actually.”

 

“I remember being so surprised when she did, she hadn't liked us being there… I think she was resentful of us because our presence meant that they couldn't fend for themselves against the demons.”

 

“What was her name?” He asked curiously as he placed the mon back into the ancient box and set it onto the floor.

 

“Conditioner,” Kagome answered quietly, staring up at the ceiling, remembering the scene clearly, the young Chinese woman running up to them and pressing the mon's into their hands just as they had stepped thought the village gates to return to Japan.

 

Ranma grunted as he stretched out on his back beside her, they'd had names like that back then too?

 

“Kagome?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“How'd you know Chinese?”

 

Kagome chuckled as she rolled over to look down at his face, “Sango asked me the same question you know.”

 

“Well? How do you?”

 

“I've got Chinese cousins. It's been a few years since I've seen them but we still phone each other on special occasions like birthdays.”

 

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Footnote:

[1] Mon: n. family crest (heraldic)