"Sealed Past" Ch. 7 [novella, Kagome/Ranma(Inuyasha), M]

Chapter 7

Lying on the Tendo's roof, Ranma pondered the past events. Nearly a month had passed since he'd bumped into Kagome and since then his time after school and usually through supper time, had been spent at her shrine or the library, helping her research the spell required and locating the ingredients needed for his exorcism.

Tonight though she'd asked that he stay home, saying that she needed to see some people who wouldn't be willing to see her if he accompanied her. Having met some of the characters she knew, some of them strangely enough true demons, kept him from being insulted at her request.

Toutousai, one of the few remaining craftsmen of demonic weapons had been a particularly interesting character. Frustrating as hell to talk to, but when he started to ramble it was mind boggling the information that came pouring out. No wonder the demon smith rarely made sense and tended to ignore his surroundings. He had enough trouble keeping track of what was in his head; let alone what was going on around him.

Then there'd been the raccoon dog, Hachimon or something. He'd seemed to be nothing more than an old peddler, but he'd possessed some herbs and objects of other magical properties that he'd been positive Nabiki would have been able to sell for a very large fortune. How Kagome had dealt with him had been the most forceful she'd been yet. Hand it Over, Or get Purified. He had to admit, it had worked brilliantly.

There was Shiori, who Kagome had told him was one of the most ancient hanyou living. The presence of the old bat was awe inspiring, and he wasn't her insulting when he called her an old bat either, for she was one. She'd agree to cast the exorcism barrier, for it had been decided a demonic one was required to insure that the cursed auras within him were not unduly upset by the exorcism ceremony until it was too late to react.

He was fascinated by this new world. A world of demons and magic that Kagome was introducing him into. It felt familiar, like he may have found what he'd been looking for.

One thing that he'd been dismayed to learn however was that Saffron, who the Chinese Amazons had mistakenly called a demi-god was actually just a lowly demon that nobles, like Shiori ignored unless irritated by their presences and then they killed them. Shiori had consoled him with the fact that although he was merely a simple human, and hindered by his multiple curses as he was, he'd done a remarkable job and had done nothing to be ashamed of.

Sighing, he shifted his thoughts to how meeting Kagome had begun to change him personally. It was odd to talk with her in some ways. It felt so natural and he often found himself telling her more than he usually felt comfortable talking about. She sympathized with his fiancée plight and laughed at the numerous antics that those around him constantly indulged in. Her comments though had also made him see just how childish they all acted.

His hypocritical old man hyping on and on about 'family honour' and a 'son's duty to his father.' Well, what about a father's duty to his son?

Tendo Soun's incessant wailing about the future of the Tendo School of Martial Arts. He should give it a break already. His daughters were perfectly capable of carrying on the tradition themselves.

Akane with her hair trigger temper. So quick to target him and her continual denial of his innocence when he wasn't at fault. There might have been a chance of something between them in the very beginning, but that notion had been bashed, poisoned, and kicked out of him long ago.

Hibiki Ryoga with his constant and now meaningless challenges and his claims that it was always him, Ranma, who was the one at fault. He didn't know whether to hate or admire the bastard for his persistence. But still, wasn't it time that Ryoga just left him alone?

Kuonji Ukyo, she was one of the few he could truly call 'friend' but even she had her faults, especially with this fiancée thing. What she clung to was nothing more then a wistful dream as substantial as smoke. He wasn't agreeing to marry anyone.

Shampoo, constantly egged on by her great-grandmother Cologne, was more of a harassing stalker than anything else. Didn't those bitches get it yet? He wasn't and never would be married to Shampoo and he wasn't the old hag's 'son-in-law'.

Kuno Tatewaki's infatuation with his curse form and his equal hatred of his true body. And Kodachi was the opposite, infatuated with him and despised his curse form. Didn't those two get it yet? He was one person!

God damnit! Couldn't they just all give it up? He wasn't a prize to be fought over and won!

"Ranma-kun?" A feminine voice called out cautiously.

Tilting his head back to look at the open trapdoor leading to the roof he was flabbergasted to see of all people, Kasumi standing there.

"Yes Kasumi-san?" Ranma replied, confused by her presence. He rarely saw her outside of the kitchen nowadays.

"Can I come up?" She asked with her customary faint smile.

"Sure," he answered as he sat up and watched her cross the roof cautiously to his side.

Tucking her skirt beneath her legs the eldest Tendo daughter sat on the shingles and stared up at the stars for a long moment before beginning. "You've changed this past month Ranma-kun."

"Wha'dya mean?" He replied warily, instantly closing up.

"You've finally started to grow up."

Ranma frowned, what'd she mean by that? He'd started to grow up? Wasn't he already grown up?

"You've stopped taking offence at everything everyone says. You've lost your regular belligerence and are actually nice to people now."

Ranma looked at her guardedly underneath lowered brows. So? What point was she trying to make?

"Your new personality and demeanour is upsetting everyone else."

Why the hell should they be upset? They were always bugging him to 'grow up' anyway.

"Cause you see Ranma-kun, you've grown up and they haven't." Kasumi replied simply as she finally looked at him.

Ranma blinked, not really understanding what she was trying to tell him.

"You've changed and in a way surpassed them. They're still stuck in their own worlds that revolve around them and what they want, and they don't know how to deal with this change in you."

Oh, so maybe that was why everyone seemed to be getting more violent lately. He though it was because he wasn't home during the evenings anymore.

"Oh don't be mistaken, they're upset not only about the change in you but the change in your habits as well. When attending school you don't goof off anymore, you're actually paying attention in class and making better grades. The only phone calls we've gotten this month about you are from the teachers who are wondering what's happened to you, not phoning to complain. Nabiki said she also saw you going into the library one day."

So what? It was just a library. He'd needed to research some stuff for his exorcism.

"You also still fight when really pissed off, and still beat them, but you're not using any new techniques like they thought you were learning all those times you disappeared. And not being able to find you like they regularly could before really makes them angry. And that anger is feeding their fear."

"Fear of what?" Ranma finally asked cautiously.

"Fear of losing you." Kasumi replied simply, "Because when you finish growing up, they won't be able to hold onto you anymore. You will have outgrown all of their petty arguments, all their petty fighting. And they'll be forced to realize just how very childish and foolish they have been."