"Sealed Past" Ch. 26 [novella, Kagome/Ranma(Inuyasha), M]

Chapter 26

Genma's bruised, battered, and bloody body crashed onto stone as Sesshoumaru released the martial artist from his energy attack.

Practically everyone winched at the man's condition. Sesshoumaru had been even more brutal than Ranma.

"I trust I have made myself clear panda?" Sesshoumaru asked rhetorically, the panda was unable to speak any longer.

Kuno who had been watching the proceedings with horror and dismay suddenly remembered something. Soon after he had first met the crass lowlife, Nabiki-san had spoken of how the bastard had possessed his Pigtailed Goddess! The foul demon had not possessed his Pigtailed Goddess, he had devoured her!

"Foul beast!" Kuno burst out, startling everyone with its unexpectedness. "Not only have you harmed Akane-san but you have eaten my Pigtail Goddess!"

"Pigtail Goddess?" Shippou quirked an eyebrow quizzically at Ranma, feeling that his adoptive father knew of what the apparent swordsman was speaking of.

Ranma rolled his eyes and started to mutter a 'Don't Ask' statement but was forestalled by his mate's unexpected move.

"I think it's time some truths be told." Kagome stated calmly, her face serene as she pulled out more rosaries to hold them loosely in one hand. Brown eyes flickered over those affected by the Jusenkyo Curse.

Her eyes did not harden as the beads began to glow but rather grew more intense, more focused on a sight only she could fully see. Those effected by the cursed spring water began to shifted about nervously as something rubbed their instincts wrong—all but Genma who was still to injured to move of his own free will.

Words were spoken in an archaic tongue that none but the demon's present understood. Wooden beads pulsed and flickered with light before dispersing like sparklers from the priestess' hand to reform around four human wrists.

The Shikon-no-Tama residing in her chest glowing, Kagome spoke one word.

"Change."

The heads of the four who had been looking with surprise at the rosaries now adorning them jerked up. The sounds of the animals that they had been cursed to become emitting from their throats as the transformation of the Jusenkyo Curse was forced upon them. A duck, cat, panda and piglet appeared.

If Ukyo had not been supporting her, Akane would have collapsed in shock. Ryoga. Ryoga was P-chan. Her mind was numb with the revelation. She just couldn't absorb it... Ryoga... Ryoga was...

Ranma snorted as he looked the stunned expressions of those few Wrecking Crew members who hadn't known of the Jusenkyo Curse and the fascinated ones of the demons and Higarashi family members.

"Animals are not only what they can become," Kagome spoke softly, the light within her body pulsing with a weird rhythm.

"You mean..." Kuno trailed off as he tried to assimilate what he'd just witnessed.

"The woman that you speak of was nothing more than a cursed being."

"Who... who was she?" Kuno questioned hoarsely, devastate to learn that his Pigtailed Goddess was the result of a curse.

Kagome arched a brow at the traditionally dressed man than said softly, "I think you know."

Slowly, hesitantly, Kuno looked at his companions who all turned their gaze from his own to look at... Ranma. He looked at the back haired teen to find Ranma standing with a belligerent expression on the boy's face as he was glared at. No, it could not be.

"Yes," Kagome spoke once again, voice still gentle but undeniable, intuitively knowing what the bokotu(1) carrying man was attempting to deny, "His cursed form was the body of a woman."

For a long moment Kuno started at the man who had been his rival in everything since their first meeting. Than he burst into tears and fled.

The Wrecking Crew who were familiar with such actions watched Kuno flee with various degrees of sympathy while the demons all snorted in disgust.

"Humph," Kodachi muttered before drawing herself full erect and facing the Higurashi woman, "You may have defeated my family but we shall not rest until our honour is restored. Mwahahahaha!"

Kagome blinked as the gymnast disappeared in a swirl of black rose petals. "Odd."

Ranma snorted, she had no idea.

Kagome smiled faintly at the noise her mate made as she turned her attention back to the animals. Her eyes darkened once more as power hummed through the air. "Return."

Instantly those cursed returned to their human forms, blinking still in shock they stared at the priestess. How the hell had she done that?

The sharp voice of the Amazon Elder spoke unexpectedly from between the torii pillars.

"Great-Grandmother!" Shampoo exclaimed in surprise.

"Thank you for responding to my phone call so quickly Elder Cologne." Kagome greeted with a smile.

"Why you phone great-grandmother?" Shampoo demanded as she glared at her rival. After the woman had left the café her great-grandmother had said they were returning to China—without her husband!

"Come Xian-pu, Mousse the boat is leaving in an hour. We must be on our way to the harbour." Cologne said regally, shocking the other members of the Nerima Wrecking Crew.

"You're leaving!" Ryoga blurted out.

"Yes," Cologne said sharply. "We no longer have a reason to remain in Japan. Good-evening Lady-Elder Kagome, I apologise for my great-granddaughter's intrusion."

"None shall be taken." Kagome replied. "May the gods grant you strong winds and gentle sailing."

"Thank you for your blessing Lady-Elder." Cologne replied with a bow of deepest respect. Turning the Amazon Elder began descending the stone staircase, Shampoo and Mousse looked forlornly at their friends and rivals.

"Shai shen,"(2) Shampoo finally said in a voice choked with tears before obediently following her great-grandmother.

Those remaining watched as Mousse followed the Amazons down the staircase, his path crossing with Kasumi's as the eldest Tendo daughter appeared atop the stairs.

Kasumi surveyed the scene before her, her expression serene. She looked with curiosity at the two demons she saw and the battered forms of her little sister and her father's friend. "Come," she spoke quietly, "It is time for us to leave."

"Ryoga-kun?" Kasumi asked as she walked towards the injured form of her sister, "Would you help me with Akane-chan?"

Ryoga hesitated, biting his lower lip as he looked at the tomboy. He'd seen her expression when the priestess had revealed that he too was cursed by the springs. His hesitation lasted only a moment before he nodded his agreement. Even if he didn't what to deal with the aftermath of the revelation of the truth, Kasumi did need his help to carry Akane home.

Kasumi stood beside Akane and brushed lose strands of hair away from her sister's battered face. "I hope you learn some things from today."

Akane blinked up at Kasumi, learn? What was she suppose to learn? The train of though was momentarily lost as pain washed over her as her weight was shifted from Ukyo to Ryoga as he picked her up.

Kasumi looked over at her other sister, silently passing a message to Nabiki.

Nabiki fumed mentally as she looked at the camera she held. The matter however was taken out of her hands.

"Souten," her mate spoke softly, "The camera."

The thunder demon glanced over and saw that indeed, one of the Tendo's carried a digital camera. Good, that meant it would be easier to destroy. Dark eyes narrowed, lighting leaping in the air and electrocuting the piece of equipment.

Nabiki squawked in shock as she dropped it, electricity visibly fizzing along the casing. She looked up and blinked to discover that the woman in the brown suit, though she still looked remarkably human was also a demon. The mercenary girl fumed mentally as she stormed to join her family, knowing instinctively that it was that demon who was responsible for the loss of her camera and the pictures it carried.

Kasumi fought the smile that wanted to quirk her lips. Nabiki wasn't use to someone else getting the better of her.

"Father, would you carry Mr. Saotome?" Kasumi asked of her remaining parent.

Suno looked at his eldest and nodded in agreement, moving to his friend's side he hoisted Genma's battered body over his shoulder and began to carry him from the shrine grounds.

"My sincere apologise from disturbing you, I hope you will forgive us." Kasumi addressed the demons and Higurashi family.

Akane scowled at her sister from Ryoga's arms, why was Kasumi apologising? It was Ranma and that demon that had beaten them up.

"Of course," the priestess replied solemnly, "No ill will shall be bore towards you."

Akane looked back at the priestess over Ryoga's shoulder as the other inhabitants of the shrine gathered around the woman, scowl fading as she was carried away. The Tendo's, Ryoga, and Ukyo all began the long descent of the shrine steps.

The priestess… she reminded her of Kasumi. Was that what she was missing? But what did Kasumi have that she didn't? Slowly realisation dawned. It wasn't really about what the two women had but what she didn't have. Maturity. Inner strength. Personal confidence in themselves that allowed them to listen to others and make decisions without being judgemental.

She remembered all the times she'd jumped on Ranma, instantly blaming him for things that didn't go the way she wanted them to. Never listening, even bluntly ignoring him whenever he spoke harshly of others, thus ignoring the truth he attempted to tell her.

How many times she wondered as she looked up at the face of the boy that carried her had Ranma tried to tell her that P-chan was more than her pet pig? He had also insisted on one other truth that she'd dismissed… the truth that till now she had been a child.

As she looked at the back of Kasumi, she resolved that that would end, she would do as Ranma had told her. She would grow up and than maybe she'd find her own happiness and be fitting for someone. At that last though her eyes were drawn back to the boy—no man that carried her.

. . .

Ranma sat at the top of the shrine steps between the arch of the torii pillars, his mind wondering to the fight that had taken place that day. He remembered in particular, not his anger and disgust towards Akane, but as she had been carried from sight feeling a small welling of compassion for the youngest Tendo child.

She was a child, but not to long ago, before finding Kagome again, he too had been a child.

"What are you thinking of?" Kagome asked as she dropped onto the step beside him.

He smiled faintly at her before turning his eyes back to the glowing orb of the setting sun. "Nothing really."

"Yeah," Kagome playfully said sceptically, "That's why you look like someone's just hit you on the head."

Ranma shook his head fondly, the smile fading from his face but not the expression of contentment in his grey eyes as Kagome leaned against him. "Do you think they'll be back?"

"Nah," was Kagome's answer as she traced lazy patterns on his thigh.

Blinking in surprise at her response he looked down at where she rested against his shoulder. "What do you mean, nah?"

"I gave them a little something," Kagome answered with a dismissing shrug.

"What did you give them?" He asked, curiosity piqued when her fingers hesitated briefly.

"The rosaries…"

"What about them?" Ranma quirked an eyebrow at her bowed head.

"I linked the curses' transformation to them."

"What do you mean?"

"Getting splashed by water won't transform them anymore, removing the rosary will." Kagome answered hesitantly as she looked up at him

"Huh," Ranma grunted as he turned his eyes back to the sunset, wondering if those cursed by the springs had discovered what had been done to them. He smiled at the images that formed in his mind. "Thank you."

Kagome smiled as she too continued to watch the dying sun alight the sky in a wash of reds and oranges. She'd though it was a nice gift too, though they had all brought Ranma grief it was that path that had brought him back to her.

As we decree it shall be. Two made one. This one soul divided nevermore.

-FINISHED

---

Footnotes:
(1) Bokotu: also bokken, wooden sword
(2) Shai shen: (Cantonese) bye-bye

"Sealed Past" Ch. 25 [novella, Kagome/Ranma(Inuyasha), M]

Chapter 25

Akane continued to fume as she listened to Ranma and that—that witch continue to talk. Hah! 'Like I believed in any of this crap,' Akane mentally sneered. 'No way in hell Ranma is the resurrection of some feudal demon.' There were no such things as demons! And it was lunacy and bordering on delusional to state that those two were soul-mates.

'What's was so special about the witch anyway?' Akane wondered spitefully as she eyed the black haired and brown eyed woman seated across for her. 'The witch isn't nearly as attractive as myself,' she thought smugly, in fact the witch's features were unremarkable and one could almost call them plain. 'Nor does the witch seem to be any sort of fighter—probably one slap would take her out and send her bawling home,' Akane though with a great deal of satisfactory pleasure.

'And she's old! Probably older than Kasumi is.'That was one point that bugged Akane the most, the fact that she hadn't apparently lost Ranma to a younger woman but to an older one!

"Look," Akane rudely interrupted the witch's speech about some deal with the gods, ha! as if, "I don't give a damn about any of this. All I care about is that Ranma has—"

"You haven't been listening to a word we've been saying have you?" Kagome cut the tomboy off with amusement.

"I told you I don't give a shit—"

"It isn't about you," Kagome cut the youngest Tendo off again, growing impatient, "It has noting to do with you, it's about Ranma and me. There is no you."

"You thieving bitch!" Akane snarled as she lunged across the table, her rage boiling over at that statement.

A streak smashed her backwards.

Akane crashing through a wall out into the shrine grounds to lie sprawled in a heap of wreckage upon the flagstones.

A snarling demon crouched before her.

The Nerima Wrecking Crew were on their feet, feeling as they were moving though molasses at the speed of Ranma and the others who were on their feet and scrabbling though the new exit hole long before they had even registered the attack.

"Akane!" Ryoga cried out disbelievingly as he and his companions scrambled after them all, watching horrified as Akane scrambled desperately to avoid Ranma's attacks.

The Wrecking Crew were in shook. Ranma had never done this before. Yeah, he'd beat Akane constantly in sparing matches, but he had never been so brutal.

"Filthy bitch," Ranma rasped in a low snarl that was not his voice, "How dare you attempt to attack my mate."

The Wrecking Crew all shuddered at the hateful menace they heard resonating within the stranger's voice. This was not their Ranma, but a wild predator who radiated a viciously powerful aura to their marital art's senses. All their instincts were screaming at them that to interfere was to die.

And that was Akane's fate—she was going to die, they had no doubt about it.

"Father!"

The Wrecking Crew barely spared a glance at the russet haired man or the term of address he had used, their eyes locked on the gut churning scene before them as Ranma beat Akane down again and again, toying with her.

"Father stop it! She's only human! You'll kill her!" Shippou tried once again to get though to the enraged demon, knowing that Sesshoumaru would do nothing. The Demon Lord may live in a modern age but he was archaic when it came to demon matters, especially demon family matters.

"Father!" The fox demon yelled again, finally lunging at the dog demon souled human.

Shippou only got one hit in before a fist smashed into his cheek, sending him skidding backwards to crash up against one of the torii pillars. The wooden structure shuddered beneath the bone crunching impact.

But the fox had achieved his aim, Ranma was momentarily distracted allowing Akane a few desperate moments of breathing space.

Those from Nerima stared in shock, not because of the force of the impact which was not an uncommon feat among them, but by what they now saw.

While still wearing a dark business suit, it was no human that lay slumped against the column. Nine golden red fox tails were now evident, lips curled back in a grimace to reveal canine incisors, claws upon his fingertips, elf ears framing his face, slitted green eyes glittered at them.

The silver haired man snorted dismissingly, never taking his eyes off the two combatants. "Foolish kit, you know better to stand before a demon in basukanda(1)."

"Bah-sue-kan-dah?" Shampoo piped up questionably, sounding the term out, recognising it as not being Japanese.

"A demon defending his mate," Souten translated loosely as she looked with sympathy and some amusement at her mate before turning her attention back to the still raging battle.

Kagome steeped forward, a rosary string hanging loosely in one hand. Her bronze eyes cool, expression calm and serene. She could feel the rage burning though her soul link with Ranma but knew that if he did kill the girl he would never forgive himself when he regained himself. It was time for her to put a stop to this.

She raised the string of beads before her and let herself slip into the Third Eye trance.

Those around her hastily backed away, the Nerima Wrecking Crew in particular stared wide-eyed as it seemed as though she was caught within a windy vortex, clothes and hair flying upwards the stone beads beginning to glow.

. . .

Images flashed thorough Ranma's mind as he easily avoided Akane's retaliating attacks unleashing brutal ones of his own that the Tendo girl was having greater and greater difficulty avoiding.

A conflicting clash of memories. Memories of his childhood as Inuyasha. Memories of his childhood as Ranma. Memories playing, overlapping, snippets of events that had made him and had lead him to this fight.
Akane constantly bashing him. Bad mouthing his honour and manhood. Constantly belittling him and now trying to take from him the one reason for his existence. Lunging at his mate. Awakening everything that was demonic within his soul.

Than he felt something, a stirring of power that was not his own. Kagome. Her power rippled out, sliding against his own, caressing and merging with his aura. Bring with it the soothing touch of reason.

Yes Akane may be a self-centered, spoiled brat, throwing tantrums whenever she didn't get her way, letting pride rule her actions and her sharp tongue. But that merely showed what she was… a child who'd been coddled by all those around her.

The red haze clouding his vision faded, leaving him to look down at the battered form that lay snivelling before him.

A child. That was all she was.

"Pathetic," he finally spat and turned on his heel. She was worth no more of his time.

He regarded all of the people gathered before him that had witness the fight. Genma, Soun, Nabiki, Ryoga, Kuno, Kodachi, Shampoo, and Mousse. They were all of his—no Ranma's—past and that was were they would remain. He may be called Ranma now and to a certain degree be Ranma, but he was Inuyasha in his soul, his future was with his demon family, his brother, son and most importantly his mate.

"Take her home," he spat out, "I disown the lot of you."

Genma drew himself up, affronted by the boy's words, no son could disown his father! "As your father I forbid it!" He raged, "You have a duty to the school—"

Smack!

The sound of flesh striking flesh resonated in the air. Surprised they all looked from where Genma lay on the ground to the man in the grey suit that towered menacingly over him. Even Ranma was surprised at Sesshoumaru's interference.

"Listen and listen well panda," the pure dog demon began, golden eyes glittering within the icy mask of his face, "You may have fathered that body but the soul is of my brother. As he is of the Seibuinutaiso lineage and a Lord himself this makes this issue a demon matter."

The elder martial artist looked up with disbelief at the form towering over him. He was a master of the Indiscriminate Grappling Technique! No man should be able to attack him unaware!

Canine gold eyes narrowed though Sesshoumaru's expression remained stone cold as he realised the man upon the ground was not really paying attention to what he had to say. Well, that could be fixed.

Jaws slackened and half steps were taken backwards as the image of the silver haired business man wavered to reveal a predatory creature with red slashes across his cheek bones and a blue crescent moon crowing his brow, silver fur draping over his right shoulder. Pupils elongated and grew slitted as they remained their burning gold colour. He also had elegantly pointed ears and nails that were now claws.

"Demon!" Genma shouted, a shout echoed by many others.

"Keh!" Ranma snorted, "You only realise it now? After my son has shown his true fox self?"

"Son?" Ukyo squeakily asked assisting Akane to her feet, wide-eyed as the nine tail fox climbed to his feet to stand beside the silver haired demon. Shippou gave the pizza cook a toothy grin and chuckled when not just she flinched away.

"Yes," Ranma drawled in amusement, declining to clarify the true relationship.

"Demon or not!" Genma shouted surged to his feet, preparing himself to unleash the Forbidden Technique upon the foul creature, "I will beat you!"

Ranma rolled his eyes, 'please, as if a human could ever defeat the Lord of the Western Lands.'

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at the human. 'The panda reminds me of that poisoner that almost took Inuyasha's mate from him during their quest to restore the jewel.'(2) But unlike then he couldn't just kill the infuriating bear off and be done with it. Modern legalities, how he cursed them sometimes.

"Die cursed demon!" Genma shouted as he lunged at the great demon lord.

Sesshoumaru sighed, humans, as stupid as ever. Two fingers flicked out, a whip of golden light emerging to slash through the air. Intercepting Genma's charge.

A flick of a red lined wrist and the end of the whip curled around the human's ankle. Fingers twisted, the energy whip snapped forward yanking Genma's feet from beneath him.

The martial artist stumbled but soon regained his footing and began the dance that would unleash the Indiscriminate Grappling Forbidden Technique.

One of Sesshoumaru's silver brows quirked upwards as the human began a familiar move. 'Does the panda really think he can take me down with a flea attack?'

Other eyes familiar with recognising demon attacks noted the move with disbelieving interest as well. When executed properly the demon attack was quite effective and would allow an attacker to use their opponent's energy against themselves. But you did not use a flea attack on a dog. It was just plain stupid—not to mention suicidal.

Genma leaped forward after performing the last deadly step—and crashed into flagstone.

"Stupid panda," a voice growled in his ear from behind, Genma's eyes widened in pure fright. How had the demon avoided the Forbidden Technique?

"I am the Demon Lord of the Western Lands and you're only a cursed bear," Sesshoumaru snarled as he unleashed a vortex of energy upon the panda, battering the bear's physical and spiritual body.

The Wrecking Crew who were witnessing the battle realised that like Akane's fight against Ranma, Genma's battle against that truly demonic creature was no contest. Genma would only live if the demon deemed it so.

---

Footnotes:
(1) Basukanda: a purely fictional term that I just randomly slapped together.
(2) The reference specifically is to Mukotsu the fat poison user from the Band of Seven (Shichinin-tai)

"Sealed Past" Ch. 24 [novella, Kagome/Ranma(Inuyasha), M]

Chapter 24

"I'll just bet you preformed an exorcism!" Akane snarled again.

Kagome arched an eyebrow as she eyed the young woman, taking a breath to calm her own spiking temper. It was just as Ranma had told her. The girl was quick to anger and didn't look before she leapt. Perhaps she could help the Tendo girl to see the error of her ways.

"I preformed an exorcism," Kagome continued when Akane made no other comment. "Ranma, would you care to show them?"

"Let me Mama!" Shippou chimed enthusiastically. He'd love an excuse to dunk his father and get away with it.

All the Higurashi family and demon's present tried vainly to stifle their chuckles of amusement. They knew what the fox was thinking.

"I don't think so," Ranma said sharply as he raised a glass of water and dumped it over his head, shuddering at the cold temperature. Sesshoumaru's earlier use of the Soul-of-Ice Technique had turned it into liquid ice.
The Tendo's and companions stared in shock as with a dog-like shake Ranma shook off the excess water, but still remained male.

"I though the only cure was finding the Nanniichuan!" Mousse cried out, the first to find his voice.

"No, there are other ways to remove a Jusenkyo Curse," Kagome said gently, "And given time I could also remove the curses you have yourselves."

Akane fumed even more as the others with her bombarded the Higurashi woman with questions. Forgetting in their enthusiasm the real reason they'd come here. And it was not to exchange pleasantries with the witch.
"Enough already! Remember why we're here!"

"Why are you here Akane-san?" Ranma asked curiously, eying the tomboy.

"Because of your disgusting conduct! Especially with that woman!" Akane replied enraged, jabbing a finger in Kagome's direction. "Nabiki-chan, show them."

With a sly smile Nabiki placed the multiple pictures, perfect blackmail if she did say so herself, onto the table.

Ranma groaned, what had Nabiki managed to get on film this time? With a felling of dread he reached for a few of the photographs and looked. His eyes widening and he flushed a deep red when he saw just what Nabiki had taken.

"I didn't need to see that!" Shippou yelp in dismay as he slapped the images facedown, "That's something no son needs to know!"

"Ah!" Mrs. Higurashi exclaimed happily as she flipped through a handful, "Grandchildren!"

Souta followed Shippou's actions, only he passed the photographs onto Kagome, saying dryly, "I agree with you nephew. I didn't need to know anything about my sister's sex life either."

Biting her lower lip, Kagome with a growing sense of outrage flipped though some photos. How dare they invade her and Ranma's privacy! She would feel embarrassed later.

"Humm…" Sesshoumaru hummed softly, "They're very well done." Everyone stared at him. He raised a white eyebrow at the expressions on their faces. "They are superbly taken you can not deny that. This woman is an excellent photographer."

"My brother, the mercenary." Ranma said in dismay as he slapped his palm against his forehead. "You and Nabiki-san are going to get along like a house on fire."

"Just as long as it's not my house," Rin quipped. Evicting chuckles from the demons and Higurashi family.

"Akane-san, we are still waiting to learn the reason for your visit." Kagome drew everyone's attention back to the matter at hand. "Though those photographs prove that you've been spying on my self and my family, I still wish to know why. After all isn't it you who are the first to insist that the former engagement between Ranma and yourself was arranged by you parents and you had nothing to do about it?"

"Yes but—" Akane began indignantly.

"Than I really don't see the problem here." Kagome stated, cutting her off. "You did not wish to be engaged to him. He did not wish to be engaged to you. In fact, it was his father who arranged two of his marital prospects, first to a member of the Tendo family and than to Ukyo. The engagement to Shampoo came about through her tribal law, and was something he would have avoided at all costs if he'd know the results. In short, Ranma has never actually proposed marriage to anyone!"

"That's not the point here!" Akane shouted, glaring at the older woman.

"Than what is the point?" Kagome demanded, leaning forward across the table to pin everyone with a steely look.

"It's… he can't just…" Akane's angry answer was disjointed, as she groped for a logical response.

"He can't just what?" Kagome edged on.

Akane fumed silently, not knowing what to say without revealing her own feelings. No one, especially not Ranma, had the right to cast her aside. Wasn't she the most sought after girl in school? Wasn't she the one who all the males fought over? She was the only one who could break up a relationship.

"He has his duty to perform," Genma stated arrogantly. "A son's duty to his father. A practitioner's duty to his martial arts school. And a man's duty to marry."

"Duty…" Kagome said slowly, drawing out the word distastefully. "How do you Saotome-kun, define duty? Is this duty you speak of allowing yourself to take advantage of his sense of family, his honour of the martial arts, and his desire for his own family? Is his duty to you, to allow you to control him for the rest of his life?"

Genma shifted upon his seat uncomfortable, what the woman was saying was a little to close to the truth for comfort. Ranma was his son. It was only right that the boy did such things for him.

"What about my duty to myself?" Ranma asked rhetorically, his voice silky with barely concealed menace as he eyed the man who had fathered the body he now inhabited. "The duty to honour my own self. To hold true to what I believe and do what I know is good and right, even if it gains me nothing. But especially to honour what I once was and may be."

"What do you mean by that?" Ryoga asked without his usual belligerence, understanding what his rival spoke of for perhaps the first time since they'd meet. "What I once was and may be?"

"I am a reincarnation," Ranma replied, a little surprised by the directionless boy's perception.

"What?" Chorused eight voices.

"A reincarnation," Kagome repeated, enjoying the blank looks wreathing the faces of those that had caused Ranma so much trouble and now threatened the new future he was trying to create.

"What is reincarnation?" Shampoo questioned, not understanding the term and unable to translate it mentally into Chinese.

"A reincarnation is someone's whose soul has been reborn into a new body and time," Mrs. Higurashi explained kindly, hearing the Chinese accent of the young woman, and guessing the reason for the question.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Akane demanded.

"Everything Akane-san, everything." Ranma replied seriously.

"Sealed Past" Ch. 23 [novella, Kagome/Ranma(Inuyasha), M]

Chapter 23

Stopping to catch her breath, Akane rested at the top of shrine's strenuous staircase. Just how many steps had there been? She'd quit counting at two hundred seventy-six. Squaring her shoulders she marched up to the house and pounded on the door.

An immaculately dressed, russet haired young man in a dark business suit opened the door, his eyebrow quirking upwards when he saw the odd-ball crowd gathered outside the door. "Yes. How may I help you?"

"I want to talk with Saotome Ranma." Akane said through gritted teeth.

He opened the door wider and stepped back, "Please follow me, I'll see if he's available." As soon as they had all filled in, he shut the door and turned down the hall, gesturing for them to follow.

Pausing he motioned for them to wait as he entered a room, from within they could hear him speak. "Father, some people are here to see you."

"Oh," Everyone heard Ranma's voice answer in annoyance. "Well come in than."

Stiffly they entered the room. The occupants re-seated themselves to make room for the new numbers. A stunningly handsome man, wearing glasses with short-cropped white haired in a charcoal suit sat beside an equally beautiful woman who was dressed in a soft pink blouse and skirt, her long black hair elegantly restrained atop her head in a chignon.

Beside the woman was the youngest Higurashi child, the boy Souta. A rather ordinary teenager wearing the navy coloured uniform of a private high school. Too his left was his grandfather, in his usual Shinto priest garments, as well as his mother. Matching dark brown hair and dark eyes, she wore a blue sweater and floral print skirt.

Beside the eldest Higurashi woman was her daughter, the young woman named Kagome. She was wearing a green turtleneck and black slacks. Beside her was Ranma, in his customary kung-fu pants and Chinese-style shirt.

It was at Ranma's side that the man who'd answered the door seated himself beside another lovely black haired and eyed woman whose hair was confined in a single long braid that hung down her back. She was dressed in a woman's business suit that was a warm golden-brown.

"Good evening," Mrs. Higurashi greeted cheerfully, giving them a smile reminiscent of Kasumi's.

"Good evening," Akane returned stiffly, "I am Tendo Akane, and this is my father Soun and my sister, Nabiki. With me are Hibiki Ryoga, Kuonji Ukyo, Shampoo, and Mousse, as well as Kuno Tatewaki and his sister Kodachi. And this is Saotome Genma."

With each introduction, a name was attached to a face in memory, and a thorough and brutal inspection made. Each member of the Nerima Wrecking Crew had to fight the urge to fidget when they were evaluated in turn.

"As I'm sure you already know," Ranma drawled as he looked pointedly at Nabiki, "This is Seibuinutaiso Sesshoumaru and his wife Rin. This is the Higurashi family, Higurashi Asami, her father, and her two children Kagome and Souta. And these two are Toyota Shippou and his wife Souten."

"Excuse me for a moment," Kagome murmured as she stood, "I have to go make a phone call."

Ranma gave a brief nod as he continued to eye his visitors. "Well what do you wish to talk about?"

"You're disgraceful attitude and recent actions my son!" Genma began angrily. "It's time you come home and do your duty!"

Ranma merely gave a humph of amusement as his lips almost twitched into a smile. His answer was bland and toneless, "I have done my duty."

"How dare you make such a claim! You—"

"Well if it isn't 'father abuse'," Sesshoumaru interrupted smoothly as he leaned forward, the room in the temperature seemed to drop visually. The martial artists quelled beneath the most brutal Soul-of-Ice Technique(1) they'd ever had the misfortune to encounter.

"Enough," Ranma said softly, his demeanour unruffled as he flicked a sudden rim of hoarfrost from his glass.

"As you wish… brother." The man settled back, his frozen gold eyes never leaving Genma's face. Giving the man a definite hunted feeling. Everyone else blinked at the man's deliberate statement.

"Thank-you. I have no wish to clean up your mess."

"Ah… but that's what one's employees are for," came they very urban reply.

Kagome chuckled softly as she re-entered the room and took her seat beside Ranma once again, as she had caught the last of the two brother's comments. "I think that a more detailed explanation is needed by many of them. Ranma's never been really good with words and that seems to be the problem here. Now where to begin? Three months ago… or five hundred years?"

"I think you better start with your first meeting," Shippou suggested, eying the confused expressions before them, "I don't think they're really ready for the extended version but there doesn't seem to be much choice."

"Okay, here goes. One day on a girl's fifteenth birthday she fell through a magical well located on a shrine grounds. The well was a time travel portal between two periods, Japan's Feudal Era and the present day 20th Century. While there she meet a half-breed dog demon named Inuyasha and learned she was the reincarnation of a priestess. Also during her first visit she broke a magical item and soon she and Inuyasha had to travel about Japan collecting all of the pieces. During their travels they were joined first by a fox demon, than a Buddhist monk, and lastly a demon exterminator and her two-tail cat demon hunting companion." Kagome took a sip of water before continuing.

"They had trouble along the way though, as a half-breed Inuyasha was ostracised, especially by his pure demon brother. The brother was after the sword their father had left Inuyasha because it was capable of slaying a thousand demons with one blow. There was also an evil demon that was seeking the pieces of the magical item and he would stop at nothing to collect them. Soon, their quest became more of a battle between the friends and the evil demon than a search of the item's pieces. But in the end they managed to kill the evil demon, reassemble and purify the item and fall in love in the process."

"Who did?" Mousse asked eagerly, he rather enjoyed this rushed story and wanted to hear the detailed version.

"The girl from the future fell in love with Inuyasha. And trust me, that was really bizarre than, as religious people and demons were constantly trying to kill each other. It took her a while to convince him she was telling the truth. However, she was from the future and thus had no place among the past so the gods sent her home. But not before promising the two lovers they would be together again."

"That's so sad," Kodatchi murmured as she passed a tissue to her snuffling brother.

"Yes well," Kagome said with a dismissive shrug, "Three months ago I bumped into Ranma on the street and when he returned my purse to me we actually started talking about his Jusenkyo Curse. Anyway I mentioned an exorcism and started talking about performing one for him—"

"I'll just bet you did you bitch!" Akane snapped, angry at the woman's pointless story and craving to take a swing at both her and Ranma.

"Pardon me?" Kagome said with a surprised blink.

---

Footnote:
(1) Soul-of-Ice Technique: one extreme end of the "Hiryu Shoten Ha" or "Dragon's Heaven Blast" technique which was taught to Ranma when he became weak due to Happosai's Moxibustion technique. The manoeuvre is executed by allowing the opponent to have a "hot" battle aura, while Ranma's aura remains "cool." Ranma then draws the opponent in a spiralling path and executes a punch. The resulting collision of hot and cold plus the spiral creates a tornado. (Cited from "Ranma ½: Perfect Edition.")

"Sealed Past" Ch. 22 [novella, Kagome/Ranma(Inuyasha), M]

Chapter 22

"What's wrong Ranma?" Kagome questioned softly as she stroked his damp hair.

"I lost control today during my talk with Akane." Ranma's shame filled reply was muffled against her breasts.

"Tell me about it," she encouraged him, nudging him more to the side to allow her more breathing space. He complied but his arms closed more firmly about her.

"I'm not sure where to start. I was going to start off by talking about the exorcism and then move on to how we'd both changed and weren't suited to each other. But somehow I got side tracked and we started arguing like usual."

"Then she hit me and I just… lost it for some reason, it was like a switch had been turned inside of me." Ranma confessed.

"It was probably your demon instincts," Kagome reassured.

"What'd you mean?"

"Well it hasn't happened yet during your training with Shippou, because you know you're learning. But in ordinary circumstances, an alpha demon, when challenged, such as being struck, by a beta demon, will react to reinforce their command, usually in a very physical manner."

"Alpha?"

"You're an alpha, a pack leader. A beta is what you would call the other members in a pack, and the omega is the outcast, the scapegoat. You were an omega yourself before becoming an alpha actually. As it is, you're still an alpha even though you now have a human body."

"Huh," Ranma said as he propped himself on his forearms and looked down at her still flushed features. He nodded slowly, now that he thought of it from that perspective, it made sense and he wasn't ashamed about losing control like that. Akane's slap had triggered his instincts and because he wasn't use to controlling them yet in this body, his reaction had been automatic and brutal. Just as it would have been if he'd been disciplining a demon under him.

"Also the fact that's she's a girl might have also contributed to it," Kagome continued.

"How?" Ranma asked curiously. As Ranma he hadn't like fighting girls. As Inuyasha he hadn't cared one bit whether his opponent was male or female. What did Kagome mean?

"You see, you're mated and the insult might have been twice as offensive to you." Kagome explained. "You don't really get along with her from what you've told me, and you have been engaged to her for a long time as well. Your instincts might have seen it almost as a form of adultery and in guilt, and an attempt to make amends to your mate, me, you overreacted. Now that's just a guess, I might be way off and it's just the alpha thing." She concluded with a sensual smile as she looked up at him.

With a purely male smile of response Ranma shifted his body more firmly over hers. Practically purring with pleasure at the sensation of her bare skin gliding against his. His satisfaction increased as he felt her passionate tremble beneath him and smelled her growing arousal.

"Enough of that," he growled as his head dip down towards her. They had the rest of the evening to themselves and he knew just what they were going to do.

. . .

Nabiki nodded to herself with satisfaction. It hadn't even been a week since Ranma had moved out and she'd got just the ammunition she needed to stir things up. She'd even be considerate and not charge Ranma's rivals, her family, and Genma for the pictures she was about to show them. The damage they'd cause in revenge would be more than enough compensation for her.

"Well Nabiki-chan?" Akane demanded, as she drummed her fingers against the table top. Ever since Ranma had drawn blood and insulted her honour, she'd been itching to get even.

"I've found out where dear Ranma-kun's moved to."

"Well don't keep us in suspense Nabiki-san, tell us where that honour-less bastard's hid himself!" Ryoga growled. He hadn't witnessed the incident in the dojo but he'd certainly heard the story that an upset Akane had poured out to P-chan.

"He's moved into the Sunset Shrine."

"A shrine?" Kuno said in disbelief, "How dare he befoul a holy place with his base presence!"

"Yes, well," Nabiki replied as she fanned out some photographs on the table. They were no where nearly as scandalous as some others she had but she was saving them for later.

The colourful pictures drew a rather usual picture of a regular family. Only Ranma was also featured in them in surprising ways. Playing Blind's-Men's-Bluff with a group of black, white, and red-haired children and he was the one blindfolded. Battling it out with video games against a brown-haired teenager about his own age. Sparring in usual free-style fashion against a slightly older looking guy, creating the usual devastation to their surroundings. Than there was a shot of him actually making supper! The last one was of him having what looked like a rather heated debate with a middle-aged silvery-white haired man wearing glasses.

One thing that also stood out in all the pictures was the presence of a black haired and bronze eyed young woman. Sometimes she was in the background and at other times right up front. In some she was wearing a university uniform or regular street clothing, in one traditional garments of a shrine maiden, and still others medical attire.

"I see her!" Shampoo said suddenly, pointing at one of the pictures where she was clearly shown. "Since she go to café, Shampoo no see arien."

"She actually visited your restaurant?" Ukyo asked in surprise. Making a few mental connections of her own. This must be the priestess that Ranma had mentioned during his visit.

"Her name is Higurashi Kagome." Nabiki said as she placed three main photos before her. "The white haired man's name is Seibuinutaiso Sesshoumaru and his wife is Rin. This is Toyota Shippou who incidentally calls Higurashi-san mother. His wife, Souten, is the woman beside him. "

"Mother?" Kasumi questioned incredulously as she picked up the photo for a closer look. "She looks so young."

Nabiki shrugged and placed more profile shot photos onto the table, "That's practically the only thing I've heard him call her. Anyway onto the others. The brown-haired guy that's about Ranma's age is Higurashi Souta, Higurashi-san's younger brother. That's her mother and the senior in the priest clothes is her grandfather."

"So that worthless son of mine is trying to find a new family is he?" Genma grumbled, he was not about to let his future of easy living off the boy go so easily.

"It seems he's done a little more than that." Nabiki said slyly as she swiped the pile of photographs to the side and place five, larger ones onto the table. What they portrayed stunned everyone.

They all started in bug-eyed incredulity. Though none of the shots were shockingly graphic, the clearly naked, entwined limbs, devouring kisses, passion flushed skin and often tangled hair, painted a brutally truthful picture of what the two people were engaged in.

"That bastard!" Akane hissed furiously as she stared at the images. A sediment vocally and violently echoed by all Ranma's former fiancées and his three rivals. That deceitful, two-timing son of a bitch! Saotome Ranma would pay!

"Oh how could he dishonour the agreement between our families!" Soun bawled as tears streamed relentlessly down his cheeks.

"He has shamed the Saotome name," Genma said as he drew himself upright. It was time that he took a firm hand to his disobedient son. Even if he had to use the Forbidden Technique, he would make the boy see reason.

Without a word, Akane, Ryoga, Kuno, Kodachi, Shampoo, Mousse, Ukyo, Soun, Genma and Nabiki stood and left the Tendo house. Their destination and less than honourable intentions written clearly on their faces.

"Heh!" Happousai crackled gleefully as he looked at the pictures again, "I didn't know the boy had it in him!"

"Sealed Past" Ch. 21 [novella, Kagome/Ranma(Inuyasha), M]

Chapter 21

Ranma paused in the doorway, watching with amusement as with a yell Akane demolished the stack of cinder blocks before her. "What's the point?"

"What?" Akane asked as she whirled about to face him.

"What's the point? All you're doing is ruining some perfectly good blocks." Ranma said as he leaned against the dojo door frame.

Akane merely glared at him, declining to answer his comment. "What'd you want Ranma?" She demanded angrily.

"To talk," Ranma replied without rancour.

Akane raised her eyebrows in obvious disbelief and said sarcastically, "You talk? That requires some thinking. Are you sure you're up to it?"

Ranma ignored her poor attempt to rile him. "I really think that this fiasco should end."

"What 'fiasco'?"

"This thing with me being engaged to practically half the population of Japan and China."

"We can talk about it when you get rid of your other fiancées!" Akane snapped in a dismissive manner.

"I have."

"What!" Akane screeched, stunned.

"I've ended the 'engagements' with everyone else already."

"So what do you want to talk about?" Akane asked warily.

"I want to end the agreement between you and myself as well."

"Who do you think you are? That you can just, out of the blue, one day decide that you don't want to be my fiancé anymore?" Akane demanded, storming over to him and jabbed him repeatedly in the chest with a finger.

"It wasn't out of the blue," Ranma said with a shrug, "I've been thinking it for a while. Besides, you've never said at any point that you agreed to marry me. It's always been something that's been decided for us."

"So, what about our duty to our families and our martial arts schools?"

"What about our family's duty to us Akane?"

"What'd you mean?"

"Pop's always preaching about, 'being a man', 'honouring your father', and 'doing a son's duty'. Well I'm sick and tired of hearing it!" Ranma growled as he moved away from her. "I hate those words—honour, duty, bah! They have no real meaning for Pops or you!"

"How dare you say I have no honour Ranma!" Akane screeched as she whipped out her mallet and sent it flying towards him.

"Sankon Tetsusou!"(1) Ranma snarled, his suddenly clawed hand lashing out and ripping the wooden hammer to shreds.

The force of the energy moving through the air knocked Akane harshly to the floor. Leaving her staring aghast, up at Ranma in sudden wide eyed fear. This was an attack he had never used before and something told her that it was even deadlier than his others.

"That wasn't what I said. That's the thing about you Akane, you never really listen to me. Which is only one of your faults, you overreact to every little thing. And I hate to admit it, but you do have penis envy."

She sucked in a breath, anger burning. How dare he say such things about her! It just wasn't true!

"I'll tell you the same thing I told Ukyo Akane, grow the fuck up!" Ranma snarled mercilessly as he crouched over her.

She slapped him, eyes burning with rage. Taking deep pleasure as his head snapped to the side and a red mark slowly began to appear.

With deliberate slowness he turned back to look at her, and then a clawed hand closed without mercy around her jaw. Claws digging into flesh, drawing drops of crimson blood.

Akane's fear returned and escalated into pure terror. As she watched as Ranma drew her face inches from his. His grey eyes turning a glowing, pulsing blue than the whites of his eyes bled red. Along his cheekbones, ribbons of a dark purple appeared. A wild, purely predatory aura radiated from him.

"I've made my decision Akane. And just so it's clear to you, I am no longer engaged to you, Ukyo or Shampoo. I'll be moving out tonight." Ranma said with excruciating deliberateness. His voice all the more menacing for its reasonable, gentle tone.

"And Nabiki-san? I wouldn't develop those pictures if I were you. I don't think you'll like what they'll show you." Ranma said aloud as the mysterious markings and dangerous aura around him faded. With a jerk, he pushed Akane away and stood, then turned and left the dojo.

Akane touched her hand to her chin and started in incomprehension when her fingers came away damp with blood. In all their fights, Ranma had never actually physically hurt her.

"Nabiki-chan?" Akane said faintly as she looked wide-eyed up at her sister.

Nabiki stared after Ranma. She'd heard the entire discussion between her little sister and the Saotome son. Then that transformation that he'd undergone…. she had seen signs of it before the night following his disappearance. What did it all mean?

In any matter he could not be allowed to treat Akane in such a disgusting manner. He would have to pay for the insult to the Tendo family. And she'd start by having a long talk with the boy's father, Saotome-kun.

---

Footnote:
(1) Sankon Tetsusou: lit. "Soul Shattering Iron Claw", but in the anime this claw based attack of Inuyasha's is called "Iron Reamer Soul Stealer". (Cited from… I forget where. Oops.)

"Sealed Past" Ch. 20 [novella, Kagome/Ranma(Inuyasha), M]

Chapter 20

"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.

---

Footnote:
(1) Mon: n. family crest (heraldic)