Tomorrow is Another Day

A/N – Yay, first new chapter in more than a year. Enjoy.

Warnings: Foul Language.

"Blah"- Talking

Blah – Thoughts of various characters.

 

Chapter 7 – The Two Shrines

 

Hitsuko knew there was something off when she walked outside and noticed her daughter's enormous yellow back laying on the ground next to the well house. A history textbook was falling out of it and a package of instant noodles threatened to follow. Bending to pick up the pack she recalled that Kagome was supposed to go back to the feudal era to do some research for her history final.

 

I hope she remembers to come back this afternoon. I know she is really looking forward to seeing Tenchi again and I bet Ni-san has gotten fat! She smiled at the thought of seeing her older brother again after so long. Lost in memories she didn't hear the bus below the shrine drive away and so was surprised when Souta appeared at the top of the stairs.

 

“Momma.” Started looked up to see the young man standing in his first year middle school uniform.

 

“Oh, Souta. How was cram school today?”

 

“Well, Hiro cussed again where the sensei could hear and got a week's detention.” Souta sighed, that was sure to get his friend at least 3 weeks of being grounded at home. There went the trip to the skate park next weekend. “I got my test back from last week's pop math quiz today.” He dug this out and handed it over while he continued. “I tried really hard, but I only managed to get ninety percent.”

 

Seeing her son look slightly crestfallen and sensing he might think she was disappointed, Hitsuko slid her arms around him.

 

“I know you did your best. Keep working hard, and I'm sure next time you will do better.” Souta looked up at her.

 

“You aren't angry Momma?” Hitsuko smiled down at her son, who was wearing such a cute and serious expression at that moment.

 

“Not at all. How could I be angry at you for your best efforts? I'm so proud of you baby.” Hitsuko tightened her embrace.

 

“Moomma! I'm in middle school now. I'm not a baby any more!” Souta started attempting to get out of the impenetrable mom-hug, failing of course. Hitsuko's smile got even bigger.

 

“You'll always be my baby honey, you and your sister both.”

 

“Mooomma~!.” Souta whined started struggling in earnest. Hitsuko chuckled at her son's antics and giving him a kiss on the check she slowly let him go.

 

“I need you to finish your homework early today. We are spending the night over at your uncle's shrine. You get to meet him and your cousin Tenchi.”

 

“Tenchi?”

 

“Yes, you've never met him before. He's just a little older than Kagome, I hear he's gotten into kendo.” Souta's face lit up.

 

“Really? Wow, so cool!”

 

“Yes, now go in and finish your homework. I need to go out really fast and pick up a house gift for them.”

 

“Okay Momma!” Souta hiked up his backpack and sprinted into the house. With her amused smile locked in place Hitsuko followed him to place the giant yellow backpack inside the entryway and then went about her errand.

 

* * *

 

“Tenchi my love, I'm Home!” Ryoko's bellow rang through the house, which was surprisingly empty. Not a ditz nor a princess in sight. “Tenchi?” She jumped and fazed through the ceiling into his room. “Teeenchi.” It was empty. Ryoko pouted and fazed down to land on the couch.

 

“Oh Ryoko, you're home. Is Ryo-Oki here too?” Sasami stood in the doorway leading off to her realm of pots and pans.

 

“Yeah. She ate too much carrot tempura earlier and wandered off to take a nap in the shade. Have you seen Tenchi?”

 

“Oh, the poor thing. Tenchi has been out training with his grandpa all day.”

 

“I see,” Ryoko purred until a thought came to her. “It's too quite here, where is everybody? Your sister's not with Tenchi is she!?”

 

“Ayeka? No, she's out practicing her calligraphy. Mihoshi got a call from her boss. She had to go out in space for a few days and I haven't seen Washu all day.”

 

“Ah, perfect! Here!” Ryoko handed her a moderately heavy bag. “I picked these up today. You can work them in with dinner tonight!” She sang a song to herself as happily fluttered off to find Tenchi.

 

Sasami stood watching her through the window for a moment as the pirate quickly disappeared from her view. I wonder what Ryoko brought back. She wondered as she went back to the kitchen and set the bag on the counter. She opened the bag carefully to avoid spilling whatever the contents were. Pork buns?Tilting her head to one side in confusion the small Juraian princess mentally shrugged and went back to overseeing the feast she had planned for that night.

 

* * *

 

She found Tenchi and the old man easily enough. They usually trained on the side of the mountain closest to the lake. Tenchi had been improving and was now able to moderately hold his own against the old Juraian prince. Usually... when there wasn't a demonic space pirate latched onto his back.

 

“Tenchi!” Ryoko called, as she fazed into existence already her hands where wandering close to some places that made Tenchi VERY uncomfortable.

 

“Gah!” Instantly Tenchi's stance and concentration were broken. Yosho, seeing a not so rare opportunity, struck with his practice sword landing a perfect hit that sent Tenchi to his knees and his sword crashing into the bushes. Tenchi clutched his hand and with a certain demoness stick firmly latched tried to recover his sword.

 

“Ryoko, Can you get off me already!?” Tenchi having recovered his sword was setting up to continue the match. Yosho however, shook his head and Tenchi sighed. Damn and I nearly won today...

 

“Tenchi, you need to work on your meditation. Your concentration skills are still lacking.”

 

“Grandpa...”

 

“Enough, we have company coming today. It's time to clean up and get ready.” Tenchi, remembering who was coming instantly perked up.

 

“That's right! Kagome is coming.” Now with a big grin, he rushed to clean up the training grounds and was well on his way to the house before Ryoko could ask the question that burned in her mind.

 

Turning she came face to face with her old nemesis. “Oy, old man! Who the fuck is Kagome!?” Sensing a chance for mischief Yosho simply smiled and replied.

 

“She's a very dear friend of Tenchi's. She used to play with Tenchi all the time when he was a kid. Kagome and her family are coming to visit tonight.” Hearing this Ryoko's brain had a meltdown. Shocked she sat down in the grass as the elderly Juraian prince walked off to the house.

 

* * *

 

It was shortly before three that afternoon when Kagome and Inuyasha returned to the Higurashi shrine. They were sore, tired and slightly disheartened at losing track of the woman who for some reason had the Jewel. Kagome went upstairs to change her clothes while Inuyasha stayed downstairs and turned on the TV. Nothing good was on...

 

“Inuyasha?” The call came from the kitchen. “Is that you?” Mrs. Higurashi came out of the kitchen with a short apron and a plate of sliced apples. “Oh, it is you. I'm glad you both made it back in time.”

 

“Keh.” Was the response from the living room. Inuyasha was sprawled out on the couch watching some ridiculous cartoon about food that came alive and battled.

 

“We are going out to visit some family tonight. I wanted to let you know that you are invited to come with us.” She set the plate of fruit on the table and then wiped her hands on her apron.

 

“Keh, and why would I want to do that?”

 

“Kagome would like it if you came,” An ear twitched, otherwise no movement acknowledged the hanyou wasn't some life sized doll. “I also thought you'd have a particular interest ingoing.”

 

Another twitch.

 

“There is a legend about a huge battle that took place there 500 years ago. A prince fought with a murderous demon. The prince was supposed to have won and sealed the demon with a mystic power.”

 

“Keh, sounds bogus...”

 

“I thought so too at first but my brother Nobaiyuki swears it's true and that the demon is still there.” Hitsuko let the baited hook dangle for a few moments before she continued. “However if you don't want to go, I know Kagome has been wanting to look for that demon ever since she was little.” Letting a dramatic pause go by she set what she knew would be the last cast out “I'm sure she's strong enough now to deal with it on her own, she fought Naraku and lived right?” And she calmly walked back into the kitchen.

 

Inuyasha stayed motionless on the couch. Kagome... fight a demon... without me? He almost laughed, but then considered what might happen if the legend were true. This was after all the first time that a clue to the whereabouts of demon in Kagome's time had come up. What if she did seek out the demon. She already had a history of freeing demons from spells. Namely him... How strong was this demon supposed to be? Could she fight it on her own? What if she couldn't? What if she got hurt? He couldn't let that happen. He made up his mind before the spaghetti monster had a chance to do his drop kick on the custard bread.

 

“I'm going.” Hitsuko heard him from the kitchen and smiled.

 

 

* * *

 

She was still in the same spot when Ayeka found her there an hour later. Ayeka stomped up to her.

 

“There you are you Thief!”

 

“...”

 

“I want my purse back.” Ryoko handed it over without a word. Feeling the greatly diminished weight Ayeka began to flip her lid. “Ryoko, what happened to all my money!? There was more than 10 million yen in here, now there's barely five! What did you buy, a melon field?”

 

Ryoko shrugged.

 

“Well I don't care! I have the best gift for Lord Tenchi anyway!”

 

Ryoko shrugged.

 

“Not that a care but what on earth is wrong with you?” Ayeka stood with hands on hips over Ryoko as she looked up at the princess with dark eyes.

 

“She's coming, and she'll take Tenchi away.” The demoness's shoulder's slumped.

 

“What!? Who?” Ryoko mumbled something incoherent. “I don't have time for this, I came out here to get my purse back and to pass on the message that we are expecting guests soon and Lord Tenchi's father wants to talk to all of us before they get here.”

 

Ryoko just shrugged again causing Ayeka to lose her patience and start back to the house dragging the unfighting she-demon along behind her.