287Hachinintai
Band of Eight
By Anonymous Laughter
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters created by Rumiko Takahashi.
Chapter Twelve
"I can't believe I ever thought Banryu was heavy," Bankotsu said as he swung his giant blade around, "This is lighter then ever!"
"You do know your Banryu is twice as tall as you are?" Kagome said with a giggle.
"Yes, someone might think you're compensating for something," Renkotsu said with a smirk as he cleaned and shined a dynamite launcher.
"I have to go home tonight," Kagome announced as she suddenly remembered, "I'll take Aza and be back in seven days okay?"
"I'll go with you," Bankotsu said as he hefted Banryu onto his shoulder, "You need my protection."
Kagome shook her head, "No, tomorrow afternoon you have to be at Fort Mukori. If you follow me you won't be able to make it there on time. I'll just see you in a week okay?"
"Fine, get eaten by demons if you want, see if I care," Bankotsu said with a scowl.
Kagome patted Bankotsu sympathetically on the shoulder and said, "I'll be careful, okay? I'll even bring you back some Pocky to eat since you like it so much."
Bankotsu grinned and said, "Alright then. Make sure you stay away from any strange people you see."
"I guess that means I have to stay away from you from now on since you're so strange." Kagome said with a teasing grin before she mounted Aza and they flew off.
"Why does she always have to get the last word in?" Bankotsu raged while his 'family' looked on in amusement.
Kagome meanwhile smiled at the sensation of the wind in her face, she loved flying with Aza, who she suspected was the fastest demon around. Within a half hour Kagome found herself and Aza in the familiar well clearing. "You can come home with me this time since Ban-chan isn't here to watch you." Kagome said with a cheerful smile.
The now familiar sensation of floating through space filled her senses and Kagome landed on the other side soon enough. That day she gave her mom the 'homework' she did during her three weeks away and spent the day telling her brother some stories about her friends and other people she had met in the past (leaving out the parts about nearly dieing and killing people of course.)
The next day Kagome's mother dropped her off at a downtown ice cream store while she did some errands, saying she'd meet her again in an hour. Kagome finished her raspberry and chocolate-chip ice cream cone in record time and feeling bored, decided to look into an old antique shop that caught her attention.
The bell jingled when she opened the door and Kagome looked at the items that littered the shelves and that were in a glass counter. There were old scrolls, mother-of-pearl jewelry, jade sculptures and worn engraved stoned that had protection spells on them. Kagome took out a silk pouch that she kept her old world money in and looked around for a shopkeeper. Some of the stuff looked amazing and she hoped whoever was around would take old money. "Hello? Is anyone in here?"
A little old lady came out of the back and smiled at Kagome before asking, "Is there anything I can help you with young lady?"
Kagome took out a small coin and asked, "Do you take these?"
The woman took the coin from Kagome and squinted at it closely, before she gasped in shock, "Amazing! How astonishing that you have one of these! Of course I'll buy it from you."
'Buy it?' Kagome wondered, confused, "I'm sorry, is the coin really that special?"
"Why of course! This coin dates back to before the Meiji Era, which in itself is rare. During the westernization of Japan many of these were melted down to sell for iron and then during World War Two they were fashioned into bricks to trade for war supplies. I'd say one of these is probably worth ten thousand dollars even."
Kagome felt sheepish when she pulled out four more coins, "I kind of need the money. Will you take all of these?"
The woman was shocked into complete silence as she took in the coins and wrote out a check for fifty thousand dollars. Kagome then brought it to her mother, who was decidedly shocked and they immediately went to the bank to set up a savings account for Kagome and deposited the money into the account.
"Isn't this cool mommy? Now I don't have to buy clothes in Feudal Japan and I can use the money there to start a charity for orphans or something because there were a lot of orphans back then."
"That's very generous of you Kagome-chan," Kagome's mother said with a bright smile, "I'm proud of you for thinking of others. Tonight we can have oden as a treat."
"May we go shopping first, please?" Kagome requested, "My past cloths are getting all torn and dirty."
"Of course we can. Do you want to buy modern cloths or old fashioned?"
"Oh and I want to get presents for my brothers too." Kagome said as she excitedly danced around
"Your brothers?"
"Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. Bankotsu-kun said that our group is kind of like a family so they're all my older brothers and I'm the little sister. I've always wanted older brothers and now I have Souta and everyone else!"
Kagome's mother smiled fondly at her daughter's enthusiasm and said, "Of course you can get your 'brothers' presents. Do you have any Ideas on what they would like?"
"I already know a few things. I'm getting Ban-kun pocky and a pocket watch because I showed him mine and now he asks every five minutes what time it is. I'm getting Ren-kun a hammer along with other tools and Gin-kun gets sparklers. I'm getting Sui-kun bandages and Ja-kun can have lipstick and eyeshadow. I'm going to give Mu-kun some seeds but I'm not sure what to get Kyou-kun."
"Well that's quite a list! Let's hurry so we can have that oden tonight!"
Obviously Kagome didn't get everything in one day, but she found them before she had to return to the Feudal Era. "Look at all this stuff, Aza," Kagome said as she looked at the treasures in front of her, "I don't think I'll tell Ban-chan and the others about my orphanage idea. They'll make fun of me."
Aza whined and licked her hand and Kagome grinned, "I'm the weirdest ten-year-old ever, Aza. I'm a mercenary and a miko. My best friend lives five hundred or so years ago, I see freaky demons regularly and my pet is a transforming, flying dog."
Aza barked indignantly, "Sorry Aza, I meant a transforming, flying, wolf-dog mixture. If life becomes weirder than this I don't know how I'll handle it."
'Oh believe me, it can get weirder.' Dark said with a chuckle.
"Oh no. Not you two, can't you leave me alone since I'm awake?" Kagome said as she stuffed the presents into her green backpack.
'Sorry, Kagome but your subconscious is bringing us to the surface. If it makes you feel better we'll only come around when you're either tired or daydreaming.' Light kindly suggested.
/Great. This is just perfect. If you do talk to me try not to whisper. Everyone will think I'm crazy if I start yelling at you to be quiet./
'Just pretend we aren't here. It'll be easier for all of us. Or, good job on that decapitation during the last battle. I can't get over how sweet that was.'
"I am going to need so much therepy when I grow up, I just know it," Kagome muttered and slid her backpack onto her shoulders before dashing down the stairs and out the door, "Bye mama! I love you! I'll see you in three weeks okay!"
'I think it's sweet that you're getting everyone what they'd like. That watch you got for Bankotsu is very nice as well. Is there a reason you picked one with mauve hour and second hands?'
"Bankotsu likes mauve, remember?" Kagome said as she leapt into the well, "Mauve is his favorite color besides blue so I thought he'd like it."
'Are you sure you don't like-like him?'
"No way!" Kagome said, "And even if I did like him there's no way he likes me because we're just best friends remember."
'De-nile.' Both sides said at once before laughing. Ten-year-olds with crushes were funny…
END CHAPTER TWELVE
Yes, I know, it's late again! I'm so EBIL! But you still love me because I HAVE finally updated! Sorry if this chapter isn't up to par with my other ones. I wrote this in only an hour because I am DEAD SET on updating as many of my stories as I can tonight! Please review!