Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.  *Sniffle* Oh well, perhaps someday?

 

 

Ancient Deceptions

Episode 1—Are you kidding me?

 

 

“Kagome what are you doing here?” her mother asked her as the dark haired girl came down the stairs yawning. She was dressed in a light blue skirt and a dark navy blue shirt. 

 

“Good morning mom,” Kagome said with a tired smile sitting down at the kitchen table.

 

“Why aren’t you on one of your adventures?  Don’t your friends need you?”

 

Kagome sighed, “I was but I had finals yesterday. I was just so exhausted I didn’t feel like going back to the feudal era until today. As you know summer holidays began today so I won’t be home as often, only to get supplies and things we might need on our journey.” 

 

“Well before you go,” her grandfather spoke up from the seat next to her, “We are having a rather large tour group today. Perhaps you can give us a hand? Apparently, someone’s son is going to be a Shinto priest and he wants to be familiar with all things here including the sacred tree so they are coming here to see it and to talk with me about demon wards and spells to purify things and keep the evil at bay. Maybe they can talk to you as well about it.”

 

She shrugged, “I suppose I can stay for a little while.” She picked up her glass of juice, “but only for a little bit I have to leave soon.” She started in on her breakfast. She hoped that everything was all right back in the past. She also hoped that Inuyasha wasn’t becoming too impatient as to come back and retrieve her. How would she explain about him to the tour group? Oh, here this is a half demon that I travel with in the past looking for jewel shards from a gem that I shattered. Oh yes they would think she belonged in the loony bin.  

 

The sound of a vehicle pulling up drifted through the open window. That was Kagome’s cue to rise with her grandfather to go and greet them.  

 

‘Wow that was fast.’ Kagome thought to herself.

 

 

Tenchi Masaki yawned as he stepped out of the van. It was a long trip from the country side. He stretched his arms up.

 

“Why are we here anyway?” Ryoko asked floating out of the van. 

 

“Well you could have stayed home you know,” Ayeka said, pressing her hand against the top of her purple head.

 

Ryoko’s eyes narrowed, “And what, leave you here alone with Tenchi? I don’t think so.”  She put her arms around Tenchi and squeezed his head tight into her chest.

 

“Ahhh, Ryoko let me go!” His voice sounded muffled was he waved his arms about trying to remove his face from her body

 

Ayeka gasped, “Get your hands off him you hussy.” She pushed Ryoko back but as she moved so did Tenchi. The cyan haired woman laughed.

 

“Ryoko please let me go now. This is rather embarrassing. What will these people think with my face stuck into you’re…” he gulped his nose had started to bleed.

 

Pouting, Ryoko released him, “All right.” She looked up at the sky.

 

The sound of someone giggling broke the silence. Sasami stepped out of the van.

 

“Oooh Tenchi was thinking of something naughty.” Sasami said with a bright smile.  She and her sister Ayeka were dressed in different royal Juraian kimonos. Ayeka still wore the pinks and purples but they were a different pattern. Sasami was still wearing a greens, blues and pinks. They looked very expensive. Since Sasami aged she needed new fittings so the royal seamstress had to come to earth and prepair clothing for the younger princess. If anyone saw them on the street they would have looked like they came from a Japanese renaissance fair.

 

Tenchi sighed, “Yes Sasami I was,” he hung his head in shame while Ryoko was grinning.

 

“You can be naughty any time for me Tenchi.” Ryoko purred.

 

Mihoshi and Washu were next to leave the van as they heard Ryoko and Ayeka in another argument over the boy.

 

“Oh look at this place. It’s so pretty and…”  Mihoshi yawned, “so peaceful. I think I need a nap.”

 

“Hmm, there is no where for me to work. Why did I come along on this in the first place?” Washu wondered while looking around.

 

Yosho opened the passenger door in the front stepped out and said, “Because Little Washu…you are a scientist and you want to learn about everything.”

 

Washu nodded, “Oh that definitely could be it.”

 

Yosho smiled and turned to his son in law, “Nobiyuiki, what do you think so far?”

 

“It’s interesting. I have never been here before in all my visits to Tokyo. How did you know of it?”

 

Yosho shrugged, “I read it in a brochure.”

 

A cough from behind them alerted the group and they all turned around.

 

“Welcome,” Kagome said with a smile as she stood by her grandfather. She could sense Shikon jewel shards all around her. Her sight picked up several around the necks of all the girls in this group. Perhaps later she could persuade them to give them to her. They all obviously thought they were some kind of jewelry.

 

Ayeka and Ryoko’s eyes narrowed at the sight of the pretty girl. They both took a step in front of Tenchi to somehow block his view of her.

 

“Hello.” Sasami said going up and reaching out to shake Kagome’s hand. “Thank you for taking the time to show us around.”

 

Kagome took a long look at what this girl looked like as she gently lifted her hand and shook the light blue haired girl’s hand. She was almost a full head taller than she was but she was dressed in what looked like ancient style clothing. Of course she was used to it but not here in the present. She took a quick glance at the purple… was that purple hair?  Kagome took a glance at all of them. There was a boy who was obviously being sheltered by those two girls. Kagome looked into the cyan haired girl’s amber colored eyes. She had a tail. It was like a cat’s tail though. Kagome wondered if she was some kind of demon like where she had visited. There was also a blonde woman and the very short woman with bright long pink hair who looked like a young girl of fourteen years.

 

“Well are you going to show us around or what?” Ryoko said rather impatiently.

 

“Oh yes of course,” Kagome answered back to the strange group to start the tour.

 

“Oh wait.” Sasami said. She turned back around to the van. “Ryo-Ohki! Come on lets go.” A second later a little tiny cat with long bunny ears and hind legs like a bunny came racing towards the girl. She squatted and the little creature jumped up into her arms. “There you are, what are you hiding for?” She giggled and Ryo-Ohki jumped onto Sasami’s head and stayed there.

 

“Well that’s an interesting creature. Where ever did you find it?” Kagome asked reaching up to pat Ryo-Ohki on the head.

 

“This is Ryo-Ohki.” Sasami said with a smile. “She is a cabbit, not native to this world.”

 

“Sasami, you talk too much.” Ayeka said with a smile.

 

Kagome smiled, “Not to worry, I’ve seen some rather interesting creatures myself that are not native to this world.” She left out the part that most of them were native to the demonic underworld. Kagome turned to her grandfather who started talking about the area.

 

“So where are you from?” Kagome asked Sasami.

 

“Oh we are from somewhere in the country. We all live with Tenchi. It’s really fun.” She answered.

 

Kagome smiled, “Thank goodness for the summer holidays huh?”

 

“Summer holidays?” Sasami was confused. “What do you mean?”

 

“You know from school, we get a break?” 

 

“Oh I don’t go to school.” Sasami had often wondered what Tenchi did when he went off to school.

 

Confusion was clearly visible on Kagome’s face, “How can you not go to school, how old are you?”

 

“Um…Sixteen.”

 

“You’re a year older than me, but you don’t go to school?”

 

Sasami nodded, “That’s right, I already had all my schooling by the time I was twelve.

 

“Kagome,” her grandfather said getting her attention. “Why don’t you tell them all about the sacred tree?”

 

“It looks a lot like the Ryu-Oh tree, my ship that is growing back at Tenchi’s house.” Ayeka said quietly to Washu.  “Juraian influence is all over this place.” Ayeka looked up at Kagome, “How long has this tree been here?”

 

“Uh…”  Kagome thought a moment knowing that it was the same size even five hundred years ago when she freed Inuyasha from it.  “I’m not sure; I know it’s been here for at least five hundred years.”

 

Ayeka nodded.

 

Ryoko yawned. Who cares about all of this, she didn’t come all this way to listen to history of earth, especially some stupid tree.  She missed out on whatever five hundred years this girl was talking about. She’d been a mummy for a very long time, at least seven hundred years. She wanted to take her revenge out on Tenchi for his family line, his great ancestor made her sleep for seven hundred years. Yet she could not kill Tenchi, she had watched him grow, in spirit form which was still tied to the area. A good scare was revenge enough. Now she tried to protect him as best she can.

 

Something caught Ryo-Ohki’s attention and her head lifted up in the direction toward the east. She jumped off Sasami’s head and ran.

 

“Ryo-Ohki! Where are you going?” Sasami spun around seeing Ryo-Ohki’s tail bobbing away. She took off after the cabbit.

 

Kagome looked in that direction, they were heading towards the well. Knowing that it was perfectly safe and nothing would transport them to the feudal era since only she and Inuyasha were able to pass though she went on with her speech.

 

“Sasami, where are you going?” Ayeka shouted at her sister’s back.

 

Sasami spun around, “I have to get Ryo-Ohki. She could get lost.” She turned around and hurried after the animal her pink backpack swinging about as she ran.

 

“I’ll go after her.” Ryoko said. She would do anything to get away from this history lesson.

 

“Ryo-Ohki, where are you?” Sasami said looking around. She heard a faint meow coming from that roof covering the well house. She stepped down a few steps and her shoes touched dirt. There was a well. “Ryo-Ohki?” the meow came from inside. Sasami moved towards the well and looked down. She found Ryo-Ohki not too far down tangled in vines. “Oh how in the heavens did you get down there you naughty girl?” She saw the cabbit pout and meow what sounded like apologies. “Hold on I’ll get you.” Sasami bent down inside but couldn’t quite reach the animal. She stretched even more straining to reach Ryo-Ohki.

 

Ryoko hovered about searching for the youngest member of their group. She heard a scream coming from a sheltered area. Knowing that the scream sounded like Sasami, Ryoko sped up and flew towards the roofing. “Sasami, are you all right?”

 

“Help me, help Ryoko, I’m slipping!”

 

Ryoko saw a pair of shoes sticking out of the well, her feet were holding on to the wells’ rim. “Hold on, I’m coming.”

 

“That’s the problem, I can’t.” Sasami felt her feet slipping. “Oh Goddess I’m gonna fall!!”

 

The older girl rushed over and looked down finding Sasami holding Ryo-Ohki tight in her arms. Ryoko reached down and grabbed the foot that was still holding on but wasn’t prepared for what felt like a vacuum sucking her body in. 

 

“Oh hell Sasami, why do you weigh so much?” Ryoko groaned trying to pull her up but found more force being pulled down.

 

“A snake Ryoko, a snake it’s as huge as… I can’t say how huge it is, trust me in saying its big!”

 

 “What? I can’t pull you up!!” She strained.  

 

“Ryoko!! The snake, it’s…” Sasami was cut off and Ryoko was pulled into the well the three of them were hurling into space. She saw the large snake that was coiling itself around Sasami.

 

Ryoko growled, “Oh no you don’t!” She lifted her hands and started creating a bright yellow energy ball between them and shot it at the snakes head which burst like a bubble. 

 

 The three of them hit the bottom of the well. Ryo-Ohki meowed loudly connecting with the ground and Sasami was gasping for air. Ryoko was patting her on the back.

 

“You all right kiddo?”

 

Sasami was taking in huge gulps of air her hand next to her throat. She nodded. “Yes…yes I’m all right.”

 

Ryoko looked up and saw blue sky and not really thinking much of it she stood. “Well let’s get out of here and get back to Tenchi and that boring tour.” Ryoko flew towards the opening of the well and Ryo-Ohki perched herself atop Sasami’s head while she grabbed a hold of the stones and started climbing to the top. The three of them were out and looked around in complete shock.

 

“Uh what in the world?” Sasami said looking around, nothing looked familiar. She noticed Ryoko was no where to be seen. “Ryoko!” she turned around looking in all directions for her house mate but didn’t see her anywhere. 

 

“Who the hell are you?” a voice shouted.

 

Sasami’s eyes widened at the sight of the person that was now standing in front of her. He had long silver hair and dog ears and wearing quite a lot of red he was scowling at her. “Uh…”  She noticed his gaze zeroed in on the stone hanging around her neck and her hand covered over it fearing that whoever this creature was, was going to steal it.

 

“I see you have a jewel shard around your neck,” He sneered,  “Why don’t you hand that over to me.”

 

“No, I can’t it was a gift.”  Sasami said defiantly holding onto her jewel tighter.

 

“Meow!” Ryo-Ohki seemed to shout and glare at whomever that was.

 

He stepped closer and he watched as she backed away from him, “You can either give me that jewel shard the easy way or I can take it from you the hard way.” His clawed hand reached out for her.

 

“If you touch her I’ll rip off your fricken arm.” Ryoko had extended her red light saber which fizzled with power. It was nearly an inch away from this boy’s shoulder. “I doubt that appendage would grow back.” She snarled, her amber colored eyes collided with his, they both glared daggers at each other.

 

 

 

“Tenchi, I can’t find Sasami anywhere.” Ayeka said coming back from her search.

 

Tenchi nodded, “Didn’t Ryoko go off to find her?”

 

“Who cares about that, that demon? My sister is lost.” Ayeka held her face in her hands. 

 

“Ayeka, don’t worry. We’ll find them, both of them.” Tenchi walked towards their tour guide,  “Um miss…”

 

“Higurashi, but please call me Kagome,” she said with a smile.

 

“All right, two of my friends have disappeared. Is it easy to get lost in a place like this?”  Tenchi waited for her answer.

 

“No, not really…I…um”

 

“Tenchi, I think you should come look at this.” Washu’s voice wrung in his ears and he along with the rest of the group went over to her. She was looking down at a rock. “Here read this.”

 

Tenchi knelt down at the stone and read out loud, “Tenchi, get us the hell out of here now!” 

 

Washu was standing right in front of Tenchi “I did a quick analysis of this stone, it is very old.

 

“How old?” Tenchi looked at Washu.

 

“About five hundred years or so, I know Ryoko couldn’t have written this five hundred years ago since she was locked away and in mummy form for seven hundred years. So do you know what this means, Tenchi?”

 

He shook his head, “No.  I must say I am completely confused.”

 

“Its very simple,” Washu from off the side brought over a chalkboard and through description with the little Washu puppets that were on her shoulders, she told them her thoughts on where Ryoko and Sasami along with Ryo-Ohki were. “Yes and somehow they had gone back in time.” Washu’s hands were upon her hips as she stood proudly.

 

“Little Washu you are a genius.” The puppet on the right said.

 

“Little Washu has the greatest scientific mind in the universe.” The puppet on the left said and all three of them laughed together. 

 

Kagome was the only one who was confused and wondering just who these people were. They were even more strange than the many demons she had met in the feudal era. She was sure that the people they were missing had gone back through the well. Oh no! That was not good.

 

“What, are you kidding me?”  Tenchi said and had interrupted Kagome’s thoughts.

======

Next Chapter