Full Circle

Megumi blushed at that. "Um... n-no, I'm not busy at all... sure, I'd love to join you." 'Assuming they will even take my money...'

Kanzi nodded and began heading to the last place she saw the ice cream shop, it was mobile so it might have been moved around. Not too long after she a small mobile ice cream stand and walked over. "You can order what you want, I'll pay for it." The man behind the ice cream stand glanced at the Shiki but otherwise said nothing.

She saw that girl from before when she first met Megumi yesterday but she had stayed clear of Megumi with Kanzi's presence. Good. Though honestly, she didn't understand why a seemingly normal human would pick on somebody that could potentially snap and easily break them in half. There were a lot of things she didn't understand.

"Have you've grown up here?"

Megumi looked up after ordering her ice cream, and shrugged. "I was born here, yeah. I wish I wasn't though... I hate this place." She didn't care who heard her. "Everyone here is so backwards... they mock me for the way I dress, and treat me like I'm diseased because of what I am... they are so nosy, too..."

Kanzi frowned slightly. "I see. I haven't been here long but I can understand. Drawback of sensitive hearing is you could sometimes hear more then you should and some of the things these people say show their real colors." She took a bite of her ice cream sandwhich. "Hm..I take it then you plan on leaving this place when you get the chance? If so, into Japan or somewhere else?"

Megumi smiled. "I want to go to the city and become a star! ...But, I can't yet. My friend Asami... she's like me, but she has a human relative, by marriage. Cho, she... she's old, and sick. We're taking care of her until... and, and then we'll leave. But not now."

Megumi reminded Kanzi if someone, but she wasn't sure exactly who. All she knew she liked her so far and she did seem like a sweet young woman. The villagers resenment didn't make sense to her, but that went hand in hand with prejudiced. For tact sake, she didn't inquire anything more about Cho feeling it was sensistive subject anyway.

"That makes sense. What kind of star if you don't mind me asking?" Kanzi asked her. She didn't pay much of any mind to the other villagers who might not of liked her spending time with Megumi. She could care less.

Megumi paused, then sighed. "Um... a singer. Though I'm kind of scared to sing in front of other people, so I'll need to work on that..."

"Hm..I'd like to hear you sing one day and meet your friends. I'm sure I will eventually before I end up leaving." Kanzi sat down on a nearby bench. "I have some pictures of places I've been as well as my family. Do you want to see?" She just felt a need to befriend this girl, call it maternal instinct.

Megumi actually immediately nodded, excited. "I'd love to!" She always wanted to see other places. Mostly to go there herself, but that was really just because she wanted out of Sotoba.

Kanzi smiled and pulled out a few pictures. First she showed Inuyasha, then Sesshomaru, Elsie and the others such as Ruko and Fala. There were some single shots as well as group ones, but she explained who each was and a little bit about them as she went along. She also showed a bit about some places she had been too, like the Demon Realm.

"The world is a very big place Megumi, there's even other realms out to see. You're young, I'm sure you can see other places as well. If you want too that is." She put the pictures away. "Do you have any questions about anything or anyone? I'd be happy to answer them since you said you wanted to leave Sotoba."

Megumi paused, thinking about it. "Your son, Sesshomaru, and those two maids... Ruko and Fala, you said? They were in a lot of pictures together, and there was that one that also included um... Leila, I think? You didn't say how they knew eachother, and they seemed really close... like, really, really close."

Kanzi paused, then explained things more in detail about the relationship. "I hope that doesn't bother you. Some people seem to have a problem with someone who's with more then one person." She honestly didn't know what her reaction would be but she didn't feel it would be bad.

Megumi was startled, to be sure, but it didn't bother her. "Oh, so that's what it was... I didn't know people were allowed to do that. They certainly can't do that here.. they look nice, so don't ever let them come here, these stupid villagers will be horrible to them."

"We're not all bad, Megumi. I like you, don't I?" Megumi glanced over, and then sighed. Kaori seemed unfazed, and turned to Kanzi. "Hello there! I'm Kaori Tanaka, I'm a friend of Megumi's." Megumi scoffed a bit at that, and Kaori frowned for a moment, but her smile was back soon, if a little off.

Kanzenabi wondered about this. "I haven't met all the villagers and many I have met haven't been the most friendly but there's almost always exceptions to the rule even the worse of times."

She was about to say more when a young woman greeted her from the village she hadn't met. She seemed friendly, but she couldn't help but notice Megumi's indifference to it, which made her briefly frown. She'd have to talk to Megumi about that soon.

In the mean time she extended her hand. "Kanzenabi Taisho, nice to meet you. This is my second day here. Megumi seems to be a nice young lady." She was, intentionally setting Kaori up for comment as well as observing. From there she could then try to get the heart of the issue. Of course she didn't know Megumi too well and she could be wrong but her impression was Megumi wasn't a mean spirited person but maybe she was just defensive? She'd see soon enough.

Kaori nodded happily. "Yeah, Megumi is really nice. We've been friends since we were little. I really don't get why the others don't like here. I mean sure she's a Shiki," Megumi's brow furrowed, "but it's not like she runs around hurting people; she's too kind to do that! I don't know about that woman Asami, but I figure she must be an alright person if Megumi likes her. I guess they are just kind of 'out-of-place' here in Sotoba?" Megumi's fists clenched. "I don't mind though. Megumi is Megumi, and I like her for who she is." She became thoughtful. "We could probably get the others to be more friendly if... well, maybe clothes that fit in better... she could try to include herself more, maybe? Megumi, you can sometimes be a little odd, I guess? Maybe that-"

"Just shut up!" Megumi stood quickly, slamming her fists down on the counter, cracking the wood, her eyes becoming a sharper red, glowing a bit. "You don't know anything! You're just like the others, you just dress up what you say!" Megumi whirled around and stormed off, people scattering to get away from her. "I hate this stupid village, and everyone in it!" Kaori just looked horrified, not sure what she'd done wrong.

Kanzenabi was a bit surprised by such a reaction but it did get a few things she needed too in her head. From her observation, Kaori geuinely wanted to help but Megumi's treatment made it harder to think of it rationally; the reaction Kaori had when she stormed off confirmed the fact.

Kanzi sighed. One thing at a time.

She went to talk to Kaori first before running off after Megumi. "I didn't expect her to react that negatively. You say you've known her for all your years growing up her..did anyone else here treat her kindly?" The only other person, of course that lived here would of been Cho.

Kaori was trying to collect herself after that, and managed a strained smile. "Um... the only people I can think of are Asami, Cho... and maybe Megumi's legal guardian? I don't really know how she treats Megumi, though everyone always talks about how she really wasn't happy to have to take her in, and still isn't...."

Kanzi was silent, letting her finish then speaking up. "I haven't been around long at all really. But from what I gathered, and what some of the other villagers say I'm inclined to believe Megumi is projecting her dislike from the villagers in general onto you. I don't know why she thinks you aren't her friend. However.."

She paused, then nodded. "The people of Sotoba call her 'strange' or odd. Now I know you mean well however think of this. She's called that and that she doesn't fit in with the village and because of what she is. We can conclude its likely the majority of the village will remain dogmatic and stuck in their belief in her no matter what you do. My point Sasori, saying things of how to dress to better fit in or calling her odd at times sets off a defense mechanism no matter how well meaning. You may not even realize you're doing it, but I'm bringing it to your attention. And while its not entirely fair, it is what it is. Am I making sense?"

Kaori blinked, then looked down. "I... I didn't realize... so that's why she's... I thought she was just upset with the villagers so took it out on me at times... I didn't realize..."

Kanzi shook her head. "You didn't know and you meant well. I recommend talking to her again, but right now she needs to cool down. I'll talk to you later Kaori." She turned and began walking away, debating if she should follow her or not before ultimately deciding too. If she was still outside anyway.

* *

Asami and Cho were currently out on the porch of her house sitting in chairs. A small orange kitten with a bell was in the old woman's lap 'Oliver' on their tag. It was a gift given to her not too long ago by Asami or rather, she had found it with a broken leg and with Megumi's help nursed them back to health. They had been stuck to them ever since.

"Do you think Megumi met that Kanzenabi woman?" Cho said, stroking the small kitten in her lap.

"I don't know. Maybe." Asami smiled. "I'd like to think so. You sure you don't feel like eating anything right now?"

"I'm..not hungry." Cho said simply, but the tone didn't leave as much room for argument. It was a little spar of Asami and Cho going a bit back and forth with her eating even if she didn't feel hungry. Megumi had Cho wrapped around her finger though, having thought the young Shiki like a granddaughter. So if Asami couldn't make her budge, then Megumi would be able to.

After several minutes, Kanzi would finally find Megumi. She seemed to have calmed down, mostly because she had a new focus. A young man with short, dark blue hair and an apathetic look on his face was sitting at a bench, and Megumi was standing next to it, fidgeting nervously. "Hey, Natsuno... um, it's a nice day, isn't it?" He didn't even look at her. "Are... are you doing alright?" He continued to pretend she didn't exist. She swallowed a bit, and reached into her purse, pulling out what looked like a small, handmade greeting card. Her hand was shaking as she held it, and she started to hold it out to him. "I... I-I wanted to give you thi.... this...." He'd gotten up and walked off before she could finish. She was silent after that, and just put the card back into her purse before sitting on the bench herself, drawing her knee's up to her chest and burying her face there.

Kanzenabi scowled at this, that young man had been horribly rude. She didn't know his reasons but she seriously doubted any of that was warranted. Instead of going after the rude young man, she decided to act before the young man left completely.

"What exactly is your problem?" Something about them irked Kanzi besides how he just treated Mehumi.

Natsuno stopped, turning to look at Kanzi. "...I'm sorry? Who are you, and what are you talking about?" His tone wasn't rude, but he clearly was irritated.

"...Megumi-" Kanzi said slowly, voice deceptively calm. "-Is what I'm referring to. In particular I saw what you did just now a moment ago; why were you so rude to her?"

Natsuno furrowed his brow. "...I don't know why you care, or how it is any of your business. I don't like her, and I'm not going to encourage her delusions by giving her attention. Shiki or not, she's an annoying person. Now if you'll excuse me..." He then turned, and began walking away.