InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Way the World Works ❯ The Way the World Works ( One-Shot )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Knittingknots 
Kagome learns a lesson about human prejudice
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Romance | Type: One Shot | Uploaded On: 02.03.2008 | Pages: 1 | Words: 667 | Visits: 1.5K | Status: Completed
Kagome learns a lesson about human prejudice
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Romance | Type: One Shot | Uploaded On: 02.03.2008 | Pages: 1 | Words: 667 | Visits: 1.5K | Status: Completed
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any of the characters created by Rumiko Takahashi
The Way the World Works
"Oh thanks so much for fixing my shoe, Kentaro! You don't know how it was hurting my foot!" Kagome said, smiling brightly at the little leatherworker sitting in the shade. “I must have ripped it when we were fighting that oni in the pass!”
“Eh, clumsy girl,” said InuYasha. “If you'd stayed where I told you to.”
“Hn. And it would have taken longer if I didn't see where the shard was,” she replied.
“She has a point,” said Sango, who looked tired as she adjusted the strap of her boomerang on her shoulder. “I'm hungry. I'm glad there's a teahouse here.”
They were near one of the passes on the road to Kyoto. It was a few miles to the next village, but a teashop near the entrance to the pass did a brisk trade with people coming and going. And Kentaro, the sandalmaker, with his pile of leather and sandals and tools seemed to do so as well.
"I know you said you wouldn't take any money, but won't you join us for something to eat at the teahouse?" Kagome asked.
"No, sweet child," the older man said. "I am perfectly fine here. Thank you very much for the kindness of your offer."
Miroku, standing behind her, whispered softly, "I doubt if they would let him in, either."
Kagome and the others began walking down the road to the teahouse. Kagome dropped back from where she was walking until she was standing next to the monk.. "Miroku," she said, "Why did you say they wouldn't let him in?"
"He's a leather worker, Kagome. He's an eta, unclean. If they served him, they might lose business, and they probably think they would be contaminated and have to purify the entire teahouse."
"That's stupid," Kagome said. "It's wrong to say someone's unclean just because of how they work."
"People who work with death and dead things all the time, are considered by most to be deeply contaiminated. Do they not still say that where you live?" Miroku replied.
"Sometimes," Kagome admitted. "I've heard about them. But eta is a bad word where I come from. They call them villagers, burakumin, mostly. People aren't supposed to treat them differently, but it still happens. But what's the difference between what we do, hunting down youkai and what they do?"
Miroku shrugged. "Some people would say there's not much difference at all."
They got to the teahouse, which had a number of people sitting in and around it, enjoying the food and the view. All of them were about to go in, when the hostess said, pointing at InuYasha and Shippou who sat on his shoulder, said, "Please, but no youkais."
"What?" said Kagome. "Why won't you let InuYasha come in? He's the one who killed the youkai who was blocking the pass where your customers are coming from!"
"I am sorry, my Lady, but Youkai blood would contaminate my teashop, and then all my customers would leave. Why, I might as well let Eta come here to eat!"
“Go on,” said InuYasha. “Shippou and I will wait out here. You three look tired.” Miroku and Sango made to go in. “It's ok, Kagome. I'm used to it. That's just the way the world is.”
“You two go on if you want. I'm going to stay out here with InuYasha,” Kagome said. “That may be the way the world is, but I don't have to honor it.” She took the hanyou by his hand. “If you can make a fire, I'll make you some ramen while we wait. Maybe Kentaro would like some too.”
The Way the World Works
"Oh thanks so much for fixing my shoe, Kentaro! You don't know how it was hurting my foot!" Kagome said, smiling brightly at the little leatherworker sitting in the shade. “I must have ripped it when we were fighting that oni in the pass!”
“Eh, clumsy girl,” said InuYasha. “If you'd stayed where I told you to.”
“Hn. And it would have taken longer if I didn't see where the shard was,” she replied.
“She has a point,” said Sango, who looked tired as she adjusted the strap of her boomerang on her shoulder. “I'm hungry. I'm glad there's a teahouse here.”
They were near one of the passes on the road to Kyoto. It was a few miles to the next village, but a teashop near the entrance to the pass did a brisk trade with people coming and going. And Kentaro, the sandalmaker, with his pile of leather and sandals and tools seemed to do so as well.
"I know you said you wouldn't take any money, but won't you join us for something to eat at the teahouse?" Kagome asked.
"No, sweet child," the older man said. "I am perfectly fine here. Thank you very much for the kindness of your offer."
Miroku, standing behind her, whispered softly, "I doubt if they would let him in, either."
Kagome and the others began walking down the road to the teahouse. Kagome dropped back from where she was walking until she was standing next to the monk.. "Miroku," she said, "Why did you say they wouldn't let him in?"
"He's a leather worker, Kagome. He's an eta, unclean. If they served him, they might lose business, and they probably think they would be contaminated and have to purify the entire teahouse."
"That's stupid," Kagome said. "It's wrong to say someone's unclean just because of how they work."
"People who work with death and dead things all the time, are considered by most to be deeply contaiminated. Do they not still say that where you live?" Miroku replied.
"Sometimes," Kagome admitted. "I've heard about them. But eta is a bad word where I come from. They call them villagers, burakumin, mostly. People aren't supposed to treat them differently, but it still happens. But what's the difference between what we do, hunting down youkai and what they do?"
Miroku shrugged. "Some people would say there's not much difference at all."
They got to the teahouse, which had a number of people sitting in and around it, enjoying the food and the view. All of them were about to go in, when the hostess said, pointing at InuYasha and Shippou who sat on his shoulder, said, "Please, but no youkais."
"What?" said Kagome. "Why won't you let InuYasha come in? He's the one who killed the youkai who was blocking the pass where your customers are coming from!"
"I am sorry, my Lady, but Youkai blood would contaminate my teashop, and then all my customers would leave. Why, I might as well let Eta come here to eat!"
“Go on,” said InuYasha. “Shippou and I will wait out here. You three look tired.” Miroku and Sango made to go in. “It's ok, Kagome. I'm used to it. That's just the way the world is.”
“You two go on if you want. I'm going to stay out here with InuYasha,” Kagome said. “That may be the way the world is, but I don't have to honor it.” She took the hanyou by his hand. “If you can make a fire, I'll make you some ramen while we wait. Maybe Kentaro would like some too.”