Blessed by gods by summerbirdy
Daikokuten
IMPoRTANT! I'm changing the rating to T, just in case I need to use stronger language and topics later. So consider yourself warned.
My thanks to my beta for wonderful job.
And I own nothing but the idea of the story, kami belong to themself and IY characters to Takahashi-sensei. Nor do I profit from this, it's purely for fun.
Enjoy.
Kagome sat in her mother's kitchen holding a warm cup of tea between her hands. Winter had finally reached the tachi, and Kagome had decided to come home to get some warm clothes for Rin and herself, and more blankets for everyone to use on nights spent outside. Sesshoumaru hadn't liked the idea at first. He clearly told his mate-to-be that he found the future clothing lacking of taste, including the green outfit she had used before their engagement. He did acknowledge the use of them, especially the warmth and protection they produced, but refused to let Rin and herself to “walk around looking ridiculous”. Kagome would have argued fiercely if he hadn't explained that it was his duty to take care of the needs of his ward and mate-to-be. Both of them walking around in clothes that didn't show this, would be huge blow to his honor as a Lord of the West. After some compromising, he had given his consent to get them warm clothes that they could wear under their winter kimono.
After a half day going through boxes in the attic with her mother, she finally had few sets of clothing for Rin. Then she had spent rest of the day at town shopping for warmer clothes for herself. She had also bought the blankets and filled their ramen supply, including some extra just in case they got snowed in somewhere. She made sure to acquire all other emergency essential items they might need during the winter.
It had caused her bank account some major damage though. She counted her lucky stars, that her father had started an account for her before passing away. After hearing about her and Sesshoumaru's engagement, Mrs. Higurashi had decided to give Kagome the rights for the account, since it seemed obvious to her, that Kagome wouldn't use the money for education in the future. It helped the situation with the shrine, but with the amount of supplies she had to get for the tachi, her money would soon be gone too. She seriously would need to talk about that with them. Kagome sighed. She hated to bring out the money talk.
She let her eyes wander around the kitchen. It was clean, spacious and homely. Near the stove was a small statue of a kitchen deity. Kagome rose, walked next to the statue and rubbed a small mallet in it's hand and then rubbed her purse that was on the table next to stove. She hoped that at least little of this god's wealth would rub off on her. Cooking abilities would not be bad either, if not for any other reason than to get variety to their ramen based regimen.
~~~
Shippo sat beside the fire and stared the man sitting next to him. The man must have been the blackest and largest man he had ever seen in his life. Somehow, this man seemed even bigger than one of the Thunder Brothers. But at least the man didn't frighten him as Thunder Brothers had done. Somehow he felt safe with this man, even though he was a complete stranger.
The group had traveled four days after Kagome had come back from the future. They had heard a rumor about jewel shard and went to verify it. On their way, it had started to snow heavily and Sesshoumaru had decided to find them a shelter. True to himself, Inuyasha had once again complained about wasting time, but once Kagome had demonstrated her knowledge of human illnesses and their symptoms to him with quiet voice, he had given in. Now he sat next to Shippo unusually quiet, stealing worried glances toward his human friends every now and then. Shippo decided that he didn't want to know what Kagome had whispered to half-demon.
The shelter Sesshoumaru had found was a large cave, that had been moderated for storage by someone, a merchant if the items in storage were any clue. When they got in and closed the door behind them, they were startled to find the cave already occupied by someone. This someone being the large man, who was now target of Shippo's fascination.
Shivering with cold, Kagome had asked if they could share the cave, as they didn't have anywhere else to go, and weather was way too cold for them to search further. The man had nodded and grinned widely. After that nothing was said, as the group huddled closely one another next to fire. Now that they were warming up, their eyes begun to wander and soon discussion would spark. Of that Shippo was sure.
~~~
Kagome was silently making a dinner for everyone. She had politely offered some to the large man they shared the cave with, but was equally politely declined. Now she was stealing wide eyed looks at the man sitting by the fire with them. Sesshoumaru, who had noticed Kagome's eyes widen, when she had taken a better look at the large man, took in the man's appearance. With the frequency they had met gods during the last six months, he wouldn't be surprised at all if this man turned out to be a god as well. He had to admit to himself though, that he didn't remember hearing of a god like this.
The man was fat. There was no way around it, really. The man's big, round belly was wiggling with every movement he made. His skin was dark, oily looking, and he seemed to be grinning happily all the time. His clothes were that of peasant, as was the black hat on his head. He was sitting on two big bales of rice and leaning on them was a large mallet and a brown sack. Sesshoumaru was sure he even saw a rat peeking from the one of the rice bales.
Rin was curious too. She and Shippo had been whispering softly to each other and they really wanted to know who this man was and if the rat was his pet. So she gathered her courage and scooted nearer the man. He turned his face towards the small girl and his smile softened. When Rin shyly whispered her question, the man started laughing.
It was fascinating to the kitsune and girl to watch this man laughing. He had deep laugh and his belly was wiggling in funny way. It looked so funny, that they soon started laughing too. While adults were lost to the reason of the laugh, they soon joined too.
After awhile, Kagome wiped tears of laughter from the corner of her eyes and prepared tea to everyone. She made a cupful to the man as well, and presented it to him with a polite bow.
“Daikokuten-sama.”
“EH!!???!!!”
Whole group looked stunned at that. Even Sesshoumaru's eyes widened minutely, and his eyebrows rose.
"Kagome.” Miroku said quietly. “This man cannot be Daikoku-sama. He is a warrior god.”
Sango nodded. “He's right, you know. Daikokuten is supposed to have armor and swords.”
Inuyasha looked dumbfounded and Sesshoumaru nodded slightly to what the demon huntress and monk had said.
Kagome smiled softly. “You are right, in a way. If I remember correctly, it's not long ago that he assumed this form. Am I right, Daikoku-sama?”
The large man's grin widened even more, if that was possible.
“Ah, yes. I think it was about 50 years ago, that I took this form.” Daikokuten answered. “I started to think that having armor in kitchen was too hot.”
Kagome giggled at that.
“It's not widely accepted yet, so there are still places where this form isn't recognized. So no offense taken.” Daikokuten grinned to the astonished and stuttering adults.
At that kids and Kagome collapsed, laughing till they had hard time to breath. Daikoku's form was also wiggling and shuddering with laughter.
~~~
The hard travel in the snowstorm had worn out everybody. Tightly wrapped in their new blankets, they laid down near the fireplace and soon were sleeping. All but Kagome and Sesshoumaru, who were quietly talking about her worries over money and shrine.
“No, love. I can't take your money. It's needed here. And me taking it to the future could affect the past, well our family's past, somehow.” Kagome said sternly, when Sesshoumaru asked her to take some of his, as a solution. “I just wish I had a wallet that would never run out of money. Then I'd need not to worry about buying the food and supplies, or...” at this she blushed “... anything that our children should need.”
BANG!
Both Kagome and Sesshoumaru jumped at the sudden sound, and whirled to see the cause of it. Surprisingly, no one else had woken up, even though the sound seemed to shake the cave itself.
The cause of the sound was Daikokuten, who had silently listened pair's conversation. He had hit the ground with his mallet. On the ground was now laying a beautiful pouch, decorated in kimono style. Kagome looked the pouch and then Daikokuten. Could it be, that this was what she had just hoped for?
“Well, it seems that you are just as goodhearted and generous, as my son told me you would be.” The god spoke softly, with his deep voice. “You wished not to keep the money for yourself, but to help your family both in here and in your era. Therefor, you shall have what you wished for.”
Daikokuten bend down, picked the pouch and passed it to Kagome, who sat shocked, mouth open.
“There are rules and responsibility though.” The god of the kitchen warned. “You shall not take it with you through the way you travel. Nor can you use it to prevent what was recorded in your shrine.”
Kagome was still in shocked, but nodded and Sesshoumaru confirmed. “We shall heed your words, Daikoku-sama.”
Then they both bowed deeply, to show their appreciation. When they rose, Daikokuten was nowhere to be seen. Only a deep voice was heard, chuckling.
“Be blessed my child, in kitchen as well.”
~~~
Two weeks later, Kagome pulled a familiar, but faded pouch under the floor boards of the main shrine, where she and Sesshoumaru had decided to hide it, once the shrine would be built. It was curious, she thought, that during all those years she had used this hole under the floor as her hiding place for her treasures, she had never noticed the pouch before.
Three months later, Kagome knew how to cook eatable food. It was basic, but it was a start.
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A/N: So, we met Daikokuten. He's the deity of kitchen, god of farmers, wealth and good fortune. Though he's orientated from the Hindu god of war, he's most popular in his happy go lucky form. He's known as kitchen deity and his statue can be found in most shrine kitchens, as well as in private homes. He's also found in cell phone charms.
Daikokuten is most often pictured as a fat man who's skin is oily black and wears peasant clothes. He's sitting on two rice bales holding a mallet in one hand and a large treasure sack in other. And he's always smiling a large smile. Mallet is "fortune bringing", so just like in this story, Daikokuten hits a ground with it to grand wishes of his worshippers.
He's also considered a father of the fishermen god, Ebisu. Most often Ebisu, Daikokuten and Hotei (who we'll meet later) are pictured together as the most popular fortune gods. They are similar and considered as relatives.
The fact that Sango and Miroku would not know Daikokuten in this pudgy form, could indeed happen, since it really was about 50 years before IY story happens, when kitchen deity was first removed from his armor. I imagine that having an armor on while sitting in kitchen would be hot, so I used that in my story.