The wind blew threw the expensive archery range. People that were interested in weapon wielding finally had a place to learn, practice or just sit and talk about the practice. The archery range had its own section just like the swordsmanship arena that was about 20 yards off to the left.
Targets were set up around 15 feet away from the standing line. Each lane was around 8 feet apart for safety measures. The lane ground was made of concrete and was hosed down everyday in the morning. Stone paths lead from each part of the weapon range for new people to tour on or for others to walk on to keep safe. The ground that didn't have stone paths or concrete arenas or lanes was grass.
A particularly large patch of grass supported a cherry blossom tree. It was spaced a ways away from everything. A perfect relaxation spot for the fighters. At the moment, a couple girls around the age of 21 sat there eating. The wind tussling their hair.
"Say Kagome, what time is." A girl with dark brown hair and brown eyes highlighted with reddish colored eye liner spoke. She dressed in a demon exterminator's uniform: the top and bottom both made of black material tied with a red sash and red elbow, knee and shoulder pads. The same black material coated her feet. The girl, Sango's, hair was held up in a tight ponytail to better keep it out of her face. A giant boomerang sat by her side along with a sheathed katana.
"Uh according to the position of the sun it is about 4:30. Why?" the girl called kagome replied. She had grey-green eyes. Her black hair hung down to her waist, the sun making it shine. She wore priestess attire, the red hakkama and white haori, splotched with a light coat of dust. Sandals covered her feet. A bow and quiver lying by her side.
"That's cuz she has an interview with some little kid trying to find out more about a demon exterminators job." The girl that spoke next had brown hair and brown eyes as well. Part of her hair was up in a little ponytail at the side if her head. She too wore a hakkama; it was colored brown and her haori beige. Like Kagome she wore sandals, yet she had a katana lying by her hand.
"Yeah. Say Rin don't you have a new student today?" Meeko spoke, her voice bored as she downed a second fruit punch Sobe energy drink. She had black hair that was that hung a little below her shoulders. Two black dog ears with a purplish-black streak down the middle stuck out from her head and dark purple streaks throughout her hair. She wore a blackish-violet hakkama with a white haori and sandal. Two dagger like weapons sat next to her. A metal bar type thing protruded from the dagger, it was used to grip. The weapon was meant for short range, though it had to be at least 10 inches long.
"Yeah, why?" Rin answered, sipping her soda, eyes questioning. "Just wondering cuz I think I see that little kid. Girl, white hair, blackish-brown eyes, white-blue shirt and blue jeans, about as tall as Sota?" Meeko described. A yelp escaped her as she gathered her katana in her sash, and ran towards the girl accompanied with three older men.
"Well I better get goin over to the field and target to meet that boy. I can't even remember his name," Sango's voice became more distant as she walked away with her fire cat, Kilala.
"Well then I think we should get goin to our students as well. I know how Shippo gets all freaky whenever I don't show up on time. Little weirdo. He nice though. See ya 'Gome." Meeko added as she too left for one of the arenas. Dagger weapons held defensively to her body.
"And here Kagome, the archer sits. Alone. Friends gone to teach, while she too should be doing the same….damn I am goin crazy. Talking in third person about yourself is not healthy…then again Meeko does it all the time…yep it's unhealthy and crazy…." Kagome jumped up and slung her quiver on her shoulder and ran the archery range, bow in hand.
With Rin:
"Hello, I am Rin I will be your little sister Kanna's teacher. I hear that you three do swordsmanship here? Am I correct?' 'Rin talked in her business teacher tone. The girl she would hopefully soon be teaching stared up at her with admiration.
"Actually my brother's Inuyasha and Sesshomaru do swordsmanship. I battle with a long blue wooden pole, as you can see. By the way my name is Enkai. So sorry for not introducing myself." The boy that stood talking to Rin held out a skinny long pole. She nodded and looked over to see the other two men had left for the swords field. She looked at him taking in his appearance. He had long light blue hair, blue eyes. He wore a black wife beater and black baggy pants. His face was generally warm and friendly.
"Okay then, so I can start teaching her today and you can go into the…uh...arena right over there" Rin pointed over to the arena that a kid around 15 and a woman around 21 stood sparring. "See. If you have any questions ask the girl with black hair. She'll be able to answer anything for you." The man Enkai left, leaving Kanna and Rin. "So how 'bout we get goin over to one of the swordsmanship turfs." A nod from the 15 year old girl gave her the queue to lead the way to the battle field.
With Kagome:
"Okay here I am, sorry I'm late. Okay so Sota, you ready?" Sota nodded. He looked at his sister with his brown eyes gleaming with pride. "Sota the only time you look at me like that is when you want something…. what is it?" "Well Kohaku, Shippo, Kanna and Kagura are going to this new club for teens and I was wondering if I could go. Miroku already said yes as long as it was okay with you. Please sister." Kagome rolled her eyes at her 15 year old brother and sighed and 'okay'.
Sota picked up his 30 pound bow. (A/N. um when I say 30 pound, it means that it takes 30 pounds of strength to pull back the draw string. Mine is a 40 pound bow. Really hard to pull back at first. Not for beginners…though that's what I started out with. For more info on archery read author's note at end) Kagome loaded an arrow into her 40 pound bow. Carefully aiming up with the bull's eye target she let it fly. It hit with amazing accuracy, only the 'pwang' of her bow string was heard in the silence of the siblings. That silence was quickly disrupted with Sota's shouts of "Cool! You have gotta teach me how you hit with such amazing accuracy!" Kagome's calm reply was, "All in good time little brother"
With Rin:
"Okay Kanna since you spend so much time studying your brother's grip you have it down perfectly. You are making a lot more progress then my other new students did," Rin laughed, the beautiful sound flowing through the air. "Okay I think that I'll evaluate how well you spar and then we'll go from that. We will be using real swords so if you wish to put the padding on I have it right here so you won't be cut or hurt." "No that is okay, I want to prove to my brothers that I am strong. They think of me as a weak girl." Kanna said her voice laced with determination. Rin nodded and handed Kanna a katana.
The spar went on for thirty minutes neither side gaining any ground which really surprised Rin. She was supposed to be the teacher, the one to beat the student. Rin was blocking an upcoming attack from her student, with a swift movement to the right after impact she tripped Kanna and stood victoriously above her. "Wow Kanna you sure gave me a run for my money. That's the longest I've sparred with one of my students and a new one at that," she laughed helping Kanna up. Soon Kanna chuckled. "Well there's a drink bar over there just give them this card and grab us some drinks on me. You did very well it's the least I can give you as an award." Rin handed Kanna her membership card. She ran up to the drink bar as Rin sat down catching her breath; unaware of the eyes that had been trained on her for the last half hour.
With Kagome:
"Sota your form is totally off balance. Did you even read the book on archery form I gave you?" Kagome asked frustration with her younger brother evident in her tired voice. He didn't respond, an obvious 'no'. "Sota are you even committed to learning this cause it seems you've been slacking off." Again more silence. "Take five. Try and clear your head. Please." He put down the bow and took the card his sister gave him to get a drink.
Loading an arrow into the bow she aimed carefully; blocking out the rest of the world. Her main focus the target before her. Focus…Aim carefully…Okay need a good target Kikyo…the target is Kikyo…aim…concentrate….don't loose your focus and GO! She let it fly her voice mumbling 'hit the mark.' It was dead on; bull's eye.
"Bravo, bravo." A voice from off to the side spoke, clapping theatrically. Slow and steady his claps were. Kagome had been so focused she hadn't even noticed the man stop to watch her. She spun to look at him "Huh? You were watching me?" she spoke slowly, comprehending everything she had zoned out. "You have good aim. Have you entered any contests?" she shook her head. "You should you're good." Kagome shifted nervously. This guy was really making her nervous. Especially the way he was looking at her sent chills up her spine. A deep throaty laugh admitted from him. "May I ask your name?" He smirked at her, eyes red as blood. She stuttered incoherent things a little edgy. "Hey little sis is this guy botherin ya?" a man a black hair and a rat tail at the nape of his neck wearing purple monk's robes came walking up, to stand by Kagome. "Oh hi Miroku, uh thank Kami you came we're gonna be late for the thing at the uh um what's it called again. So we beta get goin." Kagome laughed fake clinging to Miroku's arm trying to drag him up to where Sota had gone for drinks. Miroku caught on and began walking up the hill to the refreshments.
"Kagome who was that guy? Did you know him?"
"No I didn't but he was freakin me out"
"Was he hittin on you, cause I'll go back down there and teach him no means no!"
"Dats okay Miroku, I am just happy you came along at that moment or I don't know what I would've done until Sota came back- which seems would've been a while look"
Sure enough there sat Sota and Kanna talking like there was no tomorrow even though they would be seeing each other later that night at the club. Their faces mere inches from each other's. Any moment they would be in a lip lock, or that's what they thought until Kagome and Miroku cam up to ruin the moment. Siblings suck.
With Meeko:
"So Shippo do you have your staff?" Meeko asked, holding a seven foot purplish-black wooden staff with metal ends at her side. She had previously switched weapons for her lesson with Shippo who had the same type if staff only orange with black ends. "Okay then let's begin with a scrimmage. That should get us warmed up."
Shippo ran towards Meeko his staff in a spearing position. Meeko blocked easily and twirled it around to make some type of fan. "Trying dodging this" Shippo was hit multiple times though lucky enough he was wearing padding under his training clothes to cushion the impact though it would still leave him a little sore. He wore a blue poofy hakkama and a blue haori with white tulip shapes scattered across with a brown fur pelt vest over it. (A/N Basically what he wears in the series except he's fifteen) He countered her attack with the same one, following her wherever she tried to dodge off to. A yelp escaped her quietly as she was hit, even though she too was wearing padding underneath.
Meeko took her staff and held it horizontally and spun around like a twister pushing Shippo back knocking him flat on his ass. She stood over him victoriously smirking. Her dark indigo eyes gleaming. The sun was setting behind her highlighting her appearance. "Good job. You need to practice more but why don't you leave early I know you and your friends want to go to the new club that just opened up. Go ahead and leave your staff here. I'll put it away, okay." He scrambled to his feet leaving the staff on the ground and muttered a 'thank you' as he ran to change in the locker room.
"Are you Meeko?" a man with light blue hair questioned walking up to the girl the fabric of his black hakkama rustling.
"Yes and who might you be?"
"How very rude of me I am Enkai. The girl, Rin said that if I have any questions, to ask you"
"What do you want" Meeko replied turning her back to pick up Shippo's staff.
"May I take you to dinner and a movie?" The teacher scowled before spinning around to face the man she had just met.
"No. I don't go out with random men, unlike you, you probably go out with random women and who knows maybe men as well. I am not gonna be yo flava of da week, so go find some one who is a whore, not meh"
"How can you judge a person you just met."
"You are a womanizer, pervert, smug and hot headed. Perhaps you would like to meet my friend Miroku. Seems that since you two are pervs you would be two peas in a pod."
"How are you able to know a person by just looking at them"
"Their eyes and you eyes just happen to be ones I know all to well."
"You are very hard to get close to, not one to be played, yet you were played as a fool once before, heartbreak and sadness. Kind yet mean to men and when angered dangerous. Do I speak correct?"
"Shut up you doesn't know anything bout me. And if you think dat's gonna change my answer it's still no!
"If that be the case will you at least spar with me?" (That sounds so wrong)
"Fine I-" she was interrupted by a beeping of on her hakkama sash. Looking down on her beeper she saw 'Attack at the Sakura Park. Need back up.' "Sorry I gotta go. Something important just came up. Bye!" she grabbed her dagger type weapon in one hand and kept her staff that had been previously reduced to a foot long thick pole in the other. After she was ten meters away from Enkai she whistled for her faithful fire inu-kitsune to come. Sure enough a purplish-black little creature with a long fox tail and sapphire eyes around the size of Kilala jumped out from the village. Just like the fire neko would, she burst out into blackish-blue flames leaving a bigger more ferocious creature running towards her owner. She climbed on and flew off into the sky to catch up with Sango and Kilala that was already visible about a half mile ahead. The scenery of the sky scrapers and streets looked amazingly beautiful in the dim light.
With Kagome and Rin:
Kagome and Rin were already at the scene fighting off the latest swarm of summoned monsters. They had already been fighting twenty minutes and were already somewhat drained. The demonic miasma had taken a toll. It wasn't their individual will, but their numbers that made them strong. And the fact that half of the slayers were missing didn't do anything helpful either.
Rin slammed her sword down into the ground in exhaustion. A demon that was half woman and half snake came charging at her teeth ready to make her dinner. There wasn't enough time to react before the demoness would sing its multiple fangs into her tender skin. A giant boomerang came flying threw the air with the loud shout of "Hiraikotsu!" the monster that had been attacking was sliced in half along with another ten demons before returning to the thrower. Rin lifted her head to see one of her best friends, Sango. With new found strength she stood and joined back in the battle. Kilala was soon joined by her pal Akana, the inu-kitsune. With all four demon exterminators together they began the process of killing off every single one of them.
Kagome unsheathed a katana to slice off one ogre's head before it reached her. It seemed no matter how many purifying arrows she shot; they never ceased to stop coming. Her very own black fire neko with cream markings like Kilala swooped in between her legs to fly her slightly above the hoard to see how many left and to give her the advantage of surprise attack. Her companion Aku growled deep fin his throat signaling for the miko to fire. She did as told and shot down 15 demons with the power of her purification arrow.
With Meeko:
"Ah crap! Get away, get away!" Meeko, the youngest of the four, sliced of the imp's skull with her dagger that she currently had strapped to her arm, the metal grip in her hand to better control. Many more of the evil spirited came for her as their target, "Shit" she mumbled." If that's how ya wanna play it then I can work it." She undid the bindings on her arm with quick ease and expertise, slipping them in a special hand-made sheath on her back to pull out her staff. Pulling either ends of it, it stretched out two its 7 foot glory. "HIYA!" with her special attack of twirling the rod in a fanning order, wiped out fifteen demons.
Two long hours later all of the summoned demons were destroyed leaving very tired women and animal-demon companions. Aku and Kilala were curled up in a heap. A cute sight to the fatigued women. The two demon nekos were cute mates. Ah-Un was lying down as well as Akana. "Sorry to disturb you guys but we gotta get home. You can sleep there, as well as us" Rin said pulling in the halter that held the dragon's head. (A/N In this ah-Un only has one head cuz I just felt like it so use your imagination.) The girls walked home taking the wooded route up to their homes.
Four sets of eyes followed the group of girls, and their demon partners. Each on thinking a different thought, even the two companions that accompanied two of the men had a thought as well. Whether these men were friend or foe was unknown to the traveling females. Their very presence unknown to human and demon alike.
A/N I hope you liked this chapter. So sorry if it is short but I really wanted to get it posted I'll try and have another chapter up tomorrow or the next day. Please review it gives me a really nice feeling.
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha