Hello again everyone! Well, first off, I am so, so sorry for not posting this chapter on time. Hell, I'm way behind on my schedule to post. Usually I'm done in two weeks' time with a chapter and ready to send it out. This time around, several things happened.
First off, I went on vacation one week after posting. That put a damper on writing since I was out enjoying myself. I really, really needed the vacation though there was drama before leaving and when returning over my wife's car, but oh well.
Secondly, I began my new job when I returned from my vacation. At my previous job, I had plenty of time to write during the day. My new job does not allow for such conveniences sadly, not to mention we are not allowed to plug in flash drives, so writing had to be done at home. I had less than a ¼ of a chapter done before I started my new job and that didn't change that entire week.
Thirdly, my dad began second cutting of hay. Ugh, it just interfered with everything yet again.
Lastly, I know these are excuses, lol, but as I've said previously in other chapters, real life comes first. Unfortunately, this chapter suffered its effects, horribly.
Until further notice, I'm not sure how often my chapters will be spaced out. I'm shooting for 2 weeks still, but reality might be further apart. It just depends on how much time I have to write. I have time but I need to unwind sometimes too. I'll try my best.
My apologies again for this long break in action.
Now then, moving on, thanks to both Kattana and alex 988 for your reviews. I always love seeing what you two have to say.
alex 988: I'm putting Eternal War off for the moment until this story is done. I had a choice between the two and am glad I didn't attempt to do both at the same time. Once upon a time, I did try to do two stories at once. Needless to say, I hated it, lol. I felt I just couldn't do both when I got into both. I finished both but felt I didn't show either of them the kind of attention they needed. Anyways, I intend on doing Eternal War still, just not now since Identity has started. Thanks as always for your review!
Well, that about wraps it up for me. Ugh, the sleep schedule I've been on for this new job has been killing me. One month in and I'm still not 100% adjusted. Oh well…
Thanks as always to everyone who reads this story. Feel free to review. Until next time, enjoy!
Meanings for certain words:
oyaji = old man, father (rude way of saying it)
nee = older sister
baka = idiot
Gomen'nasai = I'm sorry (rudely put)
-bō = diminutive way of expressing endearment. Used towards boys alone.
-hime = princess, lady of high standing
gomen = sorry (non-formal)
imouto = younger sister
otouto = little brother (personal or close relationship)
oji = uncle
Sōryūha = Dragon Strike
mei = niece
chichi = father (used in talking about your father)
haha = mother (like chichi, used to talk about your mother)
kyōdai = siblings (used mainly for brothers but can encompass brothers and sisters)
Chapter 2
"Why can't we go back inside, Oyaji? I'd rather be training than standing around out here in the blazing hot sun. I'd even settle for chores."
Rolling his eyes at his youngest daughter's words, Iya grumbled "Just like her uncle."
The moody ten year old girl stood with her arms folded over her chest and had short silver and black mixed hair that reached to just the bottom of her chin in length, giving her more of a boyish look. Her sky blue eyes reflected annoyance for the current situation. Dog ears swiveled a few times looking for anything of interest. Her choice of clothing consisted of an orange top and mid-thigh length shorts with a purple obi tying the two together in a messy knot and sandals on her feet.
"Ryoko, it's important we wait out here to greet our guests properly." Lilly retorted with a hint of agitation in her voice. "Please try to remain patient. They'll be here before you know it."
"It's alright, Ryoko-nee-san. We'll spar later." piped up an eight year old boy with a wide smile that had black hair and red mixed into his bangs pulled back into a short ponytail. A mischievous nature seemed to radiate from his chocolate eyes. Two black neko ears tweaked slightly while his black furred tail swished behind him excitedly. A dark emerald green top and pants embroidered with golden stitching depicting several dragons covered him up while a golden colored obi with purple embroidered into it held the two together. On his feet were a set of black boots in the same fashion of his father.
"Don't start with me, baka."
Grinning madly at his sister, the young neko hanyou replied "But nee-san we had a great fight last time. Why won't you swallow your pride and admit that I got the jump on you."
A loud whacking sound filled the air with a loud yelp accompanying it. Standing over her brother with her fist clenched and vein popping out of her forehead, Ryoko snarled out "You're lucky I didn't kill you that time, baka! If I hadn't of held back my attack I'd have hurt you seriously. And I told you to never attack someone like that to begin with! Oyaji stressed that thoroughly if you remember!"
"Enough of that, Ryoko." Iya commanded in a stern tone. "Apologize to Makoto."
The young dog hanyou looked at her father as if he had grown a second head but saw the seriousness within his muddy brown eyes. Deciding not to push her luck but hating to seem weak in front of her siblings, she muttered a low apology that could barely be heard.
"Ryoko." her father warned.
Hiding beneath the shadows of her bangs, the young dog hanyou grunted out "Gomen."
Sighing as he turned and picked his daughter up by the scruff of her collar, the Lord of the South brought her face to face with him. "Come now pup, you can do better. Address your brother right and apologize correctly."
Uncomfortable with the fact she was being treated like a baby at the moment and knowing she couldn't get out of the situation even if she wanted to, Ryoko heavily sighed as she felt herself turned towards her brother. Taking a deep breath, she willed the words out her mouth in the kindest tone she could muster.
"Gomen'nasai Makoto-bō."Rolling his eyes and sighing slightly, Iya grunted "Better."
Gently, he set his daughter onto the ground and added in a kind tone "Please Ryoko-hime, behave yourself today."
The younger dog hanyou threw a semi-angry glare at her father for a moment but was met with kind eyes. Knowing he wasn't insulting her but instead using a nickname he had given her when she was much smaller, she let it go.
"Baka." Kaia grunted in a low tone.
Throwing a challenging glare at her older sister, the dog hanyou child began to sharply reply only to be cut off by the hardened look of her father.
"Kaia, do not provoke your sister." Iya firmly stated. "You know better. Apologize now."
The eldest child of the dog and neko hanyous seemed to shuffle her feet for a few moments and acted as if she actually didn't want to. At last in a strained tone, she said "Gomen imouto-san."
Before anymore chaos could ensue, Ichigo flashed in front of the five. "Yo."
"Strawberry!" Makoto called out with a bright smile.
Sweat dropping and throwing a scowl towards Kaia, the quarter demon grunted out "Yeah, yeah, strawberry is here. I swear, I should ..."
"Are they near?" Iya interrupted.
Ichigo immediately turned his attention to the dog hanyou and nodded his head. "They should be arriving in the next five minutes."
The Lord of the South merely nodded as he scanned the horizon. He could already sense the approaching auras of those he had expected along with their scents due to the wind blowing in his direction.
Almost five minutes passed before the caravan of travelling dog hanyous appeared on the horizon.
The lead hanyou's silver hair reached his butt in length and hung limply until the breeze would kick it up. Silver furred dog ears swiveled, listening for any sounds that may raise the alarm. Amber eyes held annoyance within them but also had a kindness just beneath the surface. A red kimono top tucked into red pants made of fire rat hide clothed his body with a messy obi tying them together. Around his neck hung a set of purple prayer beads that had white fang like beads strung into it. Strapped to his hip was a sword with a tattered gray cloth hilt and golden guard sitting within a black lacquered sheath. His bare feet made little sound with each of his steps.
On his right side with a smile on her face was his mate. The female dog hanyou's long ebony black hair fell to just below her rear. Two black furred dog ears slightly moved on the top of her head while dark honey colored eyes kept watch. Slightly shifting behind her with each step was a black puffy tail. She wore a similar outfit to what the red robed dog hanyou wore with hers being pink instead, minus the prayer beads and had on a pair of wooden sandals. Sitting in her neatly tied obi was her own sword that had a purple braided cloth on the hilt and was within its own black sheath.
In her arms was a sleeping one year old hanyou child. The young child had black ebony hair like his mother; however, the tips had silver. Silver dog ears sat upon his small head and barely moved while he slept. He was wrapped up in a black outfit that was light enough to give him some comfort in the summer heat.
Trailing behind the pair of elder hanyous was their eldest daughter. She had a patient look etched into her features as her amber eyes kept locked on her parents' backs. Black and silver hair spilled down to her calves in length and floated slightly when the breeze would pitch it into the air. Her petite body was wrapped up in a purple and black kimono with a black obi tying it shut that gave the vibe of elegance but at the same time allowed for mobility. A set of wooden sandals were on her feet. Within her obi was a sword that had a blue wrapped cloth hilt, an intricately cut golden guard with a dragon within it, and a polished white sheath that had a blue and orange painted dragon near the end of it.
Beside of their sister was a pair of twin dog hanyous that were twenty years old each. The first was a young man with raven colored hair that fell to his mid-back in length and two black dog ears on top of his head. Chocolate eyes showed kindness within them and a hint of mischief. A puffy dog tail, a trait of his mother's, sat on his rump. He wore an outfit similar to his father's, with exception of his being a dark blue color. A sword rested on his hip that had a dark blue braided hilt and a golden five flower petal guard in a blue polished sheath. On his back he had a quiver full of red feather arrows and a polished black lacquered bow. Like his father, he wore no shoes but did have strips of white fabric to support his arches and wrapped around his ankle.
His twin sister next to him was nearly the spitting image of her father. Silver hair spilled down to her mid-back but was bound up in a ponytail. Violet eyes shone with mischief but hid her curious nature. The clothing she had chosen was an outfit nearly identical to her mother's with the only difference in color, that being she wore yellow. Resting in her obi was a sword with an orange cloth wrapped hilt and a silver five flower petal guard within an orange sheath. She too had similar strips of white fabric on her feet like her brother.
The group of five was soon before the Lord of the South and his family. Lilly immediately moved forward and carefully hugged the eldest black haired hanyou, saying "Kagome, it's been so long! I see little Touga-kun has gotten much bigger."
Lovingly as she shifted the babe in her arms, Kagome replied "He has a healthy appetite, just like his daddy."
"Feh."
"You seem happy as ever, otouto." Iya playfully commented.
"Yeah, well, we had a long trip." the silver haired hanyou grumbled.
Slapping his brother on the back, the Lord of the South smartly said "Now, now Inuyasha, don't be such a sour puss. You're here to relax for a few weeks."
Earning himself a slight glare, Iya smirked and moved on to the three younger hanyous. "It's good to see you three. How was your trip, Izayoi, Daiki, and Asami?"
"Great! I caught a large fish yesterday!" Asami chirped. Spreading her arms wide to show its measurement, she said "It was this big!"
Chuckling at his niece, the hanyou saw Daiki smile wide too and fold his arms behind his head while Izayoi remained quiet and reserved.
In a joking manner, the Lord of the South said "I see spending all that time with your other oji-san has rubbed off on you, Izayoi-chan."
"Not at all, oji-san." the eldest of the children said in a monotone voice.
Rolling his eyes, Inuyasha muttered "Damn bastard made her a clone."
"Inuyasha…" Kagome said with an overly sweet tone.
Realizing what he had set himself up for, the male hanyou quickly turned to his mate with a surrendering gesture, saying "Kagome, now wait, please, don't …"
"SIT BOY!"
Before the silver haired hanyou could finish pleading he was jerked to the ground by the power of the prayer beads around his neck. He instantly smashed face first into the dirt with a resounding thump. A groan escaped the depression where he now resided.
The small boy in the visibly irritated female hanyou's arms let out a soft coo and laughed at his father while his siblings stifled laughs.
Iya and Lilly sweat dropped at the current situation over the plight of the dog hanyou lying on the ground. Kaia remained as reserved as she could but had to hold her hands over her mouth to keep from letting laughter spill out. Ryoko smirked at her uncle laid out, meanwhile Makoto outright let loose deep, boisterous laughter.
With the spell finally released, Inuyasha fought the urge to shoot back up. Instead, he remained lying flat on the ground and tried to gather his thoughts. At last ready, he stood up slowly to find his mate glowering at him, seemingly daring him to say something in response to the actions she had taken against him.
Stuffing his hands in his sleeves, the red robed hanyou gruffly asked "Can we move on?"
"Sure little whipped puppy." Ichigo stated in a smug tone and made a motioning manner for the others to follow. He didn't even give the hanyou a chance to respond as he turned away.
"This is going to be an entertaining next few weeks." the quarter demon commented aloud to no one in particular.
000
000
Light blue bolts of demonic energy surged forth across the training grounds. Its source was the sword within the right hand of Izayoi. The weapon was coated in a light blue demonic aura and held horizontally before her. Without warning, the bolts formed a massive light blue energy dragon with a long sinewy body and a head with a flowing mane. The dragon was twisting in the sky and letting out a screech as it seemed to await a command from its master.
Drawing her weapon back to her left side, the female hanyou swung it hard, all the while crying out in a cold tone "Sōryūha!"
The dragon vanished but the energy did not disperse. Instead, it took up the form of three claw like waves of energy with lightning still crackling off of it as it ripped up the ground.
Izayoi's target of choice twenty feet away was a wall of ice that stood ten feet tall and was three foot thick. Ravaging the ground, the attack struck its target and formed a column of energy surging into the sky as the dragon returned and roared loudly before a massive explosion bathed the area in a blast of light blue light.
Slowly, the energy dissipated and revealed that the wall of ice was completely unaffected. The ground before the wall was dug down half a foot but behind the wall the ground was unchanged.
Panting heavily as bolts shot off her blade a few more times before at last vanishing, Izayoi fell to one knee. A frown marred her features as she continued to stare at the ice wall in surprise that it was still there after the full force of her attack had hit.
"It's very remarkable that you've managed to advance this far already in life, Izayoi-chan."
Watching her uncle step out from behind the ice wall and approach her slowly, she slid her eyes to the ground and muttered "It wasn't enough to destroy your ice."
"Don't beat yourself up too much, mei." Iya softly said. "Ketsaiga's ice is difficult to cut through. Even the former lord of these lands couldn't completely cut through Ice Barrier after Ketsaiga's power had matured. For you to cut through it would have been surprising."
Remaining quiet, the younger hanyou at last calmed her breathing and stood back up. A look of determination set in on her features as she replied "I want to try again."
"That exhausted and she still has the stubborn will to keep going. So very much like her father."
Waking from his momentary thought, the Lord of the South shook his head. "That's enough for now, Izayoi-chan."
"I want to try again. Please oji-san." Izayoi said in a strong pleading tone.
"Izayoi-chan…" the hanyou began but stopped and shook his head. "Gomen Izayoi-chan, we are not going to continue."
Continuing on, he added "I'm sure Sesshomaru warned you about not overdoing things when using that attack. Right now, as you are, using that attack again would be too much on your system and you'd probably pass out from exhaustion."
Turning away from his niece and sighing as he crossed his arms over his chest, the elder hanyou coolly said "Sesshomaru probably determined that you could only use that attack a total of twice a day when you managed to manifest it the first time. It's harder on your system than it would have been on his so he probably told you to at max use it twice in a fight. Once maybe early on, the second time late in the fight."
Looking back at his niece, the dog hanyou saw the expression of shock on her face that seemed to ask if she was that transparent. "I figured it out on my own before you ask. This was a lot of guess work by going on what I've felt from your demonic aura and judging by the power you exhibited during our sparring session, plus what I can feel from your current level of power."
Taking in her uncle's words and processing them, the dog hanyou let out a soft sigh. Sheathing her sword, she coolly replied "Sesshomaru-oji-san did warn me about not using Sōryūha more than once in battle. During our training sessions, he let me use it twice a day, but only once in the morning and once in the evening."
"The gap in time let your body recover a bit and restore some of your energy." Iya commented.
The black and silver haired hanyou merely nodded mutely. Noting her demeanor, the black haired hanyou sheepishly smiled.
"Try not to take it personally. Sesshomaru doesn't want you to accidentally hurt yourself during training or in battle. Nor do I for that matter."
"I understand that." Izayoi softly commented. Looking directly into her uncle's muddy brown eyes with her own amber ones, she added with conviction ringing in her voice "I just want to get stronger to be able to help chichi and haha protect my kyōdai should anything ever happen like before."
Confused but surprised at his niece's statement, the elder hanyou asked "Like before?"
This time it was the younger hanyou who looked away. In a small voice, she responded slowly with "That war…"
"Izayoi…" Iya mumbled as realization of his niece's concerns became clear. Clenching his fist tightly as he felt the weight of her statement in his mind, the male dog hanyou couldn't help but understand the powerlessness she had felt years before.
"Another victim of that damn war between the lands. She was only five when it began and to have to deal with it for three years no doubt has left her with some scars that may never heal."
Studying her for several moments, elder dog hanyou let out a soft sigh. "Izayoi-chan, we'll continue to spar for now. However, there is one condition."
Immediately looking at her uncle in surprise in her features, the younger hanyou waited anxiously to see what the condition was.
"You will not use Sōryūha again during this match. Fight me only using your sword skills. I will help make you much, much stronger."
A slight gasp escaped the female hanyou's lips as she stared at her uncle. She saw nothing but determination and honestly flowing from his eyes, along with compassion that made her know he understood her desires.
Smiling brightly, Izayoi nodded her head, saying "Hai!"
000
000
"Gotcha!"
Thrusting her sword forward to stab Ichigo in the gut, Asami couldn't help but gasp as her target easily evaded her attack by side stepping her. All battle, he had remained relatively unmoving with his hands simply at his sides and Zangetsu still on his back.
Hearing a whistling sound, the quarter demon shifted his head to the left just in time to elude a Sacred Arrow that went buzzing by his head. Searching the tree line for where the arrow came from, he smirked to himself when he spotted slight movement, signaling that Daiki was on the move yet again.
"Damn, I just can't get a clear shot. Onee-chan had him set up and I couldn't hit him." Daiki cursed silently.
On the battlefield, Asami pressed the attack again with multiple high speed slashes and thrusts.
"QUIT DODGING AND FIGHT ME!" Asami roared. Her famous temper she had inherited from her father was visibly starting to get the better of her as her attacks became wilder with each swing.
Saying nothing, Ichigo continued to evade her blows. A small smile formed on his face as he saw the frustration building up.
"Temper, temper." the quarter demon taunted.
"I'LL SHOW YOU TEMPER!" the silver haired hanyou practically screamed.
In the tree line, watching the battle continue to unfold, Daiki tiredly sighed at his sister's typical antics.
"Onee-chan is losing it. I doubt she'll be able to create an opening at this rate."
Notching an arrow and taking aim, the raven haired hanyou readied himself knowing a window of opportunity would vanish quickly if he was not prepared.
Frantically still slashing at the quarter demon, the female hanyou suddenly flashed to behind him and threw a surprise stab. The quarter demon was able to evade without much effort.
At that, the hanyou's attacks seemed to become more refined while her angered features melted away and a confident smirk appeared on her face.
"Now for the finale!" Asami declared as she vanished. She immediately reappeared in the air coming down straight at Ichigo with her sword drawn up over her head.
Asami was surprised when she saw her opponent was standing his ground. Undeterred, she swung her blade downwards in a powerful slash with all of her strength.
Instead of cutting through her opponent, the hanyou gasped in surprise that her blade was caught by a single right hand. Landing on the ground, she still pushed weight towards him but found her sword wouldn't move at all. Gritting her teeth, she started to try and wrench away her blade but the quarter demon stubbornly held on.
"He caught it!? Dodging it I could see but literally catching it I never expected. Just what the hell have I gotten myself into!?" Asami pondered.
Seeing his opening due that the quarter demon held onto his sister's sword, Daiki careful took aim and released his Sacred Arrow.
The arrow whizzed through the air from the wood line straight on target. It seemed to be on target and would not be stopped due to it being on his right side where he held the hanyou's sword back.
Quicker than the pair could keep track of with their own eyes, Ichigo moved his left hand out and took hold of the sword his right hand held back and caught the arrow in his now free right hand.
A gasp escaped the male dog hanyou when he witnessed the arrow being caught. He quickly moved from his spot in hopes of finding a new location to attack from.
Still holding the arrow, Ichigo smirked and moved closer to Asami and drew her up under his left arm. She started throwing a fit over it but didn't have much time to say much as the pair vanished into thin air.
Daiki was running hard to find a new position as his last shot ran through his mind. "I can't believe it that he caught my attack. It should have hurt him to do so!? What the hell is going on?"
Skidding to a stop, his eyes widened when he saw Ichigo appear directly in front of himself with Asami tucked under his left arm. Before he could move, Daiki felt the weight of his sister's body hitting him hard and sending him falling back onto the ground.
"The game is over you two. I win." Ichigo declared. Smirking when he heard the pair grumble as they tried to get back to their feet, he crossed his arms over his chest and added "You had a pretty good strategy. The two of you make a good team."
Silence took over for several moments before the quarter demon asked "Shall we have another go at it?"
Perking up at the prospect of a rematch, the twins stood quickly. The two nodded their heads enthusiastically, earning them a smirk from Ichigo.
000
000
"Thanks for training with the pups."
Glancing over at his brother with a smile, Iya replied "It was nothing. They've gotten stronger since the last time I saw them. You should be quite proud of them."
Shuffling his feet a bit, the silver haired hanyou stared out at the sunset. The pair currently was within the gardens outside of the Southern Keep. They had been talking about the goings on of Edo and the Southern Lands.
"Is something on your mind?" the older hanyou enquired.
Inuyasha seemed to ignore his brother's request as he continued to stare at the sinking sun. At last, he turned towards his elder brother with resolve in his amber eyes.
In a calm but serious tone, he said "I want to fight with you, Iya."
"What?" Iya queried, surprise evidently on his face. With confusion in his voice, he softly questioned "What's this about?"
"Yes or no?" the silver haired hanyou impatiently demanded.
Rubbing the back of his head, the black haired hanyou remarked "What brought this about? I'll spar with you if you want. It's not like I've ever turned you …"
"Not spar, fight." Inuyasha corrected. "I want you to come at me like you would an enemy."
Still confused, Iya shifted a bit uncomfortably and answered "I don't mind sparring with you but there is no need to risk hurting one another in a fight like that."
"I will not take no for an answer." the silver haired hanyou stubbornly declared. Pointing a clawed finger at his brother, he said "I want you to fight me seriously. Vow to me that you will do so."
"Inuyasha, I …"
"I have waited for a long time to ask for this fight. Please Iya, this is important to me. I want to measure the gap between the two of us."
The older hanyou saw the sheer look of someone bound and determined to get what he wanted in the features of his youngest brother. Something familiar caused a pang of remembrance to well up from when he would demand that his father or older brother fight him seriously.
"Please, don't hold back! I want to fight you seriously."
Feeling his own words were similar to that of what his brother had just spoken made him realize just how important the proposed fight meant. A soft sigh escaped his mouth as a small smile formed.
"I will fight you seriously but it will wait till tomorrow. When we fight, it will have to be out at my own personal training grounds to make sure no one is hurt. Is that acceptable?"
"Yes." Inuyasha answered soundly.
"Very well, meet me tomorrow at the front gate and we will go."
000
000
"I wonder what has got into him." Lilly commented.
The mates sat across from one another in their room at a low table that had tea sitting on it.
"He wants to measure the gap between us." Iya remarked as he ran a clawed hand through his now loose hair, free of its purple ribbon binding.
Remaining quiet for a few seconds, the neko hanyou at last said "Kagome never said a word about this to me. The two of us have been talking quite a bit but the subject has never come up."
Reaching out and taking up his tea and sipping it, the dog hanyou soon enough set it down. A small sigh escaped him as he replied "I told him we would go to my personal training grounds tomorrow. At worst, if he lets loose everything he has, we should be safe. I've already alerted Tsunade and May that alterations need to be made to the barriers."
"If Orihime wasn't so underfoot of Ichigo, she would probably …" Lilly began, only to be cut off by her mate.
"Ichigo would rather die than let Orihime do anything strenuous. She's lucky he lets her do anything at this point and time."
Giggling, the neko slyly replied "Someone else was almost the same way when I was pregnant."
Tapping her chin, she added "Then again, you weren't nearly as bad now that I think about it."
"You did dangerous things." Iya deadpanned back. "It's no wonder Ichigo has Orihime practically under house arrest after putting up with your antics during all three of your pregnancies."
Silence engulfed the pair momentarily before Lilly spoke up, saying "I think the pups should watch this fight."
"Huh?"
"Well, they've watched you and Ichigo before, so I think watching you and Inuyasha fight would be beneficial for them to watch and maybe pick up a few things." Lilly explained.
Cupping his chin for a moment, the dog hanyou at last nodded his head, saying "You're right. I'll send word to Inuyasha and Kagome to bring their pups too. It may give them ideas on where to take their own training."
A moment passed as the neko hanyou stared hard at her ceramic cup. Breaking her silence, she asked tentatively "Do you intend on fighting him at full strength?"
"I'll fight him hard but probably not at the level you're thinking. We never can be too careful, now can we?" the male hanyou asked with a wink.
Smiling warmly at her mate, the neko hanyou coolly replied "Of course not."
Rising up, he softly said "I think we should rest now. Tomorrow will be a long day."
000
000
"Are things ready yet?" Inuyasha impatiently asked. Not a hundred yards away, Iya stood patiently waiting with his arms crossed and eyes closed, as if reflecting on the things to come.
Rolling her eyes at her mate's inability to wait for what felt like the millionth time in her life, Kagome coolly called out "Just hold on Inuyasha. I'm sure Lilly, May, and Tsunade are working to get things prepared in a timely fashion."
"Just think on a strategy in the meantime, Oyaji!" Asami called out with a big goofy grin on her face.
Daiki chimed in, saying "And remember not to lose your temper!"
Grumbling under his breath over his kids attempt to console him, the silver haired hanyou suddenly picked up two new but familiar scents.
The two owners of the scents soon appeared as Ichigo appeared in a flash with an orange haired demoness hanging on his back. Sliding off his back, she stepped out and smiled and waved at the group for a moment. Her straight orange hair reached down to her mid-back in length and was pulled back into a ponytail held together by a white ribbon. Bangs framed her face but were restrained by a set of six pronged snowflake hair pins on each side. Gray eyes seemed filled to the brim with love and compassion. Her voluptuous body was starting to show early signs of her pregnancy but at the same time accented it ever so slightly. The clothing she had chosen for the day consisted of a pink outer layer with long flowing sleeves that reached just above the ground. Under the top, she had on a dark pink kimono with several flower designs stitched into it. It fit loosely around her giving her ample mobility and coverage. A light pink obi tied it shut with a large bow hidden by her outer layer tied on her backside. On her feet were a pair of zōri that clacked ever so lightly when she walked. Resting on her hip was a wakazashi sitting within a polished black lacquered sheath. The sword's hilt was braided in fine red cloth.
Smiling brightly at the group, she called out "Hey everyone!"
"Good to see you out and about, Orihime." Kagome replied warmly.
"I felt I needed some air and heard about what was going on, so I asked Ichigo to bring me out here." the bobcat demoness kindly remarked. Glancing out at the trio surrounding the training grounds at different points, she said "It looks like Lilly, May, and Tsunade are tweaking the barrier."
Nodding in reply, the female dog hanyou answered "Yes, they mentioned fixing it up to adjust to Inuyasha's aura."
"I wonder if they …" Orhime began but was promptly cut off.
"You don't need to overexert yourself, Orihime." Ichigo firmly stated.
Pouting, the demoness looked longingly towards her friends adjusting the barrier.
Sighing at his mate's behavior and feeling a slight pang of guilt, the quarter demon grudgingly said "Go ahead if you want, just don't overdo it."
Orihime immediately brightened and kissed Ichigo on the lips. Smiling happily, she waved at him and she rushed off towards the neko hanyou.
000
000
"Almost there." Lilly mumbled to no one in particular. She sat on her knees before a stone with glowing green hands. Her mind was fully focused on the task at hand in adjusting the barrier for the battle that was to soon commence.
"Hi Lilly!"
Concentration wavering a bit due to being disturbed and wanting to talk to her friend, the neko hanyou steeled herself and remained focused. In a distant tone, she said "I'm a touch busy, Orihime."
"I know." the bobcat mage replied sweetly. Holding her hands behind her back, she added "I just wanted to ask if you already did number seventy-seven to keep in contact with Tsunade and May to keep track of their progress."
Realization of the fact she had forgotten to do said Kidō, Lilly moodily remarked "I should have known I forgot something."
Smiling brightly at her friend, Orihime replied "Don't worry, I'll do it."
"Huh?" Lilly asked incredulously as her eyes snapped open. Realizing barrier she was adjusting would destabilize in the next few moments if she didn't act fast, she shut her eyes again and began returning all of her focus to her current task. Finding she was returning it to a stable point, she smoothly said "Not to sound ungrateful or anything, but Ichigo would rather break his sword into a million little pieces than let you do Kidō."
"He is a bit overprotective of me. Don't worry; I'll do it quickly before he realizes it."
"That's what worries me. He'll know something is up." the hanyou deadpanned.
Giggling at her friend, the bobcat demoness sat down onto her knees in front of the neko, being mindful not to get her kimono dirty. She proceeded to roll up her right sleeve to the point it was up to her shoulder and did not obstruct her any longer. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply and raised her right arm up a bit. Glowing a bit, her hand suddenly produced two white pentagon shaped pieces of metal that had wiggling black ink like tails.
Flicking them into the air, the two started floating somewhat before the mage thrust her right arm between the two, causing them to flip a few more times. They suddenly stopped as their tails became longer and more pronounced until they became pointed arrows. The two began etching a strange and intricate pattern of lines of ink on her skin that crisscrossed back and forth all the way down to her wrist where they stopped.
A large rectangular window with black outlining appeared in front of her palm with what looked like flowing ink leaking from it. It glowed slightly blue on a stripe like pattern on the edge of the window but was seemingly transparent.
In a calm tone, Orihime softly called out "Bakudō 77: Tenteikūra."
Immediately, Lilly felt the spell connect with her mentally, along with Tsunade and May.
"It's ready, Lilly." the mage stated.
"Thank you." Lilly softly replied. Feeling she was ready to speak, she said "Tsunade, May, I'm finishing up with my part. How is it going on your two's end?"
"Nearly done here, Lilly-sama." May's voice confirmed.
A moment later, Tsunade said "I just finished my part."
"As did I." the neko demoness chimed in.
"Just a moment you two and I'll be done." Lilly replied.
Not even a few seconds passed before she stated "I'm done now. Let's begin raising it."
"Hai!" the two other voices chimed in.
The rock she had been focusing on with her powers suddenly pulsed slightly. Another pulse resonated through the air before it shot a light blue energy beam up into the air and crossed over to the other side of the large training grounds where it connected to another rock. Both rocks shot beams out in a circular path that soon connected with one another. The energy beams that connected each rose from the ground and started slowly forming a dome of energy. After a few moments, the dome fully formed and connected perfectly together with the original line that crossed the field.
Not even a few seconds after the barrier had risen, another beam of purple energy rose and formed another barrier. Seconds later, a third rose up, this one a light green color. The three domes were fully formed within a minute and began melding into one another. All at once, the three were one and made a powerful make shift dome.
With little warning, the dome vanished, leaving nothing but clear skies above.
"Good job you two. We're done for now." Lilly complimented.
"Hai." the mother and daughter duo replied.
Releasing her spell, Orihime opened her eyes to smile Lilly. The neko hanyou returned the smile with one of her own before frowning.
"Orihime, I thought I asked you not to overdo it?" Ichigo stated from behind his mate with a scary scowl on his face.
Slowly and dramatically turning around with sweat running down her face, the bobcat mage comically replied "I'm alright?"
Lilly couldn't help but laugh at her friend's predicament, nor her response. The quarter demon only scowled at her before letting out a sigh.
"Let's go watch this fight." he grumbled.
000
000
"It's ready Iya!"
Opening his eyes upon hearing his mate's words, the elder dog hanyou unfolded his arms and turned towards his younger brother, who seemed anxious to begin.
"About time." Inuyasha grumbled. "What the hell is so special about what they were doing?"
"What they were doing was amending the barrier that surrounds us. It's made up of three layers, each special in their own way. The first layer is made from Kidō, the next Alkahestry, and the last is sorcery. Combined together, the three make a powerful barrier that isn't easily damaged nor needs much maintenance. They were amending it to accommodate for your own aura. Aside from that, it was also fixed so that you can enter the barrier at the designated spot from now on, along with leave at the same place too." Iya explained.
Brow furrowing, the younger hanyou asked "Why all that trouble?"
"Ichigo and I train here almost daily, so it is important that our battles are not disturbed, nor get out of hand and threaten to damage the surrounding area. My original training grounds were much closer to the Southern Keep at one time. However, due to an incident, we decided to move them out here to prevent such things from happening, plus took more precautions with the barrier."
"I guess it makes sense." the silver haired hanyou commented at last. "Seems like an awful lot of effort to me."
In a serious tone, the Southern Lord replied "We can never be too careful. As I said before, an incident in one of my training sessions with Ichigo made us decide to beef up precautions in case something like that ever happened again. So far it hasn't."
"But never mind that. Before we get down to business, I want to ask you something." the elder hanyou stated. Pointing a clawed finger at his brother, he said "You told me that you wanted to measure the difference in our powers. Why is that so important to you now?"
Iya waited on an answer for nearly a minute. A touch irked at his brother silence, he began to say something when the younger hanyou suddenly started speaking.
"Do you remember the last time we fought one another?" Inuyasha suddenly asked.
Crossing his arms back over his chest, the older hanyou took up a thoughtful pose. A few seconds later, he answered "It was at least twenty-one years ago, if not longer. I recall we had a match right before the Great War."
Chuckling, Inuyasha nodded his head, saying "Your memory is as sharp as ever. That's right; it was almost twenty-one years ago. Both Lilly and you had showed up at Edo after your mission to the Southern and Eastern Lands to parley with their lords. You had brought a prisoner with you that needed medical treatment from Kagome and Rin."
"While you hung around, waiting for her to recover, I convinced you into having a little sparring session with me. When we fought, it was obvious to me that you weren't trying very hard but I said nothing. We fought for a good hour before I at last collapsed from the fight. I had several minor wounds while you didn't so much as have a smudge on your clothes, let alone a scratch."
Sighing slightly but letting out a soft chuckle, he added "I felt that I at least knew the level at which you were at from that fight, but I was completely off the mark. That was made very clear to me almost four years later."
The facial expression of the silver haired hanyou became more serious as he said "I watched your match with Sesshomaru when he tested your skills to see if you would even stand a chance against the Southern Lord. Witnessing that match made it painfully obvious that I had fallen far behind the two of you. Hell, I realized I wasn't even close."
Silencing his brother before he could even defend himself, Inuyasha continued on in a firm tone, saying "Totosai tried to console me, telling me that my own skills were self-learned and that my own natural talent was enough to overcome the difference between us. However, I don't believe that. Sesshomaru and yourself both were taught under father's guidance and honed your skills by being pit against one another and father."
"I on the other hand had to learn on my own. No one ever taught me the basics of learning to handle a sword. All that I know is based on instinct and what I mimicked from watching others use one. That alone has managed to get me this far."
Clenching his fists slightly, the silver haired hanyou added "That day, I realized no matter how much I had wanted to believe I had held my own with Sesshomaru or yourself, I knew there was a gap between us. I silently vowed to myself to become stronger and overcome that gap somehow, no matter what it took. I never wanted either of you to feel you could not count on me when the time would come for me to be able to help out."
"I never felt you were inferior." Iya proclaimed in a slightly heated tone. "Not once did I think you were weak, nor did I ever think you couldn't handle yourself. I have always fully trusted that your abilities were enough to do whatever was asked of you."
Unmoved from his stance, Inuyasha replied "I know that. And because of that, I do forever feel indebted to your unwavering trust in me. But that doesn't change the fact that I knew that there was a large gap in power between us."
"In all honestly, I always looked to you as my inspiration to continue to get stronger. You understand the challenges of getting stronger due to our heritage. Hanyous are often looked down upon by demons because of our human blood. Even with having to deal with that, you never once backed down from a challenge and found ways to get stronger and to eventually become the Lord of the Southern Lands. That in and of itself gave me confidence that if you could become this strong, so could I."
Stopping for a moment and flexing his clawed hands before himself, the dog hanyou faintly smiled. "Once I returned home after the Great War, I set about training myself to become much, much stronger. For seventeen years, I have toiled greatly and pushed myself beyond my original limits in order to come before you once again and challenge you to another fight. My one burning desire was to have another match with you and prove not only to myself, but to you, that I can close that gap between us, that you can depend on me always. That is why this battle holds such importance to me."
Awestruck by his brother's words, Iya couldn't help contemplate them. "… That is why this battle holds such importance to me."
"Inuyasha, your words prove to me just how important this is. In my eyes, you've never been weak. Not once have I ever thought so. For you to have come this far and to once more challenge me, that means you are prepared for whatever results may come of it."
"Inuyasha," Iya began, "I will fight you. Come; show me what you have learned."
Smirking, the silver haired hanyou placed a clawed hand on the hilt of his sword. The black haired hanyou mirrored the movement.
Simultaneously, the two drew their swords from their sheaths. Each weapon's transformation was sparked upon being drawn. The two swords transformed themselves into massive halberds that took up the shape of a large fang. Both weapons had a ring of fur for the guard, with the difference being that the silver haired hanyou's guard was white while his brother's had a black fur ring guard.
"This should be good." Ichigo commented.
Thanks everyone for reading the chapter. Now, if you could do me a kind favor and review to let me know what you think of the chapter, I'd appreciate it. Till next time!