Next week's update will be on Thursday/Thanksgiving! See you then, friends!

Dogs Playing Poker
Saturday, November 21st

Rock Lee's Academy for Martial Arts was not that impressive from the outside. A reclaimed and repurposed old community center, the building didn't look like very much and it would be easy to drive by without noticing it.

The inside, however, was a different story.

Lee had worked extensively to transform the facility, and his dojo was well respected for turning out high-caliber, dedicated, and hard-working students. There were multiple instruction rooms, and the old gym had been transformed into a competition and exhibition area with bright flags and pennants on the wall from competitions won.

Despite the excitement in the air and the interesting scenery, Sesshomaru sat next to Rin, bored. All of the children would be receiving their next level of belts today, and Rin insisted on being there for her cousins and the other kids. In an attempt to alleviate his mild annoyance, Sesshomaru scrutinized the instructors lining up to begin the ceremonies.

"Kohaku is helping," Rin told him animatedly. "And look! There is Mrs. Inuzuka! Mr. Inuzuka helps out sometimes, but she works here all of the time. She is amazing with all of the weapons. She grew up with Lee-sensei, and they had the same teacher. I think that is him, down in front, in the wheelchair."

"Wearing green?" Sesshomaru asked, his voice cool.

"Yeah, that's him," Rin giggled. "He and Lee-sensei have a thing for green." She looked down to her program, and then back up excitedly. "The kids are going to do a couple of spars, and there will be some demonstrations. Kohaku was working on something, but I don't know if he is doing one of them or not." She nibbled on her lip as she read through the program again.

Sesshomaru didn't need to comment – Rock Lee had already begun the program. He gave a short, impassioned speech about the philosophy of the dojo, and the extreme pride he had in the spirit, talent, work ethic, and youth of his many students. He apologized that the testing for the belts wasn't open to the public, but this suited Sesshomaru just fine. The children would do a group exhibition which would take considerably less time, and then receive their belts, and he could leave in a more expedient manner.

The children weren't all in the same class, although each of them had at least one friend or sibling in their class. The exercises were surprisingly painless to watch, and there were demonstrations by some senior students, and even instructors as they lined up the classes and prepared between presentations. The parents clapped appreciatively, and Kouga and Inuyasha whooped and hollered for their children. Kagome wasn't much better – calling out for her kids and the other children with alacrity. Sango and Miroku sat with the two younger twins, who cheered for everyone – especially Shippo and Kohaku, who both provided a demonstration. When the Umino boy was called forward for his belt, there was an ear-piercing whistle and a chorus of barking.

Rin leaned forward to see, and grinned. "I bet that's Mrs. Inuzuka, senior," she giggled. "I heard she might come today with the service dogs."

Rin's guess proved to be correct. While the parents waited for the kids to join them, she introduced herself to the group.

"Tsume," she said curtly sticking out a hand. "Tsume Inuzuka."

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Inuzuka," Kagome said brightly as the older woman pumped her hand in a firm handshake.

"Just Tsume is fine," the older woman snorted. "I don't stand much on ceremony. Never did."

An overlapping chorus of 'Mom! Dad! Rin!' echoed down the hall as the children came racing toward their parents.

Tsume was looking over the crowd for her grandson when a feral grin split her features. "Gai, is that you?"

She crossed to the man in the wheelchair and thumped his back soundly. "How you holding up, old-timer?"

"Tsume!" the man returned in a booming voice. "How good to see you!"

The two began to talk and laugh loudly as the kids clamored around their parents, showing off their upgraded belts.

"There he is!" Tsume's grin brightened as she flung her arms open and bent to scoop up the bullet that was her grandson. "Let's see that belt!" She put him down, and he modeled the belt proudly. "That's my boy," she ruffled his hair.

"Your sensei was telling me all about you," Gai leaned back in his chair. "Lee says that you've worked especially hard on your training this year."

The young boy's face lit up. "Yes, Gai-sensei!"

"Well if Lee says you've worked hard, you must have worked extra hard," Tsume drawled. "You kick some ass?"

"Mother," Hana sighed, walking up, flanked by her brother and sister-in-law.

"What's our rule?" Tsume prompted her grandson.

"Grandma is a grown-up and she uses words that I'm not allowed to say, but she is allowed because she old and tough and not going to change."

"And do we repeat Grandma's words?" she asked, giving a pointed look at Hana.

"Not the bad ones," the boy shook his head solemnly. "And even if 'ass' is not a really bad word, I'm still not allowed to use it until I am big enough, which won't be until Grandma says so."

"There you go," Tsume nodded her head in approval. "Now go hug your mother."

Hana continued to give her mother an exasperated look over her child's head, but Tsume shrugged unapologetically. "Old dog, new tricks, Hana. Ain't happening." The grizzled dog at her side gave a bark in agreement, while Akamaru just leaned into Hana sympathetically.

Hana rolled her eyes and patted Akamaru's head, but there was a playful banter between her and her mother. Tsume wasn't going to change, and Hana didn't really want her to. She just didn't want her son inheriting her vocabulary – which was impressively extensive when it came to insults and profanity. However, as tough as Tsume was (and there was no doubt that the veteran/ex-cop was tough) she was loving with all of the children, and was soon surrounded by the lot of them, who all declared themselves to be starving.

She quirked a quick eyebrow at her daughter, who whispered something to the other parents before giving a silent nod of permission.

"Who's up for pizza?" Tsume asked, hands on hips. The positive chorus that erupted from the children made her wide smile even wider.

"Well, then what are you waiting for? Go get out of those uniforms, because pizza sauce is a pain to get out of white clothes, and you don't want to get anything on your belts."

"But I want to wear my belt," one of Sango's older twins piped up, "and I can't tie it!"

"Uncle Kohaku can retie it for us," her sister reminded her.

"So can some of us adults," Tsume assured her. "Hurry up and let's go!"

The group of children cheered and raced back to the kid's locker rooms. Kiba and Tenten exchanged looks before heading back to help them out.

"Wow," Kagome said appreciatively. "Other than when they are working with Lee-sensei that is the most organized I've seen those kids."

"Former drill sergeant," Tsume's smile glinted.

"Bet you guys didn't get away with much," Sango teased Hana.

"Hana was smart about it," Tsume snickered. "Kiba took a little longer to learn."

Shippou came sauntering down the hallway, his bag slung on his shoulder.

"Kohaku is helping with the other kids," he jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "He'll be right out."

Sesshomaru largely tuned out the conversation around him for the next five minutes or so, checking his phone for work emails.

"And who is this?"

He looked up to find Tsume striding toward him, undeterred by Kagome's obvious attempt to intercept her.

"That's Inuyasha's brother-"

"Half-brother," Inuyasha muttered.

"-Sesshhomaru."

"So you must be Rin," she looked over to the dark haired girl.

"Yes, ma'am," Rin answered politely.

"Nice to meet you both," Tsume declared. "You going to join us for pizza?"

Rin looked up to her father hopefully, and he knew his answer before he gave it.

"We have the time," he told his daughter.

"We'll come," she interpreted with a bright smile.

"Good," Tsume beamed. "The more the merrier! Ah! Here are the squirts!"

The children all returned, launching themselves at their respective parents. Kohaku adjusted his bag on his shoulder, chatting with Kiba and Tenten as they approached the group. Rin joined the others in congratulating him, and the shy boy flushed under their collective praise. He was gentle and soft spoken, despite quickly growing into the body of a strong, young man. His nieces and nephews swarmed about him, and he easily swung the younger twins up, one in each arm while talking to the other children. They followed him out of the school, to the car, through the restaurant and to their table.

"Thank goodness for Kohaku," Ayame chuckled, looking down the table to where the kids all sat together. "Between him and Rin, we always have extra help with the kids."

It was an animated group on both ends of the table. Kouga and Tsume were swapping stories while Kouga occasionally traded insults with Inuyasha. Miroku chimed in when he felt like it, his arm around the back of Sango's chair. Sango and Ayame chatted about an upcoming school event, and Tenten, Kagome, and Kiba were in their own conversation.

Sesshomaru looked up to find Hana sitting back and taking it all in, quietly. He recognized the look of someone whose heart was both with the people around them and with the person who could not be there. She didn't seem to be one prone to melancholy, though, and the look evaporated.

By the end of the meal, Tsume was officially included in the invitation to next week's Thanksgiving meal, and all Inuzukas and Uminos pledged their attendance. All in all, Sesshomaru was pleasantly surprised at how little he actually had to interact with the others.

"Perhaps," he thought, scanning the group allowing his gaze briefly rest on the quiet woman across form him, "Thanksgiving won't be completely intolerable."

"Oh, no way, I totally beat you last week," Inuyasha sneered at Kouga.

"In your dreams, Dog Breath," Kouga scoffed, crossing his arms.

"Who you calling Dog Breath, you mangy son-of-a-"

"Who wants more pizza?" Kagome stood abruptly, followed by Ayame, who covered the petty bickering of their husbands by dishing out more pizza.

"Then again," Sesshomaru swallowed his annoyance. "Maybe not."

Thank you for reading! See you on Thursday!