Chapter 4 "Training"

InuYasha looked at the flimsy looking things and then at InuGenki as if this was a joke. He said nothing, but once he put on the gear, he was unimpressed. "What is this? Some kind of uniform?" he asked. InuGenki smirked and did a hand gesture, which the gear pulsated, and InuYasha gasped struggling against the immense weight. "What is this!" he asked.

InuGenki chuckled. "Yōkai training weights. Compact and easy to store. It's very misleading isn't it? That is only a fraction of the weight I'm sporting right now" he said. InuYasha growled trying to take a step. InuGenki frowned. "Perhaps that is a bit too much for a little Hanyō" he said. He paused a moment having a flash back of his father doing a similar prank to him when he was little.

"Father are you playing tricks on me?" InuGenki asked.

The father did a hand gesture, and InuGenki fell to the ground. His father panicked and canceled to spell. "Are you alright InuGenki!" he asked.

Sesshōmaru was facing away smirking. "Weakling!" he muttered.

The father glared at Sesshōmaru's impudence and punished him by placing the spell on Sesshōmaru. Sesshōmaru fell just as InuGenki did.

InuGenki snapped out of his flashback feeling Myōga drinking his blood off of his neck. InuGenki allowed Myōga to eat while he lessened the spell on InuYasha's gear. InuYasha could move a little easier now. InuGenki smirked. "Come on, InuYasha…we're going now" he said.

InuYasha smiled. "Kay" he said.

They walked across the grounds, past the Torii, and down the path. "Where you heading to?" said a voice.

InuGenki stopped at looked at the one of the trees on the side of the path. InuYasha huddled up to InuGenki with fear. ~Who was that?~ InuYasha thought to himself.

InuGenki smirked. "I'm taking InuYasha to Akemi's" He said.

There was a chuckle from the trees. "I see…don't be too rough" the voice said.

InuGenki laughed. "I won't be that brutal…" he said.

"It was nice talking to you Milord" the voice said before the tree bowed to InuGenki.

InuYasha looked scared. "Who is that?" he asked.

InuGenki smirked. "Oh, that was Daiki…he's one of our Yōkai Trees that guard the my castle" he said as they continued to walk down the path.

InuYasha eye blinked in curiosity. "You have Yōkai Trees?" he asked.

InuGenki smiled. "Yup…they are pretty nasty to trespassers…they are more of a deterrent than guards…I think a Death by Yōkai Tree is much worse than something I am capable of doing" he said.

InuYasha gulped. "They won't attack me will they?" he asked.

InuGenki shook his head. "No…now they know you're with me then they all know. I call it the Universal Yōkai Tree Network. They all communicate telepathically. Any Yōkai Tree will know about you. They have vast knowledge because they all know what the other is thinking" he said.

InuYasha looked at him oddly. "Do they know what I'm thinking?" he asked.

InuGenki shrugged. "They can judge if a Yōkai is powerful if they have difficulty in getting a read onto their mind. If they tried to penetrate my mind it would be most difficult" he said.

Two bipedal wolf creatures walked onto the path and blocked the way. "What is your business here!" one demanded.

InuGenki grinned. "What is this your first day on the job?" he asked.

The two started to grow angry. "It wouldn't be wise to challenge him…He could kill you 5 times over before you'd be able to lay a finger on him" said a man's voice.

The two looked back and then bowed to the man. The man had jet black hair, and he was in armor and was in wolf furs. The man smirked. "Akemi is in the Dojo right now…" he said before he saw InuYasha hiding behind InuGenki. "Is this his son?" he asked.

InuGenki looked down and smiled faintly. "Yea…he's got a great deal of untapped potential. The Tree Yōkai had to ask me where I was going…" he said.

The man laughed. "So they couldn't read either of your minds, eh? Strange…" he said. He grinned. "Well then that proves that the boy is your father's son not even Bokusenō himself could read your father's mind" he said.

InuGenki chuckled. "Nor mine…I'm not sure about InuYasha though" he said. InuGenki took InuYasha's hand. "Come along little one" he said. InuYasha stayed close as he walked with InuGenki.

InuYasha looked up at InuGenki curiously. "Who was that?" he asked.

"That was Yoshirō, Akemi's Father. He was friends with our father" InuGenki said.

InuYasha smiled as they arrived at the dojo he was in awe looking at the majesty of the structure. "This is the Dojo!" he shouted. He looked at InuGenki oddly. "What happened to your Dojo?" he asked.

InuGenki paused a moment as he had another flashback. InuGenki and Sesshōmaru were both sparing in the dojo. Their father was watching them grinning widely.

Sesshōmaru put his fingers to his forehead. "Learn your place!" Sesshōmaru yelled flinging a green ribbon of light at InuGenki. The ribbon wrapped around InuGenki and constricted around him. InuGenki fell to the ground. "Give up!" Sesshōmaru said.

InuGenki growled. "Never!" he yelled.

"Stubborn Fool! I'll make you beg for mercy!" Sesshōmaru yelled doing a hand gesture. The vice grew tighter around InuGenki making his bones crack under the straining. InuGenki screamed, and their father watched Sesshōmaru in disapproval.

"Surrender!" Sesshōmaru said. InuGenki gritted his teeth, and his eyes turned red before their father was about to stop them when InuGenki started to overwhelm the ribbons. Sesshōmaru and their father were shocked at the sudden burst of Yōki. In a display of immense power, InuGenki destroyed the ribbons along with the entire dojo.

InuGenki was breathing heavily from the stress on put onto his body. Their father was still shocked to witness such a power that rivaled even his own. Sesshōmaru growled. "Look at what you did! You idiot! You wreck everything!" he shouted in disgust. He walked off in a huff, while their father still looked flabbergasted.

InuGenki frowned looking depressed. "InuGenki!" his father said. InuGenki looked up at his father who was looking very proud instead of an upset look, which this surprised him. His father chuckled. "Come here my son!" he said merrily.

InuGenki gulped and walked up to him looking scared. "Yes father?" he asked.

His father smirked. "Where did you get all that power from?" he asked.

InuGenki's eyes widened to his question before he frowned. "I don't know. I felt so much anger build up inside me that something snapped" he said.

His father looked at him shocked then at the ground. "I'm going to have to give you special training…I knew you would harbor a great power, but nothing to this extent" he said before he ruffled his son's head. "You did well, and don't worry about the dojo" he said.

InuGenki came back to the present once InuYasha tugged against his arm. "Big Brother?" he yelled.

InuGenki looked at InuYasha oddly. "Yea?" he asked.

"What happened to our dojo?" InuYasha asked.

"It blew up!" Said a voice. InuYasha looked up ahead and saw Akemi walking out from behind one of the Giant Shōji.

InuYasha gasped seeing her and then he looked up at InuGenki curiously. "Is that true?" he asked.

InuGenki frowned. "Yes…it's true Master InuYasha" Myōga he said.

InuGenki rose an eyebrow. "When did you get here?" he asked.

Myōga growled. "I was here the whole time!" he yelled.

InuGenki scratched behind one of his dog-ears. "Is that right…Keh, InuYasha must be pretty strong to mask your aura" he said.

Myōga groaned. "You're so crude" he said.

InuGenki shrugged. "Just calling them as I see them" he said. He smirked. "Besides who gives you meals?" he asked.

Myōga sighed. "You do…" he muttered.

InuGenki and InuYasha walked inside of the Dojo and inside was this huge area of space. There were dummies and other equipment placed around. Akemi smiled. "I wasn't sure if you were going to spar so I just left the dummies out" she said.

InuYasha wondered around the dojo. InuGenki smirked. "Looks like he's impressed" he said. He stretched. "Well, time to start training" he said walking up to InuYasha. "Are you ready to start your training?" he asked before ruffling up InuYasha's hair.

InuYasha looked back and nodded. "Yes…" he said.

InuGenki kneeled down. "Alright InuYasha…can you do a basic punch?" he asked.

InuYasha looked at him oddly. "I think I can…" he said before clenching his fist.

InuGenki smirked. "Wait a minute, don't tuck your thumb into your fingers like that. Put them under your fingers. You injure your thumb if you throw a punch the way you hand it" he said.

InuYasha adjusted his fingers and looked at him curiously. "Like that Big Brother?" he asked.

InuGenki smirked. "Yes, like that…now throw a punch at me" he said.

InuYasha's dog-ears bent back. "But…" he muttered.

InuGenki frowned. "Just do it!" he said impatiently.

InuYasha shivered and then closed his eyes throwing a punch. He felt his fist caught by InuGenki, which he finally opened his eyes. InuGenki pushed against InuYasha's fist causing him to fall onto his butt. "Ouch…" he muttered.

InuGenki grinned. "Your stance is wrong! You are standing like a blade of grass instead of like a rock" he said before he showed the proper stance. "Stand like this…you punch. You'll but more force into the punch that way" he said. He smirked. "Now show me again!" he said.

InuYasha's lip quivered before he threw another punch. InuGenki caught the punch, which he then pushed against InuYasha's fist, and InuYasha did not move so easily. Though, his feet slid across the ground, which InuGenki stopped and laughed to himself. He shook InuYasha's fist "sturdy!" he said.

InuYasha smiled. "You're a good teacher Big brother…" he said happily.

InuGenki chuckled. "I'm just using the lessons father taught me…" he said. He smirked. "Alright, now show me a palm strike!" he said. InuYasha swung and open hand at InuGenki, which InuGenki caught it. There was a long awkward pause, which he frowned. "Uh, InuYasha…that's a bitch slap…" he said.

InuYasha looked at him oddly. "A what?" he asked.

InuGenki snickered. "Never mind…here let me show you. It's like pushing someone with one hand. Like this!" he said before thrusting his hand out. "This kind of attack can counter punches and leave your opponent vulnerable for a follow up attack. Got it?" he asked.

InuYasha smiled. "Yup" he said. He showed InuGenki a palm strike, which InuGenki laughed.

"Perfect" InuGenki said. He sighed. "Alright, next I'm going to show you a chop. Now there are several angles for chops and there are two types. I'm only going to show you percussion chops" he said.

InuYasha cocked his head cutely. "And what is the other?" he asked.

"Uh…cutting chops. They are forbidden during sparing. It's used to maim your opponent" InuGenki said.

InuYasha smiled. "Like what you did with that Yōkai? The Sankon Tessō move?" he asked.

InuGenki frowned. "Not really, the Sankon Tessō technique is a little more advanced because it deals with focusing yōki, and you have yet to understand the concept" he said.

InuYasha frowned. "Yōki?" he asked.

InuGenki sighed. "I'll tell you more about during lunch time…deal?" he asked.

InuYasha smiled. "Okay!" he shouted.

InuGenki smirked. "Alright now let's continue!" he said.

Several hours passed and Akemi walked in with a large tray full of foods she made herself. "I bet My mighty warriors are hungry!" she said happily.

InuYasha looked back at her and smiled. "Food!" he yelled running up to the table.

InuGenki looked at Akemi, which Akemi returned an affectionate smile. InuGenki walked up to her and saw the food before he sat down. He grabbed the chopsticks and started eating as did InuYasha. Akemi smiled. "So how's InuYasha's training going along?" she asked. She smiled seeing that InuGenki and InuYasha were enjoying the food she had prepared.

InuGenki looked up and smiled. "It's been going fairly well. InuYasha is a quick learner" he said.

Akemi laughed. "You are an excellent teacher InuGenki. I was impressed to see how gentle you are with InuYasha" she said before she looked at InuYasha. "He certainly does grow on you doesn't he?" she asked.

InuGenki smirked and started drinking his cup of water. InuYasha set his soup down before he looked at InuGenki curiously. "Aren't you going to tell me about Yōki?" he asked.

InuGenki slurped up the last of his soup before he set it down. "Yea…" he said. He sighed trying to figure out how to explain it. He smiled. "Well InuYasha, it goes like this. Every living thing has energy. You, me, humans, and other Yōkai. There are different forms of energy. One type is Yōki, or energy from Yōkai. It can be turned into different things such as poison, mass, et cetera. Let me show you" he said before he held out his hand. "Watch carefully" he said.

InuYasha looked at his hand and gasped seeing a small faint light appear before it grew brighter and bigger. InuYasha was speechless. "That light…I saw it before!" he yelled.

InuGenki laughed. "Oh this? This is just a Ball of condensed Yōki" he said nonchalantly. InuYasha reached in to touch it, but InuGenki absorbed the ball before InuYasha could touch it. "Then again, if something touches a ball of yōki, it will explode" he said.

InuYasha flinched. "It will?" he asked. InuGenki nodded. Akemi smiled taking the trays away. She gave a flirtatious look towards InuGenki before walking away letting her his sway. InuGenki sighed. ~She's gotten very interested in me during these past years~ he thought. He blushed. ~Perhaps I should do it…there's no point in not seeing if she's interested~ He pondered.

Myōga hopped onto InuGenki's shoulder. "Lord InuGenki? May I?" he asked.

InuGenki sighed. "Go ahead" he said. He shivered to the bite.

InuYasha looked at InuGenki curiously. "Can we go back to training?" he asked.

InuGenki smiled and nodded. "Alright…but in a couple hours we'll need to take a bath" he said.

Later that Day InuGenki and InuYasha were in the hot springs washing off. InuGenki was in the deeper end looking up at the sky. ~Is she really interested in me? Will her father approve?~ He wondered. He felt someone splashing him. He looked at InuYasha laughing seeming very mischievous. InuGenki smirked. "Do you really want to challenge me?" he asked. InuYasha splashed him again, which InuGenki grinned evilly. "Prepare for my Tsunami attack!" he yelled as he pushed the water in front of him. There was a huge wave that radiated out, and InuYasha eyes grew wide as saucers seeing this wave that was as tall as him coming towards him. He panicked as he tried to run but he was sucked into the wave and was flipped upside down before washing up onshore.

Myōga was basking on the hot sands, when a huge shadow was casted onto him. He opened his eyes, only to see this towering wave eclipsing the sun. "Oh dear…" he muttered as the wave came crashing down onto him. He awoke to find his kimono caught on a twig. He growled. "Get me down from here!" Myōga yelled.

InuYasha was not sure what to think. He looked at his brother's playful look and started to laugh seeing that it was a joke. "No fair, you cheated!" he yelled.

InuGenki laughed. "Nuh uh!, Water does not cheat" he said.

InuYasha shook his head. "You used your Yōki!" he yelled.

InuGenki started walked onto the shore. "And what proof do you have to say that I did?" he asked. He walked up and helped InuYasha up. "Okay I may have used a little Yōki on that" he said as he grabbed their clothes off from a ledge. He handed InuYasha his clothes.

InuYasha glared at him. "Meanie!" he said before putting his clothing on. InuGenki was already strapping on his armor by the time InuYasha plucked Myōga off from the bush. "You okay Myōga?" he asked.

Myōga sighed. "Yea" he said as he began to shiver.

InuGenki walked down the path to Akemi's castle. InuYasha ran up to him. "So what are we going to do now? Train some more?" he asked.

InuGenki chuckled. "No…We're going to escort Lady Akemi to our castle to have dinner with us" he said. InuYasha yawned. InuGenki picked up InuYasha. "Come on…we mustn't keep Lady Akemi waiting" he said before he ran off to Akemi's castle. Akemi was leaving the grounds when InuGenki caught up to her. "Hey…sorry we're late…InuYasha is very tired" he said.

Akemi smiled happily. "It's alright" she said before she sniffed the air. "You two smell nice and clean" she said. As they walked Akemi got nearer and nearer to InuGenki before she took his hand. InuGenki jumped to this, but it felt right to him, so he did not resist it. "InuGenki?" she asked.

InuGenki looked at her oddly. "Yes?" he asked.

Akemi blushed. "Oh nothing…I'm just thinking" she said. ~Why can't I tell him?~ She asked herself. InuYasha was laying into InuGenki too tired to care about what was going on between his brother and Akemi.

InuGenki looked at Akemi oddly. "That's odd…we've never kept things from each other before. What's stopping you know?" he asked.

Akemi sighed. "I don't know…maybe it's just that I don't know how to say it yet" she said.

Next time on InuYasha, InuGenki and Akemi begin to open up to each other and InuYasha. InuGenki and Akemi take InuYasha to the lake for some quality time, but their peaceful moment turns to spoils when an uninvited guest appears. Who is this ruthless Yōkai and what does he want? Find out next time. "Chapter 5 Family"