Lessons
Inuyasha sat on the floor in front of the low table cradling Sora in his arms as his eyes trailed over the small book on the table, clad in the new deep purple kimono and hakama with the katana motif Mrs. Higurashi bought for him in the Hoshi District. Buyo was crouched nearby and growling at the new cat that was purring contentedly in Inuyasha's arms.
Growling, Inuyasha turned to face Buyo and hissed, "Will you quit it already?" The two cats had spent the past two days hissing and growling at each other. But eventually Sora grew tired of Buyo and began to ignore him and took to following Inuyasha.
"Hi Inuyasha," Souta hollered as he slid the door open and kneeled to him, "What are you doing?"
"Reading," Inuyasha mumbled. Souta heard a growl and a loud hiss and got up to pick up Buyo, "Why won't you shut up?"
"Tell me about it," Inuyasha added. "That dumb cat has been hissing at me for about an hour." Souta tried to soothe the cat by scratching him behind the ears then looked from Buyo to Sora to Inuyasha and finally asked what had been bothering him for two days, "Inuyasha, you are dog youkai, right?"
"Last I checked I was."
"Well," Souta tentatively asked, "Dogs and cats don't like each other and…"
"And you wanted to know why I got a cat right?" Inuyasha replied laughing at Souta. "Dogs and cats are different than dog youkai and cat youkai. Dog youkai and a cat youkai don't normally fight."
"Oh," Souta replied releasing Buyo who immediately crouched next to Inuyasha and glared at Sora.
"You know Souta," Inuyasha explained, "I prefer you ask if something is bothering you. I really don't mind."
"Um, okay," Souta replied, wondering what Inuyasha thought of his question. The front door slid open and Kagome ran into the house and up the stairs slamming her bedroom door shut behind her.
"What's with her?" Inuyasha asked. Souta shrugged, "Who knows?"
Kagome was in her bedroom quickly tearing off her uniform and tying her hair up in a bun. She selected an elegant navy blue kimono with a fireworks pattern and quickly began putting the layers of silk on, tucking and tying the soft fabric in place. Finally she selected a white obi from her collection and tied it in a graceful butterfly bow. Admiring herself in the mirror one last time she grabbed her spell books and walked downstairs to see Inuyasha holding Soya and Souta picking up an angry looking Buyo.
"Hi boys," Kagome cheerfully announced. A serene smile came across Inuyasha's face as he looked at her, "Hi Kagome." She kneeled next to Inuyasha and took Buyo in her arms, "Are you still causing a ruckus?"
"I think we are going to have to separate them tonight again," Souta mused. Kagome looked down at the cat in her arms and sighed; "I didn't think bringing Sora home would cause this much drama." Inuyasha and Souta quietly nodded in agreement. Sora crawled out of Inuyasha's arms and moved toward Buyo and sniffed the fat cat tentatively. Buyo let out a loud hiss and swatted a paw at Sora.
"Oh no," Inuyasha huffed as he ran over to snatch up Sora before another fight began. A knock from the front door caused all three to look in that direction of the house. Souta got up and ran to open the door.
"Ouch!" Kagome yelled as Buyo scratched her and jumped out of her arms running towards Inuyasha. She looked over at him with panic in her eyes, "What are we going to do? We can't have two crazy cats fighting when our tutor gets here!"
"He's already here," Souta announced. Sora squirmed and slipped out of Inuyasha's arms, leaping and landing in front of Buyo. Buyo let out an unearthly squeal as he leapt at Sora, latching onto her attempting to bite her. The two cats flipped over squealing and hissing at each other as they attempted to bite and scratch each other.
"I see you have quite a problem here," Akira said. Kagome, red in the face turned to face him and bowed, "I'm so sorry, I promise next time they won't be a problem."
Akira raised his wand at Buyo and said out loud, "Petrificus Totalis!" He then did the same to Sora and looking at the flustered Inuyasha and Kagome told them, "I think you should separate them for the time being."
Kagome and Inuyasha looked at each other and took hold of Buyo and Soya and with the spell removed took them to separate rooms, Soya in Kagome's bedroom and Buyo in Souta's bedroom. As they met in the hallway, Kagome got a good look at Inuyasha and realized that he was not wearing his fire rat. She eyed him from head to toe and smiled, "You look nice today."
"Feh," Inuyasha grumbled crossing his arms. "Don't get used to it. I had an accident in the kitchen and your mom is cleaning my fire rat."
"An accident?" Kagome inquired leaning closer to Inuyasha and meeting him eye to eye. Inuyasha stammered for second before he gruffly replied, "I was helping your mom when I tripped over Buyo and Sora fighting spilled raw egg all over my fire rat, okay?"
"Okay," Kagome smiled stepping back raising an eyebrow noticing that he had even put tabi socks on but did not say anything. "I think purple looks good on you though."
"Feh," Inuyasha grumpily huffed his cheeks reddening as he turned to walk down the hallway and down the stairs, pausing to turn and look at Kagome, "you coming or what?"
Kagome smiled and nodded following Inuyasha down the stairs and to the dining area where Souta was talking up a storm with Akira, "So Inuyasha stayed up the whole night…"
"Souta!" Inuyasha barked startling the boy who jumped unexpectedly at the sound of Inuyasha's voice. He quickly stood up and bowed to the tutor, "I have to go now! Bye!"
Inuyasha growled softly as Souta ran past him then sat down at the low table next to Kagome. Akira smiled at them and nodded his head with his shaggy hair bouncing around his face, "Are you two ready to begin?"
"Yes!" Kagome eagerly replied removing the wand from her obi and placing it on the table. Inuyasha nodded and followed Kagome's example, removing his wand from the folds of his kimono.
"Okay the way a human and a youkai uses a wand is quite different although the results can be identical," Akira began as if reading a script. "A human can merely wave their wand and say the right incantation and with practice do several things. A youkai has to focus his or her energy into the wand and when he or she senses they have focused enough energy into the wand through sight or scent or even sound they can dispel it. But for both, you have to believe in the magic for it to work."
Inuyasha and Kagome watched as he pulled out three ostrich feathers out of his bag and place it before each of them. "Kagome, wave your wand like so and say the incantation 'Wingardium Leviosa.'" Kagome smiled and nodded, waving her wand into the air, "Wingardium Leviosa!"
The feather remained still on the table. Kagome and Inuyasha leaned closer to it expecting something to happen. Kagome, in confusion, looked up at Akira, "what happened?"
"Nothing," Akira confessed. Frowning he looked at Kagome, "You need to make the 'L' a little longer."
"Wingardium lev-iosa," she tried again but the feather remained still on the table. Akira smiled reassuringly and said, "Relax, it takes time. Keep trying." Kagome nodded and continued to practice as Akira turned his attention to Inuyasha.
"Now, take your wand in your hand and close your eyes and breathe slowly. As you feel your body relax, focus your energy into the wand." Akira watched as Inuyasha did as he instructed. When the hanyou looked relaxed enough he further instructed, "Now open your eyes and do the same as Kagome."
"Wingardium Leviosa!" Inuyasha said loudly. The feather did not levitate. Instead a small flame formed on its surface.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome scolded as Akira waved his wand at the table twice, first to extinguish the flame and second to repair the table. He smiled at Inuyasha as he pulled out another feather, "Not to worry. Just try to focus less energy on the wand."
Inuyasha nodded his eyes full of concentration and closed his eyes. He slowed his breathing and focused once again on controlling his energy.
"Wingardium Leviosa," he said a little less loudly only to succeed in setting fire to the surface of the table.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted. "Be careful!"
"It was an accident!" Inuyasha huffed back slamming his wand to the floor. "You try to channel your energy!"
"At least I'm not setting my house on fire!" Kagome retorted rather loudly as she stood up. Akira slammed his wand onto the table and raised his voice, "Quiet!"
Inuyasha and Kagome, who had been glaring at each other, turned to look at Akira who explained through gritted teeth, "You two are not going to get anywhere by getting emotional. Now why don't we take a quick break to collect our thoughts and begin again?"
Inuyasha nodded began to play with his wand, spinning it on the table as Kagome wandered to the kitchen. Akira frowned and quietly said to Inuyasha, "I do not recommend that."
"Why?" Inuyasha queried as his eyes focused on his fingers, as they were about to spin the wand again.
"Because that is a good way to accidentally cast a spell on someone, perhaps yourself." Inuyasha diverted his eyes from the wand to Akira and quickly moved his hand away from the wand. He placed his hands in his lap and twirled his thumbs, ignoring the Onmyogi before him.
Kagome sat down at the kitchen table and sighed. Her mother had been preparing dinner when she noticed her daughter's distress and asked, "How's the training dear?"
"Awful," Kagome moaned resting her head on the table. Mrs. Higurashi walked to where her daughter was sitting and squeezed her arm, "I know dear but you just can't give up. It's not going to be easy but hard work can reap fabulous rewards."
"I know," Kagome sighed. "But it's just…"
"No butts, Kagome! Just go back in there and do your best!" Kagome looked up at her mother to see her smiling with her fists in the air. She smiled amazed at her mother's ability to motivate, nodded, and headed to the dining room.
"Wait!" Mrs. Higurashi called out winking at her daughter. "I made some tea."
"Ready to begin again?" Akira asked as Kagome slowly walked into the room with the tray balanced on her arms. She nodded and sat next to Inuyasha passing cups to everyone.
"Akira took his cup and took a sip, "An Onmyogi must learn to control one's emotions. That is the only way to control your magic."
"But…how?" Kagome queried wrapping her fingers around her cup. "If someone tries to mug you, you are going to be nervous."
"That is true," Akira, agreed lauging softly. "We wouldn't be human if we didn't feel emotions."
Kagome stared at Akira, "But how can emotions get in the way of our abilities?"
"It's when we let our emotions control us," Akira explained. Kagome furrowed her brows slightly, recalling how emotional she and everyone got on her adventures in the past. But they were fighting what was essentially a war, and feelings of elation and sadness were all a part of that. "So it's okay to be nervous. I just have to learn to not let my nervousness control me."
"Exactly," Akira smiled.
Inuyasha ignored his cup and focused his eyes on the feather as Kagome and Akira talked. He relaxed and concentrated just enough of his energy to his fingertips. Slowly wrapping his fingers around his wand he gently waved it and whispered, "Wingardium Leviosa."
Kagome and Akira stopped talking as the feather gently lifted off the table and floated up in the air before gently fluttering to the floor.
"That's amazing!" Kagome proclaimed smiling.
"It's all about controlling your own aura!" Inuyasha added as he retrieved the feather off the floor.
"Exactly," Akira agreed. "Now just practice with the feather before moving onto pillows next and then heavier objects." Inuyasha nodded and took a seat against the wall to practice his new trick.
Looking over at Inuyasha's achievement, Kagome focused on her feather now more determined to do the same trick. She closed her eyes and tried to relax then picked up her wand and voiced the incantation. But no matter how hard she tried, the feather would not move.
"Kagome," Inuyasha spoke up in a soft voice, "You need to let yourself relax." Kagome put her wand down on the table and looked over at Inuyasha who was levitating a small pillow across the room.
"Easy for you to say," Kagome muttered in barely a whisper but was heard by Inuyasha nonetheless. Inuyasha twitched his ear and looked over at Kagome who was gritting her teeth in frustration. He put down his wand and furrowed his brows, wanting to take the wand out of her hand and do it for her. But he knew she had to do it for her. It was about pride and accomplishment, which he understood.
Inuyasha, on the other hand, had found it was getting easier and easier to levitate various objects and had even moved onto his empty teacup. After several more tries, Kagome said to Akira, exasperated, "What am I doing wrong?"
"You need to relax and speak clearly," Akira calmly stated. "Eventually it will be like second nature but you just need to keep practicing."
"Okay," Kagome replied with frustration in her voice. The random objects that seemed to float in the air ceased, and she could feel a pair of eyes on her. She turned to face Inuyasha and hissed, "What are you looking at?"
"I'm, uh, I'm just trying to figure out a way to help you!" Inuyasha snapped back flustered. In her own frustration, Kagome had failed to notice Inuyasha's cheeks turn rosy at the confession. She growled, "I don't need your help!"
"Fine," Inuyasha huffed turning away and crossing his arms. Kagome looked down at the tatami mat feeling her anger rise. His sudden rudeness, while normal, jolted her and made her more aware of his ease with the task and her difficulty with it. Standing up she hollered, "Sit!"
Akira scooted back, shocked by the spell Kagome cast on Inuyasha. Tightly gripping her wand, Kagome turned to see a frightened Akira looking up at her.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted standing up as the spell wore off and tentatively walked to her, "Are you okay?"
Kagome looked over her shoulder at Akira who seemed to have gone pale. Recalling Mr. Muromoto's warnings about the use of miko magic in the wand shop, Kagome dropped her wand and covered her mouth with her hands as tears brimmed her eyelids.
"Kagome," Inuyasha whispered. Lowering her head, Kagome replied in a low voice, "I guess you weren't supposed to see that. I'm really sorry."
"I think we should end our lesson for today," Akira stammered collecting his belongings and getting to his feet. Inuyasha nodded and led him out the door with a pleading look in his eyes; "please don't hold that against her."
Akira nodded without any emotion in his face and quickly disappeared, a feat Inuyasha was now used to. When he returned inside he found that dinner was starting and quietly sat down next to Kagome.
Dinner had been a quiet affair the only sounds to be heard were the slurping of tea and the clanging of chopsticks against ceramic plates. Inuyasha, who normally would have eaten Mrs. Higurashi's cooking with more voracity, merely chewed his food slowly glanced sideways to notice that Kagome had barely eaten and merely pushed the food around her plate with her chopsticks. As the meal was completed, Kagome robotically stood up and began to clear the table.
"Kagome, can I show you something?" Inuyasha softly asked. Kagome stood perplexed at his request but nodded. He led her outside, stepping into wooden geta sandals and stumbled as he led her to the Goshinboku. "Look at the sky?"
"Oh my," Kagome gasped at the crescent moon that hung in the sky. "The stars, they are so bright!" Slowly warm arms wrapped around her and Kagome could feel her heart skip a beat as Inuyasha pulled her close. She noticed something glint in the moonlight and looked down to see the cursed feather in one of Inuyasha's hands and her wand in his other.
"It's just you and me," Inuyasha whispered. "I know you can do it." With newfound confidence Kagome grabbed the wand and pointed it at Inuyasha's palm where the feather innocently lay and whispered, "Wingardium Leviosa."
Slowly, tentatively the feather rose a foot in the air before Kagome screamed and embraced Inuyasha, "I did it! I did it! I did it!"
Startled by the sudden contact and still unsteady on geta Inuyasha tumbled backwards bracing Kagome on top of him, wincing as the back of his head hit cement.
"Are you okay?" Kagome gently asked stroking his cheek. The pain in the back of his skull forgotten Inuyasha gazed at Kagome his cheeks red and his heart racing.
"Um, yeah," Inuyasha muttered smiling slightly. Kagome dropped her wand and smiled, "Thank you."
"What was all that shouting about?" Souta asked. Inuyasha and Kagome looked over to him to see Mrs. Higurashi smiling behind him. Quickly Kagome crawled off of Inuyasha and stood up dusting her kimono. Inuyasha stumbled over his geta as he stood up, crossing his arms refusing to look at anyone.
"I figured out how to levitate objects!" Kagome announced kneeling down to pick up her wand. Inuyasha pulled a second feather out of his kimono and held it in the palm of his hand and smiled as Kagome proclaimed, "Wingardium Leviosa!"
The feather floated high into the air, the wind catching it as it blew it away. Kagome laughed as her family cheered and clapped and Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her whispering in her ear, "I knew all along."
Thanks for all the wonderful reviews everyone.
Onmyogi is being used in this story to refer to Japanese wizards and witches. Traditionally they were sorcerers who excelled in divination.
The blue kimono and white obi Kagome wears in this chapter is the exact kimono and obi I own. I love kimono so Kagome and Inuyasha will be wearing them for the rest of this fic.
