Kentaro stood on a branch of a tree, his dark skin blending in with the shadows of the forest at dusk. He stood patiently, letting the breeze blow through his short white hair. A twig snapped, and his ears twitched.
On the forest floor below him, four kitsune [fox] youkai appeared through the trees. They stopped and waited, and Kentaro dropped lightly to the ground before them.
"Taro, Jiro, Manzo, Shiro," he said. "You are very punctual."
"You made the urgency of this meeting very clear, Kentaro-sama," the first one said.
"I have a job for you and your otoutos. My master, Michiomaru, has recently awakened from his two hundred year sleep, and has found the mesuinu who sealed him. He has made it my job to exterminate her." His eyes sparkled and he smirked. "And I am making it your job."
"Wait," The kitsune's eyes narrowed. "Wasn't this girl a taiyoukai?"
"I don't remember that type of detail. All I know is she was the daughter of Lord Sesshoumaru, and has many of the same powers he had. I can show you where she lives, and you will expose of her."
Taro, the first one, glanced at his brothers, and then looked back at Kentaro. "Consider it done, Kentaro-sama."
* * *
Takara left her cabin and headed out into the woods, dressed in what was, in her opinion, the most comfortable clothing ever created. It was old fashioned, and was the style of a miko's clothing, except instead of red and white hers was dark green with black patterns on it. She didn't bother with the human illusion; she wasn't planning on leaving the forest, and if any human was around, she would smell them long before they saw her.
She and Rei had planned to meet at the edge of the forest. She had decided it would be best to do the training in the forest around her cabin, for there her barrier would protect them. But after what had happened to Miyo, Takara didn't want Rei walking through the forest by herself. At least with her, she could protect her if there was an attack.
When she reached the forest edge, she realized that Rei had not seen her youkai markings, only her human illusion. She quickly leapt into a branch of a tree, and leaned up against the sturdy trunk, patiently waiting for the girl to arrive.
As she waited, Takara became aware of a scent being blown in the breeze. She cocked her ears in the direction it came from, but heard nothing. Cocking an eyebrow, she turned to investigate further when she suddenly heard someone crashing through the brush below her.
Looking down, she saw Rei standing below her, looking very unsure of herself. Takara glanced one more time in the direction of the smell, before turning her attention to Rei.
"Rei-chan!" she called out. "Do not be alarmed. I will come to you."
She then dropped out of the tree and landed beside the girl. Rei's eyes widened at the sight of the taiyoukai before her.
"Takara-sama?" she wondered.
"I told you I was a true youkai," Takara explained. "The ninjen appearance you see at school is only an illusion. You can imagine the chaos that would start if I showed up in public like this."
"I suppose I knew you hid your true appearance," Rei said, her eyes moving from the markings on her face, to her long white and gold hair. "I just didn't realize how much you hid. You are very beautiful, Takara-sama."
Takara smiled at the girl. "Come, Rei-chan. I will take you to my home."
They began to walk, and then a mischievous look glittered in Takara's eyes. Suddenly, she scooped up Rei in her arms, bent her knees, and then pushed off from the ground, launching herself into the air.
Rei squealed and wrapped her arms tightly around Takara's neck.
"What…what are you doing?!" the girl cried.
"I'm flying," Takara replied, amused. "You said you wanted to experience youkai powers."
"I didn't know you could do this!"
It was a short flight; soon they had landed at the door of Takara's cabin. "Come inside," she said. "I have something for you."
She led the girl into her home, and handed her a box wrapped with pretty ribbon. Rei opened it, and gasped in surprise.
"Oh Takara-sama…" Inside was an outfit identical in style to the one Takara was currently wearing. It was sky blue, with white flowers on the edges of the sleeves and shoulders.
"The first think a youkai must do is feel like a youkai," Takara told her. "It's hard to do that while wearing modern ninjen clothing. Besides, its easier to move in."
"But Takara-sama…this is too beautiful. I can't take this."
"Yes, you can. I insist. Now go in the back and try it on."
It took some convincing, but Takara finally got Rei to put on the beautiful outfit. When the girl returned to the living room, she looked like a princess. The horrid hat and contacts were gone, and for the first time ever Rei felt like what she was – a youkai, or at least a demi-youkai. Her eyes were the same gold as Takara's, and anyone who had seen them at that moment would have sworn they were related.
They exited the cabin, and Takara showed Rei how far into the forest she could go before she was outside of the barrier. They had a good amount of forest to train in, and Takara started right away.
"Did you ever see or learn about any of your otousan's attacks?" she asked. Rei shook her head.
"Otousan never discussed fighting with me. Though I did see one of my grandfather's attacks once."
"Can you describe it to me?"
Rei's brow creased as she thought for a moment. "It was like…like he was shooting metal from his claws. He shouted something when he did it too, but I don't remember the entire thing."
"What do you remember of it?" Takara asked.
"I think it started with Sankon, or something like that. There was more, but that's all I remember."
Takara looked off in the distance as she thought about this. She couldn't possibly mean the Sankon Tetsusou, could she? But that was Inuyasha's attack. Surely that can't be it.
But as she thought more about it, more pieces seemed to fall together. She said her grandfather was a hanyou. An inu hanyou, one with a claw attack like the one she described. But it couldn't be Inuyasha. Could it?
"Rei-chan, do you know your grandfather's name?" she asked suddenly.
"No, I don't remember it," Rei said. "Otousan would know."
"Can you ask him for me when you go home today?"
"Sure, Takara-sama," she gave her a confused look. "But why?"
Because if he is who I think he is…
"Because I'd like to know. I've been alive for a long time; I might have known him."
"Alright. So what do I learn first?"
* * *
Glittering eyes watched the two girls from a distance. Specifically watched Takara. He knew she hadn't sensed him; he had made sure the wind was blowing towards him instead of towards her, so she didn't catch his scent. Silently, he stepped closer, and raised a clawed hand.