Konnichiwa! My name is Kagomaru, I'm almost sixteen, and I'm a fairly
normal high-school student most of the time. My twin brother Inu-Yaruu and
I attend classes whenever we're home, and manage to get passing grades,
every once in a while. Mom understands- she did the same thing when she was
our age. See, the reason we miss so much school is because we are the
protectors of the Shikon no Tama, and spend a lot of time in the feudal
age, trying to keep the Youkai there under control. Glacia Vulpes, an ice-
fox Youkai, helps us whenever she can get time transport from her second
cousin, and we have friends from the feudal age, too.
I guess it's a pretty strange lifestyle to keep up, but our parents did it in their time, and we will in ours. It actually seems normal to us, now, though its only been a year. I guess we get used to strange things easily. After all- we grew up with a father that never aged much and had dog-ears. Oh, and if he ever got Mom mad at him, she would just yell "sit," which activated an old spell on him, and knocked him down. I tried, but it didn't listen to me, so I was usually hit a couple times before Mom got there. It was no big deal, though; he would never really hurt me, and I got to hitting him back pretty quick.
Still, my brother and I considered our family, if not normal, then at least close to normal, until we turned thirteen. Then, for our birthday, Mom and Dad told us about how the old dry-well goes back through time to the feudal age, where Dad is actually from, and how they spent their younger days gathering shards to reconstruct the Shikon no Tama- a bead of incredible power, especially for Youkai- and battling evil beings, like Naraku. I was given the Shikon no Tama, and my brother was given Dad's sword, Tetssaiga. He couldn't transform it, but Dad insisted that he would get the hang of it eventually. Then, to make the day even better, they took us through the well, to the feudal age.
We spent the day there, meeting their old friends, Sango and Miroku, Shippo, and old, old Kaede-baba. After dinner, Yaruu and I went outside to hang out, while the grown-ups talked inside. That was when the Youkai attacked.
It was a huge snake, that reared up out of the grass, and went straight for the old stump we had put our stuff on, including Dad's sword and the Shikon no Tama. Remembering how important Mom had told us it was, Yaruu beat the snake to the stump, and grabbed the bead, then ran for the house. I followed after, but because I was in a skirt, I couldn't go very quickly. I had just reached the stump when my brother tripped, and I could see that the snake would catch up to him. All I could think about was protecting him, saving him somehow.
So, I grabbed Tetssaiga out of its sheath, and tore a slit in my skirt so I could go faster, and ran to catch up. As I ran, the Tetssaiga started vibrating, pulsing. I saw it transform, out of the corner of my eye, and I could feel it giving me strength. Before I knew it, I was alongside my brother, as he tripped again, in his haste and fear. Turning, the snake's head filled my vision as it rushed in for the kill. Then, with one swing of Father's sword, it was all over, and my brother and I were staring at our first dead Youkai, as it fell headless to the ground.
The adults must have heard us, because Mom and Dad came running, and the others were watching from the house. They calmed us down, and we told them what had happened. As we walked back to the house, the Tetssaiga still in my hands, I had to ask my brother, "Is it alright, if I keep Tetssaiga? You can have the Shikon." I don't know why it was suddenly so important, but I wanted that sword, more than anything. Sure, the tales about the Shikon's power intrigued me, and I would love to use it, but Mom had strictly told us not to. She said that it would corrupt us, turn us evil, and what good was it, if we could use it?
"You would give up the Shikon for a sword; even Dad's?" Yaruu was shocked, and I nodded confidently.
"To you, for this sword." He looked to Mom and Dad, and Mom laughed.
"Looks like we got your presents switched!" And that was that. The Tetssaiga was mine, and it didn't leave my side once until school started, and even then I picked it up as soon as I got home. We took regular trips to the feudal age, sometimes with and sometimes without Mom, though Dad always came. He made it clear that we were never to go alone, not even if we promised to stay with Sango and Miroku on the other side.
Then, just a few weeks after school started, things changed forever. We were in the other time, and Shippo was showing us around "his" woods. He was a fox Youkai, though he wasn't evil, like most Youkai were. Suddenly, when we were about a half-mile away from the dry-well, he smelled something, and insisted that we hurry back. We wanted to see the rest of the woods, but he was really worried, so we ran back as fast as we could. When we got there, we saw Dad fighting a really fast cat Youkai, and the others being held by other cats. All of the Youkai were humanoid, but with cat ears and tails and paws. Suddenly, several more showed up, seemingly out of nowhere.
Two ran to help their comrade against Dad, and the rest, sensing the Shikon, ran for my brother. He had a staff, and I figured that he could hold one off for at least a while, which left three more to deal with. Drawing Tetssaiga, I cut one off from the group, Shippo took two more. They were fast, but greatly underestimated us, so I was able to defeat the one I had taken on. Shippo sent his to fleeing for the woods, terrified of some illusion he had set behind them. Brother knocked his unconscious, and we turned to see how father was doing, and froze.
Three had been too many; though he brought them down, it had cost him everything. One had been wearing a spell that, activated by his death, made certain that his opponent was dead as well by latching onto their soul, and dragging it with them. Mom was kneeling over him, weeping, trying vainly with Kaeda to resurrect him. Yaruu and I were in shock- this couldn't be real. Father had been immortal in our eyes- he couldn't really be dead. But he was.
We didn't go back, not for over a year. It hurt me to even look at Tetssaiga, so I hid it under my mattress, and vowed to never touch it again. Convinced that the cats had shown up because the Shikon had been brought back to that time, he hid it also, somewhere. Mom never talked about Dad, or the other time, or anything, though she stared off into space a lot, so I think she thought about them. I remember how, for the longest time, I kept thinking that none of it had happened, that one morning I would wake up from that horrible dream, and Dad would laugh at me for being worried, and we would fight again, and Yaruu and I would take him on at once, trying to pin him, and Mom would come to split us up, and blame Dad for everything no matter who had started it.
But that never happened, and Yaruu and I were always really quiet. Sometimes, I would walk into the room, and see that he had unburied the Shikon, and was staring at it. I think he wanted to use it, to bring Dad back or make him strong enough to not miss him anymore. Seeing him look at it like that made me so angry; I don't know why. Maybe because I wanted to use it for those things, too. Half of the time, I would stalk out of the room, and sit under the god tree, and stew for hours. The other half of the time, I would grab it from him, and throw it at the mirror as hard as I could, shattering our reflection, and then go stew under the tree.
We all kind-of revolved around that tree, though I didn't realize it then. Brother spent a lot of time up in the branches, and I at the base, always on opposite sides from each other. Mom would go out, when she thought we weren't watching, and would just stare at that weird bare spot, where no bark grew. She cried a lot, looking at it; I don't know why. It probably had something to do with Dad.
At school, we were both pretty well outcastes. I hated wearing my uniform- short skirts bothered me, so I would wear my brother's slacks, claiming that all of my uniforms were in the wash. Neither of us paid much attention in class, only barely making the next grade. The summer passed, one long, boring, painful expanse of sleepless nights, and days spent on the couch. Mom tried to get us to do something, anything, but didn't much succeed. School started again, and was even worse. There was this new girl, from another town. She never paid attention, or did her homework, but she managed to ace every test. She was quiet and rude- like Yaruu and I- and skipped the uniform on occasion- like I did- yet everyone thought she was really "cool." She didn't feel quite right, like the Youkai in the feudal age.
Worst of all, she looked like Dad. The hair, the bored expression. I could never look at her directly, because I didn't know whether I would punch her or start crying. I would rather punch her, but I wasn't sure I could. Not the way she sat there, never doing anything.
Then, one day, the teacher got fed up with her. "Laotenn Tsorra, if you do not put away that drawing and pay attention, I will send you home!" She looked up, bored, then went back to drawing. "That's it- I am sick and tired of your attitude! You are the laziest, most disrespectful, worthless student I have ever had the displeasure of teaching."
Tsorra's eyes flashed, and she stood, her movements slow and deliberate. When she spoke, her voice was chillingly cruel and calculating. "Teaching? You have taught me nothing. I know all of this, and far more than you ever will. The only reason I am here is because my mother is a stinking human- lover, and wants me to learn how to deal with you people, but I am through. I can defeat her, and I doubt that my father will intervene on her behalf. You humans make me sick. You hear that? Sick." She had put her hands on her desk, and was leaning on them, arms locked. From where they touched, and spreading outwards, frost gathered like lace across the surface. I glanced to my brother, who nodded. It seemed our time had Youkai, also.
Everyone stared at her in silence as the ice continued to spread and thicken, and people shifted uneasily as it neared them, finally standing and backing away to avoid getting frozen in when it reached them. Even I grudgingly gave way to her ice, wondering what she was up to. Forcing myself to look at her in the face, I saw that her face was twisted in hatred and disgust in a way my father's never could be, and I knew that he would never stand to watch someone treating people this way. Her eyes were glazed over a pure, icy blue, and when she blinked, and ice shattered with a loud CRACK.
Then, the ice began to levitate, and the air stirred with the tiniest imaginable snowflakes, stirring our hair and chilling our skin. "I'm calling security," the teacher muttered, beginning to come out of shock, and turned for the phone.
"Don't move," Tsorra commanded, and the teacher turned back to look. She had been rotating pieces in the air, and I saw that each had its sharpest point facing the teacher. She was going to kill him.
The moment the pieces started moving, rushing through the air towards him, I lunged for her, just as my brother lunged to knock the teacher out of harm's way. My punch landed her squarely in the face before she could do anything about it, distracting her so she couldn't change the ice's aim, to attack the teacher now lying prone on the ground, my brother beside, looking up at where the ice was now imbedded in the chalk board. "You have a problem with humans, Youkai, you can take it up with me. I am the daughter of Inu-Yasha, and I follow him in protecting them."
"Inu-Yasha? That damn foolish Hanyou? I've heard of him, and you can't scare me with his name."
I had already been angry, but now I was irate. My every muscle tensed, and my hand twitched, longing for the Tetssaiga. "You will pay for those words," I whispered murderously, nearly growling.
"You think you can defeat me?" she growled back, lifting one hand before her, then yanking it back, pulling the ice from the board, and guiding it into a circle around us.
"I know I can. What do you say we take this outside?"
"Why? So I can't do this?" As she spoke, she glanced to one of the students standing by the wall, watching us, and one shard obediently darted for their throat. Thankfully, my brother was there, and knocked it out of the air.
"No, we just prefer the fresh air." Even I couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not. Tsorra laughed, making me shiver.
"Hey, I'll give you a chance. How about we meet tonight, at sunset, out in the open somewhere. Bring any weapon you want, same goes for your henchman over there, I'll take on both of you." She was so haughty, so certain of victory. I snorted, cracking a half-smile.
"Fine then; sunset at, say, Higeme Park?" She nodded, smiling slyly. "Be sure to make any final arrangements; you won't be leaving."
"No- you're the one who won't make it out. See'ya then, Meat." She turned and walked out of the door with a disinterested wave.
"She is so dead," I muttered.
"Definitely, and you are not going to do it by yourself."
"Why the Hell not?"
"I want a piece of that Bitch, too," he insisted, as if it was obvious. It occurred to me that we had hardly spoken since Father died. He lowered his voice. "No one speaks that way about Dad."
"No one," I agreed, then realized that everyone was still standing around, frightened, staring at the ice shards where they had fallen when Tsorra left, and staring at my brother and I. "Do we have to get back to geometry, or can we go to lunch early?"
"Go to lunch early," the teacher muttered, and I hooted, thrusting a fist into the air. Yaruu cracked a grin, and I smiled back at him. Somehow, things were looking up.
Finally, school was out, and I raced Yaruu home. Mom saw us coming in the gate, and came out to meet us. "What's finally gotten your spirits up?" she asked, smiling at our light mood. I was about to tell her about our appointment with Tsorra, but Yaruu thought better.
"I dunno," he laughed naturally. "Just a good day." Mom smiled, and glanced over at the tree for only a moment before going inside. My eyes met Yaruu's, and I nodded to him; it was a good idea for Mom not to know. We walked up to our room together, and I retrieved Tetssaiga from its hiding place.
"It has been a long time my friend; I'm sorry." I drew it smoothly, and looked at its rusty blade, then reached with my mind for that little. thing. that made it transform. It switched forms as smoothly as ever, and I sat on the bed with it in my lap, and began polishing it, though it didn't really need it. In my peripheral vision, I saw Yaruu digging through a desk drawer, and drawing out the Shikon. "So that's where you hid it."
"Yup. I figure I should have it with me, you know?" I agreed. "I wish I had some kind of weapon."
I thought a moment. "How about a staff? You've used them before."
"Yeah, that sounds good. But. where will we get one?"
I frowned- he had to bring up the practical problem. Suddenly, it occurred to me. "We make one! Off to the hardware store!" He laughed, and I sheathed Tetssaiga, slipping it back under the mattress so Mom wouldn't become suspicious. We ran downstairs together, and told Mom that we were going out to meet some friends of ours.
"Alright; be home by dinner."
"Sure, Mom." I kissed her on the cheek then headed out, and Yaruu followed suit. Then, just a ways out of the gate, I realized something. "Wait! Money?" Yaruu thought a moment.
"Okay, store's not an option. Hmm. who do we know who." he snapped his fingers. "Grandpa! If there are any old fighting staffs lying around; he would know."
"Grandpa?" I snorted. "Any he would point us to would break. You remember that weather charm he gave us a few years ago?"
"And we tried to make it stop raining, and it just rained harder? I know, but. you never know. We might get lucky, and I'll be sure to test it before sunset."
"Alright, lets go. To the nursing home." I was obviously much less excited about that than a trip to the hardware store. I guess I've always been a tomboy.
*********************************
Kagome pulled herself out of the old well, and began walking towards the village, careful to avoid the god tree, where she had first met Inu-Yasha. *No, don't think about that; don't think about him. You have to get over it eventually.*
Nearing the house, Shippo ran out to meet her. He looked about twenty now, maybe closer to twenty-five, though Kagome knew he was actually much older. More time had passed here than on the other side for some reason, as the kids had been growing up. "Kagome, you're back!" She smiled, and hugged him, and Sango, who had followed at a slower pace.
"Good to see you again. What brought you back?"
Kagome sighed. "I don't know; maybe its silly, but I'm worried about my kids."
"Oh? Come on, tell us all about it." Sango and Shippo walked her back into the house, where Kaede lay on a mat, still holding on, and Miroku stirred a pot of stew.
"Ah- Kagome, you've returned. The twins with you?"
"No, but they're the reason I came. I'm worried."
"Tell us," Miroku commanded, and Kagome smiled at how similar he and Sango had become, or perhaps always were.
"Well, ever since. last year. they've been really quiet. They hardly ever spoke, even to each other, or maybe especially not to each other, or to me. Kagomaru would sulk, and Inu-Yaruu would just zone out, staring into space. I never saw them laugh, or really smile, and they never went out and did anything, other than school. At school they never put in any effort, barely scraping by."
Miroku nodded, "It's hard, losing a father." Kagome recalled that the monk had lost his own father, when he was young.
"I know, and I understand that. What worries me is that suddenly, today, it was like this past year never happened. They ran home, laughing, smiling. They went up to their room, and talked for a while, then went out to meet some friends. They even kissed me goodbye." Kagome laughed as she brushed away a tear. "It seems like forever since they've done that. It's wonderful that they're feeling better, but."
"It's so sudden," Sango finished for her. "That does seem strange." They all sat for a while, thinking, then Kaede spoke.
"They are His children," she reminded them, "and he was one to change moods quickly. Quite likely, they found themselves a fight, worked their problems out that way." She sighed. "I just hope they don't get themselves into trouble."
Kagome frowned. "Do you think that I should call their teacher; ask if there were any problems at school?"
"No, no," Kaede advised. "They're too old to watch every moment, and I'm sure they can hold their own, especially together. Tell me, though, does the boy have a weapon yet?"
*********************************
"Well, no luck there, just a long talk about how peaceful the family has been for generations," Yaruu's excitement had been deflated, and I could sense him sinking back into hopelessness. No way was I going to let that happen, not after I had just gotten him back, just come back myself.
"He obviously went blind before meeting father; peaceful isn't the best adverb for him." We both laughed.
"You mean adjective, by the way," he corrected, lightheartedly.
"Yeah, something like that. Come on, it's almost dinner. We'll find something for you afterwards." He agreed, and we began to jog from the nursing home back to our house, at the shrine. Partway there, we ran into a few of our classmates.
"Um. hi, Kagomaru, Inu-Yaruu," one of them spoke up.
"Yeah, uh. hi," another added.
"So, uh. nice work, in class, you know?"
"Yeah. Good luck, tonight."
"Yeah, good luck."
I tried not to be bothered by their hasty retreat. "Well, they seemed pretty afraid of us, considering we saved their butts back there."
"It's to be expected, I suppose. Still, I hope it wears off." I nodded. I'm not one of those people that considers popularity hugely important, but I don't want my classmates afraid to speak to me. "Then again, it could have advantages." I looked at him to explain. "If we ever run out of lunch money, I don't think we'll have much trouble getting any."
"Yaruu!" I scolded, grinning. "Mom would be ashamed of you!"
"And you're proud, I suppose?" He seemed highly amused, but then, so was I.
"Of course. I can see you now- walking up to some kid in the hall, getting up in their face, demanding that they buy you a salad." We chuckled.
"And thanking them gracefully afterwards, of course. I wouldn't want to." he trailed off as he looked towards the house, and I followed his gaze. Mom was facing at least ten angry-looking adults. Simultaneously, we began sprinting towards the house. "Mom!" The small crowd turned at his call, and parted suspiciously.
"What's going on?" I asked Mom quietly, seeing her angry tears, now that I was close, but it was the crowd that answered.
"We don't want you little freaks going to school with our children," one yelled, and the others agreed. I stared, aghast.
I guess it's a pretty strange lifestyle to keep up, but our parents did it in their time, and we will in ours. It actually seems normal to us, now, though its only been a year. I guess we get used to strange things easily. After all- we grew up with a father that never aged much and had dog-ears. Oh, and if he ever got Mom mad at him, she would just yell "sit," which activated an old spell on him, and knocked him down. I tried, but it didn't listen to me, so I was usually hit a couple times before Mom got there. It was no big deal, though; he would never really hurt me, and I got to hitting him back pretty quick.
Still, my brother and I considered our family, if not normal, then at least close to normal, until we turned thirteen. Then, for our birthday, Mom and Dad told us about how the old dry-well goes back through time to the feudal age, where Dad is actually from, and how they spent their younger days gathering shards to reconstruct the Shikon no Tama- a bead of incredible power, especially for Youkai- and battling evil beings, like Naraku. I was given the Shikon no Tama, and my brother was given Dad's sword, Tetssaiga. He couldn't transform it, but Dad insisted that he would get the hang of it eventually. Then, to make the day even better, they took us through the well, to the feudal age.
We spent the day there, meeting their old friends, Sango and Miroku, Shippo, and old, old Kaede-baba. After dinner, Yaruu and I went outside to hang out, while the grown-ups talked inside. That was when the Youkai attacked.
It was a huge snake, that reared up out of the grass, and went straight for the old stump we had put our stuff on, including Dad's sword and the Shikon no Tama. Remembering how important Mom had told us it was, Yaruu beat the snake to the stump, and grabbed the bead, then ran for the house. I followed after, but because I was in a skirt, I couldn't go very quickly. I had just reached the stump when my brother tripped, and I could see that the snake would catch up to him. All I could think about was protecting him, saving him somehow.
So, I grabbed Tetssaiga out of its sheath, and tore a slit in my skirt so I could go faster, and ran to catch up. As I ran, the Tetssaiga started vibrating, pulsing. I saw it transform, out of the corner of my eye, and I could feel it giving me strength. Before I knew it, I was alongside my brother, as he tripped again, in his haste and fear. Turning, the snake's head filled my vision as it rushed in for the kill. Then, with one swing of Father's sword, it was all over, and my brother and I were staring at our first dead Youkai, as it fell headless to the ground.
The adults must have heard us, because Mom and Dad came running, and the others were watching from the house. They calmed us down, and we told them what had happened. As we walked back to the house, the Tetssaiga still in my hands, I had to ask my brother, "Is it alright, if I keep Tetssaiga? You can have the Shikon." I don't know why it was suddenly so important, but I wanted that sword, more than anything. Sure, the tales about the Shikon's power intrigued me, and I would love to use it, but Mom had strictly told us not to. She said that it would corrupt us, turn us evil, and what good was it, if we could use it?
"You would give up the Shikon for a sword; even Dad's?" Yaruu was shocked, and I nodded confidently.
"To you, for this sword." He looked to Mom and Dad, and Mom laughed.
"Looks like we got your presents switched!" And that was that. The Tetssaiga was mine, and it didn't leave my side once until school started, and even then I picked it up as soon as I got home. We took regular trips to the feudal age, sometimes with and sometimes without Mom, though Dad always came. He made it clear that we were never to go alone, not even if we promised to stay with Sango and Miroku on the other side.
Then, just a few weeks after school started, things changed forever. We were in the other time, and Shippo was showing us around "his" woods. He was a fox Youkai, though he wasn't evil, like most Youkai were. Suddenly, when we were about a half-mile away from the dry-well, he smelled something, and insisted that we hurry back. We wanted to see the rest of the woods, but he was really worried, so we ran back as fast as we could. When we got there, we saw Dad fighting a really fast cat Youkai, and the others being held by other cats. All of the Youkai were humanoid, but with cat ears and tails and paws. Suddenly, several more showed up, seemingly out of nowhere.
Two ran to help their comrade against Dad, and the rest, sensing the Shikon, ran for my brother. He had a staff, and I figured that he could hold one off for at least a while, which left three more to deal with. Drawing Tetssaiga, I cut one off from the group, Shippo took two more. They were fast, but greatly underestimated us, so I was able to defeat the one I had taken on. Shippo sent his to fleeing for the woods, terrified of some illusion he had set behind them. Brother knocked his unconscious, and we turned to see how father was doing, and froze.
Three had been too many; though he brought them down, it had cost him everything. One had been wearing a spell that, activated by his death, made certain that his opponent was dead as well by latching onto their soul, and dragging it with them. Mom was kneeling over him, weeping, trying vainly with Kaeda to resurrect him. Yaruu and I were in shock- this couldn't be real. Father had been immortal in our eyes- he couldn't really be dead. But he was.
We didn't go back, not for over a year. It hurt me to even look at Tetssaiga, so I hid it under my mattress, and vowed to never touch it again. Convinced that the cats had shown up because the Shikon had been brought back to that time, he hid it also, somewhere. Mom never talked about Dad, or the other time, or anything, though she stared off into space a lot, so I think she thought about them. I remember how, for the longest time, I kept thinking that none of it had happened, that one morning I would wake up from that horrible dream, and Dad would laugh at me for being worried, and we would fight again, and Yaruu and I would take him on at once, trying to pin him, and Mom would come to split us up, and blame Dad for everything no matter who had started it.
But that never happened, and Yaruu and I were always really quiet. Sometimes, I would walk into the room, and see that he had unburied the Shikon, and was staring at it. I think he wanted to use it, to bring Dad back or make him strong enough to not miss him anymore. Seeing him look at it like that made me so angry; I don't know why. Maybe because I wanted to use it for those things, too. Half of the time, I would stalk out of the room, and sit under the god tree, and stew for hours. The other half of the time, I would grab it from him, and throw it at the mirror as hard as I could, shattering our reflection, and then go stew under the tree.
We all kind-of revolved around that tree, though I didn't realize it then. Brother spent a lot of time up in the branches, and I at the base, always on opposite sides from each other. Mom would go out, when she thought we weren't watching, and would just stare at that weird bare spot, where no bark grew. She cried a lot, looking at it; I don't know why. It probably had something to do with Dad.
At school, we were both pretty well outcastes. I hated wearing my uniform- short skirts bothered me, so I would wear my brother's slacks, claiming that all of my uniforms were in the wash. Neither of us paid much attention in class, only barely making the next grade. The summer passed, one long, boring, painful expanse of sleepless nights, and days spent on the couch. Mom tried to get us to do something, anything, but didn't much succeed. School started again, and was even worse. There was this new girl, from another town. She never paid attention, or did her homework, but she managed to ace every test. She was quiet and rude- like Yaruu and I- and skipped the uniform on occasion- like I did- yet everyone thought she was really "cool." She didn't feel quite right, like the Youkai in the feudal age.
Worst of all, she looked like Dad. The hair, the bored expression. I could never look at her directly, because I didn't know whether I would punch her or start crying. I would rather punch her, but I wasn't sure I could. Not the way she sat there, never doing anything.
Then, one day, the teacher got fed up with her. "Laotenn Tsorra, if you do not put away that drawing and pay attention, I will send you home!" She looked up, bored, then went back to drawing. "That's it- I am sick and tired of your attitude! You are the laziest, most disrespectful, worthless student I have ever had the displeasure of teaching."
Tsorra's eyes flashed, and she stood, her movements slow and deliberate. When she spoke, her voice was chillingly cruel and calculating. "Teaching? You have taught me nothing. I know all of this, and far more than you ever will. The only reason I am here is because my mother is a stinking human- lover, and wants me to learn how to deal with you people, but I am through. I can defeat her, and I doubt that my father will intervene on her behalf. You humans make me sick. You hear that? Sick." She had put her hands on her desk, and was leaning on them, arms locked. From where they touched, and spreading outwards, frost gathered like lace across the surface. I glanced to my brother, who nodded. It seemed our time had Youkai, also.
Everyone stared at her in silence as the ice continued to spread and thicken, and people shifted uneasily as it neared them, finally standing and backing away to avoid getting frozen in when it reached them. Even I grudgingly gave way to her ice, wondering what she was up to. Forcing myself to look at her in the face, I saw that her face was twisted in hatred and disgust in a way my father's never could be, and I knew that he would never stand to watch someone treating people this way. Her eyes were glazed over a pure, icy blue, and when she blinked, and ice shattered with a loud CRACK.
Then, the ice began to levitate, and the air stirred with the tiniest imaginable snowflakes, stirring our hair and chilling our skin. "I'm calling security," the teacher muttered, beginning to come out of shock, and turned for the phone.
"Don't move," Tsorra commanded, and the teacher turned back to look. She had been rotating pieces in the air, and I saw that each had its sharpest point facing the teacher. She was going to kill him.
The moment the pieces started moving, rushing through the air towards him, I lunged for her, just as my brother lunged to knock the teacher out of harm's way. My punch landed her squarely in the face before she could do anything about it, distracting her so she couldn't change the ice's aim, to attack the teacher now lying prone on the ground, my brother beside, looking up at where the ice was now imbedded in the chalk board. "You have a problem with humans, Youkai, you can take it up with me. I am the daughter of Inu-Yasha, and I follow him in protecting them."
"Inu-Yasha? That damn foolish Hanyou? I've heard of him, and you can't scare me with his name."
I had already been angry, but now I was irate. My every muscle tensed, and my hand twitched, longing for the Tetssaiga. "You will pay for those words," I whispered murderously, nearly growling.
"You think you can defeat me?" she growled back, lifting one hand before her, then yanking it back, pulling the ice from the board, and guiding it into a circle around us.
"I know I can. What do you say we take this outside?"
"Why? So I can't do this?" As she spoke, she glanced to one of the students standing by the wall, watching us, and one shard obediently darted for their throat. Thankfully, my brother was there, and knocked it out of the air.
"No, we just prefer the fresh air." Even I couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not. Tsorra laughed, making me shiver.
"Hey, I'll give you a chance. How about we meet tonight, at sunset, out in the open somewhere. Bring any weapon you want, same goes for your henchman over there, I'll take on both of you." She was so haughty, so certain of victory. I snorted, cracking a half-smile.
"Fine then; sunset at, say, Higeme Park?" She nodded, smiling slyly. "Be sure to make any final arrangements; you won't be leaving."
"No- you're the one who won't make it out. See'ya then, Meat." She turned and walked out of the door with a disinterested wave.
"She is so dead," I muttered.
"Definitely, and you are not going to do it by yourself."
"Why the Hell not?"
"I want a piece of that Bitch, too," he insisted, as if it was obvious. It occurred to me that we had hardly spoken since Father died. He lowered his voice. "No one speaks that way about Dad."
"No one," I agreed, then realized that everyone was still standing around, frightened, staring at the ice shards where they had fallen when Tsorra left, and staring at my brother and I. "Do we have to get back to geometry, or can we go to lunch early?"
"Go to lunch early," the teacher muttered, and I hooted, thrusting a fist into the air. Yaruu cracked a grin, and I smiled back at him. Somehow, things were looking up.
Finally, school was out, and I raced Yaruu home. Mom saw us coming in the gate, and came out to meet us. "What's finally gotten your spirits up?" she asked, smiling at our light mood. I was about to tell her about our appointment with Tsorra, but Yaruu thought better.
"I dunno," he laughed naturally. "Just a good day." Mom smiled, and glanced over at the tree for only a moment before going inside. My eyes met Yaruu's, and I nodded to him; it was a good idea for Mom not to know. We walked up to our room together, and I retrieved Tetssaiga from its hiding place.
"It has been a long time my friend; I'm sorry." I drew it smoothly, and looked at its rusty blade, then reached with my mind for that little. thing. that made it transform. It switched forms as smoothly as ever, and I sat on the bed with it in my lap, and began polishing it, though it didn't really need it. In my peripheral vision, I saw Yaruu digging through a desk drawer, and drawing out the Shikon. "So that's where you hid it."
"Yup. I figure I should have it with me, you know?" I agreed. "I wish I had some kind of weapon."
I thought a moment. "How about a staff? You've used them before."
"Yeah, that sounds good. But. where will we get one?"
I frowned- he had to bring up the practical problem. Suddenly, it occurred to me. "We make one! Off to the hardware store!" He laughed, and I sheathed Tetssaiga, slipping it back under the mattress so Mom wouldn't become suspicious. We ran downstairs together, and told Mom that we were going out to meet some friends of ours.
"Alright; be home by dinner."
"Sure, Mom." I kissed her on the cheek then headed out, and Yaruu followed suit. Then, just a ways out of the gate, I realized something. "Wait! Money?" Yaruu thought a moment.
"Okay, store's not an option. Hmm. who do we know who." he snapped his fingers. "Grandpa! If there are any old fighting staffs lying around; he would know."
"Grandpa?" I snorted. "Any he would point us to would break. You remember that weather charm he gave us a few years ago?"
"And we tried to make it stop raining, and it just rained harder? I know, but. you never know. We might get lucky, and I'll be sure to test it before sunset."
"Alright, lets go. To the nursing home." I was obviously much less excited about that than a trip to the hardware store. I guess I've always been a tomboy.
*********************************
Kagome pulled herself out of the old well, and began walking towards the village, careful to avoid the god tree, where she had first met Inu-Yasha. *No, don't think about that; don't think about him. You have to get over it eventually.*
Nearing the house, Shippo ran out to meet her. He looked about twenty now, maybe closer to twenty-five, though Kagome knew he was actually much older. More time had passed here than on the other side for some reason, as the kids had been growing up. "Kagome, you're back!" She smiled, and hugged him, and Sango, who had followed at a slower pace.
"Good to see you again. What brought you back?"
Kagome sighed. "I don't know; maybe its silly, but I'm worried about my kids."
"Oh? Come on, tell us all about it." Sango and Shippo walked her back into the house, where Kaede lay on a mat, still holding on, and Miroku stirred a pot of stew.
"Ah- Kagome, you've returned. The twins with you?"
"No, but they're the reason I came. I'm worried."
"Tell us," Miroku commanded, and Kagome smiled at how similar he and Sango had become, or perhaps always were.
"Well, ever since. last year. they've been really quiet. They hardly ever spoke, even to each other, or maybe especially not to each other, or to me. Kagomaru would sulk, and Inu-Yaruu would just zone out, staring into space. I never saw them laugh, or really smile, and they never went out and did anything, other than school. At school they never put in any effort, barely scraping by."
Miroku nodded, "It's hard, losing a father." Kagome recalled that the monk had lost his own father, when he was young.
"I know, and I understand that. What worries me is that suddenly, today, it was like this past year never happened. They ran home, laughing, smiling. They went up to their room, and talked for a while, then went out to meet some friends. They even kissed me goodbye." Kagome laughed as she brushed away a tear. "It seems like forever since they've done that. It's wonderful that they're feeling better, but."
"It's so sudden," Sango finished for her. "That does seem strange." They all sat for a while, thinking, then Kaede spoke.
"They are His children," she reminded them, "and he was one to change moods quickly. Quite likely, they found themselves a fight, worked their problems out that way." She sighed. "I just hope they don't get themselves into trouble."
Kagome frowned. "Do you think that I should call their teacher; ask if there were any problems at school?"
"No, no," Kaede advised. "They're too old to watch every moment, and I'm sure they can hold their own, especially together. Tell me, though, does the boy have a weapon yet?"
*********************************
"Well, no luck there, just a long talk about how peaceful the family has been for generations," Yaruu's excitement had been deflated, and I could sense him sinking back into hopelessness. No way was I going to let that happen, not after I had just gotten him back, just come back myself.
"He obviously went blind before meeting father; peaceful isn't the best adverb for him." We both laughed.
"You mean adjective, by the way," he corrected, lightheartedly.
"Yeah, something like that. Come on, it's almost dinner. We'll find something for you afterwards." He agreed, and we began to jog from the nursing home back to our house, at the shrine. Partway there, we ran into a few of our classmates.
"Um. hi, Kagomaru, Inu-Yaruu," one of them spoke up.
"Yeah, uh. hi," another added.
"So, uh. nice work, in class, you know?"
"Yeah. Good luck, tonight."
"Yeah, good luck."
I tried not to be bothered by their hasty retreat. "Well, they seemed pretty afraid of us, considering we saved their butts back there."
"It's to be expected, I suppose. Still, I hope it wears off." I nodded. I'm not one of those people that considers popularity hugely important, but I don't want my classmates afraid to speak to me. "Then again, it could have advantages." I looked at him to explain. "If we ever run out of lunch money, I don't think we'll have much trouble getting any."
"Yaruu!" I scolded, grinning. "Mom would be ashamed of you!"
"And you're proud, I suppose?" He seemed highly amused, but then, so was I.
"Of course. I can see you now- walking up to some kid in the hall, getting up in their face, demanding that they buy you a salad." We chuckled.
"And thanking them gracefully afterwards, of course. I wouldn't want to." he trailed off as he looked towards the house, and I followed his gaze. Mom was facing at least ten angry-looking adults. Simultaneously, we began sprinting towards the house. "Mom!" The small crowd turned at his call, and parted suspiciously.
"What's going on?" I asked Mom quietly, seeing her angry tears, now that I was close, but it was the crowd that answered.
"We don't want you little freaks going to school with our children," one yelled, and the others agreed. I stared, aghast.
