17 years later…

"You are annoying!" A soft voice called out.

From the trees a woman with long silver hair that billowed down to her waist and sharp blue eyes stormed to the small village. Behind her a young male hurried to catch up to her. His hair was about 2 inches long and just missed covering his crème colored eyes.

"Listen, I'm sorry. I just don't understand." He walked next to her.

"Oh, you always give me that lame excuse!" The young woman stopped and stared at him. "You just don't have it in you!"

"Lucca, give me another chance. I can do it! I know I can." The young man pleaded with her.

Lucca folded her arms and shook her head. "Fine Hakkai! Try again. Remember it's a toxic claw."

Hakkai nodded stepped back from her. Lifting his hand he stared at his long claw like nails. Dark green smoke rose up from his finger tips but nothing more.

"Damn it Hakkai! I told you!" she turned and continued towards the village.

Hakkai stood there. "Why can I not do it?" he said to himself as he followed his sister.

Rin, an older woman with long black hair and rich brown eyes, stood in the street of the busy village holding a basket of fruits and flowers. She smiled as Lucca and Hakkai came towards her.

"How was the practice you two?" she asked as they walked down the street towards the little home they lived in.

"Hakkai can not do the toxic claw like I can." She said, her arms hanging loosing at her sides.

"Maybe that's because he has other powers. He can transform like you, I suppose he has more of his mother in him." Rin said.

Hakkai followed silently. As they entered the small house, Hakkai and Lucca took of their shoes and sat down on the small pillows on the ground.

"We will just have to figure out what those powers are." Lucca stated, folding her arms and legs.

Hakkai sat in a similar position as Lucca and nodded to her. "I try, I honestly do." He said looking at Rin

Rin had set the basket on the ground and had started to arrange the flowers in a lovely vase.

"I know you do Hakkai." She sat across from the two. "Why do you train so hard?"

Hakkai placed his hands on the ground before him and leaned forward. "We want to impress Father when he comes for us." He said with a smile

"Yes, Father must know we are strong. We want him to accept us as his children." Lucca nodded.

Rin watched them with a solemn look. "I see." She said. "I believe he will be proud of you both."

Hakkai's smile widened. "Do you really think so Aunt Rin?"

"Of course you nit wit." Lucca glanced at him. "We are strong children. We are his children."

Lucca stood, placing on her shoes and left the house.

"Lucca, wait for me." Hakkai quickly placed on his shoes, waved farewell to Rin and hurried after his sister.

Rin waved back to Hakkai and turned her attention to the flowers. "I hope she is right."

Lucca pushed past the villagers, Hakkai close on her heels.

"You have to be stronger." She said to him. "You have to work harder. We will go out and train again."

Hakkai frowned. "We've been practicing for most of the day. Let us rest for now."

Lucca stopped and turned to him. "No!" she said angrily. "You will work harder, as will I. I do not want Father to have second thoughts. He must accept us as we are!" she continued to push through the village and out into the forest.

For the rest of the day and into the night, Lucca and Hakkai worked on many skills they had seen other demons do as well as skills Rin had told them their father and mother could both do.

"Hakkai!" Lucca shouted to her brother who walked towards he carring a dead snake demon.

"Yea?" he asked, tossing the demon to the side on the large pile they had built up that day.

"Let us fight each other and see who has progressed the furthest." Lucca smiled at him.

Hakkai had to pause and frowned at the thought. "I could not hurt you, sister." He stated, starting to move off from him.

"Never turn your back on a battle." Lucca stated as she jumped up into the air and landed before him.

"Lucca I do not want to fight you!" He tried to move past her.

Lucca raised her right hand and charged at him. "Come on you wimp! Father wont take that!" she said.

Hakkai stood, understanding what she meant and jumped back, just out of reach of her claws. With each swipe she took to his clothes and face, he moved back further and further.

"Don't be defensive...fight back!" She stopped, inches before him and bent down, her left hand on the ground and kicked her brothers stomach, sending him falling backwards.

Standing she moved towards him. "Get up Hakkai!" She reached down and grabbed the cuff on his red over kimono.

Hakkai stared at his sister. "You asked for it!" He grabbed her wrist and she began to feel the affects of the toxic claw seep into her skin.

Releasing him instantly, she jumped back and let her hand go limp at her side. "Good job!" Raising her other hand a long green whip snaked its way from her fingers. "Lets knock it up a notch." She flicked her wrist, setting the green whip towards her brother.

He jumped back just in time, the whip hitting the ground causing it to explode.

"Damn it Lucca, thats enough." he said moving towards her.

"Don't let your guard down!" She flicked her wrist again moving her hand from one side to the next and the whip hit him across the face.

Hakkai held his cheek as blood began to creep out of the wound. He lifted his right hand and a ball of green fire appeared. As though it were a baseball, he cupped it in both hands and tossed it at her.

Using her whip, she struck the ball of fire back towards him and then turned just as another ball of green fire hit her head on, causing her whip to disappear and her to fly backwards into the bushes.

"Lucca!" Hakkai ran to his sister. "You okay?" he offered a hand to her.

Lucca looked up at her brother. "You betcha." she smiled and took his hand, standing up. "What was that?"

"I'm not sure. Its just something that came to me." He lifted his sister onto his back. "Lets go home."

Close to midnight, Hakkai carried his exhausted sister back into the quiet village. He paused outside their home, his red dog ears twitching softly. Lucca heard it too. Rin was not alone in the house.

Quickly jumping off Hakkai's back, Lucca stepped into the house and stared at the demon sitting before Rin.

"Get away from her!" Hakkai growled to him, stepping next to his sister.

The demon had long silver hair and crème colored eyes. Lucca could make out markings on his cheeks, the same markings her and Hakkai had and the fade blue crescent moon that she only had.

"Father?" Lucca stuttered as she watched the demon stand slowly.

Rin turned and faced them both. "Lucca, Hakkai, this is your father, Lord Sesshomaru."

Hakkai and Lucca both stared at him with wide eyes.

"No, we are not ready." Lucca thought to herself. "He's going to leave and never return!"

Hakkai bowed to his father. "We have been waiting so long." He said out loud. "We have been working very hard as well to please you Father."

Lucca stared at her brother and then back to their father.

Sesshomaru gave no indications that he was pleased or displeased. The blank look on his face gave no hint to either happiness or disappointment. Slowly, he stepped towards the two, raising his left hand even slower as he approached Hakkai.