Chapter 10
Family Traditions
(A/N Sorry it took me so long to update like I said I have SCHOOL! Well, here it is.)
SOUNDS/sounds
Thoughts
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Kagome found the key where she was told it was hidden and quickly ran up the stairs to unlock the door. The whole building she was rundown and abandoned. The windows were board up and the door was the only thing that was not boarded up allowing her to walk out into the cold night air. She had no idea what time it was or really where she was. It looked familiar but she was lost. The area was still and quiet. There were no cars and no one else walking down sidewalks. It was just dark buildings with the light from the streetlights hitting them.
She started walking down the sidewalk, hoping she would start to remember where she was. Not that she really cared. She really did want to be alone after all that had happened. She wanted Hotaka back and that was all she could think of. Her nerdy, stuttering Hotaka. A chilly wind picked up, making her bare legs feel numb. After turning down a block she started to recognize where she was. Sango's house was in this area. Her parents were in the States on a business trip and would not be back for 2 months. Which ment Sango was left alone to watch over the house and her little brother Kohaku.
Kagome continued down the street until she saw Sango's house sitting on the corner of the next block. She quickly hurried through the gate and up the short drive to and around to the back of the two-story house. She picked up a couple small pebbles and threw them one at a time at Sango's window. A dim light came on thought the window as a figure walked towards the window and opened it.
"This had better be good," she grunted, her hair was in tangled mess as she looked down in the dark backyard and rested her elbows on the window seal.
"Sango," Kagome called up from under Sango's window, "I need to talk to you."
"What are you doing here," she asked, straitening up her stance. "It's 2:00 in the morning."
"Sango, please, I really need to talk to you," Kagome said, her voice trailed off as tears started down her cheeks again.
"Are you crying, Kagome-chan," Sango asked, looking down at the girl rub her eyes. "I'll be right down."
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"I didn't know what else to do," Kagome said, looking down at her warm tea, sitting in the chair across from her friend on the couch. "I ended up in this area and came here when I got out. What should I do? I feel terrible."
"W-well… I-I, uh, don't know," Sango said, looking at Kagome in worry. "I don't know if you or I can do anything. You say a full-blood youkai has hold of this jewel thing and that it gives powers to youkai. It looks like you may never get it back. You don't know where he went and it would be suicide to follow if you did."
"But, Sango-chan, we have to do something," Kagome said sadly. "I need to get that jewel back."
"For what reason," she asked, looking at Kagome flinch.
"What reason," Kagome huffed, looking her friend in slight anger. "The reason is I want Hotaka back! He wasn't the blame for any this mess! He was just caught up in something that he could not get out of because of his other side! Even Inuyasha was tricked. All he wanted to do was go back to the way he was!"
"I'm sorry," Sango said, waving a hand in calming gesture. "I didn't mean it in that way. I just… I just don't see why you want to risk your neck. But if you really need to get it back I will help you. Even Miroku will help I'm sure of it."
"Thank you," Kagome said, looking back down at her tea.
"But first," Sango said, getting up and took the cup out of Kagome's hands, "you need some practice."
"'Practice,'" she asked as Sango pulled her out of the chair. "Practice with want?"
"You already knew I was interested in demon stuff even after that night at your place, right," Sango said, pulling Kagome though the house.
"Yes, I knew that," Kagome said as Sango pulled her down into the basement. "Where are you taking me?"
"You'll see," Sango said, walking to far end of basement. "This is an old family secret. Stand right here."
Sango walked over to the back wall. She ran her hands across the bricks until she found a loose brick pulled it out and reached into the hole with her hand. There was small clicking noise. Sango quickly moved her hand as the wall started to slide towards the right, revealing a hidden room. She beckoned Kagome to come forward as she turned on a light switch. The room lead to another set of stone stairs that led even farther down into the ground. She guided Kagome down the steps and into a larger room that was pitch black. Sango then flipped about 4 light switches giving the room some much-needed light.
"What is this room," Kagome asked, walking onto the well-polished wooden floor.
"This is my family's private dojo and armory," Sango said, looking at Kagome stare at all the large and sharp weapons hanging on the white plaster wall. "You came to the right house for help. Bet you'd never guess your best friend was descended from taijiya now did you? And we still practice the ancient art."
"Y-you mean…" Kagome mumbled, pointing at Sango in shock. "You mean you know h-how to fight y-youkai?"
"Sure do," Sango said, pulling down on the large weapons off the wall. "This baby here is my pride and joy. I call it Hiraikotsu II. It is modeled after my ancestor's. Her's was made out youkai bone but into day's world mine's made out of light weight alloy with titanium bladed edges."
"What's this," Kagome asked, pointing at a sickle on a chain.
"That's Kohaku's. It's called a Kusarigama," Sango said, putting up her weapon and pulled down her brothers. "This is a useful weapon. It can sever body parts, slice flesh like katana, and it can be used like dagger to stab. The chain is used to bring the weapon back, wrap around a persons arms or legs, and if you use this ball at the end you can knock someone out."
"Charming," Kagome said, turning a slight shade of green as Sango put it back up on the wall.
"This right here is my katana, this one's my dad, this is my mom's, and this Kohaku's," she said, pointing at each sheath sword on the wall as she walked to the end of room. "This right here. Hai, this will do quite nicely for you, Kagome."
It was a nice sized hunting bow and was a bright red. Sango pulled it off the wall and handed to Kagome. Kagome looked at it surprise it was lighter than she thought it would be. She then saw Sango open a back door to the room and walked back out with a quiver of arrows and a target board shaped like a poorly made person. Sango handed the arrows to Kagome before walking to the other side of the room and set up the dummy. Sango then hurried back to Kagome to show her how to set the bow.
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"Use your scope to make sure hit the target," Sango said, looking at Kagome put an arrow on the bow cord and pull back. "Also feel the shot. Wait until you think you can hit the target."
"Okay," Kagome nodded, looking though her scope at the target. "What am I aiming for?"
"Heart or the head," Sango said, looking at Kagome shake a bit. "Hold the bow steady or the shot will be way off."
Kagome took in a deep breath and steadied her hands the best she could. She stared at the target through her scoop, aiming at the heart. She waited like Sango told her to do to. She would release the arrow only when she felt like she could hit it. Finally she felt like she could and released her hand for the bow cord. The arrow flew through the air but her hands still were not steady enough and the arrow fishtailed missing the target but not by much.
"See why you have to hold it steady," Sango asked, taking the bow from her and threaded on another arrow. "You need to make the arrow go strait. Watch me."
Sango looked at the target. She did not even bother with the scope. She waited until she felt the shot and she released the arrow. The arrow shot through the air strait hitting the target between the eyes. She handed it back to a gawking Kagome.
"Keep trying," Sango said, patting the girl on the shoulder. "I have to go upstairs to check on Kohaku and call your mother. What should I tell her?"
"Anything but the truth," Kagome said, looking down at her blurry reflection on the floor. "I know she's worried enough about me when I never came home last night. Tell her I went to visit you last night and I fell asleep at your place and your phone was acting funny and couldn't get a call through."
"Alright," Sango said, walking up the steps.
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"Her aim's not get any better," Kohaku whispered to his elder sitter as they sat on the steps for the last 3 hours. "That 64th time… No, 65th time she's missed this hour."
"Give her a chance. She's having a hard time right now and can't concentrate," Sango said quietly, elbowing her little brother. "Like you've never missed when have other things on your mind."
"Shaddup," he snorted, still watching Kagome miss for the 39th time. "Kagome, are you, like, even using the scope?"
"Hai," she huffed, trying again only succeeding in missing. "But it never hits where I aim it!"
"I've notice," Kohaku said dully, getting knocked off the bottom step by his sister. "Ow! Geez…. What was that for?"
"Leave her alone, you little pain in the neck," Sango snapped.
"I'm not a pain in the neck I HAVE a pain in my neck," Kohaku snapped, sitting back on the steps. "You gave whiplash, knocking me off the step like that!"
"Get over it," Sango said, looking away from her brother.
"Aaaagh! I won't ever get this," Kagome huffed her face turning bright red. "I can't aim at all!"
"I would say something but I might get knocked off the step again," Kohaku huffed as his sister just glared at him.
"Ignore him. Try lowering the setting on the bow," Sango said as Kagome lowered the setting. "It may have been too much for you."
Kagome tried it again about 5 more times and still did not even come close. Kohaku got tired of watch some so pathetic. He got up and grabbed your basic, run the mill long bow. It was bright red and a lot lighter than what Kagome was using.
"Try this," He said, taking the hunting bow back and handed her the other one. "This is a lot easy to handle than that thing. It may not have a scope or anything like that but you maybe able to hold it steady. Sango was trying to start you off on that thing, which is a little too much for you right now. Give this one a try."
Kohaku walked back over towards he place on the steps and sat down. Kagome gathered her arrows and tried again. She loaded the bow and took aim. This bow as a lot easier to handle because of its size and weight compared to the hunting bow. Her hands were a lot steadier than before. She pulled back on the bow cord as hard as she could. Then let go of it. The arrow whizzed through the air, finally making contact with the target. But it was not where she wanted it to go.
"I would feel sorry for any MAN that made you mad," Sango laughed as Kohaku just put his hand on his face and shook his head. "That would be really, really painful! Castrated by an arrow! Hahahaha! That was just too good! I wish I had that on video!"
"Put a sock in it, would you," Kohaku yelled, glaring at his sister.
"OH, so sorry I for got there was a 'man' in here," Sango laughed, making the quotation sign with her finger.
"You are going to regret that later tonight," Kohaku barked. "Just you wait!"
The two siblings continued to bicker at each other as Kagome continued to practice with the bow and arrows. She continued to do that for most of the day. She only ate lunch before she went back down the practice some more. It was around 6:00 PM when Kagome got home. Sango had given her the bow and arrows to use for practice when she was at home. When her mother asked how Hotaka was she would always say that he was just fine. It was quiet around the place without Inuyasha snapping or growling at them every single moment. A week went by and Kagome felt she could handle the bow a lot better. Her aim had improved greatly over the week.
Saturday morning, Kagome went back over to Sango's place. Miroku would be there and he would hopefully be a big help in getting the Jewel back. Sango and Kohaku had looked through their family's archives looking for any on the jewel. The two had found quite a lot more than they thought they would. When Kagome arrived they all went down to the dojo to talk about everything and how they were to handle it. Sango and Kohaku quickly presented their findings to the rest of the group.
"During the this week Kohaku and I looked through our family's archives searching for anything about the Shikon no Tama," Sango said, laying out 10 old, dusty scrolls on the floor where they sat. "These 10 scrolls here tell about where the jewel came from and how it was made. It also tells of the legend that, you Kagome, know all to well and got caught up in."
"But there is more to it than what they told you," Kohaku added. "After the miko had cursed the hanyou the jewel seemed to have turned on her. It was said that the jewel turned almost black because it had been used in such an impure manner. The Jewel ultimately killed her. It made her go wacko and she killed herself by slitting her wrists. The local villagers feared the jewel and burned it with the remains of the priestess. However the Jewel itself is actually two crystallized souls of a human and demon that had died many eons ago during a battle against each other."
"The Jewel can be used for either good or evil. The Shikon no Tama can make any wish a reality and in the hands of a demon no telling what could happen. Or in the hands of an evil human for that matter. The human half was once a powerful priestess name Midoriko. She got in fight with a demon and she was loosing," Sango continued. "With the last bit of her power she sealed the demon's soul within her own soul forming the jewel. If what Inuyasha said is true, Kagome, you are the reincarnation of the priestess that cursed Inuyasha. Seeing on how it was inside your body all this time."
"Now things are starting to make sense," Miroku said, scratching the side of his face. "But now that we figured what the Jewel is, how are we going to get it back? That's the question now."
"Kagome, you told me earlier this week that you've been having this strange feeling off and on," Sango said, turning to look at Kagome. "You said it felt cold and evil, right? The priestess herself was report to sense the Jewel. But you lacking the training, no offence, I believe the only reason you can sense it is because it was inside your body for so long. This is going to be a hard task to do. Kagome-chan, Miroku-kun, in order to hunt down Sesshoumaru you have to leave your homes for a while."
"How long," Kagome asked, turning to look a Miroku for a moment before turning back at Sango.
"Until we kill Sesshoumaru and get the Jewel back," Kohaku spoke up. "Which could be a few days, a few weeks, or even a few months. Years possibly. But as long as Kagome can sense the Jewel and hopefully get fix on it the sooner it will end."
"So are you all willing to vanish for awhile to help get rid of a demon," Sango asked, looking at her two best friends. "I can not force you into this. It is a decision you have to make for yourselves. Are you willing to leave your family and safety of your home to kill youkai and reclaim the Jewel in his hands?"
"I'm game," Miroku smiled. "I've actually always wanted to runaway from home but never went through with it so, this wouldn't bother one bit. What do you say, Kagome?"
"I-I, uh… This is all for Hotaka I can't turn my back on him now when I've gone this far already. "Hai, I'm in. I got to get some of my things."
"All right," Sango said, standing up. "Now I'm warning you all. A demon is a dangerous thing. You are going to have to be strong through this or you will fall and you will fall hard. You may die in this so be prepared for any and everything. Now go and pack up what you want to bring with you and later tonight when your family is sound asleep I will be outside your home with the van to bring you back here."
So, now the fight over the jewel has begun. How will they fair in the fight against the demon lord, Sesshoumaru? How could they possibly win when the demon has in his possession the powerful Jewel, the Shikon no Tama, which will greatly raise his powers exponentially? Will Kagome be able to hold it together to get the jewel back to save Hotaka and Inuyasha and make them whole once more? Well, you're just going to have to wait to find out on the next story The Dog 2: Power Surge. Coming soon so look for it!
(A/N I updated finally. If all you would be so kind as to read my new story called, Too Wild To Tame. It's a lighthearted story. With a lot of laughs, love, and mystery. Basically it another crossover with X-Men: Evolution but its different from most others you may have read. The story in the nutshell is that the X-Men ending up with 4 dog demon half-breeds kids and they are tearing up the place. They need help and go to Japan after finding shrine with a history of a inu hanyou. They bring back Kagome, Inuyasha, and a little kitsune stowaway. Youkai start to attack them to get their hands on Kagome's jewel shards and the hanyou quadruplets. But why are they after the kids? Also will the four little kids bring out Inuyasha's softer side towards Kagome? Well, you're going to have to read to find out. Buh Bye!)
Millie M. Banshee