A/N: Quite the group to thank for reviews: Wicken25, KitElizaKing, Patcher, Rukia's Reflection, Hidden Masked, dragonlord1337, Draconias, "A.M.P. 1008," and AnimeFreakAmanda. And thank you to anyone who put this or its author on their lists. I had someone complain that I was making the "Substitute Group" appear weak. "Oh ye of little faith."
Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha and Bleach characters, mangas, animes, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al, and Tite Kubo et al, respectively.
Secrets Abound
Demon Slaying 101
The inutachi gathered around Sango's SUV, the slayer packing every conceivable type of weapon into the back. They had given the younger generation a few days to do research on them, figuring that the first thing the Kuchiki siblings were going to do was try to find information on their clan. Once they had heard that the younger had returned from the Soul Society, they had made provisions to use the training grounds of Kisuke Urahara to assess and train the "Substitute Group" in the way of the taijiya.
"Do you think we should tell them that we have more confidence in their strength than we've let on?" Kagome asked, her brows lowered in worry.
"No," Sesshoumaru commanded. "I wish to know whether or not their physical bodies can last as long as their soul forms."
"Still, it seems a bit insulting."
"He's right, Kagome. When a demon attacks, there's not going to be time for the Shinigami to change forms. And since we don't know if their powers will work on beings that are corporeal to begin with, they may have to learn how to fight with other kinds of weapons. The archer is probably going to have the least trouble if he has to pick up a regular bow and arrow but I'm not too sure of the others."
"Keh. That Kariya was corporeal and it worked fine on him."
"Not originally," Inuyasha's brother reminded. "The Bount were created from Shinigami experiments and souls. Zanpakutous were the natural weapons."
"Don't worry about it, Kaa-san," Shippou soothed. "I'm sure they'll pass Aunt Sango's test with flying colors." He patted his adoptive mother on the back in an attempt to comfort her.
"Thank you, Shippou." Kagome hugged the kitsune before leaning into her mate's side. "Here's the last of it. Remember not to take off the seal until you're ready to let them out. I had the devil's own job getting a couple of them in there," the priestess said to the sister of her heart as she passed over a heavy box. Numerous sutras had been plastered on the outside, sealing the contents.
"I'm well acquainted with seals," Sango said, amused. "Miroku regularly tests his abilities on the stray youkai around the temple. Now, am I forgetting anything?" the slayer asked, looking at the mess her car had become.
Those gathered around studied the chaos and wondered if she had gone over board. "I think you forgot the kitchen sink, Oba-san," Shippou remarked.
"Why would I need that?" she asked, still not familiar with American slang.
"I believe he is referring to the fact that you could not possibly include anything else," Sesshoumaru remarked. "However, were you not going to take Kirara with you?"
"She's already in the front seat."
"Thank goodness," Miroku commented. "I was beginning to think you buried her."
"Watch it, Miroku. I could still find room in there to stow you. I can show them what happens to people who pick fights with me."
"Now, Sango, you know I have only love for you, dearest."
"Uh-huh." Despite her sarcastic remark she accepted his kiss goodbye and got in the driver's side. With a wave she took off for Karakura, leaving the rest of her pack to gaze after her.
"You know, one of these days she's going to forget to leave room for herself," Inuyasha remarked.
"Why do you think I always help?" Miroku returned.
"I'm sure she packed enough weaponry to start a small war." Shippou crossed his hands behind his head and started back to the slayers' compound.
"You guys!" Kagome protested but couldn't help laughing.
Sesshoumaru wisely kept his mouth shut.
Sango arrived at the small candy shop and parked as close as she could. Letting Kirara out of the carrier she had her in for protection, the taijiya studied the lay of the land and concluded that the seclusion was perfect for her purpose. Her companion followed her into the empty store, alert but not picking up anything disturbing.
"Can I help you?" A large man greeted her politely, bowing in respect. His eyes were hidden behind dark shades despite the fact that they were inside.
"I am Sango Kazaana. I believe Kisuke Urahara is expecting me."
"The demon slayer, yes, he told me you were coming. If you would follow me, please."
Her first impression of the owner was that he was an idiot. He hid most of his expressions behind a fan that she would have loved to hit him with and sounded like he took none of what she said seriously. On closer inspection, it became clear that he was purposely keeping things light while he studied her.
"I see you have a friend," Urahara commented, tilting his head towards Kirara.
"She has been with me nearly all of my life," Sango answered. "She is what we call a nekomata. This is only one of her forms."
"Ah, so you have cat who can transform too! Yoruichi, I've found you a playmate!" he called.
A sleek black cat came in from another room, its golden eyes narrowed in annoyance. "I am not a cat, Kisuke," the male voice uttered with a growl.
"Of course, of course," he tried to assure his childhood friend. "Yoruichi, this is Sango Kazaana and her companion Kirara. Kazaana-san, this Yoruichi Shihoin. I've known her almost all of my life too." Grinning like a fool, he picked Yoruichi up and nuzzled her, earning claw marks across his face for his trouble.
Curious, Kirara ventured over to the pair, sniffing at the other feline and ex-Shinigami. "Mew?" she questioned uncertainly.
"Yes, yes, I know. I sound like a male but am in fact a woman. Perhaps you would like to see my transformation." Yoruichi moved away from her friend, changing forms to see how the newcomers reacted.
Neither member of the inutachi blinked when she appeared out of the smoke naked as the day she was born. "You aren't surprised."
"No, just relieved my husband isn't here," Sango said. "It takes a great deal to surprise me these days. Is there a place I can set up my equipment?" she asked, ready to get down to business. "I wish to proceed with the lesson as soon as the group is out of school for the day."
"Of course, of course. I will have Tessai help bring it in. He's a better hand at it than the children. Now then, shall we discuss a rental fee?" Urahara asked hopefully.
Both women merely glared at him.
"I thought not."
Ichigo was the first one to the training ground that day, followed directly by Rukia. They had dropped their things at home, changing out their uniforms into something more suitable for fighting. At lunch Ishida had sensed a strong demonic aura so they had immediately assumed someone from the Taisho clan had come to pay them a visit. After agreeing to meet up at Urahara's, the friends had finished the day on edge. The majority of the group were uneasy with allowing Tatsuki, Keigo, and Mizuiro near the demons but having faced Aizen head on, Ichigo rather thought that they'd be okay.
One by one the others joined the two Shinigami, Chad, Orihime, and Ishida familiar with the grounds while the other three were new to the area. "I never imagined there was a place like this under here," Tatsuki said. Gazing around, it looked like one giant cave.
"Yeah, Urahara's just full of surprises," Ichigo muttered. The weapons and boxes scattered around the rocks closest to the ladder interested him more.
"It seems we are to have a demonstration," Ishida said.
"I wonder what's in here," Keigo added with curiosity.
"I wouldn't touch that if I were you," a voice from above answered.
Sango stuck her head down the hole, gauging the amount of flips she'd have to do to soften her fall. Kirara chirped from her shoulder, reassuring the slayer that she'd catch her if she miscalculated. The boy with the light brown hair jumped back from the box containing a dozen low level demons like it had bit him. "Look out below," she warned before descending.
Much like Yoruichi she let gravity take her before using her prowess as a taijiya to keep from hurting herself on the hard ground. Landing with one knee bent, she rose and dusted off her uniform. The pliant leather was much like her old one had been in the Feudal Era although this one was made by the best researchers and out of youkai hide.
"That was cool," Keigo admitted. "I just don't understand why we're here."
"This is your first lesson in how to kill demons. Strangely enough I didn't sense any when I arrived, nor did I pick up any trace of Hollows."
"They're less frequent now that Aizen's gone," Rukia reported.
"I suppose they would be. If Aizen concentrated his attacks here, that may be why the demons have left this town alone. Most aren't real bright but after their ancestors were absorbed by Naraku five hundred years ago, they tend to stay away from beings with more power. Now then, I wanted to explain to you the different types of weapons and demons there are. You may not have to worry right now but once you go to university that will probably change."
Ishida had to concede her the point. Although he enjoyed living in Karakura, he certainly wasn't going to go to the local college. With his grades he would be accepted into the top three universities of Japan and he intended to apply. Osaka and Kyoto were probably not as clear of Hollows, or demons as Tokyo.
"Understandable, I guess," Tatsuki said. "I intend to travel all over in the future. I guess I can't expect the bad guys to leave me alone all the time."
"I'm glad you agree. Now, can any of you tell me how many types of demons there are and what they are?" Sango was greeted with silence, and she sighed. Kirara jumped down from her shoulder and found a spot on a rock to take a nap. This was going to take a while. "Perhaps you should take notes."
"Elemental and animal," Chad said quietly, looking at the demon cat. He went over and petted her, delighted when she purred in response to his touch.
"That's correct, Sado-kun."
"Don't mind him, he's a sucker for cute things," Ichigo put in.
"I don't, and neither does she. Kirara likes to be petted." Sango paused, catching Mizuiro sending messages on his phone. "Kojima-kun, I'll give you one chance to put that away."
The playboy looked up from his cell, flinching at the promise of death reflected back at him. "Yes, ma'am."
"Thank you, I'm glad we understand each other." Sango turned back to her lecture, ignoring the stunned looks from the other teens. "Now then, as I was started to say. There are two basic kinds of youkai. Those whose powers are based on the elements, and those whose powers are base on the animals their true forms take the shape of. Some crossover, as Kirara does but for the most part, it's pretty cut and dry. There are exceptions to this however, so I suppose a third type might be in order but those are usually low level demons who get put into the category of "pest" by my esteemed clan leader and left at that. Those that are created by the negative emotions of humans fall into the elemental type and we once believed that Hollows were a kind of demon. It was only after we were able to actually meet and talk with a Shinigami that we understood differently.
"After the type of demon is established, one must look at the demon's powers. This is, unless I'm mistaken, something like what powers your Zanpakutous use," Sango addressed the last to Rukia, who was taking notes diligently despite her partner's glare.
"Yes, my Zanpakutou is an ice type. So there are types of demons who use ice as the basis for their power?"
"Exactly. These youkai can look like ordinary humans and the more they resemble us, the more dangerous they are. Only high level demons can take on a human appearance. Taiyoukai like Sesshoumaru have almost no features that can be construed as anything but human save for their claws, ears, and occasionally feet. Shippou, my kitsune nephew who you met the other day, is well on his way to that status."
"What about Inuyasha?" Ichigo suddenly questioned. "He has ears on the top of his head. Does that mean he's not at the same level as his brother?" "Quite the contrary. They are even as far as power goes. Inuyasha is a half demon. His mother was a human princess who mated with the Lord of the Western Lands, a great dog demon. All half demons have some part of their make up that resemble their demon parent. Aside from his ears, he has no other markings that make him different." Her tone had turned protective, as if daring them to make an issue out of his heritage.
"Another thing he has in common with Kurosaki," Ishida put in.
"Excuse me?" Sango asked.
"Kurosaki-kun's dad is a Shinigami and his mom was human. They fell in love and had him and his sisters…" Orihime sighed, trailing off.
"I see, I seem to remember reading that in your file." Sango waved away their questions, picking up a weapon that had been near her right hand. "This is a youkai weapon forged by a demon sword smith. Even if a youkai is an animal type, they can still wield weapons whose powers are elemental. You will have noticed that the sword Inuyasha carries radiates its own power. There are two reasons for that. One, it was forged from his father's fang, and two, it was once repaired with Inuyasha's own. Its purpose was originally to protect Inuyasha's mother, and then later him. Its true power can only be accessed by the desire to protect humanity. Thus Tetsusaiga is the Sword of Earth. It can slay a hundred enemies in one swing."
Chad looked at his orange haired friend and paused stroking Kirara long enough to say, "That is why Ichigo is so powerful."
"The need and desire to protect is one of the greatest sources of strength a hero can have." Sango smiled and put away the weapon she still held. The group had been strangely silent. "Are there any questions before I go on?"
"You said Kirara was a cross over between the two types of demons,." Tatsuki said, prodding the older woman for information.
"Yes, that's right. Nekomata are animal youkai but each has an element that gives them power. As they are known as 'hell cats,' fire is usually the source. You might have heard the term before to refer to a woman with a hot temper. There's a reason for that." Sango smiled, holding out her arms for her companion. Kirara jumped down, privately lamenting the loss of Chad's attention.
Going to her kitten, she let herself be put on display. "In this form, Kirara looks like a cute, innocent kitten. Truthfully, she is fully grown and has been for almost a thousand years."
"No way!" Keigo shouted, the volume making Kirara's ears flatten.
"Just like Shinigami," Rukia murmured, thinking of the soutaicho and her captain.
"Yes way," Sango countered, amused. "And keep your voice down, her ears are sensitive. Perhaps a demonstration is in order."
Kirara mewed and jumped down. Standing in front of the teenagers, she transformed. Flames erupted form her paws and licked the tips of her tails. Out of the fire came a large saber toothed cat. Her roar echoed through the underground cavern, making three out of the eight people jump back.
The original members of the "Substitute Group" tensed, battle ready and wary. "This is Kirara's true form. She is fierce and protective in battle and you don't want to mess with her. She's my partner in demon slaying and was once Priestess Midoriko's companion as well."
"Who was she?" Ichigo's infamous inability to remember names and faces had kicked in. The others were well aware of his trouble but it only served to distract Sango.
"Ah, I suppose you weren't listening to Kagome when she told you about the Shikon Jewel's origins. The Jewel of Four Souls was created when Midoriko sealed the souls of hundreds of youkai with her own. The action created a jewel that was pushed out of her chest, leaving a whole near her heart. Until the war with Naraku ended, those souls battled each other continuously. Only Kirara has been in on it from the beginning."
Kirara rumbled agreement, butting her head up against the taijiya. "Who would like to ride her?"
"Ride? Like a horse?" Rukia questioned.
"Something like that. She carried my husband and I often in the old days. There is enough room here for her to move about freely."
"Oh, me, me!" Orihime begged, moving forward without fear. She climbed onto Kirara's back despite her friends' protests, petting the large nekomata behind the ears. "She's such a beautiful animal."
Kirara didn't give them any time to adjust to the new situation. She launched herself in the air, eliciting a scream from the Rikka wielder.
"Orihime!" Tatsuki shouted in concern.
"Inoue-san!" Ishida echoed, missing the small smile Sango gave at the adolescent's fright.
"Don't worry, she won't drop your friend. As long as she doesn't let go and doesn't lean over too far, she's safer on Kirara than she would be if she rode in a car."
The others exchanged glances, Orihime's reckless behavior well known. She had once used her powers to save them from the Cleaner after all. "I'm not so sure, Inoue was the best choice," Ichigo commented. Rukia nodded, seconding the opinion just as Kirara angled down in a turn and Orihime let go to wave at them. She slid slowly from the cat's back, flipping in the air before she was caught gently in giant jaws.
Ruby eyes rolled in exasperation as Kirara set the girl gently on her feet. Giving a gentle scold in her larger form, the nekomata returned to her kitten size before going to take a nap. "It takes some practice to move with her," Sango explained. As the teen appeared unharmed, she continued on with her lecture.
"Taijiya use weapons made of demon hides to exterminate other demons. While the process used to be long and tedious, these days we have machines to help us make and maintain. I won't show you all of the ones I brought with me but you'll get the chance to use them eventually. Poisons are also used to rid houses and the ground of vermin. This," she said pulling Hiraikotsu out from behind a large bolder, "Is my weapon. It's a bone boomerang made up of the crushed bones of many youkai and can cut through nearly anything. I will demonstrate how to use it before we go on to the last part of my lesson."
"I'm glad it's almost over," Keigo sighed. He had become bored ages ago. Mizuiro seemed to agree because he'd brought out his cell again.
Gesturing for the others to follow, Sango led them to a cleared area some distance away from a giant rock ledge. There was a scar in the earth indicating that another attack had once marked the area. "Hey, this is where I learned my first Getsuga Tenshou."
"Show off," Rukia muttered and settled in to watch. She needed to make detailed reports about everything that went on. Her superiors were interested in learning everything they could about the Taisho clan and their methods.
"Hiraikotsu!" Sango called and sent it after the innocent rock. It cut through the ledge like it was butter, the poisonous acid that had been added to the weapon sizzling the sides of it. The boomerang came back and just for amusement the demon slayer let it get as close to the group as possible before catching the oversized mass of bones.
"Now that's cool," Keigo admitted.
"It was interesting," Mizuiro allowed.
"Interesting? I want something like that," Tatsuki demanded.
"I rather thought that would get your attention. Many of you have weapons and powers of your own but for those of you who don't, I will teach you to use similar exterminating methods. I started using Hiraikotsu when I was about five. It took me a long time to be able to lift and throw it without trouble."
Sango passed the weapon around, amused when the only ones who didn't seem to have any problem lifting it were Ichigo and Chad. As Ichigo's Zanpakutou was as long as the kid was tall and Chad was made up almost entirely of muscle, it didn't surprise her.
"I still want one," Tatsuki said. She could lift the boomerang but throwing it with any accuracy might have been a problem.
"We'll see," Sango replied. "For now, I want to see how you guys do against real demons. This is where my lecture ends, and your real lesson begins. Kirara and I will be here to rescue you if necessary but I'm hoping it won't be. You'll be required to use your powers while still in your physical bodies." The slayer paused when Inoue, Ishida, and Chad summoned said powers without waiting for her to finish. Rukia and Ichigo held soul pills to their mouths, frowning at her. "Is something the matter?" the older woman asked innocently.
"While I can use kido, Ichigo can't. We can't access our Zanpakutous in our bodies."
"How do you manage to kill Hollows without getting attacked first, then? A demon's not going to wait around while you swallow medicine." Narrowing her eyes, Sango shifted Hiraikotsu higher on her shoulder. "What can you do?" she asked the substitute.
"I can probably dodge it long enough to swallow Kon's pill. Been known to do that a time or two with Hollows." Ichigo shrugged, showing that he wasn't all that concerned.
Tempted to pinch the bridge of her nose in exasperation, Sango merely sighed. "We'll have to wing it, I guess. Grab one of these and see what you can do." She gestured to one of the many weapons she had laid out before going to the box containing the sealed demons. "All right, are you ready?"
"Let's have at it."
"Do we have to?" Keigo whined.
"What do you think?" Sango peeled off the first sutra, watching their reaction to the sudden aura being emitted. Ishida was the only one who seemed to sense how serious it was while the others furrowed their brows. Sensing reiatsu and sensing youki was somehow easier for the Quincy.
She'd have to mention that to Sesshoumaru. "Begin," she ordered and let the demons free.
Ishida was the first to jump back, taking Tatsuki with him while Orihime protected them with her shield. Dozens of what he concluded were "low level" youkai swarmed the area, their attention quickly given to the humans below. "Watch out!" he warned, firing as many arrows at the two snake-like creatures headed their way.
"Tatsuki-chan, grab something!" Orihime called, sending Tsubaki after another, Ishida's arrows giving the flower spirit cover.
Chad concentrated on protecting Keigo and Mizuiro, who had cowered behind a rock. They shivered, arms shielding their heads. "Stay down."
Rukia shot off Hado spells one after the other, trying to cover for Ichigo as he grabbed the closest weapon with a blade. "You're learning kido after this!" she shouted, doing a back flip to avoid a three eyed toad.
"I'm not arguing!" Ichigo yelled back. His training served him well with stamina and strength and he used one of the weapons to take out the toad after Rukia. The demons had come hard and fast, not leaving him any time to swallow Kon's pill. Kazaana-san had been right when she said that if they attacked, he wouldn't have time. Ichigo hadn't felt the demonic aura like Ishida had and figured if some stronger youkai came after him, he'd be screwed. He'd been listening to the lecture despite his seeming inattention and had come to the conclusion that ability wise, demons had a lot in common with Shinigami. One of things that was probably similar was an ability to hide their presence.
"Look out behind you!" one of his friends shouted right before a barbed tail sent him crashing into a nearby rock.
"Kuso!"
Sango sat atop Kirara watching the battle and taking mental notes. Although she thought Kagome had only sealed a dozen demons and appeared to have gone overboard with the number, the taijiya had to admit that this was a true test of their strength. Unfortunately, their close bonds tended to put them on the defensive. "Attack, don't just defend!" she instructed. One particularly unlucky youkai was drawn by her voice and died at Hiraikotsu's hand.
"We are attacking!" Ichigo shot back, annoyed.
Just when the "Substitute Group" was beginning to think there was an end to horde, the box shook once more and a crack of thunder echoed throughout the training grounds. Youki poured forth in large waves, signaling the presence of a stronger demon than any they'd just fought.
About to go ahead and finish off what she figured was the last of the small fry, Urahara's gratingly cheerful voice called down to her. "Kazaana-san! Your cell is ringing!" Sango caught the slim phone, not bothering to glance at the caller ID.
"I'm in the middle of something," she said by way of greeting.
"Sango, please tell me you haven't opened the box with the demons yet," Kagome pleaded on the other end.
"They're exterminating them as we speak, why?" A large roar was her answer as a giant oni rose out of a cloud of smoke to tower over the group of teens.
"Because I gave you the wrong box! They weren't supposed to be tested with those until they could use actual taijiya weapons!"
"You what? Kagome!"
"I know, I know! Quick, save them, that box has the oni from-"
"Mount Kita," Sango finished for her friend. She stared wide eyed at the demon, it's red, glowing eyes filled with menace and hatred. "Gotta go," the slayer said and tossed the shopkeeper back her phone. "Everyone get back!"
Ichigo ignored her warning, instead intent on taking the giant ogre down that had swatted Rukia away like she was nothing but a fly. Kirara beat him to the punch, distracting the demon while Sango saved him from being a second casualty by blocking the youkai's hand with her weapon. "Screw this," he swore and swallowed Kon's pill while the others drew the attention off of him.
Hiraikotsu was taking a leg from the oni at the same time Zangetsu sent a small Getsuga Tenshou after it, slicing it down the middle without a problem. The demon broke apart as if it had been attacked by Tetsusaiga, not the spirit sword. The orange haired daiko didn't stop to see if any of his friends or the demon slayer was all right, he paused only long enough to put his Zanpakutou away before rushing over to Rukia.
"I'm fine, baka," she said, pushing his arm away as she stood. A large gash on her arm said otherwise.
"What the hell was that, Kazaana-san?" Ichigo charged, tearing off a strip from Zangetsu's ribbon to wrap around Rukia's wound.
"That was an oni. Normally oni are large, but stupid and not very powerful. That one however was a giant mountain oni and could have done some serious damage. I apologize for not checking the contents of the box first. Kagome just called to tell me that she had given me the wrong one." Sango checked over the group, seeing that the others were not hurt because of the mistake. "We have discovered two things, however."
"And just what would those be?" Ishida demanded. His arrows hadn't had the same effect as they did on Hollows.
"For one, Zanpakutous do work on youkai, and two, you can now be considered level five students of the taijiya. Congratulations. Normal humans wouldn't have been able to exterminate that many without studying our ways for at least five years. With a little tweaking of your powers, I'd say you'll be ready to do this on your own in a year's time."
"Joy," Tatsuki muttered. She dusted her clothes off, grimacing at what looked like demon guts on her shoes. "Just what I wanted to hear."
The others couldn't help but agree.
A/N: Mount Kita is the second largest mountain in Japan and is located in Miniami-Alps, Yamanashi Prefecture.