Disclaimer: Time for another, I suppose. I do not own the Inuyasha characters, but I do own Kirsten and the rest.
Acknowledgements:
I'd like to thank the following:
lyiint - for conversations and ideas, for sharing virtual coffee, chocolate and tissues.
Supreme Admiral of the Web – for conversations and ideas that provided the inspiration for this chapter.
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Chapter 16:
Kirsten found herself almost nose-to-nose with a snarling half-demon. She knew it wasn't really Inuyasha, but the programming of the solidograph was nearly perfect. The only thing missing was the warmth of his breath in her face.
She gave slightly before her opponent, then pushed back with all her might, following it up with a kick to groin that might have crippled the real Inuyasha.
"Ouch! No fair playing dirty." The solidograph took a step back, whirling the sais it held in each hand.
"You're one to talk."
They clashed again, the sais ringing as blows were made and deflected. Kirsten managed to tangle her opponent's weapons, and flung them away. The fake Inuyasha immediately back-flipped away before she could press her momentary advantage.
He made it to the weapons rack before she did and grabbed up a quarterstaff.
"That's a mistake," Kirsten said.
"How so, darlin'?"
"Quit calling me darling," she said, flinging both of her sais. He was right, they were nearly useless against the greater reach the quarterstaff afforded.
He deflected one sai and ducked the other. He whirled the staff in his hand and grinned.
"Tsk, tsk. That was foolish. Now you have nothing."
"Really?"
He came after her with the staff and Kirsten was kept hopping for a few minutes. She jumped towards the uneven bars, and swung herself up, perching on the top of the tallest of them.
"Can't balance there for long, sweetheart."
"Mmm. Can't I?"
"I'm waiting."
"Not for long."
Kirsten leaped for the next bar, passing over the solidograph's head, and just out of reach of the staff as he swung it up. She caught hold of the bar, and flung herself around, kicking out behind her and feeling her feet connect with the fake Inuyasha's back.
"Oof!"
The solidograph went down as Kirsten dropped to the floor. The small mutant immediately kicked the quarterstaff away, but then hit the floor herself as her opponent grabbed her ankle and yanked. He was on her in an instant and again she found herself nose-to-nose, her wrists held above her head.
The fake Inuyasha grinned salaciously and planted a kiss on the tip of her nose. "Mmm. I think I have you now, sweetheart."
"Don't call me sweetheart either. "
"Gonna say 'uncle'?"
"Not likely."
Kirsten managed to plant her feet in his stomach and kicked. She rolled out from underneath him, as he held an arm to his stomach. If he had been real, he would have been puking on the floor. But he wasn't real, and he definitely wasn't going to play fair. He was going to keep coming unless Kirsten did something drastic.
She sprinted for the weapons rack and came up with an eltwhip. The fake Inuyasha leered at her.
"Oh – like that'll work."
Kirsten leered right back and energized the whip. "You're forgetting, sweetheart, that you're just a solidograph and the eltwhip's field will disrupt yours. Now it's my turn to chase your butt around the room."
She whirled the eltwhip above her head so that it created a cage of energy around her that the solidograph dared not cross. He raised his hands in surrender.
"Okay, okay. I concede."
"As easy as that?" Kirsten did not look convinced.
"As easy as that. Good fight, love. Hope we can do it again soon." The solidograph bowed and disappeared.
Kirsten stopped spinning the eltwhip and de-energized it. She wiped sweat from her forehead. "Could someone explain to me where the hell that all came from?"
In the observation room, the three men let out relieved sighs. There had been one point where Tamisé had had to physically stop Jonathan from rushing in to help Kirsten. Inuyasha crouched on his chair in agitation, threatening to capsize it, and was making low whines in his throat.
"You alright, Kirsty?" Jonathan said through the intercom.
"I'm fine. Could use some water, though."
She came into the observation room and stopped dead at the looks she was receiving from the three men.
"What?"
"Sensei…" Inuyasha leaped from his chair, tipping it over finally, and landed gracefully beside her. He flung his arms around her. "Gods above! How could you ever think you weren't good enough to teach me?"
"Down, boy!" Kirsten laughed, patting his back. "Inuyasha, you're crushing me."
He got in a quick lick to her cheek before he let her push him away. "You must teach me to do that! I've never used the sai or the staff – well, I can use the staff a little from watching Miroku – but I can't use it like that! That's what I want to learn."
"If Cerberus has enough data to generate a solidograph, then I say we probably have enough data to analyze and come up with a training regimen," Jonathan said.
"We can start with his balance," Tamisé said. "We know he's not standing in a stable enough position."
"Oh please please please please!" Inuyasha cried.
"Okay, okay! But could I please have some water first?"
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"And that's why you sometimes get pushed back, dear," Kirsten said. "Keep your feet at a 45 degree angle from each other."
Inuyasha jumped a little as Kirsten ran her hand down his leg and re-adjusted his stance.
"Like that. Okay – grab my hands again and push."
The two of them stood face to face, gripping each other's hands and pushing with all their strength. This time, Inuyasha did not slide back under the force Kirsten was applying. But neither could he move her.
"Well – looks like we may be evenly matched – there at least." Kirsten released his hands. "Good! You see how stable that stance is."
Inuyasha nodded vigourously. Trying to push each other over was not his idea of training, but the small mutant had already made him fall on his backside three times and he was getting a little sore – physically and emotionally.
"Hi guys! Watcha doin'?"
Inuyasha inhaled deeply. He didn't need to turn around to know it was Kagome.
"Where've you been all day?" he growled.
"Oh… shopping, actually. David picked up me this morning and took me to the Eaton Centre and then dropped me here. He had today off."
"Keh!"
"Don't you want to see what I bought? I got something for you, Inuyasha."
His ears twitched. "For me?"
"Yeah, you doofus. Although I don't know why I bothered, since you won't talk to me."
"I am talking to you."
"Well – you wouldn't yesterday. Are you jealous of David?"
Inuyasha folded his arms and thrust his nose in the air. "Not likely."
"Yes, you are."
"I'm NOT."
"Okay, kids," Kirsten interjected. "Inuyasha, your manners, please. So show us what you've bought, Kagome. We could use a break."
Before long, Kagome had the littered the training room floor with various articles of clothing that she had bought.
"And I got you some more clothes, too, Inuyasha."
She pulled out several t-shirts from another bag. "I hope they fit. I just thought you'd look silly in a shirt, so I got these instead."
"Thank you." Inuyasha looked the t-shirts over. They were plain, solid-coloured t-shirts in bright shades that he was not used to wearing, but every one of them would look wonderful with his colouring, he was sure of it.
Kagome smiled when she saw the pleasure on Inuyasha's face as he touched the clothes she had bought for him. Suddenly, she felt guilty for having spent the day with David, instead of being here with Inuyasha. He had asked her to come to Canada with him to provide him support, and here all she was doing, it seemed, was having fun. Well, at least until summer school began next week.
"So – what were you doing all day?"
Inuyasha looked up at her. "I broke Kirsty's sparring robot."
"Inuyasha!"
Kirsten laughed. "It's alright. Ardy is designed to come apart if he's hit with enough force, and that's what happened. And we discovered that Cerberus has been working overtime…"
"You bet I have. Hi there, sweetcakes."
Kagome jumped at hearing Inuyasha's voice come from another direction, especially since he was right in front of her. He was staring at something behind her and starting to growl.
"Don't call Kagome that, Cerberus."
"Babe?"
"No." Kirsten had her hands on her hips. "Behave yourself or I'll have Freddie pull a few random plugs."
Kagome turned slowly around. The voice was Inuyasha's, but definitely not the words. He never called her anything but Kagome or 'stupid girl'. There was indeed another Inuyasha in red fire rat robes standing behind her, arms folded and giving her a most un-Inuyasha-like look.
"Hi ya," said the apparition.
"Leave her alone," growled Inuyasha.
"I haven't touched her. And I won't… unless she'd like me to." The robed Inuyasha leaned forward with his hands clasped behind his back. "What about it, babe?"
"Inuyasha?"
"Well, not exactly. This is a solidograph of Inuyasha. You can call me Cerberus."
"You don't really look like that, do you?"
"Naw. " The solidograph examined his nails. "I'm a computer, remember? But I can take a form like this for training purposes, just like I can control a robot like Ardy. Speaking of training…"
Kagome squeaked with fright as the solidograph snagged her around the waist and bounced away towards the end of the room where all the equipment was still set up.
"Upsy-daisy, babe." Cerberus jumped for one of the lowest rings, which were now stationary, and settled Kagome in it as if she were on a swing. "Hold on, honey."
Kagome grasped the ring in both hands to keep from falling. The solidograph balanced on top of the ring and started it swinging. By this time, Inuyasha had got up from the floor and was sprinting over, his face contorted with anger.
He leaped, swiping at the solidograph with deadly claws, but missed entirely. Cerberus thumbed his nose at him.
"That all you got, Yasha?"
"Not even started. You okay, Kagome?"
"I'm fine." Kagome kept up the ring's swinging on her own. "This is fun." She was too high up to get down on her own, but she wasn't worried about it. With two Inuyashas in the room, one of them was bound to help her.
She watched as Inuyasha began to chase himself through the room, taking random swipes at the solidograph who managed to stay just beyond reach of those sharp claws. At some point, a song began playing, and the movements of the fake Inuyasha changed subtly to follow the music, enticing the real half-demon to follow.
Kirsten stood back out of the way, not getting involved, although she kept an eye on Kagome. She shook her head at the girl, indicating that she was not planning on interfering.
Kagome listened to the song and recognized it. 'Gravity'. Well, well, how appropriate, since it seemed both Inuyashas were intent on defying it. She watched in amazement as Cerberus danced the solidograph along the balance beam, then began to do handsprings. She had seen the real Inuyasha do similar moves during fights, but never like this.
Then the two Inuyashas were up on the uneven bars, with the solidograph egging on the real half-demon as they spun around the bars. Inuyasha nearly had the solidograph at one point, but Cerberus made an unexpected dive for the floor and began a series of cartwheels. Inuyasha dived after him, slashing away, but not able to score a hit.
Cerberus was up on the rings next, moving around, over and through with a speed that even Inuyasha was finding hard to match. At one point, Kagome gasped, her heart in her mouth, when Inuyasha missed his grip and it looked like he would fall. But Cerberus snagged him by the wrist and hauled him up until he could catch onto a ring.
"Easy there," the fake Inuyasha said. "Don't wanna go splat, do ya?"
Inuyasha growled low in his throat. "Thanks."
"Don't mention it. Had enough?"
"You got a lousy choice of music."
The solidograph grinned. "Hits kinda close to the bone, does it? Whups!" He swung out the way of the punch Inuyasha aimed at him. "Oooo. I guess I hit a nerve. Aren't you lucky the song's over."
Cerberus manoeuvered himself to the floor. "Hey, Kirsty! Dance with me?"
"I'm not finished with you yet!" Inuyasha snarled.
"Sure you are. Why don't you sit yourself down with your little girlfriend, and I'll show you what this form can do."
Kirsten folded her arms. "Just what did you have in mind, Cerberus?"
The solidograph snapped its fingers and another song started. Kirsten listened to the opening bars and laughed.
"You. Are. Impossible."
The solidograph grinned at her. "No – just improbable. Come on. You can even lead, sweetie."
"You're on."
Kirsten began with an advance along the floor in a type of side-shuffle, advancing two steps, then back one. After moving a few feet, she did an aerial cartwheel. The solidograph copied the mutant's every move.
It seemed that Kirsten had a routine in mind as she moved, using many gymnastics moves that Kagome knew she could never do. Kagome applauded from her perch on the ring as the two figures executed perfect butterfly kicks.
Inuyasha sat in another ring, watching avidly. He knew some of those moves, but had never thought of them as something one could use to dance with. He was quite used to handsprings, employing them frequently, but had never seen some of the fancier moves. He rather liked that butterfly kick – and if the solidograph could do it, so could he. In fact, the solidograph was moving like a dancer from one of Kagome's music videos, and Inuyasha wondered if he could learn to do the same. It was certainly getting Kagome's attention. Kirsten would teach him, he was sure of it. Or Tamisé would.
Kirsten came to a stop when the song ended, laughing as the fake Inuyasha grabbed her hand and kissed it.
"Wonderful, as always," Cerberus said. "Will you let me do this with you again some time?"
"We'll see. And Cerberus… I don't want to see you outside the training areas in that form. Get me?"
The fake Inuyasha pouted. "You'll take away all my fun." He planted his fists on his hips and looked up to where Inuyasha crouched. "So what do you think, Yasha? Think you can do that?"
"Keh! Sure." Maybe in another fifty years or so, but I'll work on it.
"That was just incredible, Kirsty!" Kagome said.
"Thanks. Gads! Look at the time! We should get these suits off, Inuyasha. Jon will be wanting to take us home soon."
"Ooo! Can I give you a hand, Kirsty?" The solidograph leered.
Kirsten made a mock swing at him. "No. Session terminated, Cerberus. Clear the room, please."
"Sure, babe. See you tomorrow."
The solidograph faded away to nothing as the equipment began to put itself away.
"Hey!" Kagome yelped as the ring she was in began to retract into the ceiling. "I need some help getting down!"
Inuyasha grinned and flung himself off his own ring, snagging her around the waist and dropping them both to the ground. Kagome shrieked again and flung her arms tightly about his neck.
"Inuyasha! Gods! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"
"Why don't you get your things, Kagome, then meet us in the lobby? Yasha and I will be about fifteen minutes."
Kagome watched as Kirsten and Inuyasha exited, leaving her to pick up her scattered parcels. She bent over and began to stuff clothes back into bags, thinking about the way the solidograph had moved. She began to smile, wondering what their friends would think if Inuyasha broke into dance around them. Shippo would think he'd gone insane. Sango and Miroku would both have their mouths hanging open in shock. And Sesshomaru….!
Kagome shook her head, beginning to giggle. Inuyasha had the capacity to be a great dancer if he would let himself relax a little. He carried far too much tension in his body, and it caused him to trip up sometimes. She grinned again as she remembered him falling over Ryan's slippers. Maybe she could coax him into dancing with her.
"Yeah – like that'll happen." Kagome stuffed the last article in a bag and gathered everything up. She sighed and left the room.
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For those of you who care about these things, here's a list of music used in Chapters 15 and 16:
Midnight Blue- Louise Tucker and Charlie Skarbek
Love is Alive- Gary Wright
Instant Replay- Dan Hartman
Gravity- Soul Decision
Free- Enrique Iglesias
