AN: Well, I guess I'm using my "free day" prompt now, because it just wouldn't be feasible to fit in my plans for "Mommy's/Daddy's Girl" with all the prep I needed to get to that point. Yes, I've come to realization that this fic is going to go beyond seven chapters, because the story's taking longer than anticipated. Enjoy.

Prompt: Free day

Chapter 4: Risky Plans

It was inevitable that someone from the camera crew managed to capture some of the action from the food fight the previous night. Luckily, they hadn't caught Setsuna and Towa's fight on camera—that would have been bad for PR—but it didn't take long for them to track down the two that had started the ruckus.

Of course, the girls made it easy, since after that night, the three became inseparable. They were relaxing under a tree after another exhausting yet invigorating day of camp, taking some photos with Setsuna's phone, when some crew members found them.

A woman with a microphone approached. "We hear you three were the cause of the infamous food fight last night. Care to comment?"

Before Setsuna could stop her, Moroha said with a snarky grin, "I was just trying to put a smile on my cousin's face here, but she didn't appreciate it."

The interviewer looked between the two of them, obviously noting their different origins. "Your cousin?"

"Yeah, I just found out last night! Isn't that awesome? I never thought when I came to camp, I'd not only meet my dad but a secret cousin too."

The interviewer waved the cameraman forward, and he zoomed in on them. "It sounds like you all have an interesting story. Would you tell us more?"

Setsuna slapped a hand over Moroha's effusive pie-hole. "I believe we have interview times scheduled for this specific purpose. Please wait until then. Now, if you don't mind, we'd like to get back to hanging out. Time is limited, you understand."

The interviewer's tense smile looked ready to crack her professional façade as her juicy scoop was taken away, but with a courteous nod, she left, although Setsuna noticed that a cameraman fell behind and remained a discreet distance away from the girls, casually aiming his camera around camp.

Moroha yanked Setsuna's hand down. "Hey, why'd you stop me? It's a good story!"

"You do not understand the press. Unless your comments are well thought-out, they will take your story and distort it to fit the narrative they want to write. Even when you do plan what to say, half the time they ignore it anyway and cut clips to generate their own spin. I wasn't worried about these interviews before, but I see now it's imperative we decide on what to say beforehand. We are related to General Sesshoumaru, after all. In the South, he is still seen as a ruthless warlord. The press will have a field day with that information."

She should know. Based on the few articles she had been able to find for her scrapbook, the comments about her father had not been pleasant, even when they only described the outcomes of battles.

"Shiori wouldn't allow them to make something that could harm human-demon relations though, would she?" Towa asked. "Besides, wouldn't it be better for Papa's image if we reveal he did fall in love with a human and had a family? It's the perfect story of a change of heart!"

"Others would say it's the height of hypocrisy, since he did not abandon his position as general after meeting her," Setsuna retorted.

Towa pouted. "But he helped put together the armistice! Why do you always have to be so cynical?"

"Look who her dad is," Moroha muttered.

"Speaking of fathers, we should discuss this with Uncle Inuyasha as well. This isn't a matter that simply concerns us. It concerns our whole family. I don't know how many people will see this documentary, but such attention can be both a blessing and a curse," Setsuna explained.

Moroha stood up and stretched. "Ah, I think you worry too much. Sometimes, you've just got to just go with the flow instead of over-thinking it. I find things tend to work out if you do that."

"Really? Because I have found quite the opposite," Setsuna grumbled.

Interviews were scheduled by cabin, so the three ended up speaking on separate days. To Setsuna's disappointment, Moroha was scheduled to go first—and she simply did not have the will to concentrate on a plan of attack, no matter how much Setsuna tried to convince her.

When the girls met up later after Moroha's interview, Setsuna asked, "How did it go?"

She shrugged. "Fine, I guess. They want me to come back and do another one with my dad after they've interviewed him. Something about 'capturing that father-daughter connection on film' or something."

"It sounds like they really liked your story!" Towa exclaimed. She turned to Setsuna with a wide smile. "Just wait till they hear ours!"

Moroha's story was one thing—she was the victim of a tragic accident, and though her father was related to the famous Dog Demon clan, he himself wasn't infamous like her father. As a result, Setsuna was still unsure of how to craft her and Towa's tale. When she asked her uncle for advice, he just snorted and said, "Don't even try to spin it. The press can smell lies from a mile away, because they're so good at making them. Then you'll just be in even deeper shit. So just tell it like it is: your dad was a jerk, and after he met your mom, he became less of a jerk."

Setsuna frowned. "Uncle, that's my father you're talking about."

"Yeah, and he's my brother. You've only had a sister for a few days. When you've known her for a few centuries, then you can come tell me off for talking about him the way I do."

And, as luck (or unluck, rather) would have it, Towa's interview came before Setsuna's. In the end, she couldn't dissuade Towa from wanting to tell her romantic version of events.

"It's the most beautiful story! Why shouldn't I tell it?" Towa argued.

The night before her own interview, Setsuna didn't sleep as she tried to imagine what the documentarians would ask and how she might answer. She planned and crafted her responses meticulously, attempting to memorize every calculated word. It was like studying for an exam where she didn't even know the topic.

So when it came time for her interview, for the first time in her life, she felt unprepared for the test.

It started innocently enough. "How are you enjoying camp so far?"

She saw no harm in answering that honestly. "It has proven an excellent challenge, and I enjoy being able to test my limits as a half-demon."

"Is that why you decided to apply to camp in the first place?"

"In part, yes."

"What were your other reasons?"

I felt obligated, since my father helped bring about this opportunity. But she didn't want to say that.

However, it felt like the interviewer was reading her mind. "Could it have had something to do with your father?"

"My…father?"

"Yes. He is General Sesshoumaru of the Dog Demon Clan, isn't he? You sister, Towa, said as much."

Well, it wasn't as if she could lie and make a fool out of herself. She needed to project an image of trustworthiness and strength. "Yes."

"Your sister told me that you had no idea you had a sibling. How did it feel to learn your family had kept this huge secret from you all your life?"

It felt like shit, that's what it felt like. But she couldn't say that. But what could she say? They were all waiting for her to say something, and she was stalling, and she was so tired from staying up all night preparing and—

And she just wanted to cry.

But she couldn't. Not while being recorded.

Her body, however, refused to listen to her.

When two tears dropped down her cheeks she hastily turned away, not wanting the camera to see them as she wiped them away.

"Setsuna, please look at the camera. Don't hide your feelings. Between you and me, an emotional response will resonate more with our audience than a stoic one. You want opinions to change, don't you?"

She nodded, unable to speak past the lump in her throat.

"That's good. And we can start that change right here. So tell us. How did you feel?"

Setsuna looked directly at the camera. Her face was probably a mess with red eyes and glistening cheeks. But maybe the lady was right. Maybe this was the way to change people's hearts.

"Hurt," Setsuna bit out. "But when Towa explained why they did it…to keep us from suffering with the knowledge that we had even more family we could not meet…I understood. And the fact that I wasn't the only one left in the dark helped."

"How did it feel to realize you had a sister? A twin at that?"

Setsuna's next answer came straight from her heart—completely unscripted.

"I didn't feel so alone anymore."

The weeks were passing too quickly for Towa's liking. She was only just starting to get to know her sister, but camp was already half over.

Moroha too spent as much time as she could with the girls during activities, but at night, she often hung out with her dad, unless he had counselor duties to attend to. Still, as much as Towa loved hanging out with Moroha and didn't want to deny her and Setsuna the time to bond, she also appreciated the one-on-one time with her sister.

The more Towa got to know her, the more she realized that all the nasty attributes she had attributed to "Mean Girl" at the start weren't the result of her being unfeeling—it was that she felt too deeply, but she didn't like to show it, so she walled up her emotions.

Just like Papa. And Towa knew how to work around someone like that. She had had a lifetime of practice.

It quickly became clear to Towa that, like their father, Setsuna did not like to feel inferior to anyone. When she made that realization, the first two days of their competition made sense. Towa enjoyed winning, certainly, but for her, it was more a matter of pleasing her father and grandmother rather than soothing her competitive spirit. Did a loss upset her? Yes. Did it gnaw at her and make her moody like it did Setsuna and their father? No. (Well, assuming the loss was legitimate and not an obvious practice of discrimination.) But Towa also realized that if Setsuna knew she was going easy on her, that would make her sister angry too, because she would think Towa wasn't taking her seriously.

Not that Setsuna was very inferior—in many aspects, she was Towa's superior. When Towa saw how Setsuna was trying to plan their interviews, she recognized a strategist at work—something that definitely came from their father's side of the family but had bypassed Towa, who tended to react rather than plan (much to her grandmother's lament).

Really, Setsuna just needed the opportunities to put her skills to use, and so Towa offered her a way.

When she asked Setsuna if she'd like to get in some extra martial arts and weapons practice, her sister did not hesitate to agree. Setsuna had some of the basics down, and Towa just gently corrected her along the way without being overly critical to help her improve.

"Do you have any hobbies?" Setsuna asked her one evening as they sparred.

"Hobbies?" Towa echoed. She did not understand the foreign term.

"Things that you like to do when you have free time."

"Oh! Well, much of my time is pretty regimented. I have studies to complete, training…. Lately, Papa's even given me some work so that I can start learning about managing the territory!" She grinned, thrilled that he had acknowledged her with such a responsibility. "So when I do not have anything to do, I generally relax…or I go for a ride on A-Un."

"A-Un?"

"Our two-headed dragon. Oh, you should come meet him!" Inspired, Towa abandoned her weapon without another thought and dragged Setsuna to the stables that had been built purposely to house the Northerners' steeds over the summer.

When they arrived at his stall, Towa reached out and petted his snouts, cooing, "Hello, A-Un! I'm so sorry I haven't been to visit lately. But to make it up to you, I brought a very special person to meet you today. This is my sister, Setsuna!" She turned to her twin. "Hold out your hand so he can sniff you."

Setsuna cautiously held out a hand, keeping her eye on the sharp teeth peeking out from underneath the reptilian lips as A and Un leaned down and sniffed. After a second, they both nuzzled her hand.

"Oh, he recognizes you! He only nuzzles people he's really familiar with. Papa must have introduced you when you were a baby."

"But that was so long ago," Setsuna murmured in awe, growing a little bolder and patting Un's mane. A jostled Un to the side, wanting the same affection, so Towa reached up and scratched him.

"A-Un can't speak, but he's incredibly smart. Two brains, after all. He understands what we tell him. And he makes a great confidant, because he can't speak," Towa giggled, pressing her forehead to A's snout and rubbing his jaw.

Setsuna glanced over at her. "Is there…not anyone else you can talk to back home?"

"Mmm, well, Papa's not much of a talker, and Grandmother is pretty distant. She doesn't like to talk about feelings. Thinks they're human and weak. She's softened a bit in recent years though! For instance, it used to be that she wouldn't even let Moroha on the grounds at all, but now Moroha can at least come visit."

"Why wouldn't she let Moroha visit?"

Towa blinked at her. "You do know Papa and Uncle are only half-brothers, right?"

Setsuna was silent for a beat. "I guess I technically did, but I never really thought about the implications for our family."

"Demons aren't necessarily monogamous—it depends on how developed they are, honestly. A lot of them are just like bigger, badder animals, so they take who they can get. But like humans, even the more developed ones are prone to…sleep around, I guess." Towa suddenly felt bashful talking about this. Everyone in the demon lands knew about the scandal, of course, as old as it was, but it was still a source of shame to Grandmother, and Papa had confessed it took him nearly two centuries to come to terms with it.

"Apparently, Grandfather was an exceptionally noble demon and highly respected, so when he took a warfront mistress and had a son with her, he shocked all of demonkind. Grandmother was so scandalized, she couldn't really process it. And when he died, well…it gave her the opportunity to ignore the issue rather than confront it, since Izayoi never brought Uncle to the palace to ask to raise him there."

They were silent for several seconds as Towa let Setsuna digest that bit of information. But the silence and tension made Towa fidgety, so she slapped on a smile and added, "But things are better now! After all, Papa insisted on paying for Moroha's upbringing, even if he couldn't raise her himself in the palace, and he allowed us to become friends, so it was really only a matter of time before Grandmother and Moroha started interacting more. And you know Moroha—it's really hard to hate her."

Setsuna bit her lip, obviously trying to keep from smiling. "Well, I gave it my best shot."

"And look what happened!" Towa laughed.

Setsuna was quiet for a moment before saying, "I've always wondered about our father's side of the family. I tried to find out what I could, but there wasn't much available, and Uncle only knew things from his perspective. He was…pretty biased. Still is. I understand Father was not exactly…kind to him when he was younger."

"Yeah, Papa and Grandmother are very similar in that, if they don't view you as worthy of attention, they ignore you. Grandmother didn't bother with me much as a child either. But now that I can prove I am strong enough to be in the family, despite being a half-demon, she's acknowledging me more."

"It's so different from how I grew up," Setsuna murmured. "Mother, Aunt Kagome, and Uncle Inuyasha showered me with love and attention. We've never been the wealthiest, and we definitely struggled at times, but they've always done their best to make sure I was provided for and that I could try to grow up as carefree as possible. Like…when I first saw Aunt Moe—she's Aunt Kagome's sister-in-law—play the violin, I wanted to learn it so badly."

"Violin?"

"It's a string instrument. I guess the closest comparison you might know is the kokyuu."

"Oh, I see!"

"But violins themselves—and lessons—are very expensive, and I knew it was something we couldn't afford, so I didn't say anything. But I listened to whatever violin music I could get my hands on, and I watched some concerts on TV. My family started to get the picture. Aunt Kagome asked Aunt Moe if she would possibly give me lessons at a family discount, but she went even beyond that. Aunt Moe gave me the first violin she had practiced on as a child as well as the discounted lessons—and I'm not even her biological niece."

Tears welled up in Towa's eyes. "Oh, they all sound so lovely! I wish I could meet them."

Setsuna nodded. "I want to give back to them somehow one day. And I would like to meet Father too. And Grandmother as well, I suppose—just to understand myself better."

Towa wiped her tears away. "Okay, this conversation is making me sad, and we don't have time for tears. We need to be happy! And you know what always makes me happy? Going for a ride on A-Un. Want to? He can carry us both!"

"I don't know…. I've never even ridden a horse before."

"Don't worry about it! I'll steer, and you just hold onto me from behind."

"But—"

Towa didn't listen to Setsuna's protests and she got A-Un's tack down from the wall and saddled him. Once she was done, she led him out, and A-Un knelt down, as was his custom when preparing to be mounted.

"Get on!" Towa said. Setsuna hesitantly slid her legs over the back of the huge saddle, and then Towa slid in front. Her heart leapt in excitement when Setsuna's arms slid around her—she was finally getting to act like a proper big sister! But when her arms became a death grip on Towa's stomach, she winced.

"Not so tight!" she said, patting Setsuna's arm. "Don't worry—A-Un won't let you fall off. He's a really good flyer."

"Flyer?"

"Up, A-Un!" Towa said, whipping the reins, and when A-Un soared into the air, Setsuna yelped in shock.

Towa laughed. "Relax! I promise you'll be safe!"

"But…I-I've never even been on an airplane before!" Setsuna confessed, burying her face in Towa's back. "I don't know how I do with heights!" She scooted closer to Towa, and the warmth from their contact spread from Towa's back to her heart.

She steered A-Un follow the river below them towards the western edge of the Zone, which she knew was all part of her father's responsible territory along the border wall. She didn't want to risk flying east into another demon's territory and breaking the ceasefire agreement. When A-Un reached his desired height, he coasted at a gentle pace.

"Come on, Setsuna, don't hide! Take in the scenery, and feel the wind in your hair. It's the best! And I'm sure it feels better when you have longer hair." Finally, Setsuna peeked up from Towa's back and looked around. A quiet gasp of awe prompted Towa to look back and watch her sister gaze at the idyllic, green valley below.

"It's beautiful from up here," Setsuna murmured.

It was moments like these that Towa was going to miss the most when they had to separate again.

It just wasn't fair. Why did their family have to suffer for love? Why did they have to be torn apart just because other people didn't believe humans and demons could get along? Weren't they proof that they could?

It wasn't just that she would miss Setsuna. She wanted so much to meet her mother. Setsuna took after their father so much, and Papa had said she took after her mother.

What would I give to be able to see her for a day?

She'd give up anything: her home, her wealth, her comfort. It would be hard to give up Papa, but if it was just for a day, she could do it. After all, she had been without him for this long already, hadn't she?

If only Setsuna and I could switch places, just for a bit.

The passing thought suddenly sparked an idea.

"Slower, A-Un," she said, and he lowered his speed accordingly. Towa didn't want her words to be lost in the wind, but up in the air was also the safest place they could talk about this.

"What's wrong? Why are we slowing down?" Setsuna asked, a hint of panic creeping back into her voice.

"Nothing's wrong. I just wanted to ask…. Do you want to meet Papa?"

Setsuna frowned. "I just told you I did."

"Right, but do you really want to meet him? Like, more than anything?"

Setsuna peered at her curiously. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking…when camp is over, we should switch places."

All hesitation wiped off Setsuna's face as she gave Towa her trademark face of disbelief. "Are you insane?"

"No, think about it! It would give you the opportunity to meet Papa, and of course, I'm dying to meet Mama."

"And how would that even work? We're not identical, Towa. We can't just swap lives and carry one without anybody noticing."

"I know—that's the hard part to figure out, but if it could be done…would you do it?"

"Towa, stop and listen to yourself. Even if we could magically swap our appearances, what then? We are completely different people who lead completely different lives. It would never work."

"Sure it would! I'd teach you to be me, and you'd teach me to be you."

Setsuna leveled her with a flat stare. "Can you really refrain from hugging everyone you meet?"

"I don't hug everyone I meet!" Setsuna arched an eyebrow. "…Just the people I like." Towa sighed. "Okay, I get it would be hard work, but we could do it!"

Setsuna shook her head. "It's one thing to pretend to be each other, but what happens when we're in each other's respective homes, and we don't know how to do things? You didn't even know what a shower was before you came here!"

"Well, I do now!"

"Yes, but there's still so much you don't know. And I may have a decent grasp of history, but that doesn't mean I know how people lived their day-to-day lives before modern conveniences."

Towa turned around and pouted. "You're saying you wouldn't give up the convenience of using a toilet to finally meet Papa? Even after everything he did to make sure you and Mama stayed safe? Even after he helped put this camp together, in the hopes we would meet?" Seeing Setsuna's face scrunch up with hurt, Towa let the disappointment drop from her words, adding a touch of humor to them instead. "Although I admit, going back to a world without toilets is going to be disappointing."

Setsuna shook her head. "That's not what I'm saying. Of course I would give up modern conveniences for a chance to meet him. But if I'm supposed to be you and I don't know how to do something you've done since you were a child, everyone's going to suspect me."

"Oh, that's easy! The great thing about being a noble is that everyone literally bends over backwards to help you. If you want to take a bath, just grab a servant and say so. The servant will prepare your bath. If you want to ride A-Un, but you don't know how to put on his tack, just say you want to ride him. Sure, I sometimes do things by myself, but at the end of the day, the servants are not meant to question the orders of their masters."

Setsuna thought about it. "I suppose that's true. …And if you really needed to understand something, there's literally a video for everything on the internet nowadays."

"The internet?" Towa asked.

Setsuna sighed. "Here we go. See? There's so much to teach you, and we don't even have internet access here. The only place with internet is that computer in the office. But they only let campers use that for emergencies."

"Wel…nobody's in the office at night, right?" Towa asked.

Setsuna peered at her. "No. Why?"

Towa grinned. "I know someone who can get us in after hours."

"You mean Moroha?" A bigger smile was Setsuna's only answer. "And what do we tell her when she asks why we want to break into the office to use the internet?"

Towa's brows furrowed in confusion. "Well, the truth, of course."

Setsuna rolled her eyes. "Towa, use your brain. If we tell Moroha we plan to switch lives—and I don't even know why I'm talking about this like it's a done deal, when I haven't even agreed to anything yet—how long do you think it will take before she accidentally blabs our plans?"

"Oh. Good point." Towa knew she was a terrible liar, and already the thought of keeping Moroha out of the loop tore at her heart. At the same time, though, she was well aware of Moroha's big mouth.

She thought about it, and then snapped when the thought hit her. "Just tell her you want to show us the internet! She doesn't need a reason why. She's simple like that. If you promise her the opportunity to sneak around and learn new, Southern things, she'll do it without question." Setsuna hummed in vague agreement. Towa latched onto that response. "Please, Setsuna? Can we try to make this work?"

"It's not that simple, Towa. No matter what, the truth would get out eventually, and we'd be in serious trouble. I'm not just talking about our parents—I'm talking about the government. What if we end up reigniting the war?"

Towa deflated. "I hadn't thought of that."

"Although…." Towa perked back up as that thoughtful tone came to Setsuna's voice. Setsuna was able to analyze situations and possibilities so much faster than she was. Surely if she thought a little, she'd find a solution. Sure enough, after a moment of silence, Setsuna said, "Mother and I already have close ties to Miss Shiori, and she's been advocating for half-demon rights for years. If we got in trouble, it's largely possible Miss Shiori would come to our aid and mitigate some of the fallout."

"True. And she wants to tell our stories, right? What's more inspiring than a story about two sisters who wanted to meet their parents so badly, they crossed closed borders to swap lives?"

Her sister hummed in acknowledgment. "Regardless though, when the truth does get out, they'll still have no choice but to deport us. But as minors, we can't go unaccompanied, so an adult—namely, our parents—would likely have to come with. Which means…when they switch us back, our parents might even be able to see each other for a few moments, even if it's just from a distance."

Towa clapped her hands in excitement. "Yes, yes! Papa would give anything just to see Mama for a moment—I know it! Oh Setsuna, please say yes! Just think about it: you said you wanted to give something back to Mama for all she's done for you. Couldn't that be a start? Letting her see me and possibly Papa?"

Setsuna tapped her finger against her arm and sighed in resignation. "I have a feeling I'm going to regret this." Towa gasped and twisted around to hug her sister. "Hey, wait, what are you—? Careful, or we'll fall off!" Setsuna protested.

"Oh, Setsuna, you're the best!" Towa exclaimed, rubbing her head against Setsuna's shoulder.

Setsuna tried to shove her away, but then she wobbled and froze. "T-Turn around and keep your eyes on the sky!"

"Teehee, alright, alright," Towa said, too happy to be angry at Setsuna rejecting sister snuggles. Especially since Setsuna's arms wrapped right back around Towa's waist.

"There's one condition, Towa."

"Name it."

"Obviously, we have to find a way to change our appearances. And scents, for that matter. Uncle and Father will smell us out in an instant if we don't."

"We can't tell Uncle either?"

"You know how Moroha can't keep a secret? Guess where she gets that from."

"Oh." It was a tall order, keeping secrets and finding specialized magic, but Towa would do just about anything to be able to see her mother. And as for the magic, she had seen so many "impossible" things in her life, she didn't know the meaning of it. "Okay, we keep it a secret…unless something goes wrong and we need help. Then we can tell them. Okay?"

Setsuna shrugged. "Fine."

"And as to your other condition, I swear I'll find a way! Would you mind if I ask Rion? She's been cooped up for so long, she's probably read every scroll on magic that exists. If anyone knows how to change appearances, she would."

Setsuna frowned. "You just promised to keep this a secret."

"And we will! Trust me, Rion won't tell a soul—not that she has a lot of people to talk to anyway, given that she's cooped up at home. I swear, she's our best chance, Setsuna."

Setsuna sighed. "Fine. We'll ask Rion first. If she thinks there might be a way, then we'll break into the office so I can show you the internet."

"Oh, there are certainly many ways to disguise oneself thoroughly," Rion told Towa and Setsuna in a secret meeting that night in A-Un's stall, since so few campers ever came by the stables.

Towa pumped her fist in the air. "I knew it!"

"Fox demons and tanuki could transform you, of course…but the magic isn't permanent, and you would have to have one nearby to reapply the spell."

"Can't do that," Towa said.

"There are also many Daoist spells," Rion added.

Towa's eyes widened in anticipation. "That sounds promising!"

"But again, if the spell wears off, you would have to reapply it yourself, and the Daoist spells I know are fairly complicated."

"Ugh, Rion, don't get my hopes up like that," Towa sighed, slumping back against a sleeping A-Un.

"So there aren't any other ways?" Setsuna asked.

Rion tapped her chin in thought. "Well, there is another possibility…but the results are not guaranteed."

"We'll try anything!" Towa said.

"Then wait here," Rion answered, getting up and running back towards the cabins. She returned a few moments later with a small, lacquered box.

"What's that?" Setsuna asked.

"It is something that my family has been guarding for some time now," Rion said, opening the box to reveal a necklace threaded with needle-like pieces of bone and what appeared to be a giant, pink pearl in the center. "It is called the Shikon Jewel, and it is said to grant the wish of those who possess it."

"I've heard of that," Towa gasped in awe. "It's rumored to double—no, triple the strength of any demon!"

"It does, yes, but it can do so much more. As its name implies, there are four souls that make it the jewel: courage, friendship, wisdom, and love. My father has seen what the jewel does in the hands of those who do not possess those qualities, and the results are disastrous. But he theorizes that a pure wish made upon the jewel—one from someone who possesses all of these qualities—will not suffer any ill effects. However, as I said, it is only a theory."

"If this jewel is so prized, why did you bring it here?" Setsuna asked. "Isn't that something you'd leave behind with your father for safekeeping?"

"Oh, Father entrusted me with it years ago. You see, he does not trust my aunt with it, and he cannot be bothered to look after it, so he bestowed the duty upon me, and I was honored to accept, for it meant he recognized me as worthy." A small blush graced Rion's cheeks. "So I brought it with me. After all, how much safer can it be than in a place where none but a select few are allowed to come?"

"May I?" Towa asked, pointing towards it. Rion nodded. Towa picked up the jewel and looked it over. "Wow. I can certainly feel its power. And you're saying it will grant any wish?" She looked at Setsuna. "Couldn't we just wish for the wall to come down then?"

"And restart the war? Those are exactly the sorts of bad consequences I imagine would happen from a wish like that," Setsuna answered.

"Then we can wish for the war to end!"

Setsuna sighed. "If it were that easy to wish for world peace, don't you think Rion would have tried it already?"

Rion smiled softly. "Sadly, Setsuna is right. The jewel only has the power to impact the wish-bearer herself. For instance, it could give you the strength to bring down the wall…but as Setsuna said, the consequences would be dire."

"I understand. So how do we make a wish?" Towa asked.

"Hold it together, as if you are praying," Rion suggested.

Towa held out the jewel between her and Setsuna, who grasped it with two fingers between her own. Setsuna sucked in a breath. "It feels so warm."

"Get as close as possible. Let the jewel feel your friendship and love for each other."

Towa scooted closer to Setsuna, so that the two of them knelt knee-to-knee.

"Now, close your eyes and think of your wish," Rion said. "Your heart's truest desire."

"I want to meet my Mama," Towa said, her voice growing thick.

"I want to get to know my Father," Setsuna added, feeling a burning in the back of her eyes despite herself. She couldn't believe she was on the verge of crying again. But as the thought of finally meeting her father face-to-face filled her mind's eye, she remembered the words of his letter: Demonstrate to me your strength and courage when next we meet.

I want to, Father. I will.

She leaned her forehead against Towa's, seeking a connection to her sister. Unsurprisingly, the affectionate action caused Towa to cry. Hearing her sister sob caused Setsuna's heart to clench, and she squeezed her eyes shut tighter, freeing a single tear that rolled down her cheek.

The jewel began to glow, and a voice in Setsuna's head asked, "Is that what you truly desire?"

And then, as if the jewel had connected their minds, the twins blurted out together, "I want to bring our family back together, whatever it takes!"

The tears of each sister hovered on their chins…until they dropped simultaneously upon the Shikon Jewel.

With a clink, the tears solidified and bounced off the jewel, falling to the ground as two pearls: one gold and one silver.

Setsuna opened her eyes at the sound. Towa sniffed and rubbed her eyes and nose on her sleeve. "What's this?" she asked, reaching for the silver pearl. As soon as she touched it, Setsuna and Rion gasped.

"What? What is it?" Towa asked, looking at them both.

"You've turned into Setsuna!" Rion exclaimed.

It was as if Setsuna were looking in a mirror—albeit one in which she wore traditional clothing. She leaned over and smelled Towa. Her eyes widened. "You even smell like me." Setsuna then grabbed the gold pearl, and it was Towa's turn to gasp.

"And now you're me!"

"Amazing," Setsuna murmured, rolling the gold pearl between her now ultra-pale fingers. Then she placed it back on the ground, and her disguise vanished.

Rion clapped. "Wonderful! I'm so happy it worked!"

"Thank you so much, Rion! You're the best!" Towa exclaimed, throwing her arms around her friend.

"I only wish I could help you more, especially once Setsuna takes your place. Sadly, when we return home, I will be on the opposite side of the land and unable to leave home." Her little brown ears drooped against her head.

"You can fight for yourself now though!" Towa retorted. "Show your dad you can take care of yourself, and maybe he'll let you go out now."

"Oh, but I am nowhere near as skilled a fighter as you are, Towa, and you had to wound my father to be allow me to attend camp. I would never be able to do the same."

"You're his daughter. If you ask, how can he possibly refuse?" Towa retorted. "Look at my Papa. Everyone thinks he's the most ruthless demon in the land, but if I'm truly passionate about something, he doesn't deny me!" She grinned. Watching Towa smile with her own face made Setsuna shiver.

"Please un-disguise yourself. Your mannerisms with my face are giving me the creeps."

"Right. Commence phase two: learning to be each other!" Towa said.

Phase Two involved drawing detailed maps of their homes and memorizing the names and features of family and close friends/servants. Of course, while Setsuna had the power of photography on her side, Towa was left to her artistic skills.

They were not impressive.

"What is that?" Setsuna asked, looking at a childish drawing featuring a round head and bulbous eyes on a squat body.

"This is Jaken. He is Papa's most loyal retainer. He can be very annoying and likes to lecture me a lot, but beneath that scaly exterior, he has a soft heart and would do anything for me."

"This doesn't help me," Setsuna said, looking at the drawing.

Just then, Moroha burst into the room, and the two shut their mouths. "Hey, whatcha doin'? Oh, is that Jaken?" Moroha asked, pulling the sheet of paper from Setsuna's hands.

"How can you tell? It looks like a cartoon character," Setsuna asked.

"I don't know what that is, but this is a perfect likeness," Moroha laughed. "Did you know he is the biggest sap for Uncle Sessh? He would lay down his life for him—although Uncle Sessh also threatens to kill him about once a week, at least."

"That's only if he gets really angry," Towa inserted, not wanting Setsuna to see their father in a bad light. She did wish Papa laid off the death threats a little more. The poor imp had such a complex about it, even though Towa knew her father would never carry through on them. "Otherwise, he just throws rocks at Jaken to shut him up."

Setsuna rubbed the back of her head. "Now I understand why you had such good aim that one day," she grumbled. "Do you throw rocks at him too?"

Towa and Moroha shared a look and snickered. "It's been a game we've played in the past to see who could hit Jaken the most. We always hide, so he thinks it's Papa."

"Although, usually after the second or third rock hits, he realizes it's us, because Uncle Sessh would never throw so many," Moroha answered. "One and done for him, unless Jaken opens his mouth again and utters a second stupid thing." Moroha looked over the papers on the table—their various drawings of house plans and people. "So what is all this?"

It took everything within Towa not to blurt out the truth. Setsuna had gone over this with her: they could still tell the truth without really telling a lie. "Setsuna has all these photos of her friends and family and home, and I wanted to share with her what mine look like, although drawing is the best I can do."

"I am also limited in what photos are on my phone," Setsuna answered. "If I had access to the internet, I could show both of you more about my world."

Towa shared a look with her twin. It's time.

"Is that something you'd be interested in, Moroha?" Setsuna added.

"Sure!"

"Very well. But I'd need your help. We'd have to sneak into the office after everyone's asleep to use the computer."

Moroha grinned. "Oh, that's no problem. Leave that to me."

Setsuna knew she had a frosty personality, but she did not consider herself a bad person. Yes, if someone hit her, she tended to retaliate, but that was just an extension of physics, wasn't it? For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. She never went overboard, however.

But while she got into the occasional fight, she did not consider herself a rule-breaker, per se—and most certainly not a trespasser.

But I suppose this is only the beginning, she thought as she played lookout while Moroha picked the lock on the door to the office. After all, entering the demon lands illegally will probably constitute the greatest trespassing crime ever.

With a sudden click of the lock, they were in. Moroha quietly closed the door, and Setsuna used her enhanced night vision and knowledge of the layout to locate the computer in back. While it was a slightly older desktop, it wasn't ancient, so she had no trouble booting it up. Towa and Moroha leaned over her shoulders.

"What's it doing?" Towa asked.

"It has to load first." She was glad Towa was paying attention. Setsuna had told her to watch her every move, so that she would understand later how to work a computer more easily.

"What does that mean?" Moroha asked.

Setsuna sighed. "You know how your brain is foggy after you sleep, and you have to run through some thoughts to remember what day it is or what you're doing?" They both nodded. "That's basically what the computer has to do every time you turn it on."

"Ooooh," the two girls answered.

A sticky note posted to the screen gave her the password to hack in, and then she just waited for the desktop to load.

"What are all those little pictures?" Towa asked.

"They're icons. They represent different programs you can use."

"I don't understand a word you just said."

Ugh, this was going to be harder than she thought.

"See this one?" she asked, circling the mouse over the internet browser. It was the same one she used at home, so at least the icon would be familiar, if Towa remembered it. "This is for the internet." She clicked on it, opening up the search engine. "So this is where you would ask a question or put in a topic. For instance…let's look up Miss Shiori." She typed in Miss Shiori's name, and the search engine popped up with several videos and articles about her. "See? Here's the video that announced the camp." Setsuna clicked on it, and the video opened in a new tab and started playing.

While the Northerners watched the video in fascination, Setsuna was more concerned with the likes and comments. She had never bothered to look them up before.

To her surprise, they were pretty evenly mixed.

Councilor Shiori is amazing! Half-demons are the bridge connecting our lands. I hope one day we can all come to an understanding!

Why we would try to communicate with the North? Keep it closed! We don't need demons eating us.

Why would the North agree to this? Are the demons planning something?

I know some half-demons, and they're pretty cool. This is a good opportunity for them. Good work.

Towa noticed her scrolling. "What are you reading?"

"These are the comments. They allow people to give their reactions. The more people watch a video and react, the more attention it receives. See these numbers here?" She circled the mouse around them. She had been teaching Towa and Moroha Arabic numerals, since they were so widely used, even at camp. It didn't take long for the two to master them, since they were just ten symbols they needed to learn to replace their traditional ones. "These indicate how many times the video has been viewed."

"2.3 million," Towa said. "Wow. Are there even that many people in the human lands?"

"Absolutely. So you see, information has the power to spread easily, as long as it's popular…whether it is factual or misleading."

"I understand," Towa said.

Time for the next part of the lesson. "Now, would you both like to see my house and the school I attend?"

"You can do that?" Moroha asked.

Setsuna went to a navigation site and typed in her address. Then she used street view to show it.

"There. That's Mother's flower shop," Setsuna said, pointing to the bright yellow door. She raised her finger to the windows above. "And this is the apartment where we all live. Uncle Inuyasha and Aunt Kagome live on the top floor, but the kitchen is on our level, so they come down to eat with us."

Towa nodded, and Setsuna was sure she was soaking all this in. This view was only to reaffirm what she had already shared with her.

Then Setsuna turned the camera around. She wasn't sure how long they were going to remain switched—days or perhaps a few weeks, if they were lucky and didn't get caught. Either way, there was one thing Setsuna worried about in regards to Towa. It had the potential to help her learn about the world faster…if she could handle it.

"Watch closely. I don't have to walk far to go to school." She navigated down a few streets. She would write down the names of the streets and directions for Towa later, but for now, she at least wanted her to have a semi-decent look at the surroundings.

"I always wondered what the South looked like, but I didn't imagine it'd be this different. Where's all the green? All I see is black and white and gray," Moroha noted.

"Yes, everything's built up. Mother and Uncle dislike living in the city for that reason as well, but it gave us the best opportunity to succeed after we were relocated. Ah, here. This is my school. It's where I go to do my studies."

"I can't believe I'm seeing parts of the South," Towa breathed. "I wish we could see the demon lands, so I could show you my home too."

Setsuna knew there would be no street view…but at the same time, she wondered if there was satellite imagery. She had honestly never thought to look.

She scrolled out until she was looking at a whole map of the island nation and then turned on the satellite view. The Wall was a double-ridged scar bisecting the land in two. Like scabs or decay, gray spiderwebbed all across the South, while the North remained a mix of luscious greens, dark browns and white peaks in the northern mountains. Setsuna zoomed in over the western portion of the wall. To her surprise, there were satellite images of the demon lands.

Is this how we keep surveillance on them? she wondered.

"Oh! I've seen this view from A-Un's back! Go north!" Towa hissed. Setsuna dragged the map north. "There! Setsuna, do you see it? That's my home!"

Setsuna gaped at the gargantuan palace roof and the huge flight of steps leading to it. Below the palace lay a courtyard and widespread gardens.

"All of this…is your home?" she asked. Towa's drawings had not done it justice. At least seeing parts of it now, she might be able to keep herself from looking like a slack-jawed idiot when she first laid eyes on it at the end of summer.

"Yes! See, there are the stables, and there's the training ground…. And oh, you can even see Grandmother's throne at the top of the steps! She likes to sit there and observe the territory. She can see for quite a distance, you know."

Just then, the soft click of footsteps on asphalt caused all three girls to straightened and cock their heads towards the sound.

"Someone's coming," Towa hissed.

Setsuna sniffed, and her muscles locked. She knew that scent. "We have to go," she said, remembering to clear the browser history despite the rush of adrenaline that sent her heart galloping. She shut down the computer.

"Let's bail," Moroha said, dashing forward to lock the front door as Towa opened a back window. They all dove out the window. When Towa went to close it, something flew off the roof towards her with a squeak.

"Ah, what the—?" she almost yelped.

"Shh, it's just a bat," Moroha hissed, putting a hand over her mouth. "Come on, let's go."

They crept along the back wall of the line of buildings towards the cabins. When they reached Towa's, they slipped between the two buildings and peered out onto the street.

"And just what have you three been up to?"

The girls' heads all whipped around to look up behind them. Shiori stood on the roof of a cabin, a bat clinging upside down to her finger.

Shame coursed through Setsuna. She couldn't believe her idol had caught her sneaking through the night like a thief. She was about to come clean when Towa said, "Please don't be mad, Shiori. Setsuna just wanted to share some more knowledge about our family, and she needed to internet to do it. Moroha and I are trying to learn about our parents in the South before we have to go back home. I want to tell my Papa everything I can."

Shiori jumped down to the ground. "Breaking and entering is a crime, you know, and I should punish you for it." The girls flinched, casting their gazes to the ground. "But I cannot fault you for wanting to learn more about your families. Understanding your heritage is part of the goals for this camp, after all. I just wish you had come to me before deciding to sneak around and break into my office. I would have let you use the computer had you asked."

"We're sorry, Miss Shiori," Setsuna murmured.

Miss Shiori smiled, as if to lessen the blow. "I'm always here to help you girls. I just want you to remember that."

AN: Did I mess with the Shikon Jewel lore a bit? Yes I did. Did Yashahime? Also yes. So I have no regrets, haha. Honestly, there's no telling what powers are in these jewels, so…let's just roll with it. (Please.)

And so SessRin Twins Week has officially ended. Did I successfully complete the challenge this time? No. Am I still proud of myself? Yes. Why? I've got 40,000 words to show for it, that's why. That's a good 10,000 more than my last two SessRin Week stories, and this fic's not even done yet. That said, I am quickly burning out here (hence the lack of update yesterday), so updates are going to come slower now that the week is done and so is my vacation—but I promise I'll still complete the prompts and story sooner rather than later. I'll have to work out a schedule with this and My Sanctuary until it's finished (I'll likely be trading off every other week), but this one will still be fairly short (or so I hope). Thanks for reading thus far, and I hope to see you again next update!