InuYasha

Future Heirs

Chapter Three

After a wonderful meal and great camaraderie, everyone had gone out to the west garden and enjoyed a bit of quiet time; contining with their idle chatter and listening to the early evening sounds. After an hour or so, everyone decided to enjoy one of the five hot springs that were inside the huge castle.

Kagome looked up from what she was doing and sighed; noticeing that the twins were watching them. She so much wanted to know who was the twins' mother, but knew she had to respect Sesshoumaru's wishes. She could see that the twins wanted to tell them, but knew better than to go against their father's wishes.

"Do you want to join us Kimiko?" Kagome asked as the girl looked on, confused at the activity in front of her."The girls and I are going to the hot springs and were wondering if you'd like to join us." she asked. Kimiko thought for a moment and looked to her twin who nodded with a smile.

"Sure." she smiled, getting up as her brother watched them leave before closing his eyes and resting against a tree breathing calmly.

Kimiko wasn't used to doing this with her mother or the others, only her younger sisters and female cousins as well as a few of her toddler brothers and male cousins who joined the girls.

She gently removed her kimono and moved to follow the girls into the water.

"You don't do this often do you?" Sango asked as they all settled in the water.

"No." she shook her head as Shippo, Kilala and Kinana got in the water as well. She stroked and cleaned Kinana's fur as the cat purred in pleasure at the soothing water. Kilala noticed this and went to Sango and poked her nose at the slayer's hand until it slid down her head to her shoulders.

"Kimiko, what does she want?" Sango asked, puzzled at Kilala's actions.

"Hmm? Oh she wants you to do the same thing I'm doing with Kinana." Kimiko replied, smiling gently and demonstrated her actions. Sango smiled and repeated the girl's action. She was rewarded with a happy purr from Kilala.

"You and your brother seem to never be separated from one another." Kikyo noticed as Kimiko looked to her.

"That's right. We've been together since our birth, Father never thought to separate us. We did everything together. We are a team in fighting in our time." Kimiko claimed while she brought her knees closer to her body, forgetting that she was a royal demon, she always did it when she was remembering her past.

"Is that why Sesshomaru sent you both instead of one? Because you work well as a team?" Sango asked as she noticed Kimiko's withdrawn nature away from her brother.

"Yes Father said that together we should get our job done quicker and be able to go home." Kimiko said as Kagome frowned, noticing the trait. It was something she had done as a child when she was frustrated. Kimiko groaned before running her hands through her hair and pulled a band out to show two black dog ears. She didn't want to admit out loud, but the hair band was beginning to irritate her.

"Oh my!" Kagome gasped, shocking the two other women as well as they all stared at the two appendages on the demoness' head.

Kimiko gave off a small smirk,. "Yes I do have dog ears, like my Uncle but mine do not match my hair." she said as Kagome reached over and touched them, making the two women gasp at her boldness.

"Kagome!" Both women cried as Kimiko just leaned her head forward allowing Kagome a better feel.

'This almost feels right for me to do.' Kagome thought as she continued her rub of the dog ears, making Kimiko's eyes to drift shut almost, but remembering where she was her eyes shot open.

"Excuse me but I must retire to my bed for the night, farewell." Kimiko said as she stood up from the water, showing her body with no towel to cover herself. But to their shock Ichiro leapt down from a tree as she grabbed a robe for herself and placed it around her body. Ichiro didn't look at any of them but kept his eyes on his twin's face.

"Let us go brother." she commented softly as he nodded and waited for her to lead the way while Kinana grew in size to walk alongside them.

The three women watched the two inu-demons leave and walk back into the palace. "Those two..." Kagome started as the two others agreed.

"They just seem close is all." Sango commented at how the brother and sister left back to go back to their rooms. "Granted, I've never met twins of the opposite gender but they act like any other pair." Sango commented as Kikyo nodded.

"But did anyone else sense her brother?" Kagome asked, a little creeped out at the fact that she didn't sense the young demon.

"No I did not." Kikyo shook her head as she went to grab a towel so she could return to the palace with the two women.

"Nor did I." Sango added as she got a towel for both her and Kagome who stood up with the cat and fox demon child.

When Sango, Kagome and Kikyo arrived back at the camp site ten minutes later, they noticed that the twins were sitting together, talking. They walked over to them, and sat down on their sleeping mats that were already laid out for them; which was next to the twins. Kagome went over to Kimiko and sat down next to the young girl.

"Kimiko, um...we want to know why none of us could sense Ichiro in that tree, and why was he spying on us?!" Kagome asked, looking at Ichiro, still a little creeped out.

"I had my eyes turned the other way. If I had needed to get all of you for an emergency, I would have come to the hot springs with my back to you., out of respect. I am not Miroku!' Ichiro answered instead, a little offended at Kagome's question.

"Hey, what is that supposed to me!?" Miroku asked, feigning hurt.

"It means that you are still a perverted jerk at times in the future monk. Sango still has to give you...a reminder in the future. When you need it." Kimiko asnswered, growling a bit.

"I'll be sure to remember that. Thanks for telling me Kimiko." Sango replied, giving the monk a meaningful.

"Yeah, thanks Kimiko." Miroku mumbled quietly, but not quietly enough, because Kimiko heard him.

"You're welcome monk." Kimiko replied, smiling as Miroku looked at her in surprise before he noticed her ears, as did InuYasha.

"You have ears like mine. I thought you were Sesshoumaru's kids, beginning to stand up in anger.

"You should be able to figure that out InuYasha. And before anyone asks, Ichiro and are mostly demons." Kimiko replied as she laid down.

"What's that supposed to mean!" InuYasha yelled, standing up all the way.

"InuYasha, sit boy." both Kagome and Kikyou commanded at the same time. Needless to say, the hanyou slammed in to the ground twice.