A/N: Okay, let's see how this turns out shall we? No promises. Please read and review.
Kagome woke up and found that the bed was empty. She shot up and looked around, but couldn't find Shippo or Rin anywhere. She ran down the stairs and just as she was about to run outside a voice stopped her.
"Oh, you're up. Your son told me to tell you that he took his sister for a walk. The'll be back shortly." The innkeeper said as she came in from the back room.
"Thank you." Kagome said and leisurely walked outside. She wandered around the village, helping those who asked her. by the time she finally made it back to the inn it was supper time. She walked inside and was tackled by Shippo.
"Where were you kaa-san? I thought the innkeeper told you to stay here." He asked.
"I just went for a stroll Saien." Kagome said as she sat up. She took a seat next to Rin who was silently eating.
"Are you feeling better?" Kagome asked as she took a bowl of soup for herself.
"Hai, I'm doing much better now kaa-san." Rin said with a smile, but Kagome could tell it was forced. When dinner was finished they thanked the innkeeper and went up to their room.
"So you explained things to her Shippo?" Kagome asked sitting down on the bed.
"Hai kaa-san." He said crawling into her lap. Kagome played with his hair and looked over to Rin.
"Rin sweetie, what's wrong?" Kagome asked, though she had an idea.
"Rin doesn't like being around humans. Rin feels more comfortable around demons. Rin misses her Lord." Rin said as she started to cry.
"Come here." Kagome said and held out her arms to the girl. She hesitated before walking over to Kagome. Kagome pulled her into her lap as well and held the girl close.
"It'll be alright Rin. We won't be in this village for too much longer, maybe a night or two then we'll be traveling again. And you're only staying with Shippo and me until Sesshomaru can come and get you. Is that alright?" Kagome asked.
"H-Hai." Rin said wiping her tears.
"Better?"
"Hai." Rin said with a smile, this time it wasn't forced and that made Kagome smile.
"Alright, come on. Time for bed." Kagome said as she put Rin under the covers. Shippo moved and crawled under the covers next to Rin. She wrapped her arms around him and closed her eyes. Shippo blushed and Kagome smiled. Rin was out in no time, but Shippo seemed to be having trouble getting to sleep.
"Take good care of her Shippo, I have to go do something for a bit. I'll be back before dawn." Kagome said as she moved towards the door.
"But kaa-san-" Shippo started, but Kagome cut him off.
"Shippo. I need to do this. Once I do, we can leave." Kagome said with a smile before leaving. As Kagome made her way towards the forest outside the village she noticed that her senses had improved.
'Is that your doing?' Kagome asked her inneryoukai.
'Hai, it is.'
"So, are you ready to begin your training?" A voice said from the forest. Kagome stopped and saw two figures step out from the trees.
"Hai, I am. Let's do this Kanna." Kagome said pulling out her katanas. Kanna nodded before disappearing.
'Help me out here.'
Kagome said to her beast.
'I won't need to. You can do this on your own.'
'Are you sure?'
Kagome asked her beast a little worriedly.
'Positive. You are the daughter of the Youkai Lord and Miko Lady of the East. You have the best of both within you and you have learned how to control and use both of your powers. You will be fine.'
Kagome's beast said and she nodded. She took a deep breath and focused on her battle with Kanna. This one would be a bit more difficult than last night. Kanna is a void demoness and it is impossible to sense her aura.
'How do you find someone when you can't sense them?'
Kagome thought as she tightened her grip on her katanas.
'Just becuase she has no aura doesn't mean she doesn't make any noise. Focus your sense and you'll be able to find her.'
Kagome's beast said and she did as it said. She closed her eyes and listened to the sounds of what was around her.
The rustling of leaves as the wind gently blew through the trees, the bubbling sound of the stream flowing through the forest floor and running over rocks. That's when Kaogme heard it. It was soft, almost too quiet to hear, but it was still there. Kagome turned around just as Kanna appeared with her dagger. Her eyes widened in surprise and Kagome smiled.
'I can do this.'
Kagome thought as Kanna pushed off from her and disappeared again.
'I told you.'
Kagome just smiled at her beast then turned to block another one of Kanna's attacks.
"Alright, enough playing."
Kanna said then came at Kagome with greater speed than before. At first Kagome was shocked by the sudden change, but then she got a feel for Kanna's moves and soon she was too fast for Kanna to see.
"It would seem you have beaten me."
Kanna said putting away her dagger and Kagome stopped to look at the void demoness.
"What?"
"You are able to find me and predict my moves even though you cannot sense my aura. If we had coninued you would have beaten me."
Kanna said as Kagura came to stand beside her.
"Okay then, now hwat?"
Kagome asked standing up straight.
"We still have one more night before the new moon's hold over Naraku is over and he is back to his full strenght. Rest and we'll be back for your final training session to-"
"No."
Kagome said interupting Kagura. Kanna and Kagura both looked at Kagome questioningly.
"What?"
Kagura asked.
"Look, I have grown and it's thanks to you two. However, you guys are taking it easy on me. If you want me to be able to defeat Naraku I need you guys to push me past my limits. Attack me with everything you have and don't hold back, even if it might kill me. Because otherwise I won't be ready to face Naraku as an equal opponent when the time comes."
Kagome said and Kagura looked at Kanna before smiling and looking back at Kagome.
"Alright then. By the end of this you won't face Naraku as an equal opponent, you'll be an opponent that will make him want to hide in his miasma."
Kagura said and Kagome smiled before drawing her swords again. Kanna drew her dagger and Kagura flicked her wrist and her fan opened.
"Prepare yourself Kagome."
Kanna said.
"Because you're about to get exactly what you asked for."
Kagura said before they both charged at her.
"Is something bothering you Lord Sesshomaru?"
Taki asked and Sesshomaru glanced at his general before looking back to the paper work on his desk.
"What makes you think something is bothering this Sesshomaru?"
Sesshomaru asked as he looked at a request for more food from one of the villages on the outskirts of his land.
"Nothing really, you just seem to be a little...stressed."
"There is nothing bothering me. Take this request to Leahla and have her send more food to the village."
Sesshomaru said handing Taki the paper on his desk and his general bowed before leaving. Once he was gone Sesshomaru sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
'You lied to him.'
'Why is it that you always have to bother me?'
Sesshomaru asked his beast as he stood up and headed for the dojo. He needed something to help him relieve some of the stress he had been under sunce returning to his castle. He drew Tenseiga and went through his sword techniques. Three hours later her sheathed his sword and headed for the hotspring behind his bedchamber. he closed his eyes and relaxed as the hot water worked to ease his muscles and cleanse his body until his beast interupted him.
'Wonder how miko doing.'
'This Sesshomaru does not care how that wench is doing.'
Sesshomaru said to his beast as he tried to enjoy the hotspring.
'You lie. You care for her.'
'No, I am merely curious about her. She is a very...strange ningen.'
'She is more than that.'
'She is just a ningen. Nothing more.'
Sesshomaru said getting out of the spring and getting dressed.
'If you say so.'
Sesshomaru ignored his beast as he walked through his castle and headed for the gate. He needed to check on some things in his lands.
'Man, when I told them to go all out I wasn't expecting this.'
Kagome thought as she jumped to dodged Kanna's attack only to have to roll to the side to avoid Kagura's Dance of Blades.
'Calm down and focus. You made the right choice in asking them to go all out. You need to be pushed to your limits.'
Kagome's beast said and she sighed. As true as that may be this was crazy.
"Stop dodging and attack!"
Kagura yelled as she released her Dance of the Dragon and cyclones of wind appeared and started to tear up the forest and ground around them.
Kagome just barely managed to dodge them. Kanna jumped down from her spot in a tree and went to attack Kagome from behind, but she turned around and blocked it.
"Kagome, if all you do is dodge and block Naraku will wear you out and kill you."
Kanna said and Kagome nodded before pushing off from her and crouching down into her fighting stance. Kagura walked up to her with a smile on her face.
"Finally decided to fight?"
She asked and Kagome nodded.
"Goo, then prepare yourself. Dance of Blades."
Kagura said as she flicked her wrist and blades of wind tore through the air and headed straight for Kagome. She jumped out of the way, but one of the blades caught her in the side. She ignored the pain and lunged for Kagura. Her sword cut through her hatori, but Kagura jumped out of the way before the blade could do any damage.
"Good, but you'll have to do a lot better."
Kagura said before stepping back and Kanna took her place.
"Kagome you need to go all out as well. Stop dodging and attack us. Attack us like you would Naraku. Use everything you have."
Kanna said and Kagome nodded.
'Alright. If they want me to use everything I have I will.'
Kagome thought as she focused her kekki and forced it through her arm and into one of her katanas while she filled the other with her rekki. She twirled both of them and prepared herself for Kanna and Kagura's next attack.
"Bring it."
She said and Kanna nodded to Kagura before she charged at Kagome. She jumped out of the way and Kanna's dagger dug into the ground. Kagura landed behind Kagome and flicked her wrist to attack Kagome with her fan, but Kagome turned around and brought her sword charged with her rekki up and tore through the thick parchment of Kagura's fan.
She threw the useless item to the ground and pulled out a dagger from the inside fold of her kimono. Both Kagura and Kanna circled around Kagome and she watched their every move. They both charged at her at the same time and Kagome turned and blocked both of their attacks. seh flared her kekki and felt something inside her push to be let lose as well as her kekki. It took her a second, but she realized her rekki wanted to be used as well. She smiled and flared both her rekki and kekki at the same time. Her joined powers pushed Kanna and Kagura back and they flew into the forest.
When they came back they had their daggers sheathed and smiles on their faces.
"You have done well Kagome. You have learned to use your powers in sync with eachother and that will be what will kill Naraku."
Kanna said as she and Kagura stopped before Kagome.
"So then..."
Kagome trailed off.
"Your training is over. You are ready to face Naraku when it is time. Until then, keep a close eye on the jewel and those you hold dear."
Kanna said as she walked into the forest and disappeared.
"And keep training. It never hurts to improve your skills."
Kagura said, then with a nod of her head she was gone.
"I'll see you both when the final battle comes."
Kagome said to no one in particular before reiging in her powers and sheathing her swords. She stretched, wincing when it aggrivated her side and headed back into the village. She bathed before going back to the room she was sharing with Rin and Shippo. When she finished she crawled into the bed beside her son and closed her eyes.
'I think it's time I met my parents.'
Kagome thought as she started to fall asleep.
'Then we'll be heading towards the Eastern palace tomorrow?'
Her beast asked.
'hai.'
Kagome said to her beast before falling asleep. They'd start the journey to her real home tomorrow morning, and she'd deal with Naraku when the time came.