Long Time No See!
Hotaka stared at Amaya for a few minutes wide eyed. He didn't expect the person he had caught to be someone he knew, let alone the girl who he had his first crush on.
Kazuki looked at Hotaka carrying his sister for a few moments before snapping out of his shock and saying.
"HOTAKA! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S YOU!"
Hotaka smiled at Kazuki but said nothing.
"U-uh Hotaka..." Amaya said shyly. "Can you please put me down now?"
"Oh, yeah! Sorry." He put her down on her feet cautiously because Amaya was a little shaky after the fall.
"Amaya!" Tanaka ran over to her and caught her before she fell over. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah... I'm just still really shocked is all."
"That was quite a fall you had!" Tanaka said hugging his girlfriend.
"So how have you been all of these years?" Kazuki asked Hotaka.
"I've been pretty good actually. Dad discovered this valley and it's a lot better than our old home. He's also been training me all these years. What about you guys?" He said, particularly looking towards Amaya and Tanaka.
"Oh, not much. Just a lot of boring stuff mainly. Not the fun stuff that we used to do."
Hotaka smiled and nodded before saying, "You guys should come and meet my dad. He would be happy to see you two again... By the way, what does bring you all here?"
"Well... Do you remember that three headed demon we defeated when we were kids?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, he's back."
Hotaka stared at Kazuki for a few moments.
"We need to find a master to teach Amaya how to use the Tetsusaiga."
"Wait. YOU HAVE THE TETSUSAIGA?" He exclaimed turning to Amaya. "I always thought it would go to-"
"Kazuki... I get it..." Amaya glared. "Everyone thought that."
Hotaka remained silent but it was evident by the expression on his face that he was taken aback by her response.
"Yeah yeah we all thought it was gonna be me." Kazuki said, frowning at the memory of the moment where it had chosen Amaya instead of him. "But we gotta get past that... Do you have a master in this village who can teach her or not?"
"Oh, yeah. We have many masters who teach all sorts of fighting styles. Come with me. Dad would want to see you first; he is after all the chief of the village."
Everyone followed Hotaka past the houses and to a cave at the top of a cliff.
"Hotaka!" An angry voice called. "I told you to-" Koga walked around the corner and then cut off his sentence when he noticed the large group Hotaka had brought with him. "Well I'll be!" He smirked at the twins. "If it isn't that mangy mutts twins! How is that dog anyway?"
Everyone, accept Hotaka, stared at Koga.
"Why are you all looking at me like that?" Koga said.
"Wait... you mean you don't know?" Kazuki replied.
"Know what? Wait.. Let me guess, he's given up the demon hunting and has left the job to you kids." He huffed. "Mangy Dog."
"Our friend Inuyasha has been dead for many years." Kaya said bluntly.
"What?" Koga froze in shock.
"Do you have a master in this village who can teach me how to use the Tetsusaiga, Koga?" Amaya asked avoiding having a conversation about her deceased father.
"The Tetsusaiga?"
She unsheathed the sword and held it up for everyone to see.
Koga stared at the sword for a few minutes, all this new information was a lot to take in but when he replied he said.
"We have one person who can teach you how to use the Tetsusaiga. I'll take you to him now."
They all walked back down the cliff and to a small hut that was far away from the other houses and caves. An old man walked out and looked shocked when he saw everyone.
"Oh Inuyasha! It's good to see you again!" He exclaimed looking at Kazuki. "You look different with that green kimono on, and where's the Tetsusaiga? I told you to take care of it!"
Kazuki bent down slightly, pointed to himself and said. "I'm Kazuki... I take it you knew my father?"
The old man blinked a few times, squinted and stared at Kazuki. "Oh yes, of course. You don't have the golden eyes he has."
"Who are you anyway old man?"
"Oh pardon me! I'm an old friend of Inuyashas and the one who forged his sword Tetsusaiga. My name is Totosai... How has Inuyasha been lately. I haven't seen him for years now."
"He died fighting a demon about eight years ago pops..." Kazuki replied.
"Died fighting a demon?" Totosai replied flabbergasted. "I never thought that a man like Inuyasha would die at the hands of any demon! Especially with the Tetsusaiga on his belt. Where is the Tetsusaiga by the way?"
"It's right here." Amaya said holding the Tetsusaiga out for Totosai.
"This is my twin sister Amaya, by the way."
Totosai took the sword from Amaya and observed it and then looked back up to the twins. "You both look very much like your father. When exactly did you take possession of the sword Amaya?"
"About a few months ago."
"Hmm... Have you used it since then?"
"Oh... No I have unsheathed it a few times but I haven't used it... That's why we are here actually."
"I see... I will polish it up for you and we can start tomorrow if you'd like."
"Alright. By the way, how long did you know our father?"
"Hmm.. let's see. Well I knew Inuyashas father who gave me two of this teeth to forge Tetsusaga and Tenseiga... I don't know exactly how long it was when Inuyasha and I first met."
"We have the Tenseiga with us too. Show him Nira." Kazuki said.
Nira walked up and showed Totosai the sword she had stolen from her father.
"Then your father must be Sesshomaru? Is that correct?"
Nira nodded shyly.
"Hmm.. It is good to see these swords again. If you don't mind I would like to polish up the Tenseiga as well, is that alright?"
She nodded.
"I am sorry to hear about Inuyasha." Totosai said quietly, a tear in the corner of one of his eyes. "He was always so arrogant... I guess it got the better of him in the end..." He paused and looked up at Amaya. "Can you make it back here by midday tomorrow? I have a few things I'd like to do in the morning but after that I have time to teach you."
"Yeah sure." Amaya replied nodding her head.
"I will also polish these two swords in the morning before training. Where will you all be staying?"
"I will find some place for them to stay, Totosai." Koga said.
"Very well then." He said contently. "I will go and have my supper now and see you all later."
It was getting dark by then so Koga showed everyone to where they'd be sleeping during their stay. He didn't mind having them all stay for as long as they needed to. Koga offered an empty cave to Riku, Kaya and Shushu because he thought it would be more comfortable for them and they accepted happily. The others were offered two separate cottages in the valley. One for the girls and one for the guys.
"Aren't you glad to get away from that Suzuki guy Nira! He's a bit much isn't he?" Yuko said to Nira as she was putting down her stuff.
She turned towards Yuko frowning maliciously, and Yuko could tell that the look was directed at the memory of Suzukis obnoxious flirting.
Amaya was outside the girls cottage waving to Kazuki and the others when Koga stopped her from going inside and said.
"Look, Amaya... I'm sorry for what I said about Inuyasha earlier... We live a very sheltered life here and don't hear a lot of news from abroad, and had I have known I wouldn't have said what I said. That mutt and I never got along but..." Koga looked down, his eyes filled with sorrow.
"It's ok..." Amaya said sadly. She held no grudge against Koga and remembered humorously how he and her father used to fight.
Before she walked inside Koga clasped her shoulder and added. "By the way, if you and your brother need anything you can ask me or Ayame ok? I'll get Hotaka to show you guys around tomorrow morning as well before your training." He said.
"Thanks Koga. By the way, it is really nice to see you again after all this time." She smiled.
Koga smiled back and bid her a good night.
"Wow what an eventful day it's been!" Sen chirped. "I can't believe that guy Totosai just happens to know your dad Amaya! It must be strange for him that you two look so much like him."
"Yeah, it must." She replied. "Though everyone always says that sorta thing to Kazuki and me, especially Kazuki. We're used to it by now."
"That's true!" Sen smiled sweetly. "By the way how do you guys know Koga?"
"He was a friend of my mothers, he knew my dad as well but they never got along." She giggled at the memory. "They fought kinda like me and Kazuki on our worst days. It was so funny to watch dad get really worked up every time Koga was around."
"Wow." Sen giggled, and then fell sad. "I wish I could have met your dad. He seemed like a really nice guy. Though then again my Babe Kazuki is apparently so much like him it's like in a way I've always known Inuyasha." They both laughed heartily.
"That is so true! Everyone always thought of Kazuki as a 'mini Inuyasha' when we were kids! They'd always turn to my dad and say 'He's like a tiny version of you! So cute!'"
Everyone chatted for a while before they all decided that it was time to stop and go to sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a big day after all!