InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Inuyasha's unknown heritage (Yes boring title I know!) ❯ What are they doing? ( Chapter 16 )

Chapter 16) What are they doing?

Training area ~~

Lina sat back and watched her grandsons as they hacked at each other for the second day in a row. She had woken them up this morning in much the same manner as before, but an hour and a half earlier, just so they wouldn't try to beat her as the first up. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru had both made requests for the blocking spell on their rooms and Lina had granted the request.

After eating awhile, she had made them jog a distance of eight hundred feet from the porch to a tree near the tree line about twenty times before halting the exercise. And now that her grandsons were moving about at an almost normal equivalency, she was making them fight each other with the practice swords again, them being so slow the other day, so that she would have a much better knowledge of their skill.

Sighing, Lina noted to herself to help the two with their vocabulary once again as she heard a few choice words being said from the ring not far from her current location. She had set up a new addition to the practice this time though, an orange barrier covered the area so they could go with their natural tendencies and use the surrounding area for leverage.

"Bastard!!" Inuyasha shouted at Sesshomaru as he was pushed back and bounced off the barrier, coming at his brother, full speed.

"Worthless moron!!!" Sesshomaru growled back as Inuyasha clashed with him, sliding him back into the barrier. With a great thrust against it he held off Inuyasha's attack. Feigning left, Sesshomaru brought his sword up and unsuccessfully swiped at Inuyasha with his poison claws (for those who don't know… in my story, Sess has both arms. Now lets continue).

Releasing his sword lock with Sesshomaru, Inuyasha jumped over his brother, landing lightly behind him and he tried, also unsuccessfully, to slash down his brother's back, before locking swords with Sesshomaru again. Releasing the sword lock again, Inuyasha lept back and tried his claws of steel on Sesshomaru, landing his fist in the dirt as he turned to block.

Similar attacks had been happening between the two for now on two hours. They were tiring slightly, but seemed evenly matched. Where Sesshomaru had the speed and skill, Inuyasha had the broot force and agility. What one lacked in grace or finesse, the other made up for. Both had started out fine, trading insults as they tried to find a weak point in the other's defense, finding virtually none, they had been both getting skill fuller as the day progressed. They each were studying the other and to her joy, they were learning from one another, unconsciously, but learning non-the less. Looking out she planned some new additions to the match that would restart after lunch.

Sadly though, their vocabulary had diminished to frightening proportions. Lina had started in her own amusement, to keep track. Marking down on a little tablet she had produced from her pouch earlier, she made three new marks by the word at the top of this page of `Bastard' in bold letters. Counting she was appalled at the fact that either brother had used it a total of at least thirty times in the last hour. Couldn't they think of anything else? With a pained look, Lina marked a few times beside `Worthless hanyou', Sesshomaru's favorite it seemed, and `Jerk', which in her opinion, after the first five times, lost its shock value. Sighing again gust fully, Lina looked at the sun dial she had set up this morning a few meters from the training ground, as not to be affected by anything but the sun. Noting the time, she decided that in a few minutes, she would make them stop for lunch before the next level of training began.

At least they were improving she noted to herself again, as a pained look crossed her face once more. She marked three more times beside her `Bastard' tally.

Kateru's Home ~~

Shippo was excited. He had been learning to amplify his foxfire and an advanced form of transformation for the last two days. He was staying in Kateru's house in a little room that curved out from the dome house set back in the trees at the base of the western mountains. (Think of Goku's house in DBZ) He had a little bed and a little desk and many things his size. Kateru had said that Lina had ensorcelled the room for him many years ago, so that his students could feel more at home when he trained them. All the furniture in the room was meant to change with the occupant, along with anything else they needed to have for their size.

Kateru sat a small distance from Shippo currently, as Shippo tried his foxfire on a small red and white circular target. Each blast was progressively stronger and larger as Shippo used the amplification technique at higher strengths, then lower and smaller, as he had been taught. "Watch it Shippo." Kateru said in his smooth, almost sweet voice. "You will tire yourself out if you do not recharge by diminishing the power for awhile. You need to get used to the higher levels before we can go to the next version of fox fire I am to teach you." Kateru continued with a look of slight worry on his handsome features, his black eyes shining from his position on a bench under some trees in the field they were training in next to the house.

Kateru worried a little for the kit. He had a thirst for learning and his small stature made his a perfect pupil. His biggest worry was how he was to break it to his adoptive parents, the importance of a balanced upbringing. Lina had sent some of the information to him telepathically on how they treated the kit after a small bout of rebellion on Shippo's part. Kateru had tried to get the kit to settle down and listen to him explain the beginning of his current technique and the kit had put him down flat. He had complained that he didn't have to listen, put him down, and immediately began to throw a fit. After some chasing and a good, hard, flick on the nose for good measure, Shippo had been properly chasted in the way of his people. From what he had gathered from Lina on Kagome and Inuyasha, Kagome spoiled the kit rotten and Inuyasha did not know how to chaste the kit properly when he usurped his authority. Apparently Kagome did not know that Inuyasha was, in the kit's mind, an authority figure and by sitting Inuyasha every time the kit put him down and he retaliated, that it was ok to not listen to anyone but her.

Looking over at the kit, Kateru stood and walked over to the kit and physically moved the kit into a better conjuring stance.

Satisfied at the improved stance, Kateru nodded at the kit and went back to his bench. Sighing he looked over at the kit with a now affectionate look. He needed to get out more he mentally noted. The kit's presence stirred a longing that he hadn't felt for a few months. Kateru had pissed off his mate royally those few months ago and he knew she was staying in their winter home further up the mountain, still waiting for an apology. She was the most stubborn kitsune he had ever met. Sighing he mentally added that it was one of the things he loved about her. They always had arguments about the best way to teach their students. Though at times he just made her mad to see the spark and sizzle coming from her forest green eyes and to watch her black hair stand on end in outrage. Sadly the last time, after agreeing to not meddle with each other's current students, she had meddled anyway. Not that she had been right that the boy at the time needed to be shown virtually everything first, like she had suggested, but it was the principal of it he added unconcincingly, even to himself.

Looking up through the trees at the bright blue sky, Kateru softly whispered to himself in exasperation. "Lina, why do you get me into these things?"

Kagome's house ~~

"You had better be studying dear." Kagome's mother called up to her from the kitchen doorway with a small frown on her face.

It had been two interesting days in their house. First Kagome had come back and explained to her mother, that she had finally decided to take home school since she was out enough already and she wouldn't have to make up so much homework and could take more time to get her equivalency.

Kagome's mother had been overjoyed at the prospect of not explaining every time she went out, how Kagome was doing today. Also she could now spend some quality time with her daughter. Recently though Kagome had also gone through the sadly almost nonemotional parting with her friends as well.

Kagome had gone and invited all three of her friends out to have a sundae. To her surprise, modification, and overwhelming anger, they had taken it surprisingly well. They had pointed out to her that she knew nothing of the current school gossip, she was never there for them, and that she just would never listen to them about Hojo-kun or about her :::sneer::: two timing boyfriend. Although upon hearing about the afore mentioned Hojo, she had told her friends that they had never listened to her about him and that she already had a great relationship with a boy and to, "NEVER!!! Call him a two timer!!!". With wide eyes on their faces, Kagome had walked out and fuming for awhile, and muttering to herself, gone home. Sure she had told them that Inuyasha was a two-timer, but he was her two-timer, and only she got to put him down like that.

Kagome had, after that, gone into a simple routine with her mother. She had been given the information on the equivalency from the school, and her mother had been certified by the school board to teach her daughter at home.

The very next day, Kagome's mother had sat her down with two of her five books and after going over them with her awhile, sent her up to her room to complete a few pages of work, that she would check later.

Now Kagome was in her room with her math and English books, studying at her desk and making good progress. Kagome looked up for awhile, smiling softly and thought to herself about the positives of having her mother do a one on one with her. After all, she had her teacher on twenty-four hour stand-bye if she ever needed help understanding some problems with her schoolwork. Looking over at the glass bottle, the shards winked back at her from their spot in the sun, at the corner of her desk. A dreamy look overcame her face as she thought of Inuyasha.

Closing her eyes she pictured her dog demon in great detail. His white silver hair blowing around him as his cute ears twitched in the breeze. She pictured him in a field, not far from Kaede's village, as she had seen him once before. Laying out upon a gently sloping hill, around and below him, the fresh green grass crushed and fragrant. His scent wafted to her as Kagome felt a tightening in her stomach and a hint of fire at the remembered smell. Suddenly out of nowhere, she smelled his sweat and scent, almost as though he was next to her. His thoughts comforted her and were thoughts of her. Her mental picture wavered and was replaced with him practicing with his brother in a field similar to the other one. He was exhilarated and having a good time by the looks of it. Looking down from her vantage point in her mind, she smiled at the ledger Lina was holding in front of her. Looking up and opening her eyes, Kagome laughed at the remembered tally and the Imagined look of pain on Lina's face. The entire sheet was filled with checks. It had looked like an entire page was dedicated to the word `Bastard' for some reason.

Smiling, Kagome shook her head. Sometimes she wondered about her imagination, sometimes it was just too far fetched. Looking over at the shards again, she switched her attention back to her math as the shards reflected the light from the window and gave a small pulse of energy beside the now focused girl.