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The Hunt For The Shikon No Tama	By : Ericedwyn Category: InuYasha > General Views: 2114 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, nor make money from this story.

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TITLE:  The Hunt for the Shikon no Tama
Author:  Ericedwyn
Disclaimer:  Inuyasha and all his friends were created and lovingly brought to life by Rumiko Takahashi.  I am merely celebrating them.
A/N:  All text in ‘___’ are thought expressions, **__** are from comm links, and ~__~ are telepathic messages. (Revised on 12/2017)

Prologue II:  Freaky Twin Thing

~* The Hunting Pack’s HQ – Briefing Room, Eleven years ago *~
Touga leaned forward from his seat, an appeal in his wizened golden eyes.  “Kaede, I understand how you feel, but in lieu of what happened, surely you must concede.  Kagome needs to be trained.”
Kaede stared down at her tightly, clasped hands.  “I know, Touga-sama, and I’m not fighting you on this.  It’s just I had hoped that she wouldn’t need to be involved in this dangerous business.  I wanted to protect her as much as I could.”
“Looked to me like she could protect herself.  She almost purified me!”  Inuyasha exclaimed without thought.  He was about to expound on what had almost happened to him, when he caught the thundering glares aimed at him by both his father and half-brother.  Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably in his chair and remained silent.
“It was a limitation on all our parts.  We all thought it was Kikyou who held the most power because she demonstrated it at such an early age.  We overlooked Kagome’s powers and abilities altogether.”  Touga stated.  His thick eyebrows furrowed together in deep thought.  “We need to rectify this matter.”
Kaede nodded, her loose raven dark hair shook slightly.  She sighed audibly, suddenly tired.  “What do you propose?”  She asked levelly, as she eyed each person seated at the oval table in turn.
“We will need to start her training immediately.  You know as much as I do how dangerous untrained miko powers can be, Kaede.”  Meiyo stated, the look in his brown eyes suddenly reminded her of the past when they used to train together under Touga.
“Yeah, and she has a whole year to make up for to catch up to Kikyou.”  Inuyasha added.  “I can bring her up to spee…”
“I shall supervise Kagome’s training.”
All eyes turned to Sesshoumaru, but only Inuyasha hazarded to speak what was all in their minds.  “You?  But you never get involve in their training…”
“As Inuyasha pointed out, Kagome will need extensive training to reach Kikyou’s level.  If they are to work as a team in the future, they will need to be well matched in skillset.  It will be dangerous if one of them has to carry the other.”  Sesshoumaru interrupted.  “I will begin her training tomorrow.  Will that do, Kaede?”
Everyone trained their eyes at Kaede for her response.  “I suppose…”  Kaede began to say, but she looked towards Touga, a little unsure about the idea of Sesshoumaru training her youngest daughter.
Touga smiled at the Warrior Miko.  “It is an excellent notion, Kaede.  Sesshoumaru will make sure she is properly trained.”

~* The East Residential Wing’s Playroom, Nearly a year later *~
“Hey, your Kirby ate me!”  Sango said as she elbowed the girl seated next to her.  She waited impatiently for her reserved Link to fall from the sky to join the current all out, no-holds-barred, Super Smash Bros. slam fest.
Seven year old Kagome giggled.  “I know that, silly.  I did it on purpose.”  She maneuvered her pink fluffy character high in the sky to avoid the avenging Zelda elf.  “Isn’t my hat cute?”  She almost rolled on the floor in merriment.
While Kirby successfully evaded Link, Kikyou triumphantly flattened Shippou’s Pikachu with Samus’ screw attack.  “Say goodbye, little mousy!”  Kikyou laughed ominously as her Samus blasted Pikachu out of the arena.
“I’m too cute to die!”  Shippou wailed as he watched his last reserved pokémon telescope out of view.  “This bites!”  He began to pout petulantly.
The girls giggled at the kit, but continued to play as the Twins ganged up on Sango.
“Eep!  No fair!”
Kirby was just about to slash Link in half, ending the game for that character when Kagome heard a familiar voice across the room.
“Kagome, it’s time.”  Sesshoumaru voice was deep, and as flat as the expression he wore.
Kagome glanced at his direction, and with a defeated look, lowered her control pad to the carpeted floor.  “Yes, Sesshoumaru-sensei.”  She answered as she raised herself to her feet.  With eyes downcast, she walked to where he stood.
Two pairs of eyes watched Kagome leave in the middle of the game… again.  Kikyou, however, just glared at the tall youkai, not at all hiding her displeasure.
When only the three children remained in the room, Sango mouthed to the others, knowing that Sesshoumaru was not yet far enough for their conversation to be inaudible.  “He’s such a meanie!”
“He doesn’t know the meaning of fun.”  Shippou mouthed back.
Kikyou scowled and left the room.
~*~
That evening in the Higurashi apartment of the East Residential Wing, after dinner but still hours before bedtime, Kikyou paced the little hallway in front of her mother’s bedroom restlessly, as she tried to raise the courage to speak out about Kagome’s situation.
“Kikyou, I can hear you out there.  Why don’t you come inside?”  She heard her mother say.
The young girl stopped her pacing and entered her mother’s room.  She pushed herself up on her mother’s bed and began to trace the pattern on the quilt.
Kaede looked at her daughter’s reflection as she brushed her hair.  There was clearly something troubling Kikyou but she waited until Kikyou was ready to talk.
“Mama…?”  Kikyou asked tentatively after a long moment.
“Yes, Dear?”
“Why does Kagome have to train all the time?”  The seven year old asked with a big furrow marring the middle of her eyebrows.
Kaede laid her hairbrush on her dresser and stood up.  She smiled at Kikyou as she sat next to her young daughter.  “Kagome needs the extra time to become as good a warrior as you, Dear, you know that.”
“But she’s good already, Mama.  Really, she is.”  Kikyou implored.  Kaede saw a touch of sadness in her daughter’s brown eyes.  “Kagome and I thought Sesshoumaru-sama was going to give her some time off because she is doing so well.  But he’s making her train after dinner now too.”
“Kikyou, Sesshoumaru-sama is doing what he thinks is best.  The work that we do is very dangerous…”  Kaede tried to explain, but she understood where Kikyou was coming from.  Yet, her children’s safety was first and foremost in her mind.
“We know that, Mama, but Sango, Shippou, and I hardly see her now.  She’s always with him.  She doesn’t get to play that much with us anymore.  Even Uncle Meiyo gives us time to play.”  Kikyou was nearly whining.

In the Yamamori apartment, directly across the Higurashi’s, the pleading in Kikyou’s voice reached Touga’s youkai ears.  He frowned as he listened in on the conversation between Mother and Child.
“Touga-sama?  Is anything the matter?”  Meiyo asked the Daiyoukai.
Touga glanced his way.  “I beg your pardon?”
“I asked if there was anything wrong.  You seemed very far away.”  Meiyo explained as he gathered the designs of the small crossbow from the coffee table.
Touga gave his Head of Training an apologetic look.  “I’m sorry, Meiyo, for not attending.”  He reached for the designs Meiyo held.  “Is this the new prototype for the Twins?”  He asked, but he could still hear the little girl’s plea in his mind.

~* Estate Ground behind the HQ, A few days later *~
“Tag, you’re it, Shippou.”  Sango squealed as she ran away from the young kitsune youkai.
“Have I ever told you guys how much I hate this game?”  Shippou hollered as he began to chase the girls.
“Yup!”  Sango stuck out her tongue.
“That’s ‘cause you’re always “it,” Shippou.”  Kikyou laughed as she deftly dodged him.
Shippou growled as he stopped to look around.  He spotted the closest one to him, Kagome, and broke into a dead run towards her.
Touga stepped out of the back door of his fortress and watched the children play.  He grinned as the human girls gave the young youkai a hard time.
Sango and the Twins bowed their heads as they passed him.  A huffing Shippou stopped before the grinning Daiyoukai to give him a deep bow.  He hung around for a little while to catch his breath.
Touga chuckled.  “They can be a handful, eh, Shippou?”

”You don’t know the half of it, Touga-sama.”  Shippou wheezed.
“If you keep them together, you might be able to increase your chances of catching one of them.”  The Daiyoukai advised, watching the girls conversing at a distance.
“I’ll try, Sir.”  Shippou grinned and left his side.
Touga leaned against the wall as he watched the children play.  He didn’t turn his head when he sensed his eldest son’s approach.  “Is it time for Kagome’s training, Son.”
Sesshoumaru inclined his head towards his father as he stepped out of the door.  “Yes.”
“Walk with me, Sesshoumaru.”  Touga said mildly.
Sesshoumaru said nothing but fell into steps alongside his father.  They strolled in silence for the first minute, down the graveled path towards the zen garden and the hot springs.
“How goes our little Kagome’s training?”
“Kagome is on her way to mastering several weapons such as the sai and the short staff.  She lacks concentration and discipline at times which undermines her ability to focus.  This is apparent during her archery training.  We are working on this with additional meditation and focus training.”  Sesshoumaru reported.
Touga did some quick calculations in his head, adding the hours the children spent in home schooling and training.  He estimated that Kagome was spending an additional four hours in training per day, which left just a little over that to spend with her family and friends.  He felt a little angry with himself for not looking into the matter sooner.
“Sesshoumaru…  Perhaps the reason why Kagome may be having a hard time concentrating is because she is overextending herself.”  Touga began.  “Humans, unlike youkai, require a balance in their lives in order to perform at their very best.”
Sesshoumaru frowned and gave his father a questioning look.  Touga turned around, and he followed suit.
Touga caught the look and continued to explain.  “Human children, for instance, learn faster when their minds are fresh and eager.  When they are tired and overextended, they can perform poorly.”
“Are you saying that I am overworking Kagome, Father?”  Sesshoumaru voice held a slight edge when he asked.
“I think you should ease up a little, Sesshoumaru.  Kagome has been looking a little peaked which may explain why her concentration has been lacking.  She works very hard, Son.  Giving her more time for herself may help rather than impede her training.”
“I… see…” Sesshoumaru rejoined, although he wasn’t sure if what his father was saying was true.  ‘Then again, he has spent more time with humans than I have.’  He thought more about his father’s words as they returned to the yard where the children were playing.
The younger youkai’s golden eyes fell on Kagome and watched as the laughing girl chased her Twin.  The young girl appeared very relaxed.
Kagome grabbed the back of Kikyou’s shirt, slowing her down as she gave her older sister a gentle slap on her shoulder.  “You’re it now!”  She pushed Kikyou forward to give herself an edge as she ran away, chuckling.  When she glanced ahead, she saw Sesshoumaru and his father, and her smile suddenly disappeared.
The seven year old approached the youkai lords and gave them a deep bow.  “Is it time for my training, Sesshoumaru-sensei?”  She asked in a subdued voice.
Sesshoumaru had seen how quickly Kagome’s smile had left her face as soon as she had seen him.   He couldn’t remember the last time he had seen her smile in his company and he felt a little confused.  ‘Do I make her unhappy?’  He heard his father make a little joke and he watched Kagome’s face transform as she laughed.
“I will change now, Sir…”  Kagome began to say when her laughter died.
“You have completed your training for today, Kagome.”  Sesshoumaru heard himself say.
Kagome looked at him, much surprised.  Then her face beamed as a huge smile curved her lips.  Kagome lurched forward and gave Sesshoumaru a hug, which astonished him.  “Thank you, Sir!”  She gushed and turned to leave.  After a few steps, a blushing Kagome returned.  “Sorry, Touga-sama, Sesshoumaru-sensei,” she said contritely before bowing low, making up for the fact that she had forgotten to do so.
“It’s alright, Kagome.”  Touga said softly with a tender smile.  “Go on, Kagome.”  Then he grinned and whispered in the little girl’s ear.  “Before he changes his mind.”
“Very funny, Father.”  Sesshoumaru said sarcastically when Kagome had reached the other children, who looked at him in shock after he heard Kagome explain to them that she had the rest of the day off.
Touga chuckled.  “I feel like sparring.  Care to take me on?”
Sesshoumaru arched an eyebrow.  “Are you sure you can keep up with me, old Dog?”  The corner of his lips curled up.
“Just try me, Pup.”  Touga’s eyes glinted with a challenging gleam.

~* East Residential Wing, Higurashi Apartment, Nine years ago *~

“It was really cool, Kagome-chan.  Inuyasha had us all play laser tag.  Him against the kids.”  Kikyou recounted excitedly as she brushed her twin’s long hair.  “He won though, but we had a blast.”
“That does sound like fun…”  Eight year old Kagome murmured, her voice slightly bleak.  “What about Kouga-san?  You had training with him yesterday, right?”
“Yeah.  It was one on one, though.  He set up some targets for me to practice my kicks.  I even got to use the trampoline on some of them.”
Kagome frowned a little.  “I’ve never used any of those during my training.”
Kikyou’s brush stopped on Kagome’s hair midway.  “Um… you don’t?”  She asked tentatively.
Kagome shook her head.
Kikyou suddenly felt uncomfortable.  Her training was always fun and she assumed that her twin’s training was the same, even though Sesshoumaru was Kagome’s only instructor.  “Well, Uncle Meiyo is really, really strict and serious…”  She said to try to make Kagome feel better.
“I’m sure he’s the same as Sesshoumaru-sensei…”  Kagome said in a small voice.
“Why can’t Sesshoumaru-sama just let you train with us?”  Kikyou asked with a thoughtful look as she began to part her sister’s hair with a comb and pull her hair into two ponytails.
Kagome shrugged.  “Sensei doesn’t want me to train with others because he said it will under… undersomething his training.  I forget the exact word.”
“Undermine?”  Kikyou volunteered and Kagome nodded.  She began to twist the hair of one ponytail into a braid.
“When you are having archery training, can you hit the bull’s-eye most of the time, Onee-chan?”
Kikyou bit her lip.  She was beginning to feel bad for her sister.  “No.” The little girl lied.  Then she got an idea.  “I know…  We can practice together starting tonight before bedtime.  Then next month, we can have a contest to see who’s gotten better at it.”
“Okay, that’s a deal.”  Kagome said excitedly.
Kikyou smiled when Kagome’s voice lost its bleakness.  She worked on the other ponytail.  “I have another idea, Kagome-chan.”  The older of the twins said as she finished the braid.

Kagome turned around to face her sister.  “What?”
“Why don’t we swap places for this afternoon’s training?”  Kikyou heard herself ask.  She really didn’t want to spend the afternoon with the cold, aloof youkai, but she’d do just about anything for her little sister.
“I don’t know, Onee-chan.  Sensei might find out.”  Kagome said with hesitancy.
“No, he won’t.  We’ve been practicing this for years.  We’ve fooled just about everyone else.”  Kikyou blurted out with confidence.
“I still don’t know…”
“If I feel like he’s on to us, I’ll excuse myself and we can switch places again.”  Kikyou met her sister’s eyes.  “It will work.  We just have to concentrate the whole time.”
“I guess…”  Kagome saw the determination in her sister’s eyes.  She still had misgivings but she felt the bit of wicked excitement coursing through her veins and gave in.  “Okay.”
“Cool.  Let’s switch clothes so that we’ll smell right.”
Kagome looked at the clock on the night table between their twin beds as she took off her shirt and trousers.  “We only have 10 minutes before training.  Do you think it’s enough time, Onee-chan?”
“Yeah.  Don’t worry, Kagome-chan.  Just hurry so we can start the personality switch.”  Kikyou began to put on Kagome’s discarded clothes.
As soon as the girls had changed their clothes, they sat on the floor in lotus position facing each other.  Kikyou nodded and closed her eyes.  Kagome followed suit.
~Ready?~  Kikyou asked telepathically when they’ve psychically melded minds with each other.
~Yup.  At ten.~  Kagome responded and began to count.  Slowly, she embraced Kikyou’s more serious side, as her older sister embraced her own cheerful trademark personality.  ~3…2…1…~
The girls opened their eyes.  “We’ve never done this for more…”  Kagome started to say.
“Than half an hour.  We just have to…”  Kikyou continued.
“Focus on each other when it starts to get harder to hold.”  Kagome completed.
Kikyou smiled, and her face beamed the way Kagome’s face would.  “Ready?”
Kagome nodded without smiling and the Twins left the room, hand in hand.
~*~
Kikyou entered the Blue Dojo, bowed, and then slid the door closed behind her.  She approached Sesshoumaru and bowed before him before waiting for instructions.  She lowered her eyes to the mat; the way she had seen her little sister do many times.
Sesshoumaru’s eyes narrowed as he surveyed his young pupil.  He felt that there was something different about her immediately, even before she entered the dojo.  Of what, he wasn’t sure.  He even took a small sniff to check her scent, but she smelled right.
“Hmm…”  He cocked his head to one side as he continued to peer at Kikyou.
Kikyou tried not to squirm under the youkai’s intense gaze.
“Why don’t you demonstrate the formal sai kata you learned last month, Kagome?”  He asked, while he observed the girl’s every move.
“Hai, Sensei.”  Kikyou responded and bowed before him.  She walked towards the weapons hanging from one of the walls.   ~Kagome?~  Kikyou asked with her mind.
~Yes, Onee-chan.~  Kikyou heard her younger sister’s voice in her head.
~The formal sai kata that you learned is the same as what I learned, right?~  Kikyou carefully took one of the three pronged weapon from the wooden stand.
~I think so, Onee-chan.  After you go through the steps, you do it all backwards and stop in your original spot.~
~Oh, okay.  Got it.~  Kikyou took the other weapon from its stand, and bowed before the mat.
Sesshoumaru watched as the young girl opened with a circular greeting and proceeded through the steps of the kata.  He watched her efforts with an unreadable expression, even after she closed her routine.   “Well done, but not quite as well as Kagome.”
Kikyou blinked and was rendered speechless.
“Return the sai and follow me.  Do not psychically contact your sister, Kikyou.  I will know.”  Sesshoumaru said as he walked towards the doors of the Dojo.
A deep flush crept up on Kikyou’s face, but she nodded.  “Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama.”
The young girl followed the Daiyoukai out of the dojo to the other end of the hallway to the Red Dojo.  As she approached the room, she heard her little sister’s laughter from the room.  She bit her bottom lip nervously.
Sesshoumaru slid the doors of the dojo open.  He watched as his own pupil bounced on the large trampoline and dunk a basketball, laughing as she did.  “Good job, Kikyou!”  He heard his brother say.
“Sesshoumaru…  Anything wrong?”  Kouga asked.
“Yes.”  Sesshoumaru took Kikyou by the shoulder and gently maneuvered her in front of him.
Kagome’s eyes widened as Kikyou mouthed.  “He knows.”
Kouga, Inuyasha, and the rest of the children, Shippou and Sango, looked on as Kagome quickly walked towards Sesshoumaru.  She stopped next to her sister, and Kikyou turned around to face Sesshoumaru.
“We’re sorry…”  Kagome began to say.
“For what we’ve done.”  Kikyou ended the apology.  “We meant no harm.”  Both girls bowed their heads in repentance before the youkai lord.
“Come, Kagome.”  Sesshoumaru was all he said before he left the room.
Kagome glanced at her sister ruefully before she left the room to follow Sesshoumaru.
Inuyasha turned to whisper to Kouga.  “Did you know?”
Kouga lied and nodded.  “Yup.  Was waiting for you to figure it out.”  He grinned audaciously.
Sesshoumaru treaded back to the Blue Dojo in silence.  He was very disappointed, although he tried not to show it.  As soon as the little girl slid the doors close behind them, he questioned her.  “Why did you do it?”
“I’m sorry, Sesshoumaru-sensei.  I was just curious.”  Kagome responded, her voice sounded very small.
“You enjoyed what they were doing?”  He asked, his own curiosity peaked.
Kagome hesitated, but nodded.
Sesshoumaru took a moment to think about the situation, which made Kagome more nervous as each moment passed.  She glanced up at her instructor’s face, but it was stoically set.  She wondered what kind of punishment she would be handed.  She nearly jumped when the youkai spoke again.
“If you meet your weekly objectives, Kagome, I will allow you to train with the other children for a few hours each week.”
“Really, Sir?”  Kagome asked, a little bewildered.
“Yes.”
Kagome grinned and gave her instructor a big hug.  “You’re the best, Sesshoumaru-sensei!”  With her mind, she called out to her Twin.  ~Guess what?  Sensei is going to let me train with you guys!~
Sesshoumaru looked down at the young girl.  He felt a slight flutter of joy at Kagome’s unexpected gesture.  Although he felt bad that Kagome had to resort to playing a trick on him, he felt very satisfied that he was able to make Kagome happy.  Then a nagging thought started to gnaw at him… ‘Am I becoming soft?’
He opened his mouth to say something when he heard a loud “YAY” from Kikyou from the dojo at the end of the hallway.  He rolled his golden eyes to the ceiling.

~* The Hunting Pack’s HQ – Blue Dojo, Eight years ago *~
Kagome parried laterally as Kikyou slashed at her with a sword.  ~This is a waste of our time, Onee-chan.~
~I know.  We can anticipate each other’s attacks.~  Kikyou blocked Kagome’s overhead strike with the flat side of the blade.  ~We’re better off sparring with one of the others.~
~Namely Miroku-kun?~  Kagome grinned as she sliced with her sword.
~You know me so well, Twin of mine.~  The elder of the nine year old twins chuckled.  ~He’s only been here a month, and I already want to beat him up.~
“Hey, cut that out, Kagome, Kikyou!  I know you’re talking to each other over there.  Concentrate!”  Inuyasha hollered gruffly at the nine year olds.
Kikyou rolled her eyes.  ~He probably only said that because I laughed.~
~Probably.~  Kagome jumped as Kikyou sliced at her feet.  ~Miroku-kun is not that bad.~
~The guy can’t keep his hands to himself.~  As Kikyou sent that message telepathically, the girls heard a loud slap behind them. The Twins turned and giggled when they saw the large red hand mark on Miroku’s face.
Sango glared at their direction before she stomped away, towards Inuyasha.
~See?~  Kikyou grinned as she raised her sword to indicate she was ready to continue their spar.
Kagome laughed out loud.

To be continued
Glossary:
Onee-chan – Japanese term for “Big Sister”
Dojo – Japanese term for a hall used for martial arts training
Faux pas – French term for “Mistake”
Hentai – Japanese term for “Pervert” or to indicate something as “Perverted”
Sai – A weapon with three prongs.  The middle is longer than the others.
San – Japanese term, honorific for respect
Sensei/-sensei – Japanese term and honorific for teachers, politicians, doctors, etc.
Daiyoukai – Japanese Term for “Demon lord”
Youkai - Japanese term for “Demon”
Revised 12/2017, Version 2
Revised 01/24/10, Version 1.2
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The Hunt For The Shikon No Tama