These characters do not belong to me.

Choosing a Partner

Chapter 8

By Kenzie Kennedy

Sango stayed home to work on her programming and Kagome left with Inuyasha to go to Kaede’s.

"Ah, Kagome," Kaede said while sweeping in the yard. It was one of her morning chores. "Lesson time already?"

The three walked indoors. Inuyasha sat by the door waiting for orders. Kagome performed the miko knowledge for Kaede and Kaede gave her new assignments. Kagome hesitated before leaving for the shielded room. "Kaede?"

"Yes, child?"

"I met an inspector today named Kikyo."

Kaede stiffened. "Perhaps you’d better sit down." Kagome walked back and sat. "Did she say anything?"

Kagome squirmed. "She said you’d betray me like you did her."

Kaede shook her head sadly. "I hope you never meet her again. But if she is an inspector for this area, you might. They rotate them so you never have the same one twice." She sighed. "Kikyo was once my student. She was very bright and I don’t just mean intelligent. She shone like a star. One day she attempted to steal certain books from me and in the end I had to fight her. I won. She is still a miko, but one who gains power from the darkness."

Kaede lifted her head. "That is why she said I betrayed her. I cast her out of this shrine and forbade her to ever enter here again."

Kagome nodded. "So how do I deal with her?"

Kaede shrugged. "She cannot do anything to you directly. I can work a shield over your house so that she can do no magic there, but that is all. It is not you she has a problem with but me." She smiled. "Go study, child. May I talk with Inuyasha?"

Kagome nodded. "Inuyasha, talk to Kaede while I’m gone." She disappeared into the room.

Kaede turned to Inuyasha. "Come sit with me, please." Inuyasha unfolded his legs, got to his feet, and walked over. He sat down in front of Kaede. "We have much to discuss." She smiled at him. "Would you like to know what it is you might face with that sword?"

Inuyasha glanced down at it. "Yes, mistress."

"Please, call me Kaede."

"Yes, Kaede."

Kaede reached behind her and pulled out a book. "This is what you might have to deal with. Kikyo can summon most of these. Please look through it."

Inuyasha took the book and flipped it open. Most of the beasts inside were extremely ugly and foul-looking.

"The sword will cut through them all. If Kagome holds it or if it stuck into one wall in an enclosed area it will form a shield. You must be prepared to protect her, Inuyasha." Kaede told him. "If you are unable to wield the sword, it will attack by itself drawing off of your energy. Most of these creatures are easily hit. You have had endurance training?" Inuyasha nodded. "I don’t believe you will have any troubles. With an ordinary sword, you wouldn’t stand a chance. But this one…is special."

Kaede stood up. "Look through the book some more. I’ll be out in the yard sweeping."

***

Kagome finished her lesson for the day in two hours. Inuyasha had finished looking through the book and Kaede sent them home.

Kagome stepped cheerfully down the sidewalk, humming a little song. Inuyasha trailed along behind her. She stopped suddenly and turned. "You know, you could talk to me," she said.

Inuyasha’s eyes widened and the sword flew out of its sheath into his right hand. Kagome’s eyes widened and she froze. Inuyasha came at her with the sword and she could do nothing but stand there! She opened her mouth to scream-

He rushed past her and sliced through something.

Kagome spun around and stared at it. It was a squiggly something with four arms. Inuyasha’s sword had sliced it in half. "What is that?" she said tremulously.

"Kaede’s book said it was a trovolia, Kagome." Inuyasha responded. The sword slid back into the sheath easily.

Kagome nodded. "Come on. Let’s get to my house and I’ll call Kaede." They ran the rest of the short way home.

***

Kagome sprang for the phone as soon as she got home. She dialed Kaede’s number and waited. When she heard her teacher’s voice on the phone, she couldn’t stop talking. "Kaede, something attacked me on the way home. It had four arms and Inuyasha said it was a trovolia. What do I do?"

"Calm down, Kagome. Let me speak to Inuyasha."

Kagome handed the phone to Inuyasha and he listened to Kaede speak, responding with a no or yes every once in a while. He nodded finally and handed the phone to Kagome.

"I’m going to come over and lay a shield on your house overtop the one that is already there. Stay with Inuyasha and you’ll be safe." Kaede hung up.

Kagome hung up the phone and looked at Inuyasha. "She says she’ll be right over."

"Kagome, what was that all about?" Rimiko asked.

"Something attacked me today," Kagome told her. "Something miko-ish."

"You were attacked?! Are you okay?" Rimiko began to check Kagome over.

"Mom! I’m fine. Inuyasha took care of it." Kagome told her. Rimiko looked at Inuyasha. "Kaede gave him this sword that kills anything to protect me."

Rimiko nodded. "Kaede’s coming?" Kagome nodded. "Good. Why don’t you wait for her and I want to talk with her about this, too." Kagome nodded again.

***

Kaede showed up in ten minutes which was pretty fast for an older woman. She spoke with Kagome’s mother and assured her that nothing was going to happen to her daughter. It was all part of being a miko. Even if Kagome’s powers weren’t fully fledged yet, when they awoke fully they’d be more than enough to protect her. For now, Inuyasha’s sword would do the work for her. She laid the shield on top of the house and left.

After Kagome had watched the shield being constructed, Rimiko called out for her to go get Sango out of her room for lunch. Kagome rolled her eyes. "Come on, Mom!" she called back. "I only do the impossible before breakfast, not lunch!"

Still Kagome trudged up to Sango’s room and knocked. As usual, Sango didn’t answer. Kagome sighed and walked in.

The usual sight greeted her eyes. Sango was locked into a typing mode, trying to stare down the computer. "Sango?" Kagome called. No answer. Kagome walked across the room and waved a hand in front of her. "Sango, it’s lunchtime."

Sango blinked. "Already? I just started this…" She checked the clock and then her book. "Oh. I’m almost done." She stopped writing code and got up slowly her knees locking into place again. "I’ll get back to it after lunch. Anything interesting happen at Kaede’s?"

"Well, after I left there, Inuyasha and I were attacked by some weird thing. Kaede came by and put another shield on the house."

Sango’s eyes widened and they began to walk to lunch. "What happened?"

"Inuyasha killed it with the sword. It was so amazing. The thing had four arms and he just sliced it in half!" Kagome said proudly. "I wonder what’s for lunch?" she asked in the next moment. Sango shook her head.

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