InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Kiss for A Prince ❯ A Hanyou's Journey ( Chapter 7 )

Disclaimer: {SF} Um…well…{Lawyers} Get on with it girl! Don't make us sue! {SF} Alright! Jeez! I don't own Inuyasha, nor Soul Caliber. Oh, and I'm taking pics for this fic too if anyone's interested!

SF: Just one little thing first.

Inu-cast: Awwwwww….

SF: For those that care, I'm rather tired of playing around with this story. The next chapter will definitely have a fight in it, so be on the look out. Also, this story is going to be moving a lot faster too!


Chapter Seven: A Hanyou's Journey


Kagome hummed along happily, she and Nassirudden holding a large wicker basket as Kilik and Keni'Chi ambled along behind them. She half listened to the generals' conversation, finding the topic of warfare and other related topics boring after a while before the scenery around her engrossed her entirely. They had passed the Inner Gate a while back with nothing but the basket in her hands, the blanket on Kilik's back and a promise of something special for lunch.

"That way," Keni'Chi said suddenly, grasping Kagome's shoulders and directing her toward the east. Kagome obeyed diligently, but stopped and gasped in surprise soon after. There before her lay a meadow, what she guessed to be their point of destination. Despite the late winter chill and the snow at their feet, this patch of ground was completely green, with little white buds growing from between the blades. She could hear the roar of the waves below them, guessing that the meadow itself was on a cliff.

"Wow," she whispered. "It's beautiful…"

"Really?" Keni'Chi asked as Kilik unfolded the blanket.

"Really."

"Good," Kilik said as he spread the blanket onto the ground. "Because this is where we're having lunch."

"Wow!" Kagome exclaimed happily. "I can't believe it! It's so-"

"Peaceful?"

Each turned as Inuyasha walked toward them, his hands nestled comfortably inside the sleeves of his fire rat haori. "I think so too."

"Hello Inuyasha," Kagome greeted happily as the others began to set up the picnic. "How are you?"

"Frustrated," he growled softly. He stopped beside her and glared out at the valley around them, his red day cape billowing in the slight breeze. He shifted from one foot to the other, rubbing the black leather slippers on his feet against each other uncomfortably. "But then again, that's nothing new."

"Nothing…new?" Kagome repeated, then shrugged it aside. "What is the matter?"

"They're arguing again. We didn't get a chance to finish morning lessons because of them," Inuyasha explained quickly. His frown turned to a small smirk moments later when he looked down at her and said "But it's not like I enjoy morning lessons anyway. I would much rather skip to the afternoon training."

"Did you have lunch already?" Kilik asked as he opened the basket. Inuyasha shook his head. "Nah, but it's not like youkai need to eat. I'm not entirely hungry anyway."

"But won't you eat with us anyway?" Kagome asked. "We would love for you to stay, right guys?"

"Sure," Nassirudden agreed. "Why not? Have a seat."

"Aw man!" Keni'Chi complained good naturedly. "Now he'll eat all the food!" He laughed at Nassirudden's frown. "You know I'm just playing. Have a seat and stay a while Inuyasha."

"No," Inuyasha said thoughtfully. "I think I'll go do something else. It's not like I have to eat any-"

"Please Inuyasha," Kagome pleaded innocently. "If not for the food, then stay because we enjoy your company."

"Well…" Inuyasha thought a moment, a frown marring his brow as he did so. 'Sesshoumaru'll freak if he catches Kagome's scent on me, but it's not like I'm going to sit close enough for him to have a reason to…and I am a little hungry.' "Why not?" he said finally. "I guess whatever it is I have to do can wait a few minutes."

*

An hour later found what little remained of lunch packed away, with everyone lying on the blanket watching the clouds. Kagome lay in the middle of the group, with Nassirudden on her left side, Inuyasha on her right, Keni'Chi above her and Kilik below her.

"That one," Kilik said as he pointed toward the sky. "Looks like a dog."

"It doesn't look like a dog," Keni'Chi argued. "It looks like a horse."

"No it doesn't," Nassirudden fired back, discretely placing her foot over one of Kilik's. She gave a startled gasp when his other foot dropped over hers, successfully locking her foot between his.

"Then what does it look like?" Keni'Chi asked.

"A dragon," Kagome said dreamily. "A great dragon with brilliant wings and fire billowing out of it's mouth. What do you think Inuyasha?"

"I think it looks like a cloud."

"Hn." Kagome frowned a moment, then rolled on her side to face him. "Are you sure? Try again. Look at that one over there." She pointed to the right, where Inuyasha reluctantly followed. He shrugged and turned back to her, opening his mouth to repeat the same when he thought better of it. "It looks like…"

"Like?" Kagome urged as Nassirudden struggled to get her foot back. Keni'Chi snickered quietly, and Kilik innocently looked up at the sky.

"Like," Inuyasha sat up a moment, studying the cloud for any trace of something Kagome might agree to. "Like a castle. Like this one actually."

"Really?" Kagome said skeptically. "I don't see it."

Inuyasha sighed irritably and began pointing at the same. "See? That right there is the Inner Gate…and that there is the tower on the eastern side of the castle."

"Oh, I see," Keni'Chi replied as Nassirudden discretely tried to jerk her foot away. "There's the northern tower too, with the library, and the western tower with the lookout post."

"Kilik, if you don't let me go-"

"But that cloud," Kilik said, ignoring Nassirudden completely. "Looks like a star."

"A star?" Keni'Chi and Inuyasha snorted. "No way."

"I think so too," Kagome said with a yawn.

"You would," Inuyasha grumbled teasingly, then yelped when Kagome punched him in the arm. "Ow! What was that for?"

"Don't tell me that hurt you," Keni'Chi joked. "Not the great Inuyasha."

"Shut up, Dust Bunny."

"I am not a bunn-"

"So what else do you have planned for the day Inuyasha?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha shrugged, Keni'Chi forgotten as he thought about it.

"I guess I'll go back to the dojo and wait for Father and Sesshoumaru to get there," Inuyasha concluded with an unhappy sigh.

"You're not enjoying a day off?" Kagome asked in surprise. Inuyasha blinked in confusion, then took a moment to study her attire. She was dressed rather plainly, with a brown day skirt that brushed the heels of her ankle boots and a white pearl button blouse with her regular day cape.

"You've got a day off?" Inuyasha shouted incredulously, then flopped back down on the grass and sighed. "I want a day off too."

"You deserve one too," Kagome sighed as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the sun's warmth on her face.

"Let go!" Nassirudden hissed, using her other foot to kick at Kilik. Kilik ignored her once again, his full attention on the air above them when Keni'Chi chuckled again.

"You can't get him to let go? How shameful," Keni'Chi teased. Nassirudden said nothing, but reached up and punched Keni'Chi in the thigh.

"Yow!" He sat up instantly, returning the hit with a light punch in the middle of Nassirudden's chest. With a low growl, she wrenched her foot free, pounced on the kitsune and proceeded to choke the life out of him as Inuyasha and Kilik looked on.

"Do you think we should separate them?" Inuyasha asked as Nassirudden began to shake Keni'Chi senseless.

Kilik shook his head. "No. They will stop eventually. That's how they play."

"And if they hurt each other?" Inuyasha quipped. Kilik shrugged indifferently. "I'll just have to step in before then, that's all."

"Kinda hard to do that when you're not watching, isn't it?" Inuyasha asked as Keni'Chi flipped Nassirudden over and sat on her stomach.

"Ha-ha! Take that!" he yelled when her breath left her lungs in a shaky whoosh. "I'm….going to kill….you," she croaked, then attempted to squirm away from him.

"I guess you're right," Inuyasha said after a while, then turned to look down at Kagome. "Well," he said after a moment. "Will you look at that…"

That little whisper ceased the chaos around him, as each general turned to see what was so interesting. "Is she," Kilik asked as he stole closer. "Is she asleep?"

"When did she go?" Keni'Chi asked. "How did we miss it?"

"Is it healthy for ningen to fall asleep so fast?" Inuyasha asked as he checked Kagome's pulse. Nassirudden and Keni'Chi shrugged as Kilik nodded.

"Is is when they're exceedingly tired," he explained. "Which wouldn't surprise me. She has trained hard these past two weeks."

"It's your fault you know," Keni'Chi told Nassi as she glared at him. "You work her too hard."

"We all do, to be honest," Kilik replied in an attempt to diffuse the argument before it started. "We see how well she's doing and how much she's learning, but we keep forgetting that she used to be a princess before this, and this kind of life is bound to be hard for her."

"So should we ease up on her?" Keni'Chi asked. Kilik shrugged. "I don't know. We'll have to see tomorrow when her training begins anew."

"So…"Inuyasha drawled. "What do we do with her?"

"One of us has to take her to her room," Nassirudden concluded, which immediately met a chorus of 'Not me!'s.

"Well I can't!" she argued. "I have to get to the cafeterias before the battalion men do. You know how the officers get when they see them."

"It's a sad day when one has to baby-sit the most deadly force in all of Japan," Kilik said dryly. "What I would not give for the good old days."

"Yeah yeah ojiji-chan!" Keni'Chi teased pleasantly, then winced when Nassirudden rapped him upside the head.

"What's your excuse?" she asked heatedly.

"Um, I have to help Miroku-houshi-sama in the infirmary," he replied quickly. "He needs practice working on ice related injuries."

"And you?" Nassirudden pointed to Kilik.

"I have to report to InuTaishou-sama," he looked up at the sky and cursed. "I'm already late! I wish I could help, but I must be off." He grabbed the picnic basket and walked away, leaving Keni'Chi, Inuyasha and Nassirudden glaring at each other with Kagome sleeping between them unawares.

"Well," Nassirudden said next. "What about you Inuyasha?"

"Oh no!" Inuyasha shook his head. "Not me! I'm not doing it!"

"For the love of-Fine!" Nassirudden kneeled down beside Kagome. "I'll take her back."

"How are you going to do that?" Keni'Chi asked. "You're only an inch taller than she is. There's no way you can carry her back to her room like that."

"Yeah," Nassirudden grimaced as she draped Kagome's arms over her shoulders. "Just watch me."

"Look here female," Inuyasha grumbled, then sighed in defeat and retrieved Kagome from her precarious position on Nassirudden's back. "I'll take her back."

"Really? Thanks."

"One small problem," Inuyasha informed her as he adjusted Kagome to a more comfortable position. He hooked his right arm underneath her knees, making sure to gather as much of her skirt as possible as he wrapped his left arm around her shoulders and rested her head on his shoulder.

"What's that?"

"I don't know where her room is."

Keni'Chi shook his head in disapproval. "You mean to tell me that you can't track her scent back to her room? Really Inuyasha, what kind of inu are you?"

"Do you know where her room is?" Inuyasha growled, then snickered when Keni'Chi paused a moment.

"Actually, I don't know…but I'm not supposed to!" Keni'Chi fired back.

"And I am?!" Inuyasha growled angrily, but quickly settled when Nassirudden cleared her throat.

"Inuyasha, Kagome's room is on the second floor of Sesshoumaru's part of the eastern wing. You should be able to find it by scent. Keni'Chi, stop being an ass."

"Yeah, whatever," Inuyasha grumbled before walking away, wondering to himself how he managed to get himself roped into this as he passed through the Inner Gate. Servants and stable boys alike stopped to watch him pass, Inuyasha's ears twitching at the gossip already spreading as he crossed the courtyard and entered the final gate to the castle. From there he sprinted toward the eastern section of the castle and Sesshoumaru's wing, then ascended the stairs to the second floor. He used his nose to find Kagome's room, the scent of roses and lavender leading him toward the second door on the left wall.

He slid the door open with his shoulder, quickly scanning the brightly lit room before entering. Inuyasha settled Kagome down on a futon in the middle of the dual windows in the room. "You know," Inuyasha complained as he brushed Kagome's hair away from her face. "You're more trouble that you look."

He gave a small 'eep!' when her hand shot out and wrapped around his, blue eyes clashing with amber a moment before giving a sleepy smile. "Inuyasha?" she questioned curiously, then sat up and yawned. It reminded Inuyasha of a small puppy, especially when she used her fisted hand to cover her mouth.

"Forgive me Inuyasha," she said after a moment. "That was rude of me."

"Forget it," Inuyasha replied. "I do worse."

"How did I get back here?" Kagome asked. "The last thing I remember was being outside."

"Yeah well," Inuyasha nervously scratched the back of his head. "I brought you back."

"Thank you."

"Feh," he replied instantly, and then turned toward the door. "No big deal. Now, um, I've gotta get-"

"Inuyasha?"

"Yeah?" Inuyasha responded when he turned back around. "What is it?"

"Can I…talk to you for a moment?" Kagome asked shyly. "I understand if you don't want to, but if you please-"

"What about?" Inuyasha asked as he re-entered the room, making sure to leave the door open for etiquette's sake.

"My apologies for having no place for you to sit," Kagome said instead. "The chair I had was broken a few days ago."

"No problem. I'll just sit here," Inuyasha gestured to the floor in front of her, then sat down with his legs crossed and his hands deep inside his haori sleeves. "Now what would you like to talk about?"

"Um, I just have some questions actually."

"Well, ask them," Inuyasha grumbled impatiently.

"Errrr…," Kagome fidgeted a moment, then "What is Sesshoumaru-sama…I mean how is Sesshoumaru-"

"Figures," Inuyasha growled softly, then apologized at her hurt look. "Sesshoumaru is well Kagome, if that's what you're asking."

"That is good to know," Kagome replied. "But I'm wondering about his lack of-"

"Why he hasn't come to see you?" Inuyasha interrupted, then sighed when she nodded. "Well, Sesshoumaru's really busy lately. He has so much to learn, and so little time to learn it in."

"What do you mean?" Kagome asked.

"You know about him being the new Great Taiyoukai, right?"

Kagome nodded.

"His coronation is in a few weeks, and he's trying to get ready for it. Though," Inuyasha began thoughtfully. "I honestly doubt that he'd come to see you without all that."

"Why?" Kagome asked instantly. "Why would he not wish to see me?"

"Well…Sesshoumaru's not known for his love for ningen," Inuyasha reasoned, trying his best to find the nicest way possible to say what he knew would upset her. "So there's a chance that-"

"He hates ningen, doesn't he?" Kagome whispered sadly. Inuyasha sighed, then nodded. "Unfortunately, he does. But he might not feel the same with you."

"But it would explain why I haven't seen him. Oh well. Thank you Inuyasha."

Inuyasha stood up reluctantly, his nose twitching at the scent of salt in the air. "Look Kagome, I could be wrong," he reasoned gently. "It's happened once, so I'm sure it'll happen again."

Kagome smiled wanly, but nodded in acceptance. "Inuyasha. May I ask you another question?"

"Sure, why not?" Inuyasha griped good-humouredly.

"Can you and I be friends?" she asked innocently, her blue eyes wide and wondering. Inuyasha started instantly, his brow creased in confusion.

"You want to be friends…with me?" he replied skeptically, then frowned when Kagome nodded. "Why?"

"Because I think you're really nice, and you always try to help me when I'm upset. So can we?" she asked again, worry lightening on her face when Inuyasha remained silent.

"I don't know Kagome," Inuyasha finally answered. "I don't know how."

"How what?" Kagome asked. "To be a friend? Why wouldn't you?"

"I've never had one."

"Oh…but aren't Keni'Chi and the others your friends?" she asked. Inuyasha shrugged. "I guess, but they serve on the army. It's kinda they're job to be nice to me, especially Kilik."

'Kilik? Why would he say something like that?' "So you've never had a friend?" Kagome concluded. "Or, at least one you're sure about?"

"No," Inuyasha answered honestly, then blinked when Kagome smiled. "What's so funny?"

"I get to be your first friend!" Kagome chirped happily, then giggled. "That's so great!"

"Yeah well," Inuyasha said with a shake of his head. "I can't promise to be your friend Kagome."

"Why not?" Kagome pouted sadly.

"Because I don't know how to be one."

"Hn. Then I'll teach you," Kagome determined. Inuyasha sighed in long suffering, then nodded. "Do what you will Kagome. Now I've got to get out of here. It's not proper."

"You can come in here anytime," Kagome told him as he neared the door. "If you ever need something, just knock, ok?"

Inuyasha was surprised at her sincerity, then figured it to be one of her stipulations of friendship. "Alright Kagome. Thanks."

"Good day Inuyasha," Kagome called as he slid her door closed. "See you at dinner." She listened as his footsteps faded away, then sighed to herself. 'That's so sad,' she said as she unfastened the brooch at her throat and unpinned her cape. 'I've always had a friend of some sort around the castle. I think he has friends, but he just doesn't know it. I wonder if Sesshoumaru-sama has any friends.'

Kagome frowned suddenly, then sniffed as she blinked back tears. 'Inuyasha said that there was a chance that he was wrong, but how could he be? I've been here fourteen moons, and still I have yet to see him.' She sniffed again before the first tear fell from her eye, rolled down her cheek and splattered on her skirt.

'I'm not going to think on it,' Kagome concluded. 'I'm going to go to sleep.' She yawned as she settled back down, her eyes closing the moment her head hit the pillow.

*

'She wants to be friends,' Inuyasha pondered as he left Sesshoumaru's section of the castle. 'Why? Ningen normally can't stand to see me. Her own father called me an abomination. Youkai too for that matter, yet Nassi, Keni'Chi and Kilik have always made me feel welcome. Of course that's their job, but Kagome? Why would she want to be friends with me? And does she really think that Kilik and the others think of me as a …friend?'

He entered the private dojo instinctively, his mind elsewhere as he picked up one of the wooden bokens in a corner nearby. Sesshoumaru and InuTaishou were already in the center of the room, practicing their katars.

"Inuyasha," InuTaishou welcomed as parried another strike from their imaginary foes. Their movements were identical, nearly perfect with their added grace making the moves appear more like dances than deadly attacks. "Where were you and why are you late?"

"I had lunch with Keni'Chi and the others," Inuyasha answered as he fell into step beside InuTaishou, his conversation with Kagome forgotten for the moment. Inuyasha began his practice as well, though his movements weren't as precise as those around him. 'This is so boring,' Inuyasha complained to himself. 'Would it kill them to put a jump or something in here?'

"I see," InuTaishou said absently, then took a deep breath for the next set. He flinched instantly, the familiar but unexpected scent of roses breaking his concentration. He sniffed around quietly, tracking the source of the scent to his youngest son. "Inuyasha?"

"Yes Father?" Inuyasha growled as he tripped over another set.

"Did Kagome have lunch with you?" InuTaishou asked, inwardly groaning when Sesshoumaru stopped mid-step.

"Yeah, she did," Inuyasha answered. "She, Nassi and the others were having some sort of picnic and I stumbled on it when I left this morning's lesson."

InuTaishou mentally winced, remembering the nasty argument he and Sesshoumaru managed to get into. 'I didn't notice Inuyasha's absence until well into the lunch hour,' he remembered. 'What kind of father am I, to not notice my son's distress at the time?'

"So you stayed?" he asked instead, nodding to himself when Inuyasha answered in the affirmative.

"We looked at cloud pictures."

InuTaishou and Sesshoumaru quirked a brow at the confession, both finding the image of Inuyasha and the others looking at clouds together rather…bewildering. 'Had to be Kagome's idea,' both thought unawares.

"But her scent is stronger than the others," Sesshoumaru stated. "Why is that?"

"Well," Inuyasha stopped and thoughtfully scratched his head. "She fell asleep, and the others were too busy to take her back to her room so-"

"So you brought her back?" InuTaishou offered helpfully. Inuyasha nodded. "Then she asked me some questions and I-urk!"

Inuyasha slammed into a wall moments later, his breath fleeing his lungs as Sesshoumaru hoisted him up the wall with a hand wrapped around his throat. He looked down when his vision began to swim, watching as Sesshoumaru's eyes clouded over, golden irises becoming emerald green under the red haze.

"Sesshoumaru!" InuTaishou ordered as he stalked toward them. "Let go!"

"What business did you have in her room?" Sesshoumaru growled, his Beast unleashed and in full control.

"She asked me to stay! Put me down baka!" Inuyasha gasped when Sesshoumaru constricted his windpipe and pierced his skin with his claws. 'OK,' he thought to himself as his vision began to darken around the edges. 'Calling him stupid when he's like this is a bad idea. Check.'

"Sesshoumaru!" InuTaishou commanded. "Put him down this instant!"

Sesshoumaru growled instead, ignoring InuTaishou's demand as he tightened his grip on Inuyasha's throat. "Stay away from her…"

"Fuck you Fluffy!" Inuyasha croaked out, then figured to try a new approach. "She's my friend!"

Sesshoumaru blinked, his brow creasing in confusion as he regarded Inuyasha's last comment. "Friend?" he rumbled absently, his fingers relaxing just as InuTaishou grabbed his wrist. Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah. She's my friend. Nothing more."

Sesshoumaru's head tilted to the side, then a brow quirked before he unceremoniously let go of Inuyasha. Inuyasha fell back to the floor with a flop, his hands fisting at his sides instead of flying to the bleeding claw marks on his neck. "You know," Inuyasha growled as Sesshoumaru's eyes returned to normal. "All we talked about was you. If you're so jealous, then go see her sometimes. Have dinner with us. Works a lot better than choking the life out of anyone who gets near her."

"This Sesshoumaru does not get jealous," Sesshoumaru rumbled absently. He glanced at his forgotten boken a moment, then walked toward the dojo exit. 'Still, it could not hurt to-'

"Sesshoumaru!"

Sesshoumaru turned, his face stoic and expressionless as InuTaishou glared at him. "Yes Father?"

"Lose control like that again, and you will regret it."

"Hn." Sesshoumaru said nothing more, but continued along his way and out the dojo. InuTaishou watched him as he left, a sad sigh escaping his lips before looking over Inuyasha's injuries.

*

'Utterly ridiculous,' Sesshoumaru reasoned as his nose led him through the castle. 'How could I have changed over something so small? It is not as if Inuyasha said anything vulgar.'

~Yet the very idea of him being with her bothered you,~ his conscious whispered. ~Why do you think that is?~

'I do not care,' Sesshoumaru concluded as he unconsciously turned right and started up a flight of stairs. 'It will not happen again.'

~If you say so. But…~

Sesshoumaru sighed in annoyance. 'But what?'

~What are you doing here…~

'Here?' Sesshoumaru inhaled, then groaned before cursing his luck. 'How did I get here?' he asked himself as he stood before Kagome's door. 'Well, since I'm here…' He knocked softly, then knocked once again when he didn't get an answer. 'Inuyasha did say that she was sleeping. I do not wish to wake her, so…'

Sesshoumaru slid the door open quietly, waiting until his eyes adjusted to the abnormally bright room. Kagome's room was simple enough, with only a futon and a clothes closet against the nearby left wall. 'No curtains,' Sesshoumaru frowned thoughtfully as he stepped into the room. 'That will not do. I will have to discuss this with the kencho female.'

Sesshoumaru finally spied his target, his nose subconsciously following Inuyasha's scent to the floor in front of Kagome's bed. She slept curled on her side facing him, with her boot-clad feet dangling off the side of the bed. She had long since released her hair from it's earlier loops and curls, allowing it to flow freely around her.

Sesshoumaru brushed away a stray strand, then kneeled down to remove her boots before raising her feet to the bed. He lined her shoes up beside her and stilled a moment more to peer into her face.

"Little ningen," Sesshoumaru whispered, unaware of the affection creeping in his voice. "Do you always sleep in such disarray, with your boots on your feet as if to flee from the very room at a moment's notice?"

Kagome made a small grunt, as if she heard him and disapproved of his comment.

Sesshoumaru chuckled slightly, then moved to stand when Kagome sniffed. A single tear rolled from the corner of her eye and disappeared into her hair. 'What is this?' Sesshoumaru traced the tear's path, his curiosity piqued when another followed down the same path. 'Should I wake her? It is not normal for ningen to cry for no reason, is i-'

"…Not my fault," Kagome whispered brokenly, her arm flinging itself over her eyes before she turned away from him. "…Sesshoumaru-sama…"

Confusion froze his normally expressionless features as Sesshoumaru stared back at her. 'What is not her fault? I do not under-'

"…Ningen…not my fault…don't hate me too…"

"Inuyasha…" Sesshoumaru growled, knowing exactly where she would get such information. 'How dare he presume to tell her of my dislikes…he will pay.'

~But you don't like ningen,~ his conscious reasoned with him. ~I don't know if you like her…and you don't either.~

'But it is not his place to tell her such things,' Sesshoumaru reasoned as he dried her face. 'But…it is not her fault that she is what she is. Nothing is in her favor, except her scent. She's ningen, and the descendant of miko…so why don't I despise her the way I should?' Sesshoumaru finally stood, regarding the line of thought he was previously traveling down as pointless and futile.

'Besides,' Sesshoumaru thought before he exited the room. 'Ningen are beneath me. What does it matter what Inuyasha says? Let him say what he will. It changes nothing.

*

Inuyasha sat in the same meadow a few days later, only it was he and Kagome looking up at the sky without the other generals.

"Where are the others again?" Inuyasha asked as a large cloud passed over the sun.

Kagome sighed. "There was a fight in the cafeterias. They went to break it up."

"The battalion and the officers are always at it," Inuyasha grumbled sourly. "You get used to it after a while."

"Would that not cause a problem on the battlefield?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha shook his head. "Believe it or not, they're not trying to be malicious. They're just tired of sitting around here. They'll calm down soon."

"Oh." Kagome sighed and pulled at the sleeves of her training gi. "Inuyasha?"

"What now Kagome?" he growled, then frowned when she started to laugh. "What are you laughing at?"

"You," she giggled as she sat up. "You're always so grumpy. I bet you're just as bored as I am."

"Feh! So what if I am!" He thought a moment, then "What do you want to do?"

"Hmmm…" Kagome thought a moment, then smiled and jumped to her feet. "I know! Hurry and help me pack this up!"

Inuyasha stood up and did as she requested, wondering to himself what it was about her excitement that seemed to fuel his own. By the time they were packed up and starting down the hill, he was nearly as excited as Kagome was, having to physically restrain himself from bouncing around as she did.

"I can't wait for you to see Inuyasha!" Kagome chirped as they neared the training field outside the Inner Gate. "You're going to be so surprised!"

He followed as she stopped before the set of ill used targets at the northern border of the field, the woods beyond them seemingly dark and foreboding. "Kagome," he said before setting the basket at his feet. "Why are we here?"

"So you can see this." Kagome picked up a bow, weighed it in her hands, then frowned before grasping another one. She smiled at this one, then reached for a nearby quiver loaded with arrows, slung it over her shoulders and turned to Inuyasha. "See?"

"See what?" Inuyasha said suspiciously. "You pretending to be an archer?"

"Hm!" Kagome turned her back to him, raised the bow and nocked an arrow. "You think I jest?"

"Yes," Inuyasha mocked. "I think you-woah…" Kagome released the arrow, grinning when it struck dead center moments later. "You're not half bad."

"There is no pleasing you Inuyasha," Kagome commented jovially, then nocked and fired another arrow. This one split the first one down the middle, leaving nothing but the metal head intact. She and Inuyasha walked down to the target to retrieve the arrow. Kagome tugged and tugged on the shaft, then planted her foot on the other side of it and tugged as hard as she could before giving up.

"Blast it!" she grumbled irritably, then frowned when Inuyasha started laughing. "What's so funny?"

"Its damn it Kagome. Say it with me. Damn. It."

"I'm not saying that!" Kagome gasped in abject horror. "It's not ladylike."

"It's not very gentlemanly either, but it will make you feel better," Inuyasha replied, then wrapped his hand around the arrow and jerked it free. He quirked a brow at Kagome's growl, then chuckled when she stomped toward the practice line.

"Inuyasha?"

"Hai Kagome," Inuyasha answered tiredly.

"Can you arch?"

"No," he snorted instantly.

"Do you want to learn?"

"No!"

"Why not?" Kagome asked, immediately offended with his scowl.

"Because it's for girls!" Inuyasha argued back. "Do I look like a girl to you?"

"It is not just for girls!" Kagome hollered back. "Most of the men on my father's army were archers as well as swordsmen!"

"Well," Inuyasha stammered, instantly floored by the little piece of information.

"And," Kagome steamrolled ahead. "I'm willing to bet that, with your youkai speed and prowess, you'll be a magnificent archer." She smiled when Inuyasha's frown turned thoughtful, the little light bulb above her head going ding!

"Do you think so?" Inuyasha asked after a few seconds. Kagome nodded. "I know so. You'd be deadly, from up close and from afar."

"Well…" Inuyasha bent over, picked up one of the discarded bows and nodded. "Why the hell not?"

"Yay!" Kagome gave him a quick hug and released him before he recovered from the shock. "Ok Inuyasha. This is how you hold it." She positioned the bow in his hand, then showed him how to nock the arrow. "Now, all you to is pull back according to the distance."

"What?" Inuyasha asked, looking down at her before returning to the target forty paces away.

"If you want the arrow to go really far, then you pull back on the string really far," Kagome explained, then demonstrated on her bow. "But if you do that now, you'll spear straight through the target."

"Alright then," Inuyasha replied with nod. He adjusted the tension on the string, then waited for Kagome's signal to release.

His arrow flew straight…

Flew far…

And flew into the woods to never be seen again.

"Damn it!" Inuyasha growled. "This is too hard! There's no way I'm doing it!"

"Have a little patience," Kagome soothed. "It's hard to hit the target the first time. You should have seen me."

"What happened?" Inuyasha asked as he took the offered arrow from her and nocked it. Kagome sighed. "Father had the best archer in our army to teach me. Our best archer was a grumpy, older gentleman with a salty disposition."

"He was an ass Kagome. Say it with me."

"Whatever," Kagome grumbled, remembering the word from one of the generals' arguments. "Anyway, he was constantly in my ear, screaming about how I wasn't relaxed enough to get the target right." She smoothed out Inuyasha's shoulders, watching in approval when they relaxed.

"So when it finally came time for me to shoot, I didn't put enough tension on the string. The arrow never made it to the target, no less fly like yours did. "

Inuyasha chuckled softly, then shook his head as Kagome repositioned his arms.

"He made me try again, the sadist," Kagome grumbled miserably. "And this time, I put too much tension on it. The arrow flew over the target and got stuck in the crack between the barrier stones."

Inuyasha chuckled harder, his arms relaxing fully before refocusing on the target.

"I was devastated! It was a new wall, that had taken the stoneworkers over eight moon cycles-"

"Eight months."

"Huh?" Kagome replied. "What's a month?"

"It's a shorter way to say what you just said. One moon cycle is one month. Understand?"

Kagome nodded, then motioned for Inuyasha to fire. This time the arrow landed next to the red dot in the center. "Very good Inuyasha! Not bad for your second try."

"Yeah, I guess you're-"

"Well, well, well. Would you lookie here."

Kagome and Inuyasha turned toward the voice, Kagome paling and Inuyasha growling as a familiar cheetah youkai approached them. The rest of the battalion streamed down the hill toward them, each readying themselves for a fight as Inuyasha stepped in front of Kagome protectively. She gripped the back of his cape to his haori instinctively and peered around his arm at the cheetah.

"What do you want Remus?" he growled dangerously. The cheetah merely smiled, his human-like eyes dancing merrily.

"It's good to see you too halfbreed. I see you're playing with your own kind now. It's about time."

"Fuck off Kitty."

"Oooo!" Remus cooed nastily. "What a way to talk around a lady, though I'm almost sure she's anything but."

"How dare you," Kagome hissed in outrage. "You have no right to speak to him that way, nor to me."

*

Kilik, Keni'Chi and Nassirudden were walking toward the training field when they heard the commotion. "What's going on?" Keni'Chi asked a nearby soldier.

"Remus is about to pick a fight with the ningen and the disgusting halfbreed!" an overexcited soldier commented carelessly. Nassirudden growled, and in instant later the soldier's throat was in her hands.

"What disgusting halfbreed?" she snarled angrily, her dark gray eyes lightening to a glittery steel. "Answer me!"

"Inuyasha-sama, Nassirudden-sempai!" he squeaked instantly. "Forgive my rude-"

"Let's go," Nassirudden growled after she tossed the youkai over her shoulder.

"Hold on," InuTaishou commanded as he and Sesshoumaru stepped through the mee lee of soldiers to them.

"But my lord, Kagome and Inuyasha-san could get hurt," Keni'Chi reasoned. InuTaishou shook his head. "We will stay here and observe. This will be the perfect test for Inuyasha."

"Do you intend on Inuyasha fighting the cheetah?" Sesshoumaru inquired. "If so, then it will not be a fair match."

"It is Inuyasha's temper that I wish to test, not his strength. I am well aware that he will beat the youkai if allowed."

*

"Kagome, keep quiet," Inuyasha demanded.

"Is it hard to control your wench?" Remus jeered, then sniffed the wind thoughtfully. "Wait a moment. You're the wench that was with the houshi, aren't you?"

"Perhaps," Kagome answered vaguely. "It is none of your business."

"It would figure that the houshi would be lying. Sesshoumaru-sama would never touch a filthy little ningen like you."

Inuyasha winced at Kagome's sniff, but started at the sudden jolt behind his eyes. Just as suddenly as it began it ended, though it left a strange side effect.

"Kagome," Inuyasha whispered softly. "Are you alright?"

"Aww…" Remus cooed softly. "Did I hurt the little ningen's feelings? Too bad. All of you are nothing but cattle. Just filthy, disgusting cattle that should be obliterated from the earth," he glared down at Inuyasha and sneered. "That includes dirty hanyou like you, bastard. Now get off the field. Real youkai have training to do."

"Fuck yo-"

"How dare you."

Inuyasha turned just as Kagome stepped from behind him, glaring at Remus' back as he walked a few paces away from them.

"Kagome?"

The energy coming from her was strong, and the inside of Inuyasha's head felt as if it would explode.

"Kagome?"

"How dare you!" she shouted suddenly, piercing the ears of any youkai around.

"What was that?" Remus asked as he peered over his shoulder. "Does the little whore want to say something?"

"How dare you speak to him like that!" Kagome exploded. "You will apologize this instant!!!"

"To what?" Remus gestured to Inuyasha, who's eyes were clenched shut and his hands desperately holding the sides of his head. "That thing?"

"HE IS NOT A THING!!!!"

'Holy gods,' Inuyasha gasped as he dropped to one knee. The pain in his head had become full blown agony. His breath stole away from him, his lungs burning as the outside world looked on.

*

"What's wrong with Inuyasha?" Nassirudden squeaked when Inuyasha fell to his knees. "What's going on?"

'It's Kagome,' InuTaishou realized. 'He's experienced her power first hand, and there's a possibility that there is some kind of connection between the two.' His vision shifted slightly to observe their auras, InuTaishou's suspicions confirmed at the pink line of power linking Inuyasha to Kagome. It pulsed in time with her temper, but it wasn't trying to hurt Inuyasha as InuTaishou thought.

'It's trying to protect him, but she hasn't learned how.'

"Kagome must calm down."

*

"YOU WILL NOT SPEAK SO DISRESPECTFULLY IN HIS PRESENCE!!!!"

Inuyasha looked up just as the pain went away, a single tear streaking down his face as it was replaced with a soothing warmth. He glanced at Kagome, his swirly vision somehow missing the faint pink glow beneath her gi sleeve. "Kagome, it's ok. I get talked to like that all the time. Let's just go."

"I'm not going anywhere until he apologizes."

Remus laughed, as did the other soldiers around him as the generals, InuTaishou and Sesshoumaru looked on. "I will never apologize to that trash."

Kagome raised her bow, nocked an arrow and aimed right for him. "Apologize."

"Onna," Remus wheezed behind chuckles. "By the time you let go of the string, I will have ripped you apart."

"My arrow will fly true. In my kingdom, insulting your lord is grounds for treason. The punishment for treason is death. You will apologize, or suffer the consequences."

"Bitch," Remus growled, his claws extending as his eyes began to glow red. "Are you threatening me?"

"I am promising you."

"Kagome, don't do it," Inuyasha said, putting what he thought was a calming hand on her shoulder. "Just let it go. It's not worth it."

"Let's see if you still think that in the afterlife," Remus snarled before sprinting toward them. Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's waist, ready to leap out of the way when she fired.

Remus stopped seconds later, gaping in surprise at the arrow now protruding from his shoulder.

"Apologize," Kagome repeated.

"Never," Remus growled, his embarrassment at being bested by a human in front of the rest of the army clouding his good judgment. "Not to a hanyou."

"This hanyou is my friend, now apologize!"

Remus ignored her, running toward her again in an attempt to disarm her and take her head. Another twang, and another arrow lay embedded in Remus' other shoulder.

"Witch!" he yelped in agony. "How are you doing this?"

"Apologize!"

"That is enough!"

All eyes turned to the hill, Kagome's bow falling from her hands the instant she recognized the voice. "InuTaishou-sama, I-"

"I saw it all Kagome," InuTaishou replied as he walked down the hill toward them. "and I am not pleased."

Kagome's chin drooped to her chest, her hands clasped in front of her as the glow from her sleeve faded into nothing. InuTaishou strolled right past her and stopped before Remus, who kneeled at his feet the instant InuTaishou's eyes fell upon him.

"My lord, I-

"I said I saw everything," InuTaishou interrupted. "That means your part as well. It saddens me to think that one of my men could be so disrespectful of their lord." He stepped to Remus' side, then commanded him to look at Inuyasha.

"See his face?" InuTaishou growled angrily. "His face is my face. His blood is my blood, and the blood you vowed to serve. Have you forgotten this?"

"No, my lord," Remus said quickly.

"Then why do you insult him? He may be hanyou, but he is your better. Sesshoumaru-sama's ward is right-" he smirked when Remus paled before him. "Oh. You thought that what you heard were lies? I see. No matter."

InuTaishou gripped the arrows as if to jerk them out, but after a moment held firm. "She is right anyway. It is treason in her kingdom to insult your better. However, I feel that she's punished you enough. You will not die today." Remus visibly relaxed, then began to panic when blue poison began to ooze down the arrows to the wound.

"I will however leave you with a little warning." InuTaishou watched as the poison coated the arrow entirely before making their way into Remus' wounds. "If I ever think that you intend to harm Sesshoumaru's ward, or Inuyasha, you will pay dearly. I will kill you myself, then watch as Sesshoumaru resurrects you and kills you again. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, InuTaishou-sama!" Remus replied quickly. InuTaishou smiled. "Good." He released the arrows and turned back to the hill, glancing over his shoulder once to say two things.

"Remus, return the arrows to Kagome-san. It would not due to loose her possessions. Kagome, Inuyasha. I want to see you two as soon as possible."

Kagome and Inuyasha watched as InuTaishou disappeared through the crowd of youkai, then Kagome turned to Remus. She sighed after a second, then kneeled down beside him, draped his arm over her shoulders and helped him to stand.

"I'm…I'm really sorry," she apologized as he struggled to his feet. "I lost my temper. Mother always says that it will be the death of me."

"No," Remus wheezed through InuTaishou's poison. "It was…my fault. My apologies my lady."

"Inuyasha," Kagome called, her head tilting expectantly when he gawked at her. "A little help please?"

"Why are we helping him again?" Inuyasha asked as he too draped an arm around his shoulders and held up most of the cheetah's weight.

"Because he's one of your soldiers," Kagome panted as they slowly made their way to the infirmary. "You always care for your men, no matter what."

"Yeah well," Inuyasha grumbled, though a little voice kept telling him that it made perfect sense. "What do you know? You're still just a princess."

"My father taught me that," Kagome responded. "And now I'm teaching you."

"Inuyasha-sama?"

Kagome and Inuyasha stopped, each regarding Remus curiously. "What did you call me?" Inuyasha whispered.

"Inuyasha…sama," Remus repeated. "My apologies. Forgive my behavior."

Inuyasha stood a moment, his amber eyes widening in surprise as he looked at Kagome. She nodded and they continued on, but not before an expected

"Feh."

Of forgiveness from Inuyasha.

*

"Now what happened exactly?" InuTaishou asked an hour later. Kagome and Inuyasha stayed while Miroku and Keni'Chi treated Remus, both for the arrows InuTaishou requested she receive and to make sure he would be alright. Sesshoumaru sat in the library above them, intently listening to their conversation with Keni'Chi, Nassirudden and Kilik standing at attention on either side of InuTaishou.

"It's not a big deal Father," Inuyasha answered. "Things just got out of hand. We smoothed things out at the infirmary."

"Really?" InuTaishou inquired skeptically. "How so?"

"Remus apologized for being disrespectful, and Kagome apologized for shooting him."

"That is another thing that bothers me." InuTaishou turned his attention to Kagome, who stood with her head down once again. "When did you learn archery?"

"When I turned twelve, my lord," Kagome replied respectfully. "It was for our annual spring festivals."

"I see…" InuTaishou nodded a moment, then asked "So why did you shoot him?"

"I'm not sure my lord," Kagome answered honestly. "I was just so angry."

"Because of the names he called you?"

"That, and the names he called Inuyasha. I just…I don't know why I shot him. I wasn't trying to hurt him."

"That is evident Kagome, I assure you," InuTaishou said, attempting to soothe over her frayed nerves. "Well, I must say that I am proud of you Inuyasha."

"Really?" Inuyasha replied. "Why? I didn't do anything."

"That is exactly my point," InuTaishou answered. "You normally attack first and ask questions later, without thinking of the consequences. This time you showed restraint, courage, and sense. I am pleased."

Inuyasha bowed his head respectfully, his entire posture strong and proud as InuTaishou turned back to Kagome.

"And you little one," he said with a smile. "I do not know what to think of you."

"A thousand apologies for injuring one of your warriors," Kagome said with a bow. "My temper got the best of me."

"You were exceptional as well Kagome," InuTaishou assured her. "Though Inuyasha needed no protecting, you still stood up for him. As a subject and ally of this providence, and ward of this castle, you have a duty to take offense to the insults that are thrown at your lords, whether its myself, Inuyasha or Sesshoumaru. You protected Inuyasha without hesitation, and were in the right because Remus attacked first. I am pleased with you as well."

"Thank you InuTaishou -sama," Kagome said with a deep bow, her hands crossed over her chest.

"You are welcome. The arrows are yours. I will have more sent to you. You two are dismissed for dinner."

Kagome and Inuyasha bowed once again and turned to leave when InuTaishou called to them.

"Kagome?"

"Hai my lord?"

He smirked mischievously and said "Try really hard not to shoot any more of my soldiers from now on."

"Hai my lord."

InuTaishou waited until they left before dismissing the generals, waiting once again for their footsteps to fade before Sesshoumaru descended the stairs.

"You should be proud of her Sesshoumaru," InuTaishou commented.

"For what reason?" Sesshoumaru commented dryly, attempting to ignore the jealously eating away at him. "She acted foolishly, without reason or thought. Yet you commend her. Remus could have easily ended her life today."

"Hai, but I doubt very much that you would have stood there and allowed that. I believe that Inuyasha wouldn't have allowed that either."

"I suppose," Sesshoumaru growled. "But I do not see why I should be proud of her."

"Because of how this reflects on you," InuTaishou replied, smiling when Sesshoumaru's shoulders squared.

"How does it reflect on me?" he inquired.

"Think of what the soldiers will say now. They already respect you, but now that respect has risen knowing that you're ward is one of the fastest and most accurate archers in the land. You're wisdom knows no bounds now."

"I suppose," Sesshoumaru repeated thoughtfully. "That still does not excuse her actions."

"I thought not, but I can almost guarantee the loyalty of the soldiers to you, and at least one is now loyal to your ward and your brother as well. Not a bad day, if I do say so myself."

'He may be right,' Sesshoumaru thought to himself. 'But I cannot reward such foolishness…even if the very sight of her in such a state made her even more bea-no! That does not excuse the scene she created today!'

InuTaishou watched as Sesshoumaru left the throne room, shaking his head at his eldest pup's inner struggle.

*

Inuyasha stood in the middle of the western garden hours later, his and Kagome's nightly lessons finished until the next day. 'I do not know what to think,' Inuyasha admitted to his mother's statue. 'She is ningen. She's supposed to hate me, yet today she stands between me and another youkai like a shield.' He sighed to himself and rested his head against the cool marble, turning his head to watch the stars above.

"I'll never understand that girl…"

"Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha sat up instantly as Nassirudden burst into the clearing. "Inuyasha, I-oh! I'm sorry. I can come back another time if you're-"

"No, no," Inuyasha waved her forward. "It's alright. What is it?"

"I'm going on a jaunt and-"

"You want me to tell Father that you'll be back?" Inuyasha asked, immediately puzzled when Nassi shook her head.

"I'm going to need help carrying some things, and Keni'Chi and Kilik can't come with me. Will you?"

"You want me," Inuyasha began as he stood up. "To come with you on a jaunt?"

"If you don't mind," Nassirudden answered. "If you have other things to do, then-"

"No! I'll go!" He bounded to Nassirudden's side instantly. "Now what do I do?"

"Hold my arm and close your eyes."

Inuyasha did so, his ears twitching at the sound of glass breaking. "Nassi, what was that?"

"Shh," she whispered. "We're almost there."

Inuyasha snorted indignantly, but did as he was asked. Soon he felt different, cooler though he could feel heat beating down on his face.

"Ok Inuyasha. We're here."

Inuyasha opened his eyes, instantly closing them again when sunlight blinded him. 'What the hell?' he mused as Nassi began to drag him along a stone path. The air smelled different here, more like water than land, and human and youkai alike surrounded him. "Where are we?"

"Somewhere far away from the Western providences," Nassirudden answered. "We have to pick up something, so stay with me."

Inuyasha nodded dumbly as they approached a large stone bridge. Gargoyles squatted on pillars on either side of the bridge, each bearing fangs or flashing claws at the passerbys. He looked below him, watching the water flow below him as a funny shaped boat floated along the water's surface. "What's that?" he asked, pointing to the boat.

"That's a gondola," Nassirudden explained as she gestured toward the boat. "It's going to take us where we need to go."

Inuyasha quirked a doubtful brow, but stepped aboard when Nassirudden did, then sat opposite her as the human near the far end moved the boat forward with a large stick. They passed other funny shaped boats along the way, the water acting as a sort of street throughout the city.

"Why is there so much water?"

"Because this city built on a bunch of islands. The bridges and gondolas are the only transportation. Oh, we're here." She said something strange to the human, who nodded and piloted the boat toward a pier of sorts. Inuyasha got off first, then helped Nassi step off. He watched as she passed a single golden coin from a pouch on her waist to the human's hand. The human tipped his hat and pushed away, but not before yelling something back.

"What did he say?" Inuyasha asked as Nassirudden knocked on a door to a house behind them.

"Oh. He said to ask for Valentino if we need a ride back," she answered before the door opened. The human, an obvious servant dressed in black, stepped aside and allowed Nassirudden and Inuyasha entrance before disappearing into the bowels of the house.

"We'll wait here," Nassirudden said with a sigh. She sat down in one of the many chairs, then patted a chair beside her. "Sit down Inuyasha. It's rude to stand like you are."

Inuyasha scoffed a moment, then sat down. He found himself admiring the woodwork of the chair, recognizing the many swirls carved in the dark wood as some of the recent furniture additions at the castle.

Another human emerged from a nearby doorway, taking Nassi's hand and kissing the back of it in greeting. Inuyasha watched as they exchanged some sort of strange greeting, then the human turned to him with his hand extended.

"Inuyasha," Nassirudden whispered. "Take his hand in yours and shake it. It's a common greeting among the males here."

"Oh." Inuyasha did as suggested, then bowed his head. The human bowed back, then pointed to himself and said.

"Marco Delante."

"Inuyasha," Inuyasha replied back. The human smiled, then retreated to another part of the house. "What language is that?" he asked. "It's…different."

"It's Italian," Nassirudden answered. "It's different from Japanese, but it's not hard. Would you like me to teach you?"

"Feh, only if you want to."

Nassirudden nodded. "I would love to. I was planning on teaching Kagome anyway."

The human returned, this time with four large, heavy bags in his arms. He handed one to Nassi and the rest to Inuyasha. Nassi thanked him (or at least that's what Inuyasha thought she did) before leaving the house. They turned into an alleyway beside the house, walking down it until they came to a dead end.

"What now?" Inuyasha asked, the only feature visible above the bags were his twitching ears. The sound of rushing water was getting to him, creating a sort of loopy, confused feeling within him.

"Now, we go home," Nassirudden sighed. She grasped his arm, then asked him to close his eyes once again. Again he heard the sound of glass breaking, and the sun's warmth faded from his face as the scent of water disappeared.

Inuyasha opened his eyes and found himself back in his mother's garden. He stared around in wonder as Nassirudden retrieved his three bags and began to make her way back to the castle.

"Inuyasha?"

"Hai," Inuyasha said quickly.

"Thanks for coming with me. You did really good for your first time."

"Yeah well," Inuyasha said sheepishly. "Thanks for taking me."

"Would you like to go with me from now on?" Nassirudden asked.

"Hell yeah!" Inuyasha exclaimed, then rubbed his hands through his hair in embarrassment. "I mean-yeah, if you feel like it."

"Alright then," Nassirudden said with a smile. "I'm going to take these to the dressmaker. I'll see you tomorrow."

Inuyasha watched her as she walked away, then turned to his mother's statue and grinned. "Jaunts are interesting things," he said out loud. "and Nassi wants me to go with her!" 'Hmm…' he thought suddenly, his thoughts turning serious for a moment. 'Why would Nassi offer to take me? Wouldn't I have annoyed her with all the questions I asked? It's hard to believe that she actually wants me to go. It's not possible for Kagome to be right…could it?'

*

"Again," InuTaishou commanded from the other side of the garden. "This time Kagome, concentrate."

"I'm trying my best InuTaishou-sama," Kagome griped from beside a sakura tree. "But it's difficult to raise a shield so quickly."

"Of course." InuTaishou conceded with a sigh. "You are still learning after all. I was not aware of how difficult it was to train a miko."

"My apologies InuTaishou-sama," Kagome said with a bow. "I don't mean to be a burden."

"That you're not Kagome," InuTaishou assured her. "You're actually easier to teach than I thought. It's the training itself that is difficult. You have just become aware of the power. It will take time for you to become used to it and be able to wield it the way you should. It will come in time."

"Thank you for your confidence," Kagome smiled back. She smoothed out the wrinkles in her kimono, it made of beautiful charcoal silk with tiny white sakura petals embroidered on the helm of the sleeves and obi.

"Again, it's my pleasure. Now, I want you to have this." He walked over to Kagome, stopping directly in front of her before giving her a thick leather-bound book.

"What is it?" Kagome asked before flipping it open.

"It's a book about miko powers and training," InuTaishou explained. "I want you to read the first chapter and be able to do it by two lessons."

"Why so quickly?" Kagome inquired.

"Because you attempted to protect Inuyasha today with your power," InuTaishou explained, taking her pale face and wide eyes as a sign of her ignorance to such an action. "You did not do it right until the last few seconds before you fired on Bakunetsumaru. Until then, you were actually hurting him."

"Goodness," Kagome gasped guiltily. "I never meant to."

"He knows it, and so do I. This will teach you what to do, so the next time you try it you won't hurt your intended. Now," He pushed Kagome toward the castle and lowered the barrier spell around them. "Go to bed. You look tired."

Kagome nodded in agreement, leaving InuTaishou in the garden as she passed the Inner Gate and the stables. She entered the last gate to the castle and walked down the southern hall before stopping before one of the many doors on the wing.

'Storage huh,' Kagome contemplated as she read the name carved into the door. 'Let's have a peek, shall we?' She positioned the book between the quiver and her back and opened the door.

Inside were various used weapons, some broken while others lay rusted and dull from misuse or neglect. Kagome glanced around a moment, then moved to close the door when she spied something in a far left corner. She entered the room slowly, mindful of the weapons at her feet as she cautiously reached her destination.

There in the corner rested a pair of zanbatous, both identical to the golden staffs, the pearl beaded bands around both ends and the curved blades at the top ends of them. 'They would be lovely if they were polished…' Kagome paused a minute, then grabbed both zanbatous and exited the room. She walked down the corridor a little more, then rested the weapons on the wall and entered another room. Kagome emerged from this one with a bundle of white cloth in her hands. She wrapped it around herself, making sure to secure the book InuTaishou gave her before continuing down the hall.

She finally exited the main part of the eastern wing, entered Sesshoumaru's part of the wing, and climbed to the second floor and her room. She entered quietly, then sat her acquired possessions on the floor. 'Nassirudden said that I could get whatever I wanted from the storage rooms,' Kagome reasoned as she retrieved a spare cloth from her clothes closet. 'No one should mind if I use these.'

Kagome sat in the middle of the floor, opened her book and reached for one of the zanbatous. She polished as she read, only ceasing her work to turn a page.

'It is always a good thing for a miko to learn basic defensive and healing spells,' Kagome read as she started on staff part of the weapon in her lap. 'There are many the learning miko can choose from, but these in here are the easiest and the most powerful.'

'Goofproof,' Kagome thought to herself, giggling at the foreign word as she turned the page and continued polishing.

'The first spell is simple. It is a method of calming the spirit, of yourself or of those around you. It is called the Spirit Rose.'

"That's convenient," Kagome muttered to herself, then began to polish the blade.

'To perform the Spirit Rose, one must calm their mind. Any anger, hate or displaced feelings will hurt the intended, creating a headache-like sensation.'

'That must be what I did to Inuyasha today,' Kagome mused as she grasped one of the white cloths next to her. She tied two corners to the weapon, then set it aside to start on the other one.

'Once your thoughts are calm, try to think about what your projecting out,' the book explained. 'Anything, thoughts, feelings, even a certain amount of ki can be exchanged in this way. The greatest part about this technique is that it is undetectable to both ningen and youkai, and can be used for multiple purposes on different intendeds depending on the strength and training of the miko.'

'Now that's convenient,' Kagome said with a smile. She relaxed and closed her eyes, pausing in her work to mediate as InuTaishou instructed her. 'Now,' she thought when she was sufficiently relaxed. 'Let's see…Inuyasha?'

Kagome waited for a moment, figuring that Inuyasha would be the best to speak with in this way since they'd already done so her first day arriving. 'After all,' she reasoned. 'He at least should be the easiest.'

'Inuyasha?'

'Kagome?' came his doubtful whisper moments later. 'Kagome, where are you?'

'I'm in my room,' she told him, then attempted to continue her work and 'speak' to him at the same time. To her surprise it worked, which was something she was more than happy about. 'What are you doing?'

'What?!' he thought angrily. 'You scare the hell out of me to ask what I'm doing?'

'I didn't mean to frighten you,' Kagome said with a giggle. 'I just wanted to tell you something.'

'What?' Inuyasha asked skeptically. 'To tell me that you've figured out why we can talk to each other like this?'

'Hai, actually.'

'Really?!!' he exclaimed. Kagome dropped her work and held her head. 'OW!'

'Oh. Sorry. Hey, cool! You're sensitive to sound now too!'

'I'm glad you find this amusing,' Kagome grumbled.

'Me too. Now why are we so lucky?'

'I have to ask InuTaishou-sama if I can tell you first.'

'What does Father have to do with this?' Inuyasha wondered. 'And why can't you tell me?'

'Because the reason why is a secret. InuTaishou-sama asked me not to tell anyone.'

'Oh. I wonder why.'

'Me too.' Kagome looked up, then sighed when someone knocked on her door. 'Inuyasha?'

'Yeah?'

'Someone's at my door.'

'You need me?' he asked worriedly. Kagome marveled to herself over the reaction, noticing rather belatedly that the usual gruffness in his voice was gone.

'I don't think so. Let me see.' "Who's there?" Kagome called aloud, then sighed in relief when Nassirudden answered. 'It's just Nassi.'

'Good,' he seemed to sigh in relief.

'I have to go Inuyasha.'

'Me too. Goodnight Kagome. If you need me, I guess this would be the best way to do it.'

'Alright,' Kagome thought back with a smile. 'Goodnight.' Kagome looked around her, mentally clearing her head and terminating her link to Inuyasha before hiding the book deep underneath the futon and sprinting to the door.

"What took so long?" Nassirudden asked as she came in. Kagome shrugged. "I was working on something."

Nassirudden noticed the weapons on the floor and nodded. "I see. What are you doing?"

"I'm making curtains," Kagome chirped happily. "I just finished actually." Kagome grabbed a zanbatou and walked toward the left-hand window. "There are nails up there, but I don't think I can reach them."

"Let me see if I can," Nassi replied, her hand outstretched. Kagome placed the staff in her hands and watched, amazed, as Nassi suddenly floated toward the ceiling. "You want it here right?" she called down to her, gesturing to the nails above the window.

"Yes please," Kagome answered back.

"Do you want the blades to go a certain way, or what?"

Kagome thought for a few moments, then shrugged. "What would you suggest?"

"Well," Nassi seemed to sit in an invisible chair, her legs crossing underneath the folds of her hunter green kimono as she tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I would have the blades either facing away or toward each other. But that's just me."

"Is sounds wonderful," Kagome replied. "Can we do that?"

"Sure. I don't see why not." Nassi placed the staff securely on the nails, using a little bit of the curtain material to tie the metal rod to the nails. The blade curved out and down toward Kagome's bed. Kagome handed Nassi another zanbatou, watching as Nassi floated to the other window and secured the second curtain.

"Well," she said as she floated down. "What do you think?"

Kagome nodded in approval. "Perfect. Thanks so much Nassi."

"My pleasure," Nassi said with a smile. "Now get some sleep. You have training in the morning."

Kagome nodded in acceptance, then waited for Nassi to leave before changing into a sleep shirt and sliding underneath the furs. She looked around her room dreamily before blowing out her candle, her last thoughts before drifting off were of the other changes she intended to make.

*

Sesshoumaru slid the door open, taking a moment to listen to Kagome's breathing before entering the room entirely. 'Hm,' he thought as he glanced at the makeshift curtains. 'Seems she and the kencho have been busy. That is a relief. It would not due to tell her that her rooms overlook the training field.'

He shut the door behind him, then ventured further into the room and sat at the foot of Kagome's futon. Kagome slept on, the furs loosely draped over her. 'Her sleep is much better than the last time,' Sesshoumaru realized as he traced a brow with his finger. Kagome rolled over, hummed some sort of tune, and slipped further into slumber while Sesshoumaru held his breath to keep from laughing.

'So full of surprises,' he thought with a shake of his head. Sesshoumaru frowned suddenly, his mood suddenly thoughtful as his eyes glittered in the darkness.

'One of those surprises being the little show you put on today. I honestly do not know what to make of you. Father says you deserve to be rewarded. I, however, do not reward such brashness. You are more like Inuyasha than I though.' His frown deepened, his eyes narrowing as a growl escaped his lips.

'I do not want you becoming close to the halfbreed,' he thought in disgust. 'You belong to me, not him. I claimed you, therefore that makes you mine to do as I please. But despite this, you two seem to be getting along.' Sesshoumaru breathed a sigh of defeat, deciding to allow their friendship for the time being. 'Besides, it may come to my benefit sometime later,' he determined. 'but I must find a way to prevent you two from becoming more. It would be no problem if you roomed with me, but Father has forbid…d…en…'

Sesshoumaru paused in his musings, the wheels in his head turning as his brain highlighted the loophole in InuTaishou's declaration. 'He said that she could not come in my quarters, but he never said anything about me being in here…' Sesshoumaru gave a rare smirk, the predatory grin highlighted by the pale moonlight.

"Yes," Sesshoumaru whispered, looking down on Kagome as she innocently slept unawares. "Perhaps there is a way but first," Sesshoumaru glanced around the room, making a mental checklist of everything that resided. "Some things must be changed…"

----

SF: As promised, more K/S action.

Sesshoumaru: Why is her name before mine? I am more important than that human, crossbreed.

Kagome: What do you mean by that? Are you trying to say something?

Sesshoumaru: I do not try…

SF: {::hand to her forehead::} {::Sesshoumaru and Kagome arguing in the background::} Lord, why me? Anyway, to understand Sesshoumaru's behavior, you have to think about it like this. Sesshoumaru is kinda like (and take no offense to this you guys) you're average thirteen year old. Somebody with authority says not to do something (such as InuTaishou's order not to have Kagome in his room) and he works his way around that order to make it suit him. Like I said, InuTaishou can't protect Kagome from Sesshoumaru for long.

InuTaishou: You mean to tell me that I cannot keep a reign over my own pups.?

SF: It's not that…it's just that Sesshoumaru's a bit-

Inu-chan: He's a spoiled brat!

Sesshoumaru: {::clamps hand over Kagome's mouth::} What was that?

Inu-chan: You heard me, you stuck up jackass!

InuTaishou: Boys! Stop that this-

{::Kagome drools all over Sesshoumaru's hand::}

Sesshoumaru: {::shoves her away::} Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! Human germs! {::starts dancing around like a nut:::} Nasty! Somebody get some water!

Jaken: Of course Sesshoumaru-sama! {::scrambles offstage::}

SF: {::trying really hard not to laugh at Sesshoumaru, who's still dancing::} Um, the next chapter is going to have a little fighting in it. {::shakes her head when Sesshoumaru starts waving the offended hand around::} (giggle) Kouga-sama makes his appearance in the next chapter

Chapter Eight: An Alliance Grows Stronger