Author's Note: So I'm taking another stab at writing. I gave up on two others but...maybe this one will get some interest! R&R THANKS!
P.S. I found a crap ton of errors thanks to re-reading and the help of a friend, so I'm trying to go back through and make changes. That's what you get for not updating on a regular basis, you forget what the hell you wrote!
In the distant past...
A young boy with long, white hair and sharp claws sits on a shore by his home. His amber eyes stare out across the choppy water, his face a mask of determination. His lessons were complete for the day, and instead of frolicking like most children would, this young boy repeats every moment of his lessons in his head, searching for what he could improve upon. He is startled to hear footsteps approach behind him which he had not heard due to being so lost in thought. He immediately flips forward, stance rigid and ready to fight. He blinks slowly, taking the figure in front of him in.
"Had you been paying attention, son, you would have sensed me coming long ago."
The young boy merely nods slightly, adding this to the list of things to improve upon.
"Why do you not join the other children in the courtyard? Lessons are through for the day."
"I have no time for such things." The boy responds, defiantly.
The elder, silver haired demon merely chuckles and steps towards his son, dropping to one knee before him to look in his eyes.
"There is always time for recreation, son. Though your mother may seem to think...differently."
The young boy and older man share a knowing look. The man chuckles as the little boy lets a small smile cross his face. He eyes his father with much respect and praise.
"You should do that more often, Sesshomaru."
"What, father?"
"...Smile."
Present Time – Feudal Era
"One more time Inuyasha, I swear. Please, I'm begging you, say it ONE more time." A young raven haired beauty screeches at the top of her lungs on some faraway path in a faraway place.
The group stands to the side, out of Kagome's line of wrath, and watch as the half demon squirms, ears flattened against his head. They all shake their heads, sighing softly. This was the third stop today. And he'd already been sat, twice.
"Jeez, what's the problem, Kagome? All I said was that Kikyo would have sensed that shard sooner, is that so-" Inuyasha stops, gulping at the venomous stare he is receiving.
"Inuyasha...SIT BOY. SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT!" Kagome yells, hands balled into fists.
"Now that's definitely the biggest crater, yet." The young fox demon says, peering over the whole where Inuyasha is buried.
"I'd have to agree with you on that, Shippo." The handsome monk states, standing next to the fox demon.
"I don't know Miroku, the one in the morning looked like it may have been a bit deeper." The beautiful slayer says, brown eyes widened, stepping forward in front of the monk.
"Hmmm Sango, you may be correct." Eyes examining her rear end and reaching for it to caress her enticing buttock.
"I wouldn't, Miroku..." Shippo whispers, and only sighs when a loud smack rings across the forest.
"Lecher." Sango says half-heartedly, walking toward Kagomge. "Kagome, just ignore Inuyasha, he's just being impatient."
"You would think he would have grown UP a bit in the past 4 years we've been traveling together!" Kagome fumes, stomping away to set up camp.
"Is it safe yet?" Inuyasha murmurs into the dirt.
"You should probably stay there, I don't think you want Kagome to see you right now." Shippo says, trotting off to his adoptive mother, his puffy tail wiggling as he goes.
Back at camp, Kagome sits with a pot of water over a freshly lit campfire. She sighs softly to herself, cupping her chin in her palm. She knew he was right. It had been years now and she still wasn't as good of a priestess as Kikyo is.
She had finally come to terms with the fact that she and Inuyasha would never be...lovers? Mates? She knew the only thing left between them was friendship. She had loved him before, oh yes she had loved him with ever fiber of her being. But years of cutting remarks, such as the one said minutes ago, and betrayals in the name of Kikyo, her heart slowly closed to Inuyasha. He would always be her first love, and she still loved him. But she knew she would always stay by his side. She promised.
Inuyasha had figured out that her feelings for him had died. She could tell that he no longer sees wanting or desire in her eyes when she gazes at him. He hasn't said anything, they sort of just accepted it and moved on. Inuyasha has never been a man of many words and it would fluster Kagome to the point of exhaustion to try to explain. It's better this way.
Once the Ramen is done, Inuyasha trots over and sits as far away as possible from Kagome. She sighs and offers him a cup. His ears flatten against his head, a look of uncertainty flickering across his face, but then accepts after his stomach yells at him. Another fight smoothed over and forgotten.
After dinner, Kagome and Sango retreat to a nearby spring to bathe. They get their chance to fit in some girl talk. Sango confides in her friend that she and Miroku had recently done the "deed" for the first time while on a break from shard hunting as a group. It was her first time ever and it had been wonderful.
Kagome sighs, jealousy sprouting in her veins. She immediately reprimands herself. She wants her friend to have the most happiness in the world she could possibly have. Her and Mirkou would have a long and happy life together, once Naraku was finally snuffed out. She has only slight envy for friend, who is now like a sister she never had. Sango senses her slight distress and convinces her to spill what is troubling the young Miko.
"I just...I mean I'm 20 already and all of my friends back home have lost their virginity. I have no love interest. No one interested in me. If I keep on this path, I'll be that crazy old, lonely cat lady everyone's scared of!"
"What...cat lady?" Sango asks, confused.
"Never mind." Kagome says, giggling.
After the bath, Kagome comes up with another excuse to get away from the group. Sango knows what she is off to do, but it is hers and Kagome's little secret. So she settles in front of the fire, Inuyasha eying her suspiciously.
"What's so important that Kagome has to run off almost every night?"
"It's girl stuff, Inuyasha. And don't even think of interrupting her." Sango spits out, staring him down.
Inuyasha's face reddens at the mention of the words "girl stuff" and decides to let it rest.
Kagome walks into the dark forest, squeezing herself between boulders and thick brush. Smiling, she's very glad she decided to wear her stretchy, black yoga pants and oversized sweatshirt. It made it easier to get in and out of these tight surroundings. Walking, she pulls her hair up into a loose pony tail. She stumbles over a rock and mumbles to herself about a need for lessons on being graceful.
Suddenly, she finds herself in a little niche with a pond. Oddly, it's glowing. Stepping closer she peers into the water, seeing luminescent algae or fish in the water. It casts an eerie but peaceful flow onto the rocks and trees surrounding it. Fireflies hover around, shedding more light on this beautiful alcove.
Deciding this is the best spot in the entire world, Kagome sits Indian-style on a large flat rock. She lets her hands hang loose and calms her breathing from her treacherous hike. Once her breathing evens and heart rate slows, she begins.
Holding her palms upward, she calls upon her Miko powers. Pink light immediately surges to the surface.
"Even quicker than last time." Kagome thinks to herself, a smile tugging at her lips.
She goes about her normal routine, practicing her abilities. Erecting barriers, taking them down, erecting barriers on certain objects away from her, widening it and then making it smaller. She knows she has all of this down perfectly, she's just avoiding the new move Kaede had taught her when they passed through the village last week. She had tried that night to replicate it but failed miserably.
Sighing, she gets off the rock and settles onto the forest floor. She tries to remember Kaede's instructions. Furrowing her brow, she recalls the old woman's wise words.
"Every living thing has a unique energy signature. As a Miko, ye need to identify and use these energies. Ye can transport your healing and destructive powers anywhere ye wish if ye can tune in to the world around ye."
Kagome shakes off the anxiety and forces herself relax. She tunes out the sounds of the wildlife around her and focuses. Her lips twitch as she searches for the energy surrounding the beautiful flower in front of her. She envisions it in her head, what it looks like, what it smells like. She imagines touching it, remarking even in her head how vibrant of an orange it is. Suddenly, she sees a sort of glow around it. Maybe see isn't the right word...but feel. She feels a low hum emanating from the flower. This must be its' signature! Kagome is so excited with her success that she fails to register another energy that has just happened upon her little hiding space.
He watches her. He felt her miles away. Smelled her scent on the wind. Then, to his surprise, the immense power radiating from her smacked him like a slap to the face. Not that anyone had ever gotten close enough to accomplish that sort of thing. But she was being careless. She was so busy practicing her Miko abilities that she failed to sense his aura.
Here the powerful Lord of the Western Lands stands, watching the young human woman with great interest. He notes the curve of her neck, the way the glow from the water illuminates her skin and gives her an ethereal look. Her lips are curved into a small smile, eyes closed, and facing him.
"You should not be so proud of yourself, Miko." His fluid, deep voices fills the cavern.
Startled, Kagome's chokes out a gasp and flies backwards, pressing her back against the rock wall. She takes in her visitor from head to to. The blue crescent moon, the long silvery hair, the magenta stripes, the armor and swords clad to his waist. He is beautiful.
"Wait, what? No he's not! He's a vicious murderer!" Kagome reminds herself, trying to bash those thoughts away.
Sesshomaru smirks inwardly, tasting for a second the hesitant arousal in her aura. This pleases him, for some unknown reason. His face remains stoic as he stares at her.
His small pack had run with Inuyasha's a few times over the past few years during their hunt for Naraku. His ward, Rin, had grown very close to the little fox demon and the Miko. Where she would normally sleep by his side, she would fold herself into the Miko's strange blanket when the packs were together. He had watched the young Miko begin to mature into a woman and it stirred something inside of him which he ignored completely. He has no interest in a human woman. He blames it on the fact that he was only curious to see what would come of her abilities once she was old enough to reign them in.
Kagome sighs inwardly to herself, allowing herself to relax slightly. Though how could she when this gorgeous man is standing so near? She knows in her heart of hearts that Sesshomaru wasn't completely cold. Ruthless yes, but she has seen the warmth he shows Rin in the past. It had warmed her own heart to watch how he cares for her. But now, she felt uneasy to be alone with him.
"You must be more careful, Miko, otherwise you leave yourself open to attack."
"I was...practicing. And I can't really do both things at once right now. So I guess I'm just lucky it was you, huh?" Kagome stammers out, laughing awkwardly.
Sesshomaru merely nods slightly toward her and begins to walk away when his curiosity speaks to him. He stops mid stride, turning his face so she can only see his profile.
"What exactly are you trying to accomplish?"
"Kaede told me that if I could sense the energy of other living things around me, I can send helpful or harmful Miko energy to them. I was just...trying to figure out how to...sense...them. You know I bet this is really tedious and boring to you to be talking to me so, I'll save us both some embarrassment and leave."
Kagome stiffens and sticks her chest out, proudly. She gets up and starts marching to the entrance of the alcove, toward Sesshomaru. As she passes him, though, she samples the air around him. It's sweet but deep, the smells of life all over him. From the pine trees to the very wind itself. He smells wild and free. She nods to the lord as she passes past him who looks bored. She rolls her eyes and walks back to camp, suddenly exhausted.
She notes the way he looked at her tonight as she curls up in her sleeping bag. Not as some pathetic weakling. He almost looked impressed. She rolls her eyes at that thought behind closed lids and yawns. Sesshomaru, impressed with her, a pathetic human? Right. That would be the day that hell froze over.