Day 3:

He was out patrolling, as per usual. Rin was still sleeping so Jaken and Ah-Un were keeping watch over her back at their camp. But this time, without even realizing it, he had strayed back to his half-brother's village and his nose picked up a fresh scent. Fresh. Light. Feminine. Ah, the miko.

Curious as to what the miko was doing outside before the sun had even risen, considering most humans didn't like to rise before dawn – his knowledge of this had come from a quick study of human's after taking in Rin, but that was a different story.

With his inhuman speed he reached the girl shortly. Settling into the foliage as any good beast could do, he observed. He was not surprised to see her meditating. She faced eastward, waiting for the rising sun, her eyes closed and face much more tranquil than when he had seen her meditating the day before.

He examined her profile in a detached manner. Taking in the details of her form, her small nose and the Cupid's bow her upper lip had. Black tresses were let down loose to fall to her waist in gentle waves and framing her face. She was so peaceful at the moment but he knew from yesterday she also had no problem acting like an energetic child. She looked and acted much like Rin, perhaps that was while he was able to tolerate her so easily.

Looking closer he noticed her spiritual powers, a shining pink form of reiki, started to glow from her inner core and expand outward, slowly pushing its way through her skin and making her glow. The power built up around her, dancing hazardously due to her lack of training but so bright it was close to blinding. Such power in a human. If she was in Naraku's hands she could be a serious threat to himself and his pack.

He paused, reflecting over the thought for a moment. Though untrained, it truly was hard to deny her raw power. She could be a valuable asset to him, and if he was correct on his hunch about his ward, a valuable mentor if Rin truly did turn out to have miko powers.

Of course, this girl before him would have no chance of being able to mentor another if she was not even to understand her own abilities.

If he had been any other being he probably would have given a sigh at the task he had just set before him, but he was Sesshoumaru and he would show no sign of weakness even from the thought that he, a great demon lord, would be training a miko how to use her powers.

If anyone had told Sesshoumaru a hundred years ago he would be doing such a task, he probably would have cut them down then and there for such insane thoughts, but yet, here he was.

He paused his thoughts to return to watching the miko as she tried to tame her flickering reiki. The brilliant pink of her spiritual powers was an uncanny match to his own color of demon energy. The resemblance was unsettling because there was no such thing as coincidence, that was a word for fools.

Her face was still tranquil even as she fought fiercely to calm her powers that were still dancing like a flame in the wind. Sesshoumaru was pleased that her battle – the likes of which was no easy task as Sesshoumaru remembered the trials of mastering his youkai as a pup – though difficult did not show on her face. Then, with something like a sigh, her reiki paused all its motion and slowly receded back into the core of her being and was carefully blanketed, muffling some of her glow.

At this Sesshoumaru gave pause, this miko claimed to be untrained but yet she had mastered such a challenging trick of hiding one's of own being. Granted, she did not cover it completely for any demon could still tell she was a miko but, only a being with as much power as Sesshoumaru would be able to tell how much power she truly had and only if they looked for it.

The Ice Prince decided he chosen well in this miko, she would most certainly be interesting unlike so many others of her species that were truly unbearable in their dullness and lack of, well, life.

The girl gave a sigh, a slight smile softening her lips, and with her eyes still closed she called out, "Good morning Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru was pleased with his unofficial pupil for having noticed his presence, which he had concealed so other beings would be unable to sense him, unless they gave actual effort. Having been able to do some meant one thing, she was powerful. Granted, she had only been able to do so while her powers had been let free but he was still impressed.

She turned to look at him, dark and earthly brown eyes opened sleepily. He inclined his head in greeting as he ventured out of the tree-line and took a seat by her side. The gentle brushing of her gaze passed over him as her eyes fastened on the horizon.

For a moment they just sat in silence, looking out at the painted sky the sunrise offered and basking in the tranquility of nature. It was relaxing. This would be a good place should he ever be in need of some time for meditation. He quickly banished the thought, though peaceful the scent of his half-brother still lingered in the air and this little meadow was much too close to the noise and stench of the village.

"Thank you for the advice you gave me yesterday," she began, "it worked wonderfully! I was even able to let my reiki loose a little bit." Her voice lowered to a grumble, "I could barely control it though. Ugh, it seems like one thing after another that I have to work on and I have no idea of how heck I'm going to learn to control my powers and -" She gave Sesshoumaru a sheepish glance. "I'm sorry. I just get really frustrated that I can't control my powers better."

He gave her a long look, to the point Kagome was blushing again just as she did yesterday for her incompetence when he said, "This Sesshoumaru will teach you."

He looked her out of the corner of his eye, ready to see her gratitude and her all but throwing herself at his feet and somehow he wasn't surprised when she didn't react quite as she should.

She turned to gawk at him, jaw dropped and eyes ridiculously wide. Yes, shocked with appreciation from his gratitude.

"You? Teach me?" She confirmed.

"That is what this Sesshoumaru said."

And then…she laughed.

At first he let it slide; humans had bizarre reactions to things after all, but moments passed and she hadn't stopped, instead it got worse. She had bent over in her mirth, clutching at her stomach and having flopped to the ground as moisture started to pool in her eyes. The more she laughed the more insulted Sesshoumaru got, how dare she laugh at him when he offered her such kindness!

Finally she composed herself, swiping at her eyes quickly and taking a deep breath before saying, "I'm sorry Sesshoumaru. I wasn't laughing at you."

He gave her a dull look because truly, what else could she have been laughing at?

She blushed, finally behaving properly and acting abashed as she began to fiddle with her fingers. "It's just, the thought of you, the great and mighty demon lord, teaching me, a miko how to use her powers took me by surprise. Can you understand why the idea sounded a little odd to me?"

This would have been a wonderful moment for a good, long, drawn out sigh of exasperation but that was not Sesshoumaru's way. Instead he replied, "You would be surprised how similar your spiritual powers and this Sesshoumaru's youkai are."

At this the miko grew thoughtful, head cocking to the side as she her gaze studied him, taking in the youkai marking and demon claws. "So, you could really teach me?"

Sesshoumaru gave a nod. Granted, he thought to himself, there were some things he could not teach her for while his youkai and her reiki were similar there still were differences. But when the time came, well, that time was far enough away that he need not trouble over it for now.

"Thank you!" The girl chirped, bringing his attention back to her, and out of nowhere she began to blush again, "I'm sorry. I haven't properly introduced myself to you. I'm Kagome! I will be honored to be your student!"

Kagome. Hn.