Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, or any characters of the show.
Chapter ten: The Training Begins.
"You bastard," Kagome growled sitting on her bed.
"So I have been told by your loud-mouth friend."
"You have enough books to read, while I'm away, haven't you?"
"It is always easier to be educated by a tutor."
Girl suddenly smirked.
"Let's face it you've just missed my company too much."
"Do not flatter yourself, girl. I would never deliberately seek the company of an annoying little human filly."
"Jerk!"
Kagome took one of her slippers off and threw it at the taiyoukai's head. To girl's surprise the footwear was suddenly surrounded by a blue light. Sesshomaru caught the offending object easily, but instantly flung it away. A burn begun to spread across the demon's palm.
"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean that to happen. Let me take care of it," Kagome said reaching under her bed and pulling out a first-aid kit. Girl quickly went through the medicines and picked the burn ointment and bandages. "I always keep some of the medical supplies here in case I get hurt and don't want my mom to know about it," she explained applying the liniment.
"Do you get injured often?"
"Not now, I don't, but me, Inuyasha and Miroku went through quite a few things together and I've got scars to prove it."
"Hn…"
"Well, aren't you feeling talkative?" Kagome said sarcastically as she bandaged Sesshomaru's hand. "And stop staring at me, like I'm the first one to treat your wounds."
"You are."
"I am? Oh, never mind. All done. See you later," Girl put her slipper back on, went to the balcony and climbed down the drainpipe, since it was the shortest way to the backyard.
"Should you not be overwhelmed with guilt and complying with my every command?" taiyoukai asked from above.
"Not on your lifetime, how ever long it might be."
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Kikyou sat in the shrine of her ancestors, meditating. Girl was suddenly interrupted as her cousin stormed into the building.
"Kikyou, I need to learn to control these miko powers, or whatever, fast."
"Did he do something to threaten you?" the young priestess narrowed her eyes dangerously.
"No."
"Then what is the rush?"
"I just want to know how to control them, okay? There is a very good reason, trust me."
"All right."
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"Concentrate, Kagome. Feel your connection to the earth and everything around you."
"We've been doing this for hours. C'mon, there's gotta be a faster way than just to sit around with your eyes closed, concentrating."
"The first steps are always the hardest. The more you tap into your miko powers the easier it is for you to use them."
"Then you'd better get Sesshomaru here and ask him to piss me off. Though I doubt that the latter will be necessary, since he seems to do so frequently for his twisted pleasure."
"You mean to say, that you were able to use your holy powers without being completely devoid of any emotions?"
"Devoid is not the word."
"You are no ordinary miko."
"Like I could tell the difference. Thanks for the lesion, but I don't think I'll be of any use today anymore, I'm exhausted. Nighty-night."
"Goodnight. And don't worry, that you couldn't do much. It took years before I finely learned how to channel my powers."
Kagome smiled gratefully at her cousin and then dragged herself to her room.
"No avail, was there?" asked Sesshomaru with some strange sense of satisfaction.
"Gosh, you're supportive."
"You will never have the discipline to become a proper priestess. I advise you to give it up right now."
"Shut up! Who do you think I'm doing this for?" Kagome bit her tongue and sent an annoyed glare at the taiyoukai. She didn't mean to let the last phrase escape her mouth. Girl picked her schoolbag and left the room, slamming the door loudly. As Kagome walked down the stairs, she dialed her friend's number on a cellphone. "Hi, Inuyasha! Listen, could I stay at your place for tonight?... No, nothing's wrong… Sure, I'm sure, I just feel like bugging you… Remember the golden rule: the less questions you ask, the more Ramen you get… Yeah, bye-bye."
Sesshomaru had an urge to follow the girl, but then what? Apologize? Certainly he, the Lord of the Western Lands would not lower himself to do so. Still… Taiyoukai looked at his bandaged hand – the foolish human was really getting to him. This would be the first night Sesshomaru spent alone since his awakening from the sealing spell.
Few minutes after Mrs. Higurashi entered the room.
"I've noticed that Kagome left. Did you kids have a row?" receiving no answer the woman continued. "Don't worry about it, dear, my little girl is not the one to hold grudges. She might get a little violent sometimes, when her feelings are hurt, but her anger never lasts long."
Sesshomaru gave Mrs. Higurashi a curt nod and she left him to his ponderings.
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The next day after school Kagome went through the shrine buildings one by one, searching for her cousin.
"Kikyou, are you here?" girl asked entering the little construction placed far away from the others.
"Your cousin left half an hour ago," inside the demon lord was leaning casually against the wooden wall.
"Sesshomaru? Sorry, didn't know you were in here. I'll be leaving now."
Kagome swirled around but stopped as the taiyoukai spoke once more.
"Did you not come here to train your abilities?"
"Yeah, but you said yourself Kikyou isn't here."
"I shall instruct you."
"WHAT?"
Sesshomaru gave the girl a you-heard-me-human-I-will-not-repeat-myself look.
"Why so helpful all of the sudden?"
"I do not appreciate my skin being damaged due to the total lack of control over your own abilities from your side."
"At least now I know you're feeling alright. I was beginning to worry. Well, how are you going to train me anyway? You wouldn't happen to be a priest, would you?"
"Do not be ridiculous. You shall learn in a battle. I will summon some of my youki and your holy powers will react on their own accord."
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Kagome could barely make it to her room. Training with Sesshomaru was basically like a very intense marshal arts' practice, except that all of the sudden girl found that she could jump five feet into the air and move with the lightning speed easily.
Kagome's entire body was sore, but she would still prefer this kind of training to meditating any day.
Girl took the schoolbag and shook out all of its containments on the floor – just because Kagome's life was turned on its head didn't mean that she would be given less homework.
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Sesshomaru walked in to see Kagome spread on the floor surrounded by her text-books. Girl's head lay flat on the writing-pad, pen still clutched between her fingers.
Stupid humans, never know their own limits, taiyoukai shook his head in disapproval. Some would claim to be exhausted while felling just a little tiered, the others would strain themselves beyond every possible bound – such ignorant creatures.
Sesshomaru picked Kagome by the scruff of her neck and placed her on the bed. Girl murmured something like 'logarithm to the base four of thirty-two is two and a half.' Sesshomaru took the pen that slid out of Kagome's hand and went through girl's mark book (he didn't see her do this every day for nothing). Youkai sighed this was going to be a long night.
A. n.: Sorry for the late update. I haven't given up on this story, but there were certain circumstances which caused the delay.