Sesshomaru sat in his study signing papers. The sun was slowly crawling past midday in its path across the sky. He stopped reading as he felt a presence approach the study. It was still far away but he needed a clear head to deal with his mother. Especially starting from today. The day was the eve of the most hectic months of a demon residing in the west's life. Within these months he had to host a competition between females, as per custom, on who would have the honour of being his mate. He had up until the solar eclipse during a blue moon to choose his mate or he would go on a frenzy. These months would have an effect on the libidos of his people, making them go into a fitting frenzy as the time passes. Sesshomaru could already feel the headache forming as he thought of being trapped in his shiro with approximately 80 licentious demonesses whom would try anything to get in his bed. Hopefully he wouldn't have to keep his brother's companions away from the west as they all understood what was to happen.

As his thoughts turned to the group, he remembered the next reason why the day was significant. It was exactly one year since Kagome disappeared into the well to train and given him his family back. He still had the scarf that she had somehow sent to him along the breeze. Ever since the day he got it, it was tied around his hair in a tight ponytail, reminiscent of his father's, when he had to make decisions. This practice was only done in private settings where he wanted his hair away from his face, like his study. It served as a reminder that she was to return. Why was that important? Hell if he knew. Maybe it was because he had developed a sort of friendship with a human that did not depend on him taking on a caretaker's role. He was loathe to admit he missed her devious tongue and strong spirit. She had proven herself to him, even when she was abysmal in her skill. Kagome was a force of nature, for a human. She would be back in the following days, her year was up.

He reached a well manicured hand up and tugged at the red scrap of fabric holding his ponytail, freeing the silvery silk from its containment. The miko promised to finish her training within a year. Sesshomaru had just assumed that he was the deciding factor for her determination to return in a year, even if she did not write it, she had implied that she would be there to "help with the elimination process" as she had said the day she left. There was little doubt in the Lord's mind that she would not be here within the next couple of days. This knowledge had his beast held in quite excitement within the refines of his mind.

Perhaps when she did arrive, he thought, ha can continue his conversations with her like he did when they travelled. She was a wealth of knowledge that is hard to find in this time. She held the key to keeping youkai alive until her time. If he could learn what happened, maybe he could prepare for it.

But in the mean time, he would have to prepare for her coming. His shiro would have increased excitement with her here. The slip of a girl seemed to have trouble and mischief plaguing her. There was never a dull moment with Kagome around it seemed. Even her timing her arrival for this event meant trouble, though he was the one who steered her towards it. She will be setting foot in something she may not understand. He hoped to Kami that her renegade teacher informed her of youkai customs.

As his mother stood outside the door, he stored his thoughts in his mind to be pondered upon at a much later date.

"Come in Okāsama"

...888...

Tsukiko strode in with lofty steps into Sesshomaru's study. She was a more expressive demon than her son. Her face held the anxiety for her son hidden in its creases. It was important that tonight went with little obstructions. It may have been just the formal banquet and the actual opening of the challenges, but he needed to be there, looking his best and on his best behaviour.

Tsukiko perfectly understood her son's aversion to the idea of settling down. He had successfully grown into a wandering free spirit roaming the lands over the past 85 years in his search for power. However, he would need to have chosen an intended by the eclipse or... She didn't want to think on such things at this point in time. Right now, she needed to get Sesshomaru ready. This was her reason for being there.

"Sesshomaru, it is time."

She was not surprised to see him nonchalantly placing the red scrap of cloth up his sleeve. Over the past year, she had noticed her son had developed a weird attachment to it. He seemed to have been using it to tie back his hair like his father, seeing that his hair held an old and weak smell of rain-washed moon jasmine.

" Okāsama the banquet is not till dusk"

"Exactly, there sent much time. We must hide you away as the first guest begin to arrive. We don't want any incidents of females accidentally becoming your harem before the banquet, now do we? I have the servants drawing you a ceremonial bath. Your brother and his... "chosen", are already being put through the wringer by your father."

Tsukiko watched as her son stared at hers for two seconds before raising himself from his low table. He took long, slow strides past her out of the study. He then continued up the hall towards the family wing without waiting for her. She took one last look at the study before leaving.

...888...

A figure squatted on one of the many boughs of a tree surveying their target. They took note of the high wall surrounding the shiro cut on t of the mountain. There were at least fifty soldiers patrolling along the outside of the wall, while two guards were regulating the steady flow of traffic heading in to the shiro. The figure surmised that the castle was set to have some event later that evening. This was good news. While it meant security would be tightened, there'd be easier ways to cause a distraction organically. The figure themselves may not need to do much, something was bound to happen on its own.

Orange hues began creeping into the evening sky signalling sunset. It had only taken 15 minutes for a distraction to occur. There seemed to be an altercation between two youkai by the gate. Two of the soldiers left their posts to assist with breast it up. That's where the opportunity came. The figure smirked before leaving their posts.

They walked towards the wall, placed their hand on it and vanished with a small spike of power being released. This caused one of the guards to return having felt it. Seeing nothing they returned to their post, until their rotation arrived not to long after. He was now to guard the gates.

As the evening grew darker, no one noticed as part of his shadow seemed to break itself off and move without him towards the shiro. The shadow continued until they arrived to a balcony overlooking a banquet hall filled with many demonesses introducing themselves to the bored looking Western Lord. Behind him sat two demons that looked like him. To the right was a inu-hanyou, a priestess, a demon slayer and a monk. Next to the monk was a strangely empty seat.

...888...

The vying demonesses had just finished introducing themselves. They all came with gifts to entice him, as if he needed more worldly things. At his feet sat crowns and jewels and things he didn't really take notice of. Why did he have to find a mate anyway. He already accepted that he was a social pariah, a fact that seemed to be overlooked by the females attempted to become his mate. If mated, he might hold little to no care towards them. He refused to bring anything emotion to the table.

'Yet these women,' his beast rumbled in the darkness of his mind, "think that they can bring us, the Killing Perfection, to a heel? Nonsense. Yomi would turn colourful before that happens'

Sesshomaru nodded his head slightly at his inner beasts words. He was a lucky youkai to have such an elongated beast. He honestly wouldn't know how he would manage if it only used bad Japanese like a lower youkai. His beast was still about carnage and the carnal like any other of course.

He looked on boredly as the night's play was being setup. That's when he felt it again, a presence moving about in the shadows. He first felt it when they entered at the beginning of the introductions. Now he felt it again.

He looked up from his low perch and peered at the crowd.

"This Sesshomaru demands that you come out of hiding and show yourself"

He had an inclination as to whom it was. If it was who he thought it was, the night would become interesting.

Laughter like the sound of bells was heard in the room. Then a frightened yelp from the monk.

A figure had appeared next to him, lounging on the empty chair beside the monk. The person wore miko grabs, but the hems of the white kosode did not flare like most but were turned in tied with a red string. The red hakama bellowed into the boots that stopped mid calf. A bow and quiver hosting one arrow sat on the ground. Long, ebony hair His the females face as she laughed.

She then got up and proceeded to walk until she stood in front of Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru looked at his soldiers, seeing that they were more than ready to attack. Raising a clawed hand, he stopped their approach.

The female then bowed deeply to him, her forehead touched the ground and her have made a triangle towards him.

"Rise"

As she rose, a collective gasp was heard from the inu-tachi. The female smiled at him.

"Hello Sesshomaru-sama, you need better security. I got in way to easily. I could have actually killed you"

The female was then surrounded by spears pointed to her neck by the soldiers, but she never broke eye contact with the Lord. He smirked at her.

"Hmm. This Sesshomaru expected you later this night, Shikon Miko, Kagome"