-:-:-:-:-CHAPTER TWENTY ONE-:-:-:-:-

-:-earlier that evening, after Kagome left the woods-:-

Inuyasha pulled away from Sango, his eyes half-lidded. A sudden flash of light glazed over his golden eyes. All around his body the air shimmered like heat waves radiating off him and a transparent young girl with dark blue hair and fair skin stepped out of his figure and merged back into Sango. Inuyasha's eyes blanked stark white for a second, matching his former captors eyes then went back to his normal golden color.

"Huh? Sango? What's going on?" He asked, his brow furrowed and he stepped back further from the demon slayer.

"Nothing, Inuyasha. You just zoned out there for a second." Sango said innocently and gave him a small smile

"Uh, oh…okay." He mumbled, his golden eyes roamed his location quizzically, "Why are we here, Sango? Where are Shippou and Kirara?" He demanded and looked at Sango expectantly.

"Don't you remember?" Sango asked him, her brow creased and she cocked her head to one side. "Shippou left on Kirara to go to Kagome. Why are you asking me? You already know this." Sango said shaking her head slightly in confusion.

'Such a foolish hanyou, he hasn't even noticed that I am not Sango! And that memory charm wasn't even a strong one, in fact it was quite weak and he still doesn't remember his beloved miko at all, he'll believe anything I'll say! Even if it is painfully obvious that it's not true! What an easy job, that weak minded baka won't remember a thing after this! The taijia put up more of a fight and she's a human!' The strange voice within Sango's vacant head belonged to none other than Naraku's latest incarnation, Rakuna, sister of Kunara.

"Wait…then where is Kagome?" he asked, still completely nonplussed about his situation and he fixed his eyes on the taijia he had come to trust.

"She went back home, to her time period." She said slowly, as if talking to a two-year-old. Inuyasha's eyebrows knitted together, trying to remember. He didn't comprehend the fairly large loop-hole in Sango's explanation, why would Shippou and Kilala go to Kagome if she was in her era? Too bad he didn't notice it. To him, her reasoning was completely understandable to his unresponsive brain.

"Ok, so where's Miroku?" Inuyasha looked at Sango, curiosity easily readable in his wide golden eyes.

"He went to see Mushin, you know, his monk sensei." She said, yet again coming up with an excuse as to why their friends where missing in action.

"O…ok, why are we here?" The hanyou was streaming his questions, trying to get all the information he knew he should know.

'Why do I get the feeling I'm forgetting something? It was something important…I know it was…what was it!' Scratching his head, he tried to piece together all of Sango explanations make them make sense, but his little hanyou mind was going overtime already and he just shrugged it off, presuming the taijia was right.

"We had better get back to the hut, night fall is approaching." Sango said quietly, changing the subject swiftly and looking about them. She was glad to see a plethora of ominous narrow, crimson red eyes glaring darkly and maliciously at them through the sinister trees of the forest. Night was when the beautiful forest turned into the demons' playground

"Uh...right. Let's go then. Get on my back Sango, and hold on, I'm going straight up." Crouching down so Sango could hang on to his back, he warned her one more time to hang on tightly. She shouldered her hiraikotsu more securely and gripped onto Inuyasha's shoulders as he sprang up easily, and quickly clearing the trees. He landed far-off and bounded again, jumping lightly from tree branch to tree branch, making his way to the hut where he would wait for Kagome. He was convinced into belief that she was beyond the bone-eater's well, safe and sound and no where near his half-brother.

oOo

"Kagome!"

The young miko was brought into consciousness the next morning by Kiori gently shaking her and calling her loudly. No one in the castle knew this yet, but Kagome was an extremely hard sleeper and only awoke when she wanted too…and when she was woken up unintentionally by someone other than herself she tended to get exceptionally cranky and foul-tempered. This morning was no different.

The miko slowly and painstakingly cracked open her chocolate brown eyes and stared murderously at Kiori, whose face was a few inches away from her own, staring intently and unblinkingly at her. Kagome remembered vaguely that she had training with Sesshoumaru this morning, but it was just too early! The miko rolled over half-heartedly and looked out of a window. It was still dark outside! She groaned and replaced her body back into her sleeping position and closed her eyes. Kiori shook her again, a little harder this time.

"Kagome! Get up now! You must get ready for training with Sesshoumaru-sama!" Kiori said loudly in her ear and shook her again. Kagome's brow came together and she violently swatted Kiori's hands away from her person. She propped herself up on her elbow and glared venomously at her servant that has become one of her best friends.

"No!" Kagome said firmly and loudly. "Sesshoumaru can train by himself for all I care! Wake me up in a few hours and I'll be ready!" The miko commanded strictly and turned over, her back to Kiori and closed her eyes haughtily. More shaking came as the servant demoness continued trying to rouse her from her bed, then suddenly the shaking stopped. Kagome let out a breath, her face relaxed and she nuzzled into the fluffy pillow.

"Miko, training is now. Why is it you do not get up." A firm and icy voice penetrated her half-dead-to-the-world-mind and she scrunched her eyes. Suddenly, strong, unyielding hands gripped her shoulders and lifted her out of her bed, a few feet above her silken covers. Kagome growled, if she had been a demon her eyes would have bled red at the intruder who was interfering with her sleeping pattern. She opened her tightly closed eyes angrily to see Sesshoumaru. Every emotion except for shock evacuated her features. She heard the icy voice, yes, but her groggy brain didn't connect the cold voice in her room to the unemotional taiyoukai, Sesshoumaru.

"Sesshoumaru…!" She squeaked, all traces of sleep disappeared from her face.

"Training is in twenty minutes. You had better be ready." He dropped her on the bed and she crumpled to her knees, watching the tall, proud demon walk out of her room. She let out a sigh and sagged her shoulders once he exited.

"C'mon, Kagome. You need to take a bath and change." Kiori said cautiously and tugged at Kagome's arm until she slid herself off of her warm silken bed and into the marble bathing room, the demoness undressed the girl quickly. Kagome's body was fumbly and somewhat unresponsive as she slipped into the warm bath, and Kiori left the bathing room to get her clothes set out for her to reduce the time she was taking.

"Kagome!" Kiori said loudly, the sleep-ridden miko was out cold, sitting up in the steaming bathing pool. Kagome jerked awake, her eyes flashed open.

"Where's the demon?" she shouted instantly after Kiori yelled at her, Kagome brought her arms up in a defensive position and looked around wildly, water sloshed around the miko in the pool, her eyes and brain not registering a thing until a few seconds passed. The miko then realized she was not under attack of any kind, shook her head lightly and began washing her body. Kiori looked positively alarmed and fixed Kagome with a stare that all too obviously conveyed that she feared for her lady's psychological health. Not only was she not entirely sure what to do after this display, Kiori couldn't help but wonder why Kagome had reacted as she had. Figuring that it had something to do with a few long years of demon hunting, she let it go.

Kagome slipped out of her bath a few minutes later and tried another futile attempt at wrapping herself in a fluffy towel and walking out into the main room. It was instantly ripped off of her figure and she was shown a black, skin-tight training outfit. It reminded her somewhat of Sango's demon slaying clothes. After she put it on, Kagome sat in front of her vanity, brushed her hair and pulled it into a tight pony tail high on her head.

The girl got up and took one last look at herself in her mirror and sighed. She snatched up her bow and arrow, turned toward the door and pushed it open, suddenly remembering she didn't know where she was training.

"Ah, where is it?" Kagome said under her breath as she looked back at Kiori who was leaning against a wall with her arms crossed and was smiling smugly.

"Need some help?" She asked sarcastically and pushed off the wall to lead her friend to the spot Sesshoumaru-sama had instructed her to bring the miko to. Kiori side stepped Kagome and led her through the halls and down a couple flights of stairs.

"Sorry about earlier. I should have warned you I'm a hard sleeper." Kagome said, apologizing to her friend. Kiori laughed.

"You're not the worst I've had! One person I was supposed to be looking after threw me straight off the balcony!" The demoness smiled at Kagome's reaction.

"You where okay though, right?" She gasped.

"Yes, of course. I landed fine; I didn't get hurt." Kiori assured her. As they where walking Kagome started recognizing their location, they where on their way to the Entrance Hall to go out into the grounds no doubt.

"Are Sesshoumaru and I training in the castle grounds?" Kagome asked, wanting to confirm her internal conclusion.

"Yep, Sesshoumaru didn't want to train with you inside the dojo. I don't know why, thought." Kiori mumbled and kept on walking. Once they where out in the grounds Kiori pointed her in the direction of the training ground. The young miko took the simple directions and walked for about five minutes before she sighted a tall white figure standing far away. She smiled and waved, he looked in her direction bemusedly, but showed little emotion.

"Good morning, Sesshoumaru." She called out cheerfully as she neared the stern taiyoukai.

"You as well…Kagome," said Sesshoumaru softly. He tilted his head down to see the miko as she stepped in front of him. The taiyoukai purposely used her name for the first time. Kagome looked at him with questioning eyes but recovered and kept talking, making a brave stab at conversation.

"So what will we be working on this morning?" Asked Kagome brightly, Sesshoumaru's eyes glinted in the dim light of the sunrise.

"You will learn to use archery more efficiently and you'll put some swords to use." He told her, turning and breaking their eye contact to walk towards a wall of the outer castle which Kagome saw had a weapons rack holding every type of destructive tool imaginable. He unhooked a bow and a quiver of arrows from the rack and strode back to Kagome's side.

"I'm guessing you already know the basics?" While talking, Sesshoumaru gripped the bow with his left and hand and reach behind his back for an arrow with his right and strung it on the tight string. He pulled back and aimed at the woods surrounding the grounds. Sesshoumaru let the arrow fly and it went straight through three trees until it came to a stop buried half way deep in the heart of the fourth one. Lowering the bow, the string vibrated violently and he turned to Kagome who had watched in amazement.

"Now you," commanded Sesshoumaru. Kagome held up her bow and set her position.

"Keep your elbow up…align your arrow …pull back more." Sesshoumaru barked out anything and everything he saw wrong with her form. Kagome had been standing in the same position, with her arrow strung back for almost five minutes when she heaved a loud sigh in exasperation and let her arms fall loosely at her side.

"Am I ever going to get to shoot?" Her eyes flashed as she half-yelled at him. She was frustrated, but not so much as to completely hurl her words in his face—that was just asking for a death sentence. She was right in front of him looking almost straight up to see him, her hands where in fists at her side. Sesshoumaru glared at the human and denied the temptation to roll his eyes.

"Don't raise your voice to me," he commanded. Stepping back a few paces, Kagome let her body relax a fraction but her eyes still looked heated.

"I'm sorry." She said quietly, a stubborn tone involuntarily weaved into her voice. If Sesshoumaru noticed, he didn't say anything. Nodding, the taiyoukai turned toward the trees again.

"Go ahead. Shoot then." He said in a slight sarcastic tone, as if expecting her to fail.

Kagome glanced at him then brought her bow up and fitted an arrow on the tight string. She pulled back far.

'Fine. If he wants a show…I'll give him one!' Kagome thought shrewdly, she narrowed her eyes, focusing on a certain tree and closed her eyes, bringing forth her priestess powers. The tip glowed pink and the bright, warm light spread, engulfing the whole wooden shaft of the arrow.

Kagome opened her eyes, though they were still narrowed, and glanced once at the taiyoukai beside her. He only looked very, very mildly impressed. Kagome sighed inaudibly. She pulled back another inch or two and let her two fingers holding the arrow back release.

The young priestess let out her breath as the arrow split the air, leaving a faint pink trail in the wind. A small triumphant smile tugged at her lips. Her arrow went exactly through the three holes that Sesshoumaru's had carved out, split his arrow in two, hitting it dead on, and then went through that tree as well and stuck a little past half-way in the fifth. Sesshoumaru gulped, but he made sure Kagome didn't see.

Turning his head, he looked back down at Kagome and opened his mouth to say something but she was still looking at the tree she hit and he heard a loud boom, as if an explosive had gone off. The sound had come from that direction. He closed his eyes and turned his head slowly, opening them he saw that the tree her arrow had rested at was now demolished, blown into splinters, leaving leaves floating solemnly to the ground. Her pink energy still shimmered faintly in the area. And her arrow, looking untouched, lay in the middle of the mess.

"Hmm. Impressive." Said Sesshoumaru, even thought his tone said he was anything but. Kagome noted this and gave a pout; Sesshoumaru was surprised at how much she reminded him of Rin. Her facial features where almost the same, her dark hair, chocolate eyes, and now a childish pout…it was so uncanny.

"Oh, c'mon! That was better than yours!" Kagome argued her hands on her hips and her lips pursed. Sesshoumaru would have smiled if he wasn't…well…Sesshoumaru.

"Naturally it would be. You added your priestess powers to your arrow; of course it would be stronger. Even so, when did you learn to do that?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"I practiced." She answered simply. He nodded and turned back to her.

"Your form still needs some work," he held up his bow again. "Follow me." Sesshoumaru commanded. He started walking and Kagome followed him. They came upon a clear field and in the far distance where a few targets for aim practice.

"Don't use your sacred arrows. I'd like to keep the targets intact for at least a couple minutes."

"Okay." Kagome agreed quietly, nodding her head. "…Hey…"

"What?"

"I've never seen you use archery, why do you have targets?" Kagome asked, eyeing the taiyoukai.

"Akina is an accomplished archer; she uses them. I also must master more weapons than a sword; it would be foolish to know only one way to protect my lands." Scoffed Sesshoumaru. "I'm not exactly fond of archery so I only use this skill when necessary." He stopped a ways away from the targets.

"Stand next to me." He commanded, the miko strode to locate herself next to him. He lifted his bow.

"Release position." He ordered.

Both brought up their bows and arrows at exactly the same time and fitted the arrow on the string.

"Align."

They both drew back the string and aimed their weapons. Kagome and Sesshoumaru looked identical in posture, standing side by side.

"Now." He whispered.

The arrows whistled through the air and hit the bull's eye of their respective targets at the precise same time. Kagome let her arm with her bow fall with a smile on her face and Sesshoumaru slowly lowered his own.

"Good enough, but it still needs work." He said. Kagome's shoulders sagged "Come." He said calmly and walked toward the targets. Kagome marched fast to catch up with his long strides.

"What are you trying to show me?" Kagome huffed as they neared the targets, her brown eyes looking from the target to Sesshoumaru's face, then back again, trying to figure out what his point was. What he was trying to say was wrong with her archery.

"Look." He said simply, bending over very slightly he pointed to the spot where Kagome's arrow entered the hay-filled target. She bent down, narrowed her eyes and examined her bulls-eye. Her jaw dropped.

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A/N: Yo! Sorry it's been a couple days, alotta work to do before coming back home for thanksgiving break! So here, ya go and have a happy Thanksgiving! =D

JA NE!