25: Resistant to Alteration

"Time changes everything except something within us which is always surprised by change."

-Thomas Hardy

Sesshomaru considered the dark passage to the soul society as he seemed to float along it's length, for the event in another world of sorts he had returned to wearing his traditional armor and kimono. His tail flowing along as a silver scarf with him as his escort, a group of lower ranking soul reapers, did their best to keep up with the quick demon lord. Along with his time-honored clothing he had two swords tucked into his yellow sash, both the Tetsuaiga and the Tensaiga.

The sword of healing, the Tensaiga, had always been his birthright, a mark of his station. The Tetsuaiga was a blade he'd inherited from Inuyasha after the half-demons death, the much more destructive of the pair of blades his father had forged from his body. It was now a sign that he was serious about this battle, that this challenger would face no mercy from the Lord of the West.

It was a new way of reaching one of the worlds outside of earth that he had not traveled previously and Tensaiga was occasionally trembling in response to the great amount of spiritual energy. He didn't glance at those following around him, in the time between Kagome's trip to the feudal era and now his strength had grown. It would be below him to take such lower level creatures into consideration.

Instead his eyes were neutrally forward, he didn't trust these soul reapers but neither did he have any intention of backing away from the challenge that had been placed.

Sesshomaru just calmly took in the large open field surrounded by some sort of strange stones and etched incantations, above which were settled rows of seats…a version of some kind of arena. where he appeared on the other side of the gateway, a tempest of spiritual energy accompanying him making his escort fall over from the amount of instant pressure upon his arrival.

In the mortal realm he didn't need to hold in check the power that surrounded him, and in fact it was difficult for him to pull in the near immeasurable levels of his raw ability. He did manage to lower it but didn't put forth the effort to quench it completely, ignoring the frightened looks that he was receiving from the group that had come with him. Instead focusing his amber gaze on the older man that was watching his arrival and had slightly wider eyes than usual. The eldery man in the same black and white kimono's he continued to see as the uniforms for these creatures…though this one was different given his lack of utter horror.

Next to him was the woman that had come to his office several days before, though she shared the shocked reaction to the demon lord's arrival.

"This is the one that has challenged Captain Kurotsuchi?" The older man asked, his moment of surprise gone, covered by the spirit of his duty. Waiting for a confirming nod from the Captain's own Lieutenant before he turned to speak to Sesshomaru directly. "Your challenge is accepted Mister Inutaisho though we require that you follow our traditions in preparation for this battle."

"If it is insisted then I accept such a request." He sounded bored, this was a waste of his time but he didn't feel the need to bother himself fighting to get to the man that attacked him if he could wait. "How long will these preparations take? I am a busy man."

"Two days." The older man replied, still considering the amount of pure spiritual energy curling around the demon, he'd only seen such power a few times even amongst captains. "There is a day to allow you to adjust to the levels of spiritual energy here and a day of reflection for the soul reaper that is facing you. In that time you will be provided food and shelter, as well as an escort of guards. We do require you to not wander much in this time as the soul society has many people that could not withstand the spiritual energy around you."

"Acceptable." Sesshomaru replied after a short moment to consider the rules being laid before him. "Is this where we will battle?"

"Yes, when the time comes those of rank in the soul society will be expected to attend such a battle." The older man explained again. "I am also someone that is busy however, so I shall leave you to my Lieutenant."

A second elderly gentleman, though less elderly than the first, flickered into place nearby at the comment, bowing to his superior.

"I leave our guest to you Chojiro." The General motioned and flickered away himself.

The second gentleman stood up after his Captain had disappeared and considered Sesshomaru, who didn't speak, still bored with all the pomp and circumstance.

"Do you have any other questions or requests before I lead you to your temporary quarters Mister Inuaisho?" He was very polite, offering a slight bow before speaking.

"Not in particular…though, I should warn you people that would watch our duel are not safe here…this area is too small and I cannot guarantee that your barriers will resist the battle." He considered the warning a fair thing with all that he had been offered thus far, and he held honor in high regard.

"The walls are lined with seki-seki rock inscribed further to lower all spiritual power that would exist near them. They are a way of protecting those that view such battles." Chojiro explained. "Though I will mention your concerns to my Captain and let him consider."

Sesshomaru just nodded, motioning for the fellow to lead the way toward where he would be wasting time for a couple of days before the duel.

ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo

Kagome was waiting patiently in her room, thinking about the situation she was in while living in this soul society. She was getting a tad bored but wasn't tempted to try magic again after the fiasco of the day before. Though she was considering leaving her room to wander a little she still felt too horrible about burning down part of Byakuya's home to possibly cause any other trouble for him.

She woke up early that morning, she could have sworn she felt the same energy that followed Sesshomaru wash over her and it had knocked her awake. "Just a dream or nightmare I'm sure…Sesshomaru couldn't be here. Better for everyone probably…I can't imagine he'd like it much."

"We never did get the chance to talk." She sighed some at the thought. "There was still more I wanted to know…what else happened after I left the feudal era and if he knew where any of Miroku and Sango's were. I'm such a kid sometimes, I shouldn't have run off…who knows when I'll get to talk to him now."

She was considering just why it seemed so many of these creatures seemed to be after her when there was a knock on the door. So relieved to finally have something to do she bounced over, nearly tripping over on her kimono before she opened the door, smiling toward the servant that was outside. A small lady that had taken to helping her often with dressing and meals, Mitama was a nervous young lady that didn't seem much older than Kagome herself. She seemed a little nervous, as she always did when speaking to Kagome, fiddling with her fingers and looking away when the door was answered.

"Master Kuchiki requests your presence in the training grounds Lady Kagome." A voice so soft-spoken it was barely above a whisper explained. "I can take you unless you need anything else."

"I would like that Mitama, and just call me Kagome." The high school girl still felt awkward at people calling her by some bizarre title, especially after all she'd managed to do thus far is burn down half a building. Following once the girl nodded and started to lead her through the main building, through a few hallways and outside in an area she hadn't seen yet.

They moved a fair distance from the buildings into a square yard with a fence around it, Byakuya was settled on a stool inside the yard, empty other than themselves, the stool he sat on, and what appeared to be a line of target dummies on the other end.

"I have brought Lady Kagome for you Master Kuchiki, can I retrieve anything else for you?" Mitama bowed so low her hair fell around her shoulders. All the servants here showed Byakuya an extreme amount of respect, making Kagome all the more curious about her often cold seeming protector.

"Thank you Mitama, could you let the chef know that we will require a meal near sunset. To be set in the family dining area." Byakuya replied, considering the girl and motioning for her to stand.

"…the family area sir?" She seemed a bit confused, standing back up from the bow slowly. "Are you certain?"

"Yes. Can you do that?" The captain seemed a tad annoyed that he had to assure his orders.

"Of course Master Kuchiki, I will go now." She jumped a bit at the thought that she'd been a bit rude. She bowed a second time, sending Kagome a private mysterious smile before dashing away.

Kagome blinked, considering all that and glancing to Byakuya curiously. "Is there something special about the family dining area?"

"The area previously planned for your meals is in ashes." He replied calmly, getting to his feet from the stool. "It seems easier for us to eat together, unless you would rather not."

She blushed at the reminder of her mistake and raised both hands awkwardly. "No, that's fine…I'd rather have someone to talk to….thank you."

He nodded at that. "Then if you are prepared we should begin training."

"Ready." She smiled to him, waiting curiously, even with her mistake she still had a drive to learn how to command her powers. This was the first chance she had for some direct instruction and she had been anticipating it for a while.

"All right, first I have to ask you what you did before the fire. If we can figure out what went wrong we can help to narrow how you should be approaching magic." Byakuya explained.

"Oh…well…I was doing what the book said." Kagome commented, thinking a moment for how to put things. "I started to use the trick of calming my mind by getting close to a meditative state and then I said the incantation as I concentrated on where I wanted the light. After it appeared I tried to move it closer to the ceiling and at first it was fine, it looked how it was suppose to look…then it just blew through the roof and set everything on fire."

Byakuya seemed to be considering her explanation, making her twist the smooth fabric of the rich kimono she'd been dressed in apprehensively. She looked down toward the more neutral color of the dirt, it was easier to be calm than when she was watching the handsome captain.

"I will need to speak with people that teach magic more commonly but I have a couple ideas." He finally commented. "I would like you to do it again now so I can watch."

"Okay." She agreed, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, trying to push away the butterflies that were pounding in her stomach. Or was that pounding her heart? She instead focused her mind on blackness, nothingness, clearing it as much as she could…though it took her a bit to reach a meditative state clear enough that she could attempt the spell.

"Let part the cloud's and open the horizon…Heaven's light come at my will and gather your gentle illumination in my hand. Lighting."

She opened her eyes when she began to chant, watching her hand and warping her spiritual energy into the form of a ball of light, though this time when the gentle sphere of illumination appeared she didn't smile as quickly as before. She glanced to Byakuya to search for any further instructions but right back to the ball, afraid it would explode if she lost concentration.

"Kagome!" By the time she glanced back at her hand the ball of light had warped and begun to turn into fire again. "Toss it away."

She blinked in surprise at the second time that the light spell had failed her, trying to push it away but only managing to drop it, getting swept up and away from the fire that appeared where she'd stood a moment before. A furious rose blush crawling onto her face when she realized that Byakuya had jumped in and saved her from her own spell.

He was watching where the fire was already beginning to die off without much grass to keep it alive, though Kagome was trying to tell herself it was really really bad to stare as she watched his serious expression.

"You cannot lose your concentration…your uncertainness is what lead it to repeat the previous problem." Byakuya described, settling her back on her feet carefully. "As the books detailed you must have an extreme force of will to control the powers of spiritual magic. Doubt and fear will lead to failure."

She thought about that and nodded some, it didn't go wild until she started worrying about the fire from before…it made sense. "I see…do you want me to try again?"

Byakuya nodded after a moment, he was hesitant given her nearly setting herself on fire a few moments prior…but it was his duty to teach her as much as protect her so he needed her to practice. "Yes, try it again please."

"I should speak with Ukitake, he was a magic teacher for years…he might recognize what would transfer a lighting spell to something so destructive. Better to not tell her that such bizarre jumps in spells aren't common in the meantime." He thought with the urge to frown, he didn't like to ask others for aid.

"Okay." Kagome closed her eyes and began to repeat the process. It would be a time consuming thing but Kagome was ready for that. She was determined to prove that she wasn't just a worthless girl that always needed protecting.

End Chapter

It took me a damn hour to find the episode that has the actual name for the seki-seki rock…I deserve a cookie for looking for that long to find a single word. Sheesh. I'm narrowing in on other stuffs with Sesshy - yay sesshy (I had to put him in some more I'm too big a fan girl).

-Aura

P.S. Enchanted - I was trying to make him more reflective but yeah I see it. Blek - I do have issues with the sentence thing, my husband is always telling me that. I just have so much I want to get out at once! Nasuki - your small skit thing made me laugh, thanks.