There were better ways to do this, Kagome was almost sure if this. This was risky and stupid and it ran the risk of pissing off the demon that nor too long ago wanted her jugular as a light snack for a perceived wrong she did. If they were caught... she didn't want to think of the repercussions that would be in play.

"This is exactly the type of thing that Tsukiko-sama said I'm supposed to stop him from doing" his hand ghosted to his ear as if rememberingsome past pain.

They stood outside of Natsu room, waiting for the owner to come out.

"It is risky" Kagome agreed with a nod of her head. "If his father found out what we're doing there would be he'll to pay"

"Exactly. So I don't understand why you're risking your neck for him."

"I made a promise," she said simply, "And I try not to break them if I could"

She did make a promise. Also Midoriko told her it was her next task, but that was beside the point. She always kept her promises. She promised Sesshomaru she would return and here she was. She promised Inuyasha that she would stay with him and now she was in the past with no way to see her family again. Although, that promise was tricky. When she promised it she meant it as... well... his. But there was no way that would be happening. She didn't want that for herself anymore.

"That's quite admirable."

She gave him a half-smile.

"So... got any stories from your love life this past year?"

He gave a rueful smile at her and shook his head.

"What? Has the hentai ookami given up his ways?" She asked faking an aghast look. It seemed as though all the perverts she knew turned over a new leaf since the last time she saw them and the more conservative ones seem to be expressing their sexuality more.

"Of course not, angel. It's just that no one has piqued my interest for the past year you weren't here."

She gave a sigh of relief.

"That's great! Maybe you could show me some things, with your experience and all." She said without thinking.

The shocked expression that donned the wolf's face made her rethink her words. Her eyes widened at her hidden double meaning she did not intend. At least not like that her cheeks flushed and she looked away from the attractive male who was now grinning wolfishly.

"N-not like that of course. Natsu suggested ... " She said hurriedly.

He took a step closer to her, moving off the wall facing opposite her. She couldn't step back nor could she move from her position by the door. Then he took another and before she knew it, he was towering before her. He didn't touch her, but his state was enough to send a shiver down her spine.

"Of course, Kagome-san"

"C-call me Kagome " she squeaked her demand.

"I have it let's go!" Nasty called to them poking his head from the room. He seems oblivious to the tension in the corridor. He fully stepped out holding a kokeshi in one hand and his naginata in the other. Kagome couldn't believe he took so long in finding it. She expressed her disbelief at him as she moved away from Fubuki.

"Does it matter? He most likely misplaced and couldn't remember where it was "

Nasty said nothing to that. He shoved the doll into Kagome' s hand.

'What was going on out here?'

'...I said something embarrassing'

"Natsu, you recommend I had my way with your student?"

'I didn't say it like that'

"I thought it would be great for her to test her skill against a lascivious male like yourself"

'That does not help me at all.'

'Its the truth'

She knew Natsu wanted to test her sexual skill against a warm blooded youkai man. He knew it held up to humans. She inwardly cringed remembering how she lost her virginity. It was about 5 months in to her apprenticeship and she was leading on this handsome guy for a week. Natsu had her practicing seduction and used the tournament to work her skills on a random target. That night, she spent the better part of an hour just teasing him as he was tied to the bed, after spending all day teasing him mentally . He broke easily within her hands several times and gave her everything. As a reward she decided to give it to him; she had to lose her v-card sometime before returning to the past. Why not to the sexy rich guy from the rival archery team competing against her school? He was big, but there was only a pinch she felt as he entered her. He had turned her onto her back after she released his ties and drilled into her. But he never struck oil. It was pleasurable but he kept missing the spot. In the end she had to fake an orgasm, he passed out and she had to finish herself off. He was her first and only time having sex. They had continuous tryst as the tournament ran on and by the time she had to leave he was a puppy to her. He truly was a nice guy, a bit aloof but sweet and caring. If she hasn't already made her mind up on returning to the past she might have actually tried to have a relationship with him.

"Let's just go" she grumbled, roughly linking their arms together as she held the doll in her right hand. Her left hand was engulfed by Fubuki's larger one. She couldn't help but flush slightly at the contact given their previous conversation. She missed the glare that Natsu threw Fubuki over her head before striking Mōfusupia twice on the ground.

Within seconds, they were enveloped in the shadows and spat out into a grassy clearing. It felt longer to the travellers, but the shadows had a way of distorting time.

They were deposited at the borders of the western land, where north, south and east met it. The middle of the territories. With a flick of her wrist a small knife fell out of her sleeve and was caught in her hand. Absentmindedly she twirled it in her hand.

"Are you sure this is the best totem to do this?" If it was weak her spell might not work and she had no idea on any other way to do.

"Of course, she loved it. And it was the only thing that was left back when my sister went missing."

She hummed in acknowledgement. If this wasn't strong enough to be a totem, then she wouldn't know what is.

"So how exactly are you going to find her?"

"Well this is going to tether us to her approximate area, living... Or dead"

Natsu and herself severely doubted that she was dead, but didn't rule out the possibility. It wouldn't make sense to be sent out and find a dead person unless if it was to give her proper rest and reunite her remains with her family at long last.

"I'm not sure which I prefer." Fubuki said.

"Does it matter? Closure is closure" Natsu shrugged dismissively.

"Alrighty," Kagome said before slashing at him.

Her blade deftly cut through the dark blue sleeve of his haori into his shoulder

"Woah!"

"You missed" Natsu taunted sticking his tongue out at her. "She was aiming at my heart" he clarified.

"Like that's any better"

"I needed familial blood to work. Cutting him in the chest was just a plus" she commented as she dripped blood from the life on to the kokeshi doll. Taking out an ofudo slip, she place the doll on it and sat in a meditative position. Slowly she pushed her energy into it. It worked as a conduit, and her powers followed the trail it left.

With a gasp, she snapped back to the clearing.

"Are you alright?" Fubuki asked worried. She didn't realise how much she was shaking until he asked

Natsu scooped her into his arms

"She's alive"

"And..."

"She's... in the west. Somewhere close to the shiro"

...888...

After the initial confusion that flowed through the group abated, things became relatively calm. Upon hearing her findings, Natsu quickly dropped her in shock. Fubuki caught her, of course. The northern princess was alive and for some reason within the area the western shiro inhabits. What do reasonable people do with this information? She wouldn't know, because Natsu grabbed on to Fubuki and transported them back to outside his room, took the doll, stalked into his room and slammed the door in their faces.

"Well then" Kagome said blinking.

"He's just having one of his momments" Fubuki stated.

He believed from past experiences with his best friend that he just needed some time to himself to think and the next time they see him he's be as before but with a plan to put in place.

"Well since this is not going anywhere, can you point where Inuyasha is? "

Fubuki raises his nose into the air and took some delicate sniffs.

"He's outside in the gardens next to a koi pond.-"

"Great! You can put me down now and I can go find him." She attempted to climb down the wolf, but his hold was firm.

"No"

"No?"

"No, you're still shaking from earlier. "

"But I can suck it up, and walk it off"

"Maybe"

He shifted his hold on her, throwing her over a broad shoulder.

"But I won't risk it."

Embarrassment oozed off of Kagome's prone form. She could have gotten out of his hold easily ,but she didn't, she couldn't bring the energy it would take to come off him and then channel her powers properly into her legs to outrun the fox. He was no Koga, but he was still fast. She wasn't drained of her power, however when she pulled back from her search all her power snapped back at her and new w she was overcharged and that had her feeling quite full and sluggish. So she let him carry her. She told him just that as she pouted over his shoulder.

He was a merciful captor, he moved quickly and took the paths with little to no traffic. She didn't need people seeing her carried like a sack of potatoes. In no time she was deposited by a koi pond. With a parting glance, Fubuki informed Inuyasha that she couldn't walk well and may need help getting to her room later, before walking off.

She felt Inuyasha in the tree behind her. She did not bother to look up at him. He would come down when he believed they were truly alone.

It took 7 minutes for him to ascertain the fact that they truly were alone. He jumped off the tree and landed next to her. She turned to face him and they just started at each other. Unblinking.

"Kagome I-"

"Inuyasha I missed you!" she threw herself at him hugging him right around the middle. Tears poured out of her eyes in rivers wetting his Fire Rat Robe. He did not return her embrace at once, frozen in shock. But when he unfroze his arms tightened around her like a vice grip.

"I missed you too, Kags. It took you leaving me for me to appreciate how much you meant to me. Kami, I was such an arse to you for all those years and you didn't deserve any of it. I did see you, but I was so blinded by the past that I only looked at the few things that resembled her. I'm so sorry, and I don't blame you if you want nothing to do with me. Hell you could 'sit' me until I can't walk for a bit, but understand that I'm sorry."

"I forgave you long ago Inuyasha" she said sitting up from him wiping her cheeks.

"But I don't deserve-"

"I don't care if you deserve it or not. It is my forgiveness to give and as your friend I think you deserve it"

"Friend... didn't think you'd still think of me like that"

She scoffed and punched his arm lightly.

"I spent 3 years of my life with you since I was 15. You think you being a baka is going to stop me from doing that?" She said earning a light chuckle, but tears still rolled down her cheeks.

"Quit ya crying. You're acting like someone just died" it was his crass way of comforting her.

They talked after that for some time. They jumped from topic to topic. He spoke about how Tsukiko took him under his wing, and she was the closest thing he ever had to a mother, but he would never tell her that. That his father painstakingly worked with him to integrate him into the Akayashi. She informed him on how she finally got Hojo to leave her alone and how her brother finally got a girlfriend. The were laughing like it was old times, except when their feelings were in the way. Everything was great, until they reached Kikyo.

"She's not the same person she was before. Sometimes she could be really mean and whiny"

At that Kagome raised an eyebrow at him in a knowing way. It took a year of her not being there for him to notice the obvious. On the brightside, at least he noticed, meaning that he did mature a bit. It seemed like living with her, in the presence of people to guide him, highlighted her worst qualities.

"Shes so cold towards me. Sometimes I wonder if she even loves me anymore..."

"Inuyasha, I'm sure she still cares for you. She's always been a bit reserved, and maybe being around all these youkais has her on edge along with both of you getting accustomed to Akayashi life. You're to be mated soon, I doubt she'll still be with you if she didn't."

Even as Kagome said the words, she hoped with everything within her that it was true. She had no reason to not believe that Kikyo still cares for him, but memories of her machinations swirled in her head. About a year ago she served the devil in stride, but it was all for Inuyasha. Everything Kikyo did was to have Inuyasha by her side. That had to count for something, right?

"Keh! A year ago I might have agreed, but she's changed so much. She went from a quite village miko, to someone I barely recognize. Like she was always some noble with servants to attend to her, like she's better than everybody - That ain't my Kikyo.

"Sometimes, she just disappears for hours at a time and comes back smelling if absolutely nothing."

Kagome was taken aback. Tsukiko's words from earlier echoed in her ear, "those who hide there scent are hard to trust." He didn't mean...

"You're not saying that she-"

"Don't! Don't say it!"

"Inuyasha, if she's doing what you're implying before you both are mated, the shame on Toga-sama and your family..." She trailed off solemnly.

Here's the thing about being part of the Akayashi, infidelity is okay. When Natsu told her that, it was a tough pill to swallow. Infidelity was not frowned upon once you are courting or mating, as long as it was agreed upon by both partners. However, unfaithfulness between intendeds was scandalous. During the time youkai become intended, or in human terms engaged, their is supposed to be no one between them. If Kikyo is being unfaithful, and Inuyasha mates her and her deeds become known, it will bring upon his family.

"I know what will happen and I'd rather it not. But I can't call it off without proof."

"So you're asking me to get some?"

He hesitated.

"Hai"

She knew what it meant for Inuyasha to ask this of her. He was at his wits end.

She stood with a stretch.

"I'll take my payment in sweets in 7 days from now."

"So you'll do it?"

"Why else would I be asking for payment Yasha? I'm heading back inside, I've got work to do, ya know? "

...888...

Miraculously she found her way back to her room without help. It may have taken 15 minutes if wandering but now she knew how to get there by herself.

Her stomach growled. It was an ardent reminder of her humanity, and that it was way past lunch. She should have eaten a bigger breakfast that morning, but at the time she did not consider not eating lunch at all.

As she was thinking over her bad decision nutrition wide her eyes landed on a bowl on one of the small tables next to her raised futon. It was rice balls.

Her stomach grumbled at the sight.

Kagome did not know who left it for her. Quite frankly she didn't care. Hunger was overriding basic thought. She reached for one of them.

She took a nice bite into it. The salmon inside was cooked to perfection. She hummed in appreciation. However there was another taste that shouldn't be there. It was acidic but familiar.

It was poison.

"Oh come on!"

She fanned her powers out and latched on to Sesshomaru's aura. She grabbed the bowl and ran out her room.

...888...

Without ceremony Kagome flung the doors open to Sesshomaru's study and marched in. Sesshomaru was steadily going through his papers while Eiji was lounging on a pillow keeping him company and sulking.

Their heads snapped towards Kagome as she held the bowl out towards them. Her hair floating around her in anger.

"Somebody just tried to poison me" she proclaimed as she slammed the bowl of rice balls on the table.

"Miko calm down."

"Sesshomaru I think she has the right to react like this. This is serious"

"She's immune to most poison"

Eiji's eyes blew open.

"And? Doesn't change the fact that someone tried to kill me!"

"It wouldn't have killed you" he said after inspecting one of the balls.

"Yeah, but it would have knocked me out for two days if I wasn't immune" She plopped down on one of the cushions.

"Sesshomaru this is serious. Someone just tried to get Kagome out of the way."

"Exactly"

He said nothing and continued to write. In his head, his beast was rattling his cage. He was incensed. Somebody has tried to hurt his miko while she was in his house. If it was any other time he would openly express his rage and tear the place apart to find out who did such a thing.

But he couldn't.

He couldn't dare show favouritism. He couldn't protect her like he wanted. Clearly, she could handle herself. Yet her safety was in jeopardy. It was only the second day and someone was already to sink to these levels.

"If you're not going to do anything, I will, and it won't be pretty "

There was a predatory gleam alight in her blue eyes. He had never seen her take on that look for matters that had to do with herself.

"Eiji"

He couldn't have her running around the place torturing his guest.

"From this point on you shall be her guard"

"What?" She demanded "I can take care of myself, thank you very much"

"You are to stay by her side when it is appropriate and keep her out of trouble"

"Hai, Sesshomaru"

She glared at him. He returned her glare with an impassive stare. He wouldn't back down. Why would he? Within seconds her gaze withered.

"Okay Sesshomaru, you win" she huffed eating one of the poisoned rice balls.

"You are dismissed."

She got up to leave, taking her bowl of poisoned rice balls with her. Eiji following her out. His friend seemed to be rife with nervous energy as he walked behind her.

...888...

The walk back to her room was done in silence. She was quite miffed with the dog behind her. They made it all the way into her room in the tense silence.

He was the first to break the silence.

"I never met a human who was impervious to poison before "

"You could thank Sesshomaru for that. One of the first things he did when he met me was douse me in his thick, sticky-"

"Alright! Too much information" Eiji sweat dropped.

"I was going to say poison from his claws, get your mind out the gutter"

"I'm sorry! You described it as thick and sticky and I know Sesshomaru's track record with pretty females" he said flustered.

She knew she should feel offended that he assumed that she had done something like that with Sesshomaru the first time they met. But something about how he said she was pretty had her blushing like crazy.

"But we were talking about poisons"

"Well..." He looked unsure how to complete that sentence leaving it for her to fill in the blanks.

"Serious?"

"You didn't know? All male inu youkai have it"

This was news to her. Natsu never told her this. He did know about her immumity to poisons. Maybe he thought she wouldn't notice.

"So you can do it?"

"Of course- wait! Why are we talking about this?!"

"You're the one who thought I took a bath in your friend's cum!"

"I was trying to find a way to apologize for earlier"

She looked at him from her little vanity mirror. His sun and moon eyes were wavering in her direction from where he stood at the door. She looked away from him.

"It's okay. You didn't like my scent. To each there own or whatever" she pretended to be busy doing something else.

"That's not it at all" he rushed across to her scating on the ground to kneel in front of her.

"Then what was it? Your actions said it all to me" she replied icily, as she fluffed her hair in the mirror.

"I was overwhelmed. Your scent is intoxicating and it blew me away. I'm sorry if my reaction offended you."

She turned to look at him on His knees. His head was down and outstretched, exposing the creamy expanse of his neck to her. She gasped and blushed looking away.

"It's okay, really. It isn't a big deal "

"Let me make it up to you. Anything you want."

Anything is such a dangerous thing to offer up. In the wrong hands it might put people in compromising positions.

As his one gold eye and silver eye stared up at her the idea came to her. She did need information to start helping Inuyasha.

With a smug smirk, she moved to a pile of pillows, making her self comfortable. With a pat of the hand to the pillow next to her, she beckoned him to sit.

"Tell me everything you know about Kikyo, including rumours." She took a languid bite out of her poisoned rice balls smiling at his wide eyes. "And don't lie to me." Her voice dropped to a husky whisper "I'll be able to tell"

Heh! I delayed this chapter until today. It was ready since Thursday but I was considering cutting it down. I didn't. All the comments really spurred me on.

Next chapter will be the showing of powers skills etc. By the way, Akayashi is what I'm calling the demon court in this fic.