This is a short update but this meeting needed to happen between Sesshoumaru and Serenity. I also didn't want to rehash what was said in the last chapter just for more length. Hopefully inspiration will come soon because I see this story being wrapped up by twenty chapters or less. Thanks!

Sesshoumaru found the moon goddess standing in a small clearing near the creek. She had her voluminous skirts raised so her small feet could dip into the water and her face was tilted to catch the glow of the moon. Sesshoumaru felt his breath catch. Never in his 500 hundred years had he ever seen a creature as beautiful as Serenity. He stood watching her for several silent moments as she bathed in the light of the waning moon.

"What do you see Sesshoumaru-sama?" Serenity slowly opened her eyes as she questioned the powerful youkai. She had felt his presence enter the forest some time ago but he had not moved from his position. The prince confused her. She had not felt this pull towards anyone since she had ascended and let her own prince go. Yet since she had awoken her thoughts had not strayed far from the silver haired inu demon. He was powerful, almost as powerful as Endymion had been and that had been with three lifetimes of power and training. Sesshoumaru was quite young in the grand scheme of her life experiences. He was certainly handsome, and he obviously loved fiercely – his father, his ward, his brother. But she could not sense his heart; he guarded it too well…

"I see a moon goddess come to earth," Sesshoumaru intoned, slowly walking towards her. "I see a beautiful, powerful creature. Legend come to life." He stood next to her, bathing in her scent, drowning in her night-sky eyes. He raised his one clawed hand to stroke her cheek but froze as she said, "Is that all that you see, Prince?"

A small tick of his lips down.

Sesshoumaru lowered his hand. "What else is there?"

Disappointment filled her night blue eyes and he felt himself tremble. "Until you are able to answer that question, Prince, there is no future for us."

Sighing, Serenity turned to leave the water but was stilled by a gentle, yet firm clawed hand on her arm. "I have much to offer, Goddess. I would make you a good mate." Serenity could tell the words pained him, he had too much pride to beg. That alone let her know he was sincere in his feelings, even if Sesshoumaru himself did not know himself what those feelings were yet.

Glancing over her shoulder she asked, "What do you offer that I do not already have, Prince?"

The inu hesitated. Strength, protection, pedigree, power. All these she had in spades, more so even than him.

The moon goddess faced the forest again. "When you can offer me something I don't already have, Prince, perhaps then I will consider you." She disappeared into the forest, the white of her gown seeming to dissolve in the light from the moon as she left the heartsore demon behind.