A/N: Hahaha, I finished another chapter! Yay. Many thanks to everyone who faithfully reviews and helps encourage me to keep going, even when school's a bloody nightmare and hell on earth. And I do mean everyone. I love you all dearly. Even if some of you are silly and actually look for secret messages in my chapters. But I love you all.

Many thanks to Dave for betaing!

Elements

Chapter 13

Despite Kagome's former implication that she might be obliged to stay a while at the village from InuYasha's tactlessness, Sesshomaru was Not Pleased to find she had spent the night there.

Villages were disgusting, filthy places; just packs of useless people who came together to try and protect themselves from what would kill them alone. And such a village was no place for a miko of the elements to stay. A miko such as her should clearly sleep out in the wilderness so as to be protected by nature in her slumber, instead of relying on some pathetic ningen guard to keep her safe.

Plus, it was much easier to watch over her when it was only her and her team, without so many filthy humans about.

So many filthy, disgusting, male humans crawling around, not worthy of the ground on which she trod.

Sesshomaru scowled at the thought.

At any rate, Sesshomaru reflected, there was clearly been no way to contact her as things stood. She was inside a hut, presumably somewhere in the village, while he was outside in the wind. There was no way to send a message, and even if there was, he couldn't be sure such a thing would rouse her from her sleep. So really, entering the village to go after her for their next lesson was the only logical course of action. Anyone could see that.

The small human child standing in front of him now, though, didn't seem to understand that concept, if the increasingly dumb way he was staring up at him was any indication.

Sesshomaru restrained a sigh.

"I asked you," he said again, his eyes narrowing, "where the miko is staying."

The child blinked.

"Where is the hanyou known as InuYasha?"

The child put its dirty thumb into its mouth.

"Where is Kagome?"

The child still didn't move.

"Human," Sesshomaru said curtly, flicking his claws. "If you do not answer this Sesshomaru's questions this instant, I will dismember your body, cut out your tongue, and give your severed head to Rin as a plaything. Now, for the last time... where is the miko?"

The child laughed and clapped its hands, pointing to Sesshomaru's acidic green talons, beaming up happily at the taiyoukai.

"Gween!" it announced proudly.

"Yuichi!" A harried woman ran over and hurriedly swept the child into her arms, shaking an admonishing finger at the child. "What did Mommy say about playing away from her? Now leave the nice man alone and we'll go cook Daddy his breakfast, okay?"

"His hand gween!" the child proudly announced, waving at Sesshomaru. The woman blinked and looking up at him, meeting Sesshomaru's eyes for the first time.

"Woman," he said curtly. "Your child has done this Sesshomaru a grave offense. However, it will be overlooked and forgiven if you tell me where the miko-"

"YOUKAI!!"

Sesshomaru winced, the high-pitched shriek slicing through his sensitive ears, covering them quickly as the woman screeched on.

"YOUKAI AT THE GATE!! YOUKAI!! YOUKAIIIII!!"

"Youkai??"

"Youkai?! Where?!"

"Got it!!"

"Youkai!!"

Admist all the yelling, a hoard of angry-looking humans quickly assembled around him, looking like they'd run from the mud. They were all holding some sort of weapon in their hand, be it a pitchfork or hoe, and a mix of rage and fear shone out from all their dirt-smudged faces.

Sesshomaru sniffed.

"Humans. This Sesshomaru requires to know-"

"Get him!!"

A pitchfork was launched at him as the yelling crowd surged forward. Sesshomaru's eye twitched as he easily swept it aside.

"Really, now-"

"You'll never take this village!"

"I only need-"

"MY BABY! He tried to kill my baby!"

"-miko, Kagome-"

"Come on, let's kill him!"

"Surely we can best this weak beast!"

Another farming tool launched at him, Sesshomaru snapped. No longer caring if Kagome would be upset if he killed these creatures or not, he slammed a hand to the ground, blasting the front row of people back with a wave of youki, his hair flying back as he channeled the raw power of the earth with an inhuman yell.

The earth was being much more generous this time, Sesshomaru noted dimly, the ground beneath him pushing a high plateau into the air, putting him ten feet above his enemies. Perhaps it was because he was protecting himself.

"Don't be intimidated!! We can still get him!!"

A primitive explosive of some kind was launched, and his acid whip lashed out, slashing it into oblivion and cutting down a row of the encircling villagers.

"Ridiculous," he murmured, his eyes sharpening, darkening to a deep amber.

The villagers kept coming, swarming, and Sesshomaru slashed at them, the power of the earth rising through him, flowing directly into his hands and whip, making it stronger than ever. One hand remained firmly on the hilt of his sword should he need to draw it, while the villagers screamed and swore, throwing sutras and religious relics. Cutting down a sutra, Sesshomaru hissed as the beads from a rosary burned.

"Foolish humans," he hissed, his eyes bleeding to red. "Do you really think that you can best me?" He crouched slightly, youki flowing through him freely, prepared to transform.

"STOP!!"

There was a loud BOOM and all the villagers were thrown to the ground by some sort of powerful shockwave. Sesshomaru gripped his platform tightly with his claw, his sudden rush of power gone. He scanned the crowds quickly, looking for the source of the sudden quake, as the villagers slowly got to their feet, groaning.

"Just what is going on?"

His eyes flew to a familiar figure, a girl clad in a white blouse and green skirt pushing her way to the front, her vivid blue eyes practically flaming with frustration and fury.

For the first time since entering the village, Sesshomaru relaxed.

"Kagome-"

"Priestess, this demon tried to eat my baby!" The hysterical woman threw herself onto the miko's feet, weeping, blocking her way, making Kagome blink and look slightly disturbed. "Please, oh miko, send him to the Hell he so rightly deserves!"

Sesshomaru scowled, offended by the blatant untruth of this statement, only to hear others jump in.

"He wants to destroy our village!"

"-ruined the road, did you see what he-"

"-completely cut down Nakamaru!! Do you see these wounds?!"

"-hungry for flesh-"

"-evil, cruel beast-"

"-tried to kill my child-"

Sesshomaru growled and the crowd screamed, moving back as one. Kagome's lips twitched, looking as if she were suppressing a laugh. Sesshomaru watched as she pushed her way through the crowd, nimbly leaping to the top of the platform, landing in a crouch. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow, mildly impressed by her agility, and she flushed.

"Air trick," she muttered, looking down at the crowd, who was not calling for her to mind her safety. "Mind telling me just what's going on?"

Sesshomaru scowled. "I came to find you and these villagers attacked me. It was completely unprovoked."

Kagome smiled slightly, amused. "Completely?"

Sesshomaru bit his lip, suppressing any indication of embarrassment. "I wouldn't have really killed the child," he said, annoyed, glancing away. He heard Kagome laugh as she took his hand, and Sesshomaru quickly turned to look at her as she held their hands up high.

"See here, oh faithful villagers! I have tamed this taiyoukai and saved our humble village at large!" She shook his hand in emphasis, and the crowd erupted into deafening cheers. Sesshomaru recoiled slightly at the noise, shooting Kagome a venomous look, which she deflected.

"If you hadn't made such a grand entrance, such a grand gesture wouldn't be necessary, you know," she commented. Sesshomaru folded his arms silently, a clear indication of his disapproval, and Kagome's lips twitched.

"Okay," she said. "You're never going to see these villagers again, and all those who know who you are who hear of this tale will know you could have cut them all down if you wanted to. There's no shame in using diplomacy to get what you want, you know. Just let me walk with you and they'll leave you alone. Then we can talk about whatever you wanted, and it'll give me a chance to ask about how you pulled off that earth-elevating move you used back there." She met his eyes, her own blue pleading. "Please?"

Reluctant, Sesshomaru bit his lip, trying to hold onto his ire, though his irritation was already flowing out of him as he looked at her, a feeling akin to pride playing in his mind from her inferred compliment to his progress.

"...fine," he acquiesced.

Kagome gave him a happy, grateful smile, and Sesshomaru felt the last of his anger leave him. She raised a hand slightly, and the earthen platform started to sink back into the ground, the crowd oohing and aweing appreciatively at the display of power. Sesshomaru felt a vein pulse at their admiration. He'd been the one to create such a spectacle, after all.

There was enthusiastic applause as Kagome finally descended, her hand still on his, leading him. She smiled uncertainly at the villagers as she walked him through the crowds, relaxing as soon as they turned a corner, leaving them out of sight.

"Sorry," she said, looking at him sideways. "I didn't really know any other way to get them to leave you alone."

Sesshomaru felt his something inside him twitch, and he turned her hand over in his, clasping it so he was now holding hers as well.

"You only did what was necessary to do," he told her, feeling gratified as Kagome ducked her head and blushed.

"I still wish you'd just waited or something," she said, her hand tightening slightly on his, her cheeks still tinged. "All the uproar... it's hardly worth a riot to get to me."

Sesshomaru bit back the odd urge to tell her that she'd be worth all of their lives and more. "I am not the one who started a riot," he said.

"You could have ignored them," she pointed out. "You certainly didn't try to halt it at all."

Sesshomaru's eyes glinted. "If they had just listened to my request, no one would have been harmed."

"That's about as likely as InuYasha growing wings and flying off into the sky," Kagome said dryly.

Sesshomaru turned and stared, while Kagome flushed.

"Well, think about it. If you were a human, Sesshomaru, and a demon came into your village, what would be the first thing you'd think?"

Sesshomaru considered. "I suppose that a greater being was about to smite my insignificant life and eradicate my pathetic rendition of a town-"

"Exactly," Kagome said, looking at him. "Sesshomaru, most demons who visit human villages are there to destroy them. Even you wouldn't have come here if it wasn't for me."

"They could have listened to what I had to say," Sesshomaru argued. "They would have known I meant no unnecessary harm."

"It's been trained and ingrained into them," Kagome replied, leading him up a set of stairs and onto a wooden platform. "When a demon attacks, fight first, think later. You can die in the time it takes to form a thought. Those villagers listening to what you had to say was just about as likely as you backing down from that fight."

Sesshomaru opened his mouth to object, before stopping and pausing to think. Not backing down from a fight was near-instinctual for him, carved into his mind and running in his blood. Could such humans really have the same sort of reaction to protecting their village?

He glanced over at Kagome, who was watching him, and nodded once.

"You may have a point," he acquiescing. "However..." Kagome's eyes shone with curiosity, and Sesshomaru smirked. "If you knew I would never back down from a fight, why did you say I should have ignored the villagers before?"

Kagome laughed.

"I'm a girl," she said, smiling. "I'm allowed to contradict myself."

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes and Kagome smiled, before stopping in front of a large set of doors.

"We're here," she said. She toed off her shoes and knocked once, before opening the doors into the room.

Sesshomaru squinted slightly, letting his eyes adjust to the light in the room. The room was large, neat enough, adorned with tatami mat, and as he turned to examine it in more detail, he became instantly aware of a creature leaping at his face.

"SESSHOMARU!!"

Sesshomaru elegantly side-stepped the attack, letting the red-clad hanyou crash into the closed doors behind him. "InuYasha," he curtly replied.

InuYasha quickly got to his feet again, crouching low. "What do you want?" he demanded, his golden eyes sharp. "Why have you come here?"

"Not that it is your business, but I intend to talk with the miko," Sesshomaru said crisply. He paused, looking down his nose at his brother. "I didn't intend for filth and dirt to be lurking about."

"Bastard!" InuYasha rose quickly to lunge at him only to be held back by the monk, and Sesshomaru smirked, only to have Kagome shoot him a dark look.

"Don't antagonize," she said, annoyed. "There was enough trouble in the village already."

Sesshomaru hid a scowl as InuYasha relaxed and looked to her gratefully, before whirling on Sesshomaru once more.

"The villagers attack you, Sesshomaru?" he smirked, flashing his fangs. "And you needed Kagome here to come and save you? Poor, pitiful taiyoukai..."

Sesshomaru snarled, showing his own teeth, only to be cut off by Kagome once again.

"InuYasha, he's not here to fight," she said, exasperated. "No instigating."

"No outright lying either, hanyou," Sesshomaru shot back. "Naraku will repent his evil before this Sesshomaru needs saved or pitied."

"Then why'd Kagome have to go to the village?" InuYasha retorted, his eyes gleaming. "It's okay, really," he added, condescending. "Surely you can't expect a poor taiyoukai with a missing arm to be able to handle a few humans..."

Sesshomaru smirked, triumph glittering in his eyes. "She came to stop the carnage," he said, pushing up his sleeves. "And as for the arm-"

There was a wild yell and a loud clang of metal as InuYasha rushed him and Sesshomaru parried his Tessaiga with his own sword. Both brothers struggled, pushing against the other, their venom clear.

"InuYasha! Sesshomaru!" Kagome's shout echoed through the hall.

"Kagome, he's got his arm back!" InuYasha yelled back, his eyes not leaving Sesshomaru's for an instant. "We can't just let-"

"He's had it back for a while! InuYasha!"

"A while?? You're lying! He'd have attacked us before now if he had!"

Sesshomaru briefly wondered if his brother was truly so dense as to have not noticed it before or if it was due to the loose kimono sleeves hiding it, before dismissing it as a combination between the two.

"A new arm doesn't mean he's going to kill us all! Relax, InuYasha! It's not a big deal!"

"Not a big deal?!" InuYasha raged, clashing swords with Sesshomaru again, thrusting heedlessly, Sesshomaru easily dodging his swipes. "He's an evil taiyoukai! He's tried to kill us before, and he'll try it again! We can't just let him-"

"InuYasha! Sit!"

InuYasha crashed to the ground, a flash of flames coming from nowhere, and Sesshomaru felt a strong hot wind encircle him for, refusing to let him move. Kagome stalked over to InuYasha angrily, nevertheless helping him up, giving him a look.

"He's not going to hurt any of us, alright?" she said tightly. "He just wants to talk to me. It's his turn to teach me something. Just try to ignore him and relax while he does, okay?"

Sesshomaru's lips twitched at the thought of his brother being able to ignore his presence, and if InuYasha's doubtful scoff was any indication, his thoughts were of the same pattern as well.

"Come on, InuYasha." Sesshomaru watched as the taijiya eased him back towards the wall, to the other side of the room where she and the monk resided with the demon kit. "They'll be fine. Come on..."

Sesshomaru observed as Kagome watched the hanyou reluctantly surrender to the other girl, relaxing slightly as she turned back to him. "That could have gone easier," she said, looking tired.

Sesshomaru smirked. "I thought it went rather well."

"We can talk over here," she said, moving to a table at the other side of the room, sitting on it instead of by it as was typical. Sesshomaru shrugged, opting to sit the traditional way.

"Do people sit on tables where you come from?" he asked.

Kagome looked at him, a small smirk touching her lips. "We can sit in air, where I come from."

Sesshomaru blinked. "Air? How can one sit on air?"

"Not sit on it. In it. Where I am from, people can fly and sit while in the air."

"You lie," he said, incredulous. "Humans cannot fly."

"Can't we?" Kagome said, her tone playful, amused. "Anything is possible, Sesshomaru."

"Some things are not possible," Sesshomaru said flatly. "A tree will not grow down. A sword will not move on its own. And ningen cannot fly."

"Everyday new things are being done and discovered," Kagome countered. "Humans can fly, monkeys can be sent to the moon, humans and demons get along, and mechanical swords can be programmed to do what they will."

"Ridiculous," Sesshomaru objected. "You must come from delusions, for nothing of the sort has even occurred around here."

Kagome smiled, her eyes sparkling. "Can't you think of anything, Sesshomaru?" she said. "Can you think of nothing that has occurred lately that you would have never expected?"

Sesshomaru paused.

If he really considered it, he supposed he had seen things he'd previous thought were impossible. His father had made a mountain move in his youth, demanding the spirit in it leave his lands. His mother had shown him Hell, literally, a place he'd thought imaginary. And there were recent things, too.

Every since his acquaintance with Kagome, he'd seen impossibilities constantly shattered as she ran heedlessly on. The girl split the earth, conjured fire, made something from nothing, and broke nearly every law of nature that he knew.

He looked at her again, tilting his head. If someone was to make the impossible possible, it only made sense that it would be her.

"...I have seen a tree grow down," he said reluctantly. "Rin's mastery over the earth shrunk it to make it a better height to climb. I have also seen someone return to life, for I have done it myself."

"See?" Kagome said triumphantly. "There are things that you thought impossible that have been done. So are others so unbelievable?"

"Humans flying are still beyond me," Sesshomaru said, raising an eyebrow. "Control over a sword could come without touch, I suppose, but seems to be cheating, and reaching the moon is simply ridiculous. For the other, however..."

Sesshomaru locked eyes with hers, vivid amber holding cerulean blue.

"I have learned that youkai and ningen can do much more together than just get along," he murmured, his eyes gleaming.

Kagome's eyes widened as her face flushed, and Sesshomaru found himself noting how she looked with the color on her cheeks. Intending to call her out on her blush, he found himself galling silent despite himself, Kagome's eyes still holding his.

Despite the blush on her cheeks, Kagome's gaze remained unabashed, unashamed, as if she had nothing to hide from him, no reason to avert her gaze. Defiant blue held dark amber, and Sesshomaru felt time slow down as her eyes slowly softened, a flicker of nervousness darting within.

He moved towards her, slowly, one hand reaching out to her face as she looked back at him, her eyes soft, wide, her cheeks still colored prettily, her lips inviting...

A loud SNAP broke the trance, crackling through the air, and Sesshomaru leapt back, the spell broken. Kagome yelled, beating her skirt out, which seemed to have spontaneously caught fire, and Sesshomaru stared.

"Kagome! Are you alright?!"

InuYasha was on his feet in a moment at her side, concerned, and Sesshomaru felt a momentarily rush of gratitude that he was there. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Sesshomaru slowly pulled himself together, gathering his thoughts once more, forcing his heartbeat to slow and calm down.

What had he been doing...? It was almost as if he'd been enchanted, running on something that didn't need thought. It was unheard of, for him to lose control of his actions in such a way, to act on such foreign instincts.

He glanced back, glad that his brother hadn't been watching when the exchange had occurred.

"I'm fine, InuYasha," Kagome said, looking up at him reassuringly, her skirt effectively put out. "I just knocked over a candle. I'm fine now."

InuYasha looked at her suspiciously, not seeing a fallen candle on the table, but returned to his seat, casting warning looks at Sesshomaru every once in a while. There was a long moment of silence, neither of the two looking at each other, both motionless, completely soundless.

"You are in need of help controlling your emotions," Sesshomaru said finally. Kagome looked over at him flatly, holding up her singed skirt.

"You think?"

Sesshomaru withheld a smirk. "It never ceases to amaze me how emotional you get," he said.

"That's not fair, to use this as an example," Kagome said, giving him a dirty look. Sesshomaru wisely retreated, not wanting to discuss the strange exchange between them at the moment either.

"Fine," he said, "but what of other things? Like when I found you in the valley, lost in your power?"

"That was InuYasha's fault," she said hotly. "He'd been insulting me, and-"

"But you reacted," he pointed out, amber eyes flickering. "You are the one who holds control over such things. How can you let things get to you so?"

"How can't you?" Kagome retorted. "When someone's insulting you or something, how can you just ignore what they say?"

"What they say doesn't matter," Sesshomaru said, his eyes moving to look at her. "They say only words, things meant to make you angry, to make you lose control. They cannot affect you through only words or their actions; only you can give a person that power, if you wish."

"So it's that sticks and stones thing?" Kagome said, dismissive. "Sorry, Sesshomaru. Been there, done that, and it doesn't work."

"It is not just sticks and stones," Sesshomaru said, wondering what odd human lesson that was. "It's a lesson of being your own person and not relying on what others think."

Kagome turned to look at him, deep blue eyes locking with his. "And just how do you do that?"

"You realize who you are and what you are capable of," Sesshomaru said, holding her gaze. "Once you know that, no one can stop you if you do not allow it."

Their eyes held each other for a long moment, amber against blue, before Kagome broke away.

"How're you supposed to do that?" she said. "How do you hold onto your emotions and not let people get to them? Sometimes you just can't help what you feel."

"Through practice," he said, standing to look down at her. "So when the time comes, your emotions are used enough to being subdued to not react violently at all."

"But what kind of practice is there for that?" Kagome said desperately, her eyes shining, confused. "I've tried to restrain myself, and usually I'm a very patient person, but sometimes things just get out of hand and I-"

"Kagome," Sesshomaru said, slightly struck by her raw and hopeless tone. "Kagome, you can- it only takes practice-"

"HOW DARE YOU!!"

There was a flurry of movement and Sesshomaru landed nimbly back on his feet, Tokijin withdrawn, while InuYasha glared at him venomously, Tessaiga shining in the light.

"How dare you!" he spat, enraged. "How dare you even so much as think her name-"

"InuYasha!" Kagome cried, caught off-guard, confused. "What's going on? Sesshomaru didn't even-"

"He said your name," InuYasha seethed, his eyes glinting angrily at his brother. "He didn't even bother- didn't even think to- just presumed that he could-"

Understanding sparked in Sesshomaru's mind.

He had called her Kagome.

InuYasha ran at him again and Sesshomaru deflected his blow, his own eyes sharpening rapidly, perceiving the rage with which InuYasha fought. He parried a blow, then hit his brother away forcefully, sending him crashing into a vase.

"Such anger, InuYasha," Sesshomaru remarked, dusting off his kimono as his brother quickly got to his feet. "Aren't we overreacting just a bit at the lack of an honorific?"

"You can't-" InuYasha sputtered, furious, unable to compose himself for his anger. "You can't- you have to ask- that's only for close-"

Sesshomaru smiled nastily. "Perhaps Kagome and I are closer than you think."

There was an enraged yell as InuYasha charged him again, swords clashing loudly as Kagome yelled for them to stop, the abrupt battle only ending when Sesshomaru pushed InuYasha into a wall.

"You can't-" InuYasha panted, his eyes dark. "You can't just presume you can use-"

He moved towards him again, but Sesshomaru easily swept aside, an idea forming in his mind.

"Kagome," he said. "Come here."

"Don't call her that!" InuYasha yelled, swinging again, but Sesshomaru caught the blade and swung it away, sending InuYasha reeling.

"What?" Kagome's eyes widened, astonished.

"Come here."

Sesshomaru watched, one eye warily on InuYasha as Kagome approached obediently, biting her lip. "What?"

"You are to battle InuYasha," he told her, handing her Tenseiga, watching as her eyes widened. "This blade will channel your energy well; it is intended for good. Battle him as best you can and practice holding your emotions in as you do."

"I can't possibly fight with this," Kagome objected, incredulous. "I've never fought with a sword beyond basic fencing in gym class! And he's a hanyou! A fighter! I can't spar InuYasha, let alone with this!"

"Wasn't it you who said that anything was possible?" Sesshomaru smiled.

Kagome stopped and stared.

"Sesshomaru!" InuYasha's angry yell echoed throughout the room, and Sesshomaru turned. "I don't care what you're planning, but leave Kagome out of it!"

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. "But brother," he said, his tone full of false concern. "It is Kagome's wish to spar with you to master an aspect of herself. Who are you to deny her wishes, InuYasha?"

His surprise was obvious at hearing this, Sesshomaru noted with satisfaction, while InuYasha's brow quickly creased again.

"Don't call her that!" he yelled, yanking out Tessaiga once more, fury burning in his eyes. "You can't just- you need to- you can't-"

"Ah, but InuYasha," Sesshomaru said, smiling cruelly. "It was Kagome who gave me the permission to use her name."

There was a loud, piercing scream of dismay, and Sesshomaru bent down, covering his ears, noting the others wincing as he clenched his jaw. When the horrid sound was over, Sesshomaru slowly stood, only to see that InuYasha's eyes had bled to red.

"You want to fight, wench?" he snarled at Kagome, venomous, brandishing his sword at a motionless, terrified Kagome. "Then c'mon. Let's fight."

Sesshomaru silently reflected that this would be a very bad time for him to be wrong.

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Sesshomaru was insane, Kagome thought, panting as she ran. Completely, utterly, fully insane. Why else would he have stuck an angry crazed hanyou on her?

"Fight him, Kagome!" Sesshomaru called to her again, and Kagome mentally wished he'd just shut up or give her some more useful instruction than 'stand and fight'. There was another scream of outrage from behind her at hearing Sesshomaru call her by her name once more, and Kagome ran faster, dodging around a decorative vase, only to hear it crash as InuYasha went by.

"Kagome, fight him! Running like this is useless!"

Kagome felt a vein in her forehead twitch. "I don't know how!" she yelled back.

"Just- make your sword hit his and try to get him off-guard!"

The vein pulsed again. Well, Kagome thought, if a ridiculous youkai wanted her to fight but wouldn't teach her how, then she'd just have to figure it out herself.

Wrenching herself around, Kagome swung Tenseiga, a loud clash echoing as the two swords came to blows.

"Go, Kagome!" Shippo cheered from the sidelines. Kagome gritted her teeth, using all her strength to hold the sword against his, watching as InuYasha snarled, pulling his sword back once more.

"Run!!" Ignoring the kitsune, Kagome swung back again, intent on stopping InuYasha's new blow before it came near her. She missed, hitting his blade far too late, the swords slicing by the side of her, entirely too close for comfort.

"Watch his eyes! You'll be able to see what he's going to do there!"

Forcing her eyes away from the sword, Kagome looked at InuYasha's eyes, crazed, demonic, red possessed things.

"Duck! DUCK!!"

Shrieking, Kagome ducked and rolled away, narrowly avoiding Tessaiga's blow. "Watch it!!" she yelled at InuYasha, who scoffed.

"If you want to fight, then fight!" he shot back, eyes slowly returning to an angry gold. "It's not like you're going to die, between your healing powers and Sesshomaru's sword! You could get your head cut off and still be okay!"

"I'd rather not just the same, thanks!" she snapped back, parrying his blow as best she could, both swords clashing to the ground.

"Scared now?" InuYasha sneered, striking again, Kagome dodging backwards. "You weren't afraid at first, when your precious Sesshomaru suggested you fight. The blind acceptance starting to wear off now?"

"He's trying to help me!" Kagome said hotly, striking angrily, only to have InuYasha deflect it easily.

"Yeah, or is he?" he dismissed. "You've never even held a sword, and he's making you full-out fight."

"Shut up!!" Kagome charged at him, livid, only to have InuYasha dodge her easily, sending her crashing into a wall.

Dazed, Kagome forced herself up, gritting her teeth. This seemed all too familiar for her, and she had a feeling she wasn't doing what she was supposed to.

"Nice," he mocked her, his own anger still clear. "Maybe you should kill yourself is Sesshomaru tells you to do that, too."

"Cut it out!" Kagome flew at him, angry, slashing the sword the best she could, InuYasha parrying her blows easily, his own eyes like iron boring into her own. Sweeping a blow aside, he darted in and shoved, sending her careening away, trying to catch her balance.

"See? You can't fight. I'm not even trying. And you still think you're safe to go out on your own?"

Sesshomaru was trying to tell her something, Kagome's mind registered dimly, but all she could hear was the blood rushing in her ears as she charged InuYasha again, yelling. He dodged and sent her spinning around with a well-timed swipe, and she crashed into a wall, seeing stars.

What wasn't she doing right? She didn't know how to fight, but it couldn't be that hard, now, could it? Why couldn't she do anything?

"You just going to stay there on the floor?" InuYasha jeered, a jaunty smirk firmly in place. "I must admit, the flooring suits you rather well."

Kagome struggled to get up, her body aching. This was hopeless, wasn't it? There was absolutely no point to-

KAGOME.

Kagome froze sharply, a booming voice consuming her mind.

Keep in mind your purpose! You are fighting like InuYasha does; all emotion, no reason. Force your emotions down as you fight him! When you first control yourself, you can control that around you with ease.

Air messages? Now didn't seem like the right time for Sesshomaru to-

Listen to me! Kagome, focus everything you have right now on not letting InuYasha's taunts get to you! You are your own person, with your own emotions! He can't touch them if you don't allow him to!

Actually, she reflected dimly;

That sort of made sense.

Recovering herself, Kagome got back to her feet, entering into a crouch, shifting the blade in her hands, her eyes hard.

"Back for more?" InuYasha sneered. "Are you masochistic or something?"

Kagome ignored him, moving towards him, blade poised, and he scoffed.

"Fine, then. Don't come crying to me when you get hurt."

Kagome bit her lip, forcing herself to focus on his eyes, not his words. The golden orbs twitched ever so slightly, she noted, just before the blade began to move, just the smallest detail, really-

CLANG

The loud noise caught Kagome off guard and she looked up, astonished, seeing the two swords struggling against each other over her head. She blinked, realizing she'd moved instinctively, knowing where to go to defend herself from the blow.

Kagome smiled grimly. This time, she'd been in place.

Annoyed, InuYasha moved again, striking, and Kagome put up her sword, deflecting his blow as if fell to her right. He lashed out again, and she blocked this one too, biting her lip, forcing herself to stay on task and ignore his building anger.

"So you can deflect blows," he snarled. "But can you handle a full onslaught? You're going to end up killing yourself with this foolish act, girl."

Kagome's eyes were cold.

"Fine, then!!"

As he charged her, Kagome swept to the side, tripping him with the tip of her sword, watching as he stumbled. As he turned, her blade swept up, ready to parry his attacks, stepping carefully backwards as she deflected his blows, trying not to panic at his snarling face.

"You have no idea what you're doing! You're going to end up dead, if you keep doing this, keep listening to that brat! Sesshomaru wants you dead, Kagome! You have to stop listening to him!!"

No, Kagome thought grimly, I don't. Not if I don't want to. She clashed her blade with InuYasha's again, sending them both reeling, and InuYasha yelled and ran at her again.

Fighting was much easier when she ignored InuYasha's insults, she noticed, quickly side-stepping another attack. It was much easier to focus and figure out what was going to happen next. In fact, she realized, striking aside another stroke of his, she almost felt like she could take the offensive.

Not with the sword, though, of course.

"Why are you so passionate in defending him?!" InuYasha yelled, slashing his sword, loud clangs and scrapes nearly drowning him out from the dueling blades. "What's wrong with you?! He's going to be the end of you!!"

"Why do you care?!" The air twisted, and Kagome lashed out at InuYasha, her eyes narrowed, this time in a controlled attack. InuYasha leapt back, apparently dodging her blade easily, only to land in shock, holding a hand to his face. He pulled it back, looking at his palm.

There was blood.

InuYasha looked up at her, livid, and Kagome smiled grimly.

"Who's scared now?"

With an inhuman yell, InuYasha charged her again, Kagome dodged quickly, the air letting her glide freely to the side. With her head in charge, Kagome found herself able to pull on the element to aid her in her fight, giving her blade an added speed an edge beyond what she'd had before.

InuYasha yelled again, but Kagome didn't listen, didn't care, as she parried Inuyasha's blows quickly and easily, sending him crashing into the wall this time. He was up again in a second, back for more, but Kagome fended him off, keeping her concentration, bitter focus at the forefront of her mind.

"You're can't do this, Kagome!" InuYasha yelled, clashing blades with her again forcefully, and Kagome struggled to meet his blow, the air adding to her strength. "You're giving up everything to go with Sesshomaru! He's going to kill you some day!"

"I'm not the one he hates!" Kagome shot back, finding herself able to retort, still careful to suppress any powerful reaction of rage that might come. "Just because he wouldn't mind if you kicked the bucket doesn't mean he feels the same about me."

They clashed swords again, struggling once more, inches from each other, InuYasha's face twisted into a snarl as the air around them started to swirl.

"You think he cares about you?" he snarled, venomous. "He's a taiyoukai, and you're just a stupid girl! He couldn't care less if you were to vanish off the face of the earth."

Kagome felt something rise within her, but she shoved it down, ignoring it, focusing on parrying his next blow before she replied.

"If that's true," Kagome told him, her eyes sharp, "then why is he still here?"

InuYasha yelled again, charging at her once more, the blades clashing, and Kagome felt like the blade would nearly break with the force.

"Why do you care so much about him?!" InuYasha screamed, his face a mask of fury, the air around them increasing to full-blown winds, isolating them in a circle, drowning out the screams of the others. "What do you care?! He's no one, Kagome! Why do you keep defending him?! Just what's going on between him and you??"

Dimly, Kagome felt something clash deep down in her from his words. She yelled something in response, oblivious as to what, focusing on the emotion rising quickly in her, threatening to spiral out of control. InuYasha's words echoing in her mind, Kagome snarled and grabbed the emotion and twisted it, sending it right out of her through her blade in a concentrated stream.

There was a yell, and Kagome's concentration broke, the blast of emotion vaporizing, and she looked up, blinking, to see InuYasha's head on fire. The hanyou was running around screaming, yelling for water, Tessaiga thrown aside to the floor.

Kagome blinked and gaped, staring at the sword, before numbly picking it up, astonished. InuYasha had thrown aside his blade in battle? That was ridiculous; the only way InuYasha would do something like that were if he were-

Kagome stopped and looked at Sesshomaru who nodded, a thin smile on his lips, something like pride in his eyes. Kagome felt something inside her lock into place, settling down, and she felt her lips curve upward, even as Sango helped InuYasha dunk his head into a wine bowl.

The only way InuYasha would ever, ever drop his blade during a fight... would be if he had lost, if the battle was over, in his mind. Only then would he let go of his sword, knowing holding onto it any longer would have no meaning.

InuYasha had lost.

And Kagome had won.

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What thought you? Like the premise? Hate it? Despise the action? Love the characterization? Please, let me know in a review! Please, review!