Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or it's characters, that right belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. Nor do I own Bleach or it's characters, that right belongs to Tite Kubo.

The sounds of idle chatter had Kagome smiling as she walked through the small market. It was almost dusk, and she had to return to the Academy barracks before nightfall. But between being tired and not wanting to eat the horrid food they provided, she was doing some light shopping. Of course, she had been found by one of her classmates, a rather cheery blond that talked non-stop, which was more than welcome, as she didn't feel the need to talk too much.

As they stopped by a fruit stall, Kagome tilted her head to the side and looked around. Her blue eyes were searching for what had caused that odd, very out of place feeling. When she saw nothing, she frowned and went back to perusing the fruit before her. Silently she figured that she was just exhausted and hallucinating that sound.

"Hey, Kagome?"

Looking up from the apples, she blinked at her classmate and waiting for the girl to speak up. They were both third year now. So, that meant only three more, and she'd get to graduate and pick a squad to go into.

"I... well actually... a lot of girls have been curious for a while now..."

The way the girl was hesitating, her face flushed a bit across the bridge of her pale nose, had Kagome quirking an eyebrow up and fighting the urge to smile and laugh at her. Already she knew what the girl was going to ask her. Having friends like Yuka, Ayumi, Eri, she was well versed in this line of thought.

"Who do you like? Do you even have a type?"

At how fast the girl spat the questions out, Kagome threw her head back and laughed. It felt good to laugh like that for the first time since she arrived in the Spirit world. And once she got herself under control, ignoring the looks she had received for her sudden outburst, Kagome looked at the girl recalling her name.

"Shamilla, I do not have anyone at this time that I am interested in. And yes, I do have a type, but that is..." Kagome said, trailing off.

There was that odd feeling again. Whipping around, Kagome looked through the thinning crowd. Eyes narrowing as she tried to pinpoint it. But there were still too many people. It had her senses on high alert as it felt like the aura a Bushin (Warrior God) would give off. And they loved to fight. Strived to always be the best of the best in battle.

"Kagome?" Shamilla said.

Turning her gaze to the girl, she just shook her head and finished purchasing a few apples, bread, cheese, and a small hunk of meat. It was important as they were not trying to make a nuance of themselves though it did have her wanting to go and find that person.

"It is okay, I am just tired and being paranoid," she mumbled as she hooked her arm through the girls and walked back toward the Academy.

He narrowed his eyes as he watched the two walk away. Twice, the dark-haired girl had gone tense and alert, looking around. The first time he saw it, he thought it was just a random coincidence. But the second time he let his spiritual Reiatsu out, she reacted just the same. Before she just shook it off and left with the girl. This was amusing, and he knew from the clothes she wore that she was a student at the Academy. Smiling, he figured it was time to meander back to his squads compound.

The cool night air blew against her skin, causing her to shudder slightly. Her sweat-soaked skin was glistening under the light of the full moon. As she took deep breaths to help slow her heart rate and calm her mind. This had become a routine since she had forced the release of her Zanpaku-to's Shikai form. Revealing that her sword had... at that time... two forms. But that was a year ago now.

Slowly sliding her eyes closed, Kagome quickly made the connection to the world inside the Zanpaku-to. A small smile appearing on her face at the sight of it made. Nostalgia rearing up as she looked at the spirit that inhabited her sword. Who just stared back at her as if he was mildly amused by something with the slight lift of one corner of his mouth. An expression she enjoyed in his ordinarily stoic facade he showed the world or did.

"Miko," he said.

"Sesshomaru," she replied.

In the next instant, she was defending as he attacked. The strikes were relentless and precise. It was causing her to defend more than retaliating. But she used that to her advantage. Taking in the flowing movements of his body, how there was just the subtlest of hints in weight shifting as he kept on pressing her. It was so graceful; it was like a dance. A deadly dance that demanded her respect and admiration. Which she freely gave. She had known him while both were alive. The fact that he was the spirit in her Zanpaku-to meant that Buddha had played a joke on her, but it was one she was thankful for.

The moment her body was flung away from him, Kagome used it to her advantage and shifted her spiritual version of her Zanpaku-to to Tessaiga. She was calling upon the sword defensive abilities to reflect the quick attack that he followed up with. Kagome flipped her body over the hilt of the sword, jerking it along with her into a deadly aerial spin attack that had her opponent blocking with his weapon. The gleam in the depths of those golden eyes told her he was pleased with her choice.

From there, she traded open blows with him. Though she gained no ground, she wasn't losing it. This was a do or die fight. Kagome knew he was testing her to see if she was ready for the third form. The sword he was wielding right at that moment, Bakusaiga, The Crushing Fang. It was the literal essence that was his demonic power while he was alive. She had seen what it could do, and frankly, it scared her shitless. The mastery of Tenseiga, The Heavenly Rebirth Fang, hadn't been hard for her at all. Mostly due to her base nature as a natural healer. Tessaiga, well, it required more work... almost a year now.

"You need not be distracted, Miko," Sesshomaru growled right behind her.

Spinning, she barely got Tessaiga up to block before she was hit with a pure wave of his Youki Power. It sent her flying back, pain rolling through her whole spiritual and physical person like the waves of the ocean and thrusting her entirely out of the small world.

The moment she opened her eyes, Kagome realized she was staring up at the clear, star-speckled sky. Again she took slow, deep breaths to calm herself. This was the third time tonight that she had been ejected. Though she did last longer this time.

Movement in the corner of her eye had her turning her head to look. There stood an ethereal form of Sesshomaru. The look in his eyes had her glancing down as he said nothing. Words were not needed to know he was disappointed in her, but yet he was somewhat proud at the same time.

He had gone on another walk. The feel of strong Reiatsu drew him to the small forest that was just on the outskirts of both the Seireitei and Rukongai. He had not expected to see that same girl from a few weeks ago. She just seemed to be standing there, holding her Zanpakuto before her. It looked just like his own had. It made him a bit curious. Moreso, since she was giving off a lot of Reiatsu, yet no one was coming to inspect what it was.

When her body seemed to shift into the basic stance, he was amazed as she went through the motions of blocking and defending. Her body was slowly moving back as if she was enduring blows. Yet there was no opponent. And she had yet to notice he was there either. Though that last was put aside as he saw that her eyes were closed.

When she was all of a sudden flying backwards through the air, landing, he figured something had happened. But what kept him still was when the Zanpakuto released into a rather large sword that had a red handle with what looked to be a large tuft of white fur at the handle. That and the amount of energy that it gave off. It was not soothing or gentle like her Reiatsu, and no, this held a darker power swirling in it.

When she started to attack it, her body easily using it, and the movement coordinated and flowing, he was very intrigued. The damn thing was almost as tall as the girl was. And he could say that she was a fucking midget. But from how she was wielding it like it was nothing more than an extension of her own body, he knew that there was a raw skill. A skill that she was trying to hone with this training.

Smiling darkly, he continued to watch until he felt an incredible amount of power. The power that seemed to come out of nowhere before she was flung up and back. When she landed, he counted at least five bounces before she was stationary. Before he could decide what to do an ethereal form appeared of a tall male, dressed all in white with a red design on the clothes. His silver hair was hanging down his back and to mid-thigh.

The soft sound of her voice as she spoke to the image had him curious. He knew that a Zanpakuto could manifest if it went into Bankai, but he had not heard her call out the release for the giant sword, let alone her power spike for a Bankai, which would be unheard of for an Academy student to have obtained.

Figuring that he had seen enough, he left the area. There was a lot to think about. And he was now very interested in this short, petite, a woman who was not what she appeared. He wanted to test her, himself but knew that he could not due to her current status as a student.

TBC!