Hey there everyone! Sorry for not updating last week!! I have had some major writer's block, and it's not really going away. This chapter only happened because I sat down and just wrote during the last two weeks. I'm not sure I like it, and I'm not sure it's really needed, but hey, what are you going to do, right? Anyway, here it is:

Disclaimer: sorry, I still don't own Inuyasha or any of the other characters…

Chapter 8: From Here to There

Kagome awoke at dawn, as she was quite used to doing these days, to the feel of the futon beneath her and the sight of the sheer curtains surrounding her. After enjoying laying in the comfort of the soft sheets, she got up and went to the closet and chose a beautiful sky blue kimono with deep blue flowers on the sleeves. The obi was the opposite, deep blue with sky blue flowers. As she watched, the kimono altered to her dimensions, it was strange to see for someone watching it the first time.

When she had chosen her clothes for the day, she went to the attached bathing room and gazed at the mini hot-spring surrounded with lovely tropical plants. This is going to be wonderful!

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Sesshomaru woke at dawn and immediately got up from his futon to look out into the garden below his window. It wasn't as nice as the one at his castle in the centre of the Western Lands, but it was still lovely. Perhaps I will have our training session outside this morning.

He decided that he would get cleaned and dressed, then go and wake Kagome. Most humans wouldn't be up for at least another hour.

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Inuyasha woke early to begin searching further into the Western Lands. I wonder if he would have taken her to his castle? I know! I'll make my way toward the castle, and I'll check the houses along the way! He got up, with Myouga still sleeping on his shoulder, and started off in the direction of the Castle of the West.

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Kagome was just finishing drying her hair when there was a knock on her door. "Come in." She said, without looking at the door as it opened. She knew it was Sesshomaru, she could feel his aura.

"Good morning, Higurashi-san." He said, as she turned to face him. "I was not expecting you to be awake yet, in fact I was expecting to have to throw you out of bed."

"Sorry to spoil your fun." She replied good-naturedly. He just looked at her, he was obviously not amused by her cheerful banter.

"If you are ready, we will begin training out in the gardens, now." He turned to go, expecting her to follow she was sure. She just sighed and followed him, there was no point in arguing right now.

They walked through the halls, and Kagome noticed that the walls were not quite as boring as she had thought last night. The dark blue walls held designs in a slightly darker colour that Kagome had assumed to be shadows before, but now she could see that they were pictures depicting a battle between humans and youkai. One of the scenes they passed reminded her of Midoriko. Sesshomaru glanced at the scene but remained silent. The golden doors also were not as plain as they had seemed. Around the edges was writing that she couldn't read, and in the center of each door there was something drawn, probably to describe the room within.

Kagome followed Sesshomaru past all of the doors until they came to ornate glass doors leading into a beautiful garden. Sesshomaru opened one of the glass doors and motioned for Kagome to precede him outside. She walked through the doors and went to examine the flowers in the garden. But she wasn't given very long to do this, Sesshomaru came up behind her and spoke from just a little above her head.

"We are going to train out here, woman. There will be some distractions out here to test your ability with shielding. It would not be pleasant if you were attempting to shield a thought from me in battle, and suddenly a bee stung you, causing your shields to drop." She knew he was right, but she didn't know if she was ready for distractions. Unfortunately, Sesshomaru wasn't asking her opinion.

So, they found a place to sit on the grass and began their training session.

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Inuyasha was really starting to get annoyed. He had been to four of his brother's houses since waking that morning, and he still had not found even a trace of Sesshomaru. He knew his brother would not be trying to avoid him. After all, Sesshomaru hated humans and he wanted to know where their father's grave was. Both situations would be remedied when Inuyasha found him.

Myouga had been no help whatsoever, in fact he had taken off when there was a rustle in the bushes around mid-morning.

Sesshomaru had better be at his castle, cause if he's not, I have no idea where to go next!

Inuyasha kept going, straight to Sesshomaru's castle. He would arrive there in a week if there were no interruptions.

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Sesshomaru looked at the woman across from him with respect. This human female was able to grasp the basics of shielding unbelievably quickly. In just under a week, she had learned to shield her mind and how to project without shouting. He was no longer subject to the thoughts that were constantly at the front of her mind, and even if her shields were down, he no longer heard all of her myriad thoughts as she had organized her mind very quickly under his direction. They were now enjoying a quick lunch in the garden where they had done most of their training. A thought occurred to him as he watched her eat.

"You wear a sword. How well can you use it?" He asked.

Kagome looked up from her food. He was challenging her right to the blade and they both knew it. She put her bowl of rice down and stood up, drawing her blade in a swift, clean, and practised motion. She began going through her forms and exercises, though not bringing them up to her usual speed.

Sesshomaru was impressed in spite of himself. She is a human, miko, girl who can share thoughts and wield a sword competently. Such a one does not come along very often. Add to that the fact that her scent is not terribly unpleasant and it is a mixture for a… He left his thought hanging there, not even sure himself where his thoughts were going.

He rose from his place on the ground and gently touched her mind with his own, mentally telling her that she could stop now.

When she stopped and had sheathed her blade he spoke aloud. "Inuyasha has had enough time to figure out your worth and the whereabouts of our mutual father's grave, so it is time to move to a place where he will be able to find us. We leave for my castle immediately." So saying, he grabbed Kagome from where she stood and they flew off in the direction of the castle.

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Inuyasha had checked every house that he knew of between where he had begun and his brother's castle, and now he was only two days away from that building. It had been many years since he had visited the place of his birth, and he wasn't sure he really wanted to be returning now. But he had to get Kagome so that he could gain the Shikon no Tama. And maybe rid the world of that Naraku character since he had destroyed the only happiness Inuyasha could remember since his mother had died. He also had to find a way to get that sword Tetsusaiga. It sounded like he was destined to have it anyway, but that didn't mean he was going to take any chances.

He continued toward the castle.

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I know it's short!!!!!! Gomen nasai!!!! Writer's block is the worst! If anyone has ideas, please tell me in reviews, because I only have a very basic plot line in mind and I wouldn't mind having a few side stories… anyway, review please!!!!!

Reviewer Response:

Ccsta: I'm glad you like the last chapter! Please keep reading, I promise that the story will get going again (as soon as my writer's block subsides!) --

Inu-fanforever: yes, it was Jaken talking when "master" was mentioned. Sorry, Sesshy's not working for anyone but himself. And I'm not telling what's going to happen, that would spoil the fun!

Sesshomaru4eva203: I updated! Though I don't know if it was any good…

Kelsey: I'm not telling!

Seida02: Thanks! I don't think this one is up to par though…

That's all of the reviews from last chap! Please review!!! Ja for now!