"You must focus priestess. Your weakness lies in you inability to keep your emotions in check," Sesshomaru repeated for the third time. He just had this innate ability to piss her off so easily. Kagome took a deep breath, once more trying to reign in her flaring anger.
Sesshomaru's close proximity did nothing to help calm her down. His intoxicating musk was making her heart race. He kept issuing commands in that drone voice, and her resulting spiked anger always sent her crashing to the ground.
"Well it would help if you had a little patience! I'm new to this ya know!," Kagome said angrily and she stood to give it another try.
"Miko, focus on your claws, bring them out instantaneously with your advance. Do not give your opponent the opportunity to see which weapon you have chosen, unless to deter meager rubbish. Now, try again," Kagome fought the urge to give him a lesson in how to ask someone to do something, and instead opted to focus on the attack. With her mask of indifference painted on her face, she broke to the left and just as fast changed to take him from the right. Her claws shot forth from her long slender fingers in time to rake his thigh. Four slices through his clothing revealed his blood seeping from the wounds.
"Oops, I'm sorry!" She squeaked. He seemed amazed that she'd actually touched him. He stood deathly still for a minute staring down at his leg.
Sesshomaru found this 'lesson' to be most interesting. Never had he expected her to land a blow, yet she had. He looked up to see her shocked face. She was such a lovely creature, this youkai miko.
"Try again," he said in his smooth tone.
Kagome prepared herself once more. She focused on where she would strike, and pounced. She went to the right and ducked as his arm swooped over her head. Kagome rolled to the side and landed on her feet in a graceful revolution of movement. She attacked once more in a similar manner, but the arm shot out at lightning speed to lock her in its steel embrace.
Sesshomaru grabbed the woman's waist, and lifted her off the ground. She made a little squeal, which actually made him want to laugh. With practiced ease the mask of indifference held its place on his handsome face. The sparkle in his golden eyes reveled only a hint of the amusement he felt.
"Put me down," the little miko hell cat shouted.
"Stop that infernal noise, woman, it is offensive to my ears," With equal grace he brought her to her feet and released the female. Her scent flowed up to him like a wave of soothing music. It was bewitching. For every minute he was bathed in her scent, he wished only for one more. 'I'll have to remember to thank Nuraku. For once he has been the root of something positive.'
Kagome was a little tired from the intensive practice session. She had to admit, though, it pleased her to no end. She was proud that she had wounded 'the Great Lord Sesshomaru' and was also happy to see his wounds had already healed. The rips in his pants revealed the bare flesh of his thigh, which rippled with his every movement. She suddenly felt her face turning red once more. He didn't seem to notice though, and for that she was grateful.
Sesshomaru caught the blush, but chose not to reveal that he did to the miko. This session was proving to be extremely gratifying. He decided to test her less noticeable weapons. There was an enormous amount of energy under the surface of this small woman. It was time to tap into it. He lunged at her with a movement so fast that she never seen it coming. He held her in a tight embrace, as he pressed his lips to hers.
Kagome was shocked at this sudden show of affection. This was the last thing she expected. She tried to push away, but the sweetness of his lips pulled her back. She began to give in to it, when he suddenly thrust her back.
"How dare you!" she growled in a deep silken voice that sounded foreign even to her own ears. Kagome's fury at his bold assault on her lips took over every other thought.
Sesshomaru observed the all to apparent tantrum that the miko was slipping into. The glow once again began to envelope her, giving her a ethereal look. Her eyes began to swirl with varying shades of violet producing an iridescent shine. Her silken tresses danced as an unfelt wind swirled around her tiny frame. An electrical static charge began to pop around her. He was spellbound at the sight of her. Never had he witnessed such beauty.
He smelled it before it happened, which was the only thing that saved him. The electricity surrounded her with flashing white light. Her hand moved up and the bolt rushed from her body. His absence proved deadly for the trees in the path of the charge. Five trees of varying sized burst into chips of smoldering wood. He turned back to the priestess, who had the most absurd look of shock on her face.
"Oh Kami, did I do that?" Kagome couldn't believe her eyes. She looked to Sesshomaru who for once had a look of approval on his normally stoic features. "That was awesome!" she said excitedly. She was absolutely giddy to discover she possessed this ability. Her thoughts were interrupted by her trainer.
"Just remember miko... with great power comes great responsibility. The gift you have is currently out of your control. You must master your emotions, or endanger all," Sesshomaru's words brought her down from her natural high. 'Leave it to him to ruin a good feeling,' she grumped as she turned back to him.
Voices could be heard rushing in their direction. Kagome turned to see Miroku and Sango burst into the clearing. "Kagome, is everything alright?" the monk shouted. Sango quickly took in the scene and prepared her weapon to defend her young friends life. She stopped short at the huge smile that was plastered to Kagome's face.
"I did it, Sango! I do have a power!," Kagome pointed to the smoldering trees across the clearing.
Sango couldn't believe it, "Kagome, you mean you did that?"
Kagome nodded and turned once more to Sesshomaru. "Help me do it again," she said, but she quickly stepped back when she saw the look in his eye. "Don't you dare! I mean help me to channel it... without taking advantage of me," her warning stopped his advance, but that amused smirk was still there. He gained control of his composure and began to explain ways that she could channel and control the flow of energy. After a few minutes she decided to try it again. This time Sesshomaru made sure he was clear from the path of her blast.
Kagome let her mind go blank, focusing only on the selected target. She chose a huge rotten tree stump near where she landed her previous attack. She drew on the power and felt the tingling, but a few sizzles was all she produced. It proved to disappoint her, as she wanted to show her friends what she could do.
"Perhaps you need a little encouragement," Sesshomaru hinted with a gleam in his eye. That was all it took for Kagome to further charge herself up. The air began to crackle and pop with the energy wave surrounding her. The silver and blue in her ebony hair danced once more in the mysterious breeze. She lifted her hand and mentally pushed towards her upturned palms. The ensuing blast destroyed the old stump as well as all the trees next to it.
"Kagome! That's amazing!," Sango shouted as she ran over to hug her friend. The two girls excitement could hardly be contained. The villagers who stood well away from the ominous demon lord and the miko gawked in amazement as well. They whispered and a few shouted encouraging words at their heroine.
Sesshomaru was pleased with the show of power from his student. This could possibly make her his equal in strength. A direct hit from a blast of that nature would certainly incinerate a foe.
Unknown to those gathered in the tiny clearing an insect watched from a safe distance, out of sight.
"Damn that infernal bitch. It seems that she has taken this curse and turned it into a blessing. We must rid ourselves of Kikyo's reincarnation. She is proving to be quite the proverbial thorn in my side," Nuraku's long raven hair swirled in his wake as he exited the room, leaving a lone specter of a child holding a mirror close to her chest.