Disclaimer:

I don't own Inuyasha. Rumiko Takahashi does.. sobs.. One day, Sesshy will be mine you hear!MINE! evil laughter

On with the fic…

"" -spoken words

'' thoughts(pagebreak)-change of scene

( )translations

author's very sarcastic comments

CHAPTER 4

EXPLODING SHURIKEN AND ONE FIERY MIKO

"Why do I fucking need to learn martial arts if all I have to do is deliver your fucking messages? Besides, in case your memory has failed you MY LORD, I am quite capable of using a bow and arrow- so capable that I brought that hanyou to his grave"

Kagome, who finally caught up with the situation that she is currently in, was delivering a tiring, monotonous "speech" about why she shouldn't train anymore. Sesshomaru simply ignored her and continued walking. He stopped suddenly, almost causing Kagome to collide with his back.

In front of them was a room containing an array of weapons; from shurikens to wakizashis, from tantos to katanas, from tonfas to juttes..and of course, the yumi.. info about the ff. below

"Choose a weapon"

Kagome was too amazed to listen to him. She was awed by the magnificence and splendid craftsmanship of the weapons. Each one emblazoned with the Lord's symbol- a crescent moon.

"Did you not hear this Sesshomaru's command?"

"Anou..Hai.."

His tone was guarded but he looked at her with curiosity as to why she has lost her ability to nag whenever she was issued a command. Kagome suddenly stopped walking. Her eyes were filled with amazement.

'She seems to have found something to her liking. Of course.. How surprising.. a bow..'

The bow was completely made of ivory, with intricate markings of sakura blossoms and the crest of the western lands at the middle. Kagome tugged on the strings of the bow, testing the elasticity and strength of the string.

"Nice string..So elastic..It's like..like.."

"It's kumo-youkai web.." (kumospider)

"Pardon?"

"The material is tough. It will never break or be cut but it is also elastic.."

He turned away from her and started to make his way to the door.

"Get some arrows. We will go to the field."

'He's so bossy..feh..'

On the field was another inu youkai. Like Sesshomaru, he also has silver hair and purple stripes on his face but there was no crescent moon on his forhead. He smiled at Sesshomaru and Kagome.

"Ohayou gozaimasu! You must be Kagome, my name is Kazuya. I will teach you martial arts and self defense."

Sesshomaru inclined his head in greeting and walked to the direction of the oak tree in the Southern edge of the field.

"Shall we start? What weapon are you familiar with, Kagome-sama?"

Kagome smirked and aimed at the target a few hundred meters from them. She let go of the arrow and it was immediately covered in a blinding blue light.

BOOM!

The whole target was smashed into pieces. With a triumphant smile on her lips, she looked at Sesshomaru. To her annoyance, Sesshomaru was seated under the tree with his eyes closed.

'What an ass..'

"Impressive. Even though the bow was custom made for you, your skill is really to be held responsible for such a great attack. I suppose I don't have to train you in archery.

Kagome didn't hear another word after the words "custom made for you". She was positively gaping at Sesshomaru whose eyes were still closed and appeared oblivious to her stare.

'Why Sesshomaru?'

"Kagome- sama, do you know how to use these?"

Kazuya was holding a katana, whose thin blade reflected the rays of the summer sun. He charged at Kagome, nearly cutting her in two.

"Obviously.. No.. And you are a bit slow. We can work on that.."

He paused for a while, his hands searching his clothing for something.

"How about these?"

He threw three bo shuriken at Kagome who dodges the attack. She picked up the blades and threw them back at him. The blades, like the arrow ere covered in a blue light. She missed Kazuya but sent another target to kingdom come.

"You can channel your ki into objects that you release.. Your aim could still improve. We start today Kagome-sama…with the katana.."

"Oh goody.."

Kagome huffed and prepared herself for another attack..

One bright morning, Kazuya and Kagome were sparring on the courtyard.

"Your skills have definitely improved Kagome-sama.."

"It took two bloody months Kazuya-san. It's about time something happened."

Kagome's attack misses Kazuya by a strand of hair while he retaliates by throwing a rain of shuriken on Kagome. She easily dodges the attack and makes one of her own. To ordinary bystanders, they would look like a blur of white and black moving around each other, with metal clashing on the background.

Kagome, sensing the presence of another person, throws a shuriken at the direction of the guest.

"What do you want?"

Sesshomaru catches the object effortlessly.

"I am here to see the result of your training, miko."

His tone was dripping with sarcasm and his raised brow wasn't helping either. Kagome excuses herself from Kazuya and faces the taiyoukai.

During the two agonizing months of training, Kagome has barely changed physically, the voluptuous body, the porcelain and fair skin despite the suns merciless rays but her eyes, unlike before, were burning with a newfound determination. She was wearing a black YUKATA which barely reaches her knee. Sesshomaru had her uniform burned because according to him it was "indecent and no servant of his would be such". Kagome didn't really mind because her old clothes tie her with her sorrowful past, one that she wishes to forget.

"I'd be more than happy to show you my lord.."

Her exaggeration on the words "my lord" did not escape Sesshomaru. She poised herself for an attack.

"I will not use my right arm miko. One is enough for a human like you.

"We'll see my lord.. we'll see.."

Some soldiers who wee around the area stopped training. The idea of their master battling with a human girl appealed to them incredibly.

Kagome attacks Sesshomaru with her shuriken and moves forward to close in Sesshomaru. He beats her exploding shuriken with his katana.

It was a showdown of skills, each one trying to outdo the other, Kagome with the grace and speed of a gazelle and Sesshomaru with the stealth and strength of a panther.

"I'm getting hungry from watching them.."

The soldiers were too enraptured by skill of both warriors to hear Kazuya's jest..

In the middle of the battle, Kagome couldn't stop herself from annoying Sesshoamru..

"Getting tired, old man? Maybe I should slow down a bit?"

"I'm not that old, woman!"

Kagome kicks Sesshomaru's abdomen. Sesshomaru blocks the attack and sends Kagome flying a few meters from him. Kagome, with amusement in her eyes, smiles mischievously at Sesshomaru.

"And for the finale.."

She fires an arrow aimed at Sesshomaru's chest. She then starts running towards him, throwing several exploding shuriken, upon nearing contact with her target, she unsheathes the katana and gets ready for the kill.

He sent the arrow flying in the direction of the trees, leaving uprooted trees in its wake, the shuriken were deflected into his left side but he wasn't ready for Kagome's close range attack. Instinctively, he draws another sword with his right hand to stop her attack.

Kagome was about to take out more shuriken when Sesshomaru dropped his guard, straightened himself and walked away from her. Only then did she realize that he lost the bet.

Sesshomaru only stopped to speak to Kazuya..

"Give her a companion. She could find herself in battle in the coming days.."

Kagome snorted inaudibly and glared daggers on the lord's back..

'Stupid bastard, won't even admit losing..'

Kazuya just laughed and started walking. Kagome was still thinking of colorful adjectives to describe the Lord of the western lands when she bumped into Kazuya. In front of her were inu-youkai, each in its own stable.

"Did you know Kagome-sama that not all inu-youkai have a humanoid form. Some remain in their primal form. They serve as our companion during battle and hunting. Please choose yours."

She gazed at all the creatures in front of her. Upon reaching the last stall, something caught her attention.

"Hmm.. Suisho? He is the fastest and most intelligent of them. He is also the moodiest youkai in the world. Next to Inuya.."

Kazuya stopped in mid sentence as he remembered that Sesshomaru instructed him threatened was more like it.. not to say the hanyou's name, specially in front of the human.

Luckily for Kazuya, Kagome was too busy admiring Suisho's steel blue coat that she didn't hear his last sentence.

"Careful..He hates visitors..Only Seshhomaru-sama and Inu-taisho-sama could handle him…"

Suisho jumped out of his stall. He was circling Kagome, inhaling her scent. Kazuya, fearing for Kagome's safety was about to bring the animal back to its stall when Kagome whistled. What happened next shocked him. The uncontrollable beast was licking Kagome's hand. He kept on placing his head under her hand until she stroke his fur..

Kazuya even though a little dumbfounded managed to speak..

"I guess there's hope for him.."

'Like Sesshomaru-sama..'

With an inward smile, he led her out of the stable and into the castle.

Author's Notes/Translations:

Katana- traditional Japanese weapon, highly favored for the extremely sharp edge and the slightly curved blade used by Himura Kenshin from Ruroni Kenshin

Wakizashi - Shorter than the Katana (about 68 cm), this sword was worn indoors by the Samurai, because the Katana was too long to fight in small rooms

Tanto - This is a small japanese knife from the same steel as the KatanaThis knife was sometimes worn instead of the Wakizashi.

Tonfa - A nightstick with a handle attached to the side of it. many police forces have adopted it to replace the old police baton (nightstick). used by Elie from RAVE

Nunchaku - Two sticks connected by either a small cord or chain. Originally it was used as a farming tool to thresh grain.

Shuriken - The word shuriken means a dagger hidden in a palm,'' so all daggers small enough to hide in a palm were called by this name. Some are starlike shaped, and thrown with spin. Some other are needlelike shaped, and thrown just like a throwing dagger. used by Misao from Ruroni Kenshin and Fuko from Flame of Recca

Jutte - Jutte are implements that were used by the samurai as well as the feudal era police. They were used for trapping the blades edged weapons as well as jabbing, striking and trapping fingers

Yumi - A typical Japanese bow is 2.3m length, made of bamboo with a string of silk and pine resin. An arrow is made of bamboo and bird feather used by Kagome Higurashi and Kikyou from Inuyasha

Source: victorian. Ramblings:

There, see, I didn't die! My professors are slave drivers so I was too busy to upload the chapters, so as a peace offering, this one's pretty long.. I kinda lost my internet connection but I'd still be able to post the other chapters.. Many thanks to the reviewers! Hope you get to read this chapter!

It's kinda difficult to portray Sesshomaru without going out of character.. I can't really imagine Sesshomaru swooning over Kagome after two months.. we'll get to that.. evil grin Nah, I'm kidding. As you can see, I made Kagome an independent gal here, not to mention her vocabulary is not that..uhm.. nice? Oh well, I kinda imagined her that way.

As you would have noticed, I'm quite a sucker for adjectives.. Almost everything gets described almost but not quite . I hope that makes things interesting for you guys.

If you see any typos, grammar whoopies, drop me a line..

Please don't forget to review the fic! bows down

Really don't forget.. Or I'll send Sesshy to your house! NYAHAHAHAHAHA

Arigatou gozaimasu for reading!