"How are you feeling?"

Kagura pursed her lips but didn't pause in her stride. "Fine."

"Liar."

"Why did you bother asking if you aren't going to believe my answer?"

Inukimi chuckled. "Because of the fire in your eyes when it happens."

Warm air swirled around their ankles, and Kagura looked longingly at the sky. "This wouldn't take so long if we all just flew instead."

"Ah, but then my dear son would be forced to acknowledge his feelings before he is ready."

The females looked at the couple in front of them; they'd all changed into travelling clothes, the lighter material less restricting, especially if they were attacked, though Sesshoumaru was still fully clad in his armour, both swords attached to his hip.

"You noticed that too, huh?" Kagura mused, tapping the side of her face with a fan Inukimi had given her.

"The not-so-subtle way he placed himself in front of her when you first appeared? Or how he nearly disposed of you when you touched her?"

"Both." Kagura rubbed the side of her neck, the sensation of his youki-tipped blade still fresh in her mind. "Actually, I'm surprised Kagome hasn't brought it up."

"From what Rin has told me, the miko is used to others coming to her rescue."

"That was years ago, though," Kagura argued. She wasn't sure what was different about Kagome, but even in her elemental form, she could tell that the woman who had returned through the well was not the same one who'd disappeared after the fall of Naraku.

"And yet she required your help during her most recent adventure," Inukimi said, humming to herself. "I am not saying she is helpless, my son would have no interest in her if she was, but I find it interesting that a mere human encourages help from so many."

"There's nothing mere about her." The edge in Kagura's tone was firm, ruby eyes glaring.

"I am aware."

"Are you?" she pressed, crossing her arms. "Because if this is some underhanded scheme to gain her favour, or power, I won't help you."

Inukimi glanced at her over her shoulder, then gave a hearty chuckle. "Such fire for someone you used to manipulate regularly. And attack."

A guilty blush stained Kagura's cheeks. "Maybe I'm trying to make up for it."

"Proving you are better than your creator," she said, patting her arm. "You have no ties to him. I would not have bound myself to you if you had."

"Says the demon who bound herself to someone she doesn't even know in the first place," she countered.

Another chuckle escaped Inukimi's lips. "You think my son never spoke of your actions along with tales of the miko?"

Kagura's mouth dropped open. Had she actually known who she was before she'd taken form? And if so, why had she gone through with merging her powers with Kagome's so willingly? She'd never done anything for Inukimi that would warrant such a sacrifice.

"I find it interesting," the demoness continued, flowing freely between subjects, "that I have to beg my dear son for conversation, and yet he gives it willingly to someone he claims is nothing more than a curiosity." She motioned in front of them again, Sesshoumaru inclining his head every so often as Kagome spoke in soft but friendly tones.

"But he's not saying anything," Kagura said with a frown.

His mother smirked. "You have seen him with Rin. And the toad. Has he ever appeared interested in their conversation as he does now?"

Kagura paused at that. Her memories were still fuzzy, but from what she could recall, Jaken did most of the talking, Sesshoumaru often in the middle of walking away—or throwing a rock at his vassal's head—during his tirades.

The daiyoukai rarely listened to anyone.

"Do you think it's serious?" she asked, staring at the couple in wonder. Kagome had never mentioned anything about the western lord, but she'd been too busy fending off the advances of others. Or creating matches herself, the image of Rin and Jinenji coming to mind.

"Serious enough for us to encourage it," Inukimi said with a chuckle, looping her arm through Kagura's. The wind youkai stared at their connected limbs. Not even Kanna had been physical with her, and she was supposed to be cut from the same cloth.

Literally.

Everything was still very bright and loud, the world feeling different from when she'd been nothing more than a breeze, and yet Kagura welcomed the new sensations. It made her feel alive.

Whole.

Whole enough not to argue when Inukimi linked her other arm with Kagome's, stating loudly that they'd travelled enough for the day and were, therefore, in need of a hot spring.