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DISCLAIMER: I swear by the hair on my chinnychinchin (though it's just peach fuzz, really), that I do not own Inuyasha & Co. No siree, Bobby Jean. I know, I know, you're surprised. But really, it's true. I wouldn't be here writing if I did. I'd be off somewhere with my Fluffy-sama… doing things you really don't want to know about.

She crept out of the camp as quietly as she could, trying not to set off the wards that Miroku had put around the camp as he did every night.

As she moved through the night with all the stealth a clumsy time traveling miko could muster, Kagome couldn't help but think that she was an idiot.

Who the hell goes creeping away from the safety of a nice warm camp, to meet in secret with an inuyoukai that just so happens to have quite the mean streak?

Apparently she did. Sure, he would probably kill her for requesting his help. But hey, at least then she could say she tried. It was a 'you only live once' type of thing.

The stars gleamed above her as Kagome uttered a sigh of relief. She finally judged herself to be out of earshot and therefore clear of the camp. The priestess knew she only had so long before she was missed though, so time was of the essence.

She broke cover into a delicate little clearing. The crickets chirped and the fireflies flashed, giving it a peaceful atmosphere. It was as though the moon glowed only to light this one bit of field. She rested for a moment to calm her nerves, reaching out with her mind as she did so. She thought to catch the demon she was looking for on the edge of her awareness.

She did not, however, expect to find his aura reaching for her from only about 20 feet away.

Having just unmasked his aura, the western Lord stepped into the clearing. The miniscule glade was filled with his mighty, and rather intimidating, presence.

The Shikon miko had to repress the urge to roll her eyes.

Someone's got a thing for dramatic entrances.

He just looked at her, waiting for her to speak first.

Kagome began to get a bit flustered again. He was just so big. Not just physically; the strength of his aura was practically strangling her, jumbling her thoughts all together into one big lump of stupid.

Amused by her apparent inner turmoil, Sesshoumaru let himself think for a moment. Why not? This was obviously going to take her a while.

He still wasn't sure why he had come to find her; one of the conditions of this little meeting was that she would come to him. The inuyoukai supposed that it was his honor working without his permission again. This had been the whelp's miko. Unfortunately, this made her pack, and as alpha it was his job to keep her safe. If she got into any trouble while he knew she was out there alone, it would be his fault.

And then, admittedly, there was the curiosity. This diminutive miko held so much pure power, it was ridiculous. Somehow though, she was holding a darkness that she probably couldn't detect. For it to have wormed its way into her aura, the darkness had to have been strong. He wanted to know where it came from, how it got there... and what would come of it.

The center of his ponderings suddenly piped up in what was quite possibly the squeakiest, most abrasively nervous voice he had ever been given the displeasure of hearing.

"Uh, hello, Sesshoumaru-sama. I'm, err, glad you could… make it."

He wanted to plead with her to make the noise stop. To do so would be inappropriate and not befitting his lofty station though, making an order more suitable for his purposes.

"Miko, we have been over this. You will cease blathering and speak as though you possess some intelligence, meager as it may be."

That was enough for her. She wasn't going to let this big, fluffy… thing just insult her. She was here for a reason and she would achieve her goals. This in mind, she also knew responding in kind would not be the best thing to do. More flies with honey than with vinegar, right?

"My apologies, my Lord. I guess I was just surprised. Thank you for coming tonight. I have something I really need to talk to you about… regarding Inuyasha."

He had figured that. What else would she want to talk about? Doilies and dumplings?

Receiving only an unwavering golden gaze in reply, she continued.

"It's been weeks since Inuyasha's death, and I can't help but feel as if… as if my mission is somehow even more obvious than it had been. Naraku killed Inuyasha; I have to kill Naraku."

An interesting declaration to say the least. But what did this have to do with him? Was she asking him to stand down and terminate his current pursuit of the dark hanyou? She always did seem a little off in the head.

"I was under the impression that we would be speaking of something involving myself, miko. As of yet, I have heard nothing that is of concern to this Sesshoumaru."

"But I do need you!" she exclaimed, losing her cool at the thought that he would get up and leave.

"I need you… to teach me. Teach me how to kill. To get revenge."