Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha. All rights are reserved for Rumiko Takahashi.
I swung the sword down at him, figuring it was the last thing he would expect to block, but he simply moved to the side and smirked at me as my sword clanked down the the floor.
"You're using too much force," Yuma explain. "Think of your sword as an extension of your arm and the fight as-"
"A dance," I finished as I stepped towards him. And it was a dance, fast and deadly, but also graceful. I had also gotten to take on Mana today as practice, but of course it was like fighting Sesshomaru where I usually wound up on the floor.
"Keep your arms firm and keep your stance the width of your shoulders." He was a great teacher when it came to sword fighting.
When I got to the point where I was panting and stunk to high heaven with all the sweating I'd done he finally called it quits.
"We have a few hours before the feast. I suggest you start getting ready now though." He smiled at me as Mana came to my side.
"There is the small matter of choosing a 'perfect' dress in your terms," Mana said while eying me.
"Small matter?" I gasped in shock. "Are you sure you're a girl?"
"Reasonably." She grinned at me as we started walking towards the doors.
"First I need to take a bath," I said as I inspected my sweat soaked shirt.
We made it to my room within minutes and both readied ourselves to take a bath. We dressed down and used towels as coverage while we sat in a hot tub-like pool of water. It was warm enough to make me light headed after a while.
"Any ideas as to which dress you will be picking?" Mana asked. She was sitting on the edge of the pool with her feel swishing in the water.
"I was thinking maybe an earthy look. Something that's dark green or even black." I spoke these words while eying my own little closet space of choices. "What are you going to wear Mana?" I asked while turning my head back in her direction.
"Oh I have a very special dress for occasions like this," She said with a big smile spreading across her face. "It's a very sensible light gray, not to mention figure fitting, dress."
"Gray? Why am I not surprised?" I smiled back at her.
"I have to live up to my name."
"Oh?" I asked, waiting for her to finish.
"Mana of the shadows." She clarified.
"Your power to blend in to shadows is simply amazing." I nodded to myself trying to imagine what it would be like. The only feeling I got was lonesomeness. "But it must get lonely with people looking through you all the time."
"Indeed it does." Her eyes were sad now and, frankly, that was not a look I liked to see on someone as great as Mana.
"Don't worry, now that I'm around someone will be looking out for shifting in the shadows," I said quietly to her which made her give me a strange look again.
"Thank you."
We both dried off and headed for the one place I'd been dying to go since the moment we left the day before. I ran my fingers over the clothes as I walked by and smiled to myself. "I wonder what tonight's going to be like..."
"If it's anything like the ones before then it's going to be nothing short of wild, I assure you." She was looking over the dresses almost idly until she found one that caught her eyes. "I think you should wear this one," she smiled as she pulled the dress out and held it up for me to see.
It was a beautiful silken blue and silver kimono with a blue crescent moon near the bottom of the dress. I looked at it for a moment and decided I would make it work. "Here let me see it," I said to her while holding my hand out. She gave it to me in a flash and waited to see what I was going to do.
"Now where did Inuyasha put my stuff?" I walked back into my room and spotted a chest at the foot of the bed. "Ah-ha!" Mana smiled at me again. I pulled out my backpack and searched for scissors. Once I found them I took the dress and began my work. When I finished I held up the dress for Mana to see.
"You are a talented seamstress," she said during her inspection of the dress. I smiled down the kimono turned classy dress. I loved how the deep blue at the top faded into silver towards the bottom, but I had to say that the moon was what completed the dress.
"Now all I have to do is see if it fits." I was ecstatic when it did and had just finished putting my hair up when there was a knock at the door.
"I will meet you at the feast." Mana smiled one more time at me before she disappeared into the shadows of the room.
I walked to the door and opened it, peeking my head out to see who it was. It was no big surprised that he was there dressed in a lavish silk kimono that was embroidered with blue camellias in the spots that originally would have had his red flower patterns.
"You look beautiful." He commented as I opened the door all the way.
"Thanks," I replied nervously.
"Shall we?"
"You of course." I smiled at him as he held out his arm for me, which I gladly slipped my arm through his. I watched him as we made our way through the halls and couldn't help but smile at the fact that the great Lord Sesshomaru was escorting me to an event as such. My reverie was short lived when a very rambunctious hanyou made his entrance.
"Hey Kagome!" He yelled from down the hall.
I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes as I turned to look at him. "What is it Inuyasha?"
"What the hell are you doing hanging off of Sesshomaru like that?" He growled. "You his mistress now? You know he'd never take a human mate." He crossed his arms defiantly. "You'd be better off with me anyway."
"Sit." I smiled as I heard his face make impact with the ground. "Inuyasha, you have a lot to learn. Besides you missed your chance with me." I smirked over my shoulder at him before he was out of sight. I knew that what Inuyasha said had some truth behind it. It would be foolish to think of Sesshomaru with a human let alone having half breed children.
"His words trouble you?" Sesshomaru asked without looking down at me.
"I don't expect you to be with me like that. Even if I wanted you to..." I stopped myself from going on. "It's not important..."
"Inuyasha does not know what this Sesshomaru will do." And with that one statement, my fears died down. Before I knew it we were at the big double doors of the dining hall which were propped open as other guests entered. We walked in together and I noticed that many people stopped to stare at us.
I focused on the ground as we made our way into the crowd and held my breath. The room was filled with people, demons mainly, and it was beautifully decorated. There was even a spot where couples were dancing to fast paced music that was being played in the far corner of the room. I turned to see Inuyasha enter with the rest of my friends as Sesshomaru was bombarded with questions about the upcoming fight from the soldiers and other guests. Of course he was not feeling very social at the moment.
"Who is this human you've got with you?" Someone asked while the group looked me over.
"She is a very powerful miko that will prove most useful in our fight against Naraku. Her name is Lady Kagome." I gaped at him because I had never heard him address me so formally.
While Sesshomaru continued to small talk with the group someone tapped her on the shoulder. And it was none other than Inuyasha.
"Would you, uh, like to dance?" He asked uneasily.
"Sure." I smiled at him while he took my hand and lead me to the dance floor. As we moved to the slow paced song it kind of felt like I was falling for Inuyasha all over again. I shook my head to rid myself of this delusion before the song finally ended.
"Excuse me, mutt, let me show you how it's really done." Sesshomaru stepped between me and Inuyasha before he grabbed my hand to pull me to him.
Dancing with Sesshomaru was like magic because with ever step we became one with each other. We were in complete sync as we moved gracefully across the dance floor. The feeling I got with Sesshomaru was much different and way stronger than any feelings I had ever had for Inuyasha. We watched each other throughout the whole song, but even after the song ended my eyes stayed glued to his for a long while.
When it came to Sesshomaru and Inuyasha, it was clear there was no competition. Sesshomaru would always win my heart or steal it like he did tonight and I had no problems with that.
To be Continued…