20: Journaling Mysticism

"You will never get out of pot or pan anything fundamentally better than what went into it. Cooking is not alchemy; there is no magic in the pot."

-Martha Williams

Kagome was looking at herself in the mirror.

She had picked out a pair of dark blue jeans that were new with lighter blue trim flowers along the waste and littered about the legs, the cuffs of the pants widening a little at the bottoms. A long sleeved turquoise sweater that buttoned in the front went down the length of her to her thighs, it showed her body off nicely but still didn't actually leave much of her to see - much less than her uniform. There was a spaghetti strap matching shirt underneath the sweater but it was cool enough in the drafty mansion that she'd just buttoned the sweater without thinking about it much.

She didn't much feel like showing flesh after the whole issue with being called a whore for her uniform. She turned around and smiled at herself, she had to admit that she liked her new clothes - she hadn't had a chance to wear them with all that had been happening but she figured this was as good a time as any.

Finally she nodded and dashed back down the steps toward the kitchen to see how things where coming along, though she was met at the door by Kaede pulling a cart with her. "You got ready fast didn't you? I was about to go set the table…could you let Lord Kuchiki know that dinner is ready?"

"Sure." Kagome smiled at the older lady. "Thanks again Kaede, I owe you one."

"It is my job to cook here." The woman waved off the thanks and continued to push the cart toward the dining area. "Just don't take long or it'll get cold."

Kagome nodded as she moved further along the hallway and back into the study - smirked a bit to herself as Byakuya hadn't moved an inch. Something about the fact that he was so predictable funny to the high school girl.

"Hey," She greeted, trying to ignore how damn hot he was so she could have a normal conversation. "They're setting dinner out right now…I figured it'd be nice for you to take a break. Do you normally spend all your free time on that stuff?"

"I have a lot of responsibilities." He answered as he settled the papers aside so he could get up. Pushing in his chair before moving toward where Kagome was at the door. "If you are finished with your school work I would like to have a chance to look it over as well. Though we can do that tomorrow, your training needs to continue. Have you been practicing meditation?"

She nodded, smiling as she followed him out of the room, doing her best not to laugh at his seriousness. "Yes, though I'm still not very good at it. It's hard to calm my mind…it always wants to be running and thinking."

"If you put effort and have the willpower it will come to you. For some it is easier than others." Byakuya replied. "Until you understand how to meditate other things will be much more difficult for you to grasp. Calming your mind is a common first step in all magic."

"I am trying." She grew more serious as she thought about what he was telling her. "I will keep practicing until I get it though."

He glanced back to the girl, she was smiling and carefree a moment before and now her demeanor had transformed, she seemed suddenly set on her words - as if it were a promise she were making. He held the door to the dining room open for her, considering her…perhaps she had more potential to be a good priestess than he initially gave her credit for.

A dark eyebrow raised as they came inside and he saw the dish being served, his staff was no where to be seen and while he did enjoy tempura it wasn't something he could partake of in a station such as his. "They really do want to get replaced…"

"I wanted to say thank you for all the things you have done and are doing for me." Kagome spoke up before his thought could finish. "So I asked what your favorite meal was and I worked on it. I know I can have a temper but I'd like for us to be friends and start getting along better than we have."

Byakuya was silent, standing by himself…trying to ignore the pangs of hunger only worse at the good smell of food. It was an alien gesture to the noble soul reaper, it took him several moments and he still hadn't spoken. Then Kagome took one of his hands and pulled him toward the table.

"Well don't just stand there, come on…you'll have to tell me what you think of it." Kagome laughed at his silence. "You aren't mad at me are you?"

"I am not angry with you." He assured, finding his voice finally with the question. "Thank you. I've never had someone do…something like this."

"Well…probably shouldn't thank me until you find out if you like it or not." She laughed it off, trying to be her usual cheery self and joking around.

"The gesture is kind regardless." He answered, taking his seat at the table after pulling her chair out for her - it just was natural for him to offer her her chair before he took his. Silent as he dished himself some of the deep fried vegetables and the sauces that had been set out. Trying the food and nodding to her lightly as she seemed to be searching for his thoughts. She beamed at him at the nod and then went to eating herself.

"Approval does seem to do a lot for her." He observed as she went to eating the meal herself. "I suppose that applies to anyone but she's a lot more open than soul reapers…it's surprisingly refreshing."

He had to admit that she wasn't a bad cook either - though she did conspire with his staff to find one of his weak spots as far as food was concerned. He was still pondering replacing them all save the cook…the old lady was hard to find a replacement for. Though her behavior tonight would be something he would have to speak to her about.

"So, after I get this meditation down…what else will I be learning?" She was curious and it was as good a conversation as any. It was bizarre to sit and eat without talking as far as the high school girl was concerned.

He was silent while eating, sipping at the green tea that had been served with the meal. Once he was done chewing - impeccable manners were a must after all - he spoke to Kagome. "I will be instructing you on magic first and foremost. Later on there might be a little martial work but it is not common for those of priest blood to wield hand to hand weaponry."

"So, you might teach me a little bit with swords?" She canted her head, that was a bit scary…she always just stayed at a distance in the feudal era and shot her bow. "Or work with my archery?"

"Depending on how well your incantation studies are progressing we could possibly work with either of those." He answered. "It is good to know how to defend yourself, though a blade is not a weapon one with your blood would do well with."

"I see. So priests and priestess' have always worked with bows?" She had to admit that she'd never dwelled much on that part of her heritage in the past and she regretted not having any questions answered then.

"That has most often been the weapon I remember seeing pictures of them or reading of them with. I can't recall them having other things. Perhaps as you said, they are related to the Quincy…from what I was lead to believe the last pure blooded priests disappeared about the same time the Quincy rose up to fight the hollows." He explained between bites of his meal, he was a good instructor - patient and calm, reacting in a neutral way but still answering the question to the best of his ability.

"It's funny, you seem to know more than me about them." Kagome commented, sipping at her tea and watching the man at the table with her. "If I'm pure blooded like you say, why wouldn't my mom or brother have powers like mine?"

"Likely they do have some level of power, but in the majority of human lines it's a power that's never brought out at all so it becomes lost. I would hypothesize that your travel to the past and your quest there is the only reason your powers ever awakened at all." He paused mid-reach at an empty plate of the vegetables, he'd gotten so distracted with the conversation and actually enjoying a meal he hadn't realized it had all disappeared.

Kaede was delivering the dessert that she'd helped Kagome finish at about that time. Waving off any thanks from Kagome and settling things in place before disappearing again. The girl blushed some when she got an eyebrow raise from her tutor.

"I have to wonder if you are purposely working with my staff to keep astonishing me…" He commented, the dessert was one he did enjoy and it was another one he rarely got to partake of in the social circles he was forced to keep company with.

"I just wanted to do something nice…" She repeated softly as she blushed again, looking at the dessert in front of her. She went back to the previous conversation though to try to avoid the subject of her cooking. "I suppose though that I was fated to discover this whole world just like I was when I went back to the feudal era. I'll do my best to learn everything I can."

When she was in the past she was always so afraid to dwell on any priestly studies from Kaede, sure she was busy searching for the shards but it was an excuse as well. She didn't want to be more like Kikyo, the woman that shared her soul - she wanted to be her own person. She was afraid if she started to learn to be a priestess she would lose her individuality…but she knew better now. Kikyo and Inuyasha were gone from her life forever, cut away from her because of the selfless wish she'd made on the Jewel of Four Souls.

She had been the martyr but she knew it was the right thing to do, the world didn't need someone like Naraku in it and it definitely didn't need that cursed gem. She glanced over and realized that Byakuya was watching her as she was lost in thought and she cursed at herself as she blushed at him. Reaching down to her own dessert to distract herself from her handsome guard.

"And here I was considering asking for someone else to take my place." Byakuya pondered with a mental sigh. "I can't just leave her with someone else after all this. What sort of noble am I turning out to be? She saved my life and I can't even take some time to do the tasks given to me? Perhaps my parents were right about me after all."

"You seem like you still have a lot on your mind." Kagome commented, hoping to change the subject and praying he wouldn't notice all her schoolgirl crush symptoms. "If there is still work you need to do I can practice on my own."

He glanced back over the innocent girl nearby and resisted the urge to sigh aloud. "No, it is my duty to help you…if you are still having so much trouble then I would prefer to work with you. What is it with the meditation you have so much trouble with?"

"I just have so much trouble making my brain stop…I'm always busy thinking about all sorts of things…I don't know how to make it shut up. Even when I start to concentrate some random thought will pop in about a chore I didn't do or something someone said at school." She explained between bites of her treats. "I just can't keep little nagging things out of my thoughts."

He nodded a little and seemed to be considering her comments, he used to have more difficulty with his meditation when he was younger…but everything is more crucial when you are young. "I was told once that my mother used to write down all of her thoughts before she meditated when she was young. Keeping a diary helped her gather those distracting thoughts and then made it easier for her to concentrate on her studies. Perhaps such an activity would help you focus as well…"

"Maybe, I hadn't thought about that." She nodded some. "I think it would help…do you want me to try that and then you can continue your work as well?"

"That would be acceptable." He nodded, settling his napkin on his plate. "Thank you for the meal but we should get to your studies. I will meet you back in the study shortly."

"Sure." Kagome smiled lightly and watched him leave before leaning back in her chair and putting her hands over her face. "God, how damn obvious can I be? Next I might as well just drool openly…I'm so stupid."

She sighed and wiped her hands off, leaving part of her dessert and cleaning up the dishes a little before dashing off to her room to get a notebook from her bag. She was getting warm so she took her sweater off and tossed it on the bed, digging a pencil out and dashing back down the steps and to the study. Speeding her way along, and pausing as she reached the door to the study as Byakuya was preparing to leave at the same time she opened the door.

"Fate hates me…couldn't I have gotten a ugly teacher?" She thought mildly as her chocolate eyes met his stormy grays. She knew she was failing to will the blush away from her neck and cheeks. "I should have left my sweater on…"

"Do you have to storm around the building like that? Certainly your training isn't so important that you can't take some time to walk and catch your breath." He commented, eyes scanning over her slight switch of attire, then paused on the necklace that she had forgotten she had on throughout the day.

"Sorry." She took a breath and smiled sheepishly. "I just am used to hurrying and am in the habit of rushing around the house…I'll try to walk instead of run."

She thought about moving around him to sit down, but the way he was checking her out made her freeze sort of like a deer in headlights. She could feel the gentle pink in her face starting to turn into a cherry red. "Is…is he looking at my chest?"

She brought a hand up and then paused as she felt the necklace there, blinking and turning her chin downward so she could see the lovely piece of jewelry settled there. "Oh…shit…I forgot I had that on."

"I'll be back shortly, continue your work until then." He said coolly, he seemed more distant than even moments before. She didn't have a chance to stop him or explain herself before he was just gone. That much made her frown. She needed to tell him she'd just forgotten…

She headed from the study to let him know and then lost her breath as she was shoved harshly by her throat into a wall, bouncing completely from it and landing on the ground grasping at her windpipe as she struggled for air. Blinking at the strange black man standing nearby that had attacked her. He looked sort of like Gerordi LaForge from Star Trek. He had some sort of alien visor over his eyes and wore clothing that seemed similar to what Byakuya often wore - though there was more white than black. He had a blade similar to the other people that she'd seen dressed as such.

"I apologize." The man said softly. "For the sake of justice I'm afraid I must kill you." Kagome backed away, why was it she'd chosen now to piss off Byakuya so he'd run off and pout about some necklace?!

End Chapter

This chapter was actually really hard for me to finish. I might go back and edit it in the future…assuming I ever go back and edit the stuff I want to go back and edit. Heh poor Kagome, she always picks the guys that are taken with someone else - she needs better luck. Thanks so much for the lovely reviews I was given. I really appreciate the feedback. I'm also hitting 50000 words for this fiction - awesome.

-Aura

P.S. Yes I think the Mayuri fight will be short but weird. I do want Sesshy and Kagome to have a chance to talk again but she's just been busy and the demon lord is pissed off at the clown captain. Thanks much to Passionate Crow Rat for the awesome review!