White surrounded her. Warm, welcoming white engulfed her in a halo of protection that made Kagome believe she was in heaven. It was heaven, until a familiar demon began its incessant roar beside her head.

"Ugh," Kagome groaned and she tried to burrow further back into that heavenly cloud. The miko had never been one for waking up early, her mom even had to peal her out of her covers on more than one occasion back in high school. However, today it was not her mother that pulled her out of her lovely dreams but a waking nightmare instead.

As soon as Kagome found a comfortable position to drift back off to dream land, a deadly voice spoke into the darkness of her room.

"Miko. If you do not cease that infernal noise of your cellular device," Fear filled the miko as the bone-chilling cold of the daiyoukai's youki fell around her, making her eyes snap open and her body spring out of bed while looking around wildly for the danger. It took her a second in the dark, but soon Kagome's eyes found Sesshomaru standing at her door, staring at her with an impassive mask that only seemed to amplify the disdain in his eyes and the threat in his next words. "I will make sure it is you who ceases to make noise. Eternally." Kagome gulped as the big Inu turned and left her doorway like a specter, so quick that Kagome wasn't even sure the surely dog had even been there in the first place. Maybe this was a dream to scare her awake so she wouldn't be late for her first day of classes?

Big doe like eyes blinked owlishly as she considered climbing back into the silky haven of her blankets. A consideration forgone when she finally took her cellphone off the bedside table and saw why her alarm was going off. It was already 6:30! That was the third alarm she had set. How did she sleep past the first two?

Kagome's inner panic manifested itself in fumbling limbs that tore away at her new favorite pair of pajamas (a certain deep blue sleeping Kimono Toga let her borrow) as she ran around thrusting a few necessary items into an old yellow book bag. In record time, for one well accustomed to last minute dressing, Kagome was dressed in a pair of black sport leggings and a loose, red racer-back tank-top. This was by no means what Kagome wanted to wear for her first day of college but the memo she received in regard to her first class, Self Defense for Beginners', dress code was that she would need athletic wear.

Making sure her more preferable attire for her college debut was packed in her bag, along with two notebooks, some pens and pencils, and a few other things, Kagome flung the packed bag on to her thin shoulders and flew down the stairs.

In passing, the silver head of a particular daiyoukai caught Kagome's eye and she felt like snubbing the jerk for his threat not too long ago, but the miko reconsidered. He probably endured her first two alarms AND without him it was very likely she would have slept through her first class, so instead Kagome sent a warm smile to the demon lounging on the plush couch with a coffee in one hand and a book in the other.

"Morning Sesshomaru! Have a great first day." And with that, Kagome was out the door.

*Beep* *Beep* *Beep*. Sesshomaru was going insane. This was the third time the onna's alarm was going off in the span of 30 minutes. The high, irritating, buzz was loud and obnoxious as it pierced the Inu's sensitive ears and finally Sesshomaru's patience broke. Sesshomaru Taisho, heir of the Western Lands, was known around the world as a daiyoukai of impenetrable control. Undeniable and absolute were words that came to mind when others spoke of his iron-clad will and resolute demeanor, but after meeting a certain miko Sesshomaru's control seemed to be walking a fine line, a thin line made of spider silk hanging over a sea of flames waiting for his patience to snap.

It was insufferable. His father's flippancy was something Sesshomaru had dealt with for centuries but never had his sire's decisions caused him so much turmoil. The younger daiyoukai had never faced a challenge he was not up for. Hell, he had never seen a challenge that could even be considered a real challenge. Now, oh now, a simple human, a tiny onna, was making the Inu Prince fight for control at every turn.

After her first day and her apologies, the girl gave Sesshomaru very few things to complain about. She was respectful in both words and actions, she worked hard on her lessons to the point where even he was impressed with her progress (not that he would ever admit it), and—besides some small attempts at cordial conversation— the onna never forced her presence on him or pestered him for attention like all the other female's the Western Prince had ever known. All in all, the demon had to admit that this miko, this Ka-go-me, was the ideal roommate if Sesshomaru had to have one. That was his reluctant thoughts until today.

A flash of white and the demon was standing at the onna's bedroom door. The incessant buzzing and beeping of her cellphone was worse now that he was so close but the demon's senses were in conflict. His ears were the victim of the phone's cries and wished for him to leave but his nose was leading him forward still. Opening the door—of course the trusting and foolish creature didn't bother to lock it—Sesshomaru realized why his body moved on despite the pain.

Warm honey and pure vanilla hit him like a brick wall. Her entire room was permeated by the richness of her scent and it had the Inu's mouth watering. It was too heavy, too purely her with no taint of any other, that Sesshomaru's mind was becoming clouded. Golden eyes roamed the room as his nose sought out the onna responsible for such a heavenly scent. There, burrowing in to her blankets like a small forrest creature, Sesshomaru caught sight of the sleeping miko.

Her small body was swallowed by the thick, blue comforter and it made the miko look even smaller than usual. More delicate. More defenseless. Sesshomaru's brow twitched when the instinct to protect struggled to rise within him. It was ridiculous. The miko was not his responsibility. If any, her safety rested in the hands of his sire.

A sharp growl filled Sesshomaru's head at the thought of placing the miko under another male's protection. It was so loud and so unexpected that the daiyoukai nearly winced at the ferocity, but he chose to ignore it instead. His beast was throwing a fit but he would get over it sooner or later. There was no need to encourage its obvious obsession with the human onna, and Sesshomaru was sure his own, infinitesimal, interest would pass in time as well.

After threatening the miko, Sesshomaru returned to the first floor to proceed with his morning ritual. Relaxing with an expensive and exotic blend of coffee and a book as he lounged on his favorite couch. He did not even glance at the miko as she came thundering down the stairs like an elephant stampede, not until the girl called out to him.

Again, Sesshomaru was caught off guard as the temperamental creature displayed no fear nor anger over his treatment of her this morning. She just flashed a warm smile as she wished him a good morning and a 'great first day.' Sesshomaru wanted to roll his eyes at the foolish girl, but he could not stop the small sigh and the twitch of his lips a mere moment later when the daiyoukai heard the girl's crash landing a few meters out the front door.

"Ugh," Kagome's body was sore and heavy as she flopped in to an empty seat in a small auditorium. She had spent the last two hours, from 7 am-9am, getting her ass kicked in her first class, Self-Defense for Beginners. The teacher, Matsumoto-Sensei, was a drill sergeant from hell, Kagome was convinced. The older bear youkai appeared to be in his mid 40s, with rustic chestnut hair cropped close to his head just like his full beard. The beard did nothing to hide that strong jaw or stern face that Kagome and her classmates quickly came to learn were only outward signs of the soldier spirit dwelling within the man's sturdy frame. He was big and burly with muscles rippling under a training uniform, the same uniform that all students were assigned.

Girls and boys alike were assigned a pair of midnight blue hakama that tied over a crisp white kimono. It was simple and served its purpose because once the entire class of 10 students, such a small number because most youkai did not need a beginners course in self defense, they remarkably looked like a small battalion of soldiers. Uniformity in their dress sparked uniformity in their actions as they lined up and did drills. No one questioned the youkai, especially not after seeing one grumbling badger demon being sentenced 50 laps around the large stadium as punishment. It was a grueling workout but Kagome did have a little bit of fun.

Pushing herself to her limit to experience new things was what Kagome loved to do most. She wasn't an adrenaline junkie or anything, but she loved the feeling of accomplishing tasks she previously thought impossible. For now, their group was only focusing on body strengthening exercise and learning the basic forms for hand to hand combat but sooner or later she would get to test out her skill against and opponent. The fact her opponent would undoubtably be youkai and placed Kagome at a disadvantage before the fight could even begin was of small consequence to Kagome as she relished in the thought of growing stronger and faster with this new training regimen. If she worked hard, maybe she could even beat her youkai classmates one day.

The only thing, well the only thing besides having to wake up at the crack of dawn, was that Kagome was a little troubled over making sure her reiki stayed concealed. The miko mastered quite a bit of control over her holy energy during her time with Sesshomaru-Sensei, but even now she was nervous that she could unintentionally hurt somebody. Instead, Sesshomaru suggested that Kagome should completely contain her reiki so the other youkai would not react violently to her holy energy on instinct. She had heeded his advice without much difficulty, but now the vast amount of shimmering magenta light Kagome could now sense dwelling within her laid right under the miko's skin. This made Kagome fidgety as it triggered her awareness to be overly sensitive to the youkai movement around her. It wasn't like her energy was banging on the doors trying to get out and rampage through the demon hoards on campus, far from it. The feeling was more that of an excited dog that had been locked inside all day and was waiting at the backdoor to go outside and play, to explore. It did, however, require a good deal of concentration on Kagome's part to contain it when either a large crowd of youkai passed her or an especially powerful demon was near.

Kagome sighed as she twisted her long, wet hair into a simple bun.

Thankfully, a bathhouse was attached to the training grounds which allowed Kagome a place to bathe after her class. The warm water was a welcome relief to her aching muscles and the gentle scent of the soap had worked miracles on clearing the miko's mind.

With her reiki contained, she appeared as a normal human to the rest of her classmates and that in itself sparked diverse reactions. The majority were relatively kind or unbothered by her presence, but one little weasel, literally a weasel youkai, seemed determined to cause Kagome problems. Venomous glares were shot at her when the bear wasn't looking and harsh names were called when the class was dismissed but Kagome didn't really mind. It wasn't like humans were incapable of the same derisive behavior, in fact Kagome thought it was weak in comparison to some of the bullying 15 year old high school girls were capable of back in her old school.

With that in mind, Kagome ignored the girl as she was way too happy about being able to take a bath to let the girl's pinched face and snooty attitude bother her. Even walking to her next class (after she took about an hour long soak in the baths), Kagome didn't notice too much open hostility thrown her way. Yeah, there were a few glares, some people, er, youkai stopped to stare, but over all Kagome was being ignored. Apparently, YOUKAI academy was used to one thing, and that was Toga being unpredictable. To the majority of the student body, hearing that a human was coming to their school made them think that the Western Lord was looking for a new form of amusement. Either way, Kagome's morning passed pretty peacefully.

Now, as she rested her head on the cool table top and waited for her next class to begin, Kagome's eyes began to drift shut. Toga was right when he said this little miko knew no fear as she was fully prepared to fall asleep, unguarded, as random youkai began to fill the room for their next class, Youkai History.

"Excuse me fair lady, is this seat taken?" Kagome shot up, startled. The soft inquiry was spoken far too close to her ear for comfort. Immediately, Kagome's gaze caught an eyeful of purple. An indigo bomber jacket styled over a lighter purple v-neck covered a lean torso. Black hair with thick bangs curtained a handsome face before being pulled back in to a short ponytail at the base of his neck, exposing two gold earrings. The look held a rather roguish charm that was emphasized by the penetrating purple stare directed Kagome's way.

"Ah, yeah, no?" Kagome's reply sounded more like a question but that did not deter the confident male. Like a regal young gentleman, he pulled out his chair and sat down without breaking eye contact. Kagome also couldn't look away, but probably for a different reason.

"You're human." Kagome blurted out without thinking, causing the man to blink at her a few times before his smooth smile grew even more debonair.

"Yes, that is one of my traits. Along with being handsome, caring, and at your eternal service, my lady." The youth winked at Kagome and she couldn't help her reaction. She burst out laughing. This guy was just too much. Do people really talk like that? He should be some lecherous anime character haha. Tears rolled down Kagome's face as she tried to regain control of her spasming body so she didn't notice the look of interest flash in the man's eyes. He apparently was not used to her reaction.

"Did I speak falsely?" Kagome was happy to hear the amusement in the man's tone because it was only after she battled back her laughter did she realize her reaction could be perceived as rude. Oh well, Kagome decided to humor the male.

"Oh, of course not. You're very handsome and caring, but I do not know if I can handle such a man being at my beck and call for eternity. I dare not be so greedy." Kagome's warm smile was filled with the laughter that still shook her spirit and the man across from her made a decision then and there, this strange woman hiding her holy energy would be his first new friend on campus.

"My dear…" The man trailed off as he placed a hand on her shoulder and Kagome got the hint to tell him her name. "Ah, dear Kagome, I, Miroku, believe that in this world it is the right of beauties such as yourself to be as greedy as your heart desires. However," A sparkle deep within Miroku's eyes alerted Kagome to the possibility of being teased before he could even finish his sentence. Leaning in he slipped the hand on her shoulder to her back and it continued to slide down as he whispered huskily into her ear. "If you wish to take responsibility, you could always bear my children?"

Kagome's eye brow twitched as that hand made it's way to her lower back. It would have gone lower, Kagome was sure, if it wasn't needed to fend off a sudden attack. At the same time Kagome's hand raised on reflex to smack some sense in to the lecher, the cry of 'hentai' and a heavy book crashing towards his head had Miroku retracting his hand in favor of defending himself.

Kagome felt a moment of awkwardness as she felt the eyes of numerous youkai on them but it was quickly forgotten as she watched the show in front of her. Miroku, somehow, managed to block the book karate chopping down on him and was now staring up at a tall older woman with a stupidly silly smile on his face.

"Sango, my love!" That same hand that tried to grope her movements ago tried to reach out and commit the same offense on the new woman, only to be thwarted with a harsh smack. This woman was older than Kagome by a few years so the miko assumed she was an upper class man. Warm brown eyes paired with a lovely, yet fierce, face. Her attire was also simple. A pink t-shirt paired with some black jeans that made her appear down to Earth and approachable, but her high ponytail and the stern expression on her face made her seem like a battle hardened warrior at the same time. It was a strange paradox seeing the serious woman standing over the frivolous man but something told Kagome that this scene happened quite often.

"Who's your love? That cursed hand of yours?" Sango growled as she made another swipe at the man but this time Miroku wasn't lucky enough to dodge. A clear slapping sound rang through the nearly filled classroom but the three involved paid no attention.

"Ouch. Lovely Sango, as you just said, this hand is cursed to seek out the beauty of the flesh. It is by no fault of my own." Miroku's puppy dog eyes were pretty good if Kagome's ire over being nearly felt up softened but this girl Sango was another story. It seems she had heard this excuse before and would have none of it.

"Yeah right, Monk. That curse ended over five hundred years ago and you know it. Now it is only your filthy mind that has holes." Sango countered as she took the seat to Kagome's right. Suddenly, the intense expression the older woman was wearing vanished and was replaced with a soft, friendly smile.

"Don't let that idiot bother you. I've known him for years and I can promise you that a good ol' slap won't do any serious damage so feel free to teach him a lesson or two if his advances are unwelcome." Sango patted Kagome on the shoulder while Miroku leaned forward to intrude on their conversation.

"And if they are welcome?" Miroku wiggled his brow in a suggestive manner that made Sango roll her eyes.

"They aren't." Kagome's voice was firm and left no room for discussion but her eyes still sparkled when Miroku did a dramatic flop on to the desk top. Sango ignored his theatrics and returned to talking to Kagome.

"Sorry, he's really not a bad guy but that hand IS cursed. Cursed with the blood of lechers from ancient times." Sango and Kagome laughed when Miroku grumbled under his breath but Kagome could see it was all in good nature.

"Do you two know each other?" Kagome couldn't quell the curiosity in her. These two both spoke familiarly and the fact that there were other humans on campus was a shock to her.

"Yes, unfortunately our families are well acquainted. I come from a long line of demon hunters and old hentai here, believe it or not, is from a long line of monks. Our families have worked together before, in history and modern day, to help keep citizen's safe from rampaging demons." As soon as Sango spoke there was an unsettling feeling in the air. The rustle of clothes and books, the sound of soft discussions, or the sound of people moving in general faded. It was as if time stood still. Kagome's blue gaze left Sango to roam around the room and she saw something she didn't expect. Every youkai in that room was watching them. Some with wary glances, others with outright hateful glares. It was disturbing.

"Of course," Miroku's gentle voice cut through the tense atmosphere like a soft breeze. "Us three are now here as ambassadors of peace to show how far human and youkai relations have come. Taisho-sama was very clever and generous in organizing our enrollment in to his school so that we may traverse the bridge of camaraderie between our species and light the way for a brighter future. Right, my lovely lady friends?" Miroku's words were obviously not spoken for Kagome or Sango's benefit, as Kagome had no idea what he was talking about, but the short speech did seem to settle some of the demon's unease as they returned to doing whatever they were doing before.

Kagome looked from between Sango and Miroku and back to her youkai classmates that would occasionally toss suspicious or interested glances their way. It was confusing because Toga never told Kagome about other human classmates so how could she know about being an 'ambassador of peace'? Kagome didn't know but one look at Miroku and the shallow smile on his face and eyes that concealed a knowing light and our miko knew just where to get the answers she needed.

Youkai history with Miyoga-Sensei was long but interesting. It lasted from 11-12:30 so when the trio escaped from the flea's rambling they all headed towards the pagoda building for lunch. Kagome was quickly coming to like her fellow 'ambassadors.' Miroku was a flirt but he was also incredibly intelligent and held a sort of calm poise that made him easy to rely on. Like a rock that would support you no matter what. Sango was also highly intelligent and her strong-willed and kind nature gave off a big-sister kind of vibe that made Kagome want to be close to her.

It didn't take long before the three of them were talking and laughing like long lost friends. As fate would have it, Miroku was even in Kagome's Biology class on Tuesdays and Thursdays while Sango was in her next class, West meets East: Clashing Perspectives, and, to make things even better, all three of them were in Youkai-Human Delegation together. This was the best news Kagome had heard all week! The miko had been so concerned about being alone in her new classes but now she had friends in all her classes except for Self-Defense for Beginners.

A smile was plastered on Kagome's face when they finally made it to the cafeteria and it only grew when she saw a head of silver hair and fluffy dog ears.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome's affectionate shout made the demon's around her freeze and glance at what was going on but the hanyou didn't seem to care. His face also split in to a lazy grin when he saw Kagome running up to him but that smile froze just as quickly when he saw her trailing two humans behind her.

Kagome could see Inuyasha bracing himself for battle and it hurt her heart to see him being so defensive. She could only imagine the pain he went through to make him this way but Kagome was determined to help her friend out of the darkness of his past and move towards a brighter future.

"Inuyasha," Kagome smiled gently as she arrived at his side and looped her arms around him in a giant bear hug that made Inuyasha tense, but it proved effective in slowly relaxing his nerves and stance. Even after only knowing her for a day, Inuyasha knew the girl was the overly affectionate type (not that he minded).

Feeling him relax, Kagome turned back to face Sango and Miroku and to make introductions. Looping her arm through Inuyasha's, Kagome introduced everyone. "Sango, Miroku, this is Inuyasha. His dad is Toga-san and he was the first friend I made on campus." Kagome squeezed Inuyasha's arm a little tighter before she continued. "Inuyasha, this is Sango. She comes from a family of demon slayers and the guy salivating over her behind is Miroku who is, ironically, a monk." Kagome laughed as Sango caught Miroku's wandering hand before slapping the fool upside the head. They both greeted Inuyasha with pleasant smiles and a relaxed atmosphere that made Inuyasha raise a silver brow. He knew of the two humans because his dad had told him that morning about his 'surprise' for Kagome but he didn't expect them to be so, so… laid back?

"Keh, whatever. Let's get some food before we drown in the monk's drool." Sango and Kagome laughed as they joined in at teasing Miroku. Kagome remained looped around Inuyasha's arm and Miroku even moved in to put an arm around the hanyou's shoulder as he complained about beautiful women with cruel hearts. Inuyasha knocked his arm away on instinct but Miroku didn't seem to take offense as he moved on to Sango's side. Amber eyes scrunched up as he tried to figure out what was going on. First a miko, now a monk and a demon slayer. Why was he attracting so many odd balls?

A brief look down and Inuyasha realized something. Two big blue eyes were staring up at him with an caring smile on her face before she proceeded to pull him along in their tiny group. The entire lunch was spent with the four joking and arguing over stupid things and Kagome wouldn't stop trying to make him interact with her new friends. He could feel the attention their group was getting but for once Inuyasha didn't find himself overly bothered by it. Why? Because the entire time Kagome's warm smile was there encouraging him to branch out and engage with these seemingly unbiased strangers. It was awkward at first but that didn't last long. By the time lunch was over, even Inuyasha wished he could spend a few more minutes with the peculiar humans instead of going to class.

"Ah, seriously, I think introducing those two was a mistake. Miroku is going to have Inuyasha picking up girls left and right before the week is out!" Kagome whined as she plopped down in her seat. Sango and her had to leave the two men for class and that resulted in Miroku very seriously pulling Inuyasha away for some 'male bonding time.' Kagome was so happy when Miroku and Sango accepted Inuyasha without any prejudice, which in turn allowed them to keep their friendship ( like Kagome would hang out with people who wouldn't accept Inuyasha, hmph), but now she was worried Miroku would corrupt the innocent little hanyou. A player Inuyasha was not something Kagome thought Toga-san would appreciate…

"Hmm, he might try but I don't think Inuyasha would go for it. He doesn't seem the type to willingly approach strangers. Not that I can blame him though." Sango sighed as she took the seat next to Kagome. This classroom was smaller and they had spent so much time talking that by the time they arrived it was nearly full. The only seats left were on the nearly vacant front row.

"Oh, because he's hanyou? I don't really get it but I understand there is a prejudice about it." Kagome admitted. Except for the little bit she heard from Toga, the miko didn't really understand the social taboo that surrounded hanyou. Sango tried to explain the complexity of it and how the prejudice was dying down as more and more demons were mating with humans but it would take a while for the discrimination and hostile attitudes towards them to go away completely.

"So it's like racism?" Kagome surmised as the best way to get a grasp on the situation. "If so, that is despicable. Why should it matter if a human and a youkai hooked up, and even if they did commit some social faux pas why should that affect their kids? That's just ridiculous." Kagome's temper began to stir as she pictured a chibi Inuyasha being bullied for his birth and the cruel things that might have been said to him. Her temper was only incited further by a high-pitched and nasally voice that spoke up from behind her.

"Ridiculous? Tell me human, doesn't your kind look down on similar unions with equal amounts of disdain? A human rutting a wild dog is considered illegal in many of your countries, yes?" The voice was sharp and filled with arrogance, and when Kagome turned to see the owner of such a voice it made a lot of sense. A tall, thin woman with long blonde hair curled and styled to perfection sat a few rows back. She was wearing a blood red blouse that had a collar plunging down in to her cleavage. A boa made of redish-gold feather's also laid along her neck and shoulders as she sat like a queen among a gaggle of friends with equally haughty demeanors. Fiery blue clashed with dull red gaze and something in Kagome snapped.

"Excuse me, did you just compare a human and youkai, two beings of higher intelligence, to that of a human, an intelligent life from capable of complex thought and understanding, 'rutting' a wild beast without the ability to think or reason?" Kagome's voice was as cool as a winter breeze and the shallow smile on her face was far too different from the norm. Silence answered her until a ear-piercing cackle split the air.

"Intelligent? You humans think you can be considered as such, hahaha." The woman folded in on herself as she laughed, causing the red fire emblem on her forehead to crinkle. "Yes, that's exactly what I compared it to. Weak and worthless human's mating with youkai only taint the bloodline and create foul cretin like your friend." The girl stood up and in a show of force released her youki like a flare. Maroon red energy whipped around and Sango moved to pull Kagome behind her. At first, Kagome didn't understand why Sango would do so but then she remembered. She hadn't had the chance to tell Sango or Miroku that she was not some defenseless human but a miko.

"Listen here, bitch." Sango stopped in shock. She hadn't known Kagome for long but those vulgar words and the icy glare emanating from her beautiful eyes did not feel right, like they didn't belong on one so warm and genuinely kind. But here they were, with gusto. "I don't care about your opinions, its a free world and with one as small minded as you I encourage your little bird brain to think about as many things as possible, but if you dare." Kagome's eyes began to take on an ominous glow that had the youkai close to her bristle with the instinct to flee but they didn't know why. "If you dare insult my friend in front of me, you better be prepared to face the consequences."

Kagome's small hands were balled up in tight fists at her side. Her teeth were barred as they gnashed together in the effort it took her to keep her reiki below her skin. She didn't care if people knew she was a miko, but Kagome knew that if her 'Inu-Sensei' heard about her losing control on the first day she would never hear the end of it.

Instead, Kagome put every ounce of her anger into her voice as her final word's came out like a snarled oath. It made the woman in red blanch for but a moment before she opened her mouth to squawk back at her, but the two raging female's argument was stopped by a voice as soothing as an early spring rain.

"Ladies, the last time I checked my class was for intellectual debate and cross-cultural discussion. The battlefield, if you please, is located on the other side of campus." A tall man wearing a forrest green button down and dark brow slacks suddenly spoke from the front of the room. Kagome turned around but she already knew what she would see, just not how close it would appear.

Eyes of green jade and sunlight stood right before her and a gentle smile was hooked up at the corners of his mouth in obvious amusement. Pale, platinum blonde hair was tied back once again in a simple half-up half-down style that allowed his long locks to fall to his waist. Again, Kagome's mind stuttered at how other-worldly the man looked, like a mischievous angel.

"We meet again, little Ilma." The man spoke in a hushed tone that even the demon's couldn't hear but it had Kagome blushing before she hardened her face once more to a look of annoyance. That name bothered her since she didn't know what it meant and Kagome could tell the man had no intention of telling her. In fact, the look he made after seeing the young girl's annoyance was filled with mirth as he turned to approach the podium.

Sango pulled on Kagome's arm to signal she should probably sit down and with one withering glare tossed back at the vile woman who insulted Inuyasha, Kagome relented and took her seat. Excited whispered were loud enough even for their human ears but neither Kagome or Sango knew what had the surrounding youkai in a tizzy. It wasn't until their 'sensei' made his introduction that they had their first clue.

"Greetings everyone and welcome to West Meets East: Clashing Perspectives. I am you teacher, Faelor Aragorn Second Prince of the Elvish Kingdom of Aragorn. It is my pleasure," Green eyes swept the room to land definitively on a certain little miko. "to meet you here today."

AN: Hello everyone! I know this is very long overdue but I hit a snag in this story as I was trying to decide how to proceed. This wasn't originally meant to be a long piece but I am just uncomfortable rushing Sesshomaru and Kagome's relationship. Therefore, this piece will end up being a longer work. How long? I don't know, but I hope you stick with it as I will try and make updates more regular!

UPDATE: To those of you wonderful people out there reading my stories, I am sorry to say that I will be on hiatus for a short two months. I have a test that I need to study for along with other responsibilities that will occupy all of my free time. I do apologize but I will make sure to return as soon as possible and to make sure that your wait is well worth it! I hope you will stick with me despite this inconvenience and I hope you aren't too angry with me :'(

Thank you for your continued support.