A/N: I'm sticking to the manga for a canon approach.

Loathe at First Scent

Sesshomaru's nose burned. There it was again, that wretched stench of the shadow-cloaked imposter who once dared to deceive the Western Lord.

"Rin, do not move."

At Sesshomaru's stern command, the child froze in mid-step.

In a single bound he'd cleared the treetops; slashing with his new Tokijin, Sesshomaru unveiled the stinking intruder. He paused when he saw who – or rather – what it was.

"A woman, is it?" Sesshomaru kept his distance, sword poised in front of him, and good several meters from her – gods, she reeked.

"Inuyasha's big brother?" A crimson-bordered fan that matched her eyes zipped before her flirtatiously. "Such a fine-looking man." The woman, Kagura she called herself, proceeded to inform Sesshomaru's half-tuned ear that she was the second incarnation of Naraku – a child, a ghost, a shade, a sliver. Her puckering lips seemed to taste bile at the routine list.

The daiyokai blinked. Well, he didn't need her or anyone else to tell him to cut down Naraku next time that hanyo slunk near.

What are her intentions?

She cast Sesshomaru a slanted gaze. "That sword you carry is forged from the fangs of Goshinki – another incarnation of Naraku."

"Oh? So is Naraku crying to get him back now?"

"Feh, Naraku the cold cares nothing for a dead ogre." Her eyes glittered wickedly. "Say, you have power don't you? Maybe enough to defeat Naraku?"

Before he could say anything scathing, a whipping gust blasted in his face. "Sesshomaru," Kagura called from aloft an enormous feather. "You may keep the blade."

In the next gale she'd vanished, leaving a disgruntled dog-demon in her wake.

Magnificent. Even Naraku's underlings are arrogant.

Underling. The word sat in Sesshomaru's mind for a minute. What sort of pawn plots the overthrow of her master?

So, she intends to use me?

Preparing to sigh in exasperation, he inhaled – and nearly gagged. Disgusting! That wind witch's scent still lingered! His nose had started running – how undignified!

She wasn't Naraku, but somehow this woman, he figured, would cause more trouble than she was worth. Sesshomaru permitted a sniffle. Doubtless, she was the harbinger of distress – his nose told him so.

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A/N: So how was that for a beginning? The Sesshomaru/Kagura fanfictions I've done are only two (not counting this): "Renewal" and "My Next Breath" (a chapter from "Twelve Tails of a Taiyokai"). I myself look forward to seeing how this collection will turn out. Reviews appreciated. :D