InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ She Who the Prophecy Foretold ❯ Fairytale Life ( Chapter 70 )

Chapter 70 - Fairytale Life

 

 

When they reached their destination and went inside Kagome seemed much more relaxed than she had been in the other stores. Looking around, Sesshoumaru found that he approved. The clothing here didn't look like something the girl they'd run into yesterday, Momoko, would wear but instead were more like the things he'd seen in Kagome's closet. He was pleased with the fact that Kagome didn't prefer very revealing clothes. He didn't think he could tell her not to wear something so instead he would have spent the entire time trying not to kill any male that laid eyes on her. At least with her in moderately tasteful clothing hopefully he and his beast could remain comfortable instead of constantly on edge. He watched as she looked through the racks of clothing, actually finding things she wished to try on here. When she had several outfits she made her way to the dressing room, Sesshoumaru following. He was pleasantly surprised that there were a few chairs outside the little changing rooms and he settled himself in for the wait.

 

After a few minutes she came out and he smiled. She looked nice in the wide legged jeans she'd selected, these ones decorated with little hearts and stars in sequins. She had on a pink top that matched the embellishments on the jeans and flared out a bit below her breasts. He watched her twirl in the mirror, the extra material of the shirt flowing nicely. She looked at him, wondering what he thought. “It is very nice,” he told her. She disappeared back into the room to try on her next choice. This repeated a few times, her friends eventually finding things to try on as well. Finally she declared that she was done. She'd picked out a couple things even though she had only intended to find something for the party. She just couldn't resist.

 

As they approached the register Kagome looked up at him. “Now we have to look for something for you.”

 

“This Sesshoumaru has clothing.”

 

“This Kagome is aware,” she said, mocking his tone. “This Kagome still desires to look. This Kagome didn't get to pick anything out for you. Maybe there's something special this Kagome would like to see this Sesshoumaru in.”

 

He conceded defeat, knowing they would do what she wanted anyway. He wasn't necessarily enjoying himself but it wasn't so bad. There were people everywhere which was driving his senses crazy but Kagome seemed to be enjoying the time with her friends so he could deal with it for a while longer.

 

“Let's go to the food court first. It's lunch time and I'm hungry,” Ayumi said. The rest of the girls nodded their agreement and it was decided that the food court would be their next destination.

 

Sesshoumaru soon found himself surrounded by the scents of the widest variety of foods he'd ever encountered in one place. “Are you hungry?” Kagome asked him as she scoped out the choices. He shook his head. Nothing floating around in the surrounding air smelled good to him. “Alright. Then you can sit at the table with the bags while we all get our food, okay?” He smirked as he nodded. Once she walked away he would get a chance to check out what she bought. Too bad she was a step ahead of him. “If you look in the bags then I won't wear them for you, so no sneaking a quick peek mister.” She giggled as he sighed. They picked a table and he took a seat, watching the girls pile their bags on the other chairs. Kagome set hers next to his feet before skipping off to her fast food of choice. The temptation was incredible but he refused to peek. He wanted to see her in whatever she bought much more than he wanted to know just what it was. No matter what she picked out he was certain she would look amazing and he sure as hell didn't want to miss it.

 

 

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They allowed Rin and Shippo to sleep for a while longer before waking them to eat. When their two main players were rested and fed they moved into place to start part two of Operation Separation. Once again they moved in close to the wolves' camp. This time Shippo used his fox-magic to transform himself into Kouga. He purified himself of all scents before catching the bag Inuyasha tossed him. Opening it, he pulled out the furs Miroku had stripped from the unconscious wolf prince, rubbing them over his entire body, all the while declaring that he was going to need a very long bath when this was finished. He was also threatening Miroku that if he didn't stop taking pictures of him he would find himself buried beneath a mountain of acorns. Once he smelled enough like Kouga for their plan to work, with the residual scent of Kagome that had still been on Kouga's furs as the perfect finishing touch, Shippo worked up his nerve and walked right into Kouga's camp, making sure to look as arrogant as possible.

 

Everyone watched with fingers crossed as Shippo walked into the middle of the wolves' campsite as Kouga, hoping and praying that he could pull this off. They were once again hidden by Rin's barrier and Miroku, not at all worried about acorns at the moment, snapped several pictures of `Kouga' surrounded by his pack.

 

There had been a groan of frustration when Kouga came walking back into camp. They had hoped he would be off chasing after Kagome for a lot longer than just a few hours. Now they were certain they would have to listen to him bitch again, probably even worse for being chased off instead of successfully bringing Kagome back with him. They were surprised but relieved as well at his words. “Get up. We're moving out, now.” They all scrambled to their feet, grabbing what supplies they had and following after their leader who had already started walking in the opposite direction than he'd come from, away from where Kagome's pack was camped.

 

Shippo made sure to hold his head high as he walked, trying to make sure to stay ahead of them since he was supposed to be their alpha. He knew he was in for a long walk, as long as he could manage really. Without losing his concentration on his illusion, Shippo thought of what would come next. The fun would start once this was finished. Well, actually the work for everyone else started and then after that the fun would ensue. He continued to lead Kouga's pack away from where the wolf prince slept, an evil grin on his, well, Kouga's face. While tiring, this was still fun, and it was definitely helping him keep his mind off how long it would be until he had his Mama with him again.

 

They didn't know why they were moving or where they were going but they knew better than to ask. Kouga was rather sensitive and he absolutely hated when they questioned him. They didn't need to know that badly. They eventually fell into a comfortable rhythm, chatting amongst them selves as they walked, thankful that at the very least Kouga was moving at a pace they could keep up with. Those shards in his legs made traveling with him incredibly irritating and exhausting most of the time.

 

The group followed a ways behind `Kouga' and the wolves, making sure to stay as quiet as possible while Rin kept them hidden. The plan at the moment was for Shippo to lead them as far away as he could manage. They would carry him back so he didn't need to worry about the return trip. They followed for hours, surprised that Shippo could hold his illusion for so long. Finally they saw the kit dressed as a wolf look around as if evaluating the area. Finally, they'd reached their destination.

 

“Alright. We stop here. Go ahead and set up camp. When you're done I want you two,” he pointed at two of the wolf demons, “to go and hunt us up a feast, and I mean a feast! You, gather up enough wood to keep the fire going for at least three days. You, find a way to get us sake, lots of sake. And you two,” he pointed at Ginta and Hakaku, “stay here and guard our campsite. I'm going to go and get our guest of honor. I'll be back in a while, and when I get here everything had better be ready!” At that `Kouga' whirled on his heel and walked back the way they had come, eventually disappearing amongst the trees.

 

Apparently something important was going on and they most definitely didn't want to let their alpha down. Maybe Kouga really had succeeded in catching his desired mate. Thinking that Kagome must be their honored guest, the demons separated, heading in different directions to fulfill the tasks they had been assigned. Ginta and Hakaku counted themselves lucky. They didn't have to do anything but sit there while everyone else was going to be running themselves ragged meeting Kouga's demands. It wasn't often that they got such a break and they were going to enjoy it. Maybe being Kouga's right hand demons had its perks after all.

 

When he was sure he was far enough away, the exhausted Shippo popped back to normal, flopping flat on the ground and watching as his pack appeared from in the bushes. “You did great, runt,” Inuyasha said before scooping the kit off the ground and setting him on his shoulder, making sure he was secure before he leapt into the trees, heading back to their camp. Now it was time for the real work to ensue. Miroku and Sango rode atop a transformed Kirara while Rin, Isamu, and Yuudai flew with Kazue in her battle form. The rest of the pups transformed into their true inu forms and raced after their uncle. When they made it back to camp Rin and Shippo were left with Jaken and Ah Un, the toad glad to finally be of use, while everyone else set out to put the rest of their plans into action. Operation Separation was a success. Now it was time for Operation Preparation.

 

 

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When he'd stopped by Kagome's house to check on her, Kagome's Grandfather had been so kind as to tell him that they were all at the mall. It had taken him a while to get there since he had to walk, and even longer to find them, but he had. Ever since he'd caught sight of them he'd been waiting for his chance to get Kagome alone. He had to warn her that whatever that thing was that it was definitely not human and it certainly was dangerous. He had to warn her. It was his responsibility to protect her and he would never forgive himself if that monster hurt his kind, sweet Kagome. She'd been glued to the thing's side for most of the morning, which irritated him greatly, but finally he had his chance. It was keeping watch over the bags while the girls got their food. He watched from the edge of the food court to see where Kagome was going. He couldn't let the monster or demon or whatever it was see him so he had to be careful.

 

As Kagome made her way to the WacDonald's, craving a milkshake and fries, he slipped carefully between the crowds of people in various lines, making his way towards her. She was second in line when he grabbed her and pulled her into the nearest service hallway between the lines of food counters. She let out a squeak of surprise at first but once she caught sight of him she wanted to scream. When they made it to the privacy of the hallway he let go of her and she immediately lifted her hand to rub her arm where he'd grabbed her. She was sure she'd have a bruise, and how in the hell was she going to explain that to Sesshoumaru in a way that wouldn't make him want to commit murder?

 

“Kagome! Kagome, I'm so glad you're alright! You are alright, right? He hasn't hurt you, has he? There's something I have to tell you.” He was talking so rapidly she couldn't even begin to answer his questions, let alone ask him who the hell he thought he was dragging her off like that!

 

“What Hojo? What could be so important that you had to yank me out of line?” Her anger was more than apparent as she spoke but he missed it completely.

 

“He's not human, Kagome!” he hissed lowly, afraid someone else might hear. “I don't know what he is but he's not human. I'm sure of it!”

 

Kagome's anger calmed as her worry started. “Umm, who are you talking about?”

 

“That guy you're with! He's not human. He's a monster or a demon or something!”

 

She laughed nervously. “Hojo, that's ridiculous. What in the world made you think that?”

 

“It's not funny, Kagome!” Hojo said, his voice rising and he grabbed her upper arms and shook her in an attempt to make her understand. “He attacked me yesterday! His eyes turned red and he had fangs and claws and something dripped from his fingertips that melted the concrete! He's dangerous and he's after you!”

 

“Hojo! Let go of me! You're hurting me!” She didn't know what to do. Hojo had obviously lost his mind somewhere along the way, though seeing a real demon couldn't have helped his sanity. `Sesshoumaru! Sesshoumaru, I need you! Hojo's here and he's scaring me!'

 

“You don't understand, Kagome! He told me that you're his. He told me to stay away from you but I can't do that. I couldn't leave you to that monster. I love you. Don't you see, Kagome? I love you, and I know you love me too! We're meant to be together and I won't let him stand in the way of our destiny. I'll take care of him, but you have to stay out of the way. I can't risk you getting hurt.”

 

“Hojo, Let Me Go! I don't love you! I'm not meant to be with you! I'm meant to be with him! I love Him!”

 

 

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They all sat around the small pile of pinkish, almost purple shards that rested in the middle of their cave, having been placed there immediately upon their return. Kuroyuri hadn't wanted to touch them for long, knowing that they were both poisoned and spelled. After hours of discussion, they still didn't know how they were going to determine which was which. No one had touched them but her, giving an order to her children that they would keep their distance, especially Shinya. It was unknown how strong the spell was, and no one wanted her to get too close, just in case the shard would be drawn to its intended target. It had finally been decided that they would have to ask Kagura if she knew of a way to identify the genuine but spelled shard amongst the fakes.

 

They hadn't seen the wind demoness since the day before when she'd warned them of Naraku's intentions. They hoped that she was well, that Naraku had not taken his frustrations at not being able to distribute the shards as he wished out on her. Despite having been born of the evil hanyou, she had risked her very existence to save their precious Shinya from a terrible fate. They had expected a visit sometime in the morning but she'd never come near so they'd retreated to their cave in hopes of figuring out what to do.

 

The information Naraku had given them on his enemies; the inu hanyou, untrained miko, demon slayer, monk, firecat, and kit, was also discussed. They'd heard rumors about the inu hanyou, Inuyasha, of his amazing strength, powerful sword, and noble parentage. They knew that Lord Sesshoumaru didn't care for his brother but they knew better than to attack him as well, at least if they wanted to continue to have their heads attached to their bodies. Kuroyuri was old enough to remember how Inuyasha had been sealed and how Sesshoumaru had searched for a way to release his brother. They hadn't always been enemies and she wasn't so sure they really were now. Brothers would always be brothers, no matter what came between them.

 

The oddly dressed untrained young miko they'd also heard stories of, tales of her great compassion for human and demon alike. They'd even heard the rumors of her taking in as her own an orphaned kitsune, something that Naraku's information had pretty much verified. Tales of the traveling group had always been taken with a grain of salt as they seemed much too far-fetched to be possible but from what Naraku had told them, much of what they had heard and assumed false was indeed true as well. They had no interest in attacking the group, both because their sense of self-preservation told them it was a poor idea and because they did not wish to anger the Western Lord for being involved in the underhanded murder of his brother on his night of weakness. At least they had time, more than three weeks until the plan was to be put into action. They would just have to figure something out before then.

 

 

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Hiromi felt like she was everywhere at once. Sesshoumaru's idea had been a great one but it required a great deal of preparation in a short amount of time. She was taking advantage of the time alone to run a couple of the errands that had to be done immediately to ensure things would be ready in time. While Kagome was at school during the week, she and Sesshoumaru would have the opportunity to do some of the less time sensitive errands together. She was looking forward to spending some time with the demon who claimed her daughter's heart and who would protect her very soul. He was the strong silent type, she'd noted, and she was determined to get him talking if it took her all week. There were so many things she wanted to ask him, so much she wanted to know about him, his life, and his world, where her daughter would eventually stay.

 

She knew Kagome would end up staying in the past when her journey was finally at its end. Though the idea saddened her, she couldn't expect Kagome to walk away from all her friends, her new family. The children would be devastated without her and the demon lord would be no better. No, she couldn't ask her to stay here, not when she so obviously belonged there. It had been hard, watching as her daughter slowly changed, feeling more at home in the feudal era than in her own home, where she'd been born, took her first steps, said her first words, and so many more firsts. She had known it would happen though, so she'd been prepared and managed to take it in stride, making sure Kagome never saw her sadness. Her daughter didn't need to feel guilty about something she had no control over.

 

Once this week was over she knew Kagome would come home less and less often, for shorter periods. That's why this was such a perfect idea. Not only would Kagome be surprised, which was always fun, but it would be a way to make her departure a happy thing instead of a tearful separation. Kagome deserved it anyway. She worked so hard, not only in the past, but here as well, struggling to keep up with classes, fighting to pass exams, trying to hold on to friends she couldn't relate to anymore. Her destiny had made her life so difficult. Living in two worlds at once had to be exhausting, even without all the complications Kagome suffered through, especially Gramp's disease choices. She'd tried to tell her father that certain things were just not something he should claim Kagome had, either because it was embarrassing for her daughter or because it was incredibly unlikely for a girl her age to have it. He ignored her, enjoying looking through the medical dictionary he'd purchased just for that purpose, picking out whatever sounded good to him at the moment.

 

Hiromi smiled and shook her head. They wouldn't need excuses anymore. With Kagome marked as being educated at home things would be much easier, at least in that respect. Kagome's friends were sure to be upset when they found out she would no longer attend their school, even if she was barely there to begin with. Just one more reason she was so eager to make this perfect. Kagome deserved the best, and her daughter would be sure to get it.

 

 

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Sesshoumaru was sitting at the table watching Kagome when he suddenly lost sight of her. He could feel that she was surprised for a moment and then annoyed, but she didn't feel afraid or in any danger so he tried not to worry. There were so many people around that he could barely feel her aura, let alone pinpoint where she was. He looked up when Yuka pulled out her chair, moving her bags to the floor and sitting down.

 

“So, you're not hungry then?” she asked, trying to start some kind of conversation with the mostly silent sex god that Kagome had somehow scored.

 

Sesshoumaru merely shook his head, still trying to figure out where Kagome was, either by sight or feel. He didn't want her to think he was being overprotective so he decided not to call for her through their connection… at least not yet. Eri sat down next to Yuka and they started chatting. He tried to focus himself on their conversation in an attempt to not go running off to search for her. She was fine… though she was feeling oddly worried now. When she started to feel frightened he was on his feet, and when he heard her call for him he was gone, disappearing into the crowd and heading towards where he felt her as fast as he could without plowing over people or drawing too much attention to himself.

 

He was having a hard time finding her. He could sense her in a general direction but with so many humans around he couldn't pinpoint her. He was ready to kill the insolent human boy who dared cross him by coming anywhere near Kagome again after yesterday's little talk. He knew he was getting closer, but he was also getting closer to loosing full control over his beast. He couldn't let the beast out to punish Hojo as they both felt he deserved. All it would do, besides make him feel infinitely better, was cause trouble for them and he didn't want to cause trouble for Kagome. He probably already had by losing control enough to allow Hojo to see his demon characteristics. Finally he could feel exactly where she was and was moving in fast.

 

 

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Miroku made his way into the village with Sango to tell Kaede that they would be far too busy this afternoon for miko training. When they arrived at her hut they found her standing outside, looking at them as if she'd been anticipating their arrival.

 

“Please come inside. I have made us tea,” Kaede said before disappearing behind the bamboo curtain that covered the entrance to her simple home. Sango and Miroku looked at each other in surprise for a moment before following her inside.

 

“Kaede,” Sango started slowly. “Were you expecting us? How did you know we were coming?”

 

“As I have told ye before, there is much this old woman knows,” she replied, not really answering the question she was asked at all. “Please, sit.”

 

Sango and Miroku obeyed in a daze, unsure just what was going on here. Finally Miroku spoke. “Kaede, is there something you need? Or perhaps there is something you wish to share? I'm certain none of us gave the impression we would be visiting this afternoon.”

 

Kaede looked her guests over with her one good eye before returning to her task of pouring the hot tea. When she'd finished and handed a cup to each of them, she sat back comfortably and sipped from her own cup. “Ye did not tell me ye would be coming, but ye had no need to do so.”

 

“But then how did you know?” Sango asked, getting annoyed by the lack of answers Kaede was giving. Realizing her tone she lowered her head and took a slow sip of her tea in an attempt to regain her composure.

 

“Is there something ye need from this old woman or did ye merely come to inform me that ye will not have need of my lessons this day?” she asked, ignoring Sango's rudeness.

 

“No, we just came to tell you we wouldn't have time for miko training today. But how did you know we were…” Miroku began but was cut off.

 

“Very well. I have prepared rejuvenating teas for both Shippo and Rin, as I am certain both children are quite tired after their busy day.” Putting her cup down carefully, Kaede rose, her old bones creaking and popping in protest. Both her guests watched in confusion as she retrieved two small satchels from her work table. She handed them both to the stunned silent monk. “The green is for Shippo, the purple for Rin. Steep them in boiling water for ten minutes before giving the tea to them. They should help both regain their youkai and miko energies more quickly.” She gave them a scolding look before continuing. “Do ye really think it wise to play tricks on the wolf prince? If he comes to know who is responsible there may be more trouble than ye need at the moment.”

 

“It was the kids' idea first. Then Inuyasha joined them. We're not planning anything terribly mean. This is more of a way to keep their minds off of missing Kagome while giving them the opportunity to get their revenge for his treatment of her.”

 

“I understand your reasoning. It is not that which I question. When the wolf prince discovers who has been responsible for all that has and will happen to him he will be very displeased. Are ye prepared to defend if he chooses to attack in retaliation?”

 

Sango looked up, realizing that Kaede might just have a point. “We're pretty sure he wouldn't attack us, at least not if he doesn't want to anger Kagome. If he does so, I think we are more than strong enough together, even without Kagome and Lord Sesshoumaru, to defend against him.”

 

“If he is so stupid as to attack us, it would only give Kagome another reason not to wish to mate him, though we all know she's made that decision already. I wouldn't be the slightest bit surprised if Kagome returns fully mated and the new Lady of the Western Lands,” Miroku said with his signature hentai smirk firmly set in place.

 

“This old woman can tell ye that our Kagome will not yet be mated when she returns. The Western Lord is planning to follow the traditional inu courtship. This will take some time yet.”

 

Miroku looked at Sango as she nodded. “I figured as much. I've never witnessed a demon courtship. When I was younger I was told stories about it but I am very interested to see just how accurate they were.”

 

“Ye shall not be disappointed, my dear. Now, ye both should be returning to your camp. The others await you for your assistance. Make sure to give the toad demon the teas and ensure he knows they must boil for ten full minutes before it will be ready for the children before you go to assist in your preparations.” Kaede, who had remained standing, gave them each a short bow as they left her home, still looking rather confused.

 

“That was odd,” Sango murmured to Miroku.

 

“Yes, my love. I agree. There is more to Lady Kaede than any of us know, much more.” Miroku settled his arm around her waist, pleased when her muscles relaxed once she determined he wasn't attempting to grope her ass… at least at the moment.

 

 

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“You don't know what you're saying Kagome! He's brainwashed you or something. I know you love me. I've always known which is why I've always been willing to wait until you were ready for a relationship. But I shouldn't have because that left you open to be taken advantage of by some kind of evil… thing! You don't have to be afraid anymore. I'll protect you.” He let go of one of her arms and reached into his pocket, pulling something out and holding it at his side. Kagome didn't notice beyond the fact that his fingers had stopped digging into at least one of her arms. She was still trying to pull herself free from his other hand. She knew Sesshoumaru was close. She could find his aura easily as the only demon in a plethora of humans and thankfully it was coming right towards them.

 

She let out a sigh of relief as she saw him over Hojo's shoulder. Her relief was premature because as Hojo heard his footsteps he whirled around, pulling Kagome's back against his chest and holding her tightly around the waist with one arm while the other was held out in front of him. Only then did Kagome realize he was holding something and her heart dropped into her stomach. She wanted to slap him for being so horribly stupid but she was too afraid to move.

 

Sesshoumaru stood there in shock for a moment, not sure what to do, which was something that didn't often occur. In fact, it was possible that this was the first time he was ever actually frozen in place. He was afraid and angry and he didn't know how to fix it. The boy, Hojo, was holding Kagome close to his body, which while he didn't like it wasn't the bad part. No, it was what the boy was holding besides his precious miko that had him stuck.

 

Hojo backed up, dragging Kagome along with him as she attempted to dig in her heels to stop it. There was an employee entrance at the end of the hall and he was determined to make it there. He was hoping to push her out the door to safety so he could take care of the monster that was now blocking his other exit towards the crowded mall where he had hoped to disappear with her. He was going kill the monster or demon or whatever the hell it was, no matter what. While it wasn't very big, it was impressive enough to stop the beast. Hojo held the knife out towards Sesshoumaru as he continued to move slowly backwards. Once Kagome was safely out of the way, he was decided and determined that one of them was going to die in this hall, and it wasn't going to be him.

 

 

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Kagura wasn't having a good day. Once Naraku had finished his temper tantrum he realized that he needed to figure out what to do about the shard situation. He most certainly did not wish for one of the males to receive the special spelled shard, and he didn't want the mother either. She was past her prime and as such, past his interest. He wanted a fresh, innocent, young one to play with, not an old used up, not so fresh, and definitely not innocent one. Deciding he needed more information, Kagura had once again been sent after the witch. Apparently he now had questions to ask her about the spell that he hadn't thought important before. She'd been flying for hours, only to arrive at the very hidden home, if you could even call it that, of the witch and find it empty. She refused to return empty handed. That would not bode well for her. So instead she was stuck, waiting impatiently for the witch to return.

 

She hoped that she hadn't been summoned by another but instead merely was out to retrieve food or herbs, something that wouldn't take too long. She didn't want to sit here for days. The cave the witch called home smelled of the wrinkled old hag and a not so pleasing combination of herbs. If asked, she would have to say that the cave actually smelled worse than Naraku's castle full of stale air, dust, and rotting corpses of the previous inhabitants stashed away here and there. It wasn't at all pleasant, but rather extremely unpleasant, especially to her delicate nose that preferred the fresh smell of a gentle spring breeze or the absence of scents that could only be found at incredible altitudes where the air was much to thin for most beings to survive. Being the wind herself, Kagura had no problem breathing up so high that the clouds were below her, blocking the sight of the earth below. Sometimes she wished she could just keep going, flying higher and higher in the freshest air, where she could pretend there was nothing at all below the blanket of puffy white.

 

She let her mind wander as she waited. She needed to check in with the panthers and see what their plans were. She hadn't thought about it before but she realized now that they had the shards they needed to do something with them. She doubted very much they would discard them to possibly be picked up by another. They would have to figure out which was the real one out of the bunch. Then they could find a way to destroy the rest. The one that held the spell would have to be dealt with somehow, but she didn't know how just yet. Maybe they would want to find a way to remove the spell and then keep the shard for them selves, though how five demons would decide how to share one shard she didn't know. The mother would probably keep it for herself if she intended to keep it at all, as she seemed to be the one in control.

 

With Kikyo dead, there was only one Kagura knew of that would be able to pick out the real shard from the fakes. Kagome could do it, but she knew that they still didn't trust her. She would have to send the panthers to her pack and hope she would help them. The little miko would help anyone so she didn't imagine she would turn them away, though she may insist on purifying and keeping the shard. But then she did allow the idiot wolf to retain his shards. Maybe she would allow them to keep it if they so wished as well, as long as their intentions were good. To fight against Naraku was the best intention possible in Kagura's opinion.

 

It was decided then. When she could finally manage a trip to the panthers she would recommend they approach Kagome in regards to the shards. She hoped they would also be kind enough to share what the hell Naraku wanted them to do for him in the first place. Chances were good that it had something to do with the miko's pack and if she could, she wanted to warn them. Perhaps if she warned them enough times they would believe that she really did wish to aid them in the defeat of her master.

 

 

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“Hojo, you really don't want to do this. Just put the knife down and let me go,” she said as calmly as she could. He was terrified, she could tell, but it only made the situation more dangerous rather than helping them. His hand was shaking as he held out the knife, staring at the monster or demon or whatever it was that he was here to slay.

 

“Kagome, don't you understand? I am your Prince Charming. I'm going to save you from the terrible dragon, or whatever the hell he's supposed to be. Then we'll ride off into the sunset together and live happily ever after. I promise you.

Sesshoumaru looked at the boy in blatant confusion. What in the hell was wrong with this human's mind? `Kagome, stay still. I need a moment to determine my course of action. Everything will be fine.'

 

`Just hurry it up, would ya? I'm a hell of a lot closer to that knife and a lot easier to hurt you know!'

 

`I will not let him hurt you. Do you trust me?'

 

`What the hell kind of question is that to ask me right now?' she nearly screeched in his mind.

 

`Calm down, please. I need you to trust me.'

 

Kagome sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm her racing heart. `I do trust you. You should know that by now.'

 

“You need to let her go,” was all Sesshoumaru said to Hojo.

 

“Like hell! If I let her go you'll grab her and take her away from me.”

 

“Either you let her go or I will go through her to get to you. Her life is not of consequence. You made a mistake in challenging me. You will die. It is up to you whether she dies along with you or not.” Sesshoumaru's voice was completely serious and as flat as he could manage, hoping to sound like this was nothing to him when in reality it was everything. The only thing that mattered to him right now was getting Kagome away from the crazy human boy.

 

Hojo's jaw dropped. “Yesterday you said you loved her! Yesterday you said she was yours. And now you say you'll kill her like it's nothing? Like she's nothing? You really are a monster!”

 

“And you are nothing but a weak, foolish human.” Sesshoumaru allowed his eyes to bleed red and his marking become jagged. This time though he was sure not to allow his poison to drip to the ground. If his plan was to work, there could be absolutely no evidence to support the Hojo's claims of monsters and demons.

 

Kagome could feel Hojo begin to quake behind her, absolutely terrified of Sesshoumaru, who was looking much more demon than human at the moment. He actually looked on the brink of transforming. She could see his jaw bones shifting back and forth as his beast nearly succeeded in breaking free before he fought him back. She found herself looking from the knife Hojo held to Sesshoumaru to the knife and back, unable to decide where to focus. She was rather surprised to feel her fear receding as her anger began to grow. It was absolutely ridiculous. Sure, she'd never flat told him she wasn't interested but she certainly hadn't encouraged him! She didn't want to hurt his feelings but she tried to make it clear without having to embarrass him that she didn't want anything to do with him. She shouldn't have worried about his feelings. She should have ripped his heart out and stomped it into the dirt. Maybe then he wouldn't be so fucking stupid as to think that she loved him, that she was some damsel in distress. She had been just fucking fine waiting in line to order her food before this imbecile dragged her away. And god damn it, her arms hurt! She was sure to have finger marks in both arms now!

 

Sesshoumaru could feel her anger rising and was unsure who she was angry at. Surely she knew he didn't mean what he said. She knew he loved her. She said she trusted him. She couldn't be angry at him. And that meant she was angry at Hojo. He caught her eyes for a minute and knew he had to do something soon. Her normally ocean blue eyes looked almost purple as red swirled with the shining blue, mixing in her irises. She was changing again, like she had Friday night when his beast subdued her. He didn't want to ever do that again, let alone do it here, but he didn't know any other way to bring her back either. This needed to end, now.

 

 

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Miroku and Sango had returned to camp, having taken a short detour rather than returning directly, and explained the teas very carefully to Jaken before heading off to join the others in their tasks. They wouldn't be able to help as much as the boys since they were much weaker, but Miroku was needed to ensure everything that needed to be done was completed. Sango had a couple things to do, having gathered the few additional ingredients needed on their return from Kaede. Most of the things she had needed either she or Kagome had in the stocks of herbs each kept.

 

The pups all looked up from their task as the two finally returned. “Took ya long enough to say a couple words! Or was that not all you two were doing? We've got a limited amount of time to do this shit, you know! Now's not the time to be screwing around!”

 

“Oh just shut it, Inuyasha! Kaede wanted to talk to us for a minute, I had to pick a few things on the way back for my part, and we had to take the special teas Kaede made for Rin and Shippo back to camp. There was no `screwing around'!”

 

“Damn, Sango! Bitchy much?”

 

Sango took two steps toward the hanyou before Miroku grabbed her wrist. “Ignore him, my dear. He is just jealous that he doesn't have anyone to `screw around' with at this point in time.” When Inuyasha didn't reply, Miroku looked towards his friend. Realizing that what he just said wasn't very nice at all, considering the death of Kikyo and the knowledge of her betrayal, as well as his previous confusion over his feelings for Kagome. “Inuyasha, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that.”

 

“K'eh, whatever. Let's just get this done. I'd like to finish before the fucking wolf wakes up and wants out of his little love nest. I can't wait to see how confused he is when he realizes he's naked and can't remember why.” He blew it off, but in truth, the monk's words had hurt a little. He'd always expected to be alone before Kikyo, and he did again. As long as he had his pack he would be fine. So long as his Kagome was with him he would be happy, but having it pointed out so blatantly still managed to hit a nerve. He shook it off with a glance around him, remembering just how not alone he was now, and got back to work.

 

Akihiro had been watching the interaction of the adults in silence. Once he decided they were finished he had to ask. “Lady Kaede had teas prepared for Shippo and Rin?”

 

Miroku was thankful for the distraction, still feeling quite guilty for saying something so insensitive to his good friend. “She was actually waiting for us when we arrived, though she would not tell us how she knew. She was aware of the strain both Shippo and Rin put on them selves today. The teas are intended to help them replenish their youkai and miko energies. She was also aware of our plans for Kouga, and warned that he may react badly, possibly even attack, if he is able to determine who is responsible.”

 

“She knew all that? But no one said anything!” Yuudai said in amazement.

 

“Kaede apparently has a lot of secrets,” Sango said while crushing and combining herbs to make her special powders. There was some mumbling in awe amongst the pups before the clearing fell silent except for the sounds of their preparations.

 

 

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Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi had already finished eating and had no idea where Kagome and Sesshoumaru had disappeared to, though they had a few ideas. Deciding that they didn't want to wait around while Kagome was most likely making out or more with her boyfriend in a bathroom, they threw away their trash and gathered their bags, taking Kagome's as well, and made their way towards the next store they had been planning on visiting. They figured that Kagome would figure out where they went and meet them there. They left the food court and passed a live band that was playing in the center of the mall on a stage set up next to the giant fountain. They walked slowly to allow their apparently amorous friend to catch up and decided to pop into a music store they were passing to kill some time.

 

 

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Kagome was pissed. That's all she was aware of, that's all that mattered. She was pissed and Hojo was going to find out. “Hojo,” she said in a low, threatening tone. “I suggest you let go of me or you are going to wish it was him you were dealing with. Let me go… NOW!”

 

“But Kagome, I'm only trying to keep you safe. I lo…” Hojo froze and his word got caught in his throat at the snarl that echoed in the hallway. It was so powerful he could swear he felt it vibrate through his body. His eyes locked on Sesshoumaru, only to see that he wasn't paying any attention to the boy with the knife. His eyes were locked on the girl in his arms. “Hey! Don't look at her! You should be worried about me!” Sesshoumaru ignored the foolish boy, focused only on Kagome. All hell was about to break loose, he was sure.

 

When another, even more vicious sounding snarl echoed around him and vibrated through him he had been looking directly at what he thought was the only dragon he had to slay. But the snarl hadn't come from him. It took a moment to dawn on Hojo, just where the snarl was coming from if it wasn't coming from the male in front of him. In an instant he pulled away from her. It all happened so fast he had no idea what followed. Kagome had still had her heels dug into the floor in an attempt to stop their slow backwards progression and when he'd let go of her so suddenly she found herself falling. There was a sharp pain on her cheek for a moment before everything went dark.