Chapter One :: Revelations of a Personality


Kagome looked up at the Demon Lord whose proximity was – quite close to her own. Her heart beat faster for some unknown reason and she felt as though her face was flushed as red as a tomato, though you couldn't tell from the outside. Yet, the Demon Lord, Sesshoumaru, knew what she was feeling. Normally he would be disgusted at this human's display of affection, but this wasn't just any human. This was his – dare he say, friend. She had taken care of Rin, and she had defended him against his half-breed brother, though he didn't need any defense nor did he warrant it. She was an enigma to him. A puzzle just waiting to be solved, but he had no time for puzzles. The half-breed was sending her home. Granted, it was safer, and he would miss her, in some odd sense of the word, but he'd rather her not be hurt. He'd rather Rin not be hurt either, …. That was why he was here…

"Kagome…" Sesshoumaru cursed his voice for choosing now to get stuck in his throat. She looked up, a serene smile located on her rosy red lips, "Hmm?"

He sighed. It was now or never. Live or die, more precisely. "I need you to do me… a favor." Kagome dropped the piece of grass she had been fiddling with and ran over to the Taiyoukai. She gently pressed one of her silky hands to his forehead, all the while shaking her own head in a show of disbelief.

"Sesshoumaru? Are you sick?" She paused, as if trying to think of a reasonable explanation for his sudden…. Well, friendliness, for lack of a better word. " Wait, did Inuyasha hit you on the head during your last fight? Huh? Huh? Come on, tell me!"

He sighed again, this time in exasperation. "Kagome, I need you to take Rin with you to your time. I don't want her to be hurt in the upcoming battle. You either." He mumbled the last part under his breath, yet she still heard him.

"Oh! Sesshy-chan! I didn't know you cared!" Kagome ran up to him, slinging her hands around his neck in a friendly gesture that seemed to arouse more than what met the eye in the afore-mentioned Demon Lord.

"Kagome," He growled. "I'm serious. Please, just do this for me, okay?"

This time Kagome sighed, "Sure, why not. Shippo will love the playmate, seeing as I'm taking him, too."

"Thank you Kagome. If," He hesitated, not sure how to approach such a delicate topic. " If the well closes off, I'll find you in the future. Five hundred years, right?"

"Yeah, but I honestly hope that doesn't happen." Her eyes betrayed nothing, nor did her voice. Kagome flipped a piece of hair out of her eyes. Her raven locks were pulled back into a braid and tied up into a bun near the nape of her neck. She had learned the hard way that long, easily accessible hair is a definite weakness in battle. "I guess I'd better go, Sesshoumaru. But, one more thing…"

He tilted his head upward, showing that he was listening.

"Do me a favor…. Please, please, don't get hurt. Don't let anyone get hurt. That's all I want."

He nodded. " I'll try my best. Rin will be waiting at the well tomorrow morning."

"Wait. You won't be there to see me off?" Kagome looked like someone had just eaten her last bowl of Oden.

He chuckled slightly at her dampened expression. " Not unless you want both me and the half-breed to die before the real fight."

"Oh," She replied. Her face was still plagued for a moment with the distraught expression before it changed to a look of obvious mischief. She ran up to the unsuspecting Taiyoukai and planted a short kiss right on his cheek. Before he regained any semblance of sanity, she said her final words, " Bye Sesshoumaru! Don't die on me, you hear!" She waved her hand before running off into the village below.

)( The Next Morning )(

Kagome walked quietly to the well with a sleeping Shippo in her hands. She had left a note, rather than say good-bye in person and risk all the tears. Her heart, though not visibly, was breaking. As she rounded the hill, she saw the small, eight-year-old girl sleeping on the lush, soft grass. Kagome approached the girl with caution, as not to wake her up. She sensed Sesshoumaru's youki, but it was long gone. Too Bad, she sighed. It seemed as if she'd been doing that a lot lately. She shifted Shippo into her left arm, as she bent down to gather up the other child. Once the two were situated, she gave her surroundings one last glance before jumping headlong into the well.

Her eyes finally registered the dark well house, and she set the young fox kit down upon the ground, determined to get Rin up to the top first. Once done, she went back for her adopted son. Suddenly, Kagome had a thought. Why not temporarily adopt Rin, too… Her thoughts were cut off by a small shout, recognized to be that of her brother, Souta.

"Kagome! You're finally home. Who are they?" Souta, finally noticing her companions, gestured towards them.

"Souta, I'd like you to meet Shippo and Rin. They're staying with us for a while, okay?"

Souta just nodded, trying to fully take in the information she was feeding him.

"Uh, why are they here?"

Kagome gestured for him to sit with her on the rim of the well. "You see, Souta. The fight with Naraku has gotten to the point of no return, so to speak. I couldn't stay there anymore. Naraku has gotten all the jewel shards except the ones I gave back to Inuyasha. I know I won't be able to go back anymore, and that's why I didn't say goodbye. Rin's father is a demon, more precisely a Demon Lord. He'll live for hundreds of years, so him and Rin will be reunited soon. Shippo had no one but me, so I couldn't leave him behind. I couldn't risk Naraku killing anyone else I love. Sesshoumaru promised me that no one would harm those who I left behind. I trust him as much as I love him…" Kagome heard a gagging sound and looked up at Souta. The look on his face was so priceless that she couldn't help but laugh. Unfortunately, the reverberations that ran throughout her chest caused both children, who were nestled snuggly against her breast, to awaken. Quite a shock for them to wake in a whole new place….