The Pain Behind The Mask

Disclaimer: Nope Rumiko Takahashi still owns Inuyasha! Lol and if I wanted to own it..I wouldn't have enough money too '

"Talking"

'Thinking'

\Telepathic\

Chapter 2

Home

Kagome stirred from the best nights sleep she's had in days when the sun hit her eyes. Instead of rolling over and hiding her head in her pillow like she normally would, She sat up and stretched. When she rubbed her eyes of the remainder of the night's rest, she looked around curiously. 'Why does everything seem so much..sharper,' For lack of a better word. 'in focus?' She turned her head and looked up at the tree next to her and noticed she no longer had to squint her eyes to see the top of it, nor the design of each special leaf. When she looked to the ground, she could see each delicate blade of grass drift up, into the wind and dance away. 'What is going on here?' Her face scrunched up into a frown as she tried to figure it out.

That is, until Inuyasha woke up, seemingly on the wrong side of the..branch. "Oi, Wench! Stop staring at the ground. You look like a dumb ass." He held Kikyo in his arms and jumped down to land gently on the ground. Kikyo stirred and made it her business to flutter her eyes open, knowing Inuyasha would watch her awaken. When he eyes were all the way opened, she gave a sleepy smile and said, "Good morning Inuyasha." in a sleepy seductive voice.

The awakened others watched in disgust as that voice sent noticeable shivers throughout the inu hanyou's body. "Good morning to you too, Kikyo." He replied, smiling softly at her before setting her on the ground. Kagome rolled her eyes, well aware of what Kikyo was doing and how she was doing it.

"Come on Shippo! Let's go get some water for raman before we pack up to head to Edo Village." Kagome shook the little kit awake and watched him smile widely before jumping up and taking off.

"I'll race you 'Kaa-san!" He shouted over his shoulder, making Kagome laugh and chase after him.

"Oh, I'll get you, squirt!." Rang out followed by twinkling laughs as Shippo spun back around and tackled Kagome, making them roll down a hill and laughing the whole way.

When they stopped rolling, Kagome lay panting with Shippo on her stomach as she gazed up into the deep blue of the sky. Out of nowhere, they both start up laughing again, the kit falling off her stomach to land on the dew wet grass to hold his own. She rolled over on to her side to stare at Shippo with dancing coco-brown orbs, splaying her left arm over her aching ribs and using her right to keep her head up. Shippo calmed down and looked into mother's beautiful eyes, her aura nearly putting him to sleep again.

"Hey Shippo?" She brought her hand up to prop her head, peering over him to look at something only she can see. "Do you want to go back now or do you want to play around for a bit?" The look of utter mischief in his emerald eyes gave her the answer before he hopped up and tapped her arm.

"Tag! Your it, 'Kaa-san!" He said, grinning from ear to ear before he took off with a squeal of delight when Kagome rocketed up and ran after him again. About a half an hour later there was a yell of, "Kagome-nee-chan!" before she was, once again, tackled to the ground with a soft 'woah' and a gentle thud.

After gaining her breath back, Kagome gazed up at a giggling Rin and smiled, lifting her off and setting her down before sitting up and embracing the small girl. "Hiya Rin! What brings you here?" She let go of the loyal girl and watched as her eyes danced around, obviously happy for something.

"Jaken-sama and Lord Sesshomaru are taking a break over there," She pointed to her right and Kagome followed her hand only for her eyes to be locked with breath taking golden ones, unwillingly, or willingly she didn't know, she felt herself drown in his gaze before Rin continued on with her sentence. "and Rin saw you playing with Shippo-chan, and now I'm here!" She finished.

"Are you gonna play with Shippo and I, then?" Kagome asked, gazing back at Rin. She watched as Rin looked over at her Lord and when he gave a very small, almost unnoticeable nod, she laughed and spun around saying, "Rin would love to Kagome-nee-chan!"

Shippo quietly snuck up behind Rin and tapped her shoulder, causing her to turn around with a curious look on her face. "Tag, Rin! Your it." He skipped away, and Kagome scrambled up, vaguely happy that she wore black cargo pants and a black fish net long sleeved shirt underneath an blood red muscle shirt for easy running instead of her usual sailor outfit.

She laughed easily when she slowed down to let the young girl tag her before she slowly turned and gave Shippo a mock frightening stare, a smirk present. "Oh Shippo!" She called out, trying unsuccessfully to hold her laughter back as he skidded to a halt near Sesshomaru and pretended to shake when he saw her face. "Oh-no! It's the mean 'Kaa-san. Run, Rin, run!!" He said, pretending to be scared.

Already familiar with this part of the game, Rin gasped dramatically, and hightailed it the opposite side of the clearing and sat down to get her breath back. She watched, laughing the entire time, as Kagome chased Shippo around, mocking Inuyasha the whole time, except without the cussing involved. Finally, Kagome gave up and turned to Rin, giving her the same smirk and descended upon her. She shrieked gleefully and shot off, running towards her Lord before she was scooped up and twirled around, joyously laughing as Kagome hugged and spun her around til Kagome got way to dizzy and landed on her back, Rin on her stomach as her small hands grasped onto Kagome's shirt and rested her head above her left breast, listening to the strong heartbeat that is Kagome's. The small kit meandered over and collapsed in Kagome's other arm and sighed happily.

"We haven't had that much fun, in..I don't know how long. Have we son?" She shook the arm that had Shippo's head on and heard a small 'uh-huh' before there were some soft snores, from both kids. She sighed, feeling extremely happy for the first time in a long time.

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Sesshomaru was impressed with how long Inuyasha's wench could go without a small break from the two energetic kids and still have some energy left to pick them both up and walk over to him, Shippo in the crook of her left arm and Rin in her right. She gave him a brilliant smile as she neared only to be stopped by Jaken and his excessive squawking. Kagome just rolled her eyes, said 'shut up' and kicked him with her boot clad foot to continue walking over.

"Here you go, Mi Lord." She said, looking to the ground instead of at him, showing a sign of respect. "I suspect she'll be past out for the rest of the night. I think Shippo and I wore her out!" She giggled and waited to see what Sesshomaru would do. So, to say the least, she was shocked when he opened his arm and gazed at Rin with a softer look into his eyes when the sleeping girl was placed in said arm.

Kagome smiled gently, her eyes still on the ground as she bowed and turned to walk away. "Miko." His deep baritone voice stopped her, but she did not turn around, for if she did, she would probably end up looking at him, and that was disrespectful to someone who has earned it from her.

"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama?" Her voice was quiet so as not to wake up the precious bundle in her arms.

"I need someone to watch over my ward when I am away. You will be the one to do this." His voice seemed higher, indicating he had stood uwhile he was talking.

Fury warred with excitement. She was angry because 1.) He didn't use her name and 2.) He didn't ask. Finally, despite the fact that she wanted to throw her weight to fury, she chose excitement and turned around to bow again, lower this time. "I would be greatly honored, Lord Sesshomaru."

She smiled to the ground as she walked away, unaware of Sesshomaru's gaze on her person as she walked up the hill and back to her camp. 'She's one interesting human.' He thought before he looked down at Rin and allowed a soft smile to graze his face. Jaken scurried over, brandishing his Staff of Two Heads, mumbling about miko whores and stupid human girls before Sesshomaru shot him a nasty glare, turned on his heel and stalked away towards the two headed dragon. Jaken breathed a sigh of relief as he trudged after his powerful master.

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Kagome entered camp, noticing that both Sango and Miroku were gone, as well as Inuyasha. The only one there was Kikyo and she was smiling..evilly. Ignoring her, Kagome basically glided over to her sleeping bag and set Shippo gently down and folded the cover over him to protect him from the hideous being known as Kikyo.

"So, Wench. Finally decided to come back after traipsing around with Sesshomaru's human ward?" She sneered, enjoying the way Kagome's body stiffened at the mention of Rin.

"What's it to you, Undead?" She asked, looking over her shoulder at Kikyo to see her smirk gone. In it's place was anger. "What? Can't handle the truth, Clay Pot?" Kagome asked, her voice full of innocence and curiosity.

"Shut your mouth before I shut it for you, Reincarnation." Kikyo ground out through clenched teeth.

"Oh I don't think you'll get the chance, even if I know you wouldn't do it." Kagome said, getting in her sleeping bag, careful to put Shippo on the inside so he'd stay warmer during the night as the fire cracked and sizzled.

"And why would that be, Shard Detector?" Kikyo spat out, barely restraining the urge to jump on the little wench and teach her a lesson or to in the matters of respect.

"Because Inuyasha is coming here." Kagome fell asleep just as said hanyou walked into camp.

As soon as he saw his mate flustered he went and cradled her to his body, giving her soothing words before he gathered her and jumped into the same tree they were in before. Sango and Miroku also walked back in, arms full of wood and set it down before climbing into their own sleeping bags.

No one saw the fire brighten, lengthen, and stretch up to the ever darkening sky. They trailed off of the wood and danced down to Kagome's body, twirling around her before settling on her form. They twirled off of her and settled back on the wood.

Her clothes, her hair, and her body left as it was. Un harmed. Not burned.

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Me: Well there's your chapter! Lol I'm working on the next chapter for Souta's Best Friend should be up by the end of the week..otherwise it'll have to be next week. 'Cuz dad doesn't have..internet..-.-. well school tomorrow! Laters