She wasn't sure of what to say, or even of what to do. She'd been leaving the Titans' Tower to buy some groceries - an act that made her check over her shoulder each time she left - when the three had deposited themselves before her. Kouga and Rin seemed quite proud of themselves, and they'd even brought little Shippo with them.
"What have you done?" she whispered, shocked. Certainly, there was no issue with her smaller friends having come - even if they were entirely useless, they wouldn't get in the way, and would likely learn from their stay. She looked at them and sighed.
Rin had immediately begun staring at her toes - where had her shoes gone? - and Kouga was staring at her, though he refused to meet her eyes. The little fox kit, though, leaped down from his place in Rin's arms and hopped up into Kagome's own waiting arms.
"It'll be alright, Mama." he assured her. "Since Rin and Kouga were the ones that came, Hakkaku and Ginta probably aren't far behind. And Jaken and Sesshoumaru, too, I bet, since Sesshoumaru won't even let Rin cross the street without strict orders."
She frowned, before finally sighed, rolling her eyes. Her stance of scolding changed to that of a woman mothering her children. "And just what would you have done if you'd gotten lost?" she asked sternly. "Or if one of you had been caught? Or if you'd gotten hurt?"
Kouga bared his teeth. He wasn't such a little boy anymore, reverting back to his older, more real form of a young man. "Come on, Kagome! How could I have ever lost you? And I wouldn't have let them be hurt."
"And if we got caught, all I'd have had to do is use my fox fire!" Shippo chirped cheerily.
Rin, though, seemed a bit surprised at the sudden change in the little boy's size. She glared at him accusingly. "You said you were my age!"
"I am, dear lady." he grinned at her. "Or at least, that's how old I was at the time." He was one of the people who always spoke the truth - if they believed it, it was real. Or so they said, anyways.
"Anyways, I can help." he said, his gaze serious and set, seeking Kagome's eyes.
"Yes, you can," Kagome agreed, "By taking these two back home."
Immediately she was given the kicked wolf and abandoned puppy expressions that she had never quite been able of overcoming. She sighed, feeling a headache coming on.
"Alright, come in. I'll have to introduce you. And mind you, it's not up to me to decide who stays and who goes." she warned them, stepping aside to give them space to enter.
As it was, she herself was worried. At first had had been only she, and the girl, Starfire, who had been there for so long. Then, Sango and Miroku had followed. Now, it was these three, and the promise of more people that they'd brought was... nerve-wracking. There were so many of them. She'd likely have to leave. There was no way that the Titans' Tower could house so many.
Nor did she have any intention of making it house them. If more people were coming, she was leaving. She couldn't allow her baggage to bother them any longer. Especially not with all of the kindness they had given her. Still, she'd have to leave discreetly. After all, Sango and Miroku would likely be adamant about leaving the safety, and they'd be loud about it.
No, this was something she had to do on her own. Without anyone else knowing.
Even as she made the introductions that she had been forced to make, her smile, while it made its appearance and was free of any doubts or troubles, her mind was sad to have to say goodbye.
After she had spelled them to make the contract with Inuyasha, they'd been angry with her. Raven and Robin had explained why, but still, she couldn't help but feel as if it was something she had to do. Besides, she was exempt from their protection because the Agreement had spoken of no outside interference.
If and when he came, it would be two on two or one of them would die, and it wouldn't be her.
Some temporary rooming arrangements were made; Shippo would stay with Sango, and Kouga would stay with Miroku. Rin, though, would sleep with Raven. All of them had been curious at Raven's easy acceptance of the girl, but Kagome only breathed easier. Raven's acceptance not only helped her plan her escape - had it been any other room, Rin would've been staying with Kagome - but it showed that Raven's self-inflicted loneliness was beginning to leave, albeit slowly.
"Right then, we've got all that figured out!" she grinned, cheerily. "Who's up for some pizza?"
There was an immediate chorus of agreements, and hands were thrown into the air. Quickly, they jammed themselves into land vehicles - the T-Mobile - not the company, the car! - had proven to be larger than they'd thought when they were able to squeeze in the mouse-Beast Boy, Kouga's wolf cub form, Shippo's smaller fox form, Rin, Starfire, Sango, Miroku and Raven. Kagome had taken the safer option of riding with Robin. She'd offered to switch with Starfire, but the alien girl seemed more interested in making friends with Kouga and Rin, even as she pet Shippo's soft fur.
As it was, Kagome sat firmly behind Robin, her front firmly attached to his back as her arms wrapped around his waist, clasped in front of his stomach. At times like this, she was thankful that Tamaranians had long limbs. As they moved along, she spoke to him.
"If I disappear while we're going to go and get pizza, it's because I need to go and pick up something. It's a surprise, so don't tell anyone, alright?"
"Alright, why not. Just be careful. You've still got to learn your way around, right?"
"It's fine. I know where I'm going." she assured him.
Halfway through pizza, she excused herself to the restroom along with the other girls. She made sure to be the last one to use the restroom, and the last one to head back. When Starfire offered to wait, she waved it off, saying, "Oh, don't worry. It's not like I'm going to get lost in a restaurant. Besides, if you don't hurry back, the pizza will disappear."
It was a good point to make, seeing as it was both true and effective. The males had a tendency to make large quantities of food disappear individually, so seeing them together would be terrifying at an all-you-can-eat pizza buffet.
Then, when the coast was clear, she left. It was as easy walking out the back door. She flew to the shopping mall and silently slid her communicator into one of the pipes along the ceiling of the building.
Part one being done, she entered one of the clothing stores that the shopping mall had. She purchased two outfits with money that she'd earned on the side and had invested with some well placed stocks.
Now, she easily blended in with the crowds of people. And in doing so, she easily disappeared.
"Naraku has remained on his own, then?"
"Yes, sir."
"No movements or anything?"
"He had two Chinese take-out dinners and had servants deliver his food. That has been his only contact with the outside world."
"He hasn't viewed the screens? Or listened to the broadcasts?"
"Absolutely nothing, sir. He was immersed in his work in lower levels of his home and laboratory. He seems to be working on a replacement prize."
"Good. Kagome, and the Titans? And my friends?"
"All is quiet sir."
"Have you readied everything?"
"H-hai!"
"Then let us be on our way."
"I'll meet you there, then."
"Of course."
"Smack Kouga, for me, will you? He needs to stop leaving us to run in his dust."
"No kidding."
"See you there."
"Later."
AN: Here's one of those long awaited updates. It took a long while, but it's progressing again. Since I lost most of my previous notes, the story may be taking a radically different direction, so be prepared for it! Thanks to all of those who waited so patiently, and also to those who reviewed with such energizing messages. Those reviews actually remind me of the story, so keep reviewing, my precious readers!
