Chapter 37: Plan of Action
Kagome walked slowly through the woods back to their small camp. Shippou and Rin were happily playing a game involving the torture of their babysitter. It wasn't long until Shippou's nose twitched with a familiar scent and he gave a happy yell, which was then echoed by the slightly bigger girl.
"Momma!" They both abandoned their target and latched onto the demoness with pleasure. Kagome wondered vaguely where Sesshoumaru had wondered off to, and about that time Rin gave a more excited squeal than before.
"Lord Sesshoumaru!" She smiled cheekily and bowed to him. Sesshoumaru patted her lightly on the head before walking to stand adjacent to Kagome.
Kagome smiled slightly, linking her arm with his. "Where have you been off to?"
"I thought it an opportune moment to make a quick round of my lands." He replied in his usual disinterested voice, but his eyes softened ever so slightly when he glanced down at the vixen at his side.
"Find anything noteworthy?" She smirked slightly. Even if he did find something worth taking notice, he would not admit it, and sure enough, Sesshoumaru shook his head. "Good. Shall we go into the village? I need to talk to you and Kaede-san."
They turned and started back to the village, and Sesshoumaru called over his shoulder in his regular voice. "Jaken, bring the children."
"Yes, milord!" His retainer replied in a high, strained voice, and ushered the kids along after them. Shippou and Rin smiled and ran to catch up with them, leaving the toad youkai sputtering for them to wait for him.
With the slow pace the two were walking at, the children had decided to play a game of "run around the parental figures." Jaken had caught up and was walking a good five feet behind his master, his staff firmly in his hands.
When they entered the village there was the usual nervous glances toward the taiyoukai, but they were not otherwise bothered. Leaving Jaken to watch the children in the company of Miroku and Sango, Sesshoumaru and Kagome entered the small priestess's hut. "Kaede-san?" Came the gentle call of Kagome's voice. Her voice itself had depended and smoothed slightly since her transformation, but it was somehow still her own.
"What is it that ye need, child?" She asked from were she was seated, crushing herbs.
"I need to have your opinion on something."
"Well, come in and sit. Would you like some tea?" Both denied, but sat side by side across from her. "What is it ye would like my opinion on, Lady Kagome?"
Getting comfortable, leaning slightly against Sesshoumaru and crossing her legs, she began. "The evil presence that is constantly around us, Kaede-san... It is familiar, smothering. I think that this unseen force is not a new development... I think it is Naraku."
Kaede was quiet for a moment, before she spoke. "But the jewel tore him apart... And Miroku's wind tunnel has disappeared from his hand."
Kagome's face remained impassive as she worded her reply. "Yes... It tore him apart, but so did my arrow. As long as Naraku heart is whole, we know he can regenerate his body... and as for the Wind Tunnel... Naraku has removed it before; just long enough for us to believe he had died. I believe he removed it now because fueling it was not an option. He needed time to recover unbothered, and to do that, he would have to appear dead. Not to mention the fueling the Wind Tunnel would sap his strength at the same time."
Kaede pondered a moment, "I remember... He wanted to absorb the goddess to gain her power after Inuyasha and you weakened her enough for him to attack."
Kagome nodded and turned to Sesshoumaru. "What do you think?"
Sesshoumaru was silent for a few moments. "I think your reasoning and beliefs are plausible. The foul reek clinging does smell like the hanyou. Some of the human villages in the Western lands have been leveled. Burnt to the ground, but not pillaged. I don't think it is the work of rogue youkai. All the bodies of the deceased still litter the ground."
Kagome furrowed her brows slightly. "I do not see any reasoning behind it, even for Naraku. He used to destroy human villages in the past, looking for the shards, but the jewel is complete and here. It makes no sense for him to destroy villages in the West."
Kaede spoke after that. "Aye, but what we must remember is that if it is Naraku, he lives to see pain... His reasoning is very different from ours."
Sesshoumaru nodded in agreement, but offered no further council.
Kagome sighed slightly, and continued. "So we are almost certain it is Naraku... There is something else I need your advice on as well. It is my belief that Naraku is unaware of who I truly am. He probably still believes me to be human."
Sesshoumaru listened, wondering where she was going with this.
"I think that I should appear human until we know if he is indeed ignorant of my change. I can withdraw my demon aura, cover my scent, and alter my appearance."
Kaede nodded. "I believe that would be best."
Kagome nodded, and closing her eyes, she bowed her head slightly. She concentrated on what she had looked like as a human and pulled her miko power forth, making her demon power withdraw. Slowly, her appearance began to change. Her hair grew shorter, her markings vanished beneath slightly rosier skin, her claws shortened into fingernails, and her frame altered slightly. Seemingly finished, she opened her eyes once more and glanced up. The only thing that remained as it had been before was her light turquoise eyes.
"Lady Kagome, your eyes... Were they not blue when you were human?"
Kagome smiled slightly and nodded. "Yes, but I don't think Naraku will notice, and besides... I don't want to completely be someone I'm not."
She slipped her hand into Sesshoumaru's and gave it a quick squeeze before withdrawing.
Then came the fluttering of the door flap, and Kikyou and Inuyasha stepped in.
"Oh, we're sorry, Kagome-san, Sesshoumaru-sama. We did not know Kaede had company." Kikyou smiled slightly. "We shall come back later." They started to leave when Kagome stopped them.
"No, it's alright. In fact, I think you should join us." Kagome got up and moved to the far side of Sesshoumaru so she would be away from them both and give them room to sit.
"Alright." Inuyasha sat closest to the door, and Kikyou sat between the Inu brothers. "What is it that we're discussing?"
"This pending evil... we believe it is Naraku, Kikyou-san." Kikyou nodded despite Inuyasha's unbelieving glance.
"From here on, I will appear human, and we must act like nothing has changed about me. I believe Naraku doesn't know of what has gone on during his recovery, since he killed Kagura and Kanna. Which brings me to why I wanted you to stay for this." As Kagome spoke, Kikyou tilted her head slightly, wondering what it was. "He knows nothing of what is between you and I, Sesshoumaru and I, or Inuyasha and you. Some arrangement must be made to keep him partially or fully in the dark."
Kagome didn't look at Sesshoumaru when he turned his gaze upon her. She knew he would not like this.
Kikyou was quiet for a moment, and then voiced her question. "What arrangement do you propose?"
Kagome glanced out the small window for a moment before returning her gaze inside the hut. "I think that you and Inuyasha should appear to be more than friends. I do not think it would be a good idea for you to leave. Naraku might attack you then, or even just claim to have you in his possession if he attacked us. It is only plausible, then, that you should remain here were we will know a lie when we hear it."
Sesshoumaru had to hand it to her. She was good at deciding on a path of action under slight pressure. He really did not care what happened to this Kikyou, but for some reason she always looked out for the well being of others. He mentally sighed. He had a good idea what was coming next. No doubt this was the best possible route, but he still did not like it. Not one little bit.
"Other than that, I think things should appear how they did when he was after the jewel shards. You and I cannot appear to be more than forced acquaintances, and Sesshoumaru and I must appear no more than momentary allies."
This was met with a few minutes of silence before Kikyou and Inuyasha nodded in agreement and took leave. Then Kaede found two separate huts... one for Kagome and Shippou, and another beside it, for Sesshoumaru, Rin, and Jaken.
There was no speaking between the two as they stepped inside Kagome's hut, but once they were in, Kagome turned to look at him. He met her gaze without hesitation. She could see aggravation swirling in the molten depths of his golden eyes. "You are upset with me." It was not a question. She knew it would bother him, and he had every right to be angry with her.
"I am." Was the only reply he offered at the time.
Kagome frowned and wrapped her arms around his waist. He returned the gesture, but offered her no comfortable words. "I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru. I just don't see a better plan of action. I'm sorry I left you out of my intentions."
Sesshoumaru was silent for a moment. "It is not that. Your plan is an adequate solution, but I've only just got you, and now I can't touch you." He ran a clawed hand down her back and along her thigh, making her shiver. "You've covered my scent... and you once again smell pure and untouched. You even appear as you did before I had you." His voice sounded slightly saddened, and Kagome felt ashamed.
"After Naraku is gone, I shall never do it again. Even now, I am still and only yours." She wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him lightly on the lips. "I must appear human to Naraku... but I am still who I was then. That's why I did not change my eye color. You can still find me beneath the surface." She placed her lips against his once again, slightly more forceful than before.
WARNING: Slightly limey, but nothing lemon.
Soon, Sesshoumaru returned her pleading kiss with fervor, running his tongue caressingly against her lips. As she parted them slightly, he ran his tongue along her mouth, brushing her tongue with his own, coaxing her to follow suit. Hesitantly, she did and as their tongue tangled sweetly, he wrapped one arm around her waist, trailing the other up her side to cup her breast. Her breath caught slightly and she let out a soft moan as he massaged her breast through the kimono she was wearing.
Breathing heavily, the two broke apart as the sound of Rin and Shippou's laughing and the sound of the retainer telling them to stay away from the hut came closer. Controlling their pants, and settling themselves quickly, they were waiting for the two children's arrival when the two burst in past the doormat and skipped happily into Kagome's arms.
End limey sequence.
"Mom! You appear human again!" She nodded with a slight smile.
"It is to fool the bad guy," She said with patience, ruffling the kitsune's hair, and lovingly running her fingers through Rin's short raven locks.
They nodded slightly, and Rin said in a timid voice. "I must stay with Sesshoumaru-sama in the next hut while you and Shippou stay here."
Kagome nodded. "Yes, but I will be near." She smiled and hugged the two children clinging to her and smiled up at Sesshoumaru.