Neither enemy faces, nor the mothers that love them, come to mind when one is thinking of nothing but endeavoring to survive. Philosophizing about war is useless under fire.

- Linda Berdoll

Chapter Thirty-Six: False Emotions

Things didn't seem to be getting much better at the estate for Kagome over the next two days. She wasn't allowed to do much of anything, watching Rimida's daily activities was interesting enough given she got to see him in his usual days though it got sort of boring after a while just watching people practice for hours at a time and she finally had snuck off despite her previous hesitation.

She knew that people had been ordered away from the gardens so she figured it was the safest place for her to be. At least until later when Rimida would track her down and made her feel guilty for getting some time to herself.

She wanted a break from him as much as anything else, the days with him had only made her already great confusion, worse. Sometimes he seemed like he returned her budding feelings for him but then at other times he was completely a blank slate and she couldn't tell at all what he wanted. She was really just starting to hate men in general…life was much easier before she started liking boys.

"You shouldn't wander off."

She jumped at the voice behind her and then put a hand to her chest and breathed in relief when she noted it was Sesshomaru. She thought she was going to leave her skin behind with that scare, for such a tall man he treaded very softly.

"You scared me." She frowned at him, though his expression remained much the same. "I just needed to get away and be to myself for a while…though I'm starting to believe that isn't possible."

"Rimida is doing a poor job." the demon lord observed at her comments. "Letting you get out of his sight like this. What was he doing when you took your stroll here?"

"Great. Now I'm going to get him in trouble. I suck."

"I told him I'd stay put while he was sparing with someone." She answered. "It's not his fault, I shouldn't have lied to him."

"He should have been paying attention to you regardless. What if someone would have attacked you while he wasn't paying you any mind? Do you think you would have had to be here for damage to occur?" Sesshomaru replied.

"Are you angry with me?" Kagome asked with a little surprise. "Or with Rimida?"

"I am irritated with you both for being foolish." the demon lord snapped a little when he answered her, looking at her. "If something happens to you I can't save you with Tensaiga again."

She was about to get mad at being called names but paused. "You're worried about me."

He was silent for a moment before he nodded. "I suppose I am. I can't have anything happening to you while you are under my care."

She smiled brightly at him, despite the added comment she was glad to see that he'd opened up just a little to her. Perhaps he was interested in being more than just a ally after all…though what exactly that meant was still in the air. She knew she was friends with both of her crushes but she sorta hoped that one or the other would step up and help her figure out which way to go.

Unless she knew for sure what they wanted she was pretty unwilling to express her own feelings - lord knows that never helped her with Inuyasha - he was in the arms of another woman.

"You know Rimida was just trying to help you right?" She asked curiously, she didn't want to see the two of them fight but had this sinking feeling that they were going to and there was little she could do to stop it.

"That I'm still not sure of." He answered her with a shrug. "There are a lot of things at work here and many of them are hinting that he is one of the plotters behind all these issues."

"No." Kagome shook her head immediately. "He couldn't possibly be, I've seen him talk about you and he's taken care of me all this time…just couldn't be."

"Well it would be easy to stage such things to you wouldn't it? Have you bring back all the information that he's loyal when he's still taking servants of my own for his - even if they still work for me by design…people are starting to believe that he has more control here."

"I'm just never gonna understand such things. I don't want to see you two hurt each other." Kagome said with a sigh.

"Is there a reason you are so attached to him?" Sesshomaru asked her at the way she phrased things. He couldn't argue that a fight with the chaos demon would be difficult but he had no doubts as to his victory if such a need did arise.

"I'm not attached to him." Kagome said immediately. "You are both my friends. I don't want to see you fight at all. Especially over this kind of thing."

"I do not wish it to come to that either." the demon lord offered her honestly. "I doubt it will get that far. Though disciplining him for failing to do his duties? That will happen regardless of what anyone else may want. He needs to keep a better eye on you and stop trusting that you'll do as you say. He should know better."

"Don't blame him…I want him to trust me." Kagome bit her lip, a tad ashamed of her behavior now. "I won't wander off from him again."

Sesshomaru nodded to her but what his thoughts were…that was as difficult to decipher as ever.

"What are you doing out here?" She asked to change the subject from her wandering.

"I was taking a small break from things." He replied with a shrug. "Giving myself time to consider all of what is happening here."

"Has anything been found out yet?" She was a little intimidated to be speaking with him so directly but somehow it wasn't as difficult as it might have once been.

"There are some things but given I don't know the reach of this enemies eyes or ears I have to be careful what I talk about." the demon lord explained to her as he glanced toward another part of the garden. "If you had to choose a side, what would it be?"

She blinked once at the unexpected question, shaking her head. "What do you mean?"

He glanced back to her, his golden eyes piercing her as if causing an invisible force to hold her in place. She couldn't quite manage to look away from him. "That's a pointless question."

She hesitated, she was suppose to pick one of them now? That was basically what he was saying wasn't it? Sure he didn't mean it exactly the way she was taking it…he was talking about who she would pick on a military styled level…but it was still something that was difficult for her to answer. His eyes were what were the hardest part of answering…remembering the protective looks he'd given her recently.

"I'm not sure." She finally managed. "I don't really know how that sort of thing works though."

"You are quite the diplomat." He replied, looking toward the sky. "I wonder what you plan to do once this enemy is defeated."

"I…I hadn't thought about it." Kagome answered, the questions somehow more bizarre because it was Sesshomaru asking them. She frowned a little - that was the whole reason she didn't flee into the well when Inuyasha betrayed her…it seemed like such a long time ago now but it wasn't really. Someday she would need to return home…

"You humans are odd creatures. Such short lives yet you seem to plan so little." the demon lord commented. "Sometime you'll have to make a choice between us."

"I…" She blinked a little, confused at what he was saying. She knew he was right but now she wasn't sure what it was he was really talking about. "Is it just military things?"

"Kagome." She turned to where the pale chaos demon was walking up on the pair of them. "Come here Kagome."

She blushed a little, embarrassed and a little ashamed of her actions. "I'm sorry I wandered off."

"Come here." He repeated, his voice less calm than normal. There was an edge of urgency to it. "Now…."

He was cut off by the demon lord.

"It's fine." Sesshomaru answered as he settled a clawed hand on his Tenseiga, preparing to draw the dangerous fang of his father. "She can stay in the gardens for a while. Though I doubt she'll want to see what's about to happen."

"Huh?" Kagome seemed confused as the demon lord drew his blade. "What's going on here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Sesshomaru replied as he drew his sword. "This fight between Rimida and I was destined to occur…I should have honestly just removed him as a threat sooner. Now he can't even accomplish the simple task of keeping an eye on a mortal…what more could I truly expect of him."

"Wait…no." Kagome shook her head. "I am the one that wandered off, don't blame Rimida…you two don't need to do this!"

"It is as necessary as the air we breath Kagome…even if you do stay to watch I recommend that you back away."

End Chapter

Okay so yes this chapter is short but I had to end it there. The next part needs to be a chapter by itself. Yay combat stuffs!

-Aura

To my reviewers:

Zoey Tamagachi - Thought it would make it more interesting.

Turtley2005 - Not sure on the Olsia/Kagome thing. I have some plans for our lovely leopard demoness.

This Kagome - Lol, sometimes it's hard to find quotes that fit the chapters and I have to reach a bit…though I try to make sure they do fit what happens. Aw, poor Sesshomaru…I still love him. There is some I can't say ;). Battle next chapter.

Demonic-Dragon-Eyed-Chick - Heh, it'll work out. Promise. giggle I laugh at my own sad jokes. You'll get that when you read the next chapter (once I finish it).

Sesshy-kaglover29 - I'm not sure. And to explain the chaos demon thing. Saiya and Trion are both seers but Saiya is much -much- better at it. She was raised to it and for Trion it's more of a very latent ability where he doesn't have much control over it. All chaos demons are born with seer abilities but only some are trained in them. Maybe I didn't explain that well enough earlier on. Rimida doesn't have any seer abilities he can access because of his unique breeding.

Elvenarcher516 - Yay reviews! Thank you so much.

Callie-yue - Hope you keep liking it, I'm finally starting to get toward the end of the fiction but I still have a ways to go at the same time. It's easier reading than writing though.

Anzxgirl2020 - I know how the story will end at this time and who will end up with whom but I also have a few vague plans for a sequel. I just hope everyone will enjoy what I have planned.