Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or its characters; that right belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. Nor do I own Final Fantasy (any of the titles), that right belongs to the game developers, Artist, storyboard writers, and Sony/Square soft!

Author's Notes: I am stating this now, here is who Kagome will not be paired with. President Shinra, Hojo, Angeal, Genesis Rhapsody, Cloud Strife, Veld, Vincent Valentine, anyone on the ShinRa Board of Directors, Shippo, or Sesshomaru (I mean Fucking really, he is in another world!)... As of right now, those are the only ones I am able to list. And still have no idea of the end pairing. So if you do not like that, I politely ask you to turn around and leave now because I don't see the point in you wasting your time and mine.


Month 5, Week 4, Day 6

Kagome sat there amidst the pale white and yellow flowers growing through the dilapidated church floor. Her eyes were on her fingers as they brushed over the petals gently, knowing she was smiling happily. Yet her mind was not happy; it was a chaotic cluster fuck. The last few weeks had been nothing but one trial after another, and she needed this time. Glancing over, she looked at her unique friend who was diligently pulling the few weeds that were trying to grow but failing miserably amongst the flowers

"So, what is on your mind?" Aeris asked.

Sighing, Kagome let her gaze drop back to her fingers as they stopped on a bud that had yet to open. She could feel the plants' life force pulsing through the plant, an odd feeling; however, it was soothing.

"Since our last meeting a lot has happened," Kagome stated, letting her emotions slip into her voice as she kept it to a whisper.

When the sound of hands brushing against each other reached her ears, Kagome knew she had Aeris' full attention. And from the way her aura changed, Kagome knew that she was listening to the voice of the planet. A thing that Kagome had yet to be able to do at will. But then again, she knew that Aeris was very special, which was why Hojo was so adamant about them being friends. Of course, it was all for the sake of science, not to keep her happy and allow the man what little sanity he had.

"I have felt odd stirrings and pulses happening. That was you?" Aeris said, her voice hushed as well.

Lifting her head, Kagome looked into the crystalline green eyes of her friend, before shooting a quick look behind them to the silent, hyper-vigilant babysitter she had. She would have preferred Tseng, but he had been sent on a mission. Mysterious? Nope, planned out manipulation and abuse of power. People didn't seem to get it that she was not stupid and more aware. Then again, being able to see aura and souls, a nice perk, it allowed her to know when others were lying to her.

"I guess? But my problem is of a personal and slightly intimate nature," Kagome said, puckering her lips and wrinkling her nose.

At the soft laugh from Aeris, Kagome felt heat rush to her cheeks.

"Oh? Guy trouble?" was Aeris' innocent question.

Letting her head jerk forward and nod only once before resting her chin against her chest, Kagome let out a long-suffering breath. Earning another soft laugh.

"Well, as you are my only friend and female, explain it to me, and I will do my best to give you sage advice," Aeris quipped.

Kagome tilted her head just enough to look at the bubbly girl. Assessing her before smiling and spilling the proverbial beans about how Reno, Tseng, and a few others have made it clear they wanted to go more beyond friendship. And that she wasn't sure she was ready for that. Stressing that while she adored them, even uniquely loved them each, that she didn't recall ever giving the signal that said she, herself, wanted more.

There was silence for a long minute when a cough came from behind her. Narrowing her eyes as Aeris frowned visibly. Kagome knew that the ass didn't want to be there. That this was not his idea of a good time but was effective to spy on her. Aeris knew it too, and both of them had made Veld feel very uncomfortable to stand further back than Tseng usually did.

When Aeris leaned in, a conspiratorial smile on her pink lips. Kagome bit back a bark of laughter. Something told her that she'd like what Aeris had come up with.


This situation did not amuse him. He knew women could gab for hours, but the two had just sat there tending to flower. Flowers that, by all means, shouldn't exist in the polluted ground of the slums of Sector Five. It had him curious, but all the reports Tseng had submitted stated that Aeris had a knack for getting things to grow. The pictures of her mother's house were proof of that. Though it also had some of the cleanest water ones could find in the Slums as well, and the citizens didn't tread there to get it. As if they respected Aeris and her mother. Of course, he had no clue about why the girl was special.

And he had a sinking feeling with how close they were now, whispering in hush tone (after finally talking) so he couldn't hear. It aggravated him. This had been a carefully planned situation. He was making sure that Tseng or anyone of the others who were fond of the damn strange blue-eyed, raven-haired girl. President ShinRa had him switch up orders to make sure that they were gone, out in the field on a dubious mission.

"Not to be rude, but it is getting rather late, we should return Kagome," he said as he took two steps towards them and stopped as the fine hairs on his arms and neck raised.

When he got twin dark looks in blue and green, Veld had to fight to stay where he was, hold his ground. It was just unnatural how their eyes seemed to sparkle in that little bit of fading sunlight, making both of them as if they were not of Gaea. That and the ways they smiled in tandem was creepy. And having been a professional assassin for hire, he had seen some things that would make a person of weaker mind and constitution snap.

"That is fine," Kagome replied as she stood up and dusted off her knees and stretched.

Veld watched as she bent and hugged the other girl, Aeris, and seemingly whispered something in her ear. The soft chuckle had him narrowing his eyes, figuring as green eyes crinkled as they narrowed at him, that Kagome had made some comment about him.

"Let us return to the head-quarter," Veld stated as Kagome walked toward him.

"Ah, can you take me to Sector Six Bar?" Kagome asked. "It is later than I had thought, and Scarlet and Lydia are supposed to meet me. and I don't want them to be worried."

He almost stumbled at her words. This was information he had not been giving. Slowing down, so she was walking next to her while keeping a good foot from her, Veld looked at her to see if she was lying. Then again, he didn't think this slip of a chit could be duplicitous. But the serene, happy, almost eager look on her face he couldn't tell.

"Is something wrong? You are staring, and that is rude."

Blinking and looking forward, Veld said nothing. There was something that wasn't connecting with her sudden announcement and calling to get that information, or checking was not an option. Because the last thing he needed was to annoy the girl further and have her do whatever she had done in that business meeting to those soldiers to him. It had been horrifying watching as the two men had dropped to the floor, writhing in pain as they screamed and tried to claw at themselves as if something was crawling all over them, biting their flesh.

'Ppppt Ppppt Ppppt'

"Oh!"

Veld shot a glance at Kagome as her little device went off, telling her she had a phone call. He watched as she answered it, her face shifting as she smiled widely.

"Hi, Scarlet! Nope, I am on my way with my babysitter," Kagome quipped.

Veld said nothing and continued only to have Kagome stop and thrust her little PHS out at him. Staring at it as if it was going to bite him, Veld took it and held it to his ear. Only to feel his eyes go wide as he heard his boss, Vice-President Lydia ShinRa, speak on the other end. Instructing him to get Kagome to the bar and that Scarlet would be taking Kagome with her to the diner that she had decided would be a better place for dinner, considering her delicate condition.

The expectant smile on Kagomes faces as her eyes glinted darkly told Veld that he had been set up. That he could no longer look into seeing if she was telling the truth. He wasn't sure about how she had planned this out so well, as the girl hadn't talked to either Scarlet of Lydia for a few days. And that Kagome rarely touched the small electronic device he was now handing back to her. Feeling angry at being played, Veld did as he was instructed and made a not to talk to the President about it.


Hojo looked up from his new paper as the front door opened, and Kagome walked in with Lydia behind her. He was arching an eyebrow, before giving an annoyed grunt and folding his paper. The way the two women were smiling in utter amusement and smelled of red wine was all he needed to know.

"Thank you for bringing her home safe after your... dinner, Lydia," he said.

He had been slightly perturbed earlier when Kagome had contacted him through their psychic connection and asked him to get a hold of either Scarlet or Lydia and work this out. Then again, it was a small price to pay for not having an emotional Kagome on his hands, ranting and raving like women menstruating. All because the good President didn't have the common sense to understand that his little experiment didn't want anything to do with him, let alone be in his bed.

"Now, now, be nice. I am not happy that Reginald is messing with my part of the company, or that Veld is going along with it. I think it is getting close for me to make some changes in the chain of command," Lydia said, her voice cold, while she smiled warmly.

Hojo didn't have to ask to know what was going on in her mind. His concern was the fact she was pregnant and could easily lose the child. Letting his eyes drop until they rested on her stomach, making a point about what he was concerned with.

"The baby is fine, healthy," Kagome spoke up for the first time. "And I think I have a solution to that issue that has been driving us both up the wall. Lydia and Scarlet love it too."

He couldn't help himself as his head jerked up, and he glared at his housemate. The tone of voice she used made him want to walk away, far away, and fast. It was never good when a group of women got together and agreed on an idea. Then again, anything would be better than having all those men coming in and out of his damn lab, interrupting Kagome from her work and agitating her, thus him by proxy. Her control over her emotions and those intriguing and damning power was still a significant work in progress.

"Do I want to know?" he asked blithely.

"Yes, Kenya, you do," Lydia said, smiling wider and trying not to laugh.

"Fine, tell me this idea," Hojo stated as he let his head drop, chin resting on his chest.

"It was Aeris who came up with the idea," Kagome said. "If they want to date me, then they have to find a way to beat me in unarmed, hand-to-hand combat. No materia, weapons, nothing but raw skill only."

Blinking his eyes as he processed what was just said as Jenova cackled madly in the back of his head. That couldn't be, right? Could it? That the sweet, innocent, passive ancient gave this kind of advice to Kagome? And it was still unfair but could be a good deterent for them. Then again, it could spur a whole different kind of an annoying mess.

"Let the girl do this. It will provide you with ample good data on how the others fight with no aid," Jenova said while still cackling.

This only made him want to groan aloud and hide. It bothered him that the alien he harbored in his body was agreeing with Kagome's, no Aeris' idea, especially when she hated Kagome and her abilities.


Elsewhere several people froze in what they were doing and looking up at either the ceiling or sky and shivered. A sense of foreboding washing through them as if a disturbance had rippled from the lifestream.

While two people threw back their heads and laughed aloud in dark amusement as if agreeing with something unseen or heard, causing those around them to pull back and look at them startled at the sudden outburst.

TBC!

POST NOTE: The next story to be updated is - So in Love with Two!