(In every anime it seems there is a dirty old man - why shoud this be an exception? Sesshoumaru gets a talking to and Kagome gets caught - again.. As always, Inuyasha and co belong to Takahashi Rumiko ::bows:: et al.)
Five Days In Tokyo - or - Sesshoumaru's Unlikely Visit - Fourteen
"Is he dead?" Sesshoumaru asked, glancing over where the elderly Jaken still slept.
It was the middle of the night and Kagome was sound asleep near the fire, curled up contentedly under several layers of blankets, her head barely visible under the covers. Sesshoumaru and Sarubo sat in front of the fire, sharing a companionable silence. For Sesshoumaru it was a good feeling to see someone of his own time and place, even though Saburo had aged greatly in the span of five hundred years.
Saburo poked Jaken with a stick and the ancient toad-youkai snorted in his sleep and rolled over.
"Hai, he's still alive." Saburo smirked. "He always does that when I poke him with a stick, the old weed eater.."
"He has been here before?" Sesshoumaru felt surprise. This Jaken could barely walk without stumbling about.
Saburo nodded. "From time to time he comes and rests. He talks about the old days with your father, you." Saburo shook his head and reached for an old pipe that was upon a makeshift shelf. "He is a plucky one, I will give him that."
"But he serves that baka, Hadori.." Sesshoumaru eyed Saburo as he placed some tobacco in his pipe. Since when did Saburo take up that nasty human habit?
"Hai, he does, but I do not think he holds adoration for Hadori as he did for you, Sesshou. And besides Hadori came upon him quite by accident when the idiot wandered away from here to search of you. Jaken's going a bit senile you see."
"Wandered away from here. Do you mean -?" Sesshoumaru asked.
"The humans cannot see this place even though it exists and they cannot enter through the barrier." Saburo lit up his pipe with a flourish and sucked in a bit of smoke gratefully. "It is much like the spell that was over your castle. Humans feel a chill when they come over this area and they stay away. It is a decent hiding place away from prying eyes."
"Ah, so Jaken wandered off - that figures." Sesshoumaru let a ghost of a smile cross his features. His eyes happened to rove over Kagome and he frowned.
"You say humans cannot find this place nor cross the barrier, but she crossed it with ease."
"Gah.." Saburo opened his mouth to blow out a smoke ring. "For a great youkai lord you do not see the obvious. Of course she could - because she posesses a piece of the Shikon no Tama inside her. She is quite a powerful miko, I must say."
"You can sense that?" Sesshoumaru looked surprised. He had forgotten just how unpredictable Saburo could be.
"I'm old but I'm not that old!" Saburo chuckled. "You have a fondness for that Kagome, eh?"
"No." Sesshoumaru compressed his lips tightly.
Saburo smoked his pipe with a gleam in his eyes as he regarded Sesshoumaru.
"I've known you since you were a pup barely beginning to walk.." Saburo said. "Always you wanted to master everything that you could to make your father proud of you and he was, oh yes he was."
"Then why did he give that baka the Tetsusaiga?" Sesshoumaru's eyes were filled with the old anger that he had felt ever since his father had taken a human mate, had given his half-breed son a powerful sword and he a useless healing sword.
Well, not useless since he had saved Rin, but still -
"You ask why and yet you do not see the reasoning behind it." Saburo frowned as he took another toke of his battered pipe.
"There was no reasoning.." Sesshoumaru growled.
"Fah! There is a reason behind everything, Sesshou!" Saburo exclaimed.
"You'll wake the wench.." Sesshoumaru glared at the youkai.
Saburo sighed. "You are a youkai, Inuyasha is - was a hanyou. It stood to reason that he would always have to fight humans and youkai because he was of them and not of them. Do you understand?"
Sesshoumaru scowled. He felt like yanking that infernal smoking thing out of Saburo's mouth, but out of respect for his father's old friend, he did not.
"Stubborn pup!" Saburo spat.
Sesshoumaru blinked. He hadn't been called a pup since he was a - pup! He supposed that as old as Saburo was, he, Sesshoumaru would be considered a pup.
"You are the lord of the Western Lands - the largest territory of the Four Territories.." Saburo's eyes were staring at Sesshoumaru keenly. "You were raised to that, raised to be very powerful, just as your father was. Would it not be a foolish thing to give a powerful sword that could kill to one so powerful?
"You've gone senile, Saburo." Sesshoumaru said.
"Stubborn, stubborn.." Saburo finished his pipe and tapped it against the rocks that lined the fire. "And no I have not gone senile. I was there when your father commissioned those swords. He gave you the Tensaiga - the healing sword so that you, despite all your power could know compassion."
"Compassion for humans? Never." Sesshoumaru snapped.
"But what about your little one back there - Rin?" Saburo looked rather smug.
"She is but - an amusement." Sesshoumaru knew that he was lying.
"Yes, an amusement who you used the Tensaiga on - a worthless human." Saburo smiled ever so slightly as he proceeded to clean out his pipe. "Yes, the Tensaiga was for you to learn compassion and the Tetsusaiga was for Inuyasha to learn the value of discipline and honor - and yes even a hanyou can learn those things. Even humans are capable of that. Your woman there - "
"She's not my woman.."
"Not yet.." Saburo winked at Sesshoumaru slyly. "But I see the signs. You know she is more than an ordinary woman, Sesshou. She is not at all like Inuyasha's mother - delicate and frail. You, of all people could not understand why your father, a powerful, no, the most powerful youkai-lord of the West would take a frail human woman to wife after having been with your mother. I'll tell you why. He loved her."
"You think I don't know that?" Sesshoumaru snarled lowly. "Walls were thin. I could hear everything.."
"Feh! You speak only of the sounds of a man and woman together! That is not all love is! If it was all there was, you would have taken Kagome there and then been done with it. But something within you prevents it and it is not because she is a human, it is something more than that. Even youkai are not immune to the emotions of love - especially closed up ones like you. Let me say in all respect, Sesshou, that you would be a fool to let her get away as Inuyasha has done. She could have been an asset to him in more ways than one, but it was the shadow of the dead miko that crippled him."
~That and he was always a baka..~ Sesshoumaru thought to himself.
"I have forgotten how you talk, Saburo." Sesshoumaru said coolly. "I admit it is something that I do not miss."
"Eh, you scowl, Sesshou, but I know your mind and it has not changed much from the pup I knew. You will think upon this even when you don't wish to."
"Go to bed, old man." Sesshoumaru leaned back against the wall of the cave and closed his eyes, hoping that would stop the old youkai from talking.
Saburo chuckled. "Hai, I see some things have not changed!" He got up and went to where his own sleeping pallet was, but stopped for just a moment, glancing at Sesshoumaru and then Kagome.
"Just a word to the wise, Sesshou. That woman - she is a jewel of great price. If you do not value her, then someone else will." He left Sesshoumaru's presence and Sesshoumaru heard the old youka settling down to sleep.
For a long time, Sesshoumaru would gaze at the fire and then at Kagome speculatively. Scowling, he looked about the cave, trying to think of anything besides the words that Saburo dared to speak to him. It was then he spotted the bag that Kagome had taken from where they had been held. Curious, he reached over to snag it, and then opened it, taking out the contents. The smell - yes, these things belonged to Kagome's grandfather. He looked at the scrolls one by one and then he took out a rosary bead necklace. Sesshoumaru raised a brow as he realized just what type of necklace this was. That baka Inuyasha always had one around his neck.
Sesshoumaru glanced at Kagome as an sly wicked smile flickered across his sensual lips. Placing the other things back in the bag, he put the rosary necklace in a hidden pocket that was beneath the sash of his kimono, and then put the bag back where he had found it..
****
When Sesshoumaru had awakened, he found that Saburo and Jaken were already awake. Kagome was still asleep.
"Good morning, Sesshoumaru.." Saburo grinned and Sesshoumaru could smell the noxious odor of the coffee brewing.
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken exclaimed. "We go to the near village, ne? Scare the humans!" Jaken chuckled as he sat chewing on an orange stick.
"Hai, Jaken." Sesshoumaru eyed his aged retainer, feeling almost pity for him. Pity - for Jaken? Bah, he was growing soft. The sooner he was back home, the better.
"Eh, he always does that." Saburo was putting some foodstuffs in a battered bag that had writen on it "Air Nippon" written in script. "Oh here.." He tossed Sesshoumaru something incredibly tiny - so tiny that only a youkai's eyes could even see it. Sesshoumaru held the tiny thing in his hand as it glittered like a grain of sand.
"What is it?" Sesshoumaru asked.
"That thing there is what they call a 'chip'. It was in your neck. I drew it out whilst you slept." Saburo explained.
Sesshoumaru was impressed. Saburo had once been the equvalent of a youkai physician, once serving in the High Court of the youkai It was there that he had met his father, Inutashio. Even though youkai could heal quickly from wounds and sickness and had vastly superior immune systems to frail humans, even they had their physicians. Saburo had had the gift of 'seeing' ailments within a youkai and treating them. Evidently this 'chip' he had seen was considered such a thing, but he still did not know what a 'chip' was.
"Explain.." Sesshoumaru eyed the thing resting in the palm of his hand.
"From what I gather from human writings, these chips are - " Saburo tried to find a way to explain it to Sesshoumaru. "They run many, many machines that the humans posess now. I think that little chip there was used to track you."
"Track ME? I am no animal!" Sesshoumaru threw the chip angrily into the fire.
Saburo shrugged. "They can use these things as if they could smell scents just as we could. At any rate, that idiot Hadori cannot track you down now."
"Another stupid hanyou to contend with." Sesshoumaru growled.
"He may be stupid but he has worked all the machines and magic that the humans have learned to his side. I think that is why you should let him go to the other side with you and the wench." Saburo finished putting the food and drink in the battered bag.
"Hm." Sesshoumaru shrugged. It really didn't matter when he killed the upstart, before or after, but he would die.
He heard a yawn and turned to see Kagome sitting up, brushing her unruly hair out of her face.
"Eh, good morning!" Saburo grinned at Kagome. "Did you sleep well?"
"Hm, yeah." Kagome stretched and yawned once more.
"If you would like to clean up, there is a small lake to the other side here." Saburo said. "Do not worry, no humans can see you here."
"Really?" Kagome blinked.
"I would not lie to you, honored miko." Saburo bowed to Kagome and then said, "Wait right here."
"He's nice." Kagome said to Sesshoumaru. "Good morning."
"Hmph.."
"Uh! Well you're just not a morning person are you?" Kagome got out of her makeshift bed and stood up, stretching to her tiptoes. Sesshoumaru could not miss seeing just how shapely she was and he growled lowly with frustration.
"Here are some towels and soap. I am afriad I do not have a change of clothing that would be suitable for you." Saburo said.
"That's okay.." Kagome smiled at the youkai's kindness. She could almost forget he was a youkai, he was so nice.
"It's around the back. You can't miss it." Saburo said as she walked out of the cave.
Sesshoumaru sighed. Now the wench would fiddle about and bathe. He was impatient to get back. Every day he was gone meant the possibility that his holdings would fall.
"Are you going to join her, Sesshou?" Saburo said slyly.
"No." Sesshoumaru scowled at the old youkai.
"Hm, I would if I were your age..that perfect skin..that scent.. it is delicious.." Saboro said thoughtfully.
It was then that Sesshoumaru remembered the one thing about Saburo that he didn't like - he had been a bit of a hentai when he was younger. He certainly hoped that he hadn't turned into a disgusting dirty old youkai!
Some time passed and Saburo said, "Hm, perhaps I should check on your wench - see that she is all right."
"No!" Sesshoumaru glared at the old youkai.
"Fah.." Saburo tried to look innocent. "You don't trust me Sesshoumaru? I am an old dog - what harm could I do?"
"Plenty. I will check on her." Sesshoumaru stalked out of the cave without another word as Saburo chuckled.
"Predictable! Predictable pup.." Saburo shook his head.
Sesshoumaru reached the back side of the cave and had indeed saw was what a small lake that was hidden behind some bushes. He peered over the bushes and sure enough she was bathing. Humph. He wanted to get home, not piddle about here.
Still, she was alluring and that scent..Sesshoumaru sighed as his senses took her in. Perhaps he should - no! That was it. He was Lord of the Western Lands and no slave to a mere miko! He came out of the bushes striding resolutely towards her when -
"Waaaaiii! Hentai!! Pervert!!" Kagome shrieked and ducked under the water.
Sesshoumaru stood on the bank, impatient. "Get out wench!"
"Turn around!" Kagome countered.
"I've already seen you without anything on, wench!" Sesshoumaru fumed.
"I don't care!" Kagome yelled.
"Humph.Humans and their silly sense of modesty." Sesshoumaru turned around anyway. Kagome started to step out of the water in full view when -
"I rather like it!" Saburo's voice cut into their little argument, peering at Kagome.
"AAAAAIIIIEEEEE!" Kagome's piercing scream shot through Sesshoumaru's ears painfully.
"Look what you did!" Sesshoumaru grabbed Saburo by his ratty collar. "What are you doing here anyway!"
"You took so long, I thought I'd check on the both of you.." Saburo grinned, still trying to get a look at Kagome, who had most of her body under the water. Her face was a flaming scarlet as she eyed both youkai.
"Perverted old bastard!" Sesshoumaru growled. "You will never look upon her again!"
"Aii, don't threaten my life, Sesshou!" Saburo growled back. "As I said, I'm an old dog longing for the days when I could turn a bit of a trick or two. I meant no harm."
"Get back in the cave, Saburo, before I forget the friendship you once had with my father.." Sesshoumaru's eyes were angry - very angry. He let Saburo go and to his amazement, the old man chuckled as he headed back to his cluttered abode, muttering, "I knew it! I knew it! Heh. all the signs are there...my but she has very pretty teats.. "
"Saburo..." Sesshoumaru growled in his throat. Fortunately for the old youkai, he retreated just in time.
"Come out." Sesshoumaru said, his back still turned.
"No! I'm surrounded by hentai youkai!" Kagome wailed, totally embarrassed.
"Come out now or I shall get you out myself." Sesshoumaru felt of all things - a headache coming on.
"You wouldn't." Kagome shivered with the sudden cold.
Sesshoumaru abruptly turned and stalked towards where Kagome was still crouched. Her eyes widened and without warning, she streaked out of the water, grabbing the large towel that Saburo had provided for her.
"Much better." Sesshoumaru felt a smirk playing unwanted upon his lips.
"Turn around." Kagome said.
"Why?" Sesshoumaru managed to sound quite innocent.
"Because you know why!" Kagome snapped as she tried not to blush.
"Because I've already seen your form not once but twice?" Sesshoumaru asked.
"Yes!" Kagome said.
"You are - very beautiful. For a human." Sesshoumaru said.
"Thanks.." Kagome frowned a little. Sesshoumaru chuckled a little. "I will turn around. But I will stay here while you change in case that old fool Saburo comes back."
Kagome nodded as the youkai lord turned his back to her. Kagome hurriedly changed.
***
After receiving some food from Saburo, Sesshoumaru and Kagome were off once more, headed for Tokyo. Although they were sure that Hadori had not given up, they both figured that it would be best to head back towards Kagome's home and the wellhouse. They had left the old Jaken behind, Saburo promising Sesshoumaru that he would be taken care of. Although things had soured ever so slightly between Sesshoumaru and Saburo, the old dog-youkai wished Sesshoumaru and Kagome good fortune in the past. Kagome felt the youkai was a fairly decent sort even if he was a dirty old man - er youkai.
It was not difficult for Sesshoumaru - the walk back was almost refreshing to him, since he was so used to traveling by foot upon his own lands. Kagome was used to the walking too, and it made her almost homesick for when she would travel with Inuyasha, Shippo, Sango and Miroku. Still she felt a slight fear at returning home. What if Hadori were telling the truth about her family being dead?
As they walked back in companionable silence, Kagome kept hoping that what Sesshoumaru had said was true - that Hadori could be lying and that her family could still be alive.
Five Days In Tokyo - or - Sesshoumaru's Unlikely Visit - Fourteen
"Is he dead?" Sesshoumaru asked, glancing over where the elderly Jaken still slept.
It was the middle of the night and Kagome was sound asleep near the fire, curled up contentedly under several layers of blankets, her head barely visible under the covers. Sesshoumaru and Sarubo sat in front of the fire, sharing a companionable silence. For Sesshoumaru it was a good feeling to see someone of his own time and place, even though Saburo had aged greatly in the span of five hundred years.
Saburo poked Jaken with a stick and the ancient toad-youkai snorted in his sleep and rolled over.
"Hai, he's still alive." Saburo smirked. "He always does that when I poke him with a stick, the old weed eater.."
"He has been here before?" Sesshoumaru felt surprise. This Jaken could barely walk without stumbling about.
Saburo nodded. "From time to time he comes and rests. He talks about the old days with your father, you." Saburo shook his head and reached for an old pipe that was upon a makeshift shelf. "He is a plucky one, I will give him that."
"But he serves that baka, Hadori.." Sesshoumaru eyed Saburo as he placed some tobacco in his pipe. Since when did Saburo take up that nasty human habit?
"Hai, he does, but I do not think he holds adoration for Hadori as he did for you, Sesshou. And besides Hadori came upon him quite by accident when the idiot wandered away from here to search of you. Jaken's going a bit senile you see."
"Wandered away from here. Do you mean -?" Sesshoumaru asked.
"The humans cannot see this place even though it exists and they cannot enter through the barrier." Saburo lit up his pipe with a flourish and sucked in a bit of smoke gratefully. "It is much like the spell that was over your castle. Humans feel a chill when they come over this area and they stay away. It is a decent hiding place away from prying eyes."
"Ah, so Jaken wandered off - that figures." Sesshoumaru let a ghost of a smile cross his features. His eyes happened to rove over Kagome and he frowned.
"You say humans cannot find this place nor cross the barrier, but she crossed it with ease."
"Gah.." Saburo opened his mouth to blow out a smoke ring. "For a great youkai lord you do not see the obvious. Of course she could - because she posesses a piece of the Shikon no Tama inside her. She is quite a powerful miko, I must say."
"You can sense that?" Sesshoumaru looked surprised. He had forgotten just how unpredictable Saburo could be.
"I'm old but I'm not that old!" Saburo chuckled. "You have a fondness for that Kagome, eh?"
"No." Sesshoumaru compressed his lips tightly.
Saburo smoked his pipe with a gleam in his eyes as he regarded Sesshoumaru.
"I've known you since you were a pup barely beginning to walk.." Saburo said. "Always you wanted to master everything that you could to make your father proud of you and he was, oh yes he was."
"Then why did he give that baka the Tetsusaiga?" Sesshoumaru's eyes were filled with the old anger that he had felt ever since his father had taken a human mate, had given his half-breed son a powerful sword and he a useless healing sword.
Well, not useless since he had saved Rin, but still -
"You ask why and yet you do not see the reasoning behind it." Saburo frowned as he took another toke of his battered pipe.
"There was no reasoning.." Sesshoumaru growled.
"Fah! There is a reason behind everything, Sesshou!" Saburo exclaimed.
"You'll wake the wench.." Sesshoumaru glared at the youkai.
Saburo sighed. "You are a youkai, Inuyasha is - was a hanyou. It stood to reason that he would always have to fight humans and youkai because he was of them and not of them. Do you understand?"
Sesshoumaru scowled. He felt like yanking that infernal smoking thing out of Saburo's mouth, but out of respect for his father's old friend, he did not.
"Stubborn pup!" Saburo spat.
Sesshoumaru blinked. He hadn't been called a pup since he was a - pup! He supposed that as old as Saburo was, he, Sesshoumaru would be considered a pup.
"You are the lord of the Western Lands - the largest territory of the Four Territories.." Saburo's eyes were staring at Sesshoumaru keenly. "You were raised to that, raised to be very powerful, just as your father was. Would it not be a foolish thing to give a powerful sword that could kill to one so powerful?
"You've gone senile, Saburo." Sesshoumaru said.
"Stubborn, stubborn.." Saburo finished his pipe and tapped it against the rocks that lined the fire. "And no I have not gone senile. I was there when your father commissioned those swords. He gave you the Tensaiga - the healing sword so that you, despite all your power could know compassion."
"Compassion for humans? Never." Sesshoumaru snapped.
"But what about your little one back there - Rin?" Saburo looked rather smug.
"She is but - an amusement." Sesshoumaru knew that he was lying.
"Yes, an amusement who you used the Tensaiga on - a worthless human." Saburo smiled ever so slightly as he proceeded to clean out his pipe. "Yes, the Tensaiga was for you to learn compassion and the Tetsusaiga was for Inuyasha to learn the value of discipline and honor - and yes even a hanyou can learn those things. Even humans are capable of that. Your woman there - "
"She's not my woman.."
"Not yet.." Saburo winked at Sesshoumaru slyly. "But I see the signs. You know she is more than an ordinary woman, Sesshou. She is not at all like Inuyasha's mother - delicate and frail. You, of all people could not understand why your father, a powerful, no, the most powerful youkai-lord of the West would take a frail human woman to wife after having been with your mother. I'll tell you why. He loved her."
"You think I don't know that?" Sesshoumaru snarled lowly. "Walls were thin. I could hear everything.."
"Feh! You speak only of the sounds of a man and woman together! That is not all love is! If it was all there was, you would have taken Kagome there and then been done with it. But something within you prevents it and it is not because she is a human, it is something more than that. Even youkai are not immune to the emotions of love - especially closed up ones like you. Let me say in all respect, Sesshou, that you would be a fool to let her get away as Inuyasha has done. She could have been an asset to him in more ways than one, but it was the shadow of the dead miko that crippled him."
~That and he was always a baka..~ Sesshoumaru thought to himself.
"I have forgotten how you talk, Saburo." Sesshoumaru said coolly. "I admit it is something that I do not miss."
"Eh, you scowl, Sesshou, but I know your mind and it has not changed much from the pup I knew. You will think upon this even when you don't wish to."
"Go to bed, old man." Sesshoumaru leaned back against the wall of the cave and closed his eyes, hoping that would stop the old youkai from talking.
Saburo chuckled. "Hai, I see some things have not changed!" He got up and went to where his own sleeping pallet was, but stopped for just a moment, glancing at Sesshoumaru and then Kagome.
"Just a word to the wise, Sesshou. That woman - she is a jewel of great price. If you do not value her, then someone else will." He left Sesshoumaru's presence and Sesshoumaru heard the old youka settling down to sleep.
For a long time, Sesshoumaru would gaze at the fire and then at Kagome speculatively. Scowling, he looked about the cave, trying to think of anything besides the words that Saburo dared to speak to him. It was then he spotted the bag that Kagome had taken from where they had been held. Curious, he reached over to snag it, and then opened it, taking out the contents. The smell - yes, these things belonged to Kagome's grandfather. He looked at the scrolls one by one and then he took out a rosary bead necklace. Sesshoumaru raised a brow as he realized just what type of necklace this was. That baka Inuyasha always had one around his neck.
Sesshoumaru glanced at Kagome as an sly wicked smile flickered across his sensual lips. Placing the other things back in the bag, he put the rosary necklace in a hidden pocket that was beneath the sash of his kimono, and then put the bag back where he had found it..
****
When Sesshoumaru had awakened, he found that Saburo and Jaken were already awake. Kagome was still asleep.
"Good morning, Sesshoumaru.." Saburo grinned and Sesshoumaru could smell the noxious odor of the coffee brewing.
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken exclaimed. "We go to the near village, ne? Scare the humans!" Jaken chuckled as he sat chewing on an orange stick.
"Hai, Jaken." Sesshoumaru eyed his aged retainer, feeling almost pity for him. Pity - for Jaken? Bah, he was growing soft. The sooner he was back home, the better.
"Eh, he always does that." Saburo was putting some foodstuffs in a battered bag that had writen on it "Air Nippon" written in script. "Oh here.." He tossed Sesshoumaru something incredibly tiny - so tiny that only a youkai's eyes could even see it. Sesshoumaru held the tiny thing in his hand as it glittered like a grain of sand.
"What is it?" Sesshoumaru asked.
"That thing there is what they call a 'chip'. It was in your neck. I drew it out whilst you slept." Saburo explained.
Sesshoumaru was impressed. Saburo had once been the equvalent of a youkai physician, once serving in the High Court of the youkai It was there that he had met his father, Inutashio. Even though youkai could heal quickly from wounds and sickness and had vastly superior immune systems to frail humans, even they had their physicians. Saburo had had the gift of 'seeing' ailments within a youkai and treating them. Evidently this 'chip' he had seen was considered such a thing, but he still did not know what a 'chip' was.
"Explain.." Sesshoumaru eyed the thing resting in the palm of his hand.
"From what I gather from human writings, these chips are - " Saburo tried to find a way to explain it to Sesshoumaru. "They run many, many machines that the humans posess now. I think that little chip there was used to track you."
"Track ME? I am no animal!" Sesshoumaru threw the chip angrily into the fire.
Saburo shrugged. "They can use these things as if they could smell scents just as we could. At any rate, that idiot Hadori cannot track you down now."
"Another stupid hanyou to contend with." Sesshoumaru growled.
"He may be stupid but he has worked all the machines and magic that the humans have learned to his side. I think that is why you should let him go to the other side with you and the wench." Saburo finished putting the food and drink in the battered bag.
"Hm." Sesshoumaru shrugged. It really didn't matter when he killed the upstart, before or after, but he would die.
He heard a yawn and turned to see Kagome sitting up, brushing her unruly hair out of her face.
"Eh, good morning!" Saburo grinned at Kagome. "Did you sleep well?"
"Hm, yeah." Kagome stretched and yawned once more.
"If you would like to clean up, there is a small lake to the other side here." Saburo said. "Do not worry, no humans can see you here."
"Really?" Kagome blinked.
"I would not lie to you, honored miko." Saburo bowed to Kagome and then said, "Wait right here."
"He's nice." Kagome said to Sesshoumaru. "Good morning."
"Hmph.."
"Uh! Well you're just not a morning person are you?" Kagome got out of her makeshift bed and stood up, stretching to her tiptoes. Sesshoumaru could not miss seeing just how shapely she was and he growled lowly with frustration.
"Here are some towels and soap. I am afriad I do not have a change of clothing that would be suitable for you." Saburo said.
"That's okay.." Kagome smiled at the youkai's kindness. She could almost forget he was a youkai, he was so nice.
"It's around the back. You can't miss it." Saburo said as she walked out of the cave.
Sesshoumaru sighed. Now the wench would fiddle about and bathe. He was impatient to get back. Every day he was gone meant the possibility that his holdings would fall.
"Are you going to join her, Sesshou?" Saburo said slyly.
"No." Sesshoumaru scowled at the old youkai.
"Hm, I would if I were your age..that perfect skin..that scent.. it is delicious.." Saboro said thoughtfully.
It was then that Sesshoumaru remembered the one thing about Saburo that he didn't like - he had been a bit of a hentai when he was younger. He certainly hoped that he hadn't turned into a disgusting dirty old youkai!
Some time passed and Saburo said, "Hm, perhaps I should check on your wench - see that she is all right."
"No!" Sesshoumaru glared at the old youkai.
"Fah.." Saburo tried to look innocent. "You don't trust me Sesshoumaru? I am an old dog - what harm could I do?"
"Plenty. I will check on her." Sesshoumaru stalked out of the cave without another word as Saburo chuckled.
"Predictable! Predictable pup.." Saburo shook his head.
Sesshoumaru reached the back side of the cave and had indeed saw was what a small lake that was hidden behind some bushes. He peered over the bushes and sure enough she was bathing. Humph. He wanted to get home, not piddle about here.
Still, she was alluring and that scent..Sesshoumaru sighed as his senses took her in. Perhaps he should - no! That was it. He was Lord of the Western Lands and no slave to a mere miko! He came out of the bushes striding resolutely towards her when -
"Waaaaiii! Hentai!! Pervert!!" Kagome shrieked and ducked under the water.
Sesshoumaru stood on the bank, impatient. "Get out wench!"
"Turn around!" Kagome countered.
"I've already seen you without anything on, wench!" Sesshoumaru fumed.
"I don't care!" Kagome yelled.
"Humph.Humans and their silly sense of modesty." Sesshoumaru turned around anyway. Kagome started to step out of the water in full view when -
"I rather like it!" Saburo's voice cut into their little argument, peering at Kagome.
"AAAAAIIIIEEEEE!" Kagome's piercing scream shot through Sesshoumaru's ears painfully.
"Look what you did!" Sesshoumaru grabbed Saburo by his ratty collar. "What are you doing here anyway!"
"You took so long, I thought I'd check on the both of you.." Saburo grinned, still trying to get a look at Kagome, who had most of her body under the water. Her face was a flaming scarlet as she eyed both youkai.
"Perverted old bastard!" Sesshoumaru growled. "You will never look upon her again!"
"Aii, don't threaten my life, Sesshou!" Saburo growled back. "As I said, I'm an old dog longing for the days when I could turn a bit of a trick or two. I meant no harm."
"Get back in the cave, Saburo, before I forget the friendship you once had with my father.." Sesshoumaru's eyes were angry - very angry. He let Saburo go and to his amazement, the old man chuckled as he headed back to his cluttered abode, muttering, "I knew it! I knew it! Heh. all the signs are there...my but she has very pretty teats.. "
"Saburo..." Sesshoumaru growled in his throat. Fortunately for the old youkai, he retreated just in time.
"Come out." Sesshoumaru said, his back still turned.
"No! I'm surrounded by hentai youkai!" Kagome wailed, totally embarrassed.
"Come out now or I shall get you out myself." Sesshoumaru felt of all things - a headache coming on.
"You wouldn't." Kagome shivered with the sudden cold.
Sesshoumaru abruptly turned and stalked towards where Kagome was still crouched. Her eyes widened and without warning, she streaked out of the water, grabbing the large towel that Saburo had provided for her.
"Much better." Sesshoumaru felt a smirk playing unwanted upon his lips.
"Turn around." Kagome said.
"Why?" Sesshoumaru managed to sound quite innocent.
"Because you know why!" Kagome snapped as she tried not to blush.
"Because I've already seen your form not once but twice?" Sesshoumaru asked.
"Yes!" Kagome said.
"You are - very beautiful. For a human." Sesshoumaru said.
"Thanks.." Kagome frowned a little. Sesshoumaru chuckled a little. "I will turn around. But I will stay here while you change in case that old fool Saburo comes back."
Kagome nodded as the youkai lord turned his back to her. Kagome hurriedly changed.
***
After receiving some food from Saburo, Sesshoumaru and Kagome were off once more, headed for Tokyo. Although they were sure that Hadori had not given up, they both figured that it would be best to head back towards Kagome's home and the wellhouse. They had left the old Jaken behind, Saburo promising Sesshoumaru that he would be taken care of. Although things had soured ever so slightly between Sesshoumaru and Saburo, the old dog-youkai wished Sesshoumaru and Kagome good fortune in the past. Kagome felt the youkai was a fairly decent sort even if he was a dirty old man - er youkai.
It was not difficult for Sesshoumaru - the walk back was almost refreshing to him, since he was so used to traveling by foot upon his own lands. Kagome was used to the walking too, and it made her almost homesick for when she would travel with Inuyasha, Shippo, Sango and Miroku. Still she felt a slight fear at returning home. What if Hadori were telling the truth about her family being dead?
As they walked back in companionable silence, Kagome kept hoping that what Sesshoumaru had said was true - that Hadori could be lying and that her family could still be alive.