"So, Shippou, do you have any news for me?" Sesshoumaru asked as he settled down into his favorite chair. He had just finished supper when Shippou had appeared on his doorstep. The fox demon had come to pay him a personal visit about what he had found out.
"Yep. I've got plenty of information about Kagome's past, but I still can't find anything about that darn spell, and Lady Kaede is still out of town," Shippou answered, handing the inu youkai a folder with about five sheets of paper in it. He was a little less than six foot, with red hair and blue eyes. A long, bushy tail swished back and forth behind him, mirroring his displeasure at failing. "That file basically contains everything that happened to her before and after she became a slave. I haven't found really anything on the time she became a slave. It's like that part of her life faded away or something."
The dog demon skimmed over the information quickly, absorbing as much as he could at that moment. "So, you know nothing about what happened when she was ten?"
The kitsune looked thoughtful for a moment, his bushy tail twitching back and forth. "Well, I did find out that her family died in the same month she was made a slave, but that's nothing big or unusual," he replied, blue eyes staring off into the distance. "From what I've discovered, that's actually normal."
Sesshoumaru sighed. "Did you find out anything specific that might give her nightmares? Every night she calls out for her family, but in the morning, she can't remember anything but a feeling of sadness."
Shippou shook his head. "She led a pretty good life before her family died, and afterwards, there's just not much information. About the only thing I can find about the last nine years is a list of her previous owners." He gave his employer an apologetic look. "No one keeps good records on slaves."
"I guessed that this would happen," the inu youkai responded, setting aside the folder. "It might help if I knew who made her a slave."
"I couldn't find that out at all. Her first master was a guy named Naraku, though," the kitsune informed him. "Oh, and before you read the list of her owners that's on the back of the last page, make sure that you're in a place far away from any breakables. I would suggest that you read it out in the middle of the forest."
"Dare I ask why?" Sesshoumaru looked down at the closed folder, his mind trying to figure out what would get Shippou to say something like that.
The fox demon fidgeted for a brief moment. "I just have a feeling that you won't like what you read."
"I already know that she's had 36 other masters," the dog demon told the youkai, the tip of his white tail flicking back and forth. "So that will not surprise or anger me."
"That is only part of the reason." Shippou grimaced slightly. "But that's all I'm gonna tell you."
Sesshoumaru nodded his head in acknowledgment. "Very well."
"Now, would I be allowed to see the girl?" the kitsune asked curiously, his blue eyes sparkling. "I would very much like to meet her."
"Why?" the inu youkai inquired, not sure whether he wanted to let Shippou meet Kagome or not. For some reason, he was torn in two pieces over the decision. Part of him wanted to keep Kagome to himself, while the other part wanted to show her off a little.
"She puts up with you, doesn't she? Somehow, she's survived life with you for over two weeks," the younger youkai explained playfully. "She's gotta be a goddess or something."
Sesshoumaru glared at the kitsune, unhappy with the answer. He didn't like being insulted, especially in his own house. On his territory, he ruled supreme, and no little fox demon was going to insult him as long as he was in his lands.
"Hey! I was only joking," Shippou protested in his defense, easily recognizing the angry look. "Lighten up some, Sesshoumaru. It won't kill you."
The inu youkai was about to reply when a female walked into the living room. "Sesshoumaru-sama, would you like some tea?" she asked politely, her voice soft and mellow. "I just finished making some."
"Yes, Kagome, I would," Sesshoumaru replied instantly, his mood calming at the sound of her soothing voice. Somehow, she had pitched it just right to get him to release his anger. Absolutely amazing. He made a mental note to ask her just what else she knew how to do.
"Would Sesshoumaru-sama's guest like some tea as well?" She looked at the kitsune, bowing her head slightly in respect.
Shippou was started for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. "Ummm... sure. Thanks."
"I will be back in a few moments with your tea." With a small bow, she left the room.
The fox demon stared at the place where she had just been. "Doesn't have much spunk to her, does she?"
"She's trying to fight her slave training," Sesshoumaru answered. "And I don't think that she's winning. I freed her a few hours ago, yet she still acts like she used to."
"Well, perhaps you need to try a different approach," Shippou suggested. "I have a feeling that you've been trying to reach her yourself?"
He nodded. "Yes, and she acts the most slave-like around me. With Sango, she's a little better, but not much."
"She might need more time, if anything, but you could try using a child to help," he said. "When I was little and my mother wanted to get my dad to talk, she would always send me in. Dad opened up almost instantly every single time." The fox demon shrugged. "It's usually hard for people to act tense around children."
Sesshoumaru considered that idea for a few moments, his brain furiously working hard to examine it from all possible angles. "Your recommendation has some merit. Perhaps I will convince Sango to bring Rin tomorrow."
At that moment, Kagome reentered the room, a tray with three cups in her hands. Somehow, she kept the tray level as she handed both of the youkai a cup. Bowing her head for a moment, she moved to leave once again.
"Kagome, why don't you stay out here with us?" Shippou asked, pointing to a chair that was next to Sesshoumaru. "I would certainly enjoy your company."
"As you wish, sir," she replied, sitting in the chair that the kitsune had gestured to.
The inu youkai sighed. "Kagome, what have we talked about?" he inquired, his tone strict, like that of a teacher's.
The girl blinked, but she quickly answered him. "We have talked about how I am supposed to act like a normal person, Sesshoumaru-sama" she responded, taking a small sip of her tea.
He nodded. "And that means you need to stop doing everything myself or someone else says just because we say it," he said, giving her a stern look. "You don't always have to obey me."
"I remember, Sesshoumaru-sama." Kagome set her cup of tea down on the end table. "And I am trying... really I am, Sesshoumaru-sama."
"I think that he wants you to argue with him some, Kagome," Shippou said, chuckling.
She looked confused. "Why would I argue with him? I have nothing to argue with him about."
"Argue about anything and everything," the fox demon answered, smiling mischievously. "It might do him -as well as you- some good."
Sesshoumaru glared at the kitsune for a moment, not liking that suggestion at all. He did not want Kagome arguing with him over everything. He just wanted her to act normal.
Shippou finished off his tea in a few gulps. "Well, I think that I'm gonna leave now. I'll keep trying to get a hold of Lady Kaede." He stood up and set his cup down on the coffee table. "I'll inform you the instant I find out anything."
The dog demon nodded in farewell as the fox demon said a quick good-bye. "Well, Kagome, I hope to see you soon. Bye!" Shippou told her brightly, smiling at her like there was no tomorrow.
With that said, the kitsune went out the door and was soon out of sight.
Kagome just sat there for a few moments, a little surprised by the friendly little fox demon. "Sesshoumaru- sama...?" She looked over at him, unsure of whether she should voice her question or not.
The inu youkai easily understood what she wanted to ask. "Shippou came over to give me some information. He's trying to find a way to get that spell removed."
Her eyes widened. "Has he succeeded yet, Sesshoumaru-sama?" She wanted that spell removed so badly, even though it magically caused her happiness. That thing had mentally caused her so much pain. Every time she gained a new master, she looked back on everything she had done with her old one and cringed.
Sesshoumaru shook his head. "No. The one person who might know can not be found at the moment," he replied, his tone slightly apologetic. "Don't worry though. I will make sure that the spell is removed as soon as possible."
Kagome looked down at her teacup, her eyes slightly unfocused. She was slightly confused again. Sesshoumaru was being so kind to her, and he seemed to ask no payment in return. It just didn't make sense. 'Why is he like this? Why is he so different?' Her mind just couldn't come up with an answer, so she gathered up all of her courage.
"Sesshoumaru-sama... why are you so different from the rest of them?" she asked, looking up at him. "Why? I don't understand."
"Different from whom, Kagome?" the dog demon inquired, unsure of what she was asking.
"From everyone else. You're not like anyone else I've ever met," she told him, picking up her tea and taking a small sip.
The inu youkai had to think on that for a moment. 'She wants to know why I'm different from everyone else. I'm really not sure how to respond. I don't even think that there is an answer.'
Finally, he came up with a response. "I just am."
"Forgive me, Sesshoumaru-sama, but that really didn't answer my question," Kagome said, voice soft. She didn't speak for another minute or so, but she eventually did ask a question in a meek tone. "Could you maybe... elaborate a little?"
"No," Sesshoumaru replied instantly in a cool voice, finishing off the last of his tea.
"Well, you're certainly a lot of help," she grumbled under her breath. It only took her a split second to realize what she had said, her hands immediately coming up to cover her offending mouth. "Forgive me, Sesshoumaru-sama."
The dog demon shook his head. "You're not a slave any more. I do expect you to complain about my attitude and not apologize every time," he told her firmly. 'This meekness has got to go. It's annoying, and I know that's not how she wants to act.'
"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama." Kagome nodded her head in acknowledgment.
He mentally groaned in annoyance at that, but he kept his face calm and emotionless. He did not want the girl to think that he was angry even in the slightest with her. If she did, then she would probably go deep into slave mode to try and appease him, and that would just make things worse.
"Kagome." That one word was a small warning, a reminder of what she was and was not supposed to do.
"Would you like some more tea, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Kagome asked, changing the subject effectively. "Your cup is empty."
The inu youkai knew exactly what the girl was doing. It was not hard to figure out. She was, for some reason, avoiding the subject of her acting like a normal person. 'Not good,' Sesshoumaru thought. 'She needs to stop fighting that inner battle and just let her normal self win.'
"I'll go get the tea pot," she offered before he could answer, standing up and leaving the room.
Kagome knew that she was trying to avoid the topic, but she really did not care. 'I'm trying. Isn't that enough?' she silently asked herself as she took the tea pot off of the kitchen counter and started back towards the living room. 'I understand that Sesshoumaru-sama wants me to act like a free person, but it is hard. I've acted like a slave for almost half of my life. I can't just chuck everything I once lived by out the window. Things just don't work like that... no matter how much I want them to.'
She mentally sighed when she reentered the room, pouring her old master some tea. "Is there anything else you would like, Sesshoumaru-sama?"
He shook his head. "No. I'm fine for the mo-" A pounding on the front door cut the inu youkai off. Someone either had urgent business with him or was just plain rude. The rude idea seemed more likely because the banging did not stop.
Growling so softly that the nervous Kagome couldn't hear it, Sesshoumaru got up out of his chair and walked to his door. With a emotionless face, he answered the door, unsure of who would be bothering him after supper.
"Sesshoumaru," a person growled dangerously as soon as the door was opened. "I've come to take Kagome away from here, so hand her over."