Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, not even a little part. pout
Chapter Six: Painful Encounters For the Heart
Sesshoumaru and Kagome landed in the field where Rin was with Jaken. The girl was trying to put a wreath of flowers onto the toad youkai's head.
"Jaken-sama looks so kawaii," Rin exclaimed.
"You stupid human girl, get this ridiculous thing off," the toad shouted.
"Stop this foolishness," Sesshoumaru growled.
Both the little girl and the toad turned to see the great Taiyoukai.
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin cried happily, running to give him a hug.
"L-lord Sesshoumaru," Jaken croaked. "Did the shard hunt go well, milord?"
"Let's go," Sesshoumaru commanded, ignoring Jaken's question.
"Actually, we managed to find two Shikon shards," Kagome said.
"No one asked you, filthy human," Jaken croaked.
"I was just trying to be nice and answer your question, baka," Kagome muttered.
Jaken's eyes seemed ready to bulge out at what she had called him. But sensing his lord's gaze upon him, he wisely held back his words and scurried to follow Sesshoumaru. Sighing, Kagome followed the Taiyoukai and company, all the while planning on her revenge against the annoying toad.
Just as the group was getting ready to take off again, Sesshoumaru turned around, eyes scanning the skies.
"Do you sense something, milord?" Jaken asked.
"Humans," Sesshoumaru stated.
And sure enough, from the sky, there came two humans riding on a firecat demon. Kagome's eyes widened as she saw her friends land in front of them. Her heart thumped so loudly she thought everyone could hear it. They shouldn't have come. Kagome thought. She had helped them with the snake youkai because they were in danger. She wasn't prepared to meet them again. She needed more time to allow her wounds to heal. Seeing them brought back the memories of the day she had leapt from the cliff hoping to end all of her sorrow.
Sango and Miroku got off Kirara's back and stared at the young miko that had supposedly died. Sango almost didn't believe her best friend was in front of her. For two whole months she thought her friend was dead. Two whole months she couldn't sleep well because the look on Kagome's face the day she jumped haunted her mind. And now, here she was with the Taiyoukai of the Western Lands but alive. Alive. Sango's eyes brimmed with tears as she relished this word.
"Kagome-chan," Sango whispered almost too afraid to say it.
Kagome just stood there, watching her friends stare back at her. She wanted to turn away, to pretend she hadn't seen them. Kami! She thought. Why does fate have to be so cruel? Kagome turned her back, wanting this them to go away, to pretend that she was dead.
"Kagome-chan!"
Kagome turned around. Her eyes filled with shock as Sango ran towards her. Then she found herself hugged by her best friend. Allowing her to hug her for a moment, Kagome suddenly pulled away.
"Kagome-chan?" Sango questioned.
"You shouldn't be here, Sango-chan," Kagome said, trying so hard not to cry.
"Why not? Kami, it took us so long to find you," Sango said.
"Kagome-sama," Miroku said, walking up to her.
"Miroku, Sango, I..." Kagome faltered.
"You now these humans?" Sesshoumaru said suddenly.
"They are my friends," Kagome explained.
"Kagome-sama, why are you traveling with Sesshoumaru?" Miroku asked.
"We are hunting for the Shikon shards," Kagome said.
Miroku and Sango stared at her in shock. Their Kagome was helping a youkai gather Shikon shards. And not just any youkai, Inuyasha's half brother, Sesshoumaru. Kagome couldn't help but smile a little at her friends' reaction.
"The hanyou and his dead bitch are near," Sesshoumaru stated.
Kagome gasped. Now she really wanted and needed to leave. Her friends were enough for one day. She didn't want to meet the object of all her pain. She couldn't take it, she knew she couldn't.
"Let's go, Sesshou-kun," Kagome stated.
"'Sesshou-kun'?" Sango and Miroku asked, puzzled.
"Kagome-chan, what is going on between you and Sesshoumaru?" Sango asked.
"What business is it of yours, Exterminator?" Sesshoumaru asked, frigidly.
"I can't explain it now, Sango-chan. I have to leave," Kagome said urgently.
"No, Kagome-chan, we just saw each other," Sango protested.
"Kagome-sama, are you afraid of encountering Inuyasha?" Miroku asked.
Kagome hung her head a little. "I have to go. We will meet again," Kagome said.
She turned to Sesshoumaru and grabbed hold around his waist. Her friends looked on as Kagome and the Taiyoukai were lifted into the air.
"Sango-chan!" Kagome called.
"Yes, Kagome-chan?" Sango asked.
"Do not tell Inuyasha what happened," Kagome pleaded.
Sango nodded and gave her friend her word that the encounter would stay between the three of them. As they watched Kagome disappear with Sesshoumaru and the other human girl, Sango smiled, more brightly this time. She felt a glow in her heart and a warm feeling washed over her that had long been absent since she thought she had lost Kagome.
"Houshi-sama," Sango said. "we must keep Inuyasha and Kikyo from gathering all the shards."
"Yes, Kagome-sama is looking for the rest of the shards and we will help her," Miroku said.
Neither of them respected Kikyo, and this was the only way they could think of to counter her. Sango smiled as she thought about the havoc she and Miroku would wreak just to see Kikyo's face when it came time for Kagome to make her wish. Almost laughing out loud, Sango called for Kirara and she and Miroku went back to search for Inuyasha and Kikyo.
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"Are the monk and Exterminator trustworthy?" Sesshoumaru asked, when they had touched down to make camp.
"They are loyal if that is what you're asking," Kagome said.
Kagome sat down and leaned against one of the many trees in the forest. It was nice to relax and not think about Shikon shards. Sesshoumaru eyed the raven-locked beauty that rested against one of the ancient trees in the forest. (A/N: Yes they're in another forest. Gomen, I couldn't think of anywhere else to put them.). How at peace she looked when she was not angry or sad. He had seen her beautiful smile once and wanted her to smile everyday. He walked over to her and sat down beside her. Kagome opened her eyes and stared into the golden honey ones of Sesshoumaru. She couldn't pull her eyes away as she continued to stare, losing herself in the gorgeous orbs. Slowly, their faces inched closer together, neither one breaking eye contact until, Sesshoumaru's lips descended on Kagome's. Sesshoumaru felt the silken lips move expertly with his and made him wonder if she had ever kissed anyone else. Instantly, his half-brother leapt into his thoughts and he growled involuntarily. Kagome's heart raced as Sesshoumaru's lips continued their dance across hers. The sharp crackle of a leaf crunched under someone's foot, Kagome pulled away, blushing a million shades red as Rin walked towards them. Kagome stared at the child's brown eyes and saw the excitement lit up in them.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, does this mean Kagome-chan is Rin's new okaa-san?" the girl asked innocently.
"Would you like her to be?" Sesshoumaru asked.
"Yes!" Rin shouted, no hesitation whatsoever.
Kagome blushed harder. The little girl ran to sit in Kagome's lap. "Kagome- chan, Sesshoumaru-sama said you are Rin's okaa-san," the girl squealed.
Kagome smiled at the girl's enthusiasm and then for the first time in a long while, Kagome...laughed. Her crystal clear laughter almost echoed throughout the forest. And also for the first time, a tiny smile spread across the normally stoic face of Sesshoumaru.
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Sango and Miroku made their way back to where Kikyo and Inuyasha had left them. Wiping the smile off her face and setting a more serious tone, Sango and Miroku descended to the waiting pair below.
"Where were you?" Inuyasha demanded.
"Looking for you," Miroku said, simply.
"We were chasing after the bastard that stole the Shikon shards from us," Inuyasha spat, still bitter that he had let someone steal the shards.
"It was your own damn fault," Sango hissed.
Miroku shot her a warning glance. Do not let Kagome-sama down. Don't let Inuyasha know our secret. Miroku silently pleaded. As if reading his thoughts, Sango clamped her mouth shut, not uttering one more word lest she should burst out the secret she promised to keep.
"How the hell was it my fault?" Inuyasha roared.
"I didn't mean it that way," Sango said.
"Feh, whatever, we need to find him before he gets too far," Inuyasha said.
"No, he is already gone," Kikyo said. "We will continue to search for the rest of the shards and we will eventually meet up with the thief. Then, you may do whatever you wish."
Inuyasha shrugged and stalked off. When he was far enough so he couldn't hear, Kikyo said.
"I know my reincarnation is still alive,"
Sango and Miroku looked at each other.
"I will not tell this to Inuyasha," Kikyo went on, "because I do not desire for him to know. He will find out in his own time."
"How did you know Kagome-chan was still alive," Sango asked.
"She has my soul, I can sense it anywhere. If she were already dead, it would have returned to me," Kikyo stated. "And it will."
"What do you mean by that, Kikyo-sama," Miroku said.
"Inuyasha loves me. He would do anything for me. And when the time is right, I will ask him to get my soul back," Kikyo said, then she laughed a harsh laugh.
"You would kill Kagome-chan?" Sango asked, disbelievingly.
"I am claiming what is rightfully mine," Kikyo said, her voice taking on a bitter tone.
Sango stared at the undead woman. She couldn't believe that this was the same woman Inuyasha said was caring and warm-hearted. She narrowed her eyes at the undead miko. Over my dead body. Sango screamed mentally. She would kill herself before she let Kikyo touch a hair on Kagome. She made a silent vow to help Kagome in any way possible. Sango gave a careless shrug and settled down to rest. It had been a long day and she had a feeling that worse times were coming. What she didn't know, was that she was right.
A/N: Another chapter completed. Sorry it took me so long to update, but I have to work on my AP Biology. Blargh! muttering Stupid summer homework. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know, I know, it's a little repetitive but whatever. This is what happens when you come off two whole days of writer's block.
Anyways Read and Review! Arigatou!
I'm gonna need some help on the next chapter. So when you review, please tell me what you're thinking. Arigatou!
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