Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha...I just worship it.
Chapter 2: Kikyo's Plot
After the incident earlier that morning, Kagome went to the Hot Springs to take a bath and relax in the hot waters. She undressed quickly and grabbed the soap and shampoo from the rock she placed them on. Kagome felt shivers run down her spine from the hot water suddenly encompass her skin. She waded into the water and dived under to wet her hair. It had been a couple of days since her last bath and she was going to enjoy this one. InuYasha always gave her a hard time about stopping somewhere to bath regularly, it was a luxury she was used to in her era.
'Why is Kikyo here? It just doesn't seem right.' Kagome sighed, sinking back into the water. Kagome's right hand moved to the half-completed jewel laying on her chest. The light pink color of the jewel gave off a mysterious aura, no wonder it was called the Shikon no Tama.
"How long...?" She looked up at the night sky watching the stars twinkle in the dark abyss. How long had it been already? A year? Two years? She lost count after traveling with InuYasha and the others for so long, by now it was just second nature.
"Kagome?" Kagome turned around abruptly, her train of thought interrupted. She could see the faint outline of Sango a few yards away.
"Sango, what are you doing here?" Sango walked towards Kagome and looked at her before smiling kindly.
"I came to see if you were alright." Kagome smiled. Sango always acted like an older sister to her. 'I should thank her when this is all over.'
"Yes, I'm fine." Kagome turned back around and dived under water to rinse the soap from her hair that she lathered on while thinking. She popped back up and threw her head backwards. Kagome walked out and began to dry herself off. Sango glanced once more at her, then turned around and walked back to camp, humming a tune as she went. Kagome followed after Sango to the camp and saw that Kikyo and InuYasha were missing. She snorted before shaking her head negatively.
'I knew that was going to happen.' She sat down on her sleeping bag and felt around for her comb that she left. She picked it up and brushed her long dark hair, combing out all the knots.
"Kagome!" Shippo ran into Kagome's arms and hugged her. Kagome embraced the small Kitsune. She let go of him and held him at arms length. Kagome eyed Shippo suspiciously, normally Shippo would come and bathe with Kagome but because she was lost in thought she hardly noticed his absence.
"Shippo, where were you?" Kagome inquired.
"I followed Kikyo and InuYasha, yuck, they kissed!" Kagome's heart sank with the news. She wished Shippo hadn't told her that, especially after all that she thought about. Kagome scratched his head and smiled down at the small fox demon.
"Shippo, you know you shouldn't spy on InuYasha. You should respect his space and give him some privacy." Shippo pouted and crossed his arms. As of lately Shippo and InuYasha hadn't been getting along, well they normally didn't anyway but it was much worse in comparison. She had a feeling that it had to do with Kikyo, after all Shippo did think of Kagome like a mother figure. It would only be natural that Shippo would be mad at whoever caused any amount of harm or stress to Kagome.
"Stupid mutt, that's what he is anyway." Shippo looked away and pouted. Kagome's eyeborw quirked.
"Shippo, don't call InuYasha that, besides he looks out for all of us, he deserves our respect even if you think so or not." Shippo still pouted and refused to look at Kagome. She sighed inwardly.
"Let's go to bed Shippo, alright? We have a long day ahead of us tommorow and you'll need your rest." Shippo turned back to Kagome and nodded. He crawled into the sleeping bag first and waited for Kagome to finish combing her hair. She slid in next to Shippo and wrapped her arms around the fox child.
"Goodnight, Shippo." Shippo nodded and turned toward Kagome.
"Kagome? What's going to happen after we find all the jewel shards?" Kagome was startled by the sudden question. She thought for a moment and then turned her thoughtful face towards Shippo.
"I don't know Shippo, I guess...that's up to InuYasha. Whatever the descision though, I'm still going to stick beside him." Kagome smiled down at Shippo.
"I was thinking of taking care of you." Shippo looked up at Kagome.
"What do you mean?" Kagome cracked open an eye and beamed at Shippo.
"That is if you want a human as your surrogate mother." Shippo smiled and snuggled closer to Kagome.
"I'd like that, I'd like that alot...Okasaan." Kagome smiled and laid her head on the pillow letting sleep embrace her.
Later That Night
Kagome rubbed her eyes and looked at the digital watch on her wrist.
"2:37 a.m." She looked around camp to see Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Inuyasha all asleep. Hold on. Where was Kikyo? Kagome gently laid Shippo on the ground in her place and got up to look for Kikyo. She walked around the surrounding area for a few minutes and finally gave up.
"Might as well head back to ca-" She heard voices coming from the clearing just ahead. She tiptoed quietly and hid behind a tree. She parted the shrubbery at the base of the great oak and watched with astonishment the scene in front of her. 'It couldn't be?'
"Naraku, this better work." Kikyo was standing in front of a baboon pelt clad Naraku. Kikyo raised an eyebrow at his form.
"It'll work Kikyo." Naraku moved closer to the undead priestess and wrapped his arms around her. Kagome peered closer trying to get a better look at the scene unfolding in front of her eyes. Kagome gaped, Naraku kissed Kikyo! Kagome covered her mouth with her hand and slowly crept away. Kagome ran back to the camp to contemplate how to tell InuYasha. She knew it would break his heart, but she had to tell him, She just hoped he'd listen to her. 'I knew something wasn't right, she's scheming with Naraku to try and hurt InuYasha! Kikyo's going against him with the very person who betrayed them. Oh InuYasha…I'm so sorry'
Morning
Kagome awoke to the smell of ramen. She rolled over and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Sango was hunched over the small campfire making ramen for breakfast. Sango stirred the noodles and broth in the pot Kagome had brought with her. She turned to look at Kagome and saw that she was awake. Sango gave her a cheerful smile. Kagome smiled back and sat up in her sleeping bag. She yawned and stretched before peeling the blankets off of her.
"Good morning Kagome, sleep well?" Kagome frowned thinking about last night. She had completely forgotten until just now. She quickly changed her train of thought and nodded.
"Umm, yea...but I didn't get too much sleep." Sango looked at Kagome. She gave her a sad smile before handing her a steaming hot bowl of ramen.
"Here." Kagome nodded her thanks and began to eat the noodles. InuYasha jumped down from the tree above them, eyes bulging out of his head. Kagome rolled her eyes in amusement at the childish way InuYasha acted around ramen.
"Ramen!" InuYasha practically drooled all over his fire rat kimono. Sango giggled and handed him a bowl. InuYasha literally unhinged his jaw and let the food drop into his mouth from the bowl. Kagome stared amazed, her bowl sitting in her left hand.
"What is that?" Kikyo came over and looked at them questioningly. Kikyo had probably never seen ramen before now that Kagome thought about it. Sango piped up though before Kagome could answer.
"It's food from Kagome's time, its called ramen. All you do is add hot water to the mixture" Sango smiled sweetly. She held out a bowl to Kikyo but she declined it with a nod of her head. Sango was trying to be kind, knowing Kagome's feelings toward Kikyo. Kagome glanced between the two and caught Kikyo's gaze. She stared at her intently. Kikyo turned around, walked away from the campsite and off into the woods. Kagome turned to InuYasha, it was now or never. She had to tell him what happened last night.
"Um, Inuyasha can I talk to you alone?" InuYasha looked at Kagome. Kagome never asked to talk to him in private unless it was something important.
"Sure." Kagome and InuYasha got up and walked into the forest. They walked in silence for a few minutes before reaching a clearing away from camp. Kagome fidgeted for a moment not sure how to bring ths subject up. Finally she made up her mind and lifted her gaze toward InuYasha.
"InuYasha, there's something I need to tell you." Kagome averted making eye contact with him, if she looked into his amber eyes she knew she couldn't possibly tell him.
"What is it?" InuYasha looked at her confused. Kagome sighed and hung her head.
"I, well, early this morning I woke up and Kikyo wasn't anywhere to be found. So...I went looking for her to see where she went. I...well...I found her and she was with...Naraku."
"What?" Kagome looked up at InuYasha, her eyes brimming with tears. InuYasha was taken aback at the sudden display of emotion.
"InuYasha, I think...I think Kikyo is working with Naraku to try and...to try and hurt you." Tears fell down her cheeks.
"InuYasha I couldn't believe it but I saw everything and...and they kissed and oh InuYasha!" Kagome launched herself into his arms and held onto his waist. She sobbed into his robe.
"I had to tell you, I couldn't let them hurt you because I care about you so much but I-"
"Stop." InuYasha pried Kagome off of him and gave her a hurt look. Kagome's eyes widened.
"Your lying, she would never!" he whispered. Kagome shook her head vigorously and grabbed the front of his kimono.
"Inuyasha I'm telling the truth!" Kagome sobbed. InuYasha stared blankly.
"No." Kagome couldn't believe it, he didn't believe her!
"You lie! How could you say that? I thought you were my friend!" He yelled at Kagome. InuYasha angrily glared at Kagome. She felt cold. He didn't believe her, he was angry with her. 'Why, why dosen't he believe me?'
"Inuyasha, please!" Kagome pleaded with him.
"I don't want to hear it!" he pulled her hands off of him and walked away. Kagome bowed her head, her bangs covering her eyes.
"InuYasha, please..." She lifted her head up. A tear rolled down her cheek, the anguish in her eyes evident. After all that they had been through, he didn't believe her about Kikyo. Why would he anyway he didn't love her, he loved Kikyo. She was just some jewel shard detector to him because no one else could see the shards, that's all she ever was to him. He didn't protect her because he cared, it was so she wasn't killed and he couldn't collect the shards anymore if she died. Kikyo could see them though, and now that she had joined up with them what use was she? Kagome clenched her fists, her tears rolling down her cheeks in rivulets. It had become so clear to Kagome a while back. She felt for InuYasha, she loved him.
"I love you too much to watch you get hurt again." Kagome cried silently, getting all of her emotions out before heading back. If anyone saw any remote signs of crying they'd know that something was up and go straight to InuYasha for the whole story. Not to mention the way InuYasha might already be acting would be enough to raise questions being as they were alone together talking. Kagome wiped her eyes and headed back to the others. When she arrived nothing was out of the ordinary except that InuYasha and Kikyo weren't there. Kagome turned to look at Sango. She was stroking Kirara by the fire, adding small twigs here and there to keep it aflame. Kagome smiled warmly and Sango smiled back. Miroku was too busy examining his right hand to even notice the exchanged looks between the two girls. Kagome walked over to the disheveled sleeping bag she had left a short while ago. Shippo was sitting there rummaging through Kagome's enormous yellow backpack looking for any sweets that Kagome might have stashed away. Kagome picked up the unsuspecting Kistune.
"Shippo, I need to talk to you." Shippo nodded his head and let Kagome carry him.
Hot Springs
Kagome sat down with Shippo at the bank of the springs. She looked out at the steaming hot water by the rocks. Kagome turned to Shippo an smiled sadly. Shippo had never seen Kagome look so sad and distant before, he began to worry. He inched closer to Kagome and peered up at her.
"Kagome, what's wrong? You look like your about to cry." Kagome shook her head. She smiled at Shippo trying to reassure him that she was alright.
"I'm ok Shippo, but I want to talk to you about something." Shippo inched closer to Kagome and stared at her face, waiting.
"Shippo I have a feeling that something bad is going to happen soon, and that we'll probably be going up against Naraku. If things turn out the way I think they might, I want you to get as far away from here as you can, no matter what happens." Shippo nodded. He knew that Kagome was being serious and decided that he wouldn't protest against her wishes. Kagome pulled Shippo into a hug. She let go of Shippo a few minutes later and smiled at the little kitsune. They stood up and headed back to camp in silence.
A/n: Please R&R! Thank You!