AN: I am too tired to write. We have a lot of stuff going on in this chapter, we hope you enjoy! Please review and let us know what you think::skips off play with PoF some more:

Chapter Four

Kagome stared at Sango, wide-eyed. Her hair was loose, the ribbon long ago fallen to the ground, and it was flying around her wildly like a whirlpool of black mist.

"You... Agreed to what!" she demanded, her voice reaching a high, screeching pitch. The whole time she was stuttering and yelling, she was also blushing like a blooming rose. She was getting so red that it spread to the roots of her hair all the way down her neck going beneath her white shirt.

"How could you? I don't see the logic in it! And I am a very logical person! - Oh! look at that cute field mouse... Inuyasha! He's got cute ears too!" Kagome pointed out, wondering if they should bring it to the girl Yuki from the village as a pet to deter her from climbing Inuyasha each time he comes.

See? Logical.

Inuyasha ignored the comment of his ears. He could feel the love in this clearing. Kagome was using him like a reward for the little kids in the orphanage—not that he would care—and Sango thought he was… well, something, that was for sure.

His hands were buried inn his sleeves, and he stared at both women from his perch in his tree, unblinking. He licked his teeth slowly before he answered. "Remind me to maim this guy when I met him," he growled.

"You'll do no such thing," Sango snapped. She, too, wasn't happy about having to come and tell Inuyasha and Kagome about her so-called plan. "Listen, this will make Naraku overconfident because we'll have just lost one of our most powerful warriors. We're hoping that he might even try a more direct attack at us, and when we lead his demons into a trap, there Kagome will be, with all of her full powers."

She appeared tired as she looked up at Inuyasha. "Listen, I've been fighting in this war since I was fifteen years old and lied about my age to join up. I'm twenty now. Come next spring, I'll be twenty one. I've fought in this war for six years. I want it to end. I want peace, Inuyasha. What we're going to do is let Naraku come to us. We're going to make ourselves appear as weak as we can, and when he comes down to make the final blow, we'll spring the trap."

Kagome dwelled on this. Her eyes stared far away, and her lashes were lowered thoughtfully. She didn't like this one bit. Rather than say no, she heaved a deep sigh. "What did Kikyo say about this plan?" she asked simply.

Kagome couldn't say she and Kikyo were best friends, in many respects they were the opposite. But they were still sisters in the same union of Holy Powers, Priestess and Soul. She didn't want to hurt Kikyo. "You did talk to her before coming to us, didn't you?"

"I didn't," Sango admitted. "I want to get your agreement first. If I can get you two to agree, then I can get Kikyo to agree as well. Trust me, I know how. But if I can't get you two to agree, considering you, Kagome, have to pretend to be weak and powerless for the next little while, and you have to keep being an asshole, Inuyasha, then I have to send word to the spy before he accidentally kills himself. Though it wouldn't be the first time his mouth got that man in trouble," she added, rolling her eyes.

Kagome arched a brow. 'He tried to touch you again, didn't he?' Kagome thought to Sango. Even though she didn't speak it out loud, she was sure Sango could tell from her look just what she was thinking. "Well," she coughed and cleared her throat. "Inuyasha?"

Sango shook her head, smiling very softly. No, he hadn't tried to grope her. Once again, he'd be a gentlemen… it was always harder to tell herself she couldn't feel anything for him when he dropped the pervert act.

Inuyasha nearly fell out of the tree when he heard Kagome's question. "What? Why's it up to me to decide?"

"Because you are the one who has to pretend to have done... stuff with me! And it will be all your fault that I'm ruined!" Kagome snapped right back, and then turned with a laughing grin to Sango. "Gee, I can play this part really well, I mean, look at me, complaining and guilt tripping already. I thought I was supposed to be a good Priestess." she joked, trying to insert humor to lighten the whole situation. Turning back to look up at the tree, arms crossed over her chest, she thrust her chin out. "Eh, Inuyasha! What do you say?"

He thought about it first, breathing heavily. Inuyasha scratched his head. He didn't really have to pretend to have done stuff with her. Inuyasha, as much as he didn't want to admit it, was attracted to her, so that was no problem. He could even eye her lewdly now and then, he supposed, if he had to. And he wouldn't have really ruined her, because it would all be a joke. So all that was left… "And what will I do if my father hears about this?"

"I have letters all ready to send to him in case you agreed, explaining my plan," Sango quickly answered.

His head was spinning. "I guess… that it's okay with me. I mean, if my father's taken care of, and if Kagome's okay with acting weaker, and seeing as how most people seem to think I'm a bad seed anyway… I guess it's okay with me."

Kagome swallowed. Well, it was okay with him. Sango did put an enticing offer on the table... Kagome took a deep breath. It would ruin her reputation. No one would look at her the same... But it was for a greater good.

'Just imagine the surprise that'll hit Naraku...' she thought to herself. She licked her lips. They were dry. And well, it wouldn't be too hard pretending she was intimate with Inuyasha. He was after all... attractive, and they did get along well, and she wouldn't deny enjoy spending time with him.

"Alright. I can maybe, make a charm of some sort, to hold in my powers, not let them spill out as much. Make me seem weaker."

Sango nodded. "Good. And Kagome? Listen," she said, taking Kagome's hands and holding them tightly. "You two are supposed to be like secret lovers, not like anything else. So if Inuyasha does anything, anything at all that hurts you, you come straight to me and I will remove his balls in the most painful way possible. Okay?"

Inuyasha nearly fell out of the tree when he heard that remark.

Kagome stifled a laugh. Her eyes widened in horror. And she laughed in her head, "See? This is why I love you. Always so willing to neuter any man!" Kagome proclaimed petting Sango's shoulder. She then looked up at Inuyasha and frowned. Why was he clinging so tightly to his sword?

"Don't worry. I don't think Inuyasha'll try anything. He's a perfect gentleman and besides, I can handle myself," Kagome promised her friend, but thought about it in her mind. Maybe she should take some extra precautions. If she was already going to dabble in magic, what was another charm...?

"Just, Sango? A question. How are secret lovers suppose to act if it's secret?"

She shrugged. "I haven't a clue," she said, visions of Miroku already dancing in her head. "Whisper around each other a lot, I guess, and laugh. Laughter is good. Gentle, innocent touches that last a little too long to be just friendly. I think that would be good. Kikyo should be easier to persuade if she knows that you two aren't going to be kissing or groping each other or anything. And we have to stick with the documents they signed which say that Inuyasha and Kikyo are going to be faithful to each other, so we can't do anything beyond that anyway."

Kagome nodded, she understood that perfectly. But still, she wasn't too solid about this arrangement. It was too tempting and too close. Looking nervously at Inuyasha she huffed. "Want to help me get the charms ready?" she offered.

Inuyasha nodded and jumped down from the tree, following Kagome into her shrine. Sango, after watching them go, sighed wearily. 'Now to go talk to Kikyo…'

The half-demon leaned against the wall as he watched Kagome, his golden eyes following her as she gathered supplies. "Do you actually know what you're doing or are you just kind of winging it?"

"What do you mean? Are you talking about the spells or playing it as though I have been defiled?" Kagome asked with narrowed eyes and a sneaky suspicious look about her. Inuyasha better not be implying anything...!

"About the spells, obviously," Inuyasha answered, after a long hesitation, wondering at her words. His eyebrows knotted as he helped himself to a seat at the wooden table in the center of the room. Perplexed, he leaned his arm on the table, the intensity of his eyes increasing as his gaze landed squarely on her. "Didn't you hear what Sango said? We're supposed to be like lovers, right? Lovers don't defile anybody. What is it that you Priestesses have against sex?"

Kagome hesitated and turned her attention away from him. Picking up a few herbs that were strewn over the table, Kagome finally lifted her eyes to meet his yellow ones. 'God, they are the color of amber, or molten gold,' she found herself thinking. Quickly shaking thoughts out of her head, Kagome shrugged, pulling her thin shoulders back. "Nothing. It's nature's way."

"Don't lie to me," he chided gently, knowing what she was thinking. He had been seeing the thought pass in an out of her head since Sango had made her proposal. "You Priestesses are supposed to lose your powers after you have sex. That's part of why you're so reclusive, isn't it? You guard your bodies more than you guard whatever it is your shrine's here to tend, and you do it because if you do have sex, you lose your powers. Am I right?"

Kagome stared at him. Should she tell him...? Considering that he was supposed to marry Kikyo, she should probably tell him. But since there was also this plan at stake... Kagome took a deep breath, and let it out through clenched teeth. "We guard our shrines and people first and foremost," she replied, in a meek attempt to change the subject.

But then again, he was staring at her so intently, and he had an almost smirking... No, it wasn't almost, it WAS a smirking 'ha-got-ya!' look on his face, which flamed Kagome's annoyance. He was so arrogant! "Actually no. We have sex all the time. We're reclusive because we don't want people to know about our sexual escapades," she snapped back with dripping sweetness.

He smiled at that, and he even let out a little laugh. Kagome looked very cute when she was getting testy with him. The color rose to her cheeks and the vivacity she usually had suddenly became electrified. He could all but feel her sudden energy boosting his own spirits. He was right, and he knew it. Inuyasha wasn't as dumb as he played. "Wouldn't it be worth it," he asked softly, "if it was with someone that you loved, someone with whom you wanted to know completely and to… just be as intimate as possible with?"

Kagome was flustered beyond her wildest dreams. "It's forbidden to us," Kagome told him simply. "We can't. We aren't allowed. And it hurts, alright? Of course I would like to... Be in love with someone and one day marry, and one day have children and have a family. A life of my own. But I can't. So instead, I stand at the sidelines watching all the girls I was there for put on makeup, and get hitched. Happy?" Kagome asked flatly.

She turned away from him, because as much as she would never admit it, he had hit a sore spot. It was one which she allowed to open every once in a while when she had time to think and ponder. The past five years since the war, those thoughts had been farther from her mind, and yet... Still, it was as tender as ever.

And somehow, Kagome couldn't explain how... She felt tempted.

He looked away, feeling suddenly very guilty. That hadn't been quite the answer he had expected. "You could leave," he said very quietly. "No one's stopping you from leaving."

"Your sexy self for one, its blocking the window which is closer than the door," Kagome teased with a wink. She wanted to make the air light again, not as heavy as it seemed.

"So what is your take on sex?" She couldn't leave the subject completely. He had peaked her interest. "And make yourself useful and grind these herbs up into a powder."

Inuyasha smiled and took the mortar and pestle for you, carefully grinding the herbs into a powder as she had asked. The sound of the mortar and pestle meeting each other made his ears twitch. "My take on sex? I don't know. Sex is natural. It feels good. And people will do stupid things for it, just like they'll stupid things for anything else they need in life. It brings people closer, even when they're complete opposites. And people don't seem to think of the consequences of it."

"You mean children? I... I heard there are ways to prevent that," Kagome said softly, then watched Inuyasha through the side of her eyes. "How do demons... You know."

Kagome reached out and took the mortar from him, pouring its contents into the bowl before her. It looked like a cake mix right before it turned into dough. Reaching across the table she pulled out a silver knife and began mixing it into the harder pieces of the mix. "Um, do you think you could help with these? They are minerals that hardened too much. I mean I could do it if you want, but it would just take long..."

Taking the bowl from her, he ground the mixture up for her, talking as he kept his focus on his work. "You mean how do demons mate? Basically, the same way that humans do, if it's a human-shaped demon, and if it's a snake demon they do it like snakes… Mother Nature, it seemed, was just out of imagination when she decided to make up the rules of engagement for demon mating. But we have interesting ways of courtship. I'm sure that you'd find it barbaric," he said, looking up at Kagome and accidentally cutting himself. He stuck his thumb in his mouth and gave her back the bowl.

"Oh... Come on, let me see," Kagome said and reached up for his hand, pulling his thumb out of his mouth. In the process her index finger accidentally caressed his lip, and somewhere off in her brain she heard herself thinking it was soft.

Looking down at his finger, she bit her lower lip. "It's kinda deep. Um... Here," She reached across the table to a small box with pieces of cloth in it, used for this exact purpose: mending.

Slowly Kagome wrapped it around his finger and then tore the ends to tie them together. "I don't know that... Why don't you tell me, and I'll judge for myself?"

"Um," he said, a little distracted by the way she was treating him. Her touch was much softer than Kikyo's had been. Kikyo's lack of any emotion what so ever had been a little, well, insulting. Was he so unappealing to her that she hadn't even been able to sneak a glance? Didn't these stupid women know that men were just as concerned about their bodies as women were?

"Well, for one thing, a lot of the time male demons stake a claim on their prospective mates, that way people won't consider them for mates either. They'll make a verbal claim, and trade objects, and with dog demons especially, they'll be very physical and affectionate to get their scents intertwined. Then there are some demons where the women have to be defeated before a man can claim them as a mate. Most demons mate for life, but others will stay only until the children are born, and then they'll separate. As for the actual wedding, with the aristocrats we do have ceremonies, and there's lots of politics involved, as you saw. But with just everyday, normal people, both of them are escorted to their new home by friends and family, there's a huge party to mark the new house, and then comes the honeymoon night."

"You can't help but grin at that, can you?" Kagome asked, grinning herself.

"Of course not. Unless you're talking about a frog honeymoon night or something. I don't see what the intimacy is of having a girl lay eggs and then fertilizing them. But frog demons always were a little on the odd side." He smiled at her. "Anything else I can to help?"

"Put your scent on me." Kagome said simply, but with a faint smile.

Inuyasha's gaze lifted, not physically, but suddenly he saw her as being so much more intelligent and determined than he had first given her credit for. She wasn't stupid. She knew what had to be done, and she was determined to do it.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling himself up and holding himself tightly against her. He leaned on her, gently putting his chin against her shoulder so he could watch her work. His breath landed on her neck. His hands slipped into her shirt. Laying flat against her warm stomach, that way his scent wouldn't be on her clothes, but on HER. He closed his eyes, resting. She was fairly comfortable, if short.

"And there's nothing else you want me to tell you about my society?"

Kagome swallowed. He had asked her something now, hadn't he? She felt her pulse beat pick up and was suddenly too warm. Sure, she had hugged before but this... Was different. It was intimate. It was comfortable, and god, he felt so good, so solid and warm. Kagome couldn't help but lean against him, even if just a little bit, while she worked.

"Um, society," Kagome repeated wetting her lips and mixing her batter up. "Um... Mm.." Kagome didn't even hear herself make that sound when he rubbed his chin over her shoulder. "That all depends on what you want to know. Human society isn't something that could be covered in a few sessions."

"Which is why you're giving me all those lessons," he pointed out. His fingertips started drawing little circles on her stomach absentmindedly. "I asked if there was something you wanted to know about me. I won't mind telling you."

"Oh, yes. Yes, of course. Sorry," Kagome quickly apologized, appalled at herself for being so distracted by his touch that she hadn't paid attention to what he was saying. Nor did she notice how the subject suddenly took a more private turn, forgetting about society and lessons, but about each other. It was a question of something to know about him, rather then his culture.

"Tell me about your childhood."

Inuyasha thought about that a second. Everything about his voice that had turned it into a mask melted away. It left his voice deep, and betrayed a hint of emotion. "My childhood… was very turbulent. My brother and his companions often picked on me. I was babied a lot because of what they called a 'condition' that left me slightly weaker than all the other demons in the village where I grew up. My mother was the main source of light in my life, when I was little, but I don't get to see her that much. My dad keeps her away from me because he thinks she's a bad influence. And then I learned the sword, and I had a knack for it. I refused to give up in fights when other people would have run and fled. I started doing errands for my father, keeping our lands in peace by instilling fear… doing things like that, as bad as it sounded, made me feel good, because I was doing just what my dad wanted. I saw my lands, met people, started to become social. I even met a few other half-demons, and made some friends through either social or physical means. Life began to pick up again. But I have very few specific memories of my childhood."

"It sounds... adventurous." Kagome poured her mix into a mold in a wooden block: it was two pieces latched together on either side. "You had at least highlights, which is good. And your mother, I am sure is proud of you. Your father spoke highly of you as well, at the meeting," Kagome said and squeaked, when his hand moved. She had almost forgotten that his hands were touching her skin.

"True. What was yours like?"

"Um, pleasant. Happy, I suppose," Kagome thought. "I lived for my first few years with my mama, grandfather and little brother Souta. Then it was obvious that I was bestowed with purifying powers—I purified my cat's tail, Boyou's tail. And they sent me to a shrine along with Kikyo, where we both grew up, then we returned home. Well, actually we lived in neighboring villages, but over the years it mingled more into one, it's just not official. That's it, I suppose." Kagome closed the lid over her mix, slowly and carefully putting down her dishes and turning in Inuyasha's embrace till she faced him.

And held her breath, not saying a word.

He stared at her for what felt like hours. Something about Kagome, about the way that she acted around him, it made him feel odd. He breathed in deeply… and he forgot to exhale. He just stood there, holding her and looking at her, and even air didn't seem important. He licked his lips nervously. "It's getting late. I should go."

"Yes. You should." She agreed, but she didn't move an inch.

"I need to make sure that Kikyo hasn't slain the messenger," he said quietly, feeling like he needed to explain himself.

Kagome nodded. "That makes perfect sense. We also want to be sure, that she agrees to all of this," Kagome added to his explanation. And still, she didn't move.

"Because all of this…" His voice trailed off as he brought his hand up to her cheek, brushing it gently. His expression changed, and he became himself once again, someone who looked like a devoted yet sullen knight. His hand fell away, and he let go of Kagome. His arms felt cold and empty. "Is fake," he sourly finished. He looked down at the floor, avoiding her gaze. "I'll see you later, Kagome."

Kagome for the life of her couldn't figure out why it felt like he had just punched her, or why it suddenly hurt to breath and ached in her chest, or why there was a weird thick lump in her throat that caused her eyes to sting. It must've been something from the potion, because she had no reason to feel like this... unless she was coming down with something.

Deep inside though, something kept her from looking at him. "Send my regards to Kikyo."

He dared to look up at her, and he couldn't help himself. It was just acting, right? Inuyasha leaned down and gave her cheek the quickest kiss he could, and then he turned and walked away.

Kagome stared at him leaving, with her mouth open and gaping. She didn't even know she had brought her hand up to her cheek, covering the kiss as though it in itself was a shrine.

Kagome was suddenly very worried about this agreement. It seemed suddenly too dangerous, for everyone involved. For the first time, in five years, when Kagome thought of everyone, it wasn't of the war, but their odd trio of Priestesses and half-demon.

Kagome saw him coming in the distance. Oh, he was still far, off just around the waterfall. He still had a few minutes walk to go. But she was impatient, and annoyed… and flustered and grumpy. She had several bones to pick with him.

Rolling up her sleeves, Kagome cleared her throat, hiked up her pants and started up the hill with a very purposeful walk, which should've been hint enough to Inuyasha that something was up.

She walked straight in his path, so that he couldn't avoid her and she would be in his face. "We have three things to deal with today. THREE. Two, actually, three. Actually, all of them are about you!" Kagome practically yelled, her hair all messed up and half fallen in her face.

She didn't look quite as cute and innocent as always. From lack of sleep.

"One, you didn't tell me that if I showered your scent will rub off. We need to think about something more permanent then that. Otherwise, each time I bathe—which is daily—we'll just have to touch again." Kagome spoke quickly. She got the feeling last night after tossing and turning half the night (that was before she woke up) that he didn't quite want to touch her.

"Second, a friend of yours… Dropped by. On my chest. In the middle of the night. His toys are all over my house. He's very cute, and small and… Well, even though he's a fox demon and not a dog demon, he is following me around like no tomorrow. Why don't you take him with you?" Kagome asked, agitated. She was really upset that he didn't want to be close to her.

"And third, this is for you. I thought about what Sango said, and I really prefer things not to get out of hand, for both our sakes. So could you please put this necklace on?" Kagome asked. She handed him a necklace of dark beads and small teeth. When he didn't put it on, she put it on for him.

Why didn't he want to be close to her? Sure, she knew he didn't want to be unfaithful to Kikyo, but they hadn't done anything wrong, had they?

Inuyasaha didn't really hear the third part. He was staring at her, thinking she pretty when she was mad. Then he abruptly wasn't, suddenly completely ignorant of how pretty she looked, even when she was tired. He covered his eyes in his hands, swearing under his breath.

"Shippo… I'm sorry, Kagome, I really am! I didn't know he was going to follow me!"

"And then he asked me if I was your mate! And then he started ranting how I must not be your mate because I don't smell sweaty!" Kagome's voice rose high. "And that I don't smell like you! And... to make matters worse... he started sniffing my SHEETS!"

"Duh! If he thinks we're mated, where else would do it but in the fucking bed!" Inuyasha rolled up his sleeves, much the same way Kagome had earlier, and he marched to the house. However, inside his head, the wheels were turning. He was kind of missing demon company right now… the humans all seemed so reserved and stuff… and that said a lot!

"Don't worry, Kagome. I can take care of this. Give me twenty minutes with him, and he'll be back where he belongs. He won't bother you again. Hopefully."

"No, it's okay. I don't mind him staying, he's rather cute and sweet. But… Inuyasha." Kagome caught his arm, and didn't mind using force to turn him around to look at her. "We could have done it on the table, kitchen, floor, bath, carpet or against the wall. Not to mention all the places outdoors," she said with a straight face, and then passed him walking cheerfully with a skip towards her house.

He stared at her as she walked by, suddenly very confused. "If you want him to stay, then why are you complaining?" he demanded.

"Because he won't stop asking me how you are in bed," Kagome called over her shoulder. "Oh, and because he wore my underwear on his head."

That was when he decided he didn't want to get involved. Inuyasha spun right around. "That's it. I'm going hunting. Maybe I'll try to sack a boar for the village or something."

"Oh no you're not!" Kagome yelled at him and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. "Royalty or not, demon or not, man or not, I am dragging you back to my place to take care of your charge!" Kagome informed him, then whirled around so that he was in front of her and she was pushing him up the path. "Or else."

He suddenly grabbed her wrist in his, and twisted it off of his collar, a throwing move. But rather than follow it through, his hands fell to her arms and he picked her up off the ground, holding her level with him, his face very close to his. "Or else what?"

Kagome smiled, and eyed the gorgeous necklace adorning his neck. "Or else..." Kagome whispered, leaning up close to him, until her lips were almost touching his. There was a moment of silence, where they stared each other in the eye, breath held. She felt his grip loosen and she fell from her arms.

"I told you, in case Sango was right, I need protection... A safety net so things don't get out of hand." Kagome swallowed. She wanted to say 'like last night' but preferred not to. Sometimes showing was enough. "Sit."

He felt himself plummet to the ground. It hurt. It hurt in more ways then one. As soon as he sat up, he tried to take it off, but he couldn't. It wouldn't budge. Inuyasha scowled up at her. His eyes narrowed dangerously. "Take it off."

Kagome stepped back. "No." She braced her legs to run if need be.

Wiping the dirt from off his face with the back of his hand, he stood up, his frame as straight as he could be. He didn't want to look intimidating, just strong and commanding. Inuyasha's voice deepened, as if the sudden imperial authority he had developed actually had a material weight. "Kagome Higurashi, take it off right now."

"No." He sounded regal. She sounded impertinent.

He stared at her a moment, glaring at her, and then his face lightened. He just looked plain stubborn, which was good, because at that moment he felt betrayed and hurt. "Fine," Inuyasha said lightly, and he turned and walked away from her. "Say hi to Shippo for me. If he wants to see me, I'll be at the other shrine, or maybe killing something."

"You're not staying?" Kagome asked, her voice light and hollow, disappointed.

"Would you stay?"

"If I cared." Kagome looked stricken at her own words and quickly amended. "If I cared for my lessons, and friends. You know, Shippo."

That was a low blow. Inuyasha paused, and looked back at her. He was back to looking very angry. Her words had hurt, but the wounds they caused had been nowhere near as deep as the ones she had already caused. Inuyasha sourly forced himself to speak. "I don't care about your lessons," he hissed. "If this is what the human race is, I don't want any part in it. No wonder Sesshomaru always teased me about being half-human. You're nothing but double crossing, sniveling animals. And I do care about my friends, but not as much, it seems, as I care about myself. Goodbye, Kagome."

The tears that had been collecting since last night split over now. Turning on her heel, Kagome, with her back turned to him, allowed herself to cry and walk down the path to her house alone.

'I should've realized...' Kagome thought to herself, but couldn't help it. She had to... He had pulled away from her like she was full of boils last night. It hurt, and then she decided to save herself further hurt, she would distance them with that necklace and now he wasn't going to speak to her? Now he was going to act like... Fine, maybe he was right, in some ways, but she wasn't going to step back from her decision. She could be as stubborn as him.

"What about the agreement?" she finally yelled, still walking away. She really didn't want to face him crying.

"Tell them we had a falling out!" he yelled over his shoulder, turning around the other way. "Frankly! It doesn't matter, right? I already ruined you, so the damage is done!"

He shut have just shut up. He should have shut up long ago. Finally, it seemed his mouth had gotten the message, and he shut up, walking away in silence.

"Yeah, well you are just like all the rest of the males! You asked why Priestesses are 'against' sex? Because of this! Because of this attitude! Well, you know what Inuyasha? Had you been the last man on earth, and I the last woman, I still wouldn't sleep with you! Not because of worry of loss of power, but because of your attitude! Why don't you just go back to your wife and touch her like you did me!" Kagome yelled at him, furious and hurt. "Oh, and your damage is worthless, remember? I don't stink like you."

"That's all right," he called out, feigning cheerfulness. He stuck his hands in his pockets, trying to look casual. "Because I'd never want to get close to someone like you. I never cared much for shriveled, cold hags!"

Kagome stood silently. She didn't use her spell, or even make a sound, nor did she retort. All she did was continue to walk silently away.