Disclaimer: Same old same old, I don't own Inu-Yasha, now get one with the story.
Authors Note: Going along smoothly if I do say so myself, now time for the real fun to begin.
Pairings:
Sango/Miroku
Kagome/Sesshomaru
Chapter Two
"Ohh Kagome, you look beautiful that kimono is just the thing for you dance, it makes ye look like a vision come to life." Kaede gasped when she saw Kagome come into sight.
"Thank you Kaede, I was hoping it would be suitable for the dance that I was going to do, now lets get on with the rehearsing!"
Walking with the older miko Kagome watched as everyone got the decorations and food prepared for the festival that would take place in just two days and felt a swell of pride rise up in her at all the things they were doing to try and make this something no one would forget for a while to come.
"Ohh, Kaede I forgot, I asked my mother for some recipes that you might want to try out for the festival and she gave me these, I think you'll like them, I had them when I was younger and if I remember correctly they were the best things I had ever eaten."
Smiling up at the younger woman Kaede admitted to herself that in garb she was dressed in Kagome didn't resemble her late sister at all, instead she looked like a princess with the manner and pose that would get her past any inspection.
"Thank ye Kagome, ye are truly thoughtful." Kaede said taking the piece of paper.
"I forgot one other thing, Lord Sesshomaru asked that I watch over his human charge Rin while he went off to some dangerous place." Kagome said pointing to the small girl with Shippo.
"Wonderful, another helping hand and she can be your counter part in the dance you were wanting to perform."
Beaming Rin ran up to the older women and laced her hand through Kagome's and began talking with Kaede about all the things that she had done since she had been in Lord Sesshomaru's care.
"Shippo, come on we need a little fox's help with some of the things we need to do and I remember one such as you promising to help if we needed it." Kagome called back and had to hold back a smile as the young kit ran over to the trio as fast as his little legs could carry him.
Watching the small group run off Sango and Miroku had to admit that somehow Kagome seemed to let off this light around her and in that kimono she resembled someone so beautiful and powerful that it almost hurt to look at her, much less try to imagine her as someone who helped them kill demons.
"Is it my imagination or did you see wings just then when Kagome turned to call for Shippo?" Miroku asked still watching his friend.
"No, I saw them to, in that dress and with what we just saw it reminded me of a tale my father told to me when I was a small girl." Sango replied thinking hard to what the tale was about.
"Can you remember the story?"
"I remember it being about a race of demons that left there offspring with humans so that would grow up to be kind beings, they were friends of humans and often lived close by a village if they were welcomed and would protect them at all costs, but its said that there race died off along time ago because humans soon began to kill them for their wings and their clothes." Sango said recalling how sad she had felt for the kind demons that had only wanted to protect not kill.
"That is truly a sad story, but under the circumstances you don't think that Kagome could be related to these beings, do you?"
"I don't think so, I remember something about a star in the middle of there forehead and two hearts on either hand if they were mated and one on the left hand if they weren't."
Nodding Miroku had to admit that Kagome didn't have any markings that would make her less than human but still he couldn't shake off the feeling that she was much more than she appeared to be.
Inu-Yasha listened to the pair before turning off to walk over to Kaede's hut and sat down thinking about the scents that had appeared when Sesshomaru was watching his friend and had to admit that the two looked good next to each other, but with his brother's reputation for hating humans he couldn't trust him Kagome.
'I cant believe I'm even thinking about this, but Kagome and I both know that it will never work out between us no matter how much we want it to.'
Still deep in thought he didn't notice the hand the settled over his mouth until it pulled him back against a hard chest.
"Quite little brother, I wont hesitate to kill you right now, though it would be a waste of my time." a cold voice said breaking through Inu-Yasha's rage.
"Sesshomaru what are you doing here, I though you were taking care of business somewhere?" Inu-Yasha challenged giving his brother a wary once over.
"My business is done, I didn't have Rin with me to slow me down, now I want to watch the festival this little village is having with out being seen."
"Why, I mean since Rin is dancing with Kagome I guess that would interest you but I mean it's the first event of the night, why would you care about the rest of the festival?" Inu-Yasha asked cocky an eyebrow slightly.
"That is my business and no one else's, call that female in here so I may talk to her, do not let Rin follow her." Sesshomaru ordered settling back against the far wall in the dark.
Nodding still slightly confused about the turn of events, Inu-Yasha went off to find Kagome and soon came across the four Kaede and Shippo were watching the both girls dance around each other.
"Hey Kagome, someone needs to talk to you real quick, he says its important." Inu-Yasha called out dropping down beside the two girls before offering his back to Kagome.
"Kay, let me just give Rin a few more instructions and well be off." Kagome said turning back to the young girl quickly telling her the next few moves and how they were to be done before climbing on Inu-Yasha's back.
"Who needs to talk to me so desperately?"
"You'll see, don't worry though I'll stay right outside the hut incase you need me."
Feeling slightly nervous, Kagome got off his back when they landed outside of Kaede's hut and went in when Inu-Yasha motioned her forward, entering the darkened hut Kagome was surprised to find a small box sitting in the middle of the room next to a pair feet.
"Good evening woman, it good to see you again."
"Lord Sesshomaru, you were very quick in your business, I shall fetch Rin for you if you want me to."
"No, I have another boon to ask of you, Rin is coming of age where she is beginning to ask questions that I cannot answer and I trust no other female demons to try and teach her how to be a normal human girl."
"So you want me to teach her and explain things to her, but how am I going to do this, I still need to travel and find the shards of the Shikon Jewel, I cant do that and teach her at the same time, unless you intend to join us." Kagome stated feeling a little silly for doing this or even trying to bargain with a demon.
"Open the box and you will find something most useful."
Slowly picking up the box, Kagome felt a small pulse from within it and opened it with out delay to find the large piece of the jewel that was stolen from her by Kikyo almost three months ago, slightly surprised she looked up at the solemn lord and tried to find words that refused to come out.
"That is for you, I trust now that you have it, you wont need to travel that much to find the others?" Sesshomaru asked still staring at the young female in front of her astonished when she threw her arms around his neck and preceded to thank him over and over again before running outside to tell the others.
"Guys come over here look!" Kagome shouted causing everyone to run over concerned about all the noise.
"Kagome, that's the piece that was stolen, that means we have most of the jewel!" Sango cried out shocked at the item she held in her hand.
"Plus if I put the shards that I have with me right now then I say we have more than half the jewel!" Kagome said pulling out the other jewels shards and concentrated on putting the pieces together.
Finished Kagome looked down at the jewel and found that indeed they were missing very few pieces of the jewel and since they knew where most of the lay, it wouldn't be tough to decided where to look for the others at.
"Kouga has two in his legs and Naraku has the rest in his castle." Miroku said coming up behind the girls.
"That's right, all we have to do is go find Kouga and then we get the rest of the shards without so much as a fight!" Inu-Yasha announced pumping his fist in the air and smiled.
"Not so fast baby brother, I do believe your wench has forgotten to mention one very important thing." a cold voice broke the celebration making everyone turn to the hut's entrance.
"Sesshomaru!" Miroku and Sango shouted drawing their weapons only to be stopped by Kagome.
"Don't worry guys, I promised to help him take care of Rin and in return he will help us find the rest of the shards." Kagome explained trying to calm Inu-Yasha down.
"What do you mean we have to put up with him until we get the shards or until the brats grown?!" Inu-Yasha shouted drawing more unwanted attention to the group.
"Just until we get the shards, those were his exact words, so I don't think he'll bother you anymore after that." Kagome said putting a finger on her forehead.
Recognizing the gesture Inu-Yasha shut up quickly afraid that she would say the dreaded 's' word and send him six feet under, especially with his brother watching, he would never live it down and that would be worse than never being a full demon.
"Your help would be most appreciated Lord Sesshomaru, I thank you for the offer." Miroku said trying to find neutral ground on which to stand.
"I have offered my help to the girl, not you." he said simply not even looking in the monk's direction.
"Okay first things first, my name is Kagome, not girl, woman, wench, or anything else you can think of okay, KAGOME, try to remember that or you'll be in trouble." Kagome said putting her finger on the older demon's forehead making sure she had his full attention.
Turning to head back to the stream, Kagome saw that the others were headed her way and that Rin was extremely happy about something.
"Sister, I learned the dance, Grandmother Kaede said that I would do wonderfully at the festival, can we practice together so that I may try the dance with you!" Rin shouted flinging her arms around the older girl.
"Certainly Rin, why don't we go back to the river, we don't want anyone seeing the dance until its time okay." Kagome said taking her hand and began leading her back to the river for more practice.
"Shippo, were going back to the river, why don't you come with us." she called back over her shoulder momentarily stopping to see if the kit wanted to accompany the girls.
"No thanks momma, I'm gonna help Kaede with some more decorations." Shippo yelled following the old miko into her hut, only to come screaming out just seconds later and running under Kagome's kimono.
"What's wrong Shippo?"
"Sesshomaru, h-h-he's inside Kaede's hut!!!"
Smiling Kagome walked calmly back to the hut and poked her head inside to find Kaede making tea and Sesshomaru watching the old miko with watchful eyes.
"Lord Sesshomaru, would you like to come with Rin and myself down to the river, we are going to be practicing our dance and I'm sure she'd love to show it to you before the performance."
Startled Sesshomaru nodded and climbed elegantly to his feet and followed Kagome to where she had left the younger ones waiting for and lifting Shippo up into her arms they started towards the river unaware of the whispers that followed them even long after they vanished.
"Did you see that?"
"Yes, they made a beautiful couple am I not right?"
"Yeah, looked like they belonged together."
"Even with the children, would make a lovely family."
Ignoring the villagers Inu-Yasha made his way towards the ancient tree to think about the new developments and to try and figure out what his brother's plan was.
'I just cant shake the feeling that he's after more than just Kagome's teaching techniques, I mean he could get any old female to teach the brat how to be grown up.' he thought leaning back against the tree thoughts whirling in and out of head at a rapid pace before he succumbed to sleep.
Back at the river Sesshomaru and Shippo made themselves comfortable on a pair of rocks that were conveniently placed near the dance site and watched as Kagome fixed Rin's hair once again and showed her the proper way to stand before taking her place behind the girl.
"Okay Rin, you ready?"
"Yes!"
Starting Kagome began to move with a grace and elegance that belayed her usual moves and soon Rin began to follow her trying to make the same elegance evident in her dance but was soon content to just follow the older girl's moves. The two soon began to dance with more complicated steps involved and all to soon it was over and they were greeted with thunderous applause from both Shippo and Sesshomaru.
"That was great Kagome, where did you learn how to dance like that?" Shippo asked jumping into her arms.
"My mother taught me that one, but the one dance with the ribbons I will have to do by my self and that's going to be a hard one, it involves a lot more steps and plus I will be twirling ribbons around my feet and my hands."
"Sounds beautiful, do you think you can teach me that one?" Rin asked her eyes wide with wonder.
"Maybe when your older but for now I think this dance will do just fine." Kagome answered before turning back to Sesshomaru.
The demon lord stood up and came to stand within inches of Kagome's body and leaned down just ever so slightly so that the younger ones couldn't hear him and told her what he thought of her dance.
"You move quite gracefully, you will be a lovely sight to see at the festival and maybe you will be able to dance with me one night."
Blushing Kagome watched as Sesshomaru vanished from sight and had to wonder silently at the words that he had said before turning her attention back to the kids that were watching the whole exchange with curious eyes.
"Lets go back to the village, I heard that Kaede was going to play her flute for us." Kagome suggested watching as their eyes lit up and as they raced by her.
Following at more sedated pace, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was out of place in her small world, something that she couldn't quite put her finger on.
'It feels like I'm being watched, but by whom, maybe its time I told the others.'
Coming in sight of the village Kagome decided to run the rest of the way to try and get away from the eeriness that was coming from the usually friendly woods and back to her friends where she belonged.
'Run all you want my beauty, but one day I will catch you and you will be mine.'