This chapter is dedicated to know-it-all, who answered the trivia question from chapter three correctly, Traveler of the World, who went a step farther and gave me the episode number of 'Aiming for Sango: Only You', and The Squabbit, who answered the trivia question from chapter four correctly. The answers and list of people who got the questions right can be found in the A/N.

Protector

:Italics: are the thoughts of Sesshoumaru's youkai

:Bold: are the thoughts of Sesshoumaru when he is /ahem/ arguing with himself.

Chapter Five: Appearances Are Deceiving

"Kagome-chan! Wear this!" Rin danced up, a crown of wildflowers in her hand. Laughing, Kagome knelt down and let the little girl put the flowers on her head. Idly, she plucked a few daisies and began to make a bracelet out of the beautiful white blossoms. Rin looked about before spotting a bright bloom the color of mellow sunshine. She picked it up and cradled it in her palms, smiling down at it. Kagome reached up to brush the silkiness of one golden petal, and petted Rin's head jokingly. "Why don't you put it in your hair, Rin-chan? It goes with your kimono, right?" Kagome took the flower from Rin.

Slipping one hand into her pocket, she pulled out a hairbrush and released Rin's hair from its constant side ponytail. She ran the comb through the hair, clicking her tongue at the roughness she felt. "Rin, you have to take more care of your hair, it's getting really rough," she shook her head. After she finished combing through the strands, she gave the brush to Rin, who stared at it bemusedly. "You keep this, okay? Use it everyday, then your hair will be in better condition," Kagome tapped Rin on the nose lightly. She tucked the pretty little blossom behind Rin's ear, and stood back to admire the effect. The yellow color fairly glowed against the darkness of Rin's dark hair.

Sesshoumaru sat in a corner, not paying any attention to Jaken's endless rambling. He barely noticed when Aun got tired of the toad's never-ending chatter and brought one plate-sized paw down on him, before using his tail to swat Jaken far, far away, into the sky…

Sesshoumaru watched the miko interact with Rin, the faintest trace of a frown lining his pale face. The similarities were there, and glaringly obvious… how could it be? His mother had been a purebred dog demon lady, not some human girl. His mother…

Yes, the similarities were there, but there were differences too.

Lady Arisa was kindhearted, yes, but there were limits to her mercy. Sesshoumaru remembered the first time he had seen her slay a creature…

Flashback

Sesshoumaru was knocked backwards roughly with a swipe of the gigantic bear demon's paw. Blood flowed from the wounds on his body, a slash on the side of his head, multiple gashes on his arms and legs, a huge bruise on his left side. He screamed for help. His claws glowed a menacing green, and his poison whip shot out. At first, he was startled too – it was then that he realized he had a weapon with him that could be summoned at will. The bear demon growled and extended a paw towards him, claws outstretched and glinting in the sunlight that filtered in through the canopy of tree branches. Sesshoumaru threw a hand in front of his face protectively, and the long whip lashed out across the demon's face, leaving a long wound that glowed green with poison. Sesshoumaru inhaled the distinctive flowery scent of his acid weapon, and swept the whip out again. The bear jumped back, growling so loudly that the leaves on the trees shuddered with the passing of his breath.

Then, they both heard a loud roar that made the earth shake and tremble. A huge black dog demon bounded down from the clouds and bared her teeth, eyes a violent shade of crimson. She carried her tail high and proud, like a banner… purple poison dripped from her fangs, melting the dried leaves that lay on the ground below. The leaves crunched as she advanced a step, snarling viciously. Arisa was in bloodlust, wanting to kill the demon who hurt her only child.

In a few moments, it was over. She rushed the bear demon, and it happened so fast that Sesshoumaru only realized it was dead when a spray of blood caught him over the cheek. The metallic scent of blood filled his nostrils, and he keeled over, unconscious.

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He awoke later, still in his mother's arms. They were walking through the forest silently, and Sesshoumaru winced as he remembered what had happened. He had escaped the castle by himself, telling no one, only to meet a demon who was looking for prey. His mother had come to save him. He stared up at her, and a wistful smile curved her lips. "'Rest, Sesshoumaru," she whispered, cuddling him closer to her. He nodded obediently and closed his eyes. He had never felt so safe before, snuggled in his mother's embrace.

End flashback

That time had been the only time he had seen his mother's true form, and he was glad that he never saw it again. It had been very frightening – after all, he had only been a pup then. She refused to let the bear demon go… because she was a mother. Kagome wasn't a mother yet. Maybe she would become like that too if she had a child… Sesshoumaru promptly slapped himself mentally. 'What the heck were you thinking? Why the hell do you want to know what she would be like if she had a kid!' he rubbed his forehead ruefully.

:Are you sure you want the answer to that:

:Hmm… wait, who the hell are you:

:My, my, Sesshoumaru, losing our touch, are we:

:Answer me, or I shall kill you:

:You can't kill yourself, idiot:

:I'm not you:

:Why am I stuck with an idiot? I'm your youkai blood, fool…:

:I sealed you:

:Not anymore. You know, Father always said you wouldn't be able to keep me locked up forever…:

:…Crap. If you can't be nice enough to stay sealed, at least shut up and leave me in peace.:

:I can't do that. If I did that, who would advise you:

:Look, you baka, I did perfectly without you for dozens of years. Now, shut up so I can think.:

:For now, Sesshoumaru… we shall talk again… maybe very soon…:

:…:

:Wouldn't you like that:

:…:

:I hate it when you ignore me. Bye:

:Thank heavens you're finally leaving.:

"Something on your mind, Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked, looking down at him. He blinked dazedly, still disorientated from the short argument he'd just had… with himself. He hadn't heard any movement… had he been distracted or was she just that silent? "Why did you sneak up on me, human?" he finally questioned, running a hand through his hair idly.

"I didn't sneak up on you. You weren't paying attention. You know, that might be very dangerous for Rin…" Kagome retorted. "Nothing is dangerous to this Sesshoumaru," he replied finally, gazing at his ward as Rin frolicked about in the flowers. "And this Kagome thinks that the oh-so-cool Sesshoumaru needs to get that stick in his ass out," she mimicked his voice perfectly, eyes mocking. Sesshoumaru turned the strongest glare he had on her, and she looked back innocently, unfazed.

"Human, you will cease your joking this moment," he said finally. Kagome's eyes darkened a little, and her demeanor turned sober and thoughtful. "Is a human what you really see when you look at me?" she asked, pulling a flower from the crown she wore on her head. She plucked the petals off one by one moodily.

"What are you talking about, girl?" Sesshoumaru demanded. "I don't age. I won't die. I protect a mystical jewel. Are those the traits of an ordinary girl? Because I sure don't think so," she snapped back, a growl emanating from her small body. He stared at her, sure that the miko had lost her mind.

"Cease your endless blabbering, miko," he ordered, lacking anything else to say, having no idea how to reply to that question. A human would always remain a human – wasn't that so? Kagome tossed the flower onto the soil and ground her heel into it, gritting her teeth. "You really are a jerk, Sesshoumaru," she spat and walked away from him, head held high.

He saw her kneel down and speak to Rin, but couldn't hear her words. The wind was against him, blowing her voice away Rin's face scrunched up as though she was about to cry, but Kagome patted her head and reassured her. She tossed another glare back in his direction and called to Kirara, who had curled up for a catnap. In a flash of hot flame they were reduced to a speck in the sky, heading away.

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"Rin, I'm leaving now, okay?" Kagome knelt down and looked at the child solemnly. Rin frowned, not wanting her new friend to leave so soon. "I think I really have to go, Rin… I promise, I'll come back and find you, okay?" she offered. Rin nodded joyfully, grinning from ear to ear. Kagome glared at Sesshoumaru over her shoulder, only to find him giving her that cool and freaky golden stare. She shuddered a little and called to Kirara. She ran over and vaulted onto the fire-cat's back, and they soared away.

Kagome bent over Kirara's neck, lessening the chill of the wind as Kirara ascended higher and higher. For some strange reason, she felt hurt by Sesshoumaru brushing her off… it was as though they had been close in some other life – as though she had other memories of him hidden, locked away in her mind. 'Am I still human? Can I actually still be considered a human? Do I actually belong to any race?' Kagome buried her face in Kirara's warm neck ruff, and her tears soaked the long creamy strands of fur. Kirara purred comfortingly as Kagome wrapped her arms around the neck of the faithful fire-cat.

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A/N: Hello, minna-san! I'm back again… and earlier than expected, too! I shall not be updating regularly during my holidays – I shall update whenever I have time to complete a chapter, which should be about twice a week or so. Now, this week's trivia question is

Who sang the opening song of Inuyasha Season 2 (Ep. 41-80) and what was the song title?

Prize remains the same, everyone : chapter dedication. Also, the answer for chapter three's trivia question was Kuranosuke. Traveler of the World and know-it-all got this right. The answer for chapter four's question was Mistress Centipede/Mukade Jourou. To tell you the truth, I wanted to ask for the Japanese name… but I forgot to specify, and as a result, many people got this one right. They are The Squabbit, Inuyasha's hun, evuljenius, Seer of Light and Fire, Koga and Sesshy Lover, Midnight Faerie, Tamia, and Charlene. Congrats! You guys got the question right.

Reviewer replies for Chapter Three

Ladylillyofraza: I enjoyed frying Jaken too. I don't really like him. Something about his toady face and suck-up attitude just ticks me off… wonder why. Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Katana no Mizu Ryuu: Gourmet meal? Oh dear… don't you think it'd taste a little… /ahem/ funny? Ugh. I wouldn't dare to eat it for fear of getting poisoned… although the lemon is a nice touch. Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Know-it-all: No review is crappy, unless it's a pointless flame. Thanks for reviewing, please continue!

Watergoddesskasey: I'm glad you think so. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks for reviewing, please continue!

Kage Bi Koori: I'm glad you love it. Here's your update. Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Sweetangelkags: Here's your update, hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Koga and Sesshy Lover: I'm really happy you do! Actually, the manga and anime do not exactly match. Kagome is portrayed as more serious and not so ditzy in the manga, whereas the anime Kagome's actions are all prompted by Inuyasha. In this, the manga is better. Always pleased to inspire someone! I don't like it when people don't update, so I try to do so regularly… Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Inuyasha's hun: I'm happy you think it's awesome! It's one of the greatest compliments a fanfic author can receive. Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Sarah h: Yes, I think Jaken deserved it too… what an idiot he is. I always try to add in a little Jaken bashing in each chapter, but I didn't get to do so in this one… never mind. I can torture him some more next time. Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Kibou hope: I don't intend to make things end quickly. I agree, such fics are not very good. Neither are the fics based completely on sex. Nothing goes into the relationship buildup, and I intend to make my fic a good one. Thanks for saying you'll follow this! It means a lot to me. Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

1kenshinlover: You'll be surprised how many people have made jokes about me frying Jaken and stuff… really. Don't worry, it's not mean. I do the same thing… all the time. Hehe. Can't resist. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Nomadgirl66: Felines rock! Yay! Here's your update, hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reviewing, please continue!

Traveler of the World: Woah, I can't remember what episode it was myself! You really are obsessed… sweatdrop but that explains how you answered the question.  Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Midnight Faerie: Here's your update. Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Kagome21: Here's your update. Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Review replies for CHAPTER FOUR

Sarah h: Of course it's coincidence. Maybe. I'm not really trying to torture him – who would want to? He's cute. I just wanna mess around with his head for a bit… /grins innocently/ Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

The Squabbit: You got it right, and you were also the first one to do so! Congratulations. This chapter is dedicated to you and two others.  Hope you're happy. Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Inuyasha's hun: The bad thing about writing Sesshoumaru's mother is that we don't know what she's like since she is not featured in the anime OR manga at all. She does not even have a name. Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Evuljenius: I'm glad you like this. Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

IYGURL: Here's your update. Hope you liked it. Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Seer of Light and Fire: Well, you got it right. Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Kagome21: Would it? This is a matter that may or may not be resolved – on my whim. Hehe… I'm evil, aren't I? Here's your update. Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Mimi1000: Not exactly. It's Mistress Centipede. Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Kagome-chan: But of course this lowly author shall bow to the will of the mighty reviewer… Okay, that was lame. Hope you enjoyed this. Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Koga and Sesshy Lover: You really don't know how much that means to me. Thank you so much! And thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Midnight Faerie: Close enough, although your spelling was wrong. Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Kimi: Well, not exactly. But you can have a cookie if you like/tosses you a chocolate chip cookie/ enjoy. Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Balmung's angel: Thanks for saying so. Means a lot to me. Thanks for reviewing, please continue!

Emily: Oh no… they're DEFINITELY not family. Kagome is human, and Sesshoumaru is youkai. They are NOT family. Ugh. I didn't think it could be taken that way… how scary. And yes, you're right. Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

XoKayeBabyoX: I'm glad you do. Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Burningcherry55: Okay, I will check out your fic. The Shikon no Tama allows guys to touch Kagome, as long as it is not sexual. If it's a friend to friend thing, or fighting, it's okay. This was proven by Miroku and Inuyasha in Chapter One. Thanks for reviewing and offering to be my editor, please continue (reviewing that is.)

Kage Bi Koori: It's nice to receive compliments, don't worry. Thanks for reviewing, please continue!

Nomadgirl66: Ah… now I can't answer that…although I think it's obvious to everyone by now. Yep. Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Kagomemikogoddess: Here's your update. Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Tamia: You got it right. Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Darkflame1516: I'm glad you do. Sesshoumaru's mother is a full-blooded black dog youkai, which explains her black hair and eyes. Kagome simply resembles her. You were right! Congrats. I've been busy these few days, so I haven't had time to read yet. When I do, I'll be sure to review! Don't worry about that, ne? Thanks for putting this in favorites and reviewing, please continue.

Kimmichiwa: Here's your update! Hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

1kenshinlover: Thanks for wishing me luck on my exams! I think I failed Science though… so sad… my parents are gonna kill me. Oh well. Can't have everything. Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Staysee: I'm glad you think so. I don't like Jaken either. He's an idiot. Here's your update! Thanks for the compliments and the review, please continue.

Charlene: You're right! Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Lena Rivers: Yes, well, I write angst best. Kagura and Kanna are not dead, they have temporarily disappeared. They will come back in the middle of the story to give Kagome some help. Yes, Rin is still alive and kicking with Sesshoumaru. Shippou is currently missing. No, he's not dead. I'm glad you think so. Thanks for reviewing, please continue.

Ah, that took a while. My fingers hurt now. I believe I shall go and read a book. Thanks for the great reviews, everyone! I love all of you for reviewing. You're all great people! hands out marshmallows and cookies to everyone who reviewed

Please remember to review!

kyasarinyume07 signing off. Bye everyone! Have a nice day.