Author Note: Wow I posted another chapter without waiting a year! Go me! Now, buckle up buttercups! These next few chapter are going to be FUN!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything or affiliated to Inuyasha, however this particular story is M-I-N-E! :)

A Proposal of Epic Proportions

"Please you have to help me!" Shippo pleaded.

Kagome was taken aback by the sheer insistence of Shippo's words. His big green eyes begged to be answered and the fear she saw in them melted her heart. He would always be her little Shippo, and she could deny him nothing.

"Of course we'll help you Shippo!" she squeezed the fox prince's hands that were still grasping tightly at hers. "Whatever you need! I'm always here to help!" she smiled warmly at him.

With her immediate acceptance, Shippo eased his grasp on her hands and let out a huge sigh of relief.

The clearing of a throat reminded her that they were not the only ones present in the room. Turning her attention to her friends, she realized their reactions were not as receptive as she originally thought they would be.

Unease clouded Miroku's face while Sango's expression was that of pure alarm. Sota was the picture of a worried brother and Kirrara's fur was standing on end. Even Koga was looking at her like she had just run headlong into a fire.

Uh oh...

"Umm... what exactly did you need Shippo?" she asked warily.

The fox prince straightened himself up and tucked his knees under him in a formal stance. "My grandmother has been negotiating with the Thunder Tribe."

Ok, that's not the best news since Shippo utterly hates them with a passion. But Ukitake is probably just trying to look after her people. That doesn't sound so bad...

Shippo closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. "I'm not happy about it, but I understood her reasoning...Until she decided to use me as a bargaining chip!"

Oh crap...

"Sooo, what you mean by that is..." Kagome was dreading where this was going.

"I'm engaged to the princess of the Thunder Tribe!" he cried, distress plain on his face.

Yeah, that's not the greatest idea. Kagome thought. Then again, he seemed to get along well with the Thunder Princess back in my world...after she tried to kill him...if that's even the same person he is supposedly engaged to. Maybe he just needs dating advice?

"Well Shippo, you should definitely get to know her first. Find out what she likes, and what-"

"What?! No! That's not what I came to you for!" he huffed indignantly.

Kagome was utterly baffled. What else would he come to her for? "Ok," she spoke carefully, trying not to rile him further. "What do you need?"

Shippo's lips twisted into a smug grin. "I'm glad you asked. See, my grandmother is clever. She knows there's no way I can decline the engagement, unless..."

That feeling of dread returned full force. "Unless...what?" Kagome asked hesitantly.

"Unless, I'm already spoken for," he graced her with a dashing smile.

Oh no...no, no NO! "Shippo..." her pitch started to climb higher as she spoke his name, preparing to go full lecture.

"Wait, wait!" he held is hands up placatingly. "You already agreed to help me. You can't go back on your word now!"

A collective sigh sounded from the group near her.

"He's right. Kitsune take promises very seriously. You already agreed that we would help, and an oath broken is trust that is lost." Miroku said solemnly.

Sango shook her head sadly, "The last thing we need is to break our alliance with Ukitake's clan. Though I don't see how this will end well for us either..."

"Of all the stupid-" Koga muttered under his breathe, his tail wagging agitatedly.

Kagome turned pleading eyes on Sota, willing him to give her any support. He met her gaze and shrugged. There was no getting out of this now.

Great, just great. I really need to stop making promises before I know what I'm even promising!

She turned back to Shippo. "I can't marry you, Shippo. I know I agreed to help, but what you're asking is way more than what I can provide."

He looked at her sadly, but quickly schooled his features into determination. "I'm not asking you to marry me...not really. I just need you to pretend to be engaged to me until my grandmother realizes it was a stupid idea in the first place."

"I don't know..." she looked away uncertainly.

"Please Kagome...if I thought there was any other way to handle this, I would." Shippo looked at her imploringly.

Kagome gave a heavy sigh, then nodded. "Alright Shippo, but you have to at least meet the Thunder Princess. If you're still against it, we'll find some other way for you to get out of the engagement."

Shippo looked about ready to protest, but thought better of it. With a shake of his head his face broke into a dazzling smile. "Thank you Kagome! I will never forget your kindness."

What have I gotten myself into...

XXX

Sesshomaru sat on a pillow next to the small table in the Higurashi's living room carefully reading the book Kikyou had borrowed from the library. While most of it was speculative dribble, there was some information that could be useful to the growing mystery behind the mirror that had brought Kagome into his life.

He was currently looking over the passage that explained the mirror's origins, specifically it's creator.

The mirror was said to have been created by a man named Hideyoshi, who claimed to be half human and half yokai. His mother was a well-known miko named Midoriko and his father was a yokai named... "Midoriko?" Sesshomaru mussed.

Sango would have mentioned something if she had known of Midoriko's involvement with this. Perhaps a trip to the Shikon Temple would prove fruitful.

Sesshomaru stared at the other name written in the book. Where have I heard that name before?

Before he could dwell on the matter further, Kikyou came bounding down the stairs with her backpack flung over her shoulder, mussing her hair into some semblance of tidiness.

"What happened to my alarm clock?" She glared at him accusingly.

Sesshomaru gave her a noncommital shrug, then turned his attention back to the book. He was not about to tell her he found the sound of the awful device maddening, so he had dispatched it before he could think better of the idea. It currently lay in a melted heap on her nightstand.

Kikyou was about to protest, when her younger sister Kaede ran into the room.

" Come on sis, we're going to be late!" she cried, tugging on her sister's hand.

With one final glare Kikyou muttered, "This conversation isn't over. You better buy me a new alarm clock!" before she let her sister drag her out of the house.

As a welcome quite descended over the Higurashi residence, the lady of the house poked her head around the corner and smiled kindly at Sesshomaru.

"It's never a dull morning when the two of you stop by for a visit." She walked over to Sesshomaru and handed him a steaming cup of tea.

The hanyo inclined his head and took the offered cup. "Thank you," he said simply, returning his attention to the book.

Mrs. Higurashi's smile never wavered. She had grown used to Sesshomaru's stoic nature after his many visits to her home. She gingerly took a pair of knighting needles and yarn that lay in a basket in the corner of the room before taking a seat on the cushion next to him.

Kikyou's grandfather soon wandered into the living room, a newspaper rolled up under his arm. He claimed the cushion across the table from Sesshomaru and started flipping through the pages, engrossed in his own reading.

After the elderly man's initial meeting with Sesshomaru, he had learned that trying to banish him with sutras was a very unwise decision and had learned to be tolerable in the hanyo's presence.

The recollection of the old man slapping the useless papers on his face and yelling banishment spells was almost laughable...almost.

"What's this now?" the old man's words brought him out of his musings and he arched a slim brow in response.

Kikyou's grandfather mumbled to himself before addressing the room. "The paper is reporting children going missing under mysterious circumstances. No clues to be found..."

"Oh my..." Mrs. Higurashi looked at her father-in-law worriedly.

"Well, I'm sure the police will sort it out eventually." The old man returned to his reading having decided the topic unimportant.

Sesshomaru began to feel uneasy. While there were no shortage of problems in Kikyou's time, he rarely found involving himself in such matters to be necessary.

Still, it may be wise to be cautious.

Kikyou had told him her test would take place a little after noon, which gave him plenty of time to patrol the area in case a threat arose.

Sesshomaru placed the book on the table fully intending to pick up where he left off when he returned. Standing gracefully, he gave a solemn nod to the Higurashi family before gliding out the door and following Kikyou's scent toward her school.

Other Author Note: You can't tell me I don't keep you guys on your toes!