The Other Side

Chapter 19

Discussing

Kagome sat patiently in front of Sesshomaru, who looked like he was stressed, which she guessed he was. Hell, she was too. "What do we do? I'm not comfortable being in his presence," she said, fiddling with her fingers. Sesshomaru nodded in her direction before turning his attention to the other that he had called to discuss this with; Kenichi.

Kenichi was still hurt when his friend kicked him out of the room the last time. "I'm still mad at you by the way." He was too; he wasn't about to let this slide so easily.

Sesshomaru looked at Kagome, holding her gaze with uncertainty. "Are you coming?" Kenichi paused, noticing the way his friend was staring at her. Kagome bit her lip, once again drawing blood. "Still not used to them?" Was that amusement in his voice?

"No and I don't know. I'm scared. I haven't been around him in a while now since the Shikon no longer exists. The fact that he's back scares the living shit out of me," she told him, her eyes giving away her fear.

"Acceptable."

He glanced to Kenichi, who was gaping at her. She has yet to ever show fear in his presence; it was unsettling to the very least. "Who are you talking about?"

"Naraku; he was on the outskirts of the West." Sesshomaru growled at that as Kenichi's eyes widened. No way; that wasn't good. "What I would like to know is how you-" He locked eyes with Kagome again, who felt like he could read her soul. "-were able to feel him? Both Inuyasha and I sensed no one."

"It wasn't until you were close that you felt him right?" Sesshomaru nodded at her. "I don't know; Shippo said that he had a bad feeling and seconds later... I felt someone calling to me. If I had known, it was him; I would have turned in the other direction."

"Does... Naraku want something with Kagome?" asked Kenichi; it was the only thing that he could think of. Naraku had been dead for two years and to suddenly come back; he had to of had a purpose. They both turned to him.

"That's an understatement." Kagome looked to her lap.

"What does he want?"

"Originally, he wanted me to have dinner with him," she said as he made a face of disgust.

"Good god, you declined right?"

"Sesshomaru declined for me."

"Did he now? What, were you gonna go if he didn't?" He watched as it was her turn to make a face.

"Are you high? Why would I even think about going with him?"

"Very good question because the way I saw it, you were considering going," Sesshomaru added his input. Kagome flushed at that, the way he said it.

"Was not!"

"Your face says otherwise," Kenichi cooed at her, grinning like a fool.

Kagome pouted. "Stop ganging up on me!"

Kenichi snorted before leaning back against his chair. "So, anyways, why am I here?"

"You are coming with us."

He sputtered. "Say what?! Why! I'm not obligated to doing that! And what do you mean 'us?' You're dragging her with you? Are you looking for a fight?"

"Kenichi," Kagome said quietly, making him paused in his questions. "I'd like it if you came."

"What, you saying his highness can't protect you? Need more protection?" He grunted as he rubbed his head. He noticed a small rock; someone just threw it at him? He glared at Sesshomaru, who looked like he hadn't moved. His smirk was his giveaway that he was the one to do such a task. Kenichi threw it back, pouting when his friend caught it.

"Sesshomaru has enough going on; he doesn't have to protect me. In fact, I'd hide behind him if I could; try to make myself as small as possible." She sank into her chair with a sigh.

Kenichi grinned then said, "What about under him?" He wore a huge smile on his face before Kagome accidentally kicked his chair out from under him. He fell to the ground with a thud as Kagome burst into a fit of giggles.

Sesshomaru felt his eye twitch and he resisted the urge to strangle his so called friend. He felt a headache coming on. "Naraku is the Southern lands Lord."

"Holy shit! No way! How? Why wasn't I informed of this matter? Better yet, why didn't all the lords come together to agree upon this?" Kenichi was flabbergasted.

"Do the lords always agree when a new lord takes the lands?" Kagome was confused. It wasn't passed down from families?

"Correct, originally it was families that took over each piece of land. Only the East and West still hold this tradition," Sesshomaru told her; as to why he told her, he wasn't sure and with the look Kenichi was giving, he didn't know either.

"I know the Northern lands are run by Kouga and from I remember, he goes by his elders; is that not the same?"

"No, they are not."

"You know Kouga? Really? I could never get along with that guy," Kenichi said, completely in awe that this woman actually knew all the lords of the lands; personally for that matter.

"Kouga is a pain in my side." she heavily sighed as Kenichi laughed. "If you ever see him and me in the same place, you'll understand why."

"Hey, Sesshomaru, maybe meeting with Naraku won't be so bad especially if we get together with Kouga." Kenichi smirked in Sesshomaru's direction, who had a smirk himself, thinking along the same lines.

"No! Don't answer that!" Kagome yelped out. "For the love of all things holy, don't invite Kouga!"

"What do we get out of it if we don't invite him?" He hummed at her as she crossed her arms over her chest with a huff.

"Well, I already taught you that thing in the gardens," she pointed out as he pouted. Sesshomaru growled low at the mention of that; he hadn't forgotten what he saw either.

"That's true. What of Sesshomaru then? What does he get out of it?"

"The same thing?"

"If he doesn't already know it, that is."

"Know what?" He growled that out, both freezing at hearing that.

Kenichi debated on telling him but he was still gleeful of knowing such ways. "In the gardens, Kagome, taught me how to bring the plants back to life with my youkai."

"Explain." Oh he didn't know? She clapped in happiness.

"You won't invite Kouga if I tell you?" Kagome completely missed the look Sesshomaru sent to Kenichi, who smirked knowingly.

"You have my word," he said, watching her, keeping his face blank. She didn't have Kenichi's word though.

Kagome's hand glowed white, they both felt her small youki powers hovering over her hand. "Someone of power or how I see it, someone of royalty, has the ability to bring small things back to life such as plants. The more youki you place into what you want to revive, the easier it is to revive said thing. Although, you can't do so with a life. That one is a trade-off. A life for a life," she explained as Sesshomaru's eyes widened slightly as did Kenichi's for that matter; he didn't know the last part.

"And how did you learn this?" he questioned, though Kagome could tell he was impressed. She noticed that she had been impressing him lately; she couldn't tell if that was good or bad.

"My mother always told me that I had a gift. I didn't understand it until a little after we defeated Naraku. Now though, my powers are one of a kind now." She was looking down at her lap again, her nerves radiating off of her in waves.

"Truly amazing," Kenichi said to her; calming some of her nerves as she smiled softly to him. Sesshomaru growled at him, Kenichi knew to take leave but not before grabbing Kagome's hand. She looked up at him as he kissed her hand, thoroughly enjoying Sesshomaru's angered look aiming at him. "I will be back, milady." He poofed after that, leaving behind a blushing Kagome.

"Why do all the guys I'm around, always have to be such flirts? Why can't they ignore me for once," she mumbled to her, blowing some hair out of her face. "Makes me happy that you're the only one that doesn't do that to me," she added, facing Sesshomaru.

He ignored the feeling he got when she said that. "You have grown attached to Kenichi." That sounded more like a fact; what was he getting at?

"That's like saying I've grown attached to Miroku. Miroku flirts constantly but is there when things matter. I don't know, Kenichi, I guess has a way of keeping me calm. It's weird though; I didn't think I would be around him after first meeting him." Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes on her; she looked up, a bit startled to see the look aimed at her. "I've been meaning to ask; what kind of demon is Kenichi?" She quickly changed the subject in case she angered him, which she did but she did not know just yet.

"He's a peacock."

Kagome's jaw dropped. "Wait, really? I did not get that from him. I thought he would be a mole or something. He seemed like the type to dig through your walls to get what he wanted..."

"Hn, he has those tendencies as well."

"Bit annoying if you ask me."

"Indeed."

Reviews are welcomed.