-1A/N: I really should've been doing HW, but when the inspiration hits you , you just have to take it and risk failing your school courses. Here's the next chapter! Great job reviewing everybody! Thank You!

Chapter 17

Kagome did pass the endurance test with flying colors by Sesshomaru's standards. They hadn't left his bed chambers for three days, only sleeping for half of it. The human-turned-demon was still slumbering peacefully, but not for long.

Sesshomaru lightly nuzzled her neck, nipping at the mating mark he had giving her that fateful night a couple of weeks ago after he had resurrected her from the dead. It seemed impossible to him that things had worked out so easily, so perfectly, and that he could ever feel so wanted by a single person nor that he could want just one person so badly. He had never even used the 'so' word that many times in one thought before. And yet, even as the thought of these profound feelings for this miko curled up next to him began to stir, he could not help but feel bitterly angry at himself. He was manipulating her and she would hopefully never find out.

He had found the one person his heart desired to be with, but this Naraku-hanyou threatened to take her from him. There was a final battle coming up, he could feel it within his warrior blood, and Naraku was already targeting the taiyoukai's miko mate. If Sesshomaru wasn't careful, he could lose his beloved and be left alone in this world again. Sure, he would have his retainer Jaken and Rin as well, but they couldn't give him what his mate could, and now, here he was in the midst of a plan to keep her out of the upcoming battle that she had been waiting for years to come.

His plan was simple: give her a justifiable reason to stay out of the fight therefore she wouldn't argue with it. He had already completed his plan. Sometime, in the last three nights of sleeping with her (in which little resting of the mind or body was achieved, mind you), he had combined himself with her to form a new life-a child. He had gotten her pregnant. Already, as his hand rested on her abdomen, he could feel the subtle change in power beginning. Only himself and his mate would be able to feel it for a while, but soon, in a month or two, others would be able to tell that she was with child, that she was with his pup. A certain pride invaded his spirit, overpowering his guilt at having to use such low tactics to protect his mate without her knowledge. She would still want to fight, but there would be no way she risk endangering the baby's life to do so.

Kagome began to slowly stir from sleep, mumbling something incoherent before her eyes cracked open to see who was breathing hotly on her cheek.

"Sesshomaru..." she whispered softly and lovingly, his name passing easily off of her lips as if they were meant only for it, which they were.

Sesshomaru kissed her sweetly, not too passionately or lustfully, simply light and sweet- a reminder of his affections. He took her hand and placed it where his had been laying not seconds before.

"Can you feel it, Kagome?" he hushedly asked her.

She nodded. There was some sort of strange aura. "What is it?" she asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes with her free hand.

"Ours," was all he said before kissing her again.

"Ours?" she echoed him. He nodded. She whispered in awe, "I'm pregnant?" He nodded again, nuzzling her neck again as she felt her stomach with both hands.

She gave him a kinky smile. "You sure it's yours?" she teased. She loved to play her little games knowing full well it turned him on.

"Without a doubt," he whispered into her neck, kissing it tenderly. He could remember making that child very well, for certainly it would be the most fun part of parenthood.

Kagome had a big smile on her face. "I can't believe it," she said, "We're going to be parents. I mean, we already have Shippo and Rin, but this one's actually ours! Oh, it's going to be wonderful! There'll be a little Sesshomaru running around," she chuckled gleefully, "A little Sess-let."

Sesshomaru resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Sure, he was happy, no doubt, but she was...overly ecstatic. After all, lots of people created little children each day, but 'Sess-let?' He certainly wasn't going to name his first child that, no matter how ecstatic it made his mate.

"Very wonderful," he said, only half-amused and at the edge of sarcastic, "however, we must prepare. The messenger I sent to retrieve your friends is returning. I sense my half brother approaching. We must be ready to make an appearance."

When nothing else seemed to make this girl into a morning person, the mere mention of her friends seemed to work miracles. No sooner were the words out of his mouth before she was jumping out of bed and getting herself ready for the day. She soon even drug Sesshomaru from the bed and forced him too to 'prepare' as he so called it.

Kagome was busy dragging a brush through her golden hair when she suddenly stopped and appeared worried. "I wonder what my friends will think when they see me," she mused why staring at her clawed hand. She had been human when she left them, but she wondered how they would treat her new demon self.

"Your fears are unwarranted," comforted Sesshomaru, "You chose your friends wisely. They will accept you no matter what you look like."

"And you too?"

"Hai, and myself included. You could be a dirty old gray-headed human, and I would still love you. But...I think I prefer you like this..." He gave a growl of approval.

Kagome gave a small smile, her tension leaking away. "How did I ever find such a mate as you?" she asked.

"You are not asking the right question. The question should be, 'How did this Sesshomaru ever manage to keep such a pure noble beauty?'"

"Big softy. I'd never imagine such fluff coming from your mouth," teased Kagome, continuing to get ready, not knowing that Sesshomaru was wondering the exact same thing.

O0o.o0O

"Shippo! Tag! You're it!" yelled Rin as she ran about the garden. Shippo chased after her to make her 'it' again. The game continued for a while under the watchful eyes of the toad-demon Jaken who knew full well that if any trouble befell the children before him, trouble would also befall his neck as Lord Sesshomaru separated his head from his body.

Rin and Shippo fell breathlessly into the grass beside Jaken to rest and watch the clouds.

"Look!" exclaimed Rin happily pointing at a big fluffy cumulus that mildly resembled a dog, "That one looks like Lord Sesshomaru! Rin misses him. Rin hasn't seen him in three whole days. Rin wonders if he's forgotten me."

Shippo gave a non-committal shrug. "I don't know. I really don't know Lord Sesshomaru that well."

"Really?" asked a bewildered Rin. "Rin thinks Lord Sesshomaru is wonderful. He saved Rin's life many times. If Rin had a daddy, she would want him to be like Lord Sesshomaru."

"Maybe he would make a good dad for you Rin. Maybe I'll be able to find one too," voiced a depressed Kitsune youkai. He continued to watch the sky. His face brightened immediately. "Hey, Rin look at that one!" he pointed at another cloud which had caught the morning sun's rays just right to make it golden at the edges. "That one looks like Mama."

"Yeah!" whispered Rin in awe as the two dog-like clouds drifted together in the sky, "Just like Mama." But the high winds in the sky soon took hold of the two clouds, breaking apart their features until only two small fragments remained. Rin giggled, "Those kind of look like puppies."

Shippo rolled his eyes. He apparently couldn't see the same shapes in this new formation of clouds as Rin. All he could see were cotton balls. He gave it up.

"Foolish children," came Jaken's high-pitched voice, "You are both orphans. Who could you be referring to as mother?"

"Lady Kagome, of course, Master Jaken," smile Rin, her gap in her front teeth and her sideways pony tail making her all the cuter. Neither of the children had seen their adoptive mother in three days either. They were beginning to worry.

"Hmpfff, that wench! I still stick to it that Lord Sesshomaru can't be serious about her!" He had craftily overlooked seeing her mating mark the few times they had met and had completely avoided her since she had returned from that trip with his Lord. "Human Trash, she is, unfit for a demon such as Lord Sesshomaru!"

CRACK!

Sesshomaru's poison whip gorged a deep hole, centimeters from the toad-demon's toe. Jaken gulped nervously as he threw himself face-down at the dog demon's feet.

"It would not be advisable to speak so unwell of Lady Kagome," the taiyoukai said coldly and dangerously. "If it happens again, I will not hesitate to take your life."

A shiver ran through the retainer at the promise in those words. He risked taking a glance upwards and caught the sight of his silver lord, but beside him, was a very beautiful golden inu youkai.

"My Lord," he gleefully exclaimed to himself, not realizing that the demon lord could hear him full well. "It seems you have taken my advice and moved on from that human miko! She was easily replaceable, I see, by this demon beauty!"

CRACK!

This whip was different. True, it had the same effect of gorging a hole into ground by the retainer's feet, but it had a hint of purification powers in its scent. Jaken looked into the demoness' face fully, a face that seemed oddly familiar. Then the demoness spoke, and his blunder became apparent.

"I can hear you, you know? And I do not go by human, wench, miko, or any variations of those names. I am Kagome: Ka-go-me, if you need it more clearly defined! I will spare your life now because I appreciate you watching over the children and because, though you didn't mean to, you paid me a compliment by calling me a beauty."

Jaken was flustered, to say the least at such a surprise, and even a little frustrated to see that the human wench had not truly left. One could say that he was a little flustrated then. Even more so, he was confused. 'How could this Miko change species?' he asked himself. The children weren't surprised at her appearance, so apparently he was very behind in the happenings of the castle. He would have to remedy that soon. For now though...

"Jaken, make yourself useful and greet my brother and his friends at the castle gate. I've already ordered my father's barrier to allow them entrance. See to it that they are shown in to us properly and have rooms prepared for them in the guest wing. We'll be waiting in the Dining Hall."

"Come on, kids," Kagome called, almost as if she were calling a dog. The children ran up, faces beaming and the merry little group made their merry little way to the dining room. It was a smaller room off the Dining Hall's vast room. The Dining Hall was only used for formal occasions as it was much too large to be of any use everyday. This smaller room had all the eating necessities close enough by that one didn't need to holler for a servant to pass the salt, please.

The castle cook had all sorts of breakfast goodies laid out on the table, and though the children had already eaten once, they eagerly sat down at the table for a second go at the scrumptious food.

Shippo was just getting ready to bite into a heavily jellied biscuit when a hard smack to the back of his head made him drop it- drop it straight into a waiting clawed hand. The clawed hand quickly threw it into the fanged mouth of Inuyasha, who chewed it loud and obnoxiously.

"Thanks for the food, runt," he said through the food still in his mouth.

"Inuyasha!" reprimanded a dangerous voice.

Inuyasha eyes grew wide in fear, for that was the voice of Kagome. He looked around searching for her, but all he saw was a fuming demoness sitting next to his brother. He didn't realize who that demoness was until he saw her lips form the word.."SIT!" and he was subdued, right on his face as always.

"Inuyasha! You shouldn't treat Shippo like that! He's only a kid and you could actually hurt him!"

Inuyasha was in shock, well, that was an understatement. He had come all this way ( he took the 'long way' as he described it before leading the group straight into a bog. They washed the filth off themselves and found a messenger from the Lord Sesshomaru awaiting their presence at his castle saying that they should follow him. Miroku, Sango, and Kohaku eagerly followed the strange demon. Anything was better than being led straight into another bog.) to see if Kagome was mated to his half-brother only to find that she had switched species on him during their time apart.

He looked at her features closer. She looked pretty much the same except for the golden hair, the silvery eyes, the tail, and the demonic ears and markings. Actually, she looked a great deal better and could be described as gorgeous and ravishing. It was a good thing Inuyasha's jaw was attached to the rest of his face, or it would've hit the floor. He simply stared at the girl who used to love him. He could tell that he didn't have a chance- he could clearly see Sesshomaru's crescent moon on her forehead and smell the taiyoukai all over her- and she looked happy, happy to be mated to the demon lord, of all things.

A possessive growling caught the half demon's ear and he quickly stopped staring and closed his mouth.

Sesshomaru warned, "I did not bring you here to gawk at my mate, Inuyasha."

"Then why did you bring me here?" asked Inuyasha bitterly.

"OH! Kagome, you are so beautiful!" came Sango's voice. The rest of the usual gang had first gone to their rooms to clean up before meeting the Lord of the Western Lands. She ran towards Kagome who met her halfway for a hug and essentially ending the high tension of the room, and not giving Sesshomaru a chance to reply.

Miroku waited for his chance to greet Kagome and thankfully kept his roaming hands to himself, well, actually, just to Sango, who quickly slapped him across the cheek. "Hentai!" Kohaku just silently took a place next to Rin, not saying a word. He was usually quiet unless it was absolutely necessary that he responded. Sango just believed he was depressed because he remembered all the bad things he had done. Rin chattered ceaselessly but cheerfully to him the entire time and Shippo just silently seethed at Inuyasha. 'I'll get you Inuyasha. Just you wait.'

The visitors sat down for the morning meal and Miroku began a conversation. "Lady Kagome, it is strange to see you as a demon, but tell us, how did this happen?"

Kagome smiled sweetly before going into the same story she had told her mother and grandpa- it was quickly becoming one of her favorites to tell. She finished about a good while later, "...And so I only became a full demon three days ago and I'm still getting used to the changes- I can understand the shock it is to you all."

"It's not really that bad," comforted Sango, "after all, you're still the exact person we knew as a human."

"Thanks Sango," replied Kagome. Inuyasha just 'hmfed.' Kagome turned to him, suddenly feeling her patience wane, "What Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha just shook his head stubbornly. He finally asked, "Are you going to tell us why you brought us here?" He aimed his question at his half-brother rather than the human-turned-demon miko.

"The final battle against Naraku approaches. I can feel it in the air. Kagome asked for me to summon you all believing you to have a right to be there at the fight when Naraku is destroyed. I summoned you here because only Kagome can sense where Naraku is. His castle moves every night so we must wait until it settles in one place for longer than that day. Once that happens, we will know that Naraku is waiting for us and we will finish this battle once and for all. Any other questions?" All heads in the room shook for 'no.' "Good, then you are free to wander about the castle or in the gardens. Food will always be prepared and be set upon this table for whenever you are hungry. And Inuyasha?"

"Hmm?"

"Might I suggest you take a bath. They're located down the hall of the guest wing. You smell like you've walked through a bog recently," said Sesshomaru with a smirk.

Inuyasha just growled angrily and walked out of the room and out of sight.

Sango, Miroku, Kohaku, even Rin and Shippo under Jaken's care soon followed. Some touring the grounds and some beginning a new game of tag. Sesshomaru deliberately stayed back so that he could speak with Kagome alone.

"Kagome," he began, knowing how hard it was going to be to convince her to stay out of the upcoming battle. He continued after he had her full attention, "I think it would be best if you stayed out of the final fight with Naraku-"

"WHAT?" she cut him off angrily.

"I'm not asking you to completely stay out. You may come along with us on the journey and lead us to Naraku, but when the final fight comes, I want to know that you're safe and away from the confrontation."

"AND JUST WHY? Do you think I'm not strong enough to fight Naraku? I've been fighting him for years and I don't plan to just hide safely when we finally have the chance to finish him!"

"I do not question your power or your strength. I know that you are strong, but, Kagome, he's already killed you once and I won't be able to bring you back with the sword if he kills you again."

"I'm not afraid to die!"

"I know you're not, but I won't risk it, especially now when we'd also be risking the life of our unborn child. If you won't stay out of this battle to protect your own life, would you at least do it to protect the unborn child?"

Kagome fell silent at this. She had completely forgotten that she was pregnant. It was still new to her. She placed a hand on her belly so that she could feel the baby's presence. She couldn't risk it, and she knew it. "For the baby, I will stay out of the fight. But if you die on me! Oh, know that I will come right into the afterlife and beat you to a pulp and then purify your ass!"

"I do not plan to be the one dying. I only plan to do the killing when we face Naraku."

"Good, and Sesshomaru? Don't tell the others just yet. I don't want them to worry over me and the baby. It'll just distract them while they should be focusing on fighting Naraku."

"I also believe that would be the best course of action."

O0o.o0O

Later that day, Shippo was still plotting revenge against Inuyasha for stealing his food that morning. He was busy putting red ink in a bottle of soap that was used as shampoo. He laughed at his own prank, 'I told you I'd make you pay Inuyasha. Just wait till you take that bath Sesshomaru told you to.'

O0o.o0O

Sesshomaru was in his study with the door slightly ajar allowing a cool breeze to filter through the room. He was busy doing paperwork and seeing to the needs of his kingdom. Kagome was sprawled out sideways on a chair reading a book.

They both looked up when they felt Shippo's presence gliding sneakily through the hallway and past the open door, not seeing them watching him. They could hear him chuckling to himself in impish glee.

Once he passed, Kagome went right back to reading, yet Sesshomaru seemed amused.

"Where is the kit sneaking off too, I wonder?"

"No doubt to prank Inuyasha. I wonder what mischief he has planned today. Hold on! Here's you a perfect opportunity Sesshomaru!"

"Opportunity for what, may I ask?"

"Opportunity to bond with Shippo, of course- share a common thrill, or being that it's Inuyasha, perhaps share a common enemy."

Sesshomaru smirked, "Are you telling me to prank my younger brother?"

Kagome happily nodded, "Yes. He needs to give one up for the cause. I know Rin already sees you as a father figure, but Shippo hasn't had the opportunity to connect with you. All he needs is to spend a little quality time with you."

"Hmmm...It seems logical. And I would like to see my half-brother in discomfort. Fine, I will go. I do hope it's amusing."

"That's the spirit! If all else fails, just remember to think of it as training for when you have to bond with your own child. I'll be waiting here for you. If I don't hear Inuyasha yell in 30 minutes, I'll come look for you."

Sesshomaru gave her a plaintive look that said, 'I'll have Inuyasha crying for his mother in five minutes,' before standing and sneakily following the kit.

O0o.o0O

Inuyasha was bored. He had walked already around the castle, raided the food table numerous times, he even walked through the garden once. Yet, he was desperately bored. He hated waiting around for a fight, especially under the care of his brother. It seemed that Kagome was truly happy with his full youkai relative and that there was nothing he could do. She was his and that was that. He heaved a sigh before deciding to take a bath like his brother had advised- he did smell like bog. He gathered his supplies and made his way to the baths down the hall.

The water was warm and heavily perfumed. It blocked out all other smells- not that he really feared a sneak attack from an enemy in his father's castle, unless you included Shippo. He was likely to try to start trouble, but he was really too weak to be considered an actual threat. He took off his clothes and tossed them to the side before getting into the pool of water. After several minutes of soaking, he reached for the shampoo bottle so that he could wash his long silver locks. He wasn't aware that merely seconds before, a young kitsune intent upon revenge had visited his bath side and planted the shampoo bottle there. Inuyasha let the soap soak into his hair very a long time to try to get the bog-smell out.

The aforementioned Kitsune ran out of the bath room trying to keep his chuckling from being audible. He had tears running down his eyes and a fist stuffed in his mouth trying to keep the sound in. He did not expect to run smack dab into Sesshomaru as soon as he left the room.

Shippo looked up in fear, believing he would be in some serious trouble. He was rather shocked, therefore, when Sesshomaru actually smiled and held out a obnoxiously pink kimono that wasn't quite meant to be concealing.

"I believe you forgot to leave Inuyasha something to change into after we still his normal attire. Perhaps this will do nicely? Would you kindly and quickly run this in there? Be sure to take anything else he left in there and the towels. We don't want him to be able to get out of wearing the clothes we provided for him."

Shippo stared up in dumb awe before his impish smile returned and he did as Sesshomaru asked him to do- quick and silently. The little kitsune was finally able to get his revenge on Inuyasha for everything he had ever done to him.

O0o.o0O

"SHIPPO!!! WHERE ARE YOU? I KNOW YOU DID THIS, YOU STUPID BRAT!" yelled Inuyasha less than 30 minutes later. Shippo was currently safe beside Sesshomaru in the latter's private study. Shippo had already told Kagome everything that they had done to the half-demon, including Sesshomaru's role in having ALL of the servants happen to be having to clean the hallways from the guest baths to Inuyasha's room. They all had to endure the mentally-upsetting sight of an enraged half-demon trying to blend in with the walls as he ran by as a blur to his room to find some more clothes. The pink Kimono he could get out of, however his pink hair would still be around for a while.

The enraged hanyou was going through the castle on all fours, trying to catch the scent that would lead him to Shippo. He followed the trail all the way to Sesshomaru's private study. When he barged in, Sesshomaru looked up from his paperwork, an ink pen held suspended over it and Kagome looked up from her book.

"Inuyasha, may I remind you that while you may not have work that needs to be concentrated upon, the rest of us are not so lucky. I would appreciate it if you would use your indoor voice and please knock before entering. You could have walked in on us doing something that you would prefer to not have to see, if you understand my meaning."

Inuyasha nodded dumbly, surprised that the little kitsune wasn't in here. Then again, he could've picked up the wrong scent and followed an old trail of Shippo's. His rickety train of thought completely crashed at the sound of Kagome's hysterical laughter.

She pounding her fists upon her book in her mirth. She managed to snort out, "Inu..Inuyasha...hahaha..why is your hair...haha..pink..hahaha." She held her sides which were aching from laughing so hard.

Inuyasha shied away from the staring and retreated to his own room. He didn't leave it again until he had managed to wash out every trace of the pink.

As soon as the hanyou was gone, Shippo tumbled out from behind Sesshomaru's pant leg where he had been hiding. He was also still laughing at his exploits.

Sesshomaru cleared his throat loudly for the kitsune's attention. "Know that these pranks are not to be pulled on anyone. I will not have you sneaking behind my back to pull such a stunt on Kagome, Rin, or myself. Is that Understood?"

"Yes sir!" answered Shippo like a little army man. "Does that mean I can still prank Inuyasha?"

"Inuyasha," stated Sesshomaru deadpan, "is still fair game. You may go."

Shippo slightly bowed his head in respect for the demon before scuttling off to tell his adventures to Rin. Now Shippo had finally seen in Sesshomaru what Rin saw in him. Perhaps he had finally found a full family to belong to.

O0o.o0O

In a baneful castle, desolate of all life except evil itself and its offspring, Naraku was infusing his malignancy and corruption into a giant pot, infusing it with power from his nearly complete and starkingly black shikon jewel piece.

The fleshy substance seemed to pulsate like a heart beat. The slimy goo was becoming another offspring of the unfavorable hanyou Naraku. Dainigumo, another underling was speaking to his master.

"Master, I see not why you need more servants. I can easily kill the miko and the inu youkai. You do not need to waste your time on such creatures."

"AH, but you misunderstand my intentions. I could easily enough kill them all, but I love to see them in pain. If the information you brought me is accurate, then we have a new couple emerging among my enemies. A surprising couple, I must admit."

"Let me assure you master, it is true. The one known as Sesshomaru and the miko Kagome are mated. Just what do you have planned for them?"

"I will have them hate each other, not only in life, but I will have them despise each other in the afterlife as well, just as I had planned for Inuyasha and Kikyo over 50 years ago."

"And these creatures you are creating will help you do that?"

"Let me show you just what they are capable of."

The shikon jewel surged with power and the pot broke in two, sending the fleshy substance over the dirty floor. From the mess stood two hunched figures. They were bent, unable to stand upright and they had long gray arms and matted hair covering their featureless faces. They seemed to hang off each other as there hands felt out the area around them, making sickly grunting noises at the effort.

"These two of my offspring, my son and daughter, Katsu and Chiyo, have the power to manipulate a person senses to see and hear only the things they want the person too. The will use their gifts to turn the couple against each other and make them kill each other. Such misery that I can immerse myself in. They will make destroying the miko much fun. The foolish little girl that thought she could defeat a power such as me. They will all wish for death!"

O0o.o0O

A/N: Yep, I had to end on a dark note. You know the routine. Read it. Laugh at it. Cuss at my ending. Leave a line or two in the review box on your way out. Go on with your wondrous life. Don't worry. Be happy.