-1A/N: This is kind of the calm before the storm. I made sure to further some relationships in this chapter. After this chapter is through, I can finally get back to some action, maybe some fighting, a little bit of cursing, and have I mentioned bloodshed and death? Anyway, enjoy what you can...
Chapter 18
For someone who loved children, Kagome wasn't nearly as excited as one would think about having one herself. It was what she truly wanted, but the timing couldn't have been worse. They were at the climax of the fight against Naraku and now, she wouldn't even be able to fight. She couldn't go running around telling everyone, because then, not only would they worry and fuss over her, but also, Naraku could find out. Naraku used everything to his advantage and Sesshomaru could see him kidnapping Kagome just to lure him into a trap- he saw this in his nightmares every night and always woke suddenly in a cold sweat.
Kagome noticed that Sesshomaru was sleeping less and less recently. Every morning it was the same routine for her: wake up, use her senses to see if Naraku had moved overnight, find Sesshomaru already up and either looking exhausted(though he hid it quite well) or looking pale and, Kami forbid, scared, and then she would rush out of bed to find a place to dump the contents of her stomach- morning sickness had begun to plague her.
It had been three weeks since Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, and Kohaku had joined them at the castle. Inuyasha was growing restless. The pink dye had finally washed out of his hair and Shippo was making sure he was never left alone in the room with the angry hanyou. Rin played with both Shippo and Kohaku and slowly Kohaku also began to speak and laugh again. He still held a certain sadness in his eyes though. Sesshomaru had offered the rest of the Drink of Anomede to Rin who was happy that she didn't have to leave her Lord and father-figure in death. She was now a dark purple-haired, almost black, Inu youkai with a wild-haired tail. It seemed almost spikey. She had also taken on the leaves' attributes- her eyes were golden, brighter than Sesshomaru's, her demonic stripes were scarlet like Kagome's, and she also had a marking on her lower back of the tree of Emoceba Anomede in a silvery color that shone nicely from her skin. Shortly after Rin becoming a demon, the two children decided to choose their father, and they chose Sesshomaru.
Begin Flashback
Sesshomaru had been walking through the garden looking for his mate when he stumbled across two children playing tag.
"Where is Kohaku?" wondered Sesshomaru out loud.
Rin stopped their game and looked up at him, still sideways ponytailed and gap toothed, "His sister took him to train. She said it would make him feel better and make him strong enough so that whatever happened to him would never happen again. Lord Sesshomaru, what happened to Kohaku?"
Sesshomaru stood in silence, wondering how his mate would answer such a question- the truth was too gruesome for a little girl to hear. He decided to avoid the question, "I am not exactly sure, but I do know that his sister will do what's right for him. Would you two like to also train to become stronger?" The children nodded eagerly. "Then I will train you. Have you ever played the game of hide-and-seek?"
Shippo was bouncing on the balls of his pawed feet in his eagerness, "Yes, mama plays it with us all the time. How is that training?"
"It's not...when you play it with your eyes. But, if we cover your eyes, it trains your sense of smell. I will go hide, and you two try to find my scent trail and follow it to me."
The children were excited as they nodded, so Sesshomaru quickly found some strips of cloth he could use as blindfolds. He tied the cloth around their heads and said, "Now, count to 100 then come and try to find me."
The children started counted and Sesshomaru took off, making sure he got far enough away to make it a challenge. At certain points, he would jump a distance to make it more difficult or circle around a few times to spread his scent out to confuse the children. By the end of the count to 100, he was resting comfortably in the branches of a tree on the other side of the castle, a bit too comfortably, he thought as he was shortly tackled to the ground by the two childrenwho were giggling and laughing up a storm. Their blindfolds had become crooked in the fall leaving only one green eye for Shippo looking up guiltily at the taiyoukai and one gold one for Rin.
Shippo was worried. He was quite certain the demon lord would kill him for something so...ungraceful. But his worries were meaningless because Sesshomaru just got even by tickling Rin's belly and the kitsune's feet. The children couldn't get away from the onslaught- they were laughing too hard.
Finally, Sesshomaru released them and they laid there breathless. The inu youkai complimented them saying, "You two must have very good noses. I didn't expect you to find me so soon. I under estimated you. But now, I have a really hard task, one that not even I can accomplish on my own," he lied. He could very well do the task by himself, but Kagome had encouraged him to bond with the children like they were their own. He continued, "I need to find your mother, but I'm afraid she's out of my sense range. Do you think a couple of noses like yours could help me out?" More eager nods. "Good. Then blindfolds up and noses ready. Lead me to her."
The children started trotting off, their noses held up in the air to pick up Kagome's sweet scent. They found her by a pond. She had fallen asleep reading a book against a tree that was providing much needed shade from the hot afternoon sun. The gentle flow of water had a great calming effect and it was easy to see how it could've lulled the pretty miko demon to sleep. Her golden hair glittered in the light that got past the tree's leaves and branches. She looked angelic and Sesshomaru couldn't resist waking her with a kiss.
Kagome woke from the pressure of Sesshomaru's lips on hers and just in time to hear, "Ewwww!" from the children. She could feel her cheeks turning red as Sesshomaru helped her to her feet.
"I must've fallen asleep out here reading. That's a shame, I was almost to the end of my book and now I've lost the page I was on," she faked whined. She knew she could find it again later.
Shippo's nose twitched. "Mama, are you all right."
"Of course I am, Shippo. Why do you ask?"
Shippo sniffed again and again, but he couldn't find the problem. There was something wrong with his adoptive mother's scent, he just didn't know what. "Your scent. It's different somehow."
It was now Rin's turn to sniff. "I don't smell anything different."
Shippo shook his head, "No, there's something different. Maybe you should see the castle nurse."
Kagome motioned for the two to step closer as she looked around to make sure no one was listening in to their conversation. She whispered, "I'm going to tell you a secret, but you have to promise not to tell anyone else, okay?"
"We promise mama," they both chimed, leaning in closer.
"We, Sesshomaru and me, are going to have a baby. I'm pregnant!" announced Kagome in a thrilled yet quiet voice. They were the first to hear the news because Shippo was the first to notice anything different. The others would still be unable to tell the difference- Shippo had just been living and sleeping next to Kagome for a much longer time than the rest. He knew her scent well.
Rin looked horrified, "But if you have a child, then whose children will we be?"
Kagome grabbed both Rin and Shippo into a hug, "Oh, Rin, Shippo, you will always be our children. I may not be the mother that gave you life, but I will always be there for you. Don't worry, this baby doesn't mean you're getting replaced or anything. It will be either your little brother or little sister. He or she will look up to you. Oh, children, how could you think we'd ever get rid of you?"
Rin looked up teary eyed at Sesshomaru, big golden eyes looking so sweet, he knew instantly he'd never be able to say no to whatever she was getting ready to ask for. Her lip quivered as she asked, "Does that make you our daddy?" Sesshomaru nodded. "And..can we...Rin and Shippo call you ...d..daddy?" Sesshomaru nodded again.
Shippo and Rin attached themselves to Sesshomaru's legs, he guessed they were trying to hug him, but because he was so tall, they couldn't do more than wrap their arms around his legs. After a silent but effective motion of encouragement from Kagome, he kneeled down to their level and they threw their arms around his neck.
A demon's first hug from a child later, Shippo and Rin backed up so that they could see both Kagome and Sesshomaru again. Sesshomaru had stood up to his full height again and had an arm around Kagome's waist (he said to keep her from being cold, but it was a really hot day. Kagome knew he was just protective of the new pup and her).
Shippo said, "We won't tell anybody about it. But mama, where do babies come from?"
Kagome gave an evil smile that filled Sesshomaru's heart with terror before she said, "I'll let your father explain that one."
She bounded over the grass and went back to the library leaving Sesshomaru standing alone with two kids looking up at him expectantly.
Sesshomaru growled almost inaudibly. He said, "I'll tell you when you're older."
end flashback
Ever since then, both Shippo and Rin had continued to call him 'daddy' and he grew to like the name. He also started training the children because they had showed such enthusiasm for getting stronger 'like their mommy and daddy' they said. They had become a true family, and nothing could hope to break them apart, but Sesshomaru knew Naraku would try if he found out. Therefore, Kagome was quite surprised when a bead rosary landing in her lap as she woke from a nap one day.
"What is this?" she asked holding it up.
"A rosary," he answered simply.
"I can see that," retorted Kagome, her temper growing short, "but I want to know what it is for. Or perhaps you just wanted me to make you some subjugation beads and have you hit the ground each time I say 'bad boy?'"
"No!" responded Sesshomaru quickly. Just as quickly, he recovered his composure and explained, "I want you to place a concealing spell on them to make the wearer look human. Naraku hasn't seen your demon form and I don't want him to. If he sees a human that has been able to turn into a demon, he would likely kidnap you and torture the secrets out of you so that he could use the same method on himself to become a full demon. I will not take that risk, mate." Kagome nodded and began placing the spell on them. She placed the beads around her neck and saw her tail and claws go away. Stepping in front of a mirror, she saw herself, exactly as how she had been before the Drink of Anomede. It seemed weird to her that the person standing before the mirror looked like a new acquaintance, not like a person she knew very well. She had already gotten used to her demon form so much that her human form looked like a stranger.
Sesshomaru nuzzled her neck and licked her now humanoid ears. He whispered, "You are still beautiful. Don't take the necklace off until the threat has passed."
Kagome's mood lightened, "Hmmm...keep holding me like this and I don't think we'll make it out of this room before the threat passes."
"The children are training with one of the servants at the moment. I wouldn't want to waste the opportunity." And so they enjoyed each other for the rest of the night. Kagome woke with the first light of day with morning sickness, and soon discovered something that would interest the whole castle.
She looked at her mate, her eyes wide in anticipation, "He's waiting for us."
"Naraku has finally decided to stop running and face us?" checked Sesshomaru. Kagome nodded. "Wake your friends. We'll set off at once."
O0o.o0O
Sango was having trouble sleeping. She tossed and turned for hours before she finally pulled herself from bed and walked out in the crisp morning air to the garden to watch the sun rise and hope that it would calm her restless mind. She was ready to see the end of this thing, to destroy Naraku, and finally be able to settle down and live a normal life. The first tendrils of light spread over the horizon and she sighed with the burden on her mind.
A rose popped up in her face, being held by Miroku who also looked troubled. She took the red flower from him and breathed in its sweet scent.
"A lot on your mind?" he asked as he sat down next to her, his lecherous hands for once staying to himself.
Sango nodded, "I am ready for this thing to end and this waiting around is making me nervous. I'm not sure what I'll be able to contribute to this battle. I'm only a human with no special gifts, no purification powers, and no cursed hands."
Miroku held up his hand and studied it. "This hand...it's only brought me fear, fear that it will end my life before I have a chance to defeat Naraku and have a real relationship with someone. You don't need any special powers, Sango. You put your heart into your fighting. You're strong and you will contribute just as much as the rest of us."
"You really think so, Miroku?" questioned the demon slayer.
"Absolutely. Once Naraku stops hiding, we will defeat him."
"And after that?" she probed, "What will we do after that? We've been traveling for so long, I don't know where I could call home anymore."
Miroku took her hand in his. "Sango, in case you thought I wasn't being serious before, I'll make my point clear now. I will not ask you to bear my children, this time though. I will ask you to share my life. I know I'm not perfect, but I'll change for you. You will be the only one to ever hear me ask this: Will you marry me, Sango?"
A tear fell down Sango's cheek. Miroku was scared. He didn't know what that tear meant. Was it good or bad? Sango answered his unasked question though. She grabbed his lips with her own for a beautiful first kiss.
"Of course I'll marry you, hentai. Just no more womanizing," she ordered through the tears.
Miroku's heart seemed to freeze in his chest. That was a lot to ask of him, but if he was ever going to keep the only woman he has ever seriously given thought to having a future with, he was going to have to stop his lecherous ways.
"You're more than enough woman to satisfy this man, Sango. I pledge to have eyes for you and only you." He captured her lips for a second kiss and pulled her into his arms. They only pulled apart when they heard Kagome's excited voice.
She came barreling in exclaiming, "It's time! It's time. Get ready to travel! Naraku's castle has finally stopped moving. Two days journey to the Northeast! Let's get cracking!"
And with that she took off again to find Inuyasha and tell him the news leaving a red-cheeked Sango still in the arms of a glowing Miroku. Neither one had noticed that Kagome looked like her old human self again. "So it's finally time," he echoed Kagome's words when he recovered from the shock of having been caught holding Sango. He looked into Sango's still teary eyes, "I'll protect your back and you protect mine. We will survive and I will be able to keep my promise to you."
"Yes, but I don't know how needed we will be. Kagome's more than a match for Naraku now. There's no way we won't win," expressed Sango, finally untangling herself from Miroku's warm embrace and beginning to walk to the castle.
"True. I would hate to ever be on Kagome's bad side. Let us go prepare then," finished Miroku, a slight shiver running up his back as he imagined Kagome's rage.
O0o.o0O
Back in a vile castle filled with hate and spite, Naraku watched the group leave the safety of Inutaisho's castle. He saw the hanyou Inuyasha, followed by the monk and the demon slayer, then his newest targets, Sesshomaru and Kagome. Sesshomaru was walking protectively close to the human with his demonic mark on her forehead which meant Dainigumo had reported the facts back to him accurately.
'Good," thought Naraku, a maniacal smirk coming to his features, 'this new couple will provide quite the entertainment. I will destroy them both but only after I break both of their hearts.'
"Dainigumo," he snapped out. The combined priest and human came forward out of the shadows. Naraku looked at him out of the sides of his eyes, "Take my newest creations and introduce them to Sesshomaru and Kagome. They share my sense of pleasure at inflicting mental pain."
"As you wish, master," bowed Dainigumo, obediently leading Katsu and Chiyo, the featureless hunched gray figures with the power to manipulate a person's senses and having none of their own, to a clearing that would intercept the traveling group's path.
O0o.o0O
"It's a shame you didn't summon Kouga as well, Lady Kagome," said Miroku as they made their way along the path towards Naraku's castle.
"And why is that?" inquired Kagome, her brow raised in her confusion.
"Because he has many wolf allies that would have assisted in our fighting," replied the monk.
"That wimpy wolf?" voiced Inuyasha, "They would only be in our way. They're not strong enough."
"I, for the first time in my life, agree with Inuyasha. They would only slow us down. And if that wolf values his life, he would do well to stay away from my mate," spoke Sesshomaru, the threat evident in his voice.
"I didn't summon them because I had no need to," said Kagome, wrapping an arm around Sesshomaru to show that she was his and only his to calm his youkai pride. She continued to explain, "Kouga will be there anyway. Naraku desires the jewel shards and Kouga has two of them. Naraku will attract Kouga's attention and the wolf tribe will be there behind their leader."
"I never thought about that," mused Sango out loud. She was happy Sesshomaru had made the decision for her and ordered her little brother to stay at the castle to 'protect Rin and Shippo.' She would hate to deny the boy's right of revenge herself.
The group passed into silence for a while. Conversation was little for they were all thinking of the upcoming battle.
"We will stop here for the night," Sesshomaru interrupted them from their thoughts. "We need to conserve our energy if we are to defeat everything he will try to throw at us."
They all began making camp. No one noticed the gray shadows that stood just outside the circle of light from their campfire. The two figures breathed heavily as they waited for an opportunity to use their powers. Dainigumo sat in the branches above them acting as their eyes for they had none themselves on their gray, featureless faces covered in lank and knotted hair.
O0o.end chapter.o0O
A/N: da dum dummmm. Now the battle between good and evil is about to begin. I'll try to get the next chapter up soon. With the climax of this story getting so close, along with the subsequent ending, I begun to brainstorm for a sequel. Should I even bother continuing the story? Tell me if you think so,
Tiki Rane Gobell