Notes:

1. Thank all of you whom have reviewed, I really appreciate the feedback, and your responses are at the end of this chapter.

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To Do Or Not To Do, That Is The Question

"The hell we are!"

Kagome's hold on Sesshomaru tightens before she lets go to turn to Inuyasha, her hand still on his shoulder. Kagome glares at Inuyasha and opens her mouth, but Miroku interrupts her.

"Perhaps we should talk over there?" he suggests, gesturing to the far end of the cave. Clearly, waiting until after the storm passes isn't going to happen. Everyone does and turns their backs, leaving Sesshomaru alone with Shippo and Kirara.

'Humans are stupid,' Sesshomaru muses. Did they think he wouldn't be able to hear their conversation, or even Shippo for that matter? They are young, true, but they are still yokai. Sesshomaru wipes away his shameful tears but he can't bring himself to look at anyone, so he settles on the ground and inspects the mysterious second sword absent-mindedly, with a heavy emotion inside. He can still feel the tingling touch of Kagome's arms around him. It's...Nice. He knows without a doubt that his Mother loves him dearly, but she rarely hugs him as he grows older now. His Father is the touchy one, and mostly he'll simply ruffle Sesshomaru's hair and clap his shoulder when he's happy or proud. Sesshomaru cherishes those moments.

"We can't just leave him," Kagome hisses quietly.

"Like he'd do the same for us!" Inuyasha says disbelievingly, louder than Kagome's tone. "He ain't our problem."

"He thinks he's six!" she whisper-yells.

"I have to agree with Kagome, Inuyasha," Miroku butts in, just as quietly as Kagome. "It wouldn't be right to simply leave him as he is."

"Feh! He could be just pretending so that he can kill us in our sleep!" Inuyasha stubbornly argues.

Their conversation makes Sesshomaru's head spin. 'Why wouldn't I think that I'm eighty? And why on earth would I wish to slaughter those I've never before met?' Also, they speak as if...as if...Sesshomaru isn't sure, but he knows that he's missing some important key information. He hates it. He decides to question Shippo about it, "What are they talking about?"

Shippo gazes at him strangely. Shippo shrugs and looks away.

Sesshomaru frowns. 'What was that about?' he wonders.

"How about we just take him home?" Sango suggests in an undertone. "We can leave turning him back to the servants or whoever there. Isn't he the Lord of the Western Lands?"

He's the heir to the Western Lands, but why correct her?

"Do you know where that is?" Miroku asks Sango.

"Not really," Sango admits. "Do you guys?"

"No."

"I'm afraid not."

"Inuyasha?"

"Do you know where it is?"

Inuyasha crosses his arms stubbornly and doesn't directly look at them. "Maybe..." He mutters lowly.

"How?" Sango asks curiously.

"Well, I gotta know where it is so I can avoid it, don't I?" he grumbles.

"That's great! So we can take Sesshomaru-"

"Oh, hell no!" Inuyasha snarls, "It'll take three weeks to get there! We ain't got the time; we need to hunt for the shards!"

Kagome grits her teeth and says, "Sit, boy."

BAM!

Kagome glowers down at Inuyasha's back. "How cold-hearted can you be?" she demands, no longer taking care to keep her voice quiet. "It's just a few weeks! And whatever he's done in the past, we shouldn't hold it against the six year old boy with no memories!" With that, Kagome turns on her heel and marches away in an angry huff.

Sesshomaru watches Kagome with mixed emotions as she makes a show of sitting directly next to him, and pulls him into her with one arm. Even after receiving a hug not ten minutes ago, Sesshomaru is still surprised by her open affection. Shyly, he slowly attempts to relax. It's a tad difficult.

Shippo glares at where Kagome's arm touches Sesshomaru's shoulders. Not that either notices.

"Sesshomaru?" Kagome inquires at his odd behavior and looks down at him.

"Why...do you...?"

"Do you mean hug you?" Kagome guesses, briefly griping Sesshomaru tighter.

Sesshomaru nods.

Kagome's brows pull together in confusion. "Do you not get hugged?"

"Of course I used to," Sesshomaru replies. "But my Mother says that I am becoming a man now, and as such I no longer require to be coddled." Although Sesshomaru will never confess to missing those touches...

Kagome's expression hardens, and Sesshomaru worries that he's displeased her. But he's reassured when she pulls him on her lap and wraps both arms around his waist, and rests her chin on his head. "Well," she announces, "Your Mother is wrong. A person is never too old for a hug."

Sesshomaru should be insulted with the way Kagome is behaving towards him, but strangely he can't seem to muster the anger. Or even annoyance. He simply feels warm inside, like when his Mother smiles genuinely towards him or when he makes his Father proud. So he doesn't say anything and permits her to hold him.

"You will keep your word, right?" Sesshomaru questions Kagome. "My Father says that a person's worth reflects on their word. And to break your word is dishonourable, making you worthless."

Kagome smiles and hugs him tighter. "Don't worry, I promise to do everything in my power to get you home," the last bit is punctured with a glare towards Inuyasha.

Inuyasha huffs and turns away in disgust.

"Kagome?" Shippo stands in front of the two. "Can you colour with me?"

Kagome glances to the still pouring rain and to her right wrist. That's when Sesshomaru notices the odd thing wrapped around her. It's circular, but with little lines in it and thicker lines in the middle. The the shorter of the three is pointing directly to the top, while the longer one is pointing more towards the left. The third moves every second. The circular thing seems to be attached to a thin leather strap, which is wrapped around Kagome's wrist.

'What is that?' Sesshomaru wonders.

"Mm, I'm sorry, Shippo. But I should probably make some lunch. How about you and Sesshomaru colour together?"

Shippo's eyes flicker to Sesshomaru in obvious displeasure. "Please?" Shippo tries again.

But Kagome gets up and still gives Shippo some white parchment with colourful...things... and searches through her bag. Shippo frowns and settles down against a wall. Sesshomaru is unsure what to do, but with a moments hesitation, walks over to Shippo with his dirty clothing dragging behind. He almost trips with his too-big boots.

Shippo is crouched and is holding the red...thing's...tip on the blank parchment. Or, at least, Sesshomaru assumes that it's parchment. It, like everything Kagome takes out of her yellow sack, is unknown or odd looking.

Shippo looks up to Sesshomaru with hostility. "What do you want?" Shippo asks shortly.

Sesshomaru is used to such attitude, but the rejection still hurts. What has he done this time? Why the sudden change? Sesshomaru opens his mouth, only to close it.

"These are mine, so go find something else to do."

"Shippo!" Kagome, overhearing, scolds. "I said for you guys to colour together."

"But, Kagome-" Shippo whines.

Kagome shoots him a look.

"It is fine," Sesshomaru cuts in. Shippo and Kagome look at him in surprise. "As if I wish to interact with a peasant anyways," he sniffs and turns up his nose. Unknown to them, Sesshomaru is drawing a upon his mimicry of his Mother. It's a useful mask to hide his true feeling towards children around his age.

"What?" Shippo bristles.

"You heard me," Sesshomaru crosses his arms.

Things only went down hill from there, with Kagome and others (who aren't children, a demon cat, or a sulking dog) not sure what to do. In the end, Sesshomaru is not 'sulking' in one of the cave's corners -far from the rest. A new found happier Inuyasha has rejoined the others. Sesshomaru's 'self-exile' from the group doesn't stop them from shooting him glances from time to time, though.

It's very cold and lonely in his corner.

For the rest of the duration of the day everyone does their own thing, with Sango and Miroku polishing their weapons ('Are they trying to warn me?' Sesshomaru can't help question) Shippo colouring, Kirara dowsing and Kagome doing...something.

Sesshomaru doesn't ask anything, but he does stare and watch. A lot. It looks like a bunch of the strange white parchment is bound together. He isn't close enough, nore does he have the right angel, to have a good read on what it says. But he can at least make out that it's in very neat Japanese and with odd drawings, symbols and mathematics. (He thinks.) She keeps looking at the bounded parchment before writing symbols and mathematics that he does not understand on a different parchment. In addition, she isn't even using a quill and ink. Just a tiny orange...stick?

This seems like just another shock that is Kagome. Yes, she did previously say that she is educated, despite not being a Lady, but Sesshomaru hadn't thought it surpasses the very basic readings and writings. 'How is she so educated, as to learn mathematics?' She's a female! And clearly isn't a Priestess either.

Sesshomaru shivers. No, definitely not a Priestess. A Priestess would never dress like a harlot or associate themselves with yokai. Young, half-breed, or otherwise. To be perfectly honest, the thought of mikos scares Sesshomaru. A human should not have the power to purify or whatever any yokai. It's unnatural in the highest of levels.

On a similar note...While monks do not possess the powers that a miko does...Why is Miroku pack with yokai? Gah! Sesshomaru feels like his head is beginning to pound with all the unanswered questions. Is this what Father describes as a headache? It's not fun.

There's a quiet growl -a warning- from Inuyasha and Sesshomaru quickly drops his gaze to his big boots. 'Just wait until I'm strong like Father, half-breed...'

Sesshomaru is burning with curiosity, and as the storm continues to rage on and hours past, it's only more painful for Sesshomaru not to ask. He isn't used to not knowing, any information has always been assessable for him in the form of teachers or scrolls (aside from 'grown-up' secrets of course) and he doesn't favour the change now. But what can he do? They've already shown that they care not for his title as heir, which is his go-to solution in getting whatever he wants. The only one who shows proper respect is Miroku. He doesn't feel comfortable in simply asking Kagome either. As if asking would intrude on something very personal.

Somehow, asking politely is much harder than ordering someone below his station.

The hallow feeling in Sesshomaru's chest grows. He misses home terribly.

'This is so weird,' Kagome muses to herself. Even without Little Sesshomaru's eyes drilling holes in the back of her head, Kagome can't seem to focus enough on her math homework. So she's let her mind wander. (Even though she's terribly behind in everything and should be taking advantage of the rare break.)

And isn't that mind blowing? Little Sesshomaru? Kagome had been so sure that the child was Sesshomaru's kid at first. Even that is shocking enough. Because while he's supposedly a Lord and, Kagome can begrudgingly admit, hot as hell, he's still a far cry from husband material. Although it can always be an arranged marriage. Isn't Sesshomaru's Mom still alive? (In that case, Kagome prays for the unfortunate soul who's stuck with him.)

But all that doesn't matter anyways, because the kid is Sesshomaru himself. It's honestly amazing how Little Sesshomaru is so different from Big Sesshomaru. Both physically and behaviour wise. For one thing, he has both his arms and he only reaches Kagome's ribs, plus he looks only more adorably small with Big Sesshomaru's clothes. It's like it's trying to swallow him whole! (They need to find better clothing for him. Maybe she can buy some in a passing village?) The knee-length white locks are now only shoulder length. He still has his crescent moon and strips on his cheeks, and golden hues, but those cheeks and eyes look bigger and not so fierce. And his face is just more chubbier and child-like as a whole.

Furthermore, Little Sesshomaru is so much more open than Big Sesshomaru. Kagome can actually read the different emotions in his expression! The damn poker face is no where to be seen! He's also more talkative now, and Kagome supposes curious.

Oh, yes, Kagome has definitely noticed the looks that Sesshomaru keeps shooting her and her things. She almost forgot how truly far in the past she is before it seemed that he didn't recognize paper. Or even the pencil. She can tell that he's dying to know (Big Sesshomaru would be too, but at least Little Sesshomaru isn't threatening to kill her if she doesn't spill) but Kagome plans on waiting until he himself inquires. Obviously, there's no way that she's going to tell him she's from the future, or let him keep any of her stuff, but there isn't any harm in answering the whats or hows.

Oh! Another major difference between Little and Big Sesshomaru is that Little Sesshomaru doesn't despise humans. Kagome highly doubts that she could have hugged Big Sesshomaru without soon losing her arms. 'I wonder what happened to make him hate humans so much. Maybe it was because his Dad cheated on his Mom with one?'

Sango breaks Kagome out of her thoughts as she sits closely next to her. "It's so bizarre, isn't it?" Sango comments.

"Yeah..." Kagome agrees and closes her textbook.

"Kagome, why are you so determined to help him?"

Kagome looks over to the small huddled form in the corner, and sighs. "He's just...a little kid. I can't see the older Sesshomaru when I look at him, even if they look almost exactly the same. Sota isn't much older than him. I...I can't just leave him alone in good conscience, Sango."

Sango's expression softens. "Sota's your younger brother, right?" she says. More than anyone else, Sango understands the responsibility that comes as being the older sibling.

Kagome nods and Sango places a warm hand on her arm. Kagome looks at Sango. "Don't worry," she reassures Kagome, "We'll get Inuyasha to take us to the Western Palace."

"Thanks," Kagome smiles. Even if Sesshomaru ends up on never remembering, at least Kagome will know that she's done the right thing. That's enough for her.

There's a moment of content silence between the two girls, before Sango speaks up again. "How do you think this happened, anyways?"

"I don't know," Kagome replies. "Cursed maybe?"

Sango hums. "But who's powerful enough to curse him? Naraku would've just killed him. Come to think about it, most would simply kill him in this weak form."

"Well, I doubt he did it to himself," Kagome remarks dryly.

Sango snorts with sudden mirth. But she quickly sobers and her eyes widen to stare at Kagome. "You don't think his Mother did it, do you?" she breaths.

"Wha-? I, uh, no? Why would his own Mom turn him into a little kid and leave him stranded?" Kagome shakes her head.

"I don't know, maybe to teach him a lesson or something?" Sango offers, but now that she thinks about it a second more, that reason sounds ridiculous.

Kagome shakes her head again. "No, I don't think so. But you might be right on that lesson part. Maybe he pissed off another powerful yokai?" That wasn't unbelievable. After all, Big Sesshomaru isn't exactly Mr. Friendly.

"Mm, I don't think I've ever learned about any yokai with the power to de-age someone as well as erase years of memories."

Kagome thinks back on all the impossible and outlandish things she's done or seen since coming to the feudal era, which are not limited to; battling demons, flying on a thunder cloud, being temporally brain-washed-married, having a magical jewel in her body from birth, time travel multiple times, and being the reincarnation to a zombie. She gives Sango a flat look. "Let's not completely cross it out, okay?"

Sango agrees.

"...How are we going to get Inuyasha to take us to the Western Palace? He's too stubborn and hard-headed for peer pressure..."

Neither girl had an answer, unfortunately. They decide to go and ask Miroku. Currently, Inuyasha is too involved with fighting with Shippo at the mouth of the cave to pay them any mind.

"Sit him until he agrees?" Miroku jokes.

But Kagome takes that suggestion seriously. "No," she disagrees. That sounds too petty even for her. 'Wait...' A brilliant idea pops in her mind.

"Do you have an idea, Kagome?"

"Yeah, I do," she confirms. Not one thats the best for her, but it'll still be worth it.

"Ow! Kagome, Inuyasha hit me!" Shippo whines pitifully while holding the top of his head.

Kagome opens her mouth to yell, 'sit' on the top of her tongue, but stops herself on the last second. Sitting Inuyasha won't help her case. In fact, it'll do the complete opposite. So instead, Kagome sighs and walks over to the two with her hands on her hips. "Inuyasha," she begins.

Inuyasha's ears flattens as he looks up from his crouched position. "What?" He's obviously bracing himself to be sat, which sends a twig of regret through Kagome. Does she truly say it that often?

"Inuyasha, I have a deal for you," she continues evenly. Already she can see this back firing on her...

His ears twitch. "What?" he repeats warily.

"If you lead us to the palace so that we can drop Sesshomaru off, I promise not to S-I-T you for a whole two weeks afterwards. Unless it's life or death."

Inuyasha's jaw drops, and he isn't the only one either. "Seriously?" He demands in disbelief.

"Are you sure that's a wise decision, Kagome?" Sango questions.

Kagome glances at Sesshomaru, who is desperately watching her with so much hope...Yes, she's sure. "Yes."

Inuyasha's eyes flicker to Sesshomaru as well. A glow grin stretches his face as he turns back to Kagome. "Feh, make it eight weeks and maybe I'll consider it," he drawls with fake disinterest.

Irritation spikes through Kagome. "I'll consider four weeks, but no more than that!" She retorts.

Inuyasha frowns, but quickly smiles again in satisfaction. "Fine, wench, I'll take the bastard to the palace," he at last concedes.

And that settles it. After the storm passes, they'll all travel west to the Western Palace. Little Sesshomaru's grateful grin and shy hug makes the future headaches worth it, Kagome decides.

Everyone is asleep. Well, almost everyone. The raging storm has finally calmed down, so that now there are only droplets of rain falling. Most of the clouds have cleared -revealing a starry midnight sky. However, thanks to all the rain, any possibility of a warm fire is none existent.

Therefore, everyone is huddled together to preserve body heat. Everyone, that is, except Sesshomaru. Shippo is sharing a...sleeping bag? Sesshomaru believes that's what Kagome call them- with Kagome. The others have their own. Sango is pressed up against Kagome with the two men on Sango's other side.

Kagome had offered Sesshomaru a place as well, but seeing Inuyasha's reaction caused him to decline. "Full blooded inu yokai do not require warmth as you weak humans do," he had lied through his teeth.

Shippo had given him a funny look, but Sesshomaru has a suspicion that Shippo is secretly pleased with his lie.

Sesshomaru is beginning to regret his choice. He can't stop shivering as he lays on the hard rocks, unable to fall asleep. Even the huge fluff isn't enough to block the chilly air. Sesshomaru desperately wishes for his warm and soft bed.

He lays there for a long time, listening to the soft snores and watching the rise and falls of other's chest. Then he looks at Kagome's strange yellow sack. He double checks that everyone is out before slowly sneaking towards it. He's right in front of it when Kagome shifts and mumbles.

Sesshomaru freezes, his breath caught in his throat and his heart pounding in his ears.

She rolls to her other side and doesn't move again.

Sesshomaru exhales in relief and turns back to the bag. He tries his best to be as a quiet as possible, but every thump sounds a hundred times louder than necessary. He finds the bounded parchment with a red cover that Kagome used earlier. As he flips through it he's shocked on how advanced it seems to be. Even compared to Goto-sensei's notes! He can't understand any of it.

'How did a human get their hands on such knowledge? Is this common in her homeland?'

That doesn't sit well with Sesshomaru. Yokai have always been stronger, smarter, and simply better than humans. They don't live longer than a few decades, even! Yokai are able to survive many things that would be fatal to humans. Humans are too weak and fragile, after all. Sesshomaru is sure that he's physically stronger than Miroku, and in a few short years even the fifthly half-breed Inuyasha. So...So what is this in his hands?

Sesshomaru continues to dig through Kagome's belongings. He finds a tiny, purple and shiny thing, with a bumpy white circle in the middle, and puts it to the side. He finds more bounded parchment, one which is in a completely different language, and some wrapped food. He also finds a metal white box with a red symbol he doesn't recognize. In it are white bottles that rattle, ointment, and a small box containing light brown strips.

'What are these? What they used for?'

"Sesshomaru? What're you doing?"

Sesshomaru jumps a foot in the air and whips around to stare at Kagome. She's looking at him with frowned brows. He flushes in deep embarrassed. "I-I, uh..." he stumbles. What should he say? What can he say? She just caught him looking through her things!

"Why are you going through my stuff?" she asks. She doesn't sound angry, but that doesn't stop the shame from flooding Sesshomaru. His Mother would be so disappointed in hearing of him snooping through a female's belongings, no matter her station.

Sesshomaru ducks his head and mumbles, "I apologize. I-I was simply curious."

Kagome sighs tiredly in response. "It's fine, Sesshomaru. Just put everything back and don't do it again, okay?"

He nods and does as such. Afterwards he goes back to his spot across from the others, wrapping the fluff around him and turning his back to Kagome. He's relieved that Kagome didn't change her mind from taking him home in the morning. Nonetheless, it's going to be a long night, for he can't tamper his growing curiosity about Kagome and her unnatural pack.

Guest: Thank you for your review. I'm glad you enjoy my story. What was your favourite part in this chapter?

Guest: Thank you, I will. However the updates might not be longer, but I shall try my best. Can you tell me what you like and why?

Taurus95: Thank you for your review.

KougaAyme4ever: First of all, thank you for your review. This is following the anime, but in case you were wondering; Koga and Ayme will not be in this story. They might be mentioned further in Sesshomaru's 'past' but that's as far as that'll go. As for Sesshomaru's Mother, I regret to inform you that you won't meet her until the final chapter. Earliest is second last chapter. (But I promise you that her reaction will be worth the wait!)

katara Y.O.U: Thank you for your review. I'm glad that you enjoy it.

kat: Thank you for your review. Can you tell me what you're looking forward to exactly?

Gin-Sama: Thank you for your review. Unfortunately, Inuyasha shutting up would be too OOC for him. XD

Reesexxoo: I'm glad that I was able to pull on your heartstrings, that means that I'm writing it right.

Kaiser Washington: Thank you for your review and compliment. Yes, the 'harlot' comment seems to be quite popular among the readers. (Just wait until Sesshomaru's Mother meets Kagome!)

TheEffectOfATearDrop: Thank you, and I'll try by best.

kittmonster: Thank you for your review. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how quickly I'll be able to update. They might be a bit slow. Sorry. :(

PawnStarr: Thank you for your review. Unfortunately, you won't be able to learn how Little Sesshomaru comes to be until the end, when he transforms back.

lia. : Thank you for your review.

RhagesWraith: Thank you four your review. While Sesshomaru and Kagome will grow close during their travels, there will be no romance. Considering the situation, that would pedophilloic, and that's just one of the things that I'll never support or condone. However, the possible sequel might be different.