The Matchmakers

I do not own Inuyasha


The Festival

The village square was a beehive of activities. There were jugglers and musicians vying for every ones attention. Children were running around the tables and at the edge of the square. Streamers and lanterns were hung and blowing softly in the breeze. The lanterns along with the huge fire in the center of the square, and the full bluish moon gave off plenty of light for all to see.

Miroku led Sango through the village to the center. Everyone was gathered around the tables and music was being played. He looked around the square. There were many beautiful women there tonight. He was going to be hard pressed to ignore them. But with Sango looking more beautiful than any of them he would suffer through. He saw Kohaku, Shippou and Rin playing at the edge of the square with the village children. They had been dressed in very fine clothes also. He guided Sango to a table at the edge of the square, close to the children so she could watch Kohaku.

Sesshoumaru guided Kagome to a futon that his guards had set up earlier. He helped her sit down the sat beside her. The maids brought them food and drinks. He watched Rin play with the other children.

Rin watched Sesshoumaru guide Kagome to the futon. She leaned down and whispered in Shippou's ear. "Rin thinks Kagome will by my okaa-san to before long. Which means that Shippou will be Rins brother. And Rin always wanted a brother."

Shippou looked over to Kagome and saw her. Wow okaa-san was beautiful tonight. He was still getting use to the idea of Sesshoumaru hanging around Kagome. But if Kagome was happy he would deal with it. "She looks pretty."

Rin smiled at Shippou again. "Rin thinks that Kagome needs some flowers. They will make her look better." Rin grabbed Shippou's hand and drug him to find some flowers. Then she stopped and ran back to grab Kohaku's hand and drag him along.

Kohaku ran behind Rin. She didn't give him much choice. "Where are we going?"

"Rin, Shippou and Kohaku are going to pick pretty flowers for Kagome and Sango." Rin dragging both boys behind her ran to the clearing with the well in it that she had saw earlier. There were lots of flowers there. When they reached the clearing she turned loose of the boys hands and started picking the prettiest flowers. "Come on, help Rin pick flowers for Kagome and Sango." She frowned at the boys when they just stood there.

The boys saw her glare and looked at each other then back to Rin. They had better help her that way they could get back to the party.

They each had a handful of flowers when they heard voices coming toward them. Kohaku grabbed their hands and drug them to the well and helped them all climb inside. He held his hand up to his mouth telling them to be quiet. Shippou and Rin both knew to keep quiet when they were told.

The voices were getting closer. The kids went deeper into the well. They hugged the wall of the well so they would be less noticeable.

Inuyasha walked with Kikyou into the clearing with the well. "Kikyou why don't we go to the village? I am sure the villagers would like to see you."

"Inuyasha I am no longer part of this village. Besides my reincarnation has taken my place in the villagers affections. She has taken everything from me?"
Kikyou sat on the edge of the well.

Inuyasha frowned at her. "Kikyou, Kagome has taken nothing from you. If it was not for her you would not be here now."

"She has taken my life and if she didn't exist I would have the rest of my soul back and I would be whole. Then she tried to take you away from me. She is living my life and I want it back." Kikyou jumped up from the well edge and stalked over to Inuyasha. "Will you help me get my life back Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha looked at Kikyou. "Kikyou I would do almost anything for you but I refuse to harm Kagome in any way."

"So my replica still has control over you. How pathetic." She turned away from him.

"No one has any control over me. Not you, not Kagome. I am the one that is turning you down Kikyou. Because I refuse to harm my friend. Maybe you should just except the fact that Kagome is in this world now. You use to care about people now all I hear you talk about is revenge." Inuyasha turned and glared at Kikyou. "I think I have finally realized what everyone has been telling me. You are not the person you use to be and no matter how much I wish it otherwise I must face the truth. Kikyou I loved you when you lived and will carry the memories of our time together for the rest of my life but I will not see you again." Inuyasha turned away from her and walked out of the clearing to go to the village.

Kikyou watched Inuyasha leave the clearing. "How dare he turn his back on me. I will have the rest of my soul even if you don't help me Inuyasha. I will kill Kagome myself then you will be next." Kikyou called forth her soul stealers and they wrapped themselves around her and she flew off into the sky.

Kohaku waited till everything was quiet before helping Rin and Shippou out of the well. Why was one of Naraku's helpers this close to the village. He looked around the clearing making sure all was clear before helping them the rest of the way out of the well.

"Kohaku why did we have to go into the well?" Shippou looked at the boy.

"I knew that voice. I have seen her at Naraku's castle. She has been helping him. I didn't want her to tell Naraku where I was at." He turned to Rin and Shippou. We have got to warn Inuyasha and Kagome of what she plans to do." Now it was his turn to take their hands and run back to the village.

The kids made it back to the square and found Kagome still sitting by Sesshoumaru. They all ran up to her and started talking all at once.

Kagome saw the kids running for her. When they all started talking at once she held her hand up silencing them but they refused to be silenced. She looked to Sesshoumaru for help.

Sesshoumaru couldn't understand the children they were all talking fast and together so it was hard to decipher. He shook his head "You will be quiet!"
There that settled them down.

Kagome smiled at him then turned back to the children. "Kohaku can you tell me what happened?"

Kohaku looked warily at Sesshoumaru before turning to Kagome. "We were in the clearing with the well and we heard a couple talking and we didn't want to get into trouble for being there so we hid in the well. Then the couple turned out to be Inuyasha and a Lady. He told her he would not see her again then he left but the lady said that she was going to kill you to get her soul back then she was going to kill Inuyasha. But I remember her voice, she often visited Naraku. She is one of his helpers. Then we ran back here to tell you what we heard." He was breathing hard now. It took all his breath to get everything out.

Sesshoumaru was angry. He had three people looking after the children and they managed to escape them. And if that was not bad enough they could have been in danger if the lady had seen them. "I think that we should get Inuyasha, the monk and the taijiya and return to the hut and tell them what happened." He stood and helped Kagome stand. He sent the maids to retrieve the others. He kept the children with him. As they neared the outer edge of the square he saw Eijiro and Chiaki as they saw the children with him. He glared at the couple. He would deal with them later.

The kids looked at each other. They were sure to be in trouble for sneaking off. But Kagome and Sesshoumaru was watching them now. They didn't know if that was a good thing or not.

Sesshoumaru helped Kagome sit down in the hut. Then he watched as the children encircled her. Rin on one side, Kohaku on the other and Shippou on her lap. The children looked scared. They probably thought they were going to get into trouble for sneaking off not to mention they heard someone threaten Kagome and Inuyasha. He would let them worry for a little bit longer. The monk and the
taijiya were approaching the hut. Inuyasha would get there soon as well. He walked to the wall and leaned back against it. Sesshoumaru watched the monk and the taijiya enter the hut followed by Inuyasha.

Inuyasha walked in the hut behind Sango and Miroku and found Sesshoumaru and Kagome and the kids already there. "What happened?"

"Inuyasha who was with you in the clearing a little while ago?" Sesshoumaru watched his brother. He didn't know if he would tell the truth or not.

"Kikyou was with me. Why" He turned to stare at Sesshoumaru. Was he spying on him or something.

"The kids were in the clearing and heard your conversation with her. But what concerns me is what the children heard after you left the clearing." Sesshoumaru saw the shock on his brothers face.

"I didn't smell the children's scents. Where were they at?" Inuyasha sat down on the floor across from Sesshoumaru.

"Apparently they were hiding inside the well. They were hiding from Kikyou. It seems that Kohaku recognized her voice. He heard it at Naraku's castle. Kikyou has been helping Naraku." He knew Inuyasha wouldn't believe what he just said.

Inuyasha just shook his head. That would answer a lot of questions he has been wondering about. If he had heard this information yesterday he wouldn't have believed it but after tonight he didn't doubt it for a minute. "Kikyou wanted me to help her get her soul back from Kagome. I told her no then I told her I would not be seeing her again. I left after that."

"According to what the children heard she has plans to kill us both." Kagome looked at Inuyasha. She felt sorry for him. She saw Inuyasha just shake his head.

"Well then we must get her first. We go after the rest of the shards tomorrow then when we have them we go after Naraku. We only have a few left to get and since Kagome has been improving her powers they should be easier to find." He smiled at Kagome and looked to see what the rest of the gang thought of his plan. Everyone nodded their agreement.

Sesshoumaru lifted Shippou out of Kagome's arms and sat him on the futon beside Rin. He lifted Kagome up so she could stand and walked her out of the hut. "I will be returning home for a few days then if you don't mind I would like to join your quest with you?" He walked beside Kagome till they reached the edge of the woods. He stopped and leaned against a tree and drew Kagome against him. He leaned down till his mouth touched hers. He ran his tongue along her lips till she moaned and opened her mouth for him. He pushed his tongue into her mouth and slid it along her and along her teeth. He drew his tongue out and nipped her lips with his teeth. He felt her arms go around his neck and she started kissing him. They were broke apart by a shout "Baka" and a loud thump. Sesshoumaru could hear the monk complaining and Inuyasha was laughing. Maybe one of these days he would get to finish what he started with Kagome. He had a better chance at that if he joined her on her quest. "I guess it is time for me to leave." He leaned down one last time and placed a soft kiss on her lips. Then he stepped away from the tree and walked her back to the hut. "I will bring Rin with me when I come back." He entered the hut with Kagome "Rin it is time to depart." He nodded to everyone then turned and left with the girl.

Kagome left the hut and watched Sesshoumaru gather his entourage and then put Rin on the dragon.

Sesshoumaru could feel that Kagome was watching him so he turned and looked at her again and smiled at her. Then he turned and floated off into the night.

Kagome laughed when he smiled at her. She was so glad he stopped hiding his feelings from her. At least when no one else was around. She watched him till she couldn't see him anymore then she went back into the hut. "Ok all the guys have to leave so Sango and I can get out of these outfits."

Miroku was looking at his hand. He tried to take the beads off but they wouldn't budge. He could take it off to use his wind tunnel but that was as far as they would go. He was still dizzy from being pulled to the ground and being unable to move for a few minutes. Now he knew how Inuyasha felt. He walked by Kagome and just to see what would happen he tried to touch her. He touched her backside and the next thing he knew he was flying through the air and the wall of the hut. He found himself outside on the ground unable to move. So he just laid there. After being thrown through the wall he really didn't feel like moving much anyway. He should have known something was up when Sesshoumaru gave the blasted things to him. At least he didn't get thrown when he touched Sango. He only got knocked to the ground.

Kagome felt Miroku's hand touch her and she drew her arm back to hit him. But before she could he went flying through the wall. She ran to the hole and saw him laying on the ground. "Are you ok Miroku?" She heard him mumble. He must be ok. She started laughing then. I guess I don't have to worry about him touching me anymore. She walked back to her bed. The rest of the gang was still watching the monk on the ground. "Inuyasha will you please take Shippou and Kohaku outside so we can change?"

Inuyasha picked Shippou up by the tail and ushered Kohaku outside. He grabbed Miroku's hand and drug him away from the hut.

Sango watched Miroku being drug away from the hut and smiled. "I wished the beads would work like that on me. At least you don't have to worry about him touching you anytime soon. I will help you get changed then you can help me."

"I will be glad to get out of this kimono. I was scared all night of doing something to ruin it." She felt Sango untie the obi then the kimono came free she shrugged out of it and picked it up and hung it back on the hook on the wall. She reached up and removed the crown and placed it back in its box then she put her fan and necklace in their box. She helped Sango out of her kimono. Then watched as Sango removed her tiara and necklace and placed them away along with her fan. She walked to her backpack and took out her pajama's. They were made of red silk pants and a black silk tank top. She had to adjust the bottoms to fit her tail. Now they fit her perfect. Once Sango was dressed she called Shippou back into the hut. She got him dressed for bed and placed him in her sleeping bag. "I'm going to the hot spring to wash my face off. I will be back in a few minutes."

Kagome walked out of the hut and to the trail of the hot springs. She reached the hot springs and took her soap and washed her face. She rinsed her face and leaned her head back. She could see the moon clearly from the hot springs. It was so pretty. She bent back down and retrieved her stuff. It had to be close to midnight so she started to walk back but suddenly she was frozen in place. She couldn't move.