Hey!

This chapter is basically setting events in motion. Getting ready for plans and action in the next chapters.

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

…

Kagome and Sesshomaru walked the rest of the way to the park mutely. Sesshomaru relished in it, silently basking in the glow of his victory over the girl he was following. Kagome, on the other hand, wallowed in it, planning ways to kill Sesshomaru and make it look like an accident.

It took them only a few minutes to reach the park. When they did, Kagome followed the easily identifiable youki that her brother exuded. They reached a secluded section of the park, and Kagome wordlessly directed Sesshomaru to join her behind a cluster of bushes and trees.

The pair made their way down a worn out, overgrown path and came to a stop in a section of the park that was overflowing with yellow flowers. (The park was color-coded.)

This section of the park also happened to have Rin and Shippo in it.

Kagome was glowing when she saw them from her hidden vantage point, but her glow quickly faded when she took in the sight of an unwanted third party.

She growled under her breath, causing Sesshomaru to turn to her with a cocked eyebrow.

She gestured to the third party violently. "What is he doing here?"

"Taking in the scenery, I'd imagine."

Kagome glared at Sesshomaru, not at all appreciating the way he had nonchalantly drawled out his answer.

"That's not what I meant!"

"Perhaps you should be more clear."

"You knew that wasn't what I meant!"

"How do you know I knew?"

Kagome gritted her teeth and turned back to watch her targets. "He'll ruin everything."

"I disagree."

"That's to be expected," Kagome bit out without looking at her companion.

Silence descended as the pair watched Shippo, Rin, and the third party converse. They were only chatting about inconsequential things, so Kagome wasn't too worried. At least, not yet.

Sesshomaru spoke, surprising Kagome.

"Who is he?" the teenage inu daiyoukai asked.

Kagome frowned, turning to look at him. "That is Kohaku. He's my age and the little brother of a friend of mine. He's in my class. He's generally very quiet, but he's sweet and has his own fan club. The club doesn't have as many girls as Shippo's does," she said, with obvious pride, "but there's a decent amount."

"Hn."

Kagome rolled her eyes and turned back to her targets. What she saw made her mouth drop open.

Kohaku was blushing lightly, and Rin was blushing along with him, her hand raised to her mouth in typical giggly girl fashion. Shippo was turned away from them, his chin lifted in the air with his arms crossed and his lower lip jutting out.

Kagome's eyes widened. She turned back to Sesshomaru. "I turn around for one second," she hissed. "One! And look what happened!"

Sesshomaru looked and raised an eyebrow. "I do not see the problem."

"Of course you don't! Look at Shippo. He's not just pouting. He's teetering on the edge of a full-blown temper tantrum, plus a pout, fueled by jealousy! Do you know what sort of destruction that sort of tantrum could bring? Especially coming from a kitsune?"

Sesshomaru stared at her blankly, successfully conveying his lack of knowledge and concern without a single word.

Kagome groaned angrily. "This is your fault!"

"How so?"

"I don't know! It just is. And look at that! Don't you have a problem with that? Kohaku's flirting with her, and she's actually blushing. Shouldn't you be all over them?"

A smirk appeared on Sesshomaru's face. "As long as that boy is ruining whatever plans you have, I fully support him and all of his endeavors."

Kagome's eye twitched, and she was about to throw a fit, when she heard a distinctly familiar sniff.

"Hey, Kagome," a sullen voice said.

Kagome's twitch came back full force as she turned around slowly to face her still pouting brother.

"Shippo," she whispered menacingly. "What are you doing over here?"

Shippo gaped, his eyes widening in fear at the evil aura his sister was giving off. "Well, I noticed you guys over here and I wanted to join you. It's not like I was needed back with Rin and Kohaku anyway."

The last part was mumbled under his breath so low that Kagome couldn't hear it. Sesshomaru heard it though, and it prompted the minute broadening of his still-present smirk.

"Ugh!" Kagome groaned angrily. "Shippo, I am so disappointed in you. How are you supposed to win your girl if you're giving her up to Kohaku? He's Kohaku! He's got nothing on you! You're Shippo! He's Kohaku! There's no comparison. If you actually tried, there's no way he'd be able to beat you. But you gave up just because Rin was giggling!"

"She was blushing too," Shippo muttered.

"That's it!" Kagome said. "I'm going to give Kohaku a piece of my mind!"

Before anyone could stop her –not that Shippo could have or Sesshomaru would have– Kagome walked out of her hiding place and approached Kohaku and Rin.

"You!" Kagome said, pointing to Kohaku and shielding Rin from his sight. "What's your problem?"

Kohaku blinked. "Huh?"

"You can't just flirt with her! You cheater!"

"Cheater?" Rin asked from behind Kagome.

Kagome turned around and looked at Rin. "Yes! He's a cheater! He's cheating on Satsuki!"

"What?" Kohaku said, obviously confused.

Shippo suddenly burst out of the hiding place, Sesshomaru following after him at a more sedate pace.

"Wait a second!" Shippo cried, pointing to Kohaku. "What's this about him dating Satsuki? She's in my fan club! He can't be dating her!"

Kagome turned to her brother incredulously. "Seriously? Is that what you're worried about? I will personally disband your fan club if you don't focus!"

She walked over to him and pulled on his ear.

"Ow!"

"Focus, Shippo. Focus!"

Behind them, Kohaku and Rin stared at the scene in bemusement.

"Umm…" Kohaku started. "I'm not dating Satsuki, Rin. So, would you like to go out with me?"

Kagome stopped pulling on Shippo's ear and turned to look at Kohaku, gaping. Shippo had stiffened and his eyes were narrowed. Sesshomaru smirked in amusement and self-satisfaction, though why he was so satisfied with himself was a mystery.

Rin was oblivious to everyone else's reactions, too focused on what Kohaku had just asked her. A blush covered her face attractively, and Kohaku gulped nervously.

"You want to go out with me?"

Kohaku nodded.

"Oh. Well… I was hanging out with Shippo," she protested half-heartedly, weakly motioning with her hand to where Shippo was standing.

"You should go," Shippo said sharply.

Everyone looked at him: Rin and Kohaku in surprise, Kagome in anger and disbelief, and Sesshomaru in amusement that was becoming more pronounced with every passing second.

"Are you sure?" Rin asked hesitantly.

"What's it to me? Go, have fun," Shippo said, shrugging in false nonchalance.

Rin's face lit up. "Great! Okay, I'll go with you, Kohaku. I'll see you guys later, okay? Bye!"

So saying, Rin turned to Kohaku, who blushed and offered her his arm. She giggled prettily, blushing herself as she took it.

They walked off, leaving Shippo to face his death at the hands of his sister with only Sesshomaru as a witness.

"What was that?" Kgome asked, her voice devoid of all emotion.

Shippo's nonchalant façade melted away to be replaced by edginess and fear.

"I'm sorry, Kagome! I didn't mean to say that!"

"No?" Kagome asked, letting go of his ear to grab his shirt. She pulled him closer to her until his nose was touching hers. "Well what did you mean to say?"

"Uh… That I was jealous and I wanted her to stay by me forever and that she couldn't leave with him because it would break my heart?" Shippo tried.

Kagome let him go with a huff. "We'll revisit this at WacDonald's."

Shippo gulped, the significance of the setting not lost on him. They only ever went to WacDonald's when Kagome was so angry she needed to be in a public place to avoid murder. Sometimes, without people around, she forgot that homicide was illegal.

"Let's go!" Kagome commanded, turning on her heel and walking forwards.

Shippo followed behind her submissively, and Sesshomaru debated joining them.

…

Kagome's eyebrow twitched as she sat down in the booth at WacDonald's. She watched with narrowed eyes as Sesshomaru slid into the boot across from her and Shippo joined him, avoiding her gaze.

Kagome grit her teeth, but the action couldn't stop her from exploding.

"Why in the world did you follow us? Shouldn't you be following your sister to make sure that Kohaku doesn't take advantage of her?"

She pointed at Sesshomaru, her chest heaving up and down in anger.

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. "The boy is harmless."

Kagome's mouth dropped open.

"He's not harmless," Shippo said, butting in. "He's a ninja."

Kagome glared at him, causing him to shrink back. "He's not a ninja, he's a youkai slayer."

"He is still harmless.," Sesshomaru said.

"How do you figure?"

"Rin is not youkai."

Kagome threw her hands up angrily. "That doesn't matter! He's a teenage boy! What if he can't control himself and he lets his hormones rule and he attacks Rin and tries to ravage her and ends up stealing her innocence? How would you feel then, huh? You'd be a terrible brother and you'd be consumed with guilt because it'd be your fault because you didn't follow them! I bet you he's taking her to a deserted alleyway in the slums right now!"

Sesshomaru stared at her blankly before turning to Shippo. "She is serious?"

Shippo nodded, covering his face in shame. "I'm afraid so."

"You!" Kagome said, pointing to Shippo. "You should be ashamed of yourself, not me! How could you let her go off with him? You encouraged her! You told her to go! You are a terrible person! What sort of kitsune are you? What sort of male are you? You are nothing! You're secretly Jakotsu's twin!"

Shippo gasped and his eyes filled with tears. "How could you say that?" he asked, leaning forward and setting his elbows on the table. "I'm nothing like Jakotsu!"

"Really? Prove it! Why aren't you man enough to go after her?"

"She's on a date!"

Kagome sighed and banged her head on the table. "You're pathetic."

"I know."

Silence descended over the table. It was broken when Kagome lifted her head up and pumped her fist in the air.

"We need to plan your next move!"

"Yeah!" Shippo exclaimed.

"So, you have to woo her slowly. I think once a day, you should give her a gift."

"What sort of gift?" Sesshomaru asked, startling Kagome and Shippo.

"Oh, well I think a flower a day will keep Kohaku away. And there should be a meaning behind each flower."

"Rin is well versed in floriography," Sesshomaru said.

Kagome grinned and turned to Shippo. "It should start out slow and then the meanings should deepen over time."

"That sounds good," Shippo said with a nod.

"How long will this plan last?" Sesshomaru asked.

Kagome looked at him suspiciously. "Why do you care? Why are you so interested all of a sudden?"

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. "I wish to know your plan so that I can stop it. I do not want my sister to fall to your brother's nonexistent charms due to your interference."

"Hey! I have charm!"

"I can't believe you!" Kagome said, ignoring Shippo's protests in favor of her own.

"Why not?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Ugh! Shouldn't you be worried about Rin and Kohaku?"

"I do not hold your irrational fears of my sister being attacked by that weak human."

"You have something against humans?" Kagome asked, jumping from one topic to the next.

"Yes."

"What about your sister?"

"She is different."

"You are so prejudiced!"
"You do not know me."

"After spending half an hour with you, I know you well enough to say that! You're completely one-dimensional. I can see straight through you!"

Sesshomaru growled. "Hold your tongue."

Shippo cowered and tried to shrink away from Sesshomaru, who he was sharing a booth with. This argument was setting his hair on end.

"I will not hold my tongue! You're a terrible person who doesn't understand love! I doubt you'll ever find a girl to love you because you would never be able to love them back! That's the only reason you're protesting the blossoming relationship between Shippo and Rin! You don't want anyone to find true love because you'll never find it."

Sesshomaru growled.

Shippo rubbed his chin. "You know what? I think Sesshomaru will find true love."

Kagome turned to Shippo in disbelief. "Why in the world would you think that? Look at him!"

"While I will admit that he seems very cold, I know for a fact that there is one person who would love him."

"Who?"

"The one person who complements him perfectly. His exact mirror in female form. Kikyo will end up being his wife and mate!" Shippo turned to Sesshomaru, all of his fear forgotten as he grinned. "You should start dating. Even though she's human, she's perfect for you."

Sesshomaru glared at Shippo, but before the inu youkai could say anything, Kagome stood grabbing Shippo's arm.

"We're leaving!"

After she said that, she pulled Shippo out of the booth and ran out of the restaurant, Shippo stumbling behind her.

For once, Sesshomaru didn't follow.

…

Kagome breathed heavily as she pushed her brother into the mini-shrine and followed after him. She slid the door shut and leaned against it as she caught her breath.

Shippo was also catching his breath, and checking his wrist to make sure he didn't have a bruise. His sister was so rough with him all of the time, it was a miracle that he wasn't completely banged up all the time.

"Curse my tender skin!" he whispered under his breath.

Kagome finally caught her breath and stood up. She turned around and placed her hand on the door.

Shippo felt the familiar tingle of her power wash through him and he knew she was putting up a barrier.

He had to wonder what was going on. Especially when she turned to him with a smile that made him shiver in anticipation. He knew that smile. It was the smile that always made him think she should have been born a kitsune.

"Shippo," she said happily, "you are an absolute genius."

Shippo blinked. He preened a bit at the praise, but he was clueless as to why she was praising him. He instantly dismissed that thought. After she had been abusing him the past few days, he would take any praise he could get.

Shippo glowed. "Thank you, sis."

Kagome looked at him appraisingly before she sighed. "You have no idea what I am talking about, do you?"

Shippo fidgeted. "No. I don't know what you're talking about."

Kagome slapped a hand to her face.

"Don't hit yourself!" Shippo yelled. "You're too pretty to take any abuse. Just like me, only you don't seem to understand that."

"Shippo!" Kagome cried. "Focus."

"On what?"

"Honestly. You can't guess what I'm thinking?"

Shippo looked at her. A smirk had wormed its way onto her face and there was a particularly evil look in her eye. It was a look that made him shiver, but not in anticipation. She only had that look on her face and in her eyes when she wanted revenge and planned on getting it at all costs.

There were only three people Shippo could think of that she could want to torture at the moment: Kohaku, Sesshomaru, or himself.

He doubted it was Kohaku; he had probably faded out of her mind when she had begun yelling.

He was pretty sure it wasn't himself; she had never wanted to torture him bad enough to use that look.

That only left Sesshomaru, and considering the fact that they had just left him, the odds were in the daiyoukai's favor –or… not in his favor.

"Well?" Kagome prompted.

"You want to torture Sesshomaru for some reason?"

"Yes! Because he's a jerk and he deserves to be in pain for the rest of his annoyingly long life!"

Shippo nodded. "And –not that I'm disputing your opinion or anything– how does my genius fit in with your desire to torture Sesshomaru?"

Kagome rolled her eyes and walked over to Shippo. She put her arm around her shoulder and leaned against him. "Ah, my dear older brother. Your genius has everything to do with it. You gave me the perfect plan to torture him, my sweet kitsune."

"What plan was that, my dear, sweet sister?" Shippo asked, trying to hide his nervousness.

Kagome set her head on his shoulder and looked up at him. She looked like an angel, but Shippo knew that she was only half-angel, no matter what her partially dead, comatose, and hospital bound admirers –read stalkers– said.

"The plan," Kagome said sweetly, "is to set that jerk up with Kikyo."

Shippo blinked as her words sunk in and a smile wormed its way onto his face. "So, you're finally admitting that Kikyo is torture, and any guy who ends up with her is in for a lifetime of pain and suffering and that they'll never be happy and misery will follow them to the ends of the earth?"

Kagome's eye twitched. "I didn't say all that, but you have the general idea underneath all of that extra stuff."

Shippo nodded appreciatively. "So, let me get this straight. You want Sesshomaru and Kikyo to get together, and you want to be the one to make that happen."

"Correct."

"You're crazy."

"I am not!"

"No, you're right. You're certifiably insane."

"I'm not!" Kagome whined.

"I love you sis, but I'm not suicidal. I don't know how far you can push Sesshomaru until he snaps, and he seems like the type to snap by snapping necks."

"It's almost like you have no faith in me," Kagome complained.

"And I don't feel like having my neck snapped," Shippo continued as if Kagome hadn't interrupted him.

"Do you not trust me?" she asked pitifully with a pout.

Shippo sighed. "You're going to get me to help you whether I want to help or not, so I'm in."

Kagome beamed up at him before kissing him on the cheek. "You're so sweet," she said before skipping away from him.

She took down the barrier she had set up and exited the well house, leaving Shippo alone with his thoughts.

"I'm going to die. Sesshomaru's going to kill me because I helped set him up with Kikyo, and I'll never get to marry his sister. Kagome must really hate me," he said to himself.

…

It was shorter than I had wanted it to be.

Boo!

T.N.T!