Nothing Is As It Appears by Fluffy's Lady

Not My Day

Title: Nothing Is At It Appears

Genre: Romance/Angst/Humor/Mystery

Full Summary: He had done it again: made another enemy, only this time the victim was not so helpless as she appeared. Payback can totally suck. Sesshomaru, bewitched and abandoned is left alone. Kagome is the only one to see his true self--even though he had no intention of ever revealing himself to anyone. What will happen? The future has yet to be seen and when dealing with witchcraft and Kagome, nothing is ever as it appears.

Note: The first 5 chapters are already written. 5 reviews to read the next one.

Disclaimer: I own nothing having to do with Inuyasha. The basic idea of this story was inspired by another but everything else about this story is mine (refer to last statement). I take this in a totally different direction than they do.

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Nothing Is As It Appears

Chapter 1: Not My Day

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"Moron," the woman whispered, "maybe this will teach you to mock another." The woman scowled at the quickly shrinking figure before her, a sadistic smirk twisting her already grotesque features. Spitting on the ground toward the now stable figure, the old hag turned on her heel and beat a hasty retreat from the clearing, making a path for herself through the scraggly bushes and dense underbrush. Tree limbs slapped back into place behind her as she disappeared.

Sesshomaru scowled darkly, looking this way and that around the clearing. Everything was huge in comparison to him. His two swords lay to the side of him, and his fur pelt was curled loosely around his small form. "Infernal witch!" he swore, his emotions getting the better of him for the first time in a long time, "you will not get away with this!" He lifted his sensitive nose to the wind and quickly located the retreating scent of the one whom he sought. He grimaced at the disgusting smell and turned in the direction of her scent, giving chase.

Not a few moments later, he stopped, severely winded. What has happened to me? He wondered alarmingly Why am I out of breath? I am Sesshomaru Taisho, Lord of the Western Lands, the strongest Taiyoukai in all of the Sengokou Jidai I should not be out of breath like some weak mortal! Still, the fact didn't change that he indeed was out of breath. Succumbing to the lack of oxygen, Sesshomaru put his hands on his knees and forced his breathing to slow. His face flushed, the Taiyoukai had never felt so--inept--since he first began his rigid training so many years ago.

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Sesshomaru collapsed to the ground in an exhausted heap, "Father," he begged as a large shadow loomed over him, "please, Father, just a short break?" He groaned as another wave of pain consumed him.

"No," was the rough reply, "The son of the most powerful Taiyoukai in all the lands will not be a failure or a weakling! Now get up!" The force of the command was so great that Sesshomaru forced himself to stand.

His knees quivered, threatening to give out on him if he did not rest some more. He could hardly feel his arms--let alone move them--and both were required of him at the moment. "Father," he whispered silently, "why?"

Instead of an answer, though, the shadow's owner simply turned and left the grassy courtyard, long silver hair trailing behind him, white fur fluttering in the breeze.

The young Taiyoukai knew when he had been dismissed. He gratefully sunk to his knees once more before he allowed himself to sprawl in a most ungraceful position in the grass. His breathing eventually slowed into a deep, rhythmic slumber.

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Sesshomaru was brought out of his musings when a twig snapped from somewhere behind him. Whirling quickly, he located the source of the sound. Jaken, his mind raced. No doubt the green little imp was searching for him. He had been missing for nearly two days now.

As if to confirm his lord's thoughts, Jaken rang out in his unmistakable nasally voice, "Lord Sesshomaru! Where are you, Lord Sesshomaru? Please don't leave me behind, Lord Sesshomaru! Do not forget your faithful servant Jaken!" His beak flapped and flapped, Sesshomaru wondered if he ever shut up.

A thought hit him just then, I cannot be seen in this position. This is a most degrading form to be in. Scoffing, he turned and began struggling his way through the underbrush and scrub.

Two hours later, he emerged into a sun-filled clearing; covered in dirt and twigs and thoroughly disgusted with himself. His chest was heaving as if he had just fought an intense battle or--at the least--an exciting spar in his normal form. This should not be happening; I have been traveling for two mere hours. Not anywhere near long enough a time that should wind me. His face twisted into a grimace; the magenta crescent moon that adorned his forehead was drawn down and wrinkled slightly as his brows drew together in thought. He felt a familiar aura approaching on the edge of his senses--rapidly approaching. He sighed inwardly, Not now, Kami not now! This was the last thing he needed. He would have turned and ran but he was dead tired from his fleeing-chase from Jaken. He could hardly move a muscle, and all the ones he could move shook like jelly. He sank to his knees, finally collapsing face-first onto the ground.

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"Inuyasha! Osuwari! Osuwari! Osuwari! Don't ever, ever compare me with Kikyou again! Got it?!" Kagome's face was brick red in anger. She was fuming, How dare he?! How dare he compare me to that mockery of a miko! She isn't even alive! She's freaking dead! D-E-A-D, dead! Cold, hard, six feet under dead! She has been for over fifty years! Turning on her heel, Kagome took off towards the well--and inadvertently the Western Lands.

After a time, she began to let nature take her where it willed as she walked along a long forgotten path deep in a remote forest.

Suddenly she felt Sesshomaru's aura flare up strongly--as if in resistance to something--then quickly subside to practically nothing. What the? What was that all about? As far as I know he can't subdue his aura so much that it practically disappears... A sense of foreboding washed over her. Quickening her pace, she headed in the direction she last felt the Lord of the Western Land's aura. Wait, it's on the move! Turning quickly, she made her way through the underbrush toward the newly found aura.

"Lord Sesshomaru! Where are you, Lord Sesshomaru? Please don't leave me behind, Lord Sesshomaru! Do not forget your faithful servant Jaken!"

Kagome rolled her eyes at the voice, Jeez, does he ever shut up? He's either talking and blabbing on about how loyal he is or he is fawning over Sesshomaru's 'greatness'. Blech. The young miko stopped her train of thought suddenly as she noticed that Jaken wasn't shutting up or thanking Sesshomaru for not leaving him behind. Now that troubled her. Whenever Rin came to play with Shippou, she could always sense the Great Taiyoukai's presence on the absolute edge of her senses, looking out for his young ward. Now, though, she could only pick up the tiniest trace of his aura, and it was quickly retreating.

She waited a moment for Jaken and his loud mouth to pass by before she took off after the aura that seemed so determined to elude her. So Fluffy-sama doesn't want to be found does he? Kagome thought wryly, Well too freaking bad. Something's going down and I am not going to be left out of the loop! She pulled her haori tighter around her shoulders as an eerie wind whistled through the trees. Something heavy hung in the air, wrapping around her like she had once longed for Inuyasha's arms to. She shook her head vigorously at that thought. Now's not the time.

Kagome was so wrapped up in thought that she didn't notice when she overshot Sesshomaru's location. "Dang! Come on, concentrate!" she mentally slapped herself and physically smacked her palm to her forehead. She turned on a dime and began to zigzag the area, trying to pick up the lost trail of the aura. "Eureka!" she cried, and began to jog off in the direction of the aura.

A good forty-five minutes after she started on her little hunt for Sesshomaru, Kagome was closer than ever. It's just behind these bushes, I know it is! She began to slowly and carefully part the scrub in front of her. What she found in the sun-lit little clearing was something she never thought she would see--not even in a million years. Sesshomaru--face in the dirt, looking like he was sleeping--only one foot tall. "Oh my word!" she yelped, "What the heck happened here? What's going on?" She rushed over to the Taiyoukai's prostrate figure, kneeling beside him. Err...I want to check for vitals but, will he let me? He never has before. She decided to risk it. Gently grabbing his wrist, she place her index finger over the pulse spot. She got a pulse alright--a very rapid pulse. Now I'm no expert in Taiyoukai medicine but I don't think that his heart should be going that fast.

She quickly thought of a way to slow his erratic breathing. Gently turning him over onto his back, she made sure Sesshomaru's face was pointed skyward and his mouth and nose were clear of debris. Now, all she could do was wait, and watch to make sure any predator didn't come along and try to harm him.

Kagome dropped her backpack and leaned against a nearby tree, making sure her green skirt covered her rear-end. She sat and thought, What am I going to do with him? I can't just leave him alone, and I can't take him back to Jaken. No matter how faithful the little green imp is, he is still a youkai, and youkai will instinctively take any opportunity the get to become the strongest around. Rin wouldn't hurt him--not on purpose anyway--but she doesn't stand a chance against Jaken and that staff of his. She glanced Sesshomaru's way when he groaned, he quickly went back to sleep, though. I can't exactly take him with me, what with how bitter Inuyasha is towards him, he wouldn't waste a minute in killing him. Now it was her turn to groan, What am I going to do? I guess I could take him back with me to my era. That way I could keep an eye on him. I would have to seal up the well, though, just to make sure Inuyasha couldn't crossover. Well, it looks like that's the only option open to me. She groaned again and let her head drop into her hands. From every point Kagome could think of, this was going to be one difficult situation.

"Miko," Sesshomaru called.

"Eek!" she squealed, placing a hand to her own now rapidly beating heart, "Don't do that!" she scolded before noticing he was awake and sitting up. "You're awake! Are you alright? What happened? Why are you only one foot tall? Why is it that you covered in leaves and dirt and stuff? Why..."

"Quiet!" Sesshomaru snapped, eyes narrowed. "What is going on is none of your business." He looked around slowly before returning his eyes to the young miko before him. "Where is my foolish half-brother? You two are rarely apart."

Kagome blushed at the implied meaning, mumbling something incoherent.

Sesshomaru raised his right eyebrow slightly.

Blushing deeper, Kagome repeated what she said, more clearly this time, "We are not together in that manner."

Sesshomaru lowered his eyebrow, signaling the end of his interest.

An uncomfortable silence hung in the air, making Kagome fidget where she sat. Thoughts raced through her mind as she tried to think of a way to break the silence. Finally she settled on one, "What happened to you? Why are you only one foot tall?" Big mistake.

Sesshomaru stiffened, and turned his deadly golden eyes upon Kagome. She gulped, he may be only one foot tall but he was still scary. "This Sesshomaru does not repeat himself," he ground out.

Ouch, Kagome inwardly flinched, So much for that idea. Well, then he'll definitely hate this one. "What are you going to do? I mean until you're big again," If you ever get big again.

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes and turned his head away. At first Kagome thought that he wasn't going to answer her question, she began to wonder how she was ever going to get him to go with her idea.

The miko is right, what am I going to do? That witch will pay, that is doubtless. She is too far gone, though, for me to catch up with her. If I were to return to my castle, it is highly doubtful that I would be left alone. He sighed internally, this was a very vexing problem indeed.

"Well, if you need a place to stay, I can help you with that. You could stay with me until you...Well, until you want to," she finished lamely. There she said it, now it was out in the open hanging in the air like something palpable.

After a few minutes of nothing, Kagome stood up and walked over to where Sesshomaru was sitting. Squatting in front of him, she tried to see his emotions. She sighed imperceptibly, Nothing, I should've figured. It's not like he would ever tell me anything anyway. "Well?" she questioned again, holding out her hand to him.

Sesshomaru looked at the outstretched hand as if it were covered in filth. What other choice do I have right now? It is not likely the miko would hand me over to Inuyasha. When Rin plays with her kit, she always keeps Inuyasha away, sometimes in a most embarrassing manner for him.

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"Shippou-kun!" a little black haired bullet cried, launching herself at her playmate.

"Rin-chan!" the emerald eyed fox replied, equally joyed.

The two collided in a frenzy of fur and hair, tail and legs, black and red. Kagome laughed as they sat for a minute where they had landed, each looking a little dazed and rubbing their heads.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled. "What are you doing? We are supposed to be searching for the jewel shards!"

Kagome sighed, sometimes it really didn't pay to hang out with a determined dog with a one track mind. Today, that one track was focused on jewel shards.

She looked around the clearing trying to find something to distract the hanyou with. Her eyes alighted on a decent sized branch that had fallen from a nearby tree. Getting up, she ran to the branch and scooped it up. With an evil light in her eyes and a wicked smile on her face, she hid the branch behind her back and walked to where Inuyasha was waiting. "Inuyasha," she called sweetly, "Fetch!" she yelled, throwing the branch as hard and as far as she could.

Inuyasha perked up his ears as his eyes followed the flying branch. "Mine!" he yelled, "It's mine mine mine!" The clueless hanyou ran off after the tree limb.

The rest of the group waited until he was out of sight and hearing range before the burst out laughing. Shippou was rolling in laughter, pounding his fists on the ground, tears pouring from his eyes. Rin sat holding her sides as she guffawed at the stupidity of Inuyasha. Sango and Miroku were leaning against each other as they laughed and laughed. Out of all of these, though, Kagome was laughing the hardest. She sat leaning against a tree, laughing her head off as tears poured from her eyes. After a minute of laughing, she started to hiccup from lack of oxygen. The hiccups only lasted a short time, though, they were quickly replaced by un-lady-like snorts. Soon after, you could tell she was laughing, but you couldn't hear any sound coming from her mouth.

"Kagome!" Shippou yelled, as her lips turned a faint shade of blue, "breathe!" He ran over to his adoptive mother and began to shake her until she was no longer laughing but breathing easily.

Sesshomaru snorted as he watched the antics of the young miko in the clearing. He had to admit, he found his brother's...situation...amusing, but not so much that he would stop breathing. Turning, he left the area until later that evening when he returned to pick up Rin.

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Turning to look Kagome in the eyes, he searched her for any signs of untruth. "How do you plan to elude Inuyasha?" he asked in a bored tone. He truly was curious but it would never due to let her know.

Kagome smiled, "Well, if he's conscious by now, I could either 'sit' him or get Miroku to cover him in sutras after Sango knocks him out."

Sesshomaru looked at the young woman with dubious eyes. "Mm-hmm," he replied.

"Hey!" Kagome cried indignantly, "I've done it many times before and I can do it again! So do you accept my offer?" A rather generous one I might add...

The Taiyoukai looked the girl over one more time before turning away, "Do as you wish," he said simply.

Yes! Kagome cheered in her mind. Success! On the outside, she merely widened her grin.

Standing, she walked over to the tree where she had been resting a few moments before. As she picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder, a thought hit her. "Hey, Sesshomaru, how are we going to do this? I mean getting back to the well and all. I know you can walk, so lay off the glares. What I mean is, since I'm so much...taller...than you I would easily outpace you. So..." she paused, not knowing quite what to say after that.

Sesshomaru's eyes widened a slight fraction, Oh, Kami, why did you have to do this to me?! Oh dear Kami, no! NO! NO!

Kagome correctly interpreted the look on his face, Oh geez, this isn't going to be easy. Stupid male -dog- youkai pride thing... Damn! This is not what I expected! Damn! Cursing over and over in her mind didn't make her feel any better, though. She could already feel a hot blush creeping up her neck. Fighting it down, she straightened her shoulders and looked back to Sesshomaru. "Well?" she said, her voice full of false bravado.

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes in a dark scowl. What other option did he have? Apparently none. Standing and moving to the other side of the clearing, Sesshomaru looked down the rough path Kagome had forged in her little quest to find him. "Do as you see fit," he whispered in a deadly tone.

Gulping, the raven-haired girl crossed the clearing and knelt behind him. Stretching out her hands, she made to gently pick him up, but stopped in mid-reach. Not wanting to offend his personal space any more than she had to. "Err...uh...um..." she stuttered, retracting her hands and going for a different position.

"Well?!" he snapped. She was making it more embarrassing than it had to be.

"Ok, ok!" Kagome huffed. She reached out for a third time, this time determined to do it. Gently she picked him up, cradling him to her like a newborn. She stood and began to make her way through the forest.

The path was rough and the footing was anything but smooth. She stumbled a couple of times but quickly regained her balance. She never once heard Sesshomaru complain, although she was sure he had plenty of reasons to do so. Walking along a song popped into her head and she began to sing gently to herself.

Kagome felt him move and looked down at him as she continued to sing. When he didn't turn to look at her again, she focused her attention on the forest once more and gave a slight shrug.

Kagome continued humming the tune under her breath as she walked. She was caught up in her thoughts as she wondered down the deserted path. I wonder how Mom will react to this, and Souta. There's no doubt if Gramps saw Sesshomaru he would go crazy yelling 'demon' and try and put all those useless sutras on him. Well, we'll just play it by ear.

So caught up in her thoughts was she, that Kagome failed to notice a rather large root sticking out of the ground. Setting down her right foot, she picked up her left to continue forward. Only, her foot didn't continue past a few inches or so. She fell. "Aaah!" she squealed in surprise.

Sesshomaru had just noticed the root himself. Too late, though, in time to warn his carrier. Digging his claws into the girl's clothing and arm, he held on for what he was sure was dear life.

Kagome, however, had never forgotten the cargo she carried. Years of life in the Sengoku Jidai had given her a speed and agility that was almost inhuman. Turning her body as she fell through the air, she curled herself around Sesshomaru, effectively wrapping him in herself. Landing on her side, she laid still for a moment before carefully unfolding herself.

Sesshomaru was holding on with all his might--which had been drastically reduced along with his size--when he felt Kagome begin to react to their situation. As soon as he realized what she was doing, he relaxed his entire body. This allowed Kagome to curl around him without hurting him. All was dark for what seemed like forever until he felt a hard jolt and knew that they had landed.

His heavy breathing was no comparison to hers, he was consistently being pushed forward and sinking backward into her due to her breathing. Then, it was light as Kagome unfolded herself.

She sat up slowly, one hand to her head the other still holding onto the Taiyoukai in her lap.

"Sesshomaru?" she asked tentatively, looking down at him, "Are you okay?"

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Kags: grrr...Fluffy Lady!!

FL: nervously rubs hand behind head ehhehe, hey, Kags, what's up?

Kags: You know good and well what's up! What's with the story?!

FL: Oh, that, you see I was reading someone else's story and thought I'd write this idea that's been floating in my head since I saw the show.

Sess: I do not appreciate the reduction in size or in strength.

FL: ehhehehe...

Kags/Sess: You're going to get it! run after FL

FL: Aaaah!! Run away!! runs away