: Lost and Found :
Kagome smiled brightly as the supervisor handed her a clipboard. She could almost feel the makeup over the bags on her eyes stretch as she beamed like a little ray of fake sunshine. At least they trusted her to do the job without supervision now, and they had for a week. So she needn't grin long, just for now. Then she'd disappear into the back rooms without having to pretend anymore…
She'd caught onto what she'd needed to do fairly quickly. She'd helped her grandpa with the shrine's upkeep after all, so some of this was old hat. She'd been cleaning and dusting collections until a few days ago, but today she'd get to do inventory, which was a really good thing to have happen from her point of view.
She might come across something of use! Plus, if she did a good job with artifacts – what she was doing today – then they might 'promote' her to doing inventory on the older scrolls. Those needed careful tending, since they were so fragile, and a new intern wouldn't be allowed in the same room alone, normally.
And they might just have more information of use to her. If she could prove herself up to the task.
Kagome looked blankly at the inventory list. It had the oddest descriptions of items the museum owned, from 'a ball of clay leaves' to racks of swords dating to 700 years ago. She stepped into the first storage room, and grimaced. It looked like no one had set foot in here, much less attempted to organize, since the museum had been built. About 60 years ago, that had been.
Kagome silently cursed the previous year's interns for not doing a terribly good job, and rolled up her sleeves, sneezing on the dust that fell through the air like snow. Cleaning was never as much fun as doing something else. At least she wasn't being asked to deal with all the dust here, just take an inventory.
Yet. No doubt the dusting would come in due time…
Ah well. The rest of today hadn't been too bad, really. Kagome had started her job two weeks ago, and since then had managed to see a few ancient scrolls dealing with miko, one very old ofuda of the sort Miroku had once made, and innumerable pieces of armor with swords. All of it was interesting, and more than once she'd caught herself looking at something with a wave of nostalgia. She could remember Kaede using a basket like that, or Sango looking at that same piece of jewelry in amongst a rich man's treasures.
That was the real reason she loved it here, whatever new information might come to hand.
Her search for a way to return to the feudal era had been going on for almost a year by now. She wouldn't believe it gone forever…she couldn't. Yet…she'd made hesitant plans, thought of what her future here might be like. It might be a very long time before she learned enough, or the barrier weakened enough, for her to go back.
Not that she was giving up. Not at all. That would never happen. But she had to think how long it might be before she managed to break the seal. Once again, Kagome cursed the moment of insanity that had led to this mess in the first place. She could scarcely believe what an idiot she'd been.
Kagome checked off another item on inventory, and then stepped into the next aisle, frowning at the first thing that came into sight. It looked to be a statue, facing the wall. There was something, very weak, coming from the front of the carving. It almost felt like it was trying to hide any trace of its existence….but had broken down with the years, leaving a slow leak of power in the air for a young wannabe miko to find.
Kagome paused, and then walked over. The power came from a stone scroll on a necklace, carved into the statue. From what she could guess, it had to do with preserving the stone. Kagome smiled faintly. It hadn't done a terribly good job…you could barely see the samurai's armor.
Why was it so damaged? Maybe it had been put out on display…the list said it was only 450ish years old. It had to be acid rain that had run down the statue's face and ruined it. It seemed familiar somehow… perhaps because of the worn statues around her own home. She couldn't quite put her finger on why it seemed so familiar though…she'd come back after the rest of this room had been taken care of. If she hurried, there might be time to take a closer look.
Kagome checked off the 'Statue, origin unknown. Depicts what is believed to be a crouching samurai, drawing sword. Dated to aprox. 490 years old. 900 Kg, 1.56 m square base. 173 cm high.' off, and walked down the next isle.
She was sure that she'd seen that statue somewhere before…
Kagome looked briefly at her clipboard again. Hm. It didn't really tell her much about the statue, other than it was the right age. Who knew? Maybe she'd seen a similar statue in better repair while time traveling.
Kagome shrugged, and moved on. She had work to do, however fascinating dithering over inventory might be. She would be in serious trouble if she didn't finish this job by three thirty.
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Kagome finished with the rest of the collection she was taking care of for the day, and went back to stand briefly in front of the rain scarred stone of the statue. She couldn't stay long, since she still had to give the inventory to her supervisor, but she'd look for now. She was curious about what the scroll was there for. She tucked the clipboard under one arm, and squinted at the stone.
It was crouching, drawing one of the two katana's, and had something unidentifiable draped over an arm and a shoulder. Kagome blinked at it, and at the rough armor.
Something over a shoulder, and wound around an arm….where had she seen that before?
Her eyes widened a fraction as one image came to mind.
Sesshoumaru.
Yes, it did look like him….if one looked very closely. The stone was quite worn. But if you knew what he'd looked like, you could see him in the stance and the vague details left by the years. Kagome assumed that either the statue was made of quite soft stone, or that it had been outside for a long time at one point.
Sesshoumaru…who'd have thought she'd find a statue of him in some forgotten dusty storage room? The world never ceased to amaze. Although…Kagome wondered what the scroll engraved around the neck was for. It looked like some sort of preservation scroll, but for it to be still active, and the statue in such poor shape, led her to believe otherwise. What was that faint signature of power bleeding into the air supposed to signify? What was it for?
Kagome's watch beeped at her, and she scowled at it. If she didn't get her inventory in, she'd be on the 'wall of shame' for what seemed the millionth time this week.
She went back to what she was supposed to be doing, thinking hard. She didn't notice when she almost walked into someone, and didn't pay attention as she was handing in the list to the supervisor. It was the last thing she'd had to do, so Kagome slipped back to the storage room as the museum started to shut down for the night, after nabbing her coat.
She walked through the 'employees only' door, and into the back halls. There was something about that statue…why was it there? Whoever had done the carving had been a master. It looked so much like him…apart from the whole pitted, stony appearance. She was hungry for even this unlikely connection with home. It didn't really look like him. If you looked closely though…
Kagome quietly pulled the door to storage room B open, and walked in, closing it gently behind her. She had come across items here that had power before. Swords, spelled for destruction, or a protection spell pasted into the inside of a samurai helmet. But she couldn't figure out what that one stone scroll was. She had never come across anything like it before that she could recall.
Not that that was saying much. She was by no means an expert on the different types of ofuda. That was what Miroku had been. Was. He might have died of old age in this time, but at home he'd still be alive.
Probably as much of a pervert as he'd ever been too, unless marriage to Sango had changed him. She wondered about them, how they were doing…had they really gotten married? He'd promised Sango, but she didn't know…
Kagome bent down in front of the sculpture, and stared at it for a moment. It was so worn by wind and rain it was almost impossible to tell what it had once been written on the scroll. Kagome reached out absently to trace the shadow of a raised line.
The stone shivered beneath her hand, and she frowned at it. What was going on? Stone did not shiver. Unless it was an earthquake. Kagome winced. That was the last thing she needed to have happen to her!
So slowly she didn't even notice, cracks radiated out from her finger, shattering the carved pendant with a sudden…smash!
Kagome blinked at the stone dust that was tinkling down the side of the statue, 'Uh oh, now what have I done? I only touched the damn thing! I didn't try to break it! Oh no…what am I supposed to say to the supervisor! That woman will kill me!' An image of the ferocious supervisor trying to decapitate her with an antique katana flashed across her mind. The scary part was, it might just happen…
As soon as the stone of the scroll had disappeared, cracks ran down the statue, crawling up its face and hand, running down the sword.
"Ah…gack! Not you too…oh no…" Kagome said, backing away slowly. She'd only touched it! She hadn't meant to break it! She panicked, watching as the cracks grew over the whole sculpture. Any minute now it was just going to collapse into a pile of rubble…what had she done in a previous life to deserve this?
Ok…maybe she didn't want to know the answers to that one…
Kagome covered her eyes, ears straining to hear. She couldn't watch this…she'd be fired…there went all her hopes of finding something on getting back home…
But there were no sounds of collapse. Kagome peeked between her hands, one eye opening in fascinated horror.
The cracks stayed in place, a spider's tracery of dull white over the entire figure, and then they broke away in pieces of fading dust, leaving a dim shimmer behind them. Kagome watched the glowing, crouching figure in the center of the room in horror. Power. She could feel it radiating from that shape, and she had an awful feeling of premonition. She shut her eyes, but it only seemed to make that familiar sensation stronger.
Shitshitshitshit…
Kagome slowly opened her eyes again, fully expecting to see Sesshoumaru crouched in the center of the room, probably waiting to kill anything that moved. She had woken something that ought not have been touched, she knew, and it was Sesshoumaru, waiting…he'd be angry, and he had a sword…she was doomed…
It was him all right, and she locked eyes with him for a second, before golden orbs rolled up in his head, and he collapsed on the floor.
Kagome stared at him blankly. There was Sesshoumaru. In the center of the room. Out cold.
Shit.
What had she done to deserve this?
"What the hell am I supposed to do with you?" She demanded. Sesshoumaru didn't answer.
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The room wasn't the same anymore…there was someone there. A cause for minor celebration, almost. Almost. He watched as the figure looked around at something behind his head. He tried to move to see what it was, and cursed tiredly as his head stayed in place.
Still, it was some difference. He'd not seen a person, no matter that it was a human, in ages. Contrary to popular belief, he wasn't a human hater. They were simply beneath his notice. Usually. Rin…she was…had been…special. And right now, this human's antics were the only thing between him and insanity. Unless he was there already, in which case it didn't matter. Sesshoumaru's interest was piqued, slightly.
She disappeared after wandering around behind him. He could hear the small shuffles of shoes, and paper, then the female vanished out the door. He could distantly hear the sound of the hinges protesting. He frowned inside. He should be able to hear a lot better than this…He pondered that briefly, then came back to the grey present as he heard her enter the room again after a time. She stood in front of him for a space, a small frown of concentration on her face, and then left as a beeping sound emanated from her hand.
Why did she look so familiar? He was sure he'd seen her somewhere before, which was odd. He didn't normally look at humans at all, except when they were an inconvenience that needed to be dealt with.
Interesting thought. Where would he have seen her before, if his mind wasn't playing tricks? Sometimes it did. Perhaps it would able to distract him from his current situation for a while. Of course, that just brought said situation back to him. His stomach rattled against his backbone. Hungry. So very hungry…
Why did his mind never obey him? Self discipline was lacking…
The click of a door brought him back to the grey room, and the …third? Yes, third, entrance of the girl. She looked at him for a long while, and he wondered what was so fascinating about a lump of stone...
…or, no. She wasn't really looking at him. She was looking at his neck, at what was hanging there.
His heart nearly froze. She was looking at the scroll…did that mean…surely not, it couldn't be possible…he watched in an agony of hope, something nearly forgotten since his incarceration, as her hand reached out. Was she going to let him go, break the scroll? Was it possible for him to be free, after all this time? Sesshoumaru watched the hand slowly reaching for the spell around his neck
He didn't know what it would be like to be free, after all this time. It would be…he could hardly imagine. It had been so long…he wanted it so much he could have broken down on the floor, and just luxuriated in movement…It was the strangest feeling in the world, after he had resigned himself to death. Hope…
Could it be real? He wanted it so much, it had to be real, but what if it wasn't? Was he dreaming? No, he couldn't sleep as a stone lump, he couldn't be dreaming. So perhaps he was dead. Or insane.
Oh well…
He heard the girl's fingers run over the scroll, and he waited, at a fever pitch. This was it…unless…
If he had been breathing, he'd have stopped.
Her fingers drew away.
Nothing.
He could have cried.
Disappointment, almost tangible it was so strong, washed over him, and he upbraided himself for daring to hope. Maybe it was someone from Damia, here to renew the spell on him for another hundred years. Or to take him to someplace else, to be kept alive and suffering. Perhaps as a statue on her lawn.
Or worse.
He would die before that happened. He couldn't take that again. Nevernevernever…
Pain brought him back from the brink, and his eyes widened …then widened further as that sank in. He'd felt pain distantly before, but never the way he should have. Everything had been muted, numbed after a while…he was definitely not numb now. Fire coursed though ever inch of his body…. His senses had come back with a jolt.
His back hurt, and his legs….his stomach was distant agony on a leash…his eyes met the shocked blue ones not too far from his own, and then he dropped his gaze. Sesshoumaru winced inside as his muscles wilted, and he went sprawling on the floor. Freedom hurt…but…He began to drift away, happy as he had ever been, escaping the prison of his body once more. Black gushed out from the wooden boards to engulf him, and he let himself go gladly.
Sleep. Real sleep…
Perhaps he was dying, or dead, but…free… the wonder of that followed him into the dark, and he no longer cared.
He was free.
How strange.
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Kagome cautiously walked up to the prone figure slumped bonelessly in the dust, and nudged the one hand with the toe of her shoe.
Nothing. He didn't suddenly leap up and whip out his sword. No death threats. His hand didn't even twitch.
Slightly bolder after that, Kagome looked more carefully, hiding her shock at his appearance. She had never seen him as less than immaculate…maybe a little bloody, but never the way he was now. Somehow, she'd expected a livelier youkai than the pitiful bundle of dusty white.
He looked…dead, almost. His cheeks were hollowed out, the pristine white of his clothing stained with age and dirt. Actually, now she looked, all the grit that had been on the statue was reflected in him. The silk of his clothing was even yellow in patches, as though it had seen every century that had passed since he'd become a statue.
It must have been a long time. 450 years at least, if the dating was to be believed. She'd have to see if he could remember when he'd been sealed.
She blinked in sympathy. He didn't look like a lord at all now…he looked far more like the survivor of an African famine, arm as skinny as a stick, hair stringy and dull. The fur on the fluffy…thing (she had never been quite sure what it was) was filthy, literally caked in dust.
What had he been trapped for? It seemed fair to say it wasn't by choice, not when he looked like that. What had happened? He had to know something about the past. Enemy or not, she would get him well. He wasn't anything like Naraku, whom she would never have helped. Someone who had taken in a little girl couldn't be all bad…
Kagome bent down in a crouch beside him, and absently moved lank bangs away from his face. She didn't know what had happened, and had only the vaguest notion of what to do, but she couldn't just leave him there. Pity colored her voice "What am I supposed to do with you? I can't leave you here…. I can't let you loose on unsuspecting Tokyo either…. I have to get you home." she whispered. How would she do that though? There wasn't an easy way to drag him out the front door…if she could even manage to drag him. People would ask questions.
Near skeleton or not, the armor would make him heavy. Plus he was quite a bit taller than she was. That would make him awkward as well. Kagome's mind went to work on the problem, thinking fast. She had learned to think under pressure quickly or die, in the past. It was a skill she'd been glad to have acquired.
Of course…if she could wake him up…Kagome leaned over, and shook his shoulder hard. He didn't even twitch.
Kagome yelled as loud as she dared in his pointed ears, right and left. She nudged him with a foot. She even tugged on his hair, but he didn't move at all.
If he hadn't been breathing, very shallowly, she'd have said he was dead. Which would have been even worse…
Kagome sat back on her heels. Obviously, she couldn't get him to walk out. She would have to try and flip him over and haul him out…but how could she get him home? She took the bus! She couldn't take him on a bus!
Wait.
Interns were given keys for all of the doors, and there was a fire exit down the hall, by an alley. Maybe if she could drag him out there…Kagome fumbled for her cellphone. Her mom had lent it to her almost 6 months ago, but she rarely used it. If she could get her to come and park there…Kagome was sure that she could get him as far as the back way in, then home. Without any…questions. She crossed her fingers, and dialed.
"Hi." Kagome was proud there was no indication in her vice of how strained she was
"Kagome? Hi!" Souta said. Kagome could hear the beeps of his x-box going on in the background.
"Souta…can you please get mom? Tell her I need her help really badly right now…"
"Ok. She's in the kitchen…here." the phone changed hands. 'Says she needs help with something,' Kagome heard Souta say in the background.
"Hi Kagome…what's this about help?"
"Ahh…um…I'm not sure exactly what I did, but I've got Sesshoumaru beside me here, out cold…and I need to get him home without anyone seeing…. It was an accident! Honest!" Kagome said in a rush.
On the other end, her mom blinked. Who was Sesshoumaru…and why was he out cold? "I see…why call me, though? Wouldn't the hospital be better…?"
"No. Definitely no…um…oh dear…how to explain this…I found a statue."
"You found a statue. And?"
Souta fidgeted in the door to the kitchen. What was going on? From his point of view, it sounded like someone needed to go to the hospital, or something…but where did the statue fit in?
"I don't know what I did! One minute there was a statue that looked like him, the next Sesshoumaru's passed out on the floor. I don't want to have to tell people at the museum I accidentally did something to their precious feudal sculpture …oh…argh!" Kagome sighed. She wasn't panicked …much…but she wasn't looking forwards to having to tell people the statue was gone. Especially when it would be equally as hard to explain Sesshoumaru's sudden appearance.
Why did these things have to happen to her of all people? Why did the gods hate her?
"I…see. Where are you?"
"I'm in storage room B. You know that alleyway behind the museum?"
"Yes."
"That's where I'm going to come out with him. He hasn't woken up so far, so I'll probably have to drag him…. There's an emergency exit, and I'll wait for you there, ok?"
"All right. Try and wake him up. I'll be there in ten minutes with the car." Her mom's voice sounded clipped, terse. She wondered what her mom was thinking, now. It wasn't every family that got an unconscious youkai dropped on them. She supposed, all things considered, that her mom coped with sudden changes remarkably well. Good old mom…
Kagome closed the phone, slightly reassured that all had not come to an end. Her mom would be there in ten minutes, so that left her to get to the door with Sesshoumaru. She was lucky to have a mom like her, who would come and help even with something like this.
Kagome bit back a shaky laugh. Speaking of family…it was a good thing her grampa was out of town, or he'd be breaking out the ofudas.
Or, even worse, dusting off the medical textbook her mother had got him for his last birthday…
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Kagome's mom hung up. Why was it that her daughter seemed to be a positive magnet for trouble? She wasn't sure exactly what was going on, but if she had to make a guess this Sesshoumaru would be one of the people she'd met in the feudal era. Time enough for details once she'd rescued her, since obviously phoning the hospital was out. She hoped the person in question was alright.
Sesshoumaru was this person's name, wasn't it? She hoped that not phoning the hospital was alright. What if he was hurt? In a coma? She steadied herself. The faster she got there, the faster they could do something.
She turned around to see Souta, who'd been listening the whole time. "Something's come up, and I have to go get Kagome and whoever this Sesshoumaru is. Be good, ok? I should be back soon. Or…oh, you could attempt to clear a space for Sesshoumaru up in Kagome's room, please?"
Souta mumbled an okay, and trailed after her on the way out the door. Who was Sesshoumaru? It sounded like a funny name…was he injured or something? He hoped his sister was ok. He worried about her sometimes.
Mrs. Higurashi walked down the hall, and locked the house behind her. The engine of the car started with a purr, and she was on her way.
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Kagome stared at the unconscious youkai sprawled inelegantly on the floor. She'd have to flip him on his back first, then drag him the way a fireman would. He was fairly large, even though he looked half starved.
Kagome hoped all the archery practice had improved her upper body strength, so she could deal with the armor and swords. They would be hard to drag along with him. She didn't dare take them off and leave them somewhere. Someone might see them and wonder.
She bent down beside Sesshoumaru. It ought to be easy to flip him on his back, since he was currently on his side. She pushed against his upper shoulder, and grinned in minor satisfaction as he flopped onto his back like a large, sleepy puppy. Even if the comparison here was completely inappropriate…
Now. To drag him out to the hall, and then to the alley. Simple…right?
Kagome shuffled over, and got a good grip under his one arm. The stump gave her a few moments trouble, but she eventually got a tentative grip, and started walking backwards towards the door of the storage room. She glanced around nervously, sure someone would descend on her any minute, screaming the alarm.
Once she'd crossed the room, she set him down gently on the floor, and pushed the door open. No one was in sight, probably because of the late hour. Not many people were ever in these storage rooms anyway, for which Kagome was very thankful. But she couldn't shake the feeling that the frightful Mrs. Furizin would swoop down and murder her on the spot. She was a scary woman, that supervisor.
Kagome pushed the door open the rest of the way, and resumed pulling Sesshoumaru towards the fire exit. She was starting to breathe heavily by the time she'd reached it. She wiped the sweat off her forehead, and blew through her cheeks, slightly winded.
"You're still pretty damn heavy, you know. Even though you look like a twig at the moment." Sesshoumaru didn't answer. She didn't really think he would.
Kagome propped her burden up against the wall with an effort, and went back to the storage room to lock the door. He might hope to pass as a person sitting against the wall, if anyone saw him. She doubted they'd be fooled, but it was better than leaving him on the floor. There was something wrong about that.
She came back and opened the fire exit, after de-arming the alarm with her key. She set herself to nervously watching the hands on her watch. Her mom should be here in a minute or two, since she'd phoned almost 8 minutes ago. She hoped she got there soon, and wasn't held up by traffic, or something…
She hoped no one would come and find her. Even leaned awkwardly against the wall, Sesshoumaru was very obviously not with it. He looked stoned, actually. Or dead. Neither one of those was a good way to look.
Kagome had to laugh nervously. Yes, he'd been stoned…very stoned…
She wondered why he'd passed out when she'd accidentally freed him. Where had he been? Sealing someone didn't do that. Sealing a person behind a scroll simply froze them in time, and they knew nothing, and changed not at all, between waking and the moment they were sealed.
Maybe he'd been in prison before someone sealed him up. Maybe it was just like that carbon freezing thing in the Star Wars movies she'd watched on TV a couple of weeks ago with Souta. Carbon sickness…or stone syndrome. Kagome's lip twitched. That had to be the worst joke she'd ever made.
It was as good an explanation as any, though…
After the minutes of nervous waiting. Kagome cautiously looked out the door to the alley, and sighed in relief as she saw her mom's car finally come into view.
She held the door open with her foot, and awkwardly pulled Sesshoumaru out, then re-armed the fire exit. Her mother hurried over to help, exclaiming softly over Sesshoumaru.
"Mom! I'm so glad you're here…I can't take him to the hospital…"
"You weren't too clear on that." Her mom helped settle the awkward form of Sesshoumaru in the car, frowning over the condition he was in. It didn't look like anything major had happened to him. No sword wounds, or bleeding, anyway. He just looked too worn out to stay awake. And he needed to eat a few square meals. She'd see to that. She'd have to make him her special curry…
Mrs. Higurashi frowned as she tried to get a hold of his left arm, and only got the sleeve. The man passed out in the back of the car certainly did look the worse for wear. Missing an arm, though that was an old injury, and with the skin stretched over his hollow cheeks. Interesting decorations on his face…and what was the fuzzy thing wrapped around his torso? Many questions for later were brewing in her brain.
Maybe he should go to the hospital after all. Kagome was a good nurse, but …. She sighed. He couldn't go to a hospital. There would be questions about him, and more when he woke up. She understood. It was just…
"Ah…" Kagome sat down beside Sesshoumaru, and leaned back with a sigh. "I was doing inventory, and found this statue with a scroll around its neck. I thought it looked a lot like Sesshoumaru, so then, after I was done, I went back…and…I don't know what I did, but when I touched the scroll, it…disintegrated…and he just kind of flopped over at my feet..."
"I see….one of the friends you made in the feudal era then?" Kagome's mom asked, frowning back at Sesshoumaru's lolling head. At least now she knew what had happened. Sort of. She'd like to know more about what was going on, though it was unlikely she'd get answers anytime soon. She started the engine, and carefully turned into the street. The vehicle bounced, and Sesshoumaru slumped bonelessly against the window, head bobbing as the vehicle ran over cracks in the pavement. Kagome winced, but couldn't quite manage to pull him back to a sitting position. She grimaced, and gave up. He could handle it…he wouldn't even know…
"Um…sorta..." Kagome decided she wouldn't mention the fact that the first time she'd met Sesshoumaru he'd tried to melt her into goo with the caustic poison in his hand. Moms being moms, she'd probably overreact and do something stupid. Like toss him out in the street. Kagome looked back at him, cheek bouncing against the window. He looked very worn…hardly in any shape to be out terrorizing Tokyo.
Of course…once he'd woken up was another story…
"So he was a statue, and I'm guessing you unsealed him…and you know him from the feudal era. We'll take care of him, then. It has to be confusing, waking up in a new world. And I know how much you want to go back. A friend from there might be good for you."
No matter that said friend turned up in the strangest place, under some sort of spell…
"I'm sure it will be. I'll have to show him a few things…and he would have to stay with us, wouldn't he? I don't know where else he could go."
Kagome wasn't sure how she'd deal with him. She had no idea how to make a subduing necklace such as the one Inuyasha had worn, and anyway, there had to be a better solution than that. She'd hated having to 'sit' poor Inuyasha. Except for the few times he'd really, really needed it. You just didn't subdue your friend like a pet…it was wrong…
Maybe she could try reasoning with Sesshoumaru…
She was jolted out of her thoughts when they pulled up in front of the house. She got out, and leaned on the door. Now what? The stairs to the shrine looked like they reached to the sky, higher and more menacing than any normal stairway.
Kagome looked over at her mom "Maybe if we each support a shoulder…?"
"That sounds like it'll work."
"Ok then. I'll take the left. It's trickier without an arm to work with."
"Ah…of course." Kagome's mom wondered briefly how the man in the back seat had ended up sans his left arm, and then focused on the task at hand.
Both women half lifted, half dragged Sesshoumaru out of the vehicle, and somehow got him up the stairs and into the house, supported awkwardly between them. Thankfully, there wasn't an audience to see them struggle though the front door. Equally thankfully, Sesshoumaru did not suddenly wake up. Kagome jerked her head in the direction of her room, and they maneuvered him in that general direction while Souta peered after them curiously.
His sister sure had interesting friends. Inuyasha had been awesome, and this guy looked a lot like him. Same hair, at any rate. And he had tattoos on his face! Souta missed Inuyasha a bit, but he'd hardly ever seen him. He had been nowhere near as affected by the news he'd died as Kagome had been. He still missed the hanyou though, and seeing someone who looked a lot like him had brought that to mind.
Upstairs, mother and daughter put Sesshoumaru on the bed, and then Kagome's mom left to put the car away.
Kagome watched as her mother left, then stared at her visitor and had to smile. She had never, ever, expected to see Sesshoumaru on her bed, long legs and feet dangling off the end. She did have the oddest luck…or not.
He would no doubt be a handful when he woke up. She'd have to explain where he was…and then try and explain how everything worked. Kagome snorted. First things first. What exactly was wrong with him apart from being in a dead faint and chronically undernourished? She'd not seen any indication of an injury.
It looked like he was just too worn out to wake up. She couldn't imagine what he'd been through to get to that point. Inuyasha was hardly ever tired, and healed wounds in days that would have taken her a year to recover from, if she recovered at all. Sesshoumaru was probably even better at healing, and most likely had more stamina. What could have happened to bring him to this state? Must have been pretty serious…
It had to have been before he'd been sealed. So far as she knew, once you were sealed, that was it. You didn't feel anything, didn't know anything, till you were brought out from under the spell. It was as though days, years, passed between one breath and the next, with no memory of between. Since a seal simply froze you in time, whatever had occurred couldn't have been during when he was ensorcelled. So what had happened before? Had he been in some sort of prison?
Wherever he'd been, it hadn't been kind to him. If it had been something to do with the seal (very unlikely), whoever had been in charge of it did one poor job. If they cared, of course. She had a feeling the person to blame didn't care if he lived or died. Probably, they'd prefer him dead, judging by his appearance.
Kagome sighed, and then decided to deal with the armor and swords. He wasn't going to need them any time soon, and he would probably hurt from sleeping in them when he woke up if she didn't do anything about them
The two swords went first. The plain one, Tenseiga, was fine, but the other she decided to wrap in sheets before handling. She knew all too well what it could do to someone. She'd have to remember to tell Souta not to touch them. How well he'd listen was another story, but if she told him how the sword had possessed its own maker, he would probably listen.
She put them both in the closet, beside Tetsusaiga. She closed her eyes. She hardly ever used her closet because that sword was in there. And his fire rat haori. Sango had persuaded her to keep them with her. They were all she had of him now.
Well…she currently had his brother…she supposed he counted…sort of.
Kagome had agreed to take those two things with her dubiously, but had to admit that occasionally taking them out to hold did make him feel closer. Almost as though he was there, watching. Surely he would be glad that his few possessions were still protecting her after his death? He'd always done that…protected her…. Kagome resolutely half shut the door to the closet. She had other things to deal with.
On her desk, Shiro sat up and peeped. She smiled at him, and then went back to the task at hand. Swords down, armor to go.
Kagome gingerly reached across to the nearest clasp, and fumbled with it, finally figuring out how to get it undone. She gently set the fluffy thing he was half lying on beside him, and then worked on getting the armor off, managing it just as her mom came back.
"Good idea. I hate to think of how it would feel to sleep in those." Kagome's mom appeared in the doorway and went across to the bed, gently picking up the end of the filthy furry thing beside Sesshoumaru. "I think I'll wash this. The clothes…well, the clothing is beyond help, I'm afraid. He'll need some new ones. But this might be saved." She started walking to the door, and then stopped. "Is he sitting on it? It's still attached…" Mrs. Higurashi walked back over to the bad, and attempted to pull the ratty fur out from under him.
"A little help Kagome? Prop him up a bit please." Kagome went to do so, slightly nervous. She wasn't sure if it the fur was a tail, or a boa/scarf/something else. Now was as good a time as any to find out.
Her mom yanked at it, but it wasn't moving. "I don't believe it. It's attached to him…"
"You know, I'm not sure what that thing is…it might be a tail."
"Oh…right." Mrs. Higurashi blinked, and then smiled in delight. A tail! Inuyasha had had the most adorable ears…and now, she had someone with a tail! Mrs. Higurashi petted the matted fur, and smiled happily. "That's just as good as ears. Lucky guy."
Kagome rolled her eyes. Right. Inuyasha might have put up with her rubbing his ears…but she just could not see Sesshoumaru allowing anyone to pet his tail. Ever.
Except when he was passed out, like now. Kagome shivered, and stared as her mom ran her hands through the ragged tail lovingly one last time.
Her mom was petting Sesshoumaru's tail… The world was so messed up it wasn't even funny…
Kagome got up, and went for the door. "I don't know about you, but I'm famished. I'm going to get a snack then see what else I can do for him. Thank goodness it's Friday. I can take care of him tomorrow and Sunday."
Her mom got up, and then followed her out the door. "You're right…I was halfway through making dinner, and I forgot all about it till now. I'll go finish that."
Kagome went down to the cupboards and rummaged through them, finally coming up with a box of pocky. She grinned, and went back to her room munching on a stick.
She got up the stairs and found Souta poking his nose in the door, staring at the amour and swords propped in the closet with avid eyes. He read entirely too many sword and sorcery stories, and she could tell he'd be in her room to 'borrow' Sesshoumaru's things as soon as she wasn't watching.
"Souta, I wouldn't take them."
Souta turned around sheepishly. His face looked far too innocent to actually be innocent.
"Don't do that. It never works. Sesshoumaru wouldn't appreciate you borrowing his amour, and the swords are dangerous."
"Oh, come on. I'm old enough not to cut myself on th-"
"I didn't mean that," Kagome said, cutting him off. "I was thinking about other things. You see that sword?"
"Yup! It looks pretty cool!" Souta grinned, thinking of all the things he could do with it. Grandpa never let him in storage to look at the swords there. Now his sister was saying he couldn't touch this guy's swords. No fair…
"It possessed its own maker, and he went mad. He tried to kill Inuyasha, all because of that sword. I don't want you touching it."
"But you touched it! You took it off him!"
"I didn't touch it. I wrapped it in a sheet. Besides, I have some defenses. You don't. Now go bother someone else unless you plan on helping me take care of him. Did you feed Shiro like I asked?"
"Yes. He's stuffed, trust me." Souta pouted. Too bad…he'd planned on being Aragorn with that sword and saving Middle Earth …(aka the backyard). He saw her point though. He definitely didn't want to touch something that would take him over like that. He knew the dangers were real. Kagome wouldn't lie about those.
"But I want to know why he's passed out, and why he's here. I thought the well was sealed." Souta brightened. "Is it working again? You can go back!"
Kagome sighed. She'd have to tell him, or he'd never leave her alone. "No, it's not. I was doing inventory in the museum, and I found a statue. I was curious, and I accidentally broke the seal on it. It turned out hewas actually the statue. I had to get him home, which is why I phoned mom. I'm not looking forward to when they find out the statue is gone."
"So you know how to break seals now! Awesome!"
"No I don't. It was an accident. The scroll was over 450 years old. It was fragile, and I must have busted it by accident. I still don't know how to get back." A shadow of frustration flitted across her face.
"Oh…but you know him, right? Is he related to Inuyasha at all? He looks like him. Are those tattoos?"
"He's his half brother. I know him…a little. I have no idea. Probably markings. You ask him." Kagome sighed. All those questions…
"Ok, I will ask him…when he wakes up! With you looking after him, he'll be up in no time!" Souta grinned excitedly. Maybe he could ask to borrow a sword, too!
Kagome put her hand on her forehead tiredly and looked down. Much as she appreciated the pep talk… "On second thought…how about you don't ask him?"
"Oh." Souta paused as all that sank in. He turned around and decided to go play another game on the x-box. Taking care of people was boring when they were asleep. He'd help Kagome later, but for now she was fine on her own.
Kagome stepped into her room, and sighed as she closed the door behind her. She hoped Souta had gotten the message. She thought he had. She'd get mom to tell him the same over dinner. He actually listened to mom. Don't touch evil swords.
She looked at the bed, then blinked as something occurred to her. Sesshoumaru had her bed, so where would she sleep?
Kagome thought about that for a bit, then settled on the couch in the living room. It was pretty comfortable as couches went, and it would do for a while. They could figure out something more permanent later. And it would be a permanent arrangement.
They'd have to take care of Sesshoumaru for as long as it took for her to reopen the well. He didn't have the skills necessary to survive in this era, and would stick out like a sore thumb. She would teach him, obviously, but it would take a while for him to figure out the basics.
She wondered what he'd think of a shopping mall, or fast food. It would be interesting…especially convincing him not to attack anyone or anything. She still had nightmares about the time Inuyasha had decided to attack a motorcycle. She wondered how well telling him what had happened and getting him to listen would work. She had to try and break though to the past, and soon...
Maybe Sesshoumaru knew something? When he was better, he could try and open it, or tell her what he knew. She was sure he would help, if she made it clear it was in his own best interests to do so.
She looked at his sunken cheeks, and wandered back over to the closet to get her spare blankets out. She might as well set up shop downstairs before dinner was ready. Kagome walked back downstairs with a blanket stack higher than her head, and a pillow snitched from her mom's double bed.
Souta blinked as his sister wandered into the living room and started to make a bed on the couch. Why was she…then he smiled. He hadn't thought that, since Sesshoumaru had the bed, his sister would have to sleep somewhere else.
He flicked off the electronics, and went to help her. She smiled and thanked him, then both siblings went to the kitchen for dinner.
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Kagome yawned, and watched as Shiro ate his own dinner. She supposed he might have to move somewhere too if Sesshoumaru decided he didn't care for sparrows. She glanced over at the bed, but he hadn't budged from where they'd put him.
She hoped he woke up soon. She had tried to get him to at least drink some water after dinner, but it hadn't worked too well. The water had ended up all over the sheets instead of down his throat. He had to wake up soon and eat or he might die, going by the way he looked.
If he wasn't up tomorrow, she'd try getting him to drink again, and then try feeding him something. Likely to be an interesting experience…
Kagome said goodnight to Shiro, and looked at Sesshoumaru one last time before going downstairs to the couch. She hoped she'd sleep ok on it, but regardless, tomorrow would be busy. Souta was going to a friend's house after school, and her mom had grocery shopping to do. She'd be mostly on her own, and had planned on going to the mall to relax, but that wasn't going to happen soon.
Ah well. Taking care of the sick was a worthy goal, and the mall came a distant second to that.
Kagome turned and started walking slowly to the living room, still thinking about her day.
Kagome smiled. She hoped Sesshoumaru woke up soon. It was good to see someone from the feudal era, even if he was sleeping, and even if he had never been exactly friendly. He might even know something about her friends, or Shippo. She was dying to hear anything about them. She missed them all so much.
She smiled as she remembered all the good times she and her friends had shared. Shippo drawing something for her with crayons. Miroku and Sango walking together, and the inevitable thump of Sango's hand and/or boomerang connecting with the monk's thick skull. All of them walking together, sitting around a campfire.
In the dark, Kagome smiled. She hoped she'd go back there soon. Surely with Sesshoumaru's help she would be able to do that. That would solve all her problems, as well as all the new ones finding him had suddenly created for not for her, but also for her family's straining budget.
Kagome wiped at an eye, and sat down on her makeshift bed. Gods, she was tired…today had been hard on her. Work, and then finding Sesshoumaru and attempting to get him home…. She stretched out, and was almost immediately dead to the world.
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Very long chapter, (omg, it's over 18 pages! O.o) but hopefully interesting, because Sesshoumaru reappeared, somewhat the worse for wear. Huzza! XD
Next chapter: Sesshoumaru, meet the modern world. Lol.
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Until next Wednesday…Ja amata!XD