A/N: last chapter… snifflie. Alrighty, here's the part where I go sapariffic. Just, to all of you who review this time, can you do me a favor? Try to put in a review correcting what you thought was wrong/bad, so I can deal with it later…. Confusing wordplay, so on, so fourth. Not spelling errors, I know those're there… ~_~
I'm toying with the idea of a sequal. Problem is, I don't have anything to say. Then again, when I started this fic, I didn't have anything to say, there, so…
Aside from that, there IS a Fushigi Yugi sister story—same deal, the Suzaku seishi find themselves in the real world…. Bwaaaaahaaa. And it's NurixHoto, whatelse could you want? *glomps the two*
Anyway… thanks for sticking with me this long and reviewing me through this… lookat, I actually FINISHED this… WOOHOO! Every single one of you rocks!
Awww…. I'm tearing…
Chapter 8
I turned Human for You
Tense was not a sufficient word to describe the atmosphere of the hospital waiting room that evening. Somewhere along the line, Shippo had phoned his parents and explained the situation to them. They'd joined the nine teenagers at the hospitol. Aiko was there, though her parents had convieniently vanished. Sango, arms around Shippo, who'd plopped himself in her lap, had to admire the girl's guts. Sota lay using his mother as a pillow, both his parents sitting in shocked silence. Miroku and Siri worked at talking Meggie and Alex down, explaining to them that no, they hadn't really seen what they'd thought. Aiko sat with Sango and Shippo, quietly leaning on the only member of their party who didn't shun her.
Inu-Yasha had abandoned the others and sat alone in his corner, head in his hands, thinking. Quietly, Sango shifted a now-sleeping Shippo into Miroku's lap and sauntered over.
"Well, well, well… This is a first." He snarled at her. "Can I just ask you one thing?" She persisted, resting her chin on the armrest of his chair. "Why?"
"Go away, Sango."
"You could have at least told Miroku." She pointed out practically, "If you didn't feel comfortable telling me. Or Kadae. Did Kadae know about this?"
"Yes." He admitted grudgingly. Sango made a little 'ah-hah!' noise. He was saved from her continuing by the approach of the doctor. Kagome's parents stood, worriedly, waking Sota up in the process.
"Mr. And Mrs. Higurashi?" He asked in flawless English. He held up a hand to forestall their questions. "Yes, your daughter is fine. Yes, you can see her, but I'd like to go over her condition with you first…" He inclined a room towards one of the private rooms. Inu-Yasha, Sango, Miroku, and Siri rose, behind them, causing the doctor to cough. "Your sons can com along, of course, but I'd prefer just to discuss this with Ms. Higurashi's family…"
The teenagers gathered glared daggers at him. "Dr…" Kagome's grandfather checked the badge he wore. "Dr. Myojuan, these children saved my daughter's life. I'd appreciate it if they could here about her condition, too."
The doctor looked surprised, but nodded. "Very well. Kagome's hand is practically shattered. Luckily, her fingers were left unharmed, but most of her metacarples— her plam—" He added for Shippo and Sota's benefit, "each was broken at least once. We should be able to reconstruct her hand, without the use of synthetic aids. However, if she reinjures her hand… to prevent that, I'm afraid we'll have to set practically her entire hand in plaster. She won't be able to use it again for 3 months, possibly more. Everything else is just minor scrapes and cuts… we disinfected them, gave her a tetanus shot just in case, and a few mild sedatives just to calm her down. Yes, you can see her." He anticipated their next question. "But I'd appreciate it if just her family went in first." Nodding, Kagome's mother and grandfather headed for her room while the seven teenagers waited—and sulked—outside.
"Do you think they'll let us in soon?" Aiko asked quietly, studying her hands.
"Do you care?" Sango snapped, eyes cold. "You're just here for your brother."
Aiko shook her head, short-cropped black hair flying. "No! I couldn't care less about him! I'm here for Kagome!"
Sango snarled softly, standing. "Prove it."
"Sango…" Continuing to snarl, the older girl backed down, curling back into her chair next to Miroku. She continued to glare sullenly at Inu-Yasha, but years of training had taught her never to argue with that voice.
"Aiko, if that's so, then where were you while we were in the room? You were there in the hallway, but once we got in…" Siri either had no such inhibitions, no clue, or no wish to continue living.
"Well, someone had to call the ambulence." Aiko pointed out reasonably. Siri looked as though someone had smacked her in the face with a haring.
"You… you mean, you…" Aiko nodded. Meg and Alex took the opportunity to snicker.
"Hrmph." Siri settled back into her chair.
§
An uneasy silence blanketed the waiting room. Inu-Yasha brooded, Aiko and Siri glared at each other, and Miroku and Sango cuddled, talking in quiet hisses. Alex and Meg had gone out to pick up food and, more importantly, coffee.
"You could've told us, Inu-Yasha." The youkai looked up and at Sango, who'd detatched herself from Miroku some time ago and had been glaring down at him for nearly as long.
"Told you what?" He inquired blithely.
"That you were a—"
The door to Kagome's room broke open, and Sota scuttled out, followed more sedately by his parents. "She's awake! She's awake! She's askin' for you guys…" Siri, Sango, and Miroku quickly took off through the now-open door.
"Aren't you going in?" Aiko glanced at Inu-Yasha, slightly unsure. The youkai shook his head.
"I don't think she'll really want to see me…" He hung his head.
"Oh…" Aiko rested her chin on her knees. "Yeah…"
§
Kagome greeted the three with a sleepy smile as they entered, scanning the crowed for the missing faces. "Wherez everyun elze?" the drugs were still slurring her speech a bit, along with fatigue.
"Meg and Alex are out getting dinner, take two, and Inu-Yasha is out brooding like a baby in the waitingroom." Sango informed, flopping into an uncomfortable hospital chair, made considerably more comfortable by the fact it was already occupied by Miroku. "Where's Shippo?"
Away from the prying doctors and nurses, Shippo poked a small fox nose out from under the covers, blinking around at everyone. The rest of his head emerged, then his body, tail and ears included. Siri yelped and scooted back into the wall.
"You mean it really IS real?!"
"What's all real?" He wrinkled his nose and answered. "Well, duh it's real. Why wouldn't it be?"
"You two… too?" Siri asked, focusing on Miroku and Sango. The two shook their heads.
"We're both human. I was a demon huntress, and he was a monk."
"Inu-Yasha—"
"Is a hanyou."
"Iz a youkai." Kagome corrected, ducking her head so loose waves of dark hair covered her face. "Did 'e tell eiver ov you…?"
Miroku and Sango shook their heads. Shippo burried further covers, drawing sharp glares from the three Well-travelers.
"I knew…" He admitted, shrinking into a ball."
"WHAT?!"
the small kitsune looked sheepish. "One Youkai can always tell another… by their aura. I figured it out on one've my visits to Inu-Yasha's court. I never told 'im I knew.."
Seeing the looks on the other three's face, he yipped, redepositing himself in Siri's lap until the others calmed down. Once they had, he moved into Sango's lap, earning a muffled 'mmph' from Miroku.
"What abou' Aiko?" Kagome asked.
"Out in the hall, thinking." Miroku answered. "She's going to want an explanation, soon. Kagome, I think… I think she's ok, but she's part of…" Kagome cut him off, nodding. "Yeah. I know. We'll tell 'er when we 'zplain everythin' else… Can I talk to Inu-Yasha, firs', though?
Miroku nodded, standing up and dumping his passengers on the ground. "We'll go get him." Sango stood up and took the squirming—now human—with her.
"Lemmegolemmegolemmego!"
"You've had more time with Kagome then the rest of us combined. Let her and Inu-Yasha be alone." The three headed out, a shellshocked Siri following.
§
"Gomen ne." Inu-Yasha muttered as soon as he entered the room.
"Why didn't you just tell me? I was right, wasn't I? You didn't want there to be anything different about you, so you hid it, and…"
"Kagome!" Inu-Yasha cut in, falling into the seat nearest the bed. "I wanted to turn human! But Kadae told me if I did…. And she was right, wasn't she? If I hadn't been able to use my youkai powers tonight, then…"
"Did you still have to lie?" She spat. "You didn't tell Sango or Miroku or me…"
He ducked his head. "I was scared." He admitted, almost to quietly for her to hear.
"Don't damage your pride too much on my account." She remarked caustically.
"Kagome… I was, all right? And if I wanted to maintain some semblance of peace, I couldn't let my subjects know that for all my ideals, when I'd ha choose between one or the other, I picked the stronger one… So I couldn't tell anyone, in case it leaked, and then when we got here I knew if I told Sango and Miroku they'd be pissed, and I thought you'd hate me if you knew, and…"
"So you lied? Not even told halftruths, but lied?! 'I turned human for you…'"
"Kagome… I meant that…" He let out desperatly. She huffed and turned over, turning her back on him as much as she could.
"Freaking bitch!" He let out, anger breaking past the containment point. "I braved the !@#$%^& moving magic box for you!"
Kagome blinked, then turned back over to him, and burst out giggling. "The… the…"
"What's so funny?" He growled. "The one in your dorm…"
"The… the elevator…" She gasped out, doubling over with laughter. "y-you used the elavator… Moving magic box…"
"Feh."
Her giggles faded, and she blinked at him. "All right. I give up, I can't stay mad at you for crud. Not tonight, at least, I'm too tired…" He plopped down on the bed next to her and nearly strangled her in a hug. "Inu-Yasha?" She asked, spooning up and resting her lap. "About Aiko… I think she's… I mean…"
"Another Sesshomaru incarnate? I think so, too…"
"Is that even possible? A soul… like, doubled?"
"Or split." He twisted a lock of her hair around his fingers. "I think it is… especially if there's another soul involved."
She sat bolt upright. "Who's?!"
"Feh…"
"Should we tell her… she's gonna want an explanation, she saw you change…"
He nodded. "We will, love… but get some sleep, first." She mmphed and cuddled against him.
§
"I want one…" Kagome wailed, poking the food left on her plate with disgust. "This stuff is… is…"
"Hospital food?" Siri offered, poking at her salad shaker. Kagome nodded, watching with envy as Sango finished off her double quarter pounder with cheese.
"I think it's alive…" She groaned, poking at her jello with her fork. "Look! It eats," she pointed to the fruit contained inside that did appear to being digested, "It excretes…" she pushed it over, and it left behind a few pieces of jello, which she poked at also, "Or possibly procreates… and it responds to it's environment!" She concluded, poking the jello again and watching it shiver. "J-e-l-l-o, it's aliiiiiive."
The others shook their head. Hospital confinement + Kagome= not good. Meg and Alex had dropped by and dropped off food before being booted from the hospital. The others were allowed to stay, since Dr. Myojuan had decided not to move Kagome from ER until morning, so as not to disturb the other patients.
"We need to tell Aiko…" Kagome commented, suddenly serious. She pushed the tray away from her and sipped the one thing Dr. Myojuan had approved for her consumption: a diet coke. The others nodded. Aiko was currently with her brother, who'd had to be restrained and sedated after he'd come around.
"How do you think she'll take it?" Siri asked, cheeks flushed with humiliation. "better then me, probably, but that's not saying much…"
"Aiko…" Kagome looked thoughtful. "Not much shakes her… I think she'll take it pretty calmly…"
"I'll take what pretty calmly?"
"Aiko!" Kagome greeted, waving the hand not holding her coke. "How's Ho—Your brother?" Inu-Yasha growled, and Sango looked ready too.
Aiko flashed her a greatful smile. "They pumped him full of meds… the doctors are changing their diagnosis from schizophrenia to dementia… Sprouting stories about a boy with fox ears and a glowing white light…" the four exchanged glances that Aiko didn't miss. "Which is funny, cuz I saw that part of the show, too, and I don't think I'm insane."
"Aiko… Your brother isn't sick." For the second time that week, Kagome explained the story of the Shikon no tama and the young girl chosen to gather it's pieces. Siri payed more attention this time, as she'd mostly blown it off the first. Kagome lavished extra attention on the parts containing Sesshomaru. After she finished, Sango and Miroku took up the trail, explaining the part Siri hadn't heard yet—including Sesshomaru's attack and conquer of Inu-Yasha's tiny kingdom. Shippo had been called out from his blanket-nest and had quickly demonstrated is talents, midway through Human Inu-Yasha had taken on his normal Youkai appearance. Kagome couldn't help giggling when that had happened… he looked exactly like he had as a hanyou, with the exception that he'd gained a tail, which he lashed in irritation as she giggled. Aiko surveyed it all with the same cool head she'd demonstrated earlier in the evening, even going so far as to cuddle a certain tiny kitsune in her lap.
"All right…" She spoke over Shippo's head. "I believe you… there's no reason for me not to." Siri flushed. "My question is, what does this have to do with my brother?"
Kagome took a deep breath. "Aiko, it involves him because… because we believe he's Sesshomaru's reincarnate."
Aiko blinked a few times, then studied Kagome. "Like you were Kikiyo's? woah."
"We think you are, too…" Kagome dropped the bomb.
"What?" Aiko blinked.
Kagome explained quickly. "Normally, it's really simple. Another, similar looking body is born with the same soul in it… but none of the same memories. With Sesshomaru, he was a youkai, so it's… complicated. And his mind was complex even for a youkai." The others snorted. "All right." Kagome gave in. "He needed some serious therapy. Point is, We think when he was reborn, his soul was split… and something went wrong. Which is why your brother has what was origionally diagnosed as schizophrenia. It's also why the drugs you mentioned never seemed to help."
"Which isn't to say he isn't a loony..." Siri muttered.
Kaogme hurried on before Aiko could respond. "He was like, two different people… one loved and cared for Rin, and his father, and even Inu-chan to some extent…"
"INU-CHAN?!" Sango and Siri giggled madly as Kagome blushed and Inu-Yasha rolled his eyes. "Sure he did. Go on, Kagome…"
"And we think that part's in you. But, since it was so incredibly miniscule," the others snickered quietly. "It had to be combined with another soul."
"A small soul." Inu-Yasha added. "So that it wouldn't be overloaded."
"Who's?" Aiko asked, cocking her head to the side. Kagome looked at Inu-Yasha.
"Rin's." He said, hiding snickers behind his hand. "Which is why you're female… and… and…" The snickers were breaking out, turning into a full-fledged Naraku laugh. "And…"
Kagome rolled her eyes. "Aiko, it's not that funny… he thinks you're part Jaken." Silence met the proclamation. Shippo, who'd climbed back into Kagome's bed, poked his head out of the covers. In unison, Sango and Miroku looked at Aiko, then at Inu-Yasha, then back to Aiko. Shippo tumbled of the bed in a fit of giggles. Sango collapsed against Miroku, who was doing his best to politely hide his giggles. And failing.
Sighing, Kagome leaned back, controlling her own giggles at the look on Aiko's face.
"Now," Inu-Yasha murmured in her ear, one arm going around her, "was that really necessary?"
"Well," she whispered back, "It cheered them up…"
~Owari.~
Oh, stop crying you big babies. There's still the epilogue. Which is approximately as long as the prologue, heh, heh. But you know what's incredibly fun? Going around with your friends and singing Seed Shushi (possibly the most overdone song in the world,) and making up your own lyrics to the chorus…
SEED!
Doncha know, I've got a
SEED!
No, really, a pretty
SEED!
(thanks for the inspiration, Mouse-san!!)
Or, if you're me, you're going around going, "SUPPORT THE UNDERRATED ANIME CHARACTERS! TOMO FOR PRESIDENT!" And replacing every Seed with Clam… which makes no sense, cuz, y'know, Tatara sings that song.
SEED!
Don't got my girl, I gotta
SEED!
She's in another world,
SEED!
She left me for my
SEED….
Uhm… I'll just do thankyous now. For the 100 reviewer:
Marvin-girl! YOU WERE MY 100 REVIEW ON THIS STORY! MARVIN, I LOVE YOU! (marvin, I looooove you, remember, I was programmed for you… Oooook, noooo moooore dr. Demento for Ree-chan…) Yes, actually you do know where I live. Which is why I posted. See? Effective threats. NOW STOP HOLDING THE NURI PLUSHIE HOSTAGE, DAMN IT! Marvin has no depth perception, Marvin has no depth perception… It's ok, dear, cuz I tried to Glomp my nurichan wallscroll this morning… while it was on the wall… WHAT?! It was early, ok? *GLOMPS* Guess what? It's your birthday! So… HAPPY BIRTHDAY! And get your hands away from my braid, that Glomp was from Lizz-chan. So, HAH!, I don't fail! THIS is from me. *Glomps and RUNS*
Ardicana: Thanks ever-so for sticking with me this long and reviewing so enthusiastically… every chapter… *huggles* thankee thankee thankee!
Aylee the dragon: Know what? I think you're nearly as wacky as I! D'you walk up to random people in the mall and ask them to marry you, too? ^_~. And SHIRTLESS CHICHIRI LOVERS OF THE WORLD UNITE… cuz… yeah… *drools* and in Mizu Kagami when his voice gets all deep and it's just like… droool….. Love him almost as much as my Nuri-baby, I do… *huggles* Arigato!
BDA: Thanks… gomen ne, are you still mad at me?
Demon-Wolf: You know, I was thinking, with the new (PURTY) ff.net messenger system, if people really wanted to, we could do an RP hojo-hunt… *huggles* thankee thankee thankee
Emmi-chan: Well, Hojo is Sesshomaru's reincarnate, so it was kinda both… Shippo recognized him as Sesshomaru and called him that because he'd never met him as anything else… *huggles* Arigato gozaimasu!
Jetflash: the tetsusaiga was his sword in the first place. He passed it down to Inu-Yasha instead of Sesshomaru cuz he knew that Sesshomaru would use it to hurt mortals… he used it to protect Inu-Yasha's mother, I think… *huggles* thankeeeee!
Jezunya: I'll think about the sequel… I winged what I could with the Japanese school system, maybe I'll have 'em come spend a semester in America… oh, the possibilities. *huggles* And thank you
Kaze-chan: Ochanoko saisai hengen jizai. Just thought I'd let you know.
KurroNeko-Yasha: Too good to live without, huh? Well, I wouldn't go that far, but… *huggles* Arigato for reading!!
LilFoxGirl: GOMEN! I KNOW HOW THAT FEELS! My dog shredded my favourite stuffed animal once *huggles* arigato for everything, no da!
LinaNVerse Lol, not quite the wish he made, but close enough. And what does that have to do with the price of peas in persopolis? *huggles* Thanks for readin'!
Lin-Ysh: wwwah… the only person who got tetanus was poor Kagome-chan, teeeeeheee… *huggles, machine voice* Thank you for your call. Your patronage is important to us.
Lunla: Arigato! I know what that's like, especially with Kaze-chan and Mouse-san, you sit there like, 'Ok, I know ou've got more, so let me see it damnit!!' and then the post so slowly and it takes forever and gomen cuz heh, I guess I'm guilty of that too… *huggles* thanks for readin'!
Naoka Cat Girl: I know that got confusing… gomen. It's all in my head, so it made sense to me… ^_^. *huggles* thaaankee!
UsagiPegasus: W00t, that took a while… gomen ne… Teeehee. *huggles* Arigato!
Waku-chan: I know. I was midway through when it was like. "Ok. Need plot. What can I do that is COMPLETELY RANDOM?" And I came up with that… Are you scared yet? *huggles* Thankee for reviewing, no da!
Xaira: Sorry on the missing bloody stuff… you got the big fightscene. ^_~. But hey, there's always next fic, hai?