"Kagome, wake up." Someone was shaking her shoulder impatiently.
"Silly! You're going to sleep right through breakfast!" That voice was shrill, followed by a high-pitched giggle. It was different than the first. More childish. Both were familiar. Kagome's eyes snapped open and she sat bolt upright with a gasp, spilling someone who had been sitting beside her onto the floor. Kagome glanced around wildly. Where was she? The last thing she remembered was being abducted to the witch's home...and that was certainly not where she was now. The walls were covered with cheerful pink- flower print wallpaper that matched the carpet on the floors. Come to think of it, the comforter on the bed matched as well. A bed! What was she doing in a bed?
"What in Kami's name is going on here?!"
"You're missing breakfast again, Kagome-chan." Sango moved over and sat beside her on the bed as the someone she had knocked over climbed up again as well, smiling blithely. Shippo! Sango! What were they doing here? And where was here? As far as Kagome could tell, they were in her time. Not the Feudal Era. Not the witch's cave. Not.... Kagome blinked as Sango poked her in the forehead, looking impassively annoyed. "Did you hear me, Kagome? We're all going to be stuck with the cold leftover eggs if we don't hurry."
"Yeah, Kagome! Cold eggs!" Shippo giggled some more, poking her just as Sango had.
"Sango, what in the world—?"
"Hey, hey, it's cool," Sango interrupted, standing up. "If you don't wanna eat, you don't have to. But I'd just like to remind you that starving yourself won't work again. Those shrink guys are onto ya, girlie. They're watching ya real closely." She left the room through the open door, calling over her shoulder, "You know that the same trick never works twice!"
Kagome stared after her, sure for all the world that she had gone crazy. None of this made any sense. No one made any sense. She looked down distractedly, and nearly jumped when she found herself almost nose-to-nose with Shippo, who had closed the distance between them and was staring into her face as if she'd sprouted a third eye. With a squeal of surprise, Kagome backed off the side of the bed and met with the squishy carpet, finding herself looking up at Shippo and the bed. That didn't last long, for a moment later Shippo scooted right off the bed and landed squarely on her chest, earning himself an "OOF!" of surprise and slight pain.
"C'mon, Kagome! Let's go catch up with Sango before she takes all the breakfast!" And with that he was out the door and out of sight. Kagome sat there, on the floor, blinking in pure shock for several minutes, not quite sure what to do with herself or make of the situation. She was so lost in thought, that when another person entered the room, she didn't notice until she heard his voice.
"Kagome? What are you doing on the floor?" She jumped and backed away from the voice, only succeeding in bumping into the nightstand and bruising her back. The person walked closer and knelt in front of her, looking concerned. "Kagome. Do you know who I am?"
"Miroku!" She jumped forward and looped her arms around his neck, more relieved than she could put into words. She'd been terribly afraid in that moment she hadn't recognized him, for a reason she couldn't explain. Miroku sat there patiently for a moment, allowing her to squeeze the life out of him. At last, though, he reached up and gently unclasped her hands, pulling back with his own hands on her shoulders.
He smiled warmly. "Oh, good. You do remember. I thought you were having another one of your episodes." Episodes? Kagome wondered what he meant, but put that aside for the moment, looking Miroku over. Where were his purple robes? He was wearing a business suit-looking outfit—a white shirt and jacket, with white slacks and black shoes. He looked...like a doctor. Kagome backed away from his touch, suddenly suspicious, and Miroku's smile changed into something uncertain. "Kagome, what's wrong?"
"Who are you?" She stood and backed up, towards the door, preparing to flee. This couldn't be real. Miroku's hand...it wasn't cursed. He wasn't dressed as a monk. This was all wrong. It had to be one of the witch's tricks. This imposter...he was probably going to attack her! Kagome backed up, stretching her hands behind her for anything to defend herself with. She found....a clipboard. The same Miroku had been carrying when he'd entered the room. She grabbed the pen from the holder and put in before her threateningly, as if to ward him away with it.
"Kagome....it's me. Miroku. I'm your doctor, remember? I'm your friend." He took a tiny, tentative step forward and Kagome backed up, still holding the pen as if she might stab him. "Now...don't do anything foolish, Kagome. Don't hurt yourself. I'm not going to hurt you." He walked forward just a bit more and Kagome stumbled backwards, nearly losing her balance. "Give me the pen, Kagome....Right here..." He stretched out his open palm and held it out to her.
Should she listen to him? He certainly looked like Miroku, and sounded like him, and acted like him....Sango and Shippo had seemed right, too. She had trusted them, to some extent; why shouldn't she trust this one? If he was going to hurt her, he was going to do it anyway, whether she struggled or not. That in mind, she reluctantly stepped forward and placed the potentially dangerous object in the doctor's outstretched hand. Immediately the pen disappeared into the breast pocket on Miroku's jacket. He smiled to her, looking relieved, as though something terrible had been avoided.
"There, now, Kagome. It's all right. We'll talk about this later, okay? Why don't you go get some breakfast?" His smile became more amused. "You wouldn't want the 'cold leftovers,' now, would you?" He continued smiling as he watched her back out the door and walk uncertainly in the direction Sango had disappeared in.
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She'd thought the cafeteria would be at least a little hard to find—after all, she had no memory of this place, or where anything was. The truth of the matter turned out to be that the cafeteria was very easy to locate. All the rooms were separated into three wings, as far as she could tell, all of which branched off from one main hallway. The main hallway was wider and longer than all the others she saw as she passed, and it was carpeted with daisy-print multicolored carpet. At the very end was a set of double doors held open by magnets built in the walls, and beyond those doors was the cafeteria.
Kagome stepped inside hesitantly. The smells of breakfast assaulted her. She could see a serving line that reminded her suddenly of her school lunches. There was a long row of buffet-looking carts. Three or four adults were standing behind the carts, spooning food onto the trays that the people handed them. Kagome figured she should mimic the others until she figured out what was going on. She walked forward, took a tray from the pile, and joined the end of the line.
"Well, good morning, Kagome. I'm happy to see you." Kagome glanced up in confusion.
"K-kaede-baa-chan!"
"Aye, child. Would you prefer eggs or cereal?" Kaede smiled kindly while Kagome blinked, lost a moment in that fact that she knew almost everyone she was running into. Still, a few were missing. But maybe they were there, too, and she just hadn't run into them yet. She would have to ask Sango.
Kagome snapped back to reality. "Oh...cereal, please." She didn't trust the eggs—they did look cold and lumpy, just like the school food she always detested. Kaede handed her a bowl, a small box of cereal, and a Styrofoam cup of milk, and she left the line, wandering about, looking for a place to sit.
"Kagome! Over here!" Sango waved from a nearby table. Kagome rushed over, relieved, and sat down beside her friend. "So you're going to eat after all, huh? Yeah, starvation's not gonna work again, babe. But, Kagura's got an idea for you!" Kagome almost fell out of her chair. Kagura! She was sitting right there, right across the table from Sango! What was the MATTER with her? Sango must've misinterpreted Kagome's look of horror, because she said quickly, "I know the one with the letter openers didn't turn out very well, Kag, but this idea's much better—"
"Sango," Kagome whispered frantically into her ear, "don't you remember who this IS?"
"Yeah, Kag... this is Kagura." She glanced to Kagura. "Kagura, Kagome. Kagome, Kagura." Kagura looked confused, glancing quickly between the two.
"Did I miss something?"
"Nah. Kagome's just feeling a little funny today. That's why she's going to go to her room and take a nap now." The tone in Sango's voice demanded obedience. Kagome hopped up, feeling like a six year old being ordered to bed by her mother. "See ya in a bit," Sango said, waving goodbye to everyone dismally. "I'm going to walk her to her room...Silly thing. Keeps forgetting where she's going." Kagura smiled sympathetically and waved goodbye to Kagome as Sango pulled her out the door.
As soon as they were out of the cafeteria and out of Kagura's earshot, Sango turned on her friend. "What's with you, Kagome? You're acting weirder than usual."
"Me? YOU'RE SITTING THERE WITH OUR ENEMY!" Sango stared at her blankly. "She's been trying to kill us since we met her! SHE WORKS WITH NARAKU!"
There was a long period of silence. No one said anything until they were standing in front of the room Kagome recognized as the one she'd woke up in that morning. Sango turned to her friend, looking concerned. "Kagome...are you feeling...like you used to?"
"Huh?" Kagome didn't understand. The older girl's voice sounded pained at the idea. "What do you mean?"
"I mean...d'you....are you thinking about the Feudal Era again?" Kagome's heart leapt into her throat. Sango remembered! She knew! Maybe they could escape this terrible place together! A wild hope flashed in Kagome's eyes.
"You remember! I'm NOT dreaming! Sango, this is wonderful! We can find a way out together! We—" Sango only looked more aggrieved as she interrupted her friend.
"Kagome..." She swallowed. When she spoke again, her voice was firm. "None of that's real. THIS is real. We never went to the Feudal Era. There's no such thing as the Shikon Jewel. Whatever else you believe, whatever you think is real...it's not. You're not a miko, Kagome. You're normal, j-just like everyone e-else." Tears were welling in Sango's eyes, and her voice was losing its spirit. "I thought you were getting better. Kagome, if they think you're going back to...to how you were before, they'll never let you out. Don't do this to yourself, Kagome. Please. You're so close...." Sango's voice became wispy. "...So close to being free again...to leaving this place forever."
All of this washed over Kagome in heavy waves. They thought...everything...was her fantasy. They thought she'd made it all up. Even Sango didn't believe her. Kagome was nothing but numb for several minutes, while Sango watched her worriedly. She swallowed repeatedly. How could she possibly get a psychiatrist to believe her if one of her best friends didn't? More importantly, how could she get free of that place.
Kagome turned to Sango stubbornly. "It is real, Sango. And I'm going to prove it to you, one way or another." With that she went into her room, leaving a forlorn Sango standing outside.
"Silly! You're going to sleep right through breakfast!" That voice was shrill, followed by a high-pitched giggle. It was different than the first. More childish. Both were familiar. Kagome's eyes snapped open and she sat bolt upright with a gasp, spilling someone who had been sitting beside her onto the floor. Kagome glanced around wildly. Where was she? The last thing she remembered was being abducted to the witch's home...and that was certainly not where she was now. The walls were covered with cheerful pink- flower print wallpaper that matched the carpet on the floors. Come to think of it, the comforter on the bed matched as well. A bed! What was she doing in a bed?
"What in Kami's name is going on here?!"
"You're missing breakfast again, Kagome-chan." Sango moved over and sat beside her on the bed as the someone she had knocked over climbed up again as well, smiling blithely. Shippo! Sango! What were they doing here? And where was here? As far as Kagome could tell, they were in her time. Not the Feudal Era. Not the witch's cave. Not.... Kagome blinked as Sango poked her in the forehead, looking impassively annoyed. "Did you hear me, Kagome? We're all going to be stuck with the cold leftover eggs if we don't hurry."
"Yeah, Kagome! Cold eggs!" Shippo giggled some more, poking her just as Sango had.
"Sango, what in the world—?"
"Hey, hey, it's cool," Sango interrupted, standing up. "If you don't wanna eat, you don't have to. But I'd just like to remind you that starving yourself won't work again. Those shrink guys are onto ya, girlie. They're watching ya real closely." She left the room through the open door, calling over her shoulder, "You know that the same trick never works twice!"
Kagome stared after her, sure for all the world that she had gone crazy. None of this made any sense. No one made any sense. She looked down distractedly, and nearly jumped when she found herself almost nose-to-nose with Shippo, who had closed the distance between them and was staring into her face as if she'd sprouted a third eye. With a squeal of surprise, Kagome backed off the side of the bed and met with the squishy carpet, finding herself looking up at Shippo and the bed. That didn't last long, for a moment later Shippo scooted right off the bed and landed squarely on her chest, earning himself an "OOF!" of surprise and slight pain.
"C'mon, Kagome! Let's go catch up with Sango before she takes all the breakfast!" And with that he was out the door and out of sight. Kagome sat there, on the floor, blinking in pure shock for several minutes, not quite sure what to do with herself or make of the situation. She was so lost in thought, that when another person entered the room, she didn't notice until she heard his voice.
"Kagome? What are you doing on the floor?" She jumped and backed away from the voice, only succeeding in bumping into the nightstand and bruising her back. The person walked closer and knelt in front of her, looking concerned. "Kagome. Do you know who I am?"
"Miroku!" She jumped forward and looped her arms around his neck, more relieved than she could put into words. She'd been terribly afraid in that moment she hadn't recognized him, for a reason she couldn't explain. Miroku sat there patiently for a moment, allowing her to squeeze the life out of him. At last, though, he reached up and gently unclasped her hands, pulling back with his own hands on her shoulders.
He smiled warmly. "Oh, good. You do remember. I thought you were having another one of your episodes." Episodes? Kagome wondered what he meant, but put that aside for the moment, looking Miroku over. Where were his purple robes? He was wearing a business suit-looking outfit—a white shirt and jacket, with white slacks and black shoes. He looked...like a doctor. Kagome backed away from his touch, suddenly suspicious, and Miroku's smile changed into something uncertain. "Kagome, what's wrong?"
"Who are you?" She stood and backed up, towards the door, preparing to flee. This couldn't be real. Miroku's hand...it wasn't cursed. He wasn't dressed as a monk. This was all wrong. It had to be one of the witch's tricks. This imposter...he was probably going to attack her! Kagome backed up, stretching her hands behind her for anything to defend herself with. She found....a clipboard. The same Miroku had been carrying when he'd entered the room. She grabbed the pen from the holder and put in before her threateningly, as if to ward him away with it.
"Kagome....it's me. Miroku. I'm your doctor, remember? I'm your friend." He took a tiny, tentative step forward and Kagome backed up, still holding the pen as if she might stab him. "Now...don't do anything foolish, Kagome. Don't hurt yourself. I'm not going to hurt you." He walked forward just a bit more and Kagome stumbled backwards, nearly losing her balance. "Give me the pen, Kagome....Right here..." He stretched out his open palm and held it out to her.
Should she listen to him? He certainly looked like Miroku, and sounded like him, and acted like him....Sango and Shippo had seemed right, too. She had trusted them, to some extent; why shouldn't she trust this one? If he was going to hurt her, he was going to do it anyway, whether she struggled or not. That in mind, she reluctantly stepped forward and placed the potentially dangerous object in the doctor's outstretched hand. Immediately the pen disappeared into the breast pocket on Miroku's jacket. He smiled to her, looking relieved, as though something terrible had been avoided.
"There, now, Kagome. It's all right. We'll talk about this later, okay? Why don't you go get some breakfast?" His smile became more amused. "You wouldn't want the 'cold leftovers,' now, would you?" He continued smiling as he watched her back out the door and walk uncertainly in the direction Sango had disappeared in.
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She'd thought the cafeteria would be at least a little hard to find—after all, she had no memory of this place, or where anything was. The truth of the matter turned out to be that the cafeteria was very easy to locate. All the rooms were separated into three wings, as far as she could tell, all of which branched off from one main hallway. The main hallway was wider and longer than all the others she saw as she passed, and it was carpeted with daisy-print multicolored carpet. At the very end was a set of double doors held open by magnets built in the walls, and beyond those doors was the cafeteria.
Kagome stepped inside hesitantly. The smells of breakfast assaulted her. She could see a serving line that reminded her suddenly of her school lunches. There was a long row of buffet-looking carts. Three or four adults were standing behind the carts, spooning food onto the trays that the people handed them. Kagome figured she should mimic the others until she figured out what was going on. She walked forward, took a tray from the pile, and joined the end of the line.
"Well, good morning, Kagome. I'm happy to see you." Kagome glanced up in confusion.
"K-kaede-baa-chan!"
"Aye, child. Would you prefer eggs or cereal?" Kaede smiled kindly while Kagome blinked, lost a moment in that fact that she knew almost everyone she was running into. Still, a few were missing. But maybe they were there, too, and she just hadn't run into them yet. She would have to ask Sango.
Kagome snapped back to reality. "Oh...cereal, please." She didn't trust the eggs—they did look cold and lumpy, just like the school food she always detested. Kaede handed her a bowl, a small box of cereal, and a Styrofoam cup of milk, and she left the line, wandering about, looking for a place to sit.
"Kagome! Over here!" Sango waved from a nearby table. Kagome rushed over, relieved, and sat down beside her friend. "So you're going to eat after all, huh? Yeah, starvation's not gonna work again, babe. But, Kagura's got an idea for you!" Kagome almost fell out of her chair. Kagura! She was sitting right there, right across the table from Sango! What was the MATTER with her? Sango must've misinterpreted Kagome's look of horror, because she said quickly, "I know the one with the letter openers didn't turn out very well, Kag, but this idea's much better—"
"Sango," Kagome whispered frantically into her ear, "don't you remember who this IS?"
"Yeah, Kag... this is Kagura." She glanced to Kagura. "Kagura, Kagome. Kagome, Kagura." Kagura looked confused, glancing quickly between the two.
"Did I miss something?"
"Nah. Kagome's just feeling a little funny today. That's why she's going to go to her room and take a nap now." The tone in Sango's voice demanded obedience. Kagome hopped up, feeling like a six year old being ordered to bed by her mother. "See ya in a bit," Sango said, waving goodbye to everyone dismally. "I'm going to walk her to her room...Silly thing. Keeps forgetting where she's going." Kagura smiled sympathetically and waved goodbye to Kagome as Sango pulled her out the door.
As soon as they were out of the cafeteria and out of Kagura's earshot, Sango turned on her friend. "What's with you, Kagome? You're acting weirder than usual."
"Me? YOU'RE SITTING THERE WITH OUR ENEMY!" Sango stared at her blankly. "She's been trying to kill us since we met her! SHE WORKS WITH NARAKU!"
There was a long period of silence. No one said anything until they were standing in front of the room Kagome recognized as the one she'd woke up in that morning. Sango turned to her friend, looking concerned. "Kagome...are you feeling...like you used to?"
"Huh?" Kagome didn't understand. The older girl's voice sounded pained at the idea. "What do you mean?"
"I mean...d'you....are you thinking about the Feudal Era again?" Kagome's heart leapt into her throat. Sango remembered! She knew! Maybe they could escape this terrible place together! A wild hope flashed in Kagome's eyes.
"You remember! I'm NOT dreaming! Sango, this is wonderful! We can find a way out together! We—" Sango only looked more aggrieved as she interrupted her friend.
"Kagome..." She swallowed. When she spoke again, her voice was firm. "None of that's real. THIS is real. We never went to the Feudal Era. There's no such thing as the Shikon Jewel. Whatever else you believe, whatever you think is real...it's not. You're not a miko, Kagome. You're normal, j-just like everyone e-else." Tears were welling in Sango's eyes, and her voice was losing its spirit. "I thought you were getting better. Kagome, if they think you're going back to...to how you were before, they'll never let you out. Don't do this to yourself, Kagome. Please. You're so close...." Sango's voice became wispy. "...So close to being free again...to leaving this place forever."
All of this washed over Kagome in heavy waves. They thought...everything...was her fantasy. They thought she'd made it all up. Even Sango didn't believe her. Kagome was nothing but numb for several minutes, while Sango watched her worriedly. She swallowed repeatedly. How could she possibly get a psychiatrist to believe her if one of her best friends didn't? More importantly, how could she get free of that place.
Kagome turned to Sango stubbornly. "It is real, Sango. And I'm going to prove it to you, one way or another." With that she went into her room, leaving a forlorn Sango standing outside.