Chapter Seven
Inuyasha was the first to reach her. She lay on the ground curled up in a ball, gasping for breath. Inuyasha pulled her into a sitting position, supporting and cradling her with his strong arms.
"You, you never follow instructions, do you?" Kagome gasped.
"Never, it's not my style." replied the hanyou, only half-joking. Kagome looked at the worried faces of her friends, and smiled encouragingly.
"Don't worry." She had managed to catch her breath by then, "I'm not in any serious danger. I managed to hold my breath long enough to avoid being poisoned, but I'll probably get sick, soon."
"Get sick?" questioned Miroku. Kagome stood shakily, leaning against Inuyasha as she rose.
"I couldn't entirely avoid breathing the miasma, so my body will be considerably weaker for the time being, and I will be susceptible to sickness. Listen, I have to go home soon for school, anyhow, so if it's all right, I'll go home now and recuperate before school starts and come back for the weekend. Inuyasha, could you take me to the well? I don't think I can walk, I'm still too dizzy." Inuyasha gently set Kagome on his back and rushed towards the Bone Eaters Well.
"Are you sure you're all right?" questioned Inuyasha urgently, "Do you want me to go with you?" Kagome grinned at him from over the edge of the well.
"I'll be fine, Love. Don't worry about me, okay? I'll be all right. See you this weekend!" and with a final wave, she disappeared. As she landed on the other side of the well, she grimaced. She was beginning to feel the full effects of the poison in her body. She would definitely be getting sick.
"Kagome, are you all right? What happened over there?" Mrs. Higurashi bustled her daughter inside and immediately put on some hot water for tea. "Dear, you look pale, and your hair!" she paused, "It.. It happened, didn't it? Your Transformation?" Kagome nodded.
"Mama, I got poisoned by some miasma, so I'm gonna be getting pretty sick. I don't know if I'll be able to go to the first week of school or not."
Tears began welling up in Kagome's eyes, her stomach was churning. "Mama, I feel really bad. Can I go to bed, please?"
"Of course, Dear. I'll bring you some tea later. Come on." Mrs. Higurashi led her daughter to her room and tucked her into bed. Kagome began to cough and sniff. Her mother put a box of Kleenex next to her bed and went to get the cough syrup. When she returned, Kagome was fast asleep. She leaned over to kiss her forehead. 'Just as I thought. She's got a fever. Kagome has the flu.'
On the other side of the well, Inuyasha woke with a start. What a nightmare! He had dreamed that he went to visit Kagome, but she was asleep. He waited for a while, and then tried to wake her, but she wouldn't get up. He felt for breath, and panicked when he didn't feel any. He checked her heartbeat next and didn't find one. She was dead. Kagome had died! He howled in his misery, and then woke suddenly. He sighed in relief.
Sesshomaru watched with interest as Inuyasha and Shippo disappeared down the same well where Kagome had vanished. He decided that he might as well see where it led, and leapt down after them.
"But why can't I see her?" whined Inuyasha. Mrs. Higurashi rolled her eyes for what seemed the fiftieth time that day.
"Because she is very sick, Inuyasha. She has the flu. Kagome has to get a bit better before you can see her."
"I want my Mama!" screamed Shippo, beginning to sob. Mrs. Higurashi jumped slightly, and Inuyasha silently promised himself to get Shippo something really nice from the candy store for his impeccable timing.
"You mean Kagome?" she questioned. Shippo nodded, sniffling.
"She's adopted me now, and I want to see her! Waaaaaahaaaaah! Mama! I want my Mama!"
"Cub, shut up!" said a silky smooth voice behind them. Inuyasha whirled as he recognized his elder brothers voice and scent.
"What are you doing here, Sesshomaru?" he snarled, his ears flat against his skull, growling deep in his chest.
"I'm here to see Lady Kagome, the same as you." Shippo's wails had not decreased, and Mrs. Higurashi finally relented.
"All right! All right!" shouted Mrs. Higurashi over the kistune's sobs, "You can see her, but you must be very quiet and gentle in there, and don't upset her, okay?" The demons nodded eagerly, and Kagome's mother led them to her room.
Kagome turned her head to the door when she heard it open, but she was too tired to open her eyes. She felt out with her powers and recognized her guests. They gently padded over to her bed. Shippo cuddled next to her, and Inuyasha carefully stroked her hot face. She tried to reach her water glass, but Inuyasha stopped her hand. He gently helped her sit up, and slipped behind her, for support. Sesshomaru placed the cup at her lips and let her take small sips until she was satisfied. Kagome nestled into Inuyasha, and drifted back to sleep.
"Why did you come here, Sesshomaru?"
"We've been through this already, brother, I came to see Kagome!"
"Why? You don't love her, and she doesn't love you!" Sesshomaru snarled savagely, then seemed to remember that Kagome needed quiet.
"Don't you dare to pretend to know my feelings, whelp. I am not in love with your mate, she is like a sister to me. That is all. Rin loves her as well."
"We aren't mates yet! And don't you ever come near her!!" growled Inuyasha, clutching Kagome to him possessively. Just then Kagome's mother came in, causing the boys to cease their argument, at least for the time being.
Mrs. Higurashi frowned slightly in disapproval when she saw Inuyasha's arms around her daughter and holding her between his legs, but relaxed a bit when she saw Kagome clutching his kimono almost desperately. 'I guess she needs him now.' she thought to herself. She went over and checked Kagome's temperature, then shook her shoulder gently.
"Kagome, sweetheart, can you swallow?" Kagome nodded tiredly, and her mother poured some medicine into her mouth. Kagome's face wrinkled up, and Sesshomaru gave her water again.
"What is that stuff?" Inuyasha asked.
"It's medicine, for her flu symptoms." responded Mrs. Higurashi.
"It doesn't look like anything Kaede gives people when they're sick."
"Medicine is different here." replied Mrs. Higurashi. She recognized the pleading looks that Inuyasha was giving her, and responded accordingly.
"Sesshomaru, Shippo, why don't you come to the kitchen with me and I'll fix you boys a snack." Shippo looked like he was about to protest, but a stern glare from Kagome's mother silenced him. Sesshomaru frowned slightly, but obediently followed her downstairs.
In the kitchen, after she had performed the ritual of playing with Shippo's little tail, and had messed with Sesshomaru's until the youkai thought he
would go mad, Mrs. Higurashi set a plate of Rice Crispies Treats in from of the two demons and poured them each a glass of milk.
"So," she said, "Who exactly are you, Sesshomaru, and how do you know Kagome?" Sesshomaru straightened up a little.
"I am Inuyasha's half brother. A full demon."
"Ah." said Kagome's mom simply.
"I have joined Lady Kagome and her friends on the quest for the jewel shards." More silence. "Your daughter has become very powerful, you know."
"Oh?"
"Yes, she is the Ruler of the Southern Lands now. It is the largest of the four Territories."
"That's nice."
"Um, Higurashi-san?"
"Yes, dear?"
"Is Kagome, I mean, has Inuyasha, uh, have they, well, have you given them your permission to become mates?" he asked in a rush. Shippo nearly choked on his Rice Crispies Treat, but Mrs. Higurashi remained admirably calm.
"They haven't asked me for my permission yet, no, but I feel that Kagome can make this decision on her own. Although I would like to be kept informed on her relationships." Meanwhile, in Kagome's room, Inuyasha was gently crooning to his love under his breath, while his clawed hands gently stroked her hot face. When he paused for a moment, Kagome muttered tiredly.
"Don't stop." Inuyasha kissed the top of her head, and resumed his caresses. Kagome snuggled into his chest, still clutching his kimono.
"What are you singing?"
"A song that my mother used to sing to me when I was sick in bed. She used to hold me like this and sing until I fell asleep, but she never left my side." Kagome sighed wearily, then grasped his kimono tighter.
"Don't leave me, Inuyasha. Stay here." Inuyasha kissed her head again, and gave her some more water.
"Don't worry, my love. I won't leave you until you're better. Go to sleep, now. You need your rest."
"I hope Sesshomaru hasn't killed my mother yet," she joked, "You know how she is with furry body appendages." Inuyasha chuckled, and Kagome fell asleep again, with the sounds of his laughter echoing in her mind.
An hour later, Mrs. Higurashi had made Inuyasha agree to switch places with Sesshomaru. While the hanyou munched on Rice Crispies Treats and gulped milk, Kagome's mother talked about Kagome's heritage, and Elves in general. Upstairs in Kagome's bedroom, Buyo was watching as Sesshomaru gently crooned to the Elf under his breath. It was the same song that Inuyasha had been singing. Later that evening, Mrs. Higurashi ordered the youkai out of the house, and back into the Sengoku Jidai.
"When Kagome is well enough, she'll come back. Until then, you mustn't come here. Understand?" The dog demons whined and growled for a bit, but eventually agreed to remain in the past. Kagome's mother then slipped up to her daughter's room.
"Kagome, tell me what's been happening." Using her new telepathic powers, Kagome related the entire tale, from her Transformation to the battle with Dayu. Her mother listened quietly, then poured some more medicine down Kagome's throat. Meanwhile, in Koenma's office,
"Wow! Look at this, ogre! We've got another Elf in the human world! Quick, summon Yusuke and the others, we need to have an emergency meeting." The ogre rushed to obey the toddler and, within moments, the entire team was assembled in the Spirit World leaders office.
"So, let me get this straight, pacifier breath, we have to go and make friends with an Elf, and gain her undying loyalty to you, then use her to defeat Nekfinii?" Koenma nodded.
"Hn," scoffed Hiei, "What do we need her for?"
"Watch." responded the toddler, as he turned on the TV. The machine played clips from all of Kagome's recent fights, including the last one with Dayu. All without showing her face for an instant.
"You see now why it is imperative that we have her on our side. Well, what are you standing around for? She's living at the Higurashi Shrine, go find her!" The boys bolted for the door.
"Well, your new powers certainly are amazing." said Kagome's mother. It had only been a day, and the girl was almost well enough to go back through the well. "You're still not going to school this week, though."
"Alright." said Kagome, "Mama, why don't you just home school me? It would make our lives much easier."
"Hmmmm." said Mrs. Higurashi, "It's highly unusual, but I suppose so. I'll call the school. I'm sure we can get you textbooks, and arrange to have your grades kept on your records at school." Kagome attacked her mother with a monstrous hug.
"Thanks." she said simply. Just then, the doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" she cried as she strode to open it. The Elf gasped in surprise at the sight that met her eyes. It was her older cousin, Urameshi Yusuke, and he had a couple of friends with him.
"Hello," said a blue-haired girl, "Is this the home of Higurashi Kagome?" Yusuke looked up and saw Kagome.
"You!" they both exclaimed at the same instant. Yusuke snarled, and leapt for her, his hands balling into fists. Kagome shrieked and fled.
"Yusuke, what are you doing?" shouted Boton. "Get back here!" "That's no way to treat a lady!" said Kuwabara.
"I agree!" Kagome cried as she passed them again in her desperate flight from her enraged cousin.
"What is all the fuss about, anyway?" asked Kuwabara.
"Get back here, you moron! What you've done is unforgivable! Come and take your punishment!" screamed Yusuke. Books and furniture went flying as Kagome fled from her cousin. She leapt over chairs and dashed madly around the room, trying to lose him, but to no avail. Eventually she was able to hide underneath a table, but she knew that it wouldn't deter her cousin for long. She waited until is back was turned, then made a mad dash for the well-house, and barely jumped into the well in time. On the other side a horrific sight met her eyes
. "Hi-Kagome,-where-have-you-been?-Did-you-bring-anymore-of-that-coffee-stuff-,it's-really-good,-Sesshomaru-gave-it-to-me,-and-I-found-Shippos-chocolate-stash-too,-it's-wonderful,-it-reminds-me-of-you,-so-sweet-and-warm-and-do-you-have-any-more-coffee?"
It was Inuyasha, and he was on a major caffeine-high. Kagome rolled her eyes heavenwards, praying silently for deliverance, then, shouting an apology to her boyfriend, leapt back into the well, only to be met by her angry and thoroughly confused cousin. He and his friends were looking down into the well with questions written all over their faces. Yusuke started yelling again as soon as Kagome appeared.
"Oh, crap!" said Kagome, "Now I'm trapped between two fires! Ok, I think I'd rather take my chances with you, than a caffeine-high Hanyou." Yusuke started to jump down into the well to give her a piece of his mind, or rather his fist, when she suddenly became a falcon, and swooped out of the well-house and into her bedroom through the open window, locking all entrances to the house as soon as she was able. Yusuke began pounding on the doors, demanding entrance.
"Kagome!" said the Elfs mother, "What is going on?"
"It's Yusuke, Mama, and he's royally ticked off at me. Listen, Inuyasha has been fed coffee and chocolate out of his ears by his Baka brother, and I need a sedative. Do we have any? O, say we do!"
"Of course, dear, in the medicine closet, third shelf. Here, I'll distract your cousin and try to smooth his ruffled fur while you go look after your fiancé. Hurry!" Mrs. Higurashi stepped out of the front door, only to be run over by a very agitated Urameshi Yusuke.
"Sorry, Auntie, where's Kagome?"
"What on earth is your problem, Yusuke?" asked Mrs. Higurashi, discreetly locking the door behind her.
"It's Kagome! When did she get back? Why hasn't she answered any of my letters? Why didn't you tell me she was here?"
"Now, Yusuke, just calm down, I'm sure that your aunt can explain things to you." said Boton.
"Stupid baka." said Kuwabara, "Do you want to fail this assignment?"
"What assignment?" asked Kagome's mother.
"We are supposed to get Kagome to be loyal to Koenma." blurted the boy before anyone could stop him. As the others were trying to get out of explaining the situation to Mrs. Higurashi, Kurama arrived, and smelled the girl heading for the well house. Naturally curious, he followed. When she jumped into the well and heard her cry out briefly, he was certain that she had injured herself and rushed forwards to look down into an empty well. Puzzled, he jumped down inside, only to be enveloped in a blue light. When he looked up again, the roof was gone! The kitsune climbed out only to be confronted with an extremely humorous sight.
Kagome was seated on an Inu-hanyou's stomach, trying to force a sedative down his throat, but the hanyou was doing his best to get up and run around.
"Now, Inuyasha, be a good boy and just take the pill." Kagome coaxed gently. Inuyasha managed to get her off of him, and began running around in circles, grabbing a cup of coffee as he ran.
"No!" said Inuyasha, sounding very much like a spoiled child.
"Inuyasha, please!" said Kagome. Just then, Inuyasha tripped over a tree-root, and spilled the coffee all over Kagome's face. He crawled over and began to half kiss, half lick the offending beverage off.
"Inu… yasha! S… stop it an… and take th… the gosh… darned… pill!" Kagome managed to interject between kisses. Kurama couldn't hold it in any longer and laughed until his sides ached and tears poured down his face.
"My, my, if Yusuke is so protective of you now, wait until he knows you have a boyfriend." he chuckled.
"If you tell him anything without my permission, Kitsune, you will live to regret it! Now get over here and help me!" Between the two of them, they finally forced three or four sedatives down his throat. The watched in amusement as he bounded around like an excited puppy for a few moments, then suddenly collapsed, mid-bound, snoring like a hundred chainsaws.
"Charming lover, you have there, Kagome." said Kurama wryly.
"Watch your tongue, demon. He may be a handful, but he's my handful! What's your name, anyway?"
"Kurama." he replied.
"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Kurama. Would you mind carrying Inuyasha back to the village and depositing him in the miko Kaede's hut for me? I have some business to conduct with a certain Inu-youkai."
"I don't mind at all." said Kurama politely, "Which way is the village?" he asked, shouldering the snoozing hanyou. Kagome pointed and he headed off, with Inuyasha snoring in his ear. Kurama grimaced at the noise, which would surely alert any beings of their presence.
The kitsune heard the village long before he saw it.
"Hentai!" a young woman shrieked. Kurama rounded the bend to see a Buddhist monk lying prostrate on the ground with several large bumps on his head and the most beautiful young woman he had ever seen stomping off with a huge boomerang slung over her shoulder. Shrugging it off for the present the kitsune strode over to the awakening monk.
"Excuse me," he said politely, "But could you direct me to the miko Kaede's hut? Kagome-dono asked me to deposit Inuyasha there."
"Look at all the pretty women," said Miroku, still stunned. Suddenly the beautiful woman's boomerang came swirling through the air, narrowly missing Kurama.
"What have you done to Inuyasha?" she shouted, as she caught the boomerang and prepared to throw it again.
"Stop! Wait!" Kurama cried, "I'm a friend of Kagome's! She did this to him, not me! She just gave him some medicine to make him sleep for awhile, he'll be fine when he wakes up!" Sango eyed him suspiciously, but lowered her weapon.
"I'll take you to Kaede's." she said in a clipped tone. Kurama meekly followed and was introduced to the aging miko. After depositing Inuyasha on a futon, Kaede and Kurama talked over a cup of tea. Kurama explained that he was from Kagome's time, but didn't say why or how he had gotten through the well. Soon after, Kagome herself came in, dragging a very dirty and disgruntled Sesshomaru. The dog demon's hackles rose as he laid eyes on Kurama, but Kagome quickly explained the situation and he calmed somewhat.
"Kurama, will you come with me outside for a moment? I'd like to speak with you privately." Kagome walked out of the hut, and Kurama made to follow, but was stopped by Sesshomaru.
"If you touch my brothers mate-to-be, I will not hesitate to kill you in a most painful way." Kurama gulped and nodded, swiftly escaping the demon lord's iron grip and meeting Kagome outside. She motioned him to follow her, then headed into the forest. Not knowing what else to do, he trailed after her. After they were out of earshot, she stopped.
"Who are you, who do you work for and why are you here? And if you lie to me I will kill you in a most painful manner. Or maybe I'll just feed you to Sesshomaru."
So what do you think? Utilize that review button to tell me. And don't even mention how wussy Kurama is behaving here. He's just trying to avoid a fight. He'll get tougher later, I promise! Now, review, my pretties, review! Away!