It was 8:00 in the morning when Dr. Sesshoumaru Taisho stepped onto the welcome mat once more. He gave a firm knock and was rewarded with the sound of footsteps after a few short minutes.
The violet-eyed Miroku opened the thick door, now with familiarity. "Good morning, Dr. Taisho! I was just enjoying my breakfast. Come in."
Sesshoumaru stepped over the threshold and took in the smell of cooked eggs and fresh greens.
"Can I fix you a plate?" Miroku called cheerfully over his shoulder.
"Hnn.. Thank you." Sesshoumaru accepted. He'd come to enjoy the company of Miroku, whom he'd since discovered was a doctor himself. Miroku's area of expertise was nutrition. He believed that through proper nourishment and exercise, the body could be "controlled" in a way. Certain foods released certain chemicals in the brain, thereby influencing our very state of mind.
His mission was to heal and regulate his patients mental challenges with this method as much as he could. He individually tailored each patients diet for nutrition and flavor to try and balance the chemicals in their brains that were so chaotic. Medication, he liked to say, should be a last resort. It is more often than not a dangerous risk with few benefits that don't always outweigh the negative side effects.
As a result of his studies, Miroku kept a very fresh and clean diet. A plot in the recreation yard was dedicated to a vegetable garden of no mean size. Here he grew beautiful greens, tubers, gourds, beans, and varied, colorful vegetables of all kinds. There were even a few trees and bushes of different sizes with new fruit hanging from the branches. Sesshoumaru was told these would ripen in season to be enjoyed with cool, fresh cream as a treat.
The two doctors had conversed at length in the month since Sesshoumaru had first knocked on the front door. That initial visit had piqued Sesshoumaru's curiosity, thus inspiring him to remain and become the resident doctor of the ward. It's previous leader, Myoga, had gone mad after being accidentally locked in Onigumo's room for 48 hours. No one knows what occurred in that time. He is now a resident of the ward.
Miroku cracked two eggs into a cast iron skillet. He kept chickens as well so that he could control the chickens diet, which he believes influences the meat and eggs that come from these chickens. Sesshoumaru respected the mans thorough foresight.
As the eggs crackled and cooked, Miroku busied himself with de-stemming young spinach leaves. Sesshoumaru enjoyed the clean and delicious smells that filled the ward.
"I thought we might add larger windows to the community area and bedrooms." Miroku commented. "A touch of sunlight goes a long way. The residents don't get enough vitamin D which could be causing some of the imbalances and a little sunshine would make the place more cheerful, besides."
Sesshoumaru pondered this for a moment. He'd come to trust Miroku's judgement in a very short time. Indeed, he already leaned upon it as they made plans to restore the building.
He responded, "Would we need to retain the metal bars over the glass?"
Miroku threw a glance his way, "Of that, I'm not yet sure. Current and future patients may, in fits of violent temper, try to break the windows so safety measures of some kind do need to be taken. But the bars are so negative. I don't want this place to have the feeling a prison. I've got several ideas that I'm weighing at the moment. I'll present them to you when they're a little more solid and viable."
"Hnn." Sesshoumaru agreed. He picked up his fork as Miroku plated his breakfast and placed it in front of him. He took a bite and savored it. Delicious. Clean. Good.
They moved into the community area after breakfast to continue their planning. It was quite a challenge, renovating a place that needed to be secure without making it feel like a cave of imprisonment.
Miroku's idea of windows was inspired. Dr. Taisho looked forward to hearing his thoughts on retaining the safety of the bars.
Expansion was key in this endeavor. They had plenty of land. All they needed was to utilize it.
Sesshoumaru commented quietly that he liked the idea of larger windows. Miroku smiled at the compliment but added, "The windows were Kagome's idea. In a recent visit, I mentioned to her that we were going to be making changes. The suggestion leapt out of her with enthusiasm. I noted the health benefit of such a change and thus passed it on to you."
Sesshoumaru eyed the doctor contemplatively. "Hnn.."
The fact that it came from a patient made the suggestion suspect, though he still enjoyed the thought of the change.
Miroku added, "She has many more suggestions. Most of which are beneficial as well as actually feasible."
"When did Ms. Higurashi arrive?" Sesshoumaru asked casually.
"Kagame arrived nearly a year ago. She is my best patient and I also count her as a personal friend."
Sesshoumaru inclined his head, "A pleasant thought but a dangerous combination." His statement held no reprimand.
Miroku smiled indulgently. "Her case is very… unique. It is due to unfortunate or fortunate circumstances that she found herself here, depending on how you look at it."
"She is lucid, then? With long stretches of time between episodes of some sort?" Sesshoumaru inquired.
"Yes and no.." he responded, "She does have her good days and bad days, however they are not necessarily like those of the truly ill."
Truly ill.. Sesshoumaru's brow furrowed. Was she not a patient of a Psychiatric ward? Was she not committed? His curiosity piqued further, he followed Miroku to the large door that led to the patient in question.
Each pushed a cart holding prepared meals for the residents. 8:30 in the morning was breakfast time, the most important meal of the day according to Miroku.
With a heave and a push, Miroku unlatched the solid door and walked backwards, pulling it open.
"That's one way to stay fit!" he laughed jokingly.
At K. Higurashi's door, Miroku selected a plate and carried it in. Kagome Higurashi was still asleep, only a tousled head of hair visible at the top of the rainbowed quilt. Her even breathing gave way to a small sigh, followed by a languid, satisfying stretch. Sesshoumaru could see her clenched hands reaching above her head as well as her pale, pointed toes reaching the other way.
Miroku smiled into her bleary eyes. "Good morning, Kagome. It's 8:45 on this Tuesday morning and the sun is shining."
She mumbled pleasantly, "Thanks Miroku.. Good morning." Looking to the door, she added, "Good morning Dr. Taisho."
Sesshoumaru gave her a nod.
Miroku walked back to the door after setting the tray on her small table and stood next to Sesshoumaru, "We'll return in an hour's time to discuss some of those ideas you shared with me last week."
"Mmkay" she said.
The two men shut the door as she sat up and stretched once more.
Their visit to S. Houshi's door was much more brief. She still slept soundly in crumpled heap in the far corner. Miroku left her tray of food just inside the door. As he closed it, a pained expression came over his face. It quickly resolved and Sesshoumaru decided not to question him.
The door of O. held very lively sounds. They entered a room in disarray with an active Onigumo digging through his sheets next to a pile of feces on the floor. With these feces, he'd written obscenities on the wall.
Sesshoumaru noted these obscenities were very detailed and specific. They were also directed towards the other residents of the ward by name.
Miroku sighed deeply, "Onigumo, what is this mess you've made?"
Eyes that were too bright snapped up to Miroku, "Kagura." he blamed.
"Tell Kagura to use the markers next time. Please." Miroku pinched the bridge of his nose.
Sesshoumaru set Onigumo's tray of food down on the table near the door. They closed it to the patient making loud wind noises and throwing his feces against the opposite wall.
"We need janitorial staff." Miroku stated.
Sesshoumaru walked with him in silent agreement. Myoga's meal delivery was uneventful. The patient was asleep under his bed and didn't stir as his tray was slid his way.
They finished delivering breakfast and then pushed their empty carts back to the end of the hallway. Leaving them by the door, they once more entered Kagame Higurashi's room.
Sesshoumaru was particularly light-footed upon entering. He was looking forward to these ideas the girl had for the renovations. As they sat down near the congenial girl, Sesshoumaru's eye was caught by a new calligraphy pieces hanging among her other work.
It was of his name.