InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Sesshomaru Story ❯ Chapter 9 ( Chapter 9 )

Chapter 9

Pale morning light filtered its way into the cottage as Alexandra awoke to the sound of someone softly snoring. She opened her eyes to the dimly lit room. The sleeping figure of Kagome lay next to her with the small kitsune cuddled in her arms. Their breath appeared as puffs of mist in the chilly air. She raised her head slightly to see it was Inu Yasha who was had disturbed her sleep. He was sitting up against the wall his head lolling to the side. No wonder he been so restless last night if that was how he slept she thought.

She lay back down and rolled on her back looking around her little house. Slowly it dawned on Alexandra - she was going home! This wasn't a bad place. She'd gotten used to living here. She smiled to herself, two days ago she'd been leaving forever but fate had brought her back. Fate that she'd met Kagome, Inu Yasha and the others. She was going home. Well a very strong possibility of it she reminded herself. Nothing was definite. It was best not to get carried away but it was hard.

Alexandra got up quietly and took care of her morning toiletries and started a fire without disturbing anyone. She wondered how everyone she knew would react when she suddenly showed up again in the modern world after almost a year. Maybe she could tell them amnesia. True, it sounded lame but it was the best she came up with so far. Kagome said she would back her up and thought her mom and Grandpa would too.

Slowly the sleeping bodies strewn around the room came to life as Alexandra started making soup for breakfast. "Good morning!" Alexandra greeted them cheerfully. She had noticed that her food stocks had become quite depleted with all the unplanned visitors. Then she realized she wouldn't have to worry about replenishing them. Or doing preserves. Or gathering more firewood. Soon she would once again be back in the 21st Century with all the conveniences. Washing machines. Showers. Cars.

She got various responses from the company. Miroku returned her greeting as he yawned and stretched. Inu Yasha just sort of snorted and went outside. The girls answered her as well. Sango started folding up the bedding and getting their things together with help from the monk.

Shippo bounded over and looked in the pot curiously. "What are you making?"

"Miso," Alexandra answered, smiling at his enthusiasm.

Kagome came over. "Anything I can do to help?"

"No, it's ready. I'm just dishing it up." She answered getting out bowls.

"I'll go tell Inu Yasha,” offered Kagome. Alexandra handed them each a bowl of soup when she returned with him. They joined Miroku and Shippo who were already eating.

"Aren't you going to have any?" Sango asked when she took the last bowl.

"I'm really too excited to eat,” Alexandra answered. She went and rummaged through a basket and brought out a carefully tied bundle. She unwrapped it. In it was everything she had left from the day she first came to the feudal era. She lifted up the dress she'd been wearing. It was simply cut green print with spaghetti straps. It looked so strange to her now. She held it up to herself and smoothed it out. "I wonder if it still fits,” she said thinking she'd become a lot leaner and muscular than a year ago.

"Maybe you should try it on," suggested Miroku without missing a beat. Sango shot him a dirty look. "What?" he asked her feigning surprise. "It's a completely logical suggestion."

"Coming from anyone else but you, monk,” Sango retorted.

Alexandra ignored them, threw the dress over her arm and examined the matching bolero jacket for holes or stains. Shippo came over curious with his soup bowl. He poked at a soft brown ball of material suspiciously. "What's that?" he asked.

Alexandra smiled at him. "Pantyhose," she answered putting her jacket down and putting her hand inside them to show how it stretched. "Women wear them on their legs."

"Some day I would dearly love to visit your time,” Miroku mused.

"Well don't imagine you could molest women as casually as you do here," Alexandra said darkly. Miroku blushed and found the bottom of his teacup quite interesting.

She turned her attention to her wallet. She still had all her I.D. and close to a thousand yen. Everything else she had she had found a use for. She looked around the cottage. The bag she'd been carrying that day was about two foot square green canvas one with polished wooden handles. She'd used it to store material and sewing supplies. She went, emptied it and looked around for anything else that she might want to take with her. The shoes she'd worn that day she still wore since they were just black slip-ons with a low heel and the most comfortable she owned. She looked around for anything else she would want to take. Then she spotted her stack of rolled up drawings. She would want some of those.

The rest of them were done eating. Sango started gathering dishes together. Kagome sent Inu Yasha to the well for some water to do dishes. He went reluctantly. Alexandra stopped what she was doing. "Here," she said. "I should be doing that."

"Don't be silly,” Sango said. "Kagome and I can clean up from breakfast. Finish what you're doing."

"Alright," Alexandra hesitantly agreed. Shippo followed her back to the rolls asking “What are all of these?"

"Drawings," she explained.

"Really? I'm an artist too!" He said proudly. He eyed the pile critically. "There sure are a lot of them."

"Yes, but I don't want to take them all," she said as she quickly sorted through them. "Would you like to help me?"

Shippo nodded. "Just take the one in this pile, roll them up as tight as you can and tie them up. That way I can take more back with me?" Shippo set to work.

"How far is the temple from here?" Miroku asked.

"A couple of hours,” Alexandra answered. "If we leave right away we could be back early afternoon."

"Well, what's the hold-up?" Inu Yasha asked as he came in with the water.

"Dishes," said Kagome taking the water from him.

"And Alexandra's gathering up a few things to take with her." added Sango.

Inu Yasha sat down heavily crossing his arms. "I'm not lugging this whole house full of stuff with us," he said.

"What I take - I'll carry," Alexandra assured him.

"Besides," Miroku said smoothly. "We can just leave everything here with Kagome's bike and pick it up on our way back."
"If she packs anything like Kagome...” began Inu Yasha.

"Sesshomaru!" exclaimed Shippo.

Alexandra's eyes immediately snapped to the doorway. It was empty. She turned to look at Shippo to see he was holding one of her drawings. Kagome, Miroku, Sango and Inu Yasha were gathering around him to look at it. "Do you know Sesshomaru?" She asked them.

"Sesshomaru is Inu Yasha's half-brother," Sango informed her.

"I knew there was something about this place just wasn't right," Inu Yasha muttered under his breath.

"I was going to ask if you knew him when I first saw Inu Yasha but then I thought maybe it was just coincidence that they looked so much alike," Alexandra said.

"I'm nothing like that self-centered bastard!" retorted Inu Yasha and Alexandra silently agreed with him. The more time she spent with him, the more evident the differences were.

Miroku looked at Inu Yasha appraisingly rubbing his chin. "How about the hair? The eyes?" He seemed pleased when he got a dirty look from Inu Yasha. "The temper?"

Alexandra took the drawing from Shippo rolling it up tightly. "I thought it might be because they were both dog-demons. After all Sesshomaru never mentioned he had a broth - a half-brother."

"Well, did you notice that he's only got one fucking arm?!" exclaimed Inu Yasha annoyed. He crossed his arms and went and sat down heavily in the corner. "I'm the one who cut it off!"

Alexandra was shocked and angry! She knew first hand the bitter feelings of blended families but what kind of a person bragged about maiming someone!? His own brother no less.

Kagome saw the look on her face. "I know it sounds bad but it was really self-defense," she assured her. "Sesshomaru was trying to kill us." Alexandra wasn't at all surprised.

"If you haven't guessed the two brothers have a rather severe case of sibling rivalry going," Miroku explained. “So you know Sesshomaru?"

"Yeah" said Alexandra continuing to roll papers up quickly and putting them into her hand bag. "He comes over sometimes with the wife and kid. We flip a few burgers." There was dumbfounded silence as the group of them just looked at her surprised.

"Wife?" asked Miroku in disbelief.

"I'm just playing with you," she smiled at them a bit of her good humour returning. "I mean Jaken and Rin." For some reason their expressions didn't change much.

"Sesshomaru comes over for dinner?" asked Sango in disbelief.

"Yes, actually I was kind of expecting him to come by last night," Alexandra said tucking more rolled up papers into her bag. "What's the big deal?"

Inu Yasha snorted. "You guys aren't buying this, are ya?" He asked in a superior tone. Alexandra turned to him pissed off. Now he was going to call her a liar? She was getting a bit more than annoyed with Inu Yasha and his mouth. He got up and came over. "Sesshomaru coming by for tea and dumplings. Tell us another one."

Alexandra did her best to reign in her temper. "Just what would you know?"

"I know Sesshomaru hates humans!" Inu Yasha taunted.

Alexandra couldn't think of anything more ridiculous. That was his big argument? "Well, how do you explain Rin?" she asked him.

For a moment Inu Yasha was stumped. "Well he... he... he's probably just trying to pawn the kid of on you," he said defiantly.

"You're thinking of Jaken!" Alexandra answered defiantly. "You know Inu Yasha, have you ever thought that maybe it's not humans he hates but just the humans he's met!"

A look of fury passed over Inu Yasha's face and he stomped outside. Kagome gave the rest of them a half-hearted smile and then followed him.

Alexandra sighed. "Look," she said addressing the other three. "I'm not sure I should come with you guys. Maybe we should just draw maps for each other or something."

"No don't be silly,” Sango said putting her hand on her arm. "Inu Yasha is being difficult right now but he really does grow on you."

"It's true," agreed Miroku. "Both Sango and I tried to kill him when we first met him. So you see a mere argument is nothing."

"Inu Yasha is never reasonable when it comes to Sesshomaru," injected Shippo.

"Yes it would probably be best to avoid that topic," advised Miroku.

"Say you haven't changed your mind about coming with us," pleaded Shippo.

And so Alexandra let herself be convinced. Kagome managed somehow to smooth out Inu Yasha's ruffled feathers. So once the group of them managed get things tidied up, they exchanged half-hearted apologies and were on their way to the temple. It was a fine morning for travel and none of noticed the distant golden eyes that tracked their progress.






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