Green Eggs and Ham: The Takahashi Way by Sandreline Moon

Green Eggs and Ham

Green Eggs and Ham: The Takahashi Way

By:  Sandreline

Hello everyone!

First off, I want to thank you all so much for the wonderful support that yesterday’s one-shot, “Veni, Vidi, Vici” received! Thank you all so so so much!

Todays one-shot is brought to you by SkyistheLimit’s “Dr. Seuss” challenge!  I hope you all enjoy!  I ONLY WROTE THIS IN ONE HOUR, so I am sorry if it kind of stinks…

I do NOT own “InuYasha” or “Green Eggs and Ham”. If I did… well, Kagome would have ended up with Sesshomaru!

Green Eggs and Ham:

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“Kagome-chan, you’re back!”  Rin’s excited squeal greeted the priestess as she pulled herself over the lip of the Bone Eater’s Well.

Kagome smiled brightly as she was tackled by an orange ball of fur.  “Hello, Rin. Hello Shippo.” She sat on the wood frame while hugging her adopted son.  “What are the two of you doing here?”

“We came to escort you back to the village!”  Shippo stated proudly.

“Aw, you two are so sweet.” Kagome praised them as she set her large backpack down on the grass. 

“Ah-Un came with us to help carry your bag, Kagome-chan!” Rin cheered as she pointed to the two-headed dragon that was not far away.  One head – Kagome was not sure which one – looked over at them and let out a small roar of agreement.  Kagome knew that it was more to keep an eye on Rin, but it was still a nice sentiment.

The time-traveling priestess let out a laugh.  “Well then Ah-Un is very sweet as well!”  She spoke as the two small children began to lead her to Lord Sesshomaru’s steed.  “I shall be sure to give them each an apple for their help.”

This time, both heads lifted to give her their attention, and began to muzzle the ebony-haired young woman.  All three laughed at the dragon’s actions as Kagome set her backpack on the beast’s saddle. It was bulging with supplies such as medicine, bandages, coloring books, food, and her personal items.  Kagome was surprised that she could lift the thing at this point.  She must have rippling back muscles after all this time!

Rin took one of Kagome’s hands and Shippo hopped up on her opposite shoulder as they headed towards the village, Ah-Un following behind them with one head constantly looking for danger.  As they filled her in on what she had missed the past five days, Kagome felt herself get lost in thought.

Since they had decided to team up against the fight for Naraku, Sesshomaru often left Rin in her care.  It was better that way, because not only would Shippo have a friend, but Rin was in better care.  Kagome knew without a doubt that the little slimy toad that followed the Western Lord around did not take very good care of the child. It was obvious with how self-sufficient Rin was.  She smiled as she remembered the firs time that she caught Jaken threatening Rin with the Staff of Two Heads. 

The toad did not wake up for several hours, and she had let Rin and Shippo turn him into a walking flower while he recovered from his injuries.

The village came into sight as they crested the hill that overlooked what would someday become Edo, the future capitol of Japan.  The farmers were in their fields, some knee-high in water as they tended to the rice and tea plants.

“Did you bring us back anything interesting, Momma?” Shippo asked as he looked at her from his place on her shoulder.

“Of course I did, Shippo!” Kagome smiled brightly.

“What did you bring?”  Rin cheered more than asked.

“I brought several new books that I can read to you, as well as more coloring books and crayons.”  Kagome continued.  “I got the next set to teach you both reading and writing as well as math, too.”

“Rin will be as smart as Kagome-chan some day!” Rin cheered as she smiled brightly.

“She’s even smarter than Sesshomaru!” Shippo added.

Oh, boy. It was the only time that the two children she adored would not agree or behave on something; it all came down to Kagome versus Sesshomaru.

“That’s not true!”  Rin frowned.

“It is true!” Shippo retorted.  “Kagome is from the future, of course she is smarter!”

Rin’s frown deepened as she thought it over.  After a moment, she conceded.  “Fine, but everyone knows that Sesshomaru is the strongest!”

“Strongest demon,” Shippo agreed.  “But Kagome is the strongest priestess!”

Kagome decided to intervene before the conversation got out of hand. “I think you both are correct.” She told them.  “What would you two like to do first?”  The sun was starting to set, and the group did not leave again until the morning.

Both children looked at one another, which gave Kagome the distinct feeling that they had already come to a conclusion and most likely while they were waiting for her to return.  At the same time, both children replied, “Pocky!”

Kagome laughed. The only time they got pocky was when they completely a homework assignment, which she took out of the home-schooling books she purchased.  She had begun teaching them a few months ago, holding a firm belief that they needed at least a basic information. It was more than most nobles at the time had, but she did not want to pass out on giving her two ‘children’ an advantage that would help them in life.  “Alright; we can do one assignment tonight.”  Having reached the town’s limits, she took her bag from Ah-Un, but not before retrieving the promised treats from her bag for their help. The two-headed dragon stayed outside of the village limits so as not to upset the villagers, and to help guard those inside.  The priestess gave each head one last pat before rushing after the excited kids.

Both Rin and Shippo cheered until they finally entered the small town, several farmers and villagers giving Kagome smiles and bows of greeting.  As they entered Kaede’s hut, she was greeted by Miroku and Sango.  “Hey guys!” Kagome smiled.

“Welcome back, Kagome!” Sango smiled as she continued to pet Kilala, who was nestled in her lap.

“Welcome back, Lady Kagome.” Miroku nodded in greeting.  “How was your visit home?”

“Great!” Kagome told them as she set her bag down beside the door.  “Where is InuYasha?” She asked.

The Demon Exterminator and the Monk shared a concerned look.  However, their friend’s reaction was not what they had expected.  “Oh, I see. Well, that was a dumb question.” Kagome stated more to herself than the others. 

In all honesty, the situation was so familiar that Kagome was now becoming numb to it.  She had realized that InuYasha would never let go of his love for Kikyo, and she had accepted that at last.  It had been two years, after all.  Her best friends in the future all had wonderful boyfriends, and it made Kagome realize that she could not sit around and waste her time.

“Kagome, can we start out lesson?”  Shippo asked eagerly.

“Please?” Rin echoed. Both were giving her their perfected version of the puppy-eyes, and Kagome did not ever bother to fight it. “Alright, let’s get started.”

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The Shard Hunting group had left Kaede’s village not long after sunrise, InuYasha making them travel throughout the day.  He insisted on it, since ‘they lost five days’ when Kagome went home.  He was sat for it, of course. A few times.

Just as they had finished cleaning up from the noon meal, Sesshomaru had made his appearance.  InuYasha gave out the usual huff and puff before taking his post at the front of their dysfunctional pack.

Kagome was in the back following with the children and Ah-Un.  Lord Sesshomaru followed silently behind them, his eyes straight ahead of him. Kagome knew, however, that he was more aware of their surroundings than InuYasha.

“How have you been, Sesshomaru?” Kagome asked him as she slowed her step to fall beside the stoic demon lord.

Sesshomaru’s golden eyes narrowed as he looked at her without turning his face. Kagome blushed softly at his scrutinizing gaze.  “How have you been, Sesshomaru-sama?” 

Sesshomaru’s glare relaxed as he gave a curt nod.  “Well.”

“I am glad to hear that.” Kagome smiled softly as she looked ahead of them, observing the scenery.  “May I ask you a question?”  She took his answer of silence as permission.  “Why do you not stop InuYasha from taking the lead? It is obvious to all of us that you are the leader when present.” Kagome admitted. 

Sesshomaru felt one of his silver eyebrows quirk at the priestess’ words.  So she was of an acceptable intellect, after all. “This Sesshomaru is Alpha, and a true Alpha takes his place behind the Pack to protect it from danger.”

Kagome smiled brightly.  “I knew it!” She mentally gave herself a pat on the back.  By letting InuYasha -who did not really know such decorum- take the lead, then Sesshomaru was saving all of them a headache from the ranting and raving of their half-demon friend.

“I am pleased with Rin’s educational progress.” Sesshomaru spoke. 

Kagome looked up at him startled. It did not take more than a moment to realize that this was as much praise as once could ever hope to hear from the deadly Demon Lord.   A bright smile stretched across her lips as she nodded.  “She is a pleasure to teach and learns quickly.”

Sesshomaru gave another curt nod before returning to silence for the remainder of their walk.

That night, there was a bit of a chill in the air.  So, Kagome had unzipped one sleeping bag and laid it down as a bed, and used her second one as a large blanket.  Usually she shared with Shippo and let Rin have her spare, but because of the chill she let both sleep with her to help keep them warm.

A large fire was in the center of their camp, casting a bright glow on everyone.  Kagome was curled up under the sleeping back with a child on either side of her under one arm.  Rin and Shippo had looked through the new books that she had brought with her for them to read, and had decided on a favorite Dr. Seuss book, Green Eggs and Ham.

“How about we take turns reading?” Kagome suggested. “That way you two can practice.”

Both agreed, and Shippo started by reading the red-covered book in Kagome’s hands.  “I am Sam. Sam I am.”  It was simple enough.

The entire group was listening to the two children taking turns reading a line.  They were also fairly interested in the story.

“I do not think that green eggs would be very appetizing.” Sango told Miroku.

“Perhaps not, but I seem to recall Kagome mentioning that the scribe who wrote such stories made them silly to entertain children.”  The monk answered with a goofy smile.

“Well, they seem entertained to me.” Sango agreed with a soft smile of her own.

Kagome let Rin and Shippo read the first few pages before she noticed them begin to get tired. So she took over, making them both laugh when she would change her voice to better depict the characters.

“Would you like them in a house? Would you like them with a house?”  Kagome asked in a silly voice.

Her next voice was deep and grouchy.  “I do not like them in a house. I do not like them with a mouse. I do not like them here or there, I do not like them anywhere!”

Sesshomaru watched as his ward and the fox kit snuggled comfortable against the priestess, his eyes portraying no emotion. However, he was rather interested in the story.  Most of what the priestess was saying was foreign to him, such as a ‘boat’, and he was curious as to the pictures that Rin and Shippo would point at in the strange parchment.

“Would you; could you, in a car?”  Kagome’s silly voice came out.  “Eat them, eat them, here they are!”

Sesshomaru’s curiosity peeked. What was a car?  Shippo was pointing to another picture in the binding to show Rin, however he was only able to view the red coloring of the book.

What was a train?

Kagome’s deep and grouchy voice came back once more.  “I could not, would not on a boat. I will not, will not, with a goat! I will not eat them in the rain; I will not eat them on a train!”  Kagome paused to take a breath.  Sheesh, she forgot what a mouthful some of these parts could be!  “Not in the dark! Not in a tree! Not in a car! You let me be!” 

Rin and Shippo were watching the pages with as much interest as their tired eyes could allow.  Kagome continued on. “I do not like them in a box. I do not like them with a fox!  I will not eat them in a house! I will not eat them with a mouse! I will not eat them here or there, I will not eat them anywhere!”  Kagome took another pause for a breath.  “I do not like green eggs and ham! I do not like them, Sam I am!”

Sesshomaru found no interest in the words, for the only appeal in them would be found in children or simpletons like his half-breed half-brother.  It was rather repetitive as well. 

Sesshomaru also concluded that it was rather pointless, seeing as how the character ended up giving in to the demands to try some of the strange food.  It showed how pathetic and weak the character was, for him to simply give in after so small a battle.  To which afterwards, he immediately claims to love the strange food.

However, his ward and the kit seemed to find a delight in the story as it concluded.  Sesshomaru deemed then that if his ward enjoyed such a story, then he would allow it.

He continued to observe the three of them as Kagome closed the book and set it aside.  Kissing each child on the forehead, she wished them sweet dreams as they settled in for the night.

The priestess would make a good mother someday, that he would admit.  Not many females would take in an abandoned child as their own, must less if it was a different species, or a second for that matter.  Not to mention she also tutored his ward and her own in language and mathematics.  His honor demanded that he repay the kindness.  Perhaps he would save her from an untimely death in battle: his half-brother certainly failed to do such most of the time.

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The sound of food sizzling over a fire greeted Sesshomaru’s ears as he returned to camp the next morning. He had left just before dawn to do some hunting of his own, and decided to bring back part of the wild boar for the rest of the Pack to eat. A good Alpha supplied his Pack with such necessities, after all. Something InuYasha, yet again, failed to do.

His eyes landed on his ward and the fox kit waiting anxiously by the fire as Kagome cooked in one of her pans.

It was what she was cooking that caught his attention.  “Priestess, what is that?”  Sesshomaru demanded to know as he brought over the boar.

Kagome looked up at him with a smile. “I am making green eggs for everyone.  I brought some green food dye with me, since I figured that Rin and Shippo would want to try it after I read them that story.” Her blue eyes landed on the gift of wild pig the demon Lord brought with him.  “Oh, look! We can have ham with it now, too! Thank you so much, Sesshomaru-sama.”  Kagome told him.

“You are the best, Sesshomaru-sama!” Rin cheered as well.

“Hn.” The demon responded.

Only a few seconds later, and the scent of cooking pig filled the campsite as well.  It was not long before Kagome called everyone over for the special breakfast.  “I present to you all: Green Eggs and Ham!”

Rin and Shippo eagerly ate it, both giving hums of approval. Sango and Miroku ate in a more dignified manner, though both agreed that it was just as well.  InuYasha had still not returned to camp yet, but Sesshomaru was surprised when the priestess approached him with a plate of the food.

“This is for you, Sesshomaru-sama.” She told him with a small smile as she offered him the plate.  “I hope you like it.”

Sesshomaru looked at the plate before turning bored eyes to the human woman. “I do not eat green eggs.” He told her.

Rin and Shippo momentarily put their breakfast on hold as they intently watched their respective guardians talk.

“I promise that you will like them if you give them a try.”  Kagome tried.

“This Sesshomaru does not repeat himself.” 

Kagome frowned slightly, before moving to kneel before the demon.  “I promise it is good for you. It’s only green because of the food coloring.”

“I do not require human food.”  Sesshomaru reminded her.

Kagome huffed.  Of course the might Lord Sesshomaru would never stoop so low as to touch something prepared and eaten by lowly humans!  She frowned, but decided not to push her luck.  Instead, she placed the plate and fork beside him.  “Should you change your mind,” She muttered before leaving.  What she wouldn’t do to have a second rosary for him!

“That will not be necessary, priestess. This Sesshomaru does not eat green eggs and ham.”

Kagome grumbled under her breath as she walked back to her friends to have her own food.  She did not see the demon Lord smirk at her back, but Rin and Shippo did. They let out a giggle before eating the rest of their meal.

When Kagome went to retrieve the plate so they could break camp, the green eggs and ham were gone, and so was the Demon Lord. 

She did not stop the bright smile that stretched across her lips as she collected the dirty plate.  She just knew he would like green eggs and ham!

He does, he does, he likes them Kagome-I-am!

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So what do you all think? I hope you enjoyed it! I will be updating my Pride and Prejudice story within the next few days, I promise! I’ve been having a little fun creating one-shots, haha. 

Thank you all so much for reading!

I’m sorry it was rushed… it was just a small thought that popped in my head when I saw the challenge.

~Sandreline