Author's
Note: Konnichiwa minna-san! This is not a Kagome/Inuyasha WAFF fic, so
I bet most people will leave after reading this sentence. :( This is a
one-shot fic based on manga chapters 35-38, and anime episode 12. The reason
I wrote this fic is because I feel that I can relate to Mayu a lot. I have
a younger sister, and I also feel like the "unwanted child" sometimes.
;_; But enough about me. Let's get on with the story! ^_^
**********
Natsumatsuri
"Summer Festival"
"Okaa-san!
Look! A goldfish booth! Can I try to catch one? Please? Please?" Satoru-kun
tugged at my yukata.
"Go ahead,
Satoru-kun," I smiled.
"Arigatou,
Okaa-san!" He happily ran over to the goldfish booth to take his try at
catching one for himself.
I looked at
the full moon hanging up in the starry sky. A light breeze was blowing
my gold yukata sash around. Goldfish... Natsumatsuri.. Mayu-chan's favorite
time of year. Every year we would come, and she would insist on going to
the goldfish booth right away. When we got home, she would have a whole
bag full of swimming goldfish. She loved them so much that one day she
had asked me to sew her a yukata with goldfish prints for the next natsumatsuri!
That was all
over a year and a half ago. I looked down at the burn scars that were forever
imprinted onto my hands. One day that winter, Mayu and I had another one
of our fights. This time it was because I didn't show up at her class show,
since Satoru came down with a fever. Mayu had accused me of liking Satoru
more than her, and said that she hated both Satoru and myself. Then she
ran out of the apartment. I needed to go out and buy more medicine for
Satoru, so I left. I wasn't worried about Mayu, because I had thought that
this squabble would end like all the others.
But I was very
wrong. When I came home, I saw smoke billowing out of the apartment. A
neighbor me that it was on fire. I quickly ran up the stairs and got Satoru-kun
out of there safely. When the firemen had stopped the fire, they told me
that Mayu had been burnt to death. I was sad and shocked. I had had no
idea that Mayu was still in the house!
It was too
late for Mayu, but Satoru was still living. He was rushed to intensive
care at the hospital, and I was told that he had second degree burns. The
autopsy on Mayu said third degree burns. I was devastated. I also got my
hands treated, although the scars will most likely remain there forever.
Day after day,
I sat with Satoru at the hospital, sewing the goldfish yukata that Mayu
would never be able wear. Eventually, Satoru regained his physical health,
but was still unconscious. In the earlier days, many of his classmates
would come visit him. But then strange things started happening, and everyone
got scared away. Even no one could go clean up the apartment, because everyone
thought it was haunted.
After six months,
only Higurashi Souta-kun would come to visit Satoru-kun. The day he came
with his sister Kagome, something pulled out the cable to Satoru's life
support system. And as I was about to leave that night, a crash came through
his window. Kagome and I went back upstairs, and saw Mayu! She knocked
me down unconscious, and I'm not sure what happened after that.
The next morning
I went back to the burnt apartment, and looked into the closet where Mayu
died. Then I heard a voice. "Okaa-san!" She told me that she was sorry,
and that she had to leave now. That was the last I saw of Mayu.
Satoru was
able to leave the hospital a week later.
Mayu.. how
I wish you could be here now. But I'm happy.. knowing that you passed on
in peace.
~*~
"Don't run
away little fishie!" I swiped at the fish with my net, but it quickly darted
away. ..I wish Mayu onee-chan was here now! She could always catch lots
and lots of fish! But she died.. in that fire a year and a half ago.
I had told
her not to put her scarf by the stove! But being sick in bed, I could do
nothing about it. Onee-chan hid in the closet, telling me not to tell okaa-san,
and that she wanted to make her worry.
Soon, the scarf
caught on fire, and the whole apartment was burning. Okaa-san and a firemen
came up and rescued me, but they didn't know that onee-chan was still in
the house. I tried to tell them, but I was too weak. Mayu onee-chan got
burned to death.
Tears started
rolling down my face. Suddenly, I didn't want to catch goldfish anymore.
All I wanted was to have Mayu onee-chan back here with mom and I.
"Okaa-san,"
I whined. "I miss Mayu onee-chan!"
"I do too,
Satoru-kun, I do too." Okaa-san pulled me into a hug, and we both wept.
~*~
"Oy, Kagome,
when are we gonna go back? This is boring!" complained Inuyasha.
"Geez, you
never want to do anything but search for Shikon Shards, do you?" Kagome
asked. "Enjoy yourself! Natsumatsuri is really fun!"
"I have to
agree with Kagome-sama. This 'Natsumatsuri' is quite fun. All these girls
look very lovely in their yukatas." Miroku ogled at a girl that passed
by.
"Miroku.."
Sango bopped him on the head with Hiraikotsu. She was dressed in her normal
clothing. Actually, everyone was, except for Kagome, who's hair was tied
up in a ponytail and was wearing a light purple yukata decorated with sakura
blossoms.
"Kagome-chan,
let's go over there!" Shippou pointed to the goldfish catching booth. "It
looks fun!"
"All right,
Shippou-chan." The gang headed over in that direction. When they reached
the booth, Shippou was given a net, and he started to try to catch the
fish.
"Feh, what's
the point of this stupid game?" asked Inuyasha. "Why the hell would anyone
want goldfish? It's not like you're gonna catch any anyway." He bopped
Shippou on the head.
"Itai! Why'd
you have to do that?" Shippou whined, clutching his head.
"Excuse me,"
a voice behind them said. "May I try after you?" It was a girl with her
hair in two pigtails, wearing a purple yukata with a gold sash and goldfish
prints on it.
Kagome gasped!
"Mayu-chan! What are you doing here?"
"Konnichiwa,
Kagome onee-chan," smiled Mayu.
"It's great
to see you again," Kagome replied.
Inuyasha broke
the staring contest with Shippou and looked suspiciously at the girl. "Hey,
aren't you that evil sprit kid that almost got dragged down to hell? How
the heck-"
"Osuwari!"
*splat!* Inuyasha
crashed to the ground. "Why you..."
"Inuyasha!
Mayu-chan is NOT an evil spirit kid!" Kagome glared down at him.
"Grr..."
Mayu giggled
at them. "I get to stay here for a night, and then I have to go back to
the other world. I picked tonight because Natsumatsuri is my favorite time
of year!"
"Ah, sugoi
ne, Mayu-chan! Are you going to try to find your mother and Satoru-kun?"
asked Kagome.
"Un. I think
they're here, because we used to come to the Summer Festival every year.
Ano..." Mayu looked around and noticed Miroku, Sango, and Shippou. "Who
are they? And who's the guy on the ground"
"Oh they're
my friends," Kagome replied. "The one on the ground with the red kimono
is called Inuyasha. He's a really strong hanyou."
"Feh."
"The little
kitsune over there, is Shippou, and the guy with the staff is Miroku, a
Buddhist priest."
"It's a pleasure
to meet you, Mayu-chan," said Miroku, as he shook Mayu's hand. "You're
very cute, but alas, I'm afraid you're too young..." He sighed.
"Miroku no
hentai..." Sango's vein was popping out. "How could you even THINK of asking
a little girl like her THAT? You dirty houshi!!" She brought Hiraikotsu
down on him again, this time with full force.
"Itai.."
Mayu giggled.
"That's Sango-chan.
She's a youkai exterminator," Kagome said.
"It's very
nice to meet you," smiled Sango. "I apologize for houshi-sama's rudeness."
"It's ok."
Mayu turned to Kagome. "Thank you for introducing your friends to me, Kagome
onee-chan, but I have to go find Okaa-san and Satoru-kun now. Ja ne!" Mayu
waved and ran off.
Kagome waved
back. "Sayonara, Mayu-chan!"
"So, Kagome-sama,
can you tell us the story of Mayu?" asked Miroku
"Sure." Kagome
started telling the story.
~*~
"Okaa-san,
Satoru-kun... where could they be?" Mayu thought aloud. "Ah! There they
are!" They found them sitting on a hill, watching the stars.
"Okaa-san!
Satoru-kun! Okaa-san! Satoru-kun!" Mayu rushed towards the hill.
"Huh?" Satoru
looked up. "Okaa-san, I think I hear onee-chan's voice!"
"Mayu.." I
whispered.
"Okaa-san!"
Mayu shouted once again.
"Mayu!" Satoru
and I rushed over to greet Mayu. I hugged her tightly. "Mayu! How did you
get here?
Mayu grinned
broadly. "I get to stay here for a night, and then I have to go back to
the other world."
"That's wonderful!"
I replied, hugging Mayu tighter.
Satoru tugged
at Mayu's yukata. "It's so great to see again, onee-chan! Okaa-san and
I missed you!"
