IMPORTANT NOTE: I have changed my penname, so you all know. It is now Fyre Mistress A.J. Don't ask about my choice of penname, but my mom didnt like my last penname and my 1st one was dull so I came up with this one. Fyre cuz I like fire (duh) Mistress is self-explanitory (I AM female) and A.J. cuz my 1st and middle name make the initials A.J. Now that this pointless note is done, R&R
T-T Another short chapter. I hate it all. Plz don't be mad. I'm already mad at myself.
Me: Ah, another chapter
Sesshy: Hn
Me: What's that supposed to mean?
Sesshy: Hn
Me: You could at least say something besides 'Hn'!!
Sesshy: ...Hn
Me: -eye twitch-
May: So...regret firing Dog-ears yet?
Me: Actually...no. At least Fluffy doesn't argue. Now someone disclaim
May: DemonChild doesn't own us, Fluffy, or Pokemon. If she did...uh...if she did, all the recurring male characters would have pink hair! Yea, let's go with that
Drew: O.O
Me: XD
May: What?
Fluffy: Hn
The storm clouds came closer after Cairo, her aunt and uncle left. A claw of lightning ripped open the sky above the woods and lit up Shuu's eyes. A violent roar of thunder soon followed. The rain drizzled down lightly at first. It soon began to pound down heavily, though. The crashing sound of heavy raindrops against the covered porch and house roof echoed strangely in Shuu's ears.
Reijin bristled slightly at the next thunderclap. Her eyes flickered silver with the next glow of lightning, but swiftly melted back into their original coloring once the light faded. She paced in a circle for a while, until the next clap of thunder sent her leaping onto the porch railing. She unsheathed her claws and sunk them into the water-soaked wood.
A steady stream of water trickled down from the edge of the porch roof and drizzled down Reijin's back. If she noticed she gave no indication. Her eyes were glazed and empty. She seemed tired. Shuu flattened his ears as a sharp, chilling wind ruffled his coat, and then cocked them in the direction of the woods.
The tree branches were being whipped back and forth violently. Leaves were ripped from the trees and strewn wildly across the path and yard. Water soaked into the earth and a thick pool of mud began to form.
May's POV
May sighed as she pulled back the curtain. The heavy rain didn't seem ready to lighten any time soon. May shook her head as she let the curtain drop back over the window. She guessed she'd just have to go to the pet store with Tsuki the next day and pick out everything then.
May made herself a cup of coffee and sat down on the couch. Taking a sip of the steaming liquid, she closed her eyes and leaned her head back. The sudden storm was not good. If it got any worse, the streets could flood, or lightning might strike down a building and start a fire. It was almost like a hurricane.
A snarl of thunder shook the house. May jumped slightly, and then forced herself to relax. It's only thunder, she told herself. Thunder can't hurt me. A flash of lightning enveloped the room in blinding white light. Lightning, however, can.
Another explosion of thunder made her ears ring. Lightning flickered in the sky and cast a glare of light, and a split second later another thunderclap followed. Almost instantly the living room light went out, plunging the room in total darkness. May inwardly moaned and placed her coffee cup on the coffee table. She took several deep breaths to calm herself and then stood up.
In the kitchen she rummaged around for a flashlight, and tried to turn it on when she finally did find one. It refused to turn on. Great. Just great. May gritted her teeth as she searched for batteries.
Shuu's POV
It was nearly impossible to tell the time of day by now. It could be late afternoon or early evening, for all they knew. Glancing up towards the sky, Shuu didn't even think he'd be able to believe if it was only late in the afternoon. The sky was ashen gray in color, with a smoke-like haze of black clouds. Thunder exploded in the air around them and a glare of lightning turned the thick raindrops to pale golden-white.
Shuu's ears twitched as the sound of a tire running over water rose above the hissing rain. Mud and water sprayed into the air as the car slowly pulled up beside the house. Shuu got to his paws and padded over to the porch steps, ears cocked. Reijin sprang down from her spot on the railing and landing in a pool of mud. She was soaking wet almost instantly, but she didn't seem to notice.
Cairo's aunt came first, her eyes red and swollen. She hastily opened the front door and shuffled inside. Cairo's uncle soon followed at a lower pace. He carried a large mass wrapped in a thick blanket, with a white towel spread over it. Cairo herself trailed behind slowly. Her hair was plastered to her face, and she too was soaking wet.
Pushing her dripping bangs away from her eyes, she picked Reijin from the mud and sat down on the first step with the shivering ginger cat in her lap. Cairo slowly began to stroke Reijin's limp red fur. "Well, that's it, girl. Old Jaiko's finally gone. At least he wasn't in pain."
Reijin said nothing, not that Cairo could understand.
Cairo's uncle called for her then.
"Cairo! Can you go get me the shovel?"
"Y-Yeah, I'll be right there," Cairo answered, her voice trembling.
She gently lifted Reijin and placed her on the porch before racing off to the tool shed just out of sight from the porch. Shuu didn't even glance at Reijin, but asked, "Are you going to come?"
"N-Not yet," Reijin spoke. "I'll catch up soon."
Without a word Shuu trotted down the steps and felt his paws sink into the must almost immediately. Taking long strides, Shuu forced his way through the thickening slime and followed Cairo's quickly dissolving footprints to the side of the house. The young girl came out of a small, shabby looking shed with a large, rusted shovel. Se handed it to her uncle without a word and leaned against a nearby tree as she watched her uncle sink the shovel's blade into the soft earth and begin to dig.
Shuu made his way over to the man's side and watched in silence as the shovel sunk into the ground and came back up. The man had laid Jaiko's lifeless body at the base of the tree Cairo leaned against, and she kept her eyes trained sightlessly into the distance.
Reijin joined them a short while later, appearing to have shrunken in size as her wet, limp fur, coated in layers of mud, hung around her legs and sides. By this time the hole was about three feet deep.
The rain began to soften a bit, and the thunder faded to a low growl in the distance. Occasional flashes of lightning weren't as bright as they had been. The sky lightened a shade of gray and the clouds thinned somewhat, but the storm wasn't completely gone.
Shuu only just realized how wet he was as a gust of wind sliced past his fur and bit into his skin. He stood and shook out his coat. Drops of water spun away from his fur and twisted in the air. He glanced around him. Cairo and sunk down into a sitting position, her eyes dark and empty. Reijin was perched on a large root, gripping the slippery wood with her claws. Her ears were hanging low and water trickled down her cheek. Mud was smeared across her cheek and forehead.
When the grave was at last deep enough, the rain had fallen to a heavy drizzle, and the thunder was a mere rumble in the sky. Cairo's uncle stabbed at the mud beside the grave with the shovel and wiped his forehead. He was spattered in mud. His hair was now a limp and lifeless shape, sticking to his forehead.
He made his way over to Jaiko's body and picked it up easily. Cairo sprang to her feet and raced to the grave. She pulled the towel away and uncovered the old dog's face. From her pocket she pulled out a small rose, the petals heavy with rain and then stem somewhat limp. But it was still alive. Her fingers were torn and crusted with dried blood. The thorns were tipped with red. Cairo tucked the rose into the blanket and then pulled the cloth back over Jaiko's head. She spread the towel over the blanket and then turned away stiffly.
Reijin slowly crept up to the edge of the grave. Rigidly she stared down into the grave, her expression blank. Shuu watched from a slight distance as the sheepdog's body was slowly and carefully lowered into the grave. Cairo's uncle then picked the shovel up again and began to pile the wet earth back into the hole.
Shuu flattened his ears and looked away as the thick mud was dropped over Jaiko's body.
--
Shuu's legs were encrusted with dried mud. His fur was icy to the touch from the rain. He felt stiff and chilled, but refused to come inside despite Reijin's begging. The ginger cat eventually gave up and slipped inside as night drew near.
The skies had cleared up by now, and a few dusty stars had come out. The moon, however, didn't appear. A new moon. Perhaps one of the darkest nights. Such a fitting end to a dark day.
Shuu slowly became numb as the cold rushes of wind lashed at him. Somehow he managed to ignore the gnawing chill. Sleep began to pull at him, but he struggled to stay awake. His thoughts somehow turned to May. He wondered how well she was coping. He hoped she wasn't missing him too much… He shook the thoughts away, determined not to let the past get the best of him.
Shuu's eyes found the forest trail snaking through the trees and he stared into the shadowed depths of the forest, wishing somehow things would get better. And praying the sun would rise quickly tonight.
--
Shuu woke up to find himself staring at the cold gray dawn. The sun had only just started to rise above the treetops. A thin golden light flickered and wavered low in the sky. He heard the low creak of the porch swing chains. Sitting up, he shook out his fur and stretched his mud-stiffened legs.
He turned and wasn't all that surprised to see Cairo sitting on the swing. Her eyes were half closed and she had dark rings beneath her stormy eyes. He wondered if she'd slept at all last night. Something told him she didn't.
"Can't sleep either, eh?"
Shuu glanced at her, and then looked away.
"You okay? Something must be troubling you."
Shuu's eye twitched, and he brushed his forepaw over the damp red cloth hanging around his neck.
"Ah, I see. You miss your previous human, don't you?"
Shuu tensed.
"I've heard German Shepard dogs don't hand out their love and trust easily, but once they have, it's nearly impossible to destroy that trust." Cairo sighed. "Listen, I don't know what made you leave but I do know that you're not happy here. I think you just need some time to sort out your thoughts. You're welcome to leave any time."
Shuu still didn't turn to meet her gaze.
Maybe she was right. Maybe he did just need a little time to clear his head before going back.
He felt a strange pulling sensation, and fidgeted anxiously. He had a sudden feeling to check to see if May was all right. He couldn't explain it, but he knew he had to leave.
He turned to face Cairo, flicked his muzzled towards the woods, and barked.
"I knew it," Cairo said, smiling slightly.
Shuu shot down the porch steps and dashed across the yard. He paused halfway across and looked over his shoulder. He met Cairo's eyes in a silent thank you.
"I should be thanking you, dog," Cairo told him, waving. "You saved me some time ago."
Shuu's eyes clouded in confusion.
Cairo laughed softly. "Even if you forgot already, I wouldn't forget the eyes of the one who pulled me from that fire. Now get out of here and go make up with her. I think she needs you now more than ever.
Shuu nodded, and sped off into the trees, ears flat as a rush of wind tore through the forest.
May's POV
May tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she locked the front door. She was extremely pleased that the traces of the previous day's storm were nothing but a memory. There were only a few large puddles of water, and the mud was already drying.
May would be meeting Dawn at Alec's place, where she'd finally take Tsuki home. She still felt a tear in her heart when she thought of Shuu, but she was also excited about brining Tsuki home. The young pup was so lively and playful. But she was also tough and strong willed. May saw this the last time she'd gone to pick out a pup. Tsuki had gotten into a scuffle with one of her littermates over a rawhide bone, and had pinned him to the ground and nipped at his ears and throat until he'd whimpered pleadingly to release him.
Tsuki was also intelligent, but May would have to be firm when training her. The little dog's attention wandered easily and everything seemed to distract her, which could turn into a problem in the future.
As May backed into the street, she paused. Something was urging her to wait just a few minutes before leaving, but she shook away the feeling and drove off down the street, turning left at the stop sign and pulling onto the road that would take her to Alec's house.
Shuu's POV
Shuu reached May's house just as her car backed out of the driveway and headed down the street. Shuu raced after the car, trying to catch her attention. He barked once, a raspy yip easily drowned out by the hum of the engine.
Already tired out by his full-speed run there, Shuu's pace slowed until he stood in the center of the street, panting, staring after May's car as it turned the corner and vanished from sight.
"D-Damn it all…too…too late…"
Shuu tried to catch his breath quickly, and, despite the stiff throb in his legs and the pricks of pain in his pads, began to lope in the direction May's car had vanished in, following his instincts more than anything.
Me: Hope you liked it, despite the shortness
May: Poor Jaiko
Drew: The chapter wasn't bad
Me & May: O.o
Drew: What?
May:Did you just compliment the chapter?
Drew: ...I don't know
May: -falls down anime style- What do mean you don't know?!
Drew: Want me to read you the definition of the phrase 'I don't know'?
May: No!
Sesshy: Yawn. You mortals bore me
Me: T-T
May: Why are you sad?
Me: Because there are only two more updates after this: the last chapter and the epilogue
May: -gasp-
Me: I will miss writing this fanfic
May: I'll miss the Author's notes
Drew: I won't
Sesshy: I second that
Me: T-T Jerks. I bet you'd be best friends
May: R&R!