I'm so so so sorry it took this long to get this chapter out. F'gimme.
9 – Promotion
When Inuyasha woke up the next morning, he still couldn't see his father around. Was he still so angry with him that he didn't even want to talk to him?
The boy got up from his bed, stretched a bit and scratched his ear with his foot.
"Good morning, Honey", Izayoi said. "I'll be painting the fifth bathing room's wall today." Inuyasha smiled. "You'll find me from there if you need me."
Inuyasha nodded. But then his smile suddenly faded. He remembered what his father had said last night.
"Is dad coming back for me?" the boy asked.
"I think he is coming any minute", Izayoi nodded. "But now I'll be on my way. See you!" She got up, walked to her son, giving him a gentle kiss on his forehead and walked out of the room.
So, Inuyasha decided to just stay in their family room, waiting for his father. He sat on the floor, pat his finger claw against it... When suddenly the door was slid open, and revealed Inutaisho. They didn't say anything for a while, when finally:
"Come, son. Off to the King", Inutaisho said, low and calm. Inuyasha stood up and followed his father all along the corridors. Neither said a word. Inuyasha's ears were drooping. Maybe his father was angry with him – but so was he himself. He should have known better and obey the rules.
"We're here." Inutaisho opened the door to the Kings room. And this time the King was there. He was walking around, like he was thinking of something.
"My King", Inutaisho said, quiet, let Inuyasha in and closed the door. "I know You are upset. But I can explain. My son had great feelings towards that girl, and..."
"No excuses. Now what you, Inuyasha, have done, is a very serious offence against the Afterlife rules. That Is true. But!"
The dog duo listened carefully. "...But?" Inutaisho wondered out loud.
"You have shown that you are a significantly strong soul to do something like this. Not many souls have turned into something material. Not in my times of ruling this dimension. So, I will let you go. You can continue your protecting. But not as your protege's pet dog.."
"A-aye..." Inuyasha nodded,.
"Now then. I know I must sound weird, but I must say – I am actually very proud of you, young boy!"
Both Inuyasha's and his father's eyes widened. Eh... What?!
Neither said a thing, and the King carried on:
"Now that your are the highest level of a soul that can be, you will no longer be just a soul. You will become an angel. A guardian angel."
Inuyasha stood still, confused.
"What does it mean?" he asked.
"You will no longer have just one person to protect. You can protect anyone you see in need of help. You will get beautiful wings..."
"But... I still can't be seen by my friends again?"
"That's the best part – you can, if you only want to."
Both dogs' gasped and looked at each other.. The King continued:
"But don't overdo it. You still must not tell too much about this dimension. And one more thing. You, Inutaisho?"
"Yes, my lord?"
"Have you already told Inuyasha about when one gets to know when his or her protege's death happens?"
"No."
"Why not?" Inuyasha almost shouted. The King just waved his hands to calm the situation.
"So", he started. "One and maybe the most important thing of being a true angel: you can and actually Have to prevent your proteges from commiting suicide. You will learn to do it in time."
"That's nice but, eh, you know..." Inuyasha mumbled. "I've already done it."
The both man' eyes widened.
"Son, what did you just say?" Inutaisho asked.
"It was my first day of work and I followed her to school and... She was about to jump in front of a... whatever those moving metal things... in other words, kill herself. I had to do something..."
Again, the men stared at him. Nobody said a word.
"I'm really sorry", Inuyasha stared at the floor. "Are you mad with me?"
"No, no, no!" the King cheered. "See? You could do things only angels can do even though it was your first day in here! This is incredible! You bring great honor to your family, and not them, but all the Aferlife of Japan!"
'Just Japan?' Inuyasha wondered in his head.
So, after a few shakes of hands, the father and the son left the King's hall. The King had told Inuyasha how to use his wings – he only needed to 'call them out', and there they were – beautiful, big, white and silky feather wings.
Now they were on their way to their family room. Inuyasha had a question:
"Dad..." he said. "The King said I bring honor to the Afterlife of Japan."
"True. And?"
"Why just Japan? How about, ehh... Well, all other countries of world?"
"It's the cultures. For example, American souls would feel better spending their afterlife in the ways if their culture. We live in other dimensions"
"Why haven't you told me about this?"
"Well, I thought I'd tell you once you get to know better and such..."
"Haha, and now I'm, like, the strongest angel of all Afterlife! How about that?" Inuyasha grinned. His father chuckled and rubbed his son's hair.
They got to their family room. But it was empty – Izayoi must still be doing the painting. Or...
"What about some lunch?" Inutaisho suggested. Inuyasha looked at him in the eyes and nodded with a smile.
Again, they walked the corridor... When three young, about Inuyasha's aged kids ran to them.
"Whoa! Inuyasha!" one of them shouted. Inuyasha twitched his ears – who was this guy?
"Hi?"
"It's so cool to be your friend!" another said. Inuyasha seemed just more confused.
"Ehh... What's going on?!"
"The word is out! Everyone knows what the King has just told you!"
"Yeeaa! I have never seen an angel of your level before!"
"So, can you please be our friend?"
"...Sure?" Inuyasha said, tilting his head. And so they got on their way again.
They got to the dining hall's door. Inutaisho knocked thrice, and they heared these words from behind the door.
"Shush! It's them..."
Inutaisho looked at his son, with a small grin... They stepped in...
"Congratulations, Inuyasha!" the whole hall shouted together. There were countless of people, all kinds. They clapped their hands and whistled as Inuyasha walked through the multitude, looking from side to side. He was maybe a bit uneasy. He had never been in a situation like this before. But then he saw his mother sitting at the edge of the hall... He ran to her, knelt down and hugged her.
"Hi, Honey!" Izayoi smiled and stroked his son's hair. The boy tightened his hug. "I am so proud of you. I knew you were a strong soul, but that you become a true angel in this short perioid of time... You trurly bring honor to us all."
Inuyasha nuzzled against his mother stomach. Soon, his father came with three porcelain cups.
"As today is your day, son, we're all eating ramen for lunch!"
Inuyasha took a cup and chopsticks, starting to eat, with both of his parents sitting beside him. He was feelig so good – like everything was perfect.
After most of people had finished their meals, a prom was helt. People circled around in the middle of the hall, and the ones who didn't dance, clapped their hands. Inuyasha was sitting togerther in a corner, when suddenly Zaki appeared to them.
"Yo, Inu! Congrats! Well, what are you waitin' for? Get here right now and dance!"
Inuyasha didn't say anything, but his father smiled and pet his back:
"Go on, go on", he nodded. Inuyasha still hesitated for a while, but finally sighed, grinned and got up, following Zaki in the middle of the dancing people.
"Now, Inu, show us your wings!" he said. Everyone started clapping their hands and somebody called Inuyasha's name. Finally the boy grinned, and just one take of breath, and those corgeous wings spread out from his back.
"Hooo-raayy!" everyone shouted.
After the lunch and prom it was Inuyasha's time to get back to the world of the living. He felt a bit nervous, although he had used his saving-powers once before.
He hopped down through the portal and found himself, as always, from the huge tree in the middle of the Higurashi shrine. He was currently in his invisible mode.
Well, Inuyasha was just about to go and see Kagome. The last time he saw her was, after all, within a tragedy – when she had seen him die for the second time.
But what? Inuyasha sniffed around, but couldn't catch Kagome's scent. Then he saw her mother coming out from the house. She looked a bit sad, and was in a hurry. She started the car and drove away. Inuyasha followed her, sitting down on the car's roof. He was very surprised seeing the centrum of Tokyo. So much people, insanely huge buildings Inuyasha had never seen before.
Then finally Mrs. Higurashi stopped her car to a parking lot. This was childrens psychiatric hospital. As Mrs. Higurashi rushed in, Inuyasha was following her from above.
She sat on a bench in a waiting room. Inuyasha sat right beside her and sighed. What is this? He had clearly missed something now. Oh shit! Before this he had overdone things, and now when he finally Should overdo things, he misses his work.
It took a long while, until finally somebody, a doctor, called from behind a door:
"Higurashi!"
So she got up and walked to the doctor. They shook hands and closed the door. Inuyasha got up and flew through the door – and there she was! Kagome! But... She seemed so sad. Inuyasha had never seen her that heart-broken.
Mrs. Higurashi sat down next to her daughter. The girl broke to tears and hugged her mother. The woman rocked gently and stroke her hair. Inuyasha was sitting on the examining table in his dog pose. He saw the girl's left arm was bandaged.
"Kagome does not need inpatient care, but she does need two weeks rest now. She can study at home, but if you, Kagome, feel like you can't do it, just stop. And if you, Mrs. Higurashi, see her cutting her arm more, come back here. Cuts this small are not already dangerous, but sometimes patients go very deep, even all the way to the bone, which can cause bad infections – and that can cause blood poisoning, and that can lead to death."
Mrs. Higurashi seemed horrified. She never stopped stroking her daughter's hair. Kagome just stared at floor... until she turned her eyes as the examining table... And saw Inuyasha. Her eyes widened, but after she blinked a few times, he was gone.
"We will start giving you medication for depression", the doctor said, but Kagome didn't really listen. Was she losing her mind, seeing dead people?
"Now, darling, what would you like to do? Go rent a movie? Order pizza?" Mrs. Higurashi asked while they were driving towards their home. Kagome didn't really want to do anything, but wanted to make her mom happy, and said:
"Pizza would be nice..."