11 – Unwell?
Inuyasha had just returned from the land of the living. He appeared at 'the place' where he nowadays usually did the transition – the roots of a huge tree in the middle of the forest. He got on his wings and flew all the way through the forest, slowly. He landed at the main door of the castle and folded his wings, making them disappear. He was so tired – could spirits become tired?
Inuyasha slouched through the corridors. There were much less people around, since it was something like 2 AM. Of course, proteges need protection at night too, but maybe not 24/7, and, quite obviously, people got in trouble much more rarely at night. But Inuyasha had his new ability to feel when Kagome of some other of his friends were in dead need of help, he could sense it. This meant he could have maybe a bit more free time... But what about being there for Kagome as a visible angel?
Finally Inuyasha got to his family's room. Both parents were there. There were two beds made on floor. Only two?
"Son! We thought you aren't coming at all!" Inutaisho shouted out, not angry at all, but more like relieved. "I'll make a bed for you right away!"
Inuyasha wobbled to his mother and crashed down right next to her, sighing.
"You've been gone all day", she said. "I understand you just wish well to your friends, but you must not overdo it. You look so tired..."
"But I didn't know spirits can get tired..."
"Yes we can", Inutaisho said as he pulled a futon-mattress from the wardrobe. "But only when we get extremely exhausted. And seeing you this tired tellls me that you really have to slow down with protecting. But I'd say don't cut on the main protecting in your real, invisible form, but cut the hanging around as a visible angel. It is very tiring. You're using up all your spiritual powers."
"But it's so hard watching over her walk the streets depressed..." Inuyasha mumbled as his father pet the bed he had just made in front of Inuyasha and Izayoi. "I want to be there for her. To hold her hand, to hug her..."
"Don't worry, of course you can spend some time with your friends in your visible form, but as me and your mother said – don't overdo it."
Inuyasha laid down on his bed on his side and watched his parents lie down. Izayoi was in between the men, and reached her hand towards Inuyasha. She stroked his cheek and ear. Inuyasha smiled a bit and closed his eyes with a sigh.
And so the sun rose again in the Japan's Afterlife the next morning. Inuyasha was the last one of his family to wake up. As he sat up his mother looked at him, looking a bit worried. Inuyasha sighed, looking terrible.
"Oh honey..." she said quietly. "How are you feeling?"
"Now that you mention", Inuyasha mumbled, scratching his ear, "like shit. Am I sick?"
"Kind of", said Inutaisho, standing at the room's doorway, clearly about to leave.
"I didn't know spirits can get sick... How the heck is it even possible?!" the boy barked.
"Well, the word 'sick' is misleading, but there is this one way for a spirit to feel down, like living beings get sick. This happens only when you do something you did yesterday – working too much as a visible angel. I told you not to do it..." Inutaisho sighed. And so did Inuyasha. The boy crashed on his matress on his back, closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"But I guess I still have to get to work today..."
"Of course you don't have to", Inutaisho said. "But I thought you would like to?"
"Yea... Just a few minutes..."
The 'few minutes' turned into an hour. And when he finally woke up again, he sat up like he had s spasm and looked around – the room was empty. Both his parents were gone. And he was feeling beat up. But he had to go. He stretched and yawned, rubbing his back of the head. He made his way through the corridors of the castle, arriving at the verandah. He took a deep breath of the refreshing air, but crashed on his butt. When suddenly...
"Hey, Inu!"
Who was it? Inuyasha turned around...
"Oh it's you..." he said, quiet. "Zaki."
The dragon boy jogged to him and sat down. He raised his eyebrow, examining his friend with his eyes.
"Man, you look like you were ran over by a boulder!"
"Thanks", Inuyasha snorted. "But I guess I deserve it. I broke the rules again – kinda."
"Right..." Zaki sighed. "I have been dead for the King knows how long but you're the first spirit to get in this much trouble in such a short time... So I guess what you did this time was to be too much in your visible mode, mh?"
"Yeah. I got so too excited about it – being able to talk to them, make them smile..."
"I might sound really harsh, but you simply can't carry on doing that. I guess you have been told this already but you Can..."
"Yea, Can do it sometimes. Yea, I know."
"But! Now I guess we both must be going. Or are you feeling strong enough?"
Inuyasha nodded and got up. The boys walked to the woods together, but separated, as they both used different transition portals nowadays. Inuyasha sat on the roots of the giant tree, touched them, and sighed. And in a flash of light, he was there – at the Higurashi yard.
The boy jumped down from the roots. He got on all fours, trying to get his wing out of his back. He could do it, but it was harder than before. He got on his wings and flew towards Kagome's room's window – it was open. Kagome was clearly hopeful Inuyasha would come and be with her always – at least almost. Inuyasha peeked in - and saw something he really shouldn't. Kagome was almost naked. Thank God she had her panties on – but not her bra. Inuyasha blushed harshly and turned away... while something in his mind said he'd like to see this.
After a short while Inuyasha carefully turned around, and saw the girl fully dressed in her school uniform. She was brushing hair. Inuyasha sat on her bed. He could see the girl was feeling quite well. But then she walked to her window, leaned against it and shouted out:
"Inuyaashaa!"
The boy's ears went drooping. He would have loved to turn into his material form, just for a few minutes – but he simply couldn't. He was too weak.
Kagome stood at the window for a while, finally sighing, and closing it. She turned around.
"Are you here, Inuyasha?" she asked, standing in the middle of the room, looking around. Inuyasha got up and walked to her, placing his hand on her shoulder. She didn't even flinch. For a while she just stood still, but finally took her school bag and walked out. Inuyasha stood still, just watching her close the door, disappearing. He followed her, walking through the door.
"Mama, I'm off to school!" the girl shouted as she put her shoes on.
"Have a nice day, darling!"
Like usually nowadays, Kagome walked to school together with her little brother Souta, hand in hand. He had been very cheerful after seeing Inuyasha last evening.
"Will Inuyasha come back today?" he asked with an innocent smile on his face. Kagome didn't smile. And after Souta saw that, he sighed.
"Where is he, sis?"
"I wish I knew..."
Inuyasha followed Kagome at school. He watched her write all those beautiful marks – which Inuyasha couldn't read or write, since he had never been to school. Kagome was getting clearly like her own self. Maybe a bit quiet, but nothing like a week ago.
Now it was the lunch break of the school. Kagome sat at a table with her three friends – Inuyasha sitting on an empty chair next to Kagome.
The girls chattered and laughed at their stupid teen-girl jokes, as Kagome pushed around the potato around the plate with her fork, all quiet. And her friends noticed that.
"Are you really sure you are all right?" Yuka asked with a sad face. Kagome stared at her for a while, then sighed.
"Yea..."
"You were in the youth psych polyclinic..." Ayumi mumbled. "Everyone knows that. We all have been wo worried!"
"It's not such a big deal", Kagome said and ate a piece of her potato. She swallowed it and continued: "Do you remember the girl last year? She who got down with anorexia? She who just one day didn't come to school?"
"Yes, she died..."
"She was even in a youth ward..."
"So. There's nothing to worry about me", Kagome nodded.
It was 3 PM, and Kagome's school day was about to end. She did walk to school with Souta, but as he was just on third grade, his school days ended a lot earlier. She walked alone back home.
"You know, Inuyasha..." Kagome mumbled as she walked the way towards home. Inuyasha was floating behind her back, flinching at those words. Could she sense him?
"I hope you can see me. I can't tell are you there or not... But I wish you are." She sighed, got back on her way... but stopped after a few steps. "I miss you."
She got home. Her brother sat on living room's sofa, playing PlayStation. The little boy greeted his sister with a smile, Kagome waving at him, walking to the kitchen. It was empty.
"Souta!" she shouted. "Where's mama?"
"At the grocery store", he answered, concentrating the game.
The girl made herself a sandwich and went to her room. She sat on her chair and put down some of her school books on the table, getting ready for her studies.
Inuyasha was slacking on the girl's bed, when he decided to give it all he got – and turned visible. Kagome felt the feeling that you get when there's someone behind you, turned around with the sandwich in her mouth. Inuyasha, got up from the bed and walked slowly to her. The girl chewed the sandwich so it fell on the floor.
"Hi", Inuyasha smiled a bit.
"Y-you..." Kagome stammered. "Where have you been? I've been so lonely! So worried!"
"You don't have to worry about me ever again. I am dead. An angel. I can't be harmed."
"Why haven't you been with me?" Kagome asked, grabbing the boy's hand, dragging him against her, hugging him.
"Sorry, can't answer that", Inuyasha sighed. "But don't worry, I'm still always – well, almost – there. Though most of the time you can't see me, I am there."
Inuyasha spent only about an hour in his visible form. That was all he could do. He sat on Kagome's bed beside her, both leaning their heads against their shoulders. During that hour, only a few words were told. Until finally...
"I have to get going now", Inuyasha said.
"What? Now? Why?" the girl asked.
"Taking care of you this much is getting laborious", he said and hopped off the bed. "I have to get some rest. But don't worry, I'll be back!"
Inuyasha slowly walked to the window, climbed on it, but...
"Inuyasha, wait!"
The boy looked over his shoulder, and saw Kagome. She hugged him, and gave a kiss on his cheek. He blushed a bit a felt the cheek.
"Better come back!" she winked. "You promised!"
Inuyasha grinned.
Thank you for just that one review I got today. It gave me inspiration. So! More of 'em!