Cujo
(Hourfic challenge fic)
By Maria Szabo
X belongs to CLAMP, their
publishers and distributors. This is a
work of fanfiction and no profit is being made from it.
Yuzuriha never quite understood why no one liked her dog. For years, of course, it didn't matter
whether anyone liked Inuki or not—no one could see him except her and her
spiritually-gifted grandmother. But
now, she had lots of friends, her fellow Seals, who could see Inuki. And not one of them seemed to like him very
much.
She couldn't see why.
Inuki was a very good dog.
Obedient, helpful and friendly…you couldn't ask for a better pet. Yet every time he got close to one of the
other Seals, you could see their eyes widen, just a bit, in fear and their
bodies tense. If they weren't her good
friends, she would be very irritated.
Poor Inuki's feelings were probably getting hurt.
"You don't mind, do you, boy?" she ask, stroking his soft fur,
"I mean, at least they can see you, right?"
Inuki would wag his tail and lick her face as if to say "I'm
okay. Don't worry about me."
But she still felt bad about it.
"What do you think about him?" she asked Kusanagi one day, as
they sat on a park bench enjoying a couple of choco-mint ice-cream cones. The soldier would meet her on Sundays, when
he wasn't having to work, and he always seemed happy to see Inuki. Not like the others.
"About who?"
"Inuki."
Kusanagi looked down at the inugami and patted his head. "He's a good dog. I've always said that.
Why do you ask?"
"No reason." She murmured, looking down at her feet.
"Missy…did someone say something about him?"
"No. Not exactly."
"You said your friends can see him, right?"
"Yeah, but…they don't seem to like him much. It's like they're scared of him." She took a lick of her ice cream and
sighed. "And I don't know why…"
Kusanagi just looked at her for a moment. "Well…I guess I can see their point."
"What?!"
He ruffled the dog's fur.
"Inugami's are usually very destructive. You have this one very well trained."
"Inuki? Destructive?"
"Hmm."
She just looked at the man for a minute. "But you LIKE him, right?"
"Don't be silly. Of course I do." He smiled and leaned closer to whisper, "Besides, with him
around, I know you'll always be safe."
It was wrong of her to stay out as late as she did that
night. Kusanagi asked if he could walk
her home, but she wasn't ready for the others to see him yet. So she waved goodbye to him at the station,
and she and Inuki continued alone.
At first, she didn't notice the young men following her. There were more important things to think
about, like how pleasantly Kusanagi-san laughed and how his eyes lit up when he
talked about the flowers in the park.
She absently got off at the station nearest the CLAMP Academy campus,
bought a manga book at the station newsstand and cheerfully walked back towards
the school.
"Nice evening, isn't it, Miss?"
The smooth voice startled her out of her reverie. A tough-looking boy was in front of her,
smiling. Four others were with
him. They didn't look like students at
the school.
"Yes!" she replied brightly.
"I have to get back, now."
"What's the rush?" asked the boy, blocking her way. "My friends and I were thinking it might be
fun to have a little…date."
Inuki bristled.
Yuzuriha placed a restraining hand on him.
"No, that's okay. I
already have a boyfriend."
The young men looked at each other and snickered.
"I'm sure he wouldn't mind sharing." Said the first boy. He had a crooked smile and smelt of liquor
and tobacco. He reached out and grabbed
her arm. "The more, the merrier, eh,
fellas?"
Hands were coming from every side, restraining her. "No!" she screamed as they forced her to the
ground.
A slap rang across her face.
"Shut up. Keisuke, Hiro, hold
her down…"
That's when she knew what they had in mind. "Inuki!"
She didn't remember much of what happened next. Light, fury, and a lot of snarling and
tearing. The screams didn't last too
long, although one boy was still moaning when she picked herself off the
ground. Yuzuriha gingerly picked her
way towards him, trying not to get any of the blood on her shoes.
He was in a bad way, missing an arm, a leg, and most of his
intestines. His frightened eyes pleaded
with her. She bit her lip.
"Inuki…." She whispered.
The dog looked at her with his blood-drenched muzzle and whined. "You'd better…"
His jaws snapped down on the wounded boy's throat. He died quickly after that.
"Oh, Inuki." She put
her arms around the dog and held him close.
"You know better…but I can't scold you, really, can I?"
Inuki barked.
"Yes, I know. We'd
better get back." She ruffled his fur
fiercely. "Thank you, puppy. I don't know what I'd do without you."
He wagged his tail.
She smiled down at him. It was
really sad, that the others were scared of him. He really was a very good dog.
Fin
