-Hurricane Jeanne is on her way out of FL. We just got the electricity back and I am so ecstatic. Yay! I'm bored so I want to write. While I was sleeping, this fiction came to me in a dream. Weird huh. Anyway, this is a mixture of old folk tales and fables mixed in with our favorite Inu characters! Hope you love it!-
-Disclaimer- If I had money I would buy the whole Inuyasha cast and kill off Kagome, Kikyo, and Kagura. Thy name I don't own. sigh-
-I am neutral to the whole who Inuyasha should be with. Really, who cares? Oh, right you all do. Never mind. Just know that I won't bash anyone, alright. This is a J fiction and you all will be nice. Probably not. Oh well. Flames accepted-
Chapter 1A Lump of Coal, Please
Kagome Higurashi, your average teen, sulked in the living room of her home tugging on the green and red afghan. Her brown eyes wandered off toward the framed window that was packed with snow. The clarity of outside was barely visible. You were able to cough inside her home and still see your frosty breath. She wore her yellow and pink wool pajama pants over jeans and a thin layer of pant bottoms.
Tokyo was in its first Ice Age of the season nearing Christmas soon. Not many parents had time to rush out of work and catch the next subway to a toy store. Electronics, Anime, and name brand clothing was all the rage in Japan especially in the winter season. Basically, all the young children wait at his/her Christmas tree for the jolly old man himself to come down the chimney wearing his noticeable red suit and black boots carrying a sack full of goodies and toys. The sadness that swept over this beautiful city was no Christmas for some families. Few expected no presents this year, but the rotten wealthy children were astonished at the news their guardians gave them.
Her attention was brought back to her surroundings. She rolled her eyes as her brother shouted in all glory, "King me!"
"It's just a game, Souta," she told him leaning back on the gray sofa. Her brother received a black checker facing upward showing a crown symbol to place atop the first checker. He shrugged turning to his mother who was in their small kitchen fixing the family hot cocoa. Mrs. Higurashi buttoned her red snow jacket after handing out the hot chocolate and bowls of broth on the pine coffee table.
"Mom, is Dad here yet?" Souta asked innocently looking up to his mother with a puppy face.
She strode to the gray sofa and checked the frosted window. Mrs. Higurashi sadly shook her head. "I'm sorry, dear. The streets are filled with snow. There is no way for your father to get home in a storm like this," she explained.
Souta nodded accepting the fact that his favorite, er, only, father will not be home for every child's favorite holiday. Christmas. "I hope Christmas isn't canceled because of the storm."
"What do you mean canceled? I've waited months since my birthday for tomorrow. I want my mummified eye!" Kagome and Souta's grandfather struggled carrying a dusty brown box from the attic. When he reached the living room, he dumped the box on the floor. It poured out Mrs. Higashi's old dolls, her husband's baseball cards, and other old memorable items. Grandpa held his chest groping for something to hold onto.
Mrs. Higurashi reached for his hand. "Kagome, get some water quickly."
"Why do I have to get it? I always have to! Why can't Souta do it?" she complained stomping off to the kitchen. She grabbed a styro-foam cup a little too forcefully, accidentally crushing it in the process. Kagome grabbed another one carefully not pulverizing it and filled the cup with water. She then snatched a paper towel from the roll and left back to the living room.
The old man sat down on the matching gray love seat taking deep breaths. "I'm fine. I'm fine. Leave me alone for now," he muttered waving off the worried mother.
"Here, Grandpa," Kagome handed him the water.
He sipped the water putting the cup on the coffee table. He wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his coat. "Don't worry about me as if I was one of your baby chicks. I'm fine," he stated again. "No small storm will conquer this man. No siree," he said.
"Uh, Grandpa. It's not a small storm. A blizzard is a dry, cold, violent storm, with high wind and fine driving snow," Souta put down the dictionary blowing on his hot cup of cocoa. He dropped two jumbo marshmallows in and licked his lips savoring the taste,"Mm."
"I wish we had electricity. I want to use AIM and IM Melanie. She still needs to return my Harry Potter book. She had it for nine months already," pouted Kagome wrapping the afghan around herself again.
"Maybe she'll give you a gift with it for having the book that long. As an anniversary present," Souta laughed sticking his tongue out.
"Cool it," Mrs. Higurashi warned rubbing her forehead, "Souta, dear, can you retrieve my inhaler from my nightstand? Thanks."
"Awe, mom," he lazily lifted himself upstairs into his parents bedroom. "I can't find it!" he yelled.
"Look harder!" she responded. Kagome snorted. She began, "Kagome, since you are older and more mature to handle this," she paused for a more dramatic effect, "I will not be able to get you your Converse sneakers for Christmas."
Kagome's eyes bulged, "What?"
"Kagome, I couldn't. Stores were crowded with many other loving parents. Besides, they are too expensive. Souta will not get his gift that he wanted either."
Kagome paced the room angrily invisibly leaving a hole in the floor. "You probably got me Sketchers. I'll be the laughing stock of the school!"
Souta came down. "I couldn't find it, mom. Have you checked your purse?" he questioned.
"Oh, I found it, honey. No need for another search. Souta, why don't you play us a song?" their mother tried.
"Sure," he sat on the piano bench and started to move his fingers along the keys. "All I want for Christmas is a P-S-2. A P-S-2. A P-S-2. All I want for Christmas is a P-S-2. A P-S-2. A P-S-2," he sang.
"Souta, stop. You're not getting your freakin' PS2. I won't even get my Converse because Mom is so cheap and lazy!" Kagome screeched.
"That is enough, Kagome! I will not tolerate your mouth right now. Go to your room and march!" she ordered.
Souta's eyes began to get watery. "What is she talking about, Mom?"
"Sweetie, I-I-"
Souta slammed the piano shut. He ran upstairs.
"See what you did! I wish I was with Dad! Maybe due to your nagging he goes off on these trips of his to get away from you! No I wish you weren't my mother! You ruined Christmas!" Kagome stomped to her bedroom slamming her door hard. Downstairs the walls shook sliding picture frames off the walls.
"It's alright; they'll calm down soon," Grandpa assured her.
"No, I think I've done it now. I failed as a mother," she said softly.
"They're spoiled. They don't know the meaning of losing loved ones even if they look it up in the dictionary. I'll help 'em learn," he said patting Mrs. Higashi's back.
Souta picked at the stuffing in his pillow. He wiped his dry tears and sniffed. "Why do we always have to fight? Dad, where are you?" he asked silently.
Kagome's furious expression could scare anyone out of his/her pants right then. She destroyed her flowered lamp and alarm clock when she entered her bedroom. She glanced at her Pre-Algebra textbook. "I'm not that bored," she murmured stuffing her face in her pillow. "I wish I could get away from here. Anywhere but here." -Thump- Kagome quickly looked up at the ceiling. Souta grabbed his blanket and ran frightened across the hall to his older sister's room. He locked the door and slid down to the floor.
Kagome stood and put her hands on her hips in a scolding tone. "What do you want, runt?"
"I heard something and got scared. Don't leave me, Kagome!" he crawled to her leg and took hold. She tried to kick him away but no avail.
Kagome sighed. "Fine. Do you want me to check it out?" He bit his lip in thought and stood up dusting off his pajamas.
"I'll come with you," he answered taking her hand and dragging her where the sound came from.
"You know it might just be the wind, Souta," she whispered through the hall.
"Then wouldn't mom come up and ask us to come down?" he responded hiding behind his big sister.
"Ex-mom you mean," Kagome corrected. -Thump-Thump- Kagome stopped
"Still think it's the wind, Kagome?" he laughed.
"Shut up and stay close," she commanded.
The attic door creaked whining on its hinges. The window lay open wind blowing throughout the room. Kagome folded her arms. "See just the wind." Souta stood close behind Kagome following her.
"Ahh!" -Thump-He tripped over an old box that flooded out with ancient books. Kagome looked back at her brother.
"Don't make any other messes. Pick it up and put it back in the box," she ordered shutting the window before anymore snow rushed in.
"Hey, Kagome, look at this," he said sitting on his knees his hands buried within the pile.
Each book had its own special quality. One that Souta was holding had a gold and black manuscript and a white cover.
She bent down running her hand on the books. "Freaky," she said. "Come on let's go back down. I'll let you stay in my room, alright."
He nodded. "Okay."
Kagome noticed Souta was awfully quiet. She glanced over at him. "Souta, what are you doing?"
"I couldn't resist, Kagome," he admitted flipping through the golden lined pages. "I think its from the medieval ages or something. We're learning about Japan's history in class. Can you read it?" he asked her.
She took the book. "I don't know. It's really old barely readable."
"Hmm, see all I could read is the title I guess," Souta announced. "Return something."
"It says No Return, Souta. Are you sure this is a book?" she asked.
"Yes, I think."
She shook her head and threw it across the room. "Just go to bed. Christmas is in three days."
"It's not like we're going to get our stuff anyway," he muttered getting under his blankets.
Across the room lay open the No Return. Unbeknownst of what is to happen, Kagome and Souta Higurashi slept soundly floating through time and space. A mist spread over them whispering and calling.
"O' tame little doves, O' turtle doves, and all the birds under heaven, come and help me put the good ones in the pot, the bad ones in your crop."