Chapter Three: Saturday
A week has pasted and it's a Saturday morning. Raven is sleeping on her cherry colored futon, and she's wearing white shorts and a tight tank top that says "Lazy Bum" on the chest in blue letters. It's around 8:30 a.m. and things are quiet around Raven's house, with the exception of peaceful music coming from a black jewelry box that is sitting by Raven's futon. Her bedroom door is open so Ren can have access in and out of her room. Raven is under white covers when the phone rang in the kitchen. She gets up and picks up the phone. Kurama is on the other line.

Raven: Hello? (rubbing her eyes)
Kurama: Hello… Raven?
Raven: This is Raven.
Kurama: It's me, Shuichi.
Raven: Oh, hi Shuichi! What's up?
Kurama: I was wondering if you wanted to go to the library today.
Raven: Why?
Kurama: We need to research our flower, remember?
Raven: Oh… (yawns) that. Okay, I'll go.
Kurama: Did you just wake up, Raven?
Raven: Yeah… but I'm fine. What time is it?
Kurama: It's uh… 8:40.
Raven: Where's the library?
Kurama: Oh, it's just three blocks away from our school.
Raven: Okay. What time do you want to meet?
Kurama: How about 12:00?
Raven: That's fine with me.
Kurama: Great! (pauses) Um, Raven?
Raven: Yes?
Kurama: I have to go because my mother needs to use the phone. I'll see you later, okay?
Raven: All right. (hangs up) Man… I should really stop getting the late shift for work. (looks at her arms) I haven't even told Shuichi about these bandages yet… I'm surprised he didn't notice them. (sweat drop) Well, I do always wear long sleeves… (goes over to the couch and stares at the little sprout in a pot) (thinking) You are so small. I wonder how long it will take for you to grow into a beautiful blossom. You are so TINY!!! (eyes narrow) What's on TV? (turns the TV on)
Anchorman: News have been reported about a group of masked figures killing innocent bystanders. They were reported as burglars who are armed. They were seen around the downtown plaza. We advise that you stay away from this area. Police are trying to find these criminals.
Raven: That doesn't seem so good. Maybe I should change my mind about going to the library… nah! I'm sure they won't go to a library. How silly of me! (turns off TV)
Ren: (stares at Raven with sweat drop) (thinking) Who is she talking to?
Raven: I think I'll go sleep more now. (walks to bed)
Ren: (sweat drop)
Three hours later…
Ren: (goes to Raven's room and nudges her head against Raven's)
Raven: Huh? What is it? (looks at the clock) Oh… no! It's 11:45!!! (gets out of bed and changes) I am going to be late! (gathers her notebooks and writing tools) Sleeping was a bad idea! (struggling to put on her shoe) Bye Ren, see you later!
Raven runs to the library as if her life depended on it. Kurama is just waiting patiently at the library entrance reading a book. Raven was almost there… until she ran into a bulky man with several others. It turns out to be the criminals the news was talking about.

Bulky man: Hey, watch where you're going toots!
Raven: Maybe you should watch where you're going. (different tone) But… it's quite impossible to avoid you with your wideness in body fat.
Bulky man: What was that?!
Thug: You should watch what you're saying, little girl.
Thug#2: Maybe we should teach her a lesson.
Thug#3: We won't go easy.
Raven: (smirk) Your strength is just as powerful as a little tiny cockroach. Humans can be so vain. No matter, I'll let my friends finish you off.
Thug#3: What friends? There's no one here.
Raven: (faces them with an evil smile) My friends from the other side.
Winds start to blow harder. As it did, mysterious shadows arise from the cement. They arose moaning for human sacrifice. It would seem that time around that area stopped. Those criminals never stood a chance. The shadows devoured them, then spit back up to make people think that someone beat them up. Time continued to the place it stopped. The only thing that would be revealed is tremendous demonic spiritual power. Only those who are spiritually aware can sense this power.

Kurama: Huh? (stops reading) That felt like demon spiritual power. It's so powerful… it must belong to an "S" class demon. But how?! The Kakkai Barrier should have stopped any "S" class demon from crossing over unless… no… it can't be.
Raven: (runs over to Kurama) Shuichi!!! breathing hard I'm… sorry… I'm… late.
Kurama: (surprised to see her) Oh… did you sleep in?
Raven: Yup! (nervous laughter)
Kurama: (sweat drop) Well, should we go and research on our flower now?
Raven: (nods) Yeah… we should start now.
Raven and Kurama study for about two hours and a half. The library was very quiet, for it wasn't very crowded on Saturdays. Raven was adding new notes on a piece of paper and Kurama kept reading. Raven was getting quite tired, and Kurama well… he was just fine. They are both sitting by each other.

Kurama: (notices Raven getting tired) Uh… we can stop if you want.
Raven: That would be nice. (nervous laughter and puts her books and pencils down)
Kurama: So… how's your part-time job doing?
Raven: Fair… I make enough money, so I'm happy. (looks out the window to see children playing around at the park with their parents)
Kurama: Raven…?
Raven: (rests her head on her hand) How I envy them…
Kurama: Who do you envy?
Raven: Those children over there… (points over to the park)
Kurama: Why do you envy them so much Raven?
Raven: Because they have something that I don't… family.
Kurama: (just stares)
Raven: I mean, every time I go home… no one is there waiting for me. Ren is there, but that doesn't count. I just wish that someone would ask me, "How was school today" or "Do you need help with homework tonight?" But… no one is there. Only an empty room. (shadow covers eyes) I only ask for a warm welcome when I get home. That's all I am asking. I can't even go to conferences for school or to any family events.
Kurama: Have you been feeling this ever since you moved here?
Raven: Yes… teary eyed I have. It hurts to know that there's no one there to help you out.
Kurama: But… I'm here to help you.
Raven: (starts crying) Shuichi… you are so lucky to have parents. I have to act when I am around a family. I hold back my tears so no one will suspect anything. I have nightmares knowing that I will never feel warmth from my own family tree. I…
Kurama: (interrupts and puts his finger on her lips) Shhh… don't say things like that. A family doesn't have to be someone from your lineage. It can be your friends too.
Raven: But I don't have friends.
Kurama: What are you talking about? (wipes tears off her cheek and cuffs his hands on her face) You have me… that's a start, right?
Raven: (biting lower lip and nods slowly)
Kurama: You shouldn't think that you don't have a family. You can start a different kind of family. I'll even help you make friends.
Raven: (softly speaking) You would actually do that Shuichi?
Kurama: (nods) Yes, I would. I know a lot of people who would be like to be your friend.
Raven: I'm sorry for my emotional weaknesses.
Kurama: Don't be sorry. You're one of those people who need to let things out and I understand that. Now, let's put this subject to the side and get something to eat… my treat.
Raven: You sure about this Shuichi?
Kurama; I'm sure. Come on. When we go get something to eat, we can eat at Midnight Garden.
Raven: Alright. Do we continue our project tomorrow?
Kurama: Don't worry about that.
It's around 2:15 and they go get a bite to eat and head to Midnight Garden. They just get light snacks and just rest on a bench. Raven didn't want her sleeves to be dirty, so she pulled up her sleeves. Kurama then notices the bandages.

Kurama: (opening a snack bar) What happened to your arms?
Raven: (bit a piece of a green apple) These… are just injuries I suffered from curiosity. I stuck my hands into something I wasn't suppose to. I also burn myself while cooking. They're still healing.
Kurama: Does it hurt when you move them? (munching on bar)
Raven: Only a little. (weak laughter) That's not the only thing that's wrong with me. My shoulders are stiff due to work, I can't cook well, and my stomach hurts time to time, so I barely have time to relax. On top of all that, I pass out due to the stress. (stuffs the rest of the apple in her mouth)
Kurama: Sounds like you're very busy, but I might have something that will help with all that stress.
Raven: You're too much, you know that?
Kurama: (smiles while his snack bar is in his mouth)
Raven: I mean it Shuichi… and thank you for making me feel better.

A/N: Like it? It was my little chapter so far. Please... REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!

Next Chapter
Chapter Four: Discoveries Revealed and Meeting the Sarayashiki Punks