"Kagome! Get down here this instant!" Kaede screeched.
Little ten year old Kagome sighed. She stood up gracefully from her toys that littered her play room floor and brushed her skirt with her hands, straightened her hair, and turned her bracelet around the right way, trying to prolong the inevitable.
"KAAGGGOOOMMEEE!" Kaede yelled again. Kagome rolled her eyes and said quietly, "Coming you overgrown snot blob." Kagome quickly ran down the stairs of her mansion, down to the dining room, which was three stories below her play room.
Kagome was the princess of Japan. She was the apple of her parent's eyes. She had silky black hair down to her shoulders, although it was almost always tied up with a ribbon. Her chocolate brown eyes were full of kindness and honesty, and they showed no sign of spoilage. She was delicate for her age, and she was cherished by the whole country. No child like her deserved to experience what was about to happen.
"Yes, Kaede?" Kagome said, trying to act innocent.
Kaede had to smile at the child. Although she was almost always up to mischief, she was a sweet girl.
Kaede was the head maid for the Higurashi Mansion, although she was more like a grandmother to Kagome than a maid. Kaede was 82 years old, but she still had a ton of energy within her. She was always yelling or shouting orders to the other maids of the mansion, and if she wasn't doing that, she was with Kagome, pampering her or helping her in some way.
"Kagome," she started, "today, you get to go outside the mansion and go shopping with your mom and dad! How does that sound?"
Kagome yelped and shouted with joy while jumping around the room. Her parents always kept her inside, so no one from the outside could harm her. Kaede giggled, which was odd for a lady her age, at the sight in front of her. Kagome had started a little dance, shaking her hips and bouncing up and down at the same time. Then suddenly, she stopped in mid-bounce.
"Wait." she said, sounding sad and disappointed. "There has to be a catch. What is it?"
Kaede groaned. Ah, yes. The catch. She had completely forgotten.
"Well… you have to be with your parents at all times, no straying whatsoever. You also have to be in disguise, wearing sunglasses, a jacket, pants, and a scarf. You won't stick out that badly, considering the fact that it is winter. But you can't take any of those items off, no matter what."
Now it was Kagome's turn to groan. "Are you serious?"
Kaede nodded, her eyes saying 'Disagree and you are grounded.' Kagome straightened up at the look she was receiving and smiled, realizing that she really was going outside the mansion.
"YES!" she shouted.
"Mom, look at that bear! He looks so cute, just like daddy, except that the bear is pink!"
Queen Higurashi chuckled and glanced at her husband. He smiled and blushed; the bear was furry and slightly fat.
Not that King Higurashi was fat, really. More like pudgy. He was a man well into his thirty's, and he had the look of a man who got respect when he needed it. He wasn't mean at all, except to the people who came before him, begging for forgiveness for murdering someone. Or something slightly less. But that was it.
Queen Higurashi, or Joy Higurashi (I made up her name), as she made everyone call her, was a timid woman, although she helped rule Japan with her husband. She was a pretty woman, and townspeople called her 'Joyful' Higurashi. She always had a smile on her face, unless her daughter or husband were in trouble. Then the guns came out. No, not real guns, no worries, but her guns of power. She made sure that day and night, her family was in good health and happiness.
"Do you want it, sweetie? We could get it for you, if you like." Joy said, beaming at the look on her daughter's face.
"Oh, that would be so cool! I could add that bear to my collection. And I could name him after daddy! Yeah!" Kagome said, clapping her hands and jumping up and down.
King Higurashi fake sighed, and Queen Higurashi patted her husband on the back while smiling.
"OH! Mommy! Could we go on that ride?" Kagome squealed and pointed to a roller coaster.
Joy's face changed into a look of concern. The ride looked dangerous, and they might blow their cover if their sunglasses or scarves blew off. Joy turned back to her daughter and sighed. The look on Kagome's face was pleading.
'Aw, what the heck? She never gets outside anyways. What could one ride hurt?'
She nodded and Kagome jumped and ran to the line. Joy tugged on King Higurashi's sleeve, urging him to get in line, too. He rolled his eyes, but reluctantly joined Kagome in line.
"Just two more people, mommy! Look!" Kagome said, not letting her excitement dwindle.
Finally, they were on the ride. Queen Higurashi tried to tighten her scarf and sunglasses, but it was hard, so she gave up. Kagome sat in-between her parents, smiling like a maniac.
"Okay, passengers, get ready to have some fun! Please buckle your seatbelts and hold on tight, 'cause this is going to be bumpy!" the announcer said over the intercom.
Suddenly, the roller coaster lurched forward, and Kagome started screaming.
"WWWWWWWWWEEEEEEE!" she screeched at the top of her lungs. Her father flinched and held his hands over his ears. Queen Higurashi smiled and whispered to Kagome to calm down.
Then they reached the top. A huge gust of wind gushed forth towards the Higurashi family, and all of their sunglasses and scarves were blown off. The King and Queen gasped, but Kagome enjoyed herself the entire ride, not noticing that she wasn't wearing the articles of clothing anymore.
When the ride ended, the family was bombarded with people. Paparazzi, news people, and kids who wanted an autograph. Somehow, the whole park had suddenly found out that the royal commanders of the country were in the theme park.
Kagome started to get uncomfortable from the cameras and people, not used to this attention. She wriggled out of her mother's grasp and ran to the nearest bathroom.
"Kagome! No!" her mother yelled. Joy ran after her daughter, not wanting to lose her.
Sadly, Kagome would lose her mother.
All of a sudden, three gun shots ran out, and Queen Joy Higurashi lay, bleeding, on the floor of the theme park.
Kagome whipped around at the sound of the gun, and saw her mother on the ground. She gasped and ran to her, screaming, "Call 911! Please! Some one help!"
She reached her mother and broke down in tears. Her father ran up behind her and his eyes widened to the size of elephants.
"No." he whispered.
Joy coughed up blood, but managed to get out a few words. "John, I'm not- going to make it through- I just want to- say- I love you. Remarry- be happy." Then she turned painfully to Kagome, who was sobbing, and said, "Kagome, take- my necklace- it'll remind- you of me. Be strong- my darling." And then the beloved queen of Japan died.
Kagome opened her eyes, although they were clouded with tears. She clutched her mother's jacket, not ever wanting to let go. Kagome glanced at her mother's neck and saw the necklace. On the end of a gold chain, a black symbol hung, the center of it swirled with gold. Kagome sobbed one more time, then turned around to her father and they held each other while the paramedics and police officers crowded around them.