A/N: Disclaimer: Me no own Inuyasha or friends. But me likes Inuyasha lots. glomps Inu Ahem. Sorry about that…I just felt like messing with proper English for once :P Onto the story!
Chapter 6:
The next morning, Inuyasha bounded out of bed and was downstairs to find his parents lounging over the morning newspaper and fresh-brewed coffee. Both still with bed heads and in their sleep-ware, they greeted their son with a cheerful, yet sleep "good morning".
"How is your wrist feeling today, sweetie," Inuyasha's mom inquired, as she stood up to get a bowl down for him, the milk, and his cereal box. She set them at the table as Inuyasha energetically hopped in his seat and made himself breakfast.
"It's okay," he said after a moment of contemplation while spooning a mouthful of cereal. He ate quickly and efficiently, and then bounded right back up the stairs to finish getting ready. He brushed his teeth and hair and with the help of his mom, so as not to bump his arm, got dressed. He found it a bit difficult and became very impatient, but eventually the two of them managed to have him full dressed and ready to go.
Sesshomaru finally showed up, looking tired, complete with the sallow, early morning look and bags under his eyes. Inuyasha was watching Blues Clues in the living room, and his parents were finally dressed and ready for the day as well. Sesshomaru had come back later that night after his date and hanging out with his friends. Once again, he hadn't bothered to call, and so was punished with no allowance for a week. That, of course, put in him in quite the foul mood, and he stiffly controlled his bubbling anger as he made himself breakfast, and then retreated to the den.
A couple hours passed, and Inuyasha wondered why Kikyo hadn't shown up yet. He asked if his parents could call Kikyo's grandma, but just as Izayoi reached for the phone it rang. She picked it up, and coincidentally, it was Kikyo's grandmother on the phone.
"Is something wrong?" Izayoi asked, concerned, as the woman on the other line sounded a bit distressed with her greeting.
"Kikyo hasn't left her room since last night. At first, I thought it was because of the incident yesterday, but then she told me she lost her stone at the beach. The one she wanted to show Inuyasha," Kikyo's grandma began.
"Oh…well, I know Inuyasha was looking forward to seeing her today. I bet if she came over, it would cheer her up," Izayoi suggested.
"I don't think so. You see, this stone was very important to Kikyo. It was a gift from her mother before she died. Her parents' apartment caught on fire about a year ago. I had Kikyo at the time, but both of them died," Kikyo's grandma explained.
"Oh my…that's terrible. I'm so sorry…what if I bring Inuyasha over. Maybe he can cheer her up," Izayoi suggested kindly.
"Let me see," her grandma said. "Kikyo, would you like Inuyasha to come over?"
"No!" came Kikyo's voice, in an upset and childish tone.
"I see…well, I guess the only thing to do is to try again later," Izayoi said, knowing Inuyasha would be disappointed and herself, worried about Kikyo.
"Yes. I think that's all we can do," Kikyo's grandma agreed. They both hung up, and Izayoi knelt in front of her son, who was looking confused and a bit upset having only heard his mother's side of the conversation.
"What's wrong with Kikyo?" he asked, holding onto his mom.
"The stone she was talking about the other day…it seems she lost it at the beach, and now doesn't want to come out, because she so upset. I don't think she's coming to play today," his mother explained to him, trying to break it to him gently.
"Oh...then I want to go the beach and find her stone," he said, suddenly getting the idea. Inuyasha's mom hesitated, not quite sure how to respond to that one. Sesshomaru had come back to the kitchen and was putting his dishes in the sink.
"You're not going to find the stone if it's at the beach," he practically sneered. "It's a big beach, a small stone, the chances are slim, and it's probably been washed away, stolen, or buried by now," he finished. Inuyasha's eyes welled up with tears.
"Shesshomaru! That's enough," his father reprimanded him loudly, keeping his voice controlled. "I think that's two weeks instead of one of no allowance, just for that," he said finally. Sesshomaru let out a frustrated scream, then stormed up to his room and slammed the door. Inuyasha stared at his shoes, and bit his lip. His mother placed a hand on each shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Inuyasha, but Sesshomaru's probably right. It would be-" she began, but Inuyasha pulled away from her and clenched his fists.
"No! I want to go and find it!" he shouted defiantly. Inuyasha's mother sighed.
"All right, then. We'll go look for a little bit. But the clouds are coming in. We can't stay there long," she told him. Inuyasha, filled with the new resolution to find Kikyo's precious stone, went with his mom and they drove to the beach. It was a fair distance, but finally they arrived.
As Inuyasha jumped out of the car, the wind was already picking up speed, and the sky was beginning to darken with foreboding clouds. Inuyasha went up and down the beach, picking through the sand, getting more frustrated by the second. He was searching for anything that might resemble a pretty stone, knowing it wouldn't be anything of the ordinary. He continued his search for an hour or so, his mother walking along the beach, helping him.
"Come on, Inuyasha. I'm afraid we'd better go," Izayoi said.
"No! I haven't found it yet!" he pleaded, seeming to sift through the sand even faster, though the fact that it was in vain was beginning to sink in. There was almost no one left on the beach.
Suddenly, the raindrops began to fall and the sky was even darker. The wind too, had picked up speed. A clap of thunder resonated in the air and a flash of lightening spelled leaving time. They had no choice.
"Inuyasha, we have to go. A man came to me and said the beach is being evacuated because of the storm. I'm sorry, but it's time to go. We can come back another time and look," she said, turning away. The wind whipped around Inuyasha blowing his hair and sand into his face. He finally stopped searching. Hanging his head, he could feel the tears emerge again as he slowly followed his mother's retreating figure.
Then…he saw something half-buried in the sand. A raindrop fell on it and splashed, cleaning away a few grains of sand. Inuyasha reached for it, daring to believe it was what he was looking for, as his spirits shot up. This had to be it. Somehow, he just knew it was. The stone was a pearly-pink, and was about as big as the large marble from his marble collection at home. Holding it tightly in both hands, he ran with newfound energy to catch up with his mother and tell her the good news.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
When they arrived home, Inuyasha's mom called Kikyo's grandma to tell them. Within twenty minutes, they arrived and Kikyo was happier than Inuyasha had ever seen her. She held the stone close to her chest and Inuyasha, just as close, careful of course not to bump his arm. Then Kikyo's grandma, relieved to see her granddaughter happy again, left.
"My mommy gave it to me," Kikyo explained. "Mommy said it would protect me too, but I have your ring now. So, I want you to have it. I want the stone to protect you now," she said placing the stone in his hands. It was a gift from her mommy, so it was very special to her. This was one of the best presents he had gotten and knew he'd cherish it forever.
"Since it's storming outside, we can't go the park. But how about I get you both some lunch and then I put on a movie?" Izayoi suggested. Both were in such good spirits already, that they instantly agreed. Izayoi fixed them peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, set out a bowl of goldfish and poured them each cranberry juice. When they finished that, she set them up in the living room, and had Inuyasha pick out a movie. He chose the Fox and the Hound.
"Oh, that's a good one," Izayoi commented. "Have you seen it Kikyo?" Kikyo shook her head.
"It's my favorite one," Inuyasha told her with a great big smile. Izayoi made some popcorn and brought in a blanket for the two, and Inuyasha and Kikyo quite enjoyed themselves as they viewed the movie. Kikyo laughed at the funny parts, even got all teary-eyed at the sad ones, and Inuyasha did the same.
After the movie, it appeared the sky was beginning to clear up. Inuyasha and Kikyo sat there, simply enjoying each other's company. Kikyo started humming the tune from the movie.
"Sing it," Inuyasha asked. Kikyo looked surprised at his request.
"Um…ok," she consented quietly.
"Good-bye may seem forever
Farewell, is like the end
But in my heart's a memory
And there you'll always be…" Her voice was clear, but quiet, and Inuyasha couldn't help but think how cute she was when she sang. He grinned at Kikyo, then laughed.
"I liked that," he said, placing his hands in his lap. Kikyo smiled, happy he approved. Silence fell between them.
"Oh! I'm having a birthday party tomorrow. Can you come?" he asked, sitting up, suddenly remembering. He hoped she would.
"Yeah!" Kikyo said with a grin. "Oh…but I can't play the next day. My class is gonna go to the aquarium!"
"Okay," Inuyasha said, a bit disappointed. "Promise you'll come back the day after?" Kikyo nodded and smiled.
"Yeah! I promise. And I'll come play the day after that, and the day after that, and all the days after that!" she decided, raising her arms in the air, to show just how many days. Inuyasha brightened up and leaned back into the couch.
"We're gonna be friends forever aren't we?" Inuyasha asked. Kikyo nodded again, feeling just as happy.
"Mm-hmm!" she agreed.
"Are you done watching the movie?" Izayoi said as she came through the front door from some light grocery shopping, pleased to seem them both in fine spirit.
"Yeah! And Kikyo's coming to my birthday party tomorrow!" Inuyasha said, quite elated.
"Good!" Izayoi said, putting away her grocery items.
"Well, Kikyo. I think I'd better call your grandma. She wanted you home early so you could get ready for tomorrow," Izayoi told her.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Later that night, when Izayoi was tucking Inuyasha in to bed, he told her their theory.
"Best friends forever, huh? Sounds good to me," she said with a laugh. Then she kissed her son on the forehead. Inuyasha snuggled in, tired from the day, but also looking forward to his party tomorrow.
A/N: Okay. Disclaimer again: The lyrics belong to the writers of the Fox and the Hound. Don't sue me for God's sake. Okay…gonna try and get one more chapter in at least before I leave, as there are still a few more things to happen yet. Thanks for reading and your support!
