When Urufu came down, she saw Hane fixing the buttons on his white coat. When he noticed her, he paused his actions to wish her a good morning, which the girl responded to.
" You're a little bit early today, huh? " she said, stifling a yawn. She put the bag she clutched down, letting it lean on the stairs.
" Yeah, I've heard that many of the village's people had their livestock injured or killed. Some of them even got two holes in their necks or simply died of nothing at all. There's no doubt that this is Akuma's work, " he said in a slightly concerned tone. Hane was a veterinarian. The reason why he chose that job was because he had healed many animals during the days where he lived in solitary among a forest.
" Also, not only that has happened, but it looks like one of Akuma's Bakeneko minions had possessed an old man when Rida was roaming. " Hane froze for a second, then sighed.
" I wonder how many days or weeks would it take Hitaro's snowy owl to deliver a pack of cat repellent charms along with some snake banishing charms. "
" That wasn't the only thing I was to tell you about. One of my classmate, the boy who followed me home is not a human being. Both Rida and him fought last night. "
" Huh...perhaps he could be an ally...but I have big doubts about that. Anyway, the sandwich's already on the table. "

While Hane went to the vet's by his usual grey car, Urufu went to school on foot like usual. But she went to school with the determination of apologizing to Gopal. Each step she took became faster, until she was running with the speed of an athlete.
" HEEEEYYYYY! NEW KIIIIIIIIIDDDD! " shouted a voice that belonged to an old man. In all of a sudden, she stopped in her tracks, then turned her head towards the direction of the sound. It came from the pleasant-looking shop last night: Tok Aba's Kopitiam. Much to her surprise, she saw Ying, Yaya, Fang, Gopal and Boboiboy there. Only the old man and a yellow robot waved at her, the others weren't impolite, they were just a little frightened at her. Except for Fang, who developed some rivalry.
" GET OVER HEEEEEEERRRREEEEE! " In order not to be rude, she walked to the shop.

" So, new kid, or Urufu, " said Tok Aba while making a cup of hot chocolate. " I heard you're from Japan. Tell me, what's it like living there? "
" Well, I live in a village, so you could say that there' nothing out of the ordinary there, except that the villagers there are quite superstitious, or perhaps overly superstitious, " she responded while looking at the robot who swept the floor. Then, it noticed her.
" Uh...why are you looking at me? " asked the robot in a shy voice.
" I just...never seen a robot like this before. Not to mention a hovering one. In fact, I've never seen one functioning so smoothly before. " Unexpectedly, her words flattered the bot. He giggled.
" Heheh. Well, thank you! "

" Um...what was I saying about again? " mumbled Boboiboy while scratching his chin. " Ah, yes. That mysterious white wolf girl I saw last night. " Urufu's breathing hitched, but she quickly faked a cough. " She had like this type of blood-red mist swirling around her and claws on her hairy hands and feet! And they're really hairy! "
" It's not hair, but fur, " said Urufu in a slightly irritated voice. " Fur is much finer than hair. "
" Whatever, lah. Anyway, she's also got this weird, red left eye with black veins! "

" Aiyah, enough of this ' Wolf Girl ' chit-chat, here's your hot chocolate, Urufu, " said Tok Aba while putting a cup of hot chocolate onto the counter.
" I don't remember ordering one. "
" Oh, come on, it's my treat! You're new, after all. " Once she blew the hot steam away, she licked the cream and took a sip. Then, she felt the warm, pleasant flavors rubbing her tongue in an affectionate way, making her remember of a certain memory...

" Mama! Mama! " said a small, black-haired child who ran towards a woman in a pink kimono who cradled a child in her hands. She was sitting under a tree that shielded the sunlight away from her fair skin. " Mama! I found a puppy! Can we take her home? "
" I'm afraid not, my little Koinu, " responded the woman who was the child's mother. She was heavenly beautiful. She had long, obsidian-black bangs that covered her forehead and long, black hair that could be easily mistaken for silk. Koinu meant pup. " The puppy has a family. We shouldn't let her mama or papa worry about her if she gets taken. "
" But mama, Rida-san said that we must take her home! The puppy was crying because the older dogs killed her parents and siblings! " said the child with a sad pout. The mother was shocked at such imagination that a seven year old had.
" Koinu, I think that Rida's wrong. Dogs are strong beings, after all, and would manage fine on her own. But since she's a pup, " her mother paused to transfer some meat from a lunch container to a blue handkerchief. " You should give her some meat. She's probably hungry. "
" Thank you, mama! "
" Oh, and little Koinu. "
" Yes, mama? " The woman took out a flask.
" Drink some soy milk. It took me a lot of time to make it, so it should taste good. " When the child took a sip, she felt the warm, affectionate flavor caressing her tongue while its warmth massaged her throat.
" It tastes good, mama! "

Urufu stared at the drink while she replayed the scared memory, the only good memory she remembered.
" It...tastes...good... " she soundlessly uttered while she stared at the chipped-off whip cream with large eyes.
" Uru...fu? " said a squeaky, girly voice. " Urufu! Hey! Earth to Urufu! " She then blinked herself awake, finding a Ying's hand shaking at her face.
" Y-yes? " Urufu responded, completely clueless of what had happened when she spaced out.
" Why are you crying? " That was when she noticed cool, sticky liquid on her cheeks. " You okay or something? "
" Yeah. I'm okay. "
" Geez. First, you hit me with a table and now you're crying? You're a weirdo, " said Gopal.
" I agree, " said Fang after taking a sip of his hot chocolate.

Weirdo. The one word Urufu hated the most. It was the one that made her sound like an outcast. Like the inhuman monster she is. After that certain incident, children and adults would start calling her a weirdo, a misfortune or even a Yokai. Some would even throw rocks at her. In a fit of anger, she set her cup down with a slam, causing the bottom of it to crack, and yelled with more tears streaming down her face,
" At least you all have parents you love you! Who think that you're their little Koinu! Nobody loved me! Nobody will ever love me! "

She then scooped her bag and ran away with impeccable speed, more tears streaming down her face. Because of Gopal's words, she refused to apologize to him of the incident. Ochobot slapped the back of his head in an angry manner.
" Ouch! Why did you do that?! " he exclaimed, completely bind of his actions.
" Stupid chocolate eating fool! You called her a weirdo! That's what! " yelled Ying while pointing at him.
" And that made her say something about a Koi-what and nobody loving her? She really is a weirdo, " stated Fang in a nonchalant voice.
" Koinu means puppy in Japanese, " said Ochobot. " You've forgotten that I can translate, huh? Plus, judging by her mentality that I scanned while she was yelling, they were incredibly high, so what Gopal said might have triggered a certain emotional back story. "
" What? So the blame's on me?! " exclaimed Gopal in an incredulous voice.
" Hell yeah it is! " yelled Ying in a feisty voice. " Don't you know?! Even she has emotions! "

Urufu cried silently in a tree. Why did her memories had to be so devastating? Rida did her best to coo her in the most affectionate, motherly way possible, but that did little effect.
Uru...don't be sad. Hane and I love you, cooed Rida. She wanted to hug and wipe the child's tears away, but she didn't have a physical form.
I know, but there's still a hole I cannot fill, a hole left by my parents, she responded depressingly. Rida didn't know what to say anymore.