A new week and a new chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha
Missing!
Eri couldn't help but stare at the five tall trees that stood planted in the courtyard between her friend's house and the shrine. Not quite believing it, she walked under them and knocked her hand on one to ensure herself they were real. "Kagome….?" she turned to her childhood friend and found her staring dejected up at the canopies. "Hey Kagome," she tried softly once more, "have this trees been standing here for long? Because I am very sure they weren't here last time I visited."
Kagome was speechless, what had happened this time! Where the trees originated from was easy to answer, there was a huge gap or clearing in the forest beside the outhouse, as for the question on how they came to stand between her house and the shrine she could also name it; Inu Yasha. The only question was; why?
Kagome's thoughts and Eri's musings where abruptly disturbed by a loud crash from inside the house, followed by some colorful words and a beasts roar. "What was that?" Eri said and looked worryingly at Kagome who didn't seemed to be scared or freaked out by this.
"Eri," a pleadingly Kagome said, "Would you please wait for me here while I walk inside for a moment? I promise I will be right back." Having said that she turned on her heels, marched to her front door, opened it and locked it shut it behind her, then she turned around the lock in case Eri tried to follow.
The hallway was a mess, clothes laid strewn around, and the pictures on the wall tilted dangerously sideways while a thick layer of dust covered pretty much everything.
She walked slowly forwards, looking for any serious damage and grabbed one of her own caps as she passed it. "Inu Yasha." She said with an emotionless voice, "What has happened here and why do we have five trees standing in the middle of the courtyard?"
"Kagome!" Inu Yasha's voice came from the living room, "Thank goodness you are back, this demon tried to attack Kirara…" she turned around the corner and stared inside a disaster zone, "…it tried to swallow her but before I could pull her out she transformed and attacked it." Kagome's eyes wandered from Inu Yasha who was standing in the middle of the room full of dirt and dust, over the broken table and torn carped, across the floor which was littered with the rest of the furniture and stopped on the saber-toothed cat who stood with a very, very dead vacuum cleaner crushed between her jaws.
"And why, if I dare ask, did you two suddenly want to do house work of all things?" Kagome said so emotionless that it was impossible for anyone there to interpret her thoughts about the state of the room.
"Trust me, I didn't want to," Inu Yasha hurried to say, knowing he was dangerously close of being sat, "It was the old geezer who told me to do it."
Kagome stared hard at him, making Inu Yasha swallow, "And he told you to move the trees as well?"
"I was lying on the sofa minding my own business when he came in and pointed out the window, telling me he wanted to plant the trees in the courtyard and clean this room with the demonic device."
Kagome continued staring at him, "Cleaning the living room was his job today, and where is he now?"
Inu Yasha relaxed and let out his breath when he sensed her underlying anger wasn't directed at him anymore, "I don't know, as soon as he told me what to do he left in a hurry."
"Would you two please excuse me for a moment while I make a phone call," Kagome said and picked up the phone from the floor and hit a number. "Do you think you can go outside and keep Eri company, I will be with you in a moment. By the way here is a cap for you to put on," she continued and gave the cap to Inu Yasha as he walked past her. Kirara transformed and jumped on his shoulder. "I locked the door after me, you do remember how to open it?"
"Yes, of course I do," he answered from the hallway.
She needed only to wait a short moment before somebody picked up the phone on the other side;
….."Hello, This is Shinigawa Bridge club. How can I help?"…..
"Hello, my name is Kagome. I would like to give a message to my grandfather, Mr. Higurashi if you can deliver it? I know he is visiting you today," Kagome said polite.
"Yes of course miss," the man on the other said equally polite and Kagome heard him rustle with some paper. "What is your message?"
"Can you tell my grandfather that when he find time to go home, he must visit a couple of stores and buy the following things:
Two wooden chairs,
A nice table which fit into our living room,
A carped by the measures 3x4 meter, preferably red or with red decoration,
A new vacuum cleaner…
…and a chain saw."
She heard him write it down and, "There, was it anything else?"
"Yes, can you also please give him the following riddle; What happens when you ask a man from the medieval age to clean the house with a vacuum cleaner while nobody is around to watch him!
Can you deliver that? …..Thank you and goodbye."
Kagome hung up the phone, picked it up from the floor, placed it back on the wall and went outside.
On the outside, Eri sat under one of the trees and stared at the door, waiting for Kagome to emerge at any moment. But to her surprise it was her fire red boyfriend who came out, looking very dirty and full of dust.
"Hey Inu Yasha," she said, "I didn't knew you were here. Do you know why these trees are standing in the courtyard?"
"I, erh," the half demon began, not entirely sure if he should answer her question or wait for Kagome and let her answer for him instead. Giving this girl two different explanations would be a very bad idea, even he knew that much. "Let us wait for Kagome, I think she has something she want to talk with you about."
"Hm, okay."
"Meew," Kirara said, not wanting to be left out.
Eri's eyes quickly shifted from Kagome's boyfriend to the tiny animal on is shoulder, "Oh, hello there Kirara," she said, "I didn't see you!"
Kirara mewed again.
"Heh, Kagome told me she saved you last time she was here."
"Oh! So it really was her, Kagome never really wanted to confirm it directly. Did you also know about her being a nekomata?" Eri said almost amazed.
Inu Yasha swallowed, the way Kagome had told her story made it sound like she had explained to Eri that Kirara just was the kitten form of the demon that had saved her. If he wasn't careful about what he said now he would be in trouble for sure. "Eh, has Kagome told you yet why you are here?"
"No," Eri said, "but I am sure she wanted me here to tell me what I should say in the court."
"Keh, she is always so insisting about not telling about the existence of…" the way the girl suddenly looked at him made Inu Yasha bite his tongue. Now he definitely had almost said something he shouldn't and he saw the unavoidable question began to form on her lips when he heard the door open and Kagome came out. "Hey Kagome there you finally are…" He waved his hand, happy for his distraction.
"Hey guys, sorry for my delay but I had to make a phone call," Kagome said and walked straight over to them.
"Meew," Kirara cooed and wagged her tails, happy that Kagome didn't seem angry.
"Now," Eri said, "I believe you wanted to tell me something. That is why I am here, isn't it?"
Kagome suddenly gave Eri a grave look, one that she seldom saw on her friend and she could tell she was more serious than her other classmates had been when they had offered their support.
"Eri ! You do want the judge to believe you, right? And make sure those three bastards get what they deserve?"
"Whoa, Kagome", Eri said surprised, "You are serious, aren't you."
"Yes I am Eri. Do you expect the judge and the jury to believe you if you tell them what truly happened back there…?"
For a long and silent moment, Eri felt Kagome's eyes and mind weighting so heavily on her that she bowed her head and stared thoughtfully at the ground. "No I don't, but those guys are most likely going to tell them what they saw."
Kagome nodded slightly. "And what do you think the judge will say to that?"
"They are probably going to say they are crazy and not believe them," Eri snorted.
"Exactly," Kagome said, "But if you instead say it was a large dog that chased them away and keep insisting it, what do you believe they will think of that?"
"Hmmm," Eri said thoughtfully, "I think they would agree, saying it was a dog and believe the men are lying or are playing stupid to get away."
"Hehe," Kagome chuckled, "See, you have a good case already. If they say anything that contradict your story, they are going to have even more trouble than they already got."
Eri sighed, "You really thought this out, haven't you Kagome. Is there anything more you want to say, I will need to leave soon, mom and dad will not let me stay out for long anymore, especially not until the guys are behind bars."
"It is just one more thing," Kagome said softly, knowing this would be the hardest part. "I want you to let Inu Yash and Kirara look after you for a couple of days."
Eri gave her a disbelieving look but tried otherwise to be as polite as possible. She would refuse to confess it, but she was still very afraid of Kirara, even though she looked both harmless and adorable. The images of a bloody dog flying thought the air and the impossible large teeth had been like a nightmare come true. If it was true that demons actually existed, what else could be out there… could it also be that the infamous monster under the bed was real? Eri felt a bit ashamed of herself, she had always thought of her as the most brave and rational of their little gang, but it turned out to be far from the truth. Not that Kagome made it easier for her by being so secretive and avoiding of the topic. Something that was also very true about her mysterious boyfriend. Sure, he was very handsome, almost to the point of being unnatural, but she didn't really knew him at all and what little Kagome had told about him made little sense as she always kept on contradicting herself whenever they brought him up in a conversation.
"Kagome, I am really grateful for your offer, but I am afraid I will have to pass. There is no way my parents will let your boyfriend…"
"He isn't my boyfriend!" said Kagome, denying it nervously while Inu Yasha agreed. Eri let out a dry bark, not being fooled at least by their little display and continued, "I don't mean to sound rude or anything Inu Yasha, it is just that mom and dad won't let in anyone they don't know these days and especially not boys. And when it comes to Kirara you know it is forbidden to keep pets where I live, it didn't hurt having her just or one night, but if someone would discover her, we, or I would be in trouble."
Kagome watched her for a long moment while looking to be in deep thoughts. "I know it is forbidden to keep pets at your place and I didn't think for a moment that your parents would allow a stranger to stay with you. I just want you to let them hang around for a little while until the court is over, just in case and watch over you if something should happen."
Eri shivered, "Please don't say that Kagome. Nothing is going to happen to me, I promise. But I don't mind you two hang around me the next days…" and then she turned to Inu Yasha, giving him a smile, "I would love to get to know you better and your relationship with Kagome."
"There is no relationship between us whatsoever," Inu Yasha stated flat.
Eri rolled her eyes, "Of course not" Then she stood up again, "I am really sorry Kagome, but I got to go now or else I will miss my bus."
"Yes of course" Kagome said and smiled. "I will see you tomorrow then."
"Yes… and remember, our next lunch at WacDonalds are your treat." Eri grinned, having already planning to cross-examine Kagome and her boyfriend there, and she knew Ayumi and Yuka would love to participate.
The sun was setting, coloring the streets and buildings around her in orange and golden colors, Kirara went strolling down a street she only had been once before, but this time with a particular destination in mind. She, Kagome and Inu Yasha had followed Eri to the thing she had called "a bus" and seen her off. Kirara didn't know what to think of all those horseless wagons, they looked safe enough and plenty of people traveled inside them. Kagome had on several occasions told their group how the cars had transformed her world, but seeing them for real had been even more interesting.
She came to a wealthy neighborhood where most houses had tall walls around them, but the nekomata knew exactly how to pass the wall she wanted through. The tiny crack was still there and Kirara slipped through and saw the green garden bathed in golden light.
"Meew," she called, hoping to see the little boy as she had promised she would see again if she came back.
"Meew?" she tried again, still no answer. Kirara hadn't really expected him to be out to greet her, she hadn't announced her visit in any way and Kentaro could be anywhere for all she knew. But since the dying sunlight around her had begun making the shadows long and dark, she had reason to believe he would be home. However, she didn't see anyone. Perhaps he was inside, or maybe just in another part of the garden, she was pretty sure she heard a noise coming from the other side. Kirara decided that since she already had come all the way over her she could at least go looking for him there too.
As she walked closer to the other side, it became clear something was wrong. It wasn't a child's sound of playing or shouting, it was the sound of an adult who cried.
Kirara turned around the corner and saw a fair woman sitting on her knees, weeping on a stone clad pathway that stretched up from a half opened gate. She had a short, thick black hair and was dressed in a white blouse and had a skirt which went down to her knees, her face however could Kirara not see, the crying woman had buried it in her hands.
The nekomata stood still on the grass and observed the unknown woman carefully before she slowly approached her. The woman was so lost in her grief that she didn't even noticed Kirara when she walked up and sat down right before the her. Kirara sat still and waited, listening to the heartbreaking sobs when she caught eye of a piece of paper curled in one of her hands, there was something written on it. The woman's grief had probably something to do with its content.
"Mew!" Kirara mewed softly, trying to get the grieving female's attention.
She didn't get any response and tried again a little bit louder this time but still very soft;
"Mew!... Mew!"
Finally the woman looked up from her hands and stared at her with eyes full of tears.
"Meew" Kirara cooed, wagging her two tails while she stared back with large, red eyes, and just for a moment the woman went completely still as she stared back.
The sound of heavy footsteps suddenly alerted both of them that somebody was coming up from the gate, the woman looked around herself while Kirara tilted her head to see; It was a man, probably in his forties, dressed in nice black clothes she had seen many men wearing on Kagome's TV-box. His head hung down as he approached and Kirara guessed it had to be the woman's husband as his eyes seemed to try to hold back just as many tears as the woman was shedding.
"He is gone," he spoke with a voice that was on the brink of cracking "He is truly gone, they have taken Kentaro!"
And now the drama begins. I am very curious to learn what you think about it so far, please review and tell me and thanks to those who already have done so^^