Ne chapter is up and thanks to you who have reviewed last time, it is highly appreciated.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha

Help wanted

Kirara woke up with a jolt and looked around herself as the memories of last night flooded through her mind. She had saved Kagome's friend from an attacker and followed him to his hiding place where she found the little boy they had kidnapped and after that, she and the kid had eaten food that made both of them fall asleep. Kirara stretched herself and yawned. She was still under the bed, that was good, and above she could hear Kentaro sleeping. The tiny demon then peeked ever so carefully out from beneath the bed before she jumped up on it. And right enough, the kid was sound asleep and he seemed to have moved very little from his position last night.

"Mew!" she said, hoping he would wake up. But nothing happened so she mewed again, but to no avail. Then she walked over to his face and let her tiny paw push against his cheek, but the boy still slept. This wasn't good, it seemed he was still under the effect of the sleeping potion and she wondered how late it was. Kentaro had eaten considerable more than her, but she was a demon and was therefore much more resilient to this sort of things than mortals. Since she couldn't see whether it was day our night outside, she jumped up on the windowsill and peeked out from a gap between two planks. On the outside it was still dark, but she could see the faint traces of an early dawn in the horizon. Thinking over the situation, Kirara wasn't entirely sure how she should get the child out from the building unnoticed. The door was locked so there was no way out there, and if she broke down the door she was bound to attract unwanted attention, the same was the case for the window which had been barricaded shut. Tearing loose the planks was also very risky, who knew what the guys downstairs would do if they found out. Too bad the walls and the roof in this room didn't show any sign having cracks or holes which Kentaro could push through. In fact, the only opening out to the outside world was through that one crack. She would need help for this.

Kirara stared back at the gap; she could probably squeeze herself through it without getting stuck, but going out would mean leaving the frightened child behind and she didn't like the thought of it. Unfortunately she didn't knew how this world operated well enough, what she was aware of however, was that if something went wrong she could risk harming Kagome and her family. She took a last glance at the sleeping boy before she slipped through the gap, Kagome would know what to do.

Kagome woke with a yawn in her very comfortable bed. She stretched her arms and looked smilingly down at her sleeping half demon who lay like a puppy beside her bed. "Good morning Inu Yasha" she chirped and scratched behind one of his adorable ears. "Time to wake up, we are going to keep an eye on Eri today when she goes to court so we need to get ready."

Inu Yasha opened his golden eyes and stared sleepy up at her. She knew he slept far more peacefully in her time than in the feudal era and she hated being the one to wake him up. Usually it was the other way around, but then she guessed he probably had been awake for several hours already and was just slumbering lightly.

"Morning," he said and watched her climb out of her bed, careful not to step on him in the process. She saw him sit up and lean his back on the bed edge with a slight yawn on his lips witch made her smile. Most parents with girls on her age would refuse to let a boy sleep alone with a girl in the same room and Kagome wondered briefly what her friends would say if they knew that not only did she do it, but also with her mother's unconditional blessings. The very same second she though, a shiver went down her spine, perhaps it was a good thing they didn't know about it…

"I will go to the bathroom and fix myself, in the meanwhile you can walk down to the kitchen and see if mom has prepared any breakfast yet." She picked up her clothes and marched to the door, "If not, you can help her set the table, I will be joining you soon." Once inside the bathroom, Kagome changed from her pyjamas to more formal clothes than she usually wore, if she was to linger around the courtroom or somewhere else in the building to keep an eye on Eri, it would be best if it looked like she had business there. How she should explain Inu Yasha on the other hand…, she really needed to learn how to make concealment charms soon.

Fifteen minutes later, Kagome walked into the kitchen and greeted her family. She had exchanged her usual school uniform with grey pants, a long white blouse and a dark blue jacket, "Hello mom, morning Souta, hi Inu Yasha," she said, sat down on the chair beside the half demon and helped herself with the food her mother had made ready. "Say, where is gramps? I don't see him here?"

"Oh, don't worry about him." Her mother said, "He is still sleeping as he had a lot to clean up yesterday. He will probably come down later. And by the way, you look very lovely today my dear."

"Thanks mom, I thought it was best to dress properly when going to court. It was a good thing they decided having an open court for this, there is just one thing I am a bit unsure of…" both she, Souta and their mother looked scrutinizing over to Inu Yasha who was busy eating as much as he could.

"I am sure we will find a way," her mother said and Inu Yasha looked up from his food, staring skeptical at them.

"What?" he said suspicious, not entirely following the conversation.

"Since the courthouse doesn't exactly lie close and since it is Sunday and my day off, I thought that I could join you for once if you want me to drive you over there," her mother said.

"Can I also come, please? It is moral support you know." Souta said with his mouth fool of cereals.

"Ok, just change your clothes after you have eaten to something more suitable. It will begin at nine-ò clock so you have to hurry because we will have to leave soon."

Souta let out a triumphant yell and began eating so fast that both his mom and Inu Yasha told him to slow down. He finished in record time nevertheless and ran upstairs to change his clothes. Kagome on the other hand looked at her very good friend, "Inu Yasha, you know, I am not sure if they will let you in as long as you wear those clothes, are you sure you can't change into something else?"

"Nope!" he said, crossing his arms. "We had this conversation last night and there is absolutely no way I am letting you dressing me up in some stupid clothes. Human clothes are far too fragile and don't suit me anyway."

"At least he is going to be cheap when it comes to clothes Kagome," her mother said, making Kagome's face turn red.

"Mom!"

Souta came back down a little later and all four of them helped cleaning the table before they went to the garage. Just to be on the safe side of it, both Kagome and Souta told Inu Yasha about the basic principles behind the car and how it worked before they found their seats. Souta sat in the front seat while Kagome took the back seat beside Inu Yasha, then they left the garage and drove into the grey and cloudy Tokyo morning.

Unfortunately, none of them noticed that Kirara just came running back in a hurry. The feline was jumping final stair when she noticed the family leave in their metal wagon. Upon seeing this, Kirara ran after the car, down the driveway and out on the road. Fortunately, the traffic was quite heavy and slow that morning so Kirara was therefore able to keep up with the car from the pavement.

After running behind the metal cart for far too long, the horseless device finally stopped in front of a huge building. There Kirara sank down on the hard ground, tired from the running and the foul smelling air while she tried to catch her breath.

In the meanwhile, Mrs. Higurashi, Kagome, Inu Yasha and Souta left the car and heeded for the entrance. "But how are we supposed to get Inu Yasha inside?" Mrs. Higurashi asked Kagome.

"I thought we could try to sneak him inside somewhere, why can't you and Inu Yasha wait here for a moment while Souta and I go inside and have a look mom?"

"Alright, just go ahead and see if you can find out which room the court is going to take place in, then we can probably think of something," her mother replied.

"Ok, we will be back before you know it," Kagome smiled and went inside with Souta on her heels.

Inu Yasha watched them leave before he turned to Mrs. Higurashi, "Why can't I just follow them inside?"

Mrs. Higurashi gave him an apologizing smile, "I am sorry dear, but I am afraid they won't let you in with your rather old fashioned clothing. You need to dress up in modern clothes to be allowed inside, and since you don't want any other clothes I am afraid this is the only way of getting you in."

This seemed to upset the poor half demon and the woman couldn't help but feel sorry for him. "Don't think about it, it is just the way this works sometimes and it has nothing to do about you in person, it has just been decided that this is the way things are to be. Oh yes, and there is one more thing I would like to ask of you." Mrs. Higurashi leaned closer to him and whispered something to where his ears were hidden. Inu Yasha first got a questioning look on his face, but a few moments later it was replaced by a smirk.

On the inside, Kagome told Souta to find out which room the court was taking place in while she went on to find Eri. A lot of tips and tricks for getting past people she had picked up from Miroku managed to get her into rooms people normally wasn't allowed into, and after a short search, she found a very surprised Eri alone in the witness waiting room. After her classmate had reassured her that nothing bad had happened since the unwanted visit last night, Eri excused herself to use the bathroom for a tiny moment. Being left alone, Kagome wasn't late using this opportunity to call her mother, telling where she was and opened a window, which Inu Yasha jumped in a few moments later.

So, when Eri came back again not long after, she found both Kagome and Inu Yasha standing beside the window waiting for her.

"Hi Inu Yasha," Eri said politely. "I didn't knew you also were gonna be here, thanks for coming."

"Keh," Inu Yasha answered and crossed his arms. "Of course, Kagome told me to do so, it seems you are just as good attracting trouble as she is."

"Inu Yasha!" Kagome hissed and earned herself a glare from Eri.

"Oh, but there is one more who came to look after you, you know," Inu Yasha quickly said, trying to distract Kagome from a painful sit command. "Just after you and Souta left, I found Kirara lying on the ground," and then he pulled Kirara out from the inside of his sleeve. "She must have followed the wagon all the way because she looked very tired when I picked her up." He then handed the tiny demon over to Kagome who immediately wrapped her arms around the cat.

"Kirara, where have you been, when we couldn't find you this morning I thought you had gone home or got lost somewhere. Sorry for leaving you like that, but we were on a time schedule to get here."

The feline looked dead tired but she stared up at Kagome and began mewing desperately at her. "What is it Kirara? Is something the matter?" Kagome said.

Kirara wrestled herself out of the priestess' arms and jumped down to the floor where she continued mewing while looking around for something.

"What is it, what does she say?" Eri asked. "Is something wrong?"

Kirara ran over to a chair, pulled it to the middle of the floor, and jumped up on the seat, staring at Kagome.

"A chair? Do you want me to sit down?"

Kirara shock her head. She looked around through the room again while stepping impatiently with her front paws. "Ok, not that, something else."

"What is this, twenty questions?" Eri asked curious.

"Unfortunately I am not able to understand her all the times since Kirara doesn't speak human tongue." Kagome answered while trying to understand what the feline was saying.

This made Eri rather thoughtful, even though Kagome did her best avoiding answering questions regarding the cat creature; she seemed to slip through some information when her mind was occupied with other things, perhaps she could use this to her advantage later?

Kirara caught eye on a new object, jumped down, ran across the floor and jumped op on it.

"Another chair?" Kagome said puzzled as the cat sat on top of a standard office chair and mewed. "What was wrong with the last one?"

"Let's see," Eri said, wanting to join this mysterious little quiz. "The other chair is a normal chair, it has four legs, a hard seat with an average tall back and the color is grey. The whole thing is probably made of plastic and aluminum. The other chair is an office chair; it is cushioned, got five wheels, is navy blue and is also made of plastic and aluminum." Eri bowed down in front of Kirara, "Is that right?"

She got a positive mew and Kirara jumped down once more and began pushing on one of the wheels.

"Huh?" Kagome and Eri said simultaneously.

"Is it something with wheels?" Inu Yasha asked.

"Chair, wheels?" Kagome mumbled and thought hard. "Wheels, chair?"

"Mew!"

"Yes, it is wheelchair, is that right Kirara?" Kagome said and crotched down to her.

"Mew, mew," Kirara chirped.

"What's a wheelchair?" a puzzled half demon asked from behind.

"You don't know what a wheelchair is?" Eri said surprised, Kagome's not official boyfriend was in his own way just as strange as the demon cat in her opinion.

"A wheelchair is simply a chair with wheels on," Kagome explained. "People use them if they can't stand or use their feet properly. I think you must have seen one once if you remember the little boy Kentaro who couldn't walk… Kentaro!?" Kagome's head spun from Inu Yasha to Kirara. "Is it Kentaro you mean?"

"Meeew" Kirara said and stomped impatiently with her feet.

"Is anything wrong with him?"

"Mew!"

Kagome stood up and looked from Kirara to Eri and Inu Yasha while Kirara sprinted over to the door. "Inu Yasha, I want you to look after Eri while I follow Kirara and see what's wrong."

"Oh no you don't" Inu Yasha said firmly and took her arm. "I am coming with you."

"No, you are staying with Eri and that's final. I can take care of myself, but if it prove to be dangerous, I will come and get you. But in the meanwhile you are staying here." Kagome said with a voice that promised a sit if he tried to press her any further and she could practically see how his ears lowered under his caps.

Inu Yasha eventually let it go and she continued in a lighter tune. "I will be back soon and I also got Kirara to protect me, remember."

"Keh, just don't get hurt or get yourself kidnapped." Iny Yasha said and crossed his arms.

"Thanks. Come Kirara, show me the way," Kagome said and vanished through the door, leaving Eri with an irritated half demon.

Inu Yasha took his eyes away from the door and grumbled something unintelligible when Eri's head abruptly showed up right in front of his face and he swallowed. The girl had a predator's look and it was obvious who the prey was. Why did Kagome have such strange friends?

The unavoidable interrogation was mere seconds away when the door suddenly opened again and Inu Yasha asked, "Back already Kagome or did you forget something?"