Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha.
13 My special friend.
It was deathly silent. Only the wind, whispering through the old building's numerous holes and cracks could be heard while everybody's eyes were glued at the pair of demonic hands that kept the stiff legs bolted to the floor.
Time itself had almost seemed to come to a stop when a sickening groan and a loud crack spread across the floor. Kagome saw a huge crack spread out underneath the man's shoes before a loud bang was heard; and the floor gave in.
The man before her sunk through the hole so fast that he was gone in less than a fraction of a second, leaving Kagome standing alone in front of a dark, gaping hole in the middle of the room.
An agonizing crash swiftly followed from the floor below before everything turned silent again. Kagome felt dozens of eyes staring in horrified disbelief from the hole and up to herself, a person who without a doubt just had summoned a demon. She raised her face slowly up from the dark pit and looked back at the remaining people. The effect was instantaneous. As soon as she laid her eyes on them, the spell was broken and then the race for the exit was on.
People closest to the door lunged for it, some were pushed aside, others pulled backwards and a few were run over as they scrambled to get out as fast as possible through the narrow opening. They hit and kicked each other in order to evacuate the room as fast as possible from the dangerous company they found themselves in, and by doing such, slowing their exit more than necessary.
Kirara who had been hovering in the air right outside the building, heard the panicking voices coming from the inside, it was the infernal sound of people screaming, tramping and fleeing for their life. Unfortunately for her, most of the windows were barricaded so she couldn't see if Kagome or Inu Yasha was in some sort of trouble, she decided therefor quickly to interfere just in case.
She aimed for a window and slammed through the protective paneling, sending wood and glass everywhere and roared.
This action however, amusing at it was, proved unnecessary. What she saw was Kagome standing in the middle of a room, apparently unharmed with half a dozen human males trying to run away as fast as they could. The men furthest back in the line jumped in fright because of her less than discrete entrance and began shouting shouted demands and pleads to those in front of them to move faster. A few others began begging Kagome to have mercy on them. Not wanting to be left out from the fun, Kirara bared her enormous teeth in wicked amusement while wondering what the priestess had done to frighten them this much. But where in the world was her bellowed half demon? He was obviously wasn't in the room protecting her!
Kirara moved closer with predatory steps and saw the last humans escaping through a destroyed door before tilting her head, looking questioning at Kagome.
"Kirara can you please get Kentaro and see if he is alright? I think I saw somebody toss him aside in the corridor before they fled." Kagome asked simultaneously as she crouched down in front of the hole, staring into it, "Inu Yasha? Are you okay?"
Understanding that the half demon couldn't be far off, the nekomata jogged to the door and squeezed herself through it in order to get to the other side. Kentaro laid on the floor a couple of meters up the corridor with his arms and legs spread out but looked fortunately otherwise unharmed. Kirara hurried over to his side and nudged him with her big, soft nose, tilting the tiny body sideways in the process. The little kid opened his watering eyes, looked at her, and managed to wiggle his arms up to her face, clutching Kirara and started sobbing softly. Kirara gave him a deep and soft purr while letting him bury his face into her soft fur.
"Kitty, I was so afraid. Thank you for coming back and rescue me," the little boy sobbed, "He told he would break my bones if the girl didn't do as he said."
Kirara didn't know what had happened back there, but it was clearly he had gotten a big scare. She licked his head tender before finding a loose part of his clothes and lifted him gently up from the floor as if he was just a kitten. The boy squirmed a little at this perhaps unexpected action, but didn't resist so she decided to carry him that way back to Kagome.
With Kentaro in her mouth she pressed herself through the wrecked doorframe and saw Kagome on her head into the hole.
"Yes, yes, I am fine," came Inu Yasha's voice. "What about you Kagome, I heard you scream, did they harm you?"
"Nothing to worry about, just a slap on my cheek, that's all. But the guy you dragged down, how is he?"
"He is breathing, but I don't think he is conscious and there is little blood."
"Good, then we let him stay like that. He doesn't deserve to wake up before the police get him."
"Police? Who is that?" Inu Yasha's voice sounded confused.
Kirara walked up to her as Kagome pulled her head up from the hole again. The priestess turned around to see her standing with Kentaro hanging by his cloth from her jaws and she gave both of them a warm smile before addressing the hole.
"Inu Yasha, there is someone up here I want you to meet, so if you could…"
"Just step away and I will make a jump!"
Kagome hurried over to the two of them and sat excited down on their side. "Kentaro, there is a very good friend of mine I want you to meet. And don't worry, he isn't dangerous, hi is all bark and no bite!"
Kirara snorted while Kentaro looked wide-eyed at Kagome, drying his eyes. "You got more friends?"
"Of course I got!" Kagome beamed.
"Here I come!" It sounded from the hole, a red flash followed and Inu Yasha came jumping out, landing elegant on the floor beside them to the child's great astonishment. His silvery white hair, fire red clothes and the two adorable dog-ears on top of his head, obviously made an impression on Kentaro, momentarily letting him forget his fear.
Kagome however saw the blood on his arms, "Are you hurt?" she asked worried and touched them.
"Keh. It's nothing, just a scratch. I tried jumping through the ceiling but I didn't jump hard enough and only got my hands through."
"Maybe it was for the best, the impression you made on the people here was priceless, you should have seen their faces!" Kagome chuckled with glee before suddenly remembering their young company;
"Kentaro, this is Inu Yasha," Kagome said, "He is my special friend," introducing her beloved dog demon.
Inu Yasha recognized the child from the time he had kept an eye on Kagome in his garden, they hadn't met back then but if he remembered correctly, the young child was unable to stand or walk on his own. He might not be one used to kids, but he sure knew enough not to frighten them unnecessary, therefore he crouched down beside Kagome and smiled.
"Hi kid, nice to meet you."
"Ohhh, you look cool!" Kentaro said immediately, having never seen a person like him before.
"Yes he is," Kagome heartily agreed, "But just like kitty, I want to ask you to never tell about him to anyone. He is our little secret and adults mustn't know about him."
"Why not?"
"The same reason as last time, adult people doesn't believe in magic, if we tried to tell about him or Kirara, they wouldn't believe us."
"But can't they see them?"
Inu Yasha was about to say something but Kagome interrupted him before he could formulate his answer.
I am afraid it isn't that easy…." She stood up again, "Besides, I think your parents miss you tremendously, perhaps we should get you back now. We should…"
A howling sound that grew louder and louder suddenly interrupted her speech.
"What in the world is that noise?" Inu Yasha asked while Kirara bended her sensitive ears backwards in displeasure.
"I think it is the police sirens" Kagome said and went over to the window Kirara had broken in through and looked out. Inu Yasha and Kirara with Kentaro followed right behind.
And right she was, a couple of police cars came up and parked, not in front of their building but in front of the hotel next to them. "Oh my, what do you think have happened there?" Kagome asked, not knowing about Kirara's short meeting with the two unlucky thieves. The police men had barely stepped outside their cars when the gang of fleeing thugs came bursting out from the building under them. Kagome stared in wonder how they ran straight towards the policemen, waving with their hands and while babbling wildly. She wasn't sure what they were saying, Inu Yasha and Kirara could no doubt, but the way the men stopped to beg in front of the few officers or voluntarily jumped into the police cars, told her what she needed to know. And when one of them waved his hand franticly towards the broken window, Kagome stepped back.
"I think we have seen enough guys, perhaps it is time we leave. Preferably unseen." She lifted the excited kid up on Kirara's back and walked to the door.
Following close behind, Inu Yasha asked "Where we you going?"
"To the roof. The stairs in the hallway continue up so I assume they eventually lead up to the top floor or the attic, I hope we can get to the other side of the building and let Kirara fly us out from there. That way they won't see us."
They walked up two floors and found a large window facing the opposite direction. Inu Yasha easily removed the barricade… with the rest of the window, leaving an opening that was big enough for Kirara to squeeze herself through. She hovered in the air on the outside with Inu Yasha mounting her first before Kagome followed with Kentaro in her arms.
"Alright, now we got to get back to the courthouse and help Eri," Kagome said smilingly. Kirara replied with a low rumble as a warning before she set for the sky. "I just hope we aren't too late."
I hope you haven't forgotten poor Eri yet, she is still out there facing a completely different challenge.
And as usual, all reviews are more than welcome^^