Devotion that Withstands Time

Phase 17

Ghost of You

Wednesday 18, April 2001

The shed door swings shut behind you after you race out of the shed to the cabin’s backdoor. Between running and tripping up the stairs, you glance behind you towards the shed.

There it is! And it’s chasing you!

You run inside the cabin, shut, and lock the back door before briskly walking through the kitchen door to the living room. You walk to the door on the side of the second floor staircase, and knock loudly.

“Mr. Totosai! Mr. Totosai!” You keep knocking until you hear a muffled ‘coming’ from below.

Totosai opens the door, while tying his robe closed. “What’s all the ruckus?”

“There’s a three-eyed cow in your shed!” You cry to the old man.

“I know.”

“You know? Shouldn’t you call animal control or something? The ones I’ve seen on TV were really ferocious!”

“No, no! Mou-mou’s very docile, she wouldn’t hurt a fly! You probably startled her by going into the shed!” Totosai passes you and walks through the kitchen to the back door.

You pause before following the old man. Somewhere between running from the shed and tripping up the stairs, you had lost a slipper. You open the back door, and peek out cautiously.

Outside, before the shed, Totosai stands, petting the three-eyed cow, Mou-mou. To your surprise, the cow doesn’t kick or bite him like the angry ones you once saw on TV. Totosai ties a rope around the cow’s collar, connecting her to the shed, and walks back up the stairs.

“That’s my old partner, Mou-mou. We’ve been together for years. She’s as gentle as a babe.” Totosai explains.

You glance to the old man, then behind him to Mou-mou to see her chewing on the slipper you lost. Your left foot is a little cold...

“What were you doing out in the shed so early?”

“I was looking for the broom you told me about.” You look down to the gnawed on broom that you found in the shed. “But I can’t use this one since it’s so worn… I hope you don’t mind me looking around, but I couldn’t find a mop or anything anywhere in your house. I have nothing else to do, so I thought I would clean up a little…”

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Late that afternoon, Inuyasha rolls out of bed and stretches while he walks into the bathroom. After splashing some water on his face, he notices the new packets of toothbrushes and toothpaste lying on the sink.

After brushing his teeth, he walks back into the bedroom, and when seeing it empty, he walks out into the hallway. He walks down the staircase and frowns as he enters an empty living room.

Just as he’s about to jog back up the stairs, he hears shuffling and the clacking of glass from the kitchen. He approaches and opens the kitchen. “___?”

From the sink, you turn and smile at him behind the cloth covering your mouth and nose. “Hey.” You had also pulled your hair back, and tied a cloth over it for extra protection, and instead of a yukata, you’re wearing a t-shirt and shorts.

Inuyasha grimaces slightly at the strong smell of cleaning liquids in the kitchen. “What are you doing?”

“Washing dishes,” you hold up a soapy dish above the sink to prove your point.

“Why?”

“Because I have nothing else to do, and there’s no TV.” You reply scrubbing a particularly dirty dish.

“You’d rather wash dishes than sleep?” He leans against the doorway of the kitchen while watching you scrub.

“I’ve slept for the last three days since we got here.” You answer and pick up another dish.

A few minutes later, while you wash and stack dishes, something catches Inuyasha’s attention. “Where’d you get those clothes?”

You pick up your new can of bug spray and take out a winged critter that had just landed before you. “The store, Mr. Totosai and I went shopping this morning while you were sleeping.”

“You left? You’re not supposed to leave!”

“Mr. Totosai said it was ok, and it was only a convenient store in this town down the road.” You explain, and pull your hand from your rubber glove to run your fingers through your hair underneath the cloth.

“I don’t care! This is a safe house; you’re not supposed to leave it!” He snaps, passing by you to get to the refrigerator. “Otherwise, this is all useless! If you need anything, then tell me, and I’ll get it!”

“Ok..”

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Sunday 22, April 2001

Beyond the woods surrounding the cabin, down the road, in a small town, in its convenient store, Inuyasha stands before the cash register.

The cashier, a teenage girl, leans down and speaks into her microphone. “Can I get a price check on “cutey baby” panties?”

The cashier, “Koharu,” her nametag says, leans back and smiles politely to the half demon. “It’ll take a second. You must be new around here. This town is pretty small, so I can remember everyone’s faces.”

Inuyasha shrugs. “Just passing by.”

“Oh, I see,” Koharu looks down to the painkillers, tampons/pads and other supplies before her that are ready to be bagged. “Who are you buying all of this stuff for? Your sister?”

“No, wife.”

“Wow! You’re married, and you look so young! What are you? Like twenty?” She asks curiously.

“Twenty-four.”

“Wow, so young! Oh, sorry, I’ll try again.” She leans down to her microphone and speaks again. “Can I get a price check on “cutey baby” panties, please?”

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Wednesday 16, May 2001

Instead of hanging by Yura’s hair, you are now lying on your side on the ground. Most of your body feels numb with only the exception of your chest, which burns with pain. You can’t breathe, or move a muscle as if you don’t have the strength anymore or as if your body is frozen in place.

You barely notice it when you’re moved to lie on your back instead of your side. Everything seems blurry and indiscernible in your eyes now, especially in the dark and you can’t tell where you are anymore.

Something cool hits and slides down your cheek, and stare upwards and squint. You attempt to discern what the dark, obscured figure looming over you is, but you can’t. It felt wet, was it a rain cloud?

A heavy pressure presses down onto the burning, wetness at your chest. Another droplet of moisture hits your cheek, and you can feel your shoulder being clenched.

“___..” The voice from the obscured figure holding you cracks.

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“___..”

You quickly brush away your tears with your wrist and pillow. “What?” You ask, muffled against your pillow.

“.. Are you crying?” The bed creaks lightly as Inuyasha shifts closer to your side.

You peek out from hiding half of your face against your pillow to the window. The first rays of sunlight haven’t shown yet, but it has brightened up quite a bit outside since nightfall. It’s probably around five AM.

“..No.”

Inuyasha grabs your shoulder, and pulls you to lie on your back. You squint at him through your tears and frown slightly.

“Then what’s wrong with your eyes?”

“Nothing, I just had a bad dream… I can’t remember what it was about now.” You answer quietly as Inuyasha settles down beside you and pulls you against him.

“It was just a dream. Stop crying.” Inuyasha murmurs against your hair.

“I know, it just felt real.” You reply as you feel a new wave of tears coming to your eyes. You shift slightly, and wrap your arm around his torso as your tears begin to wet his t-shirt. “I miss Pan…”

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…I finished before the end of the month. And that is most likely the last of the sad kitty references. I also left out a certain scene that would probably be a spoiler for later, which is why this chapter is shorter than I planned. Phase 18 should be twice as long however, because it’s eventful. This chapter was more of a transitioning/time filler, I guess. The next chapter will skip to May.

Thanks for reading and reviewing to this point!