InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Miyuki, stories of a strange journey ❯ Vol 1. Ch 2: To the world after this one ( Chapter 2 )

After finding a strange girl, who was left behind by Inu no Taisho, the two groups of Inuyasha and Sesshomaru decide to stay together so they can take care of the girl, who seems to be in a coma or something, but sometimes wakes up.

Her name is Miyuki, and she is no ordinary girl. She can make Sesshomaru and Inuyasha to fall flat on their face when she says: `Down boys.' The effect is the same as that of the beans of segregation, which Inuyasha wears around his neck.

She is able to stay awake for some time at the 6th day, that's when they find out that the girl can't remember anything about herself, except her own name. That night she walks away to meet the spirit of the one that dropped her in the world of the living.

Inuyasha and Sesshomaru follow her, not knowing it's her. They lose her track and return to the, where they find Miyuki sleeping peacefully. They decide to talk about what to do about the `spy' the next day.

 

 

 

Everyone gathers around the fire and Miyuki hands out bowls with soup and parts of the baked eggs on a leaf. “It's delicious, Miyuki. How did you make this?” “Well, there're growing a lot of delicious herbs and wild vegetables around here. I just had to gather them and make soup out of it. I found the eggs at the side of a road.” “Can we skip the compliments and go one to some important subjects?” asks Inuyasha irritated. “You really have the temper and patience of your father,” whispers Miyuki. “More important subjects? Like what?” “He's right, Sango,” Miroku replies, “tell me, Miyuki. This dream you mentioned. What was is about?”

“What! When I said more important subject, I certainly didn't mean someone's dream.”

“Why would you want to know that, sir monk Miroku?”

“Well, we all know you came from the afterlife. You're basically a spirit with a mortal body of someone else. Spirits don't need rest or food like mortals do. So I don't think a spirit can dream. So whatever you saw this night in your sleep must have been a vision of something.”

`How did he know about my body?'

“Sounds reasonable, sir monk Miroku.”

Everyone stares at Miyuki. Waiting for her response. Miyuki, on the other hand, stares in her bowl of soup. Then she suddenly puts it next to her and pulls Rin on her lap. “What do you say, Rin? Shall I tell all of you a story?” Rin's expression changes from surprise into happiness. “A story about a princess from a far country, again?”

“No, but I promise, this story will be like a fairytale too.”

“Hey Sango, what are they talking about?”

“I don't know, but I think Rin knows Miyuki from somewhere. I wonder where.”

“I saw a great demon dog, which prowled the lands of the west, running over the clouds. Defeating any enemy who dared to cross his path.”

“A great demon dog…”

“…which prowled the lands of the west…” Sesshomaru and Inuyasha look at each other with wary eyes, both thinking the same.

“Suddenly, when the night starts to fall, he starts to lose height and when the moon is at his highest, the demon lands on a lake with a big waterfall. There he transforms into a man. A man with long white hair, tied together in a high tail, just like my tail. He doesn't wear an amour or any kind of equipment, like I had expected. He just wears a white with grey kimono and a long fussy furry thing... Uhm you know just like Sesshomaru has.”

“A mokomoko.”

“Yes. Then he raises his hand to me and tells me to come. I walk towards him and lay my hand on his hand. He takes my hand and pulls me to him, while he walks away. He shows me two little beds, about the size for a baby. He nods to tell me to go look who are in the beds.”

Everyone listens enthralled to Miyuki's story. Especially Inuyasha and Sesshomaru are very quiet.

“When I look in the beds I see two baby boys, both with long white hair. One of them is quiet and has a blue crescent moon on his forehead. The other boy is cheerful and has two dog-ears on top of his head. For some reason I don't know, I decide to look back at the great demon dog…”

Everyone stays quiet, waiting until Miyuki continuous. But for some reason she doesn't she just looks down, like she doesn't want to go on or remember the dream any further. “Miyuki-chan?” Miyuki looks up at Rin. “Huh?”

“Is something wrong, Miyuki-chan? You said it was a nice dream.”

Miyuki wipes a tear from her eye.

“Okay. The great demon dog, he… he starts to fade away, slowly. He looks at me and smiles. He says a name, a strange name I don't recognize. And then he says something else. It's a wish…”

“What did he ask?” asks Sango.

“You want to know what he said literally?”

“Tell us, Miyuki. Tell us what my father said!” Both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru look persistent at Miyuki.

“He said: `Please, Ikuymi. Please bring them to me. Bring me my sons.'”

Tears are rolling over Miyuki's cheek.

“He told me to bring his sons to him. Tonight, when the moon is at it highest point. At the great sacred lake with the great waterfall. It was his last wish to see his sons and only his sons at that place.”

“Miyuki, I really don't think you had a dream. I really think you got a message from someone.”

“But what does this mean, Miroku?”

“Isn't it obvious, Inuyasha? Someone wants Miyuki to take you and Sesshomaru to a particular lake to meet someone.”

“We'd better go then. It's a long way to the lake,” says Sesshomaru. “How do you know that, Sesshomaru?” “Are you coming, seishin no Onnanoko (=girl of the spirits)?” Miyuki looks at Sesshomaru and stands up. “You will come too, won't you, lord Inuyasha?” Inuyasha stares doubtful at Miyuki. “No way.” “INUYASHA!” yells Kagome mad. “No, priestess Kagome. It's okay. I can understand.” Miyuki turns away from them. Her voice sounds soft and full of grief. “Miyuki?” “It's alright.” Miyuki turns her head towards everyone. Tears are rolling over her cheek again. “I `m glad I had the chance to meet you all. I'd hoped I could've stayed here a little longer.”

“Wait! What do you mean by that?” Sango says.

“This body will reject me soon. I'd better go to the lake myself, so He can take me back. You don't have to feel sorry for me. Maybe I'll be able return to this world, in hundred or two hundred years.”

“No! You can't go Miyuki!” Rin runs towards Miyuki and clings herself to Miyuki. Miyuki squats down and hugs Rin, while stroking Rin's hair. “Listen to me Rin. It's now up to you to make sure they survive. Don't cry from me. I will always be next to you. I promises.”

Miyuki lets Rin go and walks off, without looking back nor a word of goodbye. Everyone looks at Inuyasha.

*sigh*

Inuyasha stands up. “Hey Miyuki. Wait up! We're coming too!”

 

“You sure we're going the right way?”

“Why do you ask, lord Inuyasha?” Miyuki, who walks ahead of Sesshomaru and Inuyasha looks behind her. She's carrying three pieces of clothing in her arms, which she took with her for some unknown reason. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha lost sight of her for three times. But the soft tinkling of her little bells always brought them back to her.

“Because there's a giant wall over there.”

“So? We just have to get over it.”

`How are we ever gonna get a mortal girl over that wall? It's insane.'

 

“We've got to go over this wall.” Miyuki points at the same wall Inuyasha and Sesshomaru have climbed over the other day. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru look at each other. They both know what this means and they both don't want to do it.

“You carry her up, Sesshomaru.”

“No way.”

“I'm not going to do it, either. Kagome will kill me.”

“I can't do it either. I've got just one arm, remember? ”

“Oh, yeah. I forgot about that. ”

“Are you guys coming or are ya gonna stay down there forever?” yells Miyuki. The boys look in the direction of Miyuki's voice. They see that is Miyuki climbing the wall on her own strength and she's already halfway up. They hadn't heard Miyuki's bells tinkling so they thought she hadn't moved at all. “What are you doing, you idiot!?” Inuyasha jumps after her, afraid she will fall down. Sesshomaru jumps after him. “Hey! Where is she? ” Inuyasha is at the same spot where he say Miyuki just now, but she is nowhere to be found. “Inuyasha, Sesshomaru! Up here!” Miyuki stands waving at the top of the wall. “How did she get there this fast?” both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru look stunned at Miyuki. “Hey, slowpokes. Move it. We've got a long way to go, so no time to enjoy the view.” Miyuki turns around and walks away, the little bells tinkle softly when she walks. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha jump again and land on top of the wall. They see Miyuki walking on and they run towards her, one, so they are close when someone or something attacks. Two, because they don't want to lose sight of her, they both don't trust her.

 

Miyuki is sitting at a rock and looks at the sundown. They're at the edge of the lake, waiting for something. “What are we waiting for?”

“Sundown, lord Inuyasha.”

“Sundown?”

“When the sun is under. Dress in the pure and wait for the full one on the lake. Enter the sacred maison of reunion.”

“What?”

“Just wait until after sundown, lord Inuyasha. You'll see.”

 

The last drops of sunlight disappear behind the mountains. “Sundown, finely. Can we go now.” “Impatience as always, milord. Just a few hours left.” Miyuki walks past Sesshomaru and Inuyasha, while she is taking off her kimono. “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!!” Miyuki throws the two remaining white kimono's over the boys. “You boys better change. I'm gonna change a little further in the woods.” The boys look surprised at Miyuki. “Oh. One more thing.” Miyuki stops and turns around. “Give me your swords.” “WHAT?!”

“No way!”

Miyuki's eyes are suddenly pitch black and her voice is deep and angry.

“NOW!”

“Okay…” Both guys throw their swords at Miyuki, which she catches very smooth, as if she catches swords out of the air on a daily basis. “You boys go and change. I'll scream if anything goes wrong,” says Miyuki and she walks into the forest.

 

She lays the tree swords on a rock, next to her kimono. She pulls the little blue dress over her head and lays it over her red kimono. Then she hears a strange rustling in the bushes. “Cut it out guys! I know you're there!” she says loud while she quickly puts on the white dress. The rustling is back. Miyuki grabs a little stone and throws it in the direction of the rustling. She hits something or someone. That's one thing she knows for sure, but she doesn't know who. It could be Inuyasha or it could be Sesshomaru. Both of them have the same reason the spy on her. They want their swords back. “Ya ain't scaring me that easily boys.” The rustling is back. “You guys are back, ain't ya? Come out now!” Miyuki looks around. Then, suddenly her hands are grabbed by someone and he asks: “Miss Miyuki. Would you consider baring my child?” “KYAAAAAAAA!!!!!!”

 

“Kyaaaa!!!” The boys are just done changing into the strange white kimono's that Miyuki gave them, when they hear a scream. “Hey, wasn't that Miyuki's voice?”
“Let's take a look.”
“My idea.” Sesshomaru and Inuyasha run towards the place where they saw Miyuki disappear to around fifteen minutes earlier. “Miyuki! Are you all right!?!” “Seishin no Onnanoko!?!” The boys arrive at the spot where Miyuki was planning to change her clothes. There they find Miyuki standing in nothing more then a little white dress, it's just like the blue dress she normally wears. Before her lies Miroku flat on his face with a giant bump on his head. “Miroku?! What are you doing here?” yells Inuyasha surprised and frustrated. Miyuki turns her head slowly to the guys. Her face turns red when she sees the boys. “KYAAAA!!!” She grabs the Tetsusaiga again, which strangely enough is transformed, and slams with the flat side against the boy's heads, what causes the boys to be thrown away into the bushes.

 

“I'm so sorry, you guys.” Everyone is sitting around a little fire at the sore of the lake. Miyuki dips the patches in the cold lake and lays them on Inuyasha's, Miroku's and Sesshomaru's bumps. “You guys should blame the Monk, thought. If he hadn't sneaked up on me like that, none of things would've happened.”

“I couldn't agree with you more, Miyuki.”

“Come on, Sango. That's not fair.” Miroku has got a second bump on his thanks to Sango's Hiraikotsu.

“They're right, Miroku. Don't you think so, Kirara?”

“Why are you guys here in the first place? I thought we told you to stay at the hut?”

“Miroku didn't trust things. He said he felt a strong sacred barrier nearby. We went to check it out,” tells Kagome.

“And did you find the barrier?”

Sango sighs and answers: “Not at all, Inuyasha. I think Miroku just wanted to ask Miyuki to bare his child when she was alone.”

“We could've expected it, thought. What you, Kirara?” says Shippo.

“Miroku, you're gonna regret this you perverted monk. Au!”

Miyuki and Kagome sigh at the same moment. Miyuki claps in her hand and says: “Anyway. Now that you guys are knocked down for some time, I finally have the time to do that. Rin, do you fancy helping me?”

“You bet I do!”

“Priestess Kagome? Do you have a cooking pot I could possibly borrow?”

“HUH?!”

 

Miyuki lets the water from the lake flow into the cooking pot.

“You found the sacred dirt, Rin?” Rin lays the bag full of sacred sand next to Miyuki.

“Yep.”

“Good. Put it in the cooking pot.” Rin lets the sand slide into the cooking pot with the water from the lake in it.

“That's done. Now, I just need four more things.”

“Which are?”

“Well, I'm gonna need some bandage. Could I possibly lean some of yours, Priestess Kagome?”

“Uhm… Sure.” Kagome pulls a role of bandage and gives it too Miyuki. Meanwhile, the three boys sit up normally again, but they still keep the cold patches pressed against their heads.

“Next I'll need some grass. And as third, I'm gonna need some blood. Any volunteers?”

“BLOOD?!”

“Easy, easy. I'll just need a few drops of blood, that's all.”

“But why?”

“Never mind, I'll take some of my own blood.” Miyuki takes a knife and attempts to cut herself with it, but Sesshomaru stops her by sticking his hand before her. “Lord Sesshomaru?”

“Use my blood.” “Huh?” “I can't stand the scent of your blood, seishin no Onnanoko.” Miyuki makes Sesshomaru flinch by making a nasty cut in his wrist. “I need the blood, so I'm gonna forgive you.” Sesshomaru's blood seeps into the cooking pot. “You've got that grass yet, Rin?” Rin throws the grass into the cooking pot. “Here you are, Miyuki-chan.”
“Thanks, Rin. And now, to make it perfect.” Miyuki places the cooking pot before her on the ground and takes a deep breath. She puts her hands between her breasts and forms a hand sign with them. She makes a fist of her left hand and points her left forefinger and left middle finger towards the sky. She puts he right hand under the left wrist and also makes a fist of this hand. She points her right forefinger and right little finger towards the sky.

“Ni-shi-ta-ga-u! (=obey) Perfect. And now, to finish it. Ni-ku-ni-hen-kan! (=transform)”
`What's this I'm sensing? Is it a miasma, a demonic aura?'

`What are you doing, seishin no Onnanoko?'

“That should do the trick.” Miyuki lifts the cooking pot and walks towards Sesshomaru, who sits on a rock at the sore of the lake. Miyuki places the cooking pot on the ground next to Sesshomaru and squats down at the same side.

“Miyuki?”

Miyuki rolls the left sleeve of Sesshomaru's kimono up, until the entire arm is visible. Or, at least what's left of the arm is entirely visible. “What are you doing, seishin no Onnanoko?” Miyuki softly squeezes and pokes the part of Sesshomaru's arm that's left. Everyone looks surprised at Miyuki. “This may hurt a little, milord,” she says and she pushes a shared of the sacred jewel in arm. “Hey! That girl has a sacred jewel shard!” says Inuyasha. The shard makes a new arm out of strange pink light. Sesshomaru can even move the phantom fingers. “Unbelievable,” he whispers. “Milord! Your arm! It's back!” says Jaken. “This phantom arm is not completed yet. You guys can see it and lord Sesshomaru can move it, but it can't grab anything. It's useless right now.” Miyuki ties the bandage together in a knot around Sesshomaru's shoulder. She starts to roll the bandage around his arm until she reaches the place where the real arm stops.
“So why did you do it? Why did you let that sacred jewel shard make him a new fake arm? It's not like he misses it.”
“Ha! Says the half-breed who took his arm away in the first place.”
“Why you little…! Dare to say that again in my face!”
Inuyasha and Jaken growl to each other and make themselves ready to attack the other one.
“Lord Inuyasha. Down boy.”
Inuyasha falls flat on his face by Miyuki's command and Jaken gets a stone against his head, which is thrown by Miyuki, what knocks him down for a while.

“Behave.”

“He has a point, Miyuki. Why would you use a sacred jewel shard and how did you get it.” Miyuki sighs. “I have to use a sacred jewel shard because I don't have anything else to make this stuff fuse with lord Sesshomaru's arm. I could've used his fang, but I think that Milord wants to see his son with all his teeth where they belong.”

“That sounds reasonable.”

“Don't sweat it, priestess Kagome. Lord Sesshomaru's body and his new arm will fuse completely in two or three weeks, if I take good care of it. His body will get rid of the shard itself ones the body and the arm are fully fused together.”

“What a relief.”

Miyuki takes a handful of the dreg in the cooking put and pushes it against the stump of Sesshomaru's arm. `Please work.' The hand of dreg changes into real flesh and bones ones it came in contact with the sacred jewel shard. “This might feel a little bit strange, milord. But it's completely normal.” Sesshomaru only nods.

“Look at that!”

“Is that a real arm?”

“Unreal, this shouldn't be possible.”

“Ah come on! It was quite hard to cut that arm off!” complains Inuyasha, while he's getting up again.

“Lord Inuyasha. Down boy.”

“IAARGH!”

“Serves him right.”

The dreg flows through the phantom arm, taking the same form as the arm before changing into a normal arm. In the meantime, Miyuki keeps on putting the bandage around Sesshomaru's new arm and she sometimes adds a bit from the dreg so the arm can continue to form again. It takes Miyuki a while before she's finished, so it's already dark when she ties the bandage together at the end. “All done. I hope you like it, milord.” Sesshomaru looks at his new arm, which is all covered with bandage. But he can feel the arm. He can feel the blood rushing through his veins and the warmth that Miyuki's hands left behind. Miyuki lifts the cooking pot up and walks towards the lake to clean it. `Kieru! (=disappear)' The dreg inside the cooking pot disappears and the pot is as clean as it was before. Miyuki returns the pot to Kagome. “Thank you so much for letting me borrow it, priestess Kagome.”

“Oh, don't mention it.”

Miyuki walks back to the edge of the lake and stares from the moon to the lake and back again. `It won't be long now. Can't wait to see you again, Inupa…' A massive lightning bolt splits a giant tree near Miyuki. “What was that?”
“A lightning strike… But how? The sky is bright, there's no cloud in sight.” Everyone has jumped up and is alert for an unknown enemy. “Lower your weapons. There's nothing going on. This is a sacred place. Only those with a good heart and those who are permitted to be here, can come here.”
“If you say so, Miyuki.” Everyone relaxes and they put there weapons away. “I'm sorry, milord. Old habits never die,” says Miyuki soft towards the lake. `At least I know that he's close.' Miyuki hangs the three swords over her shoulder and walks into the lake. “My lords, it's time to go.” Everyone stands up to follow Miyuki into the lake. Miyuki turns around and looks straight at them. One of her eyes is pitch black. “Stay there. You can't come along.”

“What?! Why not!?”

“Because lord Inu no Taisho only summoned me and his sons to his palace in the other world. That's why, priestess. This has nothing to do with you. If you come along, your body and soul will be separated for sure. Separated, for all eternity.”

Miroku, Kagome, Sango, Shippo and Jaken shiver. “Shall we be on our way, milords?”

Miyuki turns around again and walks further into the lake. “Jaken, stay here and look after Rin. Make sure she eats something too.”

“Yes, milord,” answers Jaken.

“You guys stay here too, okay? We'll be back soon.”

“Don't go, Inuyasha. It might be one of Naraku's traps again.”

“He's right, Inuyasha. Please reconsider.”

“I have to go with her. She has the Tessaiga and I can't get to it. Besides, you guys all saw my father too, back then.”

“Inuyasha?”

“Yes. What is it Kagome?”

“Please come back safe.”

“Of course.”

Inuyasha and Sesshomaru walk after Miyuki into the lake. The rest stays at the shore and watch them leave. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru disappear into the strange mist that suddenly appeared out of nowhere. `You better return to me safely, Inuyasha.'

 

“What is this mist? Hey Miyuki! You there?” Inuyasha and Sesshomaru finally reach the end of the mist. They see Miyuki standing on the lake, in the middle of the moons reflection. “Please come over here, milords. Your father will soon arrive.” Inuyasha and Sesshomaru walk towards Miyuki. “Please step on the reflection of the moon, milords.”
“The… reflection of the moon?”

Miyuki chuckles behind her hand. “Yes, milord. The reflection of the moon.”

The boys walk towards the place in the lake where the reflection of the moon lies. But when they reach it, they find out that it is a giant plateau. “Step on the reflection of the moon.” They do as they are told. “So now what?” Miyuki lays her finger on her lips. “Ssssshhhh…The moment you walked through that mist, you entered the world of the spirits. My lord will come soon.”

 

“Tell us, Rin?”
“Yes? Lady Kagome?”

“How come you and Miyuki are so close? Do you know who she is?” The ones left behind have made dinner and are now sitting around the fire eating it.
“I don't know her any longer then you, ms Kagome.”
“Then how come that you guys are so close?”
“Well, lord Sesshomaru told me to watch Miyuki-chan all day. Unless he ordered me to do something else, of course. So I was by Miyuki-chan's side all the time. Including the times she woke up. I then gave her food and water and in exchange, she told me all kinds of stories. We became really good friends.”
“So that's why. It explains a lot.”

 

“Milords…listen close…” The boys turn towards Miyuki. She's holding their sword in her arms. “I'll give these back first. But you can't draw them unless I says so.”
“Sure.”
“Fine.” Sesshomaru and Inuyasha receive their swords from Miyuki and they put it away, like they promised. Miyuki laughs mysteriously and then looks back to the boys. One of her eyes is pitch black. “Listen well, milords.”
“What the…?”

“There's no mountain too great.

Hear these words and have faith.

Oh, oh, iyo…

Have faith.”

“What is she doing?”
“She singing, I think.”

“He lives in you.

He lives in me.

He watches over, everything we see.”

Miyuki spreads her arms when she says the last sentence.

“Into the water,

into the truth.

In your reflection.”

Miyuki takes the hand of the boys and makes them look into the lake, just over the edge of the moon.

“Look, he lives in you.” The boys look at their reflections and see Inu no Taisho, standing there, with Miyuki besides him.
“No way! That is…”
`Father!' A horrific growl disrupts the peace around the lake. “What? A deamon? Here? But how?”
“This is the afterlife, remember. Even demons come here when they die. But that's a too long story to tell now.”
“Then what are we supposed to do?”
“Just wait. He'll be here soon.” The deamon growls again. It's a lot closer now.
“Hmm… Judging from that growl just now, I think we're dealing with Goshinki here. He doesn't like you guys much. Why is that, anyway?” Inuyasha shivers.
“That guy is dangerous.” The boys put their hands on their swords.
“Miyuki, hide.”
“Seishin no Onnanoko, stay behind us.”
“Don't you dare to even think of drawing you swords.”
“But…”
“No! You can't. And how do you suppose you kill something that's already dead and gone? Just wait for milord.”
“Fine…” Goshinki is getting closer and the boys more and more nervous. “We have to fight.”
“Hold your weapons.”

“INUYASHAAAAAAAA!!!”
“Yep, that's Goshinki alright. I'd recognize that voice anywhere.”
“Wait for my command.”
Goshinki now stands before them and he is furious. “So you're finally dead, Inuyasha. Good, now I can kill you over and over again for all eternity!”
“He really hates your guts, lord Inuyasha.”
“Give him wrong, I mean Inuyasha is the half-breed who killed him after all.”
“Hey! I was full demon at that moment.”
“Yeah, well be happy with it.” Goshinki is just a few meters away from the edge of the reflection of the moon. `Milord where are you?'
“I can't take this!” Inuyasha attempts to draw his sword, but Miyuki put her hand on it first so she stops Inuyasha. “I said no,” she lets go of the Tessaiga and walks towards Goshinki. “Miyuki get back!”
“Seishin no Onnanoko!” Sesshomaru and Inuyasha attempt to go after her, to drag her to safety. “Stay there!”
Inuyasha and Sesshomaru stop “But! ......”
“I said stay there! I'll handle this!”
“Out of my way, little girl! All I want is to destroy Inuyasha!”
“I'm your opponent Goshinki! So, come and get me!” `I just hope this works.'
“Whahahaha! You have tempted your fate. I will come!” Goshinki attacks Miyuki. Miyuki doesn't flinch nor does she step aside. `Damm that bastard. Can't even show up in time.'
“Miyuki!”
“Seishin no Onnanoko!”
“IKUYMI!”
`Hah, I'd recognize that angry sound everywhere.'
“It's about time you showed up, milord!” Miyuki jumps back and lands next to Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, while a strange man destroys Goshinki from behind, by slashing him in half. Goshinki growls for the last time and the stranger lands behind him. `Kieru!' Goshinki's body disappears in hundreds of fireflies. “Who was that?” The stranger stands up. He's surrounded by a mysterious, though beautiful golden light.
`No way in hell! This can't be…' Inuyasha and Sesshomaru look surprised and wide-eyed at the stranger.
`Father!?'