Mandy: Welcome all to a brand new fic!
Kyo: Aren't you ever going to finish all the ones you started from a year ago?
Mandy: Eventually! I just need inspiration to strike me…
Momiji: Incoming~~!!!
Mandy: Wha~~! -is struck by Sephiroth's sword- OOWW!
Sephiroth: I am a divine entity, so my inspiration should help… so long… -flies off-
Momiji: Anyways, this is Mandy's new story, a Furuba/Inuyasha crossover. Enjoy!
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING BEFORE YOU BEGIN OR I'M SURE SOMEONE WILL POINT IT OUT IN A REVIEW:
There are three high schools in Tohru and Kagome's district: A, B, and C (I kind of made this off the top of my head). It's kind of like in Ouran Host Club, where they have class A-1 is smart (and/or rich) and D-1 is not so smart and/or not so rich. But this has nothing to do with wealth. Students with excellent grades get into A Schools, people with normal grades get into B Schools, and people with below average grades get into C Schools. I don't know anything about school systems in Japan, so I made this one up for the sole purpose of this fanfiction. And don't go explaining Japanese school systems to me in a review, either. If I really want to know, I'll ask.
Domou arigatou! (Also, I'm not good at -chan's and -san's, but I did my best!)
Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket, Inuyasha, or Sephiroth (who made a guest appearance above).
Chapter 1: Mysteries
Tohru…
"Yes, of course," I said into the phone, "If you want me to… Please regard me kindly." I hung up, and then padded into the room.
"Who was that, Tohru-chan?" Shigure, who was sitting, reading the Sunday newspaper, asked, "Is something wrong?"
"No, no, nothing's wrong…" I replied, "That was my Aunt Higurashi. I want to go visit her…"
Yuki glanced up from his breakfast, interested. "I didn't know you had an Aunt Higurashi." Kyo also looked up, curious.
"Well, after a while, we lost track of each other. Auntie didn't know that my mom passed away until a week ago." I smiled, "She says she wants me not to go through the trouble, but I know she wants to see me. So I was thinking… if it wasn't too much trouble, Shigure…"
"Of course, Tohru-chan," Shigure said, setting down his newspaper, "I shall be your elegant chaperone and drive you there!"
A thundering cloud of darkness suddenly appeared behind him, and two angry voices resounded, "Shigure…"
He laughed them off. "Alright, alright, I'll call Haa-san. Will you two go with her? I've actually got thing to do around here, and a quiet house will be nice." Shigure's eyes watered with sadness, "But my beautiful house maiden will not be able to share it with me…"
Two fists collided with Shigure's head, leaving large bumps in his inflated ego. He went and pouted, picking up his newspaper again.
"Who do you think you are, you lecherous bastard!" Kyo shouted.
"Hey, maybe they'll let Kyo-kun and Yuki-kun stay, too!" I said, eyes sparkling. The two mentioned exchanged glances, shrugging. (They wanted to come, of course, but only if the other didn't come. This was impossible, because they both wanted to accompany Tohru. The glance was a truce–we go, but don't pull any funny business or I'll kick your ass.)
"Where does your Aunt live, Tohru-chan?" Shigure questioned over the top of his newspaper, flipping the page.
"At Sunset Shrine," I replied. I looked in confusion at the three shocked faces. "Of course, there are rumors about my cousin Kagome…"
"I've heard of Kagome," Yuki said, pushing his now empty plate aside, "She's had all sorts of diseases. And then there was one time when her grandfather got hurt in a fire, and all he could talk about was a flesh-eating Noh Mask. She goes to the B School right next to ours, and people point her out to me sometimes."
"Well, you all have fun, then," Shigure said, laughing nervously, "I'll be here catching up on my manuscript."
"No, you mean you'll be plotting on how to make Mitsuru-san commit suicide by not doing the manuscript." Kyo corrected. Shigure ignored him, going to the phone to call Hatori.
Kagome…
I climbed up the ladder of the Bone Eater's Well, my backpack swinging precariously on my back. I threw it over the edge so I wouldn't have to struggle to get out. I dragged it up the stairs and outside, into the sun. 'Ah… It's so nice out!' I took in a breath of fresh air, making my way toward the house. 'It's been a few weeks since I've been home.' I glanced around my home, wondering why no one had come to greet me yet.
"Mom?" I called, and then, getting no reply, "Gramps?"
"In here, Kagome!" I heard him call from the dining room. I walked in, seeing that my mother was clinging to her father's shoulder, crying. "You mom just found out that my niece, Kyoko Honda, passed away last year in an accident."
"Really?!" I exclaimed, "Then where's Tohru?!"
"She was going to live with my brother, who is her grandfather on her father's side, but he had some remodeling to do," Gramps explained as my mother started to calm down, "So he asked Tohru-chan to go and stay with one of her friends for a while. Of course, being the kind-hearted person she is, she didn't want to use her friends. So Tohru-chan pitched a tent in the wilderness, where she thought no one would find her."
"Are you serious?!" I said, dropping my bag, "This happened last year, right?"
"Yes. She didn't know this, but she had pitched her tent on private property belonging to the Sohma family. The people living in the house there were Shigure and one of his relatives, Yuki-san." I nodded. I heard of the Sohmas, mostly Yuki, AKA "The Prince." "I'm not sure how this happened, but… eventually, Tohru-chan had decided to stay with them, and a cousin of Yuki's, Kyo-san, did, too."
"I've heard of the Sohmas. They go to an A School next to my school. I don't see any of them much, except occasional glances of them on lunch breaks."
"I really want to see her." My mother said, drawing our attention. "I want to see Tohru, but I don't want her to go through the trouble…" The doorbell rang. "Kagome, could you get that, please? I'll start dinner." I nodded, sliding the door open. I was surprised to find what was beyond it… I mean, who.
"Tohru?" I said, standing there blinking at her. She bowed, and then smiled at me. I caught her off guard by hugging her. "Oh, Tohru! I had no clue! If we'd known, we would've taken you in!" 'Even if you happened to meet a half-demon named Inuyasha…'
"I don't want to… worry anyone." Tohru managed to reply. That was when I noticed she had brought people with her. I let go of her so as to turn to the guests and be sociable.
"This must be the people you're living with, Yuki-san, Kyo-san, and Shigure-san." I said. The man standing behind the two teens twitched. For some odd reason, it reminded me of the twitch that Inuyasha got every time Koga called him a mutt. What a weird image to conjure up at this moment in time…
"Oh, no, Kagome-chan, that's not Shigure-san. That's Hatori Sohma. He drove us here." Tohru corrected, "Shigure-san was really busy with finishing his manuscript. He's a novelist."
"Is that the lie he told you?" Hatori questioned, getting everyone's attention, "Shigure, come out from behind that tree."
A man in a traditional furisake came out from behind the God Tree. 'Oh, my God, he looks like Miroku!' I thought, surprised. I remembered Tohru calling him a novelist. 'I bet without knowing him at all what kinds of books he writes, and I don't even have to hear him speak!' All of them looked at me as Shigure walked up to us. I rubbed my head sheepishly, wondering if I had accidently said that aloud for everyone to look at me so intensely.
"Oh, well, hello everyone. I was just out for a stroll…" Shigure said, plastering a smile on his face.
"On the other side of town?" The orange-haired teen snapped, "I don't think so. You left Mitsuru-san hanging, didn't you?"
"Whatever do you mean, Kyo-kun?" Shigure questioned in his nicest tone, trying to put on a face that was innocent, but I knew this man was everything but.
"That poor woman. One of these days, I wouldn't be surprised if she took a metal bat to your head." Hatori said.
"Haa-san…!" He whined, "You're supposed to be on my side!" Hatori glared at him, silencing him efficiently. I guess it was better than smacking him, like Sango or I would do when Miroku was getting lecherous. 'Shigure-san is different from Miroku in one way.' I thought as I watched them bicker some more. 'He whines.'
"I'm sorry to interrupt…" I said, attracting everyone's attention, "But would you like to come inside? I'm sure Mom would be happy to make all of you dinner. You have all helped us by keeping Tohru safe. Domou arigatou."
"A-Alright!" Tohru said, and then gave me another hug, "Arigatou, Kagome!" She took off her shoes and set them aside, rushing in to meet Mom.
The four Sohmas stepped in, and then my head suddenly started hurting. Something was wrong – something heavy was weaving through the air around them. My vision blurred, and I became very dizzy. They watched in shock as I fell into them.
I was caught by four sets of hands. My head cleared up instantly. 'Huh. That was weird.' "S-Sumimasen…" I said, standing up, hoping they didn't think I was strange, "Gomen nasai. I didn't mean to fall into you like that." They gazed at me. "… Nani? What's wrong?"
Yuki was the first to recover, "Are your tumors acting up again, Kagome-san?" I stared at him, blinking, wondering what he was talking about.
"My… tumors?" I said, my tone making it a question. I didn't have cancer…
"Yes. I've heard that you've gotten all kinds of diseases. Luckily, they were able to get most of your brain tumors," Yuki replied, brow furrowing, "But maybe they didn't get all of them…"
With a burst of intuition, I startled, suddenly remembering Gramp's lies for the school. "O-Oh!" I said, recognizing this lie as the one Gramps told when I was gone for a couple of months, "Y-Yea. I mean, no, I-I'm fine! I've actually been feeling much better, but I've got lots of tests to study for or I'll fail this year!"
"Are you sure?" Hatori said, grabbing my wrist. I felt embarrassment at the contact, not quite sure what he was doing. "I'm checking your pulse."
"Don't worry, Kagome-san!" Shigure said, "Haa-san's a doctor!"
"He's right, for once," Hatori said, gazing at his watch. There was something wrong with his left eye, which he covered with his hair. I wonder what had happened. When he caught my eye, I glanced away; mortified that he caught me staring. "But, if you're touched by a novelist, you have cause to worry." He let go, "Your pulse seems fine, you're not burning up. In fact, in my opinion, you're in excellent health." I could see the question in his eyes: 'How does she always get sick if she's so healthy?'
"What did you mean by that comment before, Haa-san?" Shigure whined to him. Yes, that was definitely the one thing that Miroku had over Shigure – Miroku would never whine or complain so much.
"Did I say 'novelist?' That's putting too badly of a name on great authors everywhere. I meant to say 'Shigure.'" Hatori ignored the whimpering Shigure, while the two took their shoes off and went to visit with everyone in the dining room.
Before he left, Shigure said, "Haa-san's so mean to me…"
I glanced back at Yuki and Kyo, who still seemed a little stunned. They didn't realize they were gazing at me until I raised a brow at them (I learned that gesture from Sesshoumaru!). The two took their shoes off, following me into the dining room.
"Oh, my goodness!" My mom exclaimed as we came in, "Even more Sohmas? I better get cooking!"
"Let me help, Auntie," Tohru said. She followed my mom into the kitchen, leaving me there to entertain the Sohmas. 'Great… I have no idea what to say. "Well, hello, why is it that you have such foreboding auras?"' I asked them to sit, worrying inwardly, but smiling outwardly. 'What do I do…?'
Kyo…
All of us knew there was something strange about her. She wasn't frail and sickly looking like we expected, with all of the diseases we heard that she had. In fact, she was in excellent health, as Hatori had said earlier. That wasn't the only reason she was strange, though…
'Why did she fall into and we didn't transform?' I wondered, putting my left arm on the table. Kagome's eyes were attracted to the movement, and she gazed at my wrist where the beads were. I glanced down at them, and then at her. 'Hm…?'
"Thank you for bringing Tohru here," she finally said from her seat across from me, "I didn't know anything until just a few minutes ago. It makes me angry that I didn't know Tohru-chan was out there, without her mom…"
"It's no problem," Yuki told her, "Tohru-chan was the one who wanted to come, and she asked us to come, too. And it's not your fault she decided what she did."
"It's just… we're sort of alike, since both of our dads died of illnesses when we were young. And now… Auntie Kyoko's gone… too…" Kagome started sniffling, and I felt a huge twinge of guilt. When tears started coming, it turned my stomach into a bunch of knots, and my throat ached.
"Aw… there, there, Kagome-san…" Shigure, who was sitting to one side of her, said, patting her shoulder. Kagome brought her hand up to his, squeezing it.
"You (hic) wouldn't take advantage (hic) of a girl when she's (sniffle) crying, would you?" Kagome asked, her grip getting tighter. Shigure let out a yelp, shaking his head. "Good." She let go, leaving Shigure to nurse his fingers.
'Jeesh. She can ward off perverts even when she's in such a state.' I thought, shocked. She wiped her tears away on the sleeve of her B school uniform.
"Gomen nasai. I should be happy that you took Tohru-chan in. I feel so bad… I could've saved Kyoko." Kagome muttered the last part under her breath, and I barely caught it. What did she mean?
"You couldn't have done anything. You didn't know." Hatori said from his place at her other side. "You have to put these things in the past."
She gazed at him, eyes wide, as if Hatori was revealing her biggest secret or something. Kagome shook her head, almost like she was shaking bad thoughts away. "You're right. Gomen nasai…"
"Why in the hell do you keep apologizing for?" I asked her, "It's not like it's your fault. Nobody knew it was going to happen." Yuki glared at me, and he seemed to say "Don't be rude, you stupid cat."
Kagome's tears stopped – thank God – and she smiled at me. "Thank you for that. I didn't mean to break down and cry in front of our guests… Guess that comes to show you how much Tohru-chan means to me."
At that moment, Tohru came in. She noticed Kagome's tears, rushing over to her. "What's wrong, Kagome-chan?"
"Kyo-kun hit her," Shigure said, earning him another lump on the head to match his two from earlier.
"Like hell I didn't!" I shouted at him.
"I'm okay, Tohru-chan." Kagome said, ignoring Shigure, glancing at me. I saw a glint of something in those blue eyes, and she whispered something into Tohru's ear. Tohru went beet red. "Tohru-chan, could you please find my Gramps and Sota? I think they're at the storehouse." She nodded, leaving the room.
"What did you say to her that made her blush?" Shigure asked, practically begging, "Please tell me!"
"That's something you'd have to ask from Tohru-chan," Kagome said, grinning, "And I doubt she'd come out and say it. She's always been like that, holding her feelings under a lid…" Yuki perked up at that, looking at her.
"You seem to know her pretty well," He said, "Did you see her often?"
"Yea. We were inseparable, until we started worrying more about school," Kagome replied, her eyes full of love for her cousin. I looked away, not wanting to watch it. "We talked about all sorts of things. We never kept secrets…" She narrowed her eyes at me, which I caught out of the corner of my eye. 'What's that all about?' I wondered.
"What?" I said when she started scrutinizing my face. "What's your problem?"
"You know, you really look like you don't need protection," she said, confusing all of us, "What? Why's everyone so confused? You do know Kyo's wearing protection beads, right?" We gazed at her. "Am I wrong?"
"No," I replied, considering her as even more strange to notice my beads. "You're right."
"Who gave them to you? Whoever gave them to you ensured that the beads were able to protect you from virtually anything." She said, looking genuinely curious.
"I've always had them." I replied, taking my arm off of the table, in hopes that she would drop the subject now that said object was out of sight. What was she leading up to?
"May I see them, Kyo-san?" Kagome asked. I shook my head, looking relieved as an old man, a little boy that I took to be her little brother, and Tohru came in.
Tohru glanced at me, giving me a nervous smile before she went to sit by Hatori. Yuki and I exchanged glances. What was wrong with Tohru all of a sudden? Kagome kept staring at me even as her mother came in with the shougayaki-. What was her problem? And how did she know what my beads were?
The mysteries were bound to be solved sooner or later.
-shougayaki: grilled pork with ginger, Hatsuharu's fav!
Mandy: And… done! Chapter 1 is now complete! Chapter 2…?
Kagome: What's with these Sohmas? It's like they have some sort of curse. Will I be able to find out?
Mandy: And Inuyasha enters the scene! How will Kagome keep the Sohmas and Inuyasha away from each other?
Koga: Join us next time on Sohma Curse: True Calling!
