Year of the Cat part 1
By Kihomi Oshiro
My name is Momoko Ishino. I am 16 years old. I am going to tell you my amazing story about how I became the person I am today. Well, where should I start? Oh I know. I was walking down the hall at school. I was new and I didn't know where the hell I was going. I think I was supposed to go to the main office, but I kind of got lost. "OK. What do I say to the principal when I finally find the office because I was supposed to be there an hour ago," I said to myself. "I guess I can tell the truth and say I got lost in a frigging circular school. I feel like such an idiot," I kept walking and I wasn't paying attention. I bumped in to someone who was walking in the same direction. "Omigod! I am so sorry! I'm such a klutz!" I looked up and saw nothing. I stood up and shook my head. I looked back down. "AAAHHH!!! I rat!!" I ran, and of course, I bumped into the principal. "Oh hello Momoko-san" I got up and wiped my hands down my pants. "I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention. I thought I saw a rat back there."
"Oh, well, we will have the custodians look for rats later then."
Mr. Shimizu walked me to all of my classes and introduced my to my fellow pupils. He sat me down with three very nice people at lunch. Their names were, Hana-san, Ari-san, and Tohru-san. They seemed very different from the rest of the kids in the school. Ari-san was like a psychic. She claimed that I had good waves. Hana-san was very... Gothic-like, but she was very nice. Tohru-san seemed to be keeping some kind of secret, but she was just like me. Except, my parents didn't want me and they dropped me on my grand-parents' doorstep, but then they didn't want me so they gave me some money so that I can go live alone somewhere.
I walked home with Tohru-san after work because she was going the same way. She talked to me like we had been best friends since we were little. It made me feel comforted while walking in the woods at ten-o'clock at night. She asked me where I lived before I came to her school, and I if had any crushes yet, and girly stuff like that. I answered her questions then it was my turn to ask. I asked her about her mother and her father, and where she lived, and if she had any crushes. She answered my questions then we just talked about random stuff. A while after that she turned into the driveway of her house. I examined the house carefully. I finally came to the conclusion that her house was too beautiful for words and continued walking.
I got to my little tent. I found it just kind of laying around. When I found it, it was all dirty and there were bugs crawling in and out of it. I cleaned it then bleached it, and now it is my home. Tohru-san said that she used to have a tent like mine and that she lost it in a land slide. I walked in and took my shoes off. I sat down at my little table and I ate the left-over food I had form yesterday. I finished eating and pulled my homework out. I turn up my battery-powered radio and started on my math. 'Ugh! Pythagorean Theorem!' I thought to myself. I put my pencil to my paper and I heard something moving outside. I froze and listened again. ^Rustle^ I jumped but didn't say anything. It was right outside my tent. My heart was pounding but I set that issue aside. I turned around and grabbed the steak knife that was in my "utensil section" of the room. I unzipped the tent slowly and walked to where I heard the rustling. I saw I human-sized figure standing right next to my tent. I raised the knife, "Hey! You! Get away from this tent!" It turned to look at me. "Oh. Hello." The figure was human. "Woa," It raised its hands. "I wasn't here to harm you. I just wanted to speak to whoever owns this tent." I dropped the knife at my feet. "I own this tent"
"Oh! Well I am Shigure Sohma," He held his hand out and I shook it. "I just wanted to inform you that your tent is on our property. I just wanted to know if Yuki or Kyo rented it out to you." I looked at him confused, then out of habit, cocked my head to the side. "Who is Yuki-kun and Kyo-kun?" He laughed a warm and happy laugh. "They are my cousins. If you would like to, you could stay with us."
"That would be fantastic. Thank you." I walked into the tent and packed some clothes and food as a thank you. I walked back out and Shigure-kun offered to take my bag. I thanked him and we walked to his house.
When we finally got there, It looked strangely familiar. He walked me in and showed me where I would sleep. I started to unpack my clothes and some orange haired kid busted threw the window. "Holy shit!" I tripped on to him. I opened my eyes and saw that he was gone. In his place was a cat. An orange cat, the same color as his hair. "AAAHHH!! Where did you come from?!" Shigure-kun and another boy ran into my room. Following them was Tohru. "Tohru? This is where you live?" she nodded then saw the cat in my hands. She went wide-eyed. I looked at Shigure and he was smiling. I looked at the other kid and he just looked bored. "Kyo. When are you going to quit? You know that you will lose," the boy said, I guessed he was Yuki-kun. "Shut-up you damn rat!" I looked at the cat and it was glaring at Yuki-kun. "I will beat you!" I couldn't take it. My sight went blurry and I fell back.
When I finally woke I was laying on my bed. There was Tohru, and Shigure-kun, and Yuki-kun were waiting anxiously for me to wake. Kyo-kun was sitting in a corner looking pissed at something. Shigure-kun looked at Yuki-kun, "Well she knows." I was a bit confused but I kept on listening. "I know. She bumped into me at school today and I turned." I sat up and looked at them. "What do I know?" Shii-kun smiled and explained that their family was cursed with the spirits of the Chinese zodiac. He explained that they turn into the animals of the zodiac when they are weak or if they get hugged by someone of the opposite gender. He also told me that when they change back into humans... they are completely naked. Then Tohru explained that Kyo and Yuki have a grudge against each other because the mouse told the cat that the banquet that all the animals were supposed to go to was the next day. I looked over at Kyo then I looked at Yuki. I felt bad for Kyo because I really like cats. I stood up and I felt like I had to go and introduce myself to him. I walked over to Kyo and held out my hand. "Hello. My name is Momoko."
"Go away. I don't care who you are. Just go away!." I kept standing there waiting for him to take my hand. He looked up at me, "Didn't I tell you to go away? Do you not-" Before he could finish hi sentence, Yuki kicked Kyo, sending him flying. All I could do was stare in awe, my mouth agape. "Kyo, you shouldn't be rude to guests." Yuki walked away and Kyo fell from the roof. I got scared because I thought he was going to get hurt, but instead he lightly landed on his feet. "Wow. You guys are amazing." They all turned around and smiled, except for Kyo. He glared at me. "You should sleep Momoko-san," Yuki smiled at me again. I hugged Tohru good night and I climbed in bed. I closed my eyes. 'Wow. I know their secret now' I thought to myself as I drifted to sleep.