"I am so happy! Hatsuharu said that he would introduce me to the cat today! I can't wait to meet him! What did Haru say his name was? Kyo?"

Kirie was so happy that she would be meeting the cat the next day that she hadn't slept the night before. She would finally be meeting her so called best friend. As told in Kirie's story book "The fox stood behind with the cat so he wouldn't become lonely because the cat was the fox's best friend and she cared for him greatly".

"What should I wear?... Hmm..."

Kirie was having a hard time deciding on an outfit. One outfit was her favorite red & black kimono, and another outfit was a black t-shirt with white stars and a black lacey skirt that had clips to hold up her socks which were black & white.

"Hmm..."

Kirie had her hair in a loose braid to the side. It was shorter than usual because she had it cut, but when she cut a piece of her hair the black on the end did not go away. Instead, it just moved up and adapted to Kirie's new hair length.

"I will wear... This one. I hope he likes me..."

Kirie picked up her red and black kimono and put it on.

"Are you done yet?! I've been waiting for you down here for an hour already!"

"Oh! Sorry! I'll be down in a minute!"

Kirie had forgotten that Haru was waiting for her so that he could introduce her to ,Kyo, the cat of the zodiac. Kirie tied up her feet and hands with black ribbons and ran to her living room. She then grabbed her backpack and key and opened the latch on the floor.

"I'm coming down! Look out!"

"Ok!"

Hatsuharu hopped out of the way looking up at the ladder. Kirie looked down to make sure Hatsuharu was not beneath her. Then, she climbed onto the ladder and closed & locked the latch with her key. After she locked the latch she put her key into her kimono and jumped down the rest of the way.

"You look cute, are you ready?"

"Yup!"

Kirie smiled and nodded. Hatsuharu smiled and grabbed hold of Kirie's hand. The two of them made their way to Sohma house to meet Kyo.

"Kyo, Someone is here to see you", Hatsuharu said with Kirie behind him.

"Who would wanna see me? I don't have any friends...", Kyo said sitting by a rock.

"Yeah, well, she wants to be"

"She?"

Hatsuharu pulled Kirie from behind him, still holding her hand.

"Who the hell is she? You do know that Akito's gonna flip out when he finds out that you let an outsider into the Sohma estate...", Kyo said standing up.

"Look who's talkin'!", Kirie yelled. Kirie's eyes started to glow red.

"Shut up! I am not an outsider!", Kyo yelled.

"You are just like me! So you shut up! You and I are in the same boat when it comes to being a Sohma!"

"Sohma? Your not a Sohma!"

"Yeah, I am! You probably haven't seen me around because I don't live here at Sohma house! I am a Sohma!"

"Prove it!"

"Fine!"

Kirie stomped over to Kyo and hugged him.

"Uh! Let go of me! Now!"

Kirie's eyes turned back to green. Then she let go of Kyo and sighed.

"...See?... I am a Sohma... But just like you, I am not a well known member of the zodiac..."

"Your a cat too?"

"No, I'm the fox... Nobody knows about me, nobody except the people that have met me..."

"Fox? There isn't a fox in the zodiac, or in any of the stories"

"There is one story. My story"

"What do you mean?"

"Look"

Kirie took off her book bag and pulled out a large story book and handed it over to Kyo.

Kyo read the cover aloud.

"The real Chinese Zodiac story?", Kyo looked at the cover examining it closely. It showed a large red fox looking down at an orange cat and the cat was looking up at the fox, and in the background it showed all of the other zodiac animals on their way to the banquet. Kyo sat down with Kirie & her book and started reading the story.

"The fox and the cat are friends… The fox cares a lot about the cat… The fox stood behind with the cat to keep him company… So that he would not feel lonely…", Kyo said quietly while closing the story book.

"The fox and the cat had each other, so they never felt lonely... I have been alone for... about 2 years now... I have someone that cares about me, but... I steel feel a bit lonely. I need someone I can talk to and enjoy life with... I need a friend", Kirie said looking into Kyo's red eyes.

"...", Kyo was silent, he was taken in by Kirie's strikingly beautiful green eyes, Kirie's gaze was sweet and so very innocent. He could not look away from her eyes.

"Can we-"

"Can we be friends?... I don't like being alone... And nobody, not even you, deserves to feel that kind of loneliness..."

It was as if Kyo had read Kirie's mind completely.

Tears began to flow down Kirie's face. He understood her. He understood the loneliness that Kirie has been feeling for years. She was happy to now have someone that she could talk to and be friends with.

"Stop crying, ok?"

"Hm?"

Kyo tilted Kirie's head up and slowly wiped her tears from her eyes.

"Stop crying... There is no reason for you to cry anymore. You aren't alone anymore... You have me... I will stay by your side, and I will protect you... And as long as I am here... You have no reason to cry or feel lonely ever again..."

"Thank you... Kyo..."

"Anytime Kirie..."

From that day on, Kirie and Kyo were the best of friends.

They spoke about anything and everything, and they were together 24'7. Kyo had practically moved into Kirie's home. She made him a key so that he could go and come as he pleased. In the morning he would get up 2 hours before Kirie and go to her room and wait for her to wake up, and at the very end of the day he would bring her home and wait for her to fall asleep before going to his room to sleep. Every single day he did the same thing, and him always doing so made Kirie happier everyday. She loved having someone to wake up to everyday, and spending time with someone that truly understood her as a person. It was a perfect life for the two of them.

But then that day came. The day Kirie had to leave Kyo, and also leave all the rest of the Sohma family.

The mists surrounding the house had disappeared leaving Kirie vulnerable to any attackers.

"Oh no...", Kirie was horrified. "What if they come after me again now that there isn't any protective barrier protecting me from their magic? This isn't good... Not good at all... I should go before they come... But what will I tell Kyo?...", Kirie was scared, and saddened by the fact that she would have to leave her beloved best friend, Kyo.

Kirie took her book bag and a large luggage and opened them on her bed. She then emptied her book bag and put all of her mothers spell books into it along with her fathers golden whistle and her storybook. "No way in hell are they going to get mama's spell books or papa's whistle.", Kirie then opened her luggage and filled it with clothes and her stuffed animals. All of the animals except for the fox. "I know what to do with this...", Kirie put on her long white sweatshirt, black tights, and her black and white high converse that went up to her knees. "Sorry, Kyo, but... It's for your own safety." She took Kyo's key and slipped it onto the stuffed fox's neck. Then she put on her book bag and picked up her luggage and went to her living room. Kirie put down her luggage and picked up her cellphone and dialed Hatori's office number.

"Hello? Hatori?"

"Yes, what is it, Kirie? Is something wrong?"

"Yes, very wrong. Is Kyo still there?"

"Yes he is, Why? What is going on?"

"No time to explain, but I need you to come and get me and drive me to the airport, and make sure that Kyo doesn't come back to this house ever again, ok?"

"Kirie, what is going on?!"

"I will explain when you get here! Just hurry!"

"Ok, I am leaving now"

"Bye"

"Goodbye, I will see you soon"

Kirie hung up her cellphone and opened the latch on the floor. She then threw down her luggage and book bag and picked up her stuffed red fox that had Kyo's key around it's neck. She climbed onto the ladder and closed & locked the latch with her key. "Goodbye, papa... For now at least...", Kirie kissed her pointer finger, middle finger and ring finger, and then touched the heart shaped lock. Kirie jumped down and picked up her things and walked to the side of the road waiting for Hatori. "I will come back papa... I promise... It may not be anytime soon, but I promise papa... I will come back home...".

"Kyo... I'm sorry... Please... Please forgive me... I love you... Kyo..."