A/N: OK, here's the next chapter! I hope you like it! Please review!
Anywho
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Chapter 2
Something Worth Saving!
"Ivory!" Ayame shouts as she, Tohru and the four Sohma's walk into Shigure's house.
"Ayame!" Ivory shouts just as dramatic, quickly slipping off her shoes and running into Ayame's waiting arms.
"Ivory, I never got to ask you, how is it that you can hug the Sohma's? And vice versa," Tohru asks.
"Me, and most of my family are quite similar to the Sohma family," Ivory says as she and everyone else walks into the sitting room. There's already tea set out on the table so everyone helps themselves.
"You mean you guys turn into animals too!?" Tohru says giddy.
"Yes, only my family turns into cats,"
"Cats?" Tohru wonders.
"Yes, big, small, medium. I turn into a white tiger," I say with a smile. "Which, explains the hair,"
"Oh, I see!" Tohru says happily.
"Yes, the Williams family is very unique," Shigure says while reading a novel.
"So, it doesn't matter if you hug a guy?" Tohru wonders.
"Nope. With us, it's kind of like having two creatures in one body. The cat always wants to take its original form, and when I'm a cat, my human form always wants to be human. I'm the same person, but there's always this nagging voice in my head that says 'turn, turn, turn,' and vice versa. But if I'm human too long, the animal inside could get annoyed and take over and I'll change at random, and if you don't change for a really long time, then the other form can get so angry that it just takes over and you just pretty much become an animal. The only problem with that is that it doesn't work with the human form. I don't think it's strong enough,"
"Oh wow! So how do you balance changing?"
"It depends on what cat you have. Tigers and lions are known to be the most aggressive, so I usually change twice a day, but house cats usually only have to change once every few days,"
"That's so cool!" Tohru says happily.
"Tohru loves cats!" Momiji informs Ivory.
"Year of the Cat fan club," Shigure adds with a smile.
"Well aren't you lucky Kyo?" Ivory giggles.
"Shut up," he mutters looking out the door.
"You mentioned that you have siblings, do they change too?" Tohru asks, happy that she's learning more about a person who's so similar to the Sohma family but so unique at the same time.
"Yup, my older sister Bass turns into a black house cat, my little sister Lio turns into a lioness and Tabby well, she turns into a tabby!" Ivory lists. "Oh, and my Dad turns into a very big tiger, my mom can't change, but she's still excepted in our family, I don't know why but Grandma likes her a lot, which is weird because Grandma hates everyone,"
"Bitter old hag," Kyo mutters.
"Shouldn't she be dead already?" Shigure wonders.
"Hopefully soon," Yuki adds.
"Oh wow, you guys really don't like Ivory's grandmother,"
"She's kind of the rudest, craziest, most unsympathetic person ever," Ivory says with a large smile. "I kind of hate her!"
"Oh wow!" Tohru says in slight disbelief.
"Yeah, my life isn't normal," Ivory says with a laugh. Ivory then turns her attention to the beautiful and flamboyant Ayame. "Ayame, where's Hatori?"
"He wanted to stop by but he's working overtime. He's always working so hard!" Ayame says admirably.
"Why are you here brother?" Yuki asks not exactly happy. Ivory eyes the two brothers intrigued, last time she was here Ayame explained to her how much he was starting to realize that Yuki was important to him, and that he just wanted a relationship with him, whether it be good or bad, just something that'll fill the silence. I'm glad, things are coming into place…Yuki and Kyo being able to be within ten feet of each other without losing it or fighting, and Yuki and Ayame talking…I wonder if this is all really because of Tohru…the girl I heard about from Shigure…Ivory thinks happily.
"I'm here for Ivory of course!" Ayame says in his colorful voice.
"You must be really popular with the Sohma's!" Tohru says happily.
"Yeah, I change lives!" Ivory says sarcastically.
"You do though! I remember when I first saw you…" Haru says but doesn't continue.
"Don't just leave the sentence off like that!" Kyo shouts at Haru.
"It was raining and Ivory was waiting for her parents to pick her up after Hatori had found her. Hatori had found her some clothes, and she was outside playing in the rain. I had just come back from the Dojo, but I was still so mad for some reason I can't remember, and then I saw her…and I was so shocked, because we had similar hair, and the same colored eyes. So being a kid, I thought she could be an illegitimate sister or something. When I walked up to her she said 'hello cow' in her American accent—then I went black and I attacked her, but she beat me, and then she laughed and pulled me to my feet. 'You suck for a kid wearing a karate outfit,' she told me while laughing. I said 'it's judo,' and she said 'same difference' and then she helped me find my way to my home and she said 'Tomorrow we'll have a rematch, you have to keep trying until you win, OK?' and then she ran off,"
"That's such a beautiful story!" Momiji and Tohru say in unison.
"How did a stranger find your house for you?" Kyo asks in irritation.
"Ivory, how did you know that Haru was a cow?" Tohru asks.
"I could smell him, he smells like food, and his hair color," Ivory says with a smile.
"You mean…you want to eat Haru?" Tohru says stiff with disbelief. Ivory laughs.
"Sometimes, I really should never be around him when my stomach's growling," Ivory laughs. "Or anyone for that matter,"
"She's beaten me a few times," Haru says in a lifeless voice and Tohru falls into another shock.
"Ooh! Ooh! I want to tell the story how I met Ivory!" Momiji shouts with his hand in the air
"OK, go ahead Momiji!" Ivory says turning away from the shocked Tohru Honda.
"OK, it was a few days after our families had become aquanted, and I was playing the violin, then she just walked into my house and sat down. When I stopped she said 'A good musician doesn't stop until the song is over. No matter what! Audience members will come in and out all the time, and that doesn't mean you stop!' I was so shocked that I just did what she said and started playing again. When I was done she said. 'Good job, but you played G flat on so-and-so part and A natural on so-and-so.' I asked her 'What are you doing here?' and she said. 'I'm living,' and I asked 'You live here now?!' and she said 'No, here, right now, I'm living. You know, breathing in and out,' and I just looked at her and then she asked if I knew Scarborough Fair, which I had just learned a few weeks ago. I played and she sang in the most angelic voice, and then she just left," Ivory giggles.
"I was a troublesome thing wasn't I?" Ivory says with another laugh.
"Troublesome isn't even the half of it! The first time Ayame and I met you we were trying to walk to school and you were following us, then I stopped and asked why you were following us and you said 'Because it's a free world and Hatori said I could come to him anytime' and I said 'Hatori you have a girlfriend!' and then Ivory kicked me in the shin and Hatori smiled at her and gave her candy from his lunch,"
"Which he was going to give to me!" Ayame says. Ivory laughs and sticks her tongue out jokingly towards him.
"What about you Yuki? And Kyo?" Tohru asks excited for more information. Kyo shrugs.
"It's not that big of a deal,"
"Surprisingly the cat is right, the past is the past," Yuki says simply. Ivory looks at Tohru and mouths 'Maybe later'.
"So, Kyo," Ivory says turning towards her orange topped friend. "I heard from a little doggy that you were in the mountains fighting bears!"
"What! I wasn't fighting bears!"
"Really, cause that would be impressive," Ivory mutters and Momiji laughs. "Anyways, I was wondering if you were ready for that rematch yet."
"Born ready!"
"Great! Let's go stupid cat!"
"Please, not in the house," Shigure whines.
"Sure—and you're a cat too!"
"Yes but I'm not stupid!" Ivory points out as she walks outside everyone following her happy to see a fighting match except for Tohru who's very worried. Ivory finds a place a good distance away from Shigure's house and Kyo takes a spot a good five paces away from her. "Ready stupid cat?"
"I told you I'm always ready! And I'm not stupid!" Kyo shouts. Ivory runs towards Kyo and takes the first punch to his face and Kyo dodges it quickly.
"So I see that your reflexes have gotten a lot faster," Ivory compliments as she jumps and backflips out of the way of Kyo's leg.
"You better believe they did! I've gotten stronger too!" Kyo says as he launches an upper cut for Ivory's head which Ivory quickly avoids.
"Cocky little thing aren't you?" Ivory laughs kicking at Kyo's head which Kyo narrowly shuns. The fight continues in a blur of kicks, flips and punches, but after a few minutes, Kyo starts to get pumped and starts dodging faster and punching quicker until all Ivory can do is dodge, then Kyo hits her hard in the face sending her flying.
"Oh my…" Tohru says her hand to her face.
"Don't worry Tohru, Ivory's a lot tougher than she looks, it'll take a lot more than a punch to keep her down." Shigure says reassuringly.
Ivory sits up her hand on her cheek. "Well, well, well Kyo! How strong you've gotten, you might have given me a small bruise," Ivory says standing up. Kyo walks over to her.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hit you so hard," Kyo says quietly so no one else will hear.
"Don't worry, a good martial artist won't let feelings or gender stand in the way of a match. Good job Kyo," Ivory says bowing. Kyo's face reddens.
"Thanks," he mutters and Ivory stands up straight and they both walk towards the others.
"You both we're so amazing!" Tohru says happily. "How did you learn how to fight?" Tohru wonders looking towards Ivory.
"Kyo's Shishou taught me too, I kept looking into the window, and then I'd memorize it and practice it at home. He of course, knew what I was doing, so one day; he caught up with me after class and told me that I could join," Ivory says going back inside and sitting down as if the fight never happened. Everyone follows her lead except for Ayame who remains standing.
"My apologies my children, but I must hurry back to the shop, I was only supposed to be here for an hour," Ayame says dramatically.
"But Aya, you were here for three hours," Shigure points out.
"Which is why I must scurry my love," Ayame says lifting Shigure's chin towards him.
"Yes, well please call, I can't bear not knowing if you're safe or not!" Shigure says playing along.
"Shut up you sick bastards!" Kyo shouts.
"Goodbye my dear brother!"
"Goodbye Ayame,"
"Bye Aya!" Ivory and Momiji says happily.
"Oh, Ivory, you must stop by my shop some time! I have a perfect outfit for you!"
"Ooh, thank you! I'll be sure to stop by!" Ivory says happily.
"Bye Ayame!" Tohru says happily.
"See ya freak," Kyo mutters irritated. Ayame walks towards the door and Tohru follows to see him out. When Tohru comes back Ivory stretches and lowers her chin to the table.
"I'm hungry," She says thoughtful. "I think I'm going to make dinner now," Ivory looks towards Haru and Momiji. "Are you guys joining us?"
"Yes, if that's alright with Sensei," Haru says looking at Shigure.
"Oh sure, I don't have a problem with that," Shigure says with his normal carefree smile.
"Wait, Ivory do you need help?" Tohru wonders, she doesn't want to feel like she's just free loading on the Sohma's, she has to earn her keep.
"Of course, let's make a really big dinner! You can prepare Japanese dishes and I can prepare American dishes! Is that alright?"
"That sounds great!" The two life changing girls stand and walk into the kitchen.
"You've really changed the Sohma family," Ivory says as they both get to work on preparing an elaborate dinner for their boys.
"What?! No, I haven't changed anything!"
"I beg to differ!" Ivory laughs. "Last time I checked, Shigure's house was a mess—,"
"Well I do clean and cook,"
"Also, never have I seen Kyo and Yuki in the same room without ripping each other's heads off, I've never seen Yuki and Ayame talking to each other with interest, and everything just seems…better,"
"I hardly think that could be because of me!" Tohru say modestly.
"It is, when I met the Sohma family…no one really knew each other…even though they were all related, of course there was Shigure, Hatori and Ayame, who were best friends, but…everyone was so divided. And poor Kyo…he had it the worst. Not many members of the zodiac, or their families wanted to be around him. And…I don't mean to be cocky, or conceited, but I like to believe that I after I left the last time…that that started to change, I hoped that Shigure would start to see Kyo differently, and maybe everyone else too," Ivory says as she cleans tilapia for Kyo's portion. "I hoped that people would stopped pitying him, and they'd see him, whether for the good or bad, they'd see him. But at the same time, I couldn't continue with my plans as much as I wanted to. And here you are, Tohru Honda, taking my place, and fixing the Sohma family," Maybe…one day…she help fix my family…because I'm afraid…everything will one day…fall apart…Ivory thinks quietly.
"No, Ivory, you're too kind, I can't possibly have that much affect on the Sohma's," Tohru says in a slight panic.
"And that's where you're wrong Tohru, you already have. And I think, given a year or maybe less! The Sohma's will be healed…and I just hope that I'm here to see it!" Tohru looks at the strange girl.
"I can't possibly…"
"But you can…and I'll be here to help! You don't have to do it all alone," Ivory says with a smile. "We'll save them together!"
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