The day went fast till lunchtime. Shina went off to hang out with her new friends Hana And Uo. Tora on the other hand, found a tall tree and climbing onto a branch to sit and write. She had been writing a few moments when she saw Hatori standing below her. She stopped writing to look down and drool.
'He's so hot! Yet he seems really sad as well. No one that good looking should look that sad!' She thought leaning on her hand. Suddenly, she slipped and tried desperately to grab for the branch she was seated on. She cried out as her hand grasped at empty air. Hatori looked up in time to see her falling towards him. He reached out instinctively and pulled her in to him so that she would not hurt her-self in the fall. No sooner had he done so however, than there was a puff of green smoke. He got glimpse or her relieved then shocked face, before he transformed into the Earth bound dragon, the seahorse.
"Hatori? Where are you?" Tora asked looking around. Just then she felt something wiggling under her hand. Shrieking she jumped up and looked down. Lying on the ground was a tan, VERY dizzy looking, seahorse. (A/N: )
"Oh, no what do I do? Salt water? Fresh water? What!!!" Before she could react however there was another 'poof' and a very embarrassed very nude Hatori stood before her. He grabbed his clothes from the ground and jumped behind a bush to change.
"Sorry about that…" He muttered.
"What just happened?" Tora squeaked locking the image of the seahorse and Hatori's naked form's in her memories for later.
"Ummm…Well, how to put this…" Hatori said looking very uncomfortable as he walked out of the bushes fully clothed and straightening his collar. Tora looked at him confused. Hatori sighed and sat down next to her.
"The Sohma family has been cursed by the vengeful spirits of the Chinese zodiac for as far back as we can remember. When we are under a great deal of stress or we come in contact with a member of the opposite sex, we transform. As you saw just now, I am cursed by the spirit of the dragon, or rather his earthly form, the seahorse." Tora sat a moment contemplating what he had just told her.
"A curse huh? Cool," She smiled. "That just adds to your mysterious exterior. Personaly, I like it." Hatori just looked at her.
'Cool?'
"Hey!!" She yelled startling Hatori out of his thoughts. "What makes Shina so special?! Huh? You were able to hold her!!!" her eyes flashed with subtle jealousy. At seeing this Hatori chuckled. "What's so funny?" She demanded. This only made Hatori laugh out right. After a few seconds he brought himself under control.
"I only laughed because you looked so jealous. But to answer your question, the reason I can hold her is because of the blood she received. Isuzu Sohma was the donor of that blood and one of the cursed members of the family. We can hug family member who are also cursed and have no fear of transforming. I can hug Kisa and Kagura as well."
"So if she has Isuzu's blood, doesn't that mean she should transform as well?" Tora asked. Hatori looked puzzled.
"I'm not sure, this is the first case of this I have ever seen. And frankly it scares me. Akito, our head of the family, is going to be furious when she finds out." Hatori looked ill at the thought. "The reason I'm here today is to check on Shina. Can you show me where she is?" He asked getting up.
"Yeah, sure. She said something about eating with Tohru and her friends in the field in the back." She said getting up as well.
"Let's go then." Hatori started walking leaving Tora to ponder his words.
