Viviana: I kept to my promise! I updated on the 15th of July. You got to be proud of me.
Kyou: Yes we are so proud of you, but why didn't you update sooner?
Viviana: Did not feel like it.
Kyou: Real good reason.
Viviana: I know, isn't that such a great reason. Besides for the past week I have been picking black raspberries, I had drama, and summer reading. That took up a lot of my time. Argh, I really do think that book called The Good Earth is boring, but not as bad as some of the other books choices.
Kyou: Like what?
Viviana: John Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meaney and The Cider House Rules. To me those books were blah.
Kyou: Okay...
Viviana: Yeah, I know. Why am I even discussing this? Anyways in this chapter their is some Yuki/ Manabe interaction along with Kyou/ Tohru. And what's this? Somebody dies?
Kyou: Do you like killing characters?
Viviana: Um, no. I don't like killing characters. But I like killing my characters.
Kyou: Huh?
Viviana: Never mind. Just shut it, and read. Everyone this is Chapter ten of Awakened.
The sun rose, the sun had set for two months since the first time Kyou Sohma and Tohru Honda had met each other at the Taree Garden. Since that first meeting, Kyou and Tohru had been meeting each other at regular intervals of three days. Every time the met, they met at the base of the Golden Dragon Statue. As time went on, Kyou and Tohru began to walk around the garden with other couples. The twosome talked about every subject, and Kyou had already shown Tohru some of the basic Martial Arts movements which she was trying to perfect. Sadly enough Tohru wanted to perfect the movements to impress Kyou, however the idea would be for nothing because he was already smitten with her.
At the Sohma household it was common knowledge that the cat was seeing a girl, but the question was who was she. Kagura had informed the household that her name was Tohru Honda and that she was a servant at the Takauji's house. However she never mentioned if Tohru looked like Kameko or why Kyou was helplessly in love with the strange girl named Tohru.
On the other side of the spectrum to Yuki's displeasure, he still had not met Manabe Kakeru since he had decided at the funeral he must meet the man. Thus with the passing of two months, Yuki decided to find a reason why to meet and hopefully become friends with the infamous Manabe Kakeru.
Luckily for Yuki, the occassion did arrive on the second Tuesday of July. That day was to be Manabe's nineteenth birthday and only a select few would be invited to the afternoon party because the Takauji household was still in mourning because of the passing of Master Takauji who had been killed earlier that year.
Yuki learned the news while he was walking into one of the complex hallways in the Sohma mansion. He was passing one of the servants, Kimi, and she was talking to another servant Machi excitedly.
"Did you hear that today is Master Takauji's nineteenth birthday!"
Yuki stopped right where he was and made a quick decission. Either forget he heard that tidbit of information, or follow the two servant girls and see if they discussed any more useful information that might enable him to go to the party and meet Manabe personally.
In that split second, Yuki decided to act upon the latter. Follow Kimi and Machi and see if they talked more about the party. Thus Kimi did.
"Master Takauji is only inviting a select few people because the family is still in mourning because of Master Takauji senior tragic death."
Resisting the urge to laugh, Yuki pretended to cough. Yes, Yuki thought. Master Takauji death was so tragic. Akito personally killed the man. That would make for a great tragic tale.
However Yuki remembered that only a select few people in the Sohma family knew the real reason why the man died and how he died.
The few people who knew the truth were Akito, Shigure, Hatori, two manservants, and Yuki himself. Actually in truth only four people now knew the truth, because after the two manservants did their duty, Akito killed them because she didn't want anyone outside of the Juunishi to know the truth. Thus they had been killed indirectly so it did not look like the were murdered.
However, when Yuki returned to the present, Kimi and Machi had disappeared from sight and he had not the slightest clue were the two girls could have gone.
Highly annoyed with himself, Yuki turned around and walked towards the dining hall were he met up with Haru and Momiji who were sitting at the table eatting. When Momiji saw Yuki he stood up and waved.
"Hey Yuki!" cried Momiji happily. "Do you want to go to town today?"
Yuki walked over to the table that Haru and Momiji were at. Shrugging, he asked the rabbit, "Why do you want to go to town?"
"Because of the festivites." Bouncing up and down the rabbit pleaded. "Can we go? Please can we go?"
Haru stood up from the table and walked towards Yuki. Stopping right next to the rat, Haru whispered into Yuki's ear, "I don't see why we can't go to help celebrate Takauji's birthday."
Yuki whispered back, "Do you think it is possible Manabe will be there?"
"Of course Manabe will be there," replied Haru. Then he stopped and whispered fervently back. "You still haven't met him yet?"
Yuki nodded his head solemnly, meanwhile Haru grinned. "I guess this is a win-win situation for everybody. Momiji will go to the festivities and you'll find your man."
"What about you?" asked Yuki curiously. "You said this was a win-win situation for everybody."
"Because I'll get to see you make a fool out of yourself, plus if my calculations are correct, that damn cat is going to see his girl today."
"What?" cried Yuki surprised, making Momiji who was still pleading if they could go, send him a mix between curious and surprised look in his direction.
Shushing the surprised rat, Haru pulled Yuki over to a small corner so they could speak in private without the innocent rabbit overhearing.
Again Yuki repeated, "What's going on with Kyou?"
"I believe he goes to see that Takauji servamt girl Tohru every three days around noon," said Haru. "I've been watching him leave for the past month, and this pattern is cyclic; it has a pattern. Surely you have noticed it."
Yuki searched back in his memory for the past month of Kyou's habit. Soon he reached the same conclusion, and numbly nodded his head. "I agree, this pattern is cyclic and I agree that he is probably going to meet the girl today."
"I knew you would reach the same conclusion," said Haru, thumping a hand on Yuki's back. This sudden movement surprised Yuki and he yelped in surprise which made Haru laugh.
Shaking his head, Yuki smiled genuinely. "Let's go to town, now."
Yuki and Haru walked in silence while Momiji rambled on about what he wanted to see at the festivites.
"I want to eat lots and lots of sweets," the rabbit said. "I also want to see the fireworks later tonight, and I want to see the mystical animals. Expecially the griffin. Actually, I really only want to see the griffin." He continued to rattle on about nonsense until they reached the central part of town where Momiji saw all the action and departed from the two taller and maturer Sohmas.
Shrugging nonchalantly, Haru said, "I'll go follow Momiji and make sure he doesn't find too much trouble while you go find Manabe."
Yuki nodded his head in thanks, and watched Haru as he followed Momiji into the large crowd.
Sighing, Yuki looked around the perimeter of the area, and in every direction, he only saw large crowds of people. He concluded in his mind that he along with Haru and Momiji should be extremely careful because if a girl hugged him accidently he would change into his rat form and that would cause unnecessary chaos. Plus if Akito ever found out, she would have Yuki's head on a stick and would allow the wild, vicious birds to gouge out his eyes. If anyone had a cruel mind, Akito definitely won the prize, and personally Yuki thought that was nothing to be proud of.
Still in his reverie, Yuki hardly noticed that the dark haired, new Master Takauji, named Manabe Kakeru was passing right in front of him. However to his chagrin, Manabe, who was also in his own reverie, walked right into Yuki making both men fall down in a heap.
"What!" exclaimed Manabe on top of Yuki. Looking down to see who he had fallen upon, Manabe saw a pile of short silver hair that could belong to either a man or woman. Deciding that he should be a good citizen of the town, Manabe rolled off the man or woman and helped him or her to a standing position. Looking over the person, Manabe concluded that the person looked like a male, but the features were to feminine. Thus he decided that the person was a she pretending to be a he.
"I'm so sorry that you are in the position, miss," said Manabe politely. "I completely understand how families are. They wanted a male heir but they never got one, thus they made you become the male heir."
Yuki stood staring at Manabe increduously. Did that idiot Manabe truly believe that he was a girl?
Coughing slightly to get Manabe's attention, Yuki stated firmly, "I am not a girl."
"You're not a girl?" asked Manabe bewildered. "Surely you jest. You miss, are much more attractive than most girls I know."
Yuki shook his head in amazement that Manabe was being so idiotic. Stating again, Yuki told Manabe sternly, "I am not a girl."
"But you must!" cried Manabe. Then getting onto one knee and holding a ring that he had just pulled off his finger, Manabe asked, "Miss, will you do the honor of becoming my wife?"
Hearing that senence, Yuki made a chopping movement onto Manabe's head to show his disapproval for invoking such a question when he is clearly not a girl.
With a loud 'Ow', Manabe put both hands on his injured head, and asked, "Why did you do that?"
"Because you were being an idiot," said Yuki crossing his arms and trying to look as irate as possible; however inside he was laughing nonstop because Manabe looked so funny with both hands on his head and moaning softly.
"But you didn't have to hit me on the head tha hard," he whined. "I have to look dashing at my party today."
Yuki raised an eyebrow which Manabe noticed. Escalating his explanation, Manabe said, "Today is my nineteenth birthday and I'm having a party where I'm going to meet my future wife. Or so they say."
Yuki nodded his head but continued to watch Manabe's movements. After a few more seconds of awkward silence, Manabe turned to Yuki and said, "I'm sorry. How about we start over. My name is Manabe Kakeru and you are?"
"Yuki," he replied. "Yuki Hiromasa." He had decided not to give Manabe his real name because he did not know what kind of reaction he would receive if Manabe knew, plus he might never get to know him. Thus he went for an alias.
"Yup, that's a good family," said Manabe nodding his head. "Very good family." Yuki raised an eyebrow, and Manabe shrugged. "Okay, so I haven't heard of your family Yun-Yun, but it was worth a shot."
"Yun-Yun?" asked Yuki. "Who are you talking to?"
"You of course."
"My name is not Yun-Yun."
"But you fit the name so well."
"Change it."
"NO!"
"Change it, or I won't go to your party."
"You wont' go to my party?" cried Manabe slouching onto the ground. Then looking Yuki straight in the eye he asked. "How could you be so mean to say so? I thought we were best friend. We told each other everything. We shared everything. If you don't come the party will be ruined and it is all because of a name!"
"Fine keep the name," sighed Yuki. "But I won't give you a good present for your birthday."
"Okay," said Manabe cheering up. Then remembering what Yuki had said about the present he shrugged, then grabbed Yuki into a hug saying, "Besides Yun-Yun, the best present I could ever receive is you going to my party."
Yuki tore himself out of the hug, and started to walk away irately meanwhile Manabe stood in the same place asking out loud, "Hey, what did I say?"
Kyou had been waiting, some-what impatienty, for Tohru for the last fifteen minutes. They had agreed to meet in front of the Golden Dragon Statue at noon then go into town to see the festivities together for two hours. However Tohru had yet to show up.
Normally Tohru was never late, even though Kyou always waited a few minutes for her to show up because he always arrived at the Taree Garden early. He believed that one day he would meet some annoying passerbyer would stop and ask for a long and boring conversation. However that had yet to happen, thus Kyou was pleased and just stood there and waited for his companion to show up.
Another five minutes passed, and Tohru was still not there standing next to him. Therefore he was worried. Tohru was friendly, and innocent, so Kyou thought it was very possible that some perverted man with bad intention saw Tohru and kidnapped her away. Or perhaps she had not been kidnapped, but instead badly hurt because she wanted to help somebody. The possibilties were endless, and each one made Kyou even more worried.
In the back of his mind, he told himself that when he saw Tohru, he would inform her that she had him extremely worried, and if she was to be late again that she should send a messenger to tell him so. Therefore Kyou was not prepared when Tohru came running towards him and tripped over a rock.
Kyou's first instinct was to catch the falling girl, and that was what he did. Once he caught the girl and noticed who she was, Kyou instantly turned into his cat form to his displeasure.
"I'm so sorry," said Tohru who had fallen onto Kyou the cat. "I did not mean to run into you."
"I know," said Kyou. Then he changed the subject. "Why were you late?"
"I'm sorry," said Tohru kneeling down next to the cat and stroking its orange fur in a gentle movement. "Manabe informed us servants this morning that today was his birthday, and I needed to do an errand. Actually I still have to do the errand, so I really can't stay long."
Kyou sighed, then said, "So we'll see each other in three days, then?"
Tohru nodded her head solemnly, meanwhile Kyou changed back into his human form much to Tohru's surprise.
"Eeeek!" Tohru turned around and blushed profusely as Kyou quickly dressed into his clothes.
When he was decent he said, "You can turn around." Tohru turned around and looked into Kyou's eyes still blushing.
Walking towards him, she stopped a few inches from him and said, "Good-bye, Kyou-kun."
"Good-bye Tohru," he replied, and in the next instant they were kissing passionately.
Tohru was the first to break the kiss. "Sorry, but I really have to go."
Numbly Kyou nodded his head and watched as Tohru walked away. Sighing to himslef, he leaned against the statue and said, "See you soon.Tohru."
Tohru found the wagon where Kameko, Nyoko and Nao, the manservant were waiting for her.
"Sorry that you had to wait for me," said Tohru to Kameko while she was bowing. "But I thought that I had dropped something back there." Tohru indicated with her hand towards the rear of the wagon while Kameko just nodded her head regally.
"It is fine Honda-san," she said. "But we better start shopping now."
Kameko and Nyokio climbed into the wagon then Kameko indicated for Nao to start driving the wagon while Tohru walked beside it. They continued at a brisk pace until they reached town where lots of people were milling around the perimeter enjoying the festivites.
The wagon stopped and Kameko scoffed at the people. She motioned for Tohru to comes towards which she did then Kameko said, "We are going to wait here with the wagon while you go and buy everything we need. Understand Honda-san?"
Tohru nodded her head and grabbed the basket. Putting the basket beneath her arm, Tohru said, "I understand. I'll be back soon Kameko-san."
"Good," she replied and watched as Tohru walked into the large crowd. Turning towards her sister and Nao, she said, "You two may do what you like."
"Thanks Kameko-san," said Nao. "But I'll stay with the horses."
Nyoko shrugged, then said, "I think I'll enjoy the festivites for a while, Kameko." Nyoko jumped out of the wagon gracefully, then went to follow Tohru into the crowded streets.
Kameko watched as her sister dispersed into the crowd then leaned back into her seat. Closing her eyes she decided to take a short nap until Tohru and Nyoko returned to the wagon so they could go home.
At the same time, but at the Sohma household, Akito was bored. She was no closer to finding the key, than she was two months ago. Thus she was highly irritated, and when she is highly irritated, her thinking is very irrational. For at that moment she had depicted that somebody had to die. And who better than someone from the Takauji household?
Today was the nineteenth birthday of the infuriating Manabe Kakeru so surely at least one of Takauji's daughters would be in the town because if Akito's memory was correct, Rin and her wild beasts that she called horses would be there to. Even though Akito did not change into one of the cursed Juunishi, she still could control the animals related to the Zodiac like she did two months earlier.
Thus Akito decided to enter the simple minds of Rin's horses Ima and Dai. Closing her mind from all other action that was happening in the house, Akito concentrated for the waves of the two horses. After a few minutes of trying, she finally grasped their minds and she soon saw what they saw. She heard what they heard. She smelt what they smelt. She tasted what they tasted. And she felt what the felt.
And in the horses sight, Akito could see the figure of one of Takauji's daughters, Kameko.
"Perfect," Akito mumbled and then she sent the two horses, Ima and Dai the commands to charge forward towards the wagon in which Kameko lie sleeping. Therefore without any warning the two, rather large horses began to panic and went running straight ahead towards the other wagon.
Unhooking her mind from the horses minds, Akito rubbed her hands together in glee. She had hopefully just caused another unnecessary death.
Isuzu Sohma, better known as Rin, was standing next to Hatsuharu to her displeasure when her two horses Ima and Dai began to pull at their tethers as if they were frightened.
She looked at the two horses astounded because usually the large creatures were calm and sweet and nothing ever frightened them, however right at this minute something has spooked the creatures badly enough to make them ready to bolt at any given second.
In a quick movement, Rin closed her eyes and went to find their waves which she noted had been tampered with some malignanat prescence that had urged the horses to run towards a wagon that was across the street.
Shaking her head, Rin mumbled, "Who would mess around with my horses minds?"
"Huh?" asked Haru who was still standing next to Rin to her chagrin. "What did you say?"
"Nothing, except that my horses are acting odd," she replied.
"That's nothing unusual."
Rin shot Haru a nasty look, and he replied by smirking. Rin ran a hand through her long black hair and watched her horses intently. Ima and Dai were wiggling and had almost found a way out of there tethers. With each passing second they were closer and closer to becoming free. There, the two horses were not out of there tethers and were charing straight ahead towards the wagon across the street.
Rin gasped forgetting completely that the two animals were here responsibility. She stood there next to Haru numbly. However Haru acted quickly. Shouting loudly so that the noisy people could hear he said, "Wild horses loose! Please everyone get out of there way now!" Rin sent Haru a grateful smile which he accepted by nodding his head.
The pedestrians had heard him, and looked around anxiously, therefore they saw the two horses running towards them. They all ran out of the way as quickly as they could unless they were to be ran over which nobody wanted. By the time the two horses ran by, nobody was in the way except the one wagon.
When Nao had heard the warning he had ran away, forgetting completely about the sleeping Kameko in the wagon. He had seen the two horses running in their direction, thus he did what any intelligent person would do: get out of the way.
Thus when the two horses reached there target, time seemed to stop. Both Rin and Haru saw that a girl was still in the wagon and was not moving to get out of the way.
Simultaneously Rin and Haru cried, "Get out of the wagon now!"
However the girl either did not hear or if she did, she did not make any movement to find away out of her current predictment.
Therefore the two horses ran straight into the wooden wagon, knocking it over onto its side. The girl went flying out of the wagon as it hit the crowd and obviously woke up with a start. Haru and Rin watched in horror as the girl's eyes widened and she began to scream bloody murder. The two horses plowed right on, and made a loop as if they had mission. They both came running through the newly made rubble, and in the middle of the rubble was the girl, thus the two horses both ran over the girl and Rin could not take her eyes off of the sceen.
After Ima and Dai had ran over the girl, they ran down the street in the direction of the Sohma house. Rin girted her teeth painfully together as she watched the two horses run away.
Because Rin had been concentrating on her horses, she had completely forgotten about the girl who was probably dead. By the time she had remembered what had happened, a large crowd had formed around the broken wagon and the girl lying in the middle of the rubble. In front of the large crowd stood two girls. Both were staring at the body with disbelief, and then suddenly one of them began to sob loudly at the sceen, while the other merely tried to comfort the other but in vain.
Shaking her head, Rin could not help but lean into Haru's arms for support. Closing her eyes, Rin thought, What just happened?
Viviana: End of the chapter. Sorry that the last sceen seemed so choppy, but I am bad at writing this kind of thing. Someday I will change it, but not today. Sorry.
Kyou: Only one little sceen with Tohru, woman?
Viviana: Hey, you two kissed. Besides next chapter you'll get to comfort her, so there must be some good in here somewhere.
Kyou: Fine, whatever.
Viviana: Anyways please leave a review, and I'll try to update again by the end of the month. Say the 30th. M'kay? Thanks for reading and pretty please, REVIEW!