Chapter Eleven

Kyo and Shizuka walked silently along the forest path. Shizuka's hands were clasped in front of her and Kyo's hands were rammed in his pockets. Neither of them made any noise whatsoever.

"Look," Kyo finally said. "Shigure's a bit weird. He's… not normal… He shouldn't… have acted that way…"

Shizuka shrugged. "I've known he's weird since I first met him. Sensei told me he was difficult to live with before I even met him."

Kyo turned his head, watching his housemate out of the side of his eyes. "How do you… feel… about Hatori?"

"He's wonderful," she said. "He's obviously good at what he does and he cares so much about his family…"

"He's ice."

Shizuka looked over at him. "What?"

"Hatori… he's ice… he's snow… he does things…" Kyo shook his head slowly. "He's not as good as you think he is. Our family is… Hatori isn't good… He does things…"

"I'm not going to pry into your family's secrets Kyo," Shizuka said, glancing over her shoulder. Some wind blew a leaf across the path they had just walked across. "I may be as curious as you, but I don't push it. I figure if I sit back and watch my surroundings… I see what I want… I find out more by tiptoeing on the edge."

"You talk just like Shigure," Kyo complained. "Why do you have to be so damn enigmatic? Aaah!" He let out a gasp as her arm was slipped through his.

"We're being followed," she whispered in his ear. He felt his heart pounding in his chest as being so close to her. "Shigure is following us. Don't look back. Pretend I haven't said anything…"

"You always have to act like life is the theater," Kyo managed to get out of his suddenly sticky throat. "You and Shigure are both like that. And Ayame. Life is one big stage show and you talk… like idiots."

Shizuka began walking a bit faster. "Is that so bad? To talk like an idiot?"

"I didn't mean idiot!" He snapped, cheeks changing to a lovely rose color. "I meant—God! You… you're like my stupid cousins! You talk… weird!"

"I'm terribly sorry, Kyo-kun."

"Everyone acts so weird! Everyone in my life is over-the-top!" Kyo said, actually forgetting that she had told him Shigure was following them.

"How so?"

"Everything is a drama! It's ridiculous…"

Shizuka began walking even faster, now pulling Kyo along. He remembered Shigure was there and quickened his pace. "You're pretty dramatic yourself, Kyo."

"I am not."

"Yes you are!" Shizuka said with a grin. "You're always getting into fights and yelling, for attention. You love attention even though you act as if you don't. You want people to notice you."

Kyo pulled his arm free. "Is that so bad?" He growled. "Nobody in my family cares about me."

"I'm sure someone does."

"Nobody does. I'm a fricken' outcast in my own family. Everywhere I go. I'm an outcast. Nobody even tries to get to know me. Except…"

"Except?"

Except her, he thought. "It doesn't matter." He grabbed her arm and went even faster. "Nothing matters."

0-0-0-0-0

Shigure was losing them. They were walking so quickly it was beginning to get hard to keep up without them knowing he was there.

After several minutes of almost running, Shigure fell to his knees and took in a few deep breaths. He had no idea where Kyo was taking her and didn't think Kyo knew either.

"Are you all right?" asked a soft voice.

Shigure glanced over and saw the bottom of black pants. "Ah Shizuka-chaaan!" He said, staggering to his feet and collapsing against her. "I—"

poof

0-0-0-0-0

Kyo and Shizuka turned as they heard a loud scream. Shizuka started hurrying towards it and Kyo had no choice but to follow.

They found a strange woman flapping her arms everywhere as a black dog sat in front of her, looking nervous.

"AAAAAAH!" Kyo yelled, arm flying up. "WHAT THE HELL!"

"THE MAN DISAPPEARED AND THERE'S A DOG!" The woman screamed. "A DOG! A DOG! A DOG!"

"Whadoidowhadoidowhadoido!" Kyo yelped, pulling his hair and running in a circle. "Whadoido!" He yelled and then stopped and pointed at the dog. "YOUR FAULT!" He screamed and snap-kicked the dog. It howled as it went flying back into a tree.

"Kyo-kun!" Shizuka said, grabbing his arm. "Don't take it out on an innocent dog!"

"It's not an innocent dog!" The woman shrieked, her body wavering. "It was a man! He turned into a dog!"

Kyo grabbed the woman's arm. "I can explain everything!" He said. "Calm down and come with me!"

"K…yo?" Shizuka watched him hurry off, dragging the woman with him. She fell to her knees and looked over at the dog. It was on its back, kicking and whimpering. "Here puppy…"

The dog flipped over and bounced over, licking her face and wagging its tail.

"Kyo-kun is such an odd person!" She said, stroking the dog's back. "Just when I think I have him figured out… he's the most difficult person I've ever met. Aw you're so cute!" She giggled, tickling the dog under the chin.

poof

She didn't scream, she didn't scramble away and she didn't cover her eyes. She leaned back on the ground, staring up in disbelief and confusion at the naked Shigure and the mist surrounding the both of them.

"Heh," he said, rubbing the back of his head. "This is awkward…"

0-0-0-0-0-0

Hatori was at the house when they returned. He was sucking on a cigarette as if it was the last thing he'd ever do.

"You're never careful," he said when Shigure came up the steps. "You know how I feel about doing that."

"I didn't know it was a strange woman," Shigure admitted. "I thought it was Shizuka-chan. They had the same pants."

Shizuka padded in after Shigure, her eyes on the floor. Hatori gazed at her and knew she had seen his cousin return to human form.

"Who was she?"

"Some artist, sketching the landscape…" Hatori flicked the ashes away and ran his fingers through his hair. "Kyo called me."

Shigure looked over at Kyo. He was at the end of the hall, his arms folded and his eyes focusing on something that wasn't there.

"Shizuka-san?"

Shizuka looked up at Hatori. Her face was a bit white. "Sensei," she said and bowed.

"What did you see?"

Purple surrounded her and a large sweat drop appeared. "Aaaaahhh…" She breathed out.

Hatori gave Shigure a look then went close to Shizuka. "You saw him turn from dog to human, didn't you?"

"Y-yes… I didn't mean to see anything else but—but—"

"Did Shigure tell you why?"

Shizuka shook her head and Hatori sighed again, lighting another cigarette. "Gure-san, you love making my life difficult don't you?" He faced Shizuka again. "Our family is under a curse."

"A curse?"

"Yes. Thirteen members of the Sohma family are possessed by the spirits of the Chinese Zodiac. Whenever someone of the opposite sex hugs us (or we get really weak) we change into that form. Shigure—obviously—is the Dog."

Shizuka frowned slightly. "Is that what happened?" She asked. "When Hatsuharu-san ran into me? Is that why he started hugging me over and over again?"

"Yes, he was confused. He took you to me and you told me…" Hatori paused and brushed the bangs from his eyes. "I won't release that information to Shigure and Kyo—or anyone else. The only people who know are me, and the head of the Sohma house. His name is Akito, and he's the one who wanted you to live here."

Shizuka looked down. "Th… thank you…" She whispered, eyes squeezed tight. "Thank you, sensei, for not telling anyone."

"It's why so many of my cousins like to hug you," Shigure said. "It's something they never get to do."

"So…" Shizuka tilt her head to one side. "Hatsuharu-kun… Momiji-kun… Ayame-san… they're part of the curse as well? Wait. You said thirteen…? There's only twelve."

Hatori shook his head. "There are thirteen. The thirteenth isn't a full member of the Zodiac family, but he's cursed nonetheless."

The front door slammed and they looked over to see Kyo was gone.

"Remember?" Shigure asked. "The book about the Chinese Zodiac? The thirteenth?"

"The cat…" She said slowly. "Oh. I see now."

"If you wish to leave, you may."

"Sensei, why would I leave?"

Hatori's mouth went down in a frown. "Not many people outside of the cursed families know about the curse. Tohru-san is one of the very few who does. It's not something people readily accept and it's not something we like others to know about."

"Sensei," Shizuka said huskily. "Surely you wouldn't think someone such as me would think something like that is… weird."

"I was afraid of that." Hatori brushed past them to go to the door. "Shigure, you should go and inform Akito that she now knows."

Shigure nodded and left. Hatori waited till he was gone before walking back over to Shizuka.

"I want you to leave," he said, holding her arms. "This isn't something you want to be mixed up with."

"I'd rather be mixed up with something like this than with my own family," she said coldly.

"You could get hurt."

"I'm not easily injured. Emotionally, mentally… And I know that's what you mean." Shizuka smirked.

"It's your choice, not mine." He went back to the door and rolled it open. "People do get hurt in this family. Not many of us has escaped the wrath of Akito…" His hand started going towards his face but then he let his arm drop back down to his side. "Be careful."

"Goodbye sensei," she said, bowing.

The door closed, and she was left alone with her thoughts.

Author's Note:

Sorry it took me so long to update, the site wouldn't let me log in for a while! And then I got caught up in another fanfic I was writing –sweat drop- and when I finally tried to upload the document, it said there was an error. So… enough excuses. Anyway, so now Shizuka knows about the curse but she's not shocked of course. Hehehe. –thinks if there is anything else to say- mmm not really. There's gonna be some fluff coming up and then the big moment when Shizuka's---gasp- mm, not saying anything:-P please review! I like reviews. Oh and thanks to those who have reviewed!