1The Return Of Tenshi
Ch11
Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket or Sailor Moon.
AN: Thank you for the reviews again. In the past few chapters I had issued a poll on which character you, the readers, would want to show up again. Here are the votes:
Chibi Chibi: 6
Starlights: 3
Both: 17
-Ayame's Dream-
Ayame watched as ten-year-old Usagi stared out the pure white kimono in her hand with a wide smile on her face, not knowing that this would be the last birthday present he'll ever give to her. Pleased to know that she was happy with his present, Ayame began to plan something more extravagant than this present.
Akito stared at Usagi's laughing face, as she would feel the smooth silky feel of the fabric. "Usagi, why don't you go try it on," Akito said, gently pushing the girl out of the room to change.
"Hai, Akito-san," Usagi said, she turned to him and bowed before leaving the room.
Akito glanced at Ayame, all the soft features on his face had vanished the minute the young girl stepped out of the room. A slight smirk appeared on his face as the superiority feeling ran through his body along with the intensified glare on the snake.
"Wonderful work on the kimono, Ayame," he drawled, sitting down in his usual spot in the front of the room. "It will get harder to make something much better for next year."
"I believe that I can do that," Ayame said, silently wishing that Usagi will come back quicker.
Akito's black eyes watched closely as an awkward pause came throughout the room. He knew that he was making the snake feel uncomfortable and was pleased with that notion. He observed Ayame closely and grew amused with his constant fidgeting, silently making sport of it.
"Akito-san, I'm finished."
Akito's attention turned to the closed doors. "Come in, Usagi," he said, standing up. The door slid open and a shy Usagi stepped into the room.
Akito laughed at her cautious manner and stared in amazement at how her silver kimono shone in contrast to her golden strands of hair. "You look beautiful, Usagi, just like a little tenshi," he complimented, giving her a hug.
"I have a check up with Hatori right now, so I'll leave you two alone," he said, glaring at Ayame, as if daring him to do something stupid, "I trust that Ayame will take good care of you."
"Hai, Akito-san," Usagi said, "I'll be good."
"Of course you will," Akito said, giving her a kiss on her forehead, "Usagi's always such a good girl. Ayame will make sure that you'll get whatever you want, won't you, Ayame?"
"Of course," Ayame replied, slightly unnerved by his glare, "Whatever Ten-chan wants, Ten-chan gets."
Akito nodded his approval before leaving the room, leaving the twenty-one-year-old with his ten-year-old cousin. Ayame sighed in relief when he was sure that the thirteen-year-old clan head wasn't there, lurking in the shadows. He heard giggling and looked at Usagi to see her laughing at him.
"And what exactly is so funny, my dear Ten-chan?" Ayame asked.
Usagi just smiled innocently at her cousin. "It's just that you looked so relieved that Akito-san is gone," she said, "Akito-san isn't that bad if you just do what he wants."
"I suppose." Ayame then took Usagi into his arms and made sure that the dress was on perfectly. "It seems like a perfect fit, Ten-chan," he said.
"Of course, whatever Aya-nii makes is beautiful and perfect!" Usagi exclaimed.
Ayame felt his pride grow big from the praise. "Why, thank you," he said, reaching into his pocket and pulled out a flexible measuring tape, "Now let's take your measurement for next year's present."
Usagi watched Ayame take her measurements as he thought of something even extraordinary for next year. "Aya-nii, what did you give Yuki for his birthday?" she asked.
Ayame paused for a minute before continuing with his work. "Just you wait, Ten-chan, this new dress is going to be the best of the best…de crème de la crème," he said airily, changing the subject, "I can see you now, a beautiful princess awaiting for her prince charming to come and rescue her."
"I guess he's still avoiding Yuki," she thought silently, "Poor Yuki…why would Aya-nii ignore Yuki? Did he do something bad?"
Usagi bent her head to the floor as she felt tears threatening to leak out from her eyes. The very idea of a family that should be close knit, in particularly between siblings, have severed connections seemed to be really depressing, especially to a ten-year-old girl, who wants nothing more than for their family to be close.
Ayame glanced up to see a tear gently glide down her cheek and immediately panicked. "Daijobu, Ten-chan?" he asked, worried that once Akito found out that he made Usagi cry, he might end up sporting bruises that would last for over two weeks.
"Naze(1)?" Usagi asked, "Why are you being so mean to Yuki? Isn't he your otouto?"
Ayame sighed and stood up. What Usagi said was true…both he and Yuki were brothers, but their just too different. "You wouldn't understand, Ten-chan," he whispered, "You're just too young."
"Aya-nii, I'm only one year younger than Yuki. What wouldn't I understand that Yuki would?" Usagi asked, "Don't you know that you'll end up regretting that you pushed him away?"
Ayame turned to Usagi and shouted, "You wouldn't understand and that's that. So stop asking, all right?"
He gasped and quickly apologized. "Gomen, Ten-chan, gomen nasai. I didn't mean to yell at you."
"Like you didn't mean to ignore Yuki," Usagi whispered, turning around. "I know that I'm just being noisy, but I am right. Even Shingo and I have a better relationship than you and Yuki and I don't even see him a lot because I'm here and he's out there."
Ayame sat down on the floor and listened as Usagi started to walk out of the room. "I'll tell Akito-san that you left after I fell asleep," she said, "I won't tell him you yelled at me."
"Why? Even after all that, why are you still trying to protect me?" Ayame asked, never truly understanding how the young girl thinks.
"Because…it's not your fault. No one really sees it, but in a way, we're all just like Akito-san…never really able to control our anger," Usagi replied.
She walked over to the doorway and paused before turning around the face the snake. "You really shouldn't push Yuki away, Aya-nii, otherwise, you'll end up hating yourself when Yuki does the same to you," she said, and with that, she exited the room, without a second glance at her cousin.
Ayame stared at Usagi's back and couldn't help but pity her naïve innocence. "Not everyone thinks like you, Ten-chan," he whispered, "You just don't understand how this world really works."
He knew that Usagi was right about one thing, if he doesn't start paying attention to his younger brother, then one day he would regret it, but…he's just not ready to go and open his arms to the young rat…not yet. Perhaps in the future, he may be basing the reunion on plain dumb luck, but what can he, an older brother, who cast his only sibling aside for his own selfish pleasure, say to him. Maybe Usagi would tell him and help him along the way…just maybe…
-Kisa's Dream-
Six-year-old Kisa stared from behind her mother at the large group of the juunishi members. They were all standing in the spacious backyard as inside of the house were everyone in the Sohma family who came to the main house to celebrate the new Years. They were each wearing a costume that was designed by a proud Ayame and were all having fun and laughing, well most of them.
She watched as Hatori was sitting in the back with his arms crossed over his chest and he refused to budge from his seat and put on the costume Ayame had made for him, despite the constant annoying pleads from the two older cousins, Shigure and Ayame. Hatsuharu and Rin were silently talking to each other as they tried ignoring the whining from the dog and the snake. Ritsu was sitting on the stage with his legs folded to the side as he had a look that reveals his belief of him being worthless on his face. Kagura was talking animatedly to Usagi, who was talking back to her while glancing at her cousins on the stage. Yuki stood there with almost a lost expression on his face as he watched Momiji jumping up and down while cheering in a loud voice. Hiro was getting annoyed with the rabbit and was about to yell at him when he spotted Kisa out on the side.
"Kisa, you came!" Hiro exclaimed as he rushed over to her.
Kisa nodded her head shyly and smiled at her cousin. "Hi, Hiro-chan," she said softly.
Hiro took her hand into his. "Come on, Kisa, let's go see everyone else," he said with a smile on his face.
Kisa walked behind Hiro and stared shyly at her cousins. Even after six years of knowing her older cousins, the young tiger is still shy around all of them…well all but two. There's Hiro, sweet Hiro, who's the best friend anyone could ask for; Hiro was always very sarcastic to everyone around him, but to her, he's the sweetest angel ever. And last but not least was Usa-nee-chan, a girl who has the whole Sohma family on their feet and in the palm of her hands; she was clearly an enigma to those around her, just when you think you know her from head to toe, she manages to surprise you.
"Kisa, I'm glad you're here," Momiji said as he bounced over to the two, "You might it just in time, Tenshi was about to sing for us!"
Usagi stopped talking to Kagura and abruptly stood up. "Huh?" she said, staring at the other blonde with wide eyes. "When did I say that?" she asked him.
For the first time during the day, Yuki smiled and said in that soft quiet tone of his, "I'd like to hear you sing, Tenshi."
"Yes, Ten-chan, sing for us all," Ayame said airily, "Imagine, our beautiful Ten-chan singing in the little creation I made for her."
"But…" Usagi paused, knowing that she'll never win if everyone teamed up against her. She glanced down and sighed, before standing up on her feet. "Fine, but I'm singing in front of everyone else," she stated stubbornly.
"YAY!" Momiji cheered as he rushed over to Usagi and grabbed her hand before racing back into the house using the back door.
"Momiji, wait," Usagi complained as she tried to catch up to the rabbit's speed, "You're going too fast."
"Momiji, wait for the rest of us," Hatsuharu called out as he started to walk patiently after the two blondes with the other members following after him.
Kisa and Hiro followed at a slower pace as a smile graced itself on her face. Hiro glanced at Kisa at the corner of his eyes and was pleased to see that she was enjoying herself. They had about thirty minutes to spare before the Juunishi banquet starts and they had to appear before Akito, why not have a bit of fun with each other until the storm(2) arrives.
Everyone in the inner circle of the family sat in a huge room where only they were allowed to have access in the back of the house. They all sat comfortably around the room on the floor as Usagi stood in the front of the room.
Kisa watched as Usagi glanced up to the ceiling in thought, as if wondering what song she should sing. She stared in amazement at the pretty picture Usagi had created. Her golden hair was in its original style and her blue eyes were concentrated at the ceiling as her mind was concentrated in her dreams. She was sporting a light blue dress that connected with her light clear eyes.
Usagi closed her eyes and took a deep breath and exhaled. When her body felt relaxed from any tension or anxiety, she opened her eyes and smiled at her cousins.
Bokutachi wa shiawase ni naru tame kono tabiji wo yukun da
Hora egao ga totemo niau
Iroaseru koto naku yomigaeru hakanaku utsukushiki hibi yo
Mabushii umi kogareta kisetsu mo
Yuki no maiorita kisetsu mo
Itsu datte furimukeba anata ga ita
Bokutachi wa shiawase ni naru tame kono tabiji wo yuku
Daremo mina ienu kizu wo tsureta tabibito nan darou
Hora egao ga totemo niau
Nando michi ni mayotta no darou
Sono tabi ni atatakai te wo
Sashinobete kureta no mo anata deshita
Bokutachi wa kono nagai tabiji no hate ni nani wo omou
Daremo mina ai motome samayou tabibito nan darou
Tomo ni ikou akiru hodo ni
Bokutachi wa kono nagai tabiji no hate ni nani wo omou
Daremo mina ai motome samayou tabibito nan darou
Tomo ni ikou akiru hodo ni (3)As Usagi was singing, the stiffness everyone else had been feeling was already disappearing as they listened to the young girl singing and enjoying herself.
Kisa listened to the words Usagi sang and she soon realized that the words rang true for their family. Just because they were part of the inner circle, doesn't mean anything, not when they each have their own journey to travel upon in the future, their own voyage for happiness and to discover who they each are inside.
But what really got to her, is that this song is what they should be singing to her. Usa-nee-chan has always been there for them whenever they needed her, all they needed to do was turn around and she would be standing there.
AN: And that's that for this chapter. Just two more chapters involving the dreams of the Juunishi. And after that, comes Usagi's first day in school! Continue reading and send your reviews!
Why in Japanese
The storm Hiro had in mind is actually Akito.
This song doesn't belong to me, it's a song called "Voyage" by Ayumi Hamasaki. The translations of the song are on the bottom.
We're on this journey in order to become happy
Look, a smile really suits you
Oh those fleeting, beautiful days, brought back unfading
The season when we longed for the bright ocean
And the season when the snow fell
Whenever I turned around, you were always there
We're on this journey in order to become happy
I wonder if we are all travelers with wounds that can't be healed
Look, a smile really suits you
How many times did I loose my way?
Whenever I did, there was a warm hand
And you were the one who held it out to me
What will we think at the end of this long journey?
I wonder if we are all travelers searching for love
Let's go together, until we've had enough
What will we think at the end of this long journey?
I wonder if we are all travelers searching for love
Let's go together, until we've had enough