Title: The Onigiri Slayer

Summary: When Dawn is sent to Japan to be the Watcher of a very special girl, she doesn't realise this girl is perhaps the strangest Slayer she'll ever meet.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the idea.

Author's Notes: I am so sorry for how long this has taken. I've had a bad few months; boyfriend dumped me, chopped off the top of my finger, and landlord kicked me out of my flat...so I've been kind of busy with life. Sorry!!

Just a little idea that popped into my head one day. I am taking all my Furuba info from the anime only.

Two weeks passed in a flurry of study for midterms, actually taking the midterms, and then beginning to train for inter-school sports. Tohru had joined the track team along with Dawn, and they spent a lot of time running around the school looking dishevelled, and having an excellent time doing it.

Because of Tohru's Slayer drive, and Dawn's cultivated fitness the laps didn't tire them out that much, but it was good training for Tohru, and a good way for them to debrief about the previous night's slayage without being heard.

Then, after training, Yuki would go to his school council meetings (there seemed to be a lot of those, most of them mysteriously involving only Yuki and some chick with dirty blonde hair), and Kyo dragged Tohru along to the dojo so they could train together. This left Dawn time to chat with Momiji, and they often went to the markets and strolled along arm in arm, neither buying anything, just happy to be in one another's presence. Other times, they went to the park and played on the roundabout, and the swings.

They were at the park now, swinging gently and talking about how they'd first met Tohru, what she'd done for them.

"I was stationed here to become her friend, you know," Dawn kicked at the dirt idly. "But it wasn't like that...the minute I saw her I adored her. She's such a sweet little thing. Didn't even get angry that I was horning in on her shift, or her jobs. Just helped me out, and became my friend instantly." She smiled nostalgically.

"I'd heard all about her before I met her at the school fair. She was helping to run the onigiri stand, and she was so surprised when I turned into a rabbit after I hugged her, but so nice, too." Momiji grinned.

"She is that." Dawn swung a little faster, tipping her head back to look at the bright blue sky. "Ooh, let's have a jumping contest!" she suggested. "See who can get the furthest!"

"Okay!"

They both pumped their legs as hard as they could, and, when the time felt right, Dawn launched herself out, managing to land in a graceful crouch about ten feet away. Momiji let out a startled yell, as he landed on top of her.

Giggling, Dawn rolled, so he was underneath her. He fought back, pinning her body to the ground, her hands held tightly against the dirt with his. Dawn's laughter faded away with a hiccup as she looked up into his big amber eyes. She swallowed; eyes flicking down to his mouth then back again. Momiji did the same.

Slowly, so slowly it was almost an imperceptible movement, he lowered his head.

"Well, what have we here. The American and Momiji. Isn't that interesting, Kisa," Hiro's snide voice said.

With a groan, Momiji and Dawn split apart. Dawn glared at the newcomers, her lips tingling from the almost-kiss. Dammit, that just wasn't fair! It was like the whole world was conspiring against her!

"What do you want?" she snapped, sparing a pleasant smile for Kisa.

"Hatori told me to tell you that Akito wants to see you. Make some time in your oh so busy swinging schedule will you? The rest of us don't need to deal with the backlash."

Childishly, Dawn poked her tongue out at him. "Yes, princess," she said witheringly.

Two days later, Dawn walked into the Sohma Compound once again. She'd decided to get the meeting over with as soon as possible. After all, if it were bad news, it'd be a good idea not to piss Akito off even more. And if it were good news, it would be a good idea not to piss Akito off so that he changed it to bad news.

Momiji met her at the gate again, his amber eyes worried. "Are you sure you'll be okay?" he asked as they began to walk. "I can come in with you if you like..."

"Don't worry, Hatori will be there, remember?" Dawn comforted. "He won't let anything happen to me."

The blonde nodded, smiling. "You're right, of course." He still seemed a bit worried, but Dawn didn't have a chance to ask, she was heading towards late as it was.

"See you later!" She squeezed his hands gently, and walked into the room without knocking.

Akito was by the window, his long fingers caressing a bird gently. Hatori stood next to him, and turned when Dawn came in.

"Good of you to come so promptly, Dawn," the Sohma Head's silky voice wrapped around her sinuously.

Dawn shivered. She didn't like the way he spoke, as though he knew something she didn't. "Well, I'm all about the promptness," she quipped nervously. "What's the deal?"

"You seem to think you can take my family away from me, Dawn. You can't. In fact, you've become such a liability that I need to get rid of you."

"What?" Dawn asked, confused. "You're nuts! I would never-"

"SILENCE!" Akito whirled around, his hair flaring out from his skull, eyes wild.

Dawn did as she was told, shocked.

"YOU ARE, I KNOW YOU ARE!" He shrieked. "I'VE SEEN THE WAY YOU LOOK AT THEM! TWISTING THEIR HEARTS, TURNING THEM AWAY FROM ME!" A slow smile spread across red lips. "But no longer, do you hear me?" he continued calmly. "No longer! I'm going to get rid of you, you cultureless American scum!" He gestured to Hatori. "Do it! Do it now!"

Slowly, Hatori moved forward, his grey eye boring into Dawn's green ones. She was frozen in place. Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion, and she couldn't move.

"You're going to lose all your memories of this place, you stupid treacherous girl. And then you're going to go running back to your family, and you'll never touch what's mine again," Akito informed her gleefully.

That eye was still hypnotising her, and she felt as though the world was closing in. Her blood pounded in her ears, and her thoughts flickered, unable to find purchase. 'He can't take...' trailed through her mind, before a flash of light, and then darkness.

The girl sat up slowly, and climbed to her feet. How long had she been here? It was so dark outside...

She decided it must have been a while. Maybe she'd been asleep. That was natural; darkness was the time for sleep. She knew that.

But now...now she felt like a walk. Why shouldn't she take a little stroll, anyway? She was entitled to that, and walking was good exercise.

She clambered to her feet, pushing the door open, and slipping on the sneakers that lay outside. They must be hers; after all, they fit perfectly.

As if in a daze, she wandered along the path, no idea where she was going. But that didn't matter, for some reason she felt perfectly calm. Nothing could go wrong, everything was just right. She had an idea that she was supposed to find her family. She didn't know who they were, though, or where.

'Well,' she reasoned, 'I might as well keep walking. I'll get somewhere eventually, and somewhere may very well be where my family is.' She nodded decisively at no one, enjoying the feeling of the crisp breeze on her skin.

Eventually she reached the gates, and pushed them open gently, stepping onto the road. A sound blared, and she turned towards it, startled for the first time.

She caught a glimpse of bright lights, and the startled face of someone behind the wheel of a car, and then darkness once more.

End Chapter 20