Disclaimer:
Tohru: Hello minna!
Shigure: Hello ladies!
Me: No! Bad Shigure! No!
Lora: As you can see, the Fruits Basket gang have invaded our story.
Kyo: Sadly, we have.
Ikuto: There's only room for one hot cat-boy in this here story. And that's me! Let's fight!
Kyo: Yer on mister!
-fight to death-
Me: -sigh- We don't own Shugo Chara or Fruits Basket.
Chapter Twenty-Six: Zodiac INVASION
While our heroic Guardians puzzled over how to reinstate Ron, Lana, Doug and Sherry's memories, the cottage next door was bustling with, well, frankly chaos.
"YOU'RE GOING DOWN RAT-BOY!"
"They're at it AGAIN?"
"Kyo-kun! Yuki-kun! Please don't destroy the window! Again…"
A young girl of around 16-years-old ran in between the orange-haired Kyo, and grey-haired Yuki, of the same age, to prevent the fight. Again.
"Miss Honda. Please, let me see if he's improved any since yesterday." Yuki stated calmly, hands at the ready.
"Oh shut up you. It's not funny." Kyo replied, eyes blazing, ready to finally (hopefully) take his rightful place in the Zodiac.
"Please! We're on vacation!" Tohru Honda pleaded, her big blue eyes (A/N I'm not sure whether they're brown or blue. The pictures are misleading…) asking the boys to not fight.
"Fine." They both sighed, wondering what it would have turned out like if Tohru hadn't stopped them.
"We'll finish this later, rat." Kyo whispered to Yuki as Tohru bounced away, having sighted Momiji.
On the other side of the lake, Laura had noticed a frantic silver-haired person floundering in the lake.
"HELP MEEE!" it yelled.
"I'M COMING!" Laura yelled, using her not-so great life guarding skills to swim out into the lake. Fortunately for her, Kairi had also noticed the person in the lake.
"LAURA! I'LL HELP!" Kairi yelled, pulling off his shirt and diving into the lake off the dock after her. He caught up with her easily and the two of them swam faster towards the person. Just as they reached him, he lost consciousness, and began to sink.
"I WON'T LET MY FIRST LIFE SAVING MISSION BE A FAILURE!" Laura yelled, and hooked her arms around him. Upon doing so, his body instantly became a snake! His swimming trunks began to float to the bottom of the lake.
"Uh, okay… We can work with this." Laura commented and took the small snake and put him around her neck like a scarf. Swimming quickly to the beach, she unhooked him, and lay the small snake on the sand.
"ERICA! AMU! KUKAI! IKUTO! SOMEONE HELP ME!" she yelled, as she pressed a finger to the snake's heart, gently pumping as she had been taught to do (to a human and hoped it'd work on a snake) in her First Aid class.
"BREATHE! BREATHE SNAKEY! BREATHE!" Laura shouted uselessly to the heavens as Kairi looked on, sweatdropping as Erica, Amu and Kukai came running.
"What's up Wilky?" Kukai asked, not noting her obvious distress.
"Laura, what's wrong? Wait a minute, you're not planning on using CPR on the snake are you?" Erica asked suspiciously as Laura began lowering her mouth to the snake's head.
"Well, see, it didn't use to be a snake. He was a guy until I put my arms around him, almost like a hu-OH MY GOD! HE MUST BE CURSED BY THE ZODIAC! THIS IS SO COOL!" Laura realized, halfway through her explanation. Then, to everyone's surprise, as well as Laura's, there was a POOF and a cloud of smoke around the snake!
"Oh my, it seems that I am rather indecent!" the silver headed man said in Japanese, as he attempted to cover up his erm, nether regions.
"OH MY GOD HE IS CURSED BY THE ZODIAC!" Erica yelled, jumping back a few feet, and nearly knocking over Amu, who almost knocked over Kairi who came over with an extra pair of swim trunks.
"Thank you young man! What is your name?" the man asked again (also in Japanese), flinging his long silver hair behind him like a fashion model. Erica and Amu were almost drooling at the perfection of his hair, much to the jealousy that was Kukai's and the newly arrived Tadase.
"Uh, I'm Sanjou Kairi, and uh, do you speak English?" he asked, looking away as the man pulled on the trunks.
"Oh yes! I am quite fluent, as you say!" the man replied pulling the drawstring, and running a hand through his hair.
"It seems that I have not graced you children with my name." He said, noting it with surprise, speaking in English.
"No sir, you haven't." Erica managed to spit out, as she continued to oogle his perfect hair.
"Well then, I am Sohma Ayame!"
"OH MY GOD HE IS A ZODIAC MEMBER! REVERTING TO FANGIRL MODE!" Laura screamed, while jumping up and down, to Ayame's surprise, delight and horror.
"You know of the Zodiac curse?" he asked, looking at them, very much surprised.
"Uh, is anyone else from your family here with you?" Amu asked, mentally slapping herself out of her reverie about his hair, and changing the subject quickly.
"Yes, they're all here. That reminds me! As you have saved my life, would you all like to come over to our villa for dinner tonight? If you have any other companions with you, they might join us as well!" Ayame replied, offering a hand in the general vicinity of the cottage/villa thing.
"He's too carefree." Miki said, sweatdropping by Amu's head.
"Arigato Mr. Sohma! We'll come over around 5:30?" Erica said, putting a hand over Laura's mouth to stop a question.
"Of course! I'll see you there!" he replied and began walking in the opposite direction.
"I wonder if he'll get lost…" Jaya joined Miki with the sweatdropping.
A few hours later, the gang, minus parents and Nikaidou and the siblings (who had gone missing…) ventured over to the Sohma house. Tadase gently knocked on the door, and they waited.
"How long does it take to get the door?" Kukai thought, resting his hands against the back of his head, with Daichi mimicking the posture.
"NO! I'LL GET THE DOOR!"
"Kyo, I beat you." A young man of 16 opened the door, with similar hair to Ayame's except shorter. An orange haired boy of the same age was lying on the floor, rubbing his head.
"Uh, hi! Ayame said to come over at 5:30! I'm Kairi, by the way." Kairi introduced himself.
"Ayame? AYAME! NEXT TIME YOU INVITE PEOPLE OVER, TELL US!" the grey haired youth yelled up the magnificent staircase, on which Ayame was descending gracefully.
"Oh Yuki, thank you for letting our guests in. My young saviours! Thank you all for coming to this banquet in honor of your rescuing of my life!" he said, as Laura entered the door, pushing by Kairi, wearing blue skinny jeans, an American Eagle tee-shirt, and flip flops. Her red hair had been straightened, and parted to the side.
"Oh it was nothing. You know, swim out, grab him, he turns into a snake; bring him back, and save his life. All in a days work for me." Laura said, dusting off her shoulders.
"Wait, he turned into a snake?" the grey haired boy that Ayame had called Yuki called out, concerned.
"Yeah, it's just like 'Fruits Basket'!" Amu said, stepping past Laura in her custom Miki designed black and red striped dress, on top of a plain white turtleneck tee shirt, and red leggings and black flats. Her hair was done in two braids on the side of her head, which were pulled back to connect to each other with a black X clip.
"Yeah, so are you gonna introduce us?" Erica said, pushing past Amu and Laura (in her new jeans and black and white striped cowl necked tank top, and white flats, with straightened hair) and bumped into Kyo, who had picked himself up off the floor. Accidentally wrapping her arms around him, he disappeared, and his clothes fell into a heap on the floor.
"IT IS THE ZODIAC CURSE!" Erica yelled, scooping up the little orange kitten from the floor and cuddling him, much to it's disgust, and slight happiness.
"So you must be Kyo." Erica said, scratching him behind the ear, igniting a purr.
"And I'm Tohru! And that's Yuki!" the brown headed girl came in and hugged all the newcomers!
"Aww Yuki, you make such a cute rat!" Amu said and went to hug him.
"Uh, Miss…I don't think that's a good idea…"
"Hinamori. Hinamori Amu." She replied, as she followed Ayame, Tohru, and Yuki through the magnificent house, to the backyard.
"WELCOME AYAME'S LIFESAVERS!" yelled a tall man, dressed traditional Japanese clothes, with glasses perched on his head, and a pen behind his ear. His hair was dark black and his eyes were brown. Amu found Tadase and he gently slid his hand into hers, and they smiled and blushed at each other. Behind them, Ikuto looked away, and Utau made a slight gagging noise.
"Okay, this is our family, the Sohma family! Everyone, introduce yourselves!" Ayame proclaimed, as he swung his arm out, nearly hitting Yuki in the face.
"Yuki Sohma."
"Rat." Laura whispered.
"Kyo Sohma. Oh, right there, ah right behind my ear!" Kyo purred, as Erica scratched him behind the ear.
"Cat." Amu whispered back.
"Shigure Sohma! At your service ladies."
"Dog!" the two girls giggled.
"Hatsuharu Sohma."
"Ox!" Nadeshiko had joined the two girls in their circle behind Ayame.
"Rin Sohma."
"Horse." Erica said, leaning over.
"Momiji Sohma, here!"
"Bunny!" Yaya said, inclining her head.
"Hatori Sohma."
"Seahorse dragon!" Jaya giggled to Miki, who was sketching away on her notepad secretively.
"Kagura Sohma, right here! Nice to meet you all!"
"Pig! Or boar really…" Noru commented to Mia.
"I'm Hiro, and this is Kisa."
"Aww, look it's the sheep and tiger desu!!" Suu cooed.
"SO KAWAII!" Ran shouted, as the guests winced.
"Ritsu Sohma. OH NO! I TIPPED OVER THE BOTTLE! I'M SO SORRY! PUNISH ME! PLEASE I AM SORRY! SO SO SORRY!"
"Monkey." Erica said, as she continued to pat Kyo.
"And that's everyone!"
"Where are Akito and Kureno?" Laura whispered to Amu and Erica.
"Well duh, Akito doesn't go on vacation, and Kureno always stays with him, eto, her, it." Amu responded.
"And I of course, am Ayame Sohma!"
"Snake." They all concluded.
"I'm Tohru Honda!"
"Onigiri!" Laura and Yaya giggled.
"Wait, why were you naming zodiac animals after every person introduced themselves?" Kyo asked, not so gently swiping an orange paw at Erica, as she attempted to rub his belly.
"Oh, Ayame turned into a snake, and you're a cat, so you must be cursed by the Zodiac, and we read a manga called 'Fruits Basket' that revolved around the Sohma family who turn into animals when hugged." Erica responded setting him on the ground, beside his folded clothes that Laura had brought.
"Oh."
"WAIT A MINUTE! Gure-san, did you write a manga based on our family?" Ayame accused the novelist, who was slowly backing away, only to be blocked by Hatori and Haru.
"Fine, I did. I'm rich now though. It's one of the best selling mangas in the world!" Shigure replied defensively throwing his hands in the air.
"It's okay then!" Ayame replied. "On with the party!"
With that, the music was started, and Hatori and Shigure started to make hamburgers, hot dogs, and other various barbequed foods, as Tohru brought out salads, and other homemade goodies.
"Can I help?" Erica asked following the brunette into the kitchen.
"Oh no Erica-chan! It's okay, enjoy yourself!" Tohru replied, as she accidentally burnt herself on the stove.
Outside, Kyo had changed back, and was fervently trying to get his clothes on.
"WHY. IS. IT. ALWAYS. CATS?" Amu was saying as she banged her head against the wall of the cottage, and her Tadase-koi tried to stop her.
"So Momiji, how're you? I love you in Fruits Basket, you're just so CUTE!" Laura was air-hugging Momiji, although she was desperately trying to not hug him, even though she really wanted to.
While everyone was socializing, dancing and re-telling exaggerated stories of Ayame's rescue; two black figures were hiding in the bushes.
"Look at them partying away. Why can't we?" the Black Figure One complained, watching the group jealously.
"Well, I wanted to be Black Figure One, but no, I'm Black Figure Two!" Black Figure Two retaliated quietly.
"That's not my fault! Boss Black Figure assigned us the numbers, may you forget." BF1 said quietly, since the last comment had earned them a glance from Kukai.
"Fine. Should I just do it or not?" BF2 replied even quieter, taking something out of the bushes. It was black and white, and resembled a gun almost. It was about arm's length, and had a holographic computer screen by the trigger.
"Yeah, do it. It won't affect the ones with the Characters. Just shoot!" BF1 replied, helping to put something into the gun's barrel. It glowed purple, and a bunch of schematics ran through the computer at the trigger.
"So just aim above them, and shoot?"
"YES!"
BLEAMPURUSELESS!
"What's that?" Rin asked, looking as a purple dome expanded over the yard.
"I don't know…" Haru replied, as the two of them slumped to the ground. The rest of the Sohma family, and Tohru, followed suit.
"It actually worked! That's like, the first thing from the lab that actually works!" BF2 said, happily surprised.
"They've been using it back in Japan a lot, since these guys came over here." BF1 replied pushing BF2's head into the bushes.
"Now to see what they can do…"
OOH! CLIFFHANGER! Sorry about the long wait, but Lora and I have both been very busy, and I've had a slight case of writers block. So sorry about that! I'll try to update soon, so we're not leaving you in suspense. We'll also tell you who won the contest in the next chapter's disclaimer. ALWAYS READ THE DISCLAIMER PEOPLE. It is a) Written by Lora most of the time b) Has important info. So thanks for reading, and vote on the poll! Thanks!