HK's notes: This is a little side story, not a continuation chapter. Kinda like a collection of stories about the protagonists when they were young.
And I'm sorry that I didn't update any sooner... just that... heh heh heh~ I lost my plot notes and then... lost my writing passion as well =P Coz... I did very badly on my final English exam _""" That just sucked out a lot of my inspiration~ But I'll try my best to finish this story. If not... I'll prolly just delete this whole thing altogether. Hopefully it won't end up that way... Well, enuf rambling, on with the story~
Sleeping Tiger san... I hope I didn't do too bad on your part =P

"...speech..."
' ...thought... '
*...action...*



~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~ side story ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~



Narrator (Kumo): This is a short little story that took place not too long after Yuki the peasant boy met Princess Tohru. A heartwarming interlude between two ten year olds. A 'forget-me-not' moment of...

Kyo: Enough! Your talking is causing me a headache.

Yuki: Baka neko, it's none of your business. Maybe you're just jealous cause she probably won't talk about you.

Kyo: WHY YOU KUSO NEZUMI!!! I'LL KICK YOUR ASS THIS TIME!!! COME ON! I'LL TAKE YOU ON RIGHT NOW!! ONE ON ONE!!!

*Yuki narrows his eyes at Kyo*

Yuki: Don't bore me this time, baka neko.

... ... ...

*Kumo sweatdrops as fighting between the two takes place*

Kumo: Ummm... Maybe I should just start the story now, ne? ... ... ...



~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~ side story (restart) ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~



A little ten year old boy gingerly carries a bag up a tall hill near a cliff. He stops on top of the hill and places the bag down near a caringly sowed garden. He wipes the sweatdrops forming on his forehead and sits down in the shade by the garden. He seems to be waiting for someone...

"Yuki kun, you're here already?"

The little boy looks up at the source of the sound and finds the person he has been waiting for.

"Of course Tohru san, I would never have you wait for me. That'd be dangerous."

The chocolate-haired girl crinkles her nose and ask, "Why would that be? Why would I wait for you be dangerous?"

"Well... first of all, there might be some wierd old men lurking up here in the hill. And when they see a little girl as pretty as you all alone here, who knows what kinds of things they will do to you?"

The little girl lets out a soft giggle and the boy continues.

"...And besides, if I'm not here to supervise who knows when you'll lean over the side of the cliff like last time...?"

Tohru's face quickly blushes a fair shade of pink and covers her face with her hands.

"Yuki kun, please don't mention that again. I only wanted to..."

Yuki muffles a few laughs before he goes up to Tohru and takes her hands away from her face.

"I'm sorry, Tohru san. I won't tease you about it again. Come, look what I've brought for you today."

Yuki quickly leads Tohru to where he laid down the bag he was carrying up the hill and opens it before her. Inside are tools for planting...

"Strawberries! You've brought strawberry seeds! Are you planning on teaching me how to plant strawberries, Yuki kun?"

Yuki smiles and nods his slate-haired head, "Yes, Tohru san, that's exactly what I plan to do today. Do you want to?"

Tohru beams at Yuki and nods her head.



~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~



" Meo~~~~~~~~w " cries an orange cat.

' Oh this is soooooo boring... whyever did I end up like this? ...Maybe ...because ...everyone thinks I'm a monster ... ...I've always been alone... No one in my family ever liked me... even my own mother... Maybe... even she ... ...hates me...? '

As the orange cat lies by the lake in the shade wallowing in his self-pity, a brown boar roams nearby, searching for something...

' Why must I be alone? Why must no one like me and leave me all alone? I only want someone to love and hold me and tell me everything is alright. Is that too much to ask??? '

Finally, the boar stops by the lake and lays down to rest. A single tear rolls down the boar's cheek and falls onto a blade of grass near the resting boar.

A voice speaks up, "What's wrong with you? Are you crying?"

The boar snaps back into reality and sees an orange cat lying in the shade not far away.

"Of course I'm crying! Why else would tears be falling from my eyes???" Cries the boar exasperately.

The orange cat eyes the boar that had just intruded on its solitude and says nothing. The boar, seeing the cat not intending to reply suddenly becomes very angry.

"Oh so that's it! Just ignore me and pretend I don't even exist! It's ok, it's not that big a deal anyways. I'm just a nobody that no one wants. It's no problem at all..."

The cat looks up again and sees the boar sorrow-filled expression and tear-streaked face.

' She's... just like me... '

"... I'm sorry... I didn't mean to not reply. I was just thinking about some things... Are you ok?"

The boar looks at the cat through her tear-filled eyes and slowly nods, "I'm ok now. I guess I just need to let out some feelings that I've been holding in for too long... I guess... thank you."

The cat makes a soft grunt as a reply.

"Ne... what's your name?" Asks the boar.

"... Kyo." Replies the cat.

The boar beams at the cat and says, "My name is Kagura. Yoroshiku ne."



~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~



"Kyo, my darling, where are you~~~~~~~~~?" Comes the cry of the ever so obsessive...

' Boar. It's Kagura again, oh no...! ' Thought Kyo as his bright orange fur stands up in fright.

For the past weeks or so, Kagura the boar has become very attached to Kyo the cat. Where ever Kyo goes, Kagura follows. However, where ever Kagura goes, Kyo goes the opposite direction, and Kagura will follow. See the picture?

And today, Kyo has been hiding from Kagura, again.

"Kyo dearest, please come out. Where are you? Are you hurt? Say something~~~!"

Why does Kyo reject Kagura you ask? Is it because they are of different species? Or is it because of something else...

' Maybe I should go out now and appologize before I get hurt... but even if I go out now, it'd probably be too late and I'll still get hurt... So, the best solution would be to just stay here as long as possible and not have her find me... ... ...Where did she go? I can't hear her. Could she have left...?'

Suddenly, Kyo have this tingly feeling at the back of his neck. As he slowly turns around to look what is behind him he is instantly snatched up from where he was hiding and flung around like he is some unwanted rag doll. Around and around Kyo goes, like on a merry-go-round.

"KYO, HOW CAN YOU HIDE FROM ME??? DO YOU NOT LOVE ME??? DO YOU NOT NEED ME ANYMORE??? I WILL NOT TOLERATE SUCH BEHAVIOUR!!! YOU MUST BE PUNISHED!!!" Bellows the darken faced, eyes gleaming Kagura.

After a couple more high velocity spins and high speed ramming into tree trunks, Kagura suddenly stops and looks at the half dead Kyo.

"Kyo, my dearest, who did this to you??? Tell me Kyo, my honeybun. I'll protect you next time." Proclaims Kagura as she holds Kyo in a death-grip like hug.

' When will this nightmare end??? I... need... ... to... ... es...cape... '

"Kyo!! Are you ok??? Kyo, speak to me?!?! Who made you faint??? Kyo?!?!"



~+~+~+~+~ a month later ~+~+~+~+~



' Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow........ '

A lone orange cat slowly makes his way across the forest and into a clearing beside a cliff. His body bore a lot of bruises and cuts.

' I finally managed to get away from Kagura. I swear I will not make the same mistake twice as to trust any kind of females again! ' Thought Kyo as he slowly walks into the clearing.

A breeze softly blows across the clearing carrying a fresh scent of something, delicious. Kyo turns his head upwards and sniffs the air eagerly.

' Sardines? How can I smell sardines all the way up here? There's no rivers or lakes anywhere near here... '

As Kyo sniffs the air in wonderment, his four paws lead him to the source of the smell and he finds himself standing in front of a very neat and tidy garden.

' A garden? Why would I smell sardines from a garden (1)? '

Kyo slowly sniffs through the garden and finally finds where the smell comes from, a bunch of green plants. Kyo studied the plants for a bit then he was disturbed by the growl of his stomach.

' I guess... it won't be too big of a deal if I just helped myself to some of these delicious smelling plants. I mean... I'm only taking a little bit. I don't think the planter would mind too much. '

After much reassuring to himself that the planter would not be mad at him, Kyo lowers his head and opens his mouth to help himself to some of the green, luscious, juicy plants.

... ... ...

"UUUGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *spitspit* THIS IS DISGUSTING~!!!!!!! *spit* What *spit* what in the world is this????" Exclaims Kyo as he spits out the green stuff.

"Hey! What did you do to my garden?" Comes the cry of a lavender-eyed, slate-haired boy. The boy made his way over to where Kyo was and roughly picked the cat up off the ground. The boy eyed Kyo and the mess he made when he was spitting out the greens. His eyes slowly turn into two dangerous looking slits. One of those 'I-will-kill-you-if-you-do-not-explain" kind of look.

"What have you done to my leeks?"

"I... I just... I was just... hungry. And... I... smelt sardines. So... I..."

"Those were my leeks. You had no permission to eat anything from my garden. And even if you did ate anything, you need not spit it out."

"I.. I'm sorry. ... ...But it was really disgusting..."

"What did you say???"

"NO, it was nothing. I didn't say anything!"

"Too late, I heard it!" And with that said, the boy threw the cat with all his might into the forest. After watching it disappear into the distance, he began to unpack the tools that he had brought with him.

' Too bad he showed up, I was in need of something to help me take my mind off of... her... Princess... Tohru... '



~+~+ 6 years and a little more later +~+~



Hushed voices sounded behind some bushes deep within a forest.

"I can't believe we've finally found him!!!"

"I know, isn't it, like, just the best thing ever?"

"Hush girls, if we speak anymore, he'll discover us!"

The two that spoke quickly cease their talking and giggle softly. Seven others gather around and wait for their leader to speak.

"My dear friends, today we gather together for one thing and one thing only and that is our beloved, Kyo!"

The ten that gathered together giggled a little. Some of them peered out from their hiding spot to the other side of the bush where a bright orange cat lay resting in the sunlight. These ten, are not witches, nor any fangirls of an ordinary cat. They are 'fan-cats', yes, they are all cats.

"Minna san, on the count of three we'll all pounce on him so he can't escape from us. Shu, make sure the others don't jump too hard on Kyo. We wouldn't want our beloved Kyo to get hurt now do we?"

"Aye aye, Sleeping Tiger san."

"One."

All the felines got ready to pounce.

"Two."

The hairs of their furs stood on end, anticipating that single moment.

"Three!" Cried Sleeping Tiger the leader of the group as they all pounced onto the unsuspecting Kyo that was taking his usual afternoon nap. Kyo usually take naps during the afternoon because that is when Kagura the boar goes off on her own and does her own private things.

Kyo, being the confused cat that he was, got clobbered by ten felines all at once.

"What in the world is going on? Who are you people? Get off of me!!!"

"We are all fans of you, dear Kyo kun. We've admired you for a looooooonnnng time now!"

"What?!?! What's the meaning of this? Is this some sort of joke? If it is, it sure is not funny. Get off me right now before I hurt all of you!"

Just then all the hairs on Kyo's fur stood up. An ice freezing chill went down his spine. He knows this time it could be the end. The end, to his life.

"What's wrong, Kyo kun? Why are you so cold? Are you ok?" Asks an unsuspecting feline.

Suddenly a strong wind blew across the clearing and hit the pile of cats.

"Kyo..... Who are these people.......?"

All the cats looked up and saw a boar standing near them. Its face was hidden in the shadow casted by the sun.

"Ummm... Kagura, it's not what it seems... I don't even know them. I..."

"So, you don't know them. But... if you don't know them... WHY ARE THEY ALL OVER YOUUUUU???????"

Kagura suddenly charges into the pile of cats and caused all the cats to fly off into different directions. She picked up Kyo and threw him around all over the place.

"HOW CAN YOU BETRAY ME AND TURN TOWARDS THESE CATS?????? WAS I NOT ENOUGH FOR YOU???? DO YOU NOT LOVE ME ANYMORE, KYO?????? I WILL NOT HAVE YOU LEAVE ME!!! NEVER!!!!!!!! YOU WILL STAY WITH ME FOREVER AND EVER!!!!!! WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!"

Kyo, being in Kagura's grip of death and having been bashed into tree trunk after tree trunk was not in the mental and physical state of being threatened by her words. Rather he is more threatened by her brute strength and never ending punishment. Then, as if a miracle happened, Kagura lost her grip on Kyo and Kyo was caused to fly with an arc to the other side of the forest.



~+~ On the other side of the forest ~+~



"Princess Tohru, you know you cannot come out of the palace. If King Uo and Queen Hana ever finds out, they're going to have my head for sure!"

"I'm sorry, Allen. But I really needed to get out of the palace. I cannot stand being in there any longer... I need some fresh air. I promise you, I'll go back not too long after, alright?"

"But..."

Tohru was about to say something when suddenly an orange streak fell from the sky and landed in a heap at her feet. She was puzzled by this strange thing and so she kneeled down and poked at the orange ball.

"Uhhhhh....." said the orange heap.

"AHHHHH!!!!" Cried the princess.

The princess, being the ever-so-smart girl that she is, realized that the orange heap was in fact an injured orange cat. So, she and her servant picked the cat up and carried the cat back to the castle and had the royal doctor heal the cat back up.



~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~



"Kyo? Where are you?? Where did you go??? ANSWER ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!"



Original story will be continued in the next chapter... =P



HK's little glossary of random jap words:
Ne. = kinda like 'Hey'
Yoroshiku ne = Nice to meet you (smile)
Minna san = everyone

HK's little Ed note:
(1) I'm sure a lot of ppl know gardeners usually use sth like fish bones, fish heads and fish guts to use as fertilizer for their gardens. They work as great fertilizers but they really attract cats. ;) And if I remember correctly, Kyo really likes sardines^^

Kumo's footnote:
Ummm... this is a really long chapter, isn't it? ...Kinda even makes me not wanting to read it too... =P LOL~ XD Hope it wasn't too confusing. =P I'm sorry if it sucked by the end of the chapter... Maybe I should have waited another day to finish it... but... heh heh~ Forgive me, minna! XP