Chapter Eighteen: The Missing Figurine
"Okay" Kyo said slowly, "Which figurine is missing?"
"Well, the cat actually" Tohru replied uneasily.
"Uh huh" he said eyeing her, "Why does that not surprise me?"
"Calm down stupid cat" Yuki replied cynically, "Miss Honda, do you remember where you lost it?"
"That's just it, I didn't lose it. My mom did. She lost it sometime when I was really young."
"Did she tell you where?" Yuki asked.
Tohru shook her head.
"But I can find out. My grandmother might know, and if not her I could search throughout ShiraNobi."
"I guess that is our best bet right now" Yuki said, "That and finding out where the Zodiac Stone is?"
"I can even help a little Tohru" Kyo replied, "I'll look in the village. No one knows me down there."
"Okay" Tohru nodded, "In the meantime, I will ask my grandmother. I will search my mom's old room. It's got to be somewhere. It was her favorite after all."
"And I will search for locations that might be the place where the Zodiac Stone might be" Kazuma replied.
"Good" Tohru said, "I'm sorry guys, but I have to return to the castle."
"Yea" Yuki nodded, "I need to head back too. We're heading home this afternoon. Akito is apparently better and he wants us back."
Yuki and Tohru said a quick goodbye to Kyo and Kazuma, and then they each mounted their horses and went in separate directions.
"Do you think you can find the place Master?" Kyo asked.
"Do you think that you can find the cat figurine Kyo?" Kazuma said.
They both nodded then walked back inside.
****************
"It's perfect Mistress" Kageru replied that night, "They don't know where the stone is and one of the pieces are missing. They will never solve the curse at this rate. And it becomes permanent this year."
"Don't be so overconfident my boy" the cauldron bubbled, "That girl is overzealous and the two boys don't seem like they give up to easily either. If she is anything like her mother, you have quite a problem on your hands. See to it that the last piece isn't found."
"There is no way they will ever find it" Kageru grinned, "I stole that piece years ago and sold it in TarraSohma. I have no idea to this day who bought it. But I guarantee they won't find it."
"You had better be right my boy, for your sake."
***************
Over the next couple of days Tohru and the others did their part to find the figurine. She asked her grandmother, who had no idea what she was talking about. She had searched her mother's room from top to bottom but nothing. Finally she figured she at least better send Yuki and the others their copy. But how to do it? She didn't want to get him in trouble again. The answer came the next day as she was sitting with Hana in the garden.
"He's perfect" Hana replied, "He goes back and forth already delivering messages to my family."
"But do you really think I can ask Megumi to do this for me?" Tohru said.
"He will be honored princess" Hana replied, "He's always wanted to deliver for royalty."
"Okay Hana. Will you have him meet me in the morning? I have a package I need for him to deliver immediately. And tell him that it is confidential. No one must know."
"I understand" Hana nodded.
******************
Megumi met Tohru the next morning in her chamber. To look at him it was not hard to tell that Hana and him were related. He had the same dark hair, only shorter, and his eyes were the same color. He even sported the same expression.
"What can I do for you your majesty?" he bowed.
"Megumi" she started, "It is of extreme importance that you deliver this package to Prince Yuki Sohma in TarraSohma. If anyone asks you, you inform him that Yuki is waiting for this package and that it is none of their business. You have to deliver it to him personally understand?"
"I understand. And I will do as you ask of me princess" he replied.
She carefully handed him the package, which contained the boar, rabbit, dog, cow, and rat figurines. He bowed one last time then exited the room. He walked down the palace steps and got onto his pony. He placed his hat on his head and galloped in the direction of TarraSohma.
****************
Kyo had no luck that morning in the market searching for the figurine. Everywhere he went he ran into a dead end. Finally tired and hungry he gave up and headed home to the mountains, promising himself that he would look again the next day.
***************
It was mid evening when Megumi finally arrived at the palace. Shigure who was observing the grounds spotted him.
"Hello young lad" Shigure smiled, "And what can I do for you today?"
"I have a package here for a Yuki Sohma. It's for him personally; no one else is allowed to see it. Does he reside here?"
"Why yes" Shigure replied amused, "I will fetch him for you."
"No need to Shigure" Yuki replied coming over, "I have been expecting this."
Yuki took the package and grabbed a handful of gold coins out of his pocket.
"For your trouble" he said to Megumi.
"Oh no sir" Megumi bowed and shook his head, "It was my duty. You have received the package and now I must return. Good evening."
"So" Shigure said curiously, "What is in the package Yuki?"
"Nothing you need to worry about Shigure" Yuki replied shortly.
He walked up the stairs and to his quarters. He slowly undid the package and saw inside the figurines, lovingly wrapped up. On top was a note. He opened the envelope and read.
*******************
My Dearest Yuki,
I have sent you the figurines for you and for those in the castle. Do not reveal to them yet what they are for. Just call them a gift. I have been in contact with Kyo and so far no luck on the last figurine. I have had no luck either. That got me thinking. My mom did travel a lot to TarraSohma. Maybe it is possible that the figurine is there. If there is someway to find out can you let me know? It can be your last message. You are so smart. I know you will think of something. It is the only way my wish at the waterfall will come true after all. Thanks again!
Yours Sincerely,
Tohru
****************
Yuki smiled as he folded up the letter. He decided to lie on his bed and think a while. He always thought best when he was lying down. About an hour later he sat up.
"I know what to do" he grinned to himself.
************************************************************** ***
Authors Note: There you go! I know it's short but the last few have been so long. See you next Tuesday. Only six more chapters to go!
Next Chapter: Yuki's Proclamation
Yuki sets out to find the last figurine, but gets more trouble then he bargained for!
"Okay" Kyo said slowly, "Which figurine is missing?"
"Well, the cat actually" Tohru replied uneasily.
"Uh huh" he said eyeing her, "Why does that not surprise me?"
"Calm down stupid cat" Yuki replied cynically, "Miss Honda, do you remember where you lost it?"
"That's just it, I didn't lose it. My mom did. She lost it sometime when I was really young."
"Did she tell you where?" Yuki asked.
Tohru shook her head.
"But I can find out. My grandmother might know, and if not her I could search throughout ShiraNobi."
"I guess that is our best bet right now" Yuki said, "That and finding out where the Zodiac Stone is?"
"I can even help a little Tohru" Kyo replied, "I'll look in the village. No one knows me down there."
"Okay" Tohru nodded, "In the meantime, I will ask my grandmother. I will search my mom's old room. It's got to be somewhere. It was her favorite after all."
"And I will search for locations that might be the place where the Zodiac Stone might be" Kazuma replied.
"Good" Tohru said, "I'm sorry guys, but I have to return to the castle."
"Yea" Yuki nodded, "I need to head back too. We're heading home this afternoon. Akito is apparently better and he wants us back."
Yuki and Tohru said a quick goodbye to Kyo and Kazuma, and then they each mounted their horses and went in separate directions.
"Do you think you can find the place Master?" Kyo asked.
"Do you think that you can find the cat figurine Kyo?" Kazuma said.
They both nodded then walked back inside.
****************
"It's perfect Mistress" Kageru replied that night, "They don't know where the stone is and one of the pieces are missing. They will never solve the curse at this rate. And it becomes permanent this year."
"Don't be so overconfident my boy" the cauldron bubbled, "That girl is overzealous and the two boys don't seem like they give up to easily either. If she is anything like her mother, you have quite a problem on your hands. See to it that the last piece isn't found."
"There is no way they will ever find it" Kageru grinned, "I stole that piece years ago and sold it in TarraSohma. I have no idea to this day who bought it. But I guarantee they won't find it."
"You had better be right my boy, for your sake."
***************
Over the next couple of days Tohru and the others did their part to find the figurine. She asked her grandmother, who had no idea what she was talking about. She had searched her mother's room from top to bottom but nothing. Finally she figured she at least better send Yuki and the others their copy. But how to do it? She didn't want to get him in trouble again. The answer came the next day as she was sitting with Hana in the garden.
"He's perfect" Hana replied, "He goes back and forth already delivering messages to my family."
"But do you really think I can ask Megumi to do this for me?" Tohru said.
"He will be honored princess" Hana replied, "He's always wanted to deliver for royalty."
"Okay Hana. Will you have him meet me in the morning? I have a package I need for him to deliver immediately. And tell him that it is confidential. No one must know."
"I understand" Hana nodded.
******************
Megumi met Tohru the next morning in her chamber. To look at him it was not hard to tell that Hana and him were related. He had the same dark hair, only shorter, and his eyes were the same color. He even sported the same expression.
"What can I do for you your majesty?" he bowed.
"Megumi" she started, "It is of extreme importance that you deliver this package to Prince Yuki Sohma in TarraSohma. If anyone asks you, you inform him that Yuki is waiting for this package and that it is none of their business. You have to deliver it to him personally understand?"
"I understand. And I will do as you ask of me princess" he replied.
She carefully handed him the package, which contained the boar, rabbit, dog, cow, and rat figurines. He bowed one last time then exited the room. He walked down the palace steps and got onto his pony. He placed his hat on his head and galloped in the direction of TarraSohma.
****************
Kyo had no luck that morning in the market searching for the figurine. Everywhere he went he ran into a dead end. Finally tired and hungry he gave up and headed home to the mountains, promising himself that he would look again the next day.
***************
It was mid evening when Megumi finally arrived at the palace. Shigure who was observing the grounds spotted him.
"Hello young lad" Shigure smiled, "And what can I do for you today?"
"I have a package here for a Yuki Sohma. It's for him personally; no one else is allowed to see it. Does he reside here?"
"Why yes" Shigure replied amused, "I will fetch him for you."
"No need to Shigure" Yuki replied coming over, "I have been expecting this."
Yuki took the package and grabbed a handful of gold coins out of his pocket.
"For your trouble" he said to Megumi.
"Oh no sir" Megumi bowed and shook his head, "It was my duty. You have received the package and now I must return. Good evening."
"So" Shigure said curiously, "What is in the package Yuki?"
"Nothing you need to worry about Shigure" Yuki replied shortly.
He walked up the stairs and to his quarters. He slowly undid the package and saw inside the figurines, lovingly wrapped up. On top was a note. He opened the envelope and read.
*******************
My Dearest Yuki,
I have sent you the figurines for you and for those in the castle. Do not reveal to them yet what they are for. Just call them a gift. I have been in contact with Kyo and so far no luck on the last figurine. I have had no luck either. That got me thinking. My mom did travel a lot to TarraSohma. Maybe it is possible that the figurine is there. If there is someway to find out can you let me know? It can be your last message. You are so smart. I know you will think of something. It is the only way my wish at the waterfall will come true after all. Thanks again!
Yours Sincerely,
Tohru
****************
Yuki smiled as he folded up the letter. He decided to lie on his bed and think a while. He always thought best when he was lying down. About an hour later he sat up.
"I know what to do" he grinned to himself.
************************************************************** ***
Authors Note: There you go! I know it's short but the last few have been so long. See you next Tuesday. Only six more chapters to go!
Next Chapter: Yuki's Proclamation
Yuki sets out to find the last figurine, but gets more trouble then he bargained for!