Chapter Twenty: Taking Back What Is Ours
The man sat down next to Yuki and spoke in a whisper.
"I believe I used to own that particular figurine. I bought it off a young man in ShiraNobi. Back then rules were more lax and you could travel throughout the lands without that much fuss."
"But what happened to the figurine after that?" Yuki asked, "Did you sell it to someone."
"At the time, I was determined not to sell it, but another proclamation was held. The King at the time wanted figurines of the Zodiac animals. You know the rat, sheep, etc.?"
Yuki nodded.
"So I was called upon to present my collection to the king. He was rather fond of the cat one so I tossed that one in for free."
"So you gave it to the king, but what was it for?"
The man stood up and put on his hat.
"Why for the birth of his son of course."
Yuki stared at him in awe.
"More than likely your highness" the man replied as he turned to leave, "It is still in the palace somewhere. Good evening your majesty."
"Oh wait" Yuki replied, "The reward. I think you should have it."
"No" the man shook his head, "I don't want anything. I was just happy to help you your majesty, with your quest" he smiled and winked.
He walked away as the rain began to fall. Yuki stood up and ran after him determined to catch him. But he was nowhere to be found. The wind was blowing, as Yuki puzzled as ever just stared into the fog that had settled.
***************
"Shigure" Yuki replied as he entered into his office once more, "Can you tell me something?"
"Come on in Yuki" Shigure grinned behind his glasses, " Can I offer you any kind of refreshment?"
"No" Yuki shook his head, "Tell me did the King, Akito's father really hold a proclamation for zodiac figurines when he was born?"
Shigure removed his glasses and scratched his head.
"Yes" he nodded, "Now that I think about it, he did. He was so excited about his birth. He wanted Akito to know the joy of ruling over the zodiac members."
"Did Akito keep those figurines?" Yuki asked.
"Yes. Why?"
"No reason" Yuki frowned, "I will see you later Shigure" he replied as he left the room.
Shigure shook his head.
"I honestly don't know what goes on in that boys head."
***************
"So Yuki did you find your figurine?" Momiji asked as he sat down in the sitting room.
Hatsuharu and Kagura listened as well. A few days ago Yuki had revealed to the three of them why he was looking for the figurine. He also had given them each their own personal one.
"Yes" he frowned.
"Then if you found it, why are you frowning?" Haru asked.
"Because" Yuki leaned forward, "I'm just amazed at my luck. I found it. But you'll never believe where it is?"
"It can't be that bad" Kagura replied coming over, "I mean it's not like Akito has it" she giggled.
Yuki looked at her.
"Oh" she realized, "He does?"
Yuki nodded sarcastically.
Hatsuharu looked at him in surprise.
"You're not kidding?"
"No" Yuki shook his head, "I wish I was."
"What are you going to do?" Haru asked.
"I don't know. I'm gonna have to tell the princess though. She's gonna be so disappointed."
"Not necessarily" Momiji piped up.
The three of them looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
"Look" Momiji replied, "We need that figurine in order to break the curse right?"
"Yea" Yuki nodded.
"Well then all we need is a diversion to keep Akito busy. While that happens one of us can sneak in and steal it. Just like you did with the bracelet."
"Does everybody know about that?" Yuki replied.
"Hatsuharu only told me and Momiji" Kagura said, "Thank you for that by the way."
"You're welcome. And how did you find out?" he stared angrily at Haru.
"Please Yuki. I am the eyes and ears of this place."
"The switch with Kyo's bracelet was different" Yuki said, "I mean I had a duplicate."
"And you'll have another one" Momiji replied.
"What do you mean?"
"Here" Momiji took out some figurines that he had carved, "When you gave me mine I wanted some friends for him, so I made some."
"You're good at this Momiji" Kagura grinned holding up the boar he had made and comparing it with hers.
They were almost identical.
"They are good. But who sneaks in?" Yuki asked.
"I do" Momiji replied, "Haru and you will cause the diversion. Find a way to keep Akito out of his room for at least ten minutes."
"Do you even know where to find it?" Yuki questioned.
Momiji nodded.
"I've seen the figurines he keeps in the armoire once. I will bet that is where it is."
"Okay" Haru agreed, "Yuki and I will distract him in the morning, then you steal it."
"I guess we have no choice" Yuki nodded.
***************
The next day at breakfast Yuki and Hatsuharu asked to speak with Akito about the future of the kingdom. Since their futures were very important to him, he was interested at once. While they steered him to the throne room, Momiji crept back upstairs.
He became very nervous as he walked down the long hall that led to the king's chamber. He found the secret passageway near the quarters. It was the only way to get to the back door of Akito's room. He walked in the dark passageway till he arrived at the back door. He cautiously walked in and looked around. Then he walked over to the armoire and opened it. In the center sat the figurine. Momiji carefully picked it up and sighed. As he was looking at it someone stopped him in his tracks.
His brown eyes were boring right into Momiji.
"What do you think that you are doing?" asked.
"Kureno" Momiji breathed, "Please let me go. This could solve everything for us. We won't be cursed anymore. You got to let me take this. Please."
Kureno looked at the small trembling boy before him.
"How do you think that you will get away with it?" he asked.
"I have a duplicate" Momiji held up the cat he made.
Kureno smiled slightly.
"Just like the duplicate bracelet that Yuki placed" he thought.
"All right" he finally said, "Go I will replace it for you."
"And you won't tell Akito?" Momiji asked.
"No" Kureno shook his head, "But only this once. If you speak the truth that is?"
"I do" Momiji replied exiting the room from the back door.
Kureno chuckled lightly at the figurine in his hand. Then he placed it in the armoire.
"Good luck you guys," he said to himself.
*************
When Momiji arrived with the figurine, Yuki thanked him profusely and ran into town. He wanted to find someone to deliver it to ShiraNobi. He was surprised to see Megumi there, dropping off a package for his family.
"Excuse me" he replied walking up to the young boy, "You live in ShiraNobi right? You delivered the package to me the last time?"
"Yes sir" Megumi nodded.
"Do you think that you can deliver another one? To the princess."
"It will be my honor sir" Megumi replied smiling.
A few minutes later Megumi was riding away with the package tucked under his arm. Yuki watched as he disappeared then he ran back to the palace a smile on his face.
****************
Megumi arrived at the palace that evening and handed the package to Hana, who in turn gave it to Tohru. Tohru walked into her room and opened the package. On the top was a piece of parchment that read:
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!
Tohru undid the wrapping and saw the cat figurine lovingly inside. She smiled as she caressed it in her hands.
"We did it Mom" she replied as she looked out the window still holding the figurine, "We found it."
************************************************************** *
Authors Note: There you go! The last figurine has been returned, yea!! Now all they have to do is find the Zodiac Stone. See you guys on Thursday! Remember only five more chapters to go. I decided to add another on to make it an even 25. Love ya all! Oh and thanks for all the great reviews. You guys are the best!!!
Next Chapter: Kageru's Plan
Now that Tohru has found the Cat figurine, Captain Manabe waits in the wings to spring his trap. What is his plan? Will the others be able to stop him in time? Find out next time!
The man sat down next to Yuki and spoke in a whisper.
"I believe I used to own that particular figurine. I bought it off a young man in ShiraNobi. Back then rules were more lax and you could travel throughout the lands without that much fuss."
"But what happened to the figurine after that?" Yuki asked, "Did you sell it to someone."
"At the time, I was determined not to sell it, but another proclamation was held. The King at the time wanted figurines of the Zodiac animals. You know the rat, sheep, etc.?"
Yuki nodded.
"So I was called upon to present my collection to the king. He was rather fond of the cat one so I tossed that one in for free."
"So you gave it to the king, but what was it for?"
The man stood up and put on his hat.
"Why for the birth of his son of course."
Yuki stared at him in awe.
"More than likely your highness" the man replied as he turned to leave, "It is still in the palace somewhere. Good evening your majesty."
"Oh wait" Yuki replied, "The reward. I think you should have it."
"No" the man shook his head, "I don't want anything. I was just happy to help you your majesty, with your quest" he smiled and winked.
He walked away as the rain began to fall. Yuki stood up and ran after him determined to catch him. But he was nowhere to be found. The wind was blowing, as Yuki puzzled as ever just stared into the fog that had settled.
***************
"Shigure" Yuki replied as he entered into his office once more, "Can you tell me something?"
"Come on in Yuki" Shigure grinned behind his glasses, " Can I offer you any kind of refreshment?"
"No" Yuki shook his head, "Tell me did the King, Akito's father really hold a proclamation for zodiac figurines when he was born?"
Shigure removed his glasses and scratched his head.
"Yes" he nodded, "Now that I think about it, he did. He was so excited about his birth. He wanted Akito to know the joy of ruling over the zodiac members."
"Did Akito keep those figurines?" Yuki asked.
"Yes. Why?"
"No reason" Yuki frowned, "I will see you later Shigure" he replied as he left the room.
Shigure shook his head.
"I honestly don't know what goes on in that boys head."
***************
"So Yuki did you find your figurine?" Momiji asked as he sat down in the sitting room.
Hatsuharu and Kagura listened as well. A few days ago Yuki had revealed to the three of them why he was looking for the figurine. He also had given them each their own personal one.
"Yes" he frowned.
"Then if you found it, why are you frowning?" Haru asked.
"Because" Yuki leaned forward, "I'm just amazed at my luck. I found it. But you'll never believe where it is?"
"It can't be that bad" Kagura replied coming over, "I mean it's not like Akito has it" she giggled.
Yuki looked at her.
"Oh" she realized, "He does?"
Yuki nodded sarcastically.
Hatsuharu looked at him in surprise.
"You're not kidding?"
"No" Yuki shook his head, "I wish I was."
"What are you going to do?" Haru asked.
"I don't know. I'm gonna have to tell the princess though. She's gonna be so disappointed."
"Not necessarily" Momiji piped up.
The three of them looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
"Look" Momiji replied, "We need that figurine in order to break the curse right?"
"Yea" Yuki nodded.
"Well then all we need is a diversion to keep Akito busy. While that happens one of us can sneak in and steal it. Just like you did with the bracelet."
"Does everybody know about that?" Yuki replied.
"Hatsuharu only told me and Momiji" Kagura said, "Thank you for that by the way."
"You're welcome. And how did you find out?" he stared angrily at Haru.
"Please Yuki. I am the eyes and ears of this place."
"The switch with Kyo's bracelet was different" Yuki said, "I mean I had a duplicate."
"And you'll have another one" Momiji replied.
"What do you mean?"
"Here" Momiji took out some figurines that he had carved, "When you gave me mine I wanted some friends for him, so I made some."
"You're good at this Momiji" Kagura grinned holding up the boar he had made and comparing it with hers.
They were almost identical.
"They are good. But who sneaks in?" Yuki asked.
"I do" Momiji replied, "Haru and you will cause the diversion. Find a way to keep Akito out of his room for at least ten minutes."
"Do you even know where to find it?" Yuki questioned.
Momiji nodded.
"I've seen the figurines he keeps in the armoire once. I will bet that is where it is."
"Okay" Haru agreed, "Yuki and I will distract him in the morning, then you steal it."
"I guess we have no choice" Yuki nodded.
***************
The next day at breakfast Yuki and Hatsuharu asked to speak with Akito about the future of the kingdom. Since their futures were very important to him, he was interested at once. While they steered him to the throne room, Momiji crept back upstairs.
He became very nervous as he walked down the long hall that led to the king's chamber. He found the secret passageway near the quarters. It was the only way to get to the back door of Akito's room. He walked in the dark passageway till he arrived at the back door. He cautiously walked in and looked around. Then he walked over to the armoire and opened it. In the center sat the figurine. Momiji carefully picked it up and sighed. As he was looking at it someone stopped him in his tracks.
His brown eyes were boring right into Momiji.
"What do you think that you are doing?" asked.
"Kureno" Momiji breathed, "Please let me go. This could solve everything for us. We won't be cursed anymore. You got to let me take this. Please."
Kureno looked at the small trembling boy before him.
"How do you think that you will get away with it?" he asked.
"I have a duplicate" Momiji held up the cat he made.
Kureno smiled slightly.
"Just like the duplicate bracelet that Yuki placed" he thought.
"All right" he finally said, "Go I will replace it for you."
"And you won't tell Akito?" Momiji asked.
"No" Kureno shook his head, "But only this once. If you speak the truth that is?"
"I do" Momiji replied exiting the room from the back door.
Kureno chuckled lightly at the figurine in his hand. Then he placed it in the armoire.
"Good luck you guys," he said to himself.
*************
When Momiji arrived with the figurine, Yuki thanked him profusely and ran into town. He wanted to find someone to deliver it to ShiraNobi. He was surprised to see Megumi there, dropping off a package for his family.
"Excuse me" he replied walking up to the young boy, "You live in ShiraNobi right? You delivered the package to me the last time?"
"Yes sir" Megumi nodded.
"Do you think that you can deliver another one? To the princess."
"It will be my honor sir" Megumi replied smiling.
A few minutes later Megumi was riding away with the package tucked under his arm. Yuki watched as he disappeared then he ran back to the palace a smile on his face.
****************
Megumi arrived at the palace that evening and handed the package to Hana, who in turn gave it to Tohru. Tohru walked into her room and opened the package. On the top was a piece of parchment that read:
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!
Tohru undid the wrapping and saw the cat figurine lovingly inside. She smiled as she caressed it in her hands.
"We did it Mom" she replied as she looked out the window still holding the figurine, "We found it."
************************************************************** *
Authors Note: There you go! The last figurine has been returned, yea!! Now all they have to do is find the Zodiac Stone. See you guys on Thursday! Remember only five more chapters to go. I decided to add another on to make it an even 25. Love ya all! Oh and thanks for all the great reviews. You guys are the best!!!
Next Chapter: Kageru's Plan
Now that Tohru has found the Cat figurine, Captain Manabe waits in the wings to spring his trap. What is his plan? Will the others be able to stop him in time? Find out next time!