This might be the most recent chapter for awhile. I'm going to be working hastily on another project that will take up a good deal of time. But I managed this chapter so enjoy! And review every now and then.....you know, to keep the Texan happy.
Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket.
Easily Amused : Trying To Keep The Ground On My Feet
I don't know if it had been the overly glazed doghnuts or the three cups of Tang but I was jiced up to full womanly potential. Not only had I left my hair down, but I had also styled it. I also used the full potential of 'the twins' to my benefit by sporting a low cut shirt and short skirt to match. I wasn't desperate, just eager for action or to make a certain someone regret the day he ever laid his lips on me. Either way, I was ALL woman that morning. I am woman here me roar...meow. I wouldn't admit it to anyone but myself but I was miserable. The makeup and the curls and the mini skirt was just a cheap cherade. Vendictive? Oh yes. But it was all his fault....all of it. Case closed.
I was in the lobby at sunrise. I had wandered about the semi ritzy room, wondering if I had turned the bathroom light off for Becky. She had cussed out loud plenty of times during my facial pampering, and was quite livid by the time I had left the room. I walked amongst elderly couples and hungover teenagers, pacing about wildly while waiting for Yuki's appearance. And sure enough, there he was, waving from outside the revovling doors. Part of me agreed with him for staying outside. Those revolving doors were nothing but murderous traps. But somehow I made it through, suddenly stiffening at the sight of Yuki's bruised cheek. Who would want to bruise such a face? Well, I guess a model would. I mean, Yuki could beat Rebecca Romaijn-Stamos any day of the week. I went to check the damage when Yuki pulled away from my reach. Understandable enough, I guess.
"It's nothing. We better get going." I left it at that. I've seen way too many Lifetime movies to know when to shut up. If they don't want you to know, they won't tell you. But sooner or later i'd have to step in. That's the rules. Television for women says so. And t.v. is hardly ever wrong, with the exception of Jerry Springer. That show is wrong on so many levels.
We walked in silence all the way to the Sohma house. I had anticipated a good conversation with Yuki but got nothing. At least not until we were a good block away from the house. He turned to me with a good natured smile on his face. And it was the smile that made me nervous. It was a smile similar to Yuki's that got me into this mess to begin with.
"Go easy on him." I quirked an arched eyebrow and rested my hands behind my back. I resembled an innocent highschool girl once again. Oh, how I missed those simple days.
"What are you talking about?" He cocked his head to the side, much like Beaker. It would be hard to picture Yuki with wrinkled skin though.
"Shigure..." This again? More than anything, I wanted to drop the subject. " He has a hard time...showing his true nature." I rubbed my sandal clad foot in the dirt, instantly gaining a grimey base on my black toenails. I know, I know. Black nailpolish on your toes? But hey, I like to be different. Sure, Shigure would see the long legs and the perky breasts but deep down below, there was pure and dark anger. And it centered around my toes. Take that Mr. Forgive Me.
"Right..." I wasn't paying much attention to Yuki anymore. I was focused on figuring out where he got the shiner from. I was going to find out even if it killed me. And at the rate I was going, I was probably going to be laying in a casket soon. Yuki led me into the kitchen and soon left afterwards, leaving me to a very entertaining cup of tea. It's a tad bit hard to have a conversation with steaming liquid, Yuki. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Tohru fixing up Yuki. He couldn't look her in the eye or even call her 'Tohru' for that matter. I think I could even sense the slightest blush when she touched him. Oh no...it couldn't be....
"Good morning....Dusty?" I spied Hatori's eyes trail up my scantily clad legs and I quickly searched for a blanket or a jacket or SOMETHING to cover up the limbs of mine. I hastily threw off my blue jean jacket and covered up the albino bean posts. Hatori sat across from me, adjusting his tie. Why did the doc show up?
"Where's Shigure?"
"Out." Liar. He didn't want to see me did he? How cheap can a person get? Here I was, getting all glammed up for his...interests...persay. And he has the nerve to send his friend on his behalf? "So what did you find out?" I rested my head on my palm and crossed my legs in a ladylike fashion. I couldn't help but be disappointed. All this effort and it was for nothing.
"Not much. I have an ancestor named Sabrina who was indeed involved with the Sohma family and also placed the curse upon them. It said because she was tired of the cousins fighting over her love. I don't buy it though. There's more to this story....much more."
"I'll see what I can't find out on Sabrina. Maybe there is more of her mentioned in the book." I stirred my tea with one of my fingers before dipping the drenched appendage in mouth. I didn't mean to come off as seductive or even cute for that matter. I was just stirring the contents of a drinks, that's all. But it made the doctor blush and I couldn't help but feel good about myself. I at least had the slightest bit of a reaction from a man. I got to leave at the moment, my skirt catching in a crook in the table. I certainly didn't want to rip the brand new item of clothing, even though it barely covered in the first place. Hatori jumped up from his position at the table and tried his best to unlatch the cloth from the table. If one were to walk in at that moment, it would look as if the healer was trying to feel me up. Of course, he wasn't.
"Hatori? Did you talk to her about the....oh my." Both the medicine man and I froze, unable to comprehend the amount of crimson spreading across our faces. The skirt chose then to come unhooked. That would've been great FIVE MINUTES AGO. I fixed my skirt and brushed alongside a stunned Shigure. As soon as I was out of seeing distance from the kitchen, I slid down the wall in exhaustion. This was becoming too difficult for me to handle. I hid my face from view and reluctantly decided to listen to the confrontation between Hatori and Shigure.
"Well I see you've moved on..."
"Dont start Shigure. I was helping her out. Her skirt got caught on the table."
"Oh, of course. It just happened to look like something else?"
"Yes! Exactly! I don't feel like doing this right now. You asked me to talk to her in your place. I did that. Now I have to go check on Akito. Do yourself a favor and talk to her Shigure. You owe her that much." So, Hatori was on my side for once. About damn time. I heard Hatori leave and I pulled myself together before Shigure walked out. He glanced at me, debating whether he should take Hatori's advice. In reality, I wanted to talk it out with him. Just let him know that I wasn't pissed off anymore. I was just hurting nowadays. We kept the stare locked between us before he finally turned away from me and walked away. I held out my arm to him, unable to say what I wanted.
"Shigure..." He paused. "I.....I'll keep calling around." He nodded and I chose then to leave.
"Allo oui?" I changed ears for the phone and pulled a pencil out of the small handbag I carried with me these day. I rolled my pearly orbs at the sound of my grandfather's gritty Cajun voice.
"Bonjour Pops!"
" Ah! Button!" Ew. There was that name again. I know exactly how I got it too. The day I was born my Nana dragged Pops through the nursery section of the hospital, creating a ruckus where ever they went. My Nana spotted a dark complected, brown eyed baby, that weighed a good ten pounds and mistook the child as me. It wasn't until an hour later when the nurse gave me to my mother that Nana discovered that I wasn't dark skinned, or brown eyed, and definetly not ten pounds.
"She's as cute as a button, she is!" And thus, the name got stuck with me.
"Pop? Is Nana there by any chance?" A few mumbles plus the closing of a few doors. And then there was a loud war cry. I could only guess that Nana was mud wrestling with an alligator. Oh Nana...
"Ello?" She was out of breath but I bet my entire life savings that the gator was in worse condition.
"Hey Nana!"
"Button! What brings your voice to this end of the phone line?" I began to doodle on my notepad, which already consisted of serveral angry scribbles followed by a small picture of what seemed to look like a cat, but at this point I wasn't really sure.
"Well Nana....I was hoping that you had gotten the rest of that story translated for me."
"Ahhh..yes I did in fact. "
"Great! Enlighten me." I could tell that Nana was finding a good resting place. She finally settled down on the crunchy old couch and began to flip through the book once more.
"Well...Pop said that Sabrina had placed the curse upon the family for other reasons besides the fighting. It said that she was tired of the Sohma taking love for granted. So, if they could not learn to love then they would never be able to feel the touch of the opposite sex. "
"Uh-huh.....so why the Chinese zodiac?"
"Pops says that she had just learned of the Chinese zodiac from a Chinese tutor. It must've been the first thing that popped into my head."
"That makes no sense Nana. Why would she include the cat? And a curse because they were a little mean to each other? A little extreme isn't it?" A loud pounding began to come from the next room and I had to muffle a laugh. Frankie and the bellhop and grown....aquainted. Nana questioned my small giggle but pushed it away by referring back to my questions.
"Extreme? Perhaps. And as for the cat...I told you before, Sabrina was a kind soul."
"So why include the cat?"
"Because the cat was excluded to begin with."
"Huh?"
"Oh Dusty Dusty Dusty. Do not try to understand things that are beyond your reach." I shoved a pillow case underneath the door in hopes of silencing the sickening moans. I should've followed Becky and Kimmi to the Higurashi shrine. But noooo.....I had to play Sherlock Holmes.
"Nana....this doesn't explain anything."
"It also says that there was a dark force present in her life that she wanted to rid of. A man who hated her and everything about love."
"Does it say how to break the curse?"
"Yes....only when a Sohma can admit to the dark force that love has indeed taken over their heart, will their own curse be lifted."
"Got it."
"One more thing Dusty..."
"Shoot."
"The love has to be revealed by the other as well." I jotted the last part down and said my goodbyes. When everything had finally calmed down, I chose to take a nap. During my peaceful slumber, I dreamt a dream...
"You didn't tell him."
"I tried, Sabrina."
"I see."
A flash of light and I see Yuki straggling across the yard, holding his head. And then I see the large cut above his eye the next day. The sickly looking guy. So dark. So evil.
"I have to go check on Akito." My eyes pop open and it all makes sense. Every generation had an Akito. Their dark force. Was that what drove Sabrina away? I pressed my ear to the door to check and see if Frankie was still at work on the bellhop. Luckily, she was slumbering like a baby. I grabbed my bag and crept down to the lobby and out the door.
I hadn't expected Shigure to answer the door, yet he did. I pulled my jacket around my body to keep his heat away from my own body. I was nervous but I didn't know why. Well I knew why, I just didn't feel like pulling a 'Passions' scene quite yet. I pulled at my lip as he invited me in. I shed my shoes at the door and quickly discarded my jacket along with them . Shigure had already sat himself down, knowing that my intention was to talk.
"I know what you're here for." I plopped down next to him and folded my hands. I was no longer in the skirt, having given up on the sexy American look after my compromising situation with Hatori.
"You do?" He nodded and held my hand in his. Blood rushed to my head and I could feel myself getting dizzy by the second.
"I'm just not able to give that kind of committment right now. Maybe Hatori is indeed the right man for you. He was always one for committment." I yanked my hand back as if it were on fire.
"What?! I didn't come here to talk about Hatori! Or you! And what in Angelina Jolie does Hatori have to do with anything?! You CANNOT still be hung up on this morning!"
"I know what I saw! And you didn't come here to talk about....us?" He said the 'us' in a hushed tone. His head was lowered and I couldn't help but follow the movement like the idiot I am.
"No....I came to ask you about the story behind why the cat was excluded."
"Oh...right...of course." He was obviously embarrassed by his outburst and I could almost see a hint of red spreading over his cheeks. So cute! Argh! Get a hold of yourself, Dusty!
"The cat..." The silence was about to kill me and I had to start him on the story before I rushed out to make yet another long distance call to Nana.
"I know your time is wasted over here so i'll keep it short. As you know, the cat and rat are mortal enemies." Well, yeah, of course. I've watched enough Tom and Jerry specials to figure that one out. "When the zodiac had first come together, there was a celebration. The rat basically tricked the cat and so the cat was left out of the party."
"Uh-huh...so there will always be a cat in the curse?" Shigure shrugged. This was taking me nowhere. I could now see the 'Dead End' sign at the end of my road and I was trying desperately to look for a clear drive way to make a turn around and get a fresh start. Part of me just wanted to clear off the board and start all over. As of now, I was left with these facts : This 'Akito' was the dark force. The Sohma curse could be lifted off an individual if the dark force is pushed from his/her life and love takes its place. And their object of affection would have to do the same. In other words, true love, as cheesy at that may sound. Yuki and Kyou were falling for the same chick. Shigure suspects me of falling in love with the same man who broke my wrist just days earlier. I began to twist a my sixteenth birthday gift around my ring finger. And yes, you guessed it, it was a ring. Yet another bad habit. The ring, though, was given to me by my father. Perhaps the only meaningful thing he has ever given me.
"What's that?" I finally noticed what I had been doing. It was either the lip or the ring and I kind of need my lips. I peered down at the Irish wedding ring my father had given me on the fateful day. I was sort of surprised that he gave it to me. Customs go like this, the hands symbolize friendship, the heart - love, and the crown - loyalty. If the heart points inward, your heart has been taken....you're in love. If the heart points outward, then you're a single schmo like me. My heart has always been outward. Always.
"Oh....that. My Irish wedding ring. My father gave it to me when I turned 16. I wanted a car but got a twelve dollar ring instead. I still want the car."
"What does it mean?" I went through the cruel details of what each thing meant and took it off for the first time in two and half years since it was given to me. "Has your heart always been pointing outwards?" I stood up and sat on the coffee table to get a full view of the man sitting before me.
"Well....yes. I think this thing has brought nothing but bad luck. Either that or i'm cursed." I quickly winced at the irony in my comment. "I didn't mean it like that..."
"Of course not." He handed the ring back to me and I slid my Irish ring over my French hertiage finger.
"What about your parents?"
"What about them?" Was he playing with me or something? I know I stutter sometimes but I was sure that my question had been clear enough. I sighed just as he stood up to what I thought was showing me the way out. Instead, he brought me to the kitchen for a cup of tea. I was slightly grateful. I hadn't eaten a single thing besides the doughnuts from this morning. I happily accepted the drink and began gulping the hot liquid immediately. "It's not that I don't like you." His voice almost caused me to choke on the tea. I was glad I had quick reflexes at that moment. Where was he getting with this?
"Of course not. I'm a highly likeable person. Or so i've been told."
"Really?" I pushed the cup away from me.
"No. I was just trying to impress someone from the opposite sex. Did it work?" He smiled for the first time that day in front of me.
"I've always been impressed with you." I felt like a child with a crush on my older next door neighbor. That happened to me once. His name was Nick and he was in the Army. Sadly, he broke my heart when he brought home Maria, a Spanish table dancer and bartender at a local club. She had everything I didn't at the time : boobs, legs all the way to Canada, and an accent that would make Antonio Banderas jealous. I shifted my weight and lowered my head. That was a really sweet comment. Almost sugar coated enough to give me a cavity. Shigure shook off his remark. "I shouldn't be leading you on like that." So much for sugar coated. Now things were becoming sour and quite rotten. But my rough exterior wouldn't allow such a slap to my face.
"You're right, you shouldn't. But you do it anyway. I need to go." I gathered up my things and left without another glance towards him.
It was later on that night, when Frankie was telling of her lust for the bellhop, that it began to storm. Not the peaceful raindrops that could put you to sleep. I mean, the Dracula is coming tonight type of storm. We had all been snacking on take out and sodas while flipping through the channels of Japanese television. We didn't know what in the blue hell they were talking about but we figured out that the long haired guy was in love with the female main character. Then there was the crazy villian with the screwed up mustache. We have yet to figure out how he fits into the plot. I went to the window in hopes of getting away from the movie and finding solace in the lightning. Frankie, Kimmi, and Becky were still camped out in front of the cable box.
"I think he's the hero's brother..."
"They look nothing alike, Becky! He doesn't even have a mustache!"
"It looks fake anyway..." And then I saw him. Draped in darkness until the lightning gave me a full view of his form. I had to squint to make sure it was Yuki at first. But there he was, in plain sight, soaking wet from the rain and creating a very eerie atmosphere. I jumped back, landing on my rear with great force. I let out a small scream. Who wouldn't? The guy whom you're guessing is the 'dark force' is watching you through your window! I love attention but that's a little too creepy for me.
"Dusty? What's wrong?" Becky was kneeling beside me and the pool of popcorn that I had spilled along the way. I pointed a shakey finger to the window, unable to communicate to my friends. Frankie was the first one at the thick glass, staring off into some unknown scene. "What is it?"
"Him. He's here. Outside." Frankie looked towards where I had pointed, straining to find someone through the dark rain. I guess it didn't help that it was nighttime.
"I don't see anyone, Dusty." I jumped up from the carpet and slammed my forehead against the window. She was right, he was gone.
"That's impossible. He was there! Akito was there!" Frankie gave a sympathetic smile and grabbed her coat. Becky and I watched from the hotel room as the tall woman surveyed the front of the hotel over and over again, only to find puddles. Becky let a hand fall to my shoulder, just as any good friend would.
"You're stressed out. That's all." No. I know what I saw. I saw Akito's shape and form and his whole entiriry standing outside the hotel. It wasn't my imagination. The man somehow knew about me and didn't like the fact that I was involved with the Sohma family. How freaking scary can that freak get?!
Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket.
Easily Amused : Trying To Keep The Ground On My Feet
I don't know if it had been the overly glazed doghnuts or the three cups of Tang but I was jiced up to full womanly potential. Not only had I left my hair down, but I had also styled it. I also used the full potential of 'the twins' to my benefit by sporting a low cut shirt and short skirt to match. I wasn't desperate, just eager for action or to make a certain someone regret the day he ever laid his lips on me. Either way, I was ALL woman that morning. I am woman here me roar...meow. I wouldn't admit it to anyone but myself but I was miserable. The makeup and the curls and the mini skirt was just a cheap cherade. Vendictive? Oh yes. But it was all his fault....all of it. Case closed.
I was in the lobby at sunrise. I had wandered about the semi ritzy room, wondering if I had turned the bathroom light off for Becky. She had cussed out loud plenty of times during my facial pampering, and was quite livid by the time I had left the room. I walked amongst elderly couples and hungover teenagers, pacing about wildly while waiting for Yuki's appearance. And sure enough, there he was, waving from outside the revovling doors. Part of me agreed with him for staying outside. Those revolving doors were nothing but murderous traps. But somehow I made it through, suddenly stiffening at the sight of Yuki's bruised cheek. Who would want to bruise such a face? Well, I guess a model would. I mean, Yuki could beat Rebecca Romaijn-Stamos any day of the week. I went to check the damage when Yuki pulled away from my reach. Understandable enough, I guess.
"It's nothing. We better get going." I left it at that. I've seen way too many Lifetime movies to know when to shut up. If they don't want you to know, they won't tell you. But sooner or later i'd have to step in. That's the rules. Television for women says so. And t.v. is hardly ever wrong, with the exception of Jerry Springer. That show is wrong on so many levels.
We walked in silence all the way to the Sohma house. I had anticipated a good conversation with Yuki but got nothing. At least not until we were a good block away from the house. He turned to me with a good natured smile on his face. And it was the smile that made me nervous. It was a smile similar to Yuki's that got me into this mess to begin with.
"Go easy on him." I quirked an arched eyebrow and rested my hands behind my back. I resembled an innocent highschool girl once again. Oh, how I missed those simple days.
"What are you talking about?" He cocked his head to the side, much like Beaker. It would be hard to picture Yuki with wrinkled skin though.
"Shigure..." This again? More than anything, I wanted to drop the subject. " He has a hard time...showing his true nature." I rubbed my sandal clad foot in the dirt, instantly gaining a grimey base on my black toenails. I know, I know. Black nailpolish on your toes? But hey, I like to be different. Sure, Shigure would see the long legs and the perky breasts but deep down below, there was pure and dark anger. And it centered around my toes. Take that Mr. Forgive Me.
"Right..." I wasn't paying much attention to Yuki anymore. I was focused on figuring out where he got the shiner from. I was going to find out even if it killed me. And at the rate I was going, I was probably going to be laying in a casket soon. Yuki led me into the kitchen and soon left afterwards, leaving me to a very entertaining cup of tea. It's a tad bit hard to have a conversation with steaming liquid, Yuki. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Tohru fixing up Yuki. He couldn't look her in the eye or even call her 'Tohru' for that matter. I think I could even sense the slightest blush when she touched him. Oh no...it couldn't be....
"Good morning....Dusty?" I spied Hatori's eyes trail up my scantily clad legs and I quickly searched for a blanket or a jacket or SOMETHING to cover up the limbs of mine. I hastily threw off my blue jean jacket and covered up the albino bean posts. Hatori sat across from me, adjusting his tie. Why did the doc show up?
"Where's Shigure?"
"Out." Liar. He didn't want to see me did he? How cheap can a person get? Here I was, getting all glammed up for his...interests...persay. And he has the nerve to send his friend on his behalf? "So what did you find out?" I rested my head on my palm and crossed my legs in a ladylike fashion. I couldn't help but be disappointed. All this effort and it was for nothing.
"Not much. I have an ancestor named Sabrina who was indeed involved with the Sohma family and also placed the curse upon them. It said because she was tired of the cousins fighting over her love. I don't buy it though. There's more to this story....much more."
"I'll see what I can't find out on Sabrina. Maybe there is more of her mentioned in the book." I stirred my tea with one of my fingers before dipping the drenched appendage in mouth. I didn't mean to come off as seductive or even cute for that matter. I was just stirring the contents of a drinks, that's all. But it made the doctor blush and I couldn't help but feel good about myself. I at least had the slightest bit of a reaction from a man. I got to leave at the moment, my skirt catching in a crook in the table. I certainly didn't want to rip the brand new item of clothing, even though it barely covered in the first place. Hatori jumped up from his position at the table and tried his best to unlatch the cloth from the table. If one were to walk in at that moment, it would look as if the healer was trying to feel me up. Of course, he wasn't.
"Hatori? Did you talk to her about the....oh my." Both the medicine man and I froze, unable to comprehend the amount of crimson spreading across our faces. The skirt chose then to come unhooked. That would've been great FIVE MINUTES AGO. I fixed my skirt and brushed alongside a stunned Shigure. As soon as I was out of seeing distance from the kitchen, I slid down the wall in exhaustion. This was becoming too difficult for me to handle. I hid my face from view and reluctantly decided to listen to the confrontation between Hatori and Shigure.
"Well I see you've moved on..."
"Dont start Shigure. I was helping her out. Her skirt got caught on the table."
"Oh, of course. It just happened to look like something else?"
"Yes! Exactly! I don't feel like doing this right now. You asked me to talk to her in your place. I did that. Now I have to go check on Akito. Do yourself a favor and talk to her Shigure. You owe her that much." So, Hatori was on my side for once. About damn time. I heard Hatori leave and I pulled myself together before Shigure walked out. He glanced at me, debating whether he should take Hatori's advice. In reality, I wanted to talk it out with him. Just let him know that I wasn't pissed off anymore. I was just hurting nowadays. We kept the stare locked between us before he finally turned away from me and walked away. I held out my arm to him, unable to say what I wanted.
"Shigure..." He paused. "I.....I'll keep calling around." He nodded and I chose then to leave.
"Allo oui?" I changed ears for the phone and pulled a pencil out of the small handbag I carried with me these day. I rolled my pearly orbs at the sound of my grandfather's gritty Cajun voice.
"Bonjour Pops!"
" Ah! Button!" Ew. There was that name again. I know exactly how I got it too. The day I was born my Nana dragged Pops through the nursery section of the hospital, creating a ruckus where ever they went. My Nana spotted a dark complected, brown eyed baby, that weighed a good ten pounds and mistook the child as me. It wasn't until an hour later when the nurse gave me to my mother that Nana discovered that I wasn't dark skinned, or brown eyed, and definetly not ten pounds.
"She's as cute as a button, she is!" And thus, the name got stuck with me.
"Pop? Is Nana there by any chance?" A few mumbles plus the closing of a few doors. And then there was a loud war cry. I could only guess that Nana was mud wrestling with an alligator. Oh Nana...
"Ello?" She was out of breath but I bet my entire life savings that the gator was in worse condition.
"Hey Nana!"
"Button! What brings your voice to this end of the phone line?" I began to doodle on my notepad, which already consisted of serveral angry scribbles followed by a small picture of what seemed to look like a cat, but at this point I wasn't really sure.
"Well Nana....I was hoping that you had gotten the rest of that story translated for me."
"Ahhh..yes I did in fact. "
"Great! Enlighten me." I could tell that Nana was finding a good resting place. She finally settled down on the crunchy old couch and began to flip through the book once more.
"Well...Pop said that Sabrina had placed the curse upon the family for other reasons besides the fighting. It said that she was tired of the Sohma taking love for granted. So, if they could not learn to love then they would never be able to feel the touch of the opposite sex. "
"Uh-huh.....so why the Chinese zodiac?"
"Pops says that she had just learned of the Chinese zodiac from a Chinese tutor. It must've been the first thing that popped into my head."
"That makes no sense Nana. Why would she include the cat? And a curse because they were a little mean to each other? A little extreme isn't it?" A loud pounding began to come from the next room and I had to muffle a laugh. Frankie and the bellhop and grown....aquainted. Nana questioned my small giggle but pushed it away by referring back to my questions.
"Extreme? Perhaps. And as for the cat...I told you before, Sabrina was a kind soul."
"So why include the cat?"
"Because the cat was excluded to begin with."
"Huh?"
"Oh Dusty Dusty Dusty. Do not try to understand things that are beyond your reach." I shoved a pillow case underneath the door in hopes of silencing the sickening moans. I should've followed Becky and Kimmi to the Higurashi shrine. But noooo.....I had to play Sherlock Holmes.
"Nana....this doesn't explain anything."
"It also says that there was a dark force present in her life that she wanted to rid of. A man who hated her and everything about love."
"Does it say how to break the curse?"
"Yes....only when a Sohma can admit to the dark force that love has indeed taken over their heart, will their own curse be lifted."
"Got it."
"One more thing Dusty..."
"Shoot."
"The love has to be revealed by the other as well." I jotted the last part down and said my goodbyes. When everything had finally calmed down, I chose to take a nap. During my peaceful slumber, I dreamt a dream...
"You didn't tell him."
"I tried, Sabrina."
"I see."
A flash of light and I see Yuki straggling across the yard, holding his head. And then I see the large cut above his eye the next day. The sickly looking guy. So dark. So evil.
"I have to go check on Akito." My eyes pop open and it all makes sense. Every generation had an Akito. Their dark force. Was that what drove Sabrina away? I pressed my ear to the door to check and see if Frankie was still at work on the bellhop. Luckily, she was slumbering like a baby. I grabbed my bag and crept down to the lobby and out the door.
I hadn't expected Shigure to answer the door, yet he did. I pulled my jacket around my body to keep his heat away from my own body. I was nervous but I didn't know why. Well I knew why, I just didn't feel like pulling a 'Passions' scene quite yet. I pulled at my lip as he invited me in. I shed my shoes at the door and quickly discarded my jacket along with them . Shigure had already sat himself down, knowing that my intention was to talk.
"I know what you're here for." I plopped down next to him and folded my hands. I was no longer in the skirt, having given up on the sexy American look after my compromising situation with Hatori.
"You do?" He nodded and held my hand in his. Blood rushed to my head and I could feel myself getting dizzy by the second.
"I'm just not able to give that kind of committment right now. Maybe Hatori is indeed the right man for you. He was always one for committment." I yanked my hand back as if it were on fire.
"What?! I didn't come here to talk about Hatori! Or you! And what in Angelina Jolie does Hatori have to do with anything?! You CANNOT still be hung up on this morning!"
"I know what I saw! And you didn't come here to talk about....us?" He said the 'us' in a hushed tone. His head was lowered and I couldn't help but follow the movement like the idiot I am.
"No....I came to ask you about the story behind why the cat was excluded."
"Oh...right...of course." He was obviously embarrassed by his outburst and I could almost see a hint of red spreading over his cheeks. So cute! Argh! Get a hold of yourself, Dusty!
"The cat..." The silence was about to kill me and I had to start him on the story before I rushed out to make yet another long distance call to Nana.
"I know your time is wasted over here so i'll keep it short. As you know, the cat and rat are mortal enemies." Well, yeah, of course. I've watched enough Tom and Jerry specials to figure that one out. "When the zodiac had first come together, there was a celebration. The rat basically tricked the cat and so the cat was left out of the party."
"Uh-huh...so there will always be a cat in the curse?" Shigure shrugged. This was taking me nowhere. I could now see the 'Dead End' sign at the end of my road and I was trying desperately to look for a clear drive way to make a turn around and get a fresh start. Part of me just wanted to clear off the board and start all over. As of now, I was left with these facts : This 'Akito' was the dark force. The Sohma curse could be lifted off an individual if the dark force is pushed from his/her life and love takes its place. And their object of affection would have to do the same. In other words, true love, as cheesy at that may sound. Yuki and Kyou were falling for the same chick. Shigure suspects me of falling in love with the same man who broke my wrist just days earlier. I began to twist a my sixteenth birthday gift around my ring finger. And yes, you guessed it, it was a ring. Yet another bad habit. The ring, though, was given to me by my father. Perhaps the only meaningful thing he has ever given me.
"What's that?" I finally noticed what I had been doing. It was either the lip or the ring and I kind of need my lips. I peered down at the Irish wedding ring my father had given me on the fateful day. I was sort of surprised that he gave it to me. Customs go like this, the hands symbolize friendship, the heart - love, and the crown - loyalty. If the heart points inward, your heart has been taken....you're in love. If the heart points outward, then you're a single schmo like me. My heart has always been outward. Always.
"Oh....that. My Irish wedding ring. My father gave it to me when I turned 16. I wanted a car but got a twelve dollar ring instead. I still want the car."
"What does it mean?" I went through the cruel details of what each thing meant and took it off for the first time in two and half years since it was given to me. "Has your heart always been pointing outwards?" I stood up and sat on the coffee table to get a full view of the man sitting before me.
"Well....yes. I think this thing has brought nothing but bad luck. Either that or i'm cursed." I quickly winced at the irony in my comment. "I didn't mean it like that..."
"Of course not." He handed the ring back to me and I slid my Irish ring over my French hertiage finger.
"What about your parents?"
"What about them?" Was he playing with me or something? I know I stutter sometimes but I was sure that my question had been clear enough. I sighed just as he stood up to what I thought was showing me the way out. Instead, he brought me to the kitchen for a cup of tea. I was slightly grateful. I hadn't eaten a single thing besides the doughnuts from this morning. I happily accepted the drink and began gulping the hot liquid immediately. "It's not that I don't like you." His voice almost caused me to choke on the tea. I was glad I had quick reflexes at that moment. Where was he getting with this?
"Of course not. I'm a highly likeable person. Or so i've been told."
"Really?" I pushed the cup away from me.
"No. I was just trying to impress someone from the opposite sex. Did it work?" He smiled for the first time that day in front of me.
"I've always been impressed with you." I felt like a child with a crush on my older next door neighbor. That happened to me once. His name was Nick and he was in the Army. Sadly, he broke my heart when he brought home Maria, a Spanish table dancer and bartender at a local club. She had everything I didn't at the time : boobs, legs all the way to Canada, and an accent that would make Antonio Banderas jealous. I shifted my weight and lowered my head. That was a really sweet comment. Almost sugar coated enough to give me a cavity. Shigure shook off his remark. "I shouldn't be leading you on like that." So much for sugar coated. Now things were becoming sour and quite rotten. But my rough exterior wouldn't allow such a slap to my face.
"You're right, you shouldn't. But you do it anyway. I need to go." I gathered up my things and left without another glance towards him.
It was later on that night, when Frankie was telling of her lust for the bellhop, that it began to storm. Not the peaceful raindrops that could put you to sleep. I mean, the Dracula is coming tonight type of storm. We had all been snacking on take out and sodas while flipping through the channels of Japanese television. We didn't know what in the blue hell they were talking about but we figured out that the long haired guy was in love with the female main character. Then there was the crazy villian with the screwed up mustache. We have yet to figure out how he fits into the plot. I went to the window in hopes of getting away from the movie and finding solace in the lightning. Frankie, Kimmi, and Becky were still camped out in front of the cable box.
"I think he's the hero's brother..."
"They look nothing alike, Becky! He doesn't even have a mustache!"
"It looks fake anyway..." And then I saw him. Draped in darkness until the lightning gave me a full view of his form. I had to squint to make sure it was Yuki at first. But there he was, in plain sight, soaking wet from the rain and creating a very eerie atmosphere. I jumped back, landing on my rear with great force. I let out a small scream. Who wouldn't? The guy whom you're guessing is the 'dark force' is watching you through your window! I love attention but that's a little too creepy for me.
"Dusty? What's wrong?" Becky was kneeling beside me and the pool of popcorn that I had spilled along the way. I pointed a shakey finger to the window, unable to communicate to my friends. Frankie was the first one at the thick glass, staring off into some unknown scene. "What is it?"
"Him. He's here. Outside." Frankie looked towards where I had pointed, straining to find someone through the dark rain. I guess it didn't help that it was nighttime.
"I don't see anyone, Dusty." I jumped up from the carpet and slammed my forehead against the window. She was right, he was gone.
"That's impossible. He was there! Akito was there!" Frankie gave a sympathetic smile and grabbed her coat. Becky and I watched from the hotel room as the tall woman surveyed the front of the hotel over and over again, only to find puddles. Becky let a hand fall to my shoulder, just as any good friend would.
"You're stressed out. That's all." No. I know what I saw. I saw Akito's shape and form and his whole entiriry standing outside the hotel. It wasn't my imagination. The man somehow knew about me and didn't like the fact that I was involved with the Sohma family. How freaking scary can that freak get?!