Title: Our Secret, Our Curse.
Rating: PG-13 (probably won't go up near the end but hey, you never know)
Genre: Drama/Humor (I guess)
A/N: Second chapter. Woo. There will be some Kyou's POV in this chap, so don't be surprised when you come across with it. And some hints to Jirohino's and her sister's past, about one tragic happening in there. More about it is still to come, so stay tuned (had to say that, tee-hee)!
And the vocabulary again:
Sumimasen - excuse me, pardon
Urusai - shut up
Tadaima - I'm home
imôtôsan - little sister
Mata ne - See you
Kuso nezumi - damn rat (like you didn't know that already)
Baka neko - stupid cat (-look above-)
naze - why
"Jirohino!" The shout made it's way to the class. Jelora and Marande quickly glanced at each other and then they both dashed out from the class.
"What the-! Where do you ladies think you're going?" shouted the teacher after them. A few students near the door were trying to peek to the corridor.
"Jirohino.." whispered Jelora quietly while stroking the girl's hair.
"Please wake up.." Marande looked at Arameda:
"What happened?" Arameda had a morbid look on her face when she answered:
"She..She came. And she.. well.. tried to attack me. But then Jirohino managed to will her away." Arameda looked at her sister lying on the corridor floor. "I guess it exhausted her completely."
"Sumimasen.. is something wrong?" asked a shy voice behind them. Jelora turned around. A brown-haired girl with big eyes stared at them, confused. Jelora smiled at her.
"Nothing big. Our sister just feels a bit dizzy."
"The school nurse is in the other end of the corridor if you need", said an amazingly girl-like boy behind the brown-haired girl.
"No, no.. I.. I don't think we need her."
"Make way! Make way!"
The teacher appeared behind the curious students and stopped when he noticed Jirohino on the floor.
"What happened?"
In a while, nobody said a word. Then Arameda said in a suprisingly fearful voice:
"Sumimasen, can I take my sister home?"
"There, there", Arameda muttered as she helped Jirohino to climb the few steps to their porch. Jirohino was still weak, though she was awake.
"I think it's better for you to lay down for a while. I'll make some tea", Arameda said and left her sister to lay down on the couch. She came back soon, carrying a tray with two cups and a tea-pot. She handed other cup to her sister who accepted it gratefully.
A moment passed in silence. Then Arameda asked:
"Did she say anything?" Jirohino shook her head:
"No, nothing."
Silence. Jirohino put her cup down.
"I think I'd like to sleep a while", she said. Arameda nodded and stood up.
"Hai. I'll leave you then."
"Run faster!" Jelora shouted at Marande. Their schoolday had finally ended and they were running to get home as soon as possible. They had almost blew up in their last lesson, they were so goddamn worried of Jirohino.
"I - can - see - it!" Marande panted when they started to approach their house. They both jumped to the porch and pushed the paperdoor aside.
"Tadaima!" Jelora shouted and noticed Jirohino on the couch.
"Jirohino!" she shouted and dashed to her. She kneeled besides her and tried her forehead.
"Hino-chan.. you're okay? You.. You're not feeling any sick?"
Jirohino shook her head and yawned widely.
"No.. no, I'm just tired, that's all."
Marande had walked to her, too. She watched her for a while and the gently petted her hair.
"Nothing to worry about, imôtôsan."
Jelora helped Jirohino up and they walked to kitchen.
"Oi! Who's going to cook tonight?"
"Not me, I did it yesterday."
"All right.. Let's see.. Arameda?"
"Urusai, you baka. I have work tonight. And so has Marande."
"Good point, oneechan. So that leaves only you over.."
"Sheesh. Allright, I'll cook. But if I hear even one complaiment then you can cook by yourself, ne!"
Arameda and Marande were on their way to their evening-jobs. Marande sighed.
"Sometimes I really wish we wouldn't have to work this hard. It's really not nice trying to do school and job at the same time."
"Yeah, but we have no choice. And when Jirohino can't go to work, we must do double much work as usually."
"That reminds me, did you give her her medicine?"
"Of course I did. She'll just be a bit sleepy for the rest of the evening, but she'll be allright."
"Un. Well, I go to this way now. Mata ne!"
"Mata ne."
Feh, it's already over 8 p.m. I wish the others have saved some food for me. Arameda put her cleaning requisites back to the closet and took her bag from it, slamming the door shut.
"Well, I'll be off now!" she called for the other workers. They waved for her. Arameda had just opened the outer door when a shy voice said behing her:
"Ano, weren't you Arameda-san?" Arameda turned around and saw, again, that same brown-haired girl. She had an enthusiastic smile on her face. Arameda nodded slightly.
"Hai, Arameda desu."
"Eh? Honda Tohru desu", said the girl and bowed. Arameda nodded again and looked slightly suprised. The girl (Tohru? I like the sound of her name) straightened up and looked Arameda in the eyes.
"I just thought... would you like walk to home with me? Of course I mean", she added a bit hastily, "if you live in the same direction as I, I don't mean to be rude or anything I just.."
Arameda looked now slightly amused. She smiled at Tohru and said:
"Hai, I'd love to."
"I remember you had sisters, too", said Tohru.
"Hai, three of them. Marande-chan had work tonight but she's probably home already."
"What was the names of your other two sisters?"
"Jelora-san and Jirohino-san."
"Oh.. ano.. Where did you move from?"
"I'm sorry?"
"Um, where did you move to here? Where did you live before?"
"Oh, we came from Nagasaki. That's where we were born."
"Nagasaki? I heard it's a nice place. Why did you move?"
"Um..ano.. we.. we had some problems at school."
"Oh, I see."
There was a silence. It's harder than you think to make a conversation. Arameda turned to Tohru and said:
"Here's where I must leave you. Where do you go from here?"
"I just go still forward."
Arameda looked surprised at the girl, then ahead of them.
"But.. there's only forest in there."
"No, it's not. Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun live there. I live with them in a house."
"Yuki-kun.. you mean that girly-boy?"
Tohru blushed a bit.
"Eetoo.. hai. Souma-kun, he is."
"Ah, he's a bit quiet one, ne. Ah, well, gotta go now. See you at school."
"This is ridiculous, how come can you wear a boy's uniform?"
"It has trousers, my dear."
"I know that! Why can't we wear those?"
"You don't have a proper reason, that's why. Only because you don't like skirts, is no a proper reason", Arameda pointed out at her pouting sister. Jelora was good at pouting.
"Anyways", Arameda continued, "Your skirt is way longer than anyone else's. Just look at the hem, it's all muddy because it's trailing in the ground."
Jelora sighed:
"It's not my fault. It just gets stuck on it."
"So... what do we have next?" asked Marande while they were at their bookcases. Arameda studied their timetable.
"Umm.. oh nice, douple lessons of Biology: now presenting human biology! Note the dripping sarcasm", she said slamming her bookcase's door shut.
"Come along, already."
"And who would like to tell us what's this bone over here?" asked the teacher pointing at the plastic skeleton in the front of the class. The skeleton was quite old, it's other leg was almost loose, and when Arameda sat down on her chair she was sure it was one of it's finger-bones lying on her desk.
"Woo-hoo! Lunch!" said Marande while stretching herself, "I'm so goddamn hungry, let's go fast."
They packed their rucksacks and started to walk to the door. Behind them that one brown-haired girl with her friends were looking at the skeleton.
"You think it is real?" asked the brown-haired. Then, suddenly, the skeleton moved it's jawbone and spoke:
"Hoo, what are you looking at, silly little girl?"
The brown-haired girl screamed and Arameda sighed.
"Knock it off, Jelora." Her sister's face appeared behind the skeleton.
"Why, my oneechan, wasn't that funny? Ne, Hino-chan?" she asked turning to look at the scared brown-head. Her face flopped.
"Oops, my mistake. Where's Jirohino?"
"I'm here", said the mentioned sister walking to them. Jelora slipped again behing the skeleton.
"Hoo, beware you little girl!"
Jirohino looked extremely bored.
"Ehehe, I'm just dying with laughter", she said. Jelora looked morbid.
"You could even try to play along."
Jirohino was feeling tired. She hadn't felt any hungry (especially not after Jelora's very nice dining table conversation, subject being their past biology lesson). She was now walking on a hallway, when she suddenly felt dizzy. She staggered a little and took support from a wall. She sat down, her back leaning against the wall and massaged her temples. I really wish she's not going to show up... She grimaced when a wave of pain suddenly rolled over her head and without realizing, she fell unconcius.
"Hello?" Hello, hello, hello.. the echo answered. She thought she was standing on a proper floor but there wasn't nothing underneath her. Nor was there above or aside her. She was floating in non-existence. She heard a voice, or more like sensed, or saw it. It forced it's way into her head, making her think:
"Ohayoo, dear sister."
If Jirohino would be the type to curse, she would have. She was here, again. She turned around (as much as it's possible to turn around when there's nothing where to turn around) and saw a shadowy figure some way away from herself.
"Have you been well? Must be nice when you can actually do something. Have a body, and a mind", said (thought, felt and saw) the shadow. Jirohino stayed silent.
The shadow smirked, or at least it made Jirohino think it smirked.
"Now, now, no reason to be that rude. I'm just trying to keep up a cozy conversation."
The shadow moved closer.
"Say something." It's voice was getting more menancing. Jirohino opened her mout and tried to think.
"I don't find it really cozy to float around in here. Let me go", she said (or thought).
"Oo, you don't want me to push you aside again, ne."
The shadow was now even closer and it stopped for about a few metres away from Jirohino. She now realized it was getting more shape, referring a young girl.
"Do you know what it's like to be here always? You're not being very equel to both of us."
"You know very well why I'm not letting you to control."
"Oh really? Tell me."
"Well, what about the people you've almost killed? All the damage you've done to us?"
"Now, now, I'd think you'd be a bit more exact. 'Almost killed', eh? You are not trying to let that one special person to fall into oblivion?"
Jirohino wished she could cry.
"Be quiet."
"Why? You really don't want to remember how-?"
"Stop it! Stop it! Let me out! Let me go!"
Kyou Souma was strolling on the hallways. He was almost exploding with anger. That kuso nezumi had again made him look like a fool. Kyou rubbed his sore chin. Damn, that girly-boy was quite good in high kicks. He turned around a corner. He stopped abruptly.
"Huh?" There was a girl lying on the hallway. It was actually that one girl from her class, that who was yesterday somehow passed out, too. I wonder if she has somekind of an disease, like whatwasitagain narcolepsy. He sighed at stooped down a bit to look more carefully at her. She looked like she was sleeping. He gently grabbed one of her shoulders and shook her a little bit. Eh? Should I find the school nurse or something.. His thought was cut abruptly when he felt slipping on something. It was the girl's school bag, which was lying next to her. Kuso! Kyou felt himself panicking when he bumped the girl. He was waiting a big POOF to happen, but... it didn't.
However, the girl had woken up and she was getting quite afraid when she found an unknown male lying ontop of her.
"Ano.. eetoo.. who, what.." she faltered and Kyou quickly got up. He straightened his uniform a bit and looked apologetic.
"Eh, gomen, you had fallen asleep or something and I thought I should wake you up.. I just slipped on your bag." He pointed at the girl's bag, now decorated with a shade of footprint. The girl blushed a bit and started to get up. Kyou offered a hand but the girl seemingly pretended she didn't notice it and finally stood up a bit shorter than Kyou. She made something someone would have interpret as a smile.
"Hai, I remember, I felt a bit tired.."
An uncomfortable silence. Kyou tried hard not to shout out loud "What the hell are you?" But.. I didn't transform..how..?
"I'd better go", the girl said. Before Kyou managed to say anything she had already dashed away. Damn, I didn't even have time to ask her name.
"Oi! Baka neko, where did you go?" Kyou heard Yuki calling behing him. Kyou turned around and glared at his cousin.
"None of your goddamn bussiness, kuso nezumi", he grumbled and stomped past the grey-haired boy.
That was bad, that was really bad! Jirohino told herself not to panic. Last time she had had one of those weird "floating-in-non-existence" dreams (or something like that) it had meant her sister (That monster is not my sister, she thought angrily) had showed up even more powerfully. Usually after those attacks she had been totally exhausted for several days. And she's getting more powerful all the time.. I must tell other about this.
She turned to the caféteria and found her sister... and three other girls with them.
"So, you're all sisters?" asked Uo while absent-mindedly eating her curry-noodles. Arameda nodded and gulped down the rest of the onigiri she had been eating.
"Though our youngest sister isn't here. I wonder where she went..." Hanajima turned her dark eyes to her.
"There's one more?" she asked in her usual quiet tone.
"Yeah, Jirohino-san. She said she wasn't hungry so she went somewhere, dunno where", said Marande. Hana-chan nodded. One more, eh? I'd like to meet her, if her vibes are as interesting as these three I'll have to spend more time with them.
Hanajima watched slightly dozed the girls' auras. They were rather interesting, usually people's auras weren't this bright: Arameda-san's was flaming red and gold, very nice. Marande-san had kinda swaying shiny blue one, Jelora-san's was different shades of green and brown.
Suddenly there was a small rustle and Hanajima picked some new vibes. She, and the rest of the table turned over to look and Jelora smiled:
"Ohayoo, Hino-chan! Where were you?"
Oh, this must be their fourth sister, Hanajima thought. She took a quick look over her. Hmm.. Should I be worried about that.. Jirohino had really unique aura. It was almost shimmering white, almost transparent, but there was some big black spots in it. Not very good, too many black spots are bad. And then she noticed something even more alarming. There was a shadow just behing Jirohino, it seemed to move with her movement, staying with her all the time. Well that's something I haven't... her thoughts drifted off when she looked more carefully at the shadow. It had.. a form. A shadowy girl was standing just behing Jirohino, staring with black, piercing eyes right at Hanajima.
Hana stared back at it a moment. Then it blurred back into shapeless mass.
"..and this is Hanajima Saki." She realised she was being introduced and nodded slightly to the nervous girl.
Jirohino tried to think how to express her matter. Suddenly Jelora said:
"So.. Did you have something to say or..?" Her hand was making a small round movement, trying to hint Jirohino to speak. Jirohino bit her lip and said in a quiet voice:
"Arameda-chan.. can I.. speak to you for a moment?" Her sister turned to look at her. After some time she strartled a bit and stood up.
"Yeah, yeah. We'll be back soon", she said to the others and hurried away with her sister.
"What happened?" Arameda asked immediately when they got outside from the caféteria. Jirohino shrugged her shoulders slightly.
"It was.. I fell asleep. Or I think I did.. anyway, it was those dream-like things, and then she was there and.. well.. talked to me."
"Talked? You mean, did she tell you her.."
"No she didn't. I she had I would have told it first."
Arameda sighed. She hung her head down.
"So.. does this mean she's showing up again?"
Jirohino bit her lip.
"I.. I think so."
Arameda raised her head and tried to look securing.
"Well, then we just have to be careful."
"Oneesan.." Jirohino muttered. Arameda looked at her inquiringly:
"Nani?" Jirohino shivered.
"She.. she mentioned him."
Arameda's expression froze. Her eyes seemed to be looking into something not visible to other, recalling something. She drew breath and closed her eyes. Then she leaned closer and hugger her sister.
"There, there.. nothing's wrong.."
Kyou was wondering if he should tell Yuki about the meeting with that white-haired girl. He couldn't remember her name even for his death. It just slipped from my mind. Talking about Yuki, that kuso nezumi was yet again being way too friendly with Tohru. Kyou tried to ignore the fact the two aforementioned were walking behind him, chatting. Kyou could hear Tohru laughing. Nah, I won't tell. He would laugh at me and anyway it's good to know something he doesn't. Kyou turned around and shouted:
"Oi! Come on, I'm not going to spend the whole day just walking home!"
Yuki snorted:
"Well why don't you just go then? We don't need you here, baka neko."
Kyou clenched his fists.
"Fine, then!" he shouted and started to run.
"I'm off, then! Save some food for me, too!" Jelora shouted from the door and left to work.
"Hai, we will!" Arameda shouted back and returned to her cards. She played two queens. Marande grimaced.
"Oh, thanks a lot. I pass."
"I pass", said Jirohino and Arameda put the played cards aside. They were playing Dai Hin Min while waiting the food to cook.
"By the way, I met that orange-head from our class today", said Jirohino. Arameda raised an eyebrow.
"Really? What was he like?" Jirohino shrugged her shoulders:
"Dunno. He actually just bumped on me and then apologized. But then," she frowned a bit, "he just looked at me like I were some kind of an alien."
Arameda snorted:
"Baka. If he tries to bully you more let me know, ne." Jirohino blushed a bit.
"No, it wasn't like that.." she mumbled but neither of her sisters heard her.
"What are you talking about, baka neko?" Yuki snapped. Kyou sighed.
"I'm telling you, when she bumped to me, I didn't transform!"
"Mm-hm. Are you sure you really and literally bumped? You know, if you don't seem like you're hugging her you don't transform either."
"Urusai, kuso nezumi! I goddamn well know what I did!"
"Souma-kun, Kyou-kun, please don't fight!" Tohru shouted in tears. Kyou turned to her and forced himself to calm down.
"F-fine", she stammered and turned away. Yuki smiled to Tohru:
"I apoligize, Honda-san, if I made you worry." Tohru smiled wider and looked slightly panicking.
"No! Nothing like that, Souma-kun!"
He's doing it again, Kyou thought angrily. So he doesn't believe me? Well I'll show him..
"Gyah! I just overall hate that teacher!" Jelora whined when their Chemistry lesson had just ended.
"You should be a bit more careful what you say, Jelora. You're getting yourself in deep trouble if someone teacher hears you", Jirohino said quietly after glancing over her shoulder. They left the corridor and turned to the stairs. Jelora smirked.
"Come on, Hino-chan. Have a bit of humor", she said, nudging her sister on the arm. Unfortunately she forgot they were walking down the stairs.
Jirohino staggered, gave a small shriek - and fumbled down the stairs. For her luck, she managed to place her feet on the step. So in the result there was Jirohino running down the stairs, shrieking all the time. Arameda slapped Jelora on the head:
"Baka. You should be more careful, if something happens to Hino-chan, you'll have it." Jelora sweatdropped.
"Honda-san, are you doing anything after school?" Yuki asked from Tohru. She smiled:
"Iie, Souma-kun. Naze?"
"I was going to look up for one book and I thought if you would like to come with me."
"FOR GOD'S SAKE, MAKE WAY!"
Tohru's eyes were sparkling.
"Of course, Souma-kun! I'd love to!"
"MOVE ALONG! WATCH OUT THERE!"
Yuki smiled.
"That's good, Honda-san. I think it will be something you-"
"DOWN THERE, MOVE ASIDE!"
Yuki turned around suprised and the last thing he realized was a young girl running straight at him and they both falling on the floor.