"What is a hero?
Are all hero's people in books and movies that we idolize?
Are hero's those who give all they can to save the world from some deadly evil that's planning to wipe out the human race? Are hero's people who creep around in the night saving innocents from those who would do harm? Are hero's kind and gentle to those who disserve it, and are aggressive and powerful to those who do not? Are hero's people who would sacrifice things for the greater good, for the prosperity for humanity? Are hero's people who would do anything to keep others from hurting?
For many people, the vision of a hero is one in a red or black cape, who's identity is kept a deep secret. Their hero has some special super power and is invincible against any others, and though trouble may occur you always know your hero will win. Even though the hero might be from a different planet, or have wings, or can shoot web, we still idolize them. They become our role models.
Yet sometimes our hero can be a normal, every day person - like you and me. A hero could be the person walking next to you, holding your hand, kissing you cheek, smiling at you, standing next to you on the subway, washing a window, making photocopy's in the copy room, standing behind the grocery counter...
...They could be anyone. They could look like anyone, act like anyone, speak like anyone, move like anyone, but there is one thing inside them all that gives them a quality to become a hero. It's different for many people, for you could see someone as a hero when someone else could seem them as a normal person. Truthfully it's all in the way one looks as another - if they can see the hidden quality within someone to call them a hero.
In the dictionary, a hero is defined as a person of superhuman qualities or a person who is admired for their courage or outstanding achievements. I don't think that's right. They might be the definition for the word, but that doesn't mean that it's correct, right? But they do have one thing right.
You don't need superhuman quality's, or need to do outstanding things to be called a hero. You need a certain type of courage that not many people in the world have. A courage that is your sole, that you yourself might not even realize you have until you use it.
But even then that doesn't qualify a person to be a hero, they would be a role model - the line between those two things are very blurred. Most hero's are role model's, but what makes a role model a hero?
I don't think I can answer that question for everybody - I don't quite know myself.
Looking the opposite way, what makes a villain a villain? One may think they're evil because they committed a crime, but others may look up to them for a different reason. Are you a villain because you did something wrong, or are you a villain because you're not the hero? Weather your hero's the villain or your villain's the hero is up to you. You are the one who makes your hero a hero and your villain a villain. Weather or not they truly are what they're said to be is up the them and their actions.
After all, a villain can be the hero of his own story..." Once I finished I sat down, not bothered by the looks the rest of my class was giving me. I couldn't care any less about what they thought of my speech, frankly I didn't even want to say it. But my teacher has said that it was very moving and I should read it.
They didn't understand, so why should I read it for them?
I felt a hand grasp my shoulder, and I looked next to me to the owner of the hand. He just smiled slightly - eyes focused, black, and sharp- face framed with snow white hair that was the style of today. And the moment I looked at him, when our eyes met, I knew that he was proud of me - that I had done something special and something that should be known. That I should be proud... and not just for myself.
For my hero as well...
Strange Happening's
By SAL-Chan
Part Eleven: Preparations
"Some might say that they were my favorite mistake..."
Tohru
"Breakfast is ready!!!" I shouted up the stairs over another pair of voices, one of which was raised a considerable amount. There was then an end exclamation and as soon as it was said. Kyo fell from the ceiling and dropped down next to me with a low 'Shitty Rat'. A snarl covered his face and his arms were crossed, anger written in his posture. Despite his obvious bad mood, I smiled at him.
"Good morning Kyo. Sleep well?" The last part slipped out, and I covered my mouth the moment I said it. He gave me a bit of an odd look, his anger melting away slightly.
"Like the dead." Shigure stepped out from his own room, a smile on his face. "Morning Tohru, Kyo."
"I hate you..." Kyo growled, eyes narrowing into crimson slits. The older writer just smiled, stepped through Kyo and walked into the kitchen. Kyo's eyes widened slightly as he did that and he recoiled forward as the writer walked through him, then shook his head and arms slightly and glared at the Dog's back.
"We hate you too." The calm and awake voice drifted down from the stairwell as it's owner walked down after it. Yuki brushed his hair away from his face, and smiled at me slightly. He had on a light blue turtle neck sweater and a regular pair of straight legged dark blue pants, his leg finally free from its cast. They had taken it off two weeks ago on Wednesday, and I think it was a blessing to him. Unfortunately for him and all his fan girls at school, a thin scar now ran from the outside of his knee to his ankle, but the doctor and Hatori said that they were surprised that the scar wasn't thicker. The only other sign of Yuki's accident was he had scaring on the shoulder that has scraped along the ground, but Hatori gave him ointment or something to make that scar fade as well.
"Good morning Yuki." I cut in before he and Kyo started up again - the second time before the late breakfast I had prepared. We were off from school for a little while - Christmas had passed a few days ago and today was New Years eve- we ended up waking up earlier than we had been. And this year looked as if it would be much happier for the majority of us all...well, for anyone who lived at Shigure's house anyway.
"Morning..." He said back smoothly and stretched and walked into the kitchen- Kyo moving to the side, a snarl planted on his face as well. I watched as Yuki walked by Kyo and noted how...well, short Kyo was compared to him.
After all, My mind informed me again. Kyo is still 16. Yuki's 18. There's a two year gap...
That though brought back that conversation I had with the Set a few nights ago. When Set - the nameless boy who was waiting in front of my work in the snow for me - had told me things I didn't want to know.
I looked at Kyo with a somber expression, unable to do anything other then that. I had been told very important things that night, all of which had a connection to the ghost Cat 'living' in Shigure's house once again.
"There are great and many things that you need to know yet can't now at the same time, and there are an equal amount of things that you do know that you should not. One of theses things is the existence of the sacred Jyuunishi members, the other is the true knowledge of an existing ghost. I know as well as you probably do that these two things should be erased from you mind forever, yet for some reason they haven't. Because you know of the Jyuunishi, you also know of the ghost - therefore, in order to erase one problem you can get rid of another as well. So tonight - even though I hate doing it to you dear Tohru - I'm not going to take away your memory, but instead add to your burden and force other things into motion. I am going to tell you the date that Sohma Kyo's sole will fade away if he has not finished the Tear-ing process and reclaimed his body."
He then leaned up against the side of the building we had ducked into and looked up toward the night sky. His eyes were dark compared to his white fur lined coat, and I couldn't find it in myself to pull my eyes away from them. I felt my knees shake and my heart beat flutter, my palms suddenly sweaty.
"As of now he has five members who have Tear-ed for him, and one more and that's half way - true. But he needs more then three fourth's in order to get his new body livable again, but the more people he has the quicker it can be done. Yet I don't believe that Momiji, Rin, Kureno, Ayame, or Kagura will cry for him, and Kisa and Hiro are on the brink. That's more than six whom are next to impossible to convince that he's dead. He only has less then a year left - his fading date is the 14th of October, by the way. That's why I need you...dear Tohru, to help him..."
He never addressed himself as anything other then Set, but for some reason I don't think angles can have names. I'm not sure why I believe him to be an angel, there's no solid proof or any reason to lead me in believing him to be one. He knew my name, and all of the Sohma's names, and he knew about Kyo - and the fact that he seemed to radiate some other type of power or something that I've never felt before helped. Plus, I would like to believe there is an angel watching over us-
"What the hell are you staring at?" I fell back into reality as Kyo's voice halted my thoughts, rough but kind. I blinked - realizing I had been staring at him - and smiled slightly, a flush coming to my cheeks. He arched an eyebrow at me, and I laughed a little to brush off my embarrassment.
"Nothing..." I said simply, walking into the kitchen and picking up the last dish of food and walking into the dinning room. I settled the bowl into place and myself into my own spot next to Shigure - whom, like every morning, was chatting away to himself- and smiled again. Kyo sat - well, he hovered- at his place across from Shigure and added comments - when appropriate - to the Dog's monologue. Yuki remained passive for the most part - adding his thoughts in when he thought necessary as we started to eat. I - once again - found myself lost in thought.
I now understood what that...that Tear-ing thing that Kyo had talked about in the hospital that one time was. Roughly, Kyo uses the tears that we shed to form energy in order to create a seeable body - among other things such as his 'magic'. The more energy he gets, the stronger and more alive he becomes - thus the reason he's now able to touch things for long periods of time. Kyo can now hold books and papers with his own hands and the only reason they would fall would be because someone who hadn't Tear-ed would enter Kyo's energy circle. Tear-ing is also the reason all of his cuts and scars are healing up nicely, and Set told me that if by some miracle we manage to get about nine out of twelve of them to Tear for him that he'll get his body back - but it would only be as healed up as it could have been by those who have Tear-ed.
Basically, he told me that no matter what he was going to be reincarnated. The only catch was that if less than nine of the Jyuunishi circle for him his sole wouldn't be healed enough for his body to survive, and his hollow body would eat his sole and leave nothing left of him. And if that happened, it would be like he had never existed in the first place - his life would have been an extra one that fate did not plan for and death did not wait for...
I nibbled on the end of my chopsticks slightly, my borrow wrinkling. Set had also told me something that could alter our entire lives.
"Tohru-dear, there's another new addition to this lovely set up. There is something else that can happen, but I believe that it's price is too high for you to even consider - but unfortunately it's part of both agreements no matter what. IF he is unable to collect the tears needed to fill the gaps where his sole was ripped, the dead emptiness from those gaps will go looking for the next best thing - memories. Memories is the next step down from emotions, and if the void isn't filled from them it would take the most related memories from the people who have displayed the emotions. The way it really works is hard to understand, so to put it in simple sentences it means that if he doesn't get the tears, you loose the memories of him - and anything to do with him..."
I would forget the past four and a half years of my life. Even the thought of that made me sick to my toes. I couldn't imagine what my life would be like without them, and now to be faced with that possibility...
"Tohru?" This time Shigure's voice broke my thought trail, and I dropped my chop sticks onto my lap and snapped my head to look at him. All three of them were staring at me with equal worry evident in their faces, and slowly I started to smile.
"Um...yes?" I laughed a little again. I needed to stop getting lost in my thoughts, they're distracting. Yuki smiled back at me and continued to eat his rice while Kyo rolled his eyes and slung his arms behind his head. Shigure continued to stare at me with a simple smile on his face, amusement sparkling his eyes.
"I wanted to tell you before I forget and before they come over. I invited those who would like to over for a New Years Eve dinner." He said it all without blinking a eyelash and without any hesitation at all, and as soon as the entire sentence left his mouth the room became dead quiet. Yuki's mouth hung open, his chopsticks half way between the bowl and his mouth. Kyo's arms fell and he stared - wide eyed- at the Dog, creating one of the best interpretations of a fish that I had ever seen.
I didn't move, trying to collect the information that was just given to me. Fortunately Yuki recovered quicker then I did.
"...What?" His voice was monotone, and the rice that was on his chopsticks fell off and back into the bowl. The old Dog just turned to look at him instead of me, that smile still on his face - the mirth in his eyes just about to fall out of him as laughter.
"In other words - for those of you who seem to be unable to understand what I said- I asked anyone who's willing to ditch the New Years Eve Banquet at the Main house to come over here for dinner." He grinned, pushing a stray strand of ebony air away from his eyes. "And because I brought it up, that must mean that someone is coming, right?"
"Your kiddin...right?" Kyo's voice came out a bit distant as he finally got his mouth movements under control. His shoulder shook slightly, his eyes wide. "You...you invited them over HERE?!"
Shigure blinked once at the ghost Cat, then blinked again - scratching his head.
"Well...yes. I didn't see much of a problem. It's not like Akito's coming or anything." He said simply, and immediately tension flew out of the room in such a gust that I was surprised I didn't feel it as a actual breeze. Yuki's eyebrow twitched.
"Shigure...why would you even think about arranging this before asking any of us?" He said simply, placing his chopsticks down on the table with such caution and concentration as he could. His hands shook slightly as his eyebrow twitched again. Shigure blinked.
"I didn't think it was that much of a problem...I thought we could attempt to have a better New Years Even then last years extravaganza." The Dogs voice was laced with sarcasm, but his eyes darkened in shades - something deeper moving under the chocolate depths. They hadn't told me what happened at the Banquet last year, but I think only Ayame, Shigure, Yuki, Hiro, and Ritsu could go and somehow...I don't think Akito was pleased. Apparently Yuki thought the same thing I did...
"But what about Akito? Wont he be angry? I mean...almost no one came last year..." He said simply, glaring at Shigure. He must of caught the glint in the writers eyes as well. Kyo was still staring at the Dog like he had grown seven or eight other heads, turning as pale as...well, a ghost.
"Who cares what Akito thinks?" There was a lot of bitterness in his voice, his posture and face becoming serious. "And who cares if it angers him? I've planned this and if Akito wants to be mad at someone, I'll take the fall. I want to have a New Years here where we can actually enjoy ourselves for once and not have to worry about him lurking around."
Yuki blinked at him, as did I. Instantly I knew that there was something else going on between the Dog and his God that Shigure was not willing to share. There was a dark aura around him that was laced with contained hatred - the same type of aura he had after coming home sick from the Main house one time...
"And...whom, may I ask, is coming?" Yuki said carefully, eyes wide as his eyebrow twitched again. As quickly as Shigure smile had faded it came back again.
"Well...everyone, I think. I didn't ask Kureno about it cause he would of said something to Akito already - and he not that much for party's. I think Aya is coming later with Ritsu and Hatori, but everyone else should be here around 6 o'clock." The dog ran a hand through his hair then and smiled at me, then at Yuki, and then at Kyo. Kyo - meanwhile- had bowed his head slightly with his hair covering his eyes.
"Damnit, what about...what about me?" The cat said quietly, lifting his head to give Shigure one of the nastiest looks I have ever seen him give the Dog. Shigure's face fell instantly...
"What about-...Oh..." Shigure bit his lip and glanced at Yuki who looked just as downcast as Kyo did a moment ago. We all kept forgetting that he wasn't alive...That the others couldn't see him.
"Kyo-" I started, be he stood up and stared at me for a second- cutting me off. I felt the words die in my thought as I locked eyes with him, the crimson lakes aglitter with anger and pain. And before I had a chance to say anything else he pushed up and went through the ceiling - leaving me open mouthed and reaching for him...
Silence echoed in the room as I let my hand down, staring at it where it sat in my lap. Tears prickled in the corner of my eyes.
"I'm worried about Kagura..." Yuki said suddenly, and both me and Shigure turned to look at him. He was staring at his half full bowl of rice with a very intense look on his face. "...I'm worried what she'll do here, and I'm worried about what his reaction would be. I'm worried that if we missed someone who Tear-ed and they have no idea that Kyo's here...what will they do if they find him? What will their reaction be? How would we explain it?"
Silence settled in again as I stared at Yuki, and then Shigure sighed.
"Que sera sera..." Shigure said, smiling as we both looked at him. "What ever happens will happen, and we'll get through it. Worry about it later though, you - " He looked at me with a smile. "-I'm sorry to say don't have much time. Dear Tohru, Queen of the Kitchen, Princess of the Pans, Devine Daughter of the Dished, Overlord of Onigiri, Angel of all things Good...would you do us the honor of cooking our New Years Ever dinner?"
I blinked at him for a second, and slowly my mind started to come back to me. If I was to cook dinner I needed...I needed so many things...oh..
"Sure! I mean yes! I'll...I...food, uwa...what should we ha-"
"-What ever you make will be fine, thank you."
"Then if you don't mind, I'll go to the market and pick things up. There's going to be...um..-"
"-thirteen." Yuki added lightly, picking up his chopsticks again.
"Thirteen of us!!" I repeated. That was a lot of food..."Good thing I went shopping the other day. I don't think I'll need as much..."
"We'll clean up here." Yuki added and glared at Shigure when the Dog looked at him weird. "It's not problem, just worry about the food."
And that's how New Years Eve day started. The Sohma family was coming for dinner, and brining with them - what normally followed the Sohma's- trouble. Then again, life wouldn't be the same without them...
3rd Person
The room was still dark, even in the daytime. Light sunlight that attempted to filter thought the thick drawn shades was deflected away from the dark, dismal room. Dust had started to collect on everything now - the shades for the windows, the lamps, the desk, for floor. A sets of footprints made their way through the dust to the dresser and the closet, then to a bed in the corner of the room. Spider webs started to string their homes across the corners and away from the ground, and in the darkness they hunted for food.
It had been a long time since anyone other then herself, her mother, or Momiji had opened that door - but today must have been a change. She didn't move from her bed as the door was pulled open, scattering the spiders in the corner and highlighting the dust that floated in the air. She watched the dust in the air that swirled around her pass over a picture she had bee staring at for what seemed like eternity. Time didn't matter anyway...
"Kagura?" They sounded so different from when she last heard his voice. She thought for a moment weather to blow him off totally and continue thinking or to allow him to enter her thought space. Shortly after he said her named did she turn around, deciding to give him the time of day.
He was a young teenager now, around 12 or 13 years old - how many years have passed? Light honey brown hair framed his face, small bangs falling over his deep brown eyes. It seemed shorter in the back, like he had a sort modified bole cut. His shoulders had grown a little, as did his neck and face. His eyes didn't seem so large in his head, and his clothes seemed to hang on his body rather then cling it it. He looked taller too...
A red long sleeved shirt covered his arms and exposed the slight dip of his collar bone. Jeans that were faded and ripped at the knees hung low on his hips and dragged on the floor when he walked. His feet were covered by thick white shock, his hands in his pockets - his face passive with his eyes half lidded. She felt herself smile at him. It was like he was from another life time...
"Hiro..." Her voice fell smoothly from her unused mouth and she sat up and turned more to face him. Her shirt was old and warn in - not by herself mind you. It's color complemented her dark brown-gray eyes, almost a silver against the darkness of the room. Her pants almost fell of her thin hips - the faded dark blue fabric worn in when the old Kagura was her old size and weight.
"I've come to get you...your going out." She laughed as he said that, a shrill and mocking laugh. Hiro just leaned up against the doorway of her room, face placid and arms crossed. She laughed long and loud, filling her entire room with the shrill cries of pain that laced her laughter. When he managed to get a glimpse of her face as she calmed down she sent him a bone chilling smile, and only then did he realize she was crying.
"I'm not going anywhere." She said smoothly, letting the tears fall softly from her face onto the bed. She then curled up into a ball, tucking her head into her arms and legs - still griping onto the faded picture. Bitter chuckles shook her body, and the entire time he didn't move.
"Kagura..." He said, funning a hand through his hair and daring to step into the time locked darkness of her room. He walked over to the bed and squatted before her, eyes growing shades kinder and voice becoming softer yet just as matter-a-fact like. "...It's New Year Eve...Shigure invited us over for dinner. Your coming."
She immediately stopped all movements, he body going ridged and freezing. Silence hung heave in the air as she slowly picked up her leaking eyes and meat Hiro's, a new light suddenly shining in her emotionless eyes.
"It's time then..." She said simply and uncurled herself. Kagura slowly pealed herself off the bed and walked over to the closet, opening it and looking through for something. Hiro watched amazed at the amount of activity she was showing, standing up and watching her with passive eyes once again. She dug through piles of clothes that lay on the floor of the closet, clearly looking for something.
"Time for what?" Hiro didn't even realized he said anything until Kagura turned around to face him, the item she was looking for secure in her hands. A ratty back pack was in her clutched hand, a honey-cream colored cat back pack that she had made once upon a time. She was staring at him with such an alive gaze that it unsettled him slightly, and was scared even more so when she smiled on of her old Kagura smiles.
"To wake up." She said simply pulling the old dirty bag on her back and walking over to the dresser, pulling out a pair of white shocks as well. She the turned to him again, a few steps away, and let her smile fall. "Time to go and say goodbye..."
She walked toward the door but stopped at the threshold, apprehensive to step back into time. She had lived in this time stopping darkness for so long she had no idea what was waiting for her outside. The time had come for her to go and find him - she knew it- and she was going to say goodbye for real.
Hiro stood shell-shocked and confused, staring at her back. She took a small scared step forward and into the light, then turned back to him with a flick of messy long brown hair.
"I told you all he would come back..." She said simply, stepping out of her room and into the world again- leaving Hiro with more to think about, with more he needed to understand then ever before.
Hatori
"What time do we need to be there Ha'ri?" He slipped into the front set next to me and immediately put on the seat belt, pulling on it twice before settling into the seat. I sighed and pulled a cigarette from the box in my front pocked, making a mental note to myself that I needed to get more before I came home.
"Six, and we need to pick up Ritsu and Ayame before we go." I responded, shaking my lighter and flicking it multiple times before I realized all the fluid was out. I sighed again and slipped the tube of tobacco that I so badly needed back into that box in my pocket. Momiji sighed next to me and ruffled his hair, locking his door and then looking at me. His face had changed but hadn't at the same time - his eyes just as big and that scar still as visible. My entire shoulder throbbed from remembering, and I rubbed that side of my neck with my free hand as the other cranked the engine of the car.
"I coulda gone with Haru." The Rabbits voice, and I felt my heavy heart sink. He never wanted to be in the same car that I was driving for considerable reasons, but it hurt even if it was justified. I no longer had any faith in my driving skills, but never the less I went on with hesitation.
"Haru needs to be alone for a while, Momiji. You know the easiest way he could do that is to ride by himself. He needs to pick up Kisa anyway, and I don't know how much worse his colds going to get so this might be the last ride he has for a while."
I want to get away too. Ever since Shigure's last meaning with Akito, he's been unbelievably well behaved. It makes me sick and worried that something's going right in his little world and that something's wrong in ours. He also mentioned the books to me again, and I still have no idea what he's talking about. I should probably ask Shigure...
"Haru's getting sicker, isn't he?" Momiji said quietly as I pulled out from my parking area and into the street. I sighed and nodded slightly as I pulled out that same cigarette again - forgetting I had no lighter fluid. Momiji watched as I stuck both back into my pocket, then turned back to the window.
I had no idea what was wrong with Hatsuharu - I could tell him if I wanted to. I could tell things were getting worse when he came home one night a few weeks ago...
"Hatori! I'm here!" His voice echoed into my office and I got up, going to the door. He stood just outside still over the motorcycle, taking his helmet off. And with him was the first surprise of the night.
"I'll be in in a second. I gotta to tell Kazuma that Kyo's waiting for him at the front gate. Be right back." He vaulted off his bike and shot down the pathway through the garden, ducking behind a building and flying out of sight. I blinked for a second, the started to walk briskly toward the front gate. There's little to no energy her for him to feed off of...no wonder Haru was rushing.
As soon as I stepped out of the gate I felt the connection link between us. The desisted orange hair Sohma's outline came into view standing on the wall of the main house - unable to go any further in.
"What are you doing here?" I said in a slightly toned down voice, not wanting to alert those who lived outside the wall that I was out. Kyo then dropped from the wall next to me and grinned, crossing his arms.
"Hello to you to, Hatori. I'm here to see Kazuma..." He said, voice flat and further away then I've ever heard it. He was also see-through, another ad sign that something was wrong. I pulled a cigarette from my pocket and lit it, breathing the smoke of through my nose.
"Your taking a risk coming here Kyo." I said, looking toward the sky. "There's almost nothing to tak-"
"-I know." He cut off in a gruff voice, eyes also cast to the sky. "And I don't care. I want to see him..."
"Ha'ri...no matter how many times you do that, the cigarette wont light..." Momiji said as I came back to my senses, taking the rolled tobacco out of my mouth again. I didn't even realize that I had taken it out again...
There was a scrape and a hiss as a small flame came into view, and I followed the fingers on the end of it to Momiji's hands. Quickly I lit it and he waved the match out, then proceeded to put the match box back in the glove compartment. I inhaled the smoke and instantly I felt fifty percent better then I did before, mumbling a small thank you. He made a noise of acceptance, the continued to look out the window as well.
I was always aggravated after encounters with ghost-Kyo, guilt nibbling at my heart every time I though about it. I had looked back at the three of them for a mere second...it's my fault he died. My eyes merely flickered from the road, the that car cam out of nowhere and ran right into me. Both Ayame and Shigure tell me not to blame myself, that the other guy ran into me...
He ran into me...wait...
I blinked and inhaled, letting the smoke stream out from my mouth. If I didn't know any better, I would think I was on to something...
He hadn't swerved...he ran straight into me, giving me no time what so ever to think of getting out of the way. There were no tire marks...no swerving on his part...
I felt the bottom of my stomach drop out, my heart beet quickening a few beets and my face gowning pale. If what I thought was true...if it was even fathomable...
Had...did that guy try to kill us?!
Hatsuharu
This was the closest thing I would ever get to feeling free. The feeling of almost flying down a long stretch of black tar sky is the biggest amount of freedom I could ever ask for - that I could want. Power underneath me roaring away, the sound of the wind passing at great speeds, my own life in the palm of my hand.
Nothing mattered when I was riding Kyo's bike.
That's right... it's Kyo's bike, not mine.
It was a new model Honda dirt bike RX12 or something, and it was classified right underneath a regular motorcycle. When we bought it for Kyo's 17th birthday - that is Shigure, Hatori, and Ayame bought it for his birthday - I had it painted white and orange by some of my friends. Afterwards Ayame drew up a decal that I paint brushed onto the back of it - it was a head of a cat holding up two fingers in a peace sign, the words 'Sexy Cat' written underneath in English. About 3 months after he died Hatori let me take the bike - before I got really sick- and I painted over all the orange, changing it to black. But I could bring myself to paint over the cat decal on the back - I ended up leaving it on.
I love this bike with all my heart, I know it like the back of my hand - but I would give it back to him in a second if he manages to come back. After all, it is his bike...
I slowly back off the throttle as Kisa's house comes into view, and I spotted her standing outside. Her hair - a light brown-orange- was longer now, about as long as mine. Two pieces hung on either side of her face that were the same length that they had been when the accident happened, but it really just made her look cuter. Her frame was thin - shoulders rounded and hips narrow - like Kagura's. She had grown a littler taller too, and ever so slowly she was getting taller then Hiro.
A black velvet dress stopped in the middle of her thigh's, and underneath it she had on a pair of long black pants. A pair of riding boots covered her feet, and her three quarter sleeves left the rest of her arms open. A pair of my old fingerless gloves were on her hands, hoop earrings in her ears and hair tied back in a low pony tail. She smiled at me as I stopped in front of her, taking off my helmet that was really annoying the the new ear rings I had given myself - one cuff of the top of my right ear, and another in my left eyebrow.
"After noon Haru." She said sweetly, her voice a little stronger then it was before. Good, she gaining confidence again..."You look good!" She continued, and I grinned at her.
I had grabbed a white dress shirt off the pile of clothes I had in my room and spilled it on over an undershirt, leaving the last few buttons open. I also had yanked my favorite pair of baggy black jeans off the floor the hadn't been washed since last weekend and pulled those on, grabbing three chains of different lengths and connected things to the chains that went various places - to my key's, to my wallet, and to...another part of my pants. Three of four necklaces looped around my neck, ones of different heights and weights - didn't matter, I liked all of them the same.
Total getting dressed time: four minutes. I would have been finished in three, but I had to lace up my riding boots so they didn't get caught in the gears.
"You look good to, Kisa. Care for a date some time?" I said with a grin and she laughed and hit my arm, shifting her bag to the other side and grabbing the extra helmet that I had strapped onto the back. She slipped it on and flipped the visor up, snapping the buckle under her chin.
"In your dreams, Haru." She responded.
"If only." I shot back. She laughed again and swung on leg over the bike, looping her arms around me and hugging as tight as she could.
"Love ya, Haru." She mumbled, and I flipped her visor down as she settled her head in the middle of my back. I flipped mine down as well and revved the angry machine underneath us.
"Love ya too." I mumbled back, feeling her loosen her grip around my middle. I kicked the stand up and revved the engine again, then tensed all the muscles in my back - giving Kisa the signal that I was planning to go. She squeezed back and I kicked the shifter down and pushed us forward with a turn of my hand.
We had done this so many times I don't even think I needed to give he a warning before doing anything anymore. The girl could read my thoughts and knew exactly what I was going to do - sometimes even before I would know.
Too bad she didn't cry for him yet...that would make life a lot easer...
As far as I knew, it was only me, Tohru, Hatori, Kazuma, and Hana who knew about Kyo. Our little club was small, but growing...
And it didn't seem to hurt as much as it did before - my heart, I mean. With their help I was picking up the pieces of it faster then I had before. It wasn't enough though...
I kicked the shifter to switch into third gear and pushed forward, leaving those thoughts for another time. I felt my hair whip around behind me as Kisa's arms tightened as we turned another corner, and I let the wind carry all thoughts away. Who needed thoughts when your flying?
All I needed to know was that I was Hatsuharu. And that was plenty enough for me...
Kyosetsu
"Dinner with all the Sohma's...how very thoughtful Gure-san." I said to myself, hopping up the stairs in my cat form and walking into Tohru's room. Another quick hop got me on her bed, then onto the window sill. I watched as she walked with my descendant toward the pathway to the city, talking of sweet nothings that I knew he needed to hear.
"Your taking a big step today Kyo-Kyo." I said to the wind, changing into my original from and brushing long orange strands away from my face. "Today you should collect another one, and you'll be at six...maybe seven if you lucky..."
The breeze played with my clothes and tossed my hair into my eyes again, and I sighed - my gaze shifting to the the horizon.
"You can stop stalking me Hitoko. It's getting irritating." I barked, letting my dead-voice carry thought the clearing. Neither Kyo or Tohru turned around, but someone dropped down next to me.
"I didn't want to distract you from you work Setsu, but it is new years after all. Come up for dinner...God's waiting." The voice was deep and calm, and slowly I turned my head toward him. Gray hair hung about his shoulders in random strands, and his eyes were a deep night blue. His nose was pointed slightly, his lips thin and his shoulders wide. A deep blue shirt waved lightly in the air, and his legs were covered with the same fabric as well -his feet two stories above the ground. White wings fell from his back with graceful feathers fitting perfectly within each other.
"Like I'm actually going to go..." I shot back at him, crossing my arms.
"This is your first time out in years Setsu, so come to dinner. Sheishoin, Simai, and Maro are waiting for us." He said, eyes flashing from me then back to the sky. I pulled my legs up against m chest and tucked my head into my arms.
"I'm not going. So tell Maro that I'll fight with her next time..."
"Your still avoiding Yukari after all these years-"
"Screw you!" I bit back, kicking off the window ledge and dropping to the ground. I spun around and stare up at him, and I felt that tingling sensation start to envelop my spine. I knew my eyes were turning violet, and I needed to get away from this situation before I change into my real from...
"Then I'll see you at the second warning Kyosetsu. Farwell..." And within a sweep of his white wings he was gone...and I was alone on earth again, my wings clipped.
I hated this curse...I hated Yukari...
Friends my ass...he's such a liar...
(End of the first part or Strange Happening's)
Ranting: I know it's not that long, and I know there might be some mistakes, but I needed to get this out before I started finals. Yes, this is the end of the first part of SH, sad but I'm glad it's here. There is more -a LOT more- and it will come in due time...
Schools slowly coasting to a stop, but i have my Earth Science Regents Exams to study for now...fun, right? but other than that I have Senior tributes to do. That's about all, really...not much is going. This story has slowly become my life. I sat down yesterday around 6 o'clock, and wrote until now (10:30) and I finished it. It's short, but it leaves a lot of loosed ends.
Haha!! Look at that! There's a side story going on now!! Actually there are a few side stories going on now...Shigure/Akito book one, then the Kyosetsu one, then what ever is going on with Haru...then the split plot: Kyo getting his life back, and dealing with whomever took his real life away...
We now know Kyo's fading date, and what will happen if they don't succeed.
We saw a little bit of everyone in this. Tohru, Shigure, Yuki, Kyo, Hatori, Momiji, Haru, Kisa, Hiro, and Kagura (And the OC's I have...)
So...let me hear your questions and comments!!
Question of the chapter: Who is Hitoko?
Favorite Line: "Dear Tohru, Queen of the Kitchen, Princess of the Pans, Devine Daughter of the Dished, Overlord of Onigiri, Angel of all things Good...would you do us the honor of cooking our New Years Ever dinner?" -Go Shigure!!
Favorite Character: A Tie between two. Shigure with his postal worker attitude in the beginning, and Kyosetsu at the end. Lol gotta love them...Kagura though, in all her freakiness was pretty cool too...
Date Finished: May 31, 2004. 10 :30 p.m.
Date Edited: ===============
Moving along...
Adria: Thank you!! Glad you came and welcome to the series. I know...I can't spell, I'm sorry. Thanks again and hope to see you next time!
Caer: True, I was thinking about pushing back Yuki's Tear-ing time till later, but Yuki's an important part in the over all ending. Flushes slightly thank you so much...Once again, sorry about the spelling...till next time.
HelloKat: Lolo! I know. As I said, they'll have to rely on each other so Yuki realizing that friendship is important. (Remembering what's going to happen later) Smiles And he'll prove the friendship too...THANK YOU for being the only one wishing me well. I am better, but not 100% yet. Thanks a bunch and see you next time...
enjen: Now you know, he did see Kazuma. But as Hatori said, it's dangerous to be near the Main house...why? Well wait and find out. Just cause I didn't write about what happened in Kyo and Kazuma's conversation YET, doesn't meant that I won't...just wait.
Misaki: Lolo that was my plan. You were suppose to get caught up in the emotions as well and think that it would be Kyo...even though you knew he didn't see Kyo yet. I love writing them fighting, but I don't think they're be any more fights between the two of them - Kyo IS dead after all. Yet I you also gotta think about who else Kyo normally fights with...And I would love to talk to you online, but your never on when I am!! ARG!! Mail me, it's easer. ( DragonQueen222aol.com).
Mae Aloria: I know I cant spell, and I'm sorry. But why did you only review for chapter 3 and no more? Was my spelling that bad? You can't over look it? Thank you very much for the complements about my writing, and I'll work on the spelling...
riversprite77: You cried too! That's a complement itself, that I wrote enough to move you. Sigh's Guy...I know I can't spell. But does everyone have to say it every chapter?...Thanks for the help though. I'll fix that when I can...
yamatoforever: There's a lot happening, and you need to remember that one person can know more then the other. For example Hatori knows that Tohru and Haru can see Kyo, but not Shigure and Yuki. Also, Shigure - and now Hatori - are the only people who know that the 'accident' wasn't really a accident. Boy = Kyosetsu/Set/what ever names someone has for him, right? I thought it was nice in that way, and a bit different for the both of them...more emotional then normal for the Cat and the Rat. How quick is this...huh? Go me! O yea...sorry...Thanks!!
No bonus this time either. I think I'd rather let you stew in all this new info then give you something else that might give you an ulcer. As I've said before I don't think I'll post again in a wile, but i also said that last time too. And look, its almost been two weeks. My quickest update yet...I think...
By the way, I don't own FruBa. This plot and original characters are mine, but not Fruba itself. Any twisted, enhanced psychotic tendency, morbid reactions, deep and well deserved brooding and/or beating ones self up that happen to appear in the story are mine and I stake full claims with some help and idea's. Please review, and any flame will be laughed if not ignored. Please, have a nice day!
Talk to you guy's later!! Have fun thinking!!
Ja!
SAL-Chan