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Playing the piano can be very fun... Getting whacked by irate relatives for making a din... no fun. Why's this piano outta tune? I want a glass of peach tea with ice and mint. Please.

6. Momo

"What did you do to him?" Kyo yelled when he saw Hatori, still naked under the blankets, still drunk, lying in the alcove. Kagura's ankle needed attending to. It was already starting to swell. They'll need bandages and ointment. "Stupid dog!" Kyo stormed off to get the medical kit. Shigure happily ignored him. Kyo bandaged Kagura's ankle the best he could.

"Kagura, feel better?" Kagura nodded. "Don't get the wrong idea… Hey!" Kagura hugged the Cat.

"Thank you, Kyo," She stopped hugging him. "Does Kyo like Tohru?"

"Nothing of that sort!" Kyo reddened and looked away. He likes Tohru, at least he thinks so… Does he like Kagura? Yes, just not in the way she likes him…It's different, right?

"What's the Cat doing here?" Kureno cried out in alarm. Want to join Akito-san in the hospital? Kagura glared at the Rooster. Kureno decided to look the other way. He poured himself a glass of punch. Kyo grinned at Kureno and grabbed a rice cake from the tray and a glass of punch. He was hungry after that chase, and thirsty…

"I'm back!" Momiji had changed out of his ceremonial robes. He was holding his violin and he was not alone. With him was a little blond girl. She wore a pretty blue frock and a matching ribbon in her hair. She was also holding a violin. "H-hi…" She murmured shyly.

"Momo-chan," Tohru greeted Momiji's little sister. Kureno groaned and cast a worried glance at the alcove. Hatori was in no condition to erase any memories. The Dragon was snoring…

"I found her wandering about outside. She wanted to follow me back. Can she stay, please?" Momo asked the unofficial master of ceremonies, Shigure. The Dog nodded.

"Momo wants Momiji-san to be Momo's brother…" The girl ventured shyly.

"I agreed," Momiji grinned. "Now we'll present our little New Year violin duet…" The two siblings picked up their bows and rested their violins under their chins. Soon gentle strains of music were floating through the room.

Momo was a beginner, her notes were still a little unsure and wavering… Guided by her more experienced big brother, her notes steadily became more confident. Maybe Momo felt the unspoken blood relationship she shared with Momiji. The others present and sober enough were soon mesmerized by the pair.

"Bravo!" Ayame started a round of applause for the pair as Momiji and Momo held hands and bowed. Even Kureno had fallen under the spell. He threw a flower from the floral arrangement for the pair. Ritsu had sobered a little, enough to follow his example.

Beaming, Momiji went around introducing Momo to the others. Momo was shy initially. Once she overcame her shyness, they discovered she enjoyed giving hugs as much as her elder brother. She hugged Kisa, much to Hiro's alarm. Luckily, they had introduced most of the guys present by then.

Except for…

"Kureno," Momiji paused. "Hey, it isn't fair! Tohru has seen all of us in our Zodiac forms except Kureno-san. Would Momo like to give Uncle Kureno a big hug?" Momo looked confused. Kureno was not taking any chances.

"No!" He fled through the broken shoji. Everyone laughed. Who would have thought Kureno objected to being seen in his Zodiac form so much? He was even worse than Hatori.

It was clear that Momo liked Momiji. She clung onto his hand shyly.

"Momo, do you like bunnies?" Momiji winked. His sister nodded. "Do you believe in magic?" Another nod. "This is very important. Can you keep a secret? You mustn't tell anyone else…" Another nod. This time, she held out her pinkie to him. With a laugh, Momiji hooked his pinkie with hers.

"It's a promise then! It'd be our secret. Abracadabra!" Before anyone could stop the boy, he hugged his little sister… POOF! Momo was holding a rabbit in her hands. She looked around for Momiji, puzzled.

"I'm here!" The rabbit spoke. "I told you it is magic. Hug me!" Momo giggled and cuddled the bunny.

"Momiji!" Now even Shigure was nervous. Then he laughed. Momo and Momiji were so happy, it was impossible for him to be mad with them. When Momo left the room with Momiji over her shoulder and her violin in her other hand, he did not stop them. "Just remember to bring him back, okay?"

"Keep some dessert for us!" Momiji shot back. There was more than enough food and refreshments to go round. They need not worry. Where was Yuki?

"Yuki has been gone quite a while…" Tohru looked around her. "You don't suppose…" She was worried about Yuki. Kyo observed from the other side of the room.

"Leave it to me, princess," Ayame bowed before her with a flourish. "Allow this white knight to bring back your prince…"

Momo returned a while later with a very happy Momiji. "Bye-bye," Momo took her leave and slipped out. "She called me kawaii!" Momiji was shedding tears of joy. POOF! He changed back. "Momo-chan?" Tohru asked as she handed him his clothes with her eyes modestly averted.

"No, my mother! Oh, I'm so happy…" Momiji sang. "She held me in her arms…" It was an unexpected turn of events. Momo ran into her mother, their mother, on her way to replace her violin in the room. Their father was abroad this New Year. True to her word, Momo told her mother that Momiji was a relation's pet. Her mother took a liking to the creature and actually cuddled it for a while.

"Finally, I know a mother's love!" The boy wiped away a tear of joy from his eye.

Kyo rolled his eyes. She thinks you're a plain bunny Momo likes… Stupid Rabbit! Still, he could not help smiling. "Tohru! Hug me!" POOF!

"Momiji!" Too late, Momiji hugged Tohru and promptly transformed.

Author's notes:

I love Momiji! He's so kawaii. This chappie's all his. Gimme a hug! (Poof!) The bunny's not quite out of the bag yet. Momo's enjoying a bit of New Year magic. So's Momiji.

Next up, more family fuzzies.

Who put Mr Tootle the tortoise in the piano? I need a crowbar to pry him out.