Chapter Two: Atchika, the Rooster
Tohru walked out into the fresh afternoon air. She took a deep breath and walked in the direction of Shigure's house. I hope Shigure won't mind me taking too long to prepare lunch, after all, I HAVE been out all morning getting groceries... I wonder what I should make? Oh, well, I'll everyone when I get home. Tohru rounded the last bend in the woods and was in sight of the house when she spotted something laying on the ground beneath a bush.
"I wonder what that could be...?" Tohru asked herself, as she came ever-closer to the reddish-brown mass laying on a mass of leaves like a pillow. A rooster! "What in the world is a rooster doing here?" Tohru said aloud, and, as she did, the rooster picked it's head off of the leaf pile and stared at her. Tohru smiled and said, "I'm glad to see you aren't hurt...do you need some help there, little guy?"
Just as Tohru finished her sentence, a large cloud of smoke enveloped the rooster with a "Poof!" Tohru was of course surprised as this rooster was replaced with a naked woman of about 16 with flaming red hair and dark brown eyes. She was of medium build and her hair went down to her waist."Uh, I'm sorry could you give me a moment?" said the woman, sounding as surprised as Tohru looked at this point.
"Sure," Tohru said, still shaking from the transformation. She turned around and looked for the woman's clothes, finding them nearby hung on a tree as if to dry. She handed them to the woman and said, "I'm guessing you're part of the Sohma family, right?"
"Huh? How did you know?" asked the red-head, taking the clothes out of Tohru's outstretched hand.
"It wasn't too hard to figure out after you transformed back into a woman from a rooster, you know?" Tohru responded.
"Ah! So you know about the curse then, do you?" the Sohma said, with a smile forming on her face.
"Yeah, I'm Tohru Honda. I'm living here at Shigure-san's house with Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun, I'm very pleased to meet you..." Tohru said, leaving the sentence open for the Sohma to introduce herself.
The woman stepped out the behind the tree she had used for dressing, now fully dressed and wearing a pair of sunglasses. "Atchika Sohma. Very nice to meet you, Honda-san," Atchika said, with a friendly smile that seemed to warm the very air around them.
Just then a cold breeze swept by the new acquaintances, causing both of them to sneeze. "I think we've been standing out in the cold too long. Come on inside and I'll make us some warm soup to eat, Atchika-chan," Tohru said, smiling to hide the fact that she was shivering.
"That sounds wonderful. Here, let me help you with the groceries," Atchika said, holding her hand out to grab a couple of the bags.
"Thank you," said Tohru, handing the lighter bags to Atchika.
They walked inside and set the groceries down on the counter inside the kitchen. Tohru took out a large pot and said, "Atchika-chan, what kind of soup do you like?"
"I like leek soup, but I'll have any kind you make, Honda-san," Atchika said, looking around the kitchen.
"Leek soup it is!" Tohru shouted, rolling up her sleeves. She opened the door to the fridge and found some leeks on the top shelf, "Do you mind if I put some beef in it Kyou-kun won't eat it any other way, and I like to have enough for everyone..."
"Sure, Honda-san, I don't mind at all. After all you ARE cooking this meal, aren't you?" the red maiden asked, with a smirk plastered to her face.
Tohru smiled and put the fixings for the soup into the pot. "Tohru-kun, is that you? Are you back already? I'm starving, what's for lunch?" Shigure was walking toward the kitchen because of all the noise Tohru and Atchika were making, "Oh, Tohru-kun! You're back! Thank heavens! I thought I was going to starve to death!" His attention then directed to Atchika, sitting at the table, "Ah! I see you've brought a friend, and who might you be, young lady?" He asked Atchika, his eyes starting to fill with that perverted glint.
"I didn't suppose you would remember me, Shigure-kun. After all it has been ten years," Atchika said with a sigh.
"No...it couldn't be...Atchika?" Shigure said, with look of surprise on his face, "Well, welcome back! We got your message, but we didn't expect you here for a couple more days. I can't say I'm really surprised, though. You're here to see Kyou-kun right?" Atchika became silent and nodded ever-so-slightly.
"I thought so..."
"Oh, Honda-san, you're back," Yuki said as he came into the kitchen carrying a basket full of leeks, carrots and strawberries. "Nice to see you again, Atchika." He made his way across to the counter and on his way something dropped out of his other hand.
"Same to you, Yuki-kun," Atchika said, as the smile made its way back onto her face, "I see you got the package I sent you." Yuki pick up the object and held it out slightly.
"Yes, it's very nice, thank you," Yuki said patting the handle of his new Katana, "I like it very much."
"I'm so glad. It took me a year and a half to save up for those." Just then, a clunk made them all jump a bit and they turned to see Kyou standing in the doorway.
"Atchika..." Kyou said, breathing heavily.
"I have a feeling this is going to get interesting," said Shigure, as he rose up out of his seat, "and now this writer's block is finally gone..." Shigure left the room leaving the others to stare at each other while the water in the pot boiled all of the ingredients Tohru had thrown into the pot; just to make a leek soup to be enjoyed.
End Chapter Two
There! It's finally done! That chapter took me a while to do. But don't worry I'll be back soon with more...if I get more reviews! So just make it easier and show that you care! Review my fan fic!
See you all next time!
Winterfire.
