Magical Touch
Looking at the large building Momiji rechecked the address then sure they were at the place walked up the steps with Kisa's hand tightly in his as they approached his aunt's residence bright and early the morning after they'd arrived. A doorman waiting at the door Momiji wondered if his aunt would see him at all or if the doorman would even let him through to see her. He was dressed in tanned slacks and a sky blue shirt while Kisa wore a pretty pink sundress with green trim. Nervous Momiji was as jumpy as a..well a rabbit.
"Well I'll be, you have to be here to see J.D. young squire." The doorman said breaking into a warm smile that had Momiji and Kisa inwardly sighing with relief. The doorman was a jolly looking person and he looked like he was happy to see them. "There's no doubt about it, the looks are too similar. So how are you related to J.D. if you don't mind me asking? I recall she mentioned she had a sister but I thought J.D. said there was only a girl."
"Well I do have a younger sister, that's who she was probably referring to. I'm the oldest, my name is Momiji Sohma and this is my cousin Kisa. We're here to see my aunt please." Momiji said, holding the fact that he obviously resembled his aunt to his heart. He looked like his mother but the thought that he looked like someone in his family, someone who might actually want him was a thrilling idea.
"Well it is very nice to meet both of you but I'm afraid J.D. isn't here at the moment." The doorman said with a regretful look on his face. "She headed out an hour ago to go to her store likely. You could catch her there likely. Do you know where it is?" The doorman asked politely then when they shook their heads he smiled at them warmly. "Well then let old Albert see to it that you get there." Albert said as he walked with them down to the curb and soon had hailed a cab driver. "Now these two want to go to Magical Touch." Albert informed the man then gave the man careful instructions how to get there as the two climbed into the back. Waving them off the two waved back to Albert as he disappeared from view.
Arriving at a stop as the cab driver pulled up to the sidewalk Momiji quickly paid him after a brief struggle with the different kind of money but the driver was nice enough to help him and give him a quick lesson in case anyone tried to take advantage of the kids. Thanking him the two got out and waved the cab driver away before turning around to face the store that proclaimed itself to be Magical Touch in green flowing script writing. Walking over to the display windows Momiji felt his eyes go wide as he realized his aunt was involved in mystical and magical stuff. The windows displayed books on herbs, witchcraft, spells and all sorts of other things you'd expect in a shop that specialized in magic. There was even a crystal ball along with hunks of different color and sized crystals. "This is great..if she really believes in this stuff." Momiji said excitedly as he squeezed Kisa's hand. "I mean if she believes in witches and warlocks then why wouldn't she believe and be handle someone in her family being cursed!"
"Don't get your hopes up, Momiji." Kisa said cautiously, not wanting him to get his hopes up only to have them dashed like they were nothing. "We haven't even met her yet."
"Well we're about to." Momiji said as he stared at the store then suddenly he realized he was a paralyzed by fear at the thought that Kisa was right and he was about to be rejected and treated like a monster again. It was only with Kisa's hand firmly in his and her slight tugging that had them onto the stoop then into the store. It smelled great, like a forest after a good rain so that everything smelled cleaner and bolder some how. There were shelves and shelves or merchandise full of anything from statues of dragons and wizards to books on massage techniques and gardening. Walking around they saw that one corner was like a sitting area full of large pillows and beanbag chairs to sit on and relax as you looked through a book or rested after a hard hour of hard-core shopping as the sign proclaimed in neat handwriting inviting people to sit down and rest. Hearing the sound of footsteps the two turned to see a girl walking towards them dressed completely in black, her long red hair catching fire in the light streaming from the windows. Her eyes were blue pools and Kisa had a flash to think that she could easily picture this woman as a gypsy in another life like Esmerelda in the Hunchback of Notre Dame.
"Sorry for keeping you waiting, I was distracted by...well look at you." The redhead said as she tilted her head thought fully to the side. "The rabbit holding hands with the tiger...I saw you two coming in my dreams..but I never imagined that the rabbit would be J.D.'s nephew. Interesting, very interesting. And where is the dragon to watch over you or has he not realized that the two of you have left his care?"
"Ahhh..are you psychic? How did you?" Momiji said with his blue eyes nearly as wide as saucers. How could she have possibly known to call them the rabbit and the tiger, to know about Hatori?
"I'm a witch to your aunt's healer." The woman said with a rich and charming laugh at the looks on their face. "You have both been cursed though through no action of your own. It haunts you and has costed you much happiness since you were no more then babes. And you young rabbit come here in fear that J.D. will turn her back to you as your mother once did..but there is no reason to fear. I know that she will welcome you with open arms, it is her way. I'm Tanya by the way. And your names would be? I'm, good but I'm not that good." The woman added with a saucy wink.
Blinking at her, not quite sure what to make of the woman at all Momiji decided he was talking to an honest to God witch and wasn't that just something? "My..my name is Momiji and this is my cousin Kisa. How did you..how did you know we were cursed? Did you see it in your dream that you mentioned seeing us coming in?"
"There's is an aura around me that tell me, as well as what I can see in your eyes." Tanya said as she walked closer and lifting both her hands cupped each of their chins to look into them closer. "But things will get better, I have seen it and I am very rarely wrong. And you've come to see J.D. But she's not in right now, she went to do some quick errands but she'll be here in a half an hour or so. Why don't you two take a seat or look around until then. Oh and expect people to swarm over to you, Momiji. J.D.'s well known by all our regular customers and you look too much like her for them not to come over to comment on the likeness and ask you about yourself." Tanya said with a laugh then looked up when two people walked into the room and were looking a little lost and nervous. "Duty calls." Tanya said with a smile. "The one on the right is trying to convince her boyfriend that he should ask her to marry him and wants to see if we sell love potions." Tanya said rolling her eyes before walking over to assist the two ladies who looked pleased and yet a little weary.
"She seems nice..do you think she's really a witch?" Kisa said as she moved slightly closer to her cousin, a little unsure and weary of all this and yet fascinated at the same time. "I mean how could she know all that stuff and we're the last people to believe there's no such thing as magic and such."
"Well I don't know if she's a witch but she definitely has powers of some kind." Momiji said with a shrug before tugging her over to a display and the two had to grin when they saw it was an entire shelf devoted to Asian magic and culture. Flipping through books Momiji saw there were several on the Zodiac, the beliefs about the what it meant to be born under the various animals, the various stories and variations on the story of the animals and how they were chosen for the zodiac. Putting that away they were soon immersed in the store that they separated so that when J.D. made her entrance into the store carrying two large white boxes in one hand and a lamp in the other Kisa was busy admiring the jewelry and Momiji was absorbed in reading about how to use tarot cards and how to read them in order to predict the future.
"Tanya I know what you're going to say but I'm weak and I drove past the place three times! They were calling my name and they just got louder then the little voice inside of my head saying that they're evil and to be resisted." J.D. said with a dramatic look of cuteness as she walked over to the main desk with the boxes from Krispy Kreme donuts that were soon permitting the air though couldn't quite compete with the forestry smell. "And besides my horoscope today said the someone would be coming that would fill a gap in my life and these donuts are sure to help attract people don't you think?" J.D. said as she pulled out a fresh donut and bit into it with relish before sighing in pure pleasure. An attractive woman who looked like she was mid to late twenties she was beautiful looking exactly like her older sister only her hair was long and the bun she had it pulled in was doing its job as countless curls had already escaped. The thing was her eyes though, those bright blue eyes overflowing with goodwill and happiness that were Momiji's trademark. Anyone looking at the two wouldn't question them being related in the least though they'd be more likely to mistaken her for his sister then his aunt. Dressed in a midnight blue skirt that twirled and dance with a plain white Spanish peasant shirt she was quite the sight from her sandaled feet to her hoop earrings looking more the gypsy then Tanya had.
"Actually that person is already here." Tanya said in amusement as she snatched a donut then pointed over to Momiji who was absorbed in his book and didn't see his aunt gap at him like a fish out of water before slowly walking towards him, the half eaten donut dropping out of her hand and onto the floor without her even noticing. As though he sensed her presence the book was slowly closed then blue eyes met blue eyes, both of them unable to speak as they stared and hungrily looked each other over.
"You're a boy..but I'm pretty sure that Momo is a girl so how is it that you look just like me..or what I'd look like if I was a boy?" J.D. said slowly, wanting to grab him and hug him till they were both exhausted but she didn't know how that would be received. If this was her sister's kid not very well likely, J.D. thought with an inner sigh though the fact that the kid was here at all was a shock.
"My name's Momiji..Momo is my younger sister." Momiji said feeling lighter just being able to tell his aunt that Momo was his sister and that he was a part of her family even if he'd never be recognized as such by the one person he'd needed to the most. "And the reason you didn't hear about me is because my mother and I are..estranged due to certain circumstances."
"Circumstances?" J.D. said as she raised an eyebrow then raised the other when a small girl with eyes like a cat appeared out of nowhere to come up behind her nephew, taking his hand in hers and shooting J.D. a protective look that said plainly that if she hurt Momiji she would be facing the girl's wrath. Intrigued rather then feeling threatened J.D. smiled back at her. "Are you Momo?"
"No, this is my cousin Kisa." Momiji said with a shake of his blonde head, becoming more confident as he looked into his aunt's eyes. They weren't cool and controlled like his mother's always were. "And is there someplace we could talk alone? There are some things you need to hear and they might effect whether you want to be glad to see me or not."
Nodding J.D. called out to Tanya to let her know if she needed her then stopping at the desk grabbed a box then lead them through the store and into the back where there were a flight of stairs against the far wall. Walking over to the stairs J.D. lead them up and onto the next floor where there was nothing but space. The roof was completely skylight and the light shown down on the mini greenhouse of sorts as their were tables and shelves full of plants on one side with the other a mini library full of books. Leading them past it she lead them over to the huge windows facing the street where like downstairs there were chairs and pillows to rest on. Everyone sitting down J.D. took another donut then patiently waited for one of them to begin.
Taking one of the donuts his aunt offered Momiji and Kisa politely decided to try it then amazed by how good it was soon finished it and understanding J.D. Offered them another which they both took without having to be talked into it. Eating this one slower Momiji finished it then began to speak, his speech forgotten as he just did his best. "The reason my mom doesn't mention me is because she can't remember me at all. For centuries my father's family..the Sohma family has been plagued by a kind of curse on our family that strikes members of our family at birth and stays with them until they die..I'm one of those Sohmas and so is Kisa. My mother couldn't handle the fact that I was one of the cursed ones and couldn't stand to be in the same house with me much less in my company and so it was decided that for the sake of my mother who was making herself ill over me that I needed to leave. There's a member of our family who has..the ability to erase peoples memories and it was arranged for hers to be erased so that as far as she knows I belong to some other Sohma..she has no idea that I'm her son. I..I live with one of my cousins and I'm studying to be a doctor just like him when I get older if I can only with animals instead of people." Momiji said looking at the floor rather then at his aunt. "The thing about the curse is..well if I could have I'd have hugged you as soon as I saw you but if I had...my curse would have come into effect and I didn't want to scare you."
Still reeling from the idea that there was someone out there who could erase memories and had done so to her sister J.D. didn't comment right away as it all sank in. She had a nephew who was cursed somehow along with this little girl Kisa and some other members of his family. As a result of whatever it was he'd been born with he'd basically been thrown out of the family and had been passed off to some cousin. Getting angrier by the minute J.D. pictured strangling her sister to death along with her brother in law for a moment before getting control of herself. Apparently Momiji was sick somehow though he looked the picture of health and reaching over J.D. took his hand in hers, pleased when he let her indicating that at least she could touch him though he'd said his curse had prevented him from hugging her. "Why couldn't you hug me? What kind of curse or illness do you have, Momiji?"
"Well the curse is related to the Chinese Zodiac." Momiji started, noticing the interested look on her face. "There are always fourteen people effected by the curse, thirteen that actually change as a result of the curse and one who is head of the family and is doomed to die young after being ill and weak all his life. Twelve of the thirteen that physically change are doomed to become an animal of the Chinese zodiac when hugged by a member of the opposite sex or if they're worn out and weak. The thirteenth is the cat." Momiji said thinking of Kyo fondly, the cat always having been like a brother to him though Kyo would never admit it. "I'm..I'm the rabbit of the zodiac and Kisa is the tiger. My guardian is the dragon and the one with the ability to erase memories of the people that find out about our curse or to erase the memories of those who can't handle the curse." Momiji said, unaware of the bitterness that had come to his voice though both the women in the room heard it plainly. "Parents of Zodiac members tend to either be very protective of their children or view them as most would..as freaks of nature."
"Any one including your mother should be dragged out into the street and shot for abandoning her child over something so trivial." J.D. Said fiercely as she instinctively used the hand she held to pull his against her, a cloud appearing for a moment and then there was J.D. Holding the creamy colored rabbit carefully in a hug as she rubbed her cheek against Momiji's soft fur, Momiji crying tears that fell and were lost in his fur as he was held close, her tears joining his as she hugged him close while Kisa watched them with a content smile.