Plans To Be Made
Unable to confirm where Momiji and Kisa were the Sohma family was forced to sit back and wait for news. After spending a week and a half with J.D. the two young Sohmas agreed that staying any longer could mean consequences that would affect not just them but everyone they cared about which meant it was time to go home. Holding tight to their tickets they stood with J.D. and Tanya, both Sohmas clutching J.D.'s hand tightly as they watched their plane come into position and boarding begin.
"Well this is it." J.D. said quietly as they watched people line up to go. "But it's not the end. I don't want either of you to think that. I promise we'll meet up again."
"No we won't..not if Hatori is sent here. It will only take them so long to figure out where we went." Momiji said as he tried to put up a brave face when all he wanted to do was chain himself to his aunt and never be set free. The last week and a half had been some of the best days of his life and he didn't want them to ever end. "And after this Akito will be watching us like a hawk..there's no way we could pull something like this off again."
"Well I've insured that even if Hatori comes he won't be able to make me forget you." J.D. said as she squeezed their hands. "I've written about you and given the information to several friends of mine as well as into a safe. Even if he comes and erases my memory I'll get that info and know what he took from me. I promise you two that no matter what happens I'll love you and will always be there if you need me. I'll even come with you to Japan right now if you want. You don't have to face Akito alone."
"No. If you came it would only make Akito angrier and more likely to hurt you. We'll have a better chance facing the music alone. Akito would feel that we were ganging up on him otherwise." Kisa said as she let go of J.D.'s hand. "We should get onboard now."
)
"Well before you guys go I've got something for you." Tanya said as she reached into her pocket and pulled out two silver chains, both with cat's eye stones hanging off the chains. "I've put a little something extra on them to give you courage and protect you from negative energy." Pleased when they both accepted the presents with thanks she watched them with a satisfied smile when they both immediately slipped the chains on. "Blessed be on both of you." Tanya said as she leaned over to place a kiss on Kisa's forehead then on Momiji's. "May we cross paths again soon."
"Yeah." Momiji said as he beamed at her, tears in his eyes as well as Kisa's as the girl hugged Tanya for herself and Momiji.
"Definitely." J.D. said with tears running down her face too as she gave Momiji a kiss on both his cheeks having hugged him before they headed for the airport. "I love you, Momiji. Don't ever forget that."
"I won't. I promise." Momiji said with tears flowing too as he moved aside so that Kisa could hug his aunt as well. "I love you too, Aunt J.D."
"I know. Now you two hurry up." J.D. said as she impatiently wiped tears from her eyes. "You don't want to miss your flight. Soon the two were waving good bye and into the plane, the plane taking off moments later. "Tanya...I'm moving to Japan."
"I figured that you would." Tanya said as the two walked over to the glass to watch the plane take off and go soaring up and into the air. "I think I'll come with you if you don't mind. The spirits are saying I'm meant to go too. Plus I think the kids would benefit from learning and living in another culture." Tanya added, referring to her three siblings who lived with her since her parents were both dead. She hadn't asked them about it yet but she had a feeling they'd jump at the chance, especially if it meant seeing their new friends again. It had taken a lot to convince them they didn't need to come to the airport with Momiji and Kisa.
"Well if you're coming with me we're gonna have to sell the store..that's going to take time." J.D. said with a thoughtful look on her face as she pondered while tears continued to run down her cheeks. "Or maybe we could start a chain of my stores and just get a manager for Magical Touch here then open Magical Touch Two in Japan."
"Sounds good to me."
)
Arriving back in Japan Momiji and Kisa took a cab home and were soon dropped off in front of the Sohma house's front gates which had taken on an almost forbidding light to them now. "Am I the only one who has an overwhelming urge to run away and get the earliest ticket back to Toronto?" Momiji said nervously as he took Kisa's hand in his as they stood there, both too afraid to open the door.
"Nope, you aren't." Kisa said as she shook her golden head. "But we have to, Momiji."
"Yeah, I know." Momiji said with a sigh as he stepped forward and soon he and Kisa had made their way through the gates and were now walking down the path that lead into the Sohma compound. Remaining hand in hand they weren't sure who or where to go to first. Deciding to face the fire first they were headed straight for Akito's house when they heard someone yell their names. Both turning they saw Hatori and Shigure running towards them, their older cousins pulling them into hard hugs that knocked the breath out of them. "Hari." Momiji said softly as he hugged Hatori back, his arms wrapping around the man who was like a second father to him.
"Where on earth have you two been? We've all been worried sick about you and Akito is bloody furious." Shigure said after he was done hugging the stuffing out of Kisa and he was hugging Momiji and Kisa was getting a hug from Hatori.
"Well we were...we know we're in trouble. We were on our way to face Akito now." Kisa said softly as she curled against Hatori, needing just a little more courage now that someone had said out loud what they'd all been thinking. Akito hurt you when he was mad. "We're very sorry we worried you all."
"Well this is a fine mess you two have gotten yourself into. I hope that whatever you were up to was worth this." Hatori said sternly then blinked as Momiji's face was transferred into a look of pure and absolute joy.
"Oh yes. It was so worth it, Hari." Momiji said with his eyes shining brightly.
"So it would appear. Well Hari and I will go with you." Shigure said with a sigh, hiding his worry from them. He didn't know how Akito was going to react but he had no doubt the two were going to face severe punishment for what they'd done. Especially if they were refusing to explain where they had gone and what they'd done.
)
"No. If you come Akito will only get mad at you two too." Kisa said as she shook her head at them even though she very much wanted them there. But it wasn't fair to ask them to risk their necks when they hadn't done anything wrong. "It would be better if we faced him alone. We're the ones he's angry at."
"That's very brave of both of you." Hatori said as he kept a hand on Momiji's shoulder, needing the contact with the boy. He'd been so afraid and worried about Momiji and even as he felt relief that the boy was back he couldn't help but think of the price Momiji might have to pay. God but if he could he'd take it for Momiji but he knew he couldn't, that Akito wouldn't allow it. Which was why he was fighting the urge to get Momiji and Kisa out of there and hide them from Akito as stupid and illogical as it was. "We'll go with you part of the way though."
"Thanks, Hari." Momiji said with a smile and soon the four were trooping across the grounds and were soon met at the door to Akito's rooms by a servant who'd just been sent to get the head of their house some fruit.
"I'll go in and tell him you're here." Hatori said as he let go of Momiji's hand. "You three stay here until I come back." When they nodded Hatori walked over and knocked on the door, entering when he heard a sharp enter come through the door. Slipping in Hatori saw Akito lounging on large pillows while he read a book. The boy looking up Hatori saw surprise then speculation come over Akito's face. "Akito." Hatori said as he got to his knees and bowed respectfully when he was a few feet from Akito.
"Hatori..what bring you here?" Akito wanted to know, his eyes narrowing with speculation and a fox's slyness. "Something to do with Momiji and Kisa perhaps? Have you finally found them for me as I commanded?"
"They've returned to you, Akito. They're outside the doors right now waiting for your permission to enter. They came back of their own free will and are prepared to accept what punishment you deem appropriate." Hatori said calmly even though his heart was beating hard and rapidly in his chest. Fear. God was he afraid for the two. "They understand that their childish actions were inappropriate and are prepared to beg your forgiveness."
"Are they now?" Akito said as he raised an eyebrow having no doubt a lot of what Hatori said was his own words and not those of his run away cousins. Well nothing Hatori said was going to save them now. They'd dared to run away, to disobey him and make him appear weak. He was the head of this family until the day he died and he was going to show those two what happened to people who dared to go against him. They would pay and they would learn. Those pathetic little abominations would cry out for forgiveness. They would be painfully made aware of their mistakes. "Send Kisa in first..alone, Hatori."
"Alone?"
"Yes. Now." Akito said coldly and watching Hatori struggle not to argue he sneered as his older cousin got to his feet and walked slowly back towards the door. His dragon would always obey him whether he liked it or not. Watching Hatori go through the door Akito got his emotions under control as Kisa soon walked into the room, the door closing with a loud thud behind her. Watching the pathetic bitch walk towards him Akito could feel the rage building up in him even as he struggled to keep the illusion of control. As she stopped and got to her knees, bowing to him Akito just held in a sneer. "You've been a very bad tiger, Kisa." Akito said softly, the look in his eyes the exact opposite.
)
"I'm very sorry, Akito. There's nothing I say or can do that can change what I did. All I ask is that you don't punish my mother for what I did. She had no idea what I was going to do and no one is at fault but me. Do with me what you will but leave everyone else alone." Kisa begged, her head down knowing that any show of defiance would make him angrier. "I deserve whatever punishment you dole out for disobeying you."
"That you do." Akito said as he got to his feet then motioned Kisa to come to him with a crook of his finger. Watching her get to her feet he watched Kisa come forward and when she was close enough Akito drew back his hand to slap her across the face.
Bracing for the blow that didn't come Kisa watched his hand get within centimeters of her face then stop as Akito's body went flying back and into the wall behind him like she had delivered a blow. Eyes wide with shock Kisa raced over to him, reaching out a hand to him because she knew it would only be worse if she didn't. "Akito..what happened?"
Not taking her hand Akito lay there, stunned on the floor. It had been as if the blow that he'd intended to deliver to Kisa had been directed at him instead though she hadn't even raised a hand to stop him. "How..how did you do that?" Akito demanded to know as he sat up, staring at Kisa with blinding anger as he watched her hand shake as she continued to extend it to him.
"I didn't..do anything, Akito." Kisa said as she rapidly shook her head at him.
"Well we'll just see about that." Akito snarled as he got to his feet and attempted to backhand her again, only to go flying even harder into the wall like before. Laying on the ground, gasping for air Akito demanded that she leave and get Hatori.
"Yes, sir." Kisa said as she ran from the room like the demons of hell were after her in her hurry to get Hatori. Oh God, oh god what had happened? What had protected her from Akito's blows? Wait a minute..protection? The necklace? Hand reaching up to clutch the necklace in her fist Kisa exited the room and told a startled Hatori that Akito wanted him in now.
"What happened, Kisa? There isn't a mark on you." Shigure said in shock as he came over, hugging the girl against him.
"It's a long story but I don't think he can hurt Momiji or me anymore." Kisa said as she looked over at Momiji, the boy and her sharing a look that had Momiji's eyes widening and a smile sliding across his features.
)
It was a month and half after Momiji and Kisa had returned home and they had yet to be punished physically by Akito. As predicted Akito had attempted several times to have them beaten, even by others but every time it was attempted their would be attacker suffered the abuse he'd been about to deal to the two. Now Akito was forced to stew and punish them by enforcing curfews and everyone knew that Akito had spies watching them all the time. The two didn't mind overly as life went back to normal. Momiji had cleverly gotten his aunt to send him letters through a school friend of his and so Momiji got letters from her through his friend and no one was the wiser. Hatori suspected something was up but he didn't have any proof and was too busy trying to keep Akito happy to really look into it. On his way to visit Shigure to speak to him about a few things Hatori slowed his car down when he saw the unusual sight of someone, a young woman attempting to climb one of the many trees that led the way to the main house. Stopping the car Hatori pulled over to the side and getting out walked over to see what the hell was going on and to tell whoever it was to get out of there before they broke their neck. Getting to the base of the tree Hatori was treated to the sight of a well formed lady's rear dressed in a short black skirt and who was in bare feet, the sound of here kitty, kitty coming from above in a soft, feminine voice. "Excuse me but what are you doing?" Hatori asked and nearly jumped when the woman gave a startled yelp then twisted to look down at him. Momiji's mother, Hatori thought in shock as he stared into the familiar face. What the hell?
"Oh, you startled me. There's a cat up here and I'm trying to get him down. I don't suppose you're an experienced tree climber since you're better dressed for this then I am, Mr....?" J.D. asked as she tried to get a good look at whoever it was that was talking to her. There were too many branches in the way but he had a nice voice and very well pressed slacks on.
"I haven't climbed a tree in a while, no. Why don't you just leave it there and let it come down when it's ready. And we've met before, Mrs. Sohma. I'm Hatori Sohma, your husband is a cousin of mine." Hatori said patiently, wanting to add that her son lived with him because she showed more concern over a stray then she had for her son. But there was something strange about her Hatori thought, especially when she gave a startled and happy gasp then began to climb down with a skill that said she'd done this before. When she'd reached the last branch and Hatori could really look at her he frowned. "Wait a minute..you aren't..."
"Nope, that would be my sister." J.D. said as she hopped to the ground that startled the hell out of Hatori when she took a few steps, grabbed his face between her hands and laid a kiss on his mouth that sent him reeling with surprise. When she was done thoroughly kissing the even more gorgeous in person doctor J.D. pulled away and beamed at him. "Hi. I'm J.D. and I would hug you and everything but I don't want you to transform out in the open like this. Especially seeing as you're the dragon and all. It is so great to meet you and I can't thank you enough for everything that you're doing and have done for Momiji." J.D. continued, shaking both of his hands in hers. "I know that Momiji grew up to be the great guy he is thanks to you and I'm so glad that a kind, gentle man like yourself was there since I wasn't. Well I would have been if I'd known about him but I didn't so ya..and I'm rambling aren't I? I'm sorry it's just that I really want you to like me since Momiji loves you so much." J.D. added then took a deep breath and tried again. "Uhm..Hi, I'm J.D. and it's really nice to meet you, Doctor Sohma. I'm Momiji's aunt on his mother's side. Lovely day isn't it?"