DISCLAIMER -- I do not own Fruits Basket, or any of its characters. However, I do own this story and any original characters not from Fruits Basket
Any similarities between this story and others are purely coincidental and I apologize for the inconvenience.
Translations:
San = Added to the end of someone's name out of respect.
Kun = Like "san" only it's used for endearment.
Chan = Basically the same as "kun" only used normally for girls and younger children.
** If I'm wrong, please inform me. **
I'm not too fond of using a lot of Japanese in fics, for the simple reason that some people don't understand what I'm writing.
That is one thing I'm trying to avoid. However there will be times when I'll use some words here and there, just to get the feel.
Warning:
This is a Mary Sue. If you do not like this type of story, please do not read.
I appreciate reviews, but not flames.
Also:
I cannot promise a new chapter every week. This story was made purely
for my pleasure and love of Fruits Basket and writing. School has kept
me very busy this year, so I will update when I can. All I ask of my
readers is patience. I'll get this fic finished sooner or later.
*** Sorry this took so long to get out. I had it written, but my ideas kept changing! ***
Story: Je Pretend Que Tu Fais Bien
Author: rembrandt77
Chapter 2: Introductions
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"Ah Ha-san! And…Aya?"
There stood Hatori, looking slightly peeved, holding a coat attached to a withered Ayame.
"I found this in the street." He said, letting go of the coat, causing Ayame to stumble a bit.
"Oh my sweet Shigure!" The two embraced. "The weather today is horrible for one as delicate as I am. It was fortunate that Hari found me when he did."
Hatori said nothing, completely used to his companion's overly-dramatic behavior. "Yes, well anyway, I was wondering, why are there suitcases on your porch."
"Suitcases?"
Odette pressed her ear up against the thin wall. Crap! How did he see them? She spied two men through a crack in one of the paper walls. This is so embarrassing! I have to get out of here!
"Oh, they must belong to my special guest. She must have come from some distance then." Suitcases mean she's staying. Shigure led them both into the living room.
"She?"
"Yes, yes, come and meet her. Oh Odette…"
Crap! Crap! Crap! Odette scurried to the table, setting down her cup of tea, and frantically searched for another exit. She spotted a door. Well, maybe… Odette shoved the door with all her might. It made a creaking sound, that seemed much louder then it should have been.
"Where did she go?"
Odette's heart thumped against her chest, the sound rose to a loud throbbing in her ears. To her right there was a staircase. It was the last option.
"Odette? Are you playing hide and seek?" Shigure's smooth voice taunted from inside the previous room. She heard it and flew up the stairs, trying to make the least amount of noise as possible.
Where in the world…? Odette was greeted by a long hallway. There was a room at the end, with light coming through the doorway. There has to be a window there. She reached the room, finding an American style bed, with a pink comforter. Is this…? There was a tiny picture on a table next to the bed. Odette took a closer look at it. Kyoko! "This must be Tohru's room." It was small and not very furnished, but it seemed comfortable.
"Am I getting warmer?"
Odette could hear footsteps climbing the staircase. She pulled out the paper containing the Sohma address from her pocket, and scribbled down three words.
Park. Six. Bench.
Odette put the paper under the picture of Kyoko, and noticed a window out of the corner of her eye. The footsteps were getting closer. Scrambling to the window, she pushed it open, and sat on the windowpane. How am I going to do this? Her small hands gripped the edge of the roof, as she used her legs to push herself up. I can't believe I'm doing this! How am I supposed to get down once I get up? If I get up… Odette spied a ladder that wasn't too far from her reach. Using one leg, she tried to pull the ladder in her direction. Luckily, it moved. Switching her weight from the window to the ladder, Odette quickly climbed down.
Shigure stood in front of Tohru's room, leaning up against the closed door. He snickered and smiled at his white-haired friend. "Shhh…" Then he shoved the door open. "Found you!"
A chilly breeze blew through the open window, ruffling the pink curtains. Shigure scratched his head. "Huh, I could've sworn she was in here." He scanned the room, taking note of a tiny piece of paper under Tohru's mom's picture. "Hmm…wonder what this could be."
Odette could not figure out why she was so cold, until she glanced down at her stocking feet. Her shoes, coat, and suitcases were still in or right next to Shigure's house. Quietly, she walking through the snow, and peeked around the corner of the house. It was all clear. Climbing onto the porch, she crawled to the door, which had been left open. Odette spotted her shoes sitting on a blue mat. She reached for them, but another hand grabbed them before she did. She gasped. Wasn't Shigure still upstairs? Slowly her eyes traveled from two dark-stocking feet, to two long, lean legs kneeling in front of her. She dared to study the broad shoulders, and perfectly straightened necktie. Finally her eyes met a face, with a long sweep of bangs covering one mysterious green eye. The face seemed to challenge her, and she willingly backed down, falling onto her rear. The face almost smirked as she noticed his lip twitch. Odette waited for him to give away her hiding spot.
"I believe," He eyed her; his voice was calm and deep. It was then that Odette noticed a cigarette between his fingers. "That people are looking for you." He stood up, as did she, he still holding her shoes.
Odette blushed and nodded. I hope they don't smell.
"Hari-san! Did you find her?"
Odette jumped as Shigure's voice rang from the kitchen. She felt something nudge against her hand. It was her shoes. She looked up at the man again, who now held her coat. Odette took it, remembering to bow.
The man cocked his head, seemingly amused with her display. He swung his head subtly to the other side, as if saying, "Go on".
Odette smiled softly, but hid it behind her beige coat, as she slid her arm into the sleeve. "Thanks." She mumbled, and jumped down from the porch, landing in the crunching snow. Grabbing her bags, she ran the way she had come, but not before turning around slightly, giving a simple sway of her fingers to the man with the dark socks. He didn't return it, but Odette didn't mind.
"Hari? Did you find her?" Shigure asked, walking back into the main room with Ayame.
"No."
Shigure lit a cigarette, and smiled slyly as blew a puff of smoke into the air. "Liar."
___
"Get out of my face you stupid cat!"
"Who are you calling stupid, stupid?" An orange haired boy chucked a handful of snow toward his target.
"Oh yes, that was intelligent. Honestly I don't know why I bother." The other boy with silver hair caught the ball gracefully, and crunched it between his fingers.
"Uh, Yuki…Kyo." A dainty girl with flowing, dark hair rubbed her pink nose. It was starting to go numb. "Um guys?" Don't you think we should get back in the house? Shigure is there waiting for food…"
"Forget about that dog! I'm hungry, let's go." Kyo grabbed the girl's hand, and sped toward the house.
Yuki sighed, and slowly followed, suddenly getting the feeling that he was being watched. He shook it off. If it was Ayame, he would have already made his presence known by now.
Odette watched the very pretty boy from her spot amongst the bushes. So…this is one of Tohru's friends?
___
"Shigure-san! Shigure-san we're home!" Tohru Honda entered the room panting, an unfazed Kyo behind her.
Maybe I shouldn't have run so fast? He noticed the girl's labored breathing.
"We have food!"
At the word food, two heads popped out of the kitchen. "Food?" Ayame and Shigure ran to Tohru, and were immediately knocked over the head by two large grocery bags.
"Stupid perverts." Kyo and Yuki, who had just entered, said simultaneously.
"Ow, that hurt." Shigure whined, rubbing his sore head, Ayame followed suit.
"Serves you right." Hatori appeared from kitchen, and stepped over his fallen friends. He glanced at Tohru. "Someone left something here for you Honda-san."
"For me?" Tohru scrunched her tiny nose. "Who would do that?"
Hatori handed her the paper as Kyo and Yuki both leaned over her shoulder, careful not to transform.
"Park…six…bench? What does that mean?" Tohru handed the paper over to Yuki, who studied it intently.
Hatori snuffed out his cigarette. "There was a young woman here, asking for you. She was the one who left it."
"Hari let her get away!" Shigure said, crying fake tears.
"Most likely because he thought you would molest her." Kyo spoke up from his spot behind Tohru, still angry she had not given the paper to him.
"Shigure," Tohru mumbled, ignoring Kyou's comment. "Did she give you her name?"
Shigure scratched his head. "Hmm…yes I do remember her saying it was Odette…uh Odette Cohen? Yes that's it."
"Odette Cohen!" Tohru's vision was blurred as the room started to spin rapidly. "But…why?" Tohru was cradling her head between her dainty hands. "I forgot to write. Maybe something horrible-"
"You know Tohru," Shigure stood beside her, resting a hand on her shoulder. "She could just be here to see you."
Tohru sniffed, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "You're right, sorry."
Yuki glanced at his wrist watch, and then back at the paper. There was just enough time. "Miss Honda, I have an idea."
___
Odette pulled on her reading glasses, brushing a few stray strands of hair from her eyes. She looked at her silver-chained watch. Tohru should be here by now. Odette leaned her back against the bench's armrest, and swung her legs onto the seat. She sighed impatiently, grabbing a good-sized Japanese art book from her bag.
The sun could hardly be seen, as it set beyond a cluster of bare Sakura trees. Odette had to squint to see the pictures of her book, despite the reading glasses she wore. She shivered, and blew into her hands, inwardly cursing herself for forgetting gloves. "Man does this suck!" She exclaimed in English. Her blue jeans where frozen at the ends, from her countless travels through the snow, and her eyelashes were covered in a heavy layer of snowflakes. She had changed out of her Doc Martins, and into a pair of khaki "Indian" boots. They were warmer at least. Odette smirked as she pulled her hands into her beige trench coat. To be entirely cliché, I'll be sticking out like a sore thumb here. Japan was very different from her home town near Chicago. Odette took another glance at her watch.
5:53 p.m.
Putting her book down, she stood up and stretched her legs. The park was still empty. It had been since her arrival, which was odd to her. Why wouldn't Japanese children want to play in the park while it snowed? She had always done it as a child. Climbing onto the monkey bars, she hung upside-down, making sure her shirt didn't follow her. I wonder if that's what Japanese children call these things…monkey bars-
"Hello there."
Odette shrieked, loosening her hold on the bars, and dropped into the snow with a thud. "Owwwie." She rubbed her back. Luckily, her hands had been there to rescue her head. "Note to self…don't do that again." There was a slight cough above her, as if someone was clearing their throat.
"Sorry about that." The man said between snorts of laughter.
"Odette!"
She felt someone charge her from behind, flattening her further into the snow. "What in the world?" Odette turned around to find a smiling brunette, with slightly damp, snowflake-covered hair. "Tohru?"
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