My Cherryblossom.../Chpt:5

Mysteries and a few Answers/Sherinda-san

NOTE: If any of you are wondering, this is based on the anime...That will come to be clearer later in the chapter...lol!

Shiko still ran, her heart beating like mad. She suddenly tripped over a large rock protruding from the ground. She hit the ground painfully. She tried to raise herself, but her ankle shot with extreme pain. She winced as she pulled her legs up against her chest. How could she have fooled herself with that jerk? She had seen that bitch around him before...she just thought it was a coincidence...but she knew the truth all along; she just buried it in the dark recesses of her mind. Shiko didn't care she was crying...she didn't care about anything anymore...she felt like she could die right there and still not care.

Hatsuharu had never run this fast in his life. He didn't understand why he went after Shiko. Of course then he didn't understand why she took off in the first place. He was breathing heavily, but he didn't stop. In the setting sun, he saw Shiko's shaking form. His pace slowed as he came towards her. He put his hand out towards her. "Shiko...wh-"

"No!" she said brokenly. "Leave me alone! I left you! Just...just leave me alone!" She yelled. Haru went to leave but he felt a tug at his pant leg. He looked down and saw Shiko's hand grabbing his black pants. He looked down at her face. She looked up into his eyes. Her face was dirty and she had tears pouring from her eyes. "Haru...he won't leave...he won't leave me alone!" She said softly but Haru noticed the small panic and fear in her voice.

Haru kneeled down and grabbed her hand. "Come on Shiko-san. Let's go back to the house. You can talk to us about it. How does that sound?" He asked her softly. Shiko shook her head.

"I-I can't...m-my ankle..." she sniveled. "I think I twisted it..." she sobbed. Haru looked at her in horror.

How was he going to get her to Shii-chan's? If he tried to do anything, he would transform. Then Ha'ri would have to erase her memories...just like everyone else except for Tohru-san. He sighed. Maybe it wouldn't be that bad...He looked down at Shiko, who was staring off into no certain spot. 'Who the hell am I kidding?' He would have kicked himself. It might not be as bad as he thought. He put his hands on her shoulders. She looked at him in shock of the sudden movement.

"Shiko...don't be afraid of what's about to happen...it's the only way I can help you..." He said. Haru swallowed hard then pulled Shiko into a tight embrace. He expected to hear a poof, tearing cloths, and Shiko screaming...but none of those sounds reached his ears. Instead he heard Shiko's confused voice.

"Haru...what are you talking about and why are you hugging me?" she asked. He let her go and stared at his hands. They weren't hooves...and he didn't have white fur...he was still human! He stared at her.

"Never mind..." He said turning around. "Climb on my back...I'll carry you to the house like this." He said. She stared at his back with a look of pure confusion. She shrugged and gingerly climbed on his back. She inhaled through her nose deeply. He had a good smell. She smiled for the first time since she left the Sohma's house. Haru straightened up and started towards Shigure's. Luckily for him, they had run in a straight line.

"Hey, Haru-chan?"

"Yes?"

"What kind of shampoo do you use?"

Tohru stood on the porch with Kisa and Uotani. Night had fallen and it was getting late. Tohru looked as hard as she could into the blackness. "Haru-san and Shiko-san still aren't back yet...You don't think anything bad happened do you?" She said worriedly. Uotani put her hand on Tohru's head.

"Tohru-kun, don't worry! Shiko-san can take care of herself!" she said reassuringly.

"And..."Said Kisa quietly. "Haru-kun went with her." The small girl said. Tohru smiled at her friends' remarks.

"Yeah, you're right. Mom said not to worry all the time...she would be disappointed if I worried constantly." She smiled at her companions. When she didn't get a response she opened her eyes. They were looking in the direction of the forest where Shiko and Haru had run into. Tohru could hardly see, but she knew they could.

"Hey, ya bunch of old hens! Shouldn't you be in bed?" They heard a voice ring out. Uotani smiled.

"Well, we would but two party crashers decided to leave!" She shouted back. Tohru finally was able to make out the shape of Hatsuharu and Shiko. She ran into the house shouting:

"They're back! Hatsuharu-kun and Shiko-san are back!"

By the time Shiko and Haru got to the porch, everyone in the house was on the porch looking at them in amazement. Haru broke the silence.

"We need a bed and someone needs to call Hatori-san. Shiko-chan thinks she twisted her ankle." He said with the slightest bit of urgency in his voice.

A spare bed was found and Shiko was laid upon it. As Uotani, Tohru, and Hana talked to her, Shigure, Yuki, Ayame, and Kyo talked to Haru in the kitchen.

"How the hell were you able to carry her here like that and not transform?!" Kyo asked almost hysterically. Haru shrugged aimlessly.

"I was going to tell her about it after I hugged her--" Haru tried to explain, but was cut short by Shigure.

"You hugged her? I envy you right now...ouch!" Yuki silenced him with a bonk on the head.

"Continue, Haru." He said.

"Thanks, Yuki. Anyways, I hugged her then I didn't transform. I honestly don't understand...maybe Hatori-san will know..." Haru finished. Ayame put his hand under his chin and rested it on the counter.

"I'm not sure Haa-san will help...after all, Shiko-san isn't Sohma, right?" He said. Shigure put his hands in his kimono sleeves and closed his eyes.

"Either Shiko is one of us, or he's a good actor!" He said dramatically. The other four all whapped him upside the head angrily. Kyo clenched his fist in front of Shigure's face.

"Stop being so perverted!"

When Hatori arrived he looked towards Shiko. "Hello, Shiko-san. I see you've come back from the States. Welcome back." He said mildly. Shiko smiled.

"Hello Ha'ri! It's nice to see you again." She said. Everyone looked at the two in amazement.

"YOU TWO KNOW EACH OTHER?!?!?" everyone said together. Shiko put a finger in her ear and wiggled it.

"Could you yell any louder? Yeah, were cousins! My mom is like, his second cousin or something. He took care of me and my grandpa when he was sick and mom and dad were gone." She said. Hatori nodded.

"Yes. You were always playing in the paddock with the horses. You were so little then. You've grown quite a bit." He said surprisingly fondly. He looked at her foot. "Let me guess...you twisted it while running?" Shiko looked at him sheepishly.

"Yeah...I tripped on a rock." She said.

"Ok," Hatori said. "I want everyone but Hatsuharu and Tohru to go to bed right away. And no eavesdropping or there will be consequences." He said staring at Shigure and Ayame. The two members of the Mabudachi Trio looked at him insulted. Momiji tugged Hatori's coat.

"Can I stay up with Haru and Tohru-kun and Shiko-chan? Please Ha'ri!" He whined. Hatori sighed, but before he could say anything, Shiko, who had become fond of the little rabbit, spoke for Momiji.

"I don't see why not! It won't hurt if he stays up with us will it? We'll go to bed right after, I promise!" she said. Hatori sighed again.

"Alright; just be quiet so the others will be able to sleep." He said. He shut screens around them so they had a private room. "Everyone sit around Shiko-san. We need to discuss something urgent." He said.

They all sat like they were told and listened intently. "Now Shiko-san, tell us what happened to you." Hatori said. "From the beginning; why you left America and came back."

Shiko told her sad tale. Everyone listened desolately. She finished saying to Haru. "I'm surprised you didn't turn your back on me and leave in the forest; I'm sure you would have thought I went crazy..." She said.

The ushii of the Jyuunishi gave her one of his rare smiles. "I have my moments, too, trust me." He said.

Hatori held up a finger. "To explain why Haru didn't transform when he hugged Shiko is partially because of this. Shiko take your necklace off please." She did as she was told and handed him the small token. He held it up so that the light shone through it.

It was a chunk of jade carved into the shape of a horse. On the center was the Chinese symbol for 'horse' emblazoned upon it. "It's a curse repeller, and it works two ways. One way is it actually negates other curses that others have temporarily while in contact with the wearer of the charm. That's why you didn't transform, Haru."

Tohru held up her hand. "What is the other way it works?" she asked. Hatori held his finger up.

"That's what I'm getting to. The second part of this charm, is that if the wearer, i.e. Shiko, has a curse, the effects are completely negated, but only if she's wearing it. But that's not part of the reason Haru did not transform. Now, since she's not wearing the charm anymore, Momiji, would you do the honors?" He said.

Momiji jumped up and ran over to Shiko and hugged her. Shiko was rather surprised at the action. Momiji let her go and stared at his hands as Hatsuharu had done. "Ha'ri, how come I didn't transform?" He asked. Shiko waved her hands wildly.

"What the heck do you mean by transforming?! And what does grandpa's curse dealy have to do with this!?" She asked agitatedly.

"Shiko, do you remember about that curse that some Sohma's have I told you about? About when their hugged by the opposite gender, they transform into one of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, and one turned into the cat?" Hatori said, calming Shiko down. She put a finger to her nose.

"Oh yeah! So, Haru-chan and Momiji-kun have that curse? Wow...can I see your animals? Can I please?" She said bouncing up and down where she sat.

Hatori put his hand on his forehead. "Not right now. I need to tell you something first." Shiko stopped bouncing and listened to what her cousin had to say. "Anyways, the reason Momiji didn't transform then is because Shiko is also cursed." Hatori said gravely.

Shiko stared at him with wide eyes. "I-I am?" she stuttered.

Hatori nodded. "Yes, that's why your father and grandfather never hugged you until your grandfather gave you that charm. You are possessed by the spirit of the horse."

"I always wondered why they wouldn't but when I needed one, you or Mom would, Ha'ri." Shiko said almost sadly. Momiji, Haru, and Tohru stared baffled at them.

"Shiko-san is part of the zodiac?!" Tohru exclaimed.

"She's the horse?" Haru said.

"Ha'ri can hug little kids?!" Momiji said.

"Quiet down! You want to wake everyone up?" Hatori said rather embarrassed.

"Can I see their animals now?" Shiko asked innocently. Hatori nodded as he got up.

"You can as I fix your ankle." He said. "Tohru would you be so kind?"

Tohru clenched her fist. "Yes, sir! Shiko-san, who do you want first?" she said. Shiko put her finger to her chin and thought. She pointed to Momiji.

Momiji ran over to Tohru and hugged her. Poof! Where Momiji was, a little bunny was in his place. Shiko leaned over and took Momiji. She grabbed her necklace and put it over his neck. He grabbed at it and stared at the fine details.

"Momiji-chan!!!" Shiko said hugging him. "You're sooo cute!"

The little rabbit smiled. "I know I am!!!" he said. Tohru took the necklace off of Momiji and took him from Shiko.

"Time to go to bed, little bunny!" She said in a sing-song voice. Momiji climbed on Tohru's head, drooping his large ears.

"Awww! Tohru is just like a mutti!" He said as Tohru took him to the bathroom where he could change back safely.

Shiko grinned as she pointed at Haru. "You're turn, Haru-chan! Ouch! Ha'ri! Watch where you're poking!"

Haru looked at her miserably. "Promise you won't laugh at me? Like you would but..." he said. Shiko smiled.

"Of course not! I love animals!" she giggled. Tohru came back and hugged Haru so that Shiko could see his animal. Shiko stared at the ox standing in front of her amid pieces of Haru's clothes he'd been wearing. He walked over on his four hooves and sat by her bed with his ears down in embarrassment.

"Sorry...it's nothing extravagant..." he sighed. Hatori got up from his work and wiped his hands on a rag he had handy. He smiled at the two; something which surprised them.

"Well you two, I should get back to the main house. Akito will be waiting and wanting news. Later." He said leaving. Shiko shook her head at ushii-Haru.

"You look just fine..." she said softly. She tested her foot. She would limp for a while but it felt a lot better. She swung her legs around so that her legs dangled from the bed. She stroked Haru's nose tenderly. She smiled sweetly at him; she only did that to people she liked a lot. "You're the most handsome ox I've ever seen." She said. He looked up at her about to speak when she kissed him on the nose.

His eyes widened at her action. She was taking a coverlet off the bed and putting it over him. "There, now when you change back, you can just sleep at the other end of the bed...If that's alright with you that is..." Shiko said blushing slightly. Haru's ears flopped from side to side as he shook his head.

"I'll need some cloths though..." he said. Shiko pulled her bag over to the bed and began rummaging in it. She pulled out a large pair of sweat pants.

"I usually wear these to bed, but you can wear them." She looked at him grinning. "Don't worry; there guy's pants anyways. I don't really have a shirt, but I guess that won't hurt anything...You might get a little cold, but hey, what are ya' gonna do?" she said shrugging slightly.

Shindera-san's babble: Wow...that was a long one...plus school got in the way of things...If any of you would like to read a Redwall story, (not as good as this one probably) I'll be adding one when this is done. Is anybody on Neopets that reads? E-mail me if you are! My account name is isuzusohma and my e-mail address is . And if you are on Neopets, and you are you please check out my new Furuba guild? looks at watch Well, I bet I just lost 10 readers in that small 10 seconds...Oh well! Until next time!

Shindera-san