My Cherryblossom.../Chpt. 6
No More Horsing Around/ Sherinda-san
Shiko had been out for several minutes when Hatsuharu finally changed back. He put on the pants Shiko offered him and sat on the bed. He looked over at Shiko's still form. She looks so beautiful when she's sleeping like that...He thought to himself. He looked around to make sure no one was watching him then leaned over Shiko and kissed her cheek. He went to bed happy that night...
Shiko was an early riser in the mornings. She usually got up and had some caffeine of some sort. She walked into the kitchen groggily. She felt something rub up against her leg and picked Braveheart up scratching his ears. He purred loudly.
"It's nice to see his owner taking care of him..." a slightly peeved voice said abruptly. Shiko looked around and saw Kyo Sohma sitting on the couch watching TV while draining a carton of milk. She rubbed the back of her head.
"I'm sorry Kyo-san...But I'm surprised...he usually doesn't like strangers..." she said letting Braveheart jump out of her arms. He bounded over to Kyo, who let some of the milk left in the carton drip into the black kitten's mouth.
"He caught three mice last night...it was kind of funny watching him toss them into the air. It reminded me of how much I want to beat Yuki to a bloody pulp..." Kyo said smacking his fist into his palm. Shiko smiled at the neko of the Jyuunishi.
"Yeah, I know some people I want to rip up, too." She said with a wild glare in her eyes. "Do you guys have any coffee? Or even tea? I need my energy." She asked.
Tohru came into the room with a small basket of laundry in her arms. She smiled at the two. "Shiko-san, I can make you some coffee. Just as soon as I fold these clothes!" she said walking towards the laundry room. Shiko sat up sharply.
"I can help you fold! I used to work at a Laundromat part time, so I'm used to it!" She said leaping over to Tohru. The two girls giggled as they walked down the hallway.
Kyo stared after them, shaking his head. "Sometimes a wonder about girls..." he said to Braveheart. The little cat mewed in agreement.
"So, which of the Sohmas staying here are part of the curse?" Shiko asked folding Momiji's school uniform and putting it in the basket. Tohru smiled at her new friend.
"About everyone!" she said a little too cheerily for the early morning. Shiko almost dropped the pants she was about to fold up.
"Huh?" she exclaimed. "But what..." Tohru held up her finger.
"Yuki-kun is the rat, Kyo-kun is the cat, Shigure-san is the dog, Ayame-san is the snake, Ritsu-kun is the monkey, Hiro-san is the sheep, Hatori-san is the dragon, though he turns into a seahorse..., Kisa-chan is the tiger, Kagura-chan is the boar, as you saw last night, Momiji-kun is the rabbit and Hatsuharu-san is the ox, and you are the horse!" She said. Shiko stared off into space. She couldn't believe she was part of the curse! How was that possible? She was brought back to reality as she heard Tohru's voice.
"Do you want your tea now?" Shiko shook her head, and smiled at Tohru.
"Nah, I think I'll take a bath instead. Don't trouble yourself." She said turning and leaving the room. Tohru stood with her mouth half open in mid-thought.
"O-okay..."
Shiko grabbed her towels and robe from her large duffle-bag, and noting Hatsuharu was still asleep, made her way to the bathroom. She put the 'occupied' sign on the door handle and started the warm bath water. She stripped down to her birthday suit and slide into the temperate water. She let herself soak in the cleansing liquid and half dozed off. She snapped awake at the sound of the door opening. She ducked down into the water and peered over the top of the tub's rim.
There was a large black dog with her necklace in its mouth sitting in the middle of the bathroom. Shiko rose up a bit and stuck her hand out in peace and called softly to the dog. It came forward a ways then dropped the necklace and ran out of the room; the gust of wind shutting the door. Shiko stared after it quizzically then went back to her relaxation.
When she got out and had dried off, most of the others were awake. She was about to turn the corner into the hall to the living room when she heard whispers coming from another room. She knew eavesdropping was bad, but she was curious.
Shigure and Ayame were sniggering to each other as if one of them said something funny. Shigure began speaking around small bouts of laughter.
"A-and then...hahahaaah! After Tohru-kun hugged me, I ran into her room and snuck past Haru...pppffttt! I grabbed her necklace and walked into the bathroom....Hoohooohooooh! I was then confirmed that she was deffinatly a she! Hahahaaaaaaah! You should have seen th-!!!"
It was over in a flash. Shiko had dealt a quick slap or two and a pound to Shigure and smacked Ayame's face and whirled off into the hallway. The two bewildered friends looked at each other in befuddlement. Shiko shouted empty threats as she stormed down the hall-way.
"That perverted ass! Oh, my, God! I can't believe he would do something so, so..."
"Vulgar?"
"Yes!!! Ano..." she turned and saw a drowsy Hatsuharu rubbing sleep from his eyes. Stretching and yawning he walked down the hall-way and into the kitchen. Shiko scrambled after him.
"Is he always like that?" she asked ludicrously. Haru rummaged through the refrigerator and pulled out a jug of orange juice. While pouring a glass for himself he answered her.
"More or less...you should read some of his books. He is a good author, but some of the stories he writes are just plain sick." Shiko accepted a glass of tea from Tohru as she passed. Walking over to the couch, she sat down and played with Braveheart as he curled up in her lap. Haru followed and sat down beside her.
"So, when do we start practicing for the club?" she asked.
"We can talk to the others and work out a schedule. We might even be able to tonight."
"That would be good for me, I guess...Oh crap! I still need a place to stay!" She gasped as Momiji hugged her neck playfully.
"Shiko-chan can stay with me and Papa!" the bunny said in his usual charm.
"I don't think so Momiji. She will be staying with me at the main house." Everyone turned to look at the speaker. "Akito would like to speak with her about some relatively normal subjects."
"Ha'ri?! You stayed the night?!" Momiji said in shock. Hatori shook his head.
"No. I came earlier this morning to pick Shiko-san up." He said, a smile fleeting across his face to Shiko. She smiled back but turned to talk to Haru abruptly as Shigure and Ayame walked up, rubbing their faces. They surrounded the dragon of the Jyuunishi, joshing him playfully.
"Ooh, Haa-san! You better not try to do anything dirty to poor Shiko-chan!" Shigure said patting the horse's head. He tried to pull back but found his hand caught in Shiko's strong grasp.
The Mabudachi Trio looked down at her questioningly. She stared hard at Shigure, her eyes full of anger. Haru showed mild interest in the speculation and Momiji just rested his head on his folded arms leaning on the couch.
"I trust him not to look in on me when I'm bathing...unlike some people I know..." Shiko said scornfully. Shigure shrunk away from the glares being shot at him like snipers.
"B-but...Erm...I...Ano..." he gibbered. Ayame spoke up for him.
"He was only making sure you were who you said you were, Shiko-chan! No need to get into a fuming rage over the little incident!" He said airily. Shiko leaped up after the two schemers.
"Ooh! I'm gonna' 'incident' you all over yer butts if ya' don't leave me alone!" She said running after them. Hatori, Momiji, and Hatsuharu stared after them.
"Wow, Haru! She's kinda' like you! One minute your calm and cool, the next you're a total badass!" Momiji said tugging at Hatsuharu's arm. Hatori lit a cigarette.
"Momiji, don't use such language..."
A/N: Wow...that took forever and a half...sorry for such a long wait! Gomenasai!!! My dad re-did our basement and had to unhook my computer for a long time until the computer room was done and plus I had school. Blech I know, I know...you're all sick of my excuses...but it's true! XD Hope you all had good holidays!
Sherinda-san