AN: Wow, I'm sorry you guys! I had the fourth chappie written and everything, I was just too lazy to update it... I'M SO SOOOOOORRY WOOORRLD! I DOON'T DEEEESSEEERRRVE TOOO LIIIIVEE! Hehheh... Here's the next chapter.
The dog grinned, "You think I'm great?"
I laughed, "Well of course I do! You're my favorite manga artist AND my favorite character!"
If a dog could look self-satisfied, Shigure definitely did.
"Unfortunately for you I just LOVE to torture my favorites. Personally, I love what you've done to Hatori's hair, he doesn't seem to happy though. I'm sure Aaya's looks just as good!" I said.
I walked over and swooped him up off the roof. And almost fell over. He's surprisingly heavy for his size.
"Jeez, lay off the twinkies would ya?" I gasped out.
"Hey! A writer needs food to make his mind work! Twinkies just happen to be my fuel of choice!" Shigure whimpered struggling to get out of my hold.
I tightened my grasp and started down the ladder. It teetered dangerously as Shigure continued struggling.
"Quit moving you dolt! If I fall, you fall, and then we'd both be hurt! You don't want that do you?" I growled in annoyance as Hatori grabbed the ladder to keep it from falling.
Shigure went still and I managed to navigate the rest of the way down the ladder without killing myself.
When I got down he tried a new tactic. He turned his big sad puppy-dog eyes on me and I nearly melted.
No not really, I just kind of stared at him blankly.
"C'mon now Miss Nicole, you don't really want to embarrass me do you? Please, please, please put me down and I promise I'll never do it again!" He whimpered pathetically.
"Nah, I'll just not put you down and you can keep the privilege to do it again another time." I replied with a wink, watching Tohru climb off the ladder.
I looked around. Hatori's already on the ground so that just leaves... Uh oh...
"AHHHHHHHHHHH! PUT ME DOWN YOU DAMN RAT!"
I gasped! How could Hatori have left them up there alone, he's their cousin does he not know that he can't leave them alone together?
I threw Shigure at Hatori as a giant orange fluff flew over the edge of the roof and plummeted towards the ground.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
I raced to the edge of the house, weaving back and forth, trying to figure out exactly where he would fall. The giant fluffball landed in my arms with a screech and sunk it's claws into my shirt. It was hyperventilating and staring around like it expected to get attacked. I stroked him down his back soothingly.
"Shhhhh, It's okay, I've caught you, you're alright." I crooned comfortingly.
Kyo looked up at me and mewed like little kitten. I nearly melted and this time I'm serious! He was just that cute!
Then he started to shake and buried his head against my neck. I heard laughing from behind me. I spun around and saw Yuki just stepping off the last rung of the ladder. I stormed right over to him and smacked him right in face. Oh my god. I just hit 'The Prince'.
Heheh, that felt pretty good... Stupid rat deserved it...
"You monster! Just look at what you've done to your poor cousin! Why, he's shaking like a leaf! How stupid are you? My god! You could have given him a heart attack! Jerk!" I spat out angrily.
He stared at me in shock. Heh, maybe I gave him brain damage... I hope not, my friend Genny back home just might kill me! I turned and headed towards the car, indicating that Hatori should do the same.
"Thank you" Kyo mewed in my ear.
"Don't mention it, I mean I couldn't just sit there and let you be turned into catmeat! I was obligated to save you! Besides, if I hadn't I would never be able to see if you're really as attractive as Shigure makes you out to be!" I whispered back.
The cat in my arms shifted around and stared at me. Heseemed shocked. I smirked and laughed, placing a kiss on the top of his head. He really is just too cute!
"So when you guys change back is there really a big POOF and cloud of conveniently placed fog or was that just- Ohmigod!"
There is a very embarrassed, very orange-haired, very naked Kyo sitting on the ground right in front of me... My face turned twenty shades of red as I spun around. I giggled.
"Guess not..."
"Erm... Er...Ummm..." Kyo coughed from behind me, "It's...er... nice to meet you Miss Nicole... Thanks again for saving me..."
"Nikki. Call me Nikki, no miss needed. And it's nice to meet you as well... You need clothes right?" I mumbled through my embarrassment.
"Yeah, I suppose I do... I'll just... Go inside... Now..." He stammered.
"No hang on, I have a gigantic sweatshirt in the car if you don't want to run about naked..." I said starting towards the car.
"Sure... Thanks." I heard him say. Then I heard some scrambling and shrubbery movement.
"I'm behind a bush now so when you get it you can just turn around and give it to me."
I reached into the back seat where I had left my sweatshirt. It may have been freezing where I came from but it certainly wasn't here... I turned, my bigbrightpinksweatshirt in hand to find Kyo blushing a brilliant shade of red and clenching his jaw so hard I found myself worried it would break. Inwardly, I laughed evilly. I was gonna have some fun with this... Even if he started yelling this would be fun!
I walked right over to the bush and looked over what I could see of him. I noticed him start to shift uncomfortably and almost laughed. I slowly drew my eye's up to his face, meeting his awkward gaze with my own predetorial one. He gulped visibly. This time I did giggle, handing him the sweatshirt.
"Yep, you are definitely as yummy as Shigure made you out to be!" I said stepping away, "Is it big enough?"
He glanced down and then looked at me.
"You're about 5 inches shorter than me, what the hell do you think!" Kyo grumbled at me.
"Let me go grab some pj pants I've got in my backpack. They're huge on me and they have a drawstring, there is no way they could not fit you." I said briskly.
I came back with the pants in hand, grinning ear to ear at his disbelieving stare. My pj's are bright blue with pink, the same pink as the sweatshirt,happy bunnies on them saying obscene things. Girly to the third power! Kyo looked up from the pants with a look that said 'You have GOT to be kidding me!'.
"Do you want pants or not!" I said impatiently shaking them at him. He snatched them from me, disappearing from view for a few seconds as he yanked them on.
"Make sure you wash those real well before you give them back... You aren't even wearing underwear!" I said, making a face.
He straightened and stepped out from behind the bush and right into my camera phone trap. He groaned as the telltale flash blinded him.
"Erase that. Now!" The angry cat demanded.
I shook my head, sticking my phone into my pocket. Or trying to at least. Kyo let out a yell and tackled me. Um, isn't he like, not able to do that? He shoved me to the ground and sat on my chest.
"Gimme that phone right this second! Damn woman!" He growled.
"Um, like, Why are you not a cat?" I asked in a confused voice.
"I kept my hands on your shoulders for that reason. That's how we can get around the rule, we can dowhat we want as long as we don't actually embrace the girl!" He snapped.
"Kinky!" I purred, winking at him. I starting laughing uncontrollably asKyo's faceflooded with color. He'sas red as a fire truck!
"ERASE IT NOW!" Kyo bellowed.
"No. It's too cute to delete!" I said stubbornly, unwilling to destroy such an adorable picture. I stretched my arm above my head as far as it would go, taking it just barely out of his reach unless he got off my chest. He grabbed for it anyway, reaching desperately.
And that was how Hatori, Shigure, Yuki, and Tohru found us. Kyo sitting on my chest and leaning over my head and me smirking up at him in triumph as I kept my phone out of his reach. Except they couldn't see the phone.
"What are you doing? Stupid cat why are you molesting our American visitor? How rude." Yuki said cooly. Did he even remember that I had smacked him? Damn him! He threw my Kyo off the roof!
I glanced at Hatori, who was staring in fascination, then Tohru whose gaze was moving so quickly from my face to Kyo's her head seemed to be moving at the speed of light, and then I looked at Shigure, writhing in delight and howling with laughter. Perfect.
"N-no! It's not like that! She-She took a picture of me! Like this! I'm not molesting her you damn rat! Who would want to do that?" Kyo shrieked from my chest where he was cutting off my air flow.
"ME!" Shigure yelped at the same time as I said "YOU!"
We looked at each other and began roaring with laughter.
"Aw, hell with it! I'm going to my room!" He shouted, and jumped off me. As he stomped away, I stood and brushed the dust off me as I slipped my cell into my pocket. I cleared my throat, staring at Tohru pointedly. Her eye's lit up with one of those 'oh yeah' looks and she snatched up Shigure.
"Okay, let's go!" I said and headed to the car. Yuki walked to the house muttering about lunatics and the other's got into the car, or, in Shigure's case, were thrown into the car.
I smiled.
"I'm driving."
AN: So... I finally updated... again, I'm sorry about the wait! And for any of you who read The Prank, I'm writing the next chappie as you read this so it should be up before the end of Spring Break! I'm trying real hard so leave me a review! I'll give you a brownie!
Zanica Valentine
Quickedit done on August 4, 2005