Kyo brushed a hand across his forehead, removing the sweat from it. He was standing in the new dojo trying to repair the side of the left wall with a hammer and some nails. Across the room, Hatsuharu dressed in a pair of blue jeans and white tea shirt was humming away and repairing a piece of the floor with another hammer. Kyo sighed and picked up his hammer once more.
"I can't believe I let you talk me into this" Kyo said hammering another nail into the wall, "I just hope it doesn't break me."
"It won't" Haru grinned as he looked over, "Besides it's not like you have to get rid of your old stuff. It can stay up at the house. And everything that was important to you has already been brought down here."
Kyo nodded. For just three days prior he and Haru had managed to get him and most of ten boxes of Tohru's and his most important stuff. Kyo looked up from his task and began to remember just how it all had been accomplished.
(Flashback)
Kyo placed the sign over the door of the dojo. Behind him two of his best students and their father approached.
"Teacher Kyo?" the older of the two boys replied making him turn around and smile immediately.
"Hiroshi" he knelt down, "Takei. What are you guys doing here?"
"We wanted to see you one last time teacher," Hiroshi said as his younger brother nodded.
"You're not really closing down the place are you Teacher Kyo?" Takei added after.
"I'm afraid so" Kyo nodded, "But don't worry you guys will be able to find another place. Maybe even better than this one."
"But you won't be there" Takei said the tears forming in his green eyes.
"No" Kyo said, "I won't be there. But you'll find a good teacher too."
"Not like you" Hiroshi shook his head as his brother agreed.
"The boys are right" Mr. Tikeda, their father replied, "There will never be another dojo like this one. Kazuma was my teacher and taught me everything I know" Kyo stood up and listened intently as he spoke, "I practically grew up in this place."
"Me too" Kyo nodded again, "But I'm sure that you will find another for your boys."
"I hope so" Mr. Tikeda said, "But we will not forget this place or it's teachers. And I will not send my boys to the Diamond Dojo" he added making Kyo smile slightly, "I'd rather find a place where they could learn to be taught morals as well as fighting then go to a place where I just save money."
"Thank you Mr. Tikeda" Kyo shook his hand that he had extended.
"What will you do now?"
"I think just right now. I will take care of my family."
"Well good luck to you" Mr. Tikeda nodded.
"Thanks. Goodbye you guys," he added to the boys.
"Goodbye Teacher Kyo!" they both said in unison.
"Always remember the most important thing in your fighting."
"Patience" Takei answered.
"And?"
"Think before you react" Hiroshi finished.
"Right. See ya!" he waved as they departed and then the smile fell from his face and he sighed as he walked back into the dojo.
He walked into the office room where Hatsuharu was sitting at the desk packing a whole bunch of Yuki's files into boxes. Kyo closed the door and sat at his desk that was bare.
"Did you call the truck to come get all the furniture here yet?" Kyo asked.
"Yep" Haru replied, "They'll be here within the hour. And then a couple hours after that, we get you out of here. Are you all boxed up at home?"
"Took care of it last night" Kyo nodded, "Kandis helped me. You really sure that this is going to work?"
"Trust me it will" Haru nodded but happened to glance over at him, "What's eating you? You look a little depressed."
"I just had to say goodbye to Hiroshi and Takei."
"Those were your best students weren't they?" Haru grimaced a little.
"They were the most promising," Kyo nodded as he stood up, "I'm gonna go out front and wait for the truck."
"Okay" Haru nodded but then the phone rang on his desk and he picked it up, "Hello Hatsuharu Sohma speaking?" he listened and then frowned for a moment, "Uh hold on. Kyo it's for you" he held out the phone.
"Is it who I think this is?" Kyo whispered.
Haru nodded and Kyo took the phone from him with a swift motion. "Kyo Sohma."
"Sohma" Tai's voice came on the other end, "Rumor has it that you are closing down your doors. Is that true?"
"Well bad news travels fast around here" Kyo replied sarcastically, "What do you want?"
"Well that should be obvious. You closing down your doors means that you have no source of income, and I'd hate to see you destitute."
"I'm sure" Kyo rolled his eyes, "Your point?"
"Well I'm simply calling to offer to buy your property. I really can make it worth your while."
"No deal."
"But Sohma your business is closing down. It's to be no more."
"My doors may be closing, but I have no intention of ever giving you the property. It's not for sale."
"Let's be reasonable Sohma. How will you survive without an income?"
"I'll manage. Anyway I'd rather be destitute then to ever to have to rely on your charity. The property as I have said before is not now nor will it ever be for sale, to the likes of you. Good day Mr. Ushida!" Kyo slammed the phone down.
(Back)
Kyo placed the hammer down and sat on the floor, grabbing the glass of ice water and taking a drink of it.
"I wonder what he thinks now?"
"Who?"
"Ushida. How long do you think it will take him to figure out that we are not at that house anymore?"
"Oh he'll probably figure it out by the time Tohru is here. And then he'll try to follow us, so we will have to be extra careful. So you might not see us for a while. But I wouldn't worry about these two weeks. We gave him the slip so bad he'll never figure it out that fast."
Kyo nodded with a slight grin. "This is true. And it's because of all your kooky ideas."
"Hey it worked didn't it?"
"Yea. It really did" Kyo admitted remembering.
(Flashback)
Kandis packed up the last box and began moving it over towards the door. As Kyo opened the door and he and Hatsuharu came in he shook his head as he closed it.
"Another one" he took the box from her, "You're just like Tohru. You shouldn't be handling something like this in your condition."
"Oh stop it!" Kandis replied, "I can handle it. I am aself- made woman. Pregnant or not."
"You heard her" Haru replied with a smile as they went into the sitting room.
"So did you guys finish up?"
"Yep" Haru nodded, "The truck took all the equipment just a couple of minutes ago."
"How is this supposed to work?" she asked.
"The company that took all the dojo equipment is from Kyoto" Kyo explained, "But they are a company that usually takes equipment from a company closing down and moves it down to it's factory to be sold to other companies. But since the head of the company is a friend of my Master, he was able to convince him to move it down to the new dojo."
"If Ushida even tries to check up on the company. That's the information he'll find. He'll see that Kyo's simply sold the equipment off to another company."
"Brilliant. Did you come up with that one?"
"Actually Kyo did" Haru pointed.
"Mhm."
"Well that's really good" she grinned, "So what's your plan for getting us out of here?"
"Momiji should be here any moment to solve that problem," Haru said looking at his watch.
"Momiji?"
"Uh huh. So Miss Ward were you able to get the car seats?"
"Mhm" she nodded, "Arisa and Saki were kind enough to drop them off this week. And it won't be a waste of money, because whoever is having a baby can use them."
"Exactly. Now when Momiji gets here we need to start moving boxes into the two vans outside."
"I'm still a little bit confused about all of this Haru" Kyo replied, "I mean how is this supposed to work?"
"Listen" Haru, replied with a grin, "You have exactly ten boxes to move right?"
"Yes. But we have a lot of empty boxes" he looked around at all the other boxes that had nothing in them, "At least ten more."
"That's the point. We are going to fill up both vans. One with the real boxes and one with the empty boxes. While we are moving the boxes."
"Hey guys. Sorry I am late!" Momiji said coming into the room.
"Perfect timing Momiji" Haru grinned, "I was just explaining the plan."
"Oh great" he nodded sitting down, "Hi" he said politely to Kandis.
"Hi" she nodded back.
"Okay, as I was saying. While we are moving the boxes we will be having a conversation, loud enough for the person in the black car to hear."
"Conversation?" Kyo asked, "What conversation?"
"We are going to make him believe that you have decided to sell off some of your belongings to me for some money. The ten boxes. We'll even have cash available. It's from the main house" he added when he saw Kyo's perplexed look, "Akito sent it over. You and I will be driving the vans. I will be in the one with the empty boxes of course."
"Of course. But the black car will follow me."
"No he won't. He will be following Momiji."
"Huh?"
"Complicated isn't it?" Momiji chuckled.
"You mean you know about this already?" Kyo asked a bit exasperated.
"Haru told me everything already earlier. So I would know what to do. I've got the car parked outside."
"Car?"
"Yep. Momiji has his license" Haru nodded.
"Okay" Kyo said confused as ever as Momiji nodded his head, "Still not getting it."
"It's a rental Kyo" Momiji explained, "It's the exact car you drive.Your car is down in Kyoto right?"
"Yea. Haru had to drive us back here with the van" Kyo nodded, "So?"
"So I will be in the car with Miss Ward and the car seats."
"And I will be in the van following them to the main house" Haru added, "You will be in the other on your way to Kyoto."
"But why won't he follow me? He knows what I look like."
"Bingo!"
"Huh?"
"I thought we would rely once more on Ayame's skills" he held up a wig that was colored exactly as his hair.
"A wig?" Kyo grimaced.
"Mhm. You will wear my hair" he handed him the wig, "Momiji will wear yours" he handed him the orange one, "And I will wear his" he took out the last which was curly and blonde.
"This is incredible" Momiji replied in awe, "This is exactly like our hair."
"Ayame was happy to help. They will fit us perfectly. And we're all about the same height. From a distance. And we know thatthe car will be in a distance, because that is the way it works, it will look exactly as he thinks. We will pack up the vans in our normal hair and when we come in for Tohru" he made the quotes marks with his fingers, "Miss Ward."
She giggled.
"And the two empty car seats, we will put on the wigs. Outside you will give Momiji, our fake Kyo the cash, but it will be too much. So he will give you some back. You know in case you need it."
Kyo nodded.
"I will bring down the rest of it when I come down to help you later in the week."
"Okay" Kyo nodded again, "I think I understand. Momiji will be playing me and driving the car with Miss Ward who is playing Tohru. You will be playing him and will drive the van with the empty boxes behind him, making the car follow all of you back to the main house. And I will be playing you and will drive the van with the full boxes down to Kyoto, with no car following me. Is that what the plan is?"
"That's right" Haru grinned.
"Sounds twisted."
"It sounds like fun" Kandis smiled as she stood up and they all nodded their heads in agreement.
A couple of minutes later the three men were outside filling up the vans with all the boxes. In his car Ichirou Nakagami watched intently. Kyo turned to Haru and began the fake conversation.
"I really appreciate you taking these" Kyo replied loudly in his normalvoice to Haru, "I'm afraid we can't afford to keep them anymore."
"It's no problem cousin" Haru nodded playing along, "Rin will like all these things that Tohru picked out for her. But I will make it worth your while."
"I will too Kyo" Momiji added coming over with the next empty box, "After all you are selling this stuff to me and Andie before we get married. We really appreciate it."
"Just can't afford to keep it anymore" Kyo nodded placing a full box into his van, "You can follow me to the main house. We're going for a visit there anyway."
"Okay" Momiji agreed with a nod, "Haru where are you taking your boxes?"
"To the new house. So I probably won't be back at the main house until later tonight."
"Let's go get that last box," Kyo said and the three of them walked back into the house.
In his car Ichirou Nakagami watched intently. "It looks like they are selling some of their stuff off. And it appears they're also going somewhere for a change. Good" he sighed in relief, "I'm tired of sitting outside of this house."
Inside of the house, Momiji and Hatsuharu managed to pull on their wigs and straighten them while Kyo with a little bit of help from Kandis put his on and grimaced.
"I hope this is worth it" he sighed.
"It will be" Haru chuckled, "Now remember. Hand Momiji the money. He'll hand you some back. And then we will climb into our cars."
"Right."
"Hatsuharu" Kandis replied putting on her Tohru face, "Since you are playing Momiji would you mind carrying one of the fake babies."
"Not at all" he grinned taking the car seat with the baby doll in it, that she had wrapped up enough to see the face a little.
The four of them walked back out the door and Kandis and Hatsuharu placed the car seats into the back of the car. As they did that Kyo handed Momiji the cash and then Momiji handed him some back, saying it was too much. Kyo nodded and then they each climbed into their prospective cars. Kyo put on his seatbelt and sighed watching as Haru and Momiji each started up their cars and drove away from the house. He started up his car and noticed as Nakagami's car drove past him and followed the van and Momiji's car. With a sigh of relief, Kyo drove away from the house and headed for Kyoto, with no car following him just as Haru had predicted.
(Back)
Kyo once more turned to Hatsuharu who was also taking a break from his work.
"How long did the car sit outside the main house?"
"A pretty long time" Haru replied.
"I still can't believe it worked. But it did, didn't it."
"Yep" Haru nodded with a grin, "I knew it would. The car followed us and you got down here safely. For all they know you guys are still at the main house. Hey when does Tohru come home?"
"Four more days."
"Well then we had better get started. You don't have much time."
"Huh?"
"It's time to go furniture shopping" Haru grinned again as he stood up.
"Okay. I need a shower first. And to check on my twins next door."
"All right. Let's do that. But then we definitely need to go. You need to have your house nicely furnished by the time your wife comes home."
Kyo nodded and then stood up from the floor, and followed Haru back inside his house to take a nice relaxing shower.
(Next Scene)
Three days later Kyo, Momiji, and Hatsuharu gazed around at the house satisfied at the job they had accomplished.
"It looks good Kyo" Momiji smiled, "Tohru is going to be really happy."
"You think so?" Kyo said.
"Oh yea. Absolutely" Haru nodded, "She'll love it."
"Thanks. Well I am going to go check on the twins. You guys can crash wherever you want to. Tohru should be home tonight some time."
"I thought you said it was four days" Haru replied.
"She's taking an earlier flight back. Her and the damn rat should be back here tonight."
"I'll bet you are happy about that" Momiji grinned.
'Yep. I am so glad she is coming home."
(Next Scene)
That evening Kyo was in the kitchen when he heard the front door open. It was raining outside, so Yuki folded down the umbrella as he and Tohru stepped into the house. Tohru removed her jacket and stared in awe at the house and all it's new furniture. Kyo came from out of the kitchen.
"Welcome home Mrs. Sohma" he grinned, "What do you think?"
"Kyo" she smiled almost crying, "It's perfect" she ran to his embrace and he held her tight, "I missed you so much."
"I missed you too. Welcome home."
(Till Next Time)
Authors Note: Hey guys! I swear I will try to finish this book by this weekend. I also decided to put much of the storyline that I had intended for this chapter into the next one. Also the flashbacks were put into different style of writing so you can tell between the two sets of dialogue. So you will get it then. Hope you enjoyed it! Only two more chapters to go!
Next Time on Cursed Renewed:
Chapter Eighteen: This Is Where We Will Stay
Tohru and Kyo attempt to make their new home in a new city. But starting up the new dojo and meeting new neighbors might prove quite challenging for the young couple.
And
Chapter Nineteen: Jinto and the Zodiac
What is Jinto Kanzaka, Kagura's husband's link to the Zodiac curse and why is he involving himself with the Sohma's? Find out in this the last chapter of Book One!