Chapter 43

TT: I have exams, starting next week, that I really, really, really should be studying for… … But fanfiction is just so much more rewarding and fun!

Dark-Shigure – Hey, nice to hear from you again… Picture? Did I hear/read 'picture'? You've gone and excited me… and Eris –

Eris: Kyo! I'm famous!

Kyo: We're on chapter 43, and you thought no one could remember who you are?

SillyLittleNothing – I'm not going to answer your questions, so naah! :sticks out tongue: Heh, joking. I just don't want to give away any spoilers.

Kyo: That usually means she hasn't decided yet.

Chii – Me, a god? :blinks, then blushes: Aw, thanks!

Dark Inu Fan – It's possible it's the first step in breaking the curse in the zodiac, and weakens their animal forms somewhat. Other than that, I'm not sure.

Watevr – Congrats on giving me the first review for the previous chapter. Thanks for reviewing.

"Dying? But I thought that we already knew The Creature was going to die; he was so sick, after all."

Kyo gave the ghost a look that easy said 'you are an idiot', "Not Akito – well, maybe, they don't care about him any more – the God. The spirit of the God is dying – he won't be reincarnated into another body, or at least they don't think so. They said that the - "

"Funny Bright White-ish Twisty Orb Thing-y."

" – Yeah, whatever. That was the spirit of the God, the part that keeps coming back and back again. They… hurt it, somehow. And now it's dying. Akito's the last of the Sohma Gods, or at least the cats think so."

Eris opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted by Hiro's cry of "What?" The pair looked down at Kyo's small cousins, both having forgotten they were there. There eyes were wide, staring at the orange-haired teenager in disbelief.

"Hey, NeKyo; does Baa-Baa Black Sheep think you said something blasphemous? 'Cause the last time I remember someone looking at someone else quite like that, they'd said that, oh, I don't remember. Something about Revelations I think."

Kyo waved a hand in the ghost's direction; a movement that meant something along the lines of (to quote Eris) 'Shut up before you make my ears bleed. I'm in the middle of something really important – most likely a test that I'm about to flunk – and I don't want to get sent to the school-counselor for talking to myself again, it was traumatizing enough the last time.'

The ghost obediently stopped talking, and instead began to pout, and then floating into the cage behind them to talk to the sleepy ghosts within.

Kyo looked back at Kisa and Hiro, who were still standing in front of him, eyes disbelieving. Exasperated, the cat gave a shrug, "Look, that's what he said, alright. I wouldn't have a clue."

Not sure what to say to that, Hiro tried to think of firmer ground, "You're not supposed to be here."

Kisa tugged at Hiro's shirtsleeve, her attempt to scold him for being so rude to the older feline. Hiro hugged, and turned his head away stubbornly.

Kyo rolled his eyes, "Alright, fine – I've found out what I wanted to know, anyway. Soon as 'Eris is done talking about whatever it is ghosts talk about, I'm going home; I have homework." He suddenly paused, glancing over his shoulder, and then sighed, rolling his eyes, "No, we are not getting ice-cream on the way home. We got ice cream yesterday. Are you done, yet?" Apparently getting a confirmative, Kyo patted Kisa only the head gently as a goodbye, and walked away. A chill past through the pair as Eris followed.

Kisa waved to the pair as they left, then glanced back at the cage for a moment longer, before she let Hiro pull her away from the area.

Back in the darkness of the cage, the first cat licked a paw, and proceeded to clean his ears for a moment, before settling back down to sleep, pausing only savor the feeling on triumph over their capture for another moment. He closed his eyes and, once again, began to purr in sync with his kittens.

"So, how many people do you think have heard that you were in the estate grounds, talking to a bunch of ghosts about how the Creature is dying, so far?"

"That depends; if Kisa and Hiro only told Hatori, then only a few. But if they told Momiji – or Haru, because Haru would tell Momiji – then Momiji would have told Tohru, Tohru would have told Yuki and Shigure, and Shigure would have teamed up with Ayame to tell everyone."

There was a pause, as the pair began to think about which of the two options was more likely. "The chances of Sheepy having told Hopper are slimmer, but they fit in better with Murphy's Law."

"And my life."

"Well, yeah, but I didn't want to say that bit."

They were silent for the rest of the journey home, and only paused when they saw a familiar car parked outside the house. From inside, they could faintly hear Shigure's overly dramatic voice crying that 'Tori was ignoring him!'

The pair shared a glance between them. "Well, even if Hatori was the only other one to know, he won't be for long – Shigure's going to be on the phone all night long."

Eris grinned, "He's probably after an excuse – I understand that his editor wanted a manuscript off him last week."

"So that's why the phone was disconnected the other day." He paused, giving Hatori's car a look that suggested he was wishing for it to disappear. It didn't.

Eris pulled on Kyo's arm, "Come on, let's go face the music."

"Let's not and say we did."

Resigned to his fate, Kyo allowed himself to be pulled to the front porch. It was a very strange sight, to see Kyo trying to pull away from some invisible for that had a hold of his upper arm and was pulling him along; but it was also a surprisingly common one around Shigure's house, and none of the wildlife thought anything of it anymore. It was just one of those human-cat things.

The front door opened; Shigure and Hatori looked out of the living room where they had been waiting as Kyo came in. Kyo glanced at the expression on Hatori's face, and groaned, "Yeah, yeah, I know the drill. I've got some explaining to do, right?" There was a slight pause, as Kyo looked at the empty space near his shoulder, "Good cop bad…? Don't encourage the stupid mutt!"

Shigure clapped his hands together, looking at the dragon, "That's a great idea! Oh, Hatori, can't we please do you good cop-bad cop routine, please? I've always wanted to try it – so has Aya! I could call him up, and all the Mabudachi Trio could try it together! Just like old times, do you remember?"

Hatori looked at Shigure out of the corner of his good eye, "I remember that you haven't had your flu vaccination, yet."

"Eep!"