AN: I'm back. Gomen nasai. I got myself grounded. Why?

Parents version: I was impolite and stubborn.

My Version: I talked to my mother like I would my friends. She told me that I shouldn't talk my parents so rudely and that I should change. I refuse to change myself.

Also I got a boyfriend. Yah for me. According to my friends, I'm not so innocent anymore.

Now I'm off grounding and said boyfriend is working. I'm back. Who missed me? cricket chirps; tumbleweed blows by; someone coughs; finally silence T.T Oh I get it you don't care about me. T.T You just want to put duct tape over my mouth right? T.T Well what if I just didn't write this chapter huh? T.T In fact, I do just that. Good bye. walks towards a door that came out of nowhere; audience erupts in applause No you don't really care. You just want my story. Audience yells "We care. Really." Nope. Audience: Please! We love you!! 3 Well. . Okay! 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Audience -.-9

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN FURUBA. T.T

Oh, I forgot the results for the older twin poll are in. If I could please have the results. Ayame appears out of nowhere in a red shimmery night like that lady from Wheel of Fortune; hand Nako the results; Audience explodes in joyous fanatic praise and uproar Hey how come I didn't get that at first. Random person from the Audience: Because, you aren't a guy who oozes with feminine beauty. Nako: Security! Get that unfanatic reader outta here. Leon from pet shop of horrors appears out of nowhere Leon: Come with me miss. Nako: DON'T BE POLITE TO HER! Leon: sigh; grabs said member of audience and tosses her over his shoulder RPFTA: Oh big shoulders. Nako: okay let's see I know I'm forgetting something. Excuse. Parent Bashing. Boyfriend. Faux Appreciation. Disclaimer. Disposal of impostor. Ayame in a sexy red gown. Hmm why is Ayame in a sexy red gown again? long pause Oh that's right the results...oh cookies... No focus. Ayame please give me the results. Ayame hands her the results Another random person from the audience: Why is Ayame quiet? Nako:Because I told him that if he interrupted the antics of my show he wouldn't be able to keep the dress. Audience: OoHh.

And the results of the older twin poll are from a vote of four to two glance at the card I'm not telling. suddenly being mobbed On with the story.

Chapter Six: RiceBalls

Mareo's POV

I sat in a field surrounded by white daisies. I started to pick them. Nako loves daisies. suddenly the scene changed the daisies disappeared from my hands. I was in a dark room. Michiko was standing before a beautiful man. He had a very dark presence no matter how beautiful he was. "What makes you think you can take away my precious zodiac?"

Michiko's defiant demeanor was relentless. "No offense, but they don't belong to you. They deserve a life that revolves around their own choices. You have no right to selfishly manipulate them."

I didn't know why, but suddenly I yelled, "Ko, Don't make him mad! Gure said not to make him mad!"

"Like I'd listen to that pervert."

Suddenly, the man reached out, grabbed Michiko by the neck and lifted her in the air. "I will not let you take away what is mine."

VVVV

I shot up from the bed, gasping for air. Was that a dream or vision? I walked/ran across the hall into the twins' room. Shina was singing "The Perfect Year" in her sleep. (AN Don't own.) Michiko was mumbling peacefully in her sleep. I sighed in relief.

I leaned in close to hear what she was saying.

"Peanuts." she slurred. I grinned and kissed the top of her head.

I walked out of the room. I'm a bit hungry. I wonder if there's anything in the kitchen.

In the kitchen, I heard slight bustling. I walked in.

"Tohru? What are you doing up this early? It's five in the morning."

"Oh! Mr. Lin, you scared me. I-I'm making breakfast."

"Mr. Lin is my father. Even he doesn't let his friends call him that. We are friends, aren't we?"

She suddenly became frantic. "Oh of course. I'm sorry. That was rude of me. Um...Mareo."

"Tohru, don't try so hard to be polite."

She looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"If you're mad, act mad. If you're sad, act sad. If you ever feel any negative emotions at all, let them out."

"I don't want to burden my friends with my problems." She went back to making riceballs.

I put my hand over hers and took away the riceball. "You know, riceballs are delicious. But, if they have anything nasty inside, they will taste nasty too." I put a little plum into the ball. "You are a lot like a riceball Tohru. You have a lot of sweet flavoring. So much sweetness, that it overpowers the taste of everything bad inside. However, all that bad cancels out the good too. No one can taste your sweet little plum to it's full potential." I stuffed the riceball into my mouth. "Friends are friends, because they want you to be happy and sweet. The happier and sweeter you are, the happier and sweeter your friends will be."

Tohru laughed a little. "You remind me of someone."

"Someone dashingly handsome I hope."

"I was too young to think of anyone as handsome. He was a childhood friend. He also called me riceball. When the class played Fruits Basket, he always called on me." Her face shadowed in sadness. "Then he moved and I never saw him again."

Tohru is a great, beautiful girl. God knows I flirt with lots of girls, but soon I might meet the voice. The voice is the girl I will marry. I don't want to mess that up. So, I guess...

"I hope you find him." (AN This is important. Remember this. It's also my own little way of dismissing a rumored pairing. Tohru can't be the voice. She's not a Sohma. )

She smiled a bit. "Me too."

Poor thing looks tired. "Can I help with anything?"

"Oh no! I don't want to burden you."

"We're friends. Remember? Cast your burdens to this willing person."

She still seemed uneasy, but her exhaustion got the better of her. "Okay, I'm almost done with the riceballs, but you can set the table."

"Okay." I replied cheerfully.

I took plates out to the dining room. It didn't take to long for me to set the table. Forks on the left. Cups above the fork. Spoons on the left of the knife. Knife blade turned out. Napkins folded in half, placed vertically on the plate. Done.

I sat down and picked up a book. Two sentences later I slammed the book closed. Who writes this junk? The front bottom left corner said 'Shigure Sohma' on it. I'm letting my precious sisters live under the same roof as this guy? What am I thinking? The door opened suddenly, startling me. Then I saw who it was and I relaxed. Then again they can handle themselves.

Shina's POV

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

I climbed out of the top bunk--

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

--picked up a chair--

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

--walked over to the alarm clock--

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

--and--

BEEP BEEP BEEP B--SMASH!!!

--killed the alarm clock.

I turned over to my sister. "Ko, wake up. Let's go for a run."

"Idunwana." Michiko slurred.

I sighed and poked her thighs. "GOD, THESE THINGS CAN JIGGLE!"

In no time at all, she shot out of bed and examined her thighs. "NU-UH!"

I laughed. "Come on lets go running."

"Why?"

I slipped on my sweatsuit. "Because I said so. And you know you want to."

She turned away, defiant. "No I don't."

"Fine. Bye." I walked down the hall with a smile on my face. One. Two. Three.

Michiko POV

Wait, I was joking. "Wait for me!" I yelled. I grabbed a tank top and gym shorts, put them on and ran out the door. I saw Shina leaning against the wall. I walked past her with fake impatience on my face. "Well let's go already."

I heard her laughing behind me. "Fine."

We never talked on our runs. We always listened to our iPods. Me with my rock. her with her well, whatever.

I loved running with Shina. Aside from actually getting to enjoy her uninterrupted company, there's the wonderful feeling that you get when you finally stop running.

There weren't many people out. I like watching people, so what few people were around were more interesting than usual.

In the distance I heard a black car. I turned around. Looks like a hearse, it's so depressed looking. I had only a few seconds to lock eye contact with a very beautiful raven haired man the backseat. It was only for a second but it was long enough for me to feel chills go up and down my spine.

"Ko?" Shina touched my arm to grab my attention and see if I was alright. "Ko, your freezing. It's not that cold out. Are you al right?"

"I-I'm-m f-fine. But-but can we go back?"

"Sure, Let's go."

The farther away I got from that car . . . and that person, the better I felt. Soon Shina managed to get me laughing about nothing in particular. We opened the door and found Mareo on the the couch with one of Shigure's books in his hand.

Shina was the first to react. "Ray! That is not a good book for a young man to read. Honestly I thought better of you."

I refused to let Shina get all the fun, though she had no idea how much she could enjoy himself with the situation. "Now now Na, Ray is a growing man and like all men he has needs. That's why he gets rooms separate from us. He certainly can't do anything fun with us in the room."

Shina was obviously confused. I love teasing her. "Don't you find it strange that while he claims to protect us from across the hall, that job would be so much easier in the same room?"

"Well, I never thought of that. Why is that Ray?"

"Wel-I mean-it ju-" Mareo stuttered.

"To put it simply," I started. "He's jacking off in the guest room."

"KO! Don't be vulgar!"

"Not vulgar. Honest." I said.

"Riceballs are ready Mareo." Tohru walked out of the kitchen. "Oh, Michiko. Shina. You're up early."

"We go for a run every morning." I said.

"Oh, wow." Tohru exclaimed. "That's so dedicated of you."

Shina scratched the back of her head and turned a little pink. "Not really."

"Tohru," I looked at he food before me and I couldn't help but wonder. "Do you make breakfast every morning?"

"Um, yes I do. And lunch and dinner. The Sohma men aren't very good house keepers."

Shina's eyes grew very wide. "Wait does that mean you clean too."

"Everything except their own rooms."

I looked at Shina and she was thinking the exact thing I was thinking. It's too much. "Tohru, you do all this by yourself. Do they pay you?"

"Oh no I couldn't take money from the Sohmas. They already been to kind to me. Besides I don't need money; I have a job."

"WHAT!" we yelled together. "You clean, cook, go to school and have a job. Please tell me they help you at least a little."

"Well, yes. They do. Kyo helps me hang the laundry. Yuki helps washes the dishes. Haru repairs the house when needed."

Shina and I looked at each other and nodded. "Tohru, how often do you get sick?"

"OH! Not often at all! Once since I got here."

Shina, ever the authority of housekeeping, spoke on behalf of the rest of us. "Tohru you are overworked. You have bags under your eyes and your tired. I do not believe our presence here is helping. So, as of now consider us your assistants in your duty."

I spoke up in turn. "While you and the others are at school. We can draw up an outline of duties that each of us are prepared to relieve of you."

Tohru panicked. "Oh no! That is far to kind of you. I couldn't let you."

"Tohru," I interrupted. "Shuddup."

Mareo's POV

I never felt more relieved. The one drawback to Japan is that when your a guest, you are required to be lazy. That just wasn't me. I liked to clean.

I looked over to see the twins whispering to each other. I closed my eyes and leaned back my head. I loved how closed we all were.

"RAY!!!"

They hugged me from behind and tackled me to the ground. They were still sweaty.

"EW! Sticky, stinky, smelly, yucky, germy, girl cooties."

Omnipotent POV

The rest of the family soon arrived in their own time and they all sat down to eat sushi and riceballs for breakfast. No one was aware that the road before them was made of cobblestone. To walk it gives you an ethereal feeling. But it is still a very bumpy road.

sigh Done. Alrighty. review. Tell me you love me. you know you wanna.

love ya guys,

Nako