Chapter 7
- The Cursed One -

Twelve Chosen by the Goddess of the Unchanging Flower
And one left out, tricked by his friend and left with a monstrous form
An endless banquet, secret sorrow
- The Prophecy of Ages

Kaoru sighed. It was July, and summer was absolutely beautiful that year. Miroku and Kenshin had gone out with Sanosuke to

god-knows-where (probably to gamble), leaving her and Sango alone in the house.

"Kaoru, the laundry's not agreeing with me!" giggled Sango, struggling with a sheet fluttering in the breeze. "A little help, please?"

Kaoru laughed and skipped over to her, grabbing the other end of the renegade sheet and swinging it over the pole they hung their clothes

on.

"Ah! There we are!" she announced, wiping her brow. "That's the last of it, right?"

Sango nodded.

"Say, want something to eat?" she offered. "I'm starving!"

"That sounds great!" Kaoru replied. "I'll clean up; you go make something,"

"Sounds good to me," said Sango. "Be back soon,"

Slipping off her shoes and untying her sleeves, Sango began to make her way to the kitchen, but was interuppted by the sound of Kaoru

screaming.

"A DEMON!"

Quickly, she darted to the garden and found Kaoru pointing at a strange, grotesque creature that smelled of rotting meat. It certainly

looked like any demon that she had experience with, and since she did not need her boomerang for such a small thing, she did the next

best thing.

"GIMME THE WASHTUB, NOW!" she screamed, and caught it deftly as Kaoru threw it to her. Following the strange creature as it

darted around the place, she quickly snapped it down over the thing and sat on it when it began to move towards Kaoru.

"Get me a big rock! Or something heavy, I don't care!"

Kaoru darted by a bush and grabbed a heavy rock that made a garden wall barrier, slamming it on the washtub with a thud. The thing

shook violently, but did not move.

"What the hell is that thing?" Kaoru gasped, sitting on the vibrating tub.

"Well, I dunno," Sango replied, sitting down with her. "It looks like a demon to me..."

"I'M NOT A DEMON!" a small growly voice yelled from beneath them.

"What are you, then?" Sango asked it. There was no reply.

"Well, what are we going to do about this?" Kaoru asked.

"We'll just have to wait," Sango replied. "until the boys get home,"

"I want my gramma..." the thing under the tub said, it's voice suddenly more human-like.

"Did it just say it wants it's gramma?" Kaoru said.

"Pardon me..." said a voice. Kaoru and Sango both looked up to see a handsome young man no younger than his late twenties slide open

the door and peer around. "Is there a demon in your garden?"

'OH MY GAWWWWD!' both of them thought. 'He's gorgeous!'

"Umm...I think so..." stuttered Kaoru.

"I'm not a demon..." the thing under the washtub growled again.

"Maoh, you know I don't mean it," the man said, kneeling and smiling at the washtub. "I'm only saying what I think that they would think

you are,"

"Huh?" Sango said, cocking her eyebrow.

"Why don't you take away that washtub?" the man asked, looking into the girls' eyes. Hesitantly, they obeyed.

And what was under the washtub was not the foul-smelling creature they had captured just a few minutes ago, but a small boy no older

than 5 (with hair redder than Kenshin) that was glaring at them, wearing not a scrap of clothing on his tiny body.

'OH MY GAWWWWD!' they thought again. 'He's adorable!'.

"There, there, Maoh..." the man said, reaching into yukata and putting a blanket over the child. "See? You've changed back,"

Maoh made no reply. The girls simply stared.

"Grannie Juuko is very worried about you...why did you run away?" he asked the child.

"Because everyone hates me..." the child growled. "I hate being like this!"

The man smiled sadly and gave the child a hug, before scooping him back up into his arms.

"I'm very sorry for the inconvenience, ladies," he said with a smile. "Please forgive Maoh-kun; this isn't the first time he's run away,"

"Huh? Well...what was that...thing under the washtub just a second ago?" Kaoru asked, immensely confused.

"See? Even they hate me, and the don't even know who I am!" the boy said, pointing at them. For an instant, Kaoru felt guilty.

"I'm sorry..." she said softly.

"Maoh, don't be rude," the man said, looking sadly at the boy. "Please don't mind him. Just forget it ever happened. Excuse me,"

And with that, they began to leave.

"Wait! Who are you! At least tell us that!" Sango said. "Please!"

The man turned and smiled.

"It's Sohma Gou," he said with a smile. "If we had met under different circumstances, I would have stayed longer. Nice meeting you,

ladies!"

There was silence as he exited the home.

Then...

"SOHMA GOU?" both of them screamed.

"That's what he looks like? He's gorgeous!" Kaoru exclaimed, holding her face and sitting down on the washtub in shock.

"Isn't he that guy Clow said he knew when Sesshoumaru gave Kenshin that book last month?" Sango gasped, joining her.

"Oh god, you're right!" Kaoru gasped. "I...I can't believe it!"

They sat there on the washtub, frozen and staring until the boys came home.

Needless to day, nobody believed them by the time they had returned.

- Next -
The Eclipse