Part Two:

Takara informed Stephanie about her progress that day but also told the disappointed girl that she had more in mind to help her friend succeed which she told her that she would keep to herself for the time being, and Stephanie agreed only a little bit curious about what the little rabbit had in mind.

The next day Takara and Krysta were talking near their lockers about the next step in their plans.

"But can we ask her such a silly question?" Krysta replied, "And what would it accomplish?"

"Just follow my lead" Takara said when Raiu came over suddenly, "What's up Raiu?"

"I wanted to ask you two a question" he replied.

"Yea" Takara nodded, "What is it?"

"I wanted to do an experiment. But I need some help."

"What kind of experiment?" Krysta asked.

"I've been thinking about this all night. But it has to do with my curse."

The two girls looked at each other quizzically.

"Go on" Takara said with a nod.

"I want to try to see," he whispered, "If she likes snakes."

"If who likes snakes?" Takara asked.

"Nobody" he replied nervously, "Just somebody" he said hurriedly.

"Somebody you like?" Krysta teased.

"No. Unless Hitomi's not around?" he gazed around them nervously.

"She's not here" Takara reassured him, "So you want to show this person your Zodiac form?"

"No. No. They're going to think I am a snake."

"And this accomplishes what?" Krysta asked him quizzically.

"I just want to see if she is afraid of snakes. Girls are afraid of snakes you know."

"So it is a girl," Takara teased some more.

"Mhm" he nodded nervously, "So what if it is?"

"And who is the lucky girl who is going to see you as a snake?"

"I don't remember her name" he said fast, "But she was with you yesterday" he added.

"When yesterday?"

"During break time" he replied in a bit of a huff and the two girls looked at each other their eyes getting wide, "I saw her from across the grass and I thought she was kind of cute so I came over to talk to her. Will you help me or not?"

"What do you want us to do?" Takara said slowly.

"I need you guys to bring her over to the patch of bushes just ten minutes before the bell rings at the end of break time. The guys already said they would help me" he said referring to his friends who already knew about the Zodiac curse and had sworn secrecy, "So?"

"Okay, we'll help you" Takara nodded.

"We will?" Krysta said surprised.

"Mhm" Takara nodded, "We'll help you on one condition."

"What?" Raiu asked eagerly.

"If you can remember next time if you get the chance to talk to her, her name is Sophie."

"Sophie" Raiu grinned dreamily, "What a beautiful name" he turned back to them, "I'll see you guys at break time" he walked away.

"Bye" Takara said.

"Are you crazy Takara?" Krysta replied, "How can we help him? Hitomi will skin us alive."

"She's not going to find out about it. Besides this is the perfect opportunity."

"I don't understand" Krysta said as they began to walk to class.

"Raiu once told me that he believed that the person he was destined to be with was someone who could accept him for being a snake. If Sophie accepts him then she's the one."

"Yea but how do we know she will?"

"That's just it. Don't you remember I told you earlier that we were going to ask her?"

"Oh yea. But still, do you really think this will work?"

"Only one way to find out" Takara grinned as they reached their classroom, "And I can't wait" she added excitedly.

(Next Scene)

When the girls walked outside for lunch they ran into Sophie who was walking alone reading a book that she had gotten out of the library quietly. Standing outside were a bunch of girls waiting for Raiu eagerly to appear.

"Hi Sophie" Takara replied as they walked over ignoring the crowd.

"Oh hi guys" she nodded.

"What you doing?"

"Reading a book," she replied, "It's one of my favorites. I check it out all the time" she held it up and Takara's eyes rose a bit.

"Reptiles of the world" she said as she read the title and looked at Krysta who smiled slightly, "This is your favorite book."

"Mhm" Sophie nodded, "I love it."

"Does this mean that" Krysta took up the cue, "You like reptiles, like lizards and alligators?"

"Oh yea" Sophie nodded again, "They fascinate me. Although my favorite would have to be snakes."

The two girls stopped and Takara turned to the one who was walking in the middle the book still open to the page she had been reading.

"Say that again?"

"Snakes" Sophie repeated, "I know to most girls they would be pretty scary, but I find them extremely cool. And they're neat looking too."

"Yea" Krysta nodded smiling happily, "Why don't we go eat our lunch over this way" they steered her towards the bushes.

"Okay" Sophie agreed and they both took her arms and led her towards the spot.

(Next Scene)

Meanwhile at a nearby bush Sosuke and Kenji were staring down at a small grey snake that was hissing quite loudly.

"You sure you want to do this?" Kenji asked.

"Absolutely" Raiu answered his tongue flickering out, "Can you see her yet?"

"Your cousins are sitting with her by the trees" Sosuke answered, "All the other girls are in the center waiting for you probably."

"Perfect. An audience" Raiu grinned.

"What?" Kenji hissed back.

"Well it's Showtime!" Raiu replied slithering off in the direction of the crowd of girls.

"I hope he knows what he's doing" Sosuke shook his head as Kenji nodded in agreement.

The girls were all chatting happily when suddenly one of them screamed out loudly.

"SNAKE!"

They all screamed and then dashed away in fear as Krysta and Takara also pretended to be afraidof the small slithering snake, and dashed off as well, ducking behind a tree to watch the remaining action. Sophie watched all the excitement and then she too spotted the little creature and at once stood up. She picked up a stick nearby and walked over to the snake that was remaining quite still.

"Aw" she replied much to his surprise, "You're just a little one aren't you" she said sweetly to the snake and then squatted down, "Imagine being afraid of you. Come on" she urged the snake onto the stick, "I'd better get you out of here before you get trampled on" Raiu slithered onto the stick slowly his green eyes flashing, "I'll put you on the other side of the fence where you'll be perfectly safe" she carried the stick over towards the fence, then placed the stick through the bars and allowed him to slither off the stick to the other side, "Now you hurry on home" she said kindly to him, "And try not to come back here. You'll get hurt. I would hate to see that. You really are cute," she added and he blushed slightly as she turned away and walked back into the courtyard.

The snake slithered towards the bushes where his friends were waiting and in the next instant a small POOF was heard and he was back in his human form, his cheeks still quite pink.

"So how did it go?" they asked as they handed him his clothes.

"She's so cute" he grinned with a chuckle.

They looked at each other as he put on his clothes dreamily, anticipating his next encounter with his new crush.

That afternoon as Takara and Krysta followed behind him on their way to the main house they saw that he was still gazing around him dreamily.

"I think that went very well," Takara giggled.

"I think you're right" Krysta nodded, "And best of all Hitomi saw none of it because she left early."

"Mhm."

"Now what?"

"Part B" Takara answered and Krysta nodded again with a grin.

(Next Scene)

"Excellent work Takara" Stephanie said into the phone after she had heard the good news, "So what's next? Hmm. I think I might have an idea. In fact it's been something I have been thinking about. Well I am coming over theretomorrow to see Kaye and the others right? Exactly" Stephanie grinned, "I'm sure she'll want to come. Okay. Talk to you later. And thanks again" she hung up the phone and walked upstairs where her sister was reading her reptile book while laying on her bed, "Hey Soph."

"Hey" Sophie replied.

"Listen. Sam is going to be out tomorrow afternoon doing something with his group in college so I was wondering if you would like to come with me tothe Sohma main house and spend some time with the girls?"

"You mean Takara?"

"Mhm."

"How come?"

"Oh I don't know. Also I was hoping you would get the chance to play with someone outside of school. Besides she did mention she wanted to see you."

"She did?"

"Mhm."

"Well okay. I guess I can come."

"Great" Stephanie nodded, "Want to go help me make dinner?"

"Yea" she nodded back jumping up and Stephanie put her arm around her, "You know a real weird thing happened at school today."

"What's that?"

"I actually saw a real live snake."

"You don't say" Stephanie replied grinning secretly to herself.

(Next Scene)

The next afternoon Stephanie and Sophie walked to the main house and were welcomed by Takara, Hitomi, and Krysta, who immediately invited Sophie to go and play with them, so Stephanie walked over to the main house where Kaye and Sakura were waiting for her to join them for a cup of tea with Yamato.

The three younger girls talked a lot as they took a break from playing a game of ping pong in the rec room located in the main house and found themselves by the large tree where her sister told her stories.

"We're so glad that you could come today" Takara replied.

"Really?" Sophie said.

"Mhm."

"Yea. You're so quiet at school" Hitomi replied.

"Hitomi" Krysta scolded.

"Well she is" Hitomi insisted, "She never talks this much" she spotted Raiu headed into the main gate, "Oh he's here" she giggled a little as she ran over to him.

"Hmm" Sophie looked over and immediately blushed, "I didn't know that he was going to be here" she lowered her face as he tried to get away from Hitomi.

"Well you do know that this is where he lives don't you?" Takara replied.

"Mnm. I" she whispered softly.

"What's the matter?" Krysta asked concerned.

"I. I can't do this" she replied running towards the houses as Stephanie came out of the main house and saw her run.

"Sophie" Stephanie said slowly as Raiu walked over and saw her dash after her younger sister, "Sophie!"

"Hey guys" he replied as Hitomi marched over with her hands on her hips, "What's going on?"

"Um. Sophie was just here," Takara said.

"She was?" he replied a bit too excited much to Hitomi's chagrin, "Well where is she?"

"She just went that way" Takara pointed, "Stephy went after her."

"Why?"

"Haven't you figured it out yet" Krysta shook her head, "She's her younger sister."

"Oh" Raiu replied, "No wonder she's so cute."

"Raiu" Hitomi warned but Krysta and Takara took her by the arms.

"We'll hold her you go" Takara urged as Hitomi began to squeal and he took off.

"Let me go you traitors!"

(Next Scene)

When Raiu arrived at the back of the houses he saw that Stephanie was leaning over her sister, who's face was red with embarrassment and crying slowly.

"I can't," she said over and over, "I can't do it. I'm too scared."

"I'm sorry Sophie" Stephanie replied, "I didn't mean to push it on you."

"You didn't" Sophie shook her head, "He must think I am so weird."

"Why would he think that?" she asked as Raiu took a step forward.

"Because I ran away again. Because I always run away. I'm never gonna be able to say how I feel. It doesn't matter, he has lots of girls to choose from."

"But I have it on good authority, that he's not interested in those girls."

"But they're all prettier then me."

"Now what makes you say that?"

"They just are. He's never gonna like me, because I'm too quiet. They always talk to him."

Raiu took a few more steps forward and cleared his throat dramatically.

"The way I see it, you have something they don't."

Stephanie and Sophie looked back in surprise and Sophie wiped the tears from her face.

"Raiu" Stephanie smiled slightly, "How long you've been listening?"

"Just a few seconds" he said softly, "Do you think I could talk to Sophie for a few minutes?"

"Well" she replied and then looked at her sister her had her face lowered, "Soph. He wants to talk to you alone. Do you think that would be all right?"

"Um" Sophie said slowly as they stood up, "Okay."

"All right" Stephanie nodded, "I'll be right by the tree if you need me" she patted Raiu's shoulder as she walked out and then he moved forward a little more.

"So. You're Stephanie's sister" he began.

"Mhm."

"I can't believe I never figured that out. I mean you do look sort of the same."

"No we don't" she shook her head, "My sister is much prettier then I am."

"I don't think so" Raiu shook his head this time, "I think you're one of the prettiest girls I've ever seen. In fact I think you're really cute" he blushed.

"Really?" she looked up surprised.

"Uh huh" he nodded, "I liked what you did for that snake yesterday. Instead of screaming like all the other girls," he continued as she listened surprised, "You helped him and you weren't afraid."

"You saw that?" she said worried.

"I was behind the bush, trying to avoid the girls for once with my friends. I thought it was really cool."

"Well, snakes don't bother me" she shrugged, "I like them. I'd go as far to say that they're my favorite animal."

"No kidding," he grinned as he placed his hands nervously behind his back, "Well we haven't been properly introduced have we?"

"Mnm."

"It is a pleasure to meet you" he bowed like a prince, "I am Raiu Sohma."

"It's nice to meet you too" she curtsied back politely with a smile, "My name is Sophie Kamiya."

"Would you like to take a turn in the garden?" he asked.

"I'd love to" she nodded taking his arm and he led her out.

"You know what kid" he replied in his actor voice, "This could be the start of a beautiful friendship."

She giggled as her sister watched happily from the tree where Kaye was holding her around her waist. Takara and Krysta hi-fived each other as they walked past. And Hitomi frowned as she crossed her arms and the sun began to set.

(Till Next Time)

Authors Note: Hey guys! I am going to try to get the next chapter done on Friday, if not Saturday. It all depends on how I am feeling. See you all later!

Next Time on Curse Renewed:

Chapter Eleven: Not Giving Into Love

More is revealed in the next story telling and Tsukasa has been protecting Stephanie more lately due to Seitarou's disturbances. But does the American have a more personal reason for his actions? Find out next time!

And

Chapter Twelve: Unexpected Encounter

A class trip arrives in Kyoto and Reiji bumps into somebody he never thought he'd see again. Find out who next time!