Chapter Four

Hey! Thanks for the reviews you guys, I'm glad you understand! Especially all of you who give me ideas for future chapters and happenings… It really helps, and I seriously consider doing all of them. And thanks for telling me what you like about it; I know what to give now! Thanks!


Rachel was kneeling on the ground, opposite from Hatori. On the table lay a collection of supplies, each of which had its own purpose in the Sohma's 'test'. He had never before had a situation like this; but luckily he had an easy solution to the problem. Or at least what he thought would be easy. It became clear he had been wrong when Kristen's eyes set on the three syringes he laid on the table.

She merely crossed her arms and shook her head. "Nope. I'm out."

"Out of what?" Meagan bent at her waist to peer over Rachel's shoulder. Her eyes widened slightly at the sight, and she could already feel a strong throbbing in her arm. She soon regained her composure as she turned her focus to Hatori. "How is that going to help us?"

Hatori sighed. He had already explained it once before; but they had asked him at least three times since then. These girls needed some brains… "This is chloroform. In small doses it's temporary; and if you're telling the truth, it should make you weak enough to transform."

"Transform?" Meagan raised an eyebrow curiously, as Shigure chuckled and shrugged from the couch. He was going to enjoy this…

A guiltless expression was on his face, as if it were all justified. "Well, you said you were cursed…"

"I did not!" Rachel snapped, glaring at him angrily. He merely laughed at her, and Rachel was about to get up for yet another attack when another childish comment from Kristen intervened.

"I'm still not doing it." Kristen eyed the toxic substance skeptically. She could be stubborn when it came to unnecessary pain… Or at least what she believed was unnecessary. "That stuff kills." Rachel rolled her eyes for a moment.

It was amazing how Kristen seemed to know 'everything' when she needed to. Except everything she said was wrong. But it did seem like a little more than coincidence that he picked a liquid which could render them unconscious. Was this another plot to get their memories erased? She couldn't trust them this easily… Not after Shigure already thought it would be so simple to trick them. The corners of Hatori's mouth upturned slightly.

"In small doses. I'm a doctor, I know what to do." He took the cap off of a needle, causing Kristen to back away a couple feet. Rachel didn't budge. If this was going to save them, she would do it. She was just praying she was right… And that Kristen would learn that their memory was worth more than a pinprick that would last an hour. "Trust me."

Kristen's hands went to her upper-arms, cringing as Hatori drew a small amount of the liquid into the tool. "I don't want to." She whimpered, as Rachel shook her head. Of course Kristen had always been like this, but it was stretching to an extreme now that their surroundings complimented it… And it was slowly wearing on her nerves.

"You're not going first… I am." Rachel informed her, rolling up her sleeve with a hint of reluctance. After a moment of silence, she stood and walked around the table to Hatori's side. She could feel the eyes of everyone weighing heavily on her, as she sat beside him and clenched her fist just incase. Although she wouldn't make as big a deal as Kristen; she didn't like the thought of getting a potentially dangerous shot either. But if she didn't, who would?

Rachel's eyes shut automatically as the needle entered her skin, unable to look at the wide eyes that she knew were glued to her. Watching, waiting for something to happen. As soon as she could no longer feel the metal she opened her eyes to a room that seemed to be filled with water and clouds. Barely vague voices swirled around her as her hand rushed to her throbbing head. The weight only increased, constricting her chest and her skull until…

POP.

Kristen's scream was the loudest, seeing as she flung her arms in the air and rushed to Rachel as soon as she hit the ground. Meagan's hands had slapped themselves across her mouth, muffling her squeal and the worried look in her eyes. Shigure rose from the couch, his eyes frantically trying to look between the circle of people to the girl on the ground. The last thing Rachel remembered was the blurred face of a dark haired man, a stranger that she could have sworn she knew…


The hazy and smudged colors before her became more and more detailed as Kristen's headache increased. Before long, she was able to somewhat focus on the image above her before her pain forced her to close her eyes once more. She had tried to sit up, but it only worsened the throbbing. She lied back just as she felt the cool skin of someone's palm.

"Ha'ri... Are you sure they're ok? Rei hit her head pretty hard…" That voice… She recognized it from somewhere, but couldn't match it to its master.

A second voice sounded from across the room. "They should be fine; see, they're back to normal. I told you it was quick."

"Oh, look… Keiko's waking up."

Kristen forced her eyes open, barely able to concentrate on the distorted dark grey orbs that seemed to be studying her worriedly. Yet, just as before, everything seemed to blend together like watercolors poured into the same bucket. She instantly squeezed her eyes shut, opening them quickly in an attempt to clear her mind. She reopened them to a clearer, slightly fuzzy world. Above her was the staring face of a Sohma.

"Shigure?" Kristen whispered almost inaudibly, reaching out and brushing her fingers against his cheek. He was real. He was still there. This was all real… She had the aching arm and splitting head to prove it. Her eyes closed uncontrollably as she continued to murmur to him. "It hurts."

The Sohma bent over slightly to hear her words, somewhat surprised she would even speak to him. He had a feeling that the other two wouldn't… It was all his idea anyways. And Rachel had even gotten hurt. After that, he didn't think Keiko would go through with it. But she did. Amazing what bribery could do. "Keiko, are you ok?" He asked softly, panicking slightly at the thought of killing someone. What if she had been right? And yet he made them do this… He was a murderer. "Keiko?"

"Shigure." The familiar, comforting male voice snapped him out of his guilty mindset. Hatori was standing over his shoulder, hands in his pockets and a stethoscope around his neck. The doctor's eyes were locked on the girl who was resting unconsciously on the ground. "They'll be fine." A sigh escaped Shigure's lips as he stood. Hatori's gaze didn't move. "You need to speak with Akito."


"What… Why are you here?" Meagan inquired at the sight of Hatori sitting at a desk in the corner. They were in Rachel and Kristen's room from the night before, each lying on a mat and underneath a thin blanket. Meagan's focus, however, was on the stranger in the room. Of course he was no stranger to Kristen or Rachel, but Meagan didn't know this man any better than she knew Bill Gates. And although she wished she did, she didn't know the man. Hatori didn't answer her for a moment, as he sorted through a manila folder and a pile of paper work.

He finally found a stopping place and laid a paper down. "You don't leave three unconscious girls alone." Hatori answered, receiving a slight glare from the girl. What was his problem?

"We're not alone. Where's- Shigure?" Meagan asked, barely able to remember his name. Wow, it felt like… Wait, but she did remember. And obviously if you can remember, then your mind wasn't erased, right? Unless if there was some kind of catch…

Hatori shook his head as he went back to what she presumed was his work. "He went to talk to the head of the family." Meagan blinked for a moment, unable to understand for a moment. The head of the family? Was this some kind of cult? God, Meagan would kill Rachel if that blow to her head didn't… The thought automatically made Meagan feel horrible; then alarmed. Where was she? As she looked around frantically for a few moments, she noticed her friend beside her. A square of gloze was bandaged to her forehead. A gasp escaped Meagan's lips as she moved closer to her friend, as if it would help her.

"What… Is she…"

Hatori told her the exact same thing he had to drill repeatedly into Shigure's head. And the man still didn't believe him. He was a doctor; why couldn't people trust him? "She's fine." He assured her in a slightly agitated manner, scribbling something across the top of a paper. He liked to be on top of all his work; leave the relaxation for later. "She actually recovered quicker than either of you."

"Oh yeah, because she's awake right now." Meagan crossed her arms and replied in a smart manner. Yet, Hatori wasn't like Shigure. He didn't chuckle and play games back and forth with people; especially rude girls he didn't know.

"Actually, she could've had a concussion right now. A half inch to the right and she could've gone into a vegetative coma and died. But no, she came back to this form quicker than the both of you. She was easier to treat that way."

Meagan's heart seemed to jump into her throat. Rachel… Her Rachel, the one who dressed in baggy pants and tight tank tops, beating up all of Meagan's lousy boy friends; she could've died. Meagan's best friend. This was no joke; this place was here. It was unfamiliar, dangerous, and it was scary. Meagan wiped away a tear before it could fall as she struggled to continue the conversation. "E-easier… How?"

"It was hard to find the cut through her fur."

Memories, things that Meagan had forgotten, came flooding back to her. Moments from just before she herself had seemed to fall… Fall forever, through nothing but thick air. Luckily, they had taken her to the couch to avoid Rachel's fate. But at the mention of fur...

Hatori had told Meagan just to take the shot, that Rachel would be ok. He had checked her quickly, and then proposed to continue with it. Of course they were against it, but he had promised that as soon as they were done he would take care of her. He said she would be ok. Meagan hadn't gotten to see Rachel; Kristen was too busy screaming and fussing over her beside Hatori. She must have lost some weight to be skinnier than Kristen…

Then there was more screaming. Meagan remembered feeling like being snapped out of her body; and then all of the sudden… It was hard. Everything felt so clouded in her mind, she couldn't grasp anything. It felt like water trickling out of her cupped hands. But the more she thought of it, the more details returned to her. She remembered screeching about her nose, how big it was… She remembered the terrified look on Kristen's face, and the way she stumbled back and clung to that Shigure when everything was happening. He himself looked pale with shock. Why was this all a big deal?

"What's your name?" Meagan was finally able to ask, blown away by the sounds and images that continued to flow into her mind. Some of them she wasn't even able to interpret… She figured that getting her mind off of it would help. It eased it a bit.

Hatori's answer was postponed once more, as he flipped through a few more pages and wrote a note. "Sohma Hatori." He answered, still not turning to look at her. "What is your name?" He asked in a professional tone, as Meagan sighed. He wasn't helping at all; he was distant and acted as if she didn't matter worth anything to him; like it was just his job. Then again, it probably was.

"Meg… Minako." Meagan said slowly, trying to remember what exactly Rachel had told her the day before. She had better learn to remember it; it looked like she would be using that alias for a while.


Shigure stepped onto his porch, each hand resting in the opposite sleeve of his kimono. He stared down at the wooden deck underneath his feet, stopping before his front door. He didn't want to go inside. He didn't want to give those girls the news that he was sent to give them. Actually, he hadn't wanted to be the one to speak to Akito in the first place. But he was the best. He and Hatori were perhaps two of the closest people to, well, him. And Hatori didn't even know these girls. Shigure himself knew he would give them a better chance. But still…

It was already late evening, and the stars above seemed to light the land in silver. Shigure glanced at them for a moment, as if they would tell him what the right thing to do was. They were so lucky… They could live up there, never moving, always shining… Not a care in the world. And although Shigure acted like he didn't, he really did care. He would give anything to have that kind of serenity at that moment.

He closed his eyes and heaved a sigh, sliding the front door opened. After shutting it behind him, it was only a few steps before his presence was known. Keiko was practically barreling herself down the stairs to launch herself into his arms.

"Gure-san!" Kristen exclaimed excitedly, throwing her arms around him tightly. His eyes widened slightly, slowly looking down to the girl latched onto his torso. Wow, what a strange girl… Emotional swings and she seemed to change her mind about people so quickly. She didn't even know him. And she seemed so naïve… "Did you talk to Akito?"

The tinge of amusement that had found its way onto Shigure's face vanished in an instant. He merely shook his head and pulled away from the girl, breaking her grasp easily in her curious state. "Actually… Yes, I did." He answered, looking away seriously. Kristen blinked for a moment, stepping back to look at this new, solemn Shigure. Since when was Shigure this serious?

"What did he say?" Kristen asked, still anxious as she tugged gently on his sleeves. As if it would make him answer her. He merely shook his head and smiled weakly.

"Keiko… Can we talk about this with the other two?"

Kristen paused for a moment, her curious expression being replaced with one of slight fear. What was going on? Why was he acting like this? Then again, Kristen should have known how Akito was. It wasn't all fun and games, bunnies in the meadow with 'him'. It was much, much darker than that. And Shigure's eyes reflected this entire concept.

"Yes… Of course."


"What the hell are you trying to tell me?" Rachel asked, slamming her palms down on the table before her. This caused Kristen to jump slightly, as Meagan stared at Shigure with a completely slacked jaw. The fire in Rachel's eyes raged like an inferno; locked with Shigure's, who was sitting across the table.

"Really Rei, I thought you heard me the first three times…"

Rachel leaned slightly closer to him. He showed no fear whatsoever. Rachel had never dealt with that before… Every other guy had gone running, quaking in her path. But he was as calm as the day before. And Rachel had a feeling that that wasn't going to change any time soon. "Don't get smart with me, you mutt!"

Shigure's hands rose, gesturing for her to calm herself. "Come on little rat girl…" He dodged the slap that had been heading his way. Why did he have to be such a smart aleck? Why, because it was fun. And he knew that it aggravated her to hear those words. She had been told of how she had turned into a 'rat'. Hatori corrected them by saying it was a meerkat. More like a squirrel with a skinny tail that stood up straight. Hatori just muttered for Shigure to watch the animal channel.

"Gure-san… Is it true?" Kristen asked quietly, using a soft tone for the first time since she had entered the house. Well, on an occasion that she was actually able to speak. Shigure broke his teasing with Rachel to look at Keiko seriously.

"Unfortunately, yes. He won't let you live there, and frankly, I wouldn't either." Shigure admitted fakely, receiving a fatal glare from Rachel. Meagan still hadn't move since they had received the news. "So, I took it into my liberty as a good citizen to open my home to the homeless. To feed my food to the foodless; and to lend my wonderful presence to you guys."

"We don't want any of that stuff!" Rachel snapped with her arms folded tightly across her chest. Shigure shrugged, seeing as how his mini-speech hadn't caused even a tinge of a smile onto anyone's face.

Shigure waved his hand in the air casually. Although he was saying it so nonchalantly, Shigure really didn't feel too good about this. The whole situation. He didn't even know these girls… And he wondered if they would be better off if they had their memories erased anyways. "Well, that's a little too bad, because you don't have a choice." Meagan's attention had now been retaken. "Because it's what Akito said. Either that or you die. And what Akito says, Akito-"

"I'll take death!" Both Meagan and Rachel shouted their claim simultaneously, coming half way across the table to show their seriousness. Of course, it wasn't true; more of a heat-of-the-moment thing. Kristen merely blinked and sighed. This was all too complicated, and things were moving so fast… Meagan and Rachel looked at each other for a minute, as if talking telepathically about how much they hated Shigure. He glanced at Kristen, noticing her expression. He felt the exact same way.

Those girls had no idea how hard he fought… Emotionally wise, for them to be able to still be alive. His only excuse was that word of the curse could get out. That if their minds were erased that they could still tell someone, or an accident could happen. A curse isn't something lifted by some magical, mind-erasing powers. Shigure shook his head and stood, stretching. Meagan and Rachel almost didn't notice when he left the room.

"Well, I suggest you go to sleep… In your new beds."


I know… It wasn't as bright and happy this chapter; but it will be next chapter. Tell me how you like it so far! I'm giving an explanation next chapter, so if you think it's a little cliché, it just might be. But you never know. Thanks again for reading!