Chapter 3, this is where the action adventure part really starts. This will be the average length of chapters from now on, the last ones were short just to get to know the characters. Thank-you for coming along with me on this journey, don't forget to leave a review to inspire me to continue! Or ask questions, I'll reply to them in the next chapter.

Vocabulary:

Kunoichi - Female ninja

Juunishi – Zodiac plus the Cat

Chapter 3: Night at the Dancing Ox

"Do you mind?" Nekai asked the woman as he gathered his clothes. Why did that damn cat mask have to smile at him like that. He felt like it was mocking him.

"No, I don't mind at all," she answered, her voice tainted with amusement. He eyes never left his naked form. Being watched so intently made him nervous; being watched so intently by a woman who wore an outfit like that was worse. He hoped that his body wouldn't betray him. "You have nothing to be shy about, kitty cat," this was followed by another string of laughter, muffled from behind the woman's mask.

"It isn't that funny, you're a ninja, pull yourself together," his tone conveying his vexation.

"It is very funny. And I am no such thing. I'm a kunoichi, male ninja are dime a dozen. I am the only kunoichi in the province. Well I'm supposed to be. I'm more relieved by you then I find you humorous. The way Haruki talked . . ." she paused, Nekai figured it was for dramatic effect more then anything. The woman seemed to like putting on a show as much as her real job. "When he said you were possessed of a demon, I had taken that to mean you were dangerous."

Nekai stiffened as he pulled on his pants. "Haruki is an ass, you have to be careful with everything he says. He never reveals anything with out a motive. Can never trust a word that comes out of the rat's mouth," he quickly said, hoping she wouldn't pick up on his nervous body language. Master had always said that was his weak point.

"I saved your life . . ." she brought up wryly, as if she had an edge. Nekai would be damned if he owed her anything.

"That is your problem, not mine. I never asked you to."

"And yet you live just the same. Besides, I need you alive or I don't get paid." She amended.

"Pity. Cause the only way I'm going back with you is if I'm dead."

The woman wafted her hand as if trying to clear an odor. "It wasn't what I was trying to get at. I want to know why you transform like that. Is it magic?"

"It sure the hell isn't normal."

"Beyond that, tell me, or I'll sneak up behind you; give you a hug and bring your furry arse back to the Main House like that. If you tell me, I will vow not take advantage of your . . . condition."

Nekai thought about it for the second, could he trust a shikyo-te operative? For once he decided to go against what his vengeful spirit wanted him to do. He decided to trust her, she might be the last person he could tell his story to. The only person on the 'outside' that would know who he truly was. "It is the Sohma Family Curse. Do you know the story of the zodiac?" he stopped, out of the corner of his eye he swore he saw the woman bounce. The action seemed so out of character for a kunoichi.

"You're the Cat!" she exclaimed so suddenly Nekai startled. "I've always love the cat!" she bounced again. A smile flittered onto Nekai's face. She couldn't be that excited. He did decide amongst all this that she was too clever, and that he would have to try and keep from giving away anymore. "I nicked this cat mask because of you." she traced the edge of the mask with her finger.

"I'm not the cat, not exactly. I am possessed of his vengeful spirit. If I get hugged by the opposite sex, or if my body comes under extreme distress, I transform into what you saw earlier," he left out that as the cat he had two transformations. He only transformed in to his cat form when he was hugged. Maybe she would never find out about the cat's grotesque form. He doubted she would be such a fan of the cat if she saw his other form. Even if she was his only supporter in the world, even if he never saw her again; he wanted to know that one person out there was happy that the Cat existed.

"Does that mean there are twelve more like you? To complete the zodiac?"

"…" Damn she was too smart.

"So there are. They are all Sohmas, that's why they all live together in that gigantic complex, correct?"

"…" Damn it again.

"It really does explain a lot. Can't believe I was so stupid as not to suspect something was up with that family before. I live in a secluded village, and even I know they are odd ducks."

She paused then snapped her fingers. Damn, she figured something else out.

"That must be why Haruki sneered at me when I lowered my mask."

"What?" It was more an automatic response then an actual question. "Never mind. I can't afford to play in the mud all day with you. I have a mission of my own."

"I still have a job to do. You need to go back. I have a record to keep, and a rival to show up," She reminded, she sounded almost as if she regretted the fact.

"I cannot go back right now, not while the murderess that killed my master is still free." Maybe he could plead with her.

"Murderess? He was killed by a woman?"

Nekai nodded. "Looked like a ninj-, I mean kunoichi, like you. Dressed in red. My master was already dead by the time I gotten to her, and she disappeared into the darkness," his knuckles whitened as he clenched his fists. The memory was so hazy, like a dream. It had been raining heavily that night. He had come upon his Master and his killer by accident, as he prowled the forest to hide his grotesque form. Lightening had lit the sky long enough to see the red of the woman's clothing, and the blood that was mixing into the mud from his master's cut throat.

"Smiling Fox," Hakuma said wispily. "The only other woman skilled enough to kill a master in the province is Smiling Fox. She is the rival I made mention of earlier," Now Nekai was excited. He had been wandering aimlessly for the past weeks, now he had a name. He had a direction.

"You know where I can find her don't you?"

"She isn't shikyo-te. She isn't even a true kunoichi. She is a free agent, inspired by stories of me the common folk told. She hides in the protection of the Dancing Ox teahouse. Uses the name Fumiko. Ask to see her dance, private audience. That will get you alone with her, and it wouldn't seem out of the ordinary. Be wary, she likes to use poisons."

She was telling Nekai everything he needed to know to kill her. He didn't trust her intentions. "You are telling me this to help me?"

"No, to help me. You're not the only one who wants to see that woman dead. Painfully so if it can be helped. That woman is trying to copy me, and giving me a bad name while doing so. Wears a stupid fox mask. A fox? Come on now. The fact that an idiot like that can do my job makes me twitch." There was unadulterated hatred in her voice. It was an emotion he was familiar with.

"Why haven't you killed her already?"

"She doesn't fight, she kills by deception; using her womanly wiles and poisons. She runs back to that teahouse when I confront her. The shikyo-te bought my contract from that teahouse. I will not spill blood in my former home."

"You will let me go then?" He asked tentatively.

"For now, I'll be watching. When you have avenged your master, I will return for you. Resist if you will, it will make no difference in the end. Even if you are my beloved 'Cat', I still have a job to do."

He lowered his head a bit to adjust his shirt properly. He couldn't help but smile at the woman's sudden lack of conviction to her cause. When he looked up again, she was gone.

Or so he thought.

"Is there an elephant?" her voice came from behind him.

"Elephant? Why would there be an elephant?" he started to laugh, it was the silliest thing he'd ever heard.

"There is that one zodiac story, of how Rat brought the elephant to his knees. I'll take that as a no then . . . Sorry about that, I'm really leaving this time." She replied, and this time she was really gone.

oxoxox

"Rini!" called a grand looking woman from her desk. She wore spectacles on the end of her nose, she had been reading a piece of literature in front of her before the young girl had ran into the room and clambered under her ornate wooden table. Her hair was a swirling of brown and white strands, fixed into a messy bun with tendrils of hair dangling from it. Despite being a tall and a little on the large side, she was a lovely specimen. She was a Sohma after all, it was part and parcel with the curse. "You really need to stop barging in here to hide under my table, your room has a table you could hide under. What happened this time?"

"Fumiko was throwing things at me again. Said I wasn't showing her the proper respect. If she sees me again, she is going to teach me a lesson. She'll never come in here. So I'm safe, " the girl said, peeking out from under the table. Her black bangs fell over her left eye, the exposed right eye was wide in terror.

"She will do no such thing." Maruko stood from behind her desk, placing her glasses on the book she had been reading. She was obviously vexed, but the teahouse had been to quiet lately, trouble was about due. It was what happened when you ran a business that depended on a bunch of girls. Fumiko was by far the teahouse's bread winner. She was lovely, she could sing, she could dance. She knew how to hold a conversation, and keep a man's attention. What was more, she could get her clients to come see her regularly. Fumiko also had a temper that could flare out of control. What was worse, Fumiko knew that Maruko couldn't keep her establishment running without her. She used this fact mercilessly.

It got on Maruko's nerves, and she had a worse temper when she was pushed too far.

She slid the door open to Fumiko's room with a slam. Inside it looked as if the room had been tipped on its side. Possessions were everywhere. The lack of respect for the material goods the teahouse provided the woman didn't help Maruko's mood. At least nothing looked broken this time. Maruko glared to the woman responsible. Fumiko sneered back from beside the open window. "Care to explain yourself?" Maruko began flatly.

"I shouldn't have to, ask that girl of yours. She was in here touching my things again. I hate it when she touches my things." She said coldly. Her cold black eyes were visible in the sunlight through the window behind her. It shadowed her face, creating a startling image. The woman's black hair cascaded over her shoulder nearest the window.

"Those things do not belong to you, they belong to the teahouse," Maruko pointed out.

"But who earns the most? Who do we eat because of? Is it too much to ask that she stays out of my room and out of my things? You know how hard I work for the teahouse. You know how hard I've worked to get where I am." Maruko couldn't deny it, and she did have a point.

"Invaded privacy does not excuse your tantrum. Once more Fumiko, and you will play maid servant for a month. I don't care how the Dancing Ox suffers." She warned, staring Fumiko down.

She left the room, hopefully Fumiko would collect herself soon. Rini's face met Maruko at the bottom of the stairs. "You need to learn to leave her stuff alone. Next time I just might let her beat you. Do not think for a second that because you are Juunishi that I am going to bend rules for you."

"I know, but she is hiding something. I want to find out what it is." Rini piped up, before dropping her gaze to the floor. Maruko patted the girl on the head as she passed.

oxoxox

Haruki gazed upon the flower. It was a white bloom, the edges outlined with red. For a flutter of a butterfly's wings, he wished he had interest in gardening, or talent like Leiko had. Then he realized he'd never had the patience for such hobbies. He was keen on instant gratification activities, and thus he gravitated towards them.

He stiffened suddenly as he got the strange sensation that he was being watched. He placed his hand on the hilt of his katana and turned quickly. There was no one, or so he thought at first. Out of the corner of his eye he caught movement in the garden gazebo. He closed the distance between himself an the gazebo quickly, making no pause. Lingering in the darkened corner of the gazebo, hiding herself in shadow, was the woman he had seen not too long ago at the Shikyo-te village. Her mask was gone, but it made little difference, the shadow made it difficult to make out anything other then the basic outline. She wore a simple kimono of blue and gray. She could almost be mistaken for a lady.

"I wondered how long it would take to get your attention. You are much less observant then the Cat," she said.

"Humph, he is a fool-" it was then that Haruki realized that the woman had tricked him. It was only punctuated by her laugh.

"How much more do you know? That Cat can never keep his mouth shut."

"Only a little. He didn't tell me much, I'm very smart. I figured out most of it for myself. I was rather disappointed by the fact there was no elephant. I've never seen one before. I've always liked that version of the story."

"So the Shikyo-te woman is a zodiac scholar? An odd combination." Haruki couldn't help but smile. Not many people knew the version of the story with the elephant, personally it was Haruki's favorite. It made Rat out to be clever rather then just a liar.

"It is just a story that became close to my heart." She paused, even in the shadows he could see her expression change to doubt. "You are one of them aren't you? I have an inkling as to which. But if we both know what you are then there is no need to mention it, correct?"

Did she always speak so cryptically? Had Haruki not been an intelligent man, her verbose nature would have confused him. He was starting to like her more and more, this challenge of a woman. "The head of the family will have to be told that you know our secret."

"To what end? The Shikyo-te are who you turn to when you want to silence a person. There really is no point. No solution can come from telling him. I promise to keep the secret if it helps, no one would believe me anyway."

She was trying to play his own intelligence against him. She was right, the information would only put Akiko under stress. With no heir to take his place, Haruki didn't want to chance anything happening to the Head of Family. He decided to with hold the information until he was asked, it was the best course of action available to him. "I'll keep it to myself for now. I cannot promise for how long."

"Good, but I hadn't come here to discuss trivial things like that. I only have a little time before I am needed elsewhere. I was so close to you, I wanted to see you again. So I can get to be something other then the fearless kunoichi in front of you. I am a woman underneath all that." Her voice was low, playful even.

"I've noticed." Haruki smiled. "A bold one at that."

"I could not do my job if I were meek." She replied.

"True enough. Speaking of your job though, don't you have a mission you should be getting at? Not playing around in a garden with me?" he truly didn't mind it, but she was hired for a purpose.

"Nekai had some business to finish. Since his business benefits me, I've given him tonight to make his peace with his Master's killer. Besides it's not like I need to be concerned. He isn't the least bit dangerous. A house cat is hardly a demon by the way." She sounded so confident. She didn't know about the Cat's other form then. He didn't feel like ruining the surprise of it for her. She would find out, or she wouldn't. It didn't affect him in anyway.

Suddenly she looked past him, into the sky behind him. "I've stayed too long, I need to make sure my mark doesn't falter. He will be at the Dancing Ox teahouse tonight if that means anything to you. He should be in Sohma custody before the sunrises."

"What will he be doing at the teahouse?" Haruki asked, curious what Nekai would find there to avenge his fallen Master.

"Ridding the world of a nuisance."

oxoxox

"So you've come to experience my lavish teahouse have you?" Maruko asked, her smile extending ear to ear.

"Maruko?" Nekai was puzzled. "Thats right you own the Dancing Ox. I thought it sounded familiar. It's not as if those on the 'inside' purposely tell me anything though."

Maruko patted his head; she stood a head taller then him. "Enough of that. You were the one that stayed secluded with your Master. The only one that listens to what our animal says is that damn Haruki, lets his Rat make every decision there is. You will always be welcome here."

"I won't be 'outside' much longer. They sent a shikyo-te after me. I think Akiko is preparing the room." He looked at Maruko with such distance in his eyes. She could tell he had already given up. "I'm here to see a woman called Fumiko. I was told to see her once before I go a way. One last thrill I guess."

While the Ox's spirit was cheering, while Maruko's animal celebrated at the thought of the Cat being locked away; Maruko herself felt a great weight of sorrow land on her chest. She had never felt for another what she felt now for Nekai.

"Of course." She said, ruffling his orange hair. She could give him that one sliver of kindness.

Even the Cat deserved the happiness a night at the Dancing Ox could bring.