TITLE: Somewhere, The Fates Are Laughing At Me
SUMMARY:For Rika Haruko, eating a blessed fruit which leads to being cursed like the one on the Sohma family and impersonate her twin brother are the least of her worries when she has to deal with love! Oh, and did I mention she has an active conscience?
DISCLAIMER: No, I do not own anime/manga/products of Fruits Basket, so don't attempt to sue me. Thank-you.
IMPORTANT: "..." speech )...( annoying A/N interruptions
Make them 16 (Hatsuharu and Momiji) or 17 (Tohru, Kyo, Yuki, etc.), the rest, I don't remember -.-
-.-
RECAP:
The being stood in the middle of the tiled room. Sadly, she raised her new limbs.
'How could I forget that I turn into this?' She thought with a defeated sigh.
Chapter 13: Cupids Strike: Tigers, Sheep, Fan-Girls, and Pecks !
The door banged open with a loud thud, revealing what appeared to be a boy with sandy colored hair. Behind him was followed by another guy with black-and-white hair and strangely enough…behind him was yet another man in a…kimono?
"Eh, but-but, Riku-kun!" the man in the kimono said with a pout, "I said I was sorry, didn't I?" The other just growled in response.
"Don't worry about him, he's just moody" the bi-colored haired boy said, patting the older man with sympathy.
"Shut-up, Haru! And Shigure, how they hell could you NOT see that two people were missing!" the frustrated girl vented, waving her fist in the air. Without waiting for an answer, she quickly sauntered into the hallway and into the lounge. As she passed a group of kids, she glanced back. 'Did I just see orange hair…?' she questioned silently before turning fully to see.
In front of her was a group of boys laughing and poking a sobbing girl about seven or eight with something. Rika grimaced at the scene before her.
oO...Flashback...Oo
"Hehehehe...come on! It's her!" someone said in hushed tones.
"Oooh, where, where!" another screamed out with glee. They approached a little figure in torn clothes; she shrunk away to the approaching figures.
"Freak!"
"Get away from me!"
"Monster, you're a monster!"
"A demon, haha, demon-girl, demon-girl!"
oO...End Of Flashback...Oo
Rika clenched and unclenched her hands, trying to not lunge at any of the boys. She restrained, knowing what would happen if she accidentally hugged them…
Instead, she walked briskly behind the boys. Upon hearing the girl's soft cries, her anger doubled. She hated seeing a crying girl like this. It reminded her of too many unloved memories. Cracking her neck, she was inwardly glad that it caught the boys' attention. Cracking her knuckles slowly, she questioned,
"Neh, boys, what 'cha doing with her?" Turning around, the boys saw something very unpleasant: a pissed off Rika with an aura that spelled out I-WILL-KILL-YOU. With some alarmed squeaks, they scampered off, pushing each one another out of the way to get away from the two as fast as possible. She sighed, 'what wimps.'
Turning away from the still running punks, she put her hands to her hips and regarded the petite figure in front of her. The little girl still continued to cry, as Rika neared her, she saw the orange haired girl tensed up, as if waiting for the oncoming assault, growling a bit, she gingerly picked her up, and carried her out of the room.
She almost stopped when a pair of arms went around her neck, but continued on. 'Where should I take her?' Rika silently thought. Thinking a bit more, she mentally shrugged. 'Just give the kid to Tohru; she's better at this stuff.'
With her plan set, she turned, remembering that Tohru was the other way.
After a few more steps, Rika heard a timid sigh.
"Thank-you, Haru…" was whispered. Once again, she stopped.
"You know Hatsuharu…?" The sandy haired teen asked. Now Rika heard a gasped.
'Eh? This little girl knows Hatsuharu?' Rika thought, befuddled, but, that didn't matter, she reasoned. If she knew that jerk, she'd know Tohru as well.
There was a high pitched 'eep!', as the teenager glanced down; her sandy eyes met two large orange orbs. Rika continued to look in confusion as the little girl jerked away, trying to get out of her grasp. Still befuddled, she carefully lowered the carrot-top to the ground, and stayed in kneeling position.
"What's wrong?" Rika whispered, hoping that it'd calm the girl down. Luckily, it did; sniffing a bit, she looked up to the older girl.
"A-a-ano…Gomen…" she apologized, bowing a bit. "I-I was rude to you before, umm…" Rika smiled softly at her soft, sheepish voice.
"Haruka Riku, little girl" Rika offered. A smile appeared on the kid's face.
"H-hai, Riku-nii-san, thanks a lot!" Riku grinned at this. 'This is a first…' she silently reflected, not knowing what to do. After all, this was the first time someone called her 'brother'. She chuckled softly at this, patting her head, Rika offered another smile.
"So, what's your name?"
"Kisa, Sohma Kisa, nii-san" at this, the patting stopped. As Kisa peered at Rika's shocked face. Gingerly, she asked,
"Nii-san?" Snapping out of her thoughts, Rika slipped out another smile and picked her up.
"Neh, Kisa, if you know that cow, you must know Tohru, right?" Upon hearing Tohru's name, Kisa smiled happily, shaking her head vigorously.
"Well, I'll take you to her, okay?", and started to proceed down the halls with Kisa's slim arms around her neck.
In Another Hallway
"So, are you saying that you actually own the room, Kyo? You must be rich, then. Because if you own this room, you obviously would own this resort…" a young boy with tanned hair drawled out with a smirk. The other just fumed.
"GET OUT, BRAT!" Kyo yelled, shoving him out the door, slamming it in his face.
"Such a hypocrite, you're telling me not to be rude when you yourself, is rude…A pity…" Hiro said with a shrug and stepped into the hallway, looking for someone. In honest truth, he wouldn't have been here if not for the certain person…
oO...Flashback...Oo
"What is that rabbit thinking? Going to a resort, stupid..." Hiro huffed out, crinkling it into a ball and throwing it behind his back. Kisa just looked at it with curiosity.
"I'm not going, any-" He continued, but was interrupted.
"Ano…I want to go…" Kisa said, picking the invitation up.
"Let's go." Hiro said bluntly
oO...End Of Flashback..Oo
Passing a pair, Hiro stuffed his hands into his pockets. 'How shameful, carrying that kid like that…' He thought. He stopped when he heard their voices and what they were saying.
"Neh, do you know where Tohru, is? I just got here; if you don't know, we'll just find Kyo, or something." a guy's voice, Hiro thought with narrowed eyes. 'That woman, AGAIN!' Hiro clenched his hands in annoyance at the mention of her.
"Yo, I heard my name, what's-oh, there you are! Where the hell were you and Haru!" Kyo's voiced came up.
"Shut-up, baka-neko. Hey, wait! Where's Tohru?" The first person asked. Hiro rolled his eyes.
"Down two rooms, why?"
"Because, I gotta bring this kid to her." Was the quick response. The sound of a door closed, and 'the little girl's' voice piped up.
"Nii-san, what's Kyo talking about?" The little girl said in Kisa's voice responded. Hiro huffed at that, 'not even knowing where to go? How stupid!'
'Wait…Kisa's voice? NII-SAN!' he screamed mentally in panic, whirling around, his jaw went slack at the scene before him.
There, with their backs to him, was someone he didn't know, but he knew that it was a guy. And he was carrying someone extremely familiar; her arms were around his neck as well.
"K-Kisa…" Hiro gasped, still shocked. 'H-how? She's-she-she's hugging…but…why?' his mind shuttered, when the pair turned around, his mind blanked.
"Hmmm…?" The teenage boy said, cocking his head to an angle. "What's wrong, kid?"
"Hiro-kun…" Kisa said softly. The boy's insides squirmed a bit at her voice. She sounded so…happy. 'But…not because of me' he reflected with a frown. It came out as a scowl.
"Huh? You know this boy, Kisa?" The girl in her arms nodded. Hiro stared in horror.
"What are you doing, Kisa!" Hiro burst out, pointing an accusing finger to the sandy-haired teen. Rika blinked in response.
But then her eyes narrowed.
"It's rude to point, you know." Hiro snorted, not lowering his arm.
"So, now you're going to lecture me on manners? When you don't even know who I am, or if, in reality, I'm one of the most well-mannered boys you'll ever meet? It's very poor of you to just assume that-"
"Now you're just rambling." Rika cut in. Kisa looked at Hiro then at Rika. She shook her shoulder and indicated that she wanted to get down. As her feet touched the ground, she turned to the boy.
"H-Hiro-kun…please don't say that…Riku-nii-san…he's very kind" Kisa timidly said. In a huff, Hiro turned around and stomped out, as if they didn't exist. Kisa lowered her head in defeat as the sound of his footsteps faded away.
Seeing this little scene, Rika scowled, grabbed Kisa's hand and walked her to Tohru's room. Knocking on the door to reveal a smiling Tohru, she pushed Kisa into her trusting hands and walked out, looking for a certain boy named Hiro…
As she entered the lounge, the first thing she met was girls.
Lots of girls.
Girls that thought she looked cute as Rika and Kisa walked pass them.
Girls that were milling around for her.
In other words…
Fan girls.
Upon seeing the sandy haired girl entered the room, they all squealed.
Rika just looked at the fast-paced-approaching-lost-likely-hormone-driven-girls.
She then turned and ran.
While screaming in terror, of course.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Cafeteria
There he was, drowning his troubles in his drink. Not beer, heavens, no; he was much too young for that. No, instead, it was milk. Whole 2 percent milk. He was daring, alright.
A few tables away sat a moody looking Hiro with his arms crossed in front of him in annoyance.
'It was one thing, that woman.' He thought, growling.
'But now that GUY!' the middle schooled thought, lashing out yet another growl. Deep down, he knew that Kisa's affection towards Tohru was purely sisterly. That and only that, but, with this-this 'nii-san', this RIKU, whoever he was, Hiro wouldn't and couldn't stand for it.
"Damn it. I should never have gone to this dump." Hiro said out loud with a scowl. Hearing the chair next to him scrape across the floor, he looked up to see his older cousin, Hatsuharu. Hiro's scowl did not disappear. It might have intensified.
"Don't say that in front of Kisa, or you'll make her sad. You've been trying, too, so if you don't want all that hard work to vanish…" He trailed off, taking a gulp of hot chocolate.
"Pfft, like it matters" was the grumbled reply, but the pair both knew that it did. A lot.
"And besides, what you're thinking would suggest Riku being a pedophile." Haru added, setting the mug down.
"What kind of moron are you? To think that I would think that, stupid cow" Hiro grunted, turning his head to the side. The older one just shook his head silently. 'Will he ever learn?'
Suddenly, the two's attention were caught by a screaming fellow galloping pass at Marc 5. A certain sandy colored with rusty streaked hair fellow, that is. Haru rolled his eyes.
"Time to save him. Again." Haru sighed, getting up to walk after the poor girl. Hiro huffed at his statement and glared angrily at Haru's disappearing figure.
"So if you don't want all that hard work to vanish…"
"Yea, yea, I know" the little sheep said, his head hung down a bit in shame. 'How could I had been so, so stupid?' He thought, sadly, 'I tried…all for Kisa, but in the end…In the end, I'm acting just like what I am; a kid, a bratty kid. A moron.'
"Always…always the same. I'll never change…a moron. In the end…just…an incapable moron…" Hiro fiercely whispered to himself, clenched fist covering his slightly watering eyes. He stumbled down the dark spirally steps of self-pity. Every step he took was suffocating; every breath he breathed was crushing his lungs.
He was an immature brat.
He was just a boy with a smart mouth.
He was…
He was worthless.
"Damn it!" he muttered out loudly, bitterly. A rustle from under the clothed table snapped him out of his trance of self-pity. Out came Rika's sandy haired head. She was looking up at the boy.
"You should really stop that self-pity crap. If Kisa sees you, she'll be sad" the teenager stated. She propped her head up with her hand.
"It's rude to eavesdrop, you hypocrite." It shot out of his mouth like a darting snake. Realizing that, yet again, he insulted someone, he hung his head, his bangs covering his eyes. Rika sighed at the sight.
"Look, a bit of self-pity is nice and all, but, seriously, you're being over dramatic. You can't be all that bad, if Kisa still cares about you, you know? You're still, like what, twelve or something? Of course you'll still be bratty, wait a couple of years to grow out of it then!" Rika tried to explain. She groaned in frustration when she saw that it wasn't sinking in. Sighing, she slid back under the table.
Seeing this, Hiro raised an eyebrow and kicked under the table. A smirk of mirth slowly spread onto his face when he heard a thump and cry of pain. Rika's head shot out in anger.
"What the heck was THAT for!" she nearly shouted.
"Why are you under the table, moron?" Hiro countered back. He grew irritated as Rika's face turned into a 'what-are-you-stupid?' look.
"From the fan girls, duh" and slide back under the table cloth. Hiro snorted in disgust. Just then, a girl with black hair dyed with red ran up to Hiro. Her pigtails bounced in some sort of excitement.
"Have you seen this really cute looking guy? You know, lanky, and, and, really, really awesome colored hair? Like-like sandy brown almost! It's sooo cute! So, did you? Did you?" She rattled on, Hiro shut out the rest when the girl started praising Rika's feet. Glaring up at the annoying person, he lifted up the covers to reveal…
…Nothing?
"Hiro, you JACK-ASS!" Rika accused over her shoulder. As the pigtailed girl squealed in delight, Rika sped up faster, but not without throwing Hiro death threats that, for some strange reason, involved a spork and ham.
Hiro smirked with mirth and got up. Passing a slightly older boy drowning his sorrows with milk, he grimaced. 'Was I like that?' he thought with a scrunched nose. Walking down the light halls of the resort, Hiro nodded a bit. Although he'd never say it aloud, he had to say, Rika's words were right-'but to an extent!' he mentally argued. He stopped the shuffle of his feet when he nearly ran into a surprised looking Kisa. Hiro mentally cursed himself for being so absentminded.
"I…I'm sorry…" He mumbled, eyes cast down, hoping that the little tiger knew that the apology was meant for more then just nearly running into her.
"H-Hiro-kun…" Kisa stammered, clutching her hands together in front of her. Hiro's brows furrowed in confusion, looking to her face, he was surprised that to see her expression. It wasn't the blush that threw him off, but the nervous expression clear in her eyes. Never had those eyes been directed at him. 'W-what in the world did I DO!' Hiro mentally screamed, panic rising to every fiber of his twelve-year-old being.
His panic subsided rather quickly, though, when Kisa went to her tip toes and lightly pecked his on the cheek. Although panic was cleared, confusion, slight embarrassment and all around bliss was replaced. But mostly confusion.
"K-Kisa…" He managed to splutter out. She gave a timid smile and said,
"Mistletoe," and continued to fidget with her fingers until she walked away, amazed at her own daring.
Hallway
"Feh, who knew Hiro, was so…dense? You'd think he'd look UP and realize that there is NO mistletoe." Rika muttered under her breath, peering around the corner at the blushing boy. Next to her, Kisa looked up in confusion.
"Ano…is Hiro mad, Rika-nii-san?" Rika chuckled.
"Don't you remember what I told you ten minutes ago, Kisa? When you smile at him, it'll make him smile, like…like food to a starving man!" Kisa blinked innocently.
"Demo…why a kiss?"
"Because…you're sooooo cute!" Rika squealed happily, hugging Kisa with joy. 'And I wanted Hiro to SUFFER!' she added mentally.
"AAAAAAAAWWWWWWW THAT'S SOOOOOOO CUUUUTE!" Rika released the girl and whirled around. She paled at the mass number of fan girls that was squealing about five feet away from them.
"Holy sh-RUUUUUUUUUUUNNN!" Rika yelled at the top of her lungs, screaming in terror. She dragged the tiger behind her, in fear of that they'd do to the poor little girl.
-.-
Hitaru: (Humming while cooking fish and chips)
Mini-Waffle: (Sweat-drops) Umm…what in hell's name are you DOING?
Hitaru: Hmmm….? Oh, this? (holds up food) Well, you see, I got a flame thing, and I said I'd make fish 'n chips if it happened.
Mini-Waffle: Exactly WHO flamed you?
Hitaru: (Shrugs) The hell I know! Just some '!' Then again, I was never a HUGE fan of the pairing either. But, I tolerate. Even if in the manga she gets wi-!
Mini-Waffle: MORON! You might SPOIL it!
Hitaru: Hehe…woops, sorry, folks! And ways, Rika CAN'T be the fox! Her personality doesn't fit, it's over used, and I have NEVER seen a sandy colored fox IN MY LIFE. Sorry, guys!
Poll for the Animal!
-A bird (up to me, though) 5
-Canine (Again, the species up to me, unless convinced other wise) 6
-Any other animal, but you guys got to say what and why, well…not why, but it'd be nice! 4 (leopard)
Mini-Waffle: Nice…dog might win, you know…
Hitaru: And I was hoping for the fish idea…just joking!
Mini-Waffle: So, umm…9 reviews, why not?
Hitaru: OH MY GOSH! I just realized, 99 REVIEWS! WOOT! I can't wait for the 100th!
Mini-Waffle: You have no life, seriously, man.
Hitaru: (pouts) meanie! Anyway, I'VE GOT MIDTERMS! So, up-dates will be even SLOWER, sorry! Like I said, blame school!
Mini-Waffle: Oh yes, and give an extra review for Hitaru, a belated b-day gift.
Hitaru: Yea! It was on the 4th, I was HOPING to up-date then, but, once again, school. ToT
Mini-Waffle: And, she just found out someone has the same b-day as her! So…
Hitaru & Mini-Waffle: HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY, crimson moonlight and bloody rain! :D And to me, of course, lol.
...And they all walked away