A Change of Sorts
Second chapter up and still going strong! Sorry that the first chapter was really short, but I didn't want to rush it all in the first one. So this one will be longer and with a little bit of the FB part in it. Ok, onto the story!
Chapter 2: The Calls
Ring ring.
Daisuke wanted to kill himself.
Ring ring.
He'll take his mother along with him too.
Ring r-click.
"Hello?"
Daisuke cleared his throat nervously.
"Hello? Uh, can I speak to Riku Harada-san please?"
"Just one moment." As the butler left the phone, the redhead sighed.
-Why do I have to be the one doing this?-
--Because you're the one with me in you.--
Daisuke sighed again. -Thanks a lot Dark.-
Dark grinned lazily. --Anytime.--
"Hello?"
"Riku-san?"
"Yes. Niwa-kun?"
Daisuke began sweating big time about what he had to say to Riku.
"Yes that's me. I just, uh, wanted to tell you something."
"Yes…?" Riku asked cautiously, afraid of what was to come.
"I'm…goingtobeleavingAzumanoforawholeyearI'mreallysorrybutIwanttodosometravellingbutdon'tworryI'llbebackbeforeyouknowit." He blurted, his nervousness welding his words into one whole sticky sentence.
"Pardon?"
Daisuke took a deep breath, and tried again. "I'm going to be leaving Azumano for a whole year be-" he was cut off by a loud scream.
"Niwa-kun, you can't be serious! For a WHOLE year? Why? Why do you want to leave Azumano and me for a whole year?" Riku was on the verge of crying now.
Daisuke tried his best to calm her down, but his reasons didn't really help. "I…I just want to do some bit of travelling, but I'll be back in a year. And I can give you my mobile number."
Riku broke down, but she accepted the mobile number part anyway. Her shaky hands wrote it down as she struggled to keep her dignity by not crying as much. Then…screw the dignity! She thought angrily. Niwa-kun's leaving for a whole year! (Insert sounds of crying here.)
"I'm…leaving in two days, Riku-san."
"WHAT! Where are you going? Tell me and I'll come to send you off." She replied, although she felt like pummelling him for doing this to her.
Daisuke told her and then hung up, sighing deeply.
-Okaa-san's so mean.-
--I agree. Your ji-chan is too, you know.--
-Yeah but okaa-san probably arranged it to be in two days.-
--Yeah…--
Daisuke looked at the next on his list while scratching his head.
-Uh-oh…Takeshi's next.-
--This is gonna be FUN.--
Daisuke gulped and rang the number anyway.
"Hello?"
"Hello? Takeshi? It's Daisuke."
"YO Daisuke! What's up?"
"Uh, I just needed to tell you something."
"What?"
"I'm leaving Azumano for a year…"
Silence. Explode! "What! You're leaving for a whole year! Why?"
"Travelling…" Daisuke replied, feeling guilty for lying to his best friend.
"Good on you Daisuke! You're finally leaving the nest of childhood to become a real man!"
Silence yet again. Another explosion.
"WHAT! Takeshi! What does that mean!"
"Oh nothing nothing." Takeshi answered, flapping his hand at the phone even though Daisuke couldn't see it. Little did he know that inside the redhead, Dark was laughing his little astral head off…
"But why? Who am I supposed to copy my work off? Who is going to do all the project work in pairs with me while I lounge around? What do I do about homework!" Takeshi whined.
"…I feel sorry for the next person you're going to befriend, Takeshi."
"Don't worry. I'll find someone. But, none of them will be the same as you because none of them will be willing to do SO much for his best friend!"
Daisuke sighed. -I wasn't willing. He made me do it.-
--Yup! --
"Well, I better get going now Takeshi. Bye!"
"Bye! Hey, by the way, what's your mobi-" Click! The phone slammed down into its socket as soon as the caller heard the half-word, MOBILE, from Takeshi.
-I am not going to have him calling me while I'm away.-
--Yeah, I can imagine.--
"Ok…" Daisuke mumbled. "Hiwatari-kun next…"
--WHAT! YOU'RE CALLING THAT CREEP?--
Ignoring the ranting in his head, he dialled the number and waited as it rang.
Ring ring.
--You're crazy I tell you. CRAZY!--
Ring ring.
--He'll be over killing you before you know it!--
Ring ring. "Hello. The person you are calling is not available at the moment so please leave a message after the tone. BEEEEP!"
"Uh, hello? Hiwatari-kun? It's Daisuke. Just calling to tell you that I'm going to be leaving Azumano for a year for…travelling." He stuttered on that word, knowing that the teenager would know exactly why he was really leaving.
"Um…that's it…ok bye!"
Click! "Thankyou for calling!" At the other end, Satoshi stared at the phone then leant back on the wall.
: He's leaving:
.:Apparently so. Now who am I going to chase for a whole year:.
Satoshi groaned. :Not you.:
His answer was greeted by silence so he settled back and thought about things, oblivious that at this very moment, Daisuke's ears were turning deaf by a certain annoyed Thief…
Daisuke sighed and headed up the stairs. -Better get packing.- he thought miserably.
At the Harada residence…
"Riku? What's wrong?" Risa asked, hearing soft sobbing noises from the other side of Riku's bedroom door.
There was no answer, except for a muffling sound which showed that Riku was trying to stop her tears with her pillow. Risa went in anyway, and saw her elder sister by 5 minutes, crying her eyes out onto her pillow.
Risa gasped. "Riku! What's wrong? Why are you crying?" she asked, running to her sister's bedside.
Riku hiccoughed, and turned to face her with red, swollen eyes.
"It's-it's…Niwa-kun! He's leaving Azumano for a whole year!" she broke down again, this time crying into her sister's shoulder. Risa's face went through three different phases: 1. Shock. 2. More shock. 3. Determination.
"Riku? Do you want Niwa-kun to feel guilty when he leaves because you're so sad? Sure, you can cry all you want at home, but put up a brave face for him!" she reprimanded her sister determinedly.
Riku sniffled, and nodded, grabbing a few tissues to wipe her face.
"Listen, this is what we'll do." Risa told her. "We'll make him a card to say good luck, and we'll bring it over together tonight! And we'll bring him some ornaments to remember us by too." She added thoughtfully.
Riku nodded again and smiled. "Thanks Risa. Except…you bring it alone. I don't want him to see me like this. And I'll cry again when I see him."
"OK Riku!" Risa smiled happily. "Anything to help my sister and her boyfriend's relationship!"
Risa hopped out of the room to get supplies, leaving a now embarrassed Riku behind.
2 hours later…
"OK! That's it, we're done!" Risa smiled and gave her twin a high five. "I'll go bring it over now!"
Riku nodded and hugged her sister. "Thank you so much Risa! Tell him I'll go see him when we send him off. Oh and…" Riku looked down, embarrassed. "I'm sorry that I stopped you from going to see Dark tonight."
Risa smiled gently. "Don't worry Riku! I'm still going to be able to see Dark-san! But tonight, it's for you and Niwa-kun!" (She thought she'll be able to see him still.)
Risa waved goodbye and headed off happily. She'll do anything if it included matchmaking.
Many minutes later, she arrived safely at the Niwa house. She rang the doorbell and hid the card and basket of ornaments behind her back. She wanted to surprise Niwa-kun.
The door opened and Emiko beamed at Risa.
"Hello Risa! Can I help you with anything?"
Risa blushed and nodded. "I'm here to bring Niwa-kun a good luck card from me and Riku. And also some other things."
Emiko nodded and motioned her to come in. "That's sweet of you! I'm sure Daisuke will take them along when he goes!"
Risa gaped. "You mean, he's going alone?"
"Why yes!" Emiko beamed even brighter still. "He's going travelling alone! I'll go call him now. Just make yourself at home Risa!" With that, Emiko practically pranced up the stairs
Risa nodded dumbly and sat down at the table where Kosuke smiled gently at her. She could barely register this new bit of information that he was actually going without his family.
Emiko came down the stairs shortly, smiling sheepishly. "I'm sorry Risa, but he'll be down in a minute. He, ah, needs to settle something." She exchanged a meaningful look with Kosuke, who nodded understandably. What she meant was that Dark was still in control from the heist and not that quite ready to give in.
Risa nodded again and Emiko beamed. "Ok, Risa, just do what you want for now until Daisuke comes down. I need to talk with Kosuke for a moment!" The said two left the room, whispering about something, and Risa decided to head up the stairs to Daisuke's room.
She stood at the closed door and listened. She couldn't hear anything so she knocked on the door. What she heard next surprised her.
"Emiko! Daisuke's being unfair! Why do I have to do what he wants for his girl, when I want to get out too?"
Risa gasped and opened the door. Sure enough, lounging inside on the bed with a smirk plastered on his face was Dark. His smirk faded when he noticed that he wasn't talking to Emiko but to Risa.
"Dark-san? What are you doing here?" she asked, not even going into crazed-fan-girl mode for the sake of her sister.
Dark jumped off the bed and ran to the open balcony, calling to With on the way. As playful as he was, he couldn't risk their secret being exposed. He flew off the balcony and landed on the roof next door, where he sat observing Risa's predicted fan-girl antics.
She ran out after him and looked around frantically. "WAIT! Dark-san, where's Niwa-kun? I need to speak to him for Riku!"
-Riku-san?-
Oh crap, Dark thought as their DNA reacted.
Risa saw something bright red out of the corner of her eye, and she turned to see Daisuke desperately scrabbling for a hold on the roof next door.
"Niwa-kun! What are you doing there?"
Daisuke didn't answer because he slipped at that very moment. He plummeted down and he closed his eyes as Risa screamed, frightened.
Minutes later, he opened his eyes to a pained 'kyuu'-ing noise. He looked down to see that he had landed on With in the form of Dark's wings.
"Sorry With!" he said, getting off. With an indignant kyuu, With transformed back and hopped onto his shoulder, a bandage on his head.
"Oh my god!"
Daisuke looked up at Risa, who had seen it all; well, she saw With transform so that was about enough.
--Busted,--
All Daisuke could do was agree as he rushed into the house and onto his balcony where Risa still stood. She eyed his outfit before looking him in the eye.
"Niwa-kun, are you Dark-san?"
Daisuke blushed, and Risa guessed that she was right. Just as she was going to say something else, Daisuke clamped his hand on her mouth.
"Please don't tell anyone, Harada-san. It's very important that nobody knows this."
She wrenched his hand off and looked at him with pleading eyes. "Not even Riku?"
Daisuke shook his head. "Not even Riku-san."
"But," Risa begged. "Riku would want to know something as important as this! We even made you a card and brought you some things to bring along and remember us by!"
Daisuke's eyes widened as he saw the card for him, and the things that Riku put in for him (I can't think of what to write so I'll just let you use your imagination XD). Suddenly, his heart began pounding really fast and he looked away. But it was too late; Dark had all he needed to come out.
"I'm sorry Risa, but it's very important that Riku doesn't know yet."
Risa looked up into amethyst orbs that for once didn't captivate her as much as they normally did. Not now that she knew they belonged to someone who was the same as her sister's boyfriend. She nodded and Dark smiled.
"B-b-but how? I don't understand…"
Dark sat down and motioned for her to follow suit, which she did. He explained the history of the Niwa families, and their love gene reactions. He also explained how the curse was cured.
Risa nodded, suddenly feeling guilty. As if he could read her mind, Dark smirked.
"And your rejecting of his love letter was the first step in the unrequited love bit. But don't worry; if you hadn't done that, I wouldn't be here right now. Plus," he winked. "He wouldn't be with Riku now if you hadn't rejected him."
Risa nodded, feeling like a bobblehead and feeling also a little less guilty. Dark stood up and stretched.
"Well, I should get you home now before Riku worries."
Risa nodded again, and put down the things she had brought over gently. Dark picked her up and flew her home, silently regretting not listening to Emiko in the first place.
When they arrived, Dark looked down at Risa who looked on the verge of crying. He lifted her chin with one hand so that their eyes met, and he smiled.
"Remember, Daisuke and I may share one body, but we are completely different people. So don't feel guilty, ok?"
Risa nodded, feeling a tad bit happier. That happiness turned into elation when Dark bent down and kissed her.
He broke away, smiling still. He put a finger to his lips, and flew away, leaving a blushing Risa.
The door creaked open and Risa turned around, hiding the blush as best as she could. "Risa? Did you bring it?"
Risa clamped down on her confused emotions and smiled happily. "Yup! He was really happy!" which was true, seeing as he had transformed into Dark.
Riku smiled in relief. Risa entered and decided to ask Riku one question.
"Riku, what would you do if someone you knew and cared for turned out to be Dark?"
Riku froze and turned around, eyes glinting dangerously. "Then Dark is DEAD."
Risa laughed nervously, but inside, she was smiling. Looks like Dark would be around for a long time yet, she thought.
"Why do you ask?"
Risa smiled. "Oh nothing. That's what Niwa-kun asked me." She lied.
"Oh."
Riku walked up the stairs to her room, and Risa smiled at Riku's back. "If only you knew, big sister." She whispered quietly.
-We blew it-
Dark nodded as he flew back home. --Well, hopefully she's not going to tell anyone like promised.--
-Yeah…-
Luckily, when they got back, Emiko didn't ask any questions. She looked like she expected this to happen, and wasn't upset either. As Daisuke went to sleep, he wondered what it would be like leaving for a whole year.
-One more day…-
In the town…
"Tohru! Tohru! Kyo! Yuki! Shigure!" Momiji cried ecstatically, bursting into the house with Hatori following behind. "Guess what Momiji has heard?"
Tohru turned around from her place at the stove, ladle in hand, and smiled happily, while Kyo shouted at the cheerful boy and Yuki wondered in sleepily.
"Momiji! Hatori! Come in!" she bustled about, trying to make the guests as comfortable as possible while Momiji bounded around happily with Kyo chasing after him.
"I do apologize, Tohru." Said Hatori as he closed the poor door behind him. "He insisted on coming as soon as he heard the news."
"Oh no! It's no trouble at all!" Tohru insisted frantically. "We're happy that you came! Really!" she added just as Kyo rushed by shouting threats at the bunny boy. Hatori raised an eyebrow but nodded anyway.
Yuki frowned as he accepted a cup of hot water from Tohru. He was woken up properly by the sounds of a mad cat chasing a cheerful bunny, which was the perfect remedy for any non-morning person.
"What news?"
Momiji immediately skidded to a halt and bounced over to the table where everyone except for Kyo was seated.
Ignoring Kyo slamming into the wall by this sudden move, and Shigure's cries of protest at his poor wall, Momiji smiled happily.
"Remember the abandoned estate right next to Shigure's house?"
Everyone except Hatori nodded, he already knew of course; even Tohru had seen it before. Kyo peeled himself from the wall and stomped over to the table and sat down, still grumbling angrily.
"Well, Momiji has heard that someone is moving in there!" he announced cheerfully. Everyone (except Hatori) gasped, and Shigure mocked fainting, earning him a knock on the head from Kyo and Yuki.
Tohru smiled again. The prospect of a new neighbour made her feel happy. "Do you know who it is Momiji?" she asked, eyes sparkling joyfully.
Said boy shook his head. "No. But we'll find out when they get here!" he cheered, and he and Tohru did a sort of happy dance together as they listed all the things they could do with the neighbours, and if they had kids or not.
Kyo grumbled some more and Yuki raised an eyebrow. "Where did he hear this from?" he asked Hatori.
Hatori shrugged. "He has his ways. I don't know where he hears half his things from, or how he arranges things like the hot springs trip."
Shigure grinned. "Well, this looks like its going to be interesting…"
Kyo groaned and punched Shigure again. "Damn, why does everyone have to be so loud in the morning?"
He was ignored as Momiji sat up and grinned. "And they're coming in one day!"
Yay! I got to the Fruits Basket part eventually! I wasn't going to put it in, because I accidentally made Risa find out, but then I did promise, so there you are! There'll be more on Tohru and friends in the next chapter, when Daisuke moves in. Oh, I just want to laugh at the irony of it all…
Risa wasn't supposed to find out, but then I put it in by accident and couldn't bring myself to take it out, so blame that for the lack of Furuba part. You probably won't hear anymore about the twins, except for when they send Daisuke off.
Hey, uh, what is the name of the town where the Sohma's live? Cause I don't know and I don't want to keep writing the town. Please tell.
Thanks to my first reviewer for reviewing and liking my story! Thankyou, thankyou, here's a cupcake.
Please R&R, and if I feel good, I'll update quicker and consider a sequel. Well, I'll update faster anyway because I can't wait to get to the next chapter where Daisuke comes in! Please R&R!