Waves to everyone -

Chapter 11: The Serious Chapter...I'm so creative.

Utari looked up. "You wanna know about us? We'll tell you." Kyo stared at her, as did the others. "You'll need to sit down though, our stories are quite long." Utari motioned for everyone to sit down at the table. Yuki and Kyo sat down quietly next to each other, not looking at one another. Tohru got some tea, relieved that Kyo had finally calmed down.

"Who's going first?" Kotori looked around.

"I will" Utari said happily.

"First, start off by telling us where you are from." Kyo said angrily.

"Well, we are from very far away." Utari said

"Where is far away?" Yuki asked.

"Across the...sea!" Neko said.

"Yes," Kotori nodded, "The sea of time."

"What do you mean?"

"We have no idea, but that is all we know. The last thing I remember is we were riding in a go -cart and I ran over a gas line." Kotori looked up at the ceiling.

"Gas line?" Kyo asked. The three nodded.

"Ok...here is some dinner and tea. Enjoy." Tohru said happily bringing out some curry and riceballs.

"So what are your stories?" Shigure asked taking in a mouthful of food. Utari cleared her throat.

"Just a word of warning. Our stories are not pleasant." Kotori took a sip of tea.

"Anyway. I was born in a small town. It wasn't a poor town or a rich town, just small. I don't really remember it, not even the name of it, because when I turned three my parents were killed in a car accident. I was then sent off to live with some relatives. Though they said they loved me and would treat me like their daughter, it was far from the truth. I became their slave. I was forced to do everything at their every whim. They kept me locked in a small room like I was some kind of caged animal. Finally after seven years I became a very hard and sadistic girl. At 10 years old I was the most rebellious creature I knew. For this I was beaten, yelled at, kicked, but I didn't care. I enjoyed it cause I knew that one day I would have my revenge. I carved a star into my right arm, as a symbol of my everlasting hatred for the human race. Then one day while I was shopping in a market I met a boy. I never knew his real name, I just called him Prince. He saved me, he gave me a heart again. For the next three years I visited him often and we were inseparable. I loved him, as much as he loved me. Soon my guardians found out about us, and they would not let me leave the house. When he found out about this he came for me. He busted through the front door, ran into every room till he found me. Then no one could stop us for our hatred and fear were great, and I had reached my limit. We trapped my evil guardians into a small room, and we lit the house on fire and watched it burn to the ground. After that we ran away from society, people, everyone. We were on the run for the next, I would say, three years. It was wonderful just being with him. Us all alone together. We traveled across the country to his parents ranch and there we remained in secret were no one knew us." Utari stared at the table. "That is my story as short as I can put it." She looked at everyone who stared at her. "I'm not as mean and violent as I used to be. With the help of my Prince and Neko and Kotori I'm becoming more understanding and tolerant of others. That would explain a few things about me." Utari laughed jokingly.

"You really went through all that?" Shigure eyes softened. Utari nodded. Tohru wiped a tear from her face.

"You killed them?" Kyo asked.

"Actually no. They just were burned...badly." Utari winked.

"I'm so sorry Utari, I know how you feel. I lost my parents also." Tohru sniffed.

Utari couldn't help but laugh, "Wow, you're going to balling when you hear the other's stories." She looked over Neko who was teary eyed and staring at everyone, then at Kotori who was snoring. Utari growled and smacked Kotori.

"Oh! What! I'm here!" Kotori said coming back to her senses.

"That was beautiful Utari!" Neko clapped her hands.

"Can't you two ever be serious?" Kyo asked directing his sentence to Neko and Kotori. Both of them shook their heads.

"So what about you Neko? What's your history?" Shigure asked with anticipation.

"No! Its too much for my heart to endure. You need not be burdened by my past." Neko said acting over dramatic. "But since you asked, I'll tell you!" Neko ran through her memories, remembering some of her darker times. "Well, I wouldn't know if my story is sadder than Utari's but not everything is so bad. Both of my parents were still together, at least till I was ten. Then my father died. My mother said he died of some unknown cause. I wasn't allowed around him after his death, until the funeral. That same year my little sister Ruby was born. My mother worked full time, so I stayed at home and schooled myself and my sister, and I worked part time at a bakery. The bakery manager was very nice and allowed me to bring my sister so she wouldn't be alone. She loved it there. She would try to help me bake cookies, cakes, bread, and sometimes we would even make up our own small creations. It was wonderful. Later, when my sister was three some people came by and took my mom far away. I remember my mom yelling at me to take care of my sister and that she would return. So for two or three years I was forced to live alone with my sister. We stayed in a small wooden home behind the bakery. Then I think, it was 8 months ago, did my mom come back. She was very pale and thin and she was covered in bruises and cuts. I nursed her back to health and then she too found a job at the bakery where all of us could be together. I wouldn't say we were poor, just living on the edge." Neko sighed, "I sure do miss them. Ruby was so cute, and my mom is very beautiful. I remember both their smiles so very well. A lot of times, things would get bad, but both of them laughed and smiled. Along as we were together we were happy." She hugged herself.

"Moms are great people!" Tohru said; a sweet smile grew across their faces. "At least now I can understand why the way Utari is, so spirited. She reminds me of my mom." Tohru laughed.

"You Neko are like Ms. Honda. You've endured so much, yet you always have a smile on your face, and Utari is pretty calm for having a past like that." Yuki smiled, feeling a little guilty. Kyo on the other hand was full of guilt, but he was still angry. He sat quietly and tried to control his emotions and thoughts.

"My poor Neko!" Utari pulled her into a rough hug. Neko laughed and hugged her back. Kotori watched sipping on her tea.

"So..what about you?" Kyo started, "What has happened with you?" Kyo looked at Kotori. She stared at him for long time, looking as though it was something he should be sorry he asked about.

"I was raised by wild chickens." She said in a monotone voice. Everyone fell onto the table.

"You are a brain donar." Utari said laughing.

"Excuse me...nature is calling." Kotori walked out of the room and headed to the upstairs bathroom.

Utari sighed as Kotori disappeared up the stairs. "Little Kotori has had it pretty hard. Everyone leaves in her world." Utari finished off her food. Neko nodded and ate a riceball.

"So what is her story?" Shigure asked with his mouth full.

"Don't worry she'll tell you when she gets back down here. Better you hear it from her." Neko said.

"Well how did you three meet?" Yuki asked.

"In the bakery. I was running the cash register, Utari came in looking for a job and Kotori was there to buy a cake. I practically shoved one of my famous, Supreme Chocolate cakes into Kotori's face.

Flashback

"Excuse me?" Kotori trotted over to the counter. "Do you have any cheesecake?"

"No.." Neko said. "But try this chocolate cake. It's my specialty!"

"No thanks...I don't really like chocolate." Kotori smiled.

"Eat it! You will like it! Eat!" Neko said shoving a piece towards Kotori.

"But I don't like Chocolate." Kotori backed away.

"I said eat it!" Neko jumped from behind the register.

"Ahh!" Kotori ran with Neko close on her tail."

End

Then, I noticed one of Utari's scares and asked about it, then Kotori joined in about pie and we just got into this huge conversation about it. Then poof we became friends." Neko said.

"You three really are something." Yuki said. They all laughed and finished off their food as Kotori came back down the stairs.

"I ready!" Kotori bounded down the stairs. She sat in between Utari and Shigure. Everyone leaned in closer to listen.

"Once upon a time in a far away land-..." Kotori began, but was met with two punches from Neko and Utari. "Ok, ok I got it. I lived happily with my mother, father and two brothers, Dalandow and Mamoru. Dalandow is twelve years older than me and Mamoru is six years older than me. Anyway, when I was four my father shot my mother and then took his own life. How cliche, right? Me and my brothers ran away and lived on the streets. Dalandow worked and Mamoru took care of me. It was very hard, cause I was spirited and always wanted to help, but I was young and weak, so I usually ended up getting hurt. A few months later Mamoru grew ill, and we didn't have enough money to take him to a hospital and Dalandow was afraid to ask anyone for help, cause he didn't want us to be separated. So, sadly, Mamoru died and Dalandow blamed himself. Then one day Dalandow just disappeared. I woke up in a frozen alley way and couldn't find him anywhere. He did leave me a small stuffed animal though. It was a small black horse, that I named Kii. I was only four years old and I all I had was a little stuffed horse that never left my side. No one took me in. Most viewed me as an odd child, cause of my hair and cause I hardly ever spoke after everyone was gone. An older couple did offer me some food and clothes one time, but they never let me inside their house. And so, for the next six years I wondered the streets of my small hopeless town. It was a cold October morning, when I was walking along a empty street I saw a man sitting down in an alley. He was very dirty and was wrapped up and a torn thick tan cover. All I could see was his deep grey eyes. Eyes that seem to hold a story close to mine. I walked over to him and stared at him. Then I stuck out my hand and gave him my torn up Kii. He took it from me and smiled. When I was about to walk away he asked my name and where my parents were and all that stuff. I told him everything, and he took me in. His name was Akira. He raised me from then on. He taught me how to fight, and taught my academic skills. He became my father, but then on my sixteenth birthday he too disappeared on a frozen night, just like Dalandow. Only this time I didn't have Kii. I became distant, always afraid that if I got close to anyone, they would leave me. Soon afterwards these two found me at the bakery and I just stayed with them. So here I am." Kotori smiled.

"Oh! That's so sad! You must've been so lonely. How could anyone just leave you." Tohru asked.

"Well my brother was probably just afraid I don't know why Akira disappeared. Everyone just seems to go poof!" Kotori smiled.

"You poor kids." Shigure whined and hugged them. "Such violent pasts!"

"Hey...we're tough!" Utari gently punched Shigure.

"Are you happy Kyo? Now you know all about us!" Kotori sang.

"Kotori when you were on the streets were did you stay? Like during the winter or in the raining

season?" Yuki curiously asked remembering how Tohru had braved a week in a tent by herself.

"I stayed in trash can." Kotori said with pride.

"A trash can?" Yuki and Kyo asked.

"Yes...don't be jealous!" She winked, and then stretched out. Well its been a long day, I think I'll head on to bed."

"Right behind you Kotori.." Utari followed.

"Goodnight everyone!" Neko waved and kissed Shigure's cheek then followed the other two.

"Goodnight!" Tohru called back.

"Well, no one would ever know they each had such a bad time." Shigure sighed reaching for some of the plates.

"Yes, they are very special girls to be able to endure all of that and still keep such a cheerful face." Tohru said.

"You're one to talk Mrs. Honda." Yuki smiled helping with some dishes. Kyo didn't say anything, but went outside and onto the roof.

"Its still a mystery though, of where they came from, and why we don't transform." Yuki added.

"Yes, they said they could lift our curse, but I wonder..." Shigure went into the kitchen.

"I can't help but feel, there's still more that they aren't telling us." Yuki said

"Maybe they aren't sure themselves. This all must be very confusing for them." Tohru said following Yuki into the kitchen.

On top of the roof...

Kyo lay quietly, gazing upon the many stars that lit up the night sky. He ran over each girls' stories in his head, then he remembers the words he spoke.

"Kyo?" Kotori quietly said climbing onto the roof. Kyo sat up and watched her. Her foot slipped and clung to the edge of the roof. Kyo quickly grabbed her and helped her onto the roof. "Wow, they are slippery." She laughed. Kyo sighed and shook his head.

"What do you want?" Kyo asked quietly. Kotori got comfortable beside him.

"Kyo, do you really not want us around?"

"You three...you're just-..."

"Too much to handle?"

"Crazy."

"And what makes us so crazy?"

"Well shooting darts at people, starting musicals, spiking a teacher's drink with Viagra...the list goes on."

Kotori laughed, "Well you have to admit that it was pretty funny. It may not be that we are crazy, you just are afraid to let loose."

"I'm not the only one who would agree that you three have issues."

"That's the beauty of it! We don't care what others think. If you try to live your life based on others judgements then you'll never be happy. Its good to be free and not caged. The world is our back yard, and its ours for the taking!" Kotori stood up and struck a silly pose. Kyo laughed. "Oh yeah...sorry, about shooting you and Yuki with the darts. We weren't trying to make that happen."

"What were you trying to make me like you?"

"Well I thought it would be nice to see a different side of you."

"No, Kotori. You don't need to force people to something against their will." Both of them let out a heavy sigh.

"I guess you're right. Ok fine. From now on me and the others will try to act more refined and dignified."

"That seems impossible for someone like you." Kyo glared at her, but Kotori just smiled a crooked smile. "That Akira guy, was he some sort of martial arts trainer? Like a master?"

"Yes..sort of. He was a priest, yet he could kick anyone's rear end. I'll have to show you what he taught me."

"Yeah I have someone like that too. He taught me everything I need know about fighting. I was up in the mountains with him for four months."

"Well then, we'll see how well each of our training paid off. I'll see you tomorrow." Kotori slid down the roof and jumped off landing on both feet. Kyo slid down to the edge and watched her. He was amazed. She waved at him, but he simply climbed back to the top of the roof. When she could not longer see him she sat down and looked at her ankle. "Ouch...that hurt." She whimpered before going back inside to go to bed.