1Chapter 3
A noise in the middle of the night awoke Momiji, and thinking it was the house settling he mumbled something, and went back to sleep, patting Hiro gently on the back. Until his still sleepy mind determined that what he was patting wasn't wool... he looked over, only to find the space next to him unoccupied. "Hii-kun?" he sat up quickly, face turning into panic, as he threw back the covers. "Hii-kun!" He looked around the room, until he noticed the bedroom door was open. He stood up quickly, and bolted to the door, throwing it open. "HII-KUN!" He called into the hallway, no answer.
He ran down the stairs, making oddly little noise for someone in such a hurry, and found the back door of the house to be open. He opened it and stuck his head out. "Hii-kun! Hiro!"
He turned around, and looked into the house. "EVERYONE WAKE UP! HIRO'S GONE!" he yelled, glad for his high pitched and loud voice. "HII-KUN!"
Shigure got up in a slight panic and rushed out of his room, half awake. Tohru had fallen off her bed due to the high-pitched scream and she slowly sat up, looking around.
"Ugh... What's happening!" asked Kyo, who had nearly fallen off of the roof and had swung in through Tohru's window.
Yuki was the first down the stairs as he wasn't asleep anyway. He leapt off the last two stairs, and ran up to Momiji, who was looking around in a bit of a panic, tears in the corners of his eyes. "Momiji! What's wrong?"
Miji looked up at him, sniffling, and looking pathetic. "I-I said I'd take care of him... but something woke me up and... he's gone... Hii-kun's gone... I can't find him anywhere... the back door's open, I think he left..."
Yuki kneeled down and grabbed Momiji's shoulders. "Calm down, it's not your fault... I should've seen this coming."
He stood up, and looked at the other sleepy members of the household. "Hiro is gone. We don't know where he is, and it would appear that he's not in this house."
Momiji nodded, the tears running down his face. "And I said I'd watch him too..."
Meanwhile...
It was cold... that's all he knew. It was as cold outside as it was inside, and he didn't know why. The street before him kept flashing in and out of focus, and perceptive. One minute he'd be looking at it from a distance in the air, and the next he'd be right down next to it. He didn't know why he was wandering like this. Everything was a cloud in his mind. All he knew was that he must see her again... a flash of orange in the endless gray... yes...
To the outside observer, one would see a small lamb walking down the street, however, every so often a cloud of smoke would envelop it, and a young boy would be standing there in its place, completely naked. But it wasn't that he was naked that got your attention. It was that his eyes held a kind of sadness that no little boy's should
Shigure walked over to Yuki and whispered sleepily into his ear. "Perhaps he's gone to see Kisa?" he informed his question upon Yuki.
………………..
Kisa laid there, curled up into a small ball. Hatori stood but a couple yards away from the door to the cage, watching her with his strange eyes. Closing them, he released a sigh and walked away again.
…………………..
Yuki nodded. "I think that would be the most logical place for him to go... now how do we tell them this... ah! I've got it!"
He turned back to the group of sleepy people gathered in the room. "Alright, we're going to have to split up and look for him. Kyo and Momiji... I want you to do a widespread search of the area near the house, leave no stone unturned. Use your ability to communicate with animals to your advantage," He looked at Tohru. "Tohru, you stay here, and wait in case he comes back here..." He looked at Shigure. "Shigure-san and I will check the Sohma main house in case he went there."
Momiji raised his hand in protest, but Yuki cut him off, shaking his head softly. "Sound like a good plan?"
"I still don't get why I have to look for that damned sheep... Smart ass..." he grumbled as he received a glare from Shigure and backed off the topic slightly. Together they said Yes and looked around, calling out. Kyo sighed, and continued to grumble but pitched in, yelling several rude comments, wondering if the sheep would follow his voice in anger.
Yuki trotted quickly along the path, and finally out onto the way that would lead them to the main house, using his physical fitness to his advantage. "The only thing we can hope is that we get there before Akito-sama finds him. If Akito gets Hiro alone with the way he is... I don't want to think about it..."
That door looked familiar... yes, it was the family's main residence. He saw the ground suddenly get far away from him again, and he reached a hand out, pushing open the door. He stumbled as he walked in, and was a sheep before he hit the ground. He wandered in towards the place he knew she was at, his hooves making oddly little noise on the tatami mat. "Kisa..." he turned a corner, and saw a flash of orange. He was there...
The orange fur that ran from her face to her chin was matted and wet from all the tears. Her small ears twitched only slightly at the sound of Hiro's hooves and she slowly turned her head towards the door of the cage, her eyes droopy and sad looking. "H-Hiro…k-kun?" she asked weakly as she got up and flopped over onto her other side.
……………..
"Indeed..." Shigure uttered simply.
Yuki rounded another corner, almost going into a flat-out sprint. He had a really bad feeling about this. "Please... Akito... be a sound sleeper..."
"Kisa..." Hiro muttered softly, sleepily, walking quickly towards the cage. "I'm sorry... I couldn't... protect you again..."
"H-Hiro-kun..." she muttered softly as she crawled over to the cage entrance and did her best to squeeze her maw through a crack, to where only that part of her was reachable. "I-I'm sorry..." she muttered as tears began to form in her eyes again.
"What are you sorry for? I'm the one who did something stupid... I'm the one who told Akito in the first place..." he said softly, walking up to the part of the cage where she had her mouth. His face was a little narrower and easier to squeeze in-between the bars but not really. Their noses were almost touching...
He shook his head and snorted, backing up. "I'm a ram, right? I should... I should be able to bend the bars or something... break the lock..." He reared up and charged at the cage.
His vision exploded into white, which dissolved into multi-colored stars, and the only reward was a hollow Thunk! And a slight rattle out of the door of the cage. He could feel wetness atop of his head, but he didn't care, he lowered his head, and pawed the ground lightly, ready for another charge...
Yuki found the door to the main house open enough for a person to walk through. He nodded at Shigure, and stepped through, going as fast as he dare without making too much noise, which was easy for him... quiet as a mouse...
Momiji tapped Kyo on the shoulder and shook his head. "We should go back to Gure-san's house... we won't find him out here hiding. He went back to the main residence, I'm sure of it."
"P-Please Hiro-kun... Don't... You'll hurt yourself..." she muttered softly in a begging way as she began to claw at the hole, trying to make it bigger.
…………….
Kyo rolled his eyes. "You shoulda told me in the first place..." he growled slightly as he thunked Miji on top of the head lightly and put his hands in his pockets, walking back towards Shigure's house.
…………………
Shigure had a struggled keeping up with Yuki and stopped several times to keel over.
Hiro collapsed against the cage, panting hard, head swimming. There were several fine trails of blood running down the sides of his head. "I have to... have to... get you out..."
He backed up once more, and was getting ready for another charge, when someone picked him up.
"What... what do you think you're doing!" he asked, spinning around and looking his captor straight in the eyes. From the swimming purple in his vision, he could tell it was Yuki.
Yuki sighed, and looked Hiro over. There was blood crowning the top of his head, dying the soft wool bright red, and making it stiff. Yuki shook his head. "Look... we're figuring out a way to get her out..." he whispered gently. "Please... Hiro... have patience..."
The little ram looked up at him inquisitively before passing out, whether from blood loss or just from hitting his head so many times, no one knew. Yuki cradled the little sheep to his chest, and turned to Kisa. "We'll be back, don't worry..."
He ran back out of the room, padding quietly back towards the entrance.
"I didn't tell you earlier because if we gave up our search early, Tohru might figure something out..." Momiji said quietly, opening the door. Tohru was asleep in front of the door, curled up in a fetal position. Momiji nudged her gently. "It looks like Hii-kun went back to the main residence..." he smiled as he said it, looking relieved.
Tohru rubbed her eyes slightly and yawned. "O-Oh... at least he's not out on the streets begging for mercy from a robber!" She exclaimed as she began to exaggerate things.
Kyo rolled his eyes and yawned softly. "Well... I'm out..." he grumbled as he left.
……………
Shigure sweat dropped when Yuki was already on his way back, holding an unconscious Hiro. "Did Akito..?" he asked.
……………
Kisa sighed softly as Hiro's pain was prolonged and she continued to lay by the door, just a little more cheerful that she had been able to see Hiro one last time... if it was her last time...
Yuki shook his head as he walked quickly out of the door. "No... the little idiot was trying to ram the door open to the cage... with his head."
He headed back out, and began to walk quickly back towards Shigure's house, wanting to get away from that hellhole as quickly as possible.
Miji laughed. "No... he's probably just a little homesick, or something... he'll be back though..." he said, a large sweat drop on his head as he said it to Tohru with a smile.
"Speaking of homesick... I've been wondering... have you seen Kisa around lately? She said she was going to visit yesterday... but I haven't seen her since..." she muttered as she looked at Momiji with slight concern on her face.
…………………
Shigure sighed in relief and looked at Hiro in silence. "He should have that looked at by Hari..." Shigure insisted, since they were in the area anyways.
"Yes... he should..." came Hari's voice as he stood right behind the two.
If Yuki had been a more nervous person, he would've jumped out of his skin. Instead he paused awkwardly, and turned around. "Ah... good... night, Hatori-san," he said pleasantly, sweat dropping badly.
Miji flailed his arms about as he looked for a good explanation. "Oh erm... she probably... got stuck doing a project or something... you know how big a step it is from elementary to middle school!" he laughed and rubbed the back of his head, sweat dropping badly there as well. He was really bad at lying.
"She could always ask me!" Tohru said with a smile as she sighed slightly. "I'll give her a call sometime... and we can set up a day to ermm... Emmm... ehhhhhhhh..." she muttered as she couldn't think of anything to say.
Hatori stood there in silence and took Hiro from Yuki's arms. "Only a small concussion from the looks of it..." he murmured as he pulled bandages out of a spare pocket in his coat and wrapped it around Hiro's head. "If it gets any worse... call me and I'll come over as soon as I can..." he instructed them as Shigure just started to calm down from the surprise. "You're out of shape..." he told Shigure as a large sweat dropped formed on the back of Gure's head.
Yuki couldn't help but stifle a chuckle behind his hand. He took back the little sheep, and held it close to him. "We're going to need you over there tomorrow anyway... we need to come up with a plan to... FIX this..."
Miji was trying to think of a way to deter Tohru from calling Kisa's house, and couldn't. "Um... why don't we think up something fun we can do, and call her then?" Miji, helped Tohru up, and started guiding her towards the bedrooms. "But for right now... let's just get some sleep, huh?"
Yawning softly, Tohru nodded and went back into her room. "Good night Momiji-kun..." she mumbled as she waved to him and wandered over to her bed, plopping down exhaustedly.
………………..
Hatori nodded and saw them off quietly, careful not to do anything to wake Akito up from her slumber.
Yuki sighed hard when they were far enough away from the main house to not be in danger anymore. "That... was stupid..." he scolded softly, looking down at the soft fluffy creature in his arms. "It hurts... I know... it's almost worse being outside a cage looking in than on the inside looking out..."
He walked in silence the rest of the way back to Shigure's house, mind buried deep in his thoughts.
Shigure sighed as he watched Hiro closely, and was soon bombarded by Tohru's testifying questions. "What happened? Why is Hiro bleeding?" and what not. Shigure only sweat dropped and looked towards Yuki to explain it.
Yuki sweat dropped as well, looking down at Hiro. "He... was tired and he ran into a wall... don't worry abou-"
"I am not tired... and I didn't run into any damn wall..." interrupted a voice from somewhere. Yuki's sweat drop grew eve larger as the sheep in his arms shifted, and looked at Tohru. "I went to go see Kisa in the-"
"Her room!" Momiji said, interrupting Hiro with his loud voice. Momiji walked out of what appeared to be the kitchen area chewing on, what else, a carrot. "Hiro! You know it's bad to sneak out of the house, and to go try and see her like that, bad!"
If Hiro had been in a better mood, and not a sheep, he would've been blushing brightly.
Tohru laughed softly. "Then... daijobu ka?" she asked as she watched Hiro closely.
"No, I'm not alright!" Hiro said loudly, tears staining his voice, but not appearing in his eyes. There was a poof, and he stood there in human form, glaring angrily at Tohru. Yuki backed away quickly, and motioned for Momiji to go get Hiro's clothes.
"If I was alright, then Kisa'd be here with me, but no! She's not! She- mmf!" he was cut off this time by Yuki's hand clamping firmly on his mouth.
"Hiro-kun, you're tired. We should all get back to bed," Yuki announced, feigning happiness. "And if you can't stay put, I'll put you up on the roof with that cat, you understand me?"
Hiro merely nodded, walked past Momiji, snatched his clothes violently from the rabbit's arms, and headed towards the bedrooms. There was a big sweat drop out of Yuki and Miji.
Tohru and Shigure stood there in complete silence. "Goodnight Hiro-kun..." Tohru muttered as she bowed her head.
Shigure gave a strange glance towards Yuki and sighed softly. Something had to be done about Hiro and Kisa soon...
Miji smiled, and tilted his head. "At least he's not depressed anymore!"
Yuki shook his head. "Oh he is still alright, but he's covering it up with anger. I don't know which one is going to end up being worse for him."
Miji smiled, and waved at Tohru. "Well, I'm off to bed as well. This time I'll make sure Hii-kun doesn't wander off again."
Yuki sighed. "There's not much time left in the night. He won't." He looked at Shigure. "Tomorrow, then?"
Shigure nodded in agreement and looked over at Tohru, who had a dazed look on her face. "Ahh.. Tohru Maybe you should get some sleep?" Shigure asked, and Tohru looked over at him with a smile.
"Good night Shigure-san and Yuki-kun..." she told them as she bowed once again and walked backwards towards her room.
Yuki went back into his room; pausing by the door of the room Momiji and Hiro were staying in. He could hear them talking, but he had caught the conversation in the middle.
"What does it matter? We're never gonna get her out. Akito's too vengeful for that to happen. He's worse than the damn curse."
"Aww, come on Hii-kun, we can't stop hoping so soon! That would ruin it! She'll be back with us in no time!"
"Easy for you to say... you're not in love with her! You didn't see how hopeless it is to try and persuade Akito!"
"I saw enough of it, Hii-kun! There's still a chance, there's always a chance. And I do love her, Hii-kun. No, it's not the way you do, I love her as a friend, and as my little cousin! And she's your cousin, too!"
Yuki's eyebrows raised in surprise. Momiji was sure acting weird. Though he couldn't blame him. Tensions were high in the Sohma family at this point, and tension can make anyone act weird. He sighed and walked into his room, the house now oddly quiet. He might finally get some sleep.
Kisa awoke yet again, but the rays of the sun were only slightly seeping into the cage.
Most of the sun seemed to shine on her only, making her fur reflect. Yawning softly, she rested her head on her paws and waited there quietly.
Tohru was still in a deep sleep, and Shigure was back in his study, ranting about something on the phone.
Yuki woke up when a stray beam of sunlight settled on his eyes, and wouldn't go away. He sat up, hardly realizing he had fallen asleep in his clothes. He walked out, and downstairs, stretching quietly.
Momiji was already sitting down there, sipping a small cup of tea and staring at the wall.
"Momiji... where's Hiro?" Yuki asked softly. Momiji seemed to snap out of it, and looked back at Yuki.
"Oh, don't worry Yuki-kun. He's in the bathroom. He just went in there in fact," Momiji answered happily, if a little tired.
Yuki smiled sympathetically. "You didn't get much sleep, did you?"
Momiji grinned. "Nope!"
Hiro stared at himself in the mirror, slowly pulling the bandages off from around his head. Once again, Hatori had wrapped them much too tightly. He lowered his head to look at the injury. It was a nice cut all right, and the hair around it was discolored with crimson blood.
Damn it... he still couldn't get her out... ram or no...
He slammed his hand on the counter, and only ended up hurting it. He winced and flexed his hand before rearranging the bandages (not sloppily, but not too neat either) back on his head, and walking back out into the living room, where he plopped down by the table, and laid his head on his arms.
Tohru finally managed to wake up and glance around. Looking at her clock, she leapt off of her bed and hurried downstairs in her nightgown, and began to cook breakfast.
Kyo was up on top of the roof as usual... in fact... he slept there... yawning brilliantly, he hopped down and came inside to the smell of breakfast.
Momiji called to Tohru in the kitchen. "So, what's cookin'?"
Yuki just sat at the table in quiet contemplation, also sipping some tea.
And Hiro was still sitting with his head on the table, but now his arms draped to the sides limply.
"Ahhhh... well... erm..." muttered Tohru nervously.
Kyo lightly placed his balled fist on top of her head. "So... this means you don't even have any idea of what you are cooking?" he asked as he looked into the empty pot.
A large sweat drop formed beside her head and she shook it from side to side. "What would you guys like?" she asked, looking to the four males near the room.
Momiji grinned. "Everything you cook tastes great! I'll take anything!"
Yuki was lost in contemplation, until he realized he had been asked a question. "Oh, I don't know, Tohru-kun. I think anything at all."
"I'm not hungry..." Hiro muttered softly, and got up to leave the room.
Momiji started up after him, but Yuki held a hand out. "No, don't. He won't go back to the main house right now. He already knows that there's no way in or out of that cage without a key."
Hiro walked outside, and into the forest surrounding Shigure's house. He just walked aimlessly, not really heading for anywhere in particular. He was lost... and more so... he was angry that he couldn't do anything.
Tohru stood there in silence and muttered something about pancakes. So she made pancakes! and she tried the best that she could to make them shaped like the zodiac animals. Taking a plate over to the table, she set it down. "Breakfast is served!"
Kisa lay there in the cage. "I wonder what Hiro is doing..." she muttered as she looked around in silence. A couple moments later, one of the servants walked in, carrying a tray of food. Setting it down in front of Kisa, the woman left almost as if she was in a hurry. Kisa stared at the food and rejected it, turning her head the other way.
Momiji looked down at the odd blob of pancake and sweat dropped slightly. "What a cute rabbit!" he said, a little unsure if that was what it really was.
Yuki also sweat dropped slightly. His pancakes looked like two blobs with a misshapen third oval blob coming out of the back end. He merely smiled and thanked her before eating.
Hiro stopped in the shadow of an odd cliff that looked like the middle of it had dropped out due to a mudslide or something. He looked around, the small cliff would make a great place to sit and look at things.
He looked at one of the solid edges and scaled it easily, not even missing a foothold. There were some times he was glad his zodiac was a 'ram'. He watched the small forest in the morning light and smiled, the first time he had in a while it seemed. If... no... when they got Kisa out, he would have to take her here.
Kisa's stomach made a loud rumbling noise, but she tried to resist all temptations of being drawn towards the food. Closing her eyes, a small breeze floated by and with a loud poofing noise, she transformed back into herself and sat there on her knees, staring out into the distance of her cage. Closing her eyes again, the breeze ruffled her hair and she looked towards the food, rejecting it again.
……………….
In no less and no more than a half hour, Hatori stood at the door in silence. Tohru opened the door and jumped slightly as she saw Hatori just standing there with a blank look. "H-H-Hatori-san.." she muttered as she stepped away from the door and allowed Hatori inside, who was soon ambushed by Shigure, pulling him inside the study.
Yuki motioned for Momiji to stay put, and walked past, knocking lightly on the door to the study. "Shigure-san, you want me to join on this conversation, or should I hold down the fort?"
"Ahh... Yuki... you may come in..." answered Shigure's voice.
There they sat in utter silence, thinking of a plan.
"The only reassuring way is to beg Akito himself... I do not see any other way..." muttered Hatori.
Yuki walked in quietly, and shut the door behind him. Momiji, in standard fashion, walked up to the door and started listening. He wanted to know too.
"You're right..." Yuki admitted softly. "The only way to get her out is to beg Akito-san. But... we need to think up some sort of Plan B in case Plan A doesn't work... or in case Plan A makes matters worse..."
Momiji, sitting outside, put his hand on his chin and thought carefully. If I was a meaner person, I'd say plan B was Black Haru... but... I'm not.
Yuki sighed. "I would normally say this is more complicated than it's worth... but nothing is worth more than her right now..."
Hiro jumped down the cliff, leaping nimbly from tiny ledge to tiny ledge. The bottom one gave out under his weight, and he slid down the hill like a surfer until he reached the bottom. He walked back towards Shigure's house, a light smile playing on his lips, but his eyes not holding any feeling at all. Yes... he would have to show this to Kisa... she'd love it.
Kisa had a visitor today. Akito...
"Why won't you eat, Kisa..." she taunted as she spat the last word with hatred. Kisa was afraid. If she answered, she may get hurt... If she didn't answer... she may get hurt... There was a mental struggle for a while until she managed to speak.
"I-I'm not hungry Akito-sama..." she muttered.
Akito smiled a smile that could only be brought through the pleasure of seeing someone get hurt.
Shigure and Hatori both released "Hmmm..."'s and sat there, pondering another plan.
There was a knock at the door, and Miji jumped, just a little, not even making a noise. He got up noiselessly to go with Tohru and answer it, they were still thinking in the study, anyway.
He heard the door open, and a familiar voice came into his ears. He froze, like a rabbit caught in the sight of a fox. Oh no no no no nooo... he'll... oh if he finds out about this...