Make me Human Too
I do Not own Shugo Chara and I own nothing but the story that I have kidnapped the characters for. I'm thinking about putting some anime and manga characters into my disclaimers… reviews are always welcome and Flames are greatly disliked- though I'll still read through them I guess to see if there is any rhyme or reason for you sending them.
Amu was starting to get worried, she had been out every night until midnight trying to find Ikuto for a week, and there was still no sign of the cat, she had even gotten her parents to ask their black cats; Howl and Shane to look around the block and city for him, but there was still nothing.
Giving up her own search Amu decided to head down to the closest pound and look for him there, ask if anyone had seen a pissed cat that'd most likely hiss and scratch at anyone to get out.
Walking into the SPCA wearing a tight black tank top, top left breast covered in buttons and pink of different bands and events she had gone to, bright red silk tie around her neck and falling to just above the edge of her shirt that came halfway down her bottom, black pleated skirt going to just above her knees and long red and black striped socks coming up to her knees, black clunky shoes with metal clasps and chains jingling with every step.
"Um, hello… can I help you miss?" Amu nodded with a bright smile
"Yes actually. I lost my cat. The cutest little thing, black, slim, the most amazing deep blue eyes… and a temper to rival a drunken sailor. He's probably really angry and hisses at anyone who tried to get close. Unfortunately I haven't gotten his ear tattooed yet or a collar for him. Is there any way you could help me?" Amu stepped up to the front desk with a slightly bored smile as her eyes gauged the dull room that looked happy only because of the images of so many animal pictures that lined the cork board behind the woman and on the walls.
"I'll look… I remember one of our sister buildings in another town saying something about an angry black cat they were thinking about putting down when he scratched a potential owner drawing blood on a little girl before practically mauling her."
Amu gasped and leaned forward "Please, tell me… I have to know. I beg you… they cant hurt that cat!" giving a nod the woman pointed to the door off to the side "Just in case, you can check the kennels as I call… I'll let you know as soon as I've found out." Amu nodded and walked to the door determined to find Ikuto that day or she'd not stop until she did find him.
"Stupid cat- I mean, boy. Why'd he have to go and do this? Is not like I meant to… he looks like a damn cat for goodness sake! Its not like-" her slight rant was interrupted by her phone going off and a dog barking. Pulling her phone out of her bra Amu held it up to her ear "Hello this is Amu Hinamori."
"Hi Amu-chan. I was wondering if you'd want to go out with me tonight? I was thinking a movie and dinner."
Amu smiled with a bright blush at the offer before letting out a sigh and shaking her head though he couldn't see it "I cant Tadase-kun, Ikuto is still missing, and I promised myself I wouldn't stop until I find him. You understand though, right?"
"Of course Amu-chan! I'd never get between you and your pets! I'll help if you want, I could make some posters or banners if you want- we could even put some stuff up around school and try and find him that way." Tadase knew that Amu hadn't had Ikuto long enough to get pictures, but he knew that Amu didn't know that his offer was empty.
"No, that's alright Tadase… I don't have anything for that. I hadn't gotten a chance to get pictures of Ikuto yet… and I didn't get him a collar… god! I'm such a terrible owner! How could I loose him?" he heard Tadase trying to soothe her,
"Amu, your not terrible, you were going to pick it up after school, you did pick up the collar after school that day. Its not your fault, he just must have gotten out and just run away. It'll be fine sweets, there is nothing too bad that we cant handle, you'll find him, I promise."
Amu nodded her head and took a deep breath "Alright Tadase… I'll call you later tonight when I get home."
"Alright, bye." his voice sweet as he pulled the phone away, not bothering to wait for her reply.
"Bye." Amu rolled her eyes flipping her phone shut and looking into the cat cages that were there. Several black cats, but none with blue eyes and none yelling at her for letting them get kidnapped. "None of you are Ikuto… are you?" one of the kittens just meowed and she smiled, putting her finger through the bars as the small yellow kitten started licking and sucking on her finger "You must be hungry… alright, I'll go tell the lady up at the counter." Pulling her finger back Amu turned on her heel and went back into the main room of the large building that was part animal hospital.
"Oh! Hello, I just finished calling and there is a very aggressive black cat with blue eyes in the center in the next town over. He hasn't let anyone touch him and the people there are starting to think its because he's not fixed. There is an appointment to fix that tonight at five."
Amu looked down at her watch and gasped. "Oh god! Please.. Call them back and get them to hold it off! I'll go there right now! Just please, don't let them cut his kiwi's off!" Amu's face going red as she slapped down a fifty dollar bill "This is a donation for your help. thank you! And please, call them back!"
Running out the door Amu was down the street faster then she thought she could. Legs pumping so fast that she thought she was going to stumble more then once. She could feel adrenalin pumping through her system, wondering why the hell she parked her car so far away. She got to her small electrically converted car and opened the driver door, sliding into the seat and jamming her key into the ignition before turning it and speeding down the street.
"Common Ikuto, I'm coming… please don't get castrated!" her heart racing as she tried to get to the next town over before five o'clock hit: ten minutes from her time.
The ten minute drive was spent for Amu freaking out and hitting the gas pedal harder and speeding up her little car until it couldn't go faster without her being pulled over. She parked outside the building that she knew from previous visits and she ran in the front doors "I need my cat! They were going to neuter him! Please, I need to know if he's mind first!" she topped half over the front desk and the woman moved back "What?"
"Please, a woman should have called… I need to know if he's my cat before you neuter him!" the woman behind the desk nodded "Yes, we received a call, but we're sure that the cat's behavioral problem is rooted to the fact that he hasn't been neutered. The surgery is going on right down the hall, should be just starting."
Amu pushed away from the counter and walked over to the doors. "Wait! You cant go in there! You're not-"
"My parents are the number one benefactor of this community! Now back off and let me see if that is my cat!" before waiting for the woman to say anything else Amu burst through the doors to the hallway, praying that she wasn't too late.
She passed several windowed doors before she finally found one with a small black cat laying down on the table. Gas mask already on his face and doctor prepping for the surgery.
She opened the doors and started fake coughing instantly. "Hey! You cant be in here! Greg get her out!" when the man advanced Amu decided coughing wasn't enough and spat on the floor close to the operating table.
"What is your problem little girl! I'm in the middle of prepping for a surgery here!" Amu nodded shaking Greg off her. "Yes I know… But I need to see if that is my cat. As soon as I know you can either continue or give me back my cat." the doctor growled before setting his scalpel down and moving to the other side of the room.
Amu walked up to the table and moved the gas mask for the cats face, before reaching up and opening one of the eyes, seeing the deep blue shade that matched Ikuto's.
'I swear to god Amu… if you hadn't come, I would have haunted your family forever… and scratched every single one of them.' Amu smiled seeing his smirk there, tiredly there, but there non the less. "Oh thank god! Ikuto!" Amu scooped him up and hugged him to her chest. "I'm so happy I came in time!"
"Miss! Put him down! That cat is very dangerous!" the doctor moved forward but Amu just pulled Ikuto out of his way. "No… he's mine, I'll go pay the fine at the front now. And no, you don't need to cut his balls off."
"B-but! His behavior!" Amu just scoffed, making sure that Ikuto was comfortable in her arms as she rolled her eyes "Like you'd feel better after getting your balls chopped off." the doctor just blanched as Amu walked out of the room with a smirk.
"Hi… I'd like to take him home please." Amu giving the woman at the front a glare. "But Ms. Hinamori… he had behavioral-"
"He just doesn't like other people… I'm willing to pay the fine and another generous donation, just please let me take my cat home." Amu ground her teeth together and when the woman shook her head Amu sighed reaching into her pocket and pulling out the collar she had gone to pick him up; a sleek silver cross much smaller then Yoru's and a this black collar that she slipped over his head, making her address and phone number hidden on the back, but there none the less.
"There… now he belongs to me. Now let me take my cat home. I don't want to do anything drastic but I will if it will keep me from taking him home. don't you want to get rid of animals here? Give them good homes and make sure that their loved?"
'Amu… please… help, I hurt… my head, the gas, get me out…' Ikuto's voice getting quieter as he snuggled into her shoulder.
"I'm sorry miss… we cannot let a minor leave with an animal without parental consent, no matter who your parents are."
With a smirk Amu pulled her phone out and hit her parents number. The phone only range twice before her father picked up "Hello sweetie… have you found your cat yet?"
"Yes I found him, but the shelter wont let me leave with him… can I get you to cut the automatic payments we make to the shelter every month?"
"Now dear… I'm hoping your only making this call as a bluff for them to let you leave with your cat… I'm not cutting our donations to the shelters."
"Thank you daddy! I'll let you know when you can call the bank back and get the money transferred again." Amu gave a smile and closed her phone, looking at the woman behind the desk. "Can I take my cat home now?"
The woman blanched before nodding her head "Let me talk to your parents and get vocal conformation that you can take the cat and I'll let you go." Amu nodded and re-dialed her dad.
"Hello again sweetie… did they say yes?"
"Of course… the lady just needs you to say I can leave with an animal because I'm still underage. Then you can turn the accounts back on." she heard her father give a scoff before she handed her cell over to the woman, looking down at Ikuto and making sure he was still alright.
"You feeling better yet Ikuto?"
'Kinda… this place smells terrible though… Are we leaving soon?' Amu nodded as she stroked his head "Yeah, we're leaving soon. Just go back to sleep alright?" Ikuto nodded and snuggled deeper into her chest.
"Alright Ms. Hinamori, you can leave with the cat now. Just write down his name here and you can go." Amu nodded scribbling out Ikuto and turning towards the exit "Thank you miss! Have a good day please."
Getting out to her car Amu set Ikuto down on the jacket that she had set up on the passenger seat. "Alright Ikuto… I'm going to take a drive down to the ocean… I think we could both use the fresh air, right?" Ikuto didn't answer, too deep in his sleep to think of even a dream.
When Ikuto finally woke up again he instantly noticed that the salt smell he had been getting in his dream was ocean air, and the sound of waves crashing was reaching his ears, the sound of a distant foghorn going off as a bright light flashed at him for a moment.
"I really should have taken better care with what I said… I didn't mean to upset you, it's just… hard to wrap my head around. The simple idea of a human being turned into a cat… and the magic needed for that, I cant fathom how strong that witch or wizard must have been."
Amu was sitting on the sand, the sky filled with stars reflected on the black ocean like the edge of the world, lighthouse giving the entire area a bright glow twice a minute, waves crashing against the sand in front of her, Ikuto still laying on her jacket beside her. Legs pulled up to her chest and arms crossed over them as she let out a sigh "I don't know what I did to deserve you finding me… or me finding you. But I really want to help, I just don't think I'll be able to."
'I'm sure you'll figure out a way… after all, I know where a lot of wells are.' Amu looked down at Ikuto and scoffed "Its will, not well."
'Tch, tomato potato.' Amu just let out a sigh and reached over petting Ikuto's head "The good news is I found a spell that might work. It'd be a test, and I'd have to get a little stronger first, but I think it's worth a try."
Ikuto looked up and his deep eyes swam as he tried to get up before she held him down "Please… your not nearly strong enough to get up. They used too much gas to put you under… or too strong a gas. You must have put up quite the fight, am I right?" Ikuto nodded before letting out a sigh.
'Alright… but can we go home soon? Your jacket is comfy and all, and the fact that it smells like you is great, but I really want your bed right about now… and to sleep for the rest of my life.' Amu just smiled with a nod as her cheeks flushed when she thought of how cute he looked sleeping "Alright, we can go home now… but don't tell the cops, I'm not supposed to drive after nine o'clock at night." Ikuto just nodded before putting his head back down and snuggling into Amu's jacket for some more sleep.
Amu woke up the next morning by a large surprise; Ikuto hissing his face off and the sound of Tadase cursing- something that she knew would never happen unless a dire situation she was sure. "Ikuto?" sitting up and noticed Ikuto standing on the edge of her bed, ears back, tail raised, and back arched, hissing at her boyfriend.
"Tadase? What are you doing up here?" she blushed as she pulled the blanket up over her thin tank top that showed pretty much everything since she didn't wear a bra to bed. "Your parents said I could come wake you up, I wanted to take you out for the day, they just left for a party with Ami and didn't want you in bed all day anyways… and now your cats trying to skin me alive."
'Trust me… if I could skin you with these claws I would have by now! God I wish I could skin you!' Amu sighed "Alright… I'll be down in a minute. Ikuto, knock it off please. Its too early." Ikuto stopped, sitting up on the bed slightly like a dog with a smirk as Tadase walked out of the room, closing the door again to let his girlfriend change and get ready for the day in peace, deciding to watch some TV while he waited.
Amu let out a sigh as she rubbed her face, trying to get over the embarrassment of having Tadase see her in such a state of undress. 'Amu. I don't want you going out, cant we just hang out? I want to try out that spell you were talking about. And he obviously doesn't know that you're a witch, so wouldn't it be easier to just skip out?'
"It would, but I haven't been spending time with him since you left… I was spending all my free time looking for you… I even skipped the first day of school when you ran way. I don't know how long I chased you for, but it wasn't long enough I guess."
Ikuto looked down before looking up again shocked, realizing that he really was too much of a cat as he walked over the rumpled sheets of the bed and stood on her lap, rubbing his head against her shoulder and neck as he started purring, trying to convey that he didn't blame her for almost getting castrated. He refused to put it into words so he figured that that'd have to work if she wanted to take it the way he was giving it or changing the meaning.
"Ikuto… why do you have to be so… you?" without another thought Ikuto just hopped off her lap and over to the window before hopping out and moving onto his day of walking around trying to find a good place to take a nap, or a good place to go chase some dogs.
Amu was mumbling to herself as she walked down the stairs and into the kitchen to grab something to eat "Hey Tadase, do you want an egg sandwich or something?"
Waiting a moment to get an answer but not hearing anything Amu walked into the living room, seeing Tadase on the phone talking to someone, and with a smile she decided to surprise him by sneaking up behind him and giving him a hug.
"No Yaya, I told you I cant go out with you today, I'm with Amu all day today, she finally found her stupid cat and is thinking about her number one again." Amu waited slightly confused as to why Tadase would be talking about going out with Yaya, but shrugged it off as them just buying something for her parents or something school related. "No Yaya, I cant go over to your house tonight either. We cant do anything tonight because my family wants me home and I don't really want Amu to know that we're seeing each other. She's already smelt your perfume on me and I doubt she'll buy it was my mom's again."
Amu blanched, staring at the back of Tadase's head for a moment before letting out a glare "Get out. Get out of my house!" Tadase spun around with shocked light blue eyes, blonde hair flipping as he spun his entire body around.
"Amu! What-what are you doing here?" the question a simple reflex as he snapped his phone shut and stood up to soothe one of his girlfriends. "Amu, please… just relax a little I'm sure you didn't hear that correctly." His mind swimming with a way to make this not what it was and something else.
"Get out of my house Tadase! I heard you perfectly! Your going out with Yaya? That short little slut!" Tadase let out a sigh holding his hands out in a defensive manor. "Amu, just give me a minute to explain please. This is not what it seems to be. We've been going out for three years and-"
"And what? I wont put out so you go to my best friend for a good bonk? Get out of my fucking house!" Tadase didn't move so Amu ground her teeth together, trying as best she could to not loose control of her powers in front of a human. "Take your stupid lying, cheating, fucking bullshitting ass out of my house!"
As he took a step towards her Amu grabbed his arm and tugged him to the door, and opening it with her free hand "Goodbye Tadase… consider us over." she through him out and slammed the door behind him, finally giving in to the powers she was feeling with a growl.
The air around Amu became seriously dense as it started to move, picking up speed and making a slight tornado around her body as her hands clenched and unclenched.
Yoru was sitting outside on the windowsill waiting for Amu to give him his breakfast when he watched the entire scene unfold, including a bit of conversation Amu didn't hear with some dirty talk. That he figured Amu would hate to hear about.
'I gotta go find Ikuto!' Yoru hopped off the windowsill and ran off towards the place he had last seen Ikuto run off to. His little legs pushing him to go faster as his eyes scanned for the slender navy blue cat that he had to find. 'Ikuto! Ikuto! You have to come home! Amu needs you right now!'
His small voice carrying out over the block as his ears twitched, hearing the sound of some dogs barking and a hiss. 'Ikuto! Amu needs you!' Yoru ran into the alley that the barking was coming from and noticed Ikuto running around in circles and about three large dogs chasing him.
'Ikuto! Amu needs you home right now!' Ikuto looked over as all the dogs did to, Ikuto let out a sigh as the dogs moved for chasing Yoru. 'Stupid kitten why did you have to yell like that?' he ran at the small kitten, ducking around the dogs feet and grabbing Yoru's collar at the nape of the small kittens neck.
'What are you talking about? What am I supposed to do for a human when I'm nothing more then a cat?'
'But Tadase was cheating on her. And now Amu is about to destroy the house if you don't get there and calm her down! Her powers are going crazy right now!' Ikuto nodded and hopped up to Amu's bedroom window from the tree, instantly being hit by a bright light and gust of wind. 'Where the hell is she Yoru?'
'Down in the main entrance when I left!' Ikuto dropped Yoru who quickly ducked under the bed.
Ikuto ran down the hallway and looked down the stairs, seeing Amu standing in the entrance way, wind blowing around her like a fierce tornado and her hair flying everywhere, eyes glowing gold and feet almost a meter off the ground. 'Amu? Can you hear me?' Ikuto poked his head through the railings, trying to get her attention.
'Amu, can you hear me?' his mind yelling over the howling of the wind like he'd have to for her to hear his thoughts.
'What's she doing? Why aren't you down there with her cat? it's a black cats job to control your witch or wizard when their powers go haywire like this!' Ikuto looked over at Howl and Shane both sitting there with grinning cat faces as they looked down the stairs at Amu. 'She's done this before and you really should get down there before she wrecks the house… last time this happened her parents were here to control it… and we don't have the mental connection with her to stop it.' their voices sounding more wise then Ikuto thought they would.
'And how old are you two?' his eyebrow raising, or what would have been an eyebrow, raised as he looked at the two.
'Not nearly as old as you Ikuto, we're just fifty years old- the same as her parents, but the fact is you just know how to be an undead cat, we know how to be a witches cat. So get down there and block out her powers.'
'I'm not a cat, I've been turned into a cat. So you cant think that I'm really capable of blocking magical powers on my own. The last witch I encountered did this to me you know.' Howl and Shane just rolled their eyes.
'Well if you didn't have some kind of magical properties the spell would have killed you. So go down there and fix it right now.' Ikuto just looked at Amu, wondering how to fix something he knew nothing about.
'Fine… I'll go down there right now and make this all stop.' Ikuto nodded his head as he crouched down into a pouncing position. 'I just hope this works with the wind.' he tensed his back legs and pounced off the small balcony all three cats had been sitting on, headed right for Amu.
Hitting her in the chest was the idea, just now how he did it; he ended up pushing her down and making her hit her head, but all the wind stopped and the magic that was around her thicker the pea soup dissipated into Ikuto's body.
'Well that's was new… I've never seen magic dissipate like that before… usually it goes into the air, doesn't it Howl?' Shane speaking up for the first time and Howl just shrugged 'I guess he really is special, common, we better go out for a while, I'd hate to be around when the yelling and crying starts thanks to Tada-gay.' Shane nodded in agreement and they sauntered into Amu's bedroom looking under the bed and smirking at Yoru 'Its alright Yoru, we're going to go out for a while, and we think its best for you to come… want to?' Howl giving a kind smile as Yoru nodded timidly, not sure if the wind and magic would start up again.
Ikuto had a headache… correction he had a body ache, every muscle in his body was killing him and he didn't know why, all he remembered was jumping off the balcony-thing overlooking the entrance way to the Hinamori home when everything went wild as he hit Amu's chest and forced her to hit her head on the ground with the force of it.
"Shit, Amu." using his arms to hold himself up Ikuto shook his head and opened his eyes seeing Amu directly under him. "Amu, are you alright? Shit I hope I didn't hurt her." Lowering his head Ikuto nuzzled her cheek with his nose and let out a slight purr "Common Amu, wake up please… I didn't mean to hurt you."
"I-Ikuto? What-what happen- Aahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" She pushed him off and for the first time as he raised his arm to rub his head, he noticed that he had fingers, and that they were going through his hair… he had hair, and opposable thumbs! Holding out his hand he saw the slightly tanned skin and long fingers.
'I-I'm back?" he raised his second hand and held it in front of him, smiling at the fact that he had two hands and opposable thumbs. "I'm back! Amu! I don't know how! But you did it!" he looked up and noticed that Amu was curled up in a ball, hiding her face and facing away from Ikuto.
"Amu! Are you alright?" he cawled over to her and she shook her head, face beat red as she kept her eyes shut. "N-naked… your… n-naked." Ikuto paused and looked down at himself before smirking at the fact he was completely back to normal.
"Ha! I'm back! I'm human again!"
"Idiot! Go get some of my fathers clothes on you pervert!" Ikuto just hopped up and smiled "Alright… I'll be back down in a minute… you're not going to die of a nose-bleed or anything, right?"
"Just go!" her voice shrill as she waited for the sound of his foot steps to leave.
As soon as she heard the upstairs door shut she looked up and breathed out a sigh of relief. "I wish I knew what happened… all of a sudden a naked boy with cat ears is sitting on me." she shook her head trying to get rid of the blush.
Ikuto whistled to himself, running his hands over his torso and arms, just getting the feel back for not having fur anymore, and actually having slight abs and wiry muscles. "Damn… I'm back! I love this!" he grabbed a t-shirt had hadn't seen Amu's dad in- since he usually wore business shirts, blazers and dress pants. He also grabbed a pair of jeans that were too big for him with a smirk. "I'm going to hate wearing clothes again… I can just tell." his voice tired despite the fact he was becoming narcissistic.
Getting back down the stairs Ikuto smiled as he walked into the kitchen, Bare feet slapping against the cold tile flooring and up behind Amu with a smirk "Hello Amu." his voice a low purr in her ear as he set his hands on the counter on either side of her.
"Ah! don't do that cat-boy!" Ikuto just smirked as he back up and held his hands up blocking the attacks with the spatula that Amu was trying to hit him with.
"Hey, don't be so upset… I didn't mean anything bye it. And its boy-cat… I was a boy first you know."
"No! you are a cat-boy Ikuto! Look at yourself!" her face red with anger and embarrassment that still hadn't gone away yet.
"I know, I'm hot aren't I?" Amu rolled her eyes and grabbed a spoon off the counter and holding the back towards him "You have ears and a cat tail you dip-stick!" he blinked a couple times before taking the spoon completely shocked.
"No! I cant have cat ears!" but sure enough, when he reached up he felt the base of a large cat ear coming out of his head, and as he trailed his finger tips up the ear it flicked and he was surprised to feel it. "Oh no…" he reached behind him and felt alone his spine before the distinction of fur and a long tail was felt, his fingers being felt by the appendage.
"Oh god… I'm a cat-boy!" Ikuto dropped the spoon and ran back up the stares to the bathroom and through the door open. "Oh god…." Amu climbed the stares behind him and smirked "Yeah… I guess your not so-"
"I'm a fucking god now! Could I be any hotter?" Amu face palmed and let out a sigh. "Never mind… I'll go make some food and look through my books for why this might have happened… and how to get rid of your ears and tail."
"Are you nuts? I want to keep them." Amu just rolled her eyes and nodded "Alright… I'll just go make some food." Ikuto nodded with a smirk as he decided to brush his hair out and maybe fix the clothes so his tail fit without the pants riding low like they were.
Amu didn't know what to feel, she was thankful that Ikuto was no longer a cat, but it meant that he wasn't her black cat anymore. And with the stuff that happened to Tadase, she didn't know what to think about anything at all.
She pulled herself up onto the kitchen counter and put her feet on the island, arms circling around her knees. She buried her head into her arms and started crying, not really noticing that Ikuto walked into the kitchen and froze seeing her sitting there crying.
"Amu…" she let out a slight gasp and as flailed, falling off the counter just to have Ikuto spring forward and catch her. "Are you alright?" Amu was still crying so Ikuto sighed, reaching over and turning off the stove and picking Amu up.
"Ah! What are you doing?" Ikuto just smiled "Bringing you into the living room. I came back for a reason you know." Ikuto sat down on the couch and pulled Amu onto his lap. "Yoru told me what happened."
Amu burst into tears right then and there and Ikuto sighed with a slight smile, glad that he could comfort his best friend and love interest. "He-he-it w-was Yaya… that b-bitch!" Amu's voice loud as she cried on his shoulder, not knowing what else to do but to cling and cry at once.
That night Ikuto sat on the couch, legs out along the cushions as Amu laying on him sleeping, tear tracks down her face and fists balled in her fathers shirt that he was wearing. He was watching a documentary about the wild animals of the African planes.
The front door opened and Ikuto turned his head in the direction, ready to move Amu and spring if need be. "Amu honey! We're home! What were Howl and Shane telling us about you going berserk?"
Her mother stopped talking when she walked into the living room and saw Ikuto sitting there. "W-who are you?"
He smiled kindly and waved with the arm that wasn't holding Amu on the couch. "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Hinamori, my name is Ikuto Tsukiyomi. Amu's black cat." it didn't sound like he was smug, but his smirk pretty much said that he was smug.
"What exactly is a black cat doing as a human might we ask?" Ikuto shrugged trying not to wake Amu up as best he could before shifting slightly so Amu was more comfortable.
"I don't really know. I was out playing around with some stupid mutts when Yoru- a small black cat that comes around for food from Amu every now and then -and he told me to get back here that Amu and Kiddie-King had a bad breakup and that her powers were freaking out. When I got back Howl and Shane told me what had happened and that having the mental connection with her I was the only cat that could help. I don't really know what happened, but when I woke up again, I was human… well, as human as I am."
Both Mr and Mrs Hinamori looked at Ikuto like he was insane before Amu mumbled something in her sleep making everyone go silent. "Ikuto… help me… please?" her voice not even a whisper as Ikuto let out a sigh and re-circled her with his arm protectively "She's been mumbling that for a while now… and I don't know what to do."
Mr. Hinamori nodded his head and jabbed his thumb in the direction of the stairs. "Alright… set her down and come up to my study… I'll look through a few books and ask you a few questions to figure out what's gone wrong… or right."
Ikuto nodded before he interjected "Wait… are you going to read my mind? Because I really don't think that's a good thing, I'll tell you anything truthfully, but I think I should be able to filter what I tell you."
"Why?"
Ikuto paled slightly before answering with a cool voice and blank expression "I've lived too long to be giving out information willy-nilly… I don't want to tell you some stuff so sue me." Mr Hinamori just nodded with a slight sigh "Alright. To each his own, I'll see you upstairs."
Ikuto worked his way out from under Amu, giving Ami a slight smile as the young girl smiled and waved at the cat-boy. "The ears and tale will be a secret for us, alright kid?" Ikuto pat Ami's head making the small girl giggle as eh turned towards the stairs, hands in pockets and his shoulders slouched in a very relaxed and uncaring posture as he made his way up to Mr. Himanori's study at the far end of the hall beside Amu's bedroom.
"Yes sir?"
"Please, sit down and call me Tsugumu. And your Ikuto, right?" nodding his head Ikuto sat down in one of the comfortable chairs that belonged to the famous photographer who had pictures published in any type of magazine or newspaper all around the world.
"Yes sir. My name is Ikuto Tsukiyomi." Mr Hinamori nodded his head and sat down in his chair "I hope you don't mind if I just call you Ikuto, you don't seem to mind that."
"No I don't sir. So, you wanted to ask me some questions?" nodding Mr Hinamori set his hands in front of him on the desk and smiled "I'd like to know a lot about you… but the basics would be better. Where you were born, when you were turned into a cat- and by who would be nice, a little information about this… attitude that I'm not liking around my daughter."
"Well Mr. Tsugumu. You know my name, I was born roughly in the year one thousand B.C. in what I suppose is now the middle-east, I was a pet to many a great men including Pharos Ramsies one and two- I ran away both times before the mummification process could take place in both cases since it would have meant me being mummified too. I was also a beloved pet cat to great English and French men. Hit by too many carriages and buggies to count, had to swim too many times that I don't want to recall. Um, I was turned into a cat roughly after my seventeenth birthday, the woman across the river from us had decided to experiment on my dog and I got mad… I didn't come out of that argument human. I think Amu called her 'a godmother' for how strong she must have been to have done this. And its my attitude that you don't like but my personality that you'll love once you know it."
"Oh… and your just assuming I'll love your personality?" Ikuto just smiled at the man in front of him and nodded putting his hands behind his head.
Ikuto decided to calm Mr. Hinamori's with a short description of her personality accompanied by his cocky smirk. "I'm happy most of the time, I have a very laid back personality with all the time in the world and a sense to use the time I've given at the moment wisely, I have to admit I have considered suicide before- by trying five times and failing -and I've been in love with the renaissance and twelfth century forever. I will not go after Amu in a romantic way without consulting you- her father -about it first and I listen to said fathers wishes. I'm a strong believer in women's and gay rights, and I love pirates and wish I was back on one of those ships every now and then. And yes, I'm the kind of guy who would take a bullet for someone else."
Mr. Hinamori nodded with a slight smile before taking a deep breath "Alright, now I want to ask you some questions about Amu. First off; what color was the magic hovering around her?"
Ikuto paused for a moment, trying to think of the answer, thinking back to earlier that day, back from his cat eyes and how small the world looked from his small size that he'd been seeing for so long.
Ikuto looked around the room, noticing that for once Books liked small and Desks weren't mountains to hop up on, that a chair was something he lowered himself to and not jumped to get on. That door handles were now possible with opposable thumbs and he could use buttons and zippers, could hold a pencil and finally learn the art of writing since he'd known how to read for so long- all he lacked were the muscle skills for holding and moving a pencil or pen.
"Ikuto… you're spacing out." Ikuto shook his head and looked at Mr. Hinamori with shocked eyes "Sorry… the thought that I can actually do things just hit me… um, the magic in the air, I didn't see anything really, but it looked like everything was tinted green, and blue, and pink at some moments, like it shifted between the colors."
Mr. Hinamori nodded his understanding and thought for a moment before turning around and grabbing a book off his large book case and flipping through pages. Ikuto watched in silence as Mr. Hinamori grabbed a pan and started writing down in a large notebook.
Ikuto's deep blue eyes following his hand as they made the intricate looking letters and sighed.
Looking up Mr. Hinamori gave Ikuto a questionable eyebrow raise and Ikuto just smiled slightly and leaned back, looking away from the intricate letters "Is something the matter Ikuto?"
"Uh no sir… I was just wonder… could you, maybe teach me how to write? I can read, and I know my alphabet… but I don't know how to control my muscles… haven't had thumbs and all." he returned to his smug-ish behavior as he sat back and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Of course… would you also like me to put you into school?" for a moment Ikuto couldn't tell if he was saying it sarcastically but when he looked back to the man with the kind smile on his face Ikuto nodded. "Um, I guess… but I don't know what level I'm at. I've had a lot of… owners… who I picked a lot up from, including a physicist who decided to teach physics to his cats, there were three of us and I'm the only one who understood it… so I pretended I didn't." Mr. Hinamori just nodded "Alright… I just have one more question about earlier before I bother you about the future: did Amu's eyes change color?"
"Well… they glowed gold if that's what you mean." Mr. Hinamori looked shocked before nodding with a sigh "I figured… alright. I'll get a couple IQ tests and knowledge tests set up for you Ikuto, hopefully I'll be able to get you into Amu's school for next week- next month at the most, and if your level is too low we can put you into home schooling until your level increases."
Ikuto nodded before standing up "Alright, I'm going to head back and get Amu up to her room… I have a question though… do you like this shirt?" Mr. Hinamori shrugged "I could live without it, I have more t-shirts for when I do wear them. You can have that one before we get you out and get some clothes… until we get you a hat though you'll have to stay inside the house, and hide your tail once we do." Ikuto nodded again and gave a slight bow before walking out of the study and he was instantly attacked by a little Ami.
"Ikuto! Amu woke up and told Mommy something about Tadase then they told me to leave… what happened?" Ikuto just peeled Ami off his leg and shrugged "I don't know, go play or something."
"Will Ikuto play with me?" he paused shocked, he hadn't been asked to play with a young girl since his own sister had asked him that so long ago that it made his chest hurt. "Uh, what do you want to play?" he looked down at the girls bright light brown eyes that were lacking in the bright amber-honey color Amu's eyes had. "I wanna play tea party with Ikuto and Amu's old dollies!" Ikuto tilted his head before giving the small girl a kind smile and picking her up. "How about you and me go play tea together, Amu and your mom probably don't want to be bothered right now. And you really should ask Amu to play with something that's hers, right?" Ami nodded and clung to Ikuto as he walked towards the playroom beside the bathroom and set Ami down so she could get everything set up since the room was in a state of disarray.
Amu walked up the stairs, wondering where Ikuto had gone and wanting to thank him and apologies for doing that to him. She knew he didn't deserve what she through at him, and all on the day that he somehow returned to his human form.
"Well Ms. Hinamori, may I interest you in another biscuit?" Amu paused hearing Ikuto's voice and turned towards the playroom. "Yes I wanna cookie!"
"Now Ms. Hinamori… what did we say about surprising your parents with better manners for dinner tonight?" Ikuto giving the small girl a smile as he didn't move towards the plate of fake cookies. "I'm sorry Ikuto. I'd like a cookie please." Ikuto gave a smile and handed over the plate of plastic cookies for Ami. "There you go Ms." Ikuto gave a smile and grabbed his empty cup pretending to blow on imaginary steam before taking a sip of the fake liquid.
"Ikuto… are you going to marry Amu?" Ami's voice loud and proud as she asked the question. Outside the door Amu gasped and held her hand over her mouth as her face flushed as she tried to listen passed her thumping heart.
"I don't think so Ami. The idea of getting married and having a life is nice… but I just don't think it could happen for me. And I'll admit to you that Amu is a delicate flower that sparks my interest but, I've been a stray cat far too long… and I'm still not even human yet." Ikuto gave a sad smile as he set his cup down calmly and gave off a quiet sigh, ears perking when he heard someone take a few steps away from the door before coming back.
"Hey Ami… mom wanted to see you downstairs." Ami got up with a smile and started to run out of the room before stopping when Ikuto cleared his throat "Right! Sorry…" she walked back to her seat and sat back down. "May I please be excused Ikuto?"
"Yes you may Ami." with that the small girl ran out of the room as fast as she could, yelling to her mom that she was coming.
"How in the world did you get her to do that Ikuto?" Amu's voice astonished as she watched after her sister while Ikuto cleaned up a little "I said I'd play with her again if she used proper table etiquette." Ikuto walked passed Amu flicking the light switch off heading to Amu's room knowing that it was easier to get to the roof from her balcony.
"Hey… I was just wanting to say thank you Ikuto… you listened and dealt with me when I was kind of-"
"Its fine Amu. My ears are always open for you. I'll be up on the roof until dinner… and don't worry, I wont let anyone see me." Ikuto hopped up onto the railing for the balcony before hoisting himself onto the roof and moving up towards the chimney and laying flat on his back, arms crossed behind his head and eyes closing for longer intervals as he cloud watched. Just glad to have his human body back… even if he wasn't there quite yet.
"Ikuto… are you still up there?" Ikuto remained silent, trying to go back to his nap that he had been jostled out of by Amu's voice yelling up to him from her bedroom balcony. "Ikuto… I don't want to climb up there if you're still there."
He let out a silent sigh wishing dearly that he could read her mind like she could his before moving over to the edge and popping his head down, "Yes Amu?" deep blue eyes bored as she hoped back in surprise to his sudden appearance.
"Geeze Ikuto! You could have just answered me!" Ikuto just gave an upside down shrug before flipping over and landing on the balcony in front of her with his smirk that she was learning was a signature to him.
"Well… if you weren't so easy to scare I wouldn't have the urge to do it whenever possible. What's up?" she stared at him for a moment wondering if he always had this attutide before giving her head a slight shake and nodded "Mom wanted to know what you wanted for dinner. She was thinking about fish but-"
"No! please no… I've had enough fish in my life that I don't need anymore for three lifetimes… do you know how many people give a cat fish just because they think all cats like it? I mean sure, I kinda like fish every once in a while, but when you have it every day for three years it becomes a terrible thing that you never want to pass your lips again." Amu nodded her understanding with a smile before turning back towards her bedroom door and taking a couple steps.
"Oh, I'm thinking about going to the mall… want to grab a hat and join me?" Ikuto nodded as he stuffed his hands into his pockets and gave a smirk as Amu handed him a pink hat.
"You're kidding me ri-"
"If you'd listen to me… hold that for a moment please so I can find one that goes with your ridiculous hair color."
Ikuto just scoffed reaching over and flipping one of her pink locks "Yeah… like I have the ridiculous hair color… at least mine looks black in the dark. Your hair is bubble-gum pink Amu." his voice a low purr in her ear that made her shiver and get a sinking feeling in her gut.
"F-fine… you don't have to come. Forget I offered to actually take you somewhere for clothes and shit." Ikuto realized his messed up instantly and ground his teeth together before just straitening up and shrugged "Its alright… I don't really like the feel of clothes anyways… and they've gotten so… odd and scandalous."
Ikuto spent his day on the rooftop, looking up at the sky and giving the passing clouds a genuine smile, trying to gauge whether or not Amu had heard him talking to Ami about the marriage subject.
About an hour into his relaxing time after Amu had left the house for the mall with her four still really good friends; Kukai, Utau- dating. Rima and Neghiko- also dating. Ikuto felt kind of bad about making her go with two couples and being a fifth wheel, but he wasn't the type of guy to apologies for something that wasn't really his fault, just in his personality to play with people.
An hour into his nap/vegitation time Ikuto's arms and legs started to hurt and he froze, recognizing the pain as the same pain that flooded his veins all those years ago, making his entire body also scream for some kind of pain release as he convulted on the roof.
It felt like all the liquids in his system were being sucked out and his body was shirking into a raisin that he didn't want. He didn't want to feel this pain again, the fact he wasn't screaming this time only because he knew that if he started screaming bloody blue murder that neighbors would start calling the cops. Now he wasn't perfect, and he was yelling out yelps and grunts of pain, but nothing in comparison to the fact that he wanted people in London to hear him screaming about his pain.
Minutes felt like years to him as his body slowly shrunk and grew fur, hands became paws and his legs disproportioned themselves back into that of a cats proportions. Scrunching his eyes shut Ikuto took deep breaths, filling his small lungs with air as he tried not to cry- and yes, cats can cry- he learned that on his first day in a cats body.
'God… that hurt so bad… Amu, what's going on? Oh god… I thought I was back!' he couldn't hold it in any longer and the fur around his eyes started dampening with the salty tears he was letting out of them.
"Ikuto! Its dinner time! Amu isn't back yet but we're still going to eat… you want some now or later?" Midori- Amu's mother called up to Ikuto from the doorway to Amu's bedroom and he just kept crying, knowing that no one can hear a cat cry.
"Ikuto… are you up there?" he waited a moment, not moving but not stopping his crying. "Well… I guess he fell asleep, I'll leave him for now I guess and get Amu to get him when she gets home."
Ikuto waited for the sounds of her footsteps to vanish before even bothering to try and open his eyes, just to have Howl and Shane sitting in front of him. Too few human emotions of their faces for his liking and the blank stares weren't helping.
'Are you alright Ikuto?'
'Tch, I'm fine. I can handle a little pain. Its not like I haven't lived with it my whole life. And that's lord Ikuto to you. If there is anything that I learned from that old bat-lady was that witches cats have a hierarchy based on age- just like witches.'
'But you said yourself that your not a cat.' Howl's face turning up in a bit of a smirk making Ikuto grind his sharp teeth together.
'Well my body doesn't seem to like that idea. So shut up and get out of my sight you pathetic little weaklings." Howl and Shane just nodded their heads respectfully before vanishing off the roof to go tell their owners that Ikuto was once again a cat and marooning himself on the roof away from everyone.
Ikuto didn't even feel like breathing- so he tried not to -it didn't go so well apparently though. He could go a long time without breathing, but it just seemed like the natural thing to do; lungs expand sucking air in, and contract to push the same air out.
When Amu got home Ikuto quietly watched her smiling with her friends, a tall brunette boy had his arm around her waist and another blonde girls waist, his hair wild and windswept while her hair was in long pigtails at the top of her head. Amu's free hand holding onto a small girls hand who had long- almost to the ground long -blonde hair that was curled with straight cut bangs. The small girls arm was link with a fairly tall boys, long black hair that reached to just above his butt with the fact that it was let down.
They all looked quite happy but Amu could tell that there were people missing from the group, and that Amu was still upset about earlier that day as well. Her eyes didn't have the same spark of fire in them, or the slight shine of amber that just kind of glazed her iris… it was hard to watch he decided.
Looking away Ikuto relaxed his neck again and curled his front paws under his chest, wondering why that was such a comfortable position aside from having his head on his front paws when they were dangling over something.
"Alright… I'll see you guys later! No, we have a family friend staying over, and if he wasn't so stubborn he would have come with tonight."
"Well we're heading out to the movies… go ask him if he wants to join you, we can make it a triple date!" the brunette boy giving Amu a thumbs up and wink that held as the girl his arm was around rolled her eyes playfully with a smile.
"I guess I could go ask… but I don't think he's going to say yes… I don't think he really likes public much." Ikuto just smirked as Amu vanished into the house and started calling for him right away.
"Ikuto! Are you still here?" getting up to her room she noticed that the room was empty and went right onto her balcony deciding to check the last place he was. "Ikuto… I'm thinking about going to the movies with my friends. Do you want to join?"
'I'd love to… but I'm not allowed into a theater.'
"Don't be ridiculous Ikuto! All we have to do is get you a hat and it'll be fine. No one will know that difference if we hide your tail and-" a navy blue blob crossed her vision and she turned her head as quick as she could to see a navy blue cat sitting on her bed "Ikuto? What happened to you?"
'Don't really know yet… I was just laying up on the roof when this happened all of a sudden again… but you can still go to the theater if you want. I don't mind not hanging out with you for a night.' Ikuto moved across the bed slightly and gave his body a bit of a swagger as he walked to the edge and to the door 'I'm going to grab some food… waiting for you takes a long time.' he sauntered out of the room and Amu sighed, realizing she was going to have to switch the movies to studying her books for Ikuto instead of treating him like the animal he wasn't.
With a sigh Amu walked back out to her balcony and looked down at her friends "Hey guys… sorry but I cant go, my guest doesn't want to come and it'd be rude."
"No problem! But your not missing the next one, if I have to drag both you and your guest out of that house I will Amu!" the brunette- Kukai hollered with a wide smile as they all turned to leave.
Rolling her shoulders Amu walked over to her book case and started grabbing out spell books, one for nature spells, one for organic organism spells, animal spells, weather spells, crime spells, beauty spells, money spells, health spells, and knowledge spells. "Alright brain… its time to get acquainted with spells of every kind!"
After the third book Amu rolled her eyes and flopped down onto her stomach on her bed, she wanted so badly to be out with her friends, forgetting about Tadase but it just wasn't happening because she knew that she would be rude to not help Ikuto first.
She planted her face into the book that she was reading and groaned, trying to think of someway to make it easier for her brain to retain everything.
'You know, I've developed an eidetic memory over the years… I could help if you want.' Amu looked up and noticed Ikuto sitting on the floor of her doorway with steady blue eyes and she nodded "Alright… but remember, you offered."
'Of course I did.' his lips pulling into a smirk as he walked over to the bed and hopped up beside her. Amu grabbed another book and flipped it open to the first page with spell names and directions on how to perform the spells "Just let me know if you find something that might work… I'll talk to my parents about it tonight after Ami goes to sleep. Would you be alright with that?"
Ikuto nodded as he lowered his body down to the bed, laying adjacent to Amu on the bed and started looking over the spells that his mind couldn't really forget.
AN: Alright! There is chapter two, I'm thinking about five chapters, but reviews are super important. This is my first story and I know it could be better but I had a short story project in my writing class in school, and I wanted to make it longer- because the teacher wanted a lousy 1500 words -and I just couldn't do that few words. So I changed some names and through in a lot more detail to make it into this… I'd like your views on everything and anything! \(^o^)/
I guess there isn't much more to say… if you want me to put Anime and Manga characters into my Author Notes lets me know…. See you all soon (I hope) ^^'