Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!
Tikari waved to Hatori before exiting the building, heading for the forest. Yesterday, while she was on her way back, Shigure had called Hatori and talked about her visit. Now, Hatori wasn't as worried to let her go into the forest. She didn't know why he was worried in the first place. Maybe it was because of the "weirdos", as Shigure puts it. She didn't know and she didn't care. She was just glad that someone other than her parents cared about her. And she was especially glad that it was her big brother, too. They weren't really brother and sister but Hatori was like the brother she never had. Of course she never had a brother, she was an only child.
Tikari was about to put in her earphones out of habit, but then thought against it. She then shoved her hands in her pants pockets as she followed the first path through the forest. She followed it until she found a slight opening to the side of the path and she used the opening to come onto the next path that led straight passed Shigure's house. She wasn't really sure if they were expecting her that day, or that early in fact, but she didn't really care. She liked surprising people. It was fun to either scare or surprise people. She listened with a small smile to the quiet forest that seemed to help the birdsong echo around the trees. After about ten minutes, she finally came to Shigure's house. She walked up the path that led to the house but then stopped.
A boy with orange hair, whom she assumed was Kyo, stood in the yard, punching the air in front of him. Obviously, he was practicing his martial arts. He was so concentrated that he didn't notice Tikari until she started walking towards him. He stopped and turned to look at her. "You must be that girl who visited yesterday."
Tikari stopped and nodded. "Yeah, my name's Tikari. You must be Kyo, right?"
"Yeah, what's it to you?" Kyo answered, sounding a bit irritated.
Tikari blinked. She didn't know what she did to make him sound like that, though she guessed it was just his personality. "I was just asking…" She muttered, dipping her head down a bit.
"Are you just gonna stand there or are you gonna go in?"
Tikari looked back up to see Kyo standing by the door now, not facing her. He opened the door and glanced over his shoulder at her. "Err, yeah, I'm coming." She quickly walked over and went in after Kyo.
Kyo went into the living room. "We've got a visitor." He announced and then went back out and walked up the stairs.
Tikari blinked and watched him leave before a familiar voice brought her back to the living room.
"Well, hello! I didn't think we'd be seeing you again so soon, Tikari.~"
It was Shigure. He sat at the table, staring at her expectantly.
"Yeah, well, I was bored and had nothing else to do. Besides," Tikari said, "I didn't want to bother Hatori while he's working." She sat down at the table.
"Akito must be sick again, am I right?"
"Yeah, it seems like he's always sick." Tikari stated. She looked up as the door opened.
Tohru came in, wearing her school uniform. She smiled when she spotted Tikari. "Oh hello, Tikari!"
Tikari found herself smiling as well. "Hi." She glanced over at Shigure as he spoke.
"Oh, that's right. You have school today, don't you?" He asked.
"Yep!" Tohru responded.
"School?" Tikari tilted her head slightly.
"You've never been to school before, have you, Tikari?" Shigure asked.
Tikari shook her head. "No, I haven't."
"Well, it's basically a place where you go to learn and hang out with friends, but mostly to learn." Tohru explained.
"Oh, it sounds… interesting." Tikari gave a small smile.
"Hey, maybe you can go to school with them," Shigure suggested, looking expectantly at Tikari with gleaming eyes.
"What?" Tikari glanced at him and then shook her head and hands. "Oh no, I'm not even sure if Hatori would let me."
"Oh, come on! I'm sure Ha'ri will allow you to go to school."
"Are you sure about that?" Tikari raised an eyebrow.
"Of course!" Shigure said. "I'll even call and ask him right now."
"Oh, you don't have to…" Tikari began, but Shigure had already gone and left the room. "…do that." She sighed and then looked back up as Tohru came back in the room. How she was able to leave the room without notice, was beyond her knowledge.
Tohru set down a cup of tea in front of Tikari. "There you go. Well, we have to go to school now. Bye!" She waved as she slid open the door.
Tikari waved as well. "Bye." Once the door was slid closed, she looked down at her cup before taking it and sipping. She might as well take the time to enjoy her tea while Shigure was on the phone with Hatori.
"So, what'd big brother have to say?" Tikari looked to Shigure expectantly, who had just sat down at the kotatsu table. (A/N – whatever the hell those table thingies are called..)
Shigure took on a serious face as he paused for a dramatic effect. After several long moments, and Tikari leaning in unintentionally, he finally spoke. "You can stay!~" He said in a sing song voice.
Tikari sat back, noticing she had been leaning forward, in surprise and confusion. "What do you mean 'stay'?" She said slowly.
"Ha'ri and I came to an agreement." Shigure began. "You may go to school, but you have to stay here."
Tikari's mouth dropped open in shock. It was a good thing the only person there was Shigure. "I have to stay here?!" She asked, as if the answer wasn't clear. "So, I can't see Hatori anymore?" Her voice grew softer with a bit of sadness.
Shigure noticed. "You can always visit him, and you'll see him whenever he comes over here – which isn't very often." He told her.
Tikari sighed, letting her shoulders slump slightly and her head tilted down, in defeat. "Alright fine… but how am I supposed to go to school, just walk in tomorrow and expect to be a new student right away?"
"Well, not exactly." Shigure stood up. "I'll be right back, just stay here."
Tikari blinked up at him. "Are we going somewhere?"
"Yep!~" He then left the room to go to his own room.
Tikari watched him go and then sighed once more. She looked down into her cup of tea, watching the liquid before taking another sip. This is going to be an interesting year.
I know it sounds kind of dumb for Tikari to never have gone to school before. But oh well. I don't feel like changing it. But she's still smart.