Nekochi: SOOOOO I completely forgot about rewriting this and FINALLY logged back on only to have a sudden stroke of inspiration for this chapter.
-Flashback-
"Wow big brother, you're really going to be head of house one day? That's so cool!" Belle said, awestruck.
"Not really." Akito sighed. He admired her innocence though. Akito knew there wasn't much good to come out of being head of house, but his curse made him a natural for the role. Poor Belle would only become victim to the madness that would eventually consume him. No God from the zodiac has ever overcome it. He doubted he would be the first. He looked at his sister, so young and naïve .He wished he could keep her like this forever.
"Akito?" a voice called. "Akito, are you here?" Akito recognized the voice as one from the zodiac. Belle would need to keep her distance so that she would not discover the curse.
"Coming!" Akito declared. "Belle, stay here, okay?"
"Okay Big Brother." But of course, curiosity would get the best of her. After Akito followed the voice to the garden, belle picked up her favorite teddy bear and followed her big brother, stopping behind the door and peeking around it.
"What is it Shigure?" Akito asked the tall dark-haired boy.
"I brought a gift. Only proper that I offer something to such an important person" Shigure replied, half-joking.
"Thank you, its beautiful." Akito sighed.
-End Flashback-
Akito tried to run through his better memories of childhood, but one bad memory just wouldn't budge. Akito soon felt the familiar warmth of tears mixing with the freezing rain as he walked.
-Flashback-
"How is his temper?" The family psychologist asked
"it's gotten worse, I'm afraid. I guess it can't be helped." His personal nurse, Kiku replied. She had been in charge of him, helping keep his stress and his illness at bay. She often acted more like a nanny than a nurse, berating him when he would act up or refuse to eat right, or generally try to be a kid. She would also comfort him when his night terrors would haunt him and when his fits of rage would flare up, she would expertly remove any company before quickly consoling and calming him. Fortunately Belle had not witnessed any of these fits but it would not last forever. After his monthly checkups with the family doctor and psychologist, he asked Kiku to summon his sister. She wouldn't be long, he assumed. The main house was only a short distance away. He was Removed from the main house after his first outburst it was small but he didn't like to think about is as violent rage was the first sign of the madness. He took this time to reflect on calming things, soon becoming lost in the idea of the butterfly effect. He found it very calming to think that one action can grow and become the action of many. One speech can become a nationwide movement, one person's protest could bring about a major change in the policy of a public entity. He thought about how this effect is used in personal lives too and wished, just for a moment, that the God of the zodiac had more power than just to strike fear into the hearts of his people. They may not be able to lie to him, or disobey him, or even to disrespect him, but those things were no good in getting what he really wanted. He wanted acceptance. He wanted the curse to be nonexistent. He wanted friends outside of the zodiac, as if they were truly his friends. His thoughts were interrupted by a light tapping on the paper door.
"Come in." Akito said. Belle was here, and he would no longer think of such things. He had a friend in her. As long as she didn't discover the curse, as long as she didn't see what a freak he and his zodiac were he could rely on her. And he knew it.
"Welcome, Belle. How have you been?" Akito smiled. Belle grinned in response.
"I've been great Big Brother! I made some new friends at school today. One of them is a little distant though….he seems sad for some reason. I wish he would smile more…I really like his smile, and he so kind and sweet and-"
"May I ask who this boy is? You obviously seem to like him" Bella blushed a shade of crimson and Akito laughed. "it's okay you don't have to tell me. Though I'm glad you found some friends. I hope I get to meet this boy in the near future." They continued to talk and joke for a while until eventually Belle had to go home. It would be a week before they met again.
"Big Brother, I hope you're ready for the newest development in my social life 'cuz I really gotta talk!" Belle half whined as she walked through the door to his living quarters. She found him sitting at his table reading a book. He looked up at her and smiled.
"Big Brother I have a big problem. I REALLY like this boy but I don't know how to ask him out. Hes been getting more and more distant lately too and I don't know what to do. I cant just go up and talk to him can I?" Akito sighed at his little sister's rambling and put his book down.
"First, I need to know who he is." He said simply. "I need to know so that I can make sure he's good enough for my little sister." Belle pouted. She didn't want her big brother talking to him if he was going to act all protective. Then Akito smiled. "And second, I need to know so I can help you."
"Momiji Sohma"
"What?" Akito stopped. Momiji can't be with his sister. No. Akito wouldn't allow it.
"I really like him Big Brother."
"Okay… okay. You know what? Give me some time, okay?" Akito snapped back into reality as he grasped desperately at a plan. He couldn't let this happen. She couldn't find out the curse, no matter what. But if she were to try for Momiji, he would end up revealing it to her. He tried to find anything that might help in his head…..
Hatori.
Hatori can erase her memories. He's the only chance I have of her getting over Momiji without trying to pursue him.
After Belle left, Akito summoned Hatori immediately. The teen arrived quickly, looking for any sign of danger before his eyes landed on a frantic Akito.
"I need you to erase Belle's memory of Momiji." He said, near begging.
"Akito what's wrong?"
"Please erase her memories. I don't want her to find out about the curse and if she doesn't forget him, she will. She can't find it out or she will hate me." Akito looked thoroughly distressed and Hatori knew if he didn't comply, Akito could never fight the madness. He learned from Akito's nurse that the madness was a series of mental disorder caused by the God's feeling of loneliness and that it often happened when the God felt he could trust and rely on no one. The disorders included depression, anger management issues, bipolar disorder, and occasionally muti-personality disorder. Hatori complied and Akito set up the day. He told Belle that there was someone she needed to meet and she came by on the day of her appointment, loyal as ever. Hatori went through the steps that had worked so many times before, ever since he discovered the ability. It seemed to work at first. She fell asleep and Akito laid her on his bed, planning to claim she fell asleep shortly before his "friend" had left. Once she had awoken, he put his best mask on before Belle started talking.
"Brother? Where did your friend go? Why was he talking about "forgetting Momiji"?"
"it didn't work? How could it not work? No…. it has to work."
"big brother? Whats wrong?"
"you CAN'T be with HIM." Akito was slipping.
"And if a memory wipe didn't work….."
"big brother?" at that moment Akito snapped.
"I'M NOT YOUR BROTHER ANYMORE. You are no longer a part of this family! Leave...Leave and never return!"
"But…big brother"
"Leave Belle...don't even think of coming back!"
-Flashback end-
Akito found himself curled into a ball under a tree, his face blotchy and his breath shaky. If he didn't get out of the rain, he was sure to catch cold. He stood and walked on shaky legs to Shigure's house. As he was welcomed to the home Shigure must have noticed his condition because he asked if he had gone through another breakdown.
"no…." he replied. "I just ran into a bad memory."
Nekochi: wow I'm pretty proud of that one! Lots of background for Akito and his lil' sis! If anyone is wondering why Momiji doesn't remember her: it's because he was so young and at the time he was dealing with the fact that his mom had just had another kid(his sister Momo). He was depressed because he couldn't be loved like his sister was and he never really got to know Asami.