Miyako smiled as she walked with her cousins, at least most of them, towards Shigure's house. Aki, Natsuki and Miyako. They hadn't been able to find Kami. "I hate that Kami is in a different class now." Miyako sighed.

"We even went home for a little to see if she was there." Natsuki grumbled. "I wonder where she is."

"She probably went out shopping for food or something." Aki nodded. "I bet she would have loved to come with us, but I guess not today."

"Next time maybe." Miyako nodded. "It's so much fun hanging out with them!"

"It's more fun when Kami is there." Natsuki grumbled.

"It's fun with or without Kami there." Aki pointed out. "Now come on! Let's hurry!" She jogged ahead a little. "They might go out shopping or something if we don't hurry!"

They walked up to the door and knocked. Shigure answered. "Oh? Hello? Come on in. Hey everyone! Three little girls have come over!"

"Shut up you dog!" Natsuki growled and punched him in the face.

Miyako smiled. She enjoyed coming over here, she never felt lonely when she was surrounded by them all. "Hi!" She waved.

A man walked up. "Shigure?" He was tall and had long grey hair tied up in a tail down his back. He looked at Miyako and her cousins. "Who are these three?"

Tohru walked up and smiled. "Oh! Kazuma, I'd like to introduce you to our friends from school. This is Miyako, Natsuki, and Aki Kibaru."

"Oh, hello." Kazuma smiled. "You are all friends of Kyo's?"

Miyako blinked. "Uh… Yeah…"

"It's nice to meet you." Kazuma smiled.

"Hi!" Kagura poked her head from around the corner. "Would you like to meet Kazuma? He is Kyo's, Yuki's, and my teacher."

"Really?!" Aki looked at Kazuma in awe. "That's amazing! So you are the one who taught Kyo and Yuki how to fight… How do you feel about them always fighting each other?"

"Shut up." Kyo growled. "He knows I will defeat that stupid rat one day!"

"Not even in your dreams." Yuki said calmly.

Kazuma blinked looking between the girls and the two Sohma boys. "Hang on a second…. Do they?"

"Yeah, they know about the curse." Shigure said getting up. "They are also cursed, so we saw no problem revealing it to them."

"Shut up dog!" Natsuki kicked him, sending him to the ground again.

"What was that for?!" Shigure whined. "I didn't do anything!"

"You just annoy me." Natsuki turned away from him towards Kazuma. "You didn't do very well in teaching that cat."

"HEY!" Kyo yelled angrily.

Miyako chuckled. "It's nice to meet you, Kazuma."

Kazuma smiled. "So your name was Miyako, wasn't it?"

"Yes." Miyako smiled. "I'm in Kyo's class. So are Aki and Natsuki." She pointed to each of her cousins in turn. "Our other cousin Kami use to be in our class, but she isn't anymore."

"Kyo, you have such good friends." Kazuma smiled.

"They are only classmates, Shishou." Kyo grumbled.

Miyako smiled. "We want to be good friends with you though."

Kazuma smiled. "Why don't we all sit down and talk."

"As long as I'm not sitting next to that idiot dog." Natsuki shrugged. "Or the idiot cat."

"SHUT UP!" Kyo yelled at him.

Miyako smiled as they left. "Kazuma seems nice." She smiled as she followed Natsuki and Aki. "I think it was fun getting to know him."

"He was pretty cool." Natsuki nodded. "Too bad Kami didn't get to come."

"Yeah…" Miyako reached down to fidget with her bag, but froze. "Oh no!"

"What's up?" Natsuki asked looking over. "What's wrong?"

"I left my bag over there!" Miyako frowned.

"Why don't you get it tomorrow?" Aki asked. "It's not going to kill you to leave it for now."

"But…" Miyako shook her head. "You can go ahead of me. I'm going to run and get my bag and then head home. I'll see you later." She waved and ran back towards Shigure's house. Miyako frowned as it started raining while she ran. "Oh man!" She ran faster and was half way gasping for breath when she got to the house. Luckily the tree over her was keeping her out of the rain for the most part.

She blinked as she noticed Kyo and Kazuma standing out in the rain as well. Kyo looked grumpy. I wonder what they are doing. She moved forwards a little closer curious.

"You said earlier that you hated it here… but I know that you don't really hate it… You described as 'Luke-warm water'…? It's slowly healing you… You don't want them to know your 'original form.' You are afraid that you will lose everything if they knew about it… So you are trying to run away from those ambiguous circumstances…"

Huh?" Miyako blinked, confused.

"No." Kyo whispered, he sounded scared.

"So… In that case, I will grasp your hands as you run away… I will lead you to the final result… to see if you will lose or not… Kyo, are you ready… born with a miserable life?" Kazuma suddenly slapped Kyo's face.

Miyako's eyes widened as she watched Kyo's form shift. He grew and looked like a giant demonic cat. A smell hit her nose and Miyako covered her nose. It smelt of rotting flesh. Miyako shivered as she watched the monstrous form of Kyo roar.

"DON'T LOOK AT ME!" With that Kyo spun and rushed away from Kazuma. It was then that Miyako noticed Tohru standing behind Kazuma.

"…That was… the form of the cat that Kyo was trying to hide… The original form…. Only the ones possessed by the spirit of the cat have another form… Do you feel disgusted? Are you scared?"

Miyako could tell Kazuma was speaking to Torhu but she took the words to her own heart. Kyo… That was you… because of your curse you have that form? That monstrous form? It must be so lonely… Miyako paused. That thought had come to her out of nowhere. Lonely… Seen as disgusting and monstrous by even those closest to you. He must feel alone!

Miyako couldn't stand it, she ran. KYO! She dashed through the rain and the trees. "KYO!" She yelled out. She ran until she caught his scent again and spotted him crouching in between the trees. She stopped and then slowly walked forward. "K-Kyo…"

Kyo spun and let out a deep growl. "Don't come any closer!"

Miyako flinched. "Kyo…" She took a step forward. "I… I'm still your friend."

"SHUT UP!" Kyo yelled and swiped his paw at her.

Miyako backed up, just barely out of his reach. "Please Kyo… I don't want leave you alone. I am your friend. Please let me stay and be your friend."

"GO AWAY!" Kyo growled at her. "LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Miyako flinched. "But… Kyo-."

"I DON'T NEED YOU! GO AWAY!"

Miyako's eyes widened in shock. She backed up slowly. "I…" She turned and ran, crying. Before she knew it, she was in her ferret form. She ran as fast as she could, zigzagging through the trees and ignoring the rain pelting her fur. She felt so alone as she ran. Kyo… why… I… I just wanted to be your friend…

Miyako froze as she realized that she wasn't among trees anymore, she was standing in a street. She shivered as she watched a car coming towards her. She quickly moved, almost getting ran over, and scurried under a small bench. She whimpered and buried her head under paws. She shivered as the wet rain continued to coat her fur. She was scared.

Suddenly to her shock the rain stopped hitting her. "Miyako?"

Miyako moved her paws out of the way and looked up. Kami held up an umbrella and was looking down at her. "Is that you?"

Miyako froze. "K-Kami?"

"What are you doing here?" Kami held out her arm and Miyako moved forward quickly and snuggled up into Kami's chest for warmth.

She sniffled. "I just wanted to be friends….. No one should be alone."

Kami hugged Miyako close and smiled. "It will be alright, I'll get you home."

Miyako looked up at the sky, it had finally cleared up. She was still in her ferret form sitting on a hill by herself. She hadn't wanted to be at home. She hadn't changed back yet. It didn't help that her memories of her childhood kept playing over in her head.

'Your next test will begin now.' Yukio looked down and smirked at her.

'But I don't want to." Miyako looked up, wiping her eyes. Yukio had already stolen her favorite toy, after giving it to her. He had hurt her and had embarrassed her. She was tired of his tests to find out what her cursed emotion was.

Kami had explained to her that it would be alright; he had to give her the test so that she wouldn't find it out in the middle of a crowd and revile the curse to the world. Miyako understood, but she was tired of the tests. 'What's next?' Miyako looked up at the head of her family.

'Follow me.' Miyako followed, nervous. Yukio was only 16, but he held all the power in the family. Miyako was 4. If she back talked him, it would be very bad. Yukio opened a door and looked down at her. 'Come in.'

Miyako looked at the door and then slowly walked in. The room was empty and dark. 'What kind of test is this?'

'Go in." Yukio ordered.

Miyako nodded and slowly walked in, not exactly happy about it. 'What am I supposed to do?'

'You are not to leave this room until I come and get you. I will bring you your meals each day, but you are not allowed to leave or see anyone. This is the test of loneliness.' With that Yukio closed the door behind him.

'Wait!' Miyako yelled after him and tried to open the door, it was locked. 'I don't want to be alone!' Miyako yelled out angrily. 'I don't want to be alone!'

Miyako whimpered and wiped her eyes with her paw. It had only taken a day for her to turn into a ferret. Yukio had let her out on the third day. Kami had comforted her and told her that she wouldn't have to take any more tests for Yukio. Kami had been right, but Yukio had still been cruel to her.

Miyako curled back up and sighed. "Hey!" Miyako blinked and looked up. Kyo was walking towards her. She twitched her ears and looked up at him confused.

"Kyo?" She looked down recalling his earlier words.

Kyo grumbled something under his breath. "I'm sorry for yesterday… I was just upset." Miyako looked up at him and blinked. He rubbed his head and grumbled something. "I didn't hurt you did I?"

"N-No…" Miyako whispered. "I'm sorry I tried to go towards you…"

"No… I'm sorry I pushed you away… You just wanted to help me and be my friend." He grumbled.

Miyako looked at him and blinked. "R-Really?"

Kyo nodded and Miyako smiled. She slowly turned back to her human form and smiled. She wrapped her arm around him. "I'm so happy! I don't want either of us to ever have to be alone!"

"H-Hey!" Kyo grumbled. "Get off of me!"

Miyako smiled and moved back. "We'll stay friends!"

"Eh… Yeah…" Kyo grumbled. "Just as long as you don't hug me!"

Miyako smiled. "Okay." He won't be lonely…. And neither will i… if we stay friends… She laughed. "I'll only hug you if I'm really happy!"

Kyo grumbled. "Oh… and here's your bag." He held it up and Miyako smiled happily.