Fan Fiction ❯ Second Chance ❯ A New Roommate ( Chapter 2 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Reiko stared at the fox for a minute, then shut her eyes tight. "You're not here."

"Nice to see you, too, odd one."

She opened one eye and whimpered. It was still there, coated in his red-furred wonder, probably getting it all over her bed. "This must be a hallucination Fr-from all the medications, that's it." She pulled out her desk chair and sat down hard, staring at the wild animal on her bed. The TALKING wild animal; oh, yeah, definitely a hallucination.

"Reiko, don't you remember anything?" The foxed asked softly, seeing the blatant fear all over her face and the way her knuckles turned white as they gripped the edge of her desk.

"It was a dream!" She protested in a squeaky voice. "A dream! Foxes don't talk and I don't have conversations with goddesses!"

He jumped off her bed and padded over to her, seeing the increasing shaking in her body, though she tried to hide it. The fox rubbed against her ankle and felt her tense up for but a moment, then relax at the delicate touch of his soft fur. He jumped up on her desk to look her straight in the eye, making her mouth go dry at the sight of his dark green eyes that seemed to be endless in their depth. "I'm sorry I scared you, Reiko. This isn't a dream though; I'm really here." He bent down and licked her hand with his tongue. It was gentle, though the roughness of the body part helped get her out of her shock.

She raised her other hand gently, stroking his head and behind his ears. It was soft and comforting and he seemed to like it, judging by the light purr and wag of his tail. "What are you doing here?"

"Hm?" He broke out of the trance her pets had put him in. "Oh, right. Well, you remember Aphrodite saying that you'd have to do something and that I was your partner? I'm here to explain it to you."

"What kind of something?" Reiko asked slowly.

"Here's a letter from Aphrodite that can explain," Fox jumped off her desk and got a roll of parchment from her bed, carrying it to her in his mouth. She took it from him and read it:

"Dear Reiko,

I hope you're not too surprised by Fox in your room and he'd better be nice. If not, you just let me know and I'll take care of him, unless of course, you'd rather do it yourself. *wink*

As gods we are quite busy with other things that I am unable to discuss with you, and unfortunately we have not been able to pay as much attention to the happiness and needs of the people we're trying to help. That's where you come in. I want you to try and help make people happier. They will be certain people, people that will be very important to the future. At the same time, I, as well as your other case workers, will be talking to you about what you think might help people more."

Reiko looked up from the letter. "So, I'm supposed to be Saint Reiko or something like that?" Fox shrugged and she went back to reading.

"I know this probably seems a littledifferent for you, but Fox is there to help you and I'm almost always available to talk. Fox will tell you the details. Talk to you later, dear!
always,
"

Reiko looked at Fox, who had repositioned himself on her bed whilst she was reading. "So, how am I supposed to help people?"

"It's different for different people." Fox shrugged.

"And how will I know who I'm supposed to help? Do you show up with a file or something?"

Fox sighed. "It's not like that. You'll just know."

"How will I know how to help them if you don't tell me how?"

He sighed again. "Reiko, you'll just know. It should be instinctive. Just go with it." He stretched out. "I do know who your first case is supposed to be though."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Who?"

The fox racked his brain before remembering. "A guy named Cohen Christian. He's at your school, isn't he?" Reiko nodded, eyes wide. "What's wrong, oddball?"

She glared at him. "Don't call me that. It's justI met Christian today. That's why I was late. He-he said he had a dream about me. That he was supposed to be friends with me. And I said yes. I-I guess it is instinctive."

Fox looked surprised. "WellI guess they were right to pick you for this after all."

She shrugged, then the papers that were on her desk caught her eye. "Oh, right. I should do my homework." She put the letter from Aphrodite in her desk drawer, and pulled out a pencil to start her math work. She nibbled on her pocky, and eventually the chocolate aroma roused Fox from his little nap on her bed.

"What's that really nice smell?" he asked, raising his nose to sniff the air, the smell guiding him over to her desk, which he jumped up on again.

She held up one of the sticks. "This is pocky."

He sniffed it gently. "Is it food?"

She gave him a weird look and nodded.

"Can I try it?"

"I don't know I'm not sure if it'll be good for you."

It was his turn to glare. "I'm not a regular fox. I think I'll be able to handle it." He took it from her, and she didn't protest. He ate it carefully, savoring the delicious flavor.

"You like it?" She asked, already knowing the answer.

Fox stuck his nose in the small opening of the box, trying to get more out, but she pulled it away from him. "Hey! These are mine!" He looked at her with big green eyes, whimpering piteously. "You can have one more," she sighed and gave it to him. "But that's it! Now go lay down, I have work to do!"

He took it in his mouth and trotted happily over to the bed, munching on the plain cookie first, then the chocolate covered part. Reiko went back to doing her homework until her door swung open. "Sis!"

"Shiroko, how many times have I told you to knock?" Reiko demanded.

"KAWAII!!!!" the youngest member of the Akakamino family ran to her sister's bed and scooped Fox up in her arms. "He's soooo cute! Where'd you get him, Rei? Can we keep him? Is it a him?"

"Yes, it's a boy. I think we can keep him, mom keeps suggesting we get a pet and I think he'll be pretty easy to take care of." She looked at Fox, who seemed very happy being cuddled. "He sort of followed me home."

"Mom and Dad are downstairs, let's go ask them!" She carried the fox down to the living room, snuggling it and whispering kind, innocent words. "Ma! Daddy! Look what Reiko found!"

Her dad looked at the animal in surprise. "And where did she find this?"

"He followed me home, daddy." Reiko said from the stairs.

"Can we keep him?" Shiroko begged. "Please? Oh, please, please, please? Look how cute he is!"

Mr. Akakamino sighed. "I don't know He'll probably be a lot of work."

"I'll take care of him, Dad. I take care of everything else around here." Reiko shot a look at her mom, who took a long sip from something in a colored glass.

"Let 'em keep it," their mother slurred over her words. "Won't do no harm." She put a hand up to hold her forehead, wincing painfully. "I'm going to go lay down, my head's killing me" Mrs. Akakamino got up and struggled up the stairs. For once, Reiko didn't move to help her.

"You promise to take care of it?" Their dad asked quickly, trying to attract Shiroko's attention.

"Of course she will, Reiko's the best!" Shiroko exclaimed. "Please promise, Reiko I've always wanted a pet."

Reiko sighed in defeat. The fox was going to have to stay here anyway, might as well get parental permission for it. "I'll take care of him."

Mr. Akakamino looked from Shiroko's hopeful expression to Reiko's 'what can we do?' look and sighed. "You can keep the fox." His daughter cheered. "But its gone as soon as I'm the one taking care of it."

"You won't be dad! I promise! YAY!" Shiroko gave the fox another big hug, the set him on the floor to hug her father.

He picked her up, holding her against his side. "How 'bout we start dinner and let your sister get back to doing whatever she was doing, ok, Shiro-chan?"

Shiroko nodded and watched as the fox followed her big sister up the stairs and into her room. "Your sister seems nice," Fox noted to Reiko from his position on the bed once again.

"She is nice. Too naïve for her own good sometimes, but she's very nice."

Fox frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, nothing. You wouldn't understand." Reiko went back to her homework, pen scribbling answers out on the paper.

"Isn't that partially what I'm here for? To help understand what would make people do such things like commit suicide?" Fox reminded her.

She turned around and smiled sadly at him. "If you're going to stay here, then you'll figure it out sooner or later."

The look on her face made him decide not to question her anymore. She was trying to hide her hurt, and not doing a good job from his point of view. Exhausted. That's what she was. It was clearly written all over her face and he could see that now. Must have been one of the reasons she tried to end her life. He wasn't sure why yet, but he was going to find out. It may have been his job, but that wasn't why he wanted to do it. It was shocking and painful to see someone so strong be so fed up and tired with living. He wanted to know what could hurt her so much.

Fox jumped off the bed and went over to her, climbing into her lap. She looked down in surprise, then hugged him, surprising herself even more. Reiko breathed in his scent. It wasn't something she expected. He smelled comforting, of vanilla and lavender. She buried her head into his fur, letting her sense of touch and smell take over, trying to forget that everything else existed.

"Reiko! Dinner'll be ready soon!" Shiroko called from outside her door.

Reiko snapped out of her stupor. "Uh, thanks, Shiro-chan, I'll be down in a bit!" Her sisters retreating footsteps echoed up the stairs as she went down to finish helping her father. Neither she nor Fox said anything for a while, both embarrassed and confused at the intimate moment they had shared. "Say, what's your name?" Reiko asked him, somewhat to break the ice.

"[insert name here]."

Reiko blinked. "Fox it is then."

He gave her an annoyed glare, then rolled his eyes in defeat. "Might as well, it's what everyone calls me anyway."

"Well, let's go down to dinner," Reiko said as she smelled the aroma from the food downstairs. She picked up Fox and walked downstairs, sitting at the table with her family.

Fox definitely enjoyed dinner, though that could have been because Shiroko kept feeding him pieces of sushi under the table even though her father kept telling her to cut it out. Eventually he gave in too and gave him some of his dinner as well. "Reiko, do you want to take your bath first? I'll watch Fox for you if you'd like."

Reiko reached over and ruffled her sister's hair. "That'd be great. Thanks Shiroko. I think I'll go take it now." She thanked them for dinner, then walked upstairs to take her bath.

"Shiroko, dear" her father began. "You do realize that now you have to do the dishes and she doesn't."

"That's what I get for trying to be nice" Shiroko pouted, trying get out of her chores as Fox licked her fingers.

Mr. Akakamino laughed. "Come on, I'll help you."

Upstairs, Reiko relaxed in the furo, letting the warm water calm her as she sorted through all the things that were going on in her head. She was now a vessel of the gods. She didn't want to be, but it seemed that she really didn't have a choice. There had to be perks of this job, though. Her plan of action was going to be to do a little work first, then ask what's in it for her.

She got out of the furo after a while and dried herself off in the bathroom, savoring the warmth in the air. She wiped the fog off the mirror and examined herself. Her wavy brown hair fell across her chest. Piercing blue-gray eyes stared back at her from the mirror, but she could never be sure of what color they would be. They changed, depending on her mood or the color of her clothing. Reiko wasn't quite sure if she liked that or not. Someone who knew her well enough would probably be able to sense her feelings or see whether or not she was telling the truth. No one could do that yet. Reiko wasn't sure whether she liked that or not, either.

Her eyes traveled down her body, looking at her figure and legs. She really hated her legs. They were long and toned and muscular, though not wide. Yet she hated them all the same, no matter how many people had told her they'd kill for legs like that. Reiko had always been envious of the other girls thin, delicate legs. Of their thin, straight bodies, which were different from her voluptuous, curvy one. She wasn't overweight, maybe a little under for the shape of her body, even though she wasn't sure how she did it with all the pocky she ate. Mr. Akakamino's mother had come here from Greece, or one of those other western European countries. Reiko had inherited her grandmother's genes, unlike Shiroko who had most of her mother's slim genes.

Unlike a lot of girls her age, though, Reiko didn't have a body image problem. When she was younger it bothered her, but she knew she couldn't change it, so there was no use complaining about it. There were times when she liked the way she looked. Oblivious to her, a lot of guys liked the way she looked as well. 'I just have to trust my body," she thought to herself as she put on her lavender pajamas and bundled up her long hair. 'I knew that it would stop responding after so many sleeping pills and I was right. It would have lasted too, if SOME PEOPLE hadn't gotten involved.'

Shiroko was coming up the stairs as she exited the bathroom. "Oh, great, my turn!"

"Where's Fox?" Reiko asked her sister, re-buttoning the fastens on her shirt after Shiroko pointed out that they were done wrong.

"Lying down in your room. He's so wonderful, Rei-chan, I love him so much!" Shiroko beamed at her sister. "I'm so glad you found him!"

Reiko couldn't help but grin at her sister's happiness. "I'm glad you like him. Why don't you go take your bath and I'll come tuck you in."

"Uh, Reiko? Would it be ok if you didn't come tuck me in tonight? None of the other girls get tucked in, and it seems kinda babyish." Shiroko said quietly.

Reiko tried to hide her the hurt and shock that was most likely obviously present on her face. "Sure, whatever." She leaned over and kissed Shiroko's forehead. "Now go take your bath."

Shiroko smiled at her, then went to her room to get her pajamas as Reiko went back into her room and flopped down in her desk chair. "Something wrong?" Fox asked.

"Shiroko doesn't want me to tuck her in."

"Oh. That's a bad thing?"

"Of course it is! I love tucking her in." Reiko looked at the finished homework on her desk, not really seeing it, feeling lost.

"She's growing up, she doesn't need you to protect her from everything anymore." Fox pointed out.

Reiko just looked at him and shook her head. "You really don't understand anything."

Fox said nothing and Reiko started to doodle on the blank paper that was on her desk. "Reiko honey?" Her father knocked on the door.

"Come in, Dad."

Mr. Akakamino opened the door slightly and poked his head through. "Hi, sweetie. Did you finish all your homework?"

Reiko rolled her eyes. "Yes, dad."

He walked in, smiling. "Sorry, sometimes I forget that you're fifteen and not five." He ruffled her hair a bit. "Shiroko's already in bed, so I think I'm going to go to bed too. Don't stay up too late."

She nodded. "Don't worry, I won't."

He gave her a hug and a kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too, Daddy. Night." Reiko watched as he left, closing the door behind him.

"Hmph, he didn't even say hello to me," Fox grumbled from the bed.

Reiko picked Fox up and dumped him on the floor. "Oh, shut up." She pulled down her blankets and prepared to get in bed, but got a manga from her shelf at the last moment, one she hadn't read in a while.

"What's 'Sailormoon'?" Fox asked from the floor.

"It's a very nice story. I'll let you read it sometime." She opened the book and started reading.

When she was about a quarter through the first manga, there was another knock at her door. "Come in." She replied absent-mindedly.

Shiroko stood in her doorway, looking adorable in pink pajamas, holding her stuffed rabbit. "Reiko, will you come tuck me in?"

Reiko jumped out of her bed as if she was on fire, almost stepping on Fox as she made her way to Shiroko. "Of course!"

Shiroko's room was very girly, mostly pink and white with frills and lace on the edge of her bedding. Most of it wasn't Reiko's taste at all, but she did love the posters of the gymnasts and batonists and ballerinas that adorned the walls. Shiroko got under her white blankets, pulling them up to her chin while Reiko sat down on the side of her bed. "I love you, Reiko."

"I love you too, Shiro-chan." Reiko made sure her baby sister was tucked in tight, then kissed the top of her head. "Would you like me to tell you a story too?" Shiroko nodded excitedly, for she hadn't had a story in a while, then closed her eyes while Reiko racked her brain for a story. "A god went to earth disguised as a normal man. He met with a group of animals, one of which was a rabbit, and asked to share some food. All the animals did share, except for the rabbit, who had nothing to offer. So instead, the rabbit threw himself into the fire, sacrificing himself so the man could eat. The man was so touched by that action that he revealed himself as a god and took the rabbit to the moon as a reward. To this day, some people still believe in the rabbit in the moon. This animal employs its time in pounding rice in a mortar and making it into cakes."

As Reiko finished her story she listened for Shiroko's even breathing, smiling happily when she heard it. She got up carefully, shutting the lamp by the bed off and slowly making her way to the door through the pitch black. Back in her room, Fox was sleeping on her bed. "Get up, I'm tired and I want to go to sleep." Reiko said harshly, but could not keep the grin off her face.

Fox gave her a questioning look, confused by the grumpy tone of her voice and the ecstatic look she was wearing. "Whatever you say, odd one."

Reiko got into her bed and shut out her own light, making it as dark in her room as it was in her sisters. However, Fox could still see the her smile as she whispered, "Good night, Fox."


Author's notes: Here's the second chapter for everyone who's been waiting for it. I originally planned to make it have more content then this, but after I realized how long it was getting, I decided to just make this the chapter and to make everything else I was planning the next chapter. Sorry if this chapter is a little boring, it's just basically giving you a small look at Reiko's life (its usually not this peachy keen, I'll tell you that much about what's coming up). But the next chapter will have more, so I hope you'll stick around and read! Questions, comments, reactions and reviews are greatly appreciated.