Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ East Side, West Side ❯ Okurimono Q & A ( Chapter 6 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Inuyoukai Mitaku Kurama 
Just a little fill-in chapter that explains a little more about the Okurimono family.
Anime/Manga: Fruits Basket Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 04.03.2006 | Pages: 3 | Words: 2.0K | Visits: 260 | Status: Work In Progress
Just a little fill-in chapter that explains a little more about the Okurimono family.
Anime/Manga: Fruits Basket Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 04.03.2006 | Pages: 3 | Words: 2.0K | Visits: 260 | Status: Work In Progress
Here’s just a slight fill-in chapter that kinda tells a little more of the Okurimonos’ story. Not much, but enough for you to get a little insight on their history and enough to understand a few more things. Hope you enjoy.
----
“It was so awesome, Aunt Mizuko!” Kokoro smiled as she told Mizuko the entire story. “I didn’t think there could be another family cursed like us!”
“You let someone find out about the curse?” Mizuko narrowed her eyes at Sachiko.
Sachiko laughed nervously. “Well they’re cursed too, Sis.”
“But you let someone find out about the curse.” Mizuko glared.
“Oh come on.” Sachiko backed away slowly.
“Sachiko, you are the leader of this family. It is your job to ensure the safety of the family secret.” Mizuko took a step toward Sachiko at every emphasized word. By the last word, she was already right in front of her.
“Don’t be so hard on her, Aunt Mizuko.” Kippei said calmly. “Besides, it’s not like she’s the real leader.”
“Yes, but the real leader is still in high school and won’t be able to take her rightful position until she graduates.” Mizuko looked to Kippei and then back to Sachiko. “And until that day comes, she has given that position and all responsibilities tied to it to you.”
“Of course.” Sachiko slightly backed away again.
“Mizuko, give your older sister a break.” Ryu said from the corner. “It isn’t really her fault. Not all of us can be as mature and responsible as you.”
“Dear cousin, she should’ve been watching Hinako. Not letting her run around an unfamiliar area when there were other people around.” Mizuko sighed, backing off.
Kokoro blinked as a question of her own rose to her mind. She looked to the adults “conversing in a crude manner” (as they insisted that they never argued) and shot her hand up into the air. “Hey, peoples! Kandi-kane has a question!”
The three adults stopped their “conversing” and looked to Kokoro.
“If Hinako transformed when she bumped into Yuki, then why didn’t Kippei transform when he bumped into Kasumi at the airport?” Kokoro tilted her head.
They exchanged looks and after a few moments they turned their heads to Kippei.
Kippei looked back at all three of them. “What? What’re you looking at me like that for?”
“Why didn’t you transform?” Sachiko lifted an eyebrow.
“How would I know?” Kippei shrugged.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Leo walked into the living room.
“They’re ‘discussing’ the incident that happed while we went to go see Kasumi.” Kokoro explained.
“Oh, they’re arguing?” Leo raised an eyebrow.
“Pretty much.” Kokoro nodded.
“So what happened?” Leo looked to her.
“In a nutshell, Hinako was running around, bumped into Yuki, and both of them transformed. Only Yuki was a rat, as Hinako was the heavenly twins. The Sohmas are cursed by the Chinese zodiac.” Kokoro shrugged.
“I see...So they know about our curse?” Leo turned his head to Sachiko.
“Oh not you too, dearest nephew.” Sachiko sighed. “Mizuko’s already on my case for it. Ha! Get it? Case! She’s a lawyer and she’s on my case!”
“...Right. I’m not mad. I’m just asking.” Leo shrugged.
“Then yes. They know about the curse. And we know about their’s.” Sachiko nodded.
“Okay then. Yo, Kippei. Jon and Kohaku wanna go play some paintball later, wanna join?” Leo looked to Kippei.
“Where are we gonna play paintball?” Kippei looked at his much older cousin.
“Have you seen the backyard of this place? It’s huge.” Leo laughed.
“Are you serious?” Kippei smiled.
“Dead. Come on.” Leo walked out of the room.
“Coming!” Kippei followed.
Mizuko sighed. Looking to Sachiko she asked, “So are we going to have the pleasure of meeting this other cursed family?”
Sachiko smiled and replied, “Well I thought maybe this weekend.”
“You thought? Sachiko, you never think. You act. Whether you told me about this meeting on the weekend ahead of time or not, you would’ve made us go.” Mizuko shook her head.
“Sis, for once, can you loosen up a bit? That’s why I didn’t want you to become a lawyer.” Sachiko sighed.
“That was my decision. Not yours. I’m gonna go start dinner.” Mizuko headed out of the living room and to the kitchen.
“Need any help?” Sachiko called after her.
“No thanks. I don’t need any help from someone who uses mustard for yellow paint.” Mizuko called back.
“Hey, that was just a joke!”
“So was that.”
“Sister, you’re so cruel to me sometimes.” Sachiko sighed and stood up from the couch.
“I’ll be in my room.” Ryu stated, walking out of the living room.
“Hey, Aunt Sachiko?” Kokoro called before Sachiko also left the room.
“What is it, Kokoro?” Sachiko smiled, looking to Kokoro.
“I...was wondering. Do you think that the Sohmas...have their own individual...stories, I guess you could say, too? Like we kinda do?” Kokoro blinked.
“Stories? What do you mean?” Sachiko tilted her head.
“Like...Ariel’s background with her mother, Takeru’s real parents, and you being Kiriko’s–...” Kokoro stopped herself. “I mean, you being like Hinako and Kiriko’s mother...in a...way?”
“Oh, you mean like things in the past that somewhat haunt them? Everyone does, Kokoro. Well, almost everyone.” Sachiko nodded.
“And...why don’t we have an outcast like they do?” Kokoro inquired.
“We...do...actually. They just haven’t surfaced yet. The outcast of the Western zodiac is, I believe he was called the Snake Bearer.” Sachiko recalled.
“The Snake Bearer?” Kokoro raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah. But there hasn’t been one in the family for...generations.” Sachiko said.
“Think there will ever be one?”
“It’s possible.”
“Then what if one’s born while we’re over here? Shouldn’t we have stayed until all the members of the zodiac were born?”
“Well if you wanna get technical, the Snake Bearer isn’t really apart of the Western zodiac. Just like the cat isn’t really apart of the Chinese zodiac.”
“Yeah but...”
“Kokoro, it’s not like we’re gonna be here forever. We’re just visiting, remember? In a few weeks we’ll be back home in America and there will be plenty of time to search for the Okurimono Snake Bearer.” Sachiko smiled. “Now go get washed up for dinner.”
“Okay.” Kokoro nodded and walked out of the room.
Sachiko sighed. “I can’t wait for this weekend.” She walked out of the living room and went into the kitchen. Mizuko was stirring something by the stove with little Takeru clinging to her side.
“Snake Bearer, huh?” Mizuko questioned with her back turned to Sachiko.
“Yeah. You remember the Snake Bearer, right?” Sachiko raised an eyebrow.
“No, I don’t. I was never into the zodiacs as much as you were, Sachiko.” Mizuko stopped stirring and wiped her hands on her jeans. “Not that anything’s wrong with that.”
“Yeah.” Sachiko smiled lightly. She walked over and ruffled Takeru’s red hair. “Hey Takeru.”
Takeru looked up at Sachiko with his big green eyes and slightly nodded. It was his way of greeting people.
“Don’t feel like talking today, do you?” Sachiko knelt down by him.
Takeru shook his head slowly and looked up at Mizuko.
“It’s okay. You can talk when you feel like it.” Mizuko patted his head. Looking to Sachiko she gave a slight nod. “Sorry for acting the way I have been lately. I just...don’t really feel like I should be here. Especially after you would tell me that it was my fault we moved away from this place.”
“Mizuko...how many times do I have to apologize for telling you it was your fault that Dad died and we had to move away?” Sachiko sighed, standing up.
“How many times did you tell me that?” Mizuko tilted her head to the side.
“I can’t even count.” Sachiko said after she thought for a moment.
“Exactly.” Mizuko stated. “But it’s kind of a good thing that you did bring us here. Getting Ariel away from her mother. I mean, even though they live in a different house, it’s still the same town and I don’t think that’s far enough for either of them. Especially with Ariel and Leo’s little inferiority complex.”
“Not to mention Torrence’s pressure at school. She’s put so much effort into her schoolwork and extracurricular activities after her father passed, that she doesn’t seem to ever have time to relax and take time for herself.” Sachiko sighed.
“And Jon and little Katarina. It’s sad how she thinks he hates her just because he moved in with us.” Mizuko sighed as well.
“His parents thought it’d be best. Then again, so did we at the time.” Sachiko shook her head. “And you. You could always use a break from the law firm, don’tcha think?”
“I guess.” Mizuko shrugged. “Dinner will be ready soon. Mind informing the others?”
“Sure.” Sachiko left.
Takeru lightly tugged at Mizuko’s hand. Though he was little, he understood a lot. Including the fact that Mizuko and Sachiko had been talking about problems within the family. His eyes held a slight hint of fear inside them.
Mizuko knelt down and hugged him. “It’s okay...you’ll be fine too as long as you’re with us.” She assured. “We won’t let anyone harm you ever again, okay?”
Takeru nodded as he rested his head on Mizuko’s shoulder.
“Now go wash your hands and get cleaned up.” Mizuko lightly kissed his forehead and stood up.
Takeru nodded again and ran out of the room.
Mizuko sighed, turning back to the food she was preparing. “If Okurimono means gift, then why are we all cursed?” She said to herself aloud.
----
And there we have the sixth chapter. Yeah, told you it was kinda just a fill-in. But seeing as the Okurimonos are gonna be a pretty big part of this fanfic, I thought it’d be good if every once in a while I explain a few things within the chapters. No, that doesn’t mean there are gonna be a lot of whole chapters that are gonna just be about the Okurimonos. Maybe just little bits and pieces in every few chapters to let know a little more about the Okurimono family. And there you go! Bai~!
----
“It was so awesome, Aunt Mizuko!” Kokoro smiled as she told Mizuko the entire story. “I didn’t think there could be another family cursed like us!”
“You let someone find out about the curse?” Mizuko narrowed her eyes at Sachiko.
Sachiko laughed nervously. “Well they’re cursed too, Sis.”
“But you let someone find out about the curse.” Mizuko glared.
“Oh come on.” Sachiko backed away slowly.
“Sachiko, you are the leader of this family. It is your job to ensure the safety of the family secret.” Mizuko took a step toward Sachiko at every emphasized word. By the last word, she was already right in front of her.
“Don’t be so hard on her, Aunt Mizuko.” Kippei said calmly. “Besides, it’s not like she’s the real leader.”
“Yes, but the real leader is still in high school and won’t be able to take her rightful position until she graduates.” Mizuko looked to Kippei and then back to Sachiko. “And until that day comes, she has given that position and all responsibilities tied to it to you.”
“Of course.” Sachiko slightly backed away again.
“Mizuko, give your older sister a break.” Ryu said from the corner. “It isn’t really her fault. Not all of us can be as mature and responsible as you.”
“Dear cousin, she should’ve been watching Hinako. Not letting her run around an unfamiliar area when there were other people around.” Mizuko sighed, backing off.
Kokoro blinked as a question of her own rose to her mind. She looked to the adults “conversing in a crude manner” (as they insisted that they never argued) and shot her hand up into the air. “Hey, peoples! Kandi-kane has a question!”
The three adults stopped their “conversing” and looked to Kokoro.
“If Hinako transformed when she bumped into Yuki, then why didn’t Kippei transform when he bumped into Kasumi at the airport?” Kokoro tilted her head.
They exchanged looks and after a few moments they turned their heads to Kippei.
Kippei looked back at all three of them. “What? What’re you looking at me like that for?”
“Why didn’t you transform?” Sachiko lifted an eyebrow.
“How would I know?” Kippei shrugged.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Leo walked into the living room.
“They’re ‘discussing’ the incident that happed while we went to go see Kasumi.” Kokoro explained.
“Oh, they’re arguing?” Leo raised an eyebrow.
“Pretty much.” Kokoro nodded.
“So what happened?” Leo looked to her.
“In a nutshell, Hinako was running around, bumped into Yuki, and both of them transformed. Only Yuki was a rat, as Hinako was the heavenly twins. The Sohmas are cursed by the Chinese zodiac.” Kokoro shrugged.
“I see...So they know about our curse?” Leo turned his head to Sachiko.
“Oh not you too, dearest nephew.” Sachiko sighed. “Mizuko’s already on my case for it. Ha! Get it? Case! She’s a lawyer and she’s on my case!”
“...Right. I’m not mad. I’m just asking.” Leo shrugged.
“Then yes. They know about the curse. And we know about their’s.” Sachiko nodded.
“Okay then. Yo, Kippei. Jon and Kohaku wanna go play some paintball later, wanna join?” Leo looked to Kippei.
“Where are we gonna play paintball?” Kippei looked at his much older cousin.
“Have you seen the backyard of this place? It’s huge.” Leo laughed.
“Are you serious?” Kippei smiled.
“Dead. Come on.” Leo walked out of the room.
“Coming!” Kippei followed.
Mizuko sighed. Looking to Sachiko she asked, “So are we going to have the pleasure of meeting this other cursed family?”
Sachiko smiled and replied, “Well I thought maybe this weekend.”
“You thought? Sachiko, you never think. You act. Whether you told me about this meeting on the weekend ahead of time or not, you would’ve made us go.” Mizuko shook her head.
“Sis, for once, can you loosen up a bit? That’s why I didn’t want you to become a lawyer.” Sachiko sighed.
“That was my decision. Not yours. I’m gonna go start dinner.” Mizuko headed out of the living room and to the kitchen.
“Need any help?” Sachiko called after her.
“No thanks. I don’t need any help from someone who uses mustard for yellow paint.” Mizuko called back.
“Hey, that was just a joke!”
“So was that.”
“Sister, you’re so cruel to me sometimes.” Sachiko sighed and stood up from the couch.
“I’ll be in my room.” Ryu stated, walking out of the living room.
“Hey, Aunt Sachiko?” Kokoro called before Sachiko also left the room.
“What is it, Kokoro?” Sachiko smiled, looking to Kokoro.
“I...was wondering. Do you think that the Sohmas...have their own individual...stories, I guess you could say, too? Like we kinda do?” Kokoro blinked.
“Stories? What do you mean?” Sachiko tilted her head.
“Like...Ariel’s background with her mother, Takeru’s real parents, and you being Kiriko’s–...” Kokoro stopped herself. “I mean, you being like Hinako and Kiriko’s mother...in a...way?”
“Oh, you mean like things in the past that somewhat haunt them? Everyone does, Kokoro. Well, almost everyone.” Sachiko nodded.
“And...why don’t we have an outcast like they do?” Kokoro inquired.
“We...do...actually. They just haven’t surfaced yet. The outcast of the Western zodiac is, I believe he was called the Snake Bearer.” Sachiko recalled.
“The Snake Bearer?” Kokoro raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah. But there hasn’t been one in the family for...generations.” Sachiko said.
“Think there will ever be one?”
“It’s possible.”
“Then what if one’s born while we’re over here? Shouldn’t we have stayed until all the members of the zodiac were born?”
“Well if you wanna get technical, the Snake Bearer isn’t really apart of the Western zodiac. Just like the cat isn’t really apart of the Chinese zodiac.”
“Yeah but...”
“Kokoro, it’s not like we’re gonna be here forever. We’re just visiting, remember? In a few weeks we’ll be back home in America and there will be plenty of time to search for the Okurimono Snake Bearer.” Sachiko smiled. “Now go get washed up for dinner.”
“Okay.” Kokoro nodded and walked out of the room.
Sachiko sighed. “I can’t wait for this weekend.” She walked out of the living room and went into the kitchen. Mizuko was stirring something by the stove with little Takeru clinging to her side.
“Snake Bearer, huh?” Mizuko questioned with her back turned to Sachiko.
“Yeah. You remember the Snake Bearer, right?” Sachiko raised an eyebrow.
“No, I don’t. I was never into the zodiacs as much as you were, Sachiko.” Mizuko stopped stirring and wiped her hands on her jeans. “Not that anything’s wrong with that.”
“Yeah.” Sachiko smiled lightly. She walked over and ruffled Takeru’s red hair. “Hey Takeru.”
Takeru looked up at Sachiko with his big green eyes and slightly nodded. It was his way of greeting people.
“Don’t feel like talking today, do you?” Sachiko knelt down by him.
Takeru shook his head slowly and looked up at Mizuko.
“It’s okay. You can talk when you feel like it.” Mizuko patted his head. Looking to Sachiko she gave a slight nod. “Sorry for acting the way I have been lately. I just...don’t really feel like I should be here. Especially after you would tell me that it was my fault we moved away from this place.”
“Mizuko...how many times do I have to apologize for telling you it was your fault that Dad died and we had to move away?” Sachiko sighed, standing up.
“How many times did you tell me that?” Mizuko tilted her head to the side.
“I can’t even count.” Sachiko said after she thought for a moment.
“Exactly.” Mizuko stated. “But it’s kind of a good thing that you did bring us here. Getting Ariel away from her mother. I mean, even though they live in a different house, it’s still the same town and I don’t think that’s far enough for either of them. Especially with Ariel and Leo’s little inferiority complex.”
“Not to mention Torrence’s pressure at school. She’s put so much effort into her schoolwork and extracurricular activities after her father passed, that she doesn’t seem to ever have time to relax and take time for herself.” Sachiko sighed.
“And Jon and little Katarina. It’s sad how she thinks he hates her just because he moved in with us.” Mizuko sighed as well.
“His parents thought it’d be best. Then again, so did we at the time.” Sachiko shook her head. “And you. You could always use a break from the law firm, don’tcha think?”
“I guess.” Mizuko shrugged. “Dinner will be ready soon. Mind informing the others?”
“Sure.” Sachiko left.
Takeru lightly tugged at Mizuko’s hand. Though he was little, he understood a lot. Including the fact that Mizuko and Sachiko had been talking about problems within the family. His eyes held a slight hint of fear inside them.
Mizuko knelt down and hugged him. “It’s okay...you’ll be fine too as long as you’re with us.” She assured. “We won’t let anyone harm you ever again, okay?”
Takeru nodded as he rested his head on Mizuko’s shoulder.
“Now go wash your hands and get cleaned up.” Mizuko lightly kissed his forehead and stood up.
Takeru nodded again and ran out of the room.
Mizuko sighed, turning back to the food she was preparing. “If Okurimono means gift, then why are we all cursed?” She said to herself aloud.
----
And there we have the sixth chapter. Yeah, told you it was kinda just a fill-in. But seeing as the Okurimonos are gonna be a pretty big part of this fanfic, I thought it’d be good if every once in a while I explain a few things within the chapters. No, that doesn’t mean there are gonna be a lot of whole chapters that are gonna just be about the Okurimonos. Maybe just little bits and pieces in every few chapters to let know a little more about the Okurimono family. And there you go! Bai~!