Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Musouka ~ Dare to Dream ❯ Foxy Ego ( Chapter 1 )

Chapter One

 

The words “I am…” are potent words; be careful what you hitch them to. The thing you're claiming has a way of reaching back and claiming you.

 

A. L. Sohma - Year 1973

 

The Ox

 

Foxy Ego

 

The Fox, the unconnected member of the Chinese Zodiac. Unlike the Cat whom was the outcast due to the trickery of the Rat, the Fox is an acquaintance of the God that wished for the party of the Zodiac members. Since God heard of what the Rat did to the Cat, he cursed the animals, including the Cat and the Fox since the Fox refused to become a member of the Zodiac when he asked for her. But nonetheless, the Fox was the only one out of the whole Zodiac that God ever talked to personally and told all his secrets to. Therefore, no other member of the Zodiac listened nor associated to the Fox, the Cat never bothered since he thought that anyone of that high of respect would even talk to him anyway. After the curse was casted, the Fox lived most of her life in solitude and awaiting the day of God's wrath to inflict on her on how the future of the Zodiac members would come. Unfortunately, God's wrath came and continued, for generation after generation, and in the Sohma family, not one knew who the Fox was. The members usually thought that their `God' knew, but he didn't either. The Fox lives his or her life away from the rest of the family and Zodiac, in fear the past would repeat itself, and pain will be inflicted on the Fox once again. But unknown to them all, the Fox was part of a completely different curse…

 

“Are we leaving yet?” Eriko asked in her usual bored tone. Her mother, Sarah was happily humming Christmas tunes as she continued browsing around the jewelry section. The more she ignores me the more I want to evaporate from existance…she thought as she rubbed her eyes.

 

“This will look perfect on your sister, it represents the elephant after all!” Sarah announced to her, Eriko glared at the piece of jewerly that said on the price-tag `Fake ivory'. She wasn't that stupid afterall and swiped it away from her mother's grasp and threw it in the gutter.

 

“That was 2,000 yen lil' girl! Ya better have the money for that!” the man behind the cart growled, his eyes bulging. Eriko gave him a heated glare, his mouth clamped shut as she showed him her cell phone, Sarah looked from the man to her daughter.

 

“Well than, you better have a good alibi for selling genuine ivory. There is nothing better a sherrif would enjoy listening to than the constant chatter of mercy in front of him.” Eriko said coldly. The man laughed at her, than as she dialled 911 he began packing up quickly. “Yes, at the corner of Nakamatsu Street,” she answered in the phone, she looked at her watch as the man was half-way through packing. Sarah had no idea what was going on as she stared at the strange event. Soon though, Eriko clicked her phone off and put it back in her pocket and began watching her watch. The man than packed up and `tried' to walk away in a fast pace. But the large crowds were more than enough to block his way.

 

Sirens sounded and a sherrif car came into view, the man with the sales cart had made it through some crowds, but unforunately, a bus stopped in front of him and he couldn't move anymore. The sherrif was in action at once and had him in cuffs and said the usual police motto `Whatever you say can and will be used against you in court!'.

 

“I'll get you! You lil' brat!” the man yelled at her as he was slammed into the back of the car with his merchandise. Than the police sherrif stepped into the driver's seat than the car drove away.

 

“How did you-” her mother began before Eriko began talking.

 

“Large crowds almost impossible to get through, snow falling, cold body, and the bus arriving just in time, his chances of escaping were a mere zero.” Eriko answered as if she read her mind. Sarah chuckled softly than announced that they would go home.

 

Eriko Sanotomono was a sixteen-year-old girl with black hair hanging loosely down her shoulder blades. Her eyes were a steely blue, and she wore a heavy green jacket over a navy-blue sweater and baggy Jeans.

 

“Oh dear! I don't know how you managed to get through the crowd without bumping into a woman, but you certainly aren't going to manage it now dear!” Sarah cried over to her, Eriko found that a problem. Unlike other families, eight members of the Sanotomono family were cursed by the animals of the Holiday Zodiac. There was the Horse, Reindeer, Elephant, Lion, Tiger, Zebra, one that did not transform but was a mute, and the Fox.

 

Eriko once lived in America, since she was half American and half Japanese (Her father was Japanese, her mother was American), but her father only came to America where he met his present wife at college, to get a better education degree and graduate as a doctor, so he is one of the many doctors in the Sanotomono family.

 

Eriko gasped as a woman elbowed her and a small poof and an exploding puff of white appeared where she was. Sarah quickly dove for the smoke and stood up straight with her clothes in her arms, and a small black fox in her arms. People around her began looking her direction. Sarah shoved her way around the streets and happily made it to their car. If it weren't for her mother holding her, she would have transformed back naked in the middle of a busy lot, that wouldn't have been good.

 

“We're safe dear,” Sarah said as she put her in the back than put herself in the driver's seat. As her mother started up the car, Eriko transformed back and quickly got changed. “At least you don't transform with men or children,”

 

“That's really great,” she said sarcastically. Ever since she was little though, she couldn't be embraced by a girl, the Sanotomono curse was difficult to understand at first. Those that are cursed cannot embrace those of the same gender at the same age or older. So she could hug a girl at this point in time, but no one at her age or older like her mother could hug her without having her transform into a fox. Her older sister, Yuri was the Elephant, and much more trouble for her when she transforms since an African elephant does kind of stand out in a Japanese city in the middle of the holiday shopping. “Why are we shopping again? I mean, we shop every year for Christmas, but as far as I know, we're the only family in Tokyo that celebrates the holiday.”

 

“It's an American holiday remember?” Sarah asked her with a smile. Eriko sighed and stared out the window as her mother found the exit to the chaotic season shoppers and drove towards home.

 

We're home!” Sarah announced to the two-floor house as the two walked in. It was the same house her father lived in before he left for America (His parent's home and they left it to him before one died from an illness, and the other from a heart attack a year later). Nothing different from any Japanese home, low tables with cusions as seats, small TVs, shoji doors, low beds, personally, Eriko felt more comfortable in America before moving to Japan when she was eight.

 

“Hi Mom, find anything?” Yuri asked, she was completely different from Eriko in every way possible. She was eighteen, had wavy gray hair usually up in a scrunchie, dark brown eyes, a very shy and polite personality, and had every quality every lily ever had.

 

“Plenty of gifts for you and your father, though I was going to get one more thing, but it turned out illegal,” Sarah said to her with a smile, Yuri's eyes softened, the twinkling in her eyes became brighter.

 

“She got someone else arrested today didn't she?” she asked with a small smile, Sarah nodded. Today wouldn't have been the first that Eriko's cunning mind got a law-breaker behind bars. She once luckily forgot her textbook at school and walked out in a late summer night to her school hoping the janitor was still there, and caught a gang with spraypaints creeping near her school's walls.

 

Flashback

 

She dialed 911 quickly and gave the police their whearabouts than decided to make sure they knew she was present.

 

“Do you know invading school grounds at nine at night and planning on damaging school property is against the rules of that of good boys?” she asked, the four boys jumped and looked at her, each one than grinned histerically, Eriko wanted nothing more than to whack those outrageous thoughts dancing in their eyes from one part of the brain to against the bricks of her school.

 

“Do you know it's too late for little girls like you to be up at this time?” one of them asked with a stupid grin.

 

“Do you know it's none of your buisness baka?” she asked, smirking.

 

“Than why is it your buisness to get into our buisness?” another asked.

 

“Because I know how to contact your parents to tell them you are sneaking out of the house instead of going to bed like they tell you to.” Eriko said, “Fujiro Otokata, Aya Fukaimijru, Beau Morigastsu, and Solomon Chanji.” Their jaws dropped.

 

“How the-”

 

“I'm very close friends with the principal, so I can read the permanent records. You have quite the history boys, but shoplifting is out of date.” She said, not only was she friends with the principal, she was her daughter. Sarah Sanotomono became her High School Principal two years after moving to Tokyo. Her career did one heck of change towards the district, and it was great for the neighborhood too. The school used to be a `mess with me and I'll punch your lights out' type, but when she was hired, her statement `You either work and graduate or fight and be expelled, no excuses' changed the whole school. Yes, there were less fights after that, but she was true to her word and every person included in that fight that was doing more than just defending him or herself was expelled. But she was accepted by most of the parents in the district, some were furious, the rest didn't care.

 

“You little brat!” the one called Aya shouted.

 

“As far as I know, I am much more higher than you are. Ever since you were in middle school you were digging a hole and ever since, it became deeper and deeper every failing grade you got. Now, it seems that you are unable to get out. More brainless than a cochroach, I don't pity such stupidity.” Eriko said as she shifted to the side and narrowed her eyes at them.

 

“Shoving your face into the ground is more than enough to prove to you we're not stupid.” Fujiro shouted.

 

“Hm, touching others in harmful ways tends to be the only thing you even know.” Eriko smirked as she than turned around and walked around a tree.

 

“You'll pay for that one!” Beau shouted as the four ran after her and decided to jumped over a few bushes, unfortunately, they had thorns and one or two caught onto each of their pants and had them land in the pricker bushes. Eriko was leaning against a tree across from them.

 

“That must be where people get the saying `think before you leap'.” Eriko said as she than wandered towards the front doors where the janitor was, he smiled his toothy grin as he let her in and let her go to her locker for her books. The police arrived just as she went in, their lights shining on the struggling boys.

 

“Good thing those boys jumped into those thorn bushes before they could do any damage to the school eh?” the janitor asked Eriko as she headed outside, they were both staring out the front doors, watching the boys being put into the cars. “I wonder who called the police though?”

 

End of Flashback

 

“Thank goodness your home, I need to talk with you about something.” Her father, Dikatou Sanotomono said as he came into the room. He was a thin, yet slightly mascular man with dark brown hair in a manly haircut, brown eyes, and today wore a blue sweater, and tan Jeans, he must not have had any family patients today since he didn't have a white doctor coat on.

 

Sarah and Dikatou shooed Yuri and Eriko away since it was a `Parent' discussion that did not want childish interuptions of confusion.

 

“What do you think they're talking about?” Yuri asked quietly as they stared at the door that was recently `slid' into their faces.

 

“Probably about a way to get rid of us,” Eriko guessed.

 

“You think so? Why would they want that?”

 

“Every parent thinks about it when they get old,” Eriko said sarcastically, than the door was slid back open with happily grinning parents in front of them. They both seemed to sense that her sarcastic prediction was right.

 

Wow, I guessed right…wouldn't be a first, Eriko thought.

 

Were they really thinking about getting rid of us? Yuri thought.

 

“Guess what! Me and your mother will be going to Aomori for a few days!” Dikatou announced.

 

I thought right…Eriko thought.

 

They really want to get rid of us! Yuri mentally cried as her eyes grew big at her parents, Eriko sighed and rolled her eyes.

 

“Your eighth cousin from my side of the family got himself into an accident and since I have all of his medical files, the hospital up there needs me to give them to them so me and your mother will be flying over there the day after tomorrow to do so.” Dikatou announced.

 

“But what about Christmas? And New Year's Eve?” Yuri asked, at the verge of tears.

 

“Oh! Well, Christmas isn't till next week, we'll be home by than.” Sarah said.

 

“Than why are you going?” Eriko asked.

 

“Because school is out and I don't want your father to be lonely flying up there and back by himself.” Sarah said with a smile.

 

Sounds like she wants to get away from us… Eriko thought.

 

Sounds like she'll be up there forever! Yuri thought.

 

“Fine, but where are we going to go?” Eriko asked, not caring that they were leaving, but more concerned on where they were going because she didn't feel all that comfortable staying in the house alone with an older sister whom was in college that was scared even to answer the phone! How many middle school girls hate phones let alone those in college?

 

“We're going to call your older cousin Sunmei, she lives over a little near-oh no, I forgot that she's in America for the past few weeks! All well, I'll call your other cousin no wait she's gone too, no let's see how about-” Sarah began. Sunmei was a member of the Zodiac too, that was the reason why Sarah probably mentioned her.

 

This is going to be a long few days…Eriko thought dully.

 

It was not till morning that Sarah came to a solution, she called Sunmei earlier to ask if she knew anyone she knew that could watch Eriko and Yuri while they were gone. She said they should go and live with an old friend of hers she knew from grade school named Shigure Sohma.

 

“Sohma Shigure?” Yuri said aloud, Eriko sensed the feeling of excitement in her voice. She already knew this morning's breakfast would be more entertaining than usual. Yuri never became too excited around anyone usually, let alone in the morning since she wasn't a morning person. (She almost was pushed down the stairs by her sister's morning self when she decided to hitch a ride on her back, but it wasn't meant to be, at least falling down the stairs woke her up enough to come back down to Earth.)

 

“Oh yeah, I've heard of him, a few of my friends said he writes books. Some are quite perverted though, I read a chapter myself, not my type.” Eriko said aloud.

 

“I read all his volumes on both Puppy Love and Love Between the Teeth,” Yuri said quietly, a slight blush creeping up on her face. “I read front to back, every page.” Eriko got the clue, his picture was on every back page of the book, her sister might be showing interest in someone, too bad he was 27!

 

So they are all romance novels, the one I just so happen to come across and read was To Wonder (What Shigure's wondering mind often wonders about hint hint) Eriko thought with disgust.

 

“Are you going to call him?” Eriko asked.

 

“No, Sunmei said she would ask and call us back afterwards.” Sarah answered.

 

After packing up things in just a small bag for Eriko heard the phone ring and Sarah answered it.

 

“Do you think we'll actually really live with a famous novelist?” Yuri asked her younger sister shyly.

 

“Thank Kami!” Sarah's voice echoed from downstairs.

 

“Sounds like it,” Eriko said, Yuri resisted squealing, Eriko was happy she did, squealing was just not Yuri.

 

“All right you two, we'll be leaving first thing in the morning and drop you off, be ready!” Sarah cried up to the two girls.

 

The next morning was more than hectic, it was downright unorganized!

 

“Hurry into the car everyone! Oh dear, Dikatou, have you seen my shoes?” Sarah asked as Eriko walked around the table, slid her shoes on than walked onto the snow and towards the car. She placed her things inside and crawled into the backseat. Yuri did the same and sat next to her. Some time later their parents got into the front with a load of baggage behind them.

 

“Are you planning on living in Aomori for a few years?” Eriko asked.

 

“Of course not, but you never know!” Sarah said happily.

 

She's hoping for the plane to be canceled from an unexpected blizzard on the way back! Eriko thought.

 

Must be preparing for a blizzard, I hope it would stop right after it started so their flight won't be canceled! Yuri thought as Dikatou drove the car away from their home.

 

Eriko couldn't help but feel like the sky would come crashing down once her parents leave her with a Sohma fanatic and a perverted novelist.