Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Musouka ~ Dare to Dream ❯ Long Ago Friend ( Chapter 16 )

Chapter Sixteen

 

Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.

 

Jimi Sanotomono - Year 1717

 

The Fox

 

Long Ago Friend

 

Kaede…must kill…Kaede… Eriko's mind chanted as she walked towards her room at six in the morning.

 

“Good grief Eriko, couldn't this wait till like after breakfast?” Kyo asked as he followed Eriko along the wooden planks, rubbing his temples at the same time. Eriko didn't bother to explain to him how the scent of Kaede lingered on her ceiling where she so happened to have probably gotten some excellent views as they slept.

 

“No…” Must kill…Kaede… Eriko continued to mentally chant as she laid her crutches against the side of the wall outside Kaede's room. Kyo now seemed interested; he heard the soft untroubled breathing of a child inside. In fact, his cat features suddenly came up and bent slightly inward to resemble devil horns. Now he got it. “Kaede had some fun last night…” Kyo's face paled slightly.

 

“What're we going to do than?” he asked.

 

“You do whatever you want with the little beast while I look for her camera,” Eriko said.

 

“Where's your kitchen?” Kyo asked.

 

“Go straight from here than right and you'll be outside the kitchen door, no one should be in there yet though, there's usually the chef around seven though.” Eriko explained. Kyo nodded and ran off in the direction she pointed him to. Than Eriko looked at the door, Now you'll pay you little muskrat!

 

Later, Eriko and Kyo were dressed and were walking to the dining part of the Estate when they stopped to watch the excitement. They jumped behind a wall and peered over; it seemed that Mei was up now since she was standing outside the door that hid the room they sabotaged. Mei knocked softly, but it got Kaede up, heck, she made sure people three hundred miles around knew.

 

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! EEEEEEEEEEEK!” Kaede screeched, Mei jumped five feet and several heads popped out of doors to see what was the matter.

 

“Oh hello Eriko-chan, how are you?” it was Eriko's other older cousin Aikoko Sanotmono. She was eighteen with dark brown hair up in a loose bun and long bangs. Her eyes were dark blue and her skin was slightly tanned. And no, she is not cursed but she knows of it and knows all the members of the Zodiac well.

 

“Fine,” Eriko answered dully.

 

“But don't be rude, who is this young man, he sure is cute!” Aikoko complemented, Kyo looked away with a slight blush. By this time Kaede had ran out of the room with honey covering her stomach and had it dripping off the ends of her shirt. Some kind of white foamy cream was along her shoulders like a line and the same stuff smothered her face as well as her left hand. There were long strands of white string clinging to her from the front and her hair was greasy with some kind lotion. Eriko instantly thought she should try to complement Kyo, but it would be better if they kept quiet.

 

“SOMEONE HELP THERE WAS A MAD MEDOPHRITE IN MY ROOM!” Kaede screamed, several adults started to chuckle, Eriko and Aikoko started laughing. Kyo looked at them for a hint.

 

“Medophrite is a word that means someone looks both manly and feminine.” Eriko answered his unasked question.

 

“I'M SERIOUS! IT WAS A ROBBER TOO! TOOK MY CAMERA!”

 

“That was some intelligent robber, gave her a good make-over too,” Eriko replied, the three suppressed their laughs. When Kaede finally went back into her room and began to shower, leaving a dazed looking Mei outside, the three teens found it safe to crawl out of their hiding place.

 

“Meow,” Kyo looked at his shoulder, a small orange kitten with a white underbelly clung to his shoulder, it cyan eyes staring up at him lovingly.

 

“Hey there Ginry,” Aikoko greeted the kitten, Eriko scratched her ears, Kyo watched, longing for the same treatment as the kitten purred contentedly, than finally became bored and crawled up Kyo's shoulder and curling up against his neck.

 

“You just found yourself a lifelong friend there, but anyway, what's your name, it's obvious that Eriko's too shy to tell it,” Aikoko said happily as they passed Mei, whom loyally stuck to her friend's door.

 

“The name's Kyo Sohma,” Kyo answered. Her eyes widened slightly with interest.

 

“Sohma?” she repeated in wonder, “By any chance do you know who Mihoshi, Sunmei, and Naomi Sanotomono are?”

 

“You know…one of them sounds familiar…”

 

“Oh well Naomi is my older sister, she lives here as well, but she's busy a lot with grades, she teaches at Kaibara,” Aikoko explained.

 

“Oh really?” Kyo said without much excitement.

 

“She teaches Science for Juniors and Seniors, so she had a lot to grade till the end of the school year.” Aikoko said.

 

“Great, we might get her next school year, perfect…” Kyo grumbled.

 

“You go to Kaibara?” Eriko and Aikoko asked in unison, he nodded dully.

 

“Well, I being transferred to Kaibara,” Eriko mentioned.

 

“Really?” The little question remained unanswered as the three remained quiet as they walked to the dining part of the estate. It was one of the larger buildings; it was surrounded by light frost with small bright buds popping up out of the ground. It seemed that the estate was welcoming spring with open arms.

 

“Why do you have a Dining erm… House?” Kyo asked as Aikoko slid open the door for Eriko, than she slid in and Kyo right behind her. There were already some Sohmas in it like Aunt Kita, and a few other people Kyo didn't recognize.

 

“We thought it was improper to eat in our own houses,” Aikoko answered. “A few decades ago we could never get rid of the insect population based on the fact that people tended to forget their leftover food on floors, desks, and so on. Sometimes the servants had so many chores to do that they couldn't get to some of the room and eventually plates began to pile up. So when we finally had the insects exterminated and rooms cleaned. We had this old building, which was once a useless, dusty thing and turned it into a dining hall basically. So Sanotomonos that live within the estate or people whom are visiting come here during breakfast, lunch, dinner, and of course, if anyone wants a snack.”

 

“And if this all happened decades ago, than how do you know?” Kyo asked.

 

“From the advantages of having a teacher as an older sister.” Aikoko answered brightly as they sat down at a table, a servant quickly brought the morning's breakfast than scurried away.

 

“They even had an extra plate for me?”

 

“Of course, gossip and news spread in this estate like wild fire.” Aikoko added.

 

“Oh good morning Aikoko, Eriko, and Kyo…why's Ginry at the table?” Aunt Kita asked as she came by them, inspecting Kyo and the kitten.

 

“She has a crush on Kyo, that's why,” Aikoko answered, making Eriko gurgle in her milk as she drank it, Kyo blushed slightly and began murmuring `stupid girl should keep her mouth shut…'.

 

“Really? As long as she doesn't attempt to steal food or get fur everywhere, she's allowed to come in here,” Aunt Kita said with a sigh than left.

 

“As if, Ginry had been in here for as long as she has been here (which has been about five months) and always repeats the same thing. Hard to believe she's related to us eh Kyo?” Aikoko asked as she began eating her own breakfast.

 

“Not really…”

 

“I SWEAR ERIKO THAT WAS TOTALLY AND ABSOLUTELY UNECASSARY OF YOU TO DO! I'M YOU'RE YOUNGER COUSIN AND BE HAPPY I'M NOTHING MORE! YOU SHOULD ALSO BE HAPPY THAT I HAVEN'T ATTEMPTED TO THREATEN YOU WITH BLACKMAIL YET (which I have plenty of, of course sniggers) OR KYON HERE! I HAVE SOMETHING ON EVERYBODY SO WHY DON'T YOU STOP PICKING ON ME!” Kaede shouted as soon as Eriko, Aikoko, and Kyo began walking out of the dining hall. Now everyone was staring at the four, Mei was a little off behind her, playing with her fingers.

 

“Now wait just one damn second! That was the first time I picked on you physically!” Eriko roared back in defense. Kaede began roaring back, but when Mei quickly pounced on her and with her right arm around her cousin's neck, cheerfully began to run off with her.

 

“She's such a baby,” Kyo pointed out, Aikoko and Eriko sighed, Kaede almost shouted `Baka Kitsune' if it weren't for Mei.

 

That gives me two things to thank you for Mei, Eriko thought as they began walking down the dirt walkway.

 

“By the way Kyo, does Shigure and the others know where you are?” Eriko asked, suddenly remembering why he was here.

 

“Yes…no…erm…”

 

“Perfect, all well, Yuki would probably not care, Shigure would know for sure you would come back, and Tohru would probably be crying her heart out for you to come back.” Eriko said, the mention of Tohru crying came into Kyo's mind; he felt a pang of guilt as they reached Eriko's room.

 

“Ah, Eriko, I knew you were back.” The three turned to a young woman, somewhere in her late twenties no doubt. She had dark blue locks running down the side of her face while the back of her head held a loose bun, her skin was milky white, so her mahogany eyes stood out well. She had reading glasses on at the end of her nose; she wore a tan sweater with a white collar as well as a black skirt that went down to her ankles. She wore blue fuzzy slippers though and seemed awfully tender, from appearance anyway.

 

“Ah! You finally came out of hiding eh Noami?” Aikoko asked cheerfully as she bounded over to her sister and gave her a playful hug. It was true, neither of them were cursed, yet, Noami had purposely clung to it as if she were cursed as well. Helping the cursed members all she could, not much could have been done to do anything about the curse, but her actions on the younger generation had influenced them greatly.

 

“I don't think I was hiding, you could have interrupted me anytime you wanted, I would have liked any excuse to get out of my den,” Noami laughed softly as she took off her glasses for a moment. Her smile made Kyo blush a tinge of pink, barely noticeable. She was so familiar, why?

 

“Well anyway, this is Kyo Sohma,” Aikoko introduced her to the orange-head with the kitten named Ginry sleeping soundly on his shoulder.

 

“Pleasure Sohma-kun, my name is Noami.” She greeted politely; Eriko could have smiled from Kyo's expression, as if saying `she might be our teacher next year'. “Don't worry I already know you attend Kaibara, so I might have you next year and the year after that. I tell you now that I don't except any students with grades lower than a B minus.”

 

“Make him nervous why don't you Noami!” Aikoko scolded.

 

“Oh sorry, was I doing that?” Noami asked the Cat.

 

“No,”

 

“See! You were making him too nervous!” Aikoko yelped.

 

“I said no!”

 

“You're just in denial with my sister in front of you and I'm telling you now, she's too old for you!” Aikoko blurted out, Kyo blushed slightly more. Luckily, Eriko jumped in.

 

“Hold your tongue Aikoko! He is not fancying your sister!” Eriko growled.

 

“Why wouldn't he? She's the best woman in the world!” Aikoko growled back. Ginry woke up and yawned, than watched in interest at the verbal fight.

 

“Because he's my boyfriend!” Eriko shouted back without thinking.

 

“… … … … … …”

 

“YOU FINALLY ADMIT IT!” Kaede had slammed the shoji door open and glared evilly at her older cousins. A videotape camera was in her right hand, the strap hanging over the opposite side of the palm of her hand still. “I can't wait to show it to everyone at Shigure's house!” Mei emerged from behind her with an apologetic expression towards Eriko as if saying `I tried to stop her'.

 

“Kyo, I give you permission to beat her senseless,” Eriko said dully, trying her hardest not to fume. Kyo grinned, cracking his knuckles and neck all the same. Kaede paled, and when Kyo was done, he stared up at the girl whom had went weak at the knees.

 

“You have till the count of three…one…two…” Kaede dashed off towards Aunt Kita, whom was on the other side of the estate by now on the phone with her employees. “…three! YOU BETTER RUN SHRIMP!” Kyo took off after her, compared to the Cat's speed to the Holiday Tiger's…it was a lost case, Kyo had rammed her once again into the ground and was struggling to get the video camera.

 

“GIVE IT UP SMALL FRY!”

 

“NEVER!”

 

“GIVE IT UP!”

 

“NO!”

 

“Oh dear,” Noami muttered, “Shouldn't someone step in and help them?”

 

“Don't worry about it, she and him quarreled yesterday, and this might look dangerous, wait till we fight.” Eriko explained.

 

“Like all couples…” Aikoko thought in a dream-like state.

 

“Don't get any ideas! Kaede is bad enough!” Eriko shouted. Finally, Kyo had managed to squirm the video camera out of Kaede's grasp and was now in the lead to the ax that so happened to appear near a log that was once standing on a stump next to it.

 

“Don't you dare Kyo Sohma! I had to buy that with my allowance!” Kaede screamed after him.

 

“I won't do anything to it till you promise not to use it!” Kyo shouted back at her as he made it to the stump, placed the video camera on it, grabbed the ax and put it over the video camera. Kaede stopped right next to it and seemed to be thinking fast.

 

“I promise nothing I can't keep!”

 

“Well than, we're going to have to get rid of it than aren't we?” Kyo asked as he lifted the ax, ready to strike down on the blackmail.

 

“No!” Kaede cried as she rammed into Kyo's stomach, making him drop the ax dangerously close to his legs and rammed him into the ground. “SEE! Now you're on the ground! Give up?”

 

“Not a chance runt!” Kyo hissed as he grabbed her shoulders and swung her around, making him on top of her now.

 

“Ha ha! Caught ya! Now run Mei!” Kyo looked over his shoulder to see Mei running.

 

“ACK! DAMN GIRLS ARE EVERYWHERE!” Kyo roared as he tried to stand up but Kaede grabbed his legs and made him fall down again. Eriko, Aikoko, and Noami watched Mei vanish in the hoards of Sanotomonos leaving for the day for daily work.

 

“Forget it Kyo! We'll worry about it later!” Eriko shouted over to him.

 

“HELL NO! Do you know what she'll do with that confession do ya? For all we know she may have several blackmails waiting to be sicked on us if we ever threaten this little beast! She could control our life like that!” Kyo shouted as he than pinned Kaede down again.

 

“Yes I do know, but I rather have Kaede keep her limbs even though she's only good for trouble,” Eriko admitted.

 

“Fine!” Kyo growled in defeat as he released Kaede and let her run after Mei. Than he walked over to the girls casually.

 

“So anyway, how are your grades going Eriko-chan?” Noami asked.

 

“Good, can't complain.” She answered, than the woman turned to Kyo, her mahogany eyes sparkling brightly.

 

“How about you Sohma-kun? Are you doing well with your school conditions?” she asked kindly.

 

“All right,” Kyo growled, why would this woman care how well he did?

 

“That's good, and how is Kazuma-san doing?” she asked.

 

“He's doing all right-hey! How do you know about him?” Kyo asked.'

 

“Kazuma?” Eriko repeated.

 

“Yes, Kazuma Sohma is Kyo's master. We met him several years ago, I'm surprised you don't remember Kyo-kun.” Noami pointed out.

 

“Remember what?” Kyo asked.

 

“Oh dear, you really don't remember do you? That'll leave Sunmei-san sad,” Noami said with a mournful tone.

 

“Who the hell is Sunmei? And remember what?”

 

“Sunmei is an older cousin of mine, no idea what she's going in this either,” Eriko answered.

 

“If you ask me, I think your family is stranger than mine.” Kyo growled.

 

“How's your family strange?” Aikoko asked, Kyo stiffened.

 

“You don't want to know,” Eriko and Kyo said in unison. Noami and Aikoko looked at one another, than at the two teens.

 

“All right…but anyhow, I do know that she'll be proud,” Noami stated again.

 

“Enough already with the invisible proud person!”

 

“Now that I think about it, I do believe that she called me a few days ago telling me she'll be arriving soon, don't know how he'll take it though…but I'm sure that Shigure will run to Sydney and back in joy,” Noami thought aloud with her index and thumb cradling her chin.

 

“I'm not sure about the running part, but I think Shigure will bounce off the walls.” Aikoko agreed.

 

“Please don't tell me you're aquatinted with Shigure…” Kyo moaned, Ginry began to lick her paw.

 

“Oh yes! Sunmei, myself, Mihoshi, Shigure, Ayame, and Hatori knew each other back in grade school, but when we finished high school Sunmei flew to America for an advanced college in veterinarian technician, while I stayed to become a teacher. Mihoshi is somewhere in the world, we lost contact with her years ago, but she's probably in America as well for who knows what, though I think she would be in Hollywood…” Noami explained.

 

“Hollywood?” Kyo and Aikoko repeated.

 

“Hollywood is a famous place throughout the world where movie stars perform in movies,” Noami explained.

 

“She wanted to be a movie star?” Eriko asked, now slightly interested in her cousins.

 

“No, a vocal artist,” Noami answered, “when we were younger she was in many talent shows and in many concerts. It wasn't till she graduated that she instantly knew what her career was.”

 

“But if she is, why hadn't I heard any of her songs than?” Aikoko asked.

 

“She has one album out, she goes under the name Beautiful Star, or by Starry, a name fans call her.” Noami said as they walked into her room, she scavenged through her desk drawers and found nothing. “It seems that someone went through my drawer, guess I'm going to have to buy another.” Noami said as she closed her drawer and peered up at the youngsters. “But anyhow, it's nearly twelve, maybe it will be a good idea if you go on your way home,”

 

“Why should I? No one's worried about me!” Kyo growled.

 

“Tohru would be wouldn't she?” Eriko asked, Kyo snorted as he than turned and headed out the door.

 

“Fine, I'll see you later than.” Kyo said as he than shut the door behind him than began walking down the `street' to the front gate.

 

“Tohru would be wouldn't she?”

 

Yes, she would be worried. But didn't Eriko need just as much attention? She afterall, probably didn't know much of anything at the moment. And as soon as she found an answer, hundreds more took its place. The world was becoming harder to understand by the minute he lived. Why did life have to be so complicated?

 

Kyo's eyes widened when a flash of white caught his interest, he spun to his right, nothing.

 

“What?” Kyo mumbled, he could have sworn he saw something.

 

“Mew,” Kyo felt the kitten rub against his neck, he grasped the small body and placed her down. The kitten instantly began to rub against his legs.

 

“Go away, this is you home, I need to leave.” Kyo hissed, the kitten didn't listen and continued rubbing. You don't want to leave, just as much as I don't want to… Kyo grunted and began to walk, Ginry close on his heels.

 

“Hey Kyo!” he turned around, it was Eriko on her crutches, she looked hilarious on them. “You didn't let me say bye!” she scolded, he suppressed a chuckle.

 

“Sorry,” he said half-heartily.

 

“Well anyway, come by again, it's boring around here.” Eriko pointed out.

 

“I figured that.”

 

“Cut the sarcasm,”

 

“I couldn't resist,”

 

“Couldn't resist what?”

 

“This,” Kyo murmured as he leaned in on her and pecked her cheek, than grinned (with several shades of red high-lighted on his cheeks), than he turned around and left. Ginry sat there at the front gate, eyes big and pleading with sad meows clutching her throat. Eriko's slender fingers touched her cheek; did he just do what she think he did? Kyo Sohma kissed her without hesitation? She smiled.

 

“Come on guys! It can't be that bad!”

 

Noami sat at her desk as Aikoko left the room in search of Ginry. She lifted a picture in a bronze frame, with six smiling teens in it, with another younger teen, and five kids. She could name them even after all these years and hoped they were well. Than there was the gray-haired dojo master behind them, grinning happily.

 

“It has been a while hasn't it Noami?” she asked herself as she than placed the picture back on the shelf to the right of her computer.

 

“I'll miss you everyone! Take care!”

 

“It has been too long…” Noami jerked around, her eyes wide and her lower jaw dropped out of surprise.

 

“What's the matter Noami? Cat got your tongue? If you ask me, that Cat left a few moments ago,”

 

“Yes my old friend, it has been a long time, welcome back.”

 

“Come on Ginry,” Aikoko said as she found the kitten at the front gate and picked her up.

 

“Mew,”

 

“Yes, I know.”

 

Eriko slid her door open than hobbled in, she smelled it, peaches mixed with innocence, she looked down at her futon. Funny, it was a cd case. She placed her crutches against the wall than hopped over to it and sat down. She lifted the cd up, it said `Beautiful Star: Remember We're Here'. She frowned as she opened it, the right was occupied by a gleaming blue disc, the left had a thing tape with a full film compartment. She lifted the tape and found a note stuck the back of it.

 

Thought you would want this tape, it's Kaede's. The cd, well, I thought it would say something to you, especially since Mihoshi-san tried hard it as if it were words of wisdom, to someone who's having it rough.

Mei

 

Eriko smiled, suddenly feeling so guilty. They all cared for her, yet she did nothing in return for their kindness.

 

“Thank you,” I'll pay you back someday…I promise…