Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Musouka ~ Dare to Dream ❯ Inari's Story ( Chapter 25 )

Chapter Twenty-Five

 

The harder you try, the more broken you'll be in the end.

 

Jellew Sohma - Year 1300

 

The Cat

 

Inari's Story

 

“Oh Yassy!” Yasashiku hadn't been so annoyed in his whole life, that was true until the first day of school. It wasn't till after lunch that he finally noticed some girls clinging to his every step. He didn't notice though, till Myuu rounded a corner and spotted them, and asked why they were so starry-eyed. He ended up dragging her away as she rambled on to the girls not to look like that so often of their faces would freeze. But the next day this girl was the only one following him.

 

Even after Algebra that girl was already around the corner, and there was only one word: Obsession. He knew it right away, and he disliked her. He couldn't hate anyone or bring himself to say anything horrible to someone. He was a sucker for girls that were similar to Myuu, but Myuu was like a little sister to him and he would never fall for a girl for as long as she's alive. Besides, he couldn't have his girlfriend get in the way when she found someone to date.

 

“Who is she Yasashiku-kun?” Myuu finally asked, she wasn't annoyed, not like him. The girl was Eisuka Asakuruma, a freshman as well. She was a Kaibara native, but as well as a girl with eyes on the Lion. It seemed like she was a fly he couldn't swat at, he couldn't hit girls, and it was against his reputation.

 

“Nobody,” Yasashiku answered, but before he could finally regain his breath, a lanky grip wrapped around his waist, that was such an uncomfortable position. Myuu though, didn't know what happened till she saw the whole thing. Whether she was all right or ticked was no where near obvious. She looked at the girl named Eisuka and began to wonder what happened and why she would be doing this.

 

“Get off of me Asakuruma-chan!” Yasashiku managed out politely, a little more rougher then usual.

 

“But I want to hug you!” she cried with a fake smile. She was the kind of person Yasashiku would never have expected from this school; sure it had its ups and downs, but nothing like this. She was that kind of `popular' person and from what he's heard, quite wealthy. Probably a snobby woman that thinks she can get whatever she wants, like people.

 

“I don't want to be hugged!” he whined, he tried to sound playful but she was really pushing his patience. Myuu was still thinking to herself, not seeming to mind the struggle of one trying to continue hugging and the other trying to get out of the hold.

 

“Of course you do! No one hates to be hugged by me!” She cried happily, it sounded very screechy like, it hurt his sensitive ears.

 

“I don't hate it but my lungs do!” he breathed, she must have thought it was some kind of request like `hug me tighter till I turn blue' or something, but it was really suffocating.

 

“You're whole body loves me! How wonderful!” she cried out again, her grip tightening, he felt his air passages closing his only hope was Myuu, who was still staring out to space.

 

“M-yuu-u…” he breathed, he really was turning blue.

 

“So you must like Yasashiku!” she suddenly cried out, this made the girl freeze and look up at Myuu's bright expression, Eisuka's expression looked dull while Yasashiku's turned blue.

 

“You're not too bright are you?” she asked, that was then that she made her rescue.

 

“Oh no Yasashiku what's wrong?” Myuu cried, noticing his labored breath, as soon as Eisuka realized he wasn't breathing right, yet she was all over him as soon as he leaned on the wall for support.

 

“Oh no are you all right Yasa honey?” Eisuka asked.

 

“Never…been…better…” he breathed out sarcastically, he was relieved that Myuu was closer to him then Eisuka was. She had to have been a walking torture chamber! He suddenly didn't like the girl very much, for one thing she nearly suffocated him, and another she was calling him `Yassy' and honey! He only allowed one person to call him by a nickname, it was Myuu, but for some reason she stopped calling him that soon after they met.

 

“Oh did I ruffle your clothes? Is there anything I can get you honey?” she asked, Myuu didn't figure out that she was flirting with Yasashiku, it always made him jealous when she didn't try to make anything of him though. He didn't mind all the flattery the girls gave him, but Myuu didn't seem to care much about what he looked like, she was like that after all. If the hottest male celebrity came walking into the school, she would be the only one not to notice. But in this case, he was that celebrity, and he felt out of place if the one girl he cared about not go luvy-duvy over him.

 

“Nah, but you can leave now.” Yasashiku said with a hint of amusement. But his getaway sayings didn't work this time.

 

“Oh no! I must be around you all the time or the other girls will get you!” Eisuka cried pitifully, Yasashiku saw her shoot a glance at Myuu, who looked innocently up at him.

 

“But we're not in the same classes!” he tried to argue, but it seemed that she wouldn't hear of it.

 

“Then I'll have my classes switched! Don't worry Yasa-honey I'll be with you no matter what!” Now that was corny, cornier that he could take. He was the happiest man on the planet as she skipped away to the office to have her schedule changed. He wondered if she knew his class schedule, but with how obsessed she is with him, he would say she did.

 

“We have Language Arts now Yasashiku, we better hurry!” Myuu suddenly cried happily, making Yasashiku jump out of his skin.

 

“Oh yeah! Let's go!”

The next morning Eriko woke up with a groan, for some reason not even nine hours of sleep could make her feel awake. She groaned and rolled over, she missed the lone western mattress that acted as a futon back at her old home. Futons seemed so uncomfortable, how could Japan natives actually get an unrestful sleep?

 

She looked at her alarm clock, it said 5:15, school would start in an hour and a half. She rubbed her temples as she sat up. Then she forced herself out of bed and grabbed her uniform and underwear and got into the shower. It wasn't till she was fully uniformed (except for the shoes) and her hair was back in a soppy ponytail while her bangs were clearly dry because of the hairdryer.

 

She heard a cranky Kyo grumbling as he wandered in next and took his. She looked around the room, it was only 5:45, she had plenty of time to eat breakfast, but she wasn't hungry. Then her eyes lowered onto the Kitsune no Hon. She had the strangest urge to read it, so she sat down cross-legged and plopped it onto her lap and opened it.

 

She sighed, it was completely empty…again! What was with this book? She would forget about only for a few days or more and then it would like erase it's words. But the only thing not gone was the table of contents. This was crazy though as well, there was only one chapter now!

 

Table of Contents

 

Chapter One

 

Inari, the Rice Goddess

 

She flipped over the page and began to read the new passage; there were more passages!

 

Not too long ago upon the lands of Ancient Japan, there were many Gods and Goddesses. The humans though, had little faith in them as many of them were destroyers and cared little for such `vermin'. The demons native so many centuries ago submitted to the powerful beings and most agreed with the Gods and Goddesses that humans were unworthy of walking upon the same ground as them, breathe the same air, and swim through the same water. This resulted in many fights that many times came out as war, total war. Demons would massacre villages and humans would flee in desperation to save their lives and families. When hope was in little amount and almost extinguished, the wise fox that watched in sheer horror and pain moved forward. By this time many other Gods and Goddesses have come from foreign countries to resolve this maniacal destruction. One, Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, War, and Crafts had spotted the fox's bravery, but it also revealed fear and foolishness. Spotting no other animal that wished to end this war, she gave the fox the values and properties of that of a God nor Goddess. But a godly figure that resembled neither male nor female. The fox was called Inari and her wisdom and bravery brought forth the end of the war. She separated the two species and they forever lived in hatred and fear of one another, something they would have to resolve on their own.

 

But in favor of saving them, the humans made shrines and temples for Inari and she in return, grew the rice crops each spring, giving enough to last through the seasons to come. But as the humans worshipped her, the demons were disgusted, animals were neutral and fled whenever they sensed one near. But foxes became known as Inari's messengers as she took on the godly role and left to the skies, only her spirit remained. But as the years passed, villagers came back from the hard day at the fields to say that they have seen a lovely woman with flowing silver hair holding two sheaves of rice as well as a snow-white ceremonial kimono. Each one remembered her clearly as her two cyan spheres had encarved her stare into their skin and her nine silver tails and set of silver fox ears gave her away. They knew instantly that it was Inari…

 

But she never made vocal contact with them, but instead appeared everyday they came to work on the same spot several meters away from them, whenever they tried to approach, she wisped away with the last breeze. But at the end of one spring, she vanished at evening, but the next spring she didn't return. But instead, a tiny baby kitsune appeared at the village one day, each villager cherished her and the top family took her in. Even without Inari around, the baby fox seemed to have replaced her as the rice had grown much more abundantly that spring. The baby fox soon woke up in a human-like appearance the following spring with a set of black ears and a tail. She was quickly treated as a princess and was announced the heir to the leadership of the village. Because of the abundant supply of rice the population grew over the years and the baby fox was growing and given a name, Minari, a cross between Minerva and Inari. She began to talk and was taught of the way of their life. She was unusually bright and intellectual, calm and collected and even made changes on the village and how they grew their crops.

 

She grew her second tail on her 100th birthday. By this time she was the proud leader of the village that developed into a town people now call Kyoto. Her town produced much rice and was exported, and in return had plenty of money to live off of. But she suddenly became withdrawn from the world as years came and gone. She would demand for silence and peace and remain in a lone room far inside the royal fortress. She would only socialize when it came to political wealth and meetings with neighboring leaders, and even a few times with remaining demon lords and ladies. But by the time she had gotten her third tail, no one dared to even take a step near the fortress. As one night all the servants had fled from it, too scared to tell a word of what happened when they ran out, when it was completely silent before.

 

From this day it is revealed that night when the servants fled she was approached by the Zodiac God, Cosiniak and was given the option of whether she wished to join the Holiday or Chinese Zodiac. She was reluctant to wander outside her chamber let alone join a party, so in anger of being disturbed she had gone rigid and hysterical. The maniacal screeches from her chamber drove the servants out in fear; the screeches though were so deep within the chambers that no one outside could hear. But it also turned out that she had placed a barrier around the fortress so she could feel anyone or anything's enter. The villagers soon began to discover only foxes entered and left the fortress alive. But they had more to worry about as the rice had no longer any godly energy and began to die more easily.

 

When technology began to inhabit Japan, the fortress was restricted; as no one wanted to risk destroying it with Minari inside in fear she would leap out and clash. It was around her 500th birthday when the Meiji War took place and this, angered the fox. But she did not reveal herself then, but by the end of the massive slaughter, surviving soldiers had claimed to have seen a saddened version of Inari, soaring through the sky on a giant white fox's back. They became relieved and miserable at the same time as she vanished. Whatever happened to her was a mystery and how Minari ended up in their care so many centuries ago was open for answers as well.

 

From that day on, Minari was said to remain hidden deep within the fortress. Many say because of her outburst Cosiniak forgot about her and rumors spread that she thought she too good for the other zodiac animals that joined. There were even rumors that Cosiniak left half-dead from the fortress of her possible violent outbursts and that was why he wasn't visible on the day of the parties and races. But the screeches were also the creators of the black spirit that left the fortress and took form of a black fox. When that fox appeared at the party of the Chinese Zodiac, the animals greeted her happily, happy that she decided to join them, but Cosiniak shooed it away, but before it could get any further, Cosiniak cursed it, it was the first animal cursed. In sadness the Fox ran away, where it went no one knew. But it was never found, only the person that was cursed upon its existence was the only clue as to where the Fox was and how Minari was at that moment. The curse of the Fox was much different from the Cat's, as the Fox grew symptoms emerged and wanted the body to run, run as far as it could from those who despised it. They say even when the Fox's cursed human body was in danger, a demon would take place and massacre the danger, and she was the Demoness of Obliteration, Darkness and Protection. Her name was Minari…

 

Eriko shut the book violently, she was trembling horribly and her eyes were widened with realization. Her skin went as white as a sheet and when Kyo came in, he instantly took notice.

 

“Eriko! What's wrong?” Kyo cried as he ran over and bent down, she didn't seem to recognize him and continued to her trembling, he shook her slightly, but instead of breaking down, she jerked over (scaring Kyo) and wrapped her arms around him. She knocked him back on his rear with his hands behind him. “Eriko?” Not a tear fell from her eyes, but she was still apparently scared of something…

 

“Kyo? What's wrong-Eriko?” Tohru came in after knocking, she didn't seem ready to wait for an answer when she heard Kyo questioning and spotted her nuzzled into his chest. She blushed fiercely, but managed to spot the book. Instead of asking, she wandered over to it as Kyo comforted the Fox. She read Kitsune no Hon on the front and began to flip through it, it was blank again.

 

“What is that Tohru?” Kyo asked, she shook her head as she continued to skim through them. Then she stopped on the last page and eyed the page; Kyo looked at her back curiously. “What are you staring at?” She snapped it shut and turned towards him.

 

“There isn't anything in this book Kyo,” she answered half-truthfully as she placed it down next to Eriko's futon.

 

“What do you mean there isn't anything in there?” Kyo hissed, “It was the thing that scared her!”

 

“It's blank Kyo,” she replied, staring at Eriko in an unread expression. Kyo didn't understand the expression, but looked down at the Fox. She was now sleeping, they went to bed like at seven or something, or so she did because she was so tired last night.

 

“I'll skip school today, Eriko needs rest.” Kyo stated roughly.

 

“Kyo-” Tohru tried to begin, but Kyo became enraged.

 

“I'm skippin' school and no one is going to tell me otherwise all right!” He realized he was yelling and stared at Tohru in disbelief. “Just go…” She was speechless, but got up and shut the door quietly behind her, leaving a regretful Kyo.

Damnit! Why did I yell at her? She was only trying to help… Kyo thought Eriko's hand gripped his shirt and she murmured something inaudible. She's wiped out…why?

 

“Take it easy on Tohru-chan my dear, Eriko is special to you, but so is Tohru.” There goes that bodiless voice again, Kyo looked around the room just in case a body just so happened to appear. No one was present.

 

“Eriko…what do I do?”

Tohru stood out in the hall and blushed slightly, Yuki was still half-asleep downstairs, maybe that's why he didn't hear anything or maybe it was because Kyo wasn't as loud as he usually was. That confused her, he was a little more gentle a few minutes ago, but there was still that concern gleam in his eye and it was for both Eriko and her. But the feeling in the pit of her chest wouldn't go away, she didn't know what to do about it.

 

“Ready to go Miss Honda?” it was Yuki and he was standing at the top of the stairs with his bag and hers.

 

“Kyo and Eriko are skipping today,” she finally said, his expression saddened, of course when she was sad so was he, but he was sure his misery was worse. He loved Tohru, but she didn't seem to feel the same way. It was jealousy that occurred to him, she liked Kyo, he could finally see that, but could he accept it? And what about him? What did the Cat have that the Rat didn't have then and now?

 

“Oh, well, than we better get going, I've got to be at a student council meeting early this morning before the bell rings.” Yuki replied with a small smile, she smiled back.

 

“All right,” I wonder what's wrong with Eriko…she's the Fox I know…but why me? She thought as she followed Yuki down the stairs.

Back in Eriko's room, Kyo pondered on about that book that lay next to her bed. His cat curiosity longed to see what frightened Tohru, but if he moved he would wake up Eriko, he didn't want to see her so scared again.

 

“Kyo…?” It took every ounce of his self-control not to jump out of his skin when he heard her bone-chilled voice; her eyes were kept closed though. “Can you put me in bed, no tucking though…” He smiled slightly. She seemed so vulnerable and fragile in this state, it was kind of cute, but as long as he was Kyo, he would never think on the same track as Shigure.

 

“Sure,” he answered as he then lifted her up and heaved her over to her bed.

 

“You're acting like I'm as heavy as an elephant…” she silently laughed.

 

“Well, you're making me tired.” He answered with a rare sense of humor. She smiled back weakly, what was wrong with her?

 

“You can go to school you know…you're failing…”

 

“I don't give a damn about school and besides! I ain't failin'!” Kyo growled as he stood up. “Just go to sleep.”

 

“Whatever you say…” she yawned and was a sleep in a second. This gave him the chance to pick up the book and skim through it; it wasn't till the last page that he encountered what Tohru discovered.

 

Take care of her