Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Musouka ~ Dare to Dream ❯ The Curse's Mythological Past ( Chapter 30 )

Chapter Thirty

 

Don't do more than you have already regretted.

 

Addenye Woodenburg

 

The Curse's mythological Past

 

The weeks went by rather fast, and if it weren't for Yasashiku's and Myuu's loving relationship Eriko would have possibly died from boredom. As of now Tohru, Yuki, and Shigure have seemly had nothing better to do then to re-celebrate the new couple over and over again, and as this happened, they appeared less and less at Shigure's house, Eriko considered them intelligent for their recent acts. But not long ago Hatori, Hatsuharu, and Momiji visited.

It didn't seem like a major occasion, but it was Valentine's Day and Tohru had gotten everyone chocolate, and out of generosity Eriko did the same. She supposed Kyo wasn't the only special person for her out there and decided she might as well enjoy the holiday. But Kyo wasn't all that thrilled, especially when Kagura came out of nowhere and literally -and violently- swept him off his feet. But Eriko practically found it rather amusing when Kaede burst through the door with Noami and Aikoko (with Ginry on her shoulder).

Ginry had gotten a bit bigger since Eriko and Kyo last saw her, but she was still rather social among both the Fox and the Cat. But later during that loving day (after the introductions) Hatori, Shigure, and Noami got into a room alone while everyone else went outside where the sun was happily shining, much to Eriko's distaste. The sun was all right, but she didn't like it when it was too sunny!

“Who wants to play soccer!” Momiji cried as a ball bounced out of nowhere as he ran across the house's backyard. Aikoko sat Ginry on the porch as she agreed enthusiastically and jumped into the game. Tohru also agreed, leading to Kyo and Yuki joining in as well. The teams were split into two teams that one consisted of: Kyo, Tohru, Aikoko, Kaede and Momiji and the other: Eriko, Hatsuharu, Kagura and Yuki.

“You're goin' down Ratboy!” Kyo shouted, almost instantly Yuki and Kyo took over the game as soon as it began, the others immediately ran for cover at the sidelines. But even there the game between the Cat and Rat was assured dangerous.

“Why so confident today Stupid Cat?” Yuki asked as he shifted and took control of the ball. “Is it because you actually think that because we're playing something different that you would possibly have a chance at beating me?”

“NO WAY IN HELL YOU DAMN RAT!!”

“I didn't know they knew how to play soccer,” Tohru said.

“They're quick learners.” Momiji commented.

“But when did they learn?” Eriko repeated.

“I think they're just going by their own rules.” Haru suggested, all of them nodded in agreement.

“Do you think we should try and stop them?” Aikoko asked.

“Maybe, but there's no way doing it without getting hurt.” Haru pointed out.

“So how do you think we should stop them? I wanna play!” Momiji cried, Haru turned to a terribly concerned Kagura.

“Yo Kagura, I think Kyo just confessed his love.” Said Haru, the simple statement sent Kagura in a frantic blur of excitement as she dashed forward and tackled Kyo to the ground, it did nothing to Eriko, she was used to it, but Tohru was as wide-eyed as ever, staring in utter shock at the Boar and Cat.

“I LOVE YOU TOO DARLING!!!” Kagura cried.

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!!” Kyo cried back, nonetheless to say, Yuki won the one-on-one soccer game.

 

“So he isn't doing as well as before? I could have sworn he would have done anything for Sunmei,” Shigure stated as Hatori took a sip of tea. They were currently talking about Akito and Sunmei, and it seemed since she arrived at the Sohma Estate, Akito hasn't let her out of her sight and seems to confined with Sunmei to pay much attention to her own well-being. Sunmei and Kureno alone though, were the safest bets to be placed in the same room as Akito. That was what worried them, Akito wouldn't even allow Hatori inside even though it was doctor's orders. But because Noami was in there with them, they couldn't reveal Akito's true gender obviously.

“So what are we going to do?” asked Noami, she was silent the whole conversation. Since when she finally found out going to the Sohma Estate was really Sunmei's true intentions scared her, Sunmei wished never to return because it was a source of her past memories. They weren't completely bad, but she still refused to remember them. But since most of them were happy ones with Shigure, that was probably why she wanted to forget them, but why she wanted to forget Shigure was a mystery as well…

“Well, right now I'm concerned why she even listened to Shigure when she knew Akito would possibly never let her loose. Even Kureno had a few hours of freedom outside the estate, but she will possibly have a harder time seeing daylight now since Akito prefers the dark.” Hatori explained.

“To Shigure? When did you two talk?” Noami suddenly asked, they both looked at the Dog, he smiled nervously.

“Sometime before she arrived at the estate, I was bored and I was just told that Akito wasn't taking his medicine so I thought that-”

“She would change his mind?” Noami finished. “Honestly Shigure…”

“I must agree that announcing his current condition to Sunmei was rather unnecessary Shigure, and egging her into visiting was not what I would say a friend's place to nose into one's business.” Hatori stated calmly. Shigure peered at both of his friends with a baffled expression.

“I didn't egg her into doing it. I simply stated that he would want to see her again now that she returned and all.” Shigure said in defense, Noami eyed him dangerously. Making him shiver in fear, her sense of duty in their friendship they had since middle school was a stubborn one. Though she was frightened and bribed into things very easily, she was downright stubborn when it came to affairs, and she never let one die without a say from her.

“Somehow I don't believe that, I believe it has something to do with your feelings for her.” Noami stated. “Ever since we told you she left for America your head was in the clouds for what seemed forever, and when Yuki came in to live with you, you just seemed to return to your old self. I suppose telling her this was to get back at her for leaving without saying good-bye. And what about Mayu-chan, does Sunmei know about her at all? Or your relationship you once had with her?” While Hatori took this as no surprise, Shigure were surely out of whack.

“Don't be so shocked Shigure, she is a teacher and a Sanotomono,” Hatori said with a hint of amusement in his voice, that brought another nervous smile to his face.

“A proud one at that, so are you going to answer any of my questions Shigure? Or am I going to have to get them out of Ayame or Hatori?” Noami asked.

“It would be a total mess if Ayame became present in this situation.” Hatori stated, Noami and Shigure nodded in agreement.

“All the more reason I get the answers from you Shigure, so tell us, we are your friends after all. So since when have you been eager to keep a good secret?” Noami asked.

 

“No, about us?”

“Well Shigure…I'm not sure on how to answer that…”

 

“You're acting like I spill secrets like I want to Noami-chan! I have never told of a secret in my life!” Shigure cried out innocently.

“Maybe one or two to Akito I suppose, but with no one else.” Hatori said in a bored tone, taking another drink from his cup.

“Shigure! Who are we? Your followers of injustice? Please tell me you haven't told every secret among us to that Sohma head of yours?” Noami asked sharply, making the two men cringe. Hatori gave Shigure a warning glare from his bad eye. Only they knew what kind of glare hid behind those bangs. Shigure though became unusually distressed and he showed it. It softened Noami somewhat, but not a lot, just enough to make her go quiet. Hatori drinking his tea was the only noise made between for several minutes.

“They do sound like they're having fun,” Shigure said miserably, they heard the rambunctious shouts from Kyo and the cries of happiness from the rest of the teens. How miserable they would be once the time came for two events that would take place the day after graduation.

“Saniiro and Mina would have been happy…and proud,” Noami stated, Hatori sighed and closed his eyes, placing his tea down for the moment.

“Do you think she should know?” Hatori questioned. Shigure and Noami looked at one another, and silently shook their heads.

“He can tell her,” Shigure muttered, loud enough for both of them to hear. The Seahorse and the teacher knew perfectly well of whom he was talking about. But when will she see him? Or when will he see her? It was rather complicated, especially since not even Eriko has solved the riddle.

“But she hasn't even met him, her own uncle,” Noami added with concern, her face staring down at her hands that were clasped together in her lap. “How do you think she'll take it? So many questions she has, and we have almost all the answers to them, yet we're keeping them away, keeping them oblivious to her. She didn't know Sarah and Dikatou weren't her biological parents till just a couple of months ago.”

“True, she doesn't know much, and that's most of the past Foxes motives for running away. Never getting the answers when they want them, but I think she's looking for a different alibi to run away for. Now that we have grown to know her-meaning you two-she doesn't want to run away because that's what fate intends for her to do. She wants to go out of courage if she must, out of bravery, something to die for honor. I think the reason she is looking for is `not getting the right answers at the right time'.” Hatori explained Shigure and Noami looked grave.

“So what should we do?” Shigure finally asked.

“Simple, have Kyo and Eriko make a generous visit to him.” Noami stated.

“It's not that simple, other than Kagura, Yuki, Hatsuharu, and Tohru, Kyo hasn't seen him with Eriko yet…” Shigure said.

“We know, but this is becoming urgent, and since they died he knew most of the Fox's secrets and the secret of the Kitsune no Hon,” Hatori reclaimed. Noami and Shigure looked shocked, how did Eriko come in possession of the Kitsune no Hon? “Kita-san had called me and told me that Mei had given Eriko the book when she came around the house soon after she arrived home when her aunt and uncle arrived back from Aomori.”

“Is that so? I'm rather surprised, how did Mei know that she needed it?” Shigure asked.

“She is a woman of many secrets as you may know, extremely bright at that too.” Noami said. “But from what I know of the Sanotomono head curse is that every night the head is completely blind and without any of the other four senses. So how is it that she knew Eriko was there? Got the book to her? And more importantly, where did she get it from and think it would do Eriko more good than harm?”

“Who said it would do more good than harm?” Hatori asked, Noami looked up at him in surprise, as if daring him to say something she didn't know, or even say something she didn't want to know. Shigure seemed to know what Hatori was getting at and peered away.

“What do you mean Hatori? You don't think that…well, the book is nothing good?” Noami asked. Hatori propped his elbows up on the table and placed his mouth to them. It seemed that he would never answer, and Shigure looked as if he was battling his inner demons.

“The book is possibly the third reason to why the Fox even runs away.” Hatori stated. “Or so, the tale says. This tale is passed down from Dragon to Dragon, we are born knowing it and have the right to tell others, but I have only told Shigure, Ayame, and Sunmei, no one else I'm glad. For if this information got out to anyone else we would be in serious debt of real mythology.”

“So? What is this tale? And how does the book have to do with the Fox running away?” Noami asked, not taking Hatori's statement for only telling three people to heart.

“According to the legend - known by only a few people - the Fox, was originated from a kitsune youkai several centuries ago we know as Minari. They say she was the daughter of Inari, but Minerva granted Inari her powers so therefore Minari's name came to be. But a small town we now know as Kyoto raised her, back then Inari disappeared and before that she helped grow rice. But the next spring Minari appeared as just a small black kit, the villagers took her as a blessing and raised. She soon grew into a human with fox characteristics.” Hatori paused for a moment to breathe, but Shigure took over.

“But as the years passed and Minari grew tails, she became less and less social with her town as it developed economically well. I'm sure you have heard of Inari's Kin Fortress correct? That is where people say she sleeps, they say she lays dormant deep within a maze-like chamber that no one dares to enter. It's even restricted, but lately teenagers have dared one another to go inside, not one has come out. Yet no one went in to search for bodies (for obvious reasons) so they had ceremonial burials without the bodies so they served the spirits with only a ceremony. But there I find a link, a link with those suspicious missing people and Eriko herself. I shared my theory with Hatori a while ago, and he seems to find it plausible.” Shigure finished.

“So you're wondering if I will find it possible as well? But I cannot judge that till you tell me.” Noami stated.

“Very well, will you do the honors then Ha'ri?” Shigure asked, turning to the Seahorse. The doctor looked up at Noami, with serious eyes she had last seen so long ago.

“We believe it's a guilt-builder,” Hatori began, “you have noticed how Eriko is pulling through as greatly as Saniiro correct? Well, before him the Fox, Mikomi Sanotomono began to strengthen and pull through most of the disastrous symptoms, but she ran away before her senior year. But then Saniiro came along and passed high school with flying colors and got married, and had children. He didn't experience his symptoms till his twenty-third birthday. That's when more people started entering Inari's Kin Fortress.”

“More people? You mean people have been going in Mikomi's time as well?” Noami asked.

“Yes,” Shigure answered. “And we don't believe it's from dares either, we think they're caused by irresistible, illusional urges to enter the fortress. That's where the guilt-builder theory comes in,”

“Do you have any proof?” Noami asked.

“Not solid proof, but we have beliefs. It seems in Mikomi's time people were highly suspicious and not even dares came to mind. No one was stupid enough to risk their neck, and no one wanted to risk losing a close friend or relative due to some thoughtless dares. Of course, this was back in the 1800s, Saniiro wasn't born for at least two decades after she died.” Hatori explained. “But besides that, Saniiro was the first male of the Fox curse to be claimed by the Fox, we know the Fox usually takes possession of female Sanotomonos, but he was the first in thousands of years since the curse even started, so now there's another question. Why was he claimed by the Fox?”

“Now this isn't making much sense, we need to find out a bit more ourselves.” Noami stated.

“I must admit it is rather confusing, as we are dealing with the past, mythology, and curse at the same time.” Shigure admitted.

They went silent for a minute, listening to the teens outside, they were having so much fun it seemed, that they didn't even bother to eavesdrop into their conversation, which was fortunate because they were too deeply in thought to notice whether they would be there or not.

 

“Come on Kyo!” Tohru cried happily as the Cat went racing down the grass with the ball at his feet; he was sneering as he ran faster, his attention focused on both Yuki (who was behind him) and the goal that was at least five meters ahead of him. “You can do it!”

“Here it goes!” Kyo shouted as he and stopped his right foot hit the soccer ball with enough force that it went soaring clear over the goal, must have missed by at least several meters above it. Everyone couldn't help but laugh, even Tohru was doubled over in a fit of giggles. Eriko herself was leaning on Kaede to keep her balance at check while Kaede's right hand was on Momiji's back, keeping her balance up as well. They were all having fun, but getting tired at that.

“Good one Kyo!” Eriko managed to laugh out, Kyo growled lightly, his cheeks tinted with pink slightly.

“There's always next time Kyo-kun!” Tohru said with an encouraging smile, Kyo shook his head and quickly went after the ball, announcing he would get it. But the as the laughter began to die down as Kyo ran faster after the ball (he was running down a hill after all) he couldn't help but notice the upcoming darkness. It couldn't have been evening yet; they only had lunch about an hour ago.

“What the hell!” Kyo cried as he stopped in his tracks, the laughter from the group of friends was faint now and Kyo spotted nothing in the brush, it was as if the ball hadn't come through here, but he saw go all the way down to this point, it should have at least stopped here. “Damnit all! That was our only ball!” But then his eyes caught something, there was a small rustling in the bushes, he eyed them for a moment. When they rustled again, he edged towards them for a better look at what was there. But he didn't see anything.

“Who's there?” he asked roughly, no one replied, but instead, the missing soccer ball was thrown out of the brush and landed in his arms. He peered down at it, it was as clean as a whistle, but it was their ball. A chill ran down his spine, but warmth ran up it at the same time. Whether he should feel that this was good or bad he didn't wait to decide, but instead he turned around with a sudden jerk and took off back to the others.

Who was there? And why? Kyo thought as he spotted everyone and stopped and kicked the ball up, everyone looked at him and held in his or her snickers, but most smiled and greeted him happily.

 

“So what do we do then?” Noami suddenly asked, breaking the silence.

“We'll leave up to him,” Hatori answered, then his eyes swerved over to Sunmei. “and you, get a moment of Sunmei's time and discuss things, you and I both know what I'm talking about, and so does Noami.”

“Yes, Shigure! This is your chance to redeem yourself, are you her friend? Or something more?” Noami asked sharply, not wanting Shigure to take this lightly. Shigure nodded, looking awfully grim, but neither Hatori nor Noami took it to heart as Shigure often got his ways if he was able to take advantage of them. But before the silence could swallow them again like a large cotton blanket, the teens (Tohru, Momiji, Kagura, Aikoko and Kaede) bounced in on them and pulled them out, convincing them to play along with them.

Ginry yawned as she awoke from her nap. She watched as the two men and woman became indulged in the teen game of soccer. Though none of them were as agile as Kaede, Kyo, and Yuki, they were mostly concerned not trying to be tackled down by Kagura or the Hatsuharu that changed into Black not long ago due to some competition that woven its way in between him, Kyo, and Eriko.

Ginry then turned her attention to the side of the house and made contact with a pair of lovely cerulean eyes and did not blink. The pair of gorgeous sapphires though, vanished as the breeze came and went. Leaving Ginry with an unspoken message, the young cat stood up and stretched and leaned down on her hutches.

For now she will watch, for now she will stay here and look over these people, that, Ginry knew she would-at least until her times comes, and they will be free.

“DAMNIT! WATCH WHERE YOU PUT THAT FOOT OF YOURS YA DAMN RAT!” Kyo roared, getting off the ground. He had been running but un-expectantly stepped on the ball and went skidding on his front into the grass, but Yuki was right behind him and almost mistook his head as the ball as it went rolling past him.

“Oh, I'm sorry, was that your head? It was so large that I must have thought it was the ball instead.” Yuki stated with a smirk as he ran the opposite way towards his goal, with Kyo running after him cursing under his breath.

“YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT!!” The Cat bellowed. Eriko watched as they ran past her, followed by a panting Shigure and sweaty Tohru, Aikoko, and Momiji. Though Hatsuharu went racing past them in a fury of rage. Hatori and Noami laughed as Hatsuharu rammed into Kyo, then whom bumped into Yuki, which made them all fly into the ground. The ball alone reached the goal, having Yuki's team win.