Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Seasons of Sorrow ❯ Memories of Spring = Return To Innocence ( Chapter 21 )

DISCLAIMER: This fact is rubbed into my face every time I post…I don't own Furuba. I don't even own my SUV. Such a sad world we live in…

 

 

Memories of Spring

— Return to Innocence —

 

 

The sweet scent of new blossoms and the rustling of the leaves in the wind were soothing to Yuki's ears as he stood for a while in the middle of a clearing that was a bit further from the others. He could still hear the yelling and screaming from the house at this distance, but it was certainly more bearable.

 

Breathing with relief, he looked up at the partly cloudy sky, and gazing at it with wonder, he found himself freeing his mind of the present and looking to the endless sky for comfort.

 

Closing his eyes and letting out a sigh, he thought, `This is so much better.'

 

“I knew you'd be like this when I found you,” called out Haru as he approached Yuki from the front.

 

Startled from his reverie, he stilled in his motions, and opened his eyes. As he looked at him, Yuki asked, “Weren't you coming from the house?” The house currently was behind Yuki…

 

“Well, I went out through the front. After trying different spots, I decided to go with my instincts for once and so ended up here,” replied Haru.

 

“Uh-huh,” remarked Yuki uncertainly. `Will he ever admit when he gets lost?'

 

“What? I've got them, too,” replied Haru with certainty. “They actually led me to you…a wonder to be sure.”

 

“Yeah, I'm sure…” replied Yuki doubtfully. Letting out a sigh, he sat down, and leaning back onto his hands, he stared back up to the sky.

 

Haru glanced down to his pensive cousin, and with a shake of the head, sat down next to him. Resting his arms on his drawn-up knees, he watched the sky above him as well.

 

“Do you think it was okay to leave the masks back there?” asked Haru as he glanced down and picked a blade of grass.

 

“M-hm,” replied Yuki idly. “Tohru-san will take very good care of them I'm sure.”

 

“Well, either way, it's easier to breathe out here,” commented Haru offhand. “Plus no screaming neko in your ear.”

 

Smiling at that remark, Yuki continued to gaze at the sky. `It would be like him to know why I had to step out.' Feeling more at peace with himself, Yuki decided to lay on his back with arms supporting his head while looking up at the sky.

 

Hearing the soft sigh of contentment from his cousin, Haru glanced back to look at Yuki and decided to take a chance to ask him a question that he had wanted to ask him for a while. “Yuki?”

 

“Hm?” responded Yuki placidly.

 

“How has it been with you…since the other day?” asked Haru quietly.

 

`The other day…' It's been a few days since those encounters with the ever so loving family. Yuki would rather have pushed it all away from his mind, but in fact, it plagued his thoughts the day after it happened. Still, he made some interesting discoveries about himself and what happened.

 

“Fine,” replied Yuki as he closed his eyes to the sky and breathed in deeply. `At least I know I don't smell bad.'

 

“You and Sensei never did mention it to Kyo,” remarked Haru, staring at him for confirmation.

 

Prying one eye open, Yuki briefly looked at Haru, then closed his eye again. Breathing out softly, he replied, “No, I didn't, and I won't.”

 

Taking that remark to be Yuki's way of closing the matter, Haru decided to gaze back up at the sky, watching the puffy clouds roll on by. He then heard Yuki speak up again.

 

“Something else is bothering you,” commented Yuki matter-of-factly without opening his eyes.

 

Glancing back at him, Haru widely grinned. “Well, it has been a long two weeks…”

 

Opening his eyes at that remark, Yuki looked at Haru questioningly, “Two weeks?”

 

Returning his gaze to the sky, Haru clarified, “Hm. It seems somehow longer. (Sigh) Rin came back from her `short walk'.”

 

Inwardly sighing, Yuki looked back up at the sky as well. He quietly replied, “…I see.”

 

Haru went on, “When I first met up with her, she wasn't herself. She was pretty freaked about something, but she wouldn't tell me what it was.” Pausing, he looked back to Yuki pointedly and asked, “Has she…come by here recently?”

 

Haru had phrased the question for the sole purpose of seeing how Yuki would react to it. Yuki sensed his cousin's gaze on him, but he couldn't bring himself to let Haru know of his run in with Rin…not with so much secrecy at stake. Yuki would not put Haru in that position of knowing the truth—likely why Rin didn't tell Haru the truth either.

 

Breathing out heavily, Yuki replied without taking his eyes off the sky, “I've not seen her come by here.”

 

Haru knew that somehow his nezumi cousin would answer his question…somewhat. It's true that Yuki probably didn't see her there, but as for actually speaking with her…

 

(Few days before…)

 

“You're not easy to track down in this place,” commented Haru calmly as he settled himself across from Rin in one of the gardens she was hiding in at the estate. “Where had you gone?”

 

“Nowhere,” was Rin's clipped remark. “And you shouldn't bother getting lost by trying to track me down.”

 

“Hm,” remarked Haru with a shrug. “I wanted to be sure you're okay…that's all.”

 

“Nothing can ever be okay so long as that bitch and her pet live,” retorted Rin angrily.

 

Restraining his darker half was not easy, but Haru managed it better with Rin around. Still, that didn't mean it didn't anger him to some degree the way she spoke about Yuki. She usually knew better than to speak that way about Yuki around him, but for some reason, she had been out of sorts, particularly concerning Akito and Yuki.

 

“Why can't you tell me what's bothering you?” asked Haru seriously, choosing to focus on the problem instead of her feelings regarding Yuki.

 

“This is MY problem, okay, MY PROBLEM. Stay out of this, Haru,” Rin replied adamantly as she got up to walk away.

 

Haru stood up immediately and noted something odd…especially for Rin. As she turned her back on him, he quietly remarked, “You're afraid.”

 

Rin whirled around to face him and stared in shock. Angrily facing him fully, she yelled back, “NANI? I AM NOT AFRAID.”

 

“You're trembling. You're even…anxious,” continued Haru amazed. “You are afraid. Why is that?”

 

“LEAVE ME ALONE!” yelled Rin as she turned around to run off, but Haru held onto her arm tightly. She tried prying her arm from his grip, but he was considerably stronger.

 

“Not until you tell me what's making you afraid,” bit out Haru as he held Rin's arm tightly in his grip.

 

“What? Did that KUSO NEZUMI tell you that? IS THAT IT?!,” retorted Rin heatedly. “Well, then, tell that bastard that I don't care what he says! I'm not backing down until his little bitch for a master is long gone, and he along with her!”

 

“That's ENOUGH, Rin,” replied Haru tightly as he shook her lightly. Trying to control the anger that was fast rising within him, he forced himself to focus once again on the problem at hand. “I haven't talked to Yuki about you! What is it that you talked about with him that's got you spooked?”

 

“NOTHING!” stressed Rin.

 

“You can't stand to talk about Yuki, least of all actually speak directly with him. Then why actually go through the trouble to see him and talk with him? What's going on?” insisted Haru.

 

“NOTHING, DAMMIT! I HATE THE KUSO! I HATE HIM! HE CAN ROT IN HELL FOR ALL I CARE!!” screamed Rin. Smiling evilly, she calmly sneered, “I'm glad that I spooked HIM! He won't get away with it…he won't. I made sure of it…”

 

Looking at her edgily, he tightly asked, “What do you mean by that?”

 

Letting herself loose in his grip, she smiled with a smirk, “Nothing. For once, that rat will get what's coming to him and good. The problem will be resolved, I'm sure of it. It's too bad though that I can't really do anything but stand back in the sidelines.”

 

“What's coming to him?!” shouted Haru to her face in a panic. “What are you talking about, Rin?!!”

 

Rin remained unfazed as she continued to gaze at him. She calmly replied with satisfaction, “You should have seen that face of his when I broke the news to him. `Petrified' doesn't even begin to describe it. So pathetic, so lifeless, like when he's having his asthma attacks…just weak. (Looks away in disgust.) Too bad he didn't have one right then and there—damn bastard had the audacity to deny what I know is true. (With a smirk turns to Haru.) At least I got a good shot of the bastard's face when I spit on him like the damn ra…”

 

(SLAP!)

 

Rin could only stare back in astonishment after feeling the hard sting of Haru's slap across her face. It was hard enough that she tasted a bit of her own blood in her mouth (she bit herself). As she brought her hand to her flaming cheek, she heard Haru speak very quietly.

 

“That's enough. Don't you ever do something so stupid again. Do you understand me?” asked Haru barely above a whisper, leaning into her face so that their noses were only millimeters apart. In the same tone, he reiterated, “So help me if you ever...”

 

As Haru left that remark unfinished, the look in his eyes were enough to scare even Rin who saw just how much emotion was behind that remark. There was no doubt…as much as Haru cared for her, he will not hesitate to stop her in any way if she did try anything else on Yuki. What truly frightened her, however, was not that Haru was saying this to her, but the fact that it wasn't Black Haru at all.

 

It was White Haru…her Haru that just threatened her.

 

Shaking her head in utter disbelief and dread, she suddenly pulled her arm from his grip. She restlessly replied, “No…this can't be happening. What the hell is gong on? Why…”

 

In that apprehensive state, Rin took off across the gardens and left Haru standing alone in the gardens to ponder on what just happened.

 

(Presently…)

 

That was the one and only time Haru was able to get a word in edgewise with Rin up `til today. Any other time he managed to find her, she'd take off in a different direction and stay out of sight. She would sometimes stay over with Kagura, but mostly, she would be off the compound grounds, shacking up anywhere but there.

 

Haru could only stare at his hands, wondering how he could have remained so calm (in a sense) when Rin told him what she did to Yuki. It was almost as if his more aggressive side had evaporated, and instead, his more placid half was in complete control. Still, he effectively slapped her in this state, which doubly stunned him.

 

“How is that possible?' thought Haru dejectedly as he stared at the offending hand. `She was out of control, but still…' He would have thought himself incapable of hurting anyone, least of all Rin, when he was in his `white' mode. He had to admit it wasn't like him at all…and that worried him.

 

Yuki sensed Haru's distress and couldn't help but feel guilty over it. He knew that he himself was the root to Haru's recent problems with Rin. No matter how much secrecy was involved, Yuki refused to allow himself to become a setback between Haru and Rin.

 

Sighing, Yuki partly relented, “I don't know what she had said to you, but I really didn't mean to cause any problems between the two of you. Gomen nasai.”

 

Haru glanced at his cousin, and he saw how bad Yuki felt about the whole thing. `Well, at least he admits that he has spoken with her. That's enough for me.' Waving off the remark, Haru replied with a grin, “Anything can get her wound tight. She'll come around, and I'll be there when she does. (Pause) I am surprised though…”

 

“Oh?” commented Yuki with an elegantly arched brow.

 

“Well, Rin can be hostile when it comes to you, and she doesn't bother hiding it when she's around you,” continued Haru. With an air of amazement, he went on, “Thing is, you never backed down from any of her confrontations with you. It's kind of a big surprise that you actually let her get away with what she did to you the other day.”

 

Yuki stared at Haru for a moment before draping his right arm over his eyes, effectively shutting out everything. Breathing out heavily, he silently replied, “I suppose that's true. It was…a difficult day…for me. (Pause) Still, I just didn't want to put up the front anymore.”

 

“Front?” inquired Haru.

 

Yuki brought his arms back behind his head as he gazed back up at the sky. “It's strange, really,” he continued in wonder. “I can't remember when it started to happen. I just know that it's not there anymore…it really hasn't been there in a long while.”

 

As confused as Haru was, he waited patiently for his cousin to explain.

 

“Strange,” repeated Yuki softly to himself, “the anguish, the bitterness, all of it—I was so afraid that one day it would overwhelm me when I faced them. Yet, that never came to pass. It's like waking up one day and finally realizing that the yoke that weighed heavily on me just…disappeared. It just didn't matter to me anymore, and it felt good to know that.”

 

“…I see. So when Rin confronted you…” trailed off Haru.

 

Closing his eyes, Yuki replied, “She did catch me at a bad time. There were some things she demanded answers on, and of course, I couldn't provide them. (Sigh) I didn't want to go back to the way things were before. It would have meant that I carry that burden with me all over again, and I swore that I'd never go back to being like that, not after being released from its `cage'.”

 

Staring back at Haru, Yuki continued, “I was free…I am free. Free from it all. I'm free from the fear, the hate…it's such a relief to know that it's not waiting in the shadows of my mind, ready to consume me. I'm free to feel the best things in life with nothing holding me back.”

 

Closing his eyes with a heavy sigh and opening them once again, Yuki silently said to his younger cousin, “I never meant to…upset Rin with what I told her. I guess I was just hoping that maybe she'd see how meaningless it is to carry around all that negative emotion, for whatever reason. If only she let go just a little of that burden…I'm sure she'd understand why I answered her the way I did.”

 

Staring back up at the sky, Yuki softly laughed and smiled, “Then again, this is Rin we're talking about. I can't expect her to see things my way. (Chuckle) Knowing her, she may think it's some form of `submission' to me. (Sigh) That's really too bad…she'd be so much happier if she did.”

 

Haru could only watch in awe as Yuki explained himself in this manner. It always amazed Haru how the nezumi always managed to overcome so many obstacles in his life, both internal and external. For Yuki to finally overcome this rather large hurdle in his mind and heart…to say the least, Haru felt elated for Yuki. Haru knew just how much it pained Yuki to have to carry such a heavy burden for so long, and to finally be freed of it, who could blame him for refusing to go back to that frame of mind, even for a moment.

 

“Well, you are right,” admitted Haru with a wide grin. “Rin's not about to give up her way of thinking. But I'll still hope that the impossible is very much possible. You've proven it by overcoming even greater odds, wouldn't you agree?”

 

Smiling in return, Yuki replied, “I suppose hope is not that far off from each of us.”

 

“Absolutely,” exclaimed Haru. With a sly grin, he remarked, “Speaking of which, how hopeful should I be to see you ask Honda-san out on a date for a night in town.”

 

Blushing pink, Yuki stammered in reply, “Wha…what? There's n-no time for that right now! We have our Class Dance, and then Graduation is just around the corner after that…”

 

“Yeah, yeah,” replied Haru as he waved off the excuses. “Always putting it off. You did say nothing is holding you back from being free to feel what you want to feel. So…(leans closer to Yuki's face) what's stopping you now?”

 

Blushing even harder, Yuki replied, “I'll be fine…don't worry about it.”

 

“Uh-huh,” remarked Haru with doubt. “Well, the least you can do is ask her for a dance at the Class Dance. I'll hold you to it.” Staring at Yuki's blushing and slightly embarrassed face, Haru gave him a seductive smile. `He really is just too kawaii when he's like this…'

 

Leaning into Yuki's ear, Haru softly whispered, “You know you can always count on me if you need my help with matters of the heart. Don't you be afraid to show her just how much you care.”

 

Smiling warily at Haru (and nervously—Haru was too close for comfort), Yuki took this bit of advice that sounded very familiar and merely nodded in consent.

 

Haru smiled widely and mischievously replied, “Good. Otherwise (slowly leans into Yuki's face as Haru caresses Yuki's cheek), I may have to act on my desire to love and protect my one and only…”

 

“GAH!” yelped Yuki when they heard another yelp from behind them.

 

“Yuki-kun! Daijoubu?!” cried out Tohru as she approached the two cousins.

 

When he heard her, Yuki immediately sat up. Unfortunately, he sat up too fast and Haru was too slow to react. Yuki's head slammed into Haru's chin, and both yelped in pain. Tohru saw this, and as she drew closer, she set aside the tray she was carrying onto the ground away from the commotion.

 

“Please, let me see,” pleaded Tohru as she tried to examine the cousins' wounds.

 

“Speaking of the lady,” commented Haru with a sly grin while rubbing his chin.

 

Yuki conveniently ignored the comment and prayed that Tohru did as well. Rubbing his head, he quickly remarked, “It's all right, Tohru-san. We were just careless. Don't worry about it.”

 

After examining both to her satisfaction, Tohru replied with relief, “Well, you both look fine, thank goodness.”

 

Yuki smiled shyly at the attention, but then quickly asked, “Oh, did you need to ask for our help with the masks? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to leave you and the others behind with all the work.”

 

“No, no, not at all, “ waved Tohru frantically. “We took a break, and I placed our masks in my room to dry out without getting ruined while the house airs out and lunch arrives. Shigure-san was so kind to order out for all of us since we're busy with our project. I just came out here to give you some tea. (Leans to the tray on the side.) I hope it can help you with your headache. Breathing in all those fumes can be especially hard on you, ne?”

 

Blushing at this remark, Yuki was thrilled to see that she did notice his discomfort, although he really didn't want her worrying about him. “You shouldn't have bothered yourself with me. I'll be fine.”

 

“It's never a bother to make you feel better. I'm happy to do it!” replied Tohru with a wide smile. She then handed cups of tea to both Yuki and Haru. “Be careful, it's still hot.”

 

“Arigatou,” quietly remarked Yuki as he stared at her while sipping his tea.

 

Haru knew what needed to be done and wasted no time in doing it. With a wry grin, he replied, “Well, I need to get back to the usagi and be sure that the neko is still breathing. Seeing Kyo fly through the air is always a highlight in my visits to Sensei's house. I'll take the tray back.”

 

As he stood up with his cup and walked away, he glanced briefly to Yuki. Haru smiled with understanding and winked at him. Yuki caught this and softly blushed at this implication, yet smiled softly in return.

 

“Arigatou, Hatsuharu-san,” commented Tohru happily.

 

Waving them off, Haru made his way back to the house. Thirty minutes later (after a small detour through the forest), he arrived at the front door to find the house somewhat intact. He saw that Shigure was currently nursing his wounds, moaning the whole time—whether from Kyo or his editor, Haru wasn't sure. Still, the house had quieted down some as he saw Hiro and Momiji hard at work cleaning up the mess left behind by the chaos.

 

Spotting Momiji with a mop, he went over and asked, “Oi, where's Kyo?”

 

“Haru, you're back!” squealed Momiji in glee. “Hehehe, Kyo is still trying to wash the paint off of his face. (Leans in and whispers.) The ears that I pasted on him aren't coming off as easily as I thought, but I'm not saying anything and neither is anyone. So don't tell him anything, ok?”

 

Hiro snorted at this remark, and Haru could only stifle a grin, nodding in consent to Momiji's request. Good thing that Momiji did warn him…Kyo decided to make his appearance right then and there. He was fairly damaged, with one bleeding nose and puffy lip as outward proof of the beating Kagura had given him. But sure enough, the paint and markings were not coming off, and one of his `ears' was lopsided on his head while the other was fluttering in the wind. He was mumbling incoherently as he headed up the stairs.

 

`Scissors come to mind,' thought Haru wryly as he turned back around to the kitchen. He saw that Kagura was happily cleaning up with Kisa's help, and Uo and Hana were hard at work getting all the utensils and dishes back in order.

 

“Onii-chan!” called out Kisa merrily. “Where's Onee-chan and Yuki-oniichan?”

 

“Outside. They'll be back,” replied Haru. Handing Kagura the tray and cup he carried, he remarked, “Here, Kagura-nee, wash these, will you?”

 

“Oh, arigatou!” remarked Kagura with no trace of malice from before. “Lunch should be arriving pretty soon. Why don't you go back outside and let the others know?”

 

“Oi, give us a tour, man. I'd like to see what else roams these parts of the woods. Our Tohru can't be left without a proper escort in these secluded spots,” remarked Uo with a protective air.

 

“We need to finish so that we may eat our lunch without any inconvenience, Uo,” reasoned Hana. “I'm sure Tohru will not want us to worry about her if she already has someone with her. We can be of better use to her by helping her here.”

 

“Guess you're right,” relented Uo with a sigh. Pointing to Haru, she replied with a narrowed gaze, “You be sure to get our Tohru back with the Prince safe and sound, all right?”

 

“Sure,” remarked Haru as he exited the house through the back. He couldn't help but feel the steely gaze of one individual. Glancing back, he saw Hana eyeing him strangely, but also noted the small smile she had. `Guess she knows why I left Yuki and Tohru alone…' Grinning, Haru waved them off as he continued his journey through the forest…going in the opposite direction.

 

In the meantime, Tohru and Yuki were enjoying their tea in the quiet setting. Setting her cup down, she turned to Yuki and asked, “Is the tea helping any?”

 

“Hai, it's very soothing,” replied Yuki as he continued to sip his tea. Setting the cup down he asked Tohru, “How did you manage to find us?”

 

“Oh, I searched a little, but I finally made my way here,” replied Tohru relieved. Sensing the quiet scene around them, she breathed out quietly, “It's certainly beautiful here.”

 

“Hai, nice and quiet,” agreed Yuki. He then laid on his back once more with his arms across his middle. Gazing back up at the endless blue of the sky with the clouds dotting it here and there, he let out a tired sigh. His earlier conversation with Haru was still fresh in his mind, and it was rather tiring.

 

Tohru glanced back down to Yuki, seeing the breeze play with his hair as he lay in content staring up at the sky. She was so entranced at this vision that she didn't realize he had asked her a question.

 

“Tohru-san?” asked Yuki again.

 

“Ha-hai?!” squeaked out Tohru with a blush.

 

Smiling at her, he replied, “You can join me…if you want. I don't mind.”

 

Finally catching on to what he meant, she blushed and nervously smiled. “Hai…arigatou.”

 

She settled herself next him as she gazed as well to the sky high above them. She could see how free one could feel by just staring at it. Free like the breezes that blew around them.

 

“Look, Yuki-kun, there's a rat right there,” remarked Tohru softly.

 

“Where?” asked Yuki as he tried to sense any of his furry friends around them.

 

Giggling softly, Tohru pointed to the sky. “Up there…see it?”

 

Seeing where she was pointing, Yuki smiled…the cloud she pointed at was shaped like a rat. “Hai. You can see a bird right in that one.”

 

“Where?” asked Tohru excitedly as Yuki pointed it out to her.

 

They continued in this manner for a while, each pointing out different animals to each other. Both were personally happy to be spending time with one another exclusively. Who knew when the next opportunity would present itself. Haru really did know how to handle matters of the heart…

 

Before long, Tohru noted that Yuki's breathing evened out. She turned to see him dozing quietly. Smiling in understanding, she brushed a lock of his hair from his face. She could only stare in contentment as she too dozed off.

 

It was in this manner that Haru finally found them when he went to let them know that lunch had arrived. Smiling at the scene before him, he quietly turned around and went back to the house. He decided to just bring their lunch to them instead.

 

“Man, I am good…' congratulated Haru to himself.

 

 

~*~

 

Edited by: Seiren-no-Kaze 02-23-07

 

~*~

 

 

Author's Moments (12-28-04):

 

All right! I'm so happy that I'm sticking to my schedule. How long that'll last is still up in the air, but I am trying!

 

Hopefully my dear readers found this chapter more informative regarding our Yuki. I had hoped to reiterate the importance of why Yuki is acting the way he is. You will see in general how Yuki's dealings and behavior with his family, especially with members that can be considered `hostile territory', are governed by this mentality and it has been this way for some time. Yuki never chose to voice this out loud, but to finally acknowledge it openly with Haru, it showed just how committed Yuki is to keeping this `innocence' intact.

 

That said, this chapter's title and content is very important to the storyline; you could even say that it's the underlying theme to how the story will build up and end (okay, no more cookies!). The title came from the song `Return to Innocence' by Enigma. A rather `old school' song, but if you heard the first part of the song that has the actual lyrics, you'll agree that much of that determination is what Yuki is carrying. If you're having trouble locating the song/lyrics, just ask!

 

Also another good song recommendation is Kelly Clarkson's `Breakaway'. After hearing the lyrics to it, I found it to be very fitting to Yuki in general, especially in this chapter. Actually, if you think about it, it fits him well in the manga, too. I think you'll agree with me.

 

How about that moment between Haru and Rin? Lots of mystery to be had here…hopefully, I did this moment justice (did I, Rjunkie?).

 

Well, enough blurbs from me…on to the reviewers!

 

Alcapacien: Thanks for your ever so kind review! Making masks is something I had to do in high school, and what a mess! But my mask (black panther) came out pretty well in the end—too bad my Mom trashed it. She said it gave her the heebie-jeebies to look at it…sniffles.

 

S.B. Kisses: Thanks! I hope your finals are now over and behind you. Here's hoping that you did well!

 

R Junkie: Haru/Yuki moment galore! I hope the finished product is something more to your liking. A big hug and thanks for your input from yesterday! Will be in touch soon!

 

Taylor (anonymous): Wow, talk about the third degree! Hehehehe, just kidding! So many questions…let's see, where to begin. Um, the storyline is not near its completion as far as I can tell. Angst galore is still in store for our beloved family…that takes time to have it build up! As for the other questions about Tohru, Yuki and Ayame, Kyo and his issues…well…keep reading! I'm so bad…no really, just stay tuned to each chapter released. I truly hope to make it all worth your while! As for Akito's character…I'll ask that you turn to chapter 18 and look under my reply to Alcapacien's review that asked the very same question you did. I hope it's helpful to you! Thanks for your review!

 

Ina-chan: Hey there! I had hoped to get your input on honorifics (this chapter probably has loads of bad examples), but I'll ask some other time on that one (Rjunkie has been helping me—hugs!). Anyways, thanks again for letting me know that I'm still keeping my characters `in character'. It's hard! Ritsu and Kagura—you're the only one that actually commented on that one (and we're in chapter 21!). I ALWAYS wondered how my readers are reacting to that pairing. It is unusual (sorry Mii-chan, you'll just have to stick with your therapy), and that's why I did it. I really meant to make a side story on how `the boar met the monkey' in the more romantic sense. It would be lots of fun, but alas, my time is limited, so I'm leaving it to the great imagination of my readers. Perhaps in the future… Yuki and his mask…you'll see how this comes together in the next chap! Peaches and crab would not taste very good together; I'll have to agree with you on that one. I love peaches too…I actually planned to use that in my earlier chapters but then wondered if peaches are even in season in the winter. Oh well…

 

Hellfire: Two in the morning?! I'm flattered you liked my story that much, thank you! But be sure to get your rest!

 

Whew! Now I'd like to give a big thanks to my other reviewers from my other story: Bakuras Dark Angel, Shiyari, Alcapacien, Mine and mine alone, Aura Black Chan. Reading your reviews on the other story mean a lot to me…thank you.

 

Now that I've thoroughly worn out my welcome, I best be heading back to my little cage with the keyboard. It's rather dark here…

 

Thank you for the reading and reviewing…you are all so wonderful! Really, you are! Ja ne!