Aki Sohma's Story

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She was often told not to read while walking but, Aki wasn't the type to listen to other people's advice in the past and she figured, 'Why start now?'. Aki loved to read, almost as much as she loved to act. It was easy to leave behind the miserably dull everyday life that only seemed to drag on and drag on with no end in sight. She had also found that people were less likely to bother her when her nose was buried in a book.

School hadn't been out for long at this point and while Aki was usually heading back to her loathed home at the Sohma estate, today's destination was a bit different. Today she was heading to a convenience store that was just a few blocks further than her home was to pick up a nice bottle of scotch and maybe even a carton of cigarettes from the one she referred to as 'Aniki'. He was of course not actually her older brother but, that was the name she had called him by for a couple of years now. He was a high school graduate working at a convenience store and attending college classes online, the type of person who doesn't really seem like they have their life quite in order. But that suited Aki just fine, she wasn't sure why he was willing to potentially lose his job selling alcohol and cigarettes to a minor but, she didn't really care either way. He was someone she felt a bit comfortable talking to, and she got the impression that he felt the same way towards her.

She moved at a slow pace down the sidewalk, her attention almost wholly upon the book in her hands, only designating a small portion of her focus to not getting lost or walking into a sign or something of the like. As was common for the young woman, her countenance was blank and distant as she read. Along her way to the convenience store she passed a small park, the sounds of the playing children within it however did not reach her ears, she was far too engrossed in her book to notice such a thing. As the children ran about recklessly one who wasn't watching where she was going ran straight into Aki. Aki barely moved at the impact but physics dictated that the same force was pushed back upon the small girl which easily sent her sprawling on to the ground.

It certainly wasn't enough to actually hurt the girl seriously but the shock combined with the pain of falling on her bottom so roughly easily sent her into tears. At the feeling of something bumping into her Aki was finally broken away from her bookborn reverie, her face however was still blank as she looked down at the crying girl as she spoke flatly, "You should watch where you're going." The girl only continued to cry at this before pointing up at Aki and shouting hysterically, "Y-You pushed me! You big meanie head!" At this point the sedated expression and mindset that books always put her in began to fade, slowly being replaced by a sensation of annoyance and frustration. Not only was this girl not apologizing for having run into her, now she was accusing Aki of pushing her. An aggravated sigh passed through her lips as her gaze slowly began to resemble a glare. "Look, you're the one who ran into me. I didn't-"

Before she could finish her statement she was promptly interrupted by a piercing wail from the little girl as she began to call out for a 'big brother'. It was at this point that Aki finally looked up and around at her surroundings, there was a small gathering of silent children who were simply watching the event unfold before them, but more importantly than that, in the distance Aki could spot two other individuals who she, unfortunately, immediately recognized. A feeling of regret washed over her, perhaps it -was- best not read and walk after all...

Rin glared at the man when he referred to her as 'the college prince'. Then he continued to actually question whether or not he was a pervert. Rin's frown stretched into a flat line and her eye began to twitch as he sat in thought.

With a sigh, the Rat ushered the kids back to the park, telling them to go ahead and play. Rin returned to the bushes to see Mei enjoying some cake obviously given to her by Saku. Rin couldn't help but smile. She could see that something was about to be said, but the crying of one of the girls had big brother Rin dashing over to see what was the matter. She was only half way there when a voice cut across her attention, one she knew.

"Oh! It's Rin! What happened? I just heard someone cry--" With the Monkey's pause, Rin stood in confusion. He had begun to back pedal towards a girl who was painting, yelling something about trouble. Rin rolled her eyes and continued to jog to the aid of the young girl who sat on her bottom, wailing furiously. The Rat was so caught up in the young girl, she didn't notice who was next to her.

"You're fine, look! No bumps or bruises," Rin said, tickling the girl, turning her cry into laughter. Rin scooped up the girl, sitting her on her hip as she would a baby. "Now you should say sorry, you probably weren't paying attention." When the young girl refused to apologize, Rin's only option was to set her down and apologize herself. The young girl ran off to her friends, acting as though nothing had happened.

"I'm sorry about that. But kids will be--" It was at that moment, Rin met the eyes of the person before her. It was none other than Aki, the Cat of the Zodiac. She took a step back, feeling like she was much to close to the Cat. It was almost natural for the Rat to glare at her 'enemy'. Rin wore a smirk, scoffing as she crossed her arms. "What? Now you go after little kids to let your hatred go? That's sad really. If you have a problem you should confront the person, not take it out on others."

Rin was most likely in no place to open her mouth, but something about the Cat left a bad taste in her mouth. Aki was the only person Rin knew of that could make her this way. Around Aki, she would act and speak without thinking. In Rin's eyes, Aki had no right or reason to hate her. The way Rin acted towards the Cat was simply defense. What was she supposed to do? Smile and take the abuse she did nothing to earn?

No, Rin would stand her ground and defend herself to the end. All Rin really could do was be thankful no one but the smelly Cat saw her this way.

---

It hadn't been long since Aura had dropped down into her spot, readied her pants, and begun to her art, that she began to hear the close cries of small children. The squeals were not alarming, for the warmth held within them was one that betrayed the inner joy of the person whose lips they escaped from.

Laughter. Joy. Emotions. These were things that only the most expert and advanced of artists could achieve showing in their art. Whether it be in paints, sculpting, or some other form of art, it took quite a bit of skill to show any type of emotion, no matter what it was. In fact, some artists could only achieve such skill if they experienced the emotions themselves - as they were working.

That is not the case with all artists, however. Those who held true passion for their form of expression could truly encompass any type of art that they wished to show - whether it be emotions or life, which was another key and difficult component to add to any work.

"Riooooo~~!! Whacha doin?"

Aura would have jumped, seeing as she was lost so deeply in thought that she hadn't heard her monkey - and she used that poth rhetorically and literally - of a brother arrived, but she wasn't one to be easily startled. Surprisingly, seeing as her animal counterpart spooked fairly easily. Stilling her hand mid-air, she glanced over her shoulder at Hiroki, before turning back to her easily and setting her hand into movement once more.

"Hello, Hiroki," she said, her voice betraying her slight-distraction.

It wasn't that she didn't want to speak to her brother - in fact, she adored the man that stood beside her. She had for years, and had always admired him for his care-free persona and the way that he held himself. He was the epitome of free - something that she, as a horse, had always longed to be.

"What brings you-"

"I'll be right back, sis!" He barged into the middle of her question. Not that she was really surprised - he wasn't one for sitting still for very long, let alone long enough to listen to someone speaking to him. Within an instant he was gone, leaving her alone once again with her though.

Not that she was left alone for very long, or long enough to regain whatever thought-process she had lost when her brother had arrived. For, only a minute later, he was back, his voice shrieking and his arms flailing about, as if there were some sort of mass-fire occurring and the only way to gain attention for it was to cause a debacle.

"There's trouble, sis!! Trooooubleeeee!!!!!"

Stifling a sigh, Aura rose, setting her pants on her stool and laying the easel on its' back, so as to avoid anyone knocking it over and ruining her nearly-completed painting. A small towel dotted with dry paint was drawn from her back pocket, and she easily wiped her hands on it. Without realizing, she had gotten a smear of purple across her cheek. Not that she would have really cared if she had known, to be honest.

Easily pulling the ponytail form her hair, the long, raven-colored mass fell to her waist in a thick, straight waterfall.

"There's no reason to shout and scream, Hiroki. I'm sure the trouble isn't as bad as you think," she said soothingly, obviously attempting to reassure him.

Crossing the small distance between the pond and the area where the squeals of the children could still be heard, yet there weren't as many and it was further apart in shouts, she paused beside a tree on the edge of the play area. Benches were scattered throughout it, a place where parents could relax while keeping an eye on their children. A small fountain stood at the beginning of the park, and the playground itself of large and castle-like.

Her eyes immediately fell on the people who were far too large to be considered children.

One was a tall, purple-haired man whom she recognized from seeing on the college campus. She faintly remembered a name that began with the letter 'S' - Sayu or Saka or something along those lines. Despite the fact that she inwardly knew that he was handsome - she had heard many of the females on campus gushing about it, and knew that he received a mass of gifts from said girls on almost a daily basis - she felt no initial attraction towards him, which also helped to explain why she couldn't even remember his name. He had made no lasting impression on her, and ran with an entirely different crowd. While he gravitated towards the jocks of the basketball team, she tended to stick with her small amount of friends in the Arts programs.

The next person she noticed was the 'prince' of the college, Rin. The Rat to the Sohma family, the woman had no inkling for the fact that it could be considered odd by some people to dress as a man when you were, indeed, a female. She obviously hadn't a care for it, and undoubtedly thought that a person who be recognized for who they were, not what gender they had been given by whatever force lay out there.

Immediately after her was Aki, or the Cat. Notorious for being a bit of, well, a bitch, Aki wasn't well-liked by anyone - Sohma or otherwise. Personally, Aura didn't really care about the legend of their family. She didn't judge any one of the Zodiac members for the animal that they were given, but instead judged them upon who they made themselves out to be. While Aki obviously acted the way she did because she was a leper in the family, that was no excuse for her to treat innocent bystanders with malevolence.

The final person in the mix was Riye, the lawyer and dragon of the family. She used dragon loosely, seeing as he was instead a dragon of water - that is, a seahorse. He could be intimidating to anyone who looked at him, what with his dashing good looks and his holier-than-thou attitude, but to her, he was simply another family member. That, and he and Hiroki were very close, so he was around their house almost constantly. She also assisted him quite a bit in his little 'fantasies', often designing and creating his outfits for his cosplaying adventures. They had become closer over the years, and due to Aura's lack of friends, she considered him to be one of her better ones.

Tucking the towel into her back pocket, she approached the crowd, immediately heading in the direction of the Cat and the Rat, the two in question already showing the beginnings of a battle that would undoubtedly play out badly in the end.

"I don't believe that this is the place for you two to come to quarrel at. Nor is it really the time, and you both know that." She spoke quietly as she approached, and yet her voice carried through the wind, easily reaching the ears of the two intended parties.

Patting the head of a small child who stood off to the side, his eyes wide and staring, she reached the two young women and pushed herself between them.

"I don't know how this argument started, or even if it has really begun, but either way I'm not going to allow it to continue or grow. If you have a problem with each other, take it back to the Sohma estate and run it out. The affairs of the Sohmas belongs behind closed doors, not in the middle of the public, where all eyes can see," she said, her intense eyes looking between the two, both hands held up to spread them apart from each other.

"Now, I would like to return to my painting - preferably in peace. If you two wouldn't mind, either continue about your day or go somewhere that no one can see you and fight it out. Physically or verbally, it doesn't matter to me, because that's your choice. But no one cares to see a fight - especially these children. Isn't that right, Rin?" she asked, tilting her head so that her face was a bit more towards the Rat, her eyebrow slightly quirked.

Straightening once more, she stepped back, swiping the back of one hand across her cheek and further smearing the purple paint that was slowly drying there.

"Now, if you don't mind, I'll be returning to the pond - in quiet," she added, her voice holding a bit of a threat that showed that if it was anything other than quiet, she wouldn't be very happy.

Turning around with her eyes closed, she inhaled deeply and stepped away.

And directly into the little boy who's head she had patted, who obviously had gotten closer to the trio of young women as she spoke.

Immediately her eyes flashed open, a large smoke engulfing the two of them. Before she had fulling registered what had occurred, her clothes were gone and her body was reshaping itself within the smoke, changing her until the only thing that remained was a rather large horse - something very difficult to miss in the middle of a park that lay in the middle of the suburbs of a city.

Stumbling on all fours, she snorted, air puffing out from her nostrils. Having rarely been changed over the years due to her being slightly-alienated from society, she wasn't quite used to supporting the weight of a four- to five-hundred pound body. She stumbled once more, dropping to her knees, and a soft sound escaped her snout. Her eyes blinked and looked back and forth wildly.

In an instant she was back up, her clothes abandoned as she darted from the park and back towards the pond. A whiny escaped her lips, and she stopped only once she had reached her paints. Glancing briefly down at them, she shook her large head and took off, once again stopping, but only as soon as she was hidden within a mass of trees.

Dropping to her knees once more, she lowered her head and snorted.

Son of a bitch ...

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It didn't take long for 'big brother' to show up, Rin was quick to rush to the crying girl's side to comfort her and pick her up off the ground. A small sigh escaped Aki's lips in relief that the high-pitched and annoying wailing of the little girl was gone. She was however quite surprised as Rin prompted the girl to apologize, which she of course refused to do. The kind treatment from the rat was rather unexpected but short lived as Rin finally looked up to see who it was she was actually speaking to. Aki merely raised a brow at Rin as she recoiled away still looking irritated as she crossed her arms, book still held in hand.

"Tch, one second you're about to apologize for the brat and now you're making wild accusations, sure changed your tune awful quick. You could at least -try- to hide your bias." She stole a glance around the park as she shook her head, things were getting a little out of hand, apparently the park contained some kind of Sohma magnet. Regardless, this whole ordeal had put a lot of attention on to Aki, which was something she rather disliked. She wanted to leave, but she wouldn't feel right doing so before getting in her last word to Rin. "Why would I waste my time going after some random children? That girl simply wasn't looking where she was going and ran into me, end of story. If you really feel compelled to try and paint me as some monster who attacks kids than I think -you're- the one whose got a problem, not me."

She exhaled a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment, trying to hold back her emotions for the time being and ease some of her discomfort at being the center of attention. With her piece said she adjusted her bag and dropped her book inside it, looking about ready to leave before yet another Sohma decided to make her presence known. It was the ever so elegant horse who began to spout some nonsense about time and place and peace and quiet. Aki couldn't help but feel irritated at how full of herself she seemed, Aki would've been gone already if she hadn't interrupted, and what's more if she wanted peace and quiet she should've kept her nose out of something that was none of her business to begin with.

Aki had half a mind to say something back to her but her desire to just leave combined with what happened next rendered that rather pointless. In a puff of smoke the horse turned into well... A horse. Aki couldn't help but laugh and shake her head at that, served her right. But, this was quite the perfect opportunity. Taking advantage of this rather sudden distraction Aki slipped away from the group and walked hastily down the sidewalk away from the park. She wasn't in the mood to read anymore and didn't want to end up bumping into any more snot-nosed kids so she left her book tucked away in her bag and continued on her way to her original destination, the convenience store.

---

"Alana, I'm sure there's nothing for you to be worried about. Kaori's been doing a lot better - her doctor even said so himself."

Alana nibbled on her thumbnail, staring out the window of the classroom. She had offered to stay a little late after school to help their librarian organize the books in library, seeing as she really had nothing better to do and she enjoyed helping others, and in the process of her offer, had been joined by one of her best friends, Tamaki. The striking young man was basically Alana in male form, seeing as he matched her feature-by-feature, was strikingly handsome, and just as equally popular as she. They had been friends since they were five, having happened upon each other at the park. Tamaki had been there with his family and had seen her crying and, being the kind boy that he was, offered to help her find her parents. Her little sister had been two at the time and Alana had been told to play only where she could see her parents, but had somehow found herself unable to find her mother and father. He had immediately told his parents, the police were called, and they had luckily found her family.

The two had been inseparable since. Many of their classmates had some dream of them becoming a couple - they had even come up with a list of pet-names for their pairing - but they both knew that wouldn't happen. They were more so siblings than a couple, and due to the curse, she could never be with him anyway.

Shaking her head, Alana stifled a sigh. "I don't know. She just won't talk to me, Tamaki. I don't know what to do anymore. You know me - I'm as happy as any person could ever be! But my sister isn't, and that really bothers me. I don't know how to help her."

Brushing his blonde hair back from his face, he plucked up a stack of books and slid them onto a shelf. Watching him, Alana crossed her arms, propping them on her knees and looking over at him.

"I don't really know what to say, Princess," he said, using the nickname that the school had long-ago given her. "The only advice I can think of giving you is for you to let her know that you're there for her no matter what, and that if she ever needs anything, she just needs to say the word."

Sighing, she leaned back, her hands bracing behind her to support her weight. She stared at the ceiling, her blue eyes contemplative.

"I just wish that she'd talk to me," she muttered.



"Are you sure you don't need me to walk you home? You and I both know that that fan club of yours can get a bit out of hand at times."

Adjusting the weight of her bag in her hands, she beamed up at Tamaki. "Of course I'm sure! I'm perfectly capable of walking a few blocks. I just need to stop by the tarot shop and the market, and then I'll be home."

Tamaki shifted nervously, his eyes looking up and down the street before fixating on hers again. "Are you positive?"

Smiling at him once more, Alana laughed. "Of course! I'll text you when I get home so that you know I made it alright, okay?"

He seemed about to argue with her some more, but after a moment of thought, he let out a breath of surrender. "Alright, but if I don't hear for you within an hour and a half, I'm coming over to check on you."

Nodding, Alan went on her toes, pecking a friendly kiss on his cheek. With that, she spun away, her skirt twirling in the wind that the movement picked up, and her hair flying over her shoulder. "I'll see you tomorrow, Tamo!" she called cheerily over her shoulder at him.

She had only just turned the corner by the school when the sound of the popular teen band, [url]Babymetal[/url], rang in the quiet afternoon air. Their song Megitsune was by far her favorite, and it resonated around her as she dug through her bag's pockets until she found her phone.

Flipping it open, a picture of her sister popped it, along with the little image of an envelope which told her that Kaori had sent her a message. Opening it, she quickly scanned the words on the screen.



Rolling her eyes, she quickly sent a message back to the younger girl.



Quickly sending the message, she returned the phone to her bag and continued down the street.

She was only a few blocks from the tarot shop when she stopped, the sounds of shouting emerging from a nearby park. Her interest piqued, she approached the park and peaked inside.

Children were scattered, as per the norm for a park, of course, and the other inhabitants were none other than her lovely family and a man who couldn't be but a few years her elder. Directly beside Aki and Rin were a scatter of clothes, which were right next to what could only be described as hoof prints, and if she had to make an assumption based on the fact that the prints were hooves and the clothes feminine, it would be that the owner of both had been none other than her beloved cousin, Aurionzi. It was obvious what had happened, and the arguing that had apparently just dissolved still hung in the air as unresolved tension.

I suppose it's time for me to work my magic.

Breaking into a large smile, Alanavee danced into the park, crying, "Cousins!" as she did so. Her voice carried through the air, holding a lovely, mesmerizing musical lilt to it. She danced over to Rin and threw her arms around the elder girl, bursting into laughter. "You'll never guess what happened today! At lunch, some of the boys in my fan club gave me the prettiest painting! I'd show you it, but I left it in my locker. I thought it was much more suited for school than for my house, don't you agree?" she asked.

Suddenly dropping her arms, she twirled over to Aki, clasping her hands behind her back and leaning forward to peak up at the girl. "Oh! Aki! Did you see the painting they gave me? I'm sure you did! You were right there when they gave it to me. I know! Why don't I ask them to paint you one? I'm sure they'd love to!" she beamed, obviously proud of her outrageous idea.

Her face suddenly lit up and she spun, twirling over to the man that she hadn't recognized. His purple hair shone brightly in the sunlight, and she caught the small hint of lavender wafting off of him. Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened. "Gee, mister! You sure are tall! And you smell awesome!" she giggled, sticking her tongue out a bit at him. "I really like the color purple, so your hair is just a cool! Is it naturally like that? Man, if I had that hair color I'd probably never stop looking in a mirror! It'd make me super unique and then maybe I'd be as good-looking as you are!"

Dancing away from him, she twirled over to Riye, dropping onto his lap and completely oblivious to the sort-of nap he had been taking. "Rei-senpai! Guess what I did today! Tamaki and I stayed after school to help the librarian sort the books! It was so much fun! Oh! Hey! Have you asked Aura out yet? It's about time you make a move!" she teased.

Jumping up from him, she twirled to Rin once more, obviously having far too much energy for her own good. "Rin! Have you seen KAY-ORRR-EEE? I've been trying to find out why she won't hang out with me, but she won't tell! Am I annoying? Is that it?" Tears appeared in Alana's bright blue eyes, her lower lip immediately beginning to tremble at the thought.

"Is that it? I'm I too annoying for my baby sister to like me? If I am, tell me the truth! I'm a meanie too, aren't I?" she sniffled, the beginnings of a full-on sob-fest threatening.

"Tch, one second you're about to apologize for the brat and now you're making wild accusations, sure changed your tune awful quick. You could at least -try- to hide your bias." Rin clenched her teeth and balled up her fists. Of course, she had made herself look like an idiot once again due to her lack of filter when the Cat was near. "Why would I waste my time going after some random children? That girl simply wasn't looking where she was going and ran into me, end of story. If you really feel compelled to try and paint me as some monster who attacks kids than I think -you're- the one whose got a problem, not me."

That was when Aura appeared in front of the two girls, saying that if they really wanted to fight, it could go down somewhere else. But Rin didn't want to fight, she wanted to be out of the crowd that was slowly forming. It was getting dangerous, anyone of them could transform ...

As if on cue, Aura backed up into a smaller boy only to disappear in a poof of smoke. Rin remembered quickly what animal she was, yanking the boy out of harms way. The Rat heard a chuckle escape the Cat, but when she turned, Aki had already parted. A snarl ripped from Rin's throat. "Yeah! Walk away! That's all you ever do when someone needs your help!" Rin scanned the park, looking for anything she could use to distract the kids. That's when she spotted Riye.

"Cousins!" The random shout jolted Rin from her angered state, only to have a pair of arms be thrown around her. From Rin's peripheral, she could identify the blonde girl to be Alanavee. "You'll never guess what happened today! At lunch, some of the boys in my fan club gave me the prettiest painting! I'd show you it, but I left it in my locker. I thought it was much more suited for school than for my house, don't you agree?" she asked.

"Yes, now they will see how much you treasure it instead of having to wonder what you did with it." Lana danced her way from cousin to cousin before twirling back to Rin.

"Rin! Have you seen KAY-ORRR-EEE? I've been trying to find out why she won't hang out with me, but she won't tell! Am I annoying? Is that it?" Tears appeared in Alana's bright blue eyes, her lower lip immediately beginning to tremble at the thought. "Is that it? I'm I too annoying for my baby sister to like me? If I am, tell me the truth! I'm a meanie too, aren't I?" she sniffled, the beginnings of a full-on sob-fest threatening. Rin's breath caught in her throat, she had prayed for a distraction, but she didn't know this is what the messenger would send.

"No no no! You aren't annoying or mean. Maybe she is just scared to talk to you? Or can't find the words to say?" Rin hugged her younger cousin and smiled her normal, bright smile. "But you are such an awesome sister that she will come around eventually, all you have to do is continue to be there for her." Rin had never known what actually happened to Kaori, just that she stopped going to school for a while and wouldn't talk to anyone. Back on track, Rin gave Alana a squeeze then grabbed Riye's hand, pulling him in front of the kids. "Alright guys listen up! This is my cousin Riye and he's gonna show you a trick, okay? He's a magician!" The children cheered and watched the tall man with excitement in their eyes. Rin herself leaned in close to her cousin, whispering to where he was the only one that would hear.

"You know what you need to do .... just in case someone actually remembers something."