"The rebellious God," she repeated slowly as Kyo gave her an unreadable look, "I have heard of it then. It's in one of the oldest scrolls I have, explaining the history to come of the Sohma family."
Himiko bent down, beginning to pick up shards of porcelain, Kyo doing the same.
"It's a damaged scroll that I found was ripped in half. It pissed me off because everything in the beginning has already happened but it's last words were 'The Rebellious God will,' and then it cut off," Himiko explained and Kyo paused from picking up china to stare.
"Repeat what it said, only in Japanese this time."
She scooped the porcelain into her hands and tossed it in the bin, the pieces clanging together as they dropped, "The Rebellious God will. I suppose what you said earlier is the continuation of the scroll."
Kyo nodded, putting the rest of the porcelain into the bin, "I would bring the scroll for you to keep but it's currently in a protective glass case being watched over by Akito. I tried to get a first look at it but no one is allowed to look at it. Shigure says that he's enraged and his behaviour is sporadic because of it."
"Good," her voice took a dark turn and her eyes narrowed, "let her suffer over it."
Kyo looked on in confusion, standing up from off of the floor, "her?"
Himiko's lips twitched upwards in a dangerous smirk, "oh, I'm sorry," she covered her mouth and mocked surprise, "you didn't know that? Forget I said anything."
The zodiac cat pulled Himiko to her feet, giving her curious side-glances as he began to clean the dishes once again, "you know, when you're comfortable around people and don't have walls up you're really petty and scarier than when you're deathly silent. I pity the people that pick fights with you. You'll tear them apart."
Himiko grinned, her dark eyes sparkling with mirth. She grabbed the dishes he washed and placed them in the drying rack, while also cleaning up the sink area. Kyo finished the dishes and flicked the excess water across Himiko's face, his face lighting up in a mischievous laugh.
"I don't understand how I put up with you when I was younger. I mean yeah, you're obviously worse now, but sill," she rolled her eyes and opened the fridge door, rummaging through it before grabbing the box of refrigerated mochi off of the top shelf.
She shut the door with her heel, her attention on opening the package. Kyo watched on with a hard stare, his eyes following her every movement.
"Kyo," she ripped open the package with ease after struggling, "for fuck's sake go into the other room and quit begging for one with your eyes. You're going to get one anyway, now go away."
She glanced upwards to see Kyo huff and leave the kitchen, taking a seat at the table.
Himiko followed, instead going to sit on the outside porch. She pressed her back against a wooden pillar and bit halfway through a peach mochi while moving into a comfortable position near the edge of the wooden flooring. Kyo stared with envy.
"My god," her temper flared and she tossed a ball of mochi at Kyo with roaring strength, the squishy treat hitting him square in the forehead. He glared but ate the treat anyway, unbothered.
"You know I hate it when the members of the zodiac stare at me. I can literally feel you all burning holes into my body with your eyes."
He got up from the table and sat on the porch by her feet. His legs dangled over the edge of the porch. "What else do you feel, because I know it's not just the staring that is bothering you."
Himiko ate silently, the wind giving a cool breeze and bringing in the wafting scent of incense from the nearby mini shrine. She breathed in deeply and exhaled, her fingers tracing the deep pockets of her cargo pants.
"Everytime a zodiac member stares at me..." She glanced to the sky and popped the rest of the peach mochi into her mouth, pushing it to the side of her mouth as she spoke, "I not only feel your gaze, but I feel the emotions you have within you. Heavy despair, love for the nature around you, anger... All those emotions fill my mind and when they do, images of my memories that correlate with that emotion come to mind. Sometimes it's painful to see, but on the odd occasion I see a memory I had forgotten all about and it brings me relief that I haven't completely forgotten the people I care about."
She chewed slowly, passing the tray of mochi to Kyo, who took one more.
As Himiko took another, Kyo watched her in wonder. He watched every detail of the pain filled girl in front of him. The way the majority of the hair in her face had fallen out of the ponytail she didn't bother to fix, and how every single time the wind blew, strands would flutter behind her and give a clear view of her pale face. Her eyes remained lowered but on the odd occasion she would look at the sky with longing.
"Stop looking at me like that," she glanced at him, "you're no longer filled with as much despair the more you look at me. Kagura would be jealous, especially with the most prominent feeling," Himiko held back a snicker, "you can't lie to me about your true feelings."
The cat boy's hair bristled and stood on end as he stood up, his teeth gritted. He moved towards Himiko who mockingly stuck her lips out in a kissy face; he pushed her head gently to the side, feigning annoyance.
"You're the unbearable one," he rolled his eyes and shoved her over, closer to the edge of the porch, pressing his back against the same pillar Himiko was leaning against. He bumped shoulders with her.
The two remained silent and bathed in the sun, neither speaking a word, but both eating through the tray of assorted flavour mochi. Kyo was first to break the comfortable silence, his eyes closed.
"I won't tell them who you really are," his voice was quiet and hoarse, the cat on the verge of falling asleep, "although I can't say they won't find out soon..."
Himiko rested her head on the pillar, her face upturned to the bright blue sky, "thanks Kyo."
Both fell asleep in the warmth of the afternoon.
-
When Himiko awoke, Kyo was sprawled across her lap and her face was warm from the sun. The summer breeze was still blowing, however the scent of incense seemed stronger than before. She glanced to her right, the koi pond shimmering in the sunlight.
She moved her gaze to Kyo, whose face was pressed into her leg, his orange air in disarray.
The sun had moved to the other side of the house and she figured it was around four or five o'clock. At that thought, a truck drove down the pathway at the top of the hill and slowly rolled down the steep driveway. The large white furniture truck stopped in front of the house and two men hopped out, noticing Himiko as one went to open the back.
One of the men walked over, and noticing that the boy in her lap was asleep, started to walk quieter. "Miss," he whispered, "where would you like the furniture placed?"
She felt Kyo twitch on her lap and she placed a hand on the top of his head, using her power to calm him. His body automatically relaxed on her lap and she could tell that he fell into an even deeper sleep by his weight pressing down more on her legs.
"Top floor, room on the far end of the hallway on the right," she whispered, "if you could place the bed in the left corner I would be most pleased."
The worker rubbed his eyes and blinked, giving a weary nod. He walked off and helped the other lift the bed off of the truck and take it inside.
Himiko let out a breath and sunk against the wood, both hands either in Kyo's hair or on top of his head. She kept the power flowing through her fingers well until the men had finished setting up the furniture upstairs. With Himiko's quick thanks towards the two they soon left, leaving a trail of dusk in their wake.
With the furniture men now gone, the quiet resumed. A few birds flew overhead, their quiet caws filling the air with a sing-song melody. The trees around her swayed and the sound of shaking leaves hummed in the background. All these sounds mixed together created a lulling song, enough to make any hyperactive person calm.
The koi pond's bright green bamboo shishi-odoshi hit the rock below it, the sound echoing in the garden.
"Himi-chan?" Tohru neared her older sister, taking notice that her eyes were closed.
"Yes?"
Tohru's jumped at her hoarse reply and noticed that Kyo was fast asleep in her lap, "Sohma-kun, look!" She whispered excitedly as Himiko opened her eyes.
Yuki stood in the doorway of the living room, glancing down at the two who sat on the porch. "He looks comfortable," Yuki remarked and watched Kyo's breaths calmly go in and out as he laid sprawled across her lap, "he doesn't even sleep in front of us, let alone sleep on someone. What did you do?"
Himiko twirled a strand of his hair between her fingers, clearing her suddenly aching throat, "food."
Tohru's smile brightened, "if that's the case, I'll go make dinner!" The happiness dropped at the realisation that she might have to clean the kitchen first.
Himiko as if reading her mind, quietly spoke, "already done the kitchen. It's all yours."
The more she spoke, the more her throat started to ache, her voice coming out hoarse and scratchy. If this continues, her voice would no longer calm them.
Tohru set her bag on the open deck porch, and stepped up, knocking her shoes off before stepping onto the wood. She ran excitedly into the kitchen, releasing a tiny squeal at the sight of its cleanliness.
"Wow," Yuki whistled, peeking into the room as Tohru took out a few pots and pans, preparing for dinner, "you did that all by yourself? Even when you're sick?"
Himiko only gave a curt nod at his question, "who else is there to do it?"
Yuki gave a blank stare before looking at the tatami floor, feeling guilty with allowing it to get that bad. Himiko at the sight of his shame, carefully lifted Kyo into her arms and carried him into the living room.
"Don't worry about it. It gave me something to do," she hiked the cat higher up into her arms, "besides, my work made at least one person happy."
She passed the rat of the zodiac and laid Kyo across a selection of pillows by the table, making sure he was comfortable enough before accompanying Tohru in the kitchen. Yuki took a seat on the opposite side of the table, keeping a close eye on the redhead across from him.
"Why are you so nice to him?"
Himiko froze in her start at frying eggs and bit her lip, despising the fact that Yuki was making her speak more than she thought her voice could take. She turned around and furrowed her eyebrows, "because everyone deserves at least one person they can depend upon? I wasn't doing it out of self interest or pity, if that's what you're assuming."
Tohru stopped stirring the soup to look up at her sister, her face mirroring a worrisome expression, "are you okay? You don't usually get openly upset unless you're not well," Tohru started to panic, "you should have rested instead of going to the shrine! I'll make onion soup for you to feel better."
Himiko turned and tried to resist her little sister's incessant worrying, only to be shoved out of the kitchen. She stumbled forward nearly slamming body-first into the table if Yuki hadn't grabbed her by the wrist. His grip was quite tight until he loosened it, not letting go.
At the touch, Yuki's eyes shot to hers, "you're sick and distressed, sit down," his voice took on an authoritative tone as he pulled her to the floor. "Also, I'm sorry for saying what I did just now, and making it seem like I was singling you out for being nice."
Himiko tried to pry her wrist out of Yuki's grasp however he wouldn't let go, his eyes turning from a light purple to almost black. Panic shot through Himiko and she struggled to get out of his grip, each tug resulting in her beaded bracelet to slip. She struggled, Tohru was in the kitchen and Kyo laid sprawled across the pillows asleep. There was no one to witness what was happening.
"Let... go...!" Her fear flared at the struggle. Her body thrummed with newfound strength and despite that, she still couldn't get her wrist out of his grip.
Himiko twisted her body visibly pleading with him to let go, only to be met with a smile unlike anyone's she's ever seen. She finally yanked her wrist out of his death-like grip, the black and white bracelet slipping off and flying across the room.
The beads hit the wall by the door to the front porch, landing over by the TV stand and Himiko stood, trying to get the bracelet back before all hell broke loose. Yuki on the other hand thought otherwise and grabbed her by the hair, yanking her to the ground. Himiko yelped and fought back, struggling as Yuki moved from pulling her long hair, to pressed his hands around her neck.
The world began to spun and all she could see clearly was Yuki's sadistic smile, and shining black eyes. Her hands shook in fear as she tried to claw at his choke hold, and she could already feel her forehead stinging at the beginnings of the transformation she didn't want to happen.
Why can't I push him away?
She kicked and struggled, her air supply cut off and leaving her to expose the power running through her veins. Markings slowly started appear on her arms and neck, the ink rising from under her skin and shimmering a soft gold.
"You're not Yuki," Himiko found her voice strong and loud, Yuki's face going from sadistic to a placid expression. His eyes still shone a dark black, soulless look.
"Get out of him," she pleaded, gripping his wrists and attempting to push him away.
"No," he finally spoke in a voice she recognised, it definitely not being Yuki's, "not until you promise to protect the curse. I created it for a reason, and it's not up to you to decide whether or not it gets broken."
Himiko mentally cursed when her gums started to ache, the sharp teeth digging into her bottom lip. The skin under her eyes started to glow, the markings appearing on her cheeks and at the corners of her now makeup-covered eyes. A loud crack broke out from above her and she held in a scream as she could feel herself starting to physically transform.
She pushed the feeling away, hoping that she could control it at least a little bit.
"Never," she gave a smug smirk, despite her struggle under Yuki's grip, "it's my purpose in this world to make people happy, and in order to do that I have to rip apart what you created."
"What the hell are you doing?" Kyo stood up, his hoarse voice filling the room.
His eyes wandered from Yuki, to Himiko who's appearance seemed to change completely. At the realisation that her bracelet had been forcefully taken off, he lunged across the table, his body slamming into Yuki's and knocking them both into the kitchen door.
Himiko took the chance to crawl to the bracelet, her body bumping against the TV stand. She slipped the beads onto her wrist and slumped against the floor with a heavy sigh, her power calming and the pain in her body subsiding.
Kyo on the other side of the room, was slamming Yuki's shoulders into the ground continuously, his body bouncing from the force, "I don't know who the fuck you are but you're a sick bastard for doing what you did to Himiko!"
Tohru looked into the living room and almost fainted, seeing Himiko in absolute disarray and Kyo punching Yuki's face in. She bit her lip and at the sight of Himiko's wave she moved out of sight, still looking through the crack in the open kitchen door.
Himiko got to her feet, the room practically pulsing in her leftover energy from the failed transformation. Smoke spilled around their feet, the gas much less dense than when the zodiac transform back into their human form.
She wobbled over to the two boys, dizzy from the sickness and sheer amount of power radiating off of her body. She silently grabbed the back of Kyo's collar and lifted him away with ease, his fighting ceasing to give a curious stare set on the girl in front of him.
"My turn," she warned as she let go of Kyo, the redhead moving to the corner behind the girl.
Himiko stood above Yuki who laid still, looking up at her with a sadistic grin and pitch black eyes. She wasn't fazed by the look at all, returning his stare with a blank expression that radiated annoyance.
"Get out of his body now, and God or not I'll tear you apart from the inside out," she sneered down at Yuki, "you are to stay out of this and leave the curse protecting, to the people reincarnated. We are to decide whether or not the curse gets broken, not you. You decided to leave it upon us to protect the zodiac members, not the curse."
Yuki scoffed, "why are you getting onto me? And tear me apart from the inside out?" Yuki laughed loudly as if mocking Himiko's threats, "I would like to see you try. It's not as if you have real power. The curse has been naturally breaking for the past two generations, you have nothing because it's weak," he laughed louder this time and Himiko could feel the bottled up anger inside her snap.
The lights flickered above them before both the bulb and the TV exploded into a million pieces. Glass littered the floor around them, no space left untouched by the shattered glass.
She ran a hand through her hair with a loud sigh and pulled the hair-tie out, the strands now hanging to their full length at her upper thighs. She leant over Yuki and grinned before pointedly rolling off her bracelet right in front of his eyes.
"No power you say? Now... While the Sohma's turn into animals, want to see what I really look like? I mean, I'm sure you wouldn't mind a peek since you snatched my bracelet off me earlier."
Yuki's expression of smugness dropped as Himiko transformed in front of his eyes, the markings appearing a lot quicker as she allowed them. Her head started to crack loudly and Kyo almost fell back as two large antlers shimmered into sight, long white ribbons hanging from the ivory and draping to the floor. The clothes she once wore changed into a red, white, and gold ancient kimono-like robe, the heavy material draped across the tatami mats.
The collar of the robe hung loosely around the edge of her shoulders, the front plunging to show the mass amount of makings across her chest. Ancient scripture slowly began to write itself in front of their eyes, the black ink starting at the very top of her neck and working its way down to mix with the elaborate tattoo of a priestess between her breasts. At the touch, the ink changed from black to gold.
Yuki's eyes moved from the moving tattoos up to her face, the sight what seemed to be an eerily similar yet entirely different person, making him scramble backwards, his back hitting the wall.
"No power," she repeated, this time her voice a deep melody that almost made Kyo faint. He moved carefully, stepping over shards of broken glass to the porch door, his eyes set on Himiko's true form with wonder.
"I'm here to protect the zodiac and make them feel safe and happy. You and your incessant want for them to keep this ridiculous curse is hurting them at your expense. Using the zodiac member closest to you to get to me is wrong, now get the hell out of Yuki's body before I make you regret making this forsaken curse in the first place."
Yuki's face flushed hot with fear as Himiko's eyes shimmered from the usual black, to a blue, and finally to a glowing gold and white, her anger making her power pulse through her body. His black eyes flickered back into their usual purple hue as he heaved. When he looked up at Himiko he went deathly pale, soaking in the sight of her true form.
Himiko slipped on the bracelet, rolling her shoulders and cracking her neck, as if nothing out of the ordinary happened.
"Tell Shigure before I do and I'll wipe your memory, capiche?" She threatened him.
Yuki's jaw dropped and he only managed a weak nod as Himiko pulled him to his feet and brushed off his dusty school uniform. As he regained balance, Himiko walked around the table towards Kyo, her arms stretched above her head. She hopped over shards of glass and plastic.
"Ah," she grunted while she stretched, "Akito can't do shit compared to me," she grumbled to herself, however spoke loud enough for everyone to hear.
Yuki was still frozen where he stood, Tohru who had returned to standing in the kitchen doorway, was just as pale faced.
"Tohru," Himiko turned around, her arms still stretched upwards, "the onion soup is about to burn if you don't lower the heat of the stove."
Her little sister scrambled away from the door with a quiet cry and Himiko could feel the heat in the room lower as her sister turned the burner down. "Is that better?" Her head poked out from behind the screen, her face lighting up in a cute grin, as if unfazed by what she saw.
"Much, it should be done in a minute or two," Himiko passed Kyo and took a seat on the porch, her legs crossed.
Kyo knelt beside her, "can you like... use your powers to fix the TV?" Kyo motioned to the mess scattered across the living room floor behind them, and she gave him a deadpan look.
"You really think my powers extend to fixing stuff?" She waved her hand and Kyo looked a bit sheepish, his attention moving to the koi pond, "of course they can, I'm supposed to be able to fix whatever breaks in the process of a zodiac member's transformation."
She waved a quick hand behind her and the shattered pieces of glass and plastic put themselves back together on the TV stand. The second the light bulb was fixed, the room was once again illuminated with the soft light. Yuki stared in what could only be assumed as amazement
Himiko watched Shigure suddenly appear from behind dense forestry at the top of the road and make his way down the slope. Kyo who stopped kneeling at her side, made himself comfortable next to her, his legs once again dangling over the edge.
"I feel better," she spoke to Kyo just as Tohru stepped up behind her with a steaming mug of onion soup, "I think I just needed to expel some power in order to regain my body's balance."
Tohru took a seat once Himiko grabbed the mug she had passed to her, "body balance?"
Yuki stood, his body supported by the pillar he leant against, "I suppose that the time you jumped into the pond you made your power turn against you?"
"So I've been told," Himiko shrugged.
Tohru glanced at the three, finally seeing the similar looming despair that clouded their minds. She watched as Himiko took a slow sip of the onion soup, her mind far from the present.
"Shigure's in a good mood and is planning on sharing news that will not be good for one of you," Himiko mumbled into her cup, the other three sparing her a curious side glance.
"What makes you say that?" Yuki questioned, now watching as his uncle neared the front of the house, his eyes glistening in mischievousness.
"Good afternoon~!" He cried with a cheerful wave, "what are you all doing on the porch?"
Himiko didn't open her mouth and Tohru stuttered out a reply, "r-relaxing as the hotpot slowly cooks. Himi-chan wanted some fresh air and well, we all decided to join her."
"The weather is nice," Kyo grumbled, his usual aloof demeanour now back for all to witness.
Shigure eyed Himiko before grinning, "are you feeling well enough to go to school tomorrow?"
Himiko took a sip of her soup and looked into the eyes of the older man in front of her, "yes." Her fixed stare didn't waver as she basked in all the emotions he radiated.
She looked down at her soup and shifted in her spot, hoping that he wouldn't stare back any longer. Finally the emotions filling her subsided.
"That's good, because Kyo will be going to school with you three tomorrow," he clapped happily. Kyo didn't react as grandly as he had expected though, the redhead only sighing and muttering angrily.
"He will?" Tohru brightened in an instant, a smile lighting her face.
Himiko stared at the bottom of her empty mug, a smirk rising at the corners of her lips, 'I told you.'
Kyo to her left jolted and shoved himself back from her, his eyes widened. Shigure paid no heed to the boy's reaction, only continuing, "I forced him to take the entrance exam without him knowing."
Kyo leant in to whisper in Himiko's ear, resting his hand on her shoulder, the motion catching Shigure's attention this time, "did you just speak inside my head?"
She rolled her eyes and shoved his head forward playfully, her face completely void of the emotions she was feeling, "I thought I told you I could do that?" She clucked her tongue and stood, looking down at Kyo.
"God, you never listen," she walked through the living room and into the kitchen, "one would think you're like a cat."
Kyo sputtered, getting to his feet and following her, "you never mentioned that!"
The three outside on the porch watched on in curiosity, Tohru ecstatic about Himiko having pulled Kyo out of his shell and the other two shell-shocked at the both of them. All they could hear was Kyo's one-sided argument as Himiko whined loudly.
"Eww!" Himiko's cry rang loudly, "get off me you man whore, you have a girlfriend."
"Kagura is not my girlfriend!"
"You're a fat liar, and we all know it."
"Keep talking like that and I'll end up passing out cold on the floor."
"Hold on, let me get my Confucian Analects and recite them from start to finish so I don't have to hear your god-damn voice for a week," she threatened.
A few seconds later, the three on the porch heard a loud thud and Himiko stepped out of the kitchen, visibly trying to hold back laughter.
"I don't think I would have to get to the end of the first page in order for him to pass out."
Tohru stood in a panic, "will he be fine?"
Himiko's laughter dimmed, "yeah... I think."
[edited 2021.05.13]