The FURUBA ROUND ROBIN PROJECT 

Chapter Six 

by Jun
First Posted Online:  
History:  Challenge was: Parody (I picked Harry Potter. I'm not sure it's entirely a parody, really, but there /is/ a connection.)

The taller of the two figures reached up and slowly tugged the bag off his head, revealing his distinctive white and black hair and laconic expression. "I told him I'd introduce Kisa to some high school boys if he didn't agree."

The smaller figure yanked the bag off his head and glared at his partner. "I've done my part!" he declared defensively.

While Hatsuharu continued to provoke Hiro's anger, Hatori removed his glasses again, frowned at a smudge, and began wiping them on his shirt.

 "Why did you do this, Haru-kun?" Momiji wanted to know, sounding upset. "Where is Tohru-kun?"

"I think I can answer the first question." Hatori's tone was wry as he donned his glasses again. "I suspect a certain 'Sensei' is behind this all."

Hatsuharu didn't even bother to look chagrined as he nodded. "Sensei told me that if I'd promise to give Yuki a bit of fun his first day at work that he'd help convince Akito to let Yuki come work here. I thought it would be good for Yuki." He turned his bland expression next to Momiji. "Isn't she with you?"

Momiji looked like he was about to cry, and turned his face up to Hatori for help. Ayame chose that moment to turn back into human form, and glomped onto Hatori's arm in his naked state. "Tori-san! We must rescue Yuki's beloved Tohru-kun!" As he shook the doctor's arm certain of his own attributes commenced to jiggling. Hiro made a disgusted sound and looked away.

Hatori pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Get dressed, you moron. Then we'll go look for her."

 "Okay!" Ayame complied with ease, letting go of Hatori's arm to scamper to the elevator, silver hair flying behind him.

Momiji was still frowning, but Ayame's transformation had given him something to think about. "Shouldn't Yuki-kun have turned back by now?" He reached into his pocket and pulled out the quivering form of the rat that'd been curled up inside it. He lifted the creature until its face was even with his eyes. "Are you okay, Yuki-kun?"

"Let me see that rat," Haru said suddenly, striding across the main floor toward Momiji and holding out his hand. As Momiji turned the rat over, Haru gave him a brief once-over and declared with finality. "This isn't Yuki."

Now Momiji really did start to cry. "I must have left him in the kitchen. First Tohru goes missing, and now Yuki. I can't protect anybody."

Haru wrapped a companionable arm around Momiji's shoulders. "Don't worry, we'll find him."

Hatori glanced over to the elevator. Wanting to avoid further drama, he decided to deligate. "Why don't you three go and look for Yuki. Momiji-kun knows where he saw him last, and Haru-kun can recognize him best. Hurry." He shooed them on, as he heard footsteps coming from the elevator alcove.

Ayame returned to Hatori's side just as the three younger jyuunishi were heading for the kitchens. "Where are they going?" he wondered.

 "Looking for Tohru. Just like us." Hatori placed a hand on Ayame's shoulder and forcibly steered him toward the elevator. "Let's go."

 Ayame obeyed Hatori as usual, and was just about to step onto the elevator when he stopped and cocked his head to one side. "Do you hear that, Tori-san?"

Hatori gave Ayame an irritated look.

Ayame shook his head earnestly. "Listen, don't you hear anything?" 

Kill. Rip. Tear.

"I don't hear anything but your inane chatter," Hatori grumbled, pushing the button to open the elevator doors.

Bite. Shred.

"It... It sounds like it's coming from the walls," Ayame insisted. "It.." His eyes grew wide and he whirled on Hatori. "It wants to kill someone!"

******

Yuki, in rat form, could only stare as the petrified form of Auntie Saori fell backwards through the door and into the kitchen. He scrambled over the floor toward her, changing back mid-crawl, so that the hands that reached for her wrists were his own. Her heart was beating, and her eyes were open.

"Auntie Saori?! Can you hear me?" There was no reaction. He passed his hand over her eyes a few times. The pupil's contracted as the light from the overhead kitchen fixture was altered, but other than that -- nothing. 

Yuki stood up, and looked around frantically for something with which to clothe himself. In desperation, he grabbed a dish towel and fashioned a sort of especially daring mini-skirt for himself. "Wait here, Saori-san! I'll find Hatori-san!"

He dashed out of the kitchen toward the main part of the hall, only to encounter Momiji, Hatsuharu, and Hiro, come to investigate the kitchen, as it was the spot where Momiji'd been sure he'd last been in the company of the true Yuki.

"Yuki, I'm so sorry!" Momiji cried, launching himself at Yuki's bare torso for a hug. Hatsuharu took in Yuki's mode of dress, sidled over, and began unbuttoning his shirt.

As Momiji stepped away to wipe his eyes, Haru draped his blue silk shirt over Yuki's shoulders. His hands started to move for the belt buckle of his jeans, but Yuki's sharp cry stopped him. "No! Really, Haru! I'm fine!" Haru's look was distinctly dubious, but he removed his hands and settled instead for helping Yuki get his arms inside the sleeve holes of the shirt, much to the rat's irritation.

"I need to find Hatori-san," Yuki insisted, drawing the shirt around himself and beginning to button it. "Auntie Saori collapsed into the kitchen. She won't move; it's like she's frozen."

Hiro frowned. "Hatori-san and your stupid brother went up to look for Tohru." He snickered. "I don't know why they're so worried. She probably just got lost trying to get out of the bathroom."

Momiji's eyes widened in outrage, but Yuki laid a restraining hand on the younger boy's shoulder. "This isn't the time. If Tohru's missing, we've got to find her. Then we've got to bring Hatori-san back here for Auntie Saori." Any discomfort he might usually experience in a leadership role was gone as he looked at the faces of his relatives. "Let's go."

End of Chapter 6
Return to Chapter 5  
Continued on Chapter 7