I do not own Skip Beat! Thank yous to Nakamura Yoshiki for all of your inspiration and creativity. I hope you enjoy this little short story I had to get out of my system. 8)

Ribbit: A Tale Of Personal Growth

Chapter 1

Oh this was too good. She thought to herself as she stared at the tiny frog sitting in Shoko Aki's lap as she screamed.

"You... You did this? How?" Aki finally calm enough to ask.

Kyoko shrugged her shoulders. "Would you like to join him?" She asked as her demonic minions pinned the buxom woman.

Aki emphatically shook her head.

Kyoko snickered. "Well, he's all yours now. Do with him what you will."

"What am I supposed to do with him?" Aki whined.

Kyoko narrowed her gaze at the bimbo manager. "What do I care? He's completely your problem now. I've got better things to do."

"Wh-what? I don't know how to care for a frog. You take him!" Aki yelled.

"What? Now that you can't screw him, you don't want him? Tisk, tisk. Poor, poor Shotaro..." An evil grin crossed her lips as she picked up the empty box that had contained his dinner and placed him in it. "Don't worry Sho... I promise I won't give you to a French restaurant." She winked at him and the tiny frog fainted.

"What am I supposed to tell everyone? That you turned him into a frog?" Aki begged for an explanation.

Kyoko laughed sinisterly at her. "Now Shoko-san, who on Earth would believe a tall tale such as that?" She then turned and left a very terrified Shoko Aki to try and figure out how to explain the disappearance of Fuwa Sho.

Kyoko had decided, once she got back to the apartment, she wanted a place that was a bit smaller and more affordable. She had also decided to take up Sho's challenge to enter the entertainment world, it could prove to be interesting. So, she packed up all of their things the next day, sold all of Sho's belongings and took up the Taisho and Okami, of the small restaurant where she worked, on their offer of renting a room from them. She then quit all her jobs, but the Darumaya and finally bought Sho an nice little aquarium habitat for him to live in comfortably.

Where am I? It's so warm and comfortable and it smells so good. Sho thought as he gradually came out of his sleep. He was no longer in the little food box and finally into his new home, the tropical frog habitat Kyoko had set up for him with a warming light. She had even placed a mirror on the back wall of the glass aquarium so that the vain ass could preen and admire himself. She laughed at the thought knowing he was in for a bit of a shock once he saw his reflection.

"I see you're finally awake. Welcome to our new home." She purred. "Be thankful I decided not to use you in a wealth spell." She told him as she finished organizing and unpacking.

What is she talking about? His mind was still a bit foggy. He had been asleep for two days and now he was the hungriest as he had ever been. His tiny little tummy growled.

"Ah... I'll bet you are hungry." She commented as she picked up a little bowl with a lid and displayed it to him. "I got you the best ones and they are fresh." She told him as she dropped a few stunned flies into his enclosure and replaced the lid. "No spiders for you though. Can't have your skin going too toxic." She wagged her finger at him.

She expects me to eat these? GROSS! His stomach growled again and something that smelled extremely delectable flew past him. Instinctively, his long tongue shot out and he captured the delicious little morsel. Mmm... What was that?! It was delicious.

Kyoko laughed at his little antics. He was the most entertaining and expressive frog she had ever seen. "You actually make a pretty good frog Sho." She giggled as she turned on his black light and went to take her shower.

Sho's heart fell when he heard her words. What? He turned quickly to look for a mirror and finally saw his reflection on the back wall of his aquarium. He screamed as best a little 5cm frog can, then promptly fainted.

Kyoko smirked and shook her head as she passed his enclosure. "Aw... He'll get used to it." She looked at her watch and noticed the time. "Oh! I need to get going!" She bustled out the door. Today she was going to go to the salon and change her look, then go shopping for new clothes and a little bit of makeup. She wanted to get into the auditions on her own, without a glamor spell, to prove to herself and the little frog that she wasn't plain, boring with no sex appeal.

Needless to say... She had actually blown all of that out of the water with him when he was eating. She certainly wasn't boring, he was a frog now. She definitely had sex appeal and wasn't plain, he had actually seen her dress after her shower before she left. Not that he could do anything about it now.

Sho spent his days pondering how on Earth things had come to this. He croaked and licked his eyeball. Oh yeah, my big mouth. That's what got me into this situation. He let out a wry frog chuckle remembering all of the hateful things he had said to Shoko about her. Well, have to admit, she's the opposite of all of those things. If I had known that she could do something like this... He flexed his tiny frog fingers in front of him. I would definitely not have said any of those things. He sighed deeply at his predicament. How do I get out of this? Don't I need a kiss from a princess or, virgin to remove the curse? What do you do when the princess is the one that cursed you? He banged his tiny head on the small plastic, decorative log he was sitting under. When is she coming home? What is she doing? He thought to himself as he scanned the room and suddenly heard the bedroom door slide open.

"That jerk! How dare he toss me out like garbage!" She took deep calming breaths. "Calm down Kyoko. Minor setback." Sho saw an interesting sexy, sly smile cross her lips as she stripped down and put on her yukata to work in the dining room downstairs. He sighed wistfully.

"At least I was able to get this." She murmured to herself as she straightened the little stack of papers and lay them next to Sho's aquarium then left the room to work her evening job at the Darumaya.

What is this? A audition form for LME (Lory's Majestic Entertainment)? She's really going to try to do that? He snorted. She's actually taking up my challenge... She'll never make it. He tried to convince himself.

"And what makes you think she won't be able to do it?" A soothing, velvety male voice purred.

Sho looked at the owner in shock and terror, then backed into the corner of his enclosure. "Who..Who are you?"

The sleek, white male cat looked at him through the glass and pondered as he started grooming himself. "I don't quite remember who I am but, she calls me Kuni-chan. I'm not sure, I might have been human once or, maybe a cat, not important. Who knows? Most importantly though, I am her familiar and it is my sole duty to protect and serve her. Unlike you... I have a functional importance to her." The cat smirked at him. "Just know this... If you try to harm my mistress in any way... You will meet your end. I will see to it. I never liked you Shotaro." He finished in a low growl.

Sho nodded understandingly. He felt perhaps, for his survival, he would need to show this larger creature a bit of respect. "I understand Kuni-san." At least now I'm aware of this particular threat. When did Kyoko get a cat? "How long have you know Kyoko?"

"Hmm. I suppose since she was seven. I stowed away in her backpack when you two came to Tokyo." Kuni told him in fond remembrance. "Yes... It has been a long while." The cat smiled at him.

"Kuni-chan! Look! Taisho said I could use his knife for the Katsura Technique! Isn't that wonderful?" She beamed as she prepared for bed then sat on her futon after feeding Sho. "My audition is in three days! Isn't it wonderful?" She picked him up and hugged him. "Oh! Taisho made this for you for killing those rats in the storage closet." She told the cat as she set the dish of grilled fish next to his bowl of water, then sat at her desk and began filling out the audition forms.

Kuni curled up next to her after eating the fish Taisho had made for him, purring loudly and snuggling into her side. He gently licked her cheek and let out a soft mew.

Kyoko gently stroked his fur and whispered softly to him. "I love you too Kuni-chan." She sighed. "Too bad you aren't human." A small tear escaped as she drifted off to sleep.

Kuni sighed. "I wish I were too Kyoko. You deserve to be loved." He purred, wishing that she understood what he was saying.

Sho looked on in regret. Until now, he had never realized how lonely she was or, how unloved she felt. At least he had his parents and friends. She never had any of that. Maybe I do deserve to be like this. He thought to himself as he dipped into the little water dish she had disguised as a small pond. Even like this she makes sure I'm well cared for. I'm sorry Kyoko... Sho thought as he drifted off to sleep watching his princess from his little glass enclosed world.