Euphoria

Fairytale style G rated Shounen Ai, YukixKyo

By: Yami no Ichigo/Tornlittlebutterfly

Fruits Basket does not belong to Yami no Ichigo but the plot and ideas of this story are hers. Thank you.

Summary: A fairy tale that bleeds into reality, wake up Mouse; wake up Cat, its story time.

Yami no Ichigo has fun with writing styles.

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Once upon a time, there was a mouse and a cat.

The mouse lived in a pretty castle, with a pretty window where he could look out and see the world, he could do whatever he pleased and got whatever he wanted because he was the mouse, and he was special. But the mouse wasn't very happy, because he never had any one to play with and his Mommy and Daddy were always very busy trying to get him to stop being sick and his beautiful older brother didn't like him very much and didn't play with him either, so he just sat in his tower looking out at the children who played down below.

The cat lived alone in the town where Mouse's pretty tower castle stood high and mighty. Cat's Mommy and Daddy had given birth to him in a warm little house next to the big pretty castle, then one day, Cat's Mommy and Daddy gave him away, because they didn't have any money. Cat moved from house to house, not finding a family that would love him and feed him and give him lots of nice milk to drink so he started to live on the street with holes in his pockets and shoes.

One day, when Mouse had gathered enough strength to go outside on the balcony, Mouse saw a little orange Cat. He looked really sick and thin, just like him, and had dirty splotches on his checks and whispers... whiskers... yeah, whiskers, and torn dirty clothes, the little cat had red spots on his arms and forehead and on his legs. Poor Kitty, thought mouse feeling sorry for the lonely Kitty that was just like him. He wished he could play with the Kitty that looked so lonely chasing after fishies that swam in the pond.

So Mouse went to the kitchen and asked the nice lady to make him a basket of food. The nice kitchen lady smiled and told him she was happy to see him eating. Mouse smiled and lugged the heavy basket of food over to where he saw the Cat.

When Cat was drinking water from a little pond he heard a noise, so he looked up and saw the Mouse, looking at him from where he stood, half-way hiding behind a tree holding a basket filled with food.

Why are you behind a tree? Asked the little Cat, ignoring the growling in his stomach and smelling the nice smells coming from out of the little basket the Mouse was holding.

The little Mouse said nothing, and then finally moved closer to the little Cat.

You come here a lot, don't you? The little Mouse asked, looking down and watching a froggie jump up and away from him. Poor froggie.

So? Little Cat said, what's it to you? He looked at Mouse's nice clean clothes, and felt weird, all the other kids threw rocks at him when they came to close, but mouse looks too quiet and shy to throw rocks. He hoped no one else would.

Um... Mouse said, looking down. Are you hungry?

Yes I am. Said Cat, afraid, one of the other kids asked him that and the spit at him and laughed.

I... I can share my food if you want...

Cat looked up, shocked.

Really? He asked.

Mouse nodded.

You're not going to throw rocks at me? Asked Cat; tail twitching in anticipation.

Nope. Little Mouse said, shaking his head enthusiastically.

And so, Cat and Mouse became really good friends.

They spent lots and lots of time together, playing with rocks and eating biscuits, watching the butterflies and trying to catch them. Cat always caught the most, but he always gave it to Mouse who sometimes couldn't catch up. Mouse would read big books with pretty pictures to Cat, they would be filled with pictures of Angels and Gods and Goddesses and sad beautiful women that turned into the flowers and the trees. Mouse loved those stories and so did Cat but he'd always say that Mouse was prettier than all those women, and that he should have a flower or a tree named after him too.

They continued on like this till it seemed like it was an eternity that passed, playing and playing underneath a golden sun, running through the grass that seemed to go forever.

Then one day, Mouse didn't meet Cat at where they were supposed to meet. Mouse had disappeared!

Cat looked over and over for him, calling out his name over and over again, but Mouse never called back.

Cat wandered around and around, waiting and watching for Mouse who had disappeared.

Mouse's brother Snake watched Cat with a frown. This was the little one that played with his brother? Thought Snake, not liking how Cat looked at all.

Snake walked a slinky, slinky walk, moving towards Cat in a way that only a Snake could walk.

Are you Cat? He asked Cat, just as he approached the little Kitty, who was sitting down, mourning for his best friend who was no longer there.

Yes, sir. Cat said, looking up scared even though he didn't run away. I am Cat.

Oh! Good! said Snake, smiling, teeth showing, bright like the butcher's knife that Cat had seen in the windows of the Meat Shop, Snake then sat down, next to Cat, moving aside his long white hair so that he could play with it and so that Cat would notice it too.

Well, then you must know Mouse... Snake whispered in a whispery whisper, Cat felt tingles up and down his spine and he nodded, huddling into his folded legs, almost wishing that he did not.

Oh! How wonderful! Cried the Snake, and even though the sound of his voice was happy, it made Cat feel very, very small. Then I can deliver my message for him! The Snake smiled his butcher-knife smile, looking down into Cat's large ruby red eyes.

Mouse is very sick you know. Snake started, looking away from Cat, watching a little butterfly struggling against the sudden breeze that flowed through Snake's hair and ruffled Cat's loose dirty clothing. And it's just too bad too... because he started to get better... Snake murmured, not looking down at the Cat, keeping the sad look on his face.

Mouse is sick... Murmured Cat, wanting to disappear into the dirt and grass, wishing it would open up and swallow him whole, just in one of Mouse's stories. Only there would be no Angel with white wings to be sent down to save him. No one would care enough.

Oh yes... whispered the Snake, glancing at the sad looking Cat; but... then... you would know... wouldn't you? About his getting sick?

Cat looked up, shocked.

Wha—why?

Because he started getting sick at the same time he started playing with you... pure venom dripping down full lips curled at the sides, that was what Snake's words were, and it burned into the soft heart of the Cat who looked up at the older more smarter Snake. Mouse doesn't like you anymore... whispered Snake... because you were the one that made him sick...

Tears burned at the back of Cat's throat and he stood up, feeling week and sad and horrible, but even though his legs felt like noodles he turned around and ran away, distancing himself from the Mouse who he had made sick, promising the Air that he will never come back and make Mouse sick again.

When Mouse woke up the next morning, he knew something was wrong. He had told himself to get better last night so that he would be able to tell Cat himself that he had been sick and that he was always sick, will always be sick, but he can't stop playing with Cat because it made him feel so very happy to be with him, that it didn't matter if he died, because he had a friend to play with. But in that morning, when he was able to sneak out and call to Cat, he didn't find him where he was supposed to be, he didn't find him near the pond, neither did he find him near the gate, nor sitting at large tree that sheltered them when Mouse read stories to the both of them.

He couldn't find Cat anywhere!

He searched and searched and searched but no matter where he looked, he couldn't find Cat anywhere.

Mouse searched and searched until he finally stopped, standing at the same spot that Snake had been sitting when he whispered poison into Cat's soft ears, Mouse cried and cried, pouring all of himself into his tears until the nice Mr. Dragon came to him. Mr. Dragon ran his fingers through the softness of Mouse's hair and listened to Mouse cry.

I want Cat! cried Mouse, holding on tightly to Dragon until he could feel the beating of his heart right next to his cheek just like a struggling bird.

I know you do... whispered the Dragon, feeling Mouse tremble in his arms, feeling his small heart beating against his.

I want to see him! Mouse whispered, looking up at the Dragon who always made everything okay.

The Dragon shook his head, saying nothing but looking at Mouse with his Wise Eyes that sparked the small candle in Mouse's heart into lighting.

I'm sorry... but there is nothing I can do... but stay here with you... Dragon whispered, knowing in his heart that Mouse would not understand, could not understand, and would be poisoned by the darts of Man's thoughts.

Mouse sniffled, wiping his nose on the sleeve of his shirt. He nodded, pretending to understand... because right now... he felt really tired... and really sick. He looked up at the Dragon and would have sworn that he had wings.

Dragon stayed still until Mouse had finally fallen asleep, then he carried the quiet little Mouse up to his room, where Mouse stayed, obediently swallowing the Poison that the people in the corridors: the Aunties and Uncles, the Mommies and Daddies fed him, about how that Cat was horrible, about how it was his fault everything was this or that way.

Mouse would see him once in a while, even when the poison was being poured into the air in front of Cat, and even though Mouse didn't believe most of it, the pain that Cat caused Mouse when he blamed the Poison all on him made Mouse want to believe it all. And so he did, willingly.

Many years later, Mouse finally disobeyed and left the Castle, but moved into a smaller one where the Dog lived. They lived with each other until they met a Princess who lived in a little tent and so they invited her to live with them.

Cat, came then, to live with Dog and the Princess too, and Mouse watched as Cat grew and grew, like a flower, blooming prettily and holding out its own among the other flowers in the large Castle Garden.

Cat became a writer, even though his love for Martial Arts occasionally brought him out into the world and forced him to share his knowledge with the younger more inexperienced children and Mouse took over the Castle and some of the Castle's businesses, but he'd occasionally watch when Cat had a tournament that he coached.

Cat and Mouse stopped fighting, they stopped yelling and they stopped hitting.

Mouse almost missed those days when they fought, and yelled... because those were the only times after the Snake had first filled poison into Cat's ear that they ever said or did anything to each other.

Mouse would see Cat sometimes, walking by, holding the hand of his young child, reflecting the light of all the Stars and Suns in the Universe in his ruby eyes, and Mouse would look down onto his own child in wonder, holding onto those tiny little hands, those tiny little arms and feeling the miracle of life pulse and laugh and hope that his little child and Cat's little child, would never, ever be poisoned by the darts Man gave to Snake the day Snake poisoned Cat's heart.

Mouse and Cat only see each other in gatherings now... and they'd once in a while brush against each other. Cat would never look into Mouse's eyes, but each time, Mouse would wish he did, even though in one hand he held the hand of his Princess, who looked to them with understanding eyes and a smile like gold fairy dust.

Mouse still wishes that Cat would look at him. He still wishes that one day his child and Cat's child would play together just like they used to when they were children and in his heart he still dreams of the happiness he felt, when Angelic Death stood beside him, and watched with hooded eyes the smiles and laughter that carried on between the two of them, as they held hands and let go of the butterflies that stood still in their hands, watching them fly off like wishes to the sky.

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End:

8:02 PM, May 11, 2004

Edited:

6:15 AM, May 12, 2004

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