A/N: Hello! This is Canned Laughter!

After six years, I am back. It's nice to see you all again. :) I just graduated with my MA actually, and am biding my time until moving to Tokyo to start work. During this time I've been actually re-living a lot of my old hobbies, including my love for 'Fruits Basket' and 'Ouran'.

This idea came to me in the middle of the night, after an evening spent re-reading all of my old favorite fanfiction. And I thought to myself, 'why not'?

Without further ado…the beginning.

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Prologue

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A long time ago, there once lived a man, all by himself, high up on a mountain. He was a man who had the strength of one thousand men, who had lived the lives of one thousand men, and who was simply different from others.

He chose to be alone. He was afraid of other people. He was afraid of getting hurt.

To this man, a cat came.

The cat bowed his head and said, "I have been following you for some time. You have a most unusual aura, and I cannot help but be drawn to you. I realize I am but a stray cat, but won't you please let me stay by your side?"

"Please, 'God'."

And so the cat never left the man's side.

This made God so very happy, that he decided to have a banquet.

He wrote out many invitations. In return, twelve animals arrived to see him.

The thirteen animals and God had a banquet each night at moonlight, singing and dancing, and laughing with each other. For the first time, God laughed out loud.

However, after some time, the cat collapsed. His life had come to its end, and there was nothing they could do.

Every one of them cried. Every one of them realized, that eventually everyone would die. The banquet would end.

No matter how fun it was. No matter how much you love them.

Then, God cast one spell. He drew a circle in a bowl of water with his finger. He had the cat take a sip. Then he turned to everyone else and said, "Let us make our friendship last for eternity."

"Even when we die, let us be bound by our friendship for eternity. No matter how many times we die, no matter how many times we are reborn…let us have another banquet. Everyone getting along for all time."

"Let us be in eternal bliss."

Everyone nodded in agreement. The rat took the first sip. Then the ox, the tiger, and the rabbit. The water was divided equally among the animals.

At last, when the last drop was gone, the cat began to gasp.

"God, God, why did you make me drink that?"

"I do not want eternity."

"God, God, even though you are frightened, let us accept that all things end. Even though it is sad, let us accept that life ends."

"God, even though it was just for a short time, I was happy being by your side. If I were to be reborn, the next time, rather than in the moonlight, I want to see you smile in the sunlight. The next time I meet you, I want to see you laughing, surrounded by people."

And for the last time the cat raised his tail and died peacefully.

…But none of the animals cared about the cat anymore.

After that day, one by one, they all died. Even the day came that God died too.

However, he was not afraid, because his promise to everyone reassured him.

"We will have a banquet again. Once again. Many times. Always."

"Unchanging."

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Now this was a story from a time long ago. It is the first memory that everyone has forgotten. The first promise. The first banquet.

The following story is of the last.

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It was the first day back from summer vacation at Ouran High School. Class 2-A was abuzz with classmates eager to share epic tales of beaches on tiny private islands, shopping in Paris, and yacht rides along the Caribbean.

Haruhi jogged into the classroom, slightly out of breath. Did she make it? Dark chocolate hair in slight disarray, the second-year scholarship student quickly glanced around for any sign of the homeroom instructor. With no adult in sight, she sighed in relief.

She had only just set her bag down at her desk before two identical voices, louder than the surrounding din, called out to her.

"Haruhi! Haruhi!"

Long and lean, the Hiitachin twins stole up to Haruhi and slung lazy arms over her shoulders. Kaoru grinned down at her as Hikaru cocked his head, his shock of black hair tickling Haruhi's cheek.

"You're late!" They chimed, with practiced symmetry.

Haruhi frowned. "What? Kaneyama-sensei isn't here yet, right?"

"But you usually come-" Kaoru began.

"-Ten minutes before the bell even rings!" Hikaru finished.

"Oh, well," Haruhi shrugged their arms off, to weak protests, "I ran in to Tamaki in the hallway. You know." Her cheeks tinged, slightly, pink.

Hikaru's reaction was immediate.

"EWWWWW-! Haruhi, that's gross, I don't want to hear about your lovey-dovey scenes!" He pushed himself off of Haruhi's desk, flinging a hand to his forehead dramatically. "That idiot waited for you at the front entrance, didn't he? He was probably like 'Haruhi, welcome back to school! Haruhi, I've missed you even though we saw each other every day this break! Haruhi, feed me and pet me and let me shower you with affection!'"

"Hikaru s-stop, stop, my stomach hurts!" Kaoru clutched on to Haruhi's arm, gasping with laughter.

Haruhi's rosy cheeks turned a deep cherry color. "Hey! I-It wasn't like that! He didn't- he wouldn't-Mou…Hikaru! Stop that!" She puffed up in righteous anger. Yes, Tamaki could be a handful…she honestly didn't know some days how their relationship has lasted this long…but still!

The trio spent a few minutes in pandemonium, Haruhi trying to swipe at a dancing Hikaru, with Kaoru close at her heels.

When they finally calmed down, Kaoru perked up.

"Ne, Haruhi, did you hear the news? There's a transfer student today!"

"Mm? Really? But, it's the middle of the year…" Haruhi sat down, tired already despite it only being first period.

Kaoru smiled as he took his seat to the left of Haruhi. "I heard it's a new girl from a really powerful family."

"This is 2-A," Hikaru sat down to Haruhi's right, scoffing, "Everyone is from a powerful family." He grinned. "Except for you Haruhi."

"Yeah, except you Haruhi."

"Thanks guys." The emotion in Haruhi's voice was almost non-existent.

At that moment, their homeroom teacher came bustling in. He was a short, squat man, with a receding hairline and thick owlish glasses.

The twins snickered, Hikaru leaning over to whisper in Haruhi's ear. "You'd think with his salary here he'd at least get hair implants."

"Shush!" Haruhi smacked Hikaru away, frowning. Though not the most fashionable faculty member at Ouran, Kaneyama-sensei was nice, which was more than Haruhi could say about the instructors that all the D classes were assigned.

"Okay, okay, settle down everyone!" Kaneyama-sensei took out a handkerchief and dabbed at his forehead. "Sorry for the delay, I had to go fetch our new addition today. I assume you all heard the news?"

"I told you!" Kaoru hissed from her left. Haruhi refrained from smacking him too. Excited murmurs began spilling from every desk, filling every corner of the room.

However, ignorant of the buzz that had grown since his announcement, Kaneyama-sensei simply tucked his handkerchief away and gestured toward the classroom door. "She's a bit shy, so let's all give her a warm welcome, shall we? Come in, come in Sohma-san!"

If possible, the atmosphere in the room became even more animated.

"Did he say 'Sohma'?"

"No…can't be. 'Sohma'? Really?"

Haruhi looked around the room at all the whispers. What was that about 'Sohma'? She made a note to herself to ask Hikaru and Kaoru about it later. The air shifted around her as all her classmates eagerly leaned forward in their desks. Haruhi turned her attention back to the classroom door.

For a second, there was silence. Haruhi fidgeted in her seat.

Then came a soft shuffling noise as the door slid open. A girl came hesitantly in to the room.

She was petite. Her soft brown eyes glanced around nervously from a slightly bowed head as she timidly made her way to the front of the room. She had long brown hair to match her eyes, a lacey maroon ribbon tying part of it back as the rest fell around her shoulder in a straight sheet. Her hands were clasped politely in front of her when she came to stand next to the teacher's desk.

"Alright, alright, settle down everyone. Let's give her a chance to introduce herself." Kaneyama-sensei smiled encouragingly towards the transfer student, "Go on, Sohma-san."

Haruhi watched as the new girl slowly scanned the room. She took a deep breath, and then smiled with a slight tremble. When she spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper.

"Ano, I am Sohma…Kana. It is a pleasure to meet you all. Please regard me kindly."

She bowed so low, Haruhi was afraid she might stumble forwards.

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A/N: The prose is a bit...dry! Sorry!

If you hadn't noticed, the beginning was drafted from the ending fable in 'Fruits Basket'. I think my writing style for the rest of the prologue matched with the direct nature of that fable. I'll try harder to be more eloquent in future chapters.^^

Thoughts would be much appreciated! I feel my writing is probably very rusty.