/-Tohru Honda's POV-/
"Bye mom, dad, grandmother. I'll be back after school and work." I, a young teen said, exiting a tent. I have brown locks that reached my waist and fair skin. My blue orbs sparkled in the morning sun, as I walked a new route to school that she just happened to come by.
As I made my way down the dirt path, I took my time to admire the scenery. Eventually, I found a large house and unaware that a pair of eyes watched me, I walked up to the porch and looked down at the twelve zodiac figurines on it.
"Hm… I guess they didn't include the cat… I'm probably the only one who would…" I spoke in a whisper, gazing at the figures. "I didn't know there was a house here… man, it's pretty big. Must be nice…" I twirled my hair absent mindedly before turning and slowly walking away.
"So glad to hear you like my house, miss." A mans voice said from behind, alerting me, Tohru, of another presence. I quickly spun around to spot a man probably in his early twenties with black hair staring at me. Hopefully he's not a pervert.
"Oh… well, sorry to… umm… intrude like this, I was just passing by on my way to school." I said nervously, playing with my hands and staring at the ground.
"You're not intruding, no! Did I happen to here you say you like the cat zodiac?" The man asked. I nodded absentmindedly.
"Yes, well if you call it a zodiac… just two years back my grandmother told me the story of the banquette and I felt sorry for the cat… but still, I guess it was only a story. I wouldn't think the rat would actually trick it… but still, I told my grandmother that I wanted to be born in the year of the cat instead of year of the dog." I told, smiling at the stranger. Damn, I need to get going… I'm going to be late… and why am I talking to this dude?
"Oh, that's what I like about you, born in the year of the dog? Ha, I wonder what that cat would say if he knew he could have a possible fan club." The man mumbled, still I heard. This man is crazy I guess… talking like the cats a person.
"Um… right then… I guess I need to get to school… grandmother would be mad if I was late…" I said, and turned again to leave.
"Hold on, do you live nearby or something to be way out here?" The man questioned suspiciously.
"Oh, well… umm… a bit close…best is off to school!" I announced, not wanting the strange, crazy, and possibly perverted man to know I lived in a tent.
"Miss Honda?" A voice questioned. Damn! Everyone is conspiring to make me late for school! I thought sadly, turning to see the person that I least expected.
"Oh, Yuki. I mean, Prince Yuki." I said, smiling at the feminine boy with light purple hair and darker, matching eyes. What the hell is he doing here?
"Oh, just Yuki is fine." The boy said. "Anyway… what are you doing way out here? I hope my cousin isn't bothering you, he is a flirt."
"Oh, Yuki then… I was just on my way to school. And no, your cousin isn't bothering me at all… anyway, must be off for school." I said, turning, yet again.
"Oh, hold on." Yuki said. Okay, now I feel like killing someone. What's with this conspiracy, I'm just a girl going to school. "Would you care to walk with me?"
"What does he think; I'm a fan girl or something." I mumbled, unluckily they heard. I probably shouldn't think out loud, huh?
"No, Miss Honda, I don't think you're a fan girl." Yuki said kindly, smiling. I blushed embarrassed and slapped my forehead.
"I didn't mean that at all… I mean, yes, sure I would love to walk with you." I sighed and soon enough I, the plain teen, was making my way to school with the 'oh so famous' prince Yuki.
… No one is talking… so quiet.
"So, um… Yuki, you live with your cousin?" I asked, getting tired of the silence. I have never been able to stand it…. Silence I mean.
"Oh, yes. Who do you live with?" Yuki asked, smiling at his walking companion, the 'oh so unlucky' me. Crap… what do I say? I can't say 'I'm living in a tent near your house alone!' Damn… hmm….
"Oh, I live alone." I answered, avoiding other suspicions, or at least attempting to. He looked at me curiously for a moment.
"Where do you live? I find it odd that you would be way out in the forest parts." Yuki asked. Damn, he got me there.
"Well… I live… oh look, we are here! Got to go, see you!" I yelled, and ran away, waving.
"Oh, Miss Honda, you might want to take good care of yourself, you are a bit pale!" Yuki called back. Damn, hopefully I am not getting a fever or something.
/-Lunch Time-/
"What the hell were you doing walking with prince Yuki? If the fan girls saw you would be dead!" Said my friend, the ex-Yankee, Arisa Uotani. I call her Uo-chan.
"Calm down, your electric signals are going haywire." My other friend, electric signal freak, Saki Hanajima. I call her Hana-chan.
"Uo-chan, they didn't see. It's not like Yuki would do something bad, like that guy did."I said, glaring at the table we were at, eating lunch.
"Tohru, don't even think about that bastard… hurting innocent little Tohru." Uo-chan said, cracking her knuckles. The only people alive that knew of my past were my two best friends and maybe a family member or two.
"Tohru, anyone you don't like, we don't like, and if you ever see that man again, we will kill him with electrical waves." Hana-chan informed, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"Okay, we don't need to talk about this. So, why have you been working so much?" Uo-chan said. This made me nervous. My friends had no idea of me living in a tent, and I didn't want to alarm them at all or anything. They didn't yet figure out that my grandmother was dead.
"Well, I just need to get some money to stay at this school, since I don't need to trouble grandmother or anything, that's all." I said.
"I haven't seen that old lady around lately, suspicious… I never since her electric signal either." Hana-chan said. I smiled reassuringly and shook my head.
"It's nothing."
/-After School and Work-/
Soon enough the day was over and I was walking home from my job. I finally reached the tent and got a wash cloth, shampoo and soap, and was about to head to the river for a bath, when…
"Ahhahahahahahahahahhahahahaha! She's- she's living in a- a tent!?" A voice exclaimed. I cautiously turned to see Yuki and his cousin. Crap!
"Oh, Yuki… Yuki's cousin… nice to see you." I said quietly. I was embarrassed because 1) Now they know I am living in a tent, and 2) I don't know Yuki's cousin's name.
"The names Shigure Shouda… you living in a tent? Ahahahahahaha…" Damn him.
"Yes…" I said quietly. I was so hot. But it's cold outside. My head is so heated though… I feel like I'm going to faint.
"Miss Honda, please come to our house." Yuki said. I just nodded and slowly walked with them.
When we were half way there I heard a wolf howl.
"There was just a landslide near the tent." Shigure said seriously for once.
"How did you know? Oh, wait, near the tent?" I asked. I ran as fast as I could in the direction of the tent. I heard the two following me, and yelling at me to stop and it was dangerous.
Once I was at the tent I ran up to where it used to be and collapsed on my knees. Where the tent once was there were piles of rock. I flung rocks and dirt and twigs and whatnot behind me, trying to dig the frame out.
"What are you doing?" Shigure asked me.
"The picture of grandmother… mom and dad… it's still in there." I said, and continued to dig. I felt Yuki place a hand on my forehead.
"Miss Honda, you are burning up. You shouldn't be pushing yourself." Yuki informed.
"That picture is the only thing I have to know what my mother and father look like, and my momentum of them and my grandmother." I said, still digging. I coughed a few times, and then felt a pair of strong arms pull me away from the rubble.
"I understand, but Miss Honda, you need to calm down." Yuki, who was holding me back, told.
"You don't get it! It's my fault they are all dead, and I want a memory of them! My mom died giving birth to me. I never knew my father; he died when I was two. And for grandmother, if I had taken better care of her when she fell ill three months ago then maybe she wouldn't be dead!" I yelled. I broke free of his grasp and continued digging. I felt tears stinging my eyes. It had been five years since I cried. I didn't even cry when grandmother died, and I wouldn't start now, so I held them back.
"Honda-san, calm down. I will get your things out and the picture, so just rest. Go to sleep." Shigure ordered. I shook my head and continued digging.
"I can't rest when I know that my memories are buried." I said. Shigure pulled me back and shook his head.
"No, you are going to make your fever worse." He told.
"Let go." I pleaded, feeling absolutely helpless. I still made my tears stay back. I had promised my grandmother before her death that I would smile and not cry. Not ever again. The world became dark and I fell limp in Shigure's grasp.
"It's going to be alright, Miss Honda." Were the last words I heard.
/-After fainting-/
I slowly opened my eyes. I found myself on a king sized bed, tucked under royal blue covers, wearing my uniform. I sat straight up, and looked around the room. My head was killing me.
"Oh yes… the picture…" I whispered, remembering the night before events.
"Have a well rest, Miss Honda?" A voice asked. I turned to see Yuki, who was in a pair of silk blue pajama's.
"Oh… Yuki, hello. Sorry to… intrude." I said in a quiet voice. I closed my eyes for a moment, and then feeling pressure on my lap, I opened them. I saw a picture of a brown haired women with one blue eye open, the other closed, making a Pease sign. Next to her was a man with brown hair and green eyes, smiling with an arm wrapped around the woman's waist. And next to the man was a woman who looked to be in her sixties. She had short white hair, and a big goofy grin. It was my mom, grandmother, and father.
I blinked a few times. Then I looked up at Yuki who was smiling at me gently. I looked back down at the picture and smiled. "Thank you so much! Did you get this stuff out of all that rubble?!" He nodded, still smiling. I looked beside my bed and saw my other things. I smiled happily.
"Yes, it was no problem at all." Yuki said.
"Yes it was a problem! He made me help!" Another voice said. I turned and saw a boy my age with orange hair and red eyes. He looked pretty mad.
"Oh, sorry." I said, frowning slightly.
"No need to apologize to this stupid cat." Yuki said. What the heck, he just called him a cat. That was… odd…
"You wanna fight?" The orange haired dude asked. Yuki shrugged, and the other boy lunged at him.
I quickly got up and hugged the other boy from behind to stop him, and then…
POOF
"Oh my gosh! What did I do? I'm so sorry!" I yelled, staring at the cat in my hands. "I can't believe it, I turned him into a cat! No way! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to!"
"Miss Honda?" Yuki said.
"What's all the noise?" Shigure said, walking into the room. "Oh, Kyo, nice to see you."
"Shigure! I turned him into a cat! I can't believe it!" I said, beginning to pace. Then, I slipped on the wood floor and landed in Yuki and Shigure's arms and then…
POOF
"I'm so sorry! I turned you into a rat! And you're a dog! What did I do, I'm sorry!" I yelled, panicked.
…
POOF
Everyone was back to normal and… naked?
/-Ten minutes later-/
"Oh! So it's normal for you to turn into animals?!" I asked, excitedly.
"Well, yes, if you call it that." Shigure said. I smiled happily and clapped my hands together.
"Wow, that is so cool. But actually not in a way because then you can't hug anyone. But, still, it is sort of cool. Then again…" I muttered.
"What, you mean you don't mind?" Yuki suddenly asked. I tilted my head to the side slightly.
"Why would I? It's cool! But then again I also told that to a guy when he told me he was a ruler of something important and he was going to kill me for spilling ice cream on his pants… Hmm… I guess I'm just weird." I said.
"But, aren't we weird for transforming?" Yuki pressed. I placed a finger on my chin and shook my head.
"No, I mean, it's not your fault your family is cursed, just as it is not my fault for tripping and spilling ice cream on that Akito guys pants when I was seven. Then again… that guy did say he would kill me and it was all my fault… but it's not your fault anyway!" I said, smiling.
"Did she just say she spilled ice cream on Akito's pants?" Kyo said quietly. Yuki slowly nodded.
"Yep, I did. This was what happened…
/-Flashback-/
A seven year old Tohru left the orphanage, where she currently lived. She went with her best friend there to get an ice cream cone.
Tohru licked her ice cream happily, until she tripped. Her ice cream landed on boys pants. Then this boy, whose name was Akito, said "This is probably the only day I can get out of that house, and you ruined it. Now I will make you pay! I am going to kill you, it's your entire fault my day was ruined!"
The boy then pushed Tohru down on the ground. Then he punched her in her face, giving her a black eye. Her friend watched as Tohru was beaten up, and after she was injured badly, her friend came up to her. Akito pushed her friend away and was about to punch her.
Tohru shakily got up and pushed Akito away from her only friend. "Stay away from her! She didn't do anything!" Then Tohru ran over to the small girl to see if she was alright.
"Tohru I hate you! You made him push me and I got my knee scraped!" The girl shouted, and ran away angrily. Tohru turned and looked at Akito angrily.
"Haha, now your friend hates you!" The boy said childishly. Tohru began crying. A minute later a boy in a doctors outfit came up to Akito.
"Why did you leave the house, Akito-sama?" He asked.
"Leave me alone!" The person called Akito yelled, and got up off the ground. He kicked Tohru in the side hard.
"That's what you get for ruining my pants. You should die!" He yelled. He stuck his tongue out and ran away, the man in the doctor's outfit looked at Tohru for a moment and bowed, before running after Akito.
/-End of Flashback-/
"And that's why Akito beat me up and I hate him and he hates me. The end." I said, clapping happily. The three Somah's just stared at me with a blank face.
"Akito beat you up… Hm, I knew he was no different as a child." Shigure said.
"Hold on! How can you smile about it after that bastard beat you up and lost you your only friend?!" Kyo shouted angrily.
"Because that day two other girls found me, and now they are my best friends. If I hadn't been beaten up by Akito, I would have never had them treat my injuries. He actually helped me in a way… but I think if he found that out, he would really want to kill me. The only thing I don't get is how a pair of pants are so important." I said, placing a finger on my chin.
"Anyways… a year or two after I met my friend's grandmother found me, and gave me my life back. Together with my friends and her I could smile again… but you don't know why I couldn't smile in the first place anyway and I really don't want to get into that with complete strangers or anyone actually. The only ones alive that know are Uo-chan and Hana-chan… hm…" I rubbed my eyes.
"Why aren't you living with your friends instead of in a tent, Miss Honda?" Yuki asked.
"Oh, I wouldn't want my friends to worry or be troubled. The fact of the matter is, they think I am living with my grandmother who they think to be alive." I answered plainly, shrugging. "Anyway, sorry to cause you all such trouble. I should be going, I have to get to work and do over hours so I can buy a new tent… or maybe I will make it a full time job."
"Miss Honda, if it was full time, you would have to drop out of high school." Yuki informed. I nodded.
"I know. I realize that my grandmother wanted me to have an education, but I also know that I need a new tent and food supplies and a new place to put the tent up in. I am actually going to have to get new clothes and school supplies soon, and what about that field trip coming up. I may have to get a few part time jobs on top of a full time job." I said, staring at the ground. "After all, clothes, school supplies for the rest of the year… because at the end of the year I'll get the full time job. Yes, then I will tell my friends what's going on and drop out. Then-"
"Honda-san, why don't you just stay here and continue with your education?" Shigure asked.
"Yes, Miss Honda, I know it may be a bit much staying with three strange boys, but its better then losing education." Yuki added. I shook my head quickly.
"No way! I would be imposing, you and Kyo dug up my stuff and let me sleep here and everything. I just couldn't, I would stress you out!" I said.
"You could do house chores and I would pay you, so you would be working for the room and the money." Shigure said. I shook my head.
"No, I can't! I can do the chores for you for your generosity, but I won't accept money or a room for my services!" I announced.
"That's stupid, and then you would be doing some guys chores for no reason-" Kyo began.
"Miss Honda, are you alright? You're breathing heavily, and your face is red. Do you still have a fever?" Yuki asked, placing his forehead on mine. I blushed slightly, but it went unnoticed since my face was already red.
"You are still burning up." He announced. I shook my head.
"I'm fine." Then I coughed. Wow, that was reassuring, saying your okay and then coughing.
"Put this under your tongue." Shigure ordered, handing me a thermometer. I did as told, and it beeped after a minute or two.
"One hundred and two point nine?!" (102.9) Shigure exclaimed, looking at the thermometer.
"Hm… grandmother always said the my fevers were unusually high. She said dad told her when I was a baby I had a fever everyday. Always one hundred and one, I was so unhealthy." I said quietly. "But it's nothing to worry about! I can take care of a little fever, I lived on the streets for two years, I can over come anything!"
"Lay down and rest." Yuki ordered. I shook my head, and stood up. My knees were weak, and I shook a bit, but I still managed to stay standing. I took a few unsteady steps towards the door.
"It's time for school, I need to get going! Anyway, you all know that Akito person from the way you sounded earlier, and if he found out I was here he would probably get an army to come after me." I said, smiling, despite how weak I felt.
"Damn it, little girl, sit down and don't move!" Kyo yelled angrily, standing up. I backed up into a wall. Memories flashed into my mind.
"Yes sir, Takai-sama." I said, my eyes dull, as I remembered that man. I shivered, and cradled myself, rocking back and forth.
"Who's Takai? Miss Honda, who is Takai?" Yuki asked gently. I snapped out of it and quickly stood up.
"Oh, sorry about that! Takai is no one, and please never say that name around me if you don't mind, sorry about doing that. I remembered something, but that doesn't matter, I don't want to get into that. Okay, well, school, bye." I said, holding onto the wall for support as I walked.
"Miss Honda, you should skip today and rest." Yuki said.
"No, I haven't missed ever since I met grandmother, because she told me I needed the education and it would make her happy if I went. " I said.
"Then why are you thinking of quitting you moron." Kyo demanded... I don't know why truthfully. Why? Why?
"Why are you people trying to understand me?" I asked quietly. Shigure shook his head.
"Only they are, Tohru. Why, well, most likely because you are the first outside the zodiac to accept them. Or that is my guess." Shigure said. Since when is he calling me Tohru?
"Someone to accept you…" I muttered. Only two had accepted me. Hana-chan and Uo-chan. Those were the only two alive at least.
"Grandmother told me that if you accept yourself then people will accept you. But that's only if you give them the chance to. So if I was the first outside the zodiac to accept you, if you don't give others the chance, I'll be the last. But that isn't me telling you to go around letting random people hug you." I said.
"Well, why you are sitting there staring at me, I guess this is the time to escape!" I said, taking a few more steps to the door. I closed my eyes for a few seconds and then looked back at the teens. They were still staring at me, watching my every move.
"Tohru, have you accepted yourself?" Shigure suddenly asked. I placed a finger on my chin. Then looked at the three boys who were waiting for me to answer.
"This question makes me wonder why Uo-chan and Hana-chan are the only ones to accept me. I mean, they know my past and still accept me, which scares me because it feels like every time we fight, they are going to forget all about me and leave my pitiful self somewhere to die. The more I think they are only pretending to accept me, the more I think that my grandmother was a fool for ever telling me the saying. But, then again, whatever. The answer is, no, I don't accept myself and don't know why my friends accept me. Man, what a long explanation for a simple question." I said. I opened the door and walked out onto the porch.
"Do I need to take my things with me to school or come back after school to get them?" I asked, looking at the men/boys.
"You are still planning on going to school?" Kyo asked, and stood up angrily.
"Why not? I just got a little fever and cough." I said. Yuki stood up and walked over to me.
"Miss Honda, you need to rest to get over this cold. Look at you, you are barley standing. Shigure, why don't you call Hatori." Yuki said. They really need to stop worrying about me, they barley know me. Or do they feel sorry for me because they found out some of my past? I hate being pitied.
"Do I need to take my things with me to school or come back to get them?" I repeated, with a stern face.
"I already called Hatori when she woke up and still had the fever." Shigure said. "I guess I am just smart enough to do so." He praised himself. He sort of pisses me off.
"Who's sick, Shigure." A man's voice asked. I turned to see a man in a doctor's outfit, who seemed to be the same age as Shigure.
"Ah! What the hell, he's the one from that time the ice cream fell on that Akito person's pants." I said, pointing at the doctor.
"His name is Hatori, a doctor for the Sohma family. And Akito is head of the Sohma family." Shigure said.
"Really… so that's what he meant when he said I ruined the only day he could get out of that house. Hm… so I did another stupid thing again… I guess I deserved to get beat up by him. That gives me more of a reason to leave… you would all get in trouble if he knew I was here, would you not. That you told your secret to someone outside the family." I said quietly.
"Miss Honda, you have a fever." Yuki said. I shook my head.
"I am completely fine. I would rather die then have people get hurt or even scolded because of my actions. Now, I need to leave. I'll go get mom and dad and grandmother. I am indebted to you, thank you for putting up with my presence." I bowed and slowly made my way up the stairs to the room where my things were. Half way up the stairs everything went black again… I guess I just made a habit of fainting.
/-When Tohru Awoke-/
"It's snowing." A voice said. I slowly opened my eyes and saw Hatori, the doctor, sitting beside me, looking out the window.
"What does it become when the snow melts?" He asked himself, still staring out the window. A memory flashed into my head.
"Spring," I said, sitting up. He turned and stared at me for a moment.
"How did you know that?" He asked plainly.
"Because that is the second time I heard the question and the second time I answered it. A woman named Kana asked me that. She told me that her mother asked her that before she died, but she didn't know the answer. I told her to me, it was spring. Because once all the snow melts, it becomes spring." I said, rubbing my eyes. "Kana told me she wanted to be a doctor and she was going to train to become
one. I told her good luck, and she said she was going to the Sohma house to train. I figure she asked you that?"
"Yes. A long time ago." Hatori said with a stern face. "Did you have a temperature normally when you were young?"
"Yes. Everyday, my grandmother told me my father said before he died that on the day he fell ill, it was the first day I had no fever and that he was so happy." I said, with a sour smile.
"How many times in one month do you fall ill?" He questioned.
"About five to six times. I was told my body is too weak to fight illnesses." I recalled when I was told that it was my fault I was so weak.
"Have you ever been told that your body is weak only when your soul is strong?" He asked.
"No." I lied. I had been told that once, but I didn't want to remember the person who told me.
"Don't lie to me." The man commanded. I glared at my lap.
"Yes, I suppose I have been told that." I said.
"Why do you have several scars all over your body?" Hatori asked with a serious face. I didn't answer for a moment.
"That is none of your business at all." I said.
"Have you been mentally abused as well as physically?" He pressed. Yes, I have been, several times before.
"Why ask questions like this? I thought you were a doctor, not a counselor." I said angrily, standing up.
"Sit down unless you want your condition to worsen." The man ordered. It's none of his concern… none at all!
I fell back onto the bed, not purposely, but my knees were weak.
"Next question, why do accept the fact that people can turn into animals." Hatori keeps interrogating me… its annoying.
"Why are you interrogating me, do you enjoy bringing up things that annoy me?" I asked in a whisper. I stared at Hatori with a straight face but on the inside I felt a storm of rage brewing.
"Would you like any of you memories erased?" He asked.
"Even painful memories are meant to be kept." I said simply, standing again.
"Why do you wish to leave?"
"I don't want to bring trouble to people and I don't want any body to find out my past besides those who already realize what I have gone through. You could probably guess some things that happened to me because of the fact that I have scars all over my body, but your guesses are probably only going to be right 2 percent of the time." I said. "Oh and why are three people eavesdropping instead of entering?" I turned towards the door, which creaked open.
"Oh, we were caught. There goes my hope of being an awesome spy." Shigure said, scratching the back of his head. Behind him were Kyo and Yuki.
"Miss Honda, may I ask you why you act so happy at school always when you carry such painful memories?" Yuki asked. Why?
"Why? Never thought of it… I figure it's because at school I guess I want people to be happy while around me and I don't want to trouble them… I don't want to trouble your family, too late for that though, but I am just trying to put people's feelings before mine." I said calmly.
"Then why don't you stay. Not staying would be putting your feelings before these two's." Shigure said wisely.
"Fine! I will stay, but in return I follow all rules you have and I will cook and clean and do all chores in exchange for food and a room and only that." I said, sighing.
"Yay! I have a cute little house maid!" Shigure said, bouncing around like a five year old. Wasn't he just all serious? I sighed. What did I just get myself into.
Hey! Hope you like the first chapter of my first Fruit Basket Fic. And the reason I made her take so long to accept living there is because of her past she has a hard time trusting people. Review please, I want 10 reviews to continue! Man, one chapter over 5000 words!!