This idea randomly came to me and it was an offer I couldn't pass up. I hope you enjoy this short story. Also, if any of you were fans for "Open Your Eyes Up to the World" the sequel will be posted in the next month or so.
Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket or any of the songs mentioned.
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Hatori Sohma was a very busy man. He was a doctor, he was constantly looking after Akito and the rest of the Sohma kids. He was not one to put up with nonsense, yet sure enough, he was getting a load of nonsense from his old friend Shigure.
"Please Hari? They have to have sixteen hours of driving time with an adult by Monday! You have to help me!" Shigure whined.
"Shigure, how many hours have you had so far?"
"…Um, well…Zero." Shigure said.
Hatori sighed in frustration. Leave it to Shigure to procrastinate when there was only two days until Monday to get in sixteen hours of driving time.
What the two men were discussing was Kyo, Tohru, and Yuki. Seeing as the three teenagers were in their second year of high school, and they were all sixteen, it was only natural that they begin to drive. So, for the past months they had been taking driver's ed. class together, and they had their permits. The only thing they were shooting for was their licensees. This required them to not only have experience with driving, which they had from their instructor. They also needed sixteen hours of driving time with an adult.
Hatori listened as Shigure continued to whine and complain about how completely screwed he was.
"All right, fine. I'll help you." Hatori said exasperated.
"Really Hari? Thank…"
"…Remember, I'm only doing this to get you to shut up, I'm not doing this out of kindness." Hatori said firmly.
"Fine, fine. Can you come over now?" Shigure asked eagerly.
"Now? Well I…"
He was cut off by a scream in the background that sounded like "Greetings everyone!" Which was followed by a scream saying, "What the hell is Ayame doing here?"
"Ayame is going to participate in this?" Hatori spoke slowly.
"Yes…Well…He still wants to spend some brotherly bonding with Yuki."
Hatori heard a large smack in the background followed by more cursing.
"I'll be down in a few minutes." Hatori finally said before hanging up.
At this rate the kids would never get their licenses.
&&&&&&
By the time Hatori arrived the house was all ready full of chaos. Ayame still had that same, stupid bellowing laugh that he always had, Shigure was smiling at the chaos, Yuki and Kyo somehow managed to get into a fight over who could kill Ayame faster and better, and Tohru was trying to frantically get everyone under control.
Hatori shook his head. Poor Tohru. He was surprised that she hadn't died of exhaustion yet from putting up with all of these idiots.
"HARI!" Hatori glanced up to see Ayame running towards him.
"Stop!" Hatori quickly bellowed before Ayame could get any closer.
"Hi Hatori! Are you going to come driving with us too?" Tohru said cheerfully as Yuki and Kyo glared at each other.
"Unfortunately, yes. I say we get right to the point and get going."
"Right you are!" Shigure said giving him a mock salute.
"Shut up." Hatori snapped.
&&&&&&
This was a total disaster. Hatori sat in the front passenger seat with Tohru at the wheel, and somehow Ayame had ended up between Kyo and Yuki, and Hatori had no idea how Shigure had even managed to squeeze himself into the back.
"Am I doing all right?" Tohru asked nervously.
"Yes, you're doing fine. You can speed it up a little if you can." Hatori said calmly.
"Oh, am I going to slow?" Tohru asked.
"Just a little." Hatori said.
"Sorry, I'm just really worried that I'm going to hit somebody."
"That's all right, just ease on to the highway and…"
"…I SWEAR IF YOU POKE ME ONE MORE TIME YOU'RE GOING TO BE SHORT ONE FINGER!" Kyo hollered at Ayame.
Tohru screamed in surprise and slammed onto the brakes, which caused everybody to go flying forward.
"See? You've now just learned that safety belts are an important part in saving lives!" Shigure said cheerfully.
"SHUT UP!" Kyo yelled.
Hatori began to rub his temples. This was really not going well.
"I…am…so…sorry. I shouldn't have the privilege to drive! I could've gotten you all killed!" Tohru said frantically, beginning to panic.
"It's not a big deal we all had our seat belts on." Kyo snapped.
This made Tohru begin apologizing even more for making Kyo angry.
"Kyo, seeing as you're in such a lively mood, why not if you let Tohru take a break, and you drive?" Hatori said.
"Yeah, take a brake Kyo! Ha! Get it? Brake!" Shigure said.
"That's not funny, that's just stupid." Yuki muttered.
"I can't take much more of this." Hatori mumbled, climbing out of the car.
"My turn!" Shigure said happily.
"What? Shigure's going to guide me? Forget it! Why can't you do it?" Kyo yelled at Hatori.
"Because if I have to drive with one more teenager somebody's head is going to get pushed through a windshield, that's why." Hatori said angrily.
Kyo mumbled something and crawled into the driver's seat.
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"This is the song that doesn't end, 'cause it goes on and on my friends, some people started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because…"
"IF ANYONE SINGS THAT SONG ONE MORE TIME YOU'RE ALL GOING TO GET YOUR MOUTHS TAPED SHUT PERSONALLY BY ME!" Hatori thundered after fifteen minutes.
"Ah, Hatori, you're such a spoil sport." Shigure said.
"Are you even watching me?" Kyo said exasperated.
"Yeah, you're doing great, just turn off this exit right here. There's this place that's great to practice driving." Shigure said.
"There is?" Hatori asked, confused.
Shigure just shrugged, and Hatori rolled his eyes.
"Um…Where am I now?" Kyo asked.
Hatori glanced out the window. "Shigure…" He said dangerously.
"No worries. Just keep going straight." Shigure said cheerfully.
"Forget it. Yuki can drive." Kyo said pulling over.
"Oh boy Yuki! You and I can now spend some brotherly bonding time!" Ayame said happily.
Yuki shot him daggers before turning back to Kyo. "Why do I have to drive? We're out in the middle of nowhere. There isn't a house or car in sight, there are only trees. Why do I have to be the one to drive?"
"Because I've had my turn that's why you damn rat!" Kyo shot back.
"Yuki, shut up and suck it up." Hatori said.
"Just because Ayame's my brother doesn't mean he should teach me everything." Yuki grumbled, climbing out of the car.
"My blood pressure…" Hatori murmured.
&&&&&&
About an hour later…
"There has been nothing but road. Where the hell are we?" Hatori asked impatiently.
"I'm working on that." Shigure said, as he rummaged through various road maps.
Hatori smacked his forehead in agitation.
"Look at it this way, at least you're getting in a lot of driving time." Ayame said cheerfully.
Yuki whipped around to face him. "What the hell are you talking about? I'm driving out in the middle of nowhere with my dead beat brother who wouldn't know a green light from a red light if he saw one…"
"…Yuki…" Shigure said.
"…Hold on. To top it all off I'm stuck with Shigure, one of the most annoying people on the face of the planet, he's the runner up for annoying next to you…"
"…Yuki…" Hatori started to say.
"…Shut up and let me talk. Then I have that stupid cat who has to be the biggest idiot in the world. Poor me, Hatori, and Ms. Honda who actually have to put up with all your crap not to mention I'm probably never going to get my license because none of you people no how to drive except Hatori!"
"YUKI!" Hatori and Shigure yelled.
"WHAT?" Yuki yelled, whipping around in his seat.
"THE ROAD!"
"WHAT?" Yuki turned and began screaming and slammed hard on the brakes. There was a loud squeal followed by a huge crash.
"YOU IDIOT!" Kyo screamed.
"Please tell me that we are not stuck in a ditch that's about two feet deep." Hatori said.
"OK, I won't tell you that. I'll tell you that we're stuck in a ditch that's about two feet deep in the middle of nowhere." Shigure said.
"This cannot be happening to me…" Hatori said, burying his face in his hands.
"I am so sorry! This is all my fault! If I had seen the ditch sooner I could've let Yuki know and then we wouldn't be stuck in this mess!" Tohru began to say.
"Why the hell are you even bothering to apologize? It's all the damn rat's fault for not watching the road anyway." Kyo said.
"I WASN'T WATCHING THE ROAD BECAUSE I WAS YELLING ABOUT THE FACT THAT EVERYONE IN THIS CAR ARE A BUNCH OF IDIOTS!" Yuki yelled.
"HELL WE DIDN'T EVEN DO ANYTHING! IF YOU HAD BEEN PAYING ATTENTION THIS WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED! YOU HAVE NO ONE TO BLAME BUT YOURSELF!" Kyo shot back.
"ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS BREATHE AND THAT PISSES ME OFF!" Yuki thundered.
"Careful, you don't want your PMS to get too out of control." Kyo said darkly.
"That does it." Yuki said, diving for Kyo.
Tohru screamed. "YUKI! KYO! PLEASE!"
"Shit. We're not getting any reception on the cell phone." Hatori said.
"Meaning we have to hitch hike?" Shigure said.
"Unless we can pull the car out, which I doubt." Hatori said.
"Hey, don't you think we should stop the boys first?" Ayame asked.
Hatori glanced over to see Yuki trying to strangle Kyo.
"HEY! KNOCK IT OFF OR ELSE YOU'RE BOTH NOT GETTING CANDY UNTIL YOU'RE THIRTY!" Hatori yelled.
Both of the boys instantly stopped.
"OK, now, let's see if we can try to pull the car out."
&&&&&&
"Hmmm…Good luck Hatori." Shigure said cheerfully.
Hatori glared at him. Once everyone had gotten out of the car, the car seemed to have straightened up a bit and it was now at about a ninety-degree angle.
"Fine. Seeing as you guys are too lazy to help me as usual, I'll just pull and see if it…OW!" Hatori screamed.
"What?" Tohru asked nervously.
"I…Just…Pulled…My…Back." Hatori said, slowly letting go of the car.
"Oh my gosh! We have to get ice or a hospital! Wait, you can't get a hospital, I meant we have to go to a hospital, oh no!" Tohru said beginning to run around the road.
"Let's start hitch hiking." Shigure said monotonously as Ayame nodded in agreement.
&&&&&&
"OK, why did the chicken cross the road?" Shigure said fifteen minutes later.
"To get to the idiot on the other side that was telling stupid jokes about him." Hatori snapped as he rubbed his back.
Kyo and Yuki started laughing as Shigure gave him a glare.
"If we don't get out of here fast, I'm guessing that we're all going to die." Ayame said.
"And on that optimistic note, let's keep going." Shigure said.
"I meant that we'll probably kill each other before we even get to a gas station."
"That's fine, just as long as I don't have to carry Yuki and Kyo's dead bodies back to the car, I'm good." Shigure said.
"Hey!" The two teens yelled.
"I'm still not getting reception. Where are we?" Hatori asked impatiently.
"I know! To pass the time why not if we sing a song?" Shigure said.
"You just completely avoided my question…" Hatori said.
"How about no on the song?" Kyo said angrily.
"Oh come on Kyo, you're no fun. How about we sing Momiji's Song?"
"How about I hit you over the head with a tree branch?" Kyo retorted.
"Fine. How about 'Side by Side'?"
"…"
"Oh goody! Aya, Hatori let's hit it!"
"Pass." Hatori said darkly.
Oh, we ain't got a barrel of mon-ey We may be ragged and fun-ney
But we'll travel along, Singin' a song Side by side.
Well, we don't know what's comin' tomorrow
Maybe trouble and sorrow
But we'll travel the road Sharin' a load Side by side
Through all kinds of weather What if the sky should fall?
Just as long as we're together It doesn't matter at all.
When they've all had their quarrels and parted
We'll be the same as we started
Just sailin' along Singin' a song Side by side!"
"SHUT UP!" Kyo screamed.
"Oh! I know, how about "Glory of Love?" Ayame said.
"Great idea Aya!" Shigure said happily.
"Don't or else I'll…"
"You've got to give a little, take a little,
And let your poor heart break a little.
That's the story of that's the glory of love.
You've got to laugh a little, cry a little,
Until the clouds roll by a little.
That's the story of that's the glory of love.
As long as there's the two of us,
We've got the world and all its charms.
And when the world is through with us,
We've got each other's arms.
You've got to win a little, lose a little,
Yes, and always have the blues a little.
That's the story of that's the glory of love.
That's the story of that's the glory of love!"
"OK, seriously, stop. You're starting to freak me out." Yuki said.
A few minutes of silence passed before,
"Sunny days, sweeping the, clouds away
Far away to where the air is sweet
Can you tell me how to get
How to get to Sesame Street?"
"WHAT THE HELL IS UP WITH YOU TWO SINGING? FOR GOD SAKE JUST SHUT UP! YOU'RE GOING TO HURT YOURSELF!" Hatori yelled.
"Aw what's the matter Hari? You're not into the spirit?" Shigure said jokingly.
"SPIRIT? SPIRIT? WHAT SPIRIT? THERE IS NO SPIRIT! I DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO DO THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE! BUT NO I GOT DRAGGED ALONG ON THIS STUPID CAR RIDE! WE'RE STUCK IN A DITCH IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, I PULLED MY BACK OUT, WE'RE GETTING NO RECEPTION THERE'S NOT A BUILDING OR CAR IN SIGHT AND YOU EXPECT ME TO HAVE SPIRIT?" Hatori bellowed.
"Well, when you say it like that…" Shigure said.
"Well, look at it this way…It can't get any worse." Ayame said optimistically.
Just then, thunder struck and the sky opened up to a downpour of rain.
"You just had to say it didn't you?" Hatori said angrily.
"Oh great. It's raining and the car's stuck in a two foot ditch, which means the whole inside of the front hood is going to get flooded." Shigure said.
"I hate my life." Hatori said.
&&&&&&
Hours later…
"I'm counting all of this for driving time. Not that it matters anyway, after I get my license I'm never getting into another car again as long as I live." Kyo said angrily.
"Amen to that." Everyone replied in unison.
Somehow, miraculously the group was able to hitch a ride back to the nearest town, got gas, and were now being driven back by a tow truck.
Once they arrived at the sight, the ditch, was sure enough, filled to the brim with rain water and the rain still hadn't stopped.
The tow truck pulled the car out and gave a small wave as he drove back to town.
"OK, let's see how it does." Shigure said slowly, walking into the car.
"God, if this works I swear I'll never use your name in vain ever again!" Hatori prayed as he slid into the driver's seat.
Hatori slowly put the key in the ignition and turned it slowly. Miraculously the car sputtered to life.
"It's working! It's working!" Hatori said happily.
Just then there was a loud sputter and the car died.
Everyone hopped out of the car, the car was still running and somehow the hood of the car got caught on fire.
"WHAT'S IT GONNA TAKE HUH?" Hatori screamed at the sky.
Shigure sighed, exasperated. "Come on, the nearest town is six hours away."
&&&&&&
Days later…
Kyo stared at his license in the kitchen.
"This…Is it? After all that crap we went through for the stupid sixteen hours this is all it comes down to? A small, plastic card with my name, birthday, and the date I have to get a new one?" Kyo said.
"I'm afraid so. But, hey that's life. And life sucks." Shigure said before walking out of the room and began humming "It Ain't Gonna Rain No More".
Kyo stared at the card for a few more minutes. "Screw it." He said angrily, tossing his license into the trash barrel and storming out of the room.
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Did you like it? I hope so, because I had a lot of fun writing it. If you review, I might put up a sequel on Kyo, Tohru, and Yuki's wonderful experiences of driving if you want me to. Even if you don't, I still want feedback, so please review!