The Lion
By: Yuki's Twin2
Isabelle: Hi everyone!
Yuki: Are you hyper or something?
Isabelle: No, why?
Yuki: Because you're bouncing off the walls
YT2: No I'm not the twin, Isabelle is. My name is Cass.
Kyo: Where's Tohru.
Everyone: Sweatdrops
Cass: Attempts to cover the muffled thumps coming from the closet
Kyo: Cass, is Tohru in the closet?
Cass: Closet, what closet? I don't see a Closet.
Isabelle: Me either, I don't see a closet, what are you talking about Kyo?
Cass: Moves away from the bed and sits at the computer. I'm gonna write, so please someone keep Aya out of the room.
Kyo: looks in closet and finds aya, quickly slams closet door.
Tohru: Wakes up from nap, and finds herself buried under Cass's dirty clothes.
Cass: I told you she wasn't in the closet Watches Tohru curl up on the window ledge and fall back asleep. Now everyone shut up. MINION, DISCLAIMER!
Minion: Yes ma'am. Cass does not own Fruit Baskets, or any related Character. She does on the other hand own Isabelle.
Chapter 1: Leaving and returning
Isabelle was only seven. Her whole body shook as she went into see Akito.
"Yes Akito?" She asked, bowing. She kneeled on the floor waiting for Akito to tell her why she was called in the middle of the rainy night to see him.
"You will leave the Sohma compound tonight and not look back, ever." A voice said from the dark.
"But why Akito?" Isabelle asked, her voice only slightly betraying her hurt.
"You dare question your god, insolent little girl?" Akito said, emerging from the dark.
"I'm sorry Akito."
"Well if you must know," Akito said in a mocking tone. "It's because you are Yuki's twin and he shows you more affection and attention than he does me. If you leave then he'll have no choice but to pay attention to me." Akito sounded like a greedy, bratty child. "Now then, Hatori will take you to gather your things. You have only ten minutes."
"Yes Akito." Isabelle said as Hatori walked out of the darkness and takes her gently by the elbow. He led her back to the house where she stayed with her two brothers. Yuki and Aayame sat nervously at the table.
"'Belle," Yuki began.
"What did he say?" Aya cut him off.
"I-I ha-hav-have t-t-to l-le-leave." She stuttered through huge gasping sobs.
"WHY?" Yuki shouted.
"Because I'm your twin." She said between sobs. She began packing her few things. "Don't worry. I have friends waiting on the other side." She lied. She wrapped her arms around Yuki. "Don't worry about this cub. I'm a lion I can survive on my own." She pulled on her backpack and left. Through the rain you couldn't make out the tears.
Nine Years Later
Yuki, Kyo, Shigure, and Tohru were about to sit down to dinner when a knock sounded on the door.
"I'll get it." Yuki said. As he got up to answer the door, his mind wasn't on who would be at the door, instead it was on his twin sister, whom he hadn't seen in nine years today. He answered the door.
"Hey Rat." Isabelle said, looking almost the same as she had the day that she left, except for the hair cut, the height, and the luggage. Yuki just stared in shock.
"ISABELLE!" He hollered excitedly when he got his voice back.
"Gonna let me in or not?"
"Yes." Yuki said, stepping aside and allowing Isabelle to go inside. He ushered her into the dining room after she toed off her shoes. He looked as though Christmas had come early. Shigure and Kyo looked as if they were staring at a ghost. Tohru looked excited at having a female house guest. Isabelle settled down between Yuki and Shigure with the grace only a lion could possess. She gave her brother and Shigure a quick hug and kicked Kyo under the table. Kyo scowled at her and she gave him a killer look. Tohru sat down across from Yuki and beamed at Isabelle.
"So what relation do you have to the Sohma's?" Tohru asked innocently.
"My full name is Isabelle Sohma. I'm the fourteenth cursed member of this family. And I'm Yuki's twin sister." Isabelle answered, looking oddly in Shigure's direction. "Are you chanting 'high school girls' again, 'Gure"
"Maybe." Isabelle socked him and went back to eating her dinner.
"'Belle, what brings you back to the Sohma Clan." Kyo asked as Shigure struggled to sit up. Instead of responding she shot a glance at Tohru, then Yuki. He got the hint and ushered Tohru out, saying that some family time was in order (after all she doesn't know about the fiasco nine years ago).
When he got back she pulled an envelope out of her bag. "I got this in the mail three or four weeks back." Isabelle said, handing it to Yuki to read.
He opened the letter and began reading it aloud.
"Dear Isabelle,
I will allow you to rejoin the family. I know it's been almost nine years, but I need your help. Come home. You may stay at Shigure's with Yuki, Kyo, and their house maid, the idiot girl, Tohru.
Sincerely,
Akito." Yuki looked angry when he read that Akito called Tohru an idiot.
"I called him from the airport and made an appointment for tomorrow morning. Nii-san is going to pick me up and take me, then I'm going to spend the day with him." She chuckled softly. "Don't worry about this cub. I'm a lion, I can survive on my own." She repeated the last words she'd said to him. He shot her a half-grin. "Now, then, ON that note, I'm off to bed. Nii-san is picking me up at seven." She smiled weakly at her brother before trudging upstairs. She met Tohru at the top, and Tohru showed her to a room.
"Are you one of the Zodiac members?" Tohru asked.
"Something like that." Isabelle answered tiredly. She closed the door and flopped down on the bed. She winced as she landed on the bruises. She quickly stood, knowing she had things to do before bed. She started with stripping out of her Vol-Com shirt.
Tohru went back downstairs. She heard part of a conversation going on between Yuki and Kyo. She went into the kitchen and decided to mind her own business.
"Where do you think she's been for the last nine years?" Yuki asked.
"Judging from her clothes, I'd say America. But why would she be there?" Kyo asked, pondering aloud.
"Who knows. But she shows up after nine years and tells us she has plans that don't include us? Yuki said, almost angrily.
"So," Kyo said, "She'll probably go live with Aayame."
"You're right, those two have always gotten along best. Now then, I'm going to bed." Yuki got up and headed upstairs. As he passed Isabelle's room, he heard soft crying. Without thinking he opened the door. She looked up surprised. He could see the tear streaks. He looked at what her hands were doing. She was wrapping bandages around her torso. But she hadn't gotten far enough down to hid the bruises. He quickly closed the door. "Isabelle…" His voice sounded pained.
TBC…
Isabelle: Why do I have to be the one to get abused? whines
Cass: Because it wouldn't be interesting otherwise. focuses intently on her notebook.
Yuki: hiding somewhere, crying at the sight of his abused sister.
Cass: I KNOW! invites over two non-Sohma friends. One girl one boy. mwahahahaha. Maybe if I turn you into animals you'll all shut up.
Everyone: Sweatdrops
Rebecca: Why am I here?
Zeek: Me too.
Cass: silently points to game system
Rebecca & Zeek: pounce on game system and start playing some random game or other