As always, comments, constructive criticism, and praise, however faint, are all greatly desired and will be appreciated.
Fruits Basket belongs to Takaya Natsuki and Hakusensha; English-language versions by FUNimation (anime) and Tokyopop (manga). This piece of fiction is in no way approved or endorsed by any of the copyright holders.
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Akito was in the middle of her afternoon lessons when her mother burst into the room and demanded to speak to her alone. Sensei looked surprised and a bit annoyed, but he simply said, "Of course, Madame. Mark your place, Akito-kun. We'll continue when I come back."
Ren looked excited, almost to the point of agitation, and Akito knew that generally meant trouble, for her or for someone else. As soon as they were alone, Ren said, with obvious pleasure, "The Cat-child's father called. We agreed that it's time for you to fulfill your duty as head of the family and take the boy's beads, so that you can see what kind of monster has been inflicted upon us all."
Akito immediately shook her head. Her refusal was not born from any feeling of kindness toward the Cat, but solely out of terror. Some of her maids had told her frightful tales of what the Cat turned into when its beads were removed – a horrible monster, with a warped body, sharp teeth and claws, and a terrible smell. She rarely saw the Cat, but when she did, she could hardly contain her horror, even though Kyou was a perfectly normal-looking boy. She shivered at the very thought of what they expected her to do.
Ren insisted that Akito obey her. Akito stubbornly continued to refuse. Ren slapped her, more than once. Akito knew from prior experience that her mother was just as stubborn as she was; and, in the end, she realized that she couldn't win this particular battle. She looked up at Ren through watery eyes, and said, "All right, Mother. I'll do it, but I want Shigure to be here."
"Shigure? Why?" Ren looked at her suspiciously. A minute later, she smiled maliciously and said, "Oh. I see. Are you afraid? I thought you were a brave boy, but perhaps you're going to act like a timid little girl, a little crybaby."
"I'm not!" Akito spat back. "I – I want Shigure here because – because I want one of the others – the other jyuunishi – to see, too. And he – he can tell them about it." This was a lie, of course. Shigure will protect me. He won't let the monster hurt me. Mother won't care, but he will.
Akito squared her shoulders, crossed her arms, and lifted her chin defiantly. "If you don't let me have Shigure, I won't do it. You can beat me until I die, but I won't do it." This was something that she knew that Ren was not prepared to do. Her mother often slapped her, but they both knew that severe injury to the head of the family would not be tolerated.
Ren shrugged. "Fine, have your own way. You're nothing but a spoiled brat, even though I've tried my best to make you otherwise. I'll have someone come and get you later this afternoon, when the Cat-child and his father arrive." She turned her back on Akito and swept out of the room.
As soon as her mother left the room, the tears that Akito had been trying so hard to hold back overflowed and spilled down her face. She sat down and wiped her eyes, and by the time Sensei came back into the room, she had controlled herself, although she was still sniffling a little. He looked at her with some concern and asked, "Are you all right, Akito-kun?"
"Yes," she said. "I – I think I have allergies." She had heard one of the maids say this when someone had discovered the girl crying. It had fooled no one, but Akito had thought that it sounded like a good excuse at the time.
For the remainder of her lessons, she had a hard time concentrating, but Sensei neither scolded her when she made a mistake, nor rapped her on the head for being inattentive, as he usually did.
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Kyou stood half-hidden behind the door casing and listened to his parents argue in the next room. He was afraid of his father's anger, and he hated to see his mother cry. When they argued, it was always about him, and that made his stomach hurt.
His mother was saying, "But you can't! He's only a little boy."
"I have to," his father said. "The head of the family wants to see it."
"Akito-san is only a child! Why in the world would he want to see such a thing? I don't believe it."
"I've discussed the matter with Ren-san, and she assured me that Akito-san takes his duty as the head of the family very seriously, despite being a child."
Kyou was afraid of Akito. He only saw the head of the family at New Year's, and the older boy seemed to go out of his way to avoid Kyou. The few times that they had spoken, Akito had not been particularly unkind, but he had treated Kyou with the same mixture of curiosity, repugnance, and fear that Kyou had come to expect from most of the family members. In addition, Kagura had told him that she had heard that Akito was frequently bad-tempered, and that he could be very mean.
Kyou's mother was crying now, and his father continued angrily, "You knew it was only a matter of time, didn't you? Didn't you? You knew that eventually the head of the family would want to see that thing – that disgusting creature that you bore in your body and gave birth to? Ren-san and I agreed that I would take Kyou over there this afternoon, and that Akito-san would take his beads. The matter is settled."
Kyou gasped. This pronouncement filled him with horror, and his first instinct was to run and hide. He whirled and started off, but his father must have seen or heard him, for he said, "Kyou!" sharply, and the boy froze in his tracks. "Come in here, Kyou." And he did not dare to disobey.
When his mother took him to get him ready to go, Kyou had a wild moment of hope that she might be going to hide him, to run away with him, to keep him safe. But she simply helped him change his clothes, and smoothed his hair, kissing the top of his head as she did.
He said, "Do I have to go, Mama?" I'm so scared.
She smiled sadly and said, "Yes, Kyou. We have to obey Akito-san – and your father. But just think, it won't be so bad, and then it will be all over and you can come back and hide somewhere until you change back." What if I don't change back this time?
"Can't I come and stay with you until I change back?" He didn't want to go and hide by himself. I just want to be with you.
He saw the fear in her eyes. "Oh, darling, don't you think it would be so much more fun to hide somewhere? It would be like playing a game. And by the time you change back, your father will be home with your beads, and you can come right to Mama and we'll put them back on." What if I don't change back? Can I still come home and be with you?
"But I'll be naked." He shivered involuntarily.
"Yes, sweetheart. After you change back and come home, Mama will put your beads on, and then you can take a nice warm bath, and put your pajamas on, and have something to eat. Everything will be fine, you'll see." She smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes, and Kyou suddenly felt so scared that he thought he might throw up. What if I don't change back and I can never see you again?
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Shigure was in the middle of his last class of the day when someone from the office came to the door and said that he had a phone call from home. He glanced at Hatori and Ayame, but they both looked puzzled. He went to the office, picked up the phone, and heard his mother's voice. "Shigure, I want you to come directly home after school today. Don't stay for after-school activities."
"Why? What's wrong?"
She hesitated. "There's nothing wrong, exactly. I just got a call. The head of the family wants to see you this afternoon."
"Akito? Why? Is he sick?" He felt a small nudge of concern, and pushed it away.
"No, I asked that. He's not sick."
"Then why? I have plans." The concern was replaced with irritation, which he made no effort to conceal, and the woman who was sitting behind the counter gave him a distinctly disapproving look. He didn't know if it was because he was being too loud, or if it was because he was being rude to his mother, but he lowered his voice and turned away. "Couldn't you tell them 'no'?"
"I don't know why, Shigure! And of course I couldn't tell the head of the family 'no'! What is wrong with you?"
"Well, it better be important." Akito is a little too bossy for my liking these days, wanting us all at her beck and call.
His mother sighed. "Just come right home, Shigure. And don't dawdle."
"I'm not six, Mother," he said disgustedly, and hung up the phone. The office-woman was still glaring at him as he left.
As he had suspected, Hatori and Ayame knew nothing about it, and that only reinforced his annoyance. When he got home, his mother seemed relieved to see him, and said, "Hurry and change, Shigure. They've called twice."
Fifteen minutes later, he walked into Akito's room, only to find her apparently engrossed in the book she was reading. "Well, I'm here, just as you requested," he said, just a little too sarcastically.
"Good," she said, not looking at him. "I wanted you, Shigure."
"I hope it's important. I had plans for the afternoon." He didn't quite succeed in keeping the sharp edge out of his voice, and had an instant pang of regret when she looked up at him and he saw the expression on her face. Something really is amiss.
He sat down on the floor next to her and said in a gentler tone, "What is it Akito? What's wrong?"
She took a deep breath and he could see that she was close to tears, "They want me to take the Cat's beads off, Shigure!"
This statement took him totally aback. "What? Who?"
"M-Mother. And K-Kyou's father. T-they say it's my duty as head of the family, and as t-the God."
"Why didn't you refuse if you don't want to?"
"I did!" Akito looked away from him. "But Mother hit me, and … and …" She shrugged her small shoulders. "I just decided that I would, that's all." She paused, and said so quietly that he could hardly hear her, "She said I was acting like a wussy little girl."
Shigure noted that Akito uttered the words "girl" and "wussy" with an equal amount of distaste, and he had a sudden urge to strangle Ren. That women is going to have a formidable enemy in this "wussy little girl" in a few years if she's not careful.
Akito still wouldn't look at him. "And I just – I just – wanted you here, that's all." She sniffled, and scrubbed at her nose with her sleeve.
"For heaven's sake, Akito, here, use this." Shigure handed her his handkerchief.
She wiped her eyes and blew her nose. She looked at him and said defensively, "I have allergies," and then turned her face away from him again.
He ran his hand through his hair and tried not to laugh. "Do you, now?" He took her chin between his thumb and forefinger and gently forced her to look at him. "Listen to me, Akito. You are not 'wussy'. And," he leaned in closer and lowered his voice. "girls are just as brave as boys. And you are a very brave girl."
She looked as if she didn't believe him. "Do you really think so, Shigure?"
He nodded. "I do. I wouldn't say so if I didn't. You know me better than that. And Akito, you can do this, no matter how unpleasant you might find it. Remember, it's only Kyou."
"I'm not scared." She looked away from him again. "I – I just wanted you to see it, too."
He gave her the lie. "I didn't say you were. And I'll stay here with you. I promise. I'll be right here the whole time."
When she looked back at him, he could see that her face had cleared a bit. After a moment she said, "So you're not mad?"
"No," he said, puzzled. "Why would I be?" He had completely forgotten that he had been in a very bad mood when he arrived.
"Because you sounded grouchy when you came in. And because you said you had plans." She looked at him suspiciously. "Did you have plans with girls?"
He did laugh then. "No, Akito. I had plans with Haa-san, and Aya, and some other boys at school. When you go to a real school, rather than have a teacher come in, you have after-school activities. And I go to an all-boys' school, so there are no girls there."
"Oh," she said. "I knew all of that. I just forgot."
You're not a very convincing liar, Akito-chan.
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Kyou's father had hold of him and was all but dragging him down the street. The boy had briefly considered trying to break free and make a run for it, but he quickly discarded that idea. Kyou knew that his father was much stronger and faster than he was; he'd be quickly overtaken if he tried to get away, and then he'd have to go to Akito anyway. In addition, Kyou knew that his father would consider an attempted escape to be an act of defiance and disobedience, and that he'd only earn himself a beating for it later on.
They came to the Main House gates, and were escorted to a room opening onto one of the gardens. Kyou saw a tall, pretty, woman with long dark hair, to whom his father bowed and said, "Good afternoon, Ren-san." His father also bowed to Akito, who was standing just outside the door. Akito was solemn and unsmiling, and he didn't look a bit friendly. Kyou shivered.
To his surprise, he saw Shigure standing behind Akito. Shigure said, "Kyou," and gave him a nod and a smile. Kyou knew Shigure slightly. Shigure always made a point of ruffling his hair and speaking to him at New Year's, even if it was only for a moment, and he never got the feeling that the older boy disliked him. In addition to this, Kagura had told him that "Shii-chan", as she called Shigure, was nice. She said that he told her and Isuzu funny stories, and that occasionally he could be persuaded to play with them. Kyou didn't know exactly why, but somehow, it made him feel a little better knowing that Shigure was there.
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Akito stood and watched Kyou and his father come into the room. She was shaking, but she clenched her teeth and tried to look as solemn as possible. Kyou glanced at her and then looked past her; and she heard Shigure acknowledge him. Ren said, "Akito, it's time." She froze.
Shigure put his hand on her shoulder. He bent over and whispered in her ear, "Remember what I told you. It's just Kyou. Look in his eyes, Akito. Keep looking in his eyes. I think he's scared."
I'm scared, too. Akito had told Shigure that she wasn't afraid, but he knew. She was sure of it.
He squeezed her shoulder. "I told you I'd stay right here, and I will. I'll be right here. I promise."
Ren said, "Akito!" sharply, and Shigure gave her a little shove. She stepped up to Kyou, and saw her fear mirrored in the boy's eyes. He was shaking, just as she was; and suddenly she felt the spirit of the Cat, and it said, You loved me once.
She gasped slightly, and so did Kyou – she was almost certain that he had heard it, too. "Akito!" Her mother said. "Take his beads!"
Akito looked directly into Kyou's eyes and said, "Give me your beads." Again, she felt the spirit of the Cat. It was angry this time, and the anger was reflected in the boy's eyes.
Kyou held out a shaking arm. She could feel both the boy's fear and the Cat's anger, and he said, "If you want them, you'll have to take them."
Akito heard Kyou's father take a sharp intake of breath, and, at the same time, she heard Ren make an exclamation of surprise. Shigure, however, made a soft sound that appeared to be a short, shocked laugh.
Akito felt the God-spirit's anger rise up to meet that of the Cat, and it said, I did love you once, but you rejected me. You rejected all of us!
And the Cat-spirit retorted, No I didn't. I only told you the truth.
The God-spirit said to Akito, How dare he? Take his beads!
She suddenly felt the anger herself, and reached out and grabbed the beads off Kyou's wrist. She took a step backwards.
The first thing that hit her was the smell. Once, a mouse had died in one of their closets, and the smell had been revolting. The maids had called one of the gardeners to get it out and dispose of it. This smelled like that, only ten times, no, a hundred times worse. Akito coughed, almost gagged, and put her sleeve over her nose. It didn't help.
She stared at the creature in front of her that crouched where Kyou had previously stood. It was just as her maids had described – a warped, bent body, with a reptilian head, and sharp teeth and claws. She was clenching the beads so hard that her nails dug into her palms. She stared at the creature and said softly, "Is this Kyou's true form? Is this the Cat-spirit's true form?"
From somewhere behind her, Shigure said, "Apparently." His voice was calm, but when she glanced at him, she noted that he didn't take his eyes off of the creature, not even for a moment.
She turned back. She remembered what Shigure had told her, and she looked the creature directly in the eyes. Yes, they were Kyou's eyes, and all the terror and revulsion that she felt were mirrored there. Then, all of a sudden, the creature growled.
Akito gave a little shriek and backed up, fast. Shigure was right there, right there, and as she bumped into him, she felt both of his hands grab her shoulders, hard. "Don't move," he said, and then, in a softer tone, "It's just Kyou, Akito. I don't think it will hurt you." But his fingers dug into her shoulders, and she could hear the tension in his voice.
She remembered the beads clenched in her hand, and almost without thinking, she flung them in the direction of the creature. "You can have them back. I've seen enough!" The creature looked at her with Kyou's eyes, looked at the beads lying on the floor, and darted past her and Shigure. It ran into the garden and disappeared in the direction of the outside wall.
Shigure exhaled heavily and gave her shoulders a little shake. He said, in a tone filled with an equal amount of relief and exasperation, "You foolish child." He shook her a little harder, and then bent down and whispered to her once again. "You don't listen, and you're an idiot, but you are brave, Akito. I'll give you that." She looked at him, and he said, this time sounding more like the Shigure she was used to, "Didn't I tell you?" She nodded shakily.
Kyou's father walked to the center of the room and picked up the beads. Ren said, "Do you know where it went? We certainly don't want it wandering about in here."
"I wouldn't worry," Kyou's father said. "I'm sure that the creature has gone back to its mother. She coddles it." There was a bitter note to his voice that Akito didn't quite understand.
Akito leaned back against Shigure, and looked at Ren. She wondered, just for a moment, if it would be worth being a monster if she could have a mother who "coddled" her. She shuddered and dismissed the thought.
A week later, Akito heard that Kyou's mother had thrown herself in front of a train.