Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket or its characters - all rights go to Natsuki Takaya.
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She hadn't meant to. That was what she'd decided to say, although the truth was quite different.
Ren had woken up in pain, shivering against the cold sheets of her room. Once again she had dreamed of that child – that horrible, pathetic, foolish child. If Akito had been the only person in her dream, it would have been a nightmare – but Akira had been there as well.
She wasn't sure if that had made it better or worse. Akira had been cradling tiny, baby Akito in his arms, speaking to the infant in sweet, gentle tones. She had been forced to watch, through the bars of an enlarged crib – where Akito should have been.
The child had cried in Akira's arms, and she had smiled at that – she wasn't the only one who couldn't pacify it. She had told Akira to give it to her, perhaps she could help. He'd lovingly passed the baby on to her, and at the warm smile on his face she'd shoved Akito back into his arms, screaming at him to keep it, keep it away from her. In alarm he'd set the infant on the bed, picked up a lamp and swung it at her – something Ren knew he'd never actually do, but was only an awful, twisted facet of the dream.
The crib had caught fire, and her along with it. It had taken a while after she had woken up for her to shake off the terror that had sprung from the nightmarish vision.
Akira…he'd never do such a thing, she knew that. But he would have protected Akito from her, if necessary – she knew that, too.
In a sudden surge of anger, she grabbed her own lamp and struck it against the wooden floor, instantly lighting it and covering it with shattered glass.
Ren froze for a second, realizing too late what she'd done. Shaking, she ran out of the room and shouted, "Fire!" The sound she made didn't sound like her voice; it was too breathy and high-pitched. Panicking, she kept screaming as she made her way outside, pushing past everyone else who'd woken up and spilled out into the hallway.
Akito awoke with a start. Something was wrong; she knew that right away. People were screaming – something was crackling. She shook off her sheets, jumping up from her futon as a maid poked her head inside the room.
"Akito-sama – you need to get out of here! Someone's started a fire!"
There was no time for her to absorb the information. Akito took one last look around the room, the only indicator of her shock, and nearly flew to the doorway, crashing into a few others on their way out.
Outside, Ren watched the house burn from within the crowd made up of family members and servants. Some tried to pour water on it, in a last-ditch attempt to save, but the flames were already too strong.
It had been so easily destroyed. Ren was no longer afraid, although she should have been. She understood.
The house had only appeared sturdy – in actuality, it had been quite fragile.
Still, she felt no satisfaction. However hated, the place had been her home, even if only while Akira had been there.
She did, however, feel some relief. Staring at the golden blaze soothed her somewhat, and she knew why.
It gave off an air of finality – that something, not just the house, had been destroyed.
Destroyed for good.
Orange sprayed up into her vision, flickering in between reds and yellows. She stepped back, reluctant even though it was safer. It made her feel something, something she hadn't felt in a long time.
Peace.
This was the end; she was sure of it. This would wake up her daughter's precious Jyuunishi – shock them into leaving her by showing them the danger of staying.
The Zodiac could not fool themselves any longer. Even if some still decided to stay, she knew something would change because of this.
And she would make sure that the change was to her advantage.
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It's a short first chapter, and I'm sorry about that...but please review and let me know how I did with it!