(Author's Note: In case none of you have read my profile, I am now going to rewrite each of my stories, chapter by chapter because I decided that they suck, so be patient as they get better please!)

Mew Mai: This is my first Fruits Basket fan fiction! I'm so excited!

Friend: It's always your first some type of fan fiction and you're always excited.

Mew Mai: You're right…

Friend: The disclaimer?

Mew Mai: Right! I don't own Fruits Basket! But in my heart I own Yuki!

Friend: And in my heart I own Kyo!(AN: Actually, this said friend now likes Haru, and a different friend likes Kyo…I thought I'd mention this in case any of you thought this was valuable information) …But they don't care about that so let's start the story.

Mew Mai: Good idea. Here ya go!

A faint, even beeping brought Mai out of her slumber. She opened her eyes and sat up slowly to see that she was in an empty hospital room. She clutched the scratchy white sheet on the bed and looked around, somewhat disoriented. It was a rather small, yet for some reason, private room. At least, it looked as such. She was alone, in any case. In the corner was a couple of hard, red chairs, and there was a small table next to one of them.

She felt the thick, white, bandages that were wrapped around her, from her chest to the top half of her legs. They kept those areas of her body fairly warm. Over them she was wearing a loose white tank top and loose white shorts. Her limbs felt stiff, as though she hadn't moved in weeks. Come to think of it…when was the last time I moved…? She stood up and began to think about the last thing she could remember before this room…

When suddenly, it hit her.

The memories, the gun shots, the fires… It was too much for her, she yanked open the door and ran. Unthinkingly, she raced down hallways and sped around corners, pushing past nurses and patients alike, far beyond caring. She distantly supposed that she looked like an insane mad woman. It was definitely what she felt like.

Somehow, Mai managed to have the exit in her sights. Instead of slowing down in relief, she increased her speed and charged out the opening glass doors. She didn't pause, but immediately turned right. In her craze, she passed a group of people who called out to her. She refused to listen, she had to keep going, she had to know.

It was a low temperature outside, a rather cloudy day with a breeze that blew from colder climates. Mai hardly noticed the goose bumps rising on her arms or the icy sting of the concrete against her bare feet.

After running for miles—that were just moments for Mai—she made it to the street that had been nothing but Aizakawa property, and ran faster still, though her sore feet ached in protest. The first house was that of her grandparents, it had been one of the first to burn and now there was nothing left. The familiar red and brown bricks no longer stood tall, but were piled up as nothing but charred concrete. The same went for the houses of her cousins, aunts, uncles, and other relatives that she'd barely known.

It was the same for all of them. But not the last one. Mai just knew it. Just because all of the other houses were gone, didn't mean that this wouldn't be an exception. Mai knew in the most logical part of her mind, in the deepest passions of her heart, and the purest depths of her soul, that it would still be standing. And then he would come rushing out of the house and ask her where she'd been and how much he'd missed her.

But it wasn't true. Any of it. The last house on the street was burned down just like the others.

Mai's heart cracked down the middle, and from there it continued to break into halves and fourths, and eighths, until there was nothing but dust. If only I tried harder to find the people who knew… If only I'd learned when and had warned them… If only we'd left sooner… 'If onlys' still zoomed through her head as tears began to stream down her face and she collapsed on all fours onto the lawn, pounding her fists into the dead, black grass, until, finally, her exhaustion took over and she slipped soundly into the blank bliss of unconsciousness.

*****

No one had ever been told by Mai that her family shunned her for who—no, 'what' would be the proper word—she was. Except for the one who had the right to hate her the most.

Not even her best friend, Reina—with whom she was currently staying with—knew the real reason Mai went to a bed made up of a spare blanket and a pillow and sobbed until a restless sleep claimed her. Because he could never hold her hand, shelter her in his arms, kiss her… they could never do those things again because he was gone and she was still forced to live here, in this good-for-nothing world that seemed to give just a few moments of happiness, only to snatch them away, leaving only pain and suffering.

The news that the houses of everyone in her family had been burned down and that there were no more survivors in the Aizakawa family… That said news would be all over the school by second period. There was not even a hint of a doubt about that.

It was in her heart to simply stay home—if Reina's house could be considered "home"—for the next few days but school had been among the top five of his List of Top Priorities, so she slipped into her blue and white school uniform and walked to the jailhouse with Reina, silently.

Mere seconds took years to tick by. In the hallway, fingers were pointed and words were whispered in her direction. At her locker, those next to her were silent. They did nothing but stare, as though she were some newfound alien or species of stupid.

During first period, Mai tried to tune out the mumbling that could only be the sound of gossip spreading, but the girls whispering behind her were too close to ignore. With each passing moment, her patience grew weaker and thinner until she couldn't take it anymore! She stood and whipped around in her anger, while a deadly glare contorted her facial features.

Venomous words that were as lethal as the snake venom that used to come from Sakura's poisonous fangs flew from her mouth coldly. "Well, I'm certainly glad that my personal life makes great entertainment for all of you. Perhaps one of you would like to interview me for the school newspaper, because if there are statements to be said, or questions to be asked, I'd like it all said to my face, instead of in the shadows, coming from the mouths of cowards!"

The girls, for maybe the first time in their lives, stopped speaking to one another, mouths slightly ajar, faces a deep shade of red. Even the teacher was silent, chalk in hand, writing equations on the board. "Nothing to say anymore? Well that's good because I didn't really feel like answering to shallow fools today!"

Mai walked silently—and more than a little dramatically—out of the classroom and closed the door just in time for her tears to poor over the edges of her eyelids. I thought I was done with these little traitors! She thought angrily, insulting the tiny droplets of salt water that seemed determined to give her face a bath. She leaned against the wall and stifled a sob, heading for the girls' restrooms, where she might, perhaps, get some much-need privacy.

When the first dismissing bell rang, the tears had long since stopped flowing and Mai had composed herself to walk to her next class as though nothing were wrong; an act that no one would believe, of course. But maybe if she wore an angry face today, no one would mess with her for a while.

Mai considered this option as she turned around a corner. She was unfortunately, not watching where she was going and the "Prince of Kawaia High", also known as "Yuki Sohma", the person she thought was such a joke, ran right into her!

This was a humungo problem and Mai, depression and anger forgotten, started panicking. Damn it, damn it, damn it! This is what happened before, and now…I never learned how to erase peoples' memories and there's so many witnesses here and-- This was when she realized that she was not six inches tall, she didn't have a tail, and her hands were not paws! She refused to let her face show her amazement, for that would arouse suspicion, but she was nonetheless filled with wonder and confusion at the same time.

Yuki, on the other hand, let his shock show. In her head, Mai snorted. I'm sure his "princely pride" was insulted or something because he actually touched someone as low as me or something… Psh. What a fake… It's simple enough to say that her thoughts continued in the same context as the ones previous. However, despite what people at the school (other than Reina) might think, Mai really did grow up learning manners and some forms of courtesy. "Sorry." She murmured and began walking away from "His Princely-ness".

However, it had appeared that Yuki found his voice at last, "Ah…hold on for a moment please…I mean to apologize. If you would, stop by my house after school… I understand that this might seem rather sudden, but I also wish to convey my condolences about your family.

A wry smile made its way to Mai face. So…the "Prince" listened to gossip did he? "Unexpected but…" She glanced over at the Prince Yuki Fan Club who were spying and eavesdropping on the conversation. "…sure… I don't see anything wrong with that."

Mai barely understood the words that came from her mouth. Really, all she knew was that she wanted to annoy the idiotic girls of this school, and what better way to do it than to break one of their precious club rules?

But, her gut—which she always trusted—was telling her that this sudden invitation had nothing to do with the loss of her family. Oh damn. That thought about her family brought back the pain of her loss and she felt a twinge of regret in her heart.

Mew Mai: So? Was it a good chapter? I know it's a cliffhanger, but I love them even though you don't. Please review! You can be as critical as you want! I never get very many! (makes puppy eyes) Please! The little blue button is just below! Just push it and type a few words!

And when you are done with that get ready for the next chapter called "Secrets revealed"!

Remember, little blue button, right down there!

(Author's Note: Okay, I am much, much more satisfied with this than I was with how it used to be. I hope that you all feel the same! …even though there is much more amazing writing out there… If you've already read and reviewed this then, of course, you don't have to review again, but if you want to tell me if this is any better than it used to be, you're welcome to!)