The Masked Banquet
Disclaimer: This is a Fruits Basket fic, featuring the Sohmas with their forms. I DO NOT own it.
"You are cordially invited to my party, celebrating the new fiscal year. However, I can only invite some of the Sohma family for a special occasion. Please meet me at the Inner Garden at the Tokyo Tower Hotel on Jan. 22 at 6PM. It is time we had some fun together.
Also, we are going to give you a prize, for whoever gets to the time allotted. Ask me, when the time comes.
Signed, K."
Who is this woman? What does she have in store for the Sohmas? She invited seven of the thirteen: Yuki, Kyo, Kagura, Momiji, Haru, Hatori, and Shigure. Ayame had to cancel, since he had some business in his shop, Hiro didn't feel like it, Rin couldn't make it, Kureno had to cancel, Kisa wouldn't go without Tohru, and Ritsu… well, he'd be in the way.
Things could be okay, for the Sohma clan… but only if this woman has plans for them. You'd be surprised.
Chapter 1
Yuki, Kyo, and Shigure arrived first, feeling a bit uneasy in the Inner Garden, which was an indoor greenhouse.
"Some greenery this is," Shigure smiled, "How delicate."
"Whoever she is, she sure knows how to make a garden grow," Yuki spoke.
Shigure smiled, "Now, now… We are only here for business matters. Besides, we promised to be in our best behavior."
Yuki sighed, "I'm glad Ayame didn't come… But… I still don't get why the stupid cat's invite was found."
Kyo yelled, "Oh, ha, ha! Try and make me, you damn rat!"
A voice cried, "KYO!"
Kyo cried, "Ayame did cancel… but HER?"
Kagura smiled and said, as she pranced to him, "Kyo~! I'm glad you came! I'm so happy for you, I…"
She roared, as she dashed, "DAMN YOU!"
She tackled him and cried out, "WHY DID YOU COME LATE? I WAS HOPING TO SEE YOU, WHEN I ARRIVED! DAMN YOU, KYO!"
Kyo was being beaten up by Kagura, as Hatori approached Shigure.
"So…" he said, "You decided to show up, as well."
"Well, I'm not giving up a chance for a prize." Shigure smirked.
Hatori huffed, "Well, I could care less… But I have no choice."
"Akito made you go?"
"Yes. I, along with the others, had to come."
Shigure looked around, as he saw just Yuki, Kyo, and Kagura, "Seems to me that we're the only ones here."
"Well," Hatori stated, "The others couldn't make it. This will make things less hectic around here."
Shigure looked up at the dusk sky, from the roof window, and said, "Yeah. I hope this'll be enjoyable."
Momiji said, as he and Haru appeared, "Hello! Sorry we came late."
"Yeah, I had to rest for a moment," Hatsuharu sighed, feeling relaxed, "I just wanted to kill some time."
Momiji whispered, "He was too lazy. When it was time, he couldn't wake up. By the time we made it, we were minutes late."
"Stupid Haru!" Kyo groaned, as he was still being pummeled, "He's too laidback!"
Yuki snuffed, "You realized that if you arrived more later, you'd be kicked out."
Momiji said, "The invite said that we'd come at 6."
Haru said, "Not that I care, but I wanted that prize, so Momiji and I can split it."
Kagura shouted, "Whatever the prize, I wanted to share it with Kyo, and NO ONE ELSE'S!"
Kyo screamed, "I DON'T WANT TO SHARE IT WITH YOU!"
Shigure explained, "Now, that's not the ol' Sohma Spirit. Have you forgotten that I have my eyes on the prize?"
Hatori said, "The way you say it, I hope you lose…"
Kyo snapped, breaking free, "Well, I know one thing… I'm going to win it all, especially since Ratboy is involved. I don't care if I am the cat! You six will be in my way!"
Haru then snapped, with an evil grin, "Is that so? Listen here, Cat-Boy! NO ONE, but NO ONE, can defeat me! Trust me, you loser! I can beat you with one arm tied behind my back."
Shigure sighed, "And he's gone Black Haru now…"
Kyo cried, "You couldn't even try to punch me, with both arms behind your butt!"
Haru yelled, "Come again? Why don't you say it to my face, you bastard? I'll enjoy the trouble of winning the prize, without sharing with YOU! Maybe I'll smash that pretty little face off, while we're in greener pastures?"
Kagura cried, standing in front of him, "HEY! Leave him alone!"
Momiji pleaded, "Haru, calm down!"
Hatori sighed in embarrassment, "Like children…"
Shigure said, "To be young again…"
Yuki shouted, "If you four are done, should we go in now?"
They calmed down, after that.
XXXXX
At the huge room, the seven Sohmas sat down together, in a small living room, with three red couches. The room had many elegant décors. Kyo was standing in a corner, as Haru, Momiji, and Yuki were in couch 1. Hatori and Kagura were in couch 2. Shigure was lying down on couch 3.
"Ahh… Pure soft leather," he said, "This woman must've gone frugal."
Yuki said, "As long as we enjoy ourselves… unlike other people."
Shigure stated, "If Tohru were here, she'd be amazed by this wondrous room."
Haru (after calming down) fell asleep, as Momiji woke him up. Kagura couldn't stop staring at Kyo.
"Whoever she is," he thought, "Better be something fun… I hope it's a tournament in this room."
Momiji explained, "I don't think fighting is what she wants. Besides, we may break something, if it is…"
Hatori said, "For now, we keep quiet…"
Kyo yelled, "I know you want to wait… But I'm not! I'm leaving!"
He approached the door and turned the knob. But the door was stuck.
"DAMN! Stuck!" Kyo cried.
They all gasped. Kagura cried out, "Kyo, bust the door down!"
"I can't!" He screamed, "You do it! I'm not wasting my energy on these broken doors!"
Shigure and Yuki pushed the door down, but it was stuck. They all tried to push it down… but no go.
"Trapped!" Shigure whimpered, "This is terrible!"
Momiji whispered, "Hey, Haru, can you bust the door down with your feet?"
Haru yawned, as Momiji sighed, "Okay… Maybe later."
Kyo screamed, "I cannot take it!"
POUND! POUND! POUND!
"LET ME OUT!" He shouted.
Kagura yelled, "DAMN IT! THIS ISN'T FUNNY!"
Yuki said in a stress-free state, "At least you're not in anger."
Only Kyo, Kagura, and Shigure were losing it. The rest were relaxed.
"I'm going to break it down!" Kyo yelled.
Yuki sighed, "It's probably a locked door."
Hatori said, "So it is…"
Haru yawned, "Ah, who cares?"
A long silence…
…
"Suppose she had the key outside?" He added.
…
CRASH!
"LET ME OUT!" Momiji shrieked, "WHO HAS THE KEY?"
Hatori yelled, "Is this one of your tricks, Akito?"
Shigure cried, "AHH! I don't wanna die!"
Haru yelled, "YOU BETTER LET ME OUT, OR ELSE! LET ME OUT, OR I'LL SOCK KYO IN THE BALLS!"
Kyo snapped, "HEY! Leave me out of this!"
They all tried to open the door, which, in reality, was magically shut tight. And the culprit?
There was a girl with medium-length magenta hair, a purple witch's hat and a black gown, outside, listening on.
"I think they've suffered enough," she whispered.
She raised her hand up and opened the door. All seven Sohmas collapsed down, with the woman giggling.
"Aw, did I trick you?" she asked, "Really now…"
Yuki cried, "How dare you lock the door, like that?"
"Oh, did I?" She smirked, "Perhaps maybe I have something in particular… Namely a feast?"
Haru asked, "Will there be a dinner table?"
"It's on me…" she said, "All of you are invited to my feast… of the thirteen animals…"
"Thirteen animals?" They all gasped.
"Hm?" She counted, "Odd… There're only seven of you. Eh, no worries…"
She bowed and introduced herself, "My name is Kain Potter. I come here to acquire you with the biggest contest of your lives."
"As you know," she grinned, "I have summoned you for the biggest feast in history… and what better way than to do it… on Chinese New Year's. It's a favorite holiday that Haruna loved to celebrate."
Shigure asked, "Uh… Huge feast on New Year's?"
Hatori said, "We're aware that tomorrow is that holiday."
Momiji questioned, "Yeah… What do you have for us?"
Kain said, "Simple… I shall have you here, for one whole day. In doing so, you shall win a prize, provided if you survive…"
"Survive?" Yuki gasped.
They all shivered, as Kain showed them to the main room, which suddenly sprouted a door, in the greenhouse.
"Hold me, Kyo…" Kagura shivered.
Kyo whispered, "Shut up…"
They stepped through the door, as Kain watched on.
She giggled, "Seven masks… Seven animals… Seven fun people…"
She stepped in and disappeared. The door suddenly evaporated.
The Sohmas arrived, in a huge room, which is like a dark mansion, only cleaner and glamorous. Kain then said, "Do take off your coats, and don't bother unpacking."
Hatori said, "We never brought any luggage."
Kain smiled, "Disregard… For now, I'll enjoy your company. Meet me in the dining room… whenever you're ready. Oh, and NO roughhousing. I had a new carpet installed."
She left, as they hung up their coats. Kyo was confused, "She reminds me of Hanajima… except with red hair."
Yuki shivered, "I don't know… Something about her seemed odd."
Kagura smiled, "Let's hope the service here is good."
Haru said, "I'm tired now…"
Hatori said, "We better hurry. I want NO fooling around with any of you."
Shigure explained, "Now… Let's go over the ground rules: Listen to Kain, and no fighting. That's all."
Kyo snapped, "Anybody picks on me, they'll be sorry."
Kagura glared, "Does that include me? I would never hurt you… my darling, Kyo…"
She then choked him and shouted, "BECAUSE IF IT DOES… I'LL MURDER YOU, YOU BASTARD!"
She gave him a Boston Crab and yelled, "I AM NOT GOING TO LOSE IT, TO ANY OF YOU!"
"UNCLE!" He cried.
They all sighed, "She's hurting him…"
Kain listened on, in the other room, preparing.
"I told them not to, those naughty kids," she said.
To be continued…