Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket

Chapter 1

"Never go outside of this tower, Tohru. There are bad people who will hurt you if you do. Your power is too special to share with anyone else. If someone finds out your secret then you will be killed or sold for money."

This is all I've been told since I was born. I've never been outside, never even seen it. I don't have any real parents. My mother died giving birth to me, and my father was killed later that day trying to protect me when my powers came out. A woman, claiming that she was a relative took me in and locked me in this tower. She said that she was my step mother, but I've wondered about that. For if she was my step mother, then she would have married my father; but he was tied to my mother...unless he was having an affair. But I have no more family other than her.

My name is Tohru Honda, and it's my 16th birthday today. My step mother, Majo, comes to visit me once a month. She always locks the door behind her when she comes and goes. I live in a tower that has a long spiral staircase leading to a door that opens to the outside. The tower is in the middle of a thick, overgrown forest that is like a maze to get out of, well that's what Majo said anyway.

I have no friends, never even fallen in love. There are no windows in the tower for some reason. Majo has made me stay in this tower for sixteen years; and since it's my birthday today I'm hoping that she will let me go outside.

I'm so alone in this place. I feel like Rapunzel a bit, except I don't have long golden hair like she has. I have plain brown hair that goes just above my waist while my eyes are a light brown colour. There are many guards posted around my tower, making sure that I don't go outside. But the only thing I want to do in life is to go outside. I know it's a selfish wish but-

"Tohru, my dear!" Majo's voice called from behind the door.

I looked over as the brown wooden door creaked open, revealing my step mother wearing her long black dress with a basket in her hand.

"Hello Majo, what's in the basket?" I asked my mother.

"It's just some more food and drink for you. You must make it last until I come back for the next visit with more. Food is expensive in this country, so don't over feed yourself!" She put the basket down on the side table.

"It's my birthday today Majo!" I smiled cheerfully, walking over to her.

"Is it? I don't keep track." She waved me off with her hand, grabbing an apple from the basket.

"Well, since I'm now 16, I was wondering whether I could go outside for a bit since you probably don't have a birthday present for me?" I looked up to see her expression.

Her eyes were wide with shock from my question and her mouth gaped open. Her hands suddenly froze, causing the apple to fall to the ground before rolling away.

"Mu-"

"NO! YOU WILL NOT LEAVE THIS TOWER!" Her eyes burned through me. "I WILL NOT LET ANYONE ELSE HAVE YOU! YOUR MINE, NO ONE ELSES!"

"Mum! I'm sorry, I won't ever ask aga-" I tried to say but she cut me off once again.

"Tohru Honda, you will die outside! You can't even fly properly which would have given you an advantage. So no! Never say that again!" She shouted.

"But I want to go outside! Is that so selfish? Is it!" I yelled back. "I have never asked you for anything in my past sixteen years, and now your denying my only wish? I hate you! I don't ever want to see you again!"

"Tohru, don't you dare yell at your mother!" She shot back.

"Your not my real mother!" I pouted, turning away from her.

"I did have a birthday present for you, but I guess you don't want it now." Majo stood up.

I looked at her in amazement, ignoring the previous argument. This is the first time she has ever gotten me a birthday present!

"Wait, I thought you said that you didn't keep track of my birthday." I gave her a confused look after I had calmed down.

"I lied," she poked her tongue out. "It's outside, so I'll be back in two."

She whisked out of the room and closed the door behind her. I heard her footsteps echo through the wooden door, getting quieter as she got further away.

"If she's going outside, then that means that the door at the bottom will be open!" I said aloud.

I had a quick look in my mirror, noticing that my hair was sticking out a bit. So I quickly brushed it down before dusting off my blue dress which reached just above my knee's. The golden chain around my neck caught my eye, reminding me of my parents. This used to be my mothers but it was passed onto me when she passed away.

"I can do this!" I ran to the door, opening it.

A long spiral staircase led down. I picked up my courage and hopped down the steps as fast as I could, running through the dark.

Once I reached the bottom, I found a large oval door that had an open pad-lock on it. I turned the handle, finding that it was open. I pulled open the door just a crack, peering out just incase Majo was anywhere near.

"Are you sure that we should leave the door open?" A voice said from outside.

"Yes, Majo is going back inside to see the prisoner." A gruff voice answered the first.

I opened the door a bit wider, finding two guards standing outside on either side of the door. I need to make a distraction!

I banged my fist against the door and hid against the wall. Just as I anticipated, the two guards opened the door and walked inside; looking to see what the noise was.

"What was that?" Whispered the first guard.

"I don't kn-"

I ran out from behind the door and slammed into them, knocking them both to the ground while I made my escape. I ran through the door but froze.

"Wow!" I gasped. The outside world was so beautiful! There was lush green grass, tall green trees and thousands of colourful flowers. The sun shone bright, blinding me for a second as I got used to the brightness. It was like something out of a picture book that Majo had given me.

"She has escaped!"

I looked behind and found a differant guard staring at me.

"Get back here, brat!" He shouted as he began to run at me.

"No!" I screamed. I ran across the field while the grass tickled my feet. I looked down and realised that I wasn't wearing any shoes but carried on anyway.

"Oi, girl!" The guard yelled. "There's no point escaping! You won't get far!"

I ran and ran until I came across the forest. I decided that I would carry on through it so sprinted with all my might through the dark woods.

"Hey!" I heard the guard shout before loosing sight of his form as the sunlight vanished.

"There's got to be some where to go, some where to hide!" I panicked running through the woods.

Suddenly, the forest ended and I came back into the sunlight. I looked behind but found the guard no where in sight.

"Have I done it?" I gasped. "I'm finally free!"

I continued walking from the forest until a sharp wind cut at me from below. I looked down and found a steep cliff leading down to a deep river.

"I'm not free..." A tear streaked down my cheek.

I paused for a moment before realising that I had powers. "I can fly down!"

Yes, I can fly. That is my 'precious' power that Majo wanted no one to know about. I have wings. Beautiful white wings. But they change colour sometimes, I don't know why though. But like my mother said, I can't fly. Since I've never been outside I've had no idea on how to use them.

I summoned my power, focusing on a bird flying past. With a small blast of wind, my white wings shot out from my back; extending out. I flapped my wings, slightly hovering above the ground. Two long slits ripped through the back of my dress where my wings came out from.

"There she is!" I heard the guards voice followed by a stampede of footsteps.

"They found me!" I looked down the cliff and gulped. "Here goes nothing."

I leapted off the side of the cliff, plummeting to my death. Come on wings, fly! Fly!

I flapped my wings back and forth, slowing down my fall. I'm doing it!

I continued to move my wings and laughed with glee as I soared under the cliff.

"I feel like an angel!" I swooped down and turned around in circles.

"She's learned how to fly!" I heard one of the guards shout from above.

"I need to get out of here, quick." I said as I flew further down the cliff.

The ground glistened below me and I realised that it was a long blue river that carried on for miles into the distance.

"Water is so beautiful up close. I can't believe Majo didn't want me to come outside!" I mumbled as a cloud covered the sun, lowering the light in the sky.

"Look at that son!" I heard a mans voice.

I looked to the side and found an old looking man with a younger boy beside him.

"What a giant bird, papa!" The boy cried in amazement.

I'm not a bird. I'm human, just like you two.

"I'll shoot it down and then we'll have a great meal tonight son!" The old man picked up a bow and arrow.

"WHAT!" I screamed, flapping my wings.

Suddenly, an arrow shot right past me; catching my cheek. A trickle of blood ran down my cheek implicating that it was cut.

The man got ready to fire another arrow.

"No! Wait! Stop, don't shoot!" I shouted to them, holding my hands up in defence.

"Papa, didn't the giant bird just talk?" The boy asked his father with a puzzled look upon his face.

"Of course not, birds can't talk!" He laughed, lowering the arrow.

Taking the opportunity I flapped my wings once again and flew a bit away from them. I was about to swoop down when a sudden gust of wind knocked me back. I got caught in the wind and my wings stopped moving.

"Ahh!" The wind pulled me towards the old man and boy.

"Shoot it dad!" The boy cried.

The father aimed right at me and released the arrow. I tried to dodge it but it hit me right in my chest.

I gave out a piercing scream as the arrow tore through the flesh across my chest, staying wedged in.

"Ow!" I yelled, trying to get a grip on the arrow. I circled my fingers around the end of the arrow and pulled it out with a gasp. I held my hand over my wound, trying to stop the blood from pouring out; but it did no good for the wound was too deep and the blood continued to run from it.

"Hit it again!" I heard the boy shout.

"N-No!" I gasped out, steadying myself in mid-air.

I need to get away from here, now! I managed to flap my wings, despite the pain in my chest. I began to fly downwards, away from the guards above and the old man and boy. A ledge stuck out from the side of the cliff's wall.

I should rest on over there. There's nothing else around to go except for the river below.

I flew over to the ledge when a sudden pain shot through me. I looked behind and cried out in pain. The man had shot another arrow at me, this time it plunged through my wing. I lost my balance in the air and fell towards the water.

I screamed as I fell, my arms and legs flailing; trying to grab onto something to stop my fall. I fell past the ledge as my wing became numb. I could no longer move it. I tried to flap my other wing which only slowed down my fall by a bit.

I fell into the river as I kept my one hand held against my chest. The water sprayed around me as I sunk to the bottom. I broke the surface but was suddenly carried along with the current. It was too strong and I couldn't swim back. My legs were sucked forward as I continued to be stolen away with the water.

A loud splashing noise came from up ahead. As I came closer to the noise, I noticed that there was a huge waterfall going directly down.

A rock stuck out of the water as I came nearer to the edge. I quickly grabbed onto the slippery rock as the current tried to take me away. I held on with all my might but the current suddenly grew stronger and tore me from the rock.

I was thrown backwards as the water tipped off the edge; carrying me with it. I let out another scream as my body became weightless. I fell away from the waterfall as my wings spread out. The arrow was still stuck in my wing.

I soared across the air for a short second before my wings closed back against my body, refusing to fly an further.

"Don't disappear now!" I fell down and down until my body hit more water. I cried out in the water as I was cut all over from shards of rock and pebble. I kicked my legs, just making it to the surface where I took in a deep breath.

I swam to the banking and dragged myself out. My wings were all draggled and I was soaked to the bone. I slumped against a nearby tree and took in sharp intakes of breath as my wound bled even more.

Once I got my breath back, I managed to stand back up. My legs wobbled a bit as I took a step forward.

Rustling came from behind. I turned my head around as my vision started to become blurred.

A shape came out of the trees; a bright orange colour shining from the top of its head.

"Are you ok?" A male voice said.

"W-Who..?" My body collapsed as it couldn't take the strain any longer.

"Hey!" Arms circled around me, stopping my fall. "Wait, you have..wings.."

My eyes shot open as I remembered. My wings are still out!

I struggled out of his grasp but he didn't let go.

"Calm down!" I kicked backwards and he let out a curse as my foot connected between his legs.

"I'm s-sorry!" I gasped out.

I tried to stand up but fell back down again. I sighed as a tear slipped down my cheek.

"What was that for you dumb girl?" The boy yelled.

I let out a whine and held my hands out as a guard from any of his attacks.

If someone finds out your secret then you'll be killed or sold for money. Majo's words echoed through my head.

My body began to shake as fear overtook me. "Please don't kill me!" I cried, pressing my hands down firmer on my wound.

"Your hurt, let me treat you." The boy neared. "I'm sorry for shouting. I won't dig any deeper about your..wings..."

I nodded as my body became numb. My vision went black as I collapsed to the floor.

"Hey!" I heard the boy shout before I blacked out.

Posting Date: 19th May 2012

Symm: How did you like it? I will be uploading every saturday, or earlier if I can because lifes gotten quite busy lately! Please review and tell me what you think!