My very first Fic. First Fruits Basket one at that. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this story as much as I do writing it.
Disclaimer - All Fruits Basket characters belong to Natsuki Takaya.
Curse of the Stars
Chapter 1 - Circus Act
"Oh, Yuki-kun, I'm so excited," grinned Honda Tohru as she walked beside her grey haired friend.
Sohma Yuki smiled, violet eyes dancing happily to see the brunette so cheerful. He brushed a long bang out his face as he replied, "I'm glad you're happy."
"How could I not be? I love the circus!"
"Well, it isn't exactly a circus..." began Yuki with a playful smile on his lips as he scratched the short hair at the back of his head. "More of a travelling family, from what I hear."
"Really?" inquired the girl, blue eyes dancing in the early afternoon light as a gentle breeze played with her long hair.
"Yes. The flyers said that they're a travelling family that puts up shows to entertain others. Also, there are some in the show that have 'magical powers'."
"Really? Magical powers? Like disappearing into thin air or making something levitate?" questioned an awe struck Tohru.
Smiling at her excitement, Yuki explained in his soft voice, "No, not that kind of magical power. The strange part is that it's like the Sohma curse. From what I've gathered on them, the ending acts consist of someone hugging one of the performers, making them change into a different shape or body. Something like that anyway."
"Wow..." breathed Tohru. It'd be nice if there was another family like Yuki-kun's. It might make living with the curse somewhat easier, knowing there are others out there, feeling the same things.
Leaving Tohru to her thoughts, Yuki gazed up the street and scowled. There stood Sohma Kyo, short, messy orange hair noticeable from a fair distance. Crimson met violet as the two cousins began a stare down. Looking up from her own thoughts, a grin quickly spread across Tohru's face. "Kyo-kun!" she called, waving a hand in the air before trotting up to him. "Are you coming with us to see the circus?"
Kyo looked away. "Not like I want to, but yeah, I'm coming."
Tohru gave him a soft smile. "I'm glad."
A glaring contest began once again between Yuki and Kyo. "Come on, then, Yuki-kun, Kyo-kun! We don't want to be late!" Both looked over at her, expressions softening almost immediately.
"Yes, we don't want to be late. Come, Honda-san," beckoned Yuki as he began to walk by her side, leaving Kyo to fume silently. Without a second thought, the orange haired youth caught up to the couple and walked on Tohru's other side, sending Yuki a small glare before ignoring the grey haired boy completely.
A few minutes passed in silence before they came upon a bustling crowd, all of whom were talking eagerly of what might come. "Can't wait! Hope I get good seats..." stated a youth a few feet from the trio.
"I hear some of them go poof when hugged and transform into really neat creatures!" exclaimed another one, excitement evident in her voice.
"Are Hana or the yankee coming?" Kyo off handedly asked.
"No," pouted Tohru, a bit down that her two best friends couldn't make it. "Hana-chan has a family get-together and Uo-chan has to work."
"I'm surprised you have the day off," commented Yuki.
"Oh, well I asked for it off when you invited me here," she smiled up at her companion. Yuki smiled in return.
"Come on, let's get our seats," grumbled Kyo as he took Tohru's hand and led her off, leaving a somewhat stunned Yuki behind. After a brief hesitation, Yuki jogged to where they stood in line.
Taking out his two tickets, Yuki glanced at Kyo and said, "Hope you have your own tickets. I only have two. One for me and Honda-san."
Grinning somewhat evilly, Kyo waved a ticket in the air. "You mean like this ticket? Think I'm that stupid do ya?"
"No, I think you're much stupider, you stupid cat," grinned Yuki.
"Don't call me that, you damn rat!" Kyo nearly shouted, causing many people to turn and stare as the orange haired teen stood in a ready stance, fists clench.
"Now, now. Don't cause a scene or you'll get kicked out, and we can't have that now can we?" smirked Yuki as he led Tohru to the admission booth.
"That'll be two tickets, please," stated the clerk in a bored voice as he snapped his pink bubblegum idly. Yuki passed the boy his two tickets. "Alright. You can go now," sighed the clerk as the couple moved off, leaving Kyo, who angrily shoved his ticket in the poor clerk's face and stalked off after them.
After finding three empty seats in the second row, Tohru's excitement began to bubble. "Oh, I can't wait!"
Yuki chuckled as she nearly bounced in her seat. "Do you want something to eat or drink? Popcorn? Cotton candy?"
"What? Oh, no, that's alright," smiled the brunette as she turned her head to face Yuki. "I'm fine. And besides, I couldn't let you buy me food here. You've already done enough buying the tickets and inviting me. No, I couldn't even think about asking you."
After a few moments of silence, Yuki began to laugh softly, startling Tohru. "What's so funny?" she asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
"You haven't changed a bit," chuckled Yuki. "But, that's good, don't worry."
"Oh... alright..." nodded the brunette before turning to Kyo, who sat arms crossed over his chest. "Something wrong, Kyo-kun?' she inquired in a concerned voice after seeing his thundercloud face.
"Hm? Oh, no, nothing." He began to smile once he noticed her worried look. "Really, it's nothing."
After a hesitated nod, Tohru turned back to the centre ring before them. I can't wait to tell Uo-chan and Hana-chan all about this! she thought excitedly as the lights dimmed within the tent, leaving them in semi darkness.
"Attention, ladies and gentlemen!" exclaimed a voice from within the arena. A spotlight shone in the centre, revealing an aged man, whose dark brown hair had begun to turn grey. He wore a tailored red coat and loose white pants with a faded white shirt beneath his coat. His black shoes shone in the light as he raised a bare hand in the air. "Welcome to the Kinobu's show! I am the ring master, Itwel. To begin, I give you my thanks for coming to our thriving show. Because of you wonderful people we can continue on this legacy for, hopefully, generations to come."
"Now, our opening act is with my own dear daughter."
The spotlight swiftly moved from Itwel up to the highwire where a lady stood, hands on her hips, brown hair tied up in a tied bun atop her head. She waved a hand, no smile or warmth gracing her golden tanned face. Her body suit, dark blue with a white stripe down the centre, seemed made especially for her, reaching her ankles as well as her wrists.. Her bare feet were but inches from a wire thin rope leading to the second tower a good ten or so metres away.
"Now, my daughter, show them your balancing techniques!" cried the ring master with a grin.
The woman nodded before lifting a foot and carefully placing it on the wire. Her other foot soon followed and not long after she found herself standing at the mid point of the wire. With careful grace, she leaned forward, placing her hands on the wire. A few members of the audience gasped as she slowly raised one foot off the wire, then the next, carefully going into a handstand before continuing to bend her body so she was arched like a bridge, back to the wire. With a swift but fluid movement, she stood back up on her two feet, arms cast out to keep her balance once more. Cheers rang throughout the audience as she stepped onto the platform and took a bow, face now holding a hint of a smile.
"Wow! I thought she was going to fall!" gasped Tohru.
"She has a wonderful sense of balance to able to do that. Like a cat..." stated Yuki, mostly to himself.
Kyo grinned. "Yup, just like a cat."
"Oh, I'm sorry, I was excluding you in that," smiled Yuki as he looked over at Kyo.
Teeth gritting together, Kyo was about to insult the grey haired youth in return but the ring master's voice silenced him.
"Well done, my daughter. Next up, we have our famous twins! Please welcome them to the stage!" shouted Itwel with enthusiasm as he stepped from the spotlight.
A girl and a boy trod into the beam of light a moment later. They seemed about Tohru's age. They each wore the same outfit. Skin tight outfits, each a pale green with a white stripe down the centre with no sleeves and reached to their ankles. The girl had pale green hair, almost grey, tied back into a tight bun while the boy's hair was short and messy. Their skin, usually fair, seemed paler under the hot spotlight.
Taking each other's hand they began their routine of flips and acrobats, astounding the crowd with their movements and coordination. Finishing a few minutes later, they bowed and left as Itwel returned to his spot under the harsh light. "Yes, thank you, thank you," he bowed.
The acts continued on for sometime, each ending with a thunder of applause. Soon, the ring master was under the spotlight, waiting for the cheers and murmur to die down. "Now, alas, it is almost time for us to take our leave." A few moans came from the crowd. "But, first, we must clear something up!" A glint came to his eyes as he gazed at the crowd. "I know of the rumours going around in this fair place. And yes, they are true. Certain of our entertainers can change into strange beast and people when hugged. Shall I prove this to you?"
A roar rose from the crowd. Yuki and Kyo sat on the edge of their seats. "You think another family has a curse like ours?" whispered Yuki to no-one in particular.
The women from the first act, Itwel's daughter, strolled out into the centre ring, face a mask. "Allow me to prove this. My daughter...?"
The brunette inclined her head and opened her arms, as if inviting her father, the ring master, to hug her. Grinning, he did so and a cloud of russet smoke engulfed the two with a faint pop barely heard by anyone. A moment later, the roar of a lioness could be heard as the smoke began to clear. Where the girl once stood, a tawny feline sat, mouth open wide in a roar that shook the air.
The crowd's shock quickly disappeared as applause rang from the tent's walls. Yuki and Kyo were still stunned, though. Tohru clapped loudly. "Wow!" she exclaimed.
"I am sorry to say, though, that we only have enough time to show you one more like her. Any one you wish to see?" grinned the ring master as the lioness roared once more.
Tohru ceased clapping. Her roar sounds so lonely, so hurt... she thought unhappily. "What's wrong?" asked Kyo when he noticed her smile had disappeared.
"Her roar sounds so lonely and hurt," murmured the brunette as she sat back in her chair.
Kyo blinked in surprise. "Yeah, now that you mention it, it does sound lonely..."
"Well, so many you wish to see! Alas, I think I have found the perfect one! Even our youngest is trained for this, so please welcome my second daughter to the stage!"
Clapping issued as a small girl no older than five stepped into the ring, her body suit, like her sister's, was a pale pink with a white stripe down the centre, matched her light brown hair with a hint of red in it. Her lightly tanned skin was almost white now as she shook with nerves. The lioness stared at the young girl and gave a small nod. The young girl nodded in return, seemingly gaining more confidence.
The man knelt down on one knee, opening his arms to her. "Come, my daughter. Hug your father."
The girl hesitated, but after a small glare from her father, she stepped into his arms, letting him embrace her. Another small pop later and the two were engulfed in a pale red smoke, clearing to show the ring master holding a brownish red crab, which he then set on the ground. The audition roared for more. Itwel smiled, "As you wish!" he cried above the audience's cheer. "I shall show you one or two more! Please welcome the twins to the stage!"
More clapping but no twins. The ring master waited a full minute before introducing them again. And again, no-one. He excused himself with a polite bow and left the stage, leaving the lioness and the crab.
Murmurs ran through the crowd as the tawny female lion trotted over to the crab and gently picked it up in her jaws before leaving through the tent's entrance, growling at anyone willing to come near her.
Minutes passed by slowly as the crowds murmur began to grow. Finally, Itwel stepped back into the spot light, seemingly somewhat shaken and angry. "I'm sorry, folks, but it seems we're having some difficulty. One of the twins has sprained his foot while doing his routine and the other refuses to come without him. Such is sibling love."
An 'ah' ran through the crowd but Yuki frowned, as did Kyo. "He didn't look like he had sprained his foot when he exited the arena..." commented the grey haired youth.
"Yeah. He was walking fine. That ring master is hiding something..." frowned the orange haired teen as he stood up. "Come on, let's get outta here."
"Alright," nodded Tohru as she stood.
Yuki followed suit and the trio exited the tent.
Another family like Yuki-kun and Kyo-kun's... What luck, smiled Tohru to herself as they walked home, sun setting in the background.
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Any comments, questions, and so on are welcome. Until the next chapter, au revoir!