Vector Wolf II: After Time Lapse, Before We Met
"Yuki, please relax," Shigure told his younger cousin. "Hatori told me to do this, if you want your nails straight again."
The rat nodded, gritting his teeth as Shigure began to clip at the edges of his fingernail again. It had been almost a year since Yuki tore off his fingernail, and it had finally begun to grow back. Hatori had looked at it, and, because of the way Yuki's nails grew, suggested that they chip bits off the edges every day until it matured to its normal length. Yuki wanted to protest, but there wasn't much that he could do about it; it was the only way that his nail could grow back. He thought back to the day that he had ripped the nail off with a pair of scissors. He was under a state of fever and delirium, but he wanted to forgive himself for some mysterious reason.
"Haven't we done enough for today?" Yuki asked, flinching as the pointed nail file was driven deeper under his nail. Shigure nodded and released Yuki's hand. Tohru stood in the doorway to the kitchen.
"Dinner's ready," she said. Shigure and Yuki arose from where they sat on the couch.
"Good, I'm starving," Shigure said, ambling into the kitchen and sitting at the table. Yuki followed, glancing around the table at the others. Kyo and Okami were nowhere to be found.
"That's funny, Okami's never been late for a meal," Tohru said. "I go look in her room." She arose to walk out the kitchen doorway at the same time Kyo walked in. Kyo wordlessly sat down at the table, glancing at the spot next to him where Okami usually sat.
"Where's Okami?" he asked. Okami was a young wolf that the Sohmas had found in the forest one night. She wasn't an animal of the Zodiac, but her wolf ears and tail signposted her ability to transform into a dark wolf. She had been known as the "Vector Wolf," so named for the invisible arms, or "vectors," growing out of her back. She had been living with the Sohmas for a year now; she was oddly bonded with Akito, the head of the Sohma family. Okami would go where she pleased, usually to see Akito, and she was never late for any meal.
"She'll be here soon, you three," Shigure said. "Just eat, before it gets cold."
The others nodded and began to silently eat the leek stew. Even Kyo was quiet, despite his aversion toward leeks. The Sohmas and Tohru knew the kind of trouble the little wolf could get into; just after they took her in, Hanyuu, a Vector Goat whom had been friends with Okami, came to warn them about a pack of mutated wolves coming to kill them all. After the wolves had been defeated, things had quieted down, but Okami would still see other Vector Hosts. All beings, particularly humans, with the possession of vectors would use a string of murders in one area to denote their control in one territory.
Their worrisome thoughts were shattered as they saw Okami, in her human form, walking towards the house. As she got closer, they saw her head was down in a way that her black hair covered her eyes. They found out that she did this when she was on her dark side. When she was "Black," her eyes would turn an alarming crimson color, as well as thin out like the eyes of a cat. She would hide her eyes so she wouldn't frighten anyone. When she entered the house, they saw she was limping.
"Hey, where were you?" Kyo demanded as the wolf sat down next to him. Okami ignored him, taking her chopsticks in hand and putting the tips at the edge of the bowl. The wolf's display of darkness evaporated as she looked up at the chopsticks. She stared at the two thin pieces of wood, not sure what to do; Tohru had never cooked a meal that required chopsticks before. She tilted one ear towards Kyo and swiveled her head to look at him with large, amber eyes. Kyo had been accidently acted as a teacher for her, and, ever since, he's been the first person she goes to when she needed help being human.
"Here," Kyo sighed. He held his chopsticks out in the proper position for her to see. "Like this."
Okami looked at her hand, then back at his. Kyo sighed again, rolling his eyes. He set down his chopsticks and began to guide Okami's thin fingers. The others couldn't help but giggle as the cat tried to teach the wolf. It had always seemed so out-of-character for Kyo, but what else could he do? He was definitely the only person she would listen to now.
"Careful!" Kyo barked as a small spurt of splinters erupted from Okami's slender hands. Okami flinched as the wooded pieces cut into her hand, causing blood to pool on the palm of her hand.
"I'm sorry," she apologized immediately, reaching to pick up shards of the broken chopstick with her clean hand. Kyo restrained her.
"No way; I'll clean it up. You go clean up that hand," he ordered. Okami sighed and nodded, rising to her feet.
FB
"Let me see," Shigure said, taking Okami's hand as they sat down on the couch. "Hold still."
Okami twitched as Shigure began to clean the wound. Shigure noticed this, and tried to be gentler, to no avail. Okami looked down at the floor. This was slightly unusual behavior for Okami; she usually laughed at pain, but she seemed more sensitive today. Shigure began to bind her hand steadily. Okami jerked away, doubling over and growling at Shigure like an animal.
"Stop it!" she snarled. Shigure put his hands up submissively; he didn't understand why she was so upset today.
"I'm sorry if I was being rough," he apologized. Okami sat down again and bowed her head, putting her hand forward once more.
"No, I'm sorry," she whispered.
"Is something wrong?" Shigure asked. Okami's ears shoved forward, her tail twirling once instinctively. Under her bangs, her eyes were a soft amber color, emotionless.
"Not yet," she said. Shigure sighed and finished wrapping her hand.
"There," he smiled. Okami looked up at his suddenly cheerful face. "All you need now is for me to kiss it better!" upon hearing this, Kyo and Yuki stormed into the room.
"Oh, no, you're not!" they shouted in unison. Okami put her ears back and jerked her injured hand forward, bringing Shigure with it, dove underneath him, twirled (causing him to lose his hold on her), and brought her knees up in a movement that sent Shigure flying out the back door. Yuki and Kyo stared at her as she rolled back to her feet, walking back to the kitchen. Once Shigure staggered back inside, the telephone in the hallway began to ring. Curious, Shigure walked into the hall to answer it.
"Hello?" he responded.
"Shigure, it's me," Hatori said on the other end of the phone line.
"Ha'ri!" Shigure greeted. "It's been so long since we've chatted! Tell me, when will our bonds of loneliness be broken?"
"It's been three days, Shigure. Please be mature about this."
"Oh… alright then; what did you call to talk to me for?"
"How's Yuki?" Hatori asked.
"It still looks horrible, but he's healing well."
"That's good. Akito says he's looking forward to seeing all of you at the New Year's Banquet."
"Are you sure about that? Yuki and Kyo won't want to leave their lovers' sides for that long," Shigure stated dramatically.
"Shut up!" Kyo yelled from the kitchen. Shigure chuckled.
"Akito does mean all of you," Hatori said, repeating the necessary emphasis.
"Even Tohru and Okami?" Shigure asked.
"Okami talked him into letting Tohru come, although he wasn't too resentful about it in the first place," Hatori explained.
"Well, thank you for giving me the news, Ha'ri," Shigure said. He was impossibly more cheerful now than when the phone conversation began, but his mood dropped unexpectedly. "Hatori, did something happen today at the main house?"
"Not that I know of; is something wrong?"
"Okami just seemed upset when she came home; I was just curious. Did she seem upset while she was there today?"
"Okami didn't come to the main house today," Hatori said.
"Okay…" Shigure cringed, but figured it was for the best; Okami had kept things from them in the past, but she always had a good reason. After that, the discussion ended and Shigure joined the others in the kitchen. Kyo had some fresh chopsticks in hand, but he was feeding Okami. He lifted some noodles to her mouth and she gingerly scraped her teeth along the wood until the noodles were in her mouth. Okami was on her hands and knees, with her tail swishing from side to side casually. Kyo's free hand supported his chin as he leaned to the side with a bored expression on his face.
"Don't say anything," Kyo hissed as Shigure began to twitter.
Sequel to Vector Wolf? Anyone? I just had to create a second season that the anime never had. This story is going to have a major Higurashi reference that will chance everything that you know about Fruits Basket. I'm sorry if this upsets you, but I will try my best to make this story even better than my last. As you can see, I've started using more detail, accurate nicknames, and the half-episode break (FB). Please continue reading, I love you all!
*Note: In my last story, I wrote that Kyo's full name was "Kyoko," but I'm afraid that is wrong. In one episode of Fruits Basket, his classmates were calling him "Kyo-Kyo," but I thought they were sayi8ng "Kyoko." I am sorry if I have made any mistakes regarding this subject.