It was late Saturday afternoon. The sun was just about going down and Tohru Honda was excited. About a week ago, she had called all her friends and told them about this poem reading she was going to have.

"We've been reading all kinds of poetry in school, so I thought it would be fun if everybody writes a poem and reads it!" she told people brightly. With her contagious cheeriness and the promise of some of Tohru's famous snacks, most of them accepted.

Obviously, Tohru herself was there looking excited and nervous. And if Tohru was there, that almost guaranteed the appearance of Saki, Arisa, Yuki, and Kyo (who by the way, looked thoroughly embarrassed to be at a poetry reading and was only there because Tohru was). Momiji, Kisa, and Kagura were there. Hiro went because of Kisa. Hatori was bullied into coming by Shigure and Ayame. Haru and Rin showed up not long after. Once everyone had had something to eat, Tohru stood up.

"Um…hello, everyone!" she started nervously. "I decided that since not everybody might want to go first, I would." She blushed. "It's not very good but…"she trailed off.

"Let's hear it!" cried Arisa. "I'm sure its better then mine!" Tohru smiled and began to read.

"The story that will soon be read

Is about a girl, without a head

Not literally, I mean to say

Her thoughts just often went astray

She had two friends always by her side

Who never let her run and hide

They kept her safe and they were true

She loved them and they loved her too

Some things happened how they went

And she ended up inside a tent

She met three princes, orange, black and grey

Who, being princes, let her stay

Many people she met along the road

Helped her with her heavy load

So she and her friends, the princes three

Ended up quite happily"

The room was quiet. Tohru blushed again. "Um…what did you think?"

"Yay Tohru!" squealed Momiji.

"That was really good!" said Arisa.

"Yes, Miss Honda," said Yuki, smiling. "I thought it was quite amazing." A polite applause rippled through the audience. Kyo stood up.

"I'll go next. I guess." He muttered. Everyone looked at him. He started to turn red. "Well, if she can do it, I can!" he said defensively. He got up and took a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket.

"Crash

Bang

Fall

Win

Lose

Loosen up

Try again

Nothing matters

Punch

Kick

Fall

Win

Lose

Just keep training harder

NEXT TIME I'LL BEAT THAT STUPID RAT!!!"

There was a stunned silence. Arisa chocked back a laugh. Tohru smiled.

"That was really good Kyo! Well, maybe the rat part was a little much but at least it was passionate."

"Yeah, whatever," Kyo grunted. Yuki stood slowly.

"Yes, well…on that…enigmatic note…"

"SHUT UP, STUPID RAT!"

"I think I'll go if that's alright with you, Miss Honda." Yuki said.

"Sure!" Tohru said brightly. Yuki cleared his throat.

"Alone in the dark

For one more day

No one is coming

Nothing more to hope for

You try to be brave

When everything's gone

And there's no one to help you

Alone in the dark"

He took a deep breath and looked up.

"Oh wow," breathed Tohru. "That was beautiful." Yuki looked slightly abashed.

"Yes…that was very moving," said Saki quietly.

"Oh, Yuki, my wonderful brother!" Ayame cried.

"Oh, no…" Yuki muttered.

"That sounded like a love struck soul crying out in pain!" Ayame cried. "Is this, perhaps, a desperate call for attention from a brother to a brother?!"

"No…"said Yuki, slowly backing away.

"I think it is! I knew it! You're secretly longing for some me time with your most marvelous brother, are you not?"

"No!"

"Well, unfortunately for you, I simply can't abandon dear Tohru when she has most graciously invited my creative genius to her humble abode. However, I will come up and read this marvelous new poem I have written!"

"Yuki and Aya

Two birds of a feather

Brothers forever

The king of fashion

And the prince of high school

Locked in a bond

Of brotherly love

For I am the best brother in the world

And Yuki's the second"

For a second the only sound was Yuki's annoyed shuffling as he was forced on stage by Ayame. Then everyone was laughing.

"Thank you! Thank you!" Ayame cried with a bow.

"That was so cute!" cried Kisa and Tohru at the exact same time.

"I loved the brotherly love part," Kyo snickered. Yuki punched him through the ceiling. Shigure looked up.

"Yuki, could you try not to damage the house! Anyway, he won't be back for a while, so I'll go up and read mine."

"Beautiful

Slim and Fair

They slay me

With their gorgeous hair

I love to look at them all day

But someone's always in the way

But those high school girls

have heavy purses

They hurt when you get hit

I don't like all those stuffy laws

They're all just full of…"

Shigure never got to finish, because at that moment, Mitchan burst in.

"Shigure!" she cried. "Why are you reading poetry!? We have a deadline!!!" Shigure laughed nervously.

"Oh…sorry, Mitchan. I…" Mitchan grabbed him by the ear and dragged him away.

"Go ahead you guys!" she called behind her. Kisa stood up shyly.

"I'll go," she said uncertainly.

"Go ahead, Kisa," said Tohru encouragingly

"Stop

Stare

I'm still here

Try not to notice

Try not to hear

They can't break me

Shake me

Can they?

Where are my protectors now?

They laugh

Maybe I should

Stop"

For a minute, she just stood there. Tohru understood.

"Come on, Kisa" she said gesturing her closer. "That was great." She handed Kisa a riceball. Kisa smiled.

"Thanks, Onee-chan," she said. "Why don't you go next, Hiro?"

"I didn't write anything," he grunted.

"C'mon Hiro!" said Tohru.

"Yeah, please!" said Kisa.

"Okay! Fine!" he snapped.

"Roses are red

Violets are blue

You're stupid women

And Shigure is too."

Kisa frowned.

"Hiro…"

"That's okay Kisa," said Tohru. She didn't really mind anymore. It was just like when Kyo was mean, she was used to it.

"I liked the Shigure part best," snorted Kyo, who had just re-entered the kitchen, nursing a bloody lip.

"That was mean Hiro," scolded Momiji. "Mine isn't! I'll read it for Tohru!!!"

"I watch her play there

Little girl and violin

Come and play with me"

"It's a haiku!" Momiji said. "We learned how to write them in school. It's about Momo."

"I loved it so much," cried Tohru in tears. Kisa hugged him. Momiji looked a little sad when he sat back down.

"I wrote one!" cried Kagura. "I forgot! I'll read it now"

"I love cats

Cats are great

Especially Kyo

Because I LOVE him!

I love him!

I LOVE HIM!!!!!"

By this point, Kagura was on top of Kyo half hugging/ half strangling him to death. Hatori had to hit them both with a frying pan to stop them from killing each other. He sighed.

"Well, if I must."

"Always bugging me

Harassing me is out of order

No more, I shall become free

Though it costs more then a quarter

It's worth it-my restraining order"

They all laughed, except Ayame who was quite indignant. Saki stood up.

"That was quite amusing. However, my poem has a more serious note…

"The waves float through the sky

Up on high

Through the night

No matter whom they're from

They have come

Dark or light

Their imprints last upon me

I can see

I'm causing quite a scare

Don't believe me

Try and touch me

If you dare"

The silence was deafening.

"Um…that was great Saki," said Arisa.

"Yeah!" said Tohru brightly. She didn't really pick up on the atmosphere.

"Thank you," said Saki. She walked down and everyone involuntarily shivered. Haru stood up.

"Me and Rin wrote one together," he said. "Is that okay?"

"Sure!" Tohru said, happy the way the proceedings were going. They both got up.

"Horse and cow

What now?

Talk of love

Stars above?

Oh please

What cheese

Rather date

Then hate

Just try

To get by

No fuss

Just us"

They read in couplet style, switching off on the lines. Everyone applauded.

"I added the cheese line," said Haru.

"Seems like you," said Yuki with a smile.

"I guess your last, Arisa!" commented Tohru.

"Oh yeah," she said in surprise. "Guess so."

"Always smiles

Girl

Helps me through

Mentor

Tons of fun

Best friend

Won't let me down

Loyal

Would run into a burning house to save a neighbor's cat

Hero

Will like this poem, even though it sucks

Tohru"

Tohru burst into tears.

"Arisa! T-thank you! You're amazing, n-not me!" She turned to the rest of her friends, still sobbing uncontrollably. "Thank you for c-coming everybody! Y-you're the b-b-best friends I could ever ask f-for!"

And so it ended, with Kyo half beaten up, Shigure still ranting about high school girls, Ayame calling Hatori over to boast of his brotherly connections, and everyone panicking about Tohru. Even Saki (Of course it was done with a straight face.) Kisa and Hiro stood apart from it all.

"Hiro Nii-san, I liked today. It didn't end as badly as I thought it would." Kisa smiled.

"Hmph," he said and, secretly, he had liked it too. And when Hiro likes something, you know it had to be good...