I don't own anyone except, Caleb is mine! I'm sorry it took so long to get here, but my little sister told me that our computer wouldn't save anything you typed on it. Grrrr. FOURTH CHAPTER! Wahoo!
Tohru creeped into Yuki's room early in the morning. Yuki's alarm clock hadn't gone off because Kyo had unplugged it. Ever so slowly Tohru tiptoed into the room. Yuki was sleeping like a log. Smiling Tohru stood next to his bed and pounced. She landed on his legs and he sat straight up.
"Good morning sleepy-head. We're going to be late for school. Kyo unplugged your alarm clock because it was loud." Tohru said grinning.
"What time is it?" Yuki yawned.
"Nearly six-fifty. I made breakfast and set out a clean uniform for you. Come on, get up!" Tohru pulled on one of Yuki's arms and dragged him out of bed. Yuki groaned and followed Tohru out of his room and into the hallway. She pushed him into the bathroom. "Hurry up, get dressed!"
Yuki saw that Tohru had laid out everything that he would need today. There was a uniform, toothbrush, and a clean pair of socks. Yuki shook his head and quickly dressed so that he could go downstairs. Tohru was sitting at the table blowing on her cup of coffee. Yuki didn't think that she needed any because she was so energetic this early in the morning.
"Sleeping beauty awakes." Joked Shigure from the kitchen. He was sipping from his teacup and holding a plate of breakfast for Yuki. Yuki took the plate thankfully and sat at the table. Kyo walked in groggy and glared at Yuki with an evil stare.
"I hate your alarm clock. Does it always have to go off at one in the morning?" Kyo said sitting down.
Yuki finished his breakfast and put the plate in the sink. "Where's Caleb?" Tohru was juggling all of their book bags and nearly toppled over. Kyo was slipping into his sneakers.
"He went to find an apartment to rent. He didn't want to burden us with him any longer." Shigure answered "Tohru told him to stay but he insisted."
Tohru glanced at her watch. "We're late!" Tohru put on her shoes and pulled Yuki outside after he was finished. Kyo was already ahead of them; they ran to catch up. "Hurry!" Tohru grabbed Kyo's sleeve and raced down to the school yard. Nobody was there.
Suddenly kids began to appear behind them and went into the school. They were early. Tohru smiled apologetically at the two winded boys. They sat on the ground. Both were unaware she could run that fast.
"Man, can you run. You should go for track you'd win every race." Kyo said standing up straight.
"When I got bullied I had to run faster than the boys chasing me. I guess I had a lot of practice." Tohru smiled at them and waved to Hana-chan who was helping Uo-chan along.
"I was not meant to wake up so early." Uo-chan mumbled dragging her feet in the dirt. She glanced at Tohru smile. "Why is it you are so happy in the mornings? Have you been drinking coffee?"
Tohru reached into her bag, brought out a plastic container, and handed it to Uo-chan. "I brought your favorite kind." Tohru reached back in and handed both her friends a muffin. "We made them last night."
"Actually you made them last night and we had a flour fight." Yuki said ruffling Tohru's hair. Kyo crossed his arms.
"You started it."
"Did not."
"Did too."
Kyo stuck his tongue out at Yuki while Tohru laughed. Hana-chan hid her smile behind her hand and Uo-chan was too busy devouring her breakfast.
"The Yuki fan club is on its way here." Hana-chan said looking past Yuki and Kyo to the pack for girls edging their way towards Yuki. "Well, I have to take Uo-chan to see the nurse she's bound to get a stomach ache eating as fast as she was." Hana-chan and Uo-chan then headed off to the buildings. Uo-chan's arms wrapped around her abdomen.
"Kyo!" called someone from across the yard. "Kyo, come here, look at what we made you!" two girls were running towards him carrying a box.
"Crap." Kyo said running off in the other direction.
"It seems that Kyo's got his own fan-club." Yuki said smiling. The Yuki fan club was steadily gaining ground. "Tohru, will you help me?"
"Sure, with what?" Tohru said her smiling not wavering. Yuki slung his arm across her shoulder and then walked off to a corner of the courtyard. It wasn't technically hugging so Yuki didn't transform into a rat. Yuki hoped that it would stop the fan club members from coming to worship him and it did. They were so shocked they stopped dead in their tracks.
Tohru and Yuki didn't slow down until they reached the corner. Where Yuki pulled his arm away from Tohru's warm shoulder and sat down. "They get so annoying sometimes." Yuki muttered. Tohru sat next to him and sighed.
"Everyone's got a fan club." Tohru said looking at the light blue sky littered with white puffy clouds. "It's so pretty today." Yuki looked up to see what she meant by pretty as Momiji came out of nowhere.
"HI, TOHRU!" Momiji yelled running in a little circle. Haru calmly walked by Momiji and leaned against the wall.
"I'm sorry did we interrupt something?" Haru looked at Yuki when he said this and Yuki got kind of mad.
"Don't say another word." Yuki said (a plus-sign-angry-symbol appeared on his head) "Not in front of Her." He whispered leaning toward Haru. Suddenly the bell that got them to homeroom rang and the kids outside walked or ran inside.
In the hallways Haru and Momiji went to their classroom and Yuki and Tohru went to theirs. Kyo was fighting with Uo-chan about fighting techniques and Hana-chan was reading a book about human minds. Yuki settled in his window seat and stared at the sky as Tohru listened to Uo-chan and Kyo quarrel.
"Okay, quiet. Is everyone here today? Good." The teacher raved on and on about the Pythagorean theorem after that. Yuki stared out the window and Tohru watched him. She thought he seemed different ever since she woke after the accident. Without anyone knowing the period was over.
The halls were flooded with students and many were just following Yuki. Yuki went for a student council meeting (a real one) and told Tohru and the rest before leaving. Kyo fell asleep in Reading and Uo-chan repeatedly poked him and his temper got worse until he burst.
"Dammit! Why does everyone feel so inclined to poke me!" Kyo yelled jumping up out of his seat.
"Mr. Sohma would you please step outside." Said the teacher unfazed by Kyo's outburst. Kyo stomped out of the room only slowing to look in Tohru's direction. Tohru blushed and Uo-chan saw. So she deliberately poked the one spot on Tohru's back that would make a loud noise. Right beneath the shoulder blades on the spine was where Uo-chan's finger applied pressure.
"Eeek!" Tohru screamed arching her back in discomfort.
"Miss Honda would you like to join Mr. Sohma out in the hall." The teacher looked at Tohru in an odd way. She was one of his most well behaved students. Tohru knew that wasn't a question so she got up and walked out into the hallway.
"What are you doing out here?" questioned Kyo who was sitting on the floor outside the door.
"Uo-chan, she…I think see knew something was up and made me a disruption to get me out here with you." Tohru's head was bowed and she got a good view of the cold linoleum floor.
"Yo, let's ditch school." Kyo said standing slowly.
"What? Why? I can't just-" Tohru said her eyes widening. Then Kyo cut her off.
"Yeah, stupid idea. Forget it." Kyo said sitting back down. Tohru bit her lip and then pulled him to his feet.
"Let's go." Tohru gave him and unsure, but still beautiful smile and the dragged him down the hall. Kyo grinned and led the way, not letting go of Tohru's soft hand.
They silently sneaked past classrooms and dodged teachers on their way out and they reached the gate of the school before they were spotted. Kyo led Tohru past most of the houses until they came to the movie theater.
"What movie are we seeing?" asked Tohru clinging to Kyo's hand.
"How should I know? This was spontaneous and totally unpredicted and…" Kyo paused "We should see Glory Road."
"Isn't that an American movie?" Tohru asked looking at the list of movies.
"Yeah, some kids at school told me about it." Kyo said his cheeks turning bright pink.
Smiling Tohru dragged him up to the ticket stand and asked for two tickets for Glory Road. With a slight grin Kyo pulled out some money and bought the tickets. Kyo was amazed that Tohru could be so cheerful so early in the morning.
The theater was already dark when they stepped inside. Neither was hungry, but Kyo bought them each a soda. They sat themselves in the middle of the auditorium and waited patiently for the movie to start.
Kyo noticed another couple sitting a few rows ahead of them. The guy slowly put his arm around the girls' shoulder. Then she leaned toward him and laid her head against his shoulder. Out of the corner of his eye Kyo watched Tohru. Ever so slowly his arm found it's way across Tohru's shoulder almost exactly as Yuki's had. Feeling the warmth of Kyo's skin against her neck she leaned into him. For a moment Kyo's stomach felt like he had swallowed a butterfly and he regret it.
Caleb was sitting inside his new apartment with Shigure. After Caleb told Shigure that his mother had died awhile ago and that he would be permanently moving to Japan Shigure found a new friend in him.
"Caleb, certainly Tohru will ask about your mother." Shigure said sipping the tea from his cup.
"Well, I was hoping we could find away of getting around that little bit of my life. Tohru will certainly be sad when she finds out that now her stepbrother is sort-of an orphan too. I am not related to Tohru's grandfather or any of those people so Tohru is the very last of my family." Caleb looked out the window at the serene blue skies.
"Well, I know this one person who may be able to help. I doubt he would agree to such a thing or any of Tohru's Sohma-friends, but it may help your problem." Shigure said nudging an idea at Caleb.
"What is it? Would it make Tohru sad? She would certainly be heart-broken to find out about my mother." Caleb said looking desperate.
"There is this man, in my family. Hatori, he's called. He uses this sort of Hypnosis to erase memories. He could erase the memories that Tohru has about your mother." Shigure said looking anywhere but Caleb.
"Perfect, where can I find him?" Caleb said.
"There's just one tiny problem." Shigure said. Caleb looked puzzled. "Tohru has this little thing that makes it hard not to tell her things. It might just be that slight smile she has when she talks about her mother and then asks you about your parents that make you want to tell her everything she wants to know." Shigure shook his head.
"Tohru knows most about all of our lives and even the big secrets that shouldn't be told to anyone." Of course Shigure was talking about the curse that only Tohru knew about, outside the family.
"I think that with everything that has happened Tohru's fragile heart would break if she knew about my broken family. I wouldn't want Tohru to cry on my behalf. I don't deserve it." Caleb said looking at his hands in his lap.
"I'll make sure you two talk before the day is done. I should go find him." Shigure said placing his cup on the coffee table. "I'll see you later." Then Shigure waltzed out the door and left Caleb with his thoughts.
Caleb smiled at the thought of Tohru being happy and smiling brightly. Then he thought of what would happen if she knew about his family. Her smile would disappear and her eyes would cloud with tears of sorrow.
Unknowingly to Caleb or Shigure, Akito had been listening to their conversation. His plan that had been foiled by both Caleb and Yuki was somehow regaining the possibility of success. With no time to spare the wisp of what had been Akito raced of through the air to the Sohma main house where Hatori was innocently sleeping.
Hatori had a lot more time on his hands now that he didn't spend most of his time trying to heal Akito. He had been losing sleep over Tohru until he found out she had gotten better. It was truly amazing how one inhuman man could do such a thing to and innocent girl.
Well now that same man was back to haunt and force Hatori to do his bidding. Akito looked at Hatori dozing in his desk chair before leaping into his mind.
While in Hatori's head, Akito could do one of two things. He could invade Hatori's dreams and make it a nightmare or look through Hatori's unconscious mind. Unlike with Tohru, Akito went for Hatori's brain. When Akito left the Sohma house five minutes later, he had another pawn in his cruel game of chess.
"Hello, is Hatori at home?" Shigure asked walking in the door. Hatori woke to the sound of his voice and emerged from his study. He groaned and held his head.
"Not you again." Hatori said with a pained look on his face.
"Yes, my wonderful accomplice in crime. But I have brought a person to meet you." Shigure then grasped Caleb by the arm and pushed him in front of Hatori. Caleb was a little intimidated by Hatori and couldn't speak.
"I have a huge favor to ask you. I will pay if you want. I just don't want Tohru to remember something that might hurt her." Hatori was uninterested until he heard the word Tohru.
"What exactly do you want me to do." Hatori asked uneasily. Something inside him got excited. (Akito did it!)
"I want you to erase a few little bits of Tohru's memory. Just the pieces where I mention my mother and taking her to England. With everything that is going on I'm afraid she might not handle it well. To put it lightly." Caleb said boldly.
"I don't know. I'd need her permission."
"That's the thing. We don't want her to know about it and so we're going to keep it a secret from little Tohru. Does that make any sense to you?" asked Shigure with a smile.
"I'll do it for Tohru and this man here, not for you." Hatori said turning around to walk back into his study.
"He doesn't like to show it, but Hatori and I are like brothers."
"Shut-up." Called Hatori from his desk. "I'll come by later today."
The movie ended and Kyo walked Tohru back to school. He would be going to the Dojo instead of resuming classes. They shared a short kiss before Tohru ran back inside. Kyo smiled and started walking with his hands in his pockets.
Tohru found Hana-chan and Uo-chan right before the bell rang. And she couldn't hide the smile that had taken over her face.
"I wanted you two to be alone for a minute or two not to skip out on like four classes." Uo-chan said sternly. "What would your mother think?" That last comment made Tohru's smile darken. Hana-chan came to the rescue.
"She would congratulate you for skipping classes with a such a cute guy. I personally wish that there is someone out there for me to skip classes with." Hana-chan looked of into the distance with her sad, emotionless, eyes.
"So where'd you two go? You didn't do anything your mother wouldn't do? Vandalizing and drugs are strictly night business." Uo-chan said teasing her. Tohru's smile came back.
"We went to see an American movie called Glory Road. It was great." Tohru said remembering what had happened only minutes ago.
"Did you happen to see any of this movie?" Hana-chan said with a smile. She glanced over at the whispering girls behind them.
"She's smiling at us! Run!" yelled one of the Yuki fan club members. They all scattered like flies.
The bell rang for their final class and the met up with Yuki, who seemed exhausted. His hair was in disarray as if he slept on it.
"Yuki, why do you look so tired?" Tohru said leaning towards him to fix his hair. Yuki watched her hands fuss with his bangs before answering. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the president of the Yuki fan club glaring at Tohru.
"The council members. They are certainly a wild bunch. I need a nap." Yuki yawned. Uo-chan patted his back in sympathy.
"You should hear about Tohru's outburst today. She got sent out of the classroom." Uo-chan said bumping Tohru with her elbow. "Then you should hear about what she did after-" Tohru's wide eyes and the fact that her hand was over Uo-chan's big mouth signaled to him that he wouldn't be hearing this story anytime soon.
"Let's get to class." Said Tohru giving Yuki a slight smile that nearly melted his heart.
"Where's Kyo?" asked Yuki
"That's another good question, Tohru." Said Uo-chan walking right behind Tohru.
By the time Tohru and Yuki got home Hatori and Shigure were waiting for them. Caleb went looking for a job and couldn't be there. Shigure explained to Hatori exactly what to erase and what to leave be.
"Tohru, I need to speak to you. Alone." Hatori said when they arrived.
"Sure." Tohru walked with Hatori into Shigure's study. Leaving Yuki and his suspicions.
"Why does Hatori want to see Tohru?" Yuki asked Shigure slipping off his backpack.
"Who knows?" Shigure replied sipping his tea. He had an unusually solemn expression. Yuki thought he smelled the acrid scent of alcohol emanating from the teacup. Shaking his head Yuki walked upstairs to his room.
In Shigure's study Hatori stood with his back to Tohru. She watched at his back for a minute and then watched him pace.
"What did you want to tell me?" Tohru asked setting her backpack on a nearby table.
"Tohru how well do you know your brother?" Hatori asked staring out the window at the setting sun. "Does he know about the curse? As far as I know he found out about you in the hospital." Hatori hesitated then turned around. "Come here." Tohru obeyed. "Close your eyes."
Hatori put his hand in front of Tohru's face. The same pose that wiped Kana's memories. For the second time, his heart broke. Twice he wiped the memories, even if it was a small memory, of a girl close to a Sohma. The smile on Tohru's face didn't move. Finally Hatori did what he was supposed to.
There was a bright flash that glowed from under the door. Yuki who had been passing by barged into the study to see Tohru collapsing into a heap at Hatori's feet. He ran to Tohru and pulled her onto her back. Hatori stepped back and stared at his hands.
Filled with anger Yuki stood and faced Hatori. He took one step forward and fiercely drew his hand across Hatori's face. When Yuki turned back to Tohru a large red mark was making it's way along his cheek.
Shigure heard Tohru fall and rushed into the room. Always a little too late. Hatori had warned Shigure that erasing a mind could put it out for a while. He picked Tohru up from the floor and placed her on the couch. Hatori still stood stunned in the study wondering what had happened. Tohru didn't look like she was going to wake anytime soon, but Yuki didn't leave the room.
When Kyo arrived four hours later she had still not awakened. Hatori was sitting in the chair in the study with the door locked. Immediately Kyo wanted to break down the door and attack him, but Shigure stopped him.
"Hey!" Shigure called from the living room. Tohru was yawning and sitting up as if she woke from a really long nap. Kyo, Yuki, and Hatori flocked to the couch. Tohru opened her eyes.
"Who are you?" Tohru asked looking each one of them in the face.
"What the hell did you do to her!" Kyo yelled advancing on Hatori.
"I-I was only supposed to erase a little of her mind. Only the part about his mother." Hatori stammered trying to realize what he had done.
"It's my fault. I told Caleb about Hatori. He didn't Tohru to hurt herself anymore than she had been hurt." Shigure said hanging his head ashamed. "Tohru had already been hurt enough and he didn't want her to be anymore broken than she already was."
"Excuse me," Everyone looked at Tohru. "Who is Tohru?" she asked kindly. The smile still on her face. Then Hatori realized what happened. He had erased every scrap of memory in Tohru little head.
"You are Tohru." Yuki said kindly.
"Then what happened to me? You are all talking about me as if I'm broken and hurt, but I feel fine." Tohru looked at Kyo and Shigure.
"You were hurt." Kyo couldn't look in Hatori's direction.
"Is that why I feel like crying?" Tohru asked innocently. The Hatori started crying. Sobs racked his shoulders.
"Dammit, Akito. Damn you Akito." Hatori whispered under his breath. They all heard him and Tohru cringed in fear.
"Where's Akito?" she asked her eyes wide and her knees drawn up to her chest. That just made Hatori cry harder and Kyo had to turn around and look up at the ceiling to stop the tears from coming. Hatori couldn't cry for his own benefit, but he cried at Tohru's expense.
Tohru got up and no one stopped her. She left for a minute then returned with a glass of water. Tohru set it on the table and leaned toward Hatori. The young girl flung her arms around the tall man's waist. Shigure leaped forward to stop her but it was too late. Hatori's arms had wrapped around her too and then there was a cloud of white and blue. In Tohru's arms was a small sea horse that was gasping for water. She dropped him in the glass of water and set him on the table.
"I'm sorry. I've been too much trouble." Tohru said staring at the Hatori-fish with sad eyes.
"Why did you get that glass of water?" asked Yuki sitting next to Tohru.
"For when he turned into a sea horse." Tohru said without looking at anyone.
"How did you know he would turn into a sea horse?" Shigure asked
"I don't know."
"Stupid Hatori!" screamed a voice by the door. "You idiot! Her full memory was supposed to be wiped. I force you to do one thing and you can't get that right! You lousy excuse for a dragon." Akito stood with his arms by his side, fists clenched. Hatori whimpered in his glass.
Tohru tried to hide behind Yuki, but he saw her. "And you! My plans were all great until you came along. You stupid bitch!" Akito walked forward. He was somehow transparent and wispy looking. "I wanted you to pay for what you had done! I wanted you to die. Now it seems that you have a new future ahead of you." He smiled wickedly. "One where you won't be rid of me."
Akito walked forward and laughed. "It's all your fault. It's all your fault."
Tohru's eyes watered and she stared past Akito. She shook her head and whispered. "It's not my fault. I didn't do anything."
"When I get my body back it will totally and completely be your fault." Akito said his smile twisting his face into a hideous mask of hate.
"It's all my fault. It's all my fault." Tohru said tears streaming down her face.
Then Akito suddenly became nothing but a wisp of grey air. As fast as lightening he streaked across the room until he reached Tohru. He split himself up and entered in her ears, nose, and eyes.
"Mwah ha ha ha ha I am victorious!" Akito screamed. Tohru clutched her head and writhed as if in pain. Her mouth formed as if screaming, but no sound came from her throat.
Akito was now inside her. Taking control of her body's movements and slowly turning her insane. The only thing the Sohmas could do now is to wait and see.
Tanka 2 my reviewers. It took me awhile to write this chapter. I hate math. I get such bad grades.
mz animefreak
Machi Kuragi
CxHforever
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viviana tully
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ShadowDog34
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Trumpet-Geek
Aaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnndddddddddd our new friend
Bubbles! Okay, so it's not bubbles. It's bubbleblast93 but one of my friends' nicknames is bubbles so I luv that name. Bubbles. Hee. I'm stopping.