Chapter 3: Welcome To Absolute Insanity!

(B/N: yea, I told her to cut the last chapter short. I'm the one who has to read and edit!!!! So if you're mad, be mad at me. And if you're mad, well… too bad, I don't care!)

(A/N: ok, yes. I am slow. Sorry, I've just been busy as hell!)

Tariana: I was beginning to think you had forgotten all about us. But, you wouldn't dare do that. Would you?

Nikooru: You're so mean! Leaving me and Tem-Tem alone so looong!! thought Not like I didn't enjoy it… end thought

Tem-Tem: Just get us out of the friggin' woods now, please!!

DISCLAIMER: Ok, you should all know this by now… I DO NOT own Fruits Basket!! I only wish I did. On with the show.

(Illva's P.O.V.)

"Tem! Nikooru!" I had been walking around screaming for them for the past hour, but had gotten no response yet. Where on earth could they be?? I was worried, not really for their safety, but more for Nikooru's feelings. She was bound to try something if left alone with him too long. I'm not stupid, I can tell the girl likes him, and that she hates me. I just wish he would figure it out already! That stupid brother of mine… (A/N: the big shocker! Illva and Tem-Tem aren't dating. They're related. Any of you who wanted to see them as a couple, just wipe the idea out of your sick little minds.) (B/N: Yes, Tem-Tem is my bro! So no freaky stuff will be happening between us!) I walked a little farther, listening and watching carefully for any sign of them. Suddenly, I heard a twig snap nearby. As I headed towards the sound, I began to hear two voices arguing. There was no doubt about it: it was Nikooru and my brother, just a few feet away. For a minute, I cruelly wondered what would happen if I just walked away, pretended not to hear them, and just left them in the woods to fend for them selves. However, I knew that they wouldn't last long against whatever creatures lurked in these woods. I ran towards the sound, stumbling through bushes and weeds. When I finally emerged out of the underbrush and saw them, I got the shock of my life: Nikooru and my brother were kissing!

(A/N: This has been a long time in the coming. Hee hee.)

(Nikooru's P.O.V.)

"Well, this sucks," said Tem-Tem as we walked around, lost in the woods. It doesn't suck, Tem-Tem, as long as I'm with you. I secretly liked being lost.

"Come, on, let's sit down for awhile. I'm tired of walking," I complained. Tem-Tem sighed.

"Ok. I guess you're right. There's no point in walking around, because we are never going to get out of here!" He sat down heavily.

"Way to be an optimist." I sat in front of him, and he shot me a glare. "Oh, come on, Tem-Tem! It's not that bad. Do you really hate being with me that much?" There was a long silence.

"No. I guess not." He finally said.

"Good." I smiled shyly at him. "I was beginning to wonder." He cocked an eyebrow.

"What do you mean," he asked carefully.

"Oh, please! Do I have to put it on a billboard before you get it?!? I like you, Tem-Tem!"

"Nikooru…." He said, getting up and turning his back to me. "I don't..."

"No! Don't say it, because I don't want to hear it. I like you, and I can't help it!" I stood up and put my hand on his shoulder. "I don't care if Illva and you are dating. That doesn't change anything for me."

"What?!?!?" He whipped around suddenly. "You think… Illva and I are… dating?" He started laughing.

"What? What's so funny?" I demanded.

"Nikooru, Illva and I aren't dating. She's my sister, for Pete's sake!" My jaw dropped.

"She's your…sister?" Oh, my god, I feel so bad for hating her now!!

"Yes. My half-sister."

"Not your girlfriend?" He shook his head vigorously. "Are you lying? Playing a joke on me?" I advanced on him, fist raised.

"Whoa, no!" He said quickly, trying to calm me down. "I swear I'm telling the truth. She's my sister, we've just never met before now because she's lived in Japan since she was two years old, but she was born in Ireland. I just met her three days ago." I lowered my arm and stared at him blankly.

"Oh. So then… you're single?" I asked, feeling hopeful. Oh, please say yes, I prayed.

"….yes. I am," he said slowly, "but… Nikooru?" He sighed. "I don't know what you're expecting, but I'm not really sure if I like you that way."

"Tem-Tem…"

"Let me finish. I mean, you're a really good friend, and pretty, and all that but…"

"But what, exactly? Don't give me the usual cop out 'we're better off as friends' crap. I've liked you for ages. I won't take no for an answer. That might sound kind of desperate, but I'm not going to ignore the feelings I have for you anymore!" He looked down at the ground and shuffled his feet. "Look at me," I commanded. He glanced up, then back down. I moved closer to him. "Tem-Tem, please. Look at me so I can at least feel like I have a chance, that I'm not wasting my time." There was a long pause, and my heart began to sink. Then, ever so slowly, he raised his head and gave me a small smile.

"You're not wasting your time," he said. I smiled, and then something strange suddenly came over me. Before I could decide to change my mind, I pulled him to me, looked at him as boldly as I could, and kissed him. It was everything I thought it would be. I don't know how long we stood there, but it felt like forever, like permanence. My head swam with emotions, and I stopped thinking, just lost myself completely in the power of it.

(A/N: Yes, Finally! It's happened! Sweet!)

(Tem-Tem's P.O.V.)

Oh, wow, I thought, what is happening to me? Nikooru was kissing me, and my thoughts were whirling from the sudden rush of emotions I was trying to process. I…all this time, and I didn't know how I really felt. I always thought of her as my friend, but suddenly… I think I like this. I really like this! Suddenly I heard someone crashing through the bushes nearby. Nikooru and I broke apart, startled, and turned to see…. My sister?!?!? Oh, no… did she just see Nikooru and me kissing?? From the look on her face, I was sure she had. (A/N: Well… yes. She saw, alright.) (B/N: No duh.)

"Illva…" said Nikooru, attempting to act normal, but fooling no one.

"Something you want to tell me?" Illva was grinning.

"Um…well…you see, this isn't what it looks like," I started, but Illva cut me off.

"Oh, I see. So we're all out here looking for you two all this time, thinking you two were hopelessly lost. But your not really too worried about being lost, you all are too busy making out!" She glared at us, hands on her hips. "Sound about right?" I blushed.

"Illva, it's my fault," said Nikooru quietly. "I…" her voice faded out as Illva laughed.

"Ok, yeah, whatever. Let's just go."

"Please don't tell anyone," I begged. She looked at me like I was crazy.

"They wouldn't be interested anyway. Let's just go find them. Besides, you can do whatever you want, just do it on your own time." We start walking, and no one talks until we reach the others, about ten minutes later. I can't believe it! All the time we were wandering around looking for them, they were fifty feet away!

"Tem-Tem! Nikooru!" Kir runs jumps off the rock he's been sitting on and runs to us, Tariana close behind him. He stops three centimeters away from us and peers at our faces closely. "Hmm…" he says, "I think… something happened in the woods. To you two. I can see it in your eyes and read it in your faces." (A/N: Did I ever mention Kir has an amazing intuition?) Nikooru's face flushes, but I manage to keep my gaze steady.

"No. Not really," I say, at the same time as Nikooru. We look at each other nervously. Kir looks at us, takes a step back, and nods seriously.

"Yeah… it's something. I can tell. Hmm… I know! I got it! I know exactly what it is!" He stares at us in shock. "I can't believe it..." he mutters.

"What?" I demand. "What do you think you know?" Nikooru looks like she's on the edge of a nervous breakdown.

"You saw a bear, didn't you?" Nikooru and I looked at each other, disbelieving our luck. We'd just been handed a cover story! Hastily, we nodded.

"Scary!" said Kir, shaking his head. "You're lucky that you are okay!"

"Well…" I said, shifting from foot to foot uncomfortably, "As interesting as this is, I think we should get out of the woods." Everyone nodded, and we started off. After about twenty minuites of walking, we began to hear someone's voice muttering nearby.

"Stupid Rat… Always wins at everything! Why the hell can't he just go die?!? I wouldn't miss his ass!" We all exchanged looks, then Nikooru suddenly muttered "Oh my god…" We stared at her.

"What?"

"I… I think that's… OMG!" She screamed, and suddenly we heard someone nearby jump.

"WHAT THE….? Who's there?" The voice got closer, then a figure emerged from among the trees. It was a guy about my age, with bright orange hair. He was moderately tall, and skinny but muscular.

"Kyo-san?" Nikooru said quietly, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Who the HELL are YOU, and WHAT THE HELL are you doing in my woods? AND HOW DO YOU KNOW MY NAME?!" Kyo asked.

"Um…" I said, "that's a looong story."

"We kind of just ended up here. You wouldn't believe me if I told you how." Suddenly we heard another voice approaching.

"Kyo?" the voice called.

"Uh, over here, Thoru!" Who's Thoru, I wondered. Then another person stepped out from the trees. It was a girl, kind of short, and a little ditzy looking. But pretty, in a sort of dumb blond kind of way. She saw Kyo first, and looked at him in confusion.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked, then she turned and saw us, and her face lit up in a smile. "Oh, wow!" she said, "Hi! I'm Thoru! Who are you? I don't think I've seen you before."

"Well, we're not exactly from here," I said.

"You're not? Are you travelers? Have you come far?"

"Well, kind of, in a way." Her face grew concerned.

"Oh! You must come back with us," she said. "And rest." We all exchanged looks, wondering if we should, but Kyo interrupted.

"Are you crazy?!? We don't even know who these people are, Thoru! They're strangers!" Thoru stared at him blankly.

"So?" She asked him. "What does that matter? They're far from where they started. Shouldn't we show them kindness by giving them a chance to eat, and rest?" Kyo glared.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Thoru. It's not safe! What if…" but he never finished, because Nikooru stepped forward and interrupted him.

"I know your secret, Kyo-san," she said softly. "I know about the Zodiac and I know about the curse."

"WHAT THE HELL?!?!" Kyo asked, jaw dropping. (A/N: Carrot-Top is about to pop! Tee-hee!) He exchanged glances with Thoru. "See? They know too much already. We have to take them to see Hatori." Thoru went pale.

"No… not Ha-san…" she said quietly. "Isn't there some other way? We don't even know how much of it they know… Let's ask Shigure-san about it! He always knows what to do!" Kyo glanced at us, looking us over. After a few minutes, he sighed.

"Fine," he said to Thoru, then turning to us he said, "Follow us."

THE END!!!

A/N: Well, I hope you like it! They finally met the Sohmas, so I guess we'll see what happens…. And… there are many more surprises to come so please keep reading the chapters! And I would love any reviews, or comments, that you might have! Until next Chapter!

B/N: Review, or I won't let her post the next chapter!!!!