Chapter 7: The Dragon

Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket.

A/N: I am so sorry about the late update. I didn't mean to put it off for so long. The story is almost finished so the chapters will be posted quickly if not all at once. Again I'm so very sorry about the lateness of the update.

It was in shock that Kisa Sohma found her cousin wandering the street. The little boy was decked out in crimson blood which was obviously not his own. His clothes were torn and his face was tear-stained.

Hikaru wasn't oblivious to the secrets of the Sohma family. He wasn't oblivious to the whispers that surrounded him. When he walked down the street with his mother he could hear what people said.

"Look at that boy's hair."

"I wonder if that's his real color."

"Those red eyes are the most disturbing things I have ever seen."

"He can't possibly be that woman's child. He looks nothing like her."

The kids at school didn't even attempt to hide their contempt for him.

"You look funny."

"You're a freak."

"Why do you have orange hair and red eyes?"

This time the comments had gone too far. The six year old boy could take abuse as long as it was directed at him.

It all started because he didn't want to play with the other children. He stood alone leaning against the wall watching the others play.

"Hey freak, why aren't you like us?"

Hikaru turned his crimson eyes meeting the gaze of three other boys a year or so older than him. He just ignored them.

"I'm talking to you. You think you're too good to play with us?" the leader of the gang demanded.

Hikaru continued to stare off into space.

"I hear your father is a good for nothing who finally got what he deserved. As for your mother, my dad says she's a pretty lady but that she's got nothing for brains. She's as dimwitted as they come. She must be so sad to have born a thing like you. But then again she was stupid enough to take up with your worthless father," the leader jeered.

"My father wasn't worthless,' Hikaru said.

His voice was a low rumble. He could take any taunt directed at him but taunts about his parents were too far. His mother—he knew others thought she was naieve but she was a good person. She never asked for anything. His father had been a brave man and he had taught Hikaru to uphold his principles. Hikaru could take the tormenting of himself but his precious people were not deserving of such words.

"Keep saying that. Your mother can marry again maybe she'll bring home a decent man. After all she must be able to do something for a man. I head she's got nice legs and has such a sweet—"

The boy never got a chance to finish.

The boys were older than Hikaru who was only seven but Hikaru had heard that filth spoken before. Their parents spoke about other people as they weren't their and Tohru with her naïveté was just one their targets.

There were too many of them for Hikaru to take on alone and he was left a bloody mess. If he reported it to the teacher, they wouldn't care. He was the new kid and a few of these people had heard stories about his parents. So he did what any normal seven year old would do. He ran.

He had been wandering the streets for several hours when Kisa found him. At first he was scared of her not recognizing her from the funeral.

"It's alright," she said soothingly.

For a moment he was reminded of his mother as she placed a gentle hand on his forehead and picked him up. He was still small enough to carry and Kisa hugged him as she nestled into her shoulder.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?"

"I—they deserved it! No one talks about my parents like that. No one! I couldn't let them say those things and go unpunished! I—"

"Shhh, it's okay. Come on let's get you cleaned up."

She walked him over to the clinic and sat him in a chair.

"Sohma-san, I didn't expect to see you today," the receptionist greeted cheerfully.

Kisa smiled slightly. "Is Hari in Aki-chan?"

"Doctor Sohma has just gotten back from lunch. Do you need to see him right away?"

"My nephew is pretty banged up," Kisa said gesturing towards Hikaru who was glaring in the corner.

Aki gasped as she looked at the blood on the child. "I'll get Doctor Sohma right away. Why don't you bring him to the back?"

"Arigato, Aki-chan."

Kisa hoisted the boy up and took him into Hatori's office.

The former dragon sat quietly as he questioned the boy. The long hands moved over the cuts and scrapes. There was a lot of blood for a simple childish fight and that made Hatori wonder. "Please tell me you weren't fighting because they made fun of the color of your hair"

"Otousan always said that that was never a reason to fight. Okaasan said she was glad I had orange hair. So why would I fight because of that? I like being like my father!" the boy shouted.

Hatori shook his head. The boy was Kyo reincarnated even down to the glare. Hatori had visited a few times but mostly it was to check up on Tohru's health. He had noticed her exhaustion and had found an ally in Saki Hanajima who constantly informed him of Tohru's health. The boy seemed to be coping better but the fight—

"You can't act out like this."

"I wasn't acting out. I was defending my parents!"

"What happened?" Kisa asked softly. "Did someone say something about Sissy?"

Hikaru poured out his story. Kisa made him trust her. She didn't seem the type to judge or get angry and when he finished she just hugged him.

"Please don't tell my mother," Hikaru begged his uncle and aunt. "She already sad."

"I'm sure the school has already contacted her about you going missing," Hatori said.

"I know but—"

"Sissy will be very upset. I promise we won't tell her what the fight was about," Kisa said smiling at the boy. "But we tell her that you got into a bit of a fight and that you left school. We can't hide that from her."

"Just as long as she doesn't know what the fight was about," Hikaru said.

Kisa smiled. "We have a deal as long as if something like this happens again you come to one of us. Uncle Hatori and I will do whatever we can to help you."

"Hikaru, I suggest you go into the waiting room. Kisa will take you home in a few minutes."

Hikaru headed out to the hallway but stayed listening to the door.

"Kisa, I don't think you should hide such a thing from Tohru," Hatori said clinically.

"Hari, Sissy has been so sad. She doesn't need this right besides you know he's telling the truth."

"It's obvious."

"We can't tell Sissy. Besides he's a good boy just like Kyo was."

"I don't agree but I won't tell Tohru."

"Thanks Hari, you're the best."

Hikaru grinned. Aunt Kisa was his favorite aunt.

To be continued….