Grad Night
It's the evening of their graduation and Kyo and Tohru spend one last visit on the roof of Shigure's house together, unknowing to what plans will soon be in store for the two of them. Now a full length story! Rated for language!
Me: Hello! Sorry for the slight delay. I've been working on a story to pitch for my video production class. I'm telling you, they're a tough crowd. They haven't found any interest in my ideas, so it's really depressing. Wish me luck tomorrow! Now, without further ado, I'll start with answering the reviewers:
burakku aisu: LOL! I love the randomness. Enjoy that one! Thanks so much for the review! I'm glad you like my story! LOL, I'm eating ham now.
Glorious Kyouru Shimuri: Yeah, I know. Kyo didn't mean to scare Tohru. He was just so happy to see her again, that it startled him that she was acting like this. But I'm glad you like the way this story was going. Gives you a Kyo plushie
collective2220: Please don't cry! I'll make everything better! I promise! Thank you for the review!
Moonflower: I'm getting the chapters out as I can! I hope you're enjoying them!
xSmile: Don't worry about not reviewing! I'm just glad that you're enjoying my story! There's more to come! Thanks for reviewing!
Fruits-Basket-Wanna-B.: LOL. Don't worry. This is not the end. No, the story does not end. It will continue in chapter 9 and so forth. There's nothing to fear.
TheFoxGirlKitsune: Thanks for the review! I know, Kyo's heart has been torn up. But there's more to come!
Loversflame: Thank you so much for the review! I am so happy that you're enjoying it! There's more to come!
smiles4100: Meep! Don't worry! There's more to come! I won't disappoint you! I promise!
Obob: I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you cry! I know, not a lot of what Tohru would think would make sense. You'll like the ending!
sillygirlsis: I'm glad you like it! I'm updating as soon as my fingers allow me to type.
AKITO. At The Disco: I'm glad you and Midnight Dream enjoy my story! Thanks for the review!
Midnight Shadows Starlight: HA! My favorite reviewers! I'm so glad that you two are enjoying my story! I LOVE your reviews! They make me so happy! Thank you so much for the plushies, the gingerbread man, and the birthday greetings! You two are such good friends!
Me: WOW! That was a lot of reviews! I feel so blessed to have such kind reviews like you guys! I hope you guys like this chapter! It's the longest one so far! This page counted as 9 pages on Microsoft Word. Now I will introduce you to the character that will read off the disclaimer—
//SUDDENLY, out of no where, a thick bag is thrown over Hinata's head and is tied up in thick ropes.//
Me: WHY?! WHY CAN'T I HAVE JUST ONE NORMAL DISCLAIMER READING?!
Kidnapper//Finishes tying up Hinata and throws her over his shoulder.// Hinata Pensuke does not own Fruits Basket. //Vanishes like a ninja.//
TO BE CONTINUED…
It was Saki Hanajima that found Tohru on the doorstep of the apartment a few hours later. The Onigiri was still in her working clothes and tears were streaming down her cheeks. No matter how hard Uo and Hana tried, they couldn't get their friend to stop crying. So in the end, they helped her into a pair of pajamas and put her to bed. The young woman cried herself to sleep.
"God, I wonder what happened to her." Uo said in the kitchen, steadying herself by the sink while looking out the window.
"Tohru's going through a difficult time." Hana replied, sitting in the doorway that separated the kitchen from the dining area. "Regaining her memories after so many years is a hard thing to endure."
"I wish there was more we could do for our little Tohru." Said the former gang member sadly.
"For now, let's just give her some space." Hana reasoned. "All she needs is time."
Sachiko came into the kitchen. "What's wrong with Mama?"
Suddenly, the telephone rang.
"I'll get it." Said Uo, walking away from the room to look for the phone. "My agent…"
Hana looked at Sachiko. "Do you want to know what happened to your mother, child?"
Sachiko nodded. "What's wrong?"
"Something wonderful."
"But she was crying!"
Hana smiled and pulled her niece close. "Well you see, six years ago, her memories were taken away from her."
Sachiko gasped. "How come?"
"Because of powers beyond her control." Hana replied. "The leader of this cursed family ordered that her memories were to be taken away."
"What kind of memories?" The child asked.
"All the good times she shared with this family." Hana explained. "The times she laughed with them, cried with them, even saved their lives. Even memories of the man she loved—your father—were taken away from her."
"I have a Papa?" Sachiko's eyes were wide and full of wonder.
Hana smiled. "Yes, you do."
"I can't wait to tell Kyo-onii-chan!"
"But Sachiko, Kyo-onii-chan is your Papa."
Uo appeared in the doorway. The wireless phone was in her hand. "The line went dead and the news said a storm is rolling in."
"Tohru, aren't you supposed to be sleeping now?" A warm female voice asked. "Are you feeling okay?"
Tohru found herself sitting up, her eyes resting on the form of her mother in her bedroom doorway. She was a young child again and her dear mother was alive again.
"I can't sleep." The Onigiri replied.
Kyoko smiled and came into the bedroom. She settled in next to her daughter and propped her head with her hand. "Do you want me to tell you a story?"
Tohru felt her face light up. "Yes please!"
The Red Butterfly pushed a few hairs from her little girl's face, thinking of a story to tell. "Once upon a time, God told all the animals: 'Tomorrow I'll invite you to my banquet, so do not be late.'"
Suddenly, the room went dark and Tohru was no longer in that old childhood bedroom. But yet her mother still told the story as though she was still there.
"After hearing the news, the rat—who enjoyed practical jokes—told his neighbor the cat that the banquet would be the day after tomorrow.
Images and scenes of past dreams filled Tohru's sight. All of them featured two high school-aged boys verbally and physically fighting each other. Yet no sound from them could be heard, Tohru felt an understanding of what she was seeing.
One boy had grayish hair and a cool collected aura seemed to hang about him. Tohru recognized him.
"Prince Sohma Yuki." Said the Onigiri out loud.
The other had burning orange hair and a "tough guy" manner. Hotheaded yet eyes that had been through too much pain and rejection. Tohru didn't have to second-guess herself. This was Sohma Kyo! She turned away, feeling quite afraid.
Kyoko's voice came back as images began to melt away and reappear with different people. Now person after new person kept appearing and vanishing.
"On that day, the rat rode on the ox and jumped off to get into the banquet first. The ox followed, and then came the tiger and everyone else. The celebration lasted until the next morning."
With every face that appeared before Tohru, names seemed to rise from the dusty corners of her long-forgotten memories…
Sohma Yuki: the rat
Sohma Shigure: the dog
Sohma Ayame: the snake
Sohma Hatori: the dragon
Sohma Kisa: the tiger
Sohma Hiro: the sheep
Sohma Ritsu: the monkey
Sohma Momiji: the rabbit
Sohma Rin: the horse
Sohma Kureno: the rooster
Sohma Kagura: the boar
Sohma Hatsuharu: the cow
Confusion and a little fear was building up within Tohru. Why was she suddenly remembering all of these names? Why was she pairing them with animals from the Chinese Zodiac?
"All except the cat, who had been tricked."
Tohru at last saw the orange-haired man from earlier that day. He was sitting by his barred wall with the loneliest look the Onigiri had ever seen. She felt a strange desire, compelling her to embrace him and to tell him that everything would be okay.
"He'll transform if I do." Said Tohru to herself.
But she shook her head. Transform?
Transform into what?
The cat of the Sohma Family curse.
And then they came back. Each and every memory that had been suppressed was flying back to her as though the glass jar that contained them shattered.
The Zodiac curse, the stories, the laughter, the tears…they all came back. Even memories of being in love.
Tohru found herself in another room. It was dark, but the moonlight fell upon two lovers lying in bed. She saw none other than Kyo and herself lying naked beneath the blankets together. They looked as though the had just finished making love for the first time and now they just held onto one another as tightly as they could.
Tohru saw herself began to cry.
"What's wrong?" Kyo asked, brushing away his soul mate's tears.
"I don't want you do go." Sobbed younger Tohru.
Kyo kissed her forehead and rubbed her bare back, trying to calm her. "I know…I don't want to go, too."
Tohru looked at him as though trying to burn into memory every inch of his being.
"I love you, Kyo."
The Neko ran his fingers gently through his love's hair. "I love juice."
Tohru blinked cutely. "What?"
"You." Said Kyo, laughing. "I love you."
The Onigiri then giggled and kissed her Neko on the forehead. For just that moment, neither of them worried about the future.
"Don't forget about me." Kyo whispered in Tohru's ear. "Okay?"
She smiled. "I won't, I promise.
Then, Tohru woke up. Sitting up, she looked out the stormy window.
"Oh no…what have I done?"
News of what happened in the ominous Cat's Room spread like fire around the inside and outside of the Sohma compound. Someone was sent at once to clean up the mess that Tohru left behind and to look for the key, which in the end was never found.
All through this, Kyo sat by his barred all, refusing to answer any questions. Even when the last person left, he refused to even move an inch for several hours. He just sat at his usual spot and watched the storm intensify.
Suddenly the door swung open with a gigantic bang, making the Neko jump. He thought maybe the heavy winds had yanked the door open. But no, it was something far worse.
It was Momiji.
"Cheer up, emo kitty!" Cried the Rabbit in his playful voice.
Kyo looked up at him. "Momiji? What the fu—"
The clash of thunder and lighting drowned the rest of what the Neko was going to say. He watched as Momiji came into the room and shut the door behind him.
"I heard what happened in here." He started, setting a rain soaked umbrella down by the door.
"You and every other idiot." Kyo replied.
"You shouldn't have scared Tohru like that." The Rabbit scolded. "You made her lose her job!"
Kyo frowned. "Why should I care? Tohru doesn't even remember me!"
"Her memories were erased!" Cried Momiji.
"So?!"
The Rabbit sighed and started to dig around in a mess of a messenger bag that he was carrying. "I have something to give to you."
Kyo sighed. "A headache?"
"No." Replied Momiji. He took out a large envelope and tossed it over to the Neko.
Kyo felt the object hit his leg and looked down on it for some time. "What's in it?"
Momiji's head tilted to the side. "You'll have to open it."
The Neko stared at it again before dumping the contents. A few photographs and a folded piece of paper fell out. He looked at one of the pictures, a close-up of a woman.
"A picture of Tohru?" Kyo snorted. "Thanks."
Momiji smiled. "That's not all. Look at the other pictures."
Kyo did and he frowned. "Hey, it's that girl."
"Sachiko."
Kyo hesitated before he spoke. "How do know her?"
"I don't know her personally." Momiji explained. "But I do know who she is."
"Yeah, well who is she then?" Kyo asked with a heavy sarcastic tone in his voice.
"Her name is Honda Sachiko."
The Neko froze and dropped the pictures. He backed away from them. "She's Tohru's Daughter?!"
"Yup."
Now Kyo was angry. He started pacing the room, his anger level growing. It couldn't be! Tohru decided to be with another man?! It wasn't fair! "Dammit, Momiji! Why are you telling me this?! Is it not enough that I have to stay locked up in here even though Akito died already?! Is it even enough that I have to stay locked up in this fucking cell even though the spirit of the bastard cat left me?! I can't transform if I run into anyone anymore! Why are you telling me this?!"
"Because I figured the father of the child would want to know."
There was a painfully long stretch of silence. Kyo stopped pacing and looked to Momiji.
"What did you just say?"
The Rabbit smiled. "I just figured you had a right to know."
"Sachiko is my daughter?"
"Yes."
Kyo took a shaking breath and slowly sank to his knees. "What have I done?"
Momiji picked up the piece of paper that fell from the envelope. "You still have a chance, you know. You can go now."
"I can't." Kyo replied. "I'll just scare Tohru even more!"
"There's no harm in trying."
"I don't even know where she lives!"
"Wrong." Said Momiji, holding out the paper in front of him. "It's the address she stays at during the weekends."
Kyo stared at it and then up at Momiji. The Rabbit smiled at him, his eyes begging for him to take it.
And the Neko did. Without missing a beat, Kyo was up and out the door. The address was clenched in one tight hand.