Yoruko's Resolve

Beg Note: Thanks to RinHaru4ever who never fails to review and encourages me to finish this story. I'm sorry I didn't upload earlier; I had this chapter written I just forgot. That is really bad of me I know but I thought I had uploaded this earlier. And I know it's been months, I'm so sorry.

The little colour in Yuki's pale face left. "Get out of my house!" he uttered quietly.

I didn't show my fear, instead I said, "I will go now, give you time to think about your answer, but I will be waiting," I then turned to leave.

"I'll call your parents," he called after me.

I walked down the dirt path but had no idea where the Sohma grounds were located. This was ridiculous I couldn't get about anywhere. I wandered about, going in the direction I thought was right. 'Might as well explore,' I thought, 'Need to get to know this place, I can't count on anyone anymore.'

As I reached the edge of the forest, I felt hopeless. Questions like 'should I give up?' ran through my head. Maki had given up, that must be the reason he just ran off like that. All the adults had given up.

No, I couldn't, if I did, who would save Kyou? But even Kyou had given up.

I was walking down the road when the Souma grounds came into sight, I had found them although I wasn't consciously looking for them. It looks like it was time for me to go home. I entered the Souma grounds and wondered around till I got to my house. I didn't pass anyone.

I knocked lightly on the door, I didn't feel like ringing the bell or knocking harder, I think I secretly didn't want to be heard. I assumed that mum was waiting at the door because she heard my soft knocks and opened almost immediately.

"Petal!" was all she said and pulled me into a tight hug, "Don't go missing for days ever again, it's too much strain for your dad and I!"

"I'm sorry mum, I didn't mean to, can you let go off me, your embrace is a little painful," I moaned.

"Are you okay? I heard… never mind, you look like you need some sleep. Bed" she ordered.

"Mum, its morning," I groaned but walked up to my room anyway. I wanted to sleep I felt so glum.

I lay down on my bed, I tried my best to sleep but the miserable thoughts that plagued me refused to go away and give me peace enough to sleep. Why was this family cursed there must have been a reason. Did anyone know what it was, or had it been forgotten when everyone became resigned to the fact that they would be cursed for eternity.

Then why was the cat hated more than all the other animals, surely if people were cursed they would want to be together to comfort each other or some sort, but one was excluded, although he shared the pain of everyone else. I had to see Kyou again, but would he want to see me?

I heard a knock, so I sat up and looked at the door, was it mum, "Come in," I called quietly, I wasn't sure if I wanted to talk to anyone at the moment. The door opened and Yoruko walked into the room. "Onee-chan, what do you want?" I didn't mean to make my voice so hostile but I was still angry with her.

"Your not going to give up, are you?"

"No," I said defiantly, although I was thinking, 'what is the point?'

"I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"For what?" I asked warily.

"For before, I want to help now,"

"What made you change your mind?"

"Don't question me, this is against my better judgement."

I considered telling her about my question to Yuki but I felt like keeping that to myself so I told her about my thoughts about Kyou.

"Your not gonna let up, are you?"

"I'm sure we just established that," I answered annoyed.

"It's just we decided not to tell you, telling you about the curse was debated…"

"How could that be debated, I am apart of it, or have you forgotten."

"It's not me who decides, and I'm not supposed to tell you about Kyou but you've got to promise me, you won't tell anyone that I told you," I nodded but what I really thinking was why was I not allowed to know, am I not trustworthy?

"As the story goes there was a banquet and God said 'Whatever you do, don't be late,'… so the rat told the cat that the banquet was the day after tomorrow, when actually it was the next day… All the animals made their way to see God, all of them except for the cat who slept dreaming about the banquet he was never going to get to."

"What's that got to do with anything?" I asked dumbfounded.

"That's why the cat is hated, the cat is more cursed then any zodiac, the cat is a monster, he's disgusting." Yoruko said the last bit in a whisper.

"You can't think that?" I gasped.

"It's the truth," she said mater-of-factly.

"Well, I don't believe that," I said boldly.

"So what do you think?" annoyance edging into her voice.

"I don't know, I'm going to find out, but that is all wrong, Kyou is not a monster, he never was and never will be. The cat wasn't a monster, he just missed a feast and even if he was, that had nothing to with Kyou."

"Why don't you ask your precious Yuki what he thinks of that… of Kyou!" she spat at me.

"You didn't come to help me, you came to set me straight, to convince me of your beliefs," I said miserably, "Which are all wrong! Get out!" I put as much venom in to my voice as possible. How could she be like that, think that, how could anybody think that?

--

I may not have liked what Yoruko had said, but it gave me insight, I sort of knew why he was locked up. It gave me something to continue. I was angry. How could anybody justify this? In addition I wondered why I was so worked up. Maybe it was because I had experienced the horror of that place.

I lay down thinking about what I should do and must off drifted off; not so long later mum was calling me to come down for dinner. I went down stairs and shot Yoruko a dirty look before sitting down. She looked crestfallen and I couldn't help but feel guilty, she was my sister after all. But I wasn't going to talk to her. Not yet, I couldn't.

After dinner I got up and helped mum do the dishes. "Where's dad?" I asked

"He's away," mum said shortly.

"Mum can I go and visit Maki?" I asked although the person I really wanted to see was Yuki.

"No, not at this time maybe tomorrow"

Mum seemed preoccupied. Where was dad? I went up to my room and tried to sleep some more but I couldn't maybe it was because I had slept all day.

Yoruko walked in my room, "I thought I heard you come up the stairs, there's something I've got to tell you."

"I don't want to listen," I said annoyed. Yoruko ignored this statement and came and sat on my bed.

"One day I took this wrong turn, I saw this man, he was about thirty. He was behind some bars that looked out into a garden," she started, I looked away, I knew where she was. I had been there, but on the other side of the bars.

"So… You saw Kyou! You would have seen that he was not a monster then!"

"It was raining," she continued as if I hadn't said anything, "I was crying, and he put his hand through the bars and on my shoulder to comfort me. There were black and white beads decorating his wrist. I touched them because they interested me and somehow lost my balance, the beads came with me."

I looked at my sister pitifully. Why was she telling me about something that happened so many years ago?

"He screamed, his voice changed, it went all multi-toned and the smell, I just wanted to be sick. It was so scary, I saw it, the monster, I ran away. It was disgusting!"

I looked at her in shock, what was she trying to say? "I need to sleep," I said imperceptibly. Yoruko got up and left. I lay down staring at the ceiling. "Yuki hates him, you know, more than anyone else, he found me back then, comforted me, and told me…" she let her voice trial off and left.

I could hear voices; they belonged to mum and Tooru. I strained to hear what they were saying. Tooru seem distressed.

End note: Okay, I will leave it there. I am writing the next chapter as I upload this so hopefully the next update should be soon although what is soon. I think that Petal has set of the catalyst for change, the one that many people before her tried to achieve before her but never quite got there, especially with the tragedy that happened.