Me: Hello my dear, sweet reviewers! Are you ready to see me again?
SWD: Maybe.
Me: Well, apparently not, because I only got 1 review for my last chapter so far (pouts) Maybe I didn't do so hot…
Kyo: Probably
Me: Rena, say the magic word please.
Kyo: (says quickly while waving his hands and shaking his head fast) NO! No, no, no, no, NO!
Rena: ...Can I start the chapter?
Me: Sure.
Tohru: Can I help you, Rena-nee?
Rena: Sure Tohru-nee!
Kyo: (rolls eyes) Get on with it.
Tohru/Rena: ElementalGuardianProtector owns nothing but her muse and this story, plot, and idea!
SWD: (sweat drops) I think you overdid it this time.
Chapter Eleven
"I'm so…sleepy…" Tohru yawned. "Me too. I'm going to sleep." Kyo held his hands behind his head and walked towards his room.
"Good Night Kyo!" Tohru waved at Kyo as he walked away. "I hope you have pleasant dreams tonight!"
"Oh, don't worry about THAT Tohru-kun. As long as you're in he dreams, he'll sleep just fine." Ayame smirked.
"Shut up Snake. Before I punch you in your punk ass mouth." Kyo growled. "As you wish, Kyo." Ayame shrugged.
"'Night Tohru. Good Riddance Snake." Kyo opened his door and walked into his room.
"Good Night Ayame! See you tomorrow morning!" Tohru walked into her room.
"Good Night Tohru!" Ayame replied. "Hey, wait a minute…I STILL don't know where I'm gonna sleep tonight!"
---------------
Tohru looked to her right to find her 'half sister' cuddled up in her blankets. "Good night, Onee-chan." Tohru whispered, climbing into her own bed.
Within minutes, Tohru's eye lids became heavy.
Very, very heavy.
And Tohru became sleepy
Very, very sleepy
Just as Tohru was about to fall into a peaceful sleep, she heard Rena mumble in her sleep.
"No…Please don't…I'm…I'm sorry…I won't Run away again…Please…just don't hurt me…"Rena whimpered in her sleep.
"Run away?" Tohru sat up. "Run away from who? Is some pursuing Rena? And what does she mean by 'I won't run away again'? Has she ran away from someone before?"Tohru pondered.
"What is she running away from? Is she…trying to hide from something? Is the same thing she's running away from…hurting her?"
"I wonder what could be pursuing her…" Tohru whispered. "Maybe I'm just worrying too much. Maybe she's just having a normal nightmare." Tohru slowly walked up to Rena.
And what Tohru saw might as well said, "Now, you've GOT to be stupid if you think THIS is a regular nightmare!"
Rena was crying. And we're not talking about the type of crying you do when you don't get your way.
We're talking about the whole enchilada – she was sobbing uncontrollably, coughing and choking a bit, shuddering, and let out painful whimpers every few seconds.
"She's not just having a bad dream…She's reliving a horrible memory!" Tohru realized.
"Rena?" Tohru touched Rena's back gently. Rena let out a yelp of pain, causing Tohru to pull back her hand.
"T…Tohru? Is that you?" Rena asked, rubbing her tears away. "Y-Yes Rena." Tohru answered.
"Don't do that! You scared the mess out of me!" Rena exclaimed. "But you were crying. And whimpered. And when I touched your back…" Tohru trailed off.
"Don't touch my back, Tohru. It's a bit sore, and it still hurts. So be careful not to touch, okay?" Rena sat up.
"…Rena…Is someone pursuing you? Is someone looking for you?" Tohru inquired.
"Hn? What makes you ask that?" Rena raised a curious eyebrow. "Well…You were just saying some strange things in your sleep. That's all." Tohru explained.
"Oh, I see…Don't worry about it, okay Tohru? I was just probably talking nonsense." Rena assured Tohru, smiling to convince her as Tohru crawled into her bed.
"She wasn't just having a bad dream." Tohru decided, telling Rena good night before laying back down.
"She doesn't want to talk about it, because it's probably too painful for her. She's avoiding it."
"She was relieving something. She was feeling it. She was feeling harsh and cruel pain. The worst kind of pain – Mental, Physical, and Emotional. I can tell by the way she was choking down sobs and whimpering."
"And…even though she's smiling on the outside to convince me…It's only a fake smile. She's really bleeding and suffering on the inside."
"I would know better than anyone." Tohru murmured before closing her eyes and trying to go to sleep.
---------------
"Okay Hatori, what do you wanna talk about?" Shigure asked. "You had something to tell me, remember?" Hatori retorted.
"Oh that….right…"
Hatori looked around. "Shigure, how in God's name do you find anywhere to sleep?" Hatori demanded. "Do you dig a tunnel through this trash to get to your bed or what?"
"Do you want me to tell you or not?" Shigure asked. "Tell me. Or I'll resort to violence." Hatori replied seriously.
"…Recently, I have gotten an order from Akito." Shigure began to get serious (It's a miracle!)
"And what was is about?" Hatori asked. "He…Akito is being allowed to attend Yuki, Kyo, and Tohru's school as long as he can behave himself." Shigure told Hatori.
"But Akito has mental problems. He's locked away in the Sohma Estate for a reason. And that reason is because he's crazy – Mentally, physically, and emotionally." Hatori said firmly.
"Why is he being allowed to do this?"
Shigure shrugged. "Akito threw a temper tantrum when Kureno and I wouldn't give him permission at first, and Akito…started getting…You know how he gets when he doesn't get his way. So what else could we do?"
"And besides…His mother gave his permission and signed the paper work. There was nothing we could do even if we wanted to. Plus, we can't go against Akito's orders, so we just backed down." Shigure added.
"Ren." Hatori sighed. "She'd just love to see Akito get in trouble and maybe even arrested if he caused too much trouble in a place like a public High School."
"That is probably her reason." Shigure agreed. "But I just don't get it…What is Akito's purpose for wanting to go to Tohru and the other's school now? It's near the end of the school year and he's have to be a Senior student. It doesn't make sense why he even cares."
"Not unless he's trying to the main rebellions – Yuki and Kyo - in this family. And if he's trying to get to Rena or Tohru too. Plus, Isuzu, Kisa, and Hiro's school isn't too far away." Hatori pointed out. "Not to mention Momiji and Hatsuharu go to the same school as Tohru, Yuki and Kyo."
"And, he'll be closer to their safe environments. So he could get to all nine of them and intimidate them how ever and whenever he wants. It's like, killing nine birds with one stone!" Shigure exclaimed.
"How long have you known about this, Shigure?" Hatori demanded.
"For awhile now…"
"How long Shigure?"
"For the last few hours…"
"When did Akito call you?"
"Akito didn't call me in person. The Hatori from this time called here and told me right before we left to see Rena at The Diner."
"Shigure, did it ever occur to you that you should've told me this before now?" Hatori inquired, letting his annoyance show.
"I couldn't. I didn't want the others to know Akito was coming to their school. How do you think they would've reacted? They may not have the same reasons for it, but all of them, Kagura, Kyo, Yuki, Tohru, and Rena, fear Akito. It's better this way." Shigure explicated calmly.
"And you know Ayame would've been all over Akito in a heartbeat if it was the only way to protect Rena from her fear of Akito. Even if that would cost him his own life."
"Dammit." Hatori cursed under his breath. "Rena's gonna be in big trouble if she comes within confrontation with Akito again."
"Why don't you stop her then?" Shigure asked. "I can't. I don't want to see her cry and I don't want to see her waste her time hiding again. She's happy. Telling her about Akito would only ruin things for her." Hatori explained.
"And besides…Rena's already made up her mind, and she rarely ever changes her mind."
"Hatori, you have to tell her. Don't you think it will help her out a bit if you were the one to tell her and stop her, regardless of the results of consequences? Wouldn't you feel better knowing she was safe? Even if it was just for a little bit longer?" Shigure questioned.
"No. At this point, telling Rena about Akito is not even an option. She's never leave this house again. She'll be too afraid of what will happen if she were to come out of hiding. Akito is one of her worse fears." Hatori replied.
"It…It was never easy for any of us. Just because Ayame took it the hardest doesn't mean Shire and I didn't take it hard ourselves." Hatori admitted with difficulty, looking down to the floor and allowing his long black bangs to cover his pained eyes.
"I...I just don't know what's happening to her. To our little Rena. No matter what happened to her…No matter how wounded she became…She's never tell us."
"She's never tell me or anyone else. Not even Tohru. She refused to let us help. She ordered us not to interfere. She said it like her dying so slowly and painfully meant nothing to us."
"She didn't understand that we were dying too. Seeing her come home to us with scars and wounds and cruises and blood all over sickened us so much. She doesn't know how much she's killing us."
"What are you talking about Hatori?" Shigure asked. "Rena. Her curse is going to kill her soon if she doesn't let anyone help soon." Hatori punched the floor.
"Dammit! She's gonna die if she doesn't get help and there's nothing I can do about it! I can't help her because she won't let me or Ayame or anyone else!"
"Okay, I'm not really following you, but, I guess I play Therapist anyway. Hatori, what would she say whenever you tried to asked her about…uhh….it?" Shigure asked, half confused himself.
"She'd just smile and tell us not to worry about her and that she'd be fine." Hatori murmured.
Beginning of Flashback (6 years ago)
"Greta. I look a mess." Rena sighed, limping her wounded and fragile body home to the Supreme Palace.
"I just hope the others aren't still awake…They're be very unhappy with me if I come home wounded again. Like I am now." Rena opened the door.
Rena walked – limped – into the palace, only to find Hatori, Ayame, and Shigure waiting for her.
"Tori-nii? Shii-chan? Ame-nii?" Rena gasped. "You guys shouldn't be up still!" "We were worried, Rena. You haven't been home for a few days know and…" Ayame trailed off, his eyes transfixed on Rena's bruised and beat up body.
Along with Hatori and Shigure.
"Rena…You're wounded. And bleeding fast. Why do you have all those cuts and swelling bruises all over your body? And your clothes are ripped up!" Ayame gasped.
"You look like someone stuck you in a blender and pushed the chop button." Shigure tried to lighten the serious atmosphere in the room.
Hatori sighed. "This is the sixth time you've come home to us with bruises Rena. Is someone beating on you or something? Are you getting into a fight with an Akuryou or something? Or like I said, is someone beating on you?"
"I'm fine Tori-nii. Everything's okay. Nothing's happening. Really." Rena insisted. "Don't worry about it."
"Uh-huh. And those wounds don't prove otherwise?" Hatori bent down to Rena.
"Aren't you in pain? Doesn't that hurt? You're only ten years old. You're practically a baby. Are you sure nothing's happening?"
"I'm sure." Rena nodded her head. "Do you want me to clean your wounds?" Hatori asked the princess.
Rena shook her head. "That's asking too much of you. They'll heal on their own in a matter of time. And I can apply ointment to them on my own anyway."
"Rena…do you trust me?" Hatori asked. "Of course I do, Tori-nii!" Rena exclaimed, laughing. "You, Shii-chan, and Ame-nii are my best friends! I love you guys! Why wouldn't I?"
"Well then Princess, if you truly do love and trust me, then why aren't you telling me what's going on?" Hatori demanded.
"Rena, is someone hurting you?" Shigure inquired. Rena smiled softly. "Don't worry about me you guys. I'm alright. Really." Rena smiled the best she could with her swollen lip.
"Rena, ever since your family was murdered last year, you've been getting hurt. At first, they were just minor cuts and scrape, a few occasional bruises, but now you're getting severely wounded just about every time we see you! And I'm…I'm scared, Rena."Ayame began, getting on knees and hugging Rena.
"You're scaring me so much. Don't you know we love you so much? We can't help but to worry. I feel so horrible that I can't even stop you from getting hurt. And I'm supposed to be one of your legal guardians!"
"Rena, what's going on? Who's hurting you? Why won't you tell us anything?" Ayame asked, worried even more now.
"I…I promised I wouldn't tell on him. He told me telling was bad. So it's our little secret, okay?" Rena pressed her finger up to her lips as Ayame let go of her.
"I must never tell anyone about it. Not even Ame-nii. Because if I do…My friends and Ame-nii and Tori-nii and Shii-chan will be killed by him." Rena thought
"I…I just have to be better. Then I won't get hurt as much." Rena told Ayame.
"Who is he? How is he hurt you like this? What do you need to be better at and why? What does he do to you exactly?" Hatori grabbed Rena's arms. "We need to know so that we can help you Rena."
Rena removed Hatori's hands. "I told you. It's a secret." Rena smiled before leaving the room.
"Heaven forbid these upcoming headaches of mine…Rena, go take a shower and wash the blood off your body." Shigure called after Rena.
"Okay Shii-chan." Rena nodded, slowly walking up the stairs. Suddenly, the grandfather clock struck one.
"Dammit!" Ayame punched a hole through the grandfather clock. "Easy there Aya," Shigure sweat dropped. "You're breaking the house."
"Dammit! What are we going to do with that girl? First she forbids us to make any actions of interference, now she won't even tell us what's happening?" Ayame slumped to his knees.
"I don't think I could take it if she came home like that one more time…I just don't know how to help her without breaking the law...Or her orders, which technically IS the law in this case."
Shigure leaned against the wall. "This really pissed me off." "Me too." Hatori agreed. "Do I really have to answer that one? Isn't it obvious?" Ayame said miserably.
"It's okay Ayame. Right now, all we can do is try to narrow down our suspects." Shigure tried to assured Ayame.
"We have no suspects. There's no one in the kingdom that could be doing this, the villagers and the peasants fear Ayame's wrath too much to even come near Rena, and there's no way possible Rena could be doing it to herself, so how can you say things are going to be alright?" Hatori demanded.
"…Maybe I was right and she did fall into a blender and was set on chop." Shigure attempted to get his cousins to at least smile.
Hatori and Ayame's eyes began to glow. "Um…Your eyes are glowing." Shigure sweat dropped, laughing nervously.
"We know that." Ayame growled. "I wonder why they're glowing." Hatori glared. "Hmmm…I wonder why indeed…" Shigure rubbed his chin.
"Whatever the case, we should intensify our efforts to help Rena. Even if she doesn't to come out and say it, she needs our helps." Shigure told his cousins.
"I'm pretty sure whoever is that's doing this to her is intimidating her into not getting help or ratting on him. He probably even has a hostage or advantage or some sort. A strategy."
"We fully understand that." Hatori replied. "That's why we're not giving up so easily. Even if she won't tell us…We'll catch him one day."
"And I beat the leaving hell out of him, behead him, cut him up into little piece, set the little piece on fire and let him burn to ashes, bury the ashes, resurrect him, and do it all over again and again and again and again!" Ayame said firmly and ferociously.
"…Aya…You're scaring me…" Shigure back up. "You're really…REALLY scaring me…"
"Then be scared." Ayame retorted.
End of Flashback
"From there on out, things only got worse. Sometimes Hatsuharu would have to bring her home, because she was unconscious and beaten to almost death." Hatori told Shigure.
"It's been like that for the last 6 years. She'd never tell anyone about it. I wanted to help, but what can I do? She ordered us not to even speak of it from that point on. And I have no other choice but to listen to her." Hatori continued.
"I can understand why she won't tell anyone. She doesn't want anyone to get hurt or for anyone to worry about her. She wants to protect the little she has left."
"Rena's lost more things in her life than anyone else I've ever known. She's lost her family, her memories she shared with them, she's lost her friends, her freedom, her world, and now all she had left in us."
"I believe that if one more misfortune was to happen to her…She's finally crack and lose the will to live. And without the will to live…Life will lose to Death."
"And because of her curse, if that happens, she might as well resign herself to Death, because she'll die. And that's what I fear the most."
"Rena's heart is so fragile. It is easily hurt, easily scarred. But it can never be healed completely. No matter what happens…If she holds it in for much longer…If she tries to keep the pain to herself and let no one help her with it and let it out…It will consume her, and she will die."
"I know she will. We all do. But she just doesn't care. As long as she can save Tohru-hime and the others, she doesn't care what happens to her."
"She's just like Tohru. She smiles so much…I would've thought she was the happiest and most carefree girl on Earth if I didn't know any better." Shigure looked at Hatori.
"But really, she's the most unfortunate and despondent person I've ever met. Thing s must be so hard on her...But that's not really my concern. My concern is that she at least has a reason to live." Shigure placed a hand on Hatori's shoulder to grab his attention.
"Hatori, you're all wrong. She'll never die. And she does have a strong will to live that she will never lose. She's living Hatori – not for herself, but for you. And Ayame and Shire and Tohru and the others."
"She will never lose the will to live. Not as long as you don't. I don't know much about this Tsujitani Curse stuff, but I do know that Rena's strong enough to beat this things and I know she won't die on us."
"Not without a fight, at least." Shigure grinned. "Shigure…" Hatori looked up, surprised that Shigure had actually made sense.
"You…You make perfect sense. For once." Hatori muttered. "It looks like you're not as dumb as I thought you were."
"Hey! What's that suppose to mean?!" Shigure whined, pouting. "You're so mean Tori!"
"You better get your rest. Tomorrow's Monday. That means your editor is coming." Hatori stood up.
"I'm sure you want all of your energy to terrorize that poor woman."
"Me? Why, I'd never…" Shigure smirked, trying to seem innocent.
Too bad it didn't work.
"Uh-huh. I thought as much." Hatori sighed, turning to walk out of the door. Hatori walked out of Shigure's room and was face to face with Ayame.
"So, Akito's going to Yuki, Kyo, and Tohru's school, huh?" Ayame whispered. "You're quite the eavesdropper." Hatori muttered.
"Pretty nosey of you, don't you think?" "You know…The only way for the Tsujitani and the Sohma Curses to be broken is if they work together." Ayame murmured.
"Yes, but they won't do that. Not in this lifetime." Hatori responded. "I wonder what the outcome of Rena seeing Akito will be…" Ayame wondered out loud.
"It's hard to believe how things use to be between Rena and Akito. Back then, things were so much better…"
Hatori left Ayame and walked towards the guest room (The guest room is in the house in this story. They don't have a hanare – a separated guest house - yet like they do in the manga)
"What are you going to do?" Ayame called after Hatori. "Isn't it obvious?" Hatori called back, disappearing into the guest room.
Ayame sighed, walking into Tohru's room. Ayame watched Rena while she slept, smiling gently to himself.
"You shouldn't try to force things out of her, Tori" Ayame thought. "What will be, will be. What won't, won't. She'll tell us one of these days. Don't rush her. Rena will come around to it. I know she will. She's a very smart and trusting young woman."
"She'll need us one of these days, and she'll open up to us totally, her hands outstretched and reaching for our help. And…until that day comes…I'll be right there with her, waiting for her gesture of help." Ayame caressed Rena's cheek.
At Ayame's touch, the expression of pain on her face eased a bit. "A…Ame-nii…I…Love you." Rena smiled, knowing even in her sleep that Ayame was watching over her.
Ayame's eyes widened in surprise a bit before he smiled to. "…Good night, my sweet daughter. I love you, too." Ayame whispered, kissing Rena gently on her soft cheek and tucking her in tighter before leaving the room quietly.
"Maybe she'll need my help even sooner than I hope."
Me: Okay, that was probably a little bitter and sweet useless chapter, but it does give a little information and it'll be very important for a chapter to come.
SWD: In a VERY long time.
Kyo: In about 15 chapters from now.
Me: You say it like that's bad.
Kyo: That's because it is.
SWD: Read and review please!