(11)

AN: I don't know why but I decided to upload this chapter sooner than I originally planned...Anyway, thank you for reviews Bishounen Lover Seeker and Heavensfiregoddess, your answers to the quiz question were correct.

Harin Sohma, the oldest, is the dragon of the other zodiac.

Ayanii Sohma, the second oldest, is the snake of the other zodiac.

Inure Sohma, the third oldest, is the dog of the other zodiac.

Yuzen Sohma, the third youngest, is the rat.

Nekkie Sohma, the second youngest, is the cat.

Haruko Sohma, the youngest, is the cow.

Disclaimer: don't own so don't sue.

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6:18 P.M. Hatsuharu turned off the game cube and with Momiji not far behind they went out of the living room. In the dining room, Shigure, Ayame, Yuki, Ayanii, Kisa and Hiro were at the table with Inure and Haruko who just came in. Momiji, Yuzen and Hatsuharu immediately joined them.

"So where are the others?" Yuzen queried.

"Hatori, Kyo and Nekkie are in my room right now doing threesome. I'll bring them a couple of trays later," Shigure explained.

"Oh, that's right Kyo's injury…I guess Nekkie wanted to stay with him to make sure he's alright," Yuzen thought. "Ah, I see. Thank you," he beamed.

"Tohru's going to eat later too," Haruko blurted out.

"Ahh, that's right Miss Honda! Is she okay?-!" Yuki remembered that he originally planned on finding her but then he decided to go with Ayanii to the garden. He felt guilty about this and yet he didn't regret it.

(flashback) Outside of the house in the forest, Ayanii treaded ahead of Yuki who was not too far from behind.

"Ayanii's personality, it's nothing like Ayame's. In a way, it kind of reminds me of Naohito Sakuragi, the secretary of the student council. He's not very friendly and he always seems to be on edge." Yuki thought.

Ayanii groaned in annoyance when he spotted Yuki still following him.

"Hurry up now. You're much too slow," Ayanii scolded.

After picking up the pace, they reached the middle of the forest. There, stood a massive cherry blossom tree with a small black pond at the base of the stem.

"This is the first tree that Yuzen grew," Ayanii informed.

"Yeah, I remember him mentioning that," Yuki, curious of why this was their destination, approached the tree. "It really is hot out here," standing over the pond, he wiped the sweat off of his forehead with his sleeve. "I still don't understand how you can wear a coat outside like this. I left mine at the house," he gawked at the snake who showed no signs of fatigue or discomfort.

"Hmm, I guess it's because that I'm used to this kind of weather. It's like this all year round. Did you notice how the leaves resemble glass? Since the leaves are like that they absorb the heat from the sun and keep it here in this area. Therefore no matter what season, the forest, the house and everything near it will be a naturally warm climate," Ayanii explained.

"Ah, I get it. It all makes sense now," Yuki looked around at the rest of glasslike forest in amazement.

"Well of course it does I just explained it," Ayanii scowled. "I suppose I should mention that I rather not take off my coat unless it's absolutely necessary," he clarified.

"Why's that?" Yuki queried.

"Th-that's none of your business! Why are you even asking me this? What would you do if I told you?" Ayanii hissed.

"Ummm…nothing." Yuki replied. "You should expect people to wonder…" he muttered.

Yuki turned away from Ayanii and focused on the pond. He strained his eyes to perceive something that laid in the bottom. He felt his heart stop and sink when he saw a skeleton there. Wearing a lacy gray dress, it faced upward with it's arms extended as if it was welcoming Yuki to come into an embrace.

Ayanii reached into his purse, that he had been carrying, and grasped one crimson rose. After saying a quiet prayer, he lifted it over the pond and released it. The flower first laid on the surface causing ripples on the pitch black water. Soon the water seemed to devour the rose as it descended in a downward spiral and landed in the skeleton's hand. The impact of the flower landing resulted in the bottom of the pond sinking just enough for the hand to lower until it clutched its gift.

"I suppose you want me to thank you for coming with me, right?" Ayanii sneered when he spotted that Yuki was in shock.

"Wha? Ah ha ha, No. You don't have to thank me for it. I'm glad that I was able to come," Yuki managed to form a smile when he refused to look at what dwelled in the depths of this pond.

"Arrogant little brat! You're the one who followed me out here and now you demand gratitude?-! I shouldn't have to thank you for something you did on your own free will and without permission no doubt. Hmph, what poor manners. Not even my own brothers have seen this tomb." Ayanii sighed and brushed the bangs away from his face. Beneath the glare in his eyes was fear. Terrified of this person. Terrified of himself and what he wanted to do. From the beginning, he knew that he shouldn't of allowed this person to come near him.

"If he didn't want me to come then why didn't he say anything before?" Yuki wondered. "So this is some kind of grave?"

"Yes, it's for my mother," Ayanii replied.

"Your mother?-! You keep her body here?-! This isn't something people would normally do." Yuki exclaimed; astonished and almost sickened.

"I don't believe that it's any of your business but one day I snuck into the Sohma cemetery. There, I dug up her grave and removed her from that revoltingly tacky coffin. Soon after, I placed her body in this pond. As I mentioned earlier, none of my brothers know about this," Ayanii notified.

"This really isn't something a normal person would do." Yuki gazed back down at the pond with distaste. "But I like it. You just wanted to be close to your mother right?" he had always admired a mother's love as well as a child's affection for her in return. He understood that this is easier for Ayanii to visit his mother. If she stayed close to the main house then Ayanii wouldn't be able to see her since he's no longer allowed to step into that place.

Ayanii was taken off guard by his question and so he paused for a moment to think of a proper response. He wanted to yell "How dare you ask me that!" or "That's none of your business!" but nothing seemed right at the time. Unconsciously, without him even realizing it, a blush rose among his cheeks as his golden eyes began to water. Yuki, noticing this, thought that maybe he had said something that might of hurt him. So, he took a cloth from his pocket and went to give it to Ayanii. When Yuki approached the snake, Ayanii abruptly threw his arms around him and smothered his face into the rat's chest.

At first, Yuki tensed by the sudden outburst. But then, he could faintly hear a whimpering and he began to feel his shirt becoming more damp. This was the first time someone reached out to him like this trembling and crying. He noticed just how small and frail this person was. This was the second time when he felt like an necessity. Yuki felt pathetic since the only thing he was capable of was to hold the sobbing snake in his arms.

Shed many skins to hide your true self. Don't let anyone see you. Don't let anyone hear you. Don't let them. Go unnoticed. With no weakness exposed. Hide yourself in order to protect what is precious to you. Be strong so that you may protect your treasure. Wrap it within your coils. If it's taken then you lose yourself. Weigh this treasure and your life on the same scale and you'll realize your worthlessness. Within the gaze of no one… be strong.

"I don't believe this. What just happened?…" Ayanii's eyes shot open when he realized what he had just done. "These tears, they're mine aren't they? But that doesn't make any sense. I never done this before. I never cried a day in my entire life! So why would I cry now? What could of caused this irrational behavior?" he wondered. "How pathetic. This is so embarrassing. I have to stop. I have to stop and show some self-control. I can't let Yuki or anybody and especially not Yuzen see me like this. But I don't understand. What could of caused this?" he thought. "I apologize for my shameful behavior. I don't know what came over me…I must seem very pitiful to you right now," his voice shook as he whispered.

"You're not pitiful. It's alright. It's okay to feel weak. No one expects you to be strong all the time," Yuki comforted as he cupped Ayanii's chin and lifted his face.

"That's not true. What about Yuzen? I have to protect him. He needs me. I can't be seen as someone…," Ayanii thought. "No. I can't be weak. I can't cry like this…Unhand me right now." he muttered. "LET GO! I thought I just told you not to touch me! Don't you have any shame? You dirty, filthy, vulgar mouse!" his tears stopped when he jerked himself backwards and flung Yuki's arms away from him almost causing Yuki to lose his balance and fall into the pond.

"Why did you change all of sudden?" Yuki stood there baffled by this person's random mood swings.

"Do you know how my mother died? She was killed." Ayanii declared when he turned away from the stunned rat.

"Killed? By who? Who would do something like that?" Yuki was also puzzled by why he would suddenly direct the conversation elsewhere.

"I would. My brothers and myself murdered our parents."

Ayanii refused to make eye contact with this person so he moved to the other side of the pond to put some distance between them.

"When my mother was told that she was pregnant my father died right on the spot. Those who didn't know about the curse said that it was a heart attack. Other's took that as a sign that the rejected zodiac was going to be born very soon," Ayanii explained.

"So his father died immediately," Yuki thought.

"My mom, smothered in heartache, had the children anyway. When the servants of the main house realized that her kids were cursed without delay they took them from her sight. Next year on that very same day, she bore her last children. The servants were going to remove them once again. However with haste she grabbed them, figuring out for herself that they were cursed. She requested for her first sons to be brought into the room," Ayanii continued. "Even though I was so young, her words are still embedded within my heart... She claimed to love us and that she didn't care about the curse. She didn't blame us for our father's death and then…" he drifted.

"…and then?" Yuki strained himself to hear the snake's words that flowed so soft, so quiet, so elegant. It was beautiful to listen but difficult to comprehend. A contrast from when he loses all gentleness though his words still impossible to grasp.

"She died. She must have been very tired. She had so many kids in such a short period of time and she had to deal with the absence of her beloved husband. Her body must have been drained both physically and emotionally. I can't imagine the pain she must of felt; the amount of suffering she experienced. And so, I placed her body here. I had to apologize for ruining her life and causing her death…This was my atonement," Ayanii faced Yuki with confidence not caring what kind of expression he had.

"...You come here from time to time to pay your respects?" Yuki concluded.

"When the day she died approaches, yes I do come here to give her flowers," Ayanii replied.

"Why haven't you told your brothers about this? I'm sure that they would want to come here and see her as well," Yuki suggested.

"I just feel so…" Ayanii watched the gray clouds in the sky as a gentle breeze brushed across his face through his silver hair."…hesitant to tell them...We, the rejected zodiac, have been robbed a true human's life. God is the one who denied us this life. He threw us out into the world as a punishment that we so rightly deserved. We were born through the sacrifice of our creators. Our parents had to die so that we could live. This is our curse," he affirmed.

"Shigure had mentioned that this was the only difference between the original and the other zodiac," Yuki thought to himself. "So where is your father buried? If your mother is here where is he?" he asked.

"When I went into the main house, I didn't have time to get two bodies and frankly I don't really care about him. I don't know anything about my father and I don't know whether or not he would accept me like my mom did," Ayanii confirmed.

"I guess that makes sense…in it's own way." Yuki muttered. "But I don't think that you should feel guilty about your mother's death. Despite what others tell you, you're not the one to blame. It's not your fault that you're cursed," he confirmed.

"And who, might I ask, gave you the right to utter those kind of words? What if I took you seriously then what would you do? You don't know anything about me or the curse of the other zodiac! You have no idea what kind of torment we've been though! So don't say such irresponsible things, you conceited, spoiled little brat!" Ayanii faced Yuki with a vicious glare.

"You just said that your mother didn't blame you," Yuki was already used to being screamed at by people so it didn't faze him.

"But…I was told over and over again that it was my fault. If I wasn't born then my mother could of lived. So why would Yuki say such things to me?…Why did my mother say those things?" Ayanii's face sunk along with his glare." I'm going to show them…my brothers I mean. Tomorrow morning, that's what I'm going to do." he declared.

"He changed the subject again?-!" Yuki thought. "Huh? I don't understand. What are you talking about? Heh heh, your words are way too inconsistent to understand including those sudden mood swings you seem to have," he said this without malice.

"You just met me and you're already making these absurd presumptions?-!" Ayanii shouted in disbelief. "Well then, you are a ditzy, lazy, selfish, meddlesome, audacious, vulgar, clumsy, closet pervert and you have no manners! And unlike you, I have reasons for each and every one of those insults," he scowled. "Amazing. No one has ever dared to talk to me in such a manner…I should cut off his tongue," he thought.

"Ditzy?" Yuki muttered. "Well Machi Kuragi, treasurer of student council, once said that it seemed like I was out of it most of the time," he thought.

"Ah I see, so you agree with everything else then," Ayanii sneered. "Thank you for coming here and not ridiculing me for crying like that. I will make this up to you someday," he tried to hide his now blushing face with the sleeve of his coat.

"You don't need to do that. I'm glad that you came to me when you needed someone the most," Yuki was now used to the fact that Ayanii's words are indeed unpredictable. "You don't realize how incredibly happy that makes me. You couldn't possibly understand," he thought.

"Promise me that you will not tell anybody about what went on here. Keep this between the two of us," Ayanii stopped blushing to look stern.

"Uh, sure I won't tell," Yuki replied. "I wonder why he doesn't want anyone to know," he pondered.

"It must be nice, being so kindhearted and gentle. You're a much better person than I'll ever be. But still, I wish that…I could be more like you," Ayanii stated with a small smirk on his face. "Oh well, I can dream can't I?" he chuckled.

"…like me?-!" Yuki exclaimed still smiling when his cheeks turned red. "He wants to be like me? And he says it so easily! I don't think that's-What am I supposed to say? I'm flattered but I don't think…Why would anyone want to be like me? I don't understand." he thought.

"Come on now, let's go back to the house. It's starting to get late," Ayanii grabbed Yuki's hand and began to tug it.

"Alright let's go," Yuki snapped out of his train of thought and squeezed Ayanii's hand. "I guess everyone is wondering where we are by now," he affirmed. "And I'm hungry too," his stomach let out a growl.

"My my, what a repulsive sound," Ayanii giggled playfully.

Ayanii and Yuki, holding hands, headed back towards the house without uttering another word. (end of flashback)

"Ahh, that's right Miss Honda! Is she okay?" Yuki asked.

"Yeah." Haruko replied while taking a sip of his tea.

"Yeah! Tohru, Yuki and Kyo were all missing today!" Momiji exclaimed.

"What are you talking about? Yuki was with me and I believe that the two cats were together," Ayanii assumed.

Meanwhile, Nekkie carried Kyo up the stairs and into Hatori's room. There, Hatori retrieved his medical bag and signaled for Nekkie to put Kyo on his bed. From his coat pocket, Hatori reached in for a pair of glasses in order to examine Kyo's hand with a greater efficiency.

"It's not an infection and it's definitely not a fungus," Hatori thought. "Hmm…"

"Well? What's the problem?-!" Kyo tapped his foot impatiently and rocked back and forth on the bed.

"Are you going to amputate? If you do, can I keep the parts you cut off? I wanna give them to Haruko...he might like it," Nekkie stated.

"What?-! No way! Don't touch me!" Kyo squirmed more than he did before.

"I'm not going to amputate," Hatori sighed in aspiration. "Be patient." he instructed when he released Kyo's hand.

Hatori, sitting on a chair next to his bed, dug through his bag and removed one item at a time. Kyo, sat there on Hatori's bed, relentlessly fidgeting. Nekkie stood at the edge of the bed with his eyes looking off into the distance. He lost himself within his thoughts. Hatori peeled a piece of skin off of Kyo's hand with a pair of tweezers. After inspecting it for a couple of minutes, he wiped a segment of Kyo's arm with a dampened cotton ball.

"This might cause some discomfort," Hatori injected the needle into Kyo's arm. "You'll just have to bear through it," he ordered.

Kyo was held in place by Hatori who clenched his shoulder. Kyo's wincing turned into shivering as a thick liquid trespassed into his skin forcing it's way through into his blood stream. He tried to ignore it and pretend that it didn't hurt but it was too difficult for him. This wasn't like any other shot he had ever received. Kyo kept himself from crying out in pain as his arm slowly grew stingingly cold. The liquid, which submerged the interior of his body, was so chilling that he gradually became numb. When Hatori was finished, he threw away the needle in a nearby trash can. Without anyone noticing, Kyo took this chance to quickly wipe away the tears that formed in his eyes.

"I suggest that you take it easy for the next couple of days," Hatori wrapped Kyo's left arm with bandages and put it in a sling.

"Whatever," Kyo grumbled.

Hatori left the room into the hallway where he was greeted by a certain dog.

"Soooooo, how was it? Give me all the details!" Shigure was holding a tray with three plates.

"I thought that Kyo could only transform when his beads are taken off." Hatori removed a plate from the tray.

Inside the Mabudachi trio's room; Nekkie and Kyo had watched Hatori leave.

"Geez, what a pussy. Can't even take a shot without flinching…" Nekkie sneered.

"Yeah? So what?-! It hurt!" Kyo felt as though his pride had just been damaged and Nekkie was only making it worse.

"It did?-! Aww, poor baby I'm so sorry. Do you want me to kiss it and make it all better?" Nekkie cooed.

"YOU ARE SO FULL OF IT!" Kyo yelled.

"Dinner time boys. Oh, I'm sorry did I just interrupt something," Shigure stood by the door with a tray in his arms.

"GET OUT! YOU (BLEEP) MUTT!" for Kyo the dog, aside from Yuki, was the last person he wanted to see.

"Eeekk! Kyo's scary!" Shigure dropped the tray on a counter near the door before he dashed out of the room. "And after I went to all the trouble of bringing you a delicious meal!" he slammed the door shut.

When Nekkie was sure that Shigure had left and Kyo calmed down a little. He took the two plates off the tray and handed one to his younger cousin.

"I know why your beads are bothering you so much. It's cuz the day when I transform is coming," Nekkie tossed a rice ball in his mouth and swallowed it whole.

"What? It is?" Kyo had trouble holding the plate while picking up food at the same time with only his bandaged right hand.

"Yeah, it'll happen this week on my and my brother's birthday. Even though Inure, Harin and Ayanii are a year older, they were born on the same day as me, Yuzen and Haruko," Nekkie explained. "I know it'll happen then because that's the day when I don't remember anything and I always seem to sleep right through it," he thought. "Inure was planning on making up some excuse to send you guys away on that day so you wouldn't see anything," he added.

"If you knew that then why the (bleep) didn't say anything before? I didn't even need to see Hatori. What a waste of time!" Kyo shouted. "…But wait, does that mean that I'm transforming too? This swelling it almost looks like…" he wondered.

"Shut up, you little brat! It took me a while to figure it all out," Nekkie retorted. "What are you going to do if somebody asks you about your arm?" he asked.

"I'll tell them that it's none of their (bleep) business!" bits of a rice ball came out of Kyo's mouth when he yelled.

"So what if that skirt asks?" Nekkie questioned.

"I already told you…there's nothing going on between me and Tohru," Kyo replied.

"What if, one of these days she confesses? What if, she told you that she loved you?"

"No. She wouldn't…There's no way," Kyo confirmed. "And what's with that "what if" crap anyway?" he glared.

"Excuse me for being curious. I am a cat after all." Nekkie finished the rest of his food.

"And what does he think I am?-!" Kyo shouted in his head. "Just don't ask me stupid stuff like that…" he licked crumbs off of his lips.

(flashback) Ayanii and Yuki were together in the garden outside of the house.

Yuzen is fixing dinner while cheerfully humming to a tune he had recently heard on the radio.

Shigure, Ayame and Hatori were in their room, with Ayame on the phone chatting relentlessly, Shigure urging Ayame to relinquish the phone, and Hatori safely nestled in a corner with the fumes of Marlboro brand cigarettes slowly caressing his nose, enveloping the room with it's distinct odor.

Worried about Tohru's long absence, Kisa set off to locate Tohru and knowing that Kisa shouldn't go alone Hiro followed while secretly hoping that Tohru was lost forever.

In a state of anxiousness from misplacing his cell phone, Inure frantically rummaged through his closet, in hopes of finding it among his sea of decay.

Sensing Tohru's presence, Haruko ran through the endless hallway in order to reach the deepest chambers of his older brother's room.

Tohru, herself, was holding a deep and meaningful conversation with Harin.

With Hatsuharu as Link and Momiji as Kirby, they engaged themselves in a fierce battle with the assistance of Super Smash Brothers.

And finally during all these occurrences, Nekkie and Kyo were together on the porch in front of the house. Kyo was lying down on the swing as it rocked back and forth. His hands placed on the back of his head and one leg on top of the other. Nekkie was sitting on the staircase in front of the porch leaned back with his legs crossed. They had been like this, completely silent, for a long time.

"Whatever you gotta say just say it or I'm going back inside," Kyo finally ran out of patience.

"Is it difficult? Being the cat that is," Nekkie stared at the sky filled with clouds hovering together.

"Where did that come from?" Kyo snorted.

"I was just asking because I was told that you're an outcast and that everybody looks down on you. Is that true? Are you being abused just because of some curse?" Nekkie asked.

"Uh, well it doesn't happen as often as it used to but yeah that's just part of being the cat," Kyo scratched the back of his head. "Why are you asking this?" his eyes narrowed.

"So what is it? What makes the cat so different? The rest of my brothers are mistreated because of the curse but it's even worse in my case. I don't understand. Why am I so different?" Nekkie questioned. "An outcast of the outcast zodiac." he thought.

"What do you mean you don't get it? It's almost like you don't even know…" Kyo raised himself into a sitting position.

"Know what?" Nekkie asked.

"that."

Kyo felt a sharp pain and looked down to see that his reddened wrist had swollen up so badly that it throbbed.

"It's that bracelet. Take it off. It's blocking your circulation or something," Nekkie noticed that the smaller orange haired boy was starting to cringe in pain.

Kyo, shocked at what he had just said, didn't know how to react. Nekkie, wondering why he was just standing there, got up and reached out to him in an attempt to remove the beads. Kyo's reflexes kicked in just in time to smack the other cat's hand away. Kyo, gasping for air, was now sitting upright on the swing with his hair standing on end as Nekkie stood in front of him.

"(bleep)-it! What the (bleep) was that for?-! I was trying to help, you ungrateful mother-(bleep)-er! Only a skirt would be so protective over a (bleep) piece of jewelry!" Nekkie hollered.

"You really don't know do you? This "(bleep) piece of jewelry" keeps me from turning into my other form," Kyo squeezed the beads in attempt to numb his wrist.

"Other form?...What's that?" Nekkie questioned.

"When someone takes these off I change into a…it's some kind of…My body warps into an ugly form. It's a demon that smells like something dead and rotting…" Kyo looked away from the other cat. "But you don't have any beads so I guess nothing happens to you,"

"Ah,…a demon? Ss-Some kind of…tr-transformation?...Is that really what makes the cat different from the rest of the zodiac members? Is it?-! The cat changes into some kind of monster-like thing!" Nekkie could of died right on the spot. He wasn't sure if he could even handle this kind of shock. He'd do anything for a beer right now. His face paled as his body tensed, his breath grew from short to barely breathing at all, his eyes widened as if they had just been opened.

Facing the truth…several feelings pour out at once. Can you take hold of the truth and grasp it? So overwhelming…No longer able to live in the bliss that ignorance provides. Losing something dear in order to gain more…So many answers so many questions. Are you ready?

"It all makes sense now...Why didn't anyone tell me? Why didn't Inure tell me? Why did he keep it a secret? He should of just…told me." Nekkie muttered.

"I guess he has one too," Kyo thought. "Why don't you have any beads?" he asked.

"I got some shackles. Now that I think about it my chains look just like those beads; at least they're the same color," Nekkie notified.

"Shackles?"

"Yeah, once a year, I'm chained up in the basement," Nekkie informed. "But for the last couple of years, Inure decided to keep me there," he thought.

"In a basement?-! What kind of sick (bleep) would put you there?" Kyo exclaimed.

"Inure did. He said that I was helping everybody by doing so. But he never explained why so I never understood. Why didn't he tell me?-! What was the point in keeping it from me?-! Did he think that I would be upset or something?" Nekkie questioned. "He should of just…told me," he thought.

"How would I know?" Kyo retorted.

"So once a year I transform…" Nekkie concluded. "How come I don't remember it? Wouldn't I remember something like that? Now that I think about it. On that day, when I change, I always fall asleep or at least that's what it feels like." he thought. "Thank you, for telling me this. You've helped out a lot."

"Aaah, there's nothing to thank me about," Kyo turned his face away quickly and scratched his head.

"Well I'm saying it anyway. And I'm sorry that you were treated so bad just because of some stupid curse. I hope that you'll find someone who will like you anyway. I mean, I like you, but I meant somebody who could be by your side always. That's my wish for you." Nekkie declared.

"What the (bleep)? Don't say weird stuff like that!" Kyo shouted.

"And why not? Wait, I know! I bet that you already have a girlfriend." Nekkie suddenly entered teasing mode.

"WHAT?-!" Kyo yelled.

"Who is she? What does she look like? Is she cute? Is she hot? Is it that skirt? Yeah, that's it! You like Tohru Honda and she likes you right?" Nekkie interrogated when he raised Kyo in the air and shook him violently.

"Is it that obvious?-!" Kyo thought "What?-!No!…Th-that's none of your…no, I mean-" he stuttered.

"Do you kiss her?" Nekkie queried with a grin that would put many clowns to shame.

"Hell no! Now put me down!" Kyo shouted.

"How far do you go at night? I hope you didn't do anything too serious before marriage… Don't tell me you went all the way! You dirty old man! I bet you forced Tohru into it. Poor little skirt, she got molested and raped over and over again…You better have a good lawyer cause I'm calling the police on your (bleep)," Nekkie threatened.

"What?-! Of course I haven't-NO! I would never! Don't go making up crazy scenarios like that!" Kyo completely red of anger and embarrassment. "I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" he screeched like the cat he is.

"When are you getting married? Can I come? What kind of cake are you having? I hope it's not some disgusting kind like coconut…or leeks," Nekkie groaned in distaste.

"(bleep) no! Who ever heard of a leek cake that's just sick! Wait! We're not getting married! I don't even know if she-" Kyo drifted.

"What is it? Doesn't the skirt know that you like her?" Nekkie stopped grinning to look serious for a moment. "What the (bleep)?-! You mean you didn't tell her! What's wrong with you?-!" he heaved Kyo over his shoulder and hurried to the door. "You gotta tell her! You gotta tell her right this second! I'll kill you if you don't! How long were you planning on waiting?-!" he yelled..

"Shut up! That's none of your business!" Kyo retorted. "Even if I could tell her…it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter! I still would be…"his body began to sink since he had wasted all of his energy, screaming and squirming.

"What?" Nekkie urged.

"By next spring I'm going to be confined," Kyo felt a little uncomfortable since this was his first time telling anyone.

Nekkie's face showed no emotion. He didn't know how to react so he didn't. While carrying Kyo in his arms, he distanced himself.

"It's happens to all cats at least the ones from my zodiac curse. They stay locked up in a room until they die. And also, I made a bet with Akito. She said that if I could beat Yuki by the time I graduate high school I'll be accepted into the zodiac and I won't be confined. But I haven't been able to do that yet…" Kyo felt ashamed and embarrassed by this. It was beyond uncomfortable, he dreaded of even expressing this awful fate into words.

"Don't worry it's not so bad being locked up. I mean it's lonely especially if you have people you're going to miss. But still, it's not as bad as you would think," Nekkie put Kyo back on the ground and patted him on the head. As would any brother would do in order to comfort their crying younger sibling.

"You're going to be confined too?" Kyo looked up with large, wide crimson eyes. Gleaming with innocence and curiosity.

"I wonder if I should be telling him all of this," Nekkie pondered. "Yeah, it'll happen right after you guys leave. I'm going to go back there most likely until the day I die. At least, that's what Inure told me. I thought I just told you earlier that I was being kept in the basement. I was only let out because you guys were coming," he notified.

Kyo didn't know what to say to someone who was going through almost the same thing he was. He couldn't think of the right thing to say and so he distanced himself.

"…so doesn't that…bother you? And why are you listening to him anyway? Why are you doing what that dog guy says?" Kyo asked.

"Inure said that since I was the cat I needed to be locked up and that it would help the rest of my brothers. I really wanted him to explain why but I guess I was just too afraid to ask," Nekkie admitted. "I wonder, if I asked him directly what would happen? What would his face look like? Would he tell me the truth?" he wondered. "Hey Kyo, here's a question for you and I want you to think carefully about it before you answer, okay?" he asked.

"Is this going to be okay?" Kyo inwardly gulped.

"Why do you listen to God? Why are you letting Akito ruin your life like that? Answer my question and I'll tell you the reason why I obey Inure. In fact, I'll tell you every single thing I know about myself and my family. I'll tell you everything," Nekkie promised.

Kyo was surprised that Nekkie would ask something like that. He couldn't answer him because he had never thought of that. Why wouldn't he listen to Akito? Why would he willingly leave those he cares about? Akito is the head of the family. Why doesn't he save himself from experiencing that loneliness and emptiness? Akito's word is law, right? Why wouldn't he keep himself from walking in that darkness? You can't go against Akito's decisions, right? Not smiling…not raising his head. Neither living nor dead. Why wouldn't he stop himself from returning to that state? Akito is God.Why have you forgotten that you are a monster?

"Alright, fine! Don't tell me I don't care!" Kyo suddenly felt so annoyed and he couldn't figure out why which made him even more irritated.

"Alright, fine. If you don't care then I don't care," Nekkie replied with a small smirk on his face.

"Uh, about that, when you said that you wanted me to have somebody who'd want to be with me…" Kyo ignored that sarcastic comment.

"Yeah, what about it?" Nekkie asked.

"Thanks for wishing that. But there are people like that.…Shishou, who...who I csn call my dad, and Tohru…." Kyo turned as red as humanly possible. "And Tohru accepted me in that ugly form. So I hope the same thing. I hope that someday…" he began to feel very awkward. "Someday, you'll find some guys, who'd want to be by your side as well,"

Kyo was pulled into a warm embrace and forcedly snuggled.

"What a sweet thing to say! You're so thoughtful and caring and lovable and kindhearted and nice and considerate and…" Nekkie stopped since he was too busy laughing at Kyo's reaction.

"(bleep)-it! Let go of me! Are you trying to break me in half?-!" Kyo struggled with all of his might. "(bleep) he's strong." he frowned.

"But I already got some people who like me and I guess in a weird way I like them too." Nekkie let go of Kyo when his wrist caught his eye. "Let's go get some ice for you. We need to stop that swelling...I think it's starting to spread," he suggested.

The door flung open with Kyo and Nekkie bursting inside the house while having a trivial conversation. They went into the kitchen to find Yuzen setting up the table. (end of flashback)

After Kyo finished his food, he and Nekkie left the room and went downstairs to the living room. There, they met Yuki, Hatsuharu and Momiji. However shortly before this, dinner was still taking place with everyone at the table except for Tohru, Hatori, Harin, Nekkie and Kyo who were upstairs.

"Yeah! Tohru, Yuki and Kyo were all missing today!" Momiji exclaimed.

"What are you talking about? Yuki was with me and I believe that the two cats were together," Ayanii assumed.

"Hmm, so where do you suppose our little princess was during all of this?" Ayame knew that Tohru was alright but Yuki looked so worried.

"It certainly is a mystery," Shigure slurped some noodles.

"She was with Harin, the dragon of the other zodiac. She wanted to go meet him and since he normally doesn't come out of his room I told her that she could go in there," Inure chewed on rice as he spoke.

"Well I guess I should give him points for honesty but did he have to be so blunt about it?-!" Haruko thought to himself.

"Did you and Kisa see her with him?" Haru looked at Hiro when he asked.

"No. We got locked in a closet," Hiro scoffed.

"So that's why we heard…" Momiji jumped on top of the table and breathed in as much air as his tiny lungs could hold. "HIRO THE HENTAI, DOES NASTY STUFF TO KISA WHEN NOBODY'S LOOKING! SOMEBODY CALL THE POLICE! HELP PUT THIS PERVERT BACK WHERE HE'S BELONGS!"

"…"in hell", " Haru finished. The certain H word sounded very creepy when said by him.

"You guys heard that?" Hiro muttered.

"Everyone heard that," Yuki chuckled.

Hiro groaned in annoyance and embarrassment before he scooted over to his side closer to where Kisa was sitting.

"Is your shoulder okay? Maybe you should go see Hatori after he's done with big brother, Kyo," Kisa whispered.

"No, that won't be necessary. But I will take it easy for a while just in case," Hiro replied in just as soft tone of voice.

"Okay." the worried expression on Kisa's face didn't leave.

"But what about you Kisa? Are you alright?" Hiro queried.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you," Kisa smiled softly.

"I think that I was able to today. I was able to be a man and protect Kisa. And in the end she did the same thing for me," Hiro thought to himself as he smiled back at her.

(Flashback sheep's pov.) Kisa and I are exploring throughout this entire house. All of it's so tiring and irritating. We're only looking for that stupid woman so it's not like it was for any good reason. That stupid woman! She's making us waste all of this time and she's worrying Kisa. Well, if I wanna be a man who can make Kisa happy I'll have to endure every annoying trial placed in my way. Geez, we opened just about every door in sight and searched through almost every room and there's still no sign of her!

"Hi- Hiro? I thought I heard…ah, a voice in here erm, maybe it's Sissy…" Kisa mumbled with her hand on the doorknob.

"Really? Go on in and I'll be right there," Hiro headed towards the door that she was standing by.

Kisa opened the door and stepped inside with Hiro right behind her.

The room was messy; with clothes, magazines and all sorts of garbage that concealed the floor. There was a hammock set up in the left corner. In the right corner next to a closet, was a large brown desk with a lamp. On the desk was a book that appeared to be a photo album. There weren't any windows or other furniture in the room. Hiro looked down, and to his horror, spotted a magazine covered in a gooey substance attached to his sock.

"UGH! What a sick place. This must be that dog's room. I know the stupid woman wouldn't be in here unless she was forced…" Hiro's head shot up as he immediately kept an eye out for any perverts.

To add on to the sheep's nightmare, the tiger wasn't anywhere to be found.

"Oh no, Oh no, Oh no! I lost her. I lost Kisa! And in a place like this! What do I do?-! Should I go and get help?" Hiro was about to turn around but he quickly changed his mind. "No way. I can handle this situation myself!"

Inure opened the door to his closet with a cell phone in his hands when he spotted a panicky and spazzing sheep.

"Hello. What brings you to my humble sanctuary? I'll let you know right now that I'm not interested in little boys so if you're here for pleasure try somewhere else…" Inure notified.

"I came here to find that stupi- I mean Tohru. No, actually I'm looking for Kisa," Hiro mentally slapped himself in the forehead. "No wait I'm looking for them both. Do you know where they are?" he was disgusted by the fact that he couldn't get the magazine off of his foot.

"Tohru is with my older brother and Kisa has been downstairs this whole time," Inure replied.

"What?-!" Hiro finally got the magazine off of him. "That doesn't make any sense I just saw her come in here," he snapped.

"She's in here?-! Are you sure? This isn't a joke right? That little cutie came inside my room? Where is she?-!" Inure looked around eagerly.

Hiro slammed the door shut and left the excited pervert alone. Hiro, of course, wanted to get Kisa before looking for Tohru again so he went downstairs to find her.

"I don't understand. I know I saw her go into that room. She looked at me, she talked to me so of course that was her. And I was standing in front of the door so she couldn't of left without me seeing her. But that dog said that she was downstairs the entire time so she never went inside the room in the first place. No! That doesn't make any sense. I just saw her I know I did!" Hiro stood on the last step to take a moment and think things through. "Aaahh! Just thinking about it gives me a headache," he winced.

Hiro finally stopped talking to himself when he heard a muffled knocking coming from a door next to the stairs. At first, he shrank away from it but then curiosity drove him forward. He turned the knob and slowly cracked the door…

"KISA!"

An expression of joy and happiness overwhelmed Hiro as he hurried inside with the door shutting behind him.

"Oh no…the door," Kisa was happy to see Hiro but that soon disappeared as the door closed after him.

"What about it?" Hiro asked when he turned around and began to jiggle the handle. "I…can't…open- It locked itself!"

"Eh? But Hiro, don't you remember? When I went inside this closet the door had closed. You told me to stay here while you got help," Kisa sounded very confused. "But if the door was only locked from the inside why didn't Hiro let me out back then?" she wondered.

"…What is she talking about?-! I never said that! I didn't see her get locked in here. None of this is making any sense," Hiro groaned in frustration.

"Well, um you didn't come back for a while so I began to knock as loud as I could so that maybe somebody would help. Ah, Hiro are you okay? You're turning pale," Kisa asked with a growing concern.

"Oh I'm fine. It's just that I didn't see anyone so I came back but eh he he I'm such an idiot. I came in here without thinking and the door just closed ah ha ha ha ha," Hiro didn't want to worry Kisa so he tried to smile but that just made him look even more nervous which was true at the time. "Well then, I guess I'll just have to get us out of here," he realized that Kisa looked puzzled and almost scared and he was just making it worse.

Hiro figured out that the door was so thick nobody would be able to hear him if he knocked and he didn't think shouting would help very much either. So he looked around past Kisa for any large objects to pound the door open with but there weren't any. There were only coats and jackets in this bare closet. Therefore, Hiro did the only other option he could think of. He used his shoulder to slam against the door in an attempt to break it down.

Even though Hiro went to Kazuma's dojo at least three times a week, his brute strength left much to be desired.

Kisa stood there speechless as Hiro literally threw himself against the door only to be knocked back down twice as hard. She wanted him to stop before he seriously hurt himself but at the same time she wanted to start cheering and give him encouragement. In her eyes, he looked just like a prince fighting for his princess. Watching him, charge at the door, being knocked flat on his back but then getting back up only to try again. This strength, this confidence, this determination, and his courage, set Kisa's heart ablaze. She was worried about him but at the same time she felt so happy.

Hiro, gasping for air and covered in sweat, fell to his knees with his arms placed in front of him. His hands tightly gripped the thick fluffy carpet until his fingertips dug through.

"It isn't even budging! This is so pathetic! This is my chance. My one and only chance to save Kisa and I mess it all up! I can't even get a door to open. I'll never be a man at this rate. This is hopeless. I'm so pathetic," Hiro shouted in his head. "Don't worry Kisa, I'll get us out one way or another," he reassured. "…I just need to take a little break first." he closed his eyes while lying face down on the floor.

"Hiro? Are you okay? Hiro?-!"

With a loud poof, Hiro had changed into a sheep and laid unconscious in front of a panicky and spazzing tiger.

"What do I do? Hiro might really be hurt. This is my fault. I should of tried to stop him. But why didn't I? This is all my fault," Kisa thought. "Hiro, please say something," with pleading eyes she was on her knees when she placed her hand on his back. Her fingertips were embedded within the soft, fluffy wool as she gently shook him.

The temperature seemed to be steadily rising while the air grew thicker. She struggled to breathe and knew that Hiro was in an even worse position. Kisa wanted to take Hiro out of here as soon as possible.

He moaned before he suddenly began to wheeze and cough. He slowly regained consciousness even though he still laid on the ground motionless. His eyes were darkened, his face was sunken and his entire body was limb and drenched in sweat. There was a purplish bruise on his shoulder.

(tiger's pov)I can't just sit here and do nothing. I need to open this door and get some help…Hiro has done so much for me in the past. I have to do something for him in return…Hiro is someone that I can look up to. He has confidence…and courage, the very traits that I have always lacked…And now I have to be strong. I can't always rely and cling to Sissy…to Hiro when I feel weak. Otherwise, I'll get worse and worse and be nothing but a burden.

Kisa tried the same thing that had caused Hiro to collapse in the first place. She used her shoulder to hit the door while jiggling the handle from side to side.

"It's not enough…I have to try harder…" Kisa winced by the hard and rough structure of the obstacle placed in front of her. This obstacle she was determined to over come. "I can't give up…be strong…I have to…" tears dampened the nicks on her pallid face and flowed onto her frail physique.

"…Wha?" The constant banging sound pounded the sheep's ears forcing him to open his eyes.

Hiro stood there speechless as Kisa literally threw herself against the door only to be knocked back down twice as hard.

"Ack! Kisa, what are you doing?-! Stop that before you seriously hurt yourself. I said stop!" Hiro shouted.

"I can't. Not until this door is opened," Kisa continued to shake the handle and hit the door at the same time.

Hiro suddenly changed back into his human form and went to the back of the closet to put on his clothes. For a while, he felt shocked by Kisa's determination. He never would of thought that she would do something like this. It made him feel so happy. But that, soon turned into shame and disappointment in himself.

"I'm sorry Kisa. I don't quite understand how we got into this mess. But I do know one thing…it's my fault. I'm the one who suggested that we look for Tohru in the first place…" Hiro admitted. "No matter how hard I try. I never learn. Why can't I be the kind of man who can protect her?" he inwardly scolded himself. "I'm sorry Kisa. But I have to take responsibility for my own mistakes…So please, step aside and let me handle this,"

"Ah, I uh, I- I can't do that," Kisa abruptly turned bright red.

"Why not?" Hiro was astonished by the fact that Kisa was being so bold today.

"I don't want to see Hiro hurt himself because of me…If you were to be hurt. I wouldn't be able to bear it,"

"I wasn't hurt! I'm fine! I was just feeling tired and I had a lot on mind so much that I changed due to stress. But everything's fine now. I'm alright so don't worry about it." Hiro remembered that he had just collapsed and turned into a sheep earlier.

Kisa stopped and turned to face Hiro. She treaded toward him in a gradual pace. She never felt so nervous in her entire life and she couldn't understand why. At this moment, her heartbeat echoed in the closet with her flustered face soaked in sweat.

Hiro didn't move an inch as Kisa approached him with something that he had never seen before. Her head was raised high with her eyes meeting with his. He had never seen her in such a way. He couldn't possibly put these feelings into words. At this moment, his heartbeat echoed in the closet corresponding with hers.

"Maybe we should try to open the door again. I think it could work if we work together that is…" Kisa, with her voice shaking unceasingly, intertwined her fingers with his.

Without a response, Hiro squeezed Kisa's hand and treaded toward their obstacle. Still holding her hand, Hiro used his free hand to shake the handle while his arm was wrapped securely around her waist. Kisa's back leaned against Hiro's chest, she could literally feel it every time he inhaled and when exhaling his warm breath blew against the back of her neck making her hair stand on end. While being held in his arms, she noticed how lean and firm his body was.

Together in this position, with one try they burst open the door to see both Nekkie and Kyo staring at them in shock.(end of flashback)

7:00 P.M. Everyone had just finished eating, the Mabudachi trio went back to their room upstairs. Hatori returned to his book and Ayame took the phone before Shigure had the chance. Yuki, Momiji, Kisa, Hiro and Hatsuharu went to the living room where they found Nekkie and Kyo. Haruko noticed that everyone had left Yuzen to clean the dishes by himself so he decided to assist him. Ayanii and Inure went upstairs to each of their own rooms while Tohru and Harin stayed within theirs.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

AN: I'm sorry if that Hiro x Kisa scene was too dramatic or corny but I did my best. I'm also sorry if Kyo or Yuki seemed out of character. But I really hope that they didn't! Another apology goes to the people who were confused by all of the flashbacks that were put in. I kinda did that on purpose making the past and present seem a little jumbled and hazy. Yes, I know the chapter was really long but I couldn't possibly have shortened it into two parts. Anyway, please review or I will force you to eat coconut and leek cake everyday for the rest of your life. Ha ha, just kidding! At least this time I am…Mwa aha ha ha ha!

"Which of the following characters would you like to be trapped alone with on a deserted island?"

A. Ritsu Sohma.

B. Kisa Sohma.

C. Ayame Sohma.

D. Kimi Toudou.