To Win
The Bet
Chapter 14
Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Fruits Basket
Hello! Welcome to Chapter 14! It's been way to long since I've posted! I wanted to post the next chapter of my other story 'You Started It' first, but I didn't finish it first. And instead of making more people wait, I met half way! That chapter will be up soon!
hyourin-kusabana- Thank you for another kind review! I'm really happy you were excited to read my last chapter! Hopefully you'll be as excited this time!
loritakitochan- I'm so happy you continued to read my story!!! And I'm even happier that you liked my last chapter!! Thank you for all your reviews!
TheFuzyLlama- Yay! You've come back!!!! I'm so happy you reviewed again!!! Thank you so much for your lovely reviews!!
Again I am SOOO SORRY it took me so long to update! This chapter was sort of difficult to write, too! But I can't wait until the next one! Please read! Please enjoy! Please review!!!
"Oh well hello Shigure-kun." The woman said to the teenage boy who approached her.
The boy smiled at her with narrowed eyes. "Hello."
"I haven't seen you in awhile. No one visits me much." She pouted, her own eyes darkening.
He shrugged "I've been busy, but hey, I've got a question for you, Ren-san. Do you know about Mitani-kun? She's that little girl that hangs around Akito."
Ren stared, her smiled hardening "Really? Why should I care?"
"Well, I've heard she's willing to do anything for Akito." Shigure said, stressing the word anything as he turned away from her outstretched hand casually and walked in the opposite direction.
"Will you tell me your name?" Yuki asked her in a hushed tone.
Mitani stood quietly at the far end of the room and watched through half glazed eyes as Akito unwrapped Hiro's present.
Back at Kisa's house, the party went on and the present went unmissed as she had intended, but she had not passed by without leaving a vague curiosity behind.
More than vague, perhaps.
It was an uneasiness that hung in the air.
Kureno knelt beside Akito in silence as the gift wrap revealed a wooden jewelry box with a tiger carved in its top delicately. He lifted the lid gingerly.
"Nobody knows my name"
He smiled sadly "That must be very sad."
That's not exactly true. Some people knew her name. But they weren't her friends, really. She was safer the less people knew who she was. She knew that now.
But it was a lesson learned in a very difficult way.
Akito pulled out a thin golden chain with a heart-shaped locket at the end. Kureno looked over at Mitani as Akito smiled "This seems familiar, doesn't it?" He asked, turning it over in his hands.
"Are you the little girl everyone is talking about? Mitani-chan?" The woman asked, bending down to her level. A golden oval locket hung around her neck. "I've heard so much about you."
Before, if someone had asked her what her name was Mitani wouldn't know not to answer honestly. She wasn't familiar with anything other than good intentions. In her memory she can recall the very moment Kureno bowed in front of her and asked her name, and she responded after a moment's hesitation and Hatori's introduction as well. They were both in their teens. She was only a child. She didn't know anything outside of what she saw in Akito and what she observed from others wandering the houses.
Her name was known by some maids, but it wasn't more than passing acquaintances. Really, what's in a name?
It leads to familiarity.
Mitani knew the danger of telling her name to the wrong person now. If she had to pick one, her choice was now security over companionship. There was nothing sad about learning to be lonely.
The young girl walked along the stone path behind the mansion in the brisk air. She stretched her arms out on either side of her and bent her head slowly to watch her feet step one carefully in front of the other, focused on keeping her balance, her windblown hair hanging over her shoulders.
"Hey there"
The girl stumbled slightly. She turned around to see a boy in his teens standing behind her on the path and smiled politely at him. She'd seen him before.
He smiled back, and walked forward toward the younger girl, tucking his hands into his pockets."Are you Akito's friend?" He asked her.
She stared up at him for a long moment.
The boy tipped his head to the side with a small smile "You are, aren't you? I know you are, I've seen you before." He grinned "Do you know me?"
"I've seen you." She answered in an airy voice.
He chuckled and shrugged "Fair enough. I'm friends with Akito too. What's your name?"
She blinked and then answered hesitantly "My name is Mitani."
"Hey,Tani-chan. I'm Shigure." He smiled down at her "It's nice to meet you."
Akito stowed away the jewelry box and the locket in the large box on the table. Mitani hugged her arms tight to her, drumming her fingers impatiently.
"The Monkey is next." She said flatly.
Akito lifted head and looked over at her with wide eyes and then at Kureno. The Bird rose to his feet and went over to the girl "Mitani-kun, aren't you hungry?" He asked, his voice calm and cool, trying to stop an argument before it began.
Mitani didn't look at him. Her gaze was stationed on the panels of the floor, determined for the subject not to be changed. "No. "She answered.
Akito narrowed his eyes.
"When did you last eat?" Kureno pressed gently, stepping between the two.
"I'm not hungry." She repeated looking up at the man. "I'd like to know Ritsu's item." Her eyes landed on Akito.
His eyes darkened.
And then he smiled his sickly sweet smile "Well, Mitani, if you are still in a hurry to lose…" He began "I am in no hurry to stop you…" He spoke cruelly.
Mitani watched Akito turn away from the table. "The Monkey's item is a parasol from his childhood. The first he carried publicly. Bring it to me." He said dismissively as he moved through the patio doors.
"The necklace is mine!" The child cried, grabbing onto her. "She has no right! Bring it to me!" Small hands shook the girl madly. "You could get it so easily! Bring it to me! Please!"
Mitani stared wide-eyed down Akito's tear stained face and nodded "I'll get it, Akito-san. Please don't cry."
The presents were opened at the Kisa's birthday party. All but one that the Tiger would never see. Kisa shifted slightly on the couch amongst the gifts and her relatives surrounding her, talking among themselves. She felt out of place.
The Sheep sat down next to her, and lifted a box onto his lap "Gure-nii got you a lava lamp?" He said aloud and she glanced at him, a blush rising to her cheek as he examined the box it came packaged in. "What a childish gift."
She blinked. And then Kisa smiled "Thank you Hiro-chan."
Hiro looked over at her in absolute surprise. His face flushed. "What for?" He stammered.
"Um." She ducked her head. "I'm not sure. I'm never alone with you sitting next to me. You're the most comfortable person I know. I couldn't ask for anything else." She said so softly he had to lean in to listen, and even then he barely heard her.
Hiro looked alarmed, blushing crimson as he opened his mouth. The Sheep froze and Kisa watched as he gritted his teeth. *That statement doesn't make sense, Kisa, how could you be alone at all if I was next to you. How is one person more of a 'presence' than another? Am I more solid then another? Or does that mean-* He blushed harder *that girl… could have been right?*
"Thanks I guess." Hiro mumbled with a smile, looking up at Kisa.
"Hiro's doing a good job holding back." Haru mentioned from across the room, flipping through the book Yuki bought for the girl.
"Well, when Satchan's involved." Shigure shrugged.
"I heard you would do anything for Akito." The woman said, narrowing her eyes at the little girl.
Mitani left the room and moved through the hallway.
Her footsteps echoed through the hall. She didn't like that woman. Her idea of the world changed after she met her.
"Tani-chan, do you know what a lie is?" The dog asked, stretched out on the patio on his stomach as he worked on his homework.
The little girl turned to look over her shoulder at him. "Of course I do."
He smiled. She didn't understand the way it looked "Of course."
"Do you need more paper, Mitani-kun?" Kureno asked, handing the girl more paper to doodle on from his notebook to distract her from the odd question.
They worked in silence for several minutes.
"Tani-chan?" Shigure asked again, propping himself on his arm to look over at her, "Do you know that there are different kinds of lies? So sometimes it's hard to tell if a lie is a lie at all."
"What?"
"Don't listen to him Mitani, he's teasing you." Hatori said.
Mitani sighed as she stopped in the corridor. She didn't like him either, but at the time, she didn't know. Not until everything changed.
The necklace was clutched in the small girl's fist when the most painful of headaches dawned on her. She winced and stumbled, leaning against the wall for support. It didn't make sense to her. She never felt anything like this before. It lessened as she pushed through the doors to Akito's room.
Tears ran down the young god's face. Shigure leaned against the wall of the room and watched Mitani struggle to her feet.
"Don't cry Akito…"
"You got it?"
The Dog tipped his head to the side as Akito approached her. "You were right I guess. She'd do anything for you." He said with a smile as Akito took the locket
"Stop it Shigure! Why do you have to try to prove me wrong? Everyone is loyal to me! Always! They will be loyal! You will be too! So stop messing around and being jealous!"
His eyes darkened "Why my dear Akito, I'd never be jealous of a Chicken." He said. "As you said, they are yours."
"That's right!" She hissed, taking the locket from the girl who watched the argument in a state of confusion
"But is Tani's bind really as unbreakable as ours?" He mused.
Akito sat in the back of the room, examining the necklace. "Of course it is." She said off handedly.
"Alright, Akito. I'll take your bet." Shigure smiled, and strode out of the room. He winked at Mitani as he exited "Sorry, you'll have to be the guinea pig."
Akito watched the Dog leave and looked at the angel.
Mitani knew little about the Monkey. He lived far away and dressed like a woman. All she knew for sure was she'd rather take a train than fly.
The girl walked with conviction to the main gate the next morning. She would have liked to go the very same day as she had for Hiro's but the possibility of being seen by the entire Sohma Family and Ritsu's absence from the onsen made her loose her nerve.
She continued down the tree lined road with conviction, heading for town to make the next train.
"No, that's stupid! Whoever said that didn't know what the hell they were talkin' about!" A voice shouted.
Mitani glanced at the Dojo, distracted from all her conviction by bright orange hair in the doorway of the entrance.
Her lips parted slightly.
The Cat.
"I dunno Kyo," A voice teased and the Orange Boy tensed up defensively "Sounded pretty legit to me."
Kyo smirked "Then you don't know what the hell you're talkin' about either, Kunimitsu." He laughed.
A rare, rare sighting for her. This was officially the second time she'd ever seen him. Mitani caught a glimpse of the Cat leaving Akito's room after an argument they had a year or two prior. He stormed away fast past her and Hatori.
All she had seen was a flash of orange.
Kazuma stepped into the doorframe and Mitani looked away fast, ducking her head as both the younger men entered past him into the Dojo.
Kazuma was so kind to her. She felt bad hurting any student of his, but he understood.
Kazuma watched the girl walk away.
She'd understand. Perhaps.
His eyes were pained.
"I'm sorry, my friend."
Because picking a side might be clear, but it doesn't make it any easier.
Mitani wandered slowly through town toward the train station. She knew plenty about Kyo from what Akito said about him, but she didn't really rely much on him for unbiased opinions.
Whenever he spoke of Kyo he acted as if there was something wrong with him other than that he was the Cat. He'd grimace slightly as if he were disgusting.
"Right now, you are not the only one he has a bet with." The doctor said, "Not me. Kyo Sohma." He clarified.
Mitani stopped at the crosswalk and waited with a group for the light to change.
Somehow, what Hatori said about Kyo's bet with Akito really did make her nervous.
There was no way Akito would let Kyo in the zodiac, no matter what. He must be setting him up to fail, just like Hatori said.
The light changed and the people began to cross. Mitani blinked and hurried after the crowd to the other side of the road.
Was she being put in her place? Was she fighting a losing battle? Was there really no hope for her?
Hatori watched her "What does Akito get if he wins?" He asked as gently as he could.
She slowed her pace and looked down, moving to the side of the pavement towards the buildings.
Her bet… was she really being taught a lesson? Just like Kyo?
"He already has it… I have nothing to lose." she replied, her eyes lowered.
"Do you mean that?" Kazuma asked.
Did she?
Was she really not broken yet?
White hair hung in disarray around her face. She stood tense and breathless on her feet, blue eyes narrowed and shining with tears of hate and exhaustion. Her lip twitched lip she was unsure whether to laugh or cry.
The silence was not silent. Her breathing was loud and it spoke to him, and his silent response spoke painfully back as he pointedly refused to allow his gaze to fall in her direction.
She was not worth his time.
He hadn't reacted when she started speaking like this the day before, or acknowledged her when she tried to argue with him earlier. When she stormed into the room during his meal he hadn't even lifted his eyes to meet hers.
Behind him the man was on his feet, concerned that she would get physical with the frail god.
Her eyes didn't once meet the Bird's, glued instead on the younger man in front of her. She didn't even notice Kureno.
"Akito."She hissed.
He sipped his tea idly, starring out the window to the cold day.
"Don't ignore me, Akito! Listen to me!" She shouted.
"Mitani-kun-"Kureno began.
"I don't listen to your commands, Mitani." Akito spoke softly, setting down his empty cup. "Until you start to speak to me as you should, I will not listen to you."
Mitani clenched her teeth "I do everything for you-"
"Well, aren't you supposed to?" He interrupted. "It's what you came here for. I don't owe you anything. You owe me, right? Because you're such a terrible angel? All you do is make trouble for me, even now too."
"I do everything you say! All those things you would throw me away for!"
Akito looked up at her "Well if you couldn't do the things I ask, you might as well be thrown away." He shifted his thin blanket over his shoulders "I won't have you blaming me anymore for your own flaws."
Kureno blinked and looked away fast as Mitani's face grew stunned.
"Mortality is a flaw?" she whispered slowly.
Akito didn't answer.
"But… I came here… to help you… you know that, right? I wasn't until I bound myself to you… I couldn't die before. But, that sort of thing didn't have to happen. You made me do it, you made me steal from Ren! That's not the sort of stuff I was supposed to do! I wasn't supposed to risk my life!"
"Don't pretend like that's your only flaw, Mitani. Ever since then you've been worthless, really."
"I was so small then, what have I done wrong since? I'm always here-"
"No you're not! You leave all the time! You go off and only those headaches you claim to have bring you back! You are never around, ever! I'm supposed to be the one you're here for! Where else could you possibly go?!" He shouted.
Mitani stared wide-eyed "I'm just out in the-"
"Flying away from me! I hate it! And then it takes you so long to come back! You shouldn't fly away!" his voice scared a bird perched in the windowsill. It soared into the sky.
Kureno took a step back slightly, surprised by Akito's sudden outburst.
Mitani blinked. "But Akito, I like flying."
"So what? You do what I say right? That's your problem, you used to listen exactly to what I said, but now you've changed; now you won't."
The girl glared "You're always-"
Akito interrupted "I don't care what you think about what I do. I don't do anything wrong, whatever I do is justified."
"Hatori's eye then?" Mitani challenged.
Akito glared, getting to his feet. "That horrid woman was tricking him. I let him see the truth. I saved him."
"That was nice of you, wasn't it?" Mitani spat.
"Watch your tongue, Demon."
Mitani glared viciously "I don't want to be here anymore."
He smirked "I believe I've heard that one before." He turned away.
"I want my feather back now." It was a demand.
Akito stopped. He turned slowly "What makes you think you have a choice?"
She didn't answer. Akito held her gaze for several moments "You made me a promise."
"I didn't know what I was promising. I wanted to help you. I can't watch you destroy everyone. I don't want to be a part of it."
"You don't have that choice anymore."
She glared "He does!" Mitani said, turning toward Kureno. The Rooster looked alarmed. "Why are you still here, Kureno-kun?" She demanded.
Kureno's eyes widened as he opened his mouth slightly, unsure how to respond in the situation.
Akito was in front of Mitani in an instant. He slapped her across the face.
"Don't you dare bring him into this." He hissed possessively.
"I want to leave, Akito, let me go." Mitani whispered her arms over Akito's trying to pry out his nails from digging into her shoulders.
Akito's eyes narrowed and then he smiled. "Kureno" He said, releasing Mitani. "Would you leave us for a moment?"
Kureno glanced between the two and nodded. Once he had exited the room, Akito sat on the pillow again. "You want to leave, Mitani?"
She nodded.
"Well then, let's make a bet." He said.
"What?"
"You heard me. Let bet. If you want to leave so badly you'll have to win a challenge. You'll bring me something from each of the Juunishi. I'll tell you what I want you to get from them and all you have to do is take it and bring it back. If you do that before let's say next fall I'll let you go."
Mitani grinned "That's it?" She said "Take some stuff and hand it over? I'll do it! I'll be gone in two we-"
"But if you don't get the right items, if you run out of time, or you don't get them all, then you lose your freedom."
She laughed. "I've lost that already. I've got nothing to lose!"
Akito's gaze was dark. "Are you sure?" He let the question hang in the air until Mitani's smile fell and she felt uneasy.
The bird flew back into the room and perched gracefully on a vase.
"I really am kind to you, you know. I let you do more than I should. You gave up everything but I didn't take it all. If you aren't happy with this then you shouldn't have it. So let's put it all on the table, hmm? You get total freedom, or you lose the freedom you take for granted."
"I have no freedom!" She tried to protest, but the statement was uncomfortable.
"The walls of the main house will look much smaller when you can't pass through them" he looked out the window. "And that blue sky will always be out of reach when you can't fly anymore. You'd be here forever."
Not to soar across the sky.
But…
"I'll do it." She said, making the bet.
The challenge would be simple.
Akito smiled "Tell me Mitani, can a caged bird sing?"
The girl stared up at the sky and wished she had flown today. She should enjoy it. Just in case.
What would she do if she lost? She didn't want to think of it, wandering the main house for years to come like a ghost. After all this effort, she needed to win.
Mitani sighed and looked up in time for a girl to crash into her.
"Ah! Ah! P-pardon me, miss!" The brunette panicked, bowing as Mitani caught herself. "I wasn't looking! I was looking for my friend! It was my fault! Are you okay?" She asked.
Mitani nodded, glancing at her "I'm fine, I wasn't paying attention either, I'm sorry."
The girl sighed, relieved. "Okay! I was worried. This isn't the first time I've walked into someone."
Mitani smiled "It's okay, don't worry."
The girl smiled for a very long moment until Mitani wasn't sure what more to say.
"Um… where did you say you were headed agai-"
"Oh!" The girl squeaked "Oh! Yuki-kun! He's probably still waiting! Oh no! I haven't been to this area before." She looked at Mitani slowly, almost as if she felt guilty "I am so… so sorry to ask you something so soon after I injured you, but if you could give me some directions, I would be so grateful!"
She blinked and smiled at her "I'm not hurt. It's alright really, where are you going?" she asked
"Well, miss… ah?"
Mitani smiled kindly, running her hand through her snow white hair, breezing over the girl's question like it had never been asked "Where are you going…?" She pressed.
The brunette didn't miss a beat or take offense. "I'm on my way meet my friend at a market down here so we can pick up our other friend from her middle school. I've never been to this market alone before though. It's far out of my way."
"I can help you for most of the way I think, there is a popular grocery store nearby people go to so that might be it." Mitani though, glancing down the street.
"Thank you so much! It's nice to meet you, Shiro-chan! My name is Tohru Honda!" (Shiro=White)
Mitani looked back at her with a look of confusion and surprise and smiled "It's nice to meet you too, I guess."
Tohru beamed.
Well! There you go! Chapter 14!!! Please review! I'm going to start updating regularly again!!! I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you think!!!
Review!!!
Love!
Sachi-chan!