Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya.

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Last Time on Tales of an Onigiri:

Dark began to run, taunting over her shoulder, "Resorting to violence, eh, Suki? Like that hasn't been done before to me or isn't dignified!"

She ran out of the room, Suki following. As she sprinted down the dimly lit hallway, Dark thought, It's all up to you now, bratling. Don't blow it.

Momiji walked into the room mere moments after they left…

Chapter 21

Into the Ice

Part A

Saving Kira

Momiji walked to the corner of the room, where Kira, encased in the block of ice, was in a fetal position, her tears turned black. Momiji chanted a few words under his breath and he slowly walked towards the block of ice. He put his arms out and they touched the ice. His vision swam…and suddenly he was in a dimly lit room. Candles floated in the air above his head.

"Wh-who are you?" a tiny voice said suddenly. It was a small girl, her blonde hair in pigtails. He crystalline blue eyes looked up at him warily.

"My name is Momiji Sohma."

"Oh, I'm Kira Honda," the girl said. "I'm this many!" She put up two fingers, "But I'm almost this many." She put up three.

Momiji took a moment to regain his composure. "Well, I'm older than this many." He put up ten fingers. "I'm 15."

"Wooooooow!" Kira said. "You're almost as old as daddy!"

"I am?"

"Mm-hmm!" the little girl chirped. "He's this many," she put up 10 fingers, "Plus this many," she sat on her diapered bottom, and pointed at her feet. "Plus this many!" She grabbed Momiji's right hand and put up three fingers. She smiled as Momiji held back laughter.

"Wow!" he said, "I couldn't do math like that when I was your age!"

"According to mommy and daddy," Kira said matter-of-factly, "I'm super smart or something~!"

Momiji chuckled to himself briefly. Then he remembered his task. "I was wondering if you had seen any older versions of you around my age around here?"

"Nii-san, do you mean Kira-neesan or Kira-neesan or Kira-neesan or…?"

"The one around my age."

"I can't tell age very well, nii-san."

"Oh…" Momiji said, mildly disappointed. Then he brightened, "Can you bring me to any of your nee-sans that are older than you by a lot?"

"Okay," the little girl chirped, "But I have one condition!"

"What's that?" Momiji asked.

"Up!" Kira said. She pointed at his shoulders.

"Oh," Momiji said. He thought for a moment, not realizing what she meant. He suddenly realized her meaning and said, "Alright then." He knelt down and Kira jumped up on his back. They went outside and ran through the dimly let corridors, Kira occasionally giving him directions. They ran happily for a few minutes until they heard a roar.

"AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" A girl in a black jumpsuit jumped out of nowhere. She held a bamboo sword in her hands lifted high above her head.

"Kira-neesan, wait!"

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!" the girl screamed, not listening to the little girl. "And what are you doing with Kira?!"

"Kira-neesan! Please listen to me! This is Momiji-niisan."

Still pointing the sword at Momiji's head, she ripped off her black mask, and an older Kira's face was revealed. She looked to be around age 10. "Who is he?"

"He's friends with Kira-nee!" the smaller Kira explained from atop Momiji's back.

"Which one?" the girl said suspiciously.

"Um…I don't know," the smaller Kira said.

"I'm looking for the current Kira," Momiji answered.

"Why?" the older Kira said, finally putting down her sword.

"Because the Agency needs her and so do I."

"Why do you need her?"

"Because I love her. She loved me too, but…perhaps I screwed it all up…"

Seeing the truly sad look on Momiji's face, Kira said, "I don't know what you did, but if the older me loved you at any point…I'm sure she still does."

Kira smiled at Momiji and sheathed her sword. "I mean…I'm stubborn, and I hold grudges for long periods of time. But…if she loves you the way you say she does…well, she'll probably forgive you."

Momiji smiled sadly, "I sure hope so."

"Anyway," the older Kira said, "Let's go find her."

"Okay!" the four year old agreed from Momiji's back.

"Let's go then!" Momiji said. They then continued to run quickly down the halls, the candle lights blurring. Each hallway looked exactly the same. The candles had melted all at the same rate, the doors were spaced in exactly the same way, even the wall color was the same shade. Momiji wondered how the Kiras managed to know where they were in the maze-like home. They then reached a dark corridor. Not even a single candle illuminated the hallway past the border of the darkness and the light.

"I think it's down here," the older Kira said. She grabbed a hovering candle and tried to illuminate a path, but the candle flickered out the second she put it in there. She stared at the smoking wick and said, "Momiji, can you try to illuminate this hallway.

"I'll try." Momiji focused his power and a ball of whirling light illuminated the way in front of him. They began to walk, looking for a door. The older Kira opened the door and they walked into the room. Then, the ground fell out from under them, and they disappeared from sight.

Part B

Old Memories

When Momiji awoke, he had no idea how much time had passed. He noticed that the Kiras were no longer with him. "Kira!" he shouted, but it only echoed in the room. He looked around and noticed that the room was dimly lit and he could see. He saw a door at the end of the room, and decided to walk through it.

He opened the door and saw that it was a large, mostly empty western style room. A young Kira stood in front of an equally young Richard. On the ground around them lay Ayu, Romulus, Remus, and Elle. Richard moved to put a finger on each of her temples, when Kira said, "Wait."

"What is it?" Richard said.

"I know that you did not erase Rem's memories, that you only put him in a deep sleep."

"How did you-?" Remus began, but was answered by a knowing smile. Richard decided not to ask further; he would never get a straight answer.

"I ask that you do the same for me."

"Why?" Richard said.

"You two need someone to share the burden with. Also, I can let you know when Ayu is ready…ready to remember everything. She's going to run to my house the second she gets home, isn't she?"

"Yes."

"For no real reason, or so you hope."

"Yes."

"Well, then, don't you think I can help the illusion."

Richard seemed to think for a moment. "You understand that you can show no knowledge of anything, right? Not until Ayu is ready."

"I know."

Richard nodded, half to himself and half to Kira. "Fine. It will feel as if you are falling into a deep sleep…"

Momiji stared, stupefied. What are they talking about? He wondered, Kira, what did you do? The room fell pitch black and everything disappeared. Footsteps echoed around the room, and Momiji shouted, "Hello!"

A point of light flickered in the distance and came towards Momiji very quickly. Soon, a figure became visible. It was another Kira, definitely older than the two year old. The age was the same in the vision, so six? Seven? She looked upon Momiji silently.

"Please take me to the oldest Kira, please."

"Which one? Which number?"

"14?" Momiji said, "The current one, I mean."

"I see," Kira said. "Why do you believe that I will take you there?"

"Because you are an honorable person. I trust you with my life."

"Why would you trust a girl who lied to her best friend for over 10 years about everything?"

"I-I…"

"And only ever did what was expected of her?! My entire future was decided by the time I was six. Six! Why would you ever trust someone like that?! Why?!" It was then that the small girl burst into tears and crouched into a fetal position.

Momiji stood, shocked, for a few moments. Then he crouched down next to her and said, "Because I love her. She is a good person. Some things in life are unavoidable, but people can always change. But I'll always lover her, that will never change, even if she does."

The little girl stared, wide-eyed at Momiji. Then she nodded to herself. "Fine, I will take you to her."

Kira grabbed Momiji's hand, and began to lead him forward, the candle lighting the way. Their footsteps echoed in the room. They walked several yards, until a door was visible. The little girl said, "I can't go in there."

"Why not? Isn't this your mind?"

The girl shook her head. "I just can't."

Momiji looked at her carefully and said, "Ok. Will you be alright?"

The girl kissed him on the cheek and smiled at him. "Of course I will be." Her smile fell from her face. She said, "Good luck." As an afterthought, she said, "Be careful. Things are not very stable in there."

"What do you mean?" Momiji asked.

Kira smiled softly and shook her head. She began to glow a bright yellow light and said, "Goodbye, Momiji-san."

The light enveloped her and grew smaller, until she resembled a single star in the darkness. Then, the pinprick of light flew away.

Momiji took a deep breath and opened the door.

End of Chapter 21

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