Akito tossed the blonde angrily out the front doors of the main house and then stood before him with a cold look in his eyes. Standing in the courtyard, Shigure, Hatori, Kureno, Kyo, Hatsuharu, and Yuki also stared back at Jinto with hatred in their eyes. For it had only been twenty minutes ago when Kyo and the others had returned to the main house and had informed everyone of Jinto's treachery. Jinto looked back up at Akito furiously.
"You can't do this to me!" he demanded.
"I most certainly can" Akito seethed at him, "After what you did to my family. I should do even worse to you. But I'll let you leave peacefully if you choose. If you refuse then we'll have to deal with you a little more severely."
"We don't want you around here anymore Jinto" Shigure replied, "You're not welcome."
"It would be best if you just left" Hatori added.
Kureno crossed his arms and nodded his head angrily. Hatsuharu also crossed his arms as Kyo and Yuki watched him stand up shakily.
"I won't leave without them. My wife and my son."
"Your wife and your son will remain here" Akito replied, "After all your son is the new head of the Zodiac and that is something we will respect. Kagura will also remain with us because she chooses to."
"What? That's impossible."
"No Jinto" Kagura said appearing behind Kyo with a face that reminded Yuki of the Kagura of old, "They are right. I will go nowhere with you. And you will not take our son either."
"Kagura" he replied staring at her angry about her despondence, "I will not let you do this."
"You haven't a choice" Kagura cried out, "You arrogant jerk! I can't believe it. You made me believe that you loved me. How could you? I don't ever want to see you again. If you ever come near me or my family again you will be sorry."
"You did fall for it" Jinto sneered, "You were so stupid Kagura. Love you? As if. I did it all for the money."
"Why you" Kyo started to say moving forward.
"No Kyo" Kagura replied holding out her hand, "Let me handle him."
Kyo took a step back and Hatsuharu glanced at him briefly with a slight smile on his face.
"Oh you'll handle me will you little girl?" Jinto practically laughed, "And how will you do that?"
"LIKE THIS!" Kagura lost all her composure and began to beat on him the way she used to towards Kyo.
Haru and Kyo looked at each other as they smiled and shook their heads in pure joy. When Kagura was done she had knocked Jinto to the ground, quite astounded at her strength.
"Don't you ever set foot in this place again!" she added.
"It's okay Kagura" Kyo said placing a hand on her shoulder, "You've done enough."
She nodded and embraced him quickly before departing to the main house. Kyo stood over Jinto now as Akito moved forward.
"I think we made our point Jinto. Leave this place, or I'll have Kyo personally escort you out. Because no one deserves it more than him."
Jinto looked like he wasn't going to move the way he was obstinately remaining in his seat, so Kyo yanked him up by his shirt.
"I guess you want to do things the hard way after all" he said as he dragged him toward the main gate and then flung him out along with his suitcase, "Leave. And never come back."
"I won't leave without my boy" Jinto retorted.
"Your boy doesn't want you either. He wants nothing more to do with you anymore than his mother does" Kyo indicated behind him.
Kagura was standing with Yamato who glared slightly back at his father before turning his back and walking back into the main house, with Kagura close behind him. Jinto's eyes became wide as Kyo looked back at him.
"Now crawl back into the hole you came out of" he added and then turned his own back on him, "If you set foot on this property again I won't be so kind next time" he closed the doors behind him.
Jinto got slowly to his feet and began to walk back to the city, angrily cursing the Sohma's and Tai Ushida all in one breath. Kyo walked back to the others who were all grinning happily at the turn of events.
"Well now that, that is over with" Shigure said placing his hand behind his head, "What's next for you Kyo?"
"Tohru and I are going home," Kyo answered proudly as Yuki nodded.
"And where is Tohru now?"
"She's asleep," Kyo said.
"Mhm" Sakura nodded taking her father's hand since she had been nearby, "With Katsuya."
In their room Tohru opened her eyes slowly and saw that her precious son was lying next to her. He opened his eyes after she had kissed him on the forehead.
"Mama" he replied softly.
"What is it sweetie?"
"I'm sorry I scared with what I did."
"It's all right Katsuya. I am very proud of you."
"But I almost killed him."
"I don't believe that you would" she shook her head, "You're too sweet a boy for that" she kissed him on his forehead once more, "Now get some sleep. We'll be going home soon."
Kaye closed his eyes obediently but in his heart there was still a lingering doubt and it was very difficult for him to get rid of it.
(Next Scene)
The next day Kyo was packing up the last of their suitcases for they were leaving with Yuki for Kyoto that afternoon. Tohru meanwhile was visiting Kagura who was quite somber with her.
"Tohru" she whispered, "I am so sorry. It's all my fault that all this happened."
"No Kagura" Tohru said back, "There is no way you could have known about the limits of Tai Ushida's treachery. I don't blame you in the slightest. At least now you got out of it before it was too late. And your son can be taught the right way to behave towards people. Because you are a kind person and you can teach him better."
"Thank you Tohru" Kagura smiled embracing her tightly, "I'm gonna miss you."
"I'm gonna miss you too."
In his room Yamato heard the conversation and frowned slightly at the thought of his mother being friends with the woman who had once taken something away from him. He bowed his head and his blond hair fell over his eyes as he smiled menacingly to himself.
(Next Scene)
Meanwhile at Hatsuharu's house Yuki waited for Kyo to come because they still had something very important to do. Finally he arrived and about an hour later, another surprise visitor came to the house. Riku opened the door of Hatsuharu's house since he was staying there and was astonished to see his brother Takao standing there.
"Riku?"
"Takao? What are you doing here?"
Yuki came over and invited Takao in. The two brothers talked for an hour and then Yuki and Kyo saw to their relief that they shook hands at the end of the conversation. About two hours before they were to depart Tohru and her family along with Yuki said goodbye to the two twins. Riku hugged Tohru tightly and apologized profusely for his part in the whole deal. She thanked him for helping out her children and forgave him readily. He shook Kyo's hand and thanked Yuki heartily for all his help in freeing him. Then he squatted down to the twins who were looking up at him expectantly.
"Well you guys" he grinned, "It was great meeting you. I hope we get to see each other again soon. You two are the bravest kids I have ever met that's for sure."
"Bye cousin Riku" Sakura embraced him and kissed him on the cheek, "Good luck."
"Thank you Sakura" he grinned and then turned to Katsuya who was slightly avoiding his eyes, "Katsuya?"
"I'm sorry if I scared you" he replied as Kyo watched his son and frowned sadly.
"Don't be" Riku shook his head, "You did a good thing. I am not afraid of you. I'm proud of you" he patted the boy on his head, "You take good care of your mother now."
"I will" he nodded smiling a little.
"Come on Riku" Takao said, "We're gonna miss our bus."
"I know. I'm coming. Yuki, thank you again. For all you've done."
"No" Yuki shook his head, "Thank you Mr. Miyoshi. For all you've done."
Riku nodded and then followed his brother out of the main gate. Tohru, Sakura, and Yuki waved at the gate as Kyo looked down at his son who was very quiet. Then he took his hand gently.
"Katsuya" he replied.
"Hmm?" he looked up at his father.
"How would you like to go for a walk with me around the main house, before we go home?"
"Okay" he nodded and then Kyo led him away from the others as Tohru watched and smiled softly to herself.
(Next Scene)
Kyo led Katsuya to the back of the house in the woods until they came to a log and he stopped.
"Katsuya" Kyo replied as he sat down on the log, "I want to talk about what happened. Want to sit next to me?"
"Okay" Kaye nodded and climbed up onto the log and leaned in closer to his father, "What do you want to know?"
"Well first of all, why is that you transform and your sister doesn't? Are you the cat of the Zodiac and she is the tiger in reality."
"Mnm" Kaye shook his head, "I'm still the tiger. But I possess the part of the cat that is the monster."
"How?"
"One night, after we found out about the curses, I was up pretty late. Sitting at our window and I looked up into the sky and made a wish. I wished that somehow I could take that part of the curse away from Sakura. I said I would take it, so she wouldn't have to get hurt. A woman appeared before me."
"Woman?"
"Mhm. She looked a lot like cousin Akito. She asked me why I wanted to do such a thing. And I told her. My sister is not an introvert like me. She loves to be around people and is very active. It would do better if I had the curse. She smiled at me and said from that day on I would be cursed with the monster form but I would remain the tiger. The only difference is, I don't change if I don't wear a bracelet. It only happens if it rains hard or if I am really angry. I can control it other wise."
Kyo closed his eyes briefly.
"And I guess you were angry?"
"I was very mad" Kaye nodded, "I didn't like what he was doing. He was hurting mama, and I couldn't take it. But" Kaye began to cry, "I shouldn't have done it. I could have killed that guy. I wanted to. I hate him!" he flung himself in his father's arms.
"Katsuya, it's okay for you to feel this way" Kyo said calmly, "It's normal. Yes you could have killed him but I wouldn't blame you. Whatever he did to your mother must have been so shocking that you lost your control. That's all. But I want to tell you this" he lifted his son's face so that he was looking directly at him, "For you to take your sister's burden on yourself and for protecting your mother the way you did, I am so proud of you."
"Really?" the last tear fell down his cheek.
"Uh huh. Very proud. No man could ever be more proud of his son then I am now. Don't worry about the transformation Kaye."
"But I am a monster."
"No you're not. Look at me" Kyo said and Kaye obeyed, "Who do you think is the real monster? The little boy who tried to defend his mother and his sister or the insane man who tried to hurt so many people with his tactics and evil ways?"
"The man?"
"Yes, that's right. You did nothing wrong Kaye. In my eyes the real monster was him. You. You were a hero."
Katsuya smiled up at his father and the two of them embraced each other tightly. Kaye cried a little more in his father's arms as a tear from Kyo's own eye dropped on his son's head.
(Next Scene)
At last the time had come. Kyo, Tohru, the twins, and Yuki and his daughter said goodbye to everyone at the main house and then climbed into the van. Kyo drove the van quietly out of the main house gates and headed straight for the road that would lead to Kyoto. About halfway there, Tohru, the twins, and Takara had fallen asleep in the back seats. Kyo and Yuki sat side by side in the front seats in silence. Yuki sighed in relief as he looked behind him.
"Everyone is asleep back there," Yuki said.
"Good, they need it" Kyo answered back.
"So Kyo are you still angry at me for what happened?"
"I should be" Kyo frowned looking at him for a moment then looking back at the road, "But, I figured we're gonna be living together now. You're gonna be pissing me off anyway."
"That's true" Yuki nodded chuckling a little, "But I think it's gonna be a little bit different this time."
"Yea."
"Yea. I think it's gonna be even better."
"Yea" Kyo nodded grinning himself, "I think you're right" he smiled even more as the sun set behind the van and he continued to drive back to the place they loved more than anyplace in the whole world, home.
(Till Next Time)