Chapter Summary: Hiro would do anything to protect Kisa. Even something that would make him completely unworthy of staying by her side.

The Favored Ones
A Fruits Basket Fanfic by
Nate Grey (xman0123-at-aol-dot-com)
Chapter 3: Trial of Purity

From the moment he first looked into those golden eyes, Hiro knew. He could never give his heart to anyone, because this wondrous angel had already stolen it from him. But he also understood that angels, no matter how wondrous, all belonged to God. No, the more wondrous the angel, surely the more tightly that God would hold onto them. Who could not take pride in such a masterpiece?

But that wasn't it. Akito saw them all as toys. And it wasn't that Kisa was an especially valuable one. Time and time again, females were generally beyond Akito's ability to notice, until they did something considered wrong. Kisa was no exception.

Hiro didn't come to understand the truth until much later. The one thing that gave Kisa more value, in Akito's eyes, was that Hiro wanted her. And that meant Akito had yet another way to control and manipulate Hiro. Kisa was practically a treasure, in that regard.

Even as a child, Hiro understood that he would have to protect Kisa. And if that had meant being a shield, and standing between her and Akito, he would have done it gladly. But Akito... had no use for shields, and would not even grant Hiro the honor of being one.

"I'm grateful to you, Hiro," Akito said as they walked down the hall together. "So young, and yet you already fully understand the importance of the Trial. I hope you'll inspire the others to pass their own Trials as soon as possible. I want you all to be able to enjoy God's Favor for as long as you possibly can."

"I only want you to be pleased with me, Akito," Hiro replied.

"And I am very pleased. I'm sure you'll do well. Always in such a hurry to grow up. I think this Trial will suit you perfectly. Please, do your best." Akito suddenly stopped walking.

Hiro stopped as well, and realized that they were at their destination. And he froze, when he saw where that was. "This is...?"

"Yes. The Cat's Room. Or, it was. Kagura has no need of it, and I doubt any Pig ever will. I thought about tearing it down. But, something told me to hold onto it. I'm glad I did."

"Are you... going to lock me up?" Hiro asked. Certainly he didn't like the idea, but if it was that, for Kisa, he would bear it.

"No. You are free to come and go as you please, until your Trial is complete. How long it takes is up to you. The requirements should become clear, once you're inside." Akito walked away without another word.

After several moments, when Hiro thought he was mentally prepared, he opened the door.

Rin glared at him defiantly from her seat on the floor, with enough hatred that he felt certain she would rip the shackles from the walls and beat him bloody with them. Then her expression gave way to confusion, then realization, then fury, and finally resignation. "In or out?" she demanded.

Not wanting anyone to see her that way, Hiro quickly entered and shut the door behind him. "Rin, what happened?! Why are you-?"

She shook her head. "I'm here for the same reason you are. The Trial, right?"

"Yeah, but what does that have to do with-?"

Rin glared at him. "Akito didn't tell you anything?"

"Only that I could come and go as I pleased." Hiro frowned. "What's your Trial, then?"

She turned away from him, her face red. "It's for Kisa, then? Your Trial?"

Hiro turned red as well. "So what if it is? If you're going to be like Haru and tell me-"

"Don't mention him right now," Rin hissed.

Hiro blinked. "Fine. Where's the key? I'm not going to keep pretending that it's normal to talk to you while you're chained to a wall."

"I wouldn't tell you if I knew," she spat. "I won't leave until I pass my Trial."

"So you do know where the key is, but you won't tell me," Hiro translated.

She turned red again. "Shut up."

Hiro shook his head. "I think you have to tell me what your Trial is. Akito said I'd know what mine was once I was in here, but I don't. So if the two Trials are at all related-"

Rin opened her mouth, snapped it shut, and glared at the ground. "They are."

"So what do I have to-?"

He had noticed, when he came in, that Rin was only wearing a thin nightgown, but had largely put it out of his mind when he saw that she was shackled. Now, though, as Rin parted her legs, so wide that it was impossible he would miss the motion or the resulting sight, it was equally impossible to put that sight out of his mind.

Hiro turned away, his face red again. "Rin... c-close your legs. I-I can see..."

"You idiot. Are you really enough of a bastard to make me have to say it?" she whispered.

He turned to stare at her, shocked and hurt and confused. "What? What did I-?"

"Akito wants a new Rooster, right away. And I have to be the damn thing's mother. I thought it would be bad enough, if Akito sent some stranger that clearly didn't care about me in here. But you're worse, because of Haru and Kisa. But I know if it's not you, it will be someone that only wants to use and hurt me. So it has to be you, Hiro."

"I can't do that to you! I won't!" Hiro insisted, horrified by the very idea.

Her face fell. "You have to. Because the next one who comes through that door might be a monster. But if we do this, Haru and Kisa will be safe. Even if they never forgive us. They'll be safe."

"And what about the baby? Or haven't you thought about that?"

Her face twisted. "I don't care. Akito can raise it, if it's so important. You think I want to be reminded of the price I paid? I never want to see it."

"Rin... please, don't ask me to do this."

She smiled sadly. "You didn't save me then, and despite what I said or did, I never truly blamed you, because there was nothing you could have done. It was enough that you tried to watch out for me after that. But this is different, Hiro. You're the only one who can save me, now. If you don't do this, if you leave me here to breed with some horrible man, I will never forgive you."

"Rin, please!" Hiro begged.

"I've said all I'm going to. You're free to do whatever you want. You aren't chained." And she turned her head away, and said nothing more.

As it turned out, it was easier that way, for them both.

Akito was far more lenient, once Rin proved serious about passing her Trial. The shackles, Akito claimed, had only been there for decoration, and encouragement. After the first time, Rin was released from the Cat's Room, despite no proof of pregnancy. Still, Akito was not patient, and if it was determined that Rin was not actively working toward the completion of the Trial... well, the shackles remained in the Cat's Room, ready to be used if needed. They were not.

Hiro was not even a halfway competent partner, but he was gentle and did whatever Rin told him to, which was the best either could hope for.

Fate was more cruel than Akito, however.

Rin lost her first son in the sixth month of her pregnancy.

The second son, in the seventh month.

The third son survived long enough to be stillborn. And despite Rin's claims that she cared for none of them, it took three days for Hiro convince her to let go of the child and allow the boy to be buried with his brothers.

And even then, the Cat's Room was never torn down, so Rin and Hiro did not dare stop trying.

Their persistence paid off with number four: Kureo was born slightly underweight, but otherwise healthy. And after he was born, Rin never once touched him. But Hiro found he could not stay away. Unlike Rin, he needed constant reminding of the price he'd paid.

"It would surely break poor Kisa's heart, if she knew the truth. That's such a heavy burden."

Hiro said nothing as Akito leaned in, cold eyes shining with malicious glee.

"I know you wanted permission to marry Kisa, but I wonder if that would be such a good idea. She would leave you, if she ever found out, and then you'd have wasted all that effort. Maybe what you really want, is to be able to protect her. That would be so much simpler, don't you think? And so long as you were acting in the clan's best interest, then of course I would support you. So think very carefully about what you want your prize to be, Hiro."

Hiro lowered his head. "Please find a good man to be Kisa's husband. Someone who will take care of her, and understands our ways."

Akito nodded. "I'd be happy to. Yes, I think that's a great idea, Hiro. Only the best, for our little Kisa."

It was the Tiger who eventually missed the Rooster and the Pig most, and went out to find them. But there was only the still body of the Rooster to find. Heartbroken, the Tiger gently nuzzled the Rooster, hoping that perhaps the Rooster might only be sleeping, or drunk from the festivities. But the Rooster did not wake, and did not rise. So the Tiger returned to the banquet, and sadly reported the Rooster's death to God and the other animals.

But God saw the Rooster's blood, smeared across the Tiger's muzzle, and the Rooster's feathers, clinging to the Tiger's fur. And while God sensed no deceit in the Tiger, it was a powerful image, and difficult to forget.

After that, sometimes the Tiger would feel God watching him, with what seemed to be an intense dislike. The Tiger thought perhaps God was upset at the banquet being interrupted by such grave news, and apologized many times for it. But this did not remove that dislike from God's eyes, and the Tiger was troubled greatly by it.

Hiro watched Kisa marry a man from the clan, and managed not to vomit until two hours after the wedding. The man and Kisa didn't love each other, but that wasn't technically required. The man had a good job, could more than afford to provide for Kisa, and they would live on the main estate, so Kisa would never be far away.

For a while, Hiro thought it had been worth it. Kisa soon had a little girl, Akira, and the two were inseparable.

And then, Hiro woke up one night to find Kisa standing over him, her face splattered in blood that was not hers. She did not look scared or even upset, merely blank. All she would say at first was, "Kureo is watching Akira." Once they cleaned her up, she said more. Hiro wished she hadn't.

Apparently, Kisa's husband had only married her because he was promised money to do so, and more for each year that they stayed married. And even that, Kisa had little issue with. Except that the money suddenly stopped, with no explanation. And Kisa's husband decided that he no longer needed to hold up his end of the deal, but also figured he could get some extra money by holding his child hostage. Kisa had only learned most of this after the fact. But she had walked into her bedroom to find her husband threatening Akira with a knife. She hadn't bothered to ask why. She'd simply transformed and torn out his throat.

Hiro didn't need to ask who had been paying the husband. There was never a doubt in his mind.

And then Kisa had to go and ask Hiro if she and Akira could stay with him. He agreed without thinking. Two nights later, he was barely sleeping at all. Kisa had shyly offered herself to him, and Hiro... had to refuse her. Because of Akito. Because of Rin. Because, by that point, he knew the best way to protect Kisa was to never touch her again. The refusal had stolen some of the light from Kisa's eyes, and her smiles were smaller now. But she and Akira stayed, and that was all that mattered.

Hiro had lessons with Kyo, either three times a week, or as much as their schedules would allow.

Kyo always said that Hiro never lacked confidence. He simply needed to apply it to the training, and then he would be invincible.

Hiro never laughed, but he thought it was a poor joke. Every truly harsh blow that had struck his life, had not harmed him physically at all. It was possible that strengthening his body would be entirely useless. And yet, when he thought of Kureo, Kisa, and Akira... the idea of not being strong enough for them when the time came, was totally unacceptable. So he trained, with no end date in mind.

They did not talk much. There wasn't much to say, in the first place. Sometimes, they would have tea afterward. Kyo's tea was healthy and tasted awful, but the sessions were draining enough where almost anything would have been welcome no matter the taste, so it worked out.

One day, Kyo looked across the table at Hiro, frowned, and said, "Your little sister is a real pest."

Hiro, much as he loved Hinata, could not argue, or perhaps was too tired to do so. "I'm aware."

Kyo coughed, loudly and falsely. "She wants me to ask you something, but I told her it wasn't any of her business, what grown men talked about."

Hiro could not deny being puzzled. Generally Hinata talked entirely too much, especially to him. Why would she not simply ask him directly?

Kyo coughed again. "She wants to know if you're sleeping with Akito."

Hiro froze.

"I told her I wasn't going to ask you that." Kyo looked away. "I don't need to. I have a nose. I've smelled Akito on you more than once. But I am going to ask why you do it. I know you can't possibly want to."

"When has serving Akito, ever been about what we want?" Hiro asked.

Kyo nodded. "Is this related to your Trial?"

"Not really. It would make more sense, at least to me, if it was."

"So you don't think this was Akito's plan all along?"

Hiro shook his head. "I doubt it. Before, I was too young, and Akito had little to no interest in me. As I got older, the way Akito looked at me changed, but I didn't think anything about it then. And... this... didn't start until long after Kisa was married. There would have been no reason for Akito to wait that long. I think Akito simply wanted a replacement for Kureno, and only admitted that to herself in the past few years. And believe it or not, I'm thankful I was chosen, instead of Kureo. If I was forced to let Akito-"

"Don't say it," Kyo murmured, pouring more tea for them both. "Don't even put it into the air."

Hiro nodded and drank more tea.

"What are you going to tell your sister?" Kyo finally asked. "You know how she is."

"I suppose I have to tell her. My family still thinks I'm going to marry Kisa someday as it is. And even when I tell them, they'll only make the mistake of thinking I'm going to marry Akito instead."

"They're so innocent," Kyo muttered.

"I know you didn't mean that as a compliment, but I choose to take it as one."

"Actually, I'm jealous of them. If only we were all so blessed, to remain so innocent."

Hiro was reminded, painfully, of Tohru, who he had not seen in years. And he was certain Kyo was as well, to a far greater degree.

Hatsuharu never volunteered to take a Trial. He knew that Rin would never agree to be his prize, would be deeply insulted by the implication that she couldn't protect herself, and would fight him every step of the way, even if he was successful in the attempt.

She would only be happy if he were her prize.

She would only be happy if he made her suffering worth it, in the end.

So he never asked a second time, when she refused to marry him, or have his children. And when she allowed him to live with her, and share her bed, he was thankful and eager.

It was far from all they could have had, but Hatsuharu was willing to take whatever Rin would give him. There was no other woman for him, no other way she would allow herself to be with him, and they both knew it.

He knew there had been someone else. He didn't care. Or rather, if her having been with that person made Rin want to stay with Hatsuharu, then he was thankful for that, too. And if Rin wasn't going to tell him, then he wasn't going to ask.

But he didn't need to.

Kureo resembled his father more and more as he got older, and they were both handsome in their own way. And Hatsuharu, once he began visiting Rin's grave daily, ran into Hiro there far too many times. It was true that they both lived at the main estate, Hiro for completing his own Trial, and Hatsuharu because Rin had completed her own, and no one had suggested after her death that Hatsuharu passing a Trial was required for him to continue living in Rin's home. So Akito had enough honor to view Rin's sacrifice as payment for Hatsuharu, as well. And even if Hatsuharu had been forced to leave, he would have come back every day. Rin was buried with her boys, all with full rights as clan members, so the servants would have maintained the graves, but Hatsuharu couldn't trust anyone to do that. Not until he realized Hiro was already doing it.

Even then, Hatsuharu was not angry, though he sensed that Hiro feared he would be. Rin had not spoken much about the father of her children, but she had assured Hatsuharu that the man had not been unkind to her. It was understandable, why Rin would be so reluctant to name the man, why she never named her sons. Hatsuharu wished she had told him the truth, though. It would have been a sign that she was done protecting him. But that was a job she'd refused to give up.

One day, Hatsuharu had had enough. So he reached out, clapped Hiro on the shoulder, and said, "I know. Rin never told me, but I know. I'm glad it was you, instead of anyone else."

Hiro fell to his knees, buried his face in his hands, and cried in a way that Hatsuharu had never seen before. Looking down, Hatsuharu was moved by the sight. Had so much time really passed? How long had Hiro's hair been the color of freshly fallen snow? When had Kureo gotten so tall? How many nights had Hatsuharu stared at the moon, unable to bear the sight of the empty space in bed next to him? Would the banquet truly prove to be eternal? Or, when Hatsuharu finally joined Rin in death, would at least their souls be free?

He didn't know. He wasn't even sure what he hoped for anymore. But if it would restore him to Rin, then all the pain and broken dreams would be worth it. And if that was to be Hatsuharu's Trial, then he would face it without hesitation.

Continued in Chapter 4: Trial of Brotherhood

All Momiji wanted was to spare his family from further pain. And when Momo's fascination with him is exposed, Momiji chooses the path of least harm. He never knew that being a brother would mean being the monster who stole a child from her family, a brother who protects his sister from her parents, or both at the same time.