DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fruits Basket (though if I did I would definitely be pushing for more episodes of the anime)
WARNING: To those of you who hate reading semi long authors notes you may want to skip this next bit and dive straight into the story. (though if you don't have a problem with it I recommend reading below before continuing on)
Hello readers! Welcome to my first Fruits Basket Fanfiction! Thanks for taking the time to check this out! It means a lot that you even bothered to visit the first page of my humble fic! :3
Now, before you go on, you should know a few things about this story. This is an OC story, I'm sorry to any of you who don't like OCs in Fanfiction but please give it a shot at least, though if you really can't stand original characters then I'm very sorry and I hope you find another awesome story to read if you decide to forgo this one! :3
Next, there is a good amount of introduction in the first chapter or two (We do meet some main characters this chapter though so don't fret lovelies :3) but please bear with me! I swear to you it will get much better very quickly! Though if you're the type who likes getting to know more about a character, then all I can say is enjoy friend! :3
This story takes elements from both the anime and manga, it will also continue on past the point that the anime left off at and thus become completely based off the manga from then on.
Lastly, there is a bit of inner turmoil in our heroine, (okay, maybe just a tad more than a bit) but what kinda character would she be if she didn't have a few issues going on? Nobody's perfect :3 and to those skeptics out there, I promise whatever problems she's got going on won't distract from the plot so give it a go! :3
So, now that that's outta the way, let's get to it! :3
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A loud wheezing mechanical noise breaks through the abysmal silence of the small darkened room, the sound the TARDIS's engine makes when not properly flown by the Timelord known fondly as The Doctor.
The noise, sadly, was not coming from the Doctor's little blue box, the source instead was a small white iPhone lain on the dresser at my bedside.
Slowly lifting my face from the pillow securely hugged against me, I raise a somewhat shaky arm toward the phone and bring it to my face.
6:37pm
?: bree? C'mon talk to me
?: geeze, what the hells wrong with
you?
My grip on the phone tightens as well as my hold on the pillow, phone still in hand I pull the covers over my head and press the soft fabric to my eyes to keep in the tears.
Why can't they just leave me alone? Why did this even have to happen? Why can't everything be like it was before?
No... I was stupid. I should've seen it sooner. I just wish it didn't hurt so much.
I wish... I wish I could just go away for a bit. I need some time to clear my head and move on.
After a moment I take a deep breath and push away the blankets, moving to the edge of the bed. Shakily I stand, slip the phone into my pocket, and walk to my vanity.
I look a mess.
My long dirty blond hair is a disaster of frizziness and tangles around my face. There are dark circles just beginning to appear under my once lively yet now dull forest green eyes, eyes that were now red and puffy as well.
My expression was blank as I stared back at myself in the mirror, my lips parting slightly in a sigh as I pick up a brush and begin working the tangles out of my hair.
When it was done it was silky smooth and fell down to my mid back. I quickly braided it, securing it with a small lilac elastic before letting it flop over my shoulder.
With that finished I leave into the hallway, making my way to the bathroom where I quickly wash my face and brush my teeth again.
I pause in the doorway as I'm leaving the bathroom, contemplating going downstairs before deciding against it in favor of the solitude of my bedroom. I'm not much in the mood for dealing with people right now and I don't want to keep worrying my family with this slump I'm in.
Once back in my own room again I make my way for the bed, pausing at the mirror again.
Well, that's a bit better. Though what was the point...?
My fingers absentmindedly play with the beads of the bracelet on my left wrist. A nervous habit I'd developed over the years.
It's a bit cold in the room even with the blankets so I grab my thin black survey corps hoodie off a chair and slip it on over my cream colored lace jumper.
Without even bothering to kick off my brown boots I'd been wearing earlier I yet again curl up under the covers, this time falling into a dreamless sleep.
###
A fierce shiver ripples through me as I turn over onto my side. My pillows and blankets were gone and the ground beneath me was freezing cold.
I awake with a start, my eyes snapping open fully as they dart around quickly, taking in my surroundings. Unconsciously my hands grip fistfuls of damp brown earth as my fingers scrape experimentally through the dirt.
The light is quickly leaving the forest surrounding me as the late evening light escapes the bleeding pink sky above me.
Finally after my brain catches up and pushes past the surrealness of my situation I am able to respond.
I quickly push myself up into a sitting position, my eyes taking in this new setting for a second time unclouded. I feel my heart rate increase as panic begins to set in.
Standing, I brush the dirt from my palms onto my jeans and begin to take inventory of myself.
I find no cuts or bruises, no injuries of any kind, the only notable thing of my current state are the patches of dirt caked on my skin and clothing as well as the slight dampness of the fabric clinging to me.
With that out of the way I form a plan, the only one I can think of and the only one that makes sense in this situation I've found myself in. Get out of the woods and find help.
So I began walking. Looking for any landmarks or trails that could be useful to me, every now and then checking my phone, which I'd thankfully still had in my pocket, for a service signal but always coming up with nothing.
Soon, much sooner than I'd hoped, the light of the setting sun disappears completely, leaving me enveloped in darkness. With nothing but the small flashlight from my phone to guide me I trudge on.
Eventually I find myself at a small stream, it's probably only a few feet wide though it's passable by the small stones poking out from the water's surface.
Though me being the clutz I am I should've expected to fall into the water or twist my ankle. Both of which happened. Thankfully, or maybe un-thankfully depending on how you look at it, my phone fell to the ground in front of me on the other side of the stream.
After getting my bearings I make an attempt at standing, only to crumble onto the slick rocks again, sharp pain shooting through my ankle the second I place weight on it.
With something between a hiss and a sigh I crawl my way through the water and to the other side of the bank. For a minute I just lay there, shivering and panting before I reach in front of me and pull my phone to my face, checking it for damages and thankfully finding none.
Thank you OtterBox.
I quickly slip my phone back into my pocket for safekeeping and, with some difficulty, manage to stand again, this time placing as much of my weight as possible onto my left foot.
I manage to walk for quite some distance even with the limp before the effects of over exertion catch up with me. I try my best to push through it but I end up collapsing about fifteen or twenty yards after passing a small vegetable patch, my only sign of civilization so far.
Fleetingly I wonder if I will wake up in the morning or if some pack of wild dogs will devour me in my sleep. Either way I can't stop the lowering of my heavy eyelids as blackness swallows my vision.
###
I'm almost not surprised this time at finding my surroundings have changed again.
This time instead of lush green forest overhead I find myself staring at a light colored wood ceiling held up by the three walls surrounding me. To my right stands a paper screen wall through which a small amount of moonlight escapes, evenly bathing the room in a pearly white glow.
Looking down I find myself covered by a warm think blanket. Gently I move the covers back, intending to examine my sprain but find myself pausing to admire the thin delicate fabric that now covers my body.
The sleeves are long and billowy, a deep purple sash is tied around my middle, the robe like dressing slimming a bit as it passes my hips, ending at my ankles.
Fleetingly the word for it passes through my mind. A yukata?
Before I can continue my examination my eyes are drawn to the sliding door across from me as the low hum of voices reaches my ears.
"Oh what good fortune has befallen our humble home, not just one, but two beautiful young flowers now grace our once lonely halls," A singsong male voice chortles.
Oh no... Please don't tell me that guy is the one who put me in these clothes...
"I wish for once you would think before you speak, you sound like an idiot," Another, quieter, male voice replies. "You pervert..."
I can almost feel the color drain from my face. I'm alone in a house with two men, and at least one of them is a pervert... Suddenly I feel a crawling sensation move over my skin.
"Ouch, I was just joking," The first voice mumbles lowly in a childish tone.
"I think I should go check on her again, she was so cold when we found her, I hope she doesn't get a fever," This time the voice sounds like a young girl, her voice raising a few octaves in her worry as she speaks.
Oh thank The Lord, I'm not the only girl here...
"Alright Miss Honda, be sure to let us know if there's any change,"
"I will!" She replies cheerily.
Miss... Honda...? Why does that...?
My pondering is cut short as I hear soft footsteps nearing the door and I quickly lay back down, drawing the covers back over myself. I close my eyes just before the door slides open.
Following the sound of footsteps, I sense the presence of someone very close to me on my right side.
I can feel the person leaning over me, a few long strands of hair lightly brushing my shoulder as they reach over, placing a hand gently to my forehead.
Unintentionally I feel myself flinch away from their touch and startled my visitor lets out a gasp, pulling away from me.
Guess I just blew my cover... Hesitantly I crack one eye open, then the other, to find a pair of wide blue eyes staring down at me.
"Oh! I'm sorry!" The girl exclaims, waving her hands about in a panic. "I didn't know you were awake already! If I'd known I would've asked permission before taking your temperature! How rude of me!" She frets. "But I just wanted to make sure you weren't getting sick, you were freezing cold when we brought you back here so I was worried!" She continues rambling.
There's something very familiar about this girl. Just what is it?
"Ah! But that's no excuse! I still should've made sure you were awake before anything else!"
Blue eyes, long chestnut hair, very apologetic, but... she seems very kind...
Ah! That's it! She reminds me of...
"Miss Honda? Is everything alright in here?" My gaze drifts back to the doorway wherein stands a boy looking to be about the age of the girl and I.
His skin is pale, almost translucent in this lighting, his amethyst eyes, focused on the girl beside me, are framed by long strands of dark gray, the tips of his bangs almost brushing over them, and two longer locks at the sides of his face reach almost to his chin, the left side slightly longer than the other
What the...?
"Well would you look at that, our sleeping beauty has awoken,"
"Must you always spout such nonsense," The violet eyed teen sighs, speaking to the tall dark haired man in the gray yukata who'd suddenly appeared behind him.
No. Fucking. Way... I've gotta be dreaming. That's it... No other explanation.
Without a second thought I scramble to my feet, the blankets falling to the ground around me.
"Miss!"
"No wait! You're injured!"
I manage only one step backward before a sharp pain courses through my ankle and it buckles under my weight, sending me toppling back to the ground.
Son of a bitch that hurt! I can't help the grimace of pain that forms on my face as my hand instantly goes to my right ankle, finding the limb securely wrapped in cloth, seeming to be holding a cold pack to the injury.
It only takes a moment before the kind girl and the boy with the strange eyes are at my side each draping one of my arms over their shoulders and helping me back under the covers.
"You should be more careful, your ankle is still pretty swollen," The boy says.
Well... If the pain is any indicator, this isn't a dream...
"Are you alright? You keep spacing out," The girl comments. "Oh no! You're not going into shock are you?"
Probably. Just not for the reason you'd think.
She begins panicking again and flailing her arms around. "What should we do?! Oh! Water! We need water! Oh! And something for her to eat! And- and!"
"Miss Honda-"
"Oh! And maybe I should get another cold pack for her ankle too and-"
"Miss Honda!"
Something about this whole situation, being in this house, with these people, and having this girl spazz out in front of me... Just made me wanna laugh.
And so I did, at first I tried to stifle the quiet giggles with my hand but soon barely controlled laughter was bubbling past my lips.
Maybe I really was going into shock...?
Of course, all eyes turn to me at my unexpected outburst as I try my best to reign in my amusement. I'm sure by this point I'm blushing bright red in embarrassment...
"Maybe she is in shock..." The boy deadpans.
"Well, you can't blame her, it was somewhat amusing seeing poor Tohru fly off the handle like that," The older man says. "And besides, she has such a pretty laugh wouldn't you say?" He singsongs.
There it is. He's gone and said it. Though I wonder... At what point in their timeline am I?
"Idiot," One glare from the boy has the older man shrinking back a bit.
"Ahem." The man clears his throat before continuing on. "Anyway miss, what may we call you?"
It takes me a moment to realize that he's talking to me, at his inquiry the other two turn their attention to me as well, waiting for my reply.
Sitting up a bit and pulling the blanket closer, it takes me a moment to find my voice to answer.
"Brielle, my name is Brielle Williams," I reply softly.
"Hmm, what a lovely name,"The man comments, hiding his grin behind a hand.
The boy simply sighs again, hanging his head low, the girl however moves closer, eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Wow! Shigure's right! It's a very pretty name! It's foreign isn't it?" She asks with a gentle smile keeping it's place on her lips.
Foreign...? Oh... Right.
"Um, yeah, it is," I murmur, feeling a bit nervous with all this attention.
"Oh that's right! We haven't introduced ourselves yet! Sorry about that," She says.
"I'm Tohru Honda, and this," She begins, "Is Yuki Sohma," She motions to the gray haired boy at my other side, "And his cousin Shigure Sohma," This time she points to the man in the yukata who waves and gives a cheery smile.
"Um... Thank you, for helping me," I say, I'm almost not sure they've heard me before Yuki replies.
"Oh, it was no trouble, I'm just glad I'd decided to show Miss Honda my base today or we wouldn't have found you out there,"
"Speaking of which, how did you end up out in the woods alone? And injured nonetheless?" Shigure asks, when I meet his gaze I catch a glimmer of suspicion flash through his brown eyes.
Oh great... Having a Sohma be suspicious of you is never a good thing, especially when it's Shigure...
I decide the truth is my best option, well, at least the part about the woods, I really do have no idea how I ended up there. I just hope my sincerity is enough to convince them despite how far fetched my situation sounds.
"Actually... I don't know myself..." I whisper. "I don't know when I got there, I just woke up alone and surrounded by the forest... It was getting dark very quickly and I was pretty scared," I admit to them.
"So I did the only thing I could do. I walked. I hoped to find some kind of civilization, if I just kept walking I knew I'd get somewhere." I continue, "Along the way I managed to slip and fall into a stream as well as twist my ankle, I only made it so much farther before I collapsed, and I guess that's when you guys found me," I finish with a sigh, looking over to Tohru and Yuki.
Tohru looks as though she's about to burst into tears while Yuki only looks surprised.
"That sounds terrible! I am so sorry!" Tohru exclaims, pulling me into a hug.
Her actions take me by surprise and she pulls away before I can react.
"Seems like you've got a case of amnesia little lady," I can't help but notice Shigure still looks a bit suspicious of me, though there's nothing I can do about it at the moment.
"Maybe you bumped your head when you fell Miss Williams," Yuki adds in.
"Perhaps," Shigure hums to himself before turning back to the doorway. "Anyway, I think we should let our guest rest for now don't you? We can settle everything in the morning,"
"Right!" Tohru agrees, standing and bowing slightly to me. "Goodnight," She says with a smile. "Oh, and if you need anything I'm right down the hall to your left, I'm staying in the living room for now so now you know where to find me! Oh! But your ankle, on second thought just shout if you need me and I'll definitely hear it!"
"Goodnight Miss Williams," Yuki says in his quiet voice, following after Tohru, closing door silently behind them.
"Goodnight," I whisper into the silence.
Though it seems I've been doing more than enough sleeping lately my eyelids still grow heavy and I find myself drifting gently into sleep, this time though I manage to feel completely at peace as my consciousness flickers away.
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Well there you have it dear readers! Chapter one of Clarity! Please let me know what you think! Positive or negative I'd love to hear it! :3 Constructive criticism is very helpful as well if you'd like to leave any :)
Even if you don't feel like leaving a review but you like the story so far or were even just mildly interested, just leaving a favorite will let me know that you want to read more! Even if it's only one person as long as I know someone's enjoying this it'll keep me updating as quickly as I can! :3
Anyway, whether you liked it or not thanks for checking it out! And have a lovely day reader! :3
