RAIN Part I -Dark Clouds
"The Approaching Storm"
She ran… ran as fast as her little legs could carry her. How long had she been running? Hours? Days? She couldn't remember anymore; she was so weak. And hungry, too. When had she eaten last? She couldn't remember that either. And now, she was cold and wet as well. Oh, how she hated being wet. The rain had begun to fall, harder and harder until it was nearly impossible to see in front of her. Even her keen eyesight was of no use, not with all the rain and the darkness of the forest. And she was lost; cold, wet, afraid and lost in this shadowy forest. She thought she had seen a path earlier, but for the life of her she didn't know in which direction it lay. But she kept going, knowing that if she gave up now she may never have another chance to get away. All she could do was keep running, maybe find somewhere good to hide. But there was no time. They were so close. She could hear them shouting to one another, knew that if she stopped, even for a moment, that they would catch her. So, she kept going, pushing her tired legs more and more. She didn't know where she was, where she was headed. It didn't matter, just so long as she got away from that God-awful place. She would never go back there again. /Never!/ She so desperately wanted to slow down, to rest her weary body. Damn her own weaknesses. After all that training, she thought she was ready. Thought she could escape. She wouldn't give up; she couldn't give up. What? And go back to that… that FAMILY?! Absolutely not! That was no family. She wanted no part of it. Damn them! Damn them all to hell! She pushed herself faster, and faster still, knew she had to keep going no matter what…
… and then her legs finally gave out and she came crashing to the ground, the sheer force of her speed propelling her forward through the mud. The heavy rain pounded down upon her harder than ever as she lay there stuck in the sludge of the earth. She tried to move, but by then her body was just too enervated. /No…/ she cried silently, /not now when I've come so far… Get up… GET UP!/ But, no matter how hard she struggled, how much she willed herself too, she couldn't move. It was all over. When they found her they would take her back to that place… to that creepy man with the wicked smile. They'd lock her up and never let her see the light of day again, no, not after this little charade. She had tried, but her best simply hadn't been good enough. Her hope dwindling, she lay there, face partially submerged in muck, waiting for them to come… those men with the suits. She found no reason to go on. It was over. And then, suddenly, it was very faint, but she felt the presence of another… a mind, one so much like herself. Could it be? Someone who could help her, maybe even save her? It was too good to be true, but it was something at least. Anything, she would hold onto the tiniest pinprick of hope. She opened her mouth to cry out to the stranger, and hoped to God that her voice would carry through the storm. She yelled for help… but to her astonishment, no sound came out. She tried again; nothing but a barely audible squeak. /No, please…/ It wasn't fair. Someone so close, someone who could help, and she didn't even have enough strength to call out to them. Tears formed in the corner of her eyes as she clenched them tight, and with her last bit of energy gave out a silent howl of mental anguish and sorrow, a cry that would never reach the stranger far ahead. Letting her tears fall, she gave into the darkness closing in on her.
He felt it. A sort of… mental tug, pulling at him, making him stop dead in his tracks. Was someone following him? Not likely, not in this weather. He was drenched, his shirt clinging to his chest, his hair hanging limply in his face. At this rate, even the books in his back pack would get wet, especially if he stood around any longer. Kyo turned to continue on his way, but he couldn't bring himself to move forward. Something… there was something that pulled at the very fiber of his being, his instincts telling him to turn around and go searching for the source of this pain he felt. But, then again, maybe it was his own pain he sensed. He had been going through a lot of inner turmoil recently… resurfacing memories of his mother becoming clearer by the day… all the agony he felt his whole life more apparent to him than ever. Being with Torhu always made him feel better, so perhaps he should just get back to Shigure's house. But, still… it gnarled at him. It was a presence so familiar to him, so much like himself that he almost mistook it for himself… and yet… it was strangely foreign at the same time. Oh well. Too bad, right? It wasn't his problem after all. Only an idiot would be out in this storm, especially in these woods. A person could get lost with the weather as bad as it was, particularly if they didn't know the way. And what the hell… this was private property! No one should be on this land without permission of the Souma's. Then again, what did he care about the Souma family… even though he so desperately wanted to be a part of it. That's right, he had his own troubles. He couldn't be worried about someone else. Whoever was there would just have to help themselves. It was none of his business. Before he knew what he was doing, he dropped his pack and ran… ran back towards the source of that inner cry he heard, back to help whatever… whoever, needed him. /I'm coming…/
"Kyo-kun sure is late today," Tohru commented as she served them all tea. It was spring, so it was still a little chilly, and it was raining severely. If Kyo was out there in the rain… /Oh no! What if Kyo IS out there in the rain!! Oh no! Oh no! Kyo-kun! What should I do, what should I do?/
"Tohru-kun?"
Shigure's smooth voice pulled her from her thoughts. "Shigure-san, do you think Kyo-kun's out there in the storm? Shouldn't we go look for him?"
"What? And risk our lives for that stupid cat?! That idiot can take care of himself." Yuki sat at the table, sipping his tea. "Mmm. This is good, Honda-san."
"But… but Yuki-kun.. Kyo-kun is…"
"Tohru-kun," Shigure began, "Kyo will be okay. Besides, Yuki is right. It's dangerous to go outside in that storm. He's probably still at school. When it calms down, I'll go to the school and pick him up, alright?"
Tohru grinned. "Shigure-san! Thank you! Thank you! You're so kind, Shigure-san."
"Anything for Tohru-kun," he replied with a suppressed giggle. Yuki frowned. /Pervert./
He almost tripped over it, had barely seen it, cream-colored fur matted down with water and mud. The rain had begun to lighten up considerably, but it still rained hard enough to keep him thoroughly soaked. He knelt down to touch the little body, noting the pointed ears and whiskers. /A cat? And still alive too. What's a cat doing out here anyway?/ He slowly began to lift the small, trembling bulk from the mud when he heard a clamor of footsteps, splashing through puddles of collected rainwater, and then stopping abruptly in front of him. "Sir, I'm gonna have to ask you to step away from that animal, please."
There were four of them, men in suits, just as wet through as he was, their faces grim and their jaws locked in tight, readless expressions. From what he could tell they were American, but their Japanese was flawless. "Sir!" Whoever they were, they were serious, he gathered that. Kyo stood up, and looked at the blonde haired one that spoke to him.
"What do you want with this cat? It is yours?"
No answer.
"Well?"
"Sir…"
"Don't 'Sir' me, you asshole! Do you realize your trespassing on private property! I could have you all arrested, and I just might if you don't give me an answer, and fast!" Kyo clenched his fists, restrained himself from swinging at them. /What a bunch of jackasses!/
"Souma-san," another began, this one middle aged with light brown hair beginning to bald, "Believe it or not, we have clearance to be here. That cat, she's to come back with us."
Something about these guys rubbed Kyo the wrong way; and how did they know he was a Souma. They must have known they were trespassing and assumed him as such. He felt his irritation rising. Something wasn't right. As if on cue, the little cat suddenly came to, struggling in the mud, looking behind frantically and then up at Kyo, wild eyes pleading. There was something about those eyes… something almost… human. She continued to struggle, obviously weary and vulnerable, crawling on her stomach towards Kyo… /and away from those men in the suits…/
"I gotta feeling this cat doesn't wanna go home with you, so I suggest you leave right now."
Another of them stepped forward, one with spiky black hair, about Shigure's age. "Ah, but..."
"I said LEAVE! NOW!! BEFORE I GET REALLY ANGRY!!!"
The last of the suits stepped forward and held out a hand to the others. He came up so that he was face to face with Kyo. Obviously the ringleader… dark brown hair slicked back, eyes scrunched and glaring at Kyo through thin, square framed glasses.
"Souma Kyo-san…you don't seem to understand. That cat is no good. She's nothing but a hassle. We are trying to save Souma-san from having to deal with that trouble. Now, if you would so kindly hand her over to us, we will get off your property…"
Kyo stood there, mildly shocked. "How… how do you know who I am?"
The man grinned smugly. "I make it my business to know. However, you should not be concerned with our affairs with this cat," he glanced down at the cat who was now partially standing, glaring back at him with complete and total hatred. "Kyaa-san, come here."
She stepped back, opened her mouth slightly as if to say something, but no sound came out. She glared at him, eyes full of contempt and distrust, of pure, unfaltering hatred.
"Kyaa! Come here NOW!"
"She doesn't want to go with you, isn't it clear?!"
He scowled at Kyo. "You stupid cats, always causing trouble. I've heard all about you, Kyo-chan. You're a disgrace to the Souma family… a burden. You and your kind, the Juunishi… NOTHING BUT A MENACE! Especially you damn cats!"
"And what's so wrong with cats, HUH!?" Kyo screamed, as he pummled a fist into the man's torso then brought his knee up to meet with the guys' head, slamming into it with a sickening crack. The man stumbled away, grabbing at his face as his glasses fell to the ground, blood streaming between his fingers. Kyo stepped on them, crushing them under his foot, grinding them into the mire. The blonde haired one leapt at him, but Kyo neatly stepped to the side, bringing his elbow down onto the back of the man's neck, sending him sprawling face first into the mud. He beat them all in a matter of minutes, sent them running, shouting that they'd be back. /Yeah, ok. Assholes…/ He turned to look for the cat. The rain had stopped for the time being, but black clouds threatened to open up once more. He knelt down and reached out for the little cream-colored cat.
"Oi, C'mere," he beckoned, "We should get you cleaned up. No telling when those jerks'll come back." To his surprise, she didn't go to him, but stepped back, staring at him with eyes of derision and fear… the same look she gave to the man with the slicked back hair and glasses. "Eh? What's wrong? I'm not gonna hurt ya. Come on.." She backed away further, and with a sudden burst of energy, ran off into the underbrush, as quickly as possible.
He frowned. "Sheesh! Is that the thanks I get for savin' your ass. Feh! See if I ever help you again!" He wasn't sure if the cat had heard him, or if she even understood what he had said. After all, she was just a cat. But, those eyes still haunted him… so familiar…
A sudden clash of thunder snapped him out of his daydream as more rain began to fall. His frown deepened as he jogged towards Shigure's. /Sheesh, what a day…/
She grabbed at her clothes, flung them over her freezing, wet body. They were mud-covered and did nothing for warmth. She had to find shelter, get out of this storm before it became the death of her. That boy… he must live around here somewhere. That meant there was a house nearby. Luckily, she had found the path, and if she kept following it perhaps it would lead her to where that young man lived. But had she heard right… /Souma? Juunishi?/ She hoped she had not. Those were the last people she wanted to be in close proximity to right now. Perhaps she just imagined it. She took a few steps, staggered and fell against a tree to keep her balance, her vision graying. So tired…The rain came down all around her, stinging her with its icy coldness. She had to find a place to stay and fast.
"Kyo-kun!" Tohru ran over to her orange haired friend who had just entered the house. He was dripping wet, a small puddle forming at his feet. "What happened?!"
"It's obvious, isn't it!!!" She stepped away. And he too was slightly taken aback by the curtness in his voice. He didn't mean to be so nasty, but it had come out as such. He was still fuming, needed to cool off a bit. He started for the stairs. "I'm gonna take a bath," he said over his shoulder.
Tohru smiled. "Ok! Dinner will be ready soon."
"Not hungry." He continued his was up the stairs, Tohru gazing worriedly at his back.
"Kyo… -kun?"
He didn't know why he was so upset. It was just a stupid cat and some obnoxious men in suits. Still, it nagged at his brain. He had completely forgotten about the whole Dai Hi Min game, although that was what had put him in a bad mood to begin with. No, it was just that dumb cat… those eyes that burned into his soul. Why did she run away from him? He was only trying to help. And those Americans in the black suits; what did they want with her? And, more importantly, how did they know about him and the Juunishi? That sort of information was top secret. Were they members of the Souma family? He didn't think he had any American relatives, but then there were many Souma's that he had never met. Kana and Hatori never knew each other before she came to work for him… maybe there were relatives unaccounted for as well. But, for those American's to know about the Juunishi curse… it was perplexing. It baffled him, the complexities of it making the anger within him surface more. Oh well, what did it matter. Hopefully, he would never see any of them ever again. He should just forget about it…
"Itadakimasu!"
They all sat down for dinner, however one place short. Kyo wouldn't be joining them tonight. After he had his bath he went straight to bed. Tohru was still concerned, nonetheless. Kyo wasn't himself. Did something happen on his way home from school? She knew not to press him on the matter; if he wanted to talk about, he knew he could come to her. She sat back, enjoyed her dinner, listened to Yuki tell Shigure about the days' Dai Hi Min match and how Kyo had lost miserably. Was that what Kyo was angry about? Now that she thought about it, he still hadn't won a match yet. But that usually wasn't enough to keep him cross all night, to make him skip out on dinner. She had a sneaking suspicion that something happened on his way home. Her imagination ran wild with the differently possibilities that could have befallen Kyo. She was so caught up in her own little world that she almost didn't hear what Yuki was saying to her…
"Honda-san? Honda-san, are you all right?"
"Eh?! Sorry, Yuki-kun. What were you saying?"
He smiled sweetly. "I was asking if you were ok. You seemed lost in thought. What were you thinking about?"
"Oh, I'm worried about Kyo-kun. He seems kind of distant, don't you think?"
He frowned slightly. Lately, everything seemed to be about Kyo; not just with Tohru, but everyone in general. He wasn't jealous necessarily, but he did feel a little left out. He was probably just imagining things. "I'm sure he's all right, Honda-san. You know how he is. He's just a little grumpy. Let him rest, and he'll be fine."
His voice was reassuring to her, and she hoped that everything would be ok. Things had been somewhat on the dramatic side as of late. Images of Kyo's true form still lodged in her brain. She was shocked when she saw it for the first time, and she didn't look at him differently now, or at least she tried not to. She knew how much of an issue it was for him, and for his sake, she tried not to make too much of it. Still, the sheer sight of it, the smell… all these things flashed before her like the lightning outside tonight. That's when she saw it. A human form, standing out in the rain… slowly approaching the house. She gasped as the form took on more shape, the distinct curves of a female body more apparent in rain drenched clothes, worried eyes staring directly into her own. The girl held on tightly to the paper screen door with one wet, dripping hand, her other hand clutching the fabric of her shirt. She was soaked, and she was shivering from head to toe. Or maybe she was in pain!? Tohru got to her feet to rush to the strangers' side. The girl opened her mouth to say something, but before she could utter a sound, her eyes closed and she fell into a crumpled heap on the floor.
"The Approaching Storm"
She ran… ran as fast as her little legs could carry her. How long had she been running? Hours? Days? She couldn't remember anymore; she was so weak. And hungry, too. When had she eaten last? She couldn't remember that either. And now, she was cold and wet as well. Oh, how she hated being wet. The rain had begun to fall, harder and harder until it was nearly impossible to see in front of her. Even her keen eyesight was of no use, not with all the rain and the darkness of the forest. And she was lost; cold, wet, afraid and lost in this shadowy forest. She thought she had seen a path earlier, but for the life of her she didn't know in which direction it lay. But she kept going, knowing that if she gave up now she may never have another chance to get away. All she could do was keep running, maybe find somewhere good to hide. But there was no time. They were so close. She could hear them shouting to one another, knew that if she stopped, even for a moment, that they would catch her. So, she kept going, pushing her tired legs more and more. She didn't know where she was, where she was headed. It didn't matter, just so long as she got away from that God-awful place. She would never go back there again. /Never!/ She so desperately wanted to slow down, to rest her weary body. Damn her own weaknesses. After all that training, she thought she was ready. Thought she could escape. She wouldn't give up; she couldn't give up. What? And go back to that… that FAMILY?! Absolutely not! That was no family. She wanted no part of it. Damn them! Damn them all to hell! She pushed herself faster, and faster still, knew she had to keep going no matter what…
… and then her legs finally gave out and she came crashing to the ground, the sheer force of her speed propelling her forward through the mud. The heavy rain pounded down upon her harder than ever as she lay there stuck in the sludge of the earth. She tried to move, but by then her body was just too enervated. /No…/ she cried silently, /not now when I've come so far… Get up… GET UP!/ But, no matter how hard she struggled, how much she willed herself too, she couldn't move. It was all over. When they found her they would take her back to that place… to that creepy man with the wicked smile. They'd lock her up and never let her see the light of day again, no, not after this little charade. She had tried, but her best simply hadn't been good enough. Her hope dwindling, she lay there, face partially submerged in muck, waiting for them to come… those men with the suits. She found no reason to go on. It was over. And then, suddenly, it was very faint, but she felt the presence of another… a mind, one so much like herself. Could it be? Someone who could help her, maybe even save her? It was too good to be true, but it was something at least. Anything, she would hold onto the tiniest pinprick of hope. She opened her mouth to cry out to the stranger, and hoped to God that her voice would carry through the storm. She yelled for help… but to her astonishment, no sound came out. She tried again; nothing but a barely audible squeak. /No, please…/ It wasn't fair. Someone so close, someone who could help, and she didn't even have enough strength to call out to them. Tears formed in the corner of her eyes as she clenched them tight, and with her last bit of energy gave out a silent howl of mental anguish and sorrow, a cry that would never reach the stranger far ahead. Letting her tears fall, she gave into the darkness closing in on her.
He felt it. A sort of… mental tug, pulling at him, making him stop dead in his tracks. Was someone following him? Not likely, not in this weather. He was drenched, his shirt clinging to his chest, his hair hanging limply in his face. At this rate, even the books in his back pack would get wet, especially if he stood around any longer. Kyo turned to continue on his way, but he couldn't bring himself to move forward. Something… there was something that pulled at the very fiber of his being, his instincts telling him to turn around and go searching for the source of this pain he felt. But, then again, maybe it was his own pain he sensed. He had been going through a lot of inner turmoil recently… resurfacing memories of his mother becoming clearer by the day… all the agony he felt his whole life more apparent to him than ever. Being with Torhu always made him feel better, so perhaps he should just get back to Shigure's house. But, still… it gnarled at him. It was a presence so familiar to him, so much like himself that he almost mistook it for himself… and yet… it was strangely foreign at the same time. Oh well. Too bad, right? It wasn't his problem after all. Only an idiot would be out in this storm, especially in these woods. A person could get lost with the weather as bad as it was, particularly if they didn't know the way. And what the hell… this was private property! No one should be on this land without permission of the Souma's. Then again, what did he care about the Souma family… even though he so desperately wanted to be a part of it. That's right, he had his own troubles. He couldn't be worried about someone else. Whoever was there would just have to help themselves. It was none of his business. Before he knew what he was doing, he dropped his pack and ran… ran back towards the source of that inner cry he heard, back to help whatever… whoever, needed him. /I'm coming…/
"Kyo-kun sure is late today," Tohru commented as she served them all tea. It was spring, so it was still a little chilly, and it was raining severely. If Kyo was out there in the rain… /Oh no! What if Kyo IS out there in the rain!! Oh no! Oh no! Kyo-kun! What should I do, what should I do?/
"Tohru-kun?"
Shigure's smooth voice pulled her from her thoughts. "Shigure-san, do you think Kyo-kun's out there in the storm? Shouldn't we go look for him?"
"What? And risk our lives for that stupid cat?! That idiot can take care of himself." Yuki sat at the table, sipping his tea. "Mmm. This is good, Honda-san."
"But… but Yuki-kun.. Kyo-kun is…"
"Tohru-kun," Shigure began, "Kyo will be okay. Besides, Yuki is right. It's dangerous to go outside in that storm. He's probably still at school. When it calms down, I'll go to the school and pick him up, alright?"
Tohru grinned. "Shigure-san! Thank you! Thank you! You're so kind, Shigure-san."
"Anything for Tohru-kun," he replied with a suppressed giggle. Yuki frowned. /Pervert./
He almost tripped over it, had barely seen it, cream-colored fur matted down with water and mud. The rain had begun to lighten up considerably, but it still rained hard enough to keep him thoroughly soaked. He knelt down to touch the little body, noting the pointed ears and whiskers. /A cat? And still alive too. What's a cat doing out here anyway?/ He slowly began to lift the small, trembling bulk from the mud when he heard a clamor of footsteps, splashing through puddles of collected rainwater, and then stopping abruptly in front of him. "Sir, I'm gonna have to ask you to step away from that animal, please."
There were four of them, men in suits, just as wet through as he was, their faces grim and their jaws locked in tight, readless expressions. From what he could tell they were American, but their Japanese was flawless. "Sir!" Whoever they were, they were serious, he gathered that. Kyo stood up, and looked at the blonde haired one that spoke to him.
"What do you want with this cat? It is yours?"
No answer.
"Well?"
"Sir…"
"Don't 'Sir' me, you asshole! Do you realize your trespassing on private property! I could have you all arrested, and I just might if you don't give me an answer, and fast!" Kyo clenched his fists, restrained himself from swinging at them. /What a bunch of jackasses!/
"Souma-san," another began, this one middle aged with light brown hair beginning to bald, "Believe it or not, we have clearance to be here. That cat, she's to come back with us."
Something about these guys rubbed Kyo the wrong way; and how did they know he was a Souma. They must have known they were trespassing and assumed him as such. He felt his irritation rising. Something wasn't right. As if on cue, the little cat suddenly came to, struggling in the mud, looking behind frantically and then up at Kyo, wild eyes pleading. There was something about those eyes… something almost… human. She continued to struggle, obviously weary and vulnerable, crawling on her stomach towards Kyo… /and away from those men in the suits…/
"I gotta feeling this cat doesn't wanna go home with you, so I suggest you leave right now."
Another of them stepped forward, one with spiky black hair, about Shigure's age. "Ah, but..."
"I said LEAVE! NOW!! BEFORE I GET REALLY ANGRY!!!"
The last of the suits stepped forward and held out a hand to the others. He came up so that he was face to face with Kyo. Obviously the ringleader… dark brown hair slicked back, eyes scrunched and glaring at Kyo through thin, square framed glasses.
"Souma Kyo-san…you don't seem to understand. That cat is no good. She's nothing but a hassle. We are trying to save Souma-san from having to deal with that trouble. Now, if you would so kindly hand her over to us, we will get off your property…"
Kyo stood there, mildly shocked. "How… how do you know who I am?"
The man grinned smugly. "I make it my business to know. However, you should not be concerned with our affairs with this cat," he glanced down at the cat who was now partially standing, glaring back at him with complete and total hatred. "Kyaa-san, come here."
She stepped back, opened her mouth slightly as if to say something, but no sound came out. She glared at him, eyes full of contempt and distrust, of pure, unfaltering hatred.
"Kyaa! Come here NOW!"
"She doesn't want to go with you, isn't it clear?!"
He scowled at Kyo. "You stupid cats, always causing trouble. I've heard all about you, Kyo-chan. You're a disgrace to the Souma family… a burden. You and your kind, the Juunishi… NOTHING BUT A MENACE! Especially you damn cats!"
"And what's so wrong with cats, HUH!?" Kyo screamed, as he pummled a fist into the man's torso then brought his knee up to meet with the guys' head, slamming into it with a sickening crack. The man stumbled away, grabbing at his face as his glasses fell to the ground, blood streaming between his fingers. Kyo stepped on them, crushing them under his foot, grinding them into the mire. The blonde haired one leapt at him, but Kyo neatly stepped to the side, bringing his elbow down onto the back of the man's neck, sending him sprawling face first into the mud. He beat them all in a matter of minutes, sent them running, shouting that they'd be back. /Yeah, ok. Assholes…/ He turned to look for the cat. The rain had stopped for the time being, but black clouds threatened to open up once more. He knelt down and reached out for the little cream-colored cat.
"Oi, C'mere," he beckoned, "We should get you cleaned up. No telling when those jerks'll come back." To his surprise, she didn't go to him, but stepped back, staring at him with eyes of derision and fear… the same look she gave to the man with the slicked back hair and glasses. "Eh? What's wrong? I'm not gonna hurt ya. Come on.." She backed away further, and with a sudden burst of energy, ran off into the underbrush, as quickly as possible.
He frowned. "Sheesh! Is that the thanks I get for savin' your ass. Feh! See if I ever help you again!" He wasn't sure if the cat had heard him, or if she even understood what he had said. After all, she was just a cat. But, those eyes still haunted him… so familiar…
A sudden clash of thunder snapped him out of his daydream as more rain began to fall. His frown deepened as he jogged towards Shigure's. /Sheesh, what a day…/
She grabbed at her clothes, flung them over her freezing, wet body. They were mud-covered and did nothing for warmth. She had to find shelter, get out of this storm before it became the death of her. That boy… he must live around here somewhere. That meant there was a house nearby. Luckily, she had found the path, and if she kept following it perhaps it would lead her to where that young man lived. But had she heard right… /Souma? Juunishi?/ She hoped she had not. Those were the last people she wanted to be in close proximity to right now. Perhaps she just imagined it. She took a few steps, staggered and fell against a tree to keep her balance, her vision graying. So tired…The rain came down all around her, stinging her with its icy coldness. She had to find a place to stay and fast.
"Kyo-kun!" Tohru ran over to her orange haired friend who had just entered the house. He was dripping wet, a small puddle forming at his feet. "What happened?!"
"It's obvious, isn't it!!!" She stepped away. And he too was slightly taken aback by the curtness in his voice. He didn't mean to be so nasty, but it had come out as such. He was still fuming, needed to cool off a bit. He started for the stairs. "I'm gonna take a bath," he said over his shoulder.
Tohru smiled. "Ok! Dinner will be ready soon."
"Not hungry." He continued his was up the stairs, Tohru gazing worriedly at his back.
"Kyo… -kun?"
He didn't know why he was so upset. It was just a stupid cat and some obnoxious men in suits. Still, it nagged at his brain. He had completely forgotten about the whole Dai Hi Min game, although that was what had put him in a bad mood to begin with. No, it was just that dumb cat… those eyes that burned into his soul. Why did she run away from him? He was only trying to help. And those Americans in the black suits; what did they want with her? And, more importantly, how did they know about him and the Juunishi? That sort of information was top secret. Were they members of the Souma family? He didn't think he had any American relatives, but then there were many Souma's that he had never met. Kana and Hatori never knew each other before she came to work for him… maybe there were relatives unaccounted for as well. But, for those American's to know about the Juunishi curse… it was perplexing. It baffled him, the complexities of it making the anger within him surface more. Oh well, what did it matter. Hopefully, he would never see any of them ever again. He should just forget about it…
"Itadakimasu!"
They all sat down for dinner, however one place short. Kyo wouldn't be joining them tonight. After he had his bath he went straight to bed. Tohru was still concerned, nonetheless. Kyo wasn't himself. Did something happen on his way home from school? She knew not to press him on the matter; if he wanted to talk about, he knew he could come to her. She sat back, enjoyed her dinner, listened to Yuki tell Shigure about the days' Dai Hi Min match and how Kyo had lost miserably. Was that what Kyo was angry about? Now that she thought about it, he still hadn't won a match yet. But that usually wasn't enough to keep him cross all night, to make him skip out on dinner. She had a sneaking suspicion that something happened on his way home. Her imagination ran wild with the differently possibilities that could have befallen Kyo. She was so caught up in her own little world that she almost didn't hear what Yuki was saying to her…
"Honda-san? Honda-san, are you all right?"
"Eh?! Sorry, Yuki-kun. What were you saying?"
He smiled sweetly. "I was asking if you were ok. You seemed lost in thought. What were you thinking about?"
"Oh, I'm worried about Kyo-kun. He seems kind of distant, don't you think?"
He frowned slightly. Lately, everything seemed to be about Kyo; not just with Tohru, but everyone in general. He wasn't jealous necessarily, but he did feel a little left out. He was probably just imagining things. "I'm sure he's all right, Honda-san. You know how he is. He's just a little grumpy. Let him rest, and he'll be fine."
His voice was reassuring to her, and she hoped that everything would be ok. Things had been somewhat on the dramatic side as of late. Images of Kyo's true form still lodged in her brain. She was shocked when she saw it for the first time, and she didn't look at him differently now, or at least she tried not to. She knew how much of an issue it was for him, and for his sake, she tried not to make too much of it. Still, the sheer sight of it, the smell… all these things flashed before her like the lightning outside tonight. That's when she saw it. A human form, standing out in the rain… slowly approaching the house. She gasped as the form took on more shape, the distinct curves of a female body more apparent in rain drenched clothes, worried eyes staring directly into her own. The girl held on tightly to the paper screen door with one wet, dripping hand, her other hand clutching the fabric of her shirt. She was soaked, and she was shivering from head to toe. Or maybe she was in pain!? Tohru got to her feet to rush to the strangers' side. The girl opened her mouth to say something, but before she could utter a sound, her eyes closed and she fell into a crumpled heap on the floor.
