Love Remains 15

~~~~~~~

by girl_starfish

"They still out there?"

Kyou shut the dining room door with a snort. "Doesn't look like they're going anywhere."

"Well, this is just great," Arisa sighed, her hands on her hips. "Geez, we're trying to save the world here, and what help do we get?"

"We're not saving the world," Saki pointed out from the shadows. She was studying the dark puddle with interest.

"Yeah, but still. These are their freaking ghosts we're talking about--you'd think they'd be grateful."

"I'm sure Hatori would be if he properly understood the situation," Tohru said uncertainly. The doctor's decision to stand against them had shaken her confidence--if what they were doing was right, then how come both Yuki and Hatori disagreed?

"We trust you, Tohru," Saki said quietly behind Tohru. "There is something going on here that I don't quite see, but I am sure that your judgement is correct. We must act."

"Hana-chan's right! What are we standing here for?" Arisa demanded. "It's four to two, isn't it? Me and you, tomato-head, we ought to be able to hold Hatori back while Tohru gets out the door--"

"And Yuki?"

"Think you're up to it, Hana-chan?"

"My power should be sufficient," Saki agreed and Tohru shivered. The idea of attacking Hatori and Yuki made her feel cold.

"I don't think we should--"

"What choice do we have?" Arisa said. "You with me, Kyou?"

The orange-haired boy was leaning against the wall, his head lowered. "I think . . . fighting is the last thing we should be doing at a time like this."

"What! Don't tell me you're turning chicken on me now!"

Tohru watched Arisa and Kyou bicker with a sinking feeling. Things were slipping out of their control, she could feel it. Soon there would be nothing they could do.

"Tohru!"

A warm form cannoned into her and suddenly Tohru was falling. There was a loud crash and Tohru thought vaguely that she couldn't possibly have made all that noise.

"Hell--"

Kyou and Arisa appeared to be frozen, staring behind Tohru with matching looks of shock on their faces. The blonde girl's mouth worked silently, while Kyou just stared.

Tohru sat up, gingerly, wincing as she moved her stinging limbs. She turned to see what had happened--and couldn't hold back a startled exclamation.

The massive oak armoire that stood along one entire wall of the drawing room had fallen, the crash being the noise of the china it carried smashing. But something had prevented it from falling completely, and it wavered mid-fall, far overbalanced, seeming as though it just waited for gravity to reassert itself to tumble to the ground--where Saki was lying.

"Hana-chan!" Tohru cried.

Her friend was clearly in danger--but what was keeping the armoire up? Even as Tohru watched it wobbled another centimetre lower.

"Get out of there, Hana!" Kyou had snapped out of his shock.

Saki picked herself up slowly. She had a crimson streak along one cheek where she'd been caught by falling china. "I cannot," she said. "My foot."

It was caught beneath the armoire.

Kyou swore, running forward to help her. "It's stuck," he said, tugging at Saki ineffectually.

"If you don't mind," a familiar voice drawled, "some help would be appreciated."

"Shigure?" Tohru stared.

The ghost flickered into view, eyes shut tight in concentration, shoulder wedged against the falling cupboard. He was in mid-air, his outline slightly uneven. "We can't keep this up much longer. Get her out of here!"

Arisa was still frozen to the spot.

Tohru scrambled to her feet. "Saki!" Her feet slipped on the polished wood floor as she pulled but Saki didn't budge.

The armoire wobbled lower.

"Hell!" Kyou wedged himself against it. "Arisa, get over here!"

It was a struggle, but Kyou and Shigure just managed to halt its downward progress.

"Aya, are you even helping?" the ghost demanded as the armoire was relatively stabilised.

"I'm trying!" Ayame's irritated voice sounded from the opposite corner. "This isn't exactly easy, you know."

"Just think solid," Shigure instructed, frowning as the heavy cabinet was levered higher.

The silver haired ghost faded into view a second later. "I don't think I can keep this up much longer," he said, wincing as the armoire wobbled into him. "I'm going to drop this--"

"That would be unpleasant," Saki said detachedly.

Tohru tugged even harder at her friend. "I'm not letting you get squashed! There has to be something we can do! Arisa! Help us!"

The blonde girl was still frozen in place, staring at the scene before her. "But they're dea--" she started, falling back a step as Shigure looked at her.

"We'll introduce you later," Kyou snapped. "Just help us, damnit!"

"Please, Uo-chan," Saki said calmly, and Arisa, worriedly, joined Tohru trying to pull Saki free.

"This isn't working," she said. "Hana-chan's foot is stuck and you're not going to be able to keep that cupboard up indefinitely."

"If we tip it over that way--" Shigure said.

"Are you kidding? You know how old this thing is?" Ayame protested. "If we break it--"

"What, we'll be grounded?" Shigure snorted. "I think not."

"Be careful with it," Kyou muttered, as the three of them manoeuvred the armoire away from Saki. "We could still get in trouble. Arisa, a hand here--"

With Arisa's help, the cupboard was angled away from the trapped girl.

"Let it down slowly," Kyou instructed. "One--two--thr--"

With a huge crash the armoire fell the remainder of the way to the floor.

"Aya!"

Ayame reappeared sulkily in the far corner. "I told you I was going to drop it."

Tohru helped Saki to her feet. "Are you all right?"

"No."

"What's wrong?" Arisa leaned over her anxiously. "Anything broken?"

"My foot."

"If it isn't broken, it's sprained," Kyou said, once they'd got Saki settled in one of the high backed chairs. "You're going to have to stay here. One of the guys in my martial arts class did this to his foot, and he kept using it and made it worse--he's going to have a weak ankle for life."

"I do not plan on taking martial arts," Saki replied quietly.

"Maybe you should," Arisa laughed, slapping her on the back. "When you pushed Tohru out of the way--I think that's the first time I've seen you move fast!"

Tohru's eyes widened as she realised what had happened. "You pushed me out of the way? Hana-chan, I'm so sorry--"

"It was not your fault," Saki said, and Shigure agreed.

"That chest of drawers did not fall accidentally," he said. "If it hadn't been for Saki--well, not even Aya and I could have done anything."

"Oh, I'd forgotten!" Tohru said hastily. "Uo-chan, this is Souma Shigure and Souma Ayame. Ayame, these are my friends Hanajima Saki and Uotani Arisa and--"

"Don't tell me! There is only one person with that coloured hair!" Ayame laughed, wringing out his own white tresses. "Kyonkichi!"

Kyou bristled. "My name is Kyou!"

"Whatever." The white-haired ghost shrugged gracefully, letting his wet hair slide over one shoulder. "So, Kyonkichi, long time no see!"

As Kyou lost his temper, Shigure tapped Tohru's shoulder. "There's something you should see. Look out the window."

Puzzled, Tohru crossed the room. She pulled back the heavy curtains. "I can't see anything," she said. "It's dark outside."

"Keep looking," Shigure instructed, his grey eyes serious.

Tohru turned back to the window. It seemed to be marginally lighter outside than in, but it was still hard to see anything. With the cloudy sky, there was no light and most of the streetlights had gone out when the power line fell. Hatori had left the lights of his car on as he'd made his way back into the house, and they provided the only illumination. Through their light Tohru could see the fallen power line, and the indistinct shape of the gate before it.

"What are we supposed to be looking at?" Arisa said. "There's nothing there--well, not unless you count the fog."

"Fog?" Kyou was surprised enough to leave off threatening Ayame and join them at the window. "There was nothing on the weather report about fog."

"There was nothing on the weather report about hail or thunderstorms either," Saki pointed out calmly from the back wall.

Shigure, standing beside her said, "Keep looking."

It was hard to see anything in the fog. It was growing thicker, even as they watched, until it dissipated as suddenly as it had come.

"The lights are back?" Tohru said hopefully, as two rows of lights were revealed.

"The hell?" Kyou said. "Those aren't street lights!"

"They are," Shigure said. "They're gas lights. They used to have a man go around every night with a candle and a long stick to light them all--this was before electricity of course."

Tohru just stared. The street revealed by the lights was not the street she saw every morning. It was cobbled for one thing, and she'd never been passed by a hansom cab on her way to school for another.

Then there was the figure leaning against the gate.

"There's someone out there," Arisa said, her hand tightening around Tohru's arm.

Tohru could make out a dress hat and suit, but nothing more. The figure's posture seemed to suggest that he'd been there a while--but also that he wasn't planning on leaving any time soon. "Is that . . . Hatsuharu?"

"Do we know of any other ghosts likely to be haunting the Souma family gate?" Kyou muttered.

Tohru stared out the window. Finally, Hatsuharu had made an appearance--the last of the original three. As when she'd encountered Akito, she had goose bumps all over her arms--but she could see a sadness in him that negated her fear. "He's as hurt as Rin is."

"You know what must be done?" Shigure sounded . . . sad almost.

Tohru nodded at him, determinedly. "I won't fail."

"I hope you have better luck than I did," Shigure replied solemnly.

"She's not doing this alone," Kyou said, defensively. "She's got us."

The ghost smiled suddenly, a real smile, the first Tohru had seen from him in days. "That's right, she does. In that case, we'd better get on with it, you know."

"Right," Tohru said, trying to feel braver than she was.

"We can't help you with anything beyond the house," Shigure said, as Ayame drifted over to stand beside him. "But we can manage Hatori. Ayame, you ready?"

The long-haired ghost twisted his hair nervously. "I don't know if I can do this, Gure-san. It's been so long and I--"

Shigure put a hand on his cousin's shoulder. "He's still our Ha-san," he said quietly. "Keep to the script and you'll be fine--think Lady of Shallot meets The Others."

Ayame nodded seriously. "Got it." He flashed Shigure a huge grin. "Wish me luck!"

Shigure gave him a thumbs-up. "Break a leg, Ayame! Preferably not Ha-san's."

"Ha ha ha!" Ayame faded into nothingness.

Kyou sighed. "And that idiotic behaviour was in aid of what?"

"Shigure has a plan," Saki said, dispassionately. "You believe that Ayame will be enough to convince Hatori to leave his post?"

"I know Ha-san," Shigure said simply, sliding the dining room door open a crack so they could observe events. "He dwells on things for a long time--he probably imagines Aya's death was his fault still. I don't think he'll give up that chance to talk to Aya--no matter what."

"Well," Arisa said. "Let's hope you're right. After seeing him smash in that door, I'm not particularly keen on fighting him."

Shigure choked. "Ha-san did what?"

~~~~~~~~

The drawing room door creaked again, and Hatori glared at it suspiciously. They'd been very quiet--well, not if you included that huge crash before. What had that been in aid of anyway? If they thought he and Yuki would abandon their post at the door simply to see what the big noise had been, they had a surprise coming.

All the same, the doctor was uneasy. Kyou had always been a determined child, and Tohru appeared unusually upset about this entire thing. He couldn't see either of them just abandoning their plan. Obviously, they were going to try something. He and Yuki would have to be ready for them when they did. They couldn't let anything happen to Momiji--he couldn't let another of his cousins die because of him.

The door creaked again, and Hatori spun round in irritation. That was it, he was going to sort them out--

But it wasn't the drawing room door.

Standing beside the front door, Hatori had a good view of the main staircase and the hallway beyond it with the drawing room door on the right. He could also see the space on the opposite side of staircase, the reception area that led into the ballroom and cloak room, with a door, opposite him, that connected the room to the second hallway, the one that ran from the garden to the second staircase. It was that door that had opened.

No one in the drawing room could have left the room without him seeing them.

So who?

The hairs on Hatori's arm rose as the door swung open fully, revealing an empty hallway. Don't be ridiculous! the doctor told himself. This is an old house--doors sometimes open for no apparent reason. It doesn't mean that someone's there . . .

Although it had been proved without a doubt to him that the house was haunted--

"Yuki," Hatori said sharply. "Are you sure . . . about this?"

His younger cousin didn't seem to hear him. Hatori repeated the question.

Amethyst eyes somehow muted, Yuki nodded. "There is no alternative, Hatori. If Momiji is to survive this . . ."

Somehow that failed to reassure him.

There was nothing to do but wait.

Hatori settled back against the wall, eyes falling again on the open door--

And the no longer empty doorway.

Ayame faced him, his green-gold eyes seeming sombre in the shadow. It was Ayame, the way he could say so much with just a look, the way he tilted his head slightly provocatively, and almost dared you to disagree with him. But . . . the faintly purple tinge to his skin was not Aya . . . and Aya's hair was always immaculate, never dripping and tangled and so lifeless looking--

Hatori stared at his cousin. That was his fault--

Ayame's eyes dropped and he turned slowly, sorrowfully away, continuing down the hallway, his head bowed.

So automatically it was almost as if not by his volition, Hatori hurried after him. "Aya--" he called out as he went through the door. "Wait!"

He saw something white disappear around the corner in front of him and hurried after his cousin.

Ayame glided to the library door and shut it behind him. Suddenly nervous, Hatori took a deep breath, running his hand through his hair. He'd been carrying his guilt for ten years--but how to properly say what he felt? And did he even have any right to talk to Ayame? After all--

"This is my fault," he said. "But Aya--I owe it to him to apologise. And if he doesn't forgive me--I deserve that. If he hates me--" Hatori swallowed. Pushing his fringe out of his eyes, he opened the door and stepped inside the library.

At first glance the room was empty. Fighting twin pangs of disappointment and alarm, Hatori walked further into the room. "Ayame?" He heard the door click shut behind him.

"I wasn't sure you'd come." It was eerie hearing a voice he'd thought he'd never hear again. Although pitched casually it trembled slightly, and Hatori knew that although he looked different, it was still Ayame . . . "You looked so odd before . . . I thought you didn't want to see me."

"I was surprised," Hatori admitted. "I've thought about you so much I wasn't sure if you were really there or not." He spotted Ayame, balanced on the top of the nearest bookcase, watching him intently.

"You missed me?"

"Every day," Hatori said. "Shigure too." He swore mentally as he remembered too late their last conversation.

Instead of getting mad, however, Ayame simply smiled, a little sadly. "Me too," he said.

That had been his fault as well. "Aya, I'm so sorry. I did everything wrong."

"Don't," his cousin said unhappily. "I don't want to remember that."

Hatori took a deep breath. "Aya, I'm sorry but I have to know. Your death--was it--was it accident?" He couldn't say suicide.

Aya's gaze was strangely sympathetic. "It was no accident."

It was his worst fear confirmed. "Aya, I'm so sorry--"

"I was pushed."

Hatori stared at his cousin in horror. "What?"

"I didn't kill myself, Tori. I was pushed."

"But--who would--" Hatori felt in dire need of a cigarette.

"Starts with Souma, ends with Akito," Ayame grumbled. "I'll give you three guesses."

"Hell," Hatori said. "So Shigure was right." He patted his jacket pocket only to discover he had left his cigarettes in the hall.

"I'd really rather not talk about it," Ayame said with a shudder. "He freaks me out."

"A ghost even ghosts are afraid of," Hatori muttered dryly. "Figures."

Ayame cheered. "Tori! You're still you!"

"What?"

"It's been so long and you look so different I wasn't sure--I mean, look at you! You're so tall and everything--and you're wearing a suit and even your hair is different--cool but different--"

"And you haven't changed a bit," Hatori held out his hands. "Come here, idiot."

Ayame was cold to touch but solid enough to hug. It was weird having his cousin so much smaller than him. "I'm sorry I was so stupid," Hatori said. "Can I have my best friend back?"

Ayame burst into tears.

~~~~~~~~

"They're talking," Shigure sounded pleased. "Good."

"You can tell?" Kyou asked.

"Aya's taken him to the library--I have a measure of awareness of what goes on there. Not that I intend to eavesdrop--I need my energy directed somewhere else." Shigure straightened up from his post at the door. "Something tells me Yuki is not going to be so easily distracted."

"So what will we do?" Tohru asked nervously.

"It doesn't matter what we do so long as one of us gets outside to open the gate, right?" Arisa said.

"Not exactly," Shigure said and Saki agreed.

"In cases such as this admittance may only be given by someone of the house."

"What does that mean?" Kyou demanded.

"It means that Uo-chan and I are out," Saki said. "Kyou because he is a Souma, and Tohru because she lives here might be able to manage it."

Arisa cracked her knuckles. "Well, let's do this! Ketchup-hair, you in?"

"Sure," Kyou answered.

"What about you, dead-guy? Can you do anything useful?"

Dead guy? Tohru gaped.

Shigure, however, seemed more amused than offended. "I know a few tricks that might be useful."

"Like what?"

Shigure smirked. "Look down."

Very few people could react to finding themselves floating midair with a smidgen of grace. Arisa wasn't one of them.

"Okay, fine, you've made your point," she said once over her initial shock. "You can put me down now--and stop laughing, carrot head!"

Kyou and Shigure continued to howl with laughter.

"Very mature." Arisa rolled her eyes. "I'm unimpressed. Hey, if you can make things float why didn't you just get rid of the chest like that?"

"I'm not strong enough to shift that thing by myself," Shigure said, wiping tears from his eyes. "You'd need power like Akito's to be able to do that."

"Figures," Arisa muttered, frowning as she noticed a worried look on Tohru's face. "Yo, Tohru. You don't look very happy."

"If we have to let Haru in," Tohru said, twisting her hair round her finger anxiously. "Then Saki will be here all alone."

Arisa was abruptly set down.

"I hadn't thought of that," Shigure said worriedly.

"Do not distress yourself," Saki said calmly. "I will be fine."

"But we can't just leave you here," Kyou said. "I mean anything could happen!"

"Anything did," Shigure said. "The chest--"

"There is nothing more in here of any great weight," the psychic pointed out. "Besides, any hostile attention is more likely to be directed against you. I can do nothing injured, and therefore I am unlikely to attract any attention."

"I guess that makes sense," Arisa said. "But I don't like it."

"I am not overly thrilled myself, Uo-chan. But I am not afraid. Tohru, do not worry. I am in no danger by myself."

"Are you sure?" Tohru asked anxiously.

"Oi," Kyou said placing a hand on Tohru's shoulder. "If the psychic wonder says she'll be all right, then she'll be all right. Isn't that so, Hana?"

A look Tohru couldn't define passed between them and Saki smiled. "How wonderful. Kyou said something worth listening to."

"Oi! Taking abuse from that damned yankee is bad enough without you starting on me too!" Kyou complained. "I'm not staying here to be insulted. Let's go."

"Here's the torch," Arisa said. "Call if you need anything."

"If I need anything you will know," Saki said. "Make sure you do not fail."

Tohru felt like she would cry. "Hana-chan--"

"Don't be silly," Saki said. "Go now. You don't have much time."

"I don't believe this--" Kyou said from the doorway. "It's clear--I don't see Yuki anywhere."

"Then you should go now," Saki said firmly.

"I'll go first," Shigure said. "In case of tricks." He faded out of view. They heard his voice from the corridor a few moments later. "Okay so far."

"Arisa?" Kyou said, and the blonde girl nodded, ducking out of the door. "Come on. Tohru."

With a last look at Saki sitting calmly in the chair, Tohru followed Arisa. Kyou nodded to her, then shut the door.

Saki could feel the comforting presence of their auras move away--dwelling on that would not help, she told herself sternly. Instead she should concentrate on a more immediate problem--the vague presence she could feel in the room with her.

"You may as well show yourself," she said calmly. "I know you're there--and I am not afraid."

~~~~~~~~

"I don't believe this!" Arisa's cry was exultant. "There's no one here!"

"Don't relax too soon," was Kyou's sour reply. "It's not going to be that easy."

Tohru glanced at Shigure who nodded. "I don't feel anything off as yet, but be careful."

They slipped out from behind the stairs and started across the reception area towards the heavy oak doors. Halfway across the tiled entranceway a particularly loud roll of thunder broke out and Tohru froze in place.

"Hell," Kyou said. "That sounded like it was right overhead."

Tohru's heart was pounding. They were going to go out in that?

"Keep going," Shigure said, sounding strained. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave you here."

"You skipping out on us?" Arisa demanded incredulously.

"Change of plans," Shigure said looking towards the staircase.

Tohru looked up. Standing at the top of the staircase, one hand resting on the top banister was a shadowy figure. "Akito," she whispered.

"That's him?" Kyou sounded sceptical. "He doesn't look so tough."

"Appearances can be very deceiving," Shigure smiled weakly. "Go."

"But--we can't leave you!" Tohru protested.

"Tohru," Shigure said, taking her by the shoulders. "It doesn't matter what Akito does to me--I'm already dead. You three on the other hand . . . If we're lucky I can get you enough time to reach the doorway. Don't argue with me--just go."

"We're going, we're going," Arisa hauled Tohru away, quickly. "Let's get out of here!"

"Shigure--" Tohru didn't get a chance to say anything more.

Kyou hesitated. "Be careful, won't you?"

"Don't let anything happen to Tohru," Shigure said. "And hurry." Without looking back to see that Kyou had taken his advice he began climbing the stairs to where Akito waited.

Tohru and Arisa were already at the door. Kyou hurried after them.

"What are you waiting for?" he hissed. "We don't have time to muck around."

"The door's locked," Tohru said. "And the key isn't here--"

"Looking for this?"

Yuki leaned against the cloakroom door, attitude as cool as his voice. He held the door key nonchalantly, though his eyes watched them carefully.

"Damn," Arisa said.

It was a sentiment Tohru shared. "Yuki-kun--please let us have the keys."

"It would be my pleasure, Tohru." Yuki smiled, a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "That is, if you don't mind giving me something in return."

"Like what?" Kyou demanded suspiciously.

"Nothing much," Yuki told Kyou. "I just want you to promise that you'll never be romantically involved with Tohru."

Tohru found herself blushing madly. Why on earth would Yuki think that Kyou would ever think of her romantically? And why put it like that? It almost sounded as though he liked her that way--both of which things were impossible--

"The hell?" Kyou said. "I'm not promising that!" He was also bright red.

"You see?" Yuki said, although it was unclear exactly who he was addressing. "This isn't about the ghosts at all, is it?"

"You're mad!"

"So are you. Is it really fair to risk the fates of so many people for your happiness?"

"You can't talk!" Kyou snarled. "You're the one who started this!"

"Ah, but I'm the one with the key," Yuki said, putting the metal object in his pocket. "Which means I make the rules. If you want the key, you'll have to take it from me."

"My pleasure." Kyou adopted an attack position.

Arisa sidled closer to Tohru. "Is he always like this? I dunno . . . I always got the impression that he was a lot nicer . . ."

Tohru didn't reply. She was too busy staring at the handkerchief in Yuki's pocket--the white handkerchief with the neat S. A. embroidered in the corner.

What was it Shigure had said? That they could tell where objects belonging to them were and had some influence through them?

She remembered encountering Akito in the hallway the night before Kagura's death. He had bowed to her with all the politeness of a Lord, solicitous for her health--"It's been a delight to make your acquaintance."

Why did that sound so odd for some reason? As if there was something connected to it she didn't see somehow--coming as it did the night before Kagura's death it might seem strange for just that reason--

Kagura--

Those had been her exact words when she'd said goodbye to Tohru that morning--"It's been a delight to make your acquaintance." Akito's words--so he'd been controlling Kagura like he'd controlled Ayame?

Like he was controlling Yuki now?

Tohru gasped as the implications of her realisation sunk in. Nothing else could explain the sudden reversal in Yuki's behaviour. "Kyou--wait!"

"What?" Kyou, about to attack was caught off guard by Tohru's exclamation--which gave Yuki the perfect opening to attack. Driven backwards by the force and speed of the grey-haired boy's moves, Kyou was barely able to counter. After a few minutes, Yuki drew back to let him catch his breath.

"Changed your mind?"

"Like hell!" Kyou growled. "When did you learn to fight?"

Yuki laughed humourlessly. "Like I keep telling you--I'm no longer sick."

"Kyou!" Tohru said. "You can't fight him!"

"What?" Kyou stared at her in shock. "You want him to win?"

"You don't understand!" Tohru pulled Kyou close. "That's not Yuki in there, that's Akito. He's doing what he did to Ayame and Kagura. I don't think Yuki knows what he's doing."

"But if I don't fight him what the hell are we supposed to do?" Kyou snapped, irritated.

Tohru looked at Yuki. She knew this couldn't be his choice but how could they help him?

"The handkerchief. Get rid of it if you can." she said.

"A handkerchief? No don't tell me," Kyou sighed. "I don't want to know. Oi, fancy face, let's get this over with okay?"

"As you wish," Yuki said.

Tohru was by no stretch of the imagination an expert on martial arts, but even she could see that the fight was going seriously wrong.

"Come on, marmalade for brains!" Arisa urged as Kyou picked himself up after yet another fall. "I know you can beat him!"

Kyou's only response was a grunt.

"Getting tired, are we?" Yuki taunted. "Why don't you save yourself some more bruises and give up now?"

Kyou's answer was to swing himself back into battle.

"This isn't good," Arisa said. "If Kyou can't beat him the there's no way I can--and no way we'll get the key."

"We have to!" Tohru was near tears. "We can't fail!"

To her surprise Arisa began laughing. "I can't believe we didn't think of this before--come on, Tohru!"

To Tohru's surprise, Arisa hauled her into the cloakroom. "There's a window here--yes!" she shoved it open, letting the sheeting rain inside. "Get through--hurry!"

Tohru scrambled out the window hurriedly as Arisa explained. "Someone has to let Hatsuharu in the gate--no one said anything about the house. All we got to do is--"

There was a gravely sound, almost like rock moving. Tohru wiped rainwater out of her eyes, looking up at the window. A crack had appeared along the wide glass pane and as she watched began to travel downwards branching off into myriad little paths along the way.

"Shit," Arisa said. "Tohru, run!"

Tohru did so. She hadn't gone more than a few steps before there was a huge crash and a few pieces of glass ricocheted past her. Something stung her heel and Tohru fell over. She wiped mud off her heel but couldn't make out anything in the dark--she pulled herself upright uncertainly. "Uo-chan? Uo-chan!"

"Shit." She could hear but not see Arisa--the crinkle of broken glass let her know her friend was moving. "Get going Tohru--I'm kind of stuck here with all this broken glass."

"But--"

"The gate! Get to the gate!"

Uo-chan was right--regretfully, Tohru turned her back on the house. Her heel stung, but she limped forward determinedly, only to pause. She had no light--and no idea where the gate was.