Disclaimers: I own no part of Fruits Basket OR the Matrix.

Author's Notes: OK. I didn't get any reviews yet but I decided to write another chapter cuz the first one had absolutely no happenings. and it was basically a ripoff of the Matrix. I'll change it a bit here. lol. Also, in the "real" world, they change into animals even if the hugging partner is a member of the Jyuunishi. Please R&R! *^^*

Many thanks to evil Cassandra, who motivated me (kinda). Check out her fanfic. which she might be uploading soon. the plots real interesting and it's only by a little bit behind mine! *^^* kidding. Hers is good, mb better. But read mine too! Lol!

Kyou crept into the North Star. He exchanged belongings with Tomo, ending their contact once and for all. Then began his search. Dammit, how am I going to find someone I have never seen in the middle of all these people? He thought. Kyou wandered aimlessly around the human-littered room, trying to catch the eye of whoever had popped up in his screen. Kyou hated crowds, he was so uncomfortable around people, especially if they were female. He had no idea why. being around people of the opposite gender always made him nervous.

As he was wandering around amidst the ocean of people, he caught sight of a girl with long grey hair and lavender eyes marching straight his way. She was wearing a lavender dress, just barely past her knees. It was a sleeveless, exposing her angelic pale skin. Her lips were lined with equally lavender lipstick. Kyou was terrified of the concept of having to face a woman. Great. Just what I need. a girl to accompany me. His gears had been turning swiftly, manufacturing ideas of how to get the strange girl off his back. Kyou was startled out of his thoughts by the chilly piercing glares he received from the girl standing by his side. "Uhh. I'm sorry. I have a wife and six children and also four dogs in my family already."

Humour clearly shined in the woman's eyes as her eyelids (powdered with lavender eyeshadow) fluttered unemotionally. "Oh, is that so?"

She clutched his wrist and started to lead him towards a hidden back door of the restaurant. Kyou became desperate. He couldn't leave now, he had to find the mysterious computer user. He didn't want to leave - especially with a girl clinging onto him. He struggled with all his might but all he received was a tightening of the icy grip that the girl possessed. Like a dog on a leash, Kyou was led out of the club and shoved into a limousine. "Dammit you female! Let me out! Where the hell are you taking me? Don't think I won't kick your ass just because you're a girl!"

"Shut up!" growled the girl. who wasn't so girly anymore. She stepped into the limousine, her hair cut, her makeup removed, wearing black pants and a white turtleneck, and without a bra. It was then that Kyou realized that this person was no woman.

"W.what? But. Hey. Are you. Could you be.?" stammered Kyou.

"Took you long enough to realize," the boy with lavender eyes replied. "Let's go."

The limousine started to slip away into the serene night, leaving the 'North Star' behind. Kyou sat, dumbfounded, at how quickly everything had happened. He stared at the back of the boy's head, thinking of how feminine his features were, yet sending waves of masculinity and power out to the public at the same time. He seemed so familiar.

"Hey, what's your name?" Kyou asked.

"Yuki." He curtly replied. "Sorry I didn't introduce myself sooner. What you said to me earlier kind of surprised me. I had no time to react."

Kyou felt his face flush. "Sorry about that. I. just don't feel right when I talk to girls."

"You shouldn't," Yuki replied. "Because that's the real you."

Kyou laughed at this remark. "The real me? How would you know? We've just met."

"No." Yuki said, turning around to face Kyou. The lavender eyes bore into the crimson ones, reminding Kyou of how familiar he looked and felt, "I've known you for a long time, Kyou."

The rest of the ride was silent, as they approached a deserted subway station. The limousine drove off without a word, leaving Yuki and Kyou alone in front of the station. No one said anything for a long, long time, until Kyou's impatient manner got the better of him. "Oi! What the hell are we doing here in a place like this? And who are you exactly? What am I doing here with you? And." here he paused, "What's the Matrix?"

"Impatient." Yuki concluded. "You lasted five minutes in silence. Although I don't doubt him, I don't see how someone like you could be."

He turned his eyes towards Kyou again. "Allow me to clear up some things. I am Yuki Sohma, and I know you, Kyou, very well. We have been watching you for a very long time. You are here with me because this is the portal into the real world, and you, Kyou, are my partner. Oh, and the dress and makeup. that was just a disguise."

"Partner? We?" Kyou questioned, puzzled beyond explanation.

"Let's go inside, shall we?" Yuki said.

Without a word, the two marched inside. They took a seat in two comfy couches, Yuki thinking hard before he continued. "You wish to know about the Matrix?"

"Hell yes!" screamed Kyou in excitement. He regained his composure and added, "Please."

"The Matrix is the world we live in now. You eat, you breathe, you sleep in the Matrix. But you're not actually doing these things. It is all a computer program that is in your brain. This world fits just you, and only you. You are making up your life. Because it is merely a program.

The Matrix was designed to relieve people of pain and misery. Ever since an inevitable curse infected almost everyone on Earth, we were forced to shut the race down. Everyone was locked up, in their own minds, underground, as if being buried alive. But no one knew. Because an advanced computer program took over and programmed everyone's lives according to how they wanted it.

Two hundred years later, a man broke free from the bonds of the Matrix and attempted to free the world of the curse. And he did. For a while, the world returned to normal. Until the curse took over again. One man couldn't do it alone. He required the help of his two most loved ones. To rid the curse and the Matrix. This man died, and is now known as "The One". He is said to be reborn, and this time, he will for definitely rid the world of the curse, and save all."

Yuki took a short breath before finishing, "And that, is you, Kyou."

Kyou was dumbfounded. What was this grey head saying? That this world wasn't real? A curse? What in the world?

"You have to choose." Yuki said, "We don't have much time left."

"Choose between what?" Kyou said, shaken.

"The reality, which is harsh, cold, but real, or the Matrix, a pleasant dream where nothing is true." Yuki said.

Kyou didn't have to ponder. "I'm going in." He said. "To the truth."

As quick as lightening, Yuki pounced on the orange haired boy, blade to his throat. "Good choice," he whispered, before slitting the surprised boy's throat. Kyou was so surprised and felt such a strong sense of betrayal that he couldn't do anything to retaliate. He lay there, awaiting his death. His vision clouded, his hearing muted. the last thing Kyou could remember was the faint smile and the haunting lavender eyes hovering above him.

He had to open his eyes. He had to. What had happened? Was he dead? Somehow, it seemed as if his eyelids had been plastered together. He tried standing up. He felt the texture of the blanket as he placed his paws on top of it. Wait, paws? It was then that some weight on his eyes had melted away, and he could finally open his eyes. A blinding flash of light met him, and he squinted through the whiteness to see familiar eyes staring at him worriedly. It was a girl, with blue eyes, silky honey-brown hair, wearing a white skirt, accompanied by a pink blouse. The girl smiled, and Kyou felt all dread and doubt wash away, into those eyes of hers, as blue as the deepest ends of the ocean.

The girl seemed to have noticed his intent gaze upon her, and her cheeks turned bright red. "How are you feeling, Kyou-kun?" she questioned in a sing-song voice.

"Oh, uh." he replied, sitting on his hindlegs. Hindlegs? Kyou looked down. His hands were gone. He had paws! His fur was orange. He had a tail for crying out loud. And. he realized, he had whiskers, extractable claws, and was about the size of a cat.

That was it. He was a cat.

"What the." he started, until orange smoke illuminated the room! Startled, Kyou looked down onto his hands. Hands! He had hands again!

The girl turned around, her back facing him, her neck as red as tomatoes. "Your clothes are on the desk, Kyou-kun." She whispered.

"Huh?" he questioned, as he realized that he was naked. Completely embarrassed, Kyou quickly fetched his clothes and dressed. He then tapped the girl on the shoulder. "Hey um. what happened to me?"

The girl was happy to see a fully dressed Kyou, and started to talk in a melodious voice. "My name is Tohru Honda. And Kyou-kun, you possess the spirit of the cat!"

Tohru launched into explanation about the Juunishi (spelling?) Curse (I won't do it because you guys all know!), clearing up many things for Kyou. So that was the curse that Yuki was talking about. But he still didn't get how it could ruin the whole world. Kyou questioned Tohru about this.

"It's an overwhelming shock for the world. When embraced by the opposite gender, they turn into animals. Majority of the population was engulfed in it, and the human race couldn't accept the fact. Therefore, someone decided to shut the race down."

"So. all affected by the curse turn into a member of the Jyunnishi?" Kyou asked.

"Yes. except for. one exception." She smiled. "And that is the One. He is the rejected animal of the Jyuunishi. the cat."

So, Kyou was the One. But he didn't know anything about being a One. How could he survive this ordeal? But things were much more clear. The reason that he felt so uncomfortable around women was the fact that the "real" him, as Yuki had stated, would turn into an animal as soon as he is embraced by someone of the opposite gender. Even though it didn't happen in the Matrix, it was what would have happened.

In reality.

Kyou thanked Tohru and walked out of the blinding white room. Outside was a home for machinery, and incredibly developed technology. As if feeling Kyou's presence in the room, Yuki turned around and faced the newest edition to the team. "Morning, Kyou," he said coolly, pasting a smile on his face. "Let's have a look outside."

He led Kyou to the glass window of the headquarters, wide enough to cover a baseball field. Kyou peered outside. There was only one word to describe the horrifying situation that he witnessed. Death.

"W. What happened? Why is everything dead? Where's the grass? Sky? Water?" Kyou grew desperate as his fiery temper took hold of him. "Where are they dammit? Why is everything dead? Where is everyone?"

Yuki looked away from the burning flames in Kyou's eyes. Then he murmured underneath his breath, but loud enough for Kyou to hear. "Welcome, Kyou," he stated, "to the truth."

Hey! Sorry for yet another corny chapter. I made more things "happen", but I don't think it turned out well. Please tell me if I should continue. I'm aiming for 10 reviews now, before I write any more. Please R&R. and thanks for reading!