The Curse

By Mei Eden

Chapter 2

Tohru gazed up at the samurai who stood before her and smiled- he had fair hair of an unusual coloring and the most delicate facial features. His clothing hakama and gi fit him extremely well, although they seemed a bit too "nice" for an ordinary traveling samurai. Tohru dismissed the thought quickly though, thinking that perhaps he had bought a new pair of clothing recently in town. There were many travelers in Edo lately of all types, but of all the ones she had seen, he was definitely the most out of place- more like a doll that belonged in a collection than a tough, manly samurai. She stood mesmerized as he introduced himself to, of all people, her!! Kirei...(pretty..) I wonder what he wants with me? She thought for a moment, wondering to herself. Why me? Perhaps I've done something wrong without even knowing it..and he's come to tell me..? But I don't know him... but maybe unknowingly.. She began to worry...

Yuki looked at the girl curiously. She seemed flustered, but for what reason, he knew not. She amused him though- her smile, her innocent confusion. "Is something wrong..?"

Tohru started. "IIe Iie!! Sakaguchi-san, I was just wondering...ano.. why you came here of all places? It's the last house on the street from the castle.. Do you know me? Is there something I've done?.. Is there..ano.. I mean.."

A smile began to tug at his lips. How unusual...this girl.. "No no.. Not at all.. I just couldn't help noticing.. You have.. some very beautiful flowers in your garden. Your house seems very cheerful.."

Tohru brightened suddenly. "Hai!! My mother planted the flowers a year ago, and I've been taking care of them.. she always said a cheerful house was the best house, no matter how small it was. As long as there are people living in it who put their love and hope into a home, it will be the most beautiful. So with all my love I've tended these flowers.. See.. I'm picking a few and arranging them now the best I can..."

The light that shone through her eyes as she spoke startled and amazed Yuki. Never before had he met someone like this-someone who was so completely in love with life without a worry in the world it seemed. He looked down sadly.

"Maybe that's..what's wrong with my home.. why it's so cold..and ugly."

Tohru eyed Yuki curiously. "Sakaguchi-san..?"

He looked up at her quickly and forced a small smile. "Iie..it's nothing.. Your house... is full of love... that's beautiful.. It would be wonderful if all people could live..with love."

Akito.. We weren't allowed to show love in our home..Iie.. in that prison we live in. Maybe that's why you're ill now.. If we had been allowed to express our hopes and emotions.. if we had been allowed to live a life full of love and joy.. you wouldn't be losing your mind..perhaps.. Can I still save you??.. Yuki looked at Tohru in her simple blue kimono- her cheerfulness radiating out from her entire being. She's beautiful..Akito... and innocent as a kitten..We've lost that..but she...she's beautiful.

"Ah..hai!! Mother always said wise things. =) Everything she taught me is very wise. "

Yuki nodded. Such innocence. "Thank you.. um..Gomen ne.. I don't know your name..."

Tohru's face lit up with a bright smile. "Honda Tohru desu!"

Honda Tohru-san... a name I'll always remember.. even if I never see her again..

Yuki couldn't help but smile in return. "Arigatou, Honda-san.."

Tohru shook her head adamantly, her eyes confused. "You shouldn't be thanking me for anything, Sakaguchi-san.. I should thank you for the compliments on my small home.. Mother.. mother would be happy."

A small breeze danced through her hair, blowing it in swirls around her face, emphasizing the healthy, happy glow on her cheeks. Yuki watched her, his eyes locked on her golden aura, not wanting to return to the coldness that would consume him again once he returned to the castle. I never knew someone like this could exist. She may not be the most beautiful woman at first glance.. but something inside her.. something inside her is absolutely... amazing.

One of the lilies she held slipped from her fingertips and gently floated away with the wind. Tohru reached out quickly in an attempt to catch it, but it swirled away from her, spinning with the breeze. With well-trained reflexes, Yuki reached out quickly with a hand and caught the tiny flower, closing the distance between he and Tohru in one swift movement.

"Honda-san.. I believe..this little one..almost escaped.."

Tohru stared up into Yuki's face hovering over her own and blushed. "H-hai...a-ar-arigatou...Sakaguchi-san."

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!?!... BAKA YARO!!!!"

Yuki stepped away from Tohru quickly, and she spun around to see Kyou streaking out of the house at top speed, his hand at the sword at his waist. He deftly placed himself between Yuki and Tohru and glared at the other man angrily.

"Don't think..that you can touch her with your dirty hands... ", then he turned to Tohru, his expression stern, but gentler.

"Tohru.. you shouldn't let strangers do with you as they please.. it could be dangerous!! This guy.. who knows what he would have done to you..!!!!"

Tohru looked back at Kyou, very flustered. "Ano..gomen nasai! Gomen nasai Kyou-kun..but..but.. Sakaguchi-san isn't bad.. he doesn't seem bad!!! Onegai..please..don't fight.."

Kyou murmured under his breath, "they never seem bad.."

Yuki backed away slowly. "I wasn't trying to do anything.."

Kyou snorted in disbelief. "That's what they all say.. guys like you. Tohru is innocent...and she's sweet..and I won't let you dirty that.. "

Yuki felt anger rising up inside of him. "What right do you have to accuse me of anything?? I wouldn't ever do anything to harm Honda-san.. Why are you angry at me?? You don't even know me!"

Kyou drew his sword and pointed it at Yuki's throat. "I know enough.. about rich-looking guys like you who dress nice and take advantage the poor, sweet innocent girls that don't understand.... I know better than anyone..."

Yuki looked down at the sword calmly. I don't believe this guy.. Che.. he won't be much of an opponent.. if he's letting his emotions control him.. I don't want to fight though.. He peered over at Tohru who was tugging lightly at Kyou's sleeve, asking him to stop. This guy..is her friend..but..   He looked back down at the sword held precariously at his throat. I don't like him..

With liquid motion, Yuki threw himself backwards from the tip of Kyou's sword and drew his own weapon, at the same time catching Kyou off guard and knocking his sword out of his hands. "Why do you say that?? Were you once..that type of man??"

Kyou threw himself to the ground and rolled, picking up his sword as he jumped up out of the roll into a standing position. "KISAMAAAAAA~~~~!!!! " Kyou ran at Yuki and struck at him wildly, ignoring the fact that Yuki calmly parried each attack as if it was merely a slight annoyance. "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING ABOUT MY LIFE!! ORE NO OKAASAN (my mother..)... those DAMN SOH-"

"KYOU-KUN!!! YAMETTE!! (Stop!)"

Both Kyou and Yuki stopped, their swords in midair, ready to strike again at any moment. Slowly, Kyou turned his head to look at Tohru- Tohru, who was kneeling on the ground, her hands clutched in her lap, tears..tears..streaming down her face.

"Onegai..Kyou-kun..Sakaguchi-san.. please stop.. He's..he's my new friend, Kyou-kun.. he said he liked Mother's flowers.."

Kyou's sword slipped from his fingertips. He looked down in shame. Yuki sheathed his sword. "Honda-san.."

Kyou walked over to Tohru, completely ignoring Yuki as he dropped down in front of her and very gently put his arms around her tiny shaking body. "G-gomen ne.. Tohru-kun.. I was.. just angry.. I didn't want to see anyone hurt you..and.. there were some things.. I remembered.."

Tohru, still crying, threw her hands around Kyou's neck and hugged hard. "I don't want to lose you Kyou-kun.. I don't want to lose you to your past.. no one else.. not like Mother... "

Kyou stiffened in surprise for a moment before he relaxed comfortably in her embrace. "It's okay.. Tohru.. I'm here for you.. I won't fight anymore." You always do this to me.. When I lose control..when I feel like my past is going to destroy me, you're my light of hope, pulling me back into the present. Arigatou, Tohru-kun.. without you, I wouldn't be able to truly live...not with what happened...back then.

Tohru sniffled a bit and pulled away, smiling. "Good.. fighting.. won't ever resolve anything.. That's what Mother said." Then she turned to Yuki, "Sakaguchi-san.. gomen ne.. Kyou is very protective of me.. He's my very important friend.. I'm very very sorry if he offended you.. I'm happy..that I've met you..and that we have become new friends. " She smiled kindly up at him.

Yuki stared at her dumbfounded. Her Mother is dead??? How can she sit here.. and look at me with that expression? Isn't she sad?? Isn't she in pain?? Honda Tohru.. you are truly an incredible person.. "Honda-san.. It's alright.. I'm glad we were able to meet also..." Then he turned to look at Kyou, and out of politeness and respect for Tohru, he said, "Perhaps..next time we meet, it'll be under better conditions." Kyou turned away from him and said nothing.

"YUKI-KUNNN~~3"

Yuki stopped short, his eyes wide open with recognition as he heard the voice calling him. Oh Kami-sama.. Don't let Shigure reveal who I am to Tohru.. let me be just a normal person this once.. I don't want..her to change once she knows who I am..oh Kami-sama please!

He turned around slowly, and felt a sigh of relief escape from his lips as he saw Shigure come walking happily towards him wearing not the royal colors of blue and white, but rather a plain, dull brown instead. "..Shigure.."

"Eh??? That's all you have to say to me?? After I went through so much trouble to come and find you? " He looked over at Tohru and smiled devilishly at Yuki.

"AHHH!! Our Yuki-kuuuun is growing up now 3 He went off all by himself to find himself a young pretty girl 3!!"

Yuki glared at Shigure darkly, his face red. "It's NOT LIKE THAT!!"

~*******~

Akito woke up in the dark room and looked up to see Hatori staring down at him, a worried expression on his face.

"Hatori...Where's Yuki?? Yuki wa doko desu ka?? Where's YUKI??? I'm alone..I'm cold." He struggled to get up.

Hatori put his hand on Akito's shoulder and pushed him lightly back into bed.

"Calm down..Yuki will be back soon..don't worry.. He'll be happy to see you awake.. He was worried about you, you know?"

Akito relaxed. "I had another dream. The birds, " he pointed at the doves in the cage hanging at his window, ".. they say.. the Sohma's will be destroyed..you know? They say so.. this whole place is a prison..they say.. and they're afraid of the cat.. "

Hatori pressed a cloth dipped in cold water to Akito's forehead.

"The cat?"

"Hai.. the cat..in my dreams..he walks the street..he's free..but the doves are not.. how come the ones who can fly..are the ones locked away..but the evil one lurks free? Naze? Why?"

Akito closed his eyes. "Tell me..when Yuki comes. I want to see him..please.."

Hatori nodded. "Hai.. I will..for now, please rest."

~End of Chapter 2~