A/N: School is out for me! Now I will try to actually update more often. Sorry if anyone got really mad at me. So here you go and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I just realized that I am sick and tired of shojos-but I won't stop this story-I like to too much-guess I could never create a shojo so Fruits Basket defiantly isn't mine.

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~~Tears of the Cat~~

Tohru was cleaning up around her room when Mari wandered in.

"Tohru? Can you play with me when you're done? Daddy's editor is complaining to him about not finishing a story, Kyou is out helping Momiji with somethin', and Yuki is gone to his little garden." Mari stopped. "But, if you're busy, I can play by myself. 'S okay."

Tohru softened her eyes to the girl and shock her head. "Of course I'll play with you." Tohru could never say no to Mari. "Just let me finish cleaning up here."

"Okay!" Mari walked towards Tohru's nightstand and saw the picture of Tohru's mother. "Tohru, who's that lady?"

Tohru looked up towards where Mari was pointing. "That's my mother. She died about a year ago."

"But whys don't you live with your daddy like I do?"

"My father is gone too."

Mari looked at Tohru, the girl she had always looked up to. "She's just like me," she thought, "but unluckier. I shouldn't be so sad. I still have daddy." Mari wrapped her arms around Tohru's waist (or at least as close as she could get for being so very small), and wouldn't let go.

"Mari? Don't worry about it. I'm fine." Thoughts ran across Tohru's mind. "Maybe I shouldn't have told her. What if this makes things worse?! I'm so stupid sometimes! Oh, I hope Shigure won't get disappointed in me for telling her!"

"Tohru?"

"Hmmm?"

"Do you miss your mother?"

"Yes, yes I do. So very much. But I must get through life and high school for her. She's always showing me the path to take."

Mari looked up at Tohru and started to cry.

"Don't cry!"

"But it's so sad that nice people like you have to be in the same pain that I am!"

Tears

"Mari. you're a nice person too. not just me. in fact, I think I take everything for granted."

"But I shoulda told mommy that I wanted to see daddy more. Now, because I couldn't tell her, daddy cries all the time and it's all my fault!"

Tears

Tohru took the small girl into her arms and let tears of her own fall. "She's so strong and hides everything well. She's grown up in such a horrible world so far," Tohru thought, "who knows how she's get on the right path again." "Dear Mari-chan. don't cry. Everything will work out for both us. I promise you that."

Mari started to snob and soon her crying stopped. Mari kept her head against Tohru's chest and listened to her heartbeat. Tohru hummed slightly as she faced her window and stroked the hairs on Mari's head. Tohru didn't know what to say to the girl. She never had met anyone who hid their feelings so deep that if they ever came out that they would have no control over them whatsoever. Tohru sighed deeply. "What's going to become of this girl?" Tohru thought again. "The Sohma's are already pushing her out of their traditions and have marked her unlucky. I just hope she's strong enough to go on."

Breeze through window

"Mari?"

"Tohru?"

"I want you to remember something for me."

The young girl sat up and looked up at Tohru. "What?"

"You'll always be my lucky cat. Don't let anyone tell you either wise." Tohru gently kissed Mari on the forehead.

Mari looked up at Tohru. "Okay."

Silence

"You know, daddy tolded me the same thing." "Oh? Shigure-san told you that too?"

Mari nodded her head. "Yup. After the last time we went to the Sohma house and some of the people there made fun of me. 'You'll always be my lucky cat Mari,' daddy tolded me. 'You remember that when people try to hurt you. Remember that you're always your father's luckiest cat.'"

Tohru brushed the fallen hairpieces away from Mari's small face and kissed the dear child's forehead again. "Shigure-san is right you know. Everyone here loves you so very much. Sohma-sama, Kyou-kun, Shigure-san, Tohru-kun. All of us. You also know that Momiji and Haru care for you too. See, you have place in all of our hearts. You're everyone's lucky cat."

"But what 'bout Kyou? He's a cat too. Can I still be his lucky cat?"

"I think Kyou-kun would love for you to be his luckiest cat."

Mari was silent for a few moments. In her mind was a mix of memories; some caused pain, while others brought happiness. Memories of the good times she spent with her mother; memories of all those horrible times she spent with her mother; memories of coming home with her father; memories of finally starting a relationship with her father that she wanted for so long; memories of Kyou spending time with her; memories of Kyou protecting her. In her mind, everything was mess. Nothing made sense and it seemed as if nothing ever would.

Here she was at age three, lost in a world that made no sense, which had no justice. But this child wouldn't let this view of the world stop her from learning about and trying to make it a better place.

~~That Evening~~

Kyou came home from going out to meet with a group for a project a bit troubled. Kyou wasn't one to obsess over his grades, but at the rate this project was going, things weren't looking too great. He went to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of tea and sat down at the main table, lost in thought. Yuki walked in, home from his group project, poured himself a cup of ice water and sat opposite Kyou. The cat and rat sat in silence, barely noting the presence of the other.

"I hate this," Yuki thought. "Only half of us are working on this project and I need this grade to keep in the top of the class."

"I hate this," Kyou thought. "Only half of us are working on this project and I need this grade to keep my grades reasonable."

The two natural enemies looked at each other, frowned, and then went back to their cups of tea. Then came a knocking on the door. Shigure got up and answered it, to find Hatori standing right in front of him.

"Hatori! Surprise to see you here."

"Well, I heard Mari was here."

"I'm sure she'll be glad to see you."

"I also brought along----"

A flash of long, white year and a plum colored robe came through the door.

"Where is that dear child of yours Shigure?"

In the next room, Yuki flinched. "Ayame," he muttered.

Shigure smiled. "Mari dear? Can you come down here? You have some company."

"'K daddy." Mari came down the stairs. "Uncle Ayame! Uncle Hatori!" Mari ran to greet her uncles. Ayame picked up the small girl.

"My have you grown! You're looking more beautiful every time I see you! How old are you now? Ten? Fifteen?"

Mari giggled. "Nope! I'm phree!"

"Three? Only? I bet your dad has to fight off all those teenagers who want to marry you."

"You're so silly Uncle Ayame." Mari gave her uncle a hug. "Uncle Hatori!" Mari reached her arms towards him. Tohru, who was watching from the stairs, expected Hatori not to take the girl, but surprisingly, he accepted the girl's offer.

"Uncle Hatori! I missed you. Mommy would take me to doctors who smelled funny and talked weird!"

Hatori smiled a bit at the girl. "Well, how about that. You only missed me because I don't smell funny, then?"

"Oh no! That's not what I mean! I misseded you all the time!" Mari looked up at her uncle. Hatori smiled and nodded and the girl knew that he was only joking; she smiled and hugged her uncle.

Shigure smiled at his little girl. He remembered the last time Mari had seen Ayame and Hatori, back about six months ago. "Finally," he thought. "We can all be together once again."

Yuki came from the room next door and shock his head at his older brother. "Ayame. don't disturb the child."

"Yuki! How have you been! I cry myself to sleep each night, wanting to be near you! My, you've grown so much! Don't worry, you'll always be my special someone. even if you aren't as cute as Mari is. but still! I will forever love you! Come to think of it, let's go bond right now!" Ayame has his arms wrapped around Yuki before he goes on. "You and me need more time together! Let's go the forest and live together and become the best of brothers. " (A/N: During this speech, Ayame's rejected trumpet music is playing in the back ground. How can you not love it?!)

"Ayame. " Yuki's eyebrow started to flinch as his brother continued on. Then Yuki dumped the ice from his water down the back of Ayame's coat. In an instant, there was a white cloud of transformation and there was a white snake, crying tears.

"Yuki! How could you! You're so mean to me! Why do you act like this towards me all the time! I just want to get to know you better!"

Yuki just shock his head in disgust at his brother before bowing to everyone around him. "I'm sorry that you had to see that." Then he walked out.

Kyou was watching this from his seat at the table and laughed a bit as Yuki walked by. Yuki didn't mind; he knew that just this once, Kyou was on his side. However, everyone in the other room was silent with huge eyes staring at Ayame.

"Uncle Ayame! I've nevered seened you as your snake form! You're so cute!" Mari crouched down near the snake. She carefully picked it up and started petting it. Hatori just shock his head, as if he saw this coming all along and Shigure laughed. He truly did laugh.

Tohru came down the stairs. "Hello, Hatori-san, Ayame-san."

Hatori nodded to Tohru. "Tohru."

In-between cuddles with Mari, Ayame said, "Tohru."

"You two must be hungry. I have some leftovers I can feed you. I'll go heat it up right now," Tohru ran out of the room.

Mari got an idea. "Wait a moment Uncle Ayame. I'll be right back." Mari ran up the stairs and then came down with Kyuri. She placed Kyuri on Ayame's back. "Theres. Kyuri can ride on Ayame's back."

Laughter

Truly, there was laughter.

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This was kinda touching, wasn't it? I am so sorry about the delay-just blame my life and computer. I just reread my outline and saw that I didn't follow it the way I wanted to, so now this story is just going in every which way. I bet it'll be a fun ride. Yeah! Oh yeah, AX is coming really soon and I'm almost 100% sure I'm going as Yukino Miyazma from Kare Kano. I know, I am anti-shojo, but her winter school uniform is so cool! Plus, it gives me the excuse to make a school uniform to wear next year around school. I have his obsession with sailor fukus. I'm gonna make a bunch and wear them all the time. Sorry about the rambling. But Lucky Cat is on a roll and I don't think it'll be stopping anytime soon. Even if my computer stops working, I will find one that does and finish this story! Stay with my story and all reviews are appreciated. ~D-Yai~