FRUITS BASKET: WHAT MUST BE DONE
by Vashkoda
(Disclaimer: This work of fiction uses characters belonging to Takaya Natsuki and Hakusensha without their permission. I am getting no profit from it. I only do it because I think Fruits Basket is a great story, and I want to help keep it alive!)
Author's Note: Thanks for all the encouragement!
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Tohro felt like crying, but she didn't want to appear before Kureno all red-faced and teary. She bit her lip and focused on keeping her eyes dry.
She had hurt Kyo, and now he was probably even angrier with her than before. She began to wonder if things would ever again be right between her, Kyo and Yuki. They had so little time left now to be together.
But she couldn't have told Kyo why she needed to go to the estate. Momiji's lie had gotten enough people in trouble, and she didn't want Kyo to get involved. Besides, Hiro had said to come alone, and yet Tohru had the feeling that Kyo would have insisted on being there. He was always so caring, thinking about others without worrying about the risks to himself....
I have to make it up to them, she thought fiercely, her eyes welling with tears again.
"Stop it! I will not cry! I won't!" she said, shocked for a moment to realize that she had spoken aloud. Thankfully, there wasn't anyone around to hear her.
As she blinked the tears away, she saw the sign at the corner marking the boundary of the Sohma estate. She had arrived.
"Thank you for coming, Sohma Tohru," said Kureno in a grave voice. Tohru wondered if this formal address was normal for the older man, or if he was already bringing attention to the lie. His expression was so serious that Tohru found herself unable to speak at first, and could only manage a quick bow to acknowledge the greeting.
He led her to a low wooden table at the back of the room with large cushions placed on either side. He took a seat and motioned for her to sit across from him.
"I apologize in advance if my questions trouble you," he began, reaching out for a still-steaming pot of tea. Tohru was suddenly shaken from her daze and reached out herself to serve the tea, always being the one to do so at Shigure's. But before she could manage, the russet-haired man had already picked up the porcelain container and began dividing its contents into two finely crafted cups.
"Thank you for the gesture, but you are the guest here. Besides, this is a simple task, and one I have grown quite adept at performing."
As she settled back down against the cushion, his previous sentence came back to her. I apologize in advance if my questions trouble you. What was he going to ask her?
"I will come right to the point, then," he said, watching her closely. "I regret that I must ask you this, but.... When did your mother die?"
His question caught her by surprise. "Wh- why do you...?" Before he could explain, she quickly replied, "It was three years ago. She was in a car accident."
Tohru found the look of relief upon his face very upsetting. She was almost tempted not to answer his next question.
"What month was this exactly?"
"... April."
Kureno grabbed a scroll from a pile at the far edge of the table, kept carefully away from the tea. He lay it out flat and used two books to pin down the edges. The parchment was very long, and had many names written across it. His eyes were scanning the document, searching for something.
"What is that?" she asked him boldly, her anger momentarily forgotten as she let curiosity get the best of her. She blushed as he looked up at her, realizing she had interrupted his work. He did not look angry as he met her gaze, and instead, smiled encouragingly at her interest.
"It is only the latest page of a very long record of history. Our family's history. It is my job to keep track of everyone, though I admit, I haven't always been successful. For instance, I am having trouble finding anyone named 'Tohru' here. What was your mother's name?"
"Kyouko," Tohru answered automatically, not realizing until it was too late that he wouldn't find a reference. What was she going to to? Apparently, Kureno had indeed believed Momiji's lie, but now he was about to discover the truth!
"This is unfortunate," Kureno said, releasing a long sigh. Tohru had already begun to panic. She crawled onto her knees, preparing to bow down before Kureno and beg his forgiveness.
"Well, I'll just have to start a new branch," he said, drawing a line on an empty side of the chart. Tohru froze halfway through her bow as she realized what he had done.
"I am ashamed to admit that I haven't been able to keep track of everyone, though I do put some of the blame on my predecessor. Akito was the one who first insisted that we keep better records of the births and deaths in the family. I suppose he has a vested interest in the affair, but I think it is a good practice nonetheless." He had just finished marking Tohru and her mother on the list. A bar had been placed next to her mother's name, along with the date of her passing. Kureno stared at it a long while.
"I hope this doesn't throw off my calculations too badly," he muttered, half to himself.
"I...I'm sorry?" asked Tohru, no longer sure what was happening or if she was still in trouble or not. She was disturbed by the sight of her name on the scroll, wondering if Kyo and Yuki's ancestors were even now cursing Tohru for the audacity of listing herself among their honorable kin. She wondered if there was any way for her to rub out the names without Kureno noticing.
The older man looked at her thoughtfully. "You were with Hiro and Momiji yesterday. I noticed that you saw the rabbit transform, but you did not act surprised. I assume, then, that you know of the curse?"
Tohru nodded. Wait, was she allowed to know? Yes, she was, because she was pretending to be a Sohma. But not all Sohna's knew about the curse, someone once told her. Even so, Akito knew that she knew, and he was okay with it. But he didn't know about Momiji's lie. Did that change things?
Tohru felt her eyes spinning. Too much... there was too much to think about. What had she gotten herself into?
"We are still trying to understand the workings of the curse," explained Kureno, not noticing her discomfort. "One of the few things we do know is that it works in a cycle, like the zodiac itself. All of the cursed ones are born within sixteen years of each other. This includes the juunishi, the cat, and the avatar."
Kureno predicted Tohru's next question, and held up a hand to forestall it. He continued, "Just as they are all born within a certain span, so too will they all die within sixteen years of each other, beginning the cycle anew. This is always preceded by a period of great change in the Sohma clan; multiple unions, births, and deaths. Akito-san is the first to have realized the pattern, and so he has me pay very close attention to the signs. After all, he does not want to die too soon, and he will delay it as long as he can, although I'm not certain that is really possible. He can forbid marriages, but he cannot stop people from being born, or keep them from dying."
"Akito-san is one of the juunishi?" asked Tohru in surprise. The possibility hadn't even occurred to her.
"No. He is the avatar. Our teachings say that he is the vessel for an ancient spirit of great power. That is why he is our clan head, though it takes a considerable toll on his health. Some say that his is the hardest curse to bear, despite the privileges of his rank."
Tohru had always felt sympathy towards Akito for his illness, despite the malice he once expressed towards her. Learning that his suffering was due to a curse made her take even greater pity on him.
"Why...why is there a curse?" Tohru asked him. "Everyone I've met here is so nice, so wonderful-" she paused to consider whether the same could truly be said about Akito. But he had allowed her to keep her memories, and that had meant a lot to her.
"Why would anyone want to curse the Sohma family?" she finished.
Kureno carefully rolled up the scroll and selected another from the pile. This one was much older; the parchment was yellow and cracked along the edges. He did not untie the black ribbon keeping it sealed, but stared down at the scroll in his hands as if he could still read was was written there.
"This is the first record that we have of the clan," he explained. "Even it does not reveal all we wish to know. Some say that our ancestors were guilty of a great crime, and so many generations must now suffer in an attempt to atone for that sin. Some say that a rival family cursed us in jealousy, and that we will remain cursed until the last member of that family dies." He was silent for a long moment.
"What do you believe?" asked Tohru, wondering again where her sudden boldness came from. Kureno had revealed so much to her about the Sohmas that she had always wondered about, but was afraid to ask. He was like a book full of knowledge; a book that she just couldn't put down.
"I believe ours is a special case. There exist unique individuals who have the ability to perform minor curses--calling bad luck to a person just by knowing their name, or having the power to erase memories." Tohru flinched as she thought about Hatori's power, and how it had almost been used on her. The other example Kureno mentioned reminded her of Hanajima's brother.
"But not everyone would have the power to cast a curse of this magnitude," Kureno continued. "Why should members of our family take the form of the juunishi? Why is it only triggered when those of the opposite sex make contact? Why include the cat? And what is the purpose of the avatar? That is what I cannot understand." He glanced down at his cup, noticing that it was still full and had gotten cold. He took a large sip anyways, then put it down and began gathering up the scrolls.
"You can stay here if you'd like and finish the tea, but I must be going. Akito-san will be expecting me."
Tohru didn't really have anywhere else to go, or anything to do back at the house, but she felt uncomfortable being on the estate alone. She got to her feet and helped Kureno clear the table.
"Arigato gozaimasu, Kureno-san," she replied with a bow. She was surprised to hear him echo the words.
"It was a pleasure, Sohma Tohru." Together, they exited the room.
"Are you sure she went in there?" asked Uo hesitantly, staring at the reinforced gate and the large number of guards patrolling the premises. None of that normally worried her; when she had been part of a gang, she looked forward to the chance to prove herself against such challenges. But there was something about the Sohma estate that kept everyone away, including would-be vandals; an unusual feeling that gave her the creeps even more than Hana's psychic powers.
"You saw her as well as I did," answered Hana calmly. Uo wondered if the denpa was simply immune to it.
They had spotted Tohru walking towards the estate, looking miserable and forlorn. They considered running after her, but when she stepped through the gate, they were forced to stay back, not having permission themselves to go inside.
"Why do you think she looked so upset?" asked Uo, sounding quite upset herself. She didn't like thinking of anyone hurting Tohru.
"It must have something to do with one of the Sohma's, considering where she has just gone. Maybe we should wait until she comes out and ask her."
So they had stood there waiting for half an hour. Eventually Uo convinced Hana that they should both hide a little out of sight of the gate so as not to draw the guards' attention. Hana found her suggestion amusing, saying that Uo was still thinking like someone in a gang. Uo ignored the comment.
"There she is," said Hana, spotting her first. "There is someone with her."
Uo couldn't believe her eyes. "Kureno...?"
Hana glanced at her curiously. "You know him? Come then, let's say hello."
Uo dragged her feet as Hana pulled her towards the gate. It was unnecessary, however, because the man abruptly left Tohru's side and began walking back towards one of the larger houses.
They waited at the entrance until Tohru spotted them. For a moment, her features seemed frozen in shock, and perhaps a little fear. Then her usual cheerful expression took over, and she ran to the gate to greet her friends.
"Hana-chan, Uo-chan! It's nice to see you!"
Hana looked her over carefully. "Tohru-chan, is everything all right?"
"Hai! I just had an appointment with someone at the estate. It was nothing important."
"Oh?" asked Uo, feigning disinterest.
Hana glanced at her tall friend mischievously. "It seems Uo-chan already knows him," she told Tohru.
"Oh! You know Kureno-san?" asked Tohru, smiling brightly.
The blond threw Hana a dark look. "H-hai..." she admitted slowly. "He's been to the coffee shop. We've talked...a little." She quickly turned her face away.
"Uo-chan, are you blushing?" remarked Hana, throwing a wink at Tohru. "Maybe you should ask this man to the prom? It's all right, I won't be hurt," she teased.
Uo fumed. "I'm not going to the dance with someone ten years older than me!" she shouted. "I'm not like Tohru!" Suddenly she realized what she had said, and her eyes grew wide in horror.
"T-Tohru.... I'm sorry--I don't know why I said that. I can't believe-"
"It's okay, Uo-chan," Tohru reassured her, smiling faintly. There had been a second, though, when Uo had seen a pained look across her face.
"Let's go to my house," Hana said suddenly, her tone no longer playful. "Tohru-chan, I've been asking my parents for a while now whether I could have you and Uo-chan visit for a sleepover. Do you think the Sohmas would mind?"
Tohru looked surprised. "I...I think it would be okay. Do you mean tonight?"
Hana nodded.
Uo looked down at her curiously. This was the first she had heard of any plans for a sleepover. Perhaps this was Hana's way of quickly steering Tohru's thoughts away from her recent blunder.
She threw Hana a grateful look.
"I'll have to ask permission, and make sure they have enough to eat tonight and tomorrow morning," said Tohru, already counting off chores on her fingers.
"I hope you can come," said Hana simply.
Tohru stopped counting for a moment to smile up at her two friends. "Hai! I will do my best! It should be a lot of fun."