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!)
*note - this version is edited to correct a few typo mistakes
Author's Note: This may get a bit confusing, so I thought I should warn you that this chapter will be told in flashback sequence. That is to say, it will begin with one of the final scenes in the story, then go back to the events leading up to it, with intermittent returns to the final scene. Why am I doing this? Because if I told it in order, it wouldn't be as exciting/shocking (which is how all the characters (except Tohru) will experience this moment. Tohru knows what is coming, so seeing everything from her POV would just spoil it for you). So here we go. Note that although this is technically the last chapter, I'm planning on posting an epilogue from Tohru's POV, which will hopefully explain what you've missed and show her outlook on the future.
And now for the conclusion....
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The night sky thundered as a chill wind blew through the open walls of the gazebo.
Yuki edged closer to Tohru and asked her again if she was cold. Tohru smiled back and answered for the third time that she was fine. She knew that her dress didn't appear to offer much protection against the damp night air, but the many layers of lace and silk actually kept her quite warm.
Yuki smiled at her in encouragement. Despite his confident, in-control appearance, Tohru could sense that he was nervous and discouraged. Many people would have considered the weather a bad omen and called the whole thing off. But circumstances for them were different. They could not afford the luxury of waiting.
"Oh good, he made it," sighed Yuki in relief, brushing past her to greet the man shaking rain off his umbrella.
If Tohru hadn't been expecting him, she might never have recognized Kazuma. He wore a dark maroon robe and a tall black cap, with a gray cloak slung across his left shoulder. A beaded necklace and silver pendant hung from his neck. Rather than comment on his strange appearance, Tohru and Yuki respectfully watched as Kazuma arranged stone figurines and candles on the benches around them. He chanted softly as he worked, dipping his hands multiple times into a ceremonial bowl of water. Yuki knelt down and helped him place sticks of incense around the small statues.
Tohru looked out towards the hills on the eastern horizon. It was almost time.
Yuki pounded his fist angrily against Shigure's door. How could his cousin just walk away after giving them the news about Tohru? Yuki couldn't sit still all night and hope Tohru managed to elude Akito's guards. He needed to know more; he needed reassurances that she was alright.
His frantic knocking yielded no response. With a sigh, Yuki abandoned the door and headed for his own room. There had to be something he could do. There had to be a way for him to help. Tohru was his girlfriend now...at least, that's what he had assumed since their kiss at the prom. But when he actually stopped to think about it, there had never been any formal acknowledgement from either of them. Had that kiss really meant anything to Tohru? She had almost seemed ashamed of it; insisting that they keep it a secret from Kyo. Why wouldn't she want them to openly declare their love for one another?
Maybe he had only imagined that she cared for him. Maybe that was why she could allow herself to leave so suddenly, without even a kiss goodbye.
Yuki kicked the door open and threw himself onto his bed. Tohru obviously didn't want his help. He meant nothing to her.
With a long sigh, he reached over to his nightstand to set the alarm clock--
--and paused. There was something white lying on the stand that he didn't recognize. He propped himself up on his elbows and reached over to take it.
He recognized Tohru's handwriting in the hastily scrawled 'Yuki' at the front of the envelope. He tore it open and let the note inside drop onto the pillow.
YUKI-KUN,
I'm sorry that I had to leave so suddenly. I'm sure Shigure-san has told you what happened, and why I needed to run away. Please don't be angry, and don't think for a moment that I've forgotten you or what you mean to me. I love you, Yuki-kun.
That's why I dare ask you such a great favor. Shigure-san agrees that this might be enough for Akito-san to stop hunting me. He is angry because I saw secrets in the library that only your family is allowed to see. But if I become a part of your family--
I know it's a lot to ask, but Yuki-kun...will you marry me?
I wish I did not have to force you to decide this way. I wish there was more time, but the guards will soon come after me, and I will never be able to come back.
It's unfair that I should ask so much from you. That's why if you decide not to do it, please believe I understand, and that I will still love you.
If you agree, however, please come to the Pearl Shrine an hour before dawn. I have made the necessary arrangements. I cannot wait much longer after sunrise; Akito-san's guards might find me.
Please don't tell Kyo-kun where you're going. If this works, we will let everyone know; I promise. But in case it doesn't, I don't want to get their hopes up, and I don't want to see them hurt.
I hope to see you soon, but if not, thank you for being such a wonderful person!
-love, Tohru
Yuki glanced at the clock. It was almost four in the morning. If he left now, he might just make it to the shrine before dawn.
He rose from the bed and began selecting his best clothes. His movements were automatic, as if someone else were controlling him, while the rational part of his mind was reeling with the enormity of what was about to happen. Marry Tohru? Of course, it was something he had always dreamed about, but never planned out seriously. After all, they still had their whole lives ahead of them. It was only a few days ago that they had shared their first kiss. To think about marriage so soon was absurd!
Yet crazy or not, it was about to happen. Yuki took a deep breath to steady himself. There was no room for second thoughts. Was he committed to this?
Yes, I am, he realized. A glance through the window told him that it was going to rain, so he reached into the closet for his coat. A brief look in the mirror told him that everything was set. Now it was time to act.
He couldn't let Kyo see him, so he decided to sneak out by crawling through his cousin's window. Yuki knocked just in case Kyo was inside, but the room was thankfully empty. He quietly lifted up the bottom panel of the window, leaving enough room to crawl through. Earlier in the year, Shigure had installed a ladder leading to the roof and down to the garden from Kyo's window, complaining that Kyo tore off the ivy and shingles every time he tried climbing the wall himself. It now served Yuki's purpose perfectly.
The mouse scampered down the ladder and raced off into the forest.
As they took their final sips from the sacramental cups, Tohro stole one last look at the horizon. Morning light filtered through the thundering clouds, but the ceremony was now only minutes away from completion.
She listened for noises from the surrounding brush. Any moment now... provided things went according to plan.
Kazuma dripped holy water over them as he chanted. But Tohru had already blocked out his voice. Her ears were listening for a different sound.
Kyo allowed a soft groan to escape his lips as he lay huddled on the sofa, trying to keep himself from shivering. He didn't need to look out the window to know that thick black clouds covered the sky. The roiling mass drained every ounce of strength from his body, which normally put him into a deep sleep for the rest of the day.
But this time he had to stay awake. Tohru was in danger, and if she came to the house for help, he wanted to be there for her. He still couldn't believe that she had run off without saying a word, not even a goodbye. She probably wanted to spare them any worry over her, but if anything, not knowing made it that much harder. It was just like the girl not to think things through, just causing that much more trouble for everyone.
Kyo growled in annoyance. How could Tohru be so thickheaded? Hadn't she learned a thing from living under their roof these last few years? Why didn't she grow up? When would she learn to be responsible? How did she manage to...
How did she manage to make him feel so special? What kind of spell did she use on him that made his heart race every time he was near her?
He heard the light tread of footsteps approaching the front door, and bolted to his feet. Could it be-?
The simple effort of rushing to the door made him lightheaded. White specks floated in his vision, so that at first all he saw was a female silhouette waiting on the threshold.
"To-hru?"
"Kyo-kun! You look terrible!"
He almost allowed himself to collapse into the arms reaching out to embrace him, until he realized at the last moment that it wasn't Tohru. He shrank away, almost stumbling to the floor.
"Ugh, Kagura-chan, what are you doing here? I don't have the energy to deal with you right now." As he spoke the words, he worried that he had already said too much. Knowing that he couldn't fight back might actually encourage his cousin to stay longer.
"KYO-KUN, YOU UNGRATEFUL BRUTE! I came all the way here to see how you were doing and this is how you treat me?" The girl seemed to grow twice her size, with fangs sprouting from her mouth and fire blasting out of her eyes. "Oh, why did I ever fall in love with such a miserable little...!"
Her words trailed off into silence as she noticed Kyo feebly raising his arms in defense. Kyo hated himself for looking so weak, but the danger from Kagura's rages was very real, and in this state, he didn't think he'd survive.
"Kyo-kun, you should be in bed! Here, let me help you."
Despite his faint protests, she grabbed one of his arms and lifted him across her back. As she carried him up the stairs, he marveled at just how strong his cousin was. No wonder her punches hurt so much.
But when she led him to his bed, he refused to lie down. He couldn't fall asleep now. What if Tohru came by?
"What's this?"
Kyo glanced up as Kagura reached for a white envelope that had been left on Kyo's desk. Without asking, she ripped it open and scanned the note inside.
"Give it here! It's mine!" growled Kyo, his anger giving him the momentary strength to snatch it from her grasp. Kagura didn't try to stop him, though a frown of disapproval crossed her face as she watched him read the message.
KYO-KUN,
I'm sorry that I had to leave so suddenly. You tried to warn me that I might get in trouble, and now I am. I'm very sorry that I didn't listen to your good advice--this is all my fault. I have to leave now before I get anyone else in trouble.
But if it's all right, I would like to see you one last time. If you don't come, I'll understand, but if you do, it will make me very happy!
Please come to the Pearl Shrine at the edge of the woods exactly at sunrise. After that, I have to leave before people come looking for me.
I hope to see you soon, but if not, thank you for being such a wonderful person!
-love, Tohru
Kyo clutched the card tightly in his fingers. Tohru was nearby, and she wanted to see him! Him, not Yuki! She called him wonderful, and signed her name 'love'.
"Kyo-kun, you can't go out to see her. Not when you're like this," said Kagura, though her words sounded empty, as if she already knew that arguing with him was pointless.
"Help me up," he muttered, realizing that he lacked the energy to even stand. She didn't move, frowning down at him as if to emphasize how foolish he was to journey to the shrine when he couldn't even get out of bed. At last Kagura seemed to take pity on him, and took his arm without saying another word.
She guided him down the steps, pausing now and then to let him gather his strength. As they reached the door and stepped outside, Kyo looked up at the dark sky, reassuring himself that dawn was still a ways off. He would see Tohru, and maybe at last he could tell her how she made him feel. With any luck, maybe she would tell him that she felt the same way. Maybe they would run away together, escaping the lies and deceit that surrounded his family's dark secrets.
But what about Kagura? He stole a quick glance at his cousin, who was still supporting him as he limped towards the woods. It would be unfair to Kagura to bring her along when he and Tohru were together; not to mention awkward. Yet he was forced to agree with her that he was in no shape to make the trip alone. So what was he supposed to do?
His mind went over all the possible scenarios as the two of them slowly made their way through the woods.
"Almost there," panted Kagura, who by now had grown exhausted from the effort of supporting both their weights.
In answer, a flash of lightning briefly lit up the sky, followed almost immediately by the crash of thunder. Kyo looked grimly up at the sky.
"Don't think about it," cautioned Kagura, somehow finding the strength to double their pace. Kyo's attention was now completely focused on keeping one foot in front of the other, avoiding snagging his shoes on loose rocks and tree roots.
With another peal of thunder, drops began falling from the sky. Kyo let out a desperate moan and sagged against his cousin's shoulder.
"No! Come on, Kyo! Just a little further!"
So weak... But he was almost there; just a few steps more and he would see Tohru! Then he could tell her... tell her....
An opening in the trees gave him his first glimpse of the shrine. The wooden gazebo stood on a pair of stilts, allowing it to rise over the circle of stone markers erected around it. Bowls of dried fruits and other small offerings lay undisturbed at the foot of each stone, meant as offerings to appease the spirits watching over the Sohma family.
But what caught his eye was the glow of candlelight at the center of the gazebo. The open walls allowed Kyo to see inside and recognize the people there, and what they were doing.
"T-Tohru..." he gasped, dropping to his knees. Her betrayal sent a stab of searing pain to his heart. He jerked spastically, crying out as his body collapsed against the muddy ground.
"KYO!" screamed Kagura, futilely reaching out to stop his fall. She dropped to his side, lifting up his head and wrapping her arms around him tightly.
"Please don't scare me like this, Kyo," pleaded Kagura. "Please get up! If you do, I promise I'll never bother you again! I'll leave you alone, just like you've always wanted."
He made no reply. The only sign he was even still alive were his ragged breaths, growing ever slower and far between.
Yuki raised his head and looked out into the forest.
"What was that?"
He had seen Tohru jump as the frightened cry rang out. Even Kazuma had paused in reciting his liturgy, though they had almost reached the end. Yet Tohru seemed to ignore his question, keeping her gaze focused on the ceremonial candle. Kazuma too, made no move to investigate the noise.
Yuki rose to his feet, but Tohru quickly clutched his hand to keep him from moving. He could tell from her expression that she wanted him to stay. But Yuki had been experiencing a growing unease since the beginning of the ceremony, and wondered if maybe there was more going on here than he was being told.
"We're almost there," Tohru said, her voice sounding unusually strained. "Please, Kyo-kun, we have to finish the ceremony. It's almost sunrise."
Yuki glanced up at the sky. Dawn light was indeed just beginning to rise over the hills. The sun would not be long in coming.
"I do."
Yuki realized in surprise that they had come to the end. Kazuma was already repeating his question for Yuki.
"Sohma Yuki, do you take Honda Tohru as your wife, accepting her into your family as your loving companion, to share in all you have, good and bad, no matter what the spirits have in store for you?"
Hatori looked up from his book as he heard a soft pecking sound coming from the office window. He rose to his feet and paused in surprise to stare at the small form huddled against the sill. Without another thought, he raced towards the window and opened it wide enough for the sparrow to hop inside and take shelter from the cold.
The Sohma doctor presented his open palm to the bird, which hopped onto it without hesitation. He noticed the fragment of parchment tied to its leg and bit his lip in consternation. What could Kureno want with him this time?
Deciding he had best get it over with quickly, Hatori delicately unfastened the note and held it up to the light. To his surprise, the sparrow leapt down immediately and spread its wings, gliding gracefully through the gap he had left in the open window. So...whatever this was about, Kagure wasn't expecting a reply.
He squinted as he read the small writing:
HATORI--IT BEGINS. UNLESS YOU SAVE HIM, THE CAT DIES AT DAWN--PEARL SHRINE.
Hatori held his breath without realizing it, rereading the message several times before he could make himself put it down. What did Kureno mean? How could he know?
But then, Kureno was the rooster. It was his business to know. Hatori had to believe that his cousin was telling the truth.
So what did he expect Hatori to do? How was he supposed to save Kyo? The curse could not be blocked; once it had chosen a victim, he or she was doomed to die. No doctor or medical procedure had ever managed to forestall a juunishi's death, or bring them back to life.
But why would Kureno have sent him the message, unless there really was a chance that Hatori could save him?
Hatori rushed to gather supplies into his medicine bag, wondering if he was bringing the right equipment. How was Kyo supposed to die? The answer was paramount to ensuring Hatori had the necessary tools at hand to save him.
A peal of thunder caused him to look out the window, and suddenly he remembered Tohru's visit two days earlier. She had tried to warn him that Kyo might die during the storm, due to some weakness of the heart. Finding nothing wrong with him upon examination, Hatori had dismissed the whole thing as nonsense, but now....
He cursed himself as he began packing a portable ultrasound device, defibrillator, and bottles of nitroglycerine and heart stimulants. Kureno had warned him that it might happen soon. Why hadn't he paid closer attention? Why hadn't Kureno given him more information?
Because if you knew too much, you might have interfered, he thought to himself, knowing that it was the truth. He remembered Kureno's words to him: the hardest choices must be made of one's own free will.
He rushed outside just as drops began falling from the sky. Thick rain clouds obscured the horizon, but Hatori knew that a faint glow was already gathering over the eastern hills. There was very little time left before dawn.
The Pearl Shrine was on the Sohma property, deep in the woods that connected the main estate to Shigure's house. There were only two ways to get there--drive all the way around the forest until he reached the stream that led to the shrine, or cut through the woods directly on foot. He hesitated over which was fastest, until a third option presented itself to him. The doctor spotted Hatsuharu's mountain bike leaning against the wall of one of the outer buildings. It was just like the absent-minded teenager to leave his things lying around.
Bless you, Haru-kun, thought Hatori gratefully. He fastened his bag to the back of the bike and quickly adjusted the seat for his height. He braced himself, then took a deep breath and pushed off, speeding down the dirt path. He clenched his jaw against the bumps, gripping the handle bars with all his might. Under the shadow of the trees, it wasn't long before he was forced to activate the bike's headlamp, struggling to find his way in the darkness.
He peddled as fast as he could, imagining the sun crawling slowly up into the sky, just as Kyo's life was slipping away. His heart raced from the exertion and his growing anxiety. What if he was going the wrong way? What if he was too late? What if he couldn't find a way to save Kyo?
A wave of nausea came over him, and Hatori fought hard to shake it off. His grip on the handle bars loosened. He found himself growing faint.
He knew what was happening, and struggled to reach into his pocket for a cigarette. Calm, he must remain calm. If he transformed now, it was all over. He would never reach Kyo in time.
If Kyo dies, you die, he reminded himself. Once the new cycle began, each juunishi had at most sixteen years to live . But then, that wasn't what really bothered him, was it?
I'm the clan's doctor. I'm responsible for their health and well-being. It's my duty to do all I can to save them--every one of them. He had sworn an oath. He could do no less.
The brush before him parted suddenly to reveal a steep slope of loose rock, giving him no time to veer aside. The sudden jolt from the rough terrain caused the box of cigarettes to slip from his hand. He couldn't worry about them now--he focused all his attention on slowing his descent.
The brakes weren't enough. Hatori sped faster and faster down the slope, whose edge disappeared into darkness. Then he saw that the darkness was actually empty sky, and that he was about to make a fantastic leap over the cliff and down into the forest below.
He realized that Kureno was wrong; that Hatori himself would actually be the first juunishi to die. Or was that what Kureno meant in his message? Was Hatori saving Kyo by taking his place?
The thought strengthened him, banishing his fear as he stared out defiantly at the approaching sky. His efforts would not be in vain. He would not fail them.
Hatori sailed over the cliff.
Kazuma and Tohru both held their breaths as they waited for Yuki to speak his vow.
The boy stared searchingly into Tohru's eyes, looking for answers. She opened her mouth several times as if to say something, then quickly changed her mind. It seemed she had braced herself to accept either outcome. Yuki knew that she wanted him to be certain of his choice, with no doubts clouding his decision.
Yet he did have doubts. The trouble was, he knew that she would not tell him any more than she already had. He either had to believe the deception was for his own good, or that she was manipulating him somehow for her own selfish reasons. But why would she do such a thing? It simply wasn't Tohru's way. He had to trust her. He had to trust his heart.
He squeezed her hand, and felt her grasp his tightly in return.
"I do."
Then everything turned into chaos.
Kagura gasped as she heard a pain-filled cry coming from the shrine, then jumped as she felt Kyo stirring beneath her, mumbling incoherently before falling completely still. She shook him several times, panicking when she saw that he had stopped breathing.
There were people at the shrine--maybe they could help her!
She gently disengaged herself from Kyo and lay him back down, then got to her feet and ran towards the building.
A large shadow fell across her, causing her to look up just as a burst of wind almost knocked her to the ground. Out of the corner of her eye, Kagura thought she saw a long scaly tail wrap itself around Kyo and lift him off the ground. But no...that was impossible.
When she looked again, the sky was empty. Yet when she looked back--
Kyo was gone.
Kureno heard the rooster crow just as the first rays of the sun pierced through the shutters of the Sohma library. He paused a moment to give a silent prayer, then raised his ink-tipped quill to the parchment spread out before him.
On the sacred record of the Sohma clan, Kureno marked a quick stroke beside Kyo's name, then drew a careful line connecting Sohma Yuki and Sohma Tohru. It might have been a trick of the eye, but for a split second, the ink around Kyo and Tohru's names seemed to shimmer.
"Tohru! What...what's happened to you?!"
Yuki backed away from the monster that had taken his wife's place. Her dress was torn and stretched tightly over its misshapen body. Its large violet eyes stared out at him sadly, begging for understanding. The wide muzzle of sharp teeth opened as the creature made an attempt to speak, yet as it heard the alien sound of its own voice, it fell silent in dismay. But Yuki had heard a trace of Tohru's voice inside the monster's own, and it was that which finally convinced him that it was really her.
"Tohru...."
He stood helplessly before her, feeling the happiness he had experienced only moments before drain out of him. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what to say.
His sensei Kazuma merely stood by and watched, his arms folded in front of him.
"Here, this might help."
Yuki turned in surprise to see Kagura walk up the ramp to the gazebo. She held a bracelet of black and white beads in her hand.
"Kyo is...gone," she said, choking on the words. "This is all that was left." She quickly wiped an arm across her face to dry the drops of tears and rain, then shakily handed the trinket to Yuki. He stared at it a long while in incomprehension.
"Place it around her wrist," advised Kazuma, giving Yuki a small nudge forward. The teen stumbled and came to a stop only inches away from Tohru.
The beast lifted one of its long gangly arms, presenting the clawed hand to Yuki. He avoided meeting its gaze, focusing all of his attention on the bracelet. At last he succeeded in tying the knot.
Tohru's form reappeared instantly. She collapsed to the ground, and Yuki rushed forward without thinking to scoop her up in his arms.
"Tohru-chan..."
"Gomen, Yuki-kun," said Tohru faintly. "I had to. There was no other way."
Yuki didn't understand. No other way for what? What had happened to Kyo, and why did Tohru now carry his curse?
"What did Kyo do to you?" growled Yuki.
Kazuma answered for her. "Kyo had no part in this, at least not to his knowledge. Everything done here today was planned by Tohru herself."
"Nani..." breathed Yuki in disbelief. "Why, Tohru-chan?"
"I could not choose between you," she admitted guiltily. She then gazed up at him with an earnest expression. "I love you, Yuki-kun, but I love Kyo-kun, too. Because I chose to marry you, I wanted to give as great a gift to Kyo-kun as I could. I decided to take away his curse."
"But...but Kyo-kun is DEAD!" wailed Kagura, rounding on Tohru. "You killed him! How do you consider that a gift?!"
"He'll come back," sighed Tohru, her eyes beginning to close. "The dragon...." Then she fainted.
Kazuma indicated a soft pallet where Yuki could lay her down. He did so, then looked up at his sensei, seeking answers.
"Is she telling the truth? Is Kyo still alive?"
Kazuma's stern gaze made Yuki shrink away uncomfortably.
"That depends," the older Sohma began. "On how you feel about your wife, now that you know what she's become."
"Tohru-chan?" Yuki glanced down at her sleeping form. Now that she was human again, it was easy for him to remember all the love he felt for her. It was hard to believe that they were really married; that he at last had the assurances that she returned that love. It almost didn't matter that she had said she still loved Kyo. He was the one she had chosen to marry.
And yet... now whenever she transformed, she'd turn into that damn cat--or worse, the cat's true form. The hatred he had always felt towards Kyo began to surface. He clenched his fists as he struggled to fight down the anger, which for the first time, he recognized as foreign. Why would he harbor these dark feelings for Tohru--the one he loved with all his heart. She had tricked him, yes, but she did it out of love for another, and who was he to judge the worthiness of her sacrifice? Why should he seek vengeance when she was already suffering the price of her actions?
The anger was wrong, and he fought against it, smothering the dark emotion with bright memories of his days with Tohru, and the warmth that radiated between them.
"I still love her," asserted Yuki firmly.
"Even though she is now the cat? Even though she has tricked you and managed to get her way?" asked the sensei.
These things seemed trivial to Yuki now, and he couldn't believe that Kazuma would even mention them. "It doesn't matter! I've pledged my life to Tohru-chan, and I won't abandon her. Not ever!"
"Yuki-kun..."
Tohru's eyes fluttered open and she gazed up at him in wonder. Yuki was immediately at her side. He clutched her left hand in his own, using the other to brush away a strand of hair that had fallen across her face. The ends of the strand had become lightly tinted--almost orange--but Yuki didn't pause to think about that. He looked into her eyes.
"Tohru-chan, please forgive me."
She blinked away the tears slowly forming in her eyes. "Yuki-kun, I'm so sorry. I'm the one who should ask for forgiveness. I didn't stop to think about how much I might hurt you."
"Shhh...." Yuki smiled down at her and wiped away a tear. "Let's just agree that we're both sorry, and that we forgive each other." Tohru nodded, and was about to say more, but Yuki silenced her with a long kiss. She quickly surrendered to the embrace.
After a few moments, they both became aware of another presence in the shrine. They hastily separated themselves and climbed to their feet, joining Kazuma and Kagura at the edge of the gazebo.
The spirit stones were on fire. Or at least, that's how it seemed, with the top of each marker emitting a pearly glow that wavered in the wind like flame. As they watched, the ghostly lights took on the form of twelve animals--the animals of the juunishi zodiac.
Tohru felt a pull leading her down the ramp. As she followed the strange summons, she was distantly aware of Yuki calling out her name, and Kazuma holding him back. When she reached the edge of the circle of stones, she found someone already standing there waiting for her.
"So, the day we have all been waiting for has finally come to pass." Tohru froze in terror as she met Akito's gaze. She knew that the clan head would have forbidden the marriage had he known, in fear that it would trigger the next cycle of death and rebirth for the juunishi--which was exactly what had happened. She worried that this transgression might cost her more than her trespass in the forbidden library, and that even now the guards were closing in to take her away.
But looking around, she saw no guards, and as she watched she noticed that a change had come over Akito. He was no longer stooped forward or pale with fatigue and illness. She felt a power emanating from him that resonated with the power in the stones, and within herself.
"Come forward and be judged, tainted-one," called Akito, pointing a bony finger at Tohru.
She suppressed a shriek as a white mist rose out from her, coalescing above her head. It slowly assembled itself into the shape of a ghostly cat.
"Your transgression has caused us to suffer centuries of living death, ever repeating the folly of your hatred and petty jealousy." Tohru could see the cat spirit tremble with rage and fear, and found that she understood its frustration. Akito's accusations were unfair. The deceptive mouse was the cause of it all, cheating the cat out of its chance for recognition. Of course the cat would seek revenge against it and the rest of the juunishi, who had merely stood by and laughed at the cat's misfortunes. Even the emperor, who had the power to grant the juunishi a place above all other animals, had not been spared the cat's anger. What the cat hadn't known was that a power higher than the emperor himself had heard its desperate cries, and answered the call for revenge.
How could the cat have known that its prayer had doomed them all to reincarnation as humans, forever reborn until a way was found to break the curse?
It was all the mouse's fault! Tohru was startled by the intensity of the hatred rising within her. She glanced down at her sides, surprised to find her fists clenched in anger. No, this was wrong! The fighting had to stop! She and Yuki had forgiven each other. She knew that that forgiveness was their only hope at defeating the curse.
She concentrated on her feelings for Yuki, and tried to project that love onto the spirit of the cat floating above her. Similarly, she knew without looking that Yuki was communicating with the spirit of the mouse. They had to make them both understand.
Slowly, the swirling lights around the spirits dimmed. The cat was no longer shaking. A feeling of peace had descended upon the clearing.
"Very well," intoned the spirit possessing Akito. "It is agreed that there will be no more fighting between us. All is forgiven, and the cat shall be welcomed into the circle of the juunishi as the thirteenth animal."
Tohru could feel the cat's disbelief and growing joy at the spirits' decree. Akito made a sweeping gesture towards the ground at his feet, and suddenly another stone rose out of the earth. The cat spirit floated proudly to its new perch, where it was welcomed by its fellow juunishi.
And then the thundering clouds parted, pouring sunshine down into the clearing. With the light of day, the spirits vanished, leaving behind a handful of bemused Sohmas.
"Is it really over?" asked Kagura as everyone gathered by the new stone marking the cat's place.
Kazuma responded by reaching for his student and giving her a fierce hug. Kagura paused in surprise, then braced herself for the inevitable transformation.
But nothing happened.
Kazuma then embraced Tohru and Yuki, also without triggering any changes, but stopped short of hugging Akito.
"I guess that answers that," said the clan head with a genuine smile. He turned to face Yuki and Tohru, and to their amazement, offered them a gracious bow.
"Congratulations on the wedding. And Tohru-chan...welcome to the family. We are indeed blessed to have you among us."
"A-arigato gozaimasu, Akito-san," stuttered Tohru, bowing in return. But Akito had already turned around and begun walking in the direction of the estate.
Kazuma threw his younger cousins a wry grin, then ran to catch up with Akito, offering to help the young clan-head home. As the pair disappeared into the forest, Akito could be heard protesting that he felt fine, and could make the trip back without any help.
"I can't believe it--the curse is really gone," muttered Yuki in awe.
"But... but what about Kyo?" asked Kagura.
Kyo, it turned out, had been successfully resuscitated at a nearby hospital. No one understood how he had arrived there so quickly, or how Hatori had appeared out of nowhere to assist in the operation. Each time the subject was brought up, Kagura and Tohru would smile knowingly at each other, and Yuki would recall that on that morning, his wife had spoken of a dragon saving Kyo. Whatever the truth was, the two girls continued to keep it a well guarded secret.
With the curse gone, the juunishi's attitudes underwent significant improvements. The Sohma clan was slowly becoming a regular family, with only the usual family problems of failing grades, dating, and staying up past curfew. Kagura and Kyo both matured, as did their feelings for one another. Kyo accepted Tohru and Yuki's marriage graciously, joking that he himself would wait a few years before making such a commitment. But every now and then, he and Tohru would look at each other and feel a pang of regret.
Even though the curse was broken, Tohru continued to wear Kyo's bracelet. Kyo told himself that that had to mean something, and allowed himself to be content.
When you walk awayYou don't hear me say
please oh baby, don't go
Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight
It's hard to let it go
The daily things that keep us all busy
Are confusing me
That's when you came to me and said,
Wish I could prove I love you
But does that mean I have to walk on water?
When we are older you'll understand
It's enough when I say so
And maybe some things are that simple
Hold me
Whatever lies beyond this morning
Is a little later on
Regardless of warnings the future doesn't scare me at all
Nothing's like before
- Hikaru Utada, "Kingdom Hearts - Simple and Clean"