Title: The Dr. Phil Series
By: Queen Beryl
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Yeah! Go reviews!... um, please? ^.^;
I love Fruits Basket, but I don't own it. You know why? No!?!? Well, me neither. ^_^; I don't own the Dr. Phil show either. Man, I wish I could change all those people's lives. That would be awesome! Oh, yeah, and I don't own any commercials, either. So don't ask! I won't put your face on TV!
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Chapter Two: Meet Yuki
"Today on the Dr. Phil Show," Dr. Phil's disembodied voice states to the viewers, "we'll meet a young man who has not only commitment issues, but is battling his desire to mingle with people. Here, take a look...."
Yuki is sitting there, a pleasant sort of smile hinted on his lips. He's in black leather pants and a dark blue dress shirt. He looks as perfect and calm as he always does.
"Hello. I'm Yuki Sohma. I just can't seem to fit in. I've tried everything. I've been as nice as I can, but nothing seems to work. I feel like such a hypocrite: I'm only nice to people because I want them to be my friends. Please, Dr. Phil, help me change into somebody better."
An image of the feminine, yet handsome Yuki Sohma appears, smiling good-naturedly at the screen. The Prince Yuki Fan Club screams and says that it is upsetting Prince Yuki. Most of the audience swoons. Yes, male and female alike. Blushes pass through the audience like a sickness.
"Hello, Yuki Sohma." Dr. Phil greets happily, this time wearing a green designer tie.
"Hello, Dr. Phil." Yuki smiles, mystery prominent in his deep purplish eyes. Audience swoons again. Yuki wishes they would stop. His hair in front of his ears is longer on the left side, giving him a bit more girlish appearance; however, his thin, muscular body, accented by a white dress shirt and black slacks, tells otherwise.
"You've been having some trouble warming up to people, right?" Dr. Phil knows everything! He's like... Santa Claus!
"That's right," Yuki nods. The Prince Yuki Fan Club, aka the PYFC, swoon and exclaim he's too wonderful. "I just feel... like I'm always pushing people away."
"As a matter of fact, you have literally pushed people, more specifically a female student, away from you when she confessed her love, is that not so?" Dr. Phil smiled, all-knowing. The audience leans forward as a whole, waiting for Yuki's reply. Could it be true? Oh wondrous Prince Yuki?! Yuki nodded, bowing his head slightly.
"Let's take a look." Dr. Phil nodded to the camera and for some odd reason the hidden cameras were at Yuki's high school. And yet, nobody wondered how it got there or why it happened to be in the same exact place that Yuki's avoidance took place. A second year girl confessed her love for him, and when she tried to hug him, he flung her away, completely scaring the girl. The camera focused back on Yuki, who looked embarrassed that the situation was revealed on television. The PYFC protested vigorously, but to no avail.
"So you pushed the girl away and, as you stated, 'crab-walked' away as fast as you could?" Dr. Phil looked down at his notes to quote Yuki properly. A smile was underlying in his voice.
"Yes. I was afraid she was going to hug me. I told her that I wasn't interested in being with anyone at the time, but she didn't exactly listen." Yuki crossed his long legs. Some members of the studio audience mimicked him unconsciously.
"What if I said that when you push people away from you, it isn't only literal?" Dr. Phil looks earnestly at Yuki Sohma. "By the way we act, there are underlying tones of out mentality. Our actions are caused by our thoughts. When we get back from the commercial break, I'm going to tell Yuki just why he pushes people away and maybe supply him with some information on why he isn't only pushing other people, but himself as well. We'll be right back."
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Commercials on cold medicines and the counting sheep that rip off the "DO NOT REMOVE UNDER PENALTY OF LAW" tag off the mattress come up and fade away. There is another scandal and murder and other mayhem on the news later, so stay tuned. Then, the "Dr. Phil Theme Music" plays, and images of Yuki standing in a crowd of people, looking very alone is shown on the screen.
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"We're here with Yuki Sohma, who has issues with sincerely interacting with other people." Dr. Phil explains to everyone. Don't want anyone to be lost, now. "He wants help in changing that habit, so he came here. Now, Yuki, wasn't there another situation with a girl who wanted to 'be with you,' as you put it, but you spurned her as well?"
"Yes. She, too, tried to hug me. Then she said something that I don't think I can ever forget." Yuki's face was a mask of neutrality. Even the freaks in the PYFC didn't know how he was feeling at that moment.
"Let's take a look at what happened to Yuki." Dr. Phil nodded once at the camera and the image switched to a tape from earlier. As a young girl at Yuki's high school runs to give him a hug after confessing her desire to be with him, Yuki stops her by grabbing her head about a foot from his tall form. The girl is distraught and sobbing.
"Yuki, you're such a nice person... but some part of you keeps rejecting other people. Everyone has noticed! They say 'Yuki is special...' I understand it wouldn't be right for you to have a normal girlfriend!"
As the camera focuses in on Yuki and Dr. Phil, there are appalled noises coming from the viewers. Yuki nods solemnly, as if he is willingly accepting his death sentence.
"She called you 'special,' how did that make you feel?" Dr. Phil asks, reverting to the universal question.
"I felt like a complete social outcast." Yuki runs his long fingers through his light hair. The PYFC cries out "L-O-V-E Yuki!" while starring at the television screen at Number Two's house.
"A 'social outcast.' Why?" Dr. Phil probes. Yuki takes a deep breath.
"I suddenly wondered why I couldn't fit in. I saw my cousin, Kyo, talking to some friends while playing a card game. I thought about how easy it was for him to make and keep friends. He's shy at first, but he eventually opens up... sort of. I, on the other hand, find it extremely difficult to open up to people. I've never really even had a good laugh in front of my parents."
The camera pans over the audience and focuses in on a woman who is shaking her head in adamant disbelief, before going back to Dr. Phil and Yuki.
"Your problem, Yuki," Dr. Phil starts, resting his arms on the tall chair's armrests. "Your problem is that you haven't accepted who you are. You're too afraid that people won't like you for simply being you. You need to be yourself. There is so much that you can do. Each person is important in this world, and you're one of them." Yuki blinks in agreement and Dr. Phil turns to the camera in front of him.
"When we get back I'm going to challenge Yuki to find it inside himself to be a stronger, more courageous individual. We'll be back." Dr. Phil smiles before turning back to Yuki.
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Commercials of the snuggle bear come on (and viewers wonder, thinking the cute little SNUGGLE bear retired. Well you're WRONG!! I mean... heehee... I miss those commercials). A commercial of McDonalds (I'm lovin' it!) and Carl's Jr. (If it doesn't get all over the place...) speed through and suddenly the tunes of the "Dr. Phil Theme Song" are heard. More glamorous pictures of the precious prince are shown. He's standing there with a clipboard, smiling his "fake" smile.
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"Yuki, I'm going to put you up to a little challenge." Dr. Phil starts off right away. "I want you, every morning for thirty days, to wake up and think to yourself: I'm going to make one true friend today. Then, I want you to go out there and make them. You have to have confidence in yourself. You need to see that if you wouldn't judge yourself so harshly, others wouldn't do it either. Do you think you can do the challenge I've set before you?"
"Yes... yes, I believe I can." Yuki smiles charmingly. Several members of the audience blush.
"Now, didn't you say that you had this other problem?"
"Just a minor one, Dr. Phil." Yuki returns, shifting slightly in his seat.
"Why don't we talk about it?" This is not a question either. It is a command pretending to be a polite question... what is this world coming to?
"Well, there is this one girl..." Yuki hesitates. The audience leans forward at the edge of their seats. The PYFC holds their breath as a whole. What if it is one of them?
"Go on."
"I like her. A lot. I have ever since the first day we met. I can't forget her... she helped me and let me open up as much as I have now.... The problem is: I can't seem to tell her how I feel. I mean, I'll tell her things, like she's cute and such, but I can't bring myself to actually tell her upfront that I like her. Another hindrance is that I don't think she likes me back. I think that she and Kyo like one another... and I won't do anything stupid to hurt her."
"Has she told you that she doesn't like you?" Dr. Phil asks.
"Not exactly."
"Well then, you've got to take that first step. It may be hard, but until she, if she ever does, just comes out and tells you she likes Kyo instead of you... only then will you know for sure. You've got to take that leap of faith, Yuki. Perhaps compliment her more, tell her you like her, and unless she spurns your advances, you have a chance. The first step is the hardest. You've got to take that chance, though. Are you willing to try that out as well?"
"I am." Yuki states, eyes distant in thought. The PYFC sits there thinking as well. Did Kyo seem to like any of them?
"On the next episode of Dr. Phil, which will air tomorrow, we'll meet a young man named Ayame Sohma who seems to have a problem saying the right thing at the right time. He is completely hyper active, and always ends up annoying mostly everyone he knows." Dr. Phil nods to the camera as it slowly backs away, giving a big view of the audience as well as the host and guest. Mumbled words are exchanged before the microphones are cut. Dr. Phil waves to the camera and gets up from his seat. He and his wife, Robin, walk backstage.
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End of Episode Two of Fruits Basket!
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I forgot to mention that in this chapter (and the last one) the situations are taken from the Volume 1 manga of FB. Word for word (excepting the -kuns etc.) from the ENGLISH. Also, I will be doing "follow up" episodes to see if our beloved characters have actually changed for the better. Please review and tell me what you think! AND if anyone has more ideas on what they would like to see (as in situations) I'd love to hear! ^^; Thanks to: IcyWiNgz, NCAnime99, Kaeden Sidios Radvane, FallenBlackHaru2, and Chuichi for their comments!
NCAnime99: I know I'm not that funny... these are my first attempts at humor. Lol. I usually write romance... so, it's sort of a stretch for me. I hope the other chapters will be as funny. The fact about nobody being surprised is that nobody really knows. They think its just another side, not another person-side/monster all together. And thanks for the advice!
Kaeden Sidios Radvane: I'm definitely going to write on Shigure... he's too funny and warped not to!