Hello all you happy readers!  I've been on a roll lately with Jade Sohma; I can't believe how many ideas I have.  This story is going pretty well actually.  I'm still stuck on my other Fruits Basket story because no one is helping me!  I need help!  So, if you want to read another story with Jade in it, then please check it out.

The original Fruits Basket characters belong to Takaya Natsuki.  Jade Sohma belongs to me.  Cole Curtis, Luna Moon, Hikari Rioki (the character), Kairi Moon, and Dawn Rioki belong to my best friend Shiara Ramone.  A new character has made his appearance into the story, so William also belongs to me.  Now let's continue with the story!

Chapter 6: Letter

            Kairi yawned sleepily as she turned off her alarm clock.  She sweatdropped when she saw her cousins still sound asleep in their beds.  Not wanting to wake them, she crept out of the bedroom and went downstairs to get some food.

            Jade sat up once she was sure that Kairi was gone.  In the eight years that she's been here, she never did get used to that girl.  Kairi was too much like Hatori, who of course was her father.  Thinking of Hatori made Jade think about Momiji.  Where was he now?  Did he still live at the main house?  If he did, then was he safe from Akito?  That night still haunted her, even today.  She would try her best not to think about it, but she just couldn't forget how frightened she felt.

            Luna, Hikari, and Cole never mentioned it, not wanting her to worry.  But she still felt like Akito didn't believe Hatori that day.  She felt like he was still watching her with those cold eyes.

            Wanting to think of something else, she tiptoed to her notebook.  She had begun writing poetry about her relatives back in Japan, but had stopped.  Now she reread them.

Kyo Sohma

Fiery ambition to win the fight

Eerie charm both day and night

Lightning speed to beat the rest

Tripping over like a pest

Yuki Sohma

Eerie calmness compared to all

Always knowing he shant fall

Disliked by many according to tale

But friends of his shall not fail

Shigure Sohma

Careless yet never reckless

A friend who babbles through his kindness

Writing a story worth selling

But is it worthy of telling?

Haru Sohma

Black or White

Day or Night

Two personalities for him

The white of night seems quite dim

            Why had she stopped after Haru?  She couldn't believe she didn't write one for Momiji.  Was it too painful to do so?

            "Jade?" said Dawn, just now waking up.  She rubbed her eyes.  "What are you doing?"

"Nothing really," she assured her cousin.  "Now come on, we're gonna be late for school again if we don't hurry."

*************

            Akito held his head in his hand.  His headaches had been getting worse and worse; he wouldn't be able to last much longer.  He figured he had about a year and a half left.  "With a fucking headache like this," he mumbled, "I would think I was in Hell."

            He tried to relax, but again, like so many times before, he pictured the girl with Momiji.  Even if it had been eight years ago, the memory still caused him to be suspicious of each of his cursed relatives.  He even kept a careful watch on Hatori, who knew of the girl's true identity.  He had thought he had convinced him that she was just an illusion and nothing more.

            However, he watched that night as they packed suitcases into Hatori's car, and he saw her again.  They were sending her away.  How predictable!  Akito never mentioned her again, and Hatori began to relax.  Then again, Hatori believed that he had tricked him.  How wrong he was!

            "Dammit!" he said as another painful headache began pounding in his head.  Hatori came in after hearing Akito, and began to prepare some medication for him.

*************

            Jade, Dawn, and Kairi sat at the lunch table, wishing that the day were over.  "I can't believe this is our last month of high school!" Dawn exclaimed, opening her milk.

"You got that right," said Nina, taking a seat next to Kairi.  "So, you guys goin' to the dance?"

"I'm not going," Jade said, thinking about her beloved Momiji.

"Oh come on!" said Dawn, getting her full attention.  "You're going and that's final!"

"But, Dawny," Jade whined, "I don't wanna go.  I wanna go home and see my precious little bunny-rabbit!"

"Dawn's right, though," said Kairi.  "You are going with us.  We won't take no for an answer."

            Jade was about to say something more when William, her best friend in America, sat down at the table.  He looked at Jade then Dawn.  "Let me guess.  Another fight," he said to no one in particular.

"She doesn't wanna go to the dance!" hissed Dawn.

"So?"  Dawn wasn't expecting to hear that from him!  She knew how much William cared about her little cousin, but he never said anything about it.  But Dawn knew that he had a crush on Jade… she knew.

"William, aren't you going?!"

"No."

"What?"

            William looked at Dawn through his long black bangs.  "I said I'm not going.  Besides, I don't wanna anger Dad again."

"I thought your parents got a divorce," Jade said, clearly worried about her friend.

"They did, but… on the night of the dance, I'll be staying with him.  Wish I didn't have to."

            Poor William, Jade thought as she began picking at her food; she had lost her appetite.

*************

            Shigure checked his mail for something worth reading.  Since Yuki and Kyo and Tohru moved out, he had the whole house to himself…  "Oh, sometimes I just can't stand to be here all by myself," he said aloud.  "Hmm… let's see here.  Huh?  A letter from Dawn?  Well, I guess I'll just read it now."

            Shigure loved getting letters from his daughter, especially in the past couple of years.  She was constantly saying how weird Jade was and how she didn't want a boyfriend.  Shigure had to explain that Jade already loved someone in Japan.  Opening the envelope, he took out the letter.  This time it was talking about a high school dance, how Jade didn't want to go, and about a friend of theirs.  "Well, there are still people out there like that?  What a crime.  Hmm?"  He picked up yet another envelope from New York.  It was from… "Jade?"  He opened it immediately and found two letters within.  One was for him, while the other was for Momiji.  He stared at Momiji's letter, wondering if he should give it to him.  "I'll tell Haru to take it over when he stops by… but I wonder if Momiji will even want to read it."

***********

            Momiji stared at the stack of papers on his desk.  "I give them way too much paperwork.  Hmm, what time is it?" he asked himself, looking at the clock.  "5:30?  Haru should be home soon.  I wonder what kind of joke I'll play on him today…"

            He heard the door open and he leapt to his feet, ready to run from a Black Haru.  To his surprise, Haru was actually White.  "Hey, Momiji," he said with a sigh.  "You got a letter today."

"Really?  From who?"  Haru gave him the piece of paper.

"From Jade."

            Momiji froze and stared at Haru.  "This isn't a joke, is it?"

"No… you'll see that no one else has that handwriting."

            The blond looked back at the letter in his hand.  "Haru, if you don't mind, would you please… leave the room?"

"Sure," said the cow as he walked into his bedroom.

            Momiji then began reading the letter from the girl he loved and missed more than anything in the world.

Dear Momiji,

            I hope that this letter gets to you safely.  I am a senior in high school now, and since I'm pretty much an adult now, I have decided to move back to Japan.  Little rabbit and I hope to see you soon… in like a month or so.

With love always,

Jade

            Momiji couldn't believe it.  After eight years of waiting, Jade was finally coming back home.  He smiled to himself, remembering the rabbit.

'So that you'll always remember me.  Promise you'll come back someday, okay?'

            "You're keeping your promise.  Thank you."

            Haru peeked in and grinned.  It was the first time Momiji really smiled in eight years.

Thank you for reading.  Now enjoy the next chapter.

Hikari Rioki