The Sohma Institute
By Lady of the Ink
Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket, but you knew that . . .I hope. I do own this story, and all the plot twists it contains.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Places, Everyone
Tohru chewed nervously on her lower lip as her eyes drifted to the clock for the tenth time in as many minutes. Although she was in the middle of the nearly traditional hanging out time with her two best friends, her mind was somewhere else entirely. Every tick of the clock was a sign that the moment of truth was drawing closer, and that she couldn't escape it.
Her gaze must have lingered a moment too long because Arisa trailed off in mid-sentence in order to give her a questioning look. "Is something wrong, Tohru?" she asked, her words causing Saki to shift her attention away from the magazine she had been idly flipping through.
Tohru could feel her eyes widen in mild panic as her mind raced for an explanation. She couldn't tell her friends the truth about what she had planned for the night. Although she trusted them both wholeheartedly, it would be too great of a risk to let them in on the event that was planned for later that evening. If Akito should find out that they knew, or, even more likely, if they should decide to get involved, it could quickly become dangerous for them.
Seeing that she'd let the silence drag on for too long, she compromised with an answer that was equal parts truth and omission. "Nothing's wrong. It's just that there's a big project going on at the Institute tonight. My mind keeps going over all the details to make sure that everything's going to go as smoothly as possible. I'm sorry that I wasn't listening as closely as I usually do."
Arisa laughed, shaking her head and sending her blond hair flying over her shoulders. "Don't worry about it. I've been feeling the same way ever since I met that guy a few days ago. We had such a great time together; I haven't been able to get him off my mind since."
Tohru smiled, feeling her mood lighten slightly for a moment in the face of her friend's happiness. She was genuinely pleased that Arisa had found someone she liked so much. It was nice that when her life seemed to be filled with dark and depressing things, a subtle reminder that good things were still possible could pop up. "From what you've told us, he sounds like a great guy. I'm only sorry that I wasn't here when he came by so that I could have met him."
"If you'd seen him first, maybe he would have gone out with you instead of me," Arisa said teasingly, raising an eyebrow in an expression of mock jealousy. "I can see it now; the two of you coming and going, leaving poor old me all alone." Saki gave her a bland look, which she promptly waved off. "Theoretically, you don't exist." Saki accepted her friend's statement, calmly turning back to her magazine.
Tohru smiled. "You know that's not true. If it had happened like that, you'd have been as happy for me as I am for you. But it wouldn't have turned out that way, since he doesn't sound like he would have been my type."
"So what is your type, then?"
Even as she laughed off Arisa's attempts to make her answer, Tohru couldn't help the images that flashed through her mind: sad violet eyes and a small smile in a pale face . . .experienced hands gently maneuvering seeds and pots . . .sincere and weighted words in a deserted bedroom. Even though she had spent less time with Yuki than with the others, excluding Kyou, there was something about the solitary boy that called to her. He seemed to have seeped into soul until the simplest of things reminded her of him, made her think about him, made her miss him.
Shaking off the strange thoughts, Tohru refocused on Arisa. "No matter if he's your type or not, if you'd been here, I never would have had the chance to meet him. So I guess it all worked out in the end."
Noticing the sparkle in her friend's eye and the flush in her cheeks, Tohru couldn't help but agree. It had been a long time since she had seen Arisa so happy. Not even the knowledge that the man was from the Institute could dim it. She was sure there were plenty of honest people in the building, ones who had no idea about the injustice being carried out right under their noses. If Arisa could find one of those people who made happy, Tohru would be the last one to stand in her way. "Are you planning to see him again?" she asked.
A slight shadow darkened the blonde's features. "I hope so . . .I gave him my number but so far he hasn't called. I'm starting to wonder if maybe he didn't like me as much as I liked him."
"I'm sure he'll call really soon. After all, only an idiot would pass up a date with you. You'll get that call, go out on a date, and have an extremely wonderful time. Then you'll come back her and tell us all about it so we can get jealous, right Saki?"
As the braided girl nodded without looking up, Tohru couldn't help but wonder if she'd be able to live out that scenario. The closer the time for action came, the less likely it seemed she'd be able to get through it and retain her normal life. While her conscious wouldn't allow her to back out for such selfish reasons, she couldn't help but feel a sharp pang of fear at the thought of losing the people she called family. Tohru knew that she was doing what had to be done, but she had to wonder if the personal price that would exact on her life would be worth it.
Kagura shuffled down the sidewalk, weaving her way through the throngs of people on their way home. While the streets were busy now, she knew that just a few moments would bring about their almost complete desertion. Families would be sitting down to dinner; afterwards the adults would relax after a day at work while the children would start on their homework. It was a normal, unthreatening routine that would be repeated in the future as often as it had in the past.
It also couldn't have seemed farther from reality for her at the moment.
There was just something about heading willingly towards your destiny, she mused, that made you feel separate from the world. Maybe it was the sense of daring, at being strong and brave enough to go and find your fate rather than allowing it to find you. Maybe it was the unease of not knowing what was going to happen. Maybe it was the fact that everything action you took reminded you of all you were risking by taking a stand.
Then again, maybe it was just nerves.
As she passed a dim store window, Kagura checked her dim reflection in the glass. 'If I didn't know it was me, I wouldn't know it was me,' she thought irreverently. The heavy coat she wore disguised her slender build, adding the illusion of extra weight. The ankle length skirt she wore continued the deception, its looseness the perfect camouflage. With the wool knit cap she'd found in the back of her closet covering her hair and the barely visible tennis shoes on her feet, she could have been any harried housewife on her way to complete an evening errand.
Shoving her hands into her pockets, Kagura continued on her way. While the disguise was the best idea they'd come up with to keep her identity hidden, it did have its drawbacks. She had had leave her home quite a bit earlier than she really wanted to in order to blend in with the flow of traffic. Now she would have spend the better part of a couple of hours waiting for the agreed upon time. It would be frustrating, but better than the option of getting spotted if she tried to enter later on.
As she neared the Institute, she moved away from the street and closer to the storefronts. If they were on schedule, the others should also be taking their places. She didn't want to attract any attention by seeking them out, and so she kept her eyes firmly locked on the sidewalk beneath her feet. It was very important that they not get noticed or be connected to each other. With all the surveillance of the Institute, the closer they got, the more dangerous it became.
From the time she passed the front of the building until she made it into the parking garage next door, Kagura held her breath. When no one seemed to give her a second glance, she allowed herself to relax a little. All that was left was for her to take her place and prepare herself for what was to come.
Tohru would have started her shift several hours before and would be doing her part from the inside. In it's way, her job would be the hardest of them all. She would be facing both the people she was set to put a stop to and the ones who were relying on her the most, even if they didn't know it yet. Having to maneuver the four boys into the right position without raising suspicions was going to be tough, but not nearly as tough as what was going to come after.
Settling down on a concrete divider in a dim corner of the garage, Kagura set about firming her resolve. The coming night had to be a success, as much for herself as for her cousins. She had her own sins to absolve and nothing less than giving Yuki, Kyou, and the others back their freedom would even begin to accomplish that.
Her head drooped slightly as she remembered those sins, born during some of the most selfish moments of her life. Those few times after she had found out about Kyou's imprisonment when she had felt almost glad of it. Although they hadn't come often or lasted long, the momentary satisfaction she'd gotten from being his only link to the outside world shamed her.
Her back stiffened as she took a deep breath to try and tamp down on the wave of guilt threatening to wash over her. What was done was done; she couldn't change the past to erase her moments of weakness. What could be changed was the future, and she was in the process of doing that to the best of her ability. Giving her all with no thought of getting anything in return was the only repayment method she had at her disposal. And more than that, she was finally doing what was right.
Kagura tried a trick one of her friends had taught her for when she was facing a large, potentially disastrous challenge. Closing her eyes, she formed a picture in her mind of the most positive outcome she could imagine. Her cousins were released from the Institute, able to live their lives however they chose. The addition to the plan that Minna's presence had allowed for had worked, leaving Akito with no opportunity to try and take them back. Momiji was back with his family, Haru was back with Rin, and Yuki was safe from the person who had long enjoyed terrorizing him. Kyou would be free to follow through on whatever plans he had for his future, secure in the knowledge that he would no longer be bothered by Akito . . .or her.
A sad smile quirked her lips at the thought of life without Kyou. It would probably be a lot like life with Kyou, only with less running and searching for hints of orange hair to give away a hiding place. He would be happier, she knew, but that only put a small dent in the feeling of loneliness that was lurking at the back of her mind. No matter what his feelings for her were, her feelings for him were a large part of her life. Once she could no longer act on them, there would a kind of emptiness for her to face.
beep . . .beep . . .beep . . .beepThe alarm on her watch cut into her depressing thoughts so suddenly that she nearly slid off her perch from the shock of it. Quickly shutting it off, she tossed a glance around the garage to make sure there was no around to have heard it. Finding the space as deserted as it had been before she'd spaced out, she pressed a hand over her pounding heart in relief.
Unzipping the heavy coat, Kagura pulled out the small bag that had been stuffed between it and her body. The coat was shoved inside and quickly joined by her hat and the long skirt, leaving her in a plain t-shirt and jeans that were perfect for free movement. Tucking the bag against the wall, she swiped her slightly damp palms down the sides of her thighs.
It was time.
Tohru offered Momiji a slightly distracted smile as she dealt another hand for their game. While getting all four of the Sohmas into the activity room at the same time had been a chore, keeping them all there was proving to require a nearly monumental effort. With a new respect for diplomats, she'd somehow managed to keep Momiji away from Kyou, Kyou away from Haru, and her own mind away from Yuki. Now, with Kyou muttering over a movie in the corner, Yuki ensconced in a chair with a book, and Momiji and Haru occupied by a card game, she felt emotionally drained. Every passing minute made her question whether she would have strength enough to face the real challenge ahead.
Gathering up the discarded cards from their last hand, she glanced quickly at the clock. The cards slid from her fingers at the same time as a soundless gasp escaped from her lips.
It was time.
Rising to her feet with a suddenness that caught the attention of all four of the room's occupants, Tohru paused to take a calming breath. While she knew that they were all unhappy at the Institute, it didn't mean that they would follow along with her with no reservations at all. Since there wasn't time to waste on endless questions or long explanations, she knew she needed to convince them as quickly as possible. She decided that the direct route was the way to go.
"I know that they've been using you all as guinea pigs for Akito's medications, and that they're doing it against your will. There's a plan to get all of you out of here and make sure that you don't have to come back under these conditions. The thing is that if it's going to work, you have to do what I say when I say with no questions asked. Are you guys up for it?"
Four pairs of eyes stared back at her. They were all different colors and set in different faces but in that moment, there were identical. The same flares of hope, uncertainty, and determination leapt to life inside them, broadcasting their answers more clearly than the nods of their heads.
They were in.
Smiling brilliantly, Tohru explained the plan as it had been explained to her. She saw Kyou's quickly stifled reaction to hearing Kagura's job of clearing the path from the Institute's door to their "getaway" car. Momiji's face paled with surprise when he heard that it was his mother who would be driving, but he managed to keep his questions to himself . . .but just barely, if the force with which he was biting his lower lip was any indication.
Both Yuki and Haru accepted her speech with an air of almost total blankness. She did notice a small smirk bloom at the corner of Haru's mouth when she mentioned Rin distracting the people at the front of the building. Yuki just listened carefully, his eyes never leaving her face.
"So that's it," she finished, hoping she'd remembered it all. The boys were nodding, seeming to agree with what she'd said. "Now we have to go, so is everyone sure about this?" There were more nods and noises of confirmation from them at the same time as Kyou spoke up.
"So when does this plan that you've all come up with go down?"
Tohru's gaze moved from one face to the next with a steadiness she hadn't thought she could manage. She was met with expressions just as determined and hopeful as her own. When she answered Kyou's question, there was a tone of authority that she'd never heard herself use before.
"Right now."
