Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits basket, but Julian, Trent, his 3 friends and
Howard are mine!
Pairings: There aren't any romantic pairings in this fanfic, at least not
yet(
A/N- Occasionaly, in specific lines of dialogue, there will be words in
brackets. These words are simply thoughts, and are not spoken aloud.
Julian's eyes flickered open to discover a pair of chocolate colored eyes staring into hers; the owner of said eyes kneeling next to her on the grass.
"Are you alright, miss? You just fainted..." A familiar voice asked as he helped her sit up, concern in his normally merry eyes.
Julian placed a hand on her forehead as she turned to stare at him, her eyes wide. "My head aches. I think I maybe seeing things." She told him in a dazed voice, continuing to stare into his face.
"Do you think some ice would help? I have some in the house, if you'll come with me. My name is Shigure Sohma, by the way. This is our property you're on. "He said as he helped her to her feet, shooting her a quick look. He was obviously curious to her presence there. "Aren't we all." She thought as she stood up, trying to appear calmer than she felt. Actually, though, right now she felt like screaming...but that wouldn't have been such a grand idea.
"Thank you. The ice would be most appreciated. My name is Julian. I'm...not from around here, and I'm sorry for trespassing. Though I don't know how I got here." She said with a weak laugh, placing her hand to her throbbing head again. She gripped Shigure's arm tightly as she swayed slightly.
"Ah...I mean, whoa there! Be careful. I wouldn't want you to fall (into me, that is)" Shigure exclaimed as he reached out to steady her. She looked up at him and smiled slightly, her eyes dazed, confused. He felt his heart twinge as he stared down at her, a lop-sided grin on his face. She reminded him of Tohru a little bit, though this girl was older.
"I'm sorry. But don't worry! I won't bump into you! "She reassured him, stumbling as they made their way down the hill. Shigure shot her a suspicious glance as they neared the house. She was very disoriented, that he could tell, but she was sincerely trying not to bump into him. It was almost like she knew... but she couldn't. He'd never seen her before ever, so there was no way she could know.
"It must be my imagination." He thought as he guided her into the house.
Julian sat at the table in the dinning room, or whatever it was (she really didn't know much about Japanese-style houses, but in the anime, that's where they were always eating, so...), an ice pack held to her head as Shigure walked back into the room, a tray of tea in his hands. He sat the tray down on the table and poured her a cup of tea, before he passed it to her, that easygoing grin of his on his face.
"Here you are! The tea should help your headache as well, I would think. " He said as Julian placed the ice down on the table, reaching for the cup.
"Thank you very much." She replied politely, taking a sip. She glanced down in the cup after she was finished a bright green liquid staring back at her. She'd never actually seen the tea in the Fruits Basket anime, but it figured it would be animated as well.
"This place is a lot like the real world, except it's animated. If I was left here too long, I wonder if I'd start to think this was the real world?" She muttered, sitting the cup down on the table.
"Did you say something?" Shigure asked her, and she looked back up at him, a slight smile on her face.
"No. "
"Oh, ok. How is the tea? I don't normally have visitors during the day, so I'm afraid I've gotten out of practice making tea." Shigure replied with a chuckle, running a hand awkwardly through his hair.
"The tea is very nice. I don't drink tea at home, but this is nice."
"Your home. That's the second time you've referred to it. Tell me, where are you from?" Shigure asked, picking up his cup to take a sip.
"Me and my big mouth." Julian thought, her mind racing. She couldn't tell him everything. He wouldn't understand, and he'd probably be convinced she was a lunatic, and he'd call Hatori, and then it would probably be discovered she "knew" things, and Akito would have to be informed, and he'd probably order her memory erased. She wasn't sure that would even work on her. She was a real person after all, but you just never knew. Like Dorothy, she wasn't in Kansas anymore, not that she was from Kansas anyway, but you got the idea.
"Well, I'm afraid I don't really remember too much. All I know is that I'm from the USA, and my name is Julian. I don't remember what I'm doing here, or where I'm from in the states or anything at all like that. I was unconscious for a while, and when I came to, I must have been in your woods. I followed the path here...I really didn't know what else to do. I guess I screamed because you startled me when you walked out onto your porch. I wonder what's wrong with me? What do you think happened to me?" She asked him. It wasn't an out-right lie, but it wasn't all of the truth either.
"It seems odd indeed. If you're from some place in the US, perhaps you were here in Tokyo on business or vacation, and someone mugged and knocked you out. Or perhaps you fell and hit your head. It sounds to me like you may have amnesia. I should call my cousin Hatori. He's a doctor, so he would have a better idea of what's wrong with you. He doesn't normally practice his profession outside of the Sohma family, but he can make an exception this one time."
"Oh, um, ok. (Great! He's going to call Hatori anyway.) "Julian replied, a weak smile on her face as Shigure got to his feet.
"I'll just be a minute, please excuse me." He said before he walked away, his footsteps echoing off down the hall.
Julian stared at the spot he'd just vacated in silence for several minutes. She had to admit the whole amnesia thing was a great idea, but now, not only would she have to fool Shigure, but Hatori too! Great! Just great. She picked up her cup of tea, downing the remaining liquid all in one gulp, her nerves frazzled. She...she didn't think she'd survive this. She was going to go insane. She just knew it. She poured herself another cup of tea, her hand shaking slightly. She fished through her bag for a bottle of aspirin, finding both it and her wallet buried in the bottom of her bag. Her face blanched as she pulled her wallet out, flipping it open to see herself smiling back at her from her driver's license. She hurriedly shoved it back in her bag, her hands trembling as she opened her bottle of aspirin, shaking out 2 of the pills. She took them and shoved the bottle back in her bag, closing it as she sat there, staring at the wall. What was she going to do? What if they looked in her bag? Found her wallet?! So much for the idea that she'd been mugged, since it was right there, for everyone to see.
"I'll bury it. "She muttered to herself, picking up her cup of tea to take a sip. "No, that's no good. If I bury it, it'll still be here when I go home. Whole lot of good that'd do me. I know! I'll rip a hole in the lining of my bag, shove it through, and sew the hole shut! Than no one will ever know, and I'll be ok, as long as I don't lose my bag. "She muttered, several crazed giggles escaping as she sipped her tea again.
"Don't laugh like that! Shigure will definitely think I've lost it if he hears me." She scolded herself, not caring how strange she'd probably look if anyone saw her sitting there talking to herself. She managed to school her features into a passive expression, and not a minute too soon either, as Shigure re-entered the room.
"Well, Hatori finally agreed to come have a look at you. He said you're to keep icing the spot where you hit your head, but he thinks you'll be fine." Shigure replied as he sat back down across from her, a concerned smile on his face.
"Oh, uh, ok. "Julian said, smiling slightly as she placed the icepack back in place. Besides, staring at him was beginning to unnerve her anyway.
"I must say. Your Japanese is very good, for being from America that is. Why, I thought you were a Japanese citizen at first, you speak so well." He finally said after a moment of awkward silence, chuckling.
"Oh...really? I, uh...must have studied it in school, I guess." Julian replied with a weak laugh. Japanese?! She was speaking Japanese? She thought they'd been speaking English... oh wait! All anime's were orginally in Japanese, now, weren't they? She must have been hearing the dubbed version...
"I guess I don't really remember. I mean, that would make sense, if I have amnesia. Uh, where's the bathroom? "Julian added. She...she just needed to get away for a few minutes. She needed to gather her wits.
"It's down the hall on the left. I can show you where it is if you like." Shigure said, as she stood to her feet, the ice pack back on the table.
"No, that's ok. I can find it myself." Julian replied quickly, walking off.
And find it herself she did. She had a basic idea of the layout of the house anyway, what with all the times she'd watched this anime and all.
"Well, at least I got sent to a relatively safe anime. "She thought as she leaned against the door, expelling a deep sigh of relief. That would have been just what she'd have needed, worrying about getting blown up, stomped on, or shot...
"Ok, Shigure thinks I have amnesia. Now, all I have to do is figure out away to fool Hatori. He is a doctor, after all. Abet, an anime one, but this is the world I'm in at the moment. If anyone would know if I was faking or not, it would be him." She muttered as she ran a hand through her hair in aggravation.
"Why has this happened to me?!" She whined as she whirled to face the mirror, her hands planted on the edge of the sink basin. She glanced up at her reflection in the mirror, her mouth falling open in muted shock. She stared at her reflection for a few minutes before she lifted a trembling hand to her hair.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! It's...its MAGENTA! "She screamed, before she fainted...again.
Julian's eyes flickered open to discover a pair of chocolate colored eyes staring into hers; the owner of said eyes kneeling next to her on the grass.
"Are you alright, miss? You just fainted..." A familiar voice asked as he helped her sit up, concern in his normally merry eyes.
Julian placed a hand on her forehead as she turned to stare at him, her eyes wide. "My head aches. I think I maybe seeing things." She told him in a dazed voice, continuing to stare into his face.
"Do you think some ice would help? I have some in the house, if you'll come with me. My name is Shigure Sohma, by the way. This is our property you're on. "He said as he helped her to her feet, shooting her a quick look. He was obviously curious to her presence there. "Aren't we all." She thought as she stood up, trying to appear calmer than she felt. Actually, though, right now she felt like screaming...but that wouldn't have been such a grand idea.
"Thank you. The ice would be most appreciated. My name is Julian. I'm...not from around here, and I'm sorry for trespassing. Though I don't know how I got here." She said with a weak laugh, placing her hand to her throbbing head again. She gripped Shigure's arm tightly as she swayed slightly.
"Ah...I mean, whoa there! Be careful. I wouldn't want you to fall (into me, that is)" Shigure exclaimed as he reached out to steady her. She looked up at him and smiled slightly, her eyes dazed, confused. He felt his heart twinge as he stared down at her, a lop-sided grin on his face. She reminded him of Tohru a little bit, though this girl was older.
"I'm sorry. But don't worry! I won't bump into you! "She reassured him, stumbling as they made their way down the hill. Shigure shot her a suspicious glance as they neared the house. She was very disoriented, that he could tell, but she was sincerely trying not to bump into him. It was almost like she knew... but she couldn't. He'd never seen her before ever, so there was no way she could know.
"It must be my imagination." He thought as he guided her into the house.
Julian sat at the table in the dinning room, or whatever it was (she really didn't know much about Japanese-style houses, but in the anime, that's where they were always eating, so...), an ice pack held to her head as Shigure walked back into the room, a tray of tea in his hands. He sat the tray down on the table and poured her a cup of tea, before he passed it to her, that easygoing grin of his on his face.
"Here you are! The tea should help your headache as well, I would think. " He said as Julian placed the ice down on the table, reaching for the cup.
"Thank you very much." She replied politely, taking a sip. She glanced down in the cup after she was finished a bright green liquid staring back at her. She'd never actually seen the tea in the Fruits Basket anime, but it figured it would be animated as well.
"This place is a lot like the real world, except it's animated. If I was left here too long, I wonder if I'd start to think this was the real world?" She muttered, sitting the cup down on the table.
"Did you say something?" Shigure asked her, and she looked back up at him, a slight smile on her face.
"No. "
"Oh, ok. How is the tea? I don't normally have visitors during the day, so I'm afraid I've gotten out of practice making tea." Shigure replied with a chuckle, running a hand awkwardly through his hair.
"The tea is very nice. I don't drink tea at home, but this is nice."
"Your home. That's the second time you've referred to it. Tell me, where are you from?" Shigure asked, picking up his cup to take a sip.
"Me and my big mouth." Julian thought, her mind racing. She couldn't tell him everything. He wouldn't understand, and he'd probably be convinced she was a lunatic, and he'd call Hatori, and then it would probably be discovered she "knew" things, and Akito would have to be informed, and he'd probably order her memory erased. She wasn't sure that would even work on her. She was a real person after all, but you just never knew. Like Dorothy, she wasn't in Kansas anymore, not that she was from Kansas anyway, but you got the idea.
"Well, I'm afraid I don't really remember too much. All I know is that I'm from the USA, and my name is Julian. I don't remember what I'm doing here, or where I'm from in the states or anything at all like that. I was unconscious for a while, and when I came to, I must have been in your woods. I followed the path here...I really didn't know what else to do. I guess I screamed because you startled me when you walked out onto your porch. I wonder what's wrong with me? What do you think happened to me?" She asked him. It wasn't an out-right lie, but it wasn't all of the truth either.
"It seems odd indeed. If you're from some place in the US, perhaps you were here in Tokyo on business or vacation, and someone mugged and knocked you out. Or perhaps you fell and hit your head. It sounds to me like you may have amnesia. I should call my cousin Hatori. He's a doctor, so he would have a better idea of what's wrong with you. He doesn't normally practice his profession outside of the Sohma family, but he can make an exception this one time."
"Oh, um, ok. (Great! He's going to call Hatori anyway.) "Julian replied, a weak smile on her face as Shigure got to his feet.
"I'll just be a minute, please excuse me." He said before he walked away, his footsteps echoing off down the hall.
Julian stared at the spot he'd just vacated in silence for several minutes. She had to admit the whole amnesia thing was a great idea, but now, not only would she have to fool Shigure, but Hatori too! Great! Just great. She picked up her cup of tea, downing the remaining liquid all in one gulp, her nerves frazzled. She...she didn't think she'd survive this. She was going to go insane. She just knew it. She poured herself another cup of tea, her hand shaking slightly. She fished through her bag for a bottle of aspirin, finding both it and her wallet buried in the bottom of her bag. Her face blanched as she pulled her wallet out, flipping it open to see herself smiling back at her from her driver's license. She hurriedly shoved it back in her bag, her hands trembling as she opened her bottle of aspirin, shaking out 2 of the pills. She took them and shoved the bottle back in her bag, closing it as she sat there, staring at the wall. What was she going to do? What if they looked in her bag? Found her wallet?! So much for the idea that she'd been mugged, since it was right there, for everyone to see.
"I'll bury it. "She muttered to herself, picking up her cup of tea to take a sip. "No, that's no good. If I bury it, it'll still be here when I go home. Whole lot of good that'd do me. I know! I'll rip a hole in the lining of my bag, shove it through, and sew the hole shut! Than no one will ever know, and I'll be ok, as long as I don't lose my bag. "She muttered, several crazed giggles escaping as she sipped her tea again.
"Don't laugh like that! Shigure will definitely think I've lost it if he hears me." She scolded herself, not caring how strange she'd probably look if anyone saw her sitting there talking to herself. She managed to school her features into a passive expression, and not a minute too soon either, as Shigure re-entered the room.
"Well, Hatori finally agreed to come have a look at you. He said you're to keep icing the spot where you hit your head, but he thinks you'll be fine." Shigure replied as he sat back down across from her, a concerned smile on his face.
"Oh, uh, ok. "Julian said, smiling slightly as she placed the icepack back in place. Besides, staring at him was beginning to unnerve her anyway.
"I must say. Your Japanese is very good, for being from America that is. Why, I thought you were a Japanese citizen at first, you speak so well." He finally said after a moment of awkward silence, chuckling.
"Oh...really? I, uh...must have studied it in school, I guess." Julian replied with a weak laugh. Japanese?! She was speaking Japanese? She thought they'd been speaking English... oh wait! All anime's were orginally in Japanese, now, weren't they? She must have been hearing the dubbed version...
"I guess I don't really remember. I mean, that would make sense, if I have amnesia. Uh, where's the bathroom? "Julian added. She...she just needed to get away for a few minutes. She needed to gather her wits.
"It's down the hall on the left. I can show you where it is if you like." Shigure said, as she stood to her feet, the ice pack back on the table.
"No, that's ok. I can find it myself." Julian replied quickly, walking off.
And find it herself she did. She had a basic idea of the layout of the house anyway, what with all the times she'd watched this anime and all.
"Well, at least I got sent to a relatively safe anime. "She thought as she leaned against the door, expelling a deep sigh of relief. That would have been just what she'd have needed, worrying about getting blown up, stomped on, or shot...
"Ok, Shigure thinks I have amnesia. Now, all I have to do is figure out away to fool Hatori. He is a doctor, after all. Abet, an anime one, but this is the world I'm in at the moment. If anyone would know if I was faking or not, it would be him." She muttered as she ran a hand through her hair in aggravation.
"Why has this happened to me?!" She whined as she whirled to face the mirror, her hands planted on the edge of the sink basin. She glanced up at her reflection in the mirror, her mouth falling open in muted shock. She stared at her reflection for a few minutes before she lifted a trembling hand to her hair.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! It's...its MAGENTA! "She screamed, before she fainted...again.