Disclaimer: Me no own.
In Honor of Kyoko
"Araaa!" Honda Tohru cried. "I have a test in first!" She flew around her room gathering necessary school items and throwing them in her bag. The clock read 8:20, giving her only ten minutes to get to her school, half a mile away.
Dashing across the kitchen, Tohru grabbed the lunch her mother had made that morning off the counter. Her shoes were in the living room, and as she scrambled to put them on, her mother Kyoko turned her head up from a magazine.
"Have fun today, Tohru, and do your best!" was all she had time to say before her daughter streaked out the front door. Kyoko leaned back in her chair and continued to read.
Ten minutes later, the doorbell rang. Unhurriedly, Kyoko stood up and walked to the door. As she opened it, two men in sunglasses slipped in. Kyoko, recognizing the clothes normal for higher gang members, shut the door behind them.
"News from the boss?" Kyoko asked. No one ever mentioned anyone else's real name; it was always entirely possible the name could slip out. Her gang assured protection and anonymity. Kyoko called it a gang. It was easier, and sounded better than "organization," the proper term.
As Kyoko spoke, both men took off their sunglasses.
"You are the Red Butterfly?" one asked, and Kyoko realized her huge mistake as both men advanced on her.
She stumbled backward and grabbed onto the side of the couch. She'd only seen these men in pictures, but one did not forget the faces of the two best hit men in Japan's largest gang quickly.
Kyoko reached for a handgun in the pocket of her robe.
Half a mile away, reading over the first problem on her test, Tohru never heard the gunshots fired in her home.
During break after first period, Uotoni Arisa strode up to Tohru, followed by Hanajima Saki.
"Tohru! Do you think you did well?" Uo-chan asked.
"I sense a positive vibe from Tohru-chan," Hana-chan said. "I believe she has done quite well."
Tohru smiled at her best friends. "I do think I did pretty good," she admitted. As she said this, however, Saki's face darkened a little.
"At the same time," she said, hesitantly, "I feel something is not right. Something bad…" Uo nudged her.
"Don't scare Tohru-chan. It's probably nothing." Hana did not reply.
After school, Uo, Hana, and Tohru walked out of the building together.
"Oh, look. It's the prince's fan club," Uo-chan commented dryly as they walked out of the yard. "You've got to feel kind of sorry for him…"
Indeed, a group of girls were chanting, "L-O-V-E Yuki! Prince Yuki!" Tohru giggled.
"You two want to come over to my place today?" Uo-chan asked.
"Sure," Saki said. "Tohru?" She turned to look at Tohru.
"Gomen, I can't," Tohru said. "Mom wanted me to go shopping with her today."
"Have fun then!" Uo told her as she and Hana-chan walked away; her house was in the opposite direction.
"Be careful on the way home," Hana called. "If someone connected your mother to them, they'd go after you as well."
"I will!" Tohru called back before setting happily off towards her house. A day of shopping alone with her mother was much looked-forward to.
When Tohru arrived at her house, she swung the door open and called, "Tadaima!" Her mother, however, did not answer.
"Mom?" Tohru asked tentatively. Again, no one answered. Tohru wondered if her mother had gone out for a while. She took a step forward, and something caught her attention.
"Mama! Are you okay?" Tohru cried. A hand was visible behind the sofa. Tohru dropped her bag and ran forward, stumbling to a halt in front of Kyoko's body. She stared in horror at her mother's lifeless frame. It was apparent where several bullets had found their mark in Kyoko. Small pools of blood had flown from these wounds, and were now dried on the carpet and her robe. A gun was clutched in her hand.
Tohru dropped to her knees. This could not be her mother, who had been so cheerful and full of life this morning. Through muddled thoughts, she dimly remembered Saki's words earlier this morning: "I feel something is not right. Something bad." Hana-chan had known something about it, but Tohru had failed to pay any heed. Perhaps Kyoko could have been saved. Perhaps it was Tohru's own incompetence that had brought this about. She slipped back into a crouching position. Had she maybe let slip her mother was one of them? Had anyone asked her anything about Kyoko recently? Tohru could not remember. She could no longer think. Tohru dissolved into tears, rocking back and forth on her heels.
"Mama…"
AN: WAAAAAHH! I killed Kyoko! Too sad! For any who read "My Favorite Day," yes, this will be more mature, dark, and violent, but things will get better for Tohru-chan from here on! Also, bloody scene, BAD! No more of those! I thought it was appropriate, considering the darkness and seriousness of the chapter. I repeat, things will be nicer in following chapters! Now, for those who bothered to read the summary, YES! This IS in fact AU; I know it seemed like normal in this chapter, it'll be explained in the next chapter. ALSO! Who is them? And what the hell is up with this "gang" crap? Find out next time! It ish very important! Big role! KK then, I will see minna soon!
Gen