The wind had caught a haunting chill, the sun seeming to set earlier that ever before. It had crept behind the tree's around 5:40pm, yet the remains of the sun still lingered in the darkening blue sky. Today the pink seemed red, the yellow more of a warning light, and the purple melancholy.
Clouds dotted the sky pushed by the chilling autumn winds. Orange raged in the distance and the cold black color snuck around the other side of the sunset. Stars hadn't started to shine yet, but the half moon was clearly hanging over a large, ominous looking building. Lights dotted small rooms and lit parts of the building, giving it a look of life.
The night of October the 13th looked deadly and ominous, something quite unexpected from this morning's sunrise. Bit quite fitting in that same way...
Sirens wailed and lights flashed, people rushed in and out of the building screaming -saving peoples lives. Among the confusions, a long figure stood gazing with level eyes at the trouble around him. His pressed white shirt barley protected him from the cold winds, but his long white coat covered him and kept him warm on his brief break.
His black hair was cut short around his ears, the bangs on his left side almost eclipsing his eye completely. A cigarette hung limply from his mouth, the wind carrying the grey smoke away along with his bangs, revealing a pair of green eyes. His eyes themselves were dark and focused on the setting sun, unreadable thoughts flashing behind them.
He sighed and attempted to rub the tension out of his shoulder, exhaling a puff of white smoke. It had been a very long day for the youthful looking man, emotions clashing with work when a certain family member was rushed in. It was painful to think about, and the date didn't help him. The hand that was not holding on to the cigarette fingered a deep scar that reached from his left collar bone across to his shoulder. A deep, ugly scar...
A moment later he was joined by a rushing and panicked man, his voice wavering in fright and pain. He was wearing something completely out of character, dress pants that blended into the darkness. His long snow white hair matched the crisp dress shirt he wore, his golden eyes brimming with tears unshed, cheeks flushed.
They talked a moment, and then the golden eyed man almost collapsed into a brotherly embrace, sobbing into the doctors clean coat. He shook with the cold of the night and pure emotion, and the dark haired man shared a small amount of that pain. He removed one hand from the showy hair man's back and removed his cigarette, flicking the ashes away and then took another drag.
And so the silently suffering Dragon held the quivering Snake, giving it as much support as he could muster. He cast his dark green eyes up toward the sky, their evermore green color sparkling. The unbelievable situation had caught up to him, and he prayed to all the gods that the Rat would live. The Dragon felt as if those same gods had ripped his family apart the same day a year ago, and they were being attacked on their weakest day of the year. They were being attacked from above, quite a crude thing in his book.
And the Dragon hoped that he was not mad, for they did miss visiting his grave on the anniversary of his death...
Strange Happening's
By SAL-Chan
*Part Four: Worries and Strange Happening's
"Everyone who lives dies, but not everyone who dies lives..."
~*~
"...He's stable, but not out of danger yet."
I sighed in relief, a weight being taken off my shoulders. At least he was stable now, but there was still a chance that we could loose Yuki on the same day...
"What happened?" I asked, my voice strangely strong compared to the situation, compared to what I felt. The hand that clung o my shirt tightened as I wrapped an arm around his small frame. The young blond Bunny clutched onto me, a small sob coming from his lips. On my right side sat my best friend whose knees were curled up to his chest, his white hair trailing down his back and his golden eyes locked onto Hari like he was his lifeline. Hiro sat across from me, his dark chocolate eyes shifting from Hatori to the waiting room door.
Hatori stood in front of me, his hands stuffed in his pockets. Even though he was in the hospital, a cigarette still sat lit in his mouth and no one said a word about it. He did walk back and forth slightly, his panic and fear showing though with that unnecessary movement.
"Well he got hit by a car from behind." He said grimly, turning in his pacing. "He was thrown about 15 ft and hit his head. He does have a concussion, and he broke 3 ribs as well as his left leg. One of his ribs almost punctured his lung, but just missed. He was still unconscious when I last left him." He explained quite calmly, but his eyes betrayed his voice.
And with each of Hari's injury's listed, Ayame sunk closer and closer to his knees. He looked like a little boy, eyes wide and shaking slightly. Hatori, eyes shifting from me to the white haired man, moved over and kneeled next to him. Ayame hadn't even shown that Hatori had come near, staring at the spot that Hatori had stood a minuet ago. The Dragon whispered something to him, griping onto his arm. I was distracted by the shivering Rabbit in my arms to hear what he said.
"Shigure?" Came his suddenly tinny voice. I looked down to find tears falling down his face, his breath hiccupped slightly. No other sounds came from him though, his eyes brave and his face set.
"Yuki's going to be ok. He's going to be fine." His said strongly, the strength in his voice radiating and sinking into me. It felt so good to be given strength and not giving it, almost tempting me to drop my brave and strong face and letting someone else take over. I had kept my strong face on last year, and I've kept it up until now. But...I just felt so tired...
"Your right." I responded, closing my eyes and placing my head on the top of the blond boys. I felt bad for him right now, hoping that I could give some of my fading strength to him. Having almost the same thing happen to someone he loves on the same days two years in a row. At least he was wasn't involved with it this time, and I couldn't help but feel more secure with Hari here this time and not part of the accident either. Now all we need to see was if Kisa was alright also...but Haru wouldn't let her go anywhere without him anymore, so she was probably fine.
Momiji's hand had drifted up to the scar on his face, brushing it with his thumb over and over . He was looking into space now, tears slowing down to a stop.
"We missed going to see him today Shigure." He said in a small voice, and suddenly I saw the small boy as he was a year ago. I lifted my head from his and combed a hand through it, but he still didn't let any slack go on his grip around my shirt.
"And it hurts." He continued. "I wanted to see him again, to say thank you." He dragged his knees up to his chest and leaned into my supporting shoulder more. He closed his eyes and sighed, his eyes puffy and red.
I leaned my head against the back of the waiting room chair, my eyes drifting closed. I didn't think, a buzzing sensation covering my entire brain, and it felt so nice. I'm not sure how long we stayed like that, but I was shaken from my semi-consciousness by Ayame's soft voice.
"I feel bad for Tohru."
The comment shook me as I pried my eyes open and turned toward him. He had relaxed into the seat, his legs stretched out in front of him and his arms were relaxed at his sides. His head was reclined and eyes closed.
"What?" The statement had only jarred me to consciousness, but I didn't escape the numbing feeling that had enclosed my brain in nothingness.
"I feel bad for her." He stated again, his elegant eyebrows arching. I nodded slightly, realizing that the Bunny had fallen asleep - and was currently using me as a support . I was slightly worried that my voice would wake him, it being low and rough. It then clicked as to what Ayame was talking about.
"What? The fact that she's traumatized again, or that she might actually loose another person she loves? That we love? Because..." I started, but Momiji cooed next to me. Slowly I laid him back against the chair, and smiled slightly- though it did not last too long.
"....I don't know if she could take anything like this...a chance of losing Yuki too..."I sighed, leaning back against that waiting room chair. I rubbed my temples and sighed, looking to my left. Ayame shrugged, his long white hair hiding his face slightly. His gold eyes were passive now, detached in some way. Though it seemed that whatever Hari had said to him had calmed him down a bit.
"I don't think any of us can." Ayame voice was quiet as he looked up just in time to see the young Cow enter the hospital waiting room carrying a crying Kisa, who griped onto his black vest. Though he didn't show it, you could tell Haru's silent pain by the fact that his eyes weren't as hard as normal. Haru nodded sharply at me and took the crying Kisa over to Hiro, who had jumped from his seat to meet them. The Cow then took a seat and tilted is head back, resting it on the back of the chair as the scared and crying Tiger continued to clutch to his shirt. She did reach out for the disgruntled Sheep, but he merely sat a seat away and continued to stare down the hallway, her hand wrapped around his shirt sleeve too.
"It's too soon. If we loose Yuki now...I'm not sure what will happen." Ayame's voice was tight, tears welling up in his golden orbs. His brothers life was still in danger, and it amazed me that he had even wanted to talk about this. This accident had ripped open a healing scar, making lines become unclear and memory's unblocked. Car accidents...
"Well one step at a time..." My voice died in my through as my eyes fixated on the door, wide in surprise and disbelief. Dressed in a deep blue turtle neck and a pair of plain black slacks, just the person I did not expect at that moment...
He walked in briskly, his presence demanding everyone's attention and at the same time he forced everyone to look away. His posture was straight and set, and his cold eyes met mine instantly.
I stood instantly, directing all my fellow zodiacs to look sharply at me. Ayame followed my gaze quickly and made a move to stand up. With a small wave of my hand he stopped quicker than I had thought he would at that moment, his eyes became wide and mouthing a name. A switch in the back of my head clicked on, and I started to walk toward him, back straight and eyes level.
I had stopped before he reached me, my whole body tense. He almost strode past me but stopped just in my blind spot so that I couldn't see him but he could see me. He turned his dark head toward me, a small smile on his face. I continued to stare straight ahead, unblinking and waiting for what was to come.
"Good dog..." His voice was light and conversational, it's undertow pulling - daring me to snap my head towards him and object to that discarding comment. I, being the obedient Dog, didn't move. Were we just out of ear shot of everyone else, thanks to me and my ingenious walking to meet him. I may be blindly loyal, but I sure wasn't stupid.
"So, what has happened? I heard some type of problem had come up?" His voice was freezing- liquid, bone-chilling cold. He walked around to my other side, his hand trailing over my shoulder blades in a small, intimate gesture. He stepped in front of me again, a silver smile and a haunting -chilling- glow in his eyes. I immediately let all the information spill from my mouth, about what we were going to do today and what Hatori had told us about Yuki...his pet...
As I let all this information spill, I watched as any trace of emotion left his face. There was a moment of silence when I finished, any other noise or movement faded from my vision and my mind. He moved slowly again, changing the foot he was leaning all his weight on.
There was a resounds smack that vibrated through the room, though no one but the Sohma's - mainly I - noticed it.
My left cheek stung, and my head had been jolted to the right with the blow. Pain throbbed through my entire cheek, my eye stinging and my ear ringing. Though I wished to push him away - or hit him back- I stood glued to my spot. I didn't turned my head back to him, just stopped moving, hoping he wouldn't hit my other cheek. Forever loyal...
"Where's Hatori?!" He shouted, making most of the people in that waiting room look toward him. My fellow family members exchanged quick looks as he stormed past them, heading toward the front desk. He dismissed us all without trying.
I rubbed my cheek and turned back to everyone else. Haru was standing now with blazing eyes, Kisa griping onto his black baggy pants- hiding behind him with Hiro. Momiji was up now, honey eyes gaping at me.
"You ok?" Ayame asked as I walked toward them again. I plopped down next to him and Momiji gripped onto me quickly once more. I had been reduced to the Dog again, loyal to his master and a front man for everything. I had relayed the information knew by all, and was punished for all because of it. And now I realized that if I hadn't done that, Hatori might have had to. But my heart hurt still, and I felt like someone had kicked my side as 'Good Dog' rang in my head.
I felt myself shake slightly. My control was slipping again.
"Fine." I replied in a calm voice, rubbing me reddening cheek. "I expected it so it didn't hurt. Better me that Hatori." I pointed out, a small grin erecting itself on my face. It hurt to do, but I did want, I needed to...
Quiet snuck in after that, no one quite knowing what to say. Ayame bowed slightly and entwined his hand's, placing his elbows on his thighs and prayed softly. Haru sat, Kisa curling up on his lap and burying her head into his shirt. Hiro moved a seat closer to Haru and leaned his head against the Cow's broad shoulder. Momiji snuggled up to my side and started to finger the gash on his cheek again, closing his eyes.
A powerless feeling swept over me, sinking into my very being once again.
We could do nothing about anything, both for Yuki...
...or anything about Sohma Akito...
...or for dear Tohru.
~*~
White.
White was the dominate color through the whole room. The floors were tiled light gray and white, alternating in a checker board pattern. The walls were so white it hurt to look at, and the ceiling was a darker gray than the tile floors. Crisp white drapes covered the windows, though the darkness from behind them was the only thing that broke the white cage.
There was a steady beeping sound that echoed through the almost silent room. The steady rhythm was matched by the rising of a skinny red line that followed the week beating of something very precious to me.
And a lone bed sat in a room, it's occupant seeming to sleep peacefully...for the moment.
His hair was tossed and pulled back, a bandage wrapped around is head to cover the gash on the right side. He was ashen, his long skinny limbs stretched out in the seemingly small bed. A sky blue cast was wrapped around his left leg, from his knee down and encasing his foot all together. A bandage consumed his entire right arm, blood soaking through the neatly tied white cloth. His eyes were closed lightly and his mouth agape slightly, a tube inserted to helping him breathe. Wires stretched forth from him to a machine that had it purposes hidden from me, but it looked like he was turning into an android.
I cried out softly again and gripped his good hand, burying my head into the bed next to him. Tears ran rapidly down my face and soaked the blanked through once more. My hair had started to stick to my face as I started to kneed his hand, slightly comforted by the fact that his palm was warm.
I had almost lost him too...
My sobs had subsided slightly and I bit my lip, un-crossing my legs and putting my knees together. I hadn't moved from my seat for about an hour now, and I had been the only one in here for about a half an hour.
And the entire time I had been praying. Praying that Yuki could be ok, that he would wake up. That he wouldn't disappear...
My hear pulsed with emotional pain.
I don't remember the drive to the hospital, or even walking to the emergency room where Yuki was being treated, but I can remember his blood. There was so much blood...
~Blood dripped onto the floor at a rapid pace, a crimson sheet of liquid forming around him. It dripped from his face, a long gash open wide enough for muscles to show. It dripped from his arm, and his chest also. His eyes echoed pain and loneliness, and he stared up at me. Only me...~
I shook again, my body trembling like it was cold. It had happened the same way. Everything, the rushing, the noise, the yelling, the pain. Though this time I hadn't been by Yuki's side, I didn't hold his hand...and - thankfully- I hadn't let him go...
I shook with a sob, and it echoed around the room. The room itself had decreased in temperature, goose bumps running up my arms. I squeezed my eyes closed, wishing that the memory's of this day a year ago would disappear all together.
~The entire time he stared at me, eyes drowning in death. I didn't know it was death at the time, but some type of pain. He was clutching my hand limply, blood smeared all over his hand as well as mine. There was yelling around me, but all I remember doing was lifting my hand up and combing a hand softly through his hair, brushing it off to the side and away from his eyes. His face was white, but his eyes were amazing.~
I clenched my empty hand to my chest, quieting my sobs slightly. Remembering the day...I don't know...I just made me feel...it...
~And as I watched, his eyes grow dimmer and dimmer, his mouth moving - saying something that I'll remember for the rest of my life. His hand grew slack slowly, and it dropped out of my slick red hand. A small smile formed on his mangled face, one last spark of emotion flashing thought his eyes before they fluttered closed. And suddenly his face seemed white, his blood sparkling red all over, and the small smile fading as if it had never been there before. And suddenly he was gone...~
He was gone.
Like that. He just disappeared, without a real goodbye. And today, I was so scared that I would loose Yuki exactly like that too...
"Please..." I murmured to anyone who would listen, anyone who could give me a gift, who could help at all. The room became colder and colder, as a small painful sob came from me. "I can't loose him too. You took my father, my mother, and Kyo from me, but please -please!- let me keep Yuki. Let me keep someone!"
~The look of death had tainted my eyes, and I was quickly shoved back and away from him. His body jerked with an electric shock, his eyes flying open. Hope had pulled me up, and then threw me down when I noticed that those beautiful eyes that had glimmered a moment ago were dark and dead. But his voice, his last words ever, still rang in my ears...~
I shook again as a shiver ran down my spine, my tears flooding my vision. My free hand traveled up to my mouth, my finger tips brushing my lips, the taste of salt water lingering on them. My eyes traveled over Yuki's still body, a the chill in the room creeping into my sole.
"I can't stand to loose Yuki too...one, but not both..." I murmured, and suddenly the chill in the room became more intense. Like a snap frost trailed down my spine, my fingertips and nose suddenly freezing. I bowed my head again and placed it on Yuki's hand, closing my tired eyes.
I have finally accepted it. I had told myself that he was gone, pretended that he was, but now I truly accepted it. I had know, I had watched him leave his family, his friends, his world...me...
~...I had heard him say " See ya. Be safe..." ~
That was the last thing he ever said to me.
The last thing he said before he died.
The last thing.
Before he died.
He died.
Kyo...died...
Kyo was...gone...
The chill in the air snapped around me and disappeared all together. Warmth and a relieved feeling swept over me, another tear fell from my eye and onto his pale hand. It seemed to sparkle like nothing I had ever seen before, like a star in the clear sky. It seemed to fan out and turn into sparkling dust, and then evaporated before Yuki's hand. Suddenly I was very tired.
"Well this is great..."
The voice resounded in the room, echoing with a deep hollow sound. It was distant, a low tenor with a slight hint of sarcasm that strung a painful cord in my memory. I picked my head up as that voice stabbed my heart.
I shook my head and gripped his pale hand tighter. My head was pounding, and my brain felt fuzzy. It had to be my imagination stabbing at my heart. I prayed to god again, that Yuki would wake and open his eyes, and smile at me with the sweet smile of his. Another tear fell from my eye.
"Why does this shit gotta happen today?"
This time I jumped, my back straighten, still griping onto Yuki's pale hand. That voice! It couldn't be, I was delusional, or I was dreaming. This couldn't be...it couldn't be...
I turned to the doorway, hoping that I was hearing someone else that sounded like that; locked and closed. I snapped my head to the window, wondering, suddenly frightened; closed and locked also.
There was no one else in the room except me and Yuki. A chill ran up my spine, and I was suddenly so very scared. My heart was pounding in my chest -in my ears- as I noticed how cold the room still was, the root of the cold just brushing my left arm. It tickled me and chilled me, and scared me even more. It drew me to it, and my heart continued to beat faster.
I turned toward the cold, my head seeming to move so slow. And I saw something that I would never in my wildest dreams, ever think of seeing.
Hovering about 2 feet over the unconscious Rat in the bed was a hand.
Semi-transparent hand waving back and forth in front of Yuki's face.
I don't think that a transparent waving hand in front of Yuki's face is what scared me the most. I think it was that around the wrist - or around that now visible wrist that was slowly materializing - was the fabled black and white beaded bracelet that I have not seen in a year.
I blinked again as I felt my face turn pale, as a wave of pure shock passed over me. Mean while, the soft glowing light followed up the wrist and flowed into a tan-ish colored arm, then flowed into a short sleeved, black shirt. It then flowed down into an ever so familiar pair of khaki colored cargo pants which were torn at the knees and down the right side. Then slid down into a pair of bare tan feet.
On the other side a tan-ish neck craned forth from the top of the ripped black shirt. It then fed into a firm chin, over turned down lips, and to a slightly pointed nose. A pair of fuzzy red eyes that held no shine from the light's in to room seemed alive, yet dead and dull at the same time. Orange colored hair fell around his ears and eyes in a messy fashion, and continued to hover around like wind was pushing it back and forth.
In a sweeping movement, the hand was waving over Yuki's face and was stuffed angrily into a pocket, then leaned back to recline slightly. Crossing his legs, her peered down at Yuki like he had done something wrong.
There, right in front of me, hovering over his cousin's prone form, was the 2 years deceased - on this exact day,...
...Kyo Sohma...
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Ranting: Hehe? ~Slips behind her laptop~ Well at least I let you know who made Shigure stop dead, right? And sorry, this is a bit of a cliffy in itself. But I had to, cuz the next part will bring us into some more important facts that you guy's have wanted to know for a wile now. I gave you a taste of it, and so I'll probably tell you in the next one. But can you guy's piece it together? Cuz I'm probably not gonna be able to post for a little while now. (See Bio)
My favorite character in this chapter (Slim picking's, I know) Had to be Shigure. I don't know why, but he's my fave in this chapter...
And I'm hearing that you guy's are liking my beginnings. They're really hard to do...btw...
So now what's gonna happen? Is that really Kyo? And what is up with Akito? (You don't have to answer that) Shigure told us who was hurt before in that accident, but what really happened? And what about Yuki!? Please review and tell me what you think!
Anyway...
*Merei-chan: Glad you like it! I'm trying to make it sound that way, and feel it too. But I might be doing things too fast... Corse I'm continuing, I got....~Counts~ I got bout 10 more chapters written out on my outline, and 10 more not totally written out. So be prepared...*Kimna: O my wonderful beta! Sorry bout this one, but I wanted to get it out ASAP and start on the new one. You reviewed again!! There's your end to the cliffy, and another one!! Plus the bonus for this chapter...The morning was hard. But I did my own research and got my lazy butt up to see one and wrote what I saw. ^-^ ~Dinkdink~ Well to keep you from wondering bout it, it was Shigure. Sorry...
*veronica: I made you cry!?! I'm sorry! I didn't know it would do that to you!! Well just wait and see what happens to Yuki, but Hatori said he *might* be ok. So don't worry! Glad you'll keep up with it!!
*Misaki: Yay!! You like it too!!! It's a bit aghast but hay!, I try! ^-^ I love to torture main characters!! My favorite in Fruba is Kyo, so yea!! It wouldn't be good if you didn't torture the main character you love! Well I've read "Forlorn hope" (I reviewed too!) and our style's do seem a bit similar. You put me on your favorite?!? O THANK YOU!!! Corse I'll update, that's what this chapters doing...
*yamatoforever: Hay, you've reviewed for every chapter so far! Thank you so much! I did? How so? Well I originally made it so Shigure was talking bout Kyo, but you're right in that sense also. I guess he could be talking about Tohru too. Cool, didn't even see that. Yep yep, just brought the Kitty cat back!! Wow your good. Did I mention that before? This is as quick as your gonna get, and probably the only one this quick that your gonna get...sorry...
Bonus: Pre-view of the next chap!: (Sorry if this is mean too...but I can't help myself!!)
"What's wrong To~ru?" Momiji's voice was soft, and I slowly turned toward the little Rabbit. He had sat up and was rubbing his left eye, his head cocked slightly and eyes questioning's as to why I was crying.
I looked over toward the window and stared at him, my eyes big and leaking. He just shook his head and put a finger to his red lips. He then re-crossed his arms and leaned onto the wall, gazing out the window to the night. I turned back to Momiji, another tear falling down my cheek.
"Nothing." I said in a semi-shocked voice. My mind was still comprehending all my new knowledge, and things were just starting to catch up with me. I was not to let anyone know, and if Momiji couldn't see him, then I couldn't tell him. People are going to think I'm insane...
I felt my lip quiver as another tear fell from my eyes. I then buried my head into my hands and gathered my knees to my chest. I sobbed softly, feeling Momiji's eyes still on me. I was both relieved and saddened even more. And the emotions battled inside of me...
I had kept him, but...
...JA!! (I know, I know. WTF. Right? Stay tuned to the next chap and you'll find out!!)
~SAL-Chan