I simply had been taken,
Without my own consent.
And at once I had been chosen,
Given a chance to repent.
The day had been fine, autumn being my favorites season. The colors seemed to fit me more, brown's, orange's, red's, yellow's. I seemed to blend into it all, and it made me not stick out as much. My birthday was in autumn also, so it just made the season that much more flavorful for me.
But my sins were not mine alone,
I shared them throughout time.
From the beginning I guess I've had this sin,
It placed only on my kind...
My mood was fine and my spirits had been high. I had been practicing all day out back in my own alcove, my body seeming to move without a thought. High kick followed by a quick left, round house with a jump kick, left hook and a back flip. Everything came to me like nothing had before, and I was in my own zone. Sweat covered my chest and my hair was tossed, mud griping onto my bare feet and calves - my hands as well. I felt more alive than I had in months, and everything seemed perfect.
So I guess that I was special,
In some unknown way.
Cause I was given just a simple gift,
One that had barley let me stay.
I had pulled down my last high kick when a request had been asked of me. I had felt myself slip out of my perfect zone to turn and answer, never refusing. The wind had swept around me, the chill not all that apparent. It was nice really, and I turned my back on the bleeding sunset and headed for home - my intent a shower and then to provide some simple company. Maybe simple wasn't the word, but it had fit into the sentence and explained what it would seem like. Simple was never the word with him, but it was always good to hope. Maybe I could get something out if it, the payment I was looking for, a small smile. It was the only thing I wanted...well, kinda...
The gift had been a second chance,
As strange as that may be.
But then there were the consequences,
To loose a part of me...
The ride had not been as bad as I thought it would have been, shorter that I thought actually. I had sat in the front, sitting there my only demand throughout the entire ride. Light chatter echoed around the car, the sound of the radio blending into the background of the young voices. I turned around to exchange a comment, then another, and suddenly I smiled. I had been thinking you see, about my life and why I continued to go on. For my family, and for her, but it was slowly become my life - one that I wanted to live. I was becoming happy...
I didn't think to here it all,
Excepting right away.
But I guess should have heard them out,
For now I waste away.
I didn't know what happened, and I still don't know now. Bits and pieces come back at times, but fade quicker than they register. Pain is always there, it has not gone away since that day. And now that I've had time to wallow in everything, I feel like I need to do something - or try to do something. All has failed so far, for I'm as still as alone as I have been for years now. My heart aches every minuet of my existence, and sometimes I wish that I hadn't made that request or agreed to their term. That I had left everything behind me and gone on to something grater, something that would accept me for who and what I was. But then again, when has that ever happened to me?...
For only those who know see me,
And not as someone I was.
I had hoped that they all would see me,
But it seems like no one does.
I didn't think it would take something like this for the light to be turned on. That someone else had to be hurt, even though it was the Rat. I'm guessing that was my sign, that my time is slowly running out. But it's a heck of a way to show that, don't you think? But they have gotten their point across, and now I'm actually going to try harder than before. If I can do it, the prize will be worth anything I could ever imagine. Stranger things have happened, though it's gonna be kinda hard to say ' Hay! Look! Sorry bout before...' to those who came to see my grave. But then anything *could* happen...
So now it's time to take a stand,
To come up front and fight!
I've come back to the living land,
Just to make them see the light.
This is my family we are talking about. And I am the one who will make it happen, I just know it...
Strange Happening's
By SAL-Chan
*Part Five: Ghost of A Year Ago
"If you love something, let it go. If it comes back to you: it's yours. And if not: it was never meant to be..."
~*~
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 the 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, he 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...
I watched as a GLOWING, dead Kyo Sohma hovered over his cousin. Dead being the key word...
"Kuso Nezumi...don't you freakin' die on me here, ya understand?" The voice was so distant, but I could still find the seeker anywhere if I wanted. Though it was if the volume had been turned down, it was still the same rough, warm voice that I knew he had while alive. He looked the same as I had last seen him also, plain black shirt and his favorite pair of pants. There were differences though, easy to be seen from the outside too. Cuts and bruises lined his shakily outline body, and from what I could see his shirt sleeve on the right was torn completely off along with most of the cloth that would have covered that part of his chest. Gaping holes dotted his back as well as his arms, and they all still seemed to bleed...
He turned to his side and showed the rest of his face to me, eyes still glued on Yuki with his face set in a scowl. A deep gash covered his face from the corner and cut into his right lip, all the way to his right ear and cutting off a peace of his ear lobe too. The cut itself seemed to be sewn up, stitches still holding the un-healing skin together. His right shoulder and some of his arm were charred black, parts of his flesh still tan while other parts seemed to be scooped out to show all the blood vessels underneath. A hole sat in the middle of the blackness, and I was sure if it hadn't been stitched together that you could see thought it. A slow cat like grin spread across his face, the skin on either side of his cut moving more then normal.
"Looks like you the baka now, Nezumi. I only hurt her for a minuet, but your torturing her compared to what I did, aren't cha?" He spoke with bitterns in his hollow voice, almost spiting on Yuki as he spoke. His light, dull eyes churned with emotion I couldn't feel nor read if I wanted to. Pain and hate I could see, but something else swirled around their dull red depths.
And the entire time I stood there, my grasp on Yuki's hand dwindling down to nothing, simply staring at him.
It was...
It was Kyo.
Kyo, the boy who had died 2 years ago today in a car crash.
Kyo, the boy who was turning 17, who died trying to save the sweet Rabbits life - who lived.
And now, that burning last image of him flooded my minds eye. Blood, pain, and a sweet goodbye. Now he was... here...and I...
Everything started to fade slowly, the room around me becoming fuzzy and the image of Kyo unidentifiable, and slowly the rest of the room followed. The blackness of my eye lids engulfed my eyes as feeling faded from my body, and the sadden urge to throw up everything I had for lunch was replaced by the feeling of nothing. The warmth of Yuki's dropped hand left my own, and I felt like I was floating -falling.
The last thing I remember was the click of the door as it opened. I felt my head hit the cold tile of the floor.
"Tohru!" His empty voice echoed within me, something cold passing through my shoulder...
"Tohru!" A totally different voice echoed around me, bouncing off the walls. I couldn't place my finger on who it was, but it reminded me of Hatori.
And then I was lost, unconsciousness steeling me from the reality I was confusing with a dream.
~*~
"To-ru..."
"Th-ru?"
"Momiji, let her sleep. She needs it."
"But what happened? Why did she faint like that all of the sudden? It not like To-ru at all."
"I know. Let her rest now and we'll ask her later if she feels better. She has had a long day..."
I opened my eyes slightly and found myself lying on a bed, staring up at a totally different gray ceiling. My head was pounding and my brain still felt fuzzy, making my thoughts move sluggishly. The last image I saw still hadn't left my memory and burned brightly.
"TO-RU!!!!"
I smiled slightly as the blonde's head popped into my view, his eyes dancing with happiness and worry. It was nice to see, his eyes happy again. It's quite a nice thing to see...
"Momiji..." I mumbled and smiles slightly, the fuzziness still in my brain. He smiled back with all the effort he could muster. He looked tired. What time was it?
"You were tired, right?" The small blond inquired, resting his head on the palm of his hand. He put his elbow on the bed and leaned towards me slightly. I nodded, my brain still working in over drive to remember what happened.
Yuki, crying, Kyo, translucent, glowing, dead...yea, that's about it.
"Feeling better?" He asked again and I closed my eyes again. They still felt dry from all the crying I had done before, and I still felt tired. My body was totally drained.
"Yes, a little." I responded with a slightly raspy voice, and I coughed slightly. But as soon as I let myself rest, the picture of Yuki lying there looking as if he was dead filled in the blackness behind my eyelids. My eyes snapped open and I pushed myself onto my elbows, getting a better view or the rest of the room. The only difference was that instead of it being completely empty, I had 2 other people in here as well.
The white part of his hair was matted down more now, some parts sticking to his brow. The black part was draped over his left shoulder were he was combing his fingers through it, his other hand holding his side. His leg were crossed with his left foot in the air, and his level eyes were stuck to me. It was weird seeing Haru without Kisa attached to his side when we weren't in school, but he was grading Momiji now so at lease one of the them was safe in his eyes. My guess was that Hiro was with her now...
"What happened?" The Cow's voice was softer then normal and concerned in a way. His eyes were softer too, strangely friendly. I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
"Nothing... I guess I just worried myself out."
That and I'm seeing dead people...
"Well sleep more then!" The Bunny chirped brightly, grabbing my hand. "I'll be right here in case you need anything."
I smiled at him and laid down again, not content on closing my eyes. I didn't want to see the past any more, just wait for the future. That's all I could do...
"I'm going to check on Yuki." Haru's voice wavered slightly when he stated that, breaking the unique silence that seemed to follow me around. I heard his chair move and I watched as the white topped head float to the door and out of the room. The Rabbit had turned to watch him go, but then turned back to me with a small, sad smile on his face.
"Haru's still worried about Yuki. He hasn't woken up yet, but nothing happened. Hari sent him in here to sleep, but he didn't even try." Momiji told me, rubbing my hand in a soothing manor. His smile faded and he moved his eyes from mine to our joined hands.
"I'm pretty sure he'll faint soon too." He added in a melancholy voice.
I sighed softly as he put his head down next to mine, cuddling up to me as close he could. It was quiet for a few minuets as I stared up at the new white ceiling, scared to close my eyes. But everything was slowly become comfortable, and I felt myself relax. I let my eyes drift closed and made sure I though of nothing. I knew noting for a long time, maybe a an hour or two.
That was until cold crept up the left side of my body quicker than cold should. But before I had a chance to open my eyes, I felt something brush the hair on my forehead away and place a freezing cold hand on it, stopping all my movements and thoughts. And suddenly it was gone just as fast as it had come, instantly.
My eyes flew open, pupils dilated as I searched the room. My head snapped to the left, where the cold had come and gone and found nothing but the white sterile room. The window was open slightly to reveal the sky that was clouded, and rain fell from the sky at an amazing pace. The fear I had felt before rose in my chest once again and gripped onto my heart.
A slight snore from my right made me turn my head. Momiji's brilliant eyes were closed, his face relaxed in sleep. Goose bumps immediately trailed up my arm, the cold reaching out for me once again, just like it had in Yuki's room before. It reached out for me and I turned my head to it without a thought. I shivered as another chill ran up my spine.
Then it started to happen again.
I watched awestruck as a blanket for the other bead was lifted up by something unseen. It was pulled off the bed and hovered above it for a moment, and was then dragged across the room in a flash and draped itself over Momiji's small shoulder. The cold quickly moved from my left to my right.
"You should really get some more sleep and stuff. It aint to good for you to still be awake."
I was prepared for the hollow voice this time, but I was still scared slightly. The cold wind picked up in the room quickly and it seemed to form a small tornado of slightly sparkling air. It twisted around and slowly formed into the top of an orange head and down over his face, then into his chest and to his bare feet. His blank eyes stared into my sole, one eyebrow up slightly.
I sat up quickly, eyes as wide as saucers. He shook his head and turned toward the window and started to walk toward it.
"Kyo..." I sounded like a frog, but never the less he turned around and stared at me, his expression almost matching mine. His light red eyes widened slightly, and his mouth hung open for a moment.
"You...you can see me?!" He stammered, surprise emanating from his soft voice as he pointed to himself. All I did was stare at him as he moved across the room to the side of my bed that Momiji was on. My eyes followed him the entire way.
"Well would you look at that. Ya can see me..." He said it softly to himself, a slight grin captivating his pale face. And still I didn't say anything, my brain humming from fear and shock.
"You're here..." I murmured, my hand traveling up to cover my mouth. Fear was creeping up my spine, and my hand was shaking slightly. I couldn't understand what was happening, and if this was real or not.
"Yep. I've been here for a bit now." His voice wavered as his grin grew slightly. This couldn't be happening! It's impossible for him to be here! Kyo was dead!
"But...how...what.." I wasn't thinking, hysteria now creeping up on me instead of fear. I was talking to Kyo, who was dead. I couldn't understand it.
"The what is easy to explain." His grin faded as he glanced down at Momiji, then back up at me. "I'm a ghost."
"A...a ghost..." I couldn't grasp it, I could believe it if I tried. I had always believed in an after life, of heaven and hell. But it just seemed like this was unreal, that I was lost within a dream or some weird hallucination. That my mind was playing with me and all I needed to do was close my eyes and I would wake up next to Yuki's bed, who would smile at me as say he was ok.
"Yea, a ghost." He repeated, pulling up both arms and crossing his hands on the back of his head. "And yea, I'm really here."
I closed my eyes and laid back down, waited a moment or two before opening my eyes again. He was still standing there, blinking at me.
"I aint gonna go away by you doin' that." He stated, a slight grin tugging at the corner of his lips. The unhealed skin on his cheek twitched.
"How I got here is another story altogether." He unhooked his hands from behind his head and shoved them into his pockets, switching his weight to his other hip. "And a long one at that."
And all I did was stare, mouth hanging open slightly.
"Quit lookin' at me like that. We both know you have seen stranger things then a ghost. Geez, how long have you know my family?..." He pulled a hand from his pocked and pushed it through his hair, eyes moving from me to the window. It continued to rain.
And when he said that, my brain kicked into gear. I slightly started to accept the fact that I might be going insane.
"So your really here?" I formed a question and said it apprehensively, the insane factor I had in my head became very likely. I'm talking to my imagination I thought.
"In the flesh and...ok maybe not. But I am here, in a sense...I guess...It's kinda confusing..." He scratched the back of his head and shifted his weight onto his other hip again, looking at the floor.
"But...how could you be here. Your dead..." I mumbled to myself loud enough for him to here. I was slightly grasping the fact that he was a ghost, but the insanity factor was still high on the list.
"Yea, and I'm cold to." He took his other hand out of his pocked and rubbed both his arms, in an attempt to warm himself. A slight smile found itself on my face. I was quite close to claiming insanity or hysteria. I was talking to a dead boy who was making jokes about being cold, how bad could you get? But, I reminded myself, The majority of his family that I know turns into animals...
There was a minuet of quiet before I heard him sigh.
"Listen," His voice was sad and soft, two things I had never heard from him together. "I know it's hard to believe, but it's true. I'm gettin' a second chance at a semi-life and I need all the help I can get."
I watched as Kyo suck his palm out toward the chair Haru had occupied before, and it skidded across the floor toward him. He sat in it, and for a minuet a part of me wondered if ghost could sit in chairs or not. Another part wondered if I had totally cracked yet...
"What...are you talking about?" Well I was at least trying to grasp the conversation, the feeling if insanity dissipating as I realized that there were stranger things out there than this, and I happened to be involved with one that was one of the weirdest. After all, people who turn into animals didn't seem to far away from real ghost's. And that chair did just move to him...
"I'll try to explain. I know it seems kinda crazy that I'm here and all, but I'm here for a reason that I really don't totally understand myself." After I gave him a questioning look he continued, putting his head down to rest on his hand that was propped up on his knee. "I made a promise, well... it was a agreement really. They said that if I could accomplish a 'task', I would get something I wanted more than anything back."
"A task?" Ok, I was starting to understand. He was sent back as a ghost to do something...I suddenly fought the urge to giggle at myself. This sounded so unreal that it was almost funny.
He sighed and sat back, frowning.
"It's kinda hard to say..." I watched him think for a minuet before his dull eyes peered into mine again. "Do you believe in a second chance?"
I blinked for a second, wondering where this question came from.
"Well..." I started, in the back of my mind wondering how I was suddenly so calm after I felt insanity creeping up on me just a minuet ago.
"...I do believe in second chances, and ghosts too." I finally said, convincing myself that he really was here. I did believe in second chances, quite strongly too. And if I could believe in that, I could believe that Kyo was really here.
"Well, that's what I got." He stated, leaning back on the chair enough to make it tilt back so that he would almost fall. His hair was being pushed up by that imagery fan underneath him once again and even without his feet touching the ground the chair balanced on it's two back legs.
"They said that it was because of the cures and-" He nodded his head in Momiji's direction. "-Cause I saved his sorry butt."
"Oh..." I nodded my head and looked down at the sleeping Bunny, his face peaceful and calm. I knew it wasn't right to ask this, but the question had bubbled up inside of me and had bugged me for a wile now. I had asked it before but everyone refused to tell me. The only other people who really knew were two traumatized to say anything, and I wanted to know.
"Kyo..." I said softly, my eye's slowly coming to meet his. He simply coked a eyebrow at me, and I remember so many other time when he had done that to signal a 'Yes?'.
"I wanted to know, because no one really told me, but..." I looked him straight in the eye for the fist time during -what I have dubbed- the 'First Contact'.
"...What really happened?"
I heard my voice echo through the suddenly silent room. I watched as surprise erupted onto his face, followed slowly by something very dark. That was not a question he had expected.
"No one told you?" He asked in a darker voice, but understanding slowly crept into his eyes. "No one wanted to tell you..."
I nodded and he shook his head slightly.
"I really didn't want to talk about that..." He said slowly and the wind around him seemed to pick up and he levitate off the ground, the chair's legs hitting the floor with a solid 'Thunk'. He...well he flew toward the window and set himself down, the wind moving his hair stopping.
"Please." I begged slightly, my eyes pleading. "I want to know."
He was quiet for another moment, his eyes gazing at something far away out the window.
"You asked me to do something that day. Do you remember it?" He looked toward me, face set in a grim line and eyes darker than their lighter shade a few minuets before. I shook my head. I remembered nothing of the day except watching him...except watching him die.
"You had asked me to go with Hatori to pick up Kisa and Momiji." He spoke to the world outside the window, his eyes drifting closed as he leaned agents the window sill. "You asked me to pick up a few things for tomorrow on the way, when everybody was coming over."
It then came back in a rush.
I remember I * had* went out to ask Kyo to go out with Hatori and pick up Kisa and Momiji, while we were getting ready...
I gasped.
We were planning Kyo's surprise 17th birthday party.
His birthday was on the 14th of October.
My hand travel to my face as my eyes watered again. He sighed and let more of his body rest against the sill. He suddenly looked so sad, so alone...
"I remember that it had been weird, and I don't even know why I went. But you asked me to so I just did." His soul-less eyes rotated in his skull to look at me, the fuzzy depth's seeming alive once again.
"It happened on the way home..."
~*~
"How's Tohru?"
I looked to my direct left finding Shigure standing next to the door. Momiji's voice carried though the door, it's happy tune fading into something I wished not to hear. I started to walk away from the room toward Yuki's, trying to give him the cold shoulder.
"She's awake and fine." I said shortly, not letting my voice sound as tired as I felt. I really didn't want to be near anyone who could get into my head, or who could see past my mental blocks. But he followed still.
"You didn't even try to sleep, did you?" His voice was low as we rounded the corner, his shoulder brushing mine. His legs were still longer then mind after all, so he kept up.
"So what if I didn't?" My voice had a sharp edge to it, and I felt what everyone called my 'Black' personality creeping up on me. We had stopped at Yuki's room and I pulled the door open and walked in, knowing fully well that the Dog would follow me. So what if I was irritated, I did have a right to be.
I took the seat Tohru had been sitting in before as I heard Shigure close the door behind him. I heard his foot steps come closer and closer to me until I fell him stop behind me. He stood in quiet there and just hovered slightly while I continued to stare at my half dead cousin.
"You're not going to be the only one this time Shigure." I said, an irritated edge in my voice. I wasn't sure who I was irritated at: Him or myself.
"The only one what?" His voice was low, almost a whisper, but still held his strong spirit within it. I felt something coli within me.
"Who doesn't give in. I'm not...I'm not going to." My voice had started to clog, and I had started to stutter. The coil became tighter and tighter, and my vision start to blur. The steady beeping in the room and the strange sounds the machine's were making were the only noises in the room for a moment.
"Just because you didn't see me cry doesn't mean I didn't." His voice was softer than anything I had heard from anyone in a long time, willing to listen and be leaned on. I felt the coli snap as a tear fell from my eye, but I refused to make a noise. Shigure's hands sat on my shoulder and rubbed slightly in a comforting motion.
"I know it's hard being strong Haru..." He continued as another tear fell from my other eye. "But some of us need to be."
I knew he was right. I knew that I was one of the few of the cursed Sohma's that were strong enough to take things like this, but - I realized- that I was scared. We had almost lost another one of us. Someone else close to me...
And before I knew it I was sobbing into his white dress shirt, small noises coming for me. His arms were wrapped around me in a fatherly embrace that I wish I had when I was little, and I felt safe. My family is here, I reminded myself. Everything is going to be ok... I was needed.
That's right, I reminded myself. I was needed of something else now too. I needed to help... cause I think that I am the only one so far who knows...and he did ask me...though reluctant in his stubborn way...he was trying to be strong as well...
And that's when I realized that even those who are strong can be week at times, and the stronger they seemed, the weaker they really were inside.
Ayame was strong, yet as soon as the news had came he had cracked and broken down. Hatori was strong, but I could tell he was out of it back in the lobby, his pacing giving him away. I was strong, but I had cracked when told that I was not weak if I cried.
And Shigure had never cried in front of any other Sohma, and he was the calmest at any time or situation. Always the level headed front man that I had know him to be from when I was little. I wouldn't even imagine what his weak time would be like...
~*~
She sat quivering next to me, her head on my shoulder and her hands grasping onto my white shirt. He knees were curled up under her, he brown skirt covering them slightly.
And she cried, shaking with small sobs. It was quiet now, the small room almost empty save me, her, and the Snake who sat across from us. Everyone else had scattered somewhere after Akito's entrance, leaving the three of us alone for quite a while. Hatori had come to give the Snake a cup of coffee or something a little while ago, but he was nowhere to be seen now.
And the entire time she cried softly onto my solder, and I was starting to feel the dampness of her tears touch my skin. In the back of my mind I wondered how she, or any girl, could cry this much.
It hurt me too. Sure I didn't have much contact with the Rat, but I still considered him one of my better relatives. Though what hurt the most was the fact that she was reminded of a year ago on this day.
Curse that stupid Cat. Even after his death he still stalked around this family like the creature he was, causing pain in his wake. He was hurting her now...
"Hiro..." Her small voice cried, and I looked down to find her looking up at me. I blinked.
"Yea?" I asked her in a kinder voice then I ever gave anyone else the satisfaction of hearing.
"It's ok Hiro. Everything's going to be ok." She reassured me, puling me into a small hug. She buried her head into my shoulder again and continued to cry.
I hadn't even realized that I, myself, was crying as well...
~*~
~My hair was still just drying after we pulled out of the main houses small parking area. The radio was playing some stupid song that had been played more times then I cared to count. It was some love song or something, but I really didn't care. I was gazing out the window in my own little world, a small smile on my face.
"So what do you want for your birthday?" His high voice resounded through the car and over the music, a smile carried within that sound. I sighed and turned my head to the back seat, meeting the small ball of energy's eyes.
"A car." I said gruffly, the answer coming out as a bark rather than words.
"Your not getting a car." Hatori's strong voice made me look up at him. His eyes were set toward the road stretched out in fount of him. We were taking the back road, the longer one then the high main roads but nicer since we didn't have to look at concrete the entire way. The trees were almost bare now, they remind me why this was my favorite time of year.
"Why not? I know how to drive." I stated, it coming out more of a whine then anything else. Hard to believe I was turning 17.
"I would be scared if you drove a car." Momiji's voice was innocent, but the under tow of it hit me. I turned back to the back set to glare at him.
"Kyo-nii-san is a very good driver." Kisa soft voice was barely heard over the radio, but her smile was loud enough to get her message across. Momiji slid over next to her -the Rabbit a custom to not wearing his set belt, a habit he probably picked up from me- and elbowed her slightly.
"Sure he was good. He was good until he hit the street lamp." Momiji's voice was choked with amusement, and as soon as he finished he let a laugh out. The car was soon full of the duo's high laughter from the back and a low one from Hatori. I glared at him now.
"So what if I hit the pole! At least I didn't almost hit a person like that Rat!" I shouted back, and the car was soon full of all our laughter.
I smiled, still staring at the two younger Sohma's cracking up in the back. I really enjoyed my life a lot more now, but I guess it was because I was getting older. And the fact that I had a full day of practice and had almost hit that stupid Rat about a week ago, it made everything that much better. And I was turning 17, witch is a bonus of course.
Thinking about that brought me back to yesterday. That stupid Rat wasn't holding out on me anymore. I guess I scared him by hitting his side, but kuto's for me. I was getting better, it was taking two high kicks to get me down and not just one anymore.
Somehow I had slid in between the two seats in the front and was sitting on the arm rest. We had done weirder things in the car, a trip to the hot springs with most of the Sohma's -namely myself, the Rat, the Dog, the Rabbit, Hatori, the Cow, Kisa, and Tohru- somehow fitting in the car. It was normal. I opened my mouth to make a comment about how Momiji's driving ability's were going to be, but-
"KYO!"
My name was yelled and before I even had time to register who had called me, I had spun around to face the front of the car and saw it.
An oncoming car.
For a split second everything seemed to stop and I saw him, the guy in the other car. Then time started up quicker that I would have ever thought possible.
My body had moved without me thinking, my legs pushing me toward the back seat and my arms opening. The sound of bending metal hit my ears a second before I felt everything stop underneath me and a body collided into my chest. The roaring sound of twisting metal behind me only lasted a second as my arms managed to wrap around Momiji's smaller body, his head connecting to my left shoulder and his face tuned to the left in a snap -like mine.
A moment later I felt a stabbing pain attack my back as the sound of shattering glass concaved around me. I heard the sound of something cutting through the air when the said something -a peace of glass or metal- speared my ear and my cheek, the Rabbit in my arms crying out as well in pain. My head was snapped forward as I felt my back hit the dash behind me, a sick cracking sound hitting my ears. I faintly heard Kisa small cry or pain and some type of noise off to my right were Hatori was, but his was barley heard.
A searing pain engulfed my right shoulder, and I was faintly reminded of a time when I had dropped a pot of water from the stove on the counter and burnt my hand. It felt like fire was on my skin now, searing hot and agonizingly painful. Then a second later something found it's way through skin, muscle, bone, and a piece of something searing hot sticking through my shoulder. I remember tighten my arms around the smaller boy, pin pricks of pain dotting the back of my arms as well as my back and my neck.
All I did was protect him, disregarding my mind which was screaming at me in pain and agony that I could have avoided all this pain if I had only moved. I could have dropped back into the passenger seat and gotten out, it told me, but I really don't remember thinking at all at that point.
And suddenly we were outside of the car, in the cold night air laying on the black pavement. My body was numb, my brain overloaded with pain that no one who had never gone through it could imagine. I was still holding on to him slightly, my hands cramping and locking onto his small shoulder. I heard something burning in the distance, something like fire, and I heard the crickets that had started up again. I could smell the night combined with the blood, the burning of flue distant.
The night sky was clear, and on the road there was a street lamp every once in a while. It was black enough for me to see the stars tough, they seemed to twinkle down at me with pity, the lamp light just barley reaching me
And I felt it.
I felt liquid seeping out of my skin, I felt the cold gnawing at my hands. My feet and legs were cold already, numb from the time my back hit the dash with a snap. My head was strangely clear, blocking out all of the pain the best I could. The tang of mettle was in my mouth, but I'm not quite sure if I swallowed or not.
But I felt it creeping up on me.
I felt death.
Somehow I had turned my head to the side, to the cheek that was not ripped apart, and my eyes landed on a small bag. Kisa's bag.
The strap was ripped, and the flap was open, revealing her blue Christmas present from last year: a cell phone.
My hand unlocked from Momiji's shoulder and I reached for it, my left arm covered with blood. I stared at it for a minuet, my brain slowly becoming tired, wondering who's blood it was. And still I reached for the phone and grabbed it, the small piece of plastic just barley in reach. I had dropped my arm as my hand grabbed it so that the abused limp could rest on the ground, my finger's dialing a number I never though I would have to use. I then hit the 'Send' button and dropped the phone, hoping that they would be able to use that On Star thing or some type of tracking device and find us. I felt so tired...
My name was moaned from the boy on top of me, his body starting to shiver. I felt my right hand relax against my will and it slowly slid off his shoulder till my elbow hit the pavement, my hand barely grasping his arm.
"It's going to be ok." I managed to say, blood leaking from my mouth. I coughed, a ripping sensation flowing through my chest. My brain was starting to calculated my survival chances. I would be paralyzed...I realized this when I could not feel my legs when I tried. I would probably have to go through some major plastic surgery for what ever happened to my face, and my arm was totally wasted. I realized then what was going to happen.
I was not going to see my 17th birthday.
"Momiji," I managed to say, swallowing the rest of the blood in my mouth, almost letting out a grown when I did so. I heard the phone talk to me but I couldn't respond. I needed a will if I was going to die, and though I hated to do it, he was going to have to be it.
"I want you to keep my stuff in my ro-" I coughed again as I heard someone call my name from a few feet away. I ignored it. "-room. They can get rid of what they don't need, but keep some stuff. Give Tohru my b-bracelet and tell-" I coughed again, the pain of my shoulder weakening and my thought become fuzzy. "-Tell Kazuma to let her keep if for now..."
"Stop talking like that." His voice was soft, clogged with tears and pain. "You not going anywhere!"
"I know." I murmured. My body was so tired, my brain buzzing with a sensation I had never felt before. It was calming yet horrifying at the same time. I then realized that I wasn't scared to die.
"No Kyo!" He pushed his head off of me, my hand slipping off of him and hitting the pavement louder that I thought it could, the limb limp and charred.
"You're not leaving! You can't leave us!" He choked out and I watched and his tears mixed with the blood what was dripping from the deep gash in his cheek. Blood was smeared all over his face an I vaguely wondered who's it was again: His or mine...
"You're my favorite Kyo!" He was shouting at me now, hysterical in a sense. He knew as well as I did that I wasn't waking up tomorrow. "You're like a big brother to me! You can't leave me alone!"
He collapsed onto my chest then and cried, his arms wrapping around my waist. I barley felt it though, my head spinning and feeling fading. I slowly started to close my eyes...
'You're giving up?' Kazuma's voice spoke for the back of my head, and my eyes snapped open again. He would say that to me...
Not without a fight I thought, struggling to clear my head and stay alive. I felt unconsciousness griping at my brain, dragging me down.
"I'm not leaving you alone..." I mumbled, my eyes trying to shut. I felt so tired, and all my body wanted to do was sleep. "I'll always be here."
He continued to cry into my chest for another minuet, and I struggled to think of anything to keep me awake.
I can't die yet, I thought. I haven't beaten Yuki...I haven't said thank you to Kazuma for everything, I haven't been accepted yet, I haven't told her...I haven't told her that I love her yet. I fought with all I had, wanting to fight away what I knew was coming.
"Momiji! Kyo!"
Thank you I thought, looking toward the sky. Hatori was alive, but what about Kisa...
He bent over me, his figure become clearer when he leaned closer. His arm was managed and bleeding, a cut on the side of his head dripping slightly. I was never so happy in my life to see the doctor before.
"Kyo, can you here me?" He asked and I suddenly realized that it wasn't Hatori that hovered above me, and that I could no longer feel Momiji's arms around my waist. Some woman with short brown hair was now, her face worried. Bright lights hovered above her and illuminated her, making her look like a angel.
I nodded slightly, the pain in my neck growing. I closed my eyes as I felt her brush the hair away from my face, her hand cold and sturdy.
"Kyo, keep you eyes open for me." She said, someone's hand slipping into mine. I managed to pull my eye lids open slightly, suddenly seeing Tohru instead of this nameless woman. A overwhelming fear creped over me, and I was suddenly glad that I was holding someone's hand.
"Momiji...Kisa..." I croaked out their names, praying to the God I suddenly believed in. The woman looked away from me for a minuet, then turned back to me.
"You friends are following us. Where going to the Hospital. You going to be ok...Do you know what today is?" She asked, brushing my hair away from my face again. I refused to laugh at her statement, cause I was anything but ok...
"It's the 13th of October." I said, feeling my voice shake. "My birthday's tomorrow."
I watched her face as it was filled with pity, then a small smile formed on it.
"How old are you going to be?" She asked me, voice becoming quiet. I tried to smirk back at her. I gave her a 10 for trying....
"I was going to be 17." I said, causing any other noise in...where ever we were to stop. A look of sadness etched itself onto her face, but she tried to cover it.
"Tell me," I asked, feeling something rumble in my chest. It hurt... "Am I going to die?"
She just turned away and started to do something with some unknown next to her, and I knew the answer.
"Kyo!" Again I had been caught off guard by a familiar voice calling my name. We were moving this time, the white lights flashing by at a quick pace that was agonizing to watch. But his golden eyes were there, along with his white hair. Ayame...I had never felt so relieved to see him before.
"Ayam...I..." I couldn't form words, the pain in my chest increasing. It hurt to breath, and it hurt any time my heart beat. If Ayame was here...I suddenly made a vow to myself. I wasn't going to die without saying goodbye to her.
"Kyo-" Yuki's voice echoed in my head, and I realized that it was the first time I ever heard him say it without anything behind it. I spotted Shigure behind him, and then my vision blacked out.
The last thing I can remember while my heart still beat with my will was her eyes. I remember her entwining her hand with mine, and the slight smile she had on her face. I remember how she reached up and brushed some of my bangs away for my eyes, and had smiled at me, only at me.
God, she truly was a angel.
"See ya...Be safe." I said it to her softly, expressing everything I could in that last statement. I had done it. I had left a semi-will with Momiji, seen Tohru smile only for me, and I had said my goodbye. I felt my eyes shutter closed, knowing fully well that she had just made it on time. I wasn't sure if I could have held on any longer...
She had come in time to take me away...thank anything for Tohru...
I felt my self sinking, slowly falling into darkness that relieved the pain. I felt things inside of me shutting down, my brain ceasing in it's hum. I felt my will diminish as I saw my life before my eyes -in a sense, the coldness in the beginning being outweighed by the happiness in the end.
Knowing fully well that I once had a lot laid out in front of me, but knowing I could do nothing else, I slowly let my heart stop to rest.
And then, I knew nothing.~
~*~
"And after that some really weird things happened, and I agreed to the terms set by...who ever that was." Kyo finished, his eyes dark as he gazed outside through the rain. The sky was dark and ominous, reflecting all that stewed and swam around his eyes.
The entire time I had sat there, staring at him like I had never seen him before in my entire life. Half way through the story I had started to wish that I had not asked him as tears began to fall from my eyes. And by the end I had started weeping, my hands covering my mouth and tears falling for my eyes quicker then they had before.
And I believed him. I believed every word he said, every facial expression, every change in his tone, ever shift in position.
This was really Kyo...
"You have to promise me something now." He said, braking me from my thoughts. I looked up at him through bleary eyes, wondering what he would ask of me. I still couldn't comprehend what he had been through, and the insanity factory had slipped into my list of what could be happening again.
He turned his gaze to meet mine, his eyes dead set and his face stern. And suddenly I saw him alive and well, his outline soiled and his skin tan, his eyes light and his hair matted down. I saw the Kyo he had been.
"You can not tell anyone that you can see me."
His sentence hand made me hunch over and cry out softly. I felt my world tremble, and hysteria quickly took over the insanity factor. How would I live like that?! If I wasn't allowed to say anything about him being here...
"Why?" I choked out, raising my head up enough to see him. He hadn't moved, his eyes traveling to look out the window again. A look of pain had itself etched on his face, and he sighed.
"My task thing...I have to make everyone accept loss and have the ability to move on, or something fancy like that." He sighed and dropped his arms, looking over at me again. " I have to wait for them to accept it before I can get what ever the prize is."
"Then how-"
"-Can you see me?" He cut in, my breath hiccupping. He pushed another hand through his hair and sighed again. "That's an easy one."
"Back in the other room, where the damn Rat is, you said that you couldn't stand to loose both of us..." He looked away from me, something in his eyes darkening, a frown coming to his face. "In some way you accepted that I had died - truthfully and fully accepted- and now you can see me. Not much of a improvement but..."
"By accepting it, ya get me back." He stated, turning to me with a sideways smile.
By letting go I got him back....
By experiencing all that pain of his loss and letting him move on from my life, I got him back...
I let out another small cry, the only other sound in the room the rain that fell outside. He let me sob for a wile, understand fully why I needed to, even when I didn't. I just felt like I needed to cry, for myself, for Yuki, for him, for anyone. It wasn't until later that I realized how much anything like that would truly hurt me, and that's why I cried. I was pre-expecting the pain...
"I'm sorry..." He said quietly, sounding guilty and hurt. I looked up to him, shaking my head. It's not your fault, I though. Don't be sorry Kyo! It wasn't your fault! It's not!
"Promise me, Tohru. Promise you wont say anything. I need you to promise. Only those who can see me have accepted my death, and we need to wait for whoever can't. I'm going to need your help now, cause I think you're the only other person who can get everyone else to accept it..." He trailed off, eyes moving from me -who had started to cry viciously again- to my side.
"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 again. I hadn't even noticed that he sat up, let alone woken up. And he hadn't noticed Kyo either...
I looked over toward the window and stared at him, my eyes big and leaking salt water like never before. 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 stormy 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 still just starting to catch up with me. I then fully realized 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...talking to him around others.
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 I couldn't share him with anyone. Though it seemed like some people needed him more than I did, I was suddenly struck with the feeling that I was being selfish. I had wanted him back, but I had wanted him back so everyone would be happy again.
I lifted my head up again, towards him, and nodded a yes.
"I promise." I said, nodding my head again. If what he says was true, and if everyone could just accept him being de..dead, then they could all see him again. Then everyone would be happy again.
At least...that's what I hope...
~8~
I sat, staring sleepily out on of the windows. I sighed to myself, the quiet of the house nice enough to get once an a while. Everyone had left, leaving me home alone. It was fine enough though, I would much rather lie here and listen to the rain.
I had known before anyone else, which would be tough. I was -after all- here to watch and report. I had followed him around this lovely house and actually found myself coming to like it here. The people here are really something.
I sighed and turned my head away from the window, shutting my eyes.
I guess their one year warning got through to him after all... I thought, sighing slightly.
Things were going to get very interesting, very quickly.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ranting: My longest chapter yet!! You guy's have no idea how long this took...and it doesn't help that I'm home sick right now. ~Sneeze!~...oy...stupid cold. I can't breath through my nose! Plus I've been working my but off, did I ever mention that I don't like school? Cause I don't! The only class I like this year is S.S./Global, and I have that 8th. I have to go the rest of the stupid day to get to my favorite class...
Today, while I stayed home, I realized where my inspiration came from. Do you guy's know The song 'Someday' by Nickelback? Well I was watching their music video (somehow. I was half out of it from my NiQuil and DayQuil mixing) and I remembered that I was watching that when I started this.
Anyway, ...
Well...there ya go... so we all know what happened to him now. But even so, he may have answered the question of how he died, but *now* what is he talking about? What is the task he has to do really? And what is that prize going to be? Most of all, how is the fact that she can see him but everyone (or whoever you think) can't? That's gotta effect her somehow. Well who do you think can? And what was that at the end of the chapter? Or, who was that?
Favorite line: And then I was lost, unconsciousness steeling me from the reality I was confusing with a dream.
Favorite Character of the Chapter: Shigure win's once again. Kyo's a close second.
I think we saw something from Shigure that we normally don't. In his conversation with Haru I mean. And Most of the middle of this had Kyo in it, and he explains things quite well...
To tell ya the truth, I was waiting for Kyo to come back. I relate a lot to him, plus his speech is easer to write then everyone else. I guess I kinda speak like him too. My accent and bad English grammar helps too...(I'm from New York! Waddya want?!)
Moving along...
*Merei-chan: Thanks. How bout this chapter? I know it's a bit long, but I did say that I would tell you guy's how he died. I really was planing on doing it a little later in the story, but with a few quick plot twists for my best friend (Naf-Chan) And my own concoction, there's plenty more ahead. So keep reading! (PS: How are you the first person to read all the time? For the past few you have been...just wondering. It's cool and all...)
*Misaki: YAY! You came back!! ^-^ Well now you know. Stupid long chapter...It has been stressing me out for the past week and a half. My creative spirit isn't what it was. (PS: No prob. I liked it!)
*Asaya (Unami: ~Blushes~ thank you, but I'm not that good. I know people better than me. I was trying to make them sad and not so mournful, but at least the point has gotten across. Don't be sad and depressed though...that's my job ^-^. I'm sorry that I almost made you cry, but I guess it did get my point across. I'm your favorite?!?! OOOO THANK YOU!!!!!^-^
* Chunxirella: Esh, Esh, Esh!! Yay! You...read the first chapter...and just the first chapter...but THAT'S OK!!!!! Lol tricked you^-^ LOL, please read again!...
*yamatoforever: Well I think the chapter explains most of your question. Did I mention that your really, really good at figuring this out. Oy...I think this chapter might have given you just a bit more q's, ne?
*Kimna: SO'K!! It's ok! Don't freak out!! Yep, yep that is Kyo, alive and well...well not really. Does that answer your question...
*Kath: I'm sorry! I made you cry!! I didn't know it would move you like that...I'm so sorry!!!...Thank you anyway...and welcome back ^-^.
And sorry guy's. No bonus this time. I'm pooped. I need a nap...
And BTW, for all those idiots who actually think I own this, I don't. The only thing that (I think) is mine is the plot! So back off!! ~humph~
P.S. To readers: Have you guy's noticed the quotes I've been using in the beginning of ever chapter. They tell you things too...~wink~
~SAL-Chan