Kyo walked into town and headed to the store where he and Tohru and the damn rat would go to buy the necessaries. He went inside and searched around until he caught scent of Tohru at the diary products. There she was, looking at two different brands of milk cartons, trying to pick which one she wanted. "Oy, Tohru!"

Tohru looked up and saw Kyo and waved, with one carton of milk in hand. People saw that as pretty weird but Kyo found it quite amusing. "Hey put those down before you decide to spill them idiot!" He said, trying to hide the smile that was creeping onto his face.

Tohru, dear sweet Tohru, there was something about her that made him feel…alive.

Tohru noticed the milk cartons in hands and then started apologizing and bowing at the same time to Kyo. "Oh gomen, gomen I didn't mean to do that. I was looking at these and then when I heard you call my name, I didn't think and I-I, I'm so sorry."

"Tohru chill, god do you have to worry so much." True she was a very big worrier but she was very much responsible of the household, keeping everything tip top shape and cooking the meals and stuff.

'Well that won't last much longer', he thought. High school was almost up and Tohru might plan to go away for college and never return and he will end up locked in the cage.

God he wish he didn't have to think about that. He turned his attention to the two carton that Tohru had been looking at.

"What the big deal, they're 'bout the same."

"Oh but one has a discount but it doesn't look to be good milk and I didn't think you would like it at all plus the—" Her words were cut off as he placed one of the milk in the cart that Tohru had. "Whichever is fine by me. Don't worry too much about that ok? Come on, is this all the food you're getting?" Tohru looked inside the cart then checked the list in hand and nodded.

"Yep that's everything. I'm planning to make curry rice and sushi, if that's ok with you. It won't have any leeks I swear it."

Kyo shook his head. Tohru knew how much he hated leeks and she always attempt to make it up to him somehow by giving him different dishes instead of the one in leeks.

'I wouldn't put it pass the rat if he tried to put some in my sushi then tonight with all my other meals.' He and Tohru walked over to the registers and paid for the things and they walked out together, carrying the food back home.

The walk back home was in silence and they were unaware of the thing following behind.


Several shadows headed in different directions where they caught scent of their target, each scattering to look in whatever place they could be at.
Shigure was sitting in his office, smoking and reading the newspaper. He was going to relax today. Mi-chan had called, saying he was to stay put.
He would, only to give pleasure of teasing his editor. His story had already been finished weeks ago. He had it about a guy who was too headstrong yet too shy to admit his feeling to an orphan young girl that melted his heart. The characters he knew so well, heh-heh, and he also implied some sexual bases in them to give some interesting details.

"Oh if Kyo found out, he would totally pulverize me." He knew Kyo's feeling for Tohru were so much since the first time he laid eyes on her. He wondered how long it would be before the poor neko admit them to the young girl.

"My flower's growing up so fast. Pretty soon she'll be having many suitors coming her way and whisking her off to some far away place…" He dramatized. He and Ayame seem to spend more time like that. Ah how young our love was.

"Well in the end, Que sera sera." He suddenly heard knocking at the door. Must be Mii-chan. He then looked at the clock. She's earlier than usual.
Last time he check, she said on the message that she would probably arrive at nine. It was really 7:45.

'She must've come early to make sure that I didn't go and escape somewhere.' He walked down the stairs as the knocking continue.

"Coming coming. Hold your pretty little head, Mii-chan!" He said sweetly as he slide the paper door to find…nobody.

Nobody standing there. He looked around to the side then stepped outside to see farther out. 'Funny it seem nobody was out here.'
"Hello anyone out here?" He heard nothing then stepped back inside the house. 'Must have been my imagination?' He was walking up and grabbing onto the rail of the stairs when he heard noises. Noises coming from the living room. He stopped and turned around. There he heard it again.

'Was someone in there?' Yuki, Kyo or Tohru, they usually said hello or in Yuki and Kyo's case, smash another door through. But it had not been the sound of the door sliding or breaking the paper, it sounded way different. It sounded like it was slithering, like a snake but it sounded too big to be a snake.

"Hello?" He backed away from the steps and headed over towards the living room. He tried to see within the dimly lit room and saw only shadows there.

Moving and crawling off the wall. One of them seem to move faster than the other and then Shigure heard it coming into the kitchen. Ok what is that? He walked slowly over towards it where the noise got louder inside.

"Mii-Chan that you? Were you trying to sneak up on me? Funny very funny, now come on Mii-Chan, joke's over. Your way of trying to get back at me doesn't seem to work." He was saying it with calm ease but something inside him made him feel incaution. There was something in the kitchen and it definitely wasn't Mii-Chan. "Hello."

Slowly he walked in and turned on the switch to the room. The room shined and then saw three black creatures standing there in the kitchen. They were small yet had glowing yellow eyes and before Shigure knew it they were approaching him.

'Oh I think I'm in trouble now, Help!' And screamed and quickly started to run out the room.


Yuki was in his secret base when he heard the sudden cry of the Inu, even at a far away distance from the house.

"What now?" He asked himself as he dust the dirt off his pants and started walking back to the house. 'Did the dumb pervert get himself stuck in another of his sticky situation?'

God he remember the last time that happened and that was when Ayame was around. 'Oh god, let's hope he's not there!'

He was heading down the normal path when he heard something coming from behind him. He turned and saw nothing. He continued walking and then heard it again.

That soft padding of feet. And it seem it was more than one pair following him. He quicken his pace and heard those others quicken theirs.

'God, what the Heck!' He was now running and he swore when he turned he saw black shadows following him and their yellow eyes glowing menacingly. He had to get back to the house.

"I don't think so Yuki." Yuki stopped in his tracks. That voice, could it been! He had no time to realize that a shadow person appeared behind him and grabbed him, knocking him out cold.

Before he lost conscious he saw Akito looking down at him. "How does it feel to be a trapped like a rat…"


Hatori was looking outside his home office, taking his time at looking at notes and schedule for which his next patient was in the week.

Yuki had to come see him tomorrow in the afternoon and then had to go check on Akito after then had the rest of the day off before tomorrow. He wondered how Shigure and the others were doing, mostly Tohru.

She sure pulled everybody through with her warm smiles and big heart. He had to admit she was everything the Sohma family needed, a light through their dark, a spring to his winter.

He smiled to himself, and then plucked out the photograph from the top of his shelf. It was a picture of the whole Sohma family with Tohru, everybody was at the beach and he saw himself smiling too, everyone was except Akito who kept a firm scowl right on his face. Maybe eventually that scowl will be gone and a smile will appear.

'Maybe…Yeah just maybe before he passes on.' Hatori found out that Akito's time wasn't much longer as he looked at the latest result. Perhaps a month or three no less.

Everyone in the Sohma family would never have felt sorry for him if it weren't for Tohru. She was always trying to find the good in everybody and she seem to be working her magic onto Akito.

Suddenly he heard noises coming from the hallway. 'Was someone coming in?'He didn't recall anyone calling early for an appointment or maybe it was one of the servants coming to check on Akito. He sighed.

This job was the near death of him especially when it came to caring for Akito. He walked over and open the door. "Yes what is it?"

He saw nobody standing out there. 'Funny he could have sworn...'

He heard muffle footstep coming to the left side of the room. 'Must be them why else, but why didn't they stay and inform him?' He quickly followed but then he heard the footstep becoming distance.

'Was that person running? Was it really that urgent?' He quicken his pace and then found heard no more. 'What the?' He tried to see where the person could have headed off. But it was like they disappeared without a trace. He went to search the rooms, finding no one there occupying them and he decided to go check and Akito's.

'Something seems to be going on and I don't know what it is.' He quickly ran and then suddenly heard it.

This time he heard not one but five chasing him. 'What the!'

He turned and then he quickly saw something that made him run quicker. In the shadows were five dark being chasing after him with yellow eyes.

'Oh god, what are those things,' he didn't really want to know as he ran for his life as his animal instinct were ringing in his head to get the heck out of here. He did but they followed haste in quick step to his.

He tried to slide the doors but none seem to open and he quickly ran and tried doors to get out. But none seem to and it seem he would have no escape. 'I got to keep trying,' he thought as he ran through the house trying to find an exit.


Ayame and Ritsu were in the dress shop setting up the latest set of fashion of Ayame's line of clothes. Ritsu was there as he wanted to become as confident and stylish as Ayame. "So Ayame-san, gomen for asking but do you think it's almost time to close shop?"

"Hmm, no never, when I say when to close is when there is no more romance for tonight." He dramatized, "Do you not think there's no romance, oh how cruel hearted to say when such a time we live when amour needs to be kindle and hearts are to be entwined between lovers!"

"OH MY GOD, YOU'RE RIGHT AND I'M WRONG! I'M SORRY, I'M SO SORRY FOR DOUBTING YOU AYAME-SAN! I CAN'T ASK FOR YOUR FORGIVNESS FOR ASKING SUCH A STUPID QUESTION! I SHOULD THROW MYSELF OFF THE NEAREST BRIDGE, I'M SO SORRY-SORRY-SOR—" But Ritsu endless rant was cut short as Ayame quickly poked him in the spot Shigure showed him.

He watched Ritsu fall into daze puddle and Ayame would never forget his love's words. "Ah thank you so much, my love, my savior, my amour, I shall have to pay you sometime soon with my own gift to you. But right now, let me finished for what Tohru should be receiving." He and Ritsu and Mine were working on some dresses for some of his fashion and also making some for Tohru.

The sweet little princess that set herself in everyone's heart. He made a dress designed for everyone's description of their Tohru.

Shigure's flower, so Tohru would wear a lovely green dress that carried the pattern of white lilies and assortment to the contribution.

Hatori's spring, so that would be light blue matching the sky along with white hem at the sleeves to give details of melting snow.

Then Yuki didn't seem to mind the one Tohru tried on before, so he made same version with light violet as the color. Then so on and so forth.

"Oh she is going to look lovely in this design, don't you agree. I must say I outdone myself with this one. Truly stunning, she's going to look very much like royalty."
He was putting the dresses back in their storage cases when he heard the bell tinkled from the front. Ritsu woke up just in time to hear Ayame say, "Ah customers, see I told you Ritsu, so why don't you be a good monkey and greet them."

"Um, H-hai, of course Ayame-san." And quickly rushed out of the room to the front.

"Welcome to Ayame's shop, how may we help…" He looked around and saw nobody. "You?" He then went to the back and said, "Ayame there's no one out there."

"What?" But he could have sworn he heard the door opening and bell ringing. Quickly he passed Ritsu and Ritsu followed after as they made their way to the front.

Ritsu had been right. There was nobody here.

"Ayame-san you sure you heard someone come in—"

A sudden crash was heard and both jumped when it seem to came from the back room. 'What, how,we had been in there and the person couldn't have, there was no back door.'

The two looked at one another and before they had a chance to react, something in the room stirred and it's yellow eyes stared at them and soon more appeared in there.


Kagura and Rin were in one of the house of the Sohma property. Some lived here while others like Shigure, Yuki, Ritsu and Kyo lived outside the compound.

"Oh I wonder how my beloved is doing!" Kagura said as she gave her kitty backpack a tight squeeze to her chest. It looked ready to explode in Kagura's arm but she making it herself made it full proof not to break.

Rin laid on one of their beds that they shared together in this place. She had a copy of a Teen subscription and was flipping the pages until she came to the 'Test and see if your boyfriend's gay.'

"Well that obvious when he's around Yuki." Rin and Haru had a sorta love/hate relationship to deal with.

Sure they got along sometimes but others, which include Black Haru tended to go way over the edge. She saw that their relationship was gonna be a rocky one until Haru decides to be who he wants to be.

'If he becomes bisexual, the hell he better not think of a threesome with me and Yuki in bed!' She closed the magazine and set it to the nightstand. She looked over at Kagura who was blabbing on and on about being with her 'Kyo-kun'.

She shook her head. Kagura and Kyo may both be hot-headed and stubborn but it seem the neko wasn't interest in the boar at all.

Oh no, she believes she see a certain 'riceball' alongside that kitty. All they needed to do was be pushed in the right direction. But one obstacle was to keep Kagura from tearing Kyo apart. She sighed, 'maybe I should tell her first off, that way she might take it easier.' She sat up on the bed and stood up.

"Hey Kagura." Kagura stopped hugging her cat doll and looked over at Rin. "Yeah?"

She took a deep breath. "Kagura maybe I don't know how to tell you but—" She was interrupted by the knocking on their door. Both girls looked at one another.

"Who could that be?" Kagura stood up and walked over to the door. Just as she did she saw nothing and when she stepped outside to check if the person was still out there. A prank call, maybe it was Momiji or Hiro, but she doubt it would go pass Hiro to do something so tactless.

Or maybe Kyo was here and he was too shy to stay and had to back away. She was deep within her own thoughts when she heard a scream coming from their bedroom.

"Rin!" Kagura ran back in. That didn't sound like any scream she would expect to hear from Rin. She would never believed it sounded that frighten and shrill scream came from Rin. But as she approached the bedroom, Rin rushed out and collided with her. "Rin what-what happened!" But Rin quickly grabbed Kagura's hand and ran towards the door.

"What's wrong!" She said as she tried to slide it open but the door was jammed in. Rin struggled and Kagura was looking behind to see what appeared to be shadows lurking towards them, coming at them fast. Quickly she grabbed Rin's hand and they both ran to find another way out.


Hiro was visiting Kisa at her house and she asked him to take her over to Shigure's place.

"Whatever." He said as the two started walking over to the house where 'Sissy' lived. Kisa was very quiet along the way and Hiro couldn't help but wish he pulled out something to talk to. 'But everything I said, would either come out as a remark or snap at her.' He wished their was a way to tell Kisa his feeling. Maybe the time was now.

"Kisa…" He said and Kisa turned to looked at him with her amber eyes. "Yes Hiro-kun, is something wrong? What is it?"

"There's something I been meaning to tell you." He and Kisa kept at pace as he was about to reveal the biggest thing that he had kept to himself. "You know how I'm always a jerk to you at time, well to tell the truth, the real matter is that I, that I—"

Suddenly they heard crashing sounds, like dishes breaking and both heads turns to see that they arrive at Shigure's house. And it sounded like something was going on that include a lot of screaming and breaking furniture.

"What's going on? Is Uncle Kyo and Yuki fighting with grandpa Shigure? I hope Sissy's not getting hurt." Hiro heard a lot but it sounded mostly like the dog's voice yelling.

"Kisa stay here. I'm going to look through the window." He walked slowly over towards where a pile of boxes were and stood on top of them to see through the window. What he saw he nearly fell over.

"Hiro!" Kisa joined his side and saw what he was seeing. Inside Shigure was holding a mop in his hands, swinging it side to side to keep some weird strange black creature from getting near.

And every time he tried to hit one, he missed.

"Get back! All of you get back! Shoo!" He swung hard into one of them but it fell to the floor, flat like a pancake and Shigure ended up hitting air again or sometimes the dishes sitting on top the sink.

'Dang, how am I suppose to fight this things if I keep missing?' His eyes were scanning around, trying to see if more of these were around when his eyes caught sight of Kisa and Hiro staring. Suddenly one of the shadow things saw them.

"Kisa! Hiro! Run!" He tried to stop the one that saw them but it quickly fled out the door after the two children.

Hiro didn't need to be told twice. Quickly he grabbed Kisa's hand and started running for their lives as they felt one of those things Shigure had been attacking, chasing in pursuit.


Haru was sitting in the lobby of the already emptied building as Momiji talked with his father.

'This was the pits.' Haru pulled off his headphone when he saw Momiji exited the small office. He was waving bye, "Bye bye papa, see ya later." Momiji smiled then sighed. "Papa sure was busy. Na na, Haru were you waiting long?"

Haru looked at him with his face blank. "No I've been highly entertained by all this long waiting in this building for the last, geez, two hours."

Momiji wasn't sure whether that was Haru's white side boredom or black's sarcasm. He could never tell those two well. "Well why don't we go and see Shigure? Will that make you better?" The blonde rabbit asked, his brown eyes shining for Haru to agree.

Haru was hoping to walk over to Shigure's, but chances on getting lost like always was a negative on him, then again he would see Yuki. Two out one won.

"Ok let's go." And both boys headed down the long hallway until the lights started flickering. Suddenly each one started to go off.

"What the? What's happening. Papa didn't leave the building yet and it's already shutting down. What's going on Haru?" Haru had to agree with Momiji on this, something was odd.

Just as he turned his head, he saw something lurking in the corner. A black shadow moving among shadows. That didn't look right, especially when it show eyes appearing out of nowhere.

"Haru!" Before Momiji had to ask, Haru quickly grabbed his hand and ran to the emergency fire stair exit. The two ran down the flight of stairs but somehow that thing was gaining on them.


Kureno could not believe what was happening. When he flew right out, he tried to get the doors of everybody's house in the facility to open, but they were locked. He pecked at windows but no one seem to hear them.

'I got to find help', quickly he flew as fast as he possible could to the person he knew that might help. He reach to the third floor and just in the knick of time. His body changed back to normal and he knew he would have fallen to his death if he were still in the air.

He started bashing the glass of the apartment window and heard a voice from inside saying, "I'm coming, I'm coming!" The front door opened then close. "Who the heck?"

"Something the matter Ou?" A dark voice asked, Hana that was who Kureno remember and again started hitting the glass. "Ou I think something's at your window."

"You think?"

"Yes I sense a strange wave coming from there." And Ou walked over and opened the curtains to see Kureno and obviously not dressed. "What the Hell!" She unlocked the window and Kureno slipped inside. "What happened to you! What the heck were you doing standing outside my window, naked! Are you completely insane!"

Kureno didn't have time to answer as he tried to explain what happened but his eyes widen when he saw something lurking underneath the door.

"Oh, dear god!" Ou and Hana looked in the direction of where Kureno was staring and saw black creature slipping under Ou's door and coming in.


Kyo and Tohru were almost to the house when Kyo sensed something was wrong. He stopped in his tracks. "Kyo, what's the matter, is something wrong?"

"Tohru, don't you feel it? Something not right? You don't hear anything do you?" She looked around and saw Kyo was right.

There were no sounds of birds, the distant cries of the town, nothing. What was going on?

Tohru looked at Kyo worried. "What the heck do you think is it?" She asked quietly as Kyo grabbed her. "Stay close to me Tohru." Suddenly, there he heard it.

A twig breaking and it had come from behind them. He turned and saw five small black things, walking strangely and looking at them with yellow eyes. These things, whatever they were, were after them. He could sense it. "Tohru on the count of three, we're going to run."

"What Kyo?" But Kyo was already counting as the things drew closer to them.

"One, two, three!" And he threw the bags at them and he and Tohru fled as the things jumped and to follow. Kyo knew the forest walkway well and knew many shortcuts and detours to lead those things off.

"Tohru head left then make a turn on rock formation that looks like an fox head or dog or whatever then head straight until you make it to a clearing. I meet you there, I'll try and keep these things distract. Now go!" Tohru nodded and ran as fast as she could in the direction Kyo told her. She wanted to look back but something told her not to, she could feel it in her gut.

'Keep going left, keep going until I find a rock shaped fox, gotta keep going and find it. Oh please don't let Kyo get hurt.' She was almost to where she could see a tip of a rock ear belonging to a fox when suddenly she stopped in her tracks.

In front of that rock formation were two cloaked people. One of them lowered their hood and revealed to be Akito and the other person remained with his on, his faced covered.

Something was not right with person, she could feel it. It was burning deep in her chest as the dark cloaked figure walked over towards her. What was happening to her, she was feeling…so weak. What was going on?

She was nearly kneeling to the ground when he grabbed her chin and pulled it up to stared into ice-cold ice and a cruel smile appeared on his face.

"Seem like I finally found you Hikari. It's been a long, long time searching for you…but now that search is over." He pressed one hand over her heart and she felt like her body was on fire. She screamed in pain before she fainted and gave into darkness.

Her last thoughts were of everyone…. her family…her friends….

'Kyo….'


Kyo was using his fist and grabbing random rocks as he tried to fend off these monsters. But he kept missing. 'Damn', he thought running but he suddenly stopped when he heard a scream. Tohru's scream.

"Tohru!" He ran in the other direction, close to the one where the rock was and then saw two people and one lying in the arms of another. Tohru was in the arms of the cloak person.

"Hey you let go of her right now!" Kyo snarled as he jumped down towards them. Akito looked over at the cat. "Well well, trying to play hero, to rescue some dumb girl? My aren't you given quite a base of action."

"You bastard, you're in on this! I'm gonna rip you to shred when I'm finished with this guy!" He pointed to the other person but the man gave a soft chuckle which turned into a menacing laugh. "What the Hell so funny?"

"Why you boy, you think you can stand against me? Perhaps you should rethink your words carefully and see how well you will do against this!"

Suddenly a great explosion appeared and Kyo covered his eyes and when he lowered his arms, he saw that Akito, the stranger and Tohru were gone and in their place a huge menacing dark beast appeared.

'Oh my god, I think I bitten off more than I could chew.' He thought as the huge dark monster looked down at him. And then one of its huge claws heading straight for him.