At long last…. Ready. Set. Go!

Evermore

Chapter 7

By Zapenstap

The stitching in Kyo's side pulled at the flesh, tearing the skin, blood threatening to spill again from the healing wound. But the pain was minimal, a welcome blur of sensation beside the painful white roar of images that flashed through his head and smote his heart with sickening nausea. The sight of Yuki fighting that boy--a small, slender kid with a youthful face and quick movements, a stranger whose boots Kyo recognized suddenly from when they had crushed his throat, silencing him when he lay flat on his back and bleeding--had stirred an anger in Kyo so deep he felt his very soul blackening. And he saw Yuki, that arrogant bastard with his pathetic problems, moving so fluidly, so beautifully and effortlessly, so impossibly perfect and undeniably admirable so as to make a fight look like a dance. And then Yuki was unexpectedly struck down, that familiar boot connecting with that flawless face so that Yuki flew backward, the back of his head striking the earth with a heart-stopping thud. And Kyo had been horrified to feel only fear at first, a clench in his heart and a shiver in his arms, a fear for that rat, that (as the others moved in to help) was replaced by seething anger.

Yuki had been defeated for the first time, not by Kyo, but by some boy who by the look of it had never even learned martial arts. Nobody gave a damn about the cat.

Impossible. Unbelievable. Humiliating. Something in Kyo had snapped, a lurch of raging, hating emotion bursting from his heart so that the monster lurking inside him clawed its way to the surface. His wrist had burned. The hate he felt for Yuki turned on himself, was buoyed up by shame, but before he could catch the damning expression in anyone else's eyes, he fled. If he had stayed he would have killed.

The crunch of rock under claws resounded in Kyo's changed, dropping ears. His mind and soul looked out through slit-like cat eyes and a maw of ragged sharp teeth. He could still feel his heart beating, his blood pumping, his thoughts churning, but it was under a tough, green skin and jutting bones. And it was no illusion. This was his body. He was a monster. In reality, he was a monster. The truth, that undeniable truth, made everything so heart-wrenchingly obvious. The human skin he wore for some of the time, with the help of a blasted charm, was a cover of this true shape, this repulsive, appalling shape that his own mother feared and loathed. It was this shape that had killed his mother, this shape that had driven his father to hate and forsake him, this shape that had ostracized him from every member of his family; it was this shape that cast him completely from the human race. How could he compete with the rat? Why should anyone give a damn about him? How could he think to prove himself now? He was a monster. How could he continue to hope for anything, for grace, for mercy, for acceptance? From anyone, for any reason…? Oh god…Tohru… It was so wrong to love her.

He ran with the force of a battering ram, charging recklessly through alleys nestled behind buildings, keeping to the shadows, away from the streets, looking for some place to rest, some dark cave where he could cry and rage alone, some secluded, safe place out of the sight of people. A moan of despair shook through him and he stumbled.

Akito was right. However malicious and cruel and for whatever twisted joy he took in it, he was right. Kyo was a monster and he could never hope to enter society, much less win a seat at God's table, even if those gathered, including god himself, were equally cursed. He was a monster. He was born a monster and he would be a monster until his death. He had to accept it. He had to come to terms with his fate. The cage was the only thing for him.

He hated himself. He hated himself and loved himself enough to wish it could be different, and he hated that love of himself even more, that weakness. He wished sometimes that he could stop loving, stop caring, stop hoping, stop worrying about what others thought of him, stop wishing to be part of a family that was ashamed and horrified by his existence. They all felt that way. He had always known it, always felt it. The outer Sohma members, and Yuki of course, but Haru and Momiji and Shigure too. Everyone. He had seen their faces, their reactions. They were all afraid of him and they all pretended that they were not, that there was nothing to be afraid of, or even to take note of. They ignored him, and tried to bring him down by insulting him and ridiculing him and reminding him of what he really was by pretending that no such thing existed. Why did he care so much? If this was how it had to be, he wished that he could cast them off, smite those smirks off their faces, become a complete monster since he could never be completely human. If he could not be loved, he wished to at least be feared. This half-life of living on the verge of sociable companionship, of being allowed some things and denied others, of living and feeling like he was always alone, always under the labeling of those he had to depend on, struggling always to prove to everyone, to anyone, that he was not what they thought him to be, that he was not a monster through and through… He hated it!

Pebbles scattered behind him as boots drove into the gravel from somewhere close. "Wait!"

He was being followed.

Kyo sprung swiftly from the ground and clambered up onto the roof of a rusty metal shed tucked out of sight behind a house. He crouched on the apex, his claws digging into the roof panels, and sat still like a gargoyle at the edge. He shrank into himself, his head hiding close to his shoulders as he peered around at the way he had come, scanning the ground for signs of pursuit. Only empty boxes and bags of trash and dumpsters met his gaze, the garbage people hid in the alleys they did not consider part of their civilized world. Like himself.

The sound of the panels being jostled beneath his feet alerted Kyo to the weight of another person leaping on the other end of the roof behind him. Kyo's eyes burned a baleful gold as he snarled, showing row upon row of ugly, sharp teeth as he turned his wedge-shaped head to grimace over his shoulder at the figure standing but ten feet away. The rest of him followed and he straightened onto his legs, standing tall and erect, thankfully still hidden from the main street by the towering roof of a rather large house. The talons on his toes scraped the metal of the roof beneath him as he turned to face his visitor.

It was not Yuki or Tohru or anyone else that he might have expected. His whole body seemed choked with hate and rage as he stared at the image of his attacker, a shrimp of a kid with wide, bright eyes, his mouth slightly parted and his hands suspended away from his body in either a gesture of appeal or as a means of balance. It was the stranger, and it was the same one he knew. Kyo was sure now. He recognized the boots all to well. It was this…kid…who had stabbed him. Kyo's side ached and it was an effort not to crumple with the pain that practically overwhelmed him when he was reminded of it.

"You," he said, with more hate boiling under his tone than he had ever shown even to Yuki, the part of him that lurked deep in his heart.

"Hey. Easy," Belduine answered soothingly, and by the way he moved so easily, taking two sauntering steps forward, he was not holding out his hands for balance. He was trying to calm Kyo. His eyes remained on Kyo's face, watching him closely, intent on every movement, every detail. "Kyo, right? Look, I'm sorry about this. Just try and relax..."

Kyo snarled in response. Relax! But for a moment he was baffled. The kid did not appear to be talking to a monster that towered over him, claws and teeth bared for killing. He was still walking toward him, inching along the apex of the shed, hands outstretched, and appearing to have no trouble with his balance. He looked wary, but not scared. His eyes blinked normally and his expression seemed to be more wrapped in thought than fear. But then, this was a person, a kid, who had stabbed another in cold blood. How would such a person be expected to react to anything? Kyo was used to people pretending not to be afraid of him, but not in this form. In this form, everyone was always terrified. He was okay with that. He knew what he looked like, what he really was. Of course he would be hated and feared…

"Stop thinking," Belduine whispered. "You're making it worse."

Kyo straightened stiffly, taking a step back. "What would you know about it?" he shouted angrily. Belduine opened his mouth and took another step forward, walking on the roof as sure-footedly as if it were flat ground. Kyo reared back defensively, afraid of this person who was not afraid of him. "Stop! Don't come any closer! I…I only want to know one thing. My bracelet. Where is it?" He was ashamed that he could not hide the desperation in his voice.

Belduine stopped moving, adjusting his balance by shifting his feet, and a look of consternation stole across his face. "I…I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't understand clearly that this would happen. I should have realized."

"Where is it?" Kyo demanded. If he could recover the bracelet...even at the expense of this boy… It was him—Kyo was sure of it—who had stabbed him three days ago. It was because of this kid that Kyo could never return to the life he had known. Because of this person, he would almost be happy to go to the cage Akito had prepared for him. Unless the bracelet…

"I don't have it anymore," Belduine said. "It's true that I took it from you, but I…"

Kyo snarled, but it was half a moan. The wound in his side ached with a fiery pain and he hunched over it, clutching at his side.

Belduine stepped back a pace, moving smoothly as if dancing. He spoke softly. "Look, I'm sorry for what I did, stabbing you, I mean. I had to do it. I was ordered to. I swear I was told that it was best, that you had to be distracted beyond any emotion to avoid a permanent transformation. The bracelet isn't important, but your psyche's attachment to it is."

"Just tell me where it is!"

"The Esper has it," Belduine said, sounding resigned on this point. "I was told that she would be satisfied with something like that, that she wouldn't come after your family if she was given something, but we misjudged her. So she has your bracelet now. I gave it to her personally. But really, this isn't what's important. If you would calm down and listen to me…"

Kyo swung an arm. Not important? He couldn't stand those eyes on him, the eyes of his enemy watching him so intently, eyes that would dare to stare at him in this shape so openly and speak so plainly. He meant to knock Belduine from the shed, send him to the ground and escape while he recovered, but Belduine predicted his movement and flipped backward as he had done while fighting Yuki, his boots kicking over his head like it was very easy to do. He landed lightly on his feet, still on the shed a few paces away, half in a couch, but now his eyes were a little wide, and the strain in his tone might have been either desperation or anger.

"Damn it! I said I was sorry! Just listen a moment! I'm not afraid of you, so don't look at me like that. I'm trying to help you. You need to control your emotions. Just let go of whatever it is you hate and you should change back."

Kyo's breathing came in ragged gasps. Who is this guy? He found himself listening in spite of himself.

"Look, I can't take you back to the others like this," Belduine said. "There isn't time to argue about it, so just listen to me. The shape you have now is a corporeal manifestation of an age-old vengeance that has infected the spirit of the Cat since the beginning of your curse. Whatever you've been told, it's really just an enchantment triggered by hate. If you can control those emotions you can control the enchantment. You don't need the bracelet. If I understand it correctly, the bracelet just absorbs the potency of those feelings. So get over it. There are things happening right now that are more important than this. You are all in terrible danger. It's very important that I speak to all of you immediately. We don't have time to…"

"Just stop hating?" Kyo said in disbelief. "Just stop… Who the hell do you think you are? What would you know about it?"

Belduine straightened. He didn't seem to be phased by this explosive demand. "Just relax," he said, blinking and watching Kyo with a straight expression. After a moment of silence, he snapped his fingers and said with a bright smile. "Hey, I know! Tell me about Tohru."

Kyo was so caught off guard that he blinked, almost losing his balance on the roof. "Tohru…" he muttered. "What do you know about Tohru?" He found himself yelling and didn't question why. "She… She's none of your concern!"

"I like her," Belduine said off-handedly. "She's interesting, and she was very nice to me. Is she nice to you?"

"Wha…? What do you mean by nice?!?!"

Belduine grinned. "I mean she's polite. She seemed really sweet too, though kinda naïve. But that's okay. I like innocent girls."

Kyo's eyes threatened to pop out of his head.

"Do you like her?" Belduine continued. "Is she yours? Or Yuki's? Is she available? I couldn't decide. It all seemed very confused."

Kyo's usual anger, which was more like explosive exasperation than anything else, took control and boiled until his face turned red with it. He stomped his food against the tiles, bristling with indignation, and pointed a finger at Belduine accusingly. "You leave her alone!"

"All right," he said simply. "If she's yours, I will. Is she yours?"

Kyo failed to make a response, merely gaping at this foreign idiot with conflicting emotions rollicking around in his gut. He couldn't think of a damned thing to say in either his defense or Tohru's. It would be stupid to say that he loved her more than anything else in the world, that she made the world a bright place in ways it hadn't ever been before. He couldn't explain that he couldn't make himself leave her alone even though it might be best for her, simply because he needed her so much. He couldn't even make himself say they she deserved better. And he sure as hell wasn't going to talk about Yuki!

And then he saw her in the flesh, running up the alleyway, still in her school shoes and uniform with her hair streaming behind her. Forgetting Belduine, Kyo reached out a hand to halt her and opened his mouth to tell her to turn back, when he realized that his hands were human again, that his body was his own, and he couldn't for the life of him remember when it had happened or how.

"Oh hey, pretty lady," Belduine said with a wave and a smile. He sat down on the roof, swinging his legs in front of him, and slid down to the edge so that he was just a few feet above her, though he didn't jump off. "We were just talking about you."

Tohru was breathing hard, staring between Belduine and Kyo with wide, blinking eyes. "Kyo…" she said, clutching a fist to her chest as she looked up at him. The expression in her eyes made Kyo reel his head back and swallow. He flushed unconsciously, but trying to ignore the heat in his cheeks, he shoved his hands in his pockets and tried to retain a straight face.

"I'm okay," he said gruffly, and had to look away when her eyes shimmered with emotional relief.

Turning his back to her, Kyo walked down the opposite slope of the roof, away from her eyes, and climbed down to the ground where no one could see him. Standing alone in the shadows, he put a hand to his face, amazed that he was so emotional about…something; he wasn't even sure what.

Sudden shouting and a string of curses brought Kyo's attention around and he ran out from behind the shed just in time to see Yuki and Haru tackling Belduine together, trying to subdue him with outright aggressive force. It was Belduine who had cursed, pulling out their grasp and knocking at them with elbows and feet. Tohru leaped back, both hands pressed to her mouth, as Arisa, Hana and Momiji came tearing around the corner, forming a circle around the fray. Belduine struggled and shouted in the middle, aiming kicks and punches mostly at Yuki, who avoided them with cool evasions. Kyo was tempted to laugh with fiendish delight when he took note of the pretty black bruise marring Yuki's cheekbone.

Until Tohru screamed a warning.

"Don't touch me!" Belduine snarled viciously.

Eyes narrowed dangerously, Belduine shouldered Haru aside and from out of nowhere produced a knife, a black-handled, five-inch blade with a small hilt almost like a dagger. He flipped it into his hand, his fingers dancing over the hilt, and tucked the smooth side of the blade against the outside of his forearm so that the sharp edge faced his opponents along the wrist. He used it like a battering ram and Yuki gasped, pulling swiftly backward and simultaneously shoving Haru out of the way. Belduine broke free of them both, turning the knife again on nimble fingers so that the blade jutted up from his fist, and faced the pair of them.

"I don't want to fight either of you," Belduine said, breathing deeply. "I don't fight for fun. I came to help you. We don't have time…"

"You wanted to go to the Main House, didn't you?"

Kyo gasped in surprise as his Master stepped into the circle, approaching the scene from behind. Yuki and Haru also stared at him with wide eyes, stepping back and lowering their defenses as Belduine whirled.

"Watch out, master!" Kyo warned.

But Belduine moved too slowly. Kazuma deflected a punch, caught the boy's other wrist and twisted his arm sharply. Belduine let out a squeal of pain, rising up on his toes and dropping the knife to the ground with a clatter before he was turned and caught securely in Kazuma's grip, both hands pinned behind his back and feet kicking.

"It seems you have something to tell the Sohmas," Kazuma said in a voice that was neither angry nor menacing, but calm and controlled and almost kind. "It seems you know a great deal more than you should. Akito has asked that you be brought to him, so I will respect his wishes and take you to the Main House. Unfortunately, we will be forced to contain you until he has time to see you. I regret this incident, but I can not have this kind of dangerous behavior directed toward my students and family members. I am sure you understand."

Belduine continued to kick. "Let go of me! I wasn't really going to hurt anybody!" He twisted in Kazuma's hold, trying to pull out of his grasp. "They can't find me here! They can't find me here!Let me go! "

"Well," Kazuma said. "At least your Japanese is fluent. It does not appear that communication will be a problem."

"I'm speaking Japanese?" Belduine said incredulously. There was a pause before he kicked again furiously, fighting so hard that Kazuma struggled to hold onto him. His twisting became so wild that with a grimace, Kazuma hit him sharply against the side of his head with the flat side of his hand. Stunned, Belduine's movement's stilled, his eyes fluttering closed before he slumped into unconsciousness, falling softly limp in Kazuma's arms.

"Was…was that really necessary?" Tohru asked, slowly pulling her hand down from her mouth. "He seemed so nice…"

Yuki and Kyo both looked at her, taking one step toward her until they each caught the other's movements and froze, glaring at one another in a silent challenge.

"He did pull a knife on the Prince, Tohru," Arisa said. "I think it was necessary. Are we going to this Main House now or what?"

Kazuma sighed. "Yes. Some of us are at least. I am glad now I decided to come up here today. Persuading Kyo to come…Did you find out what you needed, Miss Hanajima?"

Saki, standing unnoticed beside Momiji, folded her hands over her school uniform. "It is the same boy. The one who was watching us that day, the one who felt so strange to me. I believe there is something about him that isn't…natural."

Yuki glanced at Belduine, slumped against Kazuma and looking utterly harmless. Kyo looked at him too, the dark hair falling over a face that was seemed so young and innocent. But the knife on the ground gave him the shivers. Just from looking at it, he knew it for the one that had sliced so expertly into his body. He remembered the pain and the blood and unconsciously put a hand to his side. "He was the one who stabbed me on Friday," he informed the others, surprised that his voice was so calm when he felt so cold. "I'm sure of it. I'm not sure what he wants, but he said some strange things."

"How did you change back, Kyo?" Kazuma asked.

Kyo didn't answer. That was his business. The kid had said that if he could stop hating… He continued to look at Belduine, wondering what was going on, what this kid's true purpose was. What did he want from them that he would bother to warn them of some mysterious danger that was after them? What was in it for him? Kyo found himself feeling unsure and uneasy, not knowing what to believe, but the secret of the curse had to be protected, and they had to carry out Akito's wishes. They would take him to the Main House. Maybe that was even what Belduine had wanted, though perhaps not in this fashion.

Kyo looked up and around at the others, noting that most of them avoided looking at him. Yuki seemed especially oblivious to his existence, and even Momiji's gaze darted away, though he looked sad. Of course. Kyo was still a monster underneath and they all knew it. Only Kazuma and Tohru were watching him with even, almost sympathetic faces.

"Tohru," Kyo whispered, not daring to catch her eye. "You should stay out of this."

Tohru blinked. "Huh?"

"Don't go to the Main House," he said. "Stay at home. Stay in your room, or go out with your friends. Don't… don't get involved."

"But I want to help," she whispered.

"I think Kyo might be right, Miss Honda," Yuki said slowly, turning his head toward her, and Kyo was too lost in thought to bristle at Yuki agreeing with him. It didn't matter as long as she was safe.

"Actually, Kyo, you can take her back to Shigure's, if you like," Kazuma said. "It might be better."

"I guess," Kyo said, and tried to smother his irritation.

He wasn't invited. Not everybody would be at the Main House, but either way he wasn't invited. Kazuma thought such things were stupid, Kyo knew he did, but there was no sense in blatantly defying the custom now and upsetting things unnecessarily. This was too important. And besides, he'd rather accompany Tohru. At least Yuki didn't look as pleased by this arrangement.

"We'll go with you too," Arisa volunteered for herself and Saki.

"Good idea," Kazuma said. "I will feel better if Miss Hanajima is with you, Tohru, and you too, Kyo."

Kyo and Tohru both flushed and Saki seemed astonished, staring at Kazuma with some emotion that Kyo could not decipher, almost like she was gratified, or pleased or even embarrassed beneath her surprise. Slowly, a flush crept into her cheeks too, though she quickly turned her face away.

"I suppose we had better get going," Kazuma said, and lifted Belduine into his arms like a sleeping child. As he headed back to the school, Yuki, Haru and Momiji fell on his heels, silent in their attendance.

Kyo waited a moment, watching them go, and then picked up the knife that had been left in the dirt. The blade was engraved with runes, strange twisting figures that covered the length of it. He tucked it unceremoniously in his belt and looked up at who was left. Arisa and Saki were looking in his direction, though their thoughts seemed to be turned inward. Tohru stood as she had before, looking so lost and scared and worried that it made him mad.

"Come on, you," Kyo said gruffly, and grasped her wrist to pull her along. She had been staring after the retreating form of the others, but she turned back when he touched her, staring at him with a slightly parted mouth. Worry warred with trust in her eyes, and underlying it all was an emotion he was almost afraid to name.

"Um. Okay," she whispered, and he blushed again, turning his head away so that she wouldn't see.

*****

Shigure leaned back in his chair, trying not to look or feel like he had been set here as a guard dog on Aktio's orders. It was an effort not to glance at the closed door behind him and wonder if that kid was still lying in there unconscious. Kazuma hadn't seemed very happy to bring him here in such a state. He had told Akito flat out that it would probably have been wiser to simply let the boy say what he had come to say on his own terms and then erase his memory afterwards if it was necessary. In response, Akito had snidely thanked him for his help and then told him to mind his own business and stay out of the affairs of the cursed unless he was called upon. Shigure kept his silence, but he was concerned to see that Akito seemed pleased that the boy was brought in as limp as a rag doll.

Yuki stood near the far wall with his arms crossed and his shoulders hunched, his profile barely visible as he stared down at the ground. Shigure watched him with concern. He could tell that he was uncomfortable, and it was no wonder. Belduine had been locked in the same room that Yuki used to be beaten and abandoned in when he was just a child. Shigure tried not to think much on those days. He hadn't been much more than a kid himself then, and for all his recent efforts, he really didn't feel much more in control now, but what had been done to Yuki, and the way he had ignored it like everyone else, had never sat right with him. It didn't set right with anybody, but Akito had always done whatever he pleased, always pushing the boundaries, and they always gave way, every last one of them, every single time. It was part of the problem. And it was unfortunate, in so many ways, like so many other things. Just how was one supposed to treat a man who was also a god, and yet acted more like monster with the mental stability of a child?

"Relax, Yuki," he said in as cheerful and bright a tone as he could manage. They all needed optimism. "I know this place makes you nervous, but we've nothing to worry about for now."

"Did he do it on purpose?" Yuki whispered unexpectedly. "Asking me to stand here with you, by that room? I still…" He fell silent. Yuki never could talk about that room, not even with Tohru. And out of respect, none of them who knew ever mentioned it. Maybe it was out of fear too.

Watching Yuki, Shigure couldn't help but wrack his brain again for a solution to this mess. As one of the older ones, Shigure's perspective on his family's discord was wider, and as a writer whose gift it was to understand people, he could see more of it. Akito was younger than he was and Shigure was one of the few who knew him well enough to realize that their god was more fragile than any of them. He was never entirely sure if he was more afraid of Akito breaking one of the Twelve or one of the Twelve breaking Akito. It was a pretty puzzle. But it was not something that was easy to understand or explain, especially to those suffering for it. Akito had never learned right and wrong, had never had any discipline or social instruction or had any parenting at all. When his parents were told their child was the Cursed God of the whole family, they abandoned him to it. Akito's relationships growing up were fragmented. He was a ward of the Sohma clan but he was treated like an emperor even as a child, over indulged and over revered. He could not be punished or corrected or taught by anyone. He could not even be held or touched or played with, because such 'human' interaction was considered disrespectful.

"Try not to think about it, Yuki," he advised. "Remember that it wasn't your presence he asked for today." He only wished it was so easy.

Yuki did not look soothed. Despite a cool exterior, he seemed agitated. Shigure watched him circumspectly.

Akito had learned early on that the Twelve alone were his to command as he wished, and indeed, they were his only playthings. He asserted his power over the younger ones like Yuki, venting his frustration out on them, and he clung to the older ones, seeking scraps of affection and indulgence when he was not proving his dominance. Shigure remembered even now the way Akito had raged and demanded and ordered them in a confusing string of contradictions, demanding their closeness and insulting their presence in the same breath. Shigure hadn't understood at the time. He was only starting to understand now. The deep-seated patterns and habits and traditions of the Sohma family curse had instilled in all of them a fear and reverence for Akito since birth, but Akito's life was painful and lonely beyond their understanding; he inflicted his misery on others because he knew nothing else. Lacking parents, friends, peers, and teachers, Akito didn't understand so many simple things. He hurt for affection and he needed discipline, but he would accept neither because he hated pity. His touch was creepy and invasive and the twisty, tangled darkness of his closeted mind sickened the soul. After all these years, it was impossible to deal with him now. He had no control over his emotions and not a shred of resilience. He didn't know how to take a rebuke or a correction or even a joke. And there was the sickness too, that convenient and constant illness that frightened them when Akito's hot tempers and icy silences didn't. They were all indebted to Akito and he knew it.

So what to do about it? Shigure pitied, feared, loathed and loved Akito in turns, but even he didn't really know what to do about him. He could only hope and guess and experiment, though to do so was dangerous. He felt he understood the nature of the curse, perhaps better than the others, and he even thought he saw a way to end their suffering, but it was so risky and it depended on such minute details that his hope was fragile at times. And Akito's temperament and feelings were perhaps the greatest milestone, a barrier like a ten-inch thick wall. Depression, misery, anger, fear, shame, silence and guilt ruled all their lives. Compassion was what he felt the Sohmas could use, himself included. Tohru Honda was a blessing sent straight from heaven in that respect, but if Akito could not be moved, was the rest of his hope in vain?

And now there was this kid, this Belduine stranger, who seemed to know of their curse and had repeatedly attacked and threatened them. What this kid might have to say worried Shigure. Anyone who threatened the Sohmas was going to catch Akito's wrath in the worst way. Akito was very jealous of his pets, so jealous that he hated Tohru simply for stealing away their attention. Shigure worried about Tohru, but right now he worried more about this kid. Akito was unpredictable, but it was almost certain that Hatori's services would be called upon. But suppose this kid, whoever he was, was right? What if what he had told Yuki was true and they were in some kind of danger? What would Akito do then? What would happen to Akito if something happened to them? It wasn't something Shigure had really considered before, but he feared any possible outcome of this meeting. It seemed to him that there were no lucky hands that might be dealt this day.

Yuki had put a hand to his head as if it ached. His eyes strayed again to the door, his features tight with strain. "Being locked in there as I was…" he began.

"Oh, I'm okay."

Shigure turned, blinking over his shoulder at the door from behind which the sound had come. Apparently their guest had awoken and was listening.

"It's actually one of the nicest prisons I've been in," Belduine's voice continued, muffled a little by the door. "It's got real floors and everything. Kinda dark, though."

"Have you been in lots of prisons?" Shigure asked mildly, amused in spite of himself.

"A couple," Belduine admitted.

"For assault?" Yuki said darkly, arms hanging loose at his sides as he faced the closed doors. "Or murder?"

"Nah. Not really, your Highness." Belduine replied. "I'm actually a thief, not a killer. But sometimes my luck is bad."

"Your Highness?" Shigure asked, raising his eyebrows at Yuki.

"Oh, is that not right? Is that not Yuki out there? Minami told me he was a Prince."

Shigure stifled a chuckle. "I see. It actually is Yuki."

"Anybody else out there?" Belduine asked. "Haru and Momiji? Or Kyo?"

"Haru and Momiji are with Akito right now," Shigure said. "As is Hatori. Kyo didn't come. He is at home with Tohru."

"Oh. Where's everyone else?"

Shigure wondered if the kid was grilling him for information, but he saw no reason not to tell him, as his memory was sure to be erased. Besides, he was curious. Perhaps he could jog something loose. He would need information if he was to be able to plan. "Ayame and Ritsu are absent, but everyone else is accounted for somewhere in the compound," he said calmly.

Belduine was quiet for a moment. "What are you going to do with me?" he asked.

"That is for Akito to decide," Shigure said promptly, and then leaned in with a disarming smile, "but, um, tell me…"

"Shigure," Yuki broke in suddenly, and pointed.

Shigure looked to see Kureno standing in the hallway. The man beckoned them silently, not quite meeting their eyes. Shigure frowned at him and then turned back to the doorway. "Well. It seems we are summoned."

"Oh good," Belduine said. "That saves me some trouble."

Shigure didn't ask him what he meant, but he couldn't help but wonder. He leaned back and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. They would have to continue their conversation on the way.

"Of course," Belduine added suddenly as Shigure moved to unlock the door. "By this time it's probably already too late."

TBC

Wow. This story is taking longer to write than I first thought! Does this happen to other people? Only half the stuff I think I can get done in one chapter actually gets done, but oh well; as long as the story is of decent quality and people are still reading it, I'll keep writing ^_^.

Of course, my thanks go out again to my reviewers. I feel like I know you all pretty well and you are all amazing for reviewing so consistently. My dream is to be an author, so by reviewing you're encouraging my dream. If I haven't mentioned your name then I probably have no idea you're reading my story! I can only guess that I'm writing for about ten people (and you are all wonderful!) but if others are reading also, I would sure like to know about it! ^_^ I'm writing this for free after all, though one day I would like to publish original works, so if you're reading, please take a moment to write a review. It actually will produce better and faster chapters. It's an incentive to write for other people, you see, and the more people, the more incentive! I'm not sure I deserve your reviews, of course, but I do really appreciate them. Nothing makes me happier than feedback from readers on a chapter I just posted. It's very inspiring. Honestly.

However, unless really inspired, updates are going to slow down a little bit. *wince* I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm in school again and I'm one of those studious types so that's going to take up a lot of my time. I'm still going to try and continue to update every two weeks or so, (which is actually every week b/c I'm alternating writing chapters for two different stories). It's actually pretty ambitious of me, but I enjoy this story and it's going to (hopefully) get exciting real fast (if it isn't already. I honestly don't know). Anyway, I just wanted to let everyone know what was going on.

Please keep reading!

And now to my lovely reviewers:

Mizaya: My devoted friend and fan, you are the only person who reviewed chapter five separately! It's funny because even though 5 and 6 are sorta one chapter, the reviews-to-chapters ratio took a fateful plunge by splitting it. So I just wanted to thank you for reviewing every chapter and not just the last one you read. It makes my heart sing to see such devotion. And about my 'house stuff,' you know, it kind of is like a cult. I mean, there are candles and rituals and stuff… Okay, so not exactly, but whatever. I like the discretion that comes of mystery, okay!? As for Akito being needy…I hope that's better explained. After some thinking, I thought it might be better just to write out the take on Akito's history that I have invented for this story so the things that are going to happen later will make more sense. As for that fight scene being like Mat with the Gholem in Ebou Dar…hey, that's a great RJ scene, so um, thanks! You are amazing as always.

Flirting with Incoherence: It's a toss up between Yuki and Kyo for me. Keep me posted on which one you're rooting for, because I honestly like both of them equally. I've written a Kyoru, but it's such an uncertain thing I can see this story going either way! There was a lot of Kyo in this chapter though. I hope you liked it! ^_^

Kyra Rivers: Black Haru was fun. I'm glad you liked that part b.c I was afraid it didn't flow very well. Momiji hasn't done much yet, and there are more characters in general to work into the story, but everyone will have a moment of glory at some point! I love that half-German brat too! ^_^ As for Belduine, I don't expect everyone to like him so it's good to see a reader not afraid to admit that they don't trust him right away. I wouldn't trust him either… However, I do hope you can like him as a character if not as a person as the story progresses, I mean, as far as being multi-dimensional and how shall we say, "possible"? Granted, this is fantasy… But anyway, enough of that. Thanks for the review and I definitely hope you return!

GrrlN: Ah, as I was telling Kyra, not being sure of Belduine might be a good thing! There's lots more to say about him, but my main concern is that you are interested in learning more, whatever kind of person he ends up being (and whether or not you could like such a person). Having interesting, not necessarily likable, characters is important for a good story and I do so hope my story will be good! *panics* Anyway, thank you very much for reading and reviewing!

Melinda the Digimon Pet: Well, you were right, weren't you?! Or so it seems so far. Yay! I'm really happy for your review, your comments and your predictions. Belduine claims that Kyo isn't really what's important. But I'd better not say anymore or risk giving away the story. Thank you very much for your review!

Sakura Avalon/Kinomoto: Ah, don't give up on Yukiru! I'd like to hear your thoughts on Kyo out of curiosity, but I will admit that I have a soft spot for our dear Prince Yuki. I hope you'll keep reading to see how it goes.

Calender: I loved your review! You seem genuinely excited and I really like seeing your name! I don't want to give away the story, but please keep reviewing! There's lots more planned to happen!

SAL-chan: Oh no, really. I want CCS. Stop teasing me! ^_^ Ha ha. Thank you for your review! I'm really grateful. I'm afraid I can't answer your questions, but I hope the story is interesting! Please return!

Caiti: Your reviews are so smart and so mature and so deliciously long. Thank you for them! They're absolutely lovely. I hope to keep the story unpredictable, so let me know if I succeed or fail! As for Ritsu, I'm going to try and get him in the next chapter, but we'll have to wait and see. I can't always do all that I think I can…

Rivulet: Oh, you gave me a scare at first. I wasn't sure if you'd forgotten the story. It's very bad of me to almost wait for your review before I get writing. *slaps wrist* Anyway, thank you very much for all that you have said. I sincerely appreciate the effort! We'll get more on Kureno shortly, and Arisa will also come into it soon too. ^_~ Tell me if you think I summarized Akito too much. I wasn't sure if it would be better to just write it out or integrate it slowly, so I've decided to do both. As for the fanclub, that's part of the fun of choosing Belduine to be in this story! As for the pixie, that's a cute comparison, but just so you know, he's not actually a pixie. ^_~ I don't want to reveal too much about him though, because there are still some things to discover… And as for the Esper…No, I really can't give it anything away. *beats head*

The Great Thing: Oh, you I really almost gave up on! I was thinking I would post again before you read and thereby lose a review from you for the other chapter, but I guess luckily I wasn't able to finish this chapter as early as I wanted to. ^_^ How ironic! But I'm so happy! I'm glad you aren't dead and it's good to be working hard in school! Thank you very much for the encouragement. The other story I'm writing is actually more popular than this one, but I'm trying to update both as fast as I can! Bear with me! I'm busy too! *flaps arms* Anyway, I promise that "insanely weird" is coming so stay tuned. I did a lot of planning. It just takes so much longer than I anticipated. This might be a very long story! Too long for a movie even, though the compliment is undeniably flattering. *blushes* I'm glad that you seem so excited! Please read and review again!!!

Thank you everybody! I really appreciate it!

PS: A note on 'Esper': If anyone was wondering, I did get the word "Esper" from Final Fantasy III (or VI) but in my defense I thought it was a real word because I've heard it used elsewhere before. However I can't find it in any dictionary, so I guess I'll just admit to stealing it from FF. It's a tribute to the game. I liked the Espers a lot and I started using the word when I was planning this story and it just kinda got stuck. So, sorry about that if anyone was curious. It's not supposed to be any kind of crossover or anything. I just liked that term for a fairy-like entity.