Part Two: Yuki's Double

Tohru breathed in heavily as Momiji brought over some water from the main house. Yuki took the cup from him and handed it to her gently.

"Thank you" she replied after taking a sip, "My mouth was kind of dry."

"Are you all right now Miss Honda?" Yuki said with a worried look on his face.

"Yes" she nodded, "I'm sorry I worried you both like that."

"Did you have another dream Tohru?" Momiji asked.

"Mhm" she nodded slowly.

"Really? Was it like the last one?"

"Momiji" Yuki said sternly, "Give her some breathing room."

"It's okay Yuki" Tohru replied, "In answer to your question Momiji yes. The dream that I just had picked up right where I left off with the other one."

"Really Miss Honda?" Yuki's eyes became wide.

"Mhm" she nodded again taking another sip of water.

"Well what happened in it?" Momiji asked eagerly as he leaned on the couch's armrest.

"Hmm? Let's see," she thought, "I once more found myself in the castle courtyard. The princess who looks like me, Takara was on her way down to the village to tend to the wounded."

"She sounds like you Miss Honda" Yuki managed to grin as he sat down next to her on the couch.

"Well maybe in that way" Tohru nodded, "But she is definitely a lot more stronger than I am defending the castle like she does. Any way. She went down to the village and it was there that the Captain informed her that they only had fifteen soldiers left when there was supposed to be thirty that the Lord had left behind."

"So" Momiji spoke up, "I take it a lot of them were killed in some of the attacks?"

Tohru nodded sadly as Yuki scratched the back of his head.

"Go on Miss Honda."

"Okay. Well she returned to the castle and then time kind of lurched forward. It was a new day and the Captain was now telling her of another attack that had come upon the village, meaning they were now down to only ten soldiers. Oh one other thing, and this surprised me, the name of the other clan was called the Ushida clan."

"Ushida clan?" Yuki's eyebrows became furrowed.

"Yes isn't that strange?"

"Not really. I imagine that all the Ushidas were nasty in that way," Yuki said with an angry frown.

"Oh."

"What else Tohru?" Momiji urged her.

"Oh right. Well another messenger was sent to the Sohma castle. This time it was an edict stating that if the Lord of the castle didn't return in three days then the Lord of the Ushida clan would come to take over the lands and castle. He would also take the older princess as his bride."

"How dreadful" Momiji gasped.

"Yes" she nodded, "It was strange too. During the whole thing, I could feel and sense exactly as Takara Sohma was feeling."

"Well maybe you have a connection to her Miss Honda" Yuki suggested as he crossed his arms.

"Maybe. Any way she got upset after that. Believing it was all her fault for the second attack on the village. Her older sister comforted her and told her that their brother would return before the deadline."

"But how did she know that Tohru?" Momiji asked.

"I'm not really sure how she knows those things. That part is strange to me too. The remaining villagers by order of Takara were brought up to the castle for protection. Soon evening fell and the Captain informed Takara that more horses were approaching the main gates. She was afraid that it might be the Ushida clan once more, but he shook his head and stated proudly that the flags they carried bore the crest of the Sohma clan."

"The Lord was returning?" Momiji asked excitedly, "Just like the sister said?"

"Uh huh. When Takara heard this she rushed to him. But when the young Lord removed his helmet it revealed that the person underneath. This Yotaro Sohma looked exactly like you Yuki" she looked at the boy on her left.

"Me?" he said surprised.

"Uh huh. And that's when I woke up. I guess I was so startled by that."

"Wow" Momiji grinned, "Imagine a young Lord that looks like Yuki."

"Yes" Tohru nodded, "Yuki was there anyone named Yotaro Sohma in your family back in the Feudal era?"

"I don't know Miss Honda" he shook his head but thought, "But the name does sound familiar. I know" he took her hand gently lifting her off the couch, "If this Yotaro Sohma was one of the cursed members we can find him in here" he led her to the locked door and took out his key, "Momiji" he looked back at his cousin, "We'll be right back. Just continue reading your journal."

"Okay" Momiji nodded as he unlocked the door and he and Tohru disappeared.

Inside the room was extremely dark so Yuki grabbed a flashlight from his side and turned it on. On a table Tohru spotted a candle and lit it with a match. She looked around the room and realized that the only thing to be found inthere were many portraits.

"What is this place?" she asked Yuki as he shone the light on the wall.

"These are portraits of many different Zodiac members" he explained, "Most of the paintings were done in secret however. Let's see if we can find this Yotaro Sohma you were talking about" he began to move around the room.

"Okay" she nodded holding up the candle to see more clearly.

They moved around the wall looking at all the portraits. Tohru was amazed of how many there were. Almost as many as there were journals. Finally they came to the final wall and she stopped in front of a large portrait and held the light up.

"Yuki!" she called, "I think I found him."

Yuki walked over and aimed the flashlightat the portrait. What he saw made him drop his flashlight in shock. He recovered just in time to catch it before it hit the ground however.

"That was close" he said, "I almost started a fire" he replied not realizing.

"But Yuki" Tohru smiled, "I have the candle. You have the flashlight remember?"

"Oh right" he stared at it sheepishly and then pointed it back onto the portrait, "So is that him Miss Honda?"

"Yes" she nodded, "I am quite certain that it is him. Look at the date on the bottom" she lowered her candle and then gasped, "Yuki! It's the same date as written in the cats journal."

"Are you serious Miss Honda?" he looked at her surprised.

"Yes. I'm positive" she nodded.

"I see" Yuki stared at the portrait with a frown on his face and thought, "It can't be just a coincidence anymore. This person is also the one I saw in my dreams as well. Maybe the person I thought was Miss Honda was actually this Takara Sohma too. All I know now is that I am thoroughly confused. I hate to do this" he thought, "But I might need to seek advice from Shigure. That means" he lowered his eyes, "I will have to tell him about what we have been doing."

(Next Scene)

Shigure leaned back as Yuki revealed to him all that had happened. He stroked his chin thoughtfully and smiled as Yuki concluded with the portrait that they found.

"I'm sorry Shigure" Yuki replied, "I know this is usually your territory, I just."

"Wanted to do your part in order to save Akito?" Shigure finished for him.

"Yes. Huh?" Yuki looked at him with a weird look on his face.

"Don't worry Yuki" Shigure grinned, "I am not the least bit angry that you've been doing this. In fact your researching in the very same area that I originally thought of."

"You mean you have researched in the journals before?"

"Mhm. But it got so cumbersome. I guess I needed some help but Hari and Aya refused to help me. It must be nice to have to extra pairs of eyes such as Tohru and Momiji helping you. But I must say," he paused, "I don't remember there being a cat journal amongst all those. Of course I never looked either. Does Tohru have it with her now?"

"Yes" Yuki nodded, "Ever since she read that journal though, she has been having these dreams. But I have to wonder. Are these dreams just manifestations of her imagination along with something else, since there happen to be a lot of people in them that resemble us or what?"

"No" Shigure shook his head, "I don't think that is what they are. I believe what Tohru is experiencing are called Foretelling dreams."

"Foretelling dreams? But those are the types of dreams that reveal things for the future Shigure not the past."

"True" Shigure grinned, "But sometimes one must go into the past to find the outcome of the future. You say that Tohru's dreams were connected?"

"Mhm. The second dream picked up where the last dreamleft off."

"I see. Well I wouldn't worry about it Yuki. After all I have had foretelling dreams before myself. I always knew it was no mistake that she became involved with us. Perhaps this is just one more way that proves that theory."

"I guess. But to tell you the truth I am worried about her."

"Don't be. I am sure she is fine" he said as Yuki rose to depart from his study, "Oh by the way Yuki, now that I know this, the next time she has a dream will you bring her to me so I can hear about it?"

Yuki nodded and walked out the door still thoroughly confused and a little worried. Shigure shook his head with a grin, placed his glasses back on his face, and picked up his pen once more to write.

(Next Scene)

Tohru climbed into her bed that night next to Kyoko and pondered the day's events. Yuki had been very quiet on their walk home. In fact since the portraits room he hadn't said hardly anything at all. She reached over onto her night table and once more picked up the cats journal.

"Well" she smiled, "Might as well read some more of this" she opened to the next page.

I remember the first time I ever laid eyes on you. My friend and I had just arrived with the Lord of the Sohma clan to your castle. To me at first you seemed like an unordinary princess. I had seen so many about that time and was quite bored with them to be honest. The only thing that I was looking forward to was defending the castle against the Ushida clan. The very clan that had destroyed my branch of the family. The very clan I held such vengefulness for. Who could have possibly known that they were the ones who would eventually bring us together. Look back and try to remember that time. Remember it all.

As Tohru read this last line she became sleepy once more and shut her eyes, the book falling from her lap and landing close to Kyoko who jumped back and hissed at the book. Then she jumped off the bed as Tohru drifted off into yet another dream.

(Next Scene)

Tohru gazed down at the two who were embracing and watched as Takara pulled away. Yotaro Sohma was handsome and wore the same princely smile that she so adored on Yuki.

"Hello my sister" he said gently, "I have returned."

"I am so glad" she cried embracing him once more, "I am so glad Yotaro. We have had such hard times."

"Yes" he nodded, "I only wish I could have made it back sooner. But don't worry. The Ushida clan will no longer torment our people."

"But they have sent many edicts my brother" Tatara replied worried, "Mostly about Aya."

"Yes" he frowned, "I'm sure. But like I said. Do not worry. For I have brought family of ours from the west. Not to mention two very strong warriors," he gestured two of the riders forward.

Tohru walked down from where she was standing to get a closer look. They removed their helmets and her eyes became wide.

"This is our cousin Hiro Sohma," he pointed to the one with black hair and grey eyes.

"Hatsuharu?" Tohru thought as he bowed before Takara.

"Please allow me and my men to help you in any way that we can my lady" he said as he knelt, "And also allow me to introduce a distant cousin of mine as well as best friend" he gestured for the other one to come forward, "This is Kiyoshi Sohma."

The shorthaired brunette bowed before her, his deep maroon eyes sparkling as he did. Tohru watched him, as did Takara. Tohru's eyes held such feelings as she watched him for as he rose she saw it. The same thing she saw in her own love's eyes. This man resembled Kyo in so many ways that it almost wanted her to run to him herself and embrace him. Takara however once more turned to her brother with a smile.

"They seem strong" she replied sweetly.

"Never fear my lady" Hiro said, "My friend and I will protect your castle to the very end. Right Kiyoshi?" he placed a gloved hand on his shoulder.

"Yes" Kiyoshi replied gently, "We shall."

Suddenly the wind moved past Tohru once more and the feeling of being pulled forward engulfed her. She woke up with a start and realized that her light was still on. The book was lying at her side. So she placed it back on the table and turned out the light. Then she fell back to sleep, this time no dream occurring, but the picture of Kiyoshi Sohma in her head just the same.

(To Be Continued..)

Authors Note: Okay you guys! That's it for this week! I know you only got three chapters this week but the last two parts have been very long. So I will see you next week for the remaining parts of Chapter Six!

Next Part: Part Three: A Love in Time