Shigure opened the door and everyone left. Saru walked to where the big cat's were. When she got there she walked to the black panthers. All she did was stare..
Saru looked around to make sure no one was in the room and then she spoke, "I know how you feel,"
The panthers stopped where they were and walked over to Saru.
"I know what it's like to be in a cage. I was in one for seven years of my life, but it was only me in the cage," Saru stated.
"How can you talk to us?" a panther asked.
"I don't want to talk about," Saru claimed sitting on the steps in front of the cage.
"What's wrong with talking about a gift?" the panther asked.
"It's more of a curse," Saru stated.
"A curse, explain," the panther suggested.
"When I was a baby I was born with..this gift. I carry the power of the panther. When I get very angry I change into this beast. When I get weak I change into a black cat and when I don't have gum I change into a adult panther. The curse about it is that when I fight someone, my power grows with every punch. Then I start to thrive for the pain and to cause people pain. I try not to fight, but with every fight I get into I thrive it more and more. It's hard to ignore the urge to fight," Saru explained.
"So, now you carry this curse with you for the rest of your life?" the second panther asked.
"Yes, but when I turned nine my grandma took me and put me into a cage. There I stayed for seven years. The only thing I could do was read, eat, sleep, practice fighting, and singing. Over the time I became good at all of them and sleep and eat less. So now I'm who I am," Saru informed.
"Really? All we do is eat, sleep, and watch people," the third panther stated.
Saru slightly laughed and then said, "Two years ago I would have envied you, but now I'm free,"
"How did you get out of your cage?" the second panther asked.
"My grandma just let me out," Saru claimed.
Then she heard footsteps. She turned around to see Momiji and Haru.
"I told you she would be down here," Momiji smiled.
Haru nodded and they walked up to Saru. Then they sat on both sides of her.
"Uh, Saru-San, would you like to go get some dinner?" Haru asked.
"Sure" Saru agreed.
Momiji, Saru, and Haru walked to the zoos restaurant. They sat down and looked at the menus. Soon Tohru, Kisa, Rin, and Hiro showed up. They sat next to them. Then Yuki and Ayame; then Kagura and Kyo; then Hatori, Shigure, Kureno, and Ritsu. They all sat at a really long table.
"May I take your orders?" the waitress asked.
Everyone ordered and they.
"Who's paying for it?" the waitress asked.
"I will," Saru stated.
The waitress handed Saru the bill. Saru took it, looked at it, and handed her the money. Soon the waitress same back with the change. Everyone thanked Saru and left.
Saru walked back to the panthers. When she got there the panthers weren't there. Saru walked to the back and saw a zoo keeper.
"Where are the panthers?" Saru asked.
"They're in the back. It's almost time for the zoo to close and we bring in the panthers half and hour before it closes," the man informed.
Saru nodded and walked off. She went and looked at all the big cat's.
"May the Sohma Family please come to the front. We need to get a head count and give you your passes," the person announced over the intercom.
Saru quickly walked over to the front.
"Is anyone not part of the Sohma Family?" a man asked.
Saru looked around, "Nope,"
"Here are the passes," the man stated handing Saru the passes.
Saru took them and handed them out to everyone. Then seven zoo keepers came out with bags.
"In these bags are sleeping bags, pillows, money, cloths, and free things from the zoo," Saru stated.
Saru handed them out to everyone.
"Now go and have fun," Saru ordered.
Everyone left and Saru walked to the panthers.
"Are you part of the Sohma Family?" the man asked.
Saru showed him the pass and he let her in. She walked over to the panthers and started to pet them.
"You came back," the first panther smiled.
"Yeah, of course," Saru smiled.
Saru hung out with the panthers until a zoo keeper came in.
"Time to get out," the man stated.
Saru nodded, got up, and left. She walked around the park area of the zoo. After a bit, she walked into Haru. He looked like he was looking for somebody.
"Hi," Saru smiled.
"Hey," Haru replied.
"What are ya doing?" Saru asked.
"Looking for you," Haru replied.
"Me?"
"Yeah, Momiji told me that you like me,"
'I'm gonna kill Momiji,' "Oh.."
"I like you to,"
"Really?"
"Yeah," then Haru leaned in to kiss her.
They kissed and Saru felt like she could hear fireworks. When they released, Saru smiled, but then she felt really sick. She quickly ran to the bathroom. When she got there, she started to shake really bad. Haru went into the bathroom to check up on Saru.
"Saru?" he asked looking into the bathroom.
Saru had transformed into her full form. Haru looked at her and stepped back. Saru looked at him and looked back. Haru stepped forward, but Saru growled at him.
"Go away! I don't want to hurt you," Saru yelled.
Haru continued walking towards Saru.
"Didn't you hear me?" Saru yelled.
"What happened?" Haru asked.
"I..I... I don't know," Saru replied, "Just get away! I can't control this body!"
"No, I won't leave you," Haru stated continuing to walk forward.
"Go! I won't be able to control it for much longer!" Saru yelled.
"No! If you hit me, I'll just fight back," Haru stated.
"You don't understand. This thing feeds off of pain it gives and receives. Please, trust me. Go get Hatori. He should be close!" Saru yelled.
"I love you," Haru whispered.
"Please, just go!" Saru screamed louder then she ever had before.
Haru nodded and ran off. Then Saru couldn't hold the beast back. Her eye pupils turned into a panthers and she ran out. She tried to make it fast, so none of the zoo keepers could see her. Haru ran and got Hatori.
"Saru needs you," Haru stated.
"What do you mean?" Hatori asked getting up.
Shigure looked at Hatori and got up.
"She transformed," Hatori informed panicking.
"Fully?" Hatori asked.
Haru started to run off. Hatori and Shigure followed.
"Yeah," Hatori quickly said.
He led them to the bathroom. Then he ran into the bathroom and came out.
"She's not there," Hatori claimed.
"How long did you talk to her when she fully transformed?" Hatori asked.
"Five minutes at the most," Haru responded.
"Fool," Hatori said running off. Hatori and Shigure followed him and Hatori continued, "Did you think you were being a true friend staying with her?...She knows what she's doing when she tells you to go,"
Soon Hatori found Saru. She was walking up to Tohru, Kisa, Rin, and Hiro. Tohru and Kisa were screaming and Hiro just looked at the monster.
"Hey!" Hatori yelled.
The monster, Saru, looked at Hatori. Then she growled and started to run towards Hatori.
"I'll keep her busy. What I need one of you guys to do is go over there and hug Tohru. That's Saru's only weakness," Hatori ordered.
Shigure nodded and ran to Tohru. As he was, Hatori ran to a fence. Saru chased him. Then he ran pass Shigure. She stopped and looked at Shigure. Shigure did his big puppy dog eyes. She just stared at him. Then Hatori jumped onto Saru's back. Then he stabbed her back and was somehow sucked in.
Inside he "ran" (mental running. He's like in her brain) to Saru. She was crying on the ground. Hatori hugged her. Saru looked up and hugged him back.
"You must control it!" Hatori stated.
"How?" Saru asked.
Then they heard footsteps. Saru looked and it was beast-self.
"Fight it," Hatori ordered pointing at the creature.
Saru nodded and fought the beast. At the end it was a tie. Saru and the beast were on the ground. Saru quickly got up and held her foot on it's throat. She pushed down and it gasped for air.
"Let me get back in control," Saru ordered.
The creature looked away and disappeared. Hatori was pushed out and he fell on the ground. In front of him laid Saru. She was unconscious. Everyone looked at her.
"What happened?" Tohru asked.
"Neeka-San transformed into her full form," Hatori simply stated.
"Neeka-San has a true form?" Tohru asked.
"Yes," Hatori answered picking up Saru and bringing her to Hatori's laid out sleeping bag.
He put her in it and sat on the bench next to her. Haru put his sleeping bag next to Saru Haru. Haru said few things and Momiji knew why. Haru was very worried. He had never seen Haru so worried. He set up his sleeping bag next to Haru's. Soon, everyone fell asleep. When Saru awoke it was about midnight. She looked around and saw Haru laying next to her and Hatori sitting on the bench. He was still talking to Shigure. Saru got up and looked at them.
"You're awake," Hatori pointed out.
Saru nodded. Then she got up and sat next to Shigure on the bench.
"What happened?" Saru asked.
"After you went unconscious, you were brought over here. Then Haru laid next to you and watched you. Then everyone fell asleep," Hatori informed.
"Oh," then Saru looked at Shigure, "Thanks for driving everyone here,"
"You're welcome and thanks for getting everyone all these nice things," Shigure smiled.
"It was my pleasure," Saru stated.
Shigure got up and walked to the bathroom. Saru scooted close to Hatori.
"Thanks for saving everyone's life," Saru stated.
"You're welcome," Hatori responded.
"If I was your age would you date me?" Saru asked.
"...I don't know,"
"What about now?"
"Aren't you dating Haru?"
"Oh, yeah, but if I wasn't dating him, would you?"
"Yeah,"
"Okay,"
Saru smiled at him and went back under the sleeping bag.
"I'm going to continue sleeping now," Saru stated.
Then Saru fell asleep.
