Again, GOMEN NESAI TO ANIMEFREAKKAGOME AND ALL OTHERS WHO DISLIKE ME FOR THE PAIRINGS! No bodily harm, if you please. I haven't put the disclaimer in here for a while. Here it is just in case anyone forgot: I don't own Fruits Basket or Inuyasha, none of the characters are mine, but I reserve the right to manipulate them as I please. If too many people say they absolutely hate the pairings, I can change them as suggestions come. I don't want to be hated!

Chapter 11

The Core of the Curse

The two stood in silence, still unsure how to speak to the other. Finally, Yuki spoke.

"Um, Kagome, if you don't feel the same way, I understand, I'd just like to know."

"Yuki, I," Kagome paused for thought, "I'm not exactly sure how I feel about you," Yuki looked downward dejectedly, "but I know I really like you." she said, trying to recover.

"So," she walked over to Yuki, pulling his eyes up to her level, "chin up, Yuki." Kagome gazed at Yuki's soft feminine face and gentle violet eyes.

"Ahem," a small cough came from the hallway nearby. Shigure had already exited the bathroom and was looking solemnly at the pair. "I hate to interrupt, but," the two suddenly broke apart, blushing, "I was thinking of going to see Akito today. It's not like this can be kept a secret."

"Right." said Kagome, understandingly. "I don't want to be a burden."

"You'll be going alone, aren't you?" said Yuki, meaning the answer to be yes.

"Well, I," Yuki looked in shock at the dog, "I was actually thinking it's been a while since we've all been there and he might want to meet the others. To put his mind at ease, that sort of thing."

"His mind's never at ease." said Yuki, coldly.

"Point taken, but you still have to come. We'll leave as soon as everyone's ready, I'll call Hatori and tell him we're coming."

(Ha'ri's POV)

I reached for the phone tiredly, having been up late tending to Akito. He almost always had some ailment to cure.

"Hello, Ha'ri?" Shigure, what does he want this early?

"Do you know what time it is? What's the emergency?"

"I'm coming to see Akito." This is odd. He usually tries to stay away from his younger brother.

"Why?"

"Three new guests have entered the house, I thought he should know."

"What trouble have you gotten into this time?"

"Ha'ri," Whining again, will he ever grow up? "How can you blame me for something that I haven't even done? You are so cruel to me."

"Who is it? Do they know?" If he's let the secret out . . .

"Yes. Kyo's back too, reappeared a couple days ago and has been staying here, along with the other three newcomers. But I don't know what to do. One of the two girls seems to have special powers and the boy's a half-demon. Your gift is remarkable, Ha'ri, but I don't think it'll work on them."

"And the other girl?" How did you let this happen, Shigure?

"Normal enough, but she's an angel. Always selfless and does all the housework as payment for food and board. Also, well," Oh, no. What now?

"Shigure, what is it?" I was fully up now, putting on my suit as I listened.

"It seems that Yuki has taken a liking to the girl with powers." I sighed sadly into the mouthpiece. "And I've decided to bring them all to see him." What!

"I think," I strained to remain calm, "that's more than a bit rash, don't you?"

"I know it's rash, but what else am I supposed to do?"

"Talk to him alone. It's much safer that way." I hate always having to knock reason into him.

"I've thought of that, but I have a feeling he'll want to see them at some point, even if he does let them stay."

"That's no reason to rush it. We both know that day will come, but that day doesn't have to be today. Wait until they're older, know more about the curse and this family. You can't throw them into this. They're only teenagers. They have their own problems to worry about without getting mixed up in ours." Let them worry about whom the new student body president will be, not this.

"As usual, you have a point Hatori."

"Of course I do. And as usual, I expect I will see you and the children when I come to pick you up?"

"See you in a bit, Ha'ri." I thought so. He's always so stubborn. I grabbed the keys out of my coat pocket and hurry to the car. I really hope you know what you're doing, Shigure.

(Regular POV)

Shigure woke everyone else up, telling them to get ready to leave as soon as possible. He didn't say why, but they were all too tired to argue. Inuyasha was glad to be back in his regular clothes. Hatori was outside the house waiting in about fifteen minutes. He was ready to face the quarrel that would come once everyone woke up fully enough to understand where they were going.

They had been driving along for some time in complete silence. Yuki was brooding over their destination. The others still weren't awake. Finally, Kyo spoke up.

"Where are we going anyway?"

"Funny you should ask," Shigure began nervously, "we're going to the Main House."

"Why the hell are we going there?" Kyo was still cranky.

"We need to tell Akito what's happened."

"Wait a second, why 'we'? Can't you just tell him and be over with it?" The true reality of it still wasn't sinking into the cat's head.

"We're all going to see him, Kyo. Me, you, Yuki, Kagome, Tohru and Inuyasha, we'll all be in the room with him." Kyo started to understand. We'll all be with Akito, and Akito doesn't like people especially when they're outsiders meddling in the curse. Akito's also very violent toward those sorts of people so they could get hurt and . . .

"Why are you doing this, Shigure? You know what could happen." Kyo's usual anger was contained in a new seriousness.

"It'll happen sometime." Hatori was left to defend the dog, even though he didn't exactly agree with the decision. His statement seemed to close the matter.

The rest of the ride was in silence, everyone thinking what would happen in the darkened room where Akito dwelled. Some imagined conversations went through minds, every person trying to decide how to react. It was all too soon when the car was parked and they were led by Hatori to an unusualpart of the Sohma estate.

Yuki recognized it and shivered.

Hatori softly knocked on the door. "Akito? Shigure's come to see you. He's brought some others as well."

". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Let them in." The voice was soft and cold, like a chill breeze on an already cold winter day. It was the voice that all of the Juunishi had learned to fear. Sending chills up and down the spines of all present, Akito held a morbid aura, the core of the curse.

The door was slid open by Hatori and, removing their shoes soundlessly, the group walked into the chamber. The large room was dimly lit by only a few lanterns, so it was difficult to tell what color the walls were. The lanterns stood like tombstones, the silent witnesses to all the tortures that had gone on in that area. It was mostly empty, giving the feel of a dark void, ready to suck the light and life out of any living creature that set foot in it. A single, silent figure sat lifelessly in the shadows, like a rag doll that had been cast aside cruelly, long forgotten by its owner. A pair of dark piercing eyes looked out, scrutinizing every person individually as the entered its lair.

Kneeling respectfully, they staggered their bodies in front of the figure. Shigure was the first to speak.

"Akito, something has happened. Three people, the three before you, have learned about the curse. I have allowed them to stay at my house."

"Tell me your names, outsiders." the cold voice said, with an air of superiority.

"Kagome Higurashi." said Kagome, looking intently at the floor rather than confronting the eyes that seemed to look right through her.

"Inuyasha." He looked right back at the fierce enigmatic eyes, determined not to waver.

"Tohru Honda." Tohru was looking at the floor out of respect for the head of the Sohma household.

"What do you intend to do while with them? Your friends?" The word "friends" was spoken with a doubt. The doubt that anyone could ever truly care for members of the family.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Inuyasha bravely.

"What will you do? Will you ease their pain? Comfort them? Can you lift their curse?" He advanced toward the group, allowing some flickering light to cross his face. He was pale, like the moon, but without the moon's enchanting calm. His hair was black like the darkness that surrounded his world. He looked like an older version of Yuki, but they were polar opposites. His blood-red robes cast horrible shadows on the walls.

The three members who knew Akito's true habits tensed as he advanced toward the outsiders.

"What can you do? Nothing. You can do nothing for them. You are nothing to this family!" he yelled, coming dangerously close to Kagome. "Get out!"

He viciously slapped Kagome in the face, sending her reeling backwards. He turned to Tohru, but Inuyasha was in front of her in a flash.

"You have no authority over me, and if you hurt Tohru I see no reason to spare your life. It sounds to me like you cause nothing but misery to this family."

Yuki and Shigure ran to subdue Akito, leaving Kyo to tend to the unconscious Kagome.

"You are nothing to them! And they'd be better off without you! You can never be a part of this family! Never!" With remarkable strength, Akito threw off the two men and ran at Tohru.

Without a hint of hesitation, Inuyasha unsheathed his Tetsaiga and killed Akito in one fell swoop.

In that instant, and it was less than a second, the cause of all the lengthened agony over the Sohma household was destroyed. Akito, the core of the Sohma curse, was gone. Everyone stared in disbelief at the corpse, seeming not to accept what was in front of their very eyes. There was a stunned silence as every mind refused to absorb the facts. Akito was dead, there was no doubt, as the unmistakable crimson color stained the floor. Yet, it seemed as though he would never truly leave. In all the minds of the Juunishi, they would always have to deal with Akito, and now they didn't.

But they did have to deal with him. He was still alive in all of them. The memories seared into each member would remain forever tribute to him.

"Feh, serves him right." was Inuyasha's only snide remark. He seemed to underestimate what his deed had done.

Tohru sat in horror, transfixed with the example of death before her, and unable to scream. Unable to move, unable to speak, she sat there. He killed him. she thought deafly. Inuyasha killed a man for me.

Yuki was unable to accept the reality. Akito is dead. Akito is dead! He told himself, but he still didn't comprehend it. His torturer was gone, the jailer had left, he was free to do as he pleased as long as the secret didn't get out. Yuki was free, entirely free from the cage that had held him for so long. He was like a bird, still trying to get used to its newfound wings, longing to soar as freely and effortlessly as the others around him. He turned to look at Shigure, and noticed a single, silent tear slide down his face.

Shigure looked down at the body of his brother, and felt remorse. Remorse for this man, no, he wasn't even a man, this boy who had never felt compassion, never done any act of kindness or good will. He mourned for his only brother. But it was likely that he was the only one to feel sadness at Akito's death.

Kagome's eyes flickered open as she slowly regained consciousness. As her eyes reluctantly focused themselves, the single color red came into view. Her thought process took longer to clear itself than her vision. Her head ached from where it had slammed against the wall. Red. Thinking lethargically, she remembered a flash of red robes. Red. Yes, the robes had made her think of blood. Blood! With sudden realization, she sat up quickly. Too quickly, it seemed, for she fainted the next second. Or perhaps the bloody spectacle was what made her swoon.

Kyo caught her before she hit the floor a second time. He was genuinely worried about her. She seemed so frail, laying here helplessly in his arms. Gently stroking her hair, he laid her head on his lap. So what if Yuki loved her? They could love the same person . . . couldn't they?

Inuyasha moved and knelt beside Tohru. He put a comforting arm around her shoulder, turning her head away from the body.

Pulling her close, he whispered, "It's okay. It's all over now." She dragged her eyes away from Akito's body and laid them on Inuyasha's eyes, those beautiful amber eyes. She nodded mutely.

"Hatori," Inuyasha called loudly. He seemed to be the only one with the powers of speech. "Get in here!"

Hatori entered quietly, sliding back the door. His eyes were focused on the floor, so he didn't notice Akito until he was inside the room. He staggered back in shock, hitting the door behind him. He stared fixedly at the bloody corpse.

"Yeah, yeah, he's dead," he said, waving the thing away like an inconsequential fly. "It's Kagome you have to worry about." He gestured to her limp form near the wall.

Only Kagome, he thought doubtingly. You really think that, do you? Hatori wordlessly walked over to Kagome, lifting her up and carrying her out in his arms. He looked down at her fragile form, wondering what would happen next.

Bwahaha! And you must wonder also! No, this is not the end. But I do love cliff-hangers. Thank you to all of you who review my story! Names too numerous, you know who you are.

Preview of next episode:

Kagome woke with a start. She was on a clean white bed, surrounded by her friends and roommates. Theyall looked worried. Yuki held out a phone, saying "It's for you."

Uncertainly, she took it and put it up to her ear. "Hello?"

"Oh my it's really you, Kagome," said the familiarvoice."I've missed you so much! Where are you?"

"Mom!"