Disclaimer: All creations of Fruits Basket are rightfully owned by Natsuki Takaya. I take no ownership of them. I'm just borrowing the adorable Furuba characters for my own purposes…

Salt - By Cherry Chibi

AN: Hello again everyone! Sorry for the long wait. I won't waste time explaining my reasons for not being able to update but I can say the major word… "School". Yep. I'm heading into the 'danger zone' in which I'm very sure that most of my time will be consumed into studying. But now since I have about half an hour to myself I thought that I would write up something quick.


- Chapter Four -


"Are you alright Tohru?" Momiji asked looking worried,

"Yep." Tohru replied quickly. After, Momiji smiled happily again and took her hand.

"Ok! Let's walk back together! I don't want you running away like that again!" Momiji said as walked alongside her.


"We're home!" Momiji announced as he pushed opened the gates and allowed the others to enter. "Since it is so late, we should rest. Tohru, you can share my room!" Immediately after he said that Haru and Yuki interjected at the same time.

"She's a captive. Not a guest." Haru stated, "We're supposed to take her to the safe house." A breeze blew and ruffled his hair. He made an effort to stop the white strands from blowing into his eyes by raising a hand to use as a shield.

"And I'm sure that Lord Akito has arranged something for it." Yuki added as he placed a hand on Momiji's shoulder. There was a look in his eyes that was something like, 'Do you understand?' but more in a secretive manner. It made Tohru really feel like an outsider. Someone who shouldn't be here and thus shouldn't be treated any better. Keeping her silence, she continued to observe her unfamiliar surroundings. Just as she gazed around, a thought came to her mind. 'Did Haru call Kyo 'cousin'? Does that mean that they're related? But then…'

Her eyebrows furrowed as she thought things through. 'The Sohma Clan and the Honda Clan both have large families… so the feud really must have a large impact on the community…' Before her thoughts could go any further, she was interrupted when she was pulled by the wrist towards a certain direction.

"Let's go Tohru! Those two are such meanies!" Without her being aware, Momiji had gotten into some sort of argument with Haru and Yuki and now was doing things his own way. "You're not the Jyunsuina! So you don't deserve the treatment being given!" As Momiji spoke, it made Tohru feel worse with guilt. She really did want to point out straight that she was a Jyunsuina Senshi. But she couldn't because she promised as a 'shadow' member.

"But-wait…"

"Momiji! If she wasn't then why would Lord Akito…" Yuki was cut short with Haru's interjection and at that moment, things started heading downhill.

"You little brat." Haru brushed Yuki aside abruptly and gripped Momiji's chin firmly. "Don't you think it's a little hard to be dealing with brats at a time like this? It's way into the night and we're all getting very tired."


Two days had passed since she was brought to the household. It was sardonic that the Sohma Household was almost exactly like the Honda Household. There were several beautiful gardens spotted here and there on the yard and there were many buildings within the area. The whole outlook had its own sweet and peaceful feeling to it. But, just like the Honda Household, it also held a very unwelcoming aura. The night made it appear worse. The silence was making the impression that death had swept over the clan.

However beautiful it was outside, it didn't mean that it was able to be shown inside. It felt strange watching out the window on a futon in the same way as she did earlier except it a much different room. The doors were locked and there weren't any luxuries or decorations. She closed her eyes and held in a sigh. Quietness at last and she was able to think things thoroughly whether she wanted to or not.

Just about two nights ago, there had been a dispute among the three cousins…. How did it feel so familiar? She hadn't given it much thought until now but the Sohma Clan felt so familiar to her in a much fonder way. From the future... 'What was the future really like again?' Tohru questioned herself. Hearing herself ask such a question snapped her eyes open in horror. Was she forgetting the future while she was staying in the past?

'Oh no, am I really forgetting? But I don't want to...' Tohru thought to herself. She pulled her knees up to her chest. 'How come I didn't realise this? I've been here for barely a week and now I'm forgetting about my time in the 21st century... It's not right...' How could she stop herself from forgetting? If she didn't realise in the first place then how was she to avoid it? 'No, I have to focus on the present...'

In moments it became clear to her that she was in her past self and her true past was the flow of time that was in line with the current era she was in. If she was trapped in this time and knew of the 21st century, would it cause her more confusion and disturb something greater than her? Just as she thought, it got more complicated.

"You seem troubled... Lady Tohru." A calm and collected voice coaxed. A voice that chilled her out of her own flesh. Turning around to face the visitor she took in his features. Pale skin, dark hair and eyes. His kimono draped out his shoulders and dragged along the floorboards as he approached her. He approached her closer and then knelt at her side. "Do you know who I am?" Just watching him brought fear into her. A vague memory triggered and she breathed out his name in a fear filled whisper.

"A... Akito..."

Akito chuckled and gave a charming smile. His smile though, had no warmth within in. "I'm glad that you know me. Do you know why you're here?"

"I..." Before she could say anymore he answered it for her. It was completely unexpected.

"Your spirit from the future was dragged into your present self." Akito said, "I believe that Lady Junko would've prayed for this to happen... after all... your future spirit has yet to be tainted by emotions towards a certain former Sohma Clan member." Hearing him say this, Tohru was silent from the shock. He knew what happened to her? But what did he mean by her spirit yet to be 'tainted'? She couldn't understand. Akito chuckled. "You don't know anything do you?"

Tohru couldn't help but think, 'I really don't… don't I?' They were slowly coming to the surface - the questions which she had put aside while she was here. Akito was taking off the lid on the jar and Tohru was watching them flow over the edges. 'Why was my spirit brought to this time?' Feelings crawled up and down as she felt a mixture of emotions form into the poison of confusion. Her mouth opened and closed a few times. The words just weren't forming in her head and she thought that she would never be able to speak properly again if this kept going.

Time felt like it was just strolling along... that was until the shouji door of the room slammed open with two men looking extremely worried. "Lord Akito! The Jyunsuina have attacked!" One of them looked more like a doctor while the other was dressed in the Sohma Clan's warrior suit. At the back of Tohru's mind, she suddenly thought that their names were 'Shigure' and 'Hatori'. That confused her more.

"What!" Akito sounded suddenly outraged by the news. "How many of them!"

"Lord Akito! Jyunsuina have attacked the women's quarters!" Another member came. The impulses of sudden attacks from several points of the household were causing everyone's hearts to beat faster to the tempo of movement amongst the groups. Even Tohru's heart was beginning to race, although she knew that this attack was mostly because her family had come to save her. On instinct, she knew she had to run. She had to go somewhere towards her family. Where? Which way to run?

"Shigure, Hatori! Take Lady Tohru elsewhere! Make sure the Jyunsuina don't claim her back!" Akito barked his commands. He shot a glare towards Tohru's direction. It was a shame that he couldn't have a longer while to speak with that girl. He wanted to hear about the time from which she had come from. There was something about it which was important to him.

Tohru saw Shigure come to lead her away but she took hesitant steps back. "N-no!" Finally, her feet moved and she ran aimlessly. She left the chaotic shouts behind her as she ran, left behind everything and everyone. 'Just let me go somewhere away from this… please… lead me away…' There was a feeling inside that told her there had been a chaos like this from the future. She had felt this anguish before.

It was a rainy day and he hadn't been seen since that bracelet had been removed by someone dear to him…

How could she forget? How could she just not think? Maybe that was because it was just her but this time, at least she could've considered the consequences. 'Kyo! I want to see you so much…'

She refused to let him go.

As each step was taken, the earth beneath her feet started to sway from side to side. Her head was feeling like that gravity was pulling it in all sorts of directions. Heat was gathering in her body. Stress pulled and strained her mind. Her knees collapsed underneath her and she fell upon the bed of topsoil.

'Let's stay together always.' She had told him. 'Always. I want for us to eat meals together, laugh together, cry together…' That's what she had told him.

Tears trailed down her cheeks as she stared helplessly ahead. Nausea was building in the pits of her stomach. Then the scent of death came towards her. That's what she had said… when she said it she couldn't remember exactly. Her vision blurred to the point where she couldn't make out anything. A foot crushed the earth nearby her. She closed her eyes tightly pleading that it wasn't one of them – Sohma or Honda Clan. She didn't want to go back. She didn't want to go back to either household.

"Lady Tohru…you've got a fever." The man knelt beside her and placed a gentle hand on the top of her head. "Running to find him? I did say you'll need a lot of patience in order to meet him again…"

'Kazuma…' Tohru thought, unsure of whether she should fell relieved or worried. Air rushed around her body as she was lifted off the ground easily.

"Well, since you've come this far, might as well take you somewhere away from here…"


AN: Ack… I'm out of time. I hope that this chapter was alright… I just realized that there wasn't much happening. However, please stick around. From this point until I next say so, the story shall be told in Kyo's POV. I'll put up the next chapter as soon as I can.

Until next time,

Cherry Chibi.