Disclaimer- Fruits Basket Not mine! Do I have to spell it out for you?

The Stranger

Chapter 2: Introductions

"Hikari!" Tohru squealed her friend's name, and then grabbed her friend into a bear hug. "How have you been? Why haven't you called? How are your parents?" Tohru spoke rapidly while squeezing the life out of her friend.

"Tohru!" Yuki shook the girl softly. "Your friend is turning blue." He shook his head and smiled.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Tohru released her friend, and Hikari took in a deep breath. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"

"I'm fine." Kari's tone was icier than she meant for it to be so she continued quickly, paying close attention to her tone. "So, how have you been?"

"I've been wonderful." She glanced back at the Sohmas, gathered around the table. "Come in, come in!" She grabbed her friend's hand, drawing her inside. "Here, I'll show you to your room." Tohru took her friend to her own room.

Once Tohru was safely out of the room Kyo exclaimed, "She's STAYING!"

Yuki shrugged. "Obviously she is."

"She didn't even ask us! Is she allowed to do this?" Kyo got up from the table and sat on the couch.

"She's her own individual, none of us posses her." Shigure spoke thoughtfully.

'That's true…" Yuki stood, put his bowl in the sink, and went into his room.

Back in Tohru's room, the girls were sitting on Tohru's pink and blue bed, talking about how much each other had changed, gossiping about who was doing what now, everything they could think of.

Hikari smoothed her straight black hair away from her face with her hand and flashed her dazzling, white, straight smile. "So, who are the people in the kitchen?"

"Those are the Sohmas, I live with them. They're really nice..." Tohru appeared to be in deep thought for a split second. "You should meet them!" Tohru exclaimed, and dragged her friend by the hand out to the living room. There watching the TV was Kyo, Shigure, Momiji, and Yuki. Tohru flipped off the TV and dragged Hikari in front of it by the shoulders. "Everyone, this is Hikari, and she'll be staying here for the next week!" Kari's blue eyes flashed as she turned her head to look at the Sohmas, grouped together on the couch.

"Um… hi?" Hikari was hiding her nervousness quite well.

Yuki stood up, walked over to Hikari, and shook her hand. "I'm Yuki Sohma; it's a pleasure to meet you." Yuki walked over to Kyo, grabbed his upper arm, and pulled him to his feet. "This is Kyo." As soon as Yuki released Kyo's arm, he fell back to the couch.

Shigure didn't have to be told to get up. He stood on his own and shook Kari's hand. "I'm Shigure, I own the house." He smiled at her enthusiastically before sitting back down, and kept his eyes on her.

Momiji also stood on his own. He kissed the stranger's hand. "My name is Momiji. I'm half German!" He bounced off to the kitchen to do the dishes.

Kari sat in the chair closest to the couch. "So, what do you all do for fun?"

Kyo spoke up. "Nothing." He snorted.

Kari's eyes focused on him. "Nothing at all? No movies? No shopping?"

Kyo shook his head.

"Well, that has to change. Everybody, we're going to see a movie!"

"Where are we going to get the money for that?" Kyo snorted again.

"I'll pay for it. Everyone go change." With that, Kari stood up and walked back to Tohru's room.