Chapter Nineteen: An Unexpected Attack
by Ravyncat
First Posted at 4/9/2005 in the FRUITY ROBIN ML
When the strange boy spoke his name, Hiroga was shocked by the force of power that ripped through him.
He...he somehow returned ...my..curse..., he thought dazedly. He felt the bonds he had placed over Sohma Yuki weaken drastically and knew that he would need to find a new host. Even now the Sohma boy was regaining control of his body and trying to shake himself free of restraining arms.
Shit, Hiroga thought angrily. He had come too close to finally reaching his goal to stop now.
I...will not...fail...not this time...
He suddenly let go of Sohma Yuki's body and drifted free. There were several people on the school roof. He would find a new host...
Tohru screamed in alarm when she saw Yuki go pale and appear to faint in Manabe's arms.
"Yuki-kun!", she said urgently and started towards him. Yuki suddenly took a deep breath and easily broke free of Manabe's hold knocking the black haired boy to the ground. Yuki backed away and stared at everyone with a haunted look in his violet eyes. He was noticeably shaking.
Kyou observed the rat silently. He recognized the way he was moving. Yuki was obviously Yuki again, but where was the ghost? He felt the hair rise up on his neck and looked around trying to see anything that might give him a clue.
Uotani was standing next to Hanajima and a smaller dark haired boy that Kyou assumed was the denpa girl's brother. All of them were watching Yuki. Uotani looked angry and Hanajima was impossible to read as usual. He flinched away from her gaze. Kyou was never comfortable around the strange girl.
Suddenly Yuki gasped and fell to his knees on the roof. He looked like he was having trouble breathing. Tohru screamed when he fell and ran to him. She waved her hands frantically around his face probably in an effort to help him get more air. Yuki continued to cough and his face paled even further.
Kyou was jealous and relieved by her actions. Jealous because the rat was getting attention from her, but relieved because someone was looking after him.
Not that I care if he's sick...
But watching as Yuki lapsed into a full attack scared the crap out of him.
What will happen if he changes into a mouse in front of all these people?
The orange haired boy looked around frantically as Yuki's breathing worsened. All thoughts of the ghost were driven from his mind by the more immediate worry. He saw that Tohru had gone pale with fright. She was sitting next to Yuki and shaking. Her eyes were almost swirling with confusion.
No good...she's too upset to make her friends leave...Crap!...damn rat...why do you have to get sick now?
"Oi...Carrots! What is wrong with the Prince?"
Kyou jumped at Uo's question. The irritation he felt at the stupid nickname helped steady his thoughts.
"He has these attacks sometimes.", he answered curtly, still trying to think of a good excuse to make her leave. "They usually aren't too serious..."
Yuki slowly crumpled into a fetal position. His breathing was much worse. Despite himself, Kyou ran to his cousin's side.
Dammit! Yuki was in bad shape...he would likely transform soon...
"He needs more room!", Kyou shouted as the others on the roof all crowded around. The paleness of the rat's face scared him almost more than the thought of Yuki transforming and exposing the Sohma secret. His own breathing was too fast as he tried to fight off a sense of helpless panic.
"Should we call a doctor?", the student council boy asked urgently. Kyou noticed he already had a cell phone out ready to dial.
Hatori could help Yuki, he thought and then realized that might also be a good way to clear the roof.
"Yes! One of our relatives is the doctor who always treats Yuki's asthma. Haru and Momiji know his number..."
"But you don't?", Uo said and glared at him.
Kyou glared back. He was too flustered to think of a good reply. He was totally shocked when Hanajima stepped in and rescued him. The scary girl looked at him and then at Uotani and the student council boy.
"Come...we will find Sohma Hatsuharu or Sohma Momiji and call a doctor for Sohma Yuki", she said in her quiet voice. "Manabe Kakeru please accompany us since you have a phone."
Kyou watched in relieved disbelief as Uo and the student council boy started for the door. They didn't even question Hanajima's suggestion. Instead Manabe was charging forward and babbling something about Yun Yun's rescue force...
Kyou gulped as Hanajima turned her dark gaze on him once more.
"We will speak of this later, Sohma Kyou. You Sohmas have such...fascinating waves."
Hanajima looked at him a moment more after delivering the threat and then turned and left the roof. Megumi followed her like a small silent shadow.
They left without a second to spare. Before the door had even shut, Yuki fainted and then poofed into a small grey mouse. The tiny mouse lay shivering inside a pile of discarded clothes.
Kyou was still worried, but at least the secret was safe. He and Tohru could get Yuki home safely. He suddenly looked at Tohru with concern, as he realized that she had been silent for almost five minutes. It was more like her to flutter around and say stupid things than to shiver quietly. She was too pale...
"Hey...are you all right?", he said and gently punched her shoulder. "Yuki will be OK. He is too stubborn to stay sick for long."
Damn...she's probably scared because he's reminded her of her dad again…
"Tohru?"
She slowly turned to face him and Kyou felt a shock of ice go through his spine. The face he secretly loved more than anything else was subtly changed. Her brown eyes were not the gentle brown eyes he could drown in. And the sneering look of hunger on her face was a look that his Tohru would never have.
He stared at her in complete shock as he felt one of her soft hands gently touch his face. All of his instincts told him to lash out and get away because that wasn't Tohru. But horribly it was Tohru...
If I hit her... I'll hurt her again…
He shivered as he remembered cutting her shoulder with his claws and then his dream of a blood soaked Tohru.
No... please no...
Part of his mind seemed to shut down as she touched him. Because her touch was something he wanted almost more than life. He couldn't move as the face of his beloved moved closer. A face with someone else looking out of her eyes.
"Wh...who...what...?", he managed to gasp out as she moved her face almost close enough to kiss him.
A laugh that wasn't hers came from Tohru's mouth. He could feel her breath on his lips.
"Obnoxious neko...this insipid girl wants a kiss almost as much as you. I shall grant your wish."
Kyou' s eyes widened and he tried to jerk away. But Tohru had got a hand around his neck and she held his head firmly in place. He felt her soft lips touch his and then his back arched in shock as something like lightning seemed to blaze through him. The world went white and then grey and then darkness swallowed him.
Hiroga raised his head and laughed as the orange haired boy crumpled to the roof. It had been a while since he had been able to feed his ghostly form because it only seemed to work with a kiss from the opposite sex.
That baka neko interrupted me earlier when I tried to feed off of Honda Tohru. It's only fitting that he should feed me now.
He grinned again and looked at the small mouse form of Sohma Yuki. It would be much easier to transport him that way. Now his revenge could be complete. He would find the treasure that only Sohma eyes could see.
Hiroga picked up the shivering mouse and cradled him against his unfamiliar breasts. It was strange being in a girl's body, but oddly exilerating. He laughed again and walked to the edge of the roof. He felt positively giddy.
The rush of energy from the obnoxious cat had almost intoxicated him. He could also feel the girl's terror from where she was trapped inside her own mind. He savored her fear like wine. And laughed again as he jumped off the roof and heard her scream.
He landed easily and strolled off towards the Sohma building. He had the rat so he had the key to the treasure.
It will be mine. And once I have it, every Sohma will pay.
End of Chapter 19