Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket in any way.


CHAPTER 3

It was cold. Akito's words played over and over in her head.

"Thirteen cuts, straight across your wrist. One cut for each zodiac member, and one remaining for Kyo. Let your blood touch Sohma soil. Do you think you can do this?"

"Yes Akito-sama. I'm ready."

"Do it whatever day you wish. You don't have to rush."

"Yes Akito-sama."

Tohru had excused herself from dinner, saying she needed some fresh air. She hid a razor blade in her pocket and stepped into the cool night. She gave one last look at the Sohma house, blew them a kiss and whispered "I love you," before heading towards the secret base. There, she sat on a full-size steely cold rock and pulled out the sleek metal blade. It glistened in the moonlight as Tohru turned it over in her hands.

"No worries," she whispered as she pulled out a letter she had written earlier to "whom it concerns".

She placed the metal blade upon her wrist and paused. Anything for the Sohma's, she thought. She pulled the razor quickly and silently across her wrist. A thin line of blood appeared over her vein as thoughts rushed to her head.

"This is for you Shigure-san. You took me in when I had nowhere to go. I love you."

She lifted her arm and held it in the air, directing the blood onto the ground.

Cut Number 2, "This is for you Yuki. Thank you for being 'you'. Although you have been through so much more pain than me, you still have the will to smile. Your smile has brightened my dark thoughts. I love you."

More blood dripped upon the now stained grass. Time for cut number three.

"This is for you Kyo," she repeated, "You taught me how to be myself. Under your tough shield, I believe you really love life. Live it to the fullest. I love you for everything."

Down trickled evermore blood.

Cut Number 4, "This is for you Momiji. I want you to forget this memory. Only this memory. Smile at all the other one's we've shared together. As you said at the onsen, 'Wenn schon, denn schon.' Well this is what I have to do. Verzeihung. I love you."

A small puddle of crimson liquid now tainted the velvety grass. Nine more times she followed this suite, spilling evermore blood onto the blanket of grass beneath her feet. Each new cut caused more dizziness to wash over her. After a few moments, she passed out - falling into a puddle of her own blood.