Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket. I like to wear skirts and then twirl around in circles.
Kagura stepped lightly into his room, cautious in an empty house.
She laughed slightly to herself, and put a hand to her face.
What am I so nervous about?...
…
…I might come too late.
Kagura wondered if the lie she had told the others after the graduation ceremony was actually believed.
"I'm sorry… I need to run an errand really quick. I promise I'll meet you there, okay?"
Tohru and the others had just nodded and left, no suspicions played on their faces as they walked towards the Sohma complex; Rin had been the only one to give her an odd look.
Kagura returned to the duty she had assigned herself and began looking around the room. It took no time to find what she needed on his desk, sitting in plain sight. Sitting right next to what she had been searching for was a small object; without thinking, Kagura snatched it up and ran out of the room and into the light where she would hopefully make it on time...
Please… wait for me a little longer…
Kazuma started walking slowly. He knew what was going on, but was still unsure as to how to help the situation. He had been at Kyo's graduation, but had watched in the shadows; he had promised Kyo that he would not interfere with his being locked up as they watched the sun rise just this morning.
Kazuma frowned and an uneasy feeling filled the pit of his stomach.
But…I can't let Kyo be locked up, blood relation as father and son or not… I promised myself I'd protect him no matter what.
You've changed Kyo, just as I had hoped. You don't deserve what you think you do.
Kazuma's pace quickened, and before he knew it he was running at top speed.
Yuki stared in disbelief at Kyo.
What happened to… his spirit?
Kyo's face was held without emotion, his body seemed weighed down by something from above him. Kyo stared at the group in front of him as though he could see right through them.
Yuki felt his heart clench in his chest.
You… you've lost hope…when we're here to save you?...
Yuki's attention turned from Kyo to Akito as he heard… her… laugh.
"Oh you pathetic little monster. You really think that by acting docile and accepting your imprisonment that your life will be easier? Think again! You will be spending the next sixty to eighty years of your life locked up in a little dark room prepared solely for you. You'll crack eventually! They always do!"
Yuki stared in horror as Akito laughed again, her thin frame doubling over from the sheer delight of what was going on. Akito began repeating the word "crack" over and over again, her eyes dark and yet filled with a hating light,as though just saying the word would release Kyo's withered spirit into a frenzy.
Yuki could feel Tohru's arms shaking; from fright or depression, he knew not. A blank feeling filled him from within, and without thinking Yuki let go of Tohru and walked a few paces to where Momiji and Hiro where crouched next to Kisa on the ground. Haru and Rin stood in front of Tohru as if to guard against another attack.
"Stop… it…" Yuki whispered.
Akito continued to laugh, almost ridiculously. She wiped away crocodile tears with the excess robe sleeves.
How… annoying.
"Stop it!" Yuki yelled, his anger bubbling into his chest unexpectedly. His fists balled and his breathing picked up.
Akito stopped laughing and looked over at Yuki as though amused by his outburst.
"Yuki, my lonely one; I believe that I haven't really gotten the chance to see you since that littleNew Years incident. What a pity it had ended so badly with you blathering on about something or other. Oh listen to me; I can't even recall what you had even been talking about. Must not have been important."
Yuki glared at Akito.
"I told you that I wouldn't blame you anymore, nor would I blame Kyo or my parents for my life."
Yuki jerked his head to look over at Kyo, who was still peering at them without emotion.
"Kyo! My whole childhood was spent in a dark room deemed just for me by Akito. Your adulthood is about to be spent in the same manner. I don't want you to have to go through what I did. The pain, the terror of not knowing what was within the shadows…"
Always wishing... wanting someone to come save you... to lay a hand upon you and tell you that you mean something to them...
Kyo made no movement to acknowledge what Yuki had just said.
Yuki filled with anger even more; it was as if his being was consumed by it.
"YOU IDIOT! YOU BAKA NEKO! Do you seriously want to live in a small, dark room? Why are you not saying anything!"
"Don't give up…" Yuki heard Tohru whisper softly, inaudible to anyone who was not close to her.
Akito laughed heartily again. She looked over at Yuki, a dark, lopsided grin overtaking her lips.
"Are you trying to provoke him into a fight? As if he would win." Akito laughed, a sound from deep within her chest reverberating. "He never told you, did he? I made a bet with him that if he could beat you in a fight before graduation that he wouldn't have to be locked up."
Yuki's eyes widened, his heart beat madly in his chest.
All those fights when he first returned from the mountain dojo…
"I'm gonna beat you, sissy-boy! Once and for all!"
And then at the dojo this past week…
"What, did your precious Akito tell you about our little bet? Is that why you suddenly want to fight me?"
Beating me was a bet…
Akito narrowed her eyes. "It looks like he's still a loser."
"WRONG!" a voice cried out, startling everyone to look at the worn path coming from the front gate.
Kazuma stood, his face storming with anger and emotion. His gaze was locked on Akito.
"Kyo beat Yuki in a fair match on Wednesday. I witnessed it, as did many others."
Yuki's face turned red with embarrassment, but a new hope filled him.
Yuki whipped to look at Akito. "It's true! Kyo… he… beat me fair and square!"
Hatori frowned; he felt uneasy about locking up Kyo, but this was a new development that had the potential to change Kyo's fate. "Is this true Akito? This bet you made?"
Akito shrugged. "Like it matters. He never came and told me about it."
"But we're telling you now!" Tohru yelled out, causing Yuki to jump in surprise.
"Akito…" Shigure muttered, his eyes wide with thought. "You're the god. You made a bet… are you telling us that you're backing out of a word-binding contract?"
Akito scoffed. "As if I have to uphold anything to that loathsome creature. He's not even a part of the true zodiac. Besides, it was just a stupid bet. Who else would we entrust to look down upon? Surely not ourselves!"
Yuki began shaking, his insides filled with emotions that he had withheld inside the box that Akito had opened only the past summer at the vacation house… the lid was wide open.
"KYO, SNAP OUT OF IT! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!"
Kyo looked at Yuki as if seeing him for the first time; slight recognition began to register as Kyo's eyes focused.
"Yuki…" he muttered softly. A small smile played upon his once emotionless face; a kind smile; forgiving. "It's okay, really."
Yuki's eyes widened with fear. Something snapped deep within him.
"I'm tired of this! Kyo, how long are we going to keep running from our past? We can't change what the spirits inside our bodies did, but we can forgive each other for what we've done to each other in the present! Why should we stay enemies just because of some curse, and because some people say that we're supposed to hate each other? I'm tired of this! I don't want to hate you anymore!"
Kyo smiled at Yuki again, the focus and light coming back to his eyes for a moment.
"Yuki… you've been forgiven… thank you… for trying to fight for me… it's okay."
A sudden, soft breeze filled the area where everyone was standing, quite warm and relaxing for a March wind. Tears escaped Yuki's eyes, falling silently on relieved expressions.
Thank you…after so long…
Yuki felt the breeze flow through his body, lifting away the dark cloud of the spirit that resided within him. The breeze carried the darkness away, wrenching the cursed mass into the sky; the rat would now reside with the un-cursed god… A wretched sadness filled the void where the spirit used to reside, the breeze carrying it away to its final resting place, and yet ultimate happiness waited patiently in his heart. Yuki smiled softly as the tears washed down his face.
He's given me freedom…
Momiji looked down at his hands. Kisa, Rin, Haru, and Hiro looked at one another, their eyes wild with emotion. Shigure touched his chest and smiled. Hatori looked over at Kyo.
We've been released…
Ritsu looked down at his body, and touched the spot that now felt empty in his chest. Tears were flowing freely down his cheeks.
It's gone.
"What's wrong, Ritsu-chan?" Mii asked, looking over at Ritsu with a worried expression.
Ritsu laughed and looked over at Mii. He then grabbed her by the arms and shoved her into an embrace.
Mii began to blush. "Th-this is the first time you've ever hugged me."
Ritsu smiled, the tears still falling in rivers. "And now I can hug you all the time."
Mii blushed hard and snuggled into Ritsu's embrace, a timid smile playing about her lips.
Ayame stopped sewing. Touching his chest, he felt an void that had been previously filled.
I feel…liberated.
A deep emotion filled him, and without realizing why tears began to bleed from his eyes.
I am both content… and miserable.
Mine walked into Ayame's office, smiling and humming to herself. "Are you almost done with Yuki's graduation present, Boss?"
Mine stopped when she saw Ayame's head in his hands. "Is everything all right Boss? Did you make a mistake with the sizing?"
Ayame threw his head back, laughter flowing from his mouth as the tears flowed from his eyes.
"I don't know whether to be happy or sad! Oh Mine!"
Ayame flew from the workbench and swept Mine into a grand enfolding of arms.
"Today will be the day of great changes!" Ayame cried, twirling Mine around the shop.
Kagura stopped in her tracks.
Something… is different with me…
She touched her breast, feeling the spot that was once full now empty.
Tears fell, and she put a hand to her face.
They did it…
Kagura laughed happily and began running with a new fervor, adrenaline racing through her body; the objects obtained from her excursion clenched in her hands more tightly than ever.
Kureno watched as the zodiac children were no longer… the zodiac children. He too knew the emotions that it caused, and to see others displaying the same amazing feeling he had felt when he was so young caused him great joy… and fear.
He turned… and saw Akito staring at everyone around her. A vacancy was now in her eyes, and she seemed deflated.
"It… it's gone. The curse… it's gone… and now… you're all going to leave me…" Akito murmured, stumbling in place.
Tohru's eyes widened.
It's gone? So now Kyo can go free?