Chapter 8

"Hello again, Jesi-san, can we talk?" Hatori calmly approached the unaware group, startling only Kyou and Jesi into offensive positions. Kyou stepped in front of Jesi and said, "Hatori, no!"

"What's going on?" Uotani asked in confusion. Tohru caught Kyou glancing her way and said, "Uh, um, hey we're gonna miss class! Let's go, girls." Grabbing their hands, she ran off in the direction of their first class.

Thanks, Tohru…Kyou thought, returning his attention to the treat still to come.

"I won't let you destroy her life." Kyou hissed.

"You're making a scene, just let me do my job and leave." Hatori looked slightly irritated by the delay.

"I'll make as big of a scene as it takes to make you go away!" Kyou screamed, catching the attentions of several students walking by.

"You know I can't do that." Hatori growled under his breath, seeming to not notice being stared at.

"Then I guess we'll just have to fight it out until you lose." Kyou growled deeply, narrowing his eyes as the cat in him desired a good fight.

"Kyou, I don't want to hurt you…" Hatori almost begged him to stand down but Kyou shook his head, saying, "If you hurt her, then you'll have to get through me first."

"As you wish." He started forward when gasps filled the hallways, distracting the quarrel from its objective briefly. Hatori peered over his shoulder to see the crowds part and reveal Yuki limping slowly toward them, looking like he could fall down at any moment.

"Yuki!" Jesi called out, looking terrified as she clung to Kyou's school uniform back, almost whimpering in fear.

"Yuki, you idiot, what are you doing here!" Kyou yelled, getting distracted by the new arrival.

"KYOU!" Jesi screamed as Hatori lounged forward and pulled Kyou out of the way while grabbing Jesi's arm. He reached for her face when Kyou slammed his foot into the back of Hatori's right knee, causing it to buckle as he let out a cry of pain. Pulling free, Jesi ran to Yuki and caught him as he began to stumble. While Kyou and Hatori quarreled, Jesi wept and said, "I'm so sorry, Yuki, I didn't want to-I didn't mean to-"

"It's…it's okay…Jesi-san." Yuki said, looking up into her watery eyes.

"Kyou told you…?"

"Yes, he told me everything…you know, now that I see you in full light…I remember you." Jesi's eyes widened and gasped, "You…saw me?"

"When I was younger, under Akito's power…you were in the house quite a lot…I thought you were a relative."

"No…" Jesi cried almost joyfully, hugging Yuki while holding him upright. Of course, the few lagging members of the Yuki Fan Club that hadn't gone to class yet glared at her for doing this but no one paid them any mind. Suddenly, Kyou ran up to them and grabbed both their wrists, yelling, "Come on!"

"Where are we going!" Jesi screamed as they brought into a run, trying to keep Yuki on his feet in the meantime.

"Somewhere safe!" Kyou responded simply, not wanting to let on so Hatori could follow. As they tore down the sidewalk, Yuki began to stumble and Jesi said, "Kyou, Yuki's not gonna make it!"

"Dammit, Yuki, why did you come!" Kyou stopped and hauled him onto his back against his will, breaking into a run again with Yuki holding on for his life. They rounded a corner and climbed some steps to the open grounds of a dojo.

"Shishou's dojo! Why here!" Jesi said as they thumped across the wood floorboards of the building, stopping on the opposite side from the door. Kyou dropped Yuki to the floor and paced off to the middle of the room, preparing for when Hatori came. Kneeling next to the pained Yuki, Jesi whispered, "Are you okay? I'm really sorry about how I treated you! And…touched you…" She bowed her head in shame and Yuki gently touched her chin, saying, "I said…it's okay…I'm used to it."

"No! No one should be used to such a thing! NO ONE!" She screamed, beginning to cry again to Yuki's embarrassment, "My…my mom always tells me that after she's been out 'working', I hate it…I hate seeing her look like that. Everytime…everytime with another bruise or bloody nose! I hate it, I hate it!"

"Jesi-san…" Yuki looked sorrowfully at her, trying to wipe her tears but she inched away. Kyou glanced back over his shoulder at them, wondering what they were talking about.

It's almost like she has a split personality…like Kagura…except she's sorry for her other side. Kyou thought, watching Yuki try to calm her down with his weak efforts. A floorboard creaked and all three teens looked to the opening door nervously. Instead of seeing a face half covered by black hair, a golden mop of locks bounced around the corner of the door, followed by a cheerful greeting and a cross dressing boy.

"Momiji! What the hell are you doing here!" Kyou said, his nerves fraying with every disturbance.

"Tohru-kun told me what was going about! So we came to help!" Momiji said with a determined look that was diminished by the cuteness he gave off.

"We! Tohru came too!" Kyou almost passed out when in walked Hatsuharu, looking bored as usual.

"No, I did. So where's Hatori?" Haru glanced around the dojo before stopping on Yuki and Jesi against the far wall.

"He's not here yet. Look, you too, you don't have to-" Kyou tried to shoo them away when Haru cut him off.

"We have just as much right to help. It's not like you're the only one who knows her…" Haru gave Jesi a smile and she looked away in embarrassment.

"What! You son of a-did you-" Kyou grabbed Haru's shirt and readied to pummel him.

"Save your energy for Hatori, stupid. She just gave me back massages, I was too young for anything like that…it used to calm me down. Oh, I'm sorry for that time I went black on you." Haru added, waving to Jesi. She vaguely nodded in his direction and curled up next to Yuki.

"So you know her too?" Kyou looked down at Momiji as he let go of Haru's collar.

"No, I don't think so…" Momiji mused, "I was in Germany a lot of the time when I was younger!"

"Well, whatever, you guys don't have to be here. You're just going to get in trouble too if you-"

"Don't you think we know that?" Haru eyed him as he walked by and approached the two bodies huddled together. Momiji beat him to Jesi and knelt by her, saying, "Poor Jesi-san's been hurt too, just like us! Well…at least like Haru, I've never really faced Akito."

"Yeah, lucky brat…" Kyou muttered before continuing, "But you realize we're gonna have to fight Hatori, right?"

"I'm ready!" Momiji flexed his muscles before Haru plopped his hand down on his head, saying, "You wouldn't stand a chance."

"I can try!" Momiji whined, looking dejected. He hugged Jesi and said, "I want to help too!"

"Then protect them, if we can't hold him off on our own." Haru said, walking over to Kyou and cocking an eyebrow, "Think we can work together for once?"

"I'm willing to set my rivalry aside for one fight…" Kyou said with a grin, cracking his knuckles.

"I didn't know that Hatori knew how to fight…" Jesi said, watching the boys stretch and prepare.

"He does?" Momiji looked curious, still clinging to Jesi lovingly.

"I wasn't aware either…" Yuki mumbled, losing strength after the sudden rush out of school.

Well…I guess we'll find out…Yuki thought to himself, feeling weak and leaning his head on Jesi's shoulder. As the group grew tense from the wait, the rev of a car engine just outside the dojo broke the silence. Footsteps slowly grew louder until they stopped behind the door, a hand appearing and pushing the sliding door open the rest of the way, allowing the man they waited for to have a clear entry into the room.

"Let's do this." Kyou said, assuming a battle ready position next to Haru.

"I've been waiting for an excuse to kick Hatori's butt for a long time…" Haru smirked, his black side starting to come out. Just when they were ready to leap forward, their opponent moved for them.