Scattered around her were the twelve beads of the bracelet. Kyou stared at them in shock. His wrist had never felt so naked. Sighing, he sat back and waited for the impending and this time permanent transformation.
There was a pain deep inside his stomach. It was sharp, but not quite as excruciating as a few weeks ago. And then there was that smell. It was milder…
Kyou nimbly jumped off of the roof; not wanting to remain on the roof in his transformed state. He landed, catlike, on all fours but his left hand slipped on one of the beads. His head made contact with the hard ground and for a moment, all Kyou could see was stars.
"Kyou-kun!" Tohru called, rising from the bushes, still a little bewildered. "Are you alright?"
Kyou collapsed on the soil, partially from the transformation and partially from the impact of his head on the earth. He laid there in the dirt and closed his eyes. His sharpened ears heard Tohru walk towards him.
"Please go away," He thought desperately, "I don't want her to see me like this again."
His ears also picked up another sound. It was like steam escaping from a kettle, only… it was like the steam was whispering incoherently to him. Kyou heard Tohru breathe in sharply. "Kyou-kun, look at the beads…"
Kyou slowly opened his eyes, wincing from the pain of the light, even though it was a few hours before dawn. The first thing he saw after his eyes had adjusted was a few stray beads. There was some type of smoke coming from the scattered remnants of the bracelet. The whispering grew more intense, it was louder now; even Tohru could hear it, although it was Kyou who could make out stray words here and there.
"Separate... souls... longer divided…"
Soon the smoke began to cease and with it went the pain, mostly. When all of it had dissipated there was only a dull ache in his abdomen.
Kyou reached forward and began to gather the beads together; he needed to find a way to fix them or he might never be able to transform back. When he had all the twelve beads in his hand he took a closer look at them. He had always wanted to know what held the bracelet together. Hair! No wonder it had broken, it had been bound together by braided strands of hair. Kyou looked at the faded strands; they were so old the locks seemed to be more blonde than orange, but Kyou knew better.
"Kyou-kun?" Tohru said timidly, "Why haven't you transformed?"
Kyou did a quick mental examination of himself. There was that ache in his stomach and there was a faint odor that still lingered… but Kyou's senses… He was hearing and seeing things he wouldn't have normally even if he had been in his furry orange cat form. It was a little disorientating at first, but he grew accustomed to it quickly.
"I… don't think I will…" Kyou said with awe.
XXXX
Hello it is I your local paper boy, come to deliver the news of the day!
Sorry about the late update guys, I was a little distracted by the shortest relationship known to humanity :S but anyways. Heres a little chapter for you before I head up to Artstrek in Red Deer (that's right! Im going to drama camp! ) 8-) but yeah, ill be gone for a bit.. sorry guys, ;;
