Disclaimer: Fruits Basket is the property of Natsuki Takaya and does not belong to me.

A/N: I have been really busy since Christmas. I've only had free time again in the last day or so. So, it took me awhile to get this chapter ready. But I should hopefully have more free time now, for a while at least. Also, for those who gave suggestions in reviews for Roses of Glass that I didn't get in time to use in that story, they may be used later on in this story. I meant to mention that when I posted the first chapter. Hana is playing a bigger role in this story than I originally planned.

Shadows of Intrigue Chapter 3

At lunchtime, Kyo rushed away from his seat and the girl sitting behind him to join Tohru, Uo, Hana, and Yuki. He had spent the rest of the morning on edge after what Aiko had called him. It was as if she knew about the curse and his transformation, but there was no way she could. She wasn't a Sohma. And Tohru was the only person outside the family who knew about the curse. At least, that's what he had always believed. But Aiko's comment made him begin to wonder if that was really the case. By the time he sat down to lunch, he thought his mind was about to explode.

As Kyo took his seat, the ever-observant Hana asked, "What did she say to you?"

Kyo tried to play it cool as he replied, "What do you mean?"

"That girl, Aiko. When she dropped her pencil and you picked it up, she said something to you. Whatever it was seemed to startle you. So, what did she say?"

Kyo tensed again, causing Yuki to get suspicious, "It was nothing. I don't want to talk about it."

Yuki sent his cousin a questioning glance and received a look in return telling him that it wasn't something to be discussed in present company. Yuki's eyes widened. The first thing to enter his mind that couldn't be discussed openly was the curse. But what could the new girl know about he Sohma curse? It had to be something else. Maybe it was some guy issue. But it didn't make sense that that a girl who had just met them would say something along those lines to Kyo either. He would have to ask Kyo about it later.

His thoughts were interrupted by a voice asking, "Do you mind if I join you?"

All the members of the group turned to look at the speaker. It was Aiko. She continued to talk, "It's just that, I don't know anyone here and this girl looks so much like me, I thought it might be kind of fun to get to know her. And he actually kind of reminds me of an old family friend."

She had pointed to Tohru and Kyo, respectively, as she spoke. The girls looked to Kyo for his opinion in answering Aiko's question. But it was Yuki who answered, inviting Aiko to take a seat. If looks could kill, Yuki would have been dead a hundred times over from the glare Kyo sent him. But Yuki, considering the situation a little more rationally than Kyo, realized that if there was any possibility that Aiko knew anything about curse, they had to act as calm and natural as possible, to try to make her doubtful of her knowledge. And that meant allowing a new student looking for some friends to sit with them. Aiko looked somewhat taken aback by Yuki's invitation, but took a seat next to Tohru. When the two were side by side, the resemblance between them was even more astonishing.

Once everyone was seated, introductions began. This went fairly well, despite the fact that Kyo refused to look at Aiko as he introduced himself. Aiko didn't seem to mind terribly and Yuki was somewhat relieved. He had half expected Kyo to refuse to introduce himself at all, since he seemed to be a little bit creeped out by the new girl. Still, Yuki knew that if things continued like this, it would become really awkward for everyone in the group. He looked helplessly around the circle of faces.

Hana was the one who caught on to the meaning of his look. She turned to the newcomer of their group, "So, tell me, Aiko, do you know how to play Rich Man, Poor Man?"

"Sure," Aiko nodded, "I've played it a couple of times before."

"Really?" exclaimed Tohru, "That's perfect. We usually play during lunch. Now you can play with us. I've got my cards over in my desk. I'll be right back."

As Tohru was getting her cards, Uo told Aiko, "Our rule is, losers clean the classroom, by themselves."

Aiko agreed to those terms, and when Tohru returned with the cards, the battle began. It soon became clear that Aiko had probably played more than a couple of times before. Either that or she was incredibly lucky. It seemed more likely that she just really knew what she was doing. One way or the other, she was soon trouncing everyone in the group. She was starting to be able to taste her victory when Yuki, at the last minute, played an unexpectedly good hand and stole the game from her.

Aiko glared at Yuki, yelling, "Why you dirty little rat!"

Kyo, who had begun to relax during the game, tensed again then shot out of his chair. He shot quick glances at Yuki and Tohru, and then took off without saying a word. Tohru looked to Yuki with a face full of confusion and concern. Yuki smiled a reassuring smile and nodded in the direction Kyo had run off. Tohru thanked Yuki with a smile of her own, and then she got up to follow after Kyo.

"What was the matter with him? Is he okay? Should someone else go after him, too?" Aiko asked.

Yuki shook his head, "That's just part of who Kyo is. He'll be fine. He doesn't need everyone to go chasing after him."

"Besides," said Uo, "Tohru went after him. That'll be enough. Orange-top there has a soft spot fro Tohru. If there's something wrong, she's the one he'll talk to."

Aiko gave a slow nod in response and a smile appeared on her face that seemed amused and somehow sad at the same time. It gave her the look of one reminiscing about something long ago forgotten. Yuki and Hana both noticed this and sent each other questioning looks.

Meanwhile, Tohru had now found Kyo on the roof of the school. He was lying down, completely still, with his eyes closed. One might have thought he was asleep if it weren't for the fact that his eyebrows were furrowed in thought. The expression on his face was more like that of someone trying to shake off a bad memory than someone enjoying a peaceful slumber. Not wanting to startle him, Tohru moved slowly to his side and when she spoke his name, she did so in a whispered voice.

Kyo hesitantly opened one eye. Seeing who was next to him, he let out a small breath, "Oh, Tohru. It's just you."

"Were you expecting someone else?"

Kyo shook his head, "No. Not really. I was just afraid it was that new girl. She creeps me out. There's something strange about her. And she sounds kind of like you do. So I was worried that you were her. I'm glad it wasn't her."

"What do you mean? What's strange about her?" Tohru asked, after watching a shiver run up Kyo's spine as he talked about Aiko.

"I'm not sure," Kyo replied, "But there are a couple of things. Her eyes are too intense. It's like she's not looking at you, but into you. And she's a little bit too familiar. She talked to me like she had known me for years. It gives me the creeps but at the same time, I feel like I'm supposed to know her also. And then, I don't know how, but Tohru, I think she might some how know about us. About the Sohmas, I mean. I think she might know about the curse."