Chapter 12

I'm supposed to be working on my maths assignment, but I'm taking a break. 'Sides, I think the numbers in the question are wrong.

I want to thank everyone who reviewed – it's always nice to know I've actually got someone's personality right. Some mentioned my spelling – I've already gone back and corrected that which I missed. Anything wrong you tell me, take the phrase and underline the word you think is wrong like this and put it in your review, and I'll go back and fix 'em. Thanks!

Be warned, this chapter is a little grim, and it focuses on Eris a bit more than Kyo – sorry to anyone who doesn't like it for that reason, but its something I've had planned to be put in like this since the beginning.

Please tell me what you think!

Disclaimer: I own Eris, and I own all rights to her past. Nothing else is mine, not Fruits Basket, or ouija boards.

I do not condone nor condemn the use of ouija boards- personally, I don't like them, but to each their own. They work in the story.

Kyo blinked at the object Uo was setting up on the floor of the living room, "…Isn't that an ouija board?"

Tohru's friend nodded her head in agreement, "Well, I've always wanted to try this, so why not? And don't look like that, its not like they're really dangerous or anything- that's just rumor."

Kyo stared down at the object suspiciously. He could recall, back when he was probably 12, that a lot of the girls in his class had suddenly been fascinated with the ouija boards- they'd set them up in quiet corners of the playground at recess.

But they'd never been a ghost moving the cup to answer their questions. He remembered seeing something once- some kind of inhuman monster that made his hair stand on end and the air crackle around him, not unlike what Akito did, but on a much larger scale. (1)

Perhaps people said cats could sense evil for a reason.

He looked over at Eris, who was hovering next to him, lying on her stomach with her feet in the air. He gave a slight, sharp nod towards the three girls, who continued setting up oblivious.

Eris tilted her head, looking irritatingly clueless, "Huh?"

The cat growled, before hissing quietly, "You answer their questions on that board."

Eris looked startled, "Eh! But, Kyo-"

"Don't let one of those- things- do it!"

Eris looked hesitant, but it was obvious Kyo was strong on this 'issue', "Well, okay…" Obediently, she walked over, hovering just behind Tohru's shoulder as the three girls finished setting up.

Kyo leaned on the wall, watching as the three girls, each just the slightest bit hesitant, touched the cup. There was a pause, and then Hana spoke up for them, "Hello?"

Eris hesitated for a moment longer, before leaning over, her hand passing through the three girl's, and she spelt one two letter word in reply, 'Hi.'

Shigure had been disturbed when he found the girls- and Kyo, who was still watching- sitting around the ouija board half an hour later. Or maybe he was disturbed that the three 'lovely flowers' were convinced that there was a girl called Eris talking to them. Kyo just thought someone was nudging the cup.

The fact that the person nudging the cup was dead and invisible to everyone else didn't stop it from being true.

Then Uo asked the question that all three of the girls had probably been worried about since Eris had started talking to them, "How did you die?"

Nothing happened, the glass didn't move. Kyo was surprised to see Eris was shaking.

Then, very abruptly, the glass moved, so fast and violently that the girls' fingers could barely keep touching it.

The cup stop over the word 'goodbye', and Eris disappeared through the ceiling.

As stunned sounds rose from Tohru and Uo, Kyo silently slipped off to the roof.

Kyo found the ghost sitting on the edge of the roof, one leg dangling from the edge and the other tucked under her chin, arms wrapped around it. He sat next to her, legs crossed. For a moment, neither said anything.

"Well, that was interesting."

Eris was quiet for a minute longer, before shrugging, "I guess so. But what happens when they try it again?"

Kyo paused, "We'll just have to burn the board before that happens."

"…Your really paranoid about this whole ouiji board thing, you know that NeKyo?"

"Maybe…" The cat leaned back on his arms, looking at the clouds above them, "So spill."

"What?"

"You know what."

"…I just…" Eris looked away, "Didn't want to tell them."

"Suppose that's fair enough." Kyo waited a moment longer, before looking over at the spirit, "How about telling me?" Eris gave no sign of answering, and Kyo sighed in impatience, "You know all my secrets. Come on, at least tell me when."

"Beats me, I can't remember."

"What! You have got to be kidding me!" Eris smiled a strange little smile and shook her head.

"I don't remember when… I remember that I was dead when J.F Kennedy came to power, but I don't think I was born until after – or really late in – WW2. Does that help me?" There was a slight pause, and then Eris spoke again, quieter this time, "I don't remember when, But I remember how… I had a brother, about three years older than me. His name was Loki."

"What was it with your parents and old gods?"

"Shut up. Anyway-"

The car was noisy- Loki had picked Eris up from the library – where she'd been working on an assignment for school – after going to a party with his friends. Three of his friends were in the back seat, laughing.

Eris sat in the passenger seat, staring out the window into the dark landscape, nose wrinkled at the smell of alcohol from the teens in the back. She turned to her brother, "Loki, should you really be driving?"

"Aww, quit worrying so much 'ris. Nothin's gonna happen."

Hazel eyes narrowed slightly, "Loki…" The 'argument' between the two siblings had been going for at least 15 minutes, and showed no time of ending soon.

Loki took the turn off onto the highway. "Relax, I've got it covered." He leaned back in his seat, taking on hand off the wheel.

"Your drunk! It's not safe to drive like this, and what will mum and dad say?"

Her brother scowled, turning to look at her, "Look, will you just chill sis? I'm not gonna let anything happen, so don't wor-"

"LOKI, LOOK OUT!" At his sister's scream, the teenager turned his eyes to where she was pointing on the road. The headlights of an oncoming car half blinded him, and he cursed, frantically turning the window.

Eris heard the sound of the car's horn, the squealing of tires, and an immense and sudden pain as the headlights of the other car sent her entire world white.

Eris moaned and opened her eyes, before sitting up and looking around. When had it started raining? And why was she outside?

Then she looked to her left, and her eyes widened. A car wreck, both vehicles broken beyond repair, was only a few meters away from her.

Suddenly, she remembered everything. She scrambled to her feet- surprised to find that nothing hurt, and looked around desperately.

"LOKI?"

Not thinking, she scrambled over to the cars, looking around frantically, and was stunned to find them empty. Suddenly scared, Eris stood there in the rain, swaying slightly on her feet, unable to move.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

Eris' head shot up at the voice, and she ran desperately towards it, "Loki, is that you?" Sure enough, on the other side of the wreck, surrounded by paramedics, were her brother, his friends, and one other person that she assumed was the driver of the other car. Considering the state of the cars, she was surprised at how unharmed they all were. You would've thought they'd be at least on serious injury.

Her brother didn't notice when she called his name, he was focused on the paramedics, who were… zipping someone up in what appeared to be some kind of bag?

"I said leave her alone! You don't know what you're talking about, you've made a mistake, she can't be!"

Suddenly frightened, though she didn't know why, Eris walked forward, slipping between her brother and a doctor, to look at who was in the bag.

Her eyes widened, colour drained from her face, and her pupils dilated. She might have screamed, she didn't know.

Because lying in the sealed bag, eyes closed, hair a mess, lips tinged blue with death and much of her lower body ruined beyond repair – was herself.

1.- A lot of the other girls in my grade got into ouiji boards in my last year of primary school- I did it once, and that was when I was talked into it. This was how they did it. The girls thought that you'd either contact a ghost, or a devil, and you had to ask to find out which. Never made much sense in asking to me, as I didn't see why a devil would answer 'yes' when you asked. Meh, what do I know? shrugs

Also, now you've read the chapter, a cute fact for you - Eris is the name of the ancient (it was either Greek or Roman) Goddess of Chaos and Discord, Loki is the name of the norse god of (Or so I believe...) the same thing - and is also a trickster.