Fruits Basket

Beginnings and Endings

((Author Note: This chapter is just a fun chapter. Nothing really serious happens and nothing too important. There's of course small hints to certain events and this chapter leads up to some important events in the next chapter. Chapter 14 should be rather intense...well not as intense as getting tossed out of a window.))

Chapter 13

The morning sun slowly rose over the mountain peeks as its warm rays stretched out across the lands. Tohru, Momiji, Kisa, and Hiro were already up to watch the sunrise over the mountaintops. The rest of the Sohma's were sleeping back at the cabin or they were resting around the fireplace like Shigure.

Like any dog near a warm fireplace, Shigure was stretched out in front of the warmth of the fire lying on his back while he used his hands cushion his head. Hatori was also awake reading the morning's paper while he had a cup of tea, "Shigure, what do you think about this entire trip?"

"I think it's a wonderful idea," Shigure said with a grin, "But I believe you're referring to Akito again, right?"

Hatori was silent for a brief moment as he sipped his tea again, "I'm suspicious. It's highly unusual for Akito to allow this."

"Ah, Hari. You need to stop thinking about that. Tohru wanted us to enjoy our trip so enjoy it. Que Sera Sera."

"I suppose you're right...for once," Hatori said as he leaned back in his chair. As he rested in his chair the light sounds of footsteps came down the hallway.

"Ah, the morning rises with a new day. Where might our lovely Tohru be?" Ayame said in a singing like voice.

"She went outside to watch the sun rise with Momiji, Hiro and Kisa," Shigure said as he sat up to wave to Ayame.

"Don't even think about going out there," Hatori said as he glanced to Ayame who was already moving for the door.

"Why not?"

"Because it's still cold out there. You'll transform for sure in that weather," Shigure said as he held a finger in the air, "Sit by the fire with us."

Ayame rubbed his chin as he walked over to the two, "Curse this curse. I want to enjoy a cold morning day with my younger brother and Tohru."

"Yuki is still asleep along with everyone else that we havn't mentioned," Hatori said as he continued to read his paper.

Ayame sighed as he pressed his hand against his head, "What should we do now Shigure?"

"I know! Let's look at our photo album again," Shigure said as he waved the photo album around in his hand that some how appeared.

Hatori had a sweat drop behind his head as he stared at the two, "Don't you two ever get tired of that?"

Meanwhile...Outside

"Oh, look Tohru," Momiji said as he pointed to a small white rabbit that hopped out of the woods.

"How cute," Tohru said as she bent down to look at the little white rabbit.

"Look, there's another one and another one," Momiji kept pointing to all the rabbits that began to appear out of the forest.

Hiro sighed as he watched the two play with the rabbits, "He's doing that on purpose you know."

Tohru didn't hear Hiro as she picked up an armful of rabbits, "Look, Kisa."

The shy little Kisa smiled to Tohru lightly, "Can I hold one?"

"Sure," Tohru said as she handed her one of the smaller rabbits.

Hiro was standing next to Kisa with his arms crossed now and a sour look on his face, "Is anyone listening to me?"

"Do you want to hold one, Hiro?" Tohru asked as she held one out to him.

"No, why would I want to do a stupid thing like that?"

"Hiro..." Kisa said lightly to him to remind him of how stubborn he was being again.

Hiro glanced to Kisa with his chin still held in a stubborn way, but he soon softened and took the rabbit from Tohru, "Fine, I'll hold it, only because you're doing it wrong."

Momiji was about to say scold Hiro for being rude, but Tohru just smiled to him, "Right, I'll be careful next time."

Momiji shook his head lightly, but he had a grin across his face, "Tohru is so nice."

Tohru and Momiji giggled together as they continued to play with the rabbits with Hiro and Kisa.

Meanwhile...Inside

The cabin was large, but a few of the Sohma's still had to share rooms with each other. Kyo was stuck with Haru, which wasn't too bad since he got along with him as long as Haru didn't go black. Kyo woke up as soon as the sun began to hit his face through the window. He got to his feet while he stretched his arms. Haru was still asleep on the other side of the room so Kyo didn't mingle to long in the room. He dressed quickly putting on some warmer cloths before he headed out to the main room to see if anyone else was awake.

"Ah, there's Kyo. I never thought I'd see the day that Kyo would sleep in," Shigure said as he rested next to the fireplace still. (Imagine if his head caught on fire right there. hehe)

"Yeah, shut up. It's cold here so it just made me a bit more sleepy...I guess."

"No need to get angry for a silly comment," Hatori said as he set his newspaper down.

"I'm not angry!"

"Ah, since Kyo is up he can be out representative," Ayame shouted as he stood up from his chair.

"What the hell is he blabbing about?" Kyo said to Hatori who was trying to hide his face in the newspaper again since he wanted no part in what ever Ayame was planning.

"Since we can't go outside we'd like you to go out and check on Tohru and the others," Ayame pointed to the door as he sat back down.

"Why don't you?"

"Ayame can't go outside, it's to cold for him," Shigure said as he shifted his head.

"Make, Shigure go!"

"I'm sleepy."

Kyo growled at Shigure who was just lying on the ground.

"Of course I could always wake my brother to do it. He would gladly check on our lovely princess," Ayame said as he ran his thin fingers through his hair.

Kyo's narrowed eyes turned towards Ayame now instead of Shigure. After a brief moment of staring Kyo finally stomped off outside.

"I'm surprise, Aya. You encourage him instead of Yuki," Shigure said as he tilted his rested head towards his friend, "Change of heart?"

"No, of course not," Ayame said as he looked out the window, "Just being fair is all."

Kyo stood on the steps outside for a moment before he walked down to the snow-covered ground. He snorted to the cold air that filled his lungs, "Damn bastards inside can't handle cold."

Kyo tucked his hands inside his pockets as he walked over to Tohru and everyone else. The little group was now making snowmen with all the white rabbits around them watching. Kyo raised an eyebrow as he watched with the rabbits.

It wasn't long until Momiji turned his head around and saw Kyo standing quietly in the snow behind them, "Kyo! You're awake. You can come over and help us."

Tohru smiled to Kyo, "Come on, Kyo. It will be fun. We're trying to beat Hiro and Kisa."

"Like that's really fair," Hiro stated as he looked over to the three, "Three bigger kids against us two littler kids."

"I'll just watch then," Kyo said, but Tohru really wanted Kyo to join in with them.

"Um, I have an idea," Kisa said as she tried to speak up, but her voice was still tittering between a normal tone of voice and a whisper.

"Oh, what's your idea, Kisa," Tohru said as she listened to the little girl with her full attention.

"Well...it could be the younger kids against the older kids. Momiji can be on our side since he's younger then you and Kyo. I'm sorry if it isn't a good idea..."

"Oh no, that's a good idea, Kisa," Tohru said as she patted Kisa's head lightly, "We'll do that then."

"Yeah!" Momiji cheered as he hopped over to Hiro and Kisa side.

"Good idea, Kisa," Hiro said under his voice so no one else could hear but Kisa.

"Come on, Kyo," Tohru said as she waved to him.

Kyo rubbed his head, wondering how he got dragged into all this, but he didn't object. He walked over to Tohru and got down on his knees, "Now what?"

"Ooh, I'll count down," Momiji said as he raised a hand into the air, "3...2...1...build your snowman's!"

Hiro, Kisa and Momiji all began making the body while Tohru and Kyo did the same. Kyo didn't get the point of this, but he was actually having a little bit of fun.

A while later more of the Sohma's were waking up. Haru and Kagura were awake having a light breakfast, while Ritsu watched everyone from the window inside, "That sure looks like fun..."

"You should go out and join them then," Shigure said as he appeared behind Ritsu all of a sudden.

"Me? Oh no, no. They wouldn't want someone like me helping," Ritsu said as he tried to retreat to his room, but Shigure caught him by the shirt.

"Don't be stilly. Haru and Kagura was just about to go outside, you can go with them."

"No I just couldn't!" Ritsu kept trying to crawl to his room, but Shigure kept a hold on him until Haru and Kagura took him outside.

"What's all the noise about?" Yuki said as he stepped out. He was the last to wake up, but he usual was last. He rubbed his gently as he looked at Shigure who was retreating to the fireplace again.

"Oh, nothing much. I was just trying to get Ritsu outside is all," Shigure responded as he plopped back down in his spot, "You can always join them."

"Hmm...no I think I'll pass. I have something else planned," Yuki said as he walked into the kitchen leaving Shigure wondering what Yuki had planned.

"We win!" Tohru shouted as she threw her hands into the air.

The groups had changed to Tohru, Ritsu, Kyo and Kagura against Haru, Momiji, Kisa and Hiro.

"No need to get that excited over it..." Hiro said as he grumbled.

"Shut up, Hiro," Kyo snapped at the younger boy.

"What are you going to do, make me? Feh, I like you see you try."

"Alright, that's it!" Kyo was steaming now, but Tohru jumped in front of Kyo.

"How about we go have something warm to drink now? The winners will serve everyone else."

"Humph, sure," Hiro said as he marched off inside with Kisa.

Momiji giggled as he winked to Tohru, "Good job."

Tohru wasn't sure what Momiji meant when he said good job since she didn't say those things to stop the fighting. She really did think the winners should serve the losers.

"We'll see you inside then," Haru said as he walked off with everyone else.

"That's now what winners should do!" Kyo yelled as he brushed the snow off his jacket.

"Yeah, but it's nice to do something for them," Tohru said as she sat their in the snow.

"Can I help you then, Tohru?" Kagura asked sweetly.

"Of course."

"Yeah! I'll get everything ready. Come on Ritsu, you can help me," Kagura grabbed Ritsu by the arm and ran off with him. Ritsu was trying to say something, but he couldn't quiet say it as Kagura dragged him back to the cabin. (Kagura find a new toy?)

Tohru smiled as she watched them run off when suddenly she felt Kyo tapping against her head. She looked up to him to see him offering his hand to her, "Come on. It's not good to sit in the snow all day like that."

"Hmm...right!" Tohru took his hand as he helped her back up. Once Tohru was up on her feet again she felt herself shiver lightly. She had been outside the longest and she was starting to feel a chill. Tohru rubbed her arms lightly when she felt Kyo place his jacket around her.

"Come on," Kyo said as he walked through the snow without a jacket.

"Kyo! You need this," Tohru said as she tugged on his jacket that was around her.

"You're the one that's cold. I'm fine, so come on already. It's not like it's a long walk there anyways."

"Right," Tohru said as she jogged after him.

Kyo's eyes watched her as she ran through the snow. Something in him wanted to tell her how he really felt right now, but he wasn't ready...he wasn't sure when he would be though. His eyes turned away from her as he walked back to the cabin in silence.

Once everyone was back in the cabin, Tohru and everyone on her team made everyone warm drinks. Even Kyo helped and he ignored Shigure who was trying to make side comments from the fireplace. Once everyone else had their drinks then the winners made their own drinks and sat down to warm their own bodies.

"So, Miss Honda, did you have fun?" Yuki asked as he set his cup down.

"Oh, yeah, it was great. You should have joined in."

Yuki chuckled lightly, "I would have, but I was planning something for everyone to do today."

"What do you have planned for us?" Tohru asked while Kyo listened in on the two.

"Well, there's a ski resort nearby and I asked if we can go over and spend the day there. Of course they agreed, since we own a portion of the lands there."

"That sounds like fun! I never skied before..."

"Don't worry, Tohru. I can teach you," Momiji said.

"What happens if we don't want to ski?" Hiro asked as he set his cup down.

"You can go down the hills on sleds if you want," Yuki said as he turned towards Hiro.

"Hmm...ok then. What do you think Kisa?"

"Sounds fun," Kisa said as she smiled sweetly to Hiro.

Tohru looked over to Kyo who was sipping his drink, "Kyo...are you going to go?"

Kyo was about to say no before Yuki interrupt him, "Of course he is. Why would he pass up a chance to race me down the hill, right you stupid cat?"

Kyo blinked lightly. The way Yuki said that to him seemed more like a friendly suggestion, but none the less Kyo was now excited, "That's right you damn rat. I'll kick your ass down that hill!"

Tohru laughed lightly as she listened to the two. It felt almost like old times the way they bickered with each other.

"Well, now we just need an adult to go with us," Yuki said as he glanced towards the three sitting by the fireplace.

"That's easy. Hatori is going," Kyo said as he settled back down in his seat.

Hatori looked over to the group. He wasn't paying attention to them at the time and he wasn't sure what they were talking about, "What?"

"That's right, Hari is the best choice. I'm going to take a nap," Shigure said as he laid on the ground again.

"I would go, but all that snow gives me the shiver just thinking about it," Ayame said as he smiled to Hatori.

"Alright, I'll go since there's no other choice," Hatori said as he got up to go change into some warmer cloths.

Everyone at the table cheered as they all shuffled off to change. Kyo was the last to leave the table as he slowly made his way to his room, "This is my chance to prove I'm better then Yuki. I just have to get down the hill faster then him," Kyo snapped his fingers, "This should be easy."

To be continued...

What to expect from Chapter 14:

Yuki and Kyo racing down the mountain

A surprise visitor

Kyo witnesses something for his nightmares