Fruits Basket

Beginnings and Endings

((Author Note: Aw, you guys are so nice about my arm. Anyways it's much better now. I still have a hole there 0.0 but it doesn't hurt unless someone touches me there. Everyone has been patient enough so I thought I write out Chapter 26 before Thanksgiving and I may get Chapter 27 out before then too. In this chapter I am going to give out vague hints to Kureno. If you don't know who he is then look it up because I'm not going to spoil it! There are a lot of scene changes here so I tried to space and mark it. This chapter is defiantly a builder chapter. We're getting real close to hitting the big uh oh.))

Chapter 24

"Uh, Act 2?" Tohru asked softly as her fingers ran over the flowers delicate petals that Kyo had given her.

Akito kept his gaze on Kyo as he heard her. At first he didn't respond until Kyo had disappeared off the floor to change. His hands suddenly grabbed her wrist twisting them until she dropped the flower to the ground. Once she did Akito casually pushed her to the side.

Tohru fell back against a few pillows as she held her wrist close to her side. The other Sohma's failed to see what had happened, but even if they saw no one could really do anything.

Akito picked the flower up off the ground and held it in his hand as his long slender finger traced a few lines on the flower, "Act 2...is the final act Miss Tohru..."

Akito paused a moment to face her. He bent down on his knees and held the flower out towards her, "Act 2 is the day when we all came together."

His hands crushed the flower as he dropped what remained of it at Tohru's feet, "Act 2 marks his end."

"Kyo did a good job," Ritsu said happily as he trotted down the hall to change.

Kyo just grunted to him. He wasn't going to answer that since he sure as hell didn't like doing all that. He slowly walked down the long hallway to the room where he got dressed before. His hands pressed against the door, but before he opened it one of the servants approached him.

"Master Akito would like to speak to you privately after you dress," the little servant said as she bowed his head to him.

Kyo stared down at her for a moment before he threw the door opened, "Yeah, whatever."

He stepped inside and he slammed the door shut. His orange hair fell over his eyes as his back pressed against the door behind him. His fists were clutched together, shaking violently, "Damn him. That bastard is going to do something, I just know it."

Akito offered his hand to Tohru, "Come Miss Honda. My servant will take you to a waiting room; I have some important matters to discuss with everyone privately."

Tohru still felt a slight sting in her wrist still, but she didn't hesitate to take Akito's hand since she didn't want to seem disrespectful. Akito pulled her up to her feet and gestured to the servants who were waiting for Tohru. She slowly walked off, but somehow she felt like she should stay. Her eyes glanced over to the other Sohma's who were sitting quietly at their places eating. Most of them didn't even know what was going on except for Shigure who caught her glance. He gave her a light wink to assure her everything would be ok. His wink made Tohru feel a little better and she followed the servant out of the room.

"Humph," Akito wiped his hands on his robe, "disgusting creature."

"Master Akito?" another servant said as he walked by.

Akito glanced sharply to her with narrowed eyes, "Bring them in one at a time I have to wash my hands."

"Y..Yyes," the servant said as she bowed quickly to him, afraid that Akito may take out his frustrations on her.

Shigure was sitting at his place quietly. He hadn't finished eating his food, but there was no point in finishing now. He chuckled lightly to himself as he crossed his arms together. Letting his hair roll out from behind his ears.

Yuki glanced over to his older cousin wondering what was so funny, "Why did you stop eating?"

"Because, the real show is about to start," Shigure said with a faint smile across his face.

"Huh?"

"Yuki, I'm shocked that you're being so dense," Shigure said as he tilted his head towards the place where Akito and Tohru were."

Yuki turned his head towards the area, only to realize they were gone, "Where did they go!"

"Now, now, Yuki. Keep your voice down. We don't want to startle everyone else."

Yuki's eyes narrowed as he grabbed Shigure by his robe and shook up lightly, "You knew about this didn't you?"

Shigure smiled up to Yuki slyly as he shrugged lightly, "Maybe, but alas I didn't think he do this to Tohru."

Yuki released him from his grip as he got up. Shigure straightened out his robe, smoothing out the wrinkles Yuki had caused, "Where are you going?"

"To find, Tohru," Yuki simply said as he left his place. He quickly ran across the room to the door across the way in hopes that Tohru had gone through the same door.

Shigure smiled lightly as he watched Yuki leave. His attention was drawn over to one of the servants when he heard his name being called. He politely excused himself from the table as he slowly began to walk to where Akito was waiting for him, "Everything is going as I planned," Shigure said to himself as he opened the door and shut it behind him.

Tohru stood in the quiet little room wondering how long she would have to wait. Her hands rested at her side motionless as she glanced around. The room seemed pretty normal to her. There was a variety of small decorations around the room and places to sit, but Tohru was too worried about everyone else to sit down and relax. She hoped the Sohma's would be ok. She remembered some of the things Yuki and Kyo told her about Akito and his infamous temper. She had even seen a few glimpses of it. Tohru shut her eyes together tightly. She felt so helpless just sitting in the room waiting. She wanted to help Kyo and everyone else, but she couldn't. A few tears managed to fall down her cheeks in her frustration.

"Do not cry," a voice said from behind.

Tohru quickly spun around, startled by the new voice.

"I did not mean to scare you..."

"Oh, no, no, it's ok. I just didn't know anyone else was here. Uh, where are you?" Tohru asked as she looked around. She didn't see anyone else in the room, but she heard him rather clearly.

"I'm behind the door over here." The door was cracked lightly to allow her visitor to speak clearly, but his appearance was still unknown to Tohru. By his voice alone he sounded like he was around Shigure's age.

Tohru walked over to the door and sat down near it, "Who are you?"

"I can't tell you...but I know you."

"Hmmm?"

"Akito told me...I wanted to see you for myself."

"Oh, well I'm glad to meet you," Tohru said with a bright smile again. It was amazing how fast she could switch her moods.

"Akito...do you like him?"

"Of course. Akito is the head of the Sohma's...it must be hard."

"Huh?"

Tohru brought her knees up to her chest as she rested her head down, "To be the head of a cursed family must be hard...it must be the worst curse of them all."

Tohru's visitor smiled lightly as he watched her from behind the door. She was nothing like Akito had said, but he knew that Akito was threatened by her. He heard his name being called and he slowly got up, "Miss Honda, just wait a little longer and things will work themselves out. Just believe they will."

Tohru smiled to him, "I will and thank you so much for talking to me."

He nodded to her lightly as he slowly shut the door. Her smile stirred something inside him, but he dismissed it quickly as he walked down the dark hall slowly to return to Akito's side.

"Shigure! Do you think this is funny?" Akito yelled as he hovered over Shigure who was sitting on the ground chuckling lightly.

"It's amusing," Shigure replied between chuckles.

Akito snorted lightly, "I hardly find this amusing."

"You are trying to get Kyo to break but that's just not going to happen. I find it quiet amusing."

"It would be easier for me to do if you actually listened to me!"

"Now, now Akito," Shigure said as he raised his finger up, "Maybe he can break the curse."

"I don't want the curse to break!"

Shigure was caught off with that remark as he fumbled some in what he was saying, "W-what?"

"I want to get rid of them both, this curse can never be broken," Akito said as he stood above Shigure. His dark eyes stared down at Shigure from under the shadow his hair cast, "We all will be together until the end of time."

Yuki was going through all the doors he came across in hopes that he would find Tohru. So far he hadn't had much luck, but luckily he hadn't come across anyone really. He threw open another door except this time he found someone.

"What the hell?" Kyo yelled from being startled by the door flying opened all of a sudden.

"Kyo?" Yuki said as he stood there calmly in the doorway.

"Have you ever heard of knocking?!"

Yuki snorted as he turned away, "I don't have time for your stupidity right now."

"What was that?" Kyo said, his temper was beginning to flame.

"Akito took Tohru somewhere," Yuki said over his shoulder, his eyes staring right at Kyo.

Kyo's face went grim as he felt like his heart stop, "I knew something like this was going to happen."

"Why didn't you do anything then?"

Kyo narrowed his eyes, "What the hell could I have done, huh?!"

"If you're talking about disobeying Akito then you would have if you really loved Tohru!"

Kyo was speechless as he stood there silently with his head looking down to the ground. He hated it when Yuki was right. Yuki didn't have time for this and he began to leave, if Kyo wasn't going to admit he cared for her then there was no point in asking for his help.

"Wait," Kyo said as he grabbed Yuki by the shoulder, "I do..."

"You do what?" Yuki said with a raised eyebrow.

"I love her...I really do," Kyo said in a soft voice, "Let me help you."

Yuki was surprised that Kyo was actually asking to help, instead of demanding it. It felt strange in a way how they were actually helping each other for once. It felt like an old friendship being rekindled.

"Let's go you stupid cat," Yuki said as he ran off down the hallway.

Kyo snorted lightly, "Whatever you damned rat, you better not tell Shigure about this!"

"Akito..."

Akito glanced back to his recently returned pet as he left Shigure alone for a brief moment.

"Where did you go?"

"Just a walk Akito."

"Good, I want to talk to everyone about Miss Tohru Honda and see what they see in her. Once I'm through then we can get rid of her and that wretched cat. Once they are gone I will forever be cherished as the god who ruled over the zodiac."