Fruits Basket

Beginnings and Endings

((Author Note: Not the greatest of editing jobs. My keyboard is a bit off too since my batteries are running low. Anyways, everyone waited long enough so I wanted to get this out. I stayed up until midnight writing it, hehe. Anyways this chapter takes a small step back. It starts when Tohru fell out of the window except the scene is on Shigure, Ayame, and Hatori. Have you noticed I use those three a lot? I have no reason for that except those three just have great interaction and they also know much more about everything. Ever noticed another character I use a lot? Kazuma…except he made his appearance last chapter already which helped foreshadow everything. Ok stop reading my rambling and read the chapter!))

Chapter 26

In the very beginning the cat's anger drove him mad and in the end it destroyed him. For centuries this very trait was passed down through generations, but why? Was the cat's anger so strong that it excited to the point it would never vanish? Or perhaps the cat's anger marks a changing point in history, one that must be corrected, but who could do such a thing? Kyo? Does he have the will to stop this circle or will he simply be consumed by it.

"How do you know all that, Shigure?" Ayame asked as he blinked lightly trying to understand what he just said fully.

"Oh, you know! I was only cleaning in Kyo's room and I saw his book open," Shigure said as his serious mood suddenly changed into his more familiar one.

"To put it simply, you were snooping," Hatori said rather coldly as he raised an eyebrow.

Shigure laughed nervously as he rubbed the back of his head, "You phrase it too harshly, I was cleaning!"

"Humph, you don't clean, Shigure. I've seen your room, not to mention your house before Tohru came."

There was a strong silence among the three older Sohma's as they glanced to each other. Hatori had noticed the same silence in Hiro when he glanced towards his younger cousin.

"Such a terrible feeling," Ayame said as he touched his chest, "It feels almost like someone stole something precious."

Shigure sighed lightly as his eyes seemed to search the area frantically, "Perhaps something was…"

"What are you implying?" Hatori asked. He felt the same pain, yet he was able to keep it hidden. The rest of the Sohma's were already beginning to panic and he didn't want to alarm them anymore then they already were.

"Tohru…" Shigure simply said as he walked over to get his coat.

Ayame and Hatori stood there for a moment as they watched Shigure.

Shigure glanced towards them for a moment before grinning lightly, "Afraid to go against Akito's wishes?"

Hatori shook his head as Ayame laughed, "Nonsense if it means Tohru is in trouble then the magnificent three shall save her!"

Hatori shoved Ayame's coat into his arms as he marched towards the door, "Hurry up and stop babbling then."

Hatori didn't particularly like the idea of going against Akito, but somehow he felt like he could if it meant Tohru was harmed in some way.

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"I wonder where they are going," Momiji asked out loud to himself while everyone else sat around together.

"Would you please stop asking questions out loud!" Hiro snapped as he rested his head against the table again, "It's annoying."

"I can't help it! I feel weird!" Momiji yelled as he waved his arms around.

Haru gently grabbed his arms and set them gently down on the table, "Everything will be fine."

"Really?"

"He doesn't know," Hiro said as he rolled his eyes, "Half the time he's in lala land."

Haru narrowed his eyes quickly towards him, "You better watch your damn mouth or I'll turn you into lamb chops."

"Wha-?"

"You heard me!" Haru got up but he didn't get too far as everyone grabbed him to keep him back.

"It's because of sissy," Kisa said in a soft voice.

Everyone stopped and looked towards her as she spoke. Kisa shut her eyes lightly, "Sissy is in trouble."

Ritsu rubbed his hands together nervously, "Oh no! We have to do something!"

"Calm down," Hiro said as he got up from the ground, "What if Akito catches us? What then?"

Ritsu blinked lightly before he swallowed a gulp of air, "Who cares about Akito!"

"I'm with the scared monkey," Haru said as he leaned against Ritsu who yelped from being startled by the rather scary Black Haru, "Who gives a damn about Akito right now. Let's go look for our beautiful lady."

"I agree…except for his last comment," Hiro said as he took Kisa's hand, "Let's go look."

Kisa smiled to him and nodded, "Right."

The group of Sohma's began to run off. Kagura took the rear and glanced up stairs, "Where ever you are Kyo, be safe."

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"What did you do?" Kyo said as his red eyes stared at the rather dark looking Akito.

Akito glanced to Kyo for a moment before his sights moved to Yuki, "So, you dare defy me too, my dear Yuki."

Yuki hesitated for a moment, but he didn't have much time to answer until Kyo suddenly shoved him towards the door. Yuki didn't even see Kyo move towards him when he pushed him.

"Answer me!" Kyo yelled as his fist balled up together.

Akito was surprised by the sudden push Kyo gave to Yuki and he took a small step back, being careful to avoid the glass, "I did what was fitting for someone like her…someone so similar to you."

Kyo growled low and his eyes shot towards Yuki on the ground, "Get out of here…"

"What? No you can't be here…"

Kyo spun around to face Yuki, "Find her…I trust you."

Yuki was surprised by that comment since he sure as hell didn't trust Kyo, but he nodded his head lightly as he watched Kyo move towards Akito. 'He doesn't seem like the normal Kyo…too weird.'

Yuki didn't waste any time and he quickly moved towards the door to leave Akito to Kyo.

Akito watched Kyo as he tucked his hands inside his robe, "Kyo…do you feel it?"

"Feel what?" Kyo snapped as his eyes stared right through Akito.

"The pain in your chest. The feeling of lost. Does it make you tremble in fear?"

Kyo shook his head, "No I don't feel anything, in fact all I can feel right now is how much I hate you."

Akito laughed lightly, "You truly are a monster."

Kyo's teeth bit down together as he ran towards Akito, "Don't you dare call me that!"

Akito smirked at Kyo's charge. He simply kicked his foot out striking Kyo in the nerve on his leg. Kyo faltered down to his knees when he suddenly felt the sharp shards of glass digging into them. He yelped and tried to get up, but Akito was quick enough to knock him back while Kyo was still off balance. Kyo couldn't do anything to stop his fall and he fell on top of the sharp shards of glass. Every piece felt like a million of needles digging into his back. Kyo wasn't sure how badly torn up he would be, but he knew it wouldn't be good. Akito grabbed Kyo by the back, "Is this how it ends then? You fall before me like all the cats do to their masters in the past. Pitiful, yet amusing."

Kyo opened his mouth to say something but the words escaped him as he gasped for air. His eyes stared up to the ceiling where he could see tiny white snowflakes drifting into the room. Those tiny white snowflakes slowly looked more like into white lights as his vision began to sway. Tohru…

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"Do you even know where you are going?" Hatori asked Shigure as they walked through the snow.

"Of course I do. I am a dog."

Ayame didn't last to long in the snow and he had changed into a snake. Hatori kindly allowed him to sleep in his shirt pocket though he wasn't going to be thrilled if Ayame changed back all of a sudden.

"Where is she then?"

Shigure glanced around, "Hmm…I swear I thought I sensed her around here."

Before Shigure could look around a bit longer, suddenly Tohru landed right on top of him. In a large poof, Shigure was his black dog self under Tohru.

"I…found her…"

"Tohru," Hatori said in relief as he stepped towards her, "Are you alright?"

Tohru quickly got up, "I'm so sorry Shigure!"

"It's ok…" Shigure said as he slowly got up, "Tohru…where did you come from?"

"Oh…the window," Tohru said as if it was something everyone did everyday.

"Alas young princess you are saved!" Ayame said as he head popped up from Hatori's pocket, "Hatori! Her head is bleeding do something!"

Hatori tilted his head lightly to see how bad Tohru was cut up, "She has a couple of cuts. Most are superficial. I take it the window was shut when you fell out of it."

Tohru nodded, "When I fell, I landed on the small ledge. Once I felt ok again I jumped."

"I believe my next question is, did you actually fall or did Akito push you?" Hatori said as he leaned closer to her.

Tohru was silently as she looked down to the ground. She didn't want to accuse of Akito of anything since he was their clan leader.

Shigure shook the snow from his fur as he looked up to Tohru, "It's ok Tohru. We know anyways. Akito won't bother you anymore."

Tohru and Hatori both stared at Shigure as they stood there in the snow.

Shigure wagged his tail, "Que Sera Sera."

"Indeed, Que Sera Sera," Ayame said with a laugh.

"Idiots…" Hatori mumbled, "Come on. Everyone else is looking for you."

Tohru nodded her head lightly. She had a strange feeling as well all of a sudden. Her eyes glanced to the sky for a moment, "Where's Kyo?"

Everyone was silent for a moment as they wondered the same question. It wasn't long into the group ran back to find out what happened to cat.

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"Are you done, Kyo?" Akito asked as his hands kept a firm grip on Kyo's throat.

Kyo laughed lightly as his eyes lifted up to meet Akito's, "No…this isn't the end. It's only the beginning," Kyo flicked his wrist and his beads went flying off. Akito dropped his grip on Kyo and he quickly backed away as Kyo changed into his hideous cat form. His distorted body raised over Akito now as his jaws opened with razor sharp teeth.

"Every beginning has an end Akito and this is yours!"