Fruits Basket
Beginnings and Endings
Sorry that this took so long. I actually had most of it done, but the holidays slowed me down.
((Author Note: Ouch got some harsher reviews that round. I don't know if it was because I did something bad to Kyo or that I'm drawing in a larger crowd and I'm just getting some more feedback now. Either way thank you for the comments. I do indeed read them all. Let's all remember I'm a Kyo fan so I don't think I'm going to kill him off anytime soon. Though I could trick ya, lol. Right, so I'm doing a better job on this one. I remember someone saying something about more detail to balance the dialog out. Face it this story is dialog and my other story is detail. I can't balance things. Heh, well I'm going to try harder on this chapter and I'm actually going to edit it. Also this chapter turned out to be a bit longer then normal since I didn't want to leave everyone hanging again…So happy reading. There' another author note at the end.))
Chapter 28
Kyo felt the sharp blade slice through his shoulder as his eyes stared back at Tohru, his face in a state of shock. He felt his legs fail as his body went tumbling to the ground. His body slowly reverted back to his human form, no longer able to hold his true form any longer. As Kyo watched the floor come crashing down upon him he saw a few speckles of blood fall past his eyes. The tiny red droplets danced in the air as they made their decent down. Their almost beautiful danced amazed Kyo as he watched gravity pull them back down to earth. He felt one of his hands reach out for them, wanting to touch it just one time. His fingers struggled to stretch out to touch the precious droplet of life, but each time he tried he failed. The tug of pain made it difficult for him to focus as the red droplet faded away from his vision just as his body crashed against the ground. His head rested against the cold floor as he stared down at his bloody hand. He had touch that precious life, but now it was destroyed in the palm of his hand. Kyo slowly lifted his head weakly up to see Tohru moving towards him. Everything around him seemed to be moving in slow motion. Even her voice was slurred to a point where Kyo thought it was another language. He couldn't move anymore and he had lost all his strength he had left to protect her. He failed right when she needed him most. Kyo could see Akito's lingering dark figure above Tohru. A monstrous monster stalking its precious prey.
Is this the end? Is this how my story is really going to turn out?
Why?
Why?!
"Why, what?"
Kyo opened his eyes all of a sudden. At first his vision was too blurry to identify where he was. He rolled over until his gaze was met by Shigure's who was hovering over above him, "Uh, Kyo are you alright?"
Kyo's eyes looked around frantically as he stood up knocking over the table he had been apparently sitting at. He couldn't believe where he was. He was standing in Shigure's room in his house! Everything was just like he remembered. Shigure's room was as messy as hell while the rest of the house remained spotless. Kyo patted his body trying to find any wounds of any kind. Shigure just sat there wondering what Kyo was doing as he stared down at his flipped over table.
"Kyo, perhaps you should do that in your room," Shigure said as he adjusted his glasses on his face as he sat back down on his cushion, ignoring the mess Kyo created for now. He had his normal proud smile creased across his face as he waited for Kyo's response to his comment.
To his surprise Kyo suddenly grabbed him by the shirt and shook him, "What the hell is going on, Shigure? Why are we here? How come we're not at the main house or Akito's banquet?"
Shigure blinked a bit confused as he gently pulled Kyo's hand away so he would loosen his grip he had on his robe, "What are you talking about? You've been in my room studying and then you fell asleep. You try to hard to impress Tohru. I'm telling you, girls don't like that studying thing. Go out and be proud, Kyo!"
Kyo snorted lightly as he stormed over the turned over table, "Shut up," he slammed the door behind him as he marched off down the hall. He wasn't getting anywhere with Shigure which was pretty normal so far.
"My table Kyo!" Shigure had yelled out, but it was too late and he sighed lightly as he rubbed his forehead, "Oh dear, there he goes destroying my house again."
'What the heck is going on here? I could have sworn I was hurt at Akito's banquet…was it just a dream?' Kyo wondered to himself as he continued walking through the house, maybe some fresh air would do him some good.
While Kyo was trying to figure out what was going on he accidentally ran into Yuki who was also busy reading a book while he walked around the house. The two knocked each other back slightly but neither fell.
"Hey!" Kyo yelled as he quickly regained his balance, "Watch where you're going you stu-"
"You're right I'm sorry," Yuki simply replied as he picked up his book from the ground.
"Say what?" Kyo replied, not expecting that sort of reply as he left his mouth opened a bit stunned and dumbfounded.
"Hmm? I said I was sorry," Yuki said again as he brushed himself off, "I didn't see you around the corner."
"Uh…eh…what?"
Yuki stared at Kyo for a moment before walking off, leaving Kyo there confused.
"Was that really Yuki? He'd never let me get away with that, what's happening around here?"
"Kyo!" Tohru called out as she came running down the hall with her arms stretched out.
Kyo heard her of course and he turned his head to see her running towards him. He saw her arms in the air and he was about to stop her since he wasn't in the mood to transform, but it was too late. She had a hold of him and gave him a tight hug which knocked him right over against the ground. Kyo had his eyes shut the entire time as he laid there expecting to transform like he always did.
"Kyo, what's wrong?" Tohru asked as she looked down at him.
"Nothing it's just…what the!" Kyo opened his eyes and saw that he hadn't transformed. She was hugging him and he wasn't a cat.
"Hmm?" Tohru asked with a blank look as Kyo stared down at himself in shock.
Kyo sat up quickly and when he did Tohru released her grip. For a moment she sat there staring at him while Kyo patted himself again, trying to figure out what was going on. There was an odd silence before Kyo suddenly hugged her again, "I'm not a cat! Look!!!"
"Cat? Why would you be a cat?"
Kyo released her from his grip as he looked down at her with a confused look, "Because…that's what I am. I'm the cat from the zodiac."
"The zodiac?"
"What the hell is wrong with you? I know you're not this stupid."
Tohru winced lightly as she looked down, "I'm sorry…I just don't know what Kyo is talking about."
Kyo sighed as he rubbed his face, "No, don't be. I'm just confused is all," he hated it when she did that to him. When she seemed hurt by his words, Kyo could always feel a wave of guilt since. He couldn't help but cave in, "It's just that…I was the cat, Yuki was the rat and Shigure was a dog."
"Dog you say? Well that is my year, but I don't ever remember being one. Hmm…though it would be nice since girls do love dogs," Shigure said as he walked over to the two on the floor. He seemed to have disregarded his eye glasses for the time being. Though he still had his all to familiar smile across his face.
Kyo stared at Shigure and then to Tohru. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Everyone was acting like the curse never even existed. There was just no way that any of it could be real it just wasn't possible, yet somehow Kyo felt like this was reality and the life he knew it was really the dream.
Tohru noticed Kyo's sudden change in expression and she tilted her head slightly as she looked at him. Her hands rested lightly in her lap as she tried to figure out what was bothering Kyo, "Are you ok?"
"He's fine," Shigure said as he patted Kyo on the head, "He's just tired from studying, right Kyo?"
"Huh….oh right, yeah don't worry about it," Kyo said trying to smile for Tohru as he gave her a thumbs up. He didn't want her to worry over him, even though he was worrying himself to death at the moment.
"Maybe you should go take a nap. I'll wake you when dinner is ready," Tohru said as she got up slowly, making sure she didn't drop anything when she had hugged Kyo.
"Yeah, sure," Kyo mumbled lightly as he stared down at the ground. Once again he felt guilty that she was worrying over him, but in the past he had admitted to himself that he had enjoyed it. Why was it that it pained him so much now?
"Have a good nap," Tohru said as she ran off to the kitchen to prepare another large meal for the Sohma men.
Kyo glanced slightly to the side to see her leave. Everything he remembered about her seemed the same. Her sweet attitude and rather clumsy manner were still what made Tohru herself, but something seemed different about her. Kyo couldn't quiet place it though. He remained sitting there on the floor staring down the hallway with Shigure lingering above him.
"You know she worries about you. You should try a little harder to ease her worrying," Shigure said as he turned around to head back to his room to pretend that he was actually doing real work.
"Shigure…"
Shigure paused a moment before he glanced slightly over his shoulder. His dark eyes peeked out from behind his hair as he stared at the orange figure that sat in the hallway. Shigure's face seemed to relax to a more serious manner as he listened to Kyo.
"What's going on? I know you know something. Is this reality or was that nightmare I had really just a dream?
Shigure was silent as his head turned back around towards his room, "If you want to protect her, you need to stand on your own two feet. Alas this writer has to continue writing."
Kyo listened to Shigure's soft footsteps against the wooden floor as he just sat there in the hallway. Kyo felt his mouth turn slowly into a light smirk as he leaned up against the wall, letting a few strands of his orange hair cover his eyes as he looked up to the ceiling, 'Heh in other words I need to find out for myself. Peh stupid Shigure.'
It wasn't long until Tohru called everyone for dinner. Nothing seemed any different while that ate to Kyo besides that fact no one knew what he was talking about. Shigure still made his normal perverted comments to upset the two boys; Tohru was still clueless to his antics and Yuki seemed his rather clam and compose self. Kyo ate quietly for once and retreated to the roof once he had finished eating. Even sitting there on the rooftop didn't comfort him munch as he listened to everyone below settling in for the night.
"Am I really lost or is this home?" Kyo asked himself as he stared up at the stars. Deep down inside himself he could hear someone calling his name, but the voice was only but a whisper to him now. Kyo let a deep sigh escape his lips as he lowered his head down. He flexed his right hand when he felt a cold chill to it. His eyes glanced slightly to his hand to see the cause for the chill when suddenly he realized that it was covered in blood. Suddenly the images of Tohru hurt flashed before his eyes. He could see the pain etched in ever essence in her body as she tried to reach out to him, but he was too hurt to catch her. All he could do was watch her fall in defeat.
"No! Tohru…" Kyo yelled as he watched his greatest fears unfold before his eyes. His body felt so useless…no he felt so useless. Why did he have to be so weak?
"Kyo?"
"What!" Kyo suddenly sat up again. The images he saw were gone and he was back on Shigure's roof under the night sky. He felt the cold drips of sweat run down his face as he quickly wiped them away with a shaky hand.
"Um, I didn't hear you come down to go to sleep. I thought maybe something was bothering you."
Kyo smirked lightly as he got to his feet, "Nothings bothering me its just…" Kyo paused for a moment as he studied her. He was curious if those horrible images would flash before his eyes again, but nothing came to him.
"It's just?"
"I guess I'm a bit restless is all. I'm not too tired. Don't worry about me and go back to sleep. I'll be down soon."
Tohru nodded to him lightly, "Ok, have a good sleep then."
Kyo watched her crawl back down inside. He rubbed his shoulder lightly feeling a bit sore there, "Heh, I still act like an idiot here. I can't tell her anything full out…"
Kyo didn't go inside until the morning sun rose. He really wasn't all that tired, but he went inside just incase Tohru came in to check on him. With the morning sun slowly rising, Kyo slowly got dressed for school. He grabbed his bag and headed downstairs to join Tohru and Yuki. The threesome soon left Shigure's house and headed off to school like any normal day. Kyo slowly seemed to enjoy the thought of living a typical life. The curse didn't sit on his mind anymore and he could enjoy being a teenager for once.
Class seemed like its same boring self as well yet Kyo felt actually happy to be there. He was just like everyone else, sitting there in that classroom listening to some boring lecture. He wasn't the cat he wasn't anything worth worrying about, he was just Kyo. After class Tohru and her friends Uo and Hana hang around with Kyo since Yuki had to go take care of some business with the student council.
"Let's all go out to eat," Tohru said as she clasped her hands together. Tohru seemed in a particularly good mood today, even though she actually always seemed like that.
"Sounds like a good idea. I'm up for it if orange top is," Uo said as she nudged Kyo lightly in the head, who in returned narrowed his eyes in response to her nudge.
"Yeah, yeah I'm up for whatever," Kyo replied as he stood up with his bag over his shoulder. It wasn't like he had anything else to do at the moment; he might as well get a good lunch out of it.
"Such a fine idea Tohru," Hana said as she peeked out from the manga she was reading, "Perhaps we should ask the others to join."
"Others? Who the hell are you talking about?" Kyo said as he raised an eyebrow. He was never quiet sure what Hana was saying half the time since she freaked him out way too much.
"Oh yeah! I bet Momiji and Hatsuharu would like to join," Tohru said with a bright look upon her face. She always did like to include everyone as much as possible.
"I bet you want me to look for them." Kyo asked as he jammed his hands into his pockets. Of course he knew Tohru was going to object, but her friends would have made him go anyways.
"Oh no, Kyo I could-"
Kyo raised his hand as he headed for the door, "Don't start. I bet I can find the idiots faster anyways. Just wait for me outside."
He opened the door and headed out leaving Tohru there with her friends. Kyo headed down the hallway looking for Momiji and Hatsuharu since they were often seen around the hallways just lingering around. It shouldn't have been too difficult to spot them since there weren't too many people with the same colored hair as those two. Kyo sighed lightly as he stared down the hallway which was empty of the two Sohma's he was looking for, "Peh, typical. I can't even find those bastards now."
"Who you looking for?" Momiji shouted all of sudden from behind Kyo.
"Gah! How long have you been standing there?"
"Long enough to hear what you said!" Momiji rocked on his heels as he smiled up to Kyo, "Haru is in the bathroom if you're looking for him too."
"Right, anyways Tohru wanted to know if you're hungry. We're going to have lunch or something."
"Aw, Haru and I are busy today. To bad too I really wanted to see Tohru today. Aren't you busy too, Kyo?"
Kyo shook his head lightly as he stared down at Momiji, "No what would I be busy with?"
"You're lost right? It must be difficult. Tumbling down into a rabbit hole always is."
Kyo's eyes grew wide as he stared at Momiji who had a rather compose smile across his face. For a moment the little blond headed boy had a rather serious look on his face as he stared back up at Kyo. He slowly dipped his head down before a giggle erupted from his lips, "I heard it from a movie once. Tell Tohru we'll join her next time. See ya, Kyo!"
With that Momiji was gone. He had disappeared down the hall to do whatever it was he had planned. Kyo just stood there feeling sick to his stomach. He wasn't sure what he heard from Momiji now. It felt like Momiji was actually trying to help him, but then again Momiji could have been rambling meaningless nonsense.
"You shouldn't stand in the hallway people may run into you…" Haru said in a calm voice as he walked towards Kyo. His white feathered hair moved with each step he took as he approached Kyo.
"Why is that? Worried a might turn into something?" Kyo asked, curious on Haru's response was going to be.
"Hmm…no people just don't pay attention anymore," Haru said as he patted Kyo on the shoulder before he continued on walking.
"Wait! I need some help with something," Kyo asked quickly as he tried to stop Haru, but Haru just shrugged him off.
"Heh, can't help you there. I'm busy, later," Haru waved to Kyo over his shoulder as he slowly walked away with a few girls giggling following him from behind.
Kyo growled lightly as he stormed back to the classroom where Tohru and her friends were. He was confused once again and this time it was pissing him off. Why couldn't anyone help him? When Kyo returned to the classroom he saw that Tohru had gone off somewhere, but her friends were still there.
"Where's Tohru?" Kyo asked as he looked around the classroom some.
"Bathroom…" Hana simply said as she continued to read.
"Yeah and don't go peeking in there you little perv," Uo said as she pointed her finger right at Kyo.
"What!? Where the hell do you get off calling me a perv…wait I don't have time for this crap right now. Tell Tohru I'll meet her back home, something came up."
"Like what?" Uo asked with her arms crossed over her chest. Her expression got suddenly stern.
"None of your damn business," Kyo snapped as he stormed out.
"He sure is edgy," Uo said as she looked over to Hana.
"Because he's starting to understand," Hana said in a soft voice as she lowered her book to glance out the window to see Kyo pushing people out of his way as he ran down the street.
Uo laughed lightly, "I guess so. That idiot is such a thick headed jerk sometimes."
Kyo ran through the streets as fast as he could. He didn't even care if he was shoving people out of the way. He knew only two people who could help him now which were Hatori and his master. Kyo couldn't ask Kazuma for help since he would just make Kyo do this himself so he might as well ask Hatori, since he normally knew something that could be helpful when it involved the family. As Kyo ran through the streets someone grabbed him by the arm to stop him when he was pushing past a crowd of people. Kyo was quick to react and he quickly swung his free arm right at the person.
"Let go of me!"
Before his fist made contact he realized who it was and he immediately stopped himself, "Kagura!?"
"Kyo…what are you doing?"
Kyo felt a cold shiver run down his spine and it wasn't the kind of shiver you got when you were cold. This sort of shiver was pure fear, "Uh…I uh was…"
"I thought we lost you. You were gone for so long…" Kagura said as a few tears welt up in her eyes.
"Huh? Wait I wasn't gone…"
"You know how much I worry! You could have at lest called me or something you jerk!" Kagura started shaking Kyo around with her arms while everyone on the streets and stores watched. Kyo couldn't do much to resist against her as he waved his hands in the air trying to apologize for whatever it was he did.
"Kyo! You better call next time, got it?" Kagura said with a flash of red in her eyes as she practically chocked him to death.
"Right…" Kyo managed to squeak out before she let him go. Kyo didn't like submitting to Kagura but he was in a rush and he didn't have time to argue with Kagura at the moment.
"Good, don't forget Kyo. Bye bye," Kagura waved to him with a bright smile as she went skipping down the street as if nothing had happened.
Kyo rubbed his neck some as he stood there, "Well that was all too familiar…" Kyo shot everyone a narrowed look who was staring at him on the streets and stores. After Kyo collected himself up he continued on his way to the main house to see Hatori.
The main house seemed as dreary as ever, though Kyo wasn't really allowed inside the complex. He requested one of the servants to go get Hatori for him while he waited.
The sky above him had slowly gotten darker over the day and it looked like it was going to rain. Kyo didn't even feel tired which was nice for once, but he wished he could get an explanation for everything. He stared at his hand with his palm up expecting to see a splatter of blood, but nothing was there. The images; the voices; and even his feelings felt like there were nothing more but a whisper in the wind.
"Hari should be out soon my young prince," Ayame said as he came prancing out.
Kyo quickly lowered his hand back to his side as he heard Ayame, "What are you doing here? Don't you ever go home?"
"Hmm but of course," Ayame said as he flicked his long hair back, "but Hari is dreadfully lonely and someone must keep him company."
"In other words you were bored and had nothing to do and Hatori is a grown man he doesn't need you there."
"Humph, I resent that. What brings our young prince here though? Having trouble with Tohru again," Ayame asked as he smiled down to Kyo who was hiding his face now.
"It's…nothing like that. Someone like you wouldn't understand."
"Perhaps, but I see more then what you expect I suppose," Ayame said in a serious voice now as he managed a light chuckle as he stared out at the court yard, "Yes I can see her eyes staring at you. I can even see her hand reaching out, yet her hand is met with nothing but the cold air."
Kyo didn't say anything as he thought about Ayame's words. At first he thought Ayame was just rambling as normal, but this time his words were describing his dream he had. He slowly turned around to see Ayame still standing before him with a proud smile across his face. Kyo had to admit when Ayame wasn't acting like an idiot he did have a good grasp on people's personalities, which was something Kyo wished he was able to do sometimes.
"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting," Hatori said as he stepped out to join them. He was wearing with his white coat still as he slowly walked towards them, "Ayame, you can wait for me back inside now."
"Hmm…you got it Hari. I'll make us some tea!" Ayame rushed off to go do what he could to help Hatori.
Hatori shook his head lightly before he looked over to Kyo, "This is rather unusual for you to come here. What seems to be the problem?"
Kyo was silent for a moment before he spoke up. He wasn't sure where to begin exactly since everything seemed all jumbled up in his mind, "I keep hearing these voices…"
"I'm not a mental doctor…"
"Not like that! It sounds so real, but the more time passes the harder it is to hear the voice that's calling for me. Sometimes I even feel a sharp pain in my shoulder. It hurts so much that I feel like I'm going to pass out. One time I even thought I saw blood on my hands! I don't know what to do anymore…" Kyo said as he felt like breaking down in tears, but he held it back as he clutched his fist together to suppress the urge.
Hatori rested his hand on Kyo's shoulder as he studied him for a moment, "You are hurting, but I'm not the one who can heal you."
"Then who!?" Kyo yelled as he pushed Hatori away.
Hatori was rather hard to knock off balance and he managed to maintain his stance be adjusting his weight slightly, "This is something you'll have to discover for yourself."
"I'm sick and tired-"
"Then do it," Hatori quickly said as he turned away and headed back inside, "If you don't then you will never stand on your own ever again."
Hatori left Kyo standing there at the gate. Kyo's hands rested against the brick wall as his head dipped down from his shoulders in defeat. He felt utterly defeated standing there. He just wanted to slam his head against that brick wall.
"Oh no!!!"
Kyo heard a rather familiar voice nearby as he looked to see if his suspicions were correct, "Ritsu?"
Ritsu was staring up at one of the tree's waving his arms frantically at one of the branches, "This is terrible! How could I be so stupid! Why?!"
Kyo rubbed his head lightly. His head hurt from his own problems and all he need now was the frantic Ritsu to make things worst, but he couldn't bring himself to just walk away. Instead Kyo ended up walking to the tree to see what was Ritsu's problem, "What's got you in a twist?"
"Kyo! It's terrible. There's a cat!"
"So what?"
"He's stuck in the tree and now he can't get down because of me!"
"What the hell did you do?"
Ritsu clutched his hands together as he threw himself against the tree trunk, "I only wanted to say hello and I scared the cat! Now it's going to stay in the tree forever. Not only that it will die because of me! It's all my fault!"
Kyo didn't even hear half of Ritsu's rant since he was already climbing up the tree to get the cat, "I swear, why do I even ask?"
The tree was easy for Kyo to maneuver up. The trunk was thick enough to support his body weight, but the tree also had a few ridges that he could use to steady his balance. As he climbed further up the tree Kyo realized he was lucky that most of the branches were thick since he really didn't want to fall out of a tree. The cat was perched just to the right of Kyo now as he climbed a little closer to it, "Lucky for me I use to climb a lot of trees. Now just come here little-"
Before Kyo even knew what was going on the cat had latched itself onto his head. With a cat stuck on to his head Kyo panicked by waving his hands in the air, but in doing so he lost his balance and fell backwards out of the tree landing right on his back against the ground.
"Kyo! Are you ok?" Ritsu asked, a bit afraid that Kyo might yell at him for all this.
Kyo pointed to the cat still stuck on his face, telling Ritsu to get it off him. Ritsu of course acted quickly and pulled the cat off, but it wasn't such an easy task since the cat seemed like it didn't want to let go. Ritsu finally got the cat off and held it in his arms, "Kyo?"
"Don't ever ask me to do that again," Kyo growled as he got to his feet. The fall from the tree wasn't too long of a drop but it still hurt.
"I'm so sorry. At lest the kitty is safe."
Kyo glanced towards the cat and saw that the creature was orange, similar to himself or so he thought, "Almost like…"
"Like?" Ritsu questioned as he stared at Kyo who seemed like he was trying to remember something.
"I don't know…"
"Mr. Kitty knows who he is and I think he's proud of it. I think Hatori will know what to do with Mr. Kitty. Thank you Kyo."
"Yeah, yeah," Kyo said as Ritsu left to go back to Hatori's, "Proud to be a cat, eh?"
Kyo laughed lightly as he slowly walked back to Shigure's house a bit banged up now. What was wrong with him? The longer time passed the more he forgot. He almost forgot that he was cursed by the cat…but was that a dream or not? What was he?
"Hey!"
Kyo's thoughts were suddenly interrupted when Hiro threw open Shigure's sliding doors, "Where's that girl?"
"She has a name you little brat," Kyo said as he took off his shoe's, "What are you doing here anyways?"
"I'm here with Kisa, not because I wanted to see that stupid girl," Hiro said as he snorted lightly at Kyo.
"For the last time she has a name and stop calling her stupid!"
"I'm worried about Sissy," Kisa said as she stepped out towards the two boys, "She seemed to be worried more today."
Kyo sighed slightly since part of that was his fault.
"You know a girl like that needs help," Hiro said as he placed his hands on his hips, "She maybe reliable but she can't even stand on her own two feet."
"Sissy needs help," Kisa said as she almost sounded like she was pleading to Kyo as she stared up to him.
Kyo stared at the two for a moment before he felt something stir inside his chest. He turned away from them both and began walking down the beaten to path again.
"Kyo!" Yuki called out from the house.
Kyo paused to hear Yuki, but he didn't turn around.
"Kyo, if you do this it may break you. Even if the tinniest fiber of your being gives away it will be over. Are you willing to let it end?"
Kyo smirked lightly as he glanced over his shoulder to Yuki, "You damn rat. You think I'm willing to let all this end? How weak do you think I am?" Kyo laughed lightly as he began to walk again, "Nothing will end, this is only the beginning."
Kyo had a hunch Tohru was just taking her time walking home and he was indeed right. He found Tohru admiring a few planets along her way from Hana's house. Kyo paused a moment in the tree's shadows watching her. Somehow he felt like what he was about to do was wrong, but this was how it had to be. He slowly stepped out from the tree's shadows until Tohru saw him.
"Kyo, what are you doing here?"
"To get you…everyone's worried you know."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I just got a bit distracted. I guess now we can go back together," Tohru slowly began to walk past Kyo until he suddenly grabbed her by the arm. He held her loosely in his grip as he kept her from going any further.
"Kyo?" Tohru said his name in a light whisper as his hand began to shake as he held her arm.
"I can't go back with you…"
"But-"
"I don't belong here, Tohru. This isn't me," Kyo turned to face Tohru now as he gazed back to her with a soft in his eyes. For the first time he was seeing clearly in his life, "I'm not a normal teenager, heck I'm anything but normal. My family is screwed up, my life is screwed up even more and I'm cursed by the worst animal…"
"Kyo, what are you talking about. I don't understand."
Kyo lifted his hands up to her face to touch her cheek lightly as a few tears rolled down his face, "I maybe cursed by the worst animal, but I'm proud to be that animal. I'm the cat of the zodiac and I always will be even when the curse is lifted. Tohru, I can't stay here because this place isn't real. This place is something my mind created…the perfect world…the perfect life, but heaven isn't enough."
As Kyo spoke his final words, the image of Tohru began to fade away in his hands. He could almost still feel her warm skin on the tip of his fingers as she disappeared. The world around him melted into darkness. Kyo felt like bursting in tears as he stood there in the darkness, "Despite knowing that I wouldn't have mind staying here…" Kyo whispered as his mind slowly began to wake back up in reality.
Tohru wasn't sure how much longer she could last. Akito had been beating her up pretty badly with his bare hands. He had abandoned the blade he had used on Kyo for now, but Tohru wasn't sure if he would turn around and use it all of sudden. Akito wasn't a cold blooded murder, but rather he wanted to make someone suffer until they broke mentally. Tohru however was still resisting him, which caused him to hurt her even more. Tohru wasn't going to give up thought. She knew Kyo would wake up soon, he just had to. He had fallen from his injury an hour ago, yet she couldn't even tell if he was still alive. Tohru's eyes stared down at his lifeless body until Akito grabbed her by the neck and proceeded to chock her.
"I told you I would make you suffer. You will submit to me, just like they have. I can simply just erase your memory once I'm threw having my fun with you. Did you really think you belonged with us in this family?" Akito laughed low as he tighten his grip, "Now stop resisting me and I will stop."
Before Tohru could even do or say anything, Akito was sudden struck in the side of the head by a massive claw. Akito was completely shocked and caught off guard by the strange attack. His hands immediately released Tohru as he fell back against the wall. A gush of blood fell from three long wounds across his face made by the massive claw. His hand reach up to touch the blood, as if he never seen such a thing before.
"Don't touch her…don't ever touch her again…" Kyo said as he stood weakly on his two feet. His hand had partly transformed to hit Akito, but that was his last amount of real energy he could afford as he stood over Tohru.
"You…" Akito mumbled as he got back to his feet. He shook the blood off his hand as he confronted Kyo, "You're supposed to submit to me! How can the cat stand up against me?! I'm the leader of this family."
Kyo smirked weakly to Akito, "Someone has to. Everyone else is too afraid. Might as well be the cat to knock some sense into you. I'm not part of this family after all."
"I'll kill you!" Akito made another go at Kyo with the knife in his hand again, except this time Kyo wasn't going to back down. Kyo grabbed Akito's arm once he was close enough and he then tightened his grip around his arm forcing Akito to let go of his dagger. Akito was quick to strike back and he grabbed Kyo's wounded shoulder and jammed his fingers into the wound. Kyo cried out in pain but he kept his grip his on Akito threatening to break his arm. More blood dripped from Kyo's wound as he struggled to keep Akito pinned against the wall, but he wasn't going to let him go even if it killed him.
"Akito open your eyes! You're no god heck no one here is that, even Tohru. She's just Tohru. Don't you want the curse to be broken?"
"How can she break it? It's impossible no one can break it."
"It's you…it's me…it's all of us. Don't you want to be able to walk down the damn street feeling normal again. I know you're scared that we'll all leave you once the curse is broken, but do you really think that's true? Those bastards downstairs are your family; they wouldn't leave you behind even when you smack them around like dolls. Tohru isn't even apart of this family and she still wants to help. How can you turn away someone like that?!"
Akito was silent as he listened to Kyo. For the first time in a long time Akito was considering what an outsider had to say. His long slender fingers loosened from Kyo's wound until he released him completely. Kyo did the same and he let Akito slide back down to the ground.
"I…don't want anyone to leave me. If am no longer the head of the family…then what am I?" Akito said as he held his head.
Tohru slowly crawled over to him, "Akito…no one will leave you alone. Shigure and the other's will always be with you and if they won't then you will always have me and my friends."
Akito was silent as he listened to Tohru. He didn't reply nor did he acknowledge her as he slowly got back to his feet to leave the room. It was difficult to know what Akito was truly thinking in his complex mind, but for the time being it seemed like everything was over.
Kyo suddenly fell back against the opposite wall and slid slowly down to the floor leaving a bloody streak on the wall from his wounds. Tohru quickly rushed over to him, "Kyo!"
Kyo had his eyes partly shut as his hands reached out to hold Tohru's, "I'll be ok…I'm just tired."
Tohru smiled to relief, "I'll go get some help."
Kyo held her hand a bit tighter as she got up, "Tohru…I thought I was going to die today. I believe I even did for a little bit, but I kept hearing your voice in my mind. That's when I realized how much you need me and how much…I need you."
"Kyo…"
"That's why I wanted to say this…just in case," Kyo laughed lightly at the thought, "but I love you…I wanted to tell you that for a long time."
Tohru felt her face blush under all the cuts and bruises. She had been hoping to here those words from someone for a long time and she could have never imagined Kyo would be the one saying those words to her when she first met him, "I love you too…" she replied, but her heart nearly stopped when Kyo's hand suddenly went limp. She was about to yell out his name again, but that's when she realized he was only sleeping now.
"At lest…all this is over for now. Mom, did I do the right thing?"
((Author Note: Ok I got rather tricky on this chapter. Just as a side comment did anyone pick up on how a compared Tohru to the blood drop in the beginning? Also this whole dream thing came out from my own experience. Have you ever wondered if your dream was real or not and then freaked out when you thought the dream was real when it wasn't? Maybe it's just me…lol anyways I figured something like this would happened to him if he was having a near death experience or maybe Kyo was dead and he was in his own personal heaven? That's for you to decide really. I mean you as the readers. Also I'm sure some of you picked up on all the vague hints the zodiac members and friends were giving Kyo throughout his time there. Some are obvious while others aren't. That's why this took so long to write. I had to fit all the zodiac members in here somehow. Well the next chapter shouldn't be as dramatic. Some more fun hopefully))
