Fruits Basket

Beginnings and Endings

((Author Note: I'm late again, I know. Sorry about that you guys. It's summer so can't I get a break? Once I'm back at school I'll probably crank these out faster. Anyways I had relatives over when I was doing the rereading of this so that's why it took a little longer. I got interrupted. Also if you looked at my journal at deviant art I mentioned another Fruits Basket story I'm getting ready to do. Once I have an opening in my days I'm going to start it so keep an eye out. I'm doing a review response in this chapter so check it out at the end.))

Special Note: When you see a ((SC)) that means a Scene Change. Just to try and lessen the confession there.

Chapter 41

Kyo listened to the cat as it spoke the tale of its demise. He couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor beast. Unlike the rest of the cursed members, the cat had a full memory of its demise. It had years to think and simmer in its own rage until its own body twisted to such a horrible shape.

"I had years to think…." The cat said in Kyo's voice again as he pushed aside a small branch. "I remained while the others forgot their own demise as they passed through time and generations until their spirits were nothing but a curse upon what was now called the Sohma line. The Emperor became God to the cursed ones, for he remained as he was instead of being unable to touch the ones he loved. I remember it so well, as my body refused to let go of my hate. I found that in the rain I could ease the suffering of my cursed body. Its cold touch and icy chill were all that was left within me."

Kyo felt a cold chill in his own body. He wasn't sure if the feeling was his own or the cat's, but he felt it clear in his mind. He wanted this creature to leave him already. Even though Kyo was the cat of the zodiac and legend, he refused to believe that he was born from this creature's spirit. How could he be the same as this creature? He had no such hate - at least not any more. He cared for Tohru and sought to break the curse and free them all, but maybe deep within his own heart he only hoped to break his own curse. Kyo wasn't sure what his feelings were now. Were these dark thoughts his owns or the cat's?

"All I seek is revenge," the cat said with Kyo's voice, empowering the words as he passed through shadows towards the Sohma house.

((SC))

'Peace is all I seek, and I wish to make amends for what has transpired. We all have selfish thoughts - even higher beings that are supposed to be above the mortals that dwell in the living world. The cat has been separated both body and spirit for too long.'

Tohru had kept her eyes shut as she listened to the calming voice of the cat spirit in Kyo's bracelet. She found if she kept her eyes shut, she could see his physical form. His face was so youthful looking to her that it was a shame he carried such a heavy burden. His eyes weighed heavily from being trapped so long inside the bracelet. Tohru also felt Kyo's own spirit and self, lingering in the cat's face. Maybe she was imagining it, but she felt like Kyo was standing there with her, listening to the same tale. While the cat spoke, there was a great deal of things she didn't understand, and she gathered enough courage to speak. "I saw Kyo's book and the story of the original zodiac curse, but it wasn't told like this. It was tragic and painful, but-"

'It was nothing like this? Heh, I know that all too well. I too was deceived, for I thought that the book would be a guide for Kyo…but I was wrong. My spirit has lost a great deal of its memories, so I was unable to tell what was truth and what was a mere tale. The story was written in the past by one of the cursed ones who was talented at weaving tales. He felt ashamed of his doom, and he had hopes that the story would hide their true demise, and bring pity upon them. Like your current tale of the zodiac, the story only holds a small sliver of truth.'

Tohru opened her eyes and stared into the empty room that Kazuma had kindly given to her for the night. She looked down at the bracelet she held in her hands. Its warm feeling gave her the courage and hope for Kyo. "Kyo needs his bracelet…. I will find him."

'You do not know where he is.'

"I do." Tohru brought the bracelet to her heart and held it close. "You know deep down. We can feel him. Kyo needs us."

'Heh, you truly are amazing. You hold no pity for us.'

"Eh! Am I supposed to? I'm sorry if I am. I mean I feel sorry for you all…"

'Instead of pity, you have hope…hope that things will change. No one has hoped for such a thing. Many feel sorry, but none hold any hope like you do. Be strong and stand firm with Kyo. The path will be long and difficult, but I foresee the end will be glorious. I will always protect you.'

The last lines spoken by the cat felt like they came from Kyo. The words echoed with his voice and almost brought Tohru to tears, but she had to be strong. She swallowed a quick gulp of air to hold the tears back, as she clenched her fist. "Right! I'll do my best! Like mom says, as long as I'm doing my best, then I have nothing to be disappointed about."

'Every person needs a balance. Kyo will find his balance in the end, as long as you are strong.'

Tohru quickly moved across her room to grab her coat off the chair it has been resting on. The material was still moist, but it was fairly dry on the inside. She threw it around herself as she charged out the door. "I won't run away…not this time."

((SC))

"My hands did this…it was these hands here," Shigure said as he held his hands out before him while his body leaned against the wooden frame of the window. A few dark strands of hair fell over his face, causing a shadow to cast over his eyes. Kazuma was silent for a moment, trying to find some meaning to his words, but he found that Shigure's riddle was too difficult to decipher in a mere couple of seconds.

"I don't understand," Kazuma said in a cool voice. As he brought his hands down on his lap, he watched Shigure carefully.

"I wrote that book…at least the other me did. I knew about it; I knew everything." Shigure turned his hands over to grip the window frame. His nails dug deep into the wood as he felt a great burden slowly lift from his shoulders, but that feeling was quickly replaced by guilt. "It was me…," he repeated as he felt his eyes close in defeat.

"You knew?" Kazuma felt his words slip in utter surprise. A mixture of feelings passed through him, but in the end he didn't hate the man. Shigure was taking blame for something he didn't do, and for that Kazuma couldn't harbor such ill feelings. Kazuma wasn't a part of the zodiac; he merely sat and watched those around him suffer. It was apparent how much guilt Shigure was carrying now, and to Kazuma that was sign enough that Shigure did not tell because of some evil intent. "Why…why did you keep it hidden?"

Shigure chuckled lightly as he lifted his hand to press against his face. "Selfishness. I have no excuse. No noble explanation. I was selfish, much like Akito." Shigure paused a moment as he dropped his hand. "And perhaps jealous, of what Kyo was able to obtain while the rest of us remained as we have always been - cursed."

Kazuma stood from his chair. "You may not know it, Shigure, but you all have obtained a great deal from her - not just Kyo. It is natural to be selfish; it shows how human you are." Kazuma took his leave to give Shigure some time alone.

Shigure smirked to himself as his eyes watch the lone figure of Tohru run through the night. "Perhaps I have."

((SC))

Tohru ran along the beaten path away from Kazuma's house. She wasn't the best of runners, but she got to the end of the path quickly. When she reached the split off, she paused on the path to catch her breath. She bent her head over to take in a deep cool breath, but before she could even exhale she felt something grab her arm. "Gahhh! Ahhh…uh…" Tohru noticed the white and black hair sticking out from the bushes. "Haru?"

"Hmm?" Haru responded as he stood up from the bushes as if it was the most natural thing to be sitting in the bushes in the middle of the night.

"What are you doing out here so late?" Tohru asked as she sat up straight now.

"Master asked me to get the mail…." Tohru smiled lightly since Haru had gone to get the mail about two hours ago. He brushed the leaves off his shirt. "Where are you going?" he asked quietly, as if he was keeping a secret from someone, even though no one was there.

"I'm going to find Kyo," Tohru said as she held her fist. "I'm not going to run away!"

"Me too," Haru said as he raised his fist with her.

"We can both help Kyo. Two is better then one, right?"

"Yeah," Haru said with a smile, "We can have grilled pork with ginger afterwards."

"Oh! I can also make curry," Tohru said as the two began to walk off into the night to find Kyo.

"We can have a party," Haru added as they walked

Rin was standing outside on the porch watching the two head off. She didn't know why she felt so conflicted about Haru, but she knew they were both completely out of their minds if they were going to confront Kyo. "What a bunch of idiots…." She sighed to herself as she took a step down the stairs. Maybe she was out of her mind herself, but she couldn't allow Haru to face that crazed cat.

"Then why are you following them, exactly?" Shigure asked as he appeared from behind, nearly giving Rin a heart attack.

"You! Mind your own business. This doesn't concern you," She said as she quickly turned around to narrow her eyes at the spying dog. She hated it when Shigure got into her business, or anyone's for that matter. The dog had his nose in too many places.

Shigure smiled as he ran a hand through his short black hair. "Oh no, my dear, this concerns all of us. I don't know much anymore, but I can tell you that even though we're all a bit out of our minds, we still seem to hold onto her. Even you."

"Stop speaking in your riddles and go help them, if you believe that so much. I'm not helping her, I'm helping myself."

"No, no. I'm more of a behind-the-scenes worker. Physical labor is much too hard on me. I'm a novelist, after all. I need my delicate fingers," Shigure said as he wiggled his fingers before her. Rin didn't seem all that amused, and she grumbled slightly before running off down the stairs after Haru and Tohru, ignoring him completely. "Heh, Tohru sure does bring the best out of us all," Shigure said with a light chuckle "I better get everything ready for their return."

Rin couldn't believe how Shigure acted. The man was self-centered and obviously concerned about other matters that were behind her eyesight. She could only wonder what had the greedy dog's attention. Rin had been in such deep thought that she nearly ran into the staring Haru and Tohru. "Gah, would you two not stop in the middle of roads!"

"Rin?" Haru said, a bit surprised to see her out. Tohru seemed equally surprised, but apologized for stopping in the middle of the road.

"Not another word." Rin narrowed her eyes slightly as she looked at them both. "I'm coming, and you're not stopping me. So just shut up."

She marched ahead of them, ignoring the rather surprised look on their faces. Haru had a rather amused look on his face now as he looked back down to Tohru. "She's worried."

"I heard that!" Rin yelled as Haru ignored her and walked on. Tohru felt a small laugh creep up her throat. She could tell that they both really did care about each other. It would just take time for old wounds to heal. At least Rin was here, trying to mend those wounds.

"Kyo will sure be surprised to see us," Tohru said to herself.

"Hurry up!" Rin yelled over her shoulder.

"I'm sorry!" Tohru replied back as she quickly ran after them to catch up.

((SC))

Kureno peered out the window to see Kyo's young figure move from the trees that surrounded the Sohma property. He seemed to be moving towards the cat house, but Kureno wasn't sure why he would want to go towards that place. He moved away from the window, smoothing out his hair. "Akito, Kyo is here and…" Kureno glanced around the room to see that his master was gone. "Akito?"

Akito had left when he sensed that wretched cat draw close. He could feel such a vile thing from across the world. He should have locked Kyo up when he had a chance - which is what the Sohma line of old did in the past. Of course, he had to grow soft and allow the beast run to free because of one girl. Akito reminded himself to watch himself around Tohru. He did not want to fall victim like the others. All this wouldn't have happened in the first place if Kyo had been locked in the cat house. Now he was roaming free, destroying - and soon killing - things in his wake. Akito took a short cut across the courtyard to cut Kyo off from the cat house. He flung the doors open and stood before Kyo - at least he thought it was Kyo. "So you finally accepted your fate? You're ready to live here until your time in this life is over?"

Kyo seemed a bit surprised by Akito's appearance, but he was quick to mask his expression. He smiled slightly as his eyes turned slightly amused. "Akito…I have heard so much about you. Hmm, you don't look well, perhaps you should lie down and rest."

Akito felt a bit of surprise from hearing how Kyo was speaking. It was his voice, but the emotion and feeling in his words were not Kyo's at all. "So it has happened. The beast inside finally took over the mind. I see why you're here. You want what is left of that rotting body."

"You have a keen eye," the cat hissed as he suddenly swung his hand through the air, slicing the space around Akito's fragile face, but not striking the surprised Sohma. "I helped your damned mortals, and now I seek my payment. You ripped my soul from my body and forced me into an endless life of reincarnations - all cursed, yet in the deepest part of each host's mind, I still lived. It was only a matter of time until I grew strong enough to take what is mine."

Akito smirked a bit amused by this creature. "And what is yours that you want to take - a thousand year old body that lacks a soul? Even you are only a half of a soul, not enough to fuel a body. You need balance, and you have none in your heart or soul."

"I don't need balance," the cat said with a smile, as he flexed his claws like hands. His crimson eyes glowed under the moonlight as he took a step towards Akito. "I didn't intend to destroy you at first, but I think I've changed my mind." Before the cat was able to raise his hand, he heard someone jump out of the bushes. He quickly pivoted on his foot to see who it was.

"There he is!" Haru yelled as he stood before Kyo and Akito with leaves and branches stuck in his hair.

"I'm surprised that you even found your way here," Rin said as she pushed passed him a bit angry that Haru actually found his way first instead of herself or Tohru. "You normally can't even find your way out of a paper bag."

"Haru has great sense of direction," Tohru said, taking up the behind as she stepped through the opening in the bushes that Haru and Rin had made.

"Who are you talking about? He has the worst…" Rin began, only to trail off in her sentence when she saw Akito standing before her. Her eyes grew slightly wide when Akito gave her a cold glare. She could still feel his dark presence around her, like being trapped inside a room of shadows with no way out, while his cold eyes watched her mind grow mad. Her body trembled, remembering those dark days, but she didn't stare into his gaze for long. Her eyes were suddenly met by the back of Haru's coat as he stood in front of her. His normally calm face had grown darker as he gave a warning look to Akito.

The cat laughed out loud when he saw the small group appear. He didn't even feel Kyo resist him when the vision of his friends came across his eyes. "How amusing, you all came here to try and save him, didn't you? And yes, he's far gone. He no longer even sees your pathetic lives."

"Please, let Kyo go," Tohru said as she stepped towards him, pleading with him. She didn't know what else to do. There was nothing else to do. She was not going to run, but stand before this creature and hope that he would understand them.

"Feh, like I would do that. I'm so close to my goal. What makes you think a girl like you can stop me?" he said as he stepped towards her. "I've endured time itself. Nothing can stop me. Not you not even the heavens! Now get out of my way!"

He raised his hand to strike Tohru with his deadly claws. She stood her ground and stared at him with determination. She wasn't going to waver and neither was he. He brought his claws down, but as his claws were about to rake Tohru across the face, his arm was frozen in place. It felt like someone had grabbed his wrist and stopped him. Tohru was completely surprised, but she didn't move a step, not even one.

Haru rubbed his head, a bit confused, while the cat tried to pull his arm away, but nothing was working. Rin seemed just as confused as she stared. "He stopped…."

Akito turned away slightly as if he was expecting something horrible to jump out. He had his eyes slightly shut as he struggled to keep himself calm. Something in him felt a twinge of pain somewhere deep inside his own heart.

"What is this?" The cat yelled in his confusion as he kept struggling, but the more he did the more Kyo began to feel his senses return to him. Deep in his mind, Kyo was beginning to see through the fog surrounding him. He felt something inside his mind probing his subconscious, cleaning everything that had been tainted. The feeling was warm, the type of feeling he felt when he was so close to Tohru.

"I can feel…," Kyo said, for the first time in his own voice, as the cat in his mind still struggled for control.

'Tell me who you are.' The voice echoed through the minds of everyone around, but the question was directed to Kyo whose eyes had grown wide at the familiar voice

Kyo felt his head drift down slightly to Tohru's hand where she was holding his bracelet. His eyes stared at the object when he saw that the spirit that had protected him from the evil inside his own heart had shielded Tohru from the cat…no, himself.

'That is all I can do…you are us.'

Kyo's body was suddenly flung back and his bracelet that lay in Tohru's hand crumbled into a pile of dust. Kyo's body slammed against the wall of the cat house before he collapsed at its steps. He lay motionless for a moment. Sure the impact hurt, but he had fought Yuki for years - and this was nothing compared to how Yuki use to throw him across Shigure's yard. He began to feel his hand move again to hold himself up. Except this time, he was the one moving his own hand, not some strange creature inside him. "My hand…" He patted his head and his chest. "My body. My voice!"

"Kyo!" Tohru quickly ran over and hugged him tightly completely forgetting that he would transform. In a cloud of orange smoke Tohru was on the ground hugging the orange cat form of Kyo to death.

"Can't…breathe…" Kyo squeaked out before Tohru dropped him on the ground.

"I'm so sorry, Kyo! Forgive me! I forgot that…"

"Gah, would you stop it," Kyo grumbled as a cat. He sat back down on his legs. "Nothing to forgive anyway, so stop apologizing. I'm the one that should say I'm sor-"

"Can someone explain to me what happened?" Rin asked with her hands on her hips interrupting the two.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Kyo said in an annoyed voice as his fur stood on end.

"I brought her," Haru provided as he bent down to Kyo's level.

"I didn't mean-"

"They worry for you," Akito said in the background as he adjusted his robe slightly before walking back to the main house. "The one that curses us all is the one that brings us together. How ironic," Akito said to himself as he walked.

"What's his deal?" Kyo asked with a snort.

Tohru smiled as she watched his lone figure walk away. Akito was slowly beginning to see what they were beginning to see. The one that wasn't a part of the family was the one that was keeping the family together. "He's worried too," Tohru said still smiling as she looked to Kyo. "Uh, Kyo what made you stop…or made the cat stop in you before you hit me?"

Kyo blinked a few times as he stared up at her. He wasn't sure how to explain it, but he took a deep breath. "I don't know, but when I saw my bracelet again, something in my mind finally understood something. All my life I hated what I was…what was inside me, but…" Kyo smiled the best he could in his cat form, "that's who I am, and who I always will be, flaws and all."

"So he accepted the fact he's an idiot and a psycho – and that made him poof back to normal?" Rin said bluntly while Kyo felt his fur stand up on his back as he hissed at her.

"Shut up!"

"There you are," Hatori said, dressed in his work clothes as he walked over to the group. He had his hands inside his white coat pockets as he observed all of them to see if they needed any of his talents. "Shigure called me saying you all need a ride home…." He stared at Kyo on the ground as a cat wondering how that had happened.

Kyo gave him a look ordering him not to say anything, and Hatori kindly obliged his request. Tohru picked up his cloths as she smiled to Hatori. "If it isn't too much trouble…Shigure is so kind to call you. I hope he didn't interrupt anything."

Hatori shook his head as he smiled to her and the others, "Not at all I finished work today and you are all quite tired."

With that the group headed out, away from the Sohma house once more. Who knew what would await them the next day, but soon things would come full circle and Kyo would finally be able to live…no, the Sohma's would finally be able to live.

Review Response!

Mysterious Bearer of Life: You deviant watched me? Cool. More the merrier. I've been doing this story for over a year and I still have no idea when I'll stop.

StrawberriRain: Yup there's some RinXHaru moments here and there. I like to have a little of everything going on. Kyo and Tohru of course will always be there. I'm glad the story is still flowing somewhat. It's been a long journey.

mitora jesus-freak: You won't be confused if you read the sequel because it's its own little spin off. And Kyo is in the forest still the real cat body is in the house, hehe.

Senbi: How deep does it go though? Hmm…

Infinitis: I did excellent on my exams so I'm not dead from failing. : ) Oh and the new chapter is coming

Belinda: It's very much a KyoXTohru. In the beginning it was a bit up in the air but its pretty much a KyoXTohru thing now.

Chrono4747: I shall always write more. Heh.

Flame Ivy Moon: Eek, I hope it does too and I'm glad you love it so much.

pheonix-maker: Updating as fast as I can.

friendofamangahater: For some reason I always wonder why it takes people so long to read these and then I remember there's about 40 chapters! I still think there's ten or something, lol. I like drama? No…well maybe.

Amanda: It's quiet alright. Oh and you may call me Sky.

Anonymous Human: Uh that chapter wasn't the tell all chapter. It was merely an opening to a bag of trouble. You have to wait. Also the point was that there wasn't a real connection because the book was a book of lies. The entire attacking thing was out of rage and fear. You do anything when you're stuck in those emotions and as for the rest well the story is still being written so not all the answers will be said in one chapter.

blvd: Ah I'm glad you like. 

typlosions: Ah, I'm glad you think so. I just love writing so I'm just happy people are enjoying the story.

GirlWaterShaman: Don't I always?

Tohru-Uotani-Hanajima: Updating now

Dark-Dreams-69: Que Sera Sera. I'm just happy to know you're still reading them.

Amy: Everyone always wonders if I'll be writing more since I'm so high on the number of chapters and the answer is yes. I will keep on writing until I feel like the story is ready to end.