This is Chapter 7, Part 2! Hope you like it! Oh, and thanks to ALL who reviewed! Also... :grumble grumble: Yuki won the poll, of course.

NO ONE VOTED FOR MEEE:sob sob: Anyway, this chapter is the actual drivers test. I'm not old enough to drive:sulk: so I'm not sure if I have the 'process' right or not...I had to ask my mommy...heh heh.

Also...um...you all have permission to hurt me severely since I haven't updated in YEARS! I'm going to try and update more, but I have 3 projects to do for school, sooo...I'll try my best. SCHOOL NEEDS TO END ALREADY:glares at school: EVILNESS! Uhh...yeah. Review please!

Chibs

Cars, Crashes, and Conclusions

Part: 2

Opening the door to see her was the scariest thing. The scariest thing. Before opening the door, Shigure had a two options. He could run. Run far away and just never drive. Driving was for squares, right? RIGHT! He had another option. Shigure could just go ahead and open the door. Opening the door would mean the start of it. The start of the Driving Test. Something every 16 year-old hated, and yet something sacred in the eyes of each student, for it meant that freedom was just around the corner. Freedom from taking the bus every day to get somewhere, or (heaven forbid) walking from place to place. Freedom was good, and Shigure knew that, but sanity...Sanity was better. Common sense told him not to open the door to The Car. The Car was a small beat-up car that was so old there was no brand name on it. The car used for the Driving Test. Every year it seemed to get older- more ancient. The way it squeaked every time it turned a corner, and the way it seemed to glare at you.

So Shigure had two options. He could run away, run away from the crowd of expectant 16-year olds, away from The Car, away from everything. Or he could stay there. He could open the door and face his fears- who knew? He could pass. 'I could pass.' Shigure thought, and he reached forward and grasped the rusty metal (at least it looked metal) handle of The Car and pulled it open. Seeing her, though, was worse than anything. Worse than everything. "Name?" The woman in the car, a massive toad, glaring at him behind huge glasses. Shigure stared past her, trying to ignore the lack of hair on her head, and the massive amounts of it on her face..."Shigure," He squeaked, "Shigure Sohma."

"Sohma." She repeated. "Hunh. Okay, get in- let's get this over with." Shigure slid in the car, closing the door behind him. Hatori's 'words of wisdom' floated through his mind as he gripped the steering wheel. 'Remember-seat belt first, then check your mirrors...' Shigure put on his seatbelt and checked his mirrors. 'What was Hatori thinking?' Shigure thought, 'I don't have to check any mirrors! I always look good!' The woman made an impatient cough, and Shigure grinned sheepishly. 'Okay,' He thought, 'What was next...?' "GOOOOO, 'GURE-SAN!" Shigure winced at the abrupt noise, then turned and stared out the window. Ayame was there, waving pom-poms madly in the air. Grinning, Ayame gave him a thumbs-up. Shigure smiled warily back, then turned and put his hands on the steering wheel once more. 'Okay...the mirrors. I checked them...so now...put it in gear, right?' He turned the key expectantly, smiling as he heard The Car burst to life.

"YEAH, 'GURE-SAN! GOOD JOB!" Ayame yelled, jumping up and down. Shigure hesitated, then softly put his foot on the gas pedal. The Car began to inch forward. Shigure let out a breath, then pushed the pedal harder. The Car moved at a medium pace. "Alright," The woman drawled, "Now I want you to cross the street and pull into the empty parking lot over there." She motioned with her hands, and Shigure stared. "W-what? Across the street?" He pulled up to the street, his eyes narrowed. That meant he would have to turn around...a U-turn? Wasn't that what it was called? 'You miss, you die, you miss, you die...' Shigure bit his lower lip, then pulled out, turning on the street. He was thrilled, that is until he heard a sickening sound behind him. 'The gas pedal is your friend...' He hesitantly turned toward the woman. "Umm...does this mean I pass?"

"It's alright, my 'Gure-San!" Ayame patted Shigure absent-mindedly on the head. "The Car is in for repairs...but...no one was hurt!" Hatori, on the other hand, was in disbelief. "You STOPPED in the middle of the street!" He groaned, "You idiot!" Shigure just glared at him. "You're so mean, 'Haa-San!" He broke into sobs, and Ayame sighed, nodding his head. "That was mean, 'Tori-San! 'Gure-San was probably just nervous!" Hatori just rolled his eyes. Just then, another car pulled up. A man in his mid-thirties stepped out. "Due to uhh- recent events, I'll be your new instructor." He said, and Shigure blinked. "Um, sir, will I be able to take the test again?" The man blinked. "Umm...no, I'm sorry, not today." Shigure broke down again, and Ayame sighed, patting his head. "It's alright, 'Gure-San! You can always try again!" "Next," The man said, "Sohma, Hatori?" Hatori sighed and stood up, walking over to The New Car. Shigure and Ayame leaned forward, watching anxiously. "He'll pass." One guy behind them said, "I mean, it's that Sohma guy." Shigure swerved around, jumping up as well. "I'M A SOHMA TOO!" The guy just looked at him. "Really." He said, "How interesting." And with that, Shigure broke down yet again.

Hatori had only one option. That option was to take the drivers test. Take the drivers test and pass. That was the only thing he could do. Ayame and Shigure watched expectantly as Hatori slid into The New Car and closed the door. For a moment there was silence. Dead silence. Almost as if everyone had turned their eyes just to see if Hatori passed. Hatori, the smart one. Shigure, the stupid one. Ayame, the pretty one. "GOOD LUCK, 'TORI-SAN!" Ayame yelled, and Hatori just rolled his eyes. In a matter of minutes he had passed. Not one mistake or flaw- just perfection. "HE CHEATED!" Shigure yelped as Hatori came out of The New Car. "HE HAD TO CHEAT!" Hatori raised an eyebrow. "The reason why I passed is probably because I didn't stop in the middle of the street." Shigure ran to a distant corner to sulk while Ayame smiled excitedly. "I'M NEXT!" He grinned. "Wish me good luck!"

Ayame took in a breath, then slid inside The New Car. "Name?" The man asked. "Sohma, Ayame!" He grinned. The man raised an eyebrow at him. "Another Sohma? Alright, then..." Just then, Ayame leaned forward. "Sir, I'm sorry it took me this long to say this, but...I cannot take this driver's test." The man blinked as Ayame continued. "You see, my birthplace is a distant country - the name escapes me at the moment - and in that country we take our driver's test at a very early age. I, of course, passed at an early age- 6 years and 3 months to be exact - and due to the circumstances I cannot take this one as well. Would you like to know why?" The man stared at him, and Ayame continued. "You see, in my country a person who even thinks of taking another driver's test will be exiled from their home! And you see, in some cases they execute them as well." Ayame leaned closer. "Sir, I would most like to keep my head...and even though I do not live in that distant country currently, I would be exiled from my extravagant mansion out in the country. And that, Sir, would be horrible. So due to this I cannot take the driver's test again, but I will need a license for here because of the fact that if I were caught for some crime that I wouldn't be able to use my other license for identification in such since it is from a different country. You understand?" The man just nodded. "S-Sure..." He stammered, "You pass..."

Ayame stepped out of The New Car with flourish. "What happened, Aaya?" Shigure frowned. "The New Car didn't move an inch." Ayame just smiled. "Ah, my 'Gure-San, you have so much to learn."

Hope you liked this chapter! Hopefully it was longer than what I usually write. huggles plushies Also- I've been thinking about possibly ending this fanfic. I mean, at least START to end it. I have other fanfics that I haven't updated in FOREVER...although I do need to delete some of them...and I have an idea to start a long fanfic...possibly. (It won't be Fruits Basket) Anyway, this story actually will have a more serious ending- no humor. I may fast-forward a bit so they'll be older. It just all depends. If anyone has any ideas I'll be glad to put them in the story, but for now I might go ahead and start writing the ending. Please review and tell me what you think, and...yeah. There's another poll below!

Poll: Out of these characters, if you HAD to choose, which one would look the best in a pink dress?

1. Kyou

2. Shigure

3. Hatori

4. Akito