Disclaimer: I went through this so many times, I do not own FruitsBasket.

Note: There's gonna be alot of flashbacks in here. So be prepared! n.n

Chapter 3: Funeral of the Albino Snake

The death of my friend -Shigure
The death of my brother -Yuki
The death of one of my Precous Jyuunishi -Akito

It was about a week after Ayame's death and everyone was in the gloom. But for some reason no one could figure out who did it. It was as if all evidence of the incident was wiped clean. The only prove of the death was Ayame's body and a blood-covered bullet. It was only 24 hours later that his death was announced. On the day of his funeral, instead of black everyone wore white. In honor of his color. Albino snake, albino atire.

Most of the mourners were hiding their real emotions. Most were fuming, but only 3 had the most tense dark aura of them all. Yuki, the grey rat. Shigure, the black dog, and Akito, the red goddess. The white snake known as Ayame held a special place in the hearts of these three. The three if them each lost something. The very same thing, in 3 different perspectives.

Yuki Sohma, prince of Kaibara High, lost his ten year older brother! He wanted so much revenge on the murderer of his brother. Just when Yuki had finally make a connection with him, just when the gap was a inch from closing, Ayame was killed. But what made Yuki mad at himself was the fact that, his brother, was killed right after he left the estate, causing him to blame himself for not being there to save him.

Shigure Sohma, respected novelist, lost one of his two best friends. He wanted so much revenge on the murderer of his friend. And the thing that made Shigure hate himself, was the fact that, the very last thing he said to Ayame, was " Your nuts to defy Akito! Your gonna get yourself killed if you do that! And god knows you just might deserve it!". Shigure didn't even know why he yelled at Ayame like that. And he regretted it deeply. What scared him most was that what he said, it happened. Ayame died, and Shigure blamed himself.

Akito Sohma, head of the Sohma family, lost one of her precious Jyuunishi. She was tense with the thought of bleeding the murderer dry, and the thought made her want to smirk. If anyone were to hurt Ayame, it was her. She, after all, was going to go to that room he was in, to punish him for defying her only a day before. How dare he... She thought.

Flashback

Ayame kneeled in a sitting position behind Akito on a cushion. Akito was facing the wall. Taking all this information in, having to listen to his babbling. What he said next made her blood boil like a witch's couldron. "Please Akito, I beg you. Don't hurt Yuki anymore. He's been hurt so much, and I just want him to be safe." Ayame said in a low voice. Akito fumed and turned, delivering a harsh slamwith her fist into the side of his sckull. Ayame was flung onto the floor. " Is that what you came here to say! How dare you tell me what to do! I am the head of this family! I decide what I do! Not some mindless snake like you! I will make you regret your own words!" She yelled.

It was only a few minutes later that Ayame was led out by Shigure. Akito sat down with her hand on her forehead. " Ha- Hatori!" She yelled with a headache.

Shigure pulled Ayame down an empty hallway, he turned around and grabbed Ayame roughly on both shoulders. " What did you think you were doing, Ayame! Your nuts to defy Akito! Your going get yourself killed if you do that! And god knows you just might deserve it!" Shigure yelled. With that, Shigure left, leaving Ayame alone in the dark empty hallway that seemed to be ice-cold to the snake. Ayame could even feel himself shiver. Such cruel words that both of them said. Why would Shigure be so cruel? All Ayame was trying to do was protect Yuki. His little brother whom he loved so dearly. And now, he feared that both Akito and Shigure hated him for it...

End Flashback

Shigure was so upset. He didn't mean to say those things to Ayame. He wanted to take them all back. My words! Give me back my words! Shigure thought.

And a few feet away, stood a invisible soul. His golden eyes narrowed so sadly at the scene before him. His long white hair was in a downward tail. And he was in a long white robe. The robe of the souls. This soul though, he was seeing his own body being mourned. His own casket being lowered into the ground. This soul, his name was Ayame Sohma. He walked over in a sway, he saw them all crying. He went to Shigure, putting his freezing hand on his shoulder.

Shigure looked up. He looked behind him, but no one was there. He seemed so confused, there was nothing there. But he knew he felt a cold hand on his shoulder only moments ago.

Yuki slowly went to the casket. He looked into it, it had been opened. As the preacher, who wasn't even a Sohma, said things about Ayame. Yuki could growl! This man knew nothing about Ayame! He just said all the things about Ayame that he said about pretty much every other dead person he performed funerals for!

He put his hand on the edge of the casket, feeling the features of the uniguely designed wood. He then felt cold arms wrap around him gently, but protectively.

His body froze and slowly he turned around to see... Absolutely nothing! He looked back at the body in the casket. His eyes narrowed sadly. Even in death you haunt me, brother... Even in death. Yuki thought.

Ayame backed away from his brother and the casket. He looked to see Kyou, who wasn't even looking at the funeral scene. His orange head was lowered, which made Ayame confused. Ayame moved until he was infront of Kyou. He saw trails of tears. Ayame didn't know if he should have but, he lifted Kyou's face by his chin.

Kyou immediatly was straight forward. Ayame was taken aback. His- His own murderer! He was crying! Kyou, Kyou Sohma, the cat! The one who shot Ayame was.. Was crying.

Ayame stared at him, his eyes narrowing in both sadness and confusion. And yet, he could still remember the incident...

Flashback

Ayame was standing before Kyou. Kyou had a gun aiming directly for Ayame's chest. Ayame saw tears in the crimson eyes of the cat. Ayame's mouth opened slightly in a quiet gasp. He had never seen Kyou so emotional. And yet, Kyou was going to do the one thing that would destroy Ayame. He was going to kill him. And in millions of tears, Kyou did.

End Flashback

Now Ayame understood it, after he died. He had become a wandering soul, and he didn't know why. Ayame looked down in sadness. Until a sudden voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

" So your still around?" Kyou said. Sort of in a whisper so the others couldn't hear. Ayame looked up. " You, can see me?" Ayame asked. Kyou nodded. " Yes..." Ayame was so confused.

" How?" Ayame asked. Kyou looked up in thought for a moment. " Because I, being the grim reaper, can see all souls." He said, lowering his head again. " Ayame, I want you to know that.. It wasn't on purpose, what I did. I didn't want to do it. I swear to you that." He whispered. Ayame looked at him blinking in confusion. " Then why did you?" Ayame asked quietly.

" It was an order... I don't kill because I want to. I had no choice." He said, trying not to yell, or raise his voice loud enough for others to hear. Ayame looked down. " Who would-?" Kyou's head snapped up. " I don't know who she is... So don't ask me... You can go on but there aint much here for you to do. Your not the only soul I was forced to take. I don't want to be the one to hurt my family. But being the grim reaper I have no choice.."

" There's a place in the mountains for souls like you who are bound here without judgement to go to heaven or hell. It's inside a cave behind a large waterfall. To ordinary mortals, it's just a cave. But when a soul enters, a door opens and it leads to a paradise just for spirits like you. So go enjoy yourself. Let this spirit orb show ya the way." Kyou put up a hand and a small blue spirit orb appeared.

Only spirits and himself could see these. The orb slowly led Ayame to the spirit city in a place untouched by mortals. Ayame had no other place to go, and so he went. With a single goodbye in thought, of which was for the friends and family he would always miss.

Farther away from the funeral scene. A woman stood, with a smirk no less. " That's it Kyou, get into a false sense of security. Soon I will eliminate all those precious to you, Akito, my precious daughter." She sneered with cold words.

End of Chapter 3

Author's Note: Long, very long, you all happy? Now my hand hurts. So, can you guess who Kyou's boss is? Who's the boss of our orange-headed Shinigami! Huh huh? Do ya! Do ya! DO YA! Well we'll see won't we? Hehehe... Until next time folks!