Sakura stared out the windows as the rain began to fall slowly and she grimaced slightly.
"I don't think this isgoing to help matters," she said to herself.
"Sakura?" Takara called her from the sitting room floor.
Sakura looked back and tried to smile so as not to frighten the young girl. After that she moved from the window as the lightening began to flash loudly in the sky.
(Next Scene)
Stephanie too heard the lightening and thunder fearing the worst as she pulled one last time on the ropes.
"Come on!" she urged pulling away from the pole the rope finally giving away, "I got it!" she said with a smile as she unwrapped the rope from the other wrist, "Now to get out of here" she thought as she ran over to the door and pulled on the handle, "Oh no. He locked it. How am I gonna get out of here now?"
She looked around her and saw the wind blowing from the open door that led onto the balcony. So she screwed up her face in determination before charging out and looking down below her. The wind and rain beat against her face as she looked for a way to escape. At that moment she turned to her right.
"Oh" she realized, "The balconies aren't too far apart. Maybe I can jump over to that one from this one. However, I am terrified of heights" she shook a little, "But if it's the only way I have to do it" she decided and then yelped slightly as the lightening flashed loudly startling her a little.
She shook herself out of her fear.
"Hang on Kaye" she told herself, "I'm coming."
(Next Scene)
Katsuya stared around the dark room. He had been in it for at least five minutes at this point.
"All right" he frowned, "Where are you, you coward?" he shouted, "Why don't you show your slimy face?"
"Now, now. There's no need to shout," Seitarou's voice came from the shadows, "Or to call me names. How rude. I mean you are in my home."
"I don't care about being polite right now! Where is she? You said that if I made it up here that you would give her back to me!"
"So I did, provided that you brought what you were supposed to bring?"
"I have it" Kaye nodded, "It's in the pocket of my shirt. So give her back!"
"Not so fast. Before we make any exchanges, I have a present for you."
"What?"
"It's on the table" Seitarou said, "All wrapped up in a nice ribbon."
Katsuya walked over and picked up the tape with a big bright red bow attached to it. In bold letters on the front it said:
PLAY ME
"What is this?" he replied irritated.
"I couldn't allow you the guest in my house to gowithout providing some sort of entertainment after all. Put it in the recorder and see for yourself. Trust me, it should be most entertaining" he chuckled as Kaye frowned slightly, and placed the tape into the v.c.r. as instructed, and a screen came down from the ceiling.
Then he pressed play and stared at the screen. Within moments he was staring at Seitarou's handiwork over the past week, his eyes becoming wider as each piece of footage came into view.
"What is this?" he repeated again only this time in a hoarse whisper.
"She does get captured well doesn't she?" Seitarou replied appearing at last behind him, "I must say she makes quite a nice victim for the process too."
Kaye's eyes began to burn as his insides squirmed uncontrollably, making him fall to his knees.
"I particularly liked that last part didn't you?"
Kaye clenched his fists and then placed his hands on the ground, his nails scratching furiously at the wood floors.
"Come on now Sohma I'm not hearing any input. Don't make all my efforts be in vain."
Katsuya began to growl in his chest as he slowly stood up and turned around. Seitarou could see the absolute fury on his face.
"Well my goodness. I guess I got the reaction I was looking for."
"What?" he growled back, "What do you think you're playing at?"
"Hmm?" Seitarou frowned as Kaye could feel the burning sensation he had not felt in years seep through his body.
"I told you" he said dangerously as he eyed him, "That if you did anything like this, that I would kill you."
"Do you intend to keep that promise?"
Katsuya growled even more as the rain outside began to pour harder and another flash of lightening was heard from above.
"Come on Sohma. Don't disappoint me. Show me the creature you truly are."
"DAMN YOU!" Kaye shouted as another flash of lightening sounded.
From down below Reiji was caught in the grasp of Souichirou who had him by the neck, pinned against a wall.
"What you gonna do now short man?" Souichirou sneered but then suddenly collapsed because someone hit him from behind.
Reiji sank to the ground holding onto his throat as his father appeared.
"Reiji are you all right?" Haru replied kneeling down.
"Thanks dad" Reiji gasped, "You came in the nick of time."
"Where's Kaye?" Kyo asked as he and Yuki appeared.
"He's already gone up" Reiji pointed, "Up those stairs."
"Well let's hurry" Kyo urged running forward as the rain pelted them hard, "With this much rain there's no guarantee that" he stopped.
"There's no guarantee that what Kyo?" Yuki asked as they followed him trying to keep up.
"Never mind. We just have to hurry."
(Next Scene)
After another lightening bolt flashed Seitarou saw before him a transformation unlike anything he had ever seen. The smell was the first to emanate the room and then next he saw Kaye's shirt rip as his body changed. When the transformation was complete Katsuya was huddled over but he lifted his head angrily and his creature eyes focused on the unaffected young man who stood before him.
"Incredible" Seitarou whispered, "Simply incredible. So this is the true form of the cursed cat of the Zodiac."
Katsuya growled as his eyes followed Seitarou's every move.
"So you want to kill me do you?"
Kaye bared his teeth and stood to his full height, which over towered Seitarou by a lot.
"Well now's your chance. Come and get me if you can" he taunted.
Katsuya leapt for him as Reiji and the three men burst through the door.
"What the?" Reiji replied when he stopped, seeing Seitarou in combat with the creature fighting back expertly, "What the hell is that?" he covered his nose from the smell.
"That's Kaye" Kyo said slowly.
"No way" Reiji replied with eyes wide, "That's the cursed form? Kaye stop it!" he shouted.
But Seitarou who heard him ran over to a box and pressed a button that lowered bars down blocking the four of them from moving forward.
"Why you" Reiji said through gritted teeth holding onto the bars.
"I will not have you interfere" Seitarou replied with a frown as he took up a large bo stick.
"He's right Reiji" Kaye said in a terrifyingly deep voice, "Stay out of it! He's mine" he lunged at Seitarou with his claws.
"What caused him to transform?" Haru replied.
"I don't know" Kyo shook his head completely concerned.
"There's got to be some way to change him back" Yuki insisted.
"I don't think so" Kyo said, "I couldn't do it before. There's no way I could do it now. Sakura is the only one who could back then."
"There's got to be someone who can do it" Reiji replied, "Someone here. Anyone. But who?"
(Next Scene)
Stephanie stood on the railing of the balcony trying not to look down. She took a deep breath and with all her might as another lightening bolt struck she landed on the other balcony with a thud. She caught her breath once more.
"I made it" she said out loud as she stood, "Hopefully this door is unlocked" she walked over to it but stopped when she saw what was going on, on the other side of the glass. She could see the most horrifying monster she had ever seen fighting against Nakagami, so she took a step back holding a hand over her mouth in utter fear.
"I'm too late. He changed into that terrifying creature. Stop it" she chided herself, "Pull yourself together. You got to stop this. All right. It's just Kaye. It's just Kaye. Remember that? You love him" she told herself reassuringly, "You love him with all your heart" she clenched her fists and walked back over to the door placing her hand slowly onto the handle.
On the inside Seitarou was running out of breath as Kaye kept striking towards him. Finally with one swipe of his claws he managed to knock Nakagami off his feet. With his claws raised he prepared to hit him again as Seitarou cowering close by shielded his face. But before he could strike a piercing sound filled the room.
"NO!" Stephanie screamed as she rushed forward.
She flung herself around his neck and the tears from her eyes began to fall.
"Kaye stop! Please stop! Please don't do this," she cried as the others looked on stunned, "I beg you, please stop. I'm all right. I'm fine."
Katsuya's growls became less and less as she held onto him.
"I'm okay. Just don't kill him. Please. He's not worth it Kaye. He's not worth it. Please come back to me. I'm scared right now Kaye" she sobbed as she squeezed him tighter, "I'm afraid of you this way. So come back to me please" she said kissing him on the forehead as he last tear fell and he sank to his knees taking her with him as he collapsed to the floor.
Seitarou watched them for a moment and then moved his hand slightly to the side of a piece of torn clothing as the rain outside stopped and the smell began to dissipate from the room. Stephanie continued to hold onto Katsuya as he suddenly wrapped his arms around her and astonished she felt the touch of his human skin.
"Kaye" she pulled away and saw to her relief that he was back to normal.
"It's okay" he said slowly his strength somewhat drained from him, "I'm all right."
"Oh Katsuya" she hugged him tightly as the bars were lifted and the others rushed over, "Me too. I'm okay too."
"Thank God" he embraced her tightly back, "Thank God you're safe."
"No. I really am okay. He didn't do anything to me Katsuya."
"But" he looked towards the screen, "I saw the most horrible things."
"It was a forgery," she told him, "He just wanted you to believe that it happened. The only part of it that was real was the last part."
"Then you're?"
"Yes" she nodded as Reiji came over with a frown, "Reiji, you're here too."
"Yea" he nodded, "Uh look I hate to break up this little reunion but I got bad news. Nakagami's gone."
"What?" Kaye said looking up and realizing that he wasn't lying, "Where is he?"
"He must have gotten away" Kyo replied angrily as Kaye stood up wobbly and hurried over to the piece of torn clothing that was lying on the floor.
From outside Reiji heard a screech of tires so he ran out onto the balcony and saw at the last minute a red pick up truck dash out of the main gate.
"Damn" he muttered to himself.
"Damn it!" he heard Kaye shout from the room so he hurried back inside.
"What's the matter Kaye?" he asked.
"He got it."
"Got what?"
"The list."
"What do you mean son?" Kyo replied, "What list?"
"The list about us."
"Kaye" Stephanie said slowly, "You didn't?"
"Yes I did" he replied bitterly, "As he requested I filled it out" he stood back up, "He told me that ifI came here and made it up to this roomas long as I gave him that list, he'd let you go" he took her hand, "I didn't know he had ulterior motives."
"Wait a minute" Reiji replied, "That was the information he was after all along?"
"Yes. I am so stupid. I should have never brought it with me."
"Son. Don't you beat yourself up about this. You did a good thing tonight" Kyo replied.
"He's right Kaye" Reiji said as Stephanie embraced her boyfriend, "No matter the circumstances, we understand. You had no choice."
"No choice?" Kaye repeated.
"Come on we'd better leave this place," Yuki suggested.
"Yea" Kaye nodded, "I got to get Stephanie home anyway. I promised."
"I'll go with you" Reiji offered.
So after leaving Kyo with Yuki and Hatsuharu, Kaye along with Stephanie climbed into his truck with Reiji at the wheel, still blaming himself for the way the whole night had turned out.
(Next Scene)
The reunion with Stephanie and her family was overwhelmingly emotional. Sophie cried as she hugged her around the waist. Sam was shedding tears left and right from behind his glasses. Her mother and Keiichi were fussing over her so much that she didn't even get to say much to Kaye after they led her away so Stephen walked him out.
"Katsuya" Stephen said a lump in his throat slightly; "I can't thank you enough for bringing her back to us."
"I promised I would."
"So what happened to the guy who took her?"
"He got away."
"He got away?" Stephen repeated angrily.
"Yea."
"So more than likely he could come back?"
"Mhm. I would bet on it. But don't worry Stephen. I won't let her fall into the same situation twice."
"I know you won't" Stephen nodded, "You look like you've had a rough night?" he observed.
"You could say that" Kaye nodded with a sigh, "I've got to get home. Say goodbye to Stephanie for me. I'm sure she's real wrapped up with the family right now. And I need to get back to mine."
"Okay. Thanks again Katsuya" he held out his hand and Kaye shook it with a half smile.
"You're welcome" he moved down the path heading for his truck.
He climbed into it and sighed heavily again.
"Everything okay?" Reiji asked worried.
"Yea. She's home now."
"Kaye what's wrong?"
"I can't get it out of my head Reiji. It's all my fault."
"It's not."
"It is. All this has been my fault because I was not more careful."
"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself. You did the best you could. Which was pretty damn good if you ask me."
"But whether you'd like to admit it or not Reiji, my actions tonight just might have made the situation for us worse. Who knows what's gonna happen now?" he lowered his head.
(Next Scene)
He flipped the light switch, tossed his suitcase on the floor, and flopped onto the bed, his weary eyes staring at the ceiling as he sighed.
"I really wish I knew what I was doing here," he said to himself, "Grandfather."
(To be continued..)
Authors Note: Yea! I finished it! See you all next Tuesday for the start of Book Two!
Next Time on Curse Renewed:
Book Two: The Past Returns
Two time periods are about to collide once more as Stephanie finds herself drawn to a mysterious new student who might have more to do with the Zodiac then he is letting on. See what happens next time!