TITLE: Even If

WARNING: May contain spoilers

SUMMARY:We all know that Kyo knew Tohru's mom, that he could have saved her, but didn't. But…what if…he DID?

IMPORTANT: "..." speech '…' thoguhts

Sorry if this contains spoilers, everyone. If you need to know, go to http / en . wikipedia . org / wiki / Kyo Sohma , just take out the spaces.


Last Chapter…

"K-Kyo! Sohma Kyo!" he shouted back, not knowing what this simple reply would entail.


Chapter Two: It Was All For A Movie!

Step, step, step.

He sighed, bringing his hand up through his orange hair. His slightly worn sneakers were pounding on the early morning sidewalk as his reddish eyes scanned the little slip of paper, the corners a bit yellow with age…

Flash Back

"Yo, carrot top, when you find her, bring her back here-take this so you won't get lost!" a worried Kyoko said, thrusting a paper with a hastily written address into a young boy's hand.

"Ok! Don't worry, I'll find Tohru!" he replied with confidence. Silently, he was excited-he was going to save his friend's daughter! That meant he'd finally meet the girl! And he was going to be a hero for once!

Running through the streets, calling her name, he flipped his cap a bit higher and scowled. In front of him was that no-good rat!

"What do you want!" his childish voice called out, pointing an accusing finger at the silver haired boy. He just looked back in return.

"Do you really hate me that much?" he said with a bit of a frown. Honestly, he just wanted to be friends with the cat!

"Yes I do, you filthy rat! Now go away. I'M going to be the hero and find her-not you!"

"Eh? You're looking for someone…?" he asked curious. The young boy thought the cat would have been meaner-well, from what the grown-ups said, anyways.

"Kuso, you tricked me!" the orange haired boy swore, throwing his cap to the ground in frustration. He told, he told! Now that rat bastard would get the glory! He'd fail! And then…and then Kyoko won't want to play with him!

"Neh, maybe…I can help?" the other boy offered, walking towards the thrown hat. He held it out for him, as if offering a peace treaty. Little Kyo looked at it with disgust.

"No, I don't want that cap anymore. You touched it!" He growled and ran the opposite direction. "I'm going to rescue her, not you!" The other boy sighed…and looked at the retreating figure.

"…Yea, and my name's Yuki…" he said, all he wanted was to meet the so-called 'evil' cat. When he did, he was surprised that the orange hair boy was trying to help someone…it went against what the grown-ups had said. He wanted to meet him, too. Putting on the cap, he jogged off. Even though that cat didn't want it, he'd help.

---

"Kyo, I don't think that he was a bad person." Kyoko said, trying to reason with the boy. She knew he was disappointed with himself-not being able to find her daughter, but that didn't mean that he should hate that silver haired kid!

"No, you don't understand-that's that rat bastard I was talking about!" he insisted, feeling the dread grow in his stomach. No, Kyoko was his friend-his! But here she was…defending that jerk!

"I-I-I HATE him! And you! You betrayed me!" he yelled out in fury, running out of that building, feeling the bite of betrayal in his clenching heart.

End of Flashback

"…It's just to see that girl, that's all" he whispered to himself, turning the corner. In all honesty, he wanted to see Kyoko, he wanted to show her how much he got stronger…and maybe…just maybe…apologize…?

He shook his head, no; she should be the one apologizing! He hurt him! But…she didn't really know that-that RAT was a bastard…

Yea, when she sees how wrong she was, thinking that rat was actually meaning well, he'd forgive her.

And it'd just be a glance at that Tohru girl, nothing more.

Face set in determination, he continued on, careful not to bump into anyone in the process. Now jogging a bit, he caught site of his target-Honda Kyoko. Wearing a slight cocky grin, he approached her, wanting to surprise the older woman. The light was red, but he could see that that woman, as reckless as before, was going to run for it.

He frowned. Didn't she know any better?

As she took a few steps across the double-lane street, his heart nearly stopped.

The next few moments were not wasted on anything but running towards his long time friend-she just stood there, wide eyed like a moron! Didn't she have the sense to try and dodge that speeding car!

He didn't stop, and made a grab for her-damn it, even if he did transform, he'd rather die than let her perish!

Grabbing her hand, he pulled. Feeling the momentum and gravity clashing, he was falling onto his back, with her following.

POOF!

"EH!" Kyoko cried out in confusion. Didn't she-wasn't she going to get squashed by a car? Then-then why wasn't she dead? And…why the hell was there pink smoke everywhere?

Looking around in confusion, she fingered a bundle of…boy clothes? And…and a cat, why was a cat clinging so desperately onto her! Quite confused, Honda Kyoko was rather shocked a bit more when a girl with sandy hair and matching colored eyes ran through the now disappearing smoke and shoved the clothes into her hands.

"Wha-?" she was cut off when the girl pulled her up to her feet and pushed her hastily towards where her apartment laid.

"Quickly! Just go back home, Honda-san; I'll take care of the rest. And, don't let go of that cat!" Too shocked, she just followed her instructions, not really pondering why she should and how the heck this stranger knew her name.

As her grip on the strangely colored cat, I mean, an orange cat?-she vaguely heard the girl's voice drift towards her, talking to the crowd quickly of it being a scene in a new movie, and laughing it off quickly before she, too disappeared into the crowd.

Did that girl just call out for a 'Haru'…?

She headed up the flight of stair and somehow entered her apartment, not really paying attention to her daughter, who was about to head off for school.

"Ehh? Kaa-san? What are you doing here? Oh, did something happen; are you ok?" not getting an answered scared the daughter, and noticing the bundle in her arms; she gently took the clothes from her mother and placed them on the couch. Turning back, she saw Kyoko coming back to her surroundings a bit and she too set an orange cat onto the floor.

"Kaa-san, did you bring home a cat, he's very cute! But…will we be able to keep it?" Large brown eyes peered to the cat that seemed to be scowling. Not really knowing what to do, she frowned and was about to ask something else when there was a knock on the door.

Giving a slight gasp, the daughter quickly called out that she was coming and approached the door.

"Sorry to keep you waiting! Oh! Rika-chan! Haru! Momiji! What are you doing here?"

"Just paying a visit, Tohru-chan; is your mom home?" Rika's voice cut through Momiji's chatter to a still befuddled Tohru.

"Y-yes! And she brought home a cat, too!" she said with some excitement. It was clear that she never had a pet before and the fact that it was a cat, like the one from the Chinese zodiac story…well, it was needless to say that she was quite happy. Perhaps it's a gift from her mom?

"I'm not anyone's pet!" A rather irked male voice shouted out, Kyoko's shout of surprise brought the small group towards the living room. A scene of a bristling cat and a stunned Kyoko pointing at it was quite unusual.

"Wow! Kaa-san, what a smart cat; you taught him how to speak!" Tohru voiced out, quite impressed by the little feline; it was rather smart, in her opinion to be speaking in fluent Japanese.

"WHAT! Stop calling me a cat, too!" the orange fur ball yelled out in fury. Before anyone could say anything else…

POOF!

"AHH! Haru, shield Tohru's eyes!" Rika screamed out, already covering Kyoko's.

"Kyon! Get dressed and stop being P-E-R-V-E-R-T-E-D!" Momiji sang out with a little laugh.

"Don't call me that, rabbit! And I am NOT a pervert!" Kyo yelled out, dashing for his clothes.

"A-AHH! G-g-gomen-nasai! I-I didn't mean to offend you Neko-san! A-and somehow turned you human! P-please forgive my rudeness!" A tomato red Tohru stammered out, bowing and keeping her eyes squeezed shut. She reddened further when she remembered the slight glance at a naked boy's form. Even though she only caught a glimpse of his bare chest, she was still blushing madly.

Than again, what else could be expected from Honda Tohru?

"Hatsuharu! What did I say about preserving Tohru's innocence!" Rika yelled in outrage, her eyes closed as well. "And Kyo, finish dressing already!"

"Alright, alright! I'm done!" Kyo retorted back, buckling his belt. Hesitantly, the females opened their eyes and sighed with relief when they saw that Kyo was back in his clothes.

Speaking of Kyo…

"Carrot top!" Kyoko blurted out in surprise. Rushing over, she stood in front of him and looked up into those red eyes. Silence filled the room and they waited for whatever would come next.

"Kyo…you…you got taller than me!" she said, not really knowing what to really say.

"Of course, did you think I'd stay four feet for the rest of my life!" he snorted back. Laughing, the Honda drew him into a hug before he could protest.

"Good to have you ba-!"

POOF!

In her arms was a very ticked off cat.

"Here we go again…" Rika sighed, slapping her forehead. Over there at the corner, Tohru was trying to figure out what happened while Momiji tried to calm the now frantic girl from fainting or something.

"Kyo…" Kyoko started, looking down at the twitching cat.

"…what?" he asked back.

"You've got a lot of explaining to do!"


Aaaaaaaand the second edition is DONE! As my fates story is nearing to and end, my new fruits basket one is starting, LOL.

And hurray, Rika-chan's back! And Kyoko didn't die! Hurray! What will happen next, care to guess?

Thank-you Mini-Waffle for being a beta!


Next time, in E V E N I F: Let's Do Some Introductions

"If you're a cat and you're a rabbit…" turning to Haru, she raised an eyebrow "What are you; a zebra?"

"Hey, Uo-chan, put down that knife!" stumbling towards the blond, she suddenly stopped. "And no poison-mind-whatever on me either, Hana-chan!"

Ja, Ja, Ja Ne!