Chapter Three

Disclaimer: Yep, don't own any Fruits Basket…

Hey! I'm so sorry for the delay, but I'd forgot I was going on vacation this week… And I don't have any internet, unless I can manage to find some. Anyways, thanks for all the reviews! I love you guys! Don't forget to give me some ideas for what you might like to see happen in the future, m'kay? Alright! Oh, and I didn't get this far in the last chapter, so what I said may be cliché is in this chapter… But it does make a little sense, so tell me if you like it or not!


Rachel was in a positively grim mood.

She sat in a chair in the corner, her arms crossed and a glare on her face. She was wearing her green pajamas, which Tohru had washed for her that morning. Her dark hair was neatly combed because they were 'going to see Tori-san'; and Kristen wanted everyone to look as good as possible. Rachel sat from her quiet reserves and watched Kristen scurry around the house, babbling about getting to meet Hatori and going to the main house. Was she serious? Had she not figured it out yet? Rachel knew that Kristen knew good and well what Hatori was used for, aside from family medical needs. So why was she prancing around, singing about how lucky she was?

Meagan was curled into a ball on the couch, finally unable to resist the sleep any longer. She had staid up all night the night before, trying to figure out how to get back home. She didn't like it here; the only way she would was if she had a mansion, a million dollars, and her family. But she didn't. She had a nice-sized house, no clothes or possessions whatsoever, and a pervert. Now, at around nine o'clock, the lost sleep from the night before was catching up with her. Rachel watched her friend's back rise and fall slowly as she slept.

Rachel sat there for about a half hour before Shigure was finally ready. He didn't look any different; and she couldn't understand what he had to do that took so long. She sat in her corner, peering at him in an irritated manner. He didn't seem to notice; and if he did, he didn't care. Kristen came prancing in to the room behind him, her hair dancing behind her. The carefree look on her face almost made Rachel sick. How could her friend be so naïve? Even Meagan that morning could tell something suspicious was going on…

"Gure-san!" Kristen called, coming to a peppy stop behind him. He looked over his shoulder at her curiously, analyzing the bubbly girl for what had to be the tenth time. He still didn't understand her. Kristen merely beamed up at him. "When are we leaving?"

"Right now if you want."

Kristen's face lit up at this news, her eyes widening happily as a hopeful expression popped onto her face. "Really?" Rachel rolled her eyes. This was ridiculous…

"That would be great!"

No, that would be the last straw.

Rachel leapt to her feet, throwing her hands in the air. "No, that wouldn't be great!" She snapped, receiving a surprised expression from Shigure. "How stupid are you, Keiko?" She asked, barely able to remember to call her by her alias. She was so frustrated; she was surprised the word even left her mouth. And that blank look that Kristen was giving her only added to her anger… "He's going to erase our memory, idiot!"

Shigure's own eyes widened, almost gaping at Rachel. How did she know all this? About the curse, about Hatori's powers? How? There was a complete moment of stillness before all chaos broke loose.

"OH MY GOD; SHE'S RIGHT!"

Kristen shouted, staring at Shigure in a terrified way like he was a serial killer. She backed away slowly, but suddenly quickened her pace. She had to get away… Kristen forgot about the couch behind her and stumbled over the side, landing on Meagan and awakening a pretty grumpy teenage girl.

"What do you think you're doing!" Meagan growled angrily, trying to push Kristen off of her. Kristen instantly latched onto her friend, an unbreakable grasp around Meagan's waist. She looked like a cat that fell in water, clinging to a tree branch over the river. Meagan finally fought her off, unable to understand Kristen's paranoid muttering until she screamed and ran around the couch.

"I'M NOT LOSING MY MEMORY!"

Meagan seemed to instantly understand everything; especially why she had been called an idiot earlier that morning. Man, she was an idiot. But not as bad as Kristen, who was running around the room with her hands waving wildly above her head. "You're what?"

"Oh my god." Kristen breathed, as she finally stopped. The problem was, she had stopped just in front of a bewildered Shigure, who realized she was there and took the chance to restrain her by both her shoulders. He was hoping it would calm her down, but obviously, he had been wrong. "GET OFF ME YOU PERV!"

"You have to go!" Shigure reasoned, struggling to hold the fighting girl. She continued to try to escape, trying to wriggle her arms free from his grasp. Meagan sat and stared at them in disbelief, while Rachel was the one to come to her friends rescue.

Rachel darted around the room, running full fledged into Kristen and yanking on her friend to try and release her. Shigure's somewhat iron grip didn't falter through the almost rhythmic tugs. "We're not going!"

"You have to!"

"NO!"

Kristen and Rachel both produced a stronger heave, breaking his grasp and toppling backwards onto the hard floor. The laid there for a moment, moving slowly as they moaned and held their throbbing heads. Meagan peeked at them from over the side of the couch. "God Shigure, you're abusive." She mumbled, receiving a glance from the older Sohma.

"Well, I didn't mean-" He blinked for a moment, forgetting the two girls on the floor. "When did you get there?"

Rachel climbed to her feet, swaying a bit as she did so. "Don't change the subject!" She barked as she threw her finger in his face and gave him the fiercest look she could manage. He merely blinked at her, used to teenagers' fiery personalities. He had to live with Kyo, didn't he? And this girl thought that she could scare him…

"Yeah!" Kristen replied, stumbling to her feet clumsily; tripping as soon as she stood straight. Rachel sighed and helped her to her feet, and there was a tensioned silence for a moment as all four stood there and looked at each other.

Shigure sighed, running a hand through his hair. He had always been able to weasel someone into trusting him to see Hatori, but these girls seemed to know everything… How was he supposed to do this? "You have to go, there's no other way."

"Yes there is!" Kristen argued, crossing her arms with a slight pout. "Look at Tohru!"

Shigure shook his head. Things were getting so much deeper, and this Keiko thought that she knew it all. "But that's different; there's three of you."

"Please?"

"No."

Shigure went to open the door, reaching out his hand. He accidentally brushed against Rachel's shoulder, who instantly twisted around and became entangled with Kristen. The shouting started up once again. "RUN!" Kristen screamed, thrashing about against Rachel. Rachel winced as Kristen continued to run into her, unable to get away because of their twisted legs. Shigure watched with a tinge of amusement in his eyes.

"Why do you deserve it anyways?" He asked curiously, as Kristen continued to fight the entrapment, only succeeding in making it worse. Rachel struggled to answer him.

"Because." Kristen somehow freed the connection, both of the girls flying in opposite directions. Kristen fell towards the couch in force, and Meagan was somehow able to catch her before she broke a good few bones. Rachel, on the other hand, fell towards the culprit. In a state of panic she threw her arms around Shigure, preventing herself form a busted nose.

Nothing happened.

"Because of this." Rachel's whispered, unable to believe what was happening. Meagan and Kristen's faces were blank; neither one was following what their best friend was talking about. Neither was Shigure.

"Because of what? Nothing's happening."

"Exactly."

Rachel tilted her head to look up at the Sohma, hating that she had to have her arms around him, but she couldn't break the position. It was vital to her explanation. "See? I'm hugging you, nothing's happening." Kristen's expression brightened at this news, as Meagan looked even more confused than before. What was going on?

"Well, who says you're the opposite gender?"

Shigure never made it out of the way from the blow to the back of his head.

He rubbed the sore spot, remembering now to throw Rachel caution in the future when she gave him that deathly look. She could throw a punch just like Kyo could when he was younger. "What are you saying, that you're cursed?" Shigure chuckled. "You know that's impossible, all the other juunishi are taken."

"It's not impossible, Kyo's not a juunishi!" Rachel snapped, speaking of the actual original animals rather than the known cursed animals. There were only twelve juunishi; but from what she understood, every animal is included within oriental mythology. "Besides, nothing's impossible."

Shigure raised an eyebrow. "Like the fact that you're faking it because you're a guy?"

He was lucky enough to dodge the next blow.

Kristen got over her surprise and rolled off the couch, trudging around the piece of furniture and to her friend's side. She had a skeptical look on her face, as if she were talking to a child who denied breaking something when she'd just seen them with her own eyes. If it would save her from losing her memory… "Here Shigure." She sighed, giving him a quick but gentle hug. "See? I'm a girl."

"Well, I might need some proof…" At his words, Rachel instantly reared her hand back. His own hands were thrown up in defense. "I'm kidding! I'm kidding!" He defended, hiding behind his hands. "I guess I have to believe you." He finally told them, and reluctantly at that. It was actually more of an excuse not to get hit; but Rachel accepted it nonetheless. He was just so confused, he had no idea how this could be happening. But it was. Maybe they weren't cursed, but just somehow…. No, it was too baffling to try and figure it out. He'd need backup for this. "I have to call someone."

Kristen blinked, wondering how he could have possibly agreed with them so quickly and easily. "Who?"

"Hatori."

"I told you I'm not getting my memory erased!" Kristen commanded once more, waving her hand dangerously in his face. Shigure went cross eyed trying to follow it, but then stopped for a moment. An amused smile returned to his face.

"I need someone to help me figure this out."

That was the only explanation they received.


"Are you sure?" Hatori was on the other side of the phone, a particularly unconvinced expression on his face. Shigure wasn't exactly someone you should believe when such outrageous stories came up; let's just say he didn't have an honest reputation when it came to that kind of stuff.

Shigure was slightly frustrated with himself. It was the third time that Hatori had asked him the question; after hearing the entire story twice and numerous repeats of certain aspects of the tale. Now he was regretting that he had ever pulled a prank on him. Well, not really, he could find a way to persuade him. Besides, pranks are fun… "Yes, I'm sure. Two of the girls hugged me Hatori, and I know for a fact that one of them is a girl."

"I don't want to even know how you found that out."

The corners of Shigure's mouth curled into a small smirk. "Well, you see, she faints every time I speak, and I figure she must be female because of my good looks…" His tone would have been taken seriously if Hatori didn't know him any better. He was shaking his head at his office desk as the words left his mouth.

"But Ayaa does too…"

Hatori instantly decided to cut the subject. "Shigure, please tell me it's some kind of April Fool's day or something."

"It's not, or I would've struck before now."

Of course, Hatori knew it was the truth. He probably would have been hit by both him and Ayame the instant the clock turned a minute after midnight. And even Shigure knew better than to joke about something like this. Hatori sighed and pulled out a drawer, withdrawing three syringes. "I'll be right there."


Kristen was so predictable.

The moment Hatori walked into the door, she was screaming and talking a mile a minute. All of this, of course, only lasted for about ten seconds before she collapsed to the floor. Rachel didn't move; the whole thing was getting old for her. She could understand, with Kristen, passing out at the sight of Yuki or maybe even Shigure when she woke up. But after you met three of them, you should be able to remain conscious when you met the fourth. Meagan's eyes didn't move from her magazine. It was in Japanese, but she thought she would be able to look at the clothes and pick out something nice.

Shigure watched the girl fall with a blank expression. As long as she didn't hit her head on something hard, she should be okay; like usual. His tone was just as innocent. "Oh, look at that." He said from Hatori's side, who looked more surprised than anyone. But that was normal for the person who she fainted over. Or at least Yuki. Shigure and Kyo hadn't really shown much concern.

"She just… Oh God, you weren't lying." Hatori hadn't blinked since he watched the girl hit the floor. Not that he had a disregard for her wellbeing; but she wasn't bleeding yet. He could gape at her for a moment as the story that Shigure told him from before sunk in.

Rachel raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Lying about what, Shigure?"

"How weird you are." He hid behind Hatori for a moment at the quick flicker of a fire in Rachel's eyes. It faded after a few minutes as Shigure came back into the open, an innocent smile on his face as he shrugged. "Hatori says there's a way we can tell if you're lying or not…"

Meagan muttered an answer without looking away from her magazine. "I already said I'm not letting you in my pants." Shigure rose and eyebrow and chuckled, while Hatori stood shocked. He hadn't expected such language from someone they didn't know… But apparently they knew the Sohmas. At least that's what Shigure had told him… And it was slowly making itself clearer to Hatori.

Rachel stood up and sighed, stretching her arms above her head. "Alright, fine. What've we gotta do?"