Okay, it's me again. Kagome will be writing the next chapter, the usual. Any-freaking-way, enjoy.

Disclaimer: Don't own Fruits Basket blablabla, the usual.


Last time:

Soon a girl stepped out from behind the tree. Stephanie looked at her and Stephanie was in her little world again, but soon snapped out of it.

Welcome back...Sister. Stephanie thought.


The mysterious stranger regarded Stephanie, and the rest, coolly.

"Been long enough, hasn't it Stephanie." The voice that came out of her thin lips was raspy, as though she hadn't talked in a long, long time. The way she spat Stephanie's name made it clear to the rest of the family that something had happened between both of them. Probably something bad.

"It wouldn't have been that long if you hadn't run away from us, Varance," Stephanie replied, voice steady, but eyes betraying the deep fear hidden. A cold laughter followed that statement.

"If I didn't run away? More like if you hadn't betrayed us!" She spat, deep emerald colored eyes narrowing dangerously behind a curtain of ebony hair.

"I didn't betray you, or anyone else for that matter Varance," Stephanie muttered quietly as her sister growled. "It was our own chance to join them or not, you chose to join them, I chose not to."

"Yeah, but it didn't mean you had to rat us out, did it!" Varance snapped back, eyes flashing. Stephanie sighed, and looked up. For a few moments, their gazes held, locked, until Stephanie looked away. Kyo looked at her. Her unique eyes were filled deeply with sadness and regret, whereas Varance's were full of hate. A hate that was almost too strong to look at, yet so deep it forced all of your worst fears out in the open.

"I did what was best for us Varance. What was best for you," Stephanie murmured sadly, not meeting the figure's eyes.

"What was best for me?" Varance growled. "Because of you, Kravarzc is dead!" That got Stephanie's attention.

"What!" The horror was apparent in her hazel eyes.

"Yeah, and you would've known it if we hadn't had to leave!" Varance snapped again. Stephanie finally turned to her, but didn't exactly meet her emerald gaze.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice so strung with emotion that Kyo could almost feel his heart breaking. 'Damn!' he thought, 'Why the hell do I feel this way? She's just a girl dammit! An other stupid girl that I have to stay away from!' His mind told him that, but his heart felt otherwise. Instead of Varance apologizing, then hugging Stephanie, as a normal person would have done when hearing the tone of Stephanie's voice, and the emotion weaved into it, Varance only glared more.

"You disgust me," she spat, words low and laced with venom to the core. Everything was deathly still; everyone was waiting to see what would happen next. Stephanie looked up, eyes filled with pain. Varance glared one last time, then turned and headed back toward the forest. Stephanie made a move to go follow her, but Kyo, though he didn't know why, stopped her. A silent agreement passed through all of the Sohma, and Kyo nodded.

"Come on, you're staying here," he told her, lightly tugging on her arm. Stephanie looked at him sadly, huge hazel orbs sad, and Kyo smiled weakly, as if to say 'Let's just forget about this for now'. She smiled slightly, and walked back into the house.

"So... who was that?" Shigure asked. Kyo could've hit him right then and there. Couldn't that damn dog see that she wanted time alone, or at least no questions? Apparently not. Stephanie swallowed before replying.

"That was Varance. My twin sister," Now that was a shock.

"Your twin sister!" Kyo shouted. He could maybe get sister, but twin? No way. They looked nothing alike. Stephanie had hazel eyes and brown hair. There was no way she could be twins with Valance.

Valance Shaquio had long, strandy ebony colored hair. While Stephanie had a tan body, there was no other way to describe her sister other than pale. Her face was a pure white, though not in the good way. It seemed there were tinges of grey, making her look dead. The black - white combo of her face, hair, and clothes was changed, though, with her eyes. Such a striking, deep emerald color, they made you wonder if they were real. They seemed like the kind of eyes that could drive people to madness with a single gaze - and they probably have.

Though the Sohma family had only gotten a quick glance of the other twin, it was clear from her appearance, and the fright in her sister's voice, that Valance Shaquio was the dangerous twin, and certainly not one to mess with.

Stephanie nodded sadly.

"Yeah, we don't really look alike huh?" Kyo nodded weakly. "But we're twins."

"How old exactly are you guys?" Shigure asked. Stephanie turned to face him.

"We're seventeen. Why?" She answered.

"Just wondering," the author replied. "Hmmm. Seventeen. Seems a bit too young to have run away and witnessed so many deaths," he said, indicating their parents and the one named Kravarzc that Valance had spoken of. Stephanie nodded slightly.

"Well, it's almost dinner. Why don't you join us," Yuki suggested. The rest nodded and Stephanie managed a small, but definite, smile. Tohru clasped her hands together.

"Okay, I'll make dinner!" she exclaimed, heading toward the kitchen.

"Let me help you," Stephanie offered, walking toward Tohru.

"Oh no! You're our guest! You can't possible have the guest cook dinner!" Tohru exclaimed suddenly.

"Well look at Shishou," Kyo muttered as Stephanie smiled and shook her head.

"No, it's fine. Really. I'd love to help." Seeing that there was no way to argue, Tohru smiled. She led Stephanie into the kitchen. They were going to make misou soup and fried fish. Turns out, Stephanie really loved to cook. She and Tohru started boiling the water. As they were waiting, Tohru spoke suddenly.

"You know, I was kind of like you." Stephanie looked up, a little confused.

"Huh?"

"After my mom died, I lived with my grandpa until he needed to remodel his house. So I lived out in a tent. I was actually living in the Sohma property, so they found me and took me in." Stephanie nodded.

"That was lucky for you," she said.

As the girls continued to speak (A/N- Kagome, this is for you to write. HAHAHAHAHAHA!) the boys were still in the room, half still confused about what happened and half deciding what to do. Hatori had gone fetch the life-time supply of Aspirin and other headache medicine he knew he would need. Years with Shigure can do that to a person.

"Well that's that. Let's get the rooms ready," Shigure spoke up, smiling cheerfully. The others nodded and followed after him, Momiji singing along, except for Haru. He stayed in place staring out the door where Varance had made her appearance.

"Those eyes..." he whispered, in a daze, "Such lovely eyes..."


And I'll leave it at that! There haven't been any reviews people so REVIEW! You know you want to flame me! Like I mentioned before, anyone like Harry Potter stories, Marauder's Era, check out my story. Also, PM me or something if you want to write a story together.

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Kagome's turn to screw up what I wrote and to fix what I screwed up.