Tohru's Demons

Chapter Seven: In Which Tohru Sort Of Explains Herself: Part 1!


Tohru blinked in mild surprise, much to Akito's vexation. He had been expecting her to shrink back in fear, to cower before him and begin stammering apologies, as she was prone to do if someone were to talk to her in that particular tone. But the Tohru standing before him now was doing none of these things. She had a sort of jovial confidence about her that had not been there before. It was apparent in the way she stood, in her disposition...

And something was missing. It took Akito a few moments to discern what it was. Fear. He saw no fear in her eyes, respect, yes, and compassion, but no fear. For once in his life, Akito was at a loss for words. Everyone he knew had been afraid of him, even Tohru up until this point, so why did she not now...?

Tohru appraised Akito and glanced behind her at Artemis, raising a delicate eyebrow.

"Um... He said something very rude to you, didn't he...?" she asked, turning back to the Head of the Sohmas with a faint grimace. He nodded curtly.

"Yes. He did. I take it you are familiar with the cretin...?"

"Yeah... You know, he's really very nice, and a lot more intelligent, when he's sober." Tohru said, shooting a very pointed look at the demon over her shoulder. "Please excuse me, Akito-san, but I think Artemis is in need of some coffee." Tohru said with a courteous bow, and stepped lightly past Akito. She stopped short when Akito wrapped a pale hand around her wrist.

"You don't seem very surprised to see me here..." he noted coldly.

"I sort of expected to see you here, actually..." she answered ruefully.

"Did you now...?" was the icy reply.

"Yes, now will you please let go of me...?"

"No. You are going to stay here and explain to me what the hell has been going on around here! Starting with that." Akito snarled, pointing. That was the gigantic dead cockroach now lying in Shigure's front yard.

"Ah! Well, yes—! Hmm, about that..."

"Well?"

"It's a gigantic cockroach. Sorry, but that's about as much as I can tell you about it... other than the fact that it completely took me and Raha by surprise, those things are fast, and we just barely had time to open a door. It was about that time that he showed up," Tohru said, nodding at Artemis, who scowled. "And you saw what happened to the big bad bug. Now can I go get coffee...?" Akito's frown deepened as he digested this information.

"Raha...? Door...?"

"Oh! Raha is my familiar, and I can open doors, portals, into other universes. Speaking of which..." Tohru gently tugged her hand from Akito's grip, went over to the hole in the air and walked through. Curious, the Cat walked up to it, put a tentative hand through, and found it had about the amount of resistance nothing did, letting his hand pass easily. Without a second thought he followed after Tohru, looking around inquisitively.

There was really not much to see though, except a few hills rising up from the rough, gray ground that faded off into the gray sky in the distance, so Kyo soon lost interest in the scenery.

What Tohru was doing, on the other hand, was far more fascinating. She called for Rahallion, who soon jumped to her shoulder, and then proceeded to pick up two humungous, colossal axes. Slinging one over her shoulder as if it weighed nothing at all and holding the other at her side, she looked around her ruined campsite.

"Well, it doesn't look like there's much to salvage, does it...?" she said and headed back to the door, through which the rest of the Sohmas were staring apprehensively, as Momiji jumped back and forth gleefully between the two universes. The sight of the two shining silver axes in Tohru's hands made the Rabbit stop dead, and he stared in open-mouthed awe. As the rest of the Sohmas were doing. Tohru turned back to Kyo, who was still standing a few feet inside the other universe.

"Kyo? I'm going to close it now, before any more insects come. Come back, please..." Kyo turned and walked out of the other universe, dazedly staring at the axes. Tohru, smiling cheerfully at him, dumped one of her axes carelessly on the ground, grabbed a fistful of air and snapped her wrist to the side sharply with a sound like satin being rubbed against satin.

A strange thing occurred. The door slid closed, shutting away the other world, like any other Japanese paper door would, except there wasn't really a door in the first place, so the effect of it was rather odd.

Then Tohru bent down and grabbed the dropped axe and then smiled brightly around at them all.

"Let's go inside, okay? I'll explain everything then, after Artemis has had his coffee, that is..." she said and began to head towards the door, and was almost immediately bowled over by a very relieved Tiger.

"I missed you so much...!" whispered Kisa fiercely.

"I missed you, too!" Tohru cried ecstatically, the axes in her hands preventing her from throwing her arms around the little girl. "Have you had breakfast yet?" she added kindly.

"Well, I forgot to eat this morning because I was so excited that you were coming back today..."

"But I just made everyone breakfast...!" Shigure protested.

"I wasn't hungry then..." evaded Kisa meekly.

"Stop trying to spare his feelings," said Hiro. "He doesn't have any. And his cooking sucks." Shigure tried to look as pitiful as was humanly possible.

"Has anyone had breakfast...?" asked Tohru, looking around uncertainly. They all shook their heads.

"Me neither, so I'll go make something!" and she flitted away towards the house.

"You will not." Akito growled severely.

"Huh...?" queried Tohru, coming to a stand still and looking back at Akito confusedly.

"You are going to explain to us what exactly you've been doing, and why you suddenly disappeared for three days," Akito snarled, his voice deadly calm. "The Sohma House has been in an uproar, all thanks to you, and I want to know why, right now, so start talking."

"But..."

"NOW!" Akito exploded, his temper roaring to the surface.

"Oh, okay..." replied Tohru in a small, disappointed voice, scuffing her foot in the dirt.

"I'll make something," said Hatori suddenly, stepping up to Tohru and looking down at her seriously. "My cooking, though it leaves something to be desired, is at least edible." Tohru took a small step back, looking at him in surprised perplexity.

"No, please, you don't have to—!"

"I suggest you go lie on the couch, you look like you haven't eaten or slept in days." Hatori interjected calmly in a voice that was not to be argued with. Kyo and Yuki and the other Sohmas looked at Toru in surprised perplexity.

"How did you...?" Tohru asked, just as surprised.

"I am a doctor. I know when someone has neglected to take better care of themselves." Tohru blushed, catching the veiled reprimand, and nodded, obediently following the Seahorse (technically he was a Dragon, but his form took the shape of a sea-horse, so that's what Tohru thought of him) into the house.

"He's right, you do look kind of thin..." said Yuki, hurrying to walk next to her. Kyo appeared at her other side, surveying her in concern from the corner of his eye.

"Yeah, since when have you eaten?" he demanded. Tohru looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Since I left I think..."

"You mean to tell me you haven't eaten anything for three days...?" Yuki queried in dismay. Tohru scuffed a foot on the ground guiltily, not looking at them.

"Yeah, I guess... I guess I just forgot..." she told the ground.

"I suppose you just forgot to sleep too, huh?" said Kyo. He wasn't very surprised, though. He could tell something was going on, and had halfway expected her to not eat, which she was sometimes prone to do if she was very worried or upset. He knew that from experience. She had refused to eat or sleep, once, when he had been sick with a cold. So—

"Hatori, you don't need to make anything. There're rice balls in the fridge, I think." Kyo called.

So he had made her some food, for when she returned.

To be continued....


Raha: Moans Don't wanna say it...

Shigure: I'm sorry, but you have to!

Raha: But it's just so dull saying it over and over...

Shigure: Oh, come now, it's not that bad, is it...?

Raha: ...You say it then.

Shigure: I thought you'd never ask! Raha does not, I REPEAT, does not own Fruits Basket!!! And it's a good thing!

Raha: whines Heeeeeey... TT.TT


Well, that's chapter 7 done! Yay! Runs about with streamers and throws flowers gaily Anyway, thank you all for reviewing! I live for reviews, you know... I think that's how I've been able to get out the chapters so quickly, at least one a day. It took me a little longer this time, because it was a little longer, three pages longer in fact, so I had to cut it down a bit. Don't worry, it's all in Part 2! I don't believe in deleting anything I've written. My point is, I believe I can write faster when I read new reviews so keep encouraging me!

I'm SO shameless, aren't I?

By the way, I HAVE DECIDED. On who to pair Tohru with, that is. But I'm not going to tell you because it's against the rules that I just made up. And yes, I'll admit it now, you caught me, I love Hatori. He's so wonderful! But I love Shigure and Yuki and Kyo and Momiji, too... so... does that mean I'm cheating...? I don't know. Actually, I think I like Momiji in a more friendship kind of way... I have a friend exactly like him, and she's the Year of the Rabbit, too. Yeah, it's awesome.

Until I feel like posting again!

-Raha-