Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket, the story is owned by Takaya-san. However, I accept full responsibility in the other characters that are spawns of my little story idea.
A/N: I had this idea for quite some time, I don't know why it works for me, but it does. My first FB fic and my first attempt to write a good Kyo/Tohru. They're cute together.
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"…You're even more foolish than I thought! You despicable monster! You killed your own mother and now you think you have the right to fall in love! YOU THINK YOU'D BE ALLOWED SUCH A THING?"
Such a sad tale of the cat; the cursed, the outcast, the unloved – or so what 'God' wants him to be; the monster. But no, really not a monster at all; she knew otherwise. She knew the truth, but with all that is said and done, she can't change the fact that an embrace can change him into a small furry feline – or that without that special bracelet, he can change into a horrid beast.
One has to wonder how fate works, and if she loves to screw with innocent people.
It was unfair, that something so simple can only go wrong. It made other things difficult. Expressing feelings would only be hindered by that one simple fact that he was the cat. The cat that was unlike the rest of the Juunishi.
There was no doubt in his mind that nothing was worse than this.
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The first time he noticed her was within passing. He was with that damn Rat and Tohru at the time. The woman had looked terribly out of place, he almost thought she was the Wave Girl; Tohru's creepy friend. She stood at a distance, watching everyone pass. At a better glance, he surmised that it couldn't be her, as even Hanajima would be holding an umbrella in such weather. No, whoever this person was, she didn't give a shit about the fact that it was raining – sadly to say – like cats and dogs.
The second time he saw her was just like the third, fourth and fifth time he saw her; brief – but noticeable. She was either among a crowd or high on a rooftop, as if she was searching for something – or someone.
Though Kyo never mentioned her 'random' appearances, or even made it known to her that he could see her. He had no reason to, she wasn't stalking him (or Tohru) and he didn't give a damn about anyone else.
It was only when two insignificant things happened on the same day that he started to see her more and more. The events were highly un-related in themselves – a disappearance of an American transfer student and the damn Rat coming down with a strange illness. Kyo would see the woman like clockwork, though now he noticed that her face – once seen as distant and detached from everything around her – was now filled with panic and uneasiness.
Everything became weirder once New Years rolled around.
It was the first time ever that the Juunishi Banquet was interrupted by an outsider. Music stopped and bodies turned to the door that was opened so roughly. The dance was broken up as the woman stepped in, disregarding to remove her boots as she walked on the tatami mat.
"Friend of yours Rin?" Shigure glanced at the Horse, only to be returned with a glare from her.
The woman walked inside, she was a strange sight to behold. Almost like a geisha with her pale skin, her green eyes were dulled by hidden tragedies, long black hair fell to her waist and from neck to toe all she wore was black; her hands and legs were covered as if she mummified herself in the fabrics.
A glass shattered to the floor, deterring everyone's attention. Akito was the first to rise from where he was sitting, with a look that no one had ever seen the man express before. Whoever the woman was, the mere sight of her was enough to horrify him; though it wasn't the look of disgust – it was the look of fear.
"GET OUT!" He shouted, which earned a smile from the woman. Something that sent shivers down everyone's spine. It looked so – unnatural – for her. Lifeless green eyes trailed over to Akito from the walls she was idly watching, the look on his face made her content.
"I said GET OUT!"
"I am not here for you." The words came out of her lips silently, sending chills to whoever that heard her. It was a voice that was soothing and terrifying, enchanting yet foreboding at the same time. A siren's voice almost, one that could lead men to their downfall.
The woman turned her direction to Yuki, raising her gloved hand and pointing at him. "I am here for him."
Silent gasps and eyes fell on Yuki as he stood up, he had no idea what to think – yet a voice in his mind was telling him to go to her; the same voice that haunted him for almost a week, sending him memories that he never experienced – all involving the woman in front of him. He was still sick, from what Hatori told him, but it was some sort of illness that he couldn't figure out, that and it wasn't because of his bronchitis. The painful headaches were unusual, as if someone was inside his head, watching what he watched.
"You won't take him! No one can die until I say they can!" Akito's voice snapped Yuki out of his reverie. The woman was now restrained, her arms held from behind by Kureno (it must have been on command as Yuki was deep in thought). She didn't seem bothered by her captor, or the fact that she couldn't move. Her eyes still stared at Yuki.
By this time, the look of fear slowly drifted away from Akito's face, replaced with a sneer and a look of triumph. He walked over to her, looking her up and down before smacking her across the face, his hand covered by his robe sleeve. "A filthy disgusting woman, I should have known." He spat. "You thought I'd be scared of you, didn't you? Thought I would be terrified? Why would I be terrified of such a thing as you?" He spoke as if no one else was in the room, while everyone watched – wondering how he knew her.
"You should be terrified, Akito-san." The girl's icy voice spoke back. "Only those like you know me so intimately." A smirk played on her lips as everyone looked at each other with confusion. A past lover? It made no sense.
"Hatori." Akito called, and the doctor answered, arriving at Akito's side. The raven haired man turned back to the woman and grinned maliciously. "Let's see how frightening you are when I take your memories." He looked back at Hatori and with a wordless command; the man nodded and went over to the woman, almost hesitatingly placing his hand on her head.
Eyes widened as they watched, just as Hatori placed his hand on the woman's head, he paled drastically and his hand fell. His eyes flashed and he stumbled, falling over. Panic filled the room as Shigure and Ayame ran over to their fallen friend, one checking his pulse while the other felt his forehead. They looked back at the woman, their eyes filled with shock. "He's barely alive."
She didn't pay them any mind, removing herself from Kureno as he backed away, afraid to suffer the fate that Hatori did.
The look on Akito didn't dare to switch to its previous state as she encircled him; her hands still clasped themselves behind her back. "Akito-san, you of all people should know…one mustn't touch death, as Death's touch can be fatal."
So she was Death.
Death and God, they knew each other well.
"Yuki will not go with you!" Aikto shouted, though his voice cracked.
"Do not worry, dear Akito-san." Death smiled sweetly at him while going over to the stunned Rat. "It is not his time to die…" She trailed off while touching Yuki's face and turning it gently so his eyes met hers. They looked filled with emotions that he would never think Death would have – fear, want, hope.
"Are you in there?" She asked quietly.
Yuki couldn't help but nod, as the voice inside his head was telling him to do so. "I've been waiting." He heard himself say.
Death nodded in reply, taking Yuki by the hand and leading him out. "You may return to your Banquet," She said while glancing at Akito once more, "God." She spoke the word with full sarcasm and disrespect.
The two left the room, and a moment passed before they all went to help Hatori.
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Kyo was home at the time that woman arrived once again, though this time in the company of the damn Rat. Tohru was at the entrance to the kitchen as she saw them walk in, her hands clapping together as her eyes had a joyful look to them, "Yuki-kun! Welcome home, you brought a guest!" She bowed, "Hajimemashite! I'm Honda Tohru!"
The woman looked taken aback at the girl's sweet cheeriness; she tried to smile back but failed and didn't bother to return the greeting. "I will be on the roof…" She told Yuki and left the room.
"Well she's rude." Kyo murmured.
"I hope she's okay." Tohru looked towards the ceiling, her hand covering her lips while she plunged herself into a new worry for a stranger she never met. Kyo rolled his eyes because of it.
"Honda-san," Yuki began with a slight smile, "She will be staying with us for a while, is it okay with you?"
"WHAT?"
Kyo's sudden outburst was drowned out by a happy squeal and a 'yes' from Tohru, she smiled widely and slapped a fist in her palm in determination. "She can share my room!"
"Oh no, no, no, no! What in the hell are you doing bringing strange women home to live here!" Kyo shouted as he stalked over to Yuki. He hadn't liked that woman since the first time he saw her. It was the feline within him that was unnerved at just the sight of her eyes. The thought of that same woman staying at the house – in Tohru's room no less – was just something he didn't want to think about. Someone had to think about her safety.
"Stupid Cat," was all Yuki said before going back outside.
Kyo bore his fiery gaze into the door, which oddly started to burn because of it. He turned back to Tohru who was lost in thought of what to serve for dinner now that they had a new guest. She squealed once more and ran into the kitchen to pour some tea.
A guest. They couldn't have a guest! A guest that has no idea about their secret could bring so much trouble to them all! What the hell was Yuki thinking?
Before Kyo could charge out the door and confront the mystery woman and the Dumbass Rat, the door opened and he collided with her. A poofing sound filled the room as the kitty version of Kyo was sitting on the woman's lap where she fell. He had half a mind to claw the look of humour out of her eyes.
"GYAAA!" Tohru's shriek broke the tension as she dropped the tea tray, only failing to try to catch the cups before they crashed onto the floor. Her attention was fully on the two in front of her, her mind reeling with questions of 'does she know' and 'will Yuki-kun get in trouble'. The sound of the teacups breaking snapped her out of it and she now felt torn with helping Kyo and cleaning up the mess she made. It was torture.
"What's going—" Yuki stopped at the sight of Death lying between the doorway, staring at the orange cat in front of her with a growing amusement. "I guess no one is safe in this house." He sighed to himself, "Come on." He shooed Kyo off of her and helped her up, staring at the grin on her face. "I told you." He said impassively to her.
A poofing sound and smoke filled the room followed by Tohru's second shriek, her eyes now shielded with the tea tray so she couldn't see Kyo's backside. Yuki covered his eyes too, though the woman just stared as if it didn't bother her at all.
Kyo glared at her and got his clothing, "WHAT?" He shouted, annoyed at the ever present grin on her face.
"I think I will call you Neko-bozu now." She commented lightly, sending Yuki into a fit of laughter as Tohru just stared dizzily into the tea tray.
Kyo left the room and refused to come back out, even when he heard Shigure arrive. Something must have happened at the Banquet if he and the Rat came back so early. Kyo peeked out the window to see Shigure look unlike his cool self; he must have found out that the woman was there.
"She will not be staying here!" Shigure said in finality while glaring at Yuki, "It was foolish to even bring her here."
"You don't even know why I need her here." Yuki glared, "At least let her explain this! It's a dire emergency!"
"She almost killed Haa-san!" Shigure shouted, which made Tohru gasp.
"That's because he was foolish enough to touch me." A cool voice escaped the lips of the woman who was sitting at the table, idly watching the two fight. Shigure refused to look at her, but could feel her cold gaze bore into him. "It is a side affect of being Death, that you can kill just by touching someone; my entire body is lethal – hence my clothing." She calmly stated.
Tohru stared at the woman and almost gaped, "Death-sama?"
The woman nodded and smiled gravely, "One of many…"
"Many?"
"One cannot collect spirits within the world that quickly, Honda-san." Death stated matter-of-factly, "There are many like me stationed around the world, however—" Her tone became dark, "I am the only one who has resigned from the job."
By this time, Kyo had positioned himself at the top of the stairs, wanting to listen to this story.
"It's a sad story, my existence." Death continued, "The short story is, I fell in love with a mortal…he was fated to die too early, and I saved him before it happened. The God of Death; my former 'employer', didn't like that one bit, so he tried ending both of us. Demons were sent to get us both, and they succeeded in capturing me. My love went to the Underworld; Hell, just to free me and get back my soul in the process." She held up a necklace that she wore; an onyx orb that contained a glowing light inside. "I am still dead, but now I am free from Hell's grasp. He and I exist now just to live together, to be with one another."
Tohru looked as if she was going to cry, she frowned and let a tear drop. "That sounds so romantic!" She wailed.
"What does this have to do with Yuki?" Shigure narrowed his eyes at her.
Death took his question into consideration and held up a hand for him to wait, "Imagine living with someone who is cursed and is fated to be alone for eternity…"
Kyo snorted.
"Imagine loving someone you're forbidden to love." Green eyes winced at the second snort that came from the stairs, she shrugged it off in annoyance, "The God of Death hates it when his minions deceive and betray him, and I am basically an outlaw there. The Underworld has sent demons to kill him time and time again, and only this time they have seemed to achieve part of their goal.
"Yuki-san here…he is carrying my love's spirit within him."
Tohru gasped as Shigure widened his eyes. "I need him so I can get his body back, the demon that took him knows that she won't be done until she has my soul and can destroy me with it…she's in hiding with his body and waiting for me to retrieve him." The woman looked up at Yuki, "I need Yuki-san when I find her."
"I guess this means you can be trusted with our secret then, if you have one yourself." Shigure thought to himself, "Though, I assume you knew already." He eyed her wearily.
The woman nodded, "I can see souls that inhabit the body…multiple souls in one body get my attention, Inu-san." She smiled weakly as Shigure blushed a little. "The first one with multiple souls I saw was Neko-bozu." She said in a louder voice while looking over to the stairs.
Kyo shot to his feet, infuriated. "I am NOT a kid! Stop calling me that!" He shouted.
"I am ageless, which makes you seem infantile." She smiled back teasingly.
"His attitude doesn't help." Yuki added with a shrug. Both of them glanced at each other with amused glee as they heard Kyo yell and stomp back to his room, shutting the door.
"This is amazing!" Tohru smiled and got to her feet, "Death-sama, do you eat food? What's your favourite dish?"
The woman's smile left as she heard the honorific, "Please, Tohru-san, you can call me by my name if you'd like. My name is Chiyo."
"Okay then…Chiyo-san, may I ask the name of your…um…friend?" Tohru flushed as she looked at Yuki.
"You can call him Katsu-san."
"Great! Chiyo-san and Katsu-san!" Tohru repeated with a sugary giggle, "Katsu-san, what foods do you like?" Tohru looked at Yuki, though speaking to the spirit inside of him. Yuki laughed lightly at the fact that it didn't bother Tohru one bit and answered for Katsu. "He says he likes anything with leeks."
The four of them heard a thumping upstairs and an opening of a window, followed by footsteps on the ground outside.
"I guess Kyo-kun heard that." Tohru said quietly. Yuki had to contain a chuckle.
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When school started up again, Tohru took the lunch break to spend time on the school roof. There, Chiyo – the Maiden of Death was sitting against the wall. In her hand was a pendulum while a map of the city sat in her lap. Tohru watched quietly as Chiyo tried to focus her powers to locate Katsu's body. The brunette frowned slightly when she recalled the morning she realized that she knew Katsu, who was the American transfer student that went missing. He was quiet and blended in well because he was half-Japanese. The only thing that made him stand out (along with the Sohma family members) was his hair colour and eyes; his were dirty blonde and a bright blue.
"Gah!" Chiyo dropped the pendulum and shoved that and the map from her lap. "Useless." She mumbled to herself while hugging her legs.
"Um…," Tohru got Chiyo's attention and smiled at her, "I was wondering if I could eat lunch with you." Tohru held out a lovely bentou box wrapped in a blue handkerchief. Chiyo stared at it and turned away, nodding.
Tohru began to eat in silence as Chiyo just watched the city from the top of the school. She glanced over at Tohru's lunch and saw an onigiri shaped like a kitty. "Neko-bozu." She commented.
"Oh?" Tohru looked at her and back at the onigiri. "Yea," She giggled, "Sometimes I get carried away and make them into little shapes. You can have one if you like." Tohru took it out of the box and held it out for her.
The dead girl nodded, taking it into her hands and staring at it before eating it. Eating foods was pointless for her, but they still tasted good. "I haven't eaten something like this in a long time." She said.
"Why not?" Tohru asked.
"Eating is a reminder of being dead; I don't have a need to eat anymore if nothing works on the inside." Chiyo replied quietly. The two stayed silent for a while until the raven haired woman smirked, "Neko onigiri...you were thinking about Neko-bozu when you made it were you?"
"Whua?" Tohru blushed, "No, not—well—" She looked down as Chiyo started to laugh, which was a rare sound that sounded both sugary and sorrowful at the same time. It amazed Tohru that this woman could sound so unique. "I remember acting like that when I was alive." The laughter floated away and silence overtook them again.
A chill went up his spine as Kyo heard the ghostly laughter. He didn't make a sound though, that would just ruin what he was supposed to do in the first place. Even if the little comment about the onigiri or the nickname made him want to act two different ways. He still didn't trust the woman; it didn't matter if she was able to keep the family secret because of who she was; though he was relieved as to why the cat within him hated her with all its guts. Cats can sense death, it's a common fact.
Kyo silently walked back into the stairwell, sitting on the steps and listening to the quiet conversation that Tohru was having (most of it was a one-sided conversation). Her voice always seemed to calm him, and he was greatly amused by how friendly she was to someone so… He shrugged. It was her way, whether she intended to or not, she could attract anyone with her personality; dead or alive.
It was one of the many reasons why he loved her.
If only he could actually tell her that. No, really, he wanted to. It was the damned curse getting in the way. If it wasn't there, he would have done it by now. Kyo wondered how the dead girl was able to do that with that Katsu; it seemed so easy when he heard it from someone else. How could it happen? Although… she isn't as cursed as he is. The dead girl was just that – dead. She could still embrace, there wasn't anyone calling themselves 'God' to hold power over her and keep her from what she wanted most. Hell, she didn't even change into a ghastly creature if something went wrong. There. That was how she did it. She wasn't a monster.
A scream snapped Kyo out of his reverie, he shot up and ran back onto the roof just in time to see Death shielding a cowering Tohru, her eyes weren't green anymore and have been replaced with black – a foreboding change that made the cat within him go crazy. He looked to see what the woman was staring at and caught sight of another woman clad in red and black, with short black hair and blood red eyes – she held a scythe that looked a bit too big for her and curled ram horns were visible from the sides of her head.
"You will not capture her soul to make me choose!" Death shouted at the demon above them. "What have you come here for, Devilyn?" She hissed.
The demon covered her mouth before laughing haughtily. "Dear, dear Death, you really do not deserve your title if you deny your fate. I was only here to retrieve you, He has been wishing for your presence."
Chiyo glanced over at Kyo and turned back to Tohru, "Go to him and get off of the roof!" She whispered, looking back up at Devilyn to distract her, "You can tell HIM that I would rather swim the lake of fire than go back to Hell." She glared, waiting for Tohru to get to the cat but instead the girl slowed to listen. Chiyo shook her head and continued, "Your master is corrupt and wants his slaves to himself, and I will not be one of them!"
Devilyn snarled with a deadly glint in her eyes, "He is still your master as well, and you will die at his feet along with your lover and the innocents you protect!" With a whirl, she twisted herself and hurled the scythe straight at Tohru. Latin words escaped her mouth and they turned the scythe into a spear and it aimed directly for its target.
"NO!" Both Chiyo and Kyo ran for the stunned Tohru as she stared at the oncoming weapon, her life beginning to flash before her eyes, along with one that she had hoped to live in the future. Her eyes shut tightly, dreading the piercing weapon but instead felt two hands shove her downward, a sound of metal hitting flesh and two pairs of screams hit her ears immediately afterward.
"With this action I decree, let the dead become alive and the alive become dead. Let the fates switch bodies and bodies switch souls. I request the magic of the Underworld – Grant my wish!"
The chant made Tohru open her eyes just in time to let out a scream that faded into silence. Before her was the bodies of Chiyo and Kyo, both penetrated by the spear that had ran though both of them – in attempt to save her life. At the end of the spear, which stuck out from Chiyo's chest, was a paper charm that was stuck at the end, containing a spell in an unreadable language.
A haughty and evil laughter soon broke the stunning silence as Tohru watched the spear fade away from sight and the wounds heal themselves. Kyo and Chiyo's faces went from a stricken shock to vacant stares as they both passed out side by side.
Tohru screamed again, only to see Yuki, Haru and Momiji arrive at the door just in time to see the two fallen bodies and a very pale and scared Tohru. The she-demon that attacked them was already gone by that time, having gotten what she came for.
"Honda-kun, Chiyo!" Yuki ran over to them, the two human personas inside of him confused and upset, not knowing who to go for first. It took an inner battle until it was Tohru that was rushed to first.
"A woman came—and—and—she attacked me—but—they—they—" Tohru broke out into sobs as she motioned to the two bodies that lie unconscious.
Momiji and Haru silently voted on who to help and went over. Haru trying to revive Kyo as Momiji tried to revive Chiyo. Yuki was trying to console Tohru with little help, wishing he could give her a hug – which seemed like the best thing she needed right now. As he was comforting Tohru, Yuki looked at Chiyo, starting to notice her chest rise and fall while Kyo's lie dormant. "Something happened…" He said as Katsu took over Yuki's thoughts. "Don't touch him!" Yuki held out a hand in protest before Haru could check Kyo's pulse. "If I'm right—check his pulse—but don't touch his skin."
Haru nodded, taking out a bandana and wrapping it once around his hand, then going to check Kyo's wrist. "There's no pulse!" He almost shouted, staring down at Kyo with wide eyes.
Yuki calmly left Tohru's side and went over to Chiyo, embracing her. There was no change with him, no pop, no ears or tail; he remained human. Everyone gaped at the problem. "Something is very wrong —" He trailed off.
A groan startled them out of their confusion, looking down to see Kyo shake his head and bring his hand to his forehead. "What the hell…" He moaned, sitting up to the sight of almost everyone staring at him. "What?"
"You had no heartbeat—" Haru gaped.
"Chiyo does." Yuki stated, his hand removing itself from an un-gloved arm. The fact that he didn't die while touching her also put the others into a shocked silence. The other Sohma members knew who Chiyo was; they'd seen her in action at the Banquet.
Kyo was confused and frustrated at the same time, had no heartbeat? That sounded insane! Rolling his eyes, Kyo moved his fingers to his wrist, trying to feel for the familiar movement of blood thumping in his veins.
There wasn't any.
"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO ME?" Kyo's voice was loud enough to echo into the mountains.