Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket, its plot, characters, etc. but I do own my any OCs and my own plot/changes to the original plot.
"Um, Shigure?" Tohru asked. The two girls were sitting at the table with him and Yuki. Kyo was sitting right outside with a carton of milk. "I was wondering well May 1st is coming up and would you mind if Rika and I went out that afternoon."
"Of course not, in fact I think I'm going out that afternoon too. What is it? Spending some time with your friends?"
"Yeah." She said with a smile. "It's the first anniversary mom's death so we're going to her grave." Rika looked down. The three boys looked at them.
"Ah, the first anniversary of your mother's death." Shigure said.
"Uh-huh, so we thought it might be nice to pay her a little visit."
"I'm sorry I can't join you." Shigure said.
"Oh no really, that's okay." She said.
"Miss Honda? Would it be alright if I came along?" Yuki asked.
"Oh, you don't have to."
"Really I want to. I'd like to say hello to your mother." He said. She smiled.
"Thanks! It means a lot. I know it will to mom too."
"Say Kyo," Shigure said. "If you're not doing anything that day, you should think about going with them."
"Ah, so the Prince is coming with us, and Kyo?" Arisa said as the four of them walked down the stairs.
"Well I don't know." Tohru said. "But I don't think so, he didn't say he was."
"Ya know, it's too bad your mom never got to meet that boy she would'a had so much fun giving him a hard time."
"And I can see it now," Saki said. "After Kyo was so angry he couldn't even speak she would grab him and give him a hug so tight that his spine would snap in two."
"That would be terrible! Well for lots of reasons!" Tohru said freaking out.
"Strange, it's been an entire year and still it's hard to believe she's gone."
"Yeah." Arisa said. "I mean I still keep expecting her to just show up one day. Ya know, just all of a sudden going 'Hi sorry sorry.' With that big smile of hers… Ahh," Arisa put her hand on her head. "What am I saying, that's sure not helping anything is it? Anyway it only goes to show just how great I thought she was. The legendary Red Butterfly terror of the highway." She held up a fist.
"I will always treasure that image of her on her lightning fast bike, popping wheelies." Saki said.
"Well I hope everyone decides to come. " Arisa said. "That'd be good." Tohru turned to her.
"Yes it would."
…
Yuki, Kyo, Tohru and Rika walked up to the temple. Tohru was in a black dress and Rika was in a black skirt that went a few inches above her knees with a matching black shirt. She had on boots that went mid-calf and socks that went just below the skirt.
"Sorta small for a temple" Kyo said.
"It's nice isn't it, just a quiet little place." Tohru said. "It's kinda like home."
"That's a weird thing ta say but alright."
"Oh did that sound weird? What I meant was-"
"Forget I said anything."
"You know," Yuki said. "I'm glad to see we have such a nice day today. I'd say we're pretty fortunate as bad as the weather's been lately."
"Yeah it's like mom's smiling down on us." Tohru said. "After all, she has a lot to smile about; the two of you are coming to visit."
"Tohru, Rika!" Arisa called. They turned around to see her and Saki walking up the steps. "Hey, great day for visiting a grave huh?"
"Yes." Tohru nodded. Yuki and Kyo looked shocked.
"What the hell are you wearing?!" Kyo asked.
"What do you mean?" Arisa asked.
"We're wearing black, what did you expect?"
"Not that!" Kyo said.
"Miss Uotani, that outfit you're wearing. Well is that a trench coat?" Yuki asked.
"Hm? Yeah, pretty sharp huh." She turned around and showed the red butterfly wings on the back. "I inherited this from Kyoko back in the day. You are looking at the legendary Red Butterfly's riding jacket."
"Uh.. Red Butterfly?" Yuki asked.
"That's what they used to call mom when she was in her gang." Tohru informed them happily.
"Alright!" Arisa said as the girls walked up the steps to the graves. "Everybody's here, let's get this party started!"
…
They walked to Kyoko's grave.
"That's weird." Arisa said.
"It's already been cleaned up." Yuki said.
"Guess somebody got here before us." Kyo said.
"It must have been grandfather." Tohru said. "He's the only other person I can think of who knows mom's favorite food." She said looking at the food container.
"Your grandfather?" Kyo asked. "Oh yeah him."
"Uh-huh."
"Which side of the family did you say he was from?" Kyo asked.
"Oh uh, he's my grandfather on my father's side."
"Yeah, Kyoko and her parents weren't exactly on speaking terms." Arisa said.
"Your father," Yuki said. "How did he?"
"He got sick and just couldn't get better. That's what mom told me. I was so small then, I don't really remember too much about him. Rika hadn't joined us either so she's never even met him." Tohru crouched in front of the grave. "Hello mom, I came to see you."
"We all came." Saki said.
"I guess your grandfather already did all the cleaning but we could still put these flowers up, huh?" Arisa said holding the flowers.
"Uh-huh." Rika crouched down in front of the grave. "Yuki did you see? Aren't these pretty flowers?" Tohru said holding the flowers. He smiled. Kyo looked at them then looked away. "Okay it's all ready." Kyo looked down and saw the picnic table out and everyone sitting down.
"Tohru this in wonderful." Arisa said with a laugh.
"You can't have a picnic on her grave!" Kyo shouted, freaking out.
"What's the big deal? Come on Kyoko will like it if we make a little noise before we leave." Arisa asked.
"So what if the temple people see you?"
"So what if they do?"
"This isn't exactly normal." Yuki said.
"Look, just quit complaining and sit down, you don't expect to eat standing up do you? That's not good for you, you know." Arisa said to Kyo.
"Kyo, do you want me to make you a plate?" Tohru asked.
"Whatever."
"Okay."
…
"So Miss Uotani I get the impression you were close with Miss Honda and Rika's mother." Yuki said.
"Oh yeah she was a great friend but you know she was my idol way before we ever met, she was a legend."
"What do you mean I legend?" Kyo asked his eyes slightly wide.
"Like I said, the legendary red butterfly."
"Like I said what are ya talkin' about?"
"This is delicious." Saki said.
"See, they say whenever Kyoko rode her bike all you'd see were her tail lights just flash right by you like a red butterfly tarring ass into the night."
"How do tail-lights look like a butterfly?" Kyo asked
"What? You've gotta be kidding, don't you have any imagination in that big orange head of yours?"
"Shut up I don't have to that that from you!"
"Oh is that a fact or a thought?"
"Errr!"
…
Later that after soon, everyone packed everything up and headed to the exit.
"Wait a sec, where's Rika?" Kyo asked as he looked around. Everyone looked back towards Kyoko's grave to see Rika standing there. They could see her mouth moving but couldn't make out the words. After a few moments Rika lowered her head before heading to the others.
…
Tohru and Rika sat on the porch outside, each with a cut of tea.
"Ah there's nothing better than relaxing with a cup of hot tea at the end of a long day." Tohru said. "And especially after we had such a nice visit."
"Yeah." Rika said looking up at the sky.
The next day at school Tohru and Rika met up with Arisa and Saki.
"Thanks so much for coming to visit with us yesterday." Tohru said to Saki and Arisa then both girl's bowed in thanks.
"Hey come on, we should be thanking you." Arisa said. "Especially for all the food you two made."
"Yes, you're cooking keeps getting better and better." Saki said. "You're going to make fine brides one day." She looked away. "I'm going to cry." Rika's eyebrows went up.
"Tohru! Rika!" Momiji shouted, running over and going behind them. "Hide me hide me!" He whispered.
"Momiji." Tohru said with a smile. He giggled.
"We're playing cops and robbers and I'm the robber!" Suddenly a black hair student ran up to the window from outside.
"Momiji, give it up! You're busted!" The student started to climb in and Momiji started running away, laughing.
"They found me! Gotta run!" He waved.
"Be careful, watch where you're going." Tohru called after him.
"Hey! He's getting away!" The student called, pointing. "Come on you guys, let's go!"
"We've got you now Momiji!" Another student called as the four of the chased after him.
"How 'bout that?" Arisa said.
"It looks like run." Saki said.
"Be- Be careful." Tohru said again.
"But I don't know why they're calling it cops and robbers they just look like a bunch of boys chasing a girl to me." Arisa said.
"He must look like his mother." Saki said.
"Oh yeah, that's what they say isn't it? Guy look like their moms and girls look like their dads."
"Yes, just like Tohru resembles her father, more than her mother."
"Well, more like her grandfather maybe." Tohru laughed slightly. "Now that I'm thinkin' about it, Momiji's parents didn't come to the entrance ceremony, did they?"
"The white-haired boy's parents didn't come either." Saki added.
"Oh, I guess they didn't." Tohru said.
Tohru came back to the house without Rika.
"I'm home." She called.
"Tohru!" Shigure greeted with a smile. "Where's Rika?" he blinked and looked around. "Doesn't she normally walk home with you?"
"Oh, she had to work an extra shift tonight, one of her co-workers had to leave early so Rika said she'd fill in for them."
"That's awfully nice of her. Where does she work again?" Shigure asked. Tohru opened her mouth but quickly closed it.
"Rika made me promise not to tell anyone." She said.
"Awe. But Tohru, you don't want her to have to walk home alone do you?" Shigure asked. Tohru's eyes widened.
"I'll go walk her home." Kyo said.
"She told me not to tell anyone." Tohru said with a frown.
"Who'd you rather have go get her, me or him?" Kyo asked jerking a thumb back at Shigure.
"Kyo, you're so mean." Shigure whined.
"I won't tell." Kyo said. "Promise." Tohru looked conflicted.
Rika opened up a small locker and grabbed her bag. Her boss, Kiki, walked in.
"Rika, thank you so much for taking over for Naomi. Poor girl, hope she feels better." Kiki said.
"It's no problem." Rika said with a smile as she closed her locker.
"I'm sorry to make you walk home so late. Are you sure you'll be alright?"
"I'll be fine, Ki." Rika said. Kiki smiled.
"I could call you a cab."
"It's really okay." Rika assured her. "I've been getting self defense lessons from a friend."
"Alright, then. Have a safe journey home."
"Thanks, you too." Rika said before leaving. She walked up the stairs outside.
"You work here?" Rika's eyes widened and she looked to see Kyo looking up at the café's sign.
"K-Kyo? What are you doing here?"
"Tohru said you had to work an extra shift and Shigure didn't want you walking by yourself so late." He turned to look at her. "Isn't this one of those themed cafés where the safe all dress up?"
"I swear if you tell a soul!" Rika said getting in his face.
"Gezz! Calm down! I won't tell anyone." He said shoving his hands in his pockets.
"I'm serious you can't tell. If anyone ever found out-"
"I'm being serious." Kyo said. "It's not like I'm about to tell Shigure you work here, he'd never leave you alone." Kyo muttered. "Who cares that you work here? Money's money right?"
"Okay…"
"Besides, you wouldn't dress up; you gotta be part of the kitchen staff right?" Kyo looked at her. Rika stared at the ground and started to walk past him. Kyo caught up. "Are you serious? You dress up?"
"It's nothing that bad!" Rika squeaked. "It's not like I'm a hostess. We just do cosplay."
"Does that cosplay include those maid uniforms?"
"Shut up."
"Seriously? You wear that stuff?"
"I don't wear a normal uniform."
"Okay then what do you wear?"
"Ugh, why am I explaining this to you?" Rika put her face in her hands.
"Anyone can go into those cafés." Kyo said. "You're…You're not showing…"
"Nothing shows. God, get your mind outta the gutter." Rika muttered.
"I wasn't-! Oh never mind!" Kyo turned his head to the side to hide a blush.
"Some of us are… types."
"You're what now?"
"Types. Naomi's the giggly, bubbly, cute one, Haruko is the nerdy one-"
"Which one are you?"
"I'm the… the girls call it the … rebel type."
"Reb-!" Kyo burst out laughing.
"It's only because of my hair and piercings. I also get to wear combat boots as part of my uniform." She muttered.
"That's too much." Kyo said as he tried to stop laughing.
"Shut up." Rika said with a frown. Kyo continued to snicker. "This is why I don't tell people where I work!" Rika snapped before running ahead across the street without looking.
"Wait- Rika!" Kyo's eyes widened. "RIKA!" A car horn blared as Kyo tackled Rika out of the way. "You idiot!" Kyo shouted as he looked down at her. "Look before you run out into the road! You could've gotten yourself killed!" Rika blinked up at him as tears welled up in her eyes. Kyo got up and helped her sit up. "Are you hurt?!" he looked her over as she covered her face with her hands.
"I'm sorry." She whimpered. Kyo sighed.
"Are you alright?" he asked, softer this time. Rika nodded. "Look, I didn't mean to laugh okay." Kyo stood and pulled her up. "Quit crying already. You're freaking me out." Rika wiped her eyes and sniffled. "You sure you're okay?" she nodded again.
"I'm sorry." She looked at him and her eyes widened. "Your arm!" Kyo looked down at his left arm which had scratches covering the outside from landing on the sidewalk.
"It's fine, don't worry about it." He said.
"But you're bleeding-!"
"It's fine." He said sternly.
"I'm so-"
"Stop. I swear if you say sorry one more time I'm tellin-"
"Okay." Rika said.
"Good… now let's get home." Kyo said. "I promise I won't tell anyone where you work."
"Thank you…"
"And… look I'm sorry for shouting at you too…" he added quietly. Rika smiled slightly and hugged his right arm as they walked. "W-What are you doin'?! Get off!" Rika looked up at him with puppy dog eyes and a pout. Kyo turned his head away. "Fine…" he muttered as he ignored the colour that came to his face. Rika smiled up at him and rested her head on his shoulder as they walked.
Rika and Kyo's relationship is strictly sister-brother (I like to think even though he's younger than her Kyo is big brotherly to her in the protective sense). Since Rika doesn't work with Tohru I didn't include the end scene from the anime.