As usual, the dreaded disclaimer. Namely, I own nothing, nor shall I ever own something on this website (except in my dearest and most private fantasies). Also...a brief note. Review are, as the summary says, greatly appreciated. Translation: without reviews, I do not have much motivation to post. The more reviews--the quicker and lengthier the updates. This story is, unfortunately, just getting started. So...on to heart of it.
There was darkness everywhere. It surrounded him, consumed him. He couldn't move without it, yet within it he was lost. Almost gone. He didn't know why this was happening, didn't want it to happen, but he couldn't stop it. It was devouring him, ripping through his soul and transforming it into something else. He could feel its teeth in him, tearing through him, lacerating his flesh. He screamed.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!"
Silence met him. Something was trapping him there. Something was going to get him…he clawed at the bed clothes, shredding them. He fell out of bed, hitting the floor with a hard thud.
Downstairs, Yuki and Haru heard the thud. They jumped at the sound, than froze as if expecting something else to happen. They glanced towards where Hatori was sitting at the kitchen table, calmly smoking a cigarette. He hadn't heard it, apparently. Haru looked upstairs.
"Kyo's room."
"Yes." Yuki agreed, starting up the stairs. Haru grabbed his arm.
"Are you sure you should be going up there?"
Yuki looked disdainful. "Why ever not?"
Haru hesitated. "Everyone's just acting really weird."
Yuki shrugged and went up the stairs, Haru following and trying to get him to stop.
"Tohru was sent away, okay? That means something really serious is going on! Tohru is never sent away, ever!"
Yuki ignored him, and went to the door of Kyo's room. There were strange sounds coming from within—snarling, and some sort of ripping…Haru grabbed Yuki.
"Don't go in there."
Yuki shoved him. "Let go of me, Haru!"
"No!"
Yuki glared. "If you keep this up you're going to bring Hari up here. And you know what that means."
"That might actually be a good idea."
"Fine." Yuki glared at him. "Be that way. But I'm going to see what's going on."
He slid the door open.
Hatori sat downstairs brooding. He didn't know what he was going to do. He had to take Kyo away. That was certain. The best time to do it would be now, before Shigure got back. His cousin was taking an unusual interest in Kyo's fate, something which Hatori knew to be unwise, if not unhealthy. He understood that living with someone would often naturally provoke affection, yet Shigure knew that bonding with the Cat was never a good idea. It was usually best for all concerned to avoided creating any sort of bond with the neko. Such bonds only brought pain. Hatori closed his eyes. The fact that he himself had such a bond with Kyo only made it worse. This cycle's incarnations were all unusually close to one another. Such closeness was extremely rare, almost unheard of. And it was not helping. Hatori sighed. He might as well wait until Shigure got home. No use alienating two cousins in one day. The Dog couldn't stop him, anyway.
Shigure came in. Hatori raised an eyebrow.
"That didn't take you long."
"Fifteen minutes is more than enough time." Shigure's eyes were hooded.
"And you didn't want to leave me here alone very long either."
"Yes." Shigure sat across from Hatori. "Where are the children?"
Hatori shrugged, blowing out smoke. "I don't know."
Shigure growled.
"I don't."
"You should."
"They're eighteen, Shigure. Hardly children."
Shigure stood up. "I'm going upstairs."
Hatori sighed. "I'll come with you."
When they reached the top of the stairs, Shigure stopped and sniffed. Hatori watched expressionlessly.
"Your nose isn't that good, Shigure."
Ignoring him, Shigure turned towards Kyo's room and stopped in front of the door, listening. Heavy breathing was coming from within. He knocked.
"Kyo?"
"SHIGURE!" Haru screamed. The Dog flung the door open.
He could feel it running through him. It was burning him, hurting him so badly. They were hurting him. They were stabbing him with knives, gutting him with daggers. He could feel his blood running out upon the floor, see the red pools forming. He stared at them, the demons responsible for this. He would kill them. Make them suffer. Rip them to pieces with his bare hands.
"Kyo…?"
Something spoke. His nostrils flared as his head swung around to face the sound. It was that stupid inu. Baka inu. His lips drew back over his teeth. Someone was going to die.
Shigure stared at Kyo. The flame-haired teen had gone mad. He had Yuki and Haru trapped in a corner, hands splayed at their sides, unable to move. The monster had them cornered. But Kyo hadn't transformed. Yet.
"Kyo." Hatori snapped. "Back away. Now."
Kyo screamed in rage, his hands clenching at his sides, his head thrown back. He was shaking uncontrollably, screaming at the ceiling. His orange hair was dark with sweat, his eyes were bright with fever, and his face was very pale. Hatori stared at him in utter horror.
"Kyo…"
The Cat leapt at him, lashing out with his hands, slicing through air and then flesh with the edge of one hand. Hatori staggered back, clutching his arm. Kyo screamed again.
"Yuki! Haru!" Shigure shouted, and charged the Cat. The two teenagers leapt off the floor and tackled Kyo with Shigure. The Cat threw them off, snarling viciously, and attacked. Yuki gasped in pain. Hatori was flung through the wall. Haru went black.
"You want to play rough, Cat?" He yelled. "We'll see if you can play rough!" He slammed at the Cat with both fists, but Kyo darted out of the way with inhuman speed and grace. At the same time he struck Haru behind the neck with both fists, dropping him to the ground. Haru lay still. Shigure, Hatori, and Yuki stared at Kyo in shock. No one had ever been able to drop black Haru that fast. Yet Kyo had done it. Somehow. Yuki struggled to his feet and stood by Shigure and Hatori. The Cat stared at them, his lips curling back. Hatori noted that he was shuddering as if from overexertion. A fever. It was still incomplete, then. Shigure looked at Hatori.
"Now."
Hatori nodded, and stepped back towards the door. Kyo snarled.
"Hold on, Kyo." Shigure said. He looked at Yuki. Yuki realized.
"Come on, baka neko." He taunted. "Come and get me!" He ran at Kyo. Kyo flipped behind him, his fist coming up to slam Yuki through the house. Yuki leapt out of the way as he saw the hand coming, but was caught by the blow nonetheless. Glancing though it was, it knocked him to the floor. Kyo looked down at Yuki and laughed. Had Shigure had time to think, he would have shuddered at the sound. It was terrifying. Filled with power, hatred, and triumph…
Maybe.
Even as he thought it, Shigure leapt towards the Cat, distracting him from Yuki just long enough to allow the Rat enough time to crawl away. He regretted it immediately.
This Kyo did not have any of the mercy of the old Kyo. He had no sense of justice or sympathy, only vengeance. As he was flung through the wall, Shigure wondered why the heck Kyo, who had the worst temper of all of them, had to inherit the most vicious vengeful spirit. If that wasn't poor judgment on someone's part, he didn't know what was. At least he was safe now. Kyo would most probably go for Hatori…his hopes fell when he saw the Cat step through the wall, grinning triumphantly. He stood over Shigure and laughed. That laugh was the worst sound Shigure had ever heard. Then the Cat reached down and pulled Shigure to his feet by his kimono. His lips tightened over his teeth.
"I'm. Going. To. Make. You. Suffer." The Cat hissed. "Baka inu."
Shigure was about to lash out when the Cat's eyes widened and he collapsed to the floor, falling on top of Shigure. Trembling with irritation and shock, Shigure shoved him off and looked up. Hatori was standing there, an empty syringe in his hand. Wordlessly, he reached out and helped Shigure to his feet.
"Go get the car ready."
Shigure went.