The sadness of this life...alas, I have writer's block. My spree is now over. And it shows. This chapter is so dreadfully short. But can you truly blame me? I have so much to do...college is a great deal of trouble, you know. I do love sprees while they last. But this one is now over...

You may have noticed that I refer to the manga in this story (i.e. Mayuko, Kureno, Rin, etc). This is becaue I am including the manga, up to a certain point. Akito is still male, and he and Shigure do not have a relationship. Other than that, the story is very concerned with the manga. In an AU sort of way. Forgive this chapter; I didn't like it very well either, but it is required for the plot sigh. Why MUST there be such things as fillers?

Oh. Kazuma may seem somewhat OOC in this chapter.

Yuki hated it here. It was horrible. Evil. This house was evil. As a child, he had been tortured here, so badly that he could hardly bear returning. When he did, he felt as if he was entering the iciness of death, felt as if he were a rabbit caught in an inescapable snare. He was trapped, beating himself to death against empty black windows.

What was happening to him? Yuki shook himself. He wasn't usually this morbid. Why now? Was it because of what had happened to Kyo? He admitted to himself that even though he didn't particularly like the Cat, he still felt sorry for him, having to live in isolation for the rest of his life…maybe it was because of Kyo. Akito was so evil for locking Kyo up like this. Yuki knew that it would break Tohru's heart, and he hoped, selfishly, that he wasn't there to break the news to her. He couldn't stand watching her break. He wanted to remember Tohru as happy, unbroken.

Not broken like everyone else in his world.

Yuki heard a knock on his door. He frowned. Visitors? He sighed and didn't get up.

"Come."

The door slid open, revealing Kazuma Sohma. Yuki immediately got up, cursing himself for failing to show respect to the karate master. He bowed respectfully.

"Sensei."

Kazuma didn't bother to acknowledge him, but entered the room, his posture tense and stiff. Yuki watched him with curiosity and concern. He had never before seen the karate teacher so…nervous.

"What is it, sensei?"

Kazuma stared at Yuki, his eyes wild. Yuki noticed that his hair was falling out of its habitual ponytail.

"Sensei?"

"Yuki. You have to leave Sohma House. Now."

Bewildered, Yuki stared at Kazuma. "I don't understand…what's going on, sensei?"

"Everything's gone wrong…" Kazuma was pacing the room now, heedless of his undignified attitude. "Leave, Yuki! Leave while you still can!"

"What!" Yuki turned and grasped Kazuma by his arms, looking him in the eye. "What is going on?" The karate master met his eyes for a moment, then looked away.

"What is going on?" Yuki repeated.

"YUKI!" Kazuma threw him off and started dragging him towards the door. "You have to leave! They'll come after you, too! They already got all the others…" His voice trailed off and he bowed his head.

"Got who?" Yuki demanded, trying to pull out of Kazuma's grip, but the karate teacher wrestled with him, forcing him out the door and into the hall. Yuki collapsed to the ground, causing Kazuma to stumble against the wall. On the floor, the Rat twisted in the older Sohma's grasp. Kazuma tightened his grip, almost painfully. Yuki bucked, trying to escape, but Kazuma was desperate. He dragged Yuki out of the hall and into the open garden, throwing him onto the ground.

"Yuki, go!" Kazuma hissed. "There's no time!"

"What is going on?" Yuki demanded, his voice harsh. "What has happened?"

Kazuma looked around them, as if checking for unseen spies. Then he looked back at Yuki and lowered his voice. "Something…all of the others have been taken to the Cat. They're gone now. I know it. You're the only hope, the only chance of escape! You have to run!" Seeing Yuki hesitate, he shoved him violently towards the gate. "RUN, Yuki! Don't ask questions! Just do it!"

Yuki stepped towards the gate, and looked back at Kazuma. The karate teacher was serious! But what was going on…?

"Going somewhere?" A cool voice asked. Yuki looked towards the gate to see Kyo—Kyo!—leaning against the arch of the gate, his face twisted in a mocking little smile. Yuki's hands balled into fists, not seeing Kazuma's face pale in horror.

"Get out of my way, Cat. I don't know why you're here, but you're going to move."

Kyo laughed. Yuki looked at him in disbelief. He had never heard such a laugh from Kyo before—such a dark, ugly sound. Kyo could be disgusting to any civilized person, but he didn't…he wasn't…he wasn't ugly. Not like this. The Cat was enjoying it.

"Stubborn as ever." Kyo laughed again. Yuki glared at him, and walked past. Or rather, he attempted to. Kyo straightened in a quick motion and placed his hands flat on Yuki's chest. Cocking his head, he stared at the Rat.

"You aren't trying to leave, are you?"

"Get out of my way." Yuki shoved him. Kyo staggered back. And laughed again.

"Still strong." He smiled. "This is good." He grinned. "Perfect." The Cat stepped towards Yuki.

"NO!" Kazuma cried, throwing himself towards the Cat. Kyo evaded him without effort, and then brutally clapped both hands to the sides of Kazuma's head. Kazuma gave a sharp cry and fell. Yuki charged.

"BAKA NEKO!"

He kicked at Kyo, but the Cat was out of the way before the blow even fell. Set off balance, Yuki stumbled slightly, giving the Cat the advantage. The Cat leapt towards him, hands extended in claw-like shapes, and grabbed him by the hair. Yuki screamed in rage and pain and struck out violently at the Cat. The Cat laughed again, still gripping Yuki's hair. He jerked the Rat's head back, forcing him to stare upward into his eyes. Yuki spat at him. The Cat ignored it, instead turning Yuki's head this way and that, taking in every line of his face, every flicker of his eyes. He smiled.

"Same as ever. The ages have not changed you at all."

"IDIOT." Yuki snarled, struggling in the Cat's grip. He grabbed the Cat's forearms with his hands, trying to throw him. The Cat remained where he was as if rooted in the ground. He shook his head at Yuki, clicking his tongue.

"Stupid me. I forgot." He grinned.

"Old friend."

His hand came down on Yuki's face.