Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket
Author's Notes: Hey everyone! I just wanted to say Thank-you for the great reviews I've been giving. I'm sorry my updating is always infrequent, but trust me, the story is always in my head. I just don't have a lot of time to sit down and write a whole chapter. I'm glad you're all loyal
Chapter 17- Freedom's Metamorphosis
The tires squeaked as the car pulled up against the curb. Ammunition clicked inside the revolver, the material of her skirt scrapped against the leather car, and her heels clicked on the asphalt road. The door opened for Tohru, she undid the buckle, and slipped out with Kyo behind her. The cold muzzle touched her forehead, her chocolate eyes squinted shut, her body trembling.
"You'll come inside with me now," Rin whispered, her voice laced with venom. The woman walked backwards, keeping the gun on Tohru to make sure neither tried to escape. Tohru had to force her eyes open, the pain making her tear ducts react, she was trying so hard to be brave.
The glass doors slid open and they entered a lobby. Kyo looked around, "No one's here..."
"That's the point, you baka-neko, the Sohmas own this building. We own buildings all over Japan, we can use them whenever we choose and no one will ask us why." Rin moved them into the elevator, clicking the white button labeled 'roof.'
Tohru stared at her feet, but felt Kyo's arm around her waist. "For what it's worth," she whispered softly, "Thank you for, being kind to me, Rin. I'm sure in this moment, you are most cruel to me, but before, when we were in the city, thank you." Tears 'plinked' against the tile floor that was an ugly off-white.
"Keh, you are so stupid," Rin growled, her free hand on her hip. "You're thanking me for telling you some children's story, some stupid story, and not killing you that day. Have you no sense of reality?"
"Shut up, Rin," Kyo growled in a warning. It was true Rin had the upper hand with the gun, but Kyo couldn't help but be protective of the girl he loved. "You believed it, I know you did. You just value your own life too much to put faith in someone else!"
The safety was pulled back, "I'm warning you cat, watch that smart-mouth of yours, or your precious girl is going to be blown to bits. Don't tempt me, you know I hold no remorse."
"You're wrong..." Tohru whispered quietly. "Everyone feels remorse, we are merely human. It doesn't justify much, but humans are so horribly flawed. You hold remorse...you and Haru, you wished things had been different." Tohru touched Kyo's hand and sighed, "You wished you could be with him."
The elevator opened and they walked out onto the roof. Two shadows jumped from the sky, each taking Kyo and Tohru, pressing cloths to their faces. Tohru turned to Kyo, and watched him reach for her, until finally, she closed her eyes.
Earlier. Kureno had continued driving like nothing was wrong, and no one had picked up Rin's stealthy escape in the back. That was at least, until Momiji jerked awake. The boy had been asleep, like deep coma-like sleep, and suddenly jerked up. He had sprung to life, as if an 'on' switch had been flicked in his head. He found Kureno's eyes in the rear-view mirror, "Where's Tohru?"
Kureno sighed, watching Shigure's anger rise up in his eyes. The rooster kept his eyes on the road and listened to the others slowly awaken from their sleep. "Tohru and Kyo, will not be joining us today."
"And why is that?" Haru asked, cracking his knuckles slowly. "This wouldn't happen to be a trap, would it?" Kureno was being patient, he knew the potential a Dark Haru could possess, also with Yuki in the car, things could get messy.
He nodded, "Yes, this was a trap. We purposely separated Tohru and Kyo from you two. Rin drove them off into the city, with her patience she probably already has them at gun point. I am to take you as far away from them as I can."
Shigure was trying hard not to just grab the steering wheel or strangle Kureno right there and now. "What are you going to do with us, or do you not have a destination?"
Kureno shook his head, "I know exactly where I'm taking you, but it's not a place that you know of. When we get there, you'll just have to wait and see." The car doors locked.
Yuki and Haru glanced at each other, then Yuki looked at the window. Shigure turned around in his chair to help Momiji stifle his tears by putting on a calm smile. Momiji bawled his fists and quietly undid the buckle to his seatbelt. "I almost lost Tortor more than once in my life, and I never want her to leave again." He pushed himself up against the seat and sprang to life, "And you WILL NOT TAKE HER FROM ME!" Momiji's no longer tainted hand grabbed Kureno by the neck, his feet twisted and hit the steering wheel, sending everyone spiraling. Shigure leaned over to grab the steering wheel while Yuki and Haru in a joint-effort smashed the window with their fists. Momiji looked up from his attacking to see the boys, "Hurry up and go save Tohru!"
Yuki could barely fathom the fact he was air-born as he tumbled in the air alongside Haru, a stream of blood fluttering through the air caused by the shards of glass. The car was spinning out of control, and suddenly Yuki thought of Tohru. He remembered the day when the teacher came to get her and she scurried out of class. He thought of how she must've been plagued by imagining how it had happened...and right then, Yuki was watching Tohru's father and surrogate son fly away in a car.
He hit the ground without any sort of grace, the side of his cheek skinned raw. Haru lucked out, landing on his knees and tearing up the fabric of his pants. The car had been straightened out, and Haru took one quick look to see Shigure pulling Momiji into his lap. "Yuki, are you alright?" he asked slowly as he rose to a standing position.
Yuki rubbed the blood from his face and rose as well. Rubbing the back of his head, Yuki smirked, "I don't think I've ever seen Momiji be that brave. I don't think I've ever seen him, that passionate and mature. He's grown up, hasn't he?"
"No time for that, stupid," Haru smirked and started to run. "We haven't got too much time."
Momiji closed his eyes as he gripped Kureno's neck. He realized as the man suffered he was killing the Kureno Uotani loved so preciously. The bunny realized he couldn't do it, he couldn't kill someone who was loved. Momiji knew what it was like to be alone. When he realized this Shigure grabbed him by the waist and pulled him off Kureno. The rooster grabbed the wheel and the chaos ended.
Shigure held the boy to his chest and let out a very exasperated sigh, "Well that would've been the end of a bad novel. That would've been irony, to die the same as the protagonist did. Momiji, you naive fool, you naive naive fool."
Kureno slowed the car a little, watching and rubbing his throat. His life had flashed before him, and it was just a flash of nothing, was that it? Was that all he had to show for his life, being Akito's bitch? The man sighed, and thought of Uo. "We'll continue on now, I'm sure Tohru can save us."
Her eyes opened slowly and realization dawned on her. "Kyo?" she strained her head, looking around quickly. But alas, she couldn't move, her legs and arms were bound. Suddenly, she realized where she was, atop a building. Down below her were the tiny dots that were the people, like looking at a child's toy set. "Kyo?"
"He isn't here..." a voice called out quietly.
"Rin..."
Her eyes stayed on the floor, sitting in a lonely iron chair, "Were you prepared? Do you realize now, Tohru Honda, that you're going to die?"
"Where is Kyo." This was no question, it was a statement. "Where."
"Locked up, as he should be, locked up where no light can reach him," Rin sighed and looked at the watch on her wrist. "I swear if he doesn't get here soon I'll kill you myself." Tohru eyed the gun that laid neatly in her lap.
Tohru shook her head, "You're awfully repetitive. Everyone told me I was a mistake, and I'm going to die or that I didn't belong." Her eyes shut and she grinned a toothy grin, "Even if I die today, tomorrow, now, or later, Hatori would never erase all the memories of all the Sohmas. I'll live on, forever."
Kyo threw himself against the steel door again, hands bound in front of him. He hissed in pain, both shoulders throbbing with pain from his constant futile attempts. Tohru, he had to get to his Tohru. She had no idea what these Sohmas were capable of, well, she knew a bit, but not like he knew. She didn't know like he and Yuki knew. Kyo roared with anger as he plowed into the door again.
"Damn it Akito...I won't let you get away with this..."
Ring Ring Ring
"Hello?"
"This is Yuki."
"Ah, Yuki. What seems to be the trouble?" Hatori asked cooly, looking at the paperwork on his table that needed to be sorted and dated. Tohru usually helped him with this.
"Tohru and Kyo have been taken."
The pen dropped from his hand, composure fleeting rapidly, "What?"
There was panting in the background, "Rin took Kyo and Tohru from us. Haru and I had to break through the window of the car Kureno was driving us in to get out. Momiji and Shigure are being taken away by Kureno. We have no indication of where Tohru and Kyo are other than somewhere in the city."
"Tell him to get everyone he can! Call Ayame, Uo, Hana, her band! Anyone!"
"I will inform the others. Where should we head?"
"Pant–We were headed towards Tokyo Tower. Tohru's cell phone isn't on, Kyo doesn't have one. I'm afraid Akito is going to kill her, Hatori, this time for real. Kira works at the ice cream parlor, get him too!"
Click Beep Beep BEEP
Tohru had her eyes transfixed upon the horizon, the chocolate orbs unfaltering. "You never found a cure for the curse did you, other than the option of killing me? Sacrificing me, to free him?"
"That would be correct," Rin answered quietly, flipping the gun in her hands.
Tohru sighed, "I'm sorry that I couldn't find it sooner."
Kureno stopped the car and unlocked the doors. Shigure and Momiji jumped out hastily, trying to find out where they were. It was quite obvious now, they were at the Sohma onsen, the one located way up in the mountains, miles from society. Shigure smashed his hand into the hood of the car, the delicate hand of the novelist flaming up in an ugly red, Momiji already trying to attack Kureno again.
"My duties to Akito are now finished," Kureno mumbled slowly. The keys slipped into his pocket and he walked off slowly, heading for a garden to wait in. Finding a bench, the man began to cry, cursing his actions, and his cowardice.
Hatori had rushed out the door of his room and headed through the house towards the main gate. He hadn't a clue where the children were, nor his master Akito, and at that moment he did not care. Tohru needed to be saved, his best friend's daughter needed to be saved, his friend, needed to be saved.
Do you wish to save her?
Hatori looked around, stopping mid-run towards his car. He turned and looked over his shoulder, seeing nothing but the home he hated so. "Get ahold of yourself..." he mumbled, resuming his efforts to get to the main gate.
Do you wish to save the girl?
Frustration was starting to boil within him, he wanted this voice to be silent. Reaching his car he fumbled with his keys, "Yes, I want to save her more than anything."
Do you know who I am, human?
"A poltergeist none the less, one who is bothering me when I have something very important to do!" Hatori still could not find his keys, his hands trembling with the fear he'd arrive too late to save the little girl he'd come to adore. "Who are you?"
Human, I live inside of you. I am Serriyuu
Hatori's vision clouded over and he realized he was probably somewhere in his mind. In front of him stood a white dragon with a sea-green mane staring at him. The dragon had long whiskers and fangs. It was a prominent and beautiful being.
Human Hatori, if you wish to save her, I can help you.
"How can you do that?"
All humans in some way are connected to the zodiac your people speak of. The Sohmas are merely people who are most in-tune with that history. When you transform, you become the dragon of the sea. If you wish, you can become a dragon of the skies, and save that girl, Tohru Honda
"Why do you offer me these gifts?"
She is a chosen one, in tune with this world and has not yet realized the potential in her. Myself and the Neko Demon can be your guides. She needs to be saved, or the Priestess has no hope.
"Priestess?"
The caretaker, the one who tries in all her heart to protect you. The dragon shook his head, Do you wish to receive this power?
Hatori nodded once, "For Tohru."
The white cloud engulfed Hatori's body, and he took off towards the sky, promising to find Tohru in time as Serriyuu had lit a path in the sky for him.
Tohru had been staring at the sky for some time now, hoping for anyone to save her. She felt so weak, needing to be rescued all the time. It was always the same thing. Truth be told she had been daydreaming, thinking about the nights she'd spent in Kyo's company, even before the days after they'd confessed their love to each other. The sound of the door opening pulled her from those thoughts. The chocolate eyes looked around, no sounds but footsteps, and an evil smirk on Rin's face as she twirled the gun on her index finger.
"You've finally appeared, Akito."
She stiffened, panic swarmed her body despite how still she was. Her breathing was thin, minuscule, like she could just die at any moment. Tohru looked down to see Akito staring at her, hateful vengence in his eyes, coy smirk on his lips, "Well, it's nice to see you again." He picked up the gun and played with it in his hands, "This seems rather suiting doesn't it, that you're finally going to be destroyed by the curse like I said you would. What do you say to that, Tohru Honda, what—:"
"Sohma," she told him curtly. "I am Tohru Honda-Sohma. A bullet in my breast will not change that, Akito-sama. Nothing, will change that." Akito pulled back the safety.
Kyo continued to trash against the door, his shoulders both equally black and blue from his constant and futile attempts. His body quivered with his harsh panting, he hadn't stopped once, desperate to save the girl he loved so much. Kicks, punches, pulls, everything he could think of. The young man's body was on fire, the pain was becoming unbearable.
"DAMMIT!" Kyo screamed, sun-kissed bangs blocking the absolute pain that ran through his eyes. His mortal body couldn't take much more, he staggered and leaned his head against the cold bars of the cage he was in, panting.
Human, do you wish to save her?
"Who...the hell...are you?" Kyo panted, figuring it was someone in the pitch black hallway taunting him.
I am inside of you, human. Wasn't it that girl, who said I was inside of you? Do you wish to save her?
His monster was speaking to him. His curse was calling out to him. Never had this sort of paranormal thing occurred. Kyo considered his insanity but he was cursed already, how much weirder could get things want. "Keh, of course I want to save her, I'd give a life for her," Kyo smirked lightly. "Whatcha got in mind?"
Embrace me, human. The dragon is already on his way, Serriyuu has awakened him.
A gunshot echoed in the distance and Kyo jerked his head up. "Hurry it up already you bastard, if I've got to be a monster to save Tohru, then dammit, I'll be that monster!"
As you wish human
His eyes bulged and his hands shot to his head as he screamed in pain. Falling down to his knees he arched forward, feeling his body stretch. The transformation, Kyo was scared, but reminded him that this was the one time he wanted this, for her, for his only one, his Tohru. The pupils of his eyes turned an lovely lavender and a second howl echoed through the cage.
"It's here," Shigure mumbled to Momiji, Shigure was pedaling a bike with Momiji on the back, panting severely. The lazy dog never had to do much in his life, this was painful.
"What do you mean Shigure, huh, what do you mean?" Momiji asked him curiously, poking his dear cousin's temple despite how much Shigure obviously hated it.
Shigure looked around in the sky, feeling something tug at him, "The story is coming to life once again. The curse is about to meet its fate. The monsters are awakening. Momiji," he looked over his shoulder, "Are you prepared for what is to happen? This isn't a fairy tale with a guaranteed good ending. Are you prepared for that?"
Momiji's head slumped, "Is Tohru going to be hurt?"
"There is a possibility we all could."
Yuki and Haru were also sprinting up the street to find a huge shadow looming overhead. Yuki stopped, which made Haru bump into him. "What the hell did you stop for, stupid rat?"
"Look up there," Yuki pointed as his finger followed the trail of the dragon in the sky. "I don't know why Haru, but I think...I think we have to follow it." The dragon was heading east of their direction, "I cannot explain it, but I feel as though, it's calling me."
Haru hit his head against his forehead and let out a very frustrated yell, "Then dammit we'll follow it! But I swear to god, no, to something better than god, if Tohru is hurt while we're following a flying dragon I'll kill you!"
Tohru opened up her flinched eyes to see pieces of her hair on the rooftop below her. She sighed, releasing a gaps of air she hadn't known she'd been holding. Akito stood before her, smoke rising up from the barrel, a smirk on his face. "You still dare to talk insolence to me?"
For you Tohru...I will becoming a monster.
For you Tohru...I will become what I fear the most.
For you Tohru...I will risk everything, even if I'm afraid.
For you my darling Tohru, I will give up everything.
For you... anything.
Tohru tilted her head towards the sky and giggled lightly. "Why are you afraid of me, Akito-san? Why is it, that the person I wanted to accept me, fears me?"
"Quiet you little bitch, how dare you say anything at all!" Akito screamed, pulling back the safety once again and aiming between the girl's eyes. "I cannot fathom it still; you are ordinary, meek, weak, stupid, foolish, and still they all believe in you. Why do they believe in you? What special thing in you do they see? What is it? What am I blind to?"
"I'm not hiding anything," Tohru whispered, turning her eyes to Rin, who still sat in the background, fidgeting slightly. "I'm just doing what my mother wanted of me."
"No one can save you! You realize no one can save—"
The floor rumbled and the tiles smashed, debris flying everywhere, skinning Tohru's bare legs and face, blood shimmering through the air. Akito managed to shield his face with the large male kimono he was wearing and Rin managed to defend herself with only a few scrapes.
The monster before Tohru screamed, its many teeth glistening in the light. He turned to Tohru, growls in his throat. She had her face turned away from the pain of the small cuts and slowly turned her face back to look at what had broken the floor. "Ky...Kyo?" The monster nodded slowly and turned to face her completely, the hand of the monster reaching out for her until she screamed, "Kyo behind you!"
Kyo narrowly dodged a bullet from Akito's gun, it instead hit the bottom of the post where Tohru was still dangling from. The wood bent, moaning with its injury until it snapped and literally broke, causing Tohru who was still locked in bindings to fall flat on her face. The monster that was Kyo was dashing about the rooftop, large bunny-like ears flapped with his speed. Tohru was useless in this position, she needed to be freed.
Kureno slid into the driver's seat of his car and sighed, smashing his head against the steering wheel. The car horn echoed around the mountaintop as he thought back. He didn't want that little girl to die, not after she had saved his life, not after all she'd done. Hatori wouldn't be able to erase her memory, even if her body vanished. "Dammit!" he screamed, revving the engine to his car, driving towards Akito and Tohru, not knowing what he planned on doing once he got there.
Hatori could see the path ending up ahead, a building of course, the roof. The dragon in him roared, the people below on the streets all turned their heads to watch the faint glimmer of his white scales as he soared by.
She didn't know why, no, but her fingers were trembling as she unbound the ropes on Tohru's hands. She didn't know why, why she'd deny Akito after all the horror she'd already committed, but she still tried. Tohru beneath the wooden cross, crying and begging her to run, because Akito would only be distracted by Akito for so long. She didn't know why, but she had freed Tohru.
The pain was unbearable, it pierced and burnt her skin, it was too warm against her cold flesh, it was sudden. She had expected this event to take place, but never could she had fathomed the emotions and pain. Her life ran before her eyes, short and brief, transformations, favors for Akito, and Haru. Haru. Yes, Haru. Rin smiled gently before she fell back, graceful ebony hair covering her paling face, as she fell back into the hole Kyo had created earlier. Tohru couldn't see it, hadn't heard her, but had known, known all along, and screamed with such a magnitude she never once knew she possessed.
Rin fell, arm outstretched for the hallucination that was Haru, a smile on his face, compassion in his eyes, and a hand always left out for her. She hit the rubble of the floor below the roof and closed her eyes, feeling the blood leave her. It trickled down the rocks and rubble onto the tile floor, deep and ugly against the lack of light in the room. Her hand snaked up to her left shoulder and sighed, "Dumb girl...you better save Haru for me." She laughed, a fit of chuckles touched the sky, and ended before it could be appreciated. It was quiet once more.
Tohru stood up, pushing the cross off her shoulders. Her shoulders were trembling, an obvious indication of the fact she was crying. The tears ran past her eyes and dripped off her chin, plinking to the ground below. Her chocolate bangs were a veil of the obvious pain running through her eyes, the obvious horror, the obvious disgust, and the new found rage. Tohru looked up and saw Akito, who for a brief second, almost seemed shocked at his own actions.
"I hate you!" she screamed at him, pointing a finger. "I've never had to hate anyone my entire life, and my mother told me to love everyone the best I could, but you, I hate! I hate you! I hate you for all of eternity!" She watched Akito crack a twisted smile at her and Tohru trembled still, "How could you do that to her? How could you kill her after she'd done so much for you! You made her suffer and then you kill her!"
Akito laughed and held the gun up to her, "And now you will join her."
Kyo picked up Tohru and jumped out of the way, standing on the doorway that had the stairs that led to that roof. There wasn't anywhere for him to put Tohru, although he could probably survive a long lunge to the ground below the force might very well shatter poor Tohru. He couldn't put her down in that hole, no, not with Rin dead inside of it. He wasn't sure what to do anymore. He looked around, panicking slightly, wishing for once the Rat was here because he always knew what to do.
"You see little Tohru, do you see now how wrong you are for this family? When you came, only bad things happened, and Rin is proof of that. It is all your fault."
Tohru choked on her tears, Akito's cruel words were like a bullet in itself. She was, it was her fault. Rin was dead because of her, Kureno was hurt because of her, and her family, was in pain constantly because of her. Kyo though, begged to differ, squeezing her in his giant arms and roaring. She turned her head up, looking at the violet eyes that stared back at her, reassuring her that she was no mistake.
Yuki and Haru were starting to climb the stairs of the building, already four flights up and only a another freaking hundred to go. Shigure and Momiji had been picked up by Kureno along the way, ignoring all speed limits and regulations had sped along, already approaching the building. Hatori flew through the sky.
Another gunshot went off, it pierced the flesh of Kyo's large monster arms, but it didn't seem to phase him like a normal human would. The monster roared in pain, but continued to keep Tohru protected as he took another. Six bullets, it was time for Akito to reload.
It was a blind impulse...I know it was...but–– as I remained cradled in his arms I watched the blood pour from him in steady streams. He'd protect me till he could breathe no more, I knew this, and I—oh mom, I couldn't let him do that.
Oh mom, I never wanted any of this to happen. You know that, don't you? I just wanted to live happily, and somehow manage to stay strong and finish school like you had hoped. I hope I am not a failure in your eyes for this, but this, is my...first real...and only choice.
Somehow she had escaped his embrace and ran, watching the cartage wiggle its way into the revolver, the safety click back, and the trigger squeezed. She had watched the blood spray past her, watched the surprise erupt on god's face, and watched the city below approach her. With gun in hand, bullet in and through the breast, she began to fall.
All rage left Kyo, and the monster left, the boy returned. He ran to the edge, bent over it, and left his arm out for her, screaming with all his might her lovely name. From the sky where she fell, she could see him, recalling the dream that had plagued her so many times. There he was, reaching for her, and calling her name.
In the
dark-
ness
The dragon
wakes.
The dragon awakens.
To a
heart that is
numbed with cold
the dragon takes.
The wind rushed past her face, her face was chilled and cold, tears seemed to disappear because the wind pulled them away so fast. Tohru looked at the revolver in her hand and pulled out the last of the bullets, letting them sprinkle down to the earth along with her. Her skirt flapped upward in the breeze, her hair as well, and somehow despite the terror, it was all beautiful.
With you at
my side the
dragon sleeps.
On dragon
wing your
wishes will
leap.
lalala...
your wishes can
bring forth a destructive future.
lalala...
or you can
bring salvation.
Haru and Yuki threw open the door to the roof and were confused at what they saw. A broken wooden cross, a hole in the floor, Kyo leaned over the edge of the building, a chair that had been ruined, and trails of blood everywhere. Both came to life when they saw Akito approaching Kyo, a piece of that broken cross in his ill hands.
"Oh no you don't you fucking bastard!" Haru screamed, tackling Akito to the ground from behind. Yuki helped too, disarming Akito's worthless weapon, and then ran to Kyo's side.
"Oy, Kyo! What are you doing!"
Kyo though, he couldn't move, he was in shock. Each second that ticked by he was watching Tohru come closer and closer to the ground below, her death, everything. All they had worked for together, all that they had hoped for, the woman he loved, it was all vanishing before his eyes.
Her eyes were closed now, blood still flying through the sky from her wound, unable to keep up the rate that gravity pulled Tohru. It was like the rain, her own blood, was washing over her. Kyo was sick to his stomach, and once again screamed. It was no name, no word, nothing coherent and rational. It was just it, a scream. Every pain, every hurt, every laugh, every tear, anything and every emotion he had ever felt, was right there, as he watched her slowly come closer to dying.
Tohru closed her eyes and waited her death, listening to the song that echoed in her ears until it could be heard no more.
In the
dark-
ness
The dragon
wakes.
The dragon awakens.
To a
heart that is
numbed with cold
the dragon takes.
Hatori, fluttering and slithering along the sky. A small black object filled the sky as he watched it fall from the building. His heart thumped, it echoed in his ears. That was Tohru! Seriyuu inside of him told him so, and suddenly the adrenaline was pumping. Hatori moved like the wind itself, fast and furious, until he was flying alongside Tohru's falling frame. He carefully dipped down, the front arms of the dragon scooped her up and cradled her to his chest. Turning upward the dragon roared again, and took off for the roof.
Kyo had seen this dragon, and was shocked. He wasn't shocked to see a dragon in general, because after all, when you're cursed like he was, anything was possible. He didn't know who the dragon was, and was still shocked that the dragon had saved his Tohru.
Akito, still pinned under the weight of Haru began to laugh, "You fools, you think that by stopping me you'll break the curse? You think by killing me, you'll break the curse? Your only beacon of hope is now dead."
"SHUT UP!" Haru screamed, kneeing Akito in the back of the neck and continued to apply pressure there. The white haired boy couldn't stand that vile laughter, how could a man be so heartless. How could he?
Yuki was holding Kyo's shoulder, pulling him back from the edge. He was about to comfort his cousin when the dragon shot out before their eyes, nearly taking off their noses. It circled in the air and landed on the roof, Tohru still in his arms. He put the girl down on the roof gently, the dragon's own voice sounding like it was whimpering.
Serriyuu...thank you...but I have failed her.
You have done what was planned Hatori Sohma, that is all.
A white cloud engulfed the dragon, and when it cleared Hatori was standing, looking down at Tohru. "Oh Tohru...gods...I'm so sorry," the doctor fell to his knees, leaning over her as tears sprinkled her clothing. The blood still leaked out steady, with no purpose left in this corpse. "Dammit Tohru, I'm so sorry."
Shigure and Momiji ran through the door and Momiji's first reaction was to scream. "TOHRU! NO!" He ran over to her, legs flailing, skidded on the ceiling, and pushed up against Hatori. "She can't be dead, she can't! She can't!" The little blonde looked up to Hatori, "She can't be dead Hatori, she can't!"
Shigure stood behind Hatori, eyes down, "Is everyone else okay?"
Kyo was limp against Yuki, Haru turned his head and kept Akito pressed to the ground. "Yeah, I think we are. The cat's in shock, but he's alive."
"Where is Rin?" Shigure asked quietly, noting the blood on the ground, had already assumed the worst. Kyo's eyes were bulging, trembling with the obvious shock that his Tohru was dead. He wanted to be dead, so he could be with her too.
"I killed her," Akito cackled, the voice cracking from the weight Haru was placing on him. "The damn bitch betrayed me and freed that girl. Didn't matter one bit though, that girl still got what she deserved. Do you see what happens when you try to find happiness outside of me? You will be left with nothing but me. Only me!"
"Haru. Do me the pleasure of getting off your cousin Akito so I may rip his throat out with my fangs!" Shigure screamed, rolling up the sleeves of his kimono as he stormed over to him.
"Allow me, Shigure. Your daughter wouldn't want your hands to be stained with blood," Kureno announced slowly, pulling a knife from his pocket. He had been standing by the doorway, unable to fathom the fact that after all this, Tohru was dead, and he'd still never be free to live a life. He'd still remain Akito's bitch, and nothing more. He pulled Haru off of Akito and flipped the bastard over, pressing the knife to his neck.
"Can you really kill me, my little Kureno?" Akito smirked lightly, shrugging his arms like he wasn't afraid at all. "Can you kill me and be a monster? Can you be a monster like Tohru feared? What will you do when miss Uotani finds out? Will you be able to face her knowing you're a murderer, and that her best friend is dead, because she tried to save you?" Akito watched as Kureno's face contorted in pain.
"Hello?" Tohru listened to her shoes squeak as she walked along the red lit path she was on. The sky was black, everything was black, except the path that was painted red. "Hello?" she called again, cuffing her mouth, "Is anyone here?"
"Took you long enough to get here."
Tohru whipped around to find Rin sitting on a three pronged steel chair. One leg was crossed over the other, and her hair was up in a long braid. "I was wondering h ow long I'd have to sit here, seems like all these damn Sohmas make me wait."
Tohru felt tears bubble up in her chocolate eyes, "Rin...how are you...but I saw you!"
"Yes, you saw me die," Rin filled in the words for her, not moving any muscle in her body beyond the ones that allowed her speech.
"But...you..." Tohru froze, eyes widened with shock, "I'm dead now...oh my god...I'm dead. What of Kyo, and the others?"
"If they had died, they'd be here too, stupid." Rin waved a hand and a second chair emerged, this one behind Tohru. "Sit...you'll be waiting here too." Tohru did as she was told, and started to touch the hole in her chest. "There is no blood, you no longer need it, but the hole remains, like a scar would."
"Why did you save me, Rin-chan?" Tohru asked weakly, tugging on the hem of her skirt. "You...you died because of me. I know...you wanted to free Haru but...you didn't have to die."
"Yes I did, dumb girl. I knew that, deep in my heart, all along, you were the one meant to free us. I always wanted to free Haru, but when I met you, I just knew." She ran a hand through her ebony bangs and sighed, "You changed everyone you met, with kind words and gestures, and asked for nothing in return but slight friendship. It did not matter if we disrespected you, abused you, walked all over you, all you wanted was our happiness."
Rin looked up, as if she had heard someone. "Your visitor is here. I hope you make the best of it." Rin nodded her head slowly and then vanished from view. The chair was then occupied by another woman. Tohru gasped.
"Mom?"
Her mother sat there and smiled. She looked so beautiful, just like the photograph. She was in a black tank-top and a beige skirt. Her hair still barely reached her chin, and was a lovely copper-auburn color. "Hey kiddo, how is my darling Tohru doing?"
Tohru was in hysterics now, sobs breaking out as she jumped into her mom's arms. "Oh mom! I've missed you so much!"
Kyoko smirked and stroked the back of her daughter's head, "I've missed you too, Tohru. Seems you've had a run in and you're here now."
"I'm so sorry mom! That day you left, I was too tired to tell you to come home and be safe while you were gone! You died because of it! I'm so sorry mom, I really am—"
"Tohru..." Kyoko whispered, taken aback by her daughter's guilt. Had she carried this burden all this time? She kissed the crown of Tohru's head and held her close. "Tohru...it wasn't your fault, it was my time to leave. I'm so sorry that I had to leave you all alone. But I knew that you'd find the Sohmas eventually, I knew it. But Tohru...you are not meant to be here."
"What?" Tohru pulled her face away from her mother's shoulder. "Why can I be here with you? I've waited so long to see you again, I've missed you!"
"Listen to me baby, and listen good." Tohru calmed and nodded slowly as Kyoko smiled. "Tell me Tohru, what do you want more, to spend time with me, or spend it with those Sohmas and Kyo? To be dead, with me, or alive, with them? Sweetie, everyone dies, you'll just have to wait a little longer to see me again." Tohru closed her eyes and started to cry again in her mother's lap, wrapping her arms around her mother's neck. Kyoko smiled and stared off into the distance,
lalala...
your wishes can
bring forth a destructive future.
lalala...
or you can
bring salvation.
"I wish that...they were...happy."
"And they are happy...when they're with you. Goodbye Tohru, I'm very proud."
A gasp broke the men from their tears. She coughed and her face winced in pain, she twisted until she sat up. Eyes shot open, the orbs darting back and forth to the many faces, and saw that one was missing. She started crying again, "Mommy..."
"How is this possible?" Akito screamed from his spot on the ground, flailing his arms in anger. "Why do you refuse to die, you retched girl?"
Tohru stood, everyone still watching, too afraid that this was just a hallucination. Though wobbling, she approached Akito, and got down on her knees. She gently pulled Kureno's hand away from Akito's neck, the knife too.
SLAP
"Akito...I am here...my only reason to be here...is to make sure that...my family...is happy. I will stay here...and make sure they are happy," Tohru trembled with anger, her hand still quivering in the air after striking Akito. "I will remain here until that is done, until I know they are all happy. Now it is time for you to get up...pack your things...and leave this poor family alone. They have suffered enough under you, and I know you are older, and I should pay my respect to authority, but you lost all your respect when you shot Rin-chan. I will never forgive you, and, and, and if you ever dare to threaten these people again, Akito, I will personally deal with you myself. I am no weak girl, I am not afraid of you any longer!"
Tohru got up off her knees and returned to the family who was waiting for her. Everyone's eyes were so raw, red from the tears. She smiled, a frail and sad smile, and waved, "Hi everyone..."
Kyo approached her slowly, his amber eyes were covered with emotions, his cheeks were flush and his eyes were red. He cuffed both her cheeks in his hands and relief washed over his face. "I thought I'd lost you, Shorty." He kissed her lips gently and ruffled her hair, sighing against her frame. "Don't you ever do this to me again."
Tohru leaned in and wrapped her arms around Kyo, but when she did she was pulled back by a blue light coming over her. Tohru took a step back slowly, her whole body looked as though it was on fire, glowing blue. A hand reached out to touch Kyo, her eyes widened, and she fell back, stiff as a board.
"Tohru, not again!" Momiji was at her side, shaking her shoulder despite the blue flame that tickled on his arm. The little blond watched her still body until it moved again, "Tohru?"
"They said goodbye, your little friends. They said thanks a whole bunch, now they could rest. The dragon and Kyo's monster were nice, very happy. They said that, despite how many generations they knew, they liked you all the best." Tohru tilted her head and laughed as Momiji eased her up. She turned her head to where Akito still laid, unmoving, most likely still staring at the sky. "Akito...is relieved of his duties as god as well."
She felt her body leave the ground and it was pressed against someone's chest as he carried her like a bride. "Let's get you home Tohru, I think you deserve a rest."
"No...not yet," Tohru mumbled, squirming until Hatori, who had been the one to pick her up, put her down. She walked over to the hole in the floor and let out a loud sigh. Only Kyo knew what she was doing, and instantly covered his eyes with shame as he felt tears fill his eyes.
It was dark down in the hole, very dark. The sun had shifted behind a cloud and it was hard for her to see in. Despite this, she jumped down, not even trying to land on her feet. Her bare legs scraped up against the rocks, some large, some big. A hiss of pain echoed in the hole as she stood up. It didn't take Tohru too long, her leg brushed up against the fabric of Rin's clothing. She scooped up Rin in her arms, which was hard because Rin was considerably taller than Tohru. "Kyo, can I have a jacket please?"
His silhouette shot down into the hole beside her, holding out what had to be Hatori's long doctor-like jacket. "Was she in a lot of pain?" he asked weakly, draping it over his now dead cousin.
"I don't think so, it hit her shoulder and probably disrupted the veins that were there. She died quickly, and look at her face, it's so peaceful." Tohru's voice was quivering as tears slid down her face, "See how happy she seems Kyo? I bet she was thinking of something real nice. Oh Kyo, she's dead because of me. She died to free me, to just give me a chance, even though she wasn't sure I'd succeed."
"Kind of ironic really," Kyo huffed, crossing his arms across Tohru's shoulders. "She did all these horrible things to you, betrayed you, kidnaped you. But still, in the end, she did what all the Sohmas did, and put faith in you. I wonder if it mattered."
"Rin-chan...can you hear me Rin-chan? I did it Rin-chan, they're all free now, every last one of them, including Haru," Tohru's tears were hitting Rin's happy face. "I bet you never cried Rin, I bet you were too strong for that. But look at you, crying with happy tears on your face, you're smiling. I bet you're so relieved. Thank you, Rin-chan, thank you so much."
Kyo pulled Tohru out of the hole, her eyes connected with Haru's. She could see his eyes watering up, his heart shattering inside the orbs. Tohru could do nothing but keep her eyes to the ground afterwards, and sigh, "She deserves a proper funeral."
Kureno was the only one who had a car, so the others had to call a taxi. Kyo and TOhru rode in the back of Kureno's car, Kureno driving, and Shigure in the passenger's seat. Despite attempts to pull Rin from Tohru's arms, she refused. Tohru had been through a lot these past years living and coping with the Sohma curse, but never had she directly been the cause of a death.
"You should sleep," Kureno said in a monotonous tone. "You've been through a lot."
Tohru shook her head, looking up at the rear-view mirror where Kureno's eyes were, "I don't think I could sleep even if I wanted to. I can still hear her."
No one could say a thing as Tohru stroked Rin's face, tears still falling and staining the pale face. "Even in...even then when I saw her...she just scoffed me and laughed...I was a dumbly. Even after...she died...she still hated me."
Kyo pulled Tohru's head to his chest and buried his face against her hair, cooing to her gently, "Tohru it wasn't you. She hated the life she led, and couldn't handle the burdens we were given to bare. It isn't her fault, it isn't your fault. She just, didn't realize she could put faith in you soon enough."
The funeral were only those who had been on the roof, excluding Akito. It was quick and very rushed, and she had no coffin, but was buried in the same cemetery as Kyoko. The headstone at the moment was two sticks made into by a wooden cross, but everyone promised that they'd get her a proper one soon. Tohru had pulled out the picnic basket of snacks that had been intended for the car ride to Tokyo Tower, and placed a riceball on the grave. "From your annoying Onigiri, Rest in peace Rin-chan, you deserve it."