Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket! Heh... Iie, itchy...
Heh, hiya. Sorry it took a while to update... I finished this chapter a while ago, but didn't know where to cut it off. Neh... I had a venti coffee... xD Read on!
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I sat in the plush seat of first class in the plane with a tray of untouched food in front of me. I suppose my face was scrunched up and sad, but I didn't have a mirror so I can't confirm it. The flight attendant shot a sympathetic look at me but continued her way back to give the other passengers their drinks.
My mind was on poor Kyo, probably recaptured by the bad men. And even worse, I had the key that he needed so desperately. It was burning a giant hole in my purse.
I had grown even fonder of Kyo, for every time my eyes closed, if even for a millisecond, I would gain a new memory of him. I wouldn't see them, replaying on my eyelids like a movie screen, but I found their knowledge deep inside my head. It was like a gate that had kept them in my subconscious had finally opened, letting me retrieve the memoirs at whim.
My memories of other were appearing, too. I had already had memories of Yuki and Momiji, even though I had seen them not even an hour ago. The accounts of my times with the others Hatori, Kisa, Kureno, Rin, Haru, were coming rapidly, too, flooding my mind with knowledge about people I hadn't remembered exist just days ago.
Soon, my thoughts were filled with Kyo, poor, lonely, rejected, imprisoned Kyo. And then before I knew it, the seatbelt light flashed on and the pilot announced our arrival. The landing was rough, but not so scary for my first time in a plane. Now all I had to do was get off the plane and find Hanajima Saki and Uotani Arisa.
"Tohru-chan!" Two voices yelled out my name as I stepped off the plane. The owner of the louder voice was a very tall, blonde-haired girl. She was outfitted with the top designer clothes for rebellious teens and young adults. The second was only a tiny bit shorter and wore all black, from her black hair to her black cloak and dress. Behind them were two burly bodyguards like Kenji and Manzo.
"Are you Hanajima-san and Uotani-san?" I asked them as I walked up, my black coach bag with the key in my hand. They both nodded, smiling brightly.
"Oi, call me Uo-chan." The tall blonde girl said, holding out her hand. I shook it, but she pulled me in and hugged me, startling me half to death. "Sorry, couldn't help it."
"And I would like it if you called me Hana-chan, like before you forgot. But I heard you've been remembering every Sohma you see, so maybe you'll remember us, too." The gothic girl smiled at me daintily, holding out her arm. I looped mine though it and Uo-chan took my other, dragging my suitcase along on her other side.
"So… what's up with you, Tohru?"
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Forty minutes and two glasses of wine later in Uo and Hana's limo, I gained some information about them. Uotani was now a trendy model, just reaching the desired height. Hanajima was a TV star, featured in her own live TV show, Hana's Waves, where she read the "waves" of others from around her, even those of ghosts. Apparently, it was all real.
But they had told me that, and it was just the beginning of my understanding of them. My newfound memories told me more. Hanajima had come to Uo and my middle school because she had troubles in her old school. Uotani had once been a member in an all female gang, but reformed because of me and my mother, Kyoko, who quit from her gang as well. Both Uotani and Hanajima had been treated as if they were Kyoko's daughters, as well as my sisters. We had been best friends.
Finally, we arrived at Hana and Uo's house, which was located on the outskirts on Obihiro. It was decorated richly, half in a more Americanized style and the other half a creepy, gothic Lolita design that could only belong to Hanajima. However, the room I was staying in was devoid from either sort. Instead, it was purely traditional Japanese decorating.
On one side of the room was a Kenso Japanese platform bed. The other side held a built-in lotus pond. Cattycorner on the right side of the room was a shoji screen for changing in privacy. A rice paper door led out to a balcony with a giant bamboo fountain and a low table. Another rice paper door opened up to show a closet. There were potted bamboo plants and calligraphy paintings galore, along with one or two ancient vases. The whole area of the floor was covered in tatami mats.
"Kawaii! This room is so cute, Uo-chan!" I squealed as the yankee directed me to the room. She smiled to herself, and I think I heard her muttering something like, "Yup, Tohru's back".
"So, Tohru, whadda ya wanna do while you're here?" Uotani asked later on as she and Hana sat at the table, watching me prepare the food I had insisted on cooking for their hospitality. "There are some Sohmas around here if you want to see them."
That got my attention. "Really?" I asked, my attention suddenly off the potato crockett I was making form scratch. "It would be nice to meet them again."
"Yes, Shigure, the one whose house you stayed in, is just a few blocks away. Kyo's hunk of a father is around here, too." Hanajima said, her eyes looking away nervously.
"I'd like to go visit them. Then I can remember them." I smiled, glad to have a chance to remember more.
"We can go visit them soon, okay?" Uotani asked, smiling back at me. "It the meantime, between work we can have pure, girl-only, quality time. We'll become best friend again in no time!"
"Okay, Uo-chan! It would be nice to have best friends again."
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"Shit… Back in here…" I growled, rubbing the sleepiness from my eyes. I guess they had chucked me back in here after they caught me, without giving a care about my broken arm. Shit… er.
"You're awake, Kyo?" Momiji's sad voice asked. I grunted in reply, trying to ignore the pain in my right arm. "I heard you don't have the key anymore…" He whispered from outside the barred window, his wide eyes parting about to make sure no one was around
"Yeah, I gave it to Tohru. But she won't come back, she's safe with her friends now," I sighed, looking away. The pain had ceased, but I couldn't help but feel nervous for Tohru. Akito's threat was ruining the life she had rebuilt, and it was my fault. "I don't deserve Tohru to risk her neck to save mine…"
"But Kyo, she wants to remember! She's thankful for that! And she want to save you!" Momiji argued, but I wasn't convinced. She didn't want to remember before, did she? She wouldn't if she had known what danger it would bring her.
"Momiji, just shut up!" I yelled, tears forming in my crimson eyes. "All I want now is for her to be safe and happy! Stop bringing her up…" I muttered, trying to drift into unconsciousness. It wasn't working.
"Do you want me to get Ha'ri?" Momiji asked me. I just grunted, and I guess he took that as a yes, because he bounded off towards Hatori's separate house. I guess it would be alright to get my arm bandaged up. After all, Tohru wouldn't want me to be hurt, right?
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"Wow… kawaii!" I squealed as Hana-chan, Uo-chan, and I stood outside a pure Japanese-styled house that "Shigure Sohma" owned. Apparently, I used to know him. But them again, who am I to say who I knew and didn't?
"Sorry, no autographs…" A black-haired man said absently as he opened the door. Then, his face lit up when he saw and recognized us three. "My precious flower is back!" He cried dramatically, attempting to hug me to death.
"H-hello…" I whispered between trying to breath. He let go and practically dragged me in. Uo-chan and Hana-chan followed behind unemotionally. (;.; Owwwww… I just bit my tongue really hard….)
"Thank you for bringing Tohru-kun back to me, you two!" Shigure said, plopping me down at one end of a floor-table and setting out five cups for tea. I wrinkled my nose in confusion, a habit I have gotten lately. There were only four of us… (Allow me to laugh for one second… HA AH AHA HA HA HA HA HA HA! xD I completely forgot until now, a girl in DNAngel is named Hatori! xD Haha, Hatori's a girl's name!? Like Yuki!)
"Aya! Come out here, Tohru-kun and her friends are here!" Shigure yelled, and immediately a long, sliver-haired man burst out from the hallway. He was smiling widely and, oddly, posing like a model of sorts.
"Oh, my lovely little mannequin is back! I must take you to my new shop and I'll make some darling little clothes just for you! No charge! Come, come, we must go right away!" He grabbed my hand and tried to pull me out the door, but Shigure had another plan.
"But Aya, you just came back from France, why won't you spend time with me?" He grabbed my other hand, making me feel like the rope used in tug-a-war.
"Help me…" I muttered, but no one heard me, at least I don't think anyone did. Hana-chan was busy reading a book that had Shigure's name on it, and Uo-chan was eating popcorn and watching the two men go at it…. Sort of… "Ah… This might be a while…"
"Oh, Tohru-kun, why did you come here?" Shigure asked, finally finished arguing with the other man, "Aya". "You can visit anytime, but I don't remember hearing of you moving around here…"
"You haven't heard? Most of the Sohmas seem to know everything that's happening to me…" I muttered, sighing. Shigure just smiled and let go of me.
"Aya and I have lost contact with the main house. Something about our curses disappearing…" he muttered, waving about a fan that he had pulled from his sleeve.
"Kyo-kun told me Akito wants to kill me after he escaped, but then his cronies came and attacked. Kyo-kun protected me because of love, he said, but in the end got put back in his cage while helping me escape to here with his heart broken because I can't remember if I love him or not," I explained. Just then I noticed everyone was staring at me. Sighing again, I took a bit sip of tea. "Why does everybody always stare at me like that?"
"Mmm, sounds like a good story idea. You and your air that cause so much drama have always inspired me." Shigure grabbed a napkin quickly, scribbling something down in messy calligraphy.
"I could just tell you later so you can write it properly, if you want…" I offered, but Shigure shook his head, and, dead serious, looked up to me.
"I'm writing down what I said."
"Oh…" I murmured, looking away. He was goofy, that was for sure. "Ahm, we were going to see… Ka-Kas- who ever he is…" I sighed, blushing. How could I forget something as simple as a name?
"Kazuma? Aya and I were heading there right now! We'll come with you." Ayame le out a small "we were?" but Shigure elbowed him hard in the chest, and he nodded, smiling weakly as though he was in serious pain. Uotani just raised an eyebrow and walked out the door, shrugging.
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"I'm here, Kyo." Hatori's voice called as I heard the rusty lock clink open and the doctor step in. Grimacing at the not so scenic surroundings, he immediately started to tend to my wound. "Look's like it's a bit infected… And broken," he muttered, ignoring my small winces of pain.
Once he was done, he stood to his full height and bowed. "Thanks…" I murmured, looking at the cast around my arm. That was quick.
"No, thank you. You're the reason Tohru made it away safely, so everyone is in debt to you," He told me before walking out. I didn't hear him lock the door. Other, lighter, footsteps could be heard, though, and then a slap sound.
"I'll deal with you later, Hatori." Akito's voice said, and I heard the lock slam shut. So much for that. But really, the Zodiac was in debt to me? Yeah right.
"Kyo?" A small voice asked. I looked to the window, and saw someone who I really didn't expect to see. Machi. She smiled sadly, grabbing the bars on the window. "Wow, this is really bad… Yuki mentioned something like this but…"
I sighed, letting my head droop. "The kuzo nezumi. He's probably laughing at me right now. We've always hated each other. I mean, cat, rat, it has to be that way." Machi frowned at this, looking away uncomfortably.
"He's never hated you, only envied. Maybe at times, but not really. He's really grateful to you, for saving Tohru-san. He loves her, you know," when I growled, she added a quick, "in a sisterly way, of course."
"I would have killed myself if I didn't succeed. She means too much to me to see her hurt…" Machi nodded in understanding, ignoring the blush that was stretching over my face.
"I understand. That's the way Yuki and I are. I've just come to thank you for protecting my husband's happiness." Somehow, she kissed my cheek, even through the bars. Then, she ran off and climbed over the Sohma property fence. When she was at the top of the wall, Machi smiled widely at me, waving as she yelled, "Thank you," before jumping down the other side and disappearing from sight. Damn, I've never seen anybody do that before… (No, this isn't gonna turn into a Kyochi fic, so don't ask, 'kay? It's friendship, nothing more.)
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Neh, I know it's short, but oh well. Sorry. Please don't flame! ;.; Too many flames, neh. Are my stories that bad? Ah well, ja' ne...