Title: 5 Shopping Teenagers

Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket, nor do I own anything by Agatha Christie.

A/N: Yay! Long chapter : ) Oh, and the rhyme has returned. Let me refresh your memory:

Five shopping teenagers, shopping no more.
One disappeared, and then there were four.

Four shopping teenagers, searching for a key.
One slipped and fell, and then there were three.

We are now here ---- Three shopping teenagers, with minds now askew,
One was choked on fashion, and then there were two.

Two shopping teenagers, danger only begun,
One had too much water, and then there was one.

One shopping teenager, having little fun,
Played a victim to love, and then there was none.

"Shit..." Arisa says under her breath. "What the hell is going to happen to him now?"

Terrible thoughts fill both the girls' minds. What if Kyo ends up like Yuki and Hana...

Arisa begins to think aloud, "But he can handle himself, right? OrangeTop is too stubborn to die."

Her talking ceases, as she takes a trip down Memory Lane.

-flashback-

"Freaking seniors want him!" he continued, sighing. "It took me three weeks just to figure out what I was gonna say to ask you out, " he confessed, with a light blush on either cheek. "Why did you say yes?"

I stared at Kyo, unsure, "Is that my question?"

He nodded.

"Ermmm... because. I don't know, " I said.

"Come on!" Kyo urged. "You think it was easy to spout out all that mushy-feeling stuff? Of course, you can pass if you wish."

I glared at him, not willing to lose. "No, I do not pass!... I guess it's because I like you. Total cliche, I know. But seriously! I just think we're alike in some ways, and I like spending time with you and having fun, " I finally said.

We were both quiet for a second, embarassed, not used to telling people how we feel.

I decided to break the silence, "What is your deepest-darkest secret?"

"Pass, " he said.

I stared at him in disbelief, "What! Already? Do you really pass?"

"Yes. Pass." He was quiet for a second after that, and then he leaned closer to me and gave me the surprise of my life. Kyo Sohma kissed me. My eyes grew wide, taken aback, but then I relaxed and kissed him back.

-end of flashback-

"Our first date... that game of Truth... The way he kissed me," Uo thought to herself.

"Arisa?" Tohru asks, snapping me back into reality with her hand waving furiously in front of my face.

"Oh... yeah, sorry," Arisa replies with a slight, sad smile.

She stops waving her hand and asks, "Uo... what were you thinking about?"

My cheeks turn a slightly pinkish color. "Oh, uhm... I was just thinking about Kyon-Kyon being an idiot."

Tohru smiles, knowing that's not true. "Suuuuuure you were..." she says under her breath.

This moment of contentment and stillness is soon over, however, when the girls hear a click from overhead.

"Hello, Precious. I see you are smiling... Odd, given the circumstances. But that's okay; your smile is amazing. I hope your smile doesn't fade soon because you don't cooperate. This isn't a game, Princess. All you have to do is come to me. Be with me. Love me! Violence is a dreadful, dreadful thing. So just accept your feelings for me. I know they're inside of you somewhere. So promise me you'll meet with me when I open this door. Promise me, Darling..."

((creak))

The rusted metal door unlocks and opens no more than an inch as Tohru begins to quiver with terror once again. Arisa's eyes grow wide, and she protectively puts her arms around Tohru's shoulders.

"How... how did- how did he do that?" Arisa ponders out loud.

Thoughts and questions fill their minds: Where is he? Who is he talking to? What has he done to Kyo? How are we supposed to cooperate if we don't know where he is?!

Arisa, ever vigilant, motions for Tohru to 'Stay Here' as she creeps towards the door. She puts her slender hand on the doorknob. It is cold and feels damp, which sends shivers down Uo's back.

Uo slowly twists the shiny, silver knob counterclockwise, cautious as to what lies in wait beyond the door.

She pushes the door open, and something dark and heavy crashes into her.

Tohru wants to scream, but finds she can do no such thing. She opens her mouth, but only a pathetic breath of air comes out. This frightens Tohru even more, and she runs over to Arisa and the 'thing' next to her.

Arisa rolls over on her side, as she comes face to face with the cat himself. But his face is white, and his eyes are seemingly glued open in fear. Her eyes get bigger with fear for her poor, poor Kyon-Kyon.

"No. No, you... can't. I don't believe it!" Arisa thinks to herself stubbornly. Her hand flies up to his chin, as she sits him upright to look him over.

"Kyo! Kyo?! Can you hear me?!" she says franctically.

A tear slips onto Tohru's cheek. That tear is soon followed by many more, and she places her head in her hands.

Meanwhile, Arisa fights back her own tears. She suddenly gasps as her eyes fall upon Kyo's neck.

There is a long and thick ladies' scarf around his neck, with a large, purple bruise peeking from underneath it. There are also multiple smaller bruises on his collarbone and shoulders.

Arisa puts two-and-two together and hysteically unties the scarf to look at the back of his neck. Her fear is confirmed: a dark red barcode embedded in Kyo's flesh. His shirt has bloodstains on the collar, and there are smudges of blood surrounding the 'tatoo.'

There is a break in Tohru's sobs as she musters the strength to ask, "Bu... But how... how di-"

"It was a trap. Opening the door triggered... this," Uo answers as she cuts Tohru off. "He had this planned out because he knew one of us would sooner or later open the door." Uo's face turns slightly red with anger, as she makes a fist with her right hand.

"You little twit! You promised; how dare you defy me!" booms a loud voice over the intercom. "Your friend's death is all your fault! You broke your promise to me, and this is the consequence. I hope you understand the error of your ways soon, because if you don't, I swear the results will be dire. It is impossible for the incident to have no effect on you. I know you will start seeing things my way now."

Silence falls over the two as sheer horror fills them to capacity.

So, you got the chapter you wanted, so can I have the reviews I want? ((puppy eyes)) Please and thank you: )