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Chapter 2

Yuki and Momiji arrived at Shigure's house just as dinner was wrapping up. Shigure saw the two of them, no surprise, but what he saw in Yuki's arms was. "Oh?"

Yuki shook his head softly. "It's not what you think..."

Tohru smiled at him. "Welcome home Momiji-kun, Yuki-kun!"

Miji returned the best smile he could. Somewhere along the route home, he had been stuck with carrying Hiro's clothes. Not that he minded.

Tohru, absent as she was, didn't catch that something was really amiss until she looked at Yuki. "Yuki? What's wrong? Something go wrong with the Student Council today?"

Yuki smiled and nodded slightly. "It's nothing that can't be fixed, don't worry."

Tohru then looked at the sheep in his arms. "Is that Hiro-kun? Why is he like that?"

Miji answered this time. "I was with him, we were coming back here from the park, and a little girl bolted into our path and collided with him. Don't worry, she just said sorry and kept running!" Momiji smiled again, almost laughing, but not finding the energy to. Tohru believed it, but Shigure didn't.

Yuki nodded. "Shigure, we need to talk..."

Shigure nodded and led them into the study. "Tohru? Would you be a dear and make some tea?" Shigure asked politely as Tohru nodded and left. Closing the study doors, a serious face came to him. "Explain..." he told Yuki.

Kyo was watching the group in silence, but he was somewhat curious, though it didn't show in his face. Walking to the door, he stood next to it, listening in on the conversation.

Yuki sighed and brushed the last remaining traces of dirt off his shirt, he had left Hiro with Momiji, best that the kid not have to hear what he already knew. He took a deep breath, enough stalling. "Akito-sama has Kisa. Apparently, according to Momiji, Akito-sama caught Hiro and Kisa together... He took Kisa and locked her in the cage." Yuki turned back to the door, sighing softly. "He said that her punishment... is to be forgotten."

Kyo closed his eyes only a fraction as he thought of Akito doing that to Kisa. Sighing, he tried to remain calm, but his fists were already being clenched.

Shigure did not take this news well. "Akito-sama... So there is no way around it?" he asked as he looked up at Yuki and took a thinking pose.

"We..." Yuki placed a hand on his forehead, and sat down. "Akito-sama was very mad. Hatori-san is already doing what he can to calm him down. I don't know what we can do, I thought you might have an idea." He sighed, a bit of a shudder to the sigh. "I'm really worried about her... but I'm almost worried about Hiro more. He's in sheep form as you saw... I don't know if we'll ever be able to get him out of it if Kisa stays there for too long... he seems..."

Yuki coughed quietly, trying to keep any more sadness from leaking into his voice. "I don't think Akito realizes what he has done. Too many people like Kisa for her... disappearance to remain a secret for too long. And if Haru were to ever find out about it... I worry about him, too."

"If Haru found out... he'd go black.." Kyo muttered out loud and clasped his hands around his mouth. What have I done! he thought.

"Ahhh.. Kyo... so you've decided to come out of hiding?" asked Shigure in his know it all voice. But then he got serious again. "The only way to change Akito's mind would be for a group meeting with him, and try to persuade him. But... if he doesn't like it... Kisa will be in more danger than if she were calling Akito stupid..." he mumbled.

Yuki sighed, a little out of annoyance at Kyo, but more out of the thought of the worse punishment. "Can we afford to do that, Shigure? What will happen to Kisa if that goes badly... and what will happen to Hiro? He's already broken, that might... I don't want to think of what that will do to his heart..." He sighed. "What am I saying...? If something like that happens we might lose them both. That would make for a lot of displeased Sohmas with no power to do anything whatsoever."

"I am unsure... If Kisa were to get into more trouble than she is now... there may be a chance that we will loose her... But I wonder if Akito would kill her? He has the power... but... hmmm..." Shigure mumbled, deep in thought. "Something must be done about this soon. Or Kisa will give up all hope... and so will Hiro..."

Yuki sat back, and folded his arms, thinking. "But what can we do? That's so difficult to answer..." A moment passed before... "The only thing I can come up with... is to get Akito so angry at someone else that he just throws them in there and forgets all about Kisa... lets her out by default... but that'll never happen. Got anything cat?"

"Why are you asking me? You stupid rat!" Kyo growled as he crossed his arms and mumbled worthless things, "Akito's got a personality of his own.. There's no way he's going to just let her pass. You'll have to fight..." he grumbled, which sent Shigure soaring into a fit of laughter.

Yuki chuckled as well, despite the circumstances. That was just too funny. "You stupid cat... we can't fight Akito... if he gets hurt and dies, that's it for the rest of us. Poof! And we're gone. That would... be worse." he laughed. "If we're going down that road, cat, why don't we just lock Akito in the cage and make him have a taste of his own medicine?"

"Why not?" asked Kyo as Shigure soon continued to throw himself into spontaneous combustions of laugher. Kyo quickly charged into the room and raised his fist, but Shigure gave him a serious glare and Kyo ran back to his hiding place.

Yuki shook his head. "I didn't think so... but... what can we do?"

Momiji, sitting out in the living room, the sheep that is Hiro in his lap, heard the laughing, and wondered what they were talking about. He stood up, lightly placing Hiro on the cushion in his place, and walked silently towards the study, listening from just in earshot. As he passed Tohru, he smiled, and pressed a finger to his lips. She just watched him go, utterly and completely confused.

"I don't want to run the risk of the punishment getting any worse. From what I heard, Hiro's already on Akito's bad side as well..."

Shigure sighed in the Shigure way. "Hmm... you have a point... but what should happen if we do somehow get her out is beyond me..." he mumbled as he held head up his head in his palm. "What to do.. what to do..." he mumbled.

Yuki looked at a nearby clock, and sighed. "I don't think we can do much more tonight..." he pointed at the clock. "It's getting late... maybe we should sleep on this and come back in the morning... Now we need someone to take Hiro in for the ni-"

He was interrupted by Momiji walking, hand raised. "I'll look after Hii-kun tonight!" he announced proudly.

Yuki looked at him oddly. "How long were you listening, Momiji?"

Miji looked confused for a moment. "Not long at all..."

Yuki sighed, and shrugged. "It's a good idea. Maybe we should call over Hatori-san tomorrow, he's a good thinker."

Shigure looked down at the floor, in deep thought as he nodded. Poor Kisa... I wonder how she's doing... he thought, as he looked up towards the ceiling, still in deep thought.

Tohru stood there silently at the entrance of the study with the tea in her arms. "H-Here's some tea.." she mumbled as she looked towards the others, a slight sweat drop forming on the back of her head.

Yuki smiled graciously, and accepted the tea, trying to look as nonchalant as possible.

"Thank you, Tohru," Yuki said softly, sipping at the tea. He finished it quickly, which was odd for him, and headed out of the room. "I'm going to retire for the night." He looked over at Momiji disapprovingly. "You should as well..."

Momiji nodded, and almost spilled his tea. He took another sip, and walked out into the living room. He set the tea on the table, and picked up Hiro. "Well... I'm going to bed for the night! Hii-kun can stay with me!"

He hurried up the stairs, trying to play off as being happy seemed to be harder now, and much more tiring.

Shigure sighed and also retired, and Tohru went to clean the dishes and get ready for bed as well. Kyo had already escaped to the roof.

…………………

Elsewhere... Kisa slowly opened her eyes, the redness from them due to her tears. Letting out a small cry of loneliness, Kisa closed her eyes. Haa-san... Onee-chan... Yuki-kun... Kyo-kun... Momiji-kun... Gure-san... Kureno-san... Hiro-kun... she thought as she listed off all of the Sohmas in no specific order. Tears swelled up in her eyes again as she slowly drifted to sleep, though sleep did not seem to welcome her with open arms.

Momiji set Hiro on the futon next to him, and covered them both with a blanket. "Don't worry, Hii-kun... we'll fix this. Akito-sama can't be pouting for that long..." his last words were mumbled as he fell into a fitful, uneasy sleep.

Yuki couldn't sleep, try as he might, every time he closed his eyes, his mind would flash back to the time he spent in the cage. This was not going to be an easy night... no... this was not going to be an easy period of time…