Disclaimer: I don't own fruits basket or its characters. I do own Rika and anything change etc.
Apology for taking SO long!
"Um, Shigure?" Tohru asked. The two of us were sitting at the table with him and Yuki. Kyo was sitting right outside with a carton of milk. "I was wondering well May 1st is coming up and would you mind if Rika and I went out that afternoon."
"Of course not, in fact I think I'm going out that afternoon too. What is it? Spending some time with your friends?"
"Yeah." She said with a smile. "It's the first anniversary mom's death so we're going to her grave." I looked down. The three boys looked at her.
"Ah, the first anniversary of your mother's death." Shigure said.
"Uh-huh, so we thought it might be nice to pay her a little visit.
"I'm sorry I can't join you." Shigure said.
"Oh no really, that's okay." She said.
"Miss Honda? Would it be alright if I came along?"
"Oh, you don't have to."
"Really I want to. I'd like to say hello to your mother." He said. She smiled.
"Thanks! It means a lot. I know it will to mom too."
"Say Kyo," Shigure said. "If you're not doing anything that day, you should think about going with them."
"Ah, so the Prince is coming with us, and Kyo?" Arisa said as the four of us walked down the stairs.
"Well I don't know." Tohru said. "But I don't think so, he didn't say he was."
"Ya know, it's too bad your mom never got to meet that boy she would'a had so much fun giving him a hard time."
"And I can see it now," Saki said. "After Kyo was so angry he couldn't even speak she would grab him and give him a hug so tight that his spine would snap in two."
"That would be terrible! Well for lots of reasons!" Tohru said freaking out.
"Strange, it's been an entire year and still it's hard to believe she's gone."
"Yeah." Arisa said. "I mean I still keep expecting her to just show up one day. Ya know, just all of a sudden going 'Hi sorry sorry.' With that big smile of hers… Ahh," Arisa put her hand on her head. "What am I saying, that's sure not helping anything is it? Anyway it only goes to show just how great I thought she was. The legendary Red Butterfly terror of the highway." She held up a fist.
"I will always treasure that image of her on her lightning fast bike, popping wheelies." Saki said.
"Well I hope everyone decides to come. " Arisa said. "That'd be good." Tohru turned to her.
"Yes it would."
Yuki, Kyo, Tohru and I walked up to the temple. Tohru was in a black dress and I was in a black skirt that went a few inches above my knees with a matching black shirt. I had on boots that went mid-calf and socks that went just below the skirt.
"Sorta small for a temple" Kyo said.
"It's nice isn't it, just a quiet little place." Tohru said. "It's kinda like home."
"That's a weird thing ta say but alright."
"Oh did that sound weird? What I meant was-"
"Forget I said anything."
"You know," Yuki said. "I'm glad to see we have such a nice day today. I'd say we're pretty fortunate as bad as the weather's been lately."
"Yeah it's like mom's smiling down on us." Tohru said. "After all, she has a lot to smile about; the two of you are coming to visit."
"Tohru, Rika!" Arisa called. We turned around to see her and Saki walking up the steps. "Hey, great day for visiting a grave huh?"
"Yes." Tohru nodded. Yuki and Kyo looked shocked.
"What the hell are you wearing?!" Kyo asked.
"What do you mean?" Arisa asked.
"We're wearing black, what did you expect?"
"Not that!" Kyo said.
"Miss Uotani, that outfit you're wearing. Well is that a trench coat."
"Hm? Yeah, pretty sharp huh." She turned around and showed the red butterfly wings on the back. "I inherited this from Kyoko back in the day. You are looking at the legendary Red Butterfly's riding jacket."
"Uh.. Red Butterfly?" Yuki asked.
"That's what they used to call mom when she was in her gang." Tohru informed them happily.
"Alright!" Arisa said as us girls walked up the steps to the graves. "Everybody's here, let's get this party started!"
We walked to Kyoko's grave.
"That's weird." Arisa said.
"It's already been cleaned up." Yuki said.
"Guess somebody got here before us." Kyo said.
"It must have been grandfather." Tohru said. "He's the only other person I can think of who knows mom's favorite food." She said looking at the food container.
"Your grandfather?" Kyo asked. "Oh yeah him."
"Uh-huh."
"Which side of the family did you say he was from?" Kyo asked.
"Oh uh, he's my grandfather on my father's side."
"Yeah, Kyoko and her parents weren't exactly on speaking terms." Arisa said.
"Your father," Yuki said. "How did he?"
"He got sick and just couldn't get better. That's what mom told me. I was so small then, I don't really remember too much about him. Rika hadn't joined us either so she's never even met him." Tohru crouched in front of the grave. "Hello mom, I came to see you."
"We all came." Saki said.
"I guess your grandfather already did all the cleaning but we could still put these flowers up, huh?" Arisa said holding the flowers.
"Uh-huh." I crouched down in front of the grave. "Yuki did you see? Aren't these pretty flowers?" She said holding the flowers. He smiled. Kyo looked at them then looked away. "Okay it's all ready." Kyo looked down and saw the picnic table out and everyone sitting down.
"Tohru this in wonderful." Arisa said with a laugh.
"You can't have a picnic on her grave!" Kyo shouted, freaking out.
"What's the big deal? Come on Kyoko will like it if we make a little noise before we leave." Arisa asked.
"So what if the temple people see you?"
"So what if they do?"
"This isn't exactly normal." Yuki said.
"Look, just quit complaining and sit down, you don't expect to eat standing up do you? That's not good for you, you know." Arisa said to Kyo.
"Kyo, do you want me to make you a plate?" Tohru asked.
"Whatever."
"Okay."
"So Miss Uotani I get the impression you were close with Miss Honda and Rika's mother." Yuki said.
"Oh yeah she was a great friend but you know she was my idol way before we ever met, she was a legend. "
"What do you mean I legend?" Kyo asked his eyes slightly wide.
"Like I said, the legendary red butterfly."
"Like I said what are ya talkin' about?"
"This is delicious." Saki said.
"See, they say whenever Kyoko rode her bike all you'd see were her tail lights just flash right by you like a red butterfly tarring ass into the night."
"How do tail-lights look like a butterfly?" Kyo asked
"What? You've gotta be kidding, don't you have any imagination in that big orange head of yours?"
"Shut up I don't have to that that from you!"
"Oh is that a fact or a thought?"
"Errr!"
Later that afternoon the four of us waved goodbye to Saki and Arisa before walking home.
Tohru and I sat on the porch outside, each with a cut of tea.
"Ah there's nothing better than relaxing with a cup of hot tea at the end of a long day." Tohru said. "And especially after we had such a nice visit."
"Yeah." I said looking up at the sky.
The next day at school Tohru and I met up with Arisa and Saki.
"Thanks so much for coming to visit with us yesterday." Tohru said to Saki and Arisa then we both bowed in thanks.
"Hey come on, we should be thanking you." Arisa said. "Especially for all the food you two made."
"Yes, you're cooking keeps getting better and better." Saki said. "You're going to make fine brides one day." She looked away. "I'm going to cry." My eyebrows went up.
"Tohru! Rika!" Momiji shouted, running over and going behind us. "Hide me hide me!" He whispered.
"Momiji." Tohru said with a smile. He giggled.
"We're playing cops and robbers and I'm the robber!" Suddenly a black hair student run up to the window from outside.
"Momiji, give it up! You're busted!" The student started to climb in and Momiji started running away, laughing.
"They found me! Gotta run!" He waved.
"Be careful, watch where you're going." Tohru called after him.
"Hey! He's getting away!" The student called, pointing. "Come on you guys, let's go!"
"We've got you now Momiji!" Another student called as the four of the chased after him.
"How 'bout that?" Arisa said.
"It looks like run." Saki said.
"Be- Be careful." Tohru said again.
"But I don't know why they're calling it cops and robbers they just look like a bunch of boys chasing a girl to me." Arisa said.
"He must look like his mother." Saki said.
"Oh yeah, that's what they say isn't it? Guy look like their moms and girls look like their dads."
"Yes, just like Tohru resembles her father, more than her mother."
"Well, more like her grandfather maybe." Tohru laughed slightly. "Now that I'm thinkin' about it, Momiji's parents didn't come to the entrance ceremony, did they?"
"The white-haired boy's parents didn't come either." Saki added.
"Oh, I guess they didn't." Tohru said.
That night at work Tohru and I were pushing a bin of trash down the hall. Suddenly someone else was pushing too. We looked over to see Momiji.
"This looks heavy, can I help you with it?"
"Momiji? What are you doing here?" Tohru asked.
"Oh well, this is papa's building."
"Ah, I see, so I guess that means your father works here somewhere. Is that right?"
"Sorta but not really. Mm-mm." He shook his head. "Okay, I'll tell you." Suddenly an older man came around the corner.
"Ah good, there you are." He said before walking over. "We didn't know if you were still here. The president's been looking everywhere for you."
"Kay, tell him I'm going home in just a minute so there's nothing to worry about." Momiji said.
"Right." The man said before walking back the way he came. Tohru looked utterly confused.
"See this is just one of the builds that papa owns." Momiji said, clarifying
"That's what you meant? I had no idea!" Tohru said.
"Here," He took something out of his pocket. "Look!" He showed us a picture of his father, he was a young black haired man. "Tada!" Tohru took the picture with a smile.
"This is your father? He's very handsome." Tohru flipped the picture to the next one which was a blond woman.
"Oh yeah, that one's mama."
"Wow, she's very beautiful." Momiji giggled.
"Yep!"
"Her and papa, well papa's a Sohma so he's from here, and he met mama when he was off at college. Then they got married. That's the story. I still don't know how papa managed to find such a hot mama." I couldn't help but start laughing with him. Tohru laughed awkwardly. "Know what? I have a little sister too. Her name's Momo and she looks just like mama."
"I can't believe it, Momiji you have a younger sister?!"
"Yeah, she just started her second year of elementary school. Oh and she's not a member of the zodiac. But still, she's really cute. And she's still just a baby she falls ma around everywhere she goes like a baby chick. And it's still really hard for her to say some words so when she talks it's usually this cute little mumble. It's adorable really. Her and mama, on most days come, to pick up papa mmm and it's almost time."
"So then all of you will be going home together?" Tohru asked.
"Well no, but it would be great if we could, you see mama doesn't exactly know who I am." Suddenly the elevator dinged and there stood Momiji's mother and sister.
"Oh Momiji what are you doing here, and especially at this hour?"
"Uhh, my friends have a part-time job here, so I thought I'd stop and play for a while."
"Is that so, well I hardly think this is a place to play."
"You're right, I'm sorry."
"Well you really shouldn't be out this late. Your mother must be worried sick about you."
"Yes I know, I was just about to go back."
"Alright, be sure you go straight home." She looked at Tohru and me with a smile. "Keep up the good work."
"Oh uh thank you." Tohru said.
"Momo, let's go now." She looked down at Momo. "We can't keep papa waiting." Momo nodded silently. The two walked away the around the corner.
"Ohh, I really didn't want her to see me, now I'm gunna have to apologize to papa." Momiji said.
"Um Momiji." Tohru said.
"Yeah." Momiji walked to the window. "Like I said mama doesn't know about me. She forgot.; her memory was erased. She knows I'm a member of the Sohma family, but she thinks I'm someone else's son. Did you know children cursed by the zodiac, when they're born are always born two months premature. Imagine what that was like for her. She'd been married to the man she truly loved, they were having their first child together and she must have been so worried when the baby came early. And then after all of that, the first time she tried to hold that baby, to see it change into a strange animal. How horrifying would that be to a new mother, any mother. I know now that when a mother has a child that is cursed by the zodiac often she will either feel the need to be overly protective of it or she'll reject it completely. Mama's one of the one's who rejected her child. She rejected me with her entire body, she got to the point she couldn't even stand to look at me. Sometimes she would just snap, yelling screaming, at everything. Thinking about it now, I guess it was just like what happen to Kana." He said quietly. Tohru and I had tears in our eyes. "And so I was erased from mama's memory. And like they said, she steadily began to get better. After the first couple months she even started smiling again." He crouched down. "I guess what I did, I guess it saved her." Tohru held the picture book to her face to hide her crying. "But you know there's something I believe, I want to try to live my life carrying all my memories with me. And even if those memories are painful, even if they do nothing but hurt me, I want to keep them. Even those memories I sometimes wish I could forget. As long as I carry them with me, as long as I can keep holding on, then someday someday I'll be strong enough that those memories don't hurt me anymore. And I'll be glad that I have them. That's what I believe, with all my heart. That's why all my memories are precious to me. I don't think it would be okay to forget a single one. And that's why, the truth is, I didn't really want mama to forget about me.. I didn't . What I wanted was for her to hold on. But I guess that was selfish of me." He looked up at us with a finger to his lips. "It'll be our secret?" The fact that he was smiling made the tears in our eyes fall own our cheeks. I rushed over and pulled him into a hug. Tohru came over as well but simply put an arm on his back and hugged me.
"Me too. I believe that too." Tohru said.
"M-me too." I said. Momiji hugged back tightly and let his tears fall.
Sorry this took SOOO long. I'm working on the next one now, might not be done for a few days. I didn't really re-read this cause I wanted to post this.