Author's Note: hi! Um, I just wanted to thank loritakitochan and FireMiko-Kagomechanfor giving me the very first reviews I have EVER received... THANK YOU SO MUCH! Okay_ this chapter is starts a few days after the dreams, Akito is reading a letter that her arch enemy (her mother) Ren, wrote to her. I know it doesn't sound like much but I'll try my hardest.
Summery: It has been years after the curse was broken, all is peaceful and happy. In till Akito receives a letter from Ren who threatens to release the curse on their children. Each family goes into hiding for 12 years, thinking it's now safe, each family returns back home... As well as the curse! (the summery is getting tiring. I promise you that this will be the last chapter you'll see it in.)
Disclaimer: I don't own fruits basket. (If I said I did... lawyers would get mad at me! Not if I could actually write something that good. (Only this story is mine:) )
Warnings!: (I should have made this earlier) CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!!!! Please don't get mad at me if you haven't read past book 16 (because there's things you learn in books 17 and 20) so... BEWARE!
Endless Curse
Chapter 3 – what thought broken
I didn't want to lose. Not to this woman. I wanted to prove to her, in whatever form I could. I wanted to show her.
Akito Sohma
The hallway stretched as ever. Outside the world had already came to life with the new morning. Mist was rising from the grass which held droplets of dew as the sunlight touched it. Birds were joyfully flying and singing, weaving together in an never-ending dance.
A woman stood just inside one of the many Japanese tradition-style windows, a small smile playing around her mouth as she marveled at the way the birds could dip their wings then lift high into the air. She sighed, then stepped away from the window and continued curtly down the hall.
She walked stiffly, as though still uncomfortable wearing long dresses and would rather wear men's clothes. She still never got over her feelings about having long hair, so she still had it short. Though many things still hadn't changed, she had the look of being happy, of being content with her life and having that feeling stay.
The head of the Sohma family met up with one of the maids in the hall. The maid gave her the day's mail but stayed and talked with Akito with the ease of respectful friendship. After some minutes they separated, both busy with the coming day's tasks.
Akito kept walking down the hall, nodding to the people that past her in till she reached her and Shigure's quarters. She softly opened and then quietly closed the door once she got through. Shigure was still asleep, he had stayed up late working on his new novel. She lovingly smiled at Shigure's sleeping form, touching the ring on her left hand to remind her it was there. She then tip-toed lightly into the other room, leaving him at peace.
Once the door was closed behind her, she strode over to the low table in the center of the room. Kneeling down, Akito plopped the mail down before her, reading the addresses on their front. Nearly all of them were just business letters concerning bills, complaints and need-to-dos. One was even an invitation to a party filled with high political figures. Then... there was another.
It was a small letter in an red envelope, with no other markings but the sending address. Akito picked it up, curiously turning it in her hands. It was blank. Suddenly Akito started getting a bad feeling from the red square of paper, it reeked with disgust and loathing. Trying to shake her head to clear it, she opened it. Inside was a white piece of folded paper, she took it out, started to unfold it and then dropped it. A droplet of blood dripping from the paper cut on her finger.
'An ominous sign if there ever was one.' She thought. Paying no heed to the thin cut she reached down and opened the letter.
"Hello, Akito..."
Drip, drip.
***
A few days before, in a old room away from the Sohmas, a woman woke up from a dream. She slowly sat up, her long black hair trailing on the pillow behind her. Her bewitchingly beautiful face was emotionless, except for a small frown creasing her lips. Then suddenly puzzled, she brought her hand up and scraped with the heel of her hand up her cheek to her eyes. Then stared at that hand.
"I never dreamt like that before." She whispered to herself, staring at the tears now dripping down her arm. "Such a dream it was. So... sweet, and yet so..." Her eyes suddenly widened, hundreds of emotions sweeping through them. Her hand dropped onto the bed, now angry tears pouring down her already tear-streaked face. After a few minutes, she stopped. Realization and sick, triumphant joy sparkling out from her eyes.
"Hm, hee, hee, hee."She started to giggle, her shoulders shaking. Her giggles getting louder and louder. "Ha, ha, ha, ha..."A cruel smile started lifting the corners of her mouth. "Ha, Ha, HA, HA, HA. HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HAA!"Ren's laughter started coming out in shrieks, the ever present madness pooling from her dark eyes. As she screamed, she knew no one would hear, yet everyone would soon know. She collapsed back onto her bed, still screaming her laughter. Yes, soon everybody would know she was winning again.
***
Akira-san... My Akira-san... Before you were so sad and lonely, but together... we were special. Even though you're gone, I still hold the pain you bear. I've always held it in my heart, just like you... Just like you.
Before there was us, I would always watch over you. Before there was us... I was in love with you so much, I thought nothing would ever keep us apart... Not even death.
But... that_ that 'thing.' How could that... keep us apart? How could that 'thing' be... 'special?' It's unnatural. It being 'speical'... is not even real! What Akira-san and I were... that was 'special.' That... was real. That was where the seeds of hatred were buried. That 'special thing' was so bright to everyone else... Ours... melted.
I love Akira-san. I always loved Akira-san, and I always will. If someone is loved by one person... that's enough isn't it? That's enough. I was the one that Akira-san needed and wanted. That 'thing' ruined everything. Together, 'we' were 'special.' Not just me, and certainly not it. 'We' were 'special.'
Before... after Akira-san died. I felt so loss, I didn't know what to do. I decided not to choose to do anything. I would feel what I wanted, then do it. That way, I didn't have to think. I wanted... to be back near Akira-san. That feeling... that wanting burned inside me. That was why... I didn't want that 'thing' being the head of family, like Akira-san was. I wanted to be, so that I might feel just a little closer to him. Akira-san. That... was also why I made that bet with that foolish child.
"Show me that no one can break your wild dream! Win against me! However... if you lose... Bow at my feet. And leave the Sohma." And... I did win. That silly curse broke... but I also loss. Though they didn't stay directly... with 'it', they still... they still... And... not only that... on that child's face I saw... triumph. I don't understand what happened. Though the child still... bowed at my feet. It didn't leave... I did instead. I wasn't forced... I just wanted to... go.
But I still want to be near Akira-san. I will always carry that feeling. And now... here is my chance. My chance to win ultimately and be... special again. Because when I am special... I am with Akira-san.
***
Ren had long since stopped laughing when she sat up again. All madness it seemed, had gone. She calmly got up, and walked to her table. She picked up a piece of paper from a pile, and got her pen from a drawer. She sat down on the only chair and began to write a letter.
"Hello, Akito...
How are you doing? At least now I don't have to hear you sprout your pathetic garbage anymore... I hear that your ex-zodiac is doing fine. Some of them have even started familys' I hear... You married Shigure, are you planing to start one yourself? How... perfect. You know, today I woke up from a dream. A dream only you and the zodiac have dreamed before. You know what the person of my dream said to me? "The return of what thought broken, through the children of those who broke it." It almost sounds like gibberish... but it tells the truth. And even now, can't you and the others' felt what I feel? Look at some of the children, are they acting a little different? You can still hug them, they won't change into their forms. Not till the new 'god' sees them, and only I know where that 'god' is. You might be asking yourself why am I telling you all this... The answer is that once you tell everyone else, they'll all leave you to protect their children. And if they stay... that new zodiac will replace them, and you. Either way... I win. You will loose after all. See you someday.
Ren Sohma,
The one who is truly special.
Author's Note: I'm sorry I didn't update for a while. I didn't have a chance for a few days and then... I had writer's block. (I hate writer's block!) I only could get started again when I made myself think... What is Ren actually thinking? I never thought so much of her before. What made her sick and what-not... I don't know how well I did (one reason is because it is 1:30 in the morning (my writer's block suddenly vanished and I had to write!!!)) but I hope it's okay... Okay_ next chapter Akito calls a meeting under much distress from reading letter. Family then decides to split apart and go into hiding... That's all I'm saying for now. R&R.
