Akito's Sister

(eyes you and points to the door) If you don't know it already I don't own the rights to Fruits Basket. But Ashi is my character.

Note: This story take place after episode 26 of the TV series.

Chapter Four

For three days nothing happened, then Shigure got a phone call from Akito.

"Well hello Akito, how can I help you?"- "No, she's not here."- "I honestly don't know."- "All I can say is that I haven't seen her."- "I can promise to tell you if I do."- "Goodbye."

The member of his household looked up at him when he came in. "What was that all about?" Yuki asked.

"They can't find Ashi." Shigure answered. "She left a letter for Akito and disappeared."

"This is bad." Yuki said.

"What are you talking about, honestly I think this is good. She looked more afraid of Akito than you." Kyo said.

Yuki had just gone from worried-annoyed to pissed off. "Do you have any idea what Ashi does at the main house?" (Ashi never told Kyo)

"Hangs around?"

Yuki was obviously extremely pissed. "No, that's not it at all. Ashi allows Akito to beat her to smithereens instead of us." Yuki explained.

Kyo froze. "Why didn't you tell me this before!?"

"Would you two be quiet!" Shigure yelled. "Ashi has been gone, from the main house, since yesterday. Does anyone have any idea where she might be?"

"No." Was the stereo reaction, but Tohru looked deep in thought.

I honestly don't know why I'm here. Ashi thought as she walked up to a grave. I never even knew you and yet I'm visiting your grave. The headstone read: Ashirin Takade, the name of Ashi's father. I was only a year old when you died. It honestly isn't fair that I never got to know you.

"I didn't think I'd find you here of all places."

Ashi turned around and came face to face with her mother, Ren Sohma.

"Honestly, what are you doing here?" She asked.

Ashi turned back to face the grave stone. "I don't know."

"Why did you run away? Of all people, you ran, why?" She asked.

"And why are you here?" Ashi retorted. "Of all people, why are you looking for me?"

"I wanted to see the most faithful person fall." Her mother told her. "I wanted to see the obedient one break his heart. You're not proving me wrong by doing this."

"And what if I am proving you wrong? What would you do then, scream at him like you always do?" Ashi smiled. "Very immature for a mother of two adults."

Ren scowled at her daughter.

"Ashi!" Came the sound of Tohru's voice.

"What is she doing here?" Ren asked Ashi.

"She has a right ot be here mother, her mom is buried here as well as her father." Ashi said as Tohru came into view. "And I invited her."

Ren scowled at her daughter once more before walking away and disappearing as Tohru stood next to Ashi.

"Who was that?" Tohru asked.

"My mother." Ashi told her. "I'm glad you made it."

"Whose grave is this?"

"My fathers. He died when I was just a year old." Ashi said as she began to walk away.

Tohru followed. "Why was your mother here?"

"She wants to see Akito's heart broken. She wants to see me fail at protecting him."

"That's horrible. A mother is supposed to encourage her children, not root for them to fail."

Ashi smiled and laughed, only a little. "My mother is an exception. She is actually the one who killed my fathers dreams enough to where he had a heart attack."

"My mom died in a car accident. It collided with her when she was walking."

"You know Tohru, I've concluded that there are people that the world just likes to hurt. Like you and me, where one bad thing after another keeps happening to us. I think it wants to beat us down 'till we submit our whole lives. But we don't, and it only makes us stronger, more able to resist."

"Why did you leave?"

Ashi stopped. "What do you mean?"

"Why did you leave Akito yesterday and leave a note?"

"I left because it was time. The note was just an explanation of why I had to go, saying that Akito would have to forgive himself this time. I can't do it forever."

Ashi began walking again. "I just told him that I loved him enough not to hurt his chances to change. If he can't change then everything he's lived for will just be another lie, and he'll die without finding his own truth. He has to learn this on his own Tohru, I can't help him."

Tohru just smiled. "At least you're trying to give him his chance. Nobody else would do that for him, they'd just continue on the way they have."

"That's my point. If he doesn't learn now he never will, and we'll be miserable for it forever." Ashi said. Ashi looked back at Tohru. "Perhaps if I went there again he would." Ashi smiled a tiny smile. "I know that just by being stubborn peoples lives change. We should leave."

Tohru nodded her head. "Then lets go."

And the two of them set off for Shigure's house.