Yes it is I, Inulo-

Ouch! Hey! Oi! OW!! Yo, stop with the throwing things! NOW!! YO!! starts running with arms over head, while angry mob follows with torches and rotten bannanas...)

AUGH!!! I'm SORRY, geez! It's NOT my fault! dives into a back alley and shakes like a little child

Whew! Looks like I lost em!

Well...as the angry mob clearly portrays...I have finally returned...at a much later date than I said I would...

Not to make excuses, but it's not my fault! My computer crashed two weeks ago...and I could'nt update or login for the longest time...

So, I'm SORRY! And I understand if, after my blantant disregard for time, you all hate me now...

I...sniffle...understand...

So, to those who still love and care for me and my story (however dumb it may be) here is the next chapter (after a grueling wait.) And Word's not available, so I'm trying this new thing called 'WordPad'...it has no spelling thing, so my spelling'll be off.

A note:

When Genma and Ashitori were talking in the last (real) chapter, Ashi asked Genma what he should do about the Sohmas. Genma replied, "kill them" - what I really meant was 'kill them if they interfere' So, don't worry, the Sohmas will cough cough remain unharmed...for now...although my smexy kyokun would kick Ashi's ass anyday!!! CHA!!!

Another note:

Who's read numba 17 of Furuba? I HAVE!!! THE TRUTH IS REVEALED!!!!

Yet another note:

GO check me out on - my name: inulover411 XD

OH! I almost forgot!

POLL RESULTS:

1. Which couple is the fave? KYO/RU

2. Which guy is the hottest? KYO

Chapter 11-THE STORY PART ONE

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING

"Start explaining." Kyo Sohma ordered, his face set angrily as he gestured to the nearest red, plushy futon. Flabberghasted, (my new fav word btw) he, Yuki, and Kaze had hustled home through the cold sleet, their shoulders hunched against the brutally cold wind after the alley-incedint. A suprisingly sober (ha!) and serious Shigure had greeted them at the door, his usually humorous eyes now filled with an uncharacteristical coldness. After shedding their shoes and heavy coats they had entered the dining room, where Kaze Honda was now nervously taking his seat at the Sohma table to begin his interrogation.

Sitting uncomfortably upon his futon, Kaze caressed his bruised cheek and stared at the table. The Sohmas took their seats opposite and ajacent to him and waited for the guily, brown-haired male to start his story. When finally the silence became too overbearing, Shigure cleared his throat, long black hair falling across his eyes.

"You can't keep hiding the truth forever..." he said philosophically, resting his arms on the cherry-wood table. Yuki shifted in his seat and nervously brushed back his long purple (gray if ur a total nazi on Yuki ) locks. Kyo did not waver his sultry red eyes from Kaze as he fidgeted under their intense gazes.

Kaze bit his lip, nearly drawing blood, and finally began.

Not lifting his eyes from the table, he said "It's a long story..." The Sohmas seemed to cling to his every word as he continued. Tension was unbearably thick in the room and the house seemed abnormably absent and quiet without Tohru.

"I guess it all started with...my mother..." Kaze continued softly, reaching up and ruffling his long chocolate bangs.

"Your mother?" Shigure asked, perplexed.

"Yes...as Tohru may have told you already, our mother was a little...eccentric."

"How so?"

"Well...she was part of a gang, and..." Kaze stopped shortly, unsure of how to continue, his eyes peeled to the grain of the table.

"So?" Kyo encouraged impatiently.

"She was Genma's girlfriend." Kaze said softly, biting his lip again.

"WHAT!!!!?!!" Kyo hollered, shocked. Yuki frowned at his cousin's antics, but he too, looked perplexed.

"What? Who's this 'Genma' person?" Shigure asked, confused.

And so, Kyo and Yuki explained, in furvent detail, about the night's events...what with the kidnapping of Tohru and what not.

Finally understanding, Shigure leaned back, and returned his attention to Kaze, who had sat quietly through the recap, not moving from his seat.

"Anyway, you were saying?" he encouraged polietly.

"Well...yeah, Kyoko told me that they were planning on eloping as soon as she graduated." Kaze continued.

"So what happened?" Yuki asked, resting his elbows on the table.

"She met my father, Katsuya Honda. I reckon Tohru's told you about him?" he asked, still not picking up his eyes.

"Um...no..."

"Figures. Well, anyway, mom totally changed after that. Kyoko quit her gang, dumped Genma, and set her life straight. From what Judaii told me-"

"Judaii?"

"The one with the black hair." Kaze answered interjectedly. "Apparently, Genma was furious, and he never forgave my mom. After my dad...well...passed, I guesss I went kind of...crazy." Kaze said, lifting his eyes finally to the bright light overhead, blinking back unshed tears.

"How so?" Shigure asked again.

"I'd stay out all night, beating people up...stealing...sneaking into clubs...I was just...so angry," Kaze said, his usually masculine voice now dejected and defeated. " and that's when I met Genma..."

FLASHBACK

The cold wind cut through him like a knife and his small frame shivered in the late September weather. The soft, rythmic pop music from the club drifted outside, light from the neon red sign flashing down the alley. The full moon overhead illuminated the entire backway, and the blood spattered upon the brick wall shimmered in its candescent brilliance.

Kaze towered above a moaning, bloody figure upon the gravel walkway, his black trenchcoat blowing freely in the wind. Blood continued to seep from the mouth of his opponent-clad in dark jeans and a white hoodie.

He smirked as the man before him attempted to gain his footing, gripping the crevasses of the wall feebly with pudgy fingers.

The anger within him swelled again and a dark, spine-tingling chuckle escaped Kaze's lips. His bedraggled opponent turned, his bloody, bruised face pale with terror.

"You bastard!" Kaze yelled, lashing out and kicking the weakened man to the ground.

"Let this be a lesson to you! Don't EVER mess with me again! You got that?!" Kaze yelled, tossing his head of brown hair defiantly. His opposition nodded, and lost conciousness, collapsing in a pool of his own blood, faint tears still trickling down his grotesqe face.

Finally, the anger within him dissapated, and Kaze turned, gazing up into the bright moon. Its light illuminated his face, his high cheekbones and long nose dancing in the light...

"Kaze, what do you think of when you see the moon?" Katsuya Honda asked, setting a young, pajama-clad Kaze on his knee.

Kaze frowned as the memory swept over him, his eyes stinging with tears.

The young boy gazed up at the pregnant moon in awe and amazement. He frowned.

"It makes me sad..."

"Hm, why's that?" Katsuya asked, raising an eyebrow comically.

"Because! It must be so lonely! It sits all alone and has no one to play with!" Kaze said empathetically, pouting. He looked back at his father, and stared interestedly at the moon-lit features of his face. Katusya blinked, confused. Then, he smiled, as if he understood. The look that now played across his face, the epitamy of peace, of an ultimatum understanding was striking...and yet eerie.

'What strange memories the moon brings back...' Kaze thought.

Oh how he missed his father...his heart twinged painfully from the loss...

"Why dad? Why did you have to die?" Kaze asked, to no one in particular, his voice barely audible. He clenched his fists in anger, tearing his eyes from the moon.

"My, my, my...look at what you did!" Kaze spun around at the sound of the low voice. Behind him, inspecting the unconcious body on the ground, stood a tall figure in a buttoned, black overcoat. A black, wide-brimmed hat adorned his crown and, even in the brilliantly penetrating moonlight, his face was hidden from view.

"Who the hell are you?" Kaze asked coldly, crossing his arms. .

"I'm Genma, and I'm offering you a spot in my gang..." he said. Genma meticulously tilted his head, his toothy, fox-like grin sending chills up Kaze's spine. "...Kaze Honda..."

END FLASHBACK

"And that's how it happened. For the first time in a long time, I had peace' of mind...if you can call it that." Kaze said, frowning and crossing his arms. "I was finally able to vent...and I started doing some really bad things." he said, pausing.

"Like what?" Kyo asked.

Kaze closed his eyes, disgusted, and shook his head - as if his past was almost too discraceful.

"I couldn't even begin...Genma had me do a lot of terrible things. And, in return, he offered me protection and, at times, he almost acted like a father with me...

"...but Kyoko, she always knew...Looking back now, I can see just how she looked at me, as if she knew everything.

"Eventually, I got control of myself, and finally snapped. I was terrified at what I'd done." Kaze said, shading his eyes.

"I tried to get out after that, but Genma was pretty strict. He even beat me once for demanding my freedom. Finally, for whatever reason, he decided to let me go...but only if I did him a favor..."

"And what was that?" Shigure asked.

"To take the life of an innocent man." Kaze answered sadly. Yuki gasped softly, his eyes widening. "A man who picked on him once in high school, that's all."

"So did you do it?" Kyo asked persistantly. Kaze shook his head.

"I left, for 5 years as you know. I lied, pretended as if I did my job, and started living there. The guy hi-tailed it out of the city when I tipped him off.

He chuckled. "I don't know why I thought I deserved a second chance...why I had any right to interfere in Tohru's life again...why I deserved to be happy...after all I did, the only end for me is death." Kaze said darkly, snaking his fingers through his hair.

"And so, now what?" Shigure asked, changing the subject abruptly.

"Apparently, Genma found out about my little 'lie,' and now he's back for revenge, and the 'extra' money- of which I have no way of obtaining in only three weeks. And worse of all, Tohru's involved in all of this..." Kaze answered flatly, glancing up at Shigure.

It was quiet then, as the four contemplated their situation. The house creaked in the wind, trees rustled in the harsh breeze...

"So know what?" Kyo asked again, crossing his arms.

There was no answer.

O-O

So yea, its done yall. Srry, there's not much, creatively speaking, that you can do with this and the next chapter.

What's up with Tohru? How's her situation? Well, find out in the next chapter! ALSO!! The rest of the story is revealed...learn more about Kaze's tragic past...and the snares that Genma has set throughout his life.

Don't trust anyone...or they may come back to haunt you...

please R&R next chappie is under way!