I do not own Fruit's Basket.
Author's note:
Here is that ultra long chapter I promised!
Er, I hope it comes out long…
Chapter 17! (Drumroll please!)
Walking home from school that day, Ryouko realized how beautiful the forest that she walked home in was.
The trees rustled in the light breeze, and she could hear birds singing. She caught a glimpse of a deer, running along the stream, and squirrels chattered up in the trees.
There was life everywhere, and she had failed to realize it sooner.
"Hey Ryouko." Kyo began; he too, was looking up at the canopy of trees. "Did you ever think of going to the dojo again, I mean Kazuma's?"
"Yeah, but it was never something I really thought about, with my job and everything, I wouldn't have the time."
"Well, now that you live with us, you don't need to work. And maybe…" Kyo trailed off.
"I could start going to the dojo again?" Ryouko finished for him.
"I was hoping you would."
"I guess I could, but what more is there for me to learn?"
"Kazuma, he could teach you many more things than just martial arts, he teaches how to control yourself. Don't get me wrong, but you," Kyo searched for the right words. "Aren't the best at control?"
Ryouko sighed. "I know, you're right, I guess that I could go with you for your next lesson."
Kyo's face brightened. "That would be great, actually I have my lesson today, let's go so we aren't late." Hr gabbed her arm and ran towards the house, dragging Ryouko along with him.
Upon arriving home, they both changed out of their uniforms, Ryouko into black short shorts and a tank (With Tohru's help), and Kyo into a t-shirt and baggy pants.
"Lead the way!" She said, her bag slung over her shoulder, waiting for Kyo to lead out.
They hiked uphill, and came to a path that led to the dojo after about 10 minuets.
As the dojo appeared on the horizon, so many memories flooded back to Ryouko. Her friendship with Kagura, the way Kazuma was like a father to her, and all the happy memories. When she broke her first chunk of wood, learning how to make onigiri, and everything she had missed as a child. Suddenly remembering that this was the only place where she felt that she actually had a family that cared about her, made up of Kazuma and the other students. Ryouko dropped to her knees on the gravel.
Kyo stopped and turned back to see Ryouko kneeling, head in hands, and crying like a child. Her sobs were heartbreaking, and seemed to echo around the hill.
Kyo hurried to her side, trying to comfort her, but had no idea why she was crying. They were close enough to the dojo for someone to hear her loud sobs, and Kazuma did. He came striding out of the dojo, wondering why someone sounded like their family has just died.
He saw his son-like student, Kyo, crouching next to a teenage girl, her hands and face in bandages, black and red hair falling over her bowed head. She was the source of the heartbreaking noise, sobbing her heart out.
"Ryouko, look, you made Kazuma worried." Kyo murmured to Ryouko, seeing Kazuma approaching them.
Ryouko looked up, and seeing Kazuma, she cried even more.
Kyo sweat dropped, he was never good with crying girls.
"Come on Ryouko, what's wrong?" Kyo asked desperately.
Kazuma was right next to them now, bending down to get a better look at the sobbing girl.
"Ryouko?"
Ryouko looked up at Kazuma, flung her arms around him, and cried and cried.
Finally, when she ran out of tears, and there was a giant wet spot on Kazuma's robe, Ryouko let go of him, and sat cross-legged on the ground.
She wiped her eyes a sniffed. "I am such an idiot, I never should have left." She muttered to herself.
Kazuma helped her up, and they headed to the dojo, a helpless Kyo trailing behind.
Once at the dojo, the students practicing stopped, wondering who it was who had been crying. Most of their faces brightened, they had known Ryouko. She waved at them, a rare genuine smile spreading over her lips, she had missed them dearly.
But suddenly, she was ambushed.
Five guys tackled her in bear hugs, smothering her, joyful sounds coming from the mass of people.
Ryouko wiggled free of their hugging. "I almost wish that I didn't miss you guys." She said carelessly, pretending not to notice one of the guys sneaking up behind her. As he lunged for her, she stepped to one side grabbing him in a headlock as he was propelled by her.
"I see that you are as careless as ever, you know that trick doesn't work on me."
"Yeah, I know." He said. "I was hoping you had gotten worse since you left."
Ryouko tightened the headlock. "Not a chance."
Later
Ryouko sipped tea in Kazuma's kitchen, leaning against a counter. Kyo was convincing him to take Ryouko as a student, but he didn't know that Kazuma had already said yes, he was to wound up in his argument.
"You know Kyo," she said, sipping her tea. "He said yes like five minuets ago."
Kyo froze, and turned to face her. "He did?!"
"Yeah, you were too into you convincing him that you didn't hear." Finishing her tea, she elbowed his arm hard. "Idiot."
So for the rest of the day, Ryouko was kicking just like she used to. (She wasn't doing things with her hands because of her injuries.
Author's note:
Well, it wasn't as long as I had hoped, but it is one of my longer chapters.