(A/N: Hey! Sorry for the super long wait. It's just that I've been so busy with school work, being sick, lack of inspiration, and all that jazz. Hopefully this super long chapter makes up for it though. That's also a reason it took so long; it took forever to write. I love all those who reviewed and read this, it really does make me happy. I'm also sorry for the mistakes in here, but I have just have to get this out before I go to bed. Oh, and I've already started writting the fourth chapter, but I make no promises when I get it out. Well, thanks so much for reviewing and reading again, and I hope you enjoy chapter three of Operation: Revive The Princess!)
Disclaimer: I own none of Fruits Basket. It all belongs to Natsuki Takaya. If I did, would I be fantisizing over my own characters? I think not.
Operation: Revive The Princess
Memories
Tick, tock, tick, tock. Tense silence filled the room, intensifying the volume of the ticking clock high on the wall. The bright white surroundings were dimmed, only relying on the florescent lines stuck in the ceiling. Hands run through very tangled hair, held distressful faces, and fiddled with anything in their grasp. Stress — everything there screamed it.
A good portion of the cursed Zodiac, Junishi, members were there. It had been around three or so hours since most had heard about the horrific accident where their beloved Tohru was run over by the truck. It frightened them all upon hearing this, as it would to anyone that knew her even the tiniest bit.
Phoning for an ambulance, Yuki had rushed outside to see how bad Tohru had been hit. What Yuki saw was his fiery cousin weeping over a bloodied, unconscious broken body lying on the hard road. It was way worse than Yuki had prepared for, way more blood than he had expected. Yuki stood in a stupor, even when Saki and Arisa pushed past him to see what was going on outside. Not a pretty sight, that was.
After the ambulance safely towed Tohru away, Yuki went to call Shigure. Shigure was struck speechless to say the least. From that point, Shigure went forth to contact the rest of the Junishi, and one can imagine how that went; Ritsu was shocked that he didn't fall into an apologizing frenzy, Kisa immediately started bawling, dropping the phone, alerting Hiro who, when told the news, merely stood stunned, Isuzu (Rin) started screaming at the top of her lungs with watering eyes, nearly causing Shigure to go deaf, Ayame was also struck speechless and only babbled incoherent sounds that escaped from his lips, Kagura was crying heavily and somewhat calmly tried to pry details from Shigure, and finally Hatori, after his momentary stupor, shakily asked what happened. When they all were informed and met at the hospital, all but Hatori bombarded Shigure with questions at screaming level. That certainly created a scene.
Eventually, a nurse reported to them all about Tohru's current condition that was still being tested, and they were all led to the waiting room to wait. Right now, the doctors were taking a break from the testing; letting people now visit the girl. Only two people at a time were allowed to visit Tohru since the room was so small, and since Kyo was already in there, they all sat and waited. No one went in with Kyo even though there was space for one other, but it would have been uncomfortable in there because they knew Kyo was so deeply in love with Tohru. That just made it plain awkward. So there they sat, tense and extremely nervous partially from the nurse's report.
Isuzu, despite her hatred of hospitals, sat there with her head hung low, teeth gritted together, and Haru had his arm around her, his hand stroking Isuzu's exposed arm. Momiji was huddled up in a chair, cuddling his knees to his chest. Kisa was still crying only with Hiro cradling her in his arm and trying to whisper comforting words to her. Ritsu was nervously glancing around the room, waiting for the slightest thing that would set him off. Shigure was staring off into space along with Hatori, Ayame fiddling with his extravagant outfit, and Yuki comforted a calming down Kagura. No matter what one was doing, each and every one was thinking about one person and their memories of that one person.
Walking. Isuzu was determinedly walking up the steps to Shigure's house. She needed to find it, and Shigure was most likely the one who knew the solution. Isuzu heaved in a huge breath, wishing with all her heart that Shigure indeed had the answer.
Finally, Isuzu reached the house. Walking and glancing from side to side. That was the first time she saw her, Honda Tohru sat there, folding the clean laundry with a serene smile set on her face. Isuzu felt it. She felt that irresistible pull tugging at her. Every part of that gentle girl made Isuzu feel that burning impulse. That very same impulse that she gave into only a few months later.
Isuzu had once again gone over to Shigure's house to continue to interrogate him, convinced that he knew the answer no mater how many times he denied it. Of course, this time she visited, Isuzu had been feeling ill again. She was frequently sick, and that's why she was almost always in the hospital. As Isuzu took a few more steps into the house, vomit rose through her throat and out her mouth.
The door clattered open, and Isuzu spun around. Her eyes widened at her mother, the one who had long since rejected her along with her father. Fear of being hurt, rejected, again, Isuzu cried out to the person whom she thought was her mother. Isuzu, in truth, was hallucinating from the weak state she was in. The last thing Isuzu remembered was a pair of arms enveloping her, holding her close until she slipped into the unconscious state of sleep.
When Isuzu finally woke up, Tohru was there with her kind smile, once again, stuck on her face. Isuzu, upon seeing that smile, sat up abruptly. Tohru ushered her to lie down, and then went to inform Hatori that Isuzu was awake. Again that force was yanking at her. Soon enough, Hatori and Shigure came into the room.
"Tohru-kun found you when you threw up and fainted in the living room," Shigure recounted. "After that, you turned into a horse. It was a real problem. We couldn't take you to the hospital like that, after all. So for the time being, we waited fro you to regain consciousness. Do you remember?"
Isuzu remembered all right, but she refused to reply.
"Isuzu," Hatori spoke. "We're taking you to the hospital. We can't be too careful."
"No," Isuzu refused, remembering when her mother came to the hospital and, once and for all, abandoned her. "I won't go."
"Isu-" Hatori tried, but Isuzu cut him off.
"No! I hate hospitals!" Isuzu shouted.
"Isuzu!" Hatori exclaimed upon seeing Isuzu tearing open the window, preparing to jump out of it in an attempt to escape.
Hatori restrained her, and Isuzu struggled, loudly protesting and telling Hatori to let go of her. There a crash and another shout.
"Isuzu-san! You-you musn't, Isuzu-san! It's dangerous…" Tohru cried in worry. Isuzu stopped struggling at that.
"Rin," Shigure said. "Why don't you at least let them get you to the point where you can take care of your body? That's the only way you can get people to, once and for all, leave you alone. And that way, we wouldn't have to be so bothered by you."
After that, the three of them left, Tohru lingering long enough to cast a worried glance at Isuzu before shutting the door behind her.
Isuzu laid back down, and bundled herself in Tohru's bed sheets. Yuki came by to tell her that Hatsuharu was still in love with her. That was both a good and bad thing. When Yuki left, she absorbed herself in her thoughts. That is, until those thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Hello! I'm coming in." Great, just great. It just had to be her. "How are you feeling?"
Isuzu sat up in bed and placed her hand over her right eye.
"Um, I'll be sleeping downstairs, so if you need anything, don't hesitate to call me. Ah! Also, I brought you some water!" Tohru continued caringly.
"Stop it," Isuzu commanded, irritated beyond belief. "You're trying to break the curse. Stop it."
Tohru stared in a surprised stupor.
"You went to ask Kazuma, didn't you?" Isuzu asked, glaring at Tohru. "What are you trying to do? Do you lookdown on us? Do you pity our wretched state? Don't bother. We never asked for your sympathy. Kind people should just go on living in their kind world!!"
Isuzu desperately didn't want Tohru, or anyone like her for that matter, to suffer, and she knew that would happen if Tohru got anymore deeply involved with the curse. She couldn't take it if she suffered. No she wouldn't allow that to happen.
"Could it be…" Tohru's voice brought Isuzu out of her thoughts. "…that you're trying to break the curse, too, Isuzu-san?"
"That's none of your business!" Isuzu replied angrily. She refused. Refused to let Tohru get involved.
"Isuzu-san…!" Tohru started, voice filled with tremendous amounts of hope.
"Shut up!" Isuzu cried, not wanting to hear what Tohru was going to ask.
"Isuzu-san, do you know a way to undo the curse?!"
"Shut up! I told you we don't need your help!"
"Isuzu-sa-"
"Stay out of it. Stop interrupting!"
"NO!" Tohru screamed uncharacteristically. Isuzu had grabbed Tohru by her sweater to get in Tohru's face a split moment before Tohru shouted this. Isuzu stared with slight surprise as Tohru continued, " I'm sorry, but no! I won't stay out of it!"
"Stop…" Isuzu whispered, desperation slightly slipping into her voice. "Stop screwing around!"
"No!" Tohru exclaimed, closing her eyes out of frustration. "Just as you have things you can't give up, Isuzu-san, so do I."
"Shut up!" Isuzu's volume faltered.
"There are things I can't give up. That's why."
"Shut up, shut upSHUT UP! There isn't one! There isn't one anywhere! There isn't a way!" Isuzu cried, now sitting on the edge of the bed. "No one knows how. At this rate…! I…I don't know what to do anymore." Desperation was full-blown in her voice now.
Isuzu's eyes started welling up. Tohru stared at Isuzu in surprise. Isuzu immediately stopped what she was doing, realizing that she was starting to cave in. In a flash, Isuzu was out of the bedroom door and down the stairs.
"Isuzu-san!" Tohru called out.
Isuzu sat on the cold, hard steps that led to Shigure's house with her head in her hands, crying. Amidst her tears, Isuzu felt Tohru exit the house and sit down next to her. There was a quiet moment between them where the only sound was Isuzu's sobbing. Tohru made out to touch Isuzu comfortingly, but Isuzu jerked her elbow to get Tohru to back off. Tohru tried again, and Isuzu gave in. Completely.
Isuzu turned around and hugged her. Clung to which shattered her already-crumbling resolved shell before it deteriorated all of it altogether.
"I don't know what to do anymore!" Isuzu croaked. "I just don't know. I can't do anything on my own…by myself."
"Being by yourself…" Tohru whispered, startling Isuzu. "…is scary. Being alone…is a frightening way to live."
Tohru looked up at the sky with tears running down her face now, too. Isuzu could feel the tears fall on her and could hear the intense pain and sadness emanating from those tears. This made Isuzu clutch Tohru even tighter. Together, the two of them cried and held each other well past sunrise.
Again, Isuzu's façade was cracking. How could Tohru, her first friend, die? It wasn't right, it just wasn't right. Isuzu's head buried itself into her hands, her long, luxurious black hair curtaining the rest of her face. Isuzu wasn't the only one reminiscing about touching Tohru moments either.
She ran. She ran as fast as she could. Kisa had just ran away from home. The rain beat down hard on her, and she almost slipped on the wet cement. Kisa stumbled but kept going anyway. Drenched and tired, Kisa was engulfed in colored smoke. Just in time, Kisa had found a temporary shelter befitting her small tiger form. Fading footsteps echoed and drew near as her entire world turned black.
Kisa slowly opened her eyes when she heard a feminine voice cry out. Chatter surrounded her, and she only recognized two of the three voices. One was Yuki and the other was Hatsuharu. The third feminine voice was soft, kind, and excited. Kisa heard the girl introduced at Honda Tohru, but as Tohru reached out a loving hand to pet Kisa, Kisa went in to bite her outstretched hand. Kisa did not take to strangers well because she was frightened. Frightened that even a stranger like Tohru would tease her, and she couldn't handle anymore of that. So biting was her defense, the only option to protect herself.
After Tohru nearly fell over from the pain, the four of them all left for Shigure's house. Kisa sat in the corner of the living room as everyone dried off and Haru wrapped Tohru's injured hand. Everyone conversed as they did so.
"So what happened to cause all this?" Yuki asked, referring to Kisa's inability to speak.
"…That," Haru answered, debating on whether he should say it or not.
"That?" Tohru asked curiously.
Kisa's ears pricked up, knowing that Haru was about to explain things she didn't want anyone to hear. Her problems that she was dealing with. She would not stand for the embarrassment.
"Teasing," Haru emphasized. Kisa quickly jumped on the table and scrambled to bit Haru on his upper arm. Haru turned to stare down at the little tiger with furrowed eyebrows.
"That hurts. What? Are you mad? Are you telling me not to tell them things that are none of their business?...Be serious. Do you realize how much we've worried over you?" Haru asked darkly. "Your mom is out looking everywhere for you right now."
Kisa had enough and leapt off the table. She ran completely out of the room and soon out of the house altogether. Kisa laid there on the grass sulking and trying to get Haru's words of her mind. A soft breeze ruffled Kisa's fur and Kisa shifted slightly. A minute or two passed after that and right before…
"Kisa-san!" a voice exclaimed. Kisa jumped startled from the sudden greeting that came from fright behind her. "So here you are. Thank goodness! Kisa-sa-"
Tohru was once again cut off when Kisa turned around to bite her. Again. On the same hand. Tohru then proceeded to babble incoherently from the pulsing pain. Finally, Tohru managed to complete a sentence.
"Won't you come inside for now, Kisa-san?"
"Kisa?" a different but familiar voice spoke. Kisa froze. It was her…
"Kisa, it's your mother," her mother announced. Tohru and Kisa both looked at her. "Shigure-san made sure to call me. Hey. What're you doing? What are you doing, causing trouble for everyone around you? What're you thinking? Do you enjoy worrying your mother? Why did you tell me you were being teased? Why did you run away? Why won't you say anything? I'm sick of this. I don't want anymore of this."
"She can't say it," Tohru replied for Kisa. "To tell someone who cares about you that you're being teased is really hard to do. I couldn't say it either. But after a while, my mom found out, and then I would apologize to her like I was stupid. I would feel so pathetic. I would think that I was so pathetic for being teased. I was ashamed when Mom found out. I wondered what I would do if she started to hate me. I was so scared.
"So when Mom told me 'It's okay', I was so relieved. When she told me 'there's nothing to be ashamed of', I was so relieved that I started crying again. Kisa-san might be feeling the same way. She didn't want you to hate her. It's because she loves you that she couldn't fell you."
At the end of Tohru's speech, there was a large cloud of some that enveloped the young tiger. Out of that smoke came Kisa as her normal self with her golden-orange hair and eyes. Kisa grabbed Tohru's injured hand with her cheek resting on top, tears streaming down her face. Closing her eyes tightly, Kisa went in to grab the comforting girl's shirt. Tohru wrapped her arms around the girl in a hug.
Tohru knew exactly how Kisa felt, she knew what it was like to be teased. Tohru said the exact words both she and her mother needed to hear. Kisa now knew that she wasn't alone, she had someone who cared for her, someone who knew what she was going through. Ever since that moment, Kisa had been attached to Honda Tohru.
Kisa's sobs worsened as the memory flooded her mind. It replayed over and over, and so Kisa clung to Hiro who sighed. He also had to admit, it was sad that Tohru was on the verge of death. Stupid truck.
"You brought us…to the park?" Hiro asked in disbelief. He and Kisa had gone to hand out with Tohru per Kisa's request. Therefore, Hiro demanded that she, Tohru, take them somewhere "fun". In the end, the older girl had brought them to something so juvenile as the park
"Yes! It's the park!" Tohru replied enthusiastically.
"You know, you couldn't have picked a lamer, cheaper place. You mean there's no concept of movies or theme parks in your stupid head?"
"Right now, I really don't have any money…" Tohru stammered.
"I like the park," Kisa then interjected meekly.
"I forgive you," Hiro said, tossing his head to the side. After all, if Kisa enjoyed it, Hiro would be okay with it, even if it meant hanging with Tohru, which it usually did. Hiro was in love with Kisa and he wanted to be the only one to help her. He wasn't doing so hot at the moment either. That was evident in the way that Kisa was frequently talking about Tohru.
"Thank you very much!" Tohru replied in a slight relieved whimper.
Finally something caught Tohru's attention.
"Ah, it's a crepe stand! Would you two like one?" Tohru asked, turning to address the smaller children.
"Would you like one, Kisa?" Hiro asked pleasantly. Kisa nodded in response.
"Then I'll go buy some!" Tohru chirped. "Kisa-san, what flavor would you like?"
Hiro watched as Kisa had trouble deciding. He watched as Tohru helped her. Hiro also watched them smile at each other. Hiro wanted to be the only one to see that smile, the only one to make Kisa smile like that. Hiro was admittedly jealous of Tohru, and the only way he knew how to cope with that jealousy was to take it out on Tohru.
"Wait here! I'll be right back!" Tohru announced when she and Kisa had finally decided on what they wanted.
As Tohru was making the order, Hiro stomped up behind her and kicked the back of Tohru's knees. Tohru, of course, was startled and clutched her heart in her huddled position. Hiro stood behind with a resigned and annoyed look on his face.
"I'll pay for Kisa's," Hiro declared. "And I changed my choice, so I'll pay for mine too. You can buy your own.
"Look you. Stand up straight; don't be so sloppy."
"Okay!" Tohru complied in a rushed, slightly fear filled tone.
"I don't get it. Why couldn't I do what someone so ditzy as you could?" Hiro asked with bitter anger. He turned to look at Tohru. "You think you're that great?"
"Huh?!"
"You think you can make any worries anyone has go away?"
"Eh?"
"You think you can erase any pain or sadness? You think you can save people?"
"Um, I'm not…I'm nowhere near that-"
"When you act so humble all the time, you just come of as pathetic, so give it a rest."
"Okay," Tohru gave in dejectedly.
After a moment of reminiscing about his past mistakes and his weaknesses, Hiro quietly asked aloud with balled fists, "Why? Why am I so childish? I…I can't do anything! I'm just a kid!"
"Hiro-san, you're amazing!" Tohru exclaimed, ripping Hiro from his thoughts. "I really can't think of you as being in sixth grade."
"I'm not asking for your help!" Hiro retorted. "Or you trying to flatter me?"
"No, that's not it! My mom said that there are a lot of people who are afraid to admit that they're still children," Tohru told Hiro gently and warmly, smiling as well. "So people who can admit that have lots of courage, she says. Hiro-san, you can do things. You can be the wonderful prince who protects Kisa-san, because inside you, Hiro-san, you do have courage."
"So you're saying that right now I'm nothing like a prince?" Hiro demanded trying to make sense of Tohru's words and turn them into basic terms.
Tohru panicked, trying to convince Hiro that that's not what she meant.
"Well you would be right," Hiro admitted.
Right at that moment, the announcement was made that the crepes were done. Hiro turned to look up at Tohru. He offered to pay for Tohru's order in exchange for Tohru's advice. So, as Hiro walked over to Kisa with their purchases, a new goal was set, set and etched deeply into Hiro's heart. He would become the person Tohru described. He would become a better person.
Hiro glared at the blank wall ahead of him. Hiro had made progress. He still took out his frustration on other people, but it was definitely progress. Thanks to that person, Hiro had put his foot forward, but now that same girl was in the hospital. Might as well be her death bed, along with a good number of other patients as well that he didn't care about. Although, Hiro wasn't the only one with pessimistic thoughts on his mind.
Ritsu had come for a visit to Shigure's house to see what the ever famous Honda Tohru was like. However, at the front of the gate, the bottom of his bag that contained his gift for his hosts, ripped, and the gift tumbled out of the bag to the ground. Ritsu being Ritsu, panicked. That's when none other than Honda Tohru came over to help. Also, apparently, Tohru had heard of him.
Pleasant talk passes between Ritsu, Shigure, and Tohru, who had entered to serve the shy guest a drink. That was until Shigure decided to tease the poor college boy. Ritsu went into another apologetic frenzy. Shigure eventually managed to calm him down. Introductions were then finally formally induced. More talking, more excessive apologies, and finally Yuki came home.
While Yuki talked to Tohru, Ritsu thought it would be best to leave them now. He told Tohru so as well. Debating on whether or not Ritsu should stay longer, Tohru accidentally caused a plate to fall over and shatter onto the floor. That sent Ritsu into a mass panic. Tohru, in attempt to prevent injury, went to bring Ritsu away from the broken glass on the floor. In that position, though, Tohru caused Ritsu to transform into a little brown monkey. That enlightened the confused Tohru to the fact that Ritsu was actually male instead of a female like she had come to believe.
Ritsu then got properly dressed, meaning dressed in men's clothing, and went to the roof as Tohru's cut hand was temporarily being bandaged. He had only been up there for a few minutes before Tohru, Yuki, and Shigure came outside and found him.
"Oh dear," Shigure commented lightly.
"Ritchan-san?!" Tohru exclaimed. "W-w-wa-wa-watch out!"
Ritsu turned his head to look at her. "Tohru-san, I know an apology isn't enough, but I'm sorry for inflicting such a terrible wound on you."
"It's not a terrible wound! It's just a little cut!" Tohru cried.
"And I'm sorry that I didn't tell you that I'm really a man," Ritsu continued. "I was embarrassed."
"There's no need to be! I don't think it would be embarrassing for you to dress as a woman. I thought you looked wonderful!"
"Tohru-kun, I don't think you're helping," Shigure told Tohru. Ritsu only proved Shigure's statement.
"Ahh! Why do I always, always cause trouble to everyone around me?! I'm so shameless, the way I burden everyone! Why was someone such as I give life in this world? Maybe, maybe it would've been better for everyone if I cut short my existence…but no! I don't even have the courage for that. That's right. I serve no purpose in life, but when it comes to ending it, I am doubly shamelessI hate myself! Someone like me deserves to be punished. Only divine punishment will do!"
"Rit-chan, c'mon…" Shigure tried pathetically.
"Don't say that!" Tohru cried in deep concern. "You don't have to be courageous! What's wrong with being shameless?! Sometimes living can be hard, but it's only because we're alive that we can make each other laugh, cry, be happy! If that's not a reason for being born in this world, I don't know what is!"
Right then, Ritsu slipped and began to slide down the roof. This alerted the others below. Tohru covered her eyes, unable to watched. When nothing happened, Tohru removed her hands. Ritsu managed to pull himself back up and stayed silent for a moment.
"I twisted my ankle," Ritsu whimpered. Everyone went back inside after that. That was only the first part of Ritsu's amazing experience with Tohru.
Ritsu ended up spending the night, and Ritsu was coming back from shopping for snacks for Shigure when he came across Tohru coming home from school. They began to walk towards their destination together. While they were walking, the two decided to say what was on their minds. Of course, they argued, in a polite way, about who would speak first. Finally, they decided that Ritsu would go first.
"Well, th-there's something I want to ask," Ritsu started timidly.
"Yes, what is it?" Tohru urged.
"That is, w-when you met my mother…she didn't say anything, did she? I mean, about me…that she's ashamed? Anything like that? F-forgive me. It must bother you to be asked such things. I'm sorry!
"I know it's my fault for being a son that she has to apologize for. I …really am hopeless. I'm possessed by a vengeful spirit, but unlike the other Junishi, I don't have anything resembling talent. I have to study twice as hard to be able to keep up with everyone else. I'm weak and clumsy, and on the 'inside' they often talked about how worthless I am, and my poor parents, all they can do is apologize.
"Ever since I discovered by chance that wearing women's clothing helps me calm down a little, I've dressed like that. But that just added to the number of things my parents had to apologize for. I though I'd try to be stronger and stop dressing like a woman, but…I just don't have the confidence. So that's why I'm so hopeless. Maybe it would be better if I didn't exist. I'm sure that there was no reason for me to be born, but I still keep living. I really am very shameless…"
The moment Ritsu finished, Tohru spoke up, "You're trying to find it aren't you?"
Ritsu looked over at Tohru in surprised curiosity.
"I'm sure that inside your heart you're trying with all your might to find it on your own; the reason you were born. Because…because really there might not be anyone who was born with a reason. I think everyone might have to find it themselves and decide if for themselves. It could be your dreams, your job, or a person. The reason you're looking for might be vague, unclear, and uncertain, but as long as you're alive, you have to keep searching for that reason.
"I'm searching, too, and if I can…if I can, I want to find my reason in someone else, and someday, I hope I'll find that special someone to whom I can say, 'you're my reason for living.' Whenever I start to feel sad, I think about my reason, and I know I have to keep doing my best. So that's why I'm sure it's okay even if you're shameless, because if you stay true to yourself and live your life boldly, someday you might be able to meet someone who will want to eat takoyaki with you more than with anyone else."
Ritsu was touched by this. So much so that he cried but smiled. "I wonder if I can find it. My reason. I hope I can someday. I, too, if it's possible, I want to find it in someone else. I hope I can eat takoyaki with them."
Ritsu did find someone: Mitsuru, Shigure's editor. Tohru also found her someone, Kyo, even though she didn't realize it. Ritsu sniffed. It was horrible, horrible. How could such a kind, wonderful, considerate girl be run over? Why did it happen? Why didn't the driver notice Tohru there? If someone were to be run over it should be him. However, fate wasn't so kind and there Ritsu sat. Kagura agreed with that.
It was the first time they met. It was after she spent the night at Shigure's home. After she had ran into the delivery boy who had been chased off by Yuki. Tohru was holding Kagura in her Zodiac form. As usual, Tohru was smiling at her.
"Kagura-san, I think I know why you like Kyo-kun so much. Kyo-kun has so many wonderful qualities! So just like you, Kagura-san, I-" Tohru had begun admiringly.
Kagura wriggled free of Tohru's grip to attack Kyo once again. "Kyo-kun, you traitor!"
"Didn't she say she'd forgive him for cheating on her?" Shigure wondered aloud to himself.
"I didn't say I wouldn't punish him first!" Kagura retorted demonically.
"No! That's not what I meant. What I meant to say, is that I hope I can find as much to love in the one I'll someday fall in love with as you find in Kyo-kun," Tohru clarified.
"As much as I do?" Kagura repeated.
"Yes! I really admire you!" Tohru confirmed cheerfully.
Well, Tohru achieved that. It also happened to be Kyo as well. However, Kagura realized that it was futile to hold onto Kyo any longer, and she would be okay if she lost him to Tohru…no one else. It was hard, but at least Kyo was happy, but now…now his happiness was shattering. Tohru was unconscious, dying even, and he could do nothing about it. It broke Kagura's heart just thinking about it, and it was really sad how Tohru got hit by that damn truck. She didn't deserve it in the least. Momiji knew that, too, with all his heart.
Momiji had been helping Tohru out with her job once again. They were talking along the way as Tohru finished up. That's when Tohru had thought back to a conversation she had earlier that day with Arisa and Saki.
"Oh yeah, Momiji-kun?" Tohru asked curiously.
"Was (what)?" Momiji replied in German.
"Which one of your parents is German?"
"Mutti!" Momiji exclaimed enthusiastically.
"Mootea…?" Tohru sounded out, utterly confused.
"That means my mom!" Momiji clarified.
"Oh! Your mother!" Tohru chirped.
"I have a picture! Ta-daaaaah!" Momiji said as he produced a framed picture of a woman with long, wavy blonde hair with a smile of her lipstick-covered lips standing in front of the leaf-dominated branches. It was Momiji's favorite picture of his mother.
"Sh-she's beautiful!" Tohru exclaimed in surprise. Momiji giggled with hands on hips in pride.
"She met papa — oh, papa is a Sohma — when they were in college and they got married! Papa was lucky to get such a pretty girl!" Momiji explained with excitement.
"Y-yeah," Tohru agreed.
"And! And! I have a little sister! Her name's Momo! Momo looks just like Mama!"
"You have a sister, Momiji-kun?!" Tohru cried in shock.
"She's in the second grade right now. Ah! But Momo isn't a member of the Zodiac. And! And! She looks just like Mama! She's soooo spoiled! She follows Mama around like a baby chick, but she doesn't speak much Japanese. She has a lot of trouble with it. She's sooo cute!"
Tohru had smiled. Momiji really cared for his little sister.
"Mama and Momo usually come to pick up Papa from work."
"So you'll all go home together, right?" Tohru asked.
"Yeah, I wish! But Mama doesn't know about me," Momiji replied, sadness slipping into his voice despite his smiling face.
"Momiji-chan?" a woman's voice asked from behind. Momiji turned around to face none other than his own mother and sister. "What are you doing in a place like this so late at night?"
Momiji turned to completely face the blonde-haired pair. "My friend works here part-time, so I came to play with her!"
"But this isn't a playground," his mother said, tilting her head to the side.
"I know. I'm sorry," Momiji apologized and bowed.
"Besides, if you stay out to late, won't your mother worry?"
"It's okay, I'm going now!"
"Oh? Don't take any shortcuts. Thank you for cleaning." The last was directed at Tohru.
"Oh, yes…" Tohru's voice was a little dazed, just freshly being brought out of her thoughts.
"Okay, Momo, let's go. Papa must be tired of waiting."
Momo and her mother walked away. Once they were out of sight, Momiji put the back of his hand to his forehead.
"Unglück (bad luck)!" Momiji said exasperated. "She saw me! I'll have to apologize to Papa later!"
"Momiji-kun," Tohru said softly, reminding Momiji that she was still a little lost.
"Yeah. Mama doesn't know about me. She forgot. Her memories were…surprised. Mama thinks that I'm one of the Sohma children.
"Children who are cursed by vengeful spirits are born two months earlier than normal. To meet your true love, then marry your true love, and have a baby with your true love and hold that baby, and then have it turn into a strange baby animal, what despair would a mother feel? The mothers of children possessed by vengeful spirits either become extremely overprotective of them or reject them entirely. My mama rejected me.
"She rejected me with her whole body. She wouldn't look at me. She was always irritated, always hysterical. Thinking about it now, I can tell she was broken. Just like Kana."
It was then Momiji remembered his father telling him why his mother's memories were going to be suppressed. Then he remembered his mother's words right before the suppression took place. "The greatest regret I have in this life is that that creature came out of my body."
"And so," Momiji continued, "I disappeared from Mama's memories. Mama eventually got better. In two months, she could smile again. I wondered if I really helped Mama."
Tohru was crying and Momiji was gazing sadly at the floor in his squatting position.
"But, I think I want to live with all my memories. Even if they're sad memories. Even if they're memories that only hurt me. Even…even if they're memories that I'd rather forget. If I keep them and keep trying, without running away, if I keep trying, then someday…someday I'll be strong enough that those memories can't defeat me. I believe that. I want to believe that because I want to think that there's no such thing as a memory that's okay to forget. That's why…that's why I really didn't want Mama to forget. I wanted her to keep trying, but that was my selfishness." Momiji looked at Tohru with a finger to his lips as he concluded, "It's a secret."
Tohru trembled, tears streaming down a mile a minute. She was so touched and saddened by this that Tohru ran and embraced Momiji tightly, paying no heed to her surroundings. Cradled in Tohru's arms was the bright yellow rabbit otherwise known as Momiji. There he could clearly hear Tohru sadly whisper…
"I also believe that."
Momiji began to cry, too. The two of them sat there crying. Even though it was the last thing on their minds, nobody had seen Momiji transform. What was on Momiji's mind, though, was, 'She feels the same way! She understands. I'm so glad I was finally able to tell someone, someone who also understands. Thank you…thank you!'
Sometime later, Tohru had a run-in with Sohma Momo and discovered something even more tragic about the siblings' relationship. Momiji was glad of that for a couple of different reasons. Of course, Momiji learned all of this when Tohru tentatively knocked right when he safely loaded his violin away that he had just finished practicing. He looked towards the transparent sliding glass door in surprise when he saw a distraught Tohru on the other side.
"Tohru?!" he exclaimed. Once he opened the door, Momiji cried, "You surprised me! What's wrong? Why're you here? Anyway, come inside!"
Momiji gently helped the worried girl inside with a slight giggle. "You're kind of dirty, Tohru. How did you get here? Where did you get in from?...Tohru? What's wrong?"
The concerned blonde finally really looked Tohru's less-than-happy expression. Momiji placed a hand on Tohru's cheek, which he noticed, upon touching it, was tear streaked. Tohru's eyes were slightly red and puffy. Obviously she had been crying. About what exactly, Momiji wasn't particularly sure. It also looked like Tohru was having difficulty speaking about that specific subject, Momiji deduced.
So Tohru settled with, with her head and gaze downcast, "V-violin…you play the violin?"
"Yup!" Momiji answered enthusiastically as usual while turning to look at where the instrument laid. "I've been slacking on it since I started high school though. Ever since I stopped going to see my teacher."
Momiji winked and stuck out his tongue playfully. Tohru was taken aback by Momiji's words.
"Eh? You stopped?" Tohru cried.
"Yeah," Momiji answered simply.
"B-but you'll still play the violin, right?" Tohru asked, filled to the brim of desperation. Momiji looked at her in surprise for a moment. A sad smile replaced it though. Momo looked at her in surprise for a moment. A sad smile replaced it though.
"Momo wanted to learn to play the violin, so Papa wanted her to learn from my teacher because he's famous. So Papa made me stop learning from him. But really, Papa is scared of me getting close to Mama and Momo. He's scared. He doesn't want the happiness he worked so hard to rebuild to be destroyed. He doesn't want to be hurt anymore. He's afraid that he'll be hurt if they see me."
"But…but Momo-san, she wants to see you. Momo-san…actually, it was Momo-san who brought me all the way here. It's true. It's really true. Momo-san…Momo-san knew about you. All this time…all this time she's been watching you. All this time, Momiji-kun. Just like you've always watched over her! Momo-san has been listening to your violin!" Tohru was crying heavily again, and Momiji stared at her with a blank, shocked expression. "She says…she wants to talk to you. She wants to play with you. She…she wants to know if you'll be her b — her brother!"
Tohru said no more as she continued to sob away. This was absolutely heartbreaking for her, not to mention Momiji. That these two couldn't see each other or talk to each other when that's all they wanted. They just wanted to be siblings, but they couldn't!
"So it is true! Papa said that Momo was curious about me! I see. She's been watching me. What should I do? What should I do?! I'm so happy!" Momiji exclaimed, clapping his hands together while blushing with tears rolling down his red cheeks. Tohru had continued to cry and sank to her knees.
"Tohru. My dream, you know? It's to be a violinist. I want to be a violinist and have a small concert and Papa and Mama and Momo will listen to me play!
"Thank you, Momo," Momiji said softly. "You've made me so happy. I'm so happy because there's someone who will cry for me."
Momiji said the last as he knelt in front of Tohru in a comforting way. He had been confided in and cried for . Tohru was so kind to him, so kind. Now Momiji knew more than before that he was very grateful for this crying girl. Tohru understood and accepted his and Momo's feelings and cried fro them. It was so nice and it made Momiji beyond happy to know that Tohru cared that deeply. Indescribably happy.
Momiji huddled himself in his chair, crying into his knees. Now it was his turn to cry for Tohru. How could it happen? A main source of his happiness was on the brink of being completely trampled. It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair. So Momiji cried as much as he could for Tohru, but even that wouldn't be enough to repay all that Tohru had done for him. Though, this was all he could do, all he could do for her. Being there at the hospital was all that Ayame could do too, for now anyway.
Ayame strutted down the path in his usual confident way. He was heading towards Shigure's house on the "outside", wondering what this Honda Tohru was like, the girl he had heard so much about. Of course, the servants weren't exactly the kindest people, especially when gossiping, but judging from what they were saying and how they were saying it, Sohma Ayame could already tell this Honda Tohru was an amazing girl. Ayame had still yet to meet her, but he felt that meeting her would only confirm his suspicions. Although, that wasn't the only reason Ayame had for traveling all the way to Shigure's.
What Ayame was also coming over for was a chance to console Yuki, be a brother to him in attempt to get closer to Yuki and make up for all that he's done to Yuki. Well, more like hadn't done to him. Only a mere few days before, there was an encounter with Akito and Yuki. Yuki's living nightmare, the head of the family, the God of the Junishi, had dropped by at Yuki's high school for a visit. Ayame could only imagine what Yuki must've felt just even seeing Akito. This is why Ayame was concerned, and so he sincerely wished for a chance to finally be a brother to Yuki.
Ayame would find out when he got there. A cold breeze soon washed over the regal man, and he felt an odd yet familiar tingling sensation circulate through him. Before Ayame knew it, he had transformed into his Zodiac sign: the snake. He slithered away from his useless garments and went to find a warmer place to be until he transformed back. Being the snake, Ayame was susceptible to the weather's temperatures, so he had to make sure that he didn't get too cold, or things would be bad then.
Footsteps. Someone was approaching. Ayame prepared himself.
There was a small, smooth voice that echoed excitedly. Ayame watched as a teenage girl with braided brown hair and equally brown eyes walk casually down the dirt path. She clapped her hands together and then paused as she noticed something up ahead. The girl walked over to the clothes perfectly aligned and lifted them with a thoughtful look on her face. In her moment of realization that Ayame wasn't paying attention to, Ayame took this opportunity to warm himself up and slithered up the poor girl's clothes. Well, as long as Ayame was warm, nothing else really mattered, even the high-pitched, terrified scream that the girl unleashed. It was that time afterward, Sohma Ayame fell asleep.
Some time later, Ayame slowly began to stir to the sounds of voices, most of them quite recognizable. The only thing Ayame could understand clearly was Shigure explaining the Mabudachi Trio and trying to pry answers out of Yuki about Ayame slinking up the brunette girl's clothing. That was when Ayame felt that sensation again, and there was a small explosion of smoke, indicating a transformation. In Ayame's case, this would be a signal of Ayame reverting back into his wonderful human self.
"Please allow me to explain myself. My body was extremely cold earlier. I was merely looking for warmth. When I sense someone with warm skin approaching, can you blame me if my survival instincts took over?" Ayame asked as he adorned his garments and slid open the thing paper door that had separated the two rooms. "Greetings, everyone! Have you been well, little brother?"
Yuki had gotten up and walked over to exclaim in the silver haired snake's face, "What do you mean 'survival instincts'?! You should be glad I haven't taken you to the police!"
Bickering ensued. Quite a bit actually. Finally starting to ignore them, Ayame sat down at the table. Ayame slapped his hand on the hardy wood in an ushering way.
"Now would her highness make me some tea? And hurry up and honor me with lunch!"
"That's not respect!" Yuki and Kyo shouted at the same time. After all, they had just been talking about how Ayame was supposedly not showing Honda Tohru respect.
"Aya, you're treating her like a maid," even Shigure reprimanded.
"Am I?" Ayame asked. "Very well…take your time honoring me with lunch."
"That's not what he meant!" Kyo shouted. Of course, Kyonkichi always shouted.
Ayame sighed in exasperation. This was becoming ridiculous. "What? You're so picky. Okay, Tohru-kun…"
"Yes?" she asked as Ayame clutched her hand.
"Let's go out to eat!" Ayame declared, dragging Tohru out the door.
"Oh? Uh, um, but-"
"No need to worry, it's my treat."
It seemed like no time flat that Ayame and Tohru arrived at the restaurant Ayame had led them to. For a moment or two, both customers sat in silence and Ayame twisted his long silvery hair over his shoulder.
"Now you may order whatever you like. I will be having gyouza," Ayame said once done with his hair. "There's no need to worry about Yuki and the others. They're not children; they can feed themselves."
"B-but I shouldn't impose-"
"Are you saying you'll refuse food I buy for you?" Ayame asked dramatically, a hand gently gripping Tohru's face. Tohru blushed a bright red.
"N-no, that's not what I meant at all!" Tohru exclaimed panicked. Ayame pulled away with a satisfied smile on his face.
"Excellent! Waiter! We'd like two orders of gyouza!"
As they waited for the food, Tohru continued the conversation. "Yuki-kun never mentioned having a brother, or that his brother was one of the zodia — do Kyo-kun and Shigure-san have siblings, too?!"
"Nope. They're 'only child's. But it's not surprising that Yuki didn't say anything. As you've seen, we don't get along. It may be more accurate to say we're 'not close'.
"We're ten years apart, and soon after Yuki was born, he was isolated because of his illness. I grew up doing whatever I wanted. It was so bad, I only remembered in passing that I even had a brother. And by the time I came around, there was a deep, imposing rift between us. Now you know why.
"Yuki…I hear he saw Akito at school. You met him, too, didn't you? How should I put this…? I can't really explain it, but Akito is an object of terror for Yuki. It's much worse for him than for the other Junishi. I thought he'd been depressed recently, so I came to see you…or rather to check on Yuki. But I found him so cheerful. To be honest, I was disappointed. I thought I might get a chance to be more of a big brother to him."
"Do you…regret it?" Tohru asked quietly.
"Strangely enough, when you get older, the things you didn't understand as a child start to make sense. 'When this happened I should've done that.' 'When that happened, I should have said this.' Those types of things. You start to understand rather than regret. It may be closer to repentance. So it may be that I do want to repent and erase the ignorant self from my childhood. Maybe that's what they mean when they say adults are selfish."
"But my mom…my mom said that when you become a parent, you understand for the first time what a parent feels. But what you really need to understand, what you really shouldn't forget is what you felt like as a child. The first time you did a somersault, the first time someone got really mad at you, if you can really remember how you felt when you were a child even when you're an adult or a parent, then you can understand each other. Even if it's not a hundred percent, you can meet each other halfway, she said."
During Tohru's speech, Ayame stared at the smiling girl in amazement. Tohru blushed as she noticed the golden orbs on her.
"Oh! No, that is, um, what I meant to say was — um, I mean — Yuki-kun and Ayame-san, you should meet halfway from now on!"
Ayame's eyes widened in surprise at the advice. It was touching and thoughtful. Even though the two had barely met, Tohru was already concerned about the relationship between him and Yuki. She was truly a sweet girl.
Thanks to Tohru, Ayame really had gotten closer to Yuki. Their relationship had improved so much and it was thanks to Tohru's advice. She had also helped Yuki open up and try to build a bond with Ayame. It was such a shame that such a kind, accepting girl would be so hideously injured. It had made Ayame so angry at that driver, that the driver could so blind as to hit such a girl no matter that he knew her or not. As much as Hatori hated to admit it, he was quite angry too.
It was several days after New Year's and Hatori was out on a rare visit to the city. It was also weeks after he had Honda Tohru over at his home to warn her. Even after he had warned her and heard about him and Kana, Tohru had cried for them and said that she didn't regret meeting anyone. She was grateful and extremely thoughtful. Selfless as well. It also happened as Hatori was walking down the street that he once again ran into Honda Tohru.
"Happy New Year!" she greeted once she got Hatori's attention.
"Happy New Year," Hatori returned, slightly dazed still. Idle chat passed, most of it from Tohru. However, the next thing she said grabbed Hatori's attention.
"It's snowing. Today's going to be a cold one. Somehow, it's strange that I'm seeing the first snow with you, Hatori-san."
It was at that moment Tohru had slipped on a rock, falling backwards. Hatori then reached out to catch her. However, he ended up catcher her with both arms and falling back enough to hit his head. POOF! Hatori was an eight-inch seahorse and Tohru panicked…just like Kana had when she found out. That had led Hatori to dream about his history with Kana.
"Hatori-san!" Tohru's voice brought Hatori to consciousness.
"I'm cold," Hatori stated somewhat randomly. Tohru then explained what happened in a frantic manner. When Hatori announced he was going to get dressed, Tohru left to go get drinks. Hatori was left with his thoughts.
When Tohru had come back, Hatori decided to ask Tohru that question.
"When…snow melts, what do you think it becomes?"
"Huh? Ah, um, well, hmmm. It becomes spring! No matter how cold it is now, spring will come again! Without fail. It's strange isn't it? But it's true."
Even her answer was like Kana's. This incidence led Hatori to become fond of the girl along with the meetings after. Hatori only wished that Tohru would bee happy with the one she loved, because, Hatori believed, that was all he could for his "love life" was over.
Now Tohru couldn't. Well, maybe, depending on her condition. Though that was highly unlikely. Still, this terrible accident caused pain to everyone, unnecessary pain, especially to Kyo. It hurt Hatori to see that these two could possibly not end up together. Hatori need to be there to make sure; make sure that the two really couldn't be together. However, even though Kyo was the closest to Tohru, there was someone else especially close to her that was a great deal concerned too.
She had only found out a mere few hours ago. Found out about the Zodiac curse placed upon the Sohma family. The stupid cat known otherwise as Sohma Kyo had just returned from his four month trip to the mountains and smashed through the roof. Typical. Due to the breakage, Tohru slipped and fell onto Kyo, causing him to transform. After that, in Honda Tohru's panic, fell onto Yuki and Shigure, making them transform as well. It was a chain reaction that Tohru discovered the "family secret".
After that (and a fight between Yuki and Kyo due to Kyo accidentally hitting Tohru in the face with the table later), Yuki and Tohru had gone off to school. Of course, Yuki had expressed his suspicions of Shigure explaining everything about the curse in order to have Tohru's memories suppressed, but he still couldn't leave it alone. It was just too obvious that his cousin was up to something, and he knew almost for sure that Tohru's memories would be suppressed. That's why he wanted to express his concerns to that particular girl, so Yuki waited outside the girls' locker room while Tohru changed into her freshly laundered school uniform.
Finally, Tohru exited the male-forbidden room.
"Honda-san," Yuki said to grab Tohru's attention. "You didn't tell them, did you? Your friends. About us?"
"Tell them? No. I didn't! Am I making you nervous? I'm a liability, aren't I? I would never tell anyone! My mom always told me that gossiping is wrong!" Tohru rambled frantically.
"No, it's not that," Yuki replied in an opposing calm tone. It didn't seem to reach Tohru's ears though.
"I promise! I'll sign my name in blood or burn myself with a cigarette or anything you want! I'm pretty sure my mom did stuff like that…" Tohru cried.
"No. I told you that's not it," Yuki repeated. 'What kind of person was her mother?' Yuki vaguely wondered.
Yuki pressed Tohru against the opposite wall, desperately wanting the girl to hear him out. His head tilted downward, a dazed look washing over his face as a particular memory came flooding back to him. He had to let Tohru know about his worries of this situation.
"You're going to all this trouble to keep out secret, but it may not be enough. I'm sorry, but your memories might have to be erased. I say 'erased' but it's more like hypnosis. A long time ago…"
Yuki then proceeded to recount to Tohru about the instance where the secret had gotten out among his second grade friends. It had been so painful, seeing himself being "erased" from his only friends' memories like that . To be forgotten by people so dear to him…
"Sohma-kun?" Tohru's gentle voice sucked Yuki back out of his depressing thoughts. Yuki continued.
"I cannot defy Akito's wishes. What he decides is what must be done. So…I'm sorry," he apologized yet again. "You never asked to get involved with the Sohma family's problems. I'm sorry. That's all."
"Uh, wai-" Tohru called as she had begun to watch Yuki walk away. Tohru had grabbed him in such a way that made him transform.
"I didn't do that on purpose. Oh, I'm such an idiot!"
"Don't sweat it. It's fine. As long as now one saw…"
"Thank you for worrying about me. It makes me really happy…It's okay. I'm fine." Tohru bent over to smile warmly at the little Yuki rat. " I found out such a big secret that you have to talk to the head of your family about it. You can't help it. Please, do whatever will make your family most comfortable.
"There is one thing — please, if my memories are erased, will you still be my friend?"
That had started it all. After they found out that Tohru was allowed to stay in the household with her memories, everything had been set in motion. Through the almost three years Yuki had spent with Tohru, Tohru had repeatedly helped Yuki in numerous ways. Such as the summer home they went to for their last summer vacation. Bonds had been formed, bonds of love. Tohru, as it turned out, had all that he had been looking for in his mother. Tohru was indeed precious to him. That's why he had felt such shock and fear when Haru had come in to find the phone to call nine-one-one.
Yuki's face was in his hands as his elbows dug into his knees and his frame was bent over. This whole incident was hard to grasp. Someone like Tohru shouldn't, couldn't, get run over. It just wasn't fair, nor right in the least. Also, Yuki admitted that he felt most sorry for Kyo, who was in love with the girl unlike the others, the way a man loved a woman, and he had watched it happen. Oh, the torture. Yuki couldn't bring himself to blame Kyo yet for what happened, he just couldn't. After all, it was an accident and there was the exposure risk of Kyo going out to save Tohru.\
Shigure was also fairly concerned, but everyone knew that Shigure never worried about anything. Even in this scenario. Shigure was upset with this incident like everyone else, but not to that far of an extent. Also, like everyone else, his mind began to wonder to his memories of Tohru —
"Excuse me?"
Every pair of eyes in the waiting room lifted to the doorway. That hadn't hear the door open due to how deep in thought they all were. A nurse had timidly walked into the room where the Sohmas awaited in her white uniform. Kyo was also behind her, face shadowed. Kyo brushed past the nurse and took a seat far away from the others known as his family. Kyo had long since been shooed out of Tohru's room due to the doctors coming back to finish the tests, but he didn't have the energy to go into the waiting room. So he had sat by the door until the nurse came by. However, nobody paid any real attention to the orange haired boy, not that Kyo minded it.
"Yes?" Hatori spoke up for the others.
"Um, the doctors are finishing the tests right now. However, from the looks of it, I'm afraid to say that, Honda-san's condition doesn't look all that good," the nurse announced, a grave look on her face.
Everyone's hearts seemed to stop right then. None made a sound, none breathed. Great. Just what they all needed to hear.