Chapter Seven: Crap. I talked.

Kyo's POV

It started out as any normal evening would; the rat and I fighting, then Tohru's cooking, followed by my stargazing. I was lying there, staring up into the bright darkness, the stars overwhelming. As I looked up at the window to the universe, I found myself wondering once again what my life would be like somewhere else; somewhere where I could be loved and accepted. To be where I wasn't abnormal for being the cat; a place where I didn't lose against that damn rat for once. Was there even such a world out there? A world where I wouldn't be locked up, where I could live freely, without a burden? Tohru had added much love to my world, but even she looked at me with disdain every once in a while, I was sure of it.

Contemplating life; why did I even bother? It wasn't going to change anything. Everything that would be was already foretold, at least, for me. Most people have the luxury of not knowing what their future entailed, but not me. I was going to be locked up for my whole life; one room, four walls, one me. Forever and ever.

I sighed, glaring, seething in anger at how helpless I was to change anything. If only, if only…

Shall I take you away? What was that? A voice from nowhere, ringing inside my head. To a place where dreams come true?

My eyes were wide in confusion. A place where what? What kind of crap was this? A random girl voice in my head asking me a creepy question? I must have been going insane, and I wasn't even locked up yet. And yet, what she said, had a strange sense of power in it. As if a voice in my head could solve my life problems. I smirked and looked down, "hmph, yeah right. Whatever" but inside, I heard my subconscious voice without my consent, "If only." I crossed my arms in defiance, "Whatever," I said again.

"Kyo?" I sat up to find that Tohru had popped up on the roof like she did so often, "what are you thinking about this time?"

"what? Aoh- beating that damn rat, duh. What else?" I closed my eyes, leaning back once more.

"Well it's getting late, you know, I don't want you to get a cold," she smiled, "Cause I'd have to make you leek soup."

"That stuff is the devil," I shuddered and winced, "don't worry, I won't get sick," I stood and started to climb down, "But even if I did get sick, I'm not eating that nasty stuff." She giggled and climbed down after me, "I figured you might say that."

After saying goodnight to her, I made my way to my room, only stopping in surprise as I heard Yuki's voice coming from his room, softly yet shaking. What was that rat talking to himself for? No one was around, so no one would know if I stopped to listen.

"Even so, even with Tohru here, I wish there was something I could do. Some place I could go, where I could get away from my fate, and from him. Life without him torturing me, a place where I could make a future not mapped before me. What could that be like?"

I got bored and continued down to my room, closing the door after me and falling back on my bed. So he was having a pity party? Pathetic. As I drifted off, I forgot thought by thought, until only one remained. I wasn't sure if it was my imagination, or a memory, but it flashed before my eyes. A smile, a girl smiling at me. A smile that brought rays of light into my heart, and warmed me with a warmth I'd never felt before. And just as suddenly, she disappeared and I fell into a deep sleep full of scattered thoughts and random dreams.

Ouch. What keeps hitting my head? What idiot is throwing stuff at me? It's cold… and…and…WET. My eyes shot open, what the hell was going on? How was I outside? I looked up, my vision blurred for a second, then they cleared up and I jumped up. Where the hell was I? And why the hell was it raining?! I turned to my right a little, then more, as I searched for anything to clue me in. And just when there wasn't anything recognizable, there was.

He was sitting a few feet behind me, still sleeping. Eugh! Why is HE with me? was this Tohru's idea of a sick joke? I started punching the surrounding trees in fury. It wasn't funny, I was cold, wet, and stuck with the damn rat on top of it all. He began to stir in his sleep and I growled. Whatever the case was, I couldn't handle being around Yuki for the time being. I began running, what way I had no clue, but away from him.

It started raining harder and there was no shelter in sight, just endless woods. Everything had a different feel to it here, one I didn't know. I was getting more stressed as I realized everything here was brighter, and more vibrant, and the overall feel was different. Where was I? I couldn't answer that. I had fallen asleep, and then… and then…. "ARGHH!" I yelled, completely frustrated and stopped, my hand against a tree supporting my weight as I stopped to catch my breath, "Not funny Shigure, come out now," I raged, hoping to see his laughing face pop out of a tree no matter how annoying it was, "Jokes over." Silence. No one popped out; I was still alone. Fear began to seize me, and I hated it. Rain drenched me, and I've never cared for rain, in fact, I despise it.

"No," I said under my breath as I saw my skin beginning to get more orange and felt my transformation taking place, "I don't want to-" poof before I could say anything more, I was a cat. I felt ashamed and defeated, as this was stress induced and I always fought against transforming to the best of my abilities.

I plodded on, waiting for some visible sign of shelter. And that's when I saw it; an actual road, heading down a long slope. My ears perked up immediately and I began running again, only down this long hill. At the bottom I saw a few shops on the outskirts of what I assumed to be a town. One of them had steam coming out of the chimney and as I got closer I realized it smelled delicious too.

Without thinking twice about the chances of being seen transforming, I ran to the door of the shop and began frantically throwing myself at it. Thump thump thump, I didn't care if I sounded like a dying fish, I just needed in, a place to be dry and maybe get some warm milk.

Then it opened, and a guy looked down at me. He was a weird looking guy; dark blue hair with blue eyes. He blinked a couple times before getting a look on his face I really didn't like. This idiot was totally up to something. Without saying anything, he picked me up and brought me inside. I decided to play dumb and not say anything unless he started to try something. Maybe that way they'd give me food without questioning why I was there in the first place.

It was warm inside, and I began drying immediately. The guy poured me a bowl of cream and then sat at the table next to me, resting his head against his hand as he watched me drink it. Was this guy creepy or what?

"I know exactly who could use having you around," he said quietly, pretty sure it was directed toward me. I didn't bother responding in any way, the cream was far too good, "Nagisa, come look what the weather dragged in." He called, and a short auburn haired girl appeared in the doorway.

"awwww, he's so cute, Tomoya," she exclaimed, "But you know Sanae is allergic. We can't keep him here," she looked concerned, "what are you going to do with him?"

"I think I'm going to give him to a friend of mine," there was that smirk of pleasure on his face which made me increasingly uncomfortable.

"Alright, but wait till the rain stops," she said, then approached me, "hey sweet kitty, how are you? Was it so cold outside?"

This was one of the most crappy parts of being a cat, being patronized by surrounding people. I was about to look at her disdainfully when I felt her arms wrap around me and I was swept off my feet. I was about to squirm away from her, but stopped as I realized that could mean they would throw me out the door again. Instead, I denied my existence as she held onto me, scratching me all over and speaking to me like she would a baby. Idiot.

At last the rain let up and the sun broke through the clouds. I was dried and much less stressed, but I was trapped in cat form since that dumb girl was holding me the whole time to 'comfort me'.

The guy disappeared briefly and came back with a basket. She handed me to him and he shoved me rudely in it, and I was forced into darkness. I could only hear muffles and the tones between the two of them, saying some sort of mushy stuff before the basket started swinging back and forth. I was being carried over to… where? I sulked in the dark, wondering why the hell I hadn't escaped while I could.

It seemed like hours before I heard a doorbell, and exchange of greetings between the guy and a different girl voice, then finally the basket came to rest on a flat surface, and it was silent for a while. Could I escape? I tried to open the lid, but it was fastened. Crap! Was I stuck in here until someone let me out? I bumped it again and again and again until suddenly it opened as I was springing up once more and I was sent hurdling through the air onto the floor. I saw a nearby couch and ran over to it, hiding behind it, trying to think stuff through.

"Here kitty, kitty," I heard her crooning voice, and turned to see who she was. I only could see halfway up her legs, as the couch blocked the rest of her torso and head. She began clicking her teeth together as if that would magically make me feel the urge to be by her side or something, "come here good little kitty!"

I glared at her. Is she kidding? I stepped out in the light to get a better look at her. She had tousled light brown hair and green eyes, wearing some kind of tight black pants with a sweatshirt.

"I'm not gonna hurt you," she said all sickly sweet and stuff. For a second I stared at her, trying to assess my opinion of her, aside from annoyance. The voice was too much for me to bear, and she was completely random. I might transform back at any second cause it had been a while since the other girl was holding me. I knew I should remain silent and try to run, but her tone had gotten the better of me. I opened my mouth and growled.

"Well I might hurt you if ya don't stop making all those dumb sounds."

Crap. I talked.