They headed back to their homes and as soon as Kyo, Yuki, and Shigure got home, Kyo started to pace in the yard. "Your pacing is making me dizzy," said Shigure. "Then don't watch me!" snapped Kyo.
"Snapping at me will not help the situation Kyo. I know that you are worried about Tohru, but we have to be smart with this. And we have to hope that Tohru can keep her safe." Kyo growled. "If she hates Tohru so much, why doesn't she just have Hatori erase her memories?" asked Kyo.
Shigure sighed and looked at Kyo. "She doesn't want her to forget. I don't know what her game is, but she thinks that's too easy. Hopefully, she will relax in a few days." Yuki looked at Shigure. "What if she doesn't?" asked Yuki. Shigure looked at him. "I don't know."
Kyo stopped and looked at Shigure. "We have to get her out of there. Akito could be torturing her." Shigure sighed and looked at Kyo. "We just have to hope that that's not the case."
Tohru opened her eyes and her vision was blurry and she had a horrible headache. Her throat hurt. Her face hurt too from all the slaps and hits. She sat up and she looked around. Still in the same room. The door opened and there was a sliver of light. She looked up and she looked up. Relief filled her. It was Kazuma.
"Tohru!? So, it's true. Akito did take you." Tohru tried to get closer to the door of the room she was in. "Kazuma? Where am I?" she asked. "You are in the house of the cat. This was where my grandfather was locked up."
Tohru looked around and realized that she was in a cell. This was the cell that was to house Kyo after he graduated high school. "I don't know how I can get you out quite yet." Tohru looked over to Kazuma.
"Don't worry about me. Just please keep Kyo and the others safe. Keep them safe since I can't." Kazuma looked at her and shook his head. "No, we are going to get you out. We will figure out how to get you out of here. I can't break you out right now."
Tohru nodded. "I understand. Please do something for me?" Kazuma looked at her and nodded. "Please tell Kyo that I forgive him. And that I am okay." Kazuma nodded. "Yes, I will tell him. And we will get you out." Tohru nodded. "Okay, thank you." Kazuma nodded. They heard footsteps approaching. Kazuma looked at her. "I will come back for you." She nodded. He disappeared.
Kureno walked through the door. He walked up to her cell and kneeled. "Are you alright?" he asked. Tohru looked at him and nodded. "I'm just fine." He nodded and he stood up. "So you are the Kureno that Uo was talking about." He stopped.
He turned and looked at her. "Yes, I am the Kureno that she met. But she will never see me again. My loyalty is to Akito and Akito alone." Tohru looked at the ground and she shut her eyes. "Is it the fact that you are the rooster? Or is it because you genuinely care for Akito."
Kureno looked at her. "That is none of your business. You brought yourself here. You got on the bad side of Akito. And you have to receive your punishment." he went to walk out. "What is my punishment?" He stopped.
"To be hit and yelled at every day? To be choked? Or to be confined until graduation so I can't protect those I hold dear." He turned and hit the door of the cell. "You, an outsider, don't understand anything about the zodiac. So don't pretend like you do."
Tohru flinched and looked back up at him. "You must want to do other things besides be loyal to Akito." Kureno scoffed and walked away. "There will be someone to bring you food later." He made it to the front door.
"You are cursed too Tohru Honda." She gasped and looked up. "You are cursed because you are in love with a member of the zodiac. Perhaps that is why Akito hates you so much. Because not only do you have the heart of the cat. You are healing the others." He shut the door.
Kyo continued to pace. He stopped when he saw Kuzuma. "Master!" he yelled, running to him. "What are you doing here?" Kazuma had a sad look on his face. "I am here to speak with Shigure."
Shigure looked up and nodded. "Go on, Kyo, Yuki." Yuki got up silently and walked up the stairs. "Kyo, go." said Kazuma. Kyo nodded and sighed, walking away. Kazuma sat at the table with Shigure.
"Did you see her?" asked Shigure. Kazuma nodded. "Yes. She is imprisoned. In the cell of the cat." Shigure sighed and he took his glasses off. ""What condition is she in?" he asked. Kazuma sighed and closed his eyes. "She's banged up. Cuts, and bruises on her face. She has bruises on her neck."
"WHAT!" came an angry voice. Kyo came storming into the room. '`You're talking about Tohru aren't you!?" he yelled. Kazuma sighed and nodded with a sad look. "She has bruises!? What the hell is Akito doing to her!? I'll kill her!"
Kyo went to leave. Kazuma grabbed his arms and stopped him. Kyo struggled to get free from his adoptive dad. "Let me go! I need to get to her!" he yelled as he struggled to get free. "Easy, Kyo. We will get her back. We just have to be patient."
Kyo wrenched himself free from him. "When!? After Akito kills her!?" Kazuma put his hands on Kyo's shoulders. "We won't let it come to that. But we have to be smart about this. It's the only way that we are going to get her out of there safely. We need to act smart." Kyo sighed in anger.
The door to the cat's house opened. Tohru turned from where she was laying. There was a woman standing there with a plate of food. She opened the cell door and walked over to Tohru. "I am going to untie your wrists. Don't try anything."
Tohru nodded. She felt relief when the woman untied her wrists. Her arms were sore from being bound so long. The woman shut and locked the door behind her. She put the tray of food right at the cell door.
Tohru looked up at the woman. "Thank you for the food." The woman rolled her eyes and she walked out. Tohru reached through the bars and she picked up the small bowl of rice. She sat down and ate in silence.
When she was done, she looked around the room. This was what was awaiting Kyo after graduation. This was what he was going to be living every day. Sadness coursed through her. Cursed or not. Cat or not. This wasn't any kind of life for anyone.
Tears filled her eyes as she thought about Kyo. About the last thing that he said to her. That he was disappointed in her. That she couldn't and shouldn't love him. But she thought more than anything that Kyo deserved to be loved.
She wanted to be with Kyo. And she wanted to continue to live with the others for a long time. She wanted to protect the family that had become so close and important to her .
Kyo sat on the roof of the Soma house. He was so angry and scared for Tohru. He didn't want the last thing that he said to her to be the last thing that he said to her. He didn't want the last time he saw her to be the last time that he ever saw her.
Her tear stained face and she ran from him. He wanted to be there to make Tohru happy. Even if it was only until graduation. If he could only be with her until he was bound to be jailed he would enjoy the time that he had with her.
"Kyo." He sat up and looked at Kazuma. "Master." He walked over and sat next to Kyo. "I know that you are worried about Tohru. But she is strong. She can take care of herself." Kyo shook his head.
"I don't know. Akito is going to hurt her. And she is going to hurt her because I care for her. I tried to convince Akito that I didn't care for her. But I guess I didn't fool her. And now Tohru is in this mess because of me."
Kazuma shook his head. "No, this is all Akito. She is making these choices. She needs to learn to let go. And I think in her mind, Tohru is a threat to that." Kyo looked at Kazuma. "Really, how was she when you saw her?"
Kazuma closed his eyes and turned his head to look at the ground. "She's injured. She has a few brusies. But she will be okay." Kyo sighed and he fought back tears. He worried so much for her.
"We will get her back, Kyo. Believe that." Kyo looked at his master and nodded.
Tohru heard the door open. She looked up and she saw Akito standing there. "Akito." She greeted her. Akito opened the door. "Have you thought about your meddling yet?" asked Akito. Tohru shook her head.
"No, my feelings won't change. No matter how many times you strike me." she said with a sad smile. Akito slapped her across the face again. She flinched and she looked up. Akito smiled wickedly. "I think it's funny."
Tohru picked her head up and she looked Akito in the eye. "What is?" Akito scoffed and laughed. "That you are imprisoned in the very cell that Kyo will live in for the rest of his life. I may even bring him here before graduation."
"We already know that he doesn't stand a chance against Yuki. And a deal is a deal." Tohru sat up. "You can't do this to him! He doesn't deserve this! No one does! I don't want to take the zodiac from you Akito. But I can't let you take away their futures!"
Akito slapped her again and again. "You'll let me!? You can't let me do what I want to my zodiac!? Who are you to give me permission for anything!" She screamed every time she slapped and hit Tohru.
Tohru hit the ground hard, tasting blood in her mouth, it trickling out of her mouth. "You don't understand anything! I am a god! And you are NOTHING!" She screamed. She took a knife from her nagajuban and slashed at Tohru's collarbone.
Tohru screamed out in pain. "I won't let you take them from me! I am god! I deserve their love! Their loyalty! Not some ugly human! What do you have that I don't have!?" She screamed as she slashed at Tohru's arms.
Blood dripped on the ground around Tohru. Tohru sat up and she looked at Akito. "If you are scared of being alone, I will be your friend. I want to help get rid of that fear that you have. I'm not trying to make you the enemy. I don't want to make you alone, sad, and alone."
Tohru picked her hand up and she held it out. "Please let me be your friend Akito. Let me in." Akito screamed in anger and blood splattered the ground.