Pet Shop Of Horrors Fan Fiction / Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Long Denied ❯ A Blessing ( Chapter 22 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Dear readers, I've had a lot of requests for Hana and, since Uo already had a small role, I thought I'd throw Hana in. I don't know if she'll be around much, but I did find a small place for her. Enjoy.


Chapter 22: A Blessing


Shigure-


"Dying? Akito's dying?" Shigure's words came out in a hushed whisper.

"Yes. If you do nothing, he will die within just a few hours. I believe that even now he prepares himself for death and his mindset is not of the most stable. He is so frightened. Still, what can you do? Your family has been afflicted with the blood of humans for centuries and not once, in all that time, has anyone of your family been able to discover the cure. You've read it yourself in that diary you think you have well hidden and still, even you did not see the answer. It was right in front of your face, too. Your cat, so prevalent in the story of the original Zodiac family, is your cure.

The cure was good, but the timing was terrible. Kyou could heal the head of the family, somehow, but Akito was dying. Why couldn't they have done whatever they were going to do to Kyou days ago? "What's going to happen to Kyou?"

"I told you that, already. He will go through a metamorphosis and mature. After that, everything will come naturally to him and he will know what to do."

"But he'll be safe?" Shigure had never considered having children himself, but he had started to feel protective of the youngsters in his care, Yuki, Tohru, and Kyou.

"Absolutely safe and comfortable."

Shigure's mind was swirling with a need for answers only Sofu D could give him and the overwhelming worry for his family, Akito in particular. Shigure felt guilty, but just a little, for his fear for Akito drowning out his concern for the rest of the family. Shigure knew himself very well and the one person he couldn't lie to was himself; Akito was the most important person to him.

Shigure loved Akito.

Not just as the head of the family, not just as the one who gave Shigure life, but...more. It was a demanding, passionate love that made Shigure's heart break every time he listened to Akito's ravings or learned that he'd hurt someone. This love was as deep and real as Hatori's love for Kana or Ayame's love for Hatori. Shigure had admitted to himself long ago that he would do anything for Akito and it was destroying him that he was helpless now, just as everyone was always helpless at the death of the head of the family.

"Will you?" Sofu D spoke. "Will you truly do anything for him?"

Shigure was put on his guard again, though it was against all logic. This person already knew everything about the Souma family. Was it unreasonable to assume that a Kami could read minds as well? "Yes." Shigure thought of his sickly master...no. His sick friend. Shigure had proved himself strong enough to disobey Akito when necessary and he was not willing to blindly follow anyone, so Akito was not his master. He was a friend, he was family. "I would do anything to keep him alive and healthy." He meant it.

Though no one might understand his reasoning, Shigure always had a reason for everything he did and, usually, that reason involved Akito. Akito might not be happy with Shigure's actions or words, but in the end, Shigure was confident that he would bring happiness to Akito. Even Tohru, the girl Akito just couldn't understand, was apart of Shigure's grand plan to make Akito happy. Tohru made Yuki happy. If Yuki were happy, Akito would be happy. She made everyone around her stronger and that would bring strength to the Souma family. A strong, safe Souma family would make Akito happy. Really, it was the big picture that Shigure was interested in. He'd always believed that in the end...

"In the end, I wanted to make him happy. I wanted to make him healthy." Shigure laughed ruefully at himself and ran a shaking hand through his hair. "I failed...again. No matter how hard I try, I just never seem able to make it all turn out right. Now, time's run out; he's dying. I guess all my plans weren't good for much, in the end."

"End?" Sofu D said, amused. "Whoever said that this was the end? Your master is dying, not dead. He still has time."

"Time to do what? I can't very well take him to the hospital." Shigure said, defeated. "They can't do anything for him there, anyway. It's a pity you didn't tell us about Kyou sooner. Maybe Akito would live." It just wasn't fair. 'I can't believe it! The cure is in reach, after all this time, and Akito's going to die anyway. If only...' Shigure felt his eyes starting to burn and he swallowed hard. 'If I can't save Akito, at least I know the next head will survive.' That thought should have made Shigure happier, but it didn't.

Shigure hadn't cried in a long time; crying never solved anything. Shigure hadn't cried for Kana or Hatori's lost love. He hadn't cried when Ayame was in pain and thought he would lose Yuki. The closest Shigure had come to crying in years had been when he thought Tohru might leave them and that hadn't been for Tohru's sake, not really. Shigure had grown fond of Tohru and he was happy that she seemed happy with the family, but he'd wanted to cry for the people that he feared she would leave. She was the only hope of the Zodiac Souma's. Tohru had brought such light to the dark Souma family that, if she left, Shigure was afraid they would never find their way to the light again.

"You weep for your master." It was a statement and said in such a way that Shigure fought even harder with himself until he choked back the threatening tears.

"I'll leave you now." Shigure said, turning his back on Sofu D. "I need to go to Akito." If Shigure couldn't save him, then he would at least make sure Akito wasn't alone at the end. His only consolation about Kyou was that at least he knew the boy was safe and being taken care of. The Kami had no reason to lie, as far as Shigure could tell. Even if Sofu D were lying, there was nothing Shigure could do to help Kyou.

"Yes, go to him." Sofu D's soft words were very clear in Shigure's sharp ears. "But there will come a choice to be made very soon and you must make it. Your family will follow you; you are the dog. A natural pack animal, you are concerned with the pack, the family, before all personal desires. You are a perfect guardian for your family and they all know it, instinctively. If you tell them something is so, they will believe you."

"What they believe is that I'm a fool and a liar. I've worked very hard to perfect my image over the years. What's this got to do with anything?"

"In a short while my grandchild will be at your family's estate and he will wish to bring your master with him, back to our home. Your master will resist and he will order your family to defend him. My grandchild is quite able to take your master against his will, and will not hesitate since he knows of your master's illness, which clouds his judgment. If you were to be there and keep your family from interfering then it would all go much easier. Convince your family not to interfere else someone becomes injured."

Shigure's first impulse was to utterly refuse to help. It was the same impulse that all the cursed Souma's had which told them to absolutely obey Akito's commands and wishes. As had become his habit, Shigure fought the impulse and questioned it. "Why should I want to do that? Akito will want to be around family when he dies, I know him well enough to know that. He won't want to be with you or your grandchild."

"My grandchild can prevent your master's death, or at least he is able to postpone it. My grandchild will give your master time to live until your cat is ready. This is his only chance for survival."

Shigure paused at that and many thoughts began running through his head. What would he give to have Akito live a full life? If Akito lived then the family wouldn't have to worry about what would happen between Akito's death and when the next head of the family was born; they would have time to find a new heir for him if this was all true. If Sofu D couldn't deliver what he promised then they really lost very little. Akito would die one way or the other.

"You'll take Akito even if I don't help you, won't you?"

"Of course. Why? Do you believe you will refuse?"

Shigure thought of Akito and how much he'd always wished for Akito to be able to have a happy life. That wasn't too much to ask; to be stronger, able to go for at least a few days without worrying about his health. It seemed like a simple wish.

Sofu D stepped closer and Shigure was startled to find the Kami so close. His smile was almost kindly, but the rest of his face was still shrouded in the shadows of the black hood of his cape. "I sell dreams, you know. I am able to make any wish come true. Love, hope, dreams and happiness. That is my purpose and I think your family is sorely in need of all that I can sell."

Shigure remembered Akira, just before he'd died. The previous head of the family had raved in madness, even when the end drew near. He'd howled furiously at demons only he could see and frothed at the mouth like...like a dog. It had been a slow, lingering death; one that took days. According to the diary, every head of the family died in unpredictably ways, so it wasn't certain that Akito would go so violently. 'I can't let Akito die like that.'

When Shigure looked up at Sofu D he'd already made up his mind. It might be the wrong decision, but it was made and Shigure rarely changed his mind once it was made up. "I have conditions."

"As you wish."

"Akito won't go alone. That's out of the question. Kureno, his bodyguard, and Hatori, his doctor, will go. He won't go without them."

Sofu D looked questioningly at Shigure, with a curious twitch to his lips. "And you? Do you not wish to go along, also?"

Shigure didn't answer. "Are you coming?" He turned and started towards the estate, all that he'd learned buzzing around in his head. Shigure almost wished he had been left to live in blissful ignorance. So much was happening and so quickly, it was hard to know what the right decision was. This could all be a trap, but he would take the chance.

"No," Sofu D said. "I have business, elsewhere. My grandchild will no doubt meet you at your estate."

Right or wrong, what did they really have to lose? Kyou might be able to save Akito and, for that, Shigure would give his life. The only problem was that he wasn't risking his life, he was risking Akito's and the entire Souma family if this was all a deception.


Elsewhere-
Saki Hananjima-


Hana was on high alert and she knew that Tohru was in deep distress and possibly even danger. She could feel her dear friend's denpa waves, though it was at some distance and Hana couldn't pinpoint where Tohru was. For the first time in her life, something was blocking Hana's powers.

Considering the danger and trying to think where Tohru might be, Hana sat on the floor of her bedroom with her phone on the little table in front of her. She'd already tried calling Souma Shigure's house, only to get the answering machine. She knew there was no one home, though. She could feel it. Hana's bedroom was a very ordinary bedroom. The walls were plain white and the floor carpeted with a soft, tan rug. She had a bed, of course, and a small table, the same table she'd used to entertain those frivolous 'fan-club girls' who had been bothering Tohru. It shocked everyone who saw her room for the first time, as if they expected her to live in a crypt, everyone except Hana and Tohru.

'My Tohru.'

Hana was honest enough to admit she didn't want to share Tohru, except with Uotoni. She had finally found someone who could accept her absolutely and without hesitation and it seemed as if the whole world wanted a piece of Tohru. The fact was that Hana simply couldn't tolerate Tohru being unhappy and she wanted to do anything to make her happy. Tohru was so good that she should always be happy, even if it meant the pain of others.

Those selfish, greedy girls who had placed Souma Yuki on a pedestal so high he could barely hope to escape thought nothing of making sweet Tohru's life Hell just to satisfy their own twisted sense of justice were Hana's enemies because they tried to deliberately hurt Tohru. Hana hated those girls with a passion if, for nothing else, the pain they caused Tohru. It really made no sense. Yuki had never even shown the slightest bit of interest in any of those girls who regularly threw themselves at him, yet he'd taken almost at once to Tohru who didn't have the self-esteem to see her own worth. Her modesty and gentle nature had drawn his attention where no one else had succeeded. Not that Hana was especially happy about how close Tohru was to those Souma's. Still, they made her happy and that was all that mattered.

'You'd think they'd get a hint after a while and stop all this foolishness. I feel almost as badly for Yuki as I do for Tohru. What chance has he got to make any friends with people like that surrounding him.' There was also the slight mystery of the strange denpa waves Hana could feel from all of the Souma's, but their problems meant nothing when Tohru was in danger.

Hana stiffened as another wave of distress ran though her and then dissipated. It was Tohru's fear, something that Hana knew well. She'd felt the fear when Tohru's mother had died and she felt the fear that rainy night at the graveyard when she and Uo had found Tohru sprawled in the mud, crying on her mother's grave. Such a heartbreaking sight, but even then Hana had known what she had to do. She'd stopped Uo from interfering and forced Tohru to stand on her own two feet. This time, Hana didn't have a clear idea of what she should do.

Hana knew Tohru wasn't human; she'd known since the moment they'd met. It didn't matter; it wasn't as if Hana was exactly normal, either. Tohru looked and acted just like a human with the exception of her unequaled capacity for love. More than one person had commented on Tohru's inhuman compassion.

Yet another burst of fear made Hana squeeze her eyes closed and she clenched her hands tightly around the teacup she had been drinking out of so tightly that she was surprised when it didn't break.

What could Tohru be afraid of? She was the most innocent and self-effacing creature on the planet, she made no enemies besides the 'fan-club girls' and they were hardly a threat. Beyond verbal threats, they were harmless. Hana didn't know what to do.

Hana loved Tohru. She loved Tohru so deeply and so completely that she'd virtually made Tohru the center of her life, she would give up anything and everything for Tohru's sake. If Tohru asked her for anything, Hana would do it. Tohru was Hana's greatest weakness, really. It was a bit ironic. If Tohru desired it, Hana would use her powers and she could do serious damage. Tohru knew and understood Hana's talent, but she'd never asked for Hana to 'do' anything. Tohru probably didn't even know she had such great power at her disposal.

"Hana."

"Yes, Megumi?" Hana didn't even have to turn to know her little brother was standing in the doorway. He was so like her that other people found it frightening. Not just the physical resemblance, but their nature's, too. While Hana had a talent to feel and use denpa in a way that few people could, Megumi's psychic talent lay in a different vein. The only thing that had ever frightened Hana about Megumi was that he might one day have to suffer from the fear of other people as she did. Megumi didn't seem to share the same fear and, as far as Hana knew, he hadn't had any trouble with bullies. Then again, he might not be telling her what was going on. It was hard to tell with Megumi.

It was the black, also. Everyone wondered about the black. Why did Hana and Megumi always dress in black? The answer was simple and complex at the same time. The color black was powerful to psychics. It dulled the mental 'noise' around them and calmed their minds. Hana couldn't explain it well, but she knew black was the most comfortable color to wear and she made sure that she wore it often. Only at school, where she was forced to wear the dreadful uniform, was Hana truly uncomfortable. There were times that Hana felt as if she couldn't stop the emotions of other people running though her mind.

Megumi walked into the room and sat next to Hana on the floor, leaning over until his little head rested on her shoulder. Hana didn't normally like touching other people, their emotions were to distracting and often painful, but Megumi was one of the few exceptions. Hana didn't mind close contact with any of her family or Uo and Tohru, but that was about it. Megumi was special, though. With him, Hana didn't have to block his emotions from her mind, he let his emotions slide into hers in a sort of gentle greeting. It was hard to explain, so Hana had never tried. The only thing she knew was that Megumi understood her better than anyone else she'd ever known, even Tohru.

"You're afraid?"

"For Tohru." Hana answered. It was as useless for her to lie to Megumi as it was for other people to lie to her. "She is in great distress."

"Yet you don't go to her." It was a statement and ones like that reminded Hana of why everyone seemed to think Megumi was to mature for his age. He even surprised Hana, at times. "Do you want to?"

"I don't think I should. I feel as if she's safe and needs to be where she is. I don't like it, though. I would like to have someone she trusts close to her." Hana had no better explanation and was glad she didn't need one. Megumi understood. "Again, I can't do anything for her." Hana leaned her head over, touching the top of Megumi's head with her own.

"I think..." Megumi paused and his eyes took on a far way look. "I think you should trust Tohru. I think she's stronger than she thinks she is and that she'll be fine."

Hana couldn't quite manage the smile she wanted to give her brother.

"Isn't it enough?" Megumi asked. "Do you want me to do more?"

It was a difficult question and Hana thought hard before she answered. Megumi had no talent with denpa, but his skills were, in many ways, more insidious. Curses were his strong point and, if he wished to, Megumi could curse anyone just by knowing their name. However, that wasn't the limit of his extraordinary skills. Hana often thought that, when he grew older, Megumi would be far more powerful than she was. No, she didn't think it. She knew it. Already, Megumi had great power pent up in his little body. Much of his power was natural, he'd been born with it, but a great deal of his power had been learned. Megumi had spent hours upon hours teaching himself how to curse and...other things.

Hana told him, "No curses. We don't know who's with Tohru and we certainly don't want to curse her."

Megumi nodded. "Agreed. Then something else?"

"What else?" Megumi was almost as ruthless as Hana was, but not quite. He would go a long way for someone he thought of as a friend and Megumi liked Tohru very much. "Farsight?" Perhaps Megumi would be able to see Tohru where Hana couldn't feel her.

Megumi shook his head slowly. "I don't think that would work in this case. If you can't pinpoint her, then I wouldn't be able to see her. Perhaps something more...elementary. Curses will not work. Perhaps a blessing will." Megumi didn't wait for Hana's approval before he closed his eyes and Hana felt him relax against her. Knowing that this was the way of it, Hana put her arm around Megumi to support him, but didn't speak or interfere. Megumi's techniques were often dangerous, even to himself, and therefore not done without good reason.

It seemed, for a while, as if nothing was happening. Megumi's skin grew cold against Hana's and his eyelids began to flicker erratically. He woke himself from the trance very quickly though, after only a few seconds. "I'm sorry." He whispered. "I can't reach Tohru. I can feel her, but she's somewhere that I can't reach her. I can't give her a blessing."

If Hana could take the blessing herself, she would ask Megumi to give it to her, but they had long ago learned that they couldn't affect each other with their powers. Hana was thinking on the problem when, just by coincidence, she looked out her bedroom window. She happened to see Souma Yuki striding quickly by. He looked like a man on a mission, with his purposeful steps and his sharp eyes darting this way and that. "Will you put the blessing on someone else? Someone who could help Tohru?"

"Yes, but I need a name."

"Souma Yuki."

Again, Megumi closed his eyes and settled himself into Hana's side. His skin once again grew cold and his eyelids began to flicker. This time, the process took longer, but not all that much longer. Megumi's eyes opened, but he didn't come out of his trance at once as he had before. His eyes saw what Hana couldn't and she wondered what, precisely, Megumi saw when he went into this state. At last, Megumi took a deep, shuttering breath and his eyes focused on Hana.

"It's done." Megumi told her, sounding exhausted. "Souma Yuki has been blessed. No matter what his intentions, he will succeed. Are you certain he IS looking for Tohru?"

"Yes." Hana remembered the determined look on Yuki's face as he'd passing unknowingly by her window. "If anyone will find Tohru, he will. I know it."


Inside the petshop-
Kyou-


Count D led Kyou down the narrow side street without a word. It was just as well, Kyou didn't think he'd have anything to say if Count D did try to say anything. It was all too hard to cope with. Unbelievable. Ridiculous. Stupid, really. Kyou couldn't save the Souma family. He was just the cat.

The car was one of the nicer ones Kyou had seen. A shining black car that must have been nearly one hundred years old. It looked as if it might be one of the first cars to roll off the assembly lines and there was a driver waiting, holding the door open for Count D. It really wasn't anything new to Kyou. He'd seen chauffeurs before and fancy cars like this one were nothing unusual in the Souma family. Hatori had one of those high-priced cars, a Mercedes or something like that.

The chauffeur was dressed like someone out of a movie, from his smart black suit to the neatly combed hair. Even his shoes were polished enough to give a reflection.

"Did you get what you wanted, Count?" The chauffeur asked in a voice that sounded as if he wanted to laugh. His eyes went to Kyou and Kyou shivered at when he felt the eyes examining him.

"What are you staring at?!" Kyou demanded gruffly. He really wasn't in the mood to take anything from anyone.

"Now, now, there is no need for such temper." Count D said soothing. "Michael is only curious, I am afraid. It is not one of his finer qualities, but just looking at you will not hurt. As for your question, Michael, I did find what I wanted. Michael, this is Kyou. He will be staying with us for a while." Count D slid into the back seat of the Rolls Royce and Michael, the driver, held the door for Kyou. He waited expectantly until Kyou climbed in after Count D and settled himself uncomfortably onto to the seat next to Count D, but as far from the man as he could get. Kyou had agreed to this bizarre experiment, but that didn't mean he was entirely comfortable with it.

"Don't look so uptight." Michael murmured, smiling at Kyou before he closed the car's door. "You'll be fine."

Once alone with Count D, Kyou was starting to have second thoughts about all of this. The car's interior was absolutely back. The tinted windows kept out much of the outside light, but, for once, Kyou didn't mind the absence of light. The blood boiling in his veins seemed to settle and his heart calmed. In fact, Kyou began to feel quite sleepy.

"Well?" Kyou asked. He sat in the corner of the seat with his back to the door so he could see Count D fully. "You made a lot of claims out there. Are you gonna tell me what's really going on or not?" It was a defense mechanism, Shigure had once told Kyou, to become angry with whomever was in range when he was frightened or confused. At the time, Kyou had sworn until he was blue in the face at Shigure for saying something so stupid, but now he just didn't care. It had always worked before so why not use it now.

"If you like." The man remained unruffled and completely at ease as he sat with his hand on his knees. "I have told you much of the story already. As the cat of your family, it is your duty to provide power for the head of your family who, in turn, gives power to the rest of your family. That is how your family is meant to work. Sadly, it has not worked so well in the past years. I am going to take you to my home where you may rest and, I believe you will grow."

"That's it?" Not a word of it made any sense to Kyou.

"That is it." Count D continued to smile. "Simple, is it not? A few days of rest and you will see the world in a different light."

"I wish things were different now." Kyou muttered. His whole body still felt off and he was having serious doubts about coming with this guy. Not that it mattered, really. Who would really care if anything happened to him? Well...Kagura and Tohru would cry. Yuki might get upset, he was weird, getting upset by the strangest things. Shigure wouldn't show it if he was upset, but he might. The more Kyou thought about it, the more he thought that maybe people WOULD care. Maybe this wasn't a good idea.




"What the Hell is this place?" Kyou asked, following Count D down the stairway. It put his teeth on edge, this whole place. A tiny little place in a back alley, the Count's house was almost invisible unless one knew where to look for it. Kyou could smell a sickly sweet smell filtering up from whatever room was beyond the door at the bottom of the stairs and he wrinkled his nose. "That smell..." Kyou didn't know if he'd be able to stand living here for even a few days if he was going to have to put up with that smell.

"You will become used to it." Count D assured Kyou. "If you do not, I will find you a room where the smell of the incense does not intrude." At that, Count D had reached the bottom of the stairs and put his pale hand on the door as he waited for Kyou to catch up with him. "This is my petshop, and all the creatures within are precious to me. I must ask you to keep your temper in check and restrain yourself from violence unless you are physically threatened. That will not happen, though." He smiled. "Feel welcome in my home, Kyou." The smell was cloying and choking when he swung the door open and ushered Kyou inside.

It was like nothing Kyou had ever seen before. The petshop was well lit in places, but the lights only served to make the shadows in the corners look darker. Kyou felt like hundreds of eyes were watching him when he stepped in and he didn't like it.

Count D allowed Kyou a few minutes to explore the outer room, carefully taking in everything he saw. The room was opulent, but modest. It didn't look like much until one looked closely at the quality of the furnishings and even Kyou could tell that every single thing, down to the rug and teacups on the coffee table were expensive.

"I would advise that you keep out of this front room," Count D said when Kyou began to poke around near the bird cages hanging from the ceiling. "This is where many customers wait for service and I think you would not like them seeing you as you truly are. It is your choice, however."

"So, is this it? What's back there?" Kyou's eyes went to the large doors that obviously led to a back room.

"That is where you will live. I have many people living here, I'm sure you will get to know them all before you leave us and perhaps even make a friend or two."

"I might not even stay out the day." Kyou didn't like the assumption that he'd be staying any amount of time. Count D had promised that Kyou could leave any time he wanted to, with his bracelet, and Kyou intended to hold the Count to that promise.

"That is your choice. Will you follow me?" Count D went to the large doors and pushed them open, revealing a corridor behind.

The corridor wasn't nearly so well lit as the front room and there were even more shadows from the dimmer light. Along the corridor, Kyou could see small windows and large doors, none of which he could actually see into. Every now and again, Kyou would pause when he thought he could see someone looking out through the window at him. He would catch a glimpse of movement or the shine of eyes looking out at him. Whenever he tried to get a closer look, though, whatever he thought he saw would vanish.

"Who else is living here?" Kyou asked. His voice almost seemed to echo down the long corridor. The Count, holding a lantern, turned another corner and Kyou hurried his pace a bit to catch up before the darkness would engulf him. He was very sure that he wasn't going to like this place; too much darkness.

"Many people. Perhaps you will meet a few of them." At that moment, from the opposite direction, Kyou sat a small, sleek looking white fox with a little bird flying just above and behind it. "Ten-chan," Count D smiled at the fox and bent over to pet its head. The white fox grinned and licked at Count D's wrist. "I see you've found us a new pet, and how lovely she is." He looked at the little bird as he said this, but the bird's reaction was the strangest thing of all. It flew right up to Kyou and began to circle frantically around him, singing excitedly.

Kyou flinched away from the bird, trying not to let it hit him, but it seemed very insistent to get close to him. "What's this thing's problem?"

"She is happy to see you. Perhaps she likes you." Count D said, unconcerned. "Shall we continue? We are nearly there. Ten-chan will take care of the little one." He gestured to the white fox with eyes that looked as if it were laughing at Kyou.

"A fox taking care of a bird? Oh, yeah. That sounds like REAL good judgment." Kyou scoffed.

"I thought so myself." Count D replied, completely seriously before he started walking again and Kyou followed. The bracelet was irritating his wrist again and Kyou forgot about the little bird in moments when he began to think about what would happen. He really didn't know except that the Count said it was going to make everything better and it sounded very permanent. Most of all, whatever was going to happen meant that Kyou wouldn't be imprisoned and Kyou would risk anything for his freedom.


Tohru-


Tohru's hope vanished when Kyou swatted at her like she was nothing more than an annoying insect. 'Thing?' Tohru thought, devastated. 'Kyou called me a thing. It was like he didn't know me.' Tohru slumped to the floor. How could Kyou not see her? She was right in front of her? Maybe he was mad at her for just leaving when he needed her. She hadn't been able to do anything to help him and she'd passed out right after falling out the window, so maybe Kyou thought she'd run away from him and didn't want to help.

"You worry too much, lil' miss." Ten-chan told him, patting her back. "Your friend just can't see you. I'm not sure what's going on, but the Count will take care of him." Ten-chan looked to where Kyou and Count D were disappearing into the shadows of the far end of the corridor. "The boss wouldn't bring someone here without a reason, he's very clever, you know." Ten-chan was sitting with his legs crossed on the floor and his head tilted slightly to the side while he looked at her. "Do you understand that you aren't human, now?"

Tohru shook her head. "That can't be. It really can't be. I know my mom and I've always seen pictures of my dad. I've always been human, I can't have just changed." Tohru wanted to add that the others changed shape when she hugged them. That was proof, right? They didn't change if they hugged an animal of the opposite sex so Tohru must be human.

"Why not? Besides, I get the feeling that the boss has all your answers and he'll tell you when he's got the time. Right now, he's very busy."

Tohru sniffed and rubbed her eyes, trying very hard not to cry. She just didn't want to accept what was going on, even if the evidence was against her. "Doing what?" Tohru asked, hoping to change the subject. She didn't want to think about the bird's reflection or everything that Ten-chan had been telling her. She didn't want to think about her whole life being one great lie.

"I don't know all the details, but it's pretty important. We came all this way, after all and followed that human the boss likes so much. I think it has something to do with a family the boss has an interest in. They aren't human, either, your little friend, I think, is one of them."

Tohru stopped sniffing and her brow creased with a frown. "Friend? You mean Kyou?"

"I guess so. I don't really know, but I do know he wasn't human. Did you think he was?"

"Well..." Tohru hesitated about what she should say. She'd promised not to say anything to anyone about the curse, but Ten-chan seemed to know so much already and she needed to trust someone. Tohru had the feeling that she wouldn't be able to get out of this place no matter how hard she tried. "Please, you've been very kind to me, Ten-chan, and I am grateful, but I'd really like to leave now." If she could just find Shigure or Yuki...

"I told you, it'll be better for you if you stay here and talk to the boss. You just stay with me and I'll look out for you. We'll go find somewhere nice to wait till the boss is ready to talk to you. Do you like the sea? I'll bet you'd like Phillipe. Hey, where are you going?"

Tohru was in no mood to just wait around and she'd started down the corridor after Kyou and the Count. "I have to see if Kyou's all right. He was in so much pain before and I want to know why he's here. I have to try to talk to him again."

"It's no good." Ten-chan called after her, warningly. "He won't understand. He thinks you're a nightingale, he can't see you."

"I have to try." After all Kyou had done for her since they'd met, it was the least Tohru could do. Maybe she wasn't human, but she still owed Kyou so much. He was always kind to her and she had to find out if he was hurt. If Kyou were still hurt then she'd have to do her best to help him, even if he couldn't see her.

Tohru was sorry that she'd left Ten-chan behind almost at once.

The halls of the petshop had become dark and filled with menace she hadn't noticed when she'd been with Ten-chan. Tohru was becoming more and more frightened and she hugged herself as she walked down the halls. 'Kyou, where are you?' She wondered. After a while with no sign of Kyou, Tohru decided that she would have to try the doors she kept passing. She really didn't want to, she heard the strangest noises coming from behind the doors. She didn't have much choice, though, and began looking for a door that wasn't quite as menacing as the rest of them. Eventually, Tohru found a door with no sound at all coming from the other side.

"H-hello?" Tohru called hesitantly as she put her hand on the door. "Is anyone there?" With no answer, Tohru slid the door open and peered inside. It was completely dark but for the dim light Tohru had let in by opening the door. "I'm looking for a boy, is he here? Is Kyou..."

"What a pretty treat." The voice made Tohru jump as she'd just started to think that the room was empty and her heart lurched.

"But perhaps not for us." Another voice in the darkness remarked.

"Why else would it be here if the Count had not given it to us?"

Tohru's hand hadn't left the door and she wanted very badly to be out of the room, away from those cold voices. Tohru had the terrible feeling that people were staring at her. She took a step backwards, but no more. A hand slipped out of the darkness and seized her wrist. Tohru didn't have time to cry out before more hands joined the first and she was pulled into the darkness, leaving the safety of the doorway behind her. The door closed behind Tohru and she was left in complete darkness.

"Yes," A voice, so close to Tohru's ear that she could feel the speaker's breath, whispered. "So tasty it will be. I was just starting to get hungry."

Tohru screamed when someone, something, licked her cheek.


Kyou-


"Ah, here we are." Count D stopped at a door that was exactly like the dozens they'd already passed and Kyou wondered if he'd be able to find his way out again. This whole place was like a maze and the smell of the incense was messing up Kyou's sense of smell. Instead of being able to smell every little thing as clearly as if it were right in front of him, Kyou found that he could smell nothing but the incense. It was a bit of a relief in a way. "This will be your room while you are here. I think this will be most comfortable."

The room wasn't a room.

"What kind of shit is this?" Kyou demanded when Count D opened the door. They were in the middle of a forest, a beautiful forest with trees that soared into the sky and the wonderful smell of pine trees Kyou had always associated with the mountains. "Where the Hell are we?" In the distance, Kyou could hear the rush of water and he knew it was the river he and Kazuma had fished in whenever they came up here.

"Your language leaves much to be desired." Count D remarked coolly. "We are still in my petshop, this is merely one aspect of it. I am certain that you will find yourself comfortable here. There is no one else in here but you, no one to interrupt your peace. There," Count D pointed with one of his long fingernails and Kyou followed the finger to see something impossible.

"The cabin." It was Kazuma's cabin, exactly. Right down to the rain barrel and the half-used stack of firewood piled outside the door, it was an exact copy of Kazuma's cabin. "How did you know?" Kyou was actually starting to get a little frightened. There was no way this guy could know about Kazuma's cabin, no possible way and yet he did. No one had seen that cabin in decades except for Kyou and Kazuma and Kazuma wouldn't have brought a stranger up there.

"Know what?" Count D asked with an air of saintly innocence. "I simply thought that a mountain retreat might suit you well. Do you like it?"

Like it? Kyou nodded slowly, taking it all in. It was almost as if Count D had read his mind, but that was impossible. Right? "So," Kyou began, ready to change the subject away from the puzzle he didn't understand. "What do I do now?"

"Now? You rest. This is a time of peace for you and nothing will disturb you. The only thing you must do is to remove your bracelet. So long as you wear that, your time here is wasted."

Kyou's hand went to his bracelet, but he didn't take it off. "Why don't you just take it? You seem to want it very badly, so why don't you take it?" From what Kyou had seen of Count D, he was starting to think that if Count D really wanted the bracelet, nothing Kyou could do would stop him. Count D was definitely not human and so Kyou had no way of knowing what he was capable of.

"No." Count D's smile was indecipherable. "That, I will not do. As I said before, I am trying to undo the damage done by my papa. Taking your bracelet by force will only deepen the damage. I will not touch it until you are able to freely give it to me and no longer need it."

"I still don't see what you think is gonna happen." Kyou kept rubbing his palm over the comforting hardness of the beads. "Nothing's gonna change and I'm always gonna need the bracelet."

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. You won't know unless you try. Put your bracelet somewhere safe and we shall see what happens at the end of the next two weeks."

"Two weeks?" Kyou knew that if anything were going to happen, which it wasn't, then it would take longer than two weeks.

"I believe so. Two weeks seems about the right amount of time. Food will be delivered to you as often as you need it." Count D looked up and then over his shoulder. "If you will excuse me, I have other matters to attend to. If you should need anything, feel free to leave this room and find someone. All residents know you are under my care and protection, they will be able to help you or guide you to me. I doubt you will need to do that, though." At that, he turned with a swish of his ornate, bright robes and glided out of the room. Rather, Count D went to the set of doors that seemed to be standing in the middle of the familiar forest and walked through, closing them behind him.

Kyou was left alone with his hand still on his bracelet. It really was his choice. With a great deal of trepidation and a deep breath, Kyou pulled his bracelet off and braced himself for the pain.

The agonizing transformation overtook Kyou and he became the monster he so hated. For the first time in his life, Kyou was going to spend more than a few minutes as this dreaded monster and he was going to do it deliberately. Two weeks.

"I must be crazy."

Crazy or not, Kyou had very little to do once Count D had left him alone. He was more than a little uncomfortable in his original body, but he was determined to go through with it. Kyou let the bracelet fall to the grass and he tried to forget it for a while. Eventually, in the peace and quiet of the afternoon, Kyou ended up falling asleep. He couldn't sleep in the cabin, though. His body was now to large to even fit though the door and if he tried to lay on the bed, he'd likely break it. He ended up sleeping on the grass, staring up at the passing clouds. This was all impossible. This could NOT be all in a petshop. Yet, it was.

When Kyou finally fell asleep he dreamed as he never had before and he wondered, later, if it was because he had slept as the monster. He'd never fallen asleep in his original form before. Kyou dreamed of fire and heat and the comfort of loved ones all nestled in close to him. He dreamed of being happy and content and in his dreams he saw the ones he loved the most. Kyou saw Tohru and Yuki and Kazuma. The three most important people in his life and he saw them happy. They were smiling at him, proud of him.

Kyou didn't want to wake up. Reality seemed so harsh and cold, so far away, and that was just where Kyou wanted to keep it. Far away.


Outside the Petshop-
Yuki-


Yuki had been searching for hours, but there was no sign of Kyou and it was starting to worry him more than irritate him. Yuki had begun his search, after speaking to Kazuma, worried for Kyou's health and angry at Kyou's behavior. Everyone knew that Kazuma had done so much for Kyou and Kyou had always acted grateful. There was no reason why Kyou would have hurt Kazuma and Yuki was certain that Kyou was still feeling unwell from the attack. That was the only logical reason why Kyou would hurt Kazuma, but it still made Yuki angry. Kyou should have been sensible and just stayed with Yuki or gone back to the estate to find Hatori. That was logical, sensible. 'Not that he's ever logical or sensible! He'll get himself killed and I STILL haven't the faintest idea where to look for Tohru!'

Yuki had seen the car, the shining black car that looked like an antique, and he'd seen Kyou getting into the car with the same man, or apparently the same man, that had attacked them. 'Stupid! How can he be so stupid! He knows that guy's dangerous and he just goes off with him? He wasn't even trying to get away.' At least Yuki knew that Kyou was still alive, or he had been at any rate.

As fast as Yuki could run, even he couldn't catch up with the car once it had started moving and he fell behind quickly until the car vanished out of sight. Even as Yuki scoured the streets for any sign of Kyou, his promise to Kazuma echoed in his mind. He'd promised to bring Kyou home. 'And Tohru. How am I going to find Tohru? There wasn't any trace of her and Shigure said he didn't see anything. She can't have just disappeared.' Yuki didn't know if he'd be able to survive without her and the thought that Tohru might have died alone, in pain and frightened, tore at Yuki as much as the thought of sick and injured Kyou in the hands of that psychopath who'd hurt him in the first place.

All of a sudden Yuki saw a movement out of the corner of his eye and he stopped to look. It was the car he'd seen Kyou getting into, the big, black, shiny car. Strangely, the car that looked as if it were worth a small fortune was parked in an alley and Yuki couldn't think of a logical reason why it would be there. The alley was completely empty, barely big enough for the car, and there was only one door on the right side of the alley.

Slowly, cautious of any traps, Yuki approached the car. He was absolutely certain that this was the car he'd seen Kyou get into and Yuki's irritation at Kyou was starting to fade into fear. This had all the hallmarks of a very bad murder/mystery and Yuki didn't like to think what might have happened or what he might find in the car. What if that man had finished the job he'd set out to do and he'd killed Kyou, just abandoning the car?

"Such a black face."

Yuki's attention was ripped away from the car when he heard the voice and he saw a well-dressed man standing near the car. He was slick and polished, not the sort of person Yuki would expect to see in a filthy alley. Yuki didn't reply at first, he was trying to figure out what made this man seem so familiar. He certainly didn't feel like a threat of any kind.

"I'm looking for someone." Yuki started. "An orange haired boy about my age. He's sick and I need to get him home."

The man thought but then shook his head. "Sorry, I haven't seen any sick kids around. I'm Michael. I must say that I'm surprised you found your way here. He said it was nearly impossible to find this place. You must be blessed."

Yuki was careful to keep a safe distance from the man, but he couldn't just leave. Michael sounded very much as if he were lying or at least hiding the truth. "Are you sure you haven't seen anyone?"

Michael was smiling and, if it had been from any other strange man, Yuki might have been worried. Michael, though, felt very familiar. Yuki was sure that they'd met before. "Oh, I'm sure. I haven't seen any sick boys, Yuki."

Yuki's eyes narrowed and his whole body tensed, ready to either fight or run. He hadn't told Michael his name. "You know me?"

"I've known you for a very long time. I'm sorry I had to leave for a while, but someone new is in the city and needed some help." Michael stepped away from the car and towards Yuki, completely at ease with the situation. Yuki began to step backwards, ready to run, when Michael stopped and looked a bit sad. "Oh. Yes. I'm sorry. I forgot myself. Forgive me." He gave a very proper bow before he went back to the car and hoisted himself up to sit on the trunk.

"Forgot what?" Yuki asked, trying to force himself to relax. "I've never met you before."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I am." It was a lie, Yuki still had the nagging feeling that he'd met Michael before, but Yuki wasn't about to tell Michael anything that might help him confuse Yuki anymore. Yuki kept shifting his eyes from side to side, trying to figure out what the trick was. Perhaps Kyou had said something and they were using the information to confuse Yuki. "You're lying to me. Where's Kyou?"

"I can't say. I'm very sorry if you're in any distress, Yuki. I never wanted that. Trust me, though, this is all for the best." Michael turned his face away from Yuki and stared intensely at the unmarked door Yuki was nearly standing in front of. "You'll find the answer soon."

Yuki scowled and looked at the door. Clearly a clue, but would it really be wise to knowingly walk into such an obvious trap? "What is this all about?"

Michael smiled winsomely. "I want to make you happy."

"Why?"

Michael opened his mouth, but stopped short and said nothing. He just looked at the door again and Yuki tried to decide what he should do. This was either a blessing or a curse and he had to take a chance, one way or the other.

Yuki reached out and turned the doorknob.


At the hospital-
Leon-


The first thing Leon saw when he woke was the bright lights and he had the fleeting fear that maybe he was dead. He'd heard lots of stories about people who saw a bright light on the verge of death, but he'd never expected them to be quite so bright.

"Leon, you're awake!" Unless Jill was dead, too, Leon was very much alive. "Come on, look at me." Jill urged until Leon did as she asked and turned his head to look at her. Jill smiled in relief. "Oh, thank God. You were really scaring me, Leon." Jill looked as if she'd been through Hell. Her hair was frizzy, as it tended to do when she worried too much, and she had black circles under her eyes. Her hand, with which she was holding Leon's hand, was trembling and that made Leon worry all the more. Of all the people Leon knew, besides D, Jill was the most unshakable. He'd never seen anything shake Jill up so badly and it made him very nervous.

"You look like shit, Jill." Leon muttered. His throat was sore and he felt very weak, but there was a pleasant, lingering scent of a Gattolotto. Leon recognized the scent at once and he shifted his eyes to look around, but he couldn't see a thing other than a fancied up hospital room.

For once, Jill didn't rebuke Leon or scold him, but she did look ready to cry and gripped his hand tighter.

"Awww, come on, Jill. I didn't mean it. You know I don't mean it." He hated seeing women cry and Jill more than any other woman.

"Shut it, Leon." Jill leaned down and put her arms around Leon as much as she could. She pressed her cheek against his. "I was so worried, you idiot." She didn't say anything else, but she didn't have to.

Leon closed his eyes and tried to hug Jill back, but couldn't quite manage it with all the wires and tubes attached to him and ended up just patting her back. "Jill?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry."

Jill pulled back just enough so she could look Leon in the face. "What are you babbling about? You didn't do anything wrong unless you're thinking about how you snuck off when my back was turned. If I was around, I could have helped you, ya know."

Leon knew he'd done more wrong than that. "I don't want you to get hurt. I don't have much, Jill, but I want to protect the people I care about and you're one of them. I had a dream that you died because of me. I don't want that to happen."

"I'm not going to die, Leon." Jill frowned at him, but touched his cheek fondly. "I know you're a bit of a pig, but you know I'm pretty well able to take care of myself. You didn't drag me into this, I pushed my way in. I know what I'm getting into." Then she shook her head. "You've had a lot of people worried. The Count was here earlier, but he left before I could see him. He left an incense burner, so you be nice when you see him again. I think he brought you a plant, too, but it's dead now." Jill's gentle face turned slightly hard. "He was very thoughtful, so you should be grateful when he comes to see you again."

Leon looked and saw a brown, dead plant and knew that must have been what Jill was talking about. Somehow, though it looked very little like the plant D had once given him, Leon knew it was a Gattolotto. Maybe it was a coincidence that D kept giving Leon a Gattolotto and when he got seriously hurt he would see the blooming Gattolotto in his dreams. Maybe it was coincidence...maybe not.

"Leon? Did you hear me?" Jill gave his hand a slight shake. "Ayame was visiting, too, but there was some kind of family emergency, I think. He had to go back to the family's estate."

"Estate?" Leon knew there was something he should be remembering. He'd gone to the estate after talking to Ayame's kid brother and...Leon's memory faded away. "I was there."

"No shit." Jill said. "Ayame told me everything. You were shot, don't you remember? Did they tell you what happened?" Jill got a horrified look in her eyes.

"What?" Leon asked with a growing sense of dread. He tired desperately to remember what had happened. He'd met that skinny kid yelling at the Souma estate, Akito. He was going to take that Akito kid to find someone, a doctor or something. Then he'd seen Chris and a couple of other kids walking down the sidewalk towards them. There was a white car and a woman with a gun. "What happened?"

"That woman who shot you...she...she took Chris."

Leon felt himself go very cold and then it felt as if his brain caught on fire. "WHAT?!!" Leon sat bolt upright, his weariness and weakness forgotten. His head spun with the sudden movement and he felt as if he might throw up, but got a hold of himself quickly. "What do you mean she took him?! Took him where? Who took him?!"

"I mean she took him." Jill flinched back a little from Leon's fury, but she didn't back down. "Look, I've already called the police and they're searching the whole city. That boy you saved is Souma Akito, the head of the Souma family, and they're very powerful in Japan. Akito must have contacts, he's called some high up people in the government and they've got everyone out looking. Police, detectives, military, private investigators, everyone. Honest, Leon, they'll find Chris real soon."

"Real soon? Is that all you can say? Christ! I've got to find him." After pulling off the wires and other stuff that had been attached to him, Leon pushed himself up off the bed and began searching the room, shoving his way passed Jill with only a minimum of difficulty. "Where the Hell's my clothes? I gotta get outta here. Get me a phone, I need to talk to D. Does he know? Did anyone bother to tell him or is he...oh, crap, is he out looking by himself? That idiot will get himself killed. Shit! Crap! Damn it!" Leon shouted, making his throat burn.
That was the last thing Leon needed. Not only to worry about where Chris was and even if he was still alive, but also to worry about D. If D was out looking for Chris, something he'd be foolish enough to do, he might run into the Black Scorpion. What if it was the Black Scorpion that took Chris?

"Leon, calm down!" Jill grabbed his arm and tried to look him in the face, but Leon was in no mood to listen and shook her off. As strong and stubborn as Jill was, Leon was physically about twice her size and made out of solid muscles. "Leon, there's nothing more you can do, you have to rest. I spoke to Ayame on the phone, he said that woman was a criminal in the Souma family and they've already sent someone out to find her. He's in a pretty bad way, I think someone in the family's dying. Maybe that kid you were trying to help."

"I'm not going to lay around in bed while Chris is out there somewhere. Christ, what if..." If, somehow, the Black Scorpion had gotten wind that someone was looking for them, it would be easy enough to find out that Chris was Leon's little brother. It might be some kind of ransom to get Leon away from their trail or just a weird kind of warning. Then again, Leon had been careful to keep his mouth shut about why he was in Japan, so maybe this was their regular way of getting children. Maybe it was just coincidence that Chris had been taken. Chris might end up just like Murakai. "I'm not gonna let it happen. I'll find him if I have to rip Japan apart!"

Leon left the hospital with very little protesting from Jill. He briefly saw Jill's new girlfriend, Mine, in the waiting room when he stormed out, but barely looked at her. Jill paused a moment to say something to Mine, kissed her on the cheek, and hurried after Leon.

"She's taking care of the paper work." Jill informed him.

"Thanks." It was a cold reply and Leon would apologize later. So much to think about. Chris and D. Ayame and that kid, Akito, and the Black Scorpion just out of Leon's reach.

Leon and Jill walked through the city streets, speaking very little. Jill must have been curious, Hell, Leon was curious, about how Leon could be walking around so painlessly when he'd been shot just a short time ago. There were more important things to think about, though. Chris, he had to get Chris.

The sun was starting to set and Leon took a quick look at his watch. It had been a couple of hours since Chris had been taken and the longer he was gone the more danger he'd be in. Maybe D could pull off another miracle and he would know where Chris was being held.

Just as Leon and Jill were nearing the petshop, Leon's stride slowed to a stop. "What the Hell?" He said, staring.

On the other side of the street there was a parade of children all being led by tall, narrow man with short blonde hair. The children were all dressed alike in baggy grey trousers and shirts. The children ranged in age from very young up to a teenage boy who brought up the rear of the parade. Each child wore a terribly solemn expression, not laughing or speaking as they walked behind the young man who carried yet another child. This one seemed to be asleep or unconscious, but it didn't move a muscle as it was being carried. It was the teenager at the end of the line who had caught Leon's full attention, though. He was bare-chested and Leon could see, very clearly, a tattooed black scorpion on his chest.

Leon's eyes widened as he was flooded with so many emotions at once. Hope that he'd found what he was searching for and fear for the children he was staring at. Hatred for whoever had done this to them. Joy that Chris wasn't one of the children in the line and disappointment that Chris wasn't in the line of children. At least then he'd know where Chris was. Leon didn't even have time to take one step towards the children before Jill suddenly grabbed his arm in a vice-like grip.

"Look!" Jill cried, pointing just up the sidewalk.

Leon broke out into a wide grin when he saw what he saw. "Chris!" He called, starting to run even before he'd spoken.

Chris was riding on the back of D's little monster, Tet-chan. The ugly, evil-tempered creature had never looked so beautiful to Leon as he did just then when he was carrying Chris safely home. Leon wondered, briefly, how Tet-chan had found Chris and what he'd done to the people who'd had Chris. Leon didn't think of it long, all that mattered was the Chris was safe.

Chris looked at when he'd heard Leon call his name and he nearly fell off Tet-chan's back in an effort to get down and run to Leon. He was, Leon noted, wearing the same grey clothes as the children he'd seen across the street, but he looked whole and healthy, if a little pale.

>Leon!< Chris cried, throwing his arms around Leon when Leon fell down next to him and Leon thanked any and all gods that might be listening for his brother's safe return. All he could do was hold Chris for the longest time, just hold him and look at him and wonder at how lucky they were.

Over Chris' shoulder, Leon's eyes met Tet-chan's and there was a fleeting moment of understanding. He saw it in Tet-chan's eyes. No one and nothing would ever hurt Chris so long as Tet-chan was on duty. Tet-chan wasn't a savage, dumb beast, as Leon had so often called him. Tet-chan was magnificent, if only for a moment.

"Are you all right?" Leon asked, pulling back just a little, so he could see Chris' face.

>Yeah. I think so.< But there was something in Chris' face that said he might not be telling the whole truth and Leon wasn't surprised. No one would be all right after being kidnapped. Chris looked like he wanted to cry, badly.

Leon picked Chris up and held him easily. "How about we get home, huh? D's going to be worried sick about you."

Chris shook his head, though. >He knows I'm okay. It was the Count who sent Tet-chan for me. He's at home waiting for us.<

Leon smiled and felt his adrenaline begin to slow down and tiredness began to overtake him. It made him very happy that Chris thought of the petshop as home, for some reason. As they all walked together, Leon glanced across the street and saw that the parade of children and the one adult shepherd had vanished. Leon didn't even think about going after them. It was far more important to get Chris home and to see D. Leon would go after the other children when he was sure D was at home and that Chris was with him.


At the Souma Estate-
Akito-


'So...this is what it's like to die.' It was actually far less painful than Akito had envisioned. At least it was warm and the flowers were in bloom.

Surrounded by his family, or at least most of them, Akito was laying in his garden and he could do little more than talk at this point. Everything had gone downhill very quickly. First his legs and then his hands, the rest of Akito's body had fallen quickly after, growing numb and lifeless.

"Where is everyone?" Akito asked, turning his head to look at Hatori. Hatori had not left his side since the moment he'd arrived, though there was little Hatori could do at this point. It made Akito furious that Hatori could just...just sit there! Why wasn't he doing something, anything that could save Akito? He probably wanted Akito to die, he'd been waiting for this ever since Kana had left. That wasn't Akito's fault, he'd said that over and over again, it wasn't his fault! Kana shouldn't have gotten so close to Hatori, she just wanted to hurt him. Why was Hatori just staring at his hands? Had he grown stupid lately? "Answer me! Where's my family! Yuki! Kyou! Shigure! They should be here. For one...just one..." He just wanted to see them all, for just one last time. Why couldn't they ever do what he wanted them to do? Why couldn't anyone listen to him?

"We've tried to contact them, but there's no answer at Shigure's house." Hatori replied quietly. "We've sent someone over there, but the house is empty."

"I want them here." Akito asked for so little, didn't he? Couldn't he have his family around when he died? He was doing this for them. Ungrateful...no. Not ungrateful. Were they crying? Ritsu was clinging onto Ayame's arm and Kagura had her face buried in her hands with Rin's arm around her. Everyone was crying. Everyone was sad. For him? For Akito? "I want Shigure? Get him here." Akito had never thought that they would cry for him. Didn't they hate him? Sometimes, Akito hated himself, so how could anyone cry for him?

"We don't know where he is." Ayame spoke this time, alternately patting Ritsu's hair and stroking Kisa's back. "We've tried to find him, but he's just vanished." It sounded so strange to hear Ayame so subdued.

Akito didn't want to die without seeing Shigure. He didn't want to die without seeing Yuki again. He just didn't want to die. What would happen if he closed his eyes again? Would he be able to open them again? What if this was what death was going to be like, closing one's eyes and never being able to open them again. To hear everything that went on around one, to know when one was being buried and to hear the dirt being piled on, to know and be able to do nothing. It was a nightmare and Akito didn't want to close his eyes. He didn't want to give up his life, no matter how unpleasant.


To be continued...


Dear readers, thanks to all of you who've reviewed, it really means a lot to me.