Pet Shop Of Horrors Fan Fiction / Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Long Denied ❯ Betrayed ( Chapter 23 )

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

Chapter 23: Betrayed


In the Petshop-
Kyou-


Kyou slept, having no idea of what was going on around him, but he was aware that something was happening. While his dreams were filled with happiness and comfort, something was changing. Kyou wasn't frightened or even very worried, the change wasn't something that he really even noticed unless he concentrated. It was subtle and felt natural. The only way Kyou could have explained it, if anyone had asked him, was that it felt like laying in the sunshine on a patch of soft moss on a warm spring morning. Not summer, spring. Definitely spring.

While he slept, Kyou dreamed of many things. He saw the cabin he shared with Kazuma in the mountains and happy, innocent days running through the forest. He sat on the roof of Shigure's house and watched the stars while he listened to Tohru, Yuki, and Shigure talk, their voices drifting up from the open window below. He saw Kazuma in the dojo, tirelessly practicing a graceful kata. Kyou walked through the dark halls of the house he'd shared with his mother at the estate. Kyou stood in the crowd and watched the parade of the cursed as the Zodiac members of his family marched solemnly through the estate to the little house where the Zodiac Banquet was always held. Kyou watched the faces of his family as they passed him and he saw, for the first time, not people to be envied, but people he should be helping to take care of. Family.

Why could he only see that in dreams? Was he really so blinded by his own desires that he couldn't see how much the others needed him? He was strong and he should be strong for them. Only the weak were so selfish as to...

Kyou felt a terrible stab of pain, like lightening though his mind. He was selfish. Selfish and inconsiderate. A real brat. He yelled too much and swore at the drop of a hat. How Kazuma could stand to be around him all the time was a mystery. Kyou hated himself. He hated the fact that he was alive and that he caused so much pain to everyone around him. He was useless and no matter what Yuki said, Kyou didn't really have any friends. It was only pity that had made Kazuma take Kyou in, not affection. Kyou's whole life was wasted, useless. Useless!

Then the pain faded and Kyou drifted back into the more pleasant dreams. Even through the pain, Kyou had felt safe. He knew that no matter what was happening or what he was feeling, he was safe. No one and nothing could hurt him here.

'Where is here?' Kyou's thoughts became coherent for a moment, but he couldn't answer his question. 'Where am I?' He seemed to remember something about a man with mismatched eyes and dark painted lips. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered. Everything was just fine and Kyou wanted to keep dreaming.

Something touched Kyou's hand, but it wasn't disturbing enough to wake him from his dreams. The touch was soft, hesitant. It caressed his hand for a moment and then moved up to touch his cheek. Then the touch was gone and Kyou sank deeper into his dreams. Some pleasant and some were nightmarish, but in each dream, Kyou felt safe. He saw his mother kill herself, again.

Crying and apologizing, Kyou's mother kissed him and held him tightly against her. It seemed, at the time, that she'd cried for such a long time. Now, as Kyou saw it all, detached as if he was just watching a movie, it only took a moment. She let Kyou go and stood up, picking up the gun from the kitchen table where it had been laying next to the teapot. Kyou had never actually seen a gun before that moment and he wasn't afraid when his mom held it up. He'd never seen one before. After one last assertion that she loved him, Kyou's mother shot herself in the forehead. She jerked backwards and collapsed, leaving Kyou too stunned to even move. Kyou didn't really understand until he saw the blood begin to seep out of the hole in her forehead and pool around her head on the floor. He no longer felt pity for himself as he watched his mom fall, but he did pity her. How lonely she must have felt.

It was as if Kyou were watching his life from a distance and he could see it all clearly, without the burden of emotion. Kyou felt nothing about his life, but acknowledged that it was his and he'd lived it as best as he was able to. Kyou was satisfied with the life he'd led.


Yuki-


Yuki wrinkled his nose at the powerful smell in the room, but he shook his head and continued his search for Kyou. The front room of the petshop, for that was what it obviously was, was empty and Yuki paused only a moment to press his ear to the door before he went into the back of the store. His senses were screaming at him, but Yuki did his best to ignore them. He was afraid of what was behind that door, but it couldn't stop him. This place was like nothing Yuki had ever seen before, but though he was curious, Yuki kept his mind focused. He tired not to think too hard about how such an endless seeming building could be contained in such a small space, but concentrated on finding Kyou.

In the long, winding halls, Yuki passed some animals, each one just walking free and apparently ignoring him. He didn't question it. The more questions he asked, lately, the fewer answers he had. The best course of action would be to get Kyou and get out before...

A scream pierced the air and Yuki froze. He knew that scream. 'Tohru!' Yuki began to run, barreling in the direction of the scream. 'Hold on, Tohru!' The scream went on and on and Yuki tried not to imagine the horrible things that could be happening to Tohru. He finally came to a door where he thought the scream was coming from and threw it open. "Honda-san!"

There was Tohru, naked but for a see-through shirt, and shaking with terror. The room was only half-lit from the open doorway Yuki had just come though, but the reason for Tohru's terror was easy to see. People pawing at her body surrounded her and it infuriated Yuki to see anyone touching Tohru like that. Men and women with strange shaped eyes and slender, sinuous bodies dressed in strange, exotic clothes were all piled into the room. Many of them were half laying on each other and, at once, everyone of them turned to look at Yuki with coldly eager faces.

"Look," One of the odd people whispered, his eyes trained on Yuki, though both of his hands were on Tohru's shaking shoulders. "Another one. A rat." He licked his lips and Yuki was shocked to see, not a human tongue, but a tongue that was long and no wider than a pencil, forked at the end snake out of the man's mouth. "Delicious. The Count is in a generous temper to send us such meals."

Tohru hadn't even seen Yuki, so engulfed in her own terror that she couldn't move. She held her hands clenched together at her breasts and her eyes squeezed closed.

Yuki's eyes narrowed. He had no idea who or what these people were, but he would not let them hurt Tohru. "Get away from her." He ordered, keeping his voice level and cold. Yuki would be damned before he'd show any fear to these creatures!

One of the women, dressed in silks and adorned with glittering gems, wrapped her arms around Tohru's knees, pressing her cheek into Tohru's thigh. "Come and join us, sweet one." Her eyes were just as cold as the man who was slipping his arms around Tohru's neck. The woman blinked and Yuki stared. He couldn't have seen it correctly, but it looked very much as if the woman had blinked with two eyelids, like a reptile would. "A pleasant, lazy day to relax. Are you weary? Come and sit by my side." There was something mesmerizing about her voice and Yuki had to look away from her inhuman eyes.

Something about those eyes reminded Yuki of a certain snake he knew.

A movement to his left caught Yuki's attention as he tried to watch all of them at once and figure out a way to get Tohru safely out of the room. There stood a beautiful woman. Well, what Yuki could see of her was beautiful. She had a magnificent body and was dressed in one of the most elaborate outfits Yuki had ever seen, a long, bejeweled gown. Her face, however, was blindfolded and Yuki could see nothing but her full lips and her long curling hair that fell around her shoulders. Wordlessly, the woman reached out towards Yuki, her fingers searching for him and Yuki found himself reluctant to move away from her. When the woman began to move closer to him, though, Yuki noticed something odd in the way she moved. She was graceful and gliding, but it wasn't normal. Yuki took a closer look at her legs and saw that she had none. Instead of legs, he saw a long, dark green serpent's tail.

Without another word, Yuki backed away from the naga's searching hands and ran to Tohru. He grabbed her arm easily and met with no resistance from the strange people who'd been so intently fondling Tohru. "Come on!" Yuki shouted as he pulled Tohru as quickly as he could.

"Souma-san?" Tohru's eyes fluttered open and she began to move her feet, eager to keep up with him. She smiled and gave a choking laugh out of relief to see Yuki with her. Once they were in the hall, Yuki stopped moving, but Tohru wasn't able to and they crashed together, both falling to the floor with Tohru laying almost half on Yuki. "I'm so...so sorry." Tohru's apology fell away as she saw what had Yuki speechless.

Yuki hadn't transformed.

For a moment, they stared at each other, dumbfounded. For them, time stopped and Yuki could honestly say that his heart stopped for a moment. The fact that Tohru was nearly naked and right on top of him didn't matter. He hadn't transformed.

The unreal moment was broken when Yuki looked over Tohru's shoulder and saw that the door they'd just burst through was still open and the blindfolded woman with her hands still stretched out and searching began to make her way towards Yuki and Tohru.

"Come on, Honda-san." Yuki pulled Tohru to her feet and decided that this would all be best thought about later, after they'd found Kyou and escaped from this madness.

"Yuki! You found me. You can see me!" Tohru's voice was choked with tears.

"Yes, let's go now." It was the first time Tohru had ever called Yuki by his given name alone and, in other circumstances, he might have blushed red as a strawberry, but this was hardly the time. His hand was like steel around Tohru's little hand and he wasn't about to let go any time soon. The panic he'd felt when he knew that both Tohru and Kyou were missing had threatened to overwhelm Yuki's good sense and Tohru's retrieval had soothed a bit of that panic. All he had to do was find Kyou and go home.

Yuki pulled Tohru along as best as he could, but for the first time he realized how much weaker she was than him, physically. It would have been easier to just pick her up and carry her, but for all of Yuki's speed, he really wasn't all that strong. In all the fights he'd had with Kyou, Yuki's speed and calm usually were what allowed him to win, not strength. He just wasn't sure that he would be able to defend them both if he carried her.

Neither of them spoke as they ran, Yuki having to slow his pace drastically to let Tohru keep up. Yuki wasn't sure how it was possible, but he was starting to think that they were lost. When he'd gone into the petshop, Yuki had been sure to watch where he was going and he knew for a fact that there was only one hallway leading through the building. It was a long, winding passage, but there was only one. Therefor, logic dictated, they should only have to go backwards and they would find the exit. Yuki could send Tohru out and tell her to go to the estate and find Hatori or Shigure, then he could go back and keep looking for Kyou.

They never quite made it, though.

Just when they'd burst though what should have been the doorway leading into the front room, they found themselves in a room that was lit by a four lanterns which hung in each of the corners of the room. It gave the whole room a kind of strange glow, a mix of shadow and light that made it all look quite surreal. There was one large bed in the middle of the room, a simple yet large bed with fine white sheets. The floor was covered with a dozen elegant tapestry carpets over a stone floor overlapping each other.

All of a sudden, Yuki realized he was still holding Tohru's hand and that Tohru was panting heavily from the run though the petshop. "Are you all right?" He asked, careful to keep his eyes respectfully on her face instead of the other, more revealed parts of her.

Tohru nodded, though she still looked very pale. When she'd caught her breath enough to speak, Tohru gasped out, "Kyou's here! I saw him! He was with that man, the one at the house that hurt him! We have to find him." Tohru made to turn around and only stopped when Yuki kept a firm grip on her hand.

"Don't go running off." He advised. "We need to think."

"But Kyou..."

"I'm not abandoning him. But there's something wrong about this place, you must have noticed." Yuki told her then of his believe that there was more than one of these people who'd attacked Kyou. He told her that he thought Shigure might know more than he was telling anyone and that he'd followed Kyou here himself. It was a good thing he had or he might not have found Tohru. Tohru, as was her nature to do, accepted what Yuki said without hesitation or doubt.

"All right." Tohru swallowed hard and put on her most determined face. "What should we do first?"

"Find you some clothes." It was tempting to just stay in the room that seemed free of strange people or whatever they were, but Yuki knew that wouldn't be a very intelligent thing to do. This was a bedroom and hardly a place to hide, especially as this was most likely the bedroom of the master of the house and that was the person Yuki wanted to meet the least. First thing was first, however.

Yuki went to the tall, freestanding wardrobe and began to rifle though the long, colorful robes. Whoever lived here had a definite sense of style. Each of the outfits Yuki looked at was rich and obviously expensive and Yuki had the fleeting thought that Ayame would have an orgasm just looking at the clothes.

'Arggg!' Yuki shook his head at the image that thought conjured in his mind. 'That's the LAST thing I want to think about! I'll have nightmares tonight!'

At last, Yuki found something suitable and held out a robe to Tohru. "Here. It'll get you to the estate, if nothing else." The robe wasn't one of the more expensive looking ones, but it would do. It was plain black with silver trim around the loose wrists and the high, Chinese-style collar. Anything more fancy than that and Tohru might refuse to wear it.

Tohru pulled on the robe with a very minimum of prodding as her sense of right and wrong was confused by her modesty. She did mutter that she would return it as soon as she had her own clothes to wear again and apologize for just taking it. Yuki dismissed that idea at once; Tohru would NOT be returning to this place. If she wished, he would mail it back, but she would not be coming back here. The robe was far too big for Tohru, it had obviously been made for a man, but it covered what it needed to.

Just when Tohru had finished pulling on the dress, Yuki froze at a noise he heard outside the door. "Hide!" Yuki hissed at Tohru, giving her a push towards the wardrobe. It wasn't much of a hiding place, but it was plenty big enough for Yuki and Tohru to both crawl into and close the doors after them. Cramp, but safe for the moment. He would fight his way out, if he needed to, but Yuki really would prefer to just sneak quietly away.

Once in the wardrobe, Tohru was pressed so close to Yuki that, in normal situations, he would have transformed for certain. In this one case, it might actually have been helpful as it would be easier for Tohru to hide. However, once again, Yuki stayed human and he thought back to the words the man had spoken to him just after Tohru had vanished at Shigure's house.

'She's not human. You don't have to change.'

It must all be true. But if Tohru wasn't human, then what was she? What had happened to her and how had she gotten here? She must have been human before, they'd always transformed when Tohru bumped them. So what was different now?

The door of the bedroom opened and Yuki peered out of the keyhole of the wardrobe to see the two men who walked in. One of the men bore the face of the man who'd attacked Kyou and thrown Tohru out the window and, but for the shorter hair, they might have been twins. The second man though the door was more familiar and more shocking to see in this place. Leon Orcot. Now what would Ayame's friend be doing here?



Count D-


D couldn't begin to express the relief he felt when Tet-chan and Leon came home, carrying little Chris. He was so taken by emotion that D didn't try to speak when Tet-chan pushed open the door and Leon walked in with Chris nestled into his arms.

>Count!< Chris held out his arms to D and D eagerly went to hug the child. Chris wasn't quite willing to let go of Leon right away and held onto Leon's neck with one arm while he hugged D with the other. It was as close to a hug as D had ever gotten with Leon and he broke away as soon as possible, knowing that Leon wouldn't like being so close to him.

They settled Chris down in his bed for a well-deserved nap with the ever faithful Tet-chan serving as guard. It was a touching moment that caused D to smile as he watched Leon lay Chris down in his bed. Chris' bedroom was an anomaly in the Petshop. Completely without the air of mystery and darkness that engulfed the rest of the petshop, Chris' bedroom looked like any other little boy's bedroom one might find in any other house. The walls were painted blue and there was a dark green rug on the floor. The entire room was littered with toys and books and clothes. It seemed that Chris took after his big brother in more than just looks; he was just as sloppy as Leon. The only thing that Chris' room did not have was a window, but to make up for it, Leon had given Chris a beautiful painting of the countryside. In fact, Leon had done all the work on the bedroom, including painting the walls and putting together the little bed. It was one of the few things that gave Leon joy, doing things for Chris.

"I'm not going anywhere far, got it?" Leon said gruffly as he tucked Chris into bed and smoothed back his hair from his forehead. "You shout if you need anything and me or D will come running. I mean it, you have a nightmare or something goes bump in the night, and someone will be here."

Little Chris, now dressed in his pajamas and looking absolutely exhausted, shook his head. >I'll be okay, big brother. I want you to find the other kids. Those people killed Suki. She was nice to me and they killed her.< Chris' face was pale and wan with all that had happened in just the passed few hours and D wished he could do something to make everything all better for the child, but he kept his distance and let the brother's have their moment. Little Chris took Leon's hand. >Will you find them? The other kids?<

Leon answered without hesitation. "You bet I will."

Tet-chan peered out at D from under Chris' bed and he spoke so that only D could hear his voice. D had long suspected that Leon could hear the voices of the pets, he just didn't chose to. It was the strange thing about Leon, he could lie so well to himself that he could ignore reality. "There're strangers in the petshop, Count. At least one, but I think two." Tet-chan sniffed at the air. "I think a bird and a rat."

D just nodded. He knew about the strangers, Q-chan had been good enough to tell him about them the moment the two children had entered the petshop. He wasn't sure what he would do with the rat, the Zodiac rat couldn't just walk away, not yet, anyway. The nightingale, Tohru, well, she would stay at the petshop where she belonged. D was pleased to finally have her back and he wanted to make sure she was undamaged by her experience living as a human.

Perhaps it would have been kinder to leave her believing she was human.

Perhaps not.

"Let's go." Leon took D away from his thoughts when he stood up and began walking out of the room. "I think he's almost asleep anyway." Leon looked over his shoulder at Chris and Tet-chan before he followed D out and closed the door behind him. Once out of sight of the child, Leon sighed and put his face in his hands.

D became concerned when Leon didn't look up for a long time. "Leon? Are you feeling well? Perhaps you should return to the hospital."

"No, no." Leon looked up and rubbed his eyes with his hands. "Just the stress, I think. It's been a real long day."

"True. I am certain you gave the hospital staff heart attacks when you walked out of the hospital. I was sure you were more seriously injured than that." Of course D knew Leon was seriously injured, the bullet would have been fatal without D's intervention of the Gattolotto. Still, there was no need to worry Leon's mind about that.

"Forget the hospital," Leon grinned dryly. "You should have seen Jill's face when I woke up. I thought I was going to get a kiss." He laughed, though it sounded forced.

"I did not see Miss Jill with you when you and Chris returned with Tet-chan." D commented as he took Leon's arm gently and they began to walk together. Luckily, Leon was tired enough that he didn't seem to notice the touch, or he surely would have jumped away from D. Not that D minded, he rather liked an excuse to touch Leon.

"When we found Chris, she went back to the hospital to pick up Mine-san. You should see them together, D. I don't think I've ever seen Jill so happy, even if she tries to hide it. I can tell." By this time, Leon had been successfully guided to D's bedroom and still didn't notice anything out of the ordinary until D took his hand off Leon's arm and pushed open the doors. "Huh? Where are we?"

"My chambers." D told him, as if it were nothing out of the ordinary. "Have a seat on the bed and take off your shirt." It was important that Leon not think D had anything ulterior on his mind, even if D wished...

Leon hadn't moved from the doorway and gaped at D. "What?"

"Are you having trouble with your hearing, Leon?" D gave him that little smile that he knew irritated Leon so very much. "I said, sit on the bed and take your shirt off. This will be difficult with your shirt on."

"I hear what you said! But...I mean...what are you talking about?" He'd obviously been put on guard and it amused D. Leon was adorable when he was trying to act as if he were in control. Leon's eyes darted around, taking in the whole room all at once and he shifted from foot to foot, nervously. "I really should go, you know? Ummm, I told Jill I'd meet her, we have something to check out and...well..."

Again, D was amused. It was clear what Leon was thinking and that it made him highly uncomfortable. D was encouraged. In the past, Leon would run from the room if D had tried this and now he only fidgeted and looked like he wanted to run away. "How will I check your wound if you do not take your shirt off?" He asked, pointedly.

"Wound?" Leon's eyes met D's and D could see the relief. "Ohhhhh! I get it." Now he came into the room without reservation did just as D had told him, sitting on the bed and beginning to take off his shirt. "It's nothing to worry about, I think everyone just overreacted. I can barely feel a thing, now." Leon looked as if he were about to throw his shirt carelessly aside when he seemed to remember where he was and just kept it on his lap.

Seeing Leon half-naked, D was hard pressed not to let his admiration show. It wasn't the first time he'd seen Leon so bare, but his breath caught every single time. There was something undeniably human about Leon. He was, on the surface, strong and confident, absolutely unshakable in the belief that he could do anything he set his mind to. He was also frighteningly fragile. Delicate. Leon was both brilliant and simplistic at once. Leon's physical attractiveness was a bonus.

"What are you staring at?" Leon asked, suspiciously.

"You." D said, honestly. He really had no problems lying to Leon, as Leon didn't believe the truth, half the time. Still, it would be best to stop teasing Leon. There was work to be done and D could barely spare a moment. "Lay down, Leon. I want to make sure you are completely healed."

"I don't know what you think you can do that the doctor's can't. Are you supposed to be a doctor, now? I feel perfectly fine." Leon did as he was told, even as he was questioning D, and was prone on the bed and looking more uncomfortable than ever. "I really have to hurry. Remember Murakai? I saw more Black Scorpion kids like him, I think. I saw one kid with the Black Scorpion tattoo on his chest, anyway. I think I know where I can find them."

"And I have no doubt that you will, Leon. For now, though, we must look after your health." The situation was awkward for D, as well, but for different reasons. How tempting Leon looked, stretched out like that...no. D knew nothing could come of any kind of relationship and there was no pointing raising his hopes. Even if he found that Leon was amiable to more than friendship, D would still have to deal with Sofu. Besides which, there was one huge problem which could not be overcome, not even by a Kami. Leon was human, mortal. He would age and die in a very short time while D would continue. Alone.

It wasn't a fate D was willing to gambol on. He didn't think he could bear living for the rest of the eternity with a broken heart.

So D examined Leon as best as he could, a mere touch here or there telling D everything he wanted to know. Leon's body was nearly perfectly healed, all but a few little things here and there which only needed time to fully heal.

"You still look tired, Leon. Perhaps you should sleep." D said, without taking his eyes off Leon's chest. He didn't want to look at Leon's face. D's emotions were still all too powerful to deal with. He had only seen Leon on the edge of death a few short hours ago and had known fear as he had never known it before. It was not something D liked to think about, but it was apart of him he just couldn't ignore. He had feared for Leon's life and it wasn't the first time. Sofu never came right out and said that he was displeased with D's affection towards Leon, but D was sure Sofu was unhappy with it. Sofu would never become so attached to anyone.

"I can't sleep, there's to much to do." Leon said, even as he stretched his arms up and folded them comfortably behind his head. "I've gotta go find those kids. I haven't even told Jill that I saw them. I want to know where they came from and where they're going. Chris could tell me, but I don't want to upset him anymore than he already is." Leon yawned and let his eyes close a minute. "I have to go see that Ayame's all right, Jill said something about someone in the family dying. He might need me."

D didn't reply to any of this as he was concentrating on Leon's still healing wound. It would be a lie to say he wasn't affecting Leon at all. In a very subtle way, D was convincing Leon's body that he was tired and, shortly, Leon would be sound asleep and safe while D took care of the rest of the problems around here. He didn't really mind Leon running amok while trying to solve his cases, but D was going to be a little distracted in the next couple of hours and he liked to be able to keep an eye on Leon while he was running amok. Once everything got settled, then Leon would be properly rested and completely healed, ready to do battle with the world.

Yes, D knew how important it was to Leon that he found the people he was looking for. D knew that those people who'd sent young Murakai to his petshop were doing horrible things. However, D also knew that Leon's body needed just a little more time to heal and nothing was more important than Leon's health.

Soon, Leon was fast asleep.

'I shouldn't do this.' D thought as he stared down at Leon, looking so comfortable and natural on D's bed. 'This won't end well.'

D stood up from where he'd been sitting on the side of the bed and decided he would cover Leon with a blanket, not to keep Leon warm so much as to preserve Leon's dignity when he did wake. "Children," D called out. "There is a blanket on the bottom shelf of that wardrobe. Do bring one out, won't you?" He managed not to smile. The children had really thought they could hide from him in his own home?

A moment passed before the door swung silently open and D got his first good look at the rat of the Zodiac family. The boy was thin and lithe, looking as if he would grow just a bit taller before he was fully-grown. His eyes were violet and angry when he stepped from the wardrobe and D suspected half that anger was shame at being found so easily. The young were so sensitive.

"The blanket?" D asked as if nothing were at all odd about having children hiding in his wardrobe.

The next to step out from the wardrobe was the young nightingale holding the blanket in her hands. Clutching it, really. "Ummm, I'm sorry, we didn't mean to be rude, but..."

"No!" The young rat cut her off sharply and made a conscious effort to keep the bird behind him. "We don't have to apologize for anything! I want answers! Where's Kyou? I know he's here!"

D smiled. Young people were so easily aggravated, too. "He is safe." D held out his hand and the bird handed him the blanket with which he covered Leon. "Why do we not retire to the parlor to speak? I believe we have many things to discuss and very little time." D was, on the whole, pleased by his progress. There was one last thing he needed to do and that would have to be taken care of within the hour. There was no reason not to have a chat with these children, though.



When they were seated in the parlor, D took stock of the two children. Tohru, the nightingale, was regaining her composure after what must have been a fright at finding herself in the petshop. That was still a puzzle.

'I wonder how she got her in the first place, though I am pleased that she is here.' D thought as he poured tea for his guests. 'I did not bring her here and I can not imagine papa doing such a thing. She is not exotic enough to capture his attention, not when he is so focused on the Zodiac family.'

Ten-chan had told D that Tohru had no idea how she'd gotten into the petshop, but that she'd woken up in Ten-chan's forest room, which he shared with many other creatures. However Tohru had come to be there, it was lucky. Many of the other residents of the petshop were not so kindhearted as Ten-chan was, nor were they willing to wait and find out where Tohru had come from before they ate her.

"Are you going to tell us or not?" The rat asked, not touching his tea. "Where's Kyou?"

"Please," Tohru spoke up, no longer looking nearly so frightened as before. "Yuki and I really need to find Kyou, he was terrible hurt when we last saw him. I saw him here."

"I know. He is a guest in my home, as are you." D hadn't missed the fact that Tohru was wearing one of his robes, but he thought it more polite not to say anything about it. The bird was no doubt shamed to be seen without clothing, as she'd thought she was human for so long and lived that way. He would let her keep it until he found her some more appropriate attire. "I understand that Ten-chan has told you much, child?" D spoke to Tohru first, deciding that it was the easiest of the problems to solve.

Yuki looked at Tohru and D guessed that he didn't know Tohru had met anyone. It was unlikely that they'd had time to compare notes on their visit to the petshop while they were running from the snake room. It was quite possibly the worst room for a bird to enter and yet poor Tohru had. D was actually impressed that a bird and a rat had managed to escape the snakes. If Yuki was surprised to hear that Tohru had met someone in the petshop, he hid it very well and just listened.

Tohru explained what happened to her and her very natural fear of the snakes in the snake room came shining through in her eyes. She hid her other fear, that of what she found out about herself.

"I am sorry that you had such an unwelcome reception into my home. Tell me, child, do you accept the fact that you are not human?"

Tohru bit her lip before answering. "I-I know I saw my reflection as a bird. Kyou couldn't see me and Ten-chan said it was because he only saw me as a bird. I'm not really sure if I believe it because Souma-san can see me. Right?" She addressed this last Yuki.

"Of course I can. Tohru doesn't seem any different from any other time I've seen her. She isn't at all different."

D nodded. "Quite correct. She is no different than before. Yet, if you think back at your time with her, do you not think she was always a little different?"

"Everyone's different."

"Denial will do only harm in this delicate situation." D told Yuki, gently. "She does not smell like a human and her way of thinking has always seemed a little inhuman. I know it has, I understand more than you know. Always before," D looked at Tohru, "You have been concerned with nothing but the happiness of your owner, your mother. She needed someone like you who could give her unconditional love. This makes you different and even though you try to be human, you can not deny that you have always felt out of place."

This only made Yuki angrier and it was shown though his voice becoming quieter and his body becoming stiller. "Tohru is special, we all know that. It has nothing to do with this nonsense of her being a bird. She's a kind, generous, selfless person."

"Logic is the downfall of all humans and the human blood in your veins is showing. Will you believe if I show you?" It was only D's influence that was allowing the rat child to see his companion as a human. Had D wished it, Kyou would have seen Tohru as a human, also. That might have complicated things, however. He had needed to get Kyou somewhere safe and alone as quickly as possible and Tohru would have distracted him.

It was all in the blood. D took one of his razor sharp fingernails and sliced the palm of his hand, letting several drops of blood rise to the surface. Before he could get any further, Tohru suddenly sprang into action. She jumped off the sofa and took D's wrist in her hands.

"Are you hurt?" She asked, genuinely concerned. "Why did you do that? We'll have to find bandages now." She seemed almost on the verge of panic at the sight of D's blood.

D was surprised at her compassionate nature, but not very. In the absence of her owner/mother, Tohru had evidently come to the conclusion that she would care for everyone around her. It was not a good substitute and D knew that before he left Tohru, he would have to find her a proper owner. If she continued trying to take care of everyone and trying to make everyone happy, then she would wear herself out in a matter of time and it could even exhaust her to the point of death.

"No fears, child." D told Tohru gently, extracting his hand from hers least she touch his dangerous blood. "This is natural for my kind." The blood on his hand dried, almost instantly, to powder while Tohru and Yuki watched. "A thing I use to protect my pets and guard this petshop, my own blood." D reached out to the candle that burned beside his chair and picked it up with his free hand. He touched the flame to the little pool of blood on his palm. Just a tiny touch of the little flame was all it took to set the dried blood on fire and a sweet scent wafting through the air.

D couldn't help but wonder how Leon would react if he knew exactly where the incense that in the petshop came from.

Perhaps one might be curious as to why Kyou had seen Tohru's bird shape and Yuki saw only her human shape. Partly, this had to do with what D wanted the children to see. If Kyou had seen Tohru as human he would not have gone so willingly into the petshop to begin his transformation. D had not been around to control what Yuki had seen in Tohru, so Yuki saw what he expected to see, as did many humans. The incense that burned in the petshop was made from D, so he was the one who determined what effect it would have on people.

As the scent filled the air, Yuki watched Tohru and his eyes grew wide. D knew what he was seeing and knew that the child was frightened. The incense was letting the child see Tohru's nightingale form.

"H-honda-san?" He reached out to her, but pulled back when the small amount of incense burned itself out and he saw Tohru return to her human form.

"Souma-san, what's wrong?" Tohru had no idea what Yuki was seeing, though she must have known something was wrong for him to act so strangely.

"Nothing. I think." Yuki took a deep breath and reached out quickly to grab Tohru's shoulder and pull her away from D. He brought her back to sit by him on the sofa. "I believe you. I don't know how or why, but I believe you. Now what? What are you going to do with us? With Kyou?"

"If you leaves my petshop, Tohru, the outside world will only see you as human. That is part of how you were made. Because you were sold as an egg, you had no way of knowing how to control your other form. I made you this way for your own safety. Had you been raised by a nightingale family, instead of a human, you would think of yourself as a nightingale and be seen as such." D spoke only to Tohru, as this really was her concern and not the rat's. "You are able to live the rest of your life as a human female and you will have no difficulties except one. You will never be able to have children. Your form is human, but you are a nightingale. If you stay here, however, I will teach you to control your shape and you may choose."

Tohru's eyes took on a far away look. "I always thought there was something wrong with me. It felt like I never fit in with the world around me and I never could understand why. I guess this must be the reason. I really don't belong."

"Of course you belong." D argued. "You simply feel different."

"I don't understand why Yuki doesn't transform anymore."

"That is simply. You no longer see yourself as human and a person's thoughts are a vast source of power. Before, Yuki believed you were human without a doubt. Now, there he knows you are not. Even before he came here, he knew, somehow." D would have to question the rat about that, later. "Because Yuki does not believe you are human, even if he says he does, his body reacts accordingly. He will not transform unless he believes he has been hugged or bumped by a human female." D stopped suddenly. "We will have to continue this conversation at a later time. I have business to attend to." He stood up and began to leave.

"Wait a minute! I have more questions." Yuki jumped to his feet. "Where's Kyou?!"

"Hmm? Oh. Q-chan, please show them to our newest guest's room." The little winged bat, perched on one of the high bird cages, fluttered down and landed on D's shoulder with a questioning squeak. "Yes, that one. They are guests, but make sure they keep out of trouble. Thank you, Q-chan."

Yuki's eyes narrowed. "I saw that thing before. Shigure went chasing after it."

Now that was a curious thing to say. "You must be mistaken." D told Yuki, honestly. "Q-chan does not often leave the petshop without me and he has been here all day. Now, I must take my leave. Time grows short. Please, feel at home, but stay with Q-chan." Before he left, one other thought occurred to him. "Oh, I must tell you, do not disturb your cat when you find him. Any disturbance could kill him at this delicate stage." Then he left, headed on his way to the Souma estate to retrieve the head of the Souma's and the Zodiac family. The head of that family would die very shortly until D managed to get him back to the petshop.

Yuki spoke again, just as D was halfway out the door. "What if we choose to leave?"

"That is your choice." D replied. "My petshop is not a prison. However, as I said before, if you choose to leave, you must leave without Kyou. He will die if you try to move him."


At the estate-
Kureno-


Kureno really wasn't all that surprised to find the security of the estate increased. Akito took family security very serious and with such a serious thing as an attempted murder on the life of the head of the family, no doubt every able-bodied Souma had been called in to help the usual security.

"Kureno-san," One guard at the front gate stopped him and eyed the parade of children with him. "Who are they? I have orders from..."

"They are with me." Kureno answered, barely pausing on his way passed the guard.

"But, sir, we have orders."

"They are in my care and I will explain to Akito." It was final and the Souma's had learned not to argue with Kureno. It wasn't often that Kureno showed that he had a mind of his own. He wasn't willing to leave the children unsupervised for any amount of time, especially not these children. After they'd gone a good distance into the estate, on their way towards Akito's house, Kureno realized he hadn't thought of what he should tell Akito about the children.

Looking over his shoulder, Kureno easily caught the eye of the oldest one of the children, a boy about fifteen years old who bore the familiar tattoo on his chest of the Black Scorpion. There were several children with the tattoo, but the oldest boy was undoubtedly the most experienced of them all.

"What's your name?" Kureno asked when the boy came to join him at the head of the parade at a nod from Kureno.

"Omi."

"Do you have a family name?"

"Not that I remember, sir."

Kureno frowned at the use of the word 'sir'. He was not a 'sir'. He was just like these children. 'Sir' was someone who gave orders and told one what to do, like Akito. Still, Kureno didn't correct Omi. He knew, better than anyone, what Omi was probably feeling. He was separated from the people who'd created him and gave him purpose, so Omi and the rest of the children would be frightened and in need of reassurance. Omi didn't look afraid, but then, neither did any of the other children. They were trained not to show fear. Kureno decided that, for now, he would be 'sir' for the children. It would give them comfort and it would be safer for all Souma's if the children had someone they could take orders from and who better for that than Kureno?

"Omi, I will need to speak with the head of my family. I am going to take you somewhere to rest and I will have food sent to you. Can you keep control of everyone until I return?"

"Yes, sir." Omi said calmly. He looked at the boy in Kureno's arms.

Kureno knew Omi must be curious, but unwilling to ask about the boy. "The wound is little more than a large cut and the bleeding is already slowing down. I will have a doctor examine him as soon as possible, but for now he only needs rest." There was little to worry about, not that Omi looked worried.

Omi nodded and looked over his shoulder at the other children. Whatever he was thinking, Omi kept it to himself.

Kureno took them to the only place he could think of where they would be out of the way, the Rooster's House. He'd never even seen the inside before, but he knew it was deserted and a safe place to keep the children. The house was dusty and full of things Kureno had never seen before but had belonged to the rooster before him, whomever that had been. Kureno broke open the locked door, having no time to find the key, and let the children settle themselves in as they pleased while he place the injured boy on the dusty couch and bandaged the arm with a piece of the boy's shirt. It wasn't nearly as serious as Kureno had thought and the boy would likely wake in an hour or so if not sooner.

Luckily, the phone still worked and Kureno was able to order some food for the children. He ordered it from Akito's chef and was pretty sure that Akito would never even notice.

-Twenty orders of rice, fish, pork buns, and apples?- The incredulous man asked. He sounded slightly horrified at the order and Kureno wondered how long it had been since the man had been asked to make anything other than the meager amount Akito asked for, when he remembered to eat. -Are you sure, Kureno-san?-

"Very sure. Have them delivered to the Rooster's House as soon as you've finished. Milk, too. Two gallons of milk." He hung up the telephone, certain that the food would be delivered as quickly as possible. The chef wouldn't dare refuse an order from Kureno, one of the Inner Circle. Though the man didn't know about the curse, he did know that Kureno was very close to Akito and that it wasn't wise to offend any of the Inner Circle.

Kureno dialed again, but there was no answer at Hatori's house. It was odd, but not inexplicable. Akito had been nearly shot and the agitation might have caused him illness again. That meant that he would most likely find Hatori at Akito's house.

"Watch him." Kureno told Omi. "He will likely remain asleep, but if he wakes, keep him still. I will find a doctor. Food will be delivered shortly, make sure everyone gets an equal share."

Omi nodded wordlessly and sat on the couch next to the injured boy. As soon as Omi sat, so did the rest of the children, on the floor. Satisfied, Kureno left, in search of Akito and Hatori.


Shigure-


"What's the meaning of this?" Shigure asked, irritated at the further delay. This was not the day he wanted to deal with some simpleton who was to puffed up about his own importance.

"Forgive me, but orders are orders." The estate security force was made up entirely of Souma's as Akito said he couldn't trust anyone who wasn't family. It was a good idea and provided employment for more than two dozen men and women. They wore no specific uniform, but every one of them wore a black armband on their upper arm and carried a staff as a weapon. Akito could have gotten guns for his security, if he'd wanted to, but Hatori had overridden him on grounds that any silly fool carrying a gun would endanger Akito's life. In truth, Hatori just didn't like guns.

Shigure crossed his arms over his chest and tried to keep smiling. "I don't have any identification on me, this is my family's estate, why should I need any?" For the first time in his life, Shigure had just been asked to show a picture identification before being allowed to enter the walls of the Souma estate. It wasn't unheard of, the Souma's had a reasonable security force, but that was only for strangers and guests and family who lived away from the estate for extended periods. Shigure was apart of the Inner Circle and couldn't help but feel more than a little insulted at this charade.

"We've had recent reason to increase security, sir. Photo I.D.'s are required for everyone entering the estate. The orders come from the top."

"Akito?"

"No, sir. My orders come directly from Hatori-sensei. I must see your..."

At that moment another guard came along and shouted to the first, "What do you think you're doing?!" He turned quickly to Shigure and bowed low. "I'm sorry, Shigure-san, he's new and just arrived from out of the country. I suppose he hasn't been told about all the rules, yet. Please, go right in."

Shigure thanked the guard with a pleasant smile, though his mind was on the reason for this increased security. Shigure could believe Akito making some rash order about increasing the security around the estate, but Hatori was far to level-headed to do something like this without very good reason. "May I ask what's going on? What happened around here?"

"An attack, Shigure-san." The second, more experienced, guard told him. "Someone started shooting just outside the front gates and Akito-sama was right there. He was almost hit, but some stranger saved him. Akito-sama ordered that the entire estate searched so that's what we're doing. Every house and even in the wooded areas, people are turning the estate upside-down. Hatori-sensei ordered that everyone coming into the estate be required to show a picture I.D. and if they weren't Souma's, then they were to be turned away."

"I see. Thank you." As Shigure walked away, he heard the two guards behind him talking.

"You don't know much yet, but don't do that again. Shigure-san's one of the Inner Circle and he's allowed full access everywhere."

"What's that supposed to mean? Inner Circle? I've heard about it, but I never met one of them."

"You might not meet any more, either. There aren't many of them, but they get full respect from the likes of you and me."

"The likes of us? You talk like they're royalty or something."

"In this family they are, especially Shigure-san and Hatori-sensei. Just you remember; if you go against them, you go against Akito-sama. That's not something you want to do."

"He can't be all that bad."

"You've only been here for what? Two weeks? You saw Akito-sama once for two whole minutes in a formal greeting. If you go against him, well...just truest me, bad things would happen. You obey orders from the Inner Circle as if they come from the lips of God or you'll find your job reassigned and you'll be cleaning toilets in every house in the entire estate for the rest of your life."

"That's absurd!" The first guard snorted and tried to brush off the warning. "I'll just get a job outside the estate."

"And where are you going to live when Akito-sama kicks you out of your house, which he owns? What are you going to do for money when you can't find a job because Akito-sama has the money to keep you from getting a job if he's feeling vindictive? Don't go looking for trouble. Look, I'll tell you who all the Inner Circle are and I'll point them out. Hatori-sensei is the doctor, he's second only to Akito-sama so you always do what Hatori-sensei tell you to do. You've met him, already. Kureno-san's Akito-sama's bodyguard, don't screw with him, it's not worth it. Then there's..."

Shigure had walked to far away to hear the rest of the conversation. It wasn't often that he heard what the rest of the family thought of the Inner Circle.




Shigure arrived at Akito's house with little fanfare. The inner house seemed to be deserted and everything was eerily quiet. Even Akito's birds were silent.
It became increasingly evident that Sofu D hadn't been lying the closer Shigure got to Akito's house.

The scent of death was heavy in the air. Akito really was dying.


Kureno-


"I killed Ren." Kureno said, kneeling next to Hatori at Akito's side.

"Good." Akito said in a breathless voice. "Was it painful? Did you make her suffer?"

"Yes." Kureno said what he knew Akito would wish to hear. "She has paid for the pain she's give you."

Akito had never looked so frail as he did just laying there. Akito couldn't move from his neck down and his hands had been carefully laid at his sides. His skin was pale, even paler than was normal for him until he was nearly the color of snow. For once, his charcoal colored hair was brushed back from his face and fell around his head, almost like a black halo. His hands were like skeleton fingers and even Kureno could see how shallow Akito's breathing was.

Hatori did nothing. Sitting with his hands folded on his lap, Hatori kept his one eye on Akito with a carefully controlled, neutral expression. If anything could be done to save the head of the family, Hatori would have been working frantically to do it. That Hatori had given up hope meant that there was no hope left.

"Where are they?" Akito asked, taking Kureno out of his morbid thoughts. "Why aren't they here?"

Kureno knew whom Akito was asking for, there were three missing family members. "I haven't seen Shigure or Yuki."

"And Kyou?"

It surprised Kureno that Akito even asked for Kyou, though it shouldn't have. He'd heard enough of Akito's ravings and nightmares to know that Akito didn't hate Kyou so much as he feared him. "I did see Kyou, but...something happened." There was really no reason to upset Akito at this point. Why tell him that Kyou had not only revealed the curse to dozens of outsiders but had become a murderer in the same afternoon when Akito was on his deathbed? At least all the living witnesses, the children, to Kyou's transformation into his original self were safely tucked away in the Rooster's house until Hatori could see to them.

There was nothing Kureno could do now to protect his master and Kureno hated the feeling. He owed Akito everything and, in the end, couldn't do a thing to protect him from the one real danger he'd always faced; the curse.

"Greetings." Everyone looked up and Kureno jumped to his feet, placing himself between his family and the stranger who'd somehow made it passed all the security. The person was dressed in a long, brightly colored robe and had shoulder-length hair that seemed to be, at once, both purple and green. "Please, be at ease. I come to make your family an offer. I am Count D."


Shigure-

It pained Shigure more than a knife to the heart to see Akito paralyzed from the neck down. That was the rumor he'd heard from the servants on his way to Akito's house. They said that Akito had been struck by illness so badly that he wasn't able to do anything but speak.

Shigure listened discreetly from the doorway as Count D spoke to the silent Souma family, offering them everything Sofu D had offered to Shigure. Akito's health and the well being of the family was being offered in such a polite tone and yet Shigure knew that if they didn't agree, Akito would be forcibly taken.

None of the family wanted anything to do with the stranger, of course, but it was Akito who spoke first.

"I'm not going anywhere." Akito growled in the same voice that Shigure remembered him using on Ren that first day after Junko had died, sixteen years ago. Akito had clung to Hatori and threatened to kill Ren if she dared to take him away from Hatori and his voice held the same promise of violence now.

"Yes, you are." Count D replied easily. "For the sake of yourself and your family you will come with me. This is all the doing of my papa and I will undo it, whether it pleases you or not."

Akito's eyes narrowed and he looked ready to kill if only he could move his body. "Get him out of here! I don't want him here!"

At once, Ayame, Hatsuharu, and Kagura, all of them willing and able to defend Akito, joined Kureno.

Count D only smiled tolerantly and Shigure knew he would have to speak before someone, most likely one of his family, was hurt. "Everyone, just relax." Shigure didn't even try to smile when he stepped out of the doorway and let himself be known. "Akito will go with him."

There was a mutter of shock amongst his family, but Shigure was most pained by the betrayed look on Akito's face.

Shigure turned to address Count D. "I spoke with Sofu D earlier."

"Really? Most unusual." Was all that he said and Shigure wondered if Sofu D had spoken with Count D about all this.

"He promised that Akito wouldn't go alone. You'll take Hatori and Kureno with you. I won't let Akito go alone."

Count D merely shrugged indifferently. "As you wish. It is of no moment."

Shigure faced his family and went to them. He put his hands on Kagura's shoulders and gave her a gentle push backwards, then did the same to Hatsuharu. "Trust me." Was all he said and, though they had very little reason to trust him, both of them backed away, warily. They knew Shigure often acted like a fool, but they also knew he would never willingly harm Akito.

"What are you doing, 'Gure?" Ayame asked, his eyes wide with disbelief. "You can't just let him take Akito away. I've met him before, he's Leon's friend, but this just isn't right!" Ayame must be the most confused, he'd met Count D but hadn't thought that there was anything dangerous about him. Now it turned out that he seemed to know about the curse and was threatening to take Akito. Not only that, but he was Leon's friend and that might meant that Leon was in on all this, too.

"Yes, I can and it is right. It's more than right, in fact." Shigure petted Ayame's soft face and thought of how very much Ayame meant to him. "This is...necessary. I believe this must be done." Shigure took Ayame's arm and moved him out of the way, also.

Last was Kureno, the most immovable of them all. Shigure faced him with logic on his side. "Do you love Akito?"

Kureno answered without hesitation. "Yes."

"Then you will protect him?"

"Yes."

"Then you must go with him. Whether you stay or go, Akito is going."

Kureno said nothing, but his face became more guarded. He obviously didn't believe Shigure.

"Akito will die today if we do nothing. We both know it. From the moment Akito was born we knew he'd die. You promised Akito that you'd always protect him, are you going to let death claim him now?"

Kureno looked over Shigure's shoulder at Count D, still not trusting. "Are you sure he can do what he promises?"

Another lie wouldn't hurt much. "Yes." Shigure had to show faith, any doubt in Count D on Shigure's part and Kureno wouldn't let Akito go anywhere and he would be hurt trying to stop Count D. All of his life, Shigure had been told that the family would follow him because he was the dog. Toma had told him that he wanted to protect everyone because he was the dog and Junko had told him that he was strong enough to take care of the family because he was the dog. Shigure hoped that it was true. This was the one moment when he needed the family to believe in him and forget all his foolishness over the years. If Akito died when there was a chance to save him, Shigure would never be able to live with himself.

Kureno stepped aside. "I will be going with him."

"Thank you, Kureno."

"Thanks are unnecessary. I am doing my duty to protect Akito any way I can."

At last, Shigure found himself at Akito's side and knelt down to look at him closely. It frightened Shigure, how terrible Akito looked. Akito's eyes were filled with fury.

"Don't you dare do this to me." Akito hissed. "I will stay here. This is my home."

"No." Shigure put a hand on Akito's face and felt how cold Akito was growing. "You will go with Count D. Kureno will protect you and Ha-san will look after your health, but you are going."

"Traitor!" Akito's voice was laced with something very close to hate and it hurt Shigure just to listen to him.

"Never. I would give my life for you, but that wouldn't help. That wouldn't save you. I'm so sorry if you're scared, but I can't live like this anymore. I can't bear to see you suffer."

"Just let me die!" Akito looked as if he would attack if he could, but he lay so still. "I know I'm dying, give me some peace! You think I want to live like this? Knowing that I could never see another day? I hate living as much as I hate the thought of death."

"I'm so tired, Akito." Shigure felt more than tired, he felt old. He felt as if he'd lived a hundred years and all those years were pressing down on him. It was too hard to keep up the pretense of the happy idiot. "Every day that passes, you hurt our family. I know you don't mean it. But...Akito, you slapped Kisa. She's a helpless little girl." Out of the corner of his eye, Shigure sat Hiro take Kisa's hand. His eyes went to Rin, were she sat awkwardly and still in pain. "You pushed Rin out of a window, you almost killed her. Your own family and you almost killed her. I could go on and on about how much you've hurt us. About Yuki and Kyou. About Hatori. It has to stop. I can't take it anymore. Damn it! I can't take it!" Shigure started to cry and it was no act. "I...I thought I was strong enough, but I'm not. I can't watch you hurt our family anymore. I thought I could help, I thought if I was strong enough, I could do something to make it all better. I can't do anything but Count D can."

Akito's glare didn't soften. "You'd abandon me to a stranger. An outsider!"

Shigure hated this. It was a painful moment of truth and he hated it. All his courage in getting away from the estate and having a safe place where the children could get away from the rest of the family if they wanted it, it had all been for nothing. What had he accomplished? Nothing. He had been lucky in Tohru's arrival, it was she who'd shown Yuki and Kyou that light did exist, even in the dark world of the Souma's. Sadly, even Tohru couldn't save Akito at this point. "You'll die if you don't go. Then things will only get worse." In truth, Shigure couldn't think of life without Akito.

"No." Akito shook his head, trying to get his face away from Shigure's hands. "I won't go. I belong here, on the estate." Tears sprung to his eyes, furiously. "Don't you get it!? I want to be with my family!"

"You're sick. You have to go." Shigure stood then and stepped back, away from Akito. "Count D has the power to make you well again." Shigure turned his back on Akito, as painful as it was. "Ha-san, you and Kureno go with him. Don't leave Akito alone for a moment."

"Shigure?" Akito's voice, which had been so furious, was suddenly very frightened and though he couldn't see Akito's face, Shigure was torn by that voice. "Shigure, don't let him take me away. Please, don't let him take me from my family. I need you."

Shigure crossed his arms until he was nearly hugging himself, but he refused to be moved. 'I will not turn around. This has to be done, no matter how scared he is.' He steadfastly stood with his face at the wall.

The other members of the Junikyu were becoming more and more agitated. Whether they liked Akito or not wasn't the issue. Akito was God and they couldn't just let him be taken away by some stranger.

"Don't interfere." Shigure ordered, trying to make his voice sound stern. It didn't work well. The compulsion to protect their God was an instinct and, to them, this was like a fish learning to fly. Unnatural. "I know what I'm doing." He turned his hard gaze to each of his family, carefully avoiding Akito's eyes. "This has to happen. We don't have any hope but this one chance."

"A most wise decision." Count D commented to Shigure. "I will return your family in two weeks, should all go as planned."

"Make sure it does." Shigure answered. "Because if anything happens to Akito, I'll find you." It was clearly a threat and Shigure meant it. He would try to kill Count D if Akito were harmed. It would be folly on Shigure's part, but if he were the cause of Akito's pain then Shigure would rather be killed by Count D than continue to live.

Count D patted Shigure's arm. "I am certain you will. Now," He turned his attention to Akito. "If you will come with me, I have a car waiting."

"Carry him, Kureno." Shigure ordered. Shigure turned again, making it very clear that he would not help Akito. 'I love him too much to stop this.'

Akito began screaming as soon as Kureno moved to obey Shigure. "NO!" He cried. "You're mine, Kureno! You said you'd always obey me!"

"No." Kureno argued, slipping his arms under Akito and lifting him easily. "I have always obeyed you, but that is not what I promised you. I promised to always protect you and I will protect you no matter where we go."

Akito didn't stop yelling, screaming and begging to be put down. "Don't! Put me down!" Kureno hesitated and Shigure knew what Kureno would be feeling. He wanted to obey Akito.

"Don't listen to him, Kureno. This is for him, we'll save Akito's life." Shigure put a hand to his heart where it suddenly felt like it was beating to rapidly. "You have to go. He'll die if we do nothing."

Hatori stood then, quiet as ever, and went to open the door for Kureno. When he passed Shigure, Hatori paused only to mutter, "I hope you're sure about this."

Shigure met Hatori's eyes and wanted to tell him everything, all the secrets he'd read about in the diary and everything he'd learned from Sofu D. There was no time and this was the only chance that their family had. "Just...just go. You know I'm not lying, so go."

Hatori nodded and led the way, followed closely by Akito and Kureno. Akito screamed so shrilly that he'd worn himself out before he and Kureno had even reached the door and tears of fury, fear, and grief were running freely down his face. When he passed Shigure, Akito glared at him. "I hate you."

Shigure felt his heart shatter. "If you live, I can deal with your hate." It was a lie. Shigure wanted nothing more than to crawl into a hole and die. What was the point in living if he couldn't be near Akito?

The last to leave was Count D who paused in front of Shigure and examined his face closely, putting a delicate finger to his lips as he thought.

"What?" Shigure asked.

"My petshop is at this address." He pulled a business card out of his billowing robes and handed it to Shigure. "There is a little map on the back. Feel free to visit, if you please. You, and the rest of your family, are more than welcomed. I should tell you to visit the house of the Rooster. I believe your Rooster has hidden something there. Several something's, in fact." Then he turned, also, and left.

"What have you done?" Ayame asked, breathlessly. He looked as confused and frightened as everyone else. "Shigure...?"

Shigure just shrugged, hopelessly. "We have nothing to lose by letting Count D try to save Akito and everything to gain. Come on, Aya. Don't you...don't you trust...me?" Shigure turned slightly and leaned against the wall, his eyes going to the window where he could see a shiny black car parked out front. He saw a man holding the door open for Kureno to get Akito into the car and then get in himself. Then Hatori and lastly went Count D. The car roared to life and sped away.

"Trust?" It was Hiro who'd spoken. "You haven't told us anything to trust. Who was that? Did he know about the curse?"

Shigure didn't answer. Nothing mattered anymore. He'd done it.

"'Gure?" Ayame took Shigure's arm and that was the last straw.

Shigure's knees collapsed and he slid down the wall, landing hard on the floor where he broke into heart-wrenching sobs. 'I betrayed him. I turned my back on Akito.' Without really caring, Shigure turned into a dog and lifted his face to howl mournfully at the world. As far as he was concerned, life was pretty much over. No matter what the reason or the intention, Shigure had betrayed the one person he loved more than anyone else. He didn't care if he ever turned human again.


To be continued...


Dear readers, almost done. We're getting close to the end.

Now, for the replies.

Greenember: Glad you liked the story. I actually like Shigure more in the manga because he seems to have more of a purpose than he does in the anime. I just like the idea that he's plotting something devious behind that sweet smile of his.

Kearoru: what a nice review:) Personally, I like nice long chapters and feel silly if I only post a page or two. I'm glad you like the characters and I hope you've enjoyed the rest of the story.

Lilmisspimp1887: Now that's quite the compliment! To be compared to such a writer! I'm flattered.

Balis: Thanks for the kind review, I'll try to keep you entertained.

Babs: I'm glad you like my version of how the curse came to be, but I can't wait to find out the 'real' reason. I'm really hoping that they give a reason, sooner or later, in the manga.

Rem122: Glad you're enjoying it. Thanks for taking the time to review.

Shadowslight: I'm glad you liked my Shigure, he's my favorite character in the series, followed closely by Akito. I'll post as often as I can, though this story is now drawing to a close.

Gakifang: Akito is an amazing character, not really nice, but fascinating, I think. Thank you for reviewing, I do appreciate it.

Sumeragi Sei: I highly suggest that you try the petshop of Horrors Manga, I can't tell you how much better they are than the anime. Don't get me wrong, I liked the anime, but the manga was just...wow! The anime leaves so much out.

Madam Shannon: what a very kind review, you'll make me blush. Thank you very much, I'll try to keep up the quality.

kessondalek@msn.com : That's pretty high praise. Thank you.

Youkai Girl: The relationship between Leon and D is very sad, really. I'm pleased that you liked the story and very happy that you took the time to write a review. Reviews always brighten my day.

Cor-chan: You'll hunt me down? Eep! I'll have to get writing, then.

Sterling: Ha, ha! Yes, I always have a problem with my 'to, too'. For some reason, it just doesn't work for me. Ah well. I'm glad that you seemed to like the rest of the story, though. Yes, I always take time to read my reviews, even if I don't always take as much time as I should to answer them. Thank you for taking the time. The Pits came from an episode of Weiss Kruez (Knight Hunters). There was an episode where they had to infiltrate an illegal fighting ring where they would pay young men to fight to the death in an arena. I thought, ' well, wouldn't it be even more horrifying if they used children, instead?' Besides, I needed some place for my Black Scorpion to come from.

Chibi Fangirl From Hell: Wow, you left so many reviews! Thanks! Now you'll make my head swell with all that talk. I'll do my best to keep up the quality. I hope you enjoy the rest of the story.

_Katsu_ : Sigh...yes, my horrible grammar. Sadly, my betas aren't into Fruits Basket and I don't want to bore them by asking them to read something they aren't interested in. Therefore I'm on my own with this one and I tend to miss to many of my own mistakes. I'm glad that you liked the rest of the story, even if it did get a bit dull.

Sanjuno: I wasn't really sure that I was keeping them in character, at first. I kept worrying that I was making Shigure to serious and Ayame not flighty enough. Then I decided that I liked them just the way they were. It's nice to know that you like them, though. Hope you like the rest of the story.

Omish Nezumi: I promise to finish the story. I never post when I don't intend to finish. Some of my fics have been sadly neglected, but not one of them forgotten. I will finish.

Immortal Evil Fanfic Chibi: Glad you like, I'll write more, but I should warn you that we're getting close to the end.

Fanfic Crazy Chibi: Worship? Eep.