Fruits Basket Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Neko's Healing ❯ Recovery ( Chapter 23 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket or Ranma.

 

Okay--I fibbed; there's still one more chapter coming. Well, not fibbed, really...it just didn't all fit into one chapter! Yuki and Shigure hogged more time than I wanted to give them. =P

 

I just did a word count on this thing, minus the author's notes and all--102,850 words. Eeeep! That's a bleedin' full-size novel! ::sweat-drop:: And I ain't earnin' a dime of word one of it...BWAAAAH!!!

 

Heh. Enjoy!

 

23 - Recovery

 

A gentle hand on his shoulder roused Yuki from his half-doze. He blinked his eyes back into focus as he tiredly raised his head from his arms. He'd been sitting on the floor, arms on the edge of the mattress, staring at his cousin's too-peaceful profile; praying the neko would wake up.

 

It had been a full week, now, without so much as a nightmare's twitch out of the neko. His face showed no expression at all...it wasn't even peaceful in sleep. It was like watching a mannequin, except for the slow, but steady rise and fall of his chest as he breathed.

 

“Yuki. Xian Pu awake; time you go, now.”

 

Yuki looked up into tired red eyes, a lighter shade than the crimson he hoped to see again. The Amazon flatly refused to leave her Airen's side. She wasn't sleeping well--not that anyone else helping keep watch on the comatose neko was. Xian Pu was showing the worst physical effects, though. She was worrying everyone, considering her...condition. She was nowhere near far enough along to show yet; but her body was beginning to make some profound changes, as it prepared itself for `occupancy' for the next nine months.

 

Yuki, Tohru, and Kazuma had been allowed to stay at the Nekohanten, to help care for Kyo until he woke. Yuki had a feeling the Amazon Matriarch had known they'd be camping out in the alley behind the restaurant, if she hadn't let them stay; they were too concerned with Kyo's welfare to keep away. The rest of the Jyuunishi-cursed weren't much better, popping in at all hours, whenever they could get away.

 

Kureno stopped by to pay his respects on the second day, when it was obvious to all that Akito was truly cured. He returned every other day, eyes anxious until he received the disappointing news each time that Kyo was still not awake. He always stood by the neko for a few minutes, silently wishing Kyo well.

 

Ritsu showed up with Hiro, in Kisa's wake. The young taiga had been adamant about seeing Kyo; and Hiro, or course, could never say “no” to her. Ritsu had been within earshot, and managed to scrape together enough courage to timidly ask to go with them. Kisa had silenced Hiro with a touch of temper when he nearly scared their Saru-cursed cousin off. The three started a habit of stopping by for at least a few minutes every day after school, Kisa always in the lead. Like Kureno, they always went all the way up to give Kyo the respect of seeing him in person.

 

Ayame dropped by once. Yuki...had not been up to dealing with his flamboyant older brother. A sweat-dropping Kho Lon had finally declared that the golden-eyed hebi's behavior would frighten her customers, and soundly thwacked him over the head with her staff, before chasing the silver-haired debutante out, forbidding him to come again until he learned to control himself.

 

Even Rin had dropped by once, with Hatsuharu. With Akito now behaving like a normal, caring person, there was nothing keeping those two apart. The gratitude flickering in the uma-cursed girl's black eyes nearly brought tears to Yuki's, when he saw her quietly thank Kyo when she thought he and Haru were out of ear-shot.

 

Kagura was the only one to never show. Yuki didn't know if that was her choice, or not; Hatori might well have forbidden her to see the neko, considering her usual way of dealing with stress was to beat Kyo senseless. When she found out about Kyo's marriage...

 

Yuki shuddered at the thought, praying to Kami-sama that he wouldn't be the one forced to tell her!

 

They had set up a schedule among the three Sohmas staying at the Nekohanten plus Kho Lon, watching over Kyo with Xian Pu in roughly three-hour blocks. Kho Lon and Kazuma traded the watches while Yuki and Tohru were at school, and during the middle of the night. Yuki had the watch immediately before school, while Tohru helped Kho Lon set things up in the restaurant's kitchen for the day, and made their breakfast; then he and Tohru traded the watches just after school until bed.

 

The adults refused to let either of the teens go with anything less than six hours of sleep. Tohru, at least, had been used to short sleep on the nights she worked. Yuki, well...he wasn't as used to it, but he was certainly motivated. The first time he walked into Kyo's room at four in the morning, actually coherent and truly awake, had nearly put Kazuma into shock. Yuki--up before the sun?! The karate master had sat stunned for almost ten minutes, before regaining his equilibrium.

 

Kazuma and Kho Lon had realized the two teens wouldn't get any better rest in eight hours than in six, the way they were worrying. If they dozed off with their homework in Kyo's room, that was all right; the watch was more for their benefit, anyway. Xian Pu didn't voluntarily leave the room for more than five minutes at a time, for necessities only; and slept only when she had to.

 

Kyo would not be alone, when he finally woke.

 

If Akito's portion of the curse was still in the neko...they'd have to trust in Kyo's ability to fight it long enough for the entire Nerima Wrecking Crew to be assembled. They had all been appraised of the situation, and agreed to come running if needed. No single martial artist would be able to restrain a curse-controlled Neko-ken Master; and they all couldn't camp out in his room, until he woke! Kho Lon had sweat-dropped at the mere thought.

 

They weren't called the Nerima Wrecking Crew for nothing, after all! The quickest way to set off the inevitable explosion, was to just get them all together.

 

Kho Lon had also set up a regimen of physical exercise for Kyo that her guests could help with. They carefully moved the neko's limbs about and massaged his muscles, such as they could with him unconscious. It would make his recovery that much quicker, when he finally woke, by helping assure he didn't lose all of his muscle tone. It would also help prevent bedsores from developing.

 

It also gave his worried watchers something constructive to do, to help her Son-In-Law.

 

When not officially on watch or asleep, Kazuma, Yuki, and Tohru went downstairs into the restaurant proper to help out as they could. Xian Pu wasn't able to work from her place at Kyo's side; this left Kho Lon and Mu Tse seriously short-handed. Ranma and Akane showed up to help as they could after school, along with Momiji and Hatsuharu, which helped. Shigure had been forbidden to so much as look at the kitchen, and no one was foolish enough to even suggest him serving customers--not even as a joke. The inu was lucky he was allowed to eat in the restaurant, at least when Ranma in girl-form was serving. Hatori stopped by daily to look in on Kyo, consulting with the Matriarch.

 

Kho Lon had been training Kazuma to wait tables, much to the karate master's chagrin. He wasn't used to the intense attention the female patrons were giving him--at least, not so much, all at one time! He had also been feeling decidedly clumsy and without skill, next to Ranma's and Mu Tse's exhibitions. After his first day, he'd sighed with resignation and humbly requested that Ranma trai--er, spar with his lowly self.

 

Ranma, wincing at a full Master humbling himself so--never mind the pig-tailed martial artist was arguably the best of his generation, and leagues better than Kazuma; Ranma hadn't officially attained Master-rank yet!--managed to politely accept, without chewing on his foot, for once. The obvious good-natured, self-deprecating humor in Kazuma's expression helped Ranma keep a tight leash on his mouth. He knew that in Kazuma's place, he'd no doubt be a frustrated, insulting baka about it!

 

Shigure and Kazuma had insisted that Yuki and Tohru still attend school, and Akito had backed them up with a direct order. The two teens hadn't been happy about leaving Kyo; but they knew he was in good hands, and they always rushed back to the Nekohanten as soon as school was done for the day. Yuki delegated all of the Student Council work he could, brining the rest home with him. Whether they could actually do anything for the neko or not, both teens almost desperately wanted to be there, when he woke.

 

Tohru had been especially torn between Kyo and school, what with that promise she'd made to her mother to finish her education. At least she didn't have to go to her job after school for a while; Momiji's father had insisted on giving her leave, so she could help with the neko's recovery. Her job would be there, whenever she was ready to return to work.

 

Akito had not come by to visit. Yuki was rather relieved, even if the Clan Head wasn't his--no, her old sadistic self anymore. The nezumi just wasn't up to dealing with the reactions that had been driven into his nerves by all his past meetings with Akito; not on top of his worry for Kyo. Having to deal with his brother had been bad enough!

 

Shaking his head to clear the cobwebs from his scattered thoughts, Yuki rose from Kyo's side, stretching the stiffness out. Xian Pu settled herself in his place, reaching to take one of Kyo's flaccid hands in her own as Yuki reluctantly walked to the door, stepping around the Amazon's cot. Violet-gray eyes misted slightly as he watched the two for a few moments, sadness and despair rising up in a wave, as if to suck him down. Xian Pu looked so sad...but she wasn't giving up hope.

 

Yuki refused to give up on Kyo, either. The neko hadn't ever given up on him, in spite of Akito's--no; in spite of the curse's interference. The nezumi angrily shook his head, trying to center his thoughts. If Kyo could handle more than ten years of pretending to be an enemy to his best friend, then surely Yuki could stand to help take care of the neko's body until he woke up! However long it took.

 

A shiver raced across the nezumi's shoulders as he tried not to think about Kyo staying like that, for years on end. The neko would wake up; he had to! There was no way that stubborn baka would let it end like--like this! It was in his very nature to fight, to never give in!

 

Yuki had spoken with Akito over the phone several times, since Kyo healed him--er, her. That was certainly taking some getting used to! There was none of the malice he was used to in the Clan Head, anymore. She was like an entirely different person, without the curse's influence--even the pitch of her voice had changed; gone less vicious, and more--feminine. She also hadn't so much as sneezed since the healing. It looked like there'd be no more mysterious fevers and illnesses plaguing her, unless she started overworking herself.

 

Akito showed signs of involving herself in Clan matters like no Clan Head had since before the Jyuunishi curse. She was taking an active interest in the welfare of her whole family--not just the cursed members. Hatori had commented that the elders who'd been effectively running things weren't yet sure how to respond to that change, though Akito also showed signs that she was going to be very, very good at dealing with the politics of her position. Living under the curse's influence had taught her a great deal about human nature, even if it had focused on the bad side of it.

 

Kho Lon was in the hallway when Yuki left Kyo's room, on her way to send the nezumi to bed. Tohru was walking tiredly behind her, done with her stint at dish-washing for the night. Yuki had already washed his share right after school, while Tohru sat with Kyo.

 

Sighing, Yuki nodded politely to the Elder, then made his way to the room he shared with Kazuma, next to the small room Tohru was using. Exhaustion clouded his mind, stealing the focus from his eyes. A sudden soft yelp and jerky movement next to him yanked him fully awake, just in time to catch Tohru in his arms as she tripped and fell against him.

 

The nezumi stood frozen, blinking in shock, for all of a minute. The girl in his arms slowly turned her head to look back up at him. Her chocolate-brown eyes were as wide as his, as he supported her weight--holding her tightly to him.

 

Hugging her.

 

There was no <poof> heralding his transformation into a nezumi. Yuki stayed as human as Tohru. His mind felt frozen, unable to wrap a thought around the miracle, unable to even start to wonder if he was truly freed from his curse.

 

A bop to the back of his head knocked him out of his stupor. He winced, turning to stare in confusion at Kho Lon even as he helped a dazed Tohru stand on her own.

 

“Enough of that, children; you two need to get to sleep. Tomorrow will be another long day.” The Matriarch's face help no amazement; she obviously didn't realize exactly what had just happened.

 

Yuki and Tohru looked at each other, Tohru's eyes misting as a smile trembled at the edges of her expression. Yuki turned to Kho Lon, suppressed excitement shivering along his nerves, making his hands shake.

 

“Elder--I didn't transform!”

 

Kho Lon blinked, then suddenly remembered the Jyuunishi curse. She hadn't seen it demonstrated regularly enough for it to be that much on her mind. She looked between the two teens, eyes widening a bit, before a disturbingly crafty look stole over her features. Before Yuki knew what she was about, the Amazon Elder had bounded over and latched on to him in a full-blown Amazon GlompTM, causing the nezumi's eyes to bug out even as his hair nearly stood on end.

 

Tohru watched with a mix of confusion and budding jealousy. She'd been fighting the urge to do that to various male Sohmas for years! The sudden realization that, maybe, now she could, shoved the quick flash of jealousy right out of her head. As soon as Kho Lon had released the stunned nezumi, Tohru leapt forward and joyfully glomped him for herself.

 

The look on Yuki's face went swiftly from mortified to ecstatic, as he tried to get his arms free enough to return Tohru's breath-stealing hug. Kho Lon cackled merrily from her perch on her staff, wishing she had a camera handy. She casually pried Tohru off when the poor boy started to turn blue; he seemed to be enjoying the contact too much to be bothered with worrying about such trifles as asphyxiation. The girl saw the blueness, though, and immediately went into high-gear apologies, flittering about in a near-panic at the thought she'd been about to make Yuki pass out.

 

Short of breath, it took a laughing Yuki a couple minutes to get her calmed back down. Yuki's high spirits faded quickly, though. He turned to Kho Lon with a worried look, thinking hard. “Elder...do you think--did Kyo really break the Jyuunishi curse? For everyone?”

 

The desperate hope in those violet-gray eyes would have melted harder hearts than Kho Lon's. She smiled at him as she answered, “It would certainly appear so.” She very carefully did not mention the possibility that Kyo had merely brought the entire curse onto himself. Let the young ones celebrate; her Son-In-Law might wake up perfectly fine, after all. The Matriarch certainly prayed so. She didn't know enough details about the Jyuunishi curse and its casting to be able to predict with any real accuracy.

 

Yuki stared off at nothing with a vaguely stunned expression, his jumbled thoughts whirling like a cyclone. He frowned as questions came to him--what about the rest of the Jyuunishi-cursed? Were they freed, too? Did they even know it yet?! Was the curse really completely broken...or would it still be passed on to another generation?

 

He had to talk to someone--Shigure!! The inu knew everything that happened in the family, whether he'd admit it or not. Surely he'd know many of the answers Yuki wanted, if not all! He just needed to be convinced to give a straight answer.

 

Kho Lon watched with amusement as the nezumi gathered his rattled thoughts. She spoke before he did. “You know where the phone is; go call your family. Tohru, child--why don't you go ahead and get ready for bed? I'm sure Yuki will tell you all he finds out just as soon as...”

 

Yuki didn't hear any more as he dashed off down the hall to the phone, after a brief bow of gratitude for the Elder's understanding. His chest felt tight with mingled elation and worry.

 

If the curse was broken--that meant Kyo would be all right, didn't it?!

 

-.-.-.-

 

Shigure hung up the phone in a state of minor shock. He stared at the device for a few moments, unmoving; his mind completely stilled. Then he slowly turned and left his study, wide dark eyes still somewhat unfocused as he tried to wrap his mind around the idea of his family finally, finally, being free of that kami-damned curse!

 

He wasn't sure why he hadn't thought to test it, in the week since Kyo healed Akito. Habit was certainly a part of it; he'd spent his entire life avoiding exposure of his curse, after all. Possibly it was also partly worry that kept him from thinking of it. Both for Kyo's fate, and the possibility that the neko had only helped Akito. Shigure didn't want to think about Kyo now bearing the core of the entire Jyuunishi curse, on top of the Neko's curse; not for the rest of his life--! That was just too terrible to think.

 

He hadn't wanted to get his hopes up, that the whole curse might actually be gone!

 

Shigure remembered to put on shoes as he left his house, and managed to not run into any trees or anything on his way to the Honke. This was in spite of not consciously seeing his surroundings until he was standing outside of Hatori's house, staring at the door in a daze. It was probably a small miracle he hadn't been run over by a car; he hadn't paid any attention to whether he was walking on a path, a sidewalk, or down the middle of the street...

 

Shaking his head to focus himself, the inu stared at Hatori's door for another moment, this time thinking with more than one brain cell. Finally deciding not to bother the doctor in case he was finally resting, the inu turned away, heading for Akito's house. The tatsu might already be there, anyway; he'd been reluctant to leave the Clan Head's side since Kyo healed her, mostly out of pure paranoia. Akito had been downright scarily healthy--and energetic! They were all having a hard time getting used to this stranger in their Clan Head's body!

 

Akito was no longer reliably to be found brooding in the darkness of her audience chamber, slouched in her favorite round window; or confined to her bed, too sick to move. She was now most likely to be found in the council chambers, with the clan elders who had been actually running clan business for as long as the family had been cursed.

 

Having their Clan Head demonstrate a high level of honest-to-the-kami compassion had the whole council of elders walking on egg-shells, waiting nervously for the other shoe to drop. The unexpected political savvy she was showing didn't distress them anywhere near as much.

 

Shigure's news caused more of a furor than even he'd thought it would. Akito immediately summoned each and every Jyuunishi-cursed Sohma but for Yuki and Kyo, also calling in two of the most trusted of her personal servants--one man and one woman. It was quickly established, by a hug as each Jyuunishi-cursed came in the door, that their curses were all lifted.

 

Not one of them transformed when hugged. Their shock at the unexpected “welcome” trebled at their staying human. By the time the last of them arrived, all but Shigure and Akito were practically dancing for joy, smiling and laughing and rejoicing each in their own way. Even Hatori was seen to smile, tears welling in his green-gray eyes.

 

Shigure was the first to realize there was at least some small part of the curse left, when his more-than-human-sensitive ears picked up the baying of inus outside the compound. He could still understand them, even if he didn't transform any more. He cocked his head, listening intently for a few minutes. Then he looked about at his celebrating, joyous kin, and smile. He decided against mentioning it; no need to spoil their mood with worry, not yet anyway.

 

One look at Akito's shadowed, down-turned face brought him straight to her side. When she looked up at him, Shigure was distressed to see the fear lurking behind her watery smile. Akito blinked a couple times to clear the tears from her eyes, then took a deep, steadying breath.

 

“Shigure. Take me to him.”

 

Black eyes bored into nearly-black gray, determined. The inu slowly nodded, taking the hand Akito raised and turning to lead her from the room. There were only two possible `he's Akito would want to see--and they were both in the same place.

 

Hatori was the only one to pay any attention as they left; at his frowning stare, Shigure gave a small, sad half-smile and a shrug, as if to say, “What can I do? It's Akito's orders.” Hatori's frown deepened, but one look at Akito's face stilled his protest un-said. He knew there was no arguing with her, whatever she was about.

 

It took only a minute or so to arrange for a car to be brought around, then Shigure and Akito were off to the Nekohanten. Akito held tightly to his hand the whole trip, her hand feeling cold as ice. Halfway there, she started speaking, softly.

 

“Shigure. Do you remember my mother?”

 

Blinking in surprise at the unexpected topic, the inu turned to Akito. After a moment of thought, a quizzical expression on his face, he said, “...I can't say that I do; I'm sorry... Her name was Ren, wasn't it?”

 

Akito smiled, a small, flickery smile. “Don't be sorry. And yes, Ren was the name of my official mother.”

 

That got another blink. Shigure's eyes were riveted onto Akito now, his curiosity piqued. “'Official' mother?”

 

Black eyes slanted sideways toward him as her lips twitched into a too-brief smile. “Ren's child was still-born. Another woman gave birth that same day--the babies were switched, at the order of my predecessor... The same man was the biological father to both babies, anyway.” Her eyes slid back to the front windshield as her face went icy-still. “My predecessor...left me a journal. He was--upset; about that man, and his Ren...”

 

Shigure drew in a careful breath, trying not to show how much he was interested. What she was saying was obviously hard for her; but Akito was also enjoying teasing him through his love of intrigue. In the old days, this verbal banter would have been dangerous as if he were teasing a bear with a sharp stick, with no protective bars or walls in between...

 

“Really?”

 

Akito faced front, sitting straight, hands folded tightly in her lap. Her profile was now--very sad. “Sohma Akira transferred the core of the curse to my infant self with his dying breath, then swore the few people involved in the switch to secrecy.” Shigure twitched slightly in surprise; he hadn't realized there was any choice involved on the part of a Clan Head, in choosing a successor. He'd been much too young to know anything, back then.

 

“Ren mourned her son, though...so I was raised as a boy. She never let me forget I wasn't really hers. She took great delight in pointing out who my birth mother was; especially when my little brother was born.”

 

Shigure reminded his body to breathe. His hackles raised with foreboding, all the way up the back of his head. “...Little...brother...?” His voice was little more than a faint whisper, a sickly suspicion turning the inside of his mouth to ashes.

 

Nodding, Akito raised one suddenly shaking hand to press against her forehead for a moment, before dropping it back to her lap. Her wide and unfocused eyes stayed fixed on the car's front windshield, her voice going thin and cracking with strain. “I don't know--how he'll ever forgive me. The curse--it...spoke to her...for six hours, the day she--killed herself.

 

“It really wasn't his fault, at all. It was mine.”

 

Eyes widening as his quick mind easily put together the bits of information Akito had just given him, Shigure carefully leaned over to grasp her hands in his. Sorrow gripped him as he tried to catch her eyes.

 

 

“It wasn't your fault, either. It was the curse--which makes it ultimately the fault of whoever cast it on our family, all those centuries ago.” The inu stared intently at his kami's--no, his Clan Head's profile, keeping his voice soft, but full of conviction. “Kyo will forgive you. In spite of that temper he's always putting on, your brother is really a very forgiving person. The only grudge I've known him to hold is the one with Yuki--and I think we all now know how fake that was...”

 

Smiling slightly at the intensity in her inu's voice, Akito turned to look into his eyes, desperately blinking back tears. She desperately wanted to believe him...but didn't know if she dared hope for so much. Kyo had already done so much for her; for their family--how could she ask him for more?! Just by itself, his forgiveness was more than she had a right to!

 

“He...doesn't know. Tell me now, Shigure...my faithful inu...should I tell him? Does he need to know...would the knowledge help him, in any way...?” Akito held Shigure's eyes for several moments as he thought carefully about his answer, his brow furrowing in thought.

 

“Akito-sama...I think--if you intend to try and have a sibling's relationship with him, then you should definitely tell him. But if you plan on keeping distant from him--it wouldn't do any good, for him to know he has a sister. He would feel like you were rejecting him. Kyo has felt rejected by his whole family, for his entire life, because of the curse. If he felt like his own sister was rejecting him, after the curse was lifted--I think that would hurt him a great deal.”

 

Akito stared into Shigure's dark, serious eyes for several minutes, thinking hard. Finally, her expression softened into a somewhat watery, but still beautiful smile. She reached up to trace the side of Shigure's face with one hand, softly, as he nearly lost himself in stunned wonder at her expression.

 

“Dear Shigure--you always give me good advice.” Akito leaned over and kissed him lightly on the cheek, before snuggling into his shoulder. Shigure blinked, pleasantly surprised, and hauled his thoughts back on track. He worked his arm up and about her shoulders, holding her close.

 

It didn't bother him that she hadn't told him what she would do. He'd find out, sooner or later; he always did.

 

Besides...it was nice, to hold Akito like that, without the threat of bodily injury if her temper--no; if the curse took exception. Shigure's protective instincts towards his Clan Head were getting stronger, since she was freed from the curse...and they were definitely not brotherly in nature.

 

A small, slightly lecherous smile slipped across his face as he tilted his head to look curiously down at Akito. He'd noticed she was no longer wearing strictly male clothing. Since she was eating better, and not trying to get herself sick, her body had also started filling out, somewhat. She was no longer the skin-and-bones wraith she'd been; she was actually gaining an ounce or two of body fat. He thought she might actually develop quite a decent figure, with time and care.

 

Shigure intended to provide that care, personally. The loyalty of the Jyuunishi no Inu had not really been fixed on any single person in his family--not until Kyo healed Akito. The drastic change in her personality from a sadistically cruel, maniacal, paranoid schizophrenic; to a thoughtful, reasonable, and decidedly caring person--quickly engaged his long-denied instinctive loyalty. It was the nature of the Inu spirit to be ferociously loyal to the ones it chose to give that loyalty to, after all.

 

By the way she would snuggle up to him, and no other, the inu rather thought Akito wouldn't mind the near-instinct-level feeling that ran through his head, whenever he thought about her--

 

Mine...

 

-.-.-.-

 

See ya next chapter!