Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Childlike Views ❯ Discovery ( Chapter 2 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

The last time your mother visited, she made sure to emphasize this point to a painful degree- you are nothing; you have no life; your only purpose is to die, and so on. After she had left, you had, as usual, needed medicine to calm your hysterical screaming, and had only just been conscious. Even so, you were sure you had not imagined the strangely triumphant smile that sat widely on your mother�s face as she left.
Of course, whenever you told your doctor this, he would give you medicine for �delirious behavior�. Telling Hatori only made him fetch your doctor who would give you medicine again; and Ayame would just go get Hatori and Hatori would get your doctor and on. Shigure and Kureno, however, were different.

Anime/Manga: Fruits Basket Fan Fiction | Genre(s): / Angst | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 01.29.2006 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.2K | Visits: 334 | Status: Work In Progress

Before the story begins again, I believe this point of the child's existence should be made clear: she was born simply to die. And, for better or worse, her mother decided when she was born that no evidence should be left on the world to mark the child's existence.

This was a cold decision, and whether or not a wise one, it has been stuck to rigidly. In fact, the child came very close not being named at all. She was, however, named, though it was only because the four mentioned previously objected to the former decision, which was to care for the child minimally.

However, there are some who do not mind the decision. Surprisingly, it is the one who made the decision who breaks it the most often.

Ren Souma, mother of the Jyuunishi God, of the new Head of the Souma family.

Why is it, I ask you, that Ren, more than her child, rules the Souma Clan?

Undoubtedly this will change in the future; it absolutely has to change. But, until the time that God understands, her mother rules.

It is, perhaps, rather ironic that Ren Souma- the woman who declared that her child would be isolated her entire life- is the one who most often visits the young Head.

Of course, as Hatori can testify, these visits are not often the pleasant, mother-daughter meetings you might expect. Often Ren will go in the room completely calm and come out looking like she needs serious therapy.

For whatever reason, Ren has always hated her child.

And this should be kept in mind as you continue to read. For now, you are her child.

* * *

Weeks had past since that wonderful day of freedom, and you were once again locked up in your room. It was not a terribly large room, but then, you were not a terribly large person. At age ten, you weighed a little less than the average five year old, and were often on medicine to maintain that weight.

Being little more than a bag a skin and bones was not exactly something you did on purpose, but, as your mother often said, you rarely ever did anything on purpose. You simply existed.

Of course, whenever you told your doctor this, he would give you medicine for `delirious behavior'. Telling Hatori only made him fetch your doctor who would give you medicine again; and Ayame would just go get Hatori and Hatori would get your doctor and on. Shigure and Kureno, however, were different.

Just the other day, Shigure had insisted on sitting in with your mother when she was visiting, and none of those awful words had left her mouth, though it was obvious she was still shouting them in her head.

Kureno had responded in a different way- opting to bring you flowers and things from outside, as well as the occasional treat imported from some other country-, but it was clear that both were watching your mother.

Now, both made a habit of alternatively visiting you every night. Shigure would listen to you, kneeling respectively as you vented your fears and sorrows until your mother made him leave and had a servant put you to bed. Last week as he sat, he'd bluntly told you to stop referring to `that woman' as your mother and just call her Ren, or any of the other names he'd listed. The list was so long he'd talked right up until Ren came.

Kureno, however, talked to you rather than listen; sometimes even singing you to sleep. Ren never had the chance to tell him to leave, he'd always hide and pretend to be gone; and then when the servant putting you to bed left he'd come back and sing again.

Shigure and Kureno had become your favorite out of the other thirteen (not counting yourself, obviously), and your tie to the outside world; they gave you reports on what was happening around the Honke, how the other, younger members of the Jyuunishi were doing, and sometimes something as simple as whether it was too hot outside.

Last night, Shigure had skipped in during your talk with Kureno and cheerfully told you that when nezumi-chan was born, it would be your companion. And it was then that you discovered something very, very wonderful.

Disregarding the fever you had, and how the room was spinning, you had jumped up so fast that your ears rang and the world wobbled dangerously and dashed across the room. Forgetting that girls could never, ever embrace members of the Jyuunishi, you had flung your arms around Shigure.

Nothing happened.

For two seconds Shigure and Kureno had both froze, then- having always been the more sensible of the two- Kureno got up and led you back to your futon, and had covered you back up with the blankets that had been scattered in your leap.

While Kureno had merely a slightly surprised look, as though someone had told him frogs could fly, Shigure looked excited.

The next time he came to visit, the smile on his face when he embraced you, rocking you to sleep, and murmuring, “Akito-chan, Akito-chan,” over and over gave your name a new, special meaning.

TBC