Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Half Jack ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

So….two song lyrics this time; one at the beginning, one at the end. And both are from the song Half Jack by the Dresden Dolls (oh how I heart that band).

 

xXxXx

 

“And when I'm brave enough

And find a clever way to kick him out
And I'm so high

Not even you and all your love could bring me down….”

 

 

It was months before Kyo tried again, really tried. His body had been in no condition to go up against Cat; after the brutal beating he took, he was sure that he'd die if he tried too soon. Two ribs had been broken, an arm and a leg as well, and he'd have numerous scars from the deep scratches Cat gave him.

 

Kyo didn't even bother trying to explain how he got the injuries; it would sound insane if he did. Hatori assumed he had a rather violent seizure, and that's what the doctors at the hospital he had stayed at believed. The wounds had been too numerous, too great for Hatori to care for with the few medical supplies he had.

 

He wasn't sure that Tohru believed that it was just a seizure. She had seen it, she told him on one of her many visits to him in the hospital. She had seen wounds appear out of no where, that he hadn't been thrashing around. She didn't ask him what happened; he had been unconscious, so how on earth would he know?

 

But, as he healed, Kyo kept trying to think of ways to force Cat out once and for all.

 

He practiced meditating, until he could reach the spiritual plane that Cat existed on much quicker. He did it as often as he could; he kept a log on what times he did, and how Cat seemed to be acting during those times, if he was more sluggish at a certain time of day, or weather. Kyo all ready knew Cat was weaker on rainy days, and he planned to take full advantage of that.

 

And today was the perfect day to kick Cat out. Kyo knew it before he even opened his eyes. He felt drained of energy, like he could sleep another twelve hours or so. He even struggled to open his eyes as he heard the roar of the rain outside. Perfect, absolutely perfect weather. He forced himself out of bed, and downstairs.

 

“Good afternoon, Kyo!” Tohru's chipper voice greeted him as he thumped down the steps.

 

“After…noon?” he repeated, rubbing his eyes. He could barely keep them open, which was a good sign. Cat would be having an equally hard time keeping his energy up.

 

“Yes. I guess all the rain made you sleep late. I thought about waking you up, but I thought it'd be better if you slept a little longer,” she said, biting her lip doubtfully.

 

Afternoon all ready? He'd have to get started. “It's all right…. I'm going to go out for a bit.” Kyo turned to walk to the door.

 

“Are you sure you should, Kyo? I mean, you get weak from the rain and it would be bad if you got too weak if you're by yourself-”

 

“I'll be fine,” Kyo said, cutting her off. “I'll be back in a while.”

 

He grabbed his jacket on his way to the sliding back doors. Nothing would stop him now. Cat was going to leave, once and for all.

 

XxXxXxXxXxx

 

Almost twenty minutes later, he was back in that strange spiritual plane, staring at Cat. His body was in the woods, the rain falling in heavy drops through his clothes. It would be worse for Cat if he was actually being hit by the rain, and at the moment, cat was lying, as though asleep, what appeared to be yards away. The rain didn't effect him here; Kyo supposed it was because that here, he and Cat weren't one, but two separate beings, and thus he wasn't effected by what effected Cat. It opened one eye, and curled its lip back in what appeared to be a smile.

 

Hello Kyo Sohma.

 

“Ready to leave, Cat?”

 

The smile widened. You failed last time. You will fail again.

 

XxXxXxXxXxX

 

It was growing late, and Tohru was becoming increasingly worried about Kyo. Dinner was made and set on the table; Shigure and Yuki were eating happily. But Kyo's plate was empty; he hadn't returned from his outing yet, and he had left hours ago.

 

She stared at her plate, unable to eat through her worry.

 

“The stupid cat will return soon,” Yuki said, bringing her attention back. “You should start eating while your food's still hot.”

 

“I-I should go look for him,” Tohru said absentmindedly, looking out at the doors through which Kyo disappeared through. “What if the rain got to him and he passed out or something?”

 

“It's his own stupid fault,” Yuki said under his breath before chewing on a mouthful of rice.

 

“Actually, it would be a good idea for you two to go look for Kyo. He has been gone rather long….”

 

“Why didn't you just volunteer yourself instead of me?” Yuki hissed, but Tohru was all ready on her feet, rushing to the closet where the raincoats and umbrellas were kept.

 

Shigure grinned. “Someone's got to watch the house, Yuki, and I'm sure she'll enjoy your company far more than mine.”

 

“Here Yuki,” Tohru said, holding out an umbrella and his jacket. He sighed, gave her a smile and took the articles from him.

 

XxXxXxXxXxX

 

 

They had been out in the rain for nearly an hour now. Tohru insisted he had left through the backdoor, out into the woods behind the house, and that they should look there. Yuki allowed her to steer him through the trees, though he was sure that Kyo had run off to the dojo where Kazuma lived.

 

“Kyo! Kyo!” Tohru called, her voice just barely audible through the sound of the rain. “Oh Yuki…what if he gets sick?”

 

“He'll be fine,” Yuki assured her, pausing in his steps. The bottom of his pants were soaked and muddy. That stupid cat was going to pay…

 

Tohru walked a few steps ahead, calling for Kyo. Yuki sighed. This was getting them no where. The span of land covered by trees wasn't huge on any scale, but it was still a large piece of land to search through, and because of the rain, Kyo wouldn't be able to hear Tohru at all.

 

He glanced around; everything looked the same. Brown, grey, brown, brown, red, brown-

 

Yuki snapped his head back at the flash of bright read he'd seen, and took a step closer, unable to see exactly what it was through the rain.

 

It was Kyo's hair of course; he was sprawled on the ground, his skin pale with his brilliant hair plastered around his face.

 

“Tohru, he's over here!”

 

She came running over immediately, and cried out when she saw Kyo. Both crouched beside him; Yuki checked his pulse, just in case. As much as he hated Kyo, if he was hurt, he'd help him, almost as though it were an obligation. It was fairly strong, but his skin was freezing.

 

“Tohru,” Yuki said, “I'm going to run back and call Hatori. I'll be right back; stay with him, okay?”

 

She nodded and he raced off.

 

XxXxXxXxX

 

Kyo grinned, standing over the wheezing form of Cat.

 

“You put up a good fight, Cat, for being so weak. I didn't expect you to last this long.”

 

I'm not gone yet, Kyo Sohma.

 

“You will be.” The thought of finally being free from him made Kyo's grin widen. “One more hit, and you're out of here.”

 

You are a strange boy, to want me out, Kyo Sohma. I strengthen you, I have helped you in so many ways….

 

“Helped me? You ruined my life! You- everyone despised me because you decided to possess me! Fucking cat…. It's time for you to go possess someone else!”

 

With a swift kick of his legs, he hit Cat in the gut. The deformed creature let out a loud growl, and Kyo was violently thrown back, away from the plane he was on, back to his body.

 

He slowly opened his eyes. He felt tired, so very tired, but it wasn't the exhaustion he usually felt from the rain. It was from fighting Cat, he was mentally exhausted.

 

Tohru was over him, an umbrella in her hand.

 

“Kyo?” she whispered.

 

He smiled. “I won….” He said, feeling himself drift off. “I beat…the curse….”

 

XxXxXx

 

 

“Run Jack run…”