Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Jaded By Rain ❯ The Road Goes Ever On ( Chapter 7 )

Jaded By Rain

By, Jamie1317kast

 

The Road goes ever on and on, down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the Road has gone, and I must follow, if I can, pursuing it with eager feet, until it joins some larger way, where many paths and errands meet. And whither then? I cannot say. ~ Tolkien

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Furuba, they are copyright to Natsuki Takaya-sensei. My own characters are Ryoko Sohma, Gabriel Sohma, Takamichi Sohma, Taichii Okinawa, Rumiko Young-Li, Yueh Sohma, Saizo Chung, and if any other of my characters pop up I'll let you know. Any resemblance to other copyrighted characters was an accident and completely unintentional as I only claim my characters and nobody else's. I don't own Tolkien or J.M. Barrie. I have used their quotes in this chapter.

 

Author's Notes:

~ Something I have just come to realize, and I swear it was unintentional, is that two of my characters resemble characters in the movie Constantine.

~ Taichii Okinawa closely resembles (what's-his-face) Malthazar, or something like that. He's the guy that kept flipping the coin around his fingers. One of my friends, who went to see the movie before I did remarked, " He looked JUST LIKE Taichii! And before Constantine came through the door and blew him away, he was FIXING his RED tie!"

Ah, sweet coincidence.

~ The other is my character Gabriel. When I originally created him, he was on Earth for God's purpose. (What ever that might be.) Now, however, he's just the don of the Chinese Mafia and a ninja. This is also cool, but also very different. Gabriel does look a bit like the Angel Gabriel in Constantine, except he never wears anything but white, his hair is white, and it's not curly in any way, shape, or form.

 

Rated R for adult situations and just in case.

 

The Road Goes Ever On:

 

The road was long and perilous. From Kazuma's mountain cabin, Ryoko and Kyo headed north. The journey was not as easy as one might expect it to be, Ryoko had left her duffel bag, food, and money in Kazuma's cabin. The two of them had been in such a hurry to get away; they hadn't had time to collect their necessities.

They ran on, and never once did they look back.

 

Once back in the city, Ryoko and Kyo were extremely wary. They flitted through back alleys and down side streets, keeping to the shadows. After they were good and lost, Kyo turned to look at Ryoko. She slumped down against the side of the building behind them, sighing.

She looked tired, her face was pale. Her blue eyes were frightened and her hair was a mess. She held up her left hand and stared at the gold band encircling her finger. Ryoko turned to Kyo, " Kyo…" she half whispered.

" Yeah?" He responded. Then, guessing at what she was going to say, he said,

" Master told me, and I'm sure our baby is gonna be just as beautiful as you are. Yes, I really mean that. Of course I'm willing to run to the ends of the Earth to get away from that bastard. And no, I have no idea as to where we're going. Does that answer your question?"

Ryoko blinked and then smiled. The smile spread across her face, starting with her lips, then her cheeks, and then her eyes, until her whole face radiated her happiness. " I knew there had to be some reason I fell in love with you, Kyo."

" What, aside from my good looks, you mean?"

In moments Kyo had Ryoko collapsed into fits of laughter, clinging onto him for support. Secretly though, inside Kyo, he agonized over his true form. Would she love his hideous self? Would she reject him like his mother before her? Or would Ryoko accomplish the impossible, would she love all of him?

Before Kyo could even give voice, or hope to give voice to his internal concerns, Ryoko recovered from her laughing fit. She wiped her eyes and stood up, brushing herself off. Kyo took Ryoko's extended hand and helped himself to his feet.

" I, however, know exactly where we are going. China." Ryoko looked up into the sky, a faraway look echoing in her eyes, " We're going home to China. The road will be long, but just think of it as taking the scenic route. First order of business," Ryoko clapped her hands together in a let's-get-down-to-business fashion " we need to find the train station and then see if I have enough pocket change to get us at least as far as Sapporo."

And off they went.

 

Luckily, Ryoko did indeed posses enough pocket change for two tickets north. She was only fortunate enough that she'd stuck her wallet in her back pocket and not the duffel bag. Though, her wallet didn't contain more than 71,326 yen, which wasn't much since train tickets were expensive.

Ryoko approached the ticket booth, since she was the one with the money. The ticketeer did not look like an early morning person; the station was just opening at 5:00 am. " May I-" yawn. " -I help you, miss?"

" Hai. Kudasai, (Yes. Please,) how far north will…" Ryoko hastily counted up her yen coins. " Seventy-one thousand, three hundred and twenty-six yen take two people?"

The ticketeer raised an eyebrow at the sum of money, and then peered around Ryoko to look at Kyo. A suspicion began to form in the ticketeer's mind, " Do your parents know where you're going, miss?"

Ryoko bristled at the mention of her father. She knew that the ticketeer was trying to stall her because she and Kyo looked so young. Ryoko thought fast.

She drew herself up to her full height, all five feet of her. She straightened her spine and threw back her shoulders. Adopting a sophisticated irritated look, the kind a woman of high society would use every day to deal with her inferiors.

Using all of the acting skills of voice, mannerisms, and body language that she possessed, Ryoko began her tirade. Kyo sat back with a smirk, and watched as Ryoko delivered a presentation worthy of Ayame Sohma himself.

" Miss? Miss?! Excuse me, sir. I am no 'miss'! I am a 'Mrs.'! I have here with me my loving, and most adorable, husband who will certainly assist me in this manner if I should so need him. What is your problem sir? Do you take pride in pestering people about their traveling schedules? Is that it? Or maybe you delight in delaying people from their imminent destinations! I thought that the human race would flourish, bloom and blossom in my absence from my home country. But no! Alas, I was wrong! The corruption of rudeness and nosiness has extended to other corners of the world! And I find it, of all places, here! Here in Japan where my husband and I hoped to spend a peaceful honeymoon together, but obviously I was wrong! How, oh how, could I have been so dastardly mistaken? How could this happen?! All we wanted was to moderate our budget and see a few, last minute sights before heading home. Alas, now we shall find ourselves stranded in this miserable city, without a way to experience what I hoped to be some of the most memorable days of my life! Now I know that in my old age I have but to look back upon this moment, this important crossroads in my life, and know. Know that my hope for humanity was ever and from that day forth crushed, yes, crushed-."

The ticketeer, hoping to end this cruel and unusual punishment, pushed two tickets into Ryoko's hand. " twoticketstoSapporo,yourchangeis1,326yen,haveaniceday!"

He slammed the ticket window in her face.

Ryoko paused for a moment, staring at the dark ticket window, the change and tickets in her hand. Kyo burst out laughing, as did she. They made their way into the station, holding onto each other for support.

" Where in all the Hells did you learn to do that?" Kyo eventually managed to choke out. Ryoko smirked, " All I had to do was see Ayame once. That was enough." They stared at each other, then laughed again.

A rumbling caused the two to look up, as the northbound train rolled into the situation. Oh, er, station, excuse me. I couldn't tell the difference for a moment.

Ryoko and Kyo boarded, handing their tickets to the conductor by the door. He nodded to them, tearing along the dotted line and handing them back the ticket stubs.

" And where might you two lovebirds be headed on a beautiful day like today?" He asked smiling to Ryoko, who thought that some men weren't as stupid as they looked, though that wasn't often.

" Oh, just some sightseeing up north near Sapporo." Ryoko replied, finding her and Kyo a seat by the windows. The conductor checked the platform to make sure nobody else was waiting for the train, and stepped back from the door. The train lurched and began to move forward, increasing it's pace until it was racing along through the mountainous countryside.

The conductor leaned back against a chair, " Sapporo, huh? If I recall, that's pretty much near the northern coast. A couple day's walk to the tip of the country, if you head northeast from Sapporo. It's about a week's ride to Sapporo, you know."

Ryoko nodded, she didn't much care how long it took. So long as she was as far away from Taichii as was humanly possible. She didn't respond to the conductor, so he left her alone.

She and Kyo sat together, in the corner of the car, side by side. They couldn't talk about their family, or about the unspeakable horrors they were running from, both physical and emotional. Kyo gently put his hand over Ryoko's, their rings touched. They couldn't talk, but one touch, one look into each other's eyes was all they needed.

That, and many other knowing glancing afterwards, was mostly what pulled them through their ride north. Kyo held Ryoko against him, cradling her in his arms, savoring the simple ability to hold her itself. Kyo, during the nights, would look out the windows at the stars.

God, I don't know if you can hear me, or if you're even there. Or if you'd listen. I don't like admitting I can't do stuff, but now I guess I have to. I need help, it doesn't matter what. Help me protect her God, so I don't lose her. Help me help her, and help set us free!

 

A week later the train slowly rumbled into Sapporo Station, expelling its two weary travelers onto the platform before going off again. Kyo, taking Ryoko's hand, walked out of the station. He rubbed his ass.

" Man. And I thought my ass would be stuck in the shape of that damn seat." He moaned. Ryoko giggled and reached over and pinched Kyo's butt. *Pinch*

" Hey!" Kyo blushed and chased after Ryoko, who ran laughing down the sidewalk. " Catch me, catch me, Kyo!"

" Oh, you bet I will!"

Kyo chased her, running down the street, until he was completely exhausted. He and Ryoko wearily sunk down onto a bench. " So… so…" Kyo gasped, trying to catch his breath. " Where are we going now?"

Ryoko sighed, looking up at the darkening sky. " To the top of the country, to the tip of Japan." Kyo looked over at her, " How come you know so much about this country and where we're goin' and I don't, huh?"

She looked back at him with a mischievous grin, " Look Kyo, just because you think geography is boring-" Kyo cut her off with a laugh.

" How do you plan on getting us there, then? No trains, that's for sure."

" Exactly, no trains." She nodded. " Well, we can either use up what money we've got left to take a bus…" Kyo shook his head. " Or, " Ryoko continued, " we could walk. It would take us about three days."

Kyo grimaced, but to him, anything was better than having his ass permanently molded into the shape of a rebellious bus seat. " I'll go with the walk."

" Good idea." So Ryoko picked up a regional map in a box full of free pamphlets for tourists and they headed off.

 

Taichii and Akito stood on Akito's porch leading out to his gardens. " It's been more than a week, Taichii-san. Do you really think that you'll be able to find Ryoko and Kyo if you let them get too far ahead?" Akito's birds played in the water basin, chirping and singing.

Taichii smirked, adjusting his red tie. " Ryoko is headed into China. She will take the hardest route, coming down out of Russia. It's supposed to be illegal, and she won't have any traveling papers with her, though she tried to take them with her before we ambushed her at Kazuma-san's." He smirked, and let loose a small, sadistic chuckle.

The birds in Akito's water basin looked up, and flew away out the open doorway.

" There's no need to worry, Akito-san. I have every thing under control. We won't be there to meet her at the Russian and Chinese border, oh no, we won't." An evil glimmer shone out in Taichii's eyes.

" We'll meet her in Beijing."

 

“ You're kidding, right?" Kyo looked out over the choppy waters. The weather had picked up and a storm was brewing on the horizon. They were at the tip of the country, the very top of Japan. After three days of hard walking from Sapporo, they had reached what seemed to be the end of the world.

Kyo had assumed that that was as far as Ryoko had planned to run, at least in that particular direction. He'd walked to the very edge, bent down, stuck his finger in the cold water, and turned around with the intention of finding a warm bench somewhere out of the wind to curl up on.

He was wrong.

Kyo stared at Ryoko. She wasn't serious… was she?

She was.

Ryoko stripped off her shirt, laying it out on a rock. Kyo frantically looked around, fearing that someone besides himself would see her being so obviously immodest. Out here by the ocean's edge the wind was the strongest, and, with the Asian half of the world still in mid-spring, it was very, very cold. There was no one within two miles of the ocean; all the people with common sense were holed up somewhere warm.

Running to the ends of the Earth didn't seem like such a great idea to Kyo anymore, though he loved Ryoko enough to follow her anywhere she went.

Her next step was to go to Russia.

By sea.

By swimming.

Kyo thought Ryoko was mad.

But, he loved her anyway.

This brings us to question the measure of his personal sanity.

By this time, while Kyo was gathering his thoughts and pulling himself back to the situation at hand, Ryoko was completely naked. Kyo tried not to stare, he'd seen her naked before of course, but usually somewhere private, not on the beach or any public place like that. He remarked to himself that Ryoko had no shame. Upon thinking this, however, he realized that he didn't have any either.

Kyo, rather reluctantly I might add, stripped off his clothes. Then, a question popped into his mind. “ What are we doing with our clothes? We're not just gonna leave 'em here, are we?”

Ryoko shook her head, dipping her bare feet into the water to test its temperature. “ We'll tie `em to our heads so that don't get very wet.”

At least that was an attempt on Ryoko's part toward the path of sanity and common sense, Kyo thought.

So they bundled up their clothes, somehow managed to tie them on tops of their heads, and tried to slip into the frigid water without completely turning into little kitty icicles.

Once they were nearly submerged, Kyo turned to her, “ I hope you know where we're going." She nodded back to him, “ Sakhalin Peninsula, Russia. Of course,” Ryoko chuckled; Kyo failed to see what was so funny, if anything but their current situation could be hilarious. “ It's completely illegal for us to do this." She giggled and Kyo sighed, ` She's completely lost it.' He thought.

Ryoko, obviously having lost the feeling in her apendaged limbs because of the cold, pulled back and then plunged forward, starting their perilous water journey through the high, frigid seas between Japan's northern coast and the islands of east Russia.

 

Ryoko and Kyo lay gasping for breath on the beach. Half in, half out of the water, the rain pelted softly down upon them. Ryoko groaned, " I hurt everywhere." Voicing Kyo's thoughts exactly.

" Let's never do that again." He turned to her, and then groaned at the dull, aching pain that seemed to reach every part of his body. " I never want to see the ocean again as long as I live." Kyo declared.

" I'll second that." Ryoko agreed.

They lay on the beach for a while longer, soaking in the rain and the tide, wondering where their journey would take them now.

Kyo sat up and stretched, taking his mostly dry clothes off his head and laying them somewhere where the sand wouldn't get to them. It simply wouldn't do to go getting sand in his boxers. Uncomfortable private parts were the last things Kyo needed right now.

" Remind me why we just did that again, will you please, I'm a little rusty after that wave almost took me under." Kyo sarcastically muttered half to himself and half to Ryoko.

Ryoko sat up and looked Kyo right in the eyes, he didn't meet her gaze for long, the rain dripping off her face. " To get away from Taichii Okinawa."

" Oh…."

" I don't know about you, Kyo. I know I'd swim to California if I had to, to get away from that bastard." Ryoko declared, standing and brushing the drying sand off her dark skin, pulling her clothes on.

" Where are we going now?" Kyo sighed, completely dressed.

" Khabarovsk."

" Bless you."

Pause. Giggle, snort. " Hee, hee."

" What?!"

More snorting.

" What!"

" I-it's a… Ha ha!"

" For God's sake, Ryoko, what?!"

Ryoko was doubled up over a rock, clinging onto it for support, clutching her sides and laughing. " It's a Russian town by the Chinese border." She said once she was back in control.

" Oh. I knew that!"

 

Hiding behind a building in an abandoned alley, Ryoko and Kyo peeked around the corner to look at the border guard. He was asleep. The border guard was leaned up against his post; a fur cap pulled down over his face, his gun resting on the building beside him.

Ryoko snickered to herself; this was going to be too easy. ' Like taking candy from a baby.' She thought. Or, at least she hoped it was easier than that. Taking candy from babies was a bad idea. The reason being because if you did, they'd bite your fingers right off.

Ryoko and Kyo had somehow managed to pick up some discarded Russian fur coats. Ryoko hoped it was no one she knew. They were plenty warm, at least for a while.

So, on tiptoe and as quietly as Cats can be, Ryoko and Kyo snuck past the border guard and into China.

 

" I'm starving." Kyo declared with a groan. " I haven't had anything to eat in… well, days."

Travel weary and foot sore, Ryoko and Kyo passed under the gate into Beijing. Their entire journey up to this point had taken them four months. By now there was a whole list of things Kyo never wanted to see again, including the ocean, mountains, and bears.

It was Market Day in Beijing, the food vendors selling everything from leeks to fish. Ryoko and Kyo ogled at the fish vendors like the starving Cats they were. The fish vendor shooed them away, " If you won't buy, don't stare."

The language swirled around Kyo's head and made his temples throb. He didn't understand Chinese in the least, while Ryoko knew it perfectly because she'd lived in the country for so many years.

As the two Cats threaded their way through the crowd, Kyo noticed that Ryoko had suddenly gained a rather large sum of money. He did a double take. Nope, it was still there, being shoved into her back pocket.

Kyo stepped up to walk beside her, " Ryoko." He caught her attention with a slight whisper. Though he didn't need to, he was speaking Japanese in a Chinese city.

" I didn't know you could pickpocket, where'd you learn that?"

She cocked her head back at him, wearing a mischievous grin. " Well, when the adults are away and you've got nothing better to do on a Saturday night. You find ways to entertain yourself."

Ryoko and Kyo found a deserted alley to hole up in for a while. She turned to Kyo, " Do you think you could change into your Cat form and steal some fish?"

Kyo's head whipped around to look at her like she was crazy. Wait, wait, he'd already established that fact. Kyo sighed, he nodded.

After making sure that no one was around, Kyo closed his eyes. He concentrated on his weariness, his aching feet and his despair that they'd never reach their final destination. Suddenly, he felt it. Kyo Changed.

Kyo didn't want to waste time, when at any moment he was in danger of transforming back into his human body. He dashed out into the market, toward the fish vendor.

" Be safe!" Ryoko called after him, waving. An odd pain suddenly burst at the base of her skull, and the world went black.

 

Kyo returned to the alley, several fish in his furry mouth. Then, with a poof, he changed back. Kyo grabbed his clothes, dressing and taking the fish out of his mouth. He looked around, noticing the lack of greetings upon his return.

Ryoko was gone.

Her clothes lying on the dirty ground.

Kyo raised his head and caught her scent. He charged down the alleyway, fish forgotten.

Pushing through the throngs of people, Kyo didn't care how much damage he caused, only that Ryoko was rapidly getting further and further away. He was slowed by the fact that he was trying to avoid bumping into people and being transformed. Kyo growled when he caught Akito's and Taichii's scent, his pupils turned to slits.

 

Kyo burst through the gate outside Beijing, he breathing harsh and ragged. He saw Taichii standing by a black, unmarked car, about to get in. Charging forward, Kyo knew his window of opportunity was closing fast.

He knew before he'd gone three yards that he'd been beat. But that didn't stop him from trying even harder.

Suddenly Kyo heard the sound of indefatigable thunder tearing towards them through the blue sky. He looked up, causing his balance to falter and his ankle to twist. Kyo cried out in pain as he slammed his injured foot down. Kyo, overcome with shock and pain, tumbled to the ground.

It was not thunder at all, but a helicopter. The helicopter tore across the sky and machine gun fire sprayed the black get away car, puncturing it full of holes.

Kyo cried out to the 'copter, fearing one of the bullets might have hit Ryoko by mistake. Was she hurt, Kyo couldn't tell, but he wished he could.

The get away car screeched, burning rubber, before a small-blanketed bundle was thrown out the open door. The helicopter had dipped low and was coming to rest not a few feet away from where the car had been parked.

Ryoko changed back, landing on her feet in a crouch. She quickly grabbed the blanket that Taichii had been holding her in and tied it around her body to preserve her modesty.

She came over to Kyo, helping him to his feet. " Get those fish?" She asked with a smile, kissing him on the cheek. Kyo, though she'd only just scared him half to death, laughed.

" Are the two of you alright?" A familiar soft voice asked. Though the helicopter's blades were deafening at this close range, they both heard Gabriel's voice perfectly, quiet as it was.

Gabriel came and embraced his sister for a long moment, comforting her. He clapped Kyo on the shoulder and smiled at him, a man of few words. He gestured toward the 'copter, indicating that the two of them should get in.

They did so, settling down in the back. Gabriel shut the door and secured them in. He signaled to the pilot and they lifted off from the ground. Once the altitude was high enough, the pilot maneuvered the helicopter over Beijing.

Ryoko leaned her head on Kyo's shoulder, simply thankful to be alive. Kyo looked at Gabriel, how had he known where they were, or even that Ryoko was in danger.

When Kyo voiced his questions, Gabriel took his time in answering them. " I do not know how I know when my Xiao Mei is in danger, I simply know. She is very precious to me and I would do anything for her. She has suffered from Okinawa in the past, and I don't intend to slack in my watching of her so that she may suffer at his evil hands again."

Kyo silently accepted Gabriel's statements. But there was still one more question Kyo had to ask. " Where are we going now?"

Gabriel's red eyes looked into Kyo's, strands of his soft white hair falling into his face. Gabriel puffed out his cheeks to move the hair out of his eyes. " We are now en route to Hong Kong. We are going to Hong Kong because the helicopter must be returned to its launch pad. After that we will be taking a car to our family's lake house in Changsha by Lake Hunan."

Kyo had absolutely no idea where any of that was, with the exception of Hong Kong. And he sincerely hoped that where ever Gabriel was planning to take them was far, far away from Taichii Okinawa.

 

Upon landing in Hong Kong twelve hours later, there was a short break for food and for going to the bathroom. Ryoko had been complaining the whole way, because she was pregnant and had every right to do so.

Once Gabriel, Kyo, and Ryoko were all set and ready to go, they piled into Gabriel's white limo and sped north.

 

It took them about eight hours to reach Changsha from Hong Kong. Kyo and Ryoko were curled up on the back seats of the limo, in their Cat forms, sleeping peacefully. Gabriel sat across from them, smiling to himself in a very Hatori-like way. His warmth and kindness filtering through his exterior.

When they finally pulled up to Gabriel's lake house, it was late at night. The warm spring breeze filtered through the sakura trees and leisurely caressed the weary travelers. Gabriel climbed out of the car, reaching back in to pick up both peacefully sleeping Cats.

Though a Rat, Gabriel had learned just how ridiculous the hatred for the Cats really was. He didn't mind touching them, not one bit. He was stronger, more silent, and kinder than any man who walked the Earth. Gabriel Sohma was one among many, a beautiful rose in a garden of only Winter.

He carried them together in his arms up the steps and into the house. He placed them together in a large room, on a satin blanket covered futon. The sliding door leading out to the garden was open, letting the soft July air whisper through the room. Gabriel hung up clothes for them for when they finally awoke.

Gabriel checked once more that every last thing in the room would be ready for when they woke up. He sighed, smiling and admiring Kyo's courage and determination to follow his crazy younger sister. Stifling a chuckle, Gabriel moved to leave, turning off the lights, and lighting the candle lanterns.

He whispered softly in the dark, apparently for no one but the readers he knew were listening. " 'Night-lights protect my sleeping babes. Burn clear and steadfast tonight.' "

The sound that followed him out the door was so soft that even Gabriel thought he had imagined it. But as he closed the door behind him, he knew that he had heard it. A clear and soft purring. It was then, that Gabriel really knew. He knew then, that everything would be all right.