Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Revelations ❯ Rescue ( Chapter 9 )

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

DISCLAIMER--Mommy wouldn't get `em for me for Christmas, so I don't own Fruits Basket or its characters or situations or nothin'. ::wanders off disconsolately, sniffling mournfully once more::

1-21-05 Edit--tweakings; added warning, etc. below.

Oh--and I should probably warn everyone, I'm kind'a cruel to Kyo in this one...or, rather, we find out that Akito has been a true sadistic, over-controlling, sociopathic, rat-fink-type of a nasty character, who because he's actually scared of the neko, well...takes that feeling out on Kyo.

You can probably tell that I'm not real fond of the Sohma Clan Head...::soft growling springs up for a moment:: I tried to not get too graphic, using allusions and double-talk and such when I could, and leaving the worst of the details to the readers' imaginations. What you the reader envision could well be a whole lot nastier than anything I've thought up, anyway! Heh.

I wanted to be absolutely certain that the rest of the Jyuunishi-cursed would go along with how the story's supposed to end, so I shoved up their noses the fact of Akito's--er, mental un-health. Unfortunately, I only know of Sohma Kureno and Sohma Rin from fanfics; they weren't in the four DVDs, and haven't popped up in the little manga GNs (at least in the USA) yet. If they're actually `real' characters, and not fanfic author creations to begin with! ::sweatdrop:: Well, at least they'll be familiar to some readers; I didn't want to make up too many of my own characters for this. If those two do show up in the manga GNs and I find I'm too far OOC, I'll just come back and re-write their parts. ::maniacal grin::

Chapter 9 - Rescue

Yuki ran.

Down the stairs and out the door; off down the path, cut across into the woods--the road was too long, too slow. There was no time for the longer, easier way!

He tried to remember to ration his breaths, to hold back enough that he didn't trigger an asthma attack through sheer physical effort. He couldn't afford the time that would waste. His lungs and legs burned with effort anyway, and there was a twinge in his side--sign of the painful stitch likely to come.

His feet pounded away against the loamy forest floor, stirring up old leaves and other detritus. Low branches and straggly underbrush ripped at his arms and face as he plowed through them, tearing at his clothes. He was taking the most direct route to the Sohma main house he could; he had no time to lose.

No--Kyo had no time to lose. `Shimatta! Kuso, kuso, kuso!!' His mental cursing kept time with his pounding feet. He couldn't believe he'd let so much time pass, without really doing anything! A whole month--Kami-sama, Akito could have been doing anything to the caged neko in that time; and no one would ever know--!

He caught himself on a sudden, sharp downhill slope with his arms against a larger tree trunk and leaned there, for one precious moment, desperate to catch his ragged breath. He was only halfway there; he had to make it the rest of the way...and then the whole way back, again; quite possibly carrying a not-so-light Kyo for part, or even all of the way.

Near-panicked anxiety pushed him forward before his body was quite ready, sending him gasping through the night's darkness. The scurrying of tiny feet flowed with him and around him, escort to his mad dash; all of the nezumi in the area anxious to lend what help they could to the Nezumi-cursed Sohma. Yuki barely acknowledged them in his haste to get to the Honke, except the couple times they warned him of pitfalls before he would step in them. He hardly even noticed when he made the transition from forest-like land to city streets, except to note there were fewer obstacles in the way of his mad dash.

He finally slowed when he could see the Honke's main gate. He held himself back to a slightly faster than normal walk, briefly closing his eyes as he concentrated on his painfully labored breathing. He was going to have to be completely quiet once he got onto the grounds; he couldn't afford to be gasping and wheezing like a squeaky bellows, announcing his presence to all with ears to hear him.

The words of the mysterious kami who'd visited his dreams earlier that night kept echoing in his head; `before it is too late--too late--too late--' He couldn't be too late; he refused to even consider it.

He wouldn't be too late!

A fresh wave of anxiety crashed through him, speeding his steps for a moment, until he brought himself back under control. That fear had been building within him ever since the very hour that Kyo had left them. The dream that had sent him so precipitously from sleep into this panicked dash for the Honke had only been the final straw.

That same kami that had visited he and Kyo, the day he'd discovered so many of the neko's secrets...she'd come into his dreams tonight, to tell him he had best check on the neko; now--`before it is too late.' The fire in her suddenly Kyo-red eyes, the restrained anger in her voice--the consuming bleakness that had hung about her--

The way she had been fingering her sword, obviously thinking of drawing it--

Yuki had found himself upright and dressing before his conscious mind realized where he was going. He was glad he'd awakened enough to not only dress fully, but to grab a flashlight in case he needed it. It would have been extremely embarrassing to show up for this impromptu rescue attempt in just his pajamas...there was no way Kyo would ever have let him live that one down!

`Kami-sama, please, just let him be in any shape to even notice embarrassing little things like that!'

Yuki mentally beat back the panic that was trying to drown him. Kyo would be all right. He had to be--

Getting in through the main gate was no problem; it was never heavily guarded, not in these modern times, and besides--Yuki, as Jyuunishi-cursed, was one of the `Inner Circle.' There were standing orders for them to come and go as they pleased. The guards that night were regulars and knew him on sight, offering no challenge. Not really all that good a thing if he wanted to later cover up the fact that he had been the one to remove Kyo from the Neko's House; but it couldn't be helped if he was concerned with speed.

After the kami's appearance in his dream, Yuki finally just didn't care if Akito knew. He'd decided sometime on the mad run over that he'd just take Kyo and disappear, if he had to, in order to keep Akito's bloody hands off the neko. He didn't know where they'd go, or how they'd live; but it surely couldn't be worse than what they had to put up with from Akito!

He'd have to trust the rest of his cousins to keep Akito from seriously hurting Tohru. And if Hatori was ordered to take her memories of them--

Yuki grimaced, anguished. If Tohru forgot them, it likely would be in her best interest. Being too close to the Jyuunishi-cursed Sohmas must eventually erode even her boundless good nature; it was certainly causing her pain at present. Besides, maybe Shigure and Hatori and the rest would unite to protect her, as they wouldn't for Kyo. Or anyone else.

`Kuso! Kyo--'

Yuki kept mostly to the less-traveled paths once inside the compound wall, trying to stay to the shadows without being conspicuous about it. He did belong there, after all; it was what he was planning on doing that was forbidden, and that not by any actual law, only by the current Clan Head's word.

Though actually, if you wanted to be technically accurate, as Akito hadn't specifically mentioned Kyo's imprisonment to anyone, that meant he hadn't specifically forbidden what Yuki was about to do. Not that this piece of hair-splitting justification would help Yuki in the least, if Akito caught him afterwards--

Yuki was taking Kyo back home, that night, to Shigure's house. Whether the neko came willingly, or not! If there was to be any chance at breaking the Jyuunishi curse, Kyo had to be there to help argue for it. Yuki's complete lack of success, after an entire month, was proof of that.

He still couldn't understand why even Momiji hadn't even tried to believe him! The nezumi scowled fiercely at Hatori's house as he passed it by, specifically at the usagi's dark window. He'd always thought Momiji, at least, had rather liked Kyo. They had certainly quarreled exactly like younger and older brothers! Did the usagi not believe where Kyo was? Did he actually believe that Akito wasn't doing anything to the neko!?

Did all of them believe that? How could they?! They all knew what Akito was like, how prone he was to mad fits where he struck out at anyone he could! All of them had been on the receiving end of Akito's mad tempers, in some way, at least once! They had to realize that Kyo would be much too tempting a target--he was locked up within easy reach; and no one was allowed to see him, to see any of the results of what Akito might do--

With Kyo's third curse...there was absolutely nothing to hold Akito back!

Yuki couldn't stop the shiver that wracked his body at the thought of an unrestrained Akito. His imagination quailed at creating images of what Akito might do, with nothing and no one to stop him.

It hadn't exactly been a shock when Yuki couldn't seem to convince anyone that the neko wasn't simply the hot-headed baka dead-set on defeating the nezumi, that they all had long believed him to be. The younger Jyuunishi-cursed, especially, couldn't remember far enough back to recall that Kyo and Yuki had been the best of friends when they were little.

As for the older ones, well...they for the most part simply wouldn't go against Akito. They didn't believe Yuki's tale of a kami's visitation; they still fully believed Akito was the heart of the family curse, and must be obeyed at all costs. No matter how wrong what he demanded of them was. Akito was their kami, and must be obeyed.

Yuki rubbed at his face, trying to ease the feeling of hopelessness that had been building in him as his attempts to convince his cousins otherwise had failed, one after the other. For all his talent at persuasion normally, he had gotten absolutely nowhere with his own family, except for the inu--and the dragon. Neither of whom could figure what to do, as Shigure's picnic gathering last weekend to let Tohru work on them had yielded no noticeable result.

Desperate measures were now called for--especially if that kami was visiting him again, and looking less than pleased with his lack of progress. Yuki somehow doubted things would go well for his family, if the curse wasn't broken this time. He was somewhat worried that there might not be any Sohmas left, to try again in another hundred years!

The Neko's House stood in the middle of a broad expanse of carefully raked sand and rocks, towards the back of the complex of buildings, the encircling wall visible a mere forty feet behind it. Almost as if the building itself was as shunned as the Neko-cursed.

Yuki carefully scanned the surrounding buildings for any signs of movement with his own eyes, ears, and nose, plus the helpful poking-about of the wild nezumi that still swarmed about him with occasional faint scritch-scratch sounds when tiny claws touched on stone or wood. It wouldn't do to be caught; not this close to his goal!

As all seemed clear, he quietly stepped forward, walking purposefully to the only door. His heart beat painfully in his chest, seeming louder than thunder to his sensitive ears. He'd never been this close to the building before.

The large-seeming padlock dismayed him for a moment, until he realized it was more show than substance--he only noted four screws holding the brackets in place, and they were not very large. It should be possible to pry it off without too much time or effort. And hopefully, without too much sound, either.

Hesitating slightly, Yuki eyed the door, then knelt in front of it. He slowly reached for the wooden slat covering the access in the bottom of the door, an opening just big enough to slide a tray of food through. He briefly fisted his hand to control the shaking he saw in it, then carefully, soundlessly, slid the slat to the side. Scrunching down until his shoulder rested on the sidewalk, Yuki carefully peered within, softly calling Kyo's name.

There was no answer; there was no sound coming from within, at all.

He called a bit louder, his voice rough with tension, cursing slightly when Kyo still did not answer. He had to be in there! If Akito had moved him somewhere else--

The nezumi remembered the flashlight he'd stuck in his pocket before flying out of Shigure's house on his mad run. He grabbed it and turned it on, nervously glancing about, encouraging his accompanying hordes of rodents to watch carefully for any humans that might see the light. He shone it in through the slot--

***

Hatori was startled out of a sound sleep by someone grabbing his shoulder and shaking him, rather violently at that. He gasped and lunged up and away, to find himself staring at an extremely grim and upset-looking Yuki.

They stared at each other in silence for a couple of seconds, as Hatori tried to order his sleep-mired thoughts. Then Yuki bit out in a deceptively soft, yet steel-clad voice, “Hatori. Come. There's something you must see.”

“Yuki, what--”

“Come,” Yuki demanded roughly, then turned on his heel and walked to the door, stopping to look back at the dragon; his eyes reflecting eerily in the darkness. Hatori blinked the last of his sleepiness and confusion away, a slight tickle of nearly alarmed curiosity brushing at his mind. He had never been awakened by Yuki, of all people, in--he glanced at his clock; Kami-sama, it was only one in the morning!!--in the middle of the night; and the boy was being so cryptic about it, too.

As it didn't look like Yuki would accept anything other than compliance, Hatori sighed softly and briefly looked ceiling-wards, before rising and reaching for his clothes. Yuki nodded curtly and went out to wait by the front door, accompanied by a multitude of faint scurrying sounds. Hatori's curiosity rose another notch--Yuki was apparently more intensely upset than he'd thought, if what sounded like about every rodent in the district was shadowing him.

The dragon was mildly annoyed when Yuki led him straight to the Neko's House; Akito had forbidden them all from going near it, after all. He felt a great deal of regret for Kyo, consigned to that solitude--he was rather fond of the hot-tempered neko, after all; but they couldn't go against Akito. He resisted when Yuki wanted him to peer in through the door-slot; frowned and shook his head, refusing.

Yuki knelt and pointed his flashlight inside, staring Hatori straight in the eyes as he hissed, “Look at what that--demon has done to our cousin!!”

Startled at the raw anguish in his voice, Hatori stared at Yuki's furious face for a moment. He noticed the liquid shine to the boy's eyes, evidence of tears barely held back. Then the dragon slowly knelt, and peered within.

***

Shigure was worried. He'd been raiding the kitchen for a midnight snack when he saw Yuki slip out--or rather, run out. He wasn't certain where his little cousin was going, and in such a hurry to boot; but he had a very bad feeling about it. He'd stationed himself with his snack and a book, along with a small reading light, in his study, leaving the door open. He'd have a good view of Yuki when the nezumi came back, and plenty of time to decide if he wanted to confront the boy, before he was seen.

He wasn't expecting Yuki to have company when he returned--especially not Ha-san! The unexpected sound of Hatori's car brought him quickly to the door. It was much too late for Ha-san to be visiting; something must be very wrong.

Looking outside, the inu saw that Yuki and Hatori were lifting something with excessive care from the back seat of Hatori's car, something completely wrapped in a blanket. Something that looked suspiciously like a body. The inu's eyes widened in shocked surprise as he dropped his forgotten book, a sick sense of dread crawling through his nerves.

`No. It couldn'tbe--'

Shigure ran out to offer his help to carry--whatever it was. Hoping it wasn't who he was suddenly afraid it was. Though if it was, the boy was being unnaturally still and quiet--unless he was, perhaps, drugged.

Shigure refused to think of one other, more likely explanation. He was more than fond of his most hot-tempered young cousin; he was just so much fun to tease, after all! Even if he did seem to regularly try to destroy Shigure's precious house with his every temper-tantrum...

Hatori gave the inu a look of mixed remorse and anger, both barely held in check, as Shigure ran up to them. Yuki just glared, looking like he was ready to bite someone's head off. Shigure quailed for a second; the both of them were practically projecting battle auras.

He'd never in their lives seen Hatori that--mad! He couldn't help but stare in shock for a few moments at the unaccustomed expression.

They refused his offer to help, rather harshly cautioning him to not bump their burden, Hatori directing him to get the doors if he absolutely needed to feel useful. Shigure looked Ha-san in the eyes, quite, quite serious for once; raised an eyebrow and flicked a glance at the person-shaped bundle.

Hatori's quiet voice, when he answered, held more venom than Shigure had ever heard in anyone's voice before.

“It's--Kyo. Akito has gone much too far.”

Hatori gently, so gently, peeled back the blanket from what Shigure had already figured was a person's head...

***

The rest of the Jyuunishi-cursed were called as soon as the--injured--neko had been settled in his old room, and the worst of his wounds cared for. Hatori left to personally pick up Momiji and Hatsuharu, Jiro and Kisa; he needed the time driving to calm himself down, after tending to Kyo. Ayame was called to bring Ritsu and Kagura, as well as Rin. Kureno was the only one not contacted--Akito held him much too close, never allowing the rooster to leave his side. Something else would have to be done about him.

Hatori insisted on personally escorting each of them into Kyo's room, one at a time. He did not show the youngest ones the full extent of the injuries; just seeing Kyo lying there, still as death--bandages covering his exposed arms and head; fresh, bright red blood still seeping through the bandaging, over what had once been the neko's eyes--

Even Jiro was silent and shaken, after seeing--that. He couldn't think of a single sartorial remark his conscience would let him make, even within the silence of his own mind. Kisa and he sat and clung tightly to each other, both shaking in reaction, eyes wide and shocked; tears pouring unchecked down Kisa's cheeks.

Hatori nearly had to tranquilize Kagura to get her to stop her hysterics--once she had recovered from her shock enough to have them. A sharp, sanity-bringing slap to her face caught everyone's instant attention--Hatori never used force!

They all sat in silence as each was in turn shown the terrible truth of Kyo's “punishment,” meted out just for his having been born under the Neko's Curse. None of them could find words for a while; even Ayame and Shigure were uncharacteristically silent, and pensive. Each of them imagined themselves in that room, if they'd simply had the misfortune to be born under a different curse.

Each wondered what they should do, now. Knowing something must be done. Kyo had done nothing that could possibly warrant such abuse! Nothing!!

Tohru, waked by the noise when Kyo was first brought into the house, had stationed herself in the kitchen, trying to keep busy preparing drinks and snacks for everyone. Hatori had flatly forbidden her to see Kyo--she'd actually tried to push by him, only to have Yuki block her way. The shadows in his gray eyes had stopped her. Hatori had taken her by the shoulders and escorted her to the kitchen, promising she'd be able to sit with Kyo--later. Tears had been constantly falling from her eyes since the single glimpse she'd caught of Kyo's bandage-wrapped form.

Hatori had made her promise to stay out of the way until he called her. She'd stared directly into his eyes, the terrible fear in hers nearly breaking the dragon's resolve for a moment. If it had been possible to budge Yuki from Kyo's side, he'd have allowed Tohru in--but one of them underfoot was already too much. He'd simply have to give her the task of prying Yuki away when he tired, taking his place while the nezumi rested--with the help of a tranquilizer, if necessary.

Tohru had nodded reluctant agreement, promising she would follow Hatori-san's orders...anything, just so long as Kyo got better.

***