Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Sukunai Hane ❯ Chapter 3

Akari: `Ello there! Golly good day, eh old chaps? Why don't you sirs and madams sit down for a nice cop `o tea with me sister and me.

Kurai: *sighs* please stop before you scare away all of our remaining readers...*mumbles* if we have any left that is.

Akari: Oh stop bein' a spoilsport! It's fun talkin' like that!!

Kurai: *pointedly* But you scare people that way... And if any of you people who are reading this are English/ British, please don't think we think this is how you speak. We lived in England for 3 years. We know you don't speak like that. Please forgive her.

Akari: *pouts* Why should they forgive me? I've done nothin' wrong! I'm just havin' some fun. I bet you wouldn't know what fun was if it nipped you in the bud!

Kurai: *Shakes head* Here is the third installment of Sukunai Hane. Please enjoy.

Akari: And please review!!!!! With only 5 reviews we feel discouraged. Well...at lease I do. Do you not like our stories? I hope so, because Rei-Rei works really hard on these! On top of both our homework as well!!

Kurai: I wouldn't have to do that if someone would get off the internet and actually do their lessons, now would I?

Akari: *gulp and sweat drop* Well, on with the fic!! Hope you enjoy!!

Disclaimer: *Akari and Kurai empties out pockets. In them are lint balls, paper clips, a red crayon, and two pennies.* Akari: Do we look like we own Fruits Basket?? *hears crickets chirp* Thought so.

Warnings: ah-ha! The plot thickens!! We learn that someone of the family, and even the Juunishi, knew about Akurei! Akurei remembers things about her past as she dreams. Bad stuff, you know? Gonna be a long chappie with even longer dream sequences/ memory flashbacks. Be prepared for Akurei torture.

*Dream sequence/ memory flashback will be italicized.

*Regular events will be in normal text.

"Talking" regular. `Thinking' regular. "Talking" in dream. `Thinking' in dream.

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Sohma Hatori told everyone to shut up and sit down. Only more... eloquently put. He motioned for Akurei to follow him, which she happily obliged to, clinging to his arm, as close as she could get without actually hugging him. "Ok Hane," he started, "These are the members of the `Inner Sohmas'. The Juunishi. You do understand what that means, correct?" he asked looking down at the tiny teen.

"Yes. Akito-sama say that thirteen people cursed like me, but not like me." Shigure was proud that she said all this without a stutter, but winced at her grammar. "He say that they important but I not. I just---"she stated, but was cut off.

"He is not correct, you know," said a quiet voice from the doorway to the outside. Everyone looked up at the voice, and was surprised to see:

"Kureno-sama!" Akurei shouted in surprise, yet evidently happy at the appearance of the rooster. "Why you here? Akito-sama say you not allowed to talk to me anymore," she said letting go of Hatori, a quizzical look on her face.

"I know this Rei, but you have to know. He is wrong. You are not any of those things that he says you are. You have to understand that." he said taking another step into Shigure's house. "Do you?" he asked pleadingly while kneeling down to her side. She looked confused and shook her head no. "No matter what he did or said you are none of those things. You were and are loved. You are just as important as the rest of the Juunishi," he said taking her hand and patting her on the head.

"But Akito-sama---"she started.

"No he is wrong," he said firmly but softly. "Don't ever let him think that he's won. He's not right and he never will be when it concerns you. Now you have to take your pill," he said taking out a little blue pill from his pocket and holding it out to Akurei. She reached her hand out to take it, but her hand was grabbed by Hatori's much larger one.

"Wait!" he shouted getting the rooster's attention. "What are you doing here Kureno? And what is that pill for?" he asked coldly, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. Kureno looked at his older cousin and sighed deeply.

"I found out that Rei was moved here from one of the attendants in the main house. No one was supposed to even know about the existence of Rei, but the woman said that she saw Shigure and Ayame walking out of the main house with a little girl. I knew at once that it was Rei and came here as soon as I could get away from Akito. I haven't been able to see her for a month now, but when I found out she was here I came to give her the pill. To answer your question Hatori-sensei, it is a pill that helps her to go to sleep. She's had a sleeping disorder for many years and without the pill she can not fall asleep. And seeing as it is already 9 o'clock* she needs to take it. Now please allow Rei to take it," he said with a pleading look in his eyes. Hatori let go of Akurei's hand and nodded. Akurei looked up at Hatori in confusion, but took the pill and popped it into her mouth, swallowing it. Almost instantly the medication took effect and caused the girl to wobble a bit in place before passing out entirely. Kureno caught the girl before she could hit the ground, and at the same time Yuki, Kyo, Haru, and Shigure stood up anxiously. Kureno raised an eyebrow at this and turned to Shigure. "Where will she be sleeping?" he asked looking back down at the sleeping bundle in his arms. Shigure nodded and walked up the stairs, Kureno walking behind him at a slower pace. A few moments later both men returned to the living room, except Kureno was not carrying Akurei anymore.

"Ok Kureno," started Kyo, "why exactly are you here?" he asked crossing his arms and sitting down on the arm of the couch. Kureno turned his head to stare hard at the cat, as if intimidating him, but Kyo stared back just as hotly.

"I've known about Akito for about seven years now," he began, shutting his eyes. But Momiji jumped up out of his pouting mode and placed his hands on his hips.

"Wait wait wait!!!" he shouted startling everyone in the room. "Why did Kureno-san just call her `Akurei'? And why did he call her `Rei'? Also, why did Tori, Shi-san, and Aaya call her `Hane'?" He said, glaring at both Kureno and Hatori in turn. Hatori and Kureno both sighed at the same time, and Hatori looked at Kureno. The rooster nodded and turned away from everyone.

"Her real name," started Hatori, "is Sohma Akurei. She's only two years younger than Momiji and Hatsuharu. She's fourteen years old and has been living in the `care' of Akito for about ten years now," he told the stunned blonde German. Momiji opened up his mouth as if to say something, but Kureno raised a hand to silence him.

"There is something else you don't know Momiji. Whenever she is hugged, and not only by the opposite sex, she transforms into something. But her `animal' is not one of the Juunishi forms that we are cursed with. When her mother gave birth to her and embraced her newborn child Rei transformed. Her mother couldn't believe that the creature in her arms was her child, and would have killed Rei if it wasn't for the doctor stepping into the room and taking the creature from her. Both of her parents knew of the risks of having one of the cursed, for no one had taken the spirit of the Tiger, but they were not prepared for what their daughter had become. They rejected Rei and abandoned her. At the time another Sohma had Hatori's talents*, so she erased their memories of ever having a child, and they were moved to France where they have three more children. An old woman named Ari Sohma adopted and cared a great deal for Rei. But she couldn't bear to call her beloved little girl `Akurei', so she re-named her `Hane'." Kureno explained calmly.

"Wait a second!" cried out Ritsu suddenly, startling everyone out of the quiet mood. "Ari? I remember that name from when I was eleven years old! I remember that she had a daughter, that I assumed was her granddaughter, who was two and the little girls name was Hane! She had the most beautiful blue eyes that lit up when she smiled, and black hair. Also she had a breath taking, heart stopping smile that lit up her whole face. I remember that she was really cute, and I would play with her once a week. But when I was thirteen she disappeared, and my oka-san said that both Ari and Hane were killed in an automobile accident. I was really sad, but I guess I had forgotten about her until this afternoon. She...Hane didn't die in a car accident did she?" he asked with tears in the corners of his eyes.

"No she didn't. Sadly to say, Ari did. Akito, who was nine at the time but still cruel, took her in. The sheep before Hiro would have taken Rei in, but he died of an infection two weeks after Akito took her. **Kisa and Hiro were both born within a day of each other, so no one had to worry about the spirits anymore," he explained to the group. "He, Akito that is, thought that since he was god, and since he was suffering, Rei would suffer along with him. Since he was so thin and frail, she was starved. Since he was so pale and wasn't allowed out that much, she was deprived of sunlight, and wasn't allowed to leave the room with no windows or lights. Since he was always so sick, she was too...in a sense..." he said sadly.

"What do you mean, `she was too, in a sense,'?" asked Kisa, speaking up for the first time since she got here. Kureno sighed sadly and shook his head.

"When Akito wasn't starving her, he was always feeding her things that no one that is healthy should ingest. He made her eat things that would make her sick. Very violently sick," he added to the shocked young girl. She, along with everyone else in the room felt their mouths drop open. She quickly closed her mouth, and could feel the tears well up in her eyes.

"That sick twisted bastard," came a soft reply from the doorway to the kitchen. Tohru had just walked into the living room, and heard the last part of Kureno's explanation. This surprised everyone, and they all stared at her in shock.

"Honda-san?" asked Yuki weekly. "Are you alright Miss Tohru?" he asked her, stunned at what she was saying.

"No, I'm not," came her steely reply. "At first I could handle that Akito-san was cruel and mean. I mean he was always so sick, and he was the head of the family, and I guess that would make anyone mad, but this...This has gone too far. He not only kept a little girl from her family for ten years, but he starved her, and made her purposely sick. And you," she said rounding on Kureno, "how could you let him do this to a little girl, and be silent?! Why didn't you tell anyone?" she asked in a soft whisper.

"You think I just sat back and watched Akito hurt her?!" he shouted at Tohru. He clenched his hands and looked at the carpet. "She's closer to me than you all think," he said lowering his voice to a soft whisper. "She is my sister's daughter. How do you think I felt when I found out that my beloved baby sister, who loved all children, had abandoned her child and had hers and her husbands memories erased of that child?! I felt betrayed. And you think that when I saw Akito hurting Rei I wasn't hurt too? She's my niece for God's sake! And that bastard hurt her. Not only once, but for ten strait years! A little girl! An innocent little girl..." he said while sinking down to the carpet. Yuki calmly walked over to his fallen cousin, and gently put a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry Kureno. We'll take good care of your niece. She won't be going back to him. I promise.

"But you can't promise that!" he shouted looking up into Yuki's eyes. "If he wants her back, she'll have to go back. You have no say in it. You don't decide if she will stay here, or go back and live with that monster for another ten years!" he stood up and brushed past Yuki and went to the door. Before her walked out he said, "I have to go now. I've been here longer than I expected to. Akito might start to wonder. I'll be back tomorrow." He said all of this in a dry monotone, and walked out of Shigure's house, closing the door behind him. Everything was silent for a few moments while everyone took what had happened in. All of a sudden a loud crash was heard upstairs...

~*~While everyone is talking downstairs (in the past) ~*~

Akurei tossed and turned in her sleep, sweat dripping down her cheeks. Her dreams terrified her not only because they were nightmares, but because they were her memories.

~*Flashback/ Dream*~

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!" the scream pierced through the silent air of the hospital, pain and anguish threaded into it. In the maternity ward a woman with sandy brown hair and blue eyes moaned and gripped the hand of a man with blonde hair and green eyes even tighter. Her blue eyes clouded over with pain and she let out another moan. The woman had been in premature labor for about three hours, and her efforts were beginning to show. The baby was now crowning, and with just a few more pushes, their beautiful baby girl would be born. The man squeezed his wife's hand in support, and looked at her with love shining in his green eyes.

"Don't worry honey," he said reassuringly. "It'll all be over soon. Very, very soon. Just a few more pushes ok hun? Come on, you can do it. I know you can," he said lovingly. She tried to smile at his valiant effort, but another contraction made her shut her eyes moaning. She pushed one last time, as hard as she possibly could. She then head something that made her cry with relief: the wailing of her new born baby girl. Lying back down on the bed, exhausted but proud, the woman held her arms out for her baby. The doctor, Dr. Sohma, wrapped the now quiet child in a pink blanket, and handed her over to the new mom, after checking to make sure that the baby was healthy. He turned and walked towards the door to give the new family time to become acquainted, when he heard a sound that made him freeze in his tracks, and made his blood run cold.

"Aaah!" the woman screamed again, but this time not from any contractions. The husband gasped and stumbled away from the hospital bed.

What is that...that thing?!" she shouted moving the bundle wrapped in pink away from her. "That is not my child. This can not be! Get it away from me! Where is my child?!" she screamed franticly trying to get away from the crying baby. The doctor ran over to the bed and looked at the `thing' that the woman was referring to. He gasped at what he saw. Inside the blanket was not a baby, but something entirely else. The woman screamed at him again. "That thing is an abomination! It is a monster! Take it away! Take this Akurei at once!" Dr. Sohma scooped the baby up and strode to the door. Before he walked out of the door he turned around and asked quietly:

"What do you wish to name her?" The woman looked at him as if he was insane.

"Akurei!!" she shouted at him. He nodded and walked out of the room quickly. The woman was still shouting `Akurei!' from the room...

~*End flashback/ Dream*~

~*Flashback/ Dream*~

A four year old little girl with light black hair and light blue eyes kissed a thirteen year old Ritsu on the cheek and told him good bye. He smiled at her and handed her a box that was wrapped with gold and silver bows.

Happy birthday Hane!!" he told her laughing as her eyes widened. "Go on open it!" She opened the box very carefully and took out a blue kimono that had little sakura blossoms stitched onto it. She gasped and looked at him with wide eyes.

"Thank you so much Rit-chan!!!!" she squealed kissing him on the cheek again. He smiled and patted her on the head.

"You go home now and try it on and then show Ari-san! After that come back here and let me see ok?" he asked smiling. She nodded and skipped away, pausing at the end of the street to turn and look back at him.

"Thank you Rit-chan! I'll see you in a little bit!!" she turned again and skipped back to her house. She smiled to herself and hugged the box to her chest. When she got to her house, she looked up and saw a crowd of people in front of her house. She stopped dead in her tracks and looked around confused. The people were all whispering behind their hands and stealing little glances at her house. When they saw her though, they all stopped talking and stared at her. She slowly walked up to her house, and was about to go to the door when one of her neighbors stepped in front of her.

"Hane...I don't think that you should go in there right now," he said to her quietly.

"W-what happened?" she asked in her feathery voice. The man's eyes became downcast.

"There's been an accident concerning Ari-san. She's...she's gone..." Hane's eyes grew big and she shook her head. The box fell from her hands, and she quickly sidestepped the man and ran into the house. Once she had slammed the door, everyone started to whisper again.

"Poor dear, I heard that Ari-san adopted her."

"I heard that her parents abandoned her."

"Someone told me that her real name is Akurei."

"Who names their child `demon'?!"

Inside the house Hane was searching for Ari. She stepped into her adopted-mother's bed room and stopped in mid-step. Lying there was Ari Sohma, lying on the bedroom floor, blood coming out of her mouth.

"A-ari?" she said taking a shaking step forward. "Oka-san?" She was in front of the elderly woman, and reached out a timid hand to shake her.

"Do not touch her," said a quiet voice behind her. She turned around and locked frightened wide eyes onto the man before her. He had light brown hair that reached his shoulders, and chocolate brown eyes that held sympathy. He was about fifteen, and was about four feet taller than the trembling girl. He was the sheep of the Juunishi, and his name was Mihara. ((a/n: Ha-Ha bet you thought it was Akito eh? Well guess what? It's not!!!))

"E-eh? Why can't I wake her up? She's bleeding and she's hurt. We need to stop the bleeding." she said casting a quick glance at Ari.

"She's not sleeping Hane. She's dead," he said bluntly. "It was a heart attack. She won't wake up." Hane shook her head and stepped back.

"No...no," she said, eyes wide, and looking around the room franticly.

"I'm sorry," Mihara repeated sadly. She sunk to her knees and tears fell down her eyes in streams that left stains. Mihara hesitated then walked into the room and knelt down in front of the four year old, and wrapped his arms around the shaking girl securely. There was a small `poof', and a could of black smoke enveloped the room. When the smoke cleared, Mihara was still kneeling on the floor, but with a small quivering bundle of black fur in his arms, not Hane. A sharp intake of breath behind him drew his attention to the door. Standing there was a nine year old boy with a slightly too big grey haori on, staring at the two with wide eyes. "Akito-san," he breathed out.

"What is that?" he asked pointing to the creature in Mihara's arms. He took another step into the room and was staring at the creature intently. Mihara thought of something he could tell the younger boy. "Let me hold it," Akito commanded, holding out his arms for the creature. Mihara hesitated for a brief moment before handing over the quivering ball of black fur. Akito snatched it out of Mihara's hands and stepped back with it. "It's so soft. Who is it?" he asked looking back at Mihara. The older boy stood back up, Akito's eyes never leaving him.

"Her name is Hane...Akurei Sohma." he said quietly looking at the creature in the little boy's hands. Akito looked back at the creature.

"She's not one of the Juunishi is she?" he asked. Mihara shook his head. "Why was I not told that she was like this?" he asked intently. Mihara sighed.

"When she was born you were only five years old. The older Juunishi didn't think it wise to tell you about her. Her parents abandoned her. That's why she lives here. But as you can see," he pointed at Ari, "Her guardian is dead. I am going to care for her until she is old enough to live by herself." he told the clan head.

"No," was the reply he got. Mihara opened his mouth to object, but Akito cut him off. "I will take her. Since no one told me about her before, I will have her. She will be taken to the main house to live with me. You can still visit her though," he said looking at Mihara. All of a sudden there was another small `poof' and black smoke once again enveloped the room. Once it was cleared away, Hane was still in Akito's arms, but without her clothes on. She blushed and jumped out of his arms to hide behind Mihara, where her clothes were. Akito could hear a rustle of cloth, and movement behind Mihara. "What's wrong?" he asked after Hane came back from behind Mihara. "Are you afraid of me?"

"Who are you?" she asked quietly. Akito started to laugh. But when he saw that Hane wasn't joking he stopped.

"Are you serious? You don't know who I am?" he asked slightly offended. She shook her head slightly and grabbed Mihara's hand.

"His name is Sohma Akito. He is the head of our clan," Mihara said looking down at Hane. Her eyes went wide, and she quickly bowed.

"I'm sorry Akito-san! I didn't know who you were! Sorry. "Akito strode forward and took the shorter girl's other hand.

"Come on," he said tugging at her hand. "You're coming to live with me." Hane looked up at Mihara, and he nodded. She slowly let go of the sheep's hand, and followed along after Akito as he left the room. She glanced at Mihara and Ari one last time, and said softly:

"Goodbye..."

~*End flashback/ Dream*~

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Akari: @_@ that was a lot of stuff.....You know, we were gonna do more, but this chapter was just to dang long!! Sorry! Other half of it will be coming in chapter four!

Kurai: At least you did not have to type all of it. I think I have carpel tunnel.

Akari: Aww, don't worry! You don't have whatever you said you have.

Kurai: *glare* Well if you would actually do some of the typing once in a while this wouldn't happen...

Akari: eh-he...*sweat drop* Oh well! ^_^ I hope you enjoyed! Please Review!!! JA NE!!!!!

Kurai: *sighs* Please forgive us for this being late...been grounded for a while, and since the hurricane's here, the power's been going out a lot lately...((we live in Florida))

~Ja Ne from Akari and Kurai

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*Don't know how it got THAT late, but it did. Get over it! *sticks out tongue*

**Ok so this is a bold face lie. No other Sohma except the dragon can have that `talent', but for story purposes another does.

***Ok even I'm confused now. So here's the deal. The spirit of the tiger was still roaming around wherever the spirits go before they go into one of the Sohmas before Akurei was born. Shortly after Akurei was born, another Sohma went into pre-mature labor and gave birth to a boy that was a carrier of the tiger spirit. But sadly said boy died by drowning in a lake two months before Kisa was due to be born. Kisa's mom went into pre labor and Kisa came out, with the Tiger spirit in her. Happy? I am....