Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Untitled ❯ Mystery ( Chapter 3 )

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

Sorry for taking so long to update!! I had a major writer's block, which sucked badly. Finally this chapter's done!! I don't see an end in sight anytime soon though I promise there will be an end! And I know just how it will end to just don't know when. Keep reading to find out!!

Chapter 3

Finally, Hatori's house came into view as Momiji and Haru ran down the street, having placed their books inside their bags to keep them from getting too soaked. Their clothes were wet and their hair dripped with rain water. Reachined the porch, they shook off a bit of water before heading into the house, replacing their street shoes with the house slippers. Hatori hadn't left for Akito's house, which was odd considering he had to check on him today. Akito got visits from Hatori every few days, making sure that he wasn't getting more sick than normal. Lately Akito had been getting pretty sick, but that wouldn't stop him from being head of the family.

As they made their way towards their rooms to change out of their soaked school uniforms, they had to pause by the living room door. There sat Hatori in front of a young woman, buttoning what looked like one of Haru's shirts on her. She was pretty. She had long black hair that reached her waist, though tangled and damp. Her skin was pale and she had deep blue eyes. She was thin, the string on the pants, probably Haru's as well, having to be pulled quite a bit to keep them on her. Her ribs could probably be seen poking out under her skin. Where in the world had she come from?

Hatori looked up, finally noticing the two boy standing there in their wet uniforms and dripping more water onto the hardwood floors while staring at the new woman. He couldn't blame them really. How often does someone bring home a woman they found on the streets? "Welcome home, you two. I hope you don't mind, Haru. I had to borrow some of your clothes. Her own clothes are wet, and we don't have anything else for her to wear."

Haru shook his head a bit, not minding at all. He trusted Hatori to be in his room, knowing that he would only go in there for a good reason. This seemed like a pretty damn good reason. Besides, it wasn't like he had anything personal to hide in there. "No, it's alright. Who is she anyway?"

"I'm not sure. I nearly ran into her on the way home, and I couldn't just leave her there. She doesn't look like she's eaten in a while though," Hatori explained as Momiji came to get a closer look at her, the curiosity getting the better of him.

The woman didn't seem to even register that he was there. She just stared at the floor with her dead eyes. It was then that Momiji noticed the bruise on her collar bone and frowned. A bruise like that couldn't have come from being on the street. It's shape and darkness seemed too much like...someone had hit her. "Why is she all bruised like that, Hatori?"

"I'm not sure. She hasn't said a word since I brought her here. I don't even know her name," Hatori replied as he stood, picking up the disgaurded towels that laid beside them.

"What will you do with her?" Haru asked, walking over to stand beside his cousin, looking at the young woman curiously.

"I'll have to take her with me. Michiyo might have a better chance of cleaning her up more than I can," Hatori said, taking the towels into the laundry room with her clothes to be washed. Momiji was planning on doing laundry anyway. Though Hatori lived by himself before Momiji came, he really couldn't do too much worth a damn. His cooking always ended up somehow burnt while the laundry....well we wont go there.

"That may be a good idea. I don't think any of us know anything about women," Haru said, kneeling down to get a closer look at her. She was very quiet and damp from having taken a bath. She reminded Haru of a statue, one that was solid and unmoving but still having some sort of life revolving around it. Though quiet as she was, he thought that there might be a very lively person locked somewhere inside her. It would be interesting to see that side of her other than the quiet, unmoving side.

Only when Momiji touched her shoulder did she make any move, looking up slightly as though expecting something. What it was they didn't know. To Momiji, she looked like she was a servant waiting for an order. An idea suddenly came to Momiji's mind. "Stand up," he said, as though to test something. The woman sat there for a moment before slowly getting to her feet, following the soft spoken order and waiting for the next. Momiji frowned. "Sit back down." As he thought, she sat back down on the floor again, legs tucked under her and hands folded gently on her lap.

Haru also frowned. "It seems she only responds to orders given to her." Momiji nodded in response. It was strange really. She was like a robot, programed to do what she was told and not ask questions or protest. What kind of person would turn this woman from a human being to a servant that did nothing but follow orders?

"Momiji, I'm going to take her with me," Hatori said as he walked back into the room, medical bag and coat in hand. "Can you get her a jacket, Haru? I don't want her getting sick."

Haru nodded and headed towards his room to find a jacket for the woman. Momiji jumped up and smiled at Hatori. "I'll go start on dinner." With that, the little rabbit bounced into the kitchen to prepare dinner for them and their new guest.

Haru looked at Hatori as he brought over a coat of his, which seemed to be a bit too big for her. "What do you think Akito will say?"

Hatori paused. He knew Akito would have to know. What would he say? It was hard to tell with him. He allowed Tohru to stay, but a woman who knows nothing of the secret and who they know nothing about? "I'm not sure. I guess we'll find out," he replied as he helped the woman stand before walking her towards the door. None of the shoes would fit her, so he gently picked her up. "I'll be back in a little while." With that, he walked out the door, carrying the woman to keep her feet from getting wet. Hopefully, Michiyo would know what to do with her.

The rain kept pouring down, not seeming to let up anytime soon. As the sky began to slowly darken even more, heading into the late afternoon, Akito began to wonder why Hatori had yet to stop by. Michiyo had come to check on him several times, also wondering why Hatori hadn't come by yet. Currently Michiyo was cooking dinner as Hatori's car pulled up to the house. She watched through the kitchen window as Hatori got out of the car and then frowned as he went to the passenger side door, picking up a second person, wrapped up in a coat and bare feet.

Hatori wasn't surprised when Michiyo met him at the door. Somehow she always knew when someone came, having lived in the main house for so long. Though the look of surprise was something different.

"Master Hatori, we were begining to wonder when you'd arrive. May I ask who it is you've brought with you?" Michiyo asked, setting out the slippers as Hatori removed his shoes.

"Sorry for being late, Michiyo. I'm not sure who she is. She sort of walked out in front of my car. I was hoping you could help me with her," Hatori replied as he gently let the girl stand on her own. "We don't know her name nor where she came from. We put her in some of Haru's clothes but they're too big for her. And I gave her a bath, but I'm afraid to touch her hair. I'm not very good with these types of things."

Michiyo chuckled slightly. Hatori may be a doctor but when it came to actually taking care of someone, he wasn't very helpful. "I'll take care of her. You go see Master Akito and make sure he's alright," she said, gently shooing him down the hall in the direction of Akito's room. "Master Akito is waiting for you."

Hatori nodded as he stepped into his slippers and hung his wet coat by the door. He knew Michiyo would take good care of the girl. Michiyo was like a mother to many of the Sohma family members. She had taken care of Akito and the head of the family before him and was very much respected. Hatori smiled at her before heading down the hall and into Akito's darkened room.

Michiyo smiled and turned to the girl who stood there just looking at the floor. "Now, let's get you dressed into something better," she said as she helped the girl remove her wet jacket, which she noticed was way too big for her. "I think I may have something for you to wear that'll be a bit more appropriate than sweatpants and a button down shirt," Michiyo said with a small laugh in her voice. It had been a long time since she'd been able to really mother someone. This was going to be a lot of fun for her dressing up a young woman.

Ok, this is about as far as I can go on this chapter right now. Sorry!! I'll make it up to you guys with a whole new chapter soon. And I promise, there will be some yaoi goodness!! Hope you like it!! Please review!!