Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Family Connections ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: They are not mine and never will be.

"Tohru, Tohru." The voice didn't seem to want to go away. Slowly opening her eyes Tohru looked around. All she saw was white fog everywhere. Who had been calling her name? The voice had seemed so familiar.

"Tohru."

Spinning around Tohru felt tears gather in her eyes as she looked at her Mother.

"Mom."

Chapter Three

A gentle smile lit Kyoko's face as she looked into her daughter's eyes. "She'll be coming soon Tohru."

"She? Who are you talking about Mom."

"Your cousin. She will help you find what you need."

"Cousin? What I need?"

Kyoko smiled again and began to fade. "Wait. Mom, please wait." Suddenly a hand came down on her shoulder. Tohru turned and looked up into the crimson eyes of Kyou in surprise. Once he saw that her attention was focused on him Kyou moved his hand up to cradle Tohru's cheek. Tohru could feel her face flood with color. Kyou didn't act like this. What was going on.

Suddenly he leaned down and whispered into her ear. Tohru could feel his warm breath caress her as he talked. "Your subconscious knows what you want even if you can't admit it yet." His hand was slowly stroking her cheek as his other arm drew her in closer to him. Tohru felt herself begin to panic that Kyou would be changed into a cat since the two were so close. But the change never happened.

Tohru felt a peace like nothing else, as she was enclosed in Kyou's strong embrace. She was warm and safe and happy. Yet she felt like something was missing. Kyou again began to whisper in her ear and Tohru couldn't control the shiver that raced down her spine at the feel of his breath against her skin. "Even this isn't close enough is it?"

Tohru shook her head. He was right even though she had wrapped her own arms around him she still needed to be closer. Suddenly all of her clothes and Kyou's were gone. Before she could get embarrassed he started to whisper once again. "You want to be so close that it feels like the two of us would become one person. That nothing is between us. You want to get so close and still feel like climbing inside of the one your holding and never let go." Tohru could only nod as she clung even tighter to the orange haired boy. That is what she had been feeling. She hadn't been able to put the desire into words for a long time but she knew. She craved that closeness with him. She ached whenever he wasn't near her. She didn't know what to do, how to ease this feeling.

"Kyou."

The sound of a door closing made Tohru sit up in surprise. Momiji looked at her with worry plainly seen in his eyes. Tohru looked around. She was in her room, in her nightgown. The last thing she remembered was being in the kitchen with Kyou.

"Momiji, what happened?"

Ukyou slowly opened her eyes. Someone else had been with her when she healed Ranma. She had felt them. It was her other cousin, Tohru Honda. Ukyou hoped that the girl hadn't been too frightened by the experience.

The yelling downstairs finally caught her attention. Looking around Ukyou saw that she was in Kasumi's room. Getting out of the bed Ukyou started to follow the sounds of the voices to see the others.

No one noticed her entering the room. Looking around she saw Ranma sitting in a corner ignoring everything. Mrs. Saotome and Genma were doing verbal battle to one side and Kasumi and Nabiki were arrayed against Soun and Akane at another. Shampoo looked like she wanted to jump Ranma but was glancing nervously at Cologne. Apparently approaching Ranma was not allowed. Ryoga was gone, likely he had gotten lost again. Mousse was declaring his love to a potted plant in another corner. Cologne and Happosai were quietly talking while they watched the circus going on around them.

"Excuse me?"

Everyone turned at the sound of Ukyou's voice. Ranma seemed to light up. Akane, Shampoo and the father's glared. Kasumi and Nodoka smiled. Nabiki looked thoughtful and the to martial arts master watched Ukyou with respect evident in their gazes. Kasumi stepped forward, "Ukyou-san, are you feeling all right?"

"Yeah, sorry about collapsing but it took more of my personal energy than I thought it would. What's going on?"

Nodoka walked forward. "Ukyou-san, could I have a private word with you please?" The priestess/chef nodded in surprise at how respectful Nodoka was acting toward her.

The two left the room. When the others made to follow Nabiki stopped them by standing in front of the door and smirking evilly. No one wanted to get on her bad side.

Following the Saotome matriarch Ukyou was a little confused as to what the arguing had been about. Finally the two stepped into the dojo and Nodoka turned to address the girl. "I called your family after you left yesterday. Not that we didn't trust you dear but Kasumi and I wished for a few more details and we had an idea and wanted the opinion of the women of your family. Kasumi will be accompanying you when you go to search for your cousin. As will myself and Ranma. I will be the adult in charge and won't get in the way of your duty. You and Ranma will attend the high school that your cousin attends and Kasumi will go to the University. The high school requires an adult for you to attend unlike Furinken. Your grandmother has named me as your temporary guardian for the next six months. You won't need to open a restaurant while there either. You can focus on school and your cousin. Also, your grandmother said that Ranma's neko-ken would be good practice for you and your cousin. Is this okay with you?"

Ukyou could only nod. Ranma was coming. Akane was not. That was what the fighting had been about. That and Kasumi leaving. Ukyou looked at Nodoka and smiled. "What should I call you?"

Tohru slowly walked down the stairs. Today was the first day of school. The final year of high school was about to begin. Everyone had been watching her carefully the last few days. After having Momiji tell her that she had collapsed in the kitchen things had gone mad. Kyou had yelled bring both Yuki and Shigure in to complain until they saw her. Then the two boys took her to her room carefully so they wouldn't change and Shigure had called Hatori.

Kagure and Kisa had come with him. They had been the ones to put her into her nightgown. Hatori hadn't been able to find anything wrong with her and she had said that she was just worried about school starting but everyone had been hovering. Tohru couldn't look Kyou in the face without remembering the dream and wanting to feel his arms around her. It was even harder knowing that it could never happen.

Going into the kitchen Tohru began to make breakfast and bentos for the day. It was the first day of the last year of high school. She was going to make the best food possible.

The Prince Yuki fan club had struck again. There was a huge banner in the front of the classroom declaring their love for Yuki. Kyou snorted, Yuki sweatdropped and Tohru just grinned. The year was going to interesting that was for sure. Going over to talk to Uo and Hana while both Souma boys put down their bags Tohru caught the tail end of the conversation.

"Yes, two new students. A boy and a girl from what I understand. And in our class too. I wonder what they'll be like."

Tohru looked at the two in surprise. "Two new students. How do you know?"

Hana smiled at Tohru. "I saw them coming into the building. I didn't recognize their signals though they are very strong. I asked a teacher and they said that they were new and in our class."

Just then the teacher walked in. Going to the front of the board he wrote something down. He then turned to face the class. "Welcome back. We have two new students today. Why don't you come in and introduce yourselves?"

Two students walked in. Everyone was struck by the way the two moved. Both had an unconscious fluid grace to their movements. They seemed to fit together in a way that was hard to describe. They reached the teacher and turned to face the class. Surprise was evident among the students. They were gorgeous!

"Hello, my name is Ukyou Kuonji. Pleased to meet you." The girl had a southern accent, yet she seemed nice. Tohru immediately wanted to be her friend. When the boy started to talk Tohru looked at him and it was all she could do to sit still. It was the boy she had seen right before she passed out last week.

"Ranma Saotome."

After the two had gotten desks the teacher made an announcement that surprised everyone. "Today we are going to be doing a physical endurance evaluation. It was decided to do this so that student could be place with other student of a like fitness level in the PE Block. This is a new program and experimental this year so I want everyone to do their best. All three years are meeting outside. So everyone go change into your gym clothes and lets go."

Walking out of the locker room Tohru could see the Souma's. The four boys seemed to naturally gravitate toward each other. As she started to head over she noticed the new girl and decided to talk to her. Going over Tohru smiled at her. Ukyou smiled in return. "Hi, my names Tohru."

Ukyou felt excitement grip her but was careful to keep it contained. "It's nice to meet you, sugar."

"Would you like to come over and join my friends as we wait our turn?"

"I'd like that but I need to wait for Ranchan first if that's okay?"

"Ranchan?"

"Ranma."

"Oh, that's fine. Have you known him for long?"

A soft smile spread across Ukyou face. Tohru looked at her in amazement. As pretty as she had been before paled before how beautiful she looked now. "We've been friends since we were six. Here he is."

Tohru looked up and saw the boy make his way toward them. If she hadn't had interactions with the Souma's Tohru knew that Ranma would be the most handsome boy she had ever met. In reality he could probably fit in with the Souma's just by his looks. The two followed her over to her friends.

Just as the introductions were about to get started one of the teachers came over. "Kuonji-san? There is a break and they wanted you to go since we have the head of the girls PE able to observe right now." Ukyou nodded and started to follow.

"Ucchan." The girl turned a question in her eyes. "Don't show off to much."

She grinned. "Same to you sugar."

Fifteen minutes later all the teachers simply stood and watched the girl. She had broken the record for the 100 meter dash as well as the number of risers that were to be jumped over. She was now doing pull-ups. She had done over 50 and showed no sign of stopping, or even of getting tired. Most of the female athletes of the school were watching with obvious jealousy. Uo was laughing her head off at the expressions on the faces of the Souma boys. Yuki and Kyou had held a tied record for the dash and the girl had just blown it away like it was too easy. Ranma's comment that she wasn't even trying hard had just added to the feeling.

"Saotome." They all turned around and noticed that Ukyou was done. The head of the boys PE at the school was approaching. "Since your friend gave such an impressive showing lets see what you can do, shall we?"