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Chapter 21

Sitting at his temporary desk, Hatori rested his forehead in his hand. Why am I the one running things around here? I'm a doctor, not a king. The Council should be doing all of this. He sighed, knowing very well that The Council was dissolved until further notice. It would be Kyo's job to pick the new Council. Reminded, he checked his calendar. It's already the 28th. Kyo better be back in two days.

“Tori-san, working hard as always!” Ayame said, sweeping in, holding out a tray with two steaming cups and a tea pot on it. Behind him, one of the generals came into the room, looking important. As Hatori sipped at Aaya's tea, the General walked to the large map on the wall, and waited. When Hatori nodded at him, he began.

“With the aid of The Grandfather and those under him, we've been able to heal numerous soldiers. I now feel it is time to attack the rogue healers' army, before he can spread even more disease. His forces are on the Southern Plains not a half hour away, approaching us as we speak. My soldiers are ready to leave as soon as you give the word!”

Hatori straightened in his chair. “Do whatever you think is necessary General. If I may, I would like to accompany you; I may be able to use their weapon against them.”

His dying anger forgotten, Kyo jumped up and scrambled into the nearest tree. As soldiers rushed beneath him, he scanned the area beyond them, searching for Tohru. His eyes skimmed over the white and silver heads of his cousins. Momentarily his heart leaped when he spied a bare, brown head, before he realized it wasn't her. Yet, as he saw the man furtively slink through the trees, he frowned. Grabbing the branch above his head, he swung back and forth then jumped into the next tree, following him up the hill.

Perched like a large black hawk eying a rabbit, he scowled as he watched the man muttering. The air around him began to move, in quick, agitated movements. Nodding excitedly, Takako drew a box from under his arm, and carefully opened it. Inside lay a glass vial, death reeking from it's black contents. Suddenly the air erupted into a violent windstorm. It screamed through the trees, whipping the branches and tearing leaves from the trees. Squinting, Kyo could just about make out the healer as he tugged at the stopper of the vial.

Not about to allow Takako any more time, Kyo flipped out of the tree to the ground, staggering as he landed. Springing up from the ground, he lunged for the vial. Shoving the healer away, he grasped the vial and somersaulted into the bushes.

“Who dares -” Takako came up spitting, and looked around wildly. Kyo smirked as he watched Takako, and stuffed the stopper more firmly into the vial. Takako dashed around the hilltop frantically, searching for the vial. Grasping at his wind tossed hair, Takako muttered to himself.

“A bat, no, too large, a vulture – not in this part of the country! And it couldn't be human, I didn't even sense a thing-!!”

Kyo studied the black disease he held in his hand. He could see the tattoo on his hand through the vial, black stands twisting sinisterly above it. Shuddering, he grabbed a leather pouch from his pocket. Tying it inside, he stuffed in into an inside pocket of his clothing.

“That stupid cat should be all right on his own,” Yuki gasped, leaning against a tree. “I can't figure out who they're fighting against; it would be absurd for an entire army to attack 3 lone travelers.”

“They're fighting each other,” Haru replied. Following his line of gaze, Yuki looked at the fighters as well.

“That doesn't make any sense,” he muttered.

“AH!” he exclaimed, his fist landing in his other hand, like a gavel. “Haru, look at that one's eyes,” he said, pointing. “See that blank stare? It's exactly like the hypnosis the healers use for violent patients.”

“It looks like it's failing too,” Haru commented, as the man's gaze changed to confused panic. The man dropped his sword and put his hands above his head, yelling.

He landed roughly; rolling to his feet, his grimaced, feeling the ache travel from his back through his chest. Looking behind him, he watched as the healer's lifeless body fell towards the ground, its arms lifted effortlessly in the wind. It landed ungracefully, with limbs askew. He winced at the crack of the breaking skull, and felt his stomach twist. Crawling back into the trees, he sped away from the scene. His emotions sloshed slowly inside him, unsure what to bring to the surface, what to drop to the depths.

Nearing the battle, he shook himself mentally, bringing himself back to the situation. He spotted an archer taking aim and changed direction. He pulled his way through the tops of the trees, until he came up behind the man. Raising both hands like knives on either side of the mans' head, he brought them down sharply, knocking the man out cold. He watched as the man tumbled down the slope, past a climbing person with long brown tresses, and felt his heart stutter.

“TOHRU!” He shouted, half falling out of the tree in his haste. He tripped over to the edge, and dropped to his knees. Anxiously he watched, waiting for a response.

“Eh?” Tohru up at him and blinked her large, clear eyes. Relieved, he noted that her eyes were perfectly clear, and aside from being muddy, she didn't seem to be hurt. Hanging his head in relief, he sighed.

“Kyo-kun?” she gasped. Her face lifted to his eagerly and her hands scrabbled against the slope hastily as she tried to reach him faster. He smiled.

“Yeah.”

Carefully he braced his feet amongst the roots of a nearby tree and inched his upper half down the slope, reaching. The tips of their fingers brushed, as a rumble of thunder cut through the sounds of fighting. Cracking, rocks slipped from under Tohru's foot, making her lose a few inches as they fell to the ground.

A cold drop burst on the back of his neck, making him shiver; it trailed to the edge of his jaw, down his cheeks and off of his nose. He could feel the strain in his already stretched stomach muscles as he stretched a bit farther to reach her. She stepped up again; their hands finally connected. He hauled her out and fell back against the tree, sighing in relief.

“Kyo-kun!” she gasped, losing her balance and falling into him. Stiff with surprise, he waited for the arms braced around him to become loose as he turned into a smaller form.

Come on...just...

His breathing shortened and Tohru pulled back, a stunned expression plastered across her face. Her hands traveled to his face, before she wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. Dazed, he gathered her closer, barely believing what he felt. His breathing stalled as he felt her silky hair brushing against his cheek.

“Tohru,” he whispered wonderingly. Hesitantly. I don't care if I'm king, he realized. I just... I just want to be close to her.

A drop splattered on his hand, followed by another a minute later. Slowly he looked up, and watched as gentle winds tugged gray clouds above him. Not 50 feet from the fighting, he felt isolated with Tohru, at peace in their own sphere. The roar of battle didn't penetrate, only the soft sighing of winds foretelling rain. Closing his eyes, he savored the moment.

A soft cough echoed into his sharp ears. His eyes flicked up and trailed the area behind Tohru. Ten feet away, soldiers in Sohma red and white stood with swords cautiously raised.

I've been writing the characters to match more closely with their selves in the beginning, with dabs of their later selves. I know that things are different in the manga in the end, but the story works better with their earlier selves – and to develop them like the manga isn't exactly original ne?

That said – I'm glad you liked the apple scene! Thanks for letting me know! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!!

I tried to not be too ... cliché with the rain, with Tohru being in trouble etc. I think I might have failed with Tohru being in trouble – but she was trying to get out of it and not unconscious. Her falling was just going with the theme of the story: Murphy's Law. ("Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.") Hence the title of the fanfic.

As this story is ending, I'll ramble, say goodbye to my story. (feel free to skip the rest)

Just for laughs, here's the first summary I used. I didn't get to use all of these, but they are used by the characters in this world. I had fun thinking of these ^^

Summary: AU. Meet The Heartless Fire, The Doctor Duke, Perverted Novelist Extraordinaire, THE Charismatic Clothing designer, and a few other infamous people. The saying “Anything can and will go wrong at an in opportune moment” is true. Kyoru, HatorixMayu, and Yuchi, among others.