Please forgive my lack of updates, and thanks to those reviewers who kept sending wonderful reviews to both this story and 'The Influence of Sake'. I should hopefully be updating that one soon, but for now, this is my focus. My problem was inspiration and motivation, but I'm back in the saddle!

Disclaimer: Woe is me, Fruits Basket is not mine, you see!

Ch.4: The Ripple

"So, what is it you need to tell me? Could it be you are actually lovers?" Shigure said in a mock shocked tone. But, to his surprise, no punches or insults came forth. Looking at his two cousins, all he saw was serious, stony faces, which for them was very unusual. Of course after a few seconds, Kyo being Kyo had to say something. " Look you stupid dog, we have something serious to talk to you about, so listen proper or else!" He yelled, whilst still keeping a stone-cold expression. At this, Shigure decided to button his lip, as these two were rarely, if at all, serious. "Now" Yuki started, "Have you not noticed a change in Ms. Honda's…emotional state?" Shigure looked thoughtful for a second, then remembering her urgency to seclude herself in her room, he suddenly appeared serious himself. "What happened?" he asked, sounding more like a demand. "Beat up, Ms. Honda was beaten up after school a few days ago" Yuki hissed, his anger bubbling over again. "IT WAS THOSE DAMN FANCLUB PSYCOS!" Kyo yelled, unable to keep his face serious anymore. "I see, so what are we going to do?" Shigure questioned in that scheming way that only he could. "We are planning on doing to them what they have done. Karma 'What goes around comes around' they say. I'm sick of them constantly bickering over me, stalking me, I was fed up with them a long time ago, but to hurt Ms. Honda because she was kind enough to be my, our friend, that is the final straw." Yuki had a blank look in his eyes, blanketing all his emotions.

"They don't even know her, they have no idea what she has been through, they're probably too stupid to understand emotionally what she has suffered, so we're gonna make them feel it any way we can" Kyo said, his angered face twisting into what resembled a smile. "So, the Cat, Rat and Dog as a team, eh?" Shigure thought aloud. "No" Yuki said slowly, hearing footsteps coming up the stairs. "As far as I know, we all care for Ms. Honda, so these girls are going to find out who they are messing with, every single person" he finished. "Excellent" Shigure said, feeling pleased that some of his cunning had been passed on to his family.

A sudden knocking on the paper door snapped the three men out of their thoughts, as brown hair and blue eyes popped through the door. "Um…Yuki, Kyo, your dinners are ready, but I'm sorry to say that I burnt your dinner Shigure, I'm sorry I'm so stupid" she said quickly, in a somewhat pained way. Yuki and Kyo looked at each other, then at Shigure, as if that comment was the point of definite resolve. As the two teens exited the study, Shigure started to actually absorb what had happened to Tohru. Images of her getting abused flashed through his head, making his hackles rise slightly. 'How dare they!' he thought, his hands squeezing the armrests of his seat. 'How dare they hurt m…our Tohru! They will pay for this, I can only imagine the others reactions, oh yes, this will be sweet.' He thought, looking out his window. It didn't occur to Shigure to think why he was so concerned or enraged by this. Of course, he and most of the Sohma men knew not to hit girls, and of course he didn't like people getting hurt, but he was especially angry that his…they're little flower had been hurt because they were jealous and delusional. It just didn't sit well with him. 'Or anyone else, I guess' he thought as he went down stairs to eat his re-made dinner. 'They will pay'. That was his last thought on that matter as he sat down and began talking about the weather and other trivial things.

After dinner, Tohru went and shut herself in her room, Yuki went and tended to his garden, and Kyo went up to the roof.

Shigure however, strolled over to the phone, and dialled a familiar number. 'I will set this plan in motion' he thought as he heard someone on the other end of the phone pick up.

"Hello?"

"Ha'ri, I was wondering if you would come over for a while today…"

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Whew! Complete!

Please, continue your wonderful reviewing, arigato!

Gemagi.