Aishuu Offers:
Transitory Dance
Shitsui@yahoo.com
~ A Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ~
Disclaimer: Fruits Basket does not belong to me.  I'm
working on it.... ^_~
Author's notes: Thanks to Phi, who listened to me
ramble, and Lyra to as beta.  Special hugs and kisses
out to Ari-neesan and Lyra-imouto, who I simply love,
and always show their love for me.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

	New Year's Eve is perhaps the most important day of
all for the Sohma family, even if they know nothing
about the Jyunishi curse.  From all over Japan, and
even outside of the country, the family gathers to
spend the night together, and we come together, an
immense clan that many envy.  The Sohma name is an
elite one, descendants of samurai and artists, and we
will never let anyone forget it.

	In the evening, there is a special feast, one that
only the Jyunishi members are allowed to attend.  This
feast includes a special dance and is part of what
keeps the Jyunishi united, for sometimes we are all we
have.  We may hide behind Akito, but when it comes
down to it, there is no one closer to a Jyunishi than
another Jyunishi.  

	There are actually two more things that unite us, but
both of these are grimmer and bring no joy to us.  One
is Akito, whom we all fear.  There is no telling what
will send him into one of his rages, and as time
passes, he becomes more and more obsessed with
possessing us.  I used to want to rage against him,
when I was younger and had that kind of courage,
remind him that though I was cursed, I was human. 
Then... Akito...

	I do not want to think about it.  Suffice it to say
that I can merely obey his wishes.   I never want to
end up there again.

	The second thing that unites us is our hatred of the
cat.  The cat, no matter who carries the curse, is
automatically excluded.  The legend of the mouse and
cat on the eve of the Jyunishi party is a favorite of
many, but I am not one who believes it.  There is
something deeper there, for the curse of the cat is
the most feared things a Sohma can know.  It's not
about being an outcast; it's about becoming a monster.
  Every time we see the bracelet upon Kyou's wrist, we
are reminded that within him lies something that is
beyond our worst nightmares.

	When I was born, I was especially fortunate that it
happened in the Year of the Mouse.   This is more rare
than one might think; Even if we are cursed, it is
rare for us to be cursed with the spirit of the Year
we are born in.   It is special, truly, and many
believe that the curse holds onto me that much more
tightly because of it. Haru and Shigure also share
this burden, but I... I was born in the Year of the
Mouse.

	The Mouse is the most admired of all the Jyunishi,
and the one who bears the curse is sometimes viewed as
almost blessed.   It was part of the reason I was so
desperate to be normal, even if only for a little
while. 

	When I was thirteen, it was my turn to dance again.  


	That evening was a hectic one.   I was dressed in the
robes of the Jyunishi, complete with an elaborate
headdress with ribbons of violet, which brought out my
eyes.   My feet were bare, and at my waist hung a
folding fan that many Noh dancers used in
performances.  My mother and father helped prepare me,
proudly showing me my reflection in a full-length
mirror when the costume was on.

	I hated it. I looked even more feminine than usual.

	My mother is not a comforting woman; my father is not
someone I respect.   At that time, I was not confident
enough to hate them, since it was still engraved in my
psyche that respecting your parents was something that
must be done. It would take an incident later that
year to truly make me despise them- but that is not
part of this story. 

	"He'll do well," my father said, speaking over my
head.  He never addressed me directly, and when I was
young, I had thought it was my fault.   Now I know it
was because he was just a cold, cruel person.

	"What if he missteps?" my mother asked, sounding
concerned.  I knew she wasn't worried about me, but
rather the reflection on her.

	"He won't," my father said, finally deigning to look
at me.  His dark brown eyes warned me that there would
be serious consequences if I did.

	"If he does, he'll have a whole cycle of bad luck,"
he said.  "Or even..."

	I stared at the wall.  I had heard of other Jyunishi
and what they had done.  

	They didn't truly know what happened at the Jyunishi
dance; they assumed, like all outsiders, that a set
dance that was performed every year for hundreds of
years; nothing could be further from the truth.  Like
each year, each dance was different.

	I smoothed a slight wrinkle in my robe, feeling numb.
  I was not nervous; the mouse was not allowed to be.

	A soft voice, deceptively pleasant, spoke, startling
my parents.  "I'm sure Yuki will do just perfectly. 
After all, he's never anything but, isn't he?"

	I looked up, feeling a swell of terror race through
my body.  

	Akito.

	I had known he would come for me, but I had blacked
it from my mind.   He stood in the doorway, back lit
by light from the hallway.   He was wearing a very
dark kimono, with even darker embroidery that cost a
fortune.  He looked pale and ghostlike, but strangely
splendid for it.  Akito was sickly, and the clothing
he wore emphasized his poor health.  Some people
wondered about that; I did not.  Akito was an extreme
person.  If he had to be sick, then he would do so in
extreme style.

	My parents both bowed low to Akito, and I just
stared, like a creature caught in the headlights.  
Every time I saw him, I felt constrained, and I
flashed back to the room where he locked me whenever
his whimsy took him.  He'd make up an excuse, but the
truth was, he'd do it simply to showcase his power. 
Of all the Jyunishi, the mouse was the strongest; if
he could dominate me, then he ruled us all with ease.

	"Come, Yuki.  It's time to trick the stupid kitten,"
Akito said, the gentle voice playful.

	This, too, was part of the ritual.  I did this every
year; a ceremony called the Exclusion of the Cat. 
Even though Kyou and I didn't like each other, I hated
this part of the festivities.  It reminded me that,
yes, I was cursed by perhaps the cruelest of the
Jyunishi.  I followed him silently, staring straight
ahead. By now, all the Jyunishi would be preparing to
come, and I would be first among them to enter- the
Parade of the Jyunishi.  There were many rituals.

	Akito always had some sort of weird telepathic
abilities around me.  He looked at me, and smiled. 
"You don't like doing this, do you, Yuki?"

	"It's mean," I said.  I couldn't lie to Akito, even
when the truth would anger him; he always could detect
lies.  

	That time he just laughed, and rested his hand on my
head.   I hadn't yet hit my growth spurt, so he stood
a good head and a half taller than I. "You're too
kind, Yuki.  This is my favorite part of the evening,
since I'm not allowed to watch the dance... I don't
think that's fair.  I'm the Head of the Sohma family. 
I'd love to watch you dance."

	I kept my face carefully blank.  If I was too kind,
then he was too cruel. 

	Kyou was seated outside the door to the feast,
waiting for me. He was dressed in casual clothes, and
wearing a tremendous scowl.  This was the most
humiliating moment of the year for him, and he had to
suffer it from me, repeatedly.

	"Did you hear?  The Jade Emperor is holding a feast,
and he's invited you," I said.

	"When is the feast?" he asked.

	"It's tomorrow," I told him.  "Why don't you go rest
up for the celebration?" I said.

	"That's a good idea," he returned, rising to his feet
with a scowl.  He bowed to me.  "You're a good friend
to deliver the invitation."

	"I look forward to seeing you at the party," I
replied, stepping aside so he could pass, completing
the ritual.  

	Akito was smothering his laughter as Kyou stormed
passed. "You're so good at that, Yuki," he said, and
this time, his hand caressed my cheek.  It was all I
could do to keep from flinching; his hands felt like a
three-day old corpse, reaching out to take me into the
grave with him.  "The parade's about to start," he
said.

	I nodded.  The inner Sohma family, the ones who knew
about the curse, had gathered to witness the
ceremonies.  About half of them came to witness the
Exclusion; not all of them were comfortable seeing a
child be cruel to another.  All of them, though, would
arrive for the parade, for that would be the end of
the main family gathering.

	I stood outside, waiting for the others to arrive. 
Haru arrived first, dressed in white and black.  He
hadn't yet gotten all his piercings, but his hair was
wild, and his robes weren't at all traditional, made
of fur and some strange reflective white material that
hurt my eyes.  When we were older, he would carry me
to the feast, but practicality ruled, and Haru was
judged too young to carry me- the next year, he would.

	Kisa showed up next, looking sweet in a golden
kimono, embroidered with swans, followed by Momiji,
Hatori... and then Ayame. 

People had come to look at me, but Ayame, as always,
made a scene, wearing an elaborate silver Chinese
tunic that fell to his knees, embroidered with emerald
green snakes with jeweled amber eyes that match
Ayame's own.  Every year, the snake made one of the
finest showings in the parade, even when it wasn't his
turn to dance.  If there was one thing Ayame was, it
was a showman.

A far more subdued Rin followed him, then Hiro, and
followed by Ritsu, who was, as usual, wearing female
raiment.  I averted my eyes, Ritsu scared me... Ritsu
could have been me, had I not had the skills I was
born with. Then came the rooster, whose name I never
remembered since I only saw him on New Years, Shigure,
and Kagura ended the procession, her face solemn.  
The boar was never in a good position, since they had
almost been forgotten in the Jyunishi, and by coming
last, they were always reminded of that.  

The oldest member of our family, Sohma Daiichi stepped
forward, to speak the lines of the Jade Emperor.  "I
bid you welcome to the feast!" he said; his thin,
reedy voice carrying out over the crowd that gathered.

I walked forward, bowed to him, and then entered the
room.  The rest of the procession followed, and he
shut the door behind us after we were all inside.

Before us were spread delicacies from all over the
world, but we would not be allowed to eat it until
after the dancing.  Hidden in the shadows were the
various instruments of the Jyunishi, which they would
retrieve on my command.  Since the year of the mouse
still had not officially ended, I was in charge until
the end of the dance, when Hatsuharu would become the
ruling Jyunishi.

Akito may rule the Sohma family, but there were
subtleties that he didn't understand.

I nodded and everyone fanned out, fetching their
belongings, and forming a circle twenty paces across. 
I would only have that area to dance within.  I took
my place at the northern cardinal point, Kagura and
Haru on either side of me as everyone tuned their
instruments.  I waited until Hatori finished before I
moved again, with the headdress trailing behind me.

I stepped out into the center of the floor, waiting
for the music to begin.
	
The music, too, was part of the celebration.   Each of
the Jyunishi would contribute to the dance in turn,
challenging the dancer to keep the tempo.  This was
actually my second time dancing, since the year of the
Mouse had passed before, but then I had only been a
baby and the dance had been performed by Ayame, as he
held onto me...  that was one of my few good memories
of him.  Part of the Jyunishi curse is to forget
nothing, so I remember far too much of the pain his
thoughtlessness had inflicted on me, but I am glad of
that memory.  His golden eyes had seemed so serious as
we bid farewell to the prior year together.
	
Still, this was special.  Everyone expected such great
things from the one who was cursed by the Mouse, and
they would challenge me.  I was only thirteen, but I
had to live up to their expectations; failure was not
acceptable.   
	
It was Haru who began the music, since his year
followed mine.  The Year of the Ox would officially
start on completion of my dance, and he was the one
who would begin and end the music.   I had done the
same for Kagura, who danced the previous year.  This
year, though, my flute was in my room, safely
protected by its case.  The mouse always plays the
flute, but that's because of a different variation of
the legend.  It was a version I didn't like very much,
for it made the mouse sound petty, and let the cat be
shown in a better light.
	
Haru played a guitar, but to my slight surprise, the
music was gentle, and slow paced.   I knew Haru loved
me, and he was doing his best to make the dance
something I could easily perform.  I gave a slight
smile as my feet begin to move to the beat, as the
music ran through me like a waterfall.
	
The long robes swirled around me as the trailing
ribbons from my headdress spun, giving me the feeling
of what it'd be like to have longer hair.   The melody
rippled around me, and I stepped evenly to it, my
movements slow and fluid.  My karate training had come
in useful for this; my body was strong and agile
enough to sustain the long dance, which could last for
only a few minutes, or hours... depending on  the
music I was supplied.
	
No two dances were exactly the same, just as no years
were the same.  Each dancer was forced to improvise
with whatever music was forced at them, and the person
who represented the mouse was almost always challenged
to the breaking point.  The person who held the
position in the time of my great-grandfather had
broken.

I would not.
	
Haru's pace quickened, but I met his challenge, aware
that all too soon, Kisa would pick up the melody.  
After the cow, came the tiger.  It was one of the
reasons they were so close.
	
Kisa was learning the drums, but she still hadn't
mastered them.   She by nature, she had little musical
talent, unlike the younger Hiro.  Still, she had
enough of a sense of rhythm to keep the beat, and when
she began to clap along with Haru, he wound the music
down so she controlled the pace.
	
The music was different now, a little more wild, with
a sense of longing for something that Kisa knew she
couldn't have.  Her beat reminded me of a hunt, of
something tribal, and I adjusted my steps to it.  I
knew that she wouldn't be able to maintain the pace
for long, so I swung my arms and moved more freely,
feeling exotic and wild myself.  I had to pace myself,
because Rin and Hiro would definitely try to make me
stumble.
	
She must have signaled for Momiji even sooner than I
thought, because her clapping died away, only to be
picked up by the sound of Momiji's tambourine. His
beat was quick and jumpy, and, every now and then, he
shook it, setting it ringing, a sound that coursed
through my body.  Momiji didn't have the patience to
learn a more complicated instrument, but the simple
percussion suited him, a chased rabbit that was
constantly being hunted, with a slight playfulness.
	
I took on that playfulness, winking at my blond cousin
as I crouched lower and moved in quicker steps,
swinging my hips, and narrowing my eyes.  I had gone
from being the hunting tiger to the hunted rabbit...
and it was exhilarating.  I lost my fear of falling
and allowed the dance to rule me.  Momiji wouldn't
want me to fail; Momiji hated no one. His section
lasted almost as long as Haru's, but the next Jyunishi
came in after a few minutes, and the mood changed.
	
The mournful strains of the violin were the next to
join the challenge.   The violin wasn't an easy
instrument to play, and few people can truly master
it, but Hatori had.  It was such an expressive
instrument that the player could not hide their soul
from their audience.  Hatori was the one who moved me
now, and I was saddened.  It hadn't been that long
since he had lost Kana and his sorrow came through.
	
This was the true challenge of the Jyunishi dance, and
I knew that Hatori wasn't one of the people who was
doing it deliberately.  Those would be coming later. 
Still, I had to change paces from Momiji's sheer
exuberance to Hatori's wistful sorrow, and be able to
express them without stumbling.  I slowed, and my
movements became almost lethargic, though I was not
tired.   I slowly raised one leg so it was parallel to
the floor, and rose on the toes of the other as I
raised my arms to the sky and threw my head back.  I
held on for a moment, which required more strength
then the unskilled would have believed, before sliding
to the floor, kneeling in sorrow.   I pressed my hands
on the floor in front on me and used them to spring
upwards, modifying katas I had learned, slowing them
down and shutting my eyes as the violin played on. 
The violence of my karate suited the music, as odd as
it seems in retrospect.
	
I could feel the crescendo building, and I leapt into
the air, doing a back flip, somehow instinctively
timing it for the final haunting wail of the violin. 
I landed as the room went silent, and I knew I had
done well. I was the mouse, and I always impressed
others as easily as I breathed.
	
It took a moment for Ayame to take his turn.  It was
beautiful, the shakuhachi. I waited for the music to
slither around me, not wanted to embrace it, since it
was part of Aya, but knowing I had to.  I slid the fan
free and held it between my fingers, waiting for Ayame
to truly begin to play.
	
The shakuhachi is a haunting instrument.  There's only
five holes on it, but it can make an amazing array of
sounds, and something about it reminds me of the wind.
 Ayame begin to play a little more quickly, but he
still reminded me a snake charmer.  I flicked the fan
open and whirled in the dance, not allowing Ayame's
natural flamboyance to overwhelm me.  This was my
night, and he would not steal even a second of it from
me.
	

The notes died down, and Rin was next to perform.  The
pretty young girl held no instrument; she, like
Shigure, would sing.  People might not think that
challenging, but Rin had an amazing vocal range, and a
hatred of me.  That wasn't a surprise, since the horse
never liked the mouse; it was the positioning of the
signs.  We simply had no compatibility.
	
I turned and met her grass green eyes, waiting for her
to begin her challenge.  This is where my true test
would start.  I had already performed for six of the
Jyunishi, and I knew I was getting tired. Rin would
try to exhaust me, hoping to make me fall later on. 
She met my eyes, challenging in her own.
	
She began to sing, and I did my best not to stumble as
her perfect voice lifted in song.  Rather then
choosing some complex opera, she sang a tune that was
almost a lullaby, ghostlike and haunting in the
quarter notes that went up and down:

Imagine a perfect beach
Without a mermaid
Imagine a perfect hideaway
Without a time

Ocean Soul

Imagine a perfect Eden
Without a friend without a serpent

Ocean Soul
Lonely Soul

Feeling lonely and content at the same time,
I believe,
is a rare kind of happiness

Ocean Soul
Lonely Soul 

	Her sweet voice sounded pure and innocent, but I
almost fell halfway as she mocked me.  Luckily, I
maintained my cool well enough to keep moving and no
one saw the near disaster.  Rin knew me very well, and
in her song choice, she was hitting all my vulnerable
points.  I was sure if I questioned her after, it
would be a song written by someone else.  I moved a
little mechanically, hoping that it would end soon,
but knowing she'd likely draw it out as long as
possible.
	
To my surprise, Hiro's bright trumpet cut through
Rin's final note, and I moved more freely, taking a
second to toss the fan over to Momiji.  Hiro hadn't
yet learned anything complex, but there was a beauty
in his inexperience.  His melody line was simple, but
there was something brassy and proud about him, and
challenging.  I didn't use any flourishes, and lost
some of my grace, exchanging it for power.  Hiro would
grow up to be very masculine, and I tried to reflect
that.  I moved sharply, bold without fear. 
	
Hiro was still too young to challenge me the way he
would in the future.  Hiro's nature was challenging,
but he also hated making mistakes, so he simply played
a requiem to the old year in a brash style.  I
strutted proudly, and didn't allow any unnecessary
gestures to impede my way.
	
I knew when Ritsu began to pluck his koto what he
would do.  He did the same thing every year: Haru no
Umi, a piece that was usually a duet with a
shakuhachi.  The music was well-suited to the New
Year, but was more background then anything, at least
in my mind.  Still, it was suited to Ritsu's nature,
as he often preferred to fade away whenever possible.
	
The Jyunishi dances were sometimes changed by this
half of song, but I had been expecting it.  As it was
half a song, I performed half a dance, moving whenever
the shakuhachi would have been most vibrant.  I became
the other instrument, allowing my body to become
melody.  Ritsu kindly only played an excerpt, since he
knew I was getting tired, and the climax of the show
was coming.
	
The French horn was next.  Something about the music
was sinister, and I hoped the rooster wouldn't play
for long.  I shut my eyes, and decided to simply move
like Akito; it reminded me of him.  
	
I must have succeeded better than I thought, for all
the Jyunishi looked at me in horrified recognition. 
It had been remarked before, how Akito and I were yin
and yang to each other, and now that I was able to
dance freely, the others could see it more clearly
then ever.  I mocked Akito, and I reveled in that
feeling.  I began to enjoy it, and my fatigue melted
away, as my second wind hit me.
	
I was thoroughly engrossed in my dance when Shigure
began to sing, abruptly cutting that horn off.  It was
rude to interrupt, but then the dog had never been
overly concerned with manners.   Most people wouldn't
believe it - especially not Mit-chan! - but Shigure
was blessed with a voice that could turn coal into
gold, and move mountains.
	
Shigure's song contained the undercurrent of sadness
we all bore, yet more joy than any of us.  He
regretted very little, and that also was reflected in
his song.  He had no words, just a melody, but it
moved me even more.  I returned to the flourishes I
had abandoned, feeling energized.  Playfully, I ran my
hands over my chest, skimming my neck lightly before
fanning them before my eyes.  Shigure's voice scaled
octaves effortlessly as he held a note for a very long
moment before Kagura began the final section.
	
Kagura had begun on drums, but had changed to the
hammered dulcimer a few years before. Her hands
agilely raced up the scales, striking the strings.  I
put all my energy into this final bit, leaping and
swirling, tossing my head and weaving elaborate
patterns with my hands and feet, allowing my ribbons
to trail freely wherever they would.  
	
The music became frantic, and I knew that the pace
would halt all too soon.   I started to pace the
circle, receiving a bow from the members of the
Jyunishi for the last time as their ruler, until 2008.
 When I came to Kagura, she stilled her strings,
nodding to me. The music ended, and I knew I had
succeeded in my dance, and had done so with style. 
Now all that was left was for the Ox to take his place
as the ruler of the Jyunishi, and my task was
complete.
	
Haru rose from his place in the circle as I froze. 
"You dance most enticingly, mouse, but time passes, as
it must."	
	
"So it does," I said.  "It has been a splendid year."
	
"It has... but your year is over.  Go and rejoin the
rest of the Jyunishi, and I will begin my year.  The
Year of the Mouse has passed; now the Ox reigns."
	
I smiled at him, and he smiled back, with all the love
and affection he felt for me.  Impulsively, I leaned
forward and brushed a kiss across his cheek.  "Reign
well, and watch over us all," I whispered to him.
	
I am Jyunishi; I am cursed... but at that moment, when
I completed the ritual dance that bid farewell to my
year, and Haru rose to take my place as reigning
Jyunishi of the New Year, I wouldn't have had it any
other way.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Author's Notes:

Started July 14, 2002 - Completed Sept.1 2002. This is
written at a time when Furuba fanfic is just starting
to really come up, and their was still the debate on
the rooster, if it's Kureno or Akito, and so forth, so
I had to accommodate for that. While I was writing
this, it was revealed Rin was the horse... not a
surprise, but it did require some tweaking.

The nature of the mouse: in English, we say "the year
of the rat," and perhaps I should have used it. 
Still, I prefer mouse, and I understand that the
Chinese use whatever they feel most comfortable with-
at least that's what the threat on Hiro and the Goat
said on the FruityGroup, and it mentioned the mouse as
well.  Besides, I worked with lab rats, and they are
NOT cute.

Yuki as a mouse: Tohru tells Shigure she's a Dog... I
don't quite get this.  When I did the math... that
would put her at... eighteen, since Momiji was dancing
at the New Year's celebration.  So that means it if
Yuki is fifteen/sixteen at the start of Furuba, he
should be either a Boar or, most likely, a Mouse. 
Tohru is his age, so she should be the same, as should
Kyou. Therefore, Tohru SHOULD be a Mouse.  Why? 
Furuba starts in 1999 (reference: Momiji being the
Jyunishi) and they meet at 15... which means they were
born in 1984... Feb. 1983 started the Year of the
Mouse. I bet it really GALLS Kyou, ne?

Jyunishi information:
http://cat.nyu.edu/~liaos/horoscope.html

Traditional Japanese Music (koto and shakuhachi):
http://www.jinjapan.org/kidsweb/virtual/koto/music.html

The lyrics Rin sings to mock Yuki are "Lagoon" by
Nightwish. http://www.nightwish.com/

As always, Feedback is encouraged, reveled over, and
almost always replied to, should I received it!  Even
the negative stuff!



=====
Crazy world - full of crazy contradictions like a child
You're cold and you're cruel
And I, like a fool, try to cope
Try to hang on, to hope
But I've got my pride, I won't give in
Even though I know I'll never win
Oh, how I love this crazy world

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