Fruits Basket Chapter 117

Well Akito is all over this chapter, not much I can about that her being my least favorite character, but what can I say. So let's talk about Akito, in this chapter she is basically contemplating her life thus far and mostly is thinking about her mother and father. Akito thinks about her mother who never gave her a kind or loving look always giving her a cold and cruel look. Akito remembers back to a time when she thought she was the one that her father had loved the most. Akito remembers back to the time of her father Akira's death and that her mother Ren came rushing in demanding to know why she had not been called when Akira was dying, to which the maids respond there was not enough time to call her. Ren laments the fact that her beloved husband had to die alone, the maids tell her that Akira did not die alone that Akito was by his side. Ren says that thing(Akito) was nothing more then a toy for Akira so that he could pass his time, she is nothing more, and nothing less, and now with Akira gone she was not needed nor wanted. Akito the tells Ren that she is special and that everyone had been waiting for her and that Akira had told her so, she then goes on to say that Ren is the one who is not wanted. Ren getting angry calls the bond that she shares with the zidiac twelve as nothing more then a dream, a bond that would not last long and in the end Akito would be alone realizing that no one was waiting for her. Kureno enters the room breaking Akito's thoughts, before he can tell her why he was there Akito mentions of how she was so happy when she met Yuki for the first time, she was happy mainly because it gave her a chance to show the bond to Ren for the first time. Akito the goes on to say that Shigure had been kind to her once just like her father. Akito then begins to wonder when did things get so out of control when did her world fall apart, thinking that perhaps it started with Kureno being released from the curse, saying that she wanted to hang on to him, and that she was afraid of being betrayed. Akito then goes on to remember how when Yuki moved out with Shigure, Ren came over to rub it in her face that now the rat had left her. Akito denies any such thing and insists that the bond could not seperate her from the twelve, and that even after living outside that they would all return to her side. Ren tells her to prove her theory and that if she should lose she would have to bow down in defeat in front of Ren and leave the Sohma's forever. Akito remembers how she believed that it was a bet she would not lose, even when Shigure had Kyo and Tohru live with him Akito still believed that no one could destroy the bond, however Akito realzies that deep down she truly never believed that she could win, she was mearly living on a prayer so to speak, one she would speak everyday as if she would lose her life if she did not. Akito goes on thinking that it's no use that in the end everyone leaves her. Just then Ren comes into the room with a knife demanding Akira's box from Akito saying that it belongs to her because everything of Akito's is hers. Akito remembers how much she never wanted to lose to Ren, and throws Ren the box, feeling that if she wants it that much she can have it. Akito remebers her father saying that even though he was leaving he would always be with her. It shows Akira saying that he wanted Ren to be most happy about Akito, he then he says that he is just a dying man leaving his child but with Akito being so special it was proof that he and Ren were special as well, his dying words saying that "we did not make up Ren." Ren opens the box and Akito remebers the day she recieved the box, the maid who handed it to her told her that Ren needed to realize how important Akito was that it was she who was entrusted by Akira to gather the spirits and because he loved her the most and if she held the box Akira would be hers alone and that he would always be by her side like he promised. Akito then asks the maid what's inside the box to which she responds that it's Akira's soul. Meanwhile Ren is extremely shocked to find the box empty, Akito tells her it has always been empty. Meanwhile Akito realizes that in the end she has always been the one left behind, saying that she wanted what was impossible. Oh and Tohru was also in the beginning of that chapter but her appearence was brief in which she wakes up and comments on how she still has not built up any courage.

My Thoughts

Well this was a pretty interesting chapter since we sort of get the workings of Akito's mind. I guess the author is trying to elicit some sympathy from the reader for Akito, I personally feel too little too late if you ask me. Maybe some people out there like Akito but I personally feel that she has damaged too many lives for me to feel any sympathy for her. I guess the good thing though is that it seems that Aktio may be trying to move forward, and not lock herself in the same place anymore(which in theory make for a very happy Shigure). Ren is seriously a warped individual, it shocks me that she could not love Akito since Aktio is also a part of Akira. I am surprised that Ren does not look at Akito as a gift from Akira, perhaps that is what Akira wanted from Ren was for her to find her happiness in Akito. I think it also was a little disappointing to Akito that it was Ren's name that was on Akira's lips as he uttered his dying words. I can see now why Shigure does not like having Akito think of him as a father figure, I thought it strange that he mentioned that a few chapters earlier, now I know why apparently Shigure's kindness reminds her of Akira, perhaps that is why Shigure is so cruel to her now. Also I guess Shigure knew all along that the box was empty, we already know that Kureno knew the contents of the box, Akito's willingness to let go of the box shows that she may be ready to move on, but how she moves on into the future yet remains to be seen. Anyway as for Tohru I assume the courage she is speaking about is the courage to tell Kyo how she feels, well lets hope in the next chapter she finds that courage. Well leave me some comments and let me know what you think.