#braveclementineworks

🦴 ⋆˚࿔

"Jack do you think you could take a look at this when you get a chance?" You asked, carrying in a large tank of beetles that Temperance had told you to take to Jack. 

"Well hey Babe." Jack said with a smile, turning in his rolling chair to look at you, before his eyes dropped to the tank in your hands, "Well, well, you always bring me the best presents." He reached out, taking the tank out of your hands and gently setting it down on an empty metal counter, bending over to peer inside. 

Jack leaned in closer, bracing one hand on the counter as he adjusted the lamp over the tank. The light caught the glossy shells inside, and his grin widened instantly with boyish joy.

"Oh, these are gorgeous," he murmured, already halfway gone into his own world. "Look at that elytra- see the iridescence? That's not just for show, you know. Structural coloration. Light refracting through microscopic layers. Nature's version of nanotech."

He gestured for you to come closer, already reaching for a pair of tweezers. "Come here, you've gotta see this up close."

You stepped beside him, leaning slightly over the tank as he carefully nudged one of the beetles onto a small tray. You had never been quite the fan of bugs, definitely not like Jack, but you didn't hate them quite enough to back away. It clicked softly against the metal, legs scrambling for a moment before settling.

"This," Jack said, lowering his voice like he was introducing royalty, "is a Buprestidae. Jewel beetle. Probably Chrysochroa genus if I had to guess, but I'd want a scope to be sure." He glanced at you briefly, eyes bright. "And yes, I will be getting a scope."

You laughed at that, ruffling his hair. "Alright, well you have fun with that." 

"Leaving so soon?" Jack asked, looking up at you in surprise, "But you just got here." He straightened up, placing his hands lightly on your hips, pulling you closer with a mischeivous smile. 

"Jack!" You scoffed your laugh, rolling your eyes as you smiled at him, "We're both on the clock." 

"I mean, I have a lunch break in. . ." He checked his watch, "Now." He kissed your lips lightly and you closed your eyes, letting him and basking in it for a moment before pulling away gently. 

"But I am not." You said, extracting yourself from his arms, brushing down your FBI uniform. 

"You haven't eaten yet?" Jack asked in a stern voice and you realized you had been caught in a trap. 

You tried not to smile as you crossed your arms and looked sternly at him, but the smile crept onto your lips and you gave it up with a laugh, "Alright, alright. But Jack, I am not doing this in public and I am not doing this in the car." 

Jack grinned, standing up and taking your hand, "Don't worry, I know a very nice place." 

🦴 ⋆˚࿔

"You're kidding right?" You nearly choked out as Jack showed you exactly where you were going, "Isn't this like. . . the bed Cleopatara slept on?" 

"The exact same one." Jack said, kicking his shoes off and tossing his white lab coat onto an old antique chair with a tag that said it had once belonged to the first Queen of England. 

"Jack we can't. . ." You looked around nervously, not spotting any cameras or people, "This is ancient-" 

"Well I've always tried to treat you like a Queen." Jack laughed, pulling you closer to him as he sat down on the edge of the bed. "Sooooo." You couldn't help but laugh at that too, running your hands through his curly hair. 

"I cannot believe you want to make love on the same bed Cleopatara slept with her younger brother in." You sighed, but relented, kicking off your own shoes and neatly folding up your FBI jacket. 

"So you know your history." Jack grinned, and was clearly pleasantly surprised. 

"Oh of course I do." You laughed, climbing up onto the bed behind him, wrapping your arms around his neck, your fingers undoing his top button. "Cleopatra married her youngest brother Ptolemy XIII first and then later Ptolemy XIV. But Cleopatra was in love with first Julius Caesar and then Mark Antony. So really, we're going to make love on a bed that had many, many relationships in it." 

"I guess we should adds ours to the mix then." Jack said, tossing his shirt off before turning and kissing you passionately, his hands carressing your face as he slid his fingers into your hair. 

Cleopatara was quite firmly driven out of your mind as he lifted the white shirt you had been wearing underneath your blazer off, before unbuttoning your bra. "Lace under the uniform?" Jack teased, tossing the bra to the floor. "Naughty. . . I think you wanted this to happen." 

You just laughed, yanking his belt out of his loops, wrapping it around the back of his neck, pulling him down to kiss you. He laughed against your lips, his hands sliding under your body to press against your back. "Is that how we're playing babe?" He grinned, his hand wrapping around yours, tossing the belt to the floor. "Cause you know I enjoy a good game." 

"Liar." You teased, "I can never get you to help with my crossword puzzles." 

"Liar." He teased right back. "You hate when I help you with your crossword puzzles." 

"Well you're such a know-it-all ah~" You squealed as he attacked your neck with kisses, his hands sliding down your body in exploration. He chuckled before kissing your lips again and then lifting your hips in his hands. 

"What do you want from me babe?" Jack asked softly. "I can warm you up-" 

"Oh just fuck me Jack. You've been edging me for years." You replied dramatically, tossing an arm across your face. 

"My little drama queen." Jack replied with amusement before fully seating himself inside of you. All of your sarcasm and teasing went out the window. Your arm fell away from your face as it contorted in pleasure, and you let out a soft moan of desire. "And there's my lovely wife." He murmured, still teasing. 

Words fell out of your head, no longer wanting anything more than the pleasure Jack was giving you. You ran your hands up his arms, which were caging you in as he rolled his hips slowly, yet firmly. You gripped his shoulders as you tossed your head back, before pulling him down to you so that you could kiss him again. 

This kiss had none of the soft teasing as all the other ones. This one was a fight of tongue, grappling with each other as he started to speed up his thrusts. 

"I love you." Jack breathed out, one hand cupping your breast, squeezing lightly so that your eyes rolled into the back of your head. "How about you cum for me beautiful?" 

"Yes~" You whispered in a daze, squeezing your legs tightly around his waist. It wasn't long before you were finishing, pussy spasming around his cock. Jack finished, hot liquid inside of you before he pulled out gently, chuckling. 

"Well," He grinned, tilting his head a little. "For all my genius. . . I forgot a washcloth." 

I woke up feeling rather sad. Tohru was leaving the Soma house today. I don't know why that should've made me sad, but it did. I wondered how Yuki, Kyo- even Shigure- were going to take it.

My stomach growled, a sign that I hadn't eaten in the past two days. But school started today so I would get lunch there. I had meant to buy more food but with the weather, I hadn't wanted to risk going outside. But I was used to being hungry so I didn't really feel it. It was just a dull ache in my stomach.

I got dressed slowly in my school clothes. I was careful when I walked across the tent as the bottom liked to sag a little. One day, I was going to end up putting my foot through the tent.

However, I was also making quite a bit of money and I almost had enough to start renting a small apartment. But I wanted to save. The house market was going down. Maybe I could buy a small house and then I wouldn't have to pay rent or mortgage.

I found myself walking to the Soma house. I wasn't entirely sure why though. I found myself by Yuki's garden. I saw the baskets of strawberries that had been left for planting. They weren't in bloom though.

"Rao-San?" Yuki's voice asked.

I looked up at him and smiled.

"Tohru moved out." Yuki said.

'I know.' my phone said. 'I was taking a short-cut'.

"Oh." Yuki said.

He looked sad as I came to stand nearer. 'But you want her back.'

My phone stated it as a statement, not a question. Like a fact, not a suggestion.

Yuki stared at me in surprise, but I simply smiled back. 'Then let's go get her'.

Yuki nodded and we headed up to the house. And then, my stomach growled.

Yuki looked at me, "Did you eat anything this morning?"

I blushed, looking away from him. "Have you eaten anything since you left our house?" He continued. I still didn't look at him.

"Come on." Yuki said, taking my hand. I looked up at him in surprise, but not fear. I wasn't scared of Yuki anymore. He led me back to the house.

"Ah, Elizabeth." Shigure said, reading a newspaper. "What are you doing here?"

"She's going to eat." Yuki said. I blushed.

Yuki let me prepare my own food, going back into the sitting area and reading the book we'd read together in the corner. Kyo was pacing up and down the walk, groaning and muttering. I saw that the white piece of paper with Tohru's address on it was still on the table.

I ate quickly and when I finished, I put the plate in the sink.

"You're distracting me. If you want to take a walk, do it outside." Yuki said in the living room.

"Just read in your own room!" Kyo started back. "Anyways, they're way too high-handed, kicking her out for some renovations and then summoning her back when they're finished!"

I agreed with Kyo, though I knew her grandfather didn't mean it that way. Her grandfather didn't know she'd be living in a tent. He thought she was staying with a friend. I wondered what God, Dragon, Cow, Snake, and Bunny thought I was doing right now.

"That's not high-handed. It's totally normal."

"It ain't normal at all! They oughta think a little more about what she wants!"

Yuki smirked, "Big talk for the guy who left home without a word and dropped off the map for four months."

"Say what?! Are you picking a fight?!"

Shigure's face was sad over his newspaper.

Yuki snapped the book closed, "You're the one needling me."

I hesitated in the doorway of the living room.

"Shall I get serious with you?" Yuki asked.

"Bring it on, rat! Get your ass outside!" Kyo yelled.

"Come on, both of you. Calm down." Shigure finally stepped in.

"I am calm!" Kyo shouted.

"I'm calm as hell!" Yuki snapped.

"I see." Shigure said, lifting his newspaper high enough to hide his face from Yuki and me.

"Dammit!" Kyo said, going and lying down on the porch, his back to us.

Yuki put his book down on the table, looking at the white piece of paper on the table. He looked from Shigure, to Kyo, to me. I gave him a slight nod. "I'm going to take a walk. Elizabeth?"

He picked up the piece of paper and I followed him out the door.

"See you when you get back." Shigure called.

Yuki and I set down the stairs.

"So," Yuki asked, "Did you foresee me getting Honda-San back or something?"

I nodded and then let my phone say, 'If Tohru moves back in, I will too. Should put your mind at ease, right?'

"Yes, I'm glad." Yuki said, opening the piece of paper to read Tohru's address.

I followed quietly- the only way I could.

We made it to the block that Tohru should be living on. Yuki and I walked around the block once and couldn't find it.

"It's hard to find from just the address." Yuki said with a sigh. My ears pricked, I could hear someone running a hard distance towards us. Maybe Kyo? "I suppose we'll ask at the police box and-"

"Hey! Hold it right there, rat-boy!" Kyo's shouts from down the road and I see him kicking up dust to get to us. Yuki looks so surprised, I laugh. "Give that note back!"

Kyo goes to punch Yuki in the face. Yuki lifts one leg, kicking him in the face instead. I sigh in anxiety and Yuki smiles at me apologetically.

Yuki takes us in a circle again, looking at the different names on the house plates. Kyo is fed up with this and says, "Hey! You just took us in a circle."

"That's funny. It should be in this block of buildings. . ." Yuki says.

"None of them said 'Honda'! Lemme see that." Kyo says.

I hold up a hand and they both look at me. 'Be quiet for a second'.

They both looked at me, puzzled. I close my eyes, listening. Though the wool hat on my head makes things a little denser, I can still hear inside the houses. I listen patiently, searching through each one until I find a sharp feminine voice say, "I had a private detective investigate."

I frown.

A younger female voice says, "You were a live-in girlfriend?! Go you! I was so sure I was maturing faster."

And then Tohru's voice. "Wh- why did you hire a detective?"

I opened my eyes. 'I found her'.

"You did?" They ask together in surprise.

I smile a little. Then I started back the way we came. Yuki and Kyo followed me. "Hey!" Kyo followed.

I stopped in front of the house and Yuki spread the plastic that was covering the name plate. It said 'Honda'.

"Huh. You did find it." Kyo said. "But it's completely under construction."

"The outer walls are." Yuki said. "Let's at least talk to Honda-San." Yuki pushed open the black metal gate.

"Yeah." Kyo says. I follow through last.

Yuki knocks on the front door. It was so soft, almost I didn't hear it. "They're not answering." Yuki says in surprise. I try not to laugh.

"Maybe they can't hear you. Move it." Kyo says, walking past Yuki- who glares at him.

He takes a deep breath and shouts, "Excuse me!"

Yuki's eyes widen and he slams a hand over Kyo's mouth, shoving him to the floor.

"What the hell was that for?!" Kyo shouts.

". . .might be going too far." The first women's voice says and I know Yuki can hear it too. "but they say Kyoko-san used to get quite violent. And you know the phrase 'like mother, like daughter.' I was worried."

The three of us crept to the side of the house. Large green hanging curtains were in place with just a small space for us to look through.

"If you're going to live in this house, you be sure not to do anything indiscreet, all right?" The woman continued.

Kyo took one side, Yuki took the other. I knelt by Yuki's shoulder.

There was a young man in there, wearing glasses. He was sitting smugly at the table. There was an older gentleman, who was standing closest by Tohru. A woman behind the counter, and a woman sitting on the couch in front of us, a pocky stick in her mouth, and her body language read that she was bored.

"Say, Tohru-Chan," The young man at the table got up, walking over to her. "Those people didn't do anything. . .indecent to you, did they?" He leered towards her and I flinched back. Both Yuki and Kyo's faces turned angry. They both lunged toward the windows and I grabbed their collars.

Tohru's grandfather slapped the man across the face, for once an act I was okay with.

"G-Gramps?"

"Are jeering and taunting all you people know how to do?" The grandfather asked. Yuki, bless his heart, turned to look at me.

"Are you okay?" He whispered. I nodded, offering him a small smile.

"What's going on in there?" Kyo asked.

"Like I know." Yuki said.

"Wondering won't get us anywhere. Let's just go get her and bring her back." Kyo said.

"Please don't think badly of them." The Grandfather continued, "They're just unpleasant people, that's all."

"Gramps!"

"You're not helping!"

"Hmm? Oh, did I say something wrong?" The grandfather asked so innocently I started to laugh. I quickly stopped though, not wanting them to look out the window.

"What the hell was that for?" Kyo asked. I realized Yuki and Kyo were still arguing.

"Shut up." Yuki said, putting a hand against Kyo's mouth. "The important thing here isn't what we want. It's what Honda-San wants."

Kyo hit Yuki's hand away, but said nothing.

"No, I don't deserve to think I need more." Tohru said, sounding downcast. "You're giving me a roof over my head again. I have to be grateful for everything. I'm. . . blessed. So. . ."

She started to cry and I put a hand to the window, wishing to comfort her. "So I shouldn't say. . . that I want to. . . go home! I shouldn't. . . miss being with the Somas so much! I wanted to stay. . ."

I squeezed Yuki and Kyo's shoulders softly as they both stared at her in wonder.

"I wanted to stay at Shigure- San's house with Soma-kun and Kyo-kun. I wanted to be with them!"

Yuki and I are through the window before anyone else can contemplate where we came from. Yuki, in front of Tohru's face, leaning in. Me, behind her. Kyo, wrenching the green shades apart, shouting "Huh!"

"Okay then. Come on home." Yuki says.

"S-Soma-kun?!"

"Who is this?!" The woman shouted. Maybe an Aunt?

"Soma-kun! What are you doing here?" Kyo was there, grabbing her by the head.

"Let's go." Kyo said.

"Kyo-kun, you, too- Rao-Chan!"

"Your door was unlocked, so we let ourselves in." Yuki said pleasantly to the rest of the family. I stayed in the room with him, even as Kyo let himself and Tohru out. "Are Honda-San's things upstairs?"

"Now just a moment! What's this about?" The maybe Aunt asked.

"We've come to fetch Honda-San."

"Wait, are you from the house where Tohru-Chan was playing live- in girlfriend?" The young man asked stupidly, looking at me, then back to Yuki. "Which means. . . you're a boy?!"

Yuki's eyes flashed and I didn't bother holding him back as he flicked the man in the forehead so hard, his heard jerked back, his glasses flying off. He fell to his knees in pain. "You haven't earned the right to call her 'Tohru-chan'. You lowlife."

Yuki turned to me, "Let's go Elizabeth."

I said nothing, turning my back on Tohru's family and followed him up the stairs to where Tohru kept her things. I helped him pack, like I had before.

"So I guess this means you're coming to stay with us." Yuki said, smiling at me.

'I thought you'd be angrier' My phone said. 'At the man.'

Yuki picked up the bags. "I am angry. But I don't need to hurt anyone either."

I stared at him, marveling. If anyone had insulted me like that in front of Dragon, Snake, or Cow, they'd have ripped their heads off. Not necessarily because they loved me, but because I was their prize. An insult to me was an insult to them.

"Are you alright, Elizabeth?" Yuki asked.

I smiled. 'Yes. Though I still feel like I might be intruding if I stay over'.

"Don't." Yuki said as we headed down the stairs. Kyo had Tohru's hand in his, starting to walk forwards. "You're not intruding at all."

And then Yuki took Tohru's other hand. "Let's go home."

Yuki turned to me, the bags slipping onto his wrists, holding his other hand out. I felt my eyes widen in surprise and hesitantly, I reached out and took it.

'Home'. I thought.

I had never thought I would ever be excited to go home.

🏯🏯🏯

When we entered the house, Shigure was waiting and he clapped his hands upon seeing us. "Congratulations on successfully capturing the princess! Two of them!"

I blushed.

"You're making us sound creepy." Kyo grumbled.

"Make it 'rescuing'." Yuki said from behind me and Tohru.

"Um, I'm back." Tohru said shyly.

"Yep, no problem! Leave all the fallout to me." Shigure said, sounding delighted.

Kyo walked past him.

"Oh, but I couldn't do that! I can't cause you more trouble!" Tohru said quickly.

"Hey, no worries. After all, if you come back again, the efforts of those two, who stole your note and ran off, won't be in vain!"

"Tsch." Kyo said behind Shigure.

I laughed a little.

"I have to say, I've never seen Yuki-kun go to pieces like that!"

I turned to see Yuki blush horribly and jumped forward and exclaim, "I didn't go to. . . pieces."

"Liar." Kyo said. "Your face was screaming 'regret'."

In an instant, Yuki was kicking him in the face for about the third time today. "That was your face."

"Damn Yuki!"

"Yes, stupid cat?"

Shigure turned to us. "Clearly this isn't a perfect home, but it's yours if you want it, Tohru-Kun, Elizabeth-Kun."

"Stupid is as stupid does!"

"Yes!" Tohru and I said together, though I said it by phone.

"Since you are, what's wrong with telling you this?" Yuki sneered.

"Today's the day I take you down!"

"I'd like to see you try." Yuki said calmly.

"Ugh!"

Shigure came out of his study door at that moment, a newspaper in hand. "Yuki-kun. Kyo-kun will die if you don't stop soon."

He said it in such a monotone voice that I laughed. Shigure looked up at me, a small smile on his face.

Suddenly, a brown haired, brown eyed girl wearing a bright yellow dress and an orange cat bag on her back came running in. "Kyo-kun!"

Yuki relaxed, pulling back the rice ball. Kyo turned, looking at the girl in surprise. I saw the briefest flash of panic in Shigure's eyes before he looked up at her. His back to me, I couldn't see his facial expression.

"Hi there." Shigure said.

"K-Kagura?" Kyo gasped out.

"Kyo-kun. . ." Kagura said in a sad voice. She looked timid, sad, and absolutely adorable. Very opposite of the Boar I used to know who, though she had a fair face like all of us, was tall and buff, muscles just rolling off her. She looked rather timid, like bunny.

Everything seemed to come back to Bunny.

"Where have you been for the past four months?" Kagura choked out, sounding like she was about to burst into tears. Tohru appeared from behind her, looking cheerful.

"You didn't even try to contact. . ." Kagura said, tears actually welling up in her eyes. "I. . .I. . .missed. . .I missed you!" She shouted, her fist against Kyo's cheek in seconds, eyes gleaming red.

I watched Tohru's face go blank. I almost laughed again before Kagura's fist slammed into Kyo's. I hit the ground and he flew over my head, smashing into the doors, out into the garden. Shigure also ducked his head as Kagura leapt over the table after Kyo.

"Are you alright Elizabeth?" Yuki asked me, helping me to my feet. "Good reflexes."

I nodded, brushing dirt off my clothes.

"I was worried, you jerk." Kagura said, twirling him around like a helicopter leaf by his foot.

"Time to replace the doors." Shigure said sadly and I realized why he'd panicked when he'd seen her. He hated his house getting destroyed. "Why is everyone so fond of breaking my house?"

"Um. . ." Tohru said, her eyes glazed over a little.

"Oh, don't worry about it. That's just how Kagura expresses affection. You know how little kids harass people they like? Same thing here."

"I see. . ." Tohru said weakly. "But I mean, she seems to have completely changed personalities."

"She gets like that when her emotions are running high. Especially with Kyo." Yuki said with a slight smile. "She may not act like it, but she's two years older than us."

So she was my age.

"And she's part of the zodiac." Shigure said.

I rolled my eyes and my phone said 'Never would've guessed.'

"I knew it! What year is she?" Tohru asked, leaping towards Shigure with excitement.

"I think you can guess if you watch her for a while." Shigure said, looking up at Tohru.

"Right now, I can guess that Kyo-kun's life is in danger. . ."

"Uh oh." Shigure said.

When Tohru said the words 'life in danger', Kagura pulled her fist short. Kyo fell to the ground, nearly unconscious. Kagura clapped her hands to her mouth in horror. "Kyo-kun! Tell me this isn't happening! You're all beat up!" She scooped him up into a hug. "Who did this terrible thing?!"

"That would be you." Shigure said.

I laughed.

🐗🐗🐗

After things had calmed down, Kagura, Yuki, Shigure, and Tohru sat in the living room like area. Kyo sat outside on the porch, his back to us, an icepack against his face. I remained standing, the ruined doors propped up against the wall. I was in the process of working on them.

From behind me, I heard Tohru sneeze and Yuki said, "It's cold in here."

I shivered with his words.

"Yes, it is." Shigure said.

"I'm sorry. I was so happy to see Kyo-kun again, I forgot to hold back my enthusiasm." Kagura said, her voice quiet and timid again. "But it was partly your fault, Kyo-kun. You disappeared for four months and didn't even call me."

"Why should I have to call you?" Kyo asked.

"Well, because I'm your future wife." Kagura said in a sweet voice.

In my surprise, I spun around quickly to gauge Kyo's reaction.

Kyo had turned back around and I saw that, indeed, his cat ears had popped up. Self-consciously, I pulled my blue wool hat down on my head again, feeling the warm wool against my human ears. "When did that happen?!"

"I didn't know you had a fiancée! How wonderful!" Tohru said, clasping her hands together.

"It must be a relief that someone is willing." Yuki said behind one of the snacks Tohru had put out.

"Congragulations." Shigure said, also eating.

I gave Kyo a teasing smile and thumbs up.

"You guys aren't helping!"

"Kyo-kun, you told me that you'd marry me when we were little."

"Only because you were threatening my life!" Kyo shouted back.

"Why don't you want to?" Kagura asked quietly. "Marrying another animal spirit is the best shot at happiness."

I had to turn around, gasping for breath as Dragon, Snake, and Cow danced across my mind. I was shuddering, trying not to let them see.

In honesty, marrying another cursed person probably was the best shot at happiness. You could at least hug and do whatever else romantic persons did when they loved each other. Not that I knew what love was. Any love back on the island was conjured for seven days on your birth year. You'd probably be slaughtered sometime after that. And I didn't really think love was a man forcing you to be his wife.

My fingers trembled and I almost smashed the door to bits under the pressure of trying to keep calm.

"Wow, you don't!" Tohru said and I turned carefully to see Kagura's arms around Kyo who was struggling to get away. It seemed almost reversed. Me struggling to get away from Dragon or Snake or Cow. Now, the genders were reversed- but at least Kagura wasn't really hurting him.

"See? I can hug Yun-Chan, too!" Tohru said, tossing her arms around Yuki who sat there stoically.

"I should have realized before. Why don't you transform?" Tohru asked.

"We don't know. But there are two more female members of the zodiac," Yuki said, pushing Kagura away by her face. I turned back to face the door. "and we've established that they don't trigger our transformations, either."

"There are two more girls?! Oh my gosh!" Tohru said in amazement. I tried to imagine there only being three Zodiac girls back home. What a nightmare it would've been for the last girl, trying to handle six boys after the first two had chosen the others.

Cats never married.

"Want to know what years they are?" Shigure teased Tohru.

"Mmm. . .no, thank you! Would you mind if I savor the excitement of thinking it over?"

Yuki laughed and said, "That's very you."

"Anyway!" Kaugra said, jumping to her feet. "Things usually don't go well when we marry normal people of the opposite sex! Right, Shii-chan?" Kagura asked, turning back to Shigure.

"Hmm, true. I suppose there might be a lot of problems." Shigure said genially. "It's difficult for us to have normal company jobs, and most importantly, transforming every time they hold you would be rough. The s-"

Yuki slapped the food bowl against Shigure's face before he could continue. "Crude." Yuki said, smiling.

I laughed.

"Kyo-kun!" Kagura said and the three of us turned to look at the two of them (Shigure's face still being covered by the bowl). "Today's the day to come out and say it! Do you like me, or not?!"

"Huh?!" Kyo gasped.

"I like you! I like you best in the world! I love you best in the universe! For you, I'd cook good food every day, and I'd forgive affairs as momentary lapses!"

"Wai-" Kyo started.

Affairs as momentary lapses? I wanted to laugh and as it was, a smile was coming over my face.

"However you look at it, it's clear that I'm the only one who loves you this much!" Kagura said.

I started to put the first fixed door back on its hinges.

"I'm sure I'm the only one! Don't you agree?!" When Kyo didn't answer a split second after she finished talking, she grabbed his shirt front, shaking him, "I said, don't you agree?!" Her eyes were slowly turning into red hyperbeams again.

"Kyo-kun loses his assertiveness with girls, huh?" Shigure said. Kyo's ears were sticking out of the side of his head again. I hoped he never lost his cool in front of the girls at school. "Ah, but you like him, too, don't you, Tohru-kun? You're a cat fan."

"No way! A rival?!" Kagura asked, her eyes still red, but she'd dropped Kyo and he fell off the porch.

"Pardon?" Tohru asked.

Kagura popped up in front of Tohru's face. I stayed where I was, but I watched the situation carefully in case Kagura tried to take a swing at Tohru. "But I won't lose! The power of my love can overcome any obstacle! Tohru-kun, what do you like about Kyo-kun? I like all of him! All of him!"

"Oi!" Kyo said warningly from the porch.

"I accept his good points and his bad points! Even if he turns into his true form, I'll accept it without-"

I stiffened, turning away from them towards the completed door, trying to concentrate on how good of a job I had done. You could barely tell it had been broken before.

Kyo was across the room, a hand slapped across her mouth before she could speak another word.

"That's enough." He said quietly. "Say one more uncalled-for word, and I'll make you pay."

The whisper traveled down my spine.

There was a moment of silence before I heard a fist connect with a jaw and Kagura shouted, "How the hell will you 'make me pay'?!"

"Elizabeth!" Yuki called.

I hit the floor again, feeling the cool breeze as Kyo crashed into the door- again- and went flying out, landing headfirst in the fish pool.

Yuki was there again, helping me to my feet, "Are you alright?"

I nodded and then looked at the door. I rolled my neck in frustration. Perhaps I should've waited to fix the doors after Kagura left instead of before.

I bent down to fix the door again.

"Elizabeth-Kun, let Kagura-kun get that, okay?" Shigure asked, looking up from his newspaper.

I hesitated, unsure, so I went into the kitchen to help Tohru with the dishes.

🐗🐗🐗

We sat on the porch, fixing the doors. Kyo's hands were trembling with anger. "Tch. Dammit. Why am I doing this?"

I helped Torhu put a door in place while Shigure turned from reading the newspaper and said, "No complaining. You're partially at fault here."

Kyo leapt up, facing Shigure, fists raised. "I'm not even slightly at fault! Start pitching in, you damn rat!" Kyo said, turning to where Yuki was reading a book, his back against one of the wood poles.

I leaned over Yuki's shoulder to see what he was reading.

"No." Yuki said, snapping the book closed and handing it to me. I was slightly surprised, but took it, reading the cover. "Can't you even clean up your own messes, you stupid cat?"

"Say what?! Fight me, right now!" Kyo said, his eyes narrowing, his fist raised.

"Hey, Kyo-kun!" Kagura fought for his attention below him.

"Yeah?" Kyo asked, almost civilly.

"Look, look!" Kagura pointed to where she'd fixed a cat shaped head with the special paper we were using for the doors. It was plastered to the door.

"Oh, how cute!" Tohru exclaimed.

"Quit playing around! This is all your-" Kyo shouted but stopped as his stomach rumbled.

"I know it's a little early, but why don't I start making dinner?" Tohru asked.

"Wait just a minute!" Kagura said, reaching out.

"Yes?" Tohru asked, slowly, turning, her long ponytail flicking over her shoulder.

"I'll cook!" Kagura said.

"What? Why you?" Kyo asked.

"For my beloved Kyo-kun!" Kagura said, flicking him to the side, destroying another door.

"You like to read?" Yuki asked quietly, standing next to me.

'Very much'. My phone said. I handed the book back to him. 'But I have another door to fix'.

"Don't bother." Yuki said with a sigh as Kagura headed into the house, leaving her cat backpack outside on the porch. "Kagura and Kyo can fix them. None of this is your fault."

'I like feeling useful'. My phone said, but I sat down next to him anyways. Yuki let me read, looking over my shoulder. Whenever I couldn't understand a word (English took precedence over Japanese on the island), I would point to the word and he would tell me how it was pronounced and what it meant.

Then I stored it into my mind for a time when I would speak again.

🐗🐗🐗

I entered the brightly lit living room, looking slightly overwhelmed at the food on the table. There were at least twelve dishes on the table and I wondered if that was supposed to be significant for something, or if it was simply because she wanted to make a lot of food.

Most of it, I didn't recognize. There was some bread, a salad, some chips- also known as french fries- some sort of dish with tomatoes, onions, and lemons, a soup of some sort, and the rest was unknown.

"Wow! This is amazing! You're a great cook, Kagura-san." Tohru said, eyeing the full table. Kagura stood there proudly, hands on her hips. Yuki looked at her passively. Shigure meanwhile was in the kitchen, looking at how empty the refrigerator was.

"Hee-hee!" Kagura said.

"It's amazing, but how many people were you planning to feed?" Yuki asked.

'Left-overs?' my phone questioned.

"The fridge is empty. . ." Shigure whispered from the kitchen.

"I was so excited to feed my beloved Kyo-kun, I got carried away." Kagura said, clasping her hands together like a little girl. Then again, that was quite how she acted.

I picked up a piece of bread, biting into it. It tasted really good.

"Speaking of Kyo-kun, where did he go?" Tohru asked.

I pointed upwards.

"I'll go get him!" Kagura said.

She turned away, flitting upwards.

I sat down at the table. Shigure and Tohru sat across from me. Yuki sat next to me.

None of them were eating, so I didn't eat either, though I would've liked to have some more of the bread.

I heard shouting upstairs and there was a loud, house-shaking crash. I was surprised the roof didn't cave in on us. Dust seemed to float down from the ceiling, landing on the table and- consequently- the food. Not the bread though, the bread was fine.

And then, the ceiling crashed down on the table. I felt Yuki's hand on my arm, wrenching me backwards.

We waved away the dust and smoke and I saw Kyo-kun, laying on the broken table. Food was splashed on the walls and floor, wasted. Shigure had a hand to his head. I wondered what he was more upset about- the roof or the food.

"K-Kyo-kun! A-are you all right?!" Tohru asked, standing up.

"Sheesh. The food is ruined." Yuki said without a care in the world.

Shigure was to busy groaning to let out a word.

"Kyo-kun!" Kagura called through the hole.

"Why do they all break my house?" Shigure cried.

Huh, so it was the house. Not the food. Surprising.

"I'm sorry. I'll make more right away." Kagura said, somehow appearing behind Shigure though she had only been above us moments ago. Maybe she'd dropped down without my noticing. . .not likely though. There wasn't much that escaped my notice. Not the Tiger's eye.

"With what? The fridge is empty." Shigure said.

"Ow. . ." Kyo said, sitting up. "Just go home already."

Kagura didn't answer, her shoulders shaking. Then she slammed the refrigerator door closed, running out of the kitchen.

"Kagura-San, w-" Tohru called after her.

"I'll go." Shigure said, standing up and walking out of the room.

I continued to stare at the floor.

'Just go home already!'

There was so much hate in those words. There was so much hate here. Hate between Kyo and Yuki. Hate between Kagura and Kyo. How could I possibly try and live here? How could I possibly have thought about living here? Hate was everything I was trying to escape. So why was the idea of living here so appealing?

Maybe it's because of the hate, a voice in the back of my mind said. You grew up on hate, so you want to live around hate because it reminds you. It comforts you.

"Elizabeth?" Yuki asked softly, his hand hesitating near my arm, wanting to comfort, but not wanting to scare me either.

Maybe it was because of Yuki that I wanted to stay here. Yuki, Shigure, Kyo, Tohru. On their own, by themselves, they were all great people. Shigure, Tohru, and Yuki could get along. Shigure, Tohru and Kyo could get along. So maybe, maybe I was reading the signs wrong. I was seeing what I wanted to see, not what was really here.

Because the hateful fights they got into. . .they sounded funny to me. Hilarious even, not full of malice.

"Elizabeth?" Yuki asked, this time in concern. "Are you. . .alright?"

I nodded yes. 'I should get home.' My phone said for me.

I slid open the door, stepping out onto the porch. Yuki followed me. "I'm sorry about. . .today."

'It's not a big deal'.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay?" Yuki asked.

'I'm sure. Kagura will already be staying in Tohru's room. I already stayed one night, I don't need to overstay my welcome.'

Yuki was silent for a moment and then said, "I know I keep pushing this, but I really hate the idea of you living in a tent somewhere. So please, you should start staying here one day. Preferably before winter really hits."

I hesitated, looking directly into his eyes. I nodded once and my phone said, 'Maybe. I'll think about it.'

"Be safe." Yuki whispered as I stepped off the porch. "What will you do about dinner?"

'Don't worry. Thanks for your help.'

Then I stepped into the shadows, making my way back to where my tent was. I jumped into the tree and into my tent.

Yuki stood at the front of the classroom, a piece of pink chalk in his hand, drawing a flower on the chalkboard. "There. It's official. We've voted for our class to do a rice ball stand. Next, I'd like to hear your opinions on what flavorings you think we should do."

Next month was the something or other Cultural Festival. I was kind've looking forward to it, never having been to the village festivals back. . . not home. I still hadn't come up with a name.

Every year around New Years', a large party was held outside the main house gates. It was supposed to be in celebration of us, but it was really in celebration of God. Though, children usually had their favorite animal.

Whoever's year was up for the banquet, they got to sit in the middle, lavished with gifts. The one night none of us said cruel words to each other, the one night nothing bad was done. Even God was kind, giving us love so potent you could feel it in your bones.

I remembered my night, the year of the tiger. I sat in the middle of the group, given candies, bows, even a blue dress made of pure silk. Later, Cow ripped the dress to shreds in his hurry to have sex with me. I had cried when he wasn't looking. It was the prettiest thing I had ever owned.

I remembered that I got to choose what we ate and we'd had noodles, fried rice, and orange chicken. Chocolate chip cookies for dessert. Apple cider for drink.

A few months later, God announced the lull. The marriage period. And so I spent nearly four years raped repeatedly by Dragon, Snake, and Cow.

I shook my head, clearing my mind and tried to pay attention to Yuki.

Tohru raised her hand and stood up, "Yes! What about tricolor rice balls? It would be fun to have three fillings in one rice ball! And a good deal!"

"That's cute. I like that." Yuki said at the front of the classroom. I smiled behind my hand.

"What? We should drop that idea, Yuki-kun!" One of the girls in the classroom said. I remembered her, the one who helped Minagawa corner Tohru and I in the hallways. I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah. What if she suggests a tuna, kelp, and pickled plum combo?" The other girl beside her asked.

"Ugh, how gross!" The first said, sticking out her tongue.

The two girls laughed, probably because they couldn't stand the idea of Tohru's idea being 'cute' by Yuki. Not their beloved Prince.

A metal pole slammed down on their desk, making the girls jump back in surprise.

"The 'gross' things here are your personalities, morons." Arisa said, leaning on the pole.

"Don't bring steel pipes to school!" The original girl squealed, shaking her hands, eyeing the pipe nervously.

"How about battle rice balls?" Kyo asked from the back of the classroom and everyone turned to face him.

I sighed in exhaustion.

"Battle?" One of the boys beside him asked.

"One-on-one matches!" Kyo said, slamming his hand into his fist. "first to score a blow wins. The only rule is no killing."

I snorted as he continued, standing up, "Weapons are allowed."

I looked over and saw Yuki standing there, his hand over his face. Arisa was still leaning on his pole, looking rather interested.

"People fight for their rice balls, even if they bleed, even if they lose an arm!" His voice grew more and more excited as he continued to speak. I wondered if all cats liked violence.

"Idea rejected." The entire class repeated at him except Yuki, me, and Tohru.

"What's with the attitude? I'm cooperating and giving my idea!" Kyo spat.

"What if we mix in some duds?" Yuki asked thoughtfully. I wondered if he'd even heard Kyo's idea or if he was just bouncing off Tohru's.

"Maybe people who buy three could choose one more for free, but some of the choices are duds?"

"Idea accepted!" Everyone including Tohru said. I didn't on the other hand.

"Why'd you go with his idea?" Kyo asked, spitting mad.

"Yours was to weird, Kyon-Kyon." The boy sitting in front of Kyo said.

"Don't pout about it Kyon-Kyon." The second boy said, putting a carefree hand on Kyo's head.

"Don't call me Kyon-Kyon." Kyo argued.

"Don't be mad Kyon-Kyon."

"Look, cats!" A girl in the classroom cried out.

"What?" Everyone looked over at where Kyo was sitting, a bunch of kittens on his head, lap, and hanging off his body. I sighed, closing my eyes and leaning my head back.

Kyo stood up, spraying the classroom with cats. "That's it! I'm out of here!"

He stormed out the classroom door, kicking it down. One of the boys who teased him called after him, "Wait, Kyon-Kyon! What's with those cats?"

I opened my eyes, glancing over at Saki who said, "Very odd."

Tohru and I gave a start.

"Don't worry, you're way ahead of him in oddness." Arisa said, the metal pole swung over her shoulder. "He's really hot-tempered though, huh? The polar opposite of our prince."

I looked over at where Yuki looked rather sad. I wondered what he was thinking.

🃏🃏🃏

"Let's play Rich man poor man." Tohru said, holding up a stack of cards once we had all settled back into class. Yuki was missing though.

"Go to freaking Yuki for that." Kyo said, looking out the window.

"But Sohma-Kun isn't here." Tohru said, sounding sad.

"Way to spoil my fun." Arisa complained, hand on her hip, "Your skulls' so thick, I figured you'd make an easy mark. But if you're running away from a real challenge, then you're not even a real man. Pathetic!"

Well, Arisa sure knew how to push people's buttons- and get them to do what she wanted through pride. I wished I could do that.

"Fine, you're on! Try not to cry when you lose, Gangster girl." Kyo said.

I was no Saki, but even I could feel the electrical storm in the air as they glared at each other.

"The loser's got to do everyone's cleaning duty!" Arisa said, making the stakes high.

"Ah, what a pleasant malestorm of waves." Saki whispered next to me, eyes closed, leaning into the electrical storm. I sighed, crossing my arms. But I wasn't really annoyed. As a matter of fact, I was starting to enjoy myself.

"I wonder where Soma-Kun went. . ." Tohru said, looking around.

I decided to watch as they started up Rich man, poor man, not really knowing the rules, and not being able to call out card turns when they came.

"Revolution!" Kyo called, tossing four cards into the stack.

"Jackass! What kind of sneaky move was that!" Arisa snapped.

"That's part of the game!" Kyo defended himself.

"Hmm, Revolution turns the strong cards weak so. . ." Tohru said, studying her cards.

Saki, whose back was towards the rest of us, hiding her cards, turned, flipping her cards right side up and said, "Secret Technique: Revolution Reversal!"

"Hey!" Kyo shouted.

I could hear faint footsteps outside the door. I was fairly certain they were Yuki's.

"She got you, Carrots." Arisa said to Kyo.

"Nice work, Hanajima-San." The black-haired boy said, leaning his arm on Kyo's head.

I looked up, meeting Yuki's eyes through the glass pane in the door. He looked so sad.

I smiled gently at him, lifting a hand as a wave, before turning back to the game. Now, he could come in or leave without feeling the need to give me a wave in return. I didn't want him to feel burdened.

"Looking lame there, Kyon-Kyon." The sandy haired boy laughed.

"Shut up! We're just getting started!" Kyo said, shrugging the boys arm off his head.

The next time I turned around, Yuki was gone.

🃏🃏🃏

"Rich man, poor man, huh? I know the rules, but I've never played it." Yuki said as Tohru, Yuki, and I waited in an almost empty classroom, watching Kyo clean up.

"I only learned it from Uo-Chan just recently." Tohru said excitedly. "You should join us next time! You too Elizabeth!"

'Not so easy for me to play if I can't call out turns right away'. My phone said for me.

"So he ended up the poor man, I see." Yuki said, not bothering to lower his voice so Kyo could hear.

"I should probably help out. . ." Tohru said, approaching Kyo rather gingerly.

"No. A loss is a loss." Kyo said, shouldering the mop like a sword. "But I'm going to win the next time, got it!" he said, turning back to mopping up the floor. "I'll beat you too, obviously." He said, pointing at Yuki. Yuki stared back passively, though Tohru started to look nervous again.

"Don't you ever get sick of saying that?" Yuki asked in a bored voice.

"Winning against you is my mission! My goal!" Kyo said starting forward, his fist clenched.

"Having to deal with that is my annoyance. My misfortune." Yuki replied back. I smiled at my feet. Watching, hearing them fight was almost endearing.

"That condescending attitude of yours pisses me off!" Kyo said, clenching his fist. I watched Tohru as she tried to make peace with the two of them.

"That simplistic thinking of yours pisses me off." Yuki said.

Where Kyo was shouting his insults, Yuki was delivering them simply. Almost in a bored manner. I think that ticked Kyo more.

"I'm going to make that ugly face of yours cry uncle one day!" Kyo yelled.

"Uncle." Yuki said with batting an eyelash.

That ticked Kyo even more. "Hey! Aren't you embarrassed to just come out and say that?!" If the Sohma's animals popped out at that moment, Kyo's cat ears would've been sticking up.

Tohru clasped her hands together in happiness, thinking about something completely unrelated to this fight probably.

"I'll beat you into the ground! Get ready, you cold-hearted rat!"

"Kyo!" Tohru shouted.

Yuki didn't flinch. He barely moved, leaning forward, one foot kicking upwards, connecting with Kyo's jaw. I turned away in distaste, starting to move out towards the door. Might as well leave if they were going to fight.

I was just exiting out the door when there was a single thump. There was a small tap as Yuki probably put his foot down and said, "Just looking at you makes my blood boil."

"Soma-Kun." Tohru called after him but he was already walking past me. I stopped walking, watching as he moved down the hallway, alone and angry. I knew how he felt, having to reject someone he might've come to like if he wasn't cursed.

I knew more than any of them how it felt to be cursed.

🃏🃏🃏

Tohru was rather quiet at work and after saying good night to the other ladies we worked with, we made our way out of the building.

I was a few steps behind her, thinking about my own problems, when she gave a yell. I snapped my head up and lunged forward, trying to grab her arm before she fell. I missed, mostly because she was already falling and she landed on her knees on the floor at the bottom of the stairs.

I jumped the last few steps and knelt down next to her, signing quickly. 'Are you alright?'

"It's dangerous to think while you walk." Tohru said with a sigh. Her cheeks were red, probably with embarrassment.

I could sense a Zodiac holder of the bunny nearby and I looked around.

I saw that directly in front of us was a little boy wearing red and pink. He had yellow hair and black sunglasses. I felt a longing to hug the little boy because I missed my own bunny very much. She really had been the sweetest thing. . .I should've helped her escape with me.

The boy was giggling.

"Good evening!" Tohru called out and the boy jumped to his feet, approaching us carefully.

He bent over Tohru's spilled things and said, "Tohur!"

"Huh?!" Tohru asked, sounding slightly frantic. I supposed I would be too if a boy came up to me and knew my name. I pointed to her book so she understood.

"Honda Tohru?" The boy asked, getting in her face.

"Y-yes, that's me!" Tohru said, taken aback.

"Sieh da! Welch ein Glück!" He took off his sunglasses and I saw that his eyes were a warm brown with flecks of green. His wears were pierced, I saw, small green studs that were almost microscopic. Did boys also pierce their ears? It seemed like a rather girly thing to do.

"Schon dich kennenzulernen." The boy continued, spreading his arms wide. I could Tohru's discomfort at not knowing how to respond, as she didn't know. . .well whatever language he was speaking.

"I-Im sorry! I don't speak English!" Tohru said quickly, waving her hands.

'Not English.' I signed to her but she didn't see me as she scrambled around to pick up her things.

The boy bent down, his arms behind his back, and kissed her cheek saying, "Sehr Hübsch!"

I smiled as Tohru's face turned bright red. The boy turned to me.

Tohru freaked completely. "THANKYOUGOODBYE!"

She sprinted out the door, the flyer for the cultural festival floating out of her bag.

I reached out, wanting to call after her, and remembered I was unable to do that. I turned to the boy, pulling out his phone and brought out my phone app.

'Nice to meet you. I'm Elizabeth Rao.'

"Ah." the boy said, looking a bit distraught. "I got so excited, I forgot to speak Japanese."

I smiled at him gently.

"You can't speak?" the boy asked. "Oh right, I'm Momiji Soma."

'Rabbit?' I asked him.

He looked surprised and then said, "Oh, yeah. I guess Shigure told you?"

I shook my head, 'Guessed'.

He seemed pleased, beaming. He was loud and cheerful, very different from the Bunny I had grown up with who was quiet, timid, shy. But I supposed that was how we were brought up.

"But why can't you talk?"

I shrugged and then said 'I don't know. I was able to. It came on all of a sudden. I've only not been talking since school started.'

"Maybe Hatori should look at you." Momiji said kindly, looking into my face. "He's a doctor. Maybe he'll know what's wrong with you."

'Maybe.' My phone chirped as I stood. 'I should get going. I'll see you later Momiji."

"Alright, see you around!" Momiji said, waving. I smiled and waved back.

Then I headed out the door.

Yuki had already taken Tohru home obviously as I exited the building. I shivered, feeling a little fearful at the sudden cool air. I hoped I didn't transform half-way home.

I decided to run, hoping that the run would warm me up, keep me from feeling the cold air. There was a slight feeling in the air that felt like it might start raining. I hated rain, though I liked swimming. Cold and rain would mean a definite transformation for me.

I had used to love transforming back. . . not home. I longed for the cold winter months. It meant I got left alone. It meant I got to feel like a majestic creature instead of a cowardly creature that ran when death came her way.

But now, with only a tent for warmth? Not with so many strangers around. Strangers who would not take kindly to a tiger on the streets- even if the tiger was harmless. It would mean police and animal catchers coming after me. A chase that would wear me out. Even worse would be if they caught me, the dangerous tiger would soon turn into a naked teenager.

Instead of dashing to my tent, I sprinted towards Shigure's house. I had reached the bottom of the stairs when the lightning struck and the sudden rain started. By the time I reached the top of the stairs and banged on the door, my hair was heavy with water, my clothes felt like weights, and I was minutes away from transforming.

"Rao-San?" Yuki's voiced echoed and then I felt a cold hand, leading me inside the house. "Stay here, I'll get you a towel."

It wasn't until I heard him rummaging in a closet that I realized I hadn't flinched away from his helping hand.

"Elizabeth!" Tohru's voice sounded excited.

I saw Yuki's hand presenting the towel to me as though not to startle me. I took it from him, signing 'thanks'. Tohru translated for me.

Yuki smiled at me and my heart skipped a beat. "No worries."

I used the towel to dry off my hair.

"I have spare clothes upstairs." Tohru said, taking my hand and leading me to the second floor. Her room was sparse, but neat and she laid out a pair of blue pajamas for me.

I signed to her that I would be good from here on out and she went back downstairs. I could hear Yuki asking Shigure about the weather. I pulled the pajamas on, laying down on the spare bed that Yuki had arranged for me while getting a towel. I spread my hair out on the towel, drifting off to sleep.

🃏🃏🃏

I woke up early, the sun not having even risen yet. I got up, padding to the bathroom. I stared at the water for a moment, recollecting from my dreams. I pulled out the tap, letting hot water run into the bath.

I wasn't entirely sure why I was doing this, acting like some sort of mother for Tohru and Yuki. But I felt like it was something I should do. I stopped the water once the bath was three-fourths full before going downstairs.

I pulled out eggs, butter, and cheese. I started to make scrambled eggs. I had never seen anyone here make them, nor had I eaten them since I'd left. . . not home. I thought maybe they'd like to try it, and if not- well I would have something extremely delicious to eat.

I used all twelve dozen eggs, making large portions for the five of us before setting the table. I poured milk into glasses and wondered if there should be anything else.

Fruit, said a voice in the back of my mind. I opened the refrigerator door. The only fruit in there was grapefruit. I took it out, peeling it quickly with my claws before setting it out on a decorative plate in the middle of the table.

"Tohru, what are you cooking?" Shigure asked as he entered the kitchen, then stopped at the sight of me. I blushed, clenching the plate in my hands.

I quickly put the plate down and picked up my phone.

'Tohru and Yuki are out protecting Yuki's garden. I cooked because I knew Tohru wouldn't be in to do it yet. I thought you and Kyo would be hungry.'

"Does this mean you've reconsidered Yuki's proposition and will come stay here too?" Shigure asked, following me to the sitting room where the food was waiting. "My, this looks delicious, if unusual."

'Food from my home country. I haven't gotten accustomed to making many Japanese dishes yet. And I'm not sure. I'm not like Tohru. I don't have a place to return to. I would just be a burden.'

"Hmmm." Shigure said, but didn't say anymore, digging into his eggs. "Oh, this is delicious."

My cheeks burned with pride.

As Shigure ate, I started the rice in the cooker, knowing that Tohru wanted to experiment with rice balls when she got back.

I put plastic wrap over Yuki, Tohru, and Kyo's meals, sitting down across from Shigure, starting to eat my eggs. "Tell me more about your Zodiac."

'First off, not my Zodiac.' my phone said for me.

But I told him about everything. About the power of names so they were always addressed by animal, the powers that were known, the animals whose powers were not known, punishments for different animals, the death, the carnage, the lulls, the banquets.

As I spoke, his normally teasing face turned more and more serious.

"Was it bad for the townspeople as well?" He asked.

Of course. Because that was who I was portraying myself as. I wasn't a Zodiac member, I was just one of the village people.

The question was hard to answer so I tried to remember the children I had seen before.

'Not at first. But when you grow up, things get worse. Maybe that's true for everywhere, but not when they decide you should be sent to the main estate. That usually never ends well for the village people. So I ran. Like a coward'.

Shigure was quiet, letting me eat the eggs and cheese. Once I stood up, taking his and mine plates to the sink, Yuki and Tohru entered the room.

"Oh!" Yuki said in obvious surprise at the food on the table.

'I'm sorry if I overstepped. I just knew that you and Tohru was out so I thought someone should make dinner and you did let me stay here last night so I'm trying to repay the favor.' My phone said.

"Well, thank you." Yuki said.

'I also ran the bath for you too so you didn't get colds and I put rice in the cooker for you Tohru.'

More surprise from Yuki, none from Tohru. Tohru, Arisa, and Saki were aware of my prophetic dreams (as I called them) and I was grouped in with Saki with her brain wave power.

"Thank you!" Tohru said cheerfully.

Yuki and Tohru ate their breakfast and Yuki went upstairs to take a nap, advising Tohru to do the same.

Shigure disappeared into his study. Tohru and I started to make rice balls.

It actually was fun, shaping the rice balls and I let her know that I thought we could make cat shaped ones. She loved the idea and we had fun shaping ears on the rice balls.

I could hear feet on the stairs which I knew were Kyo's. He entered the room, a blue towel over his head. "What's all this?" He asked, sounding crabby this morning. Or maybe he was just being loud. "Are you planning to start a rice ball business?"

"Oh, good morning!" Tohru said, smiling at him. I lifted my hand in a wave. "I'm experimenting with them to get ready for the culture festival. You're up early, as always."

I glanced over at the clock and saw that it was turning seven.

"No, this is a normal time." Kyo argued, draping the towel around his shoulders. His red and white bracelet fascinated me. Back on the island, the cat usually wore a necklace under his shirt. None of us knew what it was made of to keep him from transforming into his true self. I wondered what Kyos' was made of.

"Were you at the farm with Yuki all night?"

Tohru spooned fresh rice into her hands, "Ow, that's hot!" Then she answered Kyo, "Yes, we defended the vegetables from the typhoon."

Kyo made a noise in his throat, reached out, and took a rice ball, biting into it. "I'm particularly proud of that one. What do you think?" Tohru asked, smiling.

He threw the rice ball over his shoulder, dashing towards the sink, rinsing his mouth with water before gasping, "What were those?"

"Chive rice balls. Did it taste bad?" Tohru asked.

"I hate Chives." Kyo shouted. "What's wrong with salmon or octopus rice balls, anyway?" Kyo asked, lowering his voice and walking back over to our table. "Forget it, I'll make my own."

"Kyo-Kun, that's amazing!" Tohru said and I quickly slipped from the room, going into the forest to avoid the love fest.

I entered the room again to find that Yuki had shoved a chive rice ball into Kyo's mouth.

'Oh dear' I thought.

The doorbell rang. Tohru left to go get it.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

Tohru went to speed down the hall, but I blocked her path.

'Stay here'. My phone said. 'Don't worry, them turning into animals is normal. I'll get the package.'

"Normal?" I heard Tohru ask weakly as I headed down the store. I signed for the package and brought it back upstairs.

Tohru had fallen to her knees, having released the animals. I knelt in front of her.

'Are you alright?' I signed.

"They're animals." Tohru finished weakly.

I sighed, picking up my phone and started to type furiously. 'Zodiac animal spirits like to go into human hosts. Yuki, Shigure, and Kyo just happen to be possessed by the rat, dog, and cat spirits respectively. Anyways, this is quite normal for them, though admittedly, you weren't supposed to find out. Every Zodiac family is very different. Some keep their existence a secret, some don't. The Sohmas are one of the Zodiac circles that keep their existence a secret.'

"Other Zodiacs?" Yuki asked.

"They talk." Tohru whispered.

'Yes, other Zodiac spirits. I grew up in a town on an island south of Sri Lanka where the Zodiacs ruled like a King. I was on the inside. I know you know what that means'.

"We turn human after a while." Shigure said.

At that moment, three pops of orange, blue, and green appeared and the were there, naked. I closed my eyes.

"Buck naked, I'm afraid." Shigure continued. Tohru nearly screamed, facing away from them.

🐶🐱🐭

We regrouped in the living room. I was standing, leaning against the wall near Shigure's study. Yuki and Shigure stood in the living room as well, fixing the collars on their clothes. A wooden table on the floor separated them from Tohru, who was kneeling, her back to the outside. Kyo's back was to her, facing the outside.

"Sorry you had to see that." Shigure said, finally fixing the collar on his robe. "Are you feeling calmer now?"

"I've mostly processed things." Tohru said, still staring at her knees.

I could feel Shigure and Yuki continuously looking at me, but if they had questions- and I was sure they did- they didn't ask them. Not now anyways, not in front of Tohru.

Shigure sat down at the brown table and said, "Man, Kyo, you're such an idiot! Should a trained martial artist be so easy for a girl to sneak up on!" Shigure teased. "You really have eyes for no one but Yuki-Kun!"

I could practically see the hair standing up on Kyo's arms. I wondered if his ears ever perked up when he was anxious or anything. I made sure my hat was still over my head. I didn't need them to see my ears if they perked up.

"Don't make me sound creepy! And don't blame me!" Kyo said, turning around angrily, his fist red. His dark orange eyes glowed with hate. "What the hell are girls doing here in the first place?!" He pointed his finger at Tohru. His hand was shaking.

"Be quiet. It's none of your business if we have girls in this house." Yuki said. "You're an outsider."

I saw Kyo start at the words. Despite his arrogant attitude, I knew deep down he was a good person. The want to be in the Zodiac would never be something I understood. Not me, not someone who was trying so hard to get out of it. Yet here I was, in a Zodiac house.

Again.

But not really.

"Shut up!" Kyo started, and punched the table. It split in half, both sides rising upwards before he turned his attention to where Tohru was sitting. "Huh?"

Shigure turned his attention to Tohru. "Tohru-kun! You're bleeding!"

"Bleeding?" Tohru asked, looking upwards like she could see her own forehead.

I watched Kyo, saw his his eyes were wavering in something that might've been horror. I truly felt bad for him. He had just wanted to express his anger. He hadn't wanted to hurt Tohru.

I watched in slow motion as Yuki backhanded Kyo across the face. "I knew you were an idiot, but I didn't know you were this bad." He unbuttoned his shirt a button. I tried not to stare.

Kyo continued to stare at Yuki like he was a stranger he had just met on the street. "Out of respect for your sheer idiocy, I'll do you a favor. I'll fight you seriously."

Kyo looked at him differently now.

"Kyo. Don't bore me." Yuki said, raising a hand.

I looked away. I didn't care much for violence.

I could still hear Kyo shouting at Yuki, Tohru's weak attempts to stop them, Shigure reassuring her and telling her that Yuki would win.

On cue, I heard the smashing of the door and a loud splash that told me Kyo had landed in the water feature outside the house.

"He. . .He went flying. . ." I heard Tohru mutter.

"Yuki-Kun, don't go breaking my house too." Shigure complained.

"Honda-san." I turned to see Yuki kneeling in front of her, "Are you hurt badly?"

"I'm totally, completely fine." Tohru said with a smile and a wave of her hands. "But what about him?"

I could hear Shigure crying over his broken door.

'I'll fix it.' my phone said and Shigure looked up at me.

"I'm sure he's fine, probably." Yuki said as Kyo erupted out of the water, laying his face and chest on the stones, breathing air now.

"It's Kyo's mess." Shigure said, crying over already.

I shook my head, 'I want to.'

"Well, if you insist." Shigure said. I sat down, pulling the door towards me.

Suddenly, Tohru jumped to her feet saying, "Oh, no school! We'll be late! I'm so sorry to just leave like this! But it's important to me to get to school every day!" She bowed up and down like a puppet on a string.

"Of course-" Shigure said, with a kind smile, "You promised your late mother, after all. Still, I'll have to report what happened to Akito-San, the family head."

Yuki, who had gotten up and started walking away, stopped at the sound of Akito-San's name. Ah, Akito must be their God.

"'Family head'? That must be someone important." Tohru said.

My fingers had stopped over the door. God was someone to fear, God was always someone to fear. This Akito person was most likely evil, horrible, torturous.

"I understand." Tohru said with a smile and a bow of her head. "I'll go change my clothes now."

"Sure." Shigure said.

Tohru headed away and upstairs. I continued on the door.

"You're planning on having her memories changed, aren't you?" Yuki asked, not facing Shigure. "Just like back then. . ."

"No, I'm not, actually. . ." Shigure said, smiling at his knees. "We had no choice that day because of how many people found out."

"I'm going to school too." Yuki said, heading past Shigure now too. "At least fix the roof, stupid cat."

"Kyo-kun, look after things here, okay?" Shigure asked and then looked at me.

'Don't tell Akito about me. Or about the other Zodiacs. Gods aren't really supposed to know that others exist. It starts war. I think you'd rather avoid that'. My phone said for me, quietly enough so that Kyo probably couldn't hear it. 'Besides, even if Tohru's memories have to be suppressed, I've known since birth so it doesn't matter.'

"Okay." Shigure said, putting a hand on my shoulder before heading back into the house. Kyo stayed in the pond. I continued to fix the door.

🐶🐱🐭

I left before Tohru arrived back from school, before Shigure arrived back from the main house, and before Yuki came back from school as well. Kyo was in Tohru's room, fixing the hole in the ceiling.

I left without a word. I was getting good at it.

I headed back through the forest, climbing the tree, and going back into my tent. I hadn't had sleep for a long time, but I didn't feel tired. I should've- but I didn't.

I lied down on my bed, wondering about the pile of homework that was probably assigned today. With my luck, we would've been taught something new in math and I would fall behind. I couldn't really afford that.

The next day was Saturday. I snuck down to Shigure's house and found Tohru knee deep in what I supposed was the kitchen. But it looked like it had become the trash deposit as well.

Without waiting to be asked or stopped, I helped carry out the trash, excavate kitchen utensils or machines, wash the floors, walls, and windows. By the time Yuki got home, the kitchen was completely cleaned and Tohru and I had made dinner.

I nodded to Yuki as he passed me on the way out. "Oh, are you not staying, Elizabeth?"

I signed quickly and Tohru said, "She came to help me clean the kitchen and get her homework. She's leaving now. I already asked her to stay but she said she couldn't."

Tohru headed back into the kitchen and Yuki touched my shoulder. Embarrassingly, I reacted quite dramatically, jerking away, slamming my head into the doorframe, dropping my homework.

I stared at the fallen paper and signed 'sorry'.

"My fault." Yuki said, bending down, scooping up my papers, and handing them to me. "I forgot. You said you grew up knowing abuse. . .I apologize."

I shook my head. 'not your fault.'

"Are you sure you don't want to stay here?" Yuki asked. "I would insist but I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable."

I hesitated. I could have a home, but did I really want to intrude any longer? Yuki could sense my hesitation and he said, "Never mind. I won't press it. But if you want a place to stay, Honda-San will always have a spare bed for you."

I smiled in thanks and headed out of the house. I hurried away, listening carefully to make sure he wasn't following, and made my way back to the tent.

🐶🐱🐭

The next day, I sat with Arisa, Tohru, and Saki as I watched Kyo be surrounded by girls. They were chattering around him, asking him questions. I could see his shoulders tensing. He probably felt terrified, downright scared, at least uncomfortable.

Saki meanwhile, curled mine and Tohru's hair with a curling iron that she had gotten from somewhere. I had to close my eyes when she did it, especially if she got close to my face. I could feel the heat radiating from it.

Burning.

Fire surrounding me in a cage made of iron bars. Burns up and down my legs until Bunny was called to heal me so that they could do it again.

Maybe it was a blessing I couldn't talk anymore.

Much to my surprise, I didn't flinch away from the curling iron.

And then, Kyo was on his feet, running away from the girls. One of them tried to hug his arm and I quickly stepped in front of her, blocking her from getting to Kyo. She nearly pushed me into him before he dodged out of the way, opening up a classroom window, and jumping.

I closed my eyes, annoyed. I exchanged a brief look with Yuki and I knew we were on the same page.

Idiot.

Who in their right mind jumps from the third floor window? The other girls were crowded around the windows, gushing about how amazing he was. I sat down in my seat, watching as Yuki left the classroom, then Tohru.

I sighed. School passed. I went to work. Tohru was working there tonight as well and we walked back together. But I said good-bye to her at the bottom of the stairs. I darted off a different way, racing back to my tree, my tent. I climbed up the tree, sliding into the tent, and zipping it closed behind me.

I laid down on my stomach, feeling overwhelmed. Kyo had almost blown it today at school. I wondered how many memories would've had to been erased if he had been hugged by that girl. Of course, I supposed it would've been possible that he could've escaped first- probably jumping out the window again.

I rolled over onto my back.

I thought about how Yuki and Kyo fought, like a cat and the rat. Rat would never have dared fight with Cat back home.

Home.

What a strange word. Cause it never really felt like a place I belonged, did it? No, never. And home was supposed to be where you belonged. The island didn't even have a name, did it? So I had rendered it down to 'home'. I would have to come up with a name for it. Some fantasy name, some made up name.

I wondered if I would ever have a home.

Would I ever find love? Would I ever be comfortable around a man to become his wife? Bear his children? The thought made me shudder with revulsion.

I curled up into a ball.

I didn't really need that type of home though, did I?

But I did. At least, I wanted it.

Carefully, I reached out, grabbing a wooden box and opening it up. A couple dozen red balls shimmered up at me. I took out one, putting the box away. I popped the candy in my mouth, sucking on it slowly.

I watched all the good memories I had wash by. But I didn't really care about seeing my good memories, I was more interested at the last scene- the scene before everything faded, stopping the movie picture in my head. The scene that would show something that hadn't happened yet- my deepest wish.

And it came slowly, a blinding whiteness shining from me. My hair was black again, my eyes orange. My hands, unshaking, in the hands of a faceless man wearing a tuxedo. Everything was white except for a hint of pink flowers to the side of me, my hair, my eyes, and the man's black suit. Pink flowers in his lapel.

Then it faded. The sour cherry flavor settled in my mouth. I pulled a blanket over me. I couldn't afford to get cold. I couldn't afford to turn into a tiger.

And what did you know?

My darkest fear was being hurt by a man.

In Mid-September, I left for school, taking another route and coming across Tohru, standing up high on a cliff, overlooking the ceiling.

She turned, hearing my footsteps at my arrival. "Elizabeth, hi!"

I smiled at her, easily.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Tohru asked.

I saw what she meant, seeing the city splayed out in front of me like small, shiny boxes. I nodded earnestly, wondering when my voice would come back. I suspected God had put some sort of curse on me, but what curse, I wasn't sure. Or maybe, I just couldn't speak now that I had found happiness.

Suddenly, a thin chiming noise grabbed her attention and we both looked to our right to see that the wind was blowing a little chime above the Sohma house.

The house was rather large, with at least two floors and lots of windows. It had a nice front garden with a water feature and a stone bridge. I had never learned what the chime thing hanging from the rafters was, but it was cute too. I had seen many of them in the windows of houses so I assumed it was a Japanese thing.

"A new discovery!" Tohru said and started towards the house. Reluctantly, I followed. I was afraid of getting to close to another Zodiac family, but at the same time, it didn't seem they had the power to sense me.

We were in the front of the house and Tohru stopped in front of the deck where something had been set out to dry. Painted and set up on a small box were twelve zodiac figures. They were oval shaped, painted on rocks. The first one I saw was the bunny, painted pink and adorable. The tiger was in front of it. It was equally adorable. They all were. Except Dragon's, painted an ugly green with dark green-gray spines.

I could hear footsteps approaching from somewhere and the ruffle of a newspaper while Tohru exclaimed, "How cute!" over the Zodiac figurines.

I pushed my hair out of the way, hoping to get a good look at who was coming before they surprised me.

It was Shigure, his black-gray hair spiked down in front of his eyes. A newspaper was in his hands and he was wearing a dark green robe. Or maybe it was called a. . .kimono I think. I wasn't entirely sure. Maybe it was a robe. I was fairly certain Kimonos were supposed to be prettier, fancier. He was barefoot. I could sense the dog vibes from him and I tried very hard to keep my hair flat.

I pulled my blue hat tighter over my human ears. I hoped my tiger ears didn't stick up.

"Well now." He said in obvious surprise. I supposed he didn't have any powers either. "It's not to often I see girls around here."

Ah great, so he was this kind of guy. Should've figured.

Dogs.

I was used to Tohru's panicked apologize by now not to get to embarrassed by her, "H-hello! I'm sorry! I was looking around without permission!" She bent up and down in swift, hurried bows, looking frantic.

I said nothing, bowing once slightly before straightening up to look at him.

"Go right ahead." Shirgure said, tucking his newspaper under his arm. He sounded kind enough. Maybe his first words hadn't meant anything bad at all. It could simply just be that the female population didn't come up here. "But wouldn't young people like you find this place boring?"

"No, not at all!" Tohru said quickly, waving her hands. "These Zodiac knickknacks are adorable."

I nodded as Tohru bent to get a closer look. Over my travels I had gotten used to people knowing about the Zodiac and then people actually knowing about the Zodiac.

"Ah yes. They are a favorite of mine too." Shigure said with a hint of a smile in his voice. I smiled too.

"These sets never seem to have a cat in them, though. . ." Tohru said and I looked at her in surprise.

Of course, I knew every Zodiac treated the cat differently depending on which version of the story the other Zodiac members grew up hearing. But in other culture that thought the Zodiac myth only, there truly was no cat- period. 12 months, that was it.

"Cat?" Shirgure asked, sounding surprised and then quickly exclaimed, "Oh! Are you talking about the cat from the old Zodaic folktale?"

I wondered how he thought, addressing himself as folktale. But I supposed whatever one must do to keep their secrets, they must do it.

"Yes!" Tohru exclaimed with a smile. "My mother used to tell me the story all the time."

I knew, from my visions, that her mother had passed away in May. She had been living with her Grandfather up until about a week ago. I felt bad for her, knowing that most people were sad when their parents died. Not relieved.

But I supposed I would always be different from the others.

I wasn't human after all.

Tohru repeated the story saying, "A long time ago God invited all of the animals to a banquet and he said 'I hereby invite you to a banquet I will hold tomorrow'. But the rat, who loved to play pranks, lied to his neighbor the Cat, and told him the banquet was the day after tomorrow. On the day of the banquet, the rat rode on the Ox's back then leapt easily down to arrive there first. After him came the Ox, the Tiger, and all the others and they all feasted merrily until dawn. All of them except the cat."

She drifted off for a second and then said, "I decided to stop being a dog and become a Cat."

"My, my!" Shigure said when she was done. "I wonder what he would say if he heard that."

Hmm? So the Cat was already born too? But of course, he must live separately from the others. I thought that might be lonely. If the dog and rat were already living alone, though together, the cat might be even lonelier.

"Pardon?" Tohru asked, confused.

"Anyway, you were born under the year of the Dog?" Shigure asked, getting closer to Tohru, "That makes me feel so close to you. After all, I'm a dog-"

Suddenly Yuki appeared from the door, dropping his bag on Shigure's head, cutting off his speech.

"-too." Shigure finished squeakily.

I actually smiled.

"Lay off the inappropriate flirting." Yuki said with a sigh, slipping his bookbag onto his back. "Are you alright, Honda-San? Rao-San? Did my cousin pull any funny business?"

I had learned that there were many different ways to address a person in Japan. So many different names to add after the last name or the first name and nicknames. It all depended on how close you were to a person and such.

"Oh, that really hurt." Shigure moaned, rubbing his head while Tohru flushed and bowed again, "S-Sohma-kun! Good morning!"

"Did you put a dictionary in there?" Shigure continued.

"Two in fact." Yuki said.

I smiled again.

Then Yuki smiled at both of us and said, "Good morning."

Despite the fact that I knew all Zodiac carriers were beautiful or handsome, Yuki's face still sometimes took my breath away.

"Oh, do you three know each other?" Shigure asked, looking up at Yuki while rubbing his head.

"This is Honda-San and Rao-San." Yuki said to Shigure. "They are in my class."

"I'm Tohru Honda. It's a pleasure to meet you." Tohru said, bowing again. She nearly dropped her bag.

I nodded, feeling shy all of a sudden which was unusual for me. I was quiet, I didn't talk, but I wasn't shy either.

"Oh. Well I'm Shigure Sohma. Yuki-kun's cousin." Shigure said, smiling.

"Say, what brings you two by here?" Yuki asked.

"Uh. . .I live near here." Tohru said, blushing fiercely.

"You. . . live near here?" Shigure asked in confusion. Of course, they must own all of this land so they would know any neighbors. I thought of my tent high up in the trees. At least they wouldn't find me. Tohru on the other hand probably had her tent on the ground. I could almost foresee them finding her soon. He looked at me.

I quickly signed to Tohru and she said, "Ah, Rao-Chan was just walking with me. Well, we better get going!"

We turned to walk away when Yuki called, "Honda-san! Rao-San!"

We turned back.

"Yes?" Tohru asked.

"Since you're here, why don't we walk to school together?" Yuki asked.

I blushed. So did Tohru.

As we walked, Tohru stayed quiet. So did I- not that I seemed to have much choice. Yuki was rather quiet too. The stairs down were long and many, but it was nice to be on flat ground after that.

"So, you don't talk?" Yuki asked me quietly. I blushed and signed to Tohru.

"She says that she used to, but she doesn't anymore." Tohru said quickly, unable to meet Yuki's eyes.

"Oh." Yuki said.

I blushed, looking away. I was happy to get to school, leaving Yuki behind. Tohru and I headed up the stairs to where our lockers were.

Almost immediately, we were cornered to by some of Prince Yuki fan-club members. I sighed with annoyance, the only noise I ever made besides laughing. These people.

"So what do you have to say about this Honda-San? Rao- San?" Black-haired, Gray-eyed Minagawa said, "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Prince Yuki's second-year representative Minagawa Motoko!"

"Ah, Prince Y-Yuki." Tohru said nervously, holding her hands up in front of her face. I just stared at the four girls standing in front of us. I supposed anyone else might call them bullies, but I thought they were to foolish and stupid to be considered bullies.

"There are core principles!" Minagawa said rather grandly.

"Never steal or touch the Prince's personal effects," The first girl said, getting rather close in our faces. I stared back bored.

"Never invade the Prince's house." The second girl said. I smiled, knowing from my dreams that Tohru would be moving in any day now.

"Never speak to the Prince unless someone else is present!" The third girl exclaimed. Tohru actually shrunk back from the third girl, looking rather overwhelmed.

"'Prince Yuki is the club dedicated to praising, loving, and protecting the prince who has graced our school with his presence." Minagawa said, grandly putting a hand to her heart, closing her eyes. I rolled my eyes.

"Honda-San! Rao-San!" Minagawa said, pointing a long finger in our faces, "You have publicly signaled your revolt against our well-disciplined club! Now let's have a clear explanation why you arrived at school with Yuki today!"

I laughed out loud. Then I signed the word: Bitch.

Tohru hesitated, deciding not to tell them what I had signed.

"It was a coincidence." Tohru said, smiling with her hands raised in surrender.

"If coincidence was good enough we wouldn't need the police." Minagawa said while the other girls chanted "That's right. What she said!"

"Hey! Don't make up crap and pick a fight over it." Arisa said from behind the other girls, making them panic. Arisa's gang behavior and the black waves that Saki gave off were enough to make anyone afraid. But not me.

All of the girls darted off to the other side, hiding behind Minagawa who waved her finger in Arisa's face and shouted, "Wh-what's your problem? You delinquents think threats solve everything?"

"I'll use evil waves to make you-" The words weren't even out of Saki's mouth before the four girls ran off, screaming their heads off.

"Uo-Chan, Hana-Chan, you saved me!" Tohru thanked them while Saki continued to stare after the girls. I could almost see electrical sparks flying from her eyes and I signed to her with my fingers, telling her she did a great job. She smiled a little at me.

"You poor thing. That was some bad luck." Arisa said, throwing her arms around Tohru's neck. "Hanajima, don't actually do the wave thing."

Saki calmed down, relaxing her shoulders. To my surprise, Arisa threw her arms me too and said, "I hope they weren't giving you a hard time, were they?"

I shook my head no.

We moved as the bell rang to Home economics room. It was basically like a cooking class where Tohru and I prepared the food before Saki and Arisa ate it. I hadn't had much of an appetite since my speech disappeared. I ate every few days, but nothing more. I didn't mind though. I found that I actually really loved cooking- and Tohru was very good at it.

"I gotta say though, you don't usually come to school with the Prince every day." Arisa said.

I signed to her that Tohru had only come to school with the Prince once and probably wouldn't happen again.

"Ay, good point." Arisa nodded.

"It made me nervous." Tohru admitted, stirring the pot of stew while I sprinkled herbs into it. She closed her eyes, blushing, "Sohma-Kun is too beautiful."

I grinned. He really was, but I was used to seeing such beautiful people.

"You know. . ."

Tohru, Arisa, and I looked over at Saki.

"His waves are quite strange." Saki continued, a large knife hiding half of her face. I looked downwards, grinning. She looked completely evil doing that but I knew she wasn't even trying. Other students on the other hand were backing away from her, even though they weren't working with her. She just radiated electrical energy. I thought she would've made a good Dragon, if she had hosted a Zodiac spirit.

"Here comes Hanajima's wave report." Arisa said with a slight roll of her eyes while Tohru tasted the stew.

"Strange in what way?" Tohru asked as Saki slid the knife into it's case.

"That's the thing. . .I'm not sure." Saki said. I remembered back to the first day of school. She had called the waves inhuman.

"True, he is a little mysterious." Arisa consented as we all turned to look at Yuki at another table. The people working with him were letting him cook, looking over his shoulder in awe. "When a second-year confessed her love to him a little while back and tried to hug him. . ."

I tensed, knowing that if he had been hugged, he would've transformed.

". . .he sent her flying. Scared the heck out of her." Arisa continued.

So he'd pushed her away? Hmm, perhaps not the most gentlemanly act, but I supposed if the Dragon wasn't born yet, there was no one to erase her memories so they had to act in secret.

"I didn't know that." Tohru gasped. I realized the three of them were still staring at Yuki, but looking around the classroom, they weren't the only ones. Nearly all of the girls were staring at him, and the boys he was working with were still looking in awe as he worked. I noticed on the other hand, that a lot of the boys' glances were at me, though they never looked long, perhaps fearing the wrath of Arisa or Saki.

Of course, I had had a few boys approach me and it had been awkward as I hadn't been able to convey that I wasn't interested in them. Half the boys weren't even bad but I couldn't stand the idea of being with a boy, letting them touch me in any way, even holding my hand.

I clenched the wooden spoon in my hand as flashbacks rushed into my mind with Dragon or Snake or Cow, sometimes all three. In bed, clothes off, touching me, hurting me.

"Elizabeth, are you okay?" Arisa asked. I looked up at her and nodded.

"Anyways," Arisa continued as we all sat down. Saki started to spoon rice into bowls. "I'm going shopping with Hanajima after school today. Do you two want to come along?"

"Ah, sorry, I have to work today." Tohru said.

"Right, you promised to pay your own tuition, didn't you? That's rough." Arisa said.

"But you work almost everyday." Hana said, spooning rice into a bowl for me and handing it to me. "That shouldn't be necessary for just tuition, surely?"

I put my bowl down in front of me, picking up a pair of chopsticks and breaking them apart.

"I'd like to start living on my own after I graduate though. I have to start saving now!" Tohru said, looking determined. Saki handed a bowl of rice to Arisa.

"You're gonna make me cry! Eat up, Tohru! Build your strength!" Arisa said, slamming her hand on the table.

I laughed. Arisa turned to me, "Do you have to work too?"

I shook my head and signed that I would come with her and Saki to go shopping.

"Ah right! Awesome!" Arisa said, looking pumped.

School passed, homework was doled out, and I closed my locker, going outside to join Arisa and Saki.

They led, talking and laughing. I laughed with them, signing when I wanted to say something. Tohru knew my signs better than anyone, but Arisa had gotten the hang of it and Saki could read my waves and usually figure out what I was trying to say.

Or, I just typed words out on a phone. Phones were an amazing thing that I had discovered. Simply extraordinary. I had even found an app that I could text my words and it would speak for me.

And music! Never had I heard anything like it. And knowing both English and Japanese meant a diverse amount of music to explore.

"What store do you want to go to first, Elizabeth?" Arisa asked as we finally came to the shopping mall.

I hesitated, looking at all the different brands, stores, food courts, and everything in between. Finally, I pointed to a store called BEAMS JAPAN. I had been meaning to get clothes that wasn't a school uniform or work clothes. I wanted regular clothes.

Arisa and I shopped- nothing was black enough for Saki. At the end, I had two pairs of blue jeans, one blue skirt that was plaid and striped with white, and two blouses, one red and another black.

We went to a few more stores, some clothing where I found cute hair accessories, some makeup where I found a new lipstick, or food where I let Arisa and Saki order whatever they wanted and then smooched off them.

I found a cute bunny charm to add to my backpack in one of the other stores. Arisa asked if I wanted to get my ears pierced, something I didn't really understand. I didn't understand why someone would let a needle go through their ear just to put another needle through it with something on it.

I nodded my head though. Another difference, another change. The studs that went into my ears were red. I liked them very much, though I would've liked blue better. But when asked for my birth month I'd said July, and Ruby was the birthstone of July. Arisa and Saki each bought me one pair of earrings, giving them to me as a gift.

"It's the first thing we've ever gotten you." Arisa said, giving me a hug. "To cement our friendship."

I felt tears pool up in my eyes and I quickly turned my head so they wouldn't see them. I had never been given a gift before and I was touched.

Saki hugged me too and at the next store, I bought them each a little charm, offering the dolphin to Arisa and the black cat to Saki. I signed: to friendship.

Arisa almost starting crying at that, scooping me up into such a bone-crushing hug I thought I would pop. But I smiled all the same. I put the orange cat charm for Tohru in my bag, a slight smile on my face because of it. His name would be Kyo. He would be an orange cat.

I headed home soon after, avoiding the Sohma house and climbing high up into my 'house'. I set my bags aside, puling out the clothes and examining them. I couldn't wait for a day to wear them.

🏯🏯🏯

I woke up in the middle of the night to a wolf howling. Far away, I could hear dirt sliding. A mud slide, something had caved.

I sat up from the thin sleeping bag that I called a bed. I listened harder, closing my eyes. I could hear three sets of footsteps, rushing towards the site where the dirt had slid. I wondered what was there. I could briefly hear voices, perhaps a girl and two men. But they were too soft for me to make out whose voices they were, though I had  my guesses.

I opened the tent opening quietly, hoping from the tree. I made my way towards where the cliff had caved in and saw Shigure leading Tohru away from the mudslide. I could see the edge of a blue tent poking up through the dirt. Yuki followed behind them.

I waited for a moment, unsure of what to do. Then I thought of how Tohru had welcome me so nicely into her friend group and I made up my mind.

I called for any tigers to come, to help me. Two showed up, both male, and absolutely gorgeous. We started to dig, to carefully move the dirt away from the tent. I would excavate the tent.

A few minutes later, I heard approaching footsteps. I banished the tigers from my mind and at the same time, they were gone, running back to wherever they had come from.

"Rao-San?" Yuki's voice said from behind me, but had not startled me.

I stood up slowly. His eyes were glowing in the moonlight, quickly fading as I turned to see him.

I came to free tent I signed to him and then realized he had no idea what I was trying to say. I picked up a thin stick and wrote the same words in the dirt.

"But how did you know?" Yuki asked.

I hesitated and then wrote 'a dream'.

"Do your dreams always come true?" Yuki asked hesitantly.

'Almost always'.

"Oh." Yuki said.

I turned back, dropping the stick, continuing to move dirt away from Tohru's tent.

"Are you afraid of rats?" Yuki asked.

I thought back to rat, who was a timid young girl with gray hair and purple eyes. I shook my head. I was not scared of rats.

Immediately, a couple hundred rats were there, scraping dirt away. I didn't even blink. So, he had the power to call his familiar animal to him as well. Interesting.

After an hour or two, the tent was free. Yuki and I pulled it free, pulling it to the yard. He was being very careful not to bump into me. I guessed that was the good thing about me being able to sense his spirit- I didn't care if our bodies met.

Dragon on top of me, one hand on my neck.

Snake, his lips on my breasts.

Cow, his fingers inside of me, clutching.

I stumbled, squeezing my eyes shut, leaning against the tent. I gasped for breath.

"Rao-San?" Yuki asked in concern.

I picked up the stick and wrote 'I'm fine. My name is Elizabeth.'

My hands were trembling as I unzipped the tent. I wrote with the stick 'I'll hand you the things. You put them in bags.'

I climbed inside the tent. There was a bookshelf inside somehow where all of her books were in, a cap on the table. A black flashlight dangled precariously over her sleeping spot.

I started to hand him the textbooks, flashlight, mother's picture, and all the other things out of the tent. He put them dutifully in paper bags that he had brought with him. We worked in silence, something that I hadn't realized was bothering me until I looked at him.

I grabbed my phone and type out, 'What's wrong'. The voice sounded in the air, making him jump. I gave him an apologetic smile before typing out 'sorry.'

"It's alright." Yuki said, picking up the bags as I crawled out of the tent. I started to fold it up. "The voice scared me. I thought you were talking."

I smiled at him and type out. 'I wish.'

"I apologize. It was insensitive." Yuki said quickly.

I shook my head. 'I don't mind'.

"If you come back with me to Shigure's home, I can walk you back to your house. It's dangerous walking out here so late at night by yourself."

I smiled at him and type out. 'I'm okay, I live nearby.'

"Don't tell me you're living in a tent too!" Yuki said with a small smile and tilt of his head. I averted my eyes from his, not wanting to get captivated by his eyes.

'Don't worry. I might be homeless, but I'm not staying on your land.' the voice from my phone said.

"You're homeless?" Yuki asked, looking hesitant. "How about you stay at our home tonight? You can stay in the same room as Honda-San."

I hesitated and then thought of Kyo coming. It would be best if Tohru had someone who could understand there to help her. I nodded quietly and then followed Yuki back to the house.

Yuki showed me to the living room where Tohru was sleeping soundly. I sat behind her, my back to the wall.

Yuki was leaning against the wall. "Do you know everything she's been through?"

I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be an accusation, a test of our friendship, or if he was just seeing what I knew. I nodded my head.

"She's lucky to have friends like you." Yuki whispered softly.

I looked up at him in surprise. Was he lonely? He didn't seem lonely at school, always surrounded my boys and girls who liked him.

'Are you lonely?' The voice on my phone said.

Yuki was silent for a moment and said, "I don't know."

'I'm lucky to have a friend like Tohru'. The phone voice said. 'I'd never had a friend before. Not really. I had a hard life, cruel parents, abuse, the likes I guess. So I never had friends. I was a freak. I moved away, ran really. Tohru was the first person to willingly reach out to me. I'll never forget it.'

I reached out, brushing a curl away from her mouth. I truly loved Tohru like I had never loved anyone else.

"Get some sleep, Rao- Elizabeth I mean." Yuki said.

I smiled up at him, 'You too, Yuki-San.'

He disappeared and I looked up at the ceiling until morning came.

🏯🏯🏯

I watched as Tohru stirred, her eyes blinking open before she jerked upright. She looked like she was going to panic so I stepped in front of her, handing her mother's photo to her. "Rao-san?" Tohru asked uncertainly, looking down at the picture.

"Ah, good morning, Honda-San, Elizabeth." Yuki's voice said from behind me. He bent down to pick up the paper bags that contained the rest of Tohru's belongings. "I'll take these upstairs for you. You can stay here until the renovations are done. And Elizabeth, you're welcome to share a room with her, if you'd like."

I blushed. I hadn't wanted Tohru to know about my situation. Not yet.

"Huh?" Tohru asked.

Yuki turned to look at her with his penetrating purple eyes. "I know it's a bit of a mess, but we have a spare room on the second floor."

"I couldn't possibly!" Tohru almost shrieked.

"The bedroom doors have locks on them." Yuki said uncertainly. I snorted, knowing that if they really wanted to, either of them could knock the door down with a single punch.

"That's not what I meant." Tohru said, blushing and shaking her head, her mother's picture clutched to her chest.

Shigure slid out of the living room behind her and said, "Tohru-Kun, do you like chores? Like cleaning and cooking, for example." He looked into Tohru's face, an unusually serious look on it.

"Um, yes I do. . ." Tohru said, leaning back from him, just slightly.

He continued to stare at her for about four seconds in seriousness before leaning back, raising his fan, and with a silly smile on his face said, "Welcome to the Sohma household!" He walked past her, still being cheerful saying, "You're room hasn't been aired out so open a window, okay! Oh, and I'd better get you a copy of the house key."

Well, they were rather persistent, weren't they? Tohru looked at my guiltily.

'I know. You were staying in a tent. You should be happy here though'. My phone said.

Tohru blushed and looked back at Yuki and Shigure's backs. "No wait! I can't do this to you! It would be causing you too much trouble!"

"We don't consider it trouble, so just accept the offer." Yuki said kindly to Tohru and nodded to me. "You don't have anywhere else to go anyways, right?"

I bristled at that comment, even as he turned and continued to walk away from us.

"Oh, what do I do?" Tohru asked.

'You could live here' My phone beeped. 'I think you should'.

She ran after Yuki. I stayed on the front porch before dipping back into the living room. I was glad that Tohru was going to be living here, but I most certainly wouldn't. I couldn't stand the idea of living in the house with boys.

Dragon, tying my hands to the bedpost. Snake, sliding my skirt off my hips, his cool wet tongue on my already bare stomach. Cow, clenching my hair in his fist.

I sunk to my knees, overwhelmed. I was the tiger. I should be stronger than this.

Suddenly, I heard a crash upstairs.

Tohru.

I jumped to my feet, dashing out of the front porch, skidding around the front door, darting inside and up the stairs.

"Yuki-Kun," I could hear Shigure's voice further down the hall. "Was that Kyo I hear?"

I darted to where Shigure was cowering slightly in the front doorway. Tohru's room was a mess. Wood was splintered everywhere in the room, a gaping hole in the ceiling. Tohru was on the floor, kneeling over a bunch of clothes.

"I. . .I'm so sorry! Are you alright?! Um. . ." Tohru said, sitting up and holding up a bright orange cat. Yuki had a hand over his face in annoyance.

"Oh, boy." Shigure said, a hand cupping his chin.

"He turned. . ." Tohru started.

"That idiot." Yuki said, not even looking at the orange cat in Tohru's hands.

". . .into a cat." Tohru finished.

Tohru immediately panicked, shaking the cat furiously. "I-is this my fault! I hit him wrong somehow and turned him into a c-c-cat!"

"Okay, the thing is. . ." Shigure started behind me, scratching his cheek, and looking guilty. I stared impassively into the room.

Yuki walked past her, towards me, gauging my reaction.

'Normal?' my phone asked.

"He needs a hospital!" Tohru continued, turning. A piece of falling wood slammed into her head, knocking her dizzy.

"Tohru-Kun!" Shigure said.

"Honda-San!" Yuki said.

I traveled to many different countries in my attempt to put as much distance between myself and the others.

It didn't really help that no one knew where I came from. They told me that there was no land south Sri Lanka. So essentially, I came from nowhere. I guess it made sense considering that anyone who came to our island wasn't allowed to leave. Therefore, it had never been put on a map. The mass of land that I had landed on was called Sri Lanka. Neither my English or Japanese was much help there.

I discovered that there was also a Zodiac group there with only half the animals and no God. But even without God, watching from a distance, the Zodiac was even worse than the one I had left. I steered clear. The humans were not to bad either. But still, a bit uncomfortable.

I traveled to a few more countries, making my way steadily north and east at the same time. India, then Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Philippines, Taiwan, and then Japan. I had made a fair amount of money in my time in each country, getting a quick job, picking up languages, learning more for school, and then moving.

Each country that I went to, I was drawn to certain cities and found that Zodiac people lived there. Some of them were nice Zodiacs, with a loving community that genuinely cared for each other. Others were as cruel as mine or crueler.

In some of these Zodiacs, they went with a different version of the Zodiac banquet story and the Cat was seen as an animal to had missed the banquet, rather than the animal who didn't want to live forever- as mine believed.

Some Zodiacs didn't even turn into their animals, simply hosted the spirits, some did turn- but not because of hugging the opposite sex, and so on. Some Zodiacs knew that others existed, some were completely unaware that there were other Zodiacs just like them. Some Zodiacs had powers or enhanced gifts due to their animals, others had no such special gifts.

It was so strange, seeing how different every Zodiac was. But as far as I could tell, my Zodiac still remained the only one that didn't let the animals tell each other their names.

But there were similarities between all the Zodiacs. All humans who hosted Zodiac spirits were handsome with goods looks. They also all had strange hair colors and eyes. They all were extremally rich with a rather large family- a main family and insiders, then outsiders. And in every Zodiac with a Dragon, the dragon could always erase others' minds.

I never stayed for long at any of the Zodiacs. They were what I was trying to escape, they weren't where I wanted to be.

When I reached Japan, I felt like it could be my first real home. I felt drawn to a rural area in Tokyo so that was where I went.

Though I was eighteen, I enrolled at Kaibara Municipal High School as a 'Sophomore' as they called it.

I also changed my appearance slightly, having gotten used to looking different. I changed my hair to a lighter brown and wore brown contacts. I had never really liked my pitch black hair and my orange eyes always seemed to unsettle others.

I lived in the forest of unused- though owned- property in a tent. I had put the tent high in the trees, where I was most comfortable, tied down tightly with rope and bungee cords. If I looked out the tent and tilted my head, I could see the house that hosted the Sohmas. Two of them anyways. One of them was much older than me, and the other was younger than me, though I was pretending to be the same age as him.

I had to work, mostly to keep myself from going hungry and to pay my fees at school. The rest went into a special box so that I could eventually buy a house. I was one for long-term goals.

School wouldn't start for a while so I wasn't all to worried at the moment. I had plenty of time to make lots of money and I was actually excited about starting school. It meant that I could meet people- normal people- make friends, learn, and most importantly, be happy.

I had no idea what happy meant. I had never experienced happy before, but looking at everyone in town, happy looked like a good time, a pleasant thing.

I also studied the two Zodiacs in the house near me. The younger boys name was Yuki. He had silver hair, almost purple eyes, a fair face, and a pale complexion. He was the rat. I could sense it about him, could tell by his hair.

The older man's name was Shigure. He was in his twenties and he was the Dog. But unlike the Dog I had grown up knowing, he seemed to have no sense of smell, only a connection to wolves and dogs.

The fact that it was just the two of them made me wonder if they were the only Zodiac animals born in their family name. After all, not every Zodiac was completed. Though I had never come across one with only two members. The least amount was in Sri Lanka with five. I supposed though, that each one was very different.

They seemed rather happy, Shigure seemed like a happy, annoying person. Yuki seemed rather stoic, sad almost, but nice too.

The changes in my life seemed so big to me, but they must've seemed small to others. But they were the biggest things in my life. I had never had a job before, I had never gone to school before, I had never been free before.

I had never gone so long without being punished, without being shoved into some sort of contraption meant to terrify me. I had never gone so long without Dragon roaming my mind, without Sheep putting me to sleep and giving me realistic nightmares.

I had never gone so long without seeing fire.

I had never gone so long being alone.

Alone was nice.

I had never gone so long not talking. I didn't have to talk at work as I was doing a simple night cleaning routine at a large office building downtown.

School started.

I got dressed in my tent, looking at myself in a hand mirror.

I liked the changes to myself. I liked how my brown hair looked, now that it was lighter. I liked my brown eyes. I liked the way blue looked on me.

The uniform was a short blue skirt with a white shirt and blue jacket over it. Knee high black socks and black shoes. I had tied back my hair with a blue bow. My eyes looked so big and sad in the mirror.

I tried smiling, but it didn't look right on me.

I picked up the light pink backpack that I had bought with some of my savings, putting it on my shoulders.

"I'm going to school Bunny." I whispered to nothingness. "I wish you were here."

I unzipped the tent, climbing out onto the branches, zipping it closed again. I leaped from the top of the tree, landing on the ground. I started to walk, avoiding the house, and making it to the high school.

I hesitated, looking at just how big and overwhelming the place looked, now that it was full of students.

"Hi!" A bright voice said behind me.

I turned to see a girl who looked similar to me, though a little younger standing there. Her brown hair was tied back with pink bows.

I opened my mouth to say hi, but nothing came out. I hadn't realized I was so shy.

"I'm Tohru Honda!" The girl said, still sounding quite excited. "Are you new here?"

I nodded my head, still unable to talk for some reason. But I didn't have to worry, she did almost all of the talking.

I found that we had the same class together, so I followed her to the classroom.

The school was rather big, with long, wide hallways, a courtyard, and large windows. So much like came in through the windows. The doors to the classroom were green, metal, and slid sideways.

In the classroom that was called 'homeroom', Tohru introduced me to a tall girl with blond hair whose name was Arisa Uotani. The other was a black haired girl who seemed rather calm, looking at me peculiarly. Her name was Saki Hanajima.

"You have very interesting waves." Saki said quietly.

I blushed, confused, not entirely sure if she was criticizing me or complimenting me.

"Ah and here we go about the waves again." Arisa said with an eyeroll. "What's your name kid?"

Being called kid by someone younger than you isn't entirely a compliment, but I still didn't seem able to say anything.

So I wrote it out.

"Elizabeth Rao!" Tohru seemed so excited about my name.

"That's foreign?" Arisa asked, standing and stretching. She was much taller than me, taller than Tohru and Saki. I was about the same height as Tohru, despite the age difference and I wondered if they were all going to get taller than me. I hoped I didn't stay this short forever. I'd have to eat better probably.

I nodded.

"Do you know Japanese?" Tohru asked.

I nodded again.

"Oh." Tohru said, seeming a little confused.

I looked away, blushing again.

And then, he entered the classroom.

I looked up, sensing the rat's presence.

Immediately, a hundred admiring girls were goggling at him.

"Ah and the Prince's fan club is at it again." Arisa said with what sounded like an exhausted sigh. "Can't they ever drool over someone else?"

"His waves are also strange." Saki said, looking at the prince. "Like Elizabeth's. Inhuman."

I felt my heart pounding. I hadn't even been in the school for one day and already someone suspected me of being Zodiac? Of being an animal?

"Hana, that's just rude." Arisa said and smiled at me, "She doesn't mean it. She just relies on her waves quite a bit."

I smiled hesitantly back and then dropped it, remembering how awful the smile look on my face in the mirror.

But as the days passed and days turned into months, I started to smile easier and even laugh. There was a lightness in my chest. I was sure that was what was called happiness.

Tohru started working at the same place I did and we got the cleaning done faster than ever, the two older woman letting us take over.

So many changes.