T . i . t . l . e :: The Banquet.
Authoress: Thea Rea.
R . a . t . i . n . g :: Teen, may change.
Pairing: Unsure. Possibly Kyo.Tohru, or Hatori.Tohru.

W . a . r . n . i . n . g . s :: Nothing in this chapter.
Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own Fruits Basket.

N . o . t . e . s :: Go ahead and read the first chapter. I don't have much to say except, hope you enjoy it and review when you're done. This is only up because the other two I have up aren't working out right now. I have major writers block for them. So please, don't get mad at me for not updating them. Well, enjoy the story.

• Chapter One •
.Invitation xx

When the dance begun, the entire Zodiac turned their heads to face the two who stood facing each other. One was the eldest of the Zodiac, his purple eyes digging holes into those of green, who belonged to a she. They were crouched upon the ground, the robes flowing around them, black and white fabric consuming all traces of skin except for their faces. Their eyes were interlocked, a silent battle that no one knew about. An inner battle between both of their minds. The room was silenced immediately; all laughter and speaking as gone, and all eyes were trained upon the two who sat across from each other.

The thirteen Zodiac stared intently at the two. All of the creatures were there to watch. All of them sat before the two crouching figures, their eyes staring intently at the creatures who were crouching across from each other. Something horrible was going to happen tonight, all of them knew it, and as Hatori and the unnamed woman began to dance, one of the older children turned their eyes away. The child knew that it would be too heart breaking to watch.

The two figures raced across the small stretch that was between them, and began the dance of the Zodiac. The couple raced around each other, fluid movements making all eyes transfixed on them. The robes danced around them, ivory and ebony touching for the slightest of moments, before the two collided into each other, the woman wrapped an arm around the man's shoulders, and the purple-eyed Sohma wrapping his fingers around her waist. They pulled up to each other, eyes burning with something unknown, before he let her fall to the floor, her eyes closing as the mass beneath her came to her touch.

Green eyes glanced up at him, and he reached down his hand, gripping her clothed wrists as he carried her up, and then lifted her, before sliding her down, his hands digging into her flesh as he did so. She winced under his touch, but it wasn't noticeable to the rest of the Zodiac. And then they spun around her each other a few times, before escaping the others grasp, and moving herself across to the other side of the stage, her running was upon her toes, before she paused, and rose herself upon her tippy-toes and creating an almost statue looking pose.

His eyes tore towards hers, purple stealing away at the green. And then, he flowed over to her, capturing her in his arms as she fell from her pose. He bent his head down to her ear, and whispered words into her ear.

"I'm so sorry."

And then, the lights died down, the candles were blown out, the flames dieing down. And then they heard the sound of a blade running across the flesh of another. The sound of a being hitting the floor rang through the small room, all eyes turned towards the stage with widened eyes. The children were crying, the older of the Zodiac looked away. The moment that they looked back, their Goddess was coming from the shadows, her dark eyes lit by the candle light that had appeared again. Her face was wearing a smirk, her lips curled up into the gesture. Her black hair was barely touching her chin, and was spiked in ways. As many did not know she was a woman, because her appearance was so much like that of a boy. But, still, her eyes bore into those that looked into them. And a sadistic cackle spilled from her lips.

"Welcome, my precious Zodiac, to the Banquet."

One long, painted nail beckoned her children, and so they arose. They were all so frightened, and as they followed her into the darkness, their bodies trembled with fear. The fear, it was of her, and of this . . .

Of the Banquet.

x•x•x•x•x

All of them woke at once. The thirteen of them trembling in fear. Tears streamed down most of their faces, and some of them buried their faces in their hands. One of them was sobbing, the feeling of regret choking them. The year had come, the next true Banquet.

x•x•x•x•x

Beautiful ocean eyes fluttered open dreamily, the world around her a blur as she first looked around. Cerulean eyes blinked a few times, eye lashes brushing against her cheeks as she did so. As she soon realized that blinking wouldn't help, she raised one smooth hand to brush away the blurs from her eyes, and it worked. As a yawn worked its way through her throat, the pretty girl sat up in her bed, a cute, but tired look was drawn across her face. Her hands worked their way back to her sides, as she glanced to her right at the clock, and she groaned slightly. It was only six twenty-three. Her body relaxed again as she dropped back into her bed, brown hair falling around her as she did so. She need those last eight minutes of rest, she was as tired as a bear in winter that morning.

But, alas, her mind would not return to peaceful slumber, and when she closed her eyes an odd sensation fell upon her eyes. She was awake, and her body wasn't ready to go back into shut down mode yet. A yawn tore through her throat again as she slipped open those pretty blue green eyes once more. She hated the morning, though she didn't show it when she was cooking breakfast and such.

And then it dawned upon her, she had forgotten to prepare for breakfast last night! Ripping off the plush covers, the cool air conditioned room made her shudder, she was clad only in a tank top and pajama shorts. Rubbing her arms, she scurried over to her dresser, pulling out her school uniform, and stumbled into it. Her fingers secured the top half of her uniform on her shoulders as she slipped on the over coat, and then rushed herself into the kitchen, pulling her hair into a tight ponytail as she moved towards the cooking supplies.

As she readied breakfast, the sunlight poured onto her form, making her glitter in the golden touch. It wrapped its warmth around her as she opened the windows, the clear day making her a bit happier, smoothing down the sullen mood that she was in. The light accented her beautiful features, making any who looked at her suddenly brighten. And as she fixed up breakfast, the eggs and toast made perfectly, she did not notice the three men come down the stairs. Two of them wore the boy school uniforms that were for her school, and the other came down in his usual attire, a yutaka. All of their faces indicated something dreadful.

Tohru looked up from her working, catching their faces just in time, before they set their gazes upon her. A worried face wrinkled her once smiling expression, and she scooted herself from around the island, moving towards them with such a face. Her fingers brushed against their cheeks and then their foreheads, her worry becoming evident.

"Shigure-san, Kyo-kun, Yuki-kun, is something the matter?" her voice was edged with concern as she glanced at all of them, wiping her hands upon the apron she put on. Her gentle umber eyes stared into the trio's. All three of them sent her a glance, two grey and an orange, landed upon the concerned girl, Tohru Honda. As their eyes melded into her own, they all relaxed in a manner that confused Tohru. She tilted her head to the side, made a clicking noise with her tongue, and then turned around, turning back to breakfast.

"Did you have it too?" Yuki's voice was a mere whisper, so light that only Shigure and Kyo could hear, especially with their ears. They nodded in unison, and all their eyes turned towards Tohru Honda. "Is it her?" he asked with concern worming into his voice, and Shigure shrugged and Kyo mouthed 'I hope not'. And Yuki nodded quietly, before Tohru turned back to them with a giant smile claiming her pink lips.

"Good Morning!" her voice chimed like a bell ringing its heart out, and Yuki and Shigure smiled, and Kyo nodded his head. "I'm sorry, I didn't start breakfast last night because of my late studies, sorry! But, I made eggs and toast, I hope this can suffice." Tohru's body bent in a bow for her apologies, and Shigure waved his hand at her in a good manner.

"Tohru-kun, my sweet house-wife, don't worry about it!" he laughed before a piece of toast was shoved in his mouth by Kyo, his orange eyes inflamed.

"Don't call her your house wife," he growled, before turning back to his own food, biting into it with a bit of anger as he did so. Tohru grinned happily, hoping that they all liked her food. And as Shigure gave her the thumbs up, chewing on the bread that had been stuffed in his mouth, Tohru sighed with relief. She had feared that they would punish her for not making anything special.

Tohru chewed happily on her own piece of toast when the phone rang, and she immediately jumped up, ready to rush over, when Shigure sat her back in her seat and walked over to it himself. Tohru blushed madly, and looked down at her food as she ate. She felt like a child. Shigure answered the phone with a questioning face, who was calling their house this early?

"Hello?" his voice questioned, a light-hearted tone coming into play.

"Shigure," the voice belonged to the purple eyed Zodiac member, Hatori, "Akito has called for Tohru. He wants her there today, and in an hour." Shigure almost dropped the phone, his mouth hung agape. It couldn't be for that, not for that.

"Hatori, she has school today," he muttered dryly, trying to get the arrangement that had been placed to get off. "You know how important education is to the girl. . ." He trailed off, leaving the rest to Hatori's imagination.

"If not then, then now," Hatori spoke in a stern voice. Shigure shuddered involuntarily.

"Fine, I'll tell her," he whispered softly. "Do you think that she's the next one?" He was muttering into the phone so that Tohru couldn't hear him. But she didn't look that attentive right now anyway. He heard a sigh from the other side of the telephone.

"We'll find out today," Hatori muttered as well. "See you then, Shigure." Hatori spoke and then hung up, leaving Shigure to mull over such thoughts.

"She wants her, doesn't she?" he spoke bitterly to himself. "I wonder what the others will put at stake to stop her." And then Shigure moved back to the dining room, holding the information about the visit inside of him. And another shudder raked its way over his system.

"Akito wants Tohru Honda."

x•x•x•x•x

Tohru tried to shake off the fear as she and Shigure rounded the bend, coming upon the giant mansion that was home to the Zodiac Goddess, Akito Sohma. She was afraid of the woman very much, not only because she was the Goddess of the Zodiac, because she also was a very dark and evil woman. She had heard of all of the bad things that happened to the people who angered her. And Tohru was one of them, receiving a scratch upon her cheek for disobeying the Goddess herself. At that time though, Tohru saw her as a God, not a Goddess; not that mattered at all. Getting back into the story, Tohru was trying so hard to keep herself from shaking as she exited Shigure's car, her knees shaking as she moved out.

"Tohru-kun, don't be afraid," Shigure's behavior made her feel a bit more confident as she nodded sadly, her fingers brushing the car door as she moved away from it. She didn't want to leave the confinements of the metal machine, she didn't want to go see Akito Sohma, and she didn't want to be scratched or slapped or beaten. Akito seemed like the person who would do all of those things, and was a person who did all of those things. Tohru was so afraid.

Tohru tried to distract herself with the scenery outside, the solemn way the snow feel around them, coating the mansion and the land around it. She had almost forgotten what time of year it was, almost New Years. And she knew that this year she would be spending it with Kyo again, not that she didn't like that. Actually, she rather enjoyed spending time with the orange haired boy, and not alone. She could almost remember the first time New Years happened at her home. Yuki and Kyo had come back to her, tried to make her feel better about being alone. They had left Akito to see it. And then her thoughts about the Goddess came up again. Oh why did everything have to go back to Akito?

It took all of her strength to not tremble as she entered the giant mansion, the maids leading her towards the chamber in which the Goddess would be waiting for her. Her legs were like lead, and they moved slowly, one time almost losing the maid that was leading her towards the room. She was so scared that it was interfering with her thinking pattern, making her only think about the Goddess's evil side. And Tohru almost thought about running away.

"Excuse me, Honda-san, we have come to the room," the young maid bowed, before plodding off, the skirts around her feet lifted as she did so. As Tohru watched the last of the velvet like material turn the corner, she entered the room which held the beautiful, yet untrustworthy Goddess. And as she sat upon the ground, the figure of the said woman walked from the garden outside, dark eyes glaring down upon the young girl.

"Tohru-san," Akito's cruel voice hit her ears, and she shuddered involuntarily. "I have something I wish to ask you." Tohru looked up at her, aquamarine eyes wide with wonder, as the kimono clad woman came closer. A pale hand was placed on her cheek, and the nails just grazed her, not making a mark as they did so. A smirk was clinging to the older woman's face, as she sat down before Tohru, her navy eyes boring into the younger girls. "Tohru-san, would you like an invitation?" Akito whispered into the woman's face, a gentle finger running down her face.

"An invitation to what . . .?" Tohru asked with a curious hint to her tone, oval shaped blue eyes staring into Akito's navy ones. "Invitation to a party, Akito-san?" She asked with the same curiosity, and a chuckle passed through Akito's lips. Tohru's head tilted to the side, brown locks brushing against Akito's finger tips.

"An invitation to the Banquet, Tohru-san. To the Banquet of the Zodiac."