A/N: Shainingu here! My first non-Inu story! Be shocked! And it's a very well written one, too! Fruits Basket means a lot to me, so I decided to write a story called "Juunishi Kibo", or "The ZodiacWish". And Juunishi is what they call the cursed Sohma, and it translated means 12shi, so I'd rather call them Juunishi. And don't kill me, a lot of people like the Kyou/Tohru pairing, but it's too common! Come on, look at all shojo anime, tough guy wins innocent girl's heart, so neh. I like the Yuki/Tohru pairing. Now, enough of my rants! Enjoy!
A cool breeze of Autumn floated into the streets of Tokyo. Colored leaves flew in every direction, showing that it was late Autumn, and that was a fact. People wore jackets and gloves, even scarves for a few of those Juunishi. Ah, the Juunishi? The Sohma family, to narrow it down a bit. A selected few Sohma are cursed with the angered souls of the animals of the Zodiac, the Juunishi. There are twelve cursed known zodiacs, then one who was left out. Those twelve souls who everyone knows are (in order of legend and years): rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and finally, boar. But, only in the zodiac, not the Juunishi. With the Juunishi, there is one more cursed animal, and they're the most cursed of all... The cat.
The curse arose because of a legend. A story told by parents to young children, of how the zodiacs came to be, and why the cat was never in the zodiac. God sent for all of his animals to come the next day, for a great banquet. The devious and deceitful rat told his neighbor, the cat, that the banquet was to be not the next day, but the day after. So, when it was time for the banquet, the rat rode the ox's back to the banquet, as the cat slept away, dreaming of a banquet that'll never come for him. Sad, isn't it? Well, ever since then, the cat and rat do not get along, nor does the cat ever get invited to banquets.
That's where our story starts... The Chinese New Year.
Tohru Honda, a seventeen year-old girl, stood at her adoptive family's stove, cooking dinner. Her long, brown hair was in her face as she stirred the soumen. She was smiling, even though the heat was making her sweat. Cooking a meal for those she cared for was enough to make her smile. Even seeing them smile was enough for her. She loved them, the Sohma family. They gave her a roof to stay under when her tent was attacked by a landslide, they've kept her smiling even though she felt it was her fault her mother died. They've given her a meaning to stay smiling.
A young man, also seventeen, walked into the kitchen, with a gardening book in his hand. His blue hair was a mess at the moment, as his eyes were enveloped into the book. He sat down at the table. His name was Yuki Sohma, the 'Prince of Kaiwaia High'. He was also the rat of the Juunishi. Probably one of the most cursed within the family doors. When little, he was isolated from the rest of the family, because of an illness. And beaten by whips by Akito, the head of the family. Though, if you looked at his face, you would never think he was beaten so badly. "Ah, Honda-san, is dinner almost ready?" Yuki asked, smiling towards her.
Tohru turned around, returning the smile. "Yes!" She chimed. Yuki nodded, and looked back to his book. He longed for a hug... Just a hug. From her. But the Juunishi cursed forbidden that. If one of the cursed Sohma were to be hugged by the opposite gender, they'd instantly transform into whatever vengeful soul controlled them. Or if they were very weak. Not like I can even think of love... Yuki thought bitterly. That damned Akito won't let me.
Tohru set a huge pot of soumen -- or hot soup and noodles -- on the table, and saw a dark scowl on Yuki's face. Apparently he wasn't reading at all. Maybe something's bothering him? Tohru thought frantically. Ah! Was it something I said? Or did? Tohru tapped Yuki's shoulder. "Y-Yuki-kun, is there something wrong? You're scowling!" She said. "Was it something I said, or did?" She blinked.
Instantly, Yuki snapped back to reality, and saw Tohru's worried look on her face, which made him smile. "No, don't worry, it's not about you." Yuki chuckled. "I'm just thinking"
"Well, it's almost Winter," Tohru stated, "and it is December. I've read it's the month of miracles." Tohru smiled, as she left the room to look for Kyou and Shigure. Yuki was moved once again. Tohru Honda has told him what he wanted to hear, once again. She was a miracle, for not only Yuki, but all of the Sohma Juunishi -- except maybe Kureno or Akito. Ah, let's not forget Rin, who tried to kick Honda, but Yuki easily moved her away from the hoof. So, most of the Sohma Juunishi. Kyou and Shigure walked into the kitchen, followed by Tohru, who still was slightly worried about Yuki. She glanced over to where Yuki was sitting, and saw that he had put his book up. She smiled faintly as she sat down, with four bowls, with four sets of chopsticks. She quickly passed them around, and smiled cheerfully. "Eat up!" Tohru said.
Shigure Sohma took one bite, and was in a daze. "Ahh, Tohru-kun's cooking saved us from a charcoal -- or take out -- disaster." Shigure said in a happy tone. "Ah, Kyou-kun, Yuki-kun, keep the flower here always." Shigure saw glares, and sweatdropped. Shigure Sohma was the dog, and had brown hair that covered one eye. He almost always wears a traditional kimono, and can be found tormenting his editor. He was twenty-seven, though he never really acted the age.
"Dammit, you just wanna torment us, don't you?!" Kyou growled, slamming his fist into the table, which made Tohru jump.
"Eh?" Tohru blinked, not very sure what was happening.
Yuki sighed, and looked at the table, as his cousins bickered. Kyou Sohma, the seventeen year-old cat. He was always shunned by his family, and even worse by the Juunishi. When he was young, his mother committed suicide, and his biological father instantly blamed Kyou, being as he was the cursed cat of the legend. Always stupid. There's an other form to the cat, as well... His monstrous side, reeks of rotting flesh, and is a gruesome sight. Tohru stayed by his side always, even in that state. Unlike his late mother. He loved her, just as much as Yuki did. But, him and Yuki had very little time left in the 'outside'.
"You know we haven't any time for that..." Yuki said coldly.
"Eh?!" Tohru snapped her head back and forth, from Kyou, to Yuki, or to Shigure, to whoever was talking.
"You can ignore Akito-san." Shigure said.
"We cannot defy his law..." Kyou said coolly. Though, he was far beyond pissed. The thought racked his heart. What would life be without Tohru? Meaningless, he concluded. Without Tohru, he'd surely end his life right when he walked into the Main House on that fateful day not far from then.
"Actually..." Yuki said with a smirk. "We can. We just fear him." Yuki slouched as he slurped his soumen slowly.
"That fear gives strength." Shigure, Kyou, and Yuki perked up, and turned to Tohru, who was speaking. A soft, kind smile was on her face, as she put her hair in a ponytail. She giggled softly. "What scares us gives us strength. Mama told me that, when I once asked, 'Weren't you scared of those people when you quit the gang?'." Tohru's soft smile grew wider. "Mama replied with, 'No. Because that gave me the strength to continue. I loved Katsuya.'." Shigure smiled at Tohru's wise chosen words, as Kyou stood up and stormed upstairs. Tohru froze in fear. "D-Did I say something wrong--?" Tohru asked.
Yuki smiled, "No, I don't think you did." He said casually. "Thank you." He said, sitting up proudly, and continued to eat his soumen.
"Eh? For what?" She asked densely. Yuki chuckled and shook his head, meaning 'Not now'. Tohru smiled and started on her soumen. Later, Tohru washed dishes with Yuki, as Shigure sat in his room, working on a novel to tease his editor with. Probably has five hundred pages due, and he'll do them before deadline, but claim he didn't. His editor will soon do suicide, Yuki mentally sighed at the concluded thought. "C-Can you actually defy him?" Tohru spoke up.
"Huh?" Yuki blinked, and looked over to Tohru, knowing she'll explain who 'him' was.
"Akito-san, c-can you defy him?" Tohru asked, a little more confident in her curiosity.
"Well, Kyou and I did defy his wishes on New Years, remember?" Yuki said, with hope. "Maybe... We can defy him... More"
Tohru looked at Yuki, with a shocked face. She's never heard him with such hope in his voice before. It was something to shed light on the darkness that covered the Sohma family. It somehow comforted her. Her shocked face soon faded into a smile. "Yes...!" She said, hope rising in her voice. "Just keep trying, even if you fall!"
"Yeah..." Yuki looked up at the ceiling, hope rising within him, because of Tohru. Tohru is opening that closed lid which Yuki had closed so tightly. But, it was for the better... If he just kept it locked away, what's the point of the precious memories of the past? Of the hat, of the gentleness that's stayed with Yuki since that day when they were seven, kissing Tohru's forehead, watching fireworks together, seeing her dressed so cutely, picking her up from work... All of those things meant a lot to Yuki, and they were opening the lid.