Hi! This is my first chapter!

Disclaimer: do NOT own fruits basket. i do, however, own a basket of fruits.

this story has been transferred from an old account that isnt used anymore.

CHAPTER ONE

Dear miss Hotaru Sohma,

We have some very grave news. Your uncle, Hatori Sohma has fallen ill, and has requested to see you. We wish that you would visit as soon as you receive this letter. An address and map to the Sohma estate is attached.

Sincerely,

Shigure Sohma.

Hotaru Mitaki stared at the letter. They called me Hotaru Sohma! She thought. She hadn't heard that name in so long. She remembered her father's last name was Sohma, but her parents divorced long ago and her mother had her name changed back to Mitaki. My Uncle…

She didn't feel a longing to go to this Sohma estate; she didn't want to meet up with a family once forgotten. She didn't want to recover the past. She and her mother were happy where they were. But still, Hotaru felt obliged to go. If her Uncle had specially requested her to go, then she couldn't really turn him down, especially as he was so ill. It was a Sunday, so it wouldn't mean she was skipping out on school… she snatched her house key from the hook near the door, and grabbed her bag from the coat rack. Moms out, so she wont know that I'm gone. Still, she felt like she was betraying her mother for some reason, meeting up with an old Sohma family relative, as she'd so clearly forbidden it before… but what she doesn't know, cant hurt her, right? She thought as she locked the door behind her.

Is this the Sohma Estate? Hotaru's dull green eyes widened in awe as she stared at the gates, and she twisted a lock of her long dark grey hair nervously. She apprehensively pushed the gates open, to be met by a sombre looking male, very tall,black hair and dark brown eyes.

"Ah," he said, smiling, though the smile never reached anywhere that would make it look genuine, "You must be Hotaru. Come, come."

He turned and walked through, Hotaru following. The man was wearing a grey old fashionedjapanese Kimono, was she in the wrong dress? She knew it was too casual for visiting a sick relative! She should have changed before she left the house! Now they're going to think she's disrespectful! What was she thinking, leaving the house in a t-shirt and pedal pushers! Okay- maybe she was over-reacting, but they might be a highly traditional family! They might be offended!

"Hotaru?"

She jerked out of her frenzied thoughts.

"You look nervous. Don't be. Hatori is no-one to be afraid of."

Hotaru merely nodded, slightly embarrased at her slight panic,and followed the tall man into the darkened room.

"Shigure." A gruff voice sounded from the bed. "Is she here?"

"Oh Ha'ri" came an odd voice from beside the bed, "don't speak! Please! You'll hurt yourself more!"

"Aya," Shigure laughed. "I think Ha'ri can say a few things. He isn't that ill." Although once he said this, he fell silent, and his face fell considerably.

"Um, Hatori-dono?" Hotaru said into the darkness. She walked forward to the bed, frightened, but morbidly curious.

Hotaru knelt beside him, and he didn't take is eyes off her. "Ah, yes, Hotaru. You are the spitting image of your father." Hatori didn't smile.

"Actually, Ha'ri, I think she resembles you more than Kare-kun."

"Indeed." Said Hatori, his voice a mere shadow of the strength it perhaps once held.

"Um, if you don't mind me asking, Hatori-dono, why have you summoned me here?"

"Really!" exclaimed Aya, flicking his hair to one side indignantly. "You, her Uncle, and she is calling you something so formal!"

"Hush, Ayame." Hatori frowned. He then closed his eyes for a second and sighed, before fixing them once again on Hotaru.

"I have summoned you, Hotaru, for something I fear you may not like, but better it comes from me than you finding out by accident."

"I don't know what you mean.." Hotaru said softly, trying to find answers in the dull dying eyes of her Uncle. His eyes are the same colour as mine..

"The Sohma family has been inflicted by a terrible curse, one that cannot be broken. We, some of us, when our bodies are under a great deal of stress, or, are hugged by the opposite sex, we transform into the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. Now, only twelve family members can be cursed at any one time-"

"I think Kyo would interject you here by saying that he is cursed too." Shigure interrupted.

"Yes, well, he is complicated, I am trying to make this easier for Hotaru. Now, as I said, only one person can be possessed by a specific zodiac animal's spirit at any given time, but when one dies, another must be chosen by the animal's spirit. Usually, it is the next born under the sign of the animal, but in the case of the dragon, it has to be repossessed immediately. as my closest relative, and the most capable, we are under the impression that you are going to be the person to be next possesed by the vengful spirit."

Hotaru's eyes were fixed onto Hatori's; trying to find a hint that this was all a lie, that this was a stupid joke. But those were real tears flowing from his face.

"Hatori-dono.." she whispered.

"You have a very important job in the zodiac, Hotaru, you must try and not let it envelope you, and overtake you. I am truly sorry for this burden I have placed on you."

Hatori gasped in pain, and they all recoiled. His eyes were shut tight, and he grit his teeth.

And right before Hotaru's very eyes, Hatori had undergone the transformation from human, to animal.

Hotaru stared at the small, twitching sea horse. She couldn't believe it. It was all real! How could this be? But, something was wrong, the seahorse was moving in an incrediblystrange way. Hotaru's head jerked up at Shigure, who's face had become stricken. Hotaru heard a gasp from aya-san. She looked back at the seahorse, but it wasn't moving. Ayame had become hysterical beside her.

"Ha'ri?"His voice quivered. "HATORI!" he sobbed openly over the deceased sea horse, muttering his name over and over.

"Hatori-dono.." Hotaru whispered again. She glanced over to Shigure, whose form rustled, then slowly turned out of the room.

Ayame stood up, Hatori clutched in his hands, tears streaking his face. He glared at Hotaru, who felt too numb to react to the hostile gesture,and walked out, his silver hair flowing behind him in a shimmering curtain.

Hotaru also stood up. This scene saddened her, but she needed to find out what was to become of her. She slowly approached Shigure.

"Um- Shigure-san..?"

He turned, His expression strained and sad, tearstains still fresh. "Ah yes. Hotaru, you are to move in with me immediately."

"But what will I say to my mother?"

"I will handle that. Now, go and get packed. I'm sure you'll find this more pleasurable than Ha'ri made out." He smiled as she turned away from him, but as she walked slowly out of earshot, Shigure's face fell once again, and he murmured, "or it may not.."

well, this was the first chapter, improved from when i had it up on my last account, please review, because if nobody reveiws, it semms nobody likes the story, and whats the point of updating if people dont like the story? lol, great! oh, and as there are two of us on this account, when she has posted up stuff, you will have to check out my partner in crime, kowai-chan! arigatou gozaimas!

Sakura. xx