Summary: A new generation of Sohmas has sprouted, with the same curse. But this time—this time, they will fight. The thirteen of the Zodiac will either triumph or fall—but whatever happens, they'll do it together.
Disclaimer: I don't own FuruBa. At all. Even though it would be nice.
Chapter oo1: Secret
On the floor of a secluded room in the building, thirteen figures sat in a rough circle, all hunched over and gazing somberly at the center of the ring. Candles flickered around them, providing minimal light in the dim room. Shadows danced on the walls, warping their familiar forms into strange, almost frightening shapes.
Outside, a storm raged. Brief flashes of brilliant illumination lit the grounds and sky every few seconds, minutes; deafening booms of thunder followed shortly, loud enough to be heard over the hissing din of the heavy rain shower.
It was nighttime. The thirteen Sohmas that now sat huddled on the floor had been trapped in the Main House all day—as well as the day before, and the day before that. Recently, the God had confined them to the building for who knew how long; it could be weeks, maybe, months. Years.
But their time detained had not been wasted. Hours of planning, scheming, conversing in low, hushed voices.
They had finally figured it out.
The God was the root of all their problems.
The problem had to be taken out.
Therefore, the God himself had to be taken out.
It was easier said than done, of course.
Things like this always were. Rebellions.
Were they a host of rebel angels, then, or a pack of desperate animals?
Perhaps a bit of both.
"We can't do this."
"Shut up."
"No, really. We—We can't."
Sei whirled around and glared fiercely at the speaker; her voice was harsh when she replied, slowly and deliberately: "We can—and we will, Ame." Her hands shook as she clenched them into tight fists, her arms stiff and rigid as a wooden board. "This will be the end of it all; or do you want to live like this forever?" Without waiting for an answer, the girl went on: "It's gotta be soon, or everyone'll lose their nerve. I'm not waiting."
"But…" Ame's voice was a feeble whisper. "Poi—Poison? That's too far, Sei. All of this is going too far! Please—we've got to stop before someone gets hurt!"
"Too late for that," the Horse replied calmly, tucking the small white bottle into the sleeve of her jacket. "We've come too far. No backing out."
"But—"
She cut off the Tiger's ineffectual protests. "Come on; 'Aki's waiting for us." She turned and strode out the door of the drugstore, but not before catching Ame's mumbled words—
"So is Taiki-sama."
Indeed, he was waiting.
Sohma Taiki lay crumpled in the darkest corner of the dim room, loose-fitting yukata hanging off his slender, lanky frame. It sagged around him, enveloping his body in silken layers of extra cloth.
His dark hair spilled messily over his face, covering steely, half-lidded eyes. He looked as if he were asleep, drowsing.
He wasn't. He was fully and acutely aware of everything, including what went on past the thin wooden walls.
He knew that both Sei and Ame had managed to slip out of the house, the latter most likely only going so that she could try to bring the mulish Horse back before any damage had been made.
Mulish horse. Ha. He had made a pun.
Taiki let out a small groan and shifted slightly, though his eyes were still directed at the open window that overlooked the road.
Voices. Quiet, muffled voices that still carried through the window and into the room.
The pale young man shifted again, pulling himself up and against the wall. He slouched forward and his onyx-colored eyes seemed to flash in the dark as they opened fully.
Perhaps it's only Hideaki, Taiki thought lazily, twirling a strand of raven hair around his index finger—a girlish tendency he had picked up from Naomi. Although, strictly speaking, he's not supposed to be going out either…
Outside, there was a sudden sharp intake of breath, followed by a low hiss and louder exclamation of "Fuck!"
A languid smile spread slowly across Taiki's face. It was Sei and Ame; Sei always tripped on the same protruding cobblestone, every day. He knew them better than they thought.
"Hideaki."
His voice was hoarse; he hadn't said a word the entire day, until now—"Hideaki!"
The door slid open; a shaft of light from the hallway illuminated nearly half of the room.
"Taiki-sama?"
Said man narrowed his eyes. "Yuu, go fetch Hideaki. Tell him to bring me the pills I missed yesterday."
"Hai, Taiki-sama!"
As he settled back against the wall, he heard the light patter of footsteps—Little Rabbit. Always running. You can't run forever, Yuu-kun.
The intensity of the light flooding in from the door—which Yuu had failed to close upon leaving—made Taiki blink multiple times. It was too bright; he despised things that were too bright.
A tall, solid figure filled the doorway, filtering the flow of luminosity; Taiki's eyes returned to their normal half-lidded state, and he surveyed the figure with a strange expression on his delicately handsome face.
" 'Akiiiiii-kun," he drawled, bringing out the full value of the name. "Do you have them?"
Wordlessly, the Dragon held up a round bottle; he shook it once, and the numerous pills inside it rattled against each other and the container.
"Good." Taiki straightened the yukata on his shoulders and ran a hand through his dark locks. "Leave them here. And get Sei and Ame, will you? Tell them it's important."
Hideaki raised an eyebrow, but didn't bother questioning his God. Instead, he merely tossed the bottle of pills into Taiki's lap and turned his back on him, sliding the door shut behind him.
Taiki popped open the bottle and knocked a few pills into his hand. With closed eyes, he swallowed them, one by one. Painkiller, headache prevention, throat reliever—whatever. He just wanted to feel the tablets sliding down his aching esophagus.
They were addicting—like drugs. And he was hooked. Without that handful of pills every day, he couldn't function.
The God laughed. Oh, kami.
He was an addict.
"No—no, don't make me—"
"Shh, Ame-chan, it's all right," Naomi said soothingly, hands placed comfortingly on the girl's shoulders.
"Please, Naomi-chan—I can't go in there—he'll—"
The Tiger broke off, crying softly. Naomi and Hideaki exchanged a glance—what did Taiki do to Ame every time she crossed the invisible boundary of regulations and rules?
The Boar knelt down on the floor and hugged Ame—a quick, motherly gesture that only made the Tiger cry even harder.
There was a loud crash farther down the hallway; Sei came stumbling around the corner, face flushed with excitement.
"Hid it," she announced triumphantly.
"Hid what?"
Sei's eyes darted to Naomi, who had spoken. The older woman looked at her curiously.
"It's…it's nothing," she muttered, not meeting the Boar's eyes.
"Wh—"
"Sei-chan!" Ame reached up and tugged on said girl's sleeve. "Tell him… Tell him what you did—please! He…he's going to make me…"
"He's going to make you what, Ame?"
The tawny-haired girl opened her mouth, hesitating—
"Ame-chan."
The call was quiet, a mere murmur from the depths of Taiki's room, filtering through the miniscule crack between the door and the wall.
"I…" Ame looked at Sei pleadingly; Sei was strong, Sei was brave—Don't make me go in there, Sei-chan.
"Ame-chan!" Taiki's voice was louder, insistent.
"Come on." Naomi pulled the Tiger up carefully; she guided her to the door of the God's room, gripping Ame's hand tightly.
"Just get it over with."
As the door slid shut, Ame caught a fleeting glance of Sei's clenched jaw. Her brown eyes were hard and cold.
"Don't tell him anything, Ame.
"It's all secret."
Uhh...
Review, please? D: