True To Know Chapter 1: Sometimes, Things Are Too Strange, a fruits basket fanfic

Story: True To Know
Chapter: (1) Sometimes Things Are Too Strange
Pairings: Soon to see.
Warnings: - Well to start off with. I busted my 'I' key. I've tried my best to make sure they are all there but may have missed a few. I'm sorry. - This will be based on the anime not the manga.The anime only goes to episode 26 and stops when Tohru goes to see Akito after she sees Kyo's true form. This give me a lot of room to do what ever. I am reading the manga though and will keep some of that as well. MAJOR difference between this and the real thing though. Things will be pretty different. - I'm not sure yet but knowing me, there will be yaoi. Still not sure though. Just a forethought. - Names may be spelled wrong - If you're confused, it may be a good thing. Just ask and I'll clear it up if it won't ruin anything. - I think I made the OOC. Sorry.
Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket. Trust me this is a good thing.
Summary: There is another Sohma. Another zodiac. His mother ran away so he knows nothing until he meets Shigure and Yuki. A year later he has come back for a visit. His mother has died and he will be going to their school? This year will be worse off than before.
A/N: Wow!! I know how to write!! The only bad thing is, it's another story I have to keep up with and not an update. I'm sorry!! Is t just me or do I always have an OC? Oh well. Umm... yeah... I'm only just getting into the story so I may have made every one a bit OOC. I'm sorry. I think I'm forgetting something but I can't think of it... Hmm... Just enjoy!!

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Yuki, Kyo, Shigure and Tohru were all sitting down to dinner when they heard someone shout out Shigure's name. They sounded panicked.

"I believe your editor is back. Did you not give her a full script?" Yuki asked.

"No, I gave it all to her."

"Shgure!!!"

"That doesn't even sound like her."

"It sounds like a boy!" Tohru exclaimed.

"It does." Shigure got up to open the side door but before he reached it, something burst through it at a great speed, knocking him down.

"Shigure!! You have to help me!! You have to! THEY'RE AFTER ME!! Help, damn you. Don't just lay there!" The boy that had broken though the door took hold of the front of Shigure's kimono and shook hard. "Help!!" Shigure started crying.

"You're actually asking for my help. It must be big. Important. You never ask for help." He went on a long rant about the rareness of it and how it had to be something great. That is, until Yuki interrupted.

"Uh, Shigure. It's just a bunch of fangirls." He points at the big hole in the door. Sure enough, there was a hoard or squealing girls looking in. Half of them looked confused but went back to squealing. Something about a new look. The boy pulled Shigure close to his face, eyes bugged and teeth grinding.

"Help. Me. Now."

"But, you're sitting on me."

"That doesn't matter! Do something!"

"He has a point you know." Yuki said. "He can't do much with you on top of him like that."

"I don't want to hear anything from you. This is all YOUR fault to begin with."

"What did I do?" The boy took a deep breath, ready to yell out all the reasons.

"No, look. It's okay, they're leaving." Tohru pointed out, a little relieved. The boy sighed and Shigure let out a nervous laugh.

"Why don't you join us? We were just about to eat." The boy jumped up immediately.

"Food?! Finally! I'm starved." He got up and went back over to the busted door. In a rush, he had forgotten to take his coat off. And wipe his feet off. At least he didn't have shoes on. Of course, that would have been smarter seeing as it was raining outside. He'd tracked mud everywhere. As he turned around after hanging his coat up to dry, Tohru gasped. Yuki and this boy were practically twins. "Man, I made a mess, huh? Sorry, I'll clean it up after I eat. But, food first. I haven't eaten in forever."

"By forever, he means a few minutes. And you'd better not run off after eating and leave it."

"Have I ever done that before? No."

"Yes." Yuki and Shigure said in unison.

"Pftt! Forget you guys." He took off his paperboy hat and threw it at the wall. Long silver hair fell down his back. "That'll need washed later." He sighed. "Why does it have to suffer so?"

"He feels sorry for a hat?" Kyo mumbled to himself. The boy turned around in a huff.

"That's not just ANY hat, I'll have you know." He ran his fingers through his hair, trying to get the tangles out. Yes, he really did look like Yuki. Except the hair. Both had silver hair but where as Yuki's hair was short all around and the front a little longer, this boys hair was longer on the right side. So long in fact that it reached past his hip and covered his right eye. The left side was the same as the rats though. He sighed again. "Whatever, I'll take care of it later. It's food time." After making sure his feet were mostly clean, he raced to the table where Tohru had prepared him a place between Shigure and Yuki. He filled his plate with everything ha could find and dug in. Kyo blinked a few times.

"Wait, wait, waaiiit! Who the hell is he?"

"Oh, that's right. You and Tohru haven't met him yet. This is Nakano Zi. Don't ask what it's short for. Zi, this is Sohma Kyou, and Handa Tohru." The boy, Zi, gave them the peace sign and continued to shovel food into his mouth. He really was hungry. "Uh, yes, well, Zi here is a part of the Sohma Family. Kinda. He-"

"Mom ran away when she found out she was prego."

"Yes, I was getting to that. Anyway, a few months before you showed up, Tohru, we ran into him. Well, he ran into us. And neither of us-" Zi cleared his throat, loudly. "What?" Zi raised an eyebrow. "Oh, yes. Not very trusting are you?"

"Wif reashon."

"Well, at any rate, we saw how similar Zi looked similar to Yuki and discovered that he is related."

"Hardwy."

"Hmm, yes. There's barely any Sohma blood in him. But there's enough to make him a part of the zodi-" Zi clapped his hand over Shgure's mouth, eyes bugged.

"Calm down Zi. Tohru already knows about the zodiac." Kyo said. "And that was a bad cover up." Zi tore the norimaki* out of his mouth and pointed it at Kyou in a threatening way. How food could be threatening is beyond anyone but he pulled it off.

"No one asked for your opinion." He shoved the rest of it in his mouth and it was gone in one bite.

"You're apart of the zodiac? That's nice." 'I wonder which one he is.'

"Yeah, well. I probably better go. Thanks for the food." He got up really fast and was grabbing his coat before anyone knew he left his seat.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Shigure said as he continued to eat.

"Oh yeah, my hat."

"No. The door and the mud you said you'd take care of."

"Oh, yeah. Forgot. Mehe!" He hung his coat back up and left to the kitchen. "I'll start with the mud. It's safe to go into the kitchen right? Last time I tried, I nearly died."

"Yes, Ms Honda has kept everything clean lately." Yuki said.

"Ah." He came back with a small bucket of water and a sponge.

"Oh, I'll help you." Tohru got up and was heading to the kitchen to get another sponge when Zi yelled at her.

"I don't need any help! I can do it myself. My arms aren't broken, you know." He was scrubbing the floor with more force than necessary.

"Hey, she was only trying to be nice. No need to yell. And you could have at least said thank you."

"Kyo's right." Yuki said. "That was uncalled for. And rude, even for you."

"No, it's okay. I should have asked if he needed help rather than just try to do it."

"No, Ms Honda. Something's wrong. Usually he'd get moody anyway. That's how he is, not wanting any help no matter what. That's why Shigure was happy to have been asked for help. But he usually wouldn't have yelled like that."

"Think you know me after only a short time together, Yuki? You shouldn't assume things like that. And why does something have to wrong. It's been over a year since you've seen me. Something may have changed. It doesn't have to be wrong." He bite out. Teeth clenched again.

"What changed then?" Shigure asked. Zi didn't answer, just kept scrubbing until the mud was gone. Everyone stayed silent. They could tell something was on his mind. He took the bucket back to the kitchen and came back with the stuff to fix the door. Half way through fixing it, he stopped. He didn't move.

"I came here today because my aunt kicked me out of the house. She didn't want anything to do with me. She didn't even make sure I had somewhere to go. I walked here. I'm not sure why. I didn't just assume you'd let me in. That didn't even cross my mind. I just... wanted to see you guys I guess." He continued to fix the door.

"What about your mother? Surely she wouldn't have allowed that." Tohru said. He sighed. He paused for a second.

"Mama..." He didn't say anything else until he was finished. "I'll be going to your school from now on. I transferred." He grabbed his coat and hat and walked out the door.

"Zi, where's your mother? Why are you really here? You live a few towns over, you shouldn't be here. Tell us the truth." Shigure all but commanded of him.

"Mama, she... She died about a month ago. I was sent to go live with her sister but like I said, she kicked me out. She didn't like how I acted. Said I was spoiled. No good. A trouble maker. She said... I grabbed most of my stuff and left. I haven't even showered since I left. I feel gross. I probably smell even worse. I didn't know where else to go, so I came here. I'm sorry." He made his way out to the yard. Shigure got up and followed him to the door.

"Zi. You can't just leave."

"Did I forget something else?" he inquired softly.

"No. Just... Where are your shoes? You're going to catch you death like that."

"You know I don't like shoes. I hardly ever wear them." Shigure sighed.

"Zi, you're welcome to stay here. You know you are. Come back inside."

"NO!! I don't need your help! I can do this on my own!! I just... I'm FINE!! Leave me alone!!" He ran. He didn't know where he was going, he just went. He hated people offering assistance like he couldn't do anything on his own. He hated it, despised it! It made him feel weak, useless. Just like- No! He wouldn't think like that. Not any more. That was forbidden. Always forbidden. 'I'm sorry mama. I said I wouldn't run any more but I can't help it.' Zi tripped on an upturned root and slid a few feet in the mud. He just lay there. Sinking into the dirt. He thought of it as the earth around him trying to comfort him. Trying to ease the pain. But there was no pain. Just disappointment. He'd fallen. Again. He'd fallen once more. He wasn't suppose to do that any more. He said he wouldn't! It was wrong! He hated falling. 'I will be Strong, mama. I promise.' He stood up just to fall back down. His ankle. He twisted his ankle. 'Stupid!'

He heard someone call his name. He scrambled to get up, ignoring the pain in his foot. It wouldn't stop him. He didn't need help. And something as stupid as a hurt ankle wasn't about to make him accept any. He used a tree to get himself standing then ran again. This time every step shot pain up his leg and he tripped over every little thing. Finally, he stepped into a small impression in the ground and fell, his head landing in a bush of thorns and on a rock. He lost consciousness as he heard the voice catch up with him. His last though was 'Must keep running. Must get 'way. I don't wan any help. Don' wanit. Must run.'

When Zi ran, Tohru got up and made to follow but Shigure caught a hold her.

"If you chase him, you'll only scare him off even more."

"But, something could happen to him. I have to go." She looked at him pleadingly.

"Besides, he still needs to apologize to Tohru. He's not getting away that easily."

"Fine. You'll see, though." He let her go and Tohru ran after Zi, Kyo following behind her.

"He can run pretty fast, huh? I can't even see him anymore."

"Yeah." Kyo agreed. "He sure can." After a few minutes of not seeing him, Tohru began to call out his name but no answer came. "Tohru, over there." Kyo ran off to the left.

Zi was laying on the ground. His clothes were so dirty and wet, the dark greys looked black. His silver hair looked like it had red in it. Blood.

"Kyaa!! Oh no. He's bleeding. Kyo, help me get him up." She grabbed one arm and Kyo grabbed the other. Once they got him mostly standing and leaning most of his weight on Kyo, Zi woke up slghtly.

"Nnn... My head... MAA!! Don't touch me!" He jumped away from the other two and backed away slowly. He was reminded, the hard way, about his ankle and fell down again. "GAH! Damn it!"

"You idiot. You can't walk like that. Just put up with a little help for now."

"No!" Zi got up and ran again. He slipped and tripped. Little twigs and sharp rocks ripping his feet up.

"Even with his foot like that, he can run fast." They were chasing him again. They could mostly keep up this time. He fell and they slid to a halt next to him.

"Don't touch me!! I swear, if you do, you'll regret it!"

"That's not very threatening coming from someone who can hardly walk."

"Made you run pretty good though, didn't I? Look, you can hardly breath." It's true. Both Tohru and Kyo were breathing hard. Zi wasn't having any problem. If they didn't know any better, they could have mistaken hm for having been sitting there the whole time. He did look faint though.

"Oh, your face s red! And you've got a fever. You can't go anywhere like that! You have to let us take care of you."

"I DON'T. NEED. HELP!! GYAH!" He stood up and pushed past them. He made it two feet and collapsed. He didn't get back up. "Nnn."

"I think he's out. Stupid. What kind of idiot is he anyway?!" They eventually got him placed on Kyo's back.

"Are you sure you can carry him? It's raining and all."

"It's not like you can carry him. As long as we get back soon. I should be alright. You didn't by chance get an umbrella did you?"

"M-mh. I didn't think about it. I'm sorry."

"Forget it. Let's just get back. He's getting heavy."

"Will he be alright?" Tohru asked.

"I think so. It was just a bump on the head and a twisted ankle. I don't think he has a concussion or anything serious." Shigure, while not having any medical training, picked up a few simple things from Hatori. After they brought Zi back, they placed him in warm blankets and bandaged his head and feet. When they tried to get some of the wet clothes off, he just curled around himself in a tight ball. When Tohru suggested they change him to his zodiac form, Yuki just said that that would cause more problems than it's worth.

"What's his form anyway? I can't think of one that isn't already taken by someone else."

"I think it best to wait, Kyo. We're still unclear about a few things. Just give it time."

"I hate waiting." Kyo walked off.

"I can't wait to find out. But, if all the others are taken by someone else and Kyo couldn't think of it, does that mean there's a double? That wouldn't make any sense."

"DON'T TOUCH!!" Zi shot up, yelling, breahting hard.

"Zi, you should lie back down. You hit your head pretty hard." Zi just glared at Shigure and jumped out of bed. He limped his way to the door.

"I don't care." The others followed. Once he got down stairs, Kyo bopped him upside the head with a book and he fell to the floor.

"I knew this was good for something. Just had to find a use." It was one of the books Shigure himself had written. The dog began to cry.

"It's good for more than just that."

"You idiot! Why'd you do that?!"

"Because they told you to stay in bed." Zi growled deeply and got back up. He walked back outside. Tohru and Yuki followed.

"Zi! Please come back in. Don't think of it as help."

"What am I supposed to think of it as then? Pity? I don't want that either. I don't want sympathy. I don't want assistance. I don't want courtesy. I just don't want it."

"Why don't you think of it as offering help rather than gaining help." Yuki yelled.

"Who would I be helping exactly? And how? No one here needs any." He turned around and froze. Tohru was crying. "What's wrong?" He limped over to her and took her hands away from her face.

"I-I-... You're hurt but still want to get away?"

"Ms Honda..."

"If you stay here, at least tonight, at least until the rain stops, then you will help her feel better. She will worry about you the whole time if you leave. Just stay a little while." Zi sighed.

"Fine. I'll stay the night. But I leave tomorrow." he walked past them and into the house. Shigure, who seemed to have expected that he would stay, had a set of pj's ready for him. (Kyo shouted a few 'Why does he have to wear MY clothes?!' and 'I didn't say he could wear those.') He took a shower and went right to bed.

The next morning, Zi was gone and the pj's were folded neatly on the bed with a note saying:

'Thanks'.

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To Be Continued...
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*norimaki- Maki, or "rolled," sushi typically is strips of vegetables or fish rolled in rice and wrapped in thin sheets of seaweed called nori. (I see it as more of a sushi 'egg roll' or something)

Well, that's the first chapter. Hope you like it. I'm not sure how long this story will last seeing as the plot bunnie is an old one with pneumonia or something. I have a lot of ideas for it though so hopefully it'll go 'til the end. ^.^ Please review. At least one will get a new chapter.

Something major involving Akito and secrets coming up next! Mehe!

Ja!
-Chibi
(6-21-09) (6-27-09)