Prologue:
It was a moonless night...the darkness seemed like it would devour then entire world till there was nothing left. Luckily the shimmering stars provided a enough light to keep the world from total darkness. The clouds in the sky's were only outlined by a thin silver line of light the stars provided. Sounds, with the exception of an occasional cricket, were quiet in this night time world. It was a rather peaceful night if you were to describe it in only one word... though it wasn't going to stay that way.
Five years had past now...five very short years for the Sohma family. Only five years since the Zodiac's said their goodbyes. It may seem like a long time, but it flew by quite quickly. And as we all know... a whole lot can happen in five short years. Relationships, Marriages, children...all of those things had happened in the past five years...and none of them expected what would come on this night.
Though for the spirits of the Zodiac and their God, these five years seemed to take so long to go by...the missed having their banquets together like the used to and sharing the 'Bond' they had together. Things for them had changed dramatically .. The Zodiac God also knew his animal friends were upset. He had let that promise they made oh so long ago brake...and the Zodiac God wasn't going to just watch his promise to them fade away. When he made a promise, he kept it. So he called all the animals to a meeting. He had a big announcement to make to all of them.
"My dear friends..." He started, "I have let our promise, our BOND, break...I hope you can forgive me... "
The animals exchanged glances. All except for the spirit of the cat who kept his gaze on the Zodiac Gods spirit.
"But I have come to a conclusion..." He looked to him friends. "We will continue to have a banquets my friends! we shall reincarnate yet again! we will continue to go on living...just as before..."
Almost all of the animals agreed with him, they wanted to return to their banquets. They were done resting themselves ..all except for the spirit of the cat. As always, he was the outcast of them all...he was the only one who was happy the way things were now.
"My lord God...let us be... " the cat step forward. He wasn't one to argue, specially with God...however he couldn't just sit there and let him do this. "Our spirits need rest...we don't need forever to be together...we're together right now aren't we...?"
The Spirits, God included, stared at him in total disbelief. "You haven't changed at all, my dear Neko..."
The cat flinched at his words and looked down to his paws...he knew nothing he could say would convince him otherwise...he didn't want to return to make another life miserable...and him being with them would only cause pain...it had with ever person before...and what would make this any different?
"We shall depart tonight... but soon we shall all be together again." The God sat the water bowl down. "Drink my friends, just as we did before...and we will return again"
The cat turned his back this time...he wouldn't drink it...not by his choice. For all those years, all he had done was be a burden. If he could help it, then he wouldn't drink the water...
Each animal drank, again in the order before. First the rat, then the ox, tiger, ect. till finally the only two left were the God and the cat, and the Zodiac God wasn't going to drink until his beloved friend the cat did first.
"My dear Neko... please drink" He spoke kindly to the cat.
"I don't want to..." He started, "I'm sorry my lord...but I can't make another person's life miserable because I bless them with my company..."
"So you would rather stay here completely alone, with no one here with you...?"
This caused the cat to think for a moment...it was a selfish thought...if he remained her, then he would be more alone then ever before...but if he chose to go, then he would only cause more pain and suffering...
"it's your choice my friend..." he set the bowl of water down in front of the cats paws. "we even have someone new coming with us..." He smiled.
The cat was unsure what he meant, but he kept his eyes on the water bowl...he couldn't make a choice...and time was very limited...it was either drink and go with them, or don't drink and stay behind...alone.
"I'm waiting..." The Zodiac God said, his patience growing thin.
Under the pressure, the spirit of the cat leaned down slowly, and took a drink.
"glad to see you want to stay with me..." The god smiled, picking up the bowl and taking his own drink.
It was true...the cat had made a promise to the God to always remain by his side. He couldn't break that promise...but he still felt as if it was a selfish choice...
"And thus, we begin again..."
Akito Sohma sat up in her bed abruptly. Something had startled her, much like a bad dream...except this one she didn't wake up from. She placed her left hand on her very extended belly. She was expecting...twins at that. One boy and one girl.
Shigure, who was sleeping next to her, sat up and stretched a bit. "ngh, whats the matter Aki...? Bad dream?" He gave her a light smile.
She looked over to the window for a moment then back to him. "I-I don't know..." She paused...she felt a presence...one she used to know very well...but it wasn't one with her...
"aww, Do I need to make you're bad dream go away...?" Shigure, unaware of her worries, teased her.
"Shut it mutt...I'm serious...somethings wrong..."
"Oh? what is it...?" He froze after saying that...he felt a presence as well...not the same as her's, but he felt one he once knew himself. "D-Do you feel it to...?"
Akito nodded...they were referring to the Zodiac spirits of the Dog and the Zodiac God. Both were present...but where and why were they there?
A thought ran through her mind... "Shigure...what would happen if the curse were to..how do you say it, return you think?" Akito studied him for an answer.
He didn't want to answer that...if they did return...they would got to the new Sohma's...in this case, most of their Children.
Akito already knew that answer really...Suddenly, pain overcame her.
"Akito!" Shigure rushed to her side. "Are you alright...?"
She looked down at her moment, "M-My water just broke..."
"That's not possible! you're two months premature!" His heart dropped...it really did didn't it..."GET HATORI! QUICKLY!" He yelled to get the maids attention. Turning his attention back to Akito, "Just hang on, we're getting help..."
Her breaths were heavy, but there was only one thing Shigure could understand. "i-it's back..."
He stayed by her side and looked down.
"Yes, The curse is back upon us..."
A/N: So this is my first anything this year. This is obviously my rewrite for my Daughter of the Cat and The Riceball stories from awhile back. I hope you guys enjoyed the prologue! I'll be sure to get chapter one up soon. Please read and review! Thanks! -Chiako Neko.