Yay! A new story! Been forever since I started a new FB story!

I'm really looking forward to writing this- it's been dancing around my head for so long, I can't even tell you. It's a huge relief to finally get it down ^.^

So love it, hate it, it's your choice- but please review when you're done! :D

LOSGAP =D

Rei. It's an interesting name, when you really think about it.

It has two meanings. One is "zero; worthless, nothing." That's what Akito tells me I was named for. But there's another meaning. "Spirit."

I try to tell myself that's what I was named for, but after almost seventeen years of being told you're nothing, you start to believe it.

And I am nothing. I turned a blind eye to a small child's suffering, even though I was only a year older then him at the time- but I didn't lift a finger to help. This makes me just as guilty as the others who stood back and let it happen. To both of us. But I could have stopped if, if I had only tried.

Yuki is so innocent… so pure of heart, as white and pure as snow, his namesake, and yet he is scarred. And I was powerless to stop it.

But not anymore. I refuse to let myself step back and let the Rat be torn apart like that.

Yuki never found out why Akito let him go so willingly; why suddenly he was out of the dark and into the light. He got to live with cousin Shigure in his house- he was lucky. He had escaped; I had torn his chains from the ground and set him free.

But I had paid a price for his freedom.

In return for Yuki being set free, I was to be Akito's pet. To do whatever he wished, cart him around, be his errand girl and toy. All so Yuki will not be touched by him again.

I suppose it is because I am the Horse. Akito says he loves my spirit, but I think he loved the challenge of breaking it. He became fascinated with me- the little girl, so small in stature, who refused to bow and openly defied his orders. The only one of us with a spine.

But not anymore. Now I must bow my head and let him run his fingers through my hair, sit with him for hours and hours in his dark room, waiting on his every need.

And I'm OK with that. I'll stay in the shadows forever so Yuki may have a glimpse of the sky.

OoO

I sit next to Akito, my eyes constantly straying to the window. I want to see the sky through human eyes, for once. Akito hasn't been feeling well today- he'll want to go for a ride, and I will oblige with the humiliating task that boils my blood and grinds my teeth.

"I need some fresh air." Akito rasps and I nod, getting up. "I'll have the cart prepared." I say, bowing to him and hurrying out of the room. The faster, the better. Do I want another beating?

"Time to go, Rei-san?" A maid asks when I tell her to prepare the cart. I nod and she grimaces, her eyes saying, "Oh you poor thing." before she runs away.

I sigh and close my eyes, reaching for that part of me, the part of me that holds more power then you could ever imagine, more strength and speed and beauty then God intended for humans to have.

I had discovered how to turn into my Zodiac form when I was a small child. Akito saw my form once and decided he liked it better then my human form- he locked me in a room similar to Yuki's and ordered me to stay until I figured out how to stay in my form.

It took a month in the dark but I finally discovered how to set the animal part of me free.

A pink explosion; a sensation of stretching, and suddenly I am taller. I look down and sigh. I used to take such pleasure in my form- loving the sensation of running, of the muscles stretching and coiling, but now it fills me with dread.

My gleaming chestnut coat burns red in the cold winter sun as I make my way to the where the cart is ready for me to be harnessed; I back up, lowering my elegantly sculpted head and accepting the bit, my small Arabian like form scrunching and slouching to fit the cart horse look as I let the maid harness me, strapping me firmly to the cart, a prison on wheels.

I paw the ground with my fore leg, devoid of all white as are the rest of my legs. My only white marking is a white star in the center of my forehead that gleams brilliantly in the sun, if I don't let my forelock cover it.

I see Akito coming, slowly as usual, and arch my neck, lifting my tail and trying to look regal. One had to look worthy of Akito if one wished to escape his grasp unscathed.

"Hello, my pet." Akito says, running his hand along my side as he makes his way to the cart. I shiver at his touch, and he takes this as pleasure, but I am disgusted and want to run away. But I can't; I'm tethered to him, literally for once.

Akito pretends to drive, but all he really does is lounge in the open cart and whip me, hauling on my reins if I mess up, or God forbid, look at someone.

I lean into the harness and wince slightly as I pull the cart forward. It is light, but Arabians are not carriage horses and never will be. My frame is too small; my bones are light and thin, like a bird's. But at least birds can fly, while my wings are clipped.

"Faster." Akito ordered, the whip cutting into my croup. I don't bother flinching. It's a "love pat" from Akito. I lean into the harness and hurry off, wondering where we are going.

OoO

"Stop." Akito ordered as we come to a high school. I obey; lowering my head in shame as people stare and point. I hate this; I long to kick myself free and run until the ground disappears and the stars fall from the sky, but instead I stand loosely, one hind leg cocked, my tail lashing at flies from time to time. Each time I hit one I imagine it is Akito.

"Look! Isn't that a beautiful horse?!" I hear one girl say happily. "I've never seen a horse and carriage around here before! How wonderful!" She goes on.

"It's just a horse! Calm down!" My ears go back, recognizing the voice. I turn my head, struggling to see past the blinders. It's him; Kyo in all his glory.

He doesn't recognize me. If he does, he would have been disgusted and turned away. Since everyone knows I am Akito's pet, but no one knows why. They all assume I love him unconditionally and am betraying the entire Zodiac; I am more despised then he is.

The girl standing next to him comes over, looking at me curiously. I prick my ears at her, wanting to appear friendly, but Akito jerks on my reins and I automatically duck my head, staring at the ground.

"Tohru-san, what are you looking at?" My heart threatens to explode and my head flies up; I am so stunned I don't even feel Akito jerking violently on my reins, trying to get my head down. Now I know what Akito wanted. He hadn't wanted to check on Kyo; he had wanted me to see Yuki, to see how he was living so happily while I suffered.

I spot his silver head moving through the crowd towards this Tohru who is standing a few feet away from me. As he approaches, I want to scream and lash out at him, begging him not to come any closer to Akito.

I can't help it; I whinny loudly and strain at the harness, earning myself a lash and a curse from Akito. I know my punishment will be harsh tonight, but Yuki must not get close.

He stops besides Tohru and frowns at me. I whinny again, stomping my front hooves and tossing my head. He blinks, and I see the recognition in my eyes.

"Isn't that a pretty horse?" Tohru asks him. "It's just a horse." Yuki says coldly. "Just a spineless creatures that carries around people because it is too stupid to know the difference between right and wrong." He says, taking Tohru's hand and leading her away with Kyo.

I watch him go, stunned into silence. I knew Yuki hated me, but I had never heard him speak like that about me. He still blamed me. After all this time.

I am too hurt to feel angry; I hang my head, my nose an inch from the ground as I stare at the pavement. He hated me. Why was I giving up everything for a boy who hated me so much?

Because you love him. I thought.

I close my eyes and know that nothing Akito can do to me will ever hurt as much as the look in Yuki's eyes as he realized that wasn't just a horse in front of him- it was his sister.

This is based off the anime, for those of you who didn't catch that. It's kind of a reasonable explanation, no? Yuki hates Ayame- he never mentions him or speaks of him until he forces his way into the picture. He hates Rei and doesn't acknowledge her in any way, and the Horse never comes in the anime. It makes sense to me xD

Anyways, this is kind of a pilot chapter- I want to see where this story will lead. Hopefully it'll go place, but one cannot promise!

Please review!

- LOSGAP =D

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