The Forgotten Animals

…………

Author : Mavrik

…………

Usagi looked up at the gates before them, it had been a long time since they had last been here, Shingo had been only 3 and wouldn't remember, but she did, she was still terrified of Akito, the rages he had frequently flown into because of anything.

"Come on Shi-chan." Usagi sighed as she gripped her brothers shaking hand in her own as he nodded, he had heard her stories of Akito, and his temper.

"We have to go all the way up there alone?" Shingo whispered, the atmosphere around them demanded quiet voices, like in a library.

"No…Hatori-nii is coming to take us up there." Usagi said back in an equally soft voice.

"You don't have to whisper you know." A much louder – though most probably normal volume – voice said as Usagi and her brother jumped in shock turning to Hatori as he stood to one side on the edge of a small paved path smoking.

"You're late, I was waiting for 10 minutes." He said frowning at them as Usagi hung her head.

"We're sorry…we got held up...and we…didn't mean to…" She began apologising as laughter stopped her as she looked up at him as he stood laughing before he held out his arms and she smiled running to embrace him.

"Been too long Usa…you still take everything I say too seriously…Shingo, my you've grown." Hatori said as Shingo smiled at the man, he didn't know any of the other Souma animals, nor any of the Souma's, since he had been taken with his sister away from the family at such a young age, so he just smiled politely as his mother had told him.

"Let's get going, I called you here earlier to make sure you weren't late for Akito…I know how late you usually are Usa." Hatori said as Usagi chuckled nervously, it was true, even when she had been younger she had always been late, which had left her on the receiving end of punishments from Akito very often.

"I'm not the same as I was then." Usagi cried as Shingo smirked.

"No…she's worse according to mum." Shingo put in as Usagi hit him over the back of the head.

"Don't tell him that he'll never let me live it down."

"Sorry…"

After that conversation seemed to die as Shingo looked around while Usagi gathered her courage to ask Hatori the question that had been plaguing her mind since she had received the letter.

"Hatori-nii…"

"I don't know why he asked you here Usa." Hatori said as Usagi looked up at him in shock "That's what you were going to ask wasn't it?"

"Yes…but how did you know it was?" Usagi replied as Hatori frowned slightly.

"It's what I've been thinking since he ordered me to bring you in to him…"

"He let us go years ago…we're not meant to be at the banquet…you and Kisa are." Usagi said as Hatori nodded.

"I know…for the Turtle and the Phoneix to be called as well is much meaning for concern. You shouldn't be here, not that it's not nice to see you again after all this time…but all four of us shouldn't be gathered."

"I know the legend as well as you do Hatori-nii." Usagi scolded as Shingo piped in.

"I don't…mum won't tell me anything, other then I can't hug any girls."

"She's told you nothing?" Hatori asked as Usagi shook her head.

"She stopped us from saying anything about it, we're not allowed to speak of the zodiac animals at all, let alone the Souma's and his heritage."

"Amazing…well Shingo, you know of the story don't you? God invited the animals to a banquet etc." Hatori said as Shingo nodded he knew at least that much.

"Well, the Dragon, Tiger, Turtle and the Phoneix also had another use in history, they were known as the four gods, they held up the sky and stopped it from crashing to earth and destroying everything. So when the animals were called they had to leave two behind at diagonal corners, to hold everything up, so the Dragon and the Tiger attended and the Phoneix and the Turtle did not. Hence why you're not meant to attend the New Years banquet, but are not scorned totally by Akito for not attending as he asked for only two to attend otherwise all would have been destroyed." Hatori narrated as Shingo stared up at him, so he was part of something this big?

"It's just strange for us to be called…We're not meant to be here, hence why we were freed, if all of us get together for too long a time who knows what may happen…Akito couldn't be planning for something to happen could he?" Usagi questioned as Hatori shrugged with a heavy sigh, no one ever knew what Akito was thinking.

"I don't know…you two are to go in and see him before everything begins." Hatori said as Usagi jolted noticing they had arrived at Akito's personal quarters.

"Shingo…stay close alright?"

"Okay…you don't think he'll get mad do you?"

"He's not been in the best of moods lately, try not to do anything to anger him." Hatori warned as Usagi nodded as she took a hold of her brothers hand and then a deep breath before stepping up the wooden steps and walking sullenly behind the maid that led them to Akito's room.

"Remember Shingo…don't speak unless spoken to, kneel and don't look at him…don't do anything at all other then kneel there no matter what he does alright?" Usagi whispered as Shingo nodded, he was shaking in fear, she felt bad about scaring him, but he needed to be prepared in case of Akito's anger.

The pair knelt there for nearly 10 minutes before the doors slid open revealing Akito, Shingo, against his sisters instructions, chanced a peek but quickly looked away in case the dark haired man noticed him looking.

"Do you know why you're here?" Akito asked as if talking to bugs that utterly repulsed him.

"No Akito-sama." Usagi said softly as glared at her.

"Did I say I was talking to you!" he hissed as Usagi closed her eyes in anticipation of a blow. "You don't want to get in trouble do you little fire bird? Do you?" Akito murmured as he bobbed down in front of her touching her shoulder gently, she had to repress her shudder as she stayed there motionless. "You've gown into a beautiful young woman Usagi. Very pretty…I'm sure you seduce everyone male you see, without even knowing it." Akito said airily as he stood and his eyes fell on Shingo. "And little Shingo, you've grown into a fine young man, you're 13 now?" Akito asked as Shingo nodded hesitantly. "You look so much older…Usagi-" Akito said sharply as Usagi nodded her head to signal she was listening to him. "Leave now."

"L-Leave the Main house?" Usagi stuttered as Akito's hand met her cheek leaving it stinging in pain, she could feel the blood trickling down her chin from her split lip.

"Out of the room, now, get out of my sight, out, now!" Akito shouted as Usagi glanced at Shingo, she couldn't leave him alone here, she had promised her mother.

"Akito-sama." Usagi ventured as he glared at her.

"You test my patience."

"My brother…"

"He's going to stay here with me. We need to get to know one another better." Akito said sweetly as Usagi bowed her head.

"I need to stay with my brother, please Akito-sama." Usagi whispered, she knew this would hurt her, she knew she would get beaten, but she had to try.

"Don't talk back to me. Trying to undermine me already, only here 5 minutes." Akito shouted as the blows fell.

"Stop…stop it please…I'll stay here, please stop hitting Usagi."

"You have a good brother Usagi." Akito purred as he released her as Usagi looked at Shingo.

"I'll be fine Usa…go." And with that Usagi reluctantly dragged her beaten body from the room, outside was Hatori as he immediately picked her up before she collapsed and took her to get patched up.

…………

Mavrik – Chapter 2! Thanks to everyone who reviewed…I felt encouraged so I made Elendur update.

Elendur – Slavedriver.

Mavrik – But thankyou again, it was wonderful to have so many, Elendur forwarded them all to my email…

Elendur – So hope you enjoyed Chapter 2, hope you can follow it…I tried to make his writing more understandable. Until next chapter.