Title: Unbreakable Strength

Chapter 37: The Zodiac's Curse

Authors Note: Hola everyone and here is the next installment for Unbreakable Strength. I hope you all enjoys it! It shows a new side to some characters and starts to shed light on a topic of Fruits Basket that has always bothered me – the lack of information on the curse.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket or any of the characters. However, my dear little Mira Liore Nolan is mine and mine alone along with the lovely Liv Cyrene Nolan.

Never Alone by Barlow Girls & Higher Ground by Chris Daughtry


"Fall seven times, stand up eight." ~ Japanese Proverb

For the second time that week, she felt her body grow tired and sicken. It was the prison-like room that Akito had locked her in. The lack of fresh air was beginning to have an effect on her. Her body was naturally revolting at the circumstances she was now trapped in.

Trapped, like a little birdie in a golden cage, bars on her windows too thick to break.

"Akito doesn't have the right to treat me this way," Liv snapped to herself as she paced around the room. There was practically a circle indent from all of her pacing. The words echoed with her own words that she spoke to out loud. "If my own body is beginning to rebel, I have a right to some fresh air, he'll see reason. He has to see reason."

Liv took out the little key and unlocked her door. He could sit and wonder how she escaped; this little jailbird was going to break free. She needed to stretch his wings and Akito wasn't going to stop her. He was going to allow this, or she'd fly the coop her own way.

With purpose and poise she marched down the halls to his room, to speak her own free mind. Just because she happened to share her body with a possessed zodiac did not mean suddenly her own will did not exist.

Hushed whispers came from Akito's room; Liv drew herself close to the wall so she could crane her neck and open her ears to listen.

"I expect with the amount I have given to see results," Akito hissed in a low voice, condescending. Whoever he was talking too, respect wasn't necessary, by the sounds of it, money was involved. Life always became more interesting after money was involved.

"Of course, Sohma-San, my partner already has her tracked. She arrived in Japan only last week, Monday. As of now, she has rented out an apartment complex, 4D. I have pictures, of her leaving with a," and at this he snorted, "Disguise. You have nothing to worry about Sohma-San, this is child's play. The girl has no idea of the league she's in."

Akito gave him a sharp look, "Do not over estimate her, I want her brought here, in front of me…discreetly," the last word he hissed out, as it was very important.

"Not a problem," the man answered cockily.

"And make it happen soon," Akito added in temper.

Silently, Liv headed past Akito's room and straight to the front exit. She slipped out without either man noticing and began to head around the Sohma house, looking for anyone to carry on a message.

"The one day I need somebody," Liv grumbled and sunk to the ground. She was fairly sure Akito was hunting Mira, and he wanted her brought to him. So what type of man had he hired? Mira couldn't out trick or run a private detective.

One thing was certain, Akito was pissed and he was going to have the horse back in his clutches.

"Liv?" a shocked little voice interrupted the silence as one of the last people Liv expected walked up to her.

"Ketsuki," Liv sprouted up quickly and stared wide eyed at her grandmother. For some reason she hadn't imagined that Ketsuki would be allowed in the inner Sohma domain. "What are you doing here?"

"This is my house," Ketsuki chuckled at the wide eyed gaping expression Liv gave, "Well, don't just stand there, come on in."

"O…Okay…" Liv mumbled and followed after her, still stunned.

"So, didn't invite your own grandmother to your wedding?" her lips stayed in a frown, but liv could feel the attempt to make light of her situation.

"I didn't exactly have say on the guest list," Liv explained with a snort, "Or of the actual proposal," In her head, Liv supposed it would have gone something like this:

"Liv, my precious sparrow, I shall take you as my wife, say yes," Akito demanded

"Suck ass Akito, I'd sooner stab my eyes out then spend every day of my life waking up to your ugly face."

Now that was how the event should have gone down. If there was one thing Liv hated, it was being rendered useless.

Ketsuki sighed and pattered her on the shoulder, "Part of the zodiac curse is the early death of the Zodiac God, because he used his power to curse all of the animals who enjoyed his presence so much," she snorted, "it drains the body, the curse. The young doctor and others seem to think it's getting weaker," she snorted at the idea.

Liv zoned in on her mood and narrowed her eyes, "You don't think it's getting weaker, then?" She didn't realize it, but her voice trembled, her hand shook.

"No, I do not," Ketsuki replied solemnly, "I think, it's becoming stronger."

"You have no proof," Liv replied bitterly, "You shouldn't say such things without having solid proof, and you'll get people talking and make many unhappy with that talk in these halls."

The old woman's lips flipped into a smile, "I saw plenty in my years with Tetsu. I saw how the others adored her, how they hated the way they had to adore her and how Tetsu hated how she felt a pull and need for them. It's a two way street Liv."

"You never gave any proof," Liv replied bitterly.

"Do you wonder why Akito has such a desperate need in him to have his zodiac? Tetsu was able to leave, for a short while and for a short distance at least. Yet Akito grows angrier by the day when he misses his zodiac. I remember when the entire zodiac lived around him; the young head of house was calmer, because the only two missing were the Rooster and the Horse. The only zodiac he despises, truly despises, is the cat," her voice grew dark and she looked away.

"Why us? Why the Sohma's? Why the specific individuals that the curse chooses?"

"Bad luck," Ketsuki replied bitterly.

"NO," Liv fired at her, "I will not accept that my life has been doomed from complete coincidence! If I have to live my life in a cage, my hours will be spent making some sense out of this. I will not live my life without answers anymore, even if they only lead to more questions." She wasn't going to take this sitting down.

"Good girl," Ketsuki seemed to approve as she patted her granddaughter on the head, "Nothing happens on this world, without reason."

Liv nodded and felt her energy level calm down, Akito would look for her soon… "Could you do me a favor? Akito…he's going to hurt Mira, or cage or something else that's bad. Can you get to her first, can you warn her? There is a man looking for her, he will find her. They know her disguise, they know where she lives, please help your other granddaughter. Mira…she's good, she still has heart and the will to believe and hope, and she's still got the light in her eyes."

"It if screws that man over, I'll help with anything, especially my granddaughters," Ketsuki replied strongly, "Now I have a feeling you should be getting back. Leave finding your sister to me."

"It won't be easy," Liv warned as she stood up and walked to the door.

Ketsuki gave a smirk, "I'm not concerned," she replied as the door swung shut.

Quiet as a mouse, Liv snuck back into the gilded cage and sighed. All the gold threaded rugs and quaint pictures couldn't disguise her prison cell.

"Interesting," a voice sounded from the darkness.

Liv didn't jump at the voice like he had expected, she had been a long time. It was only reasonable that he would have checked in on her and found her gone.

"Hello Akito," She said dully and took a seat in one of the tall chairs he had sat up by a painting.

"Is my rooster unhappy?" he asked tartly.

"I have no clean air, no sky above me. Akito, you have no reason to chain me, no reason to bind me. The ties that keep us together aren't something to see or touch, but to sense and know. We're bound together, you and I. There isn't a scissors that could cut the tie or a key to unlock the cage that exists. You don't have to clip my wings, I don't have the heart to fly away," she sighed and looked at the blank windows.

"You won't run away?" his voice broke like a childs.

"No…I won't run away, I haven't the will too," Liv said softly when she felt a body hit her lap, his head rested against her stomach and Liv softly touched his head. His fists clung to the soft material of her shirt as he began to sob into her chest.

It occurred to her, that she wasn't the only one with the chains around her neck and wrists.

Akito shuddered in her lap, "I won't be alone, I can't be alone!" and the last few words trembled, he didn't want to die.

Death made child sprout into men, it caused the softest of flowers to harden in the winter. She couldn't hate Akito, but she could hate the God that poisoned his mind and controlled his body just like the rest of them.

Suddenly, the proof was there, mounted up and in perfect display. How the curse control their life, how the curse destroyed their lives and how the curse changed them.

"You're not alone," Liv's lips spread into a subtle smirk. None of them were ever, truly alone.