Chapter One

-Sohma house. Shigure is sitting at a table, Yuki is by a window. Tohru is not up yet.-

Kyo gazed angrily out the window. "Damn this stupid rain! Damned Yuki!"

Shigure glanced up from his newspaper "What did that 'damned Yuki' do this time?"

He looked back at his newspaper, not really interested in what Kyo was about to say.

"The one day I can get a REAL fight out of Yuki it RAINS." Kyo sat down across the table from Shigure, drinking milk straight from the carton. "HEY. Are you even LISTENING!"

"No, not really." Suddenly, Shigure noticed something. One of the articles was about a dancer. She wasn't that famous, but some people knew who she was. Reading it, he discovered her parents had both died from complications in the hospital. Continued on page 3...

"Good morning everyone!" called Tohru in her normal chipper voice.

"Yeah, right. Morning." Kyo left the room to go watch TV. "Tohru-kun, do you know this girl?" He pointed to the picture of her.

Tohru turned around and looked at her. "The dancer? Yeah, she just transferred to my school. She's really nice!" She turned back to making breakfast.

"Her parents are dead, you know," he said quietly.

"I know. It's been pretty hard-she has no where to stay. People have tried to be nice and let her stay with them, but she said she didn't want to be a bother. But I think it's because she's very proud-she's a great dancer, but it doesn't pay much. She can't possibly afford to rent an apartment on her own. I wish I could help her . . . "

Tohru let her voice trail off. Shigure looked down at his newspaper again, wearing an intense look. "Tohru, I-" he began, but suddenly Kyo burst in. "Is breakfast ready? I'm starved!" Yuki gave him a disgusted look as he walked in.

"Be grateful anyone's making you food. Stupid cat."

"Hey! I heard that! So, are we still on for the fight? Or are you gonna wimp out because of the rain?" Yuki looked away.

"I'm not feeling well . . . " he paused and coughed. "Excuse me," he said as he took his exit. Kyo got up and followed him out, yelling, "oh no you don't! You are NOT gonna wimp out on me! Not again!" he ran out of the room after him.

"Well, I guess I should get to school-I want to meet Uo-chan and Hana-chan early," Tohru said cheerfully.

"OK, but before you leave . . . " Shigure stood up. "What is this girls name?" Tohru was a bit puzzled at his query.

"Kita. Kita Takeshi.." She looked at Shigure with a strange stare. "Why?" Shigure looked away.

"No reason, just wondering." Tohru started to leave the room.

"Have a good day, Shigure-san!"

Waiting until Kyo, Yuki and Tohru had all gone, Shigure watched out the window. Then walking over to his office, he picked up the phone and dialed a very familiar number.

"Akito-san . . . ever heard of Kita Takeshi?"

-Upon arriving at school-

Tohru met up with her friends, but then decided to seek out Kita. "Um, Kita-san? I'm Tohru Honda." Kita swirled around.

"Oh. Hi, Tohru. I know who you are. And please, just call me Kita. No need for formalities." Kita grinned. She wore a uniform like everyone else, but her hair was silver and long, down to her waist. One small braid fell on the left side of her face. She had silver earrings in the shape of stars; each ear was pierced four times. Around her neck was a set of pendants. One was a Koi fish, the second an ocelot, the third a cat.

"What an interesting necklace!" Tohru was always trying to make new friends. Flattery couldn't hurt, right?

"Oh, thank you! It was a gift-the Koi fish came from my mother and father, the cat was made by me, and the ocelot . . . " She trailed off. Tohru, sensing a bit of tension, decided to change the subject.

"Um, that's a very good cat! It looks so realistic!" Kita blushed. "Oh, I make small things in my spare time . . . it helps when I feel a bit sad." She looked away.

"I'm sorry, was it something I said?" Tohru was nervous, hoping that it wasn't her.

"No, no it's not you. I'm just kind of sad right now..." Tohru looked at her sympathetically.

"It's ok. Hey, I have work off today-would you like to go shopping with me and my friends?" Tohru waved over gesturing to Uo and Hanajima.

"Sure! Sounds great! I have no where to go to anyway . . . " She looked at the ground again. Tohru thought for a moment, then excused herself to a nearby payphone.

"Shigure-san, I have a big favor to ask."

"Ask away," he replied. "Mmmhmm. Oh, I see. Sure! I have no objections, as long as you don't tell her about the zodiac-curse. But I will have to tell Akito about this. Have fun. Oh, and please tell Kyo and Yuki-kun about this. Bye!"

Tohru came running back to Kita, "Kita! I called Shigure, the owner of the house I'm staying at, and he said you could stay for a while. That is, if you want to." Kita smiled, "Of course I do! Thank you so much Honda-san!" Tohru giggled, "Call me Tohru."

Meanwhile . . .

Akito sat up in bed, surprised at the news. "Kita? Send her over. She will know why."

Shigure shifted uncomfortably. "Maybe that isn't so wise, Akito-San . . . "

Akito broke in angrily. "I am head of this family, and what I say goes. So send her to me."

Shigure heaved a long sigh, but only said "As you wish . . . "