1A/N/Bonus :The Facts of the legend:

The Legend of the Year of the cat:

According to one legend, Buddha summoned all the animals to a New Year's celebration where he was to designate the first twelve animals arriving to be the signs of the twelve year cycle. When the cat heard the news, he let his friend the rat know about it and they decided to go together. When the time came, however, the rat did not wake the cat who slept through the morning. This is why there is no year of the cat and why cats hate rats.

Why is the rat first?

The rat knew that a small animal like himself would not be able to compete with the others, so he begged the ox to let him ride on his head. The ox agreed and they went together. But just as they were about to arrive the rat jumped off the ox's head and crossed the finish line first. This is why the year of the rat is the first in the cycle of years, and the year of the ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig follow according to their arrival orders.

Do you want to know the Real story?

Chapter Four: Stories

In Tohru's dreams she kept remembering stories. But one brought to mind on what had to be done. She could hear her mother's voice as the story was told. 'Stopping Halfway, Never Comes One's Day ' That was one of her favorite stories, right next to the story of the year of the cat. She could hear her mother's kind voice repeating the story as if she was four again laying in her bed for a light story.

"In the Warring States Period, in the state of Wei lived a man called Leyangtsi. His wife was very angelic and virtuous, who was loved and respected dearly by the husband.

One day, Leyangtsi found a piece of gold on his way home, and he was so delighted that he ran home as fast as he could to tell his wife. Looking at the gold, his wife said calmly and gently"As you know, it is usually said that a true man never drink the stolen water. How can you take such a piece of gold home which is not yours" Leyangtsi was greatly moved by the words, and he immediately replaced it where it was.

The next year, Leyangtsi went to a distant place to study classics with a talent teacher, leaving his wife home alone. One day, his wife was weaving on the loom, when Leyangtsi entered. At his coming, the wife seemed to be worried, and she at once asked the reason why he came back so soon. The husband explained how he missed her. The wife got angry with what the husband did. Advising his husband to be fortitude and not too indulged in the love, the wife took up a pair of scissors and cut down what she had woven on the loom, which made Leyangtsi very puzzled. His wife declared"If something is stopped halfway, it is just like the cut cloth on the loom. The cloth will only be useful if finished. But now, it has been nothing but a mess, and so it is with your study."

Leyangtsi was greatly moved by his wife. He left home resolutely and went on with his study. He didn't return home to see his beloved wife until gaining great achievements. "

"You know what, Tohru" She heard her mother say.

"What" She said in an excited 3 years old voice.

"Afterwards, the story was often used as a model to inspire those who would back out in competition! So I never want you to back out on anything" Her mother encourage voice faded as she started to awaken. ( A/N: The fable you just read is a real fable from Chinese culture!)


While Tohru was sleeping:

Kyotoyu's gaze on Yuki didn't brake when she asked the question. "Do you want to know the true and whole story of the Zodiac" She said lightly, in a kind and motherly tone. Yuki nodded and she smiled and began the tale that if Akito ever found out she told, there would be hell to pay.

A long time ago lived three cats. One goddess named Tohru and one male and one female, guardians. The goddess was loved by all of the zodiac and by her guardians. She watched over and cared for the zodiac as if they were her children. The male guardian and the goddess was madly in love. But the problem was that all of the zodiac including the cat were bound to a leash by another goddess named, Akito. Akito was an angry and bitter goddess. She'd never undo the leash because she was afraid of losing the respect that she forcefully put on the Zodiac members.

Tohru went to confront Akito and begged her to set her love and the zodiac free from the leash. At first Akito said "No, I do with them as I wish." But Tohru kept coming back, even after being rejected three times. Each time Tohru would come back, she'd beg"Dearest sister Akito, please hear me out. I want to be with my loved ones" Till Akito had an Idea. She'd make a bet on Tohru's life. "My Aisubeki sister, I shall hear your request in one motive. If your darling cat can make it to this special party. But if he does not make it, You will die." Akito said with the cruel plan in mind. Tohru was over joyed and Told all the animals to come at the end of the week when the new year would come.

Latter that week, Akito summoned the Rat, who at the time was the Female's cat's best friend and love, to her. Akito told the rat to tell the male cat that the party will be held three days after the start of the new year. At first the Rat refused but then the rat was forced for the sake of his own life. So the rat tricked the male Cat.

During the party, Tohru looked for her love and was disappointed and grief-stricken when her love did not come. Everyone was there but her love. The cat. Tohru looked and looked over the course of the party. But he did not show.

The next morning, the zodiac found out that they lost their chance for Freedom, because the cat did not show. During that morning Akito summoned Tohru to her and Tohru was Killed by a cursed knife.

The Male and Female cat not knowing of the deal, looked for their goddess. But they could not find her. The Dog ,who spied on Akito and the rat, felt guilty and went to the higher god and told him of the deal and trickery.

The act of trickery angered the god so greatly that he cursed the 13 families of the zodiac and sent them to earth. And on each of the head of the families was a different curse, either good or bad counting on the punishment. The Sohma family got the worst curse because of their head of family, Akito. But the god pitied the zodiac with that head of family. So the god allowed Tohru to be reborn in the cat family or Kushigui family. Every 50 years and each of those 50 years Tohru would try the bet and would lose because no one knew the truth in till it was too late. But the god promised that the year of the Two cats would bring promise in 5000 years. In 5000 years Tohru would meet her real love again.


Kyo's eyes widen as he heard the story from the hallway. 'The true story...' The way the story sounded made it look like Tohru and him was in love. But if every 50 years the goddess falls for the male cat, they are destined to die by Akito's hand. Kyo frowned and entered the room. He looked at Yuki, then to Kyotoyu, and finally to the red headed Tohru. Kyo had a sad look on his face when he looked at Tohru. "what happened to her hair" Kyo asked trying not to get frustrated by the story. "The cat goddess spirt's hair was ordinally that color, and it's only natural that the barrier of the sprit gets her hair color and eye color."

Kyo nodded and looked into Kyotoyu's eyes.

"Why do we change"


Long ago when the first cat goddess needed protection. She summoned the cats, rats, and dogs, zodiac's to help her. She choose the cat because it was reasonable. With her powers she gave the two cats each a different form that nearly matched her own. But when the zodiac got cursed the forms changed for the worst.


"Well, well aren't you a bundle of information." Shigure said at the door surprising everyone. Kyotoyu knew that Shigure was one of Akito's more loyal zodiac as was all dogs loyal to the head of the family. But she also knew that Shigure loved Tohru as if she was his daughter. "You know, you weren't allowed to tell that unless the head of your family permits. But then again, Kitty-chan, you never followed the head of the family's orders." Kyotoyu looked over towards the smiling dog. "Now! If you don't want me to be a tattle tail, You make Dinner" Shigure said in his sing-song voice, ending the gloomy mood that was once there.

Everyone left Tohru's room, but Kyo. He sat next to her bed and watch her sleep thinking.

'Would she? Could she love me?'


Tohru woke up to see Kyo sleeping, his head laying on her bed while his body sat on the floor. She smiled kindly at him and put one of her blankets around him, and fell back to sleep with her face next to his.


A/N: I hoped you liked it! It was hard to write! Thank you Shigure for having multi-personality issues:Huggs Shigure: Review! Wow, my longest chapter yet...