Twill: I've been meaning to update this story again for a while, but I had to figure out how I was going to go about doing that. And I had to do some math, so that I'd figure out the ages of everyone involved so far. This chapter features the Mabudachi Trio, because they were requested and I'm delighted at the prospect of them as kids (not to mention I'm a fan). They might be a little ooc for their ages, but I'd like to think that kids can be smart, instead of annoyingly immature and whiney all the time. Of course, that said, Shigure's immature and whiney anyway.

Shigure: It only adds to my charm. And Twill doesn't own Fruits Basket.

WARNING! SPOILERS!

This story features spoilers centering around chapter 97 of the manga, and dealing with characters. If you don't know all the characters yet, or what chapter 97 means, then you'll ruin things for yourself by reading this fic. Of course, by now you should already know this and are prepared to review at the end of the chapter, right?

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Sunrise

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Sohma Shigure never liked to get up early, as most children his age were wont to do, unless he had a good reason. These reasons included eating a special breakfast, receiving presents on his birthday and Christmas, and going off to do something fun with his two closest friends and cousins, Ayame and Hatori. So when his father shook him awake at the ungodly hour of eight o'clock, Shigure wasn't happy.

"I don't want to see some Kami person," he whined for the third time, munching on a piece of toast sullenly. "At least not now. I'm tired." He pouted pitifully at his mother, hoping that she'd see things his way.

"Shigure, we've been over this." His father intercepted the puppy-eyes with a stern, 'I'm-your-father-so-you-have-to-listen-to-me' look over his morning paper. "It's important that you visit him. Besides, you sleep to much for someone your age."

Shigure stuck out his tongue.

"Besides, Shi-chan," his mother smiled, "Hatori and Ayame will be there too. And afterward, the three of you can have some fun."

He knew he had lost. Both of his parents were against him. "Oh," was all he managed to say, poking at his eggs. If they were going then it might not be so bad. "How long is it going to take?"

His father shrugged. "Not long. He's just a baby, after all."

"A baby? Then why do I have to see him if he's a baby? You don't know anything when you're just a little, stinky, baby." Shigure wrinkled his nose at the thought. He knew there were going to be funny smells, he just knew it. His poor nose was going to suffer.

"Because you're the dog," his mother said brightly. "My cute, little puppy Shi-chan!" Shigure blushed, embarrassed, and shoveled eggs into his mouth.

"Okaa-san, you're not going to say that in front of everyone, are you?"

With a chuckle, his father set aside the paper. "Go get dressed. It's time to go." As Shigure pushed his plate away and finished the last of his breakfast, his father seemed to consider what had just been said. "Wear something nice and clean."

--

Twenty-two minutes later, impatient and uncomfortable in his stiff, formal clothes, Shigure found himself waiting in the front room of the main house. He couldn't remember being there before, but found it oddly familiar. Maybe the old Kami had brought him there as a baby, just as he was waiting for the new one. The thought did not improve Shigure's mood.

"When's it gonna start?" He looked up at his father, who was waiting with him. "I'm bored at this place smells funny."

A hand was placed on his head, a gesture Shigure knew meant 'be a good boy and stop whining.' "When your friends get here."

"Oh, right."

As if on cue, there was a loud shout from the main entrance in what Shigure recognized was Ayame's voice. "This place is so pretty! Don't you think so, Tori-san? Look over there, that vase is pink. Isn't pink such a nice color, Tori-san?"

"Sure," was the quiet response. Shigure grinned.

He watched the door, eagerly wanting to run over and greet his friends. But his father's hand remained in place and if anything felt a bit heavier, warning him to remain polite and not do anything stupid. But his father couldn't prevent an energetic platinum blonde seven-year-old from rushing into the room and tackling Shigure to the floor.

With a squeal of delight, Ayame hugged his friend. "'Gure!"

"Took you long enough, Ayaa. I was so bored waiting here all alone. I thought you guys had ditched me." The dog pouted, poking Ayame's cheek.

"Oh! I'm sorry. Tori-san took a long time to get dressed."

Hatori, who had by now entered the room with his parents, looked blandly at the blonde. "I did not."

Shigure smiled. Comparing the two - Hatori's ironed shirt and pants to Ayame's red kimono - it was obvious that the snake had been the one to take a long time getting ready. But at least they were here now, and the meeting could take place. And then they could have some actual fun, instead of the boring things adults thought were entertaining.

"Stand up, you two. And Ayame, come stand over here." Hatori's mother smiled tolerantly at the boys' antics. As the blonde did what he was told, she crouched down to fix his hair and straighten the kimono. "There you go."

"Thank you."

"So what do you think Kami looks like?" Shigure asked Hatori, who stood unnaturally straight and looked like he enjoyed standing that way. It made Shigure uncomfortable just looking at him, but Hatori was always like that. "Do you think he has a beard already?"

Hatori looked at him blankly. "He's a baby, not a tiny old man."

"You're no fun!" Shigure whined.

His father nudged him and Shigure noticed that someone had appeared at the other end of the room and was waiting for their attention. "Ren will see you now."

--

A half hour earlier...

Ren smiled sweetly at the child who stood before her, shifting from foot to foot. He was trying to be polite, she knew. He looked up at her through his bangs, at her smile, and fidgeted some more. Her smile dropped. It was hurting her face, anyway.

"Kureno, you're a very special boy. You know that, right?"

He nodded. "Okaa-san told me that I was the rooster, and I turn into a little chicken when she hugs me."

"That's right. And you know you are to serve Kami always?" Another nod. "Good." Ren stood and approached, though not actually getting close enough to touch him. "Kureno, you're going to stay with my son. You're going to be his."

He raised his head, confusion causing him to frown. She rather liked the expression on him; uncertain, vulnerable, completely at her mercy. "Huh?" Kureno looked over to the crib in the corner of the room. "But he's a baby."

"But he'll grow up. And I want you to be there, to do anything for him." Ren slowly knelt down in front of him, keeping her face carefully expressionless. "You'll do that for him, won't you?"

"He'll protect me, right? Like the story?"

A curt nod. "Of course. Just like the story."

The sense of wonder at being part of a fairytale overwhelmed Kureno's nagging feeling that something was wrong. He didn't seem to find it strange that the woman's smile never reached her eyes, or that she would touch him or take his hand like his mother, or even the doctor from earlier, would. Kureno didn't even realize that by agreeing, he would be unable to leave the house or see his mother again, except at carefully scheduled times.

All he could think about was a children's story and the idea that maybe being cursed wouldn't be so bad after all, so long as he was around his protector. With all the innocense of childhood, Kureno nodded. "Okay."

Ren's smile was thin and dark. "I'm glad."

--

After the rooster had been taken away to his new room, Ren composed herself on an elegant chair, facing the door she knew led to the room where some of the juunishi were waiting to see her child. It was a tiresome process, allowing the animals to see their herder, but she knew it was important that a sense of respect was drilled into their young minds.

Her attendant shifted nervously beside the crib. "Perhaps you should hold him."

Ren's gaze was laced with ice. "And why would I want to do that?" The very idea of holding that thing disgusted the Sohma head. She didn't have time for it, and never would. It had only been born out of formaility, of necessity.

And so Ren could have the pleasure of controlling all the new animals, as the most of the current ones were old, doddering men and women on their last legs.

She motioned to the attendant to fetch the visitors who were waiting. A moment later, three children and three adults watched her carefully, though the parents' gazes held a hint of fear.

"And which ones are you?"

"I'm the dog, Shigure." Ren leveled her gaze at the small, cheeky boy who had the nerve to look bored in her presence. Well, he would learn in time. The child's father seemed to pale slightly, as if sensing her displeasure.

"And this is my son, Hatori, who is the dragon. And his friend Ayame, the snake." Only other woman in the room smiled meekly, indicating a brunette and a blonde in turn.

Now this was interesting. "And where are your parents, Ayame? Shouldn't they have come with you instead of these two?"

The little boy seemed struck with a sudden bout of shyness. The other woman decided to speak on his behalf. "They were-"

"I am not speaking to you."

Ayame fidgeted with his kimono, which Ren believed to be loud and tasteless. "Um, 'kaa-san is sick and 'tou-san is at work." He shifted over until he was hiding behind his friend, peeking over Hatori's shoulder.

"I see. Well it was fortunate that Hatori's family had the courage to bring you in, wasn't it?" Ren stood and walked gracefully to the crib. "The three of you, come over here."

Slowly, the boys ventured over, clustering together as if they could gain strength from being near each other. At least, Shigure and Ayame clustered behind Hatori, as if he could save them from the cool stare and stern figure that was Ren Sohma. She found the picture they presented distasteful.

"Take a look at him."

Hatori was the first to peer through the bars at the squirming bundle within. Dressed in a set of blue pajamas, wrapped in a blue blanket, and set on a blue mattress, it was very obvious to him that the baby was a boy. The child gurgled some incoherent thought in baby-language and Hatori pulled away so that the other two could peek at him.

Ayame and Shigure looked at him together. Ayame reflected on why blue was for boys and pink for girls, since he thought pink was a rather lovely color, and Shigure wondered what was so terribly interesting about a baby that he had to be dragged out of the house, stuffed in uncomfortable clothes that were now beginning to itch.

"What's his name?" Ayame risked glancing up at Ren, his curiosity and flamboyant nature overriding the shyness he had been struck with upon meeting the dark eyes of the head Sohma.

"Akito." The response was curt.

Ren's voice seemed to startle the infant, as he suddenly began to wail rather loudly. Shigure clutched his ears and winced, complaining that their Kami was too loud and smelled of too much talcum powder. Ayame jumped with a squeak and retreated to hide behind Hatori's father, peeking out with a worried frown at the thing that was making so much noise. Hatori quietly followed.

The attendant, who had remained silent and virtually unseen at the side of the room, hurried forward and scooped the child up. At an impatient sign from Ren, he hurried out of the room through a side door, taking the infant, and the noise, with him.

"This audience is over." And with those words, the three boys, two fathers, and one mother hastily took their leave.

--

"Man, that was boring. Who cares about a baby, anyway?" Shigure kicked at a rock, frowning as it bounced a few feet away before disappearing in the long grass. He huffed and sat next to his two friends.

"You were once a baby," Hatori pointed out.

"Yeah, but I bet I was cuter. Don't you think so, Ayaa?"

The blonde, who was occupied with arranging a pile of dandelions, looked up and nodded fervently. "Yes. And not so loud." He finished with the weeds and placed the slightly lopsided crown on his head with a smile.

There was a moment of silence as the two brunettes stared at Ayame and his new accessory, smile never faltering as they did so. "So," Hatori said at last. "What now?"

As if waiting for this very question to be asked, Ayame shot to his feet, hand raised into the air. "Oh, I know! We should play house." Satisfied, he retook his seat.

"House?"

"Yes. I'll be the mother, Hatori can be the father, and Shigure can be the baby."

Appalled, Shigure wrinkled his nose. "What?" He tackled Ayame and began to tickle him mercilessly. "There's no way I'm going to be your baby." The snake, who was now a fountain of bubbly laughter, had no retort.

"I agree with Shigure." The dog stopped his assault to look at Hatori, relieved that someone was on his side. With a small smile, Hatori continued. "Because my kids would be better behaved."

"You both suck," Shigure whined. "Why can't I be the crazy uncle or something?"

"Because," Ayame said reasonably, pushing Shigure off and sitting up to fix his hair. "If you were the uncle, you'd have to babysit and I don't think you could do it."

"What? Of course I could! I'm very responsible." Shigure crossed his arms with the look of a petulant toddler.

"You'd fall asleep and the house would burn down because you left the stove on."

He shook his head fervently. "No I wouldn't."

"Would too!"

"Would not!"

"Would too!"

"Would not!"

"Would too." Ayame and Shigure, who had been poking each other and shouting as loud as they could, stared at Hatori, who was smiling. Ayame soon pounced him in delight, while Shigure was left to glower at his so-called friends.

"I would not. And I'll prove it. Someday I'll have a million babies and look after them all way better than anyone else." He spread his arms wide, indicating that the small stretch of lawn they were currently holding their conversation on would be his house.

There was a pause and all three broke into fits of laughter, trying to imagine Shigure looking after a bunch of infants successfully. Wiping tears from his eyes, Shigure admitted that he didn't want too look after any kids, as they were too loud and he'd much rather spend time with his friends.

"At least that's settled. But what should we do?" Hatori wondered, plucking stray pieces of grass from his hair.

"I still say we should play house." Ayame grinned, placing his dandelion wreath atop his head once more. Shigure sighed.

"Fine. But Hatori's the baby."

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Twill: It's official. For now, as things get going, this story is going to be more about the growth of everyone, instead of blinding, shocking moments that define the characters as how we know them now. I mean, Akito's still a newborn. There's no way anything can happen yet...

Ayame: Review and request the appearance of your favorite character next chapter!