Disclaimer: I never claimed them.
Japanese to Know:
Sumimasen - I'm sorry
Juunishi - Twelve Animals/Zodiac
Tadaimsau- I'm home
Okeari nasai - Welcome back
Nani - What
Chapter 17
For Our Freedom
"Kyo-kun, lunch is ready," Tohru said, coming outside. But the Cat wasn't there. "Kyo-kun?"
"Up here, Tohru."
She looked up and saw him leaning over the edge of the roof. "Ah, be careful!" she gasped.
"Will you stop worrying about me?" he snapped.
"Sumimasen," she mumbled, bowing.
Kyo jumped down to her side. "Stop cryin', will ya? I'm sorry." He rested a hand on her back. When she looked up at him with surprise, he smiled a bit.
"You two are so cute together," a man smiled. The wind ruffled his short gray hair and tugged on his gray-blue kimono.
The Cat turned and glared at him, tensing. "Don't say such stupid things!" he hissed.
Tohru blushed madly as her mind began to spin. "Shishou-san…lunch is ready."
"Calm down, Tohru-kun." He walked up to her and placed a hand on her back, steering her back to the dojo. "Come, let's see what you've made us."
The girl brightened immediately. "Absolutely no leeks!"
"How considerate of you!" Kazuma laughed. He looked back at the bristling Kyo. "If you stand there too long, your food will get cold."
Grumbling, the Cat followed obediently.
New Year's had ended, and Hokage was supposed to go home with Shigure and Yuki as promised. The Wolf, though, had no sense of time in his black cage. He was slowly being torn apart, despite his strength and will.
Shigure waved to the Estate as he pushed Yuki out the gate. When the doors closed on them, he let the struggling Rat go.
"What about Hokage?" the boy argued, violet eyes blazing.
The Dog walked passed the fierce boy. "He'll be fine for a little while longer."
"So you're going to leave him in there? Coward!"
The man turned a mischievous eye to Yuki. "The timing has to be perfect, Yuki-kun. Haa-san and Aaya are doing what needs to be done for now." He smiled. "I won't abandon him like last time."
Yuki followed the Dog. "Tell me his story," he demanded.
"His story?"
"The Wolf's story."
"Ah, that story." He sighed. "The Wolf was the Dog's older brother. Originally, God's invitation had been sent to the Wolf. But the Wolf had no desire to become part of the Zodiac. He didn't care for people, or God for that matter. So, he gave the letter to the Dog, telling him to enjoy the party.
"When God heard of the Wolf's selfless deed—though it was very selfish—he became infatuated with the Wolf. He ignored the other animals when he spotted the Wolf. This angered the Wolf. He wanted God to love the others and ignore him. So, to spite God, he swore to forever loathe God and should he fall in love his fate would be death. As to prove his point, the Wolf killed himself in front of God and the Juunishi.
"Since then, the Wolf has always been born after the Dog and has always been male, despite the gender of God."
"That's why Hokage said he hated Akito. He really meant it," Yuki mused, processing the information.
"His life depends on it."
The Rat stared at the Dog's calm composure.
"Come," he said happily, "or Tohru-kun and Kyo-kun will beat us home."
"Tadaimasu!" Shigure called as he took off his shoes.
"Okaeri nasai!" Tohru answered, appearing in the doorway. "How was New Year's?"
"I could've sworn our family got bigger," the Dog joked, hanging up his scarf.
"It was loud," Yuki replied dully, throwing his coat in the closet.
Tohru looked behind them, waiting expectantly for Hokage to saunter through the door.
"He's not coming," Shigure told her, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Not today, anyway."
"Did he want to talk with Akito-san a little longer?" she asked innocently.
He smiled softly. "Yes."
Yuki brushed passed Tohru and the lying Dog. Still not completely satisfied, he waited in Shigure's office. When the man came in, he stood.
"I want to know more," he said.
Shigure sat down and closed his eyes. "Of course you do. But Kage-kun is dangerous. He may complain that his history was forgotten, but he likes it that way. You obviously saw how defensive he got when we shared minor things about his past. You should be asking him, not me."
"You honestly think he'd tell me?" Yuki scoffed.
"He can't lie. Ask him for the truth and he'll give it to you."
The Rat shook his head. "I don't care. He's not here right now. What's his connection with the Cat?"
"The Cat? Besides being an outcast amongst the Juunishi, absolutely nothing."
"That doesn't make sense."
"Does it have to?" He opened one brown eye, and it smiled at Yuki. "Kage-kun simply doesn't care that Kyo-kun is the Cat. He doesn't care that you're the Rat or I'm the Dog. He only cares about the Curse. He'll do anything to free us from God's grasp."
"That's what Hatori meant!" Yuki gasped.
"Nani?" Shigure sat forward.
"He said that Hokage would soon die for me. That I had to wait for the opportune moment to try to change what can't be changed. That we had to wait until Hokage was dead."
"So Haa-san's tired of hiding it too?" the Dog mused, smiling and leaning back.
"You won't really let him die, will you?"
"Yuki-kun, it is the Wolf's fate to die. And Kage-kun has already made up his mind that he's going to. How he dies, though, is up to him. Kage-kun is going to die to free us."
Yuki tensed and closed his eyes tightly. "If it's at the expense of a life, it's not worth it!"
Shigure laughed lightly. "Kage-kun is going to die no matter what. Wouldn't you rather him die and release you while he's at it?"
The Rat froze, eyes now wide.
"Of course you do. But you feel terrible for thinking it, don't you? Your stomach churns for even entertaining the idea. Kage-kun's fate and curse is tied to those feelings. He's going to die for you whether you want him to or not."
Kyo tore open the door. The room's occupants looked up at the enraged feline. "Are you lying?"
The Dog frowned. "Why would I lie about my younger brother's death?"
"Where's the bastard then? I wanna thank him."
"He's trapped in a dark abyss."
"Tell me when he gets back." And then the Cat was gone.
Shigure turned back to Yuki. "How considerate of him to thank Kage-kun."
I don't own the story of the Zodiac, but I do, however, own Hokage's story. Yes, yes, yes. Tragic. I know. That's why it's under "Tragedy".