"You must pick one!" Xion yelled at a teary-eyed 16 year old girl. She sat upright in silk robes on a crush velvet chair. The girls usually rosy cheeks were drained, and her light gem blue eyes were dark.

"I-I don't want to," her strong appearance weakened drastically.

"The survival of this family rests upon your shoulders and your foolish behavior will not jeopardize that," The obviously larger man fumed once more. There was a silence in the dim room. The only thing that could be heard was the crackling of the fire.

"Kathleynna, go to your room we will speak tomorrow,"

She got up, bowed and left her fathers study. The modern day princess escaped to her fortress. She sat in front of the boudoir and took her feathery black hair down. She then crossed the room to a writing desk and tool out a piece of customized light blue stationary and a fountain pen and began to write.

My father is furious with me. I'm not sure what to do. He keeps yelling at me to pick one and I just can't it is to hard, help me! He's starting to scare me. I wish you were here. You'd make me feel better. It seems so long ago that I was at the grand Sohma house. I was very disappointed that you weren't there, at the ceremony, but I suppose that you have your reasons. I Remember Shigura thought one of them had sone something because I came to see them with an escort since my family is so well known. I miss there. You know there was happy and more peaceful than here. I wish I had never figured out what the whole joining of the family's thing meant. I wish it didn't have to be like this. My mother always says that I will always be happy with what my father does because all he wants is for me to be happy, but all my father wants are to save himself and keep up the appearance of his precious clan. I wish he wasn't my father. I remember when we were really close now both of my parent are ensuring their survival instead of my happiness. I don't want to pick because I will break one of their harts. I really don't want to do that. I hope for your reply Ayame, I really hope you bring good news

Wishing you were here,

Kathleynna Riley Samaha

One Year Earlier

"Kathleynna good news, I've received word form the Sohmas on a confirmation day, you will arrive on the 10th of August" Xion Samaha, patriarch of the Samaha family was by his youngest daughter Kathleynna, smiling wid. Her mother Kimiko was congratulating her daughter and the oldest Samaha daughter, Kayna was to engrossed in a book to notice anything out of the ordinary

"Riley dear," Everybody called her Riley because she didn't like her first name Kathleynna "That is wonderful news," Her mother softly stated. Kimiko was a very refined lady she was from a very old fashioned wealthy family. She was very soft spoken and didn't do anything unorthodox. She was elegantly dressed in pink silk robes that showed she was a woman of stature, her thick mane of pure white hair, that symbolizes her zodiac animal the rabbit, was pulled together in many ringlet a top her head She sat on a crush velvet armchair. Riley's father Xion zodiac animal was the dog. He had mangy looking hair roughly the color of black with hints of brown. Xion was a semi-selfish man always wanting to forward himself and his family. He stood there thinking of what to come with a stupid grin on his face. Riley looked around excitedly, she was never one to be able to conceal her emotions.

"Kayna... Kayna did you hear. I get to spend the rest of the summer and the next school year at the Sohmas! Isn't that the best thing ever!" Riley knelt next to her auburn haired sister. Kayna was the ugly duckling or rooster of the family. She had many beautiful features, but she concealed them well behind her timidness. Kayna stuck her nose out of the book to give her younger sister a withering look. Kayna was all ways jealous of her little sister, she was more social, prettier, accomplished, and smarter than her. At a young age around 5 Riley was tested and had an IQ of over 275 and was put into many colleges and got various degrees by the time she was 14 she had a degree in literature, history, psychology, physics, and biology. She got lonely at home and so her parents decided that she could go to high school this year while she was at the Sohmas. Kayna face twisted with resentment and returned to her book. Riley started to shake very hard

"Riley calm down you going to" her mother started but it was too late, Kathleynna Riley Samaha had turned into what looked like a tiger, but was relatively smaller.

"Oh Riley!"

"Servers he right" Kayna huffed.

"Now Kayna that is no way to speak to your sister!" Xion scolded. The mid sized cat sat there purring on the rug at her fathers feet. Kimiko picked up her daughter and stroked her head.

"No Riley you must try to control yourself at the Sohmas you may not get this excited while you are at that school. My child you are going there to hold up our family name please don't ruin this opportunity for the families" Kimiko set her daughter on the floor once more and in a puff of pale purple smoke there Kathleynna stood there in all her glory her pale skin glistened in the sunlight. Xion snapped around so his back would face his naked daughter.

"For Gods sakes Kathleynna! Clothes child! Clothes!" Xion bellowed. This wasn't the first time that this has happened. The Samaha and the Sohma families were very similar they were both cursed, for different reasons, that if a member, that was not cursed, of the opposite sex hugged them they would turn into a animal of the zodiac. There was one exception for the Samahas they actual had animal traits like they had the color of the animal in their hair, and like if you were a horse you'd be very fast or if you were a tiger you'd have cat traits. Even so Riley was a freak among the freak curse. She was born at 11:59 to 12:00 on March 20th they were having complication with her birth. Since the time of her odd birth they weren't sure of her zodiac animal she would be. They got a very trust worthy friend to hold her and in a poof she was a little tiger, but that was odd because instead of her having red hair she had black. As she got older her hair started getting white highlightsand there came the faithful day when she poofed again and she was a cat.

Her parents were indeed worried. They tested it and when someone hugged her she was a white tiger and when she was excited or stressed, or felt an overabundance of an emotion she would turn into a cat. Riley had strong nails that she could retract she was also very agile, landing on her feet, never one for hard labor, but staid fit non the less, she loved to sun bathe and to swim, getting that from her tiger traits, and she was a quick learner. Her father required his daughters to learn martial arts and master it. It only took Riley 1 year to be accepted as a master of the Dojo. They usually went to the Sohmas every other summer so their daughter could get acquainted with the family. Kayna was not very social so no one really liked her over their, but Riley was well liked even though she had cat in her curse. She was always doted on and admired for her beauty. She could make anyone smile even they humorless Hatori. Even though everyone wanted to play with her or just to hang out she spent her time mostly with the exiled cat of the family Kyo. She always got along best with him, much to the other Sohmas protests. Riley spent a considerable amount of time with Yuki Sohma, he boy everyone loved, and Shigura, the mischievous dog.

Riley had put on her clothes and was calming down. Her mother pulled her aside

"Riley dear that only gives us 4days to get you new clothes, you have to look extravagant to show them that are family is,"

"Mother, I don't need new clothes I have plenty"

" Well, maybe not a whole new wardrobe, but you will need new party dresses for the welcoming ceremony the summer ball, Halloween party, Christmas party, and the New Years ball, Oh and the leaving ceremony and the"

"Kimiko! We will get all that done later" Xion cut his wife off. This was one of the rare moments that Kimiko lost all her senses of how to act like a proper lady.

" Father, are you going with me?" Riley asked

"No you will go alone,"He said disappointing his daughter. She stared at him with puzzlement, she was never allowed to travel alone before, she thought something was going on, but immediately pushed that thought from her head. The next few days were very hectic she was being fitted for 6 new dressed much to her protests. She had to pack all of her things up that she would need for the next year.

Those 4 days were fast paced and left Riley exhausted every night. She didn't see much of her father those past few days he was locked in his study doing "business". Riley usually curious didn't even bother him about it. Her mother insisted that she bring all of her clothes so she had 2 traveling trunks , 3 luggage bags, and a duffle bag. The day of the trip came she was woken up very early and told to get dressed as she left her room to go the dinning hall her parents were there eating, as she sat down a maid put a plate of eggs infront of her. She was half asleep as her father asked her a question.

" Kathleynna? Did you hear me?"

" No," she yawned.

" Do you have everything ready to go?"

"Uh Yeah," she yawned again

"Riley don't yawn that is unpolite," Her mother scolded. All Riley did flutter her eyes in a yawn. Her mother shook her head while her father instructed a butler to get her bags to the car. She ate her breakfast in silence. After she was done she wasn't sure what to do so she stood there.

"Come along dear it is time to go, you're not going to be late," her father ushered her outside to the front of the house. They sky was a dark blue seeing as how it was around 4:30.

" Riley dear be good we will call you tomorrow. I Love You," Her mother kissed her

"Kathleynna you are representing your family, do not shame us child," said her father, and then he winked and helped her into the car. They waved as she began its long journey to a whole new place. She looked out the back until they house was out of sight, and she laid down in the back seat curled up and went right back to sleep.

Riley woke up from the sun gleaming in through the car window. She pushed herself up and squinted out the window they were crossing a bridge leaving the mountains. There was a glass palate in between the driver and herself. She slid the glass back and asked the driver a question.

" Where are we?" she yawned not heeding her mothers instruction.

"We are just leaving the mountains to arrive into Oushi country,"

"Oh" she said with a sigh. She sat there in silence waiting. The Sohmas lived very far a way it took about 5 hours to get to the Sohmas village. She sat there not wanting to go back to sleep, so she asked the driver another question

"Uh how long till we get there?"

"Uh about another 2 hours" Hearing the bad news she groaned and plopped back into her seat. She really didn't want to gi back to sleep or just sit there. She then realized why most people don't like to travel by their selves. She huffed one more time and concluded that it was a waste of time to whine about it. She looked at the bag she had with her in the car it was sitting in the floor. Riley quickly grabbed and pulled out a laptop.

" I knew I brought this for a reason" She said to herself. She opened it up and turned it, and waited for it to boot up. She was only amused with this for the rest of the trip she stopped when the driver announced that they were almost there. Riley put the computer away and shaded the windows. There was a large gate ahead with the letter S in golden script. Riley looked on always liking looking at the grounds. There was a large house the main house in the back of the land there was a rode way and lots of littler houses filling up the grounds. There was a fountain in the middle of the main house grounds and many gardens. Riley was feeling nervous, but she wasn't sure why she had been here many times. There was many people on the sides cheering and waving. Here, she was royalty. The driver pulled up around the back so she could dress appropriately in the traditional garb. In the back Hatori was waiting for her in his usual suit. His hair covering the left side of his face covering his eye. The driver opened the door and helped her out, and went to the trunk getting her things out. As Riley got out she smiled with joy rushed over and hugged the humorless man, and kept saying how good it was to see him again. The butlers came out and took her things in.

"Come on I'll show you to your room Master Akitos been anticipating your arrival" Hatori said leading the way into the house. They went through a couple of door to go to the room she regularly had when she visited. The trunks were already in there so she could dress for her arrival party. In her family you always dressed your best unless told otherwise.

"I'll leave you to your things please let, Naomi know if she can help you she will be right in the other room," He said referring to getting her kimono on since it was a difficult process.

"Yes thank you" Riley bowed as he left the room and closed the slide. She went over to her trunk and pulled out her brand new kimono. It was a bubble gum pink with blue at the bottom and a lime green trailing to the obi. Which was white flowers with a hint of purple. Along the kimono were spring time flowers. She pulled out a brush to run through her hair. She pulled it back in a twisted braided bun with black and white hair picks. She went over to the duffle bag and pulled out some make up to freshen up. She looked at her final draft pleased she opened the slide and peered out. She concentrated on walking seeing as how it was hard in a formal kimono normal ones weren't a problem because they were lose.

"Naomi?" she called softly. An elderly lady poked her greying head out to see Riley

"Miss Samaha, this way please Master Akito is waiting," She led her to double oak doors which she knocked on.

"Yes?" came a smooth voice

"Mistress Samaha is ready, sir" Naomi said in a nervous voice.

"Very well take her to the main doors I will meet her there," Riley swore she heard coughing from inside. Naomi escorted her to the main doors. Hatori was there with a grinning Shigure.

"Shigure!" She shrieked with happiness. She hugged the man with joy.

"dear all grown up" He said examining her. Hatori hit him on the head telling him to stop it, making her laugh. Shigure's smile faded to the presence behind Riley making her turn around, but her smile didn't fade if got larger. Akito in a black and grey yukata stood there his silky black hair in his eyes. She approached him slowly and snaked her arms around him and whispered 'I missed you' to him. He hugged her back which surprised the other gentlemen. After a few seconds they let go of each other. In unison they walked right up to the main doors as the butlers opened them. A heavenly light filled the room surrounding her. Riley, in the light, looked angelic. With her hand a top Akitos she held her chin up as a royal did. The crowd cheered for their princess had returned. Everyone here loved Riley she was never one to not include anybody making her a coveted friend among the people, and especially the higher members of the family. It was a sight to see. Though she was looking at the people she was trying to find an individual. When she didn't see Ayame a disappointing sensation filled her, but she kept on smiling. Akito leaned in and whispered something to her.

"I am going in now Shigure will accompany you to see everybody,"

"Why are you not feeling well," She said putting her full attention to Akito. She put her hand on his head to see if their was a temperature. "You're a little warm go lay down, I want you to rest, and I'll see you tonight" Riley gave him a kind smile and let Hatori escort him back in the house. Shigure walked to her and walked her down the stairs. As she said her polite hellos and how are you's to the people, making them feel important because she was talking to them.

As she was waving to the people she asked Shigure a question.

"Where is Ayame?" She asked smiling to the crowd

"I'm not sure, I suppose he's at his shop working,"

"I see and Yuki,"

"Tutoring some girl,"

"A girl?" she said raising her eyebrows

"Yes, my reaction exactly he just told me to shut up"

"Kyo?"

"Disappeared somewhere don't worry he'll come back he always does"

"I know" she said getting tired of the roaring crowd and made her way back to the house Riley waved once more and reentered the house. She let out a sigh of relief.

"Those people are so needy" she said shaking her head.

"So Riley are you excited about school you start in a week, but you have to take an entrance exam, which you don't really need," he said laughing it off "Oh I important piece of news you haven't heard. A young girl about your age is staying with Yuki and I she does indeed now about our predicament and is keeping I a secret."

"What?" She said looking shocked. "Akito let her keep her memory?"

"Yes we were all very surprised her name is Tohru Honda"

"Honda?" she laughed "what kinda surname is that where did you find her"

"Living in a tent in the forest" Shigure said chuckling. Riley burst out laughing and kept saying a tent. "It was rather funny," Riley calmed herself down

It was around 12, and still early. They decided to walk around the gardens and play catch up. Riley heard a loud noise something saying her name over and over. She turned around and saw Momiji running to her.

"Oh dear God" she mumbled letting her face drop for a second then put on a fake smile.

"Bunny!" She said with fake enthusiasm.