Chapter 7: Succession… or Freedom?

The inhabitants of Shigure's house and Hana immediately traveled back to the main house to comfort the family and catch of glimpse of the Sohma leader one more time. Hana couldn't find it in herself to look at him from fear that he mind read his recently deceased mind and learn that it was her fault she was dead. The Sohma wake went on as grimly as most wakes do, with not much talk save for some choice words from Hatori concerning his love for the family. Even though the members of the zodiac knew that he caused much grief for them, they knew now that it was only for their happiness, so now they held no grudge. The zodiac members that were yet to meet Tohru also took their chance to do so during the service. Their tears were shared by all in the Sohma complex, except for the gothic girl, avoiding any and all contact, that is, until Hatori came up to her to ask a favor.

"I'd like you to come with me… take Yuki, Kyo, Tohru and Shigure with you… Akito wrote a will."

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The six of them sat down at a table recently set up in Hatori's house, with the good doctor sitting at one head and Kyo at the other. Hana and Tohru sat together, holding hands, helping each other cope with the recent event. The tension was very thick in the room, as no one expected for Akito to write a will to even the zodiac members, let alone including Tohru and Hana. Hatori decided to break the silence by clearing up something they must have been thinking.

"I'm sure you're all wondering… if yesterdays incident with Miss Hanajima led to Akito's demise…" Hana remained silent, unwilling to admit herself. "I can tell you now… that it wasn't." This surprised the entire group, grabbing more intense attention. "Well then… what was it? Do you know?" Yuki decided to ask for the group. Hatori shook his head, showing his uncertainty. "That's just it… I don't know either. He had fully recovered and was walking around only about two hours after he lost consciousness… but then, this morning… he was dead, he died in his sleep… probably from the effects of the curse." Hana then forced herself to let herself be heard, both she and Tohru relieved that she was not the one at fault. "Thank God… I didn't want to kill him… so it had no effect at all… but what… about the curse affects him?" she asked.

Hatori sighed, he never dared to even tell Kana how Akito fell under the curse, but now he knew that he had to divulge this information in order to settle the matter. "I suppose there's no use not telling you… I'm assuming you know of the zodiac legend, how God invited the animals to the banquet?" The girls both nodded. "Well… like us, Akito is possessed… but he… is possessed by God himself." This time, the girls simply looked shocked, unable of any reaction. 'Possessed by… God? How much of a burden can that be…' Tohru thought, the contents of which almost copied in Hana's mind.

"As you can imagine," Hatori continued. "Being possessed by a spirit of the zodiac places great stress on our bodies, shortening our lifetimes by around five years. However, in Akito's case… it takes an even greater toll… Akito probably would have died in the next year or two, if it wasn't now… So… now you know, but that's in the past. Now we need to read this. Bear in mind I haven't read the contents, but on the cover it listed who to invite. That is why I asked for both of you to come." He explained, talking about the girls. Hatori then fumbled through the envelope, taking out the letter inside. Hatori read it aloud as he placed it on the table for all to see.

"My dear family and friends…

I realize that this may seem incredibly strange to you, but this day's events have shown me just how blinded I've been by God's presence inside me. I have been terrible to you all, and my sins are unforgivable. However, both Miss Honda and Miss Hanajima helped me see the error of my ways, and helped me to atone. Seeing this, there may be a chance to help save us all. That being said, I must pass on my most trusted assignments over to the family. Hatori, you have been my most trusted member of the zodiac, and you care for each and every one of us, so I can see no other fitting role than to see you take over as head of the Sohma family. That being done, I must also make a confession… there is a secret room hidden behind my own. It opens by tilting back my dresser. Take the group there, and you will find all you need to know. I wish you all long lives filled with happiness among others you hold dear.

I love you all…

Akito Sohma"

The entire group was entirely lost for words at what Akito proposed in his letter. Hatori, immediately after reading, got up from the table and headed over toward Akito's room. The residents of the 'Shigure Villa' (or so the dog liked to call it.) followed close behind. Tilting the small dresser back up to the wall, they waited for some sort of sign that a passage had been opened. Indeed, as several seconds later, two panels of the tatami flooring folded inward toward the ground, revealing a staircase. Uneasy but unwilling not to see what Akito had been hiding, they progressed downward. Tohru decided to break the confused silence by asking a question that must have been aching in everyone's minds then.

"So Hatori… what does it mean if you become head of the family? Do you know?" Hatori hung his head slightly as he lead the group down the surprisingly long flight of stairs down into a dimly lit cave. "One cursed by one spirit cannot be possessed by another… if I accept, I'll have to pass on the Dragon spirit to someone else… as well as my powers." This didn't surprise them very much, except for Hana, trailing at the end of the line in the stairway, but still holding Tohru's hand so as not to get lost. 'I hope what happens here is a good thing… if so, then…' Hana's thoughts were interrupted as they reached their destination and she took in the sight before them.

In what could only be described as a shrine to the curse itself, the wall was decorated with twelve orbs arranged in a circle, each with a zodiac animal in it. Three orbs were placed inside the circle, one with the cat, another with its true form, and the other with a cross, along with an image of Akito's face. What surprised them the most was the fact that one of the orbs was empty: the rooster. "The Zodiac… but one's missing…? I met Kureno earlier today… is he…?" Shigure shook his head, but not disagreeing with Tohru's theory. "It is possible… but what does that mean?"

Shigure's question was replaced by another when suddenly, as if this strange room finally sensed mortal beings within it, began to shake. The ground next to the orbs began to shape into a stalagmite with a smaller white orb floating atop it. Kyo stepped back once, startled by this discovery. "Wh-what the hell is going on?" Yuki smirked, hiding the fact that he was just as scared as the cat. "Don't tell me you're scared…" Yuki was then interrupted by a booming voice that started to echo through the cavern.

"Who is it that enters this shrine?" The Sohma's recognized this voice, and yet in was different. It seemed to be Akito's voice, but they heard a deeper one reverberating along with the passed Sohma leaders' tone. "Akito…?" Yuki whispered softly, confused by this strange event. Hatori stepped forward. "I am Hatori Sohma, the Dragon of the Sohma Curse. I am accompanied by the dog, rat and cat as well as two girls by the names of Tohru Honda and Saki Hanajima. We are here fulfilling the wishes of Akito Sohma, the God of the curse, who recently passed away." Silence fell before the group before the odd voice sounded once again.

"Others outside of the family know of the curse? Why have you not erased their memory? Was this another order of your God?" Hatori, though just as enthralled by this supernatural occurrence somehow kept his wits about him as he responded again. "Yes, he allowed them to know… if I may ask, who are you?" Hatori asked the question burning in the minds of the Sohma's, and he instantly was given a response. "I am the spirit that possessed Akito… he tells me… that he wishes you… to be here… and for the ones labeled as 'Light' and 'Dark' to step forward."

"Light and Dark… wait a minute… I called Tohru 'the light', so that must mean…" Yuki turned toward the two girls, thinking that with Akito's influence on the voice speaking to them now, Akito must be associating Hana with darkness as Yuki had with light. "Tohru… go ahead, talk to them." Tohru's face was pale with fright despite Hana's comforting hold, that is until she stepped in front of her, bringing her back to reality. The gothic girl attempted speaking to the voice. "My name is Saki Hanajima… I am assuming I am the 'dark one' that Akito is mentioning to you?" the voice yelled back at the group startling them with its sheer volume and tone. "How do you know of this? How do you listen to my inner voice?"

Hana's power forced some knowledge from this situation, allowing the once-terrified Tohru to speak again. "Saki has power with which she can read the minds of spirits… we… were told by Akito that there was a way that this curse could be broken! Is that true?" The voice responded quickly once again, sounding more at ease with the 'intruders.' "Indeed… all you must do is place your hands on the orb in front of you. If your motives and hearts are pure, then your wish will be granted." Tohru hesitantly reached out her hand, then started to take it back. Hana grabbed it and leaned in to whisper into her ear. "It'll be okay… what do we have to lose?" Tohru smiled and simultaneously placed her hand on the orb with Hana's. A blinding light began to shoot forth, incapacitating the group.

"You are indeed the ones that touched God's spirit in Akito Sohma's body… your motives are pure. Before I leave contact with this world… I have a message from him… he thanks you, and wishes you happiness… Farewell."

The light then expanded throughout and outside of the cave, inadvertently searching for the rest of the Sohmas to rid them of their spirits. Tohru and Hana looked back to see the family smiling at them, but they weren't alone. Alongside them sat their zodiac forms, in living flesh. Hatori chuckled. "Well… now what are we to do with these?" He joked to no one in particular.

(A/N: Whoa… this came out soooo much different than I thought it was going to… but hey I wanted to add some sort of supernatural thingie to the whole curse thing. To be continued, most likely with fluff!)