Book Three: The Zodiac Stone

Chapter One: Revealing the Option

Stephanie stared at the dark clouds as she neared the area where Tsukasa Nakagami's apartment was located. Earlier at school she had been handed a note by him requesting for her to meet him at his apartment as soon as possible to discuss the next step on the mystery they had been trying to solve for the past three months. As she approached the building she sighed a little barely understanding much of what they had discussed just recently. Tsukasa had revealed to her that the dreams were leading them down the path of solving the Zodiac curse and that somehow a certain journal, written by Yotaro Sohma the first rat of the Zodiac, was the key to solving the mystery. She arrived at the front door and knocked softly, but the boy on the inside heard it easily since he was waiting in his sitting room and got up at once to answer it. He smiled as he opened it, his hazel eyes shining a bit at the sight of her.

"Glad you could make it" he replied as she walked into the room.

"You did say it was important in your letter" Stephanie said back as he carefully took off her jacket and placed it on the coat rack.

"Yea" he nodded, "Well let's get started with the introductions" he replied as he led her into the sitting room.

"Introductions?" she said scratching her head but then saw another teenage girl sitting in the chair that Tsukasa usually occupied, "Oh I see" she nodded, "Wait a minute" she stopped pointing her finger slightly, "You look familiar."

"She ought to" Tsukasa replied, "I told you that my cousin was involved."

"Cousin?"

"That's right. This is my cousin Sara. Sara Takawa."

"She's the one who resembles Saki Himura" Stephanie said.

"Mhm" Sara nodded, "You're right" she stood up enthusiastically and stuck her hands behind her back as she grinned, "It's nice to finally meet you Miss Kamiya."

"Likewise" Stephanie smiled politely back as she took her seat, "You decided to come down from Tokyo?"

"I have some time off, so I thought this would be a great opportunity to come down and give Tsukasa a hand."

"The more the merrier" Tsukasa managed to smile, "Would you like anything to drink Stephanie or some type of snack?"

"No thank you" Stephanie shook her head, "I just had dinner recently."

"Okay then" Tsukasa sat down in his chair while Sara sat down on the floor and crossed her legs, "Time to get down to business" he placed on his glasses.

"Is there something more to all of this?" Stephanie asked curiously.

"Yea, as a matter of a fact there is" Tsukasa nodded as he picked up his notebook, "But I couldn't tell you anything about that yesterday, because she's got that information" he pointed to Sara who nodded in agreement.

"Oh I see. Well what is it?"

"As I told you last night, the dreams are leading us down the path to discovering at last the way to solve the Zodiac curse. However it was also revealed last night that the only way tofind out how to defeat the curse is to look it up in Yotaro Sohma's journal."

"So what's the big deal?" Sara spoke up as Stephanie lowered her head slightly, "Why don't we just find the journal and look it up?"

"It's not that simple" Tsukasa frowned "Besides we already know where it is."

"Then what's the problem?"

"The thing is, it's in Seitarou's possession right now."

"What?" Sara exclaimed again, "You mean to tell me that the Angel of death has it?"

"What?" Stephanie said a bit surprised.

"Oh" Tsukasa grinned, "That's just her name for Seitarou."

"Oh" Stephanie nodded.

"Fits don't it?" Sara replied smugly, "You've met him haven't you?"

"Um yes" Stephanie lowered her head again sadly.

"Um Sara" Tsukasa said warningly, "Remember I told you that."

"Oh my goodness" Sara gasped, "I am so sorry. Oh I am such a scatter brain" she clasped her hand to her forehead, "I can't believe I completely forgot about that" she said turning to the other girl.

"That's okay. I kind of like the nickname. It does fit him. Very well."

"Hmm" Sara nodded with a soft smile, "For as long as I have known him he has been nothing but trouble. I hate the look of his smug grin. Just once I would like to smack it right off of him."

Tsukasa chuckled and then cleared his throat.

"We're getting off the subject."

"Oops sorry" Sara said back sheepishly and turning her attention back onto her cousin.

"That's okay. Now as I was saying, Seitarou is the one who has the journal. It's difficult but not impossible to get it back."

"What do you mean it's not impossible?" Stephanie asked surprised.

"I have thought about this all night" Tsukasa continued, "Going over the details in my head. I came up with a bunch of ideas but only one, as much as I hate to admit it will work" he replied his eyes furrowing a bit because of his uneasiness, "It's gonna take a lot of pretending to be something that we're not."

"Huh?" Sara said, "What do you mean Tsukasa?"

"Not you" Tsukasa shook his head, "But me and Stephanie. And maybe even Katsuya Sohma too."

"Kaye?" Stephanie replied, "How does he get involved in this?"

"I wrote it all down" Tsukasa said with another frown as he tore a sheet of paper from his notebook and handed it to her, "Look it over and tell me what you think" she took it gently from him and began to read.

"How come I am being left out of the loop?" Sara complained with a frown of her own.

"Hold your horses" Tsukasa replied as he watched Stephanie's expression as she read, "You'll get your part too, I promise."

"I better" Sara said in huff as they both looked at the other girl's eyes go up and down the piece of paper, her face becoming ever more worried.

"Well" she replied slowly as she came to the end, "It is a well thought out plan but."

"I know" he nodded, "It's risky. Very risky."

"However, you have thought of everything. I can also see how you would need Kaye's help. Some of the details are a little disconcerting to me I will admit, but under the circumstances I think it could work."

"You do?" he said back surprised.

"Yes. Provided we tell Kaye about this. I don't think we could pull this off without him."

"Yea. I'm sure of that too. But do you think he would agree to something like this? I mean it goes against all of us."

"I'm sure if we ask him he might consider it" Stephanie said nodding but still a bit wary.

"Hold the phone" Sara interrupted again, "Can I ask a question?"

"Yes what is it?" Tsukasa asked her patiently.

"You guys keep talking about a Katsuya Sohma. How do you know a Katsuya Sohma Tsukasa?"

"How do I know him?" Tsukasa blinked and then chuckled a little, "Haven't you been paying any attention Sara? Miss Kamiya is his girlfriend. That's how she's involved."

"Huh?" Sara looked at Stephanie quizzically.

"Mhm" Stephanie nodded, "That's right."

"Oh. Oh I get it now. I just thought that you were involved because of the dreams and the fact that you're family, distantly."

"Well I am" Stephanie agreed, "I can't still understand why I am but I have also been Katsuya Sohma's girlfriend for about a year and seven months now."

"Oh I see. So she likes a Sohma too" Sara thought afterward, "That makes sense" she replied, "No more questions."

"Good" Tsukasa said, "So" he replied turning back to the other girl, "What do you want to do?"

"We have to talk to Kaye first" Stephanie insisted.

"I agree," Tsukasa nodded, "But how? Where should we meet? I mean we could meet here."

"I don't think that's a good idea" Stephanie shook her head, "And the library's no good either."

"Yea, you're right about that" Tsukasa nodded with a frown.

"What's wrong with the library?" Sara asked curiously.

"Well the last time we tried to meet there, Seitarou was meeting up with the Ushida brothers."

"Oh" Sara frowned this time, "What does that mean?"

"It means something is going down and soon. I only hope it's not" Tsukasa began as he stood up slowly.

"Not what?" Stephanie asked.

"It's not important yet" Tsukasa shook his head, "Right now, what we need to concentrate on is getting that damn journal back."

"All right" Stephanie nodded; "I will talk to Katsuya tomorrow and ask him to meet us" she trailed off as she thought.

"Where?" Tsukasa asked interested.

"My house" Stephanie replied, "It's the perfect spot."

"Huh?"

"It really is. It's quiet and there's no way your cousin could ever find about our meeting that way."

"That might be true" Tsukasa agreed, "In fact it is the best place."

"Kay" she nodded and stood up, "I got to get home now. I will see you at school tomorrow Tsukasa" she replied as she moved toward the door and he opened it for her, "And I will be sure to tell Kaye to meet us after school is over."

"All right. Have a safe walk home" he nodded as she walked outside.

"Nice meeting you Sara!" Stephanie called as she waved to the girl who was now standing behind her cousin.

"Bye! Bye!" Sara waved enthusiastically back as Tsukasa closed the door with a sigh, "Uh huh" she smiled, "I thought so."

"Huh?" he stared back at her confused, "Thought what?"

"You like her. Heck I go so far as to say that you're in love with her."

"Uh. Would you knock it off? It doesn't matter" he moved past her.

"Because she's got a boyfriend?"

"No it's not just that. It's other things too" he sat down.

"Hmm" Sara looked at him sadly, "Well I'm never gonna be like you" she turned her back to him and looked at the ceiling.

"Huh? What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, I am never gonna let the one I love get torn away from me."

"The one you love?"

"Mhm. I have loved him for so long. And now it's time he knew it" Sara smiled softly to herself, "Incidentally" she replied catching his attention.

"Hmm?" he looked up.

"Are you going to let me in on this little plan of yours?"

"Oh I'm sorry" he nodded handing her another piece of paper, "I have another copy."

"Thank you. Okay let's see" she began to read, "Oh my" she said when she finished, "This is some plan. Are you sure that you can pull it off?"

"Sara" he replied, "I got to do more than just pull it off."

"Hmm?"

"I got to be so damn convincing that I will even scare myself."

(Next Scene)

The next day as she promised Stephanie asked Katsuya to meet her and Tsukasa at the school gate so they could walk to her house together. He agreed and after the days end they walked to her house Kaye pondering in his head about the importance of their news. He had felt a bit left out by the whole dream scenario but now it seemed that they were finally letting him on it so he felt a small sense of relief. Tsukasa was amazed at the size of the house and the fact that the kids lived on one side of the house and the adults on the other. As Stephanie went to get the boys their refreshments he commented on this very thing to Kaye as they sat in the sitting room.

"Yep" Kaye nodded, "That's the first thing that I noticed too."

"Okay, you guys" Stephanie replied, "Here's your tea" she added as she handed it to them.

"Thanks sweetie" Kaye grinned, "So what do you guys want to talk to me about? It's got to be about the dreams at least?"

"Well" Tsukasa nodded, "Kinda. And yet not really."

"Huh?" Kaye looked confused.

"The dreams are over Katsuya and I admit it has been hard to figure out what they meant, but I think we have a pretty good understanding of what. However to be sure, we need proof."

"All right" Kaye raised an eyebrow as he continued, "What kind of proof?"

"A book."

"Book?"

"To be specific a journal."

"You mean like the cat's journal?"

"Sort of Kaye" Stephanie nodded, "Except this journal belonged to Yotaro Sohma. The first rat of the Zodiac."

"Wait a minute" Kaye interrupted them, "Did you just say Yotaro Sohma?"

"That's right" Tsukasa nodded.

"How did you know?"

"Know what?"

"Just recently" Kaye replied, "My father and Uncle have been going up to Tokyo to do research in the Sohma family archives. To be specific actually they have been looking for that very journal in the Zodiac archives up in Tokyo."

"You're kidding?" Tsukasa said stunned as Stephanie's eyes became wide.

"No. My mother just told Sakura and I just recently. They stopped because they can't find it."

"Well, that's probably because it's not there" Tsukasa replied lowering his eyes.

"How do you know that?"

"Because Kaye" Stephanie said, "We know where it is."

"You do?" Katsuya replied excitedly, "Where?"

"It's" she began.

"Wait a minute" Tsukasa interrupted.

"Hmm?" Kaye looked in his direction.

"Why is your family searching for it?"

"I'm not really sure. But I think it has something to do with the Zodiac curse and the Ushidas. What do you know about it?"

"Not very much" Tsukasa replied avoiding his question slightly, "We need it to see if we're correct about our own theories. Which comes to the reason we asked you here today."

"I'm listening."

"Stephanie and I both know where that journal is. The problem is it's in a hard to reach place."

"Hard to reach place?"

"Seitarou has it" Stephanie filled in.

"Se, Seitarou Nakagami!" Kaye exclaimed.

"That's correct" Tsukasa nodded, "Stephanie said she saw it the last time she was imprisoned there."

"Who's to say he has it now?"

"Oh trust me he does."

"Well that sounds almost impossible" Kaye crossed his arms angrily.

"Almost yes" Tsukasa agreed, "But not completely. Stephanie do you still have that paper I gave to you?"

"Mhm" she nodded, "I have it with me. This is Tsukasa's plan Kaye" she replied handing it to her boyfriend, "The plan to get the journal back. Read over it and tell us what you think, because it won't work unless you agree to help."

"All right" he said with a nod and began to read.

As he read the two of them watched him. His eyebrows furrowed a couple of times. When he came to the end of the paper he placed it down silently, picked up his teacup and took a small sip, then raised his head to look at them both directly.

"Well it's dangerous" he replied.

"I know" Tsukasa nodded.

"And you're okay with it?" he asked Stephanie.

"Yes" she nodded, "Parts of it do make me nervous. But if it's the only sure way to get the journal back, I want to do it."

"It does have to do with the Zodiac curse doesn't it?" Kaye asked softly.

"We're not sure," Tsukasa answered.

"Well then, if you're both okay with doing this, I think it is the best option we have at this point."

"You're really okay with it?"

"A lot of it I don't like" Kaye said, "I'll admit that. But I think it is the best thing to do right now. If we can get our hands on that journal it might be the answer to questions we have been looking to answer for a long time."

"Exactly what I was thinking" Stephanie smiled taking his hand.

"So we're gonna do it" Tsukasa replied a bit nervous but then facing Kaye, "But you do realize that you can't tell anyone else about it. Just the three of us can know. It won't work otherwise. You can't tell your sister or Reiji or anyone. Are you okay with that?"

"Yea" Kaye nodded, "I understand. I won't tell anyone. I know you're right. It won't work otherwise. And the three of us" he added, "Are gonna have to put on the best show we have ever done."

Stephanie and Tsukasa nodded but frowned as well as the three of them became silent once more contemplating their next move.

(Next Scene)

Yuki Sohma walked into the restaurant for a late afternoon lunch and sat down at a booth. As he picked up his menu a woman walked past and her cell phone dropped from out of her purse. Yuki spotted and picked it up.

"Excuse me miss" he called out, as she turned around stunned when she saw him, "You seemed to have dropped this."

The woman's eyes became wide at the sight of him and on her lips she whispered his name almost trembling.

"Yuki?"

(Till Next Time)

Authors Note: Hello everyone! I am back with the last book of Curse Renewed! It's a long one for you too so I hoped you enjoyed it!

Next time on Curse Renewed:

Chapter Two: Second Chance at Love

Yuki, Kagura, and Reiji Sohma all have something in common. Amongst the impending danger that is lurking around the Sohmas is there a chance for these three people to find that special someone? Find out next time!