Tovara: Hey I'm finally back and I got another chapter for Fruits Basket!
Kyo: … Took you forever to update rat.
Tovara: I'm not a rat! I'm a horse, just like Rin. (sticks tongue out)
Yuki: Don't pick on the author you stupid cat.
Kyo: (glares at Yuki) I might have another rat in the house.
Tovara: And what is your point exactly Kyo-sama?
Kyo: WHICH means I don't have to take his crap.
Yuki: Is that your great comeback? That's worse than Tovara's ability to remember thegrocery list.
Tovara: Let's just get the chapter started. I fear it'll take forever to get to.
Yuki: Disclaimer.
Tovara: I don't own Fruits Basket, or their characters, but . . .
Kyo: But?
Tovara: But I do own my zodiac characters!
Yuki: Read before Tovara-sama gets a swollen head from her bragging.
Chapter 2: Sibling rivalry and Kinto visits.
Alex threw the book she was reading straight at Amy's head. Amy, unfortunately, didn't dodge it, which made the book leave a nice lump on her head. "Don't start a fight rat." growled Alex as she surged up from the chair, her body tensed and coiled ready for battle. "Wanna fight tiger or do you just want a nasty beat down?" hissed Amy getting in a combat crouch. Alex gave an evil laugh. "Is that your great comeback? Oh, a heaven, if that's a comeback, then by all means. Here, I'll make it easier on you. I'll tie my left wrist to my right foot making this fight even. Happy?"
Lilly walked in between them and stuck her ands out in both their directions.
"Don't you two dare try to destroy Shigure-san's house!" snapped Lilly slightly glaring between the two girls. Tohru was scared to death. She looked like a real tiger and she acted like she was just going to kill Lilly's disruption. Alex growled low in her throat and went up the stairs. A soft thud of a door shutting followed later, telling the others that she had left to her room to cool off. Amy gave Lilly a nasty glare, but stayed silent. "Lilly . . . by any chance these two girls rivals?" asked Shigure.
"You can say it is, but it is more sibling rivalry than just plain rivals. Since I'm older, she and I just act like and fight like cat and rat." said Amy in a tight tone. Liz gave Amy a sympathetic look. Amy gave a long glare at the stairs before she gave a defeated growl. She went outside ridged and left without a word more. Yuki went to follow her, but Lilly cut him off. "Leave her alone Yuki. She needs to cool her head like Alex. Just give her some time and in no time those two will be back to their normal selves, well as normal as this family has come to know." said Lilly
Liz plops in the chair and sighs. "Alex and Amy are the only two who fight in more than one form. Verbal, physical, and some times emotional. The Emotional fights are extremely rare. Alex, unlike Amy, is stronger, faster, and smarter. She always wins against Amy." said Liz. Yuki looked at Lilly. "I hope it's a girl thing to fight like that, yet I never new a tiger and a rat to fight like a cat and a rat." said Yuki. "You would be surprise what goes on in our family." said Lilly. Liz snorted at her sister comment. Lilly glared at her. Liz mumbled and excuse and ran up stairs to avoid her sister's parental snap. "Lilly? Is there something we don't know?" asked Yuki giving her a suspicious look. Lilly gave a nervous laugh.
"I'm going to prepare dinner. Leek soup and many other dishes." said Lilly as she hustled away. Shigure sighed and motion the three teenagers to sit. "You really want to know what Lilly is not telling you?" asked Shigure. Tohru looked at how Lilly was acting towards her. As if she wanted to tell her something but something was keeping her at bay. "There are four branches in their family. Hiri, Noni, Suri, and Mori. What Lilly can't tell you is that her family is cursed like ours, the Sohma family and her family has always been good friends. Now they have moved into our homes because something has happen." said Shigure.
Yuki narrowed his eyes and glanced at the kitchen for a second, then back at Shigure. "And what exactly happened Shigure?" asked Yuki. Shigure gulped and looked at Tohru. Yuki and Kyo paled. "Their head?" asked Kyo. Shigure shook his head. "No. Someone who did know about their curse was . . . eliminated. Without even knowing who or what, Lilly's family head, Kinto Hiri, asked Akito to shelter his family till he knows what happen to the innocent. So, expect Kinto to visit tomorrow to check on how they were dealing with the death." said Shigure.
Tohru looked at Kyo and Yuki with concern. "So someone was trying to scare Kinto-sama's family into leaving?" asked Tohru. Yuki looked at the floor. "It's more of a statement. Outsiders are not allowed. We are currently looking at every single family member that wasn't cursed. They are the prime suspects. Someone had a grudge against our 'friend' and Kinto will find out who. When he does, we'll be out of your hairs." said Alex. Yuki looked at her.
Tohru got up. "Aren't you grieving? What about your friend's death? Doesn't that bother you at all?" asked Tohru. Alex gave a sadden smile. "I am. Everyday, I think 'What if he never found out? Would he still be alive? Will he still be my friend?' Trust me, I still can't look in a mirror without trying to punch it in. Bad habit I have since his death." said Alex. Tohru gave her a sympathetic look. "So, earlier was you and Amy's way of venting out your sadness? Taking it out on each other?" asked Yuki.
Alex gave that same sad smile, a smile that Tohru hoped to get rid of. "Better be mad at each other than crying our eyes out like Lilly is doing in the kitchen right now." said Alex. Shigure went into the kitchen to check up on Lilly. A knock at a door made everyone jump. "I got it." called Liz. Amy walked in and sat down and gaze out the window.
"Kinto!" yelped Liz.
Amy and Alex looked at the door way to see Kinto, Alex's older brother. His short black hair fell in waves around his girlish face. His sapphire eyes held sadness and warmth, and he acted as if he was one with his family. He gave Tohru the perception that he actually treated his family normally, and did not threaten them with fear, like Akito did.
"So you're Miss Honda, no? Pleasure to meet you, and thank you for accepting my two little sisters." said Kinto. Alex looked away and she looked like she was one the verge of crying. "Oh, no! It's an honor meeting you Kinto-kun. Shigure and Alex told me what happen to the last person who learned the secret. What will happen to me?" asked Tohru. Kinto gave a wry smile. "Nothing. Akito has you, and Sky was ours. If Sky's killer attacks you, they will bring the wrath of the Sohma household on their head." said Kinto. Kyo glared at him. "How long will they be here?" asked Yuki.
Kinto gave another wry smile. "Till I capture the traitor."
Tovara: Like the cliffhanger?
Yuki: That's not how I predicted how the story was going to unfold.
Kyo: I thought it would be funnier, not so damn depressing and dramatic!
Tovara: (huffing) I decided at the last second to give it drama. Besides, it's still going to have the funniest, it'll just be serious when Kinto comes into the picture or Sky is brought up.
Kyo: Who is Sky?
Yuki: The dead guy, obviously you didn't read the story.
Kyo: (glaring) No! I mean, what is he to the girls?
Tovara: (grinning) That's much later in the story. Besides, I have to introduce the new members of the female zodiac in the next couple of chapters.
Yuki: Let see. So far we have a rat, a tiger, a snake, and a dog.
Kyo: Forgot the god.
Tovara: Who do you want to meet next? Nene? Mono? Oh! How about Dina!
Kyo: (puzzled look) umm? Who are they really?
Tovara: Pick a name.
Yuki: Nene and Mono.
Tovara: Okay!
Kyo: Wait a second! What zodiac are those two?
Tovara: You'll find out in the preview.
Chapter 3: The rabbit and Cow come to school.
You think black Haru was bad, wait till Tohru and the gang meets the even moodier Mono Suri and the hyperactive Nene Suri. Will the gang get used to the constant strangeness of Kinto's family or will they two newcomers show them that ever family has a few nuts that fall further from the tree?