DDL: So sorry for the really late update. I was having trouble again.
- muffle noises heard from closet -
Reina: What was that?
DDL: What was what? -steps in front of closet -
- more muffle noises -
Julia: That?
DDL: Nothing...
Review thankings :
Behindsadeyes: I'm gald you enjoy my story. thanks for the support.
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- Shigure's House -
Tohru, Kyo, Yuki, and Haru sat around the table as Laharl and Julia did their best to explain about the Western zodiac while Reina watched their expressions.
"Alright, lets try this again. I'm the Leo from the Western zodiac and well, I'm sort of the leader or something like that." Julia used hand motions to try to give it more vision.
"I'm the Sagittarius from the Western zodiac. We came from Greece and then we moved to America. Our leader, Vilente, sent us here to Japan to help Reina." Reina rolled her eyes and decided she didn't want to hear anymore so she left the area.
"You see," Julia sighed "like the Chinese zodiac, we have a thirteenth member too. Like the rat and the cat, the Aquarius and the Ophiuchus, our thirteenth member, are in conflict with each other." Julia paused, unsure of what to say next.
"Reina, however, is best friends with the Ophiuchus even though as the Aquarius, she knows it's wrong. Reina met the thirteenth member before she knew who it was. Reina refuses to give up her friendship and has grown a deep hatred towards humans. Something along this line I believe." Laharl added.
"I keep track of Reina's development of emotions towards others and when she caves in to our master's wishes, we will return home." Julia finished up.
The four took in everything slowly, but something itched in the back of their minds.
"Do you respect Reina's friendship or do you hate her for it?" Tohru asked her eyes locked on Laharl.
Laharl smiled a big smile. "Vilente sent us with Reina 'cause we're friends with the thirteenth member too. He hopes this will break our bond. We can't completely forget the thirteenth member but we can't remember its name, gender, or age. Reina won't talk about the Ophiuchus. She says it's better if we don't know. Something like that."
"Right now we wish she'd stop hating those who don't understand. Basically, humans. Unlike the Chinese zodiac none of the Western zodiac can erase a person's memory without causing major damage. When someone discovers what we are trouble follows. The only time we use the memory wipe is when a reporter finds out. Most of them go to the insane asylum or die or become mentally challenged. The list goes on."
"At least, they aren't here to take Tohru away, but this Laharl guy will be a challenge." Yuki thought to himself.
- Three Weeks Later at School -
Reina laid her head on her desk as she watched the Yuki's fan club swoon over him from behind a pole. The teacher walked into the classroom and yelled at the class to settle down. "Now, students, we have two new transfer students from America." Reina lifted her head up slowly. "Meet Marcus and Ran." Reina's eyes widen in shock and Julia gritted her teeth.
-Lunch Time on the Roof -
"I thought you were too smart to go to a normal school." Reina leaned on the rail looking off into the distance while talking to Marcus. "Why are you here?"
"For you, of course, honey bunch." Marcus's sloppy mud colored hair covered his glowing golden eyes.
Reina whirled around to look at him. "You know I don't like..." Marcus put Reina in a big hug.
"I love you, too."
"..Can't...breathe..."
On the other side of the roof Julia was having problems of her own.
"Julia, I missed you." Ran said petting a butterfly. His black hair with red highlights and coal black eyes with a hint of silver did not seem to fit his personality. He let the butterfly go and Julia backed away. His mood changed faster than Haru and everything fell into place. "Why did you leave me?" His eyes widened showing how pissed off he really was.
"I...Uh...Ah...Look Ran a butterfly." Distracting Ran she took off from the roof and ran down the halls. Too bad the butterfly didn't distract him long enough since he was not far behind. "Gotta think of something." In the far distance she could see Tohru and Yuki and Kyo talking. "Perfect." "Hey, Tohru!"
Tohru turned around just as Julia grabbed her and threw her into Ran. There was a poof sound as Tohru fell to the ground. A butterfly with one black wing and one red wing floated to Julia's shoulder.
Yuki helped Tohru off the ground. "This is Ran. The Gemini of the Western zodiac. He's got a split personality and transforms into a rare butterfly that no one has seen in ages." Julia explained.
"That doesn't explain why you threw Tohru." Kyo thought to himself.
"That is no reason to throw Tohru." Yuki replied.
"Yes, well, thanks Tohru."
Yuki glared at her. "That's not the right phrase say..."
"YUKI! YUKI!" one of the male students called. "Haru! Haru has gone mad again!"
"What? Where is he?" Yuki asked forgetting about Julia.
- The Roof -
"...Mar...cus...I...ca...n't...br…ea...the..." Reina, almost ready to collapse, tried to get free from the deadly bear hug.
The door to the roof flung open and there stood Haru. Marcus dropped Reina and turned to face him. Haru, blinded by anger, charged Marcus. Reina, catching a quick breath, jumped up and put Marcus in a Full Nelson. Marcus tried to free himself, but all attempts failed and Haru used an uppercut on him. Reina released him and they both fell to the ground.
Haru picked Marcus up by the shirt. "Where's Ran? Tell me now!" Marcus just mumbled and groaned. "Useless." Haru dropped him and turned to Reina. "Where is Ran?"
Reina pulled herself up and stared blankly into his fiery eyes. "He'll be back soon."
Haru sat down, bending his head in misery as he started to slowly turning back to white Haru. Reina took a large intake of air and stretched her muscles. "I don't know what beef you got with Ran, but if he has told you anything about Julia forget it. Ran is delusional."
The roof door burst opened and Yuki, Kyo, Tohru, Julia, Momiji, a rare butterfly came through. They looked around the area taking note that Haru was back to normal and Marcus was on the ground. Reina walked over to them and snatched the butterfly. She placed it in Tohru's hands then instructed the boys to carry Marcus' body to the nurse's office. Reina then told Julia to talk to Haru and left with the rest of them.
Julia twiddled her fingers, waiting for Haru to say something. Not wanting to waste lunch on the roof held her hand out in front of Haru. "I don't know what's on your mind, but sitting there moping isn't going to change anything."
Haru lifted his head. "Can I ask you something?"
"Yeah. Sure. Whatever you want."
"Are you looking for a way to break the curse?"
Julia put her hand down. "We got word from going way back in our history that somewhere in Japan is the way to break the curse."
Haru stood up and lifted her head so he could look into her eyes. "Stop looking." Haru placed his hands in his pockets and left, leaving Julia standing alone shocked.
- Winter by the Lake -
Reina wrapped her arms tighter around her green puff coat trying to stay warm. She was worried about Fiery. If he had no owner, he was running wild cold and hungry. When she got there, she was surprised to see Kyo sitting on huge rock looking out at the frozen pond. "Kyo." her voiced sounded shaky because she was unable to decide whether to show her true self since he knew their secret or to go on with her normal stick emotions.
Kyo turned and was shocked to see her outside. He ran over to her to see what was up. "Have you seen an orange cat?" she asked looking around.
Kyo took a step back. "She still doesn't know I'm Fiery. Crap. Gotta calm down and think." "No." Kyo replied keeping his cool.
"My sweet honey suckle vine. This is where you've been hiding." Reina stiffen as a cold shiver ran down her back. Marcus from seemingly nowhere was walking down the snow covered path in only a suit and tie.
When Marcus got close enough Kyo felt the need to criticize him. "Who died?"
Marcus rolled his eyes stepping between them. "Let's go inside, muffin." He titled her head up sightly placing a light kiss on her forehead. No matter how much Reina wanted to push him away, no matter how much she wished he was not there, no matter how much she told him she would never like him the same way, nothing worked and it seemed it would forever be so.
Marcus felt a light tap on his shoulder and turned around only to be punched in the face and fall to the ground. "What's your problem? Can't you see she doesn't like you? Being forceful isn't going to help you win her heart, asshole."
Marcus, frustrated, stared at the dead leaves on the ground feeling ashamed. Reina stepped in front of Marcus looking into Kyo's eyes. "Mind your own business." came the cold hearted words from her mouth, but her eyes said different. Her eyes told Kyo what Reina would never say aloud. "Thanks."
Marcus collected himself and sent Reina on her way home. The two boys faced each other face to face not moving an inch. "I hear you're the cat of the zodiac."
"Got a problem?"
"If I catch you near Reina again I'll rip your head off."
"You're all talk." Kyo got into his fight stance.
"Takes one to know one." Marcus countered; walking away from the fight.
"…That comeback kinda sucked…" Kyo thought to himself.
- Haru's Room -
Haru lay on his bed with one arm over his forehead. The memory of his first meeting with Ran and what he had said to Julia flashed through his mind over and over again. He was just walking to school like every other day with his bag flung over his shoulder. He had just happened to notice that two new kids were walking in front of him who he later discovered were Ran and Marcus.
He was drawn into their conversation when he heard them mention Julia's name. Haru couldn't catch the whole conversation on the account that they were whispering, but what he did pick up was that Julia was rumored to be searching for a way to break the curse and that they were suppose to keep everyone from the cat.
"Rin...I'm so sorry..." Haru shed a single tear that did not even amount to the sum of sadness filling his heart.
- Tohru's Room -
Julia lay on her bed throwing a bouncy ball into the air. Tohru sat on a chair carefully combing her hair. "Tohru," Julia held the bouncy ball to her eye. "You've heard both sides of the curse. Do you think they're connected?"
Tohru put her brush down and closed her eyes. "Maybe. Anything is possible."
Julia bit her lip preparing herself for the next question. "Do you want to break the curse?"
Tohru walked over to her bed and lay down. "I think everyone wants to do that."
"Not Haru..." Julia whispered.
Tohru averted her eyes. "Once upon a time there was a girl named Rin. She was apart of the Chinese zodiac. She was also very sickly. She searched and searched for a way to break the curse not letting her body heal like it should have. She died before finding the way."
"I don't und — I see." Julia tossed the ball into the air. "Haru was in love with Rin. He's worried. I wonder if she left any notes behind. Wow, I just totally forgot about the Haru thing there for a second. Sorry Haru. I'm so close. Can't give up now."
Reina: -gets into battle with DDL -
Julia & Haru: - pulls open closet door - OMG KYO!
Kyo: - tied to a chair with a sock in his mouth. -
Marcus: leave him.
Ran: JULIA! -chases Julia -
DDL: - pined to the ground - GET OFF!
Reina: -victory grin- Hope you enjoyed.
Laharl: -unties Kyo -