Fruits Basket: The Guardians of the Zodiac

The Plan

After running what felt like hours, Tohru stopped beside a wall, trying to catch her breath. Ahead of her was Yuki, Kyo and Shigure, they all stopped to look around for any threats. If Tohru was right... Maybe the scroll and her unanswered questions might be answered. Shigure leaned on the wall as he fans himself.

"Miss Honda... Are you OK?" Yuki asked for the forth time.

"Yes. Just confused." Tohru spoke uncertain to who to believe... She was happy and glad that Yuki, Shigure and Kyo had came to save her, but she still had Haru's words in mind...

'I can finally be first, not second, thanks to that stupid rat!' Tohru was confused, her mind was now spinning. What happened? And why? 'I'm surprised that you know about us zodiacs. We are all Somas...' Somas...

"Yuki? Can you please tell me what happened all those years ago... About the race?"

Everyone stayed silent as Kyo and Shigure turned to face their leader - the rat. Kyo turned his head away from Yuki, while Shigure just faned himself more.

"Miss Honda..." Yuki began, she stood her ground. "OK... But not here. Let's go home." Yuki gave in and nod, he knew they'll be a time when he would tell her the truth... But not now...
As they reached home and all sat down in the living area, Yuki waited for Tohru to return after making tea for all of them.

"What would you like to know, maiden?" Shigure asked as he took a cup from her tray.

Tohru sat down opposite Yuki and Shigure, with Kyo. His cat tail swished from side to side in anger and fear.

"Everything. About the race and about you, Yuki." You could almost hear a pin fall from the silent. Everyone's wide eyes turned to face Yuki, who seemed to be blushing.

"WAIT?! HIM?!" Kyo bursted out as he stood up and point at Yuki. "Don't tell me that you have feelings for him?!"

Tohru simply shock her head. "No. I was just..." Taking a deep breath she continued. Much to Kyo's joy. "Haru said something about the Somas... Is that your name Yuki?"

Yuki's eyes widen as he signed and took a sip of his tea. Not looking at her directly or even answering the question.

"Yuki?"

"Hey, DAMN RAT! She's talking to you." Kyo punched Yuki on the arm to snap him awake. Yuki eyes Kyo and returned his eyes back on his cup. Signing, he begins to answer her questions carefully...

"Miss Honda... It's true..." Yuki began as he lifted his eyes and met hers. "As you know... The zodiacs are like a huge family. Although, we are not the same kind. We are all Somas. Every animal in the zodiac order... They are all my cousin's..."

Wait! Cousin's! Every animal?! So all the twelve animals, including the cat? Are... Family?!

"Haru is the ox. And also a cousin of mine. Although, he hates me..."

"Why is that?" Tohru asked as Shigure took a sip out of his tea and Kyo rolled his eyes.

"Did your parents tell you about the folktale?" Kyo asked.

"About the race?" Tohru asked. Kyo nod. "She did. My mother would always tell me the story. Of how the rat jumped off the ox's back and finished the race..." After seeing the reactions between dog, rat and cat, Tohru begins to freak out. "It's all true!"

"Yes. Yuki here rode on Haru's back and at the end, he won becoming the king of the zodiacs." Shigure spoke gently.

"That's why he hates me. He thought I cheated." Yuki said sadly as he looked down at his feet. "Haru and I, we used to be close friends... But it all ended that day, at the race."