Hey ✿ honeybee ✿ <3

✿ First of all, let me say that I would love to help you create and manage a site, since I have a lot of free-time currently. But, also, seeing as I govern or help moderate three sites right now, I can't say how active I would really be, or how much I can really offer with fleshing out your story and helping you design something interesting. I am not very good at coding, but I know my way around Proboards pretty well if that the host you're looking to use. I could probably help with basic mod tasks at first or helping getting the site set up, but I don't want to spread myself too thin and can't promise that I will join but let me tell you... this is pretty tempting.

✿ Back in the day, I had something slightly similar to this idea. OC Zodiac, and another OC family, cursed by the elements of the world(fire, earth, air, water, fire, metal, etc.). Both were of Japanese descent and lived in present-day Tokyo or Kaibara (which is where the anime/manga canon Fruits Basket is set). In this world, like your idea, I had an Onigiri, but also had what I called the "Tarot" who was the equivalent to the Onigiri for the elemental family. There was also another outsider implemented who I dubbed the "Conspirator", who knew about the curse of both families, but were never discovered to have found out and kept it secret from everyone. It was pretty successful -- I only failed in advertising it accurately and not having enough time for it.

✿ I think your site would be just as unique! I love your desire of having an alternate universe instead of an actual Fruits Basket setting. The world should definitely be of your making, but I suggest that maybe it could borrow from original small towns and games like Harvest Moon and Stardew Valley for inspiration and locations. Maybe even a coastal place or island, with a sprinkle of asian influence? That way, you don't have to necessarily worry about nationality or ethnicity when it comes to the curse -- just that there are two families who inhabit these curses. If you find the creation of an original, fictional town too difficult, you could always pick a small town in China or Japan and go from there, since the series is based in Japan, and the myths derive from China originally. Personally, I have just always thought it would be interesting to see a furuba-based site set in America, but that is just me.

✿ As for the origin, I think what you have is good. You could even go so far as to say that these spirits were 'gods' in another life-time -- much like deities in Greek and Roman myth, with one to rule them all. Maybe one group resided upon Earth (the Chinese Zodiac), and one resided in the Afterlife or the Heavens(the Western Zodiac). That would create for a neat backstory, and people could even tie into this when describing characters.

✿ Obviously, I love the idea of having an Ophicuhus for obvious reasons cough cough, but I also like the myth that corresponds with it, and the meaning behind it. The connotation and legend of Ophicuhus is not much different from the Cat, and both share lives of misfortune and discord. Plus, you bring up the good point that Ophicuhus sounds cooler than Cetus, and tbh, it just resonates more with the phonaesthetics of the other Western zodiac (Aries, Sagittarius, etc.).

✿ I love your backstory and I take back what I said about the spirits formerly being gods. I am much more enamored with the idea of the former zodiacs being guardians. Keep that. It's golden.

✿ In all, this is a marvelous, well-thought out idea and, if my two cent count, I think you should totally go for it! It's original, with Fruits Basket elements thrown in. It's just what everyone needs right now, and I hope it becomes a reality.

✿ Feel free to contact me if you need any help!~

• Like in the source material, the cursed members will transform into their zodiac animal if they're hugged by someone of the opposite sex or if they experience hella stress. For the former, I'm planning on tweaking it a bit so that it's more open in terms of gender identity. Cursed members won't transform if they are hugged by other cursed members of their family, but will transform if they hug a member of their rival cursed group regardless their gender.
• Transformations will last for three posts from the moment it happens. The third time the cursed member replies to the thread, they'll transform back into their human state. Sticking again to the source material, they transform back naked but covered by a colored cloud.
• Cursed members attract the animals of their Zodiac; The Cat attracts cats and so on. Because some of the animals might be a bit too exotic to be seen in such an isolated little town, I was thinking about toning some down a bit. Like while Leo would attract lions, the attraction would also work the same towards cats. Communication between the cursed and the animals of their zodiac can vary between limited to holding full conversations, it just depends on the character and how often they chat with the critters!
• Continuing on the last point, whether animals appear in a thread can be completely up to the people involved in the thread. If they can't decide or for whatever reason they might have, they can also roll a dice. Depending on what the results of the dice roll are, the number of animals that appear can be as few as a handful to a whole hoard! I just might make the number that appears be dependent on a dice roll, but we'll see!
• Ophiuchus will have an equivalent of the Cat's Juzu Beads, if not just have the same thing. Should they lose or break their beads, transformation into their monster form will last 5 posts.