Hello and hope you enjoy my story. Is re-edited for the better, I hope. Review if you wish. Thanks and read on.

Prologue

The early summer sun beamed brightly down through the windows of a deep mahogany house in the center of Japan. On the mailbox was the painted words "Haiyaki". Birds sang loudly to wake the residents of the sleeping household, calling to each other with chirps or signature calls in greeting. Outside in the small garden watering brush and small colored flowers was a young girl, no more than thirteen years old. Long light brown hair scattered about her shoulders like a blanket, emerald happy eyes shining with the serene joy it held while listening to the birds hummed a happy tune. Garbed in a baby blue sailor top and navy blue skirt, she slipped into the back door of the house as she finished with the plants.

Placing the empty water can she used aside near the door, she headed for the kitchen when someone called for her. Giving a sigh at the kitchen door she turned toward the voice impatiently.

"Coming mom!"

Walking to the room across from where the kitchen was, she peered inside to find her mother shuffling through drawers of messy placed papers. Dark brown hair pulled into a tight bun with strands falling across of face, green eyes alert and narrowed told the young girl her mother must of been late for work. Stepping in the office carefully knowing well if she made her mother late then she already was, she would be in a foul mood when she got back. Turning the women smiled in delight at her daughter then beckoned her closer. Spinning around looking for some papers again she opened her mouth to give her daughter some instructions.

"Mina I'm in a hurry since I just got a call that I'm needed downtown. So since I won't have time, help your father cook breakfast, feed Neko then wake your brother and sister. Do you have that dear?" she asked. Looking over her shoulder to find an empty doorway said all. Grabbing her bag she turned off the light to her office and head for the kitchen. Rushing in to grab some coffee she saw Neko eating his catnip under the table while her husband, Seto, was handling breakfast at the stove. Leaning over she kissed his cheek. Seto turned and kissed her back then looked behind her to see Mina setting the table. He smiled and watched his wife rush to pour some coffee.

"Late again Maioko?" he asked while turning a pancake over.

"Yes and if I don't hurry my paycheck will suffer because of it!"

"You and your paycheck," Seto murmured low, poking at another pancake then slipping it onto a plate. "Really I don't know if I married because of love or because I needed someone to manage money so we can put food on the table."

"Seto, don't you start with me. I don't want to argue right now. " shot back his wife who looked up as Mina carried the cat out of the kitchen . Clicking her nail hard on the counter her daughter looked up.

"Mina, did you wake your brother?" she asked impatiently. Mina shook her head.

"Your sister?" Another shake of the head.

"Well go wake them up. Please?"

Not saying anything the young girl put the cat down then sprinted upstairs. Maioko sighed and gripped her coffee tighter when her husband gave her neck a light kiss from behind then a gently squeeze on the arm. Closing her eyes she sagged against him for a few moments to look up into his brown eyes slowly.

"I know what your going to say. Take it easy on Mina. Can you blame me if I'm like this when I put work before my children?"

"No I can't blame you but you can always work on it before it starts sending the wrong message. A very wrong message you don't want. When you say children do you mean here or at your dojo miss instructor?" Seto advised as he snaked his arms around her waist in a way of comfort as he leaned down to kiss her fully until she pulled away reluctantly smiling weakly. Pushing her along he gave her a hopeful smile then they departed to their own current jobs.

Meanwhile Mina was waking her brother up. Her eldest kin, Rio, was nineteen going on twenty since his birthday was coming up for luckily their parents were able to get him into college. He teases her a lot and usually how they finish is with a indoor spar match. The two were equal but the young girl is outmatched by her brother's strength. Mina crept into the Rio's room just in tome to see him fall off the bed. Hiding a giggle, she grabbed the blanket and threw it off the older sibling, his messy hair sticking out in all directions showing he slept pretty hard.

"Onii-chan breakfast should be-ack!" The girl dodged a right kick. Glaring at the foot she retreated to the door only to be scolded the whole way.

"You chibi squirt, you are going to get it! Once I get my hands on you I'm going to literally make you pay. Pushing me off the bed and --"

"Rio stop yelling and get your butt out here!" came a angry voice, no doubt female.

"The food is getting cold son, " came Seto's voice. "I don't want you all late like you mother was."

Reina ,who had yelled earlier, was up and cranking-no cranky! Similar to her mother only more sensitive, she always supported her little sister and would usually pick on Rio if he picked on Mina. She was sixteen and in high school. Also knowing martial arts like her sister and brother, it was a must in their family. Although she knows such arts, Reina would rather practice kendo and fencing. Sometimes she would during the weekends give lessons to Mina whom caught on quickly. Everyone soon sat down for breakfast.

Once breakfast was skimmed through quickly, everyone went to either work or school. Rio got on his bike and headed off to college. Reina and Mina were given rides to school with Seto by car. Their father was designer for a software company called 'Aztec'. Their mother, Maioko Haiyaki was a martial arts' instructor who transferred between several different schools. And Neko the cat? Out on the prowl with two or three birds on the door step.

Luckily for Mina today was Friday, the last day of the week and not to mention school. She had been waiting all month for today because Seto was taking the whole family to see the Sakura blossoms bloom. After that, the family would have a picnic under the beautiful pale colored flower trees to celebrate the time of their blooming on what they called, Hanami.

Unknown to the family as they pulled out of the drive way, a shadowy figure watched from afar. The deep brown eyes narrowed as it watched like a hawk carry the humans off to their current occupations, off to their daily lives. For some reason, Mina had an urge to look up into the tree's and with that motion she met the shadows gaze but the car was also moving so she lost eye contact abruptly. One the vehicle was gone, the figure started to fade away then vanish completely with the spring wind.

To be continued...

So how was that? A little better? So I threw it around a little more I am a happy it won't be so confusing and out of format. A lot of errors in the previous version but excuse them. I do hope I showed the readers a better beginning then the other I had before this one. That one was down right---crappy. Sorry but it was. I'll be working on the other chapters soon. At least the ones that need major repair. Wish me luck!

!-!-!Kitani!-!-!