Author's Note: This story is going to be another long one, so be prepared! I am super, uber excited for this one. Please check out my twitter: /cornerofthesun so that you can get updates from me on all of my writing and what's coming up! Enjoy.

-Echo

Chapter One- Kyo's Pov

This was going to be a horrible day. That was the first thought that crossed my mind as soon as I opened my eyes this morning, coming into consciousness to hear the pattering, of rain. And now, I was at school, it was raining, I was tired, and the teacher, was late. Wonderful, I just know I'll be cheerful today.

Everyone was out of their seats, laughing, joking with each other, playing cards, while I sat at my desk, my head on my arms, trying to sleep. But it was impossible with Uotani behind me, talking happily with Tohru. Hanajima was out sick today, a cold; so many people had it, the cold winter months finally taking their toll.

Ten minutes later, the teacher poked her head inside. "Sorry everyone, I'm going to have to ask you to stay here for about ten more minutes, there's a staff meeting that's going a little long!" She then disappeared once again.

Now that everyone knew when our teacher would be getting back, they knew just how much time they had to act crazy, to make as much noise as possible, and do basically everything they couldn't do under supervision. But I just chose to take this time, to allow my mind to wander a little.

This was a rather uneventful year for the Sohma family, especially for me. Nothing new had happened, nobody new had appeared, just my regular life. Although, to others, I suppose my life was eventful all the time.

Just when I was adjusting to the noise, when it had almost begun to comfort me instead of annoy me, just as I was drifting off, I was snapped back into attention by a wave of silence that had spread over the classroom. Looking up, I saw everyone, except for Uotani and Tohru, standing at the large glass windows, looking outside at the rain.

"What's going on?" I groaned to Uotani. She shrugged, and then she pushed her way through the crowd. I followed her, I wasn't about to be left out of whatever had caused an unsupervised high school class to be silent and line up in a row at the window.

Whispers started to wind their way amongst the students, and I only caught a few. "Looks like that kid Mika finally showed up." "From 13B?" "She was gone for two months, what do you think happened?"

Finally, when I reached the window, I couldn't see anything but the rain, that horrible weather that I despised. I growled in irritation. Why did it have to rain so much? But then, Uotani pointed to the sidewalk that led to the front of the school, and then, I saw something, something in the rain.

It was a girl; she couldn't have been any younger than Tohru or me. She was dressed in a black skirt, with a long coat, a black coat. Everything on the girl seemed to be black, but it wasn't strange or bad looking. She had pale skin, and the darkness of her clothes and long hair, that was braided down her back tightly, made it glow. And she just was standing there, in the rain. Her clothes and hair no doubt getting soaked, but she made no move to come inside. That is, until a teacher, our teacher, darted out and pulled her inside, before the girl in the rain had even a chance to move away.

Everyone looked at each other, and then everyone went back to whatever they had been doing before they had seen the girl in the rain, without a care. But I stood there, staring at the place that she had been, wondering. Before the teacher had come out to grab her, and lead her inside, she had looked up, directly at me. And I am not just saying that. Her eyes were unusual, not the regular dark brown color that was so popular. Instead, she had blue eyes; electric blue, with silver flecks scattered, and stared directly at me, just for a second, but it was noticeable to me.

And then, she was gone, led inside by our teacher.

I then went back to my desk, and sat down. I was still rather grumpy, and tired, the rain and all the noise were a little more than irritating now. I was about to get up and leave, go back to Shigure's house, and sleep all day, but the teacher chose that moment to burst in.

She was soaking, drenched in rain from head to toe, just from darting outside, and then back in after she retrieved the girl.

She sighed, looking around at everyone who was in disorder, and then she turned, gesturing for someone to come inside the room. I knew even before I saw them who it would be.

Still dressed in her wet clothing, she looked around the classroom, her expression portraying, almost irritation, and boredom. I knew that look; it was the look that meant that someone really didn't want to be here, I would know, I made that look many times before. Her blue eyes scanned around the room, looking casually at everyone.

"Class, this is Mika Ishikawa. She will be transferring to our class." The class gave a customary welcome, but the girl said nothing in return, but gave a sideways glare at the teacher, who didn't see it.

"You can sit next to Kyo Sohma." The teacher pointed to the empty desk in the back of the room, which always sat next to my desk.

Mika walked down the row of desks, and I noticed something, different about the way that she walked. It was cautious, not fearful, but light and careful. It was as if, she was trying to not tread too hard on the floor in case she set of a trap.

"Yo." I said, as she arrived at the desk next to mine.

"Yo." She said in return. Her voice was almost, cold. But not in a bad way, not in the cold, metal, unfeeling voice. Just, cold. She slid her coat off to reveal that it had been able to keep most of her clothes rather dry, and then she took her hair out of the braid, showing that only a little of it had gotten wet, the part that was exposed in the braid. It was a very smart way to get out of carrying an umbrella.

Putting her coat on the back of her chair, she sat down, and then started tracing patterns on her desk.

This was turning into an interesting day.