Hey, look, another BH6 AU! I couldn't decide between the two ideas I had because they were both sounding so fun to write, so I just went, 'Heck with it. I'll do 'em both!' And I am. So without further ado, here's the beginning of the A Familiar Tune universe! Again, please favourite, follow, review, etc.!

Prologue: In Which We Will Ask Many Questions

The unmistakeable sounds of a chase echoed down an alleyway beneath one of San Fransokyo's lesser transport stations. Along with the pounding of hurried feet and the usual shouts of 'Come 'ere!', 'Get 'im!', and 'Oi!' from the hunters, the hunted could be heard having what seemed to be a rather intense argument as they fled their pursuers.

'Well, that went well, Hiro! Didn't I tell you that this was a bad idea? Didn't I?'

'Yes, Tadashi, you did! Now since you can't get tired or caught anymore, could you please find me somewhere to hide, preferably in the next sixty seconds!'

'Alright, alright! Fine!'

'To be fair, Hiro, he did tell you that "hustle the same suspected oni a second time to see if he snaps" was a very foolish plan.'

'Oh, not you too, Satsuki! Aren't you supposed to be on my side?'

'Not when I think you're wrong!'

'Argh! This is ridiculous!'

'Hiro! Over here!'

Ducking into the side alley his brother was waving from and diving behind a stack of crates just in time, Hiro Hamada held his breath as Yama's henchmen ran by, their raccoon-dog tails just visible via Sixth Sense as slight movements in the air behind them.

There was silence for several minutes after the noise of the grunts vanished.

Hiro cautiously poked his head out from between two boxes. 'They gone, Satsuki?' he whispered. The young kitsune conjured a ball of foxfire and surveyed the alley. 'Yes.'

'Good. Time to get back to the Lucky Cat. I need to deal with this' – Hiro indicated a large scratch showing through a tear in his sleeve – 'and then ask Obaasan for advice on how to depower an oni that's spent a little too long in the First World.'

He noticed Tadashi's withering glare and shrank a little. 'Sorry about all this. In hindsight it was a pretty stupid idea.'

'Yes, it was.'

'And your job is to give me useful counsel, so I should probably listen to it.'

'Yes, you should.'

The walk back to the café was marked by a distinct lack of conversation. Tadashi was still somewhat angry with his younger brother, and Hiro was exhausted from all the running. Satsuki was, wisely, staying quiet.

They were back upstairs and waiting for a reply from Obaasan when Tadashi finally broke the silence. 'All things considered, otouto… that could have ended much worse. You did alright.'

'Hey, at least we proved our theory,' replied the younger Hamada, repairing the tear in his coat. 'Yama is most definitely an oni.'

A more comfortable silence reigned for several minutes, before the older boy spoke again. 'How did you manage when I was gone, doing all of this?'

'I didn't.'

'What? What happened? Were you hurt?'

'Calm down, haha niwatori. I mean I didn't do anything.'

'You mean… you didn't even visit Obaasan?' Tadashi was horrified that his little brother had been that depressed.

'No,' said Hiro, tying off the thread. 'All I could think about at the funeral was… if I stepped through the Second Gate…'

'Would I be there, with a big smile on my face, going "psyche!"?'

Hiro gave a short bark of laughter, but there was a hint of bitterness behind it. 'And you were. Though I had my doubts for such a long time.'

Tadashi smirked, before growing serious again and settling into a seated position. 'Tell me.'

'What?'

'Everything I missed.'

The small boy dropped his gaze, and Satsuki, sensing his discomfort, clambered onto his lap. Hiro wrapped his arms around the tiny foxchild and thought about how best to start.

Because you always had to start from some kind of beginning…

haha niwatori - mother hen