The house in Ukiyoe Town reminded me of the flat I had lived in with my mother, but on a grander scale. It was the staircase that made the difference. Broad and sweeping, it led upwards to bedrooms, music rooms, libraries and a secret hidden conservatory which housed a tame Amazon parrot.

The bird belonged to my grandmother and in the first few days when I was finding my feet, he provided consolation. His name was Oscar, and he had the uncanny habit of imitating the telephone. Sometimes when I was down the hall, I would rush to where the ringing was coming from, only to find the bird sitting on top of its cage looking pleased.

It was Oscar who provided the bridge between me and the Keikain family. I had come to Japan in the depths of despair. My mother was in the hospital, and as if that wasn't bad enough, her pushy father Hidemoto Keikain had stepped in and sent me to Ukiyoe town with his granddaughter, and my cousin, Yura, who would now be protecting me from the yokai after me. I had always been home-schooled, and would have been contented to stay at home till I died, but Hidemoto had to interfere. Now all I had to look forward to was a dreary grind at the town's public school.

Grandmother had been very decent about getting me in. Apparently, finding a place there hadn't been easy, but I could have cared less.

These people had no right to take me from my home. If I had stayed in Kyoto, I would have been able to visit my mother every day. I could have continued on with my studies. But nobody trusted me to look after myself. That was the worst thing of all. Nobody believed I could do the one thing I had been doing my whole life.

I thought of all the years I had spent looking out for my mother. For an onmyouji from the Keikain house, she was incredibly ditsy and forgetful. She hadn't been very keen on me interacting with the members from her side of the family, too, and so I had only met a few of them. I knew I had lived a sheltered life, but that didn't mean that I was totally useless. I looked after my mother too. I told Hidemoto all this when he announced the plan for me to go to Ukiyoe with Yura, but I might as well have been talking to myself. He had taken his decision, and my mother, the betrayer, had gone along with it. All that remained was for me to pack my bags.

I wished that my father was still around. Then maybe Hidemoto wouldn't have insisted I go to Ukiyoe… But my father was dead. There was only me, my mother, and my grandmother left.

And that was that. I was twelve and I had to do what I was told. What I didn't have to do though, was put a good face on it. I sulked in the first class train carriage all the way to Ukiyoe. I refused the lunch. I ignored Yura's repeated attempts to (try to) talk to me in favour of cursing at my mother's side of the family. By the time we got off the train, she and I weren't speaking at all.

Things got worse when we were at school. Everyone topped to stare at me and Yura the moment we walked in through the door, and as soon as lessons let out, everyone swarmed around my desk, chattering noisily.

"Welcome to Ukiyoe!"

"Do you like it here so far?"

"Want to hang out after school?"

I refused as politely as I could, and practically ran for the door, nearly bumping into a bespectacled brunette along the way.

"Ow!"

"I-I apologize!" I cried, speaking for the first time since I'd come to town. "Are you unharmed?"

If the boy was puzzled by my formal way of speaking, he didn't show it, choosing instead to smile easily at me as he shook his head.

"No, I'm fine."

"T-That is good to hear…" I heaved a sigh of relief.

"I'm Nura Rikuo. It's very nice to meet you, Miss Keikain." He held out a hand, and I shook it, wondering why that name sounded warm and familiar.

"It is a pleasure to meet you as well. I am Yohime." At the sound of my name, a puzzled expression flashed across his face.

My eyes flickered across his face, studying the warm brown eyes and smile. Then crimson replaced the brown, a cocky smirk replacing the smile.

Who are you? Have we met before?

You can see me?

Should I not be able to?

An interested look crossed the young man's face as he shifted from his perch in the frothy pink sakura tree. His eyes of blood glittered as he studied me with the same curiosity.

You are one interesting human. I've never met one able to see me like this. And you smell… Like something nice.

What… Are you? Are you after my blood like the others?

No, that's disgusting. You'll find out eventually.

With an effort, I managed to pull myself back to the present, remembering that I was in a classroom full of students.

"I-I should get going now," I smiled hesitantly at him. "My grandmother is expecting me home."

"I see. Well then, I'll see you tomorrow!" With a last wave goodbye, he walked toward a blue haired girl, who was studying me curiously.

"Waka, did something happen?" I heard her ask as she walked away with him.

Why is she addressing him as 'young master'?

I shrugged it off, and headed home with Yura, mulling it over all the while. We were both silent as we walked down the darkening streets, and I hoped we would be able to get home soon. The streets were nowhere to be after dark.

As if to confirm my thoughts, a blonde man approached Yura and me, leering. His hair was so obviously bleached, and the darker roots were showing.

"Hey there, little ladies. No need to look so glum! Why don't you come hang out with us?"

"I-I refuse!" I stuttered, fear clouding my thoughts like a blanket.

To my surprise, Yura pushed me back. "Cousin, get back!"

I did as I was told, clutching nervously at my school bag. Descendant of Keikains or not, I was no fighter, which was why I had to have a guard with me at all times.

We watched in mute horror as his face morphed into that of a rat's ugly mug.

"Yokai." We both chorused.

"Cousin, you should run. I'll clean up here." Yura slid her frog purse out from under her sleeve. "Get to the house. There are wards there, right?"

I nodded, hesitating.

"Are you…"

"Go." Her tone indicated that there would be no room for arguments.

Shooting a last, anxious look at Yura, I turned and tried to run past Blondie, who was apparently the leader. But physical activity was not my strongest suit, and he reached out to grab me around the waist.

"R-Release me at once!" I demanded, struggling to break free.

I heard Yura groan.

"Please let me go!" I settled for trying to hurt him in any way I could: Kicking, elbowing… None of them had any effect, only serving to annoy him.

"You're not in any position to be making these demands." He hissed, bringing his furry face up to mine. "So just be a good little princess and shut the hell up."

Before I could make myself clear on what I thought of his idea, he dealt me a sharp blow to the back of my head. The world faded to black, and I faded along with it.

Okay, so I kind of screwed up the timeline a bit to fit it into my story. Rate and review, please! Thank you for reading!