Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Hi Hi Puffy Ami Yumi characters;they belong to good 'ol Cartoon Network. Any characters you've never heard of,however,are MINE! (evil laugh) Also,as usual,this is based off of the animated Puffy Ami Yumi,not the actual people.

Also,the orginal lyrics to ''Jack's Lament'' (from the movie The Nightmare Before Chirstmas) belong to Touchstone Pictures.

Author's Note: This is a story I've wanted to do for a while but never got around to it. A lot of the inspriration for this came from Luminous-Kyo's story ''Haunting Of A Purple Sakura Tree.'' So...ummm...kudos to Kyo I guess.

I heard the rather annoying pitter-patter of the rain falling on the bus but it didn't bother me at all as I laid back on my bed with my hands behind my head,thinking about where we were all going. We were heading for Osaka,my hometown. I'm sure you're thinking that I'd be glad to be going there. Well,you're wrong. You couldn't be more wrong.

''Yumi!'' Ami called from the livingroom.

''What?''

''We're here!''

''Uhh...okay! I'm coming!'' I shouted back to her. I got up from the bed and went into the livingroom,scowling.

Kaz was driving the bus down the streets. Ami and I looked out the window as he drove but we couldn't see very well because of the rain falling down on the windows.

Kaz was about to drive down a road lined with trees and not much else. When I noticed this road,a shock went through me and I ran over to him.

''Kaz,turn around. Now.''

''Why?''

''Just...just turn around! Geez!'' He turned the bus around.

As we drove around looking for a place to park the bus for the night,I spotted a large,run-down hospital building. The minute I looked at that building a scene registered in my mind. A scene from years ago...

I opened my blurry eyes and glanced around the room. I looked up a bright light on the celing that blinded me somewhat for a second or two. I wailed loudly at this and the next thing I knew I heard glass breaking,then someone pulled me close.

''No,no,stop it,calm down. Shhh...''

I looked up and saw someone with long purple hair,brown eyes,and glasses. This was my mother,Keikai.

A man with blue hair,blue eyes,a red shirt with a blue tie,and blue pants approached us. The man was my father,Boshi.

''Here,Keikai.'' Father said, ''Let me have a look at my little boy.''

''Umm...actually,Boshi...it's a little girl.''

''WHAT?'' He shouted. I started to wail a little bit but Mother calmed me down again.

''Don't shout like that,Boshi! See what you've done!''

''You know as well as I do that only a boy can carry on the family name!'' He turned away,pouting.

''But...will you at least look at her?''

Father said nothing.

''Boshi!''

That got his attention. He looked at me. I could tell he wasn't happy.

He looked away and sighed. ''What are you going to name her?'' He asked in a bitter tone.

Mother looked at me and thought this over. ''Yumi.'' She said.

Father looked at me and nodded in agreement,then walked off. Yumi,Yumi,Yumi,I thought. What is a Yumi? Then it became clear. It was me.

I sighed as I thought about that day. Father had despised me ever since,although I didn't realize it until years later.

Neither Ami nor Kaz nor any of my fans (except Harmony) knew about that. They didn't really need to know.

Kaz parked the bus. Ami went back into the livingroom and watched TV. I went into my room to find my little black cat,Jang Keng,sitting on top of my bed.

I ignored her as I looked out the window at the starry sky. I then looked at all of the stuff on the walls of my room with pride.

''There are few who deny that what I do,I am the best,for my talents are renowned far and wide!'' I sang. ''When it comes to surprises in the moonlit night,I excel without ever even trying. With the slightest little effort of of my rock star charm,I have seen sane folks give out a shriek! With a look in my eye and the sound of a guitar,I have swept the very tamest off their feet!''

I sighed. ''Yet,night after night,it's the same routine,and I grow so weary of the sounds of screams. And I,Yumi,the rock goddess,have grown so tired of being the best.'' Jang Keng hopped up on top of the dresser.

''Oh,somewhere deep inside of these bones,an emptiness began to grow. Troubles abound here all through my home,the trials that I've always known.''

I looked Jang Keng in the eye. ''I'm a master of might,and a star overnight!'' I raised my fist,''And I'll strike before you get the chance! To a guy in Kentucky,I'm Mrs. Unlucky,and I'm known throughout England and France! And since I'm the best,I can lick all the rest,when not quite up to expectations! No animal nor man can sing like I can...'' the windows broke,''with the fury of my recitations!''

''But who here would ever understand that the goddess of rock with her sly old grin,has troubles so profound...if they only understood,I'd let it all go if I only could.''

''Oh there's an empty place in my bones that can't hold back the pains I've known. The fame and praise come year after year,does nothing for these empty tears.''

I laid back on the bed the same way I did eairlier that night.