Ariel- Aoi Twelve
Mari Nine

Annika- Akaru Fourteen
Koyo Nineteen

Daisy- Mikomi Seventeen
Tama Fourteen

Gloria- Meiyo Fourteen
Sachi Seventeen

Hope- Natsuki Fourteen
Eizo Fifteen
Faith- Kirio Fourteen

Maggie- Shinju Seventeen

Madelyn- Naosu Thirteen
Kimiko Ten
Yumi five

Usagi
Gemmei- Thirteen

Are we cursed?

Fourteen-year-old, Meiyo Aino, combed out her beautiful, long orange hair. She had been doing a lot of thinking over the past couple of weeks and it was beginning to get her down. Sachi either spent is time making fun of her or hanging out with Koyo and Eizo. Minako had been too busy with an upcoming festival to realize that her daughter was slipping into a lonely state. Akaru, Aoi, Naosu, and Natsuki had become incredibly inseparable. It seemed that at least once a week the girls were staying the night at someone's house. Akaru had invited Meiyo, but Meiyo seemed to find an excuse suitable for the girls. Akaru hadn't thought much else about it.

Meiyo set the hairbrush down and ran her fingers through her hair. She gazed out her window to see what everyone else was up to. She could sometimes see the other kids playing together outside. Kirio, Eizo, and Koyo were all playing kickball together. Shinju and Mikomi were sitting on a blanket trying to study. Unfortunately, for seventeen-year-old Shinju was finding it difficult because she kept glancing over at Koyo. Just about everyone knew she had a crush on Koyo; she had since he came to the Palace, but she couldn't get up the nerve to go and talk to him. Meiyo wondered if Koyo knew that Shinju liked him.

Meiyo walked away from the window and collapsed onto her bed. She wanted so badly to know what her future looked like. She wanted to know everything. The love of her life, her child, and so much more. She knew she was being silly for thinking so much about the future, but she couldn't help it. And the desperation to know more was beginning to kill her. Ever since she had found out about her baby sister she had been dying to know more. She wanted to know why everyone waited so long to get pregnant again. And she wanted a glimpse of her own child and perhaps the love of her life.

Artemis came into Meiyo's room and pranced on her bed. He put his claws on her stomach and dug in. Meiyo shut up and pushed Artemis off her bed. "What'd you do that for?"

"You need to go outside and get some fresh air. it's the weekend." Artemis lectured.

Meiyo grabbed a hold of her pillow and clung onto it. She brought her knees up to her chest and glared at Artemis. "You're not my mother, so leave me alone."

"What is wrong with you? You're so snappy." Artemis shook his head.

Meiyo turned away from Artemis and stared, angrily at the wall. She loved Artemis, but he had interrupted her thoughts. Perhaps, if he had came at a better time she wouldn't have snapped at him.

"Fine! I see that you want to sulk, so I'll leave you to it." with that Artemis turned and left. Meiyo smiled and laid back down on her bed where she began to daydream about her future once more. She imagined her dream guy and how he would comfort her when she was down. She yearned for affection and wanted it badly.

There was a knock on her front door. Meiyo groaned and got up. She took the pillow she had in her arms and slung it across the room before she walked out of her bedroom door. She opened the door to find Akaru standing with Stardust next to her. Meiyo tried hard not to show her annoyance as she invited her best friend into her house.

"How is your paper going?" Akaru asked and her eyes moved across the extremely clean house. Akaru was slightly impressed that their quarters was so clean and tidy. It usually wasn't. With two pranksters living under the same roof the house had very seldom seen clean.

"Its coming along." Meiyo replied.

"Are you keeping something from me?" Akaru asked suddenly.

Meiyo's eyes widened, slightly surprised and a little bit worried. Was Akaru noticing her lies? "No, I'm not. Why would I keep something from my best friend?"

"I don't know. I was hoping you'd be able to tell me that yourself." Akaru replied a little bit harsher then intended, but she didn't stop. "I asked Kirio what paper you guys were working on and she told me her class isn't working on one. So why don't you come clean?"

"What does it matter if there is a paper involved or not? I just want to be by myself, is that okay with you Akaru?" Meiyo snapped.

"We only wanted to make sure you were okay." Stardust piped up. "Come on Akaru, we're not wanted here."

Akaru nodded and turned on her heels and went out the door. Meiyo kicked the door frustrated. She didn't understand why it mattered if there was a paper or not. And she was fine. She went back into her bedroom and took out a sheet of paper. Akaru wanted a paper, she'd give her one or-- at least write one.

To anyone that will listen,

Meiyo wrote the first line and then stopped. She had a better idea. She picked up her communicator and contacted her mother. "Mama, I'm going to the store, is that alright?"

"Of course, Meiyo darling, just be home before dark and if you run into any trouble please contact me. Ask Sachi if he'd go with you. I'd feel much better if someone went with you." Minako explained.

"Okay, when is dad coming home?" Meiyo questioned her mother.

"Not till next Friday." Minako replied.

Meiyo didn't say anything else, she closed her communicator and slipped it into her pocket. She was getting sick and tired of her dad always having to leave, but ever since he had taken up on a job outside of the palace he'd be gone for weeks. Neo-Queen Serenity was okay with it because there weren't really any big worries and she had authority over Asai's job if something did go wrong.

Meiyo gathered up her money and darted out the door. Artemis hadn't been anywhere around so Meiyo just went by herself. Sachi would make fun of her if he knew what she was going to buy and this was something she wanted to do by herself. Meiyo managed to get out of the palace without anyone taking notice. Though, she had permission, she didn't want to be bothered by anyone else.

Meiyo breathed in the fresh spring air. Artemis had been right about her needing to get outside some. She smiled and thought to herself. A small girl ran past her and straight into a mans arms.

"Daddy, I missed you so much." she cried out.

"I missed you too sweetie." the man picked up his daughter and swung her around. A woman came up, she appeared to be his wife. She kissed her husband so passionately.

"We've been waiting for you to return." she explained. "I've missed you so much."

Meiyo's eyes saddened and she quickly walked past them. How she yearned for her own father's love right now. Meiyo finally made it to the store and opened the door. She giggled quietly to herself, this was Akaru's favorite store. Although, she was now fourteen, she still loved coming to this shop. Meiyo had to admit it had some pretty neat stuff. It had every sort of stuffed animal possible, all sorts of art supplies, crafts, beads, and a lot more. Meiyo found the aisle she was looking for and began looking for what she needed. She found a gorgeous, golden flower printed Asian journal. She picked it up and saw her own reflection in it. Another reflection came up in her journal. It was her dad, she smiled and turned around to say hello to him, but he wasn't there. Meiyo frowned and held the journal to her chest. She really wanted her dad to be here with her. A tear rolled down Meiyo's face. She blinked several times, shocked that a tear had fallen from her eye. She had not cried in so long and she wasn't about to start. She wiped it away and continued on down the aisle. She decided that a new journal deserved a really good pen. She found a pack of five colorful gel pens and placed the on top of her journal.

She went up to the checkout counter and the woman rung her belongings up. "Where's Akaru? I haven't seen her in a long while."

"Oh, she's been hanging out with her friends." Meiyo replied.

The woman grinned, "Do you have something deep within you that you need to get out?"

Meiyo smiled, "Yeah, I guess I do."

The woman leaned over the counter, "Don't tell anyone, but I still write in one these. Its nice to just let everything go."

Meiyo nodded, "Your secret is safe with me."

Meiyo took her bag and headed out the door. She couldn't wait to get home to start writing. The eager to write in her new journal caused her to pick up her pace and she began running toward her quarters. Artemis, who was on his way back home, was slightly surprised to see Meiyo out. He was slightly curious as to why she was in such a hurry. He picked up his own pace and followed after her. Meiyo kicked off her shoes as soon as she came inside and ran to her bedroom. Artemis got smacked by one of her flying shoes and tripped. He shook his head when he heard the door shut, now he wouldn't know what all the excitement was about.

Sachi walked through the front door with Koyo and Eizo behind him. Artemis shook his head, he knew this couldn't be good. Three boys under one roof just didn't seem safe. Kirio was the last one in as she shut the door.

"Wow, Sachi! You're house is actually cleaner than me and Eizo's house." Kirio acknowledged the cleanliness of the house.

Sachi rolled his eyes, "Minako begged us not to act up while Asai was away. And Meiyo's taken to locking herself in her room."

"Well, Sachi, I'm sure Meiyo is dealing with her father being gone in her own way." Koyo pointed out.

"He's not dead, so I don't understand why she mopes around. She needs to get over it. She doesn't know what its like to actually lose your family." Sachi snapped.

Meiyo's door opened and she came out hot tempered. "He may not be dead, but at least I got to know my father! And you don't have any right to tell me how I should act Sachi! I'm sorry you lost your parents, but I've got to share mine with you."

"So is that how you feel? I can always move out. I'm old enough to you know." Sachi growled.

"Mama wouldn't like that." Meiyo went back in her room and slammed her door.

Koyo and Eizo cringed at the rattling of the house. Sachi turned back around to her three friends, "This is just how it is since Asai took that job."

"Sachi can you just for two seconds stop and a think about how Meiyo feels?" Koyo interjected. "Don't forget my parents aren't here anymore either, but these girls' parents are and they've never dealt with their parents being gone for a long period of time."

"Except for Shinju. Which, it kind of sucks for her more I think. Sure she's always grown up with her mom going away for months and her dad going on Missions and what not, but she doesn't have any siblings." Kirio reminded the guys. "There's always that emptiness that fills your heart when someone you love has to go away."

"Or when their ripped out of your life for good." Sachi said curtly. "Now what does everyone what for a snack?"

"Pizza rolls." Eizo exclaimed. Kirio and Koyo agreed. Koyo was deep in thought about Shinju. He couldn't imagine having your parents there, yet having them so far away from you all your life. Koyo's eyes saddened; Shinju's mother had been gone for three months so far and her father had been on numerous business trips since then. Koyo was about to say something, but decided it'd be best if he said nothing at all. Sachi was bitter about the topic so Koyo kept it to himself.

Meanwhile, Meiyo was writing away in her new journal. She had manage to fill up three pages so far. Most of it was written out in a rage toward Sachi. She wrote the last line, "…Sometimes I wish he'd just die."