"Aika, Miki-niichan is coming home in minutes. Could you puh-lease finish sweeping?" Minoru called out from the doorway, but he was smiling.

"Occhan, I'm going I'm going!" I yelled back. "No need to rush Aika-chan! She'll get it down in no time!" He stuck out his tongue at me. I winked back at him. He must be feeling better for once, he was in a playful mood. Poor Minoru was always under the weather. It's been ages since he was all playful like this.

"Sohma-San! Ah, gomene!" I heard yelling. It was a girl's voice. I dropped the broom and ran along the path to find The girl who screamed.

What I found was a girl with strawberry hair on the ground, clutching Miki-niichan's school clothes. She looked very upset, near tears. "Gomene gomene gomene!"

"What's wrong?" I piped up. The girl jumped a bit. She obviously didn't hear me coming. She wouldn't make a very good ninja. "Where's Miki-niichan? Did he transform?" I hope he transformed. that would be fun. She looked surprised.

"You know?" she asked quietly. I bobbed my head yes.

"I'm Aika-chan! Who are you?"

"Oh, I'm Amaya Ebasi. Nice to meet you." She extended her arm. What a weird time for a high five. Nonetheless, I gave her one. She laughed a little when I did.

"So, where is Miki-niichan anyway?" She got real big eyes after I said that, that's for sure.

"Ah, gomene Sohma-San! I forgot! Gomene!" She fished him out of his school clothes. She looked at me, and I knew what she was thinking instantly.

"Follow me!" I skipped off into the trees, darting between branches and jumping over roots. She seemed to do a pretty good job following me. Maybe she'd be an okay ninja, but still not a great one.

Then I thought of something really funny that I just had to say. "Hopefully he's not already DEAD!" I called back cheerfully. I don't think she thought it was all that funny. But maybe it was because she didn't think it was a joke.

I skidded to a halt at the edge of a small pond, next to some veggies occhan had planted. He was so silly, planting and making ponds when he was sick! Amaya-chan almost fell into me. No wonder Miki-niichan transformed!

"Gimme!" I yanked Miki-niichan out of her hands. I threw him in hard as I could. Occhan always said I had a good throwing arm, and that I should play baseball. But I guess Amaya-chan wasn't expecting me to be so good, because she looked all worried again.

"Is he...freshwater?" She asked like she didn't know how to say it.

"Of course not! He's a seahorse. SEAhorse! But this ought to be better than him trying to breathe air!" We sat there for a minute.

"Look Aika-chan! A butterfly!" She said brightly. She went stumbling after it. It landed on the leaf of a maple tree and she cupped her hands around it. Slowly, she walked back to me. She knelt down so we were eye level, and opened her hands, showing me her prize.

POOF! I giggled. "Miki-niichan, you have the worst timing when it comes to changing back!"

He glared at me. "I'll get you for this one, you dumb rabbit!" He jumped on top of me and started pulling at my hair. I have really pretty hair, it's long and wavy and blonde. But Miki-niichan always uses it against me!

"Owies Miki-niichan! That hurts! Stop!"

"What did you chucked me for?!" Miki-niichan always gets so angry after he transforms back, he likes to be big again though because then he can always hurt me to get pay back for all the fun I have while he's transformed. He's so mean!

Then I smiled. I thought of something else that was really funny. "You're naked in company!" I sang out. He froze, and looked up at the girl, his face turning pink. She was staring up at the sky though.

"Rabbit...? Aika-chan is the zodiac's rabbit?"

"Yep! I'm the Rabbit-chan! Amaya-chan, don't you like rabbits better than baby dra-ouch ouch stop!"

"Sorry Ebasi-san. This rabbit just gets on my nerves." He smiled at her. Her face turned red. She could hear the smile in his voice, because she never even glanced at him. Did Amaya-chan love Miki? It looked like she loved him. But he's so dense!

"Let's get back to the house already. Aika, can you go get my clothes please?" I was about to start complaining, but then Amaya-chan started talking.

"No, it's my fault you transformed, Sohma-San. I'll go get your clothes."

"Don't call him Sohma-San! Call him Miki like the rest of us!" She glanced at him for a second, making sure not to look anywhere but his face, and he nodded.

"Call me whatever you want." She smiled like she achieved something great. Then she sped off to get to the trail. Suddenly the air got all serious.

"How long?" I asked, my voice quieter and less happy. I felt quieter and less happy.

"How long what?" He asked blatantly, avoiding my eyes.

"You know. Until you make her forget." I didn't just feel less happy, I felt sort of sad. All my friends had to forget. I didn't like to think about it. But this girl, though she may not be a ninja, she seemed to be fine with the thought of us transforming. Was something wrong with her head? Occhan told me about crazy people. Was she a crazy person?

"I can't. There's something about her, I can't make her forget." He still looked anywhere but at me.

"Good. I don't want her to forget." He looked into my eyes. His eyes were full of regret. They were the color of tears. I hated his eyes. They made me want to run and hide. "I know. I know she has to. But, I'm just glad...not yet."

He nodded a little, but I knew he must want her to remember too. I think...maybe we all did. Maybe this was what we all needed. A little sanity to balance out the madness of our lives. Or maybe, if she is a crazy person, a little insanity would be enough too. Maybe. But then again, with us, everything's just that. Just maybe.

Maybe.