The landing in the newest world was softer than our others, to say the least. We landed in a small, misty meadow.

"Well," Miranda said, standing. "This place is pretty nice."

"Plenty of water for ice alchemy." I said bluntly.

"You don't get it... look at this place. It's so beautiful!" Miranda said, turning her back from me and throwing her arms apart. "Or are you sulking about leaving Fai?" She asked, turning back to face me.

"...they say there's someone for everyone, right?" I asked. "That's just in one world. What if... for each world, there's someone different you want to spend your life with?" I said.

"You can only REALLY be with one of them." Miranda said.

"No, I can't!" I yelled. "Because we have to go back home after this whole damn thing's over! What are we gaining from this, besides finding your sister, who apparently doesn't want to be found, 'cause she's runnin' all over the damn place to avoid us?! And why the hell did she give ME the damn amulet?! You're the one searching for her, YOU should have it! But, no, the stupid thing won't come off!" I screamed.

"Haydn..." She muttered.

"NO!" I shreiked. "NOT ME! There's NO happy ending for me! I fall in love, over and over again, and my heart just keeps breaking, soon, I won't HAVE a heart! It'll be THAT shattered! DAMN IT!" I cried, falling to my knees.

Miranda looked hurt for a minute, then her expression turned dangerously serious. "If I had known you felt this way the whole time... I'm sorry, but I can't comfort you. I can't change your opinion about my sister, or take the amulet from you." She said. "But I CAN leave you alone. You won't have to deal with me anymore. One less burden for you." She said, stalking off into the woods.

I sat alone, sobbing, suddenly wondering why Alphonse hadn't landed with us, when a slightly feminine voice rang out.

"It seems like the last thing you need right now is to be alone." It said.

My head snapped up in surprise. "Wh-who's there?!" I shouted.

A boy stepped out of the bushes, his silky brown hair hanging down to his waist, and donning a pink kimono. He carried with him a basket of what looked like healing herbs. "I'm Haku." He said. "Are you alright?"

"No." I said. "I'm not."

"Hm, I guessed as much when that other girl stormed past me in the woods, mumbling about a "Stupid bitch"." He said.

"So that's what she really thinks about me..." I said. "Have you seen my twin brother? He looks alot like me, but his hair's longer? I need to find him and get out of here." I said.

Haku shook his head. "I haven't, sorry. Look, you don't look like you're from around here. do you need a place to stay?"

"Yeah, that would be nice." I said.

"Come with me. I hope Zabuza doesn't mind." He said, taking my hand. A shiver ran down my spine, and I yanked my hand away.

"Sorry..." I said, faking a smile as he stared at me, confused. "I can't get in too deep... I can't let it happen again." I thought.

"Well... let's get going, then." Haku said, smiling at me.

We arrived at a large, shadowy, mansion-like house, shrouded in the forest by large trees. Haku gently took my hand.

"You probably don't want to pull away this time." He said gravely.

I didn't jerk away. In fact, I moved a bit closer from fear. There were large, dangerous-looking men staring at us from almost all directions, some glaring at Haku, some staring pervertedly at me. I took hold of Haku's arm, and he rested his free hand on top of mine. He led me into a plain, unexciting room with a single bed in it. On the bed was a man, darker than the rest, but wounded.

"Zabuza... I brought a girl..." Haku said.

"Haku, we don't have time for your hormones and girls." The man said sternly.

"N-no, it's not hormones!" Haku stuttered, blushing. "She was alone, and she was crying, and she didn't have a place to stay, and-"

"What is that?" Zabuza asked, eyes on me now. "On your neck."

"This?" I asked, gripping the Mayoke. "I-it's a family heirloom. It's a necklace that belonged to my great-great-great-great grandmother's grandmother." I lied.

The man smirked through the many bandages he wore. "You're lying." He said, reaching towards me "Give it to me... give me... the Mayoke!" He growled.

I stepped back, putting an arm in front of me, as if to sheild myself. "H-Haku..."

"Do as he wishes." Haku said sternly.

"I-I can't!" I cried. "It doesn't come off..."

Haku reached for my neck, for the Mayoke, but was blown across the room in a flash, slamming into the opposite wall.

"Haku!" I cried, starting to run toward him. Zabuza's hand latched onto my arm in an iron death-grip, and I shreiked.

"That's quite an interesting necklace you've got there." He said. "One who's powers could be very useful. I'll make a deal with you: You stay with me, and use that Mayoke whenever and wherever I tell you, and you can keep your life." He said darkly.

I froze, eyes wide. "Miranda... Al... anyone, please, help me!" I thought.

Zabuza's hand flew up to my throat in a flash. "So what's it gonna be? You serve me? Or I kill you and take the damn thing myself?"

"I-I'll help." I said. "I'll work for you."

He released my neck slowly. "There's a good girl." He said, smirking again. "Haku, take her with you. She'll stay with you." He ordered.

"Yes sir." Haku replied.

As soon as we got in the hall, I took off, running at full speed down the hallway. I found a balcony of sorts, that overlooked an ocean, and sat down, staring out at the view.

I felt something cold, sharp at my neck. "You can't escape." Haku's voice said from behind me.

"I wasn't trying to." I said. "I keep my deals, forced or not."

The cold feeling left my neck, and Haku sat next to me. "Why did you run?"

"I needed someplace to go to think about my situation." I said.

"How to get out of it?" Haku asked.

"No. I told you, once I make a promise, I try to keep it in anyway I can." I said. "What about you? What'd he force you into?"

"He didn't." Haku said. "It was my choice to come here, with Zabuza." He said. "When I was very young, I discovered that I had a Kekkei Genkai, a bloodline trait, that only my clan carries. I got it from my mother, so my father didn't know. The villagers, including my father, feared those with Kekkei Genkai, and so hated them as well." He said, pausing to breathe in.

"My father found out. He killed my mother, and when he tried to kill me, I instinctively used my ability, killing him and all the villagers. I didn't know where to go, or what to do. Then, Zabuza found me. He said that if I worked for him, if I was his tool, then I could stay with him. I could live. It was my choice to make. And I chose to come with him. He trained me to do things I never could have done on my own. I became a Shinobi." Haku finished.

"A...killer? An assassin?" I asked, shocked. "That's the kind of life you want to live?"

"I want to live my life serving Zabuza." He said. "I am his tool. Nothing more."

"That's wrong!" I cried. "People aren't tools! You can't just use them, and throw them away when they're broken!"

"Really?" He asked. "It seems that's what your friend did to you."

I froze, about to slap him, when I stopped. That WAS how it seemed. Miranda had stuck with me to hop across worlds, then left me alone in the woods when I had broken down and cried.

"I'm sorry." Haku said. "That was uncalled for."

"No..." I said. "You're right... she just used me to get around, then tossed me aside when she was done." I said, tears leaking. "Thats... all I am to her. I stupid bitch who happens to have a magical, world-hopping amulet from her sister."

Haku wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me closer. "Go ahead and let it out. It's alright."

I nodded and began sobbing furiously into his kimono, muttering from time to time that I was just a piece of trash (LOL Ulquiorra!) He would pat my back softly and say it was okay. By the time I was done, the sun was resting atop the seawater, colors of all hues blazing across the evening sky.

"Done?" He asked.

"Y-Yeah." I stuttered. "Thanks, Haku." I smiled, planting a peck on his cheek without thinking.

I jerked back, and we stared at each other, wide-eyed, for a few minutes, until Haku relaxed, his eyes returning to normal size. He leaned over and placed one on my cheek.

"You're quite welcome." He said, leaning back. "Now, let's get to our room."

"OUR room?!" I exclaimed.

"It WAS mine, but Zabuza said you stay with me, remember?" He smiled.

"...Oh. Yeah. That." I said, blushing furiously.

"C'mon." He said.

"OH!" I yelled. "I was wondering... what's your bloodline trait? I mean, what's it do?"

"...We'll save that for later." He said, still smiling. "Let's go."

"...Yeah." I smiled, following the young boy to our quarters.

Somehow, I liked the ring that the "our" gave that sentence.