Dawn of Rebirth
I have come to tell a tale about children, victims of circumstance. Come and watch them grow with me. Come and watch them cope with me. Come and see if their numbers shall ever decrease. Come and meet the children, born by the light of dawn...
Profiles:
The little boys.
Name: Sou Tama
Nickname: Tama
Age: 7
Birthplace: Hakko, Konan
Family: None, all passed away.
Current Home: Cherry Blossom Orphanage.
Hobbies: Fighting with everyone else.
Short History: His mother died giving birth to his little sister,
Yuiren. He was 1 at the time. Later, his whole family died in a
fire while he was visiting Miaka. He had no living relatives and
was sent to the Cherry Blossom Orphanage.
Name: Unknown
Nickname: Naka
Age: 8
Birthplace: Unknown
Family: Unknown
Current Home: Cherry Blossom Orphanage.
Hobbies: Picking on Tama. Playing with Soi. Playing with Tomo.
Short History: He was abandoned at birth, left to die on the
street. He was found by a worker at the Cherry Blossom Orphanage
and was raised there. No one knows much about him, not even
himself. He has a pet wolf-dog named Ashitare.
Name: Seishuku Hotohori Saihitei
Nickname: Hotohori
Age: 8
Birthplace: Eiyou, Konan
Family: Mother, father passed away. He has a few handfuls of half
brothers and half sisters, but he hasn't met any of them.
Current Home: A mansion down the street from the Cherry Blossom
Orphanage
Hobbies: Gazing at himself in the many mirrors in his home.
Short History: His father had been rather rich before passing
away. His mother has little time to fuss over her child. He has
his whole life planned out for him though. He is also a very
lonely boy.
Name: Chou Nuri
Nickname: Nuri
Age: 8
Birthplace: Eiyou, Konan
Family: Little sister named Kourin. Parents have both passed
away.
Current Home: Cherry Blossom Orphanage
Hobbies: Joking around with Tama-kun and taking care of Kourin.
Short History: An thief broke into their house when Nuri-chan was
six. The thief murdered their parents as they hid under the bed.
Nuri had to clamp a hand over Kourin's mouth to keep her from
crying out. With no relatives, they were sent to the Cherry
Blossom Orphanage.
Name: Ri Chiri
Nickname: Chiri
Age: 10
Birthplace: Shoryuu, Konan
Family: None, they all died.
Current Home: Cherry Blossom Orphanage
Hobbies: Fishing and joking around. Playing with Kouran. Playing
with Hikou.
Short History: Just about everyone in his village drowned in a
flood when he was four. He was spared, but gashed his left eye on
a jagged rock at the bottom of a river. It never healed right and
so he can't open his left eye. It took his a while to get used to
using only one eye. Sometimes his calculation is off and he runs
into something. His whole village was gone, so he was sent to the
Cherry Blossom Orphanage.
Name: Myo Juan
Nickname: Juan
Age: 9
Birthplace: Unknown
Family: None, all dead.
Current Home: Cherry Blossom Orphanage
Hobbies: Playing with Shouka. Playing with Chiri. Playing with
Tama-neko.
Short History: His family was drowned in the same flood that
killed Chiri's family. He was sent to the Cherry Blossom
Orphanage after that. He has a pet cat named Tama-neko.
Name: Hikou
Nickname: Hikou
Age: 9
Birthplace: Shoryuu, Konan
Family: None, all dead.
Current Home: Cherry Blossom Orphanage
Hobbies: Playing with Chiri-san. Playing with Kouran.
Short History: His family perished with Chiri and Kouran's.
Name: Ryo Tomo Chuin
Nickname: Tomo
Age: 7
Birthplace: Unknown
Family: None
Current Home: Cherry Blossom Orphanage
Hobbies: Digging up clams, playing with Naka and Soi.
Short History: He was abandoned as well. He was found by Soi and
Naka, they brought him to the Cherry Blossom Orphanage. He is a
usually gleeful child who offers a bright smile to anyone coming
his way.
Name: Ou Doukun
Nickname: Doukun
Age: 6
Birthplace: Western Konan, Jouzen-shi
Family: Mother and older brother, both disappeared.
Current Home: Cherry Blossom Orphanage
Hobbies: Reading
Short History: He came home one day, and there was no one home.
He got rather frightened and began to cry. Tama-neko found him
and led him to the Cherry Blossom Orphanage.
Names: Bu Koutoku and Shunkaku
Nicknames: Kou and Shun
Ages: 7
Birthplace: Tenryo, Kutou
Family: Dead.
Current home: Cherry Blossom Orphanage
Hobbies: Kou - Playing his flute Shun - Playing with his cloth
balls. No, they are not yo-yos. They don't even look close to
yo-yos.
Short History: Their village was attacked, they barely got out
alive. They were found, half-dead, by Ashitare who brought them
to Nakago, who brought them to the Cherry Blossom Orphanage.
Name: Tasuki
Nickname: Genro
Age: 7
Birthplace: Unknown
Family: Unknown
Current Home: Cherry Blossom Orphanage
Hobbies: Stealing from the other kids.
Short History: He was found unconscious and beat-up by Juan. It
was when Juan found Genro that he decided to help people through
healing. When Genro awoke, he told everyone he had no family and
had been 'freaking fending for myself for the past four years'.
Now for the ladies...
Name: Chou Kourin
Nickname: Kourin
Age: 7
Birthplace: Eiyou, Konan
Family: Nuri-chan, older sister.
Current Home: Cherry Blossom Orphanage
Hobbies: Picking flowers. Following Nuri-chan around.
Short History: Same as Nuri-chan's.
Name: Kouran
Nickname: Kouran
Age: 7
Birthplace: Shoryuu, Konan
Family: All drowned.
Current Home: Cherry Blossom Orphanage
Hobbies: Playing with Hikou, playing with Chiri.
Short History: Her family perished with Hikou and Chiri's.
Name: Haku Soi Kaen
Nickname: Soi
Age: 7
Birthday: October 30
Birthplace: Genson, Kutou
Family: She was abandoned.
Current Home: Cherry Blossom Orphanage
Hobbies: Pleasing Naka at any cost.
Short History: She was abandoned at age 4, like Naka. Naka found
her and took her with him to the orphanage. She has idolized him
ever since.
~¤~
Chapter One: Be Careful What You Wish For A Lesson Often Learned the Hard Way
"Oniisama!" Kourin called to Nuri.
"Hai?" Nuri asked.
"Hotohori is visiting us today!" the younger girl broke into a wide grin.
"Hotohori?!" Nuri's eyes widened, "Let's go get everyone ready! I'll take care of the guys, you just get all of the ladies pretty, okay?"
"Hai!" Kourin replied as she rushed off. Nuri turned and ran into the boy's side of the orphanage.
"Oy! Tama! Stop fighting with Naka and fix your clothes up! Tomo, put those clam shells away! Juan, please, you can mess with those herbs later! Naaaakaaa! Get your dog out of here! Hikou! You're dirty! Doukun! Please put those books away! Genro, you're dirty too! You look really bad! Kou, Shun, please straighten your clothing! Chiri, thanks for being the only good one," Nuri was panicking.
"You look fine, Nuri, no da-ow!" Chiri ran into Naka, "Itai, no da...."
"Gomen," Naka replied, though not seeming to mean it.
"Can you at least act human in front of Hotohori?" Nuri begged. Tama cart-wheeled past her, "TA-MA!!!"
~¤~
Though the boy's side was in chaos, the girl's side wasn't much better.
"I can't believe I can't find my earrings... I betcha Tomo took them!" Soi scowled.
"Hurry! 'Niisama is getting the boys right now!" Kourin begged. That's when they heard it.
"TA-MA!!!"
"Look's like they're done," Kouran smiled.
"Let's line up!" Soi instructed.
"Yep, we'll pretend we're princess' and that we're meeting the prince of our dreams!" Kourin grinned.
"But Hotohori isn't a prince!" Soi complained.
"Yeah, and if he were, and we were princess', we would have to kiss him!" Kouran made a face, as did the other two.
~¤~
Nuri somehow managed to get everyone in a line. Though, there was nothing he could do about Tama making monkey faces at Naka. Tomo quickly stuffed his favorite clam shell in his pocket before Nuri could spot it and take it away from him. Chiri had suggested that Naka bring Ashitare with him. It turned out to be a good choice. Ashitare was very happy. He even got along with Tama-neko.
"Hello...?" a voice called from the playground.
"He's here!" Nuri gasped.
~¤~
Hotohori ventured within the orphanage boundaries.
"Hello...?" He called. A few muffled shouts answered him before his friends tumbled out.
"Hotohori!" Kourin called happily. They saw the fancy clothing he were and automatically looked down at the rags they called their wardrobe. They felt almost ashamed.
"Hello, Kourin, Kouran, Soi... Tama, Juan, Chiri, Naka, Hikou, Tomo, Kou, Shun, Doukun, Genro, and Nuri," Hotohori nodded slightly at 'Nuri', "You too, Ashitare, Tama-neko," Tama-neko 'meow'ed happily as Ashitare howled in response. Hotohori chuckled.
"Come on! It's time to play!" Soi called, dragging Tomo and Naka away with her to the swing set.
Soi squealed with chime-like laughter as Naka pushed her on the swing.
"Higher, Naka! Higher!" She pleaded. Naka grinned as he complied.
Tomo contentedly played in the sandbox, digging up clam shells he had buried the day before. Doukun chased Ashitare everywhere, giggling. Tama, Hikou, and Genro all fought over who would get to push Kourin on the swing. While they were tackling each other, Hotohori stepped over and asked is he could 'have the honor' of pushing her on the swings. She accepted without hesitation. Tama, Hikou, and Genro all stopped fighting to glare at Hotohori. Shun chased himself with his Ryuuseisui. Every once in a while one would catch up with him and hit him the in back softly, though hard enough to send him falling onto his hands and knees. Kou played a soft melody, perched on the wall of the orphanage. Chiri, Juan, and Tama-neko were helping Kouran pick flowers. They enjoyed a rare, peacfule evening... Until Nuri, Genro, Hikou, and Tama got into another fight.
The evening was over all too soon and the time came for Hotohori to leave. It was very tearful for Kourin.
"I-i wish you could stay with us forever, Hotohori," she sniffed.
"I'll visit again, soon, all right?" Hotohori smiled, "Sayonara!" He turned around and ran towards his home. The orphanage children turned around too, back to their home. If you could even call it that.
~¤~
"Everyone, it's gonna be cold tonight so we're doubling with the boys," Soi informed Kouran and Kourin. They nodded and grabbed the thin sheets they called blankets and headed over to the boys side. They all broke off into small groups.
Tamahome and Genro shared a sheet, both shivering in the way corner of the room. Naka, Soi, Tomo, and Ashitare were all snuggling with each other, trying to keep warm. Soi was in Nakago's arms, Tomo pressed up against her. Ashitare lay across the three of them, his fur acting as an extra blanket. Kouran, Hikou, and Chiri were another group. Kouran was as warm as could be, sandwiched between Hikou and Chiri. Hikou and Chiri, however, were freezing. They didn't mind much, as long as Kouran was okay. Juan, Doukun, and Tama-neko were another group. Doukun and Juan were trying to cuddle Tama-neko at the same time. Poor Tama-neko... Kou and Shun hugged one another fiercely, trying to keep out the cold while Kourin snuggled closer to her oniisama. It was going to be another hard night.
~¤~
They were awoken in the middle of the night, not that any of them had dared to sleep. Juan and Doukun warned them about hypothermia.
"Everyone, please welcome our newest addition, Seishuku Hotohori Saihitei," a tired orphanage employee droned. Everyone snapped to attention.
"Hotohori?!" They asked in unison. after the employee had left.
"....my house is totally gone. My mother has been killed. Your wish came true, Kourin. It looks like I'm stuck here, forever,"