Minako Marra bolted upright in bed, drenched in a cold sweat and tears streaming. She wasn't even aware of her hand on her throat that was subconsciously checking for puncture marks. With a heavy sigh of relief she fell back onto her pillow, staring up at the ceiling blankly. She'd had that dream almost every night since she turned six and moved in with her grandparents in Kyoto.

Their homestead was simple, but the grounds on which it rested were not. Coves of trees and lavish gardens surrounded many natural koi ponds, which Minako would visit when she had some stale bread. She would sit for hours by the edges of the ponds, crumbling the bread in her hands and sprinkling it onto the surface of the water. The carp would go into frenzy trying to get all the crumbs, beating the water with their tails and ruining the chance of her seeing her reflection; but for some reason that satisfied her.

Mina had grown up helping tend the gardens, and she felt being raised in dirt made her no better. She felt that she was no more radiant than the soil she dirtied her hands with, and despite her grandparent's constant praise, her outlook never changed. Her auburn-brown eyes gazed out the window and she could see the soft glow of pink on the horizon. Though her eyelids were heavy, she swung her feet over the side of her bed and eased her bare feet into her fluffy slippers. If she went back to sleep now, she'd never here the end of it. In her mind she could see exactly what her grandmother would say. Mariha would stand beside her bed, bapping her repeatedly with her broom through her blankets while she clutched the pillow over her head. The old woman would be red faced screaming:

("Whaaaaah?! You lazy girl! Up before sunrise and not watering the Dawn Lilies? Not my fault you up all night scribbling! You fall back asleep and you waste half of day! Nani! You get out of bed and you earn your keep!")

That thought made her laugh softly as she slipped into her bathrobe and sat down at her vanity. One glance into the mirror was enough for her to deem herself ugly for the day. Something as simple as her hair being out of place ruined her for the entire day. But to spite herself she picked up her comb and ran it through her hair anyway, pulling back what she could into a ponytail. The strands too short to pull back slipped free and hung about her face and she began to think nothing could make her look beautiful.

A sharp rapping on her door made her jump to her feet and face the entryway. She fumbled with the ribbon on her robe, tying it shut just as her grandmother burst through the door.

"Sleeping again lazy girl?! Oh I teach you lesson this time! I teach you-..." Mariha, broom in hand, lunged for the bed and was about to swing the head of the broom down on the pillow when she blinked and noticed that her granddaughter wasn't there. The old woman showed a brief moment of confusion before straightening and turning to face Minako.

"Ah, Minakin! So you up. Breakfast in the kitchen, eat quick so you get early start. Bread for fishes on the table, you feed them when you done with Dawn Lilies, ok?"

"Yes, Mimi. Is Pipi up yet?"

"Yes, good for nothing man eating breakfast already. He going into town today to pick up groceries, so just you and me here. I need you help with laundry later when you done with fishes. When you finish with chores you can go see friends." The woman busied herself while she spoke by making Minako's bed, folding her blanket and fluffing her pillow. Minako headed towards the door, about ready to walk down the hall to the kitchen when her grandmother called to her.

"Minakin!"

"Yes, Mimi?" She stopped at the door and turned around, half expecting that Mariha suddenly remembered another chore for her, but was surprised when the elderly woman's face broke into a warm smile. She walked towards her granddaughter and set her broom against the wall. Then she reached up, and placed a palm to either side of her face.

"You look more like your mother everyday. All my flowers jealous of you! They tell me all the time you outshine them." Minako thought her grandmother was just trying to compliment her until she spoke again.

"Find youself a good husband, Minakin, not like I did."

"MIMI!" Embarrassed and appalled, Minako gave her grandmother a mock look of anger and stalked off blushing down the hall.

"WHAT?!" Mariha called after her as she went as if she'd said nothing wrong, and she shrugged as she picked up her broom again and followed.