Rea: Hola!

Harlequin: Hello, humans of planet Earth.

Rea: stares at Harlequin You're a very strange duck, did you know that?

Harlequin: No, duh, Rea. I can talk and I wear combat boots. I'm just a little different from your average mallard.

Rea: grr. Anyways...hello! I am currently on a 7up induced happy feeling (after I wrote this chappie) and am feeling a little bit hyper.

Harlequin: a...little hyper?!

Rea: ...whatever, Harlequin! Please do the disclaimer!!!

Harlequin: rolls eyes Rea does not own YYH or anything that appears in the YYH anime/manga. She only owns Minna.

Minna: why?

Harlequin: because...

Minna: why?

Harlequin: grr...

Rea: sweatdrops ...ON WITH THE STORY!

Chapter One

"The dead don't die. They look on and help."

D.H. Lawrence, 1855-1930

"Minna, come back here!" Minna's mother called.

Minna turned to look back at her mother and waved her tiny hand as she continued to run down the green hills of her family's property. She giggled as she ran around with her arms widespread and headed for a small stream that ran through the tiny woods on the edge of the property.

She paused at the edge of the forest to catch her breath.

Minna must be quiet, she thought, the big demons will wake if Minna is not quiet.

Minna had been in there many times with her nanny but had never gone alone. Minna decided that this would be a good time for her to try. She smiled as she walked into the forest, keeping her eyes on the dirt path. She walked one hundred paces and started looking for the stream that had the colorful fishies in it.

A sparkle caught Minna's eyes and she smiled as she went to investigate. She hesitated at the edge of the path and looked longingly at the sparkle in the bushes. Her nanny's words came back to her.

Curiosity killed the cat.

Satisfaction brought him back, Minna thought as she reached into the bushes. She pulled out a chain necklace that had a dark jewel imbedded into the end. Minna looked at it with a smile. She was entranced until she heard a woman's high-pitched screaming coming from the other side of the forest. Minna looked up for a second, trying to decide whether to investigate or not. She sighed as she stuck the necklace into her pocket and ran towards the entrance of the woods. She slowed to a stop at the very edge and looked around.

Minna gasped. Her green hills were a burnt black and the sky was no longer a happy blue but a dark grey. Smoke clouded the air, making Minna cough and sputter. She silenced herself as best as she could when a large demon walked by. She hid in a bush and watched as another demon, a woman, spoke to the other one.

"Did you get them all?"

The large demon grunted what could only be a 'yes'.

"Are you sure? I thought that they had a daughter as well…if it turns out that we have not killed the entire family, it'll be your head, not mine." The woman pushed a lock of brilliant green hair out of her eyes as she stared at the other demon. The large demon paused, as if it was trying to comprehend the meaning and nodded slowly.

The woman sighed. "Whatever. Let's go." She jumped onto the large demon's shoulder and they ran away at an incredible speed. Minna watched them leave, a slight feeling of fear growing in her.

Was Minna not quiet enough? Did Minna wake the lady and big demon from their sleep in the forest?

Minna slowly walked out of her hiding place. She climbed up the steep hill, fingering her newly found treasure the entire way up. Minna suppressed a scream when she reached the top. Her house was now a pile of ashes, smoke billowing towards the Heavens. Minna lost the feeling in her legs as she began walking down the slope. She collapsed next to her mother's body and let a few tears flow from the six-year-old's eyes.

"Mama?" she whispered. "Look at what I found, Mama." Minna pulled out the necklace that she had found and held it in front of her dead mother's closed eyes. She sniffed a bit and wiped her eyes. "Isn't it pretty, Mama? It reminds me of you and Papa. Silver and black, Mama, like you said. Papa was shadows and you were light. Silver and black.

"Mama? Where will I go? You and Papa are gone on an adventure again, Mama. Nanny has gone with you, too. You don't let me stay here alone. You send me to your friends to make sure I'm safe, don't you, Mama? Where will I go this time? No one is with me now, Mama." Minna suppressed a sob as she stroked the necklace. Minna looked at her mother and a sad smile crossed the child's face.

The wind began to blow. It lifted Minna's white-blonde hair above her face as it blew the smoke away into the distance. Minna looked at her necklace once again and then faced the starlit sky. A shimmer began to spread from one of the stars and it grew. Minna's face stared at it, completely ensnared into the beautiful light erupting from the tiny gem.

Suddenly, a woman with blue hair who was wearing a kimono and riding an oar appeared out of nowhere. She smiled down at Minna.

"Hi there! The name's Boton, nice ta meet'cha!"

A/N: sorry it's short...R&R, please