the boys looked at each other "what?" shmuffy looked up at sly who was carrying her as well. "she hates being in crowds. especially when she doesn't know the people." "why is that?" shift looked at me while he asked. "i'm just not really a 'people person' i'm more anti-social. and i like it that way." "i see." he moved his arm so that only one was supporting me. 'he's so strong' his other hand was inspecting my ankle again. "yeah, it still hurts." he stopped and stroked my hair. "it's alright. it'll heal. and don't worry about the people. i'll be with you the whole time." 'she's still so light. it's almost like she's sick.'

i'd noticed that shigure had broken off to see two other guys. one had long pretty silvery hair. he looked really happy. the other looked like he diddn't give a crap. 'i like him already' he had short black hair that covered one eye. shigure and the happy one were talking. then all of a sudden they both did a thumbs up and went "right!" i rolled my eyes at him "dork." shift laughed. i felt myself get red again. "i can walk now." he eyed me suspiciously. "not on your own. besides, i don't want you taking off. or getting more hurt." he set me down but kept his arm around my waist. shigure walked over with the two guys. "ladies this is aayame (happy one) and hatori (don't give a crap guy). aaya, hari' this is shmuffy and jappy. not their real names of course. they won't tell yet." we nodded and said short greetings.

the hand was still going. i was not very happy about having to meet a whole bunch of new people. i noted that there were definitely around twenty people. 'great' shift saw my agitated look and suggested "perhaps we should do this inside?" we all trooped in. sly had let shmuffy down but kept a good grip on her arm. i moved so i was next to her. "this sucks! i say we leave as soon as they let go." "agreed. these people freak me out!" the guys sat us down on the couch. well shmuffy got down but before i could i was bombarded by a colorful little boy. "you know about the zodiac thing right?" "yes. why?" "yay! i can hug you then!" "wha?" 'so he's in the zodiac...? must be.' before i culd move he launched at me, holding me in a tight embrace. we fell back on the couch. he stood back up and there was a collective gasp among the room. many voices cried out "momiji diddn't change!"

sly and shift stepped forward. "that's why they're here. they don't transform us, and they can reverse them as well." no one spoke for a few minuets. i leaned closer to shift. "i think i need some air. there's too many people here. i'm getting dizzy." "you need to stay just a bit longer. just to meet people. then i'll take you out. until thn just close your eyes and try not to think of it. try to calm your breathing." he grabbed my wrist "your pulse is racing! come here. it's okay, calm down." he moved me so that my head was on his chest. i was soon calmed down. by then everyone was in a line facing the couch. we moved so that shmuffy and i are in the middle with the guys on the sides. then the meetings began. we met kagura the boar, rin the horse, ritsu the monkey, kureeno the rooster, ayyame the snake,and hatori the dragon. "do you really turn into a dragon?" ayya stepped up. "nope! it manifests as a seahorse!" "oh" then we met momiji the rabbit, yuki the rat, kisa the tiger, and lastly, hiro the ram.

"so what's this about? you don't seem very special to me. your probably some moochers just come to weasel into our family. i hate selfish people! i bet all you do is think about yourself." shmuffy looked at me then shrank back. 'not the wrath! run kid run!' "well ya know what i hate?" he looked at me "why would i care?" "you better care because i'm gonna tell youwhether you wanna hear it or not. i hate people who automatically judge you at first sight. the make up an image inside their heads and expect you to be that. thet don't know jack about you and they start talking crap. they think if they label you that way then your automatically gonna be that way. well you know what? i'm sick of it. no one, and i mean no one will label me again. i will not allow it. i am who i am. if you don't like it, fine. i don't care. but don't you dare tell me who i am. i know who i am. and don't you think for a second that you know me. i will decide who i am. i define myself. not you. next time think before you talk. to judge you must know the facts. it was nice meeting you." he just stood there. his eyes were wide. finally kisa pulled him away.

there was a muttered "wow." then people were murmuring to eachother "no one's ever reamed him like that. he does it all the time though." "she never once raised her voice, but even i was intimidated." i turned to shift. he was laughing again. "can we go outside now?" "sure." he led me and my limping self out side. i let out a shuddering sigh and slid down the wall to the floor. "are you okay?" "yeah. it's just. i've been judged all my life. i just lost it." "you hid it well. you diddn't even sound mad. it was cool." he grinned at me and helped me to my feet. "we need to go back in. there's two people you still need to meet." i groaned and limped back in. i put on a fake smile. 'better to act happy and get out sooner.'

there was a girl staning there waiting for us. she'd already met shmuffy. she had brow hair and a kind smile. i felt myself relax a bit as i got closer. "hello i'm tohru honda! it's very nice to meet you!" i took her hand. "it's nice to meet you as well. i'm yumi." "yes i've met kanna as well." me and sandy gave ourselves name a few years ago. we never used sandy and steph unless we were alone. that was olny sometimes though. we almost always went by kanna and yumi or jappy and shmuffy. "have you been having a good time with haru and kyo?" "with who?" shift turned to me. "yeah thats right. my real name's haru. that's kyo." then tohru spotted my leg "oh my! you're hurt! what can i do to help!" "no really it's fine." i felt my emotions beginning to surface. 'no! keep them down! be indifferent! don't let anyone in'

i need to go back outside." "not yet akito's coming out." i stiffened and got closer to haru. i diddn't want to see him. not yet. "haru...i'm not ready. i can't move. i-i can't stop shaking. i can't breathe..." it was all true. haru looked at me. "hatori! get over here now!" the man came over haru looked back at me "it's okay he's a doctor." the man was studying me closely. i diddn't care. i waszoned out. i was totally freaked out. i couldn't move or breathe. i was paralyzed. all i could think was 'run! run stupid! this guy could kill you! do you remember the stories? beatings! BEATINGS! YOU COULD BE NEXT! RUN YOU MORON!' but i couldn't move. i was shaking violently. i heard hatori above me faintly yelling "she's having a panick attack! she's going into shock!" i barely felt haru lift me up and run with me. the last thing i saw was kanna standing there crying into kyo's chest and a thin guy with dark hair standing there smiling. then all went black.

idon't know when i woke. all i know is that the dark haired guy from before was sitting next to me, fingering my hair. "it's amazing isn't it? i'm so powerfully frightening that i can send such a strong girl to the hospital, just at the thought of me." my heart was going a mile a minuet. "a-akito?" "yes my dear. that's right. i'll let you rest now i suppose. but i will talk to you later. in more length. goodbye my dear." he stood and walked out of the room. i stood up and walked to it. i heard voices. "i'll leave you to see her now haru. i'm done with her. for now at least." i left the door and ran to the window. 'good thing i'm still in my clothes.' i opened it and crawled out. i tried limping away from the building. 'i need to findkanna and get us out of here!' i heard the door to my room open "what!" i limped faster. i looked to see haru coming out of my window. i don't know why i diddn't have a cast on but i was glad. my ankle felt better. it was healing quite nicely. it didn't break all the way. it only broke a little and was almost better.

somehow i mustered up the strength to break out into a run. he caught me much quicker this time. all of a sudden it started to pour. we were struggling against one another and shouting. "why do you keep running?" "i'm scared that's why!" "of what?" "of people." "no you're not! you're afraid of what they might see! what're you hiding that you can't let them see?" "it's me! okay! i don't want anyone to know the real me! i don't want to hurt anymore! i can't show emotions! i can't open my heart! i can't let anyone in! i won't! i won't be hurt again!" i collapsed into him sobbing. "i don't want to hurt anymore!" we sat on the wet ground for a while. he held me and we rocked slowly back and forth. in a few minuets tohru ran out with umbrellas and blankets. we went back inside and this time haru stayed in the room so that i would stay there too. it turns out that kanna had already came but kyo took her out of the room because she as too upset. that was when i was still unconsious.

haru came with me because i'd demanded to go see her. we went to the room they were in. i heard voices and slowly opened it. kyo leaned in towards her. "i really like you kanna..." then they were kissing! i shut the door quietly. "maybe we should come back later" 20 minuets earlier with kanna and kyo "i'm so worried. thi's only happened once before. she diddn't wake for a week! it was so scary! i thought i'd lost her. she's the only family i have! we've been traveling for about two years. we haven't seen our families since. we've been friends for almost six years. she's like my sister. we're all we have! we swore we'd never go back! we'll never go home. we were a burden there and we know it. if we lose each other we've got nothing! we're all we've got!" "you have me..." "what?" she looked up into his eyes. he leaned in closer to her. "i really like you kanna" 'kanna...that's right. we have new names. we won't use our old ones ever again. i can tell. they hold too many memories.' then he kissed her. they embraced for aminuet. "i like you too."