Takuya sighed as he kneaded the dough his mother passed to him. His homecoming hadn't been all that he had expected. His mother had welcomed him back with open arms, but Shinya, his brother, still avoided him whenever possible, and everyone except him avoided the twins. Instead they spent their time exploring, and occasionally offering to help with the reconstruction of the barn, which was usually met with polite refusals.

Takuya sighed again, and tried to pummel some of his frustration into the dough. And I can't seem to leave the kitchen. Every time I try, Mama seems to find me something else to do. He closed his eyes, and smiled as his magic brushed up against the fire in the oven. I could try scaring her to let me go, but I don't think it's very fair. He called his magic back gently, then more sharply as it refused to come back. Puppy… Do as you're told, you can play later. His magic settled back down again, and Takuya opened his eyes. "What's all this baking for anyway? We never used to need so much."

Yuriko smiled. "We've invited the village to come and celebrate your return, Takuya. Everyone will be glad to see you."

Takuya shook his head. "Are you sure? Won't they just think I'm a demon still?" He shuddered at the thought of going through proving himself again. I shouldn't tell just anyone that I saw the Goddess, even if it's only telling them She says I'm human. "I can't go around having to prove myself all the time, Mama."

Yuriko kept smiling and took the dough from him. "It's okay, Takuya. If we've accepted you back, they will."

"What about Kouji and Kouichi?"

Yuriko's smile disappeared. "Don't you think your friends should go home? Won't their family miss them too? I'm not sure they're happy here, we don't know how elves like to live."

Takuya just looked at her. "They live like us, act like us, feel like us. I've never been so embarrassed as when you tried to give them grass to eat." He shook his head. "And they can't go home… Just like I couldn't."

Yuriko finished shaping the loaf and moved to put it in the oven. "But you came anyway, and we took you back. Why can't they?"

Takuya sighed. "They don't have any family left. Just me, and I won't abandon them in our world without helping them learn how humans act." He moved to the door. "I'm going out into the woods for a bit."

"But Takuya, I want you to help with…"

Takuya cut her off. "I'm going out, Mama. I need some fresh air." He walked out before Yuriko could manage another protest. A flash of movement round the house caught his attention. Shinya? Takuya walked around, only to find his brother sat with his legs curled against his chest muttering. Takuya moved close enough to start to understand the muttering.

"Goddess keep me safe from those who would do me harm, now and evermore. Goddess keep me safe from those…"

Takuya moved to kneel near Shinya. "Shinya?"

Shinya stiffened at the sound of Takuya's voice. "Go away. I don't want you to hurt me."

"Shinya please." Takuya moved closer. "I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to talk with my little brother, is that so bad?"

Shinya looked up, angry. "You're not my brother! You're a demon! I don't know what you did to Mama and Papa to make them believe you, but I'm not going to trust you ever! You set the barn on fire to try to kill me!"

Takuya's mouth hung open a few moments in shock before he gathered his wits enough to reply. "Shinya, that's not true. It was an accident. I didn't mean to scare you." He reached out to his brother, but Shinya moved away, still glaring. "Shinya, I'm not a demon, okay? I'm a kid just like you. Like Megumi, remember her? She went away to the healers' temple because she had magic, but she wasn't a demon."

"Yes," admitted Shinya. "But she was a healer. She did good. All you ever did was wreck peoples' lives." He ran off, leaving a stunned Takuya.

I wreck peoples' lives? He shook himself. I've done good things and bad things. Doesn't make me evil. He got up and started walking towards the woodlands that surrounded the front of the farm. I'm going to find Kouji and Kouichi. At least they understand me more than my family does at the moment.

************************

He found them in a clearing, sat facing each other, with their eyes closed and their arms resting lightly on their knees. Takuya remained silent, admiring the dappled sunshine falling on them, giving them an otherworldly quality. He found his eyes drawn to Kouji in particular, who seemed to be almost glowing gently in the light. Takuya considered that Kouji might be doing whatever his equivalent was to letting his magic out to play. He remembered Kouichi saying that every night his magic fought to get free and wondered if the sunny weather during the day caused Kouji the same problem. Takuya tilted his head as he watched him.

Beautiful…

Wait, did I just think that? He shook his head. Kouji is a guy. Guys aren't beautiful.

"We know you're there, Takuya," said Kouji, making Takuya jump. "You make such a loud noise walking."

Takuya blushed vividly, glad that both the twins still had their eyes shut. "I just wanted to spend some time with people who understand me."

"But your family was busy?" asked Kouji.

Takuya shook his head sadly. "No… at least my mother wasn't. She wouldn't let me out of her sight. Shinya is terrified of me, and Papa is too busy about the farm, trying to calm the workers over your presence."

Kouji didn't move. "Then we'll leave. Problem solved. You're back with your own kind and your own family. We should have known better than to expect tolerance and welcome."

"Kouji," scolded Kouichi slightly. "They don't know us like Takuya knows us. Stop blaming him for other people's mistakes. You'll regret driving a wedge between you and the one you love eventually."

"I don't love him. He's… special to me, but he's a human. We're forbidden to love them."

Kouichi scowled. //We're forbidden to even meet with humans. Why ignore all of that except for love? I'm sure he loves you back.//

Kouji opened his eyes and scowled at Kouichi. //Stop poking around in my head. When I want your advice on this, I will ask.// He stretched slowly, and as his hands moved further into shadow Takuya realised that Kouji was indeed glowing gently.

"Kouji? What have you been doing?" Takuya moved to kneel between the two elves, forming a rough circle. "Didn't you want to stay in the farm?"

Kouichi shook his head and opened his eyes. "Everyone there is so scared of us, we thought it best to go somewhere alone to do this."

"Do what?" asked Takuya.

Kouichi shrugged. "I don't really know the words. It's like when you go to temple, but we do this at the new moon. Give praise to the lords and ladies."

Takuya tilted his head. "You're always talking about them. Will you tell me about them?"

Kouichi nodded. "We have four gods, one for each season. Lady Elsa is the Goddess of Spring, new life and healers. Lady Arren is the Goddess of Summer, plants, harvest, and herbalists. Lord Marnet is the God of Autumn, the hunt and animals. And Lord Tolmey, the God of Winter, sleep, death, and the Empty Ones."

Takuya looked confused. "What are 'Empty ones'?"

Kouji frowned. "Technically, we are. Not all elves have magic. Most do, but maybe one in fifty of us are born without any magic. Because Kouichi and I aren't healers, or have magic with plants or animals we fall into the same group, even though we have magic."

Takuya made a face. "And you don't worship the Goddess, even though she made everything? Even after she did that to your ears?"

Kouji blinked. "What?" His hand moved to his ears. "When the Gods made you, they decided that we had been given too much as a people, and found our purpose too easily, so they blunted your ears and took your magic because you needed to trust them without proof. Your people aren't sophisticated enough for the gifts we have."

Takuya snorted. "Right. That's why she picked me as a warrior and gave me my magic, because I'm not sophisticated."

"Don't argue, you two," snapped Kouichi. Both Takuya and Kouji blinked at the uncharacteristic way Kouichi spoke. "Our people are just different. Neither is better than the other, even if they say they are." He got up and started to walk back towards the farm. "You have to let these surface differences go, else it'll tear you two apart." He walked off.

Takuya watched him go, then burst out laughing.

Kouji scowled. "What?"

Takuya kept laughing. "I've never seen someone yell in anger, then stomp off without making a sound. It just looks really funny."

Kouji snorted in amusement. "You find the strangest things funny, Takuya." He turned and followed his brother back.

**********************

Takuya was ashamed to admit it, but he really wanted to run. The celebration was taking place in the farmyard on long trestle tables, and torches had been planted on the ground and lit. It was everything he could do to smile and greet the well-wishers from the village while keeping his magic from running riot. As far as he could tell, his parents had said that he had run away from home, and no one seemed to be questioning him about the demon part of the story except for the children.

He sighed as Chihiro Arada, a girl with brown hair and pigtails who was about his age came up to him, smiling. "Hello Takuya."

"Hello Chihiro. Are you well? How's your grandfather?"

Chihiro giggled, and Takuya suddenly had a flashback to the girls of the court. "I'm much better now I know you're okay. Why did you run away? Was Mister Kanbara really mad at you?"

Takuya shook his head. "Was all a huge misunderstanding."

"Were you really on fire like Shinya said?"

Takuya forced a laugh. "No. Humans and fire don't usually get on well." It's not a lie, just a half-truth.

Chihiro took his hand and smiled more at him. "I'm very glad you're back. I missed you lots. I always got so happy when I saw you in the village."

Takuya blinked. Is she saying she likes me? Girls are so confusing. I mean, she's sorta pretty, but not beautiful. Kouji's image flashed through his mind, and he felt an ache that the elf wasn't there by his side as he faced all these people, and wished he was hiding in the forest not only to escape, but simply to be with Kouji.

Do I love Kouji? Men aren't supposed to fall in love with each other, the Goddess forbade it because it brings no new life into the world. And how can I feel love? I don't even know what it is. Takuya blinked again, as he suddenly realised that Chihiro had invaded his personal space somewhat, "Uh, Chihiro?"

"I missed you a lot." Chihiro leaned forwards suddenly and kissed his cheek.

Takuya blushed, and all the nearby torch flames surged for a moment.

Chihiro looked about nervously, then back at Takuya. Many of the other guests were too. "Did… Did you do that, Takuya?"

Takuya turned white, then started to stammer. "I... I just… I didn't choose to… Didn't make it… I…"

"Were all those things Shinya said true?"

"No!" Takuya finally found his voice. "I'm not a fire demon or anything. It's just a freaky coincidence."

"Maybe it was the elves," muttered someone nearby.

Takuya shook his head. "It wasn't them. They're frightened by fire, not movers of it." He pulled his hand from hers gently. "I'm sorry everyone, but I should see if my friends are okay, and invite them here. It's not right that they're missing out on this."

He smiled and walked out, ignoring the disapproving glances of his parents.