"I see her father still beats her…." Hatori stated quietly after taking a sip from his tea. Shigure looked up from his readings, not in much surprise.

" I had wondered about her bruises, and that explains her fear." The dog's only real surprise was the fact Hatori finally spoke. He had shown up everyday while Tohru and the others were still at school, but had never spoken a word.

"Hatori," the writer started cautiously, "what happened between the two of you? That poor girl seemed terrified of you. You don't have to tell me, but…"

" I… I never wanted Mia to fear me." He stated with a choked throat.

"Mia?" Shigure pondered, "You got close to her didn't you? Hatori nodded calmly, " It was years ago, when Yuki and Kyo were still children. She was so small, so young… I don't know how she still remembers..." he trailed off, and his body convulsed with tears.

The dog poured his friend some more tea and put a hand over his.

"Children remember a lot. Tell me your story, it'll help." He stated quietly. The dragon nodded again.

"As I said it was awhile ago. She couldn't have been more than six or seven at the time. It was raining the day I met her, cold rain, the kind that chills you to the bone. I had run out to the city for medicine for Akito, and when I was walking home from the hospital, I noticed her. She was curled into a ball, dripping from head to toe. I remember she wasn't crying or calling out; she was just sitting there staring down at the black top.

"At first I thought she was lost or waiting for someone to get out of a store. However, when I approached her, I noticed the bruises and how long had been sitting there. When I reached my hand out to she take her temperature, she tried to pull away frightened of being hit. She was too weak to put up a fight and when I touched her, she was burning.

"That's when I took her home, she was going to die out there and I couldn't let that happen." Hatori looked down at the warm cup in his hands.

"What did Akito think of her?" Shigure asked.

"Heh, Akito… Akito scolded me for it, but bit his lip anyway, and let her stay. Not before he warned me about never letting her find out about the zodiac." He sighed, " If only I brought her to the hospital instead…"

"For two years I took care of her. It had taken me a year to get her to talk, the first time she did, however, I fell in love. I adopted her as my own. She seemed so happy here. She would play with Kagura from time to time, but Akito would never let her play with the boys. Everything was fine, God, it was perfect, until the day she wrapped her arms around me…"

"So she found out."

"Yes, although she had no problem with it, Akito did. He ordered me to erase her memory the very next day. When I left his room, she was standing there with tears in her eyes. She told me she wouldn't let me, that she didn't want to forget. That's when she took off, I assume back home to her father, and I left Akito none the wiser.

" And now she's back." Shigure stated.

"Yes, and if Akito finds out, I don't know what he'll do to her."

That's why you told Kyo to stay away from her."

"Yes, although I realize it won't work for long…"

"Why not?" The dog asked puzzled.

" She told me a story once when I asked her what her sign was. She was born on the Chinese New Year, at the exact turn of midnight. In between the years of the pig and the rat."

"Amazing. Then those two are kindred spirits, both born into misfortune. Both the year of the cat." Hatori smiled at Shigure's words.

"Spoken like a true writer." He said. They both laughed.

"I see…" Kyo said after Miaka had finished.

"So you know about the family curse." The girl nodded silently.

"That's why we can't hang out anymore. They won't allow it…"

"Bullshit! I'll fit the tooth and nail!" Kyo yelled. She giggled.

"Umm... Kyo?" looked at she carried a mysterious smile.

"Now what do you want….ahh!" He cried out as she wrapped her armed around him. There was a puff of smoke and she looked down at an orange cat in her arms.

"I knew it!" she cried out, " you are the one that saved me!"

"ACHK!" Let me go, you psycho! You're choking me!" Kyo yelled and wildly trashed his claws. She put him down in her lap and smiled happily through her tears. Kyo felt his anger melt away.