Chapter 1 : Familar

"And today class, we will be studying for your exams which will take place in two weeks. In short, we'll have independent study for the last 20 minutes of class; so keep the noise to a dull roar..." Kyo's homeroom teacher took her seat.

Uotani, proceeded to turn around in her chair and talk to Hanajiwa. She then turned her attention to the door and following that the clock above the threshold. Hana leaned forward to look at the doorway as well, it appeared as if they were looking for something. The brisk steps of a teacher echoed down the hallway followed by that of the careless, lazy steps of a teenager. Uo turned to look at Tohru, who was currently seated at Kyo's side.

"Hey, did you hear that there's a new transfer student?" Uo spoke, her voice sounding unusually light-hearted.

"Really?" Tohru asked.

"You bet, and rumor has it that it's a girl, who refuses to wear the girls' uniform, so they gave her a boys' uniform! Supposedly she's a martial arts master and a real independent girl! This is going to be fun!" Uo was on the verge of squeeling.

"Oh, great! Sounds like another damn yankee!" Kyo sighed, turning his attention to the activities beyond the window.

"What was that orange-top!" Uo baited.

"You heard me, you damn yankee!" Kyo hissed and stood nose-to-nose with Uo.

"You two knock it off or I'll get you expelled!" the teacher shouted.

A knock sounded at the door and the teacher went to answer it. After a quick, hushed conversation in the threshold, the teacher stepped back inside, but this time she was followed by a student; a female student. The new student was tall, about an inch or two shorter than Kyo. She had dark navy blue hair and strange orange eyes, the kind of eyes that seem to peer directly into one's soul. She looked rather sleep-deprived and lazy. She showed an extreme lack of caring for all that was going on around her. Suddenly she locked her gaze on Kyo and he froze, he stopped breathing and just stared at her seemingly souless eyes.

"Kyo! Sit down!" the teacher yelled and Kyo snapped out of his trace. He quickly took his seat and resumed observing the activities going on.

"Attention class! This is our new student Rynoki Hoshiyama, she just transferred so I expect that you all will help her get used to the school. Now Ms. Hoshiyama, please take the empty seat behind Kyo," she pointed at the empty desk behind Kyo and Rynoki proceeded to sit down. She rested her head down on the desk and then started to drift off to sleep, she snapped awake nearly a moment later and gazed at Kyo. He could feel that strange gaze cutting into him like a knife. He turned around and looked at her, to only find her staring out the window just like he had been doing a moment before. She breathed on the glass and quickly wrote something on the window.

'Quit watching me Mr. Sohma, or you'll get in trouble...' the message read. Kyo's blood boiled for a moment and he calmed himself down by dismissing her comment with a curt head movement and a hissed "Whatever..."

Kyo did not pay attention to her for the rest of school and everything went as normally as ever, that was until afterschool.

Tohru, Yuki, Kyo, and the rest of the Sohmas started to walk to Shigure's home, when they caught sight of Rynoki walking in the same direction. Tohru, being the kind and gentle person she was, went running up to Rynoki. Rynoki stopped and had a rather suprised look on her face as Tohru began to speak. Momiji followed Tohru like her shadow and the two began greeting the new transfer student. Yuki, Haru and Kyo stayed behind, cautiously watching on as the duo spoke to Rynoki.

"There's something strange about that girl..." Haru stated, a hint of suspion seeping into his words.

"Most definitely,... but I can't but my finger on it..." Yuki added using the same tone.

Kyo remained silent, he just observed Rynoki closely as the Tohru and Momiji spoke to her. The boys slowly made their way closer to the three and they could now hear the conversation.

"...are you from?" Tohru asked politely.

"Maraborshi High in Tokyo," Rynoki explained.

"When did you move here?" Momiji asked.

"Over the weekend." Rynoki answered.

"Do you like it here?" the two asked in unison.

"I'm not sure, it seems like a nice enough place, but I haven't been here long enough to really make up my mind either way."

"Where do you live?" Momiji asked with great vigor.

"Not to far from here... I live near the river and I like it there. I like water, in my old home I used to have to walk a few miles to even see a river..."

"Why did you come here?" Tohru asked.

By this time, the boys were standing directly behind Momiji and Tohru. Rynoki paused for a second and stared directly at Kyo, then Yuki, Haru, and lastly Momiji.

"I have something I must attend to... so with your permission, I'll be taking my leave. Ciao." Rynoki turned and walked down the street, and turned a right corner and was no longer in sight.

"That was weird..." Momiji said, sounding rather disappointed.

"I guess she needed to be somewhere," Tohru added.

Kyo looked at Tohru and then back at Rynoki's vanishing point. 'Weird, huh? More like down right bizzare...' Kyo thought and the gang continued on their way home.

Later that night...

"What do you live for?" the voice whispered.

'What this again?' Kyo thought.

"Who are you?" Kyo questioned, his question rang out in the pitch black void and received no answer. "Who are you!"

"I'm what's missing, I'm the answer..., I'm the cure for all alements... even yours, Kyo Sohma..." the voice answered back, the speaker directly behind him. He felt cold slender arms slide around his waist and then icy hands move to his chest.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm the cure. I'm the healer. I'm the answer. I'm the pray come true. You've prayed for so long, Kyo Sohma, you and so many others, and now I've come to grant your wish, your heart's deepest desire..."

"What's that?"

"Listen to your heart and make your wish..."

"But I don't know..."

"Make your wish..."

The voice started to fade... and the grip started to loosen... she was fading...

"Who are you?" Kyo asked.

"I know you well, I've always known of you my dear outcast... for I am like you... not the same as the others..."

"I don't understand, just tell me who you are."

"Turn around and see."

Kyo started to turn around and he saw a girl, a small girl in a red kimono. Her hair was dark and her eyes were hidden by a blindfold. Kyo knelt down and looked at her. She had pale almost white skin and her raven hair was in a tight bun placed high on her head.

"I can see you, but you can't see me..." the girl spoke.

"Wha?" Kyo was stunned, there was no way she could see through the blindfold.

"I'm hiding..." she said, "Please find me..." she started to sob. Blood droplets started to seep out from under the blindfold. Kyo was stunned. "Please find me... I'm hiding...I've been hiding for much too long... please find me..."

Kyo wasn't quite sure what to do and then the thought came to him. Remove the blindfold. Kyo gently started to unwrap the blindfold and just as he was about done, he saw a color... the color...

Kyo snapped awake, sweat dripping down his spine. It was raining outside again. Then he remembered the dream...

'What color were her eyes?' he thought, he couldn't remember...'What color? It was so familar, why can't I remember?'

"Damn the rain, I always have weird dreams when it rains..." Kyo rolled over on his side and drifted back to sleep.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, that's chapter 1: Familar. What do you think? Well, please leave reviews on it, I need feedback, even negative feedback is good. I need to know what you like and what you don't. Well, my fingers really hurt from all the typing, so Caio!