A/N: I don't own HYD! This is just a Fanfiction!

Chapter 4

Wise beyond her years

Kaede placed the phone back on its receiver as her thoughts wandered back to the conversation she just had with her husband.

Flashback

"Are you lying to me Doumyouji!" Kaede questioned furiously.

"Don't be ridiculous Kaede, she never had any children. She died alone…just the way you wanted her too," Doumyouji (senior) said bitterly before hanging up the phone on his wife.

End Flashback

"If that's true, then this girl is just an orphan. However, she is still a problem," Kaede said as she looked at the picture in her hands.

"Okay Kushi, I know you wanted to learn to play the piano but there's something more important I need to teach you first," Theodore said as he paced their music room.

"Okay," Tsukushi replied warily.

"Lesson one," Theodore paused to clear his throat as he continued to pace the room trying to imitate his tutors, "Self-Confidence,"

Tsukushi stared at him blankly. 'Is this really necessary?' she thought to herself as she tried not to smile at Theodore's serious expression.

"Repeat after me,"

Tsukushi moved closer where Theodore was pacing the room.

"I am strong. I am worthy of respect…"

Tsukushi dutifully repeated, though not as loudly as Dominic had. Theodore nodded his head encouragingly as he watched Makino hesitate with each word, he continued once she had finished.

"I am the Great Doum…uh Dominic Theodore…" Theodore sweat dropped as his slip of tongue, 'Did Kushi notice?' he wondered as he looked at his friend.

Luckily for him Tsukushi was too busy concentrating to notice.

"I am the Great Makino Tsukushi. How was that Teddy?" Tsukushi said as she looked up at Theodore adoringly.

"Good, now I want you to do that once more with feeling. You've got to believe every word your saying or what's the point?"nice Great Doum...hesitate with each word, he continued once she had finished.tate his tutors

"Right!" Tsukushi said excitedly as she jumped from the floor. But before her feet had reached the ground she was suddenly falling forwards. Theodore quickly rushed over and caught her in his arms. He shook her gently while calling her name, when she didn't respond he began to feel the panic rise up from inside him.

'Calm down, okay I need to get Tama-san,' he began to think trying his best to think rationally like Tsukushi would have done. He felt Tsukushi squirming in his tight grip.

"What happened?" she said as she leaned against Theodore.

"You fainted!" Theodore replied, louder than he had intended to.

"Ow, my head…" Tsukushi began to say as she held her head in her hands.

"What! What's wrong with your head?"

"It's just a headache, calm down Teddy,"

Theodore continued to look at her concerned, "I'll go get Tama-san just in case," he began to say as he stood up. But Tsukushi grabbed him by the arm to stop him.

"I am strong. I am worthy of respect. I am the Great Makino Tsukushi. And I am fine," Tsukushi said as she smiled weakly.

Theodore sighed in resignation, besides this wasn't the first time she had fainted. He helped her stand up before ruffling her hair, something she hated just as much as he did, and saying,

"Come on! I didn't believe a word of what you just said."

"You wanted to see me Tama-san?" Tsukushi asked as she stepped timidly into Tama's small office. She had often wondered why Tama was working at such a run-down orphanage when she had several of the other volunteers and staff saying how she used to work for a wealthy family.

"Oh Makino-chan, please take a seat, and close the door," Tama replied as she moved to her filing cabinet, "How are we feeling today?"

"Fine…actually I'm great," Tsukushi said as sat down in one of the tall chairs in front of Tama-san's old wooden desk.

Tama moved from the filing cabinet to her desk keeping her eyes focused on the folder in her hands.

"Tomorrow is…" Tama paused as she looked up from behind the folder to the six-year old in front of her.

"I know," Tsukushi said softly.

"Have you told Dominic yet?"

Tsukushi sighed before saying, "No, I don't want him to look at me differently…I don't want pity,"

"I've seen the way he looks at you; I doubt he feels anything but love for you,"

"You think so?" Tsukushi said sadly closing her eyes.

"Which is also why I don't think it's such a good idea for you two to get attached; you know what the doctors said."

Tsukushi bit her lip as tears began to tumble down her cheeks. Tama instantly moved from behind her desk to kneel down beside Tsukushi.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you Makino," Tama paused as she looked at Makino before saying hesitantly, "There is a way…a way for you to get the treatment you need,"

Tsukushi looked up at Tama at hearing her words.

"I could try to find a wealthy couple who would be willing to pay for your treatment," Tama continued.

"Yeah, but what's the chances of that happening?" Tsukushi said doubtingly.

"Listen Makino, it's my job to know your personal history and I would think that of all the places you would want to live this city, this country would be the last place,"

Tsukushi stood up from her seat as she prepared to leave, "Maybe I would have thought that before…but now,"

"Because of Dominic?" Tama finished for Tsukushi, "You can't save him you know,"

Tsukushi smiled as she opened the door to leave she said, "Maybe, but I'll die trying,"

When the door had closed behind Tsukushi Tama stood staring down at the file on her desk.

"So much like her mother."

Theodore walked down the stairs to find Tsukushi standing motionless in front of Tama's office,

"Oi! Kushi!"

Tsukushi looked up and waved slightly at Theodore as he approached her.

"What were you doing?" he asked as he stepped up next to her.

"I was…going to sign up for the competition but it's only for pairs," Tsukushi said uncaringly but internally she was thinking, 'Ha, I'll make you enter even if you don't want to,'

"Yeah, it sounds lame," Theodore said as he turned to look at the kids who had already signed up, "Look that stupid Michael guy signed up,"

Tsukushi smiled mischievously behind Theodore's back before saying calmly,

"Yeah, he'd probably beat us even if we did enter," She moved towards the stairs counting internally with each step,

'One…Two…Three,'

"As if I'd ever let that punk beat me! Kushi let's sign up!" Theodore said as he angrily wrote his name down.

Tsukushi giggled, as she stepped up to sign her name underneath Theodore's.

"What's so funny?" Theodore said as he looked down at Tsukushi confusedly.

"Nothing," Tsukushi continued to giggle,

'Oh Teddy you're so easy to trick, I know all your buttons. I was the one to write Micheal's name on the board knowing you would see it…heehee.'

Later that day,

"Hey Michael look, it's your name, you didn't tell me you were entering that competition?"

"Huh? I never signed up, cross my name out idiot!"