"Hey, Kyo...did you hear that?"

Kyo, started looking around for the sound

"Hear What?"

"The sound of crying."

"Ya, I hear it."

It's you sobbing, cause I just finished beating you at that race!"

"Hey, I mean it Kyo I'm not kidding!"

"Hang on, I do hear crying."

As Hatsuharu and Kyo peered around a cluster of trees, they could barely make out the shadow of a young girl. She had long black hair that reached down to her knees; which was pulled back into a low ponytail. She had only a black kimono with red painted on in a random fashion, covering her, and cuts and bruises were placed all over her frail body. This mystery child looked as if she had been on her own for quite so time now; her hands and feet were tainted with dirt.

She was keeling and her hands were plastered to the ground. As they got closer, she stopped crying and looked up at the two strangers. Kyo could make out her little hands clasping the surrounding grass. Hurrying to her feet, she darted out of the clearing and into the trees. Kyo and Hatsuharu raced after her. Jumping and dodging trees that got in their way. The child managed to slip on a slimy branch that had come down during the last thunderstorm. She couldn't see the two people that were following her, but she could hear them advancing towards her with every step.

Looking up she saw a boy no older than herself, and by the looks of it had orange hair. The other one's hair was black and white and was the same height as the one with orange hair.

"Do you see her?"

"No, do you?"

"No, but I don't think that she just… disappeared into thin air."

"We'll come back later when it's light out, and try to find her then."

The two of them left the woods, and headed towards the Souma Main House. That was located just outside the forest; their Akito was waiting for them. Gathering the little boys, under his arm he lead them inside. Looking back, out at the forest Akito swore that he could hear someone out there but thought nothing of it.

XxXxXxXxX

(Eight years later.)

"Momiji, pass the ball over here!"

"Where! Kisa, I can't see you the trees are blocking the way."

"I know lets play hide and go seek than...you're it!"

"Hey, wait a minute that's not fair! Kisa, wait!"

Kisa had run into the forest leaving, Momiji behind. Jumping over and dodging trees she didn't see what was lying ahead. Kisa was too busy trying to shake Momiji off her trail, too see a slender figure wrapped in a kimono lying on the ground. Tripping over the sleeping girl, Kisa landed flat on her face, she stood up and looked at the girl, she was till sleeping. Kisa being frightened than ran off to go get Hatsuharu.

"Hatsuharu…Hatsuharu, come quick there's a girl in the trees and she's sleeping and I tripped over her and she didn't wake up and…and I'm scared!"

"Settle down Kisa, now I want you to talk slower, and tell me everything that you just said, O.K?"

"K, umm, Momiji and I were playing hide and seek in the forest and when I was running from him I tripped over a girl. She was still sleeping and after I tripped over her, she still didn't wake up and I think...think that she is dead!"

"O.k. good girl, I want you to stay here and Kyo, Yuki, and I will go have a look."

"O.k. Oh no… Momiji is still in there with her; what if he sees her and than he dies too!"

"Momiji's over there, you see? He's o.k. Now stay calm and don't panic we'll be right back."

The three of them walked into the woods, to where Kisa had said that she had seen the 'dead' girl. Coming closer to the clearing, Kyo raced forward to try to end this 'quest' as quickly as he could. Reaching the area he saw her. She was lying in the dirt wearing a (very familiar) kimono. Yuki and Hatsuharu caught up with him they stared at the heap of living flesh and cloth.

"Well, we found her..." Hatsuharu's voice was the only thing stopping him from losing it at the presence of a 'dead' person.

"Lets take her back to Hatori, and see what he thinks." Yuki on the other hand sounded more sure of what they were to do.

At that Yuki stepped forward, and carefully turned her over to see if she would wake up. She didn't. Kyo stepped up and stood beside Yuki, he knew that he had seen this girl before. Kyo turned to face Hatsuharu.

"Hey, tell me does this girl seem familiar to you?"

"Ya, and I've seen that kimono somewhere before too."

"It's the girl that we saw eight years ago, the one that got away. Remember?"

Shocked, Hatsuharu fell down beside her, and softly ran his hand over her damp face. " Kuso, she's sick, real sick, lets take her back." Akito is not going to like like, this is not going to end very well, I can just tell.

XxXxXxXxX

Momiji and Kisa were waiting for them to return. Momiji was a little scared and it looked like his eyes were trying to tell them something. Kyo stopped short and gave a warning sign to Yuki, since he was carrying the girl he would be the one to get into the most trouble. Receiving the signal, Yuki hid behind Kyo and Hatsuharu with the girl still in his arms.

Kureno was standing behind two little ones, looking like he had just woken up; and as the four of them advanced toward the main house. Akito stepped out, and just as Hatsuharu had thought, Akito did not look very happy that they had brought home a stray.

"What the fuck is that?" Akito's voice sent a chill down Yuki's spine.

"I asked you three a question, and I would like it answered...(a few seconds passed) Yuki come out from behind them and show me what it is that you have brought home with you right now."

Slowly, very slowly Hatsuharu and Kyo stepped aside, to reveal Yuki and the unconscious girl.

"Well what is this, a girl, why the hell do you a girl Yuki. I don't remember saying that you or anyone else could bring home a girl. Do you recall me saying that Kureno?"

"No, Akito." Kureno gave Yuki and the others a look of sympathy.

"That's what I thought. Don't tell me that you guys have taken to bring home dead people, now have you?"

"No, its just that Kisa found her and thought that she was dead, but when we went to go see for ourselves we noticed that she was still alive, but just very ill. We were hoping that Hatori could look at her a help her."

XxXxXxXxX

I have left this story at a very bad place, I know but a was anxious to let you guys read it, and to see how you liked it. Please review and tell me what you think of it. THANX (smiles weakly) remember I'm still new to this.