Hello again to anyone who dares yonder here! My fair greetings to ye all.

I'm very sorry for this late update… I had written quite a lot, only to have my computer crashed. T.T and it's the exam period, and I'm trying all I can to recover what I've lost… Gomen…

Once again, dedicating this to zephyrlight,

reviews are at the end, so now…enjoy!

(Crickets creaking… wind blows past, a stray newspaper flings across the barren road)

…just pretend at least! … . . . . . (sobs)


A New Beginning

by night.lupe

Heralding the new day was the melodious chorus of the birds, thesweet ringof the wind chime; the new sheets of snow, and lo and behold, an unceremonious scream that shook the whole household. Smirking, Maya Natsume continued drinking her tea. It seems that her dearest sister has found her "surprise gift", as she kindly put it.

A loud rush of thudding on the floorboard warned her of Aya's coming. Quickly wiping the gleeful (yet scary) smirk off her face, Maya looked out at the white landscape before her, a serene look plastered onto her face. Panting and shivering, a drenched Aya stopped before her, a wild look in her eyes.

"Aya, what are you doing taking such an early bath with your clothes on, on a winter morning no less, and running around!" Maya made a move to tug Aya's kimono's sleeve, and swiftly pulling her hands back, "-and cold water!". Yes, she was getting better at this.

With a confused and disapproving look on Maya's face, an even more confused look came over Aya's face. "It wasn't you..?" As soon as those words came out of her mouth, she inwardly slapped herself. Her sister's hurt face from those accusing words made her feel so guilty. Why would her sister play such a prank as to have a string tied to her hand, connecting to a series of contraptions that ultimately served to tip the pail of cold, freezing water off the beam and onto her?

Letting out a sigh, Maya put aside her tea, and wore on a wistful look on her face. It worked. Aya caught onto that look and felt even guiltier for breaking the morning peace that she knew her sister loved so. Maya, still in her chibi(a/n: this is what I will be referring her child form to) form got up and chaperoned her younger sister into the house. She sure did not want a sneezing sick younger sister to look after. Imagine the mess. The goo. But for God's sake, Aya would tend to get even worse everyday under even her tender care… or not so. Hey, but who can you blame when the first time you successfully cooked something edible, albeit putting aside the smoky, charred, and cheepy-looking things that keep wiggling. Ok. Maybe not so edible, but hey, it's medicine. They're supposed to taste horrid right? Yup yup, those damn people who like those blindingly white coats (no offense meant . ) and those glasses that shines when they get a streak of evildom, are the ones at fault. Shudder. Ok Maya, back to dear sister.

"Get changed, Aya. You're going to catch a cold." That shook Aya out of her reverie.

"Of course! How could I forget?" I do NOT want to get sick.

As soon as Aya was away, Maya allowed herself a little sense of pride and satisfaction. Letting a childish giggle that would freak out anyone around her (since it did not sound calming at all!) creep out of her, Maya's Revenge Phase 2 was on the way! Glancing at the clock, it was around 6 in the morning. Fifteen minutes to 7, the brat, the foreign guy and Takayanagi would arrive. Aya would be done in around 20 minutes, and that would leave 25 minutes for breakfast, and keeping the unfortunate incident fresh in Aya's mind. Maya sniggered. This was pay back time, and this time, no one was going to stop her.


For 25 minutes, Maya executed her plan silkily. She had made Aya kept the question of whom the culprit was running through her mind throughout the breakfast session. Just as soon as the main gate creaked open, Maya intercepted, "Aya, who was the last person you bugged? Maybe this person was trying to get back at you? Of course, this would also mean that the culprit had a lot of time away from you to set up the sneaky, ingenious contraption. Think, yesterday, who was in our house, but not with you?"

Aya thought…and thought…and thought. The footsteps were coming closer now. Maya waited patiently for the answer to dawn onto her younger sister's "pretty slow"(insert snort) mind. She watched Aya's facial expressions carefully, and what she saw pleased her. Aya's face was deep in concentration, and thinking of the few possibilities, her face contorted into denial. No, it couldn't be… But there was only..! No! It cannot be-

"Yo! Had a great morning?" Aya's crush gave his usual grin. Oh, what he does not expect…

"YOU!" Aya pointed accusingly at him. Maya further hid her glee by bringing her cup to her mouth, and the sleeve of her kimono successfully covering half her face. She closed her eyes, half pretending, half not, to be enjoying the tea. "Souchirou-sama! How could you…" Maya opened one eye to see what had stopped her sister mid-sentence.

Aya's mind: How could Souchirou-sama do such a thing to me!Argh! Think, think! Souchirou-sama… Ah! He..HE! KYA! Surely he wants me to think of him right in the morning? (swoons)

Maya, with all her will power, willed herself not to laugh out loud. She had expected Aya to accuse him and all, but THIS! THIS wasn't what she had expected! Aya had squealed and clung onto the brat, ranting about him loving her so much that made him do what he did to remind her, etc. etc.

Of course, even more chaos ensues as Takayanagi is given the wrong impression. Aya's "you did what you did" was taken in a way not quite…right (hush! BaaaaD Takayanagi-san!). He's eyes opened wide, pointing profusely at the brat, mouth open wide, speechless, before jumping into a string of questions and curses. The foreign guy's eyebrow rose beyond the horizon, looking at his short friend. Asshat's "oooh"s and "aah"s did not help either.

The helpless blonde glanced pleadingly at Maya, who dismissively closed her eye at him, pretending that she had not noticed his pitiful plight; but not before flashing him an evil smirk. As realization dawned upon him, his mouth dropped with utmost horror. He was going to have a hell of a day when the captain was in one of those "moods"…


In the end, when Maya has had her fun, she made everyone settle down, and as a group, they strolled into school, head held high. Without doubt, Aya was still clinging onto the ever-suffering brat's hand, occasionally glaring at any girl who might even look his way. As usual, Maya sat on her usual spot on Takayanagi's shoulder, with her wooden sword (A/N: what is it called?) hoisted comfortably on her own shoulder.

At the entrance of the school main building however, was the old principal standing, seemingly waiting for someone. Catching sight of the group entering the school, he nodded to Maya and held out his hand, which she gratefully jumped onto.

"Don't forget today's club duties," the captain reminded her fellow group mates before disappearing with the principal through the doors. At these words, any worry the group had at the same scene that had once occurred when Maya had decided to take the brunt of the punishment for them by dropping out fled from their minds. It was definitely going to be a hell of a day. As one, for once, they all groaned. In their club vocabulary, 'Duties' is equivalent to: torture. Note how the two words are in sync.


tip-tap, tip-tap, tip-tap, "ARGH!", screeeccCCH…CRASHHH! "#Q&#&(&($#&Q#$!" SLAM!

The door slammed open and a gust of cold wind rushed into the recesses of the room, where there resided a young girl sitting by the table, and the few decorations and sheathed swords. The 'young girl' raised her gaze towards the two that had rudely stormed into the room, all the while wearing a mask of indifference and nonchalance.

No, It was NOT a nice day for the two rookies of the group, unless you call having reaching school, and parading into the toilet only to realize that you have stepped into the wrong toilet, for the sign had been incidentally switched, then battered by a screeching mass of half-naked girls, THEN being slapped on the back by Aya (albeit shyly whilst giggling and blushing), then walking out, to realise that your favourite bike had incidentally broke down even though it had just been repaired yesterday, then on your way back, a very nice cut branch incidentally fell off the tree and crash onto your head, and incidentally you fell onto a very familiar child, and incidentally, parents passed by the desolate park and you were called a pedophile, and incidentally, a dog's leash came loose, and you had to run around town, and incidentally, a bucketful of honey cam crashing down on you just when you stopped to take a breather, hiding to loose the dog, and incidentally, it was when the dog was very, VERY near. Alas, the day did not show any signs of mercy, unless once again, you think running around town like a battered bird with a flock of feathers awkwardly sticking persistently onto you, a mob of bees aiming for you since their queen bee had incidentally been squished when you had been near the tree, and a bull dog chasing after you, and a police squadron not far behind it. No. It was NOT a good day, Souchirou and Bob decided.

"Yo!" Maya greeted them pleasantly.

They stared at her. Yo? YO? They were in that state, and all they get was a YO! Battered, torn, and sticky were the clothes, bruises and stings and grandeur bills to pay off. YO!

Maya, just incidentally seeing their state, quirked one of her eyebrows, "…Nice getup." She smirked.

ARGH!


After getting a good wash in the luxurious Natsume home, getting into comfortable clothes that were (thankfully) devoid of feathers and honey, and god knows what else, Souchirou and Bob settled along with the rest of the club members lapsing into a tense silence.

Upon walking into the room, the first thing they noticed was Maya in her true form. Then, Reiki by her side. And the food on the table, but soon was dismissed, since it was assured by Asshat that is was cooked by Aya. They had initially pushed aside the feeling, since the others did not seem to find it weird. But just as they began their dinner, the berating ringing of the phone pierced through winter night's solace.

Aya had made a move to pick it up, her hand just inches away from the phone when a strong burst of killing intent forced into an arrow speed towards her, which would have been fatal for not of Reiki's long blade cutting it squarely to the ground. For a millisecond, nothing happened, before the arrowhead burst into a horde of curling hissing snakes. And within seconds, the dragon blade subdued all. The snakes turned to blackened ashes, and the wind tussled these ashes, before revealing a letter.

All still seated but guarded and alert, a pin drop silence ensued, and this time, Maya picked up the offending note. No one but her read it before it disintegrated in her hands, but what they did caught onto was the very slight tensing of her shoulders. Ignoring everyone's questioning gaze, she strode out of the room, dinner forgotten. All she said was: "Don't wait up for me…And don't use the Eye."

Thus, the tension.

"Hey, that's MINE! Back OFF!" Ok, so maybe not so tense.

"Idiot, it doesn't even have your name on it! And there's more there!"

"WHAT! I wanted THAT piece! Give it back! I saw it fir- DAMN YOU! I'm gonna KILL YOU!" …forget it. Some idiots just simply don't get it (ARGH. DAMN IT BRATS! Why make it so hard for the poor author? Can't you see her chewing on her blanket like a mad dog already!).

The owls may hoot, the winds may hush the trees, and the winter night may inevitably darken all above the horizon, yet the light of the Natsume residence shall proudly fight the shadows of gloom, and the shall cheer chase away all uneasiness for the moment. Laughter rang as clear as the Sunday bell, and even more petty arguments arose.

Above the horizon, once again, the moon that always rises, rose yet again, so often ignored, for everyone was consumed in their happy gatherings. Yet some are not. Most do not notice the significant difference of the moon, but some few do. At least one in the Natsume residence did. The moon was red.

Blood red.


Reviews:

Ranko: Hehehe… Glad someone out there thinks so too! I'll try my best, thanks! .

Zephrylight: thanks! . n-no…I wrote that one. It's something like a simple child's rhyme that I wrote within less than 5 minutes. I just started chanting it when it popped up in my head unconsciously… Well, tell you something :psst: it ish improtnat. Nice you caught onto the song :D even if it seemed just simply irrelevant, glad you read it . ehehhee… she takes very good care of them little children.. do not fear… ehehee(crackles evilly)

Teza-g: Hmm.. Just because there's too little (sobs…) haha, ok, I'll try my best to rewrite:D

Thanks for dropping by all!