12 years ago one of the islands of Okinawa, Japan
A young girl sits alone on the beach, she is assumed no more than 10 years old. The girl's name is Hoshiko. She's short for her age, if her assumed age is correct, for she was found near a field on the outskirts of her little island home town. Her skin, despite living on the island for around 10 years is rather pale from staying indoors. Her hair is dark and cropped short after children in her class put gum in it. She has taken to wearing her long bangs in her eyes to hide their abnormally yellow green color. Her light blue sun dress is dirty and torn from bullying. She sits by herself and sobs bitterly into her knees.
A group of kids approach her, their ages mixed from her age to teenagers, all of them have stones and mud in their hands. Hoshiko flinches away from their approach, her lack of size makes her believe it was impossible to protect herself. "Demon!" one of the boys screeches as he throws a stone at her, hitting her forehead with a hard thud. Hoshiko bites her lip and attempts to cover her head as a trickle of blood flows out of the fresh cut on her forehead. A girl steps up out of the crowd and throws a glob of slimy mud at Hoshiko. "Yeah! You witch! Go back to where you came from!" The rest of the mob join in throwing and hitting the smaller Hoshiko as she curls into a ball while they scream curses at her.
Suddenly a voice booms at the group in a commanding fashion. "Stop!
A tall, muscular high school student is sprinting toward the group as they scatter. The boy is Hotaka Nashimomo, Hoshiko's adoptive older brother and captain of the martial arts club at the local high school. Though Hoshiko is not his biological sister he loves her all the same, and it is plain to see in the pained rage on his face as her reaches his little sister who is doubled over in the sand. His shaggy brown hair is in his eyes, wet with salt water spray and sweat that drips along the sides of his face mixing with the worried tears from his black eyes. He kneels next to Hoshiko's pained little motionless form, stroking her neck to make sure she has a pulse and can breath. He lets out a sigh when she lets out a sob. "Hoshi…" Hotaka murmurs as he pats Hoshiko's head gently to try and sooth her. As Hoshiko looks up at her brothers saddened feature's Hotaka runs a finger over the pointed tips of her ears that she tries to hid in her thick black hair. Without speaking he picks up his little sister in his arms and stands. "Let's get you home…" Hotaka starts walking along the beaches path to their house cradling Hoshiko in his arms gently murmuring songs to her.
As the two approach their little families island home Hotaka's biological mother spots them from their high up porch. She had seen the kids running away and heard their talk, hoping they weren't serious, her hopes not answered but her pain helped to calm by her daughter's slightly calm face at the soft singing she heard on the wind. Haruna Nashimomo has raised her son as a respectable and calm man, and tries to help her daughter fight through the ignorance of their small island town. She is a tall middle aged woman with slightly aged features, her hair still a wispy brown and coal black eyes filled with emotion make her a comforting figure to her children. Haruna props open the door as her son climbs the steps with Hoshiko balanced in his arms, she has fallen asleep from t he singing and rocking of her brother like a babe. "Put her in her bed Hotaka, I'll treat her wounds, you should go meditate and do your training for the day. Get a handle on your emotions again." Haruna's son follows his mother's wishes with a nod, he respects his mother too much to not obey her simple wishes. While Hotaka trains, his mother is bandaging her much loved adopted daughter. She murmurs as she works promising her daughter many things. "One day you'll be strong and brave as Hotaka too, and you'll be the protector of someone too. One day you will be respected, loved, and honored too, I promise you one day…."