Disclaimer: Sunrise and Stephanie Meyer own Mai-Hime/Otome and the Twilight series respectively

Acknowledgements: Thanks to serenitatis417 for editing this.

Duran: Glad to know you like my story. I forgot to add the explanation of Tasogare in the A/N section... My bad. Tasogare means dusk or twilight in Japanese. I can't reveal to you who the "lords" from the prophecy are yet. Sorry. But all will be unvealed in the future... Thanks for your review and I hope you'll continue to support my fic.

Sorry to all for such a long delay. School and exams are killing me. Once the holidays are here I'll be back to working at normal speed. xD

Chapter 1: New Beginnings

Three months later…

A drop of sweat rolled down Kuga Natsuki's brow. Frustrated, she wiped it away with the back of her hand. Damn this weather! She thought angrily. Even though the windows of the car that she's travelling in were rolled down and a breeze was coming through, she was in too much unrest to relax. All this pent up frustrations were sending her mind into turmoil. Her father was trying to talk to her while half-concentrating on the road to the harbour. Will he just shut up?! Natsuki crossed her arms and looked out the window, determined to neither meet her father's gaze nor to speak to him.

How dare he talk to me like that after all those things he has done? Doesn't he know that I haven't forgiven him yet? Natsuki thought bitterly, You married that bitch just a few months after kaa-san's death and while I was still in hospital. How do you expect me to trust you again after that? Just let me go already!

Those were the types of thoughts that plagued Natsuki's mind every single time she looked at her father. Living with her step-family has become more and more unbearable these days due to the arrival of her half-brother. She couldn't just stand there, watching her father dote on his new son and look so lovingly at her stepmother. It reminded her painfully of when he used to do that to her mother. Everything you said were lies, every single action was pretence! If you meant all those "loving" words you said back then, you would have stayed in mourning long enough to show that you respected and loved her. But you went and married that mistress of yours, leaving me, critically injured, alone in hospital!

Natsuki's hands had balled into fists, she desperately wanted to let them fly at her father, releasing her pent up hatred and anger. She needed to leave this place, where she no longer belonged. She needed to find a new place to call home, a place to move on. With this as her new purpose in life, Natsuki set off for Fuuka.

Fuuka, an island just off the coast of Tokyo, was the place where her aunt's family lives. The small island is a rather wet and gloomy place during summer, much wetter than Tokyo because of the frequent cyclones. But Natsuki, being quite a lone wolf, actually find it more comforting than the overcrowded and noisy city of Tokyo.

Fuuka is the place that she visits every summer with her mother ever since she was born. Her mother, Kuga, no, Saionji Saeko, was born in Fuuka and thus found herself more connected and welcomed there. Being with family and friends helps her to avoid thinking about Takashi's affairs. Natsuki has been going back to Fuuka more frequently after her father's remarriage three years ago, except for last year when she was forcefully dragged along with her father's family to Sapporo. She bonded well with her aunt's family. They loved and cared for her deeply; giving her the sort of family love that she lacks in her father's stead.

Natsuki immediately applied to go to Fuuka Gakuen after finishing middle school. It was the best opportunity and excuse for her to leave Tokyo. Her father, however, still promised to support her financially until she comes of age. This, Natsuki suspected, might be his way of making it up to her and trying to gain her forgiveness. Like hell I'll ever forgive you.

"Natsuki?" Her father asked, trying to start a conversation for the hundredth time once more after having had failed miserably every single time he tried. There was no answer. But Takashi talked on regardless, "I know you are not comfortable living with Miko and Jin but you are still my daughter. It's still your home; you have the right to stay here. You don't have to go. You really shouldn't trouble your ba-san by going to Fuuka. I have the duty of taking care of you until you come of age."

Annoyed at her father's persistence she finally snapped, "You know that I hate this place! You know very well that you lost my trust in you as soon as you left us. There's no way you'll ever going to earn back my trust." Natsuki paused to take a deep breath before continuing. "Well, Ba-san is my family too; she can take care of me much better than you ever can. There's just no point living here anymore, I don't feel like we're even family! Not since you first let me realise that you never loved kaa-san." Natsuki spat. Kuga Takashi could only open and close his mouth, knowing that he really can't deny what Natsuki just said. He remained silent for the rest of the trip.

Ten minutes later, Natsuki finally arrived at the harbour. She took her luggage and left the car without ever looking back. Takashi tried to say something to her in farewell but found that looking at the back of her unforgiving figure took all his courage away. All he could do was raise his arm in farewell, unseen by the Ice Princess. She'll never forgive me, will she?Takashi thought painfully as he watched his daughter depart.

Natsuki stood on the deck of the ferry with her eyes closed, leaning on the rails, letting the wind gently caress her hair. She opened her eyes lazily to look at the calm frothy waters below. A brief flash of the memory of the crash that usually haunts her memories came into her mind once more, jerking her fully awake. She could still hear the screams of both her mother and herself as their car flew over the railings, off the cliff and into the dark, violent waters of the unforgiving ocean. Natsuki shuddered and hugged herself tightly even though the weather was unusually warm. She let out a noisy sigh and looked across the large expense of the ocean lying in front of her, feeling the motion of the ferry and the movement of the waves calm her restless mind. I should stop thinking about it, shouldn't I?

But her thoughts wander back to that incident once more. She felt that there was something missing, like a small vital piece of a puzzle piece had disappeared. It kept bugging her but she just can't put her finger on it. Something of great importance must have happened during that incident. Every time she thinks back or stares at the sea, she couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding or was it dread? Without her complete memory of the event she could not really determine if it was something she should worry about.

Sighing in frustration and flicking her hair with her hand as was her habit, she gave up trying to recall those memories. The only result of those reminiscing was a flash of crimson and brown. The meaning of those images were as cloudy as milky water, when she thought that it has finally dawned on her, it all turned foggy and uncertain once more.

"We have now arrived at Fuuka. Please don't forget take your luggage with you. Thank you for travelling with us today and hope that you will travel with us again in the future. Have a nice day." The announcer said over the loudspeaker. Natsuki stretched and grabbed her backpack and duffel bag, and stepped off the ferry with a more relaxed air about her. She took a good long look around.

God, I miss this place! She thought to herself with a small smile as all the familiar sights and sounds hit her like a wave.

Waiting at the exit for her could only be her aunt and her family. Seeing Natsuki approach, her aunt and her uncle waved rather enthusiastically at her while her cousin looked on with a slightly annoyed yet amused expression on her face. It's been a year since I last saw them and they haven't changed much at all. Wow, Hikaru's grown taller than me! That's fast; it's only been a year… Natsuki mused to herself. As she moved closer she raised her arm to acknowledge that she seen their greeting. Once she reached them she was enveloped in a bone crunching from her uncle.

"Good to see you again, Natsuki-chan!" her uncle, Sanada Ryoma, roughly ruffled her hair. Natsuki growled in response. Ryoma knew very well that she does not like people messing up her hair nor the suffix "–chan" being added to her name, especially coming from him. But he just chuckled at her reaction.

Ryoma is a tall, man of middle-built and forty-five. He would have been quite handsome in his younger years; now, he's an average-looking middle-age man who's slightly balding. Most say that by just looking at him, he appears humble and weak compared to his confident and rather successful wife. But if one looks closely, it can be observed that there is sharpness in his grey eyes, showing his wisdom and perceptiveness. It's funny how her uncle was able to swallow his pride and honour to marry into her aunt's family. Maybe Yuriko's family demanded him to do so. Maybe he just wanted to show his love for her. She could never understand why he chose to do that, but she could tell that Ryoma is a very devoted husband, a much better father and husband than her own father.

Ryoma's wife now came forward to greet Natsuki. "How was your trip, dear? Looks like Takashi hasn't been feeding you well enough. Well, I'll fix that!" her aunt, Saionji Yuriko, gave her a gentle welcome-home hug. Yuriko looks much more energetic and younger than her husband. She is only forty-two, having a straight and upright posture, of medium height and rather slim, perhaps due to stress from work and tight working schedules. It could be noted that cobalt hair and green seems to be a Saionji trait, with Yuriko, Saeko, Hikaru and Natsuki having the same hair and eye colour, with the only difference between the four women's eye colour, and in Hikaru's case, also her hair colour, being its shade. In Yuriko's case, she has a duller green than her sister and her niece, but nonetheless just as alert and sharp.

"Yo. Haven't seen you in a while Natsuki. Looks like you haven't changed." Came her cousin, Saionji Hikaru's slightly mocking greeting. Saionji Hikaru, aged 16 with an above-average height of 1.7 metres, is rather toned and well built for a girl, a sign that she's very athletic. Hikaru's shoulder-length hair looks black but shows tinges of what looks like dark blue under the sun, definitely much darker than the standard Saionji's shade and her eyes are a light forest green and slightly grey around the outer edges of her iris.

Natsuki moved forward to smack her cousin on her head and growled, "Well, it looks like ba-san fed you some extra growth hormones. Or was it the result of those friends of yours tying you to two bikes and pulling you in opposite directions?"

"Oi, oi! Is that the way to greet your cousin? For your information I just happen to inherit the tall genes. Looks like someone missed out." Hikaru retorted quickly, but she was looking slightly sheepish.

Saionji- 1. Kuga- 0. Bad start. Natsuki thought for a witty comeback but came up with none. Still, Natsuki let out a relaxed chuckle. She hasn't been able to laugh like that for quite a while and being at Fuuka seems to resurrect the more fun part of her. Ryoma came over and took her luggage from her hands. Natsuki turned around, surprised at the sudden movement.

"Hey, your ba-san and I will go home first with your luggage. We'll organise your room and get the dinner ready for you two." Ryoma winked at her. "Hikaru's got a surprise for you."

Natsuki turned back looked at her cousin bewildered. Hikaru laughed her easy, carefree laugh and gave Natsuki a slight push in the direction of the car park.

"Oyaji told me that your bike screwed up and you can't be stuffed to get a new one. But I thought you just don't have enough room in your budget to fit in a new bike. So…how long has it been since you last straddled your Ducati?" Hikaru playfully teased her.

"Well, for your information, I was involved in an accident. I didn't screw up my bike; the stupid car from behind me did. Oh another thing, my Ducati "screwed up" only a few months ago. I knew I was coming here soon so I didn't bother to get another one. I think I actually saved up enough money this year to get a new one soon." Natsuki retorted, looking slightly pissed. She wasn't so fond of the memory of that accident. Stupid, shiny, silver Volvo driver…

"Ah well, you have been off your bike for quite a while. Your skills gone rusty?"

"Hell no! Like hell will I ever forget how to ride a bike! That's like forgetting how to walk!" Natsuki defended herself, and her skills, fiercely.

Hikaru soon approached a sleek red Honda bike with black markings decorating its sides parked near the exit of the car park. Natsuki couldn't help but ogle at the sight. She almost missed the matching red helmet Hikaru threw at her.

"Wow…Nice bike." Natsuki smiled fondly as ran her hand across the bike. But not as nice as a Ducati… God, I miss my bike. She thought sadly.

"You think so?" Hikaru smiled at her compliment. Noticing the look of desire in her cousin's eye, her smile grew wider, "Here… I'll let you drive."

"Wh…what?" Natsuki stammered. Luckily she pulled herself together in time to catch the key thrown at her.

"Welcome home present." Hikaru shrugged. "You know the routes of Fuuka well enough, I assume. Take it for a spin." Hikaru was feeling generous today.

"So how are you getting home?" Natsuki asked, feeling still kind of out of it.

"Umm… Isn't that obvious?" Hikaru gestured to the rear seat of the bike.

"Oh right…" Natsuki blushed slightly, embarrassed at her own stupidity.

"Quit wasting time! Put on the helmet and let's go!" Hikaru, already with her helmet on, could hardly keep her excitement out of her voice. She has had that bike for a month now and it's always a breathtakingly awesome ride. Knowing Natsuki is a hard-core motor head she couldn't wait to show it off to her.

Natsuki needed no more encouragement and wasted no time getting acquainted with the bike. Donning on her helmet and zipping up her jacket, she hopped on and revved the bike impatiently. The sound of the bike coming to life beneath her renewed her enthusiasm and awoke her addiction to adrenaline once more.

"Oi! Get on! Aren't you the one telling me not to waste time?" Natsuki yelled impatiently at Hikaru who was still standing besides her, watching her excitedly revving the bike with an amused look on her face.

Once Hikaru's on, Natsuki sped off, testing the abilities of the bike as she goes. Damn, it's good! She took the scenic route that will take her through some of the woods of Fuuka and along the cliff which will give them a breath-takingly beautiful view of the oceans beyond.

The ride took around fifteen minutes but to Natsuki, it felt like five. It has been ages since she rode a bike and felt so relaxed. She practically forgot about her passenger, the actually owner of the bike, until Hikaru mentioned that it was time to head home.

"You just have to ruin my fun, don't you?" Natsuki accused her.

"Nah, I'm just feeling hungry. Aren't you?" Hikaru replied quite cheerfully in spite of the tone Natsuki used in her accusation.

"No!" But a rather loud and incriminating rumble was heard coming from Natsuki, ruining her denial. Hikaru chuckled.

"Oh all right, we're going home." Defeated, Natsuki could only curse her rebelling stomach silently. Argh! What bad timing. Turning the bike around, they headed back to the Saionji residence.

Natsuki stopped the bike out on the driveway of the Saionji residence. Both girls hopped off the bike and wheeled it towards the garage. Natsuki walked slowly, taking in all the familiar sights, noticing some subtle changes that were made during her absence. A strong feeling of contentment and warmth swelled up in her heart, this is the place where she really belongs, no more pretending or hiding. Finally, she's home.

Hikaru opened the door of the garage and Natsuki helped wheeled the bike in. Natsuki stepped away from the bike and stretched. The smell of curry wafted into her nostrils, her stomach, as if triggered by the smell, rumbled loudly again.

"Looks like you're really hungry," Hikaru gave her a sidelong glance.

"Shut up!" Natsuki blushed and covered her stomach with her arms. A loud rumble coming from Hikaru's stomach ended her search for a comeback line. "Now look who's talking." Take that! Natsuki smirked at her cousin.

"I never said I wasn't hungry," Hikaru shot back before turning around and heading towards the door that leads to the main house, leaving Natsuki before she could retort smartly. Natsuki, due to the beckoning of her stomach, soon followed.

The two girls continued their playful verbal jousting as they made their way through the cosy yet sophisticated living room to the dinning room where the rest of the Saionji family were assembled. Ryoma was helping his wife setting up the table when they came in.

"Ah! Good timing! The curry was just about done." Ryoma told them as he went back into the kitchen to help his wife check on the curry.

Yuriko popped out the kitchen with a pot of steaming curry chicken and mentioned for the girls to take a seat when they tried to give her a hand. "Natsuki must be tired by her trip, so please sit." She waved off Natsuki's protests and continued to serve dinner.

What was extra special about tonight's dinner was the fact that Yuriko actually took into account of Natsuki's fondness for mayonnaise and prepared a bottle of high quality mayonnaise for her to use. Natsuki sat back obediently as soon as she spotted her mayonnaise.

Soon all of them were enjoying their dinner, talking and laughing loudly. Even Natsuki joined them in telling jokes and having a great time herself. I miss family dinners… Natsuki thought sadly as she finally admitted how lonely she was without a proper, loving family. The last time her entire family actually got together properly for dinner was more than four years ago. Even when her mother was still alive her family rarely got together, her mother was usually busy with her researches and her father was always "working late". Now she tended to avoid eating dinner with Miko, Jin and Takashi so she would always eat first and either disappear into her room or go for a ride on her bike. Hikaru's family treated her as one of them and this is the first she ever felt so involved, so loved, for a long time.

But good times bound to come to an end. It was after dinner when they were hanging around in the living room when the storm started brewing. Although the atmosphere was still cheery it soon turned sour as Yuriko handed a letter to Natsuki while she sorted through her other mails. "Looks like it's from your father," Yuriko stated, watching Natsuki's expression carefully.

Natsuki, surprised, reached for the letter gingerly. He sent me a letter? She recognised the slanting, neat handwriting of her father. Natsuki turned the note around in her hands trying to guess what her father might have written before tearing it open with impatient, trembling fingers. Let's get this over and done with.

The note began with a casual greeting and a few questions about her trip. But as she read on, she became increasingly annoyed and frustrated. After she finished reading the note, Natsuki crumbled it up and threw it on the floor.

"Send the money back to him." Natsuki demanded, spinning around to face her aunt, not bothering to remain calm. Her rage was radiating around her, like heat radiating off a heater. The tension in the room was suffocating, causing Hikaru to take a few steps away from Natsuki to get some breathing space.

No one replied. Yuriko slowly bent down and retrieved the crumpled note, taking care not to provoke Natsuki any further. She gave her an inquiring look. Natsuki just glared at the letter before turning away, crossing her arms across her chest. Taking that as a sign of assent, Yuriko unfolded the letter and with Ryoma, read the words that blown the fuse on Natsuki's unpredictable temper.

Takashi had written the letter the day before Natsuki left for Fuuka. It wasn't just another series of arguments he had prepared, trying to get Natsuki to come back to Tokyo. It was also another attempt to get Natsuki to stay in touch with him and forgive him. In addition to that Takashi had also transferred a large sum of money into Natsuki's account, larger than her usual allocation of living expenses. He said the money is for her to spend freely on her wants so that she doesn't burden her aunt and her family. But there was this hidden implication in his words that if she accepted the money she is forgiving him.

"You call this reconciling? This is practically bribing! The old man thinks that money will solve everything. He's not even trying to work it out with me; he's just trying to buy me out!" Natsuki, her body trembling with her fury, yelled as soon as Yuriko and Ryoma had read the letter. Sly old fox! I'm not going to forgive you that easily, especially if you use such insincere, unfair and thoughtless methods!

"Calm down, Natsuki!" Ryoma's authoritative voice rang out, stalling Natsuki's fuming. "Maybe he's way of reconciling might be inappropriate but can't you give him credit for trying?"

Natsuki ran her fingers through her hair in annoyance, "He was trying? Well, where was he when I need him the most? Why wasn't he there when I was at the hospital? He left me while I was in critical condition! How can I believe he ever loved me when he wasn't there when I, no, WE needed him?" Natsuki's voice broke and tears formed in her eyes as her pained memories went to that of her mother and her sudden death. How much had he caused us to suffer, kaa-san? I won't ever forgive him for that!

Hikaru and Natsuki have always been close. Natsuki is like an elder sister to Hikaru. But being unable to bear the sight of Natsuki in so much pain, Hikaru quickly walked over and put her arm around her cousin. This warm, sympathetic action crumpled the last of Natsuki's defences. She let out a strangled sob as all the bottled up emotions surged through her. Ryoma and Yuriko looked at each other sadly, both of them reflecting on the memories of Saeko. Too much wrong had been committed, and too many people had suffered; forgiveness will not be given freely…

When Natsuki had recomposed herself, Yuriko spoke up, "I know he had hurt you and Saeko but at least he is trying to reconcile. The times he talked to us proved to us his reasons and feelings are sincere. He is pretty upset that he's not getting his message across to you."

Natsuki, exhausted by her rare emotional outburst, had remained silent while Yuriko talked. Though she doesn't really express her emotions well, being with people that are so close to her got her to open up a lot more. Taking this as a signal that Natsuki is calm enough to listen, now Ryoma decided to add, "I know we don't have to right to concern ourself with business between you and your father, but we feel that it's only right for father and daughter to reconcile since they are each other's flesh and blood. It's only right for a family to be whole. We hope you will reconsider forgiving him."

"But he still insulted me. He makes it look like my forgiveness is an item that could be purchased. It's a cheap way to reconcile, don't you think?" Finding enough anger to fuel her again, Natsuki stubbornly replied. "Look, if I forgive him now, I'll be labelled as materialistic. All I need is an object of value or some money, once I get that I'll give you my forgiveness. Is that who you think I am?" Natsuki struggled to control her emotions, trying to stay calm. She was starting to loose it again.

Yuriko decided to resort to bring Saeko into this discussion, "I believe your mother will want Takashi and you to reconcile even though Takashi had hurt you both so much. Saeko wouldn't bear to see her only daughter miss out on having a proper, normal family life; experience a parent's love. Especially when she still has her father left. Saeko would feel responsible for leaving you by yourself. She would most likely encourage you to reconcile with your father, so that you don't have be alone anymore. If that's what she wanted then we will do our best to help."

"But how would you know?" Natsuki countered lamely, ending her question in a half whisper, their logic is finally getting past her stubbornness. Is that how you would feel, kaa-san? Natsuki asked silently.

"I know because Saeko is my sister. But more importantly, I know because I'm also a mother. If I was Saeko, I would do the same to make sure my daughter is happy." Yuriko replied gently with a warm smile. "We're not asking you to do anything against your own will, we're just asking you to maybe let go of your bitterness against your father and strive for reconciliation."

There was a long awkward pause as Natsuki considered her options and let all Yuriko had said sink in. What they had said was logical. Maybe her mother would have wanted her to reconcile… At last her lips twitched upwards slightly in what looks like a small, timid smile and nodded, "I'll give it a shot then. I'll…try my best to think more positively." Must be the air here at Fuuka…Can't believe I'm actually agreeing.

Ryoma clapped her encouragingly, but hard, on her back, sending her toppling over. "Good girl! Learning to let go of hate and bitterness is a sign of growing up. You mustn't let your weaknesses tarnish the glow of a spirit so noble and pure like your own."

He sounded like a wise, old sage. Or was it the samurai blood in him causing him to talk about nobleness? Natsuki thought with a slight smirk as she tried to recover from that hard slap. Damn he hits hard…Must be the kenjutsu training.

Yuriko just smiled proudly at her niece, silently promising her elder sister that she would treat Natsuki like her own and teach her to become a true Saionji, like her mother. Hikaru let out a sigh of relief while offering Natsuki her hand to help her up. Ganbatte ne, Natsuki!

"Boy, I'm hungry!" Ryoma complained, "Emotional stuff is always so energy consuming."

"That's only because you men can't handle emotional stuff and are somehow perpetually hungry." Hikaru countered her father playfully. A moment later: "So… anyone else fancy dessert?" she added hesitatingly with a sheepish smile, earning her a slap on the arm from Natsuki.

"Geez… Such a hypocrite." Natsuki reprimanded her light-heartedly.

Laughing, the rest of the Saionji family made their way to the kitchen to hunt for dessert. Not surprisingly, Natsuki went straight to her bottle of mayonnaise while everyone else opt for some healthier alternatives.

"She never changes, does she?" Yuriko smiled as they watched Natsuki consume her mayonnaise in insane amounts, finally feeling some normalness had been restored tonight.

"Apparently not." Ryoma and Hikaru answered at the same time, wearing the same lopsided grin.

TBC

Next chapter: Fuuka Gakuen

A/N:

Sorry about this slightly boring chapter compared to the last. It's just mainly a setting the scene kinda thing. Please bear with me. xD

Just an interesting piece of trivia: For those who know some Japanese history, you might recognise the names of Hikaru's parents. As for Hikaru's name, there's a reason why I chose it. Here are their names in kanji so it might give you some clues about my characters…:

Sanada Ryouma: 真田龍馬

Saionji Yuriko: 西園寺優梨子

Saionji Hikaru: 西園寺光

Well, thanks for your continued support. Comments are appreciated. Hope to see you next time.