Your Christmas Present

The cold air blew right into my face as I walked around in the garden. Snow pilled up to my ankles. I had on some dark brown khaki pants, charcoal polo shirt, an army green jacket with a grey hood, some brown loafers, and my bright orange beanie with it's blue stripes. Some of my bangs were covering my forehead while some snow was getting caught in it.

I made my way towards the tree as the snow fell. Being outside made me feel more relaxed other than being in there. I felt my sweat drop while I slid down to rest on the tree. "It may be Christmas Eve, but somehow being in there with those two is just not comfortable for me!"

Thirty Minutes Ago

"Here you go everyone!" I gladly took the cup of hot chocolate from Konoka as she passed it out to everyone else. I sipped some of it not only to get warm, but also to break the awkwardness. I was sitting in between Asuna and Angel. The two people I said I'd answer, but never did.

I felt myself shaking in fear from the tension coming from both of them. I wonder, if Angel knew that I found out she liked me through Setsuna and I eavesdropping the first time they came to see me…probably not.

"Sammy," I felt the hair on the back of my neck lift up while I almost spit up some of the hot chocolate. I turned to my left to see Angel having some sweet bread in her hands. "Have some!" She placed it near my mouth. I felt my face heat up while I slowly took a bite out of the bread. I felt my blush grow along with a smile from how amazing it was.

"Suge! It's really tasty!" She laughed at my childish behavior while I grabbed one of the breads for myself. I bit into the cherry filled donut only to glee in joy. "Hm! Mhy cohmperimets to de cheif!" Everyone laughed a bit as I stuffed my face. Well, everyone except Asuna. All she did was merely smile as she went back to her hot chocolate.

I leaned in closer to her while staring at her face. She seemed quite down and about. Not long before I got a little bit too close to her. I was at least an inch away from her. "Asuna? Something wrong?" She turned to her left only to be face to face with me. Her face turned a dark shade of red while she looked down.

"It's nothing, nothing at all." Konoka giggled while she put down her cup of chocolate.

"That usually means something is!"

"K-Konoka!" I grabbed Asuna's hand while still staring at her. She got a little startled as she pulled away. She quickly got up while looking at everyone a little embarrassed. "I'm sorry, but please excuse me." Then she ran off towards one of the guest rooms we were all given. I wanted to go after her, but she seemed like she didn't want to talk to me at all. I felt something in my chest ache quite a bit.

I griped at my shirt while feeling something come up. I got up while running over to the door leading to the yard. "I-I'm just going to enjoy the scenery for a bit." I ran out only to start coughing up some blood. "It's back..."

Present

Now here I am. Resting on a tree while realizing my illness wasn't gone after all. If this spreads farther...I might actually...I don't want that. I need to stay here.

"How's it going, kid?" I blinked a few times before I looked up. That's when I felt everything stop for a few seconds. Standing before me was another me. It wasn't the clone the Hokanji Association made, no. It was my real other half, Hikari. She was dressed in some sort of old fashion Japanese kimono that was colored black with long sleeves and puffy pants that ended at her knees. She was there standing in the cold on her bare feet. Her eyes golden while black hair got filled with snow.

"H-Hikari? What are you doing here? I thought you were gone for good..." She laughed a bit while kneeling down towards me.

"I am, but I doesn't mean we still aren't connected. I felt the pain you felt, so the only thing I could was come check up on you." She looked at me with soft eyes. " it seems like being human isn't working out for you."

I laughed while the blood still dropped down the side of my lip as I held my stomach. The pain was spreading through my body by the seconds. The cold air was just helping it. I even noticed that my sight started to leave me. "Y-Yeah...looks like it."

She placed her hand on my knee. "You know you can't die again right? If you do that'll be the last you see if this world. No more second chances." I nodded my head while a felt a small smile get in my face. "No more being brought back by those healers," my eyes started to close, "Damn it Kid!"

Before I could even doze off, I felt something touch the skin of my wrist. Then it began to sting as something bit me. "G-Gah!" I opened my tired eyes only to see Hikari's teeth digging deep into me. Her eyes were a bloody red as she began growl. Each times she did, her teeth would sink deeper and deeper. "What are you doing?"

She bit into me one more time before she let go. Her eyes immediately turned back into a regular light gold as she stared at me. "I didn't want to do this, but since going back into your body is out of the question, you have to go through original way to get my powers."

I became even more as she tried to explain what she was doing, but my wrist started to sting a bit. Though Hikari wasn't biting me, I looked down only to see it was the bite wound. It was pulsing with darkness surrounding it as it bubbled as well.

I jumped back from the tree while shaking my arm around like some crazy person. "A-a-ah! It burns!" Before I knew it the cut started to heal its self with the darkness making it's way into me. My veins bulged from my arm to my shoulder. My whole body started to do the same. It even went up to my head.

I could feel the surge of power flowing through me. "Ah! Gah! Ugh!" I knew my eyes were turning a different color now as the darkness got to my head. I knew that color rising in my eyes were that of a bloody red while my teeth turned into fangs.

"I know it hurts," I gripped at my head from each side, "I know you're confused." The grunting of pain became louder and louder as I curled myself up in a ball. "Though this is the only way for me to transfer my powers on to you. It like the equivalence to someone being turned into a vampire, but more painful since you have to go through a shift first. Though, think of this as your early Christmas present." S-Shift?

The snow around me began to melt. Cloud of smoke surrounded me while I was laid out there. My body was getting hotter by the second. My heat beating faster than it ever has before. The blood in me was boiling up. This worse from the first time I shifted. I can feel it.

That's when it happened. The skin from my arms started to rip away as the claws and paws appeared before me. My legs were also gone as my body tore away. Though before fully lose myself in the pain. I heard the door open from the house.

"S-Sam?" I turned to see it was the person I worried about in the beginning of this. Asuna. She seemed shocked while scared at the same time.

"Kid," I looked up to see no one there, but I heard her voice. Hikari's voice was inside my head. "I hope you survive." I felt my eyes widen while arms snapped while my spine shifted it's self. Every single bone in my body started shifting and breaking.

I knew Asuna was still there watching this happen. I turned towards her, as my mouth almost became a snout. "A-Asuna," I growled, "Make sure I don't kill someone or end up dying." She seemed shocked from my words, but she nodded her head slowly. I smiled a bit, before my neck snapped. That's when I lost sight of this world around me.

Things were quiet wherever I was. I knew I was laid out on something soft as I rolled over on my side. I scratched my ear while feeling someone staring at me. I opened my eyes to see I was right.

"Ah! She's awake!" I lifted my head up only be patted. Sitting in front of me was Asuna and the others. Konoka was the one patting my head. I felt a little at peace as she rubbed my head. Though it was weird. Konoka and everyone seemed so huge compared to me.

That's when I realized; I became a wolf pup once again. Though this time I knew it was going to be harder to change back. "Konoka, what happened?" She seemed shocked as I talked to her.

She picked me up while holding me close. "Aw, you can even talk too! So adorable!" I sighed a bit while placing my paws on Konoka's shoulders.

" K-Konoka, please stop. Hey, Setsuna help me out here!" Setsune nodded while taking me out of Konoka's hands. Konoka tried fighting, but of course Setsuna came up with something.

"Kono-chan, I'll make it up to you later, okay?" Konoka got a deep blush while she looked down.

"H-hai." I laughed a bit; well it sounded more like barks every now and then. Setsuna bonked my across the head while looking a bit confused. She held me up from the skin on my back.

"Now, mind explaining how the hell you're like this? I thought you were human." I nodded my head while feeling my tail wag a bit.

"I saw Hikari, she gave me her powers. Thing is I almost died without them. So here I am, though looks like I'm back to my old self again. Now I can fight with no problems." Setsuna nodded while bringing me back close to her.

Negi nodded while coming over to me. "I see. Well how about we forget about this for now as we try toenjoy Christmas." I nodded while jumping out of Setunsa's arms on to Negi's shoulder.

"I agree with Negi! Even if I'm like this I'm sure we'll still have fun!" I looked over to Asuna to see she seemed still quite out of it. That's when I noticed she was gripping at her hand. There were bandages wrapped around it. Blood could be seen from them too. Don't tell me…did I…

"Oh, I need to go get the tree ready! Secchan! Help me out with it! Negi can you get the presents from my closet?"

Negi nodded while placing me on the floor. "Rose-san, will you help me?" Angel nodded while walking out of the room with him. Konoka dragged Setsuna out of the room while leaving only Asuna and I behind.

I looked over to her while feeling the tension in the air. "Asuna, I bit you didn't I?" She seemed surprised by my question.

"Yes, you did, but you were in a confused state. Well, in your regular animal state. You did what you're instincts told you to do." I felt my heart ache a bit while I started to whimper a bit too.

She looked over to me with a warm smile. Then unexpectedly she started to pat my head. I felt my tag wag from the happiness I was feeling. A-Asuna…

"You know," I stopped breathing when she spoke up. Though once I heard her, I realized her voice sounded so peaceful and nice. "When you bit me, I didn't fight you, I let you. Until I started to cry a bit from the pain." I looked up to see her eyes were covered by the shadow of her bangs.

"Though, I held you close to me. You still didn't let go even after I held you so tight. That was until I told you something that snapped you back to your sanity."

"What did you say?"

"You may think I should be screaming out in pain or crying from it, but I'm not going to. You know why?" I turned towards her only to be picked up and placed me on her lap. She hugged me from behind. I could hear her heart beat getting faster. "Because you're the person I love and I love you for whatever you are."

That's when I knew I'd felt like I just couldn't breath anymore. My heart skipped a beat while my whole body started to shake. I could feel her holding me closer. "Asuna...I," I was interrupted by the door slamming open.

Negi and Angel were on the side as they brought in some presents. "Here's some of it. We still need the rest." I felt my whole body heat up along with Asuna's. She quickly got up while letting my fall to the floor. Asuna grabbed Negi while running out.

"I help you out squirt!" Before I knew it, they were gone while Angel and I were left there confused. A-Asuna…why are you trying to be so distant from me now? I need you to be like you always were with me, why change now?

I started whimpering while being laid down on the floor. Angel looked at me with a worried look. "Sammy?"

Asuna…I need you to be the Asuna I knew before I left. The one I saw when I came back. Why…why are you like this? Did I do something wrong…it couldn't just be from me not choosing?

"Sam." I looked up to see Angel wrapping something around me. I looked down around my chest to see she was wrapping gauze around my chest. I felt my face heat up while scratching the back of my head. That's when I noticed; I'd turned back to being human without any pain. "You can't go out there like that, now can you?"

I was a bit shocked, but at the same time my mind was stuck on something else. I'd focus on the shifting later.

I nodded my head while she finished. Before I knew it, she'd handed me some clothes. I quickly put them on along with the underwear. I first put on the navy sweat pants, then the dark grey sweater, along with some torn up shoes. My hair was left loose while some of my bangs covered my forehead along with some of my left eye. "Thanks Angel, but you didn't have to wrap that gauze around me…"

Her cheeks light up a little while she placed her hands on my shoulders. That's when she wrapped something else around my neck. I placed my hand over it, only to realize it was a star. I looked down to see it was a necklace with a pendant just like my old one, except it was a full star with a new shine to it. "H-Hey…this is just like…"

"Yep," Angel smiled at me while pushing me towards the door. "Now go find Asuna and find out what's wrong." I shook my head while turning towards her.

"But, Angel…I wanted to some time wit-," she placed her finger on my lips while still smiling.

"No, you have to go after Asuna, she deserves to have you chase after her now." I felt my eyes sting a bit while nodding.

"Sorry Angel," that's when I ran out the door towards the girl whose being trying to ignore me.

I looked everywhere in this huge estate. Asuna was not where to be found. Somehow every time couldn't find her, I felt my heart ache just a bit, until I reached around the corner of the house only to hear a thump above me. I stepped off the outside porch onto the grass. That's when I launched myself up to the roof. That's when I saw her.

She was just looking out to the backyard while having a blank look on her face. I walked towards her slowly so she wouldn't notice me. Well, that plan failed. "You suck at being sneaky." I felt my sweat drop.

"Ha-ha, really?" That was all I said as I made my way over to her while taking the empty space beside her. She didn't look at me though. Is she really mad? I swear I'm never going to understand this.

"Why are you here, don't you want to catch up on lost time with Angel?"

"It's fine, she understands why I came here." Even though she's the one who told me to go after you. I laid myself out while putting my hands behind my head, using them as a cushion.

"Why are you here?" She turned towards me with a worried look. A look that almost made me feel as if I didn't say the right words, she'd get up and leave.

I felt a small smile get on my face while sitting myself up. If I looked at her right now, while I said this, then I know my heart would take control of body. Later making me do things I'd regret. I'd probably tell her how I felt. I looked over to Asuna to see she was waiting for me to say anything.

My heart, wanted to her the truth. The truth of how I found the motivation to get back home. There were only three people on my mind, other than my friends and Spirit. Angel, Evangeline, and you, Asuna…though I mostly thought of you… I don't know why.

"Asuna…"

She looked over to me still waiting to see what I would say. "What is it?"

"The whole time, I was on my way back home, to Mahora…you filled my thoughts…the whole time." I looked back towards sky to see the snowfall. I knew she must have had some shocked expression on her face, but I didn't have to look at her to know that. Right now, I was letting my heart speak for it's self. "I remembered all the times we were together, from the day we met to the day I left. The one day I could never forget was that day I fought Mark…"

"When you-," I cut her off.

"Lost control, yes. Though you brought me back to my senses. When you pushed through the barrier to try and get to me. I knew you felt tremendous pain going through that, I never told you this, but once you stepped through there I was able to hear some of your thoughts.

Her blush covered most of her face as she tried to hide it. I laughed a bit while scratching my nose.

"Oh no you don't! You're not going to go all demon mode on me now! I need you here…with me…that was what you were thinking." I turned to see Asuna red all over. I felt some sweat drop while freaking out a bit. "A-Ah, was it something I said?"

"You…you knew that whole time!" She smacked me right across the head for a few times. I didn't really budge. It only stung, but it went away after a second. Must be Hikari's powers working their magic. I wonder…maybe…no! Not now!

"Sorry…I was still halfway conscious. I didn't remember your words until I was already gone. Though I appreciate it. Oh!" She seemed surprised to hear my sudden words. I grabbed at something in my pocket. Before I knew it, I held it out to her.

It was a bracelet; it was made out of leather and had a metal plate atop of it. It had the designs of cherry blossoms as if they were flowing through it. It also had her name in cursive. I didn't know how I knew that was in there, I just did. Then it came to me. Angel…thanks. I'll make it up to you. I promise.

I grabbed Asuna's wrist, putting it on for her. "S-Sam, when did you get this?" I laughed while adjusting it.

"Don't worry about it. I just thought you'd love it. You do, right?"

She nodded her head, "Yeah…it really pretty. Thank you, ah! I also got you something!" She rummaged through her jacket pocket only to pull out a picture, a picture of everyone. There was a date on it too. It was the day of the festival. It was when I dressed up in that very revealing kimono because of class rep. We all looked so…peaceful.

Though I didn't notice that I'd grabbed the picture and Asuna was placing something around my neck. I looked down to see a key of some sort. It had this beautiful design. The stem had star that were a navy color with dark strips surrounding it, the bow was just the strips intertwining each other while a few were black and others were red, and the bit was in the shape of a star with a red crystal surrounded by a thinner navy crystal.

"W-Whoa! Where did you get this?" Then she did something I wasn't expecting her to do. She hugged me from behind.

"I was walking through the town, it was your birthday…but you weren't here yet. Though I felt like I should get you something. Then this little old woman called out to me from her shop. Then out of nowhere she told me to take it, saying I should give to someone special to me."

I felt my cheeks flush. "A-ah, and you gave it to me? What about Negi?" Her gripped got tight while I was losing air.

"W-What about the brat?"

I laughed while looking towards her. "Never mind." She started shaking me, asking the same question of why exactly why I was laughing. I didn't tell her. I wasn't just laughing out of her reaction, but of sheer happiness.

This Christmas…is probably one of the best.

12:00 a.m. Christmas Day

I was standing next to the tree where I lost saw Hikari. I knew everyone was inside opening presents and drinking eggnog, but I just wanted a little time to think. I grabbed at my new necklace.

Things were getting better each day, but also getting closer to maybe something horrible. Thoughts filled my heads of the clones wondering around somewhere with Ben's, Setsuna's, and my face. The Association is up to something and I need to stop it before they get a chance to get to Konoka.

"What are you doing outside?" I turned to see it was Angel. She had a pink fluffy blanket wrapper around her. I forgot my jacket inside, the cold didn't really bother me anymore.

"Thinking."

"He-he," she giggled while walking up next to me, "Must be something deep for you to come out here." I nodded my head while looking over to her. Her eyes shined a bit due to the snow. I felt my blush come back to me. Angel noticed me fidgeting. "Something wrong?"

I turned towards her, placed my hands on her shoulders while feeling myself shaking. She looked a bit confused while staring at me.

"Sammy, what are you doing?"

"I didn't get you anything for Christmas…but I think this would be good enough…" I leaned in closer to her. I saw her face start lighting up too. Though she's probably going to hit me after this.

I kissed her forehead; I could already feel her shaking. When I pulled back her face was a bright pink while some tears formed in her eyes. I started waving my arms around like a crazy person. "A-Ang? What's wrong?"

"Sammy…you idiot!" She punched me in the gut while going back inside. While I admit, I couldn't feel pain as much than I was human, but she took out all of the air. I feel back on the tree while trying to breath.

I looked up while feeling my blush grow wider. "I'm never going to understand!"

Will Sammy be able to control her powers and protect Konoka? What was wrong with Asuna? Why was Angel pushing Sammy towards Asuna? How did Sammy change back without pain? Find out in the next chapter of Let's Start Again!

Lucky: Hiya everyone! Lucky here! Sorry for the very delayed post, but you see the Boss got sick out of nowhere, so I never got a chance to get to this chapter until today!

Sammy: Took you long enough! It's not even Christmas anymore!

Lucky: Doesn't mean I can't do a time skip! Duh!

Konoka: Ha-ha, good one!

Lucky: (High fives Konoka) I know right!

Sammy: Yeah yeah, real funny. Well guys, the Boss made a drawing of what I look like a while back. Check it out at devainart, the username is the same or just look up Sammy Rose.

Setsuna: Make sure read, review, answer the polls, ask question because you never know they could be answered! This is Setsuna, signing off!