I shrieked.

"Wh-where did that come from?" I asked, shocked.

Hisoka glared at the wall from where the arrow had come from.

"He's here."

Both Hisoka and Botan quickly stood up. Botan rushed over to me.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you."

"From what?"

Hisoka quietly crept to the front door. Another arrow whizzed past his face. I gasped.

"Hisoka!"

More arrows flew from the door, Hisoka dodging them all. He was mumbling something under his breath.

He then came to the front door. Pausing, tilting his head, as if trying to hear something. He then whipped open the door. Nothing was there.

"Dropped something."

Hisoka whirled around to see a young boy all dressed in black, with spiky black hair, holding a bow. Hisoka looked surprised. I know I was. The boy came out of nowhere.

The boy then quickly fired an arrow at Hisoka. Hisoka ducked.

"You little-" he then lunged at the boy without saying anything.

The boy dodged as well, this attack. He stuck his tongue out at Hisoka and ran up the stairs. Hisoka ran after him, muttering curses.

"Who was that?" I asked Botan.

Botan was crossing the hall to the stairs, following Hisoka.

"That, my dear girl, I think is Naoya. Judging by the lightness of his footsteps, and the boy's voice, of course."

I began to walk up the stairs with Botan. When we got to the top, I could see Hisoka angrily chasing after a black streak to and fro from all the rooms. Hisoka noticed us and yelled, "Will someone please catch him?!"

Botan nodded, and so did I. We began to run after Naoya. I probably should have expected for him to be quick (along with every other kid) but, I didn't. After a few minutes, I was bent over panting. Botan stopped beside me.

"Oh c'mon Tohru, you're no fun!" He laughed.

"Just... Just go on without me..." I panted.

Botan laughed, and I realized how cheesy that sounded.

Hisoka stopped by us, a frown on his face. "You guys coming or what?"

We then resumed the chase, until we cornered Naoya in a bedroom. Naoya gave a mischievous smirk. Then, with a few fancy flips, (which we all scrambled to avoid being hit by a foot) Naoya jumped out the window, and landed on his feet, running away.

Silence ensued as we clustered around the window.

"He just jumped out the window, didn't he?" Botan asked.

Both Hisoka and I nodded.

"Mhm."

More silence.

"Well don't expect me to jump out, I'm blind!" Botan said.

"I... I have a thing for heights," I whispered.

Hisoka sighed, a frown regaining on his face. He then jumped out of the window, running after Naoya.

"Did he just-?"

"Mhm..."

An awkward pause.

"Should we go after them?"

"Yeah."

More silence.

"The stairs-"

"Yeah. The stairs are good."

We quickly rushed down the stairs and out the door, hoping to catch up with Hisoka, and then Naoya.

"Aha!"

When we caught up with Hisoka, we found he had pinned Naoya to a tree. Naoya wasn't struggling, just merely giving us a sly smile.

"What'd you do that for?" Hisoka questioned, demanding an answer.

Naoya chuckled. "You guys are such idiots. But you'll find that out real soon... Real soon."

A piercing note then filled the air. We all looked around to see where it was coming from. I found the source first.

Atop a tree Gohachiro stood, playing a flute, dressed in a kimono of red and gold.

"What's he doing up there?" Botan asked.

Before I could shrug, the note shifted pitch, and then, there was nothing but white.