Written by Miyu, Vampire Princess

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
AU to the furuba universe...well only a little I think. I wish I could say when the idea for this came to me. All I do know is that it's going to take me an eternity to write the whole piece. *sigh* This story focuses on an original character and is told from her point of view. Lemon/lime and warnings for violence will appear in other chapters.

Chapter 1 - First Night

I'm here. I'm finally here!

Japan.

I'd never flown in a plane before. It was a rather...interesting experience. Not only did the food look worse than a burnt TV dinner, but the stewardess was a mindless ditz who couldn't spare her attention for more than a few seconds. I had asked for a set of headphones at the beginning of the flight, but didn't get them until two hours before we landed. I wasn't able to hear either of the movies as they were played, but I listened to an hour of music, quietly drifting to sleep.

The rocking of the plane awoke me minutes later, my hands grasping tightly to the arm rests. I was certain we were going to crash, but it was only a pocket of turbulence. Still, I couldn't bring myself to try to fall back asleep. I was too afraid for my life.

When we finally touched down, I sighed in relief. It was another ten minutes before we were allowed to exit the plane. But I waited quietly, taking in the view of the surrounding airport with a small smile.

I was here. I was finally here!

The terminal was crowded but I found a secluded spot to sit down my carry-on bag and call my father. He insisted that I contact him when I reached Norita. So I pulled out my cell phone and dialed his work number. It rang several times before his secretary picked it up.

"Hello. Ryhou Sohma's office."

"Hi, Maureen. It's Sierra. May I speak to my father please?"

"He's in a meeting dear," she replied. "Did your flight make it to Japan all right?"

"Yes, it did." I smile as a large group of high school students walk past me towards one of the gates. "I made it in one piece. I just need to find my ride."

"Well you do that dear. Call again once you've gotten settled. I'm sure you're father will be here late tonight."

I hear the sigh in her voice and barely stifle a giggle. "And so will you. I'll do that, Maureen. Just tell my father I called."

"I will dear."

I thank her before pressing the off button on my cell phone. With a sigh, I pick up my carry-on bag and head for the bathroom. It takes me a while to find, as I'm not accustomed to reading Japanese as I am speaking it. But I finally see a sign and rush for the doorway.

As I washed my hands I took a good look at myself in the mirror. My medium-length, burgundy hair was sticking up in ways gel could never hold it. Contrary to what the girls at school thought, I didn't die my hair. It's naturally this color. I was a little pale from the plane ride, and my brown eyes looked sunken from lack of sleep. But my energy level had me smiling into the mirror though, quickly fixing my hair before heading for the luggage pick-up.

The trellises at the luggage pick-up were packed solid with baggage and it took far too long to collect my other two bags. Myself and 200 other passengers. I sighed, trying to wait patiently for my bags to appear. But it was so crowded that I almost missed the one before final call was instated.

I didn't bring much with me really. Mostly clothing and a few personal items like a few photos, some books to read and a stuffed animal. A medieval, purple and gold dragon. One of my favorites. I could've brought my entire bedroom from home, but I was going to be sharing a room here, and I wanted to be courteous.

With my bags collected I head off in search of my ride. If I remembered correctly, father said it would be a tall man with dark hair. He'd be holding a sign with my name on it. Well that fit the description of about half the men I found waiting by the curbside. Except for the sign. There was only one with plain English written on it.

I walked up to him, snaking my way through the large crowd of people trying to leave the airport. When I finally got to him, I was too out of breath to speak right away. Thankfully, he spoke first.

"Konnichiwa." His voice held as much authority as his looks. Not demanding, but not too gentle either.

"Konnichiwa," I answered politely, still gasping for air. I smiled at him, bowing in response. My mother had taught me some manners, and because of my mother's family, my Japanese wasn't all that bad. "Sohma Sierra desu. Hajimemashite."

He seemed as surprised by my Japanese as I was about the English sign. Well if I'm going to school here it helps to know the language, right? "Sohma Hatori desu," he introduced himself with a bow of his head. "Hajimemashite. Ano...gomen. Shigure was supposed to come with me, but he's stuck at home, working."

"What does he do?" I asked. My father never mentioned it.

"He's a writer," Hatori replied a little uncertain. I supposed he thought I knew.

"Gomen nasai," I told him with another bow. "My father has never talked much about the family. I only knew Shigure's name. He never mentioned he was a writer." I tilted my head to one side. "Is he a journalist or a novelist?"

"A novelist," Hatori replied. His face had been static since our conversation began, but I saw a little pull of his lips into a small smile. Unfortunately the smile disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. He looked at my luggage neatly stacked into a tall pile on wheels. "Do you need help with your luggage?"

"Iie," I answered quickly, shaking my head. With hand I grabbed the extended handle on my large suitcase and tilted the bags so that I could wheel them around again. "I've got it covered."

"Good. Then we should be off."

I followed him quietly to his car. He was parked in one of the lower level garages, but thankfully it was close by. My suitcase was getting heavier by the minute. After unhooking the entire contraption and placing my bags in his trunk, I forced myself to go to the LEFT side of the car and get in the passenger seat.

The ride from the airport to town was silent. I was silent because I was too busy taking in the buildings and scenery. Hatori was silent because...well I assumed he had very little to say. That doesn't make him a bad guy by any means. I took to him instantly, even though he looked as if he'd rather be somewhere else when I arrived. There's a certain sincerity in his eye if you looked hard enough.

Which reminded me.

"How did you get that scar on you left eye?" I asked. By this time, the scenery was starting to wear thin and the city buildings held little interest for me.

He was silent for a good while -- oh say a few minutes, less than five -- before he answered, "I was in an accident."

Just the way he said it, the coldness in his voice and the demand for no more questions turned my attention back to the scenery. "Oh," was all I could say in response.

He sighed almost apologetically. "Gomen. I don't like to talk about it." His voice seemed strained, but it was an apology nonetheless. After another pause he asked, "Your father hasn't mentioned any of us at all, has he?"

I shake my head. "I found out about Shigure purely by accident. But other than him, father's only really mentioned one other person to me."

"And who's that?"

"Akito."

The silence in the car returns and the tension level rises even further than before. It's clear Hatori wasn't going to speak about him...or himself. I'm not much of a conversationalist either, although I had so many questions. GAH, this was too intense for me! I cracked the window to keep from suffocating.

Father told me that Akito was the head of the Sohma household and that I would have to meet with him eventually. The look of fear on my father's face indicated that this was not a man to mess with. But I had a hard time believing that someone only a few years older than me could invoke such fear.

How scary could one, deathly-ill man really be?

When we reached Shigure's house, I was once again awed. It wasn't a large house, but not quite what I had expected...if I knew what it was I had expected. Perhaps it was my new knowledge that my uncle was a novelist that led me to believe otherwise. Still, it was on a lovely piece of land, surrounded by trees and lots of grass. I suddenly knew I'd like living here.

The car pulled up to a small gate and a walking path leading up to the house itself. As we exited the car, I saw a man walking down that path towards us, waving one hand in the air. I could barely make out the smile on his face as I heard him call out, "Konnichiwa Ha-san! Were you able to collect my little niece?"

"Hai," Hatori answered, pulling the largest of my bags from the trunk of his car. I quickly grabbed the rest as he turned to talk to the man I assumed was my uncle.

"Ah, Sei-chan, konnichiwa," the other man addressed me.

I was taken back a little at the nickname he'd already given me. Not like it was bad, just unexpected. Honestly, I kind of liked it. I turned to him with a smile, trying not to show my surprise. Bowing politely I greeted him.

"Konnichiwa, Shigure-san."

He was the spitting image of my father.

Okay, so his hair was a shade lighter and maybe an inch or two longer, but even still....

He was the same height and build as my father. A little over six foot with broad shoulders. It was difficult to make out any other specifics under his yukata. His smile was also a little different. Welcoming but not exactly comforting.

"Has Mit-chan left you for the day?" Hatori asked, pulling a package of cigarettes from his pant pocket.

If it were possible, I think there would've been a sweatdrop over Shigure's head. He smiled sheepishly, waving one hand. "H-hai. She stayed until I finished the manuscript." He sighed, pouting. "I've never seen her as pushy as she was today."

"Well, you were three weeks behind schedule," Hatori reminded him, pulling a cigarette from the pack and placing it between his lips. He looked at me out of the corner of his eye, pulling a lighter from his pocket as well. I could only smile at him, somewhat shyly, and returned my attention to my luggage.

It's not like I was trying to stare. Well, sort of. I just didn't know what else to do!

"Sei-chan, let me give you a hand with those," Shigure offered.

"No, it's okay. I...think...I've...got it!" I know I probably looked a sight: a five foot three inch young woman messing with a tangle of bags slightly taller than myself. With my luggage all tied together once more, I looked up at Shigure and Hatori quite proud of my own work. "I can handle it now, no problem."

Shigure's look of curiosity quickly turned into a happy smile. "Welcome to my home, Sei-chan," he said with a wave of his arm. "Come, I'll show you to your room."

"Hai."

He paused to look back at Hatori. "Would you like to stay for dinner, Ha-san? You've gone through so much trouble today on my behalf."

"Aa," Hatori answered.

I followed Shigure down the path, trying to assess him as I had done to Hatori. But all I could think about was his striking resemblance to my father. Again the questions rose within me, but I hadn't the courage to ask anything.

"How was your flight, Sei-chan?"

I shrugged, towing my suitcases behind me. "The flight was...interesting."

"It was your first plane ride, ne?"

"Hai." I glanced up at him, feeling some of the previous tension ease now that I was further away from Hatori's car. "Have you ever flown before, Shigure-san?"

He looked thoughtfully at his right hand, ticking away as he went, then held up a number for me to see. "Three times," he replied with a smile. "Mostly to conventions."

By the time I reached the front door of the house, I was totally at ease. Knots that had been forming in my neck and back had begun to unwind. I followed Shigure into the house and left my luggage as we went up a narrow staircase to the second floor. We stopped just outside the first door on the left.

"This will be your room for the duration of your stay. You'll be sharing it with Tohru-kun." He looked at me apologetically, opening the door. "I hope you don't mind."

"I don't mind at all," I told him with a smile, looking into the room. There wasn't much in the way of decoration, really. A photo sat on a table by the bed against the far wall. Another bed at opposite it on the left-hand wall. There were two large chests of drawers, as well as an armoire. A small table was placed beside each bed with a small lamp on it.

"Feel free to make yourself at home." Shigure said, taking a step towards the stairs. "Tohru-kun and Yuki-kun have gone shopping. They should be home shortly. Oh, and Kyo-kun is somewhere in the woods, training. He'll be home in time for dinner."

"Arigato gozaimasu."

"I'll be downstairs if you need anything."

With Shigure gone, I did a much closer inspection of the room. It was larger than I had anticipated, but quite small compared to my room at home. I really didn't mind. I liked my own space, no matter the size. Giddy and exhausted, I rushed down the stairs to collect my luggage and haul it up the stairs. Sitting them by the bed on the left, I walked back into the hallway to start my own private tour of uncle's house.

There were three other rooms on the second floor, including a bathroom. I made a pit stop there before cautiously peering into the other two rooms. They were slightly smaller than the room I was sharing. Sparsely decorated and with very little furniture. I assumed, from the sneakers on the floor and the books in one corner, that these rooms belonged to my cousins.

Going back to the room I now shared with Tohru, I unpacked a few of my things, placing them in the empty drawers of one dresser and sitting my stuffed dragon on the pillow of my bed. I laid down for a quick nap -- jetlag is such a killer -- only to be awakened by a loud noise downstairs two hours later.

Curious, I walked slowly down the steps. There was another loud noise. It was coming from the kitchen. Wiping the sleep from my eyes, I walked over to the dining table and glanced into the kitchen through the beaded doorway.

"LEEKS! ARE YOU MAD?! KUSO NEZUMI, YOU KNOW I DON'T LIKE LEEKS," a male voice screamed.

"They were the only thing ready to be picked in the garden, baka neko," another male voice replied.

"Kyo-kun, onegai. I can make something else for dinner tonight." This time it was a pleading, female voice. "I can use the leeks tomorrow night."

"But Honda-san was going to make stew tonight," the second male voice said.

"Ah, I can make it without the leeks, then," the female voice replied.

"It's just not the same."

"Yeah," the first male voice said, much calmer this time. "It's better."

"Baka neko."

"KUSO--!"

"Ano...."

They all turned to me as I made my presence known. All three pairs of eyes grew wide with surprise. All I could do was offer a small reassuring smile, still wiping the sleep from my eyes. These must be my cousins and my roommate.

"Ah! Gomen, Sierra-san! Did we wake you," the girl asked in a concerned, hurried rush.

I didn't know what to say. They did wake me, but it wasn't intentional and I needed to get up anyway. And she knew my name, although it sounded truly foreign coming from her lips. It was my turn to be surprised. How was that possible?

"Ah, Sei-chan, you're awake!"

The answer to my question stepped up behind me, putting a hand on my head. It was a move truly like my father. It was meant to be playful and comforting, but I found it rather annoying. And I always yelled at him for it. But I bit my tongue this once, figuring that I could calmly tell Shigure about it later. Sighing I replied, "Hai."

"Good," Shigure said, patting my head. "Then we can all clean up and go out to dinner."

"Ano, Shigure-san--?" Tohru objected.

"It'll be fine. We can walk to the restaurant, or Hatori can drive us," Shigure continued with a smile. "Tohru-kun can make her delicious stew tomorrow night, with or without leeks."

"Are you sure it's okay with Hatori-san?" Yuki asked.

"Ma ma," Shigure waved a hand at him. "He'll be happy to drive us, won't you Ha-san?"

Hatori blinked as he entered the kitchen, more confused than the rest of us. "What are you talking about now, Shigure?"

After a few minutes of arguing, it was decided that we'd walk to the restaurant. It was a nice enough evening as the sun started to set and I had enough energy to do a little walking. As we were getting ready to leave, I ran into one of my cousins on the front porch. Not literally of course.

That comes later.

He was pretty tall for his age, I guess. His gray hair hung down to his chin, his violet eyes seemingly staring at nothing in the shadows of the yard. At first glance he could easily be mistaken for a girl, but if you looked for that extra second, there were things about him that were definitely male.

Still, I felt as if his concentration were on something and I didn't want to bother him. Instead, I stood next to him by the porch railing and stared into the shadows too.

It took him a second to realize I was there. He smiled, turning to face me. "Gomen, Sierra-san. I was lost in thought for a moment."

"Daijoubu," I told him. "I didn't want to bother you."

"Ah, we haven't been properly introduced." He smiled, extending a hand towards me. "I'm Yuki. Please to meet you."

I smiled at his attempt to speak English. He was pretty good, but his accent was still a little heavy. I accepted his hand and shook it firmly. "Sierra desu. Hajimemashite."

His smile seemed to grow as I addressed him in Japanese. "We didn't mean to wake you earlier. You aren't too tired to go to dinner, are you?"

I shook my head, touched that he was being so caring. "Iie. I'm quite hungry actually. Airplane food is...let's just say, less than nourishing."

"How was the flight? It was your first one, correct?"

I nodded, wondering now how everyone had known it was my first plane ride. I figured that my father probably mentioned it to Shigure, who in turn told everyone else in the household. It sounded very logical.

"Hai. It was a very long trip. But we only hit a small patch of turbulence close to Tokyo. Aside from that, it was quite comfortable." Then I sighed. "Unfortunately I discovered that I can't fall asleep on planes very easily."

"You should get plenty of rest tonight, but don't be surprised if you still feel jet-lagged in the morning. It can take days to work out of your system."

We're both surprised by Hatori's arrival. He stepped from the shadows with a cigarette in hand. I didn't see him standing on the porch when I arrived. Where had he been standing all this time?

"Hatori-san sounds like he speaks from experience," I commented.

"Hatori is a doctor," Yuki explained. "This kind of knowledge is common for him."

"Oh." I'd asked him about his eye, but not his profession. How rude of me!

"Besides," Yuki continued. "I don't think Hatori has ever been on a plane."

"Not in the air," Hatori confirmed with a nod.

"Ah, but the stewardess' are beautiful, Ha-san," Shigure said, joining the group.

"That's no reason to fly," Yuki said, shaking his head.

"But it's a good enough reason for him," said my orange-haired cousin. He walked up the path to the front door. Had he been in the woods?

"Kyo-kun, you should introduce yourself to Sei-chan," Shigure said with a smile.

"It's not...really necessary," I muttered, glancing at him out of the corner of my eye. "We met in the kitchen."

I really didn't know what to make of Kyo. He was completely different from Yuki. It wasn't like they were brothers to begin with but still. Their personalities were totally different. Yuki seemed a little more open to others while Kyo was standoffish. Like Hatori, that didn't make him a bad person. Just different.

Sighing he extended a hand to me and managed a pleasant smirk. "I'm Kyo."

"Sierra," I replied, shaking his hand.

"Ah, are we all here?"

Tohru is the last to arrive. She seems to be the most outgoing and personable of the bunch. She's also got a resource of energy that seems endless. I watched her rush around our room looking for something to wear to dinner. I helped her pick out a casual dress, since Shigure assured us the restaurant was fairly casual. Most of what she owned was quite plain, but she made it somehow look...elegant.

And we wore the same size clothing. I was so excited.

I pulled a skirt and matching top from my suitcase. I'd unpacked most of my clothes as Tohru rushed around the room. Both items were dark blue in color. The skirt had gold trim along the bottom, while the shirt sported gold trim around the neck and sleeve cuffs. It was a gift from my mother. I was supposed to wear it on the first day of school, but I supposed today would be just as good.

Besides, I was required to wear a uniform to class.

"Hai, Tohru-kun," Shigure answered for the group. "Now we can be off."

The restaurant was a few miles from the house, just outside the city limits. I walked beside Tohru the whole way, with Yuki and Kyo trailing behind us. Hatori and Shigure were in the lead.

Tohru asked me question after question, even through the meal. I was happy to answer, although I had plenty of questions of my own. She asked me about my parents, my friends back home and my old school. She asked me about life in the United States and wanted me to explain what exactly a fruited plain was.

I told her I'd be happy to explain, if she would show me how to eat rice with chopsticks. I'd never eaten with chopsticks before and I'm sure I put on quite a show for my family. It required a bit of skill and grace (not to mention years of practice at the rate I was going) but I managed just fine.

The meal came and went. Some of us satisfied and others gorged (I didn't think a human being could consume so much miso soup, Kyo-kun), we set back out for home. It felt weird calling my uncle's house "home". But as of today, that's what it was.

What it will always be to me.

The walk home was much quieter than the walk to the restaurant. Kyo moaned and groaned most of the way, earning him a few stinging remarks from Yuki. They had argued a little over dinner as well. There seemed to be some tension between them. It was just another question to add to my already growing list.

"Sei-chan," Shigure spoke up as we neared the house. "Aren't there any questions you want to ask us?"

Of course there were! Tons of them. Too bad I was too tired and full to remember a single one of them.

At the same time I could feel five pairs of very curious eyes staring at me. We'd stopped walking, all of us, and I had no idea why. Their eyes drilled into me, both eager and afraid of what I might ask.

It was downright creepy.

"Perhaps it can wait till morning," Hatori spoke up, saving me from having to embarrass myself by running to the house. "She should get some rest and tomorrow is another day."

"Hai," I add with a sigh of relief. "I have tons of questions Shigure-otooji, but I'm afraid my jet lag is catching up with me."

His own smile is filled with a bit of relief. "Then let's get home." He patted his stomach with both hands. "I think I had far too much to eat." With sparkling eyes he turned to Tohru beside me. "Tohru-kun will take care of me. Ne? Ne?"

SMACK! THUNK! CRASH!

In a blur of fists Kyo and Yuki converged on my uncle. It was only a matter of a second I'm sure before they were standing beside Tohru and myself, all of us looking down at a thoroughly beaten man.

"Stop implying such perverted things," Kyo said angrily.

"And you wonder why we don't leave you alone with Honda-san," Yuki added, his voice just as angry.

I looked at them, eyes wide, then at my uncle. He was sitting up now, rubbing a small bump on the top of his head. He sighed, somewhat defeated but said nothing. Tohru and I exchanged a glance. She smiled at me apologetically and I just couldn't take it anymore.

I laughed.

Okay, I may have been exaggerating when I said that hell came by on my second day. Actually it would be another five days before hell would set in.

The next morning I awoke to the smell of something delicious. I'd fallen sleep quickly the night before, excusing myself once we arrived home and headed up to my room. I don't think I heard Tohru come in, that's how tired I was.

I tried to go back to sleep, but the smell wafting from the kitchen was just too much. My stomach rumbled in response, trying to coax me further awake. Groaning, I finally answered my stomach by rolling over onto it. I wasn't ready to move from bed.

Or so I thought.

After running to the bathroom, I made my way downstairs. The smell got heavier and I heard the clatter of dishes from the kitchen. Carefully -- I was still a bit shaky from sleep -- I made my way into the kitchen. I smiled as I saw Tohru in front of the stove. What was she preparing that smelled so delicious? Were those leeks she was chopping?

And who was the zombie leaning against the refrigerator?

"Ohayo, Sierra-san," Tohru greeted me with a warm smile.

"Ohayo," I replied sleepily. With a smile I sniffed the air. "What are you making? It smells delicious."

"Ah, I'm making some beef stew." She looked away for a moment, scooping the chopped up vegetables and placing them in a steaming pot on the stove. "I was supposed to make it for dinner last night."

Inhaling the delicious scent again, I moved further into the kitchen. "Ano, Tohru-san, where are your cups?"

"Cups?" She looked at the cabinets thoughtfully. "This one...right...here." She opens her chosen door and pulls out a glass cup. Smiling she holds it out.

"Arigato."

Tohru blinked, as did I, as Kyo came into the kitchen. Taking the cup out of Tohru's hand he headed for the refrigerator where Yuki -- yes that zombie looking thing was my gray-haired cousin -- stood, still zombified.

"Ah, Kyo-kun, that was--!"

"Daijoubu, Tohru-san," I told her, walking over to the cabinet and pulling out another glass.

As I sat it on the counter and Tohru went back to her stew, I watched Kyo approach the refrigerator, wary of Yuki. My orange-haired cousin, stood with one hand on his hip, contemplating how to move Yuki, for it didn't look like talking to him was going to do that job.

Or maybe I was wrong.

"Kuso nezumi, you're blocking the refrigerator again. Move it before I make you!"

To my surprise, Yuki did start moving. Only not in the way I had expected. Instead of simply stepping away from the refrigerator, his arm shot outward towards Kyo in a punch. His other arm swung as well, causing Kyo to move out of HIS way. Seemingly with no more energy left, Yuki fell forward, his forehead resting on Kyo's shoulder. My cousin groaned, squirming.

But now *I* could get to the refrigerator.

"I take it Yuki isn't a morning person," I said, opening the refrigerator door.

"Aa," Kyo answered with a frown. "It takes him a while to wake up in the morning. It's best if you stay out of his way."

I reached inside and pulled out a gallon of milk. Shutting the door, I asked, "You want any?"

He nodded, holding out his glass. Carefully I fill it as far as it will go. Stepping back, I contemplated, "Why not push him off of you, Kyo-kun?"

"Because if I do that, he'll try to hit me again," he replied, his frown deepening.

"Oh," was all I could say. Returning to the counter, I pour some milk for myself before returning it to the refrigerator. I nod to Kyo. "Let me give you a hand."

He shook his head. "I really don't think you want to try."

I shrugged. How bad could he really be?

"Ohayo, Yuki-kun."

His body went rigid and he suddenly stood up straight, his eyes wide and alert. He blinked, uncertain as to what had transpired. He looked first at Kyo, then at me.

"Ohayo, Sierra-san," he said with a smile. "You're up early today."

"Hai," I replied with a smile. I winked at a startled Kyo, then turned to retrieve my glass of milk.

"How the hell did she manage that," I heard him mutter before his words were gurgled in milk.

"Breakfast is almost ready," Tohru said, turning from the stove with a tray of delicious smelling eggs. "Ano...I attempted to make something Sierra-san might like and...." She looks down at the tray somewhat embarrassed. "I'm not quite sure how it turned out."

"I'm sure it's fine, Tohru-san." My stomach gurgled loudly and I flushed in embarrassment. "If it tastes as delicious as it smells, I think it'll be just fine."

Shigure joined us as we sat down for breakfast. His room, or so I assumed, was on the first floor back the hallway. It was also his study, the place where he worked on his novels. He said a brief prayer of thanks, echoed by the four of us, before five sets of hands started reaching for the food.

Tohru had tried her hand at making egg omelets. They looked more like scrambled eggs to me, but I accepted my portion graciously. It still looked delicious. Tasted good too!

The chatter was light around the table. Not quite as exciting or loud as last night's dinner. Yuki was still waking up, as was I. My mind wondered away from conversation for a while before I heard Tohru address me. I looked up, not quite sure what she had asked me.

"Ah, gomen nasai, I wasn't paying attention."

"I asked if you had any plans for today," Tohru restated. "I'm going shopping for some school supplies with Hana-chan and Uo-chan. If you aren't busy, maybe you'd like to come along."

"Ano...Tohru-kun," Shigure asked. "What do you have left to get?"

"Ah, there's a special composition book I need for English," she replied. "The store didn't have any more when we were there last time."

"I'd love to go," I replied. There were still a few things I needed to pick up as well. I had my bookbag, a calculator, my kanji dictionary and some pens and pencils, but I was seriously lacking in notebooks. Maybe in other items as well.

"Sei-chan probably has a list of things she needs to get," Shigure said. "Oh, but don't forget, we need to go to the school one day this week to finish with the paperwork."

My chopsticks nearly missed my mouth. It didn't help that I couldn't use chopsticks for crap. I'd have to get my parents to send me some silverware. I sat back and looked at my uncle curiously. "I thought my father took care of all the paperwork."

"There's a form that Shigure-san will have to sign," Yuki explained. "And you'll need to be present to sign it as well. He's done it for all three of us."

"All three?" I looked from Yuki to Kyo, then to Tohru. She wasn't a member of the family. Why did Shigure have to sign a form for her too?

I didn't know then, that her mother had been killed in a car accident, or any of the circumstances leading up to her living with my uncle and my cousins.

She told me all about it on our way to meet with her friends, Uo-chan and Hana-chan. We took a scenic route so that she could fill me in on all the details. It's a sad story, really. Her mother sounded like a wonderful person, not much unlike my own mother. I felt myself on the brink of tears. Yet Tohru smiled through it all and I was glad that she had managed to move on.

A tall, blonde girl was waving to us when we arrived at the mall. She stood in front of the large double doors leading to the food court. Another young woman stood beside her, her own wave much smaller than the blonde's.

"We didn't think you'd make it on time. It's not like you to be late, Tohru."

"Ah gomen, Uo-chan," Tohru apologized quickly, bowing to her friends. She does that apology thing far too often. "Sierra-san and I got to talking and I lost track of time."

"Actually it was my fault for wanting to take the scenic route," I told them with smile. "I just wanted to get to know the area better."

"You're the writer's niece?" Uo asked with her hands on her hips. "Gomen, but I expected you to be...."

"Taller," the other girl finished for her. She had much darker hair and a small smile on her face.

"Actually I was going to say 'more American,'" Uo shrugged, still smiling. "But yeah, I suppose taller would go along with that."

"Hanajima Saki desu," the dark haired girl said. She bowed politely in greeting. "This is Uotani Arisa."

"Ah, Sierra desu," I replied, bowing. "Hajimemashite!"

"Hajimemashite," Hanajima replied back to me.

"You're Japanese is pretty good," Uo said. "I can barely hear your American accent."

"Arigato," I beamed. I worked very hard on trying to hide my accent. "Ano...it's still a little rough around the edges though. I was able to read most of the signs on the way here, but I still need some practice."

"It will come in time," Uo said, clapping me on the shoulder. "What'd'ya say we grab some lunch, then do our shopping? Hanajima has quite a list."

The dark haired girl pulls a list out of her cloak and dangles it in the air. The paper falls from her hand to the ground. I can hear Tohru giggle beside me and I can't help but smile.

"I have to pick up some things for Megumi as well," she told to us as we ogled her list.

"Well then, let's go," Tohru said, grabbing my hand and pulling me into the mall while her friends followed.

We ate at a ramen cart inside the mall, sitting at a table on the edge of the food court. It was mostly quiet, save for the slurping of noodles and the occasional comments. When we were finished, we cleaned up the table and started walking the mall.

I never realized how long my list was until we started shopping. Uo and Tohru would kindly tell me what I needed if I forgot it. They were two grades higher after all. I walked out of the first store with a bag full of notebooks, while Tohru and Uo both carried their English composition books.

Hanajima had three bags full of...well stuff!

We stopped at a few other stores to look at clothing and shoes. Their sizing system totally had me confused. I had to ask Tohru what size she wore to get an idea for me. After trying on a few outfits, I walked away with two new blouses a new skirt and a pair of sandals. Arisa bought herself a lovely leather vest. Apparently she'd been saving up for it. Hanajima bought a skirt similar to the one I purchased, only it was black.

We had to convince Tohru to buy the outfit she liked most. It took some coaxing, and the fact that I carried it up to the clerk myself, but she gave in.

As we shopped I got the round of questions similar to what Tohru had asked me the night before. I was happy to answer again, and actually had a few of my questions answered as well. What was Kaiwaia like? Were the uniforms different for the different classes? What could I expect from the teachers? Were the lessons any good?

While I told them all about life in America, they told me about Kaiwaia High School. It seemed to be much like school in America, but it was a grateful depart from St. Helena's. The atmosphere was totally the opposite of my old school. The students were nice and teachers were nicer. Of course there were always the troublemakers, and Uo told me exactly who to stay clear of.

"The Prince Yuki Fan Club?" I looked up at her, shaking my head. "You're kidding right?"

"Iie. And they will cause trouble for you whenever possible," Hanajima added. "They've caused plenty of trouble for our Tohru."

"Sierra-san," Tohru interjected. "It's really not as bad as they make it out to be. They're just a very...."

"Weird," Hanajima finished.

"You're not exactly normal yourself, Hanajima," Uo corrected.

"I was going to say 'outgoing,'" Tohru commented.

"Don't worry, we'll help you out," Uo offered.

"Thanks," I said with a confused grin. "I think."

Our shopping spree ended a little after 3PM, and Tohru and I headed home. I had a great time with her friends. Hanajima and I actually have something in common...well sort of. I enjoy reading about witchcraft and well...she has this really cool denpa power. She was impressed with my knowledge of elemental magic and offered to show me her power sometime when we weren't in public.

Uo was also pretty cool. She was calm and relaxed, much the way I picture a high school senior. She was also one of those gossip hogs who really didn't look or sound like a gossip hog. She was full of information and spoke, quite often, from real life experience.

On the way home, my list of questions ran through my mind. I was tired, the jet lag still not gone, and I was laden down with bags. I'd spent far too much money in one day, but it had felt good. I hated shopping back home with my mother. Shopping with friends was much more fun.

Still, there was one question I was hoping Tohru could answer before we got home.

"Ano, Tohru-san, may I ask you a question?"

"Certainly," she replied with a smile.

"I was curious...." I paused, choosing my words carefully. "I was wondering why it is that Yuki-kun and Kyo-kun don't get along."

She stopped walking, her eyes wide for a second as she thought about her answer. I hadn't thought my question was that startling. After a moment she bit her bottom lip and looked up at me with a smile.

"It's a long story," she said. "But Yuki-kun and Kyo-kun have been...umm...rivals ever since childhood." She laughed. "It's just kind of stuck."

"Oh." Her answer had tons of logic to it, but I couldn't help but feel like there was more to it. I set my doubts aside and changed the subject. "I also wanted to buy a present for my uncle, you know, for letting me stay with him while I attend school. What do you think I should get him?"

We started walking again, chatting about this and that. When we arrived home, I carried all of our bags upstairs while Tohru went to finish preparing dinner. I never thought I'd make it up the stairs with the load I was carrying. Dropping the bags on the floor at my feet, I slid open the door to our room.

I suddenly noticed a big change. Nothing had been moved, but something added.

A stack of book had fallen over on my bed. The looked like textbooks, some of them short novels. There was a small letter, buried among the books. In neat print is said, "A little something to help you get started with the school year. If you need any help, just ask."

It was signed by Yuki.

I smiled, placing the letter on top of the books and heading back into the hallway to retrieve our packages. I sat Tohru's bag on her bed and set about emptying the contents of mine. Putting away the clothing and shoes, I sat the school supplies off to one side, sitting on the floor in front of my bed and reached for one of the texts Yuki had left for me. There was a kanji symbol I didn't recognize off the top of my head, but it looked like a copy of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream.

Thankfully I've already read it in English.

Neatly stacking the books on the floor, I took in all of my school supplies and went about packing my bookbag. I was really excited now about attending school here. My first two days had been wonderful, and there were still four more days before the school year began. I had a lot of reading to do before then.

Ah, school.

I simply couldn't wait!

~TO BE CONTINUED~