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Last Revised: Never

    "I'm very sorry I'm late!" Yorukai blurted out while bowing. "I was held up by a traffic accident and had to find another way to get here. I didn't mean to be late for my first day!"

    "Hmm, since this is your first day, I will overlook it this time." The supervisor said with a small smile. "Just make sure you leave earlier next time."

    "Thank you very much sir," He said with relieved sigh. "I won't be so late again."

    "Good, good. You're first assignment here is to..." The man paused as a bellow echoed through the ceiling to rattle the pens and mug on his desk. "Ahh... good! She's decided to come today."

    "S... sir?" Yorukai looked nervously up at the ceiling.

    "Now, I have a favour to ask of you." The man leaned forward to rest his arms on the desk. "I hope you won't mind that you'll be given responsibility so soon."

    "Err... I'm just going to be helping one of the teachers this period, right?" Yorukai swallowed. The look his supervisor was giving him set every alarm ringing in his mind. It was difficult to focus past the worry rising in his chest. Was this a test to see if he was really worthy of the position? 

    "Oh, you will be of great help, Chikawa-san." The principal said with a serene smile. "Trust me."

    "How, sir?" He asked curiously, ignoring the instinct that warned him against getting further involved. 

    The principal leaned forward to examine the blue-haired man fidgeting in the chair across the desk. It was obvious that the man had some vague idea of what he was getting into, but he had also come with some very impressive recommendations. It was rare to win the praise of that particular Okugi, especially since that one was far less involved in the Okugi corporate empire. 

    "I have heard some very high praise from your previous instructors at Tokyo University, so I do not feel that I am wrong in assuming that you have the right qualifications for this task." The principal said.

    "Yes. Thank you, sir," Yorukai answered with a smile, hiding his nervousness behind a mask of cheer. "What is my assignment?"

    "As you have heard, one of our staff is in desperate need of a vacation." He looked pointedly at the now silent ceiling, then back at the blue-haired man. "I wish to make full use of the teaching methods that won you enough recognition to be recommended by the Okugi's."

    Yorukai was uncertain if it was wiser to be flattered or worried by this information. After realizing that the principal was referring to the same Okugi that he went to class with and begged a favour from, Yorukai decided that worry was a better choice of action.  "It was nothing. I just try to be a friend instead of just another teacher to the students since that seems to make things more interesting."

    "That, and the fact that when you talk, people are inclined to listen."

    "Ahaha..." He rubbed the back of his head and swore internally to have a talk with that guy for laying things on so thick. It was as if he thought that Yorukai couldn't get the job with his own skills! "I see, that I suppose that is true but... uh... If is isn't much trouble, could I please know what my new assignment is?"

    "Chikawa-san, so eager to get to work!" His supervisor pounded his fist on the desk and shot him a reassuring grin that only managed to increase his anxiety. "You will be taking for Ms. Machiko's classes when she's travelling. Isn't that marvelous?"

    "I..." Yorukai blinked hard for a few moments before a realization dawned on him. He wasn't fired and he had a respectable position. A goofy grin spread from ear to ear. His luck seemed to be changing!

    "I get to teach the vice principal's classes? Really?" Yorukai stared at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. "No kidding?!"

    "Yes, Chikawa-san," The principal said with a sly smile. "And that's not the best part of your job."

    "It isn't?" Yorukai could barely keep himself from jumping out of his chair and dancing from a mixture of joy and relief. 

    "You," he said while pointing a finger at Yorukai. "Will be tutoring one the... special... senior students here at Suishou Private High School."

    "Really?" Yorukai grinned widely at his supervisor. "What do I have to do?"

    "Your main responsibility will be to keep this girl out of trouble and to make sure she keeps her grades up. She doesn't come to class that often, so you will probably have to bring her school work directly to her home."

    "Don't worry, just leave it all to me!" He nodded happily and rose to his feet. "I'd like to start my assignment right away. What's her name?"

    Slowly, a dark smile crept across the principal's face that sent Yorukai's mental alarms clamoring for attention once more. He blithely ignored the chill from his boss' smile and smiled back as if nothing could ever go wrong. It was then that the principal spoke the two words that set the wheels of Yorukai's fate in motion.

    "Her name is Mokutou Amefuri."

    "Amefuri?" Yorukai repeated slowly, then nodded. "Pretty name. What kind of person is she?"

    "Ahm...." The principal shifted his attention to the window, steadfastly avoiding Yorukai's curious gaze. "She is quiet, strong willed and very determined. Although she doesn't always choose the best way to express herself, she has great potential and it will be your job to bring it out!" 

    His boss dismissed him with a nod of his head. "Good luck, Chikawa-san!"

    "Thank you sir!" Yorukai bowed quickly and left the room with a cheerful smile. "I'll find her right away!"

    As the door clicked shut, the principal shook his head with an amused smile as the sound of Yorukai's footsteps faded away.  "You're going to need it."

*  *  *

    Amefuri leaned against the cool brick wall and stared up at clouds in the sky.  This had become one of those prophetically horrible days. It all started a dream whose details she couldn't remember when she awoke. Then she arrived here and was given another humiliating punishment to increase the infamy of her name. If she wasn't compelled to complete her education the Kyoudou's, Amefuri would have stopped coming years ago. After all, for someone that's lived as long as she had there was really no reason to enroll at all.  

    "I shouldn't have come today." Amefuri rubbed her eyes with a weary sigh. "If that guy didn't come crashing down, I could have seen what that vision was."

    Amefuri closed her eyes and slid down the wall into a sitting position. It was pointless to return to class. She crossed her arms and rested her head on her knees. A headache that had been building since her rough encounter with the blue-haired man was now making itself known so she relaxed her mind and let it drift.

Shadows. Swirling mists. Blue light dancing on open water.

A figure cloaked in black and crimson.

Blood.

    A faint rustle from the bushes drew her back to reality with a snap. Amefuri opened her eyes and flowed to her feet to take a defensive stance. Something was coming closer that carried a scent of the bitter seas. Like the water in the vision. Whoever was coming must have caused it. Amefuri spun on her heel to send a spinning kick towards the figure emerging from the foliage.

    Yorukai barely had enough time to register her presence before Amefuri's leg would have connected with his head. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of the blue-green hair. He squeezed his eyes shut and braced himself with a grimace. 

    A whoosh of air. 

    Silence. 

    Slowly, he opened an eye to see what had happened and paled. The heel of Amefuri's shoe slowly lowered from where she had stopped a few centimeters from his face. The pale skin of her leg disappeared underneath the long blue skirt of the Suishou uniform as she took the time to smooth the wrinkles from her skirt before fixing a deadly stare upon his face. 

    "Explain yourself." She growled.

    "I.... ahh..." Yorukai swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "I was just coming to see how you were doing! I didn't mean to harm you or scare you or anything like that! Really!  I just saw you sitting there looking so tired and all on your own so I had to come over and say hello! So... hello! I'm Chikawa Yorukai, if you've forgotten, and I think that everyone needs friends so I just thought I'd come over here and offer to be yours!"

    "Chikawa," Amefuri interrupted with an annoyed expression. "Go away. I don't want to be friends with you."

    "Ah...right," Yorukai said quickly. "I'm sorry..."

    "If you were wise," Amefuri said shooting him a dark glare. "You'd walk away and leave me be. I don't need people like you interfering with my life."

    "Well, I would if I could but I can't so I won't!" Yorukai called happily at Amefuri's retreating form. "The school made me your personal tutor!"

    Amefuri stopped dead and turned slowly to fix a stare of anger and disbelief. She crossed the small clearing with long strides and grabbed the man by the lapels of his coat. "What did you say?"

    "I'm your new tutor." Yorukai gave the fuming girl a wide, cheerful smile that only managed to get her angrier. "It's my job to keep an eye on you, keep you out of trouble and to help you to be a model student!"

    Amefuri growled as she struggled to keep her temper in check. "Here's a piece of advice...Chikawa. Stay away from me."

    "Aww....c'mon!" Yorukai whined plaintively. "Be a sport! After all you can't be gloomy all of the ti..."

    "No." Amefuri intoned flatly and stormed away from him. "And stay away from me."

    "...me.  A~me! " He called out and ran after the quickly retreating girl. "Wait up!!"

*  *  *

    Amefuri picked up a book in a bookstore and read the cover.  After bringing the book up to the counter, she spots Yorukai waiting for her with a sunny smile.

    "Hey there, Ame!" He grinned and slid into line before her. "Looks like that book's for school so let me pay for it!"

    Amefuri scowled and left the store without a word.

    "Eh?" Yorukai looked up and saw Amefuri walking swiftly away. "Ame! Wait up! You forgot your book!"

*  *  *

    Amefuri walked down the aisles of the supermarket, pausing to read from her shopping list and put an item into her basket.  As she turned a corner, Yorukai popped out from a display of canned goods to greet her once again.

    "Hi! Let me carry that for you!' He reached out and grabbed the basket from Amefuri.

    "Leave me alone." Amefuri scowled and snatched the basket back from him. "Go away if you know what's good for you."

    "Aww, c'mon!" Yorukai said with a whine, "Let me help you!"

    "Go. Away." Amefuri repeated slowly.

    "Ame...oops!" Yorukai backed right into a shelf full of detergent bottles.  He whirled around and desperately tried to steady the teetering shelf without much success.  The entire contents of the shelf came crashing down on him and onto the floor. Amefuri turned on her heel and stormed away from him with a growl.

    "Uh...no one will notice, right Ame? Ame?" Yorukai said with a nervous laugh and looked around for her. "Wait up!"

*  *  *

    "Ame! Wait up!" Yorukai hollered as he ran after Amefuri through a clothing store. Noticing his approach, she walked swiftly away in the opposite direction, pretending to be unable to hear his shouts.

*  *  *

    "Ame! Wait up!" He ran after Amefuri through a jewellery store.  Amefuri returned the porcelain figurine on the shelf and spun to hurry out of the store.

*  *  *

    "Ame!" He ran towards Amefuri after spotting her listening to a street musician. She looked at the happily grinning shock of blue hair across the square and paled. 

    "Hey, where are you going?" Yorukai called after her as she ran down the street.

*  *  *

    Amefuri walked through the park and paused by the lake to catch her breath. As soon as her heart was beginning to slow down, she looked down at the water and spotted Yorukai's reflection in the crowd behind her. She took the chance to escape as discreetly as possible.

    "Ame!" He waved and ran after her as Amefuri sprinted away at a break-neck speed.

    "Wait for me!"

*  *  *

    Amefuri ducked into an alley way, hid behind a trashcan and watched Yorukai dash past without stopping.  'Doesn't that boy ever give up? It's like he's got a tracking device planted on me!'  

    She paused and quickly pat herself down just be make sure he didn't put a tracking device on her.  Relieved that he didn't, she peered around the corner of the alley. When she saw he was no where in sight, Amefuri sighed in relief. 

    'Now maybe I can get home.'

    Amefuri stepped out of the alley way and casually walked down the busy street towards the outskirts of town.  A strange feelings, visions, of something had been plaguing her all day and had nearly allowed Yorukai to catch up to her. The visions lay at the outer fringes of her consciousness and refused to clarify themselves. 

    It was very irritating. 

    Yorukai's persistence did not improve her mood.

    However, she was determined to return to the Star Shrine before too much daylight had faded from the sky and turned towards the train station. She enjoyed the silence and took the opportunity to push the visions from her mind. Unknown to her, a shadow flickered past upon the rooftops above her in a blur of black and crimson.