****15 years later****

Kurei waited patiently by the doors to the Science Building. She would be coming out through these doors... she always did at this time. He kept his eye on the crowd as they milled by.

"Kurenai!" he called when he spotted her. She raised her hand in greeting, and went towards him."Hanabishi," she answered, smiling. "What are you up to?"

"I was wondering if you'd want to go to a tea shop after your classes today," he suggested.

"Not today, I can't," she apologized. "I've got to go to the high school and tutor this afternoon."

"How boring," said Kurei, shaking his head and smiling. "How'd you get involved in that?"

"The Honors program," she explained, brushing her bangs from her forehead. "The Math Society has volunteered to do a special tutoring program to help high-school students with their homework after-hours. I've got two very nice girls that I'm helping out." She gave him a sideways glance and added, "You might try volunteering. You're an excellent student, and you have time on your hands."

Kurei shook his head. "I don't think so... but I'll keep it in mind. Perhaps we can meet up after your session with them is over."

Kurenai nodded. "That would be nice," she agreed. "Meet me at the high school around six, then." She waved and continued on to her next class.

****

Kurei sat on a bench outside the high school, studying his biology notes. Kurenai should be out soon, but he had figured this would be a good time to get a little work done. There would be a test the next week.

He highlighted an important passage and heard voices in the distance. Kurei glanced up. There was Kurenai, walking cheerfully with two younger girls. One had purple hair, the other had brown hair.

"Thank you!" said the brown-haired one. "That really helped today."

The purple-haired one nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah," she agreed. "You explain it so much better than sensei does."

"Well, you can thank me by doing well on the quiz tomorrow," smiled Kurenai. "Study hard!" She waved goodbye to the purple-haired girl, and walked towards Kurei. The brown-haired one tagged along with her.

"Hanabishi, meet Yanagi-chan," said Kuenai. "She lives near the tea shop... we can give her a ride, can't we?"

Kurei looked at the younger girl and shrugged indifferently. "No problem," he said. It wouldn't be out of the way, and it wouldn't be like the girl was going to interfere with their tea.

"Nice to meet you," Yanagi replied politely.

****

"...And turn left here," instructed Yanagi. Kurei obliged.

They were in a residential area, and he absently noticed a group of small boys playing ball. Suddenly, the ball was kicked into the street, and one of the boys raced to get it. Kurei quickly braked to a stop, but an oncoming car wasn't lucky enough to see what was happening. In a split second, the little boy had been hit by the front of the car and was knocked to the ground.

Yanagi gave a little shriek and leapt from the car, running to the little boy. The car which had been unfortunate enough to hit him sped up and raced away.

Kurenai shouted something and jumped from the passenger's seat, making her way towards the little boy lying in the street. Kurei growled under his breath, and wrote down the license plate number before he joined the other two. The boy's friends ran over, making a small crowd.

Yanagi was kneeling by the boy's unconscious form. His body was scratched up from the asphalt of the street, and it looked like his leg was broken. She seemed to be concentrating very hard, and ran her fingers lightly over his injuries. By the time a large group of concerned mothers had reached the scene, the boy was awake and sitting up, complaining loudly. There was no sign of the broken leg, and even his scratches had been healed.

Kurei and Kurenai looked at each other. What was this girl capable of?

****

"And so you're sure about this?" Mori Kouran looked through the photographs.

"I've had it confirmed from a number of sources," replied the man. "The boy was badly injured, but in only a matter of minutes, he was as though nothing had happened."

Mori Kouran pondered the thought as he continued to inspect the photos. "She looks like an ordinary girl. But if it's true that she has these powers... I want them." He looked at the circle of faces surrounding him. "Perhaps she is the key to my immortality." He handed the sheaf of photos to a sixteen-year-old boy standing next to him.

"Recca," he said. "I want her. Get this girl for me."

Recca nodded. He had two members of his Uruha in mind for this one.

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