Author's Note: Hi everyone! You're wondering why I'm beginning a new story? Well...I've gotten some new ideas and I just wanted to bring'em to life, y'know!? Hehe. Some of this is based off of a very good anime called Natsume Yuujinchou, and half of it is original stuff...I think. Just wanted to let you know. I'll still update TCR, Snow Princess, and Stargazer as much as I can (I'm not sure about Stargazer though). Anyway, I present to you...chapter one of Firefly's Enchantment!! Read and review nicely please! NO FLAMES!!! Happy reading!

CHAPTER 1: Do you believe in youkai?

A dark place. Almost pitch black. The faint glimmer of a small flame. Many shone an orange light and were lined up in a large circle. In the circle of light, two figures are seen, but their faces were blackened by the dark place, so they were unable to be seen. The pitter patter of water drops falling from the sky fell onto the dark place, but none penetrated the shield, so the many lights were protected by the dark place. One figure was in a pure white kimono and had long, silver hair. Another figure was in a dark green kimono along with a maroon jacket-like shirt and a male physique. Voices can be heard from inside the dark place.

"I do not wish to leave my position as this village's God. I truly love my position" The silver-haired, white-cloaked figure said in a quiet, soft, womanly voice. This was a woman.

"I understand, your highness. We are pleased with the reception you've been given. Especially during the summer, when your enchanting powers give the fireflies their majestic glow and giving the waters in which you live their effulgence" The figure in the green kimono replied in a deep, rich, manly voice. This was a man.

"Yes. I've blessed those who did good deeds, and I punished those who did bad deeds. If my position as the God of this village is up for grabs, who knows what evil deities could steer upon it" The woman explained as she began to feel worried and distraught.

"I understand your worries, your highness. You're especially worried about "that thing" that hurt you when you weren't a God, am I correct?" The man asked. The woman nodded slowly.

"I see...hm? I wish to ask a question" The man said.

"Yes? What is it?" The woman asked.

"Is it true that whenever a woman gives birth to a child in your pond on a clear, enchanting summer day or night, that child will be blessed with the ability to see us youkai(1)?" The man asked.

"Yes, that is true..." The woman replied.

"What about...that 'firefly'?" The man asked. The woman began to ponder a bit, then she gasped a small breath as she immediately realized what the man in front of her meant by that 'firefly'.

"Him!? Oh heavens no! You know as much as I do that I cannot involve him in these matters! Especially after all the suffering he's endured already! I do not want to involve him in more danger than he already has" The woman proclaimed, worried and distraught. The man paused for a bit, then he decided to speak.

"I understand your worries about the 'firefly'. But we may have no other choice. Given the power that you blessed him with as he was born in your pond, I think he may be the only chance we have in saving your position as the village's God" The man told her sternly. The woman was very worried and began thinking about the dangers that the 'firefly' would experience. She finally sighed.

"Alright. I'll do it" The woman replied. The man smiled.

"You truly are a refined and noble God, your highness. No wonder you been a God for 200 years in a row. You are well-liked by many youkai around these parts, maybe even around the world" The man told her with a smile. The woman looked at him again.

"Do you have that book?" The woman asked.

"Yes. I shall go fetch it for you" The man replied as he stood up and walked away. He made sure to avoid the small flames so as to not get burned. The man left. The woman was left alone, thinking and pondering.

'That 'firefly' may be my only chance after all...but after all the pain and suffering he's endured already...I do not know if he will be strong enough to endure these dangers. But...I cannot doubt what's going to happen. He's my only chance, and I have to make sure to both protect him, and my position as the God of this village. I...we have to be strong. I wonder if he can do it...?' thought the woman as she began seeing a black silhouette of a teenager. A teenage boy about 14-15 years of age. The man returned.

"I have it. Here you are" The man kneeled down to the woman, who was still sitting on her knees, as he presented an old, brown book with a white paper on it that was labelled "Sealing away the dark hearts". The faint light of the flames soon became bigger and the dark place began to become lighter. The man's face was fully revealed. He had short, slightly spiked black hair and he had a piece of paper on his face, covering his eyes.

"I believe you will succeed with flying colors..." The man told the woman, whose face was only half revealed. She had a cold, doll-like expression on her face and her right eye, the only eye that was shown, was a blue as bright as the sky.

"...Kanon-sama"

One day later...

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

It was currently a beautiful, sunny day in the small village of Minatsu-no-basho. Although there were only a few clouds, the yellow sun was shining brilliantly in the blue sky. The town was being engulfed by it's radiant glow. The little flowers in the grassy places were absorbing the sun's yellow rays in order to stay in bloom. This was a perfect day for children to go out and play or do something fun outside.

One house was just slightly outside the sun's summery mood. The name plate on the door read 'Hirokawa', which meant it belonged to a family called the Hirokawas. The house was a bright beige and the roof was a light grey. The door was white also. But it wasn't a traditional Japanese house.

A boy was beginning to wake up.

The boy in his bed looked to be about 14-15 years of age. He had short, fair, dark blonde hair that almost matched the sun's radiant effulgence. His bangs were a bit short-cropped though. He also had light brown eyes that were almost glowing. His skin was a creamy white color, but he surely wasn't albino. His skin was white like peach. He turned to the window next to him. He slowly put his hand on one of the white curtains that were decorated with pink, yellow, and purple flowers. He pulled one of the curtains away from the window and he stared at the blue sky. He let out a small smile.

'I...love sunny days' thought the boy in a calm, soothing, teenaged male voice which seemed a bit younger than his own age. His voice was very gentle, soft, and enlightening. He continued to smile at the blue sky.

'I think of them...as days that warm the heart when things turn very bad. Especially this town' the boy thought again. He slowly turned away from the window and out of the bed. He wore a short-sleeved, light blue pajama shirt that had a pocket on his right breast along with matching shorts that went to his knees.

He stood up as he began to remove his shirt, even though it was buttoned. His shirt was removed, revealing his smooth, flat, apricot-colored chest. He began changing into new clothes. A few minutes later, he was fully dressed now. He was now wearing a short-sleeved, light brown shirt with a picture of a branch of light orange peach blossoms on it. He also wore long, dark blue jean shorts that also went to his knees. He looked toward his light brown night stand and look at the little clock. The clock read 7:04 AM.

He decided to leave his room and go to the kitchen. He went through the really small hallway and went through the entrance that led to the dining room. He saw a lady in the kitchen. The lady was about in her mid 30's. She had long, light brown hair with tints of blonde along with having dark green eyes like evergreen trees. The boy recognized her.

"Good morning, mother" The boy said. The lady turned around and smiled at him.

"Oh! Good morning, Hotaru!" The mother proclaimed with a smile. Hirokawa Hotaru was the boy's name. "Your breakfast will be ready in a minute, sweetie" The mother told him gently. Hotaru sat on one of the chairs of the orange table and waited. The mother was standing in front of a toaster in the kitchen. Just a minute later, someone else came into the room.

"Morning, Tsukiko, Hotaru" A man said. Tsukiko was the mother's name. The man looked to be in his early 40's. He had short, purely black hair and had brown eyes, which were darker than Hotaru's. He was wearing a long-sleeved, white work shirt with a black tie and black pants along with black casual shoes.

"Morning, Mitsuru" Tsukiko proclaimed with a smile. Mitsuru was her husband's name. He was Hotaru's father. Hotaru saw the two pieces of bread pop out of the toaster. Tsukiko grabbed them, placed them on a small plate, spreaded butter on them with a knife, and cut the two pieces in half. She took the plate in her hand and walked toward the dining room table. Then she gently placed the plate in front of Hotaru.

"Here you go" Tsukiko told him.

"Thank you mother" Hotaru replied quietly. He then took a piece of light buttered toast, which possibly didn't look like toast at all, and took a small bite out of it. To him, it tasted good.

"Don't forget to brush your teeth" Tsukiko told her son.

"Yes, mother" Hotaru replied quietly again. He finished his toast and began to walk to the bathroom. He faced a white sink along with three vertical, rectangular shaped mirrors, which were doors to a cabinet. He opened one of them and grabbed a small thing of toothpaste. He took a blue tooth brush from a tooth brush holder and turned on the faucet. Water spewed from the faucet and he placed the white bristles of the tooth brush under the falling water. He then turned off the faucet, opened the cap to the tooth paste and slowly squirted a decent amount on his tooth brush. He used his finger to press the blue-colored tooth paste further into the bristles. He turned on the faucet and placed the bristles under it again for a few seconds. He turned it off again and he put the brush into his mouth and he began brushing.

A few minutes later, he was done. He spit the remaining tooth paste into the sink and turned on the faucet. The cold water rushed from the silver faucet and went into the silver drain. He put his hands under the faucet to grab some water and put it in his mouth. He swished the water around a bit, then spit it out. He turned the faucet off, grabbed a small towel to wash his mouth, and put it away. He then went into an even bigger cabinet and grabbed a black hair brush with a red handle. He began brushing his fair, dark blonde hair for a few seconds. His hair was straight and he decided to leave the bathroom.

He arrived back in the kitchen and saw Tsukiko and Mitsuru talking. Mitsuru turned around to see his son looking at him. Mitsuru walked up to the boy and showed him something.

"Hotaru. I'm going to put this on your sleeve" Mitsuru told him sternly as he showed him a small, grey thing with a red light on it. Hotaru was confused.

"What's that?" Hotaru asked quietly, feeling confused.

"It's a silent alarm. If you're ever in danger, it will trigger a silent alarm to this machine, letting us know that you're in some kind of situation. If we hear the alarm, we'll rush to your location and help you" Mitsuru explained and then placed the small grey thing on Hotaru's left shirt sleeve. The machine clung to it tightly.

"Leave it on there, or else we won't be able to know if you're okay or not" Mitsuru told him.

"I see. Okay then. I'll leave it alone. I'll make my lunch now" Hotaru replied softly, then saw a green lunch box near one of the chairs and went into the kitchen to make his lunch. He poured iced tea (with no ice) in a small, plastic bottle and placed a white cap on the bottle. He also made a sandwich with only peanut butter and wrapped it in plastic wrap. He then placed it in a square container which was part of his green lunch box and put it inside. He then grabbed a pack of onigiri, cookies, animal gummies, and a thing of vanilla pudding along with a plastic spoon. He then proceeded to put on white ankle socks and white shoes. He then organized some books and notebooks as he placed them in his black book bag, which had wheels and was dragable. He pulled the long black handle and was about to leave the house. He turned to his parents.

"Bye mother and father. I love you" Hotaru told them as he left the house.

"Love you too sweetheart" Tsukiko told him as he finally left the house. As his son left, Mitsuru's expression turned to that of being a little sad and worried.

"Tsukiko...I worry about our child" Mitsuru murmured.

"The school is only a 10 minute walk from our home. He won't be lost" Tsukiko said.

"No. I mean at school. He's still being harassed by Kushida and Sadamoto and their flunkies. I'm scared that it'll escalate...to a point where he can't defend himself...or that his life will be on the line!" Mitsuru explained, as he became a bit more distraught. Tsukiko walked up to her husband.

"I understand. But Hotaru is a good, strong boy, even though he's a pacifist" Tsukiko told him in a soft voice, reassuring her husband that there was nothing to worry about.

"But he's autistic! Rememeber? Kids and people, including those accursed babysitters from back then, made fun of him just because he couldn't talk! Kids still pick on him even now! I'm scared...I don't want our precious child to suffer more than he already has...!" Mitsuru proclaimed sadly. Tsukiko gently wrapped her arms around him and pulled her husband toward her.

"I know. Things have been tough for our son. But he survived and that's what counts. And he'll continue to thrive. There are many obstacles, but we will overcome them. Do you remember when he was 12, and he said his first word?" Tsukiko explained gently.

"...Yes. I do. He said mother" Mitsuru replied.

"We were devastated when we heard he could possibly never talk, but I always believed that actions speak louder than words. We taught him to communicate with the help of Koyasu-sensei that all the programs we attended. Look how far he's gotten. He's finally able to express himself with a voice. He's blessed us with many things" Tsukiko explained. Mitsuru's expression toughened up a bit.

"Yes, I see. But he's still very fragile and...I don't want him to be hurt...like he was back then" Mitsuru murmured. Tsukiko let go of her husband.

"I don't want him to be hurt either. Besides, he's...not alone. He has his best friends with him...the Tricky Trio, they are" Tsukiko told him. Mitsuru handed the tracker to Tsukiko and left the dining room.

Meanwhile, Hotaru was walking down the grassy area, about to approach a small, brown bridge that went over a small river. He dragged his black book bag behind him and clenched onto a beige colored purse that was on his left shoulder. He also tried to hold his green lunch box. As he was about to see the bridge, voiced echoed through the summer wind, calling out to him.

"Good morning, Hotaru!"

"Hotaru-kun!"

The boy reacted and saw two people in front of the bridge, waving at him. A boy and a girl.

"Good morning! Sakura! Daisuke!" Hotaru cried out at the two.

Uetake Sakura and Sahashi Daisuke are Hotaru's best friends. They've known each other for a long time. Sakura is about 13-14 years of age. She has blonde hair, which is slightly darker than Hotaru's hair and has hazel green eyes. She is wearing a white, short-sleeved shirt under a beige and brown dress that goes to her knees, which also has a yellow ribbon on the chest part. She is also wearing black shoes and white stockings. Her yellow hair goes down to her lower back and the ends were a bit curly. In her sun-colored hair are small, dark blue ribbons on both sides of her head. She has known Hotaru since the beginning of 2nd grade, when she defended him from bullies who made fun of his previous inability to talk. She was known for being very polite, kind and caring and that she came from a rich family.

Daisuke is about the same age as Hotaru, though he's a bit shorter than him. He has bright red hair with three medium-sized spikes along with emerald green eyes like a tree's leaves on a bright spring day. He is wearing a sleeveless, bright green shirt along with dark brown jean shorts that go to his knees along with grey shoes. What's strange about him that he looks completely different from Sakura and Hotaru. He's shorter than the two, his eyes are kind of small and they're closer to his nose than usual. His hands have a horizontal line going across them instead of random lines going across the hand. His mouth is slightly off too. Hotaru knew one thing: Daisuke was born with Down Syndrome, which is a chromosomal disorder. Hotaru has known him since 3rd grade, a year later than Sakura. Despite his condition, he remains a happy, out-going, and loving boy. His speech is slightly hard to understand though. Hotaru, Sakura, and Daisuke were known as the Tricky Trio.

The two were walking across the bridge. Daisuke was looking over the bridge and down at the flowing river. Sakura looked at him.

"Don't get too excited, Daisuke. Your heart can't take a lot of excitement, y'know?" Sakura told the boy.

"No worry. I be fine!" Daisuke replied, as he clung to a brown paper bag that was wrapped in his arms. He caught back up to Sakura and Hotaru. Sakura turned toward Hotaru and saw that he looked a little dazed.

"Are you alright, Hotaru?" Sakura asked. Hotaru turned toward her.

"I'm fine" Hotaru replied. Sakura turned back toward the sky. She made sure to avoid the sun so that her eyes wouldn't get horribly strained.

"Tomorrow, you turn 15" Sakura whispered. Hotaru looked toward Daisuke, who was holding a brown paper bag in his arm.

"Daisuke? What's in that bag? Another piece of artwork you made?" Hotaru asked. Daisuke looked at him and put a finger in front of his own mouth.

"Dat's a secret!" Daisuke told him with a smile. Hotaru then decided to look up at the sky.

He remembered his parents. He knew the reason why Mitsuru put that little machine on his sleeve. He knew it all too well. Hotaru, at a very young age, was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, or a type of Autism, when he was about 2 years old. His case was so severe that he couldn't talk. His parents were sad at first, but they decided to try and cope with it in their own ways. Hotaru was taught to read and write at a young age, so he learned writing in order to communicate. He was different from other kids. He wasn't able to socialize very well and had much different interests than normal boys. Normal boys would wear their pants really low and prefer listening to rap music and go skateboarding or cause trouble or get dirty. Hotaru was a complete opposite. He always wore his clothes the right way and, due to his ears being sensitive to loud noises like explosions, people screaming/yelling loudly, music being turned up at a high volume, and motorcycles, he doesn't listen to rap music. He'd rather do his homework and achieve good grades than cause trouble and fail school. He would even prefer being nice and clean over being dirty and adventurous.

He didn't have many friends due to his disability, but in 2nd grade, it began to change. He met Uetake Sakura as she defended him from bullies. The two were very close. They made friends with another disabled girl named Karino Rikoto, who suffered from a much milder form of autism called PDD-NOS(2). In 3rd grade, they met Sahashi Daisuke and the four became known as the Frivolous Four up until the 7th grade, when Rikoto had to move away from Minatsunobasho. The three became known as the Tricky Trio. Hotaru was unable to talk until he turned 12, when he was hit by a car and taken to the hospital. He said his first word, which was mother. This made his parents severely overjoyed. Of course, with Hotaru being autistic, there were problems. He was often bullied or picked on because of his clean-cut demeanor and quiet personality and his intelligence.

The three finally arrive at Natsume Academy, which is an elevator school, though looking a bit small. There are three buildings. There was the elementary division, which had grades from kindergarden to 4th, the middle school division, which had grades from 5th to 8th, and the high school division, which had grades 9th to 12th. Hotaru, Sakura, and Daisuke are attending the high school division. They had gone to this school for many years. Sakura was a normal girl in normal classes while Hotaru and Daisuke, due to their disabilities, were put in the special education class. The school was a public school and it didn't have school uniforms for children to wear.

The three kids walk through a small hallway, which had a few windows. The three were talking.

"Hey! I hear the summer festival is almost here! I wanna go!" Daisuke exclaimed cheerfully.

"Yes, I agree. I'd like to go too. Wouldn't you agree, Hotaru?" Sakura said as she turned to Hotaru. He flashed a small smile.

"I'd like to go, but I don't know if I can handle it" Hotaru replied shyly.

"I'm sure it'll be nothing to be afraid of. After all, they don't play loud music anymore, so I think it'll be okay!" Sakura said when suddenly...

WHOOSH!

Someone quickly dashed by them, literally sprinting across the hallway. Another person went after that boy.

"I'LL GET YOU, YA DURNED PIN-HEAD!!" The boy running after the other one yelled loudly. This made Hotaru cover his ears with his hands. All three kids were confused and dumb-founded.

"Kushida...is at it again" Sakura said.

"I agree. He need to stop bullying peoples!" Daisuke proclaimed. Hotaru ignored it and decided to walk forward. He walked in front of Room 13, which was his homeroom. Sakura and Daisuke followed. A lady saw them walk in.

"Oh? If it isn't the Tricky Trio! Good morning!" A lady proclaimed.

"Good morning, Han-sensei!" Sakura told her as she bowed politely. The lady looked to be in her late 20's and she had brown hair that went to her shoulders which was tied into a flouncy ponytail and had hazel brown eyes. She is currently wearing a light brown, short-sleeved shirt along with dark blue jean pants and black shoes. Han was just short for Hatanaka, her surname. People call her Han-sensei as a shortening of her name. Hotaru, Sakura, and Daisuke sat in their desks and they began talking.

"Daisuke. Did you finish your art project?" Hotaru asked.

"I sure did! Look!" Daisuke proclaimed with a smile as he pulled out another brown paper bag from his blue backpack. He opened the paper bag and pulled out what appears to be a mug made completely out of clay. There were multi-colored fishes all around it serving as the design. Sakura and Hotaru were amazed.

"Did you really make that all by yourself?" Sakura asked.

"Yep-a-roo! Took me 2 hours to finish!" Daisuke replied happily.

"It sure looks good!" Hotaru said.

"I agree! One of my best work yet!" Daisuke said.

"Let me guess. You're going to show it to Kiriya-sensei in art class?" Sakura asked politely.

"Yep! I'm sure she's gunna love--" Daisuke proclaimed happily when suddenly...someone took his handmade mug! A group of girls, three to be precise, took the mug.

"Like, oh my gosh! Look! If it isn't the Trashy Trio!" One girl proclaimed with an evil smirk. She had long, light blonde hair that went to her hips along with light brown eyes. She looked to be about 15-16 years of age. Behind her were two other girls.

"S-Sadamoto! That's Daisuke's artwork! Give it back!" Sakura proclaimed as she tried to remove the stolen mug from the girl.

"Shut up, you little (Censored B-I word)! I told you to refer to me as Ayumi-sama!" The girl, whose name is Sadamoto Ayumi, yelled as she pushed Sakura away. The girl behind her, the one with semi-long, light brown hair that went to her shoulders and with dark brown eyes, giggled a little.

"That mug is so ugly! My dad owns much prettier ones like that!" The girl said.

"You're totally right, Chigusa!" Ayumi told the girl, whose name was Chigusa, happily. Ayumi then turned to the other girl behind her. The one with short but slightly curly dark brown hair and reddish brown eyes.

"Maki? Would you be so totally kind as to destroy this filthy piece of (censored C word)?" Ayumi asked the girl, whose name is Maki, with an evil look on her face.

"Don't mind if I do, Ayumi-sama!" Maki replied with an evil smile. Ayumi was about to give her the mug when suddenly...Mrs. Han swiped it away!

"What!? H-Hey!!" Ayumi yelled angrily. Mrs. Han stared at the three girls with a stern and strict look on her face.

"Sadamoto! Ukyou! Kakazu! How many times must I tell you!? You can't go around picking on people!" Mrs. Han yelled at the three. Ukyou Chigusa and Kakazu Maki were their names. Ayumi got angry.

"You're not the boss of me!" Ayumi shouted loudly and angrily.

"I am SO the boss of you! If I catch you and your clique bullying these children again, I won't be above reporting this to your parents! I think you'll be surprised with the grade you'll get on your next tests if I see this happen again!" Mrs. Han yelled at the three of them. The girls got angry and they walked away. Mrs. Han then turned to Daisuke.

"I'm sorry about this. Here's your mug back" Mrs. Han told him as she slowly handed Daisuke his handmade mug. Daisuke was happy and he quickly snatched it.

"Thank you!! I need dis (this) for art class today!" Daisuke exclaimed happily and cheerfully. Sakura became worried.

"Please don't get overly excited, Daisuke" Sakura told him as she tried to calm him down. Mrs. Han then saw Hotaru at his desk with his hands over his ears and looking a bit scared.

"Are you okay, Hotaru-kun? Sorry if those girls were loud" Mrs. Han asked him gently as she put a hand on his shoulder. Hotaru nodded without saying a word. He became silent. Sakura and Daisuke then notice this and they walk up to him.

"It's okay now. It's not loud anymore, so you don't have to worry" Sakura told him softly. Hotaru turned his head to face her. Then, all of a sudden...

riiiiiiiing

The school bell rang. It was time for school to begin.

"It's a good thing we got here before the bell rang. Let's get ready" Sakura told him. Hotaru removed his hands from his ears and looked straight at Sakura.

"Yes, we should" Hotaru murmured quietly.

The kids immediately got to their desks. Other students arrived in their rooms and sat at their desks...well, some of them. Time went on and the three kids went through their daily classes like usual. But Hotaru, Sakura, and Daisuke weren't always in the same classes. The three were separated during 3rd, 4/5th, 6/7th, and 8/9th period. They were sad by this, but they had to accept it because they knew nothing would be done about it. Hotaru especially didn't like being away from his friends during his classes, but he endured it anyway, even if it meant being in the same many classes as Ayumi and her clique along with another rowdy kid who was known for being loud and disruptive during class. But there were times when 2 out of the three would be in the same class. Daisuke and Hotaru share the same gym period, so it wasn't all bad.

A few hours passed. It was now time for lunch. Two tables were assigned to each homeroom, depending on the amount of students. Hotaru, Sakura, and Daisuke sat together at the 2nd table on the left side of the cafeteria, which was the last set of tables. The three brought their own lunches. Hotaru always had a "lunch-eating routine" as he called it. He always had his lunch prepared to be eaten in a certain order. He had his pattern and had the foods he ate/drink planned out. His pattern was: drink iced tea first then eat from there: animal gummies, peanut butter sandwich, vanilla pudding, onigiri, and cookies. He always had it that way, ever since he was young. Sakura and Daisuke knew this, but accepted it anyway. Hotaru sat between his two friends and drank his small bottle of iced tea. Daisuke was the first to begin talking.

"Ohh! Sakura-tan(3)! Did you practice your violin last night?" Daisuke asked, curious. His emerald green eyes shone with his curiosity. Sakura flashed a smile.

"Yes, I did. Did you practice your viola?" Sakura replied.

"Yep! I suuuure did!" Daisuke proclaimed. Hotaru was confused.

"What's wrong? Practice for what?" Hotaru asked.

"Oh! You dun know? The music club is going to be in the Natsume Summer Talent Show this year! Me and Sakura are gunna be in it!" Daisuke explained.

"Really? Oh! That's right! You two are in the Natsume Harmonic Orchestra here, aren't you? You practice once every week and all that?" Hotaru exclaimed, grasping the concept of what was going on.

"That's true. But since the music club is going to participate, me and Daisuke included, the teacher scheduled rehearsals for twice a week now. So we can't walk home together much until it's over" Sakura explained softly. Hotaru seemed a little sad at Sakura's last statement. He sighed.

"I see. What piece are you playing?" Hotaru asked.

"We're doing...uhhh...what it be called again? Uhhh...Pavan...dead princess or...?" Daisuke tried to reply, but he couldn't remember the name of the music piece. Sakura interrupted.

"Pavane for a Dead Princess(4)" Sakura replied.

"I've never heard of that one" Hotaru told her, feeling a bit confused.

"It was composed by a French musician in 1899. I have a demo CD with that piece in it" Sakura explained. Hotaru smiled a bit.

"1899 + 1 equals 1900" Hotaru told her. Sakura chuckled a bit at his mathematical reply.

"That's right, Hotaru" Sakura replied.

"Oh! Hotaru-kun! Are you gonna be in the Talent Show? What'cha gunna do?" Daisuke asked happily. Hotaru closed his eyes.

"I'm not going to be in it" Hotaru replied. This made Daisuke shocked.

"Huuuuh? Why?" Daisuke asked, surprised.

"I...I'm not good at anything that's worth showing in front of an audience" Hotaru replied quietly.

"I see. You're nervous that people will laugh at you?" Sakura asked. Hotaru nodded.

"I understand how that feels. I remember when I was in 3rd grade, I was asked to recite a poem in front of class, I was sooooo scared that people would hate it and laugh at me, but I did it and they didn't! But I can see why you wouldn't want to be in the talent show" Sakura explained. After her explanation, she ate a piece of tamagoyaki(5). Hotaru began eating his onigiri and Daisuke ate an oreo cookie. The three began having their little discussion for the half hour until the bell rang. They went through their final classes and finally...

riiiiiiiing

It was finally time to go home.

All the kids gathered their belongings and left the school building. Hotaru, Sakura, and Daisuke decided to walk home. Fortunately, there were no music rehearsals today, so the three were able to walk home. They're about to cross the little bridge they crossed earlier this morning. Daisuke began talking.

"Hey Hotaru-kun! Your birthday's tomorrow! You turn 15, right?" Daisuke asked with a smile.

"Yes, I do" Hotaru whispered in response.

"Would you mind if we came over your house tomorrow to celebrate it?" Sakura asked politely. Hotaru closed his eyes and smiled.

"Of course, but I'd have to ask mother and father first. I don't want to trouble them" Hotaru replied.

"Oh. I see. You're concerned about things like that, aren't you?" Sakura asked.

"Yes, I am" Hotaru replied.

"That's good! It's good dat (that) you ask your parents before deciding! Do you know how teenagers usually dun ask dere (their) parents to have friends over and just invite them anyway? Dat makes de (the) parents angry! One kid sez "Hey, I'm gunna invite so-and-so oba (over)" and the parents say "No" and the kid sez "why?" and the parents say "you need to ask us before inviting anyone over" and da kids get mad. But Hotaru is obedient and faithful! He no bad kid!" Daisuke explained, though his speech was a bit hard to understand at one point. Sakura and Hotaru giggled a bit at his rambling. The kids found their destinations and decided to go their separate ways. Hotaru found his house and decided to go in.

"Mother! Father! I'm home!" Hotaru cried out for his parents to let them know that he's returned from school. He looked around the living room and looked toward the dining room and the kitchen. His parents weren't there. He looked around some more. He didn't find his parents anywhere until Tsukiko arrived.

"Oh! You're home, Hotaru! I didn't hear you come in" Tsukiko said, feeling a little embarrassed.

"I understand. Where's father?" Hotaru said and asked where his father was.

"Mitsuru went to run some errands. He said he'll be back in a jiffy. So how was school?" Tsukiko replied.

"Good. Daisuke did a good job on his art project. Kiriya-sensei liked it a lot. Of course, she liked mine as well. And I did good on the English and math quizzes!" Hotaru replied. Tsukiko brightened up a smile.

"How wonderful! Oh! Tonight's dinner is ham steak, corn, and rice" Tsukiko replied. Hotaru smiled when he remembered something.

"Mother, Sakura and Daisuke asked me if they want to come over here tomorrow. Would that be alright with you?" Hotaru asked.

"They're such good kids. I don't see why not. Tomorrow is your birthday after all! I'd be happy to have them over!" Tsukiko replied with a bright smile. Hotaru felt happy.

A few minutes later, Mitsuru came home from his errands. About 2 hours later, the Hirokawa family ate their dinner. Hotaru liked the ham steak and corn that was prepared, but didn't eat much rice. Tsukiko gave him some mandarin oranges as an extra, since he needed some vitamin C. The three began talking about the day and it took 20 minutes for Hotaru to finish his dinner. After dinner, he began his homework. He had some math, English, and history homework he needed to work on. It usually took 2 hours for a teenager to finish their homework, but since Hotaru had very good grades and worked hard, he finished his homework in about an hour.

After he finished his homework, he decided to watch some TV with Tsukiko or read his manga or play his games. He talked with Mitsuru a bit, regarding the machine that was on him. Hotaru remembered when Ayumi stole Daisuke's handmade mug, but Mrs. Han scolded them and gave it back. Mitsuru was relieved that Hotaru wasn't hurt. A few hours later, it was night time. Hotaru took a bath before he changed into his new set of pajamas, which consisted of a short-sleeved, light yellow shirt with buttons along with matching shorts that go to his knees. He then proceeded to blow-dry his dark blonde hair. After that, he went into his room. The clock on his night stand read 8:43 PM. It was already dark outside. The sky was wrapped in a dark blue blanket decorated with white stars that shone brightly along with a moon that was almost full. He went into his bed, put the covers on himself, and gently placed his head on the pillows. He stared up at the ceiling and his brown/green eyes began to close. He fell into a dormant state...

(dream)

Hotaru woke up to find himself in a different place. It was still night time. He looked up and the white moon was still in the sky. The stars were still in the sky as well. He looked around and found himself in a strange part of the woods. There was a large pond with a brown shrine at the end of the pond. He saw that the pond was surrounded by fireflies. Hotaru stared at the fireflies with a smile on his face. The scenery was beautiful beyond words. He knew this place very well.

"It's the pond. My...spot of solace. My...favorite place" Hotaru murmured to himself while smiling and staring at the dancing fireflies. The water in the pond glew slightly with the shimmering glow of the lights of the fireflies. As he looked around, he saw a bigger, brighter green light at the other side of the pond. The one where the shrine was. He decided to slowly walk from his area to the other side.

He manages to arrive at the other side of the pond. He manages to get a good look at the bright green light similar to the tiny fireflies that danced on the water. But the light wasn't what he had expected.

The light was actually a young woman.

The woman looked to be in her mid-20's. She had long, shining silver hair that went right to her ankles. Her eyes were hidden by her long bangs, but her mouth was perfectly seeable. She wore a long, white kimono that almost matched her skin, which was a bright color like an apricot. The woman stared at the water below her. Hotaru noticed that the green glow she emitted was getting dimmer. He was confused.

"Ummm...are you...waiting for someone?" Hotaru asked the woman. He didn't get a verbal response, but the woman turned her head toward the boy. Her bangs were finally moved, and her eyes were seen. Her eyes were a shade of blue that was as bright as the sky itself. Hotaru was awestruck by her beauty. The woman smiled at him and she began...to speak.

"You are..." The woman murmured quietly. Hotaru didn't quite hear her.

"Can...you talk a little louder? I didn't hear you" Hotaru asked. The woman finally turned to face the boy below her.

"You are...firefly(6)..." The woman told him in a soft, womanly voice. Hotaru was very confused. He didn't understand.

He was being enveloped by both the woman and the fireflies. The feeling he experienced was something he didn't understand. The experience felt very warm and soft. He smiled at being hugged by the woman and embraced by the fireflies. He began to rub his head into the woman's chest. He felt very happy. Warm. Safe. Loved. Yet he didn't understand what was going on. But he decided to accept it anyway.

"Who are you?" Hotaru asked the woman. He looked up at her. She was looking down at him with a small but soft smile.

"You're the firefly...I've been waiting for. Meet me here...on your birthday" The woman told him. Hotaru was more confused than he ever was, but he felt that he needed to do what the woman told her. Then, all of a sudden...

Everything disappeared in a white light.

(end dream)

The next morning...

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Hotaru woke up to another sunny morning. He looked at the clock and it read 6:58 AM. He looked out the window and saw that the yellow sun was shining once more. He smiled at the sight. He then decided to get out of his bed and change. He now dressed himself in a light green, short-sleeved shirt with a pocket on his left breast and black pants. He went into the kitchen to have breakfast. Tsukiko made him his usual toast, but added scrambled eggs and some banana pieces. The entire Hirokawa family was in the dining room.

"Mother. Father. I...had a dream last night" Hotaru murmured. Tsukiko and Mitsuru heard him. Mitsuru was drinking his coffee.

"What kind of dream, sweetheart?" Tsukiko asked, curious. Hotaru decided to speak.

"Ummm...do you remember that pond? The place I often go to relax. The place...where I was born?" Hotaru asked. Tsukiko smiled brightly.

"Yes we do. It's also the place where we gave you your name, Hotaru" Tsukiko replied.

"Yes. I...I had a dream that I was there. It was night time. There were fireflies all around. There was a woman. A beautiful woman. I walked up to her and she hugged me. It felt...nice. She also said that...I was her...firefly" Hotaru explained. Tsukiko and Mitsuru were a bit confused.

"That must've been a good dream you had" Mitsuru said. Hotaru finishes his breakfast and decides to go brush his teeth. After he's done brushing his teeth, he makes his lunch. Mitsuru puts the grey machine from before on Hotaru's right sleeve again. Hotaru finishes making his lunch, organizing his book bag, and decides to leave.

"Bye mother and father. I love you" Hotaru proclaimed as he left the house and decided to go to school again. He arrived at the little bridge, where he encounters Sakura and Daisuke waiting for him again. The three decide to walk together again. The trio began talking.

"Hey! Before the bell rings, let's go to the Special Ed class!" Sakura proclaimed with a smile.

"Yesh! Dat's a great idea!" Daisuke replied happily. Hotaru was confused, but didn't bother to ask about it and decided to just smile instead.

He knew about the special education class well. In fact, that's where he spent most of his school life starting from the 2nd grade. Since he couldn't talk and didn't understand or couldn't tolerate many things, he was assigned to the special education class, which is a class for children with disabilities. He was one of many students in there. He and Daisuke, who came in the 3rd grade, spent most of their school life in that class until high school began. That's when they were mainstreamed into normal classes, since Hotaru was steadily improving since he began talking at the age of 12. He and Daisuke were popular in the special ed class.

They took a different hallway. They were now in front of the special ed class. Right when Hotaru opens the door, suddenly...

"SURPRISE!!!"

"Gyaaaaaah!!"

A group of young kids cried out happily. Hotaru was shocked. He almost fell over. Daisuke manages to catch him. Hotaru comes to his senses and sees a banner on the wall that says "Happy 15th Birthday Hotaru!" on it. He smiled at the children.

"Hello everyone" Hotaru told them. All the children gathered around him. A teacher came up to him.

"Good morning. And happy birthday, Hotaru-kun" A woman said. This woman looked to be in her late 20's. She had short, reddish brown hair with a red, heart shaped hair clip in her hair that had a gold wing on it. She also had light brown eyes like caramell. Hotaru smiled.

"Good morning, Enokido-sensei" Hotaru replied. Enokido Hikari was the special education teacher for Natsume school. Hotaru loved her very much for her kind, gentle and compassionate personality. She had been teaching the special ed class for a long time, so Hotaru knew her very well. All the kids in the special ed class loved her. She always came up with good solutions to problems. Even Hotaru's parents loved her. A young boy pulled Hotaru's arm.

"Hotaru! Look! We gots cake for you!" A little boy with light-colored, dirty brown hair proclaimed happily. He looked to be about 10-11 years old in age.

"Please, don't pull so hard, Hiro" Hotaru told the boy, Hiro. All the kids, including Sakura, Daisuke, and Mrs. Enokido, gathered at a small table with a plate in the middle that had a cake. The cake was about 2 layers high. The bottom layer was light brown and the top layer was coated with fresh dark chocolate. In the middle of the cake was a pink rose made entirely of frosting. There were strawberries and blueberries surrounding it as well along with little candies and candles that were lit. Hotaru sat in front of the cake. He noticed that although it was small in height, it was also rather long and large in terms of width.

"Blow the candles!" One boy yelled out.

"Make wish! Make wish!" One little girl cried out.

"Make fire go away!" Another girl, who was slightly older, yelled out.

"Blow candles! Blow the fire out!" Another boy cried out. Hotaru took a deep breath and then...he exhaled greatly. The fire on all the candles were blown away. Everyone cheered.

"Yaaaay!" All the kids cried out happily and danced joyfully.

"Now children, please quiet down. Let's eat some cake now. Discreetly" Mrs. Enokido told all the children. The children sat down and watched as Mrs. Enokido took a plastic knife and began cutting out one piece. She then slowly removed the frosted rose from the middle and put it on the piece she cut out.

"Hotaru gets the first piece!" Mrs. Enokido said with a smile as she handed the piece to Hotaru.

"Thank you, Enokido-sensei, but...I think I'll save this for lunch time. I brushed my teeth. And if the teachers catch us, we'll be in trouble" Hotaru replied. Mrs. Enokido smiled anyway. The kids began nodding and agreeing.

"Yeah. Let's save cake for lunch time" One boy said.

"Yeah, let's do that" One little girl said.

"D'awww. I wanted to eat a piece" Another girl said.

"Won't the teachers be angry if we eat in a classroom?" Another boy asked. Daisuke and Sakura saw Hotaru's point.

"I have an idea! Why don't the three of us eat lunch here in special ed class when lunch time comes?" Daisuke asked.

"That's a good idea! Would that be okay, Enokido-sensei?" Sakura replied happily, then asked Mrs. Enokido about it. She smiled.

"I don't mind at all. We can eat cake during lunch time. Anyone is welcome!" Mrs. Enokido said when she put Hotaru's slice of cake in a small, plastic box and handed it to him. Hotaru put the box in his lunchbox when suddenly...

riiiiiiiing

The school bell rang! It was time to go to class!

"Ah! We better get to class on the double!" Sakura proclaimed.

"Yesh! Let's gooooo!" Daisuke proclaimed loudly and dashed out of the room first. Sakura follows suit. Hotaru was just about to when he turned toward the teacher and the students.

"I'll...see you all during lunch time" Hotaru told them and left the classroom. Hotaru, Sakura, and Daisuke quickly arrive in their usual homeroom. All the kids were in the room along with Mrs. Han. Hotaru, Sakura, and Daisuke took their seats and began talking.

"Oh! Yous won't believe what happened last night! See, Yuuto and I were playing frizbee (frisbee) with Jezebel and Yuuto shrew (threw) it over the fence by akshident (accident), and, and, then we saw that it got stuck in a tree. Then, out of nowhere, Jezebel runs up the tree and grabs the frizbee and gives it back! It was amazing! I never knew dogs could climb trees!" Daisuke explained. Sakura and Hotaru were surprised.

"Can dogs really climb trees?" Hotaru asked.

"I don't really know. I hear there's a special breed that can, but I don't know for sure" Sakura said when two boys approached them.

"Uhhh...Hirokawa?"

Hotaru saw two boys standing in front of him and his friends. They were both about 15-16 years of age. One boy had slightly messy, black hair with some tints of dark blue along with light brown eyes like caramell. He wore a short-sleeved, white shirt with a big number 26 on it along with blue jean pants and brown shoes. The boy next to him had flat, light brown hair in which the bangs were dark brown along with hazel eyes that seemed mostly green. He wore a salmon-colored, short-sleeved shirt along with beige jeans and black shoes.

"Uhhhh...who were you two again?" Hotaru asked. The boys were dumbfounded.

"Uh...I'm Yoichi. Oyamada Yoichi. This is Shimizu Shinichi" The black/blue haired boy, Yoichi, explained. His friend was named Shinichi.

"Oh! What are you two doing here?" Daisuke asked.

"We heard that it's your birthday today, so we kinda wanted to wish you a happy birthday" Yoichi replied nervously, rubbing the back of his head with his hand. Hotaru was confused.

"How did you know it was today?" Hotaru asked.

"The entire special ed class was talking about it! Everyone was squealing about it" Shinichi proclaimed.

"Yeah. You don't mind, do you?" Yoichi asked, feeling a bit nervous.

"No, I don't mind at all" Hotaru replied.

"Sorry we didn't get any presents. We didn't know about it until just this morning" Shinichi told him.

"That's alright" Hotaru said to Shinichi. Yoichi and Shinichi decided to leave.

"Hey Shi-Shi, wanna order take-out when we go home?" Yoichi asked. Shinichi suddenly jumped happily

"Oh heck yeah! I hear that new sushi's out! I wanna try it soooo bad!" Shinichi proclaimed joyfully and walked away with his best friend Yoichi. Hotaru, Sakura, and Daisuke decided to continue talking together.

Time passed by and the three went on with their classes as usual. Hotaru was greeted by some classmates who wanted to wish his birthday the best. Hotaru never really paid attention to his classmates by name, so he didn't really know what to think. But he decided to accept their compliments anyway. Some even gave him things like little bags of sweets or chocolates. Hotaru happily accepted them, though he made sure to eat them during lunch, since eating in class will get him in trouble, and he's not one to like being in trouble. About a few hours later...

riiiiiiiing

It was finally time for lunch! Instead of going to the cafeteria like they usually would, the three decided to go to the special education class, where the kids and teacher were waiting. The three finally arrived.

"Oh look! The Tricky Trio is here! Including the birthday boy!" Mrs. Enokido exclaimed. Hotaru, Sakura, and Daisuke sat in front of some desks. Mrs. Enokido finally placed the cake out. Many of the kids finally grabbed their pieces. Hotaru begins drinking his tea like he usually does. He'll save his piece of cake for last. The children were happily eating their shares of cake. Sakura and Daisuke as well. As Hotaru was about to open his pack of animal gummies, he sees someone staring out the window.

It was a girl. She looked to be about 13-14 years of age. She had bright orange hair tied into two long pigtails that went to her shoulders which were supported by sunflower hairclips. Her eyes were a bright purple. She was wearing a dark brown coat over a bright yellow shirt along with light brown shorts and black shoes. Hotaru was confused. He had never seen her before. She was sitting in a chair. Her left eye was covered with a white eye bandage.

"Enokido-sensei? Who's that?" Hotaru asked quietly, feeling a bit curious.

"Oh? Her? That's Arihara Yuzu. She's new here. She got beaten up badly by a street gang and suffered mild brain damage. She can talk, but she can barely say words that are of her own age range. She lost one of her eyes because of it too" Mrs. Enokido explained quietly. Hotaru felt a little bad, so he decided to stand up and walk up to the girl, who continued to look out the window. Hotaru was a little hesitant, but he decided to talk to her.

"Ummm...Arihara Yuzu-san?" Hotaru asked. The girl, Yuzu, responded by turning her head toward him. Her eyes and expression were very cold, doll-like, and emotionless. Nevertheless, Hotaru smiled gently at her and offered her a piece of chocolate cake.

"Would you...like some?" Hotaru asked, generously offering the girl a piece of his cake. Yuzu didn't respond much. There was a pause for a minute, then she slowly took the plate from his hand. She took out a plastic fork, pulled out a piece, and put it in her mouth. She stared at the cake a little bit.

"...good" Yuzu replied in a soft, quiet, girlish voice. Hotaru smiled.

"Thanks. I...I'm Hirokawa Hotaru. Nice...to meet you" Hotaru told her as he tried to introduce himself to her, since she was new in the special ed class. Yuzu slowly raised her hand and put it on his shoulder.

"I...I'm Yuzu" Yuzu told him, beginning to blush a bit.

"Would you like to have lunch with us?" Hotaru whispered quietly with a smile. He didn't want to show his shyness, but he was beginning to blush a bit. Yuzu decided to stand up from her chair and walk with Hotaru to the desks. Hotaru began finishing his lunch and finally ate a piece of his own cake. Yuzu got her own piece as well. Sakura and Daisuke enjoyed their own lunches as well. Mrs. Enokido sat next to Hotaru.

"The children really miss you. You're like a role-model to them" Mrs. Enokido told him.

"Really?" Hotaru asked.

"Yes, especially Hiro-kun. And I think Yuzu-chan might like you too. I...I feel angry at the kids who pick on you for their own personal enjoyment. It's not right. I wish there was something I could do to make the bullying stop" Mrs. Enokido explained, beginning to feel a little sad.

"I understand. Kushida-san is absent today, so I won't be picked on by him today. Sadamoto and her friends were around, but I never paid any attention to them" Hotaru told her. Mrs. Enokido smiled.

"That's good to hear. Oh! Some of the kids got you presents! Everyone! Time for presents!" Mrs. Enokido exclaimed. All the kids gathered around him and showed him little boxes.

"Hotaru-Niichan! Open mine first!" Hiro proclaimed happily. Hotaru took his little box and opened it. He pulled something out of the box...it was a little green turtle plush!

"I know ya like turtles, so I got ya a little one!" Hiro exclaimed. Hotaru smiled.

"Thanks, Hiro" Hotaru said.

Soon, all the younger kids gathered around him and gave him all their presents. Some kids got him some manga, some little animal toys like lambs, rabbits, or dolphins, small books, a snowglobe, some art supplies, and some other things. Hotaru was happy with the reception he's been given by the special ed class for his birthday today. But not all reception he's being given is good. What he didn't know was that Hotaru and the special ed class was being watched by Ayumi and her clique from the door. The girls had angry looks on their faces.

"Hmph. He thinks he's all that, but he's just so totally retarded" Maki whispered.

"I agree. He is in the "dreadful ed class" after all. I don't see why someone so retarded, so stupid, and so...girly-looking gets all that attention. Only beautiful people get good reception" Chigusa exclaimed quietly.

"Totally true, Chigusa. Look at those ugly little monsters. They don't seem to see that nobody cares about them. Only people who are normal, beautiful, and popular get to be a part of society" Ayumi said.

"I mean, like, look at him! He should act like a true man!" Chigusa said.

"And those clothes are, like, so totally disgusting! Who would wear light green with black? That's so totally ugly!" Maki said.

"And look! That (Censored B-I word) Uetake is with them!" Chigusa exclaimed.

"What a retard he is...and Hotaru is a girl's name. Like, why would anyone give a name like that to a boy? It makes him look like he's gay or something. I wonder if he is?" Ayumi whispered when suddenly...

"Have you come to ruin Hotaru-kun's birthday?" Mrs. Enokido asked sternly. Apparently she found out that the three were there. The girls got angry and ran away. Meanwhile, Hotaru and the other kids had their fun in the class as usual, with Hotaru having the spotlight. After lunch ended, Hotaru, Sakura, and Daisuke went to their normal classes again. After that, it was time to go home! All the kids proceeded out the school building, the high school building to be precise, and went home. Hotaru, Sakura, and Daisuke were about to reach the bridge when Hotaru stopped and looked up at the sky. There were a few white clouds. One was about to block the sun out. Hotaru looked a bit spaced out when he heard Sakura's voice.

"Hotaru!"

He gasped a little and looked at Sakura and Daisuke, who were already on the bridge.

"Are you coming?" Sakura asked. Hotaru paused for a bit, then decided to speak.

"...No. You two go on ahead. I'm going somewhere else before I go home. Oh! My mom said you're both allowed to come over my house today!" Hotaru replied. He seemed a little sad, but kept a smile on his face. Sakura and Daisuke were a bit confused.

"Okay then. We'll see you later" Sakura told him as she and Daisuke proceeded to go home their own ways. Hotaru waited a bit until Sakura and Daisuke were completely away. He went over the bridge, and instead of going left like he usually would when going home, he turned right.

He crossed the street, went into a green field, and began walking towards a dirt path that was near a small riverbank, which had a small, wooden bridge. He went into the dirt path, which led him into the woods. He saw many green trees. Some were a bit brown and flaky. Some leaves were scattered on the ground. But he didn't really pay much attention to those things. He was walking down the dirt road calmly and with a solemn expression. The path was long, but he continued to walk. He then sees a small wooden sign that reads "Firefly Pond and Shrine Further Into The Woods". Hotaru stopped and read it for a second, then continued to walk deeper into the woods.

He went on, without stopping. He felt like he needed to go to the place that was up ahead. Aside from the long walk, he had no feelings that made him feel like he was lost. His golden brown eyes looked very courageous and calm, like he knew what he was doing. He looked forward, moved on, and didn't look back at all. He then saw a light and a small entrance at the end of the woods. He slowly walked up to the entrance, until finally...he found his destination.

It was a pond.

Although it was called a pond, it was very big. Hotaru let out a big smile. He reached the destination he was looking for. There was a big body of water that stretched to about 8 meters wide. There was some nice, green grass surrounding it along with some pretty flowers that ranged from colors like white, red, purple, and yellow. He slowly walked up to the pond and sat a few feet from the water, sitting on a grassy part. He saw some fish swimming around in the water. The sun shone on the water, giving it a white spot of effulgence. Of course, the water was only reflecting the sun, like a mirror. It reflected everything like a mirror. Even Hotaru's face. He looked into the water with a bright smile. He felt happy just by being in this hidden sanctuary.

'This is...my spot of solace. I come here...when I feel sad, anxious, nervous, or overwhelmed' thought Hotaru calmly. This is true. In fact, Hotaru had been coming here since he was about 6 years old. He loved this place. Especially during the night, when the fireflies would be out and about during the summer. He absolutely loved it. Not only because the fireflies were at their most beautiful during the night, but this place was also the place where he was born...and where he got his name. He considered this place his own little hiding place or special sanctuary. He would come here if he felt sad, stressed out or overwhelmed and it would always cheer him up, no matter how big the stress. This place, especially during the night, relaxed him and always calmed him down. He smiled happily as he stared at some flowers. One of them had a white butterfly sitting upon it. He giggled a little when...

The gentle sound of a musical instrument echoed in the wind. It was the melody of a flute.

Hotaru looked up as he began hearing the sound. Although it was rather faint, since he has sensitive ears, he can hear it perfectly. He slowly walked away from the pond and began walking toward the small shrine. The sound began to become more hearable. He heard it coming from a set of trees that were just a few feet away from the shrine. He walked up to one of the trees...and what he saw left him awestruck.

It was a woman. Sitting on a tree branch. A beautiful woman.

She looked to be in her mid 20's. She had eyes that were the brightest shade of blue, almost matching the sky. Her long, silver hair went down to her knees. She was wearing a purely white kimono that went over her own feet. Her skin was a bright pink like peach. Hotaru was quite shocked. The woman was playing a flute. Then the music stopped. She stopped playing her flute. She saw Hotaru and looked down at him with a smile. Hotaru was shocked. He had seen this woman before.

This was...the woman from his dream!

Author's Note: Yesh! I am done the first chapter of Firefly's Enchantment! I'll work on new chapters of Snow Princess and TCR later on. I'm kind of overwhelmed right now. I would tell you why, but my mind's all jumbled up from what happened, so I'll save it for later. I hope you all like it! Read and review nicely! NO FLAMES!!! Bye-bee!

Footnotes:

1. Youkai is another name for spirits or demons. Notable ones are the kappa, a frog/duck thingy, kitsune, another name for a fox spirit, and Yuki-onna, or snow woman.

2. PDD-NOS - Persuasive Developmental Disorder--Otherwise Not Specified. This type of autism is much milder than even Asperger Syndrome.

3. "Tan" is a Japanese suffix that is often a mispronounciation of "chan". Since Daisuke has Down Syndrome, he calls Sakura "Sakura-tan", which he's actually trying to say "Sakura-chan". It can also be a way of referring to someone in a childish manner. Very young children often use this.

3. Pavane for a Dead Princess is a famous musical piano piece composed by the French composer Maurice Ravel in 1899. In French, it's called "Pavane pour une infante defunte".

5. Tamagoyaki - fried eggs in Japanese

6. Hotaru means "firefly" in Japanese. The woman calls him "firefly" because that's what Hotaru's name means. It's usually a girl's name, as Ayumi commented earlier.