Phantom: Glad to see you all like this story, but I bet you won't be expecting how it's going to turn out. It's sort of a weird idea, but I hope you all won't flame me for it. It puts out hero in a hopeless position, and everyone loves that, right? Well... here it is anyway.

Aya stormed out of the school. Rage and embarrassment were evident on her face. "What the bloody hell." she muttered, wanting to scream but knowing full well not to. She didn't need any more unwanted attention tonight. As she stormed off, black feathers began to fly around her. She was so angry and distressed that she took no notice. "Those arrogant jerks." she growled. "I knew I shouldn't have taken that job. They did this just to make fun of me, didn't they? God I am such a fucking IDIOT!" She took a swipe at a nearby cat with her foot. She missed, and the cat hissed at her before running away. She sighed. She supposed it was unhealthy to take out your anger on others but... who cares!

She saw someone coming up the path. They looked sort of familiar... and they looked in more of a hurry than she was. She stopped to stare at them. A few feathers settled around her. The person walking stopped as well. "Aya?" came a familiar voice.

Aya groaned. "Why the hell does everyone know my name?" She took a better look at the boy before her. "You're one of the host club boys, aren't you?" she asked. "God, what's your name... Hanako?"

The boy sighed. "It's Haruhi." he replied. "Did you just leave?" Aya felt that stone of anger and flustered distress lay upon her again. She shook her head, almost as if to shake it off, and a few more feathers flew around.

"I couldn't stay there another minute." she snapped. "How can you stand it there? They're all a bunch of wicked rich bastards who have no regard for others feelings and think that you're going to fall for them," she snapped her fingers, "just like that."

Haruhi shrugged. "Yeah, well, you get used to it." he replied.

Haruhi watched her as they sat on the curb together, talking about nothing in particular. She was also looking at the ground. Hadn't there been feathers there before? Maybe she had been seeing things in the dark.

"-I personally prefer tomato soup myself." Aya was saying. She had taken off her shoes for some reason, and was seated with her legs tucked in respectively. "It's easy to make."

"What recipe do you use?" Haruhi inquired, sounding interested.

Aya shrugged and replied, "I just dump it out of the can. Can't afford much else."

'Jeez.' Haruhi thought. 'And I thought I was poor.'

Aya was giving her a skeptical look. "Are you sure you're not gay Haruhi?" she asked, making Haruhi jump. "You don't seem like those other boys. You're much easier to deal with."

Haruhi shook her head, visibly shaken. " N-no!" she gasped. "No way! I'm as straight as they come, yes sir, that's me."

Aya smiled a little. Her eyes looked misty and far off, like she was thinking of other things. "Oh come on Haru." she said, adjusting her legs so she would be more comfortable. "It's pretty obvious you're not really into girls, and you're way more feminine than the others." she looked Haruhi in the eyes. Haruhi frowned. Something looked a little different about Aya. She couldn't quite place what it was though. Maybe she was coming down with a cold or something, but did her eyes look a little redder than before? "Besides," Aya continued, now looking up at the sky, "It would make the Host Club a little more fun. Hell, I may even stay awhile."

Haruhi frowned again, trying to think. What was she going to tell her? She obviously knew something wasn't right... what was she supposed to say? Haruhi sighed. She might as well have told her what she wanted to hear... so she did. "Yeah, I like guys." she admitted. Well, it was half of the truth. Aya hadn't called her a girl, had she?

Aya grinned. "Fantastic." she laughed. "Now I'll have someone to talk with. We can gossip and gripe and enjoy being 'commoners'." She looked at Haruhi again and smiled sincerely. Haruhi looked closely at her eyes. They seemed to be back to normal. Maybe the lack of light had just been playing tricks on her eyes?

Haruhi suddenly felt that things were really looking up for her. It would be nice to have someone to relate to. In the Host Club, no one really seemed to understand her at all. They were too busy being conceded and... well, boys. She hadn't had a female to follow along with in her life for awhile. She knew that if she played her cards right, she could really enjoy herself again. So she returned the smile as best she could. "Okay." she said, extending a hand. "We'll... uh, be friends then I guess."

Aya nodded and took Haruhi's hand firmly in her own. They shook once, and once was all they needed.

The party was long over, and the servants were cleaning up. All of the guests had gone, and most of the hosts went home. All except the blond and his bespectacled companion. Tamaki was seated in a chair in the far corner, looking like he was deep in thought. Kyouya was putting down a few notes in his book. Some customers had requested hosts for next Monday, after the weekend was over, so he'd have to remember what they did to get that attention. Guests had also mentioned how much they liked the music... he'd have to talk to Tamaki about this one.

Tamaki was still looking stony and thoughtful (Yes, I'm sure stones think of things, aren't you?) as Kyouya approached him. Tamaki blew up a little bit, making his bangs move lazily. "Kyouya," he began, "I'm worried about that commoner girl. She didn't come to get paid. And everyone was bothering her-" Kyouya rolled his eyes, thinking,'Here we go again...' "-which I specifically told everyone NOT to do! Why is it so hard to listen to me?" He gasped. "They're jealous, aren't they?!" he cried, suddenly looking triumphant. "They're jealous of my beauty and so they choose to defy me! Well, no longer will I-"

"Please... Tamaki." Kyouya huffed, exasperated. He could feel a migraine coming on. Perhaps someone had spiked the punch again? The twins had found it funny the first year but they had been reprimanded severely. Maybe it was just Tamaki's voice. There were times when it filled him with a terrible rage. "I wanted to talk to you about that girl."

Tamaki perked up. He shut his mouth and listened as Kyouya told him his plan.

Mori had fallen asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow that night. Unfortunately, it was not a peaceful sleep...

What a lovely dress that is. It's very dark. Dark as night. How odd. Black...

"Morinozuka." a voice says.

Turn, spin around. What a shock. What lovely feathers. All around. Black. So very black. Fall like rain, don't they? How lovely. What a pretty girl. Just like the feathers. Hair black like the feathers. How pretty. Eyes red like rubies. Rubies...rubies... fiery rubies...

"Morinozuka, I don't wish to kill you." the voice continues. It comes from the girl. Shadowy girl. Why is she wearing a mask... masked by shadows, masked by feathers... She holds up a staff. "Protect me!" she cries. "Protect my eyes Morinozuka! They are precious, they must be saved!" She thrusts it. The metal is cold, and black. Black like night, black like feathers, black like wings. Wings... wings sprout from her back. She flies, she flies so high I can only see the rubies. Fiery red rubies for eyes. Rubies burn and destroy the land. I burn with it. I am afraid, afraid of the dark, afraid of fire... afraid...

What a pretty dress she has. It looks sort of blueish... blue like the waters of the ocean. Hair deep chestnut-red. Calms the fires, soothes my fear. "Mori." she whispers. Eyes gray and cool. The fire is gone. The fire is dead.

The girl falls. She falls and blood comes from her mouth and streams from her eyes lie tears. No, not blood. Rubies. Rubies, fiery bloody rubies have killed her. Dead, dead burned by the rubies... and I die too. I die alongside her.

But I'm not afraid anymore.