Authors Notes: Well hello there! Decided to read part two, didn'tcha? I knew you loved me! I feel warm and squishy all over. Either that or... (looks down) Ewwwww!!! Yuk. Lalalala... Disclaimer: ::ring, ring:: Hello?... Hi, Ms. Takeuchi, I'd like to borrow your characters for a story I'm writing.... The name? Of course. "Araiia's Return"... Most of them. No, of course not. What kind of person do you think I am, that I'd put them in a story like... Of course I'll hold. (hums to herself) ...Yes, I'm still here. Uh-huh... right. Well, the story's about-- yes, I already told you it's not a... yeah. Okay. Now it's about... WOULD YOU SHUT UP ALREADY? (covers the mouthpiece) While I negotiate with Naoko, you guys just go on and read the story. (uncovers mouthpiece) Now, as I was saying... PART TWO "So, where are you from?" Darien asked, cruising down Oshika Avenue. "Omiya," she replied nervously. 'Yes! There it is... my Milky Way!' She grinned triumphantly. "What's your name?" "Araiia." "Eye-roar-WHAT?" "Eye-rah-ee-ah. You can call me Raia, if you want." "Oh. Okay. How old are you?" "Mmmmtwelvemmm..." she mumbled, the Milky Way quickly disappearing into her mouth. "Elves? What?" Araiia swallowed. "TWELVE." Darien stopped short in front of Andrew's house and glanced at the girl. "Come on. Let's drop this box off so I can get home. I left something in the... um... oven? freezer? toaster?" Darien stepped out of car as she followed him in. "Any *other* household appliances you can think of?" Araiia mumbled sarcastically, munching on the last of the Milky Way. ********************************************************************** "Okay, so how old is this girl again?" she heard Andrew say. "Twelve. I found her under the Teru Vanya bushes when I was on my way over." Darien started towards the front door. "Uh." Andrew looked into the hallway. She immediately glanced upward, sensing presence in the room. 'Of course,' she thought. "Hi, I'm Andrew," he said, sticking out his hand. Araiia looked at it carefully before grabbing it and shaking. Hard. Andrew winced. 'This is unreal,' he thought. She caught that. "Hi," she finally said. "Um, what's your name?" Darien asked cautiously. "Araiia," she answered. "Like, eye-rah-ee-ah." "Uh-HUH. Araiia what?" "Mizuno." ********************************************************************** "What's your last name again?" Darien gripped the wheel, his knuckles almost white. "It's Mizuno," she replied. 'What the hell's this dude's problem?' Memories came trickling back to him. It was like a dam on the verge of breaking. A man with black hair? and a sky-blue streak. She fell in love with him, and then... the one night they came together. He left as soon as the child was born. A beautiful, healthy, dark-haired baby. Blackish-blue, but mostly blue hair. Her eyes were like pools of the evening sky. And there was one thing about her... Darien glanced over at the girl as he turned into the lot of his apartment building. She was deep in thought. Her forehead began to glow... just slightly... Wait a second. Was that the sign of Mercury? On her FOREHEAD? Darien began to think of a song from a movie as he stared at the deep blue symbol on her forehead. 'Far away, Long ago, Glowing dim as an ember, Things my heart used to know Things it longs to remember...' It was unreal. She looked, acted, and sounded so mature, but what was weird was that she was almost as tall as him - and still twelve. 'She's probably still growing,' his mind trailed as the song repeated in his head. Araiia's mind picked up on his thoughts and she started to finish the song aloud. "And a song someone sings... once upon a December." Araiia looked up at him as Darien's eyes grew wide. She smiled and began to open the door. "Muchas gracias," she thanked him. "Adios." "Araiia, wait!" he exclaimed. She smiled back at him from outside the open car door. "You got it right," she noticed. "Good boy." "I don't want to leave you by yourself," he finally admitted. This girl was unreal. "It's really dangerous around here. You can stay at my place for as long as you want. Deal?" Araiia read his mind over. Could she trust him? She found not one trace of a lie. 'Wow,' she thought. 'An honest human. THERE'S something you don't see every day.' "Deal." He breathed a sigh of relief. "On two conditions." "And they are?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. 'I have to negotiate with a twelve-year-old?' "One. No sharing straws or forks or anything." Darien grimaced. "Done." "Two. No coming into the bathroom when I'm showering unless it's an e-MER-gency." She stuck out her hand. "Deal?" she inquired, mocking him by raising her own eyebrow. "Deal." They shook on it. ********************************************************************** (covers mouthpiece) Well, there ya have it. Chapter Two. Like it, hate it, not too sure, e-mail me. (uncovers mouthpiece) Thank you, Naoko-chan, I really appreciate it. No, Darien and Araiia aren't going to fall in love, of course not! Araiia's only twelve! Right. Okay. Arigatou. Bye. (hangs up) Phew. It's like she never stops talking... any-hoo-hoo-dilly... I like e-mail. I need it to breathe. Besides food and music, it's the only thing to keep me going!! Oh yeah, and my favorite bunny Ton~o. He's soooo cute!! I couldn't write without him. Arigatou for reading, neva act your age! (And e-mail me!) Ausaziko(Bijin Bunny@aol.com)