I KNOW! I KNOW! I should update my other stories… But this is one of my past times – the one that I write when I have a block for everything else, so I might cut it off any moment… I'M SORRY! And… once more… sigh it's on… (Need I say more?) ELEMENTS…

Please forgive this wayward author…Rin shall apologize on my behalf.

Scarred Link

Gomen, sensei.

Twelve men and one woman sat in a darkened room, six along both sides of the table, and one man at the head, supposedly the leader.

"We have a serious problem in our hands."

"Indeed… A rare occurrence, is it not?"

"'Rare occurrence'? It has never been heard of!"

"Calm yourself down… What should we be discussing right now?"

"A whole mountain of things. For example, what should be done?"

"What should be done," the man at the head of the table pressed, causing the entire room to quiet down. He sighed in relief. "Is to watch and observe. That is all that we can do."

"But, sir… Wouldn't it be dangerous for both master – I mean, mistress – and spirit?" one asked. The man sighed.

"You must remember, he has not been chosen, or for the matter, chose anyone for the past five millennia – which is equivalent to the time he was sealed away." He replied. The entire atmosphere tensed.

"We know, but… the fact that-…" he faltered. "The fact that he has chosen a WOMAN as his mistress…"

"I know that a spirit has never chosen anyone as its master or mistress of a different gender, but the theory might be proven wrong. It has never happened, but that does not mean it CANNOT happen. For all we know, this might be for the best."

"And yet he is the ONLY spirit to have never been chosen by anyone, whereas others have been chosen at least more than thirteen times over the pass five millennia." Another voiced out. The leader sighed.

"Then what do you propose we do? Kill the girl? She is but two years of age." He said. The entire room fell into a deeper silence than it already was.

"We should give the girl a chance to live. Jut because he has chosen her and vice versa, that does not mean she deserves death. And if we do try to exterminate her, we will have quite a bad reputation… and I do think that his spirit will not just sit idle while we destroy the body of his chosen mistress." The woman said, speaking out for once. The leader sighed.

"Very well. We all agree to let the girl live?"

"That is the reason of the meeting? I thought that it would be more than that." Another voiced out. The woman, who was sitting on the opposite of him, scowled in his direction. He shrugged in response.

…. 11 Years Later ….

"Why didn't you wake me up earlier!? It's the first day of school!"

"Maybe YOU could put in some effort!"

"Whatever! I don't have the time for your mindless excuses!"

"'Mindless excuses!?' You never even ASKED me to wake you up! Now because of you, all three of us are late!"

"I believe I have heard of something…. It said 'Takes one to know one'…"

"You heard that!? At least she has some sense!"

"Oh, like YOU do!?"

"At least I have more than YOU!"

"Yuu, Rei, you are about to be hit by a truck."

No sooner had she said that, both of them skidded to a stop as a sudden truck rushed passes them. They were lucky – after all, they were going in top speed, one with a skateboard and the other with roller blades.

"What the – this was, is, and forever will be YOUR fault, Rei!" Yuriko yelled angrily. She had fiery red eyes and black hair with bangs that reached her, waist, but the rest reached only below her shoulder blades. Rei, her cousin that was as close as brother, had messy black hair, but his eyes were sharp silver. Also, he was undoubtedly taller, much to Yuu's irritation and annoyance. The final cousin, Rin, looked between the two in a deadpan expression. Her pink hair was tied in two pigtails and she had sapphire eyes, making her stand out compared the other two.

"Have fun, you two. I shall be on my way. Make sure you are in time for-…"

"SCHOOL! THIS IS YOUR ENTIREFAULT!" They both yelled, pointing at one another accusingly. Rin just walked pass the two of them, not caring if she had left them behind.

…

Mayu was sitting beside the window, minding her own business. The teacher still hadn't entered even though the bell had ringed five minutes ago. Her head was slumped to one side, her green eyes staring at nothing in particular.

"Good morning, class. I'm sorry I'm late – the teachers had a short meeting." The teacher apologized as she entered. Mayu huffed as she stood up, bowed and sat down again with the class.

'Stupid routine…' she thought to herself, averting her attention back to the window.

"When I call out your name, please say 'present' or raise up your hands, okay?"

'Does he think we're kids?' she scoffed slightly, and then something in the far distance caught her eye. Three figures were running towards the closing school gate. Interested, she watched as they all dashed through and lost sight of them as they entered the school.

"Asakura Mayura?"

"Hai." She replied, not tearing her gaze from the window. The teacher raised an eyebrow, but then turned back to the attendance.

"Let's see… Ishida Rei?" he called out. No answer. He frowned. "Ishida Rei?" he repeated. All of a sudden, a thundering noise was heard from outside the hallways. The students next to the door opened the windows next to the hallways, only to see three students, one guy and two girls, running down the hallway. In two seconds (literally) the black haired girl slammed the door opened and was about to enter, only to fall down when the boy crashed into her.

"MOU! REI NO BAKA!" she screamed angrily, kicking him off.

"Ishida Rin. Are we very late?" Rin asked the teacher. The teacher sweat dropped, but found himself nodding, although half of his mind was at the door where the other two students were still arguing.

"Then please accept our humble apologies. We always do try to be early, but for some reason, our efforts have still bore no fruit… Sensei." She said seriously, grabbing his hands, causing the register to fall out from his hands. Everyone in the class sweat dropped, while the teacher blushed furiously.

"It was unintentional. We cannot promise that we shall be early in the near future or perhaps even after that, but we assure you that we will try our best. Isn't that what a teacher wants most from his students?"

"Well… that is…"

"Unless…" she sighed, let go of his hand, and fell down dramatically, leaning against the table and clasped her hands together. "Perhaps, you are unable to forgive us for our tardiness… That it is improper and that we are a bad influence to the next generation, and every single one that follows, but-…"

"Uh… That's quite alright…"

"Yet, sensei, I am not done with my apology. Or maybe that alone is not enough? Shall my two cousins and I bow down to you as a sign of forgiveness?"

"Uh, no, that's…"

"Is it not enough? Shall we bind ourselves to you in an oath? Harakiri, perhaps? Or kamikaze-?"

"IT'S OKAY!"

"But sir, I am not done yet." She said, tugging at his pants like a five year old.

"YOU'RE FORGIVEN, ALRIGHT!?" he screamed in desperation. She let go of him, stood up, bowed, and took a seat next to Mayu.

"Hello." She said briefly. Mayu nodded – she was beginning to like this bond filled with nothing but the promise of apathy already.

…

"Before we start, I would like to know each of the elements all of you own, and who here has a spirit. By this age, I suppose your spirit has already surfaced?" the teacher, Kuchiki-sensei, asked. Rei shot a glance at Yuu, who was too busy looking out of the window like the student in front of her.

"I suppose all the girls here have the element of light? Are there any among you who do not have the art of healing?" he asked. Yuu smirked as she turned to look at Rin, who had still possessed her usual deadpan expression as she raised her hand.

"Sensei, I do not possess the art of light." She said. Yuu smirked once more as she raised her hand.

"Me too." She said. A few girls in the front sniggered. Kuchiki, feeling slightly intimidated by Rin, couldn't help feeling curious.

"So what elements do you have, Ishida-san? Or do you only possess one?" he asked as he took down the notes.

"Water and darkness." She replied simply. The entire room went quiet. Kuchiki felt nervous, knowing that the element darkness was not a good sign…

"A-And you, Ishida Yuriko-san?" he asked, sensing a feeling of foreboding. The student sneered at the teacher's obvious discomfort.

"Fire and darkness." She replied, her voice dangerous. Rei rolled his eyes. In the Ishida clan, it was not unusual for one to have the dark element, although it was uncommon for women to possess it.

'Outsiders continue to live in their own shell, not bothering to come out and learn.' He thought to himself.

"V-Very well… I trust that you do know how to control it?" he asked. He received an icy glare, not from Yuu, but from Rin.

"Of course." She replied. The entire class sweat dropped as a dark aura started surrounding Rin.

"I-I see…. Uh… are there any others here who… who have the ability of darkness?" he asked. Rei and four other students raised their hands, but they were all guys. Rei looked at Yuu, who just shrugged in return. After Kuchiki took down their names, he turned to the class once more.

"Now, we head back to the matter of… spirits. Who over here has one?" he asked. One of the girls in the front raised her hand proudly. She was also one of the girls who had laughed at Yuu and Rin.

"Sakamoto Ayumi. My spirit woke up when I was eight." She said proudly, flipping her hair slightly. Yuu rolled her eyes, muttering a mimic under her breath. Several others raised their hands, Rin and Rei included, but Rei side glanced at Yuu.

"Aren't you going to raise your hand?"

"It has not awaken." She replied, shaking her head. Rei frowned. Despite their constant arguments, they both cared a lot for each other.

"Maybe you should tell him."

"And maybe I shouldn't. It has never shown signs of awakening, and I doubt it ever will." She replied, turning away, signaling the end of their conversation. Rei gave a small frown before sighing and turning back as well.

…

Harakiri:- ritual suicide by self-disembowelment on a sword; practiced by warriors in the traditional Japanese society

Kamikaze:- An airplane loaded with explosives to be piloted in a suicide attack.(willingly)