Takara Michiko ran down her street. “I need to get a new alarm clock.” she whispered to herself, skidding around
the corner into her new school. She looked at the massive doors and was she had done dawned on her. She was only
twelve, her parents office workers, yet she was going to the best junior high in Tokyo. Only extremely rich people got
into Auima Jnr High. She knew this, but her mum had always told her to do what she thought was right. And so she had
tried to hard to get into this school. “I should have gone to public school with Aimi.” she sighed. Aimi Sachiko
was Takara’s best friend and like a sister. They had always lived on the same street and gone to the same school,
even had been born in the same ward in the hospital. Their mothers had also been friends. Takara took a deep breath and
walked inside. A receptionist in a very smart uniform stood at a wooden desk. Takara nervously went up to her. “I’m
Takara Michiko, um, I’m new.” she said quietly. The woman smiled sweetly and nodded towards a classroom.
“Thankyou.” Takara said. The teacher opened the door. “Ah. Takara Michiko? We were told you were coming. Come
in.” “Thankyou, sensei.” The class peered at Takara and she turned red. She seated herself at a table near the
back and hid her face beneath her blonde fringe. A girl, who was introduced as Shiori Megumi, sat next to her. Takara
noticed her eyes were strange - one lilac, one brown. Shiori quickly settled down to do her work. A piece of paper flew
out of her bag. It was an extremely detailed drawing of a girl sitting in a tree. Shiori turned red and scooped it up.
Takara smiled at her but Shiori was absorbed in her work. 

At lunch, Takara brought out  some money from her bag and went over to the canteen. She picked up a tray and was
surprised to find Shiori standing next to her. Shiori smiled nervously. A gang of impatient-looking girls shouted over.
“Shiori! Hurry up! We want our coffees.” “Yes, sorry.” said Shiori back. Shiori balanced six coffees on her
tray. “Six … You don’t get one?” asked Takara. “No, I can’t afford one. But I have to get these coffees for
my friends.” Shiori said sweetly. She left and brought the coffees to the gang. “What! We didn’t want coffees!”
yelled the girls. “We wanted hot chocolate!” they shouted. One girl slapped Shiori. “Shiori!” called Takara.
Shiori looked over pleadingly, but she shook her head at Takara. One girl grabbed a coffee, and poured the scalding hot
drink on the small girl in front of her. 

Four hours later, Takara unlocked her bike and swung her leg over the seat. She looked up and noticed Shiori. She was
wearing a long hood and was walking slowly. Takara cycled past and smiled at her. Shiori pulled her hood down and
continued walking. Takara sped up and sped down a hill. As she turned a corner, the bike jolted to a stop, throwing
Takara forward. “What the …” she muttered, and stooped over the bike. The chain was missing. Takara looked
around, and shrieked. A large bear-like creature stood behind her, the chain dangling from a claw. Takara shrieked
again and tripped, pushing herself backwards. The beast moved slowly forward. It crushed her bike and raised a paw,
huge claws prepared. Takara shut her eyes tightly, preparing herself. The blow never came. Takara opened one eye.
“Huh? I’m not dead …” she murmured. She opened both eyes. The bear was rearing in pain, blood dripping from
it’s face. Takara noticed a girl standing a few metres in front of her. The girl had large goat-like horns running
down her back and a crimson-and-gold sword clenched tightly in her hand. She raised her other hand and the bear faded
away, becoming a black ball of light in the girl’s hand. Her girl’s face was hidden, but she flew over Takara and
landed a long way behind her. Her horns were gone and so was her sword. “Wait!” called Takara, but the girl began
to run. Takara followed. The girl stumbled, sending a piece of paper flying out of her bag and up into the air. Takara
caught it. It was an extremely detailed drawing of a girl sitting in a tree… “Shiori..?” asked Takara, shocked.
Shiori stepped closer. “I’m a freak, ok? I’ve had these powers since I was five and I always will. Leave me
alone.” “But Shiori …” Shiori seemed upset. “Leave me alone!” she rolled up her sleeve. A red mark in the
shape of two goats’ horns and a star was embedded in her skin. “Ever since I got that mark, this has happened. So
please, leave me alone.” she said quickly. Takara was still staring at the mark. “What?” said Shiori, upset.
“I-I …” whispered Takara. She rolled up her sleeve too - revealing a similar mark. A tiger, and a star. Shiori
backed away. “No way … No!” Shiori said, before running away. Takara’s eyes were still focused on her mark. She
was scared.  

Shiori stopped at a small house, but it was empty. Her parents working away. Shiori was as confused as Takara. She
thought back to her first transformation. It was six years ago, but she could remember exactly what happened. She was
playing in the garden with her teddy bear, and she had seen the back gate was open. She toddled out into the street,
and wandered around for a while. It began to rain, and lost, Shiori began to cry. As she did  so, the mark on her arm
appeared and she was transformed, under a glowing light of some kind. Then she was home, safe, dry, and back to normal.
Shiori sighed. Somewhere inside of her, she knew this was going to happen. She had believed she was the only one, yet
another part of her had known she was not. She had even seen another of these girls. She was nine and at the swimming
pools. A girl with cropped black hair had dived in pver her and Shiori had seen a curving spiral shape on her upper
arm. So Shiori knew she was not alone. Shiori sighed. She would have to tell Takara the next morning. 

Shiori walked over to Takara. Takara looked lost, alone. "Shiori? Was that some weird illusion or what?" Takara asked,
her eyes searching. "No. This is real. I-I don't know how this happens, but it has been happening for a long time.
Whenever I felt lonely, upset or if I ever needed to, some force would make me safe again, and I would grow horns.
Recently, beasts like the one last night have been appearing and whenever one does appear, so do my powers. I assumed I
had to fight them, since no-one else was. I am also guessing you can do this too." Shiori explained slowly. Takara
closed her eyes. "So ... I can grow goat horns?" she questioned, equally as slow. "No, not quite. Your mark is of a
tiger, so I think you can get cat ears and a tail. And only if anything strange has been happening lately." Shiori
replied. "Well ....... I thought this mark was normal. My friend Aimi has one too. That must mean .... Oh my gosh!
Aimi!" Takara realised. "My best friend Aimi ......... is one too!" she shouted, grabbing Shiori. "Be quiet! And are
you sure?" Shiori said. "Of course! When we were six, we were out in the park and we both climbed up a tree, but I cut
myself badly and couldn't get down. Neither coulde Aimi. But this light appeared and I felt calm, and I closed my eyes
because the light was bright but my head grew heavy and my hearing increased. Then I was back down from the tree,
completely normal and my cut was healed. Aimi was the same." Takara said, her speaking pace slowing. Shiori closed her
eyes. "Try and transform.Try" Shiori told her. "I c-can't." said Takara, realising this was real. "What you just told
me proved to me you are one too. Try." Takara looked at her. Shiori's expression was hard to read. "Um ...." Takara
said. Shiori looked exasperated. "Just try. Please." Takara looked down. "Believe in yourself." Takara looked up again,
and looking into Shiori's eyes, realising she was smiling. A warm feeling rushed over her and Shiori's rare smile
widened. Cat ears and a tail were appearing. Takara smiled back at Shiori. She didn't know how, or why, but she knew
her life was going to be changed. 

Aimi Sachiko pulled her phone out of her pocket. She answered the call. "Hey. Oh hi Takara. How are you?" she asked
cheerfully. She stopped. "I'm a WHAT!?!?" She screamed into the phone. 

Aimi skipped a corner and almost ran into Takara's door. She flung it open and almost hit herself in the face.
"TAKARA!" she yelled, and Takara appeared. "Yes?" "Please tell me what is going on." Aimi said sweetly. "Um ... welll
.... basically you can grow mouse ears." Takara said. "What? Is this a joke? I know we are not in the same school but
we are best friends and you shouldn't--". In the middle of the sentence Takara beckoned to Shiori, who was sitting in
the living room, transformed. Aimi saw her and stared. "Why are you wearing goat horns?" she questioned. Takara sighed.
Aimi was loud and rash - a bit bossy. But she was very nice underneath. "This is Shiori. And those are real." explained
Takara. "Of course their not." And Aimi was stubborn. The exact opposite of a mouse. Takara sighed again and closed her
eyes. Her cat ears appeared and Aimi shrieked. "Waaaah! Cat ears! Neko! Waah!" Aimi shouted. Shiori had enough. Shiori
got up, heading for the door. "Where are you going?" asked Takara. "Home. Clearly your friend is naive enough not to
understand what this means.". Aimi shut up and closed her eyes. "Don't go. But come on, she has cat ears. I'd freak out
if someone in the street suddenly had cat ears. Wouldn't you?" Shiori sat back down. "Ok. But this is a secret, ok?"
"Ok. But why are you telling me this?" "Um ............................. you have mouse ears, I said. And a tail."
"Look, I know you are freaks but leave me out, ok? And if I had mouse ears I think I would have noticed by now." Aimi
said, refusing to believe this. Takara should have guessed. Aimi was like that. Shiori was behind them. "I'm leaving. I
don't think Aimi Sachiko is one of our kind. If she was, she would be much quieter and much more sane." "Sane? Sane? I
am sane!" replied Aimi. Takara looked back at Aimi and smiled. Suddenly Aimi became much quieter. "I'm sorry. I freak
out and act all rude and stuff when weird stuff like this happens. I wanna be friends." she said quickly. "Why did she
suddenly change?" asked Shiori curiously. "Look." said Takara. A long curly tail was poking out from under Aimi's
skirt, and when Takara lifter her hat, huge ears were visible. "Oh. When her form changed, so did her personality."
said Shiori. "This is weird ." said Takara. "You don't say." 

The next day, a new girl entered their class. Ayako Michiru had long blackish blue hair and sad-looking eyes. She
didn't smile. "This is Ayako Michiru. She had to move here suddenly since her parents got new jobs. So be nice." the
teacher announced. The girls ignored her. Ayako sat down in a chair next to Shiori and Takara. "Hi." said Takara. "Hi."
she replied. "It must be hard, moving to place you don't know. But you'll soon make friends." Takara said brightly. "No
point. In week my parents will switch jobs and I'll move again. So I normally just stay home." Ayako said. She seemed
sad. "Well, couldn't your parents stay in one place, to help you?" asked Takara. "Well, not really. I'm not their real
daughter. I was abandoned by my parents because of a birthmark I got when I was born. My original parents wanted a boy
anyway. But I think my birth mark is cute." Ayako said. "Birthmark?" "Oh, on my arm." Shiori and Takara looked at one
another. The birthmark was a red scar, like two rabbit ears and yet another scar. "Cute, right? I could almost say it
was a tattoo." Ayako said, finally smiling at her own joke. But her face dimmed and her smiled became a sad one. Then
the bell rang. It was lunch. Shiori and Takara sat together. "So she is another one?" "Yes. Tonight I am going to try
and find out about these monsters. Another one may appear soon." "Uh Shiori? I think 'soon' is correct..." interuppted
Takara. Another monster, a black snake-like demon was destroying the science block. Pupils were running and teachers
were doing the same. Shiori closed her eyes. She began to glow, and the light fromed her horns. A sword appeared in her
hand. Takara touched her heart. Her eyes started to glow and cat ears and a tail formed. A long staff appeared in her
hand. Shiori spun around. "No! Ayako!" she called. Ayako was alone, but the snake beast was looming over her. It bared
it's teeth for attack. "No!" Ayako screamed, placing her hands in front of her. There was a blast of light, and Takara
shielded her eyes. "Ayako?" 

Ayako was standing, her arms stretched out in front of her. A blue circle of light was surrounding her. The snake
attacked again, it's fangs clashing with the circle. Her light turned red briefly, and the snake reared in pain and a
fizzing/sizzling noise came from it's face. It was burning. The creature collapsed and Ayako let her arms fall limp,
and the circle disappeared.. "W-What?" she murmured, two white bunny ears appearing from under her hair. "Ayako?" said
Takara, walking over to her. "It's cool!" Takara said smiling. Ayako paused. "No it's not. This is why my parents
abandoned me!" she screamed, and she turned and ran. Takara's smile faltered. "Ayako?" .

Shiori sat at a computer, Takara behind her. "I think I've figured it out. Have you heard of Yin and Yang? That black
and white circle-thing? Well, these forces are not just a coloured circle. Yin and Yang are ancient forces, that used
to work in harmony - hence the circle. But Yang was a dark force and Yin a light force, so they began to fight. The Yin
force placed it's power in twelve human beings - as did Yang. And we are the result of these forces. We have the Yin
force somewhere inside us, and the monsters are created by the beings with Yang." "But that doesn't explain the cat
ears." "Well, Yin chose to also use the power of the twelve zodiac symbols, like year of the dog, cat, ram, and so
on.". Takara's look was distant. Her thoughts were with Ayako. 

Ayako was lying on her bed, scared. She was a freak, and that is why her parents abandoned her. Now she knew, and it
was frightening. If she had kids, she wouldn't do that ............. would she? Another tear fell on her pillow. She
wanted to be normal .................... If she was, she would have loving parents and a normal family. Outside her
room, her foster parents listened, worried. She wasn't their daughter but they still cared for her .... and they hoped
she knew that. Ayako's phone bleeped. She picked it up, read the message. "Hey Ayako, it's me, Takara. We really need
to talk, but I wanted to say this. It's not just you. Me and Shiori have strange freak-outs when I grow cat ears and
Shiori grows horns. So see you tommorrow." Ayako put the phone down and stared at the ground.

Ayako peered around the front gate of school. She couldn't see Takara or Shiori. She couldn't avoid them for much
longer - they would know she had blocked their phone numbers and she had pretended to be ill from school for a week.
She quietly waliked in and out of the crowds. She froze as a voice behind her called her name. Shoot. She turned around
to face Shiori and Takara. A blondish-ginger haired girl was behind them. "Ayako, you are not a freak. And this is not
the reason your parents abandoned you." Shiori send gently, but hearing the words 'your parents abandoned you' still
brung tears to Ayako's eyes. "You are a really sweet girl. If you say you are a freak, then we are all freaks. Takara,
Aimi and I." Ayako noted the blonde girl's name but stayed silent. "It turns out that your parents didn't abandon you.
I did research, and it turns out your parents were to young to have children, so they put you up for adoption. When you
are sixteen you will be able to go and live with your parents." Takara said happily. Shiori opened her eyes. "Really?"
"Yes." Ayako closed her eyes again, but this time she was smiling. She hugged her friends and laughed. 


A basic idea of Takara-


A basic idea of Shiori


A basic idea of Aimi-


An idea of Ayako-


I hope you like it. More soon!