It was still summer at shokushu and it promised to be another beautiful day. The sun was just peaking over the horizon and starting to burning away the warm morning mist which still clung to the grass giving it a glossy sheen. The sky ws a gorgeous pale blue with just faint wisps of clouds floating freely and the temprature was easilly warm enough to wear light clothing and not get a chill, even this early in the morning.

On a hill a little way away from the hill stands a old tree which looks out on all of this as it has for many past years, unmoved by the seasons, unfazed by the passing students or the monsters that occasionally visited it, standing tall and proud with its limbs covered in rich green leaves soaking up the morning light. If it could it would have stretched and sighed happilly at the prospect of a good week basking in the sun and then watching the moon as another short season turned.

This morning the old tree had a visitor to watch the morning with it. Sat high in its branches leaning comfy back with a foot trailing through the leafy undergrowth Anne sat with her back to the trunk looking over the sea and watching the suns reflection with half lidded eyes letting the peace of the morning settle her nerves and so far she was convinced it was working - Anne hadn't felt this relaxed in days. There was just something so peaceful about this tree especially on this morning she thought to herself, gently stroking a dewdampened leaf that was hanging by her head.

Anne had come across this tree early in her explorations and had decided that as she just couldn't sleep and it promised to be a beautiful day she would get out of her dorm and outside. Waking up just while the sky was beginning to lighten she quietly got changed into a white loose that had thin blue stripes running up the sides, a pair of blue jeans and donned her trainers she kept for when she was exploring and quietly let herself out. In Annes mind it would be a perfect time to relax a little and hopefully work some of her nerves which had recently been shot by some frightenly realistic dreams.

Eight o'clock. The same time every morning, without fail. Maylie arose from her bed, anticiapting the start of a new day. The sunlight filtered in through her window, illuminating all of the floating dust particles in the air. Maylie simply stood by her window for awhile, looking out on the horizon, glad for the break in her studies on such a beutiful Saturday.

Moving through her room and changing out of her pajamas, she put on a simple plain white shirt, along with a pair of blue jeans. Eager to be outside she decided to forgoe gathering her writing supplies this morning, she just simply wanted to relax. Walking out her dormroom and then out the building, she took a deep breath of the cool morning air. Letting it out slowly, she looked over in the direction of her usual spot for relaxation, a great oak tree at the top of a small hill. The grass of the feild glistened from the sunlight reflecting off early morning dew, and the soft sound of waves hitting the beach just past the tree pervaded the atmosphere, radiating a calm, soothing feeling.

She began her walk in the direction of the tree, staring up at the sky lazilly as she went, admiring the beutiful shade of blue and the elegant tufts of cloud, almost like a painting. She didn't even bother watching where she was going for a few moments, lost in the sight. Upon arriving at the tree, she sat down on the ground, leaning against it in her usual spot, overlooking the feild and the ocean. A feeling of satisfaction came over Maylie. This was one of the only places she had ever found where she could feel truly at peace with herself and the world.

She sat there awhile, for now completely unaware of the presence above her as she continued to marvel at the calm beauty of her surroundings. She began to doze off lightly, still awake, but thoughts drifting in the area between dreams and coherence.

Anne was also lost in her own moment of peace and failed to spot the fellow students approach until she was actually at the tree. Seeing that faint movement below her banished the calm she had felt up until now and she froze high up and hidden by the old trees branches and leaves...

As a little time passed Anne began to relax as the person down below her failed to try and find her and seemed (as best as could be told) to be simply sitting their resting. Her curiousity beginning to get the better of her Anne started moving from her lofty perch and started climbing down as quietly as she could to get a better view at whoever it was who was out and about this early in the morning.

Softly, ever so softly she crept to the lower branchs and peeked over the edge of a mossy lower branch, trying to get a good look through the mass of coppery red hair she could make out, trying to identify who it was and more importantly what they were doing.

A long while passed as Maylie sat there, and after awhile, she couldn't help but get that nagging feeling that someone was watching her. Looking around from side to side and seeing no-one she banished the feeling. Nobody was up in the tree, right?

the uneasiness forgotten, she began to doze off, her eyelids drooping and head leaning back more heavilly against the tree. A sudden gust blew her long read locks over to the left side of her head, hanging over her shoulder. Eventually, her inner calm got the best of her consciousness, and she slipped into a light sleep, seeming almost like a baby bunny curled up against its mother as she sat back against the tree.

Looking down Anne froze as she she saw the redheaded girl come out of her reviere and look around almost nervously, the movement disrupting her hair enough for Anne to get a decent look at her face. The angle of the eyes, the way her chin pointed in that ever so slightly elegant way, the paleness of the skin reminded her of a friend she had many years ago... back when she was young there was a girl she loved and she spent so many days running barefoot over the feilds of her parents... yes... then she couldn't see her any more because she was a "disruptive influence" according to her nanny of the moment...

With her mind half in the past Anne crept along the branch, her feet trying to gain purchase on one slightly lower than her by touch while her eyes kept trying to get a better view of this girl and seeing what she really looked like. Wondering what.. what was her name... Sarah? it was something like that she was sure was doing today, and why this girl reminded of a memory long since forgotten.

Suddenly her food slipped on a mossy bit that Anne had missed, concentrating on what was below her and not what she was doing and she suddenly felt herself slipping sideways off the branch

"EEEP!" she emitted loudly as her hands scrambled for a grip somewhere - anywhere as her foot shot out from the branch that was supporting her balance and she felt herself rolling in off the branch with nothing to cling too, before being in mid air, her face and body being thrashed by tiny branchs and leaves as she freefell straight downwards bouncing off the lowest branch before spining once more in mid air, landing straight on her back right in front of the girl with a loud *THUD* and a similarly loud "OOF!"

Maylie had been dreaming about home. She had never really appreciated just how muched she missed her family, disfunctional as it was, while conscious, but inside she yearned to be with them, even for just a little while. However, she was soon thrust out of her dreamland by a loud scream. Her eyes flying open, she instinctively tried to back up, but was stopped by the tree. Right before she could get up and run away, scared out of her mind, she heard the rustle of branches followed by the sound of a body hitting the ground.

Before her lay a girl she had never seen before. It was almost like she had fallen from the sky. Her surroundings forgotten after this new development, Maylie kept her distance, hugging her knees to her chest.

Maylie looked over the strange girl. The sunlight made her pale skin shine, her long black hair blocking view of her face. She surprisingly enough seemed relatively unharmed, despite her frail appearance. After a moment of watching and the girl didn't move, Maylie deemed it was safe. Approaching cautiously, she gave her a light prode with her finger, still wary.

"A-are you okay?" Maylie asked in a soft apprehensive voice.

Blinking back a few tears of the impact and from the leaves that had whipped her face Anne opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was a tree standing high and proud, just rustling slightly as few leaves dislodged from her fall fell down around her giving her the impression that the tree was gently laughing as it stroked her face with its leaves.

"Well... damn!" Anne thought emphatically as she lay there blinking furiously, all her surroundings forgotten for a moment as she collected her wits that were falling just as fast as the leaves.

Suddenly she felt a light prod in her shoulder. With a start, and a quick shake of her head Anne tuned her hearing back in from the slight ringing she could hear from the impact and tried to pay more attention to what was around her

"..ou okay?" Anne heard as she blinked again and turned her head slightly to catch the face of the redheaded girl that she had been trying to watch. She was sat on her haunchs close to Anne with a slightly worried look on her face and concern in her dark eyes.

Sitting up like someone had just dropped a spider down her back Anne gave another started noise before her brain rebelled at the sudden motion and sent a few stars into Anne's eyes causing her to clutch her head.

After a moment Anne brain reminded her that No, she wasn't alone and Yes, she had just been asked a question.

Dropping her hands slightly and looking incredibly embarressed Anne looks over at the nervous looking girl and nods slowly, not to upset her brain again

"yes... i think i'm ok.. i'm very sorry!", the latter bit coming out with a bit of an embarressed blurt

Maylie jumped back at bit after the sudden shout of "Damn!" by the girl. Leaves fell around them from the fall, having just reached their level. May brushed off one that landed on her head, wating for the girls's response to her question. Unsure of what to do, whether to try and help or to stay back as the girl clutched her head in pain, Maylie sat indecisivly for a long moment.

Fortunately for her, the response of the girl eventually came, taking the decision out of her hands.

Glad to hear that she was at least okay, Maylie responded, "I-I'm glad... and it's perfectly okay... don't mind me..." Her voice still soft and gentle.

Maylie sat there for a long moment, unsure of what to do as an awkward silence pervaded the air around the two of them. Eventually, she stood up, and offered the mysterious girl a hand saying nervously, "I-I'm Maylie..."

Sat for a moment in her bed of leaves Anne looked at the offered hand and the women who had just offered it with worry, her body wanting to run but her brain stopping her, feeling no threat and nothing to be scared of. If anything it almost looked like to her eyes that this Maylie was about to run herself!

Taking her offered hand in a soft grip she noticed the cleanliness of the hands making her feel yet more embarressed at her own moss and dirt covered ones from climbing this morning, and the improptue fall from the tree.

"I'm Anne" Anne said in her own voice that sounded rather harsh to her (still ringing) ears compared to Maylies soft voice "Er... I'm really sorry for almost falling on you! I saw you below me and i was wondering who you were you see and before i could climb down i lost my balance and fell..."

Cheeks starting to gain colour again Anne let the her voice trail into nothing as she felt more acute embarressment, hand half forgotten still outstretched

Maylie gave a small warm smile, helping Anne up. Once standing, she brushed the assorted fallen leaves off of herself, moving a hand up to her face to brush back her hair. Being completely honest with herself, this was the first time she had even talked to another student outside of class over her entire stay at Shokushu!

In response to Anne's flustered apology, Maylie said in that same voice, "Oh no, it's alright, don't apologize to me... I'm just glad you're okay."

Maylie felt her own blush rising at the situation, embarrased along with Anne. In an attempt to make conversation, she asks, "S-so... what brings you to the tree? I come here every morning to pause and reflect, and nobody has ever been here..."

Quickly correcting herself, thinking she might have come across as rude, "N-not that you're not w-welcome of course!" stuttering over her words in her haste; her blush deepening to almost match her hair.

Once standing Anne started to feel a little better and a little less acutely embarressed helped in no small way by the fact that it honestly seemed that Maylie was just... if not more embarressed than herself! In a extremely odd way Anne found this... endearing somehow and it went a long way into stopping her running away at the earliest possible time like she almost always did with any social contact.

As the back of her mind processed this very strange feeling Anne smiled at the rapid correction suddenly completely unsure of herself, where to put her feet, her hands, what to do with her hair, where to look, what to say.

"Ummm.. I found her... I mean the tree a couple of days ago and i thought it would be perfect to watch a sunrise..." After a quick hesitant pause, "I've thought it would relax me and it would be good to spend a few hours quietly and its beautiful here"

After another nervous pause,

"Umm.. I'll go if you want me too! You obviously like it here and were here first and there are plenty of other trees i could fall from!.. er... i mean explore in"

With a nervous laugh Anne shifted slightly, taking a tiny step backwards with her hands fidgeting, patting down her jeans and picking off any leaves they could find, still completely unsure of herself and what to do, not feeling any danger but not wanting to upset this girl any further... "After all" Anne though "I've embarressed myself quite enough for one day! i'm going to be the laughing stock of the entire school when they hear about this"

Maylie let out a light laugh, glad that the tension was relieved. While she had never really minded being left to her own devices, meeting this new person brought out all the feelings of lonliness that she had simply ignored for a long while.

Reaching out with her hand when she sees Anne take a step back before retracting it quickly with a light blush, "N-no! You don't have to leave, I don't mind at all. And you're right, it really is beautiful here. I do most of my writing for my novel out here... I just can't seem to be as creative anywhere else. Oh and don't worry about being a laughing stock, I'm not the type to spread it around. To be honest, you're the first person I've talked to ever since I've arrived..." her voice now sounding a little more confident, at a normal volume and pace, the stuttering mostly gone.

Maylie turned light pink once more, realizing that she was just rambling to a complete stranger, something she had never done before. It was odd. Something about Anne just made her feel more open and relaxed, and as much as she felt strange doing it, she had to admit to herself that she really liked the feeling.

As Maylie's hand came out to halt her backwards movement Anne watched it not unlike one watchs a snake approaching - a mixture of trepidation and fear, until she suddenly snatched it back blushing again. The motion and the honesty with it again banished Annes backwards motion causing her to look again at the girl in front of her.

Now she was looking closely and not hanging from a tree Anne could see that there were few similarities with the girl from her past but that didn't entirely shake the evocative image from her head. If anything it simply made Anne more curious about this girl and why she was... well... as shy as herself! She was attractive (not that Anne had any leanings in /that/ direction aside from a couple of highly private fantasys) but certainly she shouldn't have any trouble making friends...

With her natural curiousity taking over Anne started to forget that she was still partly covered in dirt and leaves, that her body was still aching from the fall and she had red marks along her face as it was whipped by the tree, and listened to what Maylie was saying properly

"...first person I've talked to ever since I've arrived..." Maylie was saying, before she trailed off blushing again.

Anne raised an eyebrow at this out of pure suprise. Even she had spoken to a few students in the corridor when she was exploring even though she didn't really want too. She had learnt many years ago that if you look like you belong and aren't (obviously) trying to hide then people are actually far more likely to leave you alone assuming that you belong wherever you may be - But for some reason Anne didn't doubt that this was true in Maylies case.

"Why?" Anne blurted, rather tactlessly spurred on by suprise rather than thinking things through.

With a quick flush of embarressment Anne tried to recover "Sorry!" reaching a hand out in a gesture not unlike the one Maylie had used to stop her from running earlier "I don't mean to be rude but i'm just suprised" she said quickly.

Maylie couldn't help but marvel inwardly at the resilience of Anne. Here she was, having just fallen from a tree, cuts and bruises marring her otherwise nearly flawless skin, covered by dirt and some greenage here and there; and she didn't even look all that fazed.

Maylie, however, did also notice that she seemed afraid of contact, so made a point not to reach out or anything of that sort again, lest she scare Anne away. She also couldn't help but think that, minus the cuts and such, she was a very beautiful girl. A strange feeling that she couldn't quite put her finger on arose in her gut while talking to her, one that was warm, pleasant, and... something else all at the same time.

Taken aback slighty by Anne's sudden question, not out of insult or because of any intrusion, but just at the suddeness of it, Maylie scrambled through her brain for an answer.

"Err.. um... I-I don't know r-really... I gues I'm j-just the shy quiet t-type... nobody has ever approached m-me..." she finally responded, the stuttering having coming back along with a blush of embarrasment from the suddeness of the question.

Anne was in a quandry. Her mind and reflexs all wanted to retreat away from Maylie and let her get on with whatever she was doing before, but there was something holding her back. It almost felt like there was someone behind, beating her over the head (although that bit might have been the headache from the tree) and saying "you will NOT run away! you can do this! you can talk to someone else! you can make a FRIEND!"

She had to admit - there was something that was just so /endearing/ about Maylie - it could have been her face reminding her of times gone by. It could have been the way she held herself that reminded Anne so much of herself in her shyness. It could have been the way she blushed. But it all conspired to keep her in place and her own insecurities and neurosis' forgotten, at least for the moment.

With a warm smile (or the best she could do) to try and soothe Maylie's nerves "Is that from choice as you much prefer the view here?" gesturing to the tree and the landscape that surrounded it, taking her eyes off Maylie for the first time since she had fallen and looking over the landscape as she gestured, which was still looking beautiful even though the mist had almost gone in the time they had been talking and the sun was now a little higher in the sky, removing the slight dream-like quality that was there when Anne had first come out