The plot bunnies are eating me alive, and I apologize whole-heartedly before I get started. If you read any of my other stories… you probably know that. ^-^

Now, I know Yamamoto has been done a couple of times with the reincarnation bit, but I had this dream about this and I just… I had to do it, so I'm sorry.

I also plan for this to be kinda... funny, I guess, with a mix of REALLY disturbing things (I guess) so there's a fair warning. There's nothing funny or disturbing (I think) about this first chapter, so I'm sorry D:

~I'm gonna swing from the chandelier~

Chapter 1: Prologue: Yamamoto Takara

I didn't start out with that name, though.

From what I know for sure, I was born in a low-class family. I had eight siblings; one sister and seven brothers.

My father was newly divorced and inherited most of those children, though. Only my sister and I have lived with him all of our lives. The only drama in our family really was with our father who often skipped town and left all of us to our own devices.

Being the eldest, it was my job to feed the others and make sure that everyone was doing well in my father's absence. At fifteen years old, I was the equivalent of a teen mom: caring for those younger than me while balancing schoolwork and my nearly non-existent social life.

All of us got along for the most part, until she came back.

My stepmother.

She wanted her kids back, and well… if she couldn't have them, then we would all die. Almost days later, after her sending us some… "candies".

That's how I ended up here.

I sat in a crowded place, watching other faces pass by. The seats were hard and annoying, and the light was overwhelming enough that I had to squint to make anything out.

Another individual sat next to me and gave me a sweet smile, and I guessed that she had been in an accident. Her unnatural purple hair was a near-standout, and I shyly smiled back as I noticed one crucial factor:

Her eye was missing.

"Ah, a rare case."

A woman spoke to me through a microphone from behind a glass window.

"You were killed of rat poisoning, weren't you? That's pretty vindictive."

I nodded, keeping my hands close to my body. I faintly remembered the decaying feeling of my insides after days of prolonged illness beside my siblings.

Why hadn't I seen them here, too?

The question was answered for me in a matter-of-fact voice:

"This place is for people who have been chosen to get a do-over. You, you have been held back from your siblings and you never got a chance to experience the things that other children take for granted, am I right?"

"Well," I spoke up, clearing my throat. "I wouldn't say that I was held back… I don't think I was held back at all…"

"You get my drift." The woman's green eyes bore into me as she crossed something out in front of her. "You've been granted a second chance, and I'll send you there. I've found the perfect host, due to your history."

I tilted my head, wishing to ask a couple of questions before being cut off:

"But you have a couple of rules. Rule number one is that you cannot and you will not be able to avoid your destiny and/or fate, whichever word that you prefer. Rule number two, you will not remember any of this interaction, this place, or even how you got there. Rule number three is that, by the time your natural life ends, you will need to find your own personal meaning to a randomly selected word."

"Wait – what word? What is this? And why-?"

My self-control had expired and I let my mouth start rolling before the woman pushed a button and told me good luck, unwilling to answer my pleas.

I woke up in a hospital bed, staring at practically a bushel of flowers next to the cot that I was laying in. I desperately tried to recall what had happened just now, but I turned up blank.

What…?

I attempted to sit up, but a gentle hand pushed me back down.

"Careful. You've only just woken up from surgery."

I froze.

"Surgery?"

A very polite-looking nurse gave me a gentle smile accompanied with a nod. Her baby-pink nurse uniform was the only thing that I could focus on as she unhooked me from a couple of IVs.

I flinched, but the woman gave me a smile. "Do you remember where you are, hun? You're in the hospital, finishing up a successful surgery following an accidental baseball to your skull. Are you feeling alright?"

I gave her a nod as I attempted to sit up, only feeling the dizzying effects of the supposed surgery hindering me from doing so.

"You should take it easy and rest yourself up before attempting to do anything else."

A door opened and closed, and a man started toward me. "Are you alright, Takara?"

I've never even heard... that name before. Who is this man?

I had no idea what was going on around me at this point, and I attempted to make sense of it all.

Tranquility.

The word suddenly echoed through my mind, and my heartbeat quickened.

Why did I think that? Tranquility… that means peace, doesn't it?

I looked up to the monitors that surrounded me, as well as this unfamiliar man grabbing at my hand, looking worried and troubled.

My eyes began to close as the word kept echoing in my head, getting quieter every time that it was said.

Tranquility.

I drifted off into a quiet rest, and that word was the final thing that I heard.

Tranquility.

By the way: obviously I can't name a female OC 'Takeshi', meaning fierce warrior… so I decided on Takara… which I think is a good substitute name. c:

This may not have been my best work (probably because I'm not a master of first chapters) but I may be able to fit in an edit or two! :D

How was that for a first chapter? Remember to review/follow/favorite to show your support! :D

This is yet another side-story, so updates might not be often… unless I suddenly become obsessed.

I answer reviews by PM c:

~Teafully~