I am not dead! praise the world! :D

I know what you want... you want an excuse for my periodic absence...

I joined the track team.

also. i watched Red vs. blue

as always a huge thank you to my ever lovely beta darkrose656. I will give you a hug when we see eachother again :D

"HIKARU!" Kaoru's voice scratched at his throat, cracking slightly at the end. Worry clouded his mind and forced his already exhausted limbs to pick up speed.

It was getting dark.

They'd split up, hoping to have a better chance of finding the older Hitachiin that way, each promising to call the others if they found him.

Kaoru darted through the streets, the amount of people he had to shove past now down to almost none. He couldn't help but notice the storm clouds brewing above them.

Not a freaking storm, not now. The needed everyone to help find Hikaru, and if thunder was threatening that would put Haruhi out of the search, and most likely Tamaki as well…

"HIKARU!" Kaoru forced himself to focus on the problem at hand, ignoring the tears that threatened to fall from the corners of his eyes.

He should have known this would happen.

It was stupid for them to think they could pull this off. Naïve for them to believe it was really just a physical mutation.

And now his twin brother was running around commoner's Tokyo, probably scared and angry and with his temper… and his evident powers…

Kaoru didn't want to think about it.

His feet continued to pound against the ground ignoring the roar of thunder above him, and the droplets of water smacking against the pavement.

Their search party was down to four.

-XXXX-

Kyoya lowered his cell phone from his ear, looking back and forth down the street from his spot beneath the cloth overhang of a tea shop.

There was no reason for him to get wet…

And Tachibana would be there soon enough to help.

They'd be able to cover more ground in a car anyway.

-XXXX-

"Hika-chan?" Honey had his hands cupped around his mouth, looking around from on top of Mori's shoulders and ignoring the rain taping angrily against his face. "Hikaaa-chaaaan?"

Mori stopped walking, eyes on the sidewalk, head cocked to the left and a questioning look on his normally stoic face.

"What is it Taka-" Honey stopped when he saw what his cousin was looking at, brown eyes widening… if that was possible.

They stood there like that for a few moments, in the soaking rain, both boys not wavering from the thing that had caught their attention.

Foot prints.

Melted into the cement, the rain producing soft hissy noises as it hit the smoldering concrete.

"Poor Hika-chan…" Honey breathed quietly before jumping down from Mori's shoulders.

The two martial artists took off running, following the train of smoldering footprints.

-XXXX-

~BOOM~

"Gah!" Haruhi's shriek of fear mixed with the rolling of the thunder, sending shivers down Tamaki's spine as he held her.

They where sitting in the corner of a small coffee shop, receiving the occasional pitied glance from one of the café's other patrons. Outside the rain continued to poor from the sky, showing no sign of stopping any time soon.

"T-tamaki you need to go help the others- ah!" She screamed again as a crack of lightning lit up the sky outside of the shop, followed soon by the rumble of thunder.

The blond shook his head, hugging the girl a little bit closer to himself and focusing his lavender eyes on the window.

Maybe Hikaru would run by?

If he did then he'd go after him. But otherwise…

"Tamaki he needs-"

"He'll be fine." The Suou heir soothed her gently, running his fingers over her short hair and not moving his gaze from the window. "Just try and relax."

The thunder rolled.

-XXXX-

Hikaru had his face buried in his knees, not bothering to stop his shaking, or the tears that ran slowly down his face, mixing bitterly with the rain as it soaked him through to the bone.

And still he was to hot.

Hikaru wanted nothing more than to feel cold, to drench himself in ice water. Anything to calm the burning of his flesh.

It felt as though he was smoldering away to nothing in the center of a bonfire.

And the steam that rose from his body as the rain hit him didn't help, it choked him, filling his throat and nose, the bitter scent of smoke and burning concrete bringing fresh tears to his already crying eyes.

He just wanted it to stop.

He just needed it to stop.

"Hika-chan?"

Hikaru's eyes shot up to meet those of the teen in front of him, empty yellow meeting chocolate brown.

His body tensed, ready to take off.

Mori-senpai leaned down grabbing the mutant teen with one arm as he tried to run, effortlessly throwing him over his shoulder.

Honey had that obnoxious pink cell phone pressed to his ear, talking to who he could only guess was his brother and the others.

"Put me down!" An unexplainable anger coursed through Hikaru's veins and he started pounding on Mori, fire burning through his veins as red clouded his vision.

Mori didn't put him down, but let out a soft hiss of pain as the mutant began smoking, causing his shirt to catch fire briefly before the rain put it out.

"I said put me down!" Hikaru screamed again, pounding harder but it felt as though his efforts where hurting him more than Mori.

It felt as though he were punching steel.

"Hikaru, calm down."

The mutant froze for a moment at his senpai's words, lightning breaking across the sky and a chill running up his back.

It had to be the first time Mori had called him by name.

In fact… it had to be the first time Mori had addressed him at all. He only ever talked to Honey, or Haruhi or the hosts in general.

Never to him.

It was… a strange realization.

"Let me down!"

But not strange enough to detour him.

Mori ignored him, and he and Honey started walking, completely ignoring the rain that pelted downward and the steam that rose from Hikaru's body as it hit him.

It still rained when he finally calmed down, and the heat slowly left his body.

It still rained when the met the others beneath the awning of a small café.

It still rained when Kaoru grabbed him into a protective hug, apologizing over and over again.

It still rained when Tachibana pulled up to the side walk, and the host club, tired, wet and thoroughly shaken, climbed into the back of the limo.

It was still raining when the limousine pulled up in front of the Hitachiin mansion and the twins climbed out, clinging protectively to one and other as they walked slowly up the stares to the doorway, ignoring the shouts of good-bye and half hearted reassurance the rest of the host club threw after them.

The rain pelted against the windows as there servants came to great them, only to real backwards at the sight of the older Hitachiin, confusion and fear evident on their faces.

It rained all that night, taping ominously against the roof as the twins curled up together in Kaoru's bed, both trying to offer some form of comfort to the other. Both trying to assure themselves it would all be alright.

That night, Hikaru realized how much he hated the rain.

-XXXXX-

"Tachibana."

Seizaburo Tachibana turned immediately at the sound of his name, facing the youngest Ootari son.

"I believe it would be in everyone's best interest if you not inform my father of this incident." Kyoya spoke coolly, loosening the uniform tie from around his neck and moving towards his private wing of the house.

It wasn't said as a request.

But Seizaburo had known the young man long enough to know when he was asking for help.

Tachibana bowed deeply, nodding his head.

"Of course master Kyoya."

So long as he was able…

But Ootari Yoshio had his influences.

Ones that stretched far beyond Tachibana's imagination.

And the man had his leverage should he think the guard was hiding something.

He was loyal to Kyoya, yes, but if it came between his keeping this incident a secret and the well being of his daughter…

Tachibana knew the decision he would make.

He did not need to risk his little girl's mutation becoming public knowledge.

That would be dangerous… for everyone involved.

-XXXXX-

"Maybe we should stay home tod-"

"No."

Kaoru let out a long sigh, watching with pursed lips watching as his brother did up the buttons of his uniform dress shirt.

"Hikaru I'm not sure this is such a good idea-"

"Don't care." The older Hitachiin grabbed his tie off the rack, throwing it around his neck and quickly set to work on it.

"Because you know how badly this could end…" Kaoru bit his lip, adjusting his own tie nervously.

"Kaoru… I hear you… and I really don't care." Hikaru grabbed his dress jacket out of the closet,

That was a lie.

Hikaru always cared what his twin was saying… there wasn't a day that went by when he wouldn't.

But somehow… Kaoru understood.

Hikaru needed to do this. He needed to try for himself.

The older twin turned to face him, and the younger had to swallow the lump in his throat at just how different he looked.

"Alright then." Kaoru put on the best smile he could muster, grabbing his backpack off the ground and slipping his hand into Hikaru's. "Lets go."

None of the servants dared speak to them as they descended the staircase. The Hitachiin twins kept the staff on there toes… they could make anyone's lives living hell if crossed.

And they most likely would not be in the mood.

The twins ate there breakfasts in silence, ignoring the maids as they hustled to serve them and avoid them at the same time.

There limo driver, an older man of English decent by the name of Arthur, opened the door to let the twins climb in, not batting an eyelash at the older Hitachiins drastic change in appearance.

They had always liked Arthur.

-XXXX-

The limacine pulled up in front of Ouran and the twins climbed out.

The sun shone down beautifully onto the spring flowers of the Academy garden, contrasting greatly with the mood that hung in the air like a noose.

The court yard fell into dead silence as they walked in, young girls in buttercup yellow dresses and boys in smart blue turning to stare wide eyed at the twins, or rather, one twin in particular.

The Hitachiins did what they had always done before the host club… before they ever really cared about anyone who fit into the 'not us' category.

They walked, heads held high and backs strait, there book bags hanging haphazardly off of their shoulders and steps matching one and others perfectly.

Hissy whispers broke out around them.

"Who's the mutty?"

"Why's he with one of the Hitachiins?"

"I think he is one of the Hitachiins."

"No way."

"Is that Hikaru or Kaoru?"

"I don't know I could never tell them apart."

"Are mutty's allowed at Ouran?"

"Probably not. You've seen the news there really dangerous."

"Maybe we should tell a teacher-"

"It's with a Hitachiin what's telling the teacher going to do?"

"It is one of the Hitachiins I'm telling you-"

Kaoru looped his hand into Hikaru's pulling him along with him and speaking loudly for all to hear.

"Come on Hikaru we're goanna be late for class."

Silence descended on the courtyard once again before another volley of frantic whispers broke out.

The last thing Hikaru heard before Kaoru pulled him into the build was-

"You think he's goanna get expelled?"

-XXXX-

Haruhi, despite her supposed inability to read the atmosphere, knew the second she stepped into 1-A that something was wrong.

Of course, it didn't take a top of the class honor student to figure that out.

The entire class, minus three, was gathered in the far corner of the room, all eyes fixed on the center of the back row.

Hikaru and Kaoru sat in their normal desks, pretending to be interesting in their textbooks and completely ignoring the terrified stares the other students were sending the older.

Haruhi let out a long breath of air.

She hadn't really gotten a very good look at him the day before… things had been to crazy… and she'd been to busy trying to suppress her own agitation as a result of the thunder storms.

Now that she got the chance, two thoughts crossed her mind.

The first was that it wasn't a surprise that the rest of the class was so scared, most of- no, all of them came from high-class family's where mutants where nothing more than the occasional dinner table conversation and/or school project.

The second was that it could have been a lot worse.

She was, as these damn rich people put it, a commoner. She had seen many mutants in her life, the nice old lady who always gave her a discount at the super market, Mr. and Mrs. Yumi's youngest son… the list was long.

Many physical mutations made the unfortunate souls down right terrifying to look at.

Hikaru's was startling… but at least he still had only two arms and two legs.

At least he didn't have webbed fingers or fins instead of hair.

In retrospect… aside from his blood red skin and empty yellow socket eyes… he looked normal enough.

Though no human on earth had hair that naturally orange.

Haruhi sighed again, walking briskly to the back of the class room and taking her normal seat between the two twins, opening up her AP Biology book and skipping to there current chapter.

Genetics.

Joy.

-XXXXX-

An ocean, and practically a continuant away, an older man pushed his wheelchair up the ramp of a privately owned, military grade, SR-71, a handsome young man in dark red sunglasses and an African beauty with snow white hair flanking him on either side.

The older man looked up from his wheelchair as he reached the top of the ramp, eyes directed at the African woman.

"Orora did you contact Mr. and Mrs. Hitachiin?"

"Yes professor." The woman answered immediately. "They seemed wholly unaware… but agreed to speak with us."

The man nodded, a wary smile crossing his face.

"Well than we can only hope for the best."

The ramp lifted slowly, and the sound of engines firing up filled the hanger, the roof parting slowly to reveal the clear blue sky above them.

note to all of you who don't read the manga so you don't think i'm making stuff up: Seizaburo Tachibana is a cannon character. he is one of Kyoya's three personal guards/servants. his main job is tying people up that annoy Kyoya... In my opinion he's a bit strange (him and the other two gaurds will be mentioned in the future. as well as both Kyoya's brother and father, and possibly his sister. also yes Tachibana has a daughter. this is cannon.

also. i have not yet mentioned any OC's in this story :D guess how i pulled that off? ok i'll tell you... the Kiku mentioned in chapter 1 and the Aurther mentioned in this chapter... they're not OC's... they are camo appearances from hetalia characters XD Don't worry it's not a three way cross-over... i just couldn't resist pointing it out... a couple of you already caught it :P

as alwats please review :)