The Special Gift

part 1, Chapter 11

After everyone was finished with breakfast Joe told them that they would be staying in Frog creek. "Our village will be happy to have you two." Bob said smiling. "We are happy to stay." Joe said smiling as he pointed his head a little toward Ichigo. Mink and Ichigo's faces turned red as he spoke. Mink looked up when she heard a knock on the door. She got up and opened the door to find no one was there. Mink closed the door and looked at Ichigo who was watching her. Another knock came as she started to go back to her seat. Mink looked at the door then to Ichigo before opening the door again. Still no one was at the door; Mink looked at Ichigo with the door open. He got up and looked around outside. When Joe saw him move he got up and went to the door. "What's going on kids?" Joe asked them as they closed the door. "We answered the door when we heard someone knocking but no one was there." Ichigo said as Mink started to get worried and took Ichigo's hand. Joe opened the door again and looked out. He didn't see anyone so he came back in and closed the door while he was thinking. "We need to look around in the house," Joe said looking at everyone. "Why?" Ichigo asked. Mink was now lost in thought as she looked around. "I believe the knocking was just a distraction to get us outside," Joe said. "Nina." Mink finally said; Ichigo looked at her. "What?" He asked. "I haven't seen Nina for a while," Mink said. Joe and Ichigo looked at each other. Everyone got up and started looking for her. Sue and Bob looked outside while Joe looked downstairs and Mink and Ichigo began looking up upstairs.

As they looked around in the bedroom Mink heard a sound. She walked over to the closet and opened it. Nina was sitting at the bottom of the closet crying. Mink picked her up and sat on the bed with her. "I'll go tell the others we found her," Ichigo said before leaving. "Why were you in the closet?" Mink asked her sister. Mink whipped some of the tears off of Nina's face. "There was a woman in here. She didn't see me so I jumped into the closet. She went out the window when you came up." Nina said as tears slowly came down her face. "Calm down Nina, your safe. What..." Mink didn't finish what she was saying when she heard the others coming up. "Nina, don't tell them about the woman, they would be very worried if they knew," Mink said before the others came in. "Nina," Sue said as she picked her up. "What happened?" Bob asked standing next to Sue. Nina didn't speak as Mink got up off of the bed. "She got locked in the closet," Mink said; Ichigo looked at her and Mink looked at him. While everyone was talking a knock came at the door again. Ichigo, Joe, and Mink left to answer the door.

Ichigo opened the door to see Momoko standing there. "Hey, guy," Momoko said as she came in. As Ichigo closed the door they all let out the breath they were holding. "What's going on?" Momoko asked looking around. Joe left them to tell the others who was at the door. Ichigo and the girls sat down at the table; Ichigo then looked at Mink before speaking. "What happened to Nina?" He asked. "She told me there was a woman in the room. She went out the window when we came in." Mink explained. "I saw a woman running when I was on my way over here," Momoko said. "What did she look like?" Ichigo asked. "She was thin and had long brown hair; she ran very fast," Momoko informed them. As they talked Nina came in and sat down with them. "Are you feeling a little better now Nina?" Mink asked. "Yeah, I'm okay," Nina said as Mink gave her something to eat. "Nina did the woman you saw have brown hair?" Ichigo asked her. "Yes, and she was skinny too," Nina said as she ate. "Then it must be the same woman Momoko saw," Ichigo said as he looked at Mink. "We need to find out why she was here and who she is," Mink said thinking as she held the jewel in her hand.

"How do we do that?" Momoko asked then looked at Ichigo. They both looked back at Mink as she looked at them. "What?" She asked. "She may have been looking for the jewel," Ichigo said; Mink looked down at the jewel. "Maybe she was," Mink said to herself. As the day went on nothing else happened and they didn't find the woman who was in the house. Momoko told them if she finds her she would let them know. Mink was on the roof even though it was cold. Nina followed her up and tried to hide from her. "I know your there Nina. Come sit with me." Mink said as she looked at the sky while lying down.

Nina sat down next to her and looked up. "There are so many stars," Nina said. Mink smiled as she closed her eyes and breathed in the night air. Nina turned to see Ichigo coming to them. He put his finger up to his lips and smiled at Nina. Nina watched him as he led over Mink; looking down at her. Nina poked Mink's side and Mink opened her eyes. She jumped when she saw Ichigo looking down on her. Ichigo pulled her closer to him as he and Nina laughed. "Hey," Mink said as she pushed him away. Ichigo looked at her before he pulled her into a hug and Mink smiled when he did. "Okay you two; we need to get inside now. It's getting colder out here." Ichigo said. Mink nodded her head before getting up and all of them went into the house.