HEIR TO THE THRONE

Original Plot: In the original anime, Azusa Mukami is a fragile boy with a troublesome past. After his parents abandoned him, Azusa was found by three children- Justin, Melissa, and Christina- and accepted into their group. Unfortunately, the young boy was not just a normal member of the trio- no, he was their punching bag. After a while of them taking their frustrations out upon him, Azusa began to enjoy it, his sense of right and wrong twisting severely. In the end, the quartet went on their greatest thievery yet, but were captured and sentenced to death immediately. Azusa was the only one who remained- after getting caught by a policeman- he was taken to the orphanage meeting his future brothers: Ruki, Yuma, and Kou. Together, the four treated the youngest boy nicely (or at least better than the rest), and they escaped. The first escape resulted in failure. The orphanage caretakers shot them all down with the exception of Ruki, who was branded. As they were dying, a man by the name of Karlheinz offered them a choice: to become immortal and not have to suffer like they had previously, or to die. All four chose the former, Azusa being the most hesitant.

Plot Twist: What if instead of Melissa, Justin, and Christina being caught in a thievery act, all four of them were caught in arson? (Only Azusa made it out alive.) What if Azusa was a bit frailer than in canon, and has a little more than the average half-breed?

Another day, another guest satisfied. Of course, satisfied guests don't always ensure orphanage kids' safety. In this case, a small boy around the age of five with blonde hair that curled at the end, doe blue eyes, and a face that would make any mother swoon was the victim. The young boy is named Kou, and bruises marred his body. The caretakers wouldn't be happy with this; the longer it took for him to heal, the longer it took for their income to come in. This time, his client had been a man in their mid-thirties, with dark brown hair swept into a calm ponytail, a pointed nose, blue eyes, and a charming smile. That was the first clue that he could not be trusted, his gut feeling had been correct. Apparently, the man had been recently divorced from his wife after finding her husband's obsession with child pornography. Now, the male (discovering two days later that he was free to do as he wished) had come to the orphanage to test his new found freedom. That's where Kou came in. Unwilling to submit to the man, the child lashed out violently, raking his nails into the man's flesh punching and/or kicking every piece of skin available. Eventually, their session ended and the caretakers walked into the room to find an unconscious and severely wounded client, and a broken child. Deeming it unsafe for more appointments, they shuffled Kou into the hospital wing and went on with their daily routine.

An hour later, Kou awoke. His blue eyes scanned the room warily taking in the stained gray curtains, yellow walls, and tile floor. Looking down, a thin sheet covered his cold scarred body. A small sound of approval escaped from his mouth, but he shrugged off the sheet nonetheless. It was only then that he noticed the thin white cloth separating him from the occupant on the other side. Curious, the child hopped down from the bed to walk towards the fabric obstructer. With trembling hands, Kou stepped forward, pulling back the curtain, and gasped. On the opposite end, lay a boy with black hair and pale, pale skin. Not only was his skin severely pale, but it was marred with various cuts and bruises... none of which looked recent. This child looked even younger than him, yet he laid on the bed with an innocent look upon his face-like a slumbering child. However, Kou had learned months ago that fairy tales did not exist. The best case scenario being that they died as soon as possible to avoid the circumstances in which he was dealing with.

"What happened to you, Hime?" he questioned softly, looking for any sort of information on the child. Finally, he found a thin yellow envelope in the drawer of the nightstand. Opening it carefully, the multiple wounds and burns all over Hime's body made sense. It was weird to see that they still persevered even though it had been a year since the accident. It was also weird to see that the orphanage put up with the comatose child for this long; there must've been a reason. Probably because the government is giving these greedy bastards more money to care for him. I hate this orphanage- no, this Hell! With a sigh, Kou stuffed the contents back into the envelope carefully and placed it back in the drawer it came from. Without looking at the comatose child, the blonde haired child exited the hospital room and headed to his own. Rest in peace, Azusa...

A day later, a child with black hair with white tips walked into the hospital wing, a scowl upon his face. The child himself looked like a prince from a storybook; pale skin, narrow blue-gray eyes, thin lips, yet his body was thin, his skin bruised, and personality disarming.

Limping, the boy searched dutifully for the bandages, not noticing that he wasn't alone. Gray eyes watched with hidden amusement as the child continued searching for the hidden bandages- judging from the multiple cuts and bruises on his body.

"Bottom cupboard on your right," a soft voice intoned. The former aristocrat turned around quickly, his eyes wide from shock before a forced nonchalance covered it. Blue-Grey eyes scanned the frail boy, intrigued, before following the directions. Low and behold, in a transparent plastic tub on the bottom shelf of the cupboard sat thick, white, bandages.

"..Thank you," the newcomer replied hesitantly after wrapping his ankle. Azusa looked curiously at the mess of white, amused.

"Is this..your first time..using bandages? I could..re-wrap..your wound." The child spoke slowly, and his voice was soft- maybe his throat had been damaged as well and had yet to heal.

Looking down at the tangle of knots, the boy felt a small blush of embarrassment rise to his cheeks, and then a small knot of anger. Was he making fun of his impudence? Now he could see why the peasants back at his family home revolted- although one thinks it funny to insult others, it is unpleasant to be on the receiving end of the insult. However, that did not mean that he had to trust the frail boy in the bed. No, it was a small wound anyway and would heal sooner or later.

"I will be fine. Thank you for your concern," they said briskly before walking out of the hospital wing, not noticing that the frail boy had gone to sleep once more.

Two weeks later, and the former aristocrat found himself in the hospital wing once more, this time accompanied by a blonde haired boy with an interesting shade of blue eyes. An eyebrow rose as he saw the blonde sit next to the obviously sleeping boy he had associated with earlier. Deciding to ignore them, the boy closed the door behind him and headed towards the cupboard the bandages were in.

Kou gave a small start as the door slammed shut behind him- he hadn't even heard it open! Thinking the orphanage caretakers were back to reprimand him, he turned around sullenly only to find another kid from the orphanage- dirty clothes, bruised skin, cold eyes; however, they looked different from the rest. All the other kids (with the exception of Azusa) were hideous in comparison to him, but the newcomer had a handsome face. Wonder if that's my new replacement, he thought sardonically. With a sigh, Kou watched as the black haired boy wrapped his wounds with bandages.

"You're horrible at bandaging," Kou told him seriously, propping his arms on the back of the chair. "Even I was better than that with my bruises."

The newcomer stiffened, shocked. With the grace of a noble, he pivoted so that his body faced the others, a nonchalant expression upon his face.

"As long as the wound heals, I don't need to worry."

"You could say that," the blonde commented indifferently, his blue eyes stirring with mischief.

"But if your wounds are agitated because of the bandage, then they won't heal as they're supposed to. Sure, they'll heal, but how much time and pain will you spend trying to make yourself comfortable?"

The other looked to be contemplating it as Kou sat innocently in the chair. He certainly is stubborn, but with the dark bruises on his body I'd be cautious too.

"I won't be here forever."

With a sigh, the black haired boy placed the bin of supplies back in the cupboard, and Kou knew he had won. Caught up in his success, the blonde failed to notice the other's eyes drift towards the figure on the bed, their eyes flashing with recognition.

"My name is Kou," the blonde greeted cheerfully, unwrapping the mess of gauze.

"My name is Ruki," the boy- Ruki- stated in a mature voice, his body tense as if waiting for an attack. '

"Nice to meet you, Ruki."

No other comments were said as Kou finished wrapping the wound. Once finished, the blonde sat back, satisfied. "Feels better, doesn't it."

Indeed, it did feel better; however, Ruki didn't feel the need to exemplify, nor praise the child's effort. He was embarrassed enough.

"Thank you for your help," he said in the most prideful voice he could muster. Kou only beamed at him before rising from his seat.

"My time is up. I'll see you around, Ruki."

So, in the span of a year, both boys' paths intervened at random moments in the hospital wing- whether it was for bandages, bruises, or for the sake of fate. Both of their red strings were tied after all. Ruki and Kou both began to open up to one another- the former expressing his dislike for all of the dirty children, and the latter conversing about his usual job within the vile orphanage. Throughout the year, the young boy in the bed remained unaware of the two's conversations, his eyes remaining shut.

A while after that, a boy with light brown hair was discarded onto a thin hospital bed. Like Azusa, his body was covered in dark bruises and cuts and his overall appearance was filthy, but in contrast, the boy was conscious and restrained. Snarling fiercely, the brunette struggled valiantly against the "caretaker's" arms, but the man was stronger and taller than him. that's how, in the span of two minutes, the boy was wrapped in rope and tossed onto the bed until preparations were made. Yuma was the boy's name, and Yuma is devious. With a small smirk, the child spit a small shard of glass from his mouth and watched it land beside him. Shuffling over to the shard, small pale hands grasped it and cut the rope easily.

"Stupid motherfuckers," the boy said angrily, his voice hoarse from yelling.

"They..aren't that bad," a small voice whispered from behind him. Yuma's head whipped around, spotting the curtain two feet away. Without hesitance, the thin piece of fabric was ripped down from its metal rings revealing a small boy of no more than forty-two inches. Black hair was sprawled out on the pillow, his lithe body barely taking any space on the bed.

"They..have cared for me..since my arrival," Azusa explained, turning to look at the newcomer. "Who-?"

"I don't have to tell you shit," Yuma snarled, but his tone had softened considerably. Whether it was because of the innocence radiating from him, or the fact that the energy well had been depleted was to be considered. The frail child said nothing more, his eyes still staring at Yuma. Gray eyes stared into brown until the latter turned away with a small "tch".

The kid wouldn't last a day with his twig like arms and doe eyes. Hell, he was stuck in a hospital bed! The real world wasn't some sort of damn fairy tale- it was kill or be killed. All of the weaklings had been quickly dismissed of or plucked out, and this orphanage was no better. Abusive caretakers, snotty-nosed and arrogant pricks, black market dealings, etc. There was no doubt in this shady place. Shaking his head, Yuma discarded the curtain and returned to his bed, flopping down with a groan. A little while later, another caretaker the boy couldn't care less about placed a tray of (thankfully) clean water and two loaves of bread on the table beside him. After exchanging a few cruel and apathetic words with Azusa, the man walked out with a smug expression upon his face.

Yuma's stomach growled hungrily as he eyed the golden brown buns. The smell was as tantalizing as cardboard, but the sight was as appeasing as cookies. Nonetheless, it was food, and as such, it was edible. Grabbing a loaf off the tray, the child stuffed it into his mouth not caring for the slightly stale taste. His stomach groaned slightly in protest, but otherwise stayed silent, Gulping it down, the water followed right behind it washing away the taste. Just as the other loaf was going to be consumed, another growl echoed throughout the room. Yuma looked toward the source, suddenly remembering that there was another person in the room. The frail boy was looking up at the ceiling as if he was waiting for something. With a scowl upon his face, the brunette took a bite out of the bread signaling that he wouldn't be sharing; however, Azusa never looked at him. Suddenly his appetite disappeared. Hopping off of the bed, Yuma broke the loaf in half, handing the non-bit off piece to the other.

"You won't survive if you don't eat," he grumbled, biting into the bread once more.

He was rewarded with a small smile before another caretaker entered, dragging Yuma to his new room.

It was only a week later that Azusa was declared awake. The young boy was the main source of the orphanages' income. With him being comatose, an influx of money from the government had come in to pay for the tools needed to keep the boy alive. Of course, most of it was not needed to support the boy's life so it was hoarded or used to buy personal items not related to the orphanage at all. Even though Azusa was awake, he had yet to regain balance although his speech was slightly awkward and slow.

Each month, a report on the boy's health was to be mailed to the government. Depending on how fast the message came and his status, money either flowed in surplus amounts or average. That being said, the orphanage made sure to send off the report post haste, making sure the status was over exaggerated yet brief. Now that Azusa had awoken, their income was bound to decrease by margins; however, their market had increased so now they could afford the higher things in life. Vindictive and greedy creatures were what these humans were.

Now, Azusa focused on regaining his balance. Now that the income had become average, "caretakers" decided to kick the young boy out of the hospital wing because they could. The young one had to work like the rest of them in order to live there. As Azusa wobbled from side to side, the door slammed open as a brunette angrily stomped in, stopping at the sight of the black haired boy finally out of bed. A smirk formed upon his face.

"So the bird finally leaves the nest, ah?" Yuma grinned, looking down at the boy.

This was the newcomer from last week, Azusa thought, looking up at the male. He isn't angry anymore.

"Hello.." he greeted, his legs straining to keep balance. Brown eyes scanned the shorter boy's apparel noticing that instead of the usual hospital gown, he had only long black pants on. His pale chest marred with burns and scars stood out, but Yuma had seen worse in his previous gang.

"You should cover up. If you get sick nobody will tend to you."

From the hook, the brunette took a raggedy black cloak, draping it over the young boy, Azusa felt warmth like no ever. Looking up at the brunette with grateful eyes, he opened his mouth to say thank you only for the door to burst open once more. Yuma only had a second to pull Azusa away before a blonde blur sped into the room. His blue eyes roamed the room before resting on black hair poking out from behind a tall figure. Kou could feel the waves of hesitation coming from the taller male in front of him, yet he had seen worst.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"I could ask the same," Yuma retorted keeping a firm grip on Azusa's arm.

"I asked first," Kou pointed out.

"Yeah, and I asked second." The blonde pouted.

"My name is Kou."

"Yuma. What do you want?"

"Nothing to do with you."

"I couldn't care less blondie. What do you want with Azusa?"

"Why do you care?"

"Just answer the fucking question!"

"You should keep your voice down. The caretakers could hear you," a silky voice intoned. Leaning against the doorway, Ruki appeared with an indifferent expression. Not caring for the glares sent his way, he let the door shut behind him. Making direct eye contact with the brunette, he began to speak.

"Yuma, was it? We just came to visit a friend who has been out for a while."

"'Zusa doesn't know any of you, so I suggest you leave-"

A small tug on his shirt alerted the protector of Azusa's presence once more. Brown eyes peered into gray as a small frown appeared. With a sound of disapproval, Yuma stepped aside reluctantly revealing the black cloaked child; however, he stayed close enough to pull the other away if necessary. Ruki didn't show the large amount of smugness expanding within his body. Slow and cautious, the boy approached Azusa and laid a hand upon his head.

"Welcome to the world of living."

Kou took Yuma's non-aggressive response as a sign of approval, joining the group with a smile on his face.

Azusa had never smiled much when he was with Melissa, Justin, and Christina. Not genuinely at least. Justin would look at him with nothing but disgust and anger- enough to make the younger's stomach churn violently as his eyes turned towards him. Melissa barely paid any attention to him (although the strongest kicks and punches always came from her) and Christina would simply glance away as if she didn't partake in such acts of violence. It made him want to laugh loudly and cry a river. Ruki, Kou, and Yuma were different. When the eldest was available, a book was always in his hands, no matter how ragged or torn, and then beautiful words would flow out of his mouth of silly and dainty females or adventurous pirates. Ruki read as though he was in the story, relaying the book through his own perspective. Azusa always got a kick out of the expressions Ruki would make as he read. One day, he would build up the courage to ask the boy to read just as expressively. Kou was always gone for large amounts of time, and he simply couldn't figure out why. Neither Ruki, nor Yuma would tell him anything, simply shrugging it off; however, the younger boy was always there to wrap bandages when he returned. Kou would complain about different things as soon as his body had healed, pale hands flailing wildly as he imitated different kids in the orphanage. Yuma would get a kick out of it, sometimes joining the blonde in his theatrics (as Ruki would call them). The brunette was the person he saw most. "Caretakers" would drag him to the hospital wing to let him patch up his bruised body before dragging him wherever they wanted to. In that short amount of time Azusa would watch as the older male grumbled to himself about wimps and "pussies" before standing up and heading back out- of course, not without a wave to him.

That only made Azusa more eager to get out of the hospital bed and incorporate himself into the orphanage permanently. Determined, the scarred boy practiced and practiced until his energy levels drained. Then, an hour or two of rest would proceed before the test of balance and perseverance would begin once more. In total, it took Azusa three months and sixteen days to regain his balance enough so that no thought was required in order for him to walk. The "caretakers" had given him a room as soon as he was deemed fit to roam around.

It didn't take very long for the boy to return back to the hospital wing.

About five days after he had been released, his legs were permanently damaged once again.

Thump

Thump

Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump. . .

A trail of crimson lined the stairs surface as a small body tumbled down noisily. A noticeable crack filled the hallway as bones in his legs snapped due to malnourishment. Azusa lye on the floor, dazed. Black hair sprawled out and matted with a warm liquid that he knew all too familiar.

Pain

It was everywhere especially his legs; they throbbed violently- each pulse signaled a silent scream of hurt and anguish. Gray eyes stared at the culprits at least five feet away from him, their grins as sharp as a shark's. They sneered at him, jeering and pointing with their thin fingers and arrogant expression; however, Azusa could see past the arrogance and amusement. Self-loathing, jealousy, anger, frustration, and..guilt. Those were the primary emotions he could name, but he didn't understand the last one. "It's every child for himself," Kou had explained to him earlier on. Bullies were what the stories Ruki had read called them, but Azusa could sympathize why they had done this to him- a broken, weak, and malnourished kid. So, ignoring the protests of his body, he laughed.

It wasn't a high pitched sharp laugh. No, it was low so only the people in the hall could hear it, yet it sent a message. Azusa laughed, struggling to stand up by propping himself on the railing. The "bullies" stared at him in horror, their sneers and taunts ending abruptly.

Freak

Bastard's Child

Demon

More kicks ensued right after, but Azusa only laughed harder, encouraging the pain. Eventually, the children tired and split up leaving the small child to lie in the growing puddle of blood slowly increasing beneath him. The strong arms raising him from the warm puddle went unnoticed as Azusa drifted off into the clutches of the black abyss.

Ruki, Kou, and Yuma had all heard of the rumors. None could even begin to comprehend what had happened to the youngest member of their group, but they could definitely judge by the myriad of bruises and bone fractures on the boy's body. Yuma seethed silently as Azusa's chest rose and fell every few seconds. His pale face looked peaceful in his sleep. Blue eyes looked at the resting figure with disguised empathy.

"We will get out of here," Ruki stated, closing his book. Yuma snorted.

"Sure we will."

"I have a plan-"

"Azusa won't be able to," Kou intervened, not looking away from the youngest boy.

"I- no, we will find a way," Ruki replied after a while of silence. "I won't leave my new family behind."

No matter how ludicrous it sounded, Kou and Yuma nodded in agreement. Any way out of the hell hole they would take even if it meant trading their souls to the Devil.

Long time no see, right?

Here's the deal. After about a year of waiting, I have five chapters of my Katekyo Hitman Reborn fan fiction edited and ready to go, as well as three chapters of Eyeshield 21. It's up to my laptop whether or not they'll get published or not. I'm seriously hoping for a Wednesday.

At the beginning of the year, my surrogate older sister created a Diabolik Lovers forum. An RP (role play) forum that I considered to be family...somewhat. It's gone now, unfortunately, but I still keep in contact with most of them. So, if that's any one of you guys, this fanfic is dedicated to you. Thanks for chilling with me.