Title: Shadow of the King

Rated: T

Warnings:Mentions of abuse

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, their abilities, or any anime/manga that may make an appearance. They all belong to their respective creators.

A/N: I know it doesn't seem that interesting at the moment, but the plot will develop more as I go along. All I ask is that you at least read to the end of the chapter, or half of it before making your decision on whether you want to continue reading it. I would really appreciate it! Also, on a different note, while there may be a few OC's, this story is not dependant on them, except for the main antagonist. Remember, this a reincarnation fanfic. Being reincarnated doesn't mean getting the same name. So, who you might think is an OC may really be the reincarnate of a character from a different anime/manga than K.

Chapter 1: Change

OoOoO

"The key to change... is to let go of fear."

-Rosanne Cash

OoOoO

Hanaka was afraid of many things.

A pessimist at heart, he went through life believing everything was out to get him. He feared death, memories, fighting, and pain, like any sane person. All animals were regarded with hazy fear and worry, and spiders were reacted to with shrieks and frantic slapping.

But most of all, he was utterly terrified of Ms. Imperatrix, or 'the Empress' as she was called.

At first glance, she seemed kind, welcoming even. With her ageless face, long silky raven hair, pale porcelain skin, and wide obsidian eyes, she looked like a goddess. She would smile and laugh as if she'd known you your whole life ("Call me Ms. Trixie! No need for such formality."), and treat you like you were worth every dollar she owned. She would give you whatever you asked for, and let you do whatever you wanted.

Then, when you least expected it, she took you.

Convince everyone: parents if you had any, orphanages, and if you lived on the streets; you – that there was something wrong with you only she could treat, that you had a special ability that would be stunted if you stayed there any longer, and if that didn't work she'd kidnap you. And the next thing you knew, she would have you.

The Empress always was possessive. That was the first thing you'd learn in the dreary halls of the Empress's Mansion. Everyone learned, sooner or later. That the Empress didn't care about you, she wouldn't give you anything unless you begged for it (and even then it depended on her mood), and that she was anything but kind, or sweet, or wonderful.

She didn't care about any of the children she took- only about who they once were.

Someone had once told Hanaka that everyone had a hobby. If that was true, then the Empress's would be collecting reincarnations, and using them for her own personal gain.

He didn't know how she found them, or how she could tell a reincarnate from a mortal. All he knew was that everyone in this hell hole of house – all five hundred and forty-three - had lived before; had had another identity, another life.

Even him.

Well, almost everyone. There was a reason no one had ever rebelled against the Empress, for with every new reincarnate, two more Watchers would seem to appear. Watchers were the guards, and they were all completely identical- same height, hair and eye color, same shoe size, voice, clothes, and same nasty personality. Not that you could tell much from the thick armor they wore. They had no qualms about hurting kids, even seemed to enjoy it, and it was no surprise that they were right behind the Empress in Hanaka's Things-I-Am-Completely-Terrified-Of list.

And if things weren't bad enough, there was that everyone was separated to help avoid rebellions. In the Mansion, there were three official "types" of reincarnates. The unofficial fourth "type" was Unknown, which was basically almost every new reincarnate who had come to the Mansion. Everyone came here rather young. Before you turned eight, you were usually sorted into one of the three categories; no exceptions.

The first and most common "type" of reincarnate was Naturals. They were the ones that were just like everyone else, no special abilities or useful traits to speak of, as far as the Empress was concerned. They were treated alike to servants, or maybe slaves (Hanaka wouldn't know, he'd been in the Mansion since he was five), as if they were being punished for not being special. Naturals were forced to do all the housework (which included burying any bodies), like cooking and cleaning the entire Mansion inside and out. In addition, they were the ones who looked after any Unknowns before where they belonged was made clear, and they would tag along to help with their Caretaker's ( the unofficial name for the unlucky Natural) chores (the correct term was manual labor, but the Empress thought chores was a kinder way of saying it).

Naturals were treated the worst of the lot, with the least amount of food, a pile of ratty blankets instead of a bed, and around twenty of them crammed into the small bedrooms on the top floor. It was always unbearably cold in the winters but mild in the summers. Hanaka would know. He was a Natural.

The second "type" was Star-Crossed, which was just a fancy way of saying unlucky. Star-Crossed all had some type of strange, odd, and usually unique ability, which was because all Star-Crossed were reincarnations of people from other dimensions or universes, who were unlucky enough to be reborn in this one. Hence the name.

Their abilities determined what jobs they were assigned; for instance, one Star-Crossed named Emilia could turn invisible. Last Hanaka had heard of her, she was in charge of gathering info on any enemies the Empress managed to make.

Star-Crossed were treated far better than Naturals, with two small meals every day (well, he said meals. It usually consisted of a small bowl of broth, a hard roll, water, and some type of fruit). Hanaka was often given the task of delivering it to them. They slept in dorms of six, and unlike the Naturals, had actual (if ragged) beds.

The final, and the rarest, "type" of reincarnation was Aurans. Aurans, like the name implied, had Auras, which was usually channeled through a weapon of some sorts, or their body. Every Aura varied in color and ability, and so far he'd seen blue, purple, yellow, and green. In Hanaka's opinion, this was by far the worst type of reincarnate to be. To the Naturals and Star-Crossed of the Empress's Mansion, it was a known fact that no Auran lived past the age of nine at most. It wasn't the fault of their situation; Aurans got three full meals every day, their own rooms, no chores, and minimal contact with other reincarnates, so they never got sick often. Even if they did, they were treated by the second best doctors the Empress had (the best being reserved for herself).

The reason an Auran had never lived past the age of nine was because the Empress killed them by then.

The Empress ate Auras, fed off them, and every time she would take a little too much and kill the Auran in the process. It was one of the most painful deaths you could have, and there was a zero percent chance for survival.

Hanaka had seen it once. He'd been twelve at the time, and obedient enough to be allowed to deliver food to the Aurans. One boy, Haden, had wielded a blue aura the color of the summer sky, which constantly shimmered around him in a faint haze able to sheild him from harm. He had never taken the Empress's treatment well, and had always challenged her at every chance. He had been old enough to remember his parents, and always swore one day he'd escape and the Empress would pay for her crimes.

Hanaka had shuffled meekly through the door, just in time to see the pale hand resting on Haden's cheek, and the last of the sky blue Aura disappear into the Empress's pretty little mouth. Haden had crumpled to the floor similar to a puppet with its strings cut, blood running from his eyes like tears and dribbling from his ears, nose and mouth. His eyes had been open, and the glassy orbs had haunted Hanaka's dreams for weeks.

At the time, Hanaka hadn't felt a thing. The reality of what he'd witnessed had only sunk in later that night, when no one was around to see.

He hadn't been close to Haden, the few times they had interacted had never on good terms. Hanaka had thought him brash and reckless, and Haden had once told him to his face that the burnet was a spineless dog that couldn't think for himself.

It didn't mean Hanaka thought Haden deserved to die, especially the way he had. It was times like that that made his soul scream at the unfairness of it all. If only he was stronger, or faster, maybe he could of-

Hanaka didn't know why he felt that way. He was a Natural. He couldn't save anyone.

Eventually, the dark-eyed boy learned to ignore it, to just not care. The Empress always got her way in the end. It was best just to do as he was told and never put up a fuss. It hurt sometimes, especially when he heard the muffled sobs at night or glimpsed unexplainable injuries, but as long as he distanced himself from everyone, the pain dulled to a faint ache. He could even convince himself he didn't care about the others in the end.

Hanaka's own Caretaker had once told him, long ago, that just when you thought you had everything figured out; life would throw in something completely unexpected to change everything. At the time, Hanaka hadn't understood. He only realized how true this was eight years later.

OoOoO

It was a few months before Hanaka's 14th birthday. The Empress had left without warning a few weeks before, but Hanaka didn't dare hope. When the Empress left the Mansion, it was usually to pick up new reincarnations.

Sure enough, late March, the Empress returned to the Mansion with an unusually small group of reincarnates. It consisted of a pair of four-year-old twins, a boy with green eyes who couldn't be more than six, and finally, a seven-year-old little girl who looked as though the weight of the world rested on her shoulders.

Out of the bunch, she was the oddest.

The seven-year-old's hair was blood-red, and with her golden eyes and light skin, made for a very unique combination. She was small for her age, and if the Empress hadn't told them all outright she was around 7, Hanaka would have guessed around four or five at least. She seemed too frail to be 7, as if she might shatter any second. Her face was drawn and pale, as well as shadowed from either lack of sleep or nightmares, maybe both. Her clothes were too big for her, the faded gray tee-shirt she was using as a makeshift dress dwarfing her small frame.

Despite her appearance, her eyes were wary and distrustful, shoulders stiff with tension, which was unusual. Almost everyone had to stay a few days before realizing the Empress's true intentions. The redhead's eyes kept darting towards the doors as if she was considering making a run for it.

The Empress's perfectly manicured hand clamped on the girl's shoulder, and her choice was taken away from her. Dark soulless eyes skimmed over the crowd dismissively before resting on him.

"Hm… Hanaka, was it?" The Empress exclaimed brightly in false kindness. "Would you mind looking after this one here? Poor dear, she's rather shy."

Said "poor dear" was staring at the hand clutching her shoulder with a smoldering glare, which brought to mind the phrase, 'if looks could kill'.

As it was, Hanaka couldn't refuse. The Empress may have made it sound like a request, but the words themselves carried an undertone of warning that promised pain if he should disagree.

Hanaka bowed low, careful to avoid eye contact, which would have been taken as a challenge to the Empress's authority.

"It w-would be m-my p-p-pleas-s-sure, Ms. T-Trixie," He replied shakily. Something about the woman's stare always made his skin crawl in an unpleasant way, causing him to stutter. It didn't help that the Empress constantly insisted on being addressed as Ms. Trixie, as it put them all on more familiar terms, "like a real family," she'd claim. The words felt tasted like ash in his mouth.

The child's wandering golden gaze snapped to him with unsettling intensity, but she made no move to walk to him. Hanaka flinched. The Empress wasn't going to take that well.

The fake smile that continuously stayed put on the Empress's features strained noticeably. "Kiku dear," she cooed, "This nice young man is going to make sure you settle in all right. Go and say hello, and be polite."

The false care never failed to remind Hanaka just how she convinced people to give them up. The girl – Kiku- made a disgusted face at the sound of it, before she practically tore herself free of the Empress's hold and walked reluctantly to stand by Hanaka.

He gave her a weak smile but it wasn't returned, the child ignoring him completely, watching suspiciously as the Empress assigned the other new Unknowns to Caretakers.

When the Empress finished, she adjourned the gathering, and swept off to her chambers for a relaxing bath, but not before giving the newly appointed Caretakers an extra list of chores for their charges. Twice the amount of people meant twice the amount of work.

As the group of reincarnates went back to finish their respective jobs, Hanaka offered a quivering hand to the redhead, and took a deep breath. He hated introductions, mostly because they were always so awkward. "H-hello…m-my name is H-Hanaka. You're K-Kiku, r-r-right? Nice t-t-t-to meet y-you."

Kiku didn't take his hand, her blazing amber eyes taking in every detail of his face. He let his hand linger in the air for a second longer before it fell back to his side.

After a long (and decidedly awkward) moment, she strode past him to where the other Unknowns had headed, but not before leaving him with a passing comment.

"Coward."

Her voice was bored but as cold as ice, the words themselves twisted by a slight accent and a hint of disgust.

Hanaka didn't move and Kiku didn't stop walking, and the silence was filled with things Hanaka didn't have the courage to say.

OoOoO

The first few weeks passed by without any incidents, until one dreary morning in April. Kiku and Hanaka had been assigned to deliver food to the Star-Crossed that day, and in hindsight, Hanaka should have known something disastrous would occur. Everything had been far too quiet for his liking.

As they walked down one of the many twisting hallways in the Mansion, a pair of Watchers rounded the corner of a side hall, crashing into Kiku. The small girl slammed hard onto the floor, the bowls and plates she had been carefully balancing in her arms shattering against the stone.

The Watchers turned to sneer at the redhead. "Watch where yer goin', brat," one snapped furiously, deliberately stepping on one of the few plates left intact, snapping it under his heel. "Ain't ya going ta apologize?"

Kiku was staring at the ground, refusing to look at them. When she spoke, her reply was quiet and stiff with anger. "I didn't mean to run into you."

The Watcher bristled at the disrespectful tone. "Do ya think I care? I said, apologize. Respect yer betters, scum."

Kiku's amber eyes flashed, but Hanaka grabbed her arm before she could open her mouth. "We're v-very s-s-sorry," he babbled, desperately trying to salvage the situation before it got any worse. "B-But please, we n-need to-"

The Watcher cut the raven-haired teen off, knocking him down to the ground with one punch to the face.

"Did I ask ya, ya little piece of garbage?" The Watcher snarled, but turned away from the two, walking back off down the hall; but not before lashing out a kick at Kiku's ribs. The girl dodged, the kick barely skimming her side. The Watchers' lips curled, but they didn't react.

Hanaka waited until the two were out of sight before slowly rising to his feet. The punch had been unexpected, and his head had snapped against the ground when he had hit it. His vision was blurry, and for a moment Hanaka thought he was going to be sick.

Using the wall to support him, he wearily noticed the food he had been carrying strewn across the floor. It must have fallen out of his grip when he'd been hit. Shaking away the last of the dizziness, and deciding it didn't really matter anymore, he knelt beside Kiku to help her clean up the broken plates. The redhead was frozen in place, her hands curling into white-knuckled fists, and for a moment Hanaka glimpsed a dark fury flash over her features. The moment passed, and together they cleaned up the broken pottery in silence. Hanaka dismissed the fury- it wasn't uncommon, not here, and it could have just as easily been his imagination.

The matter was resolved easily, a quick pit-stop to the kitchens to explain the broken dishes and ruined food (Hanaka blamed the incident on his natural clumsiness. He would probably receive a lecture from the Empress and lose his dinner for a few days, but better him than Kiku. It wasn't like he could tell them it was the Watchers, it happened too often to be an excuse), and a quiet explanation to the Star-Crossed about why their lunch was late, and then all that remained was the Empress's lecture.

It mostly consisted of her bemoaning the fact that the poor ungrateful orphans who she had taken in from the goodness of her own heart were always insisting on going out of their way to cause destruction, and how, though it 'pained' her to do so, her hand was forced to deliver punishment: he wouldn't be given any food for the next two days, and hopefully that would put him back on the right path, pitiful misguided child that he was.

A part of Hanaka felt like pointing out not all of them were orphans, and another, smaller part thought nastily that it wasn't like she had a heart in the first place. Of course, he didn't say a word of it aloud, but the thought was still there.

It was funny in a bitter sort of way that these thoughts hadn't existed (or at least been much quieter) before Kiku came.

Finally, the Empress grew bored with his meek and quiet demeanor, and dismissed him from her chambers. As Hanaka shuffled tiredly into the room towards his pile of blankets, he came face-to-face with Kiku, who appeared to have been waiting for him to arrive. If Hanaka had been more awake and less hungry, he would have been more surprised. It was no secret that he and Kiku didn't see eye-to-eye on most things, and the redhead made no attempt to hide her dislike for the burnet.

She didn't say anything right away, as if choosing each word carefully and testing its efficacy to get her point across. With a small sigh, she gave him an appraising glance.

"I still think you're a coward," she began softly, brow furrowing. "But…" she paused, scowling slightly.

"I also think…you have a reason to be."

Satisfied, she placed something on his blankets and burrowed into her own, asleep before her head hit the ground.

Still in shock from the rather abrupt statement, Hanaka moved in a daze, cautiously inspecting whatever it was she gave him. Upon seeing what it was, he jerked back in surprise. A few apple slices, stale bread, and a small piece of ham. It was probably most of her own meal and whatever she'd nicked from the table, if the ham and apple (apple, which was as rare as sweet things) was anything to go by.

Hanaka gaped at Kiku's sleeping form, before a hopeful smile crept across his features.

An apology, acceptance, and a peace-offering all rolled into one. It was more than he could have ever hoped for.

OoOoO

After that, Hanaka and Kiku's overall relationship improved greatly. Kiku stopped treating him like one would a pathetic insect or an untrustworthy ally, and no longer looked at him with that hint of disdain; but instead with a tiny amount of respect. Hanaka relaxed more around her and didn't stutter as often when talking to her, a small self-inflicted weight lifting off his shoulders. Like when he had stood up to the Watchers to keep their focus off her, he had done something right for once.

As the months passed by, Hanaka understood more about what made Kiku Kiku, besides his first impression of weird-seven-year-old-with-freaky-eyes-and-freakier -hair. Things like; her favorite color was red (the irony had Hanaka snickering for days) she liked horse meat (which was just weird) and had a slight obsession with the outdoors, a storm once keeping her glued to windows for hours. She hated being told what to do, prison food (Hanaka was mildly disturbed by the implication she knew what prison food tasted like), and the color blue.

It also hadn't taken Hanaka long to realize that despite her violent yet childish demeanor, Kiku could be the most laid back person on earth. The young girl slept whenever she could, just about anywhere. In the beginning, this habit had almost given her blue-eyed Caretaker a heart attack. Despite getting more food and cleaner water than from when she was on the streets, Kiku was still painfully thin and small, malnourishment and harsh conditions in her past made agonizingly clear. The first time Hanaka found her curled against a wall fast asleep, he thought she had died.

Soon, though, it wasn't uncommon for Hanaka to find her asleep in dark corners or between the decorative arches in the halls, near the ceiling. Once, Hanaka had even found her sleeping behind one of the couches in the main living room.

There was one thing that had been easy to see even before the two had become sorta-maybe-friends. The fact that Kiku detested the Empress with every fiber of her being came as no surprise to Hanaka. The wordless fury he had glimpsed in her eyes when they had first met was easy to see now, burning in her eyes every second. He suspected it had existed even before she had step foot in the Mansion, but now he knew her well enough to recognize the look in her eyes for what it was: pure, uncontrollable hatred.

Once, Hanaka would have thought her foolish. Hating the Empress was a petty revenge, and could only bring ruin. Now, when he looked in a mirror the same hatred burned in his own eyes, not as bright but there all the same.

OoOoO

One early December morning, Hanaka woke up to find Kiku's blankets empty. After a few moments of panic and a quick glance around the room, he found her by the only window, face pressed against the glass. The air was frigid, and Hanaka was reluctant to leave the relative warmth of the covers. However, with a slight sigh, he quietly stood to join her, his curiosity overwhelming his desire for warmth.

White flakes drifted through the gray morning, the sun not even visible yet. They coated already snowy grounds in a powdery white, casting a luminous gleam to the icy gardens.

"Snow," Kiku breathed in awe, wonder creeping into her voice. Her eyes were bright and innocent in a way Hanaka had never seen before, her breath crystallizing in the winter air. She seemed…younger, more like a child.

Of course, Hanaka knew that to society, Kiku was a child. To him though, the redhead just didn't act like it. She was just too quiet, too serious, too relaxed, too…

…Kiku.

Seeing her like this constantly forced Hanaka to grasp just how unlike a normal seven-year-old Kiku was. Those few moments she was like this, bright-eyed with amazement and breathless with astonishment, were moments Hanaka burned into memory.

A cold breeze from one of the holes in the roof snapped Hanaka out of his wandering thoughts, and shivers racked his body.

"Why a-are y-y-you up so e-early, anyways?" He asked softly, trying and failing to keep his teeth from chattering. They weren't supposed to be up for another hour and a half or so.

Kiku didn't answer right away, content to just stare out into the open air. Deciding she would answer when she felt like it, Hanaka turned to go back and snuggle into his covers until the chill left. To his surprise, Kiku gave him an answer earlier than he had predicted.

"It's my birthday today."

Hanaka wasn't expecting that, though he really should have, tripping over thin air in his instinctive reaction to whip around and stare at her in shock. Falling to the ground in a heap, he stubbornly ignored Kiku's amused expression and clamored to his feet quickly; cheeks cherry-red. Thankfully, his fall hadn't woken anyone up.

"Your b-birthday?" he repeated softly, simultaneously wracking his mind for the date.

"December 16th," Kiku confirmed, turning back to stare outside. "I'll be eight tonight."

Hanaka blinked, trying to come to terms with the fact Kiku was a winter child. He'd always taken her for a summer one.

"Eight, h-huh…" Well, that was weird. Not the fact that Kiku knew her birthday (though some of the others didn't) but rather that he now had to think of her as eight, when she still looked like a five-year-old.

Grabbing one of his blankets, he joined her by the window. He could almost see why Kiku loved the outdoors- it was beautiful, and the silence made the scene even more breathtaking.

Hanaka gave a small but sincere smile. "It's a-almost like the s-s-sky made it snow j-just for y-you."

An inconsequential hum. "Really?"

He gave a shaky nod in return. "Uh-h-huh."

"…"

"K-Kiku?" Hanaka started hesitantly.

"What?"

"Happy birthday."

A small smile graced her features, so fast he nearly missed it.

"…Thanks."

OoOoO

The first week of September, almost nine months later, found Hanaka's thoughts centering on the phrase: just a little longer.

It was all he could think about. Just a little longer. One more week. Seven days. Just a little longer until Kiku was proclaimed a Natural by default.

It was not the first time an almost eight year old had come to the Mansion (the official age where late abilities or Auras made themselves known), and it had been decided if the child was not classified a few months before their ninth birthday (or supposed age, as most of them didn't remember their birthdays), they would be automatically classified as a Natural.

So far, Kiku hadn't shown any unnatural abilities whatsoever. Her being officially named a Natural would ease some of Hanaka's worries and lift his spirits a little, even if it was the worst place to be. If she was a Star-Crossed he wouldn't be able to see her nearly as often, and Hanaka couldn't even fathom Kiku being an Auran- she had done nothing to be cursed with something as terrible as an Aura.

Besides, if Hanaka was honest with himself, he just didn't want to lose his first friend.

"…Why are you so cheerful?"

Hanaka jerked out of his wayward thoughts forcefully, nearly tripping over his own feet in the process. With a desperate cry, he lunged forward to try to keep the bucket of cold soapy water he'd been carrying from splashing all over the floor.

Kiku was looking at him with an exasperated but amused expression, as well as a worrying amount of curiosity, her arms full of tattered cloths and rags.

Hanaka flushed, unsure of how to address the issue. He was well aware that hoping Kiku would be a Natural simply so he could talk to her more often was unbelievably selfish. It didn't help matters much that the redhead's opinion of him meant more than it should. He didn't want to tell her how self-centered he was, when a good friend would have wanted her to have a better lifestyle.

Desperately, he scanned his mind for an excuse for his oddly cheery behavior. "Eh…b-b-because it's a n-nice day o-out?"

Well. No one ever said he was good at lying.

Kiku actually rolled her eyes at him, which Hanaka took it to mean something like 'yeah right,' but didn't bother to point out the flaws in his blatant lie. Like the fact it was already evening and he only ever stuttered anymore when he was lying or cold.

"We're here," Kiku stated, abruptly changing the subject much to Hanaka's relief.

He shouldered into the room, thankfully keeping most of the water in the bucket. Slipping in after Kiku, he took a moment to survey the area they were supposed to clean and resisted the urge to shudder. The walls were sooty and covered with mold from the damp air. The floor wasn't much better, except it had the added pleasure of smelling like a sewer. He'd never seen a room in the Mansion this foul before.

Kiku was already kneeling gingerly in the muck, the rag in her hands soaked through, scrubbing at the filth with single-minded determination. Giving the room one last courtesy glance (and definitely noticing the two Watchers by the door, who were just waiting for one of them to make a mistake); he crouched next to his friend. As he picked mold from between the grooves in the stone, the rumors of this room once being used as a torture chamber rang a little louder.

The next few hours passed by in a relative silence, so quiet Hanaka could hear Kiku's soft, even breaths and the repetitive tick-tick of the grandfather clock a while back. There were no windows, but through the crack in the door, Hanaka watched the light turn from the last lingering rays of sun to the pale soft glow of the lamp hanging outside the door.

By what Hanaka estimated to be around eleven; maybe ten, the two of them had almost finished the chamber. Hanaka's arms ached terribly, and by the slight twitches of agitation on Kiku's face, he guessed it was the same for her. The Watchers had long since gotten bored with trying to find mistakes in their work, and had moved on to loudly wondering on the mental state of the reincarnations.

Mournfully, Hanaka realized they were almost at the point where they would have to ask the Watchers to move so they could scrub where they were standing. It was a lose-lose situation: if they did, the Watchers would take it as an opportunity to torment them; but if they didn't they would be reported for not completing their task.

Seeming to come to the same realization as Hanaka, Kiku slammed her rag into the refilled water bucket with more force than necessary. Foamy liquid flung into the air, soaking them both.

A frustrated hiss made its way through Kiku's clenched teeth, amber eyes flickering over to him briefly in a silent apology. Hanaka gave her a comforting smile- he knew Kiku hated having to ask anything of the Watchers, choosing to ignore their existence completely in the hopes she would be spared having to deal with them.

She gave a tiny wisp of a smile back but in the next second stiffened sharply, the expression sliding off her face like water as a thick and meaty hand clamped on her bony wrist.

"Ain't ya gonna say sorry ta me, runt?" The Watcher snarled, looming over her. "Ya got my shoes wet."

Despite himself, Hanaka found his gaze being drawn to the expensive leather shoes and to his complete lack of surprise, found both pairs spotless.

Kiku didn't shrink back from the threatening atmosphere the Watcher gave off, glaring back just as fierce, eyes narrowed and fingers biting into her palm for a scrap of self-control.

Hanaka shot her a pleading look, and her features tightened in rage. Looking dearly like she wanted to strangle someone (probably the Watcher himself), she grit out, "I apologize," in the most flat and monotone voice Hanaka had ever heard.

Unlike the last time with the dishes, the Watcher didn't seem to be so keen on letting her off without punishment. He sneered, his grip tightening on her arm.

"I don't believe ya," The Watcher said silkily. "But ya know what? I'm in a good mood today, so I'll go easy on ya. Clean them."

Kiku frowned momentarily confused. "What?"

"My shoes, imbecile. Clean them. With yer tongue."

Hanaka swallowed in disgust; even though he knew logically the Watchers could have asked her to do much worse- he had heard all the horror stories.

Kiku stared at the Watcher in shock before her eyes flickered down to his shoes.

"They don't look dirty to me."

The Watcher's small eyes gleamed with a sadistic light and Hanaka flinched in distress when a hand slapped Kiku hard across the face.

It was enough to snap Hanaka out of his stupor and get him moving, but it was already too late. In the moment after the Watcher's hand had connected with her cheek, the redhead had hissed softly under her breath.

"Lick them yourself, you cowardly arrogant pig."

And Hanaka knew, knew with horrible certainty, that the Watcher had heard the words too.

He dashed in front of her, knocking the shell-shocked Watcher's arm away from her. There would be no avoiding a fight now, but maybe he could-

And in the next instant, he watched numbly as the white-faced Watcher drew a long wicked dagger out of its sheath.

Oh. That's…not good.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the other Watcher move to strike down Kiku, and before he could think about it, threw out an arm to hit his wrist, and the blow missed. Belatedly realizing he had taken his eyes off of Watcher #1, he turned back around just in time to see a flash of silver aimed for his head and to think, well I'm screwed, in the kind of calm that only comes when you finally grasp that yeah, I'm about to die.

And he had no doubt that if the knife had found its mark; he would have died, likely very painfully. He could have lain on the cold floor watching through glazed eyes as the life bled out of him, maybe even seen them finish off Kiku as well, regretting all his mistakes- like the fact he had never said goodbye to his Caretaker, or never thanking Kiku for being his first friend; for not speaking against the inhumane actions the Empress and her Watchers had partaken.

But the dagger never found its mark. Because in that instant, the world was consumed by fire.

OoOoO

Hanaka gawked in astonishment, unable to think clearly. A figure wreathed in reddish-pink flames stood before him, the charred bodies of the two Watchers lying at their feet. Their daggers were now a molten puddle on the cobblestone, the intricate wooden handles a rapidly disappearing pile of ashes. It was a terribly beautiful scene, and Hanaka couldn't look away, entranced by the formidable Aura.

And then the figure turned to look at him, and the moment was shattered because Hanaka knew this person. Couldn't believe it, didn't want to believe it, but at the same time couldn't deny the evidence.

Kiku was pale, the red Aura still curling around her body in a deadly embrace. She was breathing hard, shaking like a leaf.

"Are…are you alright?" She gasped out, looking a bit worried.

Hanaka gave a numb nod in response, not trusting himself to speak.

Kiku gave a tired smile that couldn't be anything but false. "That's… good. We… we should head back…now…"

Her amber eyes were unfocused in a way Hanaka had seen before- it was the kind of look reincarnates got when they recalled something they shouldn't have known, a memory from their past life. Hanaka had experienced them before, and when it happened you felt confused and muddled, as if your past was trying to override your future. If it was a particularly important memory, you got headaches instead, and a strong feeling of dread, like remembering was something to be feared.

It was late and Kiku was obviously tired, and with her mind in disarray as it was, she was more likely to run into a wall then find her way back. As her Caretaker, Hanaka had to take control of the situation, even if he felt like screaming or breaking anything in immediate vicinity. Everything else could come later.

Taking a shaky breath and forcing his chaotic thoughts to the side, he pushed himself up and tried to appear the opposite of what he was really feeling: controlled, calm, and confident. He was pretty sure he failed in that regard, but Kiku looked as if she might pass out any second and probably didn't notice.

"Y-You're right," he agreed, forcing the tremor out of his voice. "It's late, and you should sleep…W-we'll figure out what to do l-later…okay?"

Kiku gave a sleepy nod and made to move towards the door. To her credit, she only stumbled slightly, and Hanaka caught her arm softly, keeping her upright. Casting one last glance at the cooling bodies lying on the ground, he swallowed hard to keep the bile from rising in his throat and squashed down his automatic reaction to panic, steering Kiku gently out the door.

And wondered what could make this hellish night any worse.

OoOoO

Hanaka pressed his forehead against the cool glass of the only window, mind racing. Kiku had an Aura. She was an Auran. It was the strongest Aura he had ever seen, and she had killed two Watchers. It was so late they wouldn't be discovered until morning so that was good.

He choked back a sob. Good. He thought the fact no one would know Kiku was an Auran as well as a murderer (but was it really murder if she had done it to protect him?) was good.

Kiku had an Aura.

…He didn't want to accept that. He couldn't. If Kiku had an Aura, that meant…

She had killed two Watchers. In defense of him, yes, and he was pretty sure that would hold in court or something, but here? Kiku was a threat.

The redhead would be dead before noon. Like Haden, all empty eyes and blood-stained lips, and, and-

Hanaka bit his lip to keep tears from falling, and turned to where Kiku had collapsed, fast asleep. He'd told her what he knew of Aurans and Auras when she'd arrived. She knew she had an Aura and what it entailed, and yet, there she was, acting as though everything would turn out okay.

Or maybe she actually believed it would be. Trusted him enough that whatever he decided, it would be the best option.

And that hurt, more than all the accusing eyes of his fellow reincarnates, than the cruel torments of the Watchers, almost as much as realizing that no, his Caretaker wasn't coming back, not this time.

More than anything, Hanaka feared betraying that trust.

But why him? Out of all the people, why would she place her trust in a cowardly, clumsy reincarnate who couldn't do anything?

…He was over thinking this. His Caretaker had always said if something looked too big to handle, all you had to do was break it up into little pieces, decide what you wanted, and find a compromise that accomplished everything you desired while taking care of the problem.

So what did he want? What didn't he want?

He wanted to do something right. He wanted to stop being a coward. He didn't want the bodies found. He didn't want to betray Kiku's trust. He didn't want…

He didn't want Kiku to die.

And in the end, that was all that mattered.

OoOoO

By the time Hanaka had collected what little he thought they could use from the small room, as well as the minute pile of money he had stored over the years and what little personal items he had, it was around one in the morning. After tying up the food he had stored (in the case he had ever needed it) in a ratty face-cloth, he shuffled silently over to where Kiku was still sleeping.

He shook her shoulder softly, praying that he wouldn't need to do something drastic like banging her head against the wall or something. Kiku was heavy sleeper when she wanted to be.

Thankfully, Kiku woke up almost immediately. She didn't look at all surprised to see Hanaka holding the bundle of items over his shoulder, or that he had taken one of his thickest blankets as a cloak. The reason hit Hanaka like a hammer to the head.

"You knew…"he whispered, staring at her with wide eyes. "You knew I would…how?"

Kiku just gave an amused smirk in return, quickly grabbing her own food pile and thickest blanket. Then she slipped her hand between the folds of the blanket she used as a pillow, removing a worn necklace. A small woven dream-catcher hung of a thin metal chain, a shard of obsidian and a tiny gray bead tied into the web.

She tied it around her neck and hid the dream-catcher under her dress, added her food to Hanaka's pile, and cast one last long look out the window.

Then she turned to him, and Hanaka saw her eyes were as awake as ever, gleaming in the shadows.

"Because you're you," she said quietly. "And you usually take the hard way."

She gave him a small smile, grateful and sincere. "You could have given me over to the Empress. You didn't. Thanks."

Hanaka felt warmth bloom in his chest, and realized he was…happy. He could barely remember the last time anyone had believed in him. Not since…

No. He couldn't think about that at the moment. If they wanted to escape, it had to be now.

Hanaka was terrified. His heart was beating so loudly he wondered why no one had woken up. Blood roared in his ears, his throat was dry, and he was shaking so hard it was a miracle he hadn't tripped yet. But at the same time, he had never wanted anything more. Freedom was a faraway dream, but for a moment he could almost see it becoming a reality.

Licking his dry lips, he gave a firm nod. Kiku gave a wicked smirk in return.

It was time.

OoOoO

It was surprisingly easy to sneak through the Mansion to the huge double doors at the entrance. It probably had something to do with the fact they knocked out every Watcher they came across before they could sound the alarm (Hanaka still felt slightly uncomfortable about that, and probably would have felt more guilty about if he hadn't witnessed them beat kids for fun and torture reincarnates just because they could. As it was, he couldn't help but think they really deserved this, but it didn't change the fact he hated having to use violence).

Still, he couldn't help but think that the whole thing was just too easy. Apparently Kiku felt the same, because she was looking over her shoulder every few seconds like she was expecting some giant monster to pop out and try to eat them.

…It was more probable than Hanaka would like to believe. Who knew, paranoia was contagious.

Despite their misgivings, they made it out to the gardens without any trouble (Kiku knocked out the Watchers guarding with the hilt of a dagger they stole off the sleeping Watcher that had guarded their rooms) and halfway to the gate before the alarm was sounded.

The alarm wasn't the normal blare like it was for fires, but rather a horrendous screeching that was usually associated with the cry of a banshee. It came out of nowhere, and scared Hanaka so terribly he shrieked not that it would have mattered. It was unlikely anyone could have heard it over the screams.

Kiku snapped out of her shock and instinctive fear first. Grabbing his wrist, she dragged him away from where they'd frozen, bright lights illuminating the grounds so completely it was impossible to hide. Hundreds of Watchers streamed from the Mansion, and bloodthirsty howls echoed faintly over the alarm.

The hounds were released, monstrous inky black beasts about the size of a full-grown black bear and starved to the point they had to be kept in separate cages to keep them from eating each other. They were dark blurs in the artificial lights, trampling Watchers and greenery in their hunt for fresh prey.

This, Hanaka realized, this was why no reincarnate had ever escaped from the Empress. Either they would be torn apart by murderous hounds or killed by the Watchers, every escape route blocked, and the lone iron gate strong enough to withstand anything they tried to break it with.

No matter which way he turned, death loomed in the horizon.

Strength left him, and Hanaka fell to his knees as the hopelessness of the situation overwhelmed him. One of the hounds leapt towards them, jaws open impossibly wide, deadly sharp canines caked in dried blood, and Hanaka could see the insane hunger in its blood-shot eyes.

Everything was happening so fast it was hard to keep track of what was going on. One moment Hanaka was about to become dog food, the next Kiku was standing over him; fist coated in her crimson Aura, the mutt darting away with a submissive whimper.

It took a few seconds for Hanaka to understand what had happened. Kiku must have knocked the hound away from them just in time, and in the face of her formidable power, the animal had calmed, its starvation forgotten in its rush to escape from the greater threat.

By this time, Kiku was already moving, and Hanaka scrambled to his feet, snatching his fallen pack before running after her, right to the gates.

They were lucky. The glimpse of Kiku's Aura had frozen many of the Watchers in their tracks, and the rest of the hounds avoided the red Aura like it was the Plague, turning on the Watchers instead.

The iron gates were huge, encasing the entire Mansion in a thirty feet high wall of solid iron, covered in charms and seals all spelled to make it resistant to any damage, magical or otherwise. For decades, it had felt the desperate fists of reincarnates, and had soaked in their blood when they had finally fallen, crushing dreams of escape for as long as it had stood.

It didn't stand a chance.

An onslaught of power swept over the gardens, forcing many to their knees. The gates crumpled, twisting in a molten heap on the ground, curling away from the source. A gaping hole marred the once impenetrable barrier, and beyond it Hanaka could see the thick trunks of pine trees.

Kiku was coated in her Aura; golden eyes now a glowing crimson. Far above her in the night sky, a gleaming sword-like object hung over her, its jagged edge aiming directly at the redhead. She was whispering over and over the words, "No blood, no bone, no ash," like it was the only thing in the world keeping her grounded.

Dead silence.

Risking a glance over his shoulder, Hanaka saw that this time, everyone had seen Kiku destroy the gate, and all had recognized it for what it was: an Aura, most definitely the most powerful one they had ever seen. At some point the Empress had entered the field (probably to gloat over their mangled bodies), and her pretty face was slack with shock and alight with greed.

Hanaka didn't hesitate. They were so close fear was simply an echo in the back of his mind, adrenaline filling his body with a rush of energy. The crimson Aura was gone again, the object disappearing rapidly, and Hanaka dared to grip Kiku's arm and pull her through the opening she had created.

He half-heard the Empress's enraged scream, and the sound of the Watchers pursuing them into the woods, but didn't bother to care. The moment they had exited the grounds they had good as won, and everyone knew it. In the shadowy gloom they had the upper hand, small enough hide in all the nooks and crannies the Watchers couldn't reach. The Empress had never even considered the idea of a reincarnate escaping her prison, and as such had no resources she could use.

They had done it. They had escaped.

The two of them raced into darkness, and every hurried breath they drew was tinged with the taste of freedom.

OoOoO

"Sometimes it's the smallest decisions that change your life forever."

–Keri Russell

A/N: This story has been in my head for months, and I finally let myself write it. I love stories about reincarnation, and I always wanted to write one. If you haven't figured it out yet (which I doubt), Kiku is the reincarnation of Mikoto Suoh. Because I really didn't want him to die.

Hanaka isn't an OC, he's actually a reincarnation of a supporting character in a popular anime/manga. Who hasn't died yet, but I needed a character with his personality so...Can you guess who? I tried to keep him in character, but different circumstances mean differences in personality. And yes, if you were wondering, Hanaka is a girl's name. If I translated it right, it means something along the lines of 'flower petal'. Poor guy just can't escape the flowers.

Any other reincarnations may be a bit different then their past life- remember, they've lived different lives. They'll be close, but definitly won't be the same.

I can't promise when the next chapter will be up, it all depends on what life throws at me. I'll try to post it before November.

Review please! They let me know if people actually care if I post another chapter.

~Dreamer