Kids: Knight's Tale

A/N: Hello everyone and welcome to my third full-scale fanfic. It's been a while hasn't it? For those of you who are not familiar with me, I welcome you and hope you enjoy the first of many chapters to come. For those of you who are familiar with me, I welcome you to another adventure into the Fairy Tail fan universe.

As the title implies, I proudly present to you; Kids: Knight's Tale.

Back in September of 2013, I published my first fanfic story, "Kids". This story, is a companion story to that one but focuses on the Celestial Spirit I created called "Knight." Knight, although a supporting character, caught the interest of some of my readers. I really didn't expand on his back story until I found myself towards the ending of Kids. But, I began to draw up plans to write a story that further expanded on that character. This story is the result. It's taken me a while to get to this point, but here we are.

For those of you who have read Kids then the same rules apply for this story; Multi-pairing, AU, and multiple OC's (you have been warned!).

I don't expect you to immediately know what's going on or know who Knight is. This will be covered in the course of the chapter but if you haven't read Kids yet, I suggest you do that first until you turn your attention to this. If you have read Kids already, then you should know what's going on and how this may play out. Or you can disregard those two options and jump right on in; your choice! Expect the characters from the previous story to return as well!

Now, I think I should let you guys know that I decided to redesign Knight's appearance and make some changes to the overall plot of Kids. Nothing major, except for Knight's look and who his voice sounds like, but I decided to mend some plot points here and there or add on in some cases.

As always, I hope you will give your honest opinion with your review and if you have any questions regarding this story feel free to ask in your review or you can send me a PM which I will either reply to in the next chapter or respond to ASAP. Just please don't be too harsh with your criticisms…there's only so much a guy can take.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail; Hiro Mashima and Kodansha Comics USA own it. If I did own Fairy Tail…well let's just say some things would be different. If any of my OC's in some way shape or form resemble or share a relation to someone living or deceased, it's purely coincidental.

So…I think that covers everything. Have I stalled long enough? Yep!? Well then ladies and gentlemen; shall we begin?

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DESCRIPTION: He is more than just a Celestial Spirit. He is a warrior-sworn to do his master's bidding when they call upon him in their hour of need. He is the last Celestial Paladin; Knight. The Past, the Present, and the Future collide as this lone spirit finds himself pitted against an evil that will stop at nothing…to kill us all. He is far from alone, however.

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CHAPTER 1: Once upon a time…

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These stories, as they often seem to, tend to start out with four simple words; once upon a time

X396: Two years after the end of the Dragon Civil War; The Celestial Spirit World….

The Celestial Spirit world glowed in its usual, but radiant, saturated mix of color, starlight and the infinite cosmos that surrounded it.

The world was a divine mystery in every aspect of the word. It was forbidden to humans…but well known to those that called it home.

The Celestial Spirits and their Spirit King.

They are seemingly ageless magical beings that represent the constellations of the zodiac and wield extraordinary power that has given them the mantles of the defenders of both the supernatural and human realms. With the ability to make contracts with certain humans, the spirits can pass in between realms at their master's call and assist in any task whether it be a challenging chore or battle, when the need arises.

But… there was, at one time, another less known but equally, if not more powerful echelon of the Celestial Spirits.

The Guardians and Warriors of the Spirit Realm; the Celestial Paladins.

The divine protectors of the Spirit King himself.

This group of spirits were charged with defending the Spirit King and act as watchmen in the human realm. If the King ordered it so, they were tasked to enforce the laws of the Spirit Realm upon those who sought to exploit or break the bond that had been forged between the two worlds. And there were terrifying consequences for those who dared to oppose the might of a Paladin.

They were the elite, the best of the best, and everyone knew it; both humans and spirits alike.

But…once, where there had been twelve, only one remained.

In the hell that had been the Dragon Civil War, eleven Paladins had given their lives in battle; they had sacrificed their souls and keys rather than forsake their duty to the Spirit King and their masters.

And now, with the war two years over, the last Paladin found himself alone…in a sense.

Currently, this lone Paladin stood in a grassy field that offered what could only be described as an astonishing view of the realm before him.

He was tall, at least six feet-three inches, with broad shoulders and toned physique. He wore a polished, gunmetal grey armor set that covered his chest, torso, shoulders, forearms, thighs, and shins. To the casual observer, the armor would appear to be heavy and cumbersome. But upon closer inspection, one would see that the armor was actually contoured in some places and streamlined in others so that the wearer had maximum joint articulation and ease of movement. The armor was also painted a unique shade of aquamarine blue which was set in a trim around the armor pieces. On his right shoulder, a crimson number decorated the metal; a zero with a diagonal slash through it. However, the faint remnants of the number seven could still be seen despite its faded appearance.

At his hip, sheathed but at the ready, was an intricate but sturdily made claymore broadsword. Attached to his left arm was a shield of medium width and length, designed to protect all who brought it to bear.

Beneath the armor, he wore a white, baggy tunic which was tucked/supported by a belt, into a pair of baggy, slate grey slacks. A cape, colored that of freshly fallen snow with a blue interior, hung from the clasps on his shoulders and fluttered gently in the ever present breeze. A pair of armored gauntlets and boots completed the assembly of armor.

The only truly exposed area of the spirit seemed to be his head…but at the same time it wasn't, considering he wore a mask. He had natural, light grey hair that was kept short but spikey while he had grown his hair out at the base of his skull to the point where he could comfortably pull into an equally spikey but short pony tail. His ears, which were exposed, had two silver, but simple bands pierced onto them. His exposed skin, which only constituted for his ears and neck, had a dark but healthy tan.

Last was the mask-a flat but angular, bone white creation of ceramic that hugged its wearer's face. A single, "V" shaped visor parted the mask where the Paladin's eyes glowed a dull blue from behind the protection the mask offered. Three blue slanted, tightly spaced, bars trailed down the cheekbones.

All of these features had combined to form the Last Celestial Paladin.

And his name was simple but most deserving of his rank and title: Knight.

Knight closed his eyes and tilted his head back slightly as he let the breeze brush over his exposed skin, breathing deeply in through his nose. He always came to this spot to think or put his mind at ease whenever he felt troubled or needed to clear his mind. His left hand slowly closed into a fist but Knight willed it to open up again.

He wished his brothers were still around…he needed their counsel at this point in what had so far been his very long life. A chill ran through the veins in his arm but he ignored it.

Knight sighed and looked down at his hand as he flexed his fingers. A slight rustling reached his ears and Knight let a small smile form on his lips as he slightly looked over his shoulder.

"Clever…" Knight thought, "but not clever enough."

He knew who was trying to sneak up on him but he acted like he hadn't noticed them.

Crawling in the tall grass just a slight distance away, a young boy who was between six and seven years old, kept low to the ground. He was lithe in frame with just the slightest hint of muscle beginning to form on his shoulders and arms. His spikey, light grey hair contrasted with his dark tanned skin and tattoo's that framed his dark eyes. He wore a grey sleeveless shirt, baggy black slacks and was barefoot. The boy couldn't help the excited grin that broke out on his face.

He had the drop on his target now!

With the mightiest cry that he could manage, the boy sprang forth from his hiding place and leapt high into the air.

"HYYYAAAA!" The boy cried out.

Knight waited until the boy was almost on top of him before he quickly spun around and kneeled, letting the boy pass over him. The boy let out a surprised cry before he tumbled onto the ground. After taking a moment to reorient himself, the boy sprung into a crouched stance-his grin showing that he was undeterred by Knight's move. The boy sprung forth while Knight was still crouched and tackled the warrior with a grunt. Knight let out a playful grunt in return and the two soon found themselves rolling on the ground as the boy began to laugh in amusement. But soon enough, Knight rose and held the boy off the ground by the scruff of his shirt.

"Aw man!" The boy complained as he crossed his arms and pouted, "How did you know I was there?"

Knight chuckled.

"You had a sound plan trying to sneak up on me like that but you need to be aware of your environment. One wrong move, like rustling the brush, can easily tip an aware enemy off to your presence." Knight said as he set the boy down on his feet. His voice had a slight metallic ring to it courtesy of his mask.

"Still, you've improved greatly since last time," Knight said, "I am very proud of you Takeshi."

The boy, Takeshi, let a wide grin spread on his face as he hugged Knight's leg.

"Thanks dad." Takeshi said.

Knight gently ruffled Takeshi's hair before taking one last look around the area.

"Why are you out here anyway? Shouldn't you be at home with your mother?"

"You always come here when you're done training so I thought I could sneak up on you." Takeshi said.

Knight chuckled gently and looked to sky.

"Keep practicing my son, keep practicing." Knight said before slowly cracking his neck.

"I do suppose we should head back, your mother is probably wondering where you ran off to and why I'm still out here." Knight said.

"Do we have to?" Takeshi said, "I like it when we come out here."

"We'll come back another time, I promise." Knight said as he changed his appearance in a quick flash of light.

His armor had disappeared and he now stood in a white, half sleeve button down shirt that was open to reveal a grey, long-sleeved undershirt. He still wore his slacks and boots however, and his mask had disappeared as well-leaving Knight's face unveiled. Also revealed by the transformation was a necklace that hung low form Knight's neck; a simple but pearl white sea shell.

He had almond shaped eyes that glowed a radiant blue, thin lips, a straight nose and had a thin, oval shaped face that squared out at the chin.

Knight smiled at Takeshi before scooping the boy up and letting him sit on his shoulders as Takeshi rested his arms atop his father's head.

"Dad?" Takeshi asked as Knight began to walk at mild pace, his stride easily covering the ground.

"Hmm?" Knight said.

"Are you okay?" Takeshi asked.

"Yes…why?" Knight answered, his tone inquisitive.

"I don't know. You felt weird for a second but now you don't." Takeshi answered.

"…I'm fine. Don't worry." Knight replied, his tone reassuring.

"So…he can sense it too?" Knight thought, "His ability to sense changes in magic is rapidly progressing."

The father and son were quiet for a while, the two of them having drifted into a comfortable silence.

"Dad?" Takeshi asked again.

"Yes?" Knight said, a small smile forming on his lips.

"You're really cool." Takeshi replied.

Knight chuckled deeply in response.

It wasn't long before Knight's boots were echoing off stone as the field gave way to a long winding path. The path stopped at the edge of where the land ended, which in turn revealed to be a floating island in the void of the Spirit world. Knight did not stop as he approached the edge, for as his foot came down unto what would seemingly have been a suicidal drop, a series of stone bricks formed beneath his boot. A pathway rapidly formed before him with each step and soon enough Knight had crossed the bridge and had stepped onto a circular platform.

The platform was large and was made from a bright crystal that glowed in the light. A series of interconnected pillars formed a semi-circle around the perimeter of the platform while a stairway of the same material led up to a series of three smaller platforms above. From one platform, two waterfalls majestically fell as the crystal clear water gleamed in the light. The first water fall landed on the main platform in a deep pool that never seemed to overflow while the second waterfall fell to the infinity below.

It was a beautiful display but most importantly, it was home.

"Katsumi," Knight called out as he set Takeshi down from his shoulders, "we're back."

From within the pool before them, a woman emerged from the water as she tossed her hair back. The water pooled beneath her feet for only a moment before she quickly dried off thanks to her homes magic.

"There you are," the woman, Katsumi, said as she gave Takeshi a pointed look, "I was wondering where you ran off to."

Takeshi smiled sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Me and dad were just playin' again," Takeshi said, "he even said I got better since last time."

"Is that so?" Katsumi said as she reached Knight and stood up on the tips of her toes to plant a gentle kiss on his lips.

"Welcome back." She said gently.

Knight smiled as he kissed Katsumi's forehead and took a moment to look over his wife.

She was of medium height with a slim but curvaceous body. Her dark hair that reached the middle of her back while she kept the front in a bun, thus allowing two long strands of hair to frame her face and shoulders. Her dark eyes were framed by tattoo's that were similar to her son's while a small crown with a gem and fin like attachments adorned it from beneath her hair. A sleeveless but revealing top made of what seemed to be scales, hugged her figure and breasts while leaving her stomach and naval exposed. A pair of pants in equal fashion hugged her legs and stopped just below her knees. A pair of open toed heels completed the look.

"It's always good to be back." Knight said as he rested his forehead against his wife's while his right hand moved to gently hold her hip and pull her close.

Takeshi made a gagging noise which in turn made Katsumi snicker.

"Ew," Takeshi groaned, "Mama, Dad, you two are being gross again." Takeshi complained.

"This is what grownups do all the time when they get married son." Knight replied as he looked over at the young spirit.

"One day when you find a woman who loves you, you two will do the same."

"Blegh, no way!" Takeshi replied, sticking his tongue out in disgust.

Knight chuckled as he and Katsumi gently broke away.

"That's enough now," Katsumi said, "We are to join the other spirits soon for dinner, so why don't you two wash up before we head out."

"Will Mr. Loke be there with Mr. Taurus and Scorpio?" Takeshi asked.

"I'm sure they will be, I don't think they can be summoned today." Katsumi replied.

"Cool!" Takeshi said before running up the nearby stairs. Katsumi wasn't far behind when she noticed Knight had yet to leave his spot. Katsumi frowned.

"Knight…honey, is everything alright?" Katsumi asked.

Knight blinked once and then twice before shaking his head to clear his thoughts.

"Yes…yes, I just spaced out there for a moment. I will be with you shortly."

Katsumi gave a hesitant nod and made her way up the stairs.

Knight followed his wife with his eyes before looking down at his left hand again. The chill was back, this time spreading up from his palm and into his elbow.

His hand had closed into a fist again.

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Knight leaned against a pillar that supported the grand hall where the spirits conveyed. His back was turned and his arms were crossed as he looked at the realm beyond. Despite his disinterested appearance, Knight kept his ears tuned to the conversation around him…that way if anyone was talking to him, he wouldn't appear to be ignoring them.

Knight sighed gently and looked over his shoulder to the assembled spirits.

Every spirit, whether they be of silver key or gold key, assembled at this hour to converse and enjoy the company of their fellow spirits. Knight himself had never been much of a social butterfly and preferred to hang back rather than be the focus of attention.

Knight felt something tugging at his pant leg and looked down to see a white, carrot nosed dog looking up at him, a very large lollipop jammed in its mouth.

"Puun-puun?" The dog asked after it pulled the lollipop out with a loud "pop".

Knight smiled and kneeled down to scratch the dog on the head.

"No, Plue, I am having a good time. I'm just not that sociable, that's all."

"Puun-puun?" Plue asked.

"No, I'm not turning into a wall flower…it's just who I am that's all."

"Puun-puun?"

Knight's lips drew slightly thin but he did his best to not let it show.

"Plue, I assure you, I'm fine. What gave you that idea?"

Before the dog could respond, a voice called out over the din.

"Dad! Hey dad, come check this out!" Knight heard Takeshi call out before seeing his son wave to him.

"I have to go now, don't worry about me okay?" Knight said to Plue.

"Puun-puun!" Plue said before snapping to salute and popping his lollipop back in his mouth.

After navigating the crowds, Knight soon approached his son.

"Yes Takeshi?" Knight said as his son gave him a beaming smile and held up his hands, in which he now grasped what appeared to be some sort of spear or polearm with the Celestial Spirit emblem affixed to it.

"Where did you get that?" Knight asked as he procured the weapon. It wasn't the full sized version of its parent design but an adaptation for a boy of Takeshi's height and frame.

"I did." A voice said and Knight looked to see Taurus approach him and his son.

"Taurus." Knight said pleasantly as he nodded his head in greeting only for Taurus to jovially slap him on the shoulder. Knight nearly lost his footing and Takeshi snickered.

"I figured it was time for the booooy to have something to practice with." Taurus said, his tone dragging the "o" out in his sentences.

"And what gave you that idea?" Knight said as he examined the weapon, spinning it intricately around his hands and testing the weight.

"I figured since you have that fancy sword of yours, the boy deserved a chance to hold his ooooown when it came to sparring with yooooou." Taurus said as Knight handed the pole back to Takeshi.

Knight blinked before fixing Taurus with a sly smile.

"…You're still upset from our last spar, that's the real reason correct? You want my son to have a chance at beating me considering all the times you've lost to me?" Knight said as Taurus flinched visibly.

"That's not fair!" Taurus said as he pointed his finger at Knight.

"Can't I just be nice to the son of goooood friend!? And that last spar doesn't' count in any way!" Taurus said in protest.

Takeshi was laughing up a storm and Knight simply shook his head, a small smile on his face.

"Keep telling yourself that Taurus." Knight said, putting his hands on his hips.

"What are you boys up to now?" Katsumi said as she walked over to Knight and Takeshi.

"Oh," Knight said, "the usual. Taurus is denying that he lost a spar and Takeshi has received a new toy."

Katsumi raised an eyebrow as Takeshi proudly held up his spear. Katsumi let out sigh but gently ruffled her son's hair.

"You boys and your toys…honestly." Katsumi sighed as Knight gently wrapped his arm around her waist.

"You know you love us." Knight said as Katsumi sighed in a good natured manner.

"At times I question my sanity for agreeing with you." Katsumi said only to giggle when Knight gently squeezed her hip.

Takeshi groaned and rolled his eyes.

"You two are being gross again!" Takeshi pouted.

Before Knight could reply with a witty remark for his son, his body suddenly became rigid as if it were locking up. He inhaled sharply as the fingers of his left hand curled in a claw like manner.

Knight let out a pained grunt as his eyes began to widen in what appeared to be a mixture of pain and horror.

"Knight…what's wrong?" Katsumi asked in concern as she turned to look at her husband.

"Dad?" Takeshi asked in concern, the slightest twinge of fear entering his voice.

The veins in Knight's arm began to appear in a sickly shade of black, like ink diluting in water. Knight gasped in pain as he clutched his arm. It felt like his veins were flowing with ice water while the ice itself was digging into him…gnawing away.

Knight pushed himself away from Katsumi and stumbled back, his teeth bared and gritted in what appeared to be excruciating pain.

"Knight!?" Katsumi said in panic, her cry drawing the attention of the assembled spirits.

Knight held his good hand out in warning.

"S-stay…s-stay away!" Knight said as he continued to back away.

"Knight, what's wrong!?" Katsumi pleaded with her husband only for Knight to stumble out of the hall as fast as he could. Katsumi hesitated for only a second before following.

She found Knight outside on the walkway, on his knees and bent over in pain. His right hand continued to grip his left arm as he continued to shake and grunt in pain.

"Stop…"Knight hissed, "Stop it."

"Knight?" Katsumi said as she approached her husband, albeit cautiously.

Knight didn't seem to hear her as his left arm began to tremble.

"I said…" Knight hissed, "stop."

It took a minute, but the trembling of his arm subsided and Knight was left to pant raggedly on the cool stones of the walkway. The black ichor that had stained his veins was gone. But Knight continued to clutch his arm with a death grip.

"Knight?" Katsumi said, drawing closer to Knight. His ragged breathing was her only response.

"Knight," Katsumi said as she knelt down, "Knight, let go. You'll hurt yourself."

Her fingers touched her husbands and Knight flinched at the contact, his eyes locking with hers in panic and confusion. But what struck Katsumi the most about how Knight looked at her was the underlying fear that filled his eyes. It wasn't her he was afraid of though; it was himself.

"Knight," Katsumi said, her tone still even but gentle, "please…let go."

Knight looked from his wife to his hand before slowly uncurling it from his forearm. Knight stifled what seemed to be a cry of either desperation or fear as Katsumi wrapped her arms around him.

"It's getting worse," Knight whispered, "it's getting worse."

Katsumi moved her hands so that they were framing Knight's face and gently guided his head so that he was looking at her. Fear stricken eyes met tear rimmed ones.

"Knight, what's happening to you? What's wrong?" Katsumi said, her voice cracking slightly.

"I…I don't know." Knight replied.

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The next day; Throne room of the Celestial Spirit King…

The throne room where the Celestial Spirit King spent most of his time was as grand as one would expect it to be.

A series of large columned pillars supported the ceiling overhead while a glass skylight allowed the ever present star clusters of the realm to be seen. Set towards the back of the throne room was the throne itself; a large, cushioned chair set made of smoothed stone with a series of steps leading to it. In the center of the room, was what appeared to be a large reflecting pool. However, instead of being composed of water as one would think, the pool acted as a mirror and portal between the Spirit Realm and the Human Realm. Occasionally, the image would "ripple" and change, thus allowing any observer to view any place in the human realm no matter the date or time.

Naturally, the space was titanic in nature, much like the King himself.

Knight however, paid these features no mind. Being one of the elite guardians to the king, he had seen it all before and if Knight was being honest with himself, the throne room had lost a bit of its appeal. Still, he treated it with the respect it deserved and kept any personal opinions to himself.

Currently, the last paladin stood in front of eleven low set marble slabs that seemed to hover off the floor. It was these eleven slabs that Knight directed his silent reverence to, and rightfully so in many regards.

For on these slabs lay an individual sword not so different from the one Knight himself wielded but at the same time, they differed in certain ascetic features. And with each sword, inscribed on a small brass plaque, was a name and numeral.

I-Epsilon

II-Theta

III-Rook

IV-Shield

V-Vandal

VI-Bishop

VIII-Lance

IX-Cross

X-Crow

XI-Glaive

XII-Raven

All but one name and number was exempt from the assembled swords. Knight lowered his head and absentmindedly rubbed his shoulder where the number on his armor would be. No matter how many times he stood before the names of his fallen brothers, the pain never easily went away.

The Paladins, compared to the other spirits, were young-if only by a hundred years. They were different, however, in terms of their contracts with the humans they were given to. A paladin could only be wielded by two humans who shared either a bond of love or trust with each other. It was this bond from which a paladin drew and enabled him to unleash his devastating power. There was, however, a technicality with this contract between a paladin and his masters that only the spirit could invoke; the right to choose. If a spirit found his masters to be corrupt or their bond to be broken, a paladin could terminate their contract and be returned to the spirit world and await a new master to be assigned to. Rarely, this power was ever used by a paladin but it none the less set them apart from their fellow spirits.

And despite personal and physical differences, each paladin was united by a single, unifying purpose; to protect the Spirit King and uphold the laws of the Spirit realm.

…And they had given their lives to carry out the duty which they held most sacred.

The Dragon Civil War had seen to that.

The Dragon's had proven to be a surprisingly fierce enemy. Sometimes they would attack alone while other times, they would come en masse. The fighting was brutal and chaotic. No mercy or quarter was given. Knight himself had personally killed over fifty-seven dragons during the war but it had cost him two pairs of masters in the process.

And then, slowly, the paladins fell to their foes. Not because they were outmatched but because they were simply overwhelmed. And when a paladin found himself in that situation where there was no escape, where there was no hope for their masters and where there was a chance that their keys would fall into the wrong hands, the Paladins broke their own keys.

Normally, when a celestial spirit mage breaks a key of their choosing as a last desperate measure, the Spirit King himself is called into battle. The mage and the spirits contract is broken but the spirit will live on in the Celestial Spirit World.

However, when a spirit breaks their own key, its tad amount to suicide. And when that happens, their soul becomes forfeit…they cease to exist. The sudden release of energy often has devastating effects in turn.

Knight remembered the first time he had seen the results of such an action. It had been Crow who died first. Knight had been too late to aid his brother and by the time he arrived to Crow's location, all that was left was dust and scorched earth, along with the partially vaporized skeletons of fifteen dragons. And then there had been Rook and Bishop. The two had gone out together and their combined destruction destroyed an area of land equivalent to that of a small city.

Knight shuddered at the memories.

His brothers had gone down fighting though…and Knight, the King and the other spirits wouldn't have expected any less from them.

Now, with the war over, Knight found himself alone with all that remained of his brothers; a name and number. It wasn't much, but for Knight, it was enough for him. So long as he had something to remember his brothers by and keep those memories alive, the faux swords and brass plaques would suffice.

"Good afternoon Knight," a booming voice called out, snapping Knight from his thoughts, "I've been expecting you."

Knight turned around to see the Celestial Spirit King, in all his glory, looking down upon him-a smile on his lips. He had been so lost in his thoughts that Knight hadn't noticed his lord's arrival.

"My lord," Knight said as he dropped to one knee, head bow, "Please forgive me. I was lost in thought and unaware of your arrival."

"Rise," The King said, "Knight, you needn't be so formal around me; this is a social visit remember?"

"Forgive me my lord…but as a Paladin, I still must uphold my duty and code of honor to you even if we are meeting cordially."

The King sighed gently but nodded none the less in understanding. Technically, Knight was no longer his guardian; the point of having one around seemed moot now. But, that didn't mean Knight had to forsake all that he had known. It was just a sad quirk that had to be accepted.

"Loyal to a fault." The King thought, "Even though the other Paladins are gone, he still has managed to hold onto his honor. The others would be proud of their brother."

The two were silent for a moment before the King motioned for Knight to follow him to the reflecting pool. Soon enough, the two were silently watching the images ripple and change. And for a time, they stayed that way.

"Pisces will need a replacement, they'll be retiring at the end of this decade." The King said, breaking the silence.

"They are?" Knight said, surprised by this revelation, "But they still have so much to give."

"Be that as it may, the war took a lot out of them. She and her sister lost three masters and saw things no one else saw. They haven't really recovered or been the same ever since…and it's affecting their ability as a spirit."

"Can one really blame them?" Knight replied.

"No, I do not," the King replied with a sigh, "but the balance must be maintained."

"Have you thought of any replacements for them?" Knight asked.

"I already have two sprits in mind; your wife and son."

Knight felt his jaw drop.

"What!? Are you serious my lord!?" Knight asked.

"I am. Katsumi is a powerful water spirit and Takeshi will become just as strong as you are as he grows and matures. By the time the decade is over, Takeshi will have become a young man and will be ready for the responsibility of a spirit. They will make and excellent pair."

"I…I am honored," Knight managed to say as a smile formed on his lips, "Oh…Katsumi and Takeshi will be overjoyed to hear about this. When will they be informed?"

"Soon enough I assure you. But for now, they will remain as they are."

Knight nodded in agreement and the two fell back into a comfortable silence.

"The humans are progressing rather nicely wouldn't you agree?" The King suddenly spoke up.

"Aye…it's been two years since the end of the war but here they are, rebuilding what they have lost…and peacefully living with the remaining dragons if I might add." Knight replied.

"They are a resourceful lot, those humans. I imagine that soon enough they will become the masters of their world much like the dragons had been." The King said.

"I hope they can just manage to keep the peace." Knight replied, "I do agree that humans have their strong points my lord…but they are a cunning race of beings. We should both respect and be wary of them."

"…Yes…I suppose your right." The King said.

Knight shifted his feet and crossed his arms.

"Still…when the time comes, I will once again perform my duty and serve a duo of humans of your choosing."

The King looked to Knight, his eyebrow raised and a slight frown on his lips.

"What do you mean of my choosing? What about the pair you serve now?"

Knight lowered his gaze and looked away from his king.

"I…I terminated my contract with them. I found that they were no longer suited for my aid anymore."

"But, you served with them in the closing stages of the war. You told me nothing but good things about those two."

"…I was wrong." Knight simply replied.

The King frowned and looked back to the pool. He was quiet for a minute or two before deciding to speak once more.

"Knight…do you know why you and your brothers were…are, different from the other spirits?"

"My lord?" Knight questioned.

"It's a simple question, don't' be afraid to answer." The King reassured the paladin.

Knight was silent for a moment.

"Is it our right to choose our masters?" Knight replied.

"That is one answer…but there is more to it than that. Your right to choose is a major contributing factor to what sets you apart from your fellow spirits; you are and your brothers were the only ones to have that ability. But you are also unique in the fact that you are able to conceive a child. Your marriage to Katsumi is proof of this. Though it is not unheard of for Celestial Spirits to fall in love and wed, it is rare that a child is conceived from their union. Do you know why that is?"

"…No my lord," Knight said and shook his head, "I can't say that I do."

The King smiled gently.

"Because Knight…even though you don't realize it, you have much more in common with humans than you think."

"Pardon?" Knight said.

"It's true. You see, you and your brothers didn't simply materialize out of existence. You were born…from the souls of fallen human warriors."

Knight froze at this revelation.

"What?" Knight whispered.

"You and the other paladins, are all that remain of some of the most noble and brave human warriors to live before the rule of the dragons. When your past lives died in battle and passed on into the spirit world, I took the opportunity to give your souls a new lease on life. I selected twelve souls who I believed could do more in death than they had in life. Of course I needed to assign you all tasks that were befitting of your nature. You know the rest I would assume?

The point is, however, that it is this connection to humans that allows your free will to remain intact…and why you must have two masters; why two human souls must be as one with each other. Only when the full power of the human spirit merges with your human soul, are you able to use your power. It is this reason why you and Katsumi were able to conceive a child."

The calm and reassuring smile never left the kings face.

"A piece of your soul was given to Katsumi. And a piece of her soul became one with yours. And from that…Takeshi, a new spirit, was born."

Knight felt his knees begin to weaken but he forced himself to stand tall.

"I…I am overwhelmed by this news my lord. I…had no idea…no knowledge of any of this."

"I know Knight and I was planning on telling you all of this at a later date…but I've been forced to change my mind. I figured I should start at the beginning and come clean with you."

"I…I'm not sure I follow my lord?" Knight replied, "Why…why are you telling me all this now?"

The Celestial King took a deep breath as his smile faded, his mouth setting in a tight line. He quickly took on a grim aura.

Knight swallowed hard. He was starting to believe that he was not going to enjoy whatever his King was about to tell him.

"There is even more to this connection with humans and who you are as a Paladin. But I'm afraid that it is something you may not be prepared to hear."

Knight stiffened and slowly let his hands fall to his sides.

"My lord…whatever it is you wish to tell me, please do so…I…I am not afraid."

"Liar." The King thought but knew they were past the point of no return now. He silently regarded Knight for a few, tense minutes.

He then said a one simple word.

"Corruption." The King said, his voice echoing out in the tense silence.

"What?" Knight asked in confusion.

"You can feel it can't you? It started with a pain in your arm didn't it-like ice water flowing through your veins, gnawing away at your body as it spasms in pain?"

Knight unconsciously rubbed his arm and took a step back from the King.

"How…how do you know?" Knight asked.

"Virgo told me of what happened last night at dinner. She spared not detail in her report."

"…Of course she would," Knight said to himself, "but I sense that you know more about this than what she told you."

The King nodded and crossed his arms.

"That is true. Knight, that pain you are feeling is your body and your soul being corrupted. And it is because of your connection to humanity that this has befallen you. But I suspect you knew this already, even though you couldn't understand it."

Knight lowered his head in shame and turned away from the King.

"…At first I paid it no mind. It was a pain that would come and go and I attributed it to the stress of battle. When I returned here, to the Spirit Realm, the pain subsided until I was called for again. But it persisted even after the war ended…and I soon realized there was something more to it when my hand would clench on its own. I realized there was a connection to it…and to my masters."

"You were correct in your assumption Knight," the King said with a nod of his head, "the corruption is tied to you via your masters."

The King let out a despondent sigh and shook his head.

"Because you are connected to humanity in the way you are…you are especially sensitive to the humans you are connected to. You can sense their love, their joy and their passion…but you can also sense their hatred, anger and greed…their lust for power and more. It is one of your few Achilles heels for the power you possess…but it is the most frightening aspect of who and what you are. You probably saw the warning signs didn't you with your masters?"

Knight nodded but kept his back turned.

"I gave them power…the power to fight back and use magic as they had never wielded it before. They grew confident with this power and relished the strength it gave them. I could feel this flow from them and paid it no mind. It had happened before with my previous masters so why should it bother me now? But even when the war ended, they still called upon me to fight and assist in completing tasks…some of them criminal, as I now realize. I could feel their overconfidence build and their greed…oh their greed, begin to stain me like a poison. They wanted more and they knew they could use me for their deeds."

Knight paused and looked to the sky.

"So, five months ago, I terminated my contract and put all that I had done behind me. But even now I can still feel those terrible emotions within me…like an ink stain…like poison. Even now, as we speak, I can feel as if my soul is being stretched thin by something that I can't explain. I feel cold…like one does on the cusp of a terrible event."

The King let out a sad, tired sigh.

"…Then it is just as I feared. It is spreading too far to properly be contained."

"…What will happen to me…if this corruption cannot be stopped?" Knight asked, turning around to face his King.

"I…I'm afraid my lord. I…I don't' want this take over me. I don't want to hurt anyone…I don't want to turn into a monster before the eyes of my family."

The King was silent for a while as he slowly regarded the man before he spoke again.

"…If the corruption succeeds in taking you over...you will fall from grace and become a part of the darkness you swore to fight. You will be a broken shadow of your former self…and will destroyed in the end by my hand or your fellow spirits."

All the color drained from Knight's skin as he inhaled sharply. The image of Katsumi and Takeshi watching his transformation in horror came to the forefront of his mind. He didn't want that…he refused to allow that to come to pass.

"Is there any way for this corruption to be stopped my lord?" Knight asked.

"At this stage…" The King said, "There is not."

Knight's shoulders sagged as he looked at his hands. That hadn't been the response he was hoping for.

"There is, however, another-long term solution for this problem. But when I say long term…I mean it in every possible sense. And it is something I would not idly suggest either, but as of now, your situation warrants it."

Knight was silent for a moment before looking to his King.

"What…what must be done my king?" Knight said, "What must be done to stop the corruption from taking me?"

"Are you sure you can handle what I am about to say?"

"My lord…please…" Knight replied.

And so the King told his paladin what must be done to stop the corruption from spreading and taking over his body and soul. He was brutally honest in his deliverance of this last ditch measure and by the time he was finished, Knight had fallen to his knees in shock, his eyes wide and silently brimming with tears.

"I…I…a-are y-you s-sure that's all that can be done my lord?" Knight managed to stutter out, his voice now hoarse.

"I am sorry Knight. But it is the only option."

"Surely there must be another way!" Knight cried in defiance.

"There isn't," the King replied, "and you now must see why this is a measure of last resort. The alternative to this would be for you to return to the human world…and break your keys."

Knight leaned forward and braced his hands against the floor as his shoulders began to shake.

"I am sorry Knight…but there is no other way. I cannot permit you to be lost to the darkness…to turn against the other spirits. You are too valuable…too important. And I know you would not want Katsumi and Takeshi to see that become of you."

"How…how am I supposed to tell them of this?" Knight croaked.

"By doing this…I'll break their hearts! You're asking me to do the impossible; you're asking me to leave my wife and child; to leave all that I know!"

The two were silent for a long time as they silently held each other's gazes.

"I am sorry Knight. I truly am." The King said.

Tears silently streamed down Knight's cheeks and he bit his lip to prevent himself from breaking down.

"Damn it…damn it…" Knight said as he lowered his head, "damn it all."

XXXX

Knight returned to his home, a few hours later, to find Katsumi keeling by the large pool of water-lazily tracing the tips of her fingers across the water's surface. The paladin paused and silently watched his wife, marveling at her ever present beauty while also wondering how he ever deserved someone like her. It wasn't long before Katsumi noticed that her husband had returned and she stood to greet Knight as he walked over to her.

Inwardly, Knight was glad Takeshi wasn't around to see what was about to happen.

"You're back late…did everything go well with the King?" Katsumi asked.

Knight didn't answer, he simply took Katsumi's hand into his and gently rubbed his thumb in a circular motion across her palm. Soon enough, the ghostly image of the Yin and Yang materialized above their hands; the symbol of their union as husband and wife.

"Knight…what's wrong?" Katsumi asked as she gently cupped her husband's cheek with her free hand and made him look at her.

"…Do you remember how we first met?" Knight asked, his voice sounding detached.

Puzzled, Katsumi chose to answer.

"How could I forget? Aquarius accused you and Lance of trying to peek at her and Aries at the hot spring when all you had really done was make a wrong turn in the woods. She was aiming for the both of you but Lance dodged at the last minute. You on the other hand were blasted so hard with that jug of water that you were sent flying across the realm. You eventually landed in my special spot."

"That waterfall at the edge of the realm." Knight said with a slight smile, "You were meditating under the water when I nearly landed on top of you. I tried to explain what had happened but you panicked and kicked me right into a cluster of trees before running off."

"Can you really blame me? You were some yahoo who came tumbling out of the sky and scarred me half to death. Of course I would panic; who wouldn't?"

Both husband and wife smiled at the memory.

It was the next day that Knight returned to the spot where he had met Katsumi to properly apologize to her and explain that it had been one big misunderstanding.

He was promptly kicked again.

So he returned a third time…but Katsumi had been expecting him. Rather than kick him again, which Knight was thankful for, Katsumi let him put in his two cents and explain himself. Katsumi begrudgingly forgave Knight…after she gave him a kick for good measure, however.

Regardless of this rocky start, Knight found himself intrigued by the water spirit. She was different from the others…she was quiet but confident in her abilities. And to Katsumi, the same applied to her in her view of Knight. There was something about him and there was something about her that attracted the two together.

Soon, casual talks and meetings developed into a friendship. And after a time, their friendship had developed into what they could comfortably call love. The rest as they say, is history.

But Katsumi wondered what spurned Knight to ask this of her.

"Why are you asking me this?" Katsumi wondered.

Knight was silent before sighing deeply, his aura changing to that of both remorse and dread.

"I love you and Takeshi with all my heart…and I would do anything to protect the two of you, you know that right?" Knight asked.

"What's wrong?" Katsumi asked, her body tensing slightly.

"…Something is happening to me Katsumi. Something I cannot stop without drastic measures being taken."

"What do you mean something is happening to you?" Katsumi asked. A chill of dread that matched her husband's suddenly began to crawl up her spine.

Something was definitely wrong.

"It concerns what happened to me last night…why I acted the way I did." Knight said as he held his wife's gaze…which in turn silently urged him to continue.

"Months ago Katsumi, I secretly terminated my contract with my human masters…because for too long I had let their greed poison who they were. However, even though the contract ended, I myself did not make it out unscathed. I had spent too much time with them as their greed and lusts for power poisoned them…and it in turn has poisoned me."

"…What?" Katsumi asked, not really understanding what Knight was telling her.

"I'm becoming corrupted by that greed Katsumi…a darkness is taking hold of me…and I am powerless to stop it."

"What!?" Katsumi gasped, "Corrupted…I…Knight, I don't understand!"

"A darkness is starting to gain control of me Katsumi. It has started in my arm and it is slowly reaching at my soul, trying to gain control by squeezing all of the light out of it."

Katsumi's eyes had widened considerably and she frantically searched Knight's eyes to see if there was any deceit in what he was saying; that he was playing some sort of sick joke.

She found none.

"C-can this be stopped? Does the King know about this?" She asked.

"Aye." Knight replied and Katsumi felt a smile form on her lips.

"Then…there's hope! If the King knows of this corruption then surely that means he knows of a way to help you!"

Knight sighed deeply and shook his head.

"The corruption has spread too far for the King to use his magic's on me…there is no current way to stop the corruption."

Katsumi faltered at hearing this.

"But…" Knight said.

"But what?" Katsumi said.

Knight let go of Katsumi's hand and gently grabbed hold of her shoulders, firmly keeping her in place.

"Knight…tell me, what else can be done to stop your corruption?" Katsumi said firmly as she brought her hands up to frame his face.

"There is a long term solution that can be enacted by the king…but it is a desperate measure none the less."

"Long term? What do you mean?" Katsumi asked.

Knight took a shaking breathe. This was the part he had been dreading.

"The corruption uses my own power against me. It twists and bends me to its will until I become some creature of darkness; a toy for it to control. In order to prevent this from happening, my power must be sealed away; I must be sealed away. Once this occurs, the corruption will no longer be able to feed off the energy…and it will slowly wither away and die, back into the oblivion that spawned it."

Katsumi blinked at this and licked her lips, a pensive smile forming.

"T-that's it…that's all there is to it?" She asked.

Knight didn't answer her.

"For how long then? If the corruption needs to die off, certainly it can't be that long. A year at the most then, is that what you're trying to say?"

Knight shook his head.

"No." Knight said, his tone low.

"Then…two years?" Katsumi said.

"No."

"A decade?" Katsumi said, her tone becoming agitated.

Knight didn't answer her, he instead kept his head lowered.

"Damn it Knight; how long!?" Katsumi said, unable to take her husband's silence.

"…Until the right time." Knight finally replied.

"What?" Katsumi whispered.

"Until someone pure of heart, love and courage can find me. Until both time and fate decide to guide my true master to me. Someone, who's soul burns so brightly that it will reignite my own soul and purge any lingering darkness from it."

"B-but that could be anyone!" Katsumi protested, not believing what she was hearing, "Knight, it could be hundreds if not thousands of years before that happens!"

"I-I know." Knight choked out.

Katsumi couldn't comprehend what her husband had just told her. He was basically saying that he was going to be locked away forever until someone eventually found him wherever he was going to be sealed away. For all he knew, he would never be found and-

"No!" Katsumi screamed trying push away from Knight in protest, "I won't allow it!"

Knight held firm.

"Katsumi…" Knight said, trying to calm his wife.

"Do you realize what this means!? I'll never see you again; Takeshi will never see you again!"

Tears streamed from both of their eyes.

"Katsumi…" Knight said, his voice dripping with grief.

"There has to be another way! I refuse to let this take you away from me! I refuse; I REFUSE!" Katsumi screamed as she pounded her fists against Knight's chest.

She refused to lose Knight and all that they had built together.

She refused to let her son lose his father.

Knight swiftly pulled Katsumi into the tightest embrace he had ever given her. She struggled, if only for a moment, before her hands slowly returned the gesture as pained sobs wracked her body.

"Don't do this," Katsumi sobbed and pleaded all at once, "Knight please don't do this."

"I'm sorry…but I have no choice." Knight said, his voice becoming strained.

"There has to be another way…there has to be..." Katsumi sobbed.

Knight gently, but with shaking hand, ran his fingers through his wife's hair.

"Katsumi, it's either this…or I break my own keys." Knight said making Katsumi's sobbing increase as her grip tightened to him-as if he would disappear right then and there.

"And if I do that, then I will forever be lost…right now, sealing me away is the only guaranteed path that will allow me to return to normal. I have to take the chance."

"It's not fair…it's not fair." Katsumi croaked.

Knight pulled back and rested his forehead against his wife's, both of their eyes meeting each other. He then made the Yin and Yang appear once more as he held up her hand with their fingers intertwined.

"So long as this mark remains, I will forever be yours. We will always be together, even though we will be apart. Do you understand? We will always be together."

The Yin and Yang began to spin slowly…gently.

"We are two halves that have been united as one. We balance each other out and therefore are bound together. Two spirits…one soul…understand?"

Katsumi swallowed hard but nodded in understanding.

"This isn't goodbye Katsumi. I will see you and our son again, this I can promise you. We are immortal. We have all the time in the world. And one way or another, we will be reunited."

"Do you promise?" Katsumi asked.

"I promise. As a Celestial Paladin and Guardian to the Celestial Spirit King himself, I give you my word."

Knight's oath did little to assuage her anguish, but Katsumi knew Knight's words to be true. For when he made a promise, he kept it; no matter for how long.

Knight pulled Katsumi into the deepest kiss he had ever given her and held her close before breaking away, letting his mouth rest next to her ear.

"I promise." He muttered.

"I promise."

XXXX

Two days later…

The time had come for Knight to be sealed away.

Stoically, the last Paladin stood in full armor-minus his mask which hung from his hip-with his wife and son as the Spirit King addressed all of the assembled celestial spirits. The King explained the full story what was happening to Knight; how his bond with the human spirit was unfortunately allowing him to be corrupted…how if the corruption wasn't destroyed, he would forever become an abomination.

Many of the Spirits were shocked beyond words at what their King had told them. Others rebelled against the idea of Knight being sealed away and taking his chances at fate. Like Katsumi, they protested that a better way to save Knight existed.

But the King denied their outcry's with an equally heavy heart.

"There is no more time," the King had said, "had this come to my attention at an earlier, I would have been able to purge this darkness from Knight. But that is not the case. We are left only with this option."

A depressed air filled the room and many spirits lowered their heads in sadness.

"This is much my decision as it is Knights. He is fully aware of the risks involved with this undertaking. He is prepared for what the consequences might entail."

The King sighed deeply and looked about the throne room.

"Knight is too valuable a spirit to be lost in such a manner as this; both as the last Paladin and as a beloved friend. I'm sure there are many of you who would gladly give your life for the spirit next to you…or the ones you love. This is Knight's battle and he must see it through to the end."

A hushed series of agreements arose from the Spirits. The King then looked to Knight.

"Capricorn is waiting in the human world with his master. After the sealing ceremony has been completed, I will send you to the human world. From there Capricorn will make sure you are put somewhere safe until the appropriate time arrives. He will however, erase the memory of this event even occurring…so as to prevent you from falling into the wrong hands and hiding your location. Remember, we must leave it to fate to play her part in all of this."

"I understand my lord." Knight answered.

"Then let's begin." The King said, raising his hands-palms flat-over the reflecting pool. He then began to utter a spell that was barely audible to the ears. Soon enough, the pool began to glow and crackle with magic energy.

"Say what you must but do not linger…for I cannot maintain this spell for long." The King said.

Knight didn't answer as he and Katsumi kissed once again. Their fingers remained intertwined as they tried to hold onto each other for as long as the kiss would allow them. But, eventually, they had to break away.

"I'll wait for you." Katsumi said, tears on the brimming in her eyes.

"And I will keep my promise." Knight replied.

Slowly, Knight began to walk way, his fingers still lingering with Katsumi's. He then felt someone latch onto his leg. Looking down, Knight swore right then and there that his heart was on the verge of shattering.

Takeshi held onto his father in a desperate attempt to stay with him. The boy looked up at his father as he sniffled past his tears. His throat was choked up to the point that he could only manage a paned whimper.

"I have to go Takeshi." Knight said, his own voice straining.

Takeshi shook his head defiantly.

"Takeshi…" Knight said as he pulled Takeshi away, kneeling down so that they were eye to eye, "I'm…Daddy's sick…and I need to go away for a long time so I can get better."

"Why…can't you stay here with mama and me?" Takeshi croaked.

"No buddy…I can't. If I stay, I'll just get even sicker. And then I won't be able to stay with you or mama again."

"It's not fair." Takeshi said past his tears.

"I know son…I know. But I will tell you this; I will come back. And when I do, I'll be all better and stronger than before. But until then, I need you to be a big boy and look after mama for me. I need you to be brave…and I need you to be strong. Can you do that for me?"

Takeshi nodded and wiped his tears from his eyes. Knight gently pulled his son into a hug for what may have been the last time he would get a chance to do so.

"That's my little warrior." Knight said, pulling back and summoning his sea shell necklace. He then pulled the string over Takeshi's head, letting it fall to the boy's shoulders.

"This is yours now…so that I'll always be with you." Knight explained.

"Knight, it's now or never." The King spoke up.

Knight sighed deeply before releasing his son to Katsumi. Knight rose and donned his mask before walking over and onto the pool, stopping at the center.

Knight took in a deep breath and steeled his nerves. He then closed his eyes.

"I am ready my king." Knight said.

The Spirit King's chanting resumed, this time louder and more firm. The pool glowed brighter and Knight found himself wrapped in tendrils of magical energy. Soon enough, the light flared to blinding levels until it seemed as if a hundred suns had come to life in the throne room. But just as quickly as the light appeared, it faded away. In Knight's place, two key's had appeared. One was made of the purest sterling silver while the other was made from white and blue diamond. The two keys, once they were combined, formed a shield with two crossed swords behind it.

The Spirit King lowered his hands and then clapped them together twice. The keys fell from their suspended animation and through the portal where an awaiting Capricorn on the other side caught the keys and gently set them in a velvet lined stone box. With Knight securely in tow, Capricorn and his master set out on their task.

And all the while, the spirit world watched as one of its greatest warriors was hidden away.

"It is done," The King said, "now, all we must do is wait for fate to play her role. For it will be her judgment that will allow Knight to be returned to us.

XXXX

And so it was that the last Celestial Paladin was sealed away from all that he knew in a desperate act to not only protect himself but the ones he cherished most.

It would be a long dreamless sleep for Knight as the years passed by. As time moved on, so did the rest of the world. Knight and his brothers faded from memory and into legend…they became the focus of tales that recounted a long lost time and age. They became the heroes of bed time stories meant to entertain children.

Days turned into weeks.

Weeks into months.

Months into years.

And years into decades.

And through it all, fate held her hand-waiting for the right time to play her cards. For over three hundred and ninety-eight years, fate waited for the chance to play her cards.

But fate, ever the patient mistress, could wait.

Until one day, the time arrived. She could finally play her hand. The cards she once held were tossed onto the table of life and as many know, when fate deals her cards, she does so in the most unexpected ways.

And on one hot summer afternoon in the year X794, Knight was awakened from his long dormant slumber.

On that day…his tale truly began.

XXXX
A/N: Well ladies and gentlemen, what do you think? A new story has begun and I'm just getting warmed up with this one.

I hope I'm off to a good start for this story because this took me two weeks to crank out and I don't want to disappoint anyone with this. Especially the people who enjoyed my original story that this coincides with.

Now before you guys say anything about Pisces having names, let me put it this way; I did not want to constantly be calling them "the mother" or "the son" all the time. Hopefully the backstory I created, and the excessive amount of creative liberty I took, explains itself on my decision to name the mother Katsumi and the son Takeshi. In actuality, through some research I did, I found out that Katsumi and Takeshi in Japanese mean "Victorious Beauty" and "Warrior". So the names are fitting, in their own way, for Pisces-wouldn't you agree?

As for updates with this story, I'll be honest; it'll be on and off. My college classes take up the majority of my time and my education is my top priority. I also work a part time job with hours that change every week and to top it off, I am currently balancing out two other stories…or attempting to.

I hope you guys will bear with me and be patient with this story like you have before. That's all that I ask.

Hopefully my schedule won't tie me up too much and prevent me from doing any of this.

Next time; CHAPTER 2: A rude awakening

As per usual, if you guys have any comments or questions, please put it in your review and I'll make sure to respond to you in the next chapter. If you have anything else that you wish to ask me or clarify, you can PM me and I'll do my best to respond ASAP.

Until next time; read, review and most importantly of all, HAPPY READING!