She appeared to me in my dreams that Thursday night. I couldn't see anything about her except her red hair; red, like the color of blood. It blew in the wind likes crimson waves and I couldn't keep my eyes off it. I didn't really know where I was, only that I was laying on something cold. No, it was my body that was cold, cold and numb. I couldn't help but wonder if I was dying and my mind was paying tricks on me or if this was just a messed up dream. There were so many questions that only formed halfway, before disappearing before I knew what I wanted to ask. It was weird, why was I dying in my own dream? Was this a dream? I found it hard to move my body, as it felt like lead. Still those strands of red hair still filled my vision.

"Live." No mistaking, that was the voice of a female. Shadows were her veil, keeping her identity a mystery; but I knew it was that girl who was in front of me talking.

"You will live for me, for now and forever."

I felt myself waking up from the dream as suddenly everything including me was engulfed in a bright light. But before I truly woke up, I saw those eyes. Blue like the bluest seas and then there was nothing…

I woke up with a start, the alarm clock buzzing loudly in my right ear. I couldn't hit the snooze button fast enough before sighing followed by a yawn. My name is Taizen Soto, or Tai, for short. I'm a second year attending Kuoh Academy. The place was originally a girls only school but was recently changed so both boys and girls could attend. There was a bigger ratio of girls than guys but I didn't mind there were some cute ones that went there.

It only took me ten minutes tops to get dress and walk out of the house with a piece of toast in my mouth. My mother was yelling after me to clean my room once I got home and I just waved her off saying I would do it though I was certain I wouldn't using the 'I got homework' excuse.

It was still early so there was no reason to be rushing. As I stroll my way over to school I couldn't help but think about my dream from last night. I couldn't really figure out the point so in the end I ended up shrugging it off and continued on my way to school; eight full hours of boredom, yay.

My school life was rather boring and simple. Get up at an ungodly hour in the morning, get dress and manage to get a quick breakfast. From there I'm at school sitting at a desk "Listening" to the teacher with a blank face. The good thing about tending a school that the majority were girls was that every once in a while I caught "nice" views.

Okay, to be honest I'm not perverted! I just tend to be at the wrong place, at the wrong time. And on other cases I just get bad luck and I get caught doing the perverted things I shouldn't be doing. But in my defense, I'm usually influenced by my buddies. Sometimes their words are rather tempting and I just can't help it. I'm a teenage boy raging with hormones, sue me!

To justify my point as soon as I was in front of the school gates, the wind blew and just then a girl's skirt lifted and I got an eyeful of white panties. I won't lie… To myself. I totally liked it but I wasn't going to admit it. But to be on the safe side I averted my eyes and looked at nothing in particular just in case she decided to turn around to see if there was anyone looking. I didn't want to be chased by a bunch a girls. Sure to most guys, being chased by girls might sound beast, but not when they are armed with bamboo swords ready to smack the hell out of you.

For once I was lucky that she didn't say anything and just made her way to the school building. With a sigh I continued walking, my head down and cheeks red due to the image fresh in my mind. Still I couldn't help but think how random that whole scene was.

"Tai!" I looked up hearing my name being called out only to two see three of my buds come flying at me. I didn't even have much time to move before they came crashing into me, knocking me down on my ass with a thump. "Ow! The hell you three?!" I glared at them.

Karin, Senji, and Vic. My three best pals since elementary all stared at me with smiled on their faces. Together we made a group of four, with Karin being the only girl in the group but also kept us three boys in check.

"Did you hear yet?" Senji started off as I got up and dusted myself off. "The game is going to be released tonight at midnight!" I merely blinked at looked at the three excited faces while I stared back not fully sure what they were talking about.

"Err-" I started to say.

"Don't tell me you forgot, son," Vic said in his wanna be gangster talk. Out of the four Vic was into the rap and hip-hop, always trying to come up with raps of his own though they just end up sucking. But they sure gave us a good laugh when he would "bust a rhyme" or so he claims. "I mean we been talking about it for two weeks now."

Still I gave a blank stare shaking my head. Lately I haven't been paying much attention to things that I should. I been zoning out and on what I haven't have the slightest idea. I suppose it's just my ability to tone people out has gotten the best of me. Karin looked at me and shook her head before speaking up.

"The third game to the Kingdom Hearts series? You geeks go gaga over."

"HEY!" Both I and the others cried out.

"We do not go, gaga over Kingdom Hearts," Senji said pushing his glasses up. "We merely enjoy the story plot and the gaming as you go around to different Disney worlds and beat the snot out of Heartless."

"Yeah boy!" Vic grinned swinging his arm in a vertical slash. "Not to mention does killer Keyblades! The designs on them blades are wicked, ya mean!"

I looked at Karin and couldn't help but give her a smug look. "Not to mention the amazing characters. Sora, Riku, and Kiari."

Again Karin rolled her eyes shaking her head. She mumbled something under her breath before looking back up at me. "Whatever, nerds." Despite the front she put up, Karin was actually a gamer herself. However she wasn't much of a RPG game like me and Senji and Vic. She excelled in more things like Halo 4 and the newest game, Call of Duty: Advance Warfare. But I was working on getting her more into RPG and so forth...

The four of us just huddle together and talked just like we did every day. It went from topic to topic. Don't ask me how, but we ended up talking about who was the hottest in the school.

"You three are sick," Karin claimed crossing her arms. "It's disgusting how boys talk about girls like we're meat."

"Chill, chill," I said putting my hands out in front of me in a submitting manner. "It's not like we're talking about who we would like to bang or anything." I chuckled nervously. But in my defense if she didn't like it why was she still standing there?

"Say Tai." I turn to look at Senji as he had a funny looking grin on his face while adjusting his glasses. "Who would you like to get your hands on?"

"Wah?!" I closed and open my mouth like a fish out of water before clearing my throat. I honestly didn't know the answer to that question myself as I never gave it much thought. Sure all teenage boys thought about getting a hot girl in bed, I'm one of them, but to be specific about who I want was a tough one. I was going to say that I didn't know until a breeze abruptly picked up. In the corner of my eye I caught something red in the wind. I turn my head just to see two girls, no, women walking.

They were known as Kuoh Academy's number one and number two beauties, Akeno Himejima and…

"Rias Gremory," I couldn't help but say in awe. Her hair was as red as the hair in my dream. Blue eyes shining in the morning sun's rays. The school's female uniform hugged her busy body nicely, defining her curves and other things that could get a guy drooling over her. She walked with this touch of elegance. I couldn't explain it but Rias Gremory walked like she was a Queen and this school was her kingdom. She was totally out of my league, Akeno too. But as she walked by, Rias looked at me from the corner of her eye. In the short moment I felt myself go stiff like I was frozen. I must have imagined it but it looked like she smiled before looking away and then was gone.

"You wanna bang the Rias Gremory!?" Senji and Vic's voice snapped me out of my trance. I shook my head. "Huh? What?" I looked at them weirdly as I did not say that. Well, I think I didn't at least.

"Oh please you wouldn't even have a chance with her," Karin said bluntly. I rolled my eyes already knowing that much but still she was so beautiful… And busty. Even though she was gone, I still felt like I was being watched for some odd reason.

"Besides if word spread that you touch the Queen of Kuoh Academy, these girls would maw you like dogs."

I couldn't help but look at sweat drop as Karin was the bluntest and straight up person I ever seen.

"Haha! Leave it up to our girl, Karin, to tell it how it is," Vic laughed.

The bell rang for the start of school and we all walked in the school building together. From there the four of us branched off to our classes. Senji and I had the same homeroom which was class 2-C. I took my spot near the back of the room by the window.

The rest of the day, like usual was uneventful and boring…

It was about four in the afternoon when I made my way home. Cars passed me as I crossed the home with my bag over my shoulder. I sighed looking at the purple, golden colors of the sky. Today was the same as always, boring as usual. I felt like I was stuck in a rut these days. Not like I didn't mind it I enjoyed my times with my friends and mother. Just I wished for a little excitement in my life.

Apparently I got what I asked for as when I came across an alleyway I usually took as a shortcut on my way home. I turned just in time to see two guys pushing a girl around.

"Agh!" The girl cried out and seeing her school uniform I could see she went to the same school as me. In fact it was the same girl who flashed me her panties that morning. I watched as the two advanced on her, trapping her so she couldn't escape them. Seeing that Panty Flasher was helpless, I couldn't help but get upset. I tended to hate people who took advantage of the week as it went back on a more personal note with me.

"Hey!" I shouted out without hesitation walking over to them. By now the three turn to look at them, both guys scoffing at me. That just irritated me even more. Panty Flasher looked at me with pleading purple eyes, a soft whimper coming from her lips. My eyes moved up to the two thugs who were tormenting the girl my hands clenched. "Leave her alone," I said in the most serious voice I could muster.

"Or else what?" Said one as he grinned, showing the gap between his front teeth.

"You gonna tell on us, little man?" said the other standing next to Gap. This guy had a beanie over his head.

Gap and Beanie gave me that look as if knowing I wouldn't do anything. I looked over to Panty Flasher, her purple eyes looking at me with a hint of hope and I knew I couldn't let her down. Weighing my opportunities and tried to figure out what I could do. There was always the option of just walking away but I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I pulled that.

My best bet was to somehow distract them enough, get them away from Panty Flasher so she could escape. But for that to work I had no choice but to get into a fight with these two.

I've had my share of experience in fights in my life and I usually try to avoid them of denote a situation if I could. But still there were times I fought and I surprisingly came out on top. In all honesty I believe I won solely on luck and me being quick on my feet.

Seeing that I haven't replied yet, Gap laughed and turned his head to Beanie. "Look at the wannabe hero; can't even come up with a comeback." The two snickered and Gap looked at me. "Why don't you get out of here, kid? This is none of your business."

"No," I said without even thinking, taking another step forward. "I'm not letting you do what you want with her." Corny I know, but it was true; I wasn't letting them get away with this and if it led to a fight. So be it.

Beanie and Gap took a step towards me, seeming to forget Panty Flasher for now. I tried to make eye contact with her, tell her to go and get out of here. She just stood there watching and seeming to be unable to move.

The first blow came unexpectedly as I was too busy looking at the girl to see that Gap advanced on me. With a grunt and stumbled back before regaining my balance and threw my own punch. I succeeded in making contact but it was again Gap's shoulder who merely swung his right hand and practically bitch slapped me.

They laughed when I stumbled back again. Already I knew where this was going just by how the side of my face throbbed and stung. I looked at Panty Flasher as she just watched. "Go!" I shouted at her and she looked at me as if hesitating. "Just go, I'll distract them just get out of here!"

Beanie kicked me in the groin and I hunched over just so he could hit my side and I stumbled on the ground. "Distracting who?" Beanie mocked while he looked down at me. I couldn't move as the pain in my family jewels was too much for me to just get up and defend myself. Beanie just laughed as he kept kicking me, getting my sides while he laughed and insulted me. Was it me or was this douche bag a sadistic?

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?!" called out Gap.

I looked at saw that Panty Flasher was finally running away, her bag clutched tightly in to her chest while she darted off, Gap trying to go after her. No, I couldn't let him get to her. I'll be damned and pissed if I was getting my ass kicked all for nothing. I twisted my body to I was on my side and took a cheap shot at Beanie's crotch. Hey they weren't paying fair so why should I? Besides, it was payback.

Beanie howled in pain as I hit him and he stumbled away. "Yeah see how you like it asshole," I mumbled before grabbing empty Pepsi can and chucking it at Gap who was reaching out for Panty Flasher.

'Clunk!'

The can hit Gap in the back of his head. I knew it wasn't efficient and it wouldn't hurt like a full soda can would, but it was enough for him to stop and let Panty Flasher get away. Gap turned to me and glared and I smirked only to get hit in the face by Beanie.

"You son of a bitch," Beanie growled clearly not happy that I got him where it hurt. I could still see the pain in his eyes along with anger. He threw another punch by with a shift of my feet I dodged it and shoved him away. At this time, Gap was making his way over to help his friend beat me to a bloody pulp. The things that I get involved with, I swear…

That night, falling asleep wasn't that hard as I was beat, literally. I was glad my mother was still at work when I came home. Half my face was swollen and my body just ached from punches and kicks. I tried to clean up as best as I could without trying to awaken the pains in my body but that was proven to be impossible. I changed to a shirt and boxers, grabbed a frozen pack of peas and got reacquainted with my bed. I fell asleep around six just as I faintly heard the front door open and close.

She came to me in my dreams again. But this time I could see her, see all of her; red hair as red as blood, piercing blue eyes that watched me with a twinkle. Rias Gremory was looking at me, smiling softly at me. I couldn't move just like before but this time I knew why. Rias was sitting on me, straddling my waist as I laid there gazing at her and her beauty. My body didn't ache anymore and just from that I already enjoyed this dream.

"Rias-?" I started to say but she put a finger on my lips and shushed me and I obeyed without thought. Seeming pleased she smiled more and caressed my right cheek. Her hand was cool, but it felt good against my skin.

"Tai," she said softly and she started to lean in. It was one thing to dream about a beautiful girl but to dream of her kissing you. My heart was thumping hard in my chest as she stared at me our lips merely inches away from each other.

"Live, become strong and live for my sake."

It was almost exactly what she said to me that last time. But what I couldn't figure out was what she was talking about.

"My little soldier. My little pawn."