Prologue: 'Relatives' and Arrival

Disclaimer: I will never own Shakugan no Shana. I wish I did. If I did, there would be a few more couples and love triangles. As I prove here.


The Day Before Bal Masqué's Attack

It was a dark room, with the soft light coming from glowing circles on the ground. Only the armor-clad feet of the people standing there were visible.

"Are we all agreed on this point?" a deep, clear voice asked from the shadows.

"I believe we are," someone else said.

"Very we—"

"Hold on a second." There was a loud, clanking sound as one of the people stepped forward. "I have my doubts about starting this now. I believe we should wait for another year."

"What are your doubts, Kenji-sama?" The deep voice was respectful.

"We cannot be sure whether the Flame Haze know of us or not." Kenji said. "Should they figure it out, they could very well find a way to stop us."

"But if we do not act, the Flame Haze will find us." Another person stepped forward. Their feet were shod in metal slippers, and next to Kenji's, they looked frail. But the stance hinted otherwise. "We're in their direct line of sight. It's a miracle that they haven't found us yet."

"But the shield of our ancesto—" Kenji started.

"We all know that's a myth," Gorou spat. "And if it isn't, it will protect us now."

Kenji was silent, then stepped back. "Very well," he said wearily. "I add my vote."

"Then it is decided," said the deep voice. The owner's feet appeared. They were shod in very old boots. "Let the combination of the worlds begin."


It was a few days after Ball Masque had staged their attack on a Misaki City. The birds chirped happily in the lush, green trees as a fifteen-year-old girl made her way to school. Traffic wasn't terrible, and the buildings gleamed with the light of a clear day.

"Kazumi-chan!" Someone called. The brunette turned to see a young man with glasses coming towards her down the clean sidewalk. "Good morning!" he said as he reached her.

"Good morning, Ike-kun," she said with a smile. "What is it?"

The boy's skin turned slightly pink around the cheeks. "U-umm . . . well, my cousin sent me this recipe." He quickly pulled out his phone. "She told me to give this to you." After fiddling with it for a moment, he handed it to her. His tan hand brushed her pale one.

"Oh!" The girl's brown eyes lit up as she stared at the screen. She looked up at the boy, somehow missing that his face was bright red. "Is this from Miki?"

"Y-yeah!" Ike said quickly. "You know her?"

"Of course!" Kazumi said with a warm smile. "She's the one that came to visit you a while back, correct?"

"Y-yeah!" The poor boy was slowly calming down. "I-I'll forward it to you."

"Thank you!" The girl replied warmly. She handed Ike back his phone, and they walked to school together.


At the same time, a strange boy made his way into the peaceful city. His Egyptian-toned, scarred face was hidden beneath a large orange hood. He glanced around continually with unconcerned, red irises. He moved in and out of the crowd, somehow blending in. However, when people spared him a glance, they seemed to be caught off guard and move away. On his back was a large, white, metal staff.

He eventually moved off the street and made his way to the places in the city he knew. From there, he would locate the Flame Haze in the city and go to them. He paused as he reached a place he recognized. It was a simple stop in the path, with a park bench and trees on the side. This was the place that he'd tuned the city. He looked up at the sky.

Somehow, he'd managed to tune all the cities that were on his list quickly enough for this job. Even then, his contractor had only convinced him to go by pointing out that the distortions could have come back. After all, the entire city had been covered by power of existence, which was then sucked up by Alastor manifesting as Tenpa Jōsai

He remembered the girl with whose memory he'd tuned the city. Yoshida Kazumi. He remembered the look on her face when he'd told her about the world. That was shock. Then, when she'd thought that boy might be a torch. He remembered terror.

And then the look on her face when she admitted to that boy. Tears streaming down her face, telling him that he was Sakai Yuji, and she loved him for that. The sudden urge to leave the city caught him off guard. He turned around and took a step, then stopped.

'That's odd,' he thought, then turned again and began searching for the presence of the Flame Haze.


The most renowned high school in Misaki City was also at peace. Students at their desks watched the teacher with boredom. One particular student's feet began to tap impatiently, and soon the entire class was mimicking the action. At first, the teacher tried to ignore it. Finally, he could take it no longer.

He spun about and roared, "Hirai-san!"

The feet of the student called went still. The same feet that had started the tapping. "What is it?" This particular student watched with amused, brown eyes as the teacher tried to formulate the words in a way that didn't sound pathetic.

"You are not letting me teach my lesson!"

This particular student raised a disdaining eyebrow. "Oh?" she asked. "How so?"

"You . . . you are tapping your feet to distract my class!" he cried. The girl snorted softly. Then, standing quickly, she walked to the front of the classroom. Her long black hair swished softly behind her.

"I can show you how to tap your feet, so that you get the attention of the class back." She volunteered. Her voice was calm, but had a mocking after tone.

"Hirai-san!" the teacher said fearfully, "get back to your desk!"

"First, you put your foot in a reliable position."

"Hirai-san!"

"Second," the girl continued, ignoring the teacher, "you lift all of your foot but the heel. Third, you bring your foot down, then bring it up the second it touches the floor." A sharp tap echoed through the silent room as the student demonstrated her words. The teacher, who was at this point too scared to speak, watched in horror as the other students followed her example.

Hirai smiled and nodded. "Very good, class," she said in a warmer tone of voice, and several of the students laughed. "Now, let's do it all together, shall we?"

As she raised her foot, the teacher cried out. "STOP!" When all of the feet descended in perfect harmony, he covered his ears with his hands and squeezed his eyes shut.

Just then, as the students raised their feet once more, there was a loud ringing sound. The girl's brown eyes shot towards the sound. She paused in the middle of a tap and reached into her pocket to retrieve a phone.

"Hirai-san!" the teacher yelled, slamming his fists on his desk, "what is that doing in here?"

"I take what I want all over the city. I don't see how it's different with a classroom," Shana said as she hit the answer button. "Now be quiet while I take this call. Yes?"

The class erupted into giggles and chuckles. The teacher turned and glared at the students, trying to reassert his authority. It didn't work. Shana leaned against the desk, her brow furrowing. The red and gold pendant that hung from her neck seemed to glow brighter, but only one boy in the mass of students noticed this.

His name was Sakai Yuji, and he was a Mystes. A Torch who's existence slowly ran out during the day, and was restored because of the precious hogu that resided within him. Not all Mystes were as lucky as he; most of them faded, and didn't even realize that they were fading, or that they contained something more valuable to a Crimson Denizen than gold.

Shana lowered the phone, hit the end button on the call, and slipped it back into her skirt pocket.

"Kazumi-chan, Yuji, the three of us are needed at home."

"M-me?" Kazumi asked. She was a sweet girl with chestnut colored hair and bright brown eyes. Yuji remembered when she'd confessed her love to him, and felt his face heat a little. Until then, she'd never really been an option for Yuji. He might be a numbskull when it came to romance, but he knew his friend Hayato Ike was in love with her.

"Yes," Shana confirmed, and something in Kazumi's eyes lit up.

Yuji remembered nearly a week ago, when the kind girl had managed to save them. They'd been at school, and the boy had been sent to the infirmary. Mare, Village of Jestful Slumber, had put the three of them in a dream. She had then tried to steal the Midnight Lost Child, the Hogu that resided in Yuji. At the last second, despite all forces against her, Kazumi had woken, and they had escaped from the dream before it collapsed on them with Mare's demise.

Yuji stood and followed Shana, who was pulling Kazumi along. He wondered what was so important, and why Wilhelmina needed the brunet. After all, it had to be Shana's adopted mother who had called. Who else would have?

"W-wait a second!" the teacher yelled, running after them.

"Oh, right." Shana turned to him. "Someone in my distant family is dying. We're all really close to her." Yuji was dead sure that would not convince the teacher, who now stood with his arms folded in front of him.

"W-wait!" Kazumi cried. The brunette girl turned to Shana. "You don't mean . . . Aimi, do you?"

The Flame Haze looked blankly at the human for a moment, then caught on and nodded. Yuji was surprised to see tears spring to Kazumi's bright, brown eyes. He lowered his head to hide his awe.

The girl turned to the teacher. "Please!" she begged. "Mark us as absent, whatever! If she's really dying . . ."

"It was an automobile accident," Shana said. "She has less than four hours to live."

Kazumi froze. The teacher looked at her and his face softened. "Alright, alright. Hirai-san, you may escort these two to . . . to wherever this Aimi is. I'll mark you as excused."

"Thank you!" Kazumi said, and as she turned back to the other two, Yuji was surprised to see how convincingly thankful her expression was. As he turned to follow Shana, Yuji realized that Kazumi was pretty cute, too.


AN: Alright! First stage of the re-write, completed! Hopefully, this is much better than the first draft stuff. And hopefully, I get a review *hint, hint* By the way, don't worry about the YujixKazumi mention—it won't be happening. That is a very sincere promise. I just needed . . . well, you'll see.

It's rather unusual for a prologue, isn't it? More like a first chapter. Are the character OOC? Is the grammar terrible? Did you enjoy it? Did you not? Are you eager to see what happens next or bored? Please sandwich your critique (if you can). And last but not least . . .

Thank you in advance!

-Qiana King