After several years on fanfiction dot net, I finally have nothing to say at the beginning of my story. I am quite astounded.
"Preying on people weaker than yourselves." The clear chime of a bell and a calm, yet commanding voice cut through the shouts and screams in the alley. "That's somewhat low, isn't it?"
Koto string snakes tore through the air with a whipping sound, sinking their fangs into the wrists of some unfortunate thugs.
"Ka... Kazuki of the Threads!"
Most of the gang dropped their weapons and stopped in their tracks, frozen in fear. The thread master advanced upon them, his eyes cold and serious. His confident, elegant posture suggested that he could sever the hands of his opponents with a flick of his wrist.
A few of the smarter men began to run, not caring about any of the people they'd been attacking, nor wanting their possessions any longer. It was likely that if they had tried to take anything with them, they'd be next on Kazuki's list.
Being titled as one of the four emperors came with a lot of respect, and a lot of fear. Most of the time, Kazuki's mere presence was enough to win his battles. All he needed to do was show up, and his opponents would scatter back into the dark alley-ways they had come from.
Then, there were people like this.
"You're pretty cocky," One of the men was still holding his knife and seemed to be keeping his cool. "For a -girl- like you to challenge us by yourself. Kazuki of the Threads-san must think he's real smooth."
Kazuki stayed indifferent, used to taunts about his feminine appearance. There were always a few who, though knowing his reputation, assumed he was weak. It was always a judgment based solely upon his appearance, and they always mocked him the same way.
The man opposing him had a girl of about eleven or twelve years of age, Kazuki hazarded a guess, under his arm with his knife to her neck. He flashed the slender man a grin, providing him with a view of a dirty, though neat, set of teeth.
"I know your reputation," The man continued in a smug voice, moving the blade ever so slightly so it glittered menacingly in the fading sunlight, "I know that you just hate putting innocent lives in danger. Fit for a hero, but not really fit for one of the four emperors of the Limitless Fortress, is it?" He applied just enough pressure to the knife for it to sink shallowly into the girl's neck, causing a little trickle of blood to escape. The girl made no sound at all, staring straight ahead at nothing with no more than a slight flinch as the metal sunk into her skin.
"You'd do best to let my men go from your dental floss, if you want this kid to live. There's tons of possible hostages here, so I got no problems with killing this one."
Kazuki's face didn't change a bit, but he did uncurl his strings. The newly freed men backed up, not as confident of Kazuki's weakness as the lippy man.
"Good." The boss continued to taunt. It formed an image of him as a rather generic villain. There were many others like him in the Limitless Fortress, with egos engorged from the easy murders they got away with. They all thought they were going to be the next big thing; that they were going to take over lower town, eventually expanding their influence to the Belt Line. Maybe they even thought that they'd one day be able to stretch the tips of their fingers to the distant corners of Babylon city. They were foolish. Too emboldened by their own empty victories to consider their weaknesses.
"You don't talk much, do you? Ain't suitable for one of the famed four emperors, but it suits your girlish form." The man snorted, then grinned slyly, "Maybe we should take you with us when we go? You obviously ain't no good in a fight, but having a man as pretty as yourself around could be good for... other uses, if you know what I mean. You ain't worth shit, but you got a nice body."
"Hmph." Kazuki finally moved, tossing his hair very slightly. "You make me sick."
The other men, slightly more emboldened thanks to their leader's words and Kazuki's so far passive nature, began to move in closer.
"Let's see if we can get you to change your tune a little bit, Thread master..." They advanced forward, eyes gleaming with malicious intent, hands reaching for him.
Quicker than anoy of them could blink, one of Kazuki's threads whipped out, lashing against the closest man's face. Thy stopped in their tracks, and the injured one brought a hand to his cheek. After a moment, he took it away to observe his now blood-covered fingers.
"Fucking whore!" The he shrieked, "Whaddaya think you're doin'!" He grabbed his face again, trying to stop the flow, and backed away.
The leader wasn't impressed at all.
"Stupid bitch!" He snarled at Kazuki, "Ya think I was fucking kidding before? I'll kill this little brat in a second! We got tons of other hostages here! I'm gonna gut her, just to show that ya can't mess with us!" He raised the knife above his head and plunged it awkwardly towards the girl's head. It happened in a mere second; the man's arm continued toward the girl's head, but the knife clattered to the blood stained cement. Still clutched in the man's severed hand.
Kazuki, pretty sure that no one was going to continue defying him now, returned his bells to his hair and stared at the now one-handed man sternly.
"Next time you won't get off as easily as this. If I catch you tormenting these people, if I catch you tormenting anyone again, you'll be lucky to escape with your life."
All the other thugs had scattered the second their leader's hand hit the ground, terrified that they would be next. The boss stared down at his arm, at the bloody stump where his hand had once been, in complete disbelief. It took a while before the pain finally set in, and then he was off, screaming intelligible curses as he ran, leaving the little girl behind.
Kazuki sighed, and brushed a few stray hairs out of his face. Now that the influence of VOLTS was spreading throughout lower town, they didn't have to deal with scenes like this so much anymore. Still, you'd always come across some people who didn't like the power that the Lightening Emperor and the other four emperors had; ones who would challenge their rule.
The street was full of the dead and the dying, and the ground was smeared with blood and limbs. The sight made Kazuki feel a little ill, but after several years of living here in the Limitless Fortress, it was something he'd been forced to become accustomed to.
"Kazuki... of the threads?"
Kazuki looked down, finally noticing the little girl; the hostage from before. She was staring up at him, almost as if she couldn't believe who she was looking at. This man... he was one of the Four Emperors... one of the leaders of the VOLTS.
This man knew the Lightening Emperor, Amano Ginji; one of the most feared and admired men in the Limitless Fortress. And she was standing right in front of him.
Kazuki offered her a comforting smile, "I'm glad you're unharmed."
The little girl turned her attention to the bloody hand, still curled loosely around the knife on the ground. She didn't seem to be bothered by it in the least, instead choosing to ask, "Why didn't you kill him in the end?"
Kazuki knew he should have been used to that sort of attitude after the years he'd spent living in this hell, but it was still a surprise to hear it from a young child. However, he wasn't one to lose his composure, and he replied honestly.
"I try not to kill, if I can help it."
The little girl didn't say anything for a long time, and just looked at him as if she were trying to stare him down. "That's stupid." She finally told the beautiful young man, "If you can kill your enemies, you should."
She said it as though it were a fact of life, and not cruel at all. 'Then again,' Kazuki amended his thoughts, 'Perhaps here, in the Limitless Fortress, that's correct.'
"You were you born here, weren't you?" He asked the question on impulse.
She nodded, eyeing him curiously; perhaps she was wondering why someone like him was asking about her. "How did you know?"
A slight breeze ruffled Kazuki's hair, and he suddenly noticed that all the people who'd survived the attack had disappeared from the dirty street. He'd been lest him with a mountain of countless corpses and a heartless child.
The breeze picked up a little more.
"You have that look about you." He finally replied, full of seriousness. "The one that the children born in the Limitless Fortress all have. Of a child who's grown up too fast."
The girl seemed thoughtful, as if she'd never considered that idea. That a child born into this violent, closed world that she was used to would be different to one born elsewhere. But then, maybe it was normal. Kazuki knew he was lucky to have experienced the freedom of being a child in the outside world; not like the youth here.
This girl had a likeness to Makubex, now that he thought about it. A likeness to Makubex before he'd found comfort in the company of Ginji, Sakura and himself. Sometimes he still saw a glimmer of it underneath the warm kindness that was slowly building up in his eyes; the hard, cold nature of someone who was willing to do anything for survival. Anything to protect what they wanted - or needed- most; something that not even Gen's loving care had been able to keep away. However, it often only took a kind word, or a hand upon his shoulder, and that look was buried again.
"Did you come from the outside, big brother Kazuki?"
He nodded, not meeting her eyes anymore, smiling at something only he could understand. The little girl continued to stare at him with her amazingly clear gray eyes. It was easy to imagine them, in a few years time, staring blankly at the body of someone who'd died at her hand. There would be no room for pity or regret in those eyes. They were steely and hard. They weren't the eyes of a child.
"I came here... some years ago. You've lived here for longer than I."
"Why would you come here anyway? That's so stupid." Her face and body were both dirty with blood. Whether it was her own or that of someone else, the thread master didn't know. He wasn't sure he wanted to. Instead, Kazuki laughed in a soft melodious tone that one would rarely hear in parts like this.
"That's true. Why would someone come here? I wonder..."
The wind was becoming even stronger. Kazuki shivered in his clothes. They weren't appropriate for the season, but in the Limitless Fortress you took what you got. It wasn't only beggars who couldn't afford to be choosers.
"I sometimes pretend I'm living out there... I'd like to find out what it's like." The little girl spoke quietly, as if she were letting him in one a secret. Her words were so appropriate for someone as young as she, but her eyes still suggested something else. "You could tell me, couldn't you, big brother Kazuki?"
It was going to be dark soon.
"It's been a while since I've talked about it with anyone." A mask of wistfulness had settled onto his face, "So perhaps I can spare the time."
The clouds above really were awfully dark. Maybe it was going to rain soon.
"Kazuki!"
"Ne, hurry!"
"Kazuki, please be careful!"
His heart felt so light and carefree. It was such a perfect summer day. No clouds, no wind and so warm.
"Juubei, you worry too much!"
That comment must have been the last straw for fate, as young Kazuki tripped in a dent in the bank. He slipped and skidded before toppling down the low, grassy hill into the stream that ran beside it. A tremendous wave of water reared up from the impact.
"Kazuki!" Juubei followed after him, but he had far more control over his actions. He landed on his feet, just a little over ankle deep in the crystal water, stirring up dirt and small pebbles. Ignoring the chill, he offered a hand to his friend. "Are you okay?"
The slightly younger boy accepted the help, talking hold of his friend's wrist.
"I'm fine. Just a little wet."
That was a bit of an understatement; his kimono was completely sodden from the bottom to his waist, with small patches of wetness travelling further up. The two clambered out of the glassy water, back onto the dryness of the bank. Kazuki flopped onto his back, letting the soft, almost-yellow grass tickle the backs of his arms and hands. Maybe he'd just lie here for a while and let the summer sun dry him off, while he stared up into the sky...
"Kazuki, you're bleeding!"
He felt Juubei's hands on his leg, warm compared to his skin which felt icy after being in the stream. The touch made him giggle.
"It's fine, Juubei, it's just a scrape. It only stings a little. A small child could cope with it."
His friend wouldn't have any of it. He pushed back the wet, pink fabric of Kazuki's clothes so he had a good view of his leg.
"That means nothing." Juubei spoke whilst taking out his needles, "No matter how little... if you're in any pain at all, then I..."
He stopped talking for a moment, completely absorbed in the task, as he pricked the skin of his friend's calf. Kazuki winced a little at first, before any hurt he felt disappeared completely.
"Is that better?" Juubei asked the question with a tenderness in his voice; one that he seemed to reserve only for his closest friend. Kazuki nodded, not trying to keep the smile off his lips.
"It's much better. Thank you." He lay down again, and resumed staring up at the sky. It would be nice if he could just nap here for a little while. He was already starting to feel a little warmer.
"Maybe we should go back." Juubei was fussing over him again, "If you catch a chill in these wet clothes, I won't be able to do anything."
Kazuki laughed, "I already have a mother, Juubei. Just settle for being my friend, okay?"
The Kakei heir didn't have a reply to that, so they just stayed where they were, enjoying the simplicity of a warm day and one another's company. The silence between them wasn't an uncomfortable one, and there was still the constant sound of the stream, mixed with the occasional twitter of birds. Eventually, Kazuki rolled onto his side. The movement caught his friend's attention, who turned his head to face him.
Kazuki spoke slightly dreamily, "Ne, Juubei, I was just wondering... what do you want to do with your future?"
Without hesitating, Juubei replied, "I want to be with you."
His answer was straight forward and typical of him. Juubei was always like that. He wasn't a hot-headed person, but he was very blatant and honest.
"I see... I guess that in a way, our futures were already been decided for us by others, long ago..." Kazuki mused. Juubei eyed him with a slightly puzzled expression. It wasn't like Kazuki to discuss the future this way.
"Are you upset about that?"
The feminine boy half smiled, looking peaceful. He'd closed his eyes.
"I'm not. I definitely don't resent it. It's just that sometimes, in my stilted lifestyle, I feel like doing something really radical." He giggled, "Something that would shock everyone. What about you, Juubei?"
The needle-user shook his head.
"You know I was born to protect you. I don't care if you think it's because I'm old fashioned, Kazuki. With or without tradition, I know I was put on this earth to be with you. If I don't have that... then what do I have?"
Kazuki's giggle escalated. "You're sweet, Juubei. I'm glad it's you I'm going to be with for the rest of my life."
That sounded like a long time to the both of them, but neither minded.
The young girl didn't say a word as Kazuki told his story about childhood adventures and the brightness of the sun. When he stopped, she didn't say anything for a while longer, perhaps contemplating the information she'd just been given. She finally smiled, and bowed a little.
"Thank you, for talking with me." She waved a hand at him, as if saying without words that it was time they parted, "It sounds fun, out there. Maybe one day I'll be strong enough to leave..." She continued to survey him with her emotionless gaze. "It must have been scary for you when you first came here."
Kazuki merely chuckled, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. He looked up into the skies of the Limitless Fortress, just as a light rain began to fall.
"I've adjusted, I think."
There was a brief silence, as neither of them had anything to say next. In the distance, a crow cawed and the rain pattered against the concrete, mixing with blood that hadn't dried, creating small rivers of red.
"I should be off." Kazuki finally said. Though the rain wasn't cold, the wind was still there. Blowing against his now-wet shoulders, chilling his skin.
"Then, thank you for rescuing us." The girl bowed again, lower this time, and her long brown hair, matted in parts, tumbled over her shoulders as she did.
"Think nothing of it. If you ever need help again, look for me." Then, with a jingle of his bells and a quick leap, Kazuki had disappeared. The girl didn't stare after him, but paused to admire his speed.
It only occurred to her, after she turned to leave, that she'd never even thought to give him her name.
Sodden, Kazuki returned to the VOLTS' makeshift home. He hesitated to refer to it in that way but, on the other hand, he really had nowhere else to call that any more. The Limitless Fortress really wasn't a place where anyone had a true home. He sat himself down on a table, and grabbed a hand towel to pat some of the water off.
"Kazuki, you're soaked through." The statement was calm, yet tinged with worry. The thread master slid off the table into a standing position.
"Don't worry about it. I was just out in the rain for a while."
Juubei Kakei watched him with a frown. "You didn't tell me you were going out. What would we have done if you'd been hurt?"
The Fuchouin chuckled to himself, "You really needn't worry so much. I've always been able to take care of myself."
It was a little dusty in here, but it wasn't the worst place in the Limitless Fortress. Besides, Juubei's sister, Sakura, did her best to make it inhabitable. Kazuki had always thought that she was the homemaker type; the sort of woman that feminists would get angry with. However, he'd seen Sakura in action and knew that she was far more dangerous than any of them would ever be.
The rain had grown much heavier on his way back, and Kazuki expected that Ginji, Shido and all the others who spent their time in here would be returning soon. He'd been surprised to find it empty when he'd returned in the first place.
"Kazuki..." Juubei was a little lost for words. His friend knew how important it was to keep him informed about his movements. If he was hurt, all the power-hungry individuals out there would make an attempt at his life. His fame would put him in danger one day. It really wasn't like sensible Kazuki to run off without telling him...
"Ne, Juubei..." The needle thrower started as his long-time best friend took his hand between both his own. Kazuki's, like everything else about him, were far more feminine than Juubei's. "Thank you."
This sort of exchange between them was rare these days, and Juubei lifted his other hand to place over the top of Kazuki's two.
"What are you thanking me for?"
The thread master kept his gaze downward, staring at their twined fingers. "For being here with me. Sometimes... Sometimes I start to forget about our lives from before. Sometimes I start to feel as if this life within the Limitless Fortress is all I've ever known. But with you, Juubei, I can recall the moments we spent together when we were just children. With you beside me, it makes it real."
Juubei nodded, "If you ever want to reminisce, Kazuki, I'm here. You only need to ask."
Kazuki let go of his friend's hands and looked him square in the eye. "I knew you'd say that, Juubei. Thank you."
The two shared a smile, in the same way they'd always continue to share their precious memories.
"It's really hot today. Mother's worried that if we stay out too long, we'll get heatstroke."
Kazuki nodded, sitting just on the edge of the riverbank. "If we get too hot, we can just cool off here." He slipped off his sandals and socks and dipped his toes into the water. His eyes widened a fraction for a moment. "It's still really cold. The sun hasn't been able to warm it up yet."
Juubei began to reach out with his fingers to test just how cold it was, when Kazuki flicked his hand, splashing Juubei in the face. He spluttered.
"Kazuki, what are you DOING?"
The pink-clad boy laughed. "You're not supposed to ask, Juubei. You're supposed to retaliate."
"Splash you back? But I can't! That's..."
"Come on, Juubei. Just because you're my protector doesn't mean that we can't have a water fight. Come on, I'll keep splashing you until you try to get me!"
This time Juubei's clothes took most of Kazuki's attack, and he half heartedly tried to fling some back. Most of it fell short, and only a few drops speckled Kazuki's kimono. He giggled.
"That was pathetic. You can do better than THAT." And with those words, the Fuchouin son dipped both hands into the river, pushed as hard as he could to sent a torrent of water towards Juubei, soaking the front of his clothes. The Kakei boy stood there, dripping.
"Kazuki, that's horrible! Alright then, if I have no choice..."
Their childish laughter echoed into the summer air as they played, and it felt like they were never going to grow up.
Like they'd be playing under this same bright sun forever.