In years long since measured in the future, the Pokemon world turned upside down in a series of events many historians of the age referred to as the Unknown Conflicts. Little documentation of these events exist, although the great thinkers came to an agreeable consensus. Due to an unprecedented amount of people and Pokemon and sparse resources, war erupted between all the nations of the world, throwing it into turmoil. A few centuries passed since the Unknown Conflicts and the world returned to a relatively peaceful state. Out of the ashes of the world, three nations rose to lead the charge in control of the New World. The Glorious Lorraine Empire, the Eternal Kingdom of Alsace, and the Imperial Dominion of Exter.
Alsace, Lorraine, and Exter, alas, could never see eye to eye on improving the world, each bound by their own selfish needs on the rise of power. The land of Alsace sought out economy, the land of Lorraine sought out territory, and the land of Exter sought out manpower and backing.
The Unknown Conflicts destroyed most of the Old World technology along with the archives they belonged to. Each nation is now slowly realizing the untapped potential of Pokemon. The art of Pokemon battling only recently resurfaced, but the nations are starting to realize the value of Pokemon as no more than tools of war.
In the land of Exter, a little boy of most tragic and unusual circumstances became the fruits of marriage between Lloyd and Helen Robins, two of the most highly respected warriors and among the last of the skilled sword wielders known to the world. The boy's ballad began almost cynically with a sunny and warm day.
Two parties had a rather heated exchange in the estate of the Robins' family. One party, defended their estate from acquisition by their own nation, only to be bothered by the second party, two cavalrymen from the rival nation of Lorraine, accompanied by a Gallade and Zoroark. Push came to shove, the cavalry scouts at first trying to persuade the two men on the Robins' side to join with them. The two Robins men stood nonchalantly with their weapons at the waist. The cavalrymen leered at a woman behind the men, who held the hand of the small boy Kenchira. The boy retreated behind his mother, peering from around her leg in fear at the two cavalrymen arguing with the men on his side.
One of the cavalrymen hopped off his Rapidash, withdrawing his sword and tracing a circle with it in the dirt. "It's your choice gentlemen - the right choice or the wrong." He waited for a response from the two men on the Robins' side. One, older and worn - with a beard to match - bent over slightly, adjusted his stance, and placed one hand on the sheath of his own sword - a two-foot long sabre. He nodded to the younger man - who seemed no older than a teenager - by his side, who copied his actions, withdrawing two jagged Kris daggers from two sheaths at his belt.
"How dare you!" The bearded man yelled. "How dare you wretches come on my land, besmirch my family name, slander my nation's reputation with your blasphemy and filth, attempting to bully me into joining your hopeless cause. I will never join your Army, nor will you force me to, so help me I will lay down my life before betraying both my nation and family."
"Helen! Take Kenchira and get in the house now," the bearded man commanded. He turned back to the two men accompanied by the Rapidash "You wretches have two choices: go in peace and never return, or fall to my blade. I will make your deaths quick and painless if so."
"I believe you don't understand Lloyd Robins," the dismounted mercenary said to the older bearded man. "We aren't asking you to join our cause, we're forcing you and your nephew Remus to join. I believe it is you who have two options: come along with us without a word, or I'll have my buddy Zoroark here cut you down limb from limb in a delightfully painful manner. I'll even let Gallade have a go at your Remus there," the cavalryman pointing at the younger of the two.
"I would rather die," Lloyd shouted. "Remus do you have my back?" The young man Remus nodded, tensing his body and readying himself.
"Come at me." Lloyd withdrew his sabre slowly, the blade ringing in the sheath with anticipation, for the delicious taste of blood along the rim. Lloyd grinned as the sword flashed a silver sheen. "Once the blade has been drawn, it hungrily seeks blood." Remus adopted a defensive stance as Lloyd readied himself.
"Zoroark! Gallade! Cut 'em down!" The soldier grinned an evil toothy grin.
The Gallade and Zoroark each dismounted from the Rapidash, each with a look of malice in their eyes.
The Gallade darted to Remus in the blink of an eye, driving it's arm-blade into one of Remus' daggers. Remus parried the hit without haste and followed with a vicious strike to the Gallade's shoulder, connecting, the blade sinking in to the hilt. The Gallade roared in a painful fury as it extracted the Kris from the wound and threw it aside in a rage. The Gallade grabbed Remus by the wrist and chucked him over its uninjured shoulder. Remus fell to the ground with a thump, disarming him in the process, his other Kris sliding a few feet away.
The Zoroark dashed in multiple directions, barely a blur as Lloyd carefully examined the Zoroark's movements, swinging his sabre low towards the blur. His aim true, he sliced a miniscule wound into the Zoroark who tripped in pain, skidding a few feet away from Lloyd.
Remus made a mad lunge towards his other Kris in time for the Gallade to pounce on top of him and punch him in the face, causing him to drop the Kris again. The Gallade grabbed Remus by the collar and laid down a series of brutal brain-rattling punches to Remus square in his face. Remus started to see stars by the fourth punch, and kneed the Gallade in the stomach, forcing the Gallade off him.
Lloyd dashed towards the Zoroark regaining it's footing and plowed into it with a charging shoulder bash. The Zoroark tumbled for a second, but stood tall in a second flat. Lloyd lunged foward, slashing at the Zoroark with each step as the Zoroark backed away with each lunge. Lloyd managed to make one successful stab at the Zoroark's midsection around the left part of it's chest, although failing to penetrate the ribcage. The Zoroark then strafed right as Lloyd attempted another slash, catching Lloyd off-guard as the Zoroark unsheathed it's claw and sank them into Lloyd right around his liver.
Remus attempted in vain to keep the Gallade at bay, but the Gallade once again disarmed him and this time snatched Remus' Kris before he had a chance to grab at it. The Gallade pinned down Remus and proceeded to stab him repeatedly in the midsection. Again, Remus luckily took several stabs to his hand and arm before the Gallade drove the Kris right into Remus' cheek right below the eye socket. Remus convulsed and writhed with a bloody curdled scream, muffled by his blood drowning him out. The Gallade sneered at it's work and waited patiently for Zoroark to finish it's dirty work.
Lloyd and the Zoroark locked eyes momentarily. "You bastard," Lloyd muttered aloud as the Zoroark raked it's claws across Lloyd's gut, drawing his shiny crimson blood and entrails from deep within, exposing them to the air, tiny red droplets spraying the ground. Lloyd choked as he swore quietly to himself. "You damn brigands," Lloyd shouted. "I promise one day my son will carry on my legacy, and you will most sincerely pay the ultimate price." The cavalrymen cackled as they remounted the Rapidash with their Zoroark and Gallade in tow. They flipped Lloyd a rude finger and rode away, just in time for Lloyd Robins to breathe his last.
Helen Robins screamed in terror, vice-gripping Kenchira's hand as she vainly tried to save her husband and nephew. Helen tried her best to revive on Lloyd, although her efforts yielded no result whatsoever, with her only giving up when she felt the icy cold of death on her husband's skin. Remus luckily survived his end of the assault, although with major injuries. Lloyd Robins on the other hand, he was taken from his son's world at the tender age of four, unbeknownst to them a long and carnage-filled road of loss for the young boy and his remaining relatives.
A good four years passed since that day passed, and the fighting elevated even more. Remus, Helen, and Kenchira lived a relatively silent life until one day, when the Viscount, leader of Exter, issued a decree. The decree called for one able-bodied member from each family into the Exterian Army Conscription.
Helen Robins had no choice but to give herself up for her nation, knowing well Remus could not function the same way since the incident four years ago. Her departure was no more than a vague departure to Kenchira, just like the grevious departure of his father four years ago. She only left under the premise that Remus would defend Kenchira with his life until he saw a situation fit to turn him over into manhood.
Then once again, the young eight year-old Kenchira Robins saw his mother off into the world without a second word from her. It would just make the goodbyes more difficult.
Another seven years had passed since then, and Kenchira and Remus Robins both lived in a quiet solitude at their estate, seemingly unnoticed by the few people who passed their house, as well as the few times they shopped at the local town's market for supplies.
One instance seemed to come to a strange fruition on a particular morning. The now fifteen year-old Kenchira Robins yawned audibly, climbing out of his bed, shifting himself against the wall of his room. He leaned against the wall in a strange disposition. He felt cold, unaware why. His house offered little in terms of luxury as of late: a hard wood floor and a nice, somewhat toasty bed were enough to keep him satisfied.
He made his way to one corner of his room to stare longingly in the grimy mirror that lay upon an ornate dresser. His mind drifted as well as his eyes staring down the sparse room of his. He had a strange dream the previous night he couldn't seem to recollect accurately. He looked in the mirror and around his sparsely decorated room for possible clues to the dream, but the lack of aforementioned ornaments allowed no assistance in his recollection. For thirteen, he looked extremely handsome, in his opinion. He had a streamlined face, complimented with his light brown naturally untidy hair and contrasting blue-gray eyes.
The last seven years since his mother left brought him a strange sort of emptiness. His life was essentially a robotic going through the motions everyday just living from one day to the next, just spending his days outside in the estate, reading books out of their expansive library, or sitting in his room staring blankly at an old photograph most likely taken when he was a baby. Remus did little for him other than provide a meal everyday, tuck him in at night, and answer any questions Kenchira had when he saw something in a book he didn't understand - he didn't even provide any information on his parents. Remus once taught him how to forage in the woods, but Kenchira never applied those skills since Remus supplied all the meals he ate.
He stared on the dresser itself, looking at the old picture of his family; his father, his mother, and his cousin Remus. He had unsavory thoughts about whatever happened to his father and mother both. This is where he ended up...a barely sprouted teenager in a gloomy house with his equally gloomy cousin looking after him since his mother departed.
Kenchira opened the dressed to see a set of clothes that Remus neatly piled in there, he assumed the night before, just a plain white shirt and long brown pants. Nothing spectacular, but it'd pass for him. He opened the door to his room and stopped as he heard a muffled sobbing. He cracked open the door to make sure he heard correctly.
He may have experienced little outside of the house, Kenchira held little illusion to the sounds of grievance. He slowly climbed down the stairs from his room to the large dining room of their estate. Kenchira peered into the room hesitantly.
His eyes widened at the sight. Remus sat upon a chair, turned away from the entrance to the room, sobbing in random volume, perching one of his arms in the other. He occassionally stifled a scream or hiccuped, but Kenchira could definitely tell Remus was crying. Upon the table laid an open envelope - lightly scorched on the sides. Kenchira shuffled into the room quietly, Remus seemingly unaware of his presence.
Kenchira slowly crept up toward Remus who whined aloud as Kenchira noticed a shiny crimson liquid start to seep out from Remus' forearm and trickle down to his wrist. Kenchira then saw the glint of a jagged edge. Remus dug his other arm into the perched arm with a squelch, the sound of cutting very evident.
Remus immediately stopped sobbing and looked up in subtle surprise, not turning around. "Kenny, what do you want?"
Kenchira sighed - out of all the inappropriate times to call him by his pet name, why now. "How'd you know I was behind you?"
Remus sniffled. "It's the warrior in me Kenny. You get used to it after a while. I could feel a draft as you walked in, but that's beside the point.," Remus turned around to face him, while hiding his arm. "Now what do you want Kenny?"
"What're you doing Remus?"
Remus paused and pointed to the lightly scorched letter on the table, while still hiding his arm. "That thing'll explain everything."
Kenchira hesitantly picked up the letter from the table and read it aloud: "Dear House of Robins. We are most sympathetic to inform you of the status of Helen Robins-"
"That's your mother Kenny," Remus interjected.
"-Helen Robins. Helen Robins, we deeply regret to inform you, gave the ultimate sacrifice to futilely save her battalion from a hoard of Pokemon. She valiantly gave her best effort to save her comrades, but in the end, the Pokemon outnumbered her, and took her life. We apologize for your loss and send our condolences. Thank you for your family's brave service to the Dominion of Exter, Kendal Marx, General, Vanguard Corps."
"So she's..."
"Kenny, your mother passed away," Remus said. "Pokemon took her life. Pokemon took your father's life. They destroyed my life. I can't go on living like this Kenny, and you don't have the capacity to understand that. I want to end it all."
"But I can fight them Remus. I can bring back my mother and father," Kenchira replied.
"I'm afraid not Kenny. Dead men tell no tales, and I've done you a disservice raising you the way I have," Remus said.
Remus then turned more to reveal his perched arm which held one of his Kris daggers, whilst cutting a large wound into his left arm. Blood smeared ugly dark stains onto his pants and the seat of the chair he sat on.
Remus sulked. "I want to die Kenny. If I didn't have the burden of raising you, I'd have done it already. I heard you talking in your sleep last night Kenny. You want the Pokemon erased, you want things to the way they were. You're finding the fast track to that goal."
"So what's it to you Remus?" Kenchira asked.
"I'm surprised Kenny, for such a young boy, you have endured too much painful suffering and you're not even aware of it. You never knew your mother and father like I did." Remus replied.
"Around your age, I grew up in Alsace, the people were not aware of the impending war in the next few years. I don't even know where my parents are, ok? I'd be better off knowing they're dead over missing. When the first major battles started in Alsace, my parents sent me here to live with my mother's sibling - your father - and his wife, along with their newborn son - you. Kenny, I can understand the pain you are enduring right now, knowing your parents are gone."
Kenchira looked away from Remus defiantly. "You don't understand cousin Remus. Pokemon took away my parents, not just humans!"
Remus scratched his chin in recollection. Indeed, Pokemon took the lives of his parents. Kenchira had a point since Remus never heard of Pokemon used as instruments of war before he arrived at the estate.
Remus placed a hand on Kenchira's shoulder and sighed. "Kenny, you're approaching a mature age quickly." Remus paused to wipe a tear away from his face.
"I see that you're not going to be a little boy forever, and I feel your hatred towards the Pokemon. I heard you murmuring several times last night in your sleep. You want to kill them all, you want glory, you want fame, you want to escape this despicable misery you call an existence. You're cold inside, and I can understand. I know you want to join the Exterian Imperial Army, although not directly, that's the quickest way to achieve your dream. There's not much I can do to stop you. If I forbid you even, you'll just run away in the dead of night if your heart is determined enough to follow it's dreams. I used to be a young boy like you, but that was fifteen or so years ago."
Kenchira looked away from Remus in defeat.
"Kenchira, I want you to know that you have my heart, and you should go for it if you believe it's what's right," Remus said.
Kenchira's face lit up with joy. "Really, cousin Remus? What about you? Aren't you still too injured to take care of yourself?"
Remus' droop lifted a little, "I think I'll manage little cuz." He moved the Kris away from his arm. "Can you promise me just one thing though?"
Kenchira nodded, "Anything Remus"
Remus sighed, "Just promise me Kenchira that you won't join the main Army. If you join the army, and they just so happen to accept you, they won't let you take arms since you are so young. You'll be stuck as a point man since they can afford to lose young boys like you. I know it sounds harsh, but the Exterian Army values the lives of trained soldiers and Pokemon more than the lives of fresh recruits, as long as the mission of the Dominion is accomplished by the end of the day."
"What did you have in mind as a substitution Remus?" Kenchira asked.
"Well," Remus said reminiscently, "You have the four Corps of the Imperial Army: the Vanguard Corps, the conquest army, the Scout Corps, the intelligence gatherers, the Palisades Corps, the defending army, and the Judicial Corps, the enforcers of law. The Vanguard Corps has seen the largest surge in activity because of the war, also the Scout and Palisades Corps will follow suit as the war reaches its peak. Only a select few with exceptional skills can join the Judicial Corps, otherwise, you can pick which Corps you wanna join. I would suggest the Judicial Corps because they see almost no action. If I want one thing, I don't want you to go killing yourself by joining the other three Corps."
Kenchira's mouth hung agape at his cousin's knowledge of the Army. "Why the Judicial Corps Remus?"
"If you want to join the Army, I'll tell you when I leave you at the Academy tomorrow."
"Oh come on Remus," Kenchira groaned, "Will you tell me please?"
Remus chuckled, "It has something to do with our family. Like I said, I'll tell you tomorrow when we go to the outpost, if your heart is set on the Academy."
"I am sure as ever Remus. Nothing can change my mind!" Kenchira exclaimed as he through his arms around his cousin in a warm embrace.
"If you wait here, I have something for you now I've been holding off for you now. Go ahead and ask me any questions you have when I hand it to you."
Remus slid out from his chair and went up the stairs to his room and went back to the dining room to present Kenchira with a dusty wooden box. Remus blew off the dust from the lid and gave the box to Kenchira. Kenchira fondled the wooden box caringly, almost cradling it.
"Before your mother left for battle, she told me to keep this safe until the right time. It's the only items your mother and father left you. Treat them with the utmost care."
Kenchira shook the box curiously, yielding a metallic rattle from the inside of the box, evidently not hollow. He pondered the possibility of the contents within. He removed the lid in awe to see two different items sitting at the bottom: a golden medallion on a shimmering chain with an intricately engraved large flaming bird perched behind a silver shield with the words; Lutte pour les faibles, Défendre les justes, La justice est le chemin, printed on it with a scale next to one wing, and a sheathed sword next to the other wing. Interestingly enough, the flaming bird had its head turned towards the scale rather than the sword symbolically.
The other item was a silver, gleaming metal object, seemingly naturally bent in an angled shape. Kenchira had no clue what the object was or did. It had a circular hole on one end and he could pull the top back on it as the object snapped forth. A loop with a tiny lever protruded from the oddly shaped object, and a button that he pressed on the side of the object released a hollow metal box with a spring in it. On the side of it, the word "Occulus" was stamped.
"Remus what are these?" Kenchira asked.
"Those are your mother and father's most prized possessions they wished for you to inherit before they passed away. The medallion was your mother's and the Occulus, your father's. The insignia on the medallion is the Robins family crest. Ancient blacksmiths forged our family crest long before either of us were born. Occulus is a weapon the world forbid a long time ago. It requires metal projectiles to operate it, otherwise it's as useless as a club," Remus paused to sneer, "unless you can find another creative use for it."
"Well then Kenny, you can start packing your things. We'll leave for the Imperial outpost in the town tomorrow." Remus said.
Kenchira rushed back up the stairs and pulled out his leather satchel out from under his bed and started packing his clothes immediately. He rummaged through his belongings so quickly and audibly that he didn't hear Remus climbing the stairs and surprise him with a few light taps on the shoulder. He laughed haughtily.
"Don't be in such a rush Kenny, we don't leave till tomorrow. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the rest of the day here." Remus said.
Kenchira slowed down his packing to an immediate stop and slid the satchel back under the bed, then slapped himself on the face. Of course, he could just pack later that evening. He went outside, and spent all day in the open field of the estate, marveling at the Robins' medallion and Occulus. All his parents left him were a necklace and a club. Believeably impractical, but he could make do with it - the thought counted in the end to leave their son heirlooms. Too bad he couldn't thank his parents for them.
The next morning, Kenchira woke at the break of dawn, setting to pack his things he sorely forgot to pack yesterday. Remus gathered his supplies for the day, and they off for the outpost in town.
By high noon, Remus and Kenchira reached the town and Remus signed the release papers the two recruiters fronted to him. The elder recruiter smiled broadly, showing off his gaping teeth to Kenchira. "Sonny, we leave in twenty minutes," the recruiter wheezed.
After a brief discussion with the recruiters, Remus pulled Kenchira aside. "Well this is it Kenny. I just hope you take care of yourself and don't forget that I'm thinking about you."
Kenny hugged Remus, "Will you now tell me what you said you would tell me today?"
Remus broke away from the embrace. "Right, it has to do with the medallion and Occulus. First off, Occulus is actually a forbidden weapon the three nations outlawed way before our father's fathers. Hide Occulus no matter what. Only pull it out to remind yourself that your father is protecting you. It's more symbolic than you believe. Also, if you ever find the projectiles for Occulus, do not - and I mean do not - use it unless you find yourself unable to defend yourself with your rightful arms. Secondly-"
"But how do I use it?" Kenchira interjected while pocketing Occulus.
"I don't know, you'll figure it out when you need it, and secondly-"
"All fresh recruits, hear ye!" The second recruiter yelled "The caravan for the Imperial Militant Academy is departing in two minutes. Bid your family and friends fair well, or else the caravan will leave without you."
Kenchira looked around at the twenty or so teenagers that materialized from seemingly thin air, with their respective families and friends in tow. Several crying mothers hugged their children farewell. Remus slipped a small leather sack into Kenchira's pocket, "There's Pecha berries in there. Save 'em for the road and make sure the other kids don't steal from you." he whispered. "I wouldn't trust any of these kids just yet."
"And secondly Remus?" Kenchira asked.
"It's about the medallion and the saying on the silver shield." Kenchira pulled out the medallion from the inside of his shirt to remind himself, staring at the words; Lutte pour les faibles, Défendre les justes, La justice est le chemin.
"What about it Remus?"
"The saying. You never bothered to research the meaning of it in our library?" Remus turned away to groan inaudibly. "Lutte pour les faibles, Défendre les justes, La justice est le chemin. It translates to the following statements: Lutte pour les faibles, Fight for the weak, Défendre les justes, Defend the righteous, and lastly, La justice est le chemin. Justice is the only way. Our family creed little cousin. Our crest includes the creed and our symbol of heritage. Just remember your proud family. Make me proud, join the Judicial Corps, and come back home when you've made a difference. I'll only be satisfied with myself when you do."
Remus guided Kenchira to an open wagon of the caravan and helped him up onto the wagon. Remus gave Kenchira a high-five and walked away from the wagon. "Good luck Kenny!" Remus shouted. And with that Remus waved goodbye to him and walked away into the distance. Kenchira swore he saw Remus have the smallest of smiles as he disappeared.
The two recruiters hopped into a wagon each - headed by a Rapidash to each wagon - taking a quick role call. All the recruits were accounted for and the caravan left the town.
The caravan started to move, although the mouths of Kenchira's fellow passengers refused to move theirs in awkward silence.
Kenchira looked at three people who sat down with him in the wagon; a dark-skinned boy with piercing emerald-green eyes twiddling his thumbs, a blonde-haired boy who looked slightly older than him with a hideous red mark on his neck, and a blonde girl who looked remarkably similar to the blonde boy minus the red mark. Kenchira kept to himself, looking away from the two boys and the girl on the wagon, watching the town off in the distance disappear.
A few hours after the caravan left, Kenchira decided to snack on the Pecha berries Remus gave him. However, the boy slightly older than him sneered deviously at his Pecha berries. Kenchira eyed him suspiciously, looking at his lightly tan skin and his gangling complexion. The boy furrowed his brows and stroked his blonde hair, feigning as if he didn't notice Kenchira eyed him then spoke, "Hang on. I'm famished. Something like me needs more food than you, you should share some of those - like what - ten berries?"
Kenchira objected, "But I haven't eaten since yesterday morning! I need to eat something! I'll save enough for you." The two of them argued for a moment, the leather sack lay forgotten on the floor of the wagon. The two of them jostled for a few minutes with light pushes, but then push came to shove, The boy roughly pushed Kenchira off the side of the wagon, straight into a bush on the side of the road and blew a raspberry at him.
Justice is the only way. Remus' words cut into his mind.
Kenchira roared in frustration, grabbed the boy by surprise - and the collar - and slung him off the wagon, face-down into a pile of sloppy mud the wagon happened to be conveniently passing. Kenchira vaulted over the side of the wagon to laugh and point at the boy he just tossed into the sludge. The boy got back to his feet aghast, wiping the foul mud off his face. "What the hell...you jerk! How dare you!"
The boy lost his patience and slugged Kenchira in the face, a serious mistake. Kenchira become enraged when struck in the face. He then responded to the boy with a fierce uppercut, dropping the boy to the ground. Kenchira then assaulted the boy with barrage of kicks and punches, both of which the boy futilely defended against.
The dark-skinned boy and the blonde girl immediately jumped off the wagon to spare the blonde boy from Kenchira's beating. The dark-skinned boy roundhouse kicked Kenchira in the back of the head, sending him spinning away from the blonde boy. The girl hoisted the boy on her shoulder and deposited him back in the wagon.
The dark-skinned boy stared down Kenchira in the dirt and scoffed, spitting in Kenchira's direction. "Despicable kid," he muttered, walking back to the wagon with the blonde boy and girl.
Kenchira stood, rubbing the back of his head, moaning in pain, dusted his legs off and made his way back to the wagon. He wearily climbed in and shook his head apologetically to the blonde boy being tended to by the girl. Kenchira sighed, "I'm sorry for flying off the handle like that, can you forgive me?" He plucked a Pecha Berry out of his bag and handed it to the blonde boy. "Here, you can have one if you want." The dark-skinned boy shook his head tsking the boy and girl. The blonde boy, despite being bruised and slightly bloody, cracked a smile. "It's my fault man. I'm just so hungry!" The boy exclaimed, snatching the berry greedily from Kenchira's hand. "Thank you by the way."
The girl sighed, "Oh for pete's sake Gekko, he beat the crap out you just because you asked him for food."
The blonde boy, Kenchira assumed as Gekko, sneered weakly, "Oh lay off it Alice, the guy doesn't trust us yet. I give him props for sticking up for himself against me. Kid, I love someone with your sense of swagger. My name is Gekko Moriah, and this is my sister Alice."
"My name's Kenchira, but my family calls me Kenny," Kenchira said.
Kenchira left Gekko to his wounds after wolfing down all the berries in the sack, uncaring of how selfish the other recruits saw him. If he could not exist in the world without being mutually respected for what he was, he did not even want to live at all.
Alice tsked Gekko, "That's not my point little brother! My point is you can't have your ass handed to you like that when we join the Palisades Corps. Alsace and Lorraine will make mince meat out of people with a skill level like you just showed us."
The dark-skinned boy scoffed. "The Vanguard Corps is for the pitiful and weak like this loser here," he indicated Kenchira. "The Scout Corps is where the real skills are."
Kenchira laughed, "Ha! I'm gonna join the Judicial Corps. Have fun with your stupid Scout Corps. Also, if you're gonna call me loser, at least call me the loser 'Kenchira'."
The dark-skinned boy extended a hand that Kenchira grasped and firmly shook. "My name's Corwin. Corwin Taylor. Sorry for the hard time earlier. I tend to be hard on people I have just met, and you made a terrible first impression on me buddy. Get to know me and you'll see I'm an easy to love person. I know you gotta have mad skills to join the Judicial Corps. As much as I wanna think I'm that skilled, I know I'm not."
"Mark my words," Kenchira said. "I'll show you three, I'm gonna become Inquisitor one day and you'll all rue that day."
"Good luck with your pursuit," Corwin replied.
The four of them exchanged stories for the rest of the trip to the Academy, by which they reached at nightfall. Much to Kenchira's disappointment, the Imperial sergeants divided everyone into their requested Corps: Corwin to the Scout Corps training, Alice and Gekko to the Palisades training, and Kenchira to the Judicial training by the following morning.
A/N: So that's a wrap for this part of the story. I really had to rework this one because I was not satisfied with the first draft I put in. I chopped the old chapter one into two halves and I'm adding a little backstory to add to the character development in the form of an extra two chapters. The second half of the old chapter one will be chapter four with a small bit added on.
Hope you enjoyed, Yusei out.
