I had never been separated from my soul for so long, yet I felt free. Was this freedom what I was looking for? No, I was still caged and my soul was doing its best to add more and more iron bars. He didn't know that there was some one who wouldn't let him.

It had been two weeks; I had set a new record for running away. It felt good too, not to have to worry about lessons, or doing everything just right. Nagi had left at least ten messages on my cell phone, but I hadn't listened to them yet. I knew they would be begging me to come back and I was scared that if I heard his voice I would be willed to go to him.

Father had a lot of work too do, so the house was empty most of the time. I didn't mind that, it meant I could bake all I wanted. Of course this meant I had a surplus of sweets. In the afternoon I went around the neighborhood and gave them away. I got great reviews. The neighborhood was filled with a lot of small kids, ranging around five to eleven. A lot of them were playing with ATs. This reminded me of the boy I had seen. I don't know why but I couldn't get him out of my head. It wasn't like I couldn't see him if I wanted too. Every night since that day I heard something go thump on the roof above my room at exactly midnight. I knew it was him. I couldn't forget such an aura of blood lust so easily. What he said, had it really been a threat?

"Big sis Dawn!" one of the neighborhood children called me. I had just finished giving out sweets when I saw her running towards me. "Big sis Dawn, come quick!" the girl called, waving me over. There didn't look to be any injuries, but I didn't exactly take my time to get over to the children.

"Big sis, my AT won't work. Can you fix it?" a boy around seven asked me.

"Do you have the manual?" I asked kneeling down to look at the toy.

"Yeah, right here, I'm still learning!" the boy said cheerfully.

"Looks like I'll need a screw driver too," I said flipping quickly through the booklet. It was all pretty basic. I memorized it in about a minute. A girl handed me a screwdriver and I went to work on the toy. I was done in about five minutes.

"Wow big sis, this is awesome! Thank you!" the boy exclaimed. I watched as the children walked away. When I turned around I bumped in to someone.

"Oh, sorry I didn't notice you were-" I stopped in mid sentence. It was him. He didn't have on the straight jacket this time. In truth he looked like an ordinary boy, with an eye patch.

"You ride ATs?" he asked me.

"No," I answered.

"Then how did you fix it?"

"I read how to in the manual, or at least how the parts work, I mean that should be enough to know what's wrong." I was getting nervous for some reason, what was it?

"You read the whole thing, about a hundred pages in a fucking minute?" he half growled.

"If I did, it's none of your business is it?" I snapped. The boy shrugged.

"Bet you already knew what you were doing,"

"I don't have ATs. I don't like heights," I said quietly.

"The why were you on the roof?" he asked. His rough voice seemed to snarl endless questions at me.

"So have you decided to give up stalking me and abuse me with questions instead?" I snarled back at him.

"When did I ever fucking stalk you?" he asked clearly angered.

"You need to work on your landings. I can hear you clearly when you land on my roof," I said my voice growing colder for some reason. "And as another example, you knew how quickly I had read the AT manual. You were clearly watching me." This really ticked him off.

"You bitch, you think I've time too watch a little brat? I'm the Fang King. I don't have enough fucking time too pay attention to someone who can't ride!" he yelled. I was glad there wasn't anyone around, though I doubted whether there were people present or not, he would have still said the same thing.

"Good, that means you wouldn't care if I left," I snapped. Without waiting for an answer I turned sharply and walked away.

XXX

Shit! I didn't think she would be able to hear me! What the fuck was I supposed to do now? Wow. This is the first time you've taken interest in someone, and it's a girl. I heard Akito say.

It's not her I'm interested in, it's her house. I want to know why it smells so fucking sweet. It's like strawberries and cream one night then chocolate the next. What the fuck is that bitch doing too make it smell like that?

Akito laughed. You really like sweets don't you Agito? I didn't answer him. Still, she is pretty. Her hair is the color of blood, it looks odd with her blue eyes but it's beautiful.

Are you done? I asked him. I didn't like this subject. I only wanted to know where that fucking scent came from.

XXX

"Give them back," I demanded. It was evening and I had been dragged in to a fight by the same kids from the afternoon. A Storm Rider had taken the boy's ATs and refused to give them back. Seriously, what happened to wanting a challenge?

"If you want them so much then battle me for them," the leader said. He was about a foot taller than me and had about five followers with him. That was all the information I needed.

"Fine then," I answered. The male grinned widely.

"The challenge is hurdles; the place will be the Hakyoko junior high school."

"Big sis, you don't have ATs do you?" the little girl asked me. I looked at the male again.

"Do you mind if I run without them?" I asked. The male's followers laughed.

"Sure, sure, why not?" the male laughed.

"Oh, if I win, I want the ATs and your emblem,"

"Whoa, that's a hefty price," he laughed "But if you loose then you have to put together a group date for me and my team here. I'm sure you have some other cute friends like yourself."

"Fine," I said shortly.

"The battle will be tonight at 1 AM," he said. "Better start calling up your friends now!" he and his group walked away laughing.

"Big sis what are you going to do?" the children questioned me. I smiled a little.

"Get a good nights sleep tonight and tomorrow, I'll be walking around giving out sweets. Come find me and I'll return your ATs," I told them.

When I got home I looked up the rules for the "Hurdle" battle. It was like a speed race only with stuff you had to jump over on the way. I looked up the floor plan for Hakyoko Junior High. It had three stories and was shaped like a capital E. It could have been worse. It could have been skyscrapers. There was a good side. The rules said I had to jump over the obstacles, they said nothing about hitting the ground in between. However I would have to drop at least once, assuming the end point was on the ground. I would have to work around that somehow. I decided to leave at midnight. I wanted time to check out the school before the battle.

There were still several hours before the match so I figured I would bake to take my mind off of things. I made cookies and put them in little paper baggies so I cold give them out tomorrow. With cookies it was hard to tell how many you were making so I ended up with too many. I brought a few bags too my room and wondered what I was going to do with them.

It was 11:45, so I decided to get ready to head out. I changed into a dark red T-shirt with black roses embroidered on it and a pair of baby blue Capri's. I had finished putting on my socks when I heard a familiar thump above me. The boy was ten minutes early. I looked at the bags of cookies on my desk. I had too many any ways so I figured I would leave a bag for him on the edge of the balcony. If he took it he took it, if he didn't I had a bag of cookies on my balcony.

When I slid the glass door open, he was there; wearing the same orange straight jacket I had first met him in and covered in tiny droplets of blood.

XXX

"What the fuck are you staring at?" I asked the girl. I hadn't expected her to open the door before I could knock. I was sure I had landed softly.

"You're ten minutes early." She stated.

"That doesn't give you the right to fucking stare,"

"Last time I checked, this was privet property," she was glaring now. For the first time I noticed she had a white bag in her hand. Was that why the house smelled like cinnamon tonight?

"Then you shouldn't make your house smell so fucking weird," Shit it slipped. She tilted her head to the side a bit.

"What?" she asked

"Nothing," I said shaking my head. That wasn't what I had come to talk about. The girl looked back at a clock in her room.

"I have somewhere to be so I don't have time for-"

"You should for fit the battle you don't have a fucking chance in hell," I told her. She sighed.

"You were stalking me again weren't you?" she asked.

"I told you, I don't have fucking time to follow a bitch who can't ride. It was all over the AT website, some red headed idiot challenging the East Wings."

"I'm not the idiot you seem to think I am. If I didn't know I could win without ATs I would have bought a pair." She said rolling her eyes. What was with this girl? She had no hope of winning.

"If you're not an idiot, then use the time you have left to buy some ATs," she shook her head, swinging her red hair around.

"That would make me loose." She turned to go back in and the stopped. She held out the white bag to me. "Here, its what I came out here for. I was going to leave them on the rail though." She wasn't blushing. She had a completely blank look on her face. Agito take them, you haven't eaten anything for hours. Akito begged.

"What if I hadn't taken them?"

"Then I would have a bag of cookies on my balcony." She said. I held out my hand and she dropped the bag into my palm.

"There will be thousands of people watching you," I warned for the last time, she just stared. He blue eyes were intense.

"If I cared what they thought I would never leave my room."

XXX

When I got to the school I found what I was looking for and devised the perfect plan. I just had to make sure I was in front when I got on the roof.

"You set up plans with those cute little friends of yours?" the male called out when he arrived.

"I didn't bother, cause I'll win." I said walking over to him. He frowned.

"The first one to get to the other side of the school and grab the other team's emblem off the fence is the winner," he said.

"I don't have an emblem, I'm not a rider," I said. "Wait, you got a piece of paper and a pen I could borrow for a sec?" the male laughed and produced a pen and a bubble gum wrapper.

"This'll work?" he asked. I nodded once taking the wrapper and the pen. I quickly sketched out a sunrise and wrote Dawn in loopy cursive. I gave back the pen and showed him the sketch. "Not bad," he said and gave the wrapper to one of his team mates to put on the fence.

When the person came back he told us it was time to start. "I'll give you a thirty second head start," the male told me.

"I only need five," the male laughed again.
"Okay five then, but you'll regret it," the starter started counting down from twenty to start the battle.

"Oi," I said getting the male's attention. "Tremble," I let out a demonic aura and started to run the second the guy had said go.

I reached the building by the time they called five seconds to be up. I found what I was looking for, two drain pipes about three feet away form each other, running up the wall. I used them, jumping from one to another, to climb the wall. I closed my eyes when I reached the top. If I couldn't see the height I wasn't scared of it. That's why I had spent roughly an hour memorizing the outside of the school.

There was an air duct that ran straight across the middle of the school, that's what I would use to get across. I knew that a Storm Rider could go faster by grinding on a pipe, so I figured that the male would most likely be using the same path I was. I had a counter measure for that, a good one. I heard him coming as I ran along the air duct. I was already past the first part of the E and I was on the gap between the first two lines. As he neared, I pretended to slip and, fell off the air duct. Well, not quite, I was dangling with both hands holding on. I listened for him too come closer. I swung my legs back and forth gaining power. I needed the perfect timing for this. At the speed he was moving at I would need to swing up in about three more seconds.

My plan was a success. When he was riding over me I swung up and kicked him off of the air duck, sending him falling. I swung my self up back onto the air duct and started running again. My eyes were still closed, but I knew exactly when I reached the end of the air duct. I took off my shoes so there wouldn't be much friction and grabbed the air duct. It was heading down the building now, and it was thinner too, I slid down in a spiral so I wouldn't notice I was falling. When I hit the ground I put my shoes on quickly and opened my eyes. I could see the emblem. I heard the male curse behind me. I ran quickly and effortlessly towards the fence, glad to be on solid ground again.

I got to the fence as the male landed on the ground. The emblem was too high for me to reach, so I kicked the fence and it fell neatly into my palm. The male was about ten feet away from me, his eyes wide.

"How, but, how did you?"

"Two years of gymnastics," I said blankly.

XXX

She fucking pulled it off! Just what the hell was she?

She would be really good with ATs if she liked heights. Akito said. Will you let me meet her? Before I could answer him I was distracted by someone talking about the match.

"Did you see? The whole time she was on the roof she had her eyes closed! She must be an A class, but we've never seen her, she can't be new."

How did she do it? Akito wondered again.

It doesn't matter now. There will be a bunch of fucking teams after her because of that ability. We need to warn her and if there is a chance I'll let you talk to her. I replied.

Now that I think about it, we don't know her name, and I don't think she knows ours. We should take this chance to introduce ourselves properly. I shrugged.

Let's go home, we'll talk to her tomorrow.

XXX

When I got home I tripped over a box. I took it inside and was surprised to see it was addressed to me. I took it to my room and read the note.

Dawn,

I hope Father got these to you safely. I don't know where you are right now but I guessed Father does. I know you wouldn't be so reckless as to not have anyone know where you are.

I didn't mean to upset you that night, and for what ever I did, I am truly sorry. Mother and I miss you very much, but weather you come back or not is up to you. I do wish you would at least call though.

Concerning the gift, I was planning to give it to you on our birthday, but after seeing you battle I couldn't resist giving it to you right away. I intended it to rid you of your fear of heights but again after seeing the battle I realized that you aren't scared any more. I am so happy that you faced your fear!

When I ride it feels like the sky is too far away, like I only have one wing. I thought that if we ride together, we could fly. I thought that you were my other wing. Come find me and we'll fly together.

Your Twin

Nagihiko

There was another page behind the letter. It was written like a poem.

As twins,

We share our minds

Our thoughts

Our ideas

Our sanity

As twins,

We share our hearts

Our happiness

Our sadness

Our anger

Our envy

Our hatred

Our love

As twins,

We share our appearance

Our hair

Our eyes

Our frown

Our smile

As twins,

We share our souls

For our souls bond us

For they allow our existence

For we, together,

Only have one soul

I bit my tongue until I could taste blood. I didn't want to cry, not for this. Nagi knew me way too well. The letter and the poem both had me looking around the room, wondering if this freedom was worth our separation.

Half out of curiosity, and half out of wanting to place another thought into my mind, I opened the box. Inside was a pair of ATs. 'I thought that if we ride together, we could fly.' So that was what he had meant. I sighed and put the lid back on the box. I put the box and the letter on top of my dresser and then got ready for bed. I would deal with this in the morning.