Chapter One: Return to Normality

(Ryo)

The morning was a clear, cool one, bringing with it a scent of spring. A soft breeze filtered through the open window and billowed the white curtains. I lay still, feeling my breathing and my heartbeat, listening to the birds chirp outside. They were some where in one of the trees bordering my room, and I was glad that was the only sound for once . A thin ray of pure, soft sunlight drifted onto my sheets and into my eyes.

But I frowned. I had wasted all my vacation fighting. There had been no trips to the beach, pool, or camping expeditions this summer. Granted, it had been worth while, saving the world and everything. I couldn't help the feeling that I threw away all the vacation time I had before school started again. I would be returning to H'ana High for my second year in high school.

"But it won't be the same," I muttered as I rubbed my temples, thinking how I was going to explain this to all my school friends.

They didn't know Cye, Rowen, or Sage. Kento had gone to H'ana before, but we'd never been good friends until this summer. Sure, it would be fun hanging out normally, but the month long absence and sudden additions to the 'gang' were going to need explaining or at least a stupid excuse.

I slammed down the snooze on my alarm clock and headed towards the shower. I had actually gotten up early, but sleeping hadn't been easy last night for a queer reason. What did it matter, and what did it matter if I had a case of the gitters? I snorted to myself as I turned on the shower water. I was so nervous about what my little group was going to think that I couldn't sleep. Man, that was dumb because I realized how exhausted I was going to be today.

I probably should be worrying about important things like how to survive the class work. I'd gone to cram school to even make it into high school. I'd studied like mad to take that damned test, and I passed at average. Thankfully, I could team up and study with Rowen if we had any of the same classes. If not, I'd study with him, anyway.

By the time I was out of the shower, there was life in the manor. The manor had belonged to Mia's grandfather, but she said we could stay there because she lived on campus. We spent practically all our vacation in the mortal world here, so it wasn't a big surprise for us to move into the manor. Besides, it meant that we'd go to the same school.

"Sweet," I said with a smirk, walking back to my room.

I dressed in my gray, very boring, but very well pressed school uniform. The same gray pants, white shirt, and gray jacket that made up Han'a High's seifuku were almost a welcomed relief. Out of habit I grabbed my kanji orb, stuffing it inside my pants pocket.

I plodded down stairs, where Seiji sat, quietly eating and drinking tea. Cye was busy around the kitchen counter. Cye looked like Seiji's kid brother instead of several months his elder.

"Morning," Seiji said, looking perky, even this early. I shook my head, amazed again at how he made the bland, gray uniforms look very stylish. His hair was perfect, and his tall frame seemed to jump right out of a magazine. Anything seemed to match his ice blue eyes and thick, wavy blond mop of hair. "It's good some one else is up. I've marked out our routes."

I walked over to the counter, picking up my map to Han'a High. Seiji had picked up the route we'd take, and he had plotted it out for us last night. We'd walk down the driveway and catch a bus to the school, and it would take us through Tokyo.

"I don't think I've ever done anything but walk to school," I mused. "I've always lived close enough."

"Lived on campus," Cye chimed in from the sink counter. The shorter British boy was busy packing lunches. Mia bought us all different colored bentoubako. She'd even gone so far as to put our names on them. If that didn't work, they matched our armor colors. I personally thought this was for moments of Kento's illiteracy.

I stared over at Seiji, pouring myself a bowl of Cheerios. Almost unconsciously, he ran his fingers through the stray lock of blond hair in front of his eyes to smooth it. I snickered, continuing to eat.

"Good thing Mia gave us this place," Cye said as he looked up at me. His soft, teal eyes had an anxious look to them, but he didn't look shabby, either. The soft gray colored seifuku complimented Cye's sandy brown hair. The mellow, neutral look fitted my good-natured friend perfectly.

"And it's good her and you both cook and clean." I pointed out the obvious fact that Rowen, Kento, and I weren't going to be any help as maids. Cye shrugged, walking over to the table, lunches all packed.

"It'd be better if Rowen and Kento thought about getting up," Seiji mumbled. I realized we might need to leave soon.

"I'll go get them," Cye offered, walking up the stairs. I finished my breakfast, deciding I'd have time for a second helping. I stuffed more cereal into my mouth as Seiji grabbed our canvas mailbags, placing them by the door. Again, Mia bought them, and she'd made each strap a different color.

"If they don't get down here . . ." Seiji muttered nervously. I smirked, giving the unofficial organizer of our little house a sarcastic look.

"Not in touch with your chi this morning?" I teased. Seiji wasn't amused and just shook his head at me. The sunrays caught on his golden hair, sparkling along the strands when he moved.

"You look presentable," Cye nagged Kento as he marched him down the stairs. Kento's thick, tousled, unkempt black hair definitely hadn't had a comb run through it this morning. Kento, although the shortest, but almost Cye's height, was definitely the widest. He grabbed the cereal, which would be gone in minutes.

"It's not my first day at H'ana High," Kento muttered. He filled a bowl with cereal, splashing milk over the table while hurriedly filling it up. "Everyone knows me from way back."

"I'm sure," Seiji replied dryly. He looked over at Kento with a slight frown. He couldn't conceive that someone might not want to be immaculate. "Where's Rowen? We're leaving if he doesn't . . ."

"Walk down," Rowen yawned in the middle of his sentence.

I smirked, realizing I had nothing to worry about in the bed head contest. Rowen's soaking wet blue hair, held up by his hachimaki, dripped water as he bounded down the steps in long strides. The tallest, and ironically, the youngest, Rowen managed to pull off a punk look in his gray, baggy seifuku. The only reason it was baggy was because Rowen was the thinnest guy I'd ever met.

"Alright, does everybody have their koushou?" Seiji asked. He walked over, giving the scraggly Rowen a disapproving look.

"No, mom," Rowen replied sarcastically. He walked to the cupboard, snagging several candy bars. I was surprised those lasted as long as they did with Kento. If Rowen didn't have low blood sugar, Kento definitely would've eaten every single one weeks ago.

"Seriously, is everyone ready? Do we have all of our taisougi?" Seiji rebounded from Rowen's comment. I shook my head, throwing my bowl in the sink. I gave Seiji a mock salute.

Seiji didn't reply to that, but Kento snickered between bites. I picked up my mailbag, looking at the soft, red strap. I slung it on my shoulder, making sure my koushou was in the right spot.I adjusted the little pin before walking out the door.

"We'll meet you two outside," Seiji said as he grabbed his bag. Cye followed suit, and the three of us walked outside into the crisp, clear morning. I looked up at the bright blue heavens, already free of the yellow tints from the sunrise.

Rowen and Kento walked out the door, and Rowen locked it up. Seiji handed out our maps and led the way down the bumpy, gravel driveway. We were in driving distance from Tokyo, but unfortunately, none of us could drive.

"So, what's old H'ana High like?" Cye asked nervously. He looked up at me, a slight frown on his innocent features.

"One, eighteen, twenty-seven, eleven, twenty-one," Rowen mumbled as he unwrapped another candy bar. I paused, staring dumbly at him. It was Rowen, though, and random statistics were just a way of life.

"What's with the numbers?" I looked between an embarrassed Cye and half-asleep Rowen.

"He's counted every time I've asked that question, everyday, for the last four days," Cye muttered, ducking his head slightly to hide the flush that came over his face. I laughed lightly, amused at how Rowen put his brain to use.

"Only once today. You're doing great," Rowen said in a sleepy, groggy voice. He stuffed the last wrapper in his bag. Rowen was the only person I knew who could consume more junk food than Kento. What a metabolism that boy must have, burning off all those fatty calories. He just didn't talk about food every waking hour.

"I told you, it's about six hundred per graduating class with the typical cliches," I said as I peered up at Cye. He'd never gone to school in Japan before. He'd been in Britain since he was six, with the exceptional visit back to the Mouri estate in Japan.

"It's school, man! There's no better way to say it!" Kento blurted out, slapping Cye on the back. Cye stumbled forward, bumping into Seiji.

"Oh," Cye mumbled as he shrugged, obviously nervous. Seiji turned around, shaking his head at Kento. I walked up to Seiji, throwing my arm around his waist. I bumped his hip, trying to keep a straight face, unlike the three guys behind us.

"The gap in your maturity level is amazing," Seiji smirked, pushing me away from him. I chuckled, walking back over, grinning fiendishly. "One minute, you're taking charge in the field of battle, and the next, making metrosexual gestures with me."

"I amaze myself with all my talents," I smirked as we arrived at the end of the drive. Almost as we got down there, the gray bus pulled up. I grabbed my bus pass, showed it to the driver, and grabbed a seat near the back.

Rowen slumped in the seat beside me, while Seiji sat in front of us. Kento and Cye took the seat behind us, and the bus sped off, churning into downtown Tokyo. I watched the trees dissolve into tall skyscrapers through my reflection in the tinted windows. People walked in throngs beside the bus as we came to a halt in traffic.

"We'll need an extra fifteen minutes tomorrow," Seiji said as he turned around. He looked back at Rowen, slumped and snoring in his seat, and shook his head. "That guy sleeps any where."

Soon, the bus pulled up in front of the two-story brown buildings. The school crept like a brown snake, sprawling out into a huge gymnasium and swimming complex. I shook Rowen, who grumbled, begrudgingly staggering to his feet.

"Let's drop these off, first," Seiji said as he waved his map at us. We walked off the bus, getting blended into the sea of gray uniforms. Cye looked anxiously around, wondering at the huge mass of people talking excitedly to each other.

"Okay!" I shouted to the guys to keep us together.

I found Kento, and we led the guys towards the black, steel double doors. We got shuffled through, and Kento waved to some people. I helped the five of us plow our way towards the office, where we dropped off the maps. After we'd turned them in we were each handed a schedule and a card, stating our room numbers and school numbers.

"Same room as last year," I shrugged, a quick smile coming over my face. Thankfully, I enjoyed my roommates.

"Am I with anyone?" Cye looked between the four of us, all reading our junior schedules. "I'm in two-three?"

"You're with me," I smirked as Cye's nervous gaze dissolved slightly. He looked greatly relieved, and secretly, so was I. I looked between the other three, hoping that maybe I'd be with some one else.

"Man, I'm two-eight," Kento grumbled. He frowned at Cye and me, turning hopelessly towards Seiji and Rowen.

"No luck here," Rowen yawned as he shrugged. "I'm two-one, and Seiji is two-two."

"What do these mean?" Cye pointed to his syusseki bangou, which was 4,893.

"That's your number that they call role with," I began to explain. Suddenly, a tide of students switched directions, propelling us back towards the doors. I grabbed Cye's arm, tugging him towards the doors that led towards the gym.

"Where are we going?" Cye shouted through the mob.

"The tyourei is starting! We've got to get lined up!" I shouted. I pulled Cye into the bustling auditorium. I knew roughly that he'd be in the back, and I was always in the back, too. I grabbed Cye, pulling him towards the last row, where his number indicated he should stand.

"Where are you going?" Cye yelped. I walked up a row, not having time to explain everyone needed in his or her spots. I stood perfectly still as the principle came into the room. The echoing of voices in the cavernous gym stopped, and the room was filled with nothing but the click-click of the shoes of the principle as he strode towards us.

"Rei!" The principle commanded us. I bowed neatly at the waist, in sync with the people beside me. After I looked up, the balding principle began to make the welcome back speech. It didn't matter what he said, I knew this year was supposed to be as hard as hell.

Utilizing my visual abilities, I motionlessly scanned the crowd for my friends. I could pick Seiji's blond head out, even though he was in the second row. Rowen, easily taller than everyone except five or six people, stood out like a sore thumb with his matted down blue hair. It took me a while, but I picked out Kento, too, seven rows in front of me.

After several announcements and the annual school rule reading, the tyourei was over. I went back to find Cye, but a throng of people swarmed between us. They became an unbreakable clump, heading for the door to start this school year. I groaned, shuffling deftly along through the mass blob.

"Ryo!" A familiar voice yelled to me. I turned to see Lee walk over. He was about my height with small, inch high black spikes in his jet-black hair. "Went AWOL for a month, huh?"

"Took a couple unexpected trips," I threw out the first explanation.

"Where'd you go?" Lee said nonchalantly as he elbowed his way to my side. Was he tanner? "Sure doesn't look like you went to the beach."

"No, went…to Europe for some camping," I stumbled across another explanation. "You went to the beach?"

"Yup," Lee grinned from ear to ear. Lucky bastard, going to the beach. "It was GREAT! I wanted you to go, but that last minute trip there must have been the reason." I could see Lee didn't quite believe that it was last minute.

"Well, you know, I was busy packing and stuff, and calling wasn't really in the picture. I would probably have been grounded or something, anyway," I outright lied. What was I supposed to tell him? 'Yeah, sorry, couldn't go because I was fighting this bastard demon who had this fetish to take over the mortal realm?'

"So, what's our first class? I assume we're in the same room again?" Lee asked.

I dug out my schedule. Lee looked over at me, his tan face not looking extremely worried, assuming we'd be together like normal. As if his new muscular frame wasn't good enough, he looked taller, too.

"Um . . . looks like Trig for the first lesson today," I groaned.

I almost smacked my head against the wall. Lee laughed at me as we slid our way into our hallway. Memories of last year in Algebra were enough to kill my appetite for school. I thought I'd suddenly develop this love for everything normal, including studying. I snickered impulsively, realizing how over rated normal could be again.

"Glad you think that's funny," Lee said as he grinned back at me with his famous sarcastic smile. His eyes always held that teasing look, no matter what he said.

"Not that . . . something else, sorry," I said absentmindedly. Lee tugged my shoulder, directing me into the classroom. One wall was mostly large windows that could be opened if needed. I gazed at the spotless cream walls and tile, realizing I'd soon have to clean those.

I looked over at the group of students Lee joined. One guy sat timidly in a chair, smiling up at the people around him. With his bowl cut hair and shy aura, Akio blended pleasantly into the background unlike his twin, Tomo. With his hair tossed up and a bit long, Tomo stood over Akio, talking lively to the little group. The relation was obvious, but the personalities were contradicting.

"Lee! OH! Ryo!" The girl participating the most in the conversation shouted.

Her silky black hair was held up in two bobs, each one twisted artfully onto opposite sides of her head. Her eyes sparkled, and Lily never seemed to stop moving.

"Well, look who is back," another familiar voice added.

The auburn hair girl, who stood several inches taller than Lily, turned towards me. She smiled wickedly at me, putting both hands on her hips. Nilla's mother was French, as shown in her hair and eyes. However, her father was Japanese, which showed in her face and silky texture of her shoulder length hair.

"With you gone, we didn't get nearly as many ridiculous ideas, though. The summer felt quite tame," Akio replied quietly, shaking his head. Tomo groaned, throwing his head back to get the point across of how bored he'd been.

I went to laugh, but I turned around. I had the sudden feeling I was being watched. It wasn't a new feeling. I gazed behind myself, feeling as if eyes were boring into my back. I felt as if a shadow sat behind my back, but when I turned around, there was nothing. It was a figment of my imagination.

"Get over here and tell us where you've been!" Tomo yelled, snapping me back towards them. I felt a shadow pass over me, for a brief moment, and then, the world seemed normal again.

But as I stared at my friends, anxiously awaiting news of my absence, I realized it never would be normal.

A/N:

July 2007

Once again, I redid this chapter with some grammar changes only. I'm going to go through part one and update the grammar. You should check out the quote at the beginning of the prologue. It's one of my favorite, and the best line I took away from one year of gifted english.

for those who don't know, this is my new, and hopefully improved, version. Tell me what you think, and I'm drilling away at the next chapter. I've also redone the 1st chapter, too. I've decided to use Seiji instead of the RW Sage, because I frankly just like the name Seiji better. It's a better name, I think, and it's more of a real name than Sage. Here's the list of meanings for the Japanese words I used, if you don't know what they mean already.

Taisougi: gym uniform

Hachimaki: head band

Koushou: label pin

Bentoubaki: lunchbox

Seifuku: school uniform

Tyourei: a meeting before class.

syusseki bangou: class numbers

Thanks for pointing out my sloppy, inaccurate writing. I am actually very meticulous about researching. I wrote this story for love of the anime and my own interests. So, here's to revisions.

Thanks, MorganRay