Hi! I'm Kurogane and I'm in the fourth grade. I'm training to be the strongest warrior ever. Right now, however, I'm doing chores and looking for my dad's cards. (It wasn't my fault!) So now I have to find the cards before my dad finds out. All fifty-two of them...and right now I only have four. But that's okay, right? I'm sure I'll find the rest really soon... "GAh!" I yelled as Tomoyo and I walked back through town. "What am I going to do? He's sure to find out at any moment!" "Kurogane, it's alright," she replied patting my shoulder. "How often does he look at the cards anyway?" I scowled. "Not very often...but he does check on them from time to time." "Then we just have to get them back before then..." Tomoyo said. She skipped on ahead of me. "Now, if you'll excuse me, Kurogane, I need to get back and work on a project..." "Wait! You're just going to leave me here?" "Don't worry...If you want to come over later you can. I got to go now. Bye, Kurogane!" Then she disappeared. "Hold on!" I cried helplessly, but it was too late. She wasn't listening to me anyway. I sighed and went on my way back home. Then I noticed a small box on the side of the road and carefully approached it. It was the biggest mistake of my life. "HOORAY! KURO-PU CAME BACK FOR MOKONA!" A small, round, white creature with big ears jumped on the edge of the box and peered back at me with little squints of the eye. "But Kuro-pu looks a little different. Did he change outfits or something?" Then the thing flew tackled me. "But Mokona is happy to see him anyway!" I grabbed it before it got too good of a grip on me and held it arms length away. "What are you?" I asked. The creature giggled and squirmed in my grip. "Mokona is Mokona, silly. Doesn't Kuro-pu remember?" I scowled. "Why do you keep calling me that? My name is Kurogane." "Ooo...Kurgy is angry..." "Just leave me alone okay?" I set it back in the box and quickly stood back up. "Wait!" The thing cried. "Kurgy is soo mean!" I turned and ran back home. Hopefully , I wouldn't ever have to see that thing again. I collapsed on one of the kitchen chairs. PHWHIIP! I turned my head and twitched violently at the sight. "Hello Kurgy~" "GAH!" I screamed. "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" I ran out and slammed the door shut behind me. If that thing was smart, it would leave me alone. I started climbing the tree outside of my house just in case to get a good distance from it.

"Hey!" a voice called from below.

Unwillingly, I looked down. Below me was a blonde boy who looked like he hadn't eaten anything during the past year. He smiled goofily up at me and I noticed that his teeth were slightly crooked and almost too big for his mouth.

"Hello up there!" he yelled up again.

"What do you want?" I grumbled. Couldn't I get any peace and quiet?

He laughed. "I was wondering if you could give me directions..."

I sighed and jumped down. The kid appeared impressed by my perfect landing. I decided to lean against the tree and add to the why-are-you-bothering-me look. "Where are your parents?" I asked. "Didn't they bring you here? Are you just lost?"

The boy bit his lip and looked down at his feet. Figures. This guy was a bit of a wimp.

"I just need you to tell me the fastest way to get through town that heads away from the Odinn Mountains."

I lifted an eyebrow. "Are you running away?"

His shaggy hair fell over his eyes and he didn't reply. That meant yes.

"By yourself?"

Yes again.

I crossed my arms. "Why should I help a coward?"

The boy looked up at me with tears in his eyes. "It's not like that!"

I leaned forward so I was inches away from his face. He didn't flinch but just stared back biting his lip. "What is it then?" I asked.

I noticed the boy's blue eyes almost glowed and wondered who he was. I had heard stories about magical creatures that could cast spells on you and kill you when you least expected it. I took a step back. "Fight me," I growled.

The boy was taken off guard. "Excuse me?" he said.

"Fight me and then I'll give you directions on where to go."

The boy turned. "I'll just find someone else..."

"Don't run away, you coward!" I yelled and threw a punch at him. His surprise slowed him down a bit but he still brushed past me without getting hit. I didn't know what came over me, but somehow I just knew this guy knew where a couple of my father's cards were. I tried hitting him again but it wasn't any use. His agility was incredible. I backed him up by the tree and put my fists down. "Alright,"I said, "the fastest way through town is over the Whiltty river. Take that path and you'll end up at the country's capital."

He smiled. "Thank you."

"I have one more question: have you seen any lose cards flying around?"

The boy's giddy expression faltered. He reached in his pocket and took out the Seven of Spades. "Like this?" he asked.

I swallowed and nodded.

He put the card back in his pocket. "So you're the one who unleashed them..."

I blinked. "What does that mean? Tomoyo and I were just playing fifty-two pick up when-"

"You need to hurry up and find them!" the boy interrupted. "There are people after these cards. Bad people that'll kill to get them..."

"What? They're just my father's cards?"

"Didn't you ever hear the legend?"

"Huh?"