Pinkshuchan: Hey everyone! This chapter is where the story really begins! Enjoy!

Chapter 1

Ordinary Day

The first thing that greeted him when he woke up was the blinding sunlight above a canopy of leaves, sheltering him from the summer heat. He could hear the sound of birds chirping from a distance and cicadas hiding in the nearby tree. A gentle breeze brushed against him as he laid there on the green wooden bench. He sat up and had begun to rub his temple, bringing himself to once again awaken his awareness of the reality he was in.

He was at the park he always went to, sitting on his favourite bench. It was his favourite place to nap during the warm seasons, providing the best atmosphere and temperature. Not like he could take advantage of that now though. Normally, the moment he would take a nap, not even the loudest noise could wake him up. Even the sound of children running and playing around him would not break through his slumber. But now…

"Damn, those dreams again."

He couldn't remember when the dreams started nor could he remember the trigger, but the same dream would appear every time he went to sleep; dreams about winged people and flying and how free he felt. And then the nightmares that still left him trembling once he woke back up. What did all this mean? Why was this happening?

He gave a deep sigh as he ran his fingers through strands of his own light brown hair. He lied back down on the bench; theorizing what the dreams could mean. Were they visions of both his deepest desires and his biggest fears? Were they abstract imagery of events from his past that he wished to forget? Or were they something else entirely?

"It figures I'd find you here."

He broke out of his thoughts to bring his attention to a familiar idiotic grin. "What do you want?" he questioned in his usual monotonous tone.

The 'grin' let out a sigh. "Does it ever occur to you that maybe I just wanna check to see how my best bud is doing?"

Both were silent.

Another sigh. "Geez! I'm hurt that you think so low of me, Kai."

Toshiki Kai could tell from the blond male's tone that he wasn't serious despite the use of words. Not wanting to stay around any longer, the brunet stood up and started to walk away. The blond haired male, Taishi Miwa, followed behind him.

"Okay, it's not a request from me," he continued, "But my mom is wondering if you'd like to have dinner with us. She's been concerned about how you're doing living alone and she's curious on your thoughts of that book she lent you."

'That's right!' Kai remembered. The last time he was there, Miwa's mother lent him a book for him to check out, hoping it would be of his interest. He would be lying if he said that it didn't pique his curiosity. He was not usually one with books, yet he felt drawn to this one for some reason. Maybe it was the book's concept or maybe just the look of the cover, but something tempted him to read it. It had been a while since he borrowed it. No doubt the woman in question that lent him the book wanted to hear his thoughts of it by now.

"Whatever," he replied with a shrug, "Didn't really want to cook tonight anyways."

Miwa grinned. "Of course you wouldn't say no to free food." The brunet didn't bother to respond. They continued to walk in silence out of the park and through the streets.

It appeared to be a normal day. It was already summer vacation so most of the kids were out playing and hanging out. Kai and Miwa were also out of school for now but had nothing planned through most of it. Miwa had been telling Kai non-stop about a resort he and his mom were planning to go to in a couple of weeks and wanted to invite the usually antisocial teen to tag along. The brunet, however, was not interested. He was not one for fancy places with lots of people and would prefer to spend his time with something else rather than spend a day at a burning hot beach.

They continued to walk through the crowded streets. It was not far to Miwa's house. They just had to pass a few more stores and cross one more intersection before they would reach the neighbourhood. Sadly, this walk wouldn't turn out to be as peaceful as they, or at least Kai, wanted it to.

"So we meet again, Toshiki Kai!"

The person in question silently cursed his luck. He recognized that voice all too well, and it was not one he wanted to deal with today either. He and Miwa turned their attention to the direction of the voice to be greeted by two familiar faces; a couple of underclassmen from their school. The one that called out to him glared at him with an expression of fury and determination. The other one, who was obviously his friend, was more nervous. It was easy to tell what they wanted, and honestly, Kai couldn't care less.

"This is it! You cannot escape!" the hot headed underclassman called out, "Today, I will finally defeat you at something!"

"Not interested," Kai simply replied; his voice stoic and unwavering. He continued to walk away. He didn't want to deal with this at the moment. The younger boy, however, wasn't going to take that as an answer.

"You're just scared that I'm gonna beat you at something one day, isn't it?!" he remarked with pride, "Figures. After all, this is no one as amazing as Katsumi Morikawa! Bow before your master!" The brunet just ignored him. "Hey! Get back here! We have unfinished business!"

But Kai continued walking. From a distance he could hear Morikawa shout something like "Izaki! Let me go! I need to take care of that bastard!" He hated dealing with idiots. They always did something to piss him off, especially when they did something unwanted. Hearing the familiar call of "Kai!" the brunet stopped to let Miwa catch up to him. They then continued on their way to the latter's house.

The first thing to greet the two boys once they got there was the warm, gentle, motherly smile of a beautiful middle aged woman. Tsukiko Miwa had been waiting for them; already preparing dinner for the three of them, as if she knew that Kai would agree to join them without being informed. It was strange and a little creepy out how she was sometimes able to predict what it was Kai would decide to do, but regardless, he considered her a kind and caring woman and couldn't help but admire her energy and enthusiasm.

Not much happened before dinner was ready. Miwa and Kai waited up in Miwa's room with the brunet lying on the bed, watching his blond friend play a new video game he recently got. There would be occasional conversation but it would usually come from the blond himself. Kai just simply listened, responding only with grunts when necessary. This didn't bother Miwa though. He knew that his friend was not a very talkative person, so he just left it be.

Before long, dinner was ready. The three sat down to eat and things were quite peaceful. Kai had always gone to eat over at Miwa's from time to time, but no matter how many times he would be invited, this feeling of a warm, loving family atmosphere felt foreign to him. He didn't mind it though. He would never admit it, but a part of him always wanted to be a part of something like this.

"How's the food, Toshiki?" Tsukiko broke Kai out of his thoughts. The brunet had been eating quietly as his mind travelled off.

"Needs more onions," he simply replied.

"You eat too many onions and you may just turn into one yourself," the blonde woman scolded the teen, "They may be good for you but please try to eat the rest of your vegetables. You're still a growing boy."

Kai scowled as he continued eating. The rest of dinner consisted on conversation between Tsukiko and Miwa; Kai joining in only when directly addressed to. It was the usual topics they conversed in; how their days were, plans for the rest of the summer, Tsukiko even mentioned she wanted to do something for Kai's birthday since it was coming in almost a month.

When they had finished eating, Miwa offered to handle the dishes, leaving Kai to handle with his friend's energetic mother. The blonde woman gave him her biggest grin as she got herself more comfortable.

"So Toshiki," she began, "How is the book I lent you? Do you like it? Be honest!"

Kai gave a sigh as he ran his fingers through his spiked hair. "It's not bad," he answered bluntly. Truth be told, he actually enjoyed the book. The moment he sat down to read it after getting his hands on it, he couldn't put it down. The story entranced him, the words pulled him in like magic, and the entire experience felt real. "I still have it back at home though so-!"

Tsukiko only chuckled. "No trouble at all. In fact, I'd rather you keep it."

The brunet stared at her with awe. "No, I couldn't-!"

"I insist!" she responded, "Consider it an early birthday present from me."

Miwa returned to the table after he had finished up. He had heard the entire conversation as he was cleaning. "You know, I never heard either of you mention what that book is. Is it really that good?"

Tsukiko giggled. "You're that curious, Taishi? Why, it is the story of the Cloudlands."

"Story of the Cloudlands?"

The blonde haired woman gestured for her son to sit. "You remember it, don't you Taishi? I would always tell you that story every night since you were a child."

"I remember it," the teen replied, "And you gave it to Kai?"

Another chuckle escaped from the older woman's ruby lips. "For old time's sake, why don't I tell you both the story again? Don't worry; I have the entire thing memorized." And once she was sure that they were all comfortable, she began to tell the tale.

"Long, long ago, there was a race simply known as the winged people. They were a majestic and proud race, able to use magic to help all the living creatures on Earth. They roamed the skies with their beautiful wings, being able to move freely to wherever they pleased. They were admired by many creatures and in turn, the winged people loved them. Whether human or animal, the winged people made it their duty to protect everyone. And with the winged people among them, Earth was always safe.

"However, this happiness was not meant to last forever. An eerie darkness appeared before the world, shrouding the skies with fear and terror. No one knew how it came to be and why it had appeared. But it was apparent that the darkness had one goal; to create chaos and anarchy, to take away the love and peace that everyone shared and turn it into hatred and paranoia, to lead the entire world towards destruction and consume it until it becomes complete nothingness. It was a being simply known… as the Void.

"As Earth's guardians, the winged people refused to let this monster have its way. They did everything they could to stop it in its tracks. Unfortunately, even with all their combined strength, the Void could not be destroyed. It was a divine being that would continue its path until its objective was complete. If it couldn't be destroyed, they only had one other option in hand, and though dangerous, they had to take this chance.

"To protect Earth from the Void, the six leaders of the winged people stepped forward; the Red Wings of Valour, the Aqua Wings of Honour, the Green Wings of Justice, the Gold Wings of Benevolence, the Silver Wings of Wisdom, and the Black Wings of Mercy. They poured all of their power into creating a world for the Void to roam so as not to harm the creatures of Earth again. There was a catch, however; the rest of the winged people would have to stay in that world to keep the Void from escaping.

"And so, the winged people said goodbye to the beings on Earth and continued to live the rest of their lives in the new world they created, a world they named 'the Cloudlands'. Cherishing their leaders' memory, they split up into different clans based on the colour of their wings and to this day protect themselves for whatever the Void would throw their way. Although they have a new home which many could consider an equivalent to Heaven itself, they are forced to live eternity in fear of that terrifying darkness."

The two boys had been silent during the entire story, letting everything sink in. No words could describe what they were feeling. Tsukiko let out a sigh as she stood up and walked over to the closest window, staring at the night sky that surrounded everything. "It is a bittersweet tale," she continued, "The winged people sacrificed everything to keep their beloved home safe but at what cost? As time went by, their sacrifice was forgotten by the creatures of the Earth and to this day, they still fight to keep everyone safe. But how long can this go on? Will they one day find the power that can destroy the Void once and for all? Or will they give in to despair and result with the Void turning everything into eternal nothingness?"

An unsettling silence flooded the room. No one moved an inch, as if time had stood still. It wasn't long though until Tsukiko looked back at the boys, flashing her signature grin. "Anyways, it's getting pretty late. You should stay the night, Toshiki!"

With the atmosphere now back to the way it was, Kai stood up. "No thanks," he muttered, walking away from the table and into the hall. Miwa and Tsukiko followed behind him as they watched him put on his shoes.

"You sure you don't want me to walk you home, buddy?" Miwa asked, his voice showing a little concern.

"I'm not a girl," was Kai's reply. Nothing more was said as he walked out the door. The moment the brunet left, Tsukiko's smile faded into a deep frown. Her blue eyes showed concern as she stared at the spot the teen was standing before. She sighed.

"Sometimes I worry about him," she honestly expressed aloud; "Toshiki was always such a sweet and caring boy in the past." She looked over at her son beside her. "You two were always so close too, as if you were real brothers. But… since that day…"

Miwa placed his hands on his mother's shoulders, comforting her. "You don't need to worry, Mom," he assured her with a smile, "He's pretty strong. I'm sure he can handle himself."

The blonde haired woman gave a curt nod before she left for the living room. Miwa sighed. He said those words to convince his mother that things were going to be alright, but he felt like he was saying that to also convince himself. Yeah, Kai was strong, but the blond knew that his friend was also very fragile, like the tiniest thing could cause him to crack. That day still haunted his mind to this very day; the day when his once brash and overconfident best friend became a hollow shell of himself, a boy so emotionally unstable that he was unable to control his actions. Miwa could still remember hiding in fear as his mother tried to calm down an aggressive Kai. The brunet, who would always give his cheekiest grin no matter what happened, was wailing loudly; his face soaked with tears. He was punching and screaming, showing so much pain and distress-!

Miwa shook his head. He didn't want to remember any more of that painful memory. After many struggling attempts and using a last resort, they were able to free Kai from his despair, but at a cost. There was nothing left of the old Kai, and the one before them now was an emotionless doll that shared his face, that moved and talked just like that of a normal person. He had no goals, no dreams to strive for. He was simply only living until the day he dies. What Miwa wouldn't give if it meant he could get his old friend back.

XxXxX

Kai walked the dark streets alone, feeling the chilling wind of the night brush against him. The streetlamps lined up against the path were the only source of light to guide him home. Every now and then, there would be a stray car driving past him, but he felt no need to heed them. He only wanted to get home.

He eventually made it back to the tall building that was his apartment. He opened the door and stepped inside. It was a simple one room apartment with all the necessities he would need to live on his own, including a bedroom, a kitchen, and a bathroom being its separate thing. He didn't need to worry about rent or groceries since Tsukiko had offered to pay for him. While Kai himself didn't mind having to pay for all his stuff, he knew the blonde woman wanted him to focus on school and living life as a normal teenager.

He didn't bother to turn on the light, for he just didn't care. It was no trouble though, for the moon that illuminated through the back window provided enough light to help him get around. He walked down the front hall after taking his shoes off and went straight to the bed. He let out a sigh as he dropped onto the mattress, relaxing his entire body from any stress. This was his own private sanctuary where no one could bother him; blanketed by the darkness as he relaxed his entire body. Nothing within these walls could cause him grief. And yet…

A familiar object on the bedside table caught his eye. It was that book; the one that Tsukiko gave him. He picked it up, feeling the texture of tree bark that served as the book's cover. It looked more like a spell book from fairy tales rather than a novel. He opened the book and began to skim through the pages. The story was told almost the same way Tsukiko did, but went into more detail during certain aspects.

One thing was for certain; Kai now remembered what the trigger for his reoccurring dreams was.

But how could one book result in him having these dreams that were depriving him of needed sleep? Winged people living in a magical world said to be an equivalent to Heaven; it's only fantasy. It was just a fictional story to entertain the mind with make believe. There was no way the winged people could exist.

He put the book down back onto the table. A yawn escaped his lips as he felt himself beginning to drowse off. Too tired to change into his pajamas, he adjusted himself so he was lying down on the decently comfortable mattress and pulled the duvet out from under him so he could go under it, protecting him from the cold night air.

'Another ordinary day has passed,' he said to himself in his mind. And slowly, he started to fall asleep. But one question sticked to his mind; would he have the same dream tonight? Until his consciousness faded for the night, he repeated the same sentence over and over.

'Winged people don't exist.'

Pinkshuchan: And that was officially the first chapter. Read and Review!