A lot happens in this chapter so please tell me if you like it. Feedback is incredibly important for us writers! One more thing; for those of you who don't know what honorifics are, go to the bottom for an explanation. I make a few references with honorifics so it is important that you are fully informed.
Len's POV
~Len and Akane are now both 14~
I was walking through the forest, heading back from the market that was a few miles north of home. I trade the fabric that my mother sews, in exchange for food and necessary house hold items. Mother is very protective over me and she only started letting me do this on my own last year. Of course, she has a reason to be over-protective.
My elder twin sister was taken away to be the new Diva when we were just 13 months old... I can hear her sometimes. By that, I mean, I can hear her in my head. It's hard to explain but it's like we have a telepathic connection and can send messages and images to each other; not all the time but, upon occasion, and that's better than nothing.
Rin. That's what she told me her name was. She likes to sing and dance even though she knows that it is only for the Dragon King. I asked her if she was scared, or if she was sad. She said she wasn't scared...just lonely...really lonely.
When I told her who I was, I saw an image in my mind. She looks just like me and in the image, she was smiling, a wonderful, bright smile and yet...her eyes seemed to have a hint of loneliness reflected in them. I gave her my word, that I would rescue her. I will become strong so that I can save her from her terrible fate.
After that, I trained a lot. My Father, who is dead now, had a sword. Mother was hesitant about giving it to me but once she found out why I wanted it, and realized that arguing would be useless, she let me have it. I polished and sharpened it. I'm learning and after hours of training each day, I'm getting better at wielding it.
Suddenly I heard a melodic sound. Was somebody... singing? Quietly, I walked down a path leading to a stream. I approached a clearing but was sure to stay in the shadows so I would remain unnoticed.
A beautiful girl with very long black hair, wearing a flowing black dress, strolled along the side of the stream. Her silky voice rose, riding the soft wind. Her song was laidback and had a bit of a bounce to it.
I smiled, shifted my feet and just... listened.
Akane's POV
I walked along the stream singing my nameless song, my hair billowing behind me as I relaxed in the warm afternoon sun. Eventually I noticed a shadow in the trees and turned towards it curiously. The shadow gave a sudden lurch and backed away nervously. I smiled kindly and remarked "It's ok, you can come out. I don't bite." I added the last part with a giggle.
A handsome boy about my age, with blond hair pulled into a pony-tail and shining blue eyes, hesitantly stepped out of the forest's shadow. "I'm sorry," he muttered, "I couldn't help it. I heard your singing...I didn't mean to eavesdrop or anything..." he looked up to find me smiling.
"That's alright!" I said. Then I noticing all the stuff he was carrying thought, 'He must be coming home from the market.'
"Do you need help with all those goods?" I implied, and without waiting for an answer, I hurried over and took some of the packages from his arms.
"Er, wait you don't have too! I was fine!" he said a little worriedly.
"Nonsense, it's my pleasure!" I laughed.
He sighed, realizing it's probably no use trying to make me stop.
"Well, come on then." he mumbled nodding in the direction of his house. 'He seems nice enough' I thought, humming softly.
After a while I remembered that I didn't even know his name. "Oh!" I gasped, "We completely forgot to introduce ourselves! I'm Akane Kiyomizu; it's nice to meet you."
He chuckled a bit at my outburst and replied, "I am Len Kagamine, it's nice to meet you too."
I continued to hum and then asked, "So how much longer till we get to your house Len-san?"
He snickered, probably at my blunt impatience, and pointed at a small cottage not quite half a mile away. "There." he stated simply.
When we got there, he knocked and entered, motioning for me to follow. "Hey Mother, I'm home. We have a guest." he called as a pretty woman with long blond hair and blue eyes, much like Len's, hurried down the stair case.
She gave me a slightly suspicious look and hissed, "Len-kun, you shouldn't let strangers-"
"Mother, it's alright," Len interrupted, scowling, "We kind of bumped into each other on the way back and she offered to help me carry all these supplies. It's not like she's dangerous." I giggled at the 'bumped into each other' and 'not like she's dangerous' comments', knowing the first wasn't entirely true and the second, well, he didn't know how dangerous I could be.
"I don't want to bother you, Ma'am." I said, "Tell me where these goods should go and then I'll be on my way."
She sighed, "No, no I should repay you for helping my son. It's getting late so why don't you stay for dinner."
"Thank you very much Ma'am!" I replied happily.
"Your parents won't mind?" she inquired.
"I don't have any parents. I'm staying at my brother's home and he is a messenger of the Queen, so he isn't around much." I responded, keeping a friendly smile on my face even though painful memories shot through my head.
Queen Luka had sent my father into war where he died. My mother had been one of her maids but fell ill. Queen Luka claimed that the medicine was too expensive when really, she just used her riches on fancy parties. Then my mother died too...
I snapped back to reality to find Len looking at me with a mixed expression of curiosity and sympathy. His Mother's eyes widened "I-I'm sorry, I didn't realize..." she trailed off her eyes shifting to a picture on the fire place mantle. It was a picture two little blond haired and blue-eyed babies; a boy and a girl. I wondered if that was Len and perhaps his sister, if he had one.
"No, it's quite all right," I replied, still smiling, "I should introduce myself. I'm Akane Kiyomizu. It is a pleasure to meet you Ma'am" I bowed politely.
"I am Haruka Kagamine. It's a pleasure." She gave me a small bow.
Len's POV
Akane-san kept smiling, the whole time. Even when she said she had no parents and her brother was hardly ever home. I wondered if she was hurting behind that bright smile. Was she lonely...just like Rin? The thought made me want to comfort her and tell her 'you're not alone anymore.'
She cheerfully helped prepare dinner and helped clean up afterwards. My Mother was freed from any doubts she might have had, and by the time night had struck, she had asked Akane to stay overnight because it was getting quite dark. Mother had even started calling her 'Akane-chan.'
Akane's POV
We were all seated by the fire place, chatting about the goings on in the Queendom, when I remembered the picture on the fire place mantle, showing two happy little babies. As the talk died down, I hesitated before murmuring, "Len-san, do you... have a sister?"
Haruka-san froze and stuttered "U-um, please e-excuse me..." She hurried out of the room to finish sewing some fabric; her gaze was downcast.
"I'm sorry," I gasped, "I didn't mean to pry, just forget about my question." I finished speaking rather guiltily.
After a pause, Len said, "No, I'll tell you." he went on to reveal that his sister was taken away to become the next diva and that around his mother, the topic was taboo.
I found it very interesting that he had such a unique connection with his sister and replied "That is, indeed, a sad story, but it is quite amazing that you can telepathically see and hear your sister. Does your mother know?"
He shook his head and admitted, "Even if she did stay to hear me out, after I told her it that to do with Rin, she would never believe me..." I nodded as he told me about wanting to train and rescue Rin. That led to him to forcing me to confess about my skills with daggers and eventually I offered to train with him. He accepted my proposal after I convinced him that I was perfectly capable and that I wouldn't hurt myself.
Len's POV
I don't really know why I told her about my situation. Maybe it was because she has a kind of trustworthy and caring attitude that anyone could love. She was sympathetic but she wasn't like other girls who I'd met in town that fawned over me and would say things like "Aww, Lenny that is sooo sad. I really wish there was something I could do but I just can't seem to find the time!" That proved that all they were doing was sucking up to get my attention... But Akane-san... she wasn't like all the other girls. I mean, honestly, how many other girls go around willingly offering help to strangers? None, really. She even trains and uses weapons. She's actually very different from everyone else, if you ask me...
next chapter I'm skipping ahead 2 years and I know that is a lot but I need to get to the romance part and the section where Len goes on his journey to save Rin etc.
Honorifics Lesson: honorifics are parts of speech which show respect, and their use is mandatory in many social situations. Honorifics in Japanese may be used to emphasize social distance or disparity in rank, or to emphasize social intimacy or similarity in rank.
-chan: cute; baby talk. Children who grow up together may keep using the -chan honorific into adulthood. It is used among close friends, relatives and lovers. It is especially used among females.
-kun: familiar title after name of colleague or student, usually male. Used for male friends and relatives. It can be used for a woman as well if she has a tomboyish attitude.
-san: Mr., Ms., Mrs., Miss.; The suffix denoting that the person being spoken to is of equal or nearly equal social status. It is used for people you do not know very well or for people you have just met.
-sama: [formal] Very high respect. Not normally used with other people's names, but it can be. Used for people with a very high status.
-Oniisan/Oniichan: this means big brother. The only difference is that 'Oniisan' uses slightly higher respect.