Alright, here's chapter 7! The story starts to get interesting from here on out! Pay special attention to Retsu's brother! That's not technically a spoiler, is it? Speaking of his brother, what'd you guys think? Surprised? I hope so.

dotYui: You're the only one who reviewed, and I'm so happy! Thanks times a million. Yes, Jun is storm. Is it really that hard to see? It'll work out, don't worry. I'll have to work harder on my next character. Moving on, you think his brother is part of the mafia? You'll see... *evil laugh*

Reviews are good, people! Remember, they motivate us authoresses. All I ask is that you take a minute to write down your thoughts. Is that really so hard? Not that I'm one to talk, considering I don't review a lot of the stories I read. But still! You don't have to be like me! I know at least some of you are good people. Not that you're a bad person if you don't review, that's not what I'm saying!

I'm contradicting myself a lot, aren't I? I'll stop now, and get to what you guys actually want: the story!!!


Our Sky

Chapter 7: Demon 1: Yume

"Dad, where do you want this last box?" Kazuki called over his shoulder, shifting the cardboard box he was carrying to get a better hold on it. It was the first day of the new semester, and the blonde was hoping to get to school on time. It didn't go over well with the teachers to be late on the first day.

"Just somewhere near the counter," was the muffled response from the back room.

"Alright." He walked over to the counter, weaving through the aisles of neatly stacked equipment with the ease that only came from knowing somewhere completely and totally. Kazuki deposited his burden on the glass counter top, then swiped his hands together a few times to get rid of any unwanted dirt. He grabbed his bag from beside the box, and headed for the door. "See ya," he called over his shoulder as he walked out into the sunshine.

The walk to school was always pleasant, if not a bit quiet. He wished he had someone to walk with, but Jun lived on the other side of town, and probably wouldn't want to anyways. Retsu lived near Jun, so he was out too. Namimori wasn't that big, but with him helping out in the store every morning, he just didn't have the time to go over to their places. As for Amatsu, Kazuki didn't even know where he lived, so he was definitely not an option. They didn't get along too well either. They put up with each other for their friend's sake, but unlike Jun, who's insults always had a playful edge to them, arguing with Amatsu felt real. Like the other boy really meant what he said.

He hit himself over the head, immediately stopping that train of thought. It would do him no good in the long run, and it was just bringing him down. This was why he didn't like thinking: it led to questions with answers that he'd rather not think about. So he resolved not to over-think things too much ever again.

He heard hurried footsteps behind him, and turned just in time to see Retsu blow by, white hair flying in the wind. He was running frantically, and not the I'm-late-to-school kind of frantic. No, this was the if-I-don't-run-fast-I'm-going-to-die kind of frantic. Not that the oblivious soccer player noticed this.

"Hey, Retsu!" he called cheerfully. "You're out early!"

"Kazuki, thank god!" the other teen cried, circling back. "Help me! Reborn's trying to kill me!"

Kazuki looked around him, and saw the baby running behind, surprisingly keeping pace with his short legs.

"To be a hitman," he said once he was in hearing range. "You have to make sure you don't get killed."

"Again with the hitman thing?" Retsu, who was by now hiding behind his friend, asked tiredly. "How many times do I have to tell you that it's never going to happen."

"Hitman?" Kazuki repeated, curious. "I thought you were going to be in the mafia."

"I'm not going to be either!"

"A hitman is another word for someone in the mafia," Reborn explained, ignoring his student's outburst.

"Cool," Kazuki nodded thoughtfully.

"Don't just agree with him!" Retsu exclaimed.

"Why not?"

"Because he's crazy!"

"Seems perfectly normal to me."

"How?"

Luckily, this particular conversation was cut off by Jun walking by. Seeing them, he waved and said hi.

"Shouldn't you guys be heading to school?" he asked as he walked over. "You don't want to be late."

This was greeted by a started cry from both boys, and an exasperated sigh from Reborn.

"Stupid boys," the tiny hitman muttered to himself.

~OS~

Despite their delay, all three managed to make it in time for class. Amatsu found them while they were pulling on their indoor shoes.

"There's a weird girl sitting in our classroom," the boy stated. "In your desk, Retsu."

"Eh?" Curious, the white haired teen followed his friend, Kazuki and Jun right behind them. True enough, when they entered the classroom, they were greeted by the sight of a slender girl sitting at Retsu's desk. Her feet were propped up the desk, and she appeared to be sleeping, completely oblivious to the curious glances from the students and the whispered conversations.

Whoever the girl was, she certainly exotic looking. Her long hair fell about her messily, sticking out every which way in a wild, haphazard manner. Most of it was colored a deep, chestnut brown, but thick black highlights could be seen all over the place. Two black locks framed her face, which was currently tilted back and covered by a thin paperback book, hiding her features. She wore the girl's uniform top, a loose white shirt with a black tie instead of blue, but instead of the usual blue skirt, she wore black capris, cut off just under her knees. A black band ran around one of her thighs, and strapped to it were what looked like four silver poles that almost ran the length of her upper leg, all connected by a few hinge-like contraptions that could just be made out if one looked really hard.

Retsu walked up to her hesitantly, looking for any signs of movement. Finding none, he shook her shoulder slightly, trying to wake her up. "Hey, you okay?" he asked.

The book slid down into her lap, and she blinked drowsily. His eyebrows raised fractionally at the color of her eyes. Hazy silver irises met his, still blinking owlishly. "Oh," she murmured, meeting his gaze evenly. "Hello. Is this your seat?"

He nodded mutely, and she stood with a small smile.

"Sorry about that," she said, covering a yawn. "Some teacher told me to wait in the hallway for a few minutes. Guess I got bored and went exploring, then fell asleep. I think I was supposed to meet him somewhere..." she trailed off, thinking. "Oh yeah. At seven forty-five, I was supposed to go to the staff room." The strange girl, who's voice had never once lost the sleepy lilt it had carried since she'd woken up, looked towards the room's clock. It read 8:30. She just shrugged and yawned again. "Oh well."

"Hey, I like you," Kazuki laughed, slinging an arm over her shoulder. Jun was also smiling at the carefree new girl. "What's your name?"

"Name?" she repeated. "Oh, it's-"

"Yamanaka-san!" the teacher called from the doorway. "You were supposed to meet me forty-five minutes ago! Where have you been?"

"In here," she said, clouded eyes inquiring. "I fell asleep."

"Fell...asleep?" the man was speechless.

"Mm-hm," she nodded.

He looked around the class, sighing in defeat. "You may as well just introduce yourself now, seeing as most of the class is already here." Retsu looked around, and saw that most of the class was indeed in the classroom, all of them staring at the girl. "Everyone," the teacher called the class to attention. "This is the new transfer student. She just moved here from Tokyo."

She stepped forward, smiling pleasantly. "Hello everyone. My name is Yamanaka Yume. I hope we get along well this year." Her short introduction was met by a few claps.

Retsu heard the boy next to him whisper to his neighbor, "She's pretty cute, isn't she?"

"Yeah, I guess," the other replied. "Seems a little weird though."

Jun and Kazuki had similar experiences. It was apparent that all the boys in the class would admit that while she was a little odd, Yamanaka Yume was indeed very pretty. And she was, that Retsu would admit. Not drop dead gorgeous, like the school's idol, Kimidori Yuka, but pretty all the same. She just had a kind of natural beauty and grace that was nice to be near, and with the added help of her calm, laid-back personality, she seemed like a very comforting sort of person to be around.

She got the seat next to Kazuki, as soon as the teacher wasn't looking anymore, he turned to her and held out a hand. "It's nice to meet you, Yamanaka-san," he said. "My name's Kazuki Shin, but you can just call me Kazuki. Everyone else does."

"It's nice to meet you too," she replied, shaking. "But please, call me Yume, or Yume-chan. Yamanaka-san sounds too formal, you know?"

"Yeah," he agreed. "Okay, Yume, I'll introduce you to the best kids in the class. See that tall, grumpy kid over there?" he pointed at Jun, who spared him an annoyed glance before looking back at the board. "He's Takahiro Jun."

She nodded, which he took as a sign to continue.

"The white haired boy you were talking to earlier is Akimura Retsu," he pointed at Retsu, who waved. "That kid with the glasses is Amatsu. Don't ask what his first name is, I never bothered to ask." She giggled softly, and smiled at Amatsu.

"And those are all the people you'll ever need to know in this school," Kazuki concluded. She gave him an inquisitive look.

"Is that really all? Shouldn't there be more?"

"Who knows?" He shrugged. "Either way, you want to have lunch with us today?"

As the days passed, the boys quickly learned that Yume's sleepy demeanor never really left her. No matter where she was, be it gym class or math, the hazy look never really left her eyes. When asked about it, she would only reply cryptically, "It's just this personality of mine." No one really knew what that meant, but they decided not to pry. After all, everyone had their own secrets and oddities. Retsu's was that he was a successor for one of the most feared mafia families in the world, so in comparison, how bad could her's really be? He was soon to find out.

It was a week after he'd first met her. They were walking by a well-known kendo dojo, on their way to a local sushi place for a treat. It was him, Kazuki, and Jun, seeing as Yume had been sick that day, and Amatsu had been busy after school. They were just walking by, talking and laughing like usual, when they heard the sounds of a fight breaking out inside. Thinking that something like that was pretty normal for a place that taught how to fight, they paid it no attention. That was, until a boy who was barely older than them stumbled out, barely conscious. "Help us," he pleaded, falling to his knees. His exposed face and arms showed the signs of a fight, and a violent one at that. Bruises covered them, and his lips and nose were bleeding heavily. "Save us from that demon."

"What the hell's going on?" Jun asked, unusually frantic. "Answer me!" He shook the other male by the shoulders, but it was no use. He'd already fainted.

"What do you think happened?" Retsu asked hesitantly, looking at the dojo with fear.

"We'll have to find that out, huh?" Kazuki said, cracking his knuckles coolly. The cheerful look was gone from his face, replaced by steely anger that was almost tangible.

"Guess so," the runner agreed. His bangs were shading his eyes, making it impossible to tell what he was actually thinking, but it was also fairly apparent that he was angry too.

The two boys walked up to the building, moving almost in sync as they pushed open the door. Retsu followed timidly, startled by the change in his friends. "A-are you guys okay?" he stammered.

"No," Jun answered quietly. Kazuki was silent, stopped dead in his tracks by what he saw on the other side of the door. His two friends looked around him. Retsu's mouth dropped open.

"What happened here?" Kazuki murmured. The room looked like a war zone. Unconscious bodies lay on the floor, all with injuries of varied seriousness, from a few scrapes to bloody faces and broken limbs. Blood stained the walls and the floor, along with the room's only standing occupant. They couldn't see the face, and in the darkness of the dojo, they could only make out the most distinct of features. But they were features they recognized. Wild brown hair with black highlights. A black tie that had been discarded on the floor nearby, black capris, and a loose white shirt, all stained with the same dark red liquid. A black band wrapped around one of the thighs. The figure held a long silver staff, the four pieces connected by now straightened hinges. And it was all horribly familiar.

"Y-Yume?!?!"