Chapter 7 Crossing the line

Authors Note: I will be using Ponygon as that horse mamodo's name, it's faster to spell. And wow is it hard to get into Rein's character, I barely know the character!

The next day came, Zatch woke up and in a traditional like style, and he looked around to see if any danger was present inside his room, which there was none.

Zatch had actually slept in late for once, the sun had already risen. Rein was still sleeping with around half of his wounds nearly healed.

Zatch took a good look at his friend, and it looked like his bandages needed changing.

(Umm…I should wait until he wakes up) Zatch thought, he didn't want to leave his room with the possibility of meeting Yuno. Zatch laid back down trying to go to sleep.

Meanwhile back at the king's palace.

"Hey! Zeno get your lazy ass up!" The instructor shouted outside of Zeno's room.

Zeno had locked his door in order to prevent his instructor waking him up in a horrible way.

"Uhh…" Zeno slowly got up out of bed, and looked at the clock to find out its 9 AM. "What the? Why so late?" Zeno wondered as he got out of bed and got ready for the day ahead.

When Zeno was ready he teleported to Zatch's location and decided to take a look around the house.

Zeno found that the large mamodo Rein was sleeping soundly with Zatch, Zatch was only about half asleep.

Further investigation, Zeno found that Yuno was in her room reading something.

"Ha it almost looks like a regular family" Zeno mocked as he jumped off of Yuno's roof to land on the ground and wait until Zatch actually got up.

About an hour later, Rein finally woke up; Zeno finished reading that tactics book.

"I…survived" Rein said as he woke up.

"I told you that I wouldn't let you die" Zatch responded as if he were waiting for Rein to wake up.

Rein tried sitting upright but found it a little difficult.

"Must've went down tumbling down that cliff" Rein responded to the pain in his ribs.

"You're ok now though right?" Zatch asked concerned.

Rein moved his body around a little

"I'll be fully healed by sundown, so I'm fine…" Rein stated then stared at Zatch. (You wouldn't believe that this child…would stand up to such power and might. Yet I know it wasn't a dream, for the first time, it felt like someone cared for me) Rein thought and smiled at Zatch.

"I'll go get breakfast" Zatch said but quietly walked out of his room, then turned around. "Don't make too much noise" Zatch stated.

"Again with that? Oh and where are your parents? I would like to thank them as well" Rein stated.

"Umm, yeah, let's not do that…sorry but I don't want her knowing that you were here Rein" Zatch tried to explain nicely.

Rein was a little confused by what Zatch said and took it the wrong way…

(Ha, knew it was too good to be true. Most likely his parents would view me as a monster, or a criminal…but Zatch did save my life, so I will still show my gratitude) Rein thought. "That's fine Zatch…so what we having for breakfast?" Rein asked curiously.

"Umm…I will try to catch us a fish" Zatch responded happily.

"Wouldn't it be faster to just go to the kitchen?" Rein laughed a little.

"What about big fish?" Zatch requested again.

Rein just thought that Zatch really wanted fish.

"You're a little odd…but in a good way" Rein laughed.

"Umm thanks?" Zatch responded not knowing if he should take that statement as a compliment.

Zatch then quietly walked out of the house and went to his favorite fishing spot and tried to catch more than one fish.

Meanwhile Zeno was trying to figure out what to do with his time…

"It's boring just watching Zatch taking care of a criminal like a lost puppy" Zeno stated while trying to find something fun to do.

Zeno was walking near the playground he previously destroyed.

The playground had been fully repaired by the powers of the adult mamodo, and the investigations stopped nearly as soon as they began. The kids were playing at the park again but with a few adult mamodo watching them.

"It's as if nothing happened" Zeno said and grinned a little until someone jumped on him from behind. "What the?" Zeno yelled as his instincts kicked in and he put his aggressor into a headlock.

Zeno looked at who 'attacked' him, it was a small brown horse mamodo. "Meru…meru…mey" The horse mamodo struggled to say.

"Huh?" Zeno responded while being totally confused to what the horse just said.

"Meru, Meru MEY!" the horse yelled then started to lose oxygen because of Zeno's grip.

"Are you trying to make fun of me?" Zeno said as he tightened his hold on the horse mamodo's neck.

"Meru…" the horse mamodo said and was about to faint.

"Oh…you must be one of those riding horse clans that my instructor told me about…" Zeno said looking at the mamodo. "Plus you look to young to speak" Zeno responded while looking at the horse mamodo's eyes starting to close.

Zeno let the horse mamodo go.

The horse mamodo took in deep breathes and started shouted at Zeno.

"MERU, MERU, MERU, MEY, MERU, MEY!" the horse mamodo shouted.

Zeno looked at the horse with a blank face.

Zeno then started laughing "I have no idea what you're saying!" Zeno laughed.

"Meru?" The horse responded and took a good look at Zeno, and started circling him and sniffing him.

"Hey, hey, what's your deal? I don't even know you." Zeno stated.

"Meru! Mey~~~" the horse responded

"This is even more ANNOYING! I don't know what you're saying!" Zeno tried to explain.

"Is that Zatch?" an adult's voice called out.

Zeno turned around to see an even larger horse, which looked familiar.

(Oh…I know him…I think Zatch said it was…Ponygon's father! So this here is Ponygon) Zeno thought then looked at the small horse mamodo. (He must've thought I was Zatch) Zeno concluded. "Sorry it's mistaken identity" Zeno responded to Ponygon's father.

"Wow you do look a lot like Ponygon's friend, 'Zatch'" Ponygon's father responded.

"Well I never heard of this person" Zeno lied.

"Is that so? Well it looks like you two would get along great with each other" Ponygon's father responded.

"I doubt it, just because I look like him is that why?" Zeno retorted.

"Well, Zatch can get along with just about anyone, if they give him a chance" Ponygon's father explained.

"Is that so?" Zeno looked at Ponygon. (Well he can't speak, so I guess it wouldn't be a bad thing if…) Zeno thought. "Well what's his name" Zeno pointed.

"Well Zatch calls him Ponygon" Ponygon's father introduced his son.

(I already knew that…but I have to play along) Zeno thought. "Well Ponygon, my name is Zeno" Zeno tried to introduce himself and put out his hand in friendly manner.

Ponygon responded by biting his hand.

"OUCH! He freaking bit me!" Zeno shouted as he snatched his hand back, and then glared at Ponygon's father. "You didn't tell me he bites" Zeno growled.

"Well he's a bit shy, I thought since you looked like Zatch that he would take a liken to you as well…but I guess not" Ponygon's father responded.

(Was it just payback for that choke hold I put on him?) Zeno wondered. "Well I better get going" Zeno said then walked away toward Zatch's house.

When Zeno was far enough away…

"Kids these days…are such terrible liars, I wonder how long he's going to follow Zatch around" Ponygon's father asked himself.

Meanwhile back with Zatch.

Zatch had caught two large fish and once again quietly walked inside the house and into his room.

"I'm back" Zatch said happily as he handed Rein a large fish which was twice the size of Zatch.

Zatch's fish was a bit smaller.

Rein thanked Zatch but still couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong in the house.

Zatch always seemed afraid, and would occasionally listen to hear if anything moved up stairs.

"I'm betting your parents are upstairs" Rein stated.

"She's…not my mom" Zatch responded bluntly.

"So…" Rein tried looking around the room to see if he could play with something with Zatch, and there was nothing. "You got anything fun to do here?" Rein asked.

Zatch was busy eating his yellow tail, "no" Zatch replied simply.

(This is a little depressing) Rein was a little shocked.

Zatch finished eating his yellow tail.

"Unu, do you want me to change your bandages now Rein?" Zatch asked.

Rein looked at himself, "Well yeah, but I can do it myself now Zatch" Rein explained. "Do you have a first aid kit?" Rein asked

Zatch thought for a moment then got scared.

"Umm…yes" Zatch responded.

"Can you go get it?" Rein asked politely.

Zatch moved his head up and down very slowly then got up.

"Yes" Zatch answered, and then gulped.

Zatch walked out of his room and into the living room.

"Ok, in and out, in and out" Zatch told himself as he started to breathe quietly.

Zatch walked upstairs in a tip toe like fashion, being careful not to make any noise.

Zatch finally made it up stairs and looked at Yuno's bedroom door, and across from there was the bathroom.

(That's where it was last time) Zatch thought as he remembered a bad memory.

Zatch walked into the bathroom and started to open the drawers which were under the sink, most of the stuff seemed normal, toothpaste, toothbrushes, combs, soap, and finally way in the back was the first aid kit.

Zatch had to reach all the ways back behind the drawers in order to get a large first aid kit. While pulling it out Zatch spilled bottles of soap, among other products which made a crashing sound all over the floor.

(Why me?) Zatch wondered.

Rein heard the noise from downstairs.

"Ah, that must've been Zatch" Rein told himself.

Zatch quickly put everything back in place and ran out of the bathroom and down stairs before he heard the Woman from across from him get up.

Zatch basically fell down stairs because he ran so fast.

(Maybe she didn't hear it…) Zatch tried convincing himself.

"Ok got to go to Rein" Zatch told himself as he started walking and stopped to a deafening shouting.

"WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?" Yuno shouted from upstairs.

Zatch looked confused to what he should do, should he hide, should he run?

But Zatch knew he couldn't do any of them since Rein was inside his room and he didn't know what sort of punishment he would face for it.

"ZATCH was that you, you bastard!" Yuno shouted and got out of her room to check if anything broke.

"I didn't break anything I swear!" Zatch yelled upstairs.

Yuno checked the bathroom to see nothing was broken…but that didn't matter since she still had to get out of bed to check in the first place.

Of course Zeno was close by and could already predict what was about to happen.

Zeno started to walk away from the house to a distance to where the house was still visible but the wind had muffled and blocked all the noise coming from the house.

The instructor's orb though did not leave the house and stayed relatively close.

"Damn bastard" Zeno responded.

Yuno ran down stairs with a horribly scary face.

"What the hell did you do?" Yuno shouted then seen that Zatch was holding a first aid kit.

"I didn't do anything" Zatch responded.

"Then why are you trying to steal MY stuff" Yuno shouted at Zatch then went to snatch the first aid kit from Zatch.

Zatch latched his body around it, trying to defend it.

"Give it back, or you'll be needing that kit soon I swear you will" Yuno shouted.

"I just need it for a moment" Zatch pleaded but was meet with a blow from Yuno's hand.

Zatch stood his ground, still holding the medical kit.

Rein heard shouting and got worried.

"Zatch! Is everything ok?" Rein asked as he struggled to get up to his feet.

Zatch froze in place, and so did Yuno.

"You brought someone here? Who the fuck is it?" Yuno whispered as she lifted Zatch off his feet.

"He…he's my friend" Zatch responded.

Yuno threw Zatch to the floor, which made a loud thump.

"What's going on out there? Answer me!" Rein shouted then collapsed to the floor.

Yuno stared at Zatch's room, the door had a slight gap in it…

"You trying to set me up?" Yuno responded.

Yuno walked to Zatch's door and opened it to find a large wounded mamodo. She recognized what clan he was from as well.

"What happened?" Rein demanded, now trying to stand up.

Yuno looked at him silently then grinned.

"Ha, glad to know you" Yuno responded then closed Zatch's door and locked it from outside.

"HEY!" Rein shouted.

Meanwhile with Zeno

(A criminal has no power in government law…plus she read the newspaper, Rein's face was on the front page as a wanted criminal) Zeno thought to himself as he knew Rein couldn't do anything.

"Zatch…did you honestly think you could fool me?" Yuno asked in a slightly crazed fashion, she then went after Zatch who was still holding the medical kit.

Rein soon heard crying and screaming coming from the living room.

"HEY DAMN IT, what you DOING!" Rein shouted, Rein constantly struggled to get up on his feet, to the point that his wounds started to reopen.

Rein couldn't stand it, constantly hearing the person who saved his life beg for mercy.

"Damn it Zatch give it back already!" Yuno shouted.

"NO" Zatch responded.

After about 3-5 minutes of hearing this go back and forth, Rein punched a massive hole in the wall and glared at Yuno.

Rein had not expected the wall to be so strong, for some reason one part of house walls was reinforced with steel. It didn't take him long to notice that Zatch's entire room walls were reinforced.

"You Bitch, lay another hand on him and I'll freaking rip your HEAD OFF!" Rein shouted through the hole. Rein's entire face had changed from friendly into a raging beast.

Zatch was using his body to cover the medical kit. He was pretty beaten up by Yuno just constantly kicking him.

Yuno got scared of Rein and ran upstairs.

In response Zatch looked up and smiled at Rein.

"Thank you Rein." Zatch thanked then walked to his door to unlock it then enter his room.

Zatch seen that Rein hardly moved from his spot since his legs were still badly damaged.

"I got the medical kit Rein" Zatch said then sat down next to him.

Zeno figured out that the beating was over by the way his instructor's orb was moving.

"Must be over" Zeno said then went close to the house to see what was happening.

"Damn it…If I had known Zatch…I would have never asked to come here" Rein explained.

"It's fine" Zatch responded.

"NO its not!" Rein shouted back at Zatch.

Zatch got slightly scared and backed away.

"Sorry…it's just that…I'm continuing to make your life harder than it already is" Rein said in a depressed tone.

"That's not true! We're friends aren't we? We're supposed to help one another" Zatch explained.

Rein looked away from Zatch and looked at the hole he made in the wall.

"This place, it's like a prison, it's only worse for you since you've never did anything wrong" Rein stated.

Zatch looked down unsure of his statement, "but she said that I did…" Zatch was cut off...

"Don't ever think that Zatch" Rein interrupted, as he glared at Zatch.

Zatch agreed, as he wanted to cry for a moment but didn't.

"I swear I'll pay you back for your kindness" Rein interrupted. "I'll be able to walk by sundown, I'll be able to fight again by sundown" Rein stated

"So you're feeling better already?" Zatch asked still a little worried

"Ha! Still worried about me are you? You're beat up to you know" Rein joked but then got serous. "Zatch, I don't care what you say, by sundown, I'm taking you away from here" Rein proclaimed.

"What!" Zatch said in a shocked manner, but hopeful as well.

(Didn't see that coming) Zeno thought while being surprised.

Unfortunately Yuno heard the same statement through the gaping hole in the wall which was made by Rein

"Really? I can come with you!" Zatch said happily.

This of course didn't surprise Rein, it must've been an easy choice.

"And if that witch stands in my way, I'll lop her head off with these claws" Rein stated with a smile.

"Please don't hurt her!" Zatch responded.

(What?!) Rein was pretty shocked by this as well.

Zeno was also confused, (I would actually kill that bitch with my own hands if I were him) Zeno thought.

"You really are odd Zatch" Rein stated.

(Hmm…with him around wouldn't it be a bit more difficult to try and take Baou back?) Zeno thought to himself. (Wait…is it even possible to even get Baou back from Zatch) Zeno wondered. Zeno's face then went blank "Shit I don't even know that!" Zeno cursed then had to teleport back to the palace to find out.

(That aura left again, I'll find out who it is when I'm able to walk on my legs again) Rein thought while he patched him and Zatch up by the medical kit.

Back with the palace, Zeno darted to the library.

Zeno looked around the library, and strangely enough he could only find the information he was looking for in a "Parenting Guide for Idiots".

"What?" Zeno skimmed through the pages and looked at how to give birth.

The instructor found Zeno sitting on a couch reading the book.

"What the?" The instructor peered over Zeno's shoulder.

Zeno got slightly annoyed, "Need something?" Zeno asked while still searching through the information

"You got a girlfriend Zeno" The instructor laughed.

"Shut up! None of this is true anyhow" Zeno said as he kept on skimming through pages he wished he hadn't laid his eyes on for at least another 6-8 years from now. "Why is it that our library sucks" Zeno questioned.

"You're just not looking hard enough" The instructor responded.

Zeno kept on reading through the book until a bright crimson red blush overcame his face. Zeno closed the book and turned to his instructor "Then you tell me what I need to know" Zeno demanded.

"That's more of a father's job" The instructor stated while scratching his chin.

"NOT THAT!" Zeno shouted, in an embarrassed expression.

"Oh?" The Instructor responded

"I was looking up power transfer, or spell transfer" Zeno explained.

"Then why were you looking in a parenting…you know what never mind" The instructor teased Zeno again.

"I want to know how to get Baou from Zatch" Zeno stated.

"Wait…didn't I already give you a book like that? The only way to gain that power is if Zatch knew of the power, was able to control it, then give it to you" The instructor explained.

"Wait what? That's impossible, Zatch can't even use his weakest spell, plus he doesn't even know me!" Zeno responded.

Zeno got upset and threw the book he was reading across the room.

"Screw it! There's no point in even spying on my brother anymore!" Zeno shouted.

"So you don't hate him anymore?" The instructor asked.

"Only a little bit…I guess, I was planning on using him to gain Baou, but you just said it's impossible" Zeno stated in a depressed manner. "And I don't care what happens to him anymore either! He's going to get a happy life with that Rein person" Zeno explained.

"Well I'm glad that you enjoyed your vacation my lord" The instructor stated.

"Ha! Sure a lot of my questions were finally answered…but it would've been faster if father just told me so in the first place, I didn't kill Zatch after all…although the way he acts sometimes makes me want to kill him, letting people bully him is just too pathetic for the Bell family name…" Zeno said still depressed at how things turned out.

"Then why is it that I hear regret in your voice?" The Instructor asked. "You got everything you asked for didn't you?" The instructor responded.

"No I didn't! I never found the reason to why Baou was given to Zatch in the first place! Does father simply want to lock the power away forever! Is that the only reason? My Father! He's not afraid of Anything! So why!" Zeno shouted then curled his legs up and hugged them. "It's like…he threw them away…Zatch and Baou both, simply thrown away" Zeno said in a depressed tone.

"Zeno, your father loves Zatch…" The instructor was cut off.

"How could you possibly know that?! That wrench beats him every day and you're telling me NO one noticed? He is the king and he couldn't stop it?" Zeno shouted now having serious doubts of what was going on.

The Instructor looked at Zeno and couldn't give him an answer.

"You should actually meet Zatch one day Zeno" The instructor told Zeno then walked away.

Zeno turned away from his instructor

"Like it's that simple" Zeno mocked. "Going from hating him, to being neutral… Zatch will be fine now…since he has Rein." Zeno said to himself. "Why would he want to meet someone like me?" Zeno asked.

The instructor walked back to his office and looked through his orb to see what was happening at Yuno's house.

"Sh…Shit!" The instructor shouted looking through his orb. "Damn it who gave out those orders!" The instructor wondered as he looked through the orb in shock. "Zeno has to know and quick!" The instructor shouted as he ran as quick as he could to Zeno, which was a couple hall ways down.

About a few minutes later the instructor came busting through library door

"Zeno! It's important, it's about Zatch" The instructor yelled.

"Yeah? And what of it? What is he getting beat on again? If so then I'd rather not hear, nor see it." Zeno stated while still relaxing in his comfortable chair.

"It's worse than that" The instructor told Zeno.

Zeno looked at the instructor for a moment. "Like what? Did he die?" Zeno asked being a little confused.

"She…must've called the royal guard on Rein" The instructor told Zeno .

"WHAT! Call them off now! That's an order!" Zeno ordered his instructor.

"I can't Zeno, the king would know that we were spying on Zatch" The instructor explained.

"Damn!" Zeno got up and threw the chair across the room.

Zeno was now even more confused than before.

(Why…am I so freaking angry? I don't like Zatch, and I damn sure I don't acknowledge him as my brother…SO WHY!) Zeno tried to convince himself that he had no feeling toward Zatch.

"Are you going Zeno?" The instructor asked.

Zeno glared at him

"Of…of course not!" Zeno responded then sat on ground.

"So you don't care what happens to Zatch?" The instructor asked the boy.

"NO! Let him deal with his own problems! I got enough on my plate as it is" Zeno explained.

"Is it that hard to admit that we were wrong?" The instructor asked then walked away.

As the door closed.

"Freaking thought he'd never leave" Zeno said as he teleported Zatch's location.

When Zeno got a good view of what was happening he saw 5 royal guards on the floor beaten and knocked out.

"Damn you ALL!" Rein shouted as he charged 4 more royal guards

"He has no more strength for spells, finish him!" The captain of the royal guard ordered

"DON'T!" Zatch screamed but was being held by Yuno.

Summary of what the instructor saw

Yuno was holding Zatch as if she was scared for both of their lives, as if she had cared for Zatch.

This obviously fooled the royal guards in thinking that Rein 'the criminal' was the bad guy and tried to capture him.

Rein fought back with all his might.

Back with the fight

With their spears extended and enhanced by spells, the spears would immobilize anything if touched by the tip.

3 royal guards made a phalanx like motion and waited for Rein to collide with the spears.

Rein charged at them blindly since his pain was so great.

Rein's former wounds had reopened, plus he had gain additional ones from fighting the royal guard.

"Rein STOP IT! STOP FIGHTING!" Zatch shouted and tried to get away from Yuno's grip, but she wasn't letting go.

Rein leaped over the three royal guards went for their leader.

"And what? Let you rot their!" Rein shouted as he summoned a large energy beast with four arms that went after the leader

"Shit!" The leader shouted as he was engulfed by the spell which created a large explosion

"Damn YOU" one guard shouted out as he stabbed Rein in the back with his spear

"AHH" Rein shouted in pain as the spear went deeper and deeper into his flesh

The other two Royal guards did the same, stabbing Rein with their spears then used spells to completely immobilize him.

Rein collapsed to the floor, not able to move.

"LET ME GO!" Zatch shouted Yuno, Zatch finally was able to rip free of Yuno's grasp and he went running over to Rein only to be stopped by the Royal guard captain who was still somehow alive from the last attack.

"It isn't safe here" The Royal guard told Zatch and picked him up to only throw him back near Yuno.

"Da…damn it…Zatch I'm sorry…I wasn't able to keep my promise" Rein said while in anguish, Rein started to stand up slowly even with the spelled enhanced spears imbedded into his flesh

"Rein please! Stop it! Stop fighting! You'll die!" Zatch shouted in desperation.

The captain walked up to Rein and stabbed him with his spear.

"Stay down, and listen to the boy. If you continue this Rein, you will die, and my men will hold no regrets toward your death" The captain told Rein bluntly.

Rein collapsed to the ground. "I…can't stop…I owe him my LIFE!" Rein shouted.

"You keep on spouting that shit. Even though I know what you are, the people in your village despise you, you care only for yourself, and when things don't go your way you throw rampages just like this one, that boy was forced to save your life because you commanded him too" The captain shouted at Rein.

"THAT's not true!" Zatch shouted in protest.

"Ma 'dam, please bring that boy inside the house, he has no business being here" the captain shouted.

"No!" Zatch shouted as Yuno threw Zatch inside the house and closed the door.

"Zatch! Damn it to HELL! Don't you have any idea what he goes through in there?" Rein shouted at his captures.

"That's not my problem, you're a wild beast, and as such, we must either capture you, or kill you. It's your choice" The Captain threatened.

"This can't be happening…what should I do? They're weakened now, I can take them..." Zeno said almost ready for action. "Wait" Zeno responded then stopped himself. "This…isn't my problem, if I do this…What would Father do?" Zeno asked himself.

"Damn it! You can stop this! You've been around Zatch for longer than I have! Please! Stop this!" Rein shouted at the woods, in Zeno's general direction.

Zeno looked at Rein and was surprised that he was actually being called out.

Before the guards looked at the general direction that Rein was shouting at, the Aura had completely disappeared.

"Ha, this fool is imagining things!" one guard laughed.

"Well he's probably hallucinating with the loss of blood" one guard explained.

(He…ran away) Rein thought in full despair. Rein let out one last howl, as he fell onto the ground in defeat.

The guards had gathered reinforcements and picked up their wounded and took Rein to prison.

Meanwhile with Zeno

"WHY!" Zeno shouted as he unleashed a large lightning blast across the forest, the blast wiped out dozens of trees. "Why…why did I run away?" Zeno asked himself. (It's not Zatch that's the coward…it's me) Zeno told himself.

Zeno started to throw a rampage throughout the entire forest, which created thunder clouds above the entire area.

Zeno kept on unleashing large lightning bolts from the sky and made 60 mile long radius thunder cloud that covered the area, making the afternoon turn into night.

Zeno only stopped once he thought it started raining, but there was no rain coming down from the sky.

Zatch looked out of the window to see nothing but darkness with the sudden out bursts of lightning smashing into the ground.