origins-P10

PART X

...Watch out... destruction... good... life... war... purity... evil... armor... hope... coming... trust... friendship... teamwork... corruption... love... hate... wisdom... fear... earth... power... anger... virtue... help... Kento... danger... cruelty... mythical... Kento... justice... Kento... help... justice Kento justice cookies Kento justice...

"Kento, wake up!" Cye said for the third time.

"Snnnrrtt. Cookies. Justice for cookies..." Kento mumbled.

Cye rolled his eyes. This is what I get for putting ideas in his head, he thought. "Kento! Wake up!" he whispered as loudly as he dared whilst shaking the larger boy.

"Wha...? Whoa. I'm up, I'm up." Kento rubbed his face. "Man, Cye, I just had the weirdest dream. Now what was it about...?"

Cye cocked a smile. "Justice for cookies?" he said helpfully.

"Yeah! Cookies. There was a red one, an' a green one, an' an orange one, an' two blue ones, a dark one, an' a light one. At least I think they were cookies. Yeah. Definitely cookies. An' there was a pinkish one, an' a dark green one, an' a brown one, an' one that I can't remember what it was, an' a really big gray one –"

"Kento! You're babbling. Stop."

"Huh? Oh, sorry. It's just that it was really bizarre. Kinda scary. They were all beatin' up on each other."

"The cookies?"

"Yeah. An' there was a white one with fudge stripes and chocolate chips forming a face."

Cye raised an eyebrow. "You're either making that up, or you're really good at remembering dreams."

Kento shrugged. "Well, whatever. Ya know what the really weird part is though?"

"What?"

"I've had this dream before."

Now Cye was interested. He leaned forward. "When?"

"'Bout a week ago."

"Wow. That's really weird."

"Yeah." The bell rang and Cye and Kento left the library. "Hey," Kento said, "you comin' over tonight?"

"Sure thing!"

"Great. See ya later Cye!" Kento called down the hall.

"See ya later Kento!"

In a sea of mostly black heads, a lone blue one peered out among the crowd. I am a chameleon, he thought. I blend with my environment to become invisible. No one sees me, no one hears me. Rowen watched Kento run down the side steps, then swiveled slightly to watch Cye run down the center steps. He snorted quietly. And who the fuck cares anyway?

Rowen shook his head slightly and pushed himself off the wall. He turned around to head to his last class and slammed right into Sage Date. "Why don't you watch where the hell you're going?" Rowen snarled and pushed past him without even looking to see who it was.

Sage opened his mouth, but realized he had nothing to say so he closed it again. He settled for raising a concerned eyebrow after the rapidly disappearing blue haired teen. When he had completely disappeared, Sage shook his head and mentally kicked himself for, once again, not having said anything to him. As Sage headed to his last class, he resolved that the next time he saw Rowen he would at least say 'hi'.

* * * * * * * *

Sage sat at the desk in his room, not really paying attention to his homework. He absently tapped the tip of his pen on the paper making a random formation of black dots. He was thinking about Rowen. Again. What is it about that kid? Sage wondered. He's miserable. Anyone willing to look past his harshness and brains could see that. Except no one's willing to look. He probably wouldn't be so miserable if he had more friends. So why am I having such a problem talking to him?

"Sage! Sage, come into the living room a moment, would you please?"

Sage rolled his eyes at the distraction and dropped his pen on the paper. "Coming Mom!"

Sage walked into the living room and immediately eyed the situation suspiciously. Not only was his mother there, but also his father and grandfather. Anything that brought all the adults in his house to the same room at the same time usually meant a hassle for Sage. Sure enough...

Before Sage even had a chance to open his mouth, his grandfather spoke. "You've been distracted from your studies lately," he said in his usual formal tone. "Why?"

Sage felt slightly confused and a bit offended. Distracted? I haven't missed any school, any homework, any tests, he thought. I haven't been late to class, well, except for that one day after the assembly, and then I sorta skipped studyhall that other day...

His mother quickly clarified. "What you grandfather means, Sage, is that he's noticed that you've been less focused during practice –"

"You need to concentrate Sage," his father broke in. "You are not playing with toys. You know better than to be unfocused."

"Your focus and concentration are everything," his grandfather added. "If you lose those, everything else is sure to follow. I expect you to think on our discussion and I expect your full attention tomorrow." He started to get up to leave.

Already annoyed at the world for Rowen and at having been interrupted from his thoughts, Sage was not in the mood to be treated so high-handedly. I can't believe they called me in here for this, he thought. "I thought a 'discussion' involved both parties," Sage said calmly and evenly. His grandfather turned to give him a cool stare.

"Sage! Mind what you say!" his father yelled.

"Sage, is something bothering you?" his mother asked.

That was it for Sage. "And why the sudden interest in my personal life?" he snapped as he slowly but surely made his way towards the front door. "You two are hardly ever home long enough to care!" My father the cop, my mother the doctor, on call 24/7, Sage thought dryly.

"Sage, that's enough!" came his father's bellering voice. "Return to your room."

"What, like I'm five?" Sage said, glancing back and forth between his father and grandfather. "You call me in here for a 'discussion', don't even let me say anything, pry into my private life, and send me to my room!"

"Sage, please," his mother started, but Sage had already dashed for the door, deftly grabbing his jacket before slamming the door on his way out.

* * * * * * * *

Sage shivered. It was absolutely freezing that night - it was early December - and the jacket Sage had grabbed wasn't that heavy. It had taken an hour of aimless wandering to get into the city and now he was wondering if he should go back. I am cold, he figured, and by the time I get back Grandfather will be in bed and Dad'll be at work. Sage closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. He felt bad for his mom, but thinking about the other two only gave him a headache again.

Sage lifted his head again to think when he saw someone else walking along the other side of the street. Who, he wondered, besides me of course, would be fool enough to walk on a cold night like this? Sage watched the person take a few more steps and realized that he was not walking but staggering along the wall. Sage frowned and peered closer. "Is that - ? No, it can't be," he muttered

Suddenly, the person grasped his chest and collapsed to the ground. Sage's eyes widened as panic took him and he realized that it WAS and he dashed across the street.

"Oh shit!"

______________________________________________________

Heh, how's that for a cliffhanger, huh? Anyway, I know this part is kind of disjointed but it's a set up for the next few parts. And I know what you're all gonna say: Where the heck is Ryo? Well, be patient. Patience is a virtue. Not Ryo's virtue but... that's another story. Anyhoo, I just gotta get through a few parts of other stuff, and I'll get to Ryo as soon as possible. I promise. Jedi's Honor. Keep the reviews comin'! Ja ne! --Jay'a