Disclaimer: I don't own them. So please don't sue me. I do own Ran's mother, Razeen, Zong, and the commander. Other then that nope don't own nothin'. Notes: AU!!! *paints big huge yellow letters on the fic* Jin this is for you. This WILL be YAOI. Just not yet. The story was inspired by Sukunami's Wingless (if you're also an FF8 fan and love SxS parings go read her fics). Also some of the characters are OOC. Ken will not be in the fic until at least another chapter. Sorry Ken fans ^_^'.
"Show yourselves." She stood in front of her son. No one was going to take her pride and joy away form her. The first thing she saw was a foot. She couldn't quite make out the color of it. She relaxed her stance when she saw they were on the same side.

One of them waved his arm to signal to the others. "Sir, we found them. Over here!!"

Ran was scared but didn't show it. He hid behind his mother's leg because she told him to. He didn't want do disobey her. He had no clue who those people were but his mother knew them. "Who are dey?"

"It's ok. They are our soldiers. Everything is going to be fine." She knew he was frightened but she also knew he was very prideful. She picked him up because it was the only way to clam his fears without voicing anything.

"Captain, we thought we lost you too." Her commanding officer said. She shifted Ran onto her other hip. "There is no need for you to salute me. Not when you have your son in your arms." He would have chuckled but he could only stare at her son. "He looks a lot like Keun, Captain Fujimiya."

She smiled and gave a quick squeeze to Ran. "Thank you, Sir. Do you remember him? He visited us a long time ago." She was referring to Ran's second birthday party. Keun and she had invited all of their close military friends.

Ran shook his head. "Are we safe?" He nibbled on his bottom lip. He was still insecure with all of the people around him. He never really liked big crowds. There was a big group of people all around them.

She knew Ran was very uncomfortable with the situation. It couldn't be helped. "It's ok. There is noting to be afraid of. They're going to take us to the capital. We will be safe." Fate was never her friend either.

All of a sudden a black hand moved. One solider caught the movement in his peripheral vision. But he was too slow in his actions to stop the blast from hitting its target. "@#$%@##@ he's still alive!!" one of the soldiers yelled.

"Mommy!!" Ran cried.

The soldiers scattered. When the dust settled there was only one body down. Only one boy cried for his mother, who would ever close her eyes again. The soldier closest to them checked her plus. He bowed his head and shook it. "She's dead, sir." He closed her eyes and crossed her arms. Then he picked up Ran and tried to console him.

The commander hung his head. "@!#%#@$# right before the little one too." There was nothing he could do but watch over Ran.

"Noo!! She can't be dead!!! She can't be dead!!!" He cried and tried to wriggle free of the man's grasp.

"I'm sorry, kid." The commander whispered as he turned away from the site. He walked with the

"Noo. Mommy!! Mommy please wake up!!! Wake up!!!" He cried.

"But Sir, he's only a child shouldn't he. . ." One of the soldiers tired to speak up but was silenced.

"I know. Poor kid he cried himself to sleep. And to think his father died just a few months ago." The commander knew he couldn't look after while on the road. But an idea came to his mind. "Razeen!!"

"Sir." He saluted.

"I'm putting you in charge of the boy." He said while handing Ran to him.

"Me, Sir??" Razeen said with surprise. "But. . ."

"You're the best with children. There will be no more discussion about this." He let Razeen speechless. Razeen just stood there holding Ran like his was a doll. He just waited until he had further orders.

"All right men listen up!!! We will meet up with the rest of the unit here. Then from Tashkent(1) we head to Tabilisi(2)." All the men just nodded their heads and went to set up camp.

"Zong, a little help here." Razeen requested. He was trying to get their stuff off of their horses while holding Ran in his arms.

"Why don't ya just put the brat down? That way I don't need to help you." Zong replied. He just wanted to take a nap under the nice looking tree.

His brother just glared. "Why don't you stop being lazy and get the stuff down? The longer we argue the less time we have to do what we want." He was right. Razeen was always right. He stepped out of the way so Zong could get to the stuff.

"So. . . what's the kid's name?" He asked while he took down their tent. He gave Razeen a look like 'do I have to set it up'. Razeen just nodded.

"His name is Ran." He said while picked up a sleeping bag. He opened it up and set Ran down on top of it. "There. . now, I can help you." He took off the rest of the stuff while Zong set up the tent.

"Orchid? Interesting, I guess the kid kinda looks like a flower." Zong was looking for trouble. He never liked kids and he wasn't going to start now.

"Shut up!! You're going to wake him. And, I don't think he looks 'kinda' like a flower. If you looked at his eyes, it is soooo obvious why they named him orchid." Razeen trying to sound smarter then he actually was. He started the fire to make their dinner.

"All right then, tell me the answer great all knowing one." Zong faked bowed to his brother as he finished setting up the tent. He started to set up his sleeping bag when his brother started to make dinner. He took the spoon away from Razeen because he knew Razeen couldn't make soup for beans. "As you were saying."

"Oh yeah! His eyes are violet and his hair is crimson rose. Both of those colors are flowers." He said while putting his brother's sleeping bag into place. He carefully set Ran on top of Zong's sleeping bag. So he could move his next to his brother's. Then he placed Ran back on top of his.

"I say their red and purple. Those aren't flowers." Five minutes later he noticed his brother didn't pay attention to his last snide remark. "What are you doing?"

Razeen rolled his eyes. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm making sure his comfortable." He finished picking at Ran. Then he took his soup bowl from Zong and nodded his thanks.

"Looks like your just giving up your bed from here." Zong sighed and took a bit for the soup. He couldn't understand why his brother was taking care of the brat. Sure it was orders but still.

"What do you have against him!?!? He's only a three year old boy!!!" Razeen was foaming at his mouth. To say he was smoking at the ears would have been an under statement. He glared at his brother. Sometime he couldn't believe he was related to him.

Zong was taken back by his brother's rage. "Why is he so important?!?!" He fumed right back.

"You know he's. . ."

"Daddy? Is dat you? Why are ya fightin' with Uncle?" Ran rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He realized the people in front of him weren't his family but scary men. "Are ya goin' ta eat me?" He wouldn't be afraid. He was going to be strong just like his parents but why couldn't he stop shaking.

"We won't eat you." Razeen said. "Here would you like some soup?" He handed Ran a bowl. Then backed off with his hands in the air.

"Don't listen to him. Of course we'll eat you." Zong said into his bowl. He polished off his food then went to clean it off.

Ran eeped and dropped his bowl. "I sorry. I sorry. Please don't 'urt me like Mommy. I'll clean up de mess. I promise. Me be good boy." He got out of the sleeping back and tried to clean up the mess he made. He didn't stop until Zong picked him up by his shirt.

Ran comparing him to a Shadow angered Zong. He grabbed the boy by his collar and picked him up. "How dare you compare me to one of those !@$%$#^#$!!" His eyes were glowing with rage. His fist started to glow, he would have punched Ran if not for Razeen.

"Zong, Zong, ZONG!! Put him down. Can't you see you're scaring him!!" Razeen said as he put a hand on his brother's shoulder. Next he took Ran into his arms and rocked him back and fourth.

"Huh? What?" He looked down to see a pitiful bundle in Razeen's arms. Ran was shaking so bad from fear that it looked like he was going to pass out. "Oh man, I didn't mean it. I. . ." He put his hands in his head and sat down upon a rock.

Razeen sighed and just shook his head. "Save it brother. We have bigger problems to worry about. That includes how you will apologize to Ran. Shh. . . everything is ok now. You have nothing to be afraid of." He kept walking back and fourth. Rocking Ran every so often.

"No!! Nothing is ok. Mommy said everything would be ok and she's. . .SHE'S DEAD!!" Ran sobbed into Razeen's shirt. "Now, he's mad at me!!!" He just continued to wail.

"You mean he's the kid of the late Captain?" Zong asked. His brother only nodded his head. Zong's eyes were wide with shock. He bowed his head in shame.

"WHAT IS ALL THE YELLING ABOUT!?!?!" A very pissed commander stood in front of their tent. He wanted an explanation and he wanted it now.

"Nothing, Sir. The boy just was scared when he woke up." Razeen quickly said. He could lie and make a rock believe it. Zong just kept his mouth shut. He usually massed things up when he talked.

"Well, keep the noise down. You have a long way to travel with the monster tomorrow. Is that understood?" The commander took one more, quick sweep over the boys. He knew something fishy was going one but he would let it slide for tonight.

"Yes, Sir." They said in unison.

When he was gone Ran lifted his head off of Razeen shoulder. "Is he gone?" For some reason that man made him feel uncomfortable.

"Who? You mean the commander?" Razeen was confused. He wasn't sure if Ran meant his brother or the commander.

"Not him. De uter one." Ran said as he looked around. He wanted the other man out of the tent. If he wouldn't leave then he would himself.

"No of course not. He's still here. He'll be here. . ."

"Zong enough. Yes, he is. You know we need sleep. If you despise the child so much why did you take the assignment?" Razeen asked. He got a bunch of mumbles for his answer. He smirked. "That's what I thought. Ran, go to bed." He tucked Ran into his sleeping bag. Then settled in for the night.

"I can't. . ." He was afraid in the unknown environment. He chewed on his bottom lip.

"Go to bed." That was the last thing said.

In the morning everyone woke up early. Razeen noticed Ran wasn't in the tent. Zong was already packing up their things. "About time you work up sleepy head." He handed Razeen his breakfast.

"Where's Ran?" Razeen asked while taking a bite of food. He sat on one of the rocks that were by the tent.

"I don't know. Wasn't in the tent when I woke up." Zong answered nonchalantly. He continued to pack their things up. He started to put things on their horses when he heard his brother let go a colorful string of curses.

"@#%$&$^#$%$!!!! What?!?!" Razeen fell off of where he was sitting. He dropped his food and just stared at his brother's back.

"You heard me. The Shadow wasn't here." Zong was still backing the horses. He didn't even stop when his brother cursed him and his existence.

"First thing Zong, he's not a Shadow. He may be a half-breed but he isn't fully Shadow. Don't you think we would have sensed it by now? Second, we were put in charge of the boy. If anything happens to him. . .you know the consequence." Razeen stated. He was worried. He knew Ran was probably fine but still how could two trained soldiers lose a three year old?

Zong realized how much trouble he was in. He paled. "Then what are we doing talking. Why aren't we going out to find the @#%^%@ kid?!?! I'll look this way. You look that way." He headed off and in the direction. Calling out Ran's name every so often but Razeen stopped him before he could do anything major.

"First thing's first. You will not swear in front of the child like that. Understood?" Zong nodded after he rolled his eyes. "Now, we go look for Ran." He stepped out of Zong's way and proceeded in the other direction.

Their commanding officer walked in with Ran in his arms. "I wouldn't trust you with my two year old dog." He just shook his head. He couldn't believe they lost track of a child. He thought the task would be easy. Boy, was he wrong, dead wrong.

"Sir!" Both of them stand to attention and salute. They felt really stupid.

"As you were. You need to hurry up packing. Everyone else is already done. We are just waiting for you ladies." The commander couldn't believe they were his best soldiers. On days like today the wondered why he even bothered to dub them the best.

Zong went back to packing while his brother took care of Ran. "Sorry, Sir. We were slowed down by the child." He tired to cover up his failure. Of course as always he just made things worse for himself.

The commander just shook his head. "Zong, Zong, what am I going to do with you? You can't even call the 'child' by his real name. Why did I put you to work with you brother again? Oh, yeah! For you to learn responsibility and how you're not the only one suffering because of the Shadows. Now take CARE of him!!" He glared for one last time before leaving the tent.

"Yes, Sir!" They saluted and their commanding officer left.

"You know how to get us into trouble, don't you?" Razeen asked. He walked over to his brother with Ran still in his arms.

"Me?!?! You're the one who is good with children. No one else has the tolerance to take care of the trouble maker." Zong spit back. He finished packing his horse and moved on with Razeen's.

"Why. . ." He was about to fight back when Ran wiggled. Razeen set Ran down. He was about to got back to fighting when. . .

"No more fighting please!!!" Ran yelled. "I'm tired of it."

"You stay out of it. You have not business here anyway. If you were the Captain's son I would have killed you a long time ago." Zong said and packed up his sleeping back.

"You really mean it?" Ran whispered. Then left with the bag his mother gave him.

"Where are you going?" Razeen asked.

"Outside." Ran didn't even look up or stop. He just wanted to go home. He hoped this was a bad dream and Mommy would wake him up. He knew Daddy was dead. He had Daddy's necklace and Daddy never gave anyone his necklace.

"Ok. Just don't go far." Razeen said. "Now look at what you done. You upset him." He hissed. He was ready to punch is brother.

"It was his own fault." Zong spit back. He was finishing up the last bit of packing.

"You could at least give him some respect. He saw his mother die in front of him." Razeen stated.

"Yeah. . .well. . .no one gave us any slack when out parents died. Why should we give him some?" Zong argued while finishing packing up his stuff.

"We were fifteen and he is three." Razeen said while going over his checklist.

"So. . ."

"TIME TO HEAD OUT!!!"
1. Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan. I was too lazy to make up my own names. 2. Tabilisi is the capital of Georgia. Yeah, I know. I was really lazy.

Ok so how was it? Good, bad, ugly? Sorry I couldn't help the Clint Eastwood movie reference. *gets hit in the head with the book of RanKen yaoi* Ow!! The chapter was a lot longer then the last one. So I don't know why you people are throwing books at me!? Little Ken: It's because I'm not in the fic yet. Little Ran: And I don't even get a hug from my KenKen. *sighs* It's coming people just be patient.