I know that you usually expect a lengthy disclaimer at the beginning of each fan fiction, but I have found them pointless and time-consuming.  This fanfic is mine, however, and if anybody misuses it, there will be hell to pay.

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Discarded Souls

By Darkslayer

Chapter 5

Feel the Burn

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            He woke up before the first few thin rays of light broke over the horizon.  Wiping the sleep from his eyes, he swung off the bed and onto the cold floor.  Walking to the adjacent bathroom, he splashed water onto his face and ran his hands through his hair.  Joseph removed his toothbrush and began to clean his teeth, paying special attention to the twin fangs that slowly extended into his mouth.  After he was done, he went back to his room and rummaged around in his closet for a few moments, exiting with a pair of loose black sweat pants and a sleeveless hooded sweatshirt.

            He made his way downstairs, checking on his mother along the way, and walked out the front door into the crisp morning air.  Stretching his arms, he started off the steps of his house at a loose pace, heading down the street.  Before Joseph knew it, he had placed over a block between himself and his house, and that was increasing steadily by the minute.

            "Hey there!" called a voice.

            Joseph slowed down, looking over his shoulder toward the source of the sound.  A girl, dressed in a dark green sweatshirt and blue leggings, was running a few feet behind him.  When she caught up, he noticed she was considerably taller than he first saw, and somewhat leaner looking, too.

            "Didn't anybody ever tell you that it's not exactly a good idea to talk to strangers?" he asked, falling into her pace.

            "That's why I called to you," she replied, her breath making small clouds in the cold air, "I've never seen you in this neighborhood before."

            "Just got here two days ago," he answered, "Why, is it a crime for newcomers to exercise in your area?"

            Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly.  "Not the last time I checked.  Speaking of which, where did you say you moved in?"

            Joseph chuckled.  *Nosey little tart....probably the head of the local neighborhood watch or something.*  "Well, if you must know, I'm assuming it's about a city block in the opposite direction of where we're heading.  Roughly, that is."

            She looked at him with a cocked eyebrow.  "Do you normally like to run large distances in the morning, Mr.-?"

            "Joseph.  Joseph Miller.  And I normally like to do about two to four miles about three times a week.  May I have the pleasure of knowing your name as well?"

            "Lita," she said, slightly taken aback by his response, "Lita Makoto."

            "Well, Lita, no one told me that the surrounding neighborhoods had other girls as good looking as you are.  Tell me, what's your secret?"

            She relaxed slightly at the compliment.  "Flattery will get you nowhere, Mr. Miller."

            "Then what am I going to have to do to get some answers out of you?" he shot back, pushing ahead of her slightly.

            "You'll have to beat me in a race," she blurted out, "If you win, I'll answer your questions."

            "And if I lose?"

            "I'll think of something."

            "I don't think that's a very fair match," he replied nonchalantly.

            "Oh?  Tiring already?"

            "Nope.  I haven't even broken a sweat yet and you're beginning to wheeze a little."

            Lita smirked.  "We'll see.  Ready?  Go!"

            She burst into a sprint and pulled ahead of him, her legs pumping hard to propel her even faster.  After a few moments, she opened her eyes again and decided to look back at her opponent.  Lita glanced over her shoulder and, surely enough, saw no sign of him.  Her victory seeming eminent, she slowed her pace slightly so she wouldn't tire too quickly.

            "Giving up so soon?" called a voice.

            Whipping her head around, she saw that Joseph was ahead of her by several strides and going at what looked like a leisurely gait.  He waved to her as the shock wore off, and turned around, jogging forward.

            "Not today, sucker," she said under her breath.  Lita had a serious competitive streak in her, and it was just beginning to manifest itself.

            Taking a deep breath, she broke into another sprint, pushing herself even harder than she did before, feeling a slight amount of strain as she did so.  Trees and signs seemed to fly by her as she sped off, her feet seeming to just brush the ground as she ran.  Smiling to herself, she focused on the sidewalk ahead of her, watching it rush by.  Eventually, she looked behind her again, her curiosity getting the better of her, and was relieved to see no trace of Joseph.

            "Come on, slowpoke!  Are you trying or not?"

            Lita received another shock when she checked the area ahead of her.  Surely enough, he was there, and just a few strides' distance from her.  His face relayed no signs of fatigue or exertion, and he appeared to be moving with the same ease that he had been earlier.  Gritting her teeth, she called to him.

            "That's it!  You're going down now!" she screamed.

            Pouring every last ounce of effort and strength into her sprint, she felt the world zoom by as she flew down the sidewalk.  Her legs burned with their exertion and her lungs seemed to be aflame as every cell in her body fought to move faster.  The sounds of the neighborhood seemed to disappear, only to be replaced with a low pounding sound that emanated from her head.  Opening her eyes once more, she saw that he was no longer in front of her, but was slowing down, calling to her.  She shut her lids once more, a smile creeping across her face as she knew that she won the race.

            "I hope they sell Wheaties here in Japan, because if they don't…"

            Lita opened her eyes again; this time he was beside her, that impish smirk still riding high on his countenance.  Half gasping, half sighing, she slowed her pace until they had stopped on the sidewalk.

            "Just who in the hell are you?" she bluntly asked, resting her hands upon her knees.

            "Jesse Owens' illegitimate son," Joseph joked, "They say I'm built just like my daddy…"

            "Oh knock it off," she replied, standing back up and crossing her arms, "Seriously.  I've never seen somebody move that fast—you aren't even out of breath!"

            "Like I said," he shrugged, "I like to run long distances.  Keeps me all nice and trim."

            "Well then, what about our little wager?"

            "Tell you what.  You answer my questions over breakfast.  I'm in need of a serious caffeine fix, and you could probably use some energy after that workout."

            "Alright," she acquiesced, "But you're paying."

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            "......."

            "What?"

            "That's what passes for breakfast over here?" he asked, setting his coffee down.

            "Yeah.  What's the problem with it?" she answered, placing the bowl down.

            Joseph looked at the display before her, shaking his head in resignation.  A bowl of steaming miso soup stood next to a slightly larger bowl of rice, over which sat a raw egg that was slowly seeping through the white pasta.  To her left sat a small plate of spinach, topped with several slices of what seemed to be grilled salmon.

            "Give me a cup of coffee and a couple of glazed any day over that," he chuckled.

            "Doughnuts?  What kind of breakfast is that?" she sighed, digging into her rice.

            "Hey, several million customers can't be wrong," he replied, drinking his coffee.

            "Yechh.  I can't see eating something that sickeningly sweet for breakfast; it's--it's just gross!"

            "I know I didn't just hear you diss on Krispy Kreme," he warned, a smirk on his face.

            "Whatever," Lita replied, obviously wanting to avoid another confrontation, "So tell me a little about yourself, Mr. Miller."

            "Just call me Joseph; everyone I know does," he spoke, leaning back, "And where do you want me to begin?"

            "Why'd you move into the neighborhood?"

            "My mother got relocated to a branch office over here after my father died," Joseph said nonchalantly, "And I came with.  Always wanted to see Japan this time of year, anyway."

            "I'm sorry," she apologized, "I didn't know."

            "Not your fault," he rebuked, "Besides, he didn't suffer."

            As his words sank in, she couldn't help but remember the cold, icy feeling of losing someone you loved.  Her parents...

            "Are you okay?"

            She snapped out of the flashback.  "Of...course.  Why?"

            "You zoned for a minute.  Hope I didn't stick my foot in my mouth there..."

            "No," she replied, finishing the last remains of her breakfast, "I'm done.  Let's go."

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            There was an uncomfortable silence as they walked back to Lita's house, so Joseph decided to break it.

            "What were they like?"

            "What?"

            "Your parents.  What were they like?"

            She stopped in her tracks.  Turning towards him, Lita expected a look of suspicion from Joseph, but found herself looking into a pair of sad, cobalt eyes.  She took a deep breath, gathering her will, and calmly replied.

            "I don't remember that much about my parents.  I wasn't that old when they....passed away."

            "I'm sorry," he apologized, "No one should have to lose their loved ones."

            "No," Lita agreed, "They shouldn't."

            "So what school do you go to?" Joseph inquired, changing the subject.

            "Juban Junior High," she answered offhandedly, "Next year I'll be taking high school entrance exams."

            "Juban?  Hmm....do you know someone named Mina?"

            "Yes.  She's one of my friends.  Why do you ask?" Lita said.

            "I met her the day I got here.  She's....an interesting person.  Especially when it comes to the world of malls and department stores," he commented, a hand on the back of his head.

            "You didn't let her talk you into shopping with her, did you?"

            Joseph lowered his head in response.

            "It's a wonder you survived," she laughed, "Even I can't keep up with her when she's in a frenzy to shop."

            They laughed for a few moments before Lita turned toward the apartment building they had stopped in front of.

            "Well, here's my house," she sighed, extending a hand, "It was nice to run with you, Joseph."

            "If every time is that interesting, we may have to make a habit of it," he replied, shaking her hand.

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            The woman sat upon her throne with a scathing glare upon her pale countenance.  She caressed a glowing orb that hovered just in front of her, peering into its swirling abyss.  A series of images suddenly flashed across the globe, showing the woman places, people and various other things.  When it had finished, she looked up from the object and at the man that waited, kneeling at the steps to her throne.

            "Prince Darien," she purred, "Report."

            "My Queen, your plan is working perfectly.  Although we lost the soldier at the mall, two of your other minions were able to gather a substantial amount of energy from the unsuspecting humans."

            "It is not enough!" she hissed, rising quickly, "This subterfuge is taking too long!  We must find a large amount of humans and rip their energy from them in one quick blow!"

            "If I may make a suggestion, Queen Beryl?" asked a voice.

            She turned to the shadows on her left, her eyes narrowing as she picked out a familiar form.  "What do you have to add, Malachite?"

            "I have an idea.  Apparently, tomorrow night, there will be a gathering called a 'rave' by the humans.  This 'rave' will take place in one of the abandoned warehouses along the south pier.  If you give me several of your soldiers, I would be able to attack the humans before they knew what happened, gathering a large amount of energy for the Negaforce."

            "You are sure of this?" she asked, her eyes shining.

            "As sure as you are the rightful ruler of the universe, my Queen."

            "So be it.  You will have the finest soldiers you can find.  Make your preparations as needed, Malachite.  But be warned, for if you fail me in this attempt, I will not be pleased."

            "I will not fail, my Queen."

            Darien scowled at the exchange.  He couldn't let Malachite upstage him and win Beryl's favor--he just couldn't!  But he had to wait, for the formalities dealing with his queen and Malachite forbade him from interrupting their dialogue.  He wouldn't wait for tomorrow.  His move would have to be tonight, and with even less of a meager force than his rival begged for.

            He hated scraps.

End of Chapter 5