Chapter 2
The Line was a strange phenomena that had began occuring all over the world only thirty years ago. It was a silver colored light that looked like a string. It silkily moved over the ground, and destroyed every living thing in its path. If a person were to be outside when a Line came, he would cease to exist within a bare second. And the Line moved so quickly, and spread out so wide, that it was impossible to get out of the way without moving indoors.
Because of this, humanity had began to shift underground. Streets that had existed upon land were now tunnels in the ground, hidden away from the Line's fingers. It made travelling between buildings and homes safe. Of course, most people simply lived in the same building that they worked in. It make things a lot easier.
Although the Line came every twelve hours, no one wanted to take the chance of being caught by it. It had come three times before people began to notice its pattern, and had wiped out almost every single person on Earth by then. The remaining thirty thousand people had moved to the biggest continant remaining and rebuilt their lives. Now, humanity was once again flouring.
There were many guesses as to what the Line actually was. Some believed it was an alien race ridding the planet of parasites before they landed. Others believed it was God, shining down a vengance for the sins of humanity. Most didn't care, as long as they weren't caught in is illuminated grasp.
Kyou had never come close to seeing the Line. He'd always lived underground, in one room that had all of the things necessary for him to live. A few times during the day he was taken from his room and trained to fight. That was all they ever taught him. How to fight, how to take pain without talking, how to follow orders no matter what the order might be. As a result, he'd grown up cold and easily angered, slightly demented. The things that they had put him through. Even with his training, he still shuddered slightly when he remembered.
He didn't know how much time had passed before that familiar slender figure had appeared at his door, looking down at him with eyes that loved and hated him at the same time. "I've got a use for you now," Akito stated.
Kyou yawned as he pushed himself up from his bed. It was still hours before his usual time to wake. "A use?" he echoed, not quite awake.
Akito nodded. "I've already informed the team. You will be joining up with one of my Seeker teams. It is too dangerous for Yuki to continue on his own, and you are expendable," he stated.
That he was expendable was nothing new. Neither was hearing Yuki's name. Akito rarely spoke of anyone else on his team. The thing that caused him to jerk to his feet was the fact that he would be joining one of those teams. "I was told that I was being trained to work alone, not with a team," he stated.
"Instead of avoiding your transformation, we've decided to use it. A cat can get into places that bigger animals cannot. More important, I do not want my best agent getting hurt. Which is what he's been doing lately, mission after mission. You're job on that team will to be keep Yuki safe, no matter what you have to do."
Kyou shrugged. "Fine," he replied. He'd been taught that death was sometimes necessary in a mission. If the order came from a ranking officer. If Akito ordered it, Kyou would do what he was told.
He had to admit that he had an alterior motive in agreeing.
Akito often told him of the Jyuunishi legend, of the different animals which now haunted his twelve Seekers. Kyou had been told the story again and again, suffering through Akito's scoffing tone when he spoke of the cat. It seemed as though Akito enjoyed humiliating him with the story of how the cat was tricked by the mouse.
Perhaps there was some reason behind it, but all Kyou knew was that it angered him beyond belief. Now, he was being given the opportunity to see the mouse face to face. If he was lucky, he might even be able to ruin the mouse's life. Not by getting him killed; Kyou always followed orders; but he was certain he could come up with something.
"Get dressed. It will take us seven hours to get there. You're going to start as of today," Akito announced.
"Bring it on," Kyou declared, a determined glint in his eyes.
To be continued...
Author's Note: Sorry this chapter is so short! I do plan to have the chapters much longer in the future! Hopefully. ^_^ Please, let me know what you think!
The Line was a strange phenomena that had began occuring all over the world only thirty years ago. It was a silver colored light that looked like a string. It silkily moved over the ground, and destroyed every living thing in its path. If a person were to be outside when a Line came, he would cease to exist within a bare second. And the Line moved so quickly, and spread out so wide, that it was impossible to get out of the way without moving indoors.
Because of this, humanity had began to shift underground. Streets that had existed upon land were now tunnels in the ground, hidden away from the Line's fingers. It made travelling between buildings and homes safe. Of course, most people simply lived in the same building that they worked in. It make things a lot easier.
Although the Line came every twelve hours, no one wanted to take the chance of being caught by it. It had come three times before people began to notice its pattern, and had wiped out almost every single person on Earth by then. The remaining thirty thousand people had moved to the biggest continant remaining and rebuilt their lives. Now, humanity was once again flouring.
There were many guesses as to what the Line actually was. Some believed it was an alien race ridding the planet of parasites before they landed. Others believed it was God, shining down a vengance for the sins of humanity. Most didn't care, as long as they weren't caught in is illuminated grasp.
Kyou had never come close to seeing the Line. He'd always lived underground, in one room that had all of the things necessary for him to live. A few times during the day he was taken from his room and trained to fight. That was all they ever taught him. How to fight, how to take pain without talking, how to follow orders no matter what the order might be. As a result, he'd grown up cold and easily angered, slightly demented. The things that they had put him through. Even with his training, he still shuddered slightly when he remembered.
He didn't know how much time had passed before that familiar slender figure had appeared at his door, looking down at him with eyes that loved and hated him at the same time. "I've got a use for you now," Akito stated.
Kyou yawned as he pushed himself up from his bed. It was still hours before his usual time to wake. "A use?" he echoed, not quite awake.
Akito nodded. "I've already informed the team. You will be joining up with one of my Seeker teams. It is too dangerous for Yuki to continue on his own, and you are expendable," he stated.
That he was expendable was nothing new. Neither was hearing Yuki's name. Akito rarely spoke of anyone else on his team. The thing that caused him to jerk to his feet was the fact that he would be joining one of those teams. "I was told that I was being trained to work alone, not with a team," he stated.
"Instead of avoiding your transformation, we've decided to use it. A cat can get into places that bigger animals cannot. More important, I do not want my best agent getting hurt. Which is what he's been doing lately, mission after mission. You're job on that team will to be keep Yuki safe, no matter what you have to do."
Kyou shrugged. "Fine," he replied. He'd been taught that death was sometimes necessary in a mission. If the order came from a ranking officer. If Akito ordered it, Kyou would do what he was told.
He had to admit that he had an alterior motive in agreeing.
Akito often told him of the Jyuunishi legend, of the different animals which now haunted his twelve Seekers. Kyou had been told the story again and again, suffering through Akito's scoffing tone when he spoke of the cat. It seemed as though Akito enjoyed humiliating him with the story of how the cat was tricked by the mouse.
Perhaps there was some reason behind it, but all Kyou knew was that it angered him beyond belief. Now, he was being given the opportunity to see the mouse face to face. If he was lucky, he might even be able to ruin the mouse's life. Not by getting him killed; Kyou always followed orders; but he was certain he could come up with something.
"Get dressed. It will take us seven hours to get there. You're going to start as of today," Akito announced.
"Bring it on," Kyou declared, a determined glint in his eyes.
To be continued...
Author's Note: Sorry this chapter is so short! I do plan to have the chapters much longer in the future! Hopefully. ^_^ Please, let me know what you think!