Hunter – Prologue – Childhood

Disclaimer: All characters which I did not create do not belong to me, this
applies for the whole story.

Rating: PG-13 for violence

AN: This will be the only time I post author notes, and simply to get some
things out of the way.

1) This is Alternate Universe – the timeline it occurs in is not specified yet,
though it may be later.

2) Hopefully new chapters will come out often enough. I must warn anyone who
reads this, though, that I am a busy University student with a boyfriend who
forced me to get a social life. ^_^ I am, however, very devoted to this story,
it's just not as high a priority as I would like it to be. This may mean
erratic updates, but rest assured I NEVER leave a story unfinished. (If you're
reading Blue Eyed Saiyan, I haven't abandoned that, unfortunately creativity has
cause me to suddenly completely rethink my approach. Part 1 may not exist in a
few months time, watch for news! _)

*********


"Mamoru!" A tiny blond haired girl screamed around a corner towards the
stables. She couldn't have been more than 7 years old, her hair was done up in
two frizzy pony tails at either side of her head. Her hair didn't go past her
chin when loose, but there was just enough for the pony tails. The girl had
joy-filled deep blue eyes and was dressed in a pair of overalls.

The boy she was addressing looked startled for a minute and then smiled
and put down his hoof pick. He wasn't much older than her, maybe 10; his hair
lay messily on his head, as black as night. Several strands obscured his light
blue eyes but not enough to seriously block his vision. Mamoru Chiba smiled.

"Morning little Usagi. I'm sorry but I can't teach you how to ride today,
my dad's taking me out to show me how to hunt!" He grabbed the younger girl by
the hand and pulled her gently towards the stables. "I've got something to show
you though!"

Usagi pouted a little but let herself be led, her curiosity growing. The
stables were rather large, as they belonged to the whole village and were
generally well tended. Someone had just thrown down fresh straw and several
horses were munching away contently at their grain. It smelt, quite wonderfully
Usagi thought, of horse and hay.

Mamoru led Usagi around a corner and up a ladder into the hay loft. It
was a section that wouldn't be needed for quite a while yet and had thus, been
left undisturbed. Usagi peeked her big blue eyes into the loft a giggled with
glee.

"Kittens!" She exclaimed with utter joy and made her way excitedly, but
quietly towards them as not to scare them away. Mamoru followed her up, and
handed her a bit of fish. "Go ahead, papa said we could." He encouraged
enthusiastically.

The girl's grin spread from ear to ear and she lay the piece of meat flat
on her hand. Ever so gently she placed her hand near the nursing mother cat who
gobbled it up greedily as if she had been getting this treatment a lot recently.
Usagi giggled as the cat licked her tiny palm clean and then turned her eyes on
the kittens. There were four of them: two tabbies, a black and white one and a
pure black one. She scooped the black one up and cradled it in her arms. The
tiny kitten blinked up at her, taking the stranger in but not afraid of her.

Mamoru laughed. "I knew you'd like them." He exclaimed proudly, "but we
can't stay up here long today. I have to go and I'd get in big trouble from
your mom and dad if I left you up here alone."

Usagi pouted, "I can take care of myself!" She exclaimed suddenly,
cradling the black kitten closer.

The boy laughed and stroked a tabby lovingly. "I know you can, but still,
to keep me out of your parent's wrath ok?" He smiled, "Besides, I'll bring you
back tomorrow ok?"

Usagi seemed to consider for a moment then nodded and put the kitten back
with its mother. She missed its soft fur already but she didn't want Mamoru to
get in trouble. The two made it back down into the stables and back outside
were Mamoru's father was waiting for him.

It was an overcast day but warm enough, ideal to spend the day outside,
not too cold and not too hot. As long as it didn't rain, Mamoru would probably
have a lot of fun.

"Can I ride the horsie?" Usagi asked excitedly jumping up and down on the
grass where the horse Mamoru would be riding was grazing happily. It was a
gorgeous speckled black-grey gelding with the gentlest temperament; however,
Mamoru shook his head as his father finished putting the rest of its tack on.

"We've got to go now. But like I said, tomorrow, I promise."

Usagi's blue eyes shone as she nodded enthusiastically. "'nk you Mamoru!
I'm gonna go tell mommy what happened!" She exclaimed enthusiastically, running
in spirals across the grass towards her house.

Mamoru smiled as he watched the enthusiastic girl take off. She was
filled with so much energy it almost always brought a smile to his face. He
turned to his father who was coming over to help him get up on his horse and
smiled. His father smiled back and patted the young boy on the head. "Ready to
go kiddo?" He asked pleasantly. Mamoru nodded fervently and let his father
help him up into the saddle. The older man slipped easily into his and they
rode out of the yard.

**

Tiny Usagi ran into her home at full tilt and skidded into the kitchen
where her mother was baking bread. "Mommy, mommy!" She exclaimed excitedly,
pulling enthusiastically on her skirt. "Guess what Mamoru has up in his barn!
Kittens!"

Ikuko, Usagi's mother, turned her attention from her backing to share her
daughter's enthusiasm. "Little one that's wonderful!" She gave her only child
a hug and turned her around. "Now go clean up. You lunch is ready but you
can't eat with dirty fingers!"

Usagi nodded, giggled and took off towards their washing basin. Ikuko
sighed as she moved her bread into the oven. Usagi reminded her of when she was
young, and she cherished the memory. She only hoped that her precious daughter
would lead a happy life. Ikuko tried so hard, but she had lived through a hard
childhood herself, lost her husband, and knew exactly what the worst was.


Usagi gulped down her meal quickly, talking on and on about the kittens,
how cute they were and how she wanted to go see them again as quickly as
possible. Ikuko smiled as she watched her happy little daughter. No, she
thought, my childhood was ruined, but there's no way she'll see the same fate.

*

It was a small village. They had nice stables, neatly built homes, one of
the best inns around and a decent market. The people who lived in Usagi's
village were all very close knit and kind to each other. They'd all lived
together in their virtually isolated village all their lives and depended on one
another for survival. No one ever dreamed of being betrayed by a neighbour, and
thus, no one ever was. It wasn't perfect; sometimes food was hard to come by,
people passed on from simple things because they were simply too far away, but
people moved on.

No one expected the horsemen who rode into town. Seven men on jet-black
horses decked out in a loose battle gear, bearing a royal symbol. Not that of
the king, perhaps a duke they didn't know, for they'd never seen it before.

No one understood their request, they asked for a child, the sweetest
child in the whole village. At first they were polite, then, when the man who
was generally accepted as leader for the village refused, the men laughed.
They'd wanted an excuse to exercise anyway.

*

Ikuko clutched her daughter tightly to her chest as she peered out the
window. She didn't know what the men on horseback wanted but she didn't like
the look of them at all. There were seven of them in total however three seemed
different than the other four. One was a taller man, looking to be the leader
of the group; he was an imposing and well-built figure in robes of pure black
that nearly blended in with his horse. The second wore no armour but had a
number of items protruding from his packs that the others didn't. He seemed
comfortable enough in the saddle, but he looked more like a scholar.

The third was a true enigma; unlike the rest he was clothed in the purest
of whites and metallic blues. He was younger than the others by far, from his
build looking to be only in his later teens. He seemed unconcerned and aloof,
probably some arrogant prince-ling out to flaunt his power; but why here?

Ikuko's question was never answered as the dark man's sword was unsheathed
and in one smooth movement sliced through the lead farmer's soft neck. His
lifeless corpse crumpled and the village erupted in terrified screams. The
riders charged forward, cutting down villagers as they passed, searching every
house before burning it to the ground.

Flames gushed into the midday sky as the paths filled with blood born of
death. Ikuko swept her child up in her arms, despite her cry of protest and
confusion, and fled for her back door. She shouldered it open, barely slowing
her pace and tore through the fields towards the forest as fast as she possibly
could. Her lungs burned, her legs ached, but still she ran. She ran not only
for her own life, but that of the frantic child wailing in her arms.

Ikuko tried desperately to keep her concentration away from the searing
pain in her arms and legs, the jabbing at her side, her lack of air. She
focused on the nearby forest and nothing else.

The ground vanished under her foot and she stumbled, jarred to a halt by
her left foot. She felt her ankle bend at an unnatural angle as her shoulder
buried into the ground. The jarring impact knocked Usagi from her grip. The
tiny blond angel, tears streaming down her cheeks seemed alright, though, as she
began frantically tugging at Ikuko's arm.

"Mommy, mommy what's wrong? What's happening?!" Usagi asked frantically
while wiping at her muddied cheeks. Ikuko groaned and tried to stand,
attempting to put weight on her tender ankle. She'd stepped into a gopher hole
in her run and she quickly discovered that she could bear no weight on it. The
thundering of hooves pounded in her ears, mixing with the throbbing of blood
powered by adrenaline.

"Run." She managed, breathless but trying to sound brave for her little
angel. "Run for the forest, go find Mamoru, go play with him today. Go Usagi,
go as fast as you can. He's waiting for you, don't keep him waiting!"

Usagi hesitated, part of her wanted to go play with Mamoru, her other half
knew she should stay with her mother.

Fear and the near deafening pounding of hooves purred harshness from Ikuko.
"Usagi GO! NOW!" Her voice came out sharp and drowned in fear, Usagi felt the
fear in her voice and somehow, knowing she had to listen, she turned and ran.