I don't own Digimon Frontier charas, or the concept of the prince and the pauper switching.

Allow me to start by saying I love all you 16 people who reviewed chapter 19 I think this is some kind of record for me outside the one shots.

Dragi: when… NEVER! Muahahahaha… o,o;;; eventually, I guess ppa

adds more names to the "People who think Suffering Angel is evil" union

Star: :D youre happy? My muses actually smiled at me

De orga: sorry for taking so long to update, was working on Love Headache as long as I had the muse in me ..;;; and why do I suffer? For the sake of poetic nicks! :D

Sapphire Luna: well… yeah 3

Dreamer: you kissed someone you like, when they thought it wasn't you they were kissing… would you want them to be happy? 3

Einatsu: no, sorry, Izumi's alive and… well, well.

SoJoHunter: I rarely do retells 3 simply cuz it'd be unfair for the original piece.

Zoleth: changes fic's name :3

Kendosakuyamon: why? Cuz that'd be bad for Kouji and Kouichi :3 forgive me if I won't comment on your first PS :P second one's at least partially right, though XP

ON WITH THE FIC!!!

Two Sides of a Coin

Chapter 18

Blue eyes fluttered open as they were graced by the soft touch of sunlight. The young man moaned and was about to turn the other way when a sharp pain shot through both his chest and neck. Knowing he couldn't fall asleep again, he resulted to lying on his side, watching a pair of birds on his window edge. They were chirping happily, soothing his troubled mind a little. He considering climbing up there when the door slammed shut, causing the two to spread their wings and fly away. Wishing for the ability to do the same, he closed his eyes and pretended to be sleeping.

"So, as I was saying, Aguni-sama, it is not our fault! He was like this when we came in this morning!"

The maid was whispering in such a manner it would've woken up the dead.

"I swear, we had nothing to do with…"

"Quiet."

The maid silenced and the boy felt someone pull the blanket from over him, revealing both neck and chest wounds.

"Lana, you said you talked to him last night?"

A soft smile rose to Kouji's lips as he saw in his mind's eye Lana blushing slightly.

"Ah, hai. I came to take his dinner plates since he ate here, and found it outside the door with a note requesting some bandages."

Looking at the corner of the room, Aguni managed to make out a pile of bloody clothes.

"Did he tell you anything else?"

"No…"

Came Kouji's reply first as he sat up, slightly wincing.

"…because there was nothing to tell. Morning, Lana."

He smiled at her, causing the girl to blink before smiling back uncertainly.

"Good morning, Kouichi-sama."

"That's quite enough of that."

Aguni demanded, ushering the maids outside.

"Please leave."

The older maid instantly left, while Lana stayed behind.

"I'll leave if Kouichi-sama tells me to."

Aguni snorted, but had to wait for the prince's answer. Should the boy tell her to stay…

"Thank you, Lana, but I'll be fine."

He smiled warmly, and she had no choice but to heed his reply.

"I will take my leave then."

Bowing, she took measured steps out of the room and gently closed the door behind her.

"Quite a strong willed lady… I don't remember any maid caring so truly about anyone…"

He awaited a response, but that failed to come. Looking curiously at the prince, he found him looking outside the window, knees to his chest, the smile no where near his face.

"The wound on your neck…"

"What do you want, Aguni?"

"…my prince is wounded, in more places than one, and I knew not of this."

"Spare your false concern for when my mother is around."

There was hurt disbelief in the his eyes, but the soldier still kept a calm demeanor. His voice, however, became dangerously low.

"The elder queen wishes to speak to you. She said it was quite urgent. When I came to see you the maids were whispering about you being wounded. I'd much rather take you to the royal doctor, but you seem quite fine, it appears."

"…Aguni, listen, I…"

"You have changed, Kouichi-sama. Changed beyond believe these past few days… I cannot explain why, but the change is painfully obvious. Maybe it is I who have changed, and therefore thinks it's about you… or is it I who should change to fit you. I am after all but a mere servant…"

His monologue ceased as Kouji punched his right fist into his left palm. The look on his face was quite the troubled one.

"You're… so much more. You don't deserve any of this shi…"

"Kouichi-sama."

"I changed. That much is right. I changed so much and it's hurting everyone around me. I… I'm sorry."

The young man closed his eyes, not wanting to see the reaction.

"…I shall take my leave. The queen's mother is waiting."

A moment later the door closed and the soldier leaned against it.

"He sure has changed… usually he'd have asked for forgiveness for himself, being who he is… not his actions…"

A small smile crept to his face.

"Quite a different person indeed."

–

It was quite a boring life Kouji led, Kouichi decided, yawning again as he watched the sheep. At least if he had something to occupy himself with… but that would've been too un-Kouji-ish.

"Ah, I'm bored."

But the truth which he didn't admit even to himself was, he could do nothing as he was too worried. Worried about Kouji.

"…I have a bad feeling."

He whispered, holding his sword closer to him. He was thankful for having taken it with him when he left the castle.

"Kouji…"

"What about you?"

He jumped, glaring at Junpei.

"Stop doing that."

"Sorry."

"Where were you last night?"

Kouichi asked, more than a bit enraged, and Junpei chuckled, thinking the other boy was acting like "himself" more than he had in days.

"Visiting a friend."

"Oh?"

"…I'm worried about him."

Kouichi's face went blank as his heart sank, especially when Junpei stared right at the castle.

"W, why?"

"Just a feeling."

"It's more than that, you know something. What is it?"

He was about to give an answer, when his gaze fell on the sword Kouichi was gripping tightly.

"Something wrong? You seem really tense."

"Yeah, well… just a feeling."

"Touche."

They stood there, neither wiling to say anything to such an extent, that when screams came from the village, it was almost a welcomed intrusion.

–

The way to the elder queen's chambers was a long and quiet one, providing Kouji with no distractions as he tried to keep track of Aguni from not too far away. He remembered Kouichi's explanation about the woman; the queen's elderly mother, which would make her the prince's grandmother. She was sick quite often but still treated with respect. She was quite a wise woman, and kind as well. In his mind's eyes he subconsciously saw a small, round woman much like his father's mother. Somehow, though, it didn't seem right.

"Do you know what she wants to talk to me about?"

He realized he asked, not clearly knowing why. It was certain the question wasn't in place, but he couldn't help himself, he was a curious little cat. Had it not been for their argument earlier, the soldier would've been amused.

"I'm afraid not. I doubt it's purely good news, though."

Kouji blinked at that.

"Your mother… grew quite pale at her mother's request."

"Really."

He looked away, not letting Aguni see his eyes as the man glanced over his shoulder at him.

"We're here."

Aguni said as he stopped, Kouji soon to follow. Something, however, didn't seem right. The air felt wrong, so Kouji raised an eyebrow and continued walking.

"Is this some sort of joke?"

He prayed the room they stopped next to wasn't really the elder queen's chambers. Luckily, it wasn't.

"The prince's knowledge of the castle seems to be improving."

He was faced with silence which lasted until the reached their real destination.

"Here we are."

Knowing not how to thank the man in their current relationship state, the would be prince bowed. Relief washed over him as the man chuckled and placed his hand over the boy's shoulder.

"Changes are good, but… act more like your "old" self around their highnesses. Both of them, I don't think either will know you if you act like you did this morning."

"They hardly ever see my behavior."

"But they remember your eyes."

Kouji's eyes widened, yet the man said no more.

"Now. I better take care of my duties. Make sure you're polite enough."

Kouji nodded at the man's retreating form, thanking god for being so fond of him. Now, without anything else to do, he knocked softly on the decorated wooden door. A moment passed and he knocked again, this time receiving an answer.

"Come on."

Gulping, he placed his hand on the handle and pushed the door open.

"Oh, Kouichi-san!"

A soft voice welcomed him, making him look up.

The sight in front of him was hardly what he had imagined, neither was it what he should've expected. The elder queen turned out to be a rather tall and slender woman, one whose face, framed by beautiful silver hair, showed the signs of old age, and a horrid life, as well as wrinkles caused by laughter. She was sitting on a chair next to the window and seemed to be knitting. Had the scenery been any different, he would've mistaken her for any other woman, had it not been for the ring on her finger. It was a beautiful ruby jewel, the last thing her husband, the last king, had given her. Or so Kouichi told him.

"I sent Aguni-san quite a while ago to fetch you, I was getting worried…"

She fell silent as her eyes rested on the bandage around his neck. The knitting fell to her lap and to the floor as she stood up shakingly. Kouji hurried to her side in time to catch her as she fell forward. She looked at him, her eyes filled with fright. He just barely managed to keep his face sealed, both chest and neck wounds agonizing him.

"Kouichi-san!"

"A training accident, grandmother, nothing more. It should heal soon enough."

He noted to himself how easily came that gentle tone of voice, a tone previously used only with his step mother.

He helped the woman to her bed, where she sat down, and he knelt over to retrieve her knitting. Looking up, he found her staring at him.

"That's… the first time…"

A warm smile caressed her lips as tears came to her eyes. He blinked in return.

"At least once, before I died, I wanted one of you to call me that… though I never imagined you'd be that one!"

He had to raise an eyebrow.

"I imagine you wonder why I called you here."

She eyed his neck worriedly again before looking away.

"Could you fetch me some water?"

He went to the vase on her nightstand and poured some water into a glass. She received it yet drank not a drop.

"Thank you… sit down, don't be standing there…"

She patted lightly on the bed and he sat down, feeling more and more awkward.

"You seem wall, all in all. I'm glad."

"How are you feeling?"

He asked, looking at her. She looked at the glass of water, as though looking for something in the clear liquid.

"Like I'll feel better once I've gotten this weight off my chest."

She paused for a moment, her body shaken by a horrible cough.

"Oy, calm down!"

Kouji said, not knowing what to do. She smiled and sipped some water.

"You've grown to be such an excellent young man… I'm glad… I hope he turned out similarly as well."

"You said something like that before too. One of us… who's "he"?"

It took her a moment before she took his hand and looked him in the eye.

"Kouichi-san, you're… not the queen's only son."

And suddenly, seeing Takuya meant nothing in light of the possibility of Kouji having stolen Kouichi's most important moment.

–

The sight which welcomed the two young men was hardly anything they ever imagined seeing. The village, which was usually peaceful and quiet, was in an uproar. People were fighting each other, caring not who their opponents were. Parents battling their children; brothers and sister fighting each other; lovers turning on each other. It was almost too much to look at.

"What… the hell's happening?!"

Junpei asked out loud, watching along with Kouichi from a distance.

"Insanity… this is insane…"

"Behind you!"

The older boy suddenly cried out as a girl, not much younger than either of them, charged at the prince with an axe. He could only stare at the bloodlust in her eyes, for some reason reminding him of the court sorceress.

For a moment he wondered what the sharp instrument would feel against his skin, but before instinct had the chance of taking over and his sword be drawn, he was pushed out of the way, by none other than Kouji's mother.

She didn't scream.

She needn't. Her blood splashing on his face told the young man just how deep the woman's love for her step son was.

"SATOMI!"

The name came out of his mouth as he caught her, the girl attacker confused by the sudden show of affection. It was all Junpei needed to cast a restraining spell on her.

"Satomi… Satomi!"

"You two… look so much alike…"

Kouichi's eyes widened at her remark.

"Wha, what do you…"

"You play a… lousy country boy… your highness…"

Junpei could only stand guard over the two, feeling like he'd be damned had he uttered a word.

"You, you knew…"

She coughed, several blood droplets coming out, and nodded.

"I knew… who you weren't… and that was my son… I just didn't know… who you were…"

"Then… then why?! Why did you save me?!"

She looked up at him with care, love and compassion, and it killed him to know it wasn't for him.

"You look so much like him… my body just… moved on its own…"

And with that, she fell silent.

"Kaa… san…"

"Kouichi."

Hearing his real name shocked him back to reality, and he looked at Junpei rather blankly.

"Look."

And look he did… at what he never hoped to see.

Above each other, each man, woman and child, stood a dark aura, a sinister aura… and it was laughing.

"When ever a part of a person's soul goes missing… if, for instance, a person laughs a piece of his soul out… he becomes an easy prey for those things."

"Demons…"

Junpei nodded, shaking. Looking down at the woman in his arms, the prince kissed her forehead with a sad smile.

"Don't worry. You'll definitely see him again."

Placing her down gently, he stood up and looked at the other boy.

"You wouldn't happen to know any healing spells…"

"Not my specialty, but desperate times call desperate measures…"

He blinked at the sound of a sword being drawn and blinked as Kouichi stood next to him, his sword's green jewel shining lightly.

"Heal her."

"If my prince so tells me to."

"He does."

Chuckling, Junpei went to do as he was told, and Kouichi stood there, sword in hand, and for the first time in his life, he held it steadily.

'His life… his world… I won't let it be ruined.'

a/n: w00t, finally getting somewhere here , whoever saw that one coming, eh? Eh?! --; I'm bloody turning this into Berserk Kouji shows up with a sword three times his size and wields it with one hand only ;;;; yummy.