Chapter 2

Reb: in this chapter, we meet our cast some more. Note that I may switch between the Japanese names and American names. This is due to the fact that I'm used to the American names. J.P. stays J.P. because he doesn't want to tell Kouichi his full name. Thank you.

Kouichi walked through the city toward the town square. There was a trial being held. Why now? There hadn't been a trial for weeks! Everyone was on their best behavior! Kouichi only came to these because he knew Kouri was there. In no way did he want to watch the cruel man kill innocent people.

As he stopped by the stage, which was set up for trials, he spotted the three convicted humans. They seemed unable to move, the one in the middle seemed to be trying to hold his neck and indicate that he couldn't breathe. He had brown hair and wore a cap backwards with goggles on his head. He also wore brown gloves, brown pants and a yellow shirt. The younger teen next to him wore white shirt and khaki pants. On the other side of the brunette was a slightly chubby, slightly older teen who wore a blue outfit and brown hair. None seemed capable of movement.

Kouichi had seen theses guys around before, they were really nice. What did they do? He suddenly spotted Kouri and they made eye contact. Kouichi felt his resolve crumble in fear but he kept glaring. Kouri smirked and the began the trial.

"These three have committed acts deemed illegal by her highness, Queen Lana. Showing support to a someone other than her excellency is a high treason." he pointed to the one in the middle who's shirt supported a logo. "Stealing food, a crime already punishable before her courtship's arrival." he pointed to the boy in blue. After this one he began pacing the stage slowly, and talking as though teaching a class. "When a parent skips work, that creates more work for others. This is unforgivable both by Lady Lana and by the people being punished. The greatest punishment to a parent is to take away the child, therefore I dearly hope no one else suffers the fate of this child." He pointed to the youngest one.

Kouichi scowled. Kouri didn't care if another child had to be killed, he'd enjoy every minute of it. Kouri pulled out his weapon, a long red wire/string object from thin air. It seemed like wire but was 5 times as deadly. He could manipulate it to his will and even make it harmless. He began to string it along around the three offenders. A woman in the crowd screamed and was held back by others. She resembled the middle brunette.

Kouri smirked and people tensed. When they expected to hear sounds of screams or slashing, they instead heard something of a kick or punch. Looking up and gasping, they saw the red string had gone, the offenders were unharmed and released, and Kouri had stumbled back holding his stomach.

A young man landed after jumping and kicking Kouri in the stomach. Kouichi turned to the three teens he'd just saved as Kouri glared at him.

"You ok?" nod. "Hurry. Come with me." and they dashed away as Kouri regained himself and tried to attack them. However cruel he was, Kouri wasn't attacking the innocent people and therefore, could not catch the 4 teens as they dashed through the crowd. Kouichi stared back at Kouri as he cursed and went to report to Lana. Why didn't he try to catch them?

– – – – – – – – –

"Hey, thanks man." the brunette from the middle smiled. They were hiding in the forest out of town.

"Ya, you really saved us back there." the one in the blue suit thanked him. The youngest just smiled. Kouichi stared at him, slightly confused, for a minute before turning to the brunette.

"Uh.." he really had no idea what to do now. Kouri was definitely going to be searching tomorrow morning, as the sun was already setting. Lana probably had night creatures too, but she also didn't do unnecessary things. They'd be safe till tomorrow. In the mean time, he had three strangers to look after. "Uh.." he said again.

"Oh. My name's Takuya." he grabbed Kouichi's hand and shook it.

"Call me J.P." the one in blue held out his hand and Kouichi shook it. The young one took a minute before introducing himself.

"I'm Tomoki...uh.. Thanks for saving me." he didn't shake Kouichi's hand but he didn't mind.

"And I'm Kouichi. Kouichi Kimura."

"Why'd you tell us your full name? What if we decided to save our necks and tell Queen Lana your name?" J.P. asked.

"I think she already knows it." Tomoki pointed out. Takuya seemed to be pondering something while the other two began to fight. He got it and pointed at Kouichi, his finger in his face.

"Wait! You're the son of Kouri's first kill!" Takuya exclaimed. Kouichi's face fell and he nodded. He wasn't particularly sad about his father's death like his mother, but thinking about it always led to thinking about his brother.

"Why'd you have to point that out, Takuyo?" J.P. growled.

"Ya! Now look what you've done!" Tomoki accused, noting Kouichi's sad face.

"First off, it's Ta-ku-ya! Not yo. Second, what? What do you want me to do!" this was getting no where but fighting.

"No no. Everyone.. just.. SETTLE DOWN!" Kouichi yelled. They all shut up and stared at him. "Look. I'm fine.. I was just thinking about something. It wasn't Takuya's fault." Takuya stuck his tongue out at J.P. "We gotta work together or we'll be captured for sure."

J.P. muttered something about being caught anyway which earned him a glare from Tomoki.

"We should get some sleep. Takuya. Can you help me make a fire?" Kouichi asked.

"Sure!" Takuya went off to get wood.

"Don't you think we'll be caught if we have a fire?" J.P. asked, skeptical.

"I don't think Kouri will really be looking until tomorrow. We should be safe till then." Kouichi said as he built the fire with the sticks that Takuya threw into view.

– – – – – – – – – – –

Kouichi looked around. Everyone was asleep. Good. His gaze drifted to the fire. He remembered Takuya's comment about his father and, like always, his thoughts went to his brother.

"Kouji..." he muttered as he fell asleep.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Kouji chopped up some vegetables for the soup they were making for their mom. Kouichi was trying to do the same and cut himself.

"OW!" he winced and looked at his bleeding finger. Kouji chuckled and put a bandage on it. "Thanks, Kouji."

"You should be more careful. You know I could do this without your help." Kouji was smiling, something his rarely did around strangers. Kouji had navy hair to the middle of his back that he wore in a low ponytail, and he always wore a bandana with dull yellow stripes on it. His eyes were a deep, dark blue that could suck you in, or see into your soul.

Kouichi wished his eyes were like that, but he'd stared at himself for hours in the mirror and still only seen normal dark blue eyes, short navy hair, and a normal 10 year old. Kouji was.. Cool wouldn't do him justice. He didn't do anything amazing, but it was just the feeling you could get when you stared at him. Mystifying.

Kouichi took his advice and left the chopping to him. Kouji was a great cook. Even at 10 he was better than his mother and father together. Mother was always working or sleeping, so they only saw her at meals or when she came to wish them goodnight. They used to have time together, but when she switched jobs it was erased. Father was usually out, claiming he was working and bringing home money that they didn't question. Still, Kouji had taught himself to cook by trial an error, to which he tested everything he made. At one point, this got him so sick that Kouichi, the worst cook in the family, had to try and make chicken noddle soup for him.

Kouichi had learned a little cooking then but not enough to be as good as Kouji. But today, he stared at Kouji's hair. When did it get so long?

"Kouji?"

"Hm?" the boy asked as he added the veggies to the pot.

"Why don't you cut you hair anymore?" Kouichi asked.

"... I guess I always wanted to have a mother's cut." Kouji answered truthfully without anymore than a pause in his cooking.

"But mom's so busy. She'll never have time to cut you hair.." Kouichi had started to hold his cut finger as though it hurt.

"I guess I'll just never cut my hair then.. Except maybe to get spilt ends off." Kouji was mentally contemplating if he even got split ends as he finished the soup.

"I'll laugh when it's down to the floor." Kouichi laughed. Kouji turned to him and smiled.

"Ya. That'll be a sight." they stood there laughing while the soup cooked.

– – – – – – – – –

Kouichi woke to a faint rustle in the bushes. He jumped and sat up, pulled out a hidden dagger from who knows where, and glared into the bushes. After a moment, out stepped...

"An elf?" Kouichi gasped. It was one of Lana's many minions. A blonde elf wearing a pink kimono walked into view. Her hair was wavy blonde and was longer than Lana's, but shorter than Kouri's... much shorter. Her hair was held from her face by pink hair clips and allowed you to see her pointed ears. She smiled.

Kouichi held his dagger tighter as he was sitting, ready to jump and strike at any moment. The elf held a finger to her lips as though saying 'be quite'. Kouichi stared at her confused. The only sounds heard were the crackling fire.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here to help." she said, taking a step forward.

"Why should I believe you?" Kouichi tensed.

"I don't work for Lana anymore. Look." she showed her sleeve, where remnants of Lana's symbol were seen but the rest had been torn off. It was definitely viable evidence. Kouichi relaxed but didn't take his eyes off the elf, or stop glaring, as she walked over and sat beside him by the fire.

About 10 minutes flashed by in which Kouichi stared at the fire and the elf just sat there.

"My name is Izumi. I used to work in the castle for Lana. I heard about your defiance to Lana and decided to make my escape out to meet you." The elf, Izumi, suddenly spoke. Kouichi looked at her, confused.

"What can you tell me about Lana?" he asked.

"Lana. Her physical appearance is amazing as well as her power over people. Her hair is a light brown and is only a bit shorter than my own. Her eyes are emerald green and resemble cats eyes. They glow in the dark so even when she keeps the lights low you feel her gaze on you. Her outfits usual consist of shades of purple or blue. Her symbol is made of gold, always. She's surprisingly nice to people she likes. Her disposition to everyone else is cruel and hateful. It's like she feels they owe her a great deal. A debt she'll never see an end of."

"She brought us here from a world that coincides with this one. A magical realm, you could say. She used to rule there, but people revolted against her and war broke out among the rebels and her warriors. In the end, everything was destroyed and just before her castle exploded she teleported her surviving men to this world where she took in new warriors and became queen once again." Izumi was glaring at the fire although her voice had no anger in it.

Kouichi yawned. "How does she get new warriors? And all her warriors can't be evil, why do they stick up for her?" he asked. Izumi smiled at him as he yawned.

"I'll tell you another time. Go to sleep." she smiled again as Kouichi fell asleep. She spent the remainder of the night, keeping the fire lit and listening for warriors.

Reb: one of my friends tells me she thinks Izumi is evil. what do you think?