Chapter 5

Kouichi sighed. It must be well past midnight. Izumi stirred in her cell.

"Hey." he greeted.

"Hey yourself. Have you even tried sleeping?" she asked. He shook his head.

"I just can't stop thinking about it."

"About what?"

"Kouji. The way he looked at me and said my name." Kouichi sighed again. Izumi walked closer to the bars separating them.

"By the way, Kouichi. When did this happen?"

"Just before we got caught. He was standing in that hallway with the banner."

"I didn't see him. Are you sure?"

"Sure as I'll ever be."

"Alright. If you say...huh?" Izumi and Kouichi looked up as they heard the door open slightly. No foot steps were heard but soon, a red light was visible at the bottom of the stairs.

"Isn't that...?"

"It's Kouri's energy wire!" Izumi jumped up.

"Kouji? But what's it doing down here?" that was soon answered as the red wire unlocked Izumi's cage. As the wire retracted, Izumi got the keys and unlocked Kouichi's cell.

"Why is he helping us?" Kouichi asked. Izumi shrugged.

"He's probably asleep. Sometimes that thing has a mind of it own. I swear I saw him eating with it while he was still asleep once."

They unlocked everyone but didn't wake them up. If they left now, things wold be suspicious. Izumi put the keys back up and they made sure all the doors were closed, but not locked. Ok. Brilliant plan A.

– – – – – – – – – – –

Kipith sent some men down to fetch the traitors to present to Lana. As the men went to unlock the cages, they paused. These cages were unlocked.. But how? Kouichi smirked.

"Now!" he yelled, and everyone, who had all been feigning sleep, leapt up and burst out of the cages. They hit the men with the doors as they came out and all the men were now unconscious against the walls.

"You're welcome and thank you for shopping at Rebel Mart." Takuya smiled broadly as they proceeded up the stairs and out of the dungeons.

– – – – – – – – – –

"Hello. And what's your name?"

"Kouji. Who are you?" an 11 year old Kouji asked, glaring at Lana 7 years ago.

"My name is Ana. I want to be your friend. See.. I had a younger brother who looked just like you. But he was captured by Lana and now I'm all alone. Will you do me the honor of escorting me to the park? I'll leave you alone after that don't worry." Lana smiled warmly down at Kouji, trying to convince the smart boy that she was actually some innocent bystander.

"Hm... ok.. But only to the park." he replied. He couldn't help but say yes. Lana had forced his mother into hard labor so he felt sorry for this girl.

"Thank you, so much." Lana reached out her hand to him. He began to cautiously reach out to her hand.

'Why do I feel like I shouldn't do this? Why? What would Kouichi..' and without realizing it, his eyes began to water and his hand touched Lana's. She smirked just as his voice drifted over.

"Kouji!"

Kouji turned, unable to get his hand out of Lana's grip. He couldn't find his voice so all he could do was reach out to his brother, pleading with those eyes. The last thing he remembered was his brother's hand.. millimeters from his hand. So close..

"Kouichi!"

– – – – – – – –

Kouri awoke, quite early. He swung his legs over the side of his bed and sat there. He was covered in a light sweat, as though he'd been struggling against something. He couldn't remember his dream all too well, but he knew it was important.

He stripped and stepped into the shower to cool himself off and wake up.

He wasn't sure what was causing him to act so strangely, but he did know he wanted to find out. These had to be memories of his life before Lana and he wanted to know. He wanted to know who he really was. Not Lana's lapdog. Not the ruthless killer people saw him as. Sure, when he had to kill, he got some kind of pleasure from it.. But now, more than ever, he was sure that was all Lana's doing.

He wouldn't believe that he had been that cruel before. And thinking about all the people he killed...

Kouri placed his hands on the wall and held himself up like that while the water ran over his body and down his long hair. He let out a soft cry of pain. He stayed there for a few minutes, pondering this strange ache he was feeling, before turning the cold water off.

Stepping out, he raised his eyes to the mirror. He was Kouri once again and none of these trivial problems were known to him anymore. He somehow knew Lana wanted to see him right now, so he quickly dried off and dressed in his normal warrior outfit.

– – – – – – – – – – – –

Kouri opened the door to Lana's spacious room. This was her throne room, her dining room, her bedroom. It seemed that depending on what Lana was doing at that moment, the room would change.

The room was dimly lit, but you could see everything after your eyes adjusted. In the center of the room, a bright light shown down upon a table and a chair.

'Hair supplies?' Kouri wondered as he looked at the utensils on the table.

"Good morning, Kouri." Lana walked into the light from seemingly nowhere. "Come. Have a seat." she indicated toward the chair. Kouri, like the good warrior he was, walked up and sat down. "Well, you seem normal today. Good." she smiled and reached for the sizzors.

"Now.. I think it's time we did something about this hair..."

Kouri just stared at the opposite wall.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Izumi led the way. Kouri had not been in his room so they decided he must be with Lana. They tossed out the idea that he may not be in the castle. For if he wasn't, they would surely be caught again.

'Kouji..' Kouichi thought desperately. 'Where are you?'

Izumi paused in front of a large door with Lana's symbol bright and big on it. Izumi checked to make sure Kouichi was nearby before they burst into the room.

They saw Lana with the scissors and Kouri sitting like an obedient dog. Kouichi gasped when he saw the scissors about to start cutting Kouri's hair.

"KOUJI!" he yelled at the top of his lungs.

Reb: gasp all! Kouji's letting Lana cut his hair! Things are getting closer to a close.. rushed I know. sorry by the tons. sorry!