The news shocked him, yet at the same time it didn't. Travis stood frozen before his uncles as they (well Enrique) spilt out the news. It didn't really bother him as much as what he could see in their eyes.

" Sounds like I'll have to do my best to stay on top of things." Travis finally shrugged. " With a bunch of guys that are 3 years older then me, it'll be fun to watch them try and make fun of me."

He was basically thinking about anything that could happen at that camp. Teasing was the big one. Since Travis hadn't been around anybody but his uncles and Mathilda, he didn't really know how much teasing could hurt. Something stirred inside his chest and he suddenly felt pain rip through his stomach. Maybe he should reconcider that idea ...

" But Travis. This is a military camp your going to. You could be killed. Your father would not permit this!" Enrique shouted with what Travis knew as more concern then anger.

There was that line again. The all-famous line that the redhead was really starting to hate. Your father would not permit this! His uncles used it on everything he did! Yet when he was told stories of him, his father seemed not to care of anything. He had a sence of pride that he didn't let anyone interfere with.

Not to mention he felt almost like crying whenever he was mentioned.

Travis glanced at Ray with a bit of fustration. " So you both are against me going? If I don't go, someone is going to come looking for me! If I don't go, I'm putting you both in danger and that is something my father wouldn't permit!"

Enrique put his chin in his hands and looked at the boy who was acting couragous. " Your not cocky, Travis. Don't start acting that way."

Travis noticed from the corner of his eye, Ray smile. He craddled his arms at Enrique and the blond rolled his eyes. Mother. Ray meant that he was acting like his mother.

He really did have enough of this. Travis slammed his fists down on the table, just noticing that Mathilda was standing there. " Quit comparing me to my parents! I don't know them and I never will. The more you compare, the more I get fustrated and the more that really starts to hurt! So if you two are done, I'll be leaving now to go pack. I'm leaving with or without your permission."

With that, Travis spun around and exited the room. Elders faces filled with both shock and pain.

.:VWV:.

" Travis. They were only trying to help." Mathilda tried her best to sooth as Travis flung a few articals of clothing into a small bag. Some pieces just missing the hovering fairy.

The redhead had his eyes covered by his long bangs. His smile wasn't there, instead it was replaced with a tight frown. " Yea. I know. But they were also full of hatred." He looked up at the cieling as a single tear fell from the corner of his chestnut eye. " I could feel it, Mathilda. It was just radiating off them like fire." Lowering himself to the ground until he was on his knees, Travis chocked back a sob. " I can still feel it. It's still here."

Mathilda decended slowly and landed on top of his head. She lowered herself into his hair and parted his bangs so she could see down his nose. She leaned her cheek against the burning locks. So soft. So gentil.

" I'm sure they weren't angery at you, my boy. What their mad at is that someone is trying to take you away from them. After these years of raising you, they've both grown to you. Your much like a son to them." She cooed and ran the tips through her fingers.

Travis could only stare at the ground. he wasn't truly listening to his friend. His thoughts were all on that feeling. He felt the anger bubble in his chest, waiting for him to release it somehow. But he didn't know. He didn't know how to get rid of it. It was just stuck there, sewn into a permanent web of hurt. He couldn't shake it.

Mathilda blinked down at him, seeing two more tears flow down his pale cheeks. " Travis ..." She whispered.

Silently, she flew down to before his eyes and stared at them. It was that look again. The nothingness look. " Travis. I'm here. I'll help you if you just let me."

Travis' lips parted as his word fell from them like the tears from his eyes. Though his voice wasn't his own, it was deeper and held more strengh. " It's not something that can be helped, Mathilda. I am sorry. I truly am."

.:VWV:.

Kai glanced around his carriage and stiffled a yawn. He really should have gotten some sleep. It was past the afternoon mark and he felt like collapsing on the dirt below him.

His eyes rose to the sky and he squinted at the sun. He looked away as soon as he felt his eyes start to water.

' It's gonna be a bad day today ...' He couldn't help but think as he finally let a yawn go.

" Lord Kai." Someone stated.

Kai turned slightly and spotted a tiny blond haired fellow with his head dipped in respect. He smiled slightly though the thought of the boy really hurt him. It was Miguel, one of the many boys that would be attending the camp.

" What is it, Miguel?" He absolutly refused to call him soldier.

Miguel stood tall and probably would have come just a little past Kai's waist. He had blue eyes that matched his faded blond hair. He wore a simple baige shirt that was covered in patches of grass and dirt. His pants were snug and red with a black belt that was wrapped around the bottom of his shirt. His cheeks had a ton of scrap marks and his left eyes was closed due to a black eye.

Kai's eyes went wide. " Better yet. What happened?"

Miguel gave him a smile, placing his swollen hands behind his back. " Just wrestling, sir."

Kai eyed him and saw Miguel shuffle uncomfortably. Kai really had trouble imagining this boy in armor and running out into a bloody battle to be killed.

" Very well. What news do you bring?" Kai questioned, picking up a bag and tossing it into the carriage. This carriage was meant to hold ressources only. No passengers.

" Actually I was sent by Lord Bryan to assist you. Brooklyn was getting on my nerves again." Miguel chuckled nervously with a crooked grin.

Kai smirked as he plopped a box into the carriage and pushed it back. Ah yes. Brooklyn. Miguel and him hadn't gotten along since they meet. Miguel was just a simple farmer boy raised to live each day to the fullest and Brooklyn was ... well, spoiled. His parents were rich and not to mention his grandfather was on the Council.

The slate haired man hated the thought of Brooklyn getting put into the army as well. Not just because he was young but because he was forced by his grandfather. Choosing whether your going to die or not should be a young mans own choice.

" You can barely keep your hands open let alone hold something." He stated and saw Miguel look a bit hurt.

" I can help. I'm used to working with swollen hands, sir. Happens a lot on the farm back home. Although, Papa always did call me useless." Miguel's voice trailed off at the last words.

Kai felt regret and sent the boy and instant smile. Miguel reminded him much of his own sons, who were probably fighting among themselves as he spoke.

" Well then how about I hand you the stuff and you place them in the carriage! Remember to watch for space. We want to pack as much as possible. Resources are scarce where were going." Kai finally decided.

It didn't take Miguel two seconds for him to jump into the carriage door and strech out his arms.

Kai smirked and started to slowly hand him the things. Miguel did exactly as he was told.

The man's mind started to wander. He hadn't recieved a responce back from Enrique yet and he was starting to get a little worried. He promised in his letter that he's come and get Travis himself to avoid any danger. Responce or not, that trip would be made shortly.

' I wonder how the boy is taking all this...' Kai pondered.

Miguel stared at him when Kai didn't hand him anything. " What are you thinking about?"

Kai shock his head and glanced at him. Miguel looked a bit embarresed and put his glance to the ground. " I'm sorry. It's none of my buisness."

" I wouldn't mind telling if you can keep it to yourself." Kai said calmly as he shoved a box into the boys arms, causing him to fall backwards.

After a thud and a groan, Miguel's voice poped back out of the wagon. " Mama used to tell me secrets all the time. I've never spoken any of them to a living soul. I've also been called trust worthy before." The boy appeared in doorway with a grin. " Though I think the only time I got called that was because I saved my little brother from getting beat up."

Kai chuckled at that. He was full of stories from the farm. The man found everyone of them interesting. It seemed Miguel had a story to every emotion or event. Something that could make you laugh, sympathize or know that someone else knew what you were going through.

" Well, I'm worried about one boy that is going to be joining this camp. His name is Travis and he is one of my dearest friend's boys. My friend passed away trying to save him after Travis' mother died." Kai started.

Miguel grinned happily. " I know that story. It's the tale of Where is the love?!"

Kai gave him a funny look and passed him a rather small bag filled with coins. " Where is the love?"

Miguel nodded as he placed the bag inside. " Yes. In my community, we have lots of tales from around us. One of them was of that. There was a girl, I do believe her name was Alexandra and she was taken for a servant. After some in between details, she never got along with two of the people she worked for. Their names weren't given. Eventually she fell in love with one of the guards and they had a child toghter. When she passed away to have the child, the man she fell for did everything in his power to save what else he had. Thus he hide away his son with a few people he trusted and was killed for it."

Kai stared in awe. Tala and Alex's life toghter was a tale? He screwed his face to chock back a laugh. Talk about making the tale sutable for the ears of children. Of course he knew that one of the two guards was him, though he never mentioned it. Had a child toghter? Oh no, that was Tala's hormones fault for forcing her into it. Though the rest was pretty true.

Miguel blinked then smiled. " You resemble a fish when you do that, sir."

Kai shock his head again and smirked. " Your not supposed to insult your elders."

Miguel laughed. " Your not my elder. I was taught to show respect, nobody ever said anything about having a little fun teasing them."

Kai laughed along with the boy. It felt good. He hadn't done that in over seven years ...

.:VWV:.

" Why are you following me?" Tala questioned as he rounded a corner and stopped. The figure behind him slammed into his back.

" I'm following because you look lost." Anko stated with stubborness in her tone.

Tala eyed her and then took off again. Anko glared at his figure and let out a deep sigh. " Look, I'm just trying to help. Besides, you are most defenitly not from around these parts so I figured I would be a good guild and show you around. Maybe even help you out with your mission."

Tala stopped walking and paused. He let those words sink in. Finally he turned only his head and glanced at her. She was holding her spear in between her fingers and her bangs were fanned out over her lowered face.

" Do I have to pay you?" He questioned. He knew he sounded stupid but he really didn't have any money.

Anko suddenly looked up and scowled him. " I already told you I wasn't a street slut. I don't want your money, just your company."

Tala shrugged the comment off and motioned for her to follow him. Anko smiled brightly and caught up with him. Tala glanced down and noticed she was rather short. Her height reached just under his shoulders. Cutting off that huge ponytail, she was probably only around the middle of his torso. Come to think of it, she did look rather young.

" So how old are you exactly?" Anko questioned as she looked up at him. " You look around early 20's or so."

" Your right. 24." Tala stated ... or at least that's what his memory told him. " What about you?"

Anko looked down and counted on her fingers. " I think I turned 17 during last winter."

Tala raised a brow. " You think?"

Anko felt a blush creep onto her cheeks. " I- I don't remember anything about myself either." Her voice was low and full of shame. " Just the odd things but that's about it."

' Just like me." Tala though with a mental scowl.

" So is that the reason you wish to join me?" He questioned as Anko kept her head low.

She only nodded slightly then looked away. Suddenly she smiled as they passed a few shops and pulled on his shirt.

" Tala! You have to meet my family. Well their not really my family but they take care of me so I call them that!" Anko grinned widely.

Since he really had nothing better to do, he let Anko drag him into the nearest house. It was the only house that had all the windows filled with light.

Anko chuckled to herself as she pushed open the door. " Watch out for the woman that thinks she's my mother. Real big woman who is a real control freak. She hates me so I hate her back. Though the rest of my family is really nice!"

Tala blinked down at her to see her smiling. She was talking to him as if she'd known him for years. Had she? His memories weren't helping him out. She really shouldn't trust strangers so much. Of course he wasn't a huge gossip person but she didn't know that.

" Papa! Ferthy! I'm home!" Anko called out.

" Aniko, my baby girl!" Someone called. The voice was deep and full of so much love it made Tala's heart ache.

" Papa!" Anko cried out in joy as an older man rushed into the room and hugged her tightly.

Tala smiled slightly at the joy the two held for each other. A family. The redhead suddenly felt tears threaten to spill. That one word seemed to ache his chest and stomach, turning him dizzy.

The old man had a dirty yellow shirt over navy blue pants. He looked older then he acted; maybe late 50's.

Papa looked up at him, noticing the boys look of thought and crooked smile. The old man grinned widely and patted Anko on the back. " And who is this handsome young man?" He didn't have an accent like Anko.

That brought Tala back to life. Anko giggled to herself and slapped Papa playfully on the shoulder. " Very funny, Papa. Don't go getting any ideas. This is Tala Volkav. I met him at the inn."

Papa smiled and pulled Tala into a hug. A hug. That surprised him. When Papa pulled away, he was laughing. " Strong young man as well. I guess you've happened to meet our little Aniko here. Such a pity. We try and keep her hidden from the world," He leaned in and added in a whisper, " She tends to scare the little ones down the street."

" Papa!" Anko shrieked and punched him in the shoulder.

Papa laughed and rubbed it, motioning them both inside. " Come in! Come in! We don't bite!"

When Tala didn't move, Anko rolled her eyes and grabbed him by the shirt. " Come on! Your welcome here!"

Tala nearly tripped at the sudden jerk but managed to regain his balance. Everything seemed to be moving so fast, yet so slow. It took seven years for him to finally talk to someone about his troubles. Now it was taking less then one night to find help, a friend and to be introduced to her family. It was ... really wierd.

Or creepy.

.:VWV:.

Author's Note: Here is Chapter 3! I hope you guys are enjoying what I'm doing with Travis. With his powers and ... strange happenings. It's meant to keep you interested, so I really pray it's working!

Do you guys like Anko? With her personality and stuff? I hope so, I kinda got her personality from Alex, but I added some stuff. 'nods

Thanks to everyone who reviewed Chapter 2! 'hugs all the reviewers

R&R! THANKIES AGAIN!