Akira: Hello everyone, I'm sorry for the delay. I've been real busy with my schedules. I hope this chapter is up to standard. Thank you so much for your reviews everyone, I really appreciate them. :D Again, this chapter is not beta-ed, so be forewarned that there will be mistakes here and there. Also, I'm trying to make some sort of a new style for MDCCCIII, so bear with me ne?

I will not trust anyone other than myself. In a world like this, nobody can be trusted. Every being is ugly, selfish, and pretentious. And once you expose those lies, they are left with nothing. So why… why is it that I feel she is different from the rest?

Chapter III: The past that haunts

"Stay away from us, you lowly half-breed!" the Uzoku boy picked up a stone and threw it at young Setsuna.

"Don't come near us, you filthy creature."

Filthy creature!

"He's cursed! My mother told me that you'll be cursed if you go near him!"

Flash.

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"That boy… he's only a half-breed. What gives him the right to the throne? There isn't even any proof that he has Uzoku blood in him. We haven't seen his wings, after all. Who knows, he might not even be Sakurazaki-sama's blood child," whispered a woman to her friend who was beside her.

"He must be a bastard child conceived with another human man."

"I'm not a bastard child! I am Otou-sama's son!"

"My goodness, what ill manners. Didn't your mother teach you not to eavesdrop?" said the woman as she placed a hand on her mouth.

"Forget it, Shibari-san. You can not expect much from the filthy human."

-----

"Hah! Who do you think you are? I befriended you because you look so pitiful. Don't get the wrong idea that I actually want to befriend a filthy half-breed like you!"

Befriended you because you look so pitiful…

Flash.

"Setsuna, don't do it!" a pale woman stood in front of him, soaked in blood.

Another Flash.

"Okaa-sama, no!" he dropped the knife he held so tightly in his hands and fell to his knees, sobbing. He stared at his bloodied hands in horror and buried his face in his hands and let out a painful scream.

"Okaa-sama!!!"

-----

He stood at the altar, eyes lifeless and cold. He could hear faint whispers in the background.

"Hey, did you hear?"

"She was killed by her own son."

She was killed by her own son…

Killed by her son…

Killed by her-

No… Stop…

'Setsuna… remember… trust no one...'

Flash again.

"Remember this, you're an unwanted child. Nobody needs you. The world would've been a better place if you never existed! It's your fault that your mother died. You murdered her!"

It's your fault!

You murdered her!

"You murderer! Don't come near us!"

Murderer!

Stop! Please… Don't say it anymore! I'm not a murderer!

"I'm sorry Okaa-sama… I'm so sorry… I won't do it again, please come back!"

Young Setsuna crumbled to the ground and held his head in his hands as he rocked himself on the floor.

A tall woman entered the room and took a small step towards the boy in the corner of the room. The boy reacted immediately when she tried to place her hand on top of the broken child's head by raising both hands to shield himself.

She paused for a little, and then reached out her hand to caress the child on the head reassuringly.

The woman spoke, "Hey, do you want to come live with me for a while?" Her voice was firm, a little low, and yet gentle. It reminded him greatly of his mother's gentleness and kindness. It was at that moment that he cried for the first time ever since the day his mother passed away.

And on that very night, it rained.

-----

I will become strong. And when I become stronger, I will never cry again…

-----

Drip.

Drip.

His eyes snapped open quickly. Stupid memories… why did they have to resurface now? Ah… It's starting to drizzle. So that's why he got reminded of the past. Even though the droplets were soothing, the unsettling feeling in his heart rose more and more. He balled his fists at his sides and clenched his jaws tightly. Drawing Yuunagi in a flash, he began slicing the air and swinging Yuunagi. His steps were graceful, and his swings were as smooth as the flowing stream beside him.

"So you were here, Secchan! I couldn't find you at your usual spot," Konoka grinned and sat herself on a nearby rock. "Do you mind if I watch you practice?"

He turned to look at her, expressionless.

"Why do you always come to watch me practice? Isn't it boring?"

"It's because, Secchan looks most focused when he's practicing! Whenever I look at the hardworking and serious Secchan, I feel that even I will be able to do many things," said Konoka as she smiled warmly at the young Uzoku in front of her.

Setsuna widened his eyes at the comment, but then ignored the chocolate haired girl as he continued with the swings and moves. There were a couple of times where he caught the girl's soft gaze when he occasionally peeked at her from the corner of his eyes.

"Hey… why are you always here? Don't you have any friends?"

"Hmm… I've got a best friend who's lived with me for years. We're really close but she's got a job and she's working all the time so I hardly get to spend time with her unless she's at home."

"Ah, I see," came the ever short reply.

"So what about you, Secchan? Don't you have any friends? Do you have any siblings?"

"I… I'm the only child..." he stopped to ponder for a moment before continuing, "Friends… I guess I do."

"You guess?" she inquired.

He stopped whatever he was doing and turned to look at her.

He nodded slowly, and then returned to swinging Yuunagi again.

Without knowing why, she felt a sharp pain from deep within her. Was it empathy? Or was it sympathy that she was feeling? One thing she knew for sure, as long as she's around, she'd make sure that he doesn't feel that cold loneliness again.

The rain fell heavier.

-----

"Found the princess. There's somebody with her. Do we take her now?" the hooded figure gestured towards the pair in the clearing and waited calmly for a reply.

"No… we'll wait for the recovery of the tome. It's hidden here in this country; we have to find it before we capture the princess. We'll monitor her for now," the white haired boy said quietly and leaned forward to observe the pair closer.

-----

Looking up all of a sudden, Setsuna muttered silently to himself, "Shinmeiryuu Ougi… Hyakaryouran!"

The thick trunk of the tree split into halves, revealing the strangers dressed in weird, raven cloaks.

"Hn… He's not bad at all. Being able to sense us in this rain…"

Setsuna raised his nodachi, pointed it at the pair of intruders and spoke clearly, "State your name and country. What business do you have with us?"

The smaller figure took a step forward, and Setsuna gripped his weapon tighter, carefully shielding Konoka behind him.

"I believe that I am not obligated to answer your questions."

His piercing blue eyes gazed into Konoka's chocolate orbs, sending a chill down her spine. Slowly, the white haired boy lifted his hand with his palm facing the ground, a magic symbol appeared on the ground and a blinding light engulfed all of them.

"Well then, I shall see you around, Konoe-hime," the boy said, fixing his gaze upon Konoka, and within a fraction of the second, he was in front of Setsuna, whispering into his ear, "and you, too, Ojou-san."

Setsuna froze in his steps for a moment, and then forced himself to focus on the matter at hand.

"Wait!" Setsuna tried to stop them but the light was too bright and he raised his arm to shield his eyes from the light, trying to keep them open. When the pair opened their eyes, the intruders were already gone, leaving no trace of their existence at all.

"… Who the hell are they?"

'Konoe-hime?'

-----

An old man in a dark room cackled to himself and whispered softly, "Heh… Phase one shall commence soon..."

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End of Chapter III

Okaa-sama – Mother

Konoe-hime – Princess Konoe

Ojou-san – Miss/Lady (In short, a young woman)

Akira: Well then, this is the end of chapter III. Thank you for reading until now. Remember, reviews are food for authors! Hehe : P