"Hufff...hf...hf..."

He had taken an alternate road this time. There was no way that he would allow himself any help.

However, he was aware that he was running out of breath...fast. Even a fireball such as Hana wheezes after long distances, particularly if he is cursed with short legs. The boy didn't want to stop, though; what would be the point in running away, then? Surely he wasn't going to let everyone down.

Especially not his parents.

Panting, he stopped at a slanted house with a gate running across its side. Relieved at the support it could offer him, he whispered to himself—"Finally,"— and propped his little elbow in-between the chain links.

Crap...I really need some water. I think I ate too fast... Hana supposed. He knew he couldn't rest for long, though, and with his determination self-rejuvenated, he lifted his head up high.

His eyes returned to his surroundings and focused. The first thing that Hana saw was a white pick-up truck. He eyed it curiously, ever aware of his environment.

When the vehicle began to slow about three meters behind him, Hana's eyes bulged. "Geez!!" His speed picked up, and the truck revved up once more to trail behind him.

What the heck? The world is full of weirdos! And people think that ghosts are scary? Hana didn't stop running even as he heard the brakes screech loudly, the motor die down, and the slam of the truck's door. His pace picked up when he heard the soft clacking of footsteps coming up fast.

"Aah!" Something had latched onto his suspenders! It felt like a gigantic banana bunch through his overalls. Hana dared turn around, and he wore the meanest face that he could muster.

Looking up towards the figure that blocked the sun, Hana's face was tickled by a million long, greasy black hairs. The monster of a man wore large, sleek shades, and had a small amount of facial hair.

Hana ground his teeth hard as he felt around in his pocket for no more than a second.

"Kono yarouuuu..." Hana cursed. "You LET GO OF ME!!!"

A brick-red stone not unlike a primitive, carved blade rolled through Hana's fingers. This was his prized Futsu no Mitama.

And it shot up in between the legs of the tall, hairy monster.

"EHHHHH...YAAH..." the thing howled as its mouth started to foam. It wobbled a little, grabbed its crotch, and fell face first to the pavement. The creature appeared defeated.

Hana had had a feeling that it was male.

Just to be safe, though, Hana turned on his heel and made haste. However, he was not quick enough to escape the monster's long fingers latching onto the belt loop directly above Hana's rear end.

"Don't...you dare..." Did all monsters have familiar voices?

"I said get AWAY, you SICKO!!" Hana cried. He felt his straps cut into his shoulders from being pulled in the opposite direction his feet headed.

"Hana-san, that is quite enough." Matamune appeared in front the small shaman.

"Mata...?" Hana looked on incredulously. "Hey, why don't you HELP ME GET RID OF THIS CREEP?!"

"All right." Rising, the monster lifted Hana up with ease, although the beast itself continued to shake. "To think that I just came to give you lift, Little Master."

In the long, hairy arms of the strange animal-like being, Hana was eye level with it. Well, he would be, if he could see its eyes. He swiftly brushed the hair away with his chubby little fingers.

Immediately upon revealing the face of his stalker, Hana was relieved. "Ryuuuu!" The terror of not more than a minute ago received a great big hug.

"Aww..." Ryu smiled at the realization that Hana's small arms could not even touch his shoulderblades, but he soon resumed wincing. His member was still throbbing. Matamune sighed deeply and smiled. It was fortunate that Ryu had a big heart, and undying loyalty to Hana's father.

"Wow, you scared me!" Hana exclaimed cutely through the snuggle. "I've never seen your hair all down and long and stuff!"

"Hm? In all your six years of life?" Ryu chuckled. "Well, I guess if you're not even worldly enough to know what I look like without my 'do, you shouldn't be running away from home."

Matamune crept into the truck to resume reading. Hana's arms peeled away. "Hey, put me down, now, Ossan."

"What?" Ryu asked blankly. "Why?"

Hana struggled, but Ryu wouldn't let him go. The frustrated child frowned. "Because I'm not going back to school. I hate it there, anyways. And I can't learn anything that will bring together the Legendary Warriors."

Ryu laughed a little. "But Hana, what about the part that kept me in school as long as it did?"

Hana tilted his bushy head to the side. "What's that?"

"All the hot girls, of course!" Ryu stated matter-of-factly as he winked.

"..." Hana grimaced and stuck his tongue out. "Nyeeh, gross. Besides, the girls think it's funny to throw dandelions all over me all of the time."

Ryu shifted Hana's weight to the other arm and lowered his sunglasses. He knew what the boy's hang-up was. "You don't have that girly a name."

"I'm no Flower." Pouting, Hana looked away.

"No, but you are the spitting image of both your parents. Your name should be worn proudly."

"Ryu?"

"Yes?"

"Put me down!" Hana gripped his Futsu no Mitama a little tighter and brought it once more into view with a mischievous smirk.

Ryu stared at Hana, undaunted by the wordless threat. "Bocchan...you're not going to school today, you know."

Hana blinked quickly. "Just like last time?"

Ryu snorted, "You mean just like the last couple times?"

With a bright smile, Hana told Ryu, "Let me ride in the back again, Ryu?"

A couple minutes later, the truck accelerated with three passengers in tow.

In Beijing...

"This is our stop," said the woman to her partner. She drew a significant amount of attention to herself on that train. It wasn't only because she was shrouded in a heavy black cloak that concealed her body to a ridiculous extent, but because in a sea of dark-haired Chinamen, the golden hair that occasionally peeked from her hood attracted light like nothing else in the entire car. Her eyes were determined to keep down, and they resembled blue-tinged pearls. However still her eyes were, the tone of her voice rose ever so slightly the next time she spoke.

"Moshimoshi?" The woman muttered, prodding the man next to her.

His response was a loud snore.

She kept a solemn face, but she smiled inside. He's such an obaka...

The "idiot" was tall, but not as tall as Ryu. Besides, that was not very apparent when he was slumped in an uncomfortable position one would never guess was used for rest. He was wrapped in a long white cloak that was left hanging open to show his perceptibly dirty, (once) white, long-sleeved shirt and a very baggy pair of black pants. His dirt-encrusted, sandaled feet tapped the floor while he slept—this was a habit usually reserved for when he listened to his music. His hair was the color of dark chocolate; almost black. It was also twice as long as the woman's, with long bangs that covered his closed eyes. His lips were smile-plastered as he drooled in his dormant state.

The blonde sighed. She looked up for a split second at the lethargic one's bulky orange headphones, which were resting behind his ears. Without so much as a blink, her hands poked out of their sleeves and her small, princesslike fingers pulled the cupped headphones apart from his head. Then, she let go; they clapped over his ears loudly.

"ITAIIII—!!!" The man shouted with a jump, his legs flying up. Falling out of his seat, he now attracted even more attention than before.

He was definitely awake now.

Turning his head quickly to the left and right, his gaze eventually settled on the woman in black.

"Let's go," she said coolly. "That attendant has been waiting to push us off."

The man grinned. "Oh. I see." Standing up and brushing himself off, he waved a friendly hand at the car attendant. The attendant was obviously perplexed by the two inconspicuous travelers. "Forgive me! Have a nice day!" He had a goofy grin that spread from ear to ear across his sharp, attractive face.

The woman brushed past him towards the door, and tugged lightly on his cloak.

He felt it tighten. He had known her long enough to realize that that meant, "We should have been off of this train five minutes ago." So, he bowed and quickly jumped off to join the black-concealed woman.

When the both of them were off, passengers still on the ride continued to keep their eyes glued out the window. It was impossible not to notice the two, and it was almost as hard to keep from staring.

The train began rolling again. The cloaked lady who had just gotten off would not waste any time. She started to briskly make her way through the many people in the station. The man with her tried to keep up, taken aback at her hurry and hoping that they would not become separated.

"Anna!" he resorted to calling.

The woman stopped for him and turned around. "I'm right here. A meter in front of you."

"I know..." The man in dingy white scratched behind his neck. "I just worry about you, is all. Are you okay?"

"Yes," she replied quietly and without feeling.

"Sure? That was a long train ride, after all, I'd understand—"

"You know that I can handle myself."

That silly grin came across his face again. "Yes, my Sweet. But can you handle yourself plus one?"

"I told you, I'm just fine. It's not like you to worry, so stop it."

"...Are you hungry...?" he whispered gently to her.

She paused a moment. "Starved."

"Aww, why didn't you say so, My Love? I'm so sorry."

"Don't be sorry," she said shortly. "There's no reason. You didn't do anything." In her heart, though, of course she knew that he did. If it wasn't for him, she wouldn't be in her current state.

"But you're hungry, right?!" He had an anxious look on his face.

"Yes, but-"

"Let's go, then!"

The woman called Anna sighed for the tenth time since they boarded the train in the first place. "Keep it down," she ordered in a soft voice.

"Huh? What's wrong?"

"I told you to keep your Japanese down. It draws attention to us."

"Oh. Sumasen."

They continued on, with the all of the eyes on Beijing's streets following them wherever they went.

Whether they spoke any language at all or not.