AN: Thank you for the reviews, I appreciate your comments. Also, thank you to Valasca for helping get this story started.
Hirato walked into the command area aboard the first ship where first ship captain Tsukitachi sat in a chair with his head down on the dash board. Hirato sighed and walked over to the sleeping captain. Bending down next to him he asked, "Find any candidates?" Tsukitachi bolted upright at hearing the second ship captain speak.
"N-No, not yet! But I'm still looking!" Tsukitachi exclaimed, embarrassed that he had been caught sleeping on the job. Soon after Hirato had left, Tsukitachi had continued looking at the files but quickly got bored and ended up falling asleep. He glanced at the time, 'Guess I've been asleep for longer than I thought.'
"While you're at it, I want to look up a couple files for me under the names Gareki and Nai," Hirato said as he moved to stand behind Tsukitachi's chair. Tsukitachi did as he was asked and pulled up the two files. The file under the name Gareki contained a picture of the boy he had met earlier but hardly anything else. It had his first name, age, and a small description of him. Likewise, Nai's file was about the same, containing only the basic information.
"Can I ask why you wanted to see their files?" Tsukitachi asked. If he had looked at the files when they applied, he wouldn't have given them a second thought, after all, there was nothing remarkable about the teenagers that would have caught his attention.
"I think we may have just found this year's candidates." Hirato said with a grin. He pulled out his cell phone a dialed a certain blond haired lieutenants number. "Yogi, it's me. I need you to do something for me."
Figuring that soon can't be good, Gareki didn't want to stick around and wait for the captain to return so he began walking to put as much distance between him and the Circus area as possible. It was ten minutes to midnight and after he hears the chime of the large area clock he can go home and forget this day ever happened. After walking nearly a mile of random turns and streets he still sensed the boy following him. "Hey, why do you keep following me? Don't you have somewhere you need to be?" Gareki was getting annoyed at being followed around by a lost puppy.
"U-Um Gareki's the nicest person I met today and I was hoping to go where Gareki goes," Nai said jogging to keep up with him.
'Great, doesn't this kid know anything about following strangers?' Gareki thought with a sigh as he turned to the kid. "Look Nai—" Gareki was intercepted by the chime of the clock, indicating that it was midnight. At the same time the chime rang, his phone vibrated twice indicating he had two new accepted applications. Gareki pulled out his phone and looked at the messages. One text read, "Congratulations, you have been accepted into Kafka." The other read, "Congratulations, you have been accepted into Circus." 'What?! I've been accepted?' Gareki thought as he looked over at Nai who was also checking his phone.
"Did Gareki get accepted into Circus too?" Nai asked with a bright smile.
'So he got accepted too?' Gareki couldn't shake the feeling that something was up with that captain they had met earlier.
Now he had decide if he wanted to go to Kafka, Circus or to return home. His current life was a struggle, but that is all that he has known his entire life. Although it was unpleasant, he was familiar with the environment and wasn't sure if he wanted to leave that behind. On the other hand, he had just been accepted into the top two organizations in the world and this was a once in a lifetime chance. For a moment he had considered going to Kafka but was it wise to join the enemy of Circus? He was also suspicious as to why he had been accepted into Kafka, he hasn't even met anyone from that organization and he doubted his application was good enough to get their attention.
The people in the street began clearing away, going to the organizations they had been accepted into. Glancing over at Nai, Gareki knew he didn't have much of a choice now. Nai would follow him no matter where he went and he really didn't feel like taking care of a kid in the 2000 district. 'Now where do we...'
"Um are you Gareki and Nai?" said a slightly high voice behind them. Gareki turned around and to look at the person who had spoke to them. His eyes rested on a young blond haired male who was wearing a long sleeved light yellow shirt that was ripped at the bottom, green pants and brown boots that nearly went up to his knees.
"Who's asking?" Gareki said, not willing to give out information unless he knew who he was talking to.
"My name is Yogi and I am the lieutenant of the second ship, I'm here to pick up a Gareki and Nai and bring them with me," Yogi said with a smile.
"Circus?!" exclaimed an unknown voice. "You mean to tell me that these kids got accepted into Circus and I didn't?" The trio turned to see a group of men approaching them. The in the front, whom they assumed had just spoken, had his fists clutched in anger.
"I-I'm sorry but Hirato doesn't think you meet the requirements," Yogi said attempting, and failing, to calm the man down.
"Why don't you stop whining like a child and go to the organization that was willing to let someone like you join," Gareki said coolly. The guy stepped closer, easily towering over the raven haired teenager.
"I could crush a punk like you with one hand tied behind my back," the man said, grabbing Gareki by the front of his shirt.
"U-Um please no fighting! Can't we all just get along here?" Nai said trying to step between the two.
"Don't bother Nai, this guys probably been beaten so many time he doesn't know when to stay down." Gareki said. He saw the man's movement when it started. The man had raised his fist back and was bringing it down to his face but before Gareki could react, the man was already on the ground, pinned beneath Yogi.
"Fighting is not allowed here, those who insist on fighting will be put under arrest." Yogi said keeping the man in a hold. The rest of the guys who had come with their "Leader" moved to attack Yogi but in less than thirty seconds, all men were down on the ground. Gareki watched in amazement as Yogi took down each person with ease not even breaking a sweat. Maybe Circus was the right organization to join after all. "What a relief, I'm glad that's over. I get so nervous every time I have to fight," Yogi said breathing out a sigh of relief. "I'll send someone down to pick these guys up later but for now will you two come with me?"
Before either Gareki or Nai could respond Yogi had wrapped an arm around their waist and flew into the air. "Wow, amazing!" Nai exclaimed as they climbed higher and higher. Gareki looked up and saw the blue bottom of the famous Circus ship. As they were flying closer, Gareki noticed there was no opening on the bottom and it looked like they were going to crash into it. Gareki subconsciously gripped tightly onto Yogi and braced himself for the collision, but it never came. Instead, they came into the entrance hall of the second ship.
"Don't worry Gareki, I wouldn't let you get hurt," Yogi said smiling at him. Gareki looked away to hide his embarrassment. "I'm home!"
"Welcome back, Welcome back," the sheep exclaimed.
"You two say it too," Yogi told them.
"I'm home!" Nai said to the sheep.
"I'm home..." Gareki said as well. 'What a weird saying.'
"Voice recognition confirmed," the sheep reply.
It was late in the evening and Gareki and Nai were sitting across from Hirato on the couches in his office. After Yogi had finished giving them a very thorough tour of the ship, they had been led to Hirato's office. The office consisted of a dark wood desk that sat in front of huge ceiling to floor windows that took up the entire wall. Books lined the two other walls and in the middle of the room were the two couches that the three people in the room now occupied.
"I'm glad that you two decided to join Circus," Hirato said, breaking the silence that had descended on the room.
"Tsk, not that you gave us much choice," Gareki mumbled to himself. 'Whether we wanted to come or not that blonde haired weirdo was going to bring us anyway.'
"As you know, Circus is a defense organization that serves the government. We perform the jobs that the police and government officials can not," Hirato explained, ignoring Gareki's earlier statement. "All Circus members wear a Circus I.D. that allows them certain abilities such as flying, which you witnessed earlier. Before either of you two become official fighters of Circus you must complete your training and therefore will not participate in raids until then. You will learn more about Circus the longer you spend on the ship, there is far too much to teach you right now. Tomorrow you two have a physical with our doctor Akari and begin your training. For now, Yogi will show you to your rooms."
Yogi entered through the door as if he had been waiting for a signal. "Gareki, Nai, this way!" Yogi said a little too excitedly. As the two walked out, Gareki lingered behind.
"Hirato, can I ask something?" Gareki asked a little unsure.
"Yes what is it," Hirato replied turning his full attention to the raven haired teen.
"Why exactly did you accept us? There was nothing on my application that should have been interesting to you and Nai certainly doesn't know how to fight."
Hirato smiled as he studied the teen. "We all have our reasons Gareki, you'll find that out soon." The statement was final and told Gareki that wasn't going to get anymore information out of the captain so he nodded his head and left. Yogi and Nai were waiting for him when he left the room and they began walking down the maze of hallways. Yogi and Nai talked the entire time but Gareki didn't care to join their conversation.
They reached the area where their rooms were. Gareki's room was right next to Nai's room. Because they were now members of Circus, they each received their own rooms. "Um...Lets see...the cafeteria is down the hall to the right, the training area is to the left and each room has it's own bathroom so you guy's should be set. My room is only three doors down so come to my room if you need anything or get lonely," Yogi said cheerfully to them.
Gareki rolled his eyes and walked into his room shutting the door. The clock over on the side read 2:30 am and Gareki realized how exhausted he was. Throwing his coat onto the chair that was sitting next to the desk in the room, Gareki fell onto his bed, still fully clothed. He closed his eyes, falling to sleep almost instantly. 'Tomorrow's going to be long day'