Author's Notes: This chapter is where we start seeing more canon characters, and more of the other OCs. Next chapter, more things will start getting explained, but this one introduces two characters who are going to be among the main group. Reviews are loved and appreciated!

Disclaimer: -coughs- Kingdom Hearts and The World Ends With You belong to Square Enix. Gundam Wing belongs to Sunrise and Sotsu and Bandai. xxxHolic is owned by CLAMP. Original characters belong to myself, LadyNyoko, novastrike, Isritial, and Grif Rainchild.

royaume coeur: déteignant étoile

By KaidaPoi

Chapter Two: The Reaper and the Seer

He didn't want to be in another war. He'd been just happy running the scrapyard with Hilde, doing the occasional job for the Preventers when they needed his skills. But now...now, the world was no longer safe. And more refugees arrived every day. He frowned. That reminded him...he needed to check up on Kaida. He needed to get her back for the chalk dust he'd found in his face a couple of days ago when he opened his locker. He STILL couldn't figure out who she'd gotten to help her, since she couldn't go into the men's lockers. The cobalt-eyed nineteen year old sighed and stopped, stepping closer to the outer wall of a building so he wasn't blocking the sidewalk. At least it wasn't raining anymore. His little prank war and back-and-forth teasing with the odd girl was one of the things that was keeping him sane...Une probably knew it, too. Otherwise, the pranks he and Kaida played on each other wouldn't be allowed.

A commotion caught his attention, causing him to look up from his thoughts. He frowned and made his way over, nodding to a few people he recognized. A crowd had started gathering around a rather delicate-looking teenage girl, passed out in the middle of the sidewalk. From the way people were talking, she hadn't been there a moment before. Which meant she was a refugee. There was also something distinctly odd about her, even considering she wasn't from his world. He moved through the crowd, shooing people away as he looked the girl over. No obvious injuries, likely rather short (then again, most people were 'rather short' to him, since he stood at a good 6-foot and wasn't done growing), VERY delicate looking, dressed in an almost doll-like fashion with a messenger bag slung across her chest. She was pale, with ash brown hair to her shoulder blades, and clutched something to her chest like a lifeline. What surprised him most was the glint of gold at her throat...she wore a crucifix pendant on a gold chain.

As soon as he'd shooed the last gawker away, she startled awake, her voice holding a soft quality to it, despite the fear and panic lacing it.

"Masaharu!" The young man knelt down next to the girl, smiling apologetically.

"Nobody showed up here but you, babe. 'Fraid you lost your world, if you've showed up here." The girl looked to him with eyes that were so pale a gray that they were practically silver. There was panic in her eyes, more than had been in her voice.

"He's gone...I'm going to be Erased. Dear God..." He raised a brow, curious as to what the hell she was talking about. She didn't give any explanation...simply looked at what she'd been holding, surprised by it. She seemed to think for a moment...then looked to him, determination trying to oust the panic in her eyes. She grabbed one of his hands and pressed a circular metal something into it. "My name is Alais Kibou. Make a Pact with me." He looked at her funny.

"Whoa, lady! I don't know what drugs you're on but..." She shook her head.

"I wouldn't defile myself with such things. Please...you've got to make a Pact with me!" There was a pleading tone in her voice and a look in her eyes that made him sigh and nod.

"Alright. My name's Duo Maxwell. I'll make a Pact with you, Alais." The moment he finished speaking, a feeling washed over him, starting at the circular thing in his hand. It was a feeling of strength shared and amplified. As if sensing his confusion (or seeing it on his face), the girl giggled.

"We're connected now, you and I. Until I can find a way to get Masaharu back." She moved to stand, dusting herself off. "Take good care of the pin. It belongs to someone very dear to me. I...I owe you. I would have been Erased if you hadn't taken Masaharu's place in the Pact." Duo was a little dumbfounded, staring at the object in his hand. It was a black pin, the sort that usually had witty phrases on it. Except there was no phrase on it; only a graffiti-style white skull symbol.

"Right...mind explaining that stuff to me? You're talking Latin at me." For someone who had lost their world, she seemed awfully calm...Her smile didn't help.

"I'm dead. Where I'm from, some people get a chance to play a game, the Reaper's Game, in order to get a second chance at life. My friend Masaharu and I were playing. When you lose your partner, you have only a few minutes before you're Erased yourself. You saved me from that happening. Which means I have a chance to figure things out." Duo was still a little dumbfounded...but nodded. Well...it wasn't often you came across someone with a cool head about loosing their world. But she had one.

"Come on...I'll take you to someone who can explain the refugee thing better to you and make sure you get someplace to stay." He pulled a cell phone out, as he started leading her elsewhere. "Hey, Nichol. Is Kaida in? Yuuko's? Mmkay. Thanks!" He hung up and changed direction. Alais kept a steady pace just a little behind him the entire way to Yuuko Ichihara's shop. Duo led her in, and saw her shiver slightly as they went through the gate. He smiled reassuringly at her, then made for Yuuko's sitting room. "Yuuko! I brought someone Kaida needs to talk to!"

"I've seen this place..." She looked around in awe, and Duo had a feeling she wasn't talking about seeing it in real life. He looked into the sitting room, and was surprised. Kaida and Yuuko weren't alone. A young man only a couple of inches taller than Kaida sat at the table with them, his orange-amber eyes now on he and Alais. Everything about him screamed of a fighter, from the scars littering the pale skin that wasn't covered by a deep blue yukata to the hard look in the eyes. Yuuko smiled slightly and beckoned the two in.

"And thus two more of our players show up. Sit." Alais looked Yuuko over...then nodded and took a seat beside the young man. Duo saw the guy stiffen and scoot over an inch or two. Alais didn't seem to notice. Duo himself sat next to Kaida, giving her a grin.

"I brought you a new refugee, after Yuuko's done talking." Kaida nodded, and turned her attention back to Yuuko. Duo followed suite.