Disclaimer: Don't own anything. Yeah.

Chapter 2: Where am I?

The first thing Ienzo realized when he was semiconscious was that he wasn't dead. Which was a shock, because most people die after getting hit head on with a van. The second thing he realized was that this wasn't where he lived & he could hear voices. Keeping his eyes closed, he listened to what they were saying. You can never be too cautious when you're a 12 year old. A very, very molestible cute 12 year old with bright blue eyes and a weak body.

"When do you think he'll wake up?" a deep voice said. "He's been out cold for a few hours now." Ienzo guessed the voice belonged to someone in their 30's.

"Any time now. Though, I'd probably be asleep to if I got hit by a car." This voice was new. It was strict and reminded him of an old lady.

"That's what you said over an hour ago. What's happened to this kid any way? Ansem the Wise just come in here carring the kid in here saying we should watch him. No questions asked. How old is he? Like, 7?" The deep voice spoke.

Ienzo hated it when people always thought he was younger than he actually was, so he couldn't help but sit up & say "I'm 12, you numbskull."

"About time." The man mumbled. The man had black hair & odd ears. By odd I mean they were pointed. He looked like an elf, only tall. He was wearing a white lab coat and white pants. He also had a scar on his face and was wearing an eye patch. Ienzo was thrown between either calling him an elf man or pirate. He finally decided on elf pirate.

"Okay, mister elf pirate. Could you tell me where I am & why in the name of all that is holy am I here?" Ienzo asked.

"For one thing kid, my name's Braig." The pirate elf spoke irritated.

"For another," the old lady voice said "you're in Ansem the Wise's castle. As for why you're here, I don't know. Sir Ansem just brought you in here & told us to take care if you." The person who said it wasn't an old lady at all. It was a man with blond hair. It went a little past his shoulders. He had brown eyes that mixed with green. Like the elf man he wore a whit lab coat and pants and black shoes. He, like his voice, looked somewhat like an old hag. "My name is Even."

The blue haired, bright eyed boy was just about to state Even looked like an old hag when the door opened and the man he had saved came in. Immediately, both men in the room bowed. It was kind of like a robot programmed them to do it because it was like automatic. The man just smiled warmly and nodded at the two of them, but when he saw Ienzo was up his smile grew wider.

"Well, it looks like our little patient is up and running. Tell me, what's your name?" His voice was so kind & warm Ienzo just couldn't help but answer.

"Ienzo, sir." He said shakily.

"My name is Ansem. Ienzo, I'd like to thank you for saving my life. What would you say to having dinner with my apprentices and I?" he asked.

"Well, sir Ansem, any other day I'd say yes but I have to deliver a package to-." He stopped suddenly realizing he didn't have the package. "Oh my god! Where is it, where is it? Oh, Cid's gonna kill me for losing this. I was supposed to deliver it and now it's gone! I might have dropped it! I'll never find it then! Oh no!" Ienzo had a scared and shocked face with tears threatening to fall.

"Well, Ienzo, you see when you pushed me out of the way you dropped the package and it was run over by the truck." Seemingly out of no where Ansem pulled the package out of thin air. It was crumpled and down the middle was a flat line in the shape of a tire.

"Aw, crap. What time is it anyway? I promised Cid I'd be back before dark. I couldn't have been out that long, right?" Ienzo asked hopefully. He wanted at least on good thing to happen to day. Apparently, lady luck wasn't on his side today…

"Actually, it's 7:30. You've been out for a long time."

"What! I've got to get home!" Ienzo said worriedly. But before he could take even on step, a hand was put on his shoulder. He looked up to see Braig.

"Kid, if you want to get to old man Highwind's place, you'll have to go in the morning. It takes half an hour to get to town, then an hour and a half to get to that part of town. You'd have to be crazy to go out right now."

"He's right." Ansem the Wise said "You'll have to bunk with Braig tonight."

"Okay." He turned to Braig. "What'd you mean I'd have to be crazy to be out there? I know it's late, but nothing bad has ever happened here. Right?" The 12 year old asked.

Ienzo watched as Braig & Even exchanged glances with Ansem as if asking something. The expression on their faces were nervous. Ansem gave a nod in return as if saying O.k. Then, Even turned to the young boy and said:

"Promise me you won't tell anyone what you're about to hear, alright?"

He just nodded.

"Okay, you see a few people around town have recently been dyeing. Though not normally. These people are perfectly healthy nice people, and there is no sign of murder, forced entry, poison, or any heart attacks. It doesn't make any sense."

It might of not made any sense to them or any one else, but it made perfect sense to him. He had a suspicion of what as doing this but they don't live here and they're supposed to be extent… right? He wasn't going to jump to conclusions right now.

"And that is why you can't go out at night."

Ienzo just nodded again.

There was an uncomfortable silence….

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"Well" Ansem said breaking the silence "Look at the time! 8:00 already! Time for bed!"

"Yes sir." They all said in usin. (A/N The spell check won't bring up if usin is right or not. It's probably wrong.)

And with that they went off to bed.

.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.

Cid had dirty blond hair, smoked, a fatherly attitude, and was very strong. That's why when he opened the door to see Ienzo standing there; he immediately picked him up into a hug that made it so Ienzo could hardly breathe.

"Oh, I was so worried when you didn't come home. I was just about to go out again to look. I already looked last night! I was so worried." His voice then became slightly angry as he put the younger down. "Where the heck were you? I was worried sick."

Ienzo had a sorry face. "ButCiditwasn'tmyfault!Therewasacar,andmepassingout'causeofmepushingAnsemoutoftheway,andandandI'MSOSORRY!PLEASEFORGIVEME!"

"Okay, okay I forgive you! Just calm down."

"Okay…"

"You understood all that?" asked Ansem who nobody noticed from behind Ienzo.

"'Coarse. I've lived wit' him for 5 years. It's kind of hard not to." Cid said, not taking his eyes off Ienzo who was at that moment hugging Cid to death.

"My name is Ansem the Wise." Ansem said holding out his hand.

Cid then looked up and vigorously shook his hand. "I'm sorry for not noticing you before Ansem, sir. Please, come in, come in!" And with that he ushered them inside.

Done! Sorry for not putting to much action in here, but I thought it was pretty good for a filler chap, right? Right? Oh, who am I kidding? That sucked! By the way if you couldn't tell what Ienzo was saying it was this: "But Cid it wasn't my fault! There was a car, and me passing out 'cause I pushed Ansem out of the way and, and, and I'm so sorry! Please forgive me!" Please review MORE! Next chap. will be what happens inside and mabye more if I'm in the mood. The next chap. will also have something important too.