Chapter 2: A Gypsy Life
"The fesival is coming soon!" Ritsuka was practically bouncing where he stood as he gave the news to their (all gypsy's) 'king'.
Their supposed 'king' was laying on a pile of hay, without a care in the world and a bottle of liquor in hand... Just as usual. To anyone he would have looked like some drunk bum, which he kinda was at times, but to Ritsuka, Nisei and every other gypsy, he was a good man... He, was king. Actually he really wasn't their king. He was just a caring, pure hearted gypsy, that others just happened to look up to and respect. He took care of them, he was the one who found this abandoned part of the kingdom and turned it into all gypsy's home. He is their savior, their protector, he is, their king.
"Kio!" Ritsuka whined at the kings laid backness. "The festival."
Kio sighed, smiling at the eager young gypsy befor taking a swig of the alcohol and blowing on a small torch above his head, causing it to grow tremendously, lighting up the night sky before returning to it's normal size. He could pull off being a dragaon born into a gypsy's body and thats kinda what he represented, a dragon. Dragons are supposedly flashy and so was he. His whole attire was red and full of vibrant colors, he had more piercings on his body then Ritsuka had fingers on his hands, the same goes with his jewls and bangles, and his voice always had a hint of enthusiasm.
With in seconds of the fires disappearance gypsys of all sizes and all kinds came out of hiding. Young, old, short, tall, dancers, jugglers, sword swallowers, hand walkers, all of them came out to see why their king had called upon them.
Ritsuka sat down on a wooden crate, smiling as he watched and listen to Kio give everyone the news about the festival. Everyone one was already smiling and talking about what they where going to do to entertain the people of the kingdom. Usually they wouldn't care if they were entertained by their acts and talents, but on the Festival of Fools day they cared greatly. Only reason being on that day the more they were entertained, the more money they would give to the gypsys. That was the main reason gypsys like the festival, but it was not Ritsuka's reason for liking the festival. He liked the festival because he enjoyed it, the colors, the atmosphere, the fun and he also liked that everyone got along, the people of the kingdom wouldn't treat them wrong or look down upon them on that day, they treated them almost fairly and that was what the young gypsy liked the most.
"Though this year I ask you to be careful due to last years events."
Last year two of mischievous gypsys had decided to tease and play jokes on the actual king, ever since then punishment on gypsys had been more severe.
"The king needs to learn how to take a joke!"
Everyone turned to see who had spoke though everyone subconsciously already knew who it was. A hand walker, more specific, their king's slightly younger twin sister. She walked her way to her brother, on her hands, and plopped down on the pile of hay where he stood.
"Besides it was nothing but harmless fun." She turned her head to the others. "Right?"
"Yeah!" They all readily agreed with her. Kio may have been their King but she was practically their Queen.
Kio sighed. "Still be careful. The last thing we need to do is give the king a reason to behead us all." Everyone made a face, displeasured by the thought.
"Meeting adjourn." With that he walked off and into one of the abandoned buildings, his home.
Everyone started to walk away, some talking about what they had planned and others not saying anything, still feeling uneasy about the whole beheading thing, Ritsuka being one of them. He was still sitting on the small crate, rubbing his neck with slight grimace.
"So what do you have planned, hmm?" Ritsuka looked up, there he saw Nisei helping the king's sister, Chouma, to her feet.
"Nothing special."
She pouted. "Hmm, how boring." She turned her head towards Ritsuka. "What about you Chibi?"
"Uh, I don't know."
"Probably some distasteful dance." Nisei stuck his tongue out, teasing the cat eared gypsy.
"I don't think 'I' am the one to do something distasteful."
Nisei opened his mouth to retort, but Chouma had beat him to it.
"Why dont you two do another dance off." She plopped herself onto the crate next to Ritsuka, she could never stand for too long. "The one you two did this morning really seemed to excite people."
Ritsuka and Nisei looked at each other for awhile thinking and questioning the other.
Nisei finally spoke. "It'd be boring. I'd just beat him again." He sneered.
"Hey!"
Chouma laughed and rubbed Ritsuka's hair between his cat ears. "Then why dont you two just dance together? It could be fun."
"No thanks, I don't feel like being assaulted by someone like him."
"Please Loveless, you wish." He flicked Ritsuka's cat ear causing the young one to yelp at the sudden sensation.
Nisei and Chouma laughed at Ritsuka's ear sensitivity and his adorable innocence. Ritsuka's face turned red as his ears went down.
"Im going to bed." He huffed, walking away.
"You really like him dont you?" Nisei looked down at Chouma, with a slightly threatening look, not that he would ever hurt her.
"I dont like anyone. Dont want to, dont need to, not going to."
"First off, thats sad and second thats not what I ment. I ment that for all the years I've known you, you've never been close to anyone, other than me. Yet with Ritsuka you've seemed to have taken him under your wing."
Nisei rolled his eyes. "Your point?"
"You seem to be happier since you meet him."
Nisei looked away from the, slightly disabled, hand walker. He didn't really agree with what she was saying, he has always been a 'happy' person or at least a spirited one around her. It was very hard for the gypsy to trust anyone other than Chouma, his friend of ten years, but when he meet Ritsuka he saw himself when he was left alone, left alone with nothing and no one... Left to become the world problem and live or die on his own.
Another memory of his childhood played in his mind.
He was seven, only seven. He was leaning against a wall try his hardest to stand, knowing that if he fell he would have cared enough or even want to get up. The two people closest to him, left him. They didn't care. If he fell he knew there would be no point in getting back up. His eyes started to water and the tears started to run down his cheeks... he fell to the floor.
"Nisei?"
"They left you didn't they?" He shakingly nodded his head, sniffling as he wiping his nose with his sleeve.
"Nisei?!"
"Come on. It's not safe here at night."
"NISEI!"
He blinked for amoment and looked around, that felt too vivid. He could almost feel the warmth of his tears on his face. He placed his fingertips under his eyes to make sure they weren't actually there, luckily after learning how to mask and disguise his emotions for so long the tears weren't.
"Nisei?" He looked at her. "Are you okay?"
"Come on. It's not safe here at night."
Nisei smiled, Chouma was the only person he needed to trust, the only person he wanted to trust. "Im fine, just tired."
She laughed. "Good, now will you help me to my feet so that I may balence?"
He put his hand out for her and she took it greatly. After he had help her to her feet and she felt sturdy enough to walk, she waved him off and headed towards her's and her brother's abandon building home.
He yawned as he too headed for a place to sleep, peacefully and safely.
...
Ritsuka lied down on his back on top of a raggedy, but still very soft and comfy bed, his head turned towards the window. He looked out at the almost full moon.
'Why does it still hurt?'
He gripped his shirt over his heart.
'Those eyes.'
He blushed.
'That smile.'
He bit his lip. His tail curled up to hug his body as he felt that shivering chill go down his spin once again.
"Stupid Nisei." When Nisei had flicked his ear earlier for some reason the sensation caused him to think of that man out side of the school building, Agatsuma.
Ritsuka rolled over onto his side away from the moon light, his hand still clench his heart.
'Why does it hurt?'
...
Ritsuka smiled happily as he looked around, it was morning and practicly every gypsy was practicing for their acts, talents and shows. He wasn't doing anything other than watching and walking around, there was still a week till the festival so he had plenty of time to practice his dance and stuff.
"Look out Loveless." Ritsuka turned around at the warning and smiled and laughed as a gypsy on very tall stilts walked over him. The gypsy smiled. "Sorry"
Ritsuka just responded by smiling and laughing more.
"Procrastinating Loveless."
He turned back around. "Im just enjoying the show Beloved."
"I thought so."
"Thought what?"
"That you're going to end up just like me."
Ritsuka actual made a face. "I would never give myself to anybody, no matter how much they offered."
"I wasn't talking about that. You procrastinating your dances, you're a dancer, you have a stage name and you were sucked into this life at a young age."
Nisei leaned closer. "Face it chibi, you're going to end up just like me."
Ritsuka looked at him for amoment. Nisei wasn't a bad guy he was just, mischievous and cold at times. There really wouldn't be anything wrong with him ending up like Nisei, still something about that didn't sound good.
" And for your information, I've never slept with any of these commoners."
"No, but you do give them thier own private show. Do you not?"
Nisei leaned against a wall as Loveless sat on a high stone next to him. "... It makes for good money." Beloved shrugged looking up towards the sky.
The life of a gypsy was never perfect nor was it easy. Fun, free, entertaining and exciting at times, yes, but it was also very dangerous. Half the people here hated them, calling them vulgar, repolsive, despicable, etc. Then there was the half that liked them, which is the half that every gypsy has to worry about. One out every ten men would always like you abit too much and they would be willing to do anything to get you, even if you didn't want them. There was also the part of not having enough money to buy something to eat, harassment of the gaurds, harassment of commoners, continuously being accused of using magic, the inhumane way others would treat them. At times it was awful.
Nisei sighed 'Why?'
Ritsuka looked at his... friend? Honestly, Ritsuka didn't even know what to call his teenaged companion. Nisei would constently pick, tease and mess with the younger gypsy. He would even abandon him if the gaurds came around looking for one of them, but he would also go and rescue him if he was ever caught by one. Basically thier relationship was a love hate one, the hate generally coming from Nisei's part. Despite every lie, betrayal and deception, Ritsuka didn't have the heart to hate the older gypsy, he didn't have the heart to hate anybody. And besides Ritsuka knew Nisei well enough to know that he wasn't actually trying to be mean, it was just the way the older gypsy was.
"Hey, what made you think about your parents the other day?" Nisei's eyes never left the sky.
That man flashed into Ritsuka's head along with Miss Shinonome and that peasant girl Yuiko, but he stood out more over the others.
"Nothing. Just a random thought." He was looking at the floor. If Nisei looked at him he would be able to tell he was lying.
"It's been two years and you haven't thought about them before. So why now?"
"... Nisei, when was the last time you saw your parents?"
Nisei tugged at Ritsuka's ear. "You really shouldn't ask personal questions Chibi." He let go and walked away. "It's impolite."
"Im impolite?"