Chapter 5: Evade
There are two ways one could hurt a gypsy. The best way is to taking away their talent whether it be dance, juggling, acrobatics or handwalking. The guards will often break a hand or a foot depending on what their talent is related to. However for those talents that can not be so easily taken away such as, fire breathing, 'magic wielding' and sword swallowing, they will hurt a friend of their's in their place, cause if you can not hurt someone physically the next best thing is to hurt the emotionally. Luckily for gypsy's people did not prefer the latter. They preferred to actually hurt the one that committed the 'crime' instead of an innocent, though that wasn't always true.
Sixteen year old Chouma giggled as she and thirteen year old Nisei ran behind a carriage hiding from a very irritated merchant, his face red to his ears.
"Where'd you brats go!?" He yelled looking around violently.
"What a moron." Nisei snickered as they watched the angry man from behind a wheel under the cart. "We're literally under his nose."
"Shows you how stupid commoners can be." Chouma smiled looking back from where they ran. "Hes not even paying attention to his stand anymore."
"Hmm?" Nisei looked over. There were some homeless kids stealing from the unoccupied stand, an older girl and a younger one, they seemed to be sisters as they had the same hair color and facial features.
"HEY!" The merchant yelled, noticing the two girls. He ran after them, but of course they disappeared before he could even reach his stand.
Chouma climbed out from under the carriage, dusting off her clothes as Nisei came out after her.
"We do all the hard stuff and in the end they're probably taking off with more then we did." Nisei's ears twitched, annoyed.
"They're homeless. What do you expect?" She looked at her friend. "Usually they only look out for themselves and those that don't-"
"Usually end up becoming a gypsy, I know. You say that, ALOT... Hey!" He yelped as she smacked the back of his head. "What was that for!?"
"Don't cut me off." She smiled.
Nisei just pouted and glared, still holding the back of his head.
She laughed. "Come on." She grabbed his hand. "It's getting dark."
He pulled his hand away. "Im not a baby." He mumbled as he followed her.
...
"It seems to get dark earlier now a days."
Chouma looked up. "Yeah, you maybe right."
They both turned at hearing footsteps behind them, though as soon as they did a man grabbed Chouma's arm.
"Hey! Let go!" She pulled.
"Chouma, the dancing sister to the fire breather Kio."
"Yeah! So what!?" She kept pulling.
He didn't respond and began taking her.
"Hey put her down!" Nisei demanded, but was just pushed away roughly onto the floor.
...
"It was just a few petty thefts just throw me in the slammer for a few weeks." Chouma yelled as her arms were chained to a table, the man that had taken her was guard.
He left with out saying a word.
"You are not here for any of the crimes you've committed." An old looking man in a black cloak stated.
"Then why am I here!?"
He walked over to her. "Because of your brother. He refuses to come out of that hiding hole, you people call a home, and take the punishment the king had ordered for his crimes."
"My brother has committed no crimes!"
"It's quiet a shame." He ignored her. "I loved to watch you dance." He ran his hand up her leg.
She quickly wrenched her leg from his touch and kicked him across the face. He stumbled a bit before coughing and spitting up blood. He glared at her, blood running down his nose and the corners of his mouth.
"Bring the boot." He ordered his assistants, his mouth was covered in blood.
Chouma tensed at the word. The boot was an instrument used to break ones foot, by placing said foot between the two stone rocks (that were shaped and chiseled to look like a boot) and twisting a handle over and over till the two stones got closer and closer (Not touch one another) till the foot was effectively broken.
Soon enough the boot was placed on her foot and she clenched her teeth shut and fought against her chains as tears rolled down her cheeks.
...
Now four years into the future, back at the present day, it is the night of the festival, after all the lights and music has died with everyone either resting, talking, or just simply remembering the fun they had.
Chouma sat twirling her foot. "Did you see their faces!?" She laughed. "Everyone loved me."
"I don't think everyone did. There were some guards that didn't seem too happy to see you." Her brother spoke with a smile.
"Hmm? I didn't notice." She smiled back.
...
"Loveless, what if I told you I wasn't heading back to the capital?" Beloved looked over his shoulder. "Would you still be following me?"
Ritsuka opened his mouth to respond, a little annoyed, but Nisei cut him off.
"Of course you would cause your afraid to walk these streets alone." He teased him, as always.
Ritsuka's ears flatted against his head. He didn't like being accused of being scared, even though he was afraid, he just didn't like being teased about it. After all what fourteen year old wouldn't be afraid of walking the streets alone at night!?
"You're afraid to walk alone at night too Nisei!"
"I am not."
"So if you were alone right now and one of your 'fans' came along, you wouldn't be scared?"
He stopped and turned around. "No." He leaned closer. "For I always have a trick or two up my sleeve." He looked Ritsuka head to toe and back to his eyes. "You should think about it too, a way to protect yourself." He began walking again. "I won't always be around to keep you safe."
Ritsuka shrunk into himself a bit. Thats what he feared, that no one would be around to protect him when he really needed it and its not as if he could
protect himself. He was already smaller and shorter then average and people often thought of him as feminine looking, especially with his big amethyst eyes and cute ears.
"Halt, Loveless and Beloved." A guard on a horse stepped around them blocking the path in front of them.
"Why hello officer." Nisei smiled, though his tone held no respect. "Have we done something wrong?" He asked already expecting the answer.
"By order from the king you two are to be captured and imprisoned for: The use of magic, theft, and for being a danger to the well being of the kingdom and its citizens."
Okay, he hadn't been expecting that. He didn't understand. Usually the guards would be the ones to take care of any crimes and laws that were broken. Why was the king getting involved? And why was Ritsuka's capturement apart of it too? As far as Nisei knew he had never done the first two and how could that chibi be a danger to anything? Something didn't seem right.
"You two are to come with me." He stated.
Ritsuka's ears flatted as he took a step back from the man and Nisei went a bit pale. He had always been afraid of being taken by a guard, ever since what happen to Chouma and with him being a dancer as well it only made him feel more uneasy about it... !
"You know, how about instead of you taking us to the jail cells we entertain you?" He batted his eyes.
"Nisei!?" Ritsuka screeched, appalled at what Nisei was implying. Even more so when he noticed the guard's blush and the sudden lust full look in his eyes.
Nisei grabbed Ritsuka's wrist and pulled him behind him, never breaking eye contact with the guard. "Well, what do you say?"
"I say no!" Ritsuka kept trying to pull his hand away, clearly not agreeing to this.
"Well." Came a drawled response.
Just as he spoke Nisei threw a small, marble sized, ball onto the floor. Soon as it made contact it exploded with a big puff of blue smoke, startled, the horse stepped back onto it's hind legs and his rider fell off with a grunt. As he got back to his feet and onto his horse he cursed as the smoke faded to reveal they had disappeared.
...
Chouma turned head to look towards the window, a weird feeling just rushed over her.
"Chouma, whats wrong?"
She ignored her brother and stayed looking towards the window. Something was off, she knew.
...
Nisei and Ritsuka where hiding in an alley way as the streets suddenly had guards patrolling them, no doubt looking for the two.
'What the hell?' Nisei was genuinely confused.
"What's going on?" And so was Ritsuka.
"Whatever it is its probably your fault." Okay yeah Nisei knew that it probably wasn't, but he just wanted someone to blame.
"Oh please! The guards have more of a reason to go after you then me. Especially with all your disappearing acts."
"Excuse me, that disappearing act just saved your hide."
"After you put it on the line!"
"I wish I could make you disappear right now."
"Oh really then why don't you!?"
They began bickering back and fourth as they tried to keep their voices low and hushed.
"Get Down!" Ritsuka pushed the both of them to crouch down on the floor as another guard on a horse passed by them.
They slowly peeked around to watch as he and his horse walked further down and turned behind a far away building.
Nisei stood up agitated. "This is ridiculous. We really didn't do anything." He looked back at Loveless. "Well I didn't do anything."
"Like I did!?" Ritsuka popped back up. "Your the one always tricking and deceiving people!"
"Better then being a tease!"
Ritsuka's face turned red, embarrassed. "I am not a tease!"
They once again began bickering back and fourth... This was getting them no where.
"Stop."
They both froze at that and turned to see the guard they thought had left walking over to them.
"Nisei please tell me you have another trick up your sleeve."
"Not this time." The guard from before grabbed the disappearing gypsy's arm.
"You too."
Ritsuka squeaked as the other guard grabbed his arm.
"Now, Loveless and Beloved. By order from the king you two are to be captured and imprisoned for: The use of magic, theft, being a danger to the well being of the kingdom, its citizens, and resisting arrest."
Ritsuka's ears flatted against his head and his tail clung to his body.
"Lets go." A guard said after they where both shackled.
Each guard pulled one along. With each step Nisei knew they where getting closer to their prison and with each step his nerves and anxiety got worse.
...
They were soon in front of the underground prison.
"This way Loveless." The guard pulled Ritsuka to the right.
"Huh?"
"Wait where are you taking him?"
The guard looked down at Nisei. "There is no way we are putting you two in the same cell or even remotely close." With that the other guard pulled the young gypsy away.
Nisei was then pulled the opposite way. He groaned as the shackles were beginning to hurt, with it constantly bumping into his wrists. He looked down at his hands. Thanks to his slim, feminine like wrist the shackles were a bit loose. He began trying to pull his hand out through the cuffs.
"Quit what you're doing back there." The guard ordered as he kept hearing a slight whimpering sound, the cuffs were starting to tear at the skin.
Nisei brought his hands to his face and licked around the shackles so it could help ease his hand out and it worked, his hand popped out. He stilled for a moment to make sure the guard was still unaware, he was. Quickly he did the same with the other hand and in no time he was free.
Nisei knew that if he let the shackles go the guard would be instantly aware of his escape, he smirked at an idea. He launched the cuffs at the back of the guards head, causing him to fall off. With a laugh the Beloved gypsy ran off.
...
Nisei had his hands on his knees gasping as he tried hard to catch his breath, he was in the middle of town square where he, and others, usually danced and entertained.
"My my, it sure looks like you need some help."
Nisei's head snapped up at the sneering comment. He saw a boy standing a few feet in front of him, about his age, his tail was swishing behind him as a cats would before it pounced on its prey. Nisei quickly stood tall once again, his breathing still erratic.
"What do you want!?"
"Like I said it looks like you need some help."
"Like im gonna take the help of some commoner? You're probably some perv."
"I don't think I classify as common or a pervert." He twitched his ears.
Nisei glared. He didn't like how this guy was talking.
"Halt!" The same guard as before walked up behind them. "This gypsy is a criminal."
Nisei growled.
"A criminal?" The boy grabbed Nisei's wrist and stood in front of him. Nisei was confused, even more so then he was earlier.
"Yes. He is meant to be taken into custody. Now please, step aside."
With every word that the guard spoke the boy kept stepping back causing Nisei to do the same. He wanted nothing more then to rip his arm free from the boys grasp and take off running, but he had a steel grip, which was weird cause it actually felt kinda gentle.
"If you don't mind me asking, what exactly has he done?"
"The use of magic, theft, being a danger, resisting arrest, and assaulting an officer."
"Magic huh? You can't possible believe in such a thing."
Nisei almost fell backwards as his foot hit something, he turned his head to see it was the steps of the church.
"It's not a matter of what I believe, now step aside or you'll be arrested too."
"For?"
"Interference." Came a threat.
"Ah." He nodded his head. "Well im sorry, but you can not arrest him." He pushed Nisei into the church. "For he has called sanctuary."
"This is an order from the king-"
"Be it from the king or not, the power of your law stops here."
The guard was red with anger. One because he couldn't do anything about it, two because he wanted to hurt the the gypsy for all his actions today and three because this boy was talking as if he was better then him.
"Good day." He looked around. "Or night." He closed the doors of the church.
"He has to come out sometime!" The guard yelled through the door.
"Seimei-kun, you should be more wary of who you stand up against." A women from the church warned.
Seimei looked at her.
"I'll prey for you." She commented before doing just that.
Nisei looked at the boy from where he was sitting on the floor, having been pushed into the church he of course fell onto the floor and he hadn't bothered to get back up.
"Why did you help me? I didn't need your help."
Seimei cocked an eyebrow amused at how false that statement was. "Well you can either except my help or the alternative."
Neither sounded appealing, or all that safe and good. Nisei could tell just by the way he was talking and looking at him that he wasn't one of his fans. So why was this guy offering to help him?
"What's the catch?"
Seimei smiled. "I wonder?"
That didn't make him feel any better.
...
Ritsuka was soon unshackled and thrown into a cell, only to be reshackled by the ankle to the cell. There were only two people there him and another. Looking at his cellmate and by the way he was dressed he could tell he was a fellow gypsy. That thought made him feel better, to know that he was celled with another gypsy instead of an actual criminal. Gypsys hardly ever did anything wrong or bad enough to be put into a cell, a few harmless tricks and pointless thefts, but that was about it. Whenever a gypsy was locked up it would usually be because of false pretenses by a commoner and of course the guards took the words of a commoner over that of a gypsy's. Life was unfair.
"What happened to you?" He asked curious as to why the other gypsy was there.
The gypsy looked at him and smiled. "Oh this?" He tilted his head to give the right side of his face attention.
Ritsuka gasped. "Did the guards do that to you?" He asked completely shocked and a bit scared.
"Yeah, a long time ago. Apparently I gave one of them a dirty look, but that's crap." He whipped his head to get his reddish hair out of his face.
Ritsuka looked away. The fact the someone could actually do that to him, to anyone, made his stomach turn. No one spoke after that, Ritsuka afraid to say anything that would upset the other and the other just looking at him, intently.
"Hey!" Ritsuka jumped looking back at the other, a bit startled. "You're Loveless aren't you!?"
Ritsuka nodded his head.
"I thought you looked familiar. Im Natsuo."