The sun's rays shone delicately through the translucent curtains that covered the window of a silent bedroom. The light shone gracefully onto Blaze's sleeping face, and normally a person would wake up if they felt light upon their face, but Blaze had become so accustom to sleeping during the day time that light didn't seem to bother him. Blaze was supposed to go to normal high school today as part of his agreement to join the dojo, and Blaze didn't like the idea of going to a place filled with annoying teenagers who complained about their petty problems. These people made Blaze want to kill them all, although he wasn't supposed to. They wanted Blaze to fit into normal society and blend in like everyone else, but Blaze didn't want to blend in, and he didn't want to be normal. He liked being an assassin and he liked being mysterious and dark. Now he had to go to school and worry about grades and not having a date to prom. He was still angry at himself for getting caught. He didn't know how he got caught and he knew he shouldn't have been so bold to attack Jack when all his friends were around. He had failed his master and he didn't know what he would do. Assassination was all he knew and all that had ever done and now he was thrown into a new society and a new life that he wasn't accustomed to and honestly the thought scared him, and not many things scared Blaze.
"Blaze, are you still sleeping buddy? Time to wake up!" Jerry said coming into his room in the dojo yelling and Blaze woke up so quickly and he growled as Jerry got closer still yelling.
In the dojo Jack and the rest of his friends stood dressed and ready to go to school. They had promised Blaze that they would help him with his first day at school, because it might be difficult for him to integrate, and they didn't want him starting any fights. As they were all standing around talking they heard a manly yell and then a girlish scream. The turned around to see Jerry fly through the wall and roll on the ground towards them and he looked like he was really hurt and they all looked back towards the hole where he came through. Blaze jumped through the hole wearing long black silky pants, a long black shirt with bellbottom sleeves, and he growled louder as he looked at Jerry walking towards him. Jack and Eddie held Blaze back as Blaze slowly calmed down regaining his composure.
"What happened in there?" Kim asked helping Jerry up and Jerry looked like he went through a tornado by how he was torn up.
"I just went to go wake Blaze up and he freaked out and did this shadow palm thing to my chest and I flew through the wall," Jerry recounted as he tried to gain his balance.
"I do not like to be awoken in such a loud manner. You had the audacity to come into my room yelling as I was in the middle of a pleasant dream. You deserved everything you got," Blaze said as Jack and Eddie let him go and Blaze dusted himself off.
"Blaze, you can't just go around punching people because they annoy you," Milton said trying to be helpful, but Blaze gave him a daggered filled look.
Blaze grabbed a nearby clock and read the time, "Six AM? You woke me at Six AM? What possibly could be so important now? Why do I have to wake up, it's too damn early."
"Um, you do know you're going to school today, right?" Kim asked and Blaze turned to her as if she was daft.
"Yes, I know, and why does this matter?" Blaze asked and they all looked at each other and rolled their eyes with disbelief.
"School starts at seven and it's a half an hour walk," Jack said and Blaze's eye twitched a bit as they all backed away slowly.
"Hey guys, I brought some breakfast for the new student," Rudy said walking in as he saw everyone else back away from Blaze, "What did I miss?" Rudy said looking towards Blaze who glared at him before yelling loudly sending his palm into Rudy's chest making him fly through the hole Jerry came through. Rudy slowly got up and muttered, "I guess he doesn't like breakfast" Rudy then slid back down and Jack sighed.
"You have to control your anger. Now, go get ready and we'll wait for you right here," Jack said to Blaze who growled and entered the back room.
"I think this is going to be a long day, guys" Eddie said contemplating all the reasons why this could go wrong.
"Yeah well, after a life of killing and hurting people I can imagine settling down and going to school will be difficult," Milton said sitting down.
" Maybe this isn't such a bad thing, 'cause he could always take care of teachers who give me bad grades," Kim said cutely as they all stared at her with disbelief, "What? I get bad grades too you know."
Blaze entered the shower and allowed the hot water to rush over him as he began to think. He knew he had anger issues, but he had learned to deal with them when he was an assassin, but somehow the idea of becoming normal killed all the training he had. He knew how to restrain himself, but felt it was going to be hard with all the annoying things going on around him. He had to blend in for the sake of him gaining everyone's trust, because he needed trust in this situation. He could still kill Jack, and then kill everyone who was at that meeting and his mission would be a success, but something prevented him from doing so. He kind of yearned to be normal, and he really did hate killing innocent people, but he couldn't help it. He still loved his master with all his heart, but he didn't know anything about him, and these people were right. How could he follow someone who he didn't even know? He was being foolish and there was no way he could continue fool himself into thinking he was doing the right thing. What Chase said was still ringing in his mind, because the last time he got close to one of his targets it ended up the way it did. He wouldn't allow that to happen to Jack.
He got out of the shadow and dried his hair as he put on his black shoes that Jack had bought from him. Jack told him they were skater shoes and they were very cool. Blaze didn't know anything about skating or being cool, but he knew he had to fit in. Blaze put on a pair of dark pants that were slightly baggy so they were comfortable enough to move and fight in. He wore a white beater under shirt and over it he wrote a button up vest of sorts that had the first couple of buttons open revealing his chest. He wore these protector armlets over his arms that covered from his wrists to his upper arms and they were likes sleeves without the shirt part. Around his waist he wore a dark red cloth that was tight around, and around his neck he wore the same sort of thing with a bagginess around the neck allowing two equal length pieces to hand down his back to his upper thighs. He wore a special necklace with an ancient Japanese symbol on it. He also had his wooden Wakizashi in the waist belt of his pants in the back.
He walked out of the back room and everyone turned to him and they looked confused as well as full of disbelief. They couldn't believe he was wearing that, because it would be the exact opposite of fitting in. It'd be him standing out. Jack noticed that Blaze was carrying a weapon and he smacked his palm to his face because he couldn't believe this was actually happening. He wondered if Blaze knew how to stay low, because he was an assassin and yet he stood out more than Milton did when he went to school dressed as a king. They approached him slowly and they were trying to think of the nicest way to put it. None of them wanted to be the one to piss Blaze off enough that he went off of them, but they didn't want to be the person who thought what the other person said and also received punishment. Jack was the brave one who decided to man up and take responsibility of pointing it out.
"Blaze, we know you like to wear your assassin clothes, but you know you're trying to fit in right?" Jack asked and Blaze looked at him confused.
"Is this not fitting in?" Blaze asked and Jack looked back at his friends who looked away and Jack realized he wasn't going to get any support with this.
"Well, no, because you look like something that came out of a movie, Blaze. Do you have any regular clothes, like the ones we're wearing? And you know you can't carry that sword to school," Jack asked as he backed away, but Blaze didn't seem to get annoyed.
"Oh quite on the contrary, Jack. Since my hair is dyed partially red and after hours of looking I can pretend to be what you people call 'Goth' and this is how they dress normally. Also, I have a permit to carry a weapon on me at all times, but this is simply a practice wooden sword Jack. I wouldn't be stupid enough to bring a real one to school," Blaze responded and they all looked quite surprised with his response.
"You do look very goth-like Blaze, I am surprised that you did your research," Kim said looking him up and down.
"Why is it so surprising? I'm an assassin. Researching is half my job. Why else do you think I know that you fight without method and your moves aren't fluid and easily blocked and you have the worst defense I've ever seen?" Blaze said and Kim gasped.
"Why you little-," Kim said about to pounce on Blaze before Milton and Eddie held her back, and she reluctantly calmed down.
"Blaze, you have to work on how you talk with people, because with your current attitude you'll get into a lot of fights," Jack said.
"So? You know I can handle myself in a fight," Blaze said smiling and Jack sighed and pulled Blaze aside whispering to him.
"Yes, I'm aware you can handle yourself Blaze. You've proved to us all you can, but you're not supposed to fight people at school or you'll get in trouble. Look, I put my neck out so you wouldn't get killed or thrown in jail, so please don't make me regret it by you going off and doing something stupid, because you feel the need to," Jack said and Blaze got lost in Jack's eyes as he stared at him dreamily.
"I would never want you to regret anything Jack, because out of everyone here I kinda like you, plus what I said before still stands," Blaze said and Jack froze as he remembered what Blaze had told him about dating him and Jack chuckled nervously.
"But I don't," Jack began, but Blaze placed a finger on Jack's lips.
"You can continue to fool your friends and yourself, but you can't fool me Jack," Blaze said before returning to the group.
Jack couldn't understand how Blaze had found out about him so quickly. He had been so careful to hide it from everyone, and yet this boy who he barely knew was able to come in and call him out without a second guess. Jack wondered if he was losing his edge and he was becoming more readable, but he realized that was ridiculous, because Kim was still going after him, and Kim is a smart girl. If she didn't know Jack was gay then no one did, and Jack was happy about that. Yet, he worried that Blaze would tell someone, and Blaze did have this little fact over him. Jack did think Blaze was cute, but he didn't know if he was ready to settle down and date someone, because that involved him coming out, and that was really difficult for him. Sighing Jack slowly returned to his friends as they set out for school.
As they walked to school Milton was pointing out all the popular places in the town that people go to, because Blaze was new to the town and didn't know anything. Milton explained that the mall was great for people to hang out, eat, and shop, but the mall had really strict rules like no skateboarding. He went on to explain that people usually went to go skate at the skate park, and Blaze had never been skating before. Jack realized that Blaze was still like a child. He didn't know a lot about the world, and he was learning something new every day. Milton explained how there was this magnificent library and if Blaze liked to read he should go there. Blaze explained how he loved to read, always had, and how he bought this book on how to be a ninjas and he explained how ridiculous it was.
Jack kind of thought Blaze was nothing more than a normal teenager who had the capability of killing someone without hesitation. Jack knew that Blaze had grown up and was only taught about killing and how to fight, and never learned about how to make friends and how to have fun. Jack could tell that Blaze really just wanted to have fun, and no matter how hard he tried to hide it Jack could see the pain in Blaze's eyes. Blaze felt that he didn't belong in society, because he had done such awful things to people and he didn't even feel bad about it. He thought that he deserved to die for how he had acted and for how many people he had killed. His training told him that he should kill Jack and everyone around him, but his mind told him that he should let them live, and stop assassinating as a whole. The war between his instincts and his rationale was confusing Blaze and left him not knowing what to do.
"Blaze, welcome to Seaford High!" Eddie said as they approached the school, and Blaze scowled at the school's mascot. He thought a whale wasn't very intimidating. They entered the school and they led Blaze to the main office. The receptionist looked over and saw Blaze and gave him an odd look before standing up and walking over.
"Hello, you must be Blaze, our new student correct?" The woman asked and Blaze nodded staring at her, "Okay then, here's your schedule, and you can meet with the principal if you want."
"No thank you," Blaze said politely and that was about as polite as he was going to get around here. The woman smiled and nodded.
"Alright, I hope you enjoy it here. Word of advice you might want to tone down your wardrobe, and if I'm not mistaken you have a sword in your belt," The woman said as Blaze held up a piece of paper.
"I have a license to carry a Wakizashi on me at all times, whether it is steel or wooden. Don't worry this is wooden and I don't plan to use it. My parents are all about security, seeing as they're both in the military, and my clothing is unique and doesn't violate the dress code," Blaze says quickly and the woman looks at the paper and smiles.
"Alright then, please be careful, and I hope your parents return home safely," She said before returning to her desk.
"How did you manage to get your files to say that your parents are in the military?" Jack asked Blaze who didn't look at him.
"Because it isn't a lie," Blaze said and Jack stopped and realized what he meant and walked forward walking next to him.
"Sorry, I didn't know," Jack said and Blaze shook his head saying it was okay, "Oh here's your locker, right next to mine. We have all the same classes together."
"Oh joy," Blaze said sarcastically, and Jack frowned.
"I thought we were becoming friends, Blaze," Jack replied and Blaze smiled a bit.
"I was joking Jack, I do have a sense of humor," Blaze said and Jack laughed at himself for being so foolish, because Blaze was still a teenager.
They walked through the hallways and as they did people stared and Blaze whispering to another and pointing at him. Jack knew this was going to happen, because people didn't really like the Goth Culture and they didn't like a kid who carried a weapon around with him either. Blaze didn't seem to mind though it was as if he was used to people talking about him. They began walking up the steps before someone grabbed onto Blaze and pushed him down the stairs. Acting based on instincts he moved his body weight and flipped over landing on his feet sliding backwards. Jack looked back to see if Blaze was okay before seeing a girl wearing a short black dress with knee high black boots and she had obviously died silver hair and emerald green eyes. Blaze eyes widened as he realized who this was. She chuckled softly as she moved towards him.
"Hello Blazey, miss me?" The woman said as Jack and Jack's friends filed behind Blaze looking at this girl.
"You know this girl?" Jack said whispering to Blaze who nodded softly turning back to her.
"Mitsu, or known as 'The Assassin of The Light'," Blaze said as he watched the girl moved towards him slowly giggling.
"That's right, Blaze, and I know you failed your mission so master sent me to complete it. Not here, not now, but you best be ready Blaze. Byebye~" Mitsu said winking before running off.
"Don't worry everyone; this is a little advertisement for this year's play. It's about assassins and love, come out and see it this weekend!" Kim said thinking on her feet.
"Nice thinking Kim," Jerry said and Kim smiled.
"How did master know already? I have yet to report. This is not good, not good at all," Blaze said and Jack placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Blaze you're an amazing assassin you can handle that little girl can't you?" Jack asked and Blaze looked at her.
"Mitsu was below me in skill, but she was better at kills than me. This has gotten a lot more complicated," Blaze said staring out the window.
A/N: HEY GUYS. I am having a competition. Whoever can make the BEST book cover for this story, The Game, The Younger brother, and The Mystery of Jack not only gets a mention in a story, but one of their ideas gets made. GOOOD luck.