Chapter III: Meet the Brothers

`What?' Hikaru thought, her concentration had been broken when she sensed a strange, yet familiar aura. `Lantis? No way...'

"Hikaru, heads up!" one of her fellow team mates cried.

"Huh?" she muttered, before she realized that the volleyball had been spiked and she was right in its path. With only seconds to spare, Hikaru bent down slightly and volleyed the ball behind her. The girl who now stood in the ball's way had expected it to bean Hikaru square in the face, so she wasn't prepared when it came hurling towards her. She bumped the ball in an attempt to get it over the net but there wasn't enough force for it to successfully go over the net on its own.

That's when Hikaru jumped up and spiked it onto the floor just as it passed by her in mid air.

"Point!" her gym teacher declared after she blew her whistle.

"Wow Hikaru, I thought it was going to bean you right in the head for sure" the girl behind her said.

"Pay attention to the game!" Akane scolded, "If I hadn't warned you, we would have lost that point!"

"Uh, sorry. I was distracted..."

"Hm?" Akane stared at her blankly for a moment then let out a sigh, "You spend too much time day dreaming."

"But I - Oomph." Hikaru was knocked onto the floor, this time the ball did hit her.

"You're a very strange little person, you know that Hikaru? Now please, pay attention to the game!" Her competitive friend bellowed.

"It wasn't my fault," she said as she lay, sprawled on the floor, "and why does every one make fun of my height?"

Sakuya awoke with soft blades of damp grass brushed against his face; there were faint sounds of children frolicking in the near distance. He rolled over onto his back and glanced up at the miserable gray sky. The smell of rain was apparent; looking around, he noticed that the trees and plants dripped with droplets of water. His clothing, which consisted only of a black, long sleeved shirt and pants, his footwear and his under garments; were completely soaked. By his side, he found his rapier. He took a moment to think, he knew he was no longer in Cephiro, for he had run into the portal right after Lantis disappeared.

"Guess I'm on Earth..." he said aloud. Standing up, Sakuya saw young children playing in sand, some running around and climbing on large objects that appeared to protrude out of the ground. Umi had told him about such places, `a park...' He thought as he placed his left hand in his pocket, then pulled it out again to see what was in there. Now in his hand, held some sort of money. `What the, how did that get there?'

"It appears as though he has arrived safely," the tall platinum blond haired man stated. His clothing foreign to this world; the beautiful pearl white material of his outfit bore a golden trim and a circlet was worn around his head. He stood atop a nearby building which over looked the park.

"Nearly all of his energy was used while he was opening the portal." Umi said, walking up to where the man stood whom was observing Sakuya. "He should fully recover in a few days," she declared as she rested her chin on her Lords' shoulder.

"You are wanting to stay and watch over him?" he asked gently as he moved behind her and held her in his arms.

"I have always watched over him, however this is something he must do on his own... I'll only intervene if it becomes necessary Eagle."

"Then let us return to head quarters. The Organization does not realize that I too posses the rare ability to jump from one reality to the next. I'd prefer to keep my little secret just between the two of us."

"As you wish," Umi closed her eyes and fell limp as Eagle's embrace purposely robed her of her energy. Focusing his thoughts, Eagle created a portal; much like Sakuya's.

"We'd best leave now my dear," he said as he picked up the now unconscious Umi and carried her through the portal. Once he arrived in this Earth's Cephiro, he concentrated once again and opened a gate way to the Organizations' dimension.

"Hey Kakeru, pass me some gauze, and a broad bandage so I can cover up this cut." Maseru called as he held up Lantis' injured arm.

Slowly Lantis opened his eyes. A second later he bolted up right, clutched the sides of his head as an agonizing pain shot through his skull. He fell back onto the soft bedding as he clenched his teeth together to hold back a grunt of pain.

"Don't move!" The dark brown haired man who had previously spoken commanded.

"You must take it easy!" Another yelled. Which really didn't help the mind, numbing headache he was experiencing.

He opened his eyes again and attempted to focus on the two men who were talking to him. He winced from the pain and wanted nothing more than to just pass out again, but forced himself to stay awake. "Who...are you?"

"This is my younger brother Kakeru," he said gesturing towards the young man with the dark red hair. Their hairstyles and facial features were very similar.

"Yo." Kakeru greeted.

"And I'm Maseru."

"What's your name?" Kakeru interrupted.

"Lantis." He replied.

Just then, another entered the room, "What is going on?" the tall light brown haired man question. It was Satoru, the oldest brother. He had just fished teaching his advanced kendo class and had now idea what was going on. He then spotted the black clothed man lying on the bed. It was obvious he was hurt; Satoru could easily see the deep cut on the man's upper left arm. Thick red liquid trickled down the side of his face, from underneath a blood soaked bandage. "What happened to him? He needs a doctor."

"It's alright." Lantis began, sitting up slowly this time. "I have experienced worse injuries than these. All I require is some rest..." looking down, he noticed a sterilized needle and thread.

Realizing what the other man's intentions, Satoru walked over to where they were, "Move over Maseru." He commanded. Taking the needle, he threaded it and directed his attention towards the stranger. "I must request that you remove your shirt so that I can tend to your wound."

"Satoru, you gonna sue this guy's arm up?" Kakeru asked in a slightly disgusted tone. The youngest of the three brothers never did like the sight of blood, nor did he particularly enjoy watching flesh get operated on.

"It's too deep a cut to leave open," Satoru stated looking over at his two brothers whom had moved out of his way.

"Come on Kakeru, neither of us really want to watch this, so let's go meet up with Hikaru at the grocery store."

"Hikaru?" Lantis' muffled voice questioned, as he pulled his black turtleneck top up over his head. However, the three siblings hadn't heard him. Though he didn't catch what the conversation was about, that name had jumped out at him, `Hikaru...' he repeated over in his head.

"Don't worry...uh, Lantis was it? Satoru has had some first aid and medical training. You'll be fine." Kakeru called as he and Maseru left.

"Hold still, this may hurt." Lantis gave a curt nod as Satoru pierced the open skin with the needle. The needle dug its way through the layers of skin and into the slightly torn muscle; he pulled the thread through the layers to make the stitch tight as he pulled the gashed skin together. He repeated the act many times, occasionally taking a damp cloth to wipe away the excess blood.

Lantis barely flinched as Satoru stitched him up. It had become apparent that this man had not been kidding when he said he'd had worse injuries. A deep scar ran across the side of his rib cage; running from the upper left side of his chest, to the lower part of his back. Another scar was spotted over his right shoulder, which ran half way down Lantis' shoulder blade. Both scars looked as though they were very deep, `perhaps they'd cut all the way into the bone...' Satoru thought. He could only imagine just how painful it must have been upon receiving such scars.

"Those are some rather nasty wounds you have," Satoru said as he completed the last stitch. "You are a swordsmen?"

"I am," Lantis coolly replied.

Satoru fiddled through the open first aid box and retrieved a small bottle of disinfectant. After pouring some of the bottle's contents on a pad of gauze, he then placed it over the cut and wrapped it with the broad bandage. "I thought so then these wounds?"

His look told Satoru as much.

"This is the Shidou dojo of Kendo," he informed, "I am its Shihan."

"Shidou?"

"You should rest now," Satoru, announced as he gathered up the scattered medical supplies "I'll check on you later to see how you are doing. Feel free to stay for as long as you require."

"Thanks, I appreciate it." Lantis lay back down as Satoru left the room. `Hikaru... am I in Tokyo then?' He thought as he drifted into sleep.

TBC