Disclaimer: Don't own anything at all. Any franchise mentioned belongs to their respective owners.

Far in the distance, beyond the outskirts of Crystal Tokyo, were the frozen remains of old Tokyo. The light from the city left a huge shadow on old ruins and the cold would have been almost unbearable if not for the heat radiating from the city. Despite its inhospitable conditions, it did not mean the ruins were uninhabited.

The figure's worn shoes stepped on the cold street and he shivered underneath his cloak. After a long journey, he stopped for a moment, the shadowed gaze coming across the frost covered buildings in front of him, before he continued on.

Upon reaching the area, the figure threw the hood back to reveal a young man in his twenties. The cold wind pressed against his tanned complexion and passed through his brown hair. The blue eyes darted from one frozen building to the next, wondering about where the people were.

"Alam's back!" a cheerful voice rung out.

In no time, the young man found a small group coming out of one of the buildings and towards him. The young man noticed the group approaching him was made of four young children, each one wearing tattered clothes to keep their bodies from the cold. Their faces beamed with joy, a definite change from their usual glum expressions.

The young man, Alam, let out a small laugh as the children gathered around him. "Hey, there," he greeted.

"Did you bring us anything?" the eldest, a young girl, asked eagerly.

One boy jumped up with excitement. "Yeah, what did you bring us?"

Alam opened his mouth to give an answer, but another voice, one much older and feminine than his own called out, "Now, children give Alam some space."

The four children obeyed as they stepped back from Alam, making way for their mother to come through. She was a woman in her forties with long brown hair and in similar clothing. The mother gently grasped Alam's hand with her frail fingers. "It's so nice to see you, Alam," she told him with a smile, her brown eyes filled with joy.

"You too," Alam returned, grabbing the bag under his cloak. "I've brought all I could."

The mother took the bag and gave a grateful nod. "I'll give this to the others," she told him, "and thank you. I'm sorry I can't give anything back."

Alam gave a humble shook of his head. "Don't worry about it. It's just another routine."

The youngest of the children, a girl, tugged on her mother's clothing, gaining the attention of both adults. "Mom, can Alam play with us?" she asked.

"Yeah, can he?" the eldest chimed in.

Their mother stared down at them with a patient smile and patted the youngest one's head with a free hand. "I'm sure Alam's busy. Maybe he can play with you some other time."

"Actually, I think I have time to spare," assured Alam. "I just need to check on a few things at my place, first."

The answer caused the children to let out "hurrahs!" before their mother caught their attention. "Now children," she strictly told them, "remember, don't play too far and no fighting!"

Alam had to stifle a chuckle at the children nodding to their mother's over-protectiveness. He said nothing and instead watched as the mother's strictness was replaced with a warm smile. "Now, go play," she said.

The children immediately bolted off through the frozen streets, releasing all of the energy they kept bottled up inside of them. As they ran, they spared their glances to the young man standing with their mother. "Don't be too long!" another boy of the group shouted, waving.

Alam laughed as he waved back. "I won't!"

The children's forms became smaller and smaller with every passing second. Just as the children left to play, so did the smile on Alam as his lips turned more into a straight line. His expression was devoid of joy and now filled with both exhaustion and irritation.

The mother, noticing the look on his face, asked, "Is everything alright, Alam?"

Alam let out a small sigh, and his face turning grim. "No," he replied, facing the mother. "I've been a bit on edge, recently."

"Having trouble with the queen's guards?" she assumed.

He suppressed a slight twinge of irritation and answered, "There's that, but it's something else. I keep getting this feeling something bad is going to happen."

Alam's words hung in the air for many moments and the young man felt the mother's frail finger touch his shoulder. He raised his gaze to meet with her brown eyes. "I believe you, Alam. Your gifts have never been proven wrong before," she spoke with the upmost sincerity. "But not everything is set in stone. Maybe this feeling you have is just nothing."

The young man would have argued, but he sighed again. "Maybe," Alam conceded with uncertainty, "but I don't know. Whatever it is, it's making me uneasy."

The mother removed her hand from Alam's shoulder. "We can talk about it later. Right now, you should go home."

After a moment of silence, Alam agreed, "I guess you're right."

The young man was greeted with a warm smile from the mother. "Take care of yourself, Alam."

"I will," he told her, returning the smile.

And with that, Alam took his leave and headed towards his home amongst the frozen remains of the city. The mother herself, returned to her own home with the bag in her hand to store it and prepare a meal for her children.

For a moment, Alam halted his walk and spared a glance to Crystal Tokyo in the far distance. A twinge of anger rose within Alam at the sight of the tall spires of the royal palace and he quickly returned to his strode, not wanting to even think about those dwelling there.

AN: That's all I have for now. I hope I can get this story up soon.

If you have any comments, please leave them in the reviews and this story is not up for adoption. Sorry.

Raika out.