lokuri

Maki finally approached the windmill filled fields, a thin aura of light blue seeping through the darknened sky, and the moon slowly descending to make way for the sun. No stars hardly twinkled in the vast sky anymore, merely distant flickers seen if one journeyed further away from where she now stood, taking a final glance at the sky before moving to an area filled with fresh plants and vegatables. A light glew from a small house surrounded by the precious garden, a simple brown, wooden home with windowpanes opened, white sheets fluttering in the wind. A plain blue door, worn away from age, hid the presence of an angered woman within, pondering over how late her child is coming home. Taking a deep breath, Maki shifted her way towards the wooden doorknob, opening it gradually to find a woman with long, pale purple hair that came to her waist. Her frail complexion made her look like she would soon wither away, her hair slightly covering her face, but not enough to hide vicious, dark grayish blue eyes, like those of the ocean at night, calm at one moment, yet riled up when a storm entangles itself within its waves.

"Where have you been!?" The woman pressured Maki as soon as she stepped into the door, a simple, light brown dress fluttering a bit as she stood up.

"I was out with my friends," Maki begun, "and we were suppose to all have dinner together, seeing as we made it to the top ten and all, but only Icarus--"

"Top ten?" Now the woman was curious. "And what top ten would that be?"

"Well, the Royal Rumble was earlier this morning," Maki admitted, her head tilted down. "I originally did not want to get involved, but I did not want to watch someone get hurt--"

"You could have gotten hurt!" The women exclaimed, a youthful rage showing that she was not nearly as fragile and weak as one thought when angered.

"Mother, I--"

"Do not compete in the finals," The mother commanded. "You would think that after your fathers death..."

"Mother--!"

"...You would have taken better care of yourself..."

"Your saying I should have let Reen--"

"I am your mother!" Then she charged forward to thrust Maki into the wall, the vibration making a lamp fall. "Listen to me, Maki! Do not enter that tournament!"

"I'm entering."

"No!" Her mother's eyes widened in shock at her daughter's response. "No...no...no, no no NO NO! I forbid it! Do you hear me? Your father...are you planning to vanish from my side too? No! Those vile friends of yours...their trying to take you...take you like your father was...was taken...no longer here..."

"Mother," The woman began to weep on Maki's shoulder. "They are truly loyal to me. I know because the way their eyes...their eyes reveal true friendship. Sure, they are not perfect, but if I keep running...always running..."

"I forbid it," Her mother continued, "because your father was taken by the hands of his friends! They only fill you with hope before ripping at your heart and taking your soul! Do not fall for such a trick, Maki! They are only filld of empty promises...empty hearts."

"You are the only one that is empty!" Maki screamed, throwing th cletched hands off of her and headed for the door, only to turn around, a look of pure hatred on her face. "For the first time in awhile, I have friends. They are full of complete and utter respect for me, and love! The only oen that is empty is you! After father died, you...you just became a shadow that has tried countless times to engulf me in your darkness. Well, no more! I'm headed to the light, so I do not suffocate from the emptiness you tried so hard to trap me in!"

The door slammed, leaving the befuddled, lonely woman sulking on the ground.

"Maki," She whispered, allowing the cold, liquid crystals to race down her cheeks.

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WindJester

KeroKero cringed at the argument and the slamming of the door. He whipersed to himself "Ye-ouch... I thought Moms were nice...like 'Rus's... Speaking of which."

KeroKero flew from the roof of Maki's house and landed infront of Maki. Presenting himself as best as he could. He cleared his throat fixed his small glasses and spoke.

" Uh... Maki. It's me KeroKero. I need your help with something. 'Rus is out there still probably either in jail or collapsed behind the Star...whatever Inn((I can't remember the name...my bad so...Key does too...)). I would like you to travel there I know you just left but 'Rus is probably pretty beat up from going berserk. If you would go back there and tend to him while I go and get His..."

He paused and jerked his head towards Maki's house. "Mother." He finished and flew up spun around and flew off in the distance to the East.
*******
Icarus lay on the ground outside of the Inn. He cluthed his side and looked up at the sky. He closed his eyes for a second then opened them again to see a young boy standing above him.

The boy had a messy but neat medium short grey-white hair covering his right eye(cause hair in the face is sexy awesome). He stood about three inches taller then Icarus. He had a slender build but one could tell that he wasn't a pushover.His eyes were a mist color allmost giving the immpression that his eyes held a myserty. He wore a long sleeved black shirt that buttoned up the middle. it had intricate swirl patterns all around it and the sleeves were rolled up a little. He wore a white undershirt underneath only visible at the top of his dress shirt were the last button was left open. He had on white cargo pants and some black and white track shoes. He also had a scarf like Icarus's but his was pure black besides the tips which were a white color but the odd thing was that the white seemed to shrink and the darkness was taking over. He like Icarus had a tail as well it was the same color of his hair but it the tip was a black color. He looked down at Icarus and grinned.

Icarus's eyes widened. "Nimmel!" He whispered. The boy looked at him smiled again and dissapered in a vapor.

"NIMMEL!" Icarus jumped up and tried to grab at the vapor. A sharp pang of pain ran through his side and Icarus cluthed his side were NV had sliced him. " Damn it..."

He fell to a knee as a small woman in a cloak floated across the floor to him with a bird on her shoulder. "Key...why did you bring Iris with you..."

The lady laughed and threw back the hood of her cloak. "Thats Mom to you young man." she said.

Icarus's mom was what you would imagine in that nice little mom who worrys about her son but lets him do what he wants. She had short curly black hair with the signs of gray in it. She stood about 5' 5" and wasn't exactaly skinny but no wear near overweight. The weight that you have from being a Mom and having a kid.

"Now Now...what did you do to yourself young man?" she said as from some unknown force Icarus floated off the ground and came to his mother for an inspection. "Banged your self up band Izzy." Icarus groaned. "Mom, My name isn't Izzy." He complained. She just told him to hush as she kept looking at his wound. "This is why I told you girls are bad." She said. Icarus blushed knowing that the wound was in a way him just protecting Maki and his hot-headedness. Icarus looked at KeroKero who was still on his mother's shoulder.

"Wheres Maki?" Icarus asked.

KeroKero retold the story of what had happend at Maki's house and how he told her to come here.

Icarus looked up at the night sky looking at the stars. "Wow...Hope shes okay."Even when he was hurt Icarus was still only thinking about other people. Is Maki gonna be okay? Why did I see Nimmel there? I hope I don't have to fight my friends in the tournmant. I never did get my food!Doggone you NV! Okay maybe he thinks of himself a bit too.

lokuri

Maki was startled by the sudden appearance of the birdlike creature.

"Ke...," Her voice was barely audible and soft, like a shy person meeting someone for the first time, or the awkward attempt to talk after getting in a fight with someone, trying to find a way to apologize.

The news of Icarus startled her, though. Since she had left before meeting up with Icarus again, she assumed he had already eaten and went home. The thought that he had fought the vicious, yet bizarre man (she still does not know his name) was a shock to her.

"Why would he do such a thing?" Maki pondered out loud. "It was not like he physically injured me, and even if he did...why would Icarus do such a foolish thing?"

But KeroKero was already off, on his mission to find the mother of Icarus.

"Icarus's mother, eh?" Maki tried her best not to glance at the solemn house behind her. "Well, from the way Icarus behaves, she must be a very kind woman. I would actually like to meet her."

With that, Maki was off racing after KeroKero.
******

Maki was nearby when she saw a floating woman come near the injured Icarus. Gasping, she nearly raced out when she overheard their conversation. The kindness in the woman's voice as she talked to her son seemed soothing, as though her very words could heal the gash across his stomach.

"This is why I told you girls are bad." His mother told him, jokingly. This made Maki turn red, and even redder when she noticed Icarus too was blushing. Trying to control her emotions, Maki thought back to what she assumed earlier.

"That's right, I was in no real danger, and Icarus was only being simple-minded!" Maki announced in her head, before glancing back at Icarus. "Still, it was kind of him to worry about me...foolish, yet sweet."

Maki would then allow her feet to grow closer to the curly haired mother, bird, and wounded "hero."

Where’s Maki?" He suddenly asked, making her once again hide in the shadows. The story retold by KeroKero made her tremble a bit, ashamed at her reaction to her mother's reactions. It was not something she wanted anyone else to worry about, but she knew that despite how berserk her mother could get, she was becoming sicker and sicker, and Maki had to take care of her no matter what. After all, she was the only relative around now, unless Maki counted Lun as a family member, and her friends.

"Wow...Hope she’s okay," Icarus blurted out after the story was over.

"You don't have to worry about me so much!" Maki accidentally exclaimed from her hiding spot. Covering her mouth, she sighed and revealed herself finally.

"What I mean is, I'm stronger than you think, and even though we are friends, you do not have to concern yourself with everything that happens to me, okay?" Maki gazed down at the ground before continuing. "There are some people that just don't have everything. I guess sensing that makes people more worried about others. I can't blame you for your actions, because I think Reen also has her own problems, and I too intervened for her sake. Still, I guess...well...thank you. Thanks for worrying about me, Icarus."

Maki tilted her head toward Icarus, a genuine smile emerging on her face, her eyes concealed and her bluish purple hair wavering about.

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WindJester

Icarus smiled and he turned around to look at Maki standing there.

"Yeah, Yeah... I know " I can take care of myself yadayada." I don't care if your stronger then me... I'm going to look out for you." He said as he walked towards her.

When he got to Maki he put his hands on her shoulders and quickly moved the hair out of her eyes.

"You okay? Your mom sounds kinda scary..." Icarus quickly saved himself trying not to make Maki mad about her mother. " I'm sure shes worried about you though... I'll come by later to explain what happend so she won't get as pissed."

Iris...or Icarus's mother came and walked behind them. In a "get your hands off her" Manner cleared her throat.

"Izzy-boy you couldn't talk your way out of a anything you allways blame things on poor little KeroKero here.I'll talk to your mother sweety. " She said as she patted KeroKero's head.

Icarus blushed and put his hands in his pockets and spun around and looked at his mother."BUT! It was his fault for knocking over Dad's Axe on to the table!" He said sounding like a child. "I mean... well... Fine..." He said lowering his head in defeat.

Icarus glanced at Maki. "Uh...Maki...this is my mom. Mom Maki Maki Mom." he said standing between them introducing each other.

Radon

Rick yawned as he watches the stars. He was lying on a roof on top of one of the houses in the southern district of the city. "Bored..." Rick mumbled, taking out a cigar and a lighter from his pocket. He placed the cigar on his mouth and lit it with the lighter. Smoke started to appear from the burning tip of the rolled nikotin[?] filled paper. "Why did I decided to become a Royal Guard?" Rick sat up, and blew a puff of smoke from the cigar as he looked down to the streets, staring blankly into space.

"It's been 5 years now huh? Since the day i've became a Royal Guard..."

***************

Rick was once just a petty thief struggling to survive from that war torn time. Living with other war orphans in the sewers of the city, they strive to find food everyday. Stealing, begging, eating left overs, all they do just to survive for the sake of the people who sacrificed themselves for them to live. Then that day came. The day they tried to sneak into the palace...

It was the perfect day to steal from the palace. The Queen went to the Water Kingdom to discuss about things so security's not that tight but even so, it was still risky. They have no choice though, it was their only chance to change their fate. Right after the day the Queen left the Queendom, Rick and the others sneaked in through the garden at the back of the palace, passing by the guards without a sound. They continued until they finally reached the Queen's room...

"Hey Rick! Hurry! Someone's coming!" One of Rick's friends, a half-beast, whispered as Rick tries to lockpick the door of the room.

"Hurry!!!" Another one whispered who was in the verge of crying.

"I know!" Rick answered. Everyone was panicking but they tried to keep quiet. The sound of footsteps became louder and louder in each passing second. Clack! The sound of the door being unlocked. "I got it!" The group hurriedly entered the room, pushing each other inside and quickly locking the door behind.

"Wow! Look at all these stuff! It'll take us a lifetime to spend all these!"

"Less talk more stealing!"

They grabbed every stuff they could and put them inside the sacks they've brought, stealing as much as they can. While stealing, Rick saw a pendant inside the sidedrawer besides the bed. It was shaped like a crystal, a shard glittering with pure light. Rick stared at it until one of his friends called him.

"Rick..."

When Rick turned around, there were guards in the room. They've been caught... but Rick won't give up that easily. He quickly charged to and tackled one of the guards. "RUN!!!!!!" Rick shouted to his friends. They dropped their sacks and ran as fast as they could, tracing their way back to where they entered. The gap between Rick and his friends is long since he was the last one to run.

"I... I see the exit! Hurry!" The half-beast shouted. One by one they exited through a secret passage in the bushes in the garden until Rick's the only one left. They waited for him, peeking out of the bushes, shouting at him to hurry but then Rick bumped into someone in the midst of running.

"Guh!" Rick gasped as he bumped into someone. He fell to the ground, caressing his sorry ass. "Ouch... A-A-A R-Royal G-Guard?" Rick shivered as he slowly took his eyes up to see who he bumped into.

"Hmm? And who might you be boy?" The Royal Guard asked, smiling at him. Rick was trembling. Bumping into a Royal Guard is the worst thing that could happen when sneaking into the palace. There's no way that he could escape now. At that moment the guards arrived.

"Ahhh! Sir Lloyd! You've caught the thief!"

"Idiot, Didn't Chii already told us to call everyone normally? Well... Except for Captain of course... Hahaha!" Lloyd burst into laughter.

"A-Ahh... Yes! My apologies then L-Lloyd."

"So this boy is a thief? Hmm... I sure have to praise you for having the guts to sneak in here" Lloyd said, shifting his eyes back to Rick.

"Yes, He has some companions. Have you seen them?" The guard asked. Lloyd turned his look behind him and saw Rick's friends quickly hiding their faces back in the bushes.

"Nope! He's the only one i saw." Lloyd answered, obviously rooting for Rick's friends which surprised them. "Besides they haven't stolen anything no?" Lloyd continued.

"Right... We'll be taking him then." The guards took Rick and left Lloyd in the garden.

"Don't worry. I'll find a way to help him." Lloyd secretly whispered to Rick's friends before going back inside the palace.

Hours have passed since Rick was caught. He's currently in the dungeon prison, waiting for his punishment. Since the queen's out, the decision was left to the high council. Finally, one of the guards came to tell what his punishment will be.

"You'll be executed in 3 days time."

"What?" Rick's eyes widened. Well it was the high council who made the decision. A group of strict old people.

"Ehh... I don't like repeating myself. You heard it loud and clear anyway." The guard replied before leaving the dungeon.

"So this is it huh? Well it's not like i have any regrets. I suppose it'll be better to end it this way." Rick mumbled.

Lloyd who was eavesdropping only gave off a grin before running up back to the palace.

Day of the execution
Everything was set. Rick, the guillotine, the executioner, the messenger, the crowd but the high council wasn't there neither are any Royal Guards. The messenger started to read Rick's charges then his punishment. The guards carefully assisted Rick up the stage and placed him under the guillotine. Rick could hear the crowd's whispers but he doesn't care anymore. He closed his eyes and waited as he hears the footsteps of the executioner. The executioner grabbed the lever of the guillotine tightly and paused for a few seconds.

"Sorry kid..." The executioner mumbled before pulling the lever. Rick could hear the guillotine's blades as it falls. It was rather slow... for him anyways. Then there was silence.

"Am I... dead?" Rick slowly opened his eyes and was surprised on what he saw. There was a man right in front of him who stopped the guillotine's blade with his sword. Rick couldn't see clearly because of the sunlight but the man was wearing an armor and a red cape. On his chest armor was what supposed to be a symbol of a spiraling cloud. Then what he saw next surprised him more.

"Stop the execution!" The voice of a woman shouted behind the crowd. The crowd quickly dispersed and gave way to the woman. It was until the woman was close that Rick recognize her. It was Queen Chii herself.

"Y-Your highness! I thought you're in a meeting in the Water Kingdom?" One of the guards asked.

"W-Well... Uhh... I forgot something... ehehe... S-Stop asking stupid questions!" Chii shouted, blushing.

"Ahem! I'm getting tired here you know..." The man in armor said.

"Oh yeah! Sorry Lucas! Destroy that thing! We don't need it! I didn't even know we had it!"

"You don't need to keep shouting... And it's CAPTAIN Lucas even for you! Your Highness~" Lucas replied, teasing Chii.

"Whatever... Gregorio~ Pfft!" Chii teased back, holding herself back from laughing.

"Is this really the Queen?" Rick thought.

"Y-You..." Lucas glared at Chii but quickly turned his look back to the guillotine. He slashed the blade of the guillotine back up then thrust it with his sword. The blade shattered along with the whole contraption crumbling down but not a single thing dropped on Rick. Lucas helped Rick up and patted his back. "Lucky you! We just came in time!" Lucas said to Rick. Chii walked closer to him.

"I don't think i need to introduce myself. This is Captain Lucas. He's the captain of the Royal Guards. We came as soon as possible when we heard what had happened from Lloyd. My apologies for this." Chii said, bowing her head down. "Ahh! Youth! I remember the time i've sneaked out and went to the Human World! Well it's not really sneaking out. It's more of a secret mission..." Chii went on and on until Rick interupted her.

"Why?"

"Huh?"

"Why do we have to suffer everyday?"

((Will edit and continue later... I hate writer's block... >.>))

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Black6

Not hearing Shiatzu's reply Tahu simply removed his blood stained spear from the corpse. It was definitly a strange night Tahu thought as he walked over to his friend sitting at the tree. Tahu couldn't beleive he was able to fall asleep so easily after fighting! Tahu simply shrugged his shoulders and stabbed his spear into the ground. The night was all around him. The was over and only the stars remained so Tahu descided to join his friend in sleep. Tahu slumped down next to Shiatzu, resting his back on the tree and feeling the cool grass under him. Finally Tahu closed his eyes...

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