SANJI

Sanji closed his mouth and stopped stuttering. There was no purpose in explaining himself to Titan. So Titan was the one who had put the lock on the roof top door. Sanji had thought it might have been a teacher. He stared at Titan from where he sat in his vulnerable position. Titan was glaring at him but made no further move, he was also in violation of the school rules. What was he doing keeping animals on the tower? At least the little fox seemed happy.

The wind blew coldly against Sanji's cheeks through the ballista. He shuddered and pulled his arms closer beneath his chest and huddled over it. This was a mistake. Titans eyes went wide and he grounded his teeth. "What do you have in your hands???" Titans bared teeth grew wider and wider as he glared at Sanji.

Sanji grimaced and pulled his body into a tighter ball. "N, nothing."

Titan almost snarled like an animal as he started marching over. "Nothing my ass you evil little shit." He stomped closer and closer to Sanji and then angrily grabbed at his shoulder. "Show me what you have in your hands!!!"

"..." Sanji turned away from the bigger boy and tucked his head into his shoulders. Infuriated at being disobeyed, Titan drew a fist back and then let it slam down hard onto the back of Sanji's head.

Sanji felt the impact smash into his skull. He felt as though that portion of his brain was permanently shattered. He winced aloud but did not unwind from his defensive position. Titan grew angrier. Sanji felt fist after fist blow upon his head, as Titan let out his rage.

"Let, it, go!!" He yelled with each punch. Sanji squeezed his eyes shut and tried to endure. Titan would have to stop eventually. He grit his teeth wincing, a tear pealing at the side of each eye.

Titan breathed hard. He stood up and grabbed a handful of Sanji's hair, pulling him up against the railing with him. The little red fox ran around in circles behind them. It was squeaking and whinnying sensing the hostile atmosphere, stopping in between to give surprisingly low growls.

Titan was pulling Sanji to turn his way and Sanji was resisting against the hand yanking out his hair, keeping his body turned toward the outside. "Give it back you evil freak!"

Suddenly, the hand on Sanji's head loosened, only to find he'd released to slam Sanji's head forward onto the concrete balcony.

Lights flashed before Sanji's eyes and he reeled. His senses were knocked out of him and pain bloomed across his forehead. His resistance instantly let up as he struggled to remain conscious. He collapsed against the banister and his hands went loose to catch himself.

Titan did instead, he caught Sanji falling and spun him around. The little fox started forward with the spirit of a feisty kitten and nibbed at Sanji's pant hem, taking cue that this was the prey.

"No-" Sanji pushed forward.

"Yip!" The fox squeaked and darted back panting heavy for its small frame. Sanji wobbled where he was, he didnt think he could stay conscious if Titan knocked his head on the concrete again . He didn't think Titan realized how hard he was hitting him, that he could probably kill him. Sanji felt concussed and off balance. He couldn't stay on his feet. Titan's hands curled into fists. He grabbed Sanji's head with two hands again, preparing to slam him down-

"Yip yip yip yip!"

"NOOOoo!!!" Sanji yelled frightfully.

Suddenly the sky brightened and everything turned white all around. A massive flash of lightning tore down from the sky out of nowhere and streaked toward the tower. It raged, fire streaking off of it, burning down through the sky and painting everything in the entire school grounds white and bright. The classrooms lit up, the walls surrounding the school lit up, the trees beyond lit up. It was an eccentric gigantic freak of nature.

The lightning bolt connected down onto the tower, down onto a small figure below it.

Boom!! The tower rocked as the lightning struck the fox directly in its path. The bolt was so powerful that it lifted the baby cub several inches off the ground whilst electrocuting it. A long and loud high pitched squeak tore from the cub as it twitched in the air, caught inside the fresh lightning bolt. Sanji and Titan were illuminated in the light and watched the baby fox's body flicker transparent back and forth, the capillaries lighting up and bursting as the lightning fried it. It seemed to last for quite an extraordinary length of time, with the cub yelping it's daylights out. The squeaks died out, it's little heart burst and small wisps of smoke drifted out of it's mouth. The burnt fur singed in the air with a deathly smell.

The lightning disappeared, taking with it the brilliant flash of whiteness and the puppy fox fell onto the roof; bulbous and stiff and fried black. Visible smoke was singing off of it with scatters of flames eating at its body. The centre of the tower was blackened and even more fire danced on the tower vines nearby. The fox's eyes were burst open, it's mouth was open in shock and every inside of it's mouth was blackened. It was a picture of horror and revulsion.

Something snapped inside of Titan at that moment. He let out an animalic howl and tore into Sanji. He didn't care whether Sanji was hiding anything in his arms any longer. He drew his arms back and slashed at Sanji. Sanji cowered behind his arms crossed in front of his face.

It was only arms and hands and blood flying at that point. Titan slashed and slashed at Sanji, screaming and not allowing the off balance boy to fall to the ground. All the screaming and clawing filled Sanji's world, he couldn't see or hear anything else. It was just noise and hatred aimed towards him.

"Stop stop stop stop!" Sanji cried back. Every time he called out, a small explosion sounded behind them and the animals were squealing loudly. They banged about in their cages desperate to get out.

"Stoppp!"

A white owl exploded into a black mess. The ferret exploded where it was, untouched, a black smear on the ground. The ocelot was on its feet agitated and snarling. The foxes next to it exploded one by one. The ocelot jumped onto it's back legs onto the gate of the cage and hissed. Then, it's body bulged disproportionately, only for a millisecond, before it too exploded into black sludge. Each animal was splattering into blackness though nothing had touched them. The fire danced upward to the sky merrily, creeping along the tower and growing in size. Everything was an uproar.

Sanji didn't understand how Titan's strength had strangely doubled. He didn't know why the blows were opening his skin and cutting him up further. It was as though he was being attacked by a rabid wolf. He couldn't defend any longer, he was going to pass out...

Suddenly, the air behind the two boys rippled. There was a small trembling in the atmosphere and sharp exchange of temperature before it regularized. Someone appeared in the space behind them that wasn't there before. It was Miss Taka; the strict Migurigum Basics teacher with her intense no-nonsense face. She looked surprised for a second before quickly pulling Titan away from Sanji. Sanji instantly fell to the floor, depleted.

Titan snarled and struggled against Ms. Taka, he barely noticed whom he was fighting. Miss Taka winced. She struggled to control him. She dug her heels onto the concrete but Titan managed to push her off with more strength than she could have anticipated. Sanji trembled and watched from the ground as Titan approached again. Oh no oh no, he couldn't do anything. He squeezed his eyes shut. Miss Taka recuperated quickly and launched toward the raging boy as he descended upon Sanji.

Just as she touched the tip of his collar, the air rippled again and the two vanished. Sanji breathed hard and opened his eyes. They were gone, he felt the air move. He breathed in and out shallow and haggardly, his breath trembling. Everything had happened so quickly.

"Ha hu , ha..." his breathing shook. The dead fox stared back at him with a permanently open gasp. They were eye level with each other across the tower floor. Sanji looked at the fox; its liquidized organs were seeping out of its eardrums and mouth and stiffening onto the ground to cement it into place. He couldn't look away.

He breathed and breathed and breathed as blood lightly trickled down the wound on his forehead. Small drops of blood was also dribbling down his face and arms. Time passed slowly. He could only hear the sounds of his breathing and the fire slowly crackling. There was not a peel of animal sound atop the tower anymore. The air had gone empty.

"..." Time passed slowly. Finally, there was a sound of heat rippling and the shoes of the Migurigum teacher appeared out of thin air before Sanji. At last, he thought, breathing shallow gasps. Finally I could... he let out a shuddering breath and closed his eyes. The shoes walked toward him.

White curtains to the front of him and all around. Sanji opened his eyes to find himself lying on the infirmary bed of the school by himself. His body felt okay, his head felt stiff but no where hurt in particular. Still, he couldn't move his head too much cause of a slight headache. Either way, he wasn't planning on going anywhere soon.

The cubicle had just enough space for the bed and chair, it was one of the many cubicles partitioned off by curtains. It was very quiet as there was probably no one else in the ward. No one else but the shadows of Miss Taka and by the grizzly stump outline of his shadow, Old Man Healings teacher.

Sanji could hear them talking quietly outside his section, mumbling about him supposedly. He pulled the white covers higher up to his nose and continued to stare at the shadows.

"... ... students Nabiko and Yoshida ... ... earlier this week.... door."

"... ... animals belonged to... ... long time.. ... not permitted to keep... ... rescued."

" ... ... how did they... ... completely burnt... ... couldn't have done..."

"... scratched up.. ... enhanced bestial... ... "

"Student Makenshi... ... ... question him..."

"...damage... ... MRI?..."

"We can't take him to the vill... has to stay... ... safe... instructions... Migurigum."

Sanji stared at the curtain shadows. What were they talking about? He made out the names of Yoshi and Nabiko. They probably told the teachers that they had been to the tower before but it had been locked. But Makenshi? Why would they be talking about his lab partner? He couldn't quite make out the words but he didn't care to hear more either. Let the adults take care of it. He already wanted to forget about it all.

The shadows talked for a few seconds more before the shorter lumpier one turned around and left. Miss Taka stood there for a moment and then turned around in the direction of Sanji's bed. Abruptly, she pulled the partition aside and Sanji tried to squeeze his eyes shut in time.

"Mr. Sabuto." It was foolish to think that the strict teacher had fallen for it.

"Yeah?" Sanji opened his eyes slowly and looked at his teacher's deadpan face.

"'Yeah'?" Miss Taka questioned.

"Yes miss." Sanji said.

"Sanji Sabuto, your room mate said that you were the one who killed all of the animals on the roof. Is this correct?"

Sanji shook his head slightly and then realized that she wanted him to answer aloud. He mumbled from behind the sheet covering his mouth. "No...miss."

"He said you killed his pets in the past, and that you were hurting one of his animals in your hands."

Sanji looked around the curtains and felt the evening breeze nip at him in accusation. Where was the question in the statement? "I wasn't."

Miss Taka said nothing. It was hard to read her unchanging expression. Her pristine winged eyeliner gave a sharp look on the attractive young teacher. She seemed to be calculating something in her mind.

"Your condition is alright now. It's Friday so you may rest up for the rest of the day but then return to your dorm tomorrow." She walked into the room and lightly touched the bandages wrapped around Sanji's head with the back of her hand. "You'll be fine." She turned back around and started out the the cubicle, pausing at the dividing curtains to close it. She looked at him squarely. "Get well," and closed the curtain shut.

Sanji huddled under the bed covers further. The evening was very cozy and it drizzling outside. He closed his eyes to sleep.

Sanji could tell someone else was in the room even before he opened his eyes the following. It wasn't hard to tell actually, Sedata had managed to wedge herself into the right upper corner of Sanji's single sized bed, making herself comfortable. She was sitting on her large skirts and reading from a story book. She didn't mind that she was taking up half the bed as the side railing didn't even allow the boy to get breathing space on the other side.

Sanji shifted around slightly and Sedata looked toward his face. "Oh! You're awake!" Sanji squeezed his eyes shut but she had already put down her book and crawled over the mattress to get to the other side. She kneed him in several unmentionable places before hopping off the bed on the other side.

"ICHIGA!!!'' she called out shrilly. Apparently, Sanji had been wrong. There was another patient in the infirmary. Sedata's best friend Ichiga who had been missing from school for the past two weeks due to breaking her leg in a tree climbing incident.

The curtains on Sanji's left drew back sharply. A girl wearing white animal print pajamas appeared in the dividing pathway, black thick wild hair in two loose ponytails at her shoulders, and a vexed look on her youthful face. She was leaning on a side of crutches, her right leg in a knee high cast. Sedata hopped about the room, drawing back the infirmary windows to let the morning light in, arranging the flowers on his bedside table and pulling aside all of Sanji's dividing curtains all the way back.

Sanji stared at the new imposing girl. She glared back, frowning at him. "You're Sanji?"

"Yes," he answered automatically.

She frowned at him more, her face scrunching up cutely as she sized him up. Sanji had never seen her before although they were clearly in the same year group and apparently, she too had never taken notice of him. "You got Prince into trouble you know," she said.

Sedata sat down at the foot of Sanji's head and looked at him, unmoving from his protective covers and huddled up to his nose. "Prince?"

"That's Makenshi," Sedata informed him. She smiled her creepy doll smile at him, "you scared Makenshi good for some reason. He said something about your arms always being like that and then wouldn't say anything else." Her bright aqua eyes widened slightly, "I tried bullying him a little so he could tell me more but he just wouldn't talk."

"And now Miss Taka has been talking to them all day. You scared Prince." Ichiga sounded it as a direct accusation to Sanji. She obviously blamed him for everything that had happened despite being away from it all. Sanji didn't deny any accusation, there was nothing to say and this was the least of his problems. "Are you hiding something?"

"..." Silence. Ichiga thought she was convincing enough and had every right to an answer but Sanji didn't reply to her. Sedata smiled wider, looking between the two.

"Show us your hands Sanji."

"..." Sanji didn't move. Sedata looked back at Ichiga, her perfected mask cracking slightly. "Ichiga," she whined, "he's not listening to me."

"Relax princess," the new girl cut her off. She hobbled closer to Sanji and glared down on him. She put on a commanding voice. "Show me your hands."

"..." Sanji looked away. To the back of the room. To the other beds. Anywhere else. Wishing himself away.

Suddenly, Ichiga reached forward, ripping Sanji's arm from under the covers as she balanced precariously on one crutch. She didn't mean him any spite she simply seemed a more naturally rough child. Sanji allowed his arm to be twisted all over so that the inner side faced the girl. She turned it back and forth, frowning. Sedata leant forward to see as well.

"What did Prince see?" The tomboy asked with mild impatience.

Sanji's arms were as clear as the skin of a newborn. They were unblemished even void of healing scars. More easily, Ichiga picked up Sanji's other arm and inspected it. There were no marks on this one either. She frowned and let him take his arms away. He retreated himself back under the covers and gazed toward the windows. Ichiga looked toward her friend at the other end of the bed.

"Well I don't know what Makenshi meant," Sedata defended instantly, "I just heard people saying his room mate scratched him up like a tiger."

"Hmmm," Ichiga frowned and folded her arm seriously.

Sanji glanced at her expression and then down on the floor. Old Man White... probably healed me up already. He realized. Probably healed everything without recognizing that... even my head's stopped bleeding.

"Classes will be exciting though. You're famous now," Sedata crawled up the bed to sit closer to Sanji again, ignoring personal space. Ichiga was still standing on her crutch before the bed, listening to the news. "You should hear what the other guy said about you, the guy who beat you up??? Why didn't you fight back though, you're like a wimp- you like to get beat up don't you?" she played with the hair falling in the front of Sanji's forehead bandages, "right Sanji???"

"...ye..." Sedata made it so compelling to answer, saying everything she thought in question format, "yeah."

Sedata's eyes brightened and she smoothed the rest of Sanji's hair back. "See I knew that."

Ichiga shifted on her crutch and turned sideways, "I'm going to the dorms now."

Mid-stroke, Sedata let go of Sanji's hair and smiled at the other girl without cause. She nodded deftly and crawled up all over and off the bed with her big wide skirts and stepped in place alongside her friend. The newly met Ichiga started off first, with practised resolute steps, Sedata on her heels. The two girls paused at the periphery of Sanji's cubicle with opposing demeanors to mirror their personalities.

"Well bye," Ichiga spoke first, "if you ever mess what prince again, you will have to deal with me. Also... I hope you get better soon." Her expression was still vexed when she said that but she was also nodding earnestly.

"Goodbye Sanji," Sedata smiled warmly. "See you later, okay?"

"Okay."

Sedata wiggled her fingers in a wave and then the two girls departed through the door. The padding doorstops faded away from Sanji's earshot and the infirmary was left in vacant calming silence. Nine empty cubicles surrounded Sanji with drawn curtains. There were potted bright flowers at the nurses station and sunlight pouring through every window that there was. It was an ironic sunny silence. Students elsewhere in the school were enjoying the welcome Saturday weather whilst Sanji sat in his sick bed, alone.

He stared across the room some more. Lethargically, he pulled himself up and sat straight, the sheets falling down the bed. He was wearing a set of white hospital robes that he didnt presume he had changed himself. One of the teachers or the nurse might have non-intrusively done it for him.

Sanji touched his forehead to check for any damage and then dropped his hand. Had Yoshi or Nabiko visited, or were they angry at him for getting them into trouble? Were they even.. friends? Sanji didn't know. Should he even burden someone with his friendship.

"..."

He dropped his feet onto the ground and scurraged around for his footwear. He found them and glided off the bed. Not wanting to be too impolite, he tucked in the patient sheets carefully before looking around for his belongings. He found them laying on the bedtable shelf below; his former wear, his shoes. That's it. He picked them up and folded them over his arms and looked around. One more thing.

Tap tap tap, the patient slippers made soft slapping sounds as Sanji walked over to the nurses station cupboard. It was a tall locked vertical cabinet with a glass front, much like a wares cupboard. No one's around. With his clothes in one hand, Sanji slid his hand through the glass, a phantom gesture. He collected a roll, and another item. He slid his hand easily back out and looked down at the waist high drawers.

These were unlocked, with fancy elaborate black handles. He slid them open and checked through the drawers one by one. He found what he was looking for without much delays and closed the drawers back in.

Click. He closed the door quietly behind him as he left the infirmary wing. The hall was empty as well. No one was on this side of the school; the library and the sick bay on a bright Saturday. Clack clack clack, Sanji made his way down the wide corridor in his pale patient clothing and slippers. A few sounds of laughter escaped from afar as he walked. He wouldn't be joining the merriment. He hoped to avoid all his fellow orphans as long as possible. The stares and the questions could wait for one day- He was going to his bedroom.

The door opened and shut. It was empty. Of course, Titan wasn't returning soon. His clothes on the bed beside him, Sanji sat on the white sheets and stared out the window calmly. A beautiful day. The roll of bandages, alcohol wipes and box of razor blades rested quietly in his palms.

SICO

Axishi continued to look into Sico's shutting eyes as his arms stopped scraping and fell to his sides limply. Such a silly boy, he thought, from innocent and daring to an ignorant impulsive fool. He cocked his head studying Sico's features as a wind tossed the boy's hair about.

He released his hold and went toward the sword as Sico fell, limp, onto the ground. Then, the boy started coughing. Sico pushed onto his elbow, wheezes racked his body but no blood this time, whilst Axishi gripped the sword hilt and pulled it out of the ground where it had stuck.

The sword started burning his hand as soon as he touched it. Sico looked at Axishi, his other hand had regenerated already. The Migurigum let go of the blade and looked toward the unknown sky in contemplation.

"It seems that this sword might indeed be the only weapon that can kill a Migurigum," Axishi said. He turned to face Sico. "I cannot sense Konohimae in this realm at all. How pitiful of him to have died so easily."

"He was," Sico snarled, getting to his feet, "much more noble than you could ever be."

Axishi raised his brows for show. "He was what? Did you know that Konohimae was the one who wanted you dead."

"All of you," Sico looked at Axishi measuredly. Under all that neutral emotionlessness, Sico knew Axishi to be plain evil. "Each and every one of you wanted me dead."

"Incorrect young Sico," Axishi replied "Konohimae believes your part of the prophecy is to kill us. However, I believe it to be more complicated than that, at least- I think you can be useful to us."

"I will never join you."

"You will," Axishi cut him off discrepantly, "unwittingly."

The Migurigum raised his arm from his side to examine its healing and Sico flinched unwillingly. Axishi noted the reaction and his head tilted to the side. He was different from Konohimae. He was... more callous.

His eyes flickered deviously. "Do you actually miss your guardian- Konohimae? Is that it?"

"He was never a guardian to me." But it wasn't true, Sico knew it. Konohimae had been with him every day of his life since he was hired. Every day that his parents were away on business, there to teach him and protect him. Even though the Migurigum involvement being too close for comfort caused his family scorn, caused him additional isolation. He was still there.

Sico didn't make a move as he looked at the Migurigum wearing an imitation of a smile. An unfeeling long one that cut his face in half and only served to make him appear more devious. It was too wide... it was abnormal. Konohimae never pretended like that. Konohimae was always cold yet serene. What exactly had it been that made Sico so attached to the being in the first place...

Six years ago

"Why do we need to hire another Migurigum? Isn't sire Axishi enough?"

A 6-year-old Sico perched carefully at the Renji household's ballroom door, his wide eyes bright and toes curling as he peeped through the small view of the keyhole opening, giving him perfect sight of his mother and father debating in the billiard room.

"Axishi has been in my family for generations, I've grown up with him unaging and so has my father. They are guarding us from the Migurigum who wish us harm," Sico's father paused in the midst of arguing with his wife. "Axishi said he wont be here all day anymore, and if he suggests that Sico may need another watcher from now on, I would consider it."

A sigh; the quiet lady let out a tired breath. "Are you sure we aren't being forced. We can call for the town priests if need-"

"I'm not being forced dear," Mr. Renji seemed slightly offended at the idea, "don't underestimate humanity. We have been observing the Migurigum our entire lives. I think I know how to manage them."

Sico's quaint mother was not the type to argue. She let her silence speak for her as she shut down, punishing him passively for disregarding her opinion. Mr. Renji softened but did not budge.

"Besides, we already have two other caretakers chosen, we will leave it up to Sico to decide. And you know how that boy is a crybaby."

Sico's mother looked at her husband with a plain unwavering expression. She got up from her chair and nodded at him quietly. The scorned man frowned but stepped aside as his wife sauntered past him. Sico scrambled to back up as his mother opened the door. He fell to his butt and his eyes widened. His mother looked down at him in surprise.

"Mommy!"

Mrs. Renji smiled gently and stooped, putting a hand on Sico's head. Sico smiled wider. He caught the long wisps of his mother's hair as she bowed over him and smoothed it out. Mrs. Renji stayed with her son for a moment more before she slid her hand off his head and started away down the hall. Sico watched his mother from the floor as she departed. His mother seemed a little upset. He peered back into the room to look at his stone faced father. It must be daddy's up to no good.

"Bad daddy!" Sico called out, his index lashed out upon his arm and pointed at Mr. Renji. Mr. Renji stared blankly at the child. He was not amused.

Days later, three guests had entered through the foyer door and were standing in a line in the large brown and gold ballroom. The ceiling itself was a sparkling light gold, high and arched with a single chandler in the middle. Four pairs of ceiling high windows with drawn gold drapes lined the mostly vacant room. To the left of the centred stairway was a single round table and on the right was Mrs. Renji, perched on the single armchair. She stared with a conspicuously veiled expression at the dead potted flowers lining the right half of the room.

The men in the room were obviously uncomfortable. They had not known that a Migurigum was going to be summoned. The man on the far left looked to be a middle aged merchant wearing rich textiles and a wispy mustache. He was an old acquaintance who enjoyed rubbing shoulders with wealth. The young man in the middle was tall and had a friendly natural aura to him, even with the agitated faces the two wore. He had brown hair and a fit yet lean build, young enough to keep up with toddlers and an all round the ideal choice. And the last being on the right was the Migurigum. Tallest yet amongst all three men and skinniest as well in the room. His expression indicated he neither read the atmosphere well nor showed that he was aware of being a source of malaise.

The men peered to their right in a jitter of nerves leaning slightly away... yet almost ogling the Migurigum who did not turn to face them. Konohimae, wearing a bluish black cloak was making no extravagant appearances to appeal to his role, he simply stood gargoyle-like to be examined. His first intimate mission with humans. Ten years they had guessed the initial duties to last, ten years was the blink of an eye to a Migurigum.

"Good day gentlemen," Mr. Renji stood at the foot of the stairway with his arms flourished open in invitation. "We shall be choosing a new caregiver for my son today." Grave looks pinched the men's faces. "Sico!"

"Coming daddddddyyy." the giggling yell of the young boy came echoing from down the empty hallway. The men looked over their shoulders at the young boy running from the opposite side, approaching like a tornado. He blew past the men's tail coats without even a single greeting and almost collided with his father in an attempt to hug him. Instantly, the displeased man caught his son tightly by the shoulders and kept him at an arms length away. Sico wiggled about to escape. The father's stony expression fell upon him however and he finally paid heed and stilled in the grasp. Mr. Renji looked up from the toddler and smiled tight lipped.

"This is Sico Renji; this is the boy you would have to teach, to accompany and to safeguard on a daily basis."

Mr. Renji spun Sico around and drew him back to his waist, hands firm on his son's shoulders. Sico looked at the guests for the first time since he entered; there was a fatty, a nice man suddenly smiling at him and... Someone who looked like they had come from a storybook. Their eyes were not focused on anyone or anything and specific. Sico's own widened and his father's dialogue faded from his ears.

"We'll be doing things a little differently right now. Sico, you may choose your teacher from amongst these gentlemen."

Sico's ears pricked up at the sound of his name, he leant his head back and looked up at his father, "I can choose?"

Mr. Renji nodded slightly and Sico smiled.

Sico lowered his head and looked across the room once more but he only had eyes for one. He'd seen Axishi the security being around the property on occasions, and he'd seen his father talking to him. Most of the close encounters were scary as Axishi would stare at Sico like an insect and try to practise human emotions which horrified his facial features. But this Migurigum did not attempt any of that. He stood in his deep black cloak that all the Migurigum wore, so black it shone velvet. Maybe it was because there were so many people in the room but Sico did not feel scared at all.

Without any hesitation whatsoever, Sico shrugged off his father's hands and sprang off toward the guests. The boy in the middle smiled and amiably knelt to the floor with open arms.

Sico ran into the Migurigum's solid cloak which stopped him like he'd hit a brick wall. Konohimae did not move. The men on the right gaped at the union in twin horror and surprise. Sico beamed and hugged the plush satin cloak.

Slowly, Konohimae looked down upon the small human hugging him. How... Odd. What a strange little human.

At the stairway, a frown of irritation over Sico's unruliness was graciously replaced with a nod of approval. "Great," Mr. Renji said, folding his arms. "You have met Sire Konohimae."

A grinning Sico looked back over at the stairway and spotted his mother sitting there. He hadn't noticed her before. "Mommy!" His arms dropped from the Migurigum's legs and her started toward her. "Mommy, did you see the-" his words cut off instantly. An icy glare froze the toddler in place and he stopped dead in his tracks. Mrs. Renji took to her feet, eyes fixated coldly on her son before she looked away. She headed up the staircase without a glance back. Sico was frozen in shock.

"Mommy..?"

"Mommy! Mom mom mommy!'

Pound pound pound! It was late afternoon. The bedroom door remained locked despite the numerous times the little boy beat onto its face. Sico removed his hands, his knuckles trembling from pounding so hard. His mother would not come to door. His lips quivered. Why, why was she mad at him?

Sico sniffled and stepped away from the door. Daddy... what about daddy? The glassiness in his eyes managed not to spill over as he sniffled and turned around. Maybe daddy could fix this.

"Daddy daddy daddy!"

Mr. Renji was standing in his study talking to Konohimae when his son crashed into the doorway. Sico huffed and huffed, "daddy I-"

"Sico not now!" The frustration snapped at the child like daggers. Sico drew back as if stung in the doorway. He reached up both hands to touch the nape of his jersey, confused and hurt but his father did not apologize. Glaring, the man turned back to his conversee to continue the discussion. The Migurigum in turn, stared impassively.

They did not wait for him to exit before they continued talking of their business. Sico felt ignored once more. The glaciers in his eyes liquidated and he stormed away with an elbow covering his face. No one, no one in the mansion ever paid attention to him. His stride quickened and then he was running. Running down the stairway and to the mansion front doors. He had to remove his arms from his face for a second to push open the giant doors with both arms, no one around to notice him.

He belted out down the pathway, the fountain and all the way to the tall iron gates. There was a drawbridge that he passed over that lead to the villages beyond but it wasn't appealing to him at the moment. The forest was on either side, tall and colourful and massive enough to drown him of his feelings. He hiccupped and walked under the foliage and it slowly thickened around him.

Sico had gone into the forest beyond the mansions walls before, with his father of course, but it wasn't late yet. It was a typical forest with roots growing above the ground, and large boulders lining the streams. Sico took unplanned routes, walking aimlessly in his petulant bereavement. His head down, he kicked pebbles and twigs as he walked and whimpered.

His tears were gradually drying but he still felt heartbroken and increasingly bitter. Nobody cares about me. He sniffled and kicked an extra large stone. They come and go all the time. I'm always alone...

Kick! "Aww!" the six year old fell to his knees and clutched his ankle. He'd felled across a particularly large tree root and twisted his ankle. Young Sico whimper cried angrily and rubbed his foot thinking he was in the deepest tragedy one could imagine. "Somebody..." he hugged his knees and bowed his head into his lap. No one cares about me.

Suddenly, there was a flutter of breeze fanning the fringes of Sico's legs and a cape like fabric almost touched him. "Huh?" The puzzling wind broke Sico out of his misery and he looked up and up. Standing mere inches before him, the Migurigum looked almost down his nose at the boy with an extravagantly plain and inspecting scrutiny. The boy gaped finding nothing else to do- he had already forgotten about the being.

"..." the Migurigum did not advance. Sico's mouth gaped a little more before he could get over his shock.

Tentatively, carefully, he made his mind up and threaded to his feet, swaying and trying to get a small amount of balance. He managed to stand up, one foot embracing the ground and the other with tiptoes, only a light kiss upon the earth. He was now standing before the Migurigum. He strutted forward, one foot hopped forward. He put it down to bridge the gap and leant heavily onto the sturdy cloak before him, letting his weight fall onto his new acquaintance.

"Did daddy send you?" the little boy's girlish voice inquired. The Migurigum hadn't pushed him away so he felt a little confidant.

"..." a minute pause of deliberation then- "no." The voice calm and unquestioning.

Sadness panged the toddler's heart. He hid his face in the cloak. "Daddy doesn't love me."

Coldness grew gradually, pulling in the night with it. Wind was sneaking slender languid drafts through the forest trees and earthbound leaves. It passed by all living things to soothe and tickle them to their homes or to hunt. It licked at the exposed skin on the human boys' arms and legs and drafted up through his clothing. He shuddered.

The sun was dropping below eye level, peering at them one last time through knee length greenery. The two figures were still there. The Migurigum looked at the human still clutching his length. The body was shaking against him in small quick twitches. "Why.. are you moving like that."

Calmed and drowsy nestling at his companion's waist, toddler Sico's head unpressed from the cloak and he looked up into the Migurigum's dark eyes. "I'm... cold..." he whispered. His feet threaded closer.

"..." Konohimae heard the response. He lifted his head away from the human and looked into the distance. "You are standing on my cloak."

"Huh?" Little Sico gave a small puzzled look.

Fwsshh! A swift movement and ripple and the Migurigum vanished into thin air. The sudden departure caused Sico to fall forward as his support disappeared and he fell onto the ground, elbows hands and knees. Konohimae alighted on a tall boulder a short distance away that sat on the streams' edge. "Owww," the little boy mewled and pushed up off the carpets of leaves and dirt that now coated the front of his shirt. The front of his palms were lightly bruised and he whimpered, sitting onto his haunches.

Konohimae turned and stared in the opposite direction across the river, his back to the small boy. "..." Young Sico stared sullenly, Atleast... atleast someone is with me. And he'll have to like me one day, mommy and daddy pay him for it.

Sico brushed his chubby hands off bit by bit. He bent back over onto his knees and crawled to the roots that had tripped him. It belonged to a giant tree, the angled crevice of the trunk gave a small sink for a semi luxurious backrest and bed. Sico nestled against the not so uncomfortable incline and lied down, his head on the tree's overgrown root. His stomach grumbled and he stared at the back of his immobile companion.

"I'm hungry."

The wind blew its response, more audible than anything the Migurigum had to say. Sico hugged his shoulders, eyes never leaving the tall silent one's back. Even hungry and cold, he was becoming more relaxed in the deep big woods since he had someone to direct his attention toward. "Sire Migorigore, do you eat???"

"..." It seemed the Migurigum would not answer, however- "no," he said quietly.

"Don't you eat fruits and vegetables to get so tall and strong???"

"No."

"One mango??? Or half an apple???"

"... rarely."

"Oooooohhhh," Sico smiled even though his stomach was growling, "so you're half human then? You eat food once a month? Half human half werewolf???"

"..." The Migurigum would not answer unnecessary questions. As another growl erupted from Sico's stomach, his elation began to abate. "Mr. Migorigore, I'm hungry," his voice came out more high pitched and pleading but he realized he wasn't going to get any help from the Migurigum. His eyes became tired and he curled tighter on the solid dirt. He could just sleep it off, he blinked slowly. Migurigum would stay... he'd just, sleep a little bit. His eyes drifted shut and he let sleep appease his worries. Night fell heavy in the forest.

With the sun taking dramatic departure with all colour, the nocturnal creatures came from their hiding places to taste the black night and whatever the forest held for them. Sico was still curled up at the giant trees trunk and the Migurigum, with no reason to move, was still standing with the replicative immobility of a statue.

A large furry creature came from behind the northern bushes, very slowly, very stealthily. It's paws took it slowly along the stream from where it had come. It could smell the two beings in the vicinity, one a very odd smell. Breeze blew the large gray wolf's ears and fur forward as it peered at the tall still Migurigum standing on the boulder.

It's shoulders hunched, golden eyes slits, the animal took its time to evaluate the tall prey at a closer range as it crept up. It was mostly curiosity; the wolf did not like to engage upright prey; it was smart enough to know this would be dangerous. Sensing no movement, the wolf completed it's trek to the boulder and raised itself upon its hind legs to lean forward onto the rock. It snuffed at the foot of Konohimae. The scent was indistinguishable. Was it alive or was it inanimate? There was no fear, no feeling at all from the erect creature. The wolf's nose snuffed and touched and smelled and sniffed the hem of the cloak. The Migurigum did not look down.

Not knowing what to think about the gargoyle, the canine dropped its front paws off the rock and turned its focus onto the sleeping animal lying by the tree. It decided that the Migurigum was probably not a living being, the smell must have simply been an odd wolf that had marked its territory. The wolf would not usually attack a human being but this one was a small human and easy to pick up and carry away to eat later.

There were only scatters of moonlight about toddler Sico's napping place. Even had he been awake, he would not have seen the animal approach as stealthily and silently as one of its kind does. He was not aware of the danger, he seemed to be sleeping very peacefully despite the cold- seemed to have found a perfect spot on the dark earth. Soft almost silent thuds of paws approached the boy before the wolf emerged at the boy's head.

The wolf lowered its nose an inch before Sico's face; the boys deep breath blowing at the fur on the wolf's nozzle. The Migurigum's back was turned on the scene as the short introduction inspired. Scrupulously, the wolf traced its nose down over the child's chin, down to the neck looking for an easy mark. Its hot breath poured out on the child's throat as the wolf opened its jaw slowly. The lips on the sharp canine mouth curled back and without further indecision, the jaw moved to snap the neck swiftly and make off...

It wasn't teleportation that brought the Migurigum across the distance to snatch the wolf into the air. In one extremely fast gesture, the Migurigum had streaked across the leaves and grabbed the grey wolf up by its throat. Konohimae spared no thought or second to decide upon its course of action. The massive wolf swung by the neck in Konohimae's grasp and didn't have time to retaliate. Konohimae held the wolfs throat in one hand and grabbed its head with the other and he pulled it apart.

Tendons stretched an bone cracked apart, and the wolf was decapitated with one strong jerk. The fur then the inner grey skin ripped in half easily, the neck burst and the two pieces were completely separated with blood and its interior appendages hanging between the two pieces. Konohimae dropped the head, and flung the body absentmindedly across from him, back toward the bushes. There was a ripple of movement in the bushes as the body thumped down.

The Migurigum turned around calmly, Sico still asleep behind him. His eyes tracked the movements in the bushes, side to side. Yes, the surrounding wolves had seen the father of the pack killed. They did not have time to comprehend what had happened; the body bleeding at the front of their hiding places- they simply knew this was a dangerous being.

The sound of scrambling claws and a pack of twelve smaller wolves scattered from the bushes, but Konohimae was faster. He took on a black featureless form, with claws the only distinguishable shapes and flew like a stretched shadow out toward the wilderness in a blur. Nothing could be seen as the silhouette zoomed through the bushes in a row. Shrieking and yelping tore up into the sky. Rustling, strangled wolf yelps cut short and ripping sounds, and then the night was silent. The black shape flew back from whence it had disappeared and resumed a physical shape, standing guard in front of the toddler.

Steadily, blood seeped below the foliage as though it had been just been watered in red. Sico stirred, the wolves dying howls having been heard far and wide. Konohimae looked down at the infant's fluttering eyelids. There was a spot of blood on his face. He bent, his arm extended from within the cloaks. He touched a slender finger lightly on the face where blood was rolling down the boy's cheek. He carefully drew his finger against the stain. The blood only smeared. "..." Konohimae pulled back and stared at the blemish. Sico's eyes blinked open. He sat up.

"!!!" The gigantic wolf's head gaped at Sico as soon as he opened his eyes. He jumped and covered his mouth in surprise, remembering where he was. He looked around him, the Migurigum was in front studying him, closer than he had been before. "What..." Sico looked back and forth between the head and the unaffected bodyguard. This was not fun anymore. He had never seen a brutally severed head before.

He was finished with this adventure of his. He placed his palms on his knees and looked the Migurigum straight in the eye, "I wanna go home," he pleaded quietly. It was too dark and scary by now. He wanted to be in his bed.

Konohimae stared back at the boy. Home... He turned around and started walking away, expecting the boy to follow.

Sico's heartbeats quickened and fear jumped in his chest. He was walking away, the blackness already enveloping all trace of the figure ahead. He was going to be left alone in the dark cause his foot had been twisted. His shoulders started shuddering and he began to weep audibly, rubbing his eyes There was no way the Migurigum would wait for him, he wouldn't be able to keep up and he'd be left alone again. Maybe a wolf would really eat him up. Why had he run away?

Konohimae stopped in his tracks at the soft sound behind him. He turned around. What was that sound, it wasn't a language and it wasn't communicating anything helpful. He saw the boy through the darkness with hands covering his face, still seated on the ground.

"What are you doing."

Sico startled and looked up at the surrounding blackness. He looked side to side but couldn't see anyone around. "I, " he whispered, not wanting to disturb the night despite the fact that the Migurigum might not be able to hear him, "I can't walk."

Silence. Sico tried to look in the direction the Migurigum had gone. There was no answer or rustling of fauna, only crickets all around. Konohimae emerged a short distance ahead of the boy looking down on him. Sico swallowed and looked up. The dark figures face was the only thing visible in the dark. "My foot breaked."

"..."

The dark eyes scanned the boy but he could see no injury. He looked back up at the tear streaked face looking at him and shivering in the cold. Konohimae took a step closer to Sico.

Sico stared wide eyed as the Migurigum came closer and closer to him. And then he gasped as the Migurigum reached down and took him around the back and below the legs, scooping him up smoothly. Sico's small arms went instinctively around his neck to hold on but there was no need.

He was safely cradled in Konohimae's arms, his body snug against the soft velvety cloak and face the closest he'd ever been to a supernatural being. He stared wide eyed at the Migurigum's pale face, almost glowing in the dark for its lack of colour, and they started walking out of the forest again guided by unknown instincts. They were walking, not gliding, not flying, very naturally and human like.

The Migurigum carried him. Without anyone to tell him off for staring rudely, Sico gazed transfixed, almost as if in love. Dark eyes and docile features; they were not so indistinct from a normal persons... right? Why were they hated? Even though it was apparent that the boys had eyes on him only inches away, Konohimae did not try to intimidate him by making eye contact or by telling him to look away. He allowed the boy to stare as the two journeyed through the cool night. Sico liked the Migurigum's calm smooth face, no yelling or menacing glances. He felt safe and not alone- no creature of the night would dare approach them. Gingerly he touched the pale skin to see if any of it was real and Konohimae glanced briefly at young Sico. Sico breathed in deeply, feeling the skin. He rested his head against the gentle shoulder and closed his eyes to sleep. The Migurigum carried him all the way through the night.

Axishi's false smile was still in place. Satisfied that his arm had properly healed, he dropped it to his side. "Konohimae had a mission, he was, not, supposed to return to your town..." as though called upon by the Migurigum's emphasized words, the winds and atmosphere about them began to darken. The storm clouds traveled across the sun and the sky was beginning to blot over. Darkness was coming. Was it purely the storm? Indeed. As strong as Migurigum were, and without many humans to attest to this fact, not even they or any being had control over the environment or other living things.

But it was a fit timing, and Axishi was taking advantage of the accumulating tension. "Did you think we came into your life by mere accident Master Sico???" his voice penetrated the increasing shrieking winds and Sico had to kneel on a knee to avoid being buffeted by the gales, clutching to his namesake weapon once more.

Shadows extended from Axishi's cloak, his arms, hair and shoulders and the hem of his cloak began growing long and growing upward. He was becoming a massive black penumbra whilst also retaining a central humanoid shape. The living shadows blackened half the mountainside and Sico could only gnash his teeth and look on. "I thought you weren't going to kill me!" he yelled.

"I'm not going to kill you Master Sico... I am going to overwhelm you. I am going to break you!"

"!!" Some loose earth around started to shake and slide. More rocks from all about started sliding down toward his feet. He had underestimated the Migurigum again. Why hadn't Konohimae exhibited this immense power? The earth before Sico's feet continued to slide in torrents, he didn't have time to think, his feet no longer found solid ground and it crumpled apart as well and swept him backwards. It was an avalanche.... Explosions of debris suddenly flew up and obscured the shrouded sky. He could no longer see Axishi before him.

The mountain quaked and shook, earth split and spit stone in all diagonals. There was no longer a level horizon and nothing below his feet. Axishi had awoken the avalanche. Directionless, Sico fell free.

The braided Migurigum was standing next to a tree when he saw the mountain side collapse. He had been standing there for a short while, after following the young boy, unnoticed. The braided Migurigum shielded his eyes from the sun, the other hand resting on the tree trunk. They had to keep they distance so the two fighting were but diminutive specks on the horizon.

The braided Migurigum watched the taller figure draw back and then stretch into a huge black form, spreading across the green with its lengthening shadow. The piercing growl reached across the land to the small unseen Migurigum and pierced his ears. He winced and had to look down, covering the Sides of his cowled head. When he glanced back at the scene, the mountain was nothing but tumbling rubble, he couldn't see anyone there.

"!!!" He stood erect in a panic and scanned the collapsing rocks. Where where where? Everything was falling apart.

There! The figure of the boy was falling with the avalanche, tossing like a doll. The Migurigum grimaced looking around. I... might fall myself.

He jumped toward a falling ledge and landed on it. It skid down the slope with Migurigum on top. The Migurigum jumped to another rock just before it smashed into pieces, eyes focused on the target. The wind was wild and whipped his hair about rom under the hood, tumbles of earth obscured his view as he balanced on his piece of falling rock to quickly calculate his next step. Everything was happening quickly, no time to lose. The boys body was falling down in the middle of the barrage and he could be smothered any minute.

One two three seconds, the braided Migurigum made six successive leaps across the face of the mountain and made his way over to Sico just in time. He grabbed him around the waist with one hand and then his head swung around to look up at the falling sky to any fixture above. His hand swung out with a grapple and twined around a tree root growing horizontal on the land. It held. The Migurigum faced away and shut his eyes as the remaining earth rained down against his back. Some boulders pounded him but he kept his hand tightly on the cord as they hanged, unconscious Sico tucked closer to his body for protection.

Minutes passed before the braided Migurigum was able to slowly pull them up. Sico was a strain to carry, they were not bigger themselves. He let loose his knapsack to let off weight and hoisted them up. With great effort, he managed to reach the top of sturdy land as rain pelted down, the storm picking up earnestly. The rain was sheets in the lithe Migurigum's eyes. Sico's body was thrown over first, then the Migurigum managed to crawl over and stop at the ledge to pause for breath.

Rain gathered on the rocky surface. The Migurigum pulled Sico by the shoulders with both hands, backing across the mountain to make way to a sheltering cave. one foot each, a slow steady drag.

Finally in the cave, Sico was dropped furthest inside the safety of the cavern. The Migurigum fell to his knees at the entrance of the cave, breathing hard in exhaustion. Outside was a vision of rain. There was no where to go for now. The skies were dim. The braided one panted and pulled off his hood. Sico stirred in the background.