It was bright morning on HighDeck, and a normal workday in the HighDeck Trading Co-operatives Building. The looming building was set behind erect black gates and had some basic guards at the reinforced doors and barred windows. Nonetheless, neither of the guards saw it when several rugged mean faced gun-toting men appeared in front of them and knocked them flat out.

CHACHINK.

Everyone in the lobby room looked up at the sound as the punkishly coloured men marched right in.

“Alright boys and girls,” the woman next to the hugest guy in the front stated, hoisting up an AK47 “ everyone on the ground-

The L. D. Angels are here.”

“Thank you, here’s your change, have a nice day.”

“Thanks,” Kochiro nodded to the HighDeck woman of the clothes store managing without venom. He picked up his shopping bag, folded his crisp bills and headed out the store.

The doors slid shut behind him and Kochiro held a bent arm affront his face to block out the sun’s glare and the overall rich gleam of HighDeck. Where was the Angel, Michael…?

“Got everything you needed kid?”

“Uh, yes…” Kochiro paused as he turned around, expecting to see Michael in the shadows wearing his usual black cloak and mask or black leggings and tight shirt. Instead, Michael was standing there very casually, facemask off and eyes deceivingly clear, hair still held up in his ponytail. He was wearing a slack pair of jeans and sneakers, with a sleeveless black jersey to top it off. He looked so… normal.

“Hm? You ok?”

“Uh, yes.” Kochiro straightened up and smoothed his own slack black jeans and black T-shirt (with white print reading ‘if you don’t like my attitude… PISS OFF!’ on it) self- consciously. He stared at the transformed Angel for a little while longer.

“Ah,” Michael said suddenly but still without much surprise in his tone, “you’re suspicious of me then. You’re thinking, ‘why doesn’t he remain cloaked and hidden instead of revealing himself like that?’... aren’t you?”

Kochiro blinked, then nodded slowly and carefully.

“Well it’s because it’s easier to expose myself as ordinary rather than try to hide all the time ‘cause I’m on this Deck so often.” Michael tilted his head toward the sky, “yes, it’s just so.”

“…” Kochiro reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out the wad of notes, “here’s your change.”

"Keep it, you might need it.”

“Hm?” Kochiro stuffed the money back into his jeans as he saw a local High Decker lady walking toward them. His face scrunched up and he tensed but Michael remained unbothered.

“Morning,” she’d proceeded straight up to them, so that Kochiro had to step aside as Michael acknowledged her.

“Ohayo, my sweet dear,” Kochiro glared at Michael testily but he ignored it. “This is Koriboh-kun.”

“!!” Kochiro snapped to attention.

“Eh???” Miss Lady looked from side to side expectantly then bent her head down to look at a sulking Kochiro. He frowned straight up at her but she smiled anyway, “oh, ohayo cutie.”

Scowl. “Good morning,” Kochiro mumbled, miffed.

“So, how are things?” Michael said, rekindling the former conversation, “I haven’t seen you in such a long time.”

“Oh…yes!” The lady turned back to Michael. Kochiro could see a slight shade of pink in her cheeks and rolled his eyes. What was this all about? “Everything’s been great… and all the other ladies have been asking for you too,” and the heavy wave of jealousy was not easy to miss.

“Is that so?” Michael hid an amused smirk. “Tell them ‘hi’ for me then.”

Miss Lady swelled up but remained cordial, “anything for you, Michael.”

Geez, Kochiro thought, was Michael the ‘cool’ type or just a player. We don’t have time for this. How long must we stay on HighDeck, it’s only so long that anyone at home will notice me missing. And… my mommy… Kochiro’s thoughts trailed off at the same time the lady grew serious. He turned his attention back onto them.

“By the way Michael…”

Michael blinked coolly at her.

“…did you hear, down on west side, since morning no one’s been able to enter the Co-operatives Trading Building. Something fishy’s going on.”

“... Ah, is that so.”

“Yeah, it’s spooky. Better be careful Michael,” she tiptoed closer to him and hid her mouth as though telling a secret, “it could be the L. D. Angels after all.”

“Yeah, gotta watch out for them,” Michael nodded seriously and the lady gradually smiled again.

“Oh, okay. I better be going anyway.”

“Choi then.” He said kindly and the HighDeck lady bowed, then skipped off down her way. Kochiro glared after her and looked back at Michael.

“How can you be so…” he began accusingly, “nice, to them.”

“Hm, nice?” Michael rested a hand comfortably on his hip, “just being polite. I know a lot of them, dominantly, untenably women though, that’s just how it is.”

Kochiro tssked and folded his arms. “So,” he began again in a calmer more business-like voice, “do you know what she was talking about about the Tradings building?”

“Yeah, it was bound to happen,” in a carefree speculative tone, “I could guess what’s going on.”

“So, are you going to do something about it, if people are posing as the L. D. Angels-”

“They’re not posing.”

“Hm?” Kochiro blinked.

“Those are the hired muscle I was telling you about; the impulsive, hasty bunch. They’re livid I haven’t communicated or updated them for a while. They should know their place,” sigh “anyway, not my problem.”

“But,” Kochiro started confused, “shouldn’t you do something? Shouldn’t you tell them-”

“Kid.”

“Mm?”

“Keep your mind in one place. When you’re here with me, you’re here with me. Don’t think about anything else. I know what I’m doing.” Kochiro glared at him.

Michael stuck his hand into his jeans pocket and pulled out a small flat object. Kochiro snapped out of his glare and looked at it curiously as Michael handed it to him.

“Here, you’ll need this.”

Kochiro began inspecting the small chip and amplifier device, “an earphone piece?”

“It’s a five way phone, come,” he started walking suddenly, hands stuck in pockets and Kochiro hurried to catch up. Parks of green and wild poi trees lined the streets peaked by exquisite architectural buildings in the backdrop. Michael continued talking,

“You have all the L. D. Angels’ codes installed already so that we can communicate. The device should be on at all times but not ‘visible’ else anyone else with a similar piece can pick up your frequency and see you. Being ‘hidden’ is the same as being invisible, no one else without your code can connect with you unless you yourself choose so.”

“It’s really,” Kochiro flipped it over between his fingers, “smart. So how do we install it?”

“Simple, a slight nick in the neck with a razor blade, slide it under, wash away the blood and sew the skin back together. Easy.”

Kochiro winced and peered across at Michael from a bowed head. Michael was smiling cheekily at him, “ah, just kidding kid.” He cocked his head back to the sky. Kochiro turned back his head lowered and allowed himself to smile.

“So,” he said, the peaceful morning engulfing him, “where are we going now?”

“To one of my little hideouts,” Michael responded off-handed, “to start your training.”

SHING.

Shasing, SHING.

SHING!

Metal clashed against metal in speedy eloquent trading blows with neither blade conquering the other yet. This parrying had been going on for the past ten minutes much to his surprise. The level of skill, the beauty of the moves, these two were the best yet to be seen.

Totomi and his father; Lord Hamasaki held their swords firmly and swung truly to topple their opponent. Totomi thrust towards his father’s chest, Lord Hamasaki swung around aiming for his son’s neck… but the blades met again and again. Then…

CLA CHINK…

A sword was successfully separated.

Whh. Shhh. Totomi blew gently on the bowl of soup in his hands. He and his father were now sitting on the steps outside of the fighting hall, facing the serenic pools of the backyard and enjoying the loving breezes that it brought.

Lord Hamasaki, dressed in a loose white samurai pants and loose white samurai shirt like his son, had his bowl of soup lowered into his lap. His hair was long too, in a low ponytail held back and his narrow eyes, a deep purple, were staring straight ahead in a dead gaze. Totomi took a light drag of his Miso, sitting Japanese style next to Lord Hamasaki , he’d set lightly down the bowl when he asked out loud, “is something troubling you father?”

“Mm?’ Lord Hamasaki turned his head slightly to catch Totomi gazing off at the Kois in the large pool, his hair resting placidly about his neck. “No, nothing’s wrong. I’m euphoric; I didn’t realise you’d grown so fast.”

Totomi said nothing, and a friendly breeze picked up and blew his hair up. He courteously reached up to tuck a loft behind his ear as Lord Hamasaki returned his eyes away. “Thank you,” Totomi finally responded.

Silence.

Lord Hamasaki picked up his bowl of Miso and drained it all out. Then, he carefully placed it at his side as well and stared out some more.

“You’ve outranked me, I’d say you’re even better than Shimazu was. Am I truthful in assuming this?”

“…” amethyst eyes watched a gold Koi spring out of the water like a dolphin and then disappear, the ripples left behind only reminiscent of its beauty. The goldfish swam the length of the pool and back, other fishes followed it around, rippling speedily through the blue waters. Totomi followed them with his placid eyes. “No… I’m not.”

Lord Hamasaki looked across at him.

“Mika still hasn’t come out to eat in days.”

“I see.” His father replied.

Totomi got to his feet smoothly. Lord Hamasaki kept looking at him but Totomi didn’t return the favour. “…”

"I would like to meet that person,” he, Totomi said calmly, “the one who defeated Shimazu.”

“This… is the hideout?”

Michael and Kochiro had arrived at Michael’s ‘hideout’ and were walking under the two giant fir trees at the entrance of the giant dojo.

“Yes it is. Do you like it?”

“It’s a dojo.”

They walked under the awning and across the front courtyard, then slipped off their shoes at the doorway. “Well, we are supposed to train. You can occupy any one of the bedrooms on the east wing, the backroom is mine. Oh, and the other Angel is here too… by the way.”

“The other Angel,” Kochiro just remembered that he was supposed to meet the rest of the group and he wondered what kind of person he was. “So what’s his name?”

“His code name’s ‘Uriel’,” Michael closed the paper door behind them, his back to Kochiro but Kochiro noticed the change in his tone of voice, “I must warn you, I din’t tell this one, you were coming, so you’d better be prepared.”

Kochiro started, “what, will he attack me? Does he even know you’re here?”

“Well, he won’t attack, but he’s still a uh, head case, after all.”

“What?”

“Look out.” He said expressionlessly.

“Aye… you back already. Yeah, I was getting pretty bored…”

Kochiro’s neck snapped around to the voice approaching from the east corridor and the heavy foot-slapping on the planks of the wood floor. “You have a new mission for me… I am so tired of sitting around doing nothing,” Kochiro watched the shadow approaching the paper wood door and he turned to face it.

Michael, on the other side of the room, was ignoring the irritating voice, taking out weapons and gadgets he apparently had been wearing on him, and emptied it onto the floor. Kochiro peered closely at the silent door. “…”

“Oye.” The door slammed open and there he stood, “I’m talking to you, you could at least answer me you… uh?”

He reserved a little bit of caution, but otherwise, didn’t feel so threatened. The boy at the door with one foot inside the room stared back at Kochiro, mouth slightly agape in midspeech.

The boy who Kochiro’d been informed was called ‘Uriel’ seemed to be about thirteen years old. He had a head full of curly wild black hair mixed in with wild streaks of blue and green. He had big dark eyes and wore a black chin to below chest shirt cover with a huge skull knocker in the middle. His pants were a casual black baggy three quarters and underneath it all he wore like a cloak dark body suit that extended from chin to over his feet. One hand on the paper door, another holding a what seemed to be companionable stick, he stared at Kochiro with his black eyes. Then he looked toward Michael.

“Kandai,” he said in a carefully meek voice, “who is this kid. What’s this little kid doing here?”

“Hm?” Kochiro puckered slightly. Kid? Who was the kid here? And what’s the deal with the crazy hair?

“Uriel, this is Kochino, Kochino, this is Uriel. He’s joining the L. D. Angels… by the way.”

Tick tock tick tock. Tick…

“… … … … … “Uriel stared at Kochiro in open-mouth shock now. Kochiro sulked right back at him wondering what in the world was his problem. Uriel stared at Kochiro wondering since when Michael had planned this and knowing that he hadn’t told him just for the fun of it.

“WHHAATT!!!??” The entire dojo vibrated. “What, what do you mean Kandai? He’s joining us? Are you trying to get me mad,” Uriel marched right up to Michael’s left, shouting in his ear as Michael shut his eyes coolly. “I had to fight and fight to gain a place here, and then, it took me years to even get a codename! Does he have a codename?”

“Actually yes… ” Michael looked at confused Kochiro calmly. “I’ve decided he will be… Raphael.”

“Raphael!!?” Uriel screamed, “that’s not fair! He gets an angel name even more famous than mine!”

“Mm?” Michael acted confused, “oh well, that’s just so.”

“Rrrgh!!” Uriel snapped his head around and turned his fury onto Kochiro. “He’s not even… as skilled as me…” he launched off, “I’m sure!”

Kochiro stepped back as the Uriel ran attackingly toward him, “wha?” Uriel brought the stick up and Kochiro raised an arm afront his face to protect himself…

BAM!

“Hm?” Kochiro peered out from under his hands; Michael had caught Uriel from behind and had sent him to the ground, arms pulled up behind him.

“Aww!!! Let me go Kandai! Aw!”

“Uh uh uh,” Michael tutted, holding him down and he gave a cool smile, “this is the third time you’ve revealed my real name you know.”

“Whatever!! Let go! You were counting on that weren’t you, so you could do this to me!”

“Whatever are you talking about?” Michael voiced ‘innocently’ as Kochiro stared in confusion. Uriel’s stick had fallen aside and now Michael... Or should I say, Kandai, had twisted his arm up behind him. He writhed on the floor.

“Now now,” Kandai continued soothingly, “I don’t want you fighting the kid, okay?”

“Fine fine! Just let go, you’re breaking my arm!”

“Promise?”

“Promise!”

“Pinky swear?”

“Ah come on Kandai, you know I can’t reach, you’re just making fun of me!!”

“What, of course not,” Kandai smiled. Kochiro gazed at the two… so unexpected… he was at a loss for words. What exactly was the relationship between those two?

“Okay, so here’s the breakdown.”

After everything had settled down, Kandai/Michael and Kochiro were seated around a small low table in the main room and Uriel was sitting in front the TV by the right wall, his back to them. He was watching a loud violent Chinese movie that kept yelling and quarrelling every other minute whilst Kandai/Michael talked to Kochiro.

“No one leaves this dojo unless I give the permission which I would only for a mission. No disturbing the others when it’s time to sleep either with excessive annoying shows on loud, or by slamming doors throughout the house. None of us cooks so it’s lunchtime when someone orders food, they order by three. Training starts at 8:00am and you must do everything I say, no giving trouble, back-chatting or complaining… understood?”

“I understand,” Kochiro said.

“Good, at least someone does,” Kandai said.

“Grr,” they heard a low grumble. Kochiro glanced Uriel’s way but he didn’t turn around. Kandai just kept on talking.

“It’s so relieving to have someone else in the house I can actually communicate with. Ah, to have another intelligent being near, the joy…”

“…” Uriel raised the TV volume higher and Kochiro caught the flicker of something in Kandai’s eyes.

“… I tell you, there are no more decent souls in this world today, the kids have become demented.”

Kochiro glanced back and forth between Kandai and Uriel wondering what he had gotten himself into as Uriel raised the TV volume higher and higher making the crazy Chinese shouting rocket off the walls of the small room. All the while, Kandai continued talking undeterred.

“They walk around in their baggy pants, knowing smirks and ‘gang’ walk. So out-of-it, shows especially just by looking at their crazy hairstyles. You can tell a crazy person just by looking at their hair after all -”

"That’s it!” Uriel jumped up and spun around, breathing hard.

Kandai turned his face at Uriel, closing his eyes reassuringly, “my my… what’s the matter?” he said.

The curly haired boy gnashed his teeth at Kandai and just about snarled. Then he snapped around and pointed at Kochiro. “Baka!” he yelled.

“What?” Kochiro asked shocked.

“Uriel,” Kandai said, “please don’t’ take out your frustrations on Koniro-kun.”

“Shut up!” Uriel shouted again. He pointed a finger in the direction of the TV, “I can’t hear a word they’re saying!!”

“But the TV’s basically jumping with volume,” Kandai pointed out the as the TV slid across the wall due to the huge audio output.

“Still, I still can’t hear anything!!!” Uriel made a fist.

“And since when did you speak Chinese?” Kandai said, “there’re subtitles you know.”

“Grrr,” Uriel growled angrily as Kochiro watched on. Then he spun to Kochiro again, surprising him once more. “You! Your name’s Raphael huh… Well I don’t like your looks!!!”

Kochiro’s head pulled back offended and he opened his mouth to retort but Kandai got there first.

“Don’t worry about him, Kobitu, he says that to everyone.”

“How dare you!” Uriel said insulted, “I do not.”

“Yeah you do, you told me you didn’t like my hair, you told the muscles guy you didn’t like his name, then there was the other lady you said you couldn’t stand her voice... And the list goes on and on Uriel.”

Kochiro leant onto the table growing wearied. The TV was still on so loud it was giving him a headache and as far as for this Uriel person, he could only mutter an- ‘oh,’ at his revealed personality. So it wasn’t just Kandai trying to get to him, this guy was obviously an annoying person and the two just got back at each other daily. Kochiro ‘hmph’ed.

“Fine!” Uriel snapped, realizing he was defeated. He spun around and headed out the paper door, “but I shall have my revenge!” SLAM.

Kandai smirked at the door as he left. “Ok kid,” he turned his head to Kochiro, “let’s start training right now.” Gracefully, he got to his feet and walked to the north paper door. Kochiro followed him, newly anticipating.

Kandai was leading him into the depth of the massive dojo, into its very centre and the sanctum of the inner courtyard. The bamboo shoots, serpentine gentle streams and whistling weeds seemed as grand as any other traditional Japanese gardens would but Kochiro had never been to such, neither had he been above the middle deck. Kochiro was amazed at the environment of course but he was the kind to stare around sullenly as his pride hurt him. Eventually though, he had to let up as the fresh clean air wouldn’t allow his attitude and Kochiro then returned his attention to Kandai.

Kandai stretched his black figure then looked toward his young colleague. “This is your first day with us, your first day in a entire grand scheme of items,” he said, “there are so many new concepts you are to learn, so much you do not know half of which I will not tell you. The simple reason for that kid is that you’d not believe me… I don’t mean to belittle your intelligence but these new ideas can confound the senses, it’s best for you not to know at the moment. I will tell you the immediate situation but that is all, you must operate in the now and everything else will unfold and become clear along the way… If I tell you the reality now kid… you’d want out at best.”

“That’s okay, I understand Kandai,” Kochiro interjected in solemn acceptance, “I don’t think I want to know anything. I’ve already made my choice and I have to…no, I will stick to it.”

“There’s no need to sound so glum… I just don’t want to confuse you. You’ll only have to trust me, to trust me indefinitely.”

“…”

“You will be given orders Kichuzo, you will be told to kill, destroy, to betray your own beliefs and people and… you have no choice anymore.” Kandai peered secretly at the blue eyed boy and realized there was no need to be so severe. Clearly, this boy had no regrets for whatever reason had lead him to this situation standing in the middle of a HighDeck courtyard; he’d do as Kandai said. So he, sighed, and nodded at the young one, “well enough of that, I have somewhere to be so I’m leaving you to sit and meditate, to let go of the past clear your mind and what not…”

Kochiro knew what Kandai was telling him he had to do. He thought of the few people he cared about and knew; his weak and slightly ailing, lonely mother. Probably it was irresponsible and selfish of him for leaving as he had but he was certain that she’d been looking better these last few weeks and beside, he’d make sure and call her when he could, Kandai couldn’t deny him that.

Then there was his best friend, Yura. He’d left her too quite abruptly but she would likely be grounded for a while longer and so have no suspicions regarding his current whereabouts. It was safer this way anyway, he’d never want to jeopardize her well-being… he thought things between them had been a bit ‘iffy’ lately not to mention his emotions were in a turmoil… but he promised when he returned which couldn’t be too long away, he would be really nice to her always.

Kandai finalized Kochiro’s thoughts by giving him a small pat in the shoulder and nodding again. “Well, stay out of trouble kid, and remember all that I said… about everything,” his eyes trailed toward the east wing then back to wink at Kochiro. He gave a small salute then turned to depart as mysteriously as his dark alter ago of the night.

Finally Kochiro was left alone in the golden sunlight of High Deck filtered in from between the tall tree leaves onto the top of his black hair, making it shiny. Everything up here was better, the sun was more brilliant, the grass was greener, the water tasted fresher perhaps even a hint sweet, and the air smelt more free and clean. But of course, on the lower decks, the air was becoming more polluted even though no one would admit it; his mother had succumbed to it already. It was only a matter of time before even High Deck was corroded and they were all dead, let’s see the High Deck scum get out of that one…

Walking out from under the shade the trees provided, Kochiro found a seat alongside the pond and lied in the wash of warm sunlight. Who knew after all his life he’d end up smack in the heart of HighDeck fighting with a bunch of ‘evil angels‘. The past life seemed so far away and almost unreal opposed to now… and he wouldn’t be returning to that life either… he’d be returning to everything better,(that out of the mouth of Kochiro Jinchi, who‘d believe!?) Even if he was daydreaming now, even if this sunlight brilliant white and drugging like opium fields were blinding him… sulky Kochiro was being fairly optimistic now and it was so weird that he eventually fell asleep.

For an hour or so, dreams solaced Kochiro till he sensed that someone was near. He felt the shadow cool upon his face. It fell across his eyes, blocking the sun from them and cooled his lashes. And then it moved away. Kochiro opened his eyes and sat up looking around him puzzled and finding no one. So, he frowned, shrugged it off, and then got to his feet and dusted himself off of the fine grass.

With his sleep over, Kochiro found that he had absolutely nothing to do about this place and Kandai had warned him rigorously against leaving its perimeters. Kochiro didn’t mind adhering to the Angel’s rules… but still… A huge yawn escaped Kochiro as though to emphasize his boredom.

Speaking of which, where was the other one, the one called ‘Uriel’? He had to be somewhere in the dojo, hadn’t he? Was he the one who’d awoken me just now..? Kochiro thought. Probably it was just my imagination, he didn’t want to run into the guy anyway, he seemed to be a miserable little bloke. Still, Kochiro drew himself toward the dojo steps and into and around the entire dojo. Out of curiosity, he did venture toward the east wing to see if he might catch a glimpse of the other Angel but no such luck. He trudged back to the main room and looked about for a phone to call his mother but no luck there either. Eventually, with the day fading away and feeling very isolated in the colossal building, Kochiro decided to go out to the front to relax and wait for another soul to draw near.

Kochiro sat on the front steps of the dojo looking across the front yard out toward the great fir trees by the gate. Kochiro could see across the wide clear road stretches of savannahs and parks but there was no neighbour for a very long distance and no vehicles passed by either. Even though it was peaceful, it was also quite tiresome, he longed for a stray cat or stray dog or even the hordes of pigeons; the flying rats that they are, that abounded every creak of LowerDeck but no… none here on the High Deck. All they had were majestic, wonderful birds that were nothing like the hometown pigeons Kochiro knew, and dragonflies and butterflies…

No wonder that guy had been so gay and carefree… Shimazu, that is… the guy that he had killed…

“Where is he?” Kochiro mumbled to himself as he got to his feet to stride over to the fir trees by the entrance. Must have something to take care of and wouldn’t tell me yet, geesh… I killed a guy, what else do I have to do… Kochiro stuck his head out to look up and down the street even though he didn’t know if the Angel would be flying in or whatever. He grumbled at the continuous stillness out there and then made to turn back and head indoors sullenly when-

“Where dyu think you’re going?”

Kochiro jumped in shock and spun around swiftly. He felt stupid afterward seeing that it was only Uriel on the landing; he hadn’t remembered that the younger Angel was in the abodes. Kochiro drew a sharp breath and looked at the boy in the doorway who was wearing a glazed angry expression as though he was most vexed at Kochiro. He was still holding that stick in his hand whilst the other lied on his waist in contempt. Kochiro, after having composed himself, glared at the boy who was clearly trying to exude some sort of authority over him.

“I said... where dyu think you are going.”

Kochiro scowled heatedly. He hadn’t been going to make off anywhere but how dare this boy try to lord over him in this way, he was not below him and Kochiro Jinchi was not made to bow at any one’s feet. He turned around, his back to the road and looked at Uriel squarely. It was probably best not to answer, arguing with this crazy haired boy would be pointless and it was best not to cause any difficulties now.

Kochiro picked up his feet and turned his eyes onto the doorway beyond. He started walking to the foyer and ignored Uriel completely who was still glowering at Kochiro as he closed in. Kochiro’s feet crunched up the steps and onto the landing with the crazy haired boy not two feet away standing beside the door.

Just when Kochiro laid his hand on the door to slide it open, it happened. Uriel stuck the stick out landscape between Kochiro and the door, and slid it forwards sweeping Kochiro with it back out onto the landing. He brought the stick back to himself and went straight up to Kochiro. “I was talking to you.”

“Get out of my way, Uriel.”

“And if I don’t?”

Kochiro gasped at the younger boy before him. He stepped out from the side of the boy but Uriel quickly intercepted him, “who the hell do you think you are coming here, disobeying Kandai’s orders and disrespecting others here before you…” he was saying. Kochiro was trying to get past Uriel who kept jumping in the way or blocking him with the stick. He was flushing with impatience as the boy kept jabbing at him with words and accusations. He hadn’t had to put up with such a nuisance since… well since… Finally, as Uriel stepped across to hinder Kochiro yet again, Kochiro stuck out his foot to successfully trick Uriel into tripping and falling smack on the ground. Kochiro didn’t even stop to smirk, he simply shoved the paper door open and stalked inside fully heated, aiming to get to his room.

He didn’t see, or indeed expect that the fallen Angel had risen to his feet in a mixture of embarrassment and anger. Spinning on his heels, Uriel charged at Kochiro from behind and shoved him hard on the back sending him stumbling across the living room and into the wall markedly.

Kochiro was shocked as he unpinned himself from the wall and rubbed his cheek which had smacked solid wood hard and was turning bright pink now. He spun around almost assuming an apology would come, instead, what faced him was a red-faced angry boy huffing at him in a demented way, “what the hell you do that for you little turd!?” Uriel shouted. Kochiro couldn’t help gnashing his teeth as the real little turd as he continued, “what, you trying to kill me you troublemaker!!?”

“What is your problem!?” Kochiro yelled back.

“You almost broke my back that’s what!”

“You’re exaggerating!!!” Kochiro flung his arms exasperated.

“You’re the liar!!!” Uriel growled, “bloody murderer too-”

At that, Kochiro threw himself forward and caught Uriel by the shirt collar. “Say that again!” he snarled near Uriel’s face, “I dare you.”

“I don’t have to,” Uriel shot back and brought his own hands to Kochiro’s shirt, “cause you’re darned well proving it.”

“Aah!” he shoved Kochiro off, but that wasn’t the end of it- Kochiro pushed Uriel back and then they both tumbled against the front paper door, breaking it straight off. Kochiro’s fist pulled back, and Uriel’s fist pulled back, and just when they were about to smack each other senseless, a loud voice broke through-

“Uriel. Kazuro.”

It was Kandai’s voice, clear and a bit too loud buzzing through on each of their earpieces directly into their brains. They paused as they were glaring at each other with their chests heaving and fists still drawn back in the air. Finally, after a long drawn out deliberation, they climbed off each other and stood apart without talking.

“Um, Uriel, Kazuro, are you there?”

“Yea yea Kandai, what dyu want.” Uriel was the one to answer in a very pissed of grumbly manner.

“Uh… what happe… never mind,” Kandai’s voice breathed out in a way that told them he really didn’t want to know. “I’m on my way back and I was ordering food, so what do you two want?”

Uriel and Kochiro stood glaring at each other for a while longer but with the fight unofficially declared over because of Kandai’s interruption, that was all they could do. Eventually, Kochiro turned and left the room wordlessly, heading to his chosen room, and Uriel was left to talk to Kandai still waiting via the earpiece.

“Hmph, well I could do with some steamed rice and namban vinegared fish… and if I can get some shrimp as well.”

“Hm? Where’s Kochizu, can you hear me?”

“He’s not listening Kandai. Hey! I want shrimp… ok? But not peppered shrimp-”

“Komuno, don’t you want anything to eat?”

“Hey Kandai, Kandai, are you listening to me? I want shrimp as well, but not peppered shrimp, remember.”

“Komuno? Hm…”

“Kandai! Kandai, I want shrimp. Kandai-” Click. Uriel heard the distinct sound when Kandai cut off the communication line. He gaped at nothing in particular, and then danced angrily on the shattered door in disbelief.

Kandai arrived fifteen minutes later, “helloo…” he said climbing up the landing. Crunch. He stepped on the shattered puzzle piece door on the floor and held the white plastic bag of fast food awkwardly above his head. “Huh?” he said, sweat drop on head.

“Oh good, food.” Uriel emerged from the living room and took the knotted bag out of Kandai’s hand acting as though nothing was wrong. He went to the table to unpack the boxes whilst Kandai stared at the doorway wonderingly.

“I guess I’ll have to fix that later… Uriel, where’s Korino?”

“Hm, I don’t know,” Uriel mumbled ripping through the bag, all memories of the fight vanished from his mind. “Ah! Miso soup with sliced beef!!!” roared Uriel outraged, “and… peppered shrimps! Kandai!!!!” But Kandai wasn’t listening, he was making his way over to the bedroom quarters, leaving Uriel to yell out how he hated soup and was so allergic to pepper that it’d kill him.

When Kandai entered Kochiro’s room, he found him sitting on the window sill, looking out at the sky. Kandai walked in a bit more and waited silently. “I don’t think I can do this,” Kochiro finally whispered sulkily.

“Hm? What dyu mean?”

“I mean,” Kochiro flushed slightly and then he swivelled his head around to glare at Kandai. “I, I mean I can’t put up with a pain in the ass like Uriel!”

Kandai chuckled at that statement, “we’re on the same page there kid.”

“I’m not joking Kandai,” Kochiro decided to turn his fury on Kandai too, “I mean, what did I do to him, why did he just have to start on me… I can’t put up with that, I don’t have to you know! Why can’t he go and find someone else to bother, find a dog to kick or something?”

Kandai decided to let the ‘violence toward animals’, comment slip pass (Although he was a destructive Angel, he didn’t support violence) and looked Kochiro straight into the blue eyes. “I’ll deal with him for you, ‘loud him up’ a bit, kay?”

Kochiro tossed his head and snorted, “this is not what I expected,” he whispered contemptuously, “close the door,” he said louder. Kandai paused for a second, then turned and slipped out the room.

“Later kid,” he said and slid the door shut, shaking his head.

“Hm?” Uriel was walking down the corridor, suckling on the edge of a shrimp tail obliviously. “What’s his problem?”

Oooh, oooh oooh!

The owls hooted through the night. It was midnight in the dojo and Kochiro Jinchi had woken up to get a glass of water on the far side of the building. Ssrrrllll. The water filled up to the brim and he downed the lot. Srrrlll, he filled it up again to carry back to his bedroom for nightly refreshment. He walked across the landing in the silence, thinking of nothing really and hearing nothing but the boards crunching in the way all wooden houses do. Then… Kochiro realized he was hearing voices from within the inner courtyard. He stopped and turned to the semi transparent paper doors. He walked toward the windows and peered out. Kandai and Uriel were talking, sitting by the pond. Kochiro stopped to listen to them since their backs were turned.

“-heard you’re being a pain in the behind again Uriel, to the kid,” was Kandai.

“Tell him to take painkillers then,” Uriel replied, but it wasn’t in a vexed tone or anything. In fact, neither of the two seemed a bit unfriendly to the other despite the daily wickedness. They seemed more like buddies, “better than being bored.”

Silence. Kochiro shuffled on his feet.

“You miss Gabriel too… don’t you.” Kochiro held his breath.

“…” Uriel seemed to be thinking a bit. He tilted his head back and looked at the stars, “yea… of course I do Kandai…”

Kochiro turned his back on the conversation and leant against the door. So, that was it, Kochiro thought, he was feeling lonely. “…” Kochiro straightened up and slinked away. He could relate to that, he thought, and he felt his heart soften a little.