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The first night ~ Part 1

'It started like any other, no matter what they say, nothing was the same, time passed and nothing seemed to stay unchanged, whatever we did to preserve it........but sometimes you have to look at the best part of it, because change doesn't mean necessarily a bad thing, that's what they all say, but in the end.....it proves them wrong, time passed by so fast that no matter what I did............no matter what.....I could not save her, she withered away so fast, that I was left with only an image....one of sadness, I do not know what to do, I do not know what to say, everyone is gone....they all left like nothing else, cannot step any pace forward, the pain puts me down every time I try to move an inch, no one can understand, the pain I feel is not something someone can see or touch, hiding it is the best I can do, no more can I do it....I feel alone, left somewhere in the dark trying to get out, but it's impossible.....I can't do it....but if I give up all that's left of here, the memories she gave me, will wither away along with her spirit......."

It was all he could think of...he re-saw every painful moment in his life, everything looked so real....but in truth it was all a dream, but sometimes...dreams can make us see the truth, one which is so painful that we deny ourselves, even if in our subconscious we know it is the one and only real thing, that's how it is for the lone wolf Ace.........and that's how it will always be...!?.......but who am I to tell the truth, no matter what it may be, the truth is that there must be something that might and will awake his soul and bring out his true self......no matter how it is, destiny cannot be foretold, no wonder that so many are easily tricked by people that pretend to see the future, because in such cases no one can ask to see the proof, since it is impossible, until the foretold moment arrives.......but never mind that, let us go back on track....

It was a lonely night, the moon was brightly shining on the sky, it's light falling on the ground making the scene seem magical, the trees were waving...left to right and then right to left.......being moved by the small breeze that was following the way to the east, leaves were being thrown away by the sudden movements of air.......it all seemed like an enchanted land, nothing was moving, on the outside, even the bugs which were usually flying by with their annoying wing movements, which made the most awful sound in history, everything was quiet, peace ruled the land like no other.......nothing could have waken our small wolf from his nightmares, nothing could've bring him back to the real world, keeping him trapped in his cell.......the one we call the land of dreams, a place where imagination is an essential thing.......it seemed like he could not wake up no matter how much he would wish it, but then the sound of something breaking and the front door being shut woke him up from the verge of the bottomless pit, a place none other than the nightmare he's been through......

"Uhhh.....what a nightmare, huh...what was that noise? Dad can't be awake, not yet at least...can he? I should go and check it out" said Ace.

While still thinking about it, Ace rose from bed and slowly opened the door, without making any noise......he then looked curiously around to see if anything came up, but seemed like nothing was wrong to the hall....

"Hmmm......it must be from downstairs then"

While being still a little concerned, our hero went down the stairs jumping over a few which made a loud noise if stepped onto, while doing this he looked around to try and search for the source of the noise, until he managed to get to the bottom of the stairs the front door suddenly opened.......behind which lay a person with a fearsome look......he stared at the 'lil wolf for a while without even showing any expression at all......but he did not need to, because all he had to do is face someone to leave an impression of respect towards him.......

While not even smiling nor being mad or showing any expression the person that just appeared from behind the door, suddenly spoke.....

"What are you doing up at this hour....you should rest, tomorrow you have school...."

"I just heard a loud noise down here and came to check it out, might I ask what are you doing at this hour!?"

"Hmph....I do not have any reason to answer that question...no go back to your room"

"I could say the same thing to that request....no need to listen to it..."

"Do not cross the line kid, you're in no possit......" but while he said that our hero cut his line to quick, and he did not had enough time to finish what he was saying...

"Whatever, not like I was not intending to go back to sleep anyway, nor I care what you do with your life or anything.....sayonara dad"

"Insolent kid......I don't know how your mother could stand you"

While saying that something flies and hits the old man's head..........

"What the.....you little......."

"Watch out what you say, next time I won't use flowers...."

After the little argument the old man slammed the door furiously and left while mumbling something incoherently.....and our hero went back to his nightly sleep....resting for the day that follows....

Time for another day... ~ Part 2

As night drifted away, the sun started rising over the horizon, while the once lifeless town started gaining some motion...little by little the streets got back to life, while the many living beings were hurrying to go to the many places they had to, seeing persons of different ages and personalities, different styles for clothing as for the way they travel, everything seemed to burst out with movement and life, everywhere you looked. Seemed like everyone was awake at that hour......but in truth not quite everyone, our hero....Ace, the small wolf was still sleeping, he would have probably been in that crowd of time predators, if not had he knocked down the alarm clock and stop it, in a more permanent way that is......hehehe......

While still being locked in the chain of his continuous nightmares, the old man was long awake, sitting in the living room with a bottle of whisky or something by his side, staring at a long lost picture he found not too long ago...something that reminded him of all those times that made it painful to live, but something still kept him alive, he might have shown a mask of a hardworking man, serious all the time, not ever laughing or being kind in any way, not that he did not want to, but it was all that he could do to hide all the hate and pain he had been keeping inside of him....

The little wolf was having a real bad time, couldn't wake up and couldn't keep dreaming, every nightmare he had killed everything he had good in him, with every night he had it got the best of him, every nightmare made him wish not to ever sleep, but with every time he tried to not do it, he realized that he could not do it, he either went through it at night then fall asleep at day and wake up suddenly and seem like a real freak or so...but suddenly his phone rang and woke him up from the terror he felt from those dreams of sadness, slowly adjusting to the light in the room, he opened his eyes little by little, realizing that the phone was still ringing, he looked at it quickly, but only to realize that it was just one of his annoying colleagues calling to see if he will still make it to baseball practice, something that he did not wish to do but in the end was forced to, since no matter if you want to or not, there is a policy in school that forces every student to pick an extra-curricular activity that he has to participate in, and let's just say that this was not something he choose, but one thing that choose him....this is a story to be told another time, maybe....but let's continue this another time...

Wake up call ~ Part 3

A new day started, it was pretty chilly, considering it being near summer break, the leafs were waving making a comforting sound, while the echo of the 'lil birds was sounding like the signal of a flute that sang the most melodious and heart tearing song, as if something bad was about to happen, even though, the sun was way up shining like no other day, making it look like all problems could disappear like that, in thin air, the few people that rose up late were rushing to their destination at a speed of unknown origin, mainly they were running faster than a car, one would say, but even so......out of the house our hero lives in, the old man was hurrying to leave, not even concerning with locking the door, he left in a hurry that he made a big mess inside, after which he took off with a black s60 Volvo.

After a few minutes sound starts rising from the house, after a little investigation, Ace soon realizes that it was only the stereo turning on, for the respective time the alarm was set for, after trying to ignore the music, he soon realized, that if he won't move his big butt, he'll be late for practice, therefore after a few more minutes he finally moved and got out of bed, went to turn off the music, after which he went back in bed....

"Heh....practice, like I would care!?!" said Ace ironically.

While still trying to fall asleep, he then remembered what that strange girl told him.....(if you are late one more time I will personally make sure that you will practice all summer....for the rest of the years you have to spend here).....

"Geez...why did she had to be so impulsive, wish I never met her in my life....." after saying this harsh phrase, he soon realized he did a big mistake, 'cause the last time he said something like that...it really happened, not the meeting part, but someone just disappeared out of his life, a really long time ago, while still being a 'lil pup, the one person that he thought truly cared for him, the only one that did not leave out of his life like a ghost, but was taken away by an unfortunate event.

"Sheeesh....I will regret doing this, but I hafta get ready for the usual and boring baseball practice" said our wolf disappointed.

After the few lazy moments he had been going through, the young wolf finally got up and went to get ready to leave.....preparing as usual, a cold shower to get him awake, drying his fur, brushing teeth, eating, dressing up and finally but not least taking his equipment and leaving out the door, a moment in which as usual he realizes that his father left the door unlocked.....

After making sure everything is okay and cleaning the house quickly before leaving, he locks the door, making sure to check it twice then heads on his way, while day dreaming of certain moments that marked his life.

There was a really long way to school but he always made sure to leave some time earlier to arrive on time and always calculated everything so that he could walk all the way, since he enjoyed the walk and that actually gave him some time to *day dream* about things without having those nightmares that keeps him awake at night.

An unforseen meeting ~ Part 4

As soon as Ace made a few steps outside the house....he suddenly hears a familiar voice, while wondering who called him, he looks around to realize that it came from a small shadow somewhere a little farther away in the direction he was supposed to go, while wondering who could it be...the little spot on the horizon approached more and more in his direction, while finally understanding who it is he felt a chill down his back, turned away and ran in the opposite direction, taking a left then left again and right then left, then right, right, left.....and as soon as he thought he got away he stopped and took his breath, took him a second or two, since he barely woke up he was not in shape, after that small run he went back to his normal pace and headed for school...

"Sheesh, what's that idiot doing here, I don't need that so early in the morning...." said Ace while blushing.....

While still moving at his usual slow pace, an old lady....that was moving not faster than a snail suddenly said without even being expected....

".....hmmm...hm....young'uns in love..."

After hearing this the wolf suddenly stopped and looked around and saw no one else except him the old lady and the passing cars that were going and coming from each direction, soon he understood that she was referring to him and went from gray to dark red, if someone would have seen him right then they would have thought he was sick, but still....with a red-ish face our young wolf continued on his way....

The road was lonely, as the peace was overthrown only by the passing cars, while still being left in a deep thought, Ace kept at his usual pace, not even looking where he was going and bumping into all kind of things, he hit his head on a pole, stumbled upon a trash can, hit a wall.....and was almost ran over by a car, a thing that he did not even notice, he went through a construction site and almost fell in fresh cement, but somehow he managed to avoid it, after reaching the train station, he barely managed to go in that someone quickly pulled him out........it was so sudden that he barely understood what had happened....until he turned back and saw the same person he ran away from.......

"What the hell are you doing? Why you ran away like that!? I mean, hell, when you start moving no one can catch up with you..."said the mysterious person.

"...huh...sorry, I was supposed to go get something from that direction, what's wrong, why you pulled me from the train?!?" asked the lone wolf...

"Dumb question, do you even look before you get on a train?"

After looking a little carefully and understanding what his friend meant, our wolf suddenly understood that he would've been late for practice if he would've went on that train, since it was the wrong one, while understanding his situation, Ace blushed once again.....trying to avoid eye contact...

"Buddy you okay? Are you sick or something?" said his friend.

"...y...yeah.....I'm okay, let's just go. What you doing here anyway?" said Ace.

"I was nearby and thought to check and see what you doing."

-this person was none other than our team catcher, brother of our manager, the annoying person that keeps forcing me into playing in those stupid matches of theirs, of which I can't escape from....his name is Kanji Mokamura, a Siberian tiger, kind of a dummy, I would like to add, but a good person, his size was enough to say that he was an intimidating guy, but even through everyone at school got used to him, at first they all feared him, but once he joined the baseball team, he actually started to be liked by everyone and they all thought he was a really nice and kind guy, despite his giant size, no one seemed to fear him, not anymore at least, and after you get to know him you kind of grow attached to him, but that aside, he's kind of grown attached to me, I dunno why......but he always seem to look after me, even though he tries to hide it, it's a little too obvious I'd say, well.....not like I mind it that much, but it gets annoying when someone follows you all the time, well.....no harm done, so I guess it's not much things I can do, without hurting him or something-

"Oi, you okay there, you seemed like you spaced out for a little while, are you sure you're okay, do you have a fever, did you catch a cold, did you......"

"I SAID I'M FINE, geez.....no need to be so concerned over nothing......sheesh....let's get going already or we'll really be late" said Ace, while trying to hide his embarrassment.

The little wolf went for the stairs, while our tiger was still sitting in confusion, still wondering if his friend is really okay...

"You coming or not?" asked Ace.

As if hit by a lightning Kanji finally started moving towards the darkest corner of the station, the only corner where the stairs that took them to the other side, to take the train in the opposite direction, were being found right in that obscure point of the station, the same spot that those two went for.

"What you doing freezing like that, we have to hurry, now move your ass" Ace said, while moving quickly down the stairs, followed by Kanji.

They got on the platform right at the moment the train arrived, after which they got in with the swarm of other people that were heading in the same direction.....the ride was kind of quiet, except for the small talk the two exchanged, trying to break the silence now and then, doing this more out of politeness than any other thing, that said for Ace, as for Kanji, he only did it, well....for a reason he and I well know, the ride took about 20 minutes, after which with a lot of effort, the two got somehow out of the train and survived the crowd of angry people that were late.

Took them a few minutes to catch their breath, then they looked around and spotted the exit on the far left of the station, one which pretty much seemed deserted, not a single person in the whole station left, while trying to go for the stairs Ace spots the name of the station and immediately realizes that they got off one too early, after which he understood they had to make a run for it....

"Great, Kanji let's move, we got out at the wrong station, we have no time to wait for the next train, we'll have to make a run for it, consider it our usual training, before practice..."

After saying that they both headed down the stairs and disappeared in the darkness that covered the same spot they went for...

The almost-accident ~ Part 5

The city was still in an uproar, considering the time that passed, it was somewhere between 10 and 11 in the morning, it was still chilly outside, even though it was almost summer, the wind was picking up fast that day, like it was foretelling a bad future for our heroes in the upcoming battle that they will unwittingly participate in, will it end up bad or it's just that it shall only seem like that at first, but shall be ending better, maybe it shall crush them, shall it be so, the future can only tell it's truth in full form, shall we wait, while our heroes continued on their journey to the one and only goal. To arrive in time at school...

While trying to keep up with Aces speed, our tiger Kanji was gasping for air as much as he could, but soon to collapse under the weight of uncontrolled breathing, not being able to control his breath he consumed most of his energy, therefore crashing in the middle of the street after barely reaching the half of the distance they were supposed to cover...

"Oi, what the hell, can't you run more than that, geez....you slowpoke." says Ace, while helping Kanji stand up.

But then only for one second of carelessness an unknown random driver....which happened to pass by almost ran over them...one instant it took, as for the two to get in real danger, but with a little luck, Ace managed to push his friend out of the way and jumped back to dodge, avoiding the un-needed accident, but unfortunately managed to somehow hit his forehead, which was bleeding heavily for a few seconds, Kanji and the driver were stoned to place, trying to figure out what happened, soon to be awakened by the gathering crowd that was swarming to see what happened.

But it was nothing major to see, pretty soon after making sure there were no grave injuries, they all went on their way, only the driver which finally understanding that someone might be hurt, got out immediately and looked at Kanji and made sure he was alright, which he seemed to be except for a few scratches, after which they both looked at Ace and saw the blood on his forehead, they both got a concerned look on their face and were staring at him like a weird and unnecessary thing they did not want to see, at least that was the lone wolfs perception.

"What's everyone staring at me like that?" asked the little wolf.

"You're bleeding. ARE YOU OKAY? Do you feel weird in anyway? Does it hurt anywhere? How many fingers am I holding? What's my name? Where are we?" asked Kanji at a continuous rate, not even stopping to take a short breath.

"Calm down, I'm alright, dunno why the hell you worry so much, and, seriously....you should keep at least one finger up to ask me *how many fingers am I holding*...and no, I'm okay, my head hurts a little, and you're Kanji the dumbest person I ever know and we're at Konohara..." answered Ace slowly.

The worried tiger quickly searched through his backpack and took out a bandage, which he used to cover Aces wound, after taking care of that, he insisted on taking him to the hospital, a thing that the wolf refused without even thinking for one second.

"But you have to go and check that wound..." said Kanji.

"Just let it be, alright? I'm not in the mood for this." replied Ace irritated.

"Is every.....thing alright?" asked the unknown man uncertain of his question.

"Yeah, we're alright...no need to worry" replied Ace, while getting up and steadying himself "we're alright, now let's get going we still have a long way to cover.....'till we get to KJH."

"I can take you there, it's in my way, we can cover the ground much faster, please let me re-pay you for the accident." kindly offered the man his services.

"That could work, but if I see your face ever again, you'll regret it, next time watch where you're driving that car" demanded Kanji with a fierce expression on his face.

"It's fine we can walk to..."pleaded Ace...or tried to before Kanji cut him off.

"Not even one word, you're in no way capable of walking like this and you're either walking on your own to the nurses office or I carry you there myself, GOT IT?"

"Sheesh.....whatever, let's just go" while saying this, Ace was mumbling to himself, being annoyed that he did not protest more, he did not know why, but something in Kanji made him trust his friend, even if just for a little while, this had not happened for a long time...actually trusting someone...

After the small argument, they all got into the car and went on their way...while awaiting for Kanji to actually say something, Ace was daydreaming, thinking of the past meetings he got with his friend upfront, wondering if they were accidental or did he stalked the young wolf.

Secrecy ~ Part 6

The road to the end of the destination was not much of a ride, but as for Ace it was like trying to make a snail move faster, the more the ride took the more pain he felt in his arm and forehead, something he did not want to show to anyone, things he liked to keep to his self, nothing was more painful than someone seeing him in such a state, but the pain was so sharp he barely could've hid it anymore, he looked pale as if he was nothing more than just a ghost, not even if he was good at keeping himself from showing the pain on his expression or movement, he could not control the color in his face or the sweat that was dripping down his forehead, it was clear to his friend that he probably had a pretty high fever, he then knew that no matter what he had to force him to the nurses office back at school at least if not to a doctor, thing that he was already set on doing...one that could annoy Ace, but he had no saying in this, since Kanji was much stronger than him, especially in his state, while they were both thinking on certain things, the man pulled over and told them that they arrived, waking them up from their daydreaming.

"Huh.....ohhh....we arrived" said Kanji suddenly.

"Let's move" replied Ace.

After saying that our wolf said his farewell to the unfortunate driver and moved his view to the school grounds......while Kanji showed his fearless look and scared the hell out of the poor man, which pushed the pedal to the metal and hurried the hell out of there, driving like crazy, passing while being red, until he got out of the tigers view.

"Heh, such low life should not even exist" said Kanji.

"Just shut up and let's mo....."

Ace's words were cut off by Kanjis sudden movement....while still not knowing what happened, our little wolf sees himself on Kanjis shoulder, being carried over the school grounds like a useless kid.

"What the hell, put me down now, we have to get to practice, now move it, before you regret it."

But those words did not move Kanji even one bit, he ignored Ace's access of fury and kept going on his way, not caring what his friend would do to escape, he did not care what it would seem like or what someone would say, he knew his friend was to stubborn for his own good and that was the only way to help him, even though he did not want that not even one bit, neither did he like the idea...while getting more and more pissed off, Ace started struggling to escape but did not manage, it's as if his strength left him, he felt overwhelmed by everything, he even pulled Kanjis ear warning him to put him down, but it was as if he was talking to a wall, even though the tiger felt the pain from Aces continuous tries to force him to let go, but did not want to give up no matter what...

"Okay you asked for it, YOU IDIOT" said Ace, while trying not to attract any more unwanted attention...

After saying that, he started tickling his captor, remembering that he was easy to be tickled in one point, but not remembering where exactly, so he tickled him in three places, the most common of all, after which he started doing it near his ear, while the tiger started showing a smile on his face, Ace then realized that was IT and kept at what he was doing until, unable to stand much more that annoying tickle act, he put him down finally...

"Huh....giving up so easily?" meaningfully said Ace.

"Hmph, you were so busy with that thing, but in case you haven't noticed, we are already in the nurse's office..." replied Kanji triumphant.

"Huh....what....when did you...I'm out of here, I don't need to do this and no one can force me to..."

Kanji put his hand on Aces shoulder and kept him still....while replying to his stubbornness.

"If you do not do this, I will tie you up and take you to the hospital and make you take all those appointments you missed, which sum up to at least two or three months of hospitalization, now tell me what you choose"

"What the....how'd you know all that?"

"And don't make me sum up the medical checks at school as well....going on the roof or in that tree behind school or the music class....to avoid the nurse and the teachers!"

"Wait, how'd you know that, did you follow me every time I had a med check-up?" While realizing what he just said Kanji suddenly lets go and blushes so hard that he turned from his usual color to dark red, trying to say something, while mumbling some incorrigible words....

"I...I...di...didn't..I..l-v-.........you"

Getting more and more worked up, Kanji got scared and ran out the door as soon as he saw the nurse arriving in the office, Ace did not knew what just happened, he wanted to go after his friend to confront him, but the nurse got between him and the door and told him to sit or she will use force to pin him down, thing which Ace knew would happen, since he saw that no more than once, knowing that the nurse got some strange background and really knew how to fight.

"Okay, now that you've understood that I have to check you out first, then let's proceed, now what happened...if you could tell me"

Ace started explaining how he started his day as usual...

"No, no, not that you dummy, the wound on your forehead."

"Oh that, just a small car accident, I think I hit my head when I jumped out of the drivers way."

Ace keeps explaining the whole story, leaving out the part where it was Kanjis fault in the first place, while the nurse takes care of his wound, but as soon as she pours medicinal alcohol, Ace screams so hard that he wakes the whole school...but the nurse did not care a bit, since she knew that he has been skipping his medical check for quite some time now and decided that was the best punishment she could give him, for now at least, after finishing taking care of the wound, the nurse told him to make sure he won't miss his next check-up or else... Ace told her that he might come after which he bolted out the door.

"Sheesh, that kid is so troublesome, no matter what the other teachers say, they will never cease to change my opinion on him. I do wonder, is he really a bad kid as they say or he just hides under a mask?!?"

Leaving the nurses office Ace looked a little around for his friend, being worried that something bad might happen, he searched the school grounds from top to bottom, ignoring the passerby's, the front court was empty, except for the guardian teacher which told him that no one passed by him, a giant well was placed there in memory of the child that gave her soul crying over the small garden that was surrounded by a few benches, some slots for putting bicycles and some trees, of course the grand exit, that had a giant dragon over it, the play grounds in the back were all empty, the giant and imposing baseball field, on which a few people were running, probably the track club, near it was the ever-lasting tennis field and the volleyball field and of course the equipment shed and the gym, which was used on cold or rainy days, but no sign of Kanji, therefor Ace hurried and searched all the empty classes and the cafeteria, a place where he knew he could find his friend all the time, but not now, the only place actually left for him to look was the roof, which he saw as a bad sign...he hurried up the stairs, barely managing to breath anymore from all that running under pressure, until he reached his destination, a giant platform consisting of the access to it from the lower levels, a few benches around the edges and near a beautiful and well taken care of garden, which was strange to be found in such a place and of course the surrounding safety fence for making sure everyone stays on the roof and don't use any other ways to get down, except the stairs, but regardless from everything, there was Kanji, sitting at the edge of the roof, leaning over the safety fence with all his weight...

"Kanji...what..." Ace carefully stopped, trying to control what he was about to say, knowing the situation was really delicate.

"Is everything alright?"

"I....I'm.....sorry...." his voice tone went down every time he said a new word...

"Huh, what you said?"

"I'M SORRY, I ALWAYS HURT YOU, NO MATTER WHAT I DO" everything went silent after Kanjis words...

"You idiot why you saying sorry for, you did that for my own good, but next time make sure I'm okay with it!"

"No, not that, I'm sorry for everything, you could've died 'cause of me today and not only that, every time I got in trouble you helped me and all I did was watch how you get hurt in my place, I am useless" said Kanji, while tears rolled down his face.

"It's alright...it doesn't matter anyway, I'm the useless one" Ace sigh-ed persistently, while continuing what he was saying "you're wrong there you know, you've helped me much more than that, in truth I was the one that needed helping and you were the one that saved me, if it wouldn't have been for you, I probably would've done it, fly with the spirits, if you understand what I mean, whatever pain I have it's nothing, if it means I have to stand it to be by your side as a friend, I shall do so, ever since that accident I only thought of one thing, to disappear....but you've saved me."

"That's...not true, you were always strong, I admired you always, whenever someone was in need of help or saving you were always there, remember that time when we first met, I was being bullied and no one helped, they were all looking at me, still....that's all they did, they stared, you were the only one that actually did something, even though they started hitting.....you took them on and got injured in my place, when they finished you distracted them and ran, I thought that you to left me, but then you stopped and made sure they were all following you...."

"That was nothing, it's not as if I did anything, maybe I actually thought of running away....what makes you think I was looking back to make sure they were...."

"I know it, you can't change my mind no matter what.......after that I tried changing, maybe I could've helped you more, but I was never there or were too late as always, I am a failure."

"Shut up you dimwit....you're...." but before he could say more the safety fence finally snapped under Kanji's weight and before he knew what hit him, our tiger was falling down and as the ground approached more and more, he suddenly feels a hit in the stomach, he closed his eyes from the pain and felt the leaves of the giant tree from behind the school and the sound made by the braking branches, until he felt that the falling stopped, slowly opened his eyes and saw the ground just a few meters under him, while still trying to recover from the scare he got, he looked to see what happened and saw Ace holding him by the jacket while trying to hold onto a branch, he then understood that he was once again saved by the small wolf and felt useless, but until he could manage to put some order into his thoughts Ace let go off him and while managing to land heavily on the ground without any bad wounds he saw his friends pained expression, which disappeared as soon as he fainted and let go of the grip on the branch and started falling towards the ground, but before he could make a contact with it, Kanji quickly regained his senses and caught him the very last second...after which he hurried to the nurses office, carrying Ace in his arms carefully and gently.

The confession ~ Part 7

After the incident, Kanji took Ace to the nurse office and stood by his side the whole time he was asleep, even though the nurse told him that he was okay and had no major injuries, the tiger insisted on remaining there, not moving even if he was thirsty or his stomach was growling for food, he did not move an inch, no matter what.

The small wolf took his time and slept so much that practice was over and an angry manager went and turned the school all over to find those two, looking everywhere she could think of, but could not find them no matter where she looked, tried calling her brother Kanji but he did not answer, as for Ace, no one really knew his phone number, so she was on her own, trying to find the needle in the haystack...until she bumped into the school nurse which was just heading to her office.

"Oh my, are you alright?" asked the nurse.

"Yes I am as good as I can be" replied Shay.

"What happened? You seem troubled." said the nurse.

"Troubled? More like angry, we were missing two of our players for todays practice" said Shay.

After wondering if it could be the same guys she is talking about, the nurse finally let her tongue loose and asked.

"Wait, could those two be Ace and that boy that always is with him?"

"A giant dumb tiger with a silly and concerned look all the time?"

"Yeah, so those are the ones?"

"Of course, who else would defy me and not come to practice..."

After hearing the small lady whine about all the things she could say about how annoying those two are and everything bad she could say about them...until the nurse suddenly stopped her, realizing that she would not end this chitter-chat anytime soon.

"They had a small accident" said the nurse as soon as Shay stopped from her continuous chitter-chat.

"What did they do this time?"

"They fell off the roof as..."

"WHAT? Are they alright, did they injure themselves?"

"Hold it, they are both out of any danger, no major injuries for..."

"Kanji..."

"...Kanji, only a few scratches, but as for Ace, I can not tell yet if he is alright, but he seems to be in some kind of pain, but I can't understand why...he has no major injury after all, even after the examination he seemed alright, his body at least."

"But they are both safe right? Where are they, did they went to a hospital?"

"No, for some reason Kanji told me that it's best we do not move his friend for now"

"I want to see them, is it alright...to..."

"Yes, go right ahead, I have to go and take care of a few things"

"Thank you" said Shay, while sprinting to the direction of the office, her hair was long, it fallen all the way to her elbows, she seemed gracious as she ran down the hallways...

Meanwhile, in the nurse's office....Kanji sat on a chair talking to himself and looking sadly down towards the ground, wondering if Ace would recover, after this accident...

"One after another I always end up putting you in danger, I'm sorry for that, am just a pathetic excuse for a living being, I don't even know what to do anymore, even if I tell you that I like you, that could not change a thing, I want to be there for you and protect you, but every time I am supposed to do so, you're the one that saves me and you get hurt, because of...me....wish we would have never met..."

As soon as he finished his sentence the door hits the wall and a half concerned, half mad face shows itself from outside the chamber.

"Sis, what you doing here?" asked Kanji surprised.

"What do you think I am!?!...As soon as I heard what happened I came here to see if you two idiots are alright. Why do you always make me worry so much, why can't you just be in time for practice? It's just his fault, if you wouldn't have met him, you'd be the same as always.....every time you're around him you end up being in danger..."

"That's not true" replied Kanji quickly, turning his view away.

"Why do you always have to follow that idiot, what did he ever do to you, that you'd become so obsessed with him..."

"He saved me....and not only once, but ever since I met him, he kept doing it again and again, even though I promised myself that I would be the one to rescue him...remember when we were little, when they all used to pick on me, 'cause I was weak and..."

"Why do you have to bring back such memories, you wouldn't have been in danger if you wouldn't have made friends with him in the first place."

"SHUT UP!!!" as soon as those two words came so menacing out of Kanjis mouth, Shay shuts her mouth immediately..."no matter what you say, you have no right to talk like that, he was the only one that protected me, even though that meant putting himself in danger, but not only that.....when we were little, kids kept picking on me 'cause of my condition, no one ever stopped them, they all looked and didn't do anything, not even my so called friends....not even you..." as soon as Kanji said those final words, tears started falling down his face, making his sadness hit Shay even harder, making her stumble and fall down, after those crucial words that her own brother threw at her, even though she did not want to hear them, she knew it was true...."but one day, when they started picking on me, I somehow injured one of them and they started hitting me, I never told anyone about this and no one saw, they caught me behind the school at a time that everyone was running around, heading for home or to town, that day it started raining pretty heavily, a storm was coming that way.....I thought that was my last day, no one ever came to my rescue, why would it have been different then, but at that moment he appeared, he barely moved to our school, yet he somehow went to the back of the school by mistake, but he did not stand there and watch, he threw something at those guys and got them so annoyed that they all started staring at him, he then started running, I thought he left me, but he turned back and made them all follow him, I thought I was a goner, but he saved me, even though it's been a long time I still remember that day, after what happened, I could've barely move so I just stand there watching the sky, I thought I was gonna be left there all alone, but he came back, he was all beaten up, but he came back, when I asked him what happened, he just said that it's all gonna be okay from now on and it really was okay, even after they stopped picking on me, they were even avoiding me, but not only that, after he came back to me he carried me to his house, he told me that it was closer and that was true, dunno why but....the house he used to live in was closer then where he lives now...after he took me to his house he made sure I was alright, he even caught a pretty high fever that day and still he was more worried about me, that's why I've became so close to him..."

After saying all that, he then suddenly looked at his sister and saw the only thing he did not expect to, the cruel and uncaring person he thought Shay to be was actually crying, that took his guard down, he was speechless, like a lightning bolt hit him all of a sudden...she was sitting on the ground, crying heavily, holding one arm with the other, trying not to look Kanji in the eyes...after seeing this scene, Kanji took his sister in a tight hug and left her with a shock...

"Why are you...hugging me, after all I haven't been there for you...not even once."

"It does not matter, I forgive you for everything, that's why we are family, right? We forgive and forget..."

After hearing those words she hugged her brother tightly and apologized for everything she had did wrong to him. After which they both let go and looked each other in the eye, it was like a heavy stone was took off of them....after understanding everything a little better, Shay then asked curiously...

"Is that the whole story?" after which she looked at Kanji with a curious stare.

"Huh....hold on what happened to the moment we just had...."

"Hey, it's not like I would really cry, now would I? All I had to do is wet my eyes a little and make you think so....to tell you the truth, your words didn't hurt me that much, I already knew most of the story and I always regretted the decisions I made my whole life...wish I could change a thing but I can't" replied Shay to her brother.

"So you mean....come on....I so hate you for this"

"Yeah, yeah, just words....but never mind what's up with you and the continuous stalking of this guy, hold on...continuous stalking, always telling me what he did...don't tell me you LIKE him..."

As soon as she said that final combo, Kanji started blushing heavily and turned his view toward the bed Ace was resting on.

"What...why would..."

"Stop hiding it, it's a little too obvious, I don't know why I actually didn't see it earlier..."

"I....it's true, but don't start telling everyone you know, okay?"

"Don't worry, not like I would hurry up, so that our parents could find out and throw you out...like I don't feel responsible enough for you" as soon as Kanji heard her, he turned towards his sister immediately.

"Wait what's that supposed to mean...."

"Nothing, anyway looks like you haven't told him yet as it seems, good luck with the explanations...g'bye and better make sure you arrive to the next practice and no more accidents allowed."

After saying that and leaving Kanji with a *what-the-hell* look on his face, she left the chamber, closing the door behind her.

"Is that true....?" asked Ace.

As soon as Kanji heard Aces voice he jumped quickly, being startled by the sudden reaction.

"What the... when did you woke up?"

"Just a few minutes ago, enough to hear that little story of yours, including the last part, with the...and to tell you the truth, you're better off without me, I'm just another jerk on the face of the planet, you should just leave me alone, I'm not worth all that trouble, dunno why you even stalk me that much..."

"It's not that, but I think it was worth it, you never told me anything about yourself and I was afraid that if I would've asked, you'd probably got mad and...."

"Sheesh.....Kanji you idiot, just give it up, you can find better guys then me to hang out with or fall in love.....with..."

"NO...!!!"

"Huh...what.."

"I SAID NO, JUST SHUT UP!!!" as soon as the tiger said those words, he then shut Ace up with a small kiss....they both were blushing heavily, Kanji had his eyes closed and couldn't see his friends reaction....but then Ace pushed him away and turned his face away to hide his expression...

"You idiot, why did you have to go ahead and do that..."

"I'm sorry.....I...I....." after trying to say something, Kanji turned away and tried to step outside to make a run for it, but was stopped by Aces sudden reaction...he got out of bed and stumbled on the floor, but managed to catch him by the leg...breathing heavily from the fall and coughing, a moment it took that Kanji turned back right away and helped him get up.

"Don't go..." that's all that Ace said, before he fainted once again....

As soon as that happened Kanji got so startled that he immediately called the nurse and took him to a hospital, somewhere in town, a place that he knew he would find the best doctors...

-After fainting, Ace dreamed once again those nightmares, but they were different this time, everything seemed calmer than usual, he looked around and saw nothing but a long plain of flowers, the wind was picking up a little, it was kind of chilly...everything looked the same everyway he looked except for a door that was right in front of him...at first he avoided going through it, but then he understood he had no other choice...-

The Surreal ~ Part 8

A quick stop in the past, a quick memory of times that left us so long ago, a short pain which hit us all of a sudden, it came so quick, that we did not had enough time to prepare for the things that followed it, the sharp and un-realness of everything seemed like it tear him apart from the reality, from everything that he had and did not accept as part of his life, things that he denied himself, just to not be hurt again, finding a pathetic excuse that he did not wish to see anyone get hurt again, trying to keep everyone he cared for safe, that was what he thought, but in truth he was afraid of ever having to deal with the pain of losing someone, nothing felt different then before that painful day, a critical moment in one's life that can change the future of one's self for all eternity, but if it ends up getting better or worse or just simply remaining the same is up to the one that suffers, pain is there no matter what, you can choose to ignore it, avoid it by any means, but in the end it will hurt the ones you wanted to keep safe.....but.....while this was running through Ace's head, the same plain, the door, that was his reality at the moment, he felt a sudden urge to call out and cry....maybe, if he was lucky enough someone would hear him and show him the way out of that nightmare....the endless pain that he was suffering so much from...but it was useless, no matter how much or how hard he shout, it was like his echo was hitting an invisible wall....his surroundings....were surreal....

The place our wolf found himself was not one he'd recognize, the long plains were not a thing he'd ever seen, even the color changing flowers were unique, at shadow they were red, like blood was splashed all over them, while the ones that grew over the grass were blue-ish, like the ocean was reflecting in their petals, they both looked like sadness and calm that was hitting him like they were trying to force Ace remember the one thing he never seemed to forget, up until the very moment, a thing that brought him much pain over the passing of time, a memory of times pass....one that brought the one person he had left in his life, the one that connected him to the reality, even though he was not much it was all Ace had left, the only string that kept him alive and going...his father was the only person he felt pity for, even though he knew that he left him and his mother a really long time ago, even before he was born, he did not care for neither one of them, yet somehow he took Ace in custody as his only son, no matter what it was, his son....Ace, felt grateful for that...even though he knew the pain his mother felt each day when she remembered of that moment he left their lives...forever. But whatever was, it was....and the past cannot influence the future anymore, what happened, happened....and it cannot be changed, however, what follows can be....and that's how it shall always be.

After some time, hesitating the inevitable came and Ace realized that the only thing he could do is go through the door that was in front of him, because no matter what he did, even if he ran away from that wood opening, he could not leave it behind, like he was not moving at all, therefore he just accepted his fate and went through it....a flash of light suddenly hit him and his sight was blurred, did not manage to see anything in front of him...not even an inch further from his current position, but then a sudden object appeared in his way and unable to see it...he stumbled upon it and felt down on the ground....

As pain rushed through his whole body, Ace slowly got on up and opened his eyes as he did so, at first nothing seemed familiar, not the house that was in front of him, nor the person that was slowly moving towards him, neither did the song that she was whispering...

~It's alright honey, he just told me he had something to do...~ said the stranger...

Ace was confused it was as though he knew this person, yet he didn't, something that made him feel safe, yet hurt, he did not understand what could've this meant, everything that followed did not make it clearer.....a small boy appeared, but Ace could not see him clearly, it was as through something was missing, like a broken puzzle....soon everything became blurry, as the two characters went inside the house, as that happened Ace was pushed inside, like a river was flowing and dragging him towards the entrance, so he decided to follow in silence and see what happens, as he did that after passing through the door, he found himself in the middle of an intersection, a car was moving towards him, it did not seem to slow down, Ace covered his eyes as the car passed through him, after which he slowly opened his eyes and with and astonished look on his face he slowly started questioning everything that happened, but soon he hear an familiar voice, as he was searching for the direction it came he soon laid his eyes on the same person that he saw a little while ago, she was yelling at the boy saying things that seemed to get on the little ones nerves, soon something snapped in Ace, it was as through what he saw pained him from each part of his body, the boy started yelling at the person in front of him, he kept saying different things, but it was like he spoke a different language, our wolf could only understand only a few things, all he could really hear was ~I hate....you~, after which they boy ran away, the woman sat in silence and stared towards the direction the boy ran to, she seemed like she did not want to move, but Ace knew that she did not know what to do, she was like him, empty, unable to really see the truth, hurt by the words, those that are thrown in the wind, words that are meant to not be said....as soon as Ace started wondering who is she, 'cause she seemed even more familiar then he seemed to himself, what could've been the truth....but as soon as he started moving towards her and her face became clearer by each pace he made, a bright light hit him and his sight became blurry, making it impossible for him to see anything yet again.....it took one second and the scenery changed once more......a cold wind was blowing, as the sad environment moved slowly....the trees were going from left to right as if they were waving...as if...they were saying farewell, the leaves were blown away by the breeze, making way for the small streams of water that has gathered from the cold rain, everything was moving at a slow pace...like it was announcing an upcoming disaster.....a strange sound took Ace's attention, as he looked around he suddenly realized that it was coming from the street...in front of the small ice cream shop that just opened....he moved in the direction where the crowd started forming...he looked at the ones that formed a circle around the accident area, it struck him strange as they had no expression of fear, regret nor pity for the one that just had the accident....they were looking expressionless at the center of the circle they formed, as soon as he got there, all those people got out of the wolfs way and let him pass, as soon as he reached the middle, he then saw the same lady that was arguing with the boy...not too long ago, she was not moving, not breathing, she was colder then ice could be, she was.........dead.

After looking around a little more he then saw the boy, sitting a 'lil further from the place the accident took part...he was not moving, nor crying, he was just staring at the body of the one he once called mother....it did not took Ace much longer to realize that the little boy was none other than him....as he stared at the dead body...he finally understood, that it was her...the one person, that gave her life for him...yet he couldn't even cry not even when she was standing on the ground in front of him...giving her last breath....in the next few seconds...it all became darker....and darker, everything was being swallowed by the darkness inside his heart, he could not move or fight back, he lost his will....and hope, that maybe someone could save him, from the pain he endured 'till then....he was but a small child, still trapped in the lost and painful memories he forged by his own two hands, couldn't confront them...preferring to hide them away, even from himself.....he could not wake up, he could not move, nor speak, he could not return to reality...nor stop his pain, he was lost, forever....in a world of memories, long forgotten...

-Stay tuned for the next part of the story, will Ace come back to reality and face his friend Kanji...or will he be lost forever in the world of memories he created, may our tiger, Kanji, find a way to help the one he loves.-

The darkness within is shattered by one voice? ~ Part 9

As darkness was covering everything and everyone around Ace, he was feeling each bit of his energy being drained from his whole body, loneliness covered every part of his soul, he was lost without a doubt in the darkness he once hid and forgot so easy about, yet now it all seems to come back at him, the ones that left him, the ones that he hurt, the ones that hurt him.....maybe he was not meant to live a happy life, living in the shadows is what he wanted...but somehow he always ended up catching attention over everything he did, he never really understood why he drew everyone's attention like that, after acting so cold and harsh on even the one person that tried being his friend.....that even tried approaching him, the only person that really knew him inside out, somehow...even if he was good at hiding the truth that one person managed to understand him so well....to see through the mask he was putting up each and every day.....but it did not matter anymore....maybe in truth he wished that someone would come and save him from the pit of darkness he was hanging above by the small thread of fate that kept him well balanced on his way on crossing the bottomless hole that endangered his life in every moment, but somewhere around the way over the pit he got lost and was side-tracked from his road and ended up falling down into the darkness that was enveloping everything beneath him....

Time was no more, age did not have any matter in his life, he was gone, disappearing in the shadows of the past, becoming nothing more than an old memory, being all alone in the void he created inside of him....he was lost to the world....that was the end, nothing did matter for him anymore.....but maybe he was wrong, there was still something he had to fight for...if he were to disappear now, then who would protect Kanji, who will make sure he won't hurt himself, who'll keep him safe from the cruel world as well as from himself, Ace realized....that the one that he so hard tried to push away....he wanted to protect, but in the end...he was the one being protected, he felt useless and sank deeper and deeper in the darkness....he was truly starting to fade away...becoming one with the shadows...becoming inexistent.

-Meanwhile-

As Ace was trying to find a reason to fight for his life, Kanji was moving up and down, left and right around the hospital, not being allowed to see his friend....staring into the ground and bumping into everything that got in his way, doctors, nurses, patients, doors, walls, it seemed like he was predisposed to accidents....he went through-out the entire hospital, he kept bumping into all sorts of things but it did not seem like he even cared or like he was interested in the pain he was causing himself, he was more concerned for the safety of his friend and could not concentrate on anything else.....somehow he ended up on the roof and started moving around it, until....suddenly something caught his...reflected in a small puddle of water was a shining star that was lighting the sky with its majestic light as it was approaching its downfall...a falling star, as Kanji saw that...he thought maybe if he made a wish...a small and silly wish...maybe he could exchange his life for Aces...he did not thinks of the consequences, he did not want to lose the only person he actually loved, no matter if he had to die, at least he would die happy, 'cause he told Ace everything he had on his heart, there were still things he wished to do in his life....but he felt that if his friend was not there, he did not have any wish to keep on living, without Ace he felt that he had no reason to be happy, from within himself he gathered all the energy he had left and shout out so hard that the sound got carried all the way to Aces ears, hell...he shout so hard that even I might heard it from a million miles away, he did not wish for Ace to recover or for his pain to be gone...he shout loudly to the sky...

"Just let him go and take me in his place...dammit take me" as he said that Kanji fell down and started crying loudly, while hitting the ground hard, wounding his hands...

"Why did you had to go ahead and do that again...why....*sobs*...just take me dammit...and let him live, that's all I wish for, I never wished for anything in my life, just grant me this one wish...please..." that's all he had the strength to say, after which he kept sobbing and staring at the ground...

But unaware of what consequences his actions will have not on his future, but on both their fates.....the strength of his shout was loud enough that it even reached his unconscious friend, but was it strong enough to awake him from the nightmare he was enduring harshly...

The fate of them both was in the hands...or better say, the dust of a falling star, was Kanjis wish granted, or will Ace be lost forever and ever...

Dreams that end though nightmares ~Part 10

Time passed and Ace gave up on trying to break the dark clouds that set before him, he thought of ignoring his feelings and leave everyone to have their own fate...one which would not include him, would be best if he did not exist...pain, suffering, what's the reason of existing if that's all he can feel and bring to those close to him.

Thoughts kept swarming up in his mind, but he knew better...that if he's not there to look over them, then...but no he had no control of the future, he could not do anything to help, even if he was two steps away from them, what can an useless person like him do...There were words, harsh ones which kept swarming bit by bit in his mind, but there were those of "friends", ones that got close to him and perished or ones he just pushed away...Soon after he started remembering those moments, important times when he used to be scowled at by his mother, before she died...his friend Kanji and his sister, his mother's friend, even his father...sometimes, but that was taking things a little too far, he thought...

There are times when a small wish is all we got, times when love breaks us, but there are moments when it just gives us one more reason to last for one more day, it's hard to understand...normally I'd say it's complicated, but, in truth, it's not like that, we are the ones making it impossible to understand or complicated as many want to point out, it is not like that...it may be tougher when your own feelings confuse you or when your heart won't tell you straight out "Hey go get that person, I belong to them!", kind of a rough thing to say I know, but that's in fact one way to say it, there are no easy ways of putting it or just ignoring it. When people choose to "leave the past behind", as they say...well that's when it ends or rather, becomes more difficult, choose to ignore what happened or just go around it and will not just stop at that and become unimportant, it might end up hurting those you'd wish to protect, the one you love might be the one to turn out hating something they shouldn't, when you love one person...rather than ignore it 'cause it, 'cause you're too afraid, would be better to try and make the best of it, sometimes a little risk won't be bad. As a matter a fact, no matter how it might end...at least there won't be any regrets for tomorrow, who knows maybe the one you love might not feel the same way or maybe he might, if you choose to admit it, then that's one step to the bright light at the end of the dark corridor. Don't run, don't ignore it, don't leave it behind, the past will haunt you...and maybe one day it might turn out to...who knows, there are no things as knowing what might happen next, you can't guess the future, you can't see or choose what's coming the very next day, as they say...we are in charge of a thousand tomorrows, maybe they are wrong or not, it's something that's up to each and every one of us to decide. In fact giving up ain't an option, it just means you lock one choice after another, you can't expect to want what's best for your loved ones, to want a piece of heaven, a little bit of happiness if you give up...don't end it like that, don't end it at all, let it reach a new beginning. Keep going until you can't go on anymore and they have to push you from behind and follow you...your friends, your loved ones...

"I can't give up! I won't give up! I've decided, no matter how much pain I have to endure, I won't let it end here and now, I still have to tell him, I can't let him suffer on his own, this has to end...NO!!! It has to start here...I've gained my path in time, all I need to do is choose my own tomorrow" as the thoughts kept filling his heart, the darkness was shattered a bit by a small ray of hope, at first he did not knew what it meant, but if that was a way to be with Kanji and changed his future, then he will blindly follow it.

"My tomorrow...no, our tomorrow is awaiting us! I won't let it fade into the shadows as I used to, I promise you this, I will keep on fighting if you forgive me for giving up every time you tried to help me...Kanji wait for me!!!" as his heart truly spoke in his place, Ace started running, bit by bit he felt the ground leaving him and soon he realized that he now feels the freedom of flight, he is no longer stuck in place by the burdens of guilt, that's something that never leaves a person like him, but it's not something that should stop you from leaving your life and trying to make your wishes come true.

"I'm almost there. I will be by your side...no matter what!" with his new found strength, Ace knew that no matter the times or harsh moments, he could pass them, just by having such people by his side.

The light was approaching bit by bit and Ace felt the warmth of ones touch, as if a long forgotten memory came back to him, he remembered the moments his mother used to read to him, when he was small, the touch of her hands, the moments he had his friends close and was so carefree, those moments passed, 'cause now he knew and understood how important such things were and he won't let them fade away so easily. Time passed, things changed, friends come and go, everyone knows what true pain is...suffering we all feel, but what it truly means to want to change things for the best, is not running or pushing everyone away, we can't keep on like this or we might not have a clear sight of a happy tomorrow, memories will fade, things are different...when you give up and when you want to fight for something better.

The light faded and now the wolf was wide awake, raising his body slowly as sharp pain was filling his body, the room was pretty dark, as he threw a look around the room he did not notice much movement, he was expecting to see his friends by his side looking a bit worried, but this time he was nowhere to be found, one thing which made him worry a tad. Things seem pretty calm but a small glance outside he saw the moon, it was up an shining, partly covered by dark clouds that were about to send their cold tears over the city, everything seemed ephemeral...but that was no good, he remembered every time something bad happened, that's how it always was. Getting more and more worked out over it all, he quickly got up and got to the window, stared outside a bit and saw the waving branches, some small animals that were running in search of shelter, the clouds that loudly roared upon the stormy atmosphere, small drops of water started hitting the window and slowly draining towards the ground. While inside a worried wolf was thinking more and more what to do, he had no idea where to look...or maybe, things were starting to look really gloomy and he knew this didn't foretold anything good...last time Kanji ran away from him, the last place he looked was the one where he would be found.

"The roof...I have to hurry...*cough* ugh, I still can't feel most of my body. I hope I can get to him in time before he does anything stupid again..."

As terrible thoughts came to mind, he tried to rush towards the door, but only to stumble in his own feet and fall over.

"Agh...pathetic, I can't do anything right. But...he's waiting, I have to try harder...than ever."

Seconds were counting, the watch wasn't going to stop like that, time was precious and every wasted moment could bring disaster closer and closer, then ever before. With a lot of effort he got up and slowly, but steady was heading towards the door, the pain he felt was nothing to the one in his heart, he knew that all the moments he denied his feelings, all the time he wasted pushing them away, when he could've just try and focus more on being there and just simply make them feel wanted, show his friends, his family that he wasn't going to let them go, his father might hate him or not...but he just pushed him away and made that anger and hate grow bit by bit, everything he did and thought...maybe it was all wrong, cursed by "The Lady of Death and Despair"...no, that was just an excuse, to keep himself safe from getting hurt, no matter what it was, he wanted to change and it wasn't just that, if he wanted to improve the situation...he'd have to do more than just that, it was complicated to explain it all to someone, but he knew what he had in mind and nothing could change that.

"I need to hurry..."

Seconds were passing quick and he was stumbling in his own feet trying to reach the stairs after exiting the previous room, he focused all his strength on getting up with each floor, it took a while but somehow he managed to get to the roof, now all that stood between him and the outside storm was nothing but a simple door, he slowly pushed the door open and there it was...

The scene was hard to comprehend, but right there in the middle of everything he sat, a lonely tiger staring up to the dark sky, some tears were falling down his face, only to be drawn by the wind in the endless crowd of falling raindrops, getting lost in the amount of aqua that was slowly gathering around the standing loner that kept shouting towards the nothingness up there, trying to send his wish towards the skies and even further, searching for a dying star to make it come true, there was no pain in terms of suffering...not physical, but the one he felt inside was more than enough to cover up for any pain someone could feel at the moment, the wolf's pain and suffering up 'till then was nothing from what could've been felt from the pressure in the atmosphere and the continuous roars that came from the lonely tiger that stood there in the rain, it could've been felt through the bones the coldness in the air, it was as if everything could collapse every second now, it was either a fact of acting now or just forget everything ever happened, but if that would've been the choice he made...then why even accept his feelings, why to let it all go when he fought so hard for it...who knew the answer but the wolf himself.

"...s-...stop *cough*..." even after the efforts of getting there, he still couldn't call out to his friend, his voice was covered by the continuous fall of the raindrops.

Without another thought in mind he slowly pushed towards the tiger, but only to stumble as before and fall heavily on the ground, but now with the new event he heard it and turned his face from the sky towards the direction the commotion came from, but to his amazement he saw his friend breathing heavily and trying to get up, but to no avail since he used most of his strength to get there.

"ACE..." upon saying the name, Kanji quickly ran towards the hurting wolf.

But before he could reach him, suddenly a loud sound shattered the lonely atmosphere and a flash lighted the entire sky as a bolt of energy hit the ground between the two, if it would've been just that, then they would've been lucky to have escaped such a disastrous moment, but thanks to the ground being full of streams that ran towards each corner, the energy transferred through the entirety of the roof hitting the two at part of its strength, since most of it all just shattered through the area, but still was enough to give someone that was pretty weak at the moment quite the shock, someone like our wolf.

"GAHHH..." they both shouted in extreme pain, Kanji fell to his knees and was barely holding out, while Ace fainted from the passing pain through his body.

Took the tiger a few moments to recover a bit from that, but as soon as he realized that his friend could be in danger, the one he loved...he knew that no matter what was he would have to get through, he won't stop, for once in his life he felt that he had to be more than an admirer of the other's strength and conviction on doing something, he knew that if he wanted to be accepted by his loved one, he'd have to be more than just a useless friend in need of constant help, or at least that's how he felt.

"...Huff, huff...hold...on. I'm coming" after saying that with a lot of effort he got up halfway then slowly moved towards his love.

Upon reaching him, Kanji quickly took him in his arms and just pulled him close, tears were falling from his eyes, it wasn't sadness or happiness, it was both...the fact that his wish was granted, but at what price...he barely felt any air coming from his loved one, he checked him up, but his pulse was really slow and he got him in his arms and tried getting up, but he couldn't...he felt useless so he kept hugging him tightly trying to share his own body with Ace, as if he'd wish to change mind and soul, so that he would be the one hurting so badly right now...

"Please don't leave me alone...I can't...I need you!"

But before he could start crying out loud a small voice came from below him, whispering a few meaningful words that could be barely heard, using up most of the strength left inside him.

"I won't leave...I need you too. I l..ov...you."

As the new words came to hit the tiger as if he'd just woke from a nightmare, he couldn't hold it in any longer and gave his feelings form through the loud cries, as a kid without his mother, as a bird left alone in a nest before it learned to fly. Ace slowly got his hand up and brushed those tears away, as to say...'don't cry, I want to see you smile again'...but Kanji understood that from the expression Ace had on his face, a carefree one that didn't think about anything else at the moment, but the event at hand, he stared at the one he loved and nothing else was on his mind, he wanted to share the happiness he felt that he could get there in time...not to long after Kanji quickly took him up and got him to shelter only to see that a few seconds later, lightning struck once again, but for this time at the place where the tiger was at, crying all by himself...a short "sigh" of relief came from Ace as he realized the disastrous moment that has just been avoided. Once again being safe from the coldness outside, slowly Kanji made his way through the halls and arrived at the room his friend was supposed to be at, only to find a worried doctor and a pissed off sister that were now staring dumb folded at the new scene that was developing in front of them, the smell in the air of something that was just burned not too long ago could be felt pretty heavily, as the continuous stares towards the two kept going, the atmosphere became pretty heavy and the situation kind of awkward.

"What the hell you two think you doing?" said Shay with an over-reacting madly look on her face.

"Nothing at all" answered Kanji, trying not to show the worries he feels at the respective moment.

"The fuck you mean, he was supposed to be resting in bed and you were supposed to watch over him. I gave you permission to skip practice and the punishment you got for a few days so you could come visit him and make sure he stays in bed, not go on a lovey-dovey stroll around the hospital...and what the hell is that smell?"

"Ugh sorry, we got a little fried..."

"...What happened this time? Sigh~" said Shay in curiosity, combined with a tad of annoyance.

"Nothing major, we're okay. But we should get him to bed..."

"Fine, but this time I ain't loosing you two out of my sight, until I make sure you will stay out of trouble" replied Shay.

"C-could we be alone a little? There's s-something...I'd...want to talk with him..."

"What could be so important that you can't talk in front of me."

"...ugh..."

"Ohhh....fine but I will be right outside this room, so don't you dare do anything you'll regret."

"F-fine..."

After the short convo that left the doctor dumbfounded and unable to protest or say anything, Kanji took Ace inside the room as Shay takes the doctor and explains him a bit about the delicacy of the situation.

While inside Kanji slowly placed the wolf on the bed, but when he tried to lay him down on his back, Ace wouldn't let go of his friend.

"Don't go..." said Ace in a low tone.

"D-don't worry, I'll be here...I promise I won't run this time."

After reassuring the wounded person, he slowly let go of Kanji's neck and while he showed a bit of a pained expression, Ace didn't say a word after. The tiger stared a bit at his loved one and upon thinking a bit he laid down beside him and took him in his huge embrace, kissing his forehead.

"Rest, I won't go anywhere, promise."

As though accepting the promise, Ace quickly grabbed hold of the tiger and pulled him tight in a hug, as a child holding his mother, being too scared to open his eyes or let go, afraid that she might go away forever. Kanji didn't regretted this, however he felt a bit frustrated that Ace was in that certain state at that respective moment, it wasn't really something he wanted to take advantage in such a way, but there was nothing he could do about it.

"I'm sorry...now just rest, I'll keep you safe." said Kanji slowly.

But after saying it, he noticed the wolf was fast asleep and probably did not hear his last words. Therefore he just kept holding the lone wolf, a small smile was shown on his face, being happy that his feelings were accepted and shared by the one he was holding in his hands.

Time moved slowly as the storm outside was raging more and more, the two hugging each other felt as if they just became one, the slow breath of our wolf, could've barely be heard. Nothing could've spoiled the moment, it all was in perfect sync, as the moon reaches its climax upon raising bit by bit, the storm started calming a tad and now the queen of the lonely moment could've been seen fully, however the weather soon became a little foggy, as seconds passed by...Kanji finally fell asleep as he was tightly holding his wolf.

This was the night of the fated bond that might lead towards a brighter tomorrow or maybe complete chaos, a void full of pain and suffering, but as their hearts were now closer than ever, something of the calmness in the room said that it might not end as Ace has feared up 'till now.

A new beginning - part 11

As it always does, time passed pretty fast...night turned to day in a matter of moments, light was passing through the window reaching the darkness of the inside of the room, lighting it bit by bit as the sun rose from one corner to the apogee of its kingdom up in the sky, outside the smaller creatures were running around trying to make the best they could of this new day, everything seemed to get back to its usual pace from the calmness of the night beforehand.

Inside the room however, a creature was still not awake, residing in a world of dreams from which it was unavoidable to be taken...not a moment to later, the lonely wolf woke up suddenly and looked a bit around scared of the seconds that were to come, looking a bit around everything that happened not too long ago came to him and a sudden headache hit him, while holding his forehead with his left hand and holding the sheets tightly with his right, right on the place where his friend was supposed to be...his loved one. A few moments later upon realizing that Kanji was missing...fear struck the little fellow and holding the sheets even tighter than before a tear fell along his muzzle, dropping on the white sheets.

Thinking back to the previous events, Ace finally said 'no' to what he thought about right about now...he said no to running away like he always did, he gave that up the moment he accepted the tigers feelings, something had to change if he wanted to keep him safe, something had to be different so he can stop hurting everyone around him. This time Ace jumped to his feet and even though sharp pain filled his already shaken body, he didn't let himself fall to the floor...he didn't back down from his decision of doing everything possible...something he knew...he couldn't run or move to fast, this was the first time he couldn't run...he was used to the pain already and the exhaustion, but this time it was a bit different, everything felt like it was collapsing upon him, but it felt more like a test to see if he's worthy of the new found happiness...

"This time I won't give up, I won't let you get hurt, I promised..."

With one step at a time he managed to somehow reach the door, upon opening it though beyond was no one else but a curious tiger, which was wondering what just happened, but while seeing his friends pained expression, he dropped everything that he was holding and helped Ace stand.

"You dumbass...what do you think you're doing! You're in no condition to..."

But as he was about to end his phrase, Ace embraced Kanji and a few tears were starting to form in his eyes. Struck by the sudden development of the scene which was unfolding right before him, Kanji didn't knew what else to say.

Moments passed and the dumbstruck tiger just stood there and let his friend hold him tight as he stayed as a statue, not knowing what to do or say.

This moment would seem strange to anyone who would happen to pass by that respective moment, but no one came and the two were standing in the middle of the hall, Kanji holding the one he loves and trying to figure what to say, however on the moment he opened his mouth nothing came and the silence lasted even longer, there were things to be said, feelings to be shared, memories to be remembered, pain and suffering to be left far in the past, a future to be made, past bonds to be re-written by the clumsy hands of the two, broken hearts to be healed, days, months to be re-covered...a past that was wasted on nothing more than lonely feelings, a painful bag of memories that haunted them, ones that needed to be shared to be forgotten...or rather be accepted, only one way you could actually turn those painful images of the past into treasures of what came and left us, facing them full force ahead and accepting them.

The silence kept for a bit longer, it was pressing on Kanji's shoulders heavily as if he was keeping the whole world from collapsing, which wasn't entirely un-true...as most say "the one you love can sometimes become your world". Sometimes such a burden can be a bit too much for most people, exactly why there are so many broken hearts, breaking up with some people can be of various reasons, it doesn't always have to be the fact that love just faded away, some experience it and some don't, some call it luck to not feel such a devastating blow, while some are broken apart by that continuous pain felt inside their chest.

Some tears are shed of sadness, while some of happiness, others might be shed out of pain, while others of loneliness... this time though...it had no connection to sadness or happiness, pain or loneliness, of course there are many other feelings that could make a person cry, but at this moment it was more like mixed feelings, it wasn't just happiness, it wasn't sadness, it was a bit of all...sadness, happiness, pain, loneliness, some could say that it had nothing to do with feelings...that it might just be empty tears. Everything could be or not be true, Ace accepted Kanji's feelings, but there were still a lot left to be said, things that can't be understood that easily by quite everyone, only one person could've enlighten on the subject...or at least try.

If this would've continued who knew when it would've ended, Kanji was sitting like a stone statue, unable to make a plan on how to act, un-experienced in such situations he just got locked, not knowing what to do, several thoughts passed through his mind, but there was nothing certain that could've turned this for the better, the way things looked, Ace might as well keep at this current pace until he passed out of the fatigue or pain he felt throughout his body. Un-surprisingly only one person could actually make this scene seem comical and turn it around and that person was...

"What you two morons doing, didn't you had enough attention for one day? Get that idiot back to bed before he hurts himself even more and you dimwit...I thought I told you not to leave his side..."

"Shay..." said the more confused than ever tiger.

Yes, that person was Shay, Kanji's sister. Even through the atmosphere hasn't turned to a happy mood, at least she had our attention, I probably look pretty pathetic by now, this is what I get for worrying so much, he broke his promise and left...but I can forgive him for it, no matter what he will do...I will forgive him, 'cause that's how love works. It feels a bit strange, but now things changed, I promised I'd be a bit stronger...plus he only went a few steps away and only to make sure I was going to be alright when I wake up, of that I am sure...the things he was carrying, were probably for me, as I could notice one thing among all those that he was carrying, one thing I like and he hates.

"I'm sorry, it was my fault." After processing my thoughts I decided to speak and take the blame as it was really my fault.

"Don't listen, it's..."

As expected of Kanji, he gives his best to keep me out of trouble, but he's cut off pretty quickly by Shay.

"Ohhhh...just shut it, you're both to blame, now get him to bed and get something to eat."

After saying that, Shay left without saying one extra word than was necessary, she knew we still had a lot to talk about, even though what was most important was said a while ago, while the moon was still gazing over the show in front of it.

"Sorry..."

I tried apologizing even though I knew what he would say, the same thing as usual...

"I should be the one apologizing, not you."

"Shut up!"

And before I knew it, I pushed my lips upon his and locked them in a deep kiss. Something like that was more than enough to break this sore mood that happens between us, before today...I never thought I would end up being taken care of by him, somehow it feels a bit weird, but if it's him I don't mind.

"W-what was that for..." said Kanji after I left him go.

"Secret."

"Whaaa~....oh come on, don't be like that. Hey what you think you doing, you can't stand on your own two feet yet."

"It's okay...I feel way better now...you got no idea..."

"Huh?!"

Sometimes wishes have a mysterious was of coming true...somehow when I wished to die...and take everyone's problems along with me, I never thought that it could be possible, but somehow it happened, at least a little bit.

"Fine, I'll go back to bed, but only if you go and bring me something to eat. I'm hungry. And I can get to bed myself."

"I don't think so."

A while ago, when he confessed...it all came down to me, in the end...the old me died and when that happened it seemed like all the things that troubled me just vanished...rather than vanishing, they just didn't seem so painful anymore as to be problematic I guess, Kanji is still being a bit difficult, however that's how he is, but I won't let him go no matter what he says or anyone else. I've decided to stop running away so I will face my future alongside this silly goofball.

Sometimes I hate the fact that he's so stubborn, but somehow I think that's his most important trait, I guess even through it's a bit annoying when he refuses to listen to me at times, it still fits him being stubborn like that and even if I did say I hate it, I somehow love that part of him, it's a bit confusing, but that's the truth.

After placing me on the bed slowly he quickly ran out the door, it was a bit lonely being left all alone again, but if it's him I know he'll return no matter what would come up his way. A moment later I close my eyes and quickly fall asleep, didn't really realize I was this tired....

Divide and conquer - World Love War I - Part 12

Lost in a world of dreams, within thin walls of fog, an endless nightmare that could go on forever, even though it might not seem so, this is time...an unpredictable variable in the essence of life, it could go on or suddenly decide to come to an end, I know many would choose to deny it and not understand the true meaning, they can't be blamed for this though, we all live in an universe of ignorance, but that's how it is, it's normal...it's something we all get used to in the end, it is a normal mistake any living being could make, we're not gods to be prepared, maybe not even a god could be ready for it...the future can be modeled by us...or we could be the ones being modeled by it, we never know until it happens, we all can wait and live in hope that tomorrow will be better, what's best about being alive...is that we still have hope, left within tiny walls inside of us, our minds, our hearts, our very own souls. Somehow that was something I haven't felt, the will to live, the hope for a better time, something died in me with each passing day, until nothing was left, emptiness resided inside of me, the love I once felt disappeared and with it I lost everything, the day it all happened was one that I will never forget, I don't know why it had to be that way...but there's nothing to be changed now, the ghost of the past will continue to follow me in present and future, just, sometimes, I wish I could actually forget it all and live in the present for one day, but if I'd do that, than I will probably won't be any different than those that kill for pleasure, something that I despise on a total different level.

Even though I know I can't change anything, I still have the urge to wish for that, trying to think into the past, thinking of what I could've done to make a difference, but now it's too late, that I know and it pains me to understand that every time I try to see a gate of escape, that's how it is and how it's always been.

But now, I somehow managed to get a glimpse of those feelings I thought I lost long ago, that warmth in my soul that gives me a feeling of security, a bit of hope and maybe...a bit of love, even though I can't grab onto it now, there is a small possibility of at least touching it, even for a second, this big and dumb tiger showed me that, he's somehow at the end of the light, at least that's what I thought, but in the end...even though he had a bit more than me, he wasn't too far ahead, he was just two steps from me and I failed to notice it, I know that I can't show him the way towards the light, somehow I can't think of us being happy like this, my experience on life makes me think otherwise than what my heart tries to make me realize, it's tough and I feel a bit lost in it all, but I think, maybe, together we can just move on and keep going ahead, one step at a time, not in one rush or something like that, we're alive and should be thankful for that and managed to find each other in this void of darkness, somehow, now at least we're not alone anymore and that means quite a bit for me and I know I am a handful, he knew since the start of everything, the first time we met, the second time after quite a while, when we re-saw each other, I think he still hadn't realized I recognized him from the start, even if I was acting like I didn't even saw him ever in my life, he became my friend somehow, even if I didn't want to...even if I pushed him away and now this...I want him to be happy and there is only one way to be able to do that and I won't let him be alone, not now, not tomorrow, not ever.

"Sigh...I think I dozed off for a bit."

After finally waking up from that slumber of thoughts, I realize that someone just entered the room, I look around for a bit and notice a pretty built tiger, something about him makes me think that I've seen him somewhere before, but I can't really recall where, I wonder who he might be, he somehow has some of Kanji's traits, maybe he's a relative or something, I'm not really sure, but I guess I should first introduce myself, before actually asking who he is.

"H-hey!"

"Huh, sorry for the disturbance, I was looking for a guy this tall...around your age, not very built and always act like a goof-ball and..."

Definitely Kanji, who would've thought... Not like they are about 99.9% similar or anything.

"He's not here, not sure where he went, but he should be back sooner or later..."

Or at least I hope he'll come back, no...he will come back, I know he will.

"Anyhow, you're welcome to wait here if you wish to talk to him."

"So you're the guy he talked about all this time. I'm Kal, nice to meet you!"

"I'm Ace, nice to meet you too! And I'm sorry for being so nosy, but I can't recall Kanji saying anything about a visitor, so I was wondering, what's your connection to him?"

"Hehe, that's alright, I'm his uncle. Sorry for barging in like this, I wasn't actually trying to tell him I was coming so he didn't know, so don't blame him for this."

"So what exactly you want from him? I'm guessing you didn't come for just a house call or anything like that..."

"Hey, can't I be a worried uncle that came to see his nephew, so I can see if everything's alright...! ..."

"No..."

"Gehehe, so I'm guessing I am that easy to read through. Yeah, you're right about that, in fact I just know how close you two are so I just came to make sure you both were alright and I know he can do some crazy stuff without even thinking it through so I just came to talk to him about it. I don't want him to fal..."

"Sigh. Let me guess...'fall in love'....it's kind of late for that so that you know."

"Whaaaaattt~"

"Exactly what I said, stop trying to talk to me like you're talking with a kid that doesn't know anything, I've realized his true feelings for me for quite some time, I thought that if I acted dumb and not accept him near me, I could easily change that in him, but that's a bit too much don't you think? It would mean I would have to change him completely and that I can't and won't do."

"Huh...w-wait, you're losing me."

"If I would've tried to make him hate me, which would've changed him completely...I don't want to hurt him...anymore. I'm tired of that, I just can't do it anymore...sometimes there are things that should be better left as they are, that's what I intend to do, I know I can't change he's feelings for me and I won't try to...but I can't deny him this, I can't do it anymore..."

"I guess I understand a bit. I didn't want to accept this, but I don't have a say in it do I! Well guess you'll be stuck with him for a while, just don't hurt him, if you don't feel the same way, don't give him false hope, that will hurt more than telling him that you don't want to be with him. I've been there and trust me...its ugly."

"So you've fallen for a guy to...who would've thought!?"

"Yeah...I guess, but that was a really long time ago and he was special in his own way, I won't meet someone like him again that I am sure of, I lost him 'cause I gave up a bit too easy on him, but that's all in the past now...as he said 'darkness will take me bit by bit'...guess it happened."

Huh, curious...that reminds me a bit of something, but I guess I should stop looking into things so much, maybe I'm just imagining it.

"Anyhow...I've decided what I want to do and I won't turn back, if I have to give up on everything up 'till now, then so be it...if I will let him go now, I know where it will end and I'm tired of it all... 'The end is near, probably...but that's how it is and I guess I just have to survive a little bit longer...for him.' That's all I have left now..."

"Wait what?! What did you just say...'end is near'... That's not possible...who the hell are you?"

"..."

Somehow the expression in his face changed, at first he looked just the same as Kanji, but this can never look like him, he has no hate inside, even though he's been through a lot, mainly 'cause of myself, he never showed this kind of anger, actually somehow I don't think there's even one tiny bit of anger in him, but this guy before me, guess this sight only brings back bad memories, but there's nothing I can do about it, that's something I have to live with...

"Where'd you hear that from?"

"...I don't get what you mean...hear what from where?"

"Ugh...never mind, I guess I over-reacted a bit, sorry for the disturbance..."

"Wait! What did you mean...I don't get it! Did I do something to anger you? I don't get it...why..."

This is embarrassing, I guess so much hate was directed towards me that this last time, I just couldn't take it anymore, I want to find out the truth, I need to know, I can't take this, small tears must've formed in my eyes, 'cause I was feeling their cold touch, tracing a line down my face. But I couldn't care less about it anymore, I need to understand, I make a small attempt to get on my feet but I guess I'm still a bit shaken, therefor fall to the floor with a big bump, it hurts a bit, but what hit me more was his anger towards me, it somehow bothers me, I don't get it why, what the hell's wrong with me, I've never been bothered by this so much before, I have to control myself, I mean...I don't even know him, do I...!

"Y-you okay..."

I stare up at the face which a while ago was full of anger, now changed to a worried look, don't know what just happened, and how can someone with so much anger inside change so quick from how he acted than to how things are now.

"I'm alright, I don't need help, I can get up on my own."

"Don't be stupid, you're in no condition to move, let me help..."

"I said no, just leave!"

"Sorry, if it's about earlier, I was out of line, I know I over-reacted...but..."

"...ugh..."

To my surprise when I place my hand to my chest I realize that I'm missing something...my only memory of my mother, the only thing that connected me with her, everything I had from her was either taken away or just got lost when I was forced to move from one foster home to another...back than no one really knew anything about my relatives, there was one person that somehow managed to find my real father, the one that left me and my mother all alone, somehow I think he still had feelings for her, 'cause when he found out, he was pretty devastated and I guess somehow I can get a bit why he's so mad at me, but I'm tired of it all.

"You sure everything's okay?"

"...ugh, yeah... I'm fine."

Something must've caught his attention, 'cause now the tiger was staring at something."

"What's wrong?"

"T-that necklace...it's...how can it be?"

"Necklace..."

Before I could say anything anymore, he took the necklace from the place it fell to and before I knew it, he came back to me and now he was staring at me with a curious look on his face.

"What... Ugh, can I get it back?"

"Only if you tell me where you got this from..."

"I don't have to say anything it's mine...now give it back or you'll regret it."

"Then you're that kid... So you were fine after all, I never thought I'd see you again. Anyhow...been good? I've always wondered what happened to you, since you disappeared all of a sudden, I didn't really expected to meet you again, not like this at least, who would've thought. I'm a bit speechless..."

He looks at me as though we've known each other since long ago and I am a bit at a loss here since I can't really recall, ever meeting him in my life.

"Eh, sorry for all the questions but I didn't really expected to meet you again."

"I don't get what you mean, just leave this room."

"Wait...I'm really sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to sound like that...you were crying...did I do something to hurt you?"

Wait, what just happened... I don't get it, but the angry guy from before, just turned into this caring person before my eyes. Somehow I just want this moment to just end, every passing day feels like it ads twice the weight on my shoulder from what was lifted off me when Kanji actually showed me that he'll always be there for me no matter what I threw at him, in a matter of speaking, and now this is getting to me as usual, I don't get it, I am sure I never met him since now, but my heart feels heavy when he talks to me.

"It's nothing just..."

But before I could protest or say anything, he pulled me in his arms and picked me up, I don't get what's going on this moment, I am getting lost. It's like...he's like...it's no different from how Kanji acts...

"Who are you?"

"Huh...I told you."

"Why are you doing this, I never met you...in my life."

"I guess you could say that...it did happen quite a while back and can't say you were quite awake either...Sigh~"

This guy, who appeared before me not to long ago, was now staring at the ceiling and 'sighing' heavily, something made me curious of what he was thinking.

"Let's just say, I remember you from a few years back."

But before he can say anything else, he stares persistently at me and somehow it makes me feel uncomfortable, wonder what's wrong, is there something on my face or what.

"Your hand..."

"Huh!?"

After looking at my hand I realize he was just staring at the bandages, I don't get it what's wrong but...

"It's nothing, I had this from before."

He put me slowly on the bed and kept staring at me, like I was the only thing in this room he could look at.

"Sigh~ what happened to you? Guess you've never recovered, sorry for leaving you alone."

"What the... What you talking about?"

"9 years ago...it's the first time we met."

"...9...years...you don't really mean..."

"Yes I do, the day you lost your mother is the exact same day we first met. 9 years ago...the day you closed yourself from everything, I still remembered when I visited you every now and then...you looked like you were an empty shell."

"Shut up!!! Just shut up..."

Why am I being so childish, why am I crying over something as stupid as this, I've been over these memories so many times that I can't forget one second of it anymore...

"Sorry...it must be painful to remember...you haven't changed much..."

"Just leave me alone..."

"I can't do that, it's not really that simple...I promised myself that when I found you again I won't let you go again, ever since than...it's been so long, I forgot that little promise, but now I can't let it go...I'm a dumbass...sorry."

"...jus...."

But before I can actually say anything else, he leans towards me and kisses me quickly, before I can do anything to protest...I don't get what's going on, he was acting like a nice person that was just being polite, than he was acting like he wanted to actually kill me or something, all of a sudden he was a worried guy that was staring at me persistently, now it's like he actually fell for me...I don't know what's wrong with him...

Suddenly the door opened wide and in came a happy tiger, only to become stunned by the view which resided in front of him.

"U-UNCLE...."

Kal jumped in surprise when he was suddenly called out by the newcomer.

"Kanji... What you doing here?"

"I should be the one asking you that, what the hell you think you doing?"

While looking at each other stunned by the new development, not knowing what to say...

"Sorry Kanji, but never expected that this visit would turn out this way..."

"What you talking about?"

"Seems like we're rivals at this moment, I should apologize about this, but I won't let you win this easily."

"Wait what you mean."

"I'm saying that you're not the only one who fell in love with this helpless idiot. And I won't let you win this fight so easily, I never thought it'd turn out this way but..."

Wait what! Am I hearing this right...what the hell is going on here?!! I am dumbstruck at the moment and I don't have any idea on how to react, I am not sure I want to be in the same room as these two anymore.

"I get it, sorry to let you down uncle, but I'm a few steps ahead of you, I won't let you win this fight easily either. You better be careful what you do or I will make you eat your words."

"Hey, hold on I am not an object you know..."

"Sorry kid, but I won't let you go that easily, I've done it once and I always regretted it, I didn't really understood why I always came back to visit you...but now I get it and I won't let you slip away again."

"It's up to him to decide...even though he said it already; I won't let you lose without a fair fight, so if you can steal him from me until the end of this year you win. Until than you got 3 months left, but that doesn't mean I will let you win so easily either."

"Guess it's a deal!"

Hold on what the hell is going on over here... 'Mother, help me!' What have I gotten myself into...this is going to give me a handful of trouble...I just know it.

Just like that I found myself in the middle of something new and unexpected, guess from now on, my life will just be a bit troublesome and I hope that in the end I won't have to be put in the place to choose between these two...

Such hopes have a low chance to become real, love is a complicated matter and there is not always an easy way out, some people can get hurt pretty badly, while others can just benefit from it, somehow it's not always a good thing to be happy when the others are not, but that's how it is, selfishness exists in this world and with a small wish for a better future, the word 'lone' was just taken out of the expression 'lone wolf', who knows what expected our friends in the near moments that were to come...guess you can only wait for a new day to come, until next time.

Chapter 13 - A different ending - FINAL...?!

Time went by little by little, the same scene stuck around for a while...a simple hospital room without any chance to get out, alone...nightmares are hard to understand or prevent, even though people know it's not real, it still scares the hell out of them, old dreams tend to repeat at times...even if they are not what we'd wished for and sometimes it's more than just a dream, something like a vision of what was and is to come, a small hint to the future.

This time the dream started from the events that preceded this night, the two fighting over a silly goofball that could only look down and try to understand what made him so special for them to fight for his love, things are hard to understand...especially when it comes to love, but that is how things are and will rarely change. The dream changed into a nightmare and soon everything was falling apart, of all that could happen...everyone disappeared or left, loneliness was settling its way around and a small cry came from a lonely room in this humongous building of white and gray. The feeling of being alone again, not knowing what it means to be important to someone, all to disappear as quickly as it all came, to just shatter with only a word left behind...an empty promise.

The lone wolf jumped quickly to his feet shivering from toe to shoulder, attempting to stand straight as it all sank in, but to no avail as the world started feeling heavy once more while crumbling to the ground like a bird diving for its prey, with a heavy bump our friend crashed to the cold floor. Still with no strength left in his body he stood there, tears forming in his eyes. Dreams are meant to be shattered for we have not the strength required to move forth towards a gleaming future, for that the sole reason why those weak of will need one to fight for them, on our own we are nothing...we scatter as leafs before a storm, as a herd of sheep before it's predator that is why this sense of need exists in us, the need for one another.

"Sigh. I just want to be left alone, just that I'm tired of this and can't take it any longer, losing them for a selfish wish is just too much and I just wish I could disappear and be forgotten."

If someone were to listen to this crazy rambling of mine at this moment they'd probably think I'd belong in an institute or something, but the truth is...I've lost a lot of people in the past over selfish wishes without realizing...my mother died just because I couldn't stop thinking about myself, my father hates me for who knows what reason, I've hurt a few friends in the past and for that I know that I do not deserve people as those two near me, I am tired of hurting others...

"Hmm...ha...hahaha...yeah, right. No matter how much time I think of it, this will not change anything. Yeah, it might be true I hurt a lot of people that were close to me...but it had nothing to do with a curse, it had nothing...it's just my fault, my selfish wish brought this upon me, it's hard being alone but this is what I desired, in truth I'm scared of it...scared of being left alone and I just want this to end. Just because I got scared...I ran and put everyone else in danger...just because I...was scared."

Just as it is, things didn't really turn out for the best, but the only difference is that the lone wolf gave up fighting his darkened fate a darn long time ago, things will never work out for those that do not fight, but even so...no matter how hard some try, it's never really a given fact that whatever comes is bright or gloomy,

"Sigh~. Well no matter what I decide upon doing, I guess it needs to be done fast because I don't know what I am going to do any longer. Who would've thought that a shadow from my past would surface at this particular moment...and it had to be him...I just don't want to have to deal with this anymore."

Sometimes decisions are hard to take, however time does not prove to be our ally always...as such is said there came the knock on the door. Who could it had been, but one of the two people in this world that at this hour of night could stand nearby the hospital room, awaiting something...or someone.

"Hey, you okay in there!? I'm coming in."

Thus without a warning in the world the door shot open and a familiar face made its appearance.

"Haven't you heard of the word 'PRIVACY'..."

"Well yeah... But!? What are you doing on the ground?!!"

Without a chance to answer the tiger entered the room with one quick movement, shutting the door and crouching near Ace as he slowly grabbed his chin. Took by surprise of the sudden development of the situation our little wolf quickly withdrew himself back from the curious eyes and got back up, now facing away from his visitor, in a small attempt to hide his embarrassment from the prying eyes, wishing this would end up being nothing more than just a dream and he'd be all alone at a place he felt safe and he knew the perfect spot, but to his disappointment it was not and something in him wanted to scream and just tell everyone to just get away from him, to leave him alone...for he does not want n'or need anything from them...but he knew that was something, that was not true.

In fact he was scared out of his wits of being all alone again, like he was before. Instead of running away from trouble, this time, he just sat there waiting to be hurt yet again, just wishing it could just end already with this torturous 'it will come' moment, out of the two people that were now fighting for him...for his heart to be more precise, one was to be hurt either way. There was no escape this fate, no matter what he would attempt, this was something he could not run away from, not like everything else in his life, running only made everything worse...that was...no. He was the reason for his mother's...it was his own fault for being left all alone this whole time.

"Hey, you sure you feeling okay?!" this moment the curious tiger got closer to his friend, placing his hand on the lone wolfs shoulder, the next thing Ace was being pulled back into a tight hold.

What followed was something unexpected and for one this was something for which the little wolf was not ready for, one thing he had no experience with...one that everyone should experience, no matter how lonely they are...someone who would still love you no matter how many mistakes you'd do, a friend...a lover who would not turn away and walk off whatever you would throw at them. The tight hug was enough to bring tears to this tired soul once more, for there were times when this was all one could ask to break a cold steel heart, to break the invisible wall that was separating one's soul from reality.

"W-what are you doing..." the wolf asked in a high pitched voice, tears forming slowly in his eyes.

"D-don't cry...please..." as if he knew he was powerless even with such an impact on the person he loved, the old tiger put more force into his hug, as if trying to recover all those years that passed.

"Just stop...I'm tired...of...I don't want to be left alone again..."

"I understand and I promise I won't leave, I promise..."

As if struck by lightning, Ace let out a loud shout and pulled himself away from the concerned friend, without any restraint...not thinking how someone could take this, he just let everything out. Any thought or feeling he kept hidden inside for all those years, every time something happened, even if it was good or bad...he had no one to be there for him, not one single person, ever since his mother died all he could do was stay quiet and just act like nothing happened, no one who would praise him for his goods or scold him for his bads or just be there for him, there was no one who cared about him...

"SHUT UP!!! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ME...NO ONE DOES AND I'D RATHER END UP DEAD THAN...having anyone to l...love again!"

Without a second to spare, he pushed himself past the stoned tiger and out the wooden door, running away from his problems...all he knew...was to run and never look back, every time he thought it was for everyone else's sake, like who would want such a loser near them, who'd want to have anything to do with such a person...someone that even his own family would hate, things could never work out...

Just as he was about to run down the stairs, he bumped into a tall wolf and was about to hit the ground, but something kept him from harm.

W...what is this feeling...this smell is familiar...why am I so afraid of looking up a bit to see his face...

"H-hey! Are you feeling okay?" said a shaky voice.

T-that voice...it can't be...no, it's not true, it's not him. It can't be him! Right?!

"Sorry I haven't come sooner! I guess I do realize now why she didn't say anything back then."

"S-shutup..."

"Huh?! You sure you're okay?!"

"SHUT UP!!! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TALK ABOUT HER..."

As if realizing who it was he was talking he stopped mid-sentence and rushed to his feet, running away the first way he could find...

Why can't I tell him the truth and just end this, I just wanted mom to be happy and all I did was hurt...her. Dammit, just leave me alone...all of you.

Without realizing it, the loner ran up the stairs and straight to the roof, not once stopping to look at his surroundings, until he was already out in the open, door closed behind him...even so he could still hear the steps rushing forward and following on his trail, to his surprise it wasn't just one but two pairs by the sound of it, somehow he knew that it must have been the one person he did not want to even think about at this moment...his father and the one he wanted the most to keep away from himself, the old tiger that fell in love with him.

Maybe it was the adrenaline or who knows, it might have been more than that, but at that respective moment out of thin air...snow started falling slowly to the ground, those pure white frozen shapes which signified the start of winter, everything seemed to came to a stop or at least slow down by quite a lot and time seemed to be frozen somehow, but he knew it wasn't true...because no matter how much time he would be offered, there was nothing left to save him...for he was already hollow...an empty shell with nothing left, nothing to gain, nothing to lose...maybe it was best he would end it all there and keep everyone else from getting hurt...any longer than he has already did.

When everything became rough all he knew was to run away, but this time he had nowhere left to do so and he was tired of everything, every time there was someone he got close to and waited every second of his damn life to pass, by the time the moment came to see them he'd just end up running away, as far as possible, just for the simple reason that he was scared...afraid of being left all alone, given false hopes so many times...why would now be different?!

Probably this would've been the last chance he had to get back to a normal life, but was it really...the future is unpredictable and there's no certainty that it would work out in the end, without any more thought he slowly walked through the few patches of snow that have settled on the roof, the snowflakes melting upon their meet with his body or clothes, as the wind blew slightly carrying the small white stars around, towards the end was what he was heading, what kind of end...it should've been obvious for anyone to see this scene at this moment...upon reaching the edge of the roof he slowly climbed the small wall near the edge and just sat there staring into the distance, trying to see the rising king over the far corner of the horizon.

Things slowed down by a bit or so it seemed in his mind, somehow even though he was on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion he still stood there and endured it all, the trembling of his body, the cold weather, the aching of his heart, his mind spinning around in circles, his blurry vision. Everything felt like it was going to collapse into a dark void and disappear, but he still stood there not moving, standing straight and staring far into the distance, trying to remember things of the past, to understand why did it had to happen like that...how would it have been if things were different, but...he felt alone and cold.

---

Meanwhile the tiger was still standing in the hospital room, not knowing what to do, trying to understand what just happened. Somehow he thought that things would be different now, maybe he could protect the one person he wanted to see smile, someone that made him happy a long time ago, even if just by a bit. There were things left unsaid back then and now it may be too late, but still they remained unsaid, even with this chance he still had not the courage to say everything fully, as he saw fit. Trying to take in consideration someone else's feelings he thought maybe he was rushing things, so he started talking, but he stopped when he realized how troublesome things have gotten already.

By admitting his true feeling it all just fell apart, things came out not as he wanted and if he would say more, maybe it would just end up making things worse and now that he seen his reaction...how could he hope to make things better for the person he loved, there were to many "if's" in this equation and too many risks included, ones that he did not afford to take. Things could end up pretty bad...but maybe worse than this could not be, upon realizing about his final thoughts...

"This can't be! I have to find him...now."

Without any more seconds left to think, he quickly turned towards the door and as he was about to run out a familiar face came into view, even though he was much older...the resemblance could still be seen easily. This was the man he entrusted his friend, his loved one to...and he made a mistake to do so, as things turned out the worst possible way he could think of. Though he wanted to ask so many questions, thinking about hurting him as much as he hurt the one person he was supposed to protect, but he could not blame it all on this old man in front of him, he felt responsible for it as well...he knew that somehow...he shouldn't have just left his Ace all alone. Taking his sight away from the person in front, to calm his nerves, before rushing out the door to find his loved one before anything else would happen.

"W-what...happened?!" said the old man.

Taken aback by the tone of his voice, the worried expression on the face, he quickly took in view, everything seemed genuine, maybe what he thought was wrong...maybe it wasn't Ace's father the one at fault for his condition. At first impression he didn't strike him as a bad person, maybe there was more to it than he thought...he wanted to know more, so many questions to ask...yet no time for them. For one concern was stinging his heart, though his thoughts were spread in so many directions, in the end...they all gravitated around one single idea, no matter what he wanted to know...what he wanted...maybe that was it. Somehow he never realized it but in the end he just forced his feelings on the small wolf, not knowing anything about him. Maybe back than he knew, but things change in time.

"How could I not see it...!?! Hmph..."

Without a warning he quickly turned towards the old wolf stoned in place, still puzzled by the reaction of the dubious tiger.

"W-what!?!" asked the freaked wolf.

"WHERE IS HE?!"

"...on...the roof."

"WHY THE HELL DID YOU NOT STOP HIM!!!"

"Ahh...I..." with a shocked expression on his face, the old man just stood there, nothing to say, no words left to respond.

"A father should be more responsible for his child...than just offering shelter and some money...family is more than that."

With that said Kal rushed out the door at full speed knowing that if he didn't get up there in time, who knew what would be to happen. The worried tiger ran at full speed not stopping one second to look back n'or wonder about anything in this entire world.

"I promised...*huff*...that I'd keep...*huff*...you safe!"

With the little strength he had left, Kal pushed himself through the large metal door and made a stop upon seeing the new scene unfolding before his eyes. It felt magical...within minutes several patches of white formed outside on the roof, the chilly puffs of air surveyed the surroundings, and the whole atmosphere felt cold...it made the stoned tiger feel a bit out of place. Though things were a bit hard to take all at once, he knew what he came here for and nothing was going to stop him, this scenery was nothing to what he could lose if he stopped there. With a quick glance his eyes fell on a shadow a bit further away from him, the falling snow added to the darkness of the night made it harder than ever to see anything, but he knew who it was and took a few steps forward, feeling a bit exhausted from everything he had to do before coming to the hospital to visit the wounded wolf.

"STOP!!!" with a loud shout he cried out to the numb wolf that was sitting by the end of the roof, one push and he would be sent flying towards the ground.

"Huh...w-what are you?!" with a surprised look Ace turned towards his 'friend', but then he quickly shook away everything thought he knew would just end up breaking him even more and moved his gaze towards the opposite.

"Please...just don't go. I-if you want someone to talk to, than just stay with me."

"You don't get it! If you don't just give up on me you'll end up as broken as I am...or worse..."

"I don't care. If it means that I'll just understand you better or if I'll be near you for a while longer, then so be it. I choose to suffer and be broken as you have been."

"SHUT UP!" with a loud shout silence once again came and the wolf's usual calmness got broken by fear and sadness.

The loner grabbed his head with his paws and just tried to shook away those awful thoughts, he knew that if this kept going he might end up killing the people he hurt most...being the cause of death for those close to you or the one to cause them pain...that was what truly broke him to pieces...that and the loneliness he has subjected himself to, for years.

"I'm tired of everything, having to deal with everyone as if I don't care, to just walk away without looking back, to break any connection to the people I love the most...I don't want to hurt anyone else...I give up...it's too much...so...lonely!"

"I'm...sorry..." with that the massive and mature tiger, the feared policeman with no fears shuddered and gave into the feelings he tried to hide for so many years, all those times he kept his fear at bay, knowing that if he gave up the fight the fears would break him.

It all took control of him, everything he would just say now would end up backfiring and he could lose the one he loves...even if he would not end up dead...if he would be to end up breaking once again...he'd most likely not recover from it like last time...last....time.

Memories from long ago, things he thought would be forgotten by now...moments that came and went so easily, so long ago...it all came back to him. With fear now controlling him...he knew it would not end well...for one last time he would have to face his own nightmares all alone and just hop over the darkness in his heart, if he would be to end up blocked here and now...than why would he made such a stupid promise. The final bit of courage he had left in his tired body finally surfaced and with tears falling down his scarred face he shout the only thing he could think of...

"We shall be broken by remnants of a willow, for strength and courage are hollow...but through bonds we can find what's left of the yarrow."

"...I remember that...but it doesn't mean anything...anymore."

"I remembered when you told me about the willow and our strength...that's how you said it...'We shall be broken by remnants of a willow, for strength and courage are hollow'...that day...I didn't really get what you meant by it, but I looked it up a bit...it was kind of hard to find anything back then without the technology...haha...it took me a while to finish my search at the library...that's why I didn't come back for a while. I thought I could find it before you leave, but I guess I was wrong."

"Stupid...even if you would've told me this then, why would you think it would change anything."

"I don't! But I just wanted to tell you this...a willow represents sadness, even with knowing that I couldn't understand and when I came back to the hospital to ask you, that's when you were taken away...I was kind of sad...and you were right...strength and courage are hollow when true sadness strikes...that's when I realized that you were right."

"What do you mean?!"

"Haha, I guess not even you know everything."

The small wolf stood away from the edge and stared with his watery eyes towards the tall tiger, he opened his mouth to say something, but not knowing what, he just stood there eyes on his friend.

"You were right...I nearly forgot about everything. I knew that the chances of meeting again were small and that made me feel the sadness I tried to hide when I saw you leave...when things got harder I almost gave up on things. But that's when I saw you again...everything that happened I forgot only because I choose to...that was my mistake...but no matter how much time must have passed, I could not forget you. Seeing you again was what saved me...the bond we formed some years ago...for me it meant more than anything and I wouldn't have let it go no matter what, that's when I realized that I'm not alone...as you have been for so many years. All the bonds I made with so many people, but they were not as strong...for me to forget the endless love...my family never left me alone, how could I do that to them. I remembered that when we met again. And I want to keep you safe, for you I shall give what's left of this small 'yarrow', I could say..."

"...I don't understand..."

"Yarrow is a small flower with leafs in the form of feathers...it means endless love. To just say it blunt...I could not love anyone else like I loved you, it just took me this long to realize it and now I want to be there and help you shoulder your pain and fears...just give me a chance. I won't run away...I promise."

"I...d...don't..." with no more words left to be said, the small wolf fell to the ground, tears falling down his tired face, his body was shaking so hard that it felt like an earthquake if someone were to hold him.

Understanding that whatever fight was going on inside Ace's heart was for quite some time lost, the tiger approached slowly and knelt beside him, taking hold of the small and fragile being he for so long sought to find and protect. Things were already said and he understood now what the wolf wanted to tell him in the hospital room, he was just relieved that he managed to understand sooner...than later.

"Just let me in and...I promise I won't go. I'll help you shoulder everything."

With that the sorrowed wolf gave in to his feelings and took hold of the tigers head and kissed him. Moments flew by and Ace let go of the surprised figure near him.

"S...sorry...for everything."

Recovering from the shocking moment that happened a bit ago Kal grabbed his lover and pulled him closer to him in a deep embrace.

"No matter what will follow, we will face it together! Promise?!?"

With that said the wolf nodded and sank his head in the tigers chest, letting go of all the tears he kept hold of for so long, finally being able to not hide his feelings for once...

............................................

As promised, Kal took his love back to the hospital room and let him rest, while taking care of things with the old and worried father that was now puzzle even more. Though he knew it was his fault as well for what happened... The two sat in the hallway on a nearby bench, not too far from the room, it took several hours to cover everything that happened and with a bit of explaining from Kal and the few things the father had to say, things came to a conclusion and the old man apologized for the trouble he caused...even though Kal was not the one he should apologize to...but his own son. Upon hearing the story between the two...the old man had no objections to their relationship...for he knew he already did more than enough harm to his own son.

Upon the several things that came up into the conversation, the old wolf admitted that he did several things...blaming the death of his old lover on his own son...was not something he should have ever done...he did many wrongs so for once he wanted to try and do some rights towards his own 'blood'...his son.

For now...he knew that if he stayed any longer he would just make things wrong, therefore he asked Kal to take care of his son for a while...and decided that sometime in the near future, with the help of the tiger he would somehow manage to break the thick ice that formed in their father-son relationship.

Kaji...on the other hand...took it kind of hard...regarding what happened and even though he realized that he no longer had a chance to be the small wolf's lover...that was the least thing he was worried about, sometimes a true bond of love is not whether the other person loves you the same way as well, but love can manifest in different ways...and those bonds once made...they will exist in our hearts forever even if we choose to hate them later... His choice was simple, be the friend the wolf needs instead.

What is to follow...is in fact another story, but who knows what the future will bring.