Chapter Twelve: Brothers

Shortly after Yu fell asleep he began to dream. In his dream he was six years old again, back in his childhood home in Japan playing in the toyroom. Only his version of playing was different from what most children would call playing. Yu would shadowbox for a little while and then head over to his punching bag and "play some more". No one ever played with him, for a some reason he could not fathom.

Today was supposed to be just another lonely day until Yu heard the door open. He slowly turned to see his Butler standing in the doorway behind a small child. The boy had white hair and orange eyes that radiated intelligence. He wore a simple white shirt with orange pants and simple brown shoes. " This will be your new friend from now on. His name is Byakko and he's an orphan that the family is just taking care of for a little while. He shows battle promise , but he doesn't talk much from what I can gather. Now go play you two." The butler said as he shoved Byakko inside of the room. Yu walked over to the boy as they met in the middle of the room.

"So....What do you want to do?" Yu asked as his childlike electric blue eyes met Byakko's equally childish yet intelligent orange eyed gaze.

"Well I do have a present for you." Byakko said as he russled around for a little bit. He pulled out a green preice of fabric from his pocket and handed it to Yu.

" Its nothing really special" Byakko said shyly as he waited for Yu's reaction. The anyone else it might not have meant anything ,but to Yu who had never received a present before it was the greatest thing in the world. He excepted it greatfully and tied it around his head so that the end hung loosely behind him.

"Well now I feel I have to give you something too!" Yu said as he walked over to the armory closest and looked around for something to give to him. He spotted a belt sitting on pedestal. He decided to take that and presented it to Byakko. It was shiny with the symbol of a silver and orange x on it. Byakko put it around his waste so that one end hung lower than the other. Then they both begain to laugh.

"This is the first present I've ever been given!" Yu said cheerfully.

"Why....Do you not have any family?" Byakko asked curiously.

"Well I have a family ,but they all ignore me exept for my sister Yin. Something to do with me not having a gift....." Yu answered sadly.

"Well if it makes you feel better I've been an orphan ever since I could remember. I've lived on the streets until your family found me recently."

"Wow, how did you survive out there?!" Yu said in an exited voice.

"It's a really tough world. So in order to have enough money to eat, I began to fight in street fights, in gift vs gift battles. People would bet on who they though would win and that's how I earned my money."Byakko ended almost quitely. "I wish I just had a family to belong to...." Byakko added almost as an afterthought.

Everything grew akwardly quite for a moment.

"How bout this...." Yu exclaimed as he thought for moment." Since you don't have a family and mine basically ignores me, how about we become family! You can be my new brother!"

"Okay!" Byakko said as he took a sharp peice of metal he found and slit his palm. Yu did the same. After they finished they pressed their palms together. The blood mingled and dropped onto the playroom floor.

"Brothers forever always united by battle and blood!" They said at the same time.

The dream ended as Yu woke up startled. Although it was 3:00 o'clock in the morning something was different. For some reason Yu could sense that Byakko was close. He threw on a white t-shirt, black pants and tied his green headband around his head. He was going to find his brother.