Chapter 1

The boy slowly open his heterochromia eyes and rubbed it, "Ah...". He then slowly sat up on his bed and look around. He frowned, "A...dream...?"

He scratched his head, "Why am I keep having a same dream...?", he grumbled about having that same dream again before standing up, "....I really should get ready..."

Chapter 1: ....of the Past.

He then take a shower and then wear his clothes. He fixed his scarf as he walked through the quiet corridor, "...Kazu should be cooking by now."

'...I wonder why I keep having that same dream...', Xenon thought but then he had to shake that thought out of his head when he realized he actually bumped into one of the chair. He winced in pain as he clutched his waist, "Ow! That hurt..."

He continued to walk while rubbing his side in pain. When he reached his destination, he saw a brown haired boy, wearing an apron, "Ohayo Kazu."

Kazuhiko, or Kazu for short, turned his body a bit and saw Xenon. He smiled, "Ah, Nii-san. Ohayo.", he grabbed a plate from the cabinet, "I'm almost done decorating so just sit down."

"Decorating? What are you cooking?"

"Pancakes."

"Pancakes!", Xenon cheered as he sat down on his chair. After a few minutes, Kazuhiko brought two plates with him and settled it down, "It's done!"

"Whoaaa...", Xenon started to drool at the sight, caused Kazuhiko to sweatdrop, "...Nii-san, you're drooling. Let's eat then!"

"Thanks for the food!"

They happily ate their food but then Kazuhiko remembered something, "Nii-san, there is something I would like to tell you..."

"Hm?", Xenon hummed, "What is it?"

"Have you heard the rumour that people keep talking about recently?"

"Rumour...? No, I haven't."

"Oh...", Kazuhiko put down his fork, "I only heard this from Takashi-san. He said there was a competition. The reason was to see who have the guts to face difficult fights until you collapsed. But the condition is you must have six or more people in your group."

"Heh~ So where is the competition being held?", Xenon was sipping some tea. Kazuhiko pondered, "If I'm not mistaken, I think...Estoark."

"PURKHH!!!!"

Suddenly Xenon choked on his tea, made Kazuhiko panicked, "N-Nii-san! A-are you okay!?"

The boy coughed as he took his handkerchief from his pocket and started to wipe his face, "S-sorry man. Please continue."

"Ah...okay. Anyway, we should ask Takashi if the rumour is actually true..."

"Huh? Why should we go and confirm it?"

"....The reason I tell you this is because...because I want to...to...", Kazuhiko trailed off before suddenly stood up, "I want to wash the dishes! Ahahahahaha...hahah...hah..."

When Kazuhiko disappears to the kitchen with the used plates and cups on his hands, Xenon smiled a bit, 'Kazu...you look really lame when you're embarrassed.'

He then silently leaned against the chair as he thought, 'Estoark...It's been a long time since I last heard of it...knowing Kazu, he probably want to join that competition, judging from his face and tone. To be honest, I do want to join but then I will have a huge crisis! After all my looks are...'

He shook his head as he squeezed his eyes tight, 'No! Stop thinking like that! I know I have to face them eventually but...but I---'

"Nii-san? Are you okay? You look troubled."

Xenon abruptly snapped out of his thoughts and scratched his head, "Y-yeah. I'm okay. Are you done? Then let's go visit Takashi."

Xenon stood up and headed to the door. Without him knowing, Kazuhiko gave him a worried look.

Timeskip...

At the Plaza...

Kazuhiko and Xenon was walking when they heard a commotion at the plaza.

"This is rare. I never seen so many people in Fallmont would gather in one place.", Xenon remarked. Kazuhiko nodded, "Yeah. Usually they just don't care about everything."

A woman walked past them, taking the chance for Kazuhiko to ask, "Excuse me miss--!", the woman stop in her tracks and look at them, "--What's going on? Why so many people gathered here?".

She raised an eyebrow before telling them, "Hm? Oh, you don't know? The Knights from Estoark is here to check on us. This is only a rumour I heard from the merchants but they said the knights were looking for someone as well."

Xenon flinched as soon as he heard 'The Knights are looking for someone' part.

"Oh really...? I hope they find that person soon...", Kazuhiko said as he continued to chat with the woman.

Xenon was sweating bullets right now, 'Oh no...at this rate...'

He smirked, "H-huh...I see...then we'll be on our way--"

The prankster was about to walk away when suddenly Kazuhiko grabbed his wrist tightly, "Nii-san! I want to see them too!"

Xenon may look calm in the outside but in reality......

'NOOO!!! WHY KAZU!? WHYYYY!!!? WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE CURIOUS AT THIS TIME!?'

"W-well...I guess it couldn't hurt to see them..."

"Yay!"

Kazuhiko then stood beside the woman while Xenon stepped back a bit, feeling uneasy, 'I'm in trouble. I'm SO in trouble...'

After a few minutes, the crowds made a ruckus, "They're here!"

The Knights walked through the crowds slowly while looking at their faces until...

"Halt", ordered the man riding the horse, probably their captain since he's the only who ride on horse. As ordered, they stopped walking as the captain jump down from his horse and approached Xenon. He studied his face.

"Hm...you look like this boy in this picture. But you look quite different, especially with that eyes...but you seems to share that same face...", he shows Xenon a picture of two boys playing an action figures, "...Are you...Fukumoto Xenon?"

'Erk!!', Xenon flinched as he panicked, "N-no!! I think you got the wrong person! I'm not--"

Before Xenon could even protest, he was cut off by someone calling his name, "Kazu! Xenon!!"

A brown haired man in his 30s ran towards their direction and tilted his head, "What happen? Why so many people gathered here?"

The captain seems to be recognized Takashi, though he didn't say anything until he asked, "Is this man...his name is Fukumoto Xenon?"

"AH!!", Xenon gapped his mouth opened. Takashi nodded, "Huh? Yeah...why do you ask though?"

The prankster froze at the statement, "I-I....uh...AH....AH....", Suddenly he made a mad dash, "I WON'T GO BACK!!!"

"GET HIM!!"

Is what Xenon heard and the next thing he knew, the Knights were chasing him. He then ran to the forest, "I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK YOU JERK!"

"DON'T CALL OUR CAPTAIN A JERK!!"

Xenon ran as fast as he could and lead them to the forest. He managed to lose them but temporarily so he tried to catch his breath, "At...this rate...they will...get me...for sure..."

"Over there!!"

"Crap...!!"

Xenon was about to run but he felt a hand grabbing his wrist, "Follow me."

"Eh!?"

The next thing he knew, someone wearing a cloak dragged him and run, 'Wha--!?'

The stranger dragged him to a big tree and hide behind it, "Who--?"

Xenon's question was cut off by the stranger put his/her hand on his mouth, "Shhh..."

The Knights was near their hiding spot but they don't really see them hiding behind the tree.

"Where is he?! I was sure I saw a figure here..."

"...No matter. Tomorrow we will come back and look for him."

"What? A-are you sure Captain? We might lose him again and..."

"At least we need to report this to His Majesty. All of the Knights knew why we're looking for him. They have been worried sick ever since they lost their contact with them. Let's get going. Oh and tell the others to retreat for now."

"Yes sir!"

Xenon made a deadpan expression, 'Are they coming back to Fallmont tomorrow? To hunt me down that is.'

He heard footsteps were getting further. He slowly took a peek and saw no one. He sighed in relief, "I'm safe...for now that is. I really need to be careful..."

Xenon smiled, "Hey. Thanks for--eh?", he stopped when he realized the stranger from before was gone. He look around, "Wait. She's gone? That's odd..."

'...Judging from the voice, that cloaked person must be a girl. Not from here at least. I should go back. Kazu could be looking everywhere for me.'

Time skip...

Xenon was walking back to the plaza, thinking when suddenly Kazuhiko appeared out of nowhere, "Nii-san!!"

That alone made Xenon screamed, "WARGH!!!", he realized it was only Kazuhiko and clutched his chest to calm his heart down, "Y-you scared me!"

"Sorry. I was really worried about you.", the gunner then look at him, "Are you okay? Why did they chased you? Did you do something to them!? Did you actually prank them!? Or--!?"

"Calm down!", Xenon cut him off before sighing, "First of all, I'm okay. Secondly, I don't even know why they chased me."

"Oh..."

"By the way! Have you seen a cloaked person walking pass here before!?"

"A cloaked person...no. Beside you, I didn't see people going here."

"I see..."

"What happen? Can you fill me in?"

"Well..."

After the explanation...

Kazuhiko numbly nodded, "I see...so that girl dragged you to safety.", his eyes then glinted with mischief, "Aww...Nii-san wants to see a girl!"

"Sh-shut up!", Xenon blushed slightly, "I-I wanted to thank her! Not to flirt with her!"

"I'm joking! Anyway you said the Knights will come back to hunt you down right? What time?"

"I don't know. The captain didn't say."

"...Well, I suggest you shouldn't worry about this for now. Besides, Takashi-san wanted to show us something."

"Oh really? Let's get going then."

As they walked, Xenon made a thoughtful face, '...I couldn't help it but to think about that mysterious girl...I hope I can see her again so I can thank her.'

Without them knowing, the cloaked person that helped Xenon out was there, sitting quietly at the tree's thick branch, "...At least he's safe. Why am I even bothered to follow him...isn't this what stalkers do? Anyway I should avoid having contact with this people...."

She stood up and then vanished.

Xenon suddenly stopped and look back, "...Huh?"

"Nii-san? Is something the matter?", Kazuhiko asked as soon as he saw Xenon got distracted.

"Ah...it's nothing."

'....I could almost swear that I felt the similar presence just now...the aura of that girl...but as soon as ir suddenly appeared, it suddenly disappeared again.'

Somewhere...

A Knight opened the huge door, revealed a spacious room and a young boy looking out at the window. The Knight bowed at his presence, "...Your Highness. I have come to deliver a message from the Captain."

"Hm? A message from him...? Please do tell me."

The Knight took out a paper from his bag and read it out loud, "From this paper, he says, 'We have located Fukumoto Xenon. He have been hiding in a town called Fallmont the whole time. Unfortunately he managed to escape from our grasp and is currently hiding. We can assure you that we will capture him and bring him back safely. We will continue our search tomorrow simce most of the Knights are tired from fighting for far too long. I hope His Majesty are not mad of our carelessness.'

...that is all what the letter said."

He heard a clap from the boy, "So they have finally found him? That is certainly a wonderful news! They will be happy to hear that!", the boy said with a cheerful tone, "Please wait a second. I will write a letter for the Captain."

The boy immediately write a letter. After a few minutes, he gave the letter to the Knight. The knight bowed, "I will take my leave now, Your--"

"Please wait.", the boy cut him off.

"Is something the matter, Your Highness?"

"...Please pass this warning to the Knights, 'You may have found him but I had a feeling that your search will be harder than the previous one. Please proceed with caution.'

...That is all. I wish you all good luck."

"Of course, Your Highness. And thank you for the support."

The Knight bowed humbly and slowly leave the room. The boy look out at the window, '...I am happy to hear that news but...why am I feeling sad and angry...? This...I know it will be not be easy...'

To be continue...

Bonus!

Kazuhiko: Nii-san, what will you do if you did find that person?

Xenon: Huh? Well...I want to thank her of course.

Kazuhiko: Somehow I'm starting to worry about you.

Xenon: What why?

Kazuhiko: Because... *Destroy the imagination cloud with his hands* Nope sorry, I can't spoil it! It's for the reader's sake!!

Xenon: What do you mean you can't spoil it for the reader's sake!?

Kazuhiko: Look forward to the next chapter~!

Xenon: Who are you talking to!?