Hajimemashite, or nice to meet you, everyone! I'm Ayumi, a newbie writer so please treat me well.

So far, I've only written fanfictions. This is my first time writing my own original story so please leave any opinions or advice that can help improve the story.

Enjoy! ^.^

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Location: Scarlet Tower, SunBurst City

Time: 12:17 a.m.

The penthouse definitely had the best view, in Izumi's opinion at least.

The glass-floored balcony gave off an effect that made it seem as if he was floating above the metropolis; the lights twinkling like stars. The city, from the top floor of its tallest building, appeared like a toy model. The noise wasn't too bad, being up high lessened the clamor, and actually made it pleasant. Some days, he liked sitting on the balcony, observing the day-to-day routines of the people below.

If he had to name one of the perks of his job, this would be no. 1.

Izumi laughed to himself. For an occupation such as his, naturally the pay would be far higher than most middle-aged salarymen.

He hadn't been born into wealth, so under different circumstances, he wouldn't have afforded a night's rent at this penthouse, much less ownership. His sleek sports car resting in his private garage below would have been but a distant dream. A normal job would have, at best, allowed him to buy a tyre, at a blowout sale.

Not forgetting his private swimming pool and gym; the gourmet meals prepared exactly to his tastes; the expensive vacations to some of the most surreal paradises in the world; and the respect that followed him wherever he went, thanks to the amounts he deposited into his bank accounts.

The women?

Well, if he tried, he knew he could get just about any girl he wanted. He had good looks, knew how to excite them with his personality and charm, and to top it all off, he was filthy stinking RICH!

What girl would be an idiot to turn him down?

Which was why Izumi never tried. This lifestyle, this image that people perceived, felt so superficial, that he couldn't bring himself to make it even more plastic. He didn't need women who only saw how much his car cost and his bank statements.

What he truly wanted, what he truly craved, was an honest relationship with someone he could treasure, and who would treasure him back.

But the price he paid for all this, included his one wish.

He could never let anyone close or attempt to get close to anyone. His hands would never comfort or caress, only hurt. That was the path he had always known, the path he was bound to forever.

He would always be alone.

A cliché, uncool jingle broke through the silence, indicating he had a call. It was the kind of jingle that made girls run from him, thinking, Loser!

That was the reason why he used that jingle; he didn't want people close when the call connected.

Sliding his finger over the touch screen to answer the call, he opted to put it on loudspeaker, too lazy to hold up the phone to his face.

"Evening, Sir," he said politely, lying down in an utterly impolite manner. "How may your humble servant serve you this evening?"

"Impeccable as always," the man on the other end said approvingly. "That's why you're the best, Izumi."

Izumi smiled to himself. "Thank you, Sir, but I am only doing my duty as one of your subjects."

There was silence, which meant his master was satisfied with Izumi's conduct.

Izumi could almost see the grin on his master's face, as he said, "Tell me, my favorite assassin, Crimson Bullet, how long do you need to prepare for another kill?"

Everything in this world has its price.

Some paid with their hearts, some paid with their bodies. Izumi's price was easy; a life, every time his master ordered it. In return, he received the immense wealth that gave him everything his heart desired. Well, almost everything.

Yet, as he heard the name his master spoke of that night, for the first time, Izumi wasn't quite sure how willing he was to pay this time.

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Rate, favorite and comment please! Thank you! >_<

2: Chapter One: High Scorer

Alright, hope you like this!

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LAW OF MAGES

(i)  The powers of the elements, of inner strength, of acceleration, and of regeneration shall be divided equally amongst the Seven Chosen Kings.

(ii) Any Mage, if proven worthy, is allowed to learn of these powers with and only with the permission of the Kings.                   

(iii)  Mages who swear fealty to a King are henceforth banned from learning the powers of any other King. Acts of treason or betrayal of oath is punishable according to their King’s will.                

(iv) All Mages are allowed freedom of swearing fealty, and shall be known as ‘Citizen’.                  

(v)  Mages who wish to retain freedom of fealty, yet desire the Kings’ powers, are allowed to do so with the title ‘Free-Lancer’.                   

(vi) Free-Lancers are neither allowed a permanent residence in any of the Kings’ capitals, nor the precise location of the capitals.                 

(vii) However, Free-Lancers are to be treated otherwise as of equal status with Citizens, unless they be transgressors of peace.                

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In what world? Rito Yukimi thought sarcastically, casting a look at the crowd shifting before her; it was a sea of red in all shades, maroon, crimson, fuchsia, and of course the color of the city's ruler, scarlet.

Yukimi looked down at her black clothes; it was so obvious she was not one of them, and since she had not bothered to hide her identity, it made her an even easier of a target. 

Then again, since when were Free-Lancers not somebody's target?

Despite the Law of Mages, the absolute rules for the magically-inclined, Citizens treated Free-Lancer like begging junkies, as if refusing to swear fealty was a crime, and every hardship that came with it was well-deserved. 

But what about the Kings, the so-called wise and great regents of the magical world? Weren't they supposed to uphold the Law?

To that, Yukimi said, HAH!

The Kings encouraged the hostile, and at times, brutal treatment of Free-Lancers, going as far as abusing their powers to show who was in charge. There were Kings who had imprisoned Free-Lancers and sold them off as slaves, or kept them as 'play-things', to be used and toyed with as the Kings pleased. Mortality rates among Free-Lancers were the highest known to the magical.

Nowadays, cruelty wasn't as openly displayed, but it was known to every Free-Lancer that the tiniest of punishments could get them a few months in jail. Yukimi's mentor, Sonii, had a friend who had been sentenced to two years, just for acidentally stepping on some Citizen's roses. He also dropped some sweet wrappers while he was being chased, which counted as littering, and he was sentenced another year.

Yukimi sighed quietly, feeling depressed; this was turning out to be the worst day ever, and it was only 11.00 a.m..

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To be fair, it had started yesterday, when she and Sonii had arrived in SunBurst City, and she had realized what a mistake it had been to allow her mentor to choose the hotel. A veteran Free-Lancer, Sonii had spent nights in places most would deem unsuitable for sewer rats. He had actually called the dump, er, place decent!

So Yukimi had tried to cope.

Mouldy walls, dotted with other unidentifiable spots? Well, at least the room didn't smell.

Damp floorboards that felt icky to the touch? You had to learn to rough it out at some point in life, right?

Musty sheets, with, was that a lizard dropping? 

Yukimi had given up being optimistic, blown the dropping up with a blast from Rain Flash, and quickly scrambled into her sheets, trying her best to ignore the goosebumps breaking all over her skin.

The raindrops leaking from the roof had been the final straw; she had packed her things and told Sonii she'd find another hotel, not caring how much it cost.

Then, Sonii broke the news that he wouldn't be accompanying her in SunBurst at all; he'd be gone the whole day, leaving Yukimi all alone in this strange, foreign city full of highly unfirendly Citizens. He had promised though, he would try to be back first thing tomorrow.

Yukimi couldn't avoid going out. First, she had to find a nicer hotel (shouldn't be too hard), second, the reason she had come to SunBurst in the first place; to win a certain mini-Game.

That had gone wonderfully wrong.

The game was so hard. She had been trying since practically dawn, and every time she came out with a stupid consolation prize (usually a potion) instead of a shiny gold token, the GameMaster would sneer at her and say pleasantly, "Please come again."

Mini-Games were paid for in the Mage currency, gold, silver or copper coins. If you didn't have the metal in coin form, it would be weighed and compared to a coin of the same metal. The mini-Game Yukimi had played was two silver coins a try, equivalent to about 2000 yen. Naturally, with the small hill of potions in her arms, it was only to be expected her pouch was a lot lighter now.

After, the 20th-something try, she had decided to call it quits and forge ahead with the other item on her to-do list; the hotel.

Oh wait, had Yukimi possibly forgotten that common courtesy was thrown out the window when it came to Free-Lancers? Especially since she had hardly bothered to blend in.

The crowd shoved and jostled her, reminding her that she was indeed a soft, squishy teenage girl rather than the tough, strong warrior she often daydreamed about. And of course, she had been stupid enough to leave her backpack at the hotel so she was forced to carry all her prizes around, doing her best not to drop any.

At that moment, Sonii's email had arrived. Thinking it was urgent, she had painstakingly searched for a secluded spot to read it; only to discover her mentor had just remembered to send her a PDF file of the Law of Mages, despite the fact they had been travelling together for nearly three months now and the fact it had been three weeks since Yukimi had earned the rank of a Class One Free-Lancer.

Her current surroundings did nothing to improve her mood either. It was a space between two mini-Games, cramped with hardly any elbow room, and stinking of goat's pee (do not ask how she knows).

Now, if she wanted a bed with dry floorboards and white, un-yellowish sheets, she had to brave the mob of people just waiting to further worsen the worst day of her life.

Yukimi snapped her phone shut and pocketed it. She knew how Free-Lancers lived, what they had to go through, but some days, she wondered whether she had been right to throw away the comfors of her old lifestyle for this one.

She shook her head, determined not to have any regrets. She had come too far for that.

Balancing her prizes as best as she could, she wordlessly activated a speed skill. A spell, really, but skill always sounded much cooler. 

Hardening her resolve, she stepped into the crowd.

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Like all other capital cities, SunBurst had its own mini-Game district, with its own unique collection of mini-Games. In this district, there was a certain mini-Game that had a screen hanging outside, displaying its leaderboard. 

Like most leaderboards in the city, there were only five places, and all five were filled with the same name:

                                                                                          Ishikawa

Ishikawa could be best described as mysterious. Ever since Ishikawa had mastered that mini-Game, no other player had been able to steal a single spot from him, until even regulars that had been playing long before he had began calling him, 'Speed Shot'. Yet, although he played on a weekly basis, not even the GameMaster knew his real name. He was the kind of person most people found it difficult to strike up a casual conversation with.

It wasn't that he looked scary or anything; in fact, he was quite good-looking. He had gorgeous wheat-colored hair that wasn't too artsy or too plain, but long enough to make him appear slightly absent-minded. He had dark, piercing irises, and when he spoke, his voice had a soft lilt to it. 

Girls swooned in low tones when his lips curved into a lonely smile.

Wherever he went, Ishikawa had the peculiar talent of keeping a comfortable berth around him, which was handy in places packed with people. 

That also meant it was a surprise when a small figure crashed straight into him.

He stood his ground, mostly unaffected but the other was not. He heard the tinkling of vials hitting the ground as the person opposite him muttered, "Oww."

"Are you OK?" he asked. The small figure lifted up his head.

Her, he corrected mentally, seeing the delicate face and big, byzantium-colored eyes. She was a little thing, much shorter and smaller than him. She held dozens of potions in her arms, which meant the tinkling sound indicated she had dropped a few. She wasn't wearing red, he noticed, but she didn't look very tough for a Free-Lancer. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the wrapped staff strapped to her back, but what held his attention were the tears she was desperately holding back. Instantly, Ishikawa felt something inside him stir.

Swiftly scooping up the fallen potions, he put his arms around the girl to secure the rest of the pile she was holding, and gently lead her to a less, cramped area, a quiet plaza he knew of.

Thankfully, the plaza was empty when they arrived.

Ishikawa sat her down at the fountain in the center, and eased the potions out of her grasp. She needed a bg for them, he decided. "I'll be right back," he said.

She nodded numbly. He left, hoping she would be alright. She could probably defend herself, but in her state right now...

Ishikawa quickened his pace, praying he could be faster than any threat that could befall her.

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When he returned, he was startled, yet pleased, to receive the warm beam the girl gave him.

"Thank you so much," she said, while he swept her potions into the shopping bag he had procured. "You don't know how much your help means to me."

He sensed heat rising to his cheeks and ducked his head. "It was nothing."

The girl laughed. "You know, I've been having the absolutely worst day ever, but you've made it a little better. Thanks."

His face felt a lot hotter. "N-no problem."

The girl extended a gloved hand. "Nice to meet you, I'm Rito Yukimi."

"Nice to meet you, Rito-san," he said, grasping her hand for a brief moment. "I'm, Ishikawa."

Rito-san's eyes widened automatically. "The Ishikawa? From Hitman's Run?"

He nodded uncertainly, leaning back a little as she leaned forward eagerly. Then, realization struck. His eyes darted to the bag. "That's the game you were playing?"

Hitman's Run was one of the most popular mini-Games in SunBurst, which meant up to hundreds would play on some days. That was what made Ishikawa's record all the more amazing.

The rules were easy; basically, you had to land a blow on a puppet gunman before he landed one on you. If you were close enough, all you had to do was touch him. 

"You see-" Rito-san put a hand on her staff. "I want an upgrade for my weapon, to make it a firearm type."

That was amongst the reasoNS Hitman's was so popular; the prizes were amazing, including a basic firearm frame for all magical weapon types. It was perhaps the only mini-Game where you could earn such a prize.

"But the game is so hard. The gunman always gets me right before my shots hit him," she continued, sighing. "I've been trying all day."

"I can see how that would be frustrating," he said.

Her gaze suddenly focused on him. He almost took a step back. "What is it, Rito-san?"

"May I ask you a favor, Ishikawa-kun?" She was bouncing in her seat, which was adorably endearing. And he liked the sound of Ishikawa-kun.

Ishikawa nodded.

Her lips parted to reveal her pearly whites as she gave him a sheepish grin. "Will you be my sensei?"

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It was as if the fates had sent her a divine miracle; to actually meet the high scorer of that aggravating mini-Game was one thing, but to be able to train with him?

Things were definitely looking up for Yukimi.

Ishikawa-kun was enthusiastic about training too, which made things much better. "We'll train here," he had said. "It's about big enough, I think, and people don't come here that much anyway."

"OK," she had replied.

Then, from out of nowhere, he drew out a shotgun. "This is similar to what the gunman uses, only with higher firing power. It'll be a bit harder than what you'll be facing."

"It's fine," she said, standing up. She unravelled the cloth that bound her weapon, which disappeared to reveal a long, slim spear.

"Speed-type?" Ishikawa-kun asked, staring at it in approval. It was a beautiful thing, her spear; its staff light yet solid, its head hard and heavy, a prism-like diamond in its center flashing rainbows and lightning streaks.

She grinned proudly. "Yep." 

"Does it have a name?"

Yukimi loved it when people asked her that question. She twirled her spear, before letting its point rest on the tiles of the plaza, its diamond glinting at Ishikawa-kun. "Rain Flash."

"Good name." He loaded his gun. "Are you ready?"

Yukimi pointed Rain Flash at him. "Of course."

And so they began.

Yukimi had no doubt Ishikawa-kun was a kind person, but when it came to training he was as harsh as Sonii, and Sonii was the harshest teacher she had ever met.

His shots were deadly accurate, leagues better than the gunman Yukimi was supposed to face. She understood why he had managed to secure his positions on the leaderboard for so long; it was impossible anybody could keep up with him when he was serious.

Yukimi slammed his shots away, and fired a couple herself. However, they were barely at arm's length from him before they were shot down, and Yukimi would realize a magical bullet was coming her way just as it was about to hit her.

It was a good thing it was only magical energy, not real, solid bullets.

After a few tries, Ishikawa-kun finally gave his first comment,

"You're too hesitant."

"Huh?" What did that mean?

"When you're playing with guns, Rito-san, always remember there is never time for doubt. You have half a second to decide before you shoot; those are the principles of a gunman. You're probably used to controlling your attacks and predicting your opponent's, so using magical bullets might be a bit tricky."

Yukimi had bowed her head. It was embarrassing for an amateur to be criticized by a pro, but his words rang true. She had never fought against guns before, merely traditional weapons, like swords.

Besides, in movies and dramas, guns were like scythes; an ultimate tool of death. She couldn't quite get around that. As a result, even magical bullets set her on edge, even though before she had been perfectly fine with them.

"You can do it though." Ishikawa-kun had given her an encouraging smile. "Your speed is amazing, and I think you can actually move fast enough for a close-range attack."

"Seriously?"

"I'm sure of it."

They practiced more, and Yukimi realized he was right. If she looked for them, she found openings where she could land a clean blow up close, though usually, Ishikawa-kun beat her to it.

Soon, the sky glowed orange and pink, signaling the end of their training.

By then, Yukimi was panting hard as she gripped Rain Flash. Ishikawa-kun was sweating, though he seemed to be enjoying himself.

"One more?" she suggested.

He nodded, and she charged.

His shots came hard and fast, but Yukimi was determined to let this last run be memorable. She shoved them aside, and ran towards him, taking care not to run in a straight line. That would make her more vulnerable.

Then, as he was about to fire, Yukimi spotted her chance. She quickly chanted her speed spell, 'Reaction Boost', and using Rain Flash, she slid herself across the floor as the bullets came rushing towards her. She met Ishikawa's eyes as she neared him, but there was no hesitation.

He lifted his gun, but she was faster; she slashed Rain Flash across his chest, and a tearing sound confirmed contact had been made.

They both stood there for several seconds, their breaths loud to Yukimi's ears. Then, she felt her legs give way, and she collapsed to the floor.

Ishikawa-kun offered her a hand, a huge smile on his face. "Congratulations."

He was barely grazed, but the rip in the front of his shirt confirmed her victory:

Yukimi had won against the high scorer of Hitman himself.

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-san: A polite honorific, about equivalent to Miss/Mr/Mrs

-kun: An honorific usually used for boys, which shows a closer relationship than -san. It has no english equivalent.

sensei: Japanese for teacher

Hope you enjoyed it! If you want me to continue faster, please rate and favorite, comment and review! >.<

3: Chapter Two: Moonlight Hair

Enjoy! 

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I hate my reflection. 

It's ugly, simply put. There were my eyes, the color of a solid, cold amethyst. Not brown, like sweet chocolate, or blue, like a cool afternoon sky; not green, like the sparkling sea sometimes is, or even black, the color of the night sky blanketing bright stars.

My eyes mark me for who I am; different, not belonging anywhere.

And my hair; I tugged at it roughly. It hurt, confirming the unearthly hued locks belonged to me, were a part of me. I hated this hair most of all.

I raised my spear, locking eyes with the girl staring back at me from within the mirror.

"Disappear," I whispered, as I struck the glass surface with all my might. The girl blinked at me once before cracks ran across her face, her body, distorting her image. I could still see though, that bright amethyst color gazing at me.

Then, the amethyst shattered, turning into dust that seemed to sparkle, even in the dark.

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Ishikawa gritted his teeth in frustration. How could he have been so careless? The Scarlet Count, the ruler of SunBurst City, was known for his hostility towards Free-Lancers, yet Ishikawa had foolishly left Rito-san alone on the dark streets.

At the mini-Game, he had watched with pride as the screen showed his student successfully slaying down the gunman. While waiting for her to collect her prize, he had gone over to a nearby vending machine to get them some drinks.

Rito-san couldn't have possibly wandered off by herself; he had left her for barely five minutes. 

He thought back to the suspicious characters he had noticed roaming the district, and his grip on his shotgun tightened. He would never forgive himself if anything had happened to Rito-san.

Where to start looking? Was it possible to start a tracing spell without-

Out of the blue, a large clap of thunder rumbled above him. Ishikawa blinked, then realised his clothes felt heavier and wetter; he was caught in a heavy storm that had drenched him completely within seconds.

But the storm wasn't the biggest surprise.

Standing a few feet away from him, in front of the entrance to Hitman's Run, was a girl holding a slim spear. She was the same height as Rito-san, and she wore the same clothes. When their eyes met, her irises were the exact same shade.

But surely, it couldn't be Rito-san?

The girl Ishikawa recalled had a jovial, easy-going manner, and dark hair. This girl stared at him with the pain of the world on her shoulders, and despite the rain, her hair shone a radiant silver.

"Rito-san?" he spoke.

The girl closed her eyes, as if in affirmation, then collapsed to the ground.

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When Yukimi woke up, the first thing she registered was warmth. She was enveloped in a soft warmth that felt like hot chocolate on a chilly night. When she had the courage to open her eyelids, she saw a dim, orange glow that lit up the room, yet it didn't chase away the sleep in her eyes.

It was comfort unlike she had ever known before.

Her hands felt around for something to grip, hold, and she heard rustling as she moved. Propping herself up, Yukimi finally understood where she was.

She was lying in a bed, in a wide room that was tastefully decorated, though it lacked the feeling of a home. There were no frames on the night-stand, no books lying around as if someone had forgotten them. It felt more like a hotel, than someone's house.

Then, there was a knock on the door. "Rito-san?" Came the muffled voice. "I'm coming in."

Slowly the door creaked open, and there stood-

"Ishikawa-kun," she said. Was she surprised? Not quite, but she hadn't exactly imagined him bringing her a mug of hot chocolate either.

He came over and placed the mug in her hands. There was a handkerchief around it, so that it wasn't as hot as it should be as she held it. She blew the steam that wafted from the drink, and took a sip. Then, she looked at him.

"What happened?" they asked in unison.

They were both silent, then Ishikawa-kun began, "You fainted in front of Hitman's. I brought you here; this is my house." She opened her mouth to speak. "I live here alone," he hastily added. "This is a guest room."

"I see." She stared into her drink. A thought occurred to her; she stared at her clothes. She hadn't been wearing an oversized T-shirt before, or sweatpants for that matter. "D-did you change my..."

She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence, but Ishikawa-kun seemed to understand, for his cheeks instantly flushed. "I used magic; I've changed clothes like that before. Your clothes are in the dryer."

"Thank you." A long low sigh whistled out from her lips. "I suppose I more than owe you the truth."

"I was trapped in an illusion spell, a maze spell. When you break one, it causes a huge thunderstorm because it's-"

"A Water spell." He frowned. "But why would someone from the Aquamarine kingdom try to trap you in an illusion spell? You're a-" He gestured vaguely. "But the Aquamarine Archduke isn't the kind to hunt down Free-Lancers." 

"I suppose-" She set down her mug on the nightstand. "It's because of this." 

Yukimi rolled up her sleeve, to reveal her shoulder. She watched as Ishikawa-kun's mouth became an 'O', his eyes widening in disbelief as he gazed upon her bare skin.

At a glance, you could have mistaken it for a tattoo of some sort; it was a kind of magic circle that made normal people think 'goth', or in extreme cases, 'cult'. To Citizens, it looked like the mark that symbolized their fealty, with a difference; a single strip of black slashed the design, as if someone had tried to wipe it out.

"That's a..." His voice trailed off.

"A Fugitive Mark," she finished. 

"It's Byzantium." His voice was deathly quiet. "You're wanted by the Byzantium King?"

She allowed herself a good look at him. His face didn't show the terror most Mages would have displayed, but rather, concern. For who was the question.

"Not openly. I only found out that I was a Fugitive a few months ago. It's the reason I became a Free-Lancer." Yukimi had never told anyone about her background; when you were a Free-Lancer, it was highly unwise. But she trusted Ishikawa-kun the way she trusted Sonii. Something told Yukimi he would not betray her.

"I've always been by myself. I don't know my family, my parents, anything about who I was. And I was raised away from the magical world so I never took much interest in my own magic. When I found out about this-" She touched her mark. "I realized it was a chance to find out. I have heard the stories about the Byzantium King and I know I'm in danger, but I wanted to find out so badly."

"Who your parents were?"

She shook her head, feeling herself tremble. "Where I belonged."

Yukimi ran her fingers through her hair. "This color isn't normal or natural, and actually I hate it." She bit her lip. "But it could be a clue to who my parents were so I never dyed it. I wear a glamour when I go out, though the illusion seems to have ripped it off." She let out a harsh laugh. "That maze was full of mirrors; everywhere I turned, it was the same hideous shade I've been trying to hide."

When the illusion had first trapped her, just as she was about to exit the mini-Game, she hadn't felt scared. Illusions were something she could handle. Then, she saw the mirrors.

She remembered the clear surface of the floors and the walls, reflecting the image she so detested at every turn. Showing her the ugliness she struggled to conceal every day; her wretched silver hair. It had been satisfying to break that spell. 

"Beautiful snow," Ishikawa-kun abruptly exclaimed, causing her to raise her head. "In Japanese, Yuki means 'Snow', and 'Mi' means beautiful, right? Like your hair; beautiful snow." He took a strand between his fingers gently, before letting it fall. "It looks like moonlight, shining on a dark path."

She was silent.

"Well, of course, writing-wise*, I could be wrong-" Ishikawa-kun stopped, and gazed at the single teardrop on his hand.

"Really?" she tried to laugh. "Is it moonlight or snow?"

"It could be both." His tone was gentle. Yukimi realized she had been craving this gentleness; it was tiring day after day having to be strong. "A full moon on a snowy night."

Yukimi closed her eyes. "That sounds gorgeous."

"You are."

She gave him a bemused stare, to which he simply stared back. She fiddled with her hair. The silver appeared to glow, as if to prove Ishikawa-kun's words to be true. And he didn't sound like he was saying that just to comfort or console her; it sounded like he truly thought her silver hair was beautiful.

Moonlight hair; maybe it wasn't so bad after all. 

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"Command confirmed. Screen feature activated; bullet-type, regular. Code name-" Ishikawa-kun glanced at the Free-Lancer sitting on the sofa. It was early morning, the time when the sun's rays are slightly faded and soothing to bask in, when the air feels just right for a good lie-in. 

After last night's 'episode', as Yukimi blushingly thought of it, they had bid each other good night and had gone to sleep. 

Yukimi had worried slightly about Ishikawa-kun's attitude changing towards her, but their friendship didn't seem affected by the fact she was wanted by one of the most powerful figures in the magical world.

He had handed her clothes back, and although Ishikawa-kun's clothes had been comfortable, it felt great to be back in her traveling gear. Then, Ishikawa-kun had said the most unexpected thing over breakfast:

"Let's set-up your fire-arm program." 

She had declined at first; she already owed him a lot. However, Ishikawa-kun was insistent and soon, Yukimi was opening her prize from Hitman's, giddy as a child unwrapping a gift.

There were two parts to setting up a fire-arm program; the physical installations and the core program installations. Now, most installations were difficult, but Yukimi had one more trick up her sleeve; her weapon, Rain Flash was not really a lifeless weapon at all. 

Imbued with Spirit, Rain Flash could actually communicate and hold conversations; in Yukimi's case, she could communicate with her spear through telepathy too. Spirit weapons were better than regular ones, for they had intelligence and could contribute advice during combat.

Ishikawa-kun had jumped when Rain Flash had spoken; weapons only did that when you opened their core programs. Yukimi had quickly introduced them. Ishikawa-kun didn't seem to mind and they had started the installations.

The physical ones had taken the longest time; a barrel for her bullets, and a firing system. Now, Ishikawa-kun was just putting the final touches on the core program.

Yukimi rose from her seat, and stood beside him. 

"The screen feature allows you to check the core program and statistics without having to open anything." He demonstrated, making a screen appear in mid-air. "The package comes with regular-type bullets, though according to Rain Flash, it can change its sizes so you can fit in multiple types of bullets."

She nodded. "So Rain Flash needs a new name?"

"Not quite. It's an activation code, so you can switch from one form to another in a second. Do you have any ideas?"

Yukimi nodded. She touched the screen and scrolled down. Satisfied, she uttered her chosen codename, "Codename: Sniper!"

"Codename registered. Sniper Form activated." Automatically, the screen disappeared, and they watched as Rain Flash's structure began shifting. Its point become sharper and longer, its staff shorter and heavier. The barrel was now visible, enclosed in a square frame.

"Here's how you put in the bullets." Ishikawa-kun re-opened the screen, and selected 'Barrel' in the menu. Then he selected 'Automatic Reload'.

The square frame opened and Ishikawa-kun put in an open magazine loaded with bullets. There was the sound of metal against metal as the barrel was filled. He pulled out the magazine and tossed it aside.

The screen materialized, flashing the message, 'Fully Loaded'.

Yukimi touched her weapon, her partner. "How do you feel, Rain Flash?"

"I am fine, Mistress," Rain Flash replied. "Please carry on."

"There's also the manual reload," Ishikawa-kun said. He showed her the menu, this time choosing 'Manual Reload'.

Rain Flash's head snapped open, causing its mistress to squeak. She had never seen Rain Flash like that.

Ishikawa-kun chuckled. He picked up the spear. Yukimi saw the barrel, polished and smelling strongly of metal. 

"Unlike regular guns, our fire-arms use magic to ignite instead of gunpowder, so cleaning is a breeze. Rain Flash is unique in the way that it can reshape and resize its barrel to fit whatever projectile you like; that's the point of the manual reload."

"Hai, sensei," she joked.

He rolled his eyes, grinning. "It's best if you visit the shopping district, or if you don't want the attention, the mini-Game district for some more magazines. Gunmen should always carry around enough bullets. And that's about it." He put the weapon in her arms. "Do you want to try it out?"

"I don't want to break anything..."

"You don't have to." Ishikawa-kun made a gesture with his fingers, and a screen appeared in front of his face. "My house is programmed with a screen feature, though I'm the only one who can open it." He scrolled down, and tapped something.

As if there weren't enough surprises already, one of the living rooms walls slid back to reveal a shooting range.

Yukimi gazed at him in complete disbelief. He shrugged. "Practice makes perfect."

He led her inside, the wall sliding noiselessly behind them. She saw foam covering the walls, probably to absorb the sound. There were solid dummies placed at the end of the range with targets in their center. Like an ordinary shooting range, it had a barrier, so you could only shoot from the decided distance.

"Try holding Rain Flash. You need to be comfortable if you're going to shoot properly."

"OK." She adjusted the spear, sorry, rifle(?) in her arms. There were two handles she noticed, one with a trigger and one without.

"The other handle is for balance, Mistress," Rain Flash offered, while Ishikawa-kun wordlessly watched her.

"Got it." She tried again.

When Rain Flash seemed adequately positioned, Ishikawa-kun pointed to one of the targets. "Fire-arms using magic don't have much recoil, and they aren't that loud either, for some reason. Lucky for beginners." The glint in his eye told her he was teasing her.

She ignored him. "So I just have to shoot?"

"Precisely."

"Easy peasy," she mutered, raising Rain Flash. A ribbon of magic encircled its point. Carefully, she squeezed the trigger. The bullet exploded from its barrel, almost knocking Yukimi back. She stumbled and tripped, landing on her bottom.

"Oww," she complained. "I thought you said the recoil wasn't so bad."

Ishikawa-kun looked thoughtful as he helped her up. "I suppose for beginners..." He didn't finish his sentence, seeing the stormy look on Yukimi's face. "Are you hurt anywhere?"

She flexed her limbs. "Not particularly."

"You're fine then. And look." Her eyes followed his. One of the targets had a bullet embedded in its leg. "I didn't get to say this yesterday; congratulations, Rito-san."

Yukimi wanted to hug him, but they weren't that close. Instead, she beamed, and bowed in a typical Japanese way. "I couldn't have done it without you, sensei!"

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Before he could say anything, her phone rang in an almost cliche turn of events. Ishikawa hastily opened the wall and they walked back into the living room.

"Sorry," she apologized, hugging her weapon close as she answered the call. Ishikawa went to sit on the couch.

His mind drifted to last night; of the Rito-san he had seen. What was it about her that made him unable to leave her alone? Even knowing she was a Fugitive didn't deter him from continuing to befriend her; it actually urged him to protect her even more.

But she was a Free-Lancer, and Free-Lancers never stayed in a King's City for too long, not even for their friends. Most likely, he would never see her again once she left SunBurst.

He peeked at her. She wasn't wearing a glamour, letting her moonlight hair sparkle in the morning sun. He couldn't describe exactly what he felt, but it was something like happiness; the happiness of being trusted the way Rito-san trusted him.

Ishikawa didn't need anything else; he was content with the way things were.

"ISHIKAWA-KUN!" He bounced off his seat, and saw that Rito-san was looking at him. Her phone was nowhere in sight and her expression was a little annoyed.

"S-sorry. What's going on?"

"Nothing; it was just my chaperone checking in on me. I forgot to call him and he was mad."

"Are you going?"

She nodded. "We're staying for a few more days, but I was supposed to look for another hotel yesterday. We're going to look together later. But don't change the subject!"

"Huh?"

"I was asking for your email address just now, and you were ignoring me."

"I was? You were? You want it now?"

"I'm meeting my chaperone in ten minutes, so now's a good time as ever." She held up her right hand, and he saw that she was clutching her phone. "I might not be able to visit but we can still keep in touch."

Ishikawa was momentarily stunned. "You want to keep in touch?"

She smiled at him as if he had said something totally obvious. "Why wouldn't I?" 

He hadn't been aware that just as much as he wanted to stay friends with Rito-san, so did she.

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*In the Japanese language, there's a difference between the meaning of the words when they're spoken and when they're written. Ishikawa could be mistaken that Yukimi does mean 'Beautiful Snow', because it could give a different meaning in writing.

Did you like it? Do you want more? You know what to do! >.<

4: Chapter Three: Crimson Bullet

Rewritten: 10 November 2013

I'm swamped with exams, but hopefully I'll be able to update by next month.

Hope you guys like this chapter!

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"Sonii!" the Free-Lancer heard a familiar voice call out. He turned to see his student, his only student, running at a ridiculously slow pace despite the fact-

"You're late, Yukimi!" he reprimanded, giving her a sharp stare. Yukimi paused, looking slightly afraid, like a child being caught doing something they shouldn't. He remembered Yukimi once telling him that when he made a scary face, it was really scary.

Her gaze darted to the luggage in his hands, the slightly torn clothes he wore, but she didn't dare look him in the eye.

"Sorry, sensei," she bowed her head.

He sighed, hoisting his knapsnack onto his shoulders. He tossed a slightly larger one towards her, which she caught neatly.

"I'm not that mad at you," he said gruffly, offering her a smile of sorts. Her face told her she was surprised at his leniency, but before she could speak, he started walking. "Come on; I made a list of hotels and I want to check in before sundown."

"O-OK," she said uncertainly, striding to match with his pace. When they were strolling side by side, he thought he heard a quiet "Thank you."

He smiled to himself, pretending as if he hadn't heard it.

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How to describe her mentor?

Well, for one, Sonii was much taller than her. His hair was wheat-colored and he had dark eyes that almost seemed black. He didn't tell her his age, though she estimated that he was somewhere in his mid-20s.

They had met three months ago, when Yukimi had first discovered her Fugitive mark. Somehow, she had saved his life, and in return he had agreed to tutor her in the ways of the Free-Lancer. They had been travelling together ever since.

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. His hair was as usual, untameable, with locks of it sticking out at odd angles. He appeared a little sluggish, but he could move with lightning-fast reflexes; his forte was speed, after all. He could be strict and sometimes hurtful, but then he would give her small kindnesses, like this one.

He hated walking around Citizen-friendly districts, because that meant they were anti-Free-Lancer districts; the prices were much higher and the service was terrible. Yet, here he was, searching for a hotel because she had asked it, and not minding it one bit.

"What did you do yesterday?" His question broke her train of thought. She gazed at him, but he was staring straight ahead.

A smile played on her lips. "I beat Hitman's," she told him proudly.

He arched an eyebrow. "So you have the fire-arm program?"

"It's been installed." Yukimi jumped; Rain Flash didn't normally speak in public.

"Really?" He stopped, and took a good look at her. "I suppose you made a friend, then?"

Panic fluttered in Yukimi's chest. Sonii was so strictly old-fashioned; if he found out she had stayed the night at a boy's place... "I could have done it myself," she burbled.

"Yeah, and cows poop rainbows."

"Sonii!" He didn't have to be so mean.

He laughed. "Look, Yukimi, you're 15 already. Whether or not I tell you what you can't and shouldn't do, you'll do it anyway; that's how teenagers are. Though-" He looked thoughtful. "I would like to meet him."

There was no point in hiding it, even if it had been merely a lucky guess on Sonii's part. It would be nice if Ishikawa-kun and Sonii coud get along. And Ishikaw-kun seemed like the type who could handle stuffy people, like Sonii could be at times.

"How about tomorrow afternoon?"

"I suppose you exchanged numbers, or something like that."

"Email addresses," she said.

They started walking again. "I don't think you're a particularly bad judge of character, especially if what's-his-name was kind enough to install your fire-arm program."

"Ishikawa-kun. He's, a good person."

"It sounds like a lot happened," he commented. "Don't forget to tell me all about your historical meeting with your boyfriend tomorrow."

Yukimi's cheeks flushed at the thought of that word:

Boyfriend.

"He's not!" she huffed. "We're just friends. You sound like an old man, Sonii!" He did; he sounded as sour as a father meeting his daughter's boyfriend for the first time.

"Hey!" he protested.

And thus began their usual banter, with Yukimi acting like (as Sonii dubbed it) the rebellious teenager, while Sonii was (as Yukimi dubbed it) the so-called all-knowing guardian.

She had forgotten how enjoyable his company was.

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They found a quaint little inn near the outskirts of the city, which was chosen mostly due to the innkeeper's friendly attitude. She was the first Citizen to smile at them all day.

When Sonii checked the details, the rates were found to be reasonable, the coffee house had a buffet, and there was even a laundry service.

For Yukimi, it was an absolute relief to see rooms so clean. The sheets were pure white and scented with vanilla, not to mention dropping-free. And there was free Wi-Fi!

Just one little problem, well, for Yukimi anyway; the inn had an extremely romantic ambience, which she was blushingly aware of as she explored the grounds.

The gardens were a maze of blooming flowers, surrounded by sakura trees with the most vivid pink blossoms she had ever seen. A violin could be heard playing somewhere, creating a dream-like scene. She spotted lovers murmuring sweet nothings to each other, and hurriedly moved on.

Then there was the lake, with its clear crystal-blue waters and its banks filled with lush willow trees. The leaves hung down like graceful curtains. She saw couples holding hands and whispering to one another as they enjoyed the inn's famous boat rides.

Her favorite spot so far, she decided, was the butterfly house, partly because it was refreshingly empty. It was built from colorful stained glass, and was practically bursting with hundreds of delicate butterflies that reminded her of petals fluttering through the breeze. Some actually rested on Yukimi when she sat down on one of the benches inside.

Hmm, suddenly, SunBurst didn't seem like such a terrible place-

Her pocket vibrated, frightening away the butterfly resting there.

That was odd. Sonii didn't normally bother her on the first day they checked in somewhere. He knew she wanted to explore, and she knew he wanted to nap; that was their unspoken agreement. Unless there was an emergency, they would leave each other alone until the next meal, which was in this case, dinner.

Then, Yukimi opened her phone, and smiled. It wasn't Sonii, but Ishikawa-kun, checking up on her. The text was really simple:

Hi. How did things go with your chaperone?

So formal, she thought mischeivously. She typed back:

Nothing special. We found a great place outside of town. You wouldn't believe the place we stayed at the other day! >.<

While waiting for his reply, Yukimi snapped some photos of the butterfly house, scattering most of the butterflies attached to her. She giggled, before going over the pictures. Not bad, not bad. Then, her phone vibrated again.

What are you doing now?

Yukimi sent the pictures in reply, wondering what his reaction would be. Suddenly, she recalled that Sonii wanted to meet him, just as the next text came in.

It's beautiful. Where are you?

It's a place called the Rosewood Inn. Everything is unbelievably breath-taking here.

She took a deep breath as she tapped out the next line:

Are you free for lunch tomorrow?

Her finger hovered over the send button uncertainly; she hadn't realized inviting Ishikawa-kun to meet Sonii would be so nerve-wrecking.

It's Ishikawa-kun, she scolded herself, pressing the button. Barely a few seconds later, the screen confirmed the message had been sent.

Yukimi exhaled, leaning back. She exited the conversation, and stared at her list of messages. There were only three; her current conversation with Ishikawa-kun, one conversation with Sonii, and an old conversation with her only friend back home.

It wasn't that she was bullied or isolated or anything, but there were circumstances that made it, difficult to befriend the students at her school. She lazily pulled the screen down, as if there were more messages, and watched it snap back in place.

She would be friendless again once she left the city, and Ishikawa-kun.

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Location: Scarlet Tower, SunBurst City

Time: Same day, 11:33 a.m.

Izumi's eyes wandered over the rows and rows of firearms he kept for such jobs. He had standard non-magical guns; rifles, shotguns, revolvers, hunting guns, machine guns, etc. Weapons that could get the job done quickly enough, albeit crudely.

But this target wasn't one he would dishonor with such an ugly death.

No, a grand stage was needed for this job; something showy and flashy that would certainly please the Scarlet Count.

Izumi took down two ordinary-looking handguns which were anything but ordinary.

Spirit weapons, granted to him while he was still a boy. The core program was rare, for it functioned as one mind with two bodies.

Their weight felt comfortable; amongst his collection, the pair of handguns resting in his grip had been with him the longest. They were probably the first guns he had ever called his own.

He opened the familiar screen and scanned the details. Everything seemed to be in order. He was not expecting a fight; for now, he would only be giving a warning. He didn't like spilling blood where it was not needed.

His phone blinked, informing him he had yet another message.

Izumi didn't need to look to know who had sent it. However, just like all the other messages he had received prior to the Scarlet Count's call, he ignored it.

The time for fantasies, for make-believe was over. He was an assassin, a swift executioner to whoever opposed his master. He was the bullet that stained the world red wherever he walked, with eyes colder than Death's grip.

He was Izumi, the Crimson Bullet, and he would always be.

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"Dragon Brawl?" Yukimi repeated, staring incredulously at her mentor. Was he serious?

"Is the Scarlet Count's Game, as you know," Sonii continued, his eyes still glued to the morning paper he had been hogging since breakfast. "The rules are fairly simple-"

"Knock out the dragon before it knocks you out, I know, I know. But that Game is one of the toughest there is."

Compared to the Jade Lord's Game, or the Indigo King's Game, or the Amber Emperor's Game, it was.

For one, you could not inflict any serious damage on the dragon, despite the fact it could kill you with a sleepy swish of its tail. And Normal (the slang for non-Mages) tranquilizers had literally zero effect on it. Not forgetting the fact dragon hide was near-impenetrable; it made for good armor, but it was terrible when the dragon was actually alive and you had to fight it.

"Don't tell me you don't have a trick up your sleeve for this one, Yukimi. You are a-" He didn't say her old title out loud but she knew what he was talking about.

Theoretically speaking, there were a couple of tactics that would work, and with Rain Flash's new Sniper form, it would be much easier for her to aim at the dragon.

"Still," she shook her head. "It's crazy, Sonii."

"I'm not expecting you to win on your first try!" he laughed. "But it's good experience. We can come back next year if you want to play again."

"It's going to hurt," she mumbled.

"Everything hurts, Yukimi. It takes strength to handle pain, not avoid it." His eyes were wistful. "The strongest people are the most damaged ones."

She pondered what was going through his mind. He would get like this at times, sentimental and far-away, seeing a world Yukimi had no access to.

Although she never complained, it made her the tiniest bit lonely.

"When's the next Game?" she spoke at last, fed up of being simply cut off like that.

Sonii blinked, as if he had just woken up. "The earliest is next week, though it seems too early for my taste. I'd like it if you had a bit more training under your belt before you faced a giant beast that would send Godzilla cowering."

"Nobody uses Godzilla as a reference anymore, Sonii," she retorted.

"Why not? King Kong is a classic, and in my book, so is Godzilla."

"You're going to die a lonely nerd."

"Says the assistant manager of a comic shop. Do you know just how much of an otaku you are?"

"I never said I wasn't. Besides, Japanese anime and manga rock."

He rolled his eyes. "Otaku alert."

They laughed, when a shrill bell disturbed them, sounding more like the bell-ringer scraping his nails against the bell, rather than actually ringing it.

Yukimi turned pink as she pulled out her phone and closed the reminder, mentally instructing herself never to use that ringtone again.

Sonii's expression was of mild amusement. "Lovely ringtone you have there for Ishikawa-kun."

"It's not. It's a stupid reminder-"

"For your boyfriend. I saw."

Yukimi often wondered how in the world so many personalities could fit in Sonii's head; wise, sifu-like mentor one minute, then clingy father figure the next, before turning into the snide older brother type that never failed to totally annoy her.

"Just don't embarrass me, Sonii," she said in a low voice, pouting.

"Aww, Yukimi. I'm just teasing-"

"It's not you," she cut in, lying her head on the table between them. They were lounging in the lobby, which was currently deserted, she observed, as she watched the door. There was no sign of him, despite it was nearly time. Was he coming, or had he thought it was time to call their friendsip quits?

"Ishikawa-kun, he hasn't been-" She turned her head to the other side, which faced the gardens from behind a glass wall. She could see the butterfly house from here. "He hasn't been replying-"

"Yukimi, shut up."

Automatically, she sat up, flabbergasted. "What?"

"Don't move, don't speak. Curse it all; I didn't think they'd find me so soon."

Yukimi obediently stayed frozen, feeling confused, and scared. There was panic in Sonii's face, and he almost never panicked. "Who's here? What's going on?"

"Someone from the Scarlet Count." Yukimi felt her blood run cold. "Get up and walk out; pretend that we're just two strangers having a chat."

"No." She was taken aback at how shaken she sounded, but she went on, "I knew what I was getting into when I started this journey with you. If I leave you by yourself..."

She couldn't begin to think about it; the last time he had told her to run while he fought off whatever danger awaited him, she had barely managed to get him out alive.

"This isn't his Guard, Yukimi. This is, this is-"

"Oh, don't look so stiff, Hunted One," someone chuckled from Yukimi's side. She knew that voice.

Without thinking, she turned to see-

"Ishikawa-kun!" she exclaimed, but doubt preceeded any feelings of warmth she harboured towards him. He had called Sonii, "the Hunted One", and when she stared at him, she noticed he had, changed.

He had been wearing a shirt with a softer tone of red the other day; the coat he wore was striking even at a distance, a shade of crimson that screamed to be seen loud and clear.

Like blood.

"You're one of the Count's dogs." Sonii shifted subtly, trying to shield his pupil. "A weapon he unleashes on whoever's unlucky enough to be in his way."

"So you know about me, Hunted One?" His voice was alien to her ears; so venomous, yet completely empty of emotion. He gave a wolfish smile. "Then, let me get straight to the point; I've come-" His gaze swept to her. "To propose a challenge."

A shiver ran down her spine, as she locked stares with him. This wasn't Ishikawa-kun, her friend, but another person entirely.

"Who are you?" The words slipped from her mouth.

Yesterday morning, Yukimi had thought she rather liked Ishikawa-kun's features. He was certainly handsome, but she preferred the little details; the way his gray eyes lit up as he talked, the way the sunlight made his dark hair a pretty hue of light brown.

Now, his face was twisted with frozen malice, his lips curled in a sneer.

"Let me introduce myself properly this time, Rito Yukimi. I'm Ishikawa Izumi, the Crimson Bullet, and-" In a swift motion, he was beside her, his breath tickling her ear as he spoke a sentence that rocked Yukimi to the core:

"I'm here to kill you."

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Anime: Japanese animation, not to be confused with 'cartoons'.

Manga: Japanese comics, read from right to left.

Otaku: The term is used to describe someone who is obsessed with something; e.g. a person who loves Hello Kitty is considered a Hello Kity otaku and so on. Outside of Japan, the term is generally used for people who love Japanese anime, manga, and usually, video games.

5: Chapter Four: Sonii's Favorite Student

Please enjoy!
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The air was sticky the day they met, the temperature being unbelievably hot.

Ironic, considering Sonii was at the mercy of the Scarlet Count's Guard, the manipulators of fire. Soon, this heat would mean nothing next to the scorching flames they would inflict on him, burning away layer after layer of his flesh, until not even his best friend would recognize the hideously disfigured man before him.

Then, life proceeded to be even more ironic when he managed to escape and somehow accidentally ended up at his best friend's workplace of all places, a small comic shop in the suburbs.

But it hadn't been his best friend who had noticed him and hidden him when he had first stumbled into that shop; it had been the girl at the counter, with round eyes in the brightest shade of purple he had ever seen. It had been her who had told him to go to the secret closet at the back, shut up, and wait for her signal.

Afterwards, to Sonii's astonishment, the person who had opened the door was no other than Jun, his childhood friend who had left the politics of the magical world for a peaceful life in the human world.

Jun had initially appeared as taken aback as Sonii, before his face broke into that carefree smile Sonii had been so envious of during their childhood. Afterwards, Sonii had been introduced to the girl who had helped him out, Jun's assistant manager.

He had been aware of the curiosity in her eyes as she introduced herself, "It's nice to meet you; I'm Rito Yukimi."

Sonii knew she had questions, and for some reason, that irked him. As a result, he couldn't stop himself from being just a tad sarcastic. "I suppose nice isn't quite the right word when you're meeting a fugitive."

Jun had reprimanded him. "Sonii!" OK, maybe not quite reprimanded.

Yukimi was neither shocked nor was she horrified to discover he was a wanted man. Perhaps she had put the pieces together earlier, perhaps she just wasn't the kind who was easily surprised. Even after traveling with her for this long, Sonii still wasn't sure what was the true cause behind her next reaction.

She had grinned at him, looking somewhat similar to her boss, stating simply, "Well, I suppose it's nicer for you to meet me than for me to meet you."

It had taken several moments for the implication to make sense, and when it did, Sonii found it hilarious. He found himself liking this girl, this Rito Yukimi.

And the rest as they say was ancient history.
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Yukimi held her staff up. "Rain Flash, Sniper!"

With speed befitting its name, Rain Flash effortlessly shifted from its heavy spear form to a more mobile firearm appearance. Sonii noticed Yukimi held it awkwardly, though it didn't seem like her weapon's weight was the problem.

Practice makes perfect, he thought, sliding off his overcoat. But could she handle practice right now?

He eyed his pupil. There were faint dark circles under her eyes. Her fingers gripped Rain Flash so tightly he could see how red they were. A tense angry air hung around her, displayed in her movements, glittering from her gaze. Mixed in with her mood was indecisiveness, of that stupid boy that had caused all this.

She was standing on the fine line between love and hate, that could only be brought out by selfishness. In this case, that boy's selfishness when he had betrayed her friendship.

Yukimi was a lonely girl, who had difficulty making friends, partly because of her attitude, partly due to circumstantial reasons. At least that's what Jun had told Sonii.

Maybe that's why Sonii had oddly agreed to bring this girl to the realm of the Kings, despite her Fugitive mark. He had been that way once, alone, struggling to find friends he could trust. It felt like he was sinking and sinking, and he didn't know how to escape.

That stupid dog of the Scarlet Count did not deserve Yukimi's kindness. There was no doubt what she should be feeling for him: she should be fantasizing about bashing his skull in with Rain Flash's tip. True, the bastard did not injure her physically but the scars she would carry would last a lifetime.

Sonii had to pull her over that invisible divider, away from her and that dog's history, and whatever they had shared, so that Yukimi could face him seriously in their upcoming showdown. Hatred was not very beneficial, but when put to good use, it would keep her alive in the arena. That viciousness only hatred was capable of producing, it could prevent her from becoming another one of the Crimson Bullet's victims.

But Yukimi was a good girl at heart; she wouldn't be able to resent someone that quickly. That's what Sonii was for.

He ran at her, and sliced at her with one of his knives, the one with the weird blade. The blade's design was for the purpose of causing harsher wounds and prolonged bleeding, and it did not leave any clean injuries that would heal without scars.

Yukimi dodged in the nick of time, holding Rain Flash. She looked livid. "You didn't tell me we were starting, Sonii!"

"We've started, Yukimi." He was already moving towards her. "Happy?"

Instead of avoiding his next blow, this time using a fine sword, she blasted at him with Rain Flash. He managed to block the shot with his sword, though the ricochet of the bullet on the metal shook him up a little.

He smiled to himself. She was getting mad. Good, good. He needed to coax those feelings more.

"What a disgusting face you're making." He threw slash after slash mercilessly, noting how she had improved in her defense since their first training session. Sonii nearly laughed at the memory: she, bruised and a little shaken, tears brimming in her eyes. Not tears of pain, rather tears of humiliation; she had just suffered one of the most pathetic defeats at his hand.

Obviously, her skills were no match for his at the time, yet she had gotten over her shame and challenged him anyway. He admired her for that, for her unrelenting spirit and determination.

Which was why he refused to let her be simply crushed.

"You look more like a middle school student than I've ever seen you, Yukimi." His blade swished, efficiently cutting a lock of her hair. As gravity pulled it downwards, the glamour dissipated, revealing its natural silvery hue. "Thinking life's over after you've been cheated and lied to. Tell me, did you two go that far?"

A hot blush flared across her cheeks. Before Sonii could blink, she had closed the distance between them, and was about to ram her spear through his torso. But that wasn't what surprised him; it was the fact she had somehow reverted Rain Flash's form to its spear form in the brief seconds prior to her attack.

He barely dodged, his feelings mixed. On one hand, he was glad she was mad. On the other, her murderous rage, intended for Izumi, was being directed at him.

Sonii made a gesture, and his sword was switched for his earlier knife.

Cold fury burned in Yukimi's eyes. "I'm not like that," she snarled at him through gritted her teeth. "I'm not some lovesick middle schooler, and I'm certainly not some cheap one-night stand!"

He sneered tauntingly at her. "Prove it."
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The birds were chirping far too loudly that morning in Yukimi's opinion. She sat up, shooting a dirty look at the mirror opposite her bed.

I'm a mess, she thought. Her hair was disheveled, springing up in unattractive cowlicks. Her eyes were tired and ringed with dark circles. She looked like the poster child for emotional train-wrecks.

She sighed. It felt like an eternity since she had last had a peaceful night's rest. Even the incredible view of the inn's grounds from her room did nothing to soothe the uneasiness in her stomach, the uneasiness since she had received that.

On her coffee table was a thick cream-colored card, its front embossed with her name. Inside, printed in golden script, was this:

You are cordially invited to participate in the Scarlet Count's tournament at Flame-Ring Arena as a celebrated champion. Any and all fees have been graciously exempted by the order of the Count himself.

Below that, written in neat simple letters:

I look forward to seeing you there.

Although she had never seen this handwriting before, she knew without a shadow of doubt who it belonged to.

"Crimson Bullet," she muttered, trying to sound angry.

She was angry, wasn't she? After all, he had lied and deceived her, and would be attempting to assassinate her later today. Of course, she hated his guts, she utterly and completely despised that slimy conman of a mongrel.

"A full moon on a snowy night."

Yukimi shook her head, as if it would erase his voice from her memories.

"You're beautiful."

There was a quiet din as she slammed her fist onto the surface of the glass. It shook, but it did not shatter. Much like her feelings for Izumi.

But if her feelings were like this hard glass, maybe, just maybe, if she kept hammering away, they would break. And then maybe, she could face him today.
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"You OK?" It was noon, the appointed time for the Game. Right now, Sonii and Yukimi stood at the entrance of the Count's playground, the Flame-Ring Arena. Although she had astonished him with her strength numerous times, he had to wonder how she was feeling now, about to walk to her possible demise.

Yukimi looked up at her mentor sullenly. "I suppose."

"Nervous?"

She shrugged.

"Hungry? Do you want waffles?" he blurted, panicking. He was unused to quiet, moody Yukimi.

To his surprise, she laughed. "You're terrible at concern, Sonii. But I am your favorite student, I guess."

"You're my only student." He ruffled her hair, his shoulders relaxing. "It's the thought that counts, kiddo. So are you nervous or what?"

"A little," she admitted, her expression cheerier. "I mean, there will be other people in there too. Not just me."

And him, Sonii added silently. Kings' Games were usually played alone, but in case of multiple players, there had to be more than just two. Much, much more.

Hopefully, there would be someone strong enough to at least weaken the Crimson Bullet substantially so that Yukimi could defeat him. If she defeated him, whether or not she won the Game didn't matter.

What was important was that they could leave with their lives.

"There will always be a next time," he said absent-mindedly, not noticing Yukimi had heard.

She playfully poked him in the ribs. "Don't underestimate me, sensei. I plan on putting that beast to shame as well."

"Excuse me?" Student and teacher turned simultaneously to see a prim lady standing at the doorway of the entrance. She held a clipboard and looked rather nervous. Like any other dutiful Citizen, she wore a shade of red: a blackcurrant red suit, with a matching red hairband that held her hair in place. "Are you Rito-san? The Free-Lancer?"

She isn't wearing any red, is she? Sonii wanted to holler at the woman. He had a low tolerance for Citizens, especially ones that asked stupid questions.

Yukimi nodded, her cheer replaced by a mask of solemness. "I'm Rito Yukimi."

The woman exhaled, not bothering to disguise her relief. How unprofessional. "Good, good. Right this way, Rito-san-" Then, she noticed Sonii. "And who is this?"

"My comrade," Yukimi answered swiftly before Sonii could form an answer himself. "I'm not going in without him."

"Oh." The lady paused for a moment, unsure what to do. Clearly, comrades were not a part of her instructions. "Sure, sure then. Come this way, both of you."

Yukimi took quick strides, and Sonii allowed some distance between them. He needed to keep an eye out for potential threats.

Sonii scratched his head, praying he wasn't exposing his disguise. Just in case, he had spent the night dying his hair black and haD donned brown contacts, which had altered his features remarkably. Still, threats, to both him and Yukimi, were always a possibility in the Kings' territories.

"This-" the lady said, making Sonii realized they had stopped. "Is your waiting room, Rito-san. The elevator will bring you directly to the centre of the arena. I believe your comrade can also watch your match from here."

And I'm standing right here, Sonii commented mentally. He was starting to dislike this Citizen.

"Thank you," Yukimi nodded frozenly. "You can go now."

The woman stiffened, shocked a lowly Free-Lancer had dared to give her orders. Sonii watched, hoping she would retaliate. A catfight never failed to amuse, and when Yukimi was involved, things were never boring.

Unfortunately, he was sorely disappointed. The woman bowed, before scurrying back to whatever nasty management office she had crawled from.

"You're being bold today, pushing around Citizens," Sonii joked, while they stepped inside the waiting room.

He was rewarded with a smile. "If I'm going to battle one Citizen to the death, what's wrong with battling them all?"

They both laughed.

The waiting room wasn't plain and dusty, far more stylish than the standard Citizens had for Free-Lancers. There were actually refreshments that, on top of not being poisoned, were delicious!

"He really is the Scarlet Count's mutt." The statement had been so quiet Sonii barely caught it, but he instantly understood Yukimi's meaning.

They wouldn't have been presented with such luxuries supposing Yukimi was another Free-Lancer, about to try her luck in the Scarlet Count's Game. No, this was the stage for the dramatic murder of a victim the Crimson Bullet had bothered to visit; it was natural the dressing room had to be top-notch too.

Yukimi opened her bag, then proceeded to stuff her belt pouches with all manner of potions and bullets. It had been hard work winning all those bullets from various mini-Games. The potions were no problem, though Yukimi refused to tell him where she had acquired so many.

She was dressed in light combat gear, all black; heavy armor would just wear her down. Sonii watched her slip a knife in her ankle holster, the only other weapon she would bring besides the wrapped staff on her back.

Finally, she unraveled Rain Flash's binding. Then, Yukimi inhaled deeply, and the fear in her eyes was clear for the first time.

Sonii rubbed the top of her head. "Go show that stupid dog, and everyone else in there, what it means to have their butt kicked by an ace Free-Lancer."

She beamed, but he saw the way her lip trembled. "Thanks, Sonii."

"Attention to all participants of the Game," a familiar voice interrupted on the speaker. Sonii seriously wanted to hit that Citizen woman, whoever she was. "Please proceed to the lifts. The Game will be starting shortly. I repeat-"

"You heard what Mrs. Manager said," he told Yukimi, ignoring the announcement. He helped press the lift's button, Yukimi's hands full with her weapon. "Get going you." He patted her on the back.

"I know, I know." The lift's doors slid back, and she bravely stepped in. "Bye, Sonii-sensei. I'll be back." She waved, before the doors slammed shut.

"I know you will," Sonii replied, to no one in particular.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The arena resembled a rocky desert area, complete with cacti and dust. There were huge piles of stacked-up rocks, which would make great hiding places, assuming nobody could fly.

Izumi smiled at the scenery before him. It was perfect, grandiose and over-the-top, exactly according to his master's taste.

He had arrived long before the announcement; there were no rules against early birds. Sadly, there wasn't much of an advantage to arriving so early. Lack of landmarks and the fact the cacti and rocks were all more or less identical made any attempt to familiarize the surroundings useless.

Markers or trails of any kind would be blown away by the wind that was passed through the arena randomly, raising a dust storm. There were a few cliffs, but they seemed susceptible to breaking at crucial moments.

To succeed in this landscape would require skill and pure luck.

"Wow." His lip curled at the sound of the voice; his opponent had arrived.

"Welcome-" The footsteps halted. "Rito Yukimi."

He had anticipated terror, fear at the sight of him, but she had became like her namesake, as frozen as snow. "Crimson Bullet." Even her tone had iced over, like a river in winter.

"Best of luck to you today."

"Worst of luck to you then."

"You're terrible, Yukimi," he said in mock offense.

"Yes, yes I am." Her smile was so cold Izumi thought he felt a chill. "I'm here to win."

"I applaud your confidence," he said, as the large in-arena monitor came to life. Displayed on the screen was the Scarlet Count, in elegant feather-topped robes and a masquerade mask.

"Welcome, all participants." Then, a smirk broke across his face. "Or should I say Yukimi and Izumi."

Yukimi appeared confused. "What-"

"Today, for the first time in Dragon Brawl, we witness a special cage match between the great legend, the Crimson Bullet-" A spotlight shone down on Izumi. "And our bold challenger!" Another shone down on Yukimi.

The Scarlet Count clapped his hands, and both the spotlights vanished. "For this occasion, the rules have been altered. While the main concept remains, the winner isn't the one who defeats the dragon first." He continued, dropping his voice to a suspenseful volume, "It's the last one standing."

A raucous laugh echoed around the arena. "It's a battle to the death!"

"You can't be serious!" Yukimi spat. "You people are going to watch us kill each other for sport?"

"Silly girl," the Scarlet Count tutted. "What makes you think there's anybody here?"

So she was aware of it at last, the emptiness of the arena. Ordinarily, like all Games, there were seats where people could come and watch. However, for this particular match, steel barriers had sprung in front of the seats, sealing Izumi and Yukimi in.

"What does it matter if a Free-Lancer disappears? Not to mention that comrade of yours. Right-" The Scarlet Count gazed at his servant. "Izumi?"

Izumi put a hand on his chest, bowing slightly. "Of course, my lord."

"But what if I survive?"

Izumi regarded her with slight respect. Yukimi was certainly bold, talking back more than once, to a King nonetheless.

"Hmm, that would be interesting," the Scarlet Count said, not affronted in the least. "Besides the gift of fire, what else do you desire, Rito Yukimi?"

"A wish."

The ruler of Sunburst City seemed even more entertained. "What sort of wish?"

"I'll decide on that after I win."

If you win, the Count's smirk seemed to say. "Alright then. Since this is a special match, a special prize is in order. I vow to grant any wish of yours, Rito Yukimi, if you win this Game."

Vows in the magic world were sacred, a King's even more so. The sole reason the Scarlet Count had taken that vow so easily was due to his confidence in Izumi's abilities.

And why shouldn't he be? Izumi was, after all, the best.

All of a sudden, a great roar pierced the air, nearly throwing both competitors off their feet.

"Looks like it's here," Izumi said to himself.

At the gate at the other end of the arena, a large figure loomed, casting one of the biggest shadows in the world. The Fire Dragon, the lord of all dragons stood behind bars, impatient for its game.

The Scarlet Count chuckled. "Let's start, shall we?"
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Thanks for reading. If you want more, please favorte, comment and review! >_<

Comments:

Mira E.: Your feedback was really helpful, and I went with your advice about the honorifics. Aren't I mean, making poor Yukimi have to suffer the life of a Free-Lancer? LOL XP Hope this chapter didn't disappoint.
 

Liz uli: I owe you on two accounts: one, for the incredibly long comment; two, for motivating me to finish this in the first place. Don't worry; all of the things you recommended for elaboration are going to be elaborated (spoiler alert! >.<).

Eh, romance? When did I say romance? Just kidding! The pairing is still uncertain, because this is just beginning. One thing's for sure: Yukimi and Izumi were meant to be great friends from the start. Oh, Izumi, why did you have to go break her heart? 

I think my head swelled up when you complimented my story in the last paragraph. Seriously. And your comment was awesome, so feel free to comment more!