Working Title Episode 7

(And now the moment you've all been waiting for! :D The long awaited episode 7!)

Hikaro stood alone…on a balcony in the abandoned palace they occupied. He watched the clouds cover the moon….then the moonlight stream through after the clouds passed. The memories flooded in, his brother, Mae…they were on a mission together…

“We all know that Hikaro is the best tracker.” Raiden said, laughing as he watched Mae try to beat him. She failed every time and finally gave up, sighing. “I give up…I’ll never be good as Hikaro.”

Hikaro came up, laughing. “Don’t worry. With practice you could probably even be better than me. You’ve got great instincts, Mae. You just need to hone them and temper them and not let your emotions get in the way.” He said, grinning and sitting down to partake of the noontime meal. Rai smiled softly, kissing Mae’s cheek gently. “Listen to Hikaro. He’s right. He makes a great teacher too.” He murmured, eating quietly with his teammates. “Today’s bust is gonna be a big one…so we need to be on our game…and I’ll need you and Hikaro to work together on this.”

Mae glanced up. She wasn’t sure that she would be much help and voiced her concerns but Raiden wouldn’t hear of it because he wanted her to learn from experience with Hikaro close by…That’s when it went south. A mole had leaked information about the bust to the gang that they were raiding…no one was expecting what happened next.

Hikaro lead the way to the gangs hide out and told everyone to split into their initial groups….he would scout ahead. He treaded lightly like a cat as he slipped through the halls to where the boss would be…but when he got there the place was deserted…

“…The heck?!” Hikaro growled, too late hearing the faint click that signaled the trap being sprung.

Raiden had heard the explosion and came running, shouting Hikaro’s name and finding him lying in a pool of his own blood and screaming in agony. His days in the hospital were a nightmare and he had to be restrained as he attacked even his own teammates when they came close. Then the day came when he attacked and destroyed his own team…and attacked his brother.

“So, Raiden.” Hikaro said, walking up to his brother, grabbing him by his shirt and slamming him against the wall.

“How does it feel to know that I’ve betrayed not only you or the team, but our family as well?”

Raiden just glared silently, not wanting to dignify his inquiry with a heated reply. Hikaro tasted bile in the back of his mouth, throwing Raiden against the opposite wall. He hated how arrogant his brother was…it made him sick, he just wanted to take that defiant and beautiful face and smash it in the dirt. These were his thoughts as he watched his brother crumple to the ground. Brushing his hair out of his eyes and walking over to where his brother lay gasping for air, he grabbed his brother by his black mane and slammed his head into the ground. Raiden struggled, but his brother was too strong. Hikaro leaned down and spoke in Raiden’s ear.

“The best part is, brother,” he hissed. “You watched it all happen and could do nothing.”

The alleyway was filled with Hikaro’s eerie laughter as his crazed visage met Raiden’s baleful glare. Hikaro wanted so badly to kill his brother in this moment that it caused an ache in his chest. But no…he would make him suffer…he would show him the same pain and agony that he felt when he was betrayed by his team and sent to be devoured by the flames of defeat. Even after he had slashed Raiden across the face he stood there, shouting at him in a crazed rage and kicking him and screaming at him and spitting on him. It took all of his men to get him away from Raiden before he actually did kill him.

Hikaro’s hand was over his eye as a crazed cackle came out of his mouth, his uncovered eye wide as he laughed hysterically at the memories though tears were streaming down his cheeks. Amaya looked in the direction of the laughter and went back to tending to Tsuyoshi’s injuries. Hikaro was a ticking time bomb…unpredictable…it wouldn’t be long before his mind was completely lost and he became a crazed beast….unless it had already happened and they were just kidding themselves. She knew the others were after him for raw power…but you could only play with fire so long before you were burned.

Tsuyoshi grit his teeth. “I lost to him again…” He growled under his breath, Amaya glancing at him and sighing.

“Have you ever considered learning from him? Instead of your rival he could be your teacher…” She murmured softly.

Tsuyoshi spat.

“I’ll die before I take orders from him!”

Amaya rubbed her eyes. “That may very well be the case…I’m not always going to be around to protect you…” She murmured softly, biting her lip.

Tsuyoshi stiffened, his heart racing. What did she mean?! He didn’t need her help but…something about her words were disconcerting…Of course she would be around…she had always been there…why wouldn’t she be?!

Amaya sensed his distress and sighed softly, touching his forehead to calm him. “I can’t stay here…Day by day I lose myself more and more. Soon it will happen again…my powers will rise up and destroy this place…destroy you…I can’t let that happen…I have to go.” She murmured, gasping and startling when Tsuyoshi gripped her hand on his forehead.

“No…you can’t go…you can’t leave me!” Tsuyoshi said in a small, frightened voice. She was the only one who understood him....who he could talk to freely.....the only one who cared....why would she leave him?! Didn't she know how much he needed her?! His distress had him contradicting himself now and Amaya saw this. She bit her lip as she looked down at him. “Tsuyoshi.....you can't cling to me forever....” She breathed.

Tsuyoshi shook his head immediately, not wanting to hear it. The words that came next were completely contrary to the front he always tried to put up to shut others out... “I won't make it a day without you! I...I'll lose myself....my powers are too unstable....and I get so unfocused....I...”

Suddenly, Hikaro was in the window, smirking at the two. “Aw, isn't that touching.” He purred dangerously, dropping down silently from his perch and grinning like the Chesire cat that he was. “Sorry to interrupt this lovely little lover's quarrel....but I need to borrow Amaya for a few moments, Tsuyoshi.” He said, smirking at the boy and cackling at the glare he received. Tsuyoshi was always so fun to toy with, the boy was so volatile.

Amaya nodded at her commander's request and left the room, feeling Tsuyoshi's eyes on her the whole way out. She knew what he wasn't telling her because he was afraid of showing weakness....he loved her....but she couldn't allow that to continue....she was dangerous.

Hikaro led her out to the throne room and sat down in his chair, lounging and smirking. “You know why I've brought you here....” He murmrued, smirking as he watched her. Amaya nodded. “Takeshi....” She murmrued, figuring he wanted her to rescue him before he talked.

Hikaro cackled, knowing what she was thinking. “I want you to kill him.” He said, laying back and looking up at the ceiling as he sat in the chair sideways with his legs over what was left of the arm rest. Amaya stood before him, shocked. “But....why? He's one of our best fighters!” She protested, Hikaro cutting her off. “But he got caught now, didn't he? Some fighter....I could have taken Raiden out myself...”

“But you didn't because he's your brother and deep down you know you can't bring yourself to kill him....you're still soft....” She snarled, cutting Hikaro off.

The man tensed and Amaya braced herself, gasping as he flew from his chair and backhanded her across the face and sent her flying. She collided with the wall and sank to the floor, gasping for breath as she got the wind knocked out of her from the impact. Hikaro then went over and grabbed her by the hair, Amaya meeting his eyes in open defiance. Hikaro cackled. “Little girls should learn to mind their elders.....otherwise they might get hurt.” Amaya smirked and laughed bitterly.

“Sound advice....” S he spat.

Hikaro laughed and watched Amaya shudder at the sound of it. The laugh of unchecked insanity. He then let her go and went back to lounge in his chair. “Now go....and don't fail me like Takeshi did...or you won't be the only one who suffers.” He said, smirking as she knew what he meant.

Amaya stood slowly, brushing herself off and nodding as her face showed no emotion. “It will be done, master....” S he replied, with only a hint of bitterness in her voice as she disappeared into the night. Hikaro watched her go. “Going to have to break that one....she's too wild....” He mused to himself, grinning wickedly at the thought of what sport that would be.