Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Oasis ❯ Oasis: Battle ( Chapter 3 )

~A/N~ Well, part three, it seems, turned out to be a bit longer than I thought, so hopefully I'll be able to get out part four shortly. :) it's about 20 pages, in rough. Cool, ne? So far, though I've engendered ties between all of our major characters…only five so far… I'll clear up a few in the next and hopefully last installment.!! Till laters, then. (prays Gale will let her admit an unfinished fic, if possible…)

Part 3

Ken watched, fighting the urge to step away, fighting against the trained instinct to hide from the eyes of anyone, as Daisuke stepped out from the shadows. The moonlight struck his skin, caressing it like iced honey-he looked strangely pale in the night, and yet, as Ken's inner Sight slipped open a fraction, the boy was surrounded by fiery warm colors shot with an occasional green or blue so beautiful it nearly made him weep. He had to force himself back into a more normal spectrum, but his body thrummed in response to the strange almost inhuman aura. A powerful one, at that.

Emotions tugged at him, little-known feelings stemming from somewhere-he wasn't sure how he could feel such things, such strange and wonderful things, as Daisuke walked slowly into the center, the grass swaying. He moved sinuously, slowly, like he was coaxing a wild animal-Ken found the thought funny, and smiled.

Daisuke stood only a foot away, then, and from this distance the golden color of his skin was a faint echo from sunlit days. His eyes, pools of wide darkness and glinting fire, stared relentlessly at Ken.

Ken found this unnerving. "Why do you stare at me so?" he asked-tried to ask-normally. His words came out as a breathless whisper, as his hands fidgeted and brushed back his hair from his face out of the habit to cover his face, to hide himself.

"I…I've never seen anyone like you…" Daisuke answered truthfully, a flitting smile on his lips. His voice was quiet, respectful and somehow vibrant with hidden laughter. He raised a hand slowly, sidling closer, and brushed the hair around Ken's face in a slow and tender gesture, tucked it away. "I…why were you crying?" he asked sotto voce, and slowly pulled his hand away.

Ken blinked, the warmth in his cheeks leaving him breathless, and reflexively, he pushed his hair again out of habit when it slipped free. "I…" he sighed, deeply, and looked down. "When I was eleven, my family was killed. Everyone was dead. They were after me-but my brother made this place, this Oasis, and brought me here. I am not a prisoner, Daisuke, no matter what you think. But…" Eyes darkened under the silver light, Ken curled his arms around his torso in a reflexive movement. "Tonight I was missing my mother."

Suddenly, surprisingly, strong hands gripped at his elbows, pulled him into an embrace. "I'm sorry," Ken heard, a low rumble from this distance, his palms flat against a muscled chest. The vibrations from the beating heart, pounding under his fingers and sending tingles to his brain made him catch his breath. He inhaled, as arms wrapped around his shoulders, fingers warm even through the cloth, and caught a mouthful of Daisuke's particularly spicy and warm scent.

"Daisuke…" Ken whispered, his head lowered and tucked against the shoulder, closed his eyes.

Fingers rubbed in small circles. "Shh…" Daisuke whispered, the breath a faint tickle of air against Ken's neck. "I know it doesn't make sense-I'd protect you with my life. I want you to know that…" His words were warm in the chilled air, his hands doubly so, wrapped around Ken in a fierce urge to comfort.

Tears stung his eyes, and almost impulsively slid his arms around the lean waist, closed his fingers around the coarser fabric, squeezed it. He inhaled shakily again, finding comfort in the smell and feel of Daisuke, holding tightly with his arms as the first tears fell, a sob escaping his lips. He couldn't think of a reason why, just that he knew it was alright. Daisuke was there-and somehow, Ken knew without asking, that the boy would never leave him.

The first threads began to break.

~\*/~

"Do you know your transgression, boy?"

Shivering, kneeling on the cold marble floor with his arms secured behind his back, the boy could only shake his head, eyes glued firmly to the floor. The voice speaking was deceptively soft. His muscles ached something fierce from being bent over in an unnatural position for so long-but there was little he could do about it. A Glyph ward held him as immobile as steel.

Boots, black and polished, passed in front of him-he fought down a quiver of recoil.

"My soldiers have informed me that you tried to assassinate one of my higher commanders the other night-whatever possessed you to do so?" The boots paused in front of him, standing sideways. "Speak, boy."

"He…" the boy gathered enough spit, worked his jaw as the spell faded, and rasped. "He forced my sister, Lord." Tears sprung into his eyes, furious helpless tears. "I couldn't-"

"Enough," the voice said, sounding bored. "Do you think I care what my soldiers do to the peasants of this place? Ha. She was more likely a whore anyway."

Choking, the boy made a helpless growling anguished protest, only sounds because the ward for Silence was firmly back in place.

"But that is not the issue, is it?" the other voice replied calmly. "The near-death of my commander is, is it not?" Again, the boots paused, facing the opposite way this time. "You will be punished accordingly-in fact, I think the same ordeal that you intended for my commander will suffice. Take him away."

Hands grabbed his elbows-all the wards placed upon him were dissolved almost instantly, but he could still not speak, only glare furiously as the other men dragged him off.

One of the men waiting in the shadows stepped forward, raising a brow at the figure walked the length of the dais, a equally dark cloak over his right shoulder sweeping the ground. "Sir?" he made his voice as low and pleasant as possible. "You seem restless."

The figure, his back to the second-in-command, stiffened. "Yes." Then he turned, gloved hands brushing at his outfit in habit-all black with silver trim-and regarded Ishida with a slightly annoyed look. "What concern of it is yours?" Eyes narrowed in a subtle message to be quick about the answer-patience was never a strong suit of this one.

The blond lowered his head deferentially. "You are always my concern, Sir."

"Ah, yes, your loyalty. I had forgotten," the Lord replied, sneering faintly and continued pacing. "I am restless," he murmured.

Ishida waited patiently, and discreetly signaled to the other attendants to leave. "Is there a reason?"

"Yes, Ishida," the Kaizer began, swirling to face the blond, his face unreadable and hair wild. A strange smile graced his lips-something that the blond commander had never witnessed. "I-have a small matter to attend to."

~\*/~

Ken awoke to the softness of his own bed. Confused, feeling slightly panicked, he blinked owlishly at the strangely hairy edge of the pillow he was snuggled up to, and yawned. A familiar scent seemed to be surrounding him, and reflexively, he snuggled closer. ~Daisuke,~ he thought sleepily.

He wasn't sure why he was in his bed though-he seemed to remember the moonlight, and the warm arms around him last night-but he couldn't remember how he had gotten into the small dwelling.

~It doesn't matter,~ he thought, a smile curving his lips as he lay face to face with the sleeping half-breed. The thin sheet was thrown over both of him, and the redheaded boy merely lolled, propped halfway upon his back, mouth parted slightly and face relaxed. Innocent, young, hardly the face that so many people would kill without a second thought.

~We are of a kindred soul,~ Ken thought, and freed a hand to reach over, brushing the soft and spiky hair from the smooth tanned brow.

"…mmgh…'en?" Drowsy gold-sparked eyes opened a fraction. " 's mor'ng?"

"Yes," Ken whispered, his eyes wide and a shy smile on his face. "Wake up…"

Daisuke smiled charmingly, stretching his arms out and above his head, then yawned. "Mng…sure…" he remarked, still smiling, and pillowed his cheek on his bent arm to regard Ken with eyes that were clearing into something intense. "Ken…"

"Mmm?"

"You're-" A blush spread over those bronzed cheeks, piquing Ken's interest immediately as Daisuke blinked at him, realizing that whatever his mind had been dwelling on was nearly falling out of his mouth. "I-er, um-"

"What!? What is it?" Ken asked innocently. "Why are you so red?"

"Uh…you're-"

"What?"

"-beautiful," Daisuke finished, and blushed further. "I mean, I've never seen you in the light before-and you are-"

"I am?" Ken replied after a considerate amount of time, perplexed, and propped himself up by the chin on a palm. "Is that good?"

~\*/~

"Sir?"

"I have to make sure that certain-things-are in order, Ishida." The Kaizer regarded him solemnly, with a faint glint of the madness that everyone feared peering out at him. "You realize that you are the only one I've ever mentioned this to," he continued, casually. "It's best kept to yourself-"

Ishida nodded slowly, his gaze steady. Inside, his stomach and heart began to try and switch places, suddenly.

~The rumors are true!~ he thought, his face calm, and the only sign of his growing agitation a small miniscule color-fraction in his eyes changing into a hard steely blue. ~He has a weakness!~

And, as the Kaizer, nameless, origins unknown, strolled leisurely over to the raised throne, settling into it with a habitual flair, Ishida knew that the time had come.

Ishida waited patiently. Long months had come and go while he worked his way up the social and tricky ladder, finally falling under the eye of his target when he killed the previous second-in-command for a mere insult. His nerves then had been shaky, but the Kaizer, with a faint grimace that could be called a smile on his mouth, had just as carelessly named Ishida into the position.

Several had protested, saying that the blond was young, without experience-hell, someone had said, that his balls hadn't even dropped-that's why he wasn't afraid-

No one who protested left the room, that night.

And Ishida, despite his seemingly ruthless and cold exterior, had risked the lives of his friends, the lives of so many people, just to become the first-hand killer of the man he was trying to kill.

The next year and a half he had spent proving himself trustworthy--~All for this night,~ he thought fervently-and proving himself in battle. He had won respect, if not loyalty, on the battlefield. He had won the Kaizer's approval, and that alone had him feared throughout the land.

No one knew of his two-year plot to have this monster killed. No one knew who this boy-turned-ruler came from. There had been no one with his power for thousands of years, no one with a spirit and a rage quite like his. Ishida, then, had fought himself to keep from spilling the blood-he had known that by taking his time, waiting, that he'd be able to discover what no other had been able to-

The Kaizer's past. His secret. His power.

All knew of the mysterious and lethal Glyphmagic-the Kaizer was the strongest Glyph-mage in nearly a millennia. Ishida wasn't stupid-he could tell that the Kaizer, no older than him, had little sanity left and with power behind that, he made a very unstable target. What Ishida was, however, was patient. Cunning, like the wolves of his homeland, he would wait.

"Ishida," The Kaizer remarked from his throne. "Do you have family…where you were born?"

"Yes," Ishida paused, confused. "A brother, and a father. My mother died in childbirth to third son."

"Ah…"

Again, the silence reigned until the Kaizer focused from examining his gloves.

"I had a family, once…"

"…Sir?"

Indigo eyes peered upwards at him through the lowered fringe of hair. A disturbing smile appeared on his pale face. "You are surprised? Don't be…I killed everyone there…I killed them all…"

~\*/~

Daisuke fell upon his back, laughing helplessly at the expression on his chosen's face. "What? You don't-" Disbelieving, he turned his head to see Ken kicking off his share of the blanket, felt another stab of that tingling attraction-he could feel the other's confusion, and tried hard to keep the overflow of Ken from his mind.

The boy didn't know anything about the way the world was. "Ken," Daisuke began slowly, his face suddenly serious. "There's something I should tell you…"

Ken made a face at him while arraying himself upon the bed, sticking his tongue out at him and lowered his brows. "Hah, you're going to laugh at me again," he said, and pulled himself into a sitting position. He crossed his arms, mock-glaring at the redhead. A teasing glitter in those eyes, however, betrayed him.

"No, I think you really need to know this," he said softly, and sat up as well, pushing away the thin sheet. He sat facing Ken, his face hesitant and his hands clasped in his lap. His bent knees just barely brushed the other-he could feel the faint warmth emanating off the body and felt a faint tug in his chest.

"What is it?" Ken asked, tilting his head. "I can tell you're serious…is it about your bloodline?"

"…yes…" To his credit, Daisuke managed to keep his eyes fixed on those incredible lapis-colored eyes. "Ken…when my father's people are young…they find the person they are meant to live their lives with. Do you know what the word soul-bond means?"

"I think so…"

Ken was watching him wide-eyed now, his young fair face utterly appealing. Daisuke found it hard to breath, suddenly, and couldn't keep his eyes up. Shaking, he focused on the slim band of scars, marks from the teeth of a pup from long ago, and forced himself to say the next words in a faint whisper, unable to bear any sort of look or rejection in those beautiful eyes-

"…Ken…I think my soul is bonded to yours…"

~\*/~

He knew the man was insane, dangerous and damned to boot, but-

Ishida shuddered inside, while his body and face retained their iciness, and thought in horror, ~He killed his family?~ Carefully, he made sure the mask was firmly in place and merely tilted his head. "I'm sure you had reason," he said in his soft emotionless voice.

"I did-" and the grin spread into a wide malignant smile, then the Kaizer laughed, a short insane bark. "But I had to…You'll understand. You understand everything, Ishida. In fact, you're very much like my little one in regards to the future. I'll need you there, you see."

~Little one?~

"But we waste time, Ishida. You will be the first-and only, mind you-to see my creation and my little one. I trust you, Ishida, but only so far."

And that, the blond knew, as he nodded, that whoever, whatever, this little one was, was perhaps the key to taking out the Kaizer, once and for all. A part of him snarled in glee-but on the outside, he smiled only faintly. "I see, Sir. This 'person' is above me in all things."

"Yes-he is everything." The Kaizer eyed him slyly. "You will accompany me while I visit him. You may or may not see him, depending on how he will react. If he does well, perhaps. You will hear things that no other living person besides him will say. You will not repeat them. You will not try to remember them. If you see my little one…" the Kaizer smiled grimly. "Consider yourself blessed-"

Ishida held his breath; his eyes widened fractionally.

"You will be meeting my brother."

~\*/~

"What does that mean?" Ken asked in a barely audible whisper. His blood pounded in his ears, and for the life of him he couldn't understand why Daisuke was suddenly so uncomfortable. "What-"

"It means, Ken, that my soul is bonded to you. I am your mate," Daisuke blushed. "It would have been different if I had been full-blooded-I would have known from a young age about this, but I-"

"You-"

"It came upon me after I first began talking to you."

Ken made a sudden connection. "That's what you meant?" he asked, exclaiming. He leaned close. "But-I don't understand. Why are you upset-it won't be that bad, will it-"

"Ken-" Daisuke smiled faintly at the naiveté, hopelessly enamored and feeling a sudden surge of anger towards the brother who had left him here. "There are…things…that you'll learn about-Things that I'll show you, if you'll let me. I…I want to take you and show you places and…" a long wordless pause had Ken watching him with suddenly breathless lungs. "I want you to meet my father, and sister, and…"

"Daisuke…"

"I want-"

Ken reached out, eyes wide, and pressed a finger against his lips. "Shh…I…don't-don't say it-" His finger trembled minutely, as Daisuke raised his own hand and curled his fingers around the slim appendage. "We-"

Daisuke spoke as he pulled the hand away, placing a chaste kiss upon the palm. "We are bound, Ken. Regardless of blood, regardless of family, our lives are bound."

~\*/~

Ishida looked down at the strange clothing, a simple tunic and leggings and sandals, and wondered. ~Where are we going?~ he thought, plucking at the faded blue shirt. The Kaizer, surprising him yet again, had appeared in similar clothing, looking young and unfamiliar and eerily calm. Ishida, despite his best efforts, felt a stab of fear at the cold look in his eyes.

"Are you ready?" the young man asked, leaning nonchalantly against the doorway. "It is nearly time."

~He acts different, as well. Like a part to play…~ He nodded, though, and straightened himself.

"Come, then."

The Kaizer, without his armor, his lack of mental stability-but Ishida had a sharp niggling thought that perhaps the Kaizer was a very good actor-led him to a small room marked with sigils and runes and glyphs. "This is how we will transport ourselves."

~He's been telling me an awful lot of details-what if he-~ "It's impressive," he said simply. And it was. Even he, without any inkling of power, could sense it rolling out of the room. The Kaizer merely smiled faintly, stepped out into the center glyph, and held a hand out for Ishida. As he took the cool fingers in his own, his face still emotionless, the Kaizer asked him a simple question.

"What is your first name, Ishida…" he asked, and dropped his fingers, brought his hands up to his chest, waiting.

Blinking his blue eyes, the second-in-command tilted his head curiously. "Yamato, Sir."

A mild frown was directed at him. "You must call me by Osamu, while we visit." The boy named Osamu smiled faintly, a spark of mirth in his cold unfeeling eyes, making them eerie and mildly disturbing. "And hold on to me, Yamato Ishida."

As Ishida reflexively latched his fingers onto the slim wrists, fingers twisted, a mouth spoke "H'lei cat'heira-H'lei us'kai" and the power surged upwards into a blinding wall of light. Before Ishida had time to scream out, a mere gasp waiting on his lips and his eyes squeezed shut, the air around them changed, and the heat of the day suddenly pressed down upon him.

Breathless, he opened his eyes to see the pale Kaizer, the pale Osamu, watching him as he looked around. "The desert?" he whispered in awe. The Kaizer nodded once, and began to walk, slipping around him easily as the blond stared in astonishment.

~An oasis,~ he thought, as he caught sight of the destination Osamu was headed for. Indeed, an Oasis, full of large trees and water-he could smell it on the dry baked air. ~Get a grip!~ he snarled inwardly, and collected himself. Slowly, unused to the way the sand filtered from beneath his feet, he began to walk as quickly as possible after the Kaizer.

~He created this?~ he thought, as they entered the trees. ~Unbelievable!~

"Yamato," Osamu turned his head to comment. Disdain that only the sons of Lords and the high-ranking nobles acquired dripped from his voice. "I trust you will respect my rules, yes?"

"Of course, s-Osamu."

"Good. Follow, and remain silent."

~\*/~

~He'll take me away from here,~ Ken thought, not for the first time, and felt a mixed swelter of emotions. He wasn't sure if he were to feel relieved or happy or afraid of this-he had never seen of any bonded couple. There were only rumors, little more than myths, in his childhood. Fairytales. And here, now, this strange redheaded halfbreed boy was proclaiming he was Ken's other half.

The young Glyphmage truly didn't know what to make of it all-it seemed to happen so fast, from the days that Ken had first looked upon the unconscious face to now, where Daisuke lay at ease in his bed, a leg dangling at the knee and watching him from the corner of the eye. Ken drew his legs up to his chest, frankly staring as Daisuke grinned over at him. No words were spoken; they weren't necessary, really.

~It's odd,~ Ken mused. ~I always thought I'd never consider leaving here-it had never been a question.~ With a slow anxious pang he knew that Osamu wouldn't understand, knew that somehow Osamu would disapprove most heartily-he was more old-fashioned that most realized. But perhaps…

~I never fancied being bonded to anyone,~ he thought. ~Osamu would have to recognize that, right?~

~Besides, it'd be nice to leave…even if for only a little while…~

"Oiy…Ken…" Daisuke poked him vigorously with his knee. "What's going through your head-you look sad." ~Not to mention that I can feel such sadness, but that'd only scare you.~

"My brother will not approve-he will not let me leave," stated Ken. "He worries about me. He says that people would kill me if they knew who I was-I don't know why. Maybe they came after my home because of my magic-"

"Your brother tells you this?"

Ken nodded, a slight hesitation on his face. "It's supposed to be secret-"

Daisuke grinned faintly, a gleam in his eye. "What, that you're a Glyphmage?" And at Ken's astonished look, he laughed. "Oh, relax-I've got a different sort of magic, you see, but that doesn't mean I can't tell who and what this place was built by. Wards and power and-and rage-reek through the air like fine ash on a burning plain."

"They are my protection-" Ken protested.

"They keep you here as much as protect you, Ken. I can smell them-some of them have your sigil-something similar to the others, but-" Daisuke bit off his words, frowning. "I thought-You know that any Glyphmagic is forbidden, right?"

"…forbidden?" Ken blinked. "No, I didn't! Why…how…" He sat back, the frown fixed, and shrugged uncomfortably. "Well, I think I did. Osamu knew it was forbidden-he always told me that it was dangerous and Mother would be angry-so I never told anyone that we studied it."

"Your brother knows this magic?" Daisuke exclaimed. "Just who in the hells are you?!"

Ken looked away. "I am Ken, only Ken." His hands twisted in his lap while tendrils of hair slid across his face, hiding it as Daisuke sat tensely only a few feet away. "I should not have told you-"

"No-I need to know, Ken-"

Wide and frightened eyes peered at him through the curtain of darker hair. "Daisuke-"

Daisuke reached for him, moving with his instincts at this suddenly crucial moment, his mouth open and ready to ask again, when Ken gasped and turned his head, face white and tight. Startled, Daisuke followed his line of sight, but only saw an unmarked wall of the lowered dwelling. "Eh…Ken?" he asked, feeling suddenly out of the loop.

"Oh no…not now!" Ken hissed, and scrambled. "Hide! Hide now!"

"What? Why?" He followed the frantic movements as Ken darted to the window, peering out of the curtain, and gaped as Ken dashed back towards him. "Where-"

"My brother!" Ken muttered, and yanked the boy off the bed. "There's a depression under the bed-he will not know of this-you will hide there," Ken said quickly, and heaved the heavy wooden frame upwards. "Now!" he all but roared in a whisper. "He can't find you-hide!"

Blinking, reacting more to the command in Ken's eyes than the panicked movements-the eyes were sure and blazed with a sudden fire-Daisuke slipped under the bed and into a man-sized depression, oddly smooth like the scalloped edges of the sill. ~Another stone-formed thing,~ he thought, as the bed slammed down upon him, sealing him in blackness. He could breath, and hear quite well-he heard Ken muttering under his breath, then the sound of the curtain being pulled back-the one near the bed-and then the noise stopped.

Daisuke was alone.

~\*/~

Even if Ishida had seen such a sight in his lifetime for a hundred times, he would have still been just as awed and astounded at the image of the Oasis, large towering trees and green cool light filtering down, sandy grass-covered dirt, and the sweet water smell up ahead. Small bushes and some various flowering plants grew near the base of the incredible trees-such trees that he had never seen in all his travels, even in his wild homelands.

~And the Kaizer's brother lived here?!~ he thought. Ahead of him Osamu walked steadily towards the center of the Oasis-from the lingering smell of the woodsmoke he could tell there must at least be a rudimentary camp up ahead-

But when they broke into the natural clearing, and looked upon the faintly bumpy ground-and Ishida saw the strange half-buried door to what was obviously a sort of home. His confusion skyrocketed, then-no one was there. "…Osamu? I don't-"

Osamu turned his head with another half-smile, mocking in his eyes and shrugged. "Ah, I've trained my little one well, no? If he is seen by any eyes but mine, he had failed."

Ishida blinked at him, his automatic mask already in place while his mind whirled off in tandem. ~Unseen? I don't-what the hell is talking about? He must be insane…~

"But then," Osamu continued, "I've created the rules-they are mine to break."

"Osamu?" Ishida asked again.

"He's watching, you know. Probably wondering who you are and why I've brought you here-you are the best, I've heard. See if you can find my brother-"

~A test? I'm some sort of test for this kid?~ "Is that wise?" he began cautiously, but he knew the moment his mouth opened that he had overstepped his bounds.

Osamu stepped forward furiously, and slapped him across the face with a heavy palm. Ishida fell to his knees, head reeling, and made sure that his hands didn't reach upwards to test the damage. "Do it, Ishida. Find my brother, if you can."

"Of course," Ishida said meekly, and wiped the blood from his mouth. He stood, while Osamu raged silently at him with a cold and pale face, his equally wild hair flung around his head like a strange sort of halo. ~Find him,~ his mind echoed, laughing. ~He will most likely be in the trees, hidden from sight-but not scent.~

So, as Ishida took a step forward, his eyes scanning the trees and the leaves for tell-tale movement, he inhaled softly through an open mouth, testing the air. He could scent that Osamu was waiting-he could smell the fury that lay in the man's blood-

-there!-

He turned his head, eyes lidded as his senses followed the lighter scent, oddly familiar and different at the same time, and looked towards the small house-cottage?-built into the low hills. "In there," he intoned. "I can smell him-his lifeblood beats in there…"

Blinking, Osamu's face betrayed the only surprise Ishida would ever see. "Really," the Kaizer mused. "Odd…"

They went to the cottage, stood at the ajar door and as Ishida inhaled again, the niggling thought that he knew this scent assailed him.

~Surely not,~ he thought, and pushed the door open when he saw that the Kaizer would wait for him. He ducked, and stepped inside a low comfortable dwelling, with a table and two chairs seated in a corner, shelves, a fireplace and two windows about the level of the earth around them. Both were open. Ishida inhaled again, feeling the thought of familiarity on his mind again, and walked to the center of the room, confused.

No one was there-but he could still smell someone!"

~I know this scent-~ his mind insisted. ~I've caught this before-somewhere…~

~But…Taichi cannot be here…~ his mind flashed to his lover of two years ago, hopefully still waiting for him to return. ~Impossible-~

Osamu was regarding him with a dark look, clearly amused and just as clearly angered. "I believe you were wrong, Ishida," he merely said, and examined his nails. "There is no one here."

~But I still smell-~ he glanced towards the bed, unseen by the Kaizer who had begun strolling around the small center room. ~There?~ he mused, and stepped forward when the second scent flashed into his nose.

He raised his head, feeling the heat of the blood nearly above him, and saw a single straw float down from the thatch above them. Then a voice, as he inhaled, marking the scent down in his brain, spoke. "A test, brother?" and footsteps sounded over the thatch. Laughter, and something else--~Fear,~ Ishida thought-were strong as the boy, presumably, made sport of the first attempt and vanished away again. Osamu laughed, a pure and yet tainted sound.

But, as they left the small dwelling, Ishida wondered who the second person was, obviously hidden under the bed away from eyes-for the younger brother was so clearly protecting him-he could smell even that in the aura around him. Whoever was hidden away, this younger brother, Ken, would die to protect.

Even if he didn't know it yet.

~\*/~

Ken felt his heart pounding as he forced his legs to carry him as quickly as possible to the safety of the trees, berating himself in no uncertain terms that if he made another mistake-and surely Osamu would be angry he had broken the voice-rule-but they had nearly found Daisuke! His heart thumped painfully, the exertion of going up a tree without breaking stride pulling at his strength, Ken tried desperately to feel as though this was merely another test from his brother-

-but it's different!-

~He's never brought another human here, never ever ever another person-~ he thought, and yanked himself up into the higher boughs, pausing into stillness as he heard and sensed the power of his brother, something he had sensed coming the moment that his brother had arrived on the sands just outside the trees-they were coming closer-

Somehow, the blond knew how to sense him, how to find him--~Dammit!~ he thought, and scowled, and racked his brain frantically for a clue as to how he was to avoid this one-Obviously staying hidden was out of the question. Besides, Osamu would be able to find him easily-but the blond-

He watched, as the wind blew gently into his face through the leaves, as the blond stopped, raising his head and looking around. ~He can't hear my thoughts, can he?~ Perhaps-he had almost sniffed out Daisuke, right? And Ken had been worried they would discover the secret under the bed-

He watched, again, closer as Ishida closed his eyes and took a deeper breath-something niggled his mind-

-Then blue eyes, cold and icey, opened and looked upwards, straight into his tree.

At him.

Ken was starting to become angry, but rather than risk disapproval, he slithered silently down the trunk, as the breeze blew in playful starts and eddies around him, he leapt to the next tree with only a rustle as evidence. It didn't take very long to find a tree near, but not too near, as the blond walked up to his tree, looking upwards and-was he sniffing?-Ken fought down an incredible shout of denial, as the eyes looked once more in his direction.

The blond began to walk in his direction, as Ken realized that he must have smelled at least a little-he was slightly unnerved by this, but more angry all the same-and held his ground for a moment. ~Let us see who wins this one,~ he thought, and smiled grimly.

~\*/~

"Have you discovered him yet?" Osamu called, sounding bored. "I know he likes to hide in the trees-he's very good at that. But I think you'll have to drag him out of them if you ever want to see my little one."

Ishida shrugged, his head following the scent from the range of trees-the lack of wind in a favorable direction wasn't helping, but he could still locate the smell. In his head, he thought, ~He's quick, and good at hiding, almost no smell at all, or I would have found him sooner,~ while he walked slowly and confidently to the next tree. If he was watching, at the right time, he would catch a faint rustle of the leaves, masked under the playful and fickle breeze, as this Ken switched to another spot.

~Very good,~ he thought, when the scent came from another direction entirely. ~He must have moved while the wind was low.~

~But…the other…~

The other scent, the one he had caught from the dwelling, was still strong, still familiar, and no matter how many times he worried at the glimpse of something, his mind wouldn't reveal the source of the familiar scent. He was getting caught up in the second scent and just as elusive scent when laughter came from another direction, the boy saying "Hardly a challenge, brother!" before Ishida caught the scent-change.

Against his better wishes, Ishida felt a stab of admiration. ~He knows, and he's good--~ He smiled broadly at the oblique challenge the young-sounding voice as the boy sped up his diversionary tactics, his scent never coming from the same place twice until Ishida realized that they had circled the clearing twice with twice the distance used.

This boy was apparently playful, teasing and enjoying himself. His scent proved it, when the wind brought him the next wafting draft. ~He's a lot like Daisuke,~ he thought absently, fondly, of the youngster that had been Taichi's ward for only a few years.

Then it hit him-and he froze, astonishment on his face so vibrant that Osamu raised both brows and opened his mouth to speak.

Ishida whirled towards the dwelling, then back to the trees, as the full thought came to completion. ~That was Daisuke's scent-~ and according to his sources, Daisuke had been missing for nearly a month. Alarmed, and unable to mask his bafflement, he looked back and forth between the dwelling and the trees as Osamu stepped up to him.

"What is it?" the Kaizer asked in a low voice.

"I-here?" he muttered. "Impossible…"

"What is it?" the Kaizer demanded in a colder voice, and grabbed him by the tunic.

Ishida blinked, stunned at the sudden shake, and drew in a raspy breath. "Forgive me-I merely became confused," he explained. "I have trouble finding your little one, Osamu-perhaps we should end this game?"

Osamu gave him a puzzled and clearly suspicious look. "So you admit defeat?"

"No, I just-"

"Very well," Osamu sighed, and then grinned to himself. "I expected no less, Ishida. You have done well." Then he turned his eyes to the trees, and raised his hand. "Ken!" he called. "Come out, now, little one, and greet our guest!"

Ishida turned, watching Osamu and the trees in turn. Anticipation and dread curled tightly in his stomach-soon he would see the weakness to the Kaizer's strength-he could sense and smell the bond between them, more than just a brotherly bond or a tie of blood-this reeked of power.

"Brother," said a voice from behind them. They both whirled at the same moment, turning to face what Ishida saw as a slight beautiful youth dressed in pale linen stepping from a place that they had not expected. Hair and eyes the same shade as the Kaizer's, skin just slightly golden from the exposure-but still pale, considering.

~Dear gods,~ Ishida thought, as Osamu laughed, clapped him on the back and stepped forward to embrace his brother with praise.

~He's good…~

~\*/~

Hours passed while Daisuke was under the bed. For a bit he dozed, then as he felt a sudden rush of fear or adrenaline, jerked back into awareness. Anger surged through the bond-somehow, Daisuke knew, his chosen was being tested. And wasn't very happy about it, either, he noticed.

Daisuke grinned to himself, and settled down to wait until the arrivals were gone-then he'd be able to get back to winning the heart of Ken. He was curious, however, to just who the brother of his bonded was-and if it was someone important. He knew it was someone powerful-he could sense the malformed taint of magic oozing around him when he had been in the dwelling-it was strong enough to send a surge of bile rising to Daisuke's throat.

It wasn't natural, this power-it couldn't be natural. It was too familiar, oddly enough, because he could sense Ken in this brother's sense of being, sense Ken's type of magic-

He told himself he was just being foolish.

~\*/~

Ken watched them turn with a great deal of satisfaction, knowing that he had definitely won the game this time, and smiled as Osamu grinned, opening his arms for the hug he had waited weeks for. A sense of peace descended as Osamu gripped him close, a warmth now that his brother had returned-

~He'll leave again,~ a voice told him, and guiltily, Ken knew it was true.

Instead, he looked to the blond he had managed to evade, watched him walk towards him with something akin to amusement in his icy eyes. "Who is your friend, brother?"

"Ah, little one, this Yamato Ishida-he is a guard of mine. Well done, Ken, in the task I set for you. I am proud."

Ken beamed, grinning brilliantly up to his brother. "You are?!"

Osamu nodded, smiling gently, and turned to present Ken fully to the Ishida man. "Yamato," he said in a tone that was warm and friendly. "I'd like you to meet my brother, Ken."

Ken stepped forward, like he remembered as a child, and bowed formally. "Hello, Yamato Ishida. I am pleased to meet you, and I trust your momentary stay will be pleasant."

Ishida nodded, and bowed himself as Ken smiled, a far cry from the coldness of his brother-he couldn't help but notice that the eerie cold possessive look was still hovering in those ice-dead indigo eyes. His brother, however, seemed to be the exact opposite. Ishida wondered at their relationship, wondered why a boy would willingly stay in a place such as this.

~Where Daisuke happened to turn up,~ he thought, in the next moment.

~Odd, indeed.~

"You are very good," Ken said, breaking him from his inner thoughts. "You nearly caught me several times-if not for the wind, you would never have found me."

"True," Ishida cocked his head. "So you know how I-"

"Smell, or scenting power, I believe. I've read of such a gift in the northern lands, but I have never met anyone who acquired such a thing."

Now, as Ishida's brows rose, his respect for the youth rose. "Truly…not very many people, even mine, know of these things."

"You will have to tell me tales of your homeland later," Osamu remarked, his arms crossed lazily. "My brother is smart, yes?"

Ishida laughed, shaking his head, falling almost too easily into the role the Kaizer had thrust him into, even as he wondered if the youth knew about his brother's alternate lifestlye, wondered at just what Osamu told him to keep him here and unresisting. "That he is, Osamu, to evade one with my skills. I am the best, you know."

Ken smiled, and shrugged. "Yes," he said simply, and smiled that simple beautiful smile again before turning to Osamu. "Brother, how long are you to visit?"

"Long enough," the Kaizer replied. "I have one more test for you. Defense, this time."

Both Ken and Yamato blinked at him, puzzled, until the man summoned two swords, identical, into his hands. A feeling of dread swept through him. ~He means…~

A fight.

"Another test," Ken mused, and took the proffered sword. Ishida, after a sense of foreboding, took the second.

Then he noted the expert way that Ken was swinging the blade, and the slight adjustments. He wasn't a stranger to the blade; Ishida frowned faintly, and twisted his wrist to examine the edge. Sharp, he saw, and looked past the blade to see the narrow mocking eyes of the Kaizer watching him closely.

~Do no fail,~ he seemed to say.

Then, as Osamu stepped back, the sparring began as Ishida launched into an attack, parrying simultaneously in the attempt to catch Ken off guard. Steel clashed, sending bright sparks as they began to dance the swords, weaving and ducking and sliding close enough to touch then spinning away, leaving only sparks and faint tufts of upturned grass in their wake.

Ken was panting after a half-hour, the sweat gleaming faintly in the afternoon sunlight, a wildly fierce look in his eye, excited and happy all at once as Ishida calmly picked apart his defense and attack, learning it, while he waited his time. In this as well, Ken was an excellent swordsman, quick and well balanced. Osamu had long since taken to a seated position, watching with bright expression and gleaming cold eyes-Ishida doubted that Ken had ever noticed such a hate-filled expression. The blond was only getting glimpses of the strangely eager way Osamu seemed to watch as he darted in, the blade nearly nicking the throat, almost as if…

~As if he wants his brother dead…~

Ishida stumbled, suddenly, and Ken pressed his attack, the sword chiming almost endlessly as he parried and retaliated with another strike, sliding down and under Ishida's guard to kick at his ankles. He grinned at the boy, as he hopped, and slapped the sword away and started a different set of stances.

They spun into a tight circle again, the blades crossed at the middle, and as Ken stood with his back to the dwelling, Ishida caught a glimpse of movement, glanced up briefly-

-and saw a very familiar face peering at them through the gap in the curtains. Daisuke.

He was so stunned he stumbled again, as Ken noticed his lack of attention and tripped him neatly.

"What is it?" the boy asked, confused, straightening slowly from his crouch. "You're distracted-are you alright?"

Ishida rubbed his face, wincing at the tender bruise from earlier, and shrugged. He glanced at Osamu, some yards away and still watching them both with waiting eyes. He paused, and remarked casually, "it's nothing-I must be getting old. Shall we take a light break?" And, as Ken shrugged himself, and lowered his sword, he smiled, trying for a complimenting look, and whispered, "Explain to me how Daisuke came to be here, in this place," as Ken moved past him.

The boy stiffened, turning to look at Ishida with suddenly wide eyes, and twitched-Ishida noticed he forced himself not to look in the direction of his brother, thinking that Osamu had mentioned something about no one was allowed to see his brother, and watched him with patient eyes.

"You-"

"I knew a friend of his-I recognized his scent earlier," Ishida muttered, and placed a hand on his hip. Then, as he held out his sword, appearing as though he was demonstrating a technique, he continued, "He disappeared several weeks ago-he is still-"

"I thought so-He is well," Ken said softly, looking down at his own sword, then raised it in the fashion after Ishida.

The blond stepped up, correcting the mistakes that only he noticed, and saw that the Osamu in the reflection of the sword was examining his hands again. Things didn't make sense; Daisuke was here, the Kaizer with his ties to this strange boy and the sudden unnerving tie to Daisuke…~It's possible that Ken doesn't know that his brother rules as the Kaizer…it's possible he is innocent…~ "He is missed," he said simply, as Ken glanced up at him with wary eyes. "Find a way to bring him home?"

Ken merely nodded, and stepped back as Ishida took up his sword again. The dance resumed.