Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Two Sides of a Coin ❯ Chapter 1

I don't own Digimon Frontier or The Prince and the Pauper.

A/N: they're all 15. Junpei's 16. And it's AU, so don't expect much sense. And I don't follow the fairytale's plot line, only the main aspect of it, being the twins switching. Enjoy. Oh yeah, Takouji. ^___^

Two Sides of a Coin

Prologue - Two Boys Under the Sun

It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, the wind was blowing by gently. It was the perfect day for any healthy young man to be out and about, doing all sorts of idiotic things, getting into trouble, seeing the world, and in short, live. But for one young man that just happened to be the prince of the kingdom of Furontia.

Kouichi, the crown prince of the kingdom, took off his heavy training armor with a sigh. His teacher, a tall blonde man with deep red eyes smiled down at him.

"You are improving, Kouichi-sama."

"You're being too kind, Wolf-san."

The older yet still young man shook his head, putting the practice swords back on their place.

"Well, you're no warrior, but you sure have gotten better since you were younger."

"Not good enough."

The teen looked angrily at his clenched fist and cursed his lack of strength. He was the prince, he should've been better. If the heavens meant for him to be this fragile they should've given him life as a woman.

"Practice makes perfect, my prince. Not only in this area. Is it time for you to take over yet, Lowe?"

Kouichi looked up and had to smile. Out of all the lessons he was put through, he liked studying with Lowe the best. It wasn't that he disliked fighting, or studying magic. It was just that he kept proving too weak in the first, and too clueless in the second. Theoretical studies were the only thing he had left, so he gave it his all. His mother, the queen of the land, was very supportive of whatever he did… but somehow, the distant look in her eyes always kept him feeling empty, like no matter what he did, it was never enough. Not for a prince.

"That it is, Wolf. It appears I am not disturbing anything."

"That you aren't. Well then, Kouichi-sama, I wish you best until tomorrow."

He lightly patted the boy on the back, but it felt like the prince was hit by a brick wall, the difference between them even after 10 years was that much.

"Ah, hai. Take care, Wolf."

The swordsman bowed his head, smiling as he left the training hall. The other teacher, a man of similar features, the main difference was his blue eyes, looked after his retreating form.

"I take it the lesson went well?"

Kouichi was beaten, battered, broken, and just _knew_ that was going to leave a mark.

"Best lesson I had in weeks."

The man laughed lightly and led the boy to the library.

"Perhaps you should request a different tutor. Seems to me my old friend is being a tad too harsh on you."

It was the other way around, Kouichi thought to himself. It wasn't Wolf's fault he was that fragile.

"No, he's a good teacher. I like him."

A warm, knowing smile was his reply as the two passed through the halls. Looking through the many large windows that decorated the castle, he spotted a small group of children about his age sparring by the riverbank, moving with grace, beauty and laughter. The image, not so much as the will to be there with them, burned itself into Kouichi's mind and refused to leave, keeping him company in the lesson that would occupy the land's prince until nightfall.

"This time I got you!"

The swords hit each other, sending a sound rivaling that of bells into the afternoon air to be carried faraway by the wind.

"Wouldn't you love to think that!"

Two bodies moving in perfect harmony, each anticipating the other's movement yet discovering the thrilling excitement of being surprised with each swift blow the other laid.

"This time, you are going down! No doubt about it!"

Their swords met again, each reflecting the opponent's eyes. One showed blazing brown eyes, a passionate fire within, charring all who would be foolish enough to toy with it. The other mirrored blue eyes as dark and as deep as the night's sky, burning bright enough to light the sun.

"You're a hundred years too young to face me, bro. Face it…"

With a flowing movement that would make the best swordsmen in the land jealous, the taller of the two boys suddenly ducked, kicking the other's legs from below him. The brown eyed boy fell to the ground, his sword landing just out of arms reach. Looking up past the sword that was aimed at his throat, he met with a somewhat mocking yet still caring smile.

"…you're no match for me."

The sword was removed from his neck and an offered hand took its place. The boy accepted the offer and rose to his feet again.

"You two finally done?"

The final, older part of the trio of teens asked from his seat not far on a rock.

"Getting restless, Junpei? You could always spar with us."

Shibayama Junpei was an always smiling, friendly figure. He was the son of a wealthy merchant, yet followed his heart's desire and studied magic out of books his father purchased for him. He had no real intention of following that line of what one might call work in the future, but youth was made for experiments.

"Yeah, Takuya could use a chance to actually win once in a while."

Kanbara Takuya was a fair skinned boy with hair as brown as his eyes, his smile more radiant that Junpei's. Ever since birth he loved the outdoors and spent as much time there as he could. About the same time Junpei began studying magic, he began training in the art of the sword. It was his ambition to follow in his father's footsteps, now a carpenter, then a noble knight. However, there was one mountain he knew he would never climb. And frankly, he was happy about it, for it meant they would keep their promise of chasing each other forever.

"Oh, shut up, Kouji."

The final member of the little squad was the son of a shop keeper who married a landowner. The shop had many bizarre items, but it sold well enough not to demand compensation from the farm's profits.

A lone wolf by heart, a somewhat cold person by nature, and one of the best swordsmen out there by right. Yet even despite all of this, Takuya couldn't help but consider Minamoto Kouji as his best friend… and the man who stole his heart.

Laughing at his friend's annoyance, Kouji seethed his sword and went to sit by the rock Junpei was sitting on. Takuya frowned as he picked his discarded sword.

"Dammit, Kouji, you cracked it again!"

"I told you to use the practice swords, haven't I?"

Pouting childishly, Takuya seethed his sword as well and placed it next to the rest of his stuff.

"How am I supposed to get drafted with my sword like this?"

He immediately regretted saying that as Kouji turned away, his eyes distant and cold. He usually only showed that side of him to others; Takuya was the only one that was free from it. Until recently, that is.

"You're still talking about it?"

"Well, yeah…"

Unable to look at Kouji, he stared downwards as he dug a hole in the ground with his foot.

"It's my childhood dream, you know? And at 15, I can join the training ranks! Can you imagine?! In less than a year, you'll have to salute when I walk by!"

"We're civilians, Takuya."

Junpei calmly commented.

"We won't have to salute you even if you became a general."

"Besides, how can you think of drafting when you're worse than I am?"

Though meant to enrage the brown eyed boy, Junpei knew the blue eyed one meant well. He simply didn't want Takuya to go, and for that end, he'd use all the means at his disposal.

"Just because you're that good doesn't mean I'm that bad, Kouji!"

Takuya said angrily, stomping his foot.

"I bet I could be just as good as you if I had such a good sword!"

All three knew that Kouji's sword was the best in the village. Collectors came, begging to buy it, soldiers who were kind enough to spar against him admired it, but above all, Kouji treasured the weapon for its sentimental value; it was a gift left to him by his real mother 15 years ago.

"Then get money and buy one!"

"I will, once I'm in the army!"

The two broke away their glares, blushing lightly.

"Fine. Go to the army. See if I care."

"Well, I was going to do so anyways!"

"Well, fine!"

"Fine!"

"Humph!"

"Calm down, you two."

Junpei said in his big-brother voice.

"You know that no matter what, you're gonna meet again. We're from the same village, no way any of us would settle anywhere else, ne?"

They were in silence for a while, before Takuya shook his head.

"Join the army too, Kouji. I bet you could get farther than me."

Standing up, Kouji took out his sword again and cut air.

"I can't leave my parents. Dad needs help with the shop, and mom could always use helping hands in the farm."

"I see. You're scared."

"Am I?"

"Prove you're not!"

"I will, just don't cry when you lose."

"Who'll lose?!"

And as the two went at it again, Junpei sighed, wondering just why they had to be so loud.

"This is so troublesome."

Wolf said, observing the situation. In the middle of his lesson, the young prince disappeared from the castle.

"I will take full responsibility."

Was Lowe's simple reply.

"There is no need for that."

A short, pointy headed man said, approaching the two tutors.

"Boko-san."

Both showed their respect to their elder.

"The prince will be found shortly, don't worry."

"But, are you sure this is ok? I mean, the queen's mother…"

A messenger from the queen arrived at the library, asking to speak to the teacher in private. The Queen's mother had wished to speak to the prince, yet when the tutor returned, the boy was gone. They have been looking for him ever since.

"Her health's gotten better, whatever she had to say to him will wait until he is found. Not like we have much of a choice on the matter, either."

Having no option but to agree, the two young men made themselves useful and joined the search. The elder looked at the evening's sky with a smile.

"I was wondering just when he's run away."

"And when do you assume he'll be back?"

"Ah, it's you, court magician."

The young one kept hidden in the shadows.

"I assume his majesty will be brought back shortly?"

"Do not worry yourself too much with his safety. He will be brought back."

"Oh, I do not, old one. Yet my heart cannot bear to be part from him for much longer."

He was left alone again to wonder.

"I'm sorry, my queen. But perhaps it is best he stayed away."

He grinned, smirked, smiled, laughed, chuckled, giggled, all at once, and managed to stay breathing.

"Incredible, a, amazing, simply amazing!"

Kouichi almost chanted as he walked down the field outside of the castle. Many animals were there, enjoying a meal before night, seeming oddly comfortable around the young prince.

"Wow, I never saw a real sheep before! And that's a real cow! Wow, and… the horses here are in real good shape, too!"

He carefully approached a snow white horse and began patting its mane.

"You're a beautiful one, aren't you? I bet you can run fast, too!"

The beast looked at him with kind eyes, before it seemed confused.

"What's the matter, boy? Was it something I said?"

"She's a girl, stranger, and you're trespassing."

He felt a sword press lightly against the back of his neck and panic began gripping his head.

"Hands where I can see em and turns around slowly."

The prince was not used to being ordered around, but he wasn't stupid enough to decline. So arms raised, he slowly turned around… only to feel as though he was staring at a mirror.

"Who… who are you?"

The question was heard in stereo, as both Kouichi and Kouji asked the same thing.