Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ To Fight for Life and Love ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

"You! Boy! Come here!"

"What? Me?"

"Come here, boy."

"Leave him alone!"

"Quiet, woman! Keep to your line!"

"Release him from the line!"

"What?! What's going on?"

"Shut up, boy and follow them."

"No! Leave him alone! Please! I beg you!"

"Woman! Do not disobey orders! Keep to your line."

"Wha…mother!"

"Ken!"

*whap*

"Ahhhh!!!"

"Aahhh!" Ken awoke with a start, his mother's screams still fresh in his mind. He hung his head and wiped fiercely at the tears that traveled down his face. Shaking his head, he lay back down on his bed and closed his eyes. The nightmares wouldn't fade.

"Shut up and go back to sleep. We have work tomorrow," a gruff voice ordered him.

Ken nodded miserably and tried to keep quiet. It had been over five years now and he had no idea what happened to his mother. Muffled sounds filled his ears as dawn crept over the barracks. His companions were beginning to awaken. Ken made his way through the crowd of men quickly, heading for the stairs. Upstairs, he was greeted by the sight of armor and weapons laid out on a table. He hung his head trying not to think of their significance. After washing his face, he headed for the food line picking up a small wooden bowl on the way. Men were heading in every direction; some being carted out of the area, others following Ken. After receiving his breakfast, the brown haired boy took his place at the table quietly. Three larger men soon followed him and dragged him into their conversation.

"Cheer up boy," the largest directed at Ken. Ken scowled at being called 'boy'. He was seventeen and they still refused to think of him as a man, "Today is a glorious day. It will be your first time in the arena. If you fight well, you might just get the interest of a beautiful lady."

The man winked and laughed as if he had told a joke. Ken scowled again. He didn't want to fight. He didn't want to get the attention of women. He just wanted to go home and find his mother, see if she was alright. He picked at his food as the other men joked and told stories of their battles. He had heard them all before; he had been there for three years. Finally having enough of their talk, Ken left the men and headed for the field. No one would be out there. It was just what he was looking for; a place to be alone and think. He didn't mind the company of the other men, he had come to think of many of them as family, but he needed to be alone now.

******

Wide blue eyes watched from behind the gate as one of the younger warriors entered the training field. The young boy silently watched the other man for a moment before returning to his task. With a bundle of cloth under his arm, he raced through the crowd. The games would be starting in a short while and he would be needed under the arena. He stopped at the entrance to let a few carts carrying the warriors in before him. He hated being here. There was nothing but death and crazed spectators shouting for more of it. How he hated the games. But he could do nothing about it; it was his job to help his master's men.

"Watch it boy!" a large armored man shouted as Omi was knocked into him.

"Ahhh....sorry....sorry," Omi stuttered as he hurried away. He shuddered as he felt the other man's eyes follow him. How he hated the games.

******

"You seem very pleased with yourself today."

"Oh, I am. One of what I believe to be my finest gladiators is fighting today."

"What you believe?"

"He hasn't fought yet. Too young for that. But now he's ready."

Violet eyes flickered over to the man that had joined him on the balcony. A pale hand motioned for the other to sit, which he did. Green eyes traveled over the items around him; plush chairs, marble tables and silk curtains, things he knew he'd never own. Youji then turned his attention to the arena. He was nearly bouncing in his seat, excitement making his eyes brighter. His pale companion sighed and watched the ring disinterestedly. The crowd yelled and screamed as the gates opening, letting the first match begin. It was the same thing every game. Ran had grown quite bored of it all, but gladiator games were of great importance to the people. If he didn't attend some games, the people would not favor him as greatly as they did. He needed to be one of them, even if that meant attending the bloody games. Next to him, Youji babbled on about his warriors; who they should look for, who had a promising future and so on. Ran focused his attention back to the trainer.

"What is so important about this new one? Why do you put so much faith on him?"

"He has something," Youji became serious for a moment, thinking about the young warrior, "I believe he will go far. He may even have the ability to command a legion. That is, if he is ever granted his freedom."

"You remember what happened last time you thought that? He was quite a failure," Ran countered, returning his attention just in time to see the smaller of the men fall to the other's blade. The crowd screamed their rapture.

"Don't remind me of that. It was a mistake on both my father's and my part," Youji all but whispered the last part.

Ran studied his companion for a moment before averting his gaze.

"I hope you are not wrong this time."

******

Ken stood anxiously in the group of gladiators. He scratched at his chest where the breastplate kept rubbing. He heard the roar of the crowd and moments later, the gate opened and a stretcher hauling a bloody body was carried past him. Before he could register the sight, Ken was shoved out the gate along with nine other men. Across the arena, he could see about ten other men being pushed out of a gate. The sound of the crowd was almost deafening as they walked across the dirt. Ken gripped his sword harder trying to stay calm and focused. The other men in his group began to take stances and spread out. The opposite group mirrored their action. The sunlight glinted off the armor and weapons as the crowd became somewhat calmer.

******

Omi watched from behind the gate as his master's men faced off against the other warriors. He eyes skimmed over the men, analyzing who would be injured and who would probably be killed. He gasped in shock as he saw the same warrior from the training field in the group. To Omi, he looked like the kind that would survive, but he was sure this was the warrior's first fight. And that meant he might not. His grip tightened on the metal as he waited for the game to begin. He silently prayed to the gods that the young gladiator would make it out alive.

******

The bored red-head snapped to attention as Youji cried out beside him. Glaring at his friend, he looked on the field to see what had excited him. He quirked an eyebrow up as he noticed the armor of Youji's school. The blonde was always excited to see his men fight. Ran guessed it was because Youji could see the progress of his teaching and gloat about his men.

"That's him! That's the one I was telling you about!" Youji exclaimed, pointing to one of the warriors in the middle.

Ran squinted his eyes to get a better look. He was a fairly young man; probably not much older than Ran was himself. He had a slight build making him seem smaller compared to the other gladiators. For some reason, Ran found his attention returning to the young man. Maybe Youji was right; maybe this one did have something.

******

With a battle cry, both groups charged towards each other. Ken was caught off guard and quickly found himself face to face with a large, battle scarred assailant.

Omi held his breath as Ken faced off against a much larger man.

On the balcony, Youji leapt to his feet as the game began and Ran quietly watched his blonde companion's protégé.

The crowd became deafening and the sunlight kept blinding Ken. Darkness crept into his vision and he didn't remember anything else.

******

Pain flared across his front as he regained consciousness. He opened his eyes to darkness, slowly adjusting to the limited light in the room. He could hear noise near him but couldn't make out any words. He winced as he felt cold fingers run over his chest, the pain easing as cool water was poured on him. There was a sharp, brief prick. His eyes squeezed shut as the two pains mixed together. When he opened them again he noticed a small boy by his side, intently examining his chest. Ken grunted as he felt his skin being pulled and the boy's attention was now focused on his face. Brown eyes meet blue when Ken looked back at the boy. He thought he saw a slight smile on the boy's face, but couldn't see well in the candlelight.

"I'm glad you're awake. You've been unconscious for several hours now." the boy had a calming voice which made Ken feel at ease. He raised a hand to his face, wincing as he pulled at the stitches, "Don't do that. You need to rest right now."

"But what about the games?"

"Do you really think you could fight like that?" the boy chided Ken. Ken blushed and looked away, "You should be glad that you came out alive. The worst of your wounds is on your shoulder, so be careful and try not to move your arm much."

"I fought that bad?" Ken asked with a sound mixed between a laugh and a groan. He felt the other boy study him for a moment and turned to look at him. The candlelight flickered letting him see the boy more clearly. He was rather small, smaller than the other men Ken was usually around. Blue eyes peered out through long blonde bangs. His face was rather childish making him seem very young. His hair swayed in front of his eyes as he shook his head.

"You didn't do badly for your first fight," Ken made a noise of surprise which Omi silence by continuing, "But if you're going to survive you need to learn more. Next time you might be fighting alone. If you black out then or lose concentration, they won't think twice about killing you."

The warrior leaned back against the bedding as he thought that over. He watched as Omi pulled out some bandaging and motioned for Ken to sit up. The boy assisted him then began covering the stitched in gauze.

"Why are you here? Are you a doctor?" Ken questioned as Omi finished his work. Bitter laughter filled the room as Omi denied what Ken proposed.

"No. I know more than most of the people around here about medicine. That's why I help the gladiators at the games."

"So you choose to help us? Why?" Omi gazed at the brown haired boy in surprise.

"I never said it was by choice."

"But, you said…"

"I said I knew the most about medicine and that's why I help the gladiators." Another bitter laugh filled the room, "That and the healthy gladiators like having me around."

Ken gazed at the boy not comprehending what he was saying. The boy knew about medicine but did not come here by his own free will. That would mean he was a slave but if he was, why hadn't Ken seen him before? There was also the possibility that the boy only worked at the arenas and, since this was Ken's first time at the arena, that would explain why he hadn't seen the boy.

"What do you mean…."

"I should be going now." Omi interrupted him, quickly picking up the left-over materials, "Make sure you don't strain or irritate those wounds for a few days."

Omi stood, doing a check over to make sure he didn't forget anything, when Ken's voice stopped him.

"Hey, thanks for helping me." He smiled up at the boy and offered his hand, "By the way, my name's Ken."

Omi looked at the proffered hand warily. After a few moments, he reached out and grabbed it. He seemed to relax slightly when Ken made no other move.

"I'm called Omi." Ken smiled at the blonde again, shaking his hand firmly.

"Nice to meet you." Omi smiled softly at the injured warrior before making his way to the door.

"Hey, will I see you again?" Ken asked. He was already beginning to miss the boy's presence. Blue eyes stared into brown for a moment before Omi replied.

"Of course you will. Your master is my master."

"Master? You mean, Youji?" Ken asked perplexed. Omi nodded in the affirmative.

"Then…" Ken began as he realized what Omi had confirmed.

"I'm one of his slaves." And with that, Omi left the room quietly.

******

Aya sipped his wine contentedly while watching Youji pace around the room. Ever since the end of the games, the man couldn't seem stand still. He had been mumbling something all the while. Aya would catch little bits every now and then but nothing to help him understand what his friend was ranting about. After watching Youji pace for a few more minutes, Aya poured another glass of wine and called out to the distraught man.

"Youji, come sit down and have some wine. It'll calm you down."

Youji obliged the other man and threw himself onto plush seating. He took a few sips of the liquid before watching it swirl in the glass. He seemed to be looking at something beyond the red wine.

"You're disappointed."

"No, not disappointed, not really. I expected too much. It was his first time in the ring and I put him in the wrong fight. I should have worked him up."

Aya smirked as he watched his friend take another sip of the wine before he returned to contemplating the day's events. Violet eyes watched the servants as they refilled empty glasses then rested on the people in the streets below.

"You made a mistake, Youji. The boy just doesn't have what you believe he does. He nothing more than an ordinary slave."

Youji snapped his head up and glared at Aya. He threw his glass across the room, showering the floor and walls in wine. His eyes danced in excitement as he fought to keep control of his emotions. Once he regained control of his anger, he studied Aya intently. With a short laugh, he fell back into his seat motioning for another glass.

"You're angry because you see that we can make decisions without you. You don't want to admit that we don't need you anymore. Think that I can't find someone without you supervising." Youji sipped the glass in front of him, gauging Aya's reaction.

"I am not," Aya retorted, sitting stiffly in his chair, "I just think you've made a bad decision. He is not what you think he is and you will only suffer because of it."

Youji considered Aya's remarks while gazing into his wine. The noise from the crowded street drifted into the open room, comfortably filling the silence. The gentle swish of the serving girls' dresses covered some of the more raucous sounds. The sun had begun to set before Youji stood up from his chair. He placed his glass on the table then turned to face Aya.

"Do you really think that we're that dependent on you? I admit that we needed your help for a long time. But times have changed. I no longer need your support or expertise. My school is running fine now and producing many good fighters."

He felt his friend's gaze on his back but refused to meet his eyes. Youji made his way to the door. He had things to do and did not want to argue with Aya.

"You are nothing without me. Without my support or money. You may think that your school will do fine, but once my support is gone, you will fail."

Before he reached for the handle, Youji turned his head slightly so that Aya could see his profile. Green eyes were nearly hidden by long blonde hair. There was a disturbingly serious expression on the man's face, one Aya had never seen before.

"Mark my words Aya; if you continue in your support, I will appreciate and accept it. But do not think that means I will be controlled by you. I am no longer under anyone's control and anyone that threatens my freedom will be seen as a threat," the door silently opened for Youji, not daring to destroy the importance of his words, "and will be destroyed."

******

Ken had trouble falling asleep that night. It wasn't his wounds that were bothering him as much as it was the thoughts of the young slave he had meet. There was something about him that Ken found intriguing and…disturbing? No. He didn't know what it was but he felt compelled to see Omi again. Shifting in bed, Ken winced as he pulled at the stitches. He had fainted during a fight. He almost died because he was weak. Ken knew he was lucky to come out alive, as Omi had pointed out. The stitches were a painful reminder of how lucky he was.

He couldn't do that anymore. He needed to stay alive so he might find a way back home. To be able to find his mother. To even have that chance, he would need to get stronger and become one of the best fighters. That way he would be able to live longer.

'Tomorrow,' he thought as he gazed through the small window at the moon, 'tomorrow I'll train harder. I'll become stronger and maybe I'll find a way out of this place. I have to.'

******

In another part of the building, a small blonde boy was curled up in a corner. He listened to the large man with him curse and hit any object he could. The moonlight flickered through the window lighting only a portion of the room, keeping Omi in the shadows.

'Just don't see me,' he thought trying not draw attention to himself, 'Forget I'm here and just leave. Don't see me.'

Unfortunately, his pleas went unheard. A large hand descended on him, pulling him off the ground. He didn't know if the man was just drunk or angry. Neither prospect was very pleasing to the boy. The next thing he knew, Omi was being flung across the room. He hit the floor with a thud, grunting at the impact. The other man was by his side in a second his hands once again descending on Omi.

'Guess he's just angry,' the blonde thought bitterly. He closed his eyes as he felt large calloused hands squeeze his body. Pain flooded through him as his head snapped backwards with the force of the punch.

'Just knock me out quickly.' Was Omi's last thought before he hit the wall again, smacking his head against it and losing consciousness.