Tuesday, August 10, 2004

Chapter 1
DISCLAIMER: This is Rewrite IV. Thus I changed and added some ideas into this mix. Chapter 1 is about or more than 6 pages long, I don't remember. I am not asking you or forcing you to read it all in one sit in as it is quite long. But please, leave a comment afterwards, I'm looking forward to hear your thoughts and opinions on my current project. [Leave a comment even if you don't finish it, if you wish].

The darkness of night swallows the light of the moon. The crickets that sing their song of night remain silent. As if a spell was cast over them. Only place did the moons soothing beams reach. At the far ends of the town known only as Yoshiro dwells a lone boy. A boy who lost his past but the memory of death plagues his mind. He has no freedom of his own, only now and then is he allowed to venture outside, but even that is rare. “Why am I treated differently? Why does everybody hate me? Why can’t I remember my past?” he asks himself every night. All he can do is wish for answers and hope that one day he will understand why he is treated differently.
???: “[Gazing at the blue moon with teary eyes] Who am I…”
A shooting star flies across the starry night. Closing his eyes he makes a wish. Stepping down from the window sill the boy walks towards his bed which is nothing but three thin blankets folded over once and neatly placed in the corner of the room. His leg shackles clank together as he slowly walks over to his bed. A strong gust of cold air bursts into the room violently. The wind swirls around the boy who stands frightfully in center of the room. The green leaves swirl around and around, the cold air feels refreshing to the touch.
Underneath him a blinding light sprouts from the floor and spreads in a circular motion revealing a symbol of some sort. Six arrows point in different directions while in the center, where the boy stands, a circle slowly emerges. Glancing at the symbol more closely the boy feels nostalgic.
???: “This symbol…..I’ve seen it before…but…I don’t remember…”
The character for Fire is drawn above the arrow pointing to the north, Earth pointing South, Wind pointing southwest, Water pointing Northeast, Ice pointing Northwest, and Lighting pointing Southeast. The circle that was drawn earlier was now split into two by a wavy line. One side was shaded black with a white dot which contained the character for Light drawn in black and the other half was painted white with a black dot with the character for Darkness drawn in white.
The boy’s eyes widen as he murmurs the words…..“Gaia’s Seal”.
The entire room is engulfed in a blinding white light. Reopening his eyes the boy finds himself standing in the middle of a flower bed surrounded by towering red oak trees that seemed to go on for eternity.
Voice: “[Echoing] Iruka…..”
The boy scans the surrounding tree looking for the body that emitted the angelic voice.
Voice: “Iruka…..”
???: “Iruka? Why does it sound familiar?”
A white mist begins to seep into the surrounding area. The boy looks in all directions. The mist itself felt refreshing as it touched his skin. He slowly fell into a mellow state. A shadowy image moved about the white mist and it slowly approached the boy.
Voice: “Iruka….that is your name. The name your mother gave you….Kairi.”
Again the boy’s eyes widen after hearing the name of his mother. A vaguely image flashes in his head. The image of his mother, Kairi.
???: “[his mother’s voice follows along] You will always be mine, you will always be….my Iruka….”
Iruka collapses to floor with his eyes overflowing with tears. He remembers clearly now. His name is Iruka Keiko Nanaki, an Elementian born on a tropical island hidden from the rest of the world. Now he knows why he is treated differently from all the others. Now his questions have been answered. Iruka turns around to confront the shadowy figure.
Iruka: “[tears still run down his cheek] I remember clearly now. I know who I am. I understand why I am different. I am an Elementian, one of the three children created by you…The Goddess of the Earth and Creation…Gaia.”
Naru wakes up due to the loud banging on his bedroom door. He can hear the angry voice of his mistress between the pauses of the loud banging. Quickly, Naru rises from the cold wooden floor and unlocks his door. His mistress sways the door open with fury and with the first step in the room she slaps Naru hard enough to send him to the ground. Placing his hand to ease the pain Naru looks at his mistress with questioning eyes.
Saya: “Slacker! Do you know what time it is!? Well do you!!”
Naru: “No…I don’t.”
Saya: “Get your worthless sorry excuse for a human being downstairs and cook breakfast and don’t expect to eat lunch today either. I’m getting tired of your rebellious acts.”
Naru: “But…but..”
Saya steps up to him and slaps him one more time.
Saya: “I SAID NOW!!”
Naru jolts out of the room with great speed that he nearly fell down the stairs. In the kitchen awaited Sao Takebashi, which Naru only knows as Master Sao. He is the only one that shows a little compassion towards Naru unlike Saya or their oldest son Tseki Takebashi. There he patiently waited for his morning meal. Naru turned sharply and tripped over the leg shackles that tied his legs to the ground. Master Sao rose from his chair and helped Naru to his feet, brushing the dust off of him.
Sao: “Don’t kill yourself early in the morning boy. Why are you in such a rush?”
Naru: “I’m terribly sorry for not having your breakfast prepared for you Master Sao. I won’t let it happen again [bowing down at his feet].”
Master Sao: “Sorry for what? I don’t mind waiting for breakfast. I’m used to eating past eight o’ clock anyways.”
Naru bows before him one more time and heads straight for the cabinets pulling out a large bowl, egg beater, spatula, and a few other utensils. Master Sao looks at Naru who darts from the counter to the refrigerator to the pantry room and back to the counter with much speed. He exerts a deep sigh and simply nods his head as he sits back down. The sound of the sizzle egg and the aroma of freshly made pancakes awakens Tseki who sleeps in the downstairs room. Saya walks down the stairs and sits at the end of the table just when you enter the kitchen.
Saya: “Are you going with me to buy tickets?”
Sao: “Tickets? Tickets for what?”
Saya: “The annual Battle Royal is in two months and three weeks. You know that I’ve always wanted to see it live!”
Tseki: “[walks into the kitchen and sits down at the table still half asleep] You mean when they capture REAns two months prior and train them to kill each other?”
Saya: “Yes that’s the one! And your father said that this year he is going to take us.”
Tseki: “Alright Dad!”
Sao: “But what about him?”
Saya: “The Slacker? Nah, we need someone to keep the house nice and clean while we are gone for one week.”
Naru carefully places the plate of freshly cooked food in front of his Masters. Each of them began to dig into their breakfast like a pack of wild dogs. Naru walks over to a corner in the located east of the dining table where a 3x3 square is painted on the wooden floor. This was his table, every time he would finish cooking breakfast, lunch, or dinner for his Masters he would walk over to his dinner table and sit there, patiently waiting for his food. Most of the time it was table scraps placed in a small bowl with the name SLACKER written on it with a red marker.
Naru rarely ate at all. He would rummage through the table scraps given to him in hope of finding something he could eat. For Naru is a Vegan. He never ate meat or any animal by-products. If he did eat anything it would be an apple or banana that he would sneak up to his room. The only place where he was safe until one of his Masters craved for something. But there he lay. Sitting patiently like a dog begging for food as he looked at his Masters eating heartily. Master Sao would sometimes cook Naru a small bowl of vegetables whenever Saya wasn’t home and Tseki was doing something with his friends. Or even Mr. Gyro would bring him something from his shop which was two blocks away.
Tseki: “[talking with his mouth full] I saw the BR Officers yesterday on Shino Street.”
Saya: “Some REAns must have turned sixteen. That’s the only reason they ever come here.”
Tseki: “Well these Officers weren’t humans but REAns.”
Saya: “You’re pulling my leg? Right?”
Tseki: “Nope. It was a raptor, python, coyote, and a tiger. They went into different houses and literary dragged out any REAn child living there.”
Saya: “I bet there where human guards watching them.”
Tseki: “No, they actually seemed to……enjoy it. They would beat the REAns up like any human officer would. I couldn’t believe it….REAns against REAns. A REAn with a human job and acting like a human.”
Saya: “[cocky voice] Well that just goes to show you that humans where created to dominate the REAns. They have no choice but submit themselves to us and follow our every command.”
Sao: “I believe that those REAns are influenced.”
Saya: “Influenced? What do you mean?”
Sao: “I read in the newspaper….hmm…it was three weeks ago. They said that scientist created this vaccine which would make any REAn fall under their control. Well not under their control exactly but they think they are humans. [pokes his scrambled eggs a bit before speaking] It’s really easy to tell if a REAn is under the influence of the vaccine. Their eyes would be a dark scarlet red. It’s really quite remarkable if you ask me.”
Tseki: “Red eyes huh? Now that you mention it….they did have red eyes!?”
Saya merely laughed to herself as she pushed back her plate signifying that she was done with her breakfast meal. That was Naru’s cue, whenever his masters push their plate away from them he needed to go pick them up and begin washing them immediately. Slowly he rose from his table and walked over to Saya. Grapping hold of the plate and walking over to Sao, Tseki places his leg in Naru’s path, sending him flying towards the ground surrounded by shattered bits of what used to be a plate. Saya angrily rises from her chair, her eyes burning with fire, it seemed that she was about to spew fire herself.
Mistress Saya: “Why you good for nothing brat! [kicks Naru in his gut]”
Naru: “Uhh. I’m sorry…please forgive me Mistress Saya…”
Mistress Saya: “You’re lucky I’m in a good mood today…come on you two we got to go the ticket booth before the line gets any bigger!”
Both Sao and Tseki: “Right!”
Mistress Saya: “Oh Slacker before we go. I want you to wash the windows, mop the floor, clean the bathroom, do the laundry, wash the dishes, then mop the floor again, make the beds, and clean up the mess you just made. I want all of these done by the time I get back which will be in about…four hours.”
Slamming the door behind them Naru collapses to the ground. He can’t do everything in four hours unless somebody helps him. Inhaling a deep a breathe, Naru stands up straight and walks into the kitchen to complete his first task of cleaning up the mess he made. Running up and down stairs, Naru throws any dirty laundry he could find into the dirty laundry basket. Quickly he dumps them into the washer located in a room under the stair case. Then he runs up stairs and begins to make his Masters beds. After that task is done he quickly runs downstairs but trips over his own feet. Sitting up holding his head in pain he manages to find his balance and continues on with his tasks.
The doors and windows to the Takebashi household are widely open. The house itself is silent and quiet. No one can be seen running in or out of the house but in the back of the house a depressing tune can be heard. Both humans and REAns that past by the Takebashi residents often stop what they are doing to listen to his sad heart-breaking tune. They know that it is the Takebashi’s slave…Naru. The townspeople of Yoshiro call him Naru. Naru mean Name? In Animian language, which was given to him by Mr. Gyro who respects Naru and cares for him like if he where his own son.
Everyone soon breaks away from the enchanting spell and continue with their lives. Only a tall wolf figure remains standing there from the dispersed crowd. The figure chuckles to himself. He runs and jumps onto the roof top where the worn out Naru lays their playing a flute.
???: “I’m glad to see you’re using the flute I gave you.”
Naru: “[stops playing his flute and turns around] Huh?”
Naru turns around to see a large wolf standing on his hinds legs wearing cargo pants and plaid t-shirt. His eyes are a deep yellow and his fur is black like the night. Naru jumps up and hugs the figure.
Naru: “Mr. Gyro!“
Mr. Gyro: “Naru, I told you that you can call me by my real name.”
Naru: “Ok.”
Oso: “So how has life treated you? [looks at the bruises on his arms and legs] How did you get these?”
Naru: “I…fell….down the stairs…”
Oso: “Naru don’t lie to me. They did this to you didn’t they?”
Naru: “Yes…..”
Oso: “Why don’t you leave them? They treat you worse than a REAn. I can’t believe they would enslave their own kind. Humans sicken me.”
Naru: “But I can’t just leave them….they gave me a shelter, food and water, and…..they where the only ones who took me in.”
Oso: “I would have adopted you if I could but they do not allows REAns to adopt a human child. I do not like to see you like this Naru. If only you could remember…”
Naru: “Remember? Remember what?
Oso: “Nothing. It was meant for myself.”
Naru walks over to the edge of the roof top and glances at the bustling town.
Naru: “So how is Mrs. Gyro and Kaze doing?”
Oso: “They are doing fine. We are expecting another cub…”
Naru: “Congratulations”
Oso: “Thank you but right now I’m worried about Kaze. The BR Officers are manning the area for sixteen year olds. Kaze just recently turned sixteen and well….I don’t want him to be taken away. What’s worse is that the officers are REAns themselves yet they act like humans do..”
Naru: “They are influenced by a vaccine.”
Oso: “Vaccine?”
Naru: “I heard my Masters talking about it at breakfast. Master Sao said that scientist created a vaccine that influences any REAn injected with it to think and act like a human being.”
Oso: “That is disgusting. How can they sink so low…”
Naru: “Can I tell you something Oso?”
Oso: “Sure anything”
Naru: “I had a dream last night…I dreamt that I was on an island far far away from here. It was beautiful. The palm trees leaves swayed in the cool island breeze, the ocean waters crystal clear, the jungle filled with life but there was one place that I found interesting…”
Oso: “And that was?”
Naru: “I found myself at a lagoon. It was so beautiful….the waterfalls, the fish swimming about in the pool, the brightly colored coral bathed in the moonlight, all protected by eight large rock spires that protected it from the open sea. There I lay….afloat…free from my shackles and chains. I felt happy for once…free, relaxed, and….even…loved. Someone was with me…I don’t know who but….someone was there….”
Naru turns around to confront Oso.
Naru: “Too bad it was only a dream….”
Oso: “[walks over and embraces Naru] One day….you will find that place…..[low tone] Iruka…”
Naru: “What did you call me?”
Oso: “I mean Naru…”
Naru: “You called me Iruka….”
Oso: “No I said Naru…”
Naru: “Iruka….it sounds familiar….”
Oso hears a car running at a very high speed approaching towards them. Quickly he jumps down the house and lands with ease. He waves goodbye to Naru and dashes off before the Takebashi’s find him on their property. As Mr. Gyro ran towards his store only one thing ran across his mind.
Oso: “//He still doesn’t remember his past or who he is. It seems that only in his dreams he is able to remember fragments of his past….Oh great Gaia hear my plight. Please help Naru remember who he is…I do not wish to see him suffer any longer. Please Gaia, hear and grant the wish of your children…//”
Mr. Gyro arrives at his shop only to find his shop door thrown on the ground. Quickly he dashes into his shop and runs up the stairs to the second floor where his living quarters where.
Oso: “Rose! Kaze! Are you two alright!?”
Rose: “Is that you Dear?”
Oso: “Rose? Where are you?”
Rose carefully steps out of their bedroom carrying a heavy burden in her large belly. She happily walks over to her husband and hugs him tightly.
Oso: “Where’s Kaze? Did they take him?”
Rose: “Don’t worry Dear, he’s with Kai. Both of them are safe.”
Oso: “[exerts a sigh if relief] Thank you Gaia…”
Rose: “I knew that the BR Officers would come to search our block today, so I asked Kaze to go with the Izumi’s out of town. The Izumi’s agreed and told me that they will be staying in a cottage hidden deep within Meiro Forest. I just recently got off the phone with them and they said everything is ok.”
Oso: “What a relief. After seeing the shop door ripped right off it’s hinges I began to think of the worst.”
Rose: “It’s ok now Dear, I’ll go make dinner.”
Oso: “And I’ll fix the shop door before nightfall.”

© Iruka Keiko Nanaki. All Rights Reserved.

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