Kosuke Amai had his hands over his head-scared of the beast with the four hooves-and trembled in fear as he awaited the moment where the beast would stomp all over him. But that moment never came. What really happened was Kosuke opened his eyes and saw that the beast was gone. No hoof marks on the street, nothing was torched, and there were no signs of people screaming anywhere-no people were in the streets at all. It all seemed just an elusive dream.

" Hmmm. Maybe I'm just sleep deprived. I have been staying up late hoping to surpass everyone in studying. But why didn't I feel any of the symptoms: tiredness, bad concentration, dizziness, of feeling off balance. Then again I have been feeling a little depressed. Depression is one symptom of sleep deprived. Ack! What am I doing standing around here thinking about nothing? I got to get home!"

XXX

A homicide investigation was taking place in an alleyway. The victim, who was found by an Armenian couple just walking their dog, was having an autopsy done to her. The killer was either too stupid or too naïve when he attempted the murder and left behind an empty soda can. Or so the police thought. But when they did an autopsy on the can, no fingerprints were found. It was like the person was from a different world.

" So who's the victim?" A detective asked one of the policemen.

" According to our database her name is Kakuya Mika. She seems to be a college student who's father is a brain surgeon. It says here her mother divorced him for a younger man."

" I guess with all that brain surgery operating on other people's brains he couldn't read his own wife? Well now she'll need to know her only child is in limbo. What was the murder weapon?"

" Hard to say. She was cut in half from the waist. We tried matching her cut wounds with all our other weapons but none of them can make a straight line like hers did. The only weapon we can think of that can do that much damage is a chainsaw."

" That's not the murder weapon."

" Huh? How do you know?"

" Because they were running. The whole pneumonia about killers being able to run with chainsaws is just a hoax. When you run with one there's a high chance you can slip and cut through yourself. Also, I don't think this was a one person plan. I think there were two people here?"

" Huh? What makes you say that?"

" Check out the ground. There's dirt on it. "

" There's dirt everywhere. That doesn't mean anything."

" It does when it's brown. All the dirt-or should I say gravel here is black. I'm guessing these events started in a forest."

" Maybe he was trying to have his way with her. We could run an autopsy to see if we can find any spermicide."

" No, no, your head is too inside the box. You need to expand your horizon. This wasn't about lust, greed, or even love. This was an act of pride. Whoever was here wanted to prove they were powerful. He probably wants you to find him, found the most interesting person he could think of, then lead us to him like moth's to a candlelight. We wants to fight you."

" Your speaking a little crazy there. Why would anyone want to fight against a police officer?"

" I don't know. Now if you'll excuse me."

The detective walked away from the crime scene and walked to his car. Inside he expected to find his little bundle of joy. Richie however was nowhere to be seen looking through the glove compartment where he left him. It wasn't until he heard a flicker of a cigarette lighter that he knew Richie was behind him. The young boy was playing with the match, burning his hand, and looking at it with unwavering eyes.

Richie was ten years old. At least that's what the detective assumed by how short he was, but judging by how he acted he could've well been over twenty or thirty years old. Richie's hair was orange with yellow streaks just like fire, his clothes were a black muscle shirt that showed off his small muscular chest, he had a obi sash wrapped around his waist, an unwavering face, and grey eyes that twinkled every time he looked at fire.

" This is boooooorrring," Richie said while lighting his hand on fire. Richie squeezed his hands over the fire where it quickly diminished. " Why am I partnered with a dull guy like you?"

" Because you like chocolate. And I just happen to go out and buy you chocolate. Now get back in the car. I'm working."

" No way, old man. It's stuffy in there. If I have to spend another moment in that car of yours I'll burn it."

" Do that and the fuel will explode. Now if you don't get back in that car right now, and don't keep your mouth hushed, I'm going to stop giving you candy."

" What? No, don't take away my sweets. I'm a kid. Kids love candy."

" Haha. Age always wins."

XXX

" Dad I'm home. Dad? Oh right, he's working late. God, I feel like an orphan."

Kosuke had cram school starting very soon. Kosuke did what he always did when he got home. Placed his book bag down, walked up to the TV to turn on the news, listened to the news as he walked to the refrigerator, and made himself something to eat. Kosuke felt like a tuna sandwich.

" Today, the remains of a person were found in a wood chipper. In other news a Corsican woman in her late sixties had just swam from her country all the way over to the UN today. Surviving only on fruit and fish, she has lost all memory of who she once was."

" Must be sweet to forget who you are," Kosuke said as he was rummaging through the fridge and pulled out two tuna fish sandwiches in plastic wrap. " I would give anything to go somewhere I don't know and lose my memory's. And maybe...just maybe...they can get rid of my hunchback, make me taller, and maybe...make me feel like a human being."

" Today two boys were found fighting just below a bridge. Reports say one boy fired giant blocks of ice and another fired laser beams. In the end they say a giant shield came out of the ground and the other boy disappeared."

" What?" Kosuke's arms shaked at the thought of the two boys fighting. He dropped his tuna fish sandwich and the plate broke on contact with the ground.

" Though there is no proof of this sighting actually taking place, be on guard for anything that looks suspicious."

" All these feelings are escalating inside of me. If I don't get rid of them now then I'm going to burst. That thing that happened...it wasn't a dream? What's going on in his dumb town? "

" Another night in cram school. Another lecture. Another problem I have to deal with. I wonder what life is like for others. Just one row behind me is a boy obsessed with 2D dimensional drawings, the guy sitting one row next to me is a jerk who wants nothing more than to torture kids, and the person sitting next to me is who I like to call Little Miss Princess. Another night. Another day. And yet I can't quit thinking something new is going to happen."

XXX

All the others kids were going to be picked up by their parents. Not Kousuke. He had to walk home. Even though it was raining, even though it was a long walk, and even though Kousuke was wet and didn't have anything to keep him dry, Kousuke had to deal with it until he got home.

" I hear that a parent gives their kids a treat in one of those special moments. I wonder if I have enough money for a book. Or maybe some music CD's. No, I think I should just go home and help myself to some fish and chips. Fish, the perfect brain food to a growing body like mine."

Something didn't look right. As Kousuke walked towards home he saw someone writhing in pain. What he saw was a little girl, short green hair with bobby pins in her frame, a one piece white dress, cute oval emerald eyes. As she sat Kousuke could see her underwear, which were black stripped tiger under.

" Can you believe it? Wearing such risqué things. That future little..."

Something didn't look right about the poor girl. Not only was she writhing in pain but their were scars on her legs. Her eyes were shaky. Kousuke could tell just by looking at her that she was hungry and in great pain.

" Walk away . Just walk away. This is none of your business. This is none of your..." Kousuke couldn't control his feet. He walked straight towards the little girl and looked her straight in the eyes. The little girl, who was shaky all over, looked back at him. " Hey there. Are you lost? Where are your parents?"

" My parents...?" The girl weeped tears from her eyes. " My parents..."

" Yeah, you know. Mom and dad. The whole choate. Why aren't your parents here? Are you waiting for them?"

" Parents...?"

The girl was in more pain than Kousuke originally thought. She lost all consciousness and fell to the ground. Luckily for her she was caught by Kousuke. Kousuke shaked her around in his arms, but she was so wiped out she wouldn't wake up.

" Come on, come on. Wake up. Come on. Hmrph! I really don't want to do this." Kousuke used what little strength he had on his body and threw the girl on his hunchback. Holding both hands on her tush he carried her towards the police station. " How can I be doing this for such a useless girl?"

XXX

" I'm sorry sir but we don't have her face in any of our records. Nor do we have any information on her parents."

" What. How can something as profound as this happen? Don't you have anything on her?"

" I'm sorry. We do however have a Lost Child program. If you just leave her here maybe I can send someone over to take care of her until someone shows up. And if no one does come we can always send her to an orphanage."

" An orphanage? Why would she want to go somewhere where she'll be surrounded by strangers?"

" Sir, trust me, this isn't just any ordinary orphanage we pick at random. My sister runs this orphanage. Ever since I was growing up she's always been good at babysitting and really likes children of all size and all age no matter whether their boy or girl."

" That sounds nice. I guess now I won't have to worry if I leave her in your hands. Farewell I guess."

" Okay. Would you like me to call an officer to drive you home? We're not a chauffeur program we know but we just can't let you walk home in this rain. Perhaps we can call your parents and they can come pick you up."

" Forget that. If my parents wanted to pick up a lost cause like me they would've picked me up after cram school. Goodbye and farewell, officer."

Kousuke turned around and walked to the door of the police station. It wasn't until his hands were touching the door did he start to think. All sorts of ideas started coursing through his mind. Finally, they pointed him in the direction of the girl where he gritted his teeth in frustration.

" F*in' s***." Kousuke turned around and walked back to the counter as he stared back up at the police officer behind the desk. " Hey. Would it be alright if she stayed with me for the time being?"

" Huh? I don't know. We'll need a signature from a parent or a guardian for that to happen. How old are you?"

" I'm fifteen years old."

" That's what I'm saying. You'll need to be at least old enough to drink before you can take such responsibility."

" Please. I just think she'll feel better if she's staying with me than with some police officer."

" I still just can't that. I'll lose my job if word of this was to ever get out."

" Come on. Please, please, please. How long do I need to beg like a dog before you're going to listen to me?"

" Hmmm. I think I can arrange for you to take her home, but only on the off chance that you two are closely related. You two wouldn't happen to be cousins, would you?"

" Well a...yes, we are cousins. The happiest cousins in the whole wide world. Hehe."

" Really. Can you please tell me what the name of your cousin is then?"

" Dammit. How did I get myself in this situation. Okay, I need to think fast. Here hair is green, green as in leaves, leaves as in trees...so her name should be..." Kousuke cleared his throat preparing to speak to the officer. " Hikari. Her name is Hikari."

XXX

" So this is really where you live?" A police officer asked dropping Kousuke back at his home.

" Yeah. You have a problem with that?"

" Not at all. I'm just thinking that looking at this helps me realize that my life isn't really that bad. Anyways, you take care now. I'll check up on you two tomorrow morning. Oh, and don't try to leave your home until morning."

" B-But I have school tomorrow."

" I'm sorry but it's standard protocols. Anyways, please take care."

The police officer drove away either heading back to his house or back to the station. No sooner did he leave did Kousuke turn around and walked away, young girl Hikari sleeping in his arms, and walked straight for his home. He however didn't realize that at the same time two pairs of eyes were leering at him and Hikari. In the bushes someone was laughing.

" I knew I sensed a Mamodo around here somewhere. And lookie here. Taking her out will be easy pickin'."