Chapter 1: A Boy's Dream

A boy laid in the middle of a plain of grass. He felt his hair sway with the grass as the wind blew over him with ease. He sat there, finding himself slowly being subdued into nothing but darkness as he sunk into the grass. The darkness felt as if it was a part of him.

He felt the Darkness creep into him like a disease, one he could not cure no matter how hard he could try. No matter how long he had.

"Darkness."

That word, that being, that entity "Darkness" was the only thing he could think of. The Darkness only felt to seep deeper within him; it was approaching His Mind, His Heart, and His Soul. It felt like a part of him. It was as if it was him.

'This feeling I...I hate it. Please someone...someone save me...'

The boy's body was completely subdued as only his mouth was gasping for air.

*Smack*

"Aku...Aku wake the hell up!"

Aku awoke from his odd recurring dream. He looked over to see his sister with a fly swatter beside his bed.

"Yaki? Wait...what are you still doing here, didn't you have school?"

"Yeah, but I decided to not go. But come on, let's go do something, I'm bored!"

Yaki walks out of the room as Aku slowly gets up. Aku looked around as he put on a long-sleeved shirt standing up and looking at his now teenage body.

He walks out to see his sister watching the news while eating a bowl of cereal.

"Did you already call the school?"

"Yes, I said I was feeling ill and threw up last night."

"You can't use the same excuse every time you know, they'll start to think something is really wrong with you."

"Uh-huh."

Aku looks at the time and looks at his wallet. He pulled a wad of cash out slightly tucking it back in.

"Are you hungry?"

Yaki looks at him in excitement, along with milk on her face still as she runs to her room and quickly gets changed in mere seconds.

"I'm ready!"

"How...How did you do that so fast? Were you waiting for me to ask?"

Yaki grabs her confused brother by the arm as she pulls him outside. They walk through the streets of their somewhat isolated town on a chilly fall day.

-Meanwhile-

"Master, I have eyes on the two children."

A man on top of a building talking to someone on a phone. He is lying back watching Aku and Yaki as they walk through the streets. He stares as his conversation over the phone carries on.

"Are you certain it's the siblings?"

"Indeed why would I lie, one tallboy with black hair and a normal girl with weird black and white hair."

"Oh my! ...Tell me does he look strong?"

"Looks like a regular guy to me."

"Interesting."

The person on the other end of the phone sounded quite excited about this news as he hung up abruptly. Aku and Yaki then entered a restaurant by the name of TokiDoki.

***

"Extra Spicy Ramen please Ms. Panya!"

Yaki looks at Ms. Panya with confidence in her order. She smiles, making the old lady smile as well.

"Coffee and Chocolate cakes, please, and thank you, Ms. Panya"

"You do realize if you keep eating these sweets you might just get weak bones."

Yaki snickers at Ms. Panya's joke as Ms. Panya goes to the back of the kitchen yelling out orders.

"Soon you're gonna have eaten so many sweets that even I'll be stronger than you."

Yaki's smile seemed to outdo anything Aku could ever do. He couldn't resist her kindness and love, no matter how hard he could try.

"Once that happens maybe I won't have to protect you so much, dork."

Yaki's food comes out as she looks at it with excitement and gets straight to eating as Aku drinks his coffee. He looks out onto the streets and notices the fall leaves.

'September 26th...What a beautiful time of year in Toyo.'

***

Yaki and Aku start to walk home shortly after paying for their food as the wind blows their hair softly.

"You know I only have 3 years left of Secondary school. It's a shocker isn't it, soon I'll be even smarter than you."

Yakis eyes brightened as she teased her older brother about her being 3 whole grades ahead of her age. When they had her skip 7th and 8th year to go on straight to 9th last year, they didn't expect her to be doing so well, especially with her only being 13.

"Most of the kids in my class are about your age 17 and others are 16. Yet they aren't even as smart as me!"

Aku looked at his sister as she talked with such confidence and kindness it made him not help but chuckle.

"I see them."

Aku stopped dead in his tracks. He had heard something. Or was it someone?

'What an awful smell.'

Aku looked back at Yaki, who was still going on, about how she couldn't wait to be done with school so soon.

"Come on let's hurry and get home. It's getting late and you are going to school tomorrow."

"I understand, but why must we be so quick about it?"

"I have work tonight so I have to get to bed a little early so I'm not such a drag to work with."

Yaki looked at her brother's smile with questioning unease. But she starts to walk a little faster, trusting her brother.

"What are you doing at your job this time?"

"Boring paper stuff like usual."

"Why don't you get a more interesting job?"

"Because I enjoy this one and it pays well."

***

Aku smiles at his sister as they approach their doorstep.

"Go ahead inside I'm going to check the rat traps outback. NO sneaking any snacks!"

Yaki rolls her eyes as she walks inside and shuts the door.

A smell was passing through Aku's nose. He could smell the emotion of someone. Hate, Hunger, and Hunt are what he could smell. Aku traversed along the side of his building.

Aku reached the rooftop and stood there with his eyes closed as he felt something. The air. The aroma. It all seemed to point to one key spot.

"Oh, so I take it, you found me how disappointing!"

Aku opened his eyes, turning to his left to see a man sitting on top of a large pole. His balance was impeccable, with the only thing holding him up was his own two feet like a bat or owl on top of a pole looking down on its prey. That very prey he was looking down on was Aku.

"Who are you?"

"Names aren't important right now but as you could figure out I know yours,"

The man smiled with obvious ill intent.

"Aku Yami!"

'I need to keep this quiet. For all I know he could just want to talk.'

"I am being paid for your head Aku, that's why this is going to be so hard on me, killing such a young handsome boy like you."

'Seems like he has other plans.'

The man stood on top of the pole with one foot and flaunted his balance for a moment watching Aku like a hawk. He disappeared. His scent was strong, however. Very strong. It was getting closer, and closer.

*Tink*

"Wow! You're pretty quick on feet aren't you?"

The man looks at Aku as he attempts to stab Aku in the head, but his blade is caught with ease. The blade was ragged and thick; the bottom looked like the top of a pole. Aku looked back at the pole. It had been jagged on top.

"I take it you've been watching me all day?"

"What makes you think that?"

"The way you just attacked me. You must have thought I was weak and kind-hearted. Did you not?"

The man's face grew confused.

'What is he planning?'

"I assure you I am neither of those things. Your mistake when watching me was, you watched me while I was with my sister. You're quick I'll admit that, you're not even using your eyes yet which makes you think you can take me right?"

"Shut up boy what are you getting at?"

Aku now looked back at the man who desperately tried to pull back his weapon, but Aku held it in his hands without a scratch. His stare was deathly and motionless.

"You're nothing."

Akus's facial expression was blank. His emotions were blank at this point. He was waiting for a reaction.

"I'll kill you for calling me such a sad and pitiful word, like that. You know just because I kill for money doesn't mean I don't have feelings"

The Man smiled and was relaxed now. He held himself with what some might call respect. Others might call it selfishness.

'This was easier than I thought it would be.'

The man clashed with Aku once more. He swung his fist as it was caught. Aku jumped above the man with his arm still within his grasp, throwing him up above him. The man balanced himself in the air landing on top of the upper building. He broke off a pole near him. Jumping down, having been already ready to swing the pole like a madman with talent. The man's swing, however, was futile. He swung again and again. Each was less effective than the last.

"Die you damn brat!"

He readied himself once more as he brought the pole at an even greater speed. It connected. He swung again and again. His swings were no longer futile; he was brought with rejoicing. He laughed as he hit Aku's face again and again. He stopped so he could see the damage he had caused to a still-standing Aku. The man looked intensely as Aku was hunched over. To the man's avail, there was no blood all over his weapon. It was somewhat dented. The man intensely looked at Aku now as The Man was then filled with rage.

'There's no way. He must bleed!'

The man held the pole tighter and swung with all his strength.

Aku caught the pole. Ripping it out of the man's hand. He looked up. Staring at The Man dead in his eyes, with that still and motionless look. Nothing but a paper cut was caused to Aku's face. He bolted towards Aku but was helplessly pushed back by a light kick. He struck The Man with the pole before he could catch himself. The Man fell to the ground instantly.

Aku was laid back now as he looked down at The Man, causing him to have unease looking back into Aku's eyes. It was silent. The man looked at Aku once with unease, but now he just smiled, closing his eyes. His power started to heighten Aku could feel it.

'F...fear...no no way. Can't believe I'm getting worked up by a damn kid!'

The man opened his eyes and smiled with pride. Aku looked at his eyes. They were darker than the night around them. His true eyes were shown.

He disappeared once again, but smoother and faster this time. Aku realized it and was surprised, but had no time to react. Aku felt pressure racing towards him at an alarming rate. He caught it. Or so he thought.

"You're pretty quick, kid! However,"

The man chuckled as his other fist was still impacting Aku's head.

"You're still just a kid!"

Indeed, his other hand was caught, but he was just fast enough to get his other hand past Aku's view.

"No, I just expected you to do something interesting with your Shiryoko."

The man had a confused look as he immediately felt an impact on his lower abdomen.

*CRACK*

He fell back a few feet, feeling immense pain. If it was just a few ribs, he would've just been fine, but it was like his insides had exploded, causing his ribs to crack.

"Wha...what the hell are you?"

The man looked up at Aku. Aku's face was as cold as ever in the darkness as he walked into the light.

"I thought you knew who I was?"

*Coughs*

The man's mouth was full of blood as he stood up all the way.

'I have one more go at this.'

The Man pulls out a syringe. Aku's eyes widened.

*Splurt*

"Demons like you are sad."

The Man stared up at Aku as he now had the syringe in his hand.

"It's not that I was worried I couldn't beat you if you had taken this,"

*Drip*

"I just wanted to keep this situation as quiet as possible."

Aku pulled out his arm from The Man's chest as blood started to crawl out.

The man started to laugh and cry with joy.

"You...are strong but not nearly strong enough!"

"What do you mean by that? You're dead, you realize that right."

"Remember this name!"

Aku looked at him with some interest.

"Eren-"

*Splat*

"You took too long."

'I didn't even have to use my shiryoku. Boring.'

He started to walk away as The Man's head began to roll over a little. His body stayed upright still.

'I got nothing out of him except his name...Eren?'

***

Aku jumped off the roof and back to the doorsteps of his home. Opening the door to see Yaki stealing snacks from a cupboard. Their eyes met each other and she ran off into her room, quickly locking it, securing a bag of chips. Aku could hear her demonic-like giggles.

'I'd rather fight that guy than try to have her listen for once. Still, based on his eyes. If it's them hunting me, why send someone like that?'

He looked back at the door and pondered with thought.

'At least he wasn't after Yaki.'

***

"How unpleasant that was most indefinitely boring. I almost fell asleep!"

A man in a chair says on top of a roof not too far from the roof where Aku and the man had their confrontation.

"I knew he wasn't much but at least I figured he'd bring out the boy's Shiryoku. Well not everyone can be a winner at least he looked beautiful before he died"

A mysterious man said, raising his hand, he was covered by the shadows of a larger building. The corpse on top of the other building ceased to be nothing but ash.

'The name thing will however be a problem at a later date.'

He jumped to the top of the building with him in the moonlight. His long, wiry black hair and formal attire were odd.