Raiden walked along the corridors of the palace. Only one of the places that the Otizawa family stayed, for a more normal life they stay at the vacation home near the coast. His grandfathers estate was also a destination of many memories. He walked down the corridors approaching his brother's door, knocking on it. "Hey loser!"
The young boy opened the door. He was the complete opposite to Raiden. He had long res wild hair and a look of fire. Something in his spirit reflected in his eyes. He housed all of his emotions on his face and his heart on his sleeve. He wore modern clothes rather frequently and preferred to stay away from the old styled clothes everybody wore. He looked at him silently before answering. "What do you want?" He crossed his arms and looked at him. The two not being very close to each other. He would've preferred if it was their mother telling him that dinner was ready or a package he ordered was on the front porch. Gharma sighed as he tapped his feet. "You don't ever knock on my door unless you want something."
He looked at Gharma seeing their father in him more and more everyday, he crossed his arms and looked at him, annoyed at his brothers brash behavior. "Hey so you have to do something for me, payback for when I took the blame for you breaking that door a couple weeks ago." He was hinting at a previous cover up, as though they had a brotherly relationship meaning they would fight a lot, he still covered his ass from time to time.
"Fucking hell. Alright alright. What is it?" Gharma looked to the side almost out of embarrassment. He looked back to him, not even fighting him on it since he did smash a door out of pure anger. A girl at school that liked him had borrowed a CD he rather liked and she hadn't gave it back. He had a phone call with her, and instead of bringing the CD into school to just give it back she consistently tried to get him over to her house or out with him on a date. One argument lead to another and eventually he broke the door. The girl for some reason became even more annoying in that pursuit, bothering him everyday since that day trying to apologize to him. Shion, their mother, had later found the door and confronted Gharma, before he could say anything Raiden immediately took the blame understanding the situation Gharma was in. He had thanked him and promised to pay him back..something he forgot about until right now.
Raiden shook his head thinking about the door situation and how stupid it was of Gharma to act that way over a damn CD. "Look, I need three more people for this dodgeball game. People from other Gakkō are gonna be there and it's basically this big thing to where if we don't pass this game we might not have a shot at moving on to the tournament." Raiden thought for a second before continuing. "You could even get that CD back from that girl seeing as it's a pretty big event y'know?"
"Dont use my CD as an excuse to get me to tag along. Bastard." He dusted himself off and continued. "Dodgeball? I assume this is for Mamba. You don't get involved with school. You've never gave a damn about school and neither have I. So what gives? Must be a favor for the student council."
Raiden sighed out of frustration and rolled his eyes, starting to get annoyed with his brother. "I don't even do things for Mamba like that, actually I think she's a snob sometimes! I'm just doing it so we can participate in that damn tournament is all!" He blurted out his curse words like it was something that had been completely normal to the brothers, granted if their parents heard he would be as good as toast. He didn't even want to know think about their reaction.
"Mamba is gorgeous. Actually an ideal woman. She's number 1 on the PWI junior list and has been for 6 weeks straight. The fuck got into you? You don't like pretty girls now? What? You like fat chicks now?" The PWI list was a list of the twenty-five strongest people under twenty-one years old that released every ninety days. He scratched his head. Why would he even think of their cousin in a negative light. Whatever. "Why isn't Mamba doing it? She's won every school event for us since she started school..or is she on the team?"
He put his fist up to his face in anger. "I DO LIKE PRETTY GIRLS!" He calmed down quickly and lowered his hand. "She's getting too old to be on the team, I'm the team captain this year! She appointed me so I have to gather up people to help win for our team dammit!" He thought about what Gharma had said almost boiling up inside from the annoyance of his brothers comments. "You're the one who gets his shit taken by girls anyways so I don't want to hear it!"
"Hey at least i'm interacting with girls. When's the last time you talked to a girl that wasn't your cousin? The answer is never." He looked at Raidens hand as he lowered it. "Makes sense. Alright captain. I'll join your team. I think my ability well help out a bit. Plus dad is going to be there. Guaranteed." He rolled his eyes at the thought of his parents being there. "What day is it on? I've got things planned."
Raiden raised his fist once again "YOU THINK I CARE ABOUT GIRLS RIGHT NOW?!" He thought about what Gharma had said about his parents being there, triggering his mind once again. "Maybe we can show them how good we are."
"Who cares what they think? It's our lives. I get it. I love mom and dad..but i'm not going to perform well for them..We should do it for us..their time has long since passed."
"Well yeah..." He thought about the student council offers and what that could also entail, he wasn't interested before but now that he thought on what Mamba said about the student council. "You think if we could get on the student council we would be able to actually see new places?"
"The Student council usually handles all the affairs and laws of the common people. Things go through them before they go through Ashi or Dad. So yeah. If we joined we'd be able to go wherever we want. Obviously we'd need our Mana Licenses and Our Travel Licenses but once that's through, I don't see why not. Anywhere on this side of the world is good."
"Oh damn. Wait, you remember that Natagami sweets shop? I think if we can get on at that council we might be able to look into what happened to them." Raiden then took in the thought of being able to see what this 'Shibuya' was really like. "I think we need you to join then. Look just take it as what you owe me, then hey, maybe we can show off to other girls too..." He poked at him. "and get that CD." He started laughing at Gharma's predicament once again.
"Natagami sweets? Who cares?" Gharma rolled his eyes. "Yeah they're a great pastry shop and they give us free stuff. Businesses get moved all the time." He looked on at Raiden, an almost demonic look in his eyes. "Oh that's funny. Real funny. How about this.." Gharma poked back at him, harder than Raiden did. "You and the whole school can go fuck themselves. Forget the dodgeball tournament and forget the council. I'm not doing either. How's that? Then i'll get my CD back and relax in my room."
He looked at him and balled his fist once again. "You owe me Loser! You want to get your ass kicked?!" His face grew with anger. His brother, the only person in the world that could annoy him just like a brother could.
"Try it then. I don't owe you anything loser. I didn't ask you to do that. You had it in your hands then boom! You dropped it out of your hands by fucking around with me. You want to fight? I'll whoop your ass right here around this entire damn house."
Raiden dashed at Gharma, driving his shoulder into his chest, starting a small fight with his brother. "I'll kick your ass Loser!"
Gharma stumbled back as he looked back at him. He stood up straight and looked at him. "You're sitting here trying to fight me. I have things to do. You do too. Go fucking find your teammates because i'm not participating. Fuck you and your damn event."
Raiden clenched his fists and shook his head calming himself down. "Look I'm sorry... I just really need your help with this, okay? Whether you want to or not is whatever..but it would be appreciated. Plus we can get you out of the house for a little bit man."
He rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I leave the house. Just at hours that you're asleep. I don't stay around here. Are you crazy?"
He shrugged his shoulders at Gharma. "Well I don't know dude I never see you leave, what the hell do you do at night anyways?" Raiden looked at him knowing that he would join them. "Well thanks, I'll get you back sometime okay?"
"I get into a lot of none of your business. It's pretty interesting actually." He thought to himself, letting out a huge sigh. "When is it?..like I said I might be busy that day."
"It should be tomorrow. It sucks that it was such short notice. What do you mean by interesting? Don't tell me you're doing some stupid shit again."
"I'm not doing anything stupid. I don't know about tomorrow. The first day of school is soon and I'm busy afterwards. We need to win these matches quick otherwise you'll be down a man."
He let out a sigh of frustration towards his brother. "Fine then we'll try and get through the matches as fast as possible, we're super strong anyways so it shouldn't be a challenge."
"I wouldn't say that to be honest. Depends on what Gakkō we're playing. There are kids out there way stronger than us. Either way, with my ability it shouldn't necessarily be that much of an issue to be honest."
Raiden thought about his own abilities. "If I can get ahold of a ball we could knock out like 3 people in one go if we need to." Raiden continued. "The only down side is our names would be spread far and wide, not like we aren't known enough anyways."
"What? Why would that be a downside? We want to be known. Don't you want womam and money?...And i'm not talking about our parents money. Our own money?"
Raiden nodded to Gharma. "Women would be nice and money would be too. I mean as long as it doesn't bring along any major issues I'm fine with women and money."
"You're naive my older brother. Money and Women always bring problems. It's money and women."
Raiden shook his head to Gharma's words. "No, it just depends on the type of women, money doesn't have to bring problems if you're strong enough to defend it."
"All women are trouble. Even when it seems like they aren't they are. Having to defend money is a problem in of itself. I should be able to have my money without defending it. Nothing is free in this world. Especially not the two most desired things in the world. It's annoying."
He nudged Gharma and spoke to him almost like a whisper. "Hey... we could throw a party afterwards too, obviously it'd have to be secret but if we win then I know a place"
"You had my curiosity but now you have my interest. There you go. That's how you make a negotiation."
Raiden nodded playing into his brother's interests even if it wasn't his own, he nudged him once again. "We can get a bunch of girls to come over, I was thinking the boathouse on the lake since nobodies there after like six o'clock."
"I'll consider it. I will consider it."
Raiden nodded before turning around, he began leaving the room. "Well you have until tomorrow to decide so make sure you tell me by tomorrow."
"I'll let you know. Heading out again I assume?"
He stopped at the door while leaving to answer Gharma. "Yeah, either i'm going on a walk or just heading back to my room."
"Alright then. Later." He shut his door, leaving Raiden alone in the hallway.
Raiden walked down the corridors, walking down to the kitchen to see if his mom had made any food for dinner yet, he yawned on his walk, thinking about how a party would definitely get him and his brother grounded for a long time. He had heard some movements, turning to his left looking out of the window.
A figure had looked through the window at him. His eyes piercing through the kitchen, straight through toward him. Raiden could feel the anxiety. There was almost a feeling of something crawling on him. Like spiders had suddenly found their way onto his skin. Raiden's whole body had froze, like a child's worst nightmare, he couldn't move. He stared back at the figure, his body caught immediate chills upon catching sight of this figure. "W-what the...?"
"Tell me boy..." The figure suddenly dissapeared. Before Raiden knew it he was sitting at the dining room table. Almost as if he were a guest. However, the movement was instant. There were no foot steps, or anything of the sort. He sat at the head of the table looking at him. "What is it that you truly want from this life?
Raiden clenched his fists at his side and watched the man, he didn't know how to answer this stranger. He never even thought a stranger would dare make an appearance in the palace like this, his fingers twitched as he prepared to summon his sword.
"I look into your eyes. Part of me sees your father. I see your father's eyes. Part of me sees your mother's eyes. She was always gorgeous..but you know...Part of me sees something else. Something...more horrifying. Dark even. Perhaps, even forbidden by human standards..because deep down we all fear this very concept. You know, me and you are the same. We dread about it no matter how spoiled we are within the confines of our parents earnings or how miserable we are..lost in the annals of time and space as we crawl for our next meal, or our next taste of water...What I see in your eyes..Is an Unabashed...and Unruly loneliness that won't leave..Just like me. That's what I see behind the layers of childhood and innocence that you like to bring forward and show. Then it raises the question."
Raiden felt a drop of sweat drip down from his forehead, maybe this stranger wasn't an enemy? He didn't even know what to do. He clenched his fists once again. So hard he felt as if his wrists were about to bleed. "What do you mean...? I'm not lonely? I've always been surrounded by people my whole life. I don't feel lonely." He shook his head. "Who are you? How do you know my parents?"
"I think that's a question you have to redirect to yourself. Are you Raiden Otizawa because that's the identity your parents gave you from the beginning?..or are you Raiden Otizawa because that's who you truly believe yourself to be?" He chuckled at Raiden's response. "That's the mistake we all make. We believe we're not lonely because people are around to tell us that you're not...but that's the loneliest state of being you can ever assume. So what? You've had a good family..and some okay friends..but what of it?..What does that mean?...Are we not alone because we have friends? Do friends quench the thirst for something greater all of a sudden?...You get to train and play around with them..but what of them makes them so special?...Why is that the standard, we as humans, use to determine our worth to the world?...Let me bring you down to size. Friends are replaceable. Family is replaceable. None of it matters. Not in this world it doesn't. The only thing that matters is the carnal desire that builds in your soul each day. You know what you want to do deep down..You know what was meant for you..Forget the rules boy! This life of mediocrity and peace..that was not meant for you. You're destined for something greater. You know that within the depths of your gut..and it continues to spill onto you everyday that you live."
Raiden brought his fist up to his face demanding to be told what this man thinks he needs. "What the hell are you talking about?! I'm fine! Everything is just fine!" The man speaking about his character and digging into who he was as a person startled Raiden. "Y-you know nothing about me!" He took a step forward trying to justify himself. "There's nothing I'm hiding, I'm not lonely! My life is fine the way it is!"
"In due time you'll see..In due time you'll see." He slowly faded back to the window, his eyes flowing and flashing a bright purple, a rather peculiar design played in them, as if to play tricks with Raiden. "Until then my friend..Let our games begin. I am watching you."
He laughed to himself before quickly dissapearing into the night, all that was left was the moon shining into the Kitchen.
Raiden leaned on the counter top breathing heavily after the man faded away. Thoughts were racing through his head and his eyes were widened from how this man had read him clearly. He looked dazed and confused as the anxiety slowly wore away.
Minutes passed. He retreated to his room. It was covered in posters of action movies and a map of the world, or at least, that was currently discovered. He laid on his back staring up at the ceiling stuck in thought from the previous interaction. The man's image kept ruminating within Raiden's mind. He had an unforgettable face. An unforgettable voice. Unforgettable words. Something about him was dangerous. Far more dangerous than just a bully or some arbitrary criminal. Yet he had no violent aura or nature to him. Who was that? He didn't give off any hostile aura. It was almost as if he didn't even exist, yet he objectively did in front of him at that time.
He sat up and talked to himself quietly. "If I tell mom and dad they'll think I'm crazy..." Raiden thought back to when him and Gharma were kids and their parents said the palace was impenetrable but now that idea had shattered his own mind, perhaps even a part of his world view. Some was is out there that understands him more than anyone else? No. Nobody ever really understand unless they experienced it first hand.