Sakura

Chapter 1

1

      “Who is she?” Saki asked from across the room. She flung her long red hair out of her way from her tray.
      “She’s new. She got tagged as number ninety.” Clay said lifting his glasses up higher on his nose. “I started a background check on her. All I got was her name - which by the way - isn't her real name, her species, and her age.”
      “Well aren't you gonna tell us?” Zero asked impatiently looking over at the girl who kept her head low and ate slowly.
      “Asia something, I can’t remember. She’s almost sixteen on your birthday Zero. And she is a Fire Youkai.” Clay said professionally before he took another bite of his lunch.
      “Fire Youkai? You mean demon? She can’t be a demon, look at her.” Zero said standing up and pointing over to her.
      “Don’t draw attention.” Kizna warned.
      “She is the last of her colony. I almost got to a good part to what happened to her family but I had to run before I got caught.” Clay said.
      “Well let’s go meet her.” Zero said.
      “That’s okay I’ll stay.” Saki said. “I heard Youkai’s can be really mean.”
      Zero looked at Clay and Kizna as they shook their heads. He grunted and rolled his eyes before grabbing his tray and sneaking over to Asia quietly.
      Asia looked over at Zero as he sat down beside her. “I'm sorry. Did I take your table? I’ll move.” She said grabbing her tray and standing up.
      Zero caught her arm and pulled her back down. “No, I just came to make friends. Hi, my name’s Zero Enna, number eighty-eight.” He said holding out his hand.
      Asia was hesitant before shaking it. “I'm Asia Kai number ninety.” She said cheerfully. “You’re not just trying to play a joke on me are you?”
      “What do you mean?” Zero asked.
      “Nobody wants to be my friend.” Asia said sadly.
      “Why not?”
      “Because they think I'm strange.”
      “Well then you can join the club. You have to meet my friends.” Zero said standing up.
      Asia looked at him worriedly before she followed him over to his table. She set her tray down with her hands shaking.
      “Guys this is Asia Kai. Asia this is the guys.” Zero announced sitting down.
      Asia managed a smile and sat down with him. “Hi.” She said.
      “Nice to meet you.” Clay said.
      “As a tradition to us engineers and pilots we ask…why do you want to be one?” Kizna asked.
      “You guys would think I'm weird.” Asia said
      “Not at all. If it’s more stranger than Zero’s, maybe, but I doubt it can be that weird.” Clay laughed.
      Asia looked at Zero. “What’s your reason?” She asked.
      “To remember my life.” Zero said with a sheepish grin.
      Asia looked at him for a minute with no expression. “Then I shouldn’t say mine.” She said looking down at her food.
      “Yes you should. We need to get to know you better.” Saki said.
      “The same reason.” Asia said quietly
      Zero looked at her with a surprised look on his face. “I hope you’re not offended, but Clay did a background check. It has your information in it. Why don’t you just read that?’ He asked.
      “Probably the same reason you don’t. It’s not enough. I want to know with my own mind. Not what someone tells me.” Asia said. “I’ll leave if you guys aren't comfortable with me being here. Don’t worry I'm not offended…I'm used to it.”
      Zero looked at her and grinned. “I have a feeling you’re going to fit in rather well here.” He said.

2

      “It’s amazing how you two fit together. Coming to GOA for the same reason. Same birth-dates. I tell you man, you two were meant for one another.” Clay said as he jogged around the track with Zero. “She’s even as energetic as you.”
      Zero watched as Asia ran around the track as fast as he usually goes. “Come on we better speed up.” He said starting to run faster.
      “Number ninety and eighty-eight you’re finished. Take a ten minute brake!” Azuma called.
      Zero whipped his forehead with his towel and breathed hard as he sat down with Asia. “How come you’re so fast?” He asked. “I thought I was the fastest.”
      “It’s natural for me. I can move a lot faster.” Asia said.
      “Why didn’t you?” Zero asked as Clay sat down with them.
      “Because you wouldn’t be able to see me.” Asia laughed.
      “Huh?” Clay said. “Oh yeah, I read about you Fire Youkai’s and your speed.”
      “Speed?” Zero said. “You mean you can move so fast you can’t be seen by the naked eye?”
      “Or any eye for that matter.” Asia said cheerfully.
      “So where’re you from exactly?” Clay asked. “I didn’t get that far on the profile.”
      “I actually can’t really remember...” Asia said thoughtfully.
      “Me neither…” Zero said. “I can’t believe this…”
      Asia smiled. “This is kind of weird.” She said. “I never met someone that was like me.”
      “There is something I bet you can’t do.” Clay said.
      “What?” Zero and Asia asked in unison.
      “Zero seems to be in tune with the goddesses even without his training. And he has the ability to disappear and reappear in another location. But of course he has yet to control that ability.” Clay said as he cleaned the lenses to his glasses.
      “That’s so cool!” Asia exclaimed.
      “I guess.” Zero said thoughtfully. “Come to think of it I can’t really control it.”
      “Okay eight-five…eight-six! You better speed it up!” Azuma called.
      Asia watched as Roose finally made it all around the track with Yamagi. They walked over to her, Zero, and Clay.
      “Five more minutes.” Azuma called.
      “Who is she?” Yamagi asked rudely.
      “Ninety.” Zero said, rolling his eyes.
      “Hi, my name’s Asia.” Asia said standing up and holding out her hand. She looked at Yamagi and smiled. “Do you not shake?”
      Zero looked at their height comparisons and noted that Asia wasn’t more then three inches taller then Yamagi.
      Yamagi took her hand. “Asia? What kind of a name is that?” He asked crossing his arms after yanking his hand away from hers.
      “I don’t know. That’s just what people called me at the orphanage so I stuck with it.” Asia said. “Are you another one of Zero’s friends?
      “Heh…no…I’m just his rival.” Yamagi snarled. “You shouldn’t hang out with them…you should come with me and the nitwit Roose.”
      “But Zero and Clay are my friends.” Asia said looking at Roose.
      “Hi.” Roose said holding out his hand cheerfully.
      “Hello.” Asia said shaking his hand. She smiled then looked over Roose’s shoulder to see Hiead. “Who is that?”
      “That is my rival. Eighty-seven…Hiead.” Zero said narrowing his eyes at Hiead.
      Asia waved at Hiead and watched him look at her with a surprised look before quickly turning from her view. “How come he’s your rival?” She asked Zero.
      “Don’t ask please!” Clay said in a begging way. “They just never get along.”
      “Oh, I don’t want to get on anyone’s bad side.” Asia said. “So I won’t get involved.”

Chapter 2