Sakura

Chapter 1

1

      Clay woke up and rubbed his eye. He looked over at Zero’s bunk and he was turned towards the wall sitting up. “What are you doing awake?” He asked with a yawn.
      Zero’s back froze and he turned his head over his shoulder. “We get up in five minutes. I guess I woke up early.” Zero lied.
      “Oh, well, I guess I might as well get up.” Clay said standing up and stretching.
      “Hehe…yeah.” Zero said nervously. He got up from his bed and placed his pillow neatly back in its place. He pulled the blanket neatly back over the pillow and straightened it.
      “Okay boys! Rise and shine! This is has been a slightly unusual day. First the intercom broke and then most of the codes on the doors wouldn’t work.” Azuma stated. He looked at Zero and Clay weirdly. “Who will go get the girls?” He asked.
      Zero had his mouth open but didn’t quiet make it.
      “I will.” Yamagi said quickly.
      Zero looked at him evilly and his look was returned by a smirk.
      Yamagi raced off down the hall.
      Azuma looked at Zero who was scolding the doorway. He shook his head. “Okay lets head out.” He said walking out the door.
      “She’s not worth arguing over.” Hiead said walking to the doorway. He stopped and glanced back over his shoulder with a smirk at Zero. “I can get her in a heartbeat if I wanted to.”
      Zero’s face heated up with anger even more if possible. “I can’t stand those two!” He muttered between his teeth.
      “Cool it.” Roose said with a smile. “She’s way to nice to be involved with Hiead…or even Yamagi for that matter. Even though Yamagi found someone to share his shortness with.”
      “You really like her don’t you?” Clay asked Zero after Roose raced out of the room.
      “Of course not. I just met her two days ago.” Zero said.
      “Okay. But I found out more information about her the other night. You have to hear it…at lunch.” Clay said walking over to the door.
      Zero sighed and followed him. “Was her past any better than the rest of ours?” He asked.
      “Actually it’s rather sad.” Clay said. “No wonder she’s quiet. I heard that’s what happens to people that had that happened to them.”
      “Had what happen to them?” Zero asked curiously.
      Before Clay could answer he heard laughter coming from behind them. He turned around to see Asia smiling sweetly at Yamagi who had an embarrassed look on his face.
      “That must have hurt.” Asia said nicely.
      “Well, I have a high pain tolerance.” Yamagi said. He looked at Zero and Clay who were standing in front of them.
      “Good morning Zero…Clay.” Asia said sweetly. She walked over to Zero and planted a small kiss on his cheek and did the same to Clay. “Did you have a good sleep?”
      “Decent.” Zero said crossing his arms and looking away.
      “I wish I could have had more.” Clay laughed.
      “Me too.” Asia said with a smile. She looked at Zero who seemed to be mad at someone…preferably her. “Zero? Is everything alright?” She asked worriedly.
      “Dandy.” He said still looking away from her. How could Yamagi do this? He thought.
      Asia took a step forward but decided to not interfere. She felt Yamagi tug on her arm.
      “Come on. We can’t be late.” Yamagi said pulling her away.
      “You go ahead.” Asia said. “I’ll catch up.”
      Yamagi looked at her then walked away. “Why does she like those two?” He muttered to himself.
      “I’m sorry if I offended you in any way.” Asia said bowing.
      Zero looked at her with a surprised look. “It’s nothing you did.” He said.
      Asia looked up at him. “Then what?” She asked. “I do not want my friends to be hurt.”
      “It’s nothing. I just got up on the wrong side of the bed.” Zero said.
      “He can be really weird in the morning.” Clay laughed. “But we better hurry and catch up!”
      Zero watched Clay run off before walking slowly next to Asia. He was looking down as Asia rested her hand on is shoulder.
      “Is everything alright?” She asked.
      “Fine. It’s just you shouldn’t be around Yamagi. He will bring nothing but trouble. All he’s doing is trying to get you to stop being our friend.” Zero said.
      “I’ll try to stay away if that’s what you want.” Asia said.
      “Why do you say that?” Zero asked.
      “Say what?”
      “If that’s what I want.”
      “Because I can tell you’re my real friend.”
      Zero looked at her smile and had to give one back himself. “Remember that.” He said.
      Asia smiled again and took Zero’s hand in her own, interlocking their fingers. “Of course.” She said sweetly. She kissed his cheek again.
      Zero smiled. “Then I can count on you being my real friend?” He asked.
      “Of course. I may be a demon, but I always tell the truth. It’s my code of honor.” She said giving another one of her sweet smiles.
      “I see you two are enjoying the moment.” Azuma said, standing in front of them.
      Zero and Asia backed up with a shocked and feared look on their faces.
      “That will be an extra twenty laps!” Azuma yelled. “Now move!”

2

      “Come on, it will be fun!” Kizna begged.
      “I don’t know…what if we’re caught?” Asia asked worriedly.
      “Come on, even Wrecka is coming.” Saki said.
      “All the boys are already waiting.” Kizna said.
      “All the boys? Even Hiead?” Asia asked.
      “Zero, Yamagi, Roose, Clay, Erts, and Hiead.” Saki said.
      “You like Hiead?” Wrecka asked with a bit of disgust in her voice.
      “No, it’s just sort of a surprise that he would come.” Asia said. She sighed and looked at her friends begging faces. “I guess so.”
      “Alright!” Kizna Cheered quietly. “Let’s go, but be very quiet.”
      Asia, Kizna, Saki, Wrecka, Tukasa, and Ikhny slowly opened their door and tiptoed quietly out. They ran all the way down the hall and into the track room.
      “About time you girls got here.” Yamagi said. “I was about to leave thinking you chickened out.”
      “We had a hard time getting down here.” Saki lied winking at Asia. “Isn’t that right girls?”
      All the girls nodded their heads.
      “Well lets get started.” Clay said spinning the end of a glass bottle on the tip of his finger.
      Everyone gathered in a circle in the following order: Zero, Roose, Yamagi, Hiead, Clay, Erts, Kizna, Asia, Tukasa, Wrecka, Saki, and Ikhny.
      “I’ll go first sense it was my idea.” Clay said. He set the bottle down on the ground and spun it in a circle.
      Everyone watched it with a sweat drop appearing on his or her heads.
      The bottle started to slow down until the tip of it landed on Saki.
      Saki’s sweat drop grew larger as Clay leaned in with his lips puckered. She rolled her eyes and closed them and kissed him quickly and lightly on the lips.
      “That wasn’t a kiss!” Zero laughed.
      “Then you kiss him.” Saki said.
      Everyone started to giggle as Clay smiled and puckered his lips up again. “Come on Zero.” He said.
      “Man get away from me.” Zero said, serious but sarcasm in his voice, pushing the laughing Clay away from him.
      “Your turn Saki.” Kizna giggled.
      Saki spun the bottle with an easy flick of her wrist and it landed on Erts. At least it’s not Clay again. She thought. She leaned in and kissed Erts a little longer on the lips.
      “How come she didn’t do that to me. That had to be a second longer!” Clay complained, joking still.
      Erts smiled and spun the bottle, which landed on Kizna.
      Kizna smiled and kissed Erts as long as she could.
      “Now that was a kiss.” Roose laughed with a blush.
      Kizna spun the bottle and her face paled when it landed on Yamagi. “Oh great. There has to be a rule about this.” She said.
      “No backing out of it!” Roose whaled.
      Kizna gulped and quickly kissed Yamagi on the lips. After pulling away she stuck out her tongue and spat.
      Yamagi snarled and spun the bottle just to have his turn wasted. It had landed on Hiead.
      Hiead snarled and spun the bottle. A small, evil smile graced his lips as it slowly landed on Asia. He leaned in as Asia did and kissed her full lips.
      Asia could feel Hiead trying to get his tongue inside her mouth so she quickly drew back. She made sure her eyes didn’t meet Hiead’s, afraid that he might have been mad at her.
      Zero felt his heart skip a beat and anger fill inside him as Hiead sat back licking his lips.
      Asia spun the bottle and slowly panicked.
      Clay crossed his fingers, but it skipped him and landed on Zero. He snapped his fingers and fell back on his hands.
      The anger inside Zero melted in an instant. He leaned in as Asia did and felt as her soft lips touch his. He opened his mouth and let Asia’s tongue wonder as his did the same in hers.
      Everyone’s eyes widened as Zero and Asia was lost in a lip-lock. All they could see was their jaws moving and a bit of tongue here and there.
      Asia felt her heart flutter as she searched the inside of Zero’s mouth. It tasted of sugar and berries. She interlocked her tongue with his one last time before pulling away. She looked into his blue eyes that were filled with desire.
      Zero looked into Asia’s eyes and noticed they were now sky blue. He watched as they slowly faded back to red. He sat back and felt everyone’s gaze on him.
      “No THAT was a kiss.” Clay said. “I never said you HAD to use tongue.”

      “Come on, you have to tell us.” Saki said.
      “You know…it was just instinct.” Asia said. “It sort of just happened.”
      “So when we kiss someone we like it will turn into a tongue twister?” Kizna asked.
      “I never said I liked Zero.” Asia said.
      “Maybe you never said it but you do. Otherwise you would have kissed Hiead like that.” Wrecka said.
      “Hiead is mean though. I don’t know what it is that draws me to Zero. We have like, everything in common so I guess that could be it.”
      “I think you’re in love.” Ikhny said. “How romantic.”
      “So you’re saying you do like Zero?” Kizna asked.
      Asia hesitated then a small smile graced her lips. “Yes.” She said quietly.
      “Oh my god! I think he really likes you back.” Saki exclaimed.
      "Sshhh…you’ll get us in trouble.” Kizna warned.
      Asia lay back on her bed and shut her eyes. Maybe I do love him. She thought.

      “You totally went crazy in her mouth…how was it?” Clay asked.
      “It was…refreshing.” Zero said thoughtfully.
      “Refreshing? Is that all you can say! You just made out with Asia Kai! The girl who had only been here for about three days…the girl who everyone loves!” Clay exclaimed.
      “Clay…you never told me what other information you found out.” Zero said.
      “Oh yeah, that…” Clay drawled. “Well her real name is Sakura Yukimaru. She is almost sixteen with the same birthday as you. Her father was a rapist and had almost gotten her before her mother shot him in the head with a forty-nine Magnum. Of course her mother didn’t want anyone to find out so she took Asia and left to Zion. But the pressure was too much and she shot herself leaving Asia all alone. Asia was just five at the time and didn’t know how to survive. She was found in a small town and was sent to the orphanage. She has no memory about what happened. They say she had blocked it out of her mind.”
      “She had a messed up life.” Roose said.
      “No wonder friends are precious to her.” Zero said.
      “Doesn’t that make her venerable?” Yamagi asked.
      “I guess it would.” Clay said. “But remember. She comes from a very strong colony.”
      Zero thought to him self. “Tell me about these Fire Demons.” He said.
      Clay washed his glasses off for the third time. “Well Fire Youkai’s usually have black hair and red eyes. But their eyes change when they find true love. But it only lasts for a second or so. Their eyes will change off and on when around the person they love. Most of them were skilled swordsmen. They have the ability to energize fireballs in their hands and they have great speed.” Clay lectured.
      Zero thought back to when he pulled away from their kiss and remembered her eyes changing colors. Is she in love with me? He thought. Non sense. It was the lighting…we’re way to young.
      “Asia is a princess in their colony. So she has a special ability that know one knows about yet.” Clay said.
      “I guess it wouldn’t be the best idea to tick her off.” Erts said. Erts had been so quiet they had forgotten he was there. He fell back on his bed and shut his eyes. “You’re one lucky son-of-a-bitch Zero.” He said.
      “Why is that?” Zero asked.
      “She likes you.” Roose said.
      “Him? Whatever…she likes me.” Yamagi said. He had his arms crossed under his head as he shut his eyes.
      Zero rolled his eyes and tossed his pillow at Yamagi. “Whatever!” He exclaimed as he lay back on his bed.
      Yamagi snarled and threw Zero’s pillow back at him with a lot more force.
      Zero sat up and snarled. “Punk!” He barked jumping off his bed.
      Yamagi jumped off his bed and got in a fighting stance as Zero did. “Who’s the punk?” He snapped.
      Zero was about to punch Yamagi when a small quiet knock was heard at the door. He scrambled to his bed and realized it couldn’t have been Azuma for morning call or for any reason for the matter.
      The knock came again and this time Zero got up quietly and opened the door. To his surprise it was Asia. He looked over his shoulder at the curious faces behind him. Not wanting to cause a commotion he held a finger to his lips and slipped out the door. “What are you doing here?” He whispered.
      “I just wanted to see you.” Asia whispered back.
      Zero leaned against the door. He looked into Asia’s eyes and saw that they were blue again. It’s nothing. I’m just delusional. He thought. “I really like seeing you too, but it’s way to dangerous out here.” He said.
      “Well let’s go somewhere else.” Asia said grabbing his hand and interlocking their fingers.
      Zero was pulled away from the door and he began running with Asia.
      Asia stopped in her tracks and looked around the corner. “Azuma. What is he doing up this late?” She whispered.
      Zero started to panic. He looked to his side and opened the closet pulling Asia in with him. He quickly shut the door and crouched down with Asia.
      Azuma heard the closet door click back into place and he looked at it weirdly before a small smile curved his lips. He quickly opened the closet door to find nothing inside. He picked up a flashlight and searched around the small area to find nothing. “Must have been my imagination.” He said.

      Zero’s eyes widened as they fell through the wall into the cockpit. “It happened again. I was awake this time.” He said quietly.
      Asia rubbed her butt and stood up. “That was so cool!” She cheered. “How’d you do that?”
      “I don’t know.” Zero said standing up and dusting him self off. “It usually only happens when I’m sleeping.”
      “You have to learn how to control it and teach it to me.” Asia said with a smile.
      Zero looked around. “Oh great here again.” He said. “We better get out of here quickly.”
      “I always wondered what it would be like to be in a goddess.” Asia said.
      “You don’t want to. That one right there ejected me into space. I have a gravity problem.” Zero said.
      “I guess you’re right. We better go.” Asia said.
      Zero walked beside Asia as they slowly walked through the dark area.
      Asia picked up her feet and started to walk normally thinking nothing would be on the floor until she tripped.
      Zero caught her in his arms. “Are you okay?” He asked.
      “I’m fine.” Asia laughed not moving from his arms. She looked up at him and Zero returned her gaze.
      Zero could hardly see Asia, but he could feel her getting closer. He leaned down and kissed her passionately. He could feel her tongue search his mouth hungrily. He softly rubbed his tongue on the top of her mouth and could feel her laugh in their kiss. He smiled and returned to messing with her tongue before pulling away letting their lips touch softly.
      “You are a great kisser.” Asia said into his lips.
      “Same to you.” Zero said. He stood there holding her; soaking up the moment.
      “It’s funny I just meet you, because I feel like I’ve known you forever.” Asia said leaning her head on Zero’s chest.
      Zero laughed. “I feel the same way.” He said playing with her hair. “We better get back.”
      “What’s the hurry?” Asia asked softly. She smiled and pulled Zero down to the ground and pinned him.
      “We might get in trouble for being down here.” Zero said sitting up on his arms with his knees up and Asia still over him.
      “Who will know?” Asia said.
      “I don’t know but-.” Zero was cut short when Asia put her mouth to his and kissed him passionately. Forgetting what he was going to say he put his hand on the back of Asia’s head.
      “What are you kids doing down here?”
      Asia snapped her head to the side to have Gareas Elidd, one of the pilots, standing with a flashlight on her and Zero.
      “You two have a lot of explaining to do.” Rioroute Vilgyna said from beside Gareas.
      “I’m sorry. It was my fault. I drug Eighty-eight down here and tried to seduce him against his own free will.” Asia said quickly.
      “Come with me. Eight-eight go back to bed.” Gareas demanded.

      “Asia I expected better out of you.” Azuma said.
      “I’m sorry. I really like Eighty-eight.” Asia said sadly. “I am willing to take whatever punishment you give me responsibly.”
      “Get dressed in uniform. Thirty extra laps non stop.” Azuma said.
      Asia nodded and walked down the hall. She walked into her bedroom to find Zero. “Hi.” She said.
      “Why’d you do that? I would have taken the blame.” Zero said.
      “It was my fault for taking you out of your room…I deserve whatever’s coming to me.” Asia said taking her uniform out of the closet.
      “Look Asia. Don’t try and protect me…that’s my role.” Zero said with a smile.
      Asia laughed. “You better run. If Azuma catches you, you’ll be doing an extra thirty laps with me.” She said.
      Zero nodded. “I already have to.” He said opening her door.
      “Why?” Asia asked.
      “For back mouthing Azuma today in training.” Zero said.
      “But we haven’t even started.” Asia said a bit confused.
      “I know.” Zero said. He gave her thumbs up before running out her door.

3

      “You could have had a day off!” Azuma yelled as Asia and Zero ran past him. “I hope you guys know why you’re in trouble! I want a two paged essay of why you’re in trouble and why you should never do it again…front and back!”
      “Well this sucks.” Zero said, gasping for air.
      “Running isn’t that bad. It keeps me in shape.” Asia said.
      “Speaking of shape, did you ever see a picture of Roose when we first came here? He was huge!” Zero laughed.
      “I heard a few stories about it from Wrecka…I think she likes him.” Asia said.
      “Speed it up ladies!” Azuma called.
      “What did he just call me!” Zero exclaimed between clenched teeth.
      “He’s just trying to make you mad.” Asia said.
      “What lap are we on?” Zero asked.
      “I don’t remember.” Asia said. “But we should be done any minute.”
      “Just to start an essay.” Zero muttered.
      “I like essays. I’m good with them.” Asia said.
      “Then you can help me.” Zero laughed.
      Asia nodded and smiled.
      “Stop talking and run!” Azuma called.

      “Now you two have one hour to complete a three page report about this punishment.” Azuma said.
      “I thought you said two pages.” Zero whined.
      “Now it’s four front and back.” Azuma said walking to the door.
      Zero mumbled to him self and put his name and the title of his essay on the top of the paper.
      “No skipping lines.” Azuma said before walking out and locking the door.
      Zero froze and grunted. “Man does that man read minds?” He asked.
      “Probably.” Asia laughed. She put her name on top of her paper and wrote “My Punishment”.
      “How should I start?” Zero asked chewing the end of his pen.
      “Um…I am in trouble for talking back to Instructor Azuma when I should not have done so.” Asia said. “Just go on and tell what you did in complete detail then start in the next paragraph and write in complete detail what your punishment was and what it was like. Then go on how you’re sorry and will never do it again. And then put what the consequences will be if you do it again.”
      “Man…you had to have done this before.” Zero said.
      “I’m just a good manipulator.” Asia laughed.

      “Not bad.” Azuma said. “I can’t believe you wrote this Eighty-eight.”
      “Yeah…well...” Zero drawled nervously.
      “Well, I guess you understand pretty well what your punishment was for. You’re dismissed.” Azuma said waving his hand at Zero and Asia.
      Zero walked into the hall and sighed. “That was a close one.” He said. “At first I thought he wasn’t gonna believe I wrote it.”
      “Well, I guess he recognized your hand-writing.” Asia laughed.
      Zero looked at her evilly.
      Asia broke out into laughter. “We better get to lunch. I’m starved.” She said running off down the hall.