Before Border

Life Goes On

May 1st

"Tsuji?" A sleepy Inukai questioned, rubbing his eye.

"Happy birthday Sumi!" Tsuji smiled and held out a gift, using a nickname based on Inukai's first name.

"Oh yeah!" Inukai was suddenly completely awake, and excited to start the day as a 7 year old, finally.

Inukai tore open the gift Tsuji gave him for the wrapping to reveal a clay masterpiece depicting himself and Tsuji as agents of Border, their uniforms being suits with the teams logos on the bottom of the tie.

"TSUJI THANK YOU SO MUCH! We're gonna be the best agents!" Inukai hugged his best friend, and for once, Tsuji hugged back, untrue to his normally shy self.

"Boys! Breakfast is ready, American pancakes and red bean pancakes!" Inukai's mom yelled from the kitchen. Both boys excitedly ran down to eat the grand feast awaiting them.

****

For the first day after the loss of his only friend and only source of love, Jin expected time to stop. He didn't know how to keep going on without Soichi. He tried to use his side affect, but whenever he did, everything was a deep black. Like his mind had hollowed to be as vast and empty as outer space, which he had learned about from Soichi.

All of his thoughts accused him. It was his fault Soichi was gone. He didn't do something fast enough. He knew something bad would happen, and death was very possible, but he didn't think the worst ending he saw would really come true. But lo and behold, it did.

The sleek black trigger left behind by Soichi was taken away from Jin to be locked up and studied. They said it was unlike other triggers, and had a strange ability. Jin had activated it a few days after Soichi's death, hoping somehow it would resurrect him.

Alas, it was to no avail. The trigger activated normally, but was a green blade instead of the normal orangey-yellow. It also had waves coming out of it, Jin had counted 10, but he wasn't quite sure because they moved so much.

Kido saw him, and immediately took the trigger. Rindo argued with him, but soon dropped it for fear of another death. The sore subject of someone named Yugo Kuga was brought up, and for some reason everyone quieted down at mention of the name.

On that day, seconds after Soichi fell dead, Kido was knocked unconscious by Jin. Of course, Rindo covered it up for him, saying it must have been the neighbor, Haru, who may not have been completely dead.

In total, 4 people died that day. Haru, Soichi, and 2 of the soldiers on Kido's side of the fight. Shinoda and a few other who had left heard about it, and Jin had overheard some of them speaking words of spite, or regret for not helping Soichi.

The fight ended in Rindo and Jin being relocated from the new Border HQ to an old building in the middle of the river that had been remodeled on the inside to be like a mini HQ.

3 opinions now split border. Those with Kido hated all neighbors, and vowed to kill them. Those with Shinoda believed in just doing enough prevention to keep the Mikado City safe, and never being unnecessarily cruel to neighbors. Those with Shinoda (just Jin at the moment), believed that neighbor's could be friends, and we're always open to letting them coexist.

"So kid, I know your secret." Rindo started once they were alone in the main room/kitchen of the river building.

"What?" Jin wasn't sure which secret he meant.

"I may be very young, but Soichi trusted me, a lot. I know you can see possible futures, I know you are an amazing combatant, but the biggest secret I know is that you are indeed a humanoid neighbor." Rindo said, but his voice didn't seem mean or scared. Just slightly cautious, but otherwise warm.

"Does anyone else know? I don't want to kill Kido." Jin expressed his fear, and Rindo laughed.

"I don't doubt you could kill Kido, but try to refrain from doing that. And to answer your question, Jin, I am the only one who knows. Everyone else assumed you were orphaned in the fighting, and Mogami-senpai just took a liking to you." Rindo replied, and Jin let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding.

"When do I become an agent?" Jin asked, and Rindo gave a toothy grin.

"Next month. Soichi already submitted your application on...on the day..." Rindo cleared his throat, "And you'll be participating in individual rank wars, and you just have to beat other C-rankers to get points from them, and advance to B-rank when you get a certain amount. We'll see where you get from there. As for Fujin, I think I have a way to get it back." Rindo gave another grin, and suddenly Jin trusted the young man before him a lot more.

"Thank you, Rindo." Jin smiled at him, and Rindo gave him a two fingered salute.

Jin giggled and got up to go train in one of the combat rooms so he could be ahead of the competition next month. He hoped with all of his heart that May and June would be promising for his future.