Always Running

Five years ago, the greatest war that the empire has ever seen, came to an end. The capital burned as soldiers fled for their lives. The palace was the last stand for the emperor and his family. Prince Zhōng led his sister to the throne room, all around them men ran around frantically. The hallway that they were in shook from the blasts outside. "Father! We're here!" cried Prince Zhōng when they entered the throne room.

"Good, take these," said their father, handing them money and supplies.

"What's going on?" asked Princess Xing, seeing more men run around and the room shook as well.

"We might lose today, but we won't lose tomorrow." stated their father. "Zhōng keep each other safe. If you sense danger, run. Always continue to run, don't look back, not for me but only for your sister. You have the skills to escape, use them. I've marked a place for us to meet. When this is over, I'll find you there."

"You'll come soon, right?" asked Prince Zhōng. His father gave them a worried look, he had a feeling it wasn't going to be good.

"Remember your vows, and always run." order his father before handing him the last gift, the Ninja Sword. "Now go!"

Prince Zhōng took his sister and they ran out of the throne room and out of the palace. They looked back to see a bombing raid, striking where the throne room was in the palace. They were perhaps on their own from now on.

Zhōng never forgot what his father told him. For five years, he ran but running wasn't the only thing he was good at anymore. South of the capital lies a town named School Town, it was the only place where easy access to the capital could pass. It received its name for the school there, it trained and taught people to become ninja rank soldiers.

At one of the bars in the city, a man stumbled out and fell face-first into the ground. He quickly got up and ran away, throwing things down to slow his chaser. The fact that no one escaped from him made the man desperate. He spotted twenty guards on patrol and ran to them as fast as he could. "Guards! He's right be-" the man began.

Suddenly, a boy appeared out of the alley and slit the man's throat with his two swords. As the man fell, the guards got a better picture of who he was. He carried two swords; one blue and silver and one black, dark gray, and purple. He had a knife and other gadgets around his belt with two sheathes for his swords. His eyes were dark blue filled with anger and determination. His dark blond hair flew with his movements. But what had the guards shaking in terror was the tattoo on his forehead.

"It's the Fallen Prince." exclaimed one guard.

"Get him," said another. Five of them activated their mechs and took to the skies while the rest charged at him.

The Fallen Prince smiled and turned around and ran. He jumped and flipped and spun around booths, cargo, and people. He turned around again to put on his cowl before disappearing into the alley. The guards chase after him into the alley. "Where did he go?" asked a guard, seeing no one was in there.

"He's on the roof, we got him." said another who was in the air. They were circling like vultures above him. One dive to grab him but as he drew close, the Fallen Prince jumped back down into the alley.

Two other mechs landed blocking the only exits out of the alley. "Now where did he go?" asked one of them. They noticed it too was empty but what they didn't notice was a window open just a crack closed silently.

Xing was working on a mech arm at her uncle's shop. The blacksmith was a well-known shop in the town, no others could compete against them. Uncle Tyron was working on forging a sword as she tightened the arm. "If you go too tight, you'll lose flexibility," said a familiar voice behind her. She turned around and saw a boy with a mess-up of dark blond hair and blue eyes. He carried no weapons and had a watch on his right arm. His clothes were suited for work in the blacksmith shop but his smile was something she never forgot, even though it wasn't as big as it used to be.

"Brother," cried Xing as she hugged him. "You're back."

"About time, where did you go this time when we're busy today?" interrupted Uncle Tyron, looking up from his work as he wiped off some sweat.

"Had to intercept someone, then had to play hide and seek," explained Zhōng.

"Kids of my brother, they're going to drive me into my grave." sighed Uncle Tyron.

"Hey, what did I do?" defended Xing.

"Relax uncle, I wasn't followed. I lost them by going into a building that has plenty of hiding spots, they're probably halfway done looking in there," said Zhōng.

"Mr. Fields, are you home?" asked Commander Zhèngyì. He had five guards with him and usually came for inspections.

"Ah, commander, what can I do for you today?" asked Uncle Tyron.

"Usual inspections of the equipment, we don't want anything bad to happen to your nephew and niece."

"I see," understood Uncle Tyron. "Connor, Ning, why don't you two go upstairs and wait until this is over."

"Yes, uncle," replied Xing as she went upstairs with Zhōng following closely behind her. He knew of something that he didn't like.

The guards began their inspections, more obviously looking around for something. "Is something the matter?" asked Uncle Tyron, noticing this.

"Well Mr. Fields, we had reports of the Fallen Prince being seen in this area. About fifteen guards chased him and lost him just five blocks down. I'm making sure he can't make it this far." explained Commander Zhèngyì.

"The Fallen Prince here? I heard he could be here but I never expected him to be in this town after the stir he made in the capital," exclaimed Uncle Tyron in disbelief.

"Whatever his reason, he must stop him," said Commander Zhèngyì.

"We found nothing sir." reported a guard.

"Very well, have a good day Mr. Fields," said Commander Zhèngyì.

"Till our next meeting," replied Uncle Tyron as the commander and his guards left. When the door closed behind them, Uncle Tyron ran upstairs quickly. When he reached the upper floor, Zhōng and Xing were waiting. Zhōng had his cloak on, his hair back to reveal his tattoo and his weapons around his hip. Xing had a spare cloak on and didn't change her blacksmith attire as it was underneath the coak. "Are you ready?" he asked.

"She is," replied Zhōng, holding up baggage of school clothes.

"Good, let's go," said Uncle Tyron.

"Go where uncle? What's happening?" asked Xing as she followed the two boys downstairs.

Zhōng pulled a drawer out, opened the cabinet, and lifted the base of it out. Hidden behind all of that was a hole. "I think we're discovered," stated Uncle Tyron.

"Should I have picked somewhere else to run them around?" asked Zhōng as he grabbed a spare Fafnir for his sister.

"It didn't matter where you had them running, they were going to find us sooner or later," said Uncle Tyron, he looked at his nephew and niece, this wasn't the first time in years they had to flee on their own. "If the danger passes, I'll inform you two. But we won't be going back either way to this life."

"I guess this is goodbye," concluded Xing.

"Yes, be safe." finally said Uncle Tyron as he hugged her. He then hugged Zhōng next.

"If you can, don't die," said Zhōng as not a single tear broke out from him.

"No matter what happens to me, you must protect her," said Uncle Tyron. With a nod from Zhōng, they climb down into the hole and Lord Tyron put the cabinet back together again.

A letter was sent to the capital to be heard of the next day. "Your majesty, Commander Zhèngyì has believed he found Former Lord Tyron and Former Prince Zhōng." said the messenger.

"Well this makes it interesting." noted the empress. They were in the throne room, a stairway was off to the side leading up to rooms on the upper floors. There was a hallway behind the throne to conduct private matters and two doors as well on each side leading to different parts of the palace. Directly across the throne was a door that led to the courtyard and the outside of the palace.

"He requested permission to search the entire house since he believes that the former lord is running the business of the place he suspects." continued the messenger.

"Very well, captain, have a warrant made and sent out immediately." ordered the empress.

"As you wish, your majesty." complied the captain, he didn't want to but he had no choice.

"Now I'm your uncle, your cousin's father, Wù," said Mr. Wù meanwhile as he and the Fallen Prince escorted Xing to the main gate of the school. She wore the uniform with the skirt to her knees, long red socks, and a white and blue long sleeve blouse. She had the spare Fafnir that her brother grabbed on her left hip and had the final documents that her brother finished last night in her hands.

"Will we see our uncle again, Uncle Wù?" asked Xing. They were still worried about him.

Mr. Wù looked at the Fallen Prince, he couldn't see much of his expression but knew he was thinking the same thing. "I don't think your uncle would want you to worry right now. He'll probably want you to graduate and make this family proud," said Mr. Wù.

"Okay, I will then," said Xing with determination. She looked at her brother and saw him scanning underneath his cowl. To avoid being spotted, his cowl came up until he was on the job.

Zhōng looked at his sister who looked back at him, they went through a lot together. "I guess this is it, see you later," he said, hugging her.

"Promise me you'll come to see me?" cried Xing hugging her brother tightly. Perhaps the last of her family that's still breathing.

"I'll make sure I come to pay the fees, if I see you, I'll wave at you," promised Zhōng.

"Thank you, brother," Xing whispered to him and finally let go. After drying some tears, she continued through the main gate where she ran into some friends she made prior and went on her way.

"You raised her well," commented Mr. Wù.

"Hopefully she isn't found," stated Zhōng.

"Otherwise you'll be found," concluded Mr. Wù.

"Worse, the plan my uncle and I made will be destroyed after all that planning," said Zhōng.

"Well perhaps distracting the guards away from her could do it plus give you money to pay for her," suggested Mr. Wù.

"You've completely read my mind," said Zhōng, he disappeared into the alleys and took off his cowl, he was now the prey for guards.

Twenty guards swarm 'Old Mechs? New Springs Blacksmith', Lord Tyron was caught off guard but was expecting them. "We have a waiver to search the house, Former Lord Tyron." sneered Commander Zhèngyì.

"It's funny how I go under arrest and everyone uses my proper title," exclaimed Lord Tyron.

"Sir, we found something you may want to see," said a guard upstairs.

"Are they up there?" asked Commander Zhèngyì.

"No sir, but they were here." stated the guard.

"Where are they?" interrogated Commander Zhèngyì.

"You'll never find him, every time you get close, he escapes," claimed Lord Tyron.

"If you won't answer me then you will answer to her," stated Commander Zhèngyì. Two guards forced Lord Tyron out leaving a destroyed, messed up shop empty and dark.

Five days passed since his arrest, Lord Tyron still hadn't said anything and thought about his choices from his past if they were seriously worth it. He heard the door to the prison open and footsteps followed. Empress Wēi went from cell to cell until she stopped in front of Lord Tyron's. "Your majesty," greeted Lord Tyron as he took a bow.

"It's been a while," she stated. "I never would have expected the person who made the swords for the girls at school had a sibling connection."

"Well she owed me a favor while I was still a lord, what can I do for you, your majesty?" said Lord Tyron.

"You know what I want," claimed Empress Wēi.

"If you think you can catch him, perhaps you should ask your guards how hard they tried."

"But he'll come for you."

"He won't, your majesty, I told him to leave me behind." accepted Lord Tyron.

"But will he leave her?" asked Empress Wēi. Lord Tyron shot a glare that was a warning. "I assume it's your niece considering we found a room for a girl to sleep as well."

"You want Zhōng, leave her out of it. She is no threat to you," warned Lord Tyron.

"But in order to get him, I must have her," explained Empress Wēi. "Where is she? At school?"

"Please your majesty, I assure you she isn't who you want. You want me and my nephew, leave the rest of us out of it." pleaded Lord Tyron.

"Oh, so now you take responsibility, all your life since your brother revoke your title, you've run and hide. Now on the edge to save her you'll give up everything."

"I may run and hide if I was free, but he'll run and fight to save her."

"Then I have made up my mind, thank you for making it easier to decide," said Empress Wēi, she then left him alone in his cell.

Zhōng was walking down to the school after a great day of payment. Since the fall of the organization, he was part of, he had to do everything more secretively. He thought for sure he wouldn't be paid well but his reputation had almost every client who wanted a job down correctly, wanted him. He looked down at the bag of money in his hands, it was labeled to Ning from Connor. The amount in there would pay for a quarter of the school year. More bags like these to come, he figured Xing would graduate debt-free.

A girl was crying by a tree, snapping him from his thinking. "Come back!" she cried as a cat in the tree looked back at her. It decided to walk the branch and jump over the wall and into the school grounds. The girl cried even more knowing she won't see her cat again.

"Hold this for me," said Zhōng as he handed the girl his bag of money and climbed the tree to go after the cat. Zhōng chased it everywhere, the cat was agile and so was he. They ran on the roof of the school, just when Zhōng was about to have it, the cat suddenly turned and Zhōng continued forward, tumbling into the window. The girls inside looked up and saw no one there, they were confused about what hit the window. Zhōng flatten himself to the wall right next to the window, he didn't want to be spotted. When he knew he was safe, he began searching for the cat again.

The cat continued to run, it jumped and turned sharply at everything. Suddenly a hand grabbed it and pulled it up. "Hiss," screamed the cat to the person under the cowl.

"Hiss," replied Zhōng, his mouth and blue eyes made the cat from a fighter to a coward. "Here's your cat," he said when he got back. The cat was relieved to see its owner and clung to her tightly.

"Thank you very much, sir," she replied, giving back his money.

Suddenly, a carriage and four horsemen drove right by them and stopped at the main entrance not far from them. Empress Wēi stepped out of it, she looked to her right to see a girl holding her cat, but no one was with her. Seeing her presence didn't arouse anyone, she continued to enter the school. But little did she know that two blue eyes were watching from the alley and continued deeper into them.

Pina ran through the hallways of the dorm rooms, she was in a hurry for what she heard. "Guys! She's here!" she cried when she burst into the room. Cortana, Silica, Kotori, and Xing were in the room at a table studying.

"Defensive positions!" order Cortana. The girls surrounded Xing and drew their swords in case of a fight.

"Guys, what are you doing? What's going on?" asked Xing, she hadn't told them her real name and kept anything about her brother a secret.

"We know who you are," stated Silica.

"And the empress is here to take you," stated Pina.

Xing's face went pale, not because her cover was blown but because the empress was here. "How did she find out?" she asked.

"Shh, she's coming," said Kotori. Footsteps marched outside of the door, every step made them all on the edge more. However, they continued making all of them confused.

Cortana, being the brave one, opened the door quietly and slowly and saw the empress walking away. "She's gone," she said, and all of them sighed with relief.

"How long have you guys known?" asked Xing, the fact they already knew made her uncomfortable.

"We found a picture of your uncle and realized he looked exactly like Mr. Fields." continued Pina.

"Since then we notice that your 'cousin' kept disappearing. As if he had another role to play." began Silica.

"Then we heard the blacksmith was closed due to violating the laws and figured it was you." finished Kotori.

"Well you should have told me, otherwise I wouldn't have felt so awkward when talking to you all," said Xing.

"Well now that's out of the way, let's go," said Cortana when she saw the empress was gone.

"Go where?" asked Silica.

"After them, they might have gone to check on her daughter before coming for us. We can catch them by surprise." said Cortana.

"No, she's probably going to talk to my aunt, she might have made the connection." predicted Xing.

"It's too bad none of us own a room right by her office," said Pina sarcastically. They all looked at Kotori.

"You know how hard it was for me to get that room? There's no way we won't look suspicious," stated Kotori.

Minutes later, they were in pajamas and brought their pillows to Kotori's room. Two guards stood in front of Principal Jiào's office. They notice the girls entering, which gave Xing the shivers. Noticing this, Pina stuck her tongue out, and one eye closed while the other one had its eyelid pulled down by her finger. The guards shivered, their future replacements didn't look promising.

"I'm impressed you caught my brother, I never expected him to slip up this badly," exclaimed Principal Jiào in her office as the girls listened through the wall. She poured tea for her and the empress while they met.

"Well the fact he tried to hide his nephew made him an idiot, but more so when he tried to hide your niece," said Empress Wēi.

"She's alive as well?" said Principal Jiào, surprised.

"We found a girl's room in his lodging along with a room for him and another which looked like it was rarely used," told Empress Wēi.

"Well if she's alive, I assume she is with Zhōng. They're perhaps the last ones who hadn't been seen in the light in years." suggested Principal Jiào.

"No, where he goes, he'll make sure she can't follow him. He'll leave her somewhere safe for now till I find out." stated Empress Wēi glaring at Principal Jiào as she drank her tea.

"Your majesty, I can assure you that I'll recognize my niece for sure." reasoned Principal Jiào.

"Which makes it easy to cover up," stated Empress Wēi as she set down her cup. "I want all who joined in the past year and two weeks ago. All who resemble the former princess, I'd like to see the documents and decide for myself." she declared.

Zhōng rushed to pack everything he owned in a bag. "Didn't know you were going to leave this early," said Mr. Wù, as Zhōng folded up a piece of paper.

"If it wasn't for the empress arriving at the school, I would have stayed longer." blamed Zhōng.

"Where will you go then?" asked Mr. Wù.

"I can't tell you if she discovers her, then she'll find you," explained Zhōng.

"Thus if I'm interrogated, I won't know where you are if you don't tell me." followed Mr. Wù.

Zhōng swung the bag over his shoulder, with his cowl up, he looked at him and gave out his hand. "Thank you," said Zhōng as they shook.

"Pleasure doing business with you, Fallen Prince," replied Wù as they let go. Zhōng then went out to retrieve his horse.

Principal Jiào opens the door to Kotori's room after the empress left the meeting. The girls were shocked by what they heard and put themselves between her and Xing. "May I speak with my niece alone?" she asked. The girls looked confused but remained where they stood. "Please, I promise nothing bad." she reasoned.

"It's okay guys," said Xing behind them. Seeing she was okay with it, they stood down and walked out the door, and closed it behind them.

"It's been so long," said Aunt Jiào as she ran up and hugged her. They both cried, trapped by unfortunate events.

"What are we going to do?" asked Xing as she began crying in her aunt's arms.

"I don't know, I know which one is yours. It'll be a matter of time before she catches you and asks for your name," stated Aunt Jiào.

"Then she'll prevent my rankings," concluded Xing.

"Yes, unfortunately," she confirmed.

"Is there a way to drag it out?" asked Xing.

"I wish, but the best I can do is two days," said Aunt Jiào.

"I wish my brother would know," sighed Xing as she cried more into Aunt Jiào's arms.

Principal Jiào couldn't find the words to comfort her anymore. She returned to her office and sat down. On her desk was Xing's paperwork, she could revise and make another one that'll match her better. But if the empress questions Xing and she answers what she made for the second one, then it won't matter. Also, her honesty could be in question if she was discovered. "I assume that you heard about it?" she sighed feeling a presence in the room.

"I saw her pull up, I take it, she found a shortcut through my uncle's and I plan," said Zhōng, coming from behind her chair.

"Well clearly it doesn't shock you," stated Principal Jiào.

"We know she'll find a way, the problem was how quickly she would run. Clearly, she wants my head badly," said Zhōng, his cowl was up and his cloak wrapped around him.

"I wonder why? She knows she's here, there's not much time before she'll be discovered." worried Principal Jiào.

"She'll be forgotten once you give her this," said Zhōng. He reached out holding a map in his hand and gave it to his aunt.

"What's this?" she asked, noticing the markings.

"Places I could be at or nearby, I marked the date on which I'll be leaving. When the places run out, consider me gone for good," said Zhōng walking behind her.

"And what if she catches you before you leave?" asked Principal Jiào.

"That won't happen, plus this gives you time to find a plan to hide her better," said Zhōng. Principal Jiào felt a cold breeze, she turned around to see her curtains blowing in the breeze and her window open.

Zhōng climbed hastily and carefully down the wall. He climbed it to get up in there, now finding where he clung previously, he jumped down to it. Suddenly, as he tried to plant his left foot, but the edge broking, making him slip. Unprepared to have all his weight in his hands and his other foot, he fell. Luckily the roof below wasn't far down he landed with a thud, then he heard a crack from the solid wooden boards. He dived to more sturdy planks as the planks below where he stood collapsed and steam and girls' cries came out. "Heads up!" cried Zhōng as his grip slipped and he fell into a container of water. "Ugh," he groaned, covering his eyes with his right hand. His clothes were wet and warm and the light steam he felt around him as his cowl came down. Clearly, he was in a big tub and the room was silent.

"You?!" a familiar voice cried out in front of him, breaking the silence.

Zhōng moved his fingers a little bit so he could see the head of the person who called him. He saw a girl with red eyes wide open in surprise. Her hair was silver blond with a strand dye red off the right side of her blushed red face. "Long time no see, princess," said Zhōng as he recovered his eye.

"Guards! He's here! Peeping on us!" screamed Princess Zhen. The girls in the room quickly started to scream and rush out.

"Why do you think that can stop me?" asked Zhōng, he suddenly activated a smokescreen. The smoke filled the room as the girls scrambled to the door through the smoke. It prevented them from seeing where he was and him from not seeing them. He stood in the middle of the tub and fired a grapple at one of the boards to the roof. When it struck, he jumped up only to fall back down while his grapple was reeling back in. Looking up he saw a board with his hook coming down. "Oh, sh-" he said as the board hit him, knocking him out.