The Flower Garden

Kazu dropped his sword to the ground and slowly got up. Dawn's expression lit up with joy, but underneath it, a quiet nervousness stirred. The feeling that had shaken his body before entering the cave hadn't faded—in fact, it only grew stronger the closer he got to Kazu.

Dawn cautiously approached, eyes scanning the dim surroundings of the cave.

"This cave... it's hard to believe you live here. Especially knowing that it's this open. Would I be right to assume you haven't been here too long?"

Kazu looked off to the side, a nervous expression settling on his face.

"Yeah… but you saw me in here all by myself, and instead of treating me like a threat, you acted curious. Do you realize how dangerous that is?" he said, a confused look washing over his features.

Suddenly, he noticed something unsettling coming from Dawn's Reiki. A strange, eerie mix of subtle bloodlust and fear lingered in the air around him.

"…Are you okay?"

Dawn's eyes widened at the question. "Yeah, why do you ask?"

"Normally, I can tell when someone's hesitant, or when they can't control the urge to fight. But with you, it's both. Your Reiki output is so strong I can practically feel your emotions bleeding from it."

As Dawn listened, memories of his first encounter with Joki came flooding back—his hesitation, his fear of combat. It wasn't something he could shake easily.

"I promise I don't mean any harm. It's hard to explain, but I haven't really learned how to control my Reiki. When I'm nervous or scared, it just... leaks out on its own."

Kazu heard this and let out a small laugh. He'd never encountered anything like it before, and for a moment, the novelty made him chuckle.

Dawn stayed silent, unsure of how to respond.

"Dawn, right? Walk with me—if you're okay with that."

Kazu turned and began walking toward the exit of the cave. Dawn followed close behind.

"So where are you from? I won't lie—it's nice to talk to someone and just learn about them. Making friends is damn near impossible nowadays," Kazu said, hands stuffed casually into his pockets.

"I used to stay away from people… until I met someone I call Sensei. But he acts more like my dad sometimes, and it kinda gets annoying," Dawn said with a slight smile stretching across his face.

Before Kazu could respond, the light outside began to shift. Neither of them had realized how long they'd been talking, but morning was breaking. The streets were still empty, the air silent and still. The world around them felt almost… too calm.

"It's strange... how quiet everything is. The sky's just starting to lighten, like the world's caught between dreaming and waking. Feels unreal—like I'm living in some fragile dream that hasn't ended yet."

Dawn smiled and stepped forward, taking a deeper look at the stillness. There wasn't a soul in sight. He laughed softly.

"I think… that's because of us, dude."

Kazu tilted his head, confused.

"Think about it. Even when I first sensed you, my body went on high alert. And my Reiki output is intense—it probably scared everyone off."

Kazu's eyes widened as realization hit. He laughed right alongside Dawn as they both stepped fully outside the cave. Without warning, the two took off running into the open, two kids lost in freedom, smiling like they hadn't in years.

But suddenly, Dawn stepped on something. He looked down and froze.

"Huh? What's this doing out—"

"Dawn."

Kazu grabbed his shoulder and pointed off to the right. There, tucked just out of sight, was a freshly planted flower garden. Untouched. Carefully tended. Hidden in a place most wouldn't bother to check.

The mood shifted instantly.

"Someone was taking care of this… and they were forced to leave it behind," Kazu said, kneeling beside the patch. "It looks like it took a lot of effort. I wish I could've met them—but I doubt they'll come back, not with us around."

Dawn knelt down beside him and picked a flower. He stared at it for a long moment, unmoving. Kazu watched, confused.

"Hey, Dawn… have you never seen one of those before?"

Dawn blinked, snapping out of his trance. A faint embarrassment crept onto his face. He'd never had the chance to relax like this—to truly look at something beautiful, let alone something as delicate as a flower garden. In a world like theirs, no one wasted time planting peace.

"I've never even heard of a flower garden until now. It's soft, fragile… but holding it like this… I don't know. It's strange. I feel lighter."

Kazu quietly realized that Dawn's understanding of the world was limited, but he didn't judge. Instead, he smiled and stood up, eyes on the glowing edge of the rising sun.

"Dawn… even now, I can tell you're holding something in. That bloodlust—it's there, but I think it's because you're trying to be good. Or maybe… you're trying to learn how. Would that be accurate?"

Dawn's eyes widened. Someone had seen through him. Not just his power—but his intention. Kazu's insight struck deep. He didn't just read the situation—he read him.

The breeze shifted. Birds that had been chirping moments earlier suddenly went quiet.

Dawn glanced around. Something didn't feel right. Even the garden, once peaceful, now seemed still—too still.

Then it came.

A surge of violent Reiki followed.

Before Dawn could speak, a loud thud echoed behind them.

"I have to go! Something big's coming. I don't think we were the only ones who scared everyone off!" Kazu shouted, taking off toward the cave.

Dawn dropped the flower instantly and followed close behind. They dashed through the dawn light, back to the cave entrance—only to come to a sudden stop.

In front of them stood a towering, one-eyed humanoid monster. A hatchet pulsed with dense Reiki in its hand, crackling with raw energy. The two boys froze in fear.

But not for long.

Without a word, Dawn and Kazu took their stances.

They weren't backing down.

They were going to fight.