• The slight voices of the village's small talk merge together. Like the colors of the blends of berries used as paint, confusing yet intriguing; Aside from the set complacations, it yeilds sense as it forms colors anew. But unlike the colors of paint or of the world for that matter, the hightened ears of one of the few village maidens allowed the girl to hear through the sounds illusions.

    Everyone in the village usually go about their daily routines in a quiet manor but, there were two who spoke to one another like no one else could, out loud and carefree. But that's just how they were, and also being not from this land (though they tend to visit the pub and bazaar often). The way they talk and the stories they told, makes it sound like the two are some sort of guardsmen, but from where? Yet, it's like no one cares or doesnt even notice the two, for they seem to just float by like phantoms in the villagers' shadows. The guards don't seem to bother the villagers', so they in return don't bother the two.

    "Hahahah," the younger one of the pair laughed out in a sudden outburst, "can't believe it has been another week of pointless fear!"

    "Don't tell me your still frightened by that thing after three weeks of no activity?!" The older guard replied with a shake of his head. Picking his head back up, he turns his eyes to face the youngster sternly.

    "What, your being serious? Hell no. Why would I be frightened of something so pathetic? This is possibly the easiest job I had, not saying I had much before this."

    "Yeah, I know what you mean. The way I see it, this monster can be eaten even by something smaller!"

    At this point, a sudden breeze swirled through the trees, glittering the light of the rising sun passed the open window and against the maidens skin. After awhile, the slowly building heat became irritating. Stirring around in her bed for a moment, she finally decides to get up and walk about the village.

    Taking a few moments to find herself the way out, as she has not been living in the poorly made hut for long. She takes a strip of cloth loosely around her neck and ties it around her barren eyes. Just barely taking no more than a few feet worth of steps away from her dwelling place, some drunkards bump into the girl, knocking her down.

    "Hey! Watch where you are going little miss, or you'll end up hurt." The girl heard this voice before, not too recently either, could it be?

    Ack, that smell! Alcohol...At least they aren't as drunk as they usually would be, must've been a really late night drinking, the girl thought. "Are you a guard by any chance?"

    "I am, me and my buddy here came from an island about a weeks travel from here. We are off duty for now. What's it to you?" The guard asked curiously.

    *********************

    Up with a small groan, a figure stretches out his still tired body and dresses into a loose fitting kimono. Sliding an old fashioned paper door open, a breeze brushes by, playing with his hair and through out the room. The soft sound of the surrounding bamboo forest tapping against one another filled the air. Going to the back of the old fashioned house, the figure sat on the wood flooring and lean his back against a post. From here, the town below could be see clearly. The townsfolk hussling and bussling. The kids being loud and happy, full of morning energy.

    If only I wasn't so different...Then perhaps I wouldn't have been placed here alone. I know I'm not human, I can never be human. Born as a beast, a monster, I am.... The figure heaved a heavy sigh and looked up towards the sky in deep thought yet again.

    Birds fly about and chirp their feelings to one another in the spring air; feeling left out, the figure heads back inside. But not before getting a glimpse of some humans walking up the dirt path, passing the estate.

    "Hey," a young male whispered quietly, "did you know there's a beast living around here?"
    "Oh, is that so, Yuki?" Replied the male's younger female companion, a bit worried now.

    "Yea, an ogre. But no need to fret," the male pushed foward a few feet on his own and walked backwards, "if anything happens, I'm here to fend him off!" The male was obviously trying to whoo the girl, hoping to get a free meal later in the night.

    "I...I dont't want to continue on, sorry."

    "Why not, Oko? I assure you nothing is going to happen, that ogre hasn't done anything in the past few weeks!"

    "Even so, that could change unexpectedly." The girl turned around and started to walk back home. The boy threw out his arm and clenched his hand around her wrist and yanked her to a stop, a bit angry that his plans are going to ruin.

    "Come on, I don't want you to leave."

    "I said no!" the girl yelled, pulling her arm away, only to fail as the hand around her wrist tightens.

    The male sudden falls to the ground in pain, blood trickling down the side of his head. Rolling about in agony of the hit, screams fill the air, making the birds chirp frantically and flew away without hesitation. looking around, the girl found that there was a small rock covered in a red hue. More frightened now, she takes a few steps back, ready to run herself.

    "What the hell!" Yelled the male in even more anger. "What was that?"

    "She said that she didn't want to continue on, you shouldn't force her to do so." A soft eerie voice exclaimed. Another rock shot out and hit the ground an inch from Yuki's hand. "You should let her do what she wants, not what you want, Yuki." Continued the voice, remembering the name from the two's chat.

    Heads just from side to side in search of where the voice and rocks could be coming from. Oko looked up and saw a figure ontop of the estate's roofs and shrieked. Not wanting to be around anymore, she runs down the path, back towards the village. The figure jumped from the roofs down infront of Yuki and glared.

    The boy got up and showed in return a furious face. Without thought, Yuki lashed out with a punch and made a hit. But not where the punch thought to hit, the face, but instead had hit the skin of the figure's palm. The figure clenched his hand around the boy's, crushing it slowly, without effort. The boy screamed out at the pain he's feeling in his hand, all the while the figure gives off a vicious grin and flashes gold eyes. Soon enough, blood exploded from Yuki's hand as the sound of bones cracking and snapping echoed. The figure can only laugh as he sees tears running down the boy's cheeks and plopping onto the dirt below.

    "The 'Beast' has caught it's next prey, heheheheheh!"