Lomachislots War - Lost Childhood (Original) ~

[Director of Music]

"I'm going, I'm going."  Phineas muttered irritably.

Andy smiled.  Irritable or not, that was the old Phineas.  The group arrived to the cafeteria, and they managed to get a light breakfast.  Andy helped Phineas get his food, although he murmured darkly that he could get it himself.

Sitting down, Andy looked at the group.  "I saw a bunch of the older guys out in the fields practicing.  We should totally go and see!  It'd be awesome!"

Phineas chewed slowly on his toast.  "This reminds me of that tree you wanted to jump off of.  I'm not going."

"Oh, Finny.  Come on!  For old times sake!"  Andy grinned that charming smile of his that was irresistible.

"No way."  Phineas muttered, but a small grin tugged on  the side of his face as well.

[Kasawa Lanford]

"I'll go!" Sakura chirped, but Rin shook her head. She had been quiet the whole time, including when the group had arrived at the cafeteria, she had just fallen in line with them and hadn't said a word. "You are going with me to the classroom," she said and Sakura moaned.

Anise giggled and then said. "I'll go with you Andy, I can't use magic right now but maybe watching them will help me realize why," she smiled.

[Director of Music]

Andy practically beamed at Anise, his joy emulating. 

"Awesome!"  The boy could hardly sit still with the excitement flowing through him.  "Whadya say, Finny?  yeah?  Yeah?  You'll go, right?  For your bestest buddy?  Yeah?"

Phineas waved his hand in Andy's general direction.  "The things I do for you..."

"Great!"  Andy grinned.

[Kasawa Lanford]

The twins just smiled.

Anise took a bite out of her apple and then left the core on her tray, taking a sip from her cup of milk and then relaxing somewhat. I wonder what mother has been up to... it has been awhile now.. she thought.

On the other hand, Rin wasn't thinking about their family, rather, her mind was focused on Phineas and his leg. I wonder how much longer it'll be before Phineas decides to take that operation and completely heals his leg... she soured somewhat at the thought of Phineas 'never' getting proper attention for his leg.

Mentally, Rin sighed at that possibility. She then took her focus off Phineas and planted it on Sakura, who had just finished eating her fruit. "Sakura, how about we head to the classroom ok?" she suggested. Sakura nodded and, along with Rin, discarded her trash in the trash can. "We'll see you three in a few," Rin smiled and soon the two of them left, leaving Anise alone with Andy and Phineas.

[Director of Music]

"Let's go!!!"  Andy grinned, throwing his food away.  "Come on, come on!"  He enthused, grabbing Phineas and Anise.  They should be starting right about now!

Andy started to run off, when Phineas called, "Hey.  I can't run." 

Andy stopped.  "Sorry, Finny."  He slowed his pace down, but he still walked quickly down the hallways.

[Kasawa Lanford]

Anise didn't say much of a word, though in the back of her mind she was glad things were starting to get back to normal. The group was still walking down the hallway when Anise once again felt a cold chill go down her back, stopping for a second she looked around but shrugged her shoulders, passing it off as another trickery of her concious.

[Director of Music]

In about eight minutes, the trio arrived in the grassy fields to see the older members practicing.  Andy put his hands on his hips as he grinned jovially.  His blond hair was rustled by the gentle breeze that was blowing through.  If there was any uneasiness, Andy didn't notice it.  He was completely content.  His eyes watched with awe as he followed the movements of the older kids, his grin stretching every second.

Phineas stopped a little behind Andy, shifting his weight over to his left leg, but supporting himself with his cane.  No smile was on his face, but he seemed to be at peace.  Or...as much peace as someone like Phineas could manage.  His eyes darted to and fro, watching the movements from the older kids as they passed from one form to another in a fluid motion.  Phineas's mouth twitched, but his poker face was on.  Nothing else seemed to have changed.

But then, for a moment, as Phineas took his gaze away from the training grounds, there seemed to be a change in the wind.  His eyes narrowed as his mouth pressed even firmly together.  Something felt wrong.  Something felt out of place.  He shifted his weight again, grabbing his cane fiercely.

[Kasawa Lanford]

Anise smiled, not paying much attention to anything but Andy's attitude and how he was acting. Suddenly, the air around her began to feel heavy and she found herself having difficulty breathing - then the scene changed from being serene and full of life, to being a blackness, the only other people she saw was Andy and Phineas.

Two figures robed in black appeared to either side of her. "So, this is the little girl who is in love with this man?" the one on her left said.

"Yep," the one on her right said. She tried to speak, but found herself unable to, she tried to move her head, but again she couldn't. The two figures rounded her and grinned, she realized that Andy and Phineas probably couldn't see them, for if they had they would've responded by now. As she watched them, one of them walked in front of Andy, who was unaware of their presistence. The figure looked at him, he was somewhat taller than Andy but not by much, "ugly..." the figure scowled and raised his hand up into the air.

Particles comprised of various colors appeared and took the shape of a long, metallic sword. Anise blinked, horror filling her, her eyes moved and wided. Wait! Don't! she shouted mentally.

The figure smiled, walking around the boy and taping the sword against the sword.

Tears began to appear from Anise's eyes as she realized what was about to happen; the boy turned toward her, an evil grin formed across his face, then he struck - thrusting the sword deep into the right side of Andys chest - easily bisecting his right kidney and causing the sword's tip to appear on the other end, dripping with blood. The blackness exploded outward, revealing reality, with Andy's attacker standing right there in front of him with a very big smile on his face - and Anise with a horrifid expression.

[Director of Music]

The smog blurred Phineas's vision, Andy and Anise had disappeared in front of him. He dared not to move, he couldn't concentrate.  He couldn't breathe.  Choking, gasping for air, he vainly tried to look around.

Finally, the smog cleared, leaving Phineas blinking and gulping in the sun and air furiously.  He saw Anise looking stricken at something.  He followed her line of sight, landing on...landing on...

Andy?!

It had all happened so quickly.  At first, the brightness of sunshine, the woosh of the wind.  The pain hadn't settled in at Andy first.  But then a split second later, pain erupted from his insides.  His eyes widened in surprise as he fell, the smile on his face had faltered.

Andy?!

Phineas saw Andy fall as if in slow motion, not daring to believe.

[Kasawa Lanford]

The figure kept his smile as he wrenched the blade out, taking what remained of Andy's right side chest and blooding the ground. The blade had moved in slow motion, leaving behind a bloody red arc in it's wake, Anise couldn't do anything - to stunned at what she was seein, all she could hear was the sinister laughing of two others somewhere near her.

[Director of Music]

Something snapped inside of Phineas as the two figures started laughing.  That laugh poured into his system, eliminating any other feeling except revenge.  Revenge and vengeance.

Letting out a mangled yell, he avoided Andy's body looking forlorn on the ground as he lunged, bad leg or not, head first into one of the attackers.  His cane shot out, crushing the person on his head.

[Kasawa Lanford]

The figure recoiled from the attack and landed with a dull, and disturbing, thud. Behind Phineas, one of the figures scowled and took out a sword and about to attack when he stopped suddenly in his tracks, he blinked and strained to look down only to find five long claws sticking out of his chest. Again, he strained to turn his head and saw an Anise with blood shot eyes and a look of shear anger on her face.

He tried to move; but instead felt something ripe and then snap, the next thing he saw was blackness as his limp body was thrown fruitlessly across the ground. Anise then moved and skewered the one who had attacked Andy, but didn't kill him outright. She twisted the figures arm, hearing the cracking of the bones as his arm fell limp, releasing the sword that clattered to the ground.

***

Sakura and Rin had just arrived in the classroom, the elder was talking to some of the students about their grades. Suddenly a telepathic red aura fell through the classroom and everyone glanced toward the window. "An alert?" one student muttered as he looked around, "Hey! What's going on over ther?!" another said and pointed.

Sakura blinked and walked over to the window, while she strained to see what was going on she got the erriee and chill that her friends were in trouble. "I'm going to check!" she shouted and took off.

"Sakura wait!" Rin shouted and gave chase, but slowed when she saw the blurry image of an Elder rush past her.

The elder cought up with Sakura, Sakura only blinked a second before she felt something slam into her conciousness, suddenly knocking her out. She fell forward, but was caught by the Elder who held her unconcious form. Sorry young one, but what is going on out there is not for you to see, for it would tramatize you.. he thought and sat there with Sakura laying on his chest.

[Director of Music]

It was over in less than a blink of an eye.  Phineas stood there, half standing, half kneeling, over Andy's body, his ragged breath coming short.  He was gripping his cane tightly with his right hand, the cane, holding his weight.  There was a silence as the two friends tried to catch their breaths, their heartbeats slowing down.

But in a strange way, Phineas didn't want it to be over.  If it was over, and truly over, then he would have to admit what was right below him.  He would have to accept that his best friend was dea-

No..  Phineas thought bitterly to himself, a mad denial going on in his head.  Any moment now, Andy would spring up, and shout, Surprise!  And give Phineas that crooked grin he was so famed for having.

But as the seconds flew by, Phineas's heart thudded against his chest, a pain swelling there.  Kneeling very slowly, he looked at his best friend's face, the surprise still etched on his still features.

Phineas started shaking in rage, not soothed that revenge had been met.  His best friend?  Andrew Baldwin?  Not a chance.  It couldn't be true.  He was only 10 for godsake.

[Kasawa Lanford]

Word had spread quickly through the academy despite the incident happening in just mere minutes; the grounds had been locked down, and students who weren't in the higher grades or didn't have proper training in defending themselves had been restricted to the dormitory. On the training grounds, there was activity as the elders, along with a full medical crew, were rushing to the scene of the attack.

For Anise, things had slowed to a mere crawl, her heart was racing and she felt a burning sensation all around her. She fell to one knee and noticed the blood dripping from her hand, curiousity plagued her face as she looked away from her hand and toward her best friend - whom lay on the ground. "A-Andy?" she quietly said and slowly walked over to his prone form. She looked him over, noting his still expression and the blood poll that was getting bigger, yet at a slow pace.

In the distance she heard the Elder's shout if they were alright, but she blocked it out, her concern being more for her bestfriend.. and someone she now realized she had bigger feeling's for. She fell onto both knees and placed both of her hands on his chest, tear's welled in her eyes and streamed down her face, dropping onto his chest. "Wake up.. Andy...." she said through sniffles. "Wake up... please..."

***

Rin watched from a distance, her rage burning inside her. She, along with all of her classmates in her class, had been teleported out of the room and back to their own dorms, however she had been given permission, albiet relunctantly, to leave her dorm and be with her friends. However, even so, she could only bring herself to head to the roof and watch from a distance, knowing full well that if she got closer she might break into a rage that she could not control. "Andy..." she softly said and placed both of her hands on her chest.

[Director of Music]

The world around him was muted, and diminished.  Phineas barely felt Anise come up and see Andy.  All Phineas could think was that now she would be in her own grief.  But he didn't even pay attention to that fully.

 It was merely him and Andy.  He stared hard at his best friend, as if the longer he stared, Andy would get back up.  Phineas would not believe that his friend was gone.  Phineas felt a gentle pull, trying to pull him back to reality.  He didn't want to go back, he didn't want to face it now.

The pull got stronger, and he felt himself being snapped out of whatever place he was in.  He looked around frantically like a mad man, and realized the Elder had come himself and was trying to pull both Phineas and Anise away.  He could have easily done so with magic, but knew that he should take care of the two personally.

[Kasawa Lanford]

The Elder had been trying to snap both Phineas and Anise out of their grief, but was finding it difficult, though he fully understood why. He stopped briefly and knelt down, then spoke softly them. "Andy wouldn't want you two to sit here and solk over him," the elder said, "he'd want you to move on with your lives and to keep going," he looked at them, unsure if it had any effect.

Anise had heard it; though she wasn't sure about it. She realized, much to her surprise and grief, that she had true feeling for Andy. What a time to discover... she told herself and shook her head. She slowly got back up onto her feet but she only staggered a bit, Yukita appeared beside her and caught her before the full weight of the situation fell on top of her, causing her to faint. The elder sighed, A sight that no child should see, espically at their age he shook his head and glanced at the medics. "Tend to Andy, take him to the infirmary," he instructed them and looked at Phineas.

Yoko was the one to appear near him, and embraced the young boy. She spoke softly to him in his ear and told him it would be alright, she also told him that while it was alright to grief, grieving to much might cause Andy to tease him in other ways.

[Director of Music]

There was silence as the few people who were on the field looked uncertainly at Phineas.  He numbly got up, still staring at Andy, eyes never leaving him.  He heard the Elder, and heard Yoko, but he didn't want to accept it.  There was still time!  Andy wasn't dead!  Andy couldn't be dead.

Phineas struggled to come up with a logical answer.  Being the intellectual he was, he should have known, but that part of him  that was still a child, still yearned for his friend to rise from the dead.  Gripping his cane, his heart felt heavy.

Staring at his friend's anguished face, he couldn't help it.

The next thing he knew, he was crying uncontrollably.

It was the first time Phineas had cried in years.

[Kasawa Lanford]

Yoko blinked, as did Yukita. The Elder smiled and embraced Phineas, knowing full well that the kid needed companionship rather than anything else. As he did so, he watched as the medics carefully placed Andy on the stretcher and began to move him to the infirmary. "Let's go," the elder softly said to Phineas.

Yukita turned away from the scene, took one last look, then disappeared from the scene. Yoko took up her role and stayed by Phineas's side.

On the roof, Rin continued to watch, tears rolling down her face.

[Director of Music]

Phineas didn't try to struggle as the Elder carefully guided him off the fields.  His mind was roaring at him to not leave Andy behind, but what could he do?  Nothing.  Nothing at all.

But there had to be something.

Everything around him was blurry, his face was streaked with recent tears as he placed one foot in front of the other, needing some kind of distraction.  Some kind of barrier so he wouldn't have to think of this.

The surroundings changed as Phineas went inside.  All he knew was....well...what DID he know? 

In a couple of minutes, the Elder had guided Phineas to his study.  Phineas just stood there motionless, unsure of what to do.

[Kasawa Lanford]

Yukita's figure appeared in the dorm used by Anise and her friends; she gently placed Anise onto her bed and covered her up. "Try and sleep," she said softly and glanced around the room, realizing that Rin wasn't around. She sighed and took one last look at Anise before disappearing for a second time.

***

Only to reappear on the roof, she found Rin standing there staring out at the field, which was devoid of all life except for that of a few Elders and upper classmen who were looking over the scene. "You should be with your sister," she said.

Rin glanced at her briefly, only nodding to her presence, she then turned back and looked through the fence and at the distant scene. "I know," she finally said and turned her back and leaned up against the fence. "Yukita... why is this happening?" Rin asked, gazing up at Yukita.

"Hmmm?"

"First our families, then Yoko's friend, then Sakura, and now this.... why are we always having this happen?" said Rin before she turned her head to the side of the fence and watched the scene from the edge of her eye.

Yukita stood there, she couldn't think of an answer, she didn't know the answer as even she was curious as to why Rin and her friends were targetted. "I'm sorry, but I don't know the answer," she finally said.

Rin let out a sigh, but didn't say anything else, instead she walked past her with an upset expression, heading back to her dorm.

***

"Phineas..." Yoko said and gently guided Phineas over to the sofa. "Go ahead and sit down, rest please, ok?" she said softly. "Let your mind rest, or else the events of today might overwhelm you," she added.