Part One - First Meeting, Signals of Fate

***

He looked on the hand of the clock, hanging on the same wall in the same room for so many years now. The time passed slowly, never rushing to get to the point were the bells would ring, releasing him of the bounds and limits some high bureaucrats set for him and others.
School was deadly boring. Watching his school mates he could quite tell they were in the same state like him, waiting for the school to set them free� at least for today.

/God, hurry!!/ He urged on in his mind, impatiently tapping with his pencil on the desk, drawing some frowning from others to himself, which he pointedly ignored. /Don�t give me these looks! You�re waiting for it, too./ His eyes fixed on the clock again, whose hands seemed to move even slower than before. /Is it me or is this thing trying to annoy me?/ He thought ridiculously.

Finally, the bell rang. He grabbed his things and was out of the room in less then some seconds after the others even got to realize that school time was over for the day. On his way out of the huge building he put on his jacket and raised his hands through his long hair.
It was blue black colored. He had done it many times, against all rules of his school and parents. In this matter they could go and fuck themselves!

People gazed at him all the time, looking him over, noticing his beauty while he himself didn�t seem to notice any of it at all. Trough the past he had to learn that most of them just saw him superficial, so he got used to treat them the way they thought about him. Nobody really knows about his caring and friendly site. His ass-like attitude he took on from Kyo.
Oh yeah, they were a pair of their own. He smiled in remembrance. A shout shook him out of his thoughts.

"Toshiya!" A girl�s voice. He turned and saw Mayuki, a childhood friend, waving at him. He grinned and returned the wave. Waiting for the girl to arrive at his side, he noticed that it snowed while he sat in school. Everywhere you looked it was white. /Perfect�/ His grin widened even more. It was the beginning of December, the right time for this lovely weather. /and the right time for cuddling with a lover/ His eyes saddened a bit but he put on a mask quickly, to hide his emotions.

"Mou, Toshiya�" Mayuki pouted while trying to catch her breath. "why didn�t you wait for me?"

"Huh?" Toshiya was puzzled. Had they planned something and he forgot it? He looked questionly down at the much smaller girl, who took his arm looking up at him with her pleading eyes. /Oh, oh�here it comes/ He already rolled his eyes inwardly.

"You promised we would go skating when the first snow is falling." She pulled on his arm for emphasizes.

/Ah, THAT promise/ He thought relieved but changed his mind in the next second. /�but I don�t want to go skating!/

Mayuki saw the look on his face and took a step back. "You don�t want to?" She asked disappointed. He tried to set on a smiling face, but ended in a grimace. She interrupted his exercise of doing faces by pointing out. "Oh well, then why don�t you come along with us the next time?" She was always such a friendly girl. He smiled a little but this time for real and gave her a hug. "Thanks, Mayuki."

"No problem" Mayuki looked up at him. "You sure everything is okay?"

"Yeah�just a bit lazy today." He watched her closely. " I�m not really in the mood for ice-skating." As Toshiya�s eyes wandered down to her legs, she realized his thinking and slapped him playfully on the arm. "Argh, you�re so perverted, Hara Toshimasa!" Mayuki was half furious, half laughing.

Toshiya grinned to her. If you watched them both from afar you could think they were more than friends but the appearance was deceptive. /We could have been a couple, though/ Without thinking any further he made a witty comment about her extravagant short skirt, which got him another slap. He knew she was hunting down a boy of his age. /He better has to be good to her or his live won�t be a pleasure for him anymore!/

They said goodbye and parted ways. His turning towards the center of the city, setting the wheels of fate into motion.

~~~

Toshiya walked down the street, looking at the shops on each side. They were decorated nicely, reminding him again of the month itself. Every year he had to go through these streets. It was almost like a need, tattooed on his bones. He was searching for something, someone� just like the past ten years. And especially in December it was almost the only thing that occupied his mind all the time.

Old caf�s passing by, looking like these ones in a fairy tale. Snow falling down, caressing his face gently, leading him on, down through the crowd of people. He stopped amongst the rushing mass all around him and turned, looking at his footprints in the snow. How often did he see them already? His trail he set, destroyed by others the next second. Closing his eyes briefly he breathed out slowly, knowing it would form a little cloud before him. Toshiya turned again, going in the same direction like before, his long hair fluttering behind him. Without glancing back he let his body lead him, it seemed to know where he would go. /Something is going to happen./ Toshiya felt it strongly. There was no doubt about it. He just couldn�t imagine what it could be.

/Ah, there it is!/ Toshiya stood in front of an building, looking rundown here and there, but with such a distinct feeling that it still belonged where it was. He made some steps forward, going towards the window where he could glance into the shop. It was a very old shop; you could even see cobwebs in some corners. The women, a grandmother to be more specified, didn�t seem to have enough strength for cleaning sessions anymore. Toshiya knew her; he�d often watched her and the customers when he was young. He remembered that he often came with his mother but until now he never entered the shop.

Toshiya was curious what exactly the shop was offering that it existed for so long now. He opened the door and slipped into the room. It was slightly gloomy but not in an intimidating way, rather cozy and friendly. He couldn�t describe the feeling it gave him.

Looking around he soon found out the answer to his question. Everywhere were placed all sizes and colors of stones, crystals, jewels and obelisks or whatever you want to call them. Toshiya�s eyes widened. /How beautiful!/ He happily bent down to examine a set of Jade before him. /Why didn�t I come here much sooner?/ He didn�t think much further but began to study each and every little stone in the shop, forgetting his manners and squealed quietly whenever he found a new piece of art to focus on. This place was heaven.

"Madam, may I help you?" He whirled around in surprise when hearing a quiet, friendly voice behind himself. In front of him stand a young woman. At her costume he could see it was an employee of the shop.

"Ano�" Toshiya was embarrassed and straightened a bit. "I was just looking around." He then noticed that the woman thought he was a girl. /Did she notice that I�m not a girl? My voice must be too deep/

At this moment the employee became aware of her mistake and bowed deeply. "Gomen nasai, I mistook you for�" She stopped halfway. "I�m very sorry, Sir!" She said again and didn�t stop to bow.

Toshiya raised his hands in a dismissive gesture and smiled kindly. "No worry. There�s no harm done."

The woman looked up at him, slightly blushing but nodded in understanding. Toshiya didn�t have the heart to tell her off so he made his best charming smile while pointing to some stones. "Well, could you tell me what those are for?" Her smile brightened and she told him lots of interesting things, showing him around. Soon he found himself in a pleasantly discussion if Jasper would make some good earrings or not. Toshiya had to laugh about her unconventional ideas with this matter.

A customer, who entered the shop, interrupted them. Toshiya couldn�t see him well since he stood in a dark corner but he could make out it was a man.

"Please, excuse me." The woman beside him said, bowing her head a little. "This is a regular customer. He doesn�t like to wait. I will be back in a minute."

Toshiya nodded and watched her go towards this mysterious man, greeting him with a smile. He couldn�t understand what they were talking about but he got something else to occupy his mind.

This man was even more interesting than those stones around him, at least as much he could see of him, which wasn�t very much at all. His back was turned to him. Toshiya pouted. /You could at least go into the light so I can see you better/

As if hearing his thoughts they changed their position to the center of the room, where more light came through the window. Toshiya grinned. /Wow, what a hairstyle!/ He whistled approvingly in his head.

The man�s hair was dyed in violet and pink; it�s length went to his shoulders, where a small part of hair was bundled into a black ponytail, reaching down to his hips.

Just in that moment the old granny came to the two of them. "Ah, Niikura-san. You weren�t here for a long time." She said scolding but still with a little smile playing around her lips. Her hair was gray and she walked hunched over, supported by a stick that looked as aged as her. Toshiya had to smile at this scene, especially since this Niikura-guy bowed very deeply in front of her to show his respect. /Seems to be the gentlemen-like type of guy. How cute! And I thought they would be nearly exterminated by now/ He thought wryly.
Now he could even understand more of their conversation. They had to speak louder since the old lady couldn�t hear that good anymore.

"Yes, the chain you were searching for arrived some weeks ago. We put it into a secured display over there." She pointed towards some shelves and made her way over, followed by the others.

Toshiya crept silently into an aisle beside of them. /I want to see his face, god dammit!/ He was determined and got a plan played out in his mind. He would pretend he was searching for something on the shelves while looking through it to the man. /Hmm�should work out just fine./

The granny spoke on in her broken voice. "It was difficult to find it." Stopping in the middle of the aisle she turned towards the man, looking warily up at him. "Say, why do you want this one so much, Niikura-san? It�s not as if you couldn�t have plenty others in the same style here." Her face shone friendly again.

He laughed. It was an endearing one so Toshiya couldn�t prevent to laugh in return. Realizing his mistake he clasped his hand hurriedly over his mouth. /Shit!/ Still worried and embarrassed he looked over the shelves. Nobody seemed to have noticed his little slipping and he breathed out in relieve. /Puh! That could have been it. Be careful�/

"Let�s say I�m searching for something very special. It will hopefully help me to find out about my past."

"Hmm�" She nodded. "It is special, no doubt there. I�ve heard that as long as its existed no one ever could make a copy of it or something similar beautiful. It�s unique."

Toshiya followed the conversation just with half interest. Something else caught his attention. He took some steps to the left and studied it with curiosity. It was the most amazing pendant he ever saw in his entire life. He would have liked to touch it but it was secured, a glass container hindered his shaking fingers. /Must cost a lot�/ He sighed and wanted to pull away but he couldn�t. This pendant seemed to have set some magical bounds on him; he just had to examine it more clearly. /Haha, magical bounds. What am I thinking?/
Toshiya had learned enough to know, that the jewel in the middle of the ornamented metal mountain must be a diamond, a very expensive diamond at that. It was bigger than normal ones. The mountain wounds its way around it with artistically lanes and then he saw it. Blue little sapphires created a kind of ring around it, seeming to protect the diamond. God, he didn�t even knew from where he took all these information! He never had much to do with stones, let alone jewels and such things�he just knew it. /Weird�/ He frowned and looked up, almost getting the shock of his life.

A little scream escaped his lips. On the other side of the aisle was that man, bent down to view the same pendant like him but now looking straight into his eyes. And god, did he have stunning eyes!

Toshiya tried to grasp his mind before he would say something he would regret later. He didn�t need to be worried since nobody of them spoke anyway. Their eyes locked and he saw a sparkling light in them, reminding him so much of an forgotten time. His eyes widened when suddenly memories broke down over him, letting him repress the real world. The pictures behind his eyelids were shown so quickly he couldn�t keep any of them inside but he knew nevertheless that he had lived them, once� a long time ago. With a loud gasp he opened his eyes again and staggered backwards but his legs couldn�t support him so he had to sit down onto the floor. His eyes were still locked with the ones of the man before him. The feeling of love and being loved in return in his memory was so strong it was plainly overwhelming.

And then the contact was over. The young woman kneeled beside him, seemingly concerned. "Sir? Are you alright?" He didn�t hear her at first. "Do you need us to call an ambulance? Sir?!"

He looked up at her with confused eyes. "Huh?" His mind was slowly registering what she said. "Ah, no� no, I don�t need help. Thanks." He managed to whisper out and stood up with still shaking legs. "Everything is fine. I just�I felt sick suddenly." He explained half heartily and looked back at the purple haired guy, who smiled reassuringly at him. /I could get lost in that smile�/

"Niikura-san, how do you find the pendant? Does it comply with your wishes?" The granny didn�t seem to notice what had happened just a moment ago.

He even didn�t turn towards the woman while answering, his eyes still on Toshiya. "Yes� I think I found the most beautiful one on earth." He nodded to himself and smiled his charming smile.

Toshiya had the distinct feeling that this guy meant more than the pendant and blushed furiously. /Don�t blush, you idiot!/

"Niikura-san, do you want to take it along right now?" The granny went to her cash register and waited.

"Yes. Is it okay to pay with�" Going towards her he got out of reach of Toshiya�s hear width.

Toshiya didn�t mind at all. /Better to get out of here before I get myself more embarrassed than already done/ He looked at the woman beside him and bowed. "I will go now. It was nice to meet you." He said, smiling at her. She was surprised but indicated her understanding, accompany him to the door and opening it for him. She bowed. "Please, honor us again soon!"

Toshiya got out of the street, breathing in the cold air around him. He was relieved to be away from that man but something stirred in him. /Am I really relieved?/ He was confused about his feelings. There was something about this Niikura-guy, he couldn�t put his finger on. Surely an interesting guy but there seemed so much more to it. /Maybe I shouldn�t go like that?/ However the answer to his question was right behind him.

"Hey! Wait!"

He spun around in surprise. "Do you mean�" He didn�t get to end his sentence since the stranger walked towards him and grasped his hands. Toshiya sucked his breath in. /Boy, is he direct!/

"Yeah, I mean you." He smiled. "Who else did you think I would running after?"

"Ano�" Toshiya couldn�t catch one single word in his mind. He got lost again in those eyes, which were of a deep dark brown, now he could see it clearly since they were out of the gloomy shop.

"Well, I didn�t introduce myself. My name is Niikura Kaoru. Nice to meet you." He made an indication of a bow while his eyes twinkled mischievously.

Toshiya looked at him with big eyes. /Oh, get a grip, will you??/ He swallowed quickly before bowing lightly, too. "My name�is Hara Toshimasa, but everyone calls me Toshiya."

"Then I will call you Totchi if it�s okay with you?" It sounded more like a statement than a question. Toshiya blushed again. This name was so familiar as if he�d heard it before. Everything about Kaoru was familiar.

"Have we met before?" He asked suspiciously.

Kaoru laughed. "No, not in this life anyway. I moved here some months ago. I�m studying at a university not far away from this site of the town." He explained.

The words resounded in his ears. /�not in this life� Why does he speak in puzzles?/ He got no chance to think about it.

"I know you don�t know me but can I bring you home?"

Nobody in the right mind would accept this offer but apparently he wasn�t in the right mind. He nodded in embarrassment and smiled. "I would like that very much."

Kaoru�s eyes brightened. He offered his arm to Toshiya, who took it, trying hard not to blush again but failed miserably.

"My car is standing over there." Kaoru pointed towards a side street. His car was black and a mix of classical and sporty style.

"Wow!" It slipped out of Toshiya�s mouth, who clasped his hands above it hurriedly. /Not AGAIN/ He looked carefully up at Kaoru, hands still in their place. Kaoru smiled down at him and raised one hand, gently pushing his hands away from his mouth. "Don�t hide it from me."

He was lost at words but quickly recovered. "If you keep doing that you won�t hear that much from me."

"I wouldn�t mind if I could at least see you." There lay much honesty behind these words; Toshiya could feel that with no doubt. Toshiya quickly changed the topic. "Shall we go now or do you want to stand here all day?"

Kaoru shook his head and went around the car, opening the door for him. Toshiya got in the car. "Thank you." He said, smiling up at Kaoru. /There it is again�this familiar feeling/

Kaoru quickly got in, too and looked at Toshiya. "So, where do you live?"

Toshiya told him the directions while Kaoru nodded in concentration. Soon he started the car and they drove away.

It was silent except the constant vibrations of the car itself. Suddenly they seemed to have the same idea at the same time.

"How old are you actually?" They asked in unison. They blinked at each other and broke out into laughter.

Still laughing Kaoru persuaded Toshiya to make the first move, while looking on the road again. "Ehm�I�m sixteen." He knew perfectly well how that must seem to Kaoru, who glanced at him in wonder. "I know�you thought I would be older, didn�t you?"

"Yeah, you�re younger than I thought but what does it matter? I still think you�re perfect." He said seriously. Toshiya didn�t respond to that but kept it in mind. /Nobody ever said that to me./

"I gave you mine. What�s with yours?" Now he was curious.

"I�m nineteen. You see, we�re not so much away from each other."

"Uso!" Toshiya said indignantly. "You seemed to be so much older!" He was truly amazed. /Does that mean I have to address him as a boy??/ He shook his head vigorously. /No way!/

Kaoru didn�t seem to be affected by his actions so he leant back into his seat and watched the surrounding move by.

~~~

He crushed the note in his hands in anger; the twitching wings on his back were the only indication for the turmoil in his mind. /I have to find out what�s going on here!/ He turned swiftly, opening the huge amber colored doors. Everything in this house was colored in amber and gold with some glass panes here and there. A magical home�but also a golden prison from time to time.

He turned to his right, going down the aisle with firm steps, his long white gown fluttering behind him. The aisle was very long and its walls were unusual high, richly covered in ornaments and paintings. Although no lamps could be seen anywhere everything was enveloped into light. Even he himself was glowing faintly. An attribute you�re getting when living there.

On his way he meet many other angels, all looking quite astonished because of him being in a hurry. He greeted them all with a short nod of his head but wasting no time by talking with them. Usually there was nothing, which would cause him to hurry down his way at all but not so this day. The angels left behind just shook their heads. "He must be in big trouble." Someone said and they all laughed.

He heard them faintly and pouted but never stopped going down the aisle. He could take care of that later. Looking up briefly, he saw some angels of the first Trinity. He slowed down as not to draw attention towards him. He examined them secretly. They were really beautiful, truly pure creatures. They were the only ones who were nearest to God. The first Trinity, as the name says, has three parts. The Seraphim, their task is to sing the creation-song, to unfold the living everywhere. The Cherubim, they are valid as the angels of wisdom. /Jun is a Cherub/ He thought and smiled. And at last the Ophanim, through them God is spreading his justice.

One Seraph was taking his attention. Its wings were glowing purple. /What a graceful sight!/ He thought and looked to his wings miserably. /Why are mine just plain white? Everyone has some colors within their feathers but not so mine./ Sighing he moved forward again. It was rare that angels like him got to speak with the ones of the first Trinity. And Jun was an exception God made. He seemed to think that he needed Jun as a guiding support but he never got to know why.

He himself was an angel of the last part of the third Trinity. All of his kind stood nearest to the humans and they had no special names, they were just simply called angels. Shrugging he set his thoughts aside and almost ran the last few meters towards Jun�s quarters. Without knocking he opened the huge doors and rushed into the room. He looked around until he found what he was searching for, stopping in front of a comfortable looking seat. Jun was sitting there, reading a very old book, but looking up when hearing someone entering his room. In fact, Shinya was so loud, a dead man couldn�t have overheard it. Jun pouted disapprovingly towards Shinya, who smiled nervously and waved a short hello in return.

"Did you know that God would send me a message?" Shinya came straight to the point, and let himself plump down unto a sofa across from Jun.

"A good evening to you too, Shinya." He said matter-of-factly. "And yes, I could assume you would get a message since I also got one."

"What did yours say?" Shinya was curious and couldn�t sit still. "That I should accompany you to your first task." He answered shortly and stood up, going over towards a cabinet. "You want something to drink?"

"Do you have grape-juice?" Shinya asked with brightened eyes. Jun nodded and took out two fragile looking glasses, filling them with juice and setting them on the table in front of Shinya, who reached out with his slender fingers to gracefully take one glass.

"But why is he sending me down to earth, Jun?" Shinya sank back into his seat, folding his legs beneath himself. His white wings were building a cape around his lithe form, enclosing him like a just to open flower, only his hands and head were visible.

Jun sat down and looked sorrowful at the younger one before him. Their eyes locked. "Shinya, have you ever heard about the story of Sitael and Manakel?" He shook his head in negation. "Then listen carefully now." Jun said emphatic but with a soft voice, his face seemingly dismally. He looked over towards some paintings at a wall, showing them a long forgotten story.

"It happened, a long time before we were born, that a Seraph and an Angel fell in love with each other. It wouldn�t haven been a big deal if they had loved one of their own kind but their feelings were stronger than anything else. Sitael was God�s favorite Seraph, his wings were baby blue like the sky while Manakel was an angel under Gabriel like you are now." He glanced over to Shinya. "Their love was unique, and no matter what classes they were in, or what bounds the others set to restrain them from seeing each other, their free will was stronger beyond imagination. So it came that God, a kind being, accepted their liaison and created a pendant, which should protect their love trough all time but it also meant that they had to leave heaven forever. They gladly took the chance to live together freely, even if it meant they would be banned from their home and becoming humans."

Shinya shrugged. "I don�t see the problem, then. They were happy, ne?"

Jun shook his head and sighed, he stood up and went over to the wall, laying one hand on the paintings there. "They could have been happy, yeah. But somehow it wasn�t supposed to be. After God�s decision they got attacked from other angels. Rumors say it was on Gabriel�s order but nobody knows for sure. Within the fight their bodies dissolved and their souls got separated. They both fell down on earth and since then they�re searching for each other." He turned around. "And this is were our story begins. Sitael and Manakel were reincarnated over thousand of years and now they have found each other."

Shinya pricked up his ears and exclaimed. "No way!" /I�ve never been told that lost souls found their destination again./

Jun smiled but got serious again after an instant. "There�s one problem. God thinks they�re in danger if someone gets to know about it� and they will, someday."

"But God�s message says that I have to protect a young human, who�s�" He searched for the notice to read it over again. "�still in High school." Shinya looked up at Jun with questioning eyes.

"Shinya, they�re human. They don�t know about their past. It was coincidence they meet at all after such a long time. You can be sure it wasn�t predictable or planned from fate. It won�t be long now until they�re in great danger." Jun sat down again, quite nervously now.

"Okay." Shinya nodded in understanding. "But I don�t see why God want to send us?"

Jun laughed and leaned back into his seat. "Ne, did you already forget what happened ten years ago?"

"Huh?"

"Shinya, you lost my angels egg!" Jun pointed out indignantly. Shinya remembered and fingered at his hair. "Oh that one."

"Well, it landed on a young boy named Toshiya. And this is the fact, which supposedly changed their fate. Do you know what that means?" Jun asked.

"Yes." Shinya replied confidently but then rethinking about it. "Ehm�actually no." He said quietly.

"It means that you caused it. Toshiya is the reincarnation of Sitael. Probably the angel's egg got draw to him because Sitael�s soul was within him. We still don�t know if it had any influence on him but there are no signs of any changes." Jun explained. "Shinya, do you know how important our task is?" Shinya could only nod his head, the realization of it all slowly sinking in.

"We have to protect two young life�s, who don�t know what�s going on, who are not remembering their past and we have to repay at least a little of their pain, which some block-heads caused."

Shinya opened his wings and they fluttered slightly. "When will get down to earth?" Now, his spirit was on fire.

Jun took Shinya�s hand and smiled at him. "As soon as possible."

***

End of Part One