They say before you start a war,
you better know what you're fighting for.
-The Cab

Chapter 2: The Market Place
Aoi Hyuuga

I was at war with myself.

And I was ninety nine percent sure that I was losing. How about the remaining percentage, you ask?

What's keeping me from that hundred was the fact I was still breathing, that's my one percent. Initially, I was like a parent, having such high expectations on such a lonely proportion that maybe the pressure was too much and the end result would not be what I originally wanted. But I learned from that. Believe it or not. Years of experience, I suppose, did the trick. Listening to the radio late at night for news even though my father forbid me from doing so, talking to our neighbors to the point where we had to leave because they were starting to suspect, searching the garbage bins outside of convenient stores past midnight for newspapers from the day before and many more have, for now, taught me two things.

First, you do not expect, you can only hope.

And lastly, it does not end with hope, action follows.

Don't just sit there and watch.

I was not just curious nor nosy. I wanted to know what was going on in this country. And something had to be done. The world was not some blockbuster movie and the people were not fictional characters. This was real. This was happening.

But in my current position, from being torn with my urge to fight for justice, for what I believe was right, to running from everything with my father just to ensure my safety... it's not that easy.

It's far from easy.

Especially for a fifteen year old girl.

I huffed, trying to shake the thoughts away that have been hunting me for the past few years. Usually running helped me calm my nerves down. Keyword: usually. But not today, obviously not today. Maybe it was this new town, the atmosphere's different, the people are... different. It was like they knew something was off with the father and daughter who recently moved in two weeks ago.

"This is not helping," I said to myself as I turned right, following my usual route back to the house which was on the very top of a hill.

As I reached its base, I jogged in place looking up. It has been an hour since I left and the sun finally realized that it was time to wake up and hit the horizon.

Right on time, I thought.

A second later, I started to jog uphill. It wasn't high but I could still feel Gravity doing its purpose. Pulling me down every step of the way as I went up, rooting me in place. My muscles didn't hurt as much when I first started. Dad was the one who suggested it to me. I thought he was simply helping me clear my mind off of things. He wasn't. He was training me. I realized that a few weeks after when he told me he was going to teach me self defense. It tested not only my strength (which I didn't know I had) but my patience and perseverance as well. I've never seen my father so determined in my life. It wasn't like him to be like that. It took me by surprise, actually.

So when I asked him how he knew all those while we were preparing to spar, he simply answered, "Your mother. She was always stronger than me and of course I had to do something about that. I trained by myself but she found out about it. Made fun of me at first but she ended up teaching me what she knew."He had a smile on his face, as he secured his headgear.

"And now you're passing it down to me. What you learned from her," I said.

"That's how it's supposed to be, Aoi." He grinned at me.

My mother died a year after I was born. I don't have any memory of her but dad had a photograph of her in his wallet. She was breathtakingly beautiful. Dad also told me stories about her, how brave she was and that they went to the Academy together. She used to go to missions for the Academy when they were in high school. They were already going out then and it worried my father to the core. I never had a full grasp about that idea. Why did the students with powerful Alices had to go through with that? Shouldn't the school be taking care of them and not risk their lives for their dirty work? I dared not ask dad those questions. I only listened when he told stories about mom. It was a rare opportunity and I did not have the heart to interrupt.

I would never forget that day. It was the first time dad actually smiled since the announcement of that stupid law.

I had to smile back as I fixed my stance. "I miss her too." I paused for a second or two. "Now how about I kick your butt?"

Good times. Good times.

I started to slow my pace as the house came into view. I kicked my shoes off leaving them on the porch. Once inside I went upstairs to my bedroom to wash my face and change into a new set of clothes. And just to be sure I checked up on my dad if he was still there. I could hear his snores steps away from his room.

Still asleep. Of course.

I shook my head and rolled my eyes. The note I've written was right where I left it, untouched.

I readied myself for my little trip to the market place and with one last glance at the empty halls of the place I could never call home, I was, for the second time of the day, headed for the door.

One of the first things that I noticed when we moved in was that people in this town start the day pretty early. They were quite the morning persons. It was only a quarter past seven but most of the the stalls were already open. Mothers and a few number of daughters holding baskets were out and about buying, some bargaining for lower prices.

But what I liked the most about this was the gossip. Females were experts. They don't just buy, pay, and leave. They talk, buy, talk, pay, talk, and leave. They were better than the news who practically tell us nothing.

"Ah, good morning, Yuki."

Yuki. That was my name here.

I smiled back at her and went over her stand of fruits. "Good morning, Mrs. Fujita."

"How are you? I saw you running on my way here this morning. You sure are an athletic one, eh? Do you need anything?"

Mrs. Fujita was in her late-thirties and she lived with her family in our neighborhood. She was also the first (and only) person who welcomed us when dad and I arrived.

"I'm doing good. Really? I didn't notice you. I'm sorry," I laughed as I answered her questions. "Oh, I'll get-"

"Let me guess, strawberries?" she asked, her tone all motherly.

I raised both my shoulders, surrendering. "You know me."

"Your name should have been Ichigo, darling. You go pick the ones you like."

My name was Ichigo. Four cities ago.

She turned her attention to a woman who just arrived. "Choko! I haven't seen you in a while. How may I help you?" she asked.

I wondered why there was no reply when, from the corner of my eye, I realized she was looking at me. Right. Who wouldn't act cautious around the suspicious new girl? Maybe except for Mrs. Fujita. These people have known each other for years. And ever since four years ago, the people who usually moved to new places were the ones who were running away from the government. Nobody was leaving for the sake of leaving. Majority, the Non-Alices, stayed were they were.

I heard Mrs. Fujita cleared her throat as I busied myself with the strawberries. "Choko?"

The woman beside me lowered her voice but I heard her clearly. "Did you hear?"

Now we're getting somewhere.

Mrs. Fujita knew this as well. "About what?"

"The bombings in the Academy," Choko said.

I froze, nearly dropping a strawberry. I easily recovered a heartbeat later as I controlled myself. That was close. A single reaction could have blown my cover.

"Dear heavens, no. What happened?" Complete and utter worry was present in her eyes.

"My husband just came back from Tokyo last night. There was one a month ago and another three days ago," she explained. "He said officials were trying to break in. They succeeded."

At her last statement, I held my breath.

"But that school's heavily protected!"

"I know. My hunch is that there was a spy."

"How about the children? The students?"

I thought I was imagining things when I heard Choko fighting back a sob. "A bloodbath. Nobody knows the number of survivors. It's horrible. It didn't even make the news. They were just children. This is ridiculous. Alices or not they were children."

Mrs. Fujita covered her mouth with one hand and reached the other to comfort her friend who was breaking down.

Amidst of all these, there were still people who care. People who do not look at you and question at the back of their whether or not you're an Alice.

I had enough. I couldn't take it anymore.

I gathered up the courage to speak. "I'll take these, Mrs. Fujita."

As if forgetting that I was there, she turned to me, lost. "Ah, of course of course, Yuki."

I handed her the exact amount, thanked her, and turned to leave.

"Yuki."

I stopped on my tracks and gripped my basket.

It wasn't Mrs. Fujita, it was Choko.

I craned my neck and met her gaze. "Yes?"

Her words sent shivers down my spine.

"You take care now."

I reached the house earlier than usual. My hands were shaking as I took out my keys. I still couldn't shake of the feeling that Choko knew. Thoughts, images and voices bombarded my mind.

A bloodbath.

Alices or not they were children.

You take care now.

I was hyperventilating. I needed to get inside.

It was only when I used my key when I realized that there was something wrong.

The door wasn't locked. I'd bet my life that I did not leave it that way.

I dropped my basket and ran inside the house.

My note was gone.

So was my dad.

Author's notes: Ironic how I'm posting this chapter on Father's day. This isn't on purpose. OTL Pardon my typos and errors if there were a couple that I've overlooked. Care to leave a review?

-VCL (6/16/2013)