Kurinai in a hushed voice said, “Zen! Is that you below that bush of hair? I haven’t seen you in years! Yes, come in, of course.” He stood up and greeted Zenji with a light hug. Even though the Masuroto family had been bred from corruption and greed, Kurinai had somehow avoided those characteristics. The influence Zenji and his mother had on him had also made a difference. He would be a good man, and a fair politician.

The two stood for a moment of awkwardness. Zenji began to shift his feet back and forth.

“Ah, well, do you need a bath? The smell says so.” Kurinai said.

Zenji smiled, but shook his head.

Kurinai motioned for Zenji to sit on his bed at which point Zenji fidgeted for a moment then slowly inched over. He sat with a soft thud. The fluff made Zenji melt into the bedding, forgetting his nights’ predicament for a moment.

Kurinai looked around, slightly nervous. Time had made things…awkward. “What can I do for you Zen?” Kurinai looked around the room as he fidgeted with his thumbs.

Zenji’s throat caught. “I—” He paused, questioning coming to Kurinai with his problems. His mind filled with red dust billowing around him as bricks flattened, buildings crumbled, and soldiers dying. Emotion returned to him in a rush, floodgate beginning to crack again.

“I—I just killed four soldiers who had caught me after I stole a kull off a fruit stand.” He fought back the tears, patching the cracks as he went. Zenji braced for the backlash, the nobleman in the making being a responsible official of the Empire. He felt Kurinai stiffen next to him. “But, no one else was killed in the two buildings I also destroyed. I bet half the city wants to find me now.” Zenji’s head drooped followed by a wave of visible depression.

“I see. I’m sorry, Zen.” Kurinai said, slightly forced. “Was it your powers?”

Zenji nodded, a few tears bobbing down his nose.

“I swore I’d never use my powers again, Kurinai.” Zenji said. “I didn’t even know them, and it hurts this much! And they were trying to kill me, too!”

Kurinai spoke in a softer tone. “I don’t blame you for defending yourself. The soldiers in this city aren’t honorable, not by half. Was this the only other time you have used your abilities since—well, since your mother died?”

Zenji shook his head. “One other time to help the gang just a few days ago.”

“Right.” Kurinai said. “Well, I can honestly say that I’m not mad or concerned about that. Those men met their fate in a timely manner.”

Zenji started. “What? You aren’t worried about me killing someone?”

Kurinai stared off through the open balcony, saying nothing. Zenji’s depressive mood seemed to ebb into Kurinai as well.

“Ever since…your mother died, I have lost all respect for both this city and those that protect it. A place that kills so freely without mercy and seeks blood to resolve problems is a place that is evil and should be scoured with hot irons until it is purified, especially one that pretends to do otherwise.” Kurinai blushed. “I’m sorry. This just has been on my mind lately.”

“No! I’m sorry, Kurinai. That day…you know that—”

Kurinai held up a hand and continued. “I know, but—it doesn’t end there. Yesterday, I overheard my father receiving a report on an incident that made me chill to the bone.” Kurinai sighed, then continued. “Half of a squad from the general army visited a brothel and asked for unreasonable services. When the women would not comply, despite being backed by the brothel, the soldiers attempted to…harm the women. When they were thrown out by the security of the brothel, they later followed the women to their homes and one by one slaughtered them in their beds after—violating them.

“Zenji, one of the women was husbandless and was trying to raise two young children with no help. Those children will likely die now. And on top of it all, the local Sergeants were ordered to cover it up. So, no, I have no sympathy for those men you killed. And as far as I can tell, the day you lost your mother was just the summit of the crystal.”

Kurinai stopped talking, then reached for a book on his desk.

“Hearing of this make me think about a line in a book I am reading for my philosophy studies. It reads: ‘For a tree to grow where you want it to, it must first be pruned and trimmed, sometimes even cut to the dirt.’ This country, this city tries to show the impossible perfection that it thinks it has, but just underneath it all, it’s as black as obsidian.”

Zenji stared off. “I don’t know how to feel about that. I still killed men, even if they were evil.”

Kurinai nodded. “Yes, but I am sure you still feel happy about being alive, nor did you relish in the killing, in protecting yourself.”

Zenji smiled for a moment. “I suppose that’s true, but their deaths won’t leave my mind.”

“What have you been doing for the last five years?”

Zenji smiled, caught off guard by the turn in the conversation. “I was wondering when you’d ask me. I’ve been in a gang.”

“Ah,” Kurinai said. “I wondered when you mentioned them. A food gang?”

Zenji nodded. “I wouldn’t dare join any other gang. I just got out actually. That’s why I got caught tonight. The first time in a while where I stole food for myself.”

“What exactly happens in one of those gangs?”

“We steal food.” Zenji said. “But it’s for the main heads of the gang, or just the gang leader if it’s a smaller gang, like the one I was in. If we get good food, we get either coin or food in exchange and an alley to sleep in that’s protected. But it’s brutal if you don’t bring in a daily amount. And it gets higher the older you are.”

“How did you get out?” Kurinai asked.

Zenji smiled. “Well, I wanted to win a fight, but they ended up kicking me out.”

Kurinai frowned. “I don’t understand.”

Zenji stared in confusion. “Oh, right. Well, in this gang, you have the right to fight the leader for either control of the gang or the right to leave, but you can’t come back. Ever. I wanted out and planned to fight the leader. But plans changed I guess…”

Kurinai smiled. “Good for you, Zen. I find it interesting to hear of such honor even in a food gang.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t know what’s going to happen now, because of tonight and food for the next meal. I’m not as good stealing for myself for some reason. I think it might have to do with the fact that there’s no hammer hanging over my head if I don’t.”

Kurinai smiled. “Well, you won’t have to steal anymore food, for good. I’ll let you have as much as you like here at the mansion. Too long have we been apart, Zen.” He laid his hand on Zenji’s shoulder. The awkwardness began to melt away, a long friendship being reunited. It felt much like it did back then to Zenji.

Zenji protested. “No, I can’t make you do that. What if someone notices you sneaking food out?”

“Not a problem,” said Kurinai. “I’m the Seat of Council’s only son. I can demand anything I like. Especially because my father won’t care to investigate if I am actually getting any fatter from the requests.”

“Isn’t that risky at all?” Asked Zenji. “I don’t want to be a burden, or a—what’s that word?”

Kurinai laughed. “I think you mean ‘nuisance,’ right?”

“Yeah,” Zenji said. “That’s the word. Did I ever say thank you enough for teaching me all the lessons you were learning those years ago? I can still remember, uh, that one word! Pretentious. I’m sorry. I’m talking like a river now.” The redness around Zenji’s eyes had begun to recede. It was just like when they were kids, the lessons and the smiles. Zenji could barely tell the years had passed since the last time they sat for a lesson. Kurinai even still used his old nickname for Zenji. He thought on those days, days where his mother knew what to do, where to go, who to talk to, and Kurinai’s frequent visits.

“It’s fine, Zen. And you never stopped thanking me,” Kurinai said. “Well, that is until you disappeared. Your mother also expressed her gratitude for me teaching you a little of what I knew. Would you like me to teach you again?”

Zenji, aghast, said, “I can’t take your food and your lessons. That doesn’t seem right.”

Kurinai smiled. “That seems right to me. One of the only really right things that go on in this city.” Kurinai’s expression darkened.

Zenji cocked his head. “What is it Kurinai?”

Kurinai looked back to Zenji and said, “That incident was just one of the times I’ve overheard my father. I have heard of other things, too, that my father has done and ordered, and things that the Emperor himself has issued orders for. That’s not to mention the weakening respect for enforcement soldiers.”

Zenji saddened again. “And for many of those things I’ve been on the other end of a sword. Not like tonight, though. Even the food gangs and the other gangs can’t hold much over the soldiers. I wish this city could change.”

Kurinai cocked his head, idea springing into his mind. “What if we can change it?”

“Huh?” Zenji asked. “Change the city? Kurinai, we’re only seventeen years old. What can we possibly do? I can throw rocks, I guess. I’m not a half-bad throw, when I’m scared that is.”

Kurinai smiled. “Well, we can prepare ourselves to be able to make some real change. Maybe get word out of crimes committed by the Empire or something. Expose them in the act.”

Zenji shrugged. “I guess. Not sure how, though.”

“Zen,” Kurinai said. “We can change the course of how things are done here. Eventually, I may gain some real power here in Tokeyama and I have access to nearly endless funds.”

“What would it take to change a…what was it…culture?

“Mhm. And I don’t know,” Kurinai said. “But whatever we do, it would be worth it.”

Zenji frowned. “Kurinai, if only we had a way, I’d be jumping in on that plan like a fish flopping on the deck of a boat.” Zenji grew more somber, voice quieting. “I hate this city. Things got bad after…mom died. It took me a few months to find a food gang to join. I had a lot of bruises by then, and I was even worse at stealing food.”

Kurinai nodded. “I understand Zenji.”

“I had to survive, you know?” Zenji said. “I needed food. And I didn’t know how to get it otherwise.”

Then, Zenji’s demeanor changed, and a look of determination came onto his face, pulsing conviction from his body. He let his ambition grow, pulling hope along with it.

Zenji turned back to Kurinai and smiled. “Let’s do it! Let’s bring down the house of—what’s that word for a bad ruler or something?”

“A tyrant?”

“Yeah, but the other word, like that but for the government or something?”

“Tyranny?”

“Yeah, that’s it!” Zenji said. “Let’s bring down the house of tyranny here in this country and let people live in peace, not fear. And really show not just other people of Control how bad it is here, but the rest of the nations. Let’s rebel!” He shouted a bit too loud, causing the two to shrink slightly.

Kurinai thought for a moment, really thinking about what Zenji said.

“It almost sounds ridiculous when I hear it out loud.” Kurinai said. “Especially the rebelling part.”

“Don’t all great ideas?” Zenji said.

“You like to think big, don’t you?” Kurinai asked. “More dream than reality?”

Zenji focused on Kurinai with a dark look. “Reality hasn’t given me anything good. So why not dream? And if I’m going to dream, why not big? That’s what got me out of the food gang.” He smiled.

Kurinai looked at Zenji, then said, “Just to say it, this is a dangerous idea. But I think it’s time that people really knew what Control is, and not the façade that it seems to be. We could even get the help of other nations potentially.”

“Fashid?” Zenji said, blubbering out the pronunciation.

“No, façade. It means fake, like a mask over the truth,” Kurinai said.

“Hmm,” Zenji said. “I’ll have to remember that.” He smiled. “Anyway, your idea is even better! But I don’t think the kings or whatever of the other nations would be all that helpful unless we had proof or something like that.”

“Yes,” Kurinai said. “You’re right. I guess we will have to make a few cracks before that can happen, which means we cannot fully rebel until then.”

Zenji smirked slightly, a devious smile creeping onto his face. “What happens when the law doesn’t agree with what is right anymore?”

“What?”

Zenji looked out to the city. “Justice intervenes with the hands of heroes, skipping across the lake of law, touching it, but never sinking. I’d hear other vegas share stories that had that stuff in it. That sounded like something a sage would say, too! But, it’s like that one time where the two thieves broke into the Seat of Commerce’s estate and stole tons of coin and gave it to local merchants and the poor. Then, it turned out he was taking coin for himself. I think that was a while ago, right?”

Kurinai turned, concerned, “Are you saying—”

“We take law into our own hands,” said Zenji. “We become the heroes of this city and of Control. We take the sword to them, those making this place so dark and hard to live in.” The smile grew as Zenji continued to think about the idea of a rebellion, then faded in an instant. “Well, maybe not.” Zenji said, face drooping, realizing just how crazy he sounded.

“I—well, I do not know if we could really do that. The law is there for a reason.”

Zenji sighed. “I know. But, I just—”

A knock sounded at Kurinai’s door.

“Get out of here!” Kurinai said hissed. “I will talk to you tomorrow.”

Zenji nodded and said, “You’re a good guy, Kurinai.” Then, he was out the window and down the vine in a second.