Kurinai sleuthed against the wall, a prim cat after its prey, hood up and hunched over. Zenji moved behind him in similar clothes, cloaks a dark color of brown and black. The combination was not great fashion but made for good camouflage. Their trousers were tighter, allowing for a quieter approach, less ruffling of fabric as a result.

            The night sky was dark, the sun having just fled from the sky, pushed away by the army of stars at the call of their general, the moons, Alega and Vor both shedding layers of yellow and blue light across the city and bouncing off the semi-polished cobblestones of the street.

            The two walked around a corner of a shop, having a full view of the bakery farther down, lamps lit and shining through an open side door into the street. An alley followed the corner of the door and behind the structure from the street’s cobblestone fringe.

            “No one has left yet.” Kurinai said. “I can feel the worker’s minds moving about inside.”

            “I think we should find a better place to wait.” Zenji said.

            Kurinai looked around and saw a ladder leading up to the roof of one of the shops in the alley next to them.

“There.” Kurinai said, pointing to the ladder. “We can watch from the roof.”

            “Looks good to me.” Zenji said.

            The two moved to the other side of the street, keeping their eyes keen for onlookers and danger. They began to climb up the ladder, the wood creaking as they rose to the roof making Kurinai cringe. As they moved up, Zenji coughed, clearing his throat to speak.

            “So, what’s the plan, Pan?”

            Kurinai laughed. “Well, we will wait I suppose. We have nothing much else to do.”

            “Then we’ll barge in?” Zenji asked.

            Kurinai leaned over the edge of the roof to help Zenji up the rest of the way. “I am not sure. Maybe we should just wait until we see them, then go in or something. I can use my powers, you yours.”

            The two walked to the edge of the building, quickly finding the bakery down the street.

            “Wait, how do we get down when we see them?” Zenji asked.

            “I—did not think about that.” Kurinai said, embarrassed. “Can you ease us down?”

            “I don’t think so. Not sure why, but I can’t influence people with my powers very well, except myself. It’s kind of weird.” Zenji said.

“What about the soldiers from the other day?” Kurinai asked.

Zenji opened his mouth to talk, then stopped. “I don’t know…I’m confused now.”

He then seemed to stare into the distance, as if thinking. He nodded after a moment.

            “What was that?” Kurinai said.

            Zenji turned to him, brow furrowing. “What was what?”

            “You stared off down the street, then nodded, as if in agreement. But I did not say anything to you.”

            “Oh—it was nothing.” Zenji smiled.

            Kurinai looked at Zenji for a moment. Sometimes I wonder about you, Zen. “Alright.” Kurinai said, confused.

            “If I were to tell you,” Zenji started, “that I hear…voices, what would you say?”

            “That is a very odd question. Why do you ask?” Kurinai said.

            “Well, I’m curious. What would you say?”

            “Do we not all hear voices when people talk?”

            “I mean…in my head.” Zenji said, looking around awkwardly.

            Kurinai turned to face Zenji and looked him over, puzzled by the conversation. “Then I would say you are crazy, or you are gifted. Depends on what the voices say and where they are coming from.” Kurinai said.

            “Thought so.”

            “Why? Do you?”

            Zenji laughed. “Uh, no. Why would that be? No one’s that crazy.” He smiled, but then his face turned sour. “Rude.”

            “I was only trying to entertain your hypothetical.” Kurinai said. “I did not say anything meant to be rude.”

            Nervously, Zenji said, “It’s just rude that the baker is making us wait this long.” He smiled.

            “You are a strange boy.” Kurinai said, internally actually a bit concerned.

            A man yelled down the street, getting both of their attentions.

            “Who was that?” Zenji said.
            “I cannot see the man.” Kurinai said. “I can sense him down the street some ways, though.”

            The man turned the corner, coming into view, in all his drunken splendor.

            “Oh, he’s just drunk.” Zenji said.

            The bakery door slammed open.

            “Shut it, slump!” A burly man said, pulling a large crate out the door and into the street. “I told you to come help me! Now my back’s hurting.” The man said, just before another, equally brute-like man came out to “help.”

            “Sorry, I found an extra bean bun.”

            “The boss don’t like us eating those. Just don’t get caught.” The two laughed, then cracked open the crate. After the crate was opened, something strange happened.

            From the shadows, other forms moved towards the crate like mice to fresh refuse.

            “The Baker gave you all delivery instructions.” The first worker said. “Don’t disappoint. You know what happens when…that happens. Sorry, I can’t speak good.”

            The shadows neared closer, cloaks flowing around them and across the ground.

            “We need to move now, Zen!” Kurinai said.

            “I can distract them. You get down there as fast as you can.” Zenji stood, then jumped off the roof. Dirt blew away as Zenji neared the ground, throwing out a puff of dust. “That is far enough gentlemen.” Zenji said. “Or women. I can’t tell under all those cloaks.”

Kurinai could tell how nervous Zenji was, from the shaking and shifting of his feet, but his voice gave no indication.

            It almost seems like he has done this before. Kurinai thought.

            The shadow’s heads turned, faces masked by darkness. Then the two men looked to Zenji.

            “What’s this?” the first said.

            “You trying to be funny, kid?” the other, larger one said.

            “I’m the hero this city needs. I’m here to stop the Baker’s treachery.” Zenji said.

            That was a little bit much, Kurinai thought as he scrambled down the ladder, moving as fast as was safe, one foot after another with careful placements on the creaking wood.

            “Is that so?” One of the men said.

            “Yes,” Kurinai said, walking up to Zenji’s side. “Your evil stops tonight.”

            The two men laughed.

            Kurinai leaned over to Zenji and whispered, “Are we being too, well, childish?”

            Zenji just shook his head, focused on the men in front of them.

            “Two of you now? Ha! And who might you be then?”

            “Uro.” Zenji said.

            “And Khar.” Kurinai said. “The ancient Aspects of Justice and Mercy. We will bring peace to this city, to this country.”

            Zenji leaned over again and whispered, “I thought I was going to distract them.”

            “And you have all the fun?” Kurinai said, smiling.

            The men’s faces darkened. “You’re serious? Well, Couriers, hurry and grab your share.”

            The shadows hesitantly moved towards the crate.

            “Alas, ‘tis not possible.” Zenji said.

            “A bit much.” Kurinai whispered.

            Zenji reached out and pulled on the crate, bringing it closer to Kurinai and Zenji. Then, Kurinai forced a screeching sound into their minds, causing them to place their hands over their ears in pain, a few of them going down on their knees, except the Baker’s men who only stood there, eyes scrunching.

            “What is that?” One of the burly men said.

            Then, Zenji threw himself at the Couriers.

            He flew through the air like a bird, like a bird that can’t fly. He slammed into the closest person. Zenji rolled over them, hands grazing over their chest briefly, a look of shock running across his face.

            “She’s a woman!” Zenji said, embarrassed. Then, Kurinai entered the fray, running at one of the couriers and throwing some kicks and punches, two to the chest and a kick to the left ear. The courier went down without trouble, hood falling off, revealing a young man now covered in welts doomed to turn to bruises, looking up in fear.

            “I will not disobey you, Khar. Let me live!” The boy said. He was perhaps ten, maybe a year younger. Kurinai’s eyes went wide.

            He looked at the two men at the door. “You employ children?!”

            Kurinai felt something shift in the air, the atmosphere tensing and getting heavy. Then, he saw Zenji suddenly grow dark, standing to his feet. The ground shook, causing some shop signs to shake slightly.

            Kurinai looked to Zenji. Was that you, Zen?

            Then, Zenji raised a hand and the two men shot back-first into the bakery, shredding the door frame and surrounding brick with flesh and cloth.

            The rest of the couriers fled, disappearing into the night without their haul.

            Kurinai looked down to the boy at his feet. “Disappear. Leave the city. Do not come back.”

            “But my family…my sisters…”

            “Take them with you.” Kurinai dropped a few gold wens on the ground. The boy’s eyes widened, then grabbed the coins.

            “I thank you, Khar.” Then he left.

            “Maybe you should be Khar.” Kurinai said. “That was scary.”

            Zenji’s eyes were forward, unmoving. He didn’t acknowledge Kurinai but began walking forward to the bakery.

            “Is the Baker inside?” Zenji said, cold and void of light.

            Kurinai searched the bakery, closing his eyes. “Yes, him and three others.”

            “Very well.” Zenji said, then brought his hands up, palm facing the bakery.

            The ground shook again.

            Zenji roared, yelling at the walls of the bakery. Then, he brought his palm down in a single, quick motion. In an instant, the bakery flattened, wood splintering into oblivion, shards filling the air around them. Dust blew like a hurricane outward, engulfing the street in a cloud of dirt.

            Kurinai covered his face, getting disoriented in the cloud. Zenji…

            He looked for Zenji in the dust but couldn’t find him.

            “They’re here.” Zenji said, somewhere in the mess of bricks and wood.

            Kurinai found him in his mind, standing in the middle of it all.

            The dust settled and there stood Zenji, atop a man covered in rubble. The Baker seemed relatively unharmed. Three dead men laid next to him, wood planks impaling the men and pools of blood flowing around them. Zenji had his hand around the man’s neck.

            “Zen.” Kurinai said, in a soft voice. “Calm down. We need to question him.” He sent Zenji peaceful feelings, but he shook his head, forcing them away.

            “Do not get into my head.” Zenji said. “No friend would do that, and if we’re friends, you won’t do that.”

            “I am just trying to—”

            Zenji turned and stared at Kurinai.

            Kurinai backed off, shocked by this new side to his friend. “Very well, Zen.”

            “What does he know?” Zenji said. His eyes almost seemed black with coldness and absolute focus.

            The Baker looked at Kurinai.

            You can’t get anything from me, Mystic. The baker said in his mind.

            You have done horrible things. Kurinai thought back. You and what you do is the first step to changing this country.

            The Baker spat.

            “What’s he thinking?” Zenji said, calmer than before, his original self returning slowly.

            “He refuses to let me in.”

            “Push harder!” Zenji said.

            Kurinai looked at Zenji, but tried to force himself in, ripping at the layers of resistance in the Baker’s mind.

            In a few short seconds, the barriers broke, and Kurinai could see his mind.

            Mesmira. Mesmira. Mesmira. They will destroy you, mage. The Baker thought, a smile on his face, then with an incredible amount of force, threw Zenji off him and into the air. He came down with a hard thump on some broken wood planks. The Baker reached into his pocket for something, then rammed it into his mouth.

            Zenji rolled over, slowly getting up to his feet.

            The Baker’s body started to convulse.

            “What did you do?” Zenji asked.

            “Nothing. He ate something.”

            “They’re going to find you, Uro’Khar.” The Baker said in-between fits of spasms. “You will die in the blood of your friends and loved ones. He will gorge, and you will lose.” The Baker began to spit out a white foam, then died, last breath escaping his foam-covered lips.

            “What happened?” Zenji asked, returning to his normal self.

He seems…unfazed. Kurinai thought.

            People had begun to gather, despite the late hour. The two looked at each other with worry.

            “We need to get out of here!” Kurinai said. Zenji nodded, and they ran down the street, avoiding the growing crowd.

            Soldiers ran up and surrounded the fallen bakery, swarming it like ants to a doughnut.

            Zenji and Kurinai turned a corner to watch, out of eyesight. “Are you alright, Zen? I’ve never…seen that out of you.”

            Zenji huffed long breaths. “I—I don’t know.”

It is starting to catch up to him. Kurinai thought.

            “I just want to get out of here.” Zenji said, turning down the alley before Kurinai could stop him.

I need to keep an eye on him.