(The Real Deal) Prolouge: He crept through the hall, feet not making a sound. He kept looking into each of the rooms he passed, each one revealing another member of the royal family. The rooms were identical in some ways. They had curved roofs with a blue and white tiled floor. The lace curtains in each room were billowing softly as if they were in a small breeze, occasionally leaking in moonlight at times, making it seem almost like a dream. But the ninja had only one member of the royal family in mind. Prince Jarod was only fifteen, but next in line for the crown. He crept into Prince Jarod's room, where he slept upon a velvet couch, clothes strewn about. Prince Jarod was young, but definitely handsome. He had sharp brown eyes with well-defined features, and brown hair. He was sleeping in his night clothes, which the ninja found pathetic, because on the right shoulder sleeve, a small crown was embroidered. The ninja drew his shruiken, making a small sound. Prince Jarod awoke immidiately, and upon seeing the ninja, drew his sword from his back where a leather sheath was concealed. The ninja threw his shruiken at the prince, but with the grace and ease of a well-seasoned warrior, he deflected it by tilting his sword to an angle. The ninja threw another. Each shruiken was only about a split-second apart, but the second shruiken found it's mark, and Jarod collapsed, his brown eyes now dull with death. The ninja slipped through an open window and took off through an alley, littered with trash and dumpsters with flickering streetlights with bugs flying around them. The ninja ran into the forest, leaving no indication anything had ever happened in that beautiful city of Harlan.
Chapter 1: Just Your Typical Day... I ran, the small chicken starting to slip and smear grease over my already ruined little orphan "uniform." Psh. I don't even think uniform describes it. More like trash. But that's just me. Anyways, back to my problem at hand: The butcher was quite angry. He was swinging his butcher knife in a maddened frenzy, his face going all sorts of colors. "I left money!" I yelled back. It was a lie, but better than getting sliced in half. At least, before he found out it was a lie. Then I'd have to run away to ANOTHER orphange. I shivered at the thought, but kept running, seeing Julia Darcey's Home For Orphaned Children. Though behind her back, we all just call it "The Dumpster." The place was a wreck, in more generous terms. It had a dusty rug, just blatant gray. We had a red couch, but it too was dusty and had lost a peg. We all suspect a dust bunny family has been growing up under it. The kitchen. Don't even get me started on the kitchen. The food tastes like stuff from a real Dumpster, not kidding. We eat on newspaper. I know, she can't even afford a paper plate. The forks. Wow. We didn't have any. Or spoons. It just came down to flat-out hands. And no running water. There was a small freshwater spring outside which was where we washed and cleaned the "plates" and our hands. And any food we could get, which by orphan standards was considered "luxorious," it was an all out free-for-all. Though I'm usually the winner. I just sneak out, steal a little piece of sausage from the butcher, maybe sneak a few apples from the town market stall, the usual. There were two people from the orphanage I did share with though, because they're practically my best friends. Ty, who's clothing is barely more than a lioncloth and a shirt made out of fibers, which even then had scratches and tears. He was definitely flamboyant (You perverted minds. Not the gay kind, just loud and show-offish.) So he liked to impress the few girls of our orphanage. Latamer, my other best friend, happened to be rich, also by orphan standards. Meaning his clothes weren't rags, but that's kind of obvious, because me him and Ty are older than the rest of the orphans. Meaning we we're all fifteen, this trio. Well, enough about me and my friends. I still had the problem of the butcher. Apparently my lie of money hadn't taken him off. He was yelling as we ran through the "market," or town square, "YOU STOLE MY CHICKEN! THAT WAS A PRIZED CHICKEN!" I silently kept laughing. I mean, yelling about a chicken in the middle of a market. That's just stereotypical of this butcher. His name's Rob, so I was simply living up to his name. So technically, he couldn't yell at me, which I yelled at him in my defense, still weaving through the crowd of people. He snorted indignantly, then charged, looking like a mad man with that swinging butcher knife. People scattered before him like a fly from a flyswatter. Again, typical. Nobody liked him, but his food was good, so they grudgingly bought it. C'mon, I silently urged myself. The orphanage is right ahead. I put on a burst of speed, but almost lost my precious chicken. Those few seconds let the butcher catch up, and he tackled me, holding his butcher knife to my neck, and in a deadly calm voice, "Give. Me. The. Chicken." "No," I said. "It's my chicken. I left money." The butcher sneered. "You don't have any money." "Miss Julia gave me some, the orphanage "manager." I smiled slyly, a natural at lying. Sadly, the butcher didn't take his leave. "Don't lie to me, Marcus. I know you took it." I sighed, punched him right on his ugly, little twisted face, then got up and ran into the orphanage, looking worse than I had left.
Chapter 2: I Take Dumpster Dive Express Part One of Two I walked in, brown hair messed up like a cat had attacked me. People actually commented, saying that, pointing at me. "Did he decide to go in an alley and fight some cats?" Or "You'd think he'd learn not to kick cats..." I happened to join in some cheerful chuckles and giggles, just to keep the airy mood going. After all, in this orphanage, fun was truly a dream beyond our reach. Back to them making those comments: I snorted in a good-mannered way, and that earned a laugh. I smiled, the best looking person in our orphanage. Which made the girls, only ten girls when we had fifteen boys, giggle again and blush. I chuckled, then made my way to Miss Julia's office. Psh, what am I saying? I mean, closet. It's not much bigger than a closet, with a makeshift desk of pine wood carved into roughly the shape of a U in the middle of the log, with the top carved off. She was sitting on a cushion, which me, Ty, and Latamer had tried to steal on multiple occasions. No luck of course. I put the chicken on the U in her "desk." She examined it, and I sighed. "It's just a darn chicken. Isn't it good enough?" I stated, exasperated. She looked at me from behind the blurry spectacles she was wearing. "Child, maybe this chicken is flawed in some way." I snorted. "I risked my life for that thing, yet it's still not satisfactory. You set your standards too high." I huffed one last time, then left the room, heading back downstairs to the main room, seeing Ty telling jokes to a girl our age, both of them on the couch. I smiled. He must've pulled it off good, because she had her head on his shoulder, batting her eyelashes. I shook my head, still smiling, then headed to the faded red couch across the room from it. I sat down, tired and exhausted. Another girl my age, beautiful by orphan standards (As usual) made her way next to me casually. I think her name was Katie. She smiled at me, gratefulness clear in her eyes, and she leaned over and whispered in my ear, "Thanks for getting the chicken. It'll make good eating tonight." I simply nodded, physically drained, but mentally, hyped up and ready for my next outing. She scooted a bit closer to me, but just then Miss Julia called for me: "Marcus! Get up here now!" Katie looked crestfallen, and I smiled at her. "I'll be back in a bit." She nodded, and I walked up the stairs for the second time that day. Miss Julia was standing at the top, holding the chicken. "You and your little gang go and cook this thing." I did an inward fist-pump, and took the chicken from her. "My pleasure." I said, eyeing the chicken, my stomach rumbling. I went downstairs again, and this time, there was applauding. The loudest were Katie, Ty, Ty's probably new girlfriend, and Latamer, also sticking rather close to a girl. I bowed jokingly. "I'm here 24/7!" That earned some good-spirited laughter. I signaled for Ty, Katie, Latamer, and Ty's and Latamer's girlfriends to come on. I did a series of complicated sign language, except me Ty and Latamer had made it up ourselves, twisting my hand, forming a triangle, then pointed to the chicken, and the now group of five moved towards me, and we all went out the door. We walked around back, a group of rocks bunched together in a circle with a smoldering log in the middle, ashes scattered around it, and I looked at Ty. "Go and get some timber. And take this ax." I tossed him an axe I had found at the armory earlier, before my chicken thieving. He caught it, motioned at the girl, who I think I remember's name is Jeenie. She giggled and followed him into the woods. I signed to Latamer: "Go with your girl and try and find something to spark the fire. A flint and steel would be great." He nodded, took the girl whose name is Alexis's hand, and walked off to the market square, a good mile away. I turned to Katie and smiled. She smiled and took a step closer to me. I know this may sound shallow, but I just now realized she had feelings for me. I decided to let that run it's own river. I had other problems. She leaned over and kissed my cheek. I flushed in embarrassment, and busied myself in getting to small rods, hollowed out logs with her help, and we made a little roaster. I made a hole with my knife in the wood and slipped each end of the stick through. I chuckled. "Katie, this is what I call orphan ingenuity." She giggled, and sat next to me on the ground. I slid my warm hand into hers, hers feeling ice cold while mine were rather warm. I sighed, seeing Ty and Jeenie returning. I gave Katie a quick kiss on the cheek, and she blushed a furious red, and I stood up. "Toss me the log." He prepped himself, then tossed me the log. I admit, it was rather heavy and awkward, as it landed into my hands. I grunted with the weight of it, and set it under the roaster. He and Alexis went to a nearby tree and snuggled under it. I sighed enviously, and sat back down next to Katie. "Rough day today for me." I told her of Rob the butcher, and she patted my back in sympathy. "You could've taken him on." I chuckled, and stated the obvious: "With that knife, I'd would've been dead before I could say ah." Yes, that's me. Captain Obvious strikes again. She merely nodded, sliding her hand back into mine. I smiled, and kissed her for real this time. She kissed right back, me and her having no idea that Ty and Jeenie were doing the exact same thing we were right now. Author's note: If you guys are liking it, comment please! Sorry for long chapter, even just a part one of it. Just felt like I should make it longer since it's been a while since I've updated this.
I Take Dumpster Dive Express Part Two Of Two I poked around with a stick, and sat up with a grunt, my legs stiff from sitting so long. Latamer was approaching with Alexis, he holding the flint and steel. I nodded my thanks, and he tossed it to me. I caught it and immediately turned and started the fire after a few unsuccessful attempts. We waited for about an hour, and I caught looks of the other kids in the orphanage peeking their heads out of the white with purple lined curtains, staring at the chicken hungrily. I felt a rush of exhaustion sweep through me, having haven't slept in two days, the prospect of what the day after held. The chicken almost fell at one time, but my reflexes are honed as sharp as a knife and I caught it. Ty noticed my exhaustion and made a move to come help, but I simply shook my head, it saying everything. "I can handle this." He sighed, nodded, then we all clambered down the hill, and walked through the front of the orphanage. This time, my return was met with loud cheers of "Marcus!" And occasionally, probably due to hungry stomachs, "WE HAVE CHICKEN!" I brought it forward, all the rest of the children in the orphanage surging around me. I glanced at Katie, and the pure exhaustion running in my eyes, probably doing laps and holding a huge sign saying "I AM TIRED! LET MAH SLEEP!" She nodded, came forward and gave me a quick kiss, and that earned some raised eyebrows from the boys and flares of jealousy from the girls. She took the chicken gently from my hands, looking at me worriedly. I wasn't surprised at all. I probably looked like a wreck. But my mission wasn't done yet. While everyone was distracted, I slipped out the orphanage door, making way for the town square. The people were still milling about, though far less numbers than there had been. But it was still daunting. I found the butcher shop, and slipped around back, seeing the Dumpster. I muttered under my breath: "Passenger Number One reporting for the Dumpster Dive Express." I smiled ruefully, then dove in, this thought running through my head: "Welcome aboard. I hope you like your findings." I shifted through the piles, hardly realizing I was making a racket. It was sad that I didn't. The butcher walked out, thinking I was a raccoon. His mind was changed the instant I poked my head out. "You filthy boy! Chicken thief!" He crashed after me, and I jumped out of the Dumpster, and murmured with a grin. "Dumpster Dive Express has left the station." I pushed as hard as I could, sending the Dumpster wheeling towards him, and there was little he could do to stop it. I heard a satisfying crunch from him, then a howl of pain as he held his arm which was hanging limp. I snorted. "DUMPSTER DIVE EXPRESS HAS BECOME MY NEW FAVORITE TRAIN!" And with that, I slipped off, weaving through the crowd effortlessly, seeing the orphanage at its little spot at the base of the hill. We orphans called it Hill of Hope, or for short, Hope Hill. I charged even faster, and burst through the door of the orphanage. Katie was the first to run to my side. She was a worried wreck, and she placed her fingers gently on my side. Ironically, I now felt the warm blood dribbling there and now it was ME letting loose the howl of pain. The orphans around me winced and covered their ears. A fresh wave of pain hit me like an arrow through a target, Katie brushing her fingers against the deep cut, wiping away the blood. She leaned down next to me, parting my hair then stroking my cheek. "What happened Marcus?" I shook my head, and that caused yellow and black spots before my vision. "Good night..." And I passed out, succumbing to exhaustion and the waves of pain and nausea. I awoke almost a week later, Katie and Ty and Latamer sitting on chairs beside my bed. I tried to lift my head up, but I was too weak. "Marcus!" Katie squealed, and she rushed over and kissed me. After a second, Latamer and Ty realized I wake awake too, and asked Katie to move. With probably the greatest reluctance ever possible, she moved away from me, and Ty and Latamer both buried me in bear hugs. "Can't breathe..." They moved, and I felt like the world was spinning. "How long, I croaked out, was I out?" Katie held up six fingers. "Six days!" I exclaimed. I tried to get up again, but my arms wobbled and collapsed underneath me. She made a move to help me, and settled beside my bed, her stroking my cheek again. "Still too weak..." I murmured. She simply stated, "It's not surprising Marcus. That cut was deep, and some rust managed to get on that Dumpster, so rust got into your system. Miss Julia managed to hire a herbalist, and the herbalist fixed you right up." I simply sighed and watched out the window, preparing for what this day held for me. Author's Note: You all liking the chapter? If so, great! I love to hear your all's feedback!