Sanctuary

Chapter 6

After the breakfast dishes was cleaned and put away, Marron
and Claudia showed Nagi
and Omi around Sanctuary introducing them to some of the other
tenants.

"Hey Claudia! Cclaauddiiaaaaaa!" They heard a female voice whine
out.

"Oh God. Please tell me it isn't who I think it is," Claudia groaned
disgusted.

"I'm afraid so," said Marron smiling at his friend's discomfort. "It's
your
favorite person."

The look on Claudia's face had Omi thinking she would rather jump
off the roof than listen to this person running towards them. As the
girl came to a stop in front of them, she was holding her side trying to
catch her breath. "I'm glad I caught up with you. I came to see the
new tenants you brought home."

"I just bet you did," Claudia said under her breath, but she said
out loud. "This is Nagi Naoe and Omi Tsukiyono. Fellows, this is
Lynn Minmay."

"Hi, please to meet the both of you," Lynn said smiling pleasantly
at both of them. "Wow, they are cute. Why would guys as cute as
the two of you be on the street and in the rain no less? I mean. . ."
As
the girl prattled on Omi thought she was cute with her shoulder
length black hair. She had a curly ear tail on either side of her
petite face and large, round blue eyes. Dressed in a pink floral
sundress, the girl excessive whiny, voice was starting to
grate on Omi's nerves. He see why Claudia looked as though she
would have strangled the girl. Lynn Minmay was a real flake.

"Minmay please, no more questions okay," said Claudia rubbing her
head trying to ease the ache that was starting to make itself felt.
"What are you doing here. Shouldn't you be practicing for the
celebration."

"I'm waiting for Edward to arrive and escort me to the hall." She
twirled
around like a lovesick teenager. Which is what she was?

"Hey Claudia. Minmay. Marron." Just then a handsome young man
with extremely long, lavender colored hair hung down from the top
balcony to land on the floor where they were standing.

"Hi Signal," said Minmay.

"Yeah Signal. Where's that nearsighted brother of yours?" asked
Claudia smirking at the boy.

"If Pulse heard you talking about him like that he will be very angry
with you," said Signal.

"In that case, I have nothing to fear. He'll just run around hitting
everything but me." Claudia began to rock back and forth from her
heels
to her toes. "Why don't the doc fix your brother's eyes."

"He's so busy that he just haven't had the time." He grabbed
Claudia in
a bear hug and kiss her. "And to answer your question. Pulse is
resting."

"Well, I'm glad to see you," said Claudia smiling. "I was just on my
way to the lab."

"Really. So, what can I do for you, my lady?" the young man bowed
to her.

"Do you have your extra language translator?"

"Yes, why? Do you want to borrow it?" asked Signal.

"Yeah, I need it for this one." Claudia pointed to the blond. "He
doesn't
understand Chinese. Oh, I forgot. Omi. Nagi. this is Signal. Signal,
Omi
and Nagi. Now, let me have the translator."

"I hope you guys won't hold it against us because this creature here is
so
mean." Signal said joking.

Claudia poked her tongue out at him. Signal reached into the
pocket of
his black and blue bodysuit and pulled out an ear shaped object, and
handed it to Claudia "Anything else you need, my empress."

"Nope," said Claudia turning to Omi, "this will be all." She held the
transparent device up for Omi to see. It was shaped like an ear with
some sort of electronic chip in the center.

“What is that inside it?” Omi asked skeptically.

“This little buggers are what the doc calls translator nanobots,” said
Signal.

“Come again,” said Nagi staring slack jawed.

“These nanobots will enter through Omi‘s ear and go straight to
his brain. Once
there they will embedded themselves to his speech center. They
will help him to
understand and speak whatever language is being spoken.” Signal
grinned at the
startled looks on the two teens faces.

"I don't understand," said Omi frowning. "It will do what?"

Claudia had to think about it herself. The doctor told her how the
thing worked, but
she just zoned out whenever the man went into his
super geeky nerd mode. So, she tried putting it in her own words.
"What it will do is . . . they will stick to your brain and . . .” She
stared at her new friends
in a lost for words to explain. “Now, did that explanation help?”


"No," said Omi.

"Good." She placed the device over Omi's ear. “The nanobots
has a life expectancy
of two weeks. After that, they detach from the brain and is
absorbed into the
blood stream.” There was a
slight buzzing sound, but it stopped as quickly as it started. Claudia
removed the earpiece and smiled at the older teen.
"Xian Zai, Ni Hao Ma?"

Omi smiled and answered. "Just fine."

"Cool, it works," said Nagi. "Now I don't have to keep telling you
what everyone is saying. Can I see." Claudia handed the device to
Nagi. The telekinetic stared at the device
closely. He could see tiny lights flashing in the chip. Guess that
means it is working. "Oh, you said something about a celebration
earlier." He handed it back to Signal.

"Yes, it's Founder’s Day," said Minmay excited.

"What is Founder ‘s Day?" asked Omi becoming interested.

"It is the day Sanctuary came into being," said Marron. "Years
ago when I was a small child. This neighborhood wasn't always
the nice place
like it is now. A company called Dai-Guard transferred a lot of
their workers along with their families here to the Hong Kong branch
of their business. They had put their workers in temporary housings
while they built this huge duplex for the workers. But in the middle
of construction, the company went bankrupt. Many workers were
left out in the cold. Those who could afford to, returned to Japan.
While those who couldn't afford the trip home stayed here in Hong
Kong.

Since they couldn't afford to stay in their present apartments, they
became homeless. They decided that the only place they could stay
was in this half-completed apartment building. After they moved here,
unfortunately, the gangs moved in also. It was awful. All the gang
violence, the shootings, drugs, and prostitution. Sometimes I wonder
how we were able to survive those dark days. Those apartments
that were finished, the people tried to keep the gangs out by barricading
the doors.

All hope was almost gone from the residents until the day, the three
kings stepped forward."

"The three kings?" said Omi furrowing his brows.

“Well, they weren’t known as the three kings back then,” said Marron.
“They were the three princes.” Marron smiled at the puzzled looks on
the two teens faces. “See, when they went up against the gangs. They
were Claudia’s age.”

“What,” said Nagi staring with his mouth hanging open.

“That’s right,” said Claudia. “Once they became adults. That’s
when everyone
started calling them the three kings.”

"Yes, The King of Chaos, the king of Knowledge and the king of
Heaven,"
said Minmay.

"The three of them took on the gangs and drove them away," said
Marron. "Each king controls a building, and the people living there
follow the rules set down by the kings."

"The King of Knowledge is by far the strangest out of the three,"
said Claudia, "but he is a very nice person."

"The King of Knowledge," said Nagi.

"Yeah. Yutaka Watari is very eccentric, but the man is a genius.
Sometimes, I don't think calling him a genius is suitable," said
Marron smiling. "He is the one that created those nanobots, Omi."

"Among other things," said Claudia. The girl shot Signal a sidelong
glance.

"What do you mean?" asked Omi.

Marron quickly covered Claudia's mouth with his hand when it seemed like
the girl was going to say something that would have definitely gotten her
into trouble. "Now, Claudia, you know you can't tell them about Signal
and Pulse just yet." He scolded her. "I'm sorry but it is somewhat of a
secret. If Watari believes you are not a threat to him or Sanctuary, he
will most likely want to tell you himself. The man doesn't miss a chance
to gloat about himself."

"Tell me about it," said Claudia rolling her eyes. "The man is a braggart,
but he has ever right to brag. Marron is right though. I can't tell you
their secret, yet. I hope you understand."

"Sure," said Nagi. "We understand. The safety of everyone here comes
first."

"Well, I have to be going," said Signal smiling. "Omi. Nagi. It was nice
meeting you." Signal was going to get up on the railing and jump off when
Marron caught him by the arm.

"Use the elevator or the stairs," said Marron.

"Oh. Yeah. Right." Signal waved good-bye and ran down the stairs.

"So, what about the other two kings?" asked Nagi.

"Oh. There's the South section ruled by the King of Chaos, Yakumo
Mutsu. The ones there are. . ." Claudia threw her hands up trying
to better, describe the residents in the Chaos domain. "They are
anarchy, destruction, fighters. They are chaos with legs."

"Isn't that kind of melodramatic?" snorted Omi frowning at the dark
skinned
girl.

"Well, yes it would be if you knew them." Claudia scratched the side
of her jaw. "I guess that is why they are in charge of security. We
tend to steer clear of them if we can."

"But not all of them are," said Minmay sounding downhearted.

"You're right. Not all of them are bloodthirsty monsters," said
Claudia. "One in particular just creeps me out. Edward Elric. He is
the. . ."

"Edward Elric is what?" Demanded a stern voice behind them.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hi Edward," said Minmay dreamily. They turned to see a young boy
no taller than Claudia walking up behind them. Correction, he was an
inch or two shorter than Claudia. Omi guessed he must be younger
than Claudia and Minmay. The boy was dressed in a black knit shirt
and black jeans. A single blond braid hung down his back. He came to
a stop beside Claudia.

"Minmay." He greeted her in a stoic tone.

"Oh, hi Edward. I didn't see you standing there," said Claudia. And why
did she say that. The boy went into a tirade of anger because he
assumed Claudia was saying he was so short that she didn't see him.
The young man calmed own and then turned his glare on Omi and
Nagi.

"Who's the kid?" asked Omi.

"I am not a kid! I am the same age as Claudia!" He was building up a
head of steam to rant "And if you say I'm so short until I look like a
baby once more. I'm going to rip your lips off!"

Nagi and Omi stared at the raving boy in shock. "Calm down, you nut,"
said Claudia. "Nobody said anything about you being short."

Edward grumbled and then returned his glare to the two new boys. "So,
you're the new tenants." He scoffed in disdain. "Well, here's
the one and only rule. Don't fuck with my property." He slung his arms
around Claudia's waist and pulled her possessively to him. Nagi and
Omi could only stare at the annoying teen in shock.

"Hey! Back off!" Claudia pushed herself out of his embrace. "I am
not your possession. I suggest you find someone that wants you and
is willing to put up with your. . .short. . .temper."

Edward gritted his teeth and mumbled something underneath his
breath.

"I guess I should introduce you. This is Edward Elric from the South
sector," said Claudia.

Nagi bowed to him and Omi just nodded his head curtly to the boy.

Edward rolled his eyes in scorn. "So, you two are Japanese?"

"Yes, however did you guess," Omi said sarcastically. What is this
guy problem? He's done nothing so far but radiate wave after wave
of anger at Nagi and Omi. Omi was beginning to think the kid was
missing a couple of screws. And where does the pint size twerp get
the idea that Claudia is his possession. Somebody needs to teach the
little maggot to treat people with respect. Omi realized something.
When had he become Claudia's defender? He don't even know her.
They just formally met today. To be honest, she did use to come into
the room to check on him and Nagi. She would bring Omi something
to eat and sit down to talk with him. Although she only spoke in
Chinese. Omi felt safe with her. He couldn't explain it. It was just
how he felt.

Now, here's this little shit talking about Claudia belongs to him. What
a little worm. Omi's hands opened and closed into fists at his
sides. That damn little brat. People like him really pisses Omi off.
The sound of Claudia's voice brought Omi out of his dark thoughts.

"These are my two new friends. Omi and Nagi," said Claudia.

"So Elric, what are you doing here?" asked Marron.

"I just heard about the whores Claudia brought back with her," said
Edward nastily. "I just wanted to see what a real whore looked like."

Omi was about to say something, but Claudia stepped in beating
him to it.

"Whore?" Claudia looked around as though she was expecting to
see someone. "Oh, I'm sorry. When you said that. I thought your
mother was coming to join us."

Edward turned red with fury. Ouch! Nagi and Omi flinched at the
searing insult.

"Now, good day to you." Claudia fixed Edward with an icy glare that
cut through his fury. "Come on Nagi. Omi. Let's finish showing you
around." She stepped between the two boys and hooked an arm
around each of their arms, and they walked away with Marron following
behind them.

"You really should learn to curve that serpent tongue of yours," said
Marron.

"Well, that bastard needs to learn some manners," said Claudia
angry. "How dare that sawed off runt call my friends whores. It's
obvious he has forgotten where he came from."

"Calm down, before you pop a vessel," said Marron. "You don't have
to tell me."

Since his new friend was highly upset by the other boy's
insult of them. Nagi tried to get her mind off it. "So, you
haven't finish. What about the third king?" asked Nagi.

The angry scowl faded from her face and her dark eyes lit with
joy. "That would be this building, the West sector is ruled by
Asato Tsuzuki. He is the sweetest guy you can know. He is
gorgeous, handsome, sexy, childish, goofy, sexy, brave,
sexy, strong, powerful, and did I say he was sexy."

The four of them burst out laughing.

"Only about four or five times," said Omi laughing.

"Come on, let's go. I want to show you where some of the
festivities
will be held."