~Mark's P.O.V.~

        "Are we almost there?" I asked Sting, who was still sniffing around.  The rain had softened into a drizzle, but apparently he can still find her.  As we walked, I could tell the road we were going on was familiar.  

        "We're here brats."  "Move."  

        A chill went down my spine as I remembered being ordered from...from Hornet.  I silently clench my fists.  I still haven't forgiven him for...that day...

~Flashback: 16 years ago~

~Third Person~

        Consciousness slowly slipped back into the young 6-year-old boy's mind.  A small groan escaped his lips and his eyelids twitched.  He could faintly feel vibrations gently shake his arms and legs, which, he could vaguely feel, were being suspended from the ground and hanging off the air.  They slowly flickered open, but immediately were shut when bright light blinded his vision.  He waited for a couple seconds before his eyelids slowly lifted open, this time more cautious and reluctant.  The light didn't blind him this time, but everything was still a blur to his dark brown eyes.  His mind was still a bit a groggy as he squinted, trying to make sense of the surroundings in front of him. 'Where...where am I?' he asked himself.  'The last thing I remember was calling out to Jessie..'  

        "You awake, huh?"  He heard a deep and familiar voice call out to him.  His eyes dilated as a rush of alert rushed through him and immediately cleared his vision.  His dark brown pupils darted forward, and were met with the sight of a man with red-orange hair and dark blue eyes that were looking down on him with a soft look.  

         Hornet.

         The 6-year-old didn't trust that look from his kidnapper and sister-stealer at all.  He struggled in the spiky-haired man's grasp, which made him jump in surprise.

         "Let me go!" he yelled, trying to squirm out his grip.  He turned his head and bit the man's arm, making him yelp and drop him.  The young ravenhead fell to the metal ground with an "oomph."  He didn't care about the pain he felt, he only rubbed my wrists before immediately lunging for kidnapper.  The redhead seemed to expect it and blocked the short boy with his big hands.  "Where's Jessie?!" he screamed, trying to hit him with all his might.  "What are you going to do to her?!  What have you done to her?!?!"  Hornet frowned and grabbed his plain black shirt, lifting him up.

        "I promised your sister that I'd get you that I'd take care of you until we reach your destination," he told the boy calmly.  Mark gritted his teeth and wriggled, trying to make him let go.

        "You liar!" he growled.  "Don't act like you care about her!"

        "Look kid, she's doing this for your own good, so can't you accept that?" Hornet frowned.  Frustrating tears welled up in the young boy's eyes.

        "YOU DON'T GET IT, I CAN'T LET HER GO AGAIN!!" he screeched.  Hornet winced and covered his ear with his free hand.

        "You've got a loud voice there kid," he commented, his frown deepening, "and what do you mean again?"   Mark stopped his tantrum cold.  He gulped, realizing he had just said something he shouldn't have.

        "I-it doesn't matter, just let me go.." he muttered shakily, suddenly very scared.  He wasn't supposed to say that.  He wasn't supposed to say those kinds of things to anyone.  Hornet tilted his head.

        "No, it does matter.  What do you mean?"  he insisted.  He didn't know why, but he felt quite concerned.  What did 'again' mean?  Had the girl been kidnapped more than once?

         Mark stayed silent and avoided the man's strong gaze. "Don't expect me to let you go if you don't tell me," Hornet said, raising an eyebrow.

        "Like I'd ever tell someone like you," Mark spat bitterly.  The young man sighed.

        "Your choice," Hornet replied, pulling out something from his pocket.  Mark's eyes grew wide at the sight of the syringe.  He finally realized at that point that they weren't on ground, oh no.  They were in a helicopter of sorts, and they were transporting him somewhere, somewhere away from Jessie and his father and his home. 

         "No, no!!" he cried, thrashing about.  "Let me go!  Don't--!"  He let out a yelp of pain when the needle pierced the skin of the back of his neck.  He immediately could feel the foreign liquid spread a sense of weariness throughout his entire body.  His mind started to become foggy just like before, and he grew to feel very lightheaded.  "D..on't.." he mumbled, his eyelids starting to droop.  His grip on Hornet's fists faded away, and his hands numbly fell down to his side.  He tried to will his eyelids to open and for his vision to stop turning black, but it was of no use.  The world soon turned completely black and his consciousness left him once more.

~End of Flashback~

~Mark's P.O.V.~

        "We're here," Sting said in a low growl.  I snapped back to reality at the sound of his voice.  I rubbed my eyes with the palms of my hands and nodded.  I took a deep breath and exhaled.  I can't think about the past now; it doesn't affect the present.  I looked up at the black building in front of us.  I'll never forget its black walls and its huge white banner with its guild symbol on it.

        "Welcome to the Skull Knights Guild," I growled, magic power surrounding me as my anger built up inside.

        "You sure Jessie's in there, hai?" Lector asked, gulping at the sight of the creepy building.  

        "I'm sure," Sting muttered.  "And I'm going to get her out of it."  He suddenly bolted towards the guild.  I rolled my eyes, knowing he was going to do that.  I grabbed ahold of the collar of his furry vest, making him let out a noise that sounded like a mixture of a gasp and a groan.

        "Not yet," I said calmly, unlike the anger I could feel inside.  I clenched my free hand to stop it from shaking.  "We can't go in there recklessly."

        "Why not?!" Sting growled, showing off his canine-like teeth.

        "Because that would be reckless idiot," I snapped, but then sighed.  Letting go of him, I say, "I can use my magic to sneak us in.  That'd be a much better plan than recklessly going into a guild we no zero information about.  Sound good?"  The blonde glared at me and muttered some things under his breath, but nodded.

        "We're not becoming light particles are we?" he asked jokingly, but I could tell he was hoping we were not.  I shook my head.

        "Nope, I got something that'll be better," I smirked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, another chapter done!  Again, sorry it's short!

But, nothing is confusing in this chapter right? 

Well, except for the reason as to why Mark said 'again' in the flashback.

That I'm not telling. :3

It'd give away the surprise!

Ooh!  *clamps hand with mouth* You didn't hear it from me!

Until next time!