Chapter 1: Nightmares

"There's no way you did it, Bro! Tell them they're wrong! Yeah, they're wrong! Why aren't you defending yourself!?

"Because it's true! They're right! I did it!... Go on. Start your voting thing, Monobear."

"Roger!"

"DON'T!"

...

"And Fujisaki Chihiro-kun's murderer is... Oowada Mondo-kun! However, the vote wasn't unanimous.

"Ishimaru-kun. Why did you vote for yourself? ...Oh well, fortunately for you, you were saved by the majority. I can't wait any longer- It's punishment time!"

"NO! Wait! I said wait, god damn it! Wait! WAIT!"

"WAIIIIIT!"

Ishimaru sat up in his bed as he screamed, drenched with cold sweat, breathing heavily. Tears ran down his cheeks as he turned to look at his sleeping brother, shaking his shoulder to wake him up. "Ishida... Ishida..." He whispered, his voice and body quaking with fear and distress. "Ishida, please, wake up. I had a nightmare."

The more aggressive of the two tossed and turned, trying to ignore the whimpers of his younger brother. "Mmm... calm down, it was probably nothin..." he mumbled, breaking free of Ishimaru's grasp as he rolled onto his side. "...Go back to sleep, 'Taka."

Kiyotaka stared down helplessly at Kiyondo. For as long as they had been brothers, Kiyondo was always given the order, "Look after your brother, Kiyondo-kun." He couldn't be bothered to babysit anymore- especially not in the middle of the night.

"But Ishida-"

Ishida sat up and grabbed Kiyotaka's wrist, flames emitting from his big red eyes.

"Taka, that's enough! You're 16 years old, that's too old to come crying to your brother about nightmares! Especially now! Every day at this school is a nightmare within itself, and you're concerned about a couple of bad dreams!? Suck it up!"

With a huff, Ishida flopped back down on the bed, turning his back to his younger brother and shutting his eyes. "...Ishimaru Kiyotaka, you damn baby." he murmured lazily before dropping into a deep sleep once again. Ishimaru stared at him, unable to move- not that he wasn't used to the scolding he recieved from his no-nonsense older brother. That was just what to expect from the Super High School Level Street Fighter.

He lay back down on his bed and followed the patterns on the ceiling, refusing to close his eyes for fear that the horrific guilt-driven nightmare should send him writhing in agony a second time. It's all my fault, he thought angrily. Oowada-kun is dead because of me. Turned into butter... Though I have yet to comprehend how that is even remotely possible.

Ishimaru bit his lip, folding his hands together on his stomach. It was going to be a very long night.