Anarchist of Hearts

To this day, I maintain the right to be angry.

Domon liked the old gray-haired man from day one. I didn't. I suppose it's natural... He took my place as the kid's hero. My baby brother found himself a new hero.

He was a strong, well-built older man with gray hair tied back in a long twisted braid. He had a strange affinity for ribbons and things of that nature. He always had a long sash on hand, usually tied around his waist as a belt. The second day Domon knew him, he tied a little red scarf around my brother's neck. I'd never seen Domon so proud of anything before.

But I thought it wouldn't last. Domon was ten years old, interests come and go. The month before he had been fascinated by Gundam models, two years earlier he insisted that when he grew up he was going to move to England, when he was six he went through a phase where he attended tea parties thrown by his little friend Rain. Fuhai Toho would leave Neo-Japan and Domon would forget about him within a week. The scarf would be buried in a dresser drawer and that would be that.

The third day Domon knew him, he announced at dinner that he wanted to be a great Kung Fu fighter, just like 'Master Asia.' I scoffed and rudely pointed out that Domon didn't know Kung Fu from Tae Kwan Do from Karate from Ninjutsu. He pouted and our mother told him that he could do anything he wanted if he worked hard and put his mind to it. In other words, she encouraged him. Which wouldn't have been so bad, except now Domon was totally focused on it.

The next day after school I didn't have to go to Neo-Japan's Gundam Lab like I usually did-my father managed to get me an internship there with him when I was fourteen and I had performed various tasks five afternoons a week ever since. My self-imposed mission of the afternoon was to keep Domon away from the old martial arts master, so I took the kid and Rain to the park, figuring that it would be the last place in the world Mr. Toho would show up.

Whether or not the old man showed up didn't seem to matter to Domon. He talked poor Rain's ears off about Master Asia. It was mostly things I'd heard before, so I tuned it out before long. Though I must admit I was surprised not a single story was embellished since the last three times Domon told them. Rain listened in awe at first, but before long wanted to do something else. At least one child I knew managed to keep a short attention span.

She wandered over to the swing set where I was sitting stationary, keeping a watchful eye over the both of the them. She slumped down next to me and rocked back and forth a little.

"Domon's being boring," she informed me.

"That makes two of us who'll be happy to see Mr. Toho leave," I said with a chuckle.

Rain pumped the swing slightly and didn't say anything for a few minutes, she merely stared downward.

"Domon said he was going to go with Master Asia to learn Kung Fu," she whispered.

"Says who?" I screamed in shock and anger, not waiting long enough to process the information.

"Domon said Master Asia said so."

"Well," I started the motion of my swing as well, not pumping so much as just shifting my legs. Real swinging is difficult at eighteen. "We'll see about that."

That night after Domon was put to bed, I snuck out of the apartment, not wanting to even bother to with making an excuse to our parents. In four days some guy who just showed up and came and went as he pleased turned Domon's whole perception of life upside down and inside out. And now Domon thought he was going to leave with him? It was time someone set him straight.

I found the old man the same way I thought I would-he found me.

"What the hell have you been telling my little brother?" I demanded. Now was not the time for diplomacy.

"Kyoji Kasshu," he said, "you shall not stand in the way of the child's fate."

"His fate?" I snarled. "He thinks when you leave, he's going with you!"

"He is," the old man replied.

"What about what we have to say? You can't take a little kid away from his family!"

"I have already spoken to your parents."

I took a step back. "Lair..."

"They were not difficult to convince."

"That's a load of bull. My parents would never let someone just take one of their kids away. They'll never give up on us!"

I attacked him in a rage, vowing I'd kill him if he even thought of hurting Domon, even thought of taking him away. There was a sharp pain at the nape of my neck and the next thing I knew, it was the afternoon. I woke up in my own room to see Domon, my parents and Rain staring down at me. Domon began scolding me for being so silly. I can't fight with Master Asia...he's SO much stronger than me. I should train hard if I want to be a martial artist, too. My parents shooed Domon and his friend out of the room. When he was safely out of earshot, they scolded me as well, for being brash and stupid this time. Apparently, I was lucky that Master Asia was kind enough to bring me home when I recklessly attempted to attack him.

"Is it true?" I said finally, when there was a break in the dual speeches to get a word in. "Are you really giving Domon to that guy?"

"We're not giving him away," my father said, offended. "It'll be good for him. Mr. Toho can teach him so much. Not just fighting, but dedication and honor." My mother nodded uncertainly.

She sat down on my futon beside me and laid her hands on my shoulders. "Kyoji," she said, "Domon loves him. He'd never forgive us if we made him stay."

"But," I said softly, "he loves us, too."

"Someday," my mother said as she stood, "you'll understand." As my parents left, I was sure I wouldn't. What was there to understand?

I stayed in my room for the rest of the day, not wanting to deal with any of them. I don't care what they said, my parents were giving Domon away to a perfect stranger. It was careless and cruel and I could do nothing about it.

On the sixth day, I caught Domon struggling with one of the large suitcases we generally reserved for Golden Week trips and traveling to see relatives.

"I've got to pack!" he said excitedly when I asked what he was doing. "Master and I are leaving tomorrow!"

"Tomorrow?" I sputtered. "Kid, do you know what you're getting into?"

Domon sobered, which I took as a good sign. Second thoughts can lead to changed minds, can't they?

"Well, I know it's going to be really hard," he said, "and I know I'm going to miss you lots, but Master says I can do it. He says I'm strong and brave. He can see it in me."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" I asked, kneeling down so that Domon could look me in the eye without craning his neck.

"Yes!" he said with a sharp nod. I tousled his hair and he hurled himself at me, hugging tightly. "I'm gonna miss you so much." His voice was muffled against my shoulder.

"Then don't go," I said.

"Gotta go," Domon protested as he pulled himself away.

"No, you don't," I said, now absolutely sure that when the old man left, Domon would be waving farewell with the rest of us. "You can make your own choice."

"Master says-"

"Forget about what he said! You don't have to listen to him!"

"Master says-"

"Dammit, Domon! Forget about him!" I grabbed my little brother by his upper arms and shook him. It was desperate, stupid and did more harm than good. Tears were building up in the kid's eyes. It never occurred to me until long after it was too late that I scared him to the core. He was used to me teasing, taunting, lecturing, joking, carrying around him on my shoulders…but I never yelled at him. I never shook him before.

He was running away from me the moment he could. I stared at his retreating form, my mind reeling.

The seventh day since Fuhai Toho appeared, I skipped school to go with my parents to the shuttle station. Domon was decked out in training clothing that matched that of the old man in style but differed in color. We went with him as far as the gate where he gave each of our parents a hug and said good-bye.

When it was my turn for a hug I picked Domon up. Yesterday forgotten, he put his arms around my neck and began the same good-bye spiel he'd given Mother and Father. Love you, miss you, miss you, love you, fare thee well.

"This isn't good-bye, kid," I said softly. "I don't know if it'll take a couple of days or weeks or months, but you're gonna come home. Everything will be the way it was. You'll see. We're gonna be buds again someday." Domon unwound his arms from around me and began pulling himself away. Taking the hint, I let go.

He started to walk away with Fuhai Toho, then, and I, needing something more to say, something more to give a little in the end, shouted the only encouragement I could think of.

"You're green, Domon!" I cried. He looked back and flashed a mock scowl. "So work hard!" He grinned and disappeared into the crowd with his Master, sans suitcase. He was told he didn't need it, that everything would be taken care of.

As the shuttle that took my little brother away launched, my parents tearfully held each other. I stood a few feet away, hanging off to the side. Yet, I could still hear my mother's soft aside.

"Good-bye, my King of Hearts."

Sore de wa...Gundam Fight! Ready? Go!

Disclaimers: People who own G Gundam: Sunrise, Bandai, the Sotsu Agency, whoever they are. People who don't own G Gundam but like to write about the characters anyway: Me!

Author Notes: A Chance Encounter was originally part of this story, but I made them separate due to the problems that would arise from telling ACE from Kyoji's perspective.