Purple eyes watched as the sun rose in the blue horizon, then squinted a bit when sunlight flooded the land. The black-haired boy closed his eyes as he inhaled the scent of the sea. He loved mornings like this. If only…
“Yuuji.” came a female voice behind him.
His eyes opened, the thought still echoing in his mind.
If only…
“All right,” he said with a nod. “Remember: the original plan is to be followed as much as possible. Make adjustments only if necessary.”
“Understood.”
Yuuji sighed as he stood up from his perch on the cliff overlooking the ocean. It was time to work.
If only things were different…
————–
The time was 8 a.m. on Kaji’s watch. He was walking casually down the hall, his bag tucked under his right arm, his hands in their usual place in his pockets. He reached the first floor and paused for a few seconds, waiting for any sign of Yuki running down the stairs.
Nothing.
“Girls,” he mumbled as he shook his head slightly and made his way out of the building. It was not that he minded waiting for Yuki, there just wasn’t any point. It’s not like she couldn’t cross 100 meters in a few seconds. But whether or not she could fly fast, she did take too long to get dressed, even for girls.
Kaji paused, feeling a familiar presence coming near him, though he couldn’t quite place who it could be. He closed his eyes, trying to picture anything that might be connected to this person. The day of the race, the same day he first saw Aiko, flashed through his mind. No, it definitely wasn’t Aiko. He could recognize the Rookie’s ki anywhere. The black-cloaked person? No way. This one didn’t feel hostile, powerful as it was…
Kaji’s eyebrows furrowed as he realized: whoever was coming was definitely strong. But then, he sure didn’t know how to hide his presence. A huge sign saying “novice”. Still, who was it? Kaji tensed, ready to fight if necessary, but kept his ki well-hidden. The person was very near him now — he could hear hurried footsteps already — and, Kaji estimated, in about 5 seconds, that person’s going to turn around the corner right behind him. Kaji turned around and prepared himself.
3…
2…
A girl suddenly turned around the corner, then whipped around.
Kaji blinked.
HA?
“Oniichan, HURRY UP!”
“All right, all right! It’s not like we’re late y’know!”
“But I wanna get to your school before—”
Kaji blinked again.
HAAAAAA?!
Sara turned to run towards the school, then abruptly stopped when she saw someone standing several meters away from her.
It was Kaji. The reason why she wanted to get to Kobayakawa High early. Not that she was drooling over him like all the girls do (according to Kamui). She just wanted to see who this Hino Kaji was, whom her brother seemed to be, as she put it, “plotting against” the past weekend. Not that she hasn’t seen the guy, but she didn’t get a good look at him the first time she saw him (he was too busy being dragged away by Ai-chan), plus she wanted to see what her brother’s reaction upon seeing him was, so she could “diagnose” the situation.
Well, here’s your chance. Sara looked back to her brother, and saw that he had this weird look on his face. It wasn’t exactly angry or anything. It was –Aha!– suspicious. Definitely suspicious. And a bit of… Confusion?
Kaji’s eyebrow went several milimeters higher. Not only did Sara look shocked when she saw him, but now was Kamui looking weirdly at him. AND none of them had said a word.
What?! he wanted to snap at them, but decided against it.
“Ummm…” Sara managed to get out after several seconds.
Kaji sighed lightly, deciding to take matters in his own hands.
“The Toriyamas, right?” he asked with a small grin.
“Uh…yeah,” Sara replied.
“Hino Kaji,” he said. “Sara-san, isn’t it?”
“Uhuh…” Sara said with a nod.
“And Kamui-san, correct?” he asked, turning to the boy.
————–
Kamui adjusted the strap of his duffel bag on his shoulder. Well, this is nice. he thought sarcastically as he heaved a sigh. Talk about coincidence. Soccer practice just had to be tiring, and for some reason, both his sister and Aiko chose this day not to show up and lighten his mood.
Oh well, maybe they’re here already, he thought, pushing the Spazio’s glass door with a little more effort than usual. He had to pause for a split second, though, when he saw that the table was without Aiko. Again.
“Hey Toriyama.”
“Yo.”
“My, someone’s tired,” Midori quipped beside Rei as Kamui dropped his bag on the floor. “And on a Monday, too?”
“Tough soccer practice?” came Hikaru’s voice as he, too, arrived. When Kamui didn’t reply, glances were silently exchanged in the booth. Hikaru shrugged and took his seat.
“As I was saying,” Midori started. “My cousin was suddenly nice to me. I mean, I know he really is nice, but he’s never a jerk anymore! Not that I wanted him to be one, mind you.”
“Isn’t it that when you die, your life flashes in front of your eyes, and you see things as they actually were. And you get this clear understanding of what actually went on in your life,” Sara offered. “Maybe he went through something like that! I mean, he did say that he thought he was gonna die when he fell down the stairs, right?”
“Sara.”
“Hm?” Sara turned to her brother.
“Have you ever died before?”
“No…”
“Then where’d you get THAT idea?”
Sara thought for a few seconds, then shrugged. “Just a thought.”
Kamui grinned. “I guess I understand you,” he said, patting Sara’s shoulder. “I was a bit stupid when I was your age, too.”
“ONIICHAN!” Sara exclaimed as she tried to give her brother the angriest glare she could muster. But this even made Kamui laugh. Ah, yes, his sister really had this way of making his day.
“By the way, where’s Aiko?” Hikaru asked, suddenly realizing his sister wasn’t present. Kamui’s laughing stopped.
“I think she’s at the library.” Midori said.
“With?” the black-haired freshman asked.
“With…other students who’re in the library.”
“And?”
Midori rolled her eyes. “I dunno who else, Toriyama. Books, maybe?”
A few moments passed in silence, except for Sara drinking up her shake…or what was left of it, anyway.
“Sara-chan, your glass is empty, y’know…” Midori told her.
“I know.”
“Then why are you still trying to drink from it?”
Before Sara could reply, though, Kamui stood up and slung his bag on his shoulder.
“You’re leaving already?” Rei asked.
“Yeah.”
Sara blinked, confused. “We are? But you just got here!”
“Yeah.”
“O…OK…” Sara said as she gathered her things. “Bye, guys.” Sara gave an apologetic glance to everyone, then followed her brother, who was already at the door.
“OK, what was that all about?” Hikaru asked the two remaining freshmen. He hated it when the rest of the Group knew something he didn’t. Especially when it involved his sister.
“Well, I could think of only one name.” Midori said, leaning back in her seat.
—0—
“Hino Kaji.”
This. Is. VERY. Weird. Kamui thought as his sister talked to Hino. Just a few moments ago, he faintly felt someone somewhere nearby. The first thing that came to mind was, by some wild phenomenon, Hino Kaji. Kamui distinctly remembered sensing the same thing when he and the others met him for the first time. But then, that aura disappeared just as Sara was about to turn around the corner.
And now, he was face to face with the man himself. Was it coincidence? He didn’t know. But then, he can’t conclude that Hino was the person he was sensing, since the man was in front of him yet he couldn’t feel that aura. He did feel someone else, someone strange like the one before, going towards them, but then that disappeared, as well. He didn’t have any more time to ponder about it, though, since Sara nudged him.
“Huh?” Kamui asked, looking at his sister. The other boy cleared his throat, causing Kamui to look at him. The situation registering in his brain, he quickly apologized.
“Sorry. Uh…Yeah. It’s Kamui.”
“OK. Now that we’re all introduced, I suppose I can introduce Yuki now,” Kaji said, turning to the one several meters behind him, where a blue-haired girl stood. Kamui felt himself smile involunatrily.
“Yuki, this is Toriyama Sara-san and her brother, Kamui-san.”
“Pleased to meet you,” the girl named Yuki said, bowing her head slightly.
—0—
Kamui watched his footsteps as he walked. At lunch, he had known for certain that Hino had been the one he sensed that morning, and that Mizuno was the other person. Now, though, Kamui had another thing on his mind: Why was Hino walking with Mizuno to school? Was she his girlfriend? That was possible, since they’re definitely not brother and sister, but they had arrived in Kobayakawa High at the same time. But what if she wasn’t his girlfriend? That meant he was available.
And so was Aiko.
His eyebrows furrowed. He suddenly found himself wishing that Mizuno and Hino were a couple.
Kamui remembered several weeks ago when Midori teased Aiko about having a mysterious, secret boyfriend. It hadn’t bothered him then, he actually found it amusing when Aiko’s tongue slipped. But now he actually met the man that could well be Aiko’s mysterious guy, he wasn’t very amused anymore.
Suddenly, he felt himself pushed back against a wall. He almost threw a punch at the person who pushed him, but then abruptly stopped when he realized it was his sister.
“Wha—”
“Out with it.” Sara demanded. “I hate seeing you like this, ‘niichan. What the heck’s eating you?”
“It’s nothing.” Kamui said with a poker face.
“No it’s not. Out with it.”
“It’s nothing, Sara. It’s just…Aiko’s with Hino again.”
“She is?” Sara was surprised and confused and amused, all at the same time.
“She’s with him every second she’s not with us.”
“And you’re jealous?” Sara tried.
“Jealous? Me? Jealous? HA! ‘Course not!” Kamui said with a laugh, then began pacing back and forth. “Why on earth would I be jealous? Sure, Aiko and Hino made quite a scene last Thursday. Sure, they were friendly. Not that Ai-chan isn’t friendly with everybody else. But she’s never that close to any other guy aside from me and Hikaru. Heck, even Yokaze isn’t as close to Aiko as Hino seemed to be. And he’s a track team manager, for crying out loud! Why would I be jeoulous that they’re obviously close, even though they hadn’t seen each other for over 10 years. If that’s even the truth. Just last saturday, Aiko wasn’t at home again, and I’m pretty sure she was with him. And now she’s with him again! And and and…”
“And you’re jealous.” Sara finished for him.
“YES!!!! Of COURSE I’m jealous!” Kamui yelled, throwing his arms, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Sara just had to laugh.
“And why, may I ask, are you laughing?” Kamui demanded.
“Well, at least you’ve admitted it to yourself.” Sara said as she continued to walk home.
Kamui huffed as he followed his sister, who was laughing again. “It’s not funny.”
Of course, Kamui knew that Aiko won’t just turn her back on him and make him feel non-existent. He knew he won’t lose his place as Aiko’s best friend in an instant. But, it was becoming clear that she was spending more and more time with Hino, and less time with him. Truth be told, it scared Kamui to think that he was losing Aiko to one Hino Kaji.
No, he wasn’t about to let her go yet.
————–
“I have a question.”
“If it’s calculus, don’t ask me.”
“Why would she ask about calculus? She’s reading a novel, Yuki.”
“Can the Roses kill us?”
Two pairs of eyes turned to Aiko. “A Little Princess” long forgotten, Aiko was staring out the window, her elbows on the table. Her chin was resting on her left hand, and her right fingers twiddled with the ends of her ponytail. The library was already empty, save for the three Stars, and the librarian, who was somewhere else in the library, arranging books.
“You guys never told me if they could. I mean, is this fight going to go on forever? Deathrose doesn’t seem to run out of minors, and, like us, the Roses don’t die. Sometimes it just feels so…” Aiko paused, shaking her head once.
“…pointless.”
Silence ensued as Kaji put his manga down. Yuki was the first to speak. “Technically, no, the Roses can’t. They can just hurt us really bad.”
Aiko turned to the maroon-haired boy in front of her. “Kaji, when we first met, you told me that even though I was dead already, I was still in danger. I used to think that you were talking about the Roses.”
“I was talking about the Roses.” Kaji replied. “Maybe you didn’t notice, but you had a teeny tiny bit of control over wind even before your training. But that was it. Without your training, you’re still not a Star. And if the Roses — even the minors — attacked you, you could’ve died. I mean really died. That, or you could’ve turned into a Rose.”
“And why do the Roses collect?”
“I can’t answer that.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
“Why’re you suddenly so serious and inquisitive about this?”
“Why are you avoiding the question?”
“I am not avoiding the question.”
“Then why won’t you answer it?”
“Because I can’t!”
“Why not?”
“Because—” Kaji sighed, combing his fingers through his hair. As usual, the gesture, unbeknownst of Kaji, made Aiko blush. But before she did become obvious, Aiko shook the blush off and reprimanded herself for reacting like that when they were discussing something so important.
“Because what?”
“Because I don’t have the answer to that. OK? I don’t know.”
That took Aiko by surprise. Kaji always had an answer to her questions about Blue Star. She looked at Yuki, but the blue-haired girl didn’t look like she knew the answer, either.
“So…so how do we know that…I mean…if we don’t know why they collect, then how do we know that we should defend?” Aiko asked this slowly. She thought of Ran as her older brother (probably a father if he didn’t look so young), and she almost hated herself for doubting him. But still, she had to know.
Kaji shrugged. “We don’t.”
“So you’re doing this just because Ran said so?”
“Something like that, yeah.”
“But—” Aiko’s mind was suddenly whirring. “But…How…”
Kaji took Yuki’s pen, and waved it in front of Aiko’s eyes.
“Rookie, what color is this pen?”
Aiko blinked. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“Just–… What color is it?”
“It’s blue,” Aiko replied with a sigh.
“Do you believe it’s blue?”
Aiko’s eyebrows furrowed. “Yes.”
“Why?”
Aiko thought of the best way to answer it. “Because I was given eyes. And I believe my eyes. And my eyes say it’s blue.”
“OK. So unless I prove to you that it isn’t, you’re gonna continue thinking it’s blue. Right?”
“Yeah…”
“Good. Now, if you remember, you died, right?” Aiko just nodded. “After we took you out of the minors’ reach, we gave you a choice whether or not to be a Star. Nobody forced you. If you chose not to be one, you would’ve been in heaven by now. But you chose to stay, right? Why is that?”
“I…I wanted to be with my family.”
“We all have reasons for doing the things we do. Your reason for being a Star is family, my reason was gratitude.”
“Gratitude?”
“Do you know how I became a Star?”
Aiko shook her head. Didn’t he tell me that he was a Star ever since he can remember?
“I won’t be existing right now if it wasn’t for him. He raised me and took care of me. He’s practically family, and I trust him. Until I see any reason to do otherwise, I’m gonna continue being a Star.” Then, he grinned and raised Yuki’s pen again. “Just as you’re gonna continue believing that this is a blue pen because you eyes say so, right? We have our own reasons for believing the things we believe in. It’s all a matter of belief, Rookie.”
Yuki smiled slightly. That was certainly a good way to explain it.
“So it hasn’t been proven otherwise, huh?”
“Nope. We’ve tried to talk to the Roses, though. I tried asking why they collect, but they never gave us the time of day.”
“They rarely talk at all, actually,” Yuki finally spoke up again.
“Hm.”
After several seconds of silent thinking, Aiko shrugged and went back to reading. The two Stars with her returned to what they were doing, too. Until…
“Did Ran-sensei always look 20?”
“As far as I can remember, yeah,” Kaji said with a grin. “That’s what he looked like when I met him, and that’s what he looks like now.”
“Oh…” Aiko suddenly looked dissappointed. She then propped up her novel, hiding her face from Kaji’s view, making him look at her curiously. After a few moments, Aiko peeked at Kaji from behind the book.
“So…how old are you…REALLY?”
Yuki’s grin went unseen by the two. Kaji, on the other hand, blinked, wide-eyed. HUH?! “Uh…Seventeen…I think… Why?”
“You think?”
Kaji flinched. But before he could answer, Yuki suddenly sat up straight with a gasp.
“Soccer field.” Aiko and Yuki said at the same time. The three Stars turn unvisible, and flew for the door. Outside, the wind was gusty, and the skies were dark. The Stars flew for the soccer field, but they were halfway through the gardens when…
“GAH!” Aiko yelped, barely avoiding icicles from behind her. She sharply turned around, landed on the ground and assumed fighting stance. But no one was there. She didn’t move an inch, and waited cautiously, as Kaji landed behind her, covering her back. The wind suddenly stopped, and a distant thunder rumbled.
“C’mon,” Kaji whispered. “Yuki went ahead.”
Aiko nodded, and prepared for a take-off. But her feet barely left the ground when vines shot out from the ground she was standing on, and “reached” for her feet.
“WHA?!” Aiko exclaimed, nearly jumping out of her skin. Her wrist was suddenly pulled upwards, and fire devoured the vines. Aiko held on to Kaji as he swiftly continued flying, then rounded a corner to an alley.
“Keh. As if hiding’ll help.” Kaji muttered to himself as he released Aiko.
“Kaji, what’re you doing?!” Aiko hissed. “They’re clearly aiming at me! Let me go and fight them!”
“They’re clearly aiming at you, and that’s exactly why I’m doing this.” Kaji told her, taking her shoulders. “Look, Rookie, I want you to hide your ki, and get into the gym by that door, OK? And stay there.”
“WHAT?!”
“Maya and Haruna are tailing us, and they’ll be here any second. I’ll cover you.”
“But what about Yuki? What if there’re Roses there, too?”
“She can handle it.”
“And I can’t?”
“Rookie—”
“If you keep treating me like a rookie, I’ll remain being one!” Aiko retorted. “Right after training, you said I could do it. You said I could pull through and fight them. Now, I don’t know what they want from me—”
“I do, OK? They want to take you to their headquarters and kill you! Can you get that through your head? Why do you think Ran sent us to study here with you, anyway?”
“I thought you said Roses can’t kill us.”
“They can’t, but—.”
“Kaji,” Aiko interrupted. “Before, I could never have defeated a minor. But just last week, I kicked major butt. Now don’t you think it’s about time I took my fighting to another level?”
“Don’t be stubborn, Rookie,” Kaji said firmly. “You are not gonna get hurt if I could help it.”
Aiko didn’t miss the concern in his voice, but this was not a time to get all teary-eyed and emotional like a lovesick schoolgirl.
“Even if you ARE staying down here now, you’re still not with me 24/7. Whether or not you defeat the Roses today, they’re going to go after me still. I can’t hide behind you forever. I’m going to have to fight them someday, and I’d rather I start now.”
Kaji looked into Aiko’s eyes and saw pure determination. Yes, he knew Aiko wasn’t a porcelain doll. Sighing, he let go of Aiko’s shoulders. Ran’s instructions didn’t exactly include NOT letting her fight the Roses, anyway.
“All right. Follow my lead.”
Kaji kicked the ground, and flew up several meters before leaving the alley. Icicles readily shot up from Maya below, but he countered them with flame spheres.
————–
When Yuki reached the soccer field, she saw Yamazaki on the ground. She ran to him, and checked his pulse. Odd, Yuki thought. There was no sign of ki, but he was still alive. That means he doesn’t have strong ki. If that was so, why was he attacked?
Yuki jumped sideways as fire suddenly shot at her. As she turned around, she threw icicles upwards, and, with her other hand, formed a semi-spherical ice shield around Yamazaki. She jumped from the ground and materialized her sword, dodging a set of fire lasers.
Yuuji swiftly flew down to the ground just as Yuki was about to reach him, and threw his flame whip at Yuki, making the whip wrap itself around Yuki’s sword. Not letting go of her sword, Yuki was carried with it when Yuuji pulled the whip downwards. She adjusted her grip, though, holding it to stab Yuuji.
Yuuji saw this and took a step backwards, so that Yuki’s sword punctured the ground, instead. But in the next split second, his vision blurred and swiveled to the building to his right when Yuki’s foot came in solid contact with his face. He staggered backwards, but as soon as he regained balance, he drew the whip backwards in one swift motion then threw it at Yuki again. It wrapped around her neck and her left wrist, which she held up at the last second.
Yuki used her sword in her free hand to cut the whip, but at the same moment, Yuuji intensified his flame, that Yuki’s sword broke and turned into water when it hit the whip.
Yuki gritted her teeth as she started to feel the heat on her neck.
This is not good.
————–
Next on Blue Star:
The battle at Kobayakawa High continues. Aiko finally gets a taste of fighting with the Roses, and the Roses finally get a chance to SEE the Wind Angel. But…Why are they STARING at her that way?!
“Let me GO, girl!!!”
Episode 9: Surprise
————–
From the Author:
If anybody’s wondering, Yuuji IS the black-haired purple-eyed guy from episode 7.
