I couldn't believe I got stuck going to a local college. Sure, it was the best college in the Okinawa Prefecture, the University at Nara, but that's not the point. I wanted to get away from my home. Away from the stigma of being a nerd. A dork. A loser.

Mostly, I wanted to get away from my crazy parents.

"Rin-Chan! Come to dinner!"

Here we go again. I took out my earbuds and closed my notebook. Advanced biology classes weren't difficult, but I wanted to make sure everyone knew who was getting the top score on the test. My little form of revenge on all those snobs would be wrecking the curve. We'll find out tomorrow.

I kicked open my door and dodged the poisonous darts that shot out of the wall. Mom must be busy with work. She's used that trick three times this week. I flattened myself against the wall. I tested the floor and it gave under my gentle testing. I flipped backwards and spun on my right hand. Spikes sprang up from the ground.

How do I get down the stairs? She's got me stuck. I tied back my dark blonde hair and stepped back as closely as I dared to the spikes. As soon as I planted my foot at the edge of the pit I leapt forward, grasping for the edge. My fingers scrabbled on the carpet as my body crashed against the cold concrete.

I caught some footholds and scrambled up. No stairs. My bow was on the wall along with some lightweight arrows. I saw the tiny moving targets along the hallway. Mom must really not have put in any effort today. I grabbed three arrows in my left hand and strung one. The arrow flew by and caught the first target. The second arrow was already strung and my eye had caught the next target. I heard the buzzing of a timer, I had expected this. My second arrow hit the mark, along with the third. The stairs popped up from the ground, but I slid down the banister.

The kitchen came into view. I caught the knife my mother threw between my fingers and spun it back around at her. She held up the wooden chopping block like a shield and the knife buried itself in it.

"You're good, I'll give you that." Her dark amber eyes glinted in excitement. She set the chopping block down. "I think everything will go well tomorrow."

I rolled my eyes. "Do we really have to do this? I have midterms coming up. And why can't we just rob a bank instead of Spirit World? What do they have that a museum or something doesn't have."

She gave me a light slap across the cheek. "This is not something you can pick up at a museum."

I clutched my cheek angrily. "I don't care. It doesn't affect me."

"It will affect you if we don't get the artifact." She set a plate of food down in front of me. "I have a set of gloves that will help you with our mission."

I glanced at the box on the table and slipped on the dark gloves. I tested the strength of the material around my fingers. "These are nice gloves."

"Better than you know." My mother lunged at me over the table, the knife she had thrown at me earlier in her outstretched hands. I panicked and lifted my hands up to stop her. The knife bit into my hands and I cringed.

She pulled back and sat down in front her plate. "What the hell! How will I be able to help you if my hands are all jacked up?"

"Look at your new gloves, dummy." She brushed some of her short dark hair away from her face. "And don't curse."

The gloves were intact as were my hands. "These are good. Thanks Mom."

I saw the toothy grin in my peripheral vision. "Just get enough rest and we'll strike at Spirit World tomorrow night. They won't know what hit them."