Chapter 1: Summer Starts

"Aghh! Feels so good to be finished!" Ayano stretched on her bed. Classes were over, the summer was starting, and she'd missed summer weather! After all that had happened in the last year she was looking forward to a break.

"Ayano?"

She heard Ren's voice. "What?"

"Jugo wants to see us..."

"Really? Right now?" She got off of her bed. He hadn't been sending them on missions as of late; the place had been oddly quiet for the last while.

"What do you need Father?" She knelt down beside Ren.

"Well there are two matters. Now that you two are on summer vacation I hope you spend a good portion of your time training. As you become closer to the age to take over, especially you Ayano, we must prepare you. Which is why I'm looking into some cases for you, Kazuma, and Rin to start up on quite soon. Secondly, rumor has it that another member of the American fire family has come to Japan. I'm hoping for us to be on better terms with them, no matter how competitive they've seemed in the past. I want whoever this is to be welcomed."

"As long as it's not Catherine's evil twin I'm fine with that." Ayano whispered under her breath.

"What did I miss?" Kazuma walked in.

"Where were you?" Ayano asked.

"Nowhere In particular, just a case I took on the side, while you were in school." Kazuma said. "Why do you think you've been off the hook for a while?"

"I just told them that I want you to go with them on some cases I'm setting up this summer to train them further. Also another member from the McDonald American Fire-clan is here in Japan and I want us on better terms with them."

"Sounds fine with me. "

"Good." Jugo nodded. "I'll make sure to let you know of the first case I hear of, that is truly worth your while. You may go now."

They nodded and Kazuma left just as quickly as he came.

"Hey, what was that case you took on the side? Don't we give you enough money?" She chased after him.

"Hey, it never hurts. Helps out the bank account."

"Oh so you only meant that kind of helping? The kind where you get something out of it?" She accused.

"Well quite honestly I'm looking into a new apartment." He sighed. "If you must know."

"An apartment? But you – I thought you were coming back to live at the temple? Rejoin the family?"

"I'm thinking about it. But, if I could I wouldn't half mind my own privacy. A space away from it all. I don't think I could just place myself down there, especially with my father there all the time."

"That is true. The place wouldn't withstand too much of your father and your fighting…"

"So I want to get one that's worth it, even if its just an escape from him."

"Well I think you should still try to come back. It's been nearly a half a year… I mean a year would be a good time to return. We've put up with you for this long right?"

He chuckled and raised a brow. "Oh, so you do want me to live in the same house? Why do you miss my presence Ayano?" He leaned closer to her.

"NO YOU PERVERT! That is NOT what I said. I just said it would be nice for the family to put all its dirty laundry in the past, but if you want to be like that- then-"

"Relax. It will work out. This is another reason why I need that apartment though. Those lungs of yours." He turned away.

"Hey! You shouldn't say that to a girl! I'm not that loud! Just when you piss me off!" Ayano crossed her arms as she walked towards the street.

"Hey, if I were you I'd watch where you're going!"

They turned to see Catherine, leaning out of the window of black limousine, on the road Ayano had nearly absently walked onto.

"Sorry. Kazuma just gets me angry sometimes. I lost focus on where I was walking."

"Yep, I'm just a distraction to her. What are you doing Catherine?"

"Actually I just picked up my brother from the airport."

"Oh is he the member of your family that is staying here?"

"Well he's not living with me. Our parents gave us two large upscale apartments. We really are too competitive in nature for them to put us in the same space. He wanted to get an experience with the culture here. Plus Youmas are much more frequent here than in America. He needs to train, he's not nearly as well off as me. "

"So where is he?" Ayano asked.

"Oh, wait. Jarvis put the other window down for Nolan."

They looked in to the limousine window as they saw a man, about Kazuma's age in the car. His blond hair was a little more – reddish than his sisters, but blonde. Cut different from Ren's blonde locks, maybe a more American style? It was sticking out on various angles, yet styled to perfection. His eyes were blue, and potently too like his sister. He smiled charmingly at them. Much less obnoxiously then Catherine had been. Maybe too suavely.

"Nolan McDonald. Pleasure to meet two of the Japanese Fire Clan."

"Actually I'm kind of a once-removed member, but I'm Kazuma. I deal more with wind actually."

"And I'm Ayano. I'm the next heir to the head of the family, Enraiha and all."

Nolan caught Ayano's stare. "Funny, my sister told me about you Anayo, but you don't seem anything like the way she described."

"Oh no, what did she say?" Ayano worried. Her father wanted the issues patched, not more uneven ground.

"Nothing clearly that was true. However, if you did defeat her in a challenge then I can at least merit what she said about your physical abilities. Your physical traits however were under appreciated."

Catherine rolled her eyes at her brother. "You're lucky your not living at my place. I can have jarvis leave you hear on the street..."

Nolan's stare didn't even flinch against his sister's words.

"Uhm, thanks." Ayano said. What was he saying exactly? Did he just call her pretty?

"So he's your older brother?" Kazuma asked Catherine, not addressing him directly.

"By like a year, so about your age Kazuma. I took up the use of spirit beasts and upped my abilities before he did. I'm more involved in my Fire Powers. My parents want my brother to train as well. He used to be a bit of a rebel himself. Normally he would take over the family franchise, but if I prove more powerful I will." She smiled.

"Don't count on it sis. After I'm done here, I'm sure I'll have much more experience under my belt." Nolan flashed a very suave smile Anayo's way. He was definitely a showy guy; he had the looks and definitely Catherine's sense of confidence. "It was nice meeting you Ayano. Hope to see you soon."

Ayano and Kazuma watched the limo drive away.

"Well, that went better than I expected. He doesn't seem nearly as competitive as Catherine is. He was actually pretty nice."

Kazuma looked at Ayano with a side glance. "Nice can be dangerous. Don't under estimate him. And, from the sounds of it, he doesn't have much experience."

"What are you talking about? We're supposed to help our families get on better terms. Plus I'm not letting anyone get close to the Enraiha."

"No kidding. We'll I'm off."

"To where? Its like nine-thirty at night?"

"Well unlike you, most adults like myself don't have a curfew and plan to spend the night out. I'm sure you'll enjoy all that adult stuff when you come of age."

"Don't speak to me like I'm some kid!" Ayano's face went bright red.

"Would you rather me speak to you like an adult?" Kazuma breathed on her neck.

"AGH! What was that for! I'd like to be spoken to with respect, but you don't know that word do you?" She jumped back her face scarlet.

"I know it, I just don't have much use for it. See you later Ayano." He smirked and walked into the street lights.

She sighed. "Thank god he's not actually staying with us yet. I don't know how I'd handle being around him 24/7." She looked at him walk off into the street lights. But at the least, she did want the family to come together again.