Sore wa _desu?

My name is _?

Soubi flicked the cigarette across the street and started to light another one when his phone made a ring at his ear. He thought of ignoring the pesky buzz but took it out of his pocket and silenced it with a beep. He held the phone up to his ear…

He was waiting for Ritsuka outside the school gate and new he would be out soon, and was smoking while he waited. He usually enjoyed this time of quite patience but somehow, he felt off.

…"Hello?", "Ah, Soubi!" It was Ritsu sensei's shrill voice and, he guessed, fake smile that came into his ear unwelcome. "What?", "What no hello first, maybe training took away your manners?" Soubi stayed silent. Ritsu sighed "Then let's get the point, rumor has it a lone girl fighter from America is being a pest around some of the bigger cities in Japan, and I was wondering if you could swing her way and cause a

challenge for her…" Soubi thought about the assignment and only answered with this one question. "Is this private, public, or just a rumor?", "Rumor, but all the clues lead to this becoming an open assignment, does this mean you'll be an obstacle for me?" Soubi saw the annoying ritsu sensei's smile in his head and said nothing. The school bell rang and he new Ritsuka would be down any second. "fine, as long as it's a paying job" , "My fantastic pupil Soubi is taking the challenge?…The money will be sent depending on the condition you leave her in and you may haggle with it if you like, I will send the location via text in exactly 30 minutes." Soubi was curious "Why in 30 minutes?…", " Because you're probably picking up Ritsuka and will try and take your time with him, and I don't want this found out by anyone else, I want this to stay under radar." Ritsuka was half way to the school gate now…"Fine, half an hour then, bye…", "Wai-!" Soubi hung up.

Ritsuka was slugging his way to Soubi's presence and hated every muttered step. "Hello ritsuka!" Soubi had the same smile as always gretting him at the gate and Yuiko was five feet behind him being warry of his response…

He had a terrible day, Youji and Natsuo bullied the younger kids to death, almost literally! They all had to go to the hospital and the accused managed to ditch school undetected. Not only that, but they made the food during lunch taste different, for everyone… His tasted normal, but everyone else said it was spicy, Youji and Natsuo ate there's so they probably also had the safe plates of the day, or liked spicy food, or they just couldn't tell it was spicy. And what's with the suits they always wear!

… "Hey…", Yuiko came up to Soubi and said "Hey sou-chan!" She looked at Ritsuka and her ears bent back from being upset. "What's wrong, usually you are always the talkative one?" Soubi was good at prying information for Ritsuka's benefit. "umm…." She looked at Ritsuka again and then looked back up. "nothing! That is why Yuiko won't talk as much." Soubi noticed her taking glances at Ritsuka to see if he was okay. "See you tomorrow Ritsuka-kun…." She walked away with her tail down and ears back without another word. Ritsuka took a mental note to thank Yuiko in private tomorrow. "Soubi…" Soubi figuratively pricked his ears and strained to listen to Ritsuka. Ritsuka was silent for a minute when he said "Today was NOT a good day…" Soubi patted his head and turned toward where home was and Ritsuka followed quietly.

Soubi walked silently on the usual route and peeked a glance behind him occasionally, making sure Ritsuka paid attention to traffic and walking signs. He wanted to ask the matter of the situation and sooth Ritsuka when the phone rang again. He saw Ritsu sensei's number and almost grred at the phone he reluctantly picked it up. "what?", "Soubi! The girl I mentioned is near Ritsuka's school!, I sent an email with her photo and several have reported back, I don't mean for you to put Ritsuka in the middle…but this will be your only chance to get at her, I don't if she is staying or just passing through…" Soubi went silent and cursed slightly under his breath.

Ritsuka perked his ears and felt a sudden surge with the familiar, but annoying ringing in his ears. The same ringing he heard the first time he met the pair of zero ladies that attacked Youji and Natsuo. He looked up at Soubi with a determined face.

Soubi looked at Ritsuka who in a matter of seconds noticed the fighter near by. And looked up with an eager face, wondering who it was. "Ritsuka…" He sighed. "I'd like you to stay back here, but I guess you won't let me leave you be…." Ritsuka looked down "I'm not exactly EAGER to get into a fight, but This feeling seems different from before when…" He looked up "I'm curious to see who it is…." Soubi sighed again and turned the corner to back track to the school. "Yes, but when I say, you must hide and I will fight her alone…" Ritsuka tilted his ears back and looked down "I understand…" They walked side by side until they reached the school gates and met the back of a person with long redish brown curled hair, a bushy tail and a stout figure.

Ristsuka noticed it was a girl and she walked in front of the school gates and looked up with somewhat of a sad face. Ritsuka felt a tinged thump in his chest and head, or rather his pulse.

Soubi confronted the girl "You here to pick up a kid, but of course you still have ears, a brother maybe?" The girl simply looked them dead on with hazel eyes that looked more grey and green and said. "No, just touring this area, to get my bearings, I am new here and am going to attend this school…Does that boy attend school here?…" She pointed at Ritsuka.

Ritsuka shook his head yes.

The girl smiled with a whole smile that didn't quite reach the grey in her eyes. "Then we may be classmates! I am an exchange student from America, but my plane landed a few cities away and I forgot to hop back on, so I had to guess from there how to get here." She pointed to the ground. Her tail kept flicking back and forth and she cocked her head to the side. She nodded towards them once "What's your name?"

Soubi answered "I am the fighter unit Beloved, and this is my sacrifice…" The girl suddenly was overcome with grey sprouting from her eyes to the rest of her face, she now looked so much older than even an orphan her age could. "I do not want to fight today…" she said and sighed this more to herself as if she was tired. "I guess my presence has been detected, although I know he is not beloved…" She pointed to Ritsuka with a half blank look. "This is because your strings don't match in thickness…" Soubi was shocked "How can you tell…by just this?…" The girl put her finger to her lips and kept looking at Ritsuka. "I don't NEED to know his true name, just his given name, we WILL be classmates after all…"

Ritsuka was shocked he wasn't the center of the girls attention and said his name "Aoyogi Ritsuka…Ritsuka is fine though…" he didn't know why he added that last part, but he felt comfortable with this girl…"Nice to meet you Ritsuka - chan!" She went to shake his hand but Soubi nudged Ritsuka and her understood it was time for him to step aside, so he wnet across the street near a tree and watched.

Soubi was glad Ritsuka moved enough so that he wouldn't be summoned as well into the dark void of spell casting. Last summer he taught Ritsuka how far apart they needed to be just in case of such a situation. With a normal unit, they would have to be quite far apart, but this was enough for there strange unit to be separated. "I am commissioning a fight…" The girl put her head in her hand and slicked her hair back with her hand. She looked up and centered herself. "I accept…" She looked dead on at Soubi. Never had he encountered such a hesitant fighter in his life. They were sucked in to void space and now, neither was safe.

Ritsuka saw the two disappear and realized, he had no business staying here, he had to walk home like they practiced, but he just couldn't keep his eyes away from the spot where the girl stood and realized,… he knew her…

…End of chapter 1...

(Be ready for next time! For the mysterious un-named girl is to battle the equally strong and smexi Sou-chan!)