ONCE UPON SUMMER

CHAPTER 1 - THE HOLIDAY

A huge crash of a tree resonated throughout the jungle of the mountains causing birds to scatter and fly away. The wind blew strongly through the jungle causing the leaves of the tress to flutter and fly away. Small squirrels ran away from what seemed to be an eye hole of some cyclone and heat.

"Damn it," Screamed a Raven hair boy as he was thrown away by the sudden explosion due to the clash of wind and flame. He flipped one-eighty degree in the air to prevent his head from hitting the tree and then thrust forward. He extended his right arm feigning to write a kanji in the air, "Saiha!" The blade of flame clashed with that of a set of three wind blades. The raven haired boy jumped back grinning at his opponent.
"Not bad at all," he smirked at a purple haired girl in front of him standing in a fighting stance with three wind blades projecting out of her strange white bracelet extending over her arm, "I didn't know you could switch the orbs of the psychic device so quickly."
The purple haired girl let out a snort and then in a flash she jumped in the air while taking out the green orb off the cast of the fuujin and replacing it with a red one with the characters fuu written on it. She turned around in mid-air and let out several strong gush of wind out of the fuujin.
"Well let me show you something new," She held out the green orb, which was glowing, "Wind current plus demon claw equals wind blades."
"Yikes!" the raven haired boy dodged one of the wind blades, which now seemed like solid curved blades, and then running back he quickly wrote another character on the air and turned around facing the girl's wind blades, "Just kidding," The Raven haired boy was surrounded by a flame barrier as he stuck out his tongue.
The wind blades got deflected to other sides leaving deep indentations on the ground and chopping off the branches of the trees on its way. The purple haired girl landed gracefully, slightly hovering over the land, and charged towards him as if she was skating on the air. She smirked and pivoted around sending a couple of more wind blades.
"What do you think are you doing," the raven boy inquired while folding his arms over his chest and spoke out in a bored tone, "There is no way it can break through Madoka. Huh? Wha-" The wind blades hit the junctions of the barrier, completely destroying it. The boy stood there blinking.
The girls laughed, "Did you forget? I can control them to moves and hit anything, however I want. And the junctions with the flame balls are the source of the barrier. If I break that, I break your barrier."
"Damn yo-"An apron hit his face out of nowhere from the side. He removed the apron off his face and looked at the direction from where it came. The blue eyes with dull blue highlights met with that of deep blue eyes. A tall fair complexion woman with three moles on her chin stood there with her arms folded across her chest. She had her black long-haired tied up into a bun and the character of Hokage showed clearly on the back of her right palm.
"What do you think are you doing? We have been searching for you two for an hour now." She said in a mature calm voice with a slight hint of annoyance, "Come now, you both."
The purple haired girl nodded and walked towards older woman. "Sorry for troubling you, ," she said in a soft tone.

Kagerou sighed, "It's alright, Fuuko. But, you must try to remember that you both are in the last year of your college. It doesn't become of a young woman, such as yourself, to still act like a child." Kagerou walked towards Fuuko while taking out a handkerchief. She started wiping the dirt of Fuuko's face exposing a fair flawless skin. "Honestly, just look at the mess. There are leaves struck on your hair." Kagerou frowned while staring at Fuuko. Fuuko grinned sheepishly while removing the hair band that held her long purple hair into a high ponytail. Her hair fell reaching her mid-back slightly curling into natural French curls as she brushed her fingers through her silky mane to remove the leaves off it. Kagerou sighed while placing her hand over her forehead and turned towards the raven haired boy.
"When will you learn to act your age, Recca?" Causing Recca to sweatdrop, "It is not my fault, mom. Fuuko was the one who started it." Recca said pointing at the now glaring Fuuko Kirisawa.
"What? You were the one who started it!" Fuuko retorted after tying back her hair.
"No I didn't."
"Yes, you did! You said I was getting weak and couldn't beat you!"
"Which is the truth."
"Shut it, you idiot. You are the one who challenged me."
"Right back at you, ugly tomboy."
"Why yo-"
"Oye…what do you think are you doi-aaaaaahh." Recca jumped out-of-the-way of a mini tornado that Fuuko aimed at him, which crashed its way through the forest causing a huge thud sound at a distance."
"What's wrong with you?! You could have killed me just then." Recca fumed.
"That was the plan, you jerk." Fuuko yelled while pointing at Recca.
"Stop it you both." Kagerou interjected the two and caught Recca by his ears. "It's time for lunch and we are going back to the beach house. Talk about ruining a perfect summer vacation." She said while dragging Recca by his ear as he started whining to his mom for treating him like a child. Fuuko stared at the mother and son's behaviour and snickered. 'Those two will never change.'
"Hey Fuuko!" Recca called out catching Fuuko's attention. "The first one to the house gets to eat the other one's mousse cake." He said and started to run. Fuuko blinked and then started running while screaming at Recca for cheating as Kagerou smiled looking at the two twenty-one year old childhood friends dashing their way to the shore in front of her.

Somewhere deep in the forest of the island a stone that seemed to block the mouth of a cave slightly cracked open due to the mini tornado sent by Fuuko. A slight tremor echoed through the forest causing all the creatures of the forest to cause restless sounds.

"You cheated." Recca whined as he stuffed another bean bun into his mouth.

"Look who is talking. You gave yourself a head start to begin with." Fuuko stuck out her tongue and then dipped her dessert spoon through the creamy layers of the mousse cake and pointed it at Recca while placing her elbow on the Japanese style round dining table, "Don't blame others for being smarter than you." She finished her sentence off by putting the spoon in her mouth, "Mmmm! Delicious!" Fuuko screamed in ecstasy. "Using the fuujin to reach first was cheap."Recca grumbled and turned his face away from Fuuko, who was sitting right opposite to him.
"Says the guy who lays down cheap ninja traps during a fight," Fuuko stuck out her tongue.
"Don't worry, Recca," Yanagi, who was sitting next to Recca, said flashing her most charming smile at the young ninja as she pushed her mousse cake towards him, " You can have mine," causing Recca to brighten up with a slight flush on his face, "Don't be so depressed, ne?" Yanagi said while handing over the spoon to him.
"Heh," Domon sulked taking a huge scoop of the mouse cake while using gigantic muscular left arm to rest his chin, "Must be real nice to have a sweet girlfriend like that." He said while eating his cake. His comment made both Yanagi and Recca blush. Fuuko rolled her eyes over the two lovebirds' reaction as she took another scoop, "Sheesh, you guys have been committed for five years now and are still blushing over something so silly." Earning a snigger from Kaoru, who was sitting between Domon and Fuuko, and Domon, who sat next to Recca Hanabishi.
"Shut it tombo- Mff…" Recca removed the cherry that Fuuko flicked on to his face, "Why you,"
Said him while standing up readying himself for a fight.

"Recca Hanabishi," Kagerou said in a dangerously calm voice, "Behave when you are on the dining table." She glared at Recca, making him sit down while sulking, as she served the mocktails on the table and sat down next to Yanagi. She then looked at the clock hanging on the wall to her right, "This is strange. Mikagami did say that he would be here by 2 O' clock," Catching everyone's attention.
"He is coming?" Recca was surprised, since he never really met Mikagami after he passed out of school. The only ones who could keep in contact were Fuuko and Yanagi since they ended up in the same Tokyo University the next year. Fuuko ended up taking Mechanical engineering, which pretty much suited the tomboy's character, while Yanagi took up Bachelors in Education, to achieve her dream of becoming a teacher. She had finished up her course just last year and now she was working as a trainee in some prestigious school in Tokyo, while Fuuko was still in the final year of her degree and now was enjoying her summer vacations. Recca, on other hand, ended up in Osaka University to do his majors in Humanities in order to pursue his dream of becoming a cop in the future "to bust the bad guys and serve justice", or so he said. He took up an extra year to join up in the police force to train and now, he was waiting for his letter accepting him officially to the task force. Domon took over the flower shop at his place and within three years, he expanded his business to a huge supermarket and now he was pretty rich himself. Kaoru being the child protégé ended up in Tokyo University also, and he chose to become one of those nerdy scientists by taking up Physics as his majors. The kid had actually grown a lot over the years and now was as tall as Recca. Ganko was happily enjoying her final year in junior high, and she would turn into 16 this year. As for Mikagami, from what he had heard from Yanagi, he finished up his majors in Law and now was a reputed lawyer. Recca could vaguely remember seeing his picture in the newspaper, which spoke something about a young rookie lawyer who managed to put a big fish from the underworld behind the bars and so, helping a family whose father was brutally murdered for giving statement against their drug dealings. But, other than that, Recca couldn't really find himself talking to Mikagami because of the ego clash since the guy never bothered talking to him on his own. The only calls for trip back home or a summer or winter outings would usually go through Fuuko or Yanagi, but each time, Mikagami would turn them down by saying he had something to do. What was most surprising was the news in Yanagi's second year in college that Fuuko and Mikagami were seeing each other. The two used to literally be at each other's neck and everyone thought that Tokiya was in love with Yanagi due to her striking resemblance to his passed away older sister.
'Oh well,' Recca thought to himself while nodding, 'Good for me.'

"Well, he did say that he needed a break after that big case about that corrupt politician," Fuuko spoke after finishing her drink, " So, I asked him to come over for this year's summer trip. He said he wouldn't be able to make it to your place on last Saturday and so he said he would meet us here within a week."
Kaoru finished his drink and fell on the carpet lying down to stretch. "Cool, I forgot to return his Angles and Demon's copy after he left the University. I finally get to give it back to him." Kaoru got up and took his plate and glass towards the kitchen, "Don't worry, Okasan. I will wash mine." Kaoru grinned at Kagerou and walked towards the sink. It has been five years since he started living with the Hokage. He stayed over the Hanabishi's residence and over the years he has grown to call Kagerou as his mother and as his father. As soon as Kaoru finished washing his dish, the Hokage heard the doorbell ring.
" I got it!" Kaoru rushed to the door and opened it only to see a brightly smiling blonde girl along with a brunette old lady and an old man in his fifties wearing a white bandana on his head. "Good afternoon, Ms. Kirisawa." Kaoru stepped out and took two bags off .
"Ah, thank you Kaoru," carried in the other two bags inside the house, "Yo! Everyone…They have finally arrived."
"Hope the journey wasn't too tiresome," Kaoru smiled at Fuuko's lovely mother. shook her head in reply, "Not at all. Thank you for sending to pick us up. I apologize for the inconvenience. Ganko's school got over only the day before." She smiled gently at the 20-year-old boy. Mrs. Kirisawa, though she was in her late forty, she was still graceful and her face showed signs of her being a beautiful women during her youth. She had her brown hair tied up in a bun with a Chinese pin holding the hair together and she wore a pair of beige peep toes. Her personality spoke of simplicity and she wore a blue pleated neck short sleeve dress with a white three fourth sleeve solid red shirt. A small floral Cz platinum ring adored her left finger, while she wore a vintage crystal pendent set.
"Mom! Why are you apologizing to Kogenai for that," Ganko said sternly looking at Koaru, "We should thank Shigeo-san for that." Ganko stuck out her tongue at Kogenai, making him sweatdrop. Ganko had grown over the years into a beautiful graceful girl, unlike her sister Fuuko. She wore a white tube dress with a black shrug accompanied by high-heeled tan stilettos. There were signs of light makeup on her face and she wore silver jewelries which looked beautiful on her flawless fair skin. Ganko peeped behind the tall Kogenai only to spot Fuuko.
"Neechan!" Ganko screamed and ran to Fuuko, who was now standing to welcome her family. "I missed you so much!" Ganko hugged Fuuko, earning a slight giggle from the older girl.
"Haven't you grown up in a year?" Fuuko smiled at Ganko after breaking their hug.
"Mmm…I am going to be sixteen after all, "Ganko said clasping her hands in front of her, "I am so excited about this year's summer vacation. I heard, Tokiya-nii is also coming!"
"He sure is," Fuuko smiled and then walked to her mother leaving the hyper active Ganko to greet the others, "Glad you could make it mom!"
"It's so good to see after such a long time, dear. You have grown so much more since the last time I saw you." Fuuko smiled shyly at her mom. Eventhough she loved her mom dearly, she could only meet her mother during Christmas only. Her interns and projects always kept her away from her family. This summer vacation became a good excuse for her to spend some time with her friends and family, well, atleast all of her family. It couldn't be helped that her father was abroad for some important work. Fuuko hugged her mom and then walked toward to take the two bags from his hands. "Thank you, Shigeo-san. I shall keep them in Ganko's room." Shigeo murmured a thank you and then walked into the kitchen to drink some water. Kaoru followed Fuuko upstairs to keep Fuuko's mom's luggage in that of Kagerou's room. After keeping them Kaoru and Fuuko walked down to a relatively noisier dining room, just when another door bell was heard. This time, Fuuko ran and opened the door. "Michan!"

The crack on stone in the mouth of the cave was now bigger than before and the sound of a hungry animal seeped out of the cave. From the distant, dark mucky cloud seemed to be approaching the island.

A/N

That is the first chapter for the Dare to be creative thread started by Sodium-san(and in reply to Darryl-nii). I shall upload the next chapter when I get the time again. R&R as always. To those who know nothing about the dare, well, it's just a crazy spell of FoR fandom. :P