Chapter 10: Mistaken Confrontation

Mato was walking to school by herself today. She could have felt lonely but she was too busy dwelling in her lost thoughts. She would have hated Katsuya as a brother. She though her brother was bad but Katsuya...well, he was on a whole new level of bad. Mato felt really sorry for Shinji, having to put up with Katuya. Kanon and Nana too, they weren't exactly the ideal sisters either. Mato hoped she was a better sister than either of them were.

Just as she was thinking about Shinji she looked up and saw him across the road. As if k we she was watching him he looked up too. He gave her a small wave so she waved back and they stared at each other for a minute before Shinji walked to the edge of the pavement to cross the road. He waited for several cars to pass by before taking the first opportunity and running across the road to meet her.

"Hey, Shinji!" She called as he reached her.

"Hey, Mato," he said in reply. "Or should I call you Kuro."

Mato pouted. "Nobody shortens my name."

"So, just Mato then?"

Mato paused. "All right, you can call me Kuro, Senjitoite."

Shinji grinned. "You remembered!"

"Of course I did," she said and she gave him a small smile. "But maybe I should call you Senji, it is easier to say after all."

Shinji laughed. "Shinji, Sentokitoite, Senjitoite, Senji, call me what ever you like!"

Mato thought about it a second. "Just Shinji is fine."

"The you shall be Mato!" He declared.

Mato laughed too. "Fine by me!"

After they started to head to school again Shinji sighed and said, "Look, I'm sorry about what happened the other day with Katsuya and all that."

Mato shook her head. "Why are you apologising? It's not your fault. It was Katsuya's."

"Well, I say sorry on his behalf then," Shinji said.

"Oh, all right," Mato said then on a sudden change of subject she said, "Hey, wanna sit with the girls and I for lunch today?"

Shinji considered the offer. "Sure why not?"

From behind them they didn't realise that Katsuya was following. It wasn't intentional as if he was stalking them or something along those lines. They all went to the same school so of course he was going to be following them. Nana was on his left, chatting away aimlessly like she truly had no cares in the entire world, universe even. Kanon was on his right, walki g slightly behind him and Nana, being quiet as usual.

Katsuya drifted from focussing on whatever Nana was talking about (he didn't listen to her half the time anyway) and watched Mato and Shinji greet each other. All he did was frown. He'd stop this, he promised himself.

At school Mato and Shinji met up with the others.

"Hey, it took you long enough to get here!" Yu said.

"Oh, hello, Shinji," Yomi said, noticing how Shinji was tagging along with Mato.

Mato looked at Shinji then back at the others. She told them how they had bumped into each other on the way to school so they walked the rest of the way together.

"Oh really? Did you like your little walk together?" Kagari asked, deliberately stressing the word 'together'.

"What do you mean?" Mato asked and she frowned at Kagari.

"It's just you two see, to be getting awfully close, don't you think?" Mato's head zipped round to face Yu who had spoken instead of Kagari.

Mato found herself to start turning red at the cheeks. "T-there's nothing going on between us! Right, Shinji?"

She turned and looked at Shinji, whom she also noticed was turning red. "Uh, um, y-yeah. Nothing at all."

Kagari smirked. "Mato, you stuttered. Shinji, you stuttered too! In fact, you both stuttered!"

"Yeah, so? What's so bad about stuttering?" Mato pursed her lips.

"You both sounded like you had been caught in the act or something!" Yu announced.

"Eh, look, there is nothing between us!" Shinji tried to clarify.

"I think we should just leave the two of them alone," Yomi said, sticking up for Mato and Shinji.

"Thank you, Yomi," Mato said and she smiled gratefully at her friend. She scowled at the other two as if to ask why were they friends again? The both of them just grinned semi-innocently.

"Hello, what's going on over here?"

The five on them winced as they recognised the familiar voice and slowly, one by one, they turned to stare at it's dreaded owner. Katsuya was standing there with Nana and Kanon either side of him. Nana glared at each and everyone of them as if she was trying to burn them with heat ray vision or just wished they'd all simultaneously combust. Kanon stared at the floor, careful to ignore any and every possible eye contact she could avoid.

"Hello, Katsuya," Shinji said forcefully, trying to sound nice. He didn't want to pick up a fight by being horrible and getting everyone's attention.

"Hello, Shinji," Katsuya replied. Unlike Shinji he didn't force himself to sound nice. It just came naturally. He was a pretty good actor.

"Hasn't anyone ever told you it's rude to but into someone's conversation?" Mato asked.

Katsuya's icy gaze shifted over to Mato for a second. He stared at her, his cold glare not a match for his warm smile. He turned back to face Shinji, his eyes still lingering on Mato. After a second he snapped his gaze back to his you get brother.

"I didn't realise I was butting into a conversation," he said coyly, knowing full well he was interrupting them. "I didn't mean anything by it, did I ladies?" He turned to look at his sisters one at a time.

"Of course not." Nana huffed. She was obviously not even trying to sound nice.

"N-no." Kanon still stared downwards as she stammered slightly.

Katsuya looked back at Mato then back at his sisters. "Do you two mind if you head to your class yourselves?"

"Not at all." Nana beamed up at Katsuya as if he was a god. "Come one, Kanon."

"Coming!" Kanon said.

Nana marched off, pushing passed Shinji and the girls with out saying sorry. Kanon scampered after her. She muttered sorry to the people she bumped into then disappeared from sight.

"Well, now that they're gone..." Katsuya looked back at Mato. "Can I talk to you?"

"Talk to me?" Mato asked but Katsuya already tightend his hand around her wrist and dragged her away.

"Mato!" Shinji called out after her.

"Don't worry, I'll return her safe and sound," Katsuya said.

Ignoring the rest of what the others had to say he dragged Mato away and around the corner of the corridor where nobody was. There he pinned Mato to the wall between his two arms so she couldn't escape and leant down so his face was close to hers.

"I want you to stay away from my little brother, do you hear me?" He said in a harsh whisper.

"W-what?" Mato asked.

"I want you to stay away from my little brother, do you hear me!?" He asked again, stressing the last four words as best as he could.

"Yes, I hear you," Mato said in reply and she gulped.

"So?" Katsuya asked.

"So what?" Mato asked back.

"So, are you going to stay away from my little brother?" Katsuya stared down at her intently.

Mato considered what to say for a minute. "Well, you asked if I had heard you, not whether I was going to do as you said or not."

Katsuya smirked. "Clever girl."

"Um, thank you?" Mato said but her reply was cut short by Katsuya leaning in closer.

"Are you going to stay away from my little brother?" He hissed directly in her face.

Mato could feel beads of sweat build up on her brow. Despite that she refused to give in to Katsuya. Taking a deep breath she defiantly said, "No."

"No?" He asked, trying to clarify her answer.

"No," she repeated.

"Now, listen here-" Katsuya's threat was cut off half way.

A teacher had been walking down the corridor. He eyed the two suspiciously then said, "Excuse me, no kissing in the corridor."

Katsuya gave Mato one final glare before he slinked away and smiled innocently at the teacher. "Sorry, sir."

"We, we, we weren't kissing!" Mato spluttered and she feel herself turning as red as a tomato.

"Sure you weren't," the teacher said and he walked away.

When the teacher had gone Katsuya gave Mato a silent glare then, he too, walked away.

Mato breathed a sigh of relief and hurried away after him to join the others.

"What was all that about?" Shinji asked.

"Nothing, nothing," Mato said and she smiled. "Nothing at all."

"Mato," Yomi said but whatever she was going to say after that was cut off as their own teacher came by to let them in the class.

Quickly Mato hurried inside. She didn't want to answer any of their questions.

Black Death Archer released an arrow. It was a pointless move because, even though it was a perfect aim, Black Assassin still jumped out of the way. It just skimmed his knee, not leaving even a scratch on his clothing, as he leapt to the side, landing on his hands and performing a perfect cartwheel. Letting loose the arrow may have seemed like a pointless thing to do as it did no harm but what did matter was that Black Assassin had moved and was prepared to fight after their little stare down.

Black Death Archer pulled out another arrow, aimed, and fired again. This time Black Assassin launched himself several feet into the air and somersaulted foreword. If Black Death Archer wasn't so focused then he would have been smirking as he had Black Assassin right where he wanted him. Loading another arrow he narrowed his eyes as he aimed carefully, his tongue pressed against his teeth.

He let go. The arrow zipped through the air, the arrowhead plummeting into Black Assassin's chest. Black Assassin simply fell to the ground mid flight, landing with an echoing thud.

Now Black Death Archer smirked.

But, much to his surprise Black Assassin was immediately on his feet. The look he shot Black Death Archer was enough to turn the whole world to stone. He delicately wrapped his fingers around the arrow buried in his chest, keeping his eyes locked with Black Death Archer's the whole time. Black Death Archer himself readied another arrow but it was already too late.

Black Assassin had yanked the arrow out from his chest, blood squirting out as he did so. With a simply twitch of his fingers the arrow was snapped in two and he dropped the two halves carelessly to the floor. Before Black Death Archer had the time to react Black Assassin had already thrown himself foreword, his right arm raised. He brought it down, striking his fellow warrior across the face. Black Death Archer was flung to the side, hitting against the wall of the cavern they were, rubble cracking away and tumbling down on top of him as Black Assassin eloquently landed on his feet, standing up straight to admire his handiwork, only a minimal amount of dust being released into the air from where he skidded slightly.

Black Assassin looked towards the rubble and smirked before looking at Black Rock Shooter who was still lying on the ground. She glared at him, telling him silently to back away and not mess with her because he'll be sorry otherwise.

As Black Assassin slowly started to make his way towards the fallen Black Rock Shooter, Black Death Archer shot up out of the rubble. He was gripping his bow with both hands and as he came flying towards Black Assassin he swung it with enough force to send Black Assassin soaring backwards. It was Black Assassin's turn to hit the wall, although fortunately for him it did not collapse on him.

But that moment of stillness was all Black Death Archer needed.

He slung his bow back over his back so it was no longer in the way and scooped one arm around Black Rock Shooter's waist. He pulled her up with him as hopped up the sides of the cavern's walls expectedly. He did not slip even once.

When he reached the top of the cavern he grabbed the edge and flung himself up into the air before falling back down and landing perfectly on his feet. He carefully placed Black Rock Shooter down on to her own feet. The landscape all around them was cracked and full of caverns. There were so many cracks and pits it was impossible to tell which ones Strength, Chariot, Black Gold Saw and Dead Master all fell down.

Black Rock Shooter glanced up to him, not a smile or anything, but Black Death Archer supposed that was her way of thanking him. Ignoring her blank stare he looked down at her wrists. Her arms were hung limply at her sides with her wrists still obviously broken. Black Death Archer looked back up at her and met her gaze. He looked at her as if he was asking whether she'd be able to fight or not. She stared back as if she was asking him if he was really that stupid. She held up one arm and he watched as her gun formed around it. She looked at her gun back to Black Death Archer in her own way of telling him she didn't need wrists to fight with her gun.

Suddenly, with out any form of warning, Black Rock Shooter raised her gun and shot at Black Death Archer. He stood as still as a marble statue, narrowly avoiding the shot that zoomed passed his head. As it did so he whirled around to see where the shot was going and saw that she was shooting at Black Assassin who had just leapt out of the pit. The shot missed him too and he landed on the ground. With a rabid look in his eyes he sprinted forwards, claws raised. Black Rock Shooter shot at him again but he flipped to the side. When he was just inches away from them Black Death Archer tried to stop him from reaching Black Rock Shooter but he swung his claws and sent Black Death Archer flying backwards, right back into the pit.

Black Assassin also swung out at Black Rock Shooter. She jumped back at the last second so he missed her by a millimetre. He swung at her again and again and again, his movements becoming more crazy and irrational by the second. Black Rock Shooter didn't have the chance to shoot him as she couldn't get far away enough but what she did manage to do was lift her arm high up in the air before bringing her gun crashing down on Black Assassin's head.

He stood there stunned for a second leaving a perfect opening for Black Rock Shooter. She jumped back by about a metre, held her gun out straight then spun on her heel. Her gun hit Black Assassin directly in the side and he was sent straight through the air for what felt like the a millionth time.

Meanwhile, as Black Death Archer fell, he grabbed his bow from his shoulder. With as much force as he could possible muster he slammed his bow into the cavern wall. It went straight in like a nail being forced in by a hammer. Cracks spread slightly from the point of impact.

Still holding onto the bow he swung himself up so he was perched on the bow carefully like it was the branch of a very twisted tree. He stood up straight as if he wasn't balancing on a very thin pole and was standing on normal flat ground. With a slight bend at the knees he then launched himself up in the air, all the way up so he zoomed out of the pit and back onto the cracked ground. As he landed he saw Black Rock Shooter staring at him and he knew she was asking where was his bow. With a flick of his wrist his bow was in his hand. That being enough of an answer for her, she looked away. Black Death Archer followed her gaze. There was no Black Assassin in sight. Black Death Archer looked back at Black Rock Shooter and raised a single eyebrow. She shrugged. It seemed like Black Assassin had just disappeared.

As Black Death Archer slung his bow onto his back once again Black Rock Shooter let her gun disappear, her arm falling back to limply hanging by her side along with her other one that hadn't moved. Black Death Archer made his way over to her. He reached out and grabbed one of her arms. He lifted it up and inspected her broken wrist then dropped her arm so it fell back down to her side.

Looking away he felt her gaze bore into his skull so he looked back at her. With a slight jerk of his head he indicated that they should be going. Black Rock Shooter nodded and together they ran away over the many cracks in search of the others.

This chapter was originally going to be much longer, but because most of the previous chapters are really short, I cut about parts of this one to be put in the next chapter. I hope you don't mind!