Chapter Ten – Stronger By Any Means

Author's Note: I do not own the Buso Renkin series and the characters of the original series. I own only the original characters of this fic, Sakuya Mutou, Kaworu Jounouchi, their siblings and friends, Phalene, some members of the Alchemist Army, and the enemy, the Tetsujin Juusan. Buso Renkin is the creation of mangaka, Watsuki Nobuhiro.

The screens showed pictures of Ginsei City, from the residential district to the shopping centers, eventually reaching Ginsei Academy. A sandy brown-colored woman holding a hexagonal-like object in her hand turned to three others. One was a black-haired male not wearing the Alchemy Warriors uniform but a white kimono and blue hakama (kimono-like pants used for martial arts). Another was a woman, similar to the man in facial appearance and hair, but smaller than him, wearing a long slender dress, similar to that of the Ginsei Academy girls' uniforms. The last was a long, frilly and dark-blonde-haired girl, smaller than the other two, wearing a bit of a formal dress.

"Ginsei Academy…such wonderful memories of that place…" smiled the woman in the uniform-like dress.

"Ah…um…I guess you can say it was fun…" The smaller woman blushed, holding her cheeks while thinking of all the boys that had hit on her when she was younger. "If only Warrior Chief Hiwatari was around back then…"

"I don't think the Warrior Chief would wear a school uniform…" sighed the man. "He'd probably burn it."

"That's enough, you three," said the one holding the hexagonal tablet. She turned to Ginsei Academy's picture on the screen. "It's only been two weeks, but after their run in with the 'Tetsujin Juusan,' Warriors Jounouchi Kaworu and Muto Sakuya are most likely to be targeted by other members of said group. That is why I am assigning you three, the Ginsei Protection Squad, to monitor the school. The Alchemist Army assigned you three jobs at the school, so you may blend in without suspicion of your true intentions. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Warrior Chief Tateyama!"

During class, Sakuya was looking outside the window. Her mind was wandering again. She didn't even know the teacher was calling out to her. 'That opponent we fought two weeks ago was strong…' she thought to herself. She was thinking of her crushing defeat against the being that called itself Yata, a "pHomunculus." Kaworu said that Yata was the weakest of the Tetsujin Juusan, and it took him, her mother Tokiko, and the blonde Gouta, the latter of the two the rank of Warrior Chiefs of the Alchemy Warriors, to defeat that monster. 'How are we going to survive in the end?'

"Sakuya Muto!" exclaimed the teacher, and Sakuya jolted in her seat. The teacher was a long and black-haired woman wearing a slim dress similar to the girl's school uniform. "Now that I have your attention, I want you to read the sentence in your text book in English."

"S-Sorry…Hayasaka-sensei…A-Ai riimemubaa, zi o-orudo man sedo. Ai nou yuu dido noto riibu mi bi-…bicosu yuu d-d-daotedo."

As some of the other students giggled at Sakuya's attempt at English, Kaworu glared at the teacher, giving her a look as if he knew who she was. The woman known as "Hayasaka-sensei" noticed Kaworu's glare and smiled at him. Kaworu was taken aback as soon as the bell had rung. "Now remember class, I expect your papers by the end of this week!"

As the students began to leave, Ouka Kurosaki placed her hand on Sakuya's shoulder. She had a concerned look on her face. "You alright, kid?" she asked her friend. "You look as if something's been on your mind. Well, besides the funny English." Sakuya looked up at her and simply smiled, startling the blonde-haired yankee as Sakuya continued to the hall.

Outside the building, Sakuya and Kaworu were standing in front of the building. It was raining, and neither of them had umbrellas. The two glanced at each other and let out a sigh. As they were about to speak, they would notice and grow silent. "Y-you start…" Sakuya muttered, hiding her embarrassment.

"No, please, go ahead," Kaworu replied, and the two were silent again. This wasn't getting anywhere.

"…I will get stronger."

"Eh?"

Sakuya turned to Kaworu with a determined look on her face. Kaworu saw that her eyes were gleaming, and he smiled. "I said I'll get stronger."

"I heard you," Kaworu replied and looked up at the sky. "And I will as well…"

All of a sudden, an umbrella loomed over their heads. They looked up to find Hayasaka-sensei, smiling to them. "If you have the time, will you follow me to the gym? There's someone I'd like you to meet."

"Are you referring to HIM, Hayasaka-sensei?" Kaworu asked. Hayasaka-sensei smiled and led the two of them to the nearby gym building, Sakuya with a confused expression. Why did Kaworu act as if he knew who she was talking about?

"DO!" went the students in the gym. Sakuya was amazed; she had never seen an actual kendo class before. Students in chest protectors and helmets and hakama, and they all looked so powerful! One of the men there saw the three and waved to them, walking around to talk to them.

"Ouka!" the man went to Hayasaka-sensei with a smile. He looked like her, but he was taller. He noticed the other two, but smiled when he saw Sakuya. "Kaworu-kun, are you here to practice as well?"

"Well…where is Aramaki-sensei?" asked Kaworu, but the man didn't say anything.

That's when the woman named Ouka introduced the man to Sakuya. "Mutou-san, this is my twin brother, Shusui."

"REALLY?" Sakuya gasped. She had also never met twins before. But the man was taller. "But…isn't he the older brother?"

"I had a growth spurt…" Shusui sounded embarrassed by this as Ouka laughed lightly. "Kaworu, gear up. There are two new students today who wish to train with you."

"Very well...Shusui-sensei…" Kaworu bowed to Shusui and stepped off to get changed.

"Now then, why don't we get you changed as well?" With a smile, Ouka took Sakuya by the hand and slowly lead her to the back.

"Wait, what?" This was ultimately confusing for Sakuya, who was dragged off against her well. "Sh-Shusui-san! What is going on? Shusui-san!" Shusui simply waved to her as he resumed to the practice.

After a while, a dressed Kaworu was on the mat, holding his shinai firmly. He was staring at the man ahead of him, who was holding two shinai. "Tch…no class," he scoffed and took his read stance. "If this one wishes to fight me, I'll show no mercy."

"Heh! This is my opponent? Some stuffy blonde?" The man taunted and held his two shinai outward. "I'll kick his ass and beat 'im to a pulp!"

"Fight!"

"Do!" Kaworu yelled as he swung his shinai at the man's open chest protector, but the man parried and had spun for a head attack. Quickly, Kaworu lifted his shinai and deflected it, but the hit was still valid. He jumped back to a ready stance. "Hm…you don't even yell your strikes."

"No need to, boy," said the fighter. "I can take you out even without the proper styles!"

"Then I will be the one to defeat you…" Again, the two charged at each other. Their shinais struck at each other, the lone shinai successfully holding its own against the twin-style shinai. But with a powerful strike to the body, the man was sent flying to the wall. The other armored student didn't move as the man slid down the wall, his helmet rolling on the floor. He was silver-haired, split down the middle. Kaworu blinked a bit and took off his helmet. "I didn't mean to do that! I'm so-"

"Stuff it, purple-eyes," the man sneered and looked up at Kaworu. "Apology from the winning opponent just adds salt t' the wounds. But I'll kick your ass next time!"

"Brother…" the other armored warrior finally spoke and looked up at the student at the other side of the floor. The silver-haired male shut his mouth and scoffed as the one who called him his brother stood. "I'll be fighting a female. Interesting. And she looks promising, as well."

Kaworu looked back to see Sakuya in the same garments as him and sighed. Did she volunteer for this? "She hasn't had the proper training, so please go easy one he-"

"DON'T SAY THAT!" Sakuya exclaimed, getting Shusui's and Ouka's attention as she stood up with the shinai in her hands. She glared at Kaworu and puffed up her cheeks, though that was hard to see because of her helmet. "Don't tell him that. I'll fight…with everything I have! I have to get stronger!" The other male students in the back whispered amongst each other, some expressing their faith in her. Shusui simply smiled and nodded as he raised his hand.

"FIGHT!"

Sakuya took a step forward and brought her shinai down at her stoic opponent. He simply smiled and lifted his horizontally, pushing her back by the repelling blow and quickly struck at her chest. It was a solid hit. "Ugh!" she groaned and stepped back. She didn't feel it physically, but that blow did get to her.

"Getting stronger? Those are quite the words, woman." The male stepped back a bit and took his position. "For what reason? I'm curious." The silver-haired male looked at his brother, gritting his teeth.

"Because!" Sakuya started, but she didn't finish. How would that guy react if she told him that she wanted to fight monsters that are a lot stronger than her? No, it wasn't because of that. It was something more. "Because…I owe someone." Kaworu looked up from his position next to Ouka. "I owe someone something very important. So long as he is around, I have to get stronger…to pay him back. I'll get stronger through any unorthodox methods."

"FIGHT!"

It was quick. The sound of the hollow bamboo blade hitting the chest armor echoed through the gym, and Kaworu, Shusui, Ouka, the silver-haired male, and the other students in this Kendo class were shocked to find Sakuya at point-black with her opponent, the tip of her shinai pressing against his armor. The man was stunned, looking down at her. 'I didn't even see her move!' he thought. 'A god-like speed?...No. This woman doesn't have much fighting experience…but her resolve…' A smile appeared on his lips. 'I was shaken and distracted…by her limitless resolve.'

Sakuya took her original spot and pointed her shinai at the opponent. "I'll get stronger…by any means necessary!"

"Then show me, woman! The strength and limit of your resolve!"

"FIGHT!"

"Don't call me woman! My name is…"

After that eventful class, Sakuya left with Kaworu by her side and stretched her arms. "I feel SOOOO sore!" she groaned. "So much pain in my body…"

"When you feel pain like that, that means your body is growing." Kaworu smiled and placed his hand on her shoulder, which caused her to jump and twitch in pain. "Oh, sorry! I mean…your body is growing because you're getting stronger."

Sakuya looked up at Kaworu and grinned childishly. "Heh heh. I bet dad would be proud, huh?"

The boy sighed and rubbed the back of his blonde head. He proceeded to walk past her, the girl calling out to him to wait up. "Hey, Kaworuuuu!" she moaned childishly and struggled with her sore muscles to catch up to him as she ran. She thought of that male who fought with her and smiled. His words, his strength, they stuck to her. 'I won't ever forget him. I hope I get to train with him again. That awesome guy named…'

"Kabuto…" the silver-haired male walked up to an auburn-haired male who looked similar to him by face. His hair went down the left side of his face while a single spike from the back had risen. "Why're ya takin' an interest in her? She's a woman!"

"Even a woman like her is human," Kabuto chuckled, looking down at the courtyard from the gate on the school's roof. "But there are some humans that have limitless potential."

"Keh…" The brother scoffed and looked at Sakuya chasing after the blonde Kawory, but mostly at the latter student. "That guy…I don't like him. But somethin' about him seems familiar."

"I do agree." Kabuto was fixated on Sakuya, and he narrowed his golden eyes as he smiled. "But no matter what, they must be eliminated, by order of Kami-sama." He then turned toward the door and walked toward it. "Let's go, my brother, Kuwaga."

"Yeah, yeah, onii-samaaaa."