DISCLAIMER: AGAIN, I DO NOT OWN NURARIHYON NO MAGO. ONLY MY OCS.

Beta-ed by: uchiha-sakura193

Chapter 14: A Fight and Discovery

10 Years Ago:

Keith was running blindly. He was crying. Why had this happen to him? He was just waiting for his mom to return from buying some ice cream when the man appeared. He told him that he knew a great place to play and that his mom had given him consent to come with him. Being a naive little child he was at that time, he agreed. And now, he was here running away to who-knows-where when the man that brought him in the place suddenly brandished a short sword and scratched his left arm with it.

"Come on, Keith-kun! Let's play ne~" the man cooed with his creepy smile.

"Mommy! help me.." Keith wailed as he blindly ran everywhere trying to get out of maze that was the house.

Present:

Keith could only look in fear when Akito brought down his sword.

'I guess this is the end, right?' Keith thought. Almost resigned to his fate, he waited for the blade to come slash him open but it never did. Instead there was a clang as if the sword had collided with another metal. He opened his eyes only to see Rikuo had effectively blocked the attack with his own sword? Wait...Rikuo had a sword?

"Woah! You had a sword, Rikuo?" Arashi shouted in shock.

Keith was too shocked that he didn't dwell on the fact that he and his brother had the same thought in mind.

"I'll explain later," Rikuo answered as he kept his cool as he blocked the chipped but sturdy sword that was about to kill them.

"Oh cool! Rikuo had a sword?!" Risa said as she looked at her cousin in awe. Then she looked at Arashi with a pout. "You should totally start practicing with a sword Arashi-nii-san! That way, you should be cooler."

Arashi could only sweatdropped at that while Keith had a big tic on his head. They were in danger and all Risa could only think of is that?

"What's wrong with you!" Keith shouted in irritation, with an understandable mix of exasperation. The situation was momentarily forgotten as he had to argue back.

"What? I trust Rikuo-kun! If he says that he will protect us then he would protect us!" Risa insisted stubbornly.

Keith was silenced with her statement. He was amazed at the faith that his cousin has on Rikuo. Why could he not do the same?

Oh right...

It was because he was a man. Not a damsel-in-distress!

He took a glance beside him and wondered if his nii-san felt the same way.

Wait...judging from his vexed expression. He did.

He then looked back at the fight. Rikuo was a pro with the sword, moving as if he had done this loads of times already.

'He's good,' Keith thought begrudgingly. He was kind of jealous with the skills that his cousin had. Rikuo looks cool with the sword. Maybe he should try taking up the self-defense classed that his tutor offered?

Rikuo had to struggle to keep a cool composure so as to not laugh, get stabbed and possible die in the most embarrassing way. Well, he could not help it. His Night Self was very distracting with his commentary.

'Ha! You? A Swordsman? Don't make me laugh,' Night Rikuo taunted their opponent inside his mind. Unfortunately, their opponent could not hear them but hey, if Night Rikuo could not help his other self physically then he would be helping him through taunting and cheering.

'Maybe you should stop distracting me by keeping quiet!' Rikuo thought while dodging an amateur swing that could be easily be dodged by his grandfather. He knew what his other self was trying to do and although he was kind of touched by the support, he could not really help but be irritated.

'Hey, at least I'm helping.' Night Rikuo protested. 'But, you know, you should really finish the fight now. The man can't even be called a proper swordsman with all the unnecessary movements and useless swings he's been doing. I'm feeling bored with all of this or rather, I'm bored watching you play with this pathetic human.'

'Hmm..you're right.' Rikuo mused.

Rikuo hardened his gaze at the man. He was done playing with the man already and quite frankly, his other self did have a point, the man was weak.

"I hope you don't hold grudges." Rikuo muttered, as he delivered the final blow.

Akito didn't know what just happened. One moment he was swinging his sword aimlessly as he tried to beat the heck out of the brat and the next, his sword flew out of his grasp while another sword was pointing at his throat. He growled. This was totally not part of the plan that he had mentioned. He looked up; the teen was looking at him as if he was just some pathetic insect that needs to be squashed. He was also radiating a really scary aura that had a tint of bloodlust on it. It was as if he feared the teen. But this was impossible. He feared no one. But he didn't have the time to dwell on it much anymore. Darkness invaded his consciousness as the hilt to sent him to the land of oblivion.

Rikuo sighed. It was over and no one got hurt. Well, except for the crazy stranger.

"Wow! Rikuo-kun, you're so cool! I didn't know that you could use a sword," Risa exclaimed.

"Ahahaha...well..." Rikuo said nervously. He didn't have any excuses this time and he did not know what to say.

"Are you okay, Keith-san?" Rikuo inquired concernedly. He does not hold grudges much. It was his Night Self's job.

"Tch..shut up," Keith mumbled, but everyone heard him anyway.

"Hey! Rikuo-kun just saved us and this is what you do? You little ingrate!" Risa snapped at him.

"Shut up! What do you know?!" Keith snapped back. Risa was shocked. "He's back! He returned and it's all that Wakana's entire fault. She shouldn't have come here!"

"What?! Why are you blaming Wakana-obaasan? She didn't do anything wrong!" Risa shot back.

"It's her fault! It's her fault." Keith shouted. Tears were streaming down his eyes as he said it. "Dad said so.." he added in a whisper but Rikuo could still hear him.

Rikuo just looked at Keith in shock. Something was wrong. Definitely wrong. Something happened in the past with this family and his mother was involved somehow. He does not know what yet but he would definitely find out.

All this time, Arashi just kept silent. It wasn't because of Keith's outburst. No. It was not. He was just silent because he knew the truth. The truth that all the things the Keith had cried out had been true. After all, he was perfectly aware of what transpired in the past.

Flashback

Keith was crying. He was crying so much.

"There, there," Kenji tried to pacify his youngest son. But Keith ignored him. Nothing would change the fact that his mother was dead. She was killed. And it was his fault!

"Ssshh...sshh...it isn't your fault," Kenji said as if he had just read his son's mind.

"It isn't? But she died because of me!" Keith brawled.

"No, it is not." Kenji replied sternly.

"Then whose fault was it then?" Keith shouted in distress as he frustratingly punched his father's chest.

"Wakana," Kenji replied.

"Wakana-obaasan?" Keith's crying stopped.

"Yes...this was all Wakana's fault. Not yours but hers," his dad replied seriously, that Keith could not help but to believe.

"Yes. This was all Wakana's entire fault."

DATE CREATED: September 14, 2014

A/N: And that's that. Sorry if it was a little bit late but I swear the internet was really dead set on being dead! Ugh...and so I present this chapter even though it was posted on middle of the night. Anyway, thank you for those who still review this story! Also, the next update would be on December but never fear for in that month my updates on this story would be scheduled! I still need to outline the new plot here and it would not do if I rush this one.

MEleeSmasher : Hehe...sorry about that. Thank you for the review.

Kuroi Rin : Haha...thank you. And yes, Akito is a creep but there is a background story about that. I plan to give explanations to my OCs on why they acting this way.

CrossoverxToxThexDarkxSide : Thank you! I do try my best.

Alaia Skyhawk : Haha...thanks and sorry about the lateness...I totally blame the wi-fi in here. It was soooo slooow.

ShinigamiinPeru: Hahaha...sorry about that..anyway, thank you for the review.

TacticalFan: I never did plan on leaving this. Hahaha..thanks.

RazedragonOAO : I made another cliffhanger? Why do I not realize on making these situations?

Analanat: Hahaha..don't worry. I don't plan on giving up on this. I spent years on making this story, I don't plan on wasting those.

Radiant Celestial Aura: Hahaha...it's really great to be back on this archive.

Pikapikaluv: hahaha...thanks!

Yuu3: haha...thanks. And yes, the meeting is still on. Afterall, it was one of the many reasons why I started this fic.

a random person: Hahaha...thanks!

L lysine: I will never give up on this story. Thank you!