Back with another chapter. So heads up, there're going to be some other characters from the VNs added into the story as shown in chapters 4 and 8. It would definitely help if you knew the visual novels. Yeah, the description says an alternate take on the anime, but this story will borrow some aspects from a specific route in Majikoi S (which I won't spoil) and put my own spin on it.

And this name's chapter; 'Glowing Sky' music from the original VN. Think it fits the scene below?

Apologies for any grammar errors.

Please enjoy and please review. Love to hear your thoughts and they keep me going. Fight on!


Chapter 9: Glowing Sky

Kawakami Momoyo and Naoe Yamato exited the school. Momoyo walking slower than her usual pace. Yamato was next to her, but his demeanour was giving a sense of chill around him. In truth, Yamato really just wanted to be away from here, but she wanted to talk. So through his reluctance, he waited on her.

"Yamato." Momoyo finally said after a minute.

"Nee-san." Yamato said.

"Did gramps told you that you're going to stay at the Kawakami Temple?"

"Yeah." Yamato said monotonously. Silence returned to the two and they were on their way by the river. Yamato had not uttered a single word and Momoyo was getting awkward by the atmosphere surrounding him. She kept making short glances at him to see if he was looking at her, he was not.

"Are you ok?" She then asked.

"I'm fine."

"You don't look fine." She took a chance and pressed on, her mind still told her this person next to her was still her lil' bro and just could not stay away from the Nee-san act. She wanted to keep on believing that. She needed to hold onto that.

"I am." Yamato persisted.

"So what was that about on Friday?"

"You are referring to my fight?"

"Yeah."

Yamato sighed, they continued to trek down the road while Momoyo eyed him. He then said, "What happened was Hideo set me up to for a fight. And I beat him."

"Beat him up quite brutally to boot huh?"

"Even you huh?" Yamato gave a side glare.

"Eh?"

"Your grandfather was wailing on me about how I fought, I see the school looking at me like a ghoul, and now you're breathing down my neck too." Yamato said and his pace got a little quicker.

"That's not really like you, is it? To act like that." Momoyo said.

(You need to look in the mirror then.) Yamato thought in his mind, but he did not tell her. He simply groaned and carried on his way. Momoyo noticed he was getting ahead of her, till his back was facing her. The distance between them was increasing slowly.

Momoyo had never seen this before, Yamato had never walked away on her like this before. She then felt an impulse, and she reached out. She took Yamato's hands, catching him unaware.

"What the hell-" Yamato got pulled over to her, Momoyo wrapped her arms around him and embraced hard. Yamato went completely stiff like a board, Momoyo pressed herself harder against him, pushing her chest into his.

Yamato recounted the last time she hugged him; when he confessed to her for the second time, and she rejected him. And her reason, she sees him as a man but wants to stay as friends, if that was not confusing enough for Yamato. Now, getting embraced by Momoyo like this, it was almost like a sharp stab in the heart.

The words from his mother, Saki, came into his mind. (But do you still like her dear…do not lose that love…do not let it consume you…It's about your life…).

(Do I still love her? I don't know…I just don't know…goddammit I don't need this now.) Yamato hissed in his head.

On Momoyo's end, it was not so good either. She felt the chill from his skin. She could feel his heart beating in his chest, it was not the heightened heartrate that she thought he would be having. Any guy's pulse would be raised if a beauty was hugging him. Not in this case though. Instead, Yamato's heart was steady and firm. The warm hug she planned for turned into a cold hold.

Regardless, she needed to say this.

"Yamato." Momoyo softly said, "I'm sorry."

Yamato clenched his teeth hard, but his pillar-like posture did not move. Momoyo closed her eyes. "I'm so sorry, about your parents Yamato."

Yamato was completely silent and impassive. He stealthily clenched one fist, his dam of tears would not shatter. "Mn." He gave a short grunt. He would not break, he shut it all away. The glowing sky cast the orange hue over them. Momoyo did not know what to do after saying sorry to him, and Yamato was not helping, being silent like that.

It was getting awkward. She then had an idea, she said to him, "If you like, I will keep hugging you until you tell me to stop."

"Stop." It was barely two seconds before Yamato called it.

"Oh." Momoyo was not prepared for such a quick response, she let go of him. "That was fast." She recalled the last time she did this for him, it was after Yamato settled sorted out with the people she owed money to.

"Mm." Yamato turned to continue down the path.

She then asked him, "Where have you been?"

Yamato took in a breath, "Been busy."

"So busy you could not even check your phone? I texted and called you for days already."

"My father's company needed my presence to settle some stuff."

"Why didn't you tell me what happened?" Momoyo asked.

"There wasn't really any time."

"That so?"

Yamato turned around and the two faced each other again. He said languidly, "Yes."

"I see…"

It had gotten quiet between the two again. Momoyo's brain was conjuring anything else to talk about with him. However, she could not think of anything else. His demeanour was blocking off any other way to converse with him, he was not opening up at all.

She then asked, "Yamato. Shall we go home together?"

"Home?"

"I mean the Kawakami Temple?"

Originally Yamato planned to head to the temple straight from school, he was not anticipating Momoyo to wait for him by the shoe lockers. So instead, he had another destination in mind. Yamato said, "I need to go somewhere else first."

"I'll go with you then," Momoyo said.

Yamato stiffened up again, "I'd rather be alone for this."

"Denied." Momoyo said in her big sister tone.

"I wasn't asking." Yamato's pitch lowered.

"Nope." Momoyo pushed, she got one arm over his shoulder. "I'm going with you."

Yamato almost wanted to recoil from her, but he took control and remained still. Yamato turned to her, "This is a private thing Nee-san."

Momoyo leaned in, "Oh? What thing Yamato?"

"What part of 'private' do you not get?" Yamato deadpanned.

"Oh come on~ can't I know what it is?" Momoyo's arm started to tighten around him.

Something in Yamato's ki was slowly rising. He reached up and grabbed her wrist, wringing her arm off him. Momoyo's eyes widened in confusion by how he managed to free himself.

"I'll get to the Kawakami Temple later. See you." Yamato said as he released her wrist and turned around. Momoyo could only watch as his back was facing her and he walked away. She raised her hand up trying to reach him, but her legs were stuck in place. She just could not go after him. He was so close, and yet so far away.

She did, however, called him once more, "I'll…I'll see you later?"

Yamato turned his head and nodded, "Yeah, later."

Seeing him disappear into the distance, Momoyo sighed. The sun was already dipping into the horizon. And she was nearing her home, Kawakami Temple. Her mind went back to last Friday, when Kuki Ageha called her.


*Flashback to last Friday*

Momoyo gazed out the window in her room, the dark clouds were brewing in the sky. Her phone on her futon ringed and she sauntered over, seeing the caller ID gave her a little surprise.

"Hello? Ageha?" Momoyo picked up the call.

"Momoyo." Ageha said, "I need to tell you something."

"Mm?"

"Your grandfather and I agreed to this. Naoe Yamato will be staying at the Kawakami Temple starting on Monday." Ageha gave her the announcement. Momoyo nearly dropped her phone but she caught it as quick as it slipped through her fingers.

"Eh? What?" Momoyo blurted out.

"It's to help him in his difficult time, Assistant Master Lu and your grandfather should be able to help him heal." Ageha explained. "He needs to keep his mind busy. And we hope this would be the solution."

"Ohhh…" Momoyo started to pace around her room.

Momoyo could hear Ageha clearing her throat as if to tell her she was getting to another point. Ageha said, "Also Momoyo…"

"What?"

"Don't upset him."

"W-What?" Momoyo sat back down on her futon, "What are you talking about?"

"I am well and fully aware that you have the bad habit of messing with him and picking on him. But I am telling you, don't." Ageha said. Momoyo could almost feel Ageha pointing at her through the phone.

"Uh..." Momoyo droned.

"What?" Ageha asked.

"Oh nothing."

"What is it?" Ageha asked again, "Why did something happen?"

"No nothing." Momoyo quickly answered.

Ageha was not really convinced, evident by her few seconds of silence, but she did not ask any further. "Well anyway, as I said, don't provoke him or anything with your teasing tendencies ok? For crying out loud." Ageha stressed.

"Wait hang on," Momoyo's eyes narrowed, "Why are you involved in this? Did you talk to Yamato?"

"You'll know soon enough if things are in order." Ageha left no room for argument, "For now, just act accommodating." Ageha ended the call and Momoyo left to reflect on the situation for herself.

*Flashback end*


There was barely some sunlight when Yamato was at the cemetery, his lips were forming a distraught frown. He stood before the gravestones and his eyes were fixed on their names. Naoe Kagekiyo and Naoe Saki. Some of the staff members from Naoe Holdings had given their proper farewells as evident from the flowers around the gravestones.

"Mom," Yamato said to Saki, "I'm uh…hi."

Yamato continued, "I'm sorry…I couldn't give a better send off for you…just policemen from the whole department…I couldn't bring people from my school, I just couldn't. Maybe you would've like that…but I wouldn't. Please don't hold that against me. I know you're…in a better place than where I'm at right now. If you're seeing me, you know that I'm seeing you too mom."

Yamato turned to Kagekiyo, "Dad."

He then said, "I got your message dad, look into our family's lineage. We have a bloodline power. Don't quite yet know what it is, guess in time I will." He took a moment, "I'm sorry too. Couldn't keep what I vowed to you when I was younger, to 'move the country' as we said a long time ago. Maybe a kid's promise is just that I guess, a kid's promise. Maybe you saw that too back then I don't know. But now, what we promised to each other can't be seen through now."

Yamato rubbed his face and he let out a shaky breath, "Where the path for our name goes now, is up to me I suppose. Let's hope I can carry it, to the end."

Yamato knelt down and placed a hand on both headstones. He choked out, "I love you both."

Night has fallen when Yamato, at last, reached the Kawakami Temple. Even though he had been to this place plenty of times, this was the first time uncertainty was in him regarding the temple. By the large doorway of the Kawakami Temple's assistant master Lu Yi was waiting for him. "Ah, Yamato-san. Good evening and welcome."

"Evening Lu." Yamato greeted.

"Yamato!" Another voice called out. Kazuko, in her PE attire, jogged over from the temple dojo to welcome him.

"Wanko." Yamato said.

"What are you doing here?"

Yamato looked at Lu, "You didn't' tell her?"

"Hmm? Tell me what?" Kazuko tilted her head.

"Kazuko." Lu said, "Yamato is going to stay in the Kawakami Temple for the time being."

Kazuko's eyes lit up and she had a smile, "Oh? That's great! Yamato you're going to have a great time here!"

Lu then gave a look to Kazuko, "I know you're excited that Yamato is coming over. But let him have his rest. You all have school tomorrow."

"Ok then, ah I will see you tomorrow then Yamato." Kazuko patted his back before turning to the house, Lu led Yamato in as well. Lu began to explain the layout of the temple. There was the dojo by the right, the housing by the left, the courtyard in the middle, and the main temple at the back.

The two entered the house, single storey, fairly large, and its design was just like a traditional Japanese house, as Yamato expected. Stepping inside, Lu showed Yamato the living room, followed by the kitchen. He then led him into the corridor which had a view of the backyard. Passing by some rooms and taking a right turn through the corridor, they stopped by a door.

"Your room is here." Lu said, "The bathroom is at the end there."

"Noted." Yamato nodded.

"Oh and uh Yamato," Lu turned to him and dipped his head, "My condolences." Yamato took a couple of seconds before he nodded again. Lu drew the sliding door open, neither of them were expecting the person who was already in the room. Kawakami Momoyo.

"Momoyo?" Lu asked.

"Nee-san?" Yamato narrowed his eyes.

"Ah Yamato." Momoyo greeted him, "You made it. Good." She wore a tight black tank top and grey track pants.

"Yeah." Yamato's pitch lowered, "And why the hell are you going through my luggage?"

Momoyo was caught in the act, she was squatting by his opened case and his clothes tossed a little. Momoyo could not resist the cheeky smirk crawling on her face. "I wanted to see for myself fufu. Boxers or briefs?"

Yamato was not amused, "You jemmied my luggage, for that?"

"Needed to solve the mystery." Momoyo said.

Yamato moved in and clamped his luggage shut, "And it will remain a mystery for you. I have half a mind to get you to pay for my broken suitcase."

"Momoyo." Lu stepped in, "That's no good. You can't do that to our guest."

"He's my lil' bro assistant master." Momoyo smirked and she stood up. "Look. Your hermit crabs are here too." She pointed at the side where the tank was sitting on a drawer with Yandon and Karin sleeping inside.

"Shouldn't you be resting already?" Lu said, "You're supposed to have a challenger tomorrow morning."

"Ah right, the one from Korea. Can't wait." Momoyo pumped a fist. She headed for the door, "My room is the first one in the corridor, for your information Yamato. I'll see you tomorrow."

Yamato sighed and rubbed his neck. Lu then asked him, "You can help yourself with your room and the bath right?"

"Yeah, I got it covered." Yamato.

"Alright, goodnight then Yamato." Lu left him to himself.

In the bathroom, Yamato had a quick shower, he changed into a black t-shirt and a pair of grey shorts. He finished brushing his teeth, and he stared at the mirror, his reflection stared at him right back. His eyebrows always appeared knitted for some reason.

(You bastard.) He thought to himself. (You're getting pulled into rapids, can't even steer your own course.) He stared at himself even harder and his eyes grew more intense. His reflection returned the favour. The red was coming back into his eyes and he got to see it for himself again. The dark red eyes of Naoe Yamato, he now knew what it felt like when they appeared. A growl came out of his throat. And just when they came out, his eyes turned back to normal. (This is what we have father?)

He went back into his room and laid out the futon. Turning off the light, he finally rested on the futon. Yamato let out a long, groaning sigh. (It's much quieter here at night compared to the dorm. Honestly, this place is not that different from the Shimazu dorm. Except there's no Miyako to pester me every single night…and Nee-san and Wanko are sleeping in the other rooms…stop thinking about that dammit.) Yamato nestled himself into the futon. It did not take too long until Yamato's eyes closed and he drifted into sleep.


The next day, Yamato managed to wake up promptly from his phone alarm. And after freshening up again, Yamato changed into his school uniform, in addition, he wore his black hoodie. He made his way over to the kitchen.

Kazuko was already in her uniform and a bread bun in her mouth. She hopped over to him and said with her mouth stuffed with bread, "MmmYamato, mmmorning."

"Morning." Yamato nodded.

She quickly swallowed the food in her mouth, "Here Yamato," she took a bread bun from the basket on the dining table, "Quick, Onee-sama's match is going to start. It's happening outside." Against his better judgement, Yamato let himself get dragged out of the house by Kazuko.

At the courtyard, Momoyo, in her school uniform too, stood with a pumped fist. Opposite her was a Korean man in his late twenties, wearing a gi with a blue belt.

"Hello Kawakami Momoyo. My name is Je Seok. Let's make this battle a good one." Je Seok greeted and got into a stance.

"Alright! I'm itching for a good fight! Let's go!" Momoyo challenged him.

Je Seok jumped and shot out his leg for a kick. Momoyo raised and swung her own leg, her own kick overpowered Je Seok's and the Korean man was sent skidding a good distance. Je Seok rushed in and attempted a spinning kick. Momoyo responded with a backhand on his leg, overpowering his kick and drove her other hand into the side of his face. With the final punch to the face, Je Seok was down, the match was over. The monks from the main temple took Je Seok away to recover.

"Yay!" Kazuko cheered, "Onee-sama wins again!"

"Ehh," Momoyo sulked, "I thought the fight would be longer than that. I thought it would be good since he was all flashy kicks."

Her heart was pumping with energy and she turned around to find her 'lil' bro', "Yamato!"

(Shit.) Yamato sighed inside. But Ageha's phone call came back into her head before she advanced any further on him. She stood there awkwardly in the centre of the courtyard. Yamato on his end did not say anything either.

"Onee-sama?" Kazuko confusedly asked.

"Uh," Momoyo rubbed her neck, "Let's…go to school together."

"Alright Onee-sama." Kazuko beamed.


The three got onto the path alongside the Tama River. Yamato, however, was not initiating any conversation. And Momoyo had to be the one to break the silence. "Yamato."

"Yes?" He responded.

"How's a night in the Kawakami Temple?"

"It's quieter at night."

"Oh that so Yamato?" Kazuko asked.

"Yeah. Back at the dorm, it's chattier in the kitchen at night."

"Oh! You guys!" They heard Kazama Shouichi calling them from up ahead. The rest of the Kazama family joined up with them. The Capt said to Yamato, "We heard from Reiko-san that you're staying in the Kawakami Temple."

"Yeah, for the time being." Yamato said.

"What a turn of events," Shouichi added, "Everyone was so surprised when we saw your room completely empty. Miyako certainly was."

"Was so shocking," Miyako softly said, "Thought my Yamato had been kidnapped."

Yamato did not say anything to that and continued on the path. Soon they crossing over the Tama Bridge. While the rest of the Kazama Family were chatting, Yamato somehow found himself at the front beside Momoyo, he concentrated on the road in front of him. While Momoyo was busy talking to Christiane and Yukie, Miyako got to his other side.

"Yamato, is it nice for you now? Now you're actually staying with Momo-senpai." Miyako softly said while she eyeballed him. Yamato did not answer, but his eyes narrowed. She added, "Now I cannot wake you up and eat our meals together. What a blunder."

Before Yamato could say his piece, Kazuko cut in and she pointed ahead of them "Oh look! It's a student from the Tenjin Academy!"

Opposite them was a male student of the Tenjin Academy, the counterpart school for the Kawakami Academy in the west. There had been seldom times where students from the two schools engaged activities together, mainly in battles. This particular student that was approaching the Kazama Family had smooth black hair, green eyes, and he had a white belt with a dragon marking along with his school uniform. Yamato recognised him, as did the rest of the Kazama Family.

The so-called general of the '10 Warriors of the West' in Tenjin Academy, Saburou Ishida.

"Oh, it's Ishida from the Tenjin Academy." Shouichi grinned, "What's he doing here?"

"You," Ishida said to the group, he then pointed at Momoyo, "You are Kawakami Momoyo right?"

Momoyo stepped forward and smirked, "The one and only, you interested in a battle with me, Warrior of the West?"

"Not you. Which one of you is Naoe Yamato?" Ishida said, "I know he is in your clique Kawakami Momoyo."

Yamato at the side, went completely stiff. It was always Momoyo that got approached by others, either for a battle or for adoration. Everyone in the Kazama Family was glancing at Yamato. He pointed, "You just missed him. Last I saw him, he was getting ahead of us to Kawakami Academy."

"Hah?" Christiane crossed her arms, "Why are you lying to him Yamato?" She earned a glare from Yamato.

"Chris!" Gakuto whispered harshly, "You and your big mouth!"

Yamato took in a deep breath and stepped forward towards Ishida, "You're Saburou Ishida right? Can I help you?" The Kazama family lingered at the back to observe.

"I heard you beat Kuki Hideo in battle." Ishida said. He looked up and down on Yamato as if assessing him, "You don't look like a warrior at all. I do not sense any strong fighting spirit in you. Doesn't make sense that you beat Kuki Hideo of all people." Ishida then asked, "How did you beat him?"

"I-I just did, maybe it was Hideo's bad day." Yamato shrugged.

"Tell me how you beat him Naoe." Ishida's tone turned demanding.

Yamato's eyes slowly narrowed, he sarcastically said, "It was a rock paper scissors game. Hideo used paper, I used scissors. Simple."

"You jest before a descendant of warriors?" Ishida told Yamato off, "I am not going to take that."

"Why is so important to you anyway? Did you seriously come all this way just for this?" Yamato asked.

"I plan to learn much for the battles I shall conquer in the future. Kuki Hideo is a potential competitor and you beat him. Thus I plan to see what kind of warrior are you, and then I will beat you." Ishida said arrogantly, "You have stalled long enough." Ishida got into a stance, "We will battle." Everyone in the Kazama Family had their eyes widened in surprise. Yamato, however, was remaining silent and he stared back at Ishida.

Ishida inched closer in his stance, "If you're hiding the fighting spirit in you, I suggest you bring him out Naoe."

"I am not going to fight you Ishida." Yamato said behind clenched teeth.

"I won't take no for an answer, we will fight!" Ishida raised his voice.

Yamato rolled his eyes and simply went past him, "Find some other way to stroke your ego Ishida." Yamato pulled his black hood over his head.

Ishida flared his ki, he shouted, "Blackguard! Coward! You dare?!" He threw a fist at Yamato.

Yamato turned and bended his body to the side dodging the punch in time. He backed away and evaded another punch, and then another kick.

The Kazama Family spectated the fight.

"Uwah! This is really happening?! Yamato's been challenged to a battle!" Takuya exclaimed.

"That's never happened to him before!" Gakuto added.

"Ishida-san's ki is really glowing here," Yukie commented.

"Yamato must really rely on his speed for this." Chris pointed out.

Ishida threw another punch at Yamato. But Yamato this time raised his arm to block the attack, he countered with a palm striking Ishida's chest. Yamato followed up and threw a punch square in Saburous Ishida's jaw. "Guh!" Ishida grunted as he stumbled back. Now he was sensing the anger from Yamato, evident from Yamato's raging expression.

(You want a fight?! You'll get a fucking fight!) Yamato snarled in his mind.

"You're lacking form!" Ishida taunted and dashed in and swung a roundhouse kick, Yamato pulled his head back to dodge, he could not dodge the second spinning kick and Yamato received the blow to his side. Yamato grunted in pain and staggered away, but he was still standing.

"Still standing Naoe?" Ishida taunted again, "I was going to let you off lightly, but not now!" He channelled his ki they flared, "Shining Dragon Awakening!" Saburou Ishida started glowing in a golden light.

The Kazama Family continued to spectate.

"That bright aura! Ishida's powering up!" Shouichi said excitedly.

"Whose side are you on Shouchi you idiot?" Tadakatsu said.

"Yamato fight on!" Kazuko cheered.

"Yamato watch out!" Miyako cautioned.

Ishida had bright yellow glowing aura surging through him and his hair had turned spiky and golden. "Hahahaha! Now you're finished!" Yamato panted heavily, he really did not need this nonsense right now. But getting constantly pushed by Ishida was giving him the incentive to be furious.

"Take this! Lightning rush!" Ishida sped in and tackled Yamato in a thunderous attack. Ishida slammed him into the bridge's railing. Yamato's back rattled in agony.

"Come on then! Or is that all you have?!" Ishida, in his Shining Dragon Awakened state, grabbed Yamato's collar. Ishida continued to pin Yamato against the railing, Yamato's black hood shaded his eyes.

Suddenly Ishida felt the cold. The Kazama Family felt the slight chill in the air too. Ishida had pain coursing through his body from out of nowhere. Yamato grabbed both of Ishida's fists that were clenched in his collar. Yamato pried Ishida's hands off him and he tightened his grip. The pain in Ishida grew.

Yamato let out a growl and Ichida finally saw his eyes, a pair of horrid dark red eyes. Yamato pushed Ishida back, Yamato twisted his grip on his hands and Ishida's glowing aura disappeared, completely snuffed out. His golden hair had turned back to normal. It was starting to get scary for Ishida, "Ahh! Oww! My Dragon state! My aura! What did you do?!" Agony kept on paining Ishida like the worst fever possible. Having seen those dark red eyes, Ishida had terrible glimpses of darkness in his head, it was all together so agonising. Yamato snarled again, his grip on Ishida's hands got even tight and Yamato forced Ishida down on his knees. Ishida felt so weak and he could not do anything.

"You're afraid." Yamato bared his teeth. He drove a knee into Ishida's face and he fell on his back. Yamato's hood still covered his head and shaded his eyes away from anyone else. He grabbed Ishida's ankle and shouted, "Come here!" Yamato yanked Ishida over by the ankle and threw the final punch across Ishida's face, knocking him out.

Naoe Yamato had emerged the victor. His eyes returned to normal and settled the knocked out Ishida against the railing to let him recover.

"Yamato?" He heard Momoyo from behind him. He turned and the Kazama Family were staring at him yet again, shocked that he had won another battle. He beat the general of the Warriors of the West, but he could not relish in his victory. It was a fight he did not want it to begin with.

"You're going to be late for school if you stand there like that." Yamato wiped the dust off his shoulder and carried on his way, not waiting for the group to snap out of their shock.


Hope you've enjoyed this chapter, hope to see you in the next one.