Chapter Two: The Best Friend

The next day, Kirina was on her way to school, with her two half-siblings in tow, sportsbag in one hand,
her sword sticking out. The school that all three Hoshi children attended was known as Shinjuku International High School, which took them at least 30 minutes to get there from Sora.

At least, for Hanzou and Mei, it got them out of their old school, in which they always were fighting with the other students. Right now, the two younger children were arguing over one of their mother's fighting techniques as they head on towards the high school.

En route, a third person walked up beside Kirina. She was also female, around the same age as Kirina. Only this time, she was European, supposedly Welsh by origin, with fair, pale skin, jet black hair, and clear gray eyes. Like them, she was also wearing the school uniform of Shinjuku International.

The newcomer took one look at Kirina and looked straight ahead. "You look like hell, 'Rina."

Kirina chuckled. "You're telling me something I don't know, Rhiannon."

Rhiannon Goenitz merely inclined her head. "Kendo alone usually don't do that to a person. You were in an actual match, I can tell."

"I had a little run-in with Riona," Kirina explained.

Rhiannon Alexandra Goenitz was the only daughter of the infamous Orochi wind master, Leopold Goenitz, who had disappeared following his defeat at the 1996 King of Fighters Tournament. Like her father, she also possessed the powers of the wind and was of Orochi blood.

However, unlike her father, Rhiannon could pretty much care less about her father's heritage or her powers,
mainly because she gets fed often about her heritage and of her supposed destiny by her two guardians, who were also of Orochi blood.

She was also a superb martial artist. Not as good as her father, but like Kirina, she was getting there.
Only several people knew that Rhiannon was Hakkenshu, but that didn't bother Kirina, mainly because she herself had a fused combination of her late mother's Psycho Power and her father's Dark Hadou, which she calls 'Psycho Hadou.'

And of course, knowing that about Kirina didn't bother Rhiannon either. Kirina was a kindred spirit, just like her.

"Riona Howard, eh?" Rhiannon said. "Looks like she hates you as much as she hates me."

"She hates me and my father's fighting style because her father was crippled back in the M.C. tourney," Kirina explained, "And yesterday, I defeated her in the Chiyoda tournament."

"She's not gonna let that go easily," Rhiannon replied. "Such is the nature of the Howard family."

"Riona is just a stuck-up spoiled brat playing martial artist," Kirina replied.

"And what about you?" Rhiannon replied.

"My father is a great martial artist and my mother was an assassin," Kirina said. "When it comes to martial arts, I don't play."

"And that's why you're also the most sought after female kendoist in high school," Rhiannon noted.

"Are you kidding? I help my aunt train students at the kendo school every other day," Kirina replied. "Also, my aunts Xiayu and Yanyu are coming to visit today."

"How many aunts you got?" Rhiannon asks.

"Eleven. You'd be amazed at all the cool stuff I've learned from them over the years," Kirina replied.The school day was to say, at the least, boring.

However, news of Kirina's competing in the Chiyoda tournament (and defeating Riona Howard) spread among the students, including the members of the kendo team.

The three Hoshi children were already gaining a reputation for being skilled martial artists. Both Hanzou and Mei were already members of the school's karate team and were competing in another tournament when Kirina had fought Riona in the Chiyoda tourney.

Once the dismissal bell rang, Kirina said her goodbyes to Hanzou and Mei, who were on their way to Chun Li's restaurant, while she was heading for Satsuki's kendo school.

On her way to her kendo school, a female student was running to catch up with her. "Hey! Wait up!"

Kirina turned around. She recognized the girl from one of her classes. "Um...Mazumi, right?"

The girl nodded. "You're a hard person to find Kirina."

"I like it that way."

"Look," Mazumi replied. "I'll be direct. I'm one of the captains on the school kendo team, and I was there in Chiyoda at the tournament. I saw you fight and you are amazing." She then notices the sword sticking from Kirina's bag. "May I?"

Kirina drops the bag and pulls out the sword. Handing it to Mazumi, the kendo captain pulls it out from its sheath and inspects the blade.

"This is a Murumasa, right?"

Kirina nods. "It was my aunt's, but she gave it to me two years ago."

"A magnificent weapon," Mazumi noted. "It's beautiful." She then placed it back into its scabbard and handed it back to Kirina. "Kirina, come and join the kendo team. We can really use someone of your extraordinary talents."

Kirina thought about it for a moment. "I'll sleep on it," she replies before turning around and walking away. "I'll let you know tomorrow."