Chapter 7

"Hold it! Kyōto? You're talkin' about our Kyōto?" Vicki Cahill asked, surprised.

"Well, yeah…Why?" Kimiko asked, suddenly shy.

After Kyōto had taken her down to the dining room (which interestingly enough, looked like a French grand ballroom), he had introduced her to some other fire element friends of his. He had then excused himself, saying he had promised to help Kama-sensei with something.

Kimiko grew bored with the boys, and had been roaming around the dinner party looking for Raimundo. It was then (quite on accident) that she had literally run into, the charismatic Vicki Cahill.

Vicki was bubbly by nature, a natural chatterbox. She had the same "down home charm" that Clay had, always talking in western metaphors and such.

They had first begun talking about "girl-type" stuff: boys, hair, clothes, etc. And that was how it started…

"Darlin', I don't be havin' any time for a boyfriend! Ha! Kind of funny, since I've been surrounded by boys for months now! And Honey, It's not like they haven't ask me! Goodness knows, I've had plenty of offers! Yet, I just can't seem to find the right one, ya know? Besides, I'm too busy to deal with that sort of thing. I've got trainin' to think about. Daddy always said, 'a stable full of too much hay, has no room for horses'! But don't you worry…"

Kimiko continued to listen to her as she kept chattering on and on; just smiling and nodding. Is this what I have to look forward to? Shrugging her shoulders, she thought. Well, I might as well get used to it now.

"Kimiko?"

She shook herself back to attention, "Yes?"

Vicki smiled mischievously, "I was asking you about your boyfriend, dummy! You know; the really cute Mexican one?" She nudged her knowingly in the ribs, winking.

"Rai? He's from Brazil actually, and we've been kind of out of touch, lately…" Kimiko let her voice trail off, realizing that Raimundo hadn't even attempted to talk to her all evening. She had seen him from afar, talking to some other Latino boys. She had waved to him and called his name, letting him know she was there. His eyes glanced at her briefly, but immediately turned away, not even acknowledging her! She shook her head in frustration, Were those boys more important than her?

"Well, I wouldn't say more important." Vicki commented, drinking some Coke from her pop can.

Kimiko could feel her cheeks growing red; had she said that last comment aloud!

The Texana crushed the finished can in her hands. "Sometimes boys like to hang out with the boys. It's nothin' to get mad over. My father and brothers do the same thing. They're always talkin' between themselves. Because I'm the only girl, they like to keep me out of a lot of things! But I don't care! One day, I'll show them! I'm going to become a Texas Ranger, just like them! I don't care what Johnny and Tyler say! I'm going to do it, and nobody's gonna stop me!"

By the time she had finished her tirade, her voice had ascended to a roar, and the can in her hand had been torn to shreds!

Kimiko backed away at first, making sure she was finished! Then, she saw her face and shoulders relax, and her fists unclench, letting the tatters of aluminum to fall to the floor. Vicki's expression went from one of anger, to one of dejection. It was a look she understood…

Taking the other girl's hand's in her own, she smiled gently. "Don't you worry, I know you will. Us girls have to stick together, you know! I used to be alone, just like you. Having to work twice as hard, just to prove that I was just as good as my male teammates. But now we're not alone anymore. We have each other to count on, to have each others' back. Together, we're going to make everyone see, we're not just as good, we're better!"

When Vicki looked up, her green eyes were filled with tears. She suddenly reached forward and took the Japanese girl in a loving embrace! "Thank you, Kimi. (I can call you Kimi, can't I?) It's just been so hard! I've been alone for so long…I-I—just, become my friend, okay?"

Beaming, she put a hand on the taller girl's shoulder, "Of course! I felt an almost instant connection with you, especially when Kyōto told me about you and your father. I thought—"

Vic stepped away suddenly, a shocked, confused look on her face. "Hold it! Kyōto? You're talkin' about our Kyōto?"

And now we've come full circle, this is where you came in.

"Well, yeah… Why?" Kimiko asked, blushing.

Vicki folded her arms looking at her fascinatingly, "I've never known Kyōto, to be that friendly with strangers. I mean he's kind an all. He's the kind of guy who proves to ya, that chivalry ain't dead. But, he's also the kind who likes to keep to himself, ya know, the real shut-in type. He only talks, like when Kakashi asks, or something like that. What did he say to you?"

Kimiko started wondering if the blood would simply burst out of her cheeks. "Well, we started talking about you, I wanting to find out what you were like and all. And then we kind of got around to his family and why he was here, stuff like that."

Vicki's eyes were green saucers, "That's the most he's told anybody! Man, Honey…I wonder what he saw in you?"

Kimiko simply played with her fingers, wondering if her complexion would be red permanently now.

Clay looked around the room, while Mag continued to talk to some friends. He hated hobnobbing, even with this crowd. He just didn't feel comfortable. He never had, even his mother would have those big Sunday parties when he was young. His baby sister, Jesse, took to it like a bear to climbing trees. She could just shoot her mouth off, knowing exactly what to say, to the right person. He would always just get tongue-tied.

Now, Mag was a different story as well. He had been born into these kinds of things. They had exchanged stories, after the Frenchman had gotten back from his two-hour training punishment session. Charlemagne had been born into a family of present-day aristocrats. His father served very high in the French government. His mother came from a very rich family who owned a conglomerate business. They had been quite happy together, that is—until the day Mag's little sister, Jeanne Named after St. Jeanne d'Arc (St. Joan of Arc), was raped and murdered by a street punk, when she was coming home from school. He had been fourteen and she had been eleven…

Ever since, the St. Cyr family had been distant from each other, the links between them becoming brittle with disuse.

Mag's entire life changed; he switched his major from philosophy, to criminal justice. Having finished his education at the University of Paris I: Panthéon-Sorbonne at the age of fifteen, Mag entered into law school at Yale University. Getting his law degree in a year and half, he then past the French Bar Exam, becoming a full fledged lawyer, by the age of seventeen.

But that still wasn't enough. He hired some of the best martial arts teachers to tutor him. He surpassed them all, and it still wasn't enough! That was when Kakashi had come to him with a proposition. That if he came to his school, Mag would find what he was looking for. He of course took him up on his offer.

As the young man unfolded his story, Clay could see plainly, that the sunny disposition that Charlemagne usually showed, was mostly a façade. He had a bitterness on the inside of him, that was rooted down deep. When Mag was finished, he didn't have a clue of what to say. If he lost Jesse, would he be the same way?

Not wanting to think about it, he let his eyes vaguely scan the other students, wondering if they had similar stories behind them being here. They all looked normal, eating, drinking, and talking together. They were so—

His eyes jerked to a stop! In the name of all of Texas! Is she real?

It was a tall woman, slender and lithe, but had definite signs of muscle on those feminine arms. Her dirty-blond hair was cut short like a boy's, but still had womanly charm about it. Her smile was fantastic. Her eyes were like beautiful olive jewels. Her lips were lusciously full. Her fingers were tapered and gracefully as they went through hand gestures.

I've never seen anyone I've thought more beautiful, than a prime steak buffet. She has to be ten times that.

He pulled blindly on Mag's arm.

The Frenchman turned to him surprised, "Quoi? Oh, oui, what is it mon ami?"

He nodded in the direction of the blond angel, "Who's that?"

Looking to where he indicated, "Oh, her? That's Vicki Cahill. A femme fatale literally; I mean, she's even fiercer than some of the guys here. Don't give her any leeway because she is a girl either. That damsel will put YOU in distress!"

All the cowboy could do—was sigh…

Mag caught him just in time, before the big lug embarrassed himself and melted to the floor. Struggling to support him, he led him to a chair, "Clay, I—Clay? Clay!"

He snapped his fingers in the man's face, trying to wake him from his dream-like stupor.

The stars popped from his eyes, and he looked back at Mag, sounding like a drunken fool, "Wh-what?"

The European shook his head muttering, "And I thought we were bad…"

He then smiled. Exactly! And who better to play matchmaker than someone French?

He tapped the big guy's shoulder, "Hey, would you like to meet her?"

Clay woke up from his stupor pretty quick. "Meet her? What would I say? What would I do? I mean—" He sighed, a look of dejection crossing his face.

Mag looked at him confused, "What's wrong? You like her, don't you?"

He looked up, "How could you tell?"

The Frenchman crossed his arms, sarcasm lighting up his face. "A person with an IQ of 30 could see it. Mine is 230."

Clay let his head fall to the table, "I'm horrible at talkin' to strangers, much less, beautiful girls. I'm a total klutz, Mag. Worse than a dancin' bear performin' for rifle-toting hunters."

Mag hoisted him up by his arm, "Don't worry, you'll be fine! I'll be right there with you." He laughed, before dragging him away in the girls' direction.

"You guys did really good against Kakashi. Everyone's talking about it, darlin'." Vicki said, while opening another coke.

Kimiko shook her head, while opening one of her own. "It wasn't that great. I'm sure Kama-sensei was just going easy on us, because we were beginners. I mean, nobody's ever defeated Clay's Grave Fissure Attack, but Kama-sensei, he was hardly even slowed down."

Vic's eyes brightened up, "Clay? So, that's his name. A fellow Texan, if I ever saw one. What's he like? He looked like he would have torn Kakashi's head off! Not to mention, look good doing it too."

Kimi lifted her eyebrow, "Clay? He's a pussy cat, a gentleman through and through. Rai's usually the hothead. It takes a lot to make Clay mad. He has three loyalties: Family, Friends, and Food. The three Fs. Bother any one of them, and expect a brawl."

"Oooh, sounds like my kind of guy! And with his looks to boot—" She felt a touch at her shoulder.

"Pardonez-moi, Mademoiselle."

Balling up her hand, she turned around, irritated. "Mag, I already told you—"

She stopped her flying fist just in time. The man who was behind her, cringing in fear, was blond, but not French.

Vicki looked over him, a huge blush coming to her cheeks. This boy, man rather, was lofty and well-built. His sunny-blond hair, was pulled in a boyish ponytail under a sleek Stetson (a really cute, authentic one!); framing a roguishly, charming face. But then, he put down his guard and looked into her eyes. It was such an incredibly innocent gaze… His eyes, like cornflowers under a clear blue sky.

She knew who he was, but was unable to speak, her voice taken away from her.

Mag popped up casually behind her, passing a wink to Kimiko. "Vicki, I'd like to introduce Clay Ranger. Clay, this is Vicki Cahill."

The two could only gaze longingly at each other, a simple "Hi" exchanged between them.

Charlemagne smiled slyly at Kimiko, whispering, "This is the first time I have ever seen Vic, with absolutely nothing to say."

The girl nodded in agreement, totally understanding the situation.

He put his arm around her waist and began to lead her away, "Let's leave the charming couple to themselves, shall we?" He smiled at her captivatingly, "Meanwhile, I can get to know some things about you, chérie?"

Kimiko grinned back, smoothly but firmly, removing his hand. Saying sweetly, "You mean, like: 'If you ever do that again, I'll flambé you right here and now' sort of things?"

He shook his head, laughing jokingly, "Hey, there is no need to go to that length! It's just the way I am. I mean, can you truly blame me? There's not many of your sex to choose from, around here."

Kimiko calmly stalked away, "Well I guess you're hard up then, huh?"

Mag watched her leave, sighing, Trying to get a date around here, is like trying to find a diamond in the desert.

A slight pull on his sleeve, awakened him from his despair. Looking around, he saw a Chinese boy, the same who had made fun of his name. He looked down at him, his mood not at all lightened, "What do you want?"

Omi laughed self-consciously, "Well, I was wondering, if, you could tell me where I could find the one called Shin-ji. I have yet to see him, and—"

Mag pointed to the far, east corner, near the window.

Omi grinned back and bowed, before rushing toward the direction the older boy had given him. He was glad to be out from under the foreign man's gaze. Why does he have to be so touchy? People make amusement of me all the time. You don't see ME all touchy.

He had wanted to see his new roommate for awhile now, but he had never come to their room. He'd decided he might as well meet during dinner, but had had no luck in finding him, until now.

In the dark, shadowy corner, the young man stood. The young boy was about his age, and a little bit taller than him. He stood in the darkness, his features obscured, but it was obvious he was of Chinese descent; his sleek black hair was cropped in the back, but hung long in the front.

Omi knew that the boy was aware of his being there. Yet, he gave no indication of acknowledging his presence. He almost seemed to be giving a cold shoulder to the entire party. Liking rather, to sink within the shadows, unbothered and unseen…

Wringing his hands, he said nervously, "Um, hello? My name is Omi. Yours is Shin-ji, right?"

The guy didn't say a word, but he slightly inclined his head in affirmation.

Grinning from ear to ear, Omi went up to him and put his hand out. "That is wonderful! You see, I've been looking for you for long hours. I'm your new roommate!"

The teen boy, known as Shin-ji, didn't move. Totally ignoring the hand extended in friendship.

Omi didn't know what to do. Oh wait! Maybe he's not used to the custom of the shaking of the hands! It even took me a while to learn it!

"Oh, you must not be used to this. Here, I will show you." He smiled helpingly.

Walking over, he took hold of the other boy's hidden right arm—

Suddenly, he was pushed up against the wall, his own arm twisted painfully behind him! There were sharp painful objects pushing into his neck!

Try as he might, he couldn't get from under Shin-ji's hold. Sweat began to fall down his face as he felt more pain in his neck. What IS wrong with this guy? I was just trying to say hello!

"Let him go, Shin-ji. He didn't mean any harm."

The pressure was unexpectedly taken off and his arm released. Turning around, Omi rubbed his neck. "What was the big idea?"

An unmasked Kyōto, stood there between him and Shin-ji. He smiled soothingly at Omi, "It's okay, I should have told you. Shin-ji isn't quite a people person; he doesn't like being touched."

The little monk wasn't going to let it slip by at that! He walked straight up to his so-called roommate. "He can say that for himself. I was just trying to be polite! He seemed like he was trying to kill me! What is your agreement!"

Kyōto cringed, I think he was trying to say 'What is your deal?', I think…

Omi still angry, did not notice his mistake. "Would you like it if I hit you?"

Swinging his fist back, he went to strike—

Shin-ji's own fist went to block—

"Stop, both of you!" Kyōto suddenly appeared between them, cutting them both off with amazing speed!

He turned to his fellow teammate, "Shin-ji, maybe you should go. You're not required to stay."

The boy seemed to hesitate, as if weighing the options. Then, he slowly turned on his heel and walked out towards the door, without another word.

Omi shouted from behind Kyōto's preventing hand, "Yeah, you had better run! I would have kicked your backside from here to Shanghai!"

Shin-ji stopped in his tracks. Slowly, his head turned towards the young Chinese monk; just enough, so that he dark hair parted, and his left eye was visible.

Omi gasped, taking a step back. Fear chilled the very sweat, going down his back.

The strange boy's arm, slowly went up, his hand flowing through the air faster than the eye could see—followed by a slight whine in the air, followed by a muffled thud.

Shin-ji, knowing that he had made his point, turned back around and walked out the door.

Kyōto put down his hand, breathing a sigh of relief. "That was close."

"What—what's w-wronng w-with him?" Omi stuttered, still in shock in what he had seen.

"Shin-ji is a mute, he's never been able to talk, ever since birth. He came to our door a week after I got here, and gave us a file on himself, but even then…we still don't know much about him or his past. He's very quick-tempered, and doesn't like to be touched at all. He's not exactly a people person."

He still shuttered as he spoke slowly, trying to get his bearings. "That's not what I meant. Those—those eyes…they looked like he came from Hell…"

Kyōto crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "Oh, according to his file, Shin-ji was born with a genetic disease called Cat-Eye Syndrome. It's what makes his eyes look that way; it also, is the reason why he's mute."

(A/N: Cat-Eye Syndrome IS a real disease.)

Omi nodded, not sure he believed it. Just the memory of those eyes, put fear in the depths of his heart! They were the color of fire, goldish-red and glowing! Like that of a jungle cat on the hunt, or a viper hypnotizing his prey, those eyes were haunting, as if it held the view of eternal damnation…

"He's very good though. I didn't even have time to defend myself. What, does he have cat-claws to go with his cat-eyes?

"Shin-ji-san is an expert at senbon needles."

"Senbon needles?"

Kyōto nodded towards the wall. "See for yourself."

Looking behind him, what he saw sent him back into shivers!

A miniscule piece of blue cloth was pinned to the wall, with a long thick needle, pointed at both ends.

Kyōto walked up to him and touching his shoulder, pointed out a small hole in Omi's blue shirt. "Senbon are needles they use in acupuncture. The ones used for weapons are longer, thicker, and more deadly. If you're really good, you can throw it and kill someone instantly, by just hitting a vital point. Shin-ji is not only that good, but he can do it so swiftly; you're probably dead before you even know you've been targeted."

Omi sunk to the floor, "Ai-ya! Why did I ever do to deserve this?"

Kyōto shrugged, "I tried to warn you."

He looked up angrily, "Too little, too late!"

The Japanese teen walked away, "Hey, don't get angry at me. You're the one who has to sleep in the same room with him."

It took all he could, to keep from fainting. Maybe coming here, was not such a good idea!

(A/N: I model a lot of my characters appearances from characters I have already seen on my favorite shows and such. Kyōto is modeled after Bankotsu from Inuyasha. If you have not seen him, google him, as well as the other guys.Shin-ji is modeled after Vincent Valentine of Final Fantasy 7(Turk form). Mag is modeled after Frey from Alice 19th.)