Chapter 8

Kimiko felt the energy rush through her as she ran, flipped on her back, and shot five of six fireballs at her target. The explosion blowing her away, she struggled to stand her ground, her arm shielding her eyes from the light and debris.

When she finally looked back, she wasn't surprised to find the sawdust dummy completely vaporized. The past two weeks here, had been wonderful and challenging. Kakashi had been showing them several techniques they had hardly even heard of. Martial arts and fighting styles from Japan, China, Taiwan, Russia, France, or the Netherlands? They all came easily to their fingertips. Practice was hard, but enjoyable; especially since there were other students, of equal standing, to practice with.

Spending time with their new friends was also a new plus. Charlemagne, Vicki, and…Kyōto, they were all great. (She didn't know much about Omi's roommate, Shin-ji. She had only seen him twice, and Omi seemed scared of him.)

They helped them practice, and showed them the grand tour of the place. Kimiko found out that their new school had an indoor and outdoor gardens, two swimming pools, large indoor and outdoor training areas, exercise and weights room, prayer chapel, and a music room, just to name a few!

Wiping the sweat from her face, she took a swig of water from her drinking bottle. Kakashi Kama-sensei was shocked at her and the other three's progress. When they asked why, he explained that most of his students took an entire month, to learn what they had mastered in only a couple of weeks!

Thinking back on it, she realized that even though everything was fun and new, she could sop it up like a sponge and learn it quickly. Now, some of the old things she had learned seemed boring now.

Maybe it was because her heart wasn't in it. She was too busy worrying over Rai.

While she, Clay, and Omi had been training hard, Rai had been grueling himself. He went to bed in the wee hours of the morning and didn't eat much. He hardly ever spoke to them, unless it was during combat practice. It almost seemed like—he was trying to beat himself.

Of course he is, he wants to beat himself. If he doesn't, he'll—

She shook her head solemnly, "I've tried to help him, I really have… Yet he seems to be always pushing me away! Doesn't he know he can't do this on his own? Doesn't he know, that beating himself up is not the answer?"

She looked up at her burned-up training dummy. It all seemed for not now. She hadn't seen Rai in days. He didn't even answer her phone calls. She had left seven messages already, you'd think he would have gotten irritated enough to call back! What happened to you Rai? Why are you ignoring me? Did your battle with Wuya really change you that much? Don't worry Asukura, in two weeks, you'll make him remember you.

She smiled brightly, "Yes in two weeks, I'll be able to remind him of us…"

"Konnichiwa, Kimiko-sama." (Hello, Lady Kimiko.)

Wakened from her dreary thoughts, she turned around smiling, switching to her homeland language. "Hey, Kyōto, how are you?"

He answered her in kind, "Fine, it seems you've been training hard."

Getting up, she walked towards him, "Oh, this stuff? Child's play!"

His black-emerald eyes reflected surprise and—a challenge… "Does the 'child' want to play with me?"

Kimiko smirked, "Who are you calling a child? I'll take you anytime."

Kyōto went into a fighting stance. "I'm ready when you are, Lady Kimiko."

Laughingly she answered, "When I win, you stop calling me 'Lady', deal?"

His eyes twinkled with pleasure. "If you win, my lady, if you win."

Kimiko went into her first stance, measuring up her opponent. Well, he's a man so he has great upper body strength. The way to get him, is through the lower body. His weakest spot, and your highest.

"I hope you're ready for this!" Channeling the energy within her, she directed it toward her hands.

"Phoenix Rain Attack!"

From her fingertips, tiny drops of fire rapidly shot out, looking like a blinding fiery torrent! While in the middle of that move, she quickly spun round-and-round, extending her leg. Flying through her own rain of fire, she struck out a low kick at her opponent, aiming for his legs!

As the smoke cleared, she saw that her foot had made contact—with the ground! She felt a hand tap her shoulder. Turning round, she saw Kyōto—standing behind her! He laughed slightly, but with interest. "You have to be quicker than that."

Her temper aroused, she struck out with a sweeping foot kick, coupled with a straight, right arm punch!

Moving in a rapid blur, Kyōto leaped into the air, simultaneously avoiding her fist, and grabbing her left arm. Turning the opposite way in mid-jump, he slammed into the ground, flipping Kimiko over his head and into the wall!

Reacting to instinct, she immediately struck out with her hand, creating a pillow of steam by super-heating the humid air. Fluffing into the steam, she dropped back onto the ground with a lesser thud.

Moaning from the painful impact, she began to push herself off the floor. As she heard footsteps approach, she looked up and watched Kyōto walk toward her, his face still in the same challenging smirk. When he got one foot from her face, he kneeled down and looking into her eyes, smiled, "Your form and ideas are good, but your concentration is lacking. If you don't shape up, you're going to lose."

"Concentration, huh? I'll show YOU how to concentrate!" She swung out with her fist into an instant uppercut! Yet, all she connected to—was air!

Kyōto was gone again, and already behind her, whispering into her ear. "Never leave your back unguarded."

His fingers began making hand signs, too swift to even see. Then, raising them, from his hands, twin fire streams swirled out, forming into a twister! "Clone Tornado Blast!"

Uncertainty and surprise blanketed her face, The 'Clone Tornado Blast'? What is this?

Then, the apex of the fire "tornado" hit her head on! Flinging her into the ceiling, and then whip lashing her body as she fell, into the wall again! This time, she didn't have time to protect herself.

Falling flat on her back to the ground, Kimiko felt all the strength rush from out of her. Her clothes were smoking, but amazingly, she wasn't burned—just bruised.

"Look out."

From above her, Kyōto sat on the roof support beam, smiling down at her with his irritatingly charming grin. Standing up, he flung himself into midair!

While still in flight, he swiftly crouched down into a fighting position, his hands crossed over his chest. In between his fingers, bright metal objects shined. Shuriken—throwing stars!

With rapid succession, he let the weapons fly toward her in exact precision! As much as she tried to move, the more she realized she couldn't. Her body felt as if it had been stripped of all its energy. That was strange, since only minutes ago; she had been bursting with power. It only took her a second to realize, it had been Kusinagi's attack that had made her weak, and totally helpless!

T-T-T-THUD!

The sound of the shuriken, hitting their marks, woke her out of her split-second relapse! One hit right above her shoulder. Another, above her other shoulder. They were so clear-cut, that they pinned her arms to the floor—by only a couple threads! The other two, no less accurate, pinned her legs.

Looking straight up, Kimiko watched as Kyōto spun himself around in midair, grabbing onto the roof beam, landed on top with perfect agility and support.

She smiled at him this time; she had never been challenged like this before. Even though Kyōto was obviously more skilled than her, he acted as if they were equals. He was giving her a chance to defend herself, instead of automatically going in for the kill.

"Don't think these things are going to stop me." She nodded toward the shuriken pinning her limbs to the floor.

He smirked back, "I should hope not. But you are going to lose."

He snapped the fingers of his right hand, sending out another shuriken from inside a hidden compartment in his sleeve. It popped up into his hand.

Smiling at her, his eyes dancing in their secret form of enchantment, he suddenly flung the weapon to the ground, with as much force as he could muster!

Kimiko could see the weapon was aimed straight for her head! Was he trying to kill her! Have I underestimated his kindness, just as I have underestimated his skillfulness?

Try as she might, she couldn't move her body! She was as unyielding as a rock! Closing her eyes, she decided the only thing she could do, was wait…wait for the inevitable.

One second…

Two seconds…

Three seconds…

After ten seconds had went by, and she still hadn't felt the metal star blade, cut into her skin, she decided to open her eyes.

"Oh!" Letting out a small yelp, she was startled to see one of the star's points, just centimeters from her throat! But even more startling, was the fact that the weapon had been stopped by a hand…just seconds before it would have killed her.

Pocketing the near-fatal weapon, Kyōto shook his head with a charming grin. Kneeling beside her, he reached over her body and removed the other shuriken that held her down. When he had removed all four, and tapping them gently on her nose, he looked into her eyes.

"You lose, Lady Kimiko."

Picking her up in his arms, he lifted her into a standing position.

She had expected to fall right back down, but surprisingly enough, her legs didn't falter. In fact, her whole body was rushing with sudden energy, as if the faucet had been turned back on! She could only look and try out her newly energized limbs, in amazement.

"You'll be okay in few minutes."

Startled out of her joy, she looked up to see a smiling Kyōto standing there, his arms crossed.

Normally, she'd have flipped her lid at having lost. But instead, she was actually more intrigued.

"Why did you save me from your own attack?"

"You know, I could never let you be harmed, by myself or any other."

"Then, why did you do such a dangerous attack?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt. I didn't know whether you were faking, and had already figured out the trick to the Clone Tornado Blast or not. Know that I would have never really hurt you. I would never forgive myself."

Blushing heavily, she answered. "No, I've never even heard of your attack. How does it work?"

Walking up to her, he placed a soft hand on her cheek, raising her head to meet his. His magic eyes twinkled as he asked, "Would you like me to teach you?"

All she could do…was nod.

With the grace of a dancer, he shifted around behind her, and began to manipulate her arms with his hands, and her legs with his feet.

"The Clone Tornado Blast is not a normal jujitsu like your Phoenix Rain. It is a taijitsu, one that requires a balance of soul and body. The attack does not focus on actually burning its victim, but in taking away its strength. A maimed prey can't run away. This taijitsu, uses the fire as a cover for a channel, in which it sucks the energy from the victim to the attacker. The victim is left paralyzed with exhaustion, and the attacker has newfound energy. In the end, any energy left can be returned by a simple touch, as I did when I picked you up. There is away to get it back beforehand though, which I will show you after this."

She nodded, letting him know she was following along. He continued, "It uses a plethora of hand signs, but three in particular."

Placing his fingers between hers, he shifted her fingers into the three Zodiac signs: Horse, Rat, and Dragon. "See, once you focus you energy well enough, using these in different combinations, along with the other nine signs, you attacks will be more accurate and powerful."

As he continued, Kimiko's mind began to wander. Even though she was hanging on to every word he said, the back of her mind was elsewhere. Feeling his body so close to hers, she could feel his steady beating heart. His arms as he guided her, were gentle as silk, but rippled with a strength she had never known…not even in Rai. It was not only a physical strength, but an inner one that seemed to come from his heart's core. The smell of his body was sweet and intoxicating, his breath was like the fresh rain. His face was so near her own, she could feel his hair on her skin.

As he directed her, it felt as if the two of them had become one. Two sparks had become a single flame. It was a wonderful feeling. It made her feel safe and secure again. As if everything would be alright…as long as he was there. She hadn't felt that way in a long time, and it made her—happy.

A pair of fiery cat eyes looked at the pair from around the corner, in the next training room. Shin-ji watched the couple, his eyes calculating and shifting with a slight vehemence.

"Would you like to train together, Shin-ji? I promise to be easy on you."

Rolling his eyes, Shin-ji turned around to see his roommate. Omi, was in his new uniform and ready to fight. He was tired of being in fear!

"Let's showdown! Gung-Yi-Tung-Pai!"

Moving into a fighting stance, he circled round and round his opponent. He was ready for anything!

Shin-ji glanced at him, his face the picture of disdain. He walked away toward the door.

That, Omi hadn't expected. "Where are you going! This is a showdown, you can't just leave!"

The silent boy kept walking, flinging a hand over his shoulder.

TWONG!

Shin-ji walked out of the room, never taking a look back.

Omi grimaced, this guy was going to be tougher that he thought.

Reaching above his head, he struggled to pull out the long needle. Trying to release himself from the wall, he found himself pinned to.