A/N: Time to catch this story up a chapter with the others that are moving stealthily. Do review and give your input on the story.

MARYLOVER – It's been a while since we had a quick Thrill meet and clash ne? We'll dive into Thrill in this one but we'll also have get the background of Fuji's kind of "busy".

DarkStarPegasus –Yeah, another one. Just can't help but put more on my plate than I should have. Yes. We have some changes in schools for some characters but hopefully everything will be interesting and you all will stick to it.

Kohorro – Indecisive at the moment but there very well may be in the not too far off future of this fic. Ryoma's going to make them all sweat in one way or another.

Tennotsukai no Saiten – Somewhat it will be. They get introduced early on but the events will change upon this confrontation.

Because Of You

Rated: M

Summary: When Ryoma declares war on playboy Syuusuke who claims his sister as his prey, he might just find out his life isn't all it seems to be.

Ch II: Fuji's Status

Tokyo, Japan

Seigaku High

"Shouldn't you treat your senpai's with more respect? Especially if they are visiting from another school," Fuji said with a renewed smile. He had eyed the youth and realized the pin on his uniform clearly showed he was a first year.

"Shouldn't you treat people with more respect than to steal and take what you want? Especially if you're visiting," Ryoma stated with a frown. "I protect what's mine."

"Did I step into your zone on accident?" Fuji asked stepping forward in slight challenge. It had been a while since someone dared to try to step on his toes and he was feeling the familiar bubble of anticipation at getting to bit after so long.

"More like purposely," Ryoma corrected as he herded Mayumi and her three friends away from the guys. He gave a final glare as warning and walked off.

"Your brother's got a lot of guts doing that to THE Fuji Syuusuke." Her friend whispered over after they were escorted off the premises of the tennis courts and towards the school.

"Your brother is so hot," Another uttered with a smile. "His hand is on my waist!"

"Eh? I can't even feel anything!" the other whined. "Trade me spots!"

"Never!"

Ryoma continued herding them and pretending as if he couldn't hear their delighted tones of where his hand was. Ryoma shifted closer to Mayumi's friend that was complaining that she was walking in the middle and couldn't feel anything. He bent slightly and directed her to please open the door which jarred her into turning and looking directly at Ryoma.

She was actually quite cute despite her attitude. Her grey eyes widened a bit as she realized how close they were but there was no time to study more as her friend's jealous voice broke through.

"Emiko!"

"Ha-HAI!" She stuttered out and opened the door before rushing inside with a high blush. Ryoma waved Mayumi inside and her other two friends. He had a bad feeling about the encounter but that was the least of his worries at the moment.

xXx

"Well he certainly told you off." Fujiwaru said with a slight smile.

"He certainly did," Fuji agreed. "But there's a price to pay for that."

"At a later date of course," Fujiwaru agreed with a slight cringe. He knew the damage Fuji could cause.

"Naturally," Fuji nodded with a smile before they continued on their way.

The boy's attitude really turned on his predatory side. In that slight moment of contact they made, Fuji had discern that he was adequate with a tennis racquet, possessive, quick-witted, blunt, and disliked him immensely but had no idea who he was.

'Something you're about to find out very soon.' Fuji promised silently while letting out a slight chuckle.

Fujiwaru felt sorry for the boy. The chuckle was enough to make him shiver in fear and thank god it wasn't towards him. Fuji Syuusuke was a man to fear for he lived his life based on the fact that everyone should eventually be forgiven but never forgotten.

xXx

The school was filled with assholes. That was Ryoma's conclusion after the first day at this school. He had not taken longer than to escort his sister and her newfound friends inside before he found himself defending another girl against an asshole who demanded she go out with him.

So here he was, in the kendo club picking up a shinai ready to teach the sorry asshole a lesson in his field of expertise. If there was one thing Ryoma couldn't stand, it was a man using his strength to overpower a woman… as some idiots over the years had tried to do to his Okaa and Imouto.

"So let's see what mister big shot can teach me!" The boy said with a sneer.

"Show him Kaze!" one of his buddies called out. "Show him that he can't disrespect a senpai and one of the best in Kendo today!"

Ryoma merely got into stance and he could clearly hear the snickers of the people who joked about him not even getting into a proper stance.

"Ganbatte Nii-san!(Do your best, brother)" Mayumi called out.

"Baka! He's going to get creamed! Kaze is number two in the Kendo club and he's won many district kendo matches against other schools!" A guy to her right spoke brazenly with a sneer.

"Hn," Mayumi said with a frown at the guy. "Nii-san is not weak!"

"Mayumi…" one of her friends voiced.

"Hm?" Mayumi asked turning back to face her. She lifted a brow slightly at how squeamish her friends seemed and waited till they finished their sentence.

"Are you sure Ryoma-kun can-"

"He can," Mayumi said confidently. She had been raised by her mother and Takumi to believe in her family and if anything, Takumi had taught Ryoma kendo. She sometimes didn't understand why Takumi insisted on both Ryoma and herself being raised to speak politely and carry themselves as if they owned the world but she was sure it dealt with how taken he was of their mother.

Their mother had a natural grace and a look that commanded attention; she only wished she could be a bit more like her mother.

"Since you probably know shit about Kendo, we'll skip the formalities and get into position." Kaze said with a smirk as he stepped in front of Ryoma. "I'll be careful not to scar that face of yours."

"One cut then," Ryoma said and both got into the basic stance of Chungdan. Both stared at one another trying to discern the others movement just from observing their eye movement but impatience wins out on Kaze's part as he goes in for a waist cut when Ryoma adjusts his shinai with raised arms. Expecting it, Ryoma steps back and taps Kaze on his torso to the left with his shinai in lightening speed.

"hidari-do…ne?(An scorable point to the left of the torso)" Ryoma said moving away to set his shinai away.

"Wait a second!" Kaze said snapping put of his stupor at losing a game he chose to humiliate Ryoma

"What?" Ryoma asked. Not caring that everyone was now whispering amongst themselves.

"You knew a lot more than the basics of Kendo."

"So?" Ryoma said with a shrug. To be completely honest, Ryoma really had learned how to handle a shinai all his life. Takumi had a real katana and gun stashed away to protect them and in order to even gain hold on his katana, Ryoma had to start at the bottom. His childhood was Kendo for basis to swordsmanship and aim and accuracy for hand-to-hand combat and shooting. Mayumi used to tease him about being a walking terminator.

"I went-"

"You lost so back down gracefully," Ryoma said cuttingly.

"Yappari Onii,(As expected, brother)" Mayumi said with a soft smile.

"Mochiron(Of course)" Ryoma replied and jerked his head to one side to indicate for his sister to follow.

Mayumi merely smiled and followed behind her brother. Ryoma was accustomed to his sister following behind him since she was but a toddler. They always got in trouble together and always got out of it together. Ryoma sighed a bit as Mayumi started telling her friends how Ryoma had defended her against a bully once in elementary even though the bully was taller and outweighed him.

If anything, Ryoma was quite sure he was fond of his sister despite her flaws and imperfections. The way her grey eyes lit up when she told stories couldn't help but grudgingly bring a smile to his face. She was a weird one all right, a little bit of everything as their mother used to laugh about.

xXx

Hazuki

Hazuki sighed as she walked into the back to wait for the next tray to take out to the patrons of this restaurant. As much as she liked the staff, the usual one or two persistent patrons also tired her out. She was trying her best to be seen as efficient so she could be hired full time here but her best effort seemed to attract offers as well and she couldn't afford to give a rude rebuttal or set them in their place when this place catered to many upper class individuals who worked in the area or preferred how this restaurant had private rooms for relaxing during their meals or whatever else they made need to get away from in the middle of the busy city.

"Here's table five's plates." The cook said with a smile. "You've been working hard Hazuki, don't be too nervous!"

"I'll keep that in mind," Hazuki said with a smile to the cook. She picked up the trays and took a breath before turning around with a beautiful smile and steady pace back to table five. Setting down their plates she asked if they required anything else and when they excused her, she told them to enjoy their meal and moved on to her next table to see if they required anything more from her.

"It's true!" The lady said. "I'm distantly related to the royal line and have personally heard that the royal line has been having problems that have only been escalating since the new emperor stepped up in place. His concubine is known to be useless as well."

"She's beautiful isn't she?"

"So was our princess!" The lady countered.

"Is there anything else I can get for you two?" Hazuki interrupted softly.

"Our check is fine." The lady said with a smile.

"I haven't heard of any problems in the royal line," Hazkuki said as she gave them their receipt. "I couldn't help but overhear that the emperor has a concubine as well?"

"Yes, you must not have paid much attention over the last year if you don't know." The lady said turning to Hazuki. "The new emperor isn't so bad since our royal line doesn't do much these days but I've heard his concubine whom he may marry is absolutely worthless besides her looks and that the families supporting the line now since out late emperor and empress's death are thinking of withdrawing their support if he marries her."

Hazuki nodded slightly and wondered if the people they talked of were indeed who she thought it was…maybe Takumi hadn't been telling her all there was…

"Hazuki, customer!" the boss called from where he stood at the front.

"Hai!" Hazuki answered and excused herself to head towards the boss when she recognized the man standing beside the boss. Good lord! It was Akira!

"Ne Hazuki!" another waitress stopped her in her stupor.

"Hm?" she asked though she trembled slightly.

"Could I take care of Akira-san please!" she asked with hands clasped and a slight bow. "I really like him and he rarely comes round anymore!"

Hazuki merely nodded and felt as if a whole load of troubles lifted off her shoulders. At this rate she couldn't help but want to avoid people she used to know.

XxX

Seigaku

"Tezuka Zone!" An excited member said as many watched the buchou's of two different schools battle out for the last point in a one match game. With Atobe in the lead, they wondered if this would mean his win or would it once more fail and be a tie again.

Though the excitement was based on the single match everyone was watching, Fuji's mind was completely on a different matter. It had been exactly thirty minutes ago since his encounter with the impressive siblings but he still couldn't get the excitement out of his blood at having the brother give him such a predator look. It was thrilling and yet the hint of danger made Fuji want to pet it even more than before.

"Did you see that?" Fujiwaru asked turning to face Fuji. "Atobe-buchou countered!"

"I need to use the bathroom," Fuji said instead. He stood and walked towards the school building still in his thoughtful mood. His attention span for everything else was short compared to wanting to relive that second the tennis ball flew past him only a hair's breath away from his face. The boy had good control with the racquet… did he play tennis?

"Sugoi! (amazing)" he heard a girl gasp out. "That transfer boy is amazing… taking them all down." Fuji poked his head into the kendo practice room by the gym to see what was so amazing about the man he was currently re-living when his eyes snapped open at how one member was currently sneaking up on him trying to take him down with his back turned. Fuji guessed the boy opened his mouth and the groaning kendo members on the ground was the result of it beside the one who was determined to get him at the moment.

"Abunai Onii! (Watch out brother)" Mayumi said watching in slight amazement at how the guy was swinging his shinai down towards her brother's shoulder.

Fuji let out a breath of disbelief as he saw Ryoma duck and grab the guy by his arm taking him down in a certain manner that Fuji had only seen in one place.

That was a move only palace guards are taught to deal with trespassers.

XxX

Nakahara Residence

After School

"Did you like it?" Hazuki asked as she served her children dinner. It would be a while yet before Takumi came back from his job but the kids needed to eat and get started on their homework before he got back.

"It was good," Mayumi started up immediately about the people she met and the friends she made.

HAzuki listened with a smile at how enthusiastic her daughter was and in-between eating, she glanced at her son when her daughter started in on her tale of how Ryoma had to take down the Kendo club.

Ryoma met his mother's gaze and didn't say a thing but his mother continued to look at him.

"What?" Ryoma finally asked.

"Be good Ryoma," Hazuki finally said..

"I didn't do anything wrong Okaa," Ryoma defended.

"Yeah," Mayumi agreed. "Those people were asking for it you know-"

"It may be nothing wrong, but to others it may be so please try to blend and be normal." Hazuki said with a nod. She knew her kids were good but Ryoma's sense of righteousness and Mayumi's habit of getting into things she shouldn't be in was notorious to her as well.

XxX

Atobe Residence

That same night

"Really Fuji? Instead of watching ore-sama's flawless match, you were pining over a nobody who didn't even know to fear NOT to challenge you?" Atobe asked with surprise before a frown graced his perfectly sculpted lips.

"Maybe he doesn't know any better since my sources do say he's a transfer student from a different district." Fujiwaru said with a shrug from where he sat.

"It was a match you didn't win again anyways," Fuji brushed off.

"But he should still know that Fuji is the current Emperor's nephew right?" Atobe asked Fujiwaru who had witness the exchange between Fuji and this mysterious boy.

"I have to get going Atobe, I'll see you both tomorrow," Fuji said instead and stood to take his leave. He had to be elsewhere and the development was only making him anticipate his next trip to Seigaku all the more.

"He could be Tezuka's hidden ace," Fujiwaru could be heard speaking as Fuji walked out of the room. "He did seem very adept at tennis-"

Fuji had a way with dealing with his boredom.

Usually he was out playing with the school population of any school he pleased to kill the boredom and to live a little thrill but this could prove to be a healthy distraction since he had been so busy lately and there had not been a boyfriend or girlfriend in a while to relieve him. He had already discerned from the situation that the weakness was the pretty sister but there were layers he needed to figure out first to stake his claim. Though he was usually delightful and slightly sadistic in a way, he always tried to be someone other than his uncle's shadow.

Ever since he could recall, everyone had always treated his family and him with slightly more respect because his uncle had been the son-in-law to the Emperor of Japan….up until this time last year when the heir to the throne, Empress and Emperor had died in a car accident. Then he became Emperor and Fuji became more harassed by everybody wanting a connection. They all seemed to forget that his family was not prominent in either the political or social world in Japan since his mother married down and his uncle married up.

XxX

Palace

"Syuusuke," Ren greeted as he saw his nephew step into his room.

"Oji," Fuji greeted. In the privacy of the Emperor's chambers, there was no need to call him Emperor and that was a formality Fuji was glad not kept.

"It seems, if you've heard at all, I have an uprising on my hands." Ren said with a sarcastic smile on his face.

"Why now after you've been on the throne for a whole year?" Fuji asked looking slightly bothered that anyone should know personal matters besides the royal family and himself who is very close to his uncle.

"It takes time to plan a overthrowing right?"Ren asked.

A/N: Looks Like Ryoma just signed his sister and himself up for more trouble than they need.

Stay tuned for the next time Thrill has a go at each other.