Chapter Eight – Challenge in the Moonlight

Author's Note:I do not own the Buso Renkin series and the characters of the original series. I own only the original characters of this fic, Sakuya Mutou, Kaworu Jounouchi, their siblings and friends, Phalene, some members of the Alchemist Army, and the enemy, the Tetsujin Juusan. Buso Renkin is the creation of mangaka, Watsuki Nobuhiro.

–

It had been a few days since Kaworu and Sakuya returned from Yokohama. Ouka, Yumi, Mihoshi, and Souta were all worried about the two, but Sakuya said that it was just family business. Of course, Souta was upset that she didn't take him along if it was family-related. But Sakuya couldn't tell him, that she was an Alchemist Warrior fighting monsters in human skin; that their father, Kazuki Muto, disappeared in an accident ten years ago because of said monsters. But ever since they got back, Kaworu and Sakuya were always training, training their mind with school and bodies with physical fighting.

Today was just their break day. It was a Sunday, after all.

"I…am SO drained!" Sakuya exclaimed, flopping onto her bed as her brother fixed her some oolong tea. "Finished with Harada-sensei's homework…ever since she took Ishida-sensei's place, our homework was either easy or hard. It wavered!"

"I think Harada-sensei is a nice woman," Souta said, pouring himself a cup of oolong tea as he sat down at the coffee table with Sakuya across from him. "She treats us freshman kindly, just as long as we respect her. Of course, she can be strict with the trouble-makers, but she's not all for harsh punishments."

"I thought you had the hots for Mihoshi-chan," Sakuya chuckled, and Souta panicked, his face as red as an apple. "I'm kidding! We all know you just have a tiny crush on her."

"It's not tiny!" Souta yelled, then he shut his mouth.

"Aha! I was right! I knew something was up!" Sakuya laughed as she ran to her bed, Souta tackling her playfully/seriously. The two wrestled on the bed a bit, and Sakuya held Souta's head to her chest while Souta nuzzled against her. "I will protect you, Souta-kun…" she muttered under her breath.

"Nee-san?" Souta started, looking up at his older sister.

"Hm?"

"When will otou-san come home?"

Sakuya fell silent, closing her eyes and hushing her little brother gently. "It's fine, it will be alright. We have our okaa-san now."

"Our okaa-san is like Harada-sensei," Souta said. "She's strict, but nice."

"I thought Harada-sensei wasn't strict." Sakuya looked down at her brother and played with his hair. "Make up your mind, little bro."

The door opened, and Mahiro peeked inside. "Souta-kun, it's time to head to your dorm. Sakuya-chan…we need to talk." Souta looked back at his sister and exited, and Mahiro slowly closed the door. She looked at Sakuya and breathed deeply, now sitting next to Sakuya playfully. "My, you're all grown up now! I remember when you were just a child!"

"Auntie…what did you want to talk about?" Sakuya held her jeans tightly, looking down at the table.

Mahiro looked at Sakuya and let out another deep sigh. "I know…you're walking the steps of my brother…your father made, right?" She smiled grimly as she looked at Sakuya. "A month ago…you died…against a monster, right?" Sakuya remained silent. "My brother died the same way, and brought back to life by a mystic force called Alchemy. I don't understand it myself, but no one was as cool as my brother." Mahiro smiled, reminiscing the good old days. "He never gave up, and he always kept his promises and came back to us." She let out a sigh and turned to Sakuya. "Sakuya-chan…don't bite off more than you can chew. If anything, take baby steps. You don't have to be like your father all in one day."

Sakuya looked up at her aunt with teary eyes and embraced her, Mahiro patting her back.

–

It was a Monday, and the students were just going back to class. Souta and his friends, Daisuke and Arata, ran past Ouka, Yumi, Mihoshi, and Sakuya. "Kids these days, "Ouka muttered as she watched the little boy run around with his classmates. "Then again, he's just a freshman."

"I think it's kind of cute, how energetic he is!" Mihoshi smiled, holding her school bag in front of her.

"Ohh? Does Mihoshi-chan have a crush on Sakuya's little brother?" Yumi began to tease at the taller girl, poking her arm. Mihoshi turned red and didn't say a word.

"Eh, it's fine. I think he feels the same way," Sakuya muttered, not caring about secrecy, and Mihoshi jumped with her face turning completely red. Then she realized something important. "Sakuya-kun, where is Kaworu-sensei?"

Sakuya blinked, wondering the same thing. "I didn't see him yesterday, so I don't know…he's such a weirdo, though, appearing when he wants to. I'm sure we'll meet him in such an unexpected way today."

–

And it was unexpected indeed. Ouka's, Yumi's, Mihoshi's, and Sakuya's jaws were on their desks as they looked at the blonde-haired boy standing at the front of the class with a wide smile upon his face. His name was written in katakana and hiragana on the chalk board, reading "Jounouchi Kaworu." "How do you do?" he smiled, bowing to them as he opened his purple eyes. The girls screamed loudly and ran to him, asking him many questions. The other four, however, were all shocked. None the less, Kaworu answered all their questions.

"When is your birthday and sign?"
"June 3rd, Gemini."
"What do you like to do in your spare time?"
"I enjoy the company of enka music and fancy the sound of the violin."
"What type of girl do you like?"
"Someone full of passion and fire. Also if she's cute."
"Where do you live?"
"I just moved from Yokohama to the dorm. Please come by anytime!"
"Will you go out with me?"
"I'll have to find you first."
"No, go out with me!"
"Oh my…"
"Do you have a girlfriend?"

Kaworu was silent as his eye traced to Sakuya. Sakuya noticed this and pointed at herself, and Kaworu smiled. "Admittedly…no, but I am willing to court all of you if you wish." All the girls squealed, and Sakuya banged her head onto her desk, her fists clenched tightly.

"He looked at her…" Ouka whispered slightly to Yumi and Mihoshi.
"I think he looked at her…" Mihoshi replied in agreement.
"Definitely looked at her…" Yumi added, but the three kept their mouths shut after Sakuya slammed her fist on her desk loudly.

–

It was the end of the school day, and people were leaving the building. Sakuya was dragging a helpless Kaworu by the ear with her friends, her brother, and his friends all looking at the two nervously. "How did you get here?" she scolded as she walked. "Do you believe the embarrassment I had to endure?"

"Ow ow ow, you're pulling too tightly, Sakuya-kun!" Kaworu exclaimed, his arms flailing. He looked up at the gate and smiled. "If you'd like an answer to your question, then look ahead." Sakuya looked down at Kaworu confused, and then looked at the gate. She was surprised to see Tokiko standing there.

"Okaa-san!" Souta gasped and ran to his mother, embracing her.

"Mom…" Sakuya let go of Kaworu, who stooded up straight while rubbing his ear. "Wh-what's the meaning of this?"

"Um…I think we're gonna go," Ouka signaled to the others, and they began to move around them. She even grabbed Souta by the collar and pulled him with them. Soon, it was just Tokiko, Kaworu, and Sakuya alone.

"It was by my and the Great Warrior Chief's orders that Warrior Kaworu would be enrolled here at Ginsei Academy." Tokiko crossed her arms, giving the two an authoritative look. "I'm sure Principal Rokumasu wouldn't mind, considering we are good friends."

"You and the principal are…"

"We go way back."

"Also…there was a reason why we didn't meet last night, Sakuya-kun." Kaworu walked up to Sakuya and Tokiko and held out a sort of knife. It looked like a kunai; attached to it was a letter. "Read the letter."

Sakuya untied the letter and opened it. It was written in a formal form, as if it was from ancient times. It read,

"Dear Alchemist Warriors of Ginsei Academy,

I am sure by now you have received this letter and am contemplating on your next move. I come to you to offer you a challenge. Yes, a challenge, to an inferior human from a superior being. I give you one night to prepare. The Monday night to come will be your last.

Sincerely yours, Yata"

"Yatta?" Sakuya tilted her head with her hand on her chin. "He's expressing happiness in a letter?"

"That's Yata," Kaworu corrected. "As in Yata no Karasu."

"Crow…" Tokiko placed her hand over her mouth and thought a bit. It could be a Humanoid Homunculus, but…she thought some more, but all she was concerned about was Sakuya's safety. "Sakuya, do not engage the enemy. I have a bad feeling about this…" As she turned to leave, she looked back at Sakuya one last time. "If you do, I'll punish you."

"How, you're gonna splatter my guts?" Tokiko just smiled, and Sakuya shuddered. She was just joking, so why did Tokiko smile? So Tokiko in her usual way jumped off into the air and disappeared, just like a warrior. "She was just kidding, right?"

"You're not going to listen to her, are you?" Kaworu smiled with his hands in his pockets. "You're brash, just like your father, and you step in without thinking and-"

"Another word, and I'm gonna splatter YOUR guts."

–

It was late Monday night, and Kaworu and Sakuya were in the forest near the dorms. It was near the haunted factory, as well. Kaworu had his Kakugane in his hand while Sakuya placed her hand over her chest. "Are you ready?" he asked her.

"More than anything." Sakuya gripped her chest tightly, ready to strike. The sound of the wind blowing against the trees…muffled the ruffling in the leaves. "There!"

"BUSO RENKIN!"

As the two activated their proper Buso Renkin, projectiles shot out from two directions. Kaworu used his claymore to deflect them while the size of Sakuya's buster sword merely protected her. They looked down at the weapons to find kunai knives stuck to the ground. "Be on high alert, Sakuya-kun!" Kaworu exclaimed. "This man is-"

"Kaworu!" She swung her sword outward to deflect more kunai. This man wasn't leaving any openings.

"He's no joke. This guy's a pro!"

"A pro at what?"

"Assassination!" With a quick turn of their blades, Sakuya and Kaworu swung their swords behind them, only to find a middle aged man holding their swords with two kunai knives. He looked like a royal shinobi from the old days. He grinned and skillfully kicked the two away from them with both of his feet, somersaulting onto the ground and landing on his feet. Kaworu and Sakuya flew back, but stopped themselves with their swords. Claymore and buster swords are strong, heavy swords, and he held them down with mere knives!

"Who is this guy?" Sakuya gasped.

"Hmph. These are the Alchemy Warriors of Ginsei Academy?" the man smirked, twirling the kunai knives in his fingers. "You are just kids! And to think I offered a challenge to you!" He noticed Kaworu and grinned. "Although, one of you is a capable warrior, a seasoned killer. I'll enjoy killing you for Kami-sama." With such a quick speed, he appeared next to Kaworu with a kunai in his hand.

"Do not enter my Eden!" Kaworu roared and stuck his sword to the ground, and a flaming barrier appeared from where the sword entered the earth. It deflected and repelled the man from the barrier, and Sakuya had only realized that the guy was over there. "You're fast, and strong. But you are only a Humanoid Homunculus! So show me your Buso Renkin!"

"Buso Renkin? You mean Homunculi can use Buso Renkin?" Sakuya lifted her Buster Sword and pointed it at the man. "Let me handle this!" She ran in front of Kaworu with her sword in the air. She jumped up and lifted her sword high up. The cloth at the end of it began to glow a golden color. It dispelled the night and made it seem like day in that one spot of the forest that even Kaworu was mesmerized by it. "Giant Crasher!" she roared and swung her sword down at the man.

"You are wide open!" yelled the man as the sword went through him. But his body disappeared; it was an afterimage! The man had appeared next to the girl and released his Buso Renkin. It looked like wings, wings with feathers made of kunai knives! "Buso Renkin of the Kunai! Shadowed Assassin!" With a flap of his "wings," the kunai knives flew at Sakuya, who screamed.

"SAKUYA!" Kaworu called out and ran to her. He found that she deflected them with the cloth of her sword. Only one caught her leg. "It's not a bad wound! Hang on!"

"Kaworu, it hurts…" she groaned, almost crying. She wasn't used to this kind of pain.

"Hmph. Kids will be kids," the man chuckled and flapped his wings once more. The kunai flew, but Kaworu's Garden of Eden's barrier effect kept the knives from touching them. He glared at the man with his purple eyes, and the man froze a little. "You…you're…" a grin crept along the man's face. "I see. This makes sense. Very well, I'll just have to destroy you here and now! I am Yata, the Crow Homunculus, and number thirteen of the Tetsujin Juusan! For Kami-sama, I will eradicate you!"