Ah, those century eggs were good. Dinnertime wasn't a great moment for Kagura. She of course lost against Yomi when they were facing off in the video game, so we had stir-fried vegetable with century eggs. I felt a slight pity for Kagura that I was considering making pork and rice congee for her instead, but I just couldn't since she kept on making such a cute pouting face as she tried to eat.

Night has already fallen. I took a short trip to my room to check up on mother. When I did call, she first said that she already took her medicine. I'm glad that I didn't have to remind her. We talked about the meeting and such, and that the branch family will be looking after Kagura. "How is Yomi and the young Tsuchimiya?" She asks. "I bet she's very likeable."

"You're right, she is. She's so adorable, especially when Yomi teases her." I giggle.

"Now don't lie, you're teasing her too." I can already feel her glaring at me

Need to think of a way out… "Oh umm, Yomi's calling me. I need to go. Love you." I say through the phone

I hear a short silence. "Love you too sweetheart." She says caringly.

I hang up my phone. Phew, no guilt today please. I already wish I could be back there with her, doing everything I can to help her and the house. I rely on my part-time job as a Vanquisher to pay bills. My mother obviously isn't in the condition to be working, and after father died… we slowly lost contact with other relatives. We called them from time to time, but it was never to have a reunion it was mostly to hear news around the country.

I head to Kagura's room, that's where Yomi and her headed after dinner. After a knock, I entered.

"Oh Takara, we were just thinking about playing another round of video games. You should join us." Yomi says smiling.

Dream box did look fun when I was watching them playing…

"Sure, I'll join this time."

Then Yomi's phone rang with a text message. 'Your mother's condition is not well. Please come to the hospital immediately.' It says. That's weird, as far as I know Uncle isn't married.

"I didn't know your mother was in the hospital. Is she okay?" Kagura asks her.

Yomi gives a chuckle. "It's a call-code we use. It comes in handy when I need to get out of class."

Eh? Why didn't I think of that? Would've gotten me out of English classes…

"It's for my job. I'm still on a part-time contract through." She says to Kagura after she saw her confused look

She leans forward to meet her at eye level. "I'm really sorry Kagura, but I need to be going now." I see Kagura give a small look of shock but quickly dismiss it with a shake of the head.

"Don't worry about me, I'm fine." She says to reassure.

After a brief moment, Yomi stands straight. "I'll probably be home late so put yourself to bed, okay?"

"Okay." Kagura says with a nod.

Yomi then turns to me. "Sorry Takara, I know you just got here today, but I'm sure that you'll be needed tonight."

"Huh? No problem just let me get my jacket." I told her. I wonder if this time I'll be fighting a Category B or higher.

I grin to myself while thinking about me finally getting to that high level.

I notice Yomi heading out towards the door and I follow. "Oh yeah." I pause in the doorway and speak to Kagura.

"Don't stay up now." I grinned.

"I won't" She replied. She's such a sweet girl.

I grab my jacket from my room, making sure that I got my daggers.

I then head outside where Yomi is. There's some kind of armored jeep-car thing, I'm not a car person…

As I approach closer, I see Yomi looking up to Kagura's room, whose lights are already off. I guess she went to sleep.

"Yomi?"

"Lets go." She says with a slight smile.

We get in the car and suddenly a deep voice asks, "Huh? Who's this?"

I look up to the driver seat and see a big muscular man.

"This is Takara Isayama." Yomi introduces me. "She's my cousin from the Ehime Prefecture."

"The countryside?!" A guy with a hoodie from the passenger seat responds in surprise. I guess it would be a little shocking to see a Vanquisher from the countryside in Tokyo. The Oh-Great-Big-City.

I hear some seat movement behind me, then appears two big identical African men. Obviously twin brothers. "That's a big coat." One says. "It looks heavy." The other says after.

'Um, it's actually a light jacket. But I'm supposed to grow into it, so for now I guess it's a coat." That Michael, is he making fun of my 'growth spurt'?

"Those two are Nabuu and Nabuu." Said the muscular man.

"Nice to meet you Nabuu and… to you too Nabuu." I say to them, not questioning why they have the exact same names. They nod as greetings.

"I'm Izuna Noriyuki." Another man says next Yomi. Nori? The perverted lady-charmer fiancé that uses his fox familiars to peep on girls Yomi told me about?

Noriyuki continues to talk. "It's nice to finally meet you. Such a pretty girl like you is a Vanquisher?" So, he knows I'm a girl, probably Yomi told him before hand.

"Is it that surprising? And… aren't you taken?" I looked at Yomi. He saw my line of sight and then grabs her hand like a prince. He gives a small kiss on it. I see Yomi look at him with a blush and confusion.

"That's right. This fabulous girl is my one true princess."

Yomi's face turned completely red. "W-what you doing?" She stutters. They start getting into a small fight.

"I'm Koji Iwahata." And that's all the muscular man said.

"I'm Kazuki Sakuraba." The one in the passenger seat says. "So from what Yomi have told us, you're light on your feet."

I give a small giggle. "I'm no faster than when you throw a rock, so I wouldn't say light."

Yomi punch Noriyuki in the chin. After leaving him to heal, she faces me, "That's not true. You're as fast as a bullet. I bet you're even faster."

"Yeah right." I wave off her comment. How can I be fast when I couldn't even follow her movements when she went up against Kagura?

Then she stared at me… and kept on staring…and staring…

"What?" I asked her when I couldn't handle the staring anymore.

Suddenly her fists were on both sides of my head and I feel her excruciatingly rub them together against my temples.

"OW OW OW OW! WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING?!" I yell at her trying to pry off her hands from my head.

"I'm telling you that you're fast okay? What happened to 'there's no need to be so self-disciplined' huh?"

"Don't use my words against me! It's called knowing limits, not self-disciplined!" I yell, now trying to escape from a noogie.

"You're limits are endless." Then a light bulb went off above her. She lets me go and I huddle to my end of the seat. Healing like Noriyuki.

"I know!" Her light bulb is still on. "How bout later we have our own spar?"

"Huh?" I rub what I believe is my swollen head.

"Before you leave, let's have a spar." She says with a shinny smile. I've never gone up against someone before. Especially Yomi, the last time I was here, Yomi and I were starting learning how to hold a sword. The sword that I used was so heavy that I had to beg Uncle and Father to have me handle something lightweight.

I think about going against Yomi. After a little thought and still rubbing my head I said,

"Deal?"

"It's settled then. Don't forget about it." She happily said turning towards the front of the car. Now me and Noriyuki just have to deal with the recent damage she did to us.