A/N: Another One Bites the Dust. Well this will probably be the final chapter on the slice of life as we move on to the next story progression as critical plot points and our First Major Character will make an appearance. Hopefully I was able to portray Kaiser standing in Gosha Academy as well as with his peers as being the misunderstood delinquent who actually an okay dude. Also I want to involve Kotaro Fuma more later as I want him and Kaiser to have sort of Gojo and Geto type friendship with them helping each other get stronger as they try to change the world.
Anyways I hope that you guys enjoy this chapter
As Tradition demands.
DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING BUT THESE FUCKS I HAVE LEFT TO GIVE. ALL CHARACTERS AND PROPERTIES BELONG TO LILITH SOFT AND OTHER COMPANIES.
Chapter 14
The Gem of the Mountain with Falling Leaves.
***Up on the school's rooftop***
Kaiser was eating his lunch on the roof top alone as he thought about his last mission...he still thought about Yuichi and the things he said about himself and how they similar they were. Kaiser could've been like Yuichi, to be hated by his father due to his Bloodlust and losing his mother, bullied and then beaten by other children for being different, always looked down upon by adults until he finally broke and become... a Monster just like him. After he had fought and killed him, Kaiser can now understand the pain Yuichi went through and knows all too well how it felt to be different from the others. However, Kaiser does not know if he would end up just like Yuichi in the future and become as just ruthless as he was.
As Kaiser was deep in thought a presence snuck up behind him until it was close to him as Kaiser felt a tap on his shoulder that automatically trigger his combat reflexes.
Kaiser spun around and with blinding speed ready to punch the source of the tap directly in their face as Kaiser's fist stopped with him nearly hitting the face of someone very familiar to him.
" Son of a...! Rin-Rin! Geez, you know better than to sneak up on me." Kaiser said as he calmed down and relaxed. "Fuck...I'm sorry, are you okay Rin-Rin?"
"I'm fine thank you Kaiser." Rinko said with her eyes still wide open in shock as she watched as his large hand was barely inches from her face. Kaiser lowered his fist as he looked away brooding over his thoughts of his current identity crisis.
"I thought you knew it was me or I wouldn't have even bothered to tap your shoulder. You scared me a little." She added as they both let out a small laugh and sat next to each other on the edge of the rooftop as the both looked down at the Academy grounds. "What are you doing here by yourself anyway Kaiser-san?"
"(Sigh)...Nothing just thinking to myself..." Kaiser said as he turned around hoping she would leave him alone right now. However, Rinko didn't seemed too convinced at his answer and got closer to him while sitting on her knees.
"I don't believe you, Kaiser-san, what is bothering you? Are you not feeling good today?" She asked again trying to get him to open up her.
"(Sigh)...no I don't know...its just..." Kaiser paused as he tried to find the right words before he just decided to go with it and say what was bothering him. "My last mission...it was...well I...I met someone ...someone who was like me and I had to kill him... he kept telling me that we were the same... that we both were just Monsters pretending to be men. Killers who lives for battle and to sate our Bloodlust. Am I someone who is just a bloodthirsty freak, who only cares about killing and nothing else?" Kaiser asked again. "Is this person that I am right now just a lie? Is the 'Real' me just some killer hiding and waiting to come out... Am I a bad person, Rinko?"
Rinko took her time to carefully think of an answer and to let him know that she wasn't just blowing hot air or saying things to make him feel better.
"Kaiser I believe you are a very good person. You have saved so many people by killing the demons and criminals you fought. You killed those who are evil to save others, did you not? Just think about it, if you never killed them then humans would still live in fear and the world would have been a darker place. without you fighting for own justice." Rinko said while smiling at him while putting a hand on his left shoulder which helped Kaiser calm himself down a bit. "To tell you the truth when I first met you, I thought you were going to be some kind of heartless and cold individual, that you were just some...Outsider, who care nothing for our ways. It took me a long time before I realized that was not true though...You always act like an idiot most of the time and you don't listen but to others very well but your also gentle, self-sacrificing, and kind..."
"Oh..." Kaiser said as he blushed a little embarrassed with Rinko saying all that.
" You are Kaiser Wrath, Son of the Mizuki's and Yukikaze's Big Brother. You are one of my best friends... and you are not a Monster nor is this person in front of me an illusion or something fake...I know you and you know me, Kaiser-san."
"But all those times...(sigh) I was just an asshole with a chip on his shoulder...but thank you Rin-Rin...hey what you got there?" Kaiser asked as he saw Rinko have 2 bento boxes with her.
"Ah, yes! I made some dinner last night and had some left overs for lunch today...would you like to try some?" She said in a shy voice as Kaiser quickly agreed after she asked him.
"Ah hell yeah!
"Ah Hell Yeah! Oh, I mean...sure. Your cooking is really good, if I remember!" Kaiser laughed as he reached over with his chopsticks and took some the leftovers from Rinko's Bento Box she had made for him. Rinko blushed like a young maiden in love as she quietly ate the bento boxes with Kaiser.
"Umm... Kai... do you remember what you said before you left on your mission... that you would give me an answer about my feelings... about what you felt for me?" Rinko asked in a hesitant voice as her heart was beating very fast as she was hoping to catch Kaiser alone in order to get the answer she desperately needed to hear.
When Kaiser left for his mission, Rinko was left in suspense that it began to interfere with her day to day life. From school all the way to her training at her family's dojo, Rinko's mind was in chaos as anxiety cloud her focus as the impression she gave was a fully self reliant and respected senior with a reputation to be perfect. This has made Rinko be often viewed as a perfect Taimanin by people like Yukikaze or other classmates, though this reputation has done more harm than good, as Rinko was unable to ask for help, and made others just assume everything was alright with her, but Kaiser was different as he saw through the facade as he always treated Rinko like an equal as she was naive and though shy at times, was very clumsy about erotic matters, just like her crush.
Kaiser stopped eating from his Bento Box as he looked at Rinko but said nothing. The silence seemed to last forever as Rinko felt herself becoming more and more anxious and afraid of what Kaiser's answer might not be what she wanted to hear here.
Kaiser was silent but looked at her as if to try to calm her down before he started talking.
"Hey Rinko, this is a big decision to let you know, but...I think you deserve the honest truth." Rinko looked back into Kaiser. Kaiser's green eyes met with her own purple eyes full of curiosity, nervousness, and hope.
"Yes. Tell me, please. . . " She said softly as she saw that Kaiser was staring at her.
"Rinko," he said, slowly looking at her, trying to gauge her reaction as he saw a blush spread across her face as she seemed to wait for his words. "Ever since we were kids, you always tried to be responsible for everyone and everything. You always tried to force yourself to accept burdens that were never yours to take. It always annoyed me. Every time I got in trouble or was blamed for something, you always stepped in and tried to take on my share of blame on yourself when I never asked you too." As Kaiser said this, Rinko had her head down as his words hurt her heart. Kaiser made it out that Rinko was an annoying woman who was nosey and self-righteous.
"You always stick your nose in things that don't concern you, and you're so gullible, like the time I told you that there was treasure in the forest so that you'd leave me alone or the time I told you about UFOs so that you could shut up about my behavior... No matter how hard I tried to push you away from me, you kept coming back." Kaiser remembers all the pranks and jokes he played on Rinko at her expense, but he also remembers the guilt he felt as well as the regret that came with it, as some of those hurt Rinko's feelings. He always made sure to apologize afterwards and always promised to never do it again. "I always knew that we lived in two different worlds; you were made to be the head of the Akiyama Clan, who perfected The Itto Style as the most popular long blade sword style among the modern Taimanin as the ultimate expression of Taimanin swordsmanship, and is apart of the Next Generation of Aces along with my sister. Everyone respect and adores you as the most reliable and ideal Taimanin and then there is me... The Disgrace of the Mizuki's, a Wild Stray Mutt that was picked up on a rainy day and was given a home." Rinko listens to Kaiser as he describes himself in such a way that it makes her mad.
"Everyone thinks you're a perfect and capable woman who is looked up to while they look at me with disdain, saying that I'll be nothing more than a Mad Dog, and sometimes I think maybe they are right. Maybe someday I'll lose my mind become nothing more than some Bloodthirsty Hound that will have to be put down someday... maybe it's if I was gone."
Rinko stood up as she slapped Kaiser in the face. Kaiser saw stars as it all happened all too quickly.
"Fucking hell, Rinko! That slap fucking hurts; you put some power behind that slap..."
Kaiser stopped talking as he saw her crying.
"Shit...I'm sorry Rin-Rin. (sigh) Look, I know I can say some stupid shit without thinking sometimes... but I really didn't mean to make you cry. Whatever I said, I'm sorry." Kaiser said, but before he could continue, Rinko spoke.
"Your stupid, rude, vulgar, loud, and you don't listen to anyone...but I never once hated you for that...for such a long time my family and people have always placed high expectations on me. I always thought that it was normal that I was born to be this person perfect who does what she is told—that—that I had to be responsible— that I had to look after everyone or else—or else I would let everyone down. Disappointment was something I feared constantly, and I pushed myself to carry the burdens placed on me because Rinko Akiyama does not fail at anything. Rinko Akiyama always succeeds at what she does. Rinko Akiyama is perfect and can't fail like everyone else."
Rinko continued to cry as she poured her heart out to Kaiser as he stood there quietly listening to her.
"I wanted everyone to acknowledge me so badly and accept me, but... but... but... what I really wanted was someone to see the real me...to take care of me...to argue with me...to laugh with me...to fight with me...to accept my faults and failures. When you went rogue and saved my mentor and idol, I just stood there. I STOOD THERE LIKE A COWARD AND WATCHED YOU BARE THE SHAME AND DISGRACE AS YOU DID WHAT I COULDN'T WITHOUT FEAR!" Rinko yelled as her tears flowed freely down her delicate face as she finally was able to release all her pent-up feelings of shame that she had bottled up over the years.
"When I saw you come back with Shiranui on your back, I saw a man—a man who wasn't afraid of what others thought of him—a man who always kept his promises—a man who was flawed and imperfect but never let anything stop him from doing what he needed to do—I saw someone who was...free." Rinko said as she stopped crying though her lips were still quivering. "I wanted your freedom...your ability to live life how you wanted without someone telling you how you should live it... I was so scared when the Elders announced your execution...I thought that I would lose someone who was important in my life...that I would lose you because... Rinko Akiyama was a good girl who didn't break the rules or did things that she wanted...because even with my position of being the clan head of the Akiyama Clan and a master of the Itto style along with my Void Arts...none of it really mattered when it came to me doing what I wanted...I wanted to stand by your side free of the shackles that others and myself put on. I wanted to want to be with you by your side as your equal!"
Kaiser stood there as he finally understood why Rinko was always on his case and why she always nags at him to behave or stop causing trouble. She did it because she was afraid of losing him again. Kaiser sighed as he knew he always caused problems for people around him, but he never knew to what extent.
"Rin...Rinko...I...(sigh)... I'm sorry that I put you through that, but your wrong about one thing." Kaiser stepped up to Rinko as he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her firmly. "Your not a coward... you are strong, caring, and a lovely woman... woman... I always felt like I could be honest with and count on, not because you're, Rinko Akiyama, but because you're my best friend. Rinko, you wanted to know how I felt about you."
Kaiser looked down at Rinko as her amethyst eyes were red from crying and her doll like face was stained with tears.
"Rinko Akiyama... I... I... I... I love you... I love how you always bother me... I love how you always boss me around. I love how you cook. I love how you are friends with my little sister. I love that you always do your best for others. I love how you always help others and care for them. I love how cool you are and how much of a badass you can be. Most importantly, I love love love you for always being there for me. I love you."
Rinko blinked a few times as she took in the words that Kaiser spoke to her. He had said, he loves her. Those words sparked something inside of her that felt like a dam had burst wide open. Her brain was numb as her vision narrowed towards the one person who stood before her. Rinko could feel everything around her fade away as she slowly lifted her hands up towards Kaiser's face as he looked at her puzzled.
"K-Kai...Kaiser..."
Rinko's hands caressed Kaiser's face gently as she tilted her head upwards, ever so slightly as their lips pressed against each other. The moment between them seemed to last forever as the two young lovers kissed one another. It was like time stood still for the both of them, and all they wanted to do was be together and happy. They were no longer worries about what others thought or said. They were no longer afraid of anyone else or each other. This moment was theirs, and they would live in it together as long as they could. When the kiss ended, Rinko felt herself trembling with excitement and happiness. She had never been happier than she was at this very moment. She finally felt free—free to express herself, free to do what she wanted—free—free to choose her own path. Rinko Akiyama felt like she could spread her wings and fly toward a wild and vast blue horizon. As the future was always uncertain, but with Kaiser, she wasn't afraid of what may come because she knew he was her rock that would always be there.
"I love you, too...Kai." she whispered into his ear and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face into his chest while closing her eyes.
As they stood on the rooftop topper together, a question popped up in Kaiser's head. "Hey Rin-Rin... umm, should we tell my little sister and your brother about us being together? I mean, I could give less of a shit of what others think of us being together but our families."
Rinko looked up at him, smiling before replying.
"Not yet, Kaiser. I don't know how Tatsuro would react to me being with a man, but I would like to wait until we graduate; it won't be too much longer, and we can tell them then."
As they were talking, they didn't realize they were being watched from afar by Shiranui, who was hiding on the rooftop of the old school building that was adjacent to them and witnessed the whole thing as she stared off into the distance. Shiranui knew deep down inside of herself that she should have been worried about the new relationship between Rinko and Kaiser, but in truth she was okay with them. She always liked Rinko and knew that she would be a good fit for her son, as she would be the one to reign him in when ever he got out of control. So, she did what any mother would do and accepted it all. The only worry she had now was not for their happiness but rather if Rinko felt pressured to take part in the "Love-Love Happy Harem" Plan, but only time would find out how things would turn out. But at this moment she was happy for her child and couldn't ask for more.
As the lunch break ended, Kaiser and Rinko went to their respective classes as they kissed one last time before heading down stairs. The rest of the day went without incident as classes went on as normal while Rinko was left feeling giddy from earlier on.
The Taimanin Elective classes are divided into three Brackets: combat (physical), political (diplomatic & administrative), and support (information information & technology), which are all based on ability and not because of gender. Only those that have show an aptitude for a class can enter. On the other hand, there are also free electives where students may take any number of those courses for extra credit.
This leads to many having the full curriculum if they showed any skills in those classes. Kaiser was currently in one of those free elective classes as this was the only class he actually looked forward to. Kaiser was working on a Shotgun along with a few other weapons that he had developed over time. Kaiser found out later in life that he had a talent for working on weapons by improving or repairing them to a masterful degree. If it can kill, then he could master it.
"You're doing it all wrong Boy! It needs to be thinner so you can slide in a new barrel." The old teacher said as he pushed away the boy's hands from his work as he looked over the project. He placed his wrinkly old hands onto the object and started to do some minor modifications himself. "Here, like this. You see..."
Kaiser fell silent as he realized that the weapon had become even more efficient than before without him actually making any real improvements to it.
"I see... see... but what about the integrity of the gun if more powerful ammunition is used?" Kaiser asked with a smile, which showed the teacher just how skilled he had become with such little time.
Kaiser's classmates stared wide-eyed at his actions, wondering where the brat that always complained went? As when he was working on weapons he was actually a genius and begrudgingly an artisan with his craft. The Teacher, Masatetsu Murabuki, who was a harsh and strict teacher but also a patient mentor, was speechless for once. The man took back his hand and smiled with pride, showing Kaiser that he understood the weapon better than he did.
He gave one final word of advice before leaving for the day, "You really should make it your own."
With those words said, the old teacher left the Weapon Master tinker away.
Kaiser smiled as, after having confessed to Rinko and knowing that he was his own man who would choose his own fate, he felt like he needed to push himself to be a man that wouldn't cause her embarrassment, and so he worked on the gun to make it as durable as possible but also light enough to be wield in one hand. After finishing the work early, Kaiser decided to look at some new designs for the shotgun. He wanted something that could have more stopping power without making it too heavy or having it break apart as a few uses. His eyes lit up after finding a design that could provide this type of functionality while still maintaining compactness. It looked simple to construct with his new knowledge, and after a few tweaks here and there, he started to assemble it all together. The Double Barrel Shotgun that had a futuristic look with small gears and a moving cylinder around the trigger as it was assembled piece by piece with a grappling hook installed on the under barrel.
"It's finished." Kaiser said to himself as he admired his own handy work.
He held up his creation in his hand and knew that no one could match his skill level when it came to weapon design and function. As he placed it on his work bench, the sound of a door opening made him look over towards Rinko and Yukikaze, who walked in.
"Yo, what's up, Lil' SisSis and Rin-Rin." He greeted the girls with a smile and stood up from the table in his room as they looked over the weapons the students were working on.
"It looks like you have been working hard; how's the weapon coming along?" Rinko asked.
Kaiser smiled as he showed them his latest creation.
"Just finished it, I present to you the Double Barrel Shotgun that fires a wide verity of ammunitions without having to change the barrel or use attachments. It also comes equipped with a grappling hook underneath that allows you to bring whatever it is you want dead close for maximum carnage. Hell, I even got some advice from the old man! Can you believe it? Man, maybe today was such a bust after all!"
The sound of laughter echoed off the walls as he told them about his teacher's reaction to his new gun. The two girls giggled at the story as they rarely saw Kaiser this excited or genuinely happy as they knew he was such an weapons designer enthusiast. Kaiser smiled while he drank his coffee and admired his masterpiece.
"So what brings you two here? It's rare to see both of you here." Kaiser said before taking another sip from his cup. Yukikaze started to talk about her day as Rinko blushed quietly as she remembered her and Kaiser's moment at the rooftop
"I see. I'm glad everything went so well for you guys and hopefully for me too." Kaiser joked around while making eye contact with Yukikaze, who nodded with a smile.
"I see. Well then, then, why don't we have a little test fire of this new gun?" Kaiser proposed.
Kaiser lead Yukikaze and Rinko to the test firing range as he then explained to Yukikaze about his new shotgun as they sat down outside at the practice range.
"So this here is a dual barrel shotgun... I think I'll call it...Chaosbringer." Kaiser said as he held up his newly constructed weapon. He let Yukikaze hold it while he loaded in some shells for her. "Alright, this is some of my special-grade ammo that I personally made; I call it 00 Hellshot. It's strong enough to pierce even the toughest armor around, so make sure you have a good grip on it." He explained to his sister before giving her the gun and watching her point it towards the target.
Yukikaze got ready with the shotgun and stood in front of the target dummies that were placed next to each other.
"Let's see how well you do, sis!" Kaiser said before she pulled the trigger.
The sound of a loud explosion that soon followed by metal piercing metal filled the range as the shotgun unleashed a devastating onslaught of pellets that utterly destroyed the metal dummy; however, the blast of the shotgun was so great that it knocked Yukikaze back as her big brother caught her with the shotgun flying out of her hands.
"WAOH! Easy There Lil' Lighting Bolt. (Whistle) Damn... Maybe I should make a few adjustments." He thought out loud while Yukikaze held on to him and laughed at the result. "Well, I think I might have gone a little bit overboard with the ammunition... hehehe."
Kaiser joked and scratched his head after he helped Yukikaze stand up straight. He walked over to his shotgun and picked it up to inspect it for any damage.
"Onii-chan I'm so sorry. I thought I had it, and I..." Yukikaze walked up behind him and look at the shotgun with him. "I'll make it up to you... umm... you... umm..."
Yukikaze worried that her big brother would be mad at her for damaging his new weapon that he had just made as she apologize for the damage to her brother's new gun, but her brother simply chuckled.
"Don't worry, Lil' Lightning Bolt. I didn't think it had that strong of a kick. It's fine after all it's just a gun and nothing can ever replace my Cute Little Sister."
Kaiser ruffled her hair, making Yukikaze pout with a cute frown.
Meanwhile, Rinko was really impressed by all the destruction that the weapon caused but she wasn't allowed to shoot anything since she was such a bad shot with guns that it has been said that Rinko with a firearm poses more of a threat to her allies than letting her fight without one. Some attribute it to her mastery and dedication to the sword as to why she was so poor with ranged weaponry.
When they were done, Kaiser took them both back inside and made them tea before they left the academy as per usual.
As the trio walked towards the front gate, they were met up with Tatsuro, Rinko's younger brother, who was waiting for them as he had a more serious look on his face.
"Yo Tatsu-kun... what's with the serious look on your face? What did you get your ass kicked again?" Kaiser joked as Rinko elbowed him on the side while Yukikaze gave her brother a disapproving look. "Fine, fine, my bad...so what's up, Tatsuro?"
"Kaiser-senpai... I have a favour to ask of you... PLEASE TAKE ME ON AS YOUR STUDENT!" The youngest Akiyama sibling had said as he tried his best to be serious and resolute in front of Kaiser, hoping he would agree without much resistance.
Kaiser stared at Tatsuro before he sighed and said to him, "Not this shit again, Tatsu... remember last time you asked me to spar with you... I nearly killed you, and your sister was super pissed at me. Sorry, Tatsu, but I don't take in students or disciples." He responded, not really taking it seriously or thinking it through.
Yukikaze was about to protest against what her brother was saying to Tatsuro as it seemed like the two would start fighting over this.
"I know senpai... but this is different. Please teach me; my style needs more versatility. I need to learn all kinds of stuff. I want to fight all kinds of ways... I want to be strong enough to protect Yukikaze and my sister." Tatsuro said not giving up on asking his Senpai. The youngest Akiyama had an admiration for the older boy and looked up to him as a great fighter and role model in his life.
"I... I want to be worthy of carrying the Akiyama name... I want to hold my head up high without shame... I want to be brave and confident like you, Senpai... You never shy away from anything and always face your problems head-on. You never give up, and you always win, no matter how tough the situation. I want to be like you, Kaiser-senpai, so that I can stand side by side with you all and fight with my all." He said he was still trying to convince the older teen in front of him.
Kaiser just scratched his head thinking about it and then responded back, " I get it, kid... But why come to me for this shit?" Kaiser asked the younger boy, not really seeing where he should do in a situation like this.
"You fought my sister on more than one occasion and you are respected as the strongest out of all the Rookie Taimanin at Gosha Academy. I know I have no talent for my family's Itto sword style and it shames me to no end but... I want to learn how to fight like you—to endure and overcome any obstacle that comes my way, no matter how painful it is. Please, Senpai, I beg of you." Tatsuro got down on his knees and prostrated himself in a dogeza position as his head touched the floor, forsaking his image or dignity in front of the entire school.
"Fucking hell...Rinko, please pick up your little brother up; he's making a scene." Kaiser said as he pinched his brows together in annoyance. He understood Tatsuro's drive to be stronger, but he didn't want to upset Rinko now that they confessed to each other as secret lovers. He never taught anyone and didn't know the first thing about training anyone in his fighting style as it was something he made it up on the fly while her was training under his father, Kenichi. This put him in a difficult position as he wanted to help Tatsuro but didn't know how to, as he did tolerate the younger Akiyama it just his passive and meek nature that annoyed him.
"Senpai, teach me! Please!" Tatsuro begged, still prostrating himself. Kaiser just sighed loudly in annoyance as he watched over the younger male. "Alright, fine, but only if you swear to follow everything I say without question. Talk to your sister first, and maybe I'll train you...and that's a huge maybe." Kaiser responded as he turned away from the younger boy, who suddenly got back to his feet like a rocket taking off into space and was grinning ear to ear with glee.
"You have my word, Senpai; I will do whatever it takes!" Tatsuro declared as he began to gather his belongings.
Kaiser shook his head as he saw him acting like an overly eager puppy.
"Go to your sister; tell her that you'll be training under me. Also, don't think this makes us buddy's, kid."" He finished before leaving behind the younger boy with Yukikaze and Rinko to discuss his future training under the Mad Dog before he headed towards the gates of Gosha Academy.
***Gosha Village Center***
As Kaiser walked around the village while he was thinking of the rapid changes in his life. First, he had promised his least favorite teacher a dinner date at her place,then he confessed to his childhood friend, and now he had to deal with an overly eager and wanting to please brother of her's. This was not what he was expecting when he came back from his last mission, but deep down, Kaiser did kind of like having people rely on him.
As he made his way through Gosha Village, Kaiser stopped by a café as he wanted to have a nice meal and snack before he headed home. Kaiser enter the establishment and took a seat at a table that had a window view. He looked up at the sky, daydreaming as he usually does while waiting for a waiter to take his order. It was then that he felt a presence that sent a chill up his spine.
"Welcome Sir. How may I take your order... YOU AGAIN?!" Shouted a voice that belonged to no other than Kirara Onisaki, Kaiser Wrath's Arch Nemesis, who pointed a finger at him.
"Huh?! Ahh fuck, it's you. I swear to Kami-sama that today was too good to be true...shit." Kaiser sighed as he had an exhausted expression on his face.
Kirara narrowed her eyes and frowned as she leaned down over the table with both hands on each side.
"Hmph... so what will you have, my dear customer? Some tea maybe? Or perhaps some water from a dog bowl?" She asked, trying to act friendly but was failing horribly in containing her hostile nature toward her greatest nemesis.
"Don't push your luck. ya Heifer. Just some coffee will do...cappuccino if possible." He said bluntly, "Try not to do anything to it, as food poisoning is illegal." Kaiser said as he looked at her with a raised brow.
"AS IF I WOULD!" Kirara yelled as the girl stomped away in anger.
She would come back to take his order after some minutes, while looking like she was ready to stab her troublesome customer with a rusty spoon.
"Here you go, Dear Customer." Kirara said as she gave Kaiser a forceful smile as veins popped out of her forehead in a comical fashion. "Are you read to order, or will you waste my precious time with your nonsense? After all, some of us have to work for a living and can't live a carefree, irresponsible lifestyle like SOME PEOPLE." Kirara emphasized as she was directing all her bad vibes at Kaiser.
"Hmm...let's see...maybe I should...no...how about...nah...wait what about...maybe not...hmm." Kaiser said as he was looking through the menu as he purposefully was dragging out Kirara's patience as she was slowly boiling over having to serve the rudest and most obnoxious she ever knew.
"Hmm...What do you recommend?" He asked again and was still not done making fun of Kirara yet.
The Ice Taimanin would have loved nothing more than to smash her face on the table right there and then, but she knew that it would cause her termination within seconds. All because of a damn Stray Dog of customer that was wasting her time. She had to be a good girl, despite wanting to kick Kaiser's ass at every possible moment, no matter how tempting it was, as she would get in trouble with the manager for turning a customer into a block of ice.
"I would recommend the Dragon Fire Super-Hot Deluxe Curry, but I think regular human food would be too good for a Mad Dog like you." Kirara said with a voice that dripped sweetness...and of venom.
"Hmm...Nah? I'll like a simple omelet rice and to spice up my day some gyoza." Kaiser said as he closed the menu and sat back down in his chair as Kirara screamed internally with the girl just about to have an aneurysm.
"Is there anything else Sir will need before he is finished here? We try to keep our customers happy after all." She replied mockingly with a face cheery voice, as she couldn't stop herself from speaking up like that.
"Hmm...I don't know. I feel like the service here is lacking, and also my coffee has gotten cold." Kaiser in an innocent tone.
"HOW ABOUT YOU SHUT UP AND LET ME DO MY JOB WITHOUT RUBBING IT IN!" She screamed but realized that all of her coworkers could hear them from a few feet away. She sighed as she placed both of her hands onto her head as if she were going to pull it off.
"Hmm? What are you talking about?" He said with a dumbfounded look on his face that showed how oblivious he could be to others feelings or emotions at times.
"So is anything else you would like, dear customer?"" Kirara asked sarcastically.
"Hmm...nah. That will be all." Kaiser said with a mocking smile. "Oh, but do bring me more coffee before I get bored, while you are at it." He added as he looked around again as he just enjoyed himself.
Kirara grabbed the cup from his table and walked into the kitchen, where she filled up another one for him and put it onto her tray.
"This is the worst customer I've had... I don't care if they fire me, but if he stays here any longer, I swear that I will end him!" Kirara cursed with tears in her eyes as she wanted to jump across the table to beat the shit out of Kaiser for real. "By the devil, I curse him, and may all the bad luck of the universe fall upon his pitiful self!" Kirara thought to herself as she brought her classmate his cappuccino.
"Hai, your coffee, sir, and your order will be done shortly." Kirara said politely and was trying really hard to stay calm. She really did not know how long she could last around Kaiser before snapping.
"Ohh? Thank you.. Also, um, well, I don't want to bother both of you, but...you seem stressed or something." He said as he held up a finger like a professor. Kirara stopped for a moment as she almost fell over while hearing him say that, knowing damn well he was the cause of that stress.
As Kaiser waited for his meal, he looked around the cafe that Kirara worked at. It seems it was quite a homely and quaint establishment that protruded an aura of comfort and harmony. It was a nice small place one would go to on a rainy day or a relaxing afternoon. Kaiser was daydreaming was interrupted when the doorbell jingled as more customers walked in.
Kaiser looked to see who had walked in and saw his situation turn from mildly annoying to unbearably ruined. The people who walked in were Yoguro Yakazami and his gang of underlings, as Kaiser had bad blood between himself and their family.
Kaiser still remembered when the heir to the Yakazami Clan, Yoguro, picked on him for being an outsider and orphan adopted into the Mizuki Clan. Kaiser never once thought of fighting back against him as he was worried about causing the Mizuki family trouble after they had taken him, an amnesiac nobody, into their home, but that all changed when Yoguro targeted his little sister and took her favorite hair ribbons.
Kaiser walked up to the Yakazami heir and punched him hard in the face as he caused the older boy to cry. It was then that he fought against Yoguro and his sniveling underlings for his little sister's hair ribbons. When compared to the orc he had killed when he was ten, these Taimanin-trained children were easy picking. Needless to say, Kaiser won the day and retrieved his Yukikaze's hair ribbons. Though he did get bruised and hurt, Yoguro and the kids were in a worse state with a few broken bones here and there.
The Yakazami clan tried to punish Kaiser as well as seek compensation from the Mizuki Clan but was ultimately denied when Yukikaze, Rinko, and Tatsuro testified that Yoguro was the instigator and Kaiser was the defender. After the Yakazami dropped the charges and accusation, but what hurt their reputation the worst was that an outsider boy who wasn't even a Taimanin or training as one defeated their heir and others who had some training with raw power and skill. This shamed and disgraced them and have ever since held a grudge against Kaiser and the Mizuki Clan; they even went as far as demanding Kaiser's execution during his trial after his unsanctioned rescue of his adopted mother. Kaiser would occasionally pick fights with them or cause trouble for the Yakazami's, as he saw no reason to be civil to a bunch of people who would gladly see him dead rather than leave him be.
It also didn't help that Yoguro made passes at his little sister or at Rinko as well as made lewd comments about his mother, Shiranui, as the Heir was a playboy who thought that spreading his seed was his duty to the Yakazami clan. This pissed off Kaiser as he warned Yoguro that if caught him anywhere around his family or Rinko, he would personally castrate him. Though this didn't deter the Heir, as Yoguro liked being challenged, he took this as a challenge to get into the pants of all the girls in the school and all the Taimanin, including Yukikaze. Fortunately enough, this was nipped in the bud by Asagi and the other clans, as they did not appreciate having their clans get mixed up with the Yakazami's political maneuvering of having familial ties with them.
"Fuck...can this day get any worse?" Kaiser whispered, hoping that Yoguro and his friends would ignore him and leave him be.
No such luck as one of the stooges of the group notices him and whispered into Yoguro's ear.
"Well, well, if it isn't the Mad Mutt and Disgrace of the Mizuki's... I guess this shithole will let anyone in; figures that a mangy stray mutt would wander in places that would accept such trash," Yoguro said as he walked over to Kaiser's table, who was snipping on his coffee, ignoring Yoguro.
"Maybe I should say something really insulting... I could go for my favorite insult that my dad always used right now." Kaiser mumbled, not caring what Yoguro or his buddies were saying.
"Hey, fuckface! Did you hear me talk to you?!" Yoguro said, slamming his fist on Kaiser's table and spilling his coffee.
"(Sigh)...what do you want, Yogore (meaning Dirt in Japanese)?" Kaiser asked calmly.
"YOU BASTARD, STOP CALLING ME THAT NAME!" Yoguro shouted as he gave Kaiser his most hateful glare.
"Oh, sorry about that, then how does shit-stain or trash monkey feel appropriate...maybe limp dick loser or dirty pig suites you better?" Kaiser said coolly as he grabbed a napkin and wiped the spilled coffee from his table.
"You are really asking for it," Yoguro warned. "Let me spell it out for you, Wrath, so you can understand what a failure of a Taimanin you are." Yoguro added while sneering down at Kaiser.
Yoguro picked up Kaiser's empty cup and looked inside of it.
"1. You will never be one of us," Yoguro said as he threw the empty teacup to the side with a loud crash. "You'll always be an unwanted bastard who was abandoned by your real family for being a monster."
"2. You will always be a feral and rabid mutt waiting to be put down. The only reason you're still alive is because of the bleeding hearts of the Mizuki Clan, whose hot slut of a matriarch probably took pity on you when she took you into their home as their pet." Yoguro said as Kaiser glared at him silently, listening to every word while gripping the table's edge with enough force that cracks started to appear on it.
" 3. Well, I don't have to explain, but sooner or later the Yakazami Clan will spread far and wide in Gosha Village with me taking Yukikaze or Rinko as my wives... Fuck, why not take all the women who are worthy? After all, they must be hungering for a real man to fuck them." Yoguro laughed out as he slapped the table.
Kaiser's knuckles were turning white as he forced himself to continue to stay calm, even as he felt his inner demon howl in anger.
As this was going on, Kirara walked by Kaiser's table, placing Kaiser's order on the table as she saw the mess Yoguro and his gang were making.
"Dear customers, if you would be so kind as to not make a mess after all, if you continue to disturb the other customers, then I'll have to ask you to leave." She said, smiling at them while her eyes were coldly staring right through them. "Besides, I need to get back to serving others. I mean, look how rude I've been to our special guest here," she said while motioning towards Kaiser, who had calmed himself down after taking out his silverware ready to eat.
Yoguro seemed unfazed by her words, but he stood up from his chair, leaving the area while shooting daggers at Kaiser over his shoulder, the other three members following suit.
"Thanks, but you didn't have to come in and do that... I've could've handled them on my own." Kaiser said as he ate his rice omelet.
"And let you run hog wild in here. You do know there is a reason they call you a 'Walking Disaster' right?" Kirara said as she wiped off the floor pieces of the broken teacup. "And also...I didn't like how they were treating you...saying stuff like you being abandoned or being the Mizuki's pet...no one deserves that...well, almost no one deserves that except for that horny monkey, Yogure." Kirara giggled at the last part. Kaiser sat there with his eyes wide in shock as his "mortal" adversary was offering him sympathy.
"How did you get your nickname, by the way? I don't think you ever told me," she asked as she took the seat opposite him.
"Huh? You don't know?" Kaiser said with a surprised look on his face. "Thought everyone in the village knew?"
"Well, remember I joined the Taimanin much later, as I was living outside the village with my... parents during my childhood."
"Oh yeah... I forgot about that, well, umm... I guess it all started when I was 15 years old... My adopted mother was kidnapped during a mission, and this was after my adoptive father was killed during a mission. Everyone wrote her off as M.I.A., but I couldn't accept that... so I decided to break the Taimanin laws and went out to find and rescue her." Kaiser said as he ate his omelet and gyoza, "During my search, I went on a rampage and destroyed a couple of houses, two train stations, five factories, six casinos, one hospital, and half a city block." He says before finishing off his food.
"Wait what?! You destroyed a whole city block?! How do you even do that?!" Kirara asked in a surprised tone. "If anything, shouldn't you be in jail for destruction of public property? Or have them call the military?" Kirara said with a raised brow.
"I said half a city block." Kaiser said as he tried to find the words to explain what went down during the 'Dies Irae' incident."They did...well, sort of. You see, they sent the Kanda Brigade after me, and let me tell you, those guys are the scumbags. They fired on unarmed civilians, tortured prisoners, and used extreme ends to justify their means, they were basically War Crimes-Depot. So, I really didn't feel bad killing a few of them. Those guys were dicks, who deserved it."
Kaiser rubbed the bridge of his nose, thinking back on what those guys try to do to him during battle.
"That is surprising... I guess not everything here is as goody-goody as we are led to believe." Kirara said as she gave a jokingly knowing smile at Kaiser."But hey, as long as they stayed out your way, you were cool, right?"
"Ugh yeah, though I did cause so much trouble that it made the local news crew witness it; they called it "Dies Iraes" or the Days of Wrath... I know it sounds corny, but I didn't come up with it. Anyways, after I got the location of where my mother was being kept, I made my way to Yomihara... Yeah, that Yomihara. It was a den of debauchery and sin. All the rumors about that place don't even come close to what I saw down there...but I pressed on and burned half of that demon shithole of a pit down as I finally found my mother. I rescued her and brought her back to Gosha Village, after which I was arrested, tried, and sentence to a public execution." Kaiser said with a smirk at Kirara's annoyed look.
"What?! You caused all of that destruction, how much blood did you spill in that city and that even the military got involved?" Kirara asked, looking both shocked and angered. "You did all that just to rescue your mom and how could they callously execute you over it?!"
"No, no, I only destroyed half of the place, and everyone down there were either demons, criminals, or corrupted officials. They deserve to die for what they have done in their lives...trust me. Anyway, the only reason why my head is still on my shoulders is because my mother woke up from her 3-day coma after I rescue her and was able to rally half of the clans in the village to advocate for my release. It could've started another civil war in the village so the Elders relented and released me back after saying they would reevaluate my position in the Taimanin as well as being technically under 'probation' as I can't leave the village without authorization, and even then I am kept under close observation by the Japanese Government... and well, the rest is history." Kaiser said with a shrug as if that didn't matter to him anymore.
Kirara looked shocked at Kaiser, then crossed her arms. "Damn, those elders sure are stuck-up pricks. You can do so much more out there, and the village doesn't need you here constantly. Your talents are wasted on the civilian side of things. Hell, it is not just them...but your superiors seem to think you are nothing more than a weapon!"
"Yeah, but... what can I do? I already cause enough trouble for my adopted family, and I don't wish to cause more problems for them. In a way, I'm just a 'Mad Dog' being kept on a very short leash... (sigh)." Kaiser said this with resignation, as he knew that sooner or later The Elders would get tired of his rebellious nature and just designate him as a rogue Taimanin mark for termination.
Kirara grabbed her forehead, groaning in annoyance, before standing up straight to look directly at Kaiser in the eyes.
"What you are describing is no different than slavery, especially considering that you would still be under direct control by some elitist, corrupt bureaucrats. No wonder your such an ass!" She sighed once again while she thought for a moment before smirking, "Look, how about we make a deal? You stop being an ass to me, and I'll get in touch with some of my contacts outside of the village so that if you ever need it in case things go bad between you and The Elders."
"What the hell are you talking about? You know what your offering is basically treason, right?" Kaiser was stunned at Kirara's boldness and straightforward offer. Sure, he didn't like her attitude and often saw her as a man-hating bitch, but he respected her talents enough to listen.
"No, what I'm doing is offering you a chance to live your life in peace! Your right... Your power and abilities are being wasted on the Taimanin like this, and let's be honest here, you're basically the Taimanin poster boy when it comes to defying authority."
Kaiser gave an awkward smile as he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment, as this made Kirara's heart skip a beat.
"Hehehe... sorry about that."
Kirara huffed and turned her head to the side with a blush on her face as her Tsundere tendencies began to show.
"Well, don't get the wrong idea! I'm only doing this because... umm... ASUKA! Yeah! because Asuka would be sad if you were to get killed or get hurt."
With that said, she left his table and went back to work, waiting on tables, making sure not to let Kaiser see the redness of her cheeks.
"Hahaha, you know she's pretty adorable in a weird way. Who knows... maybe in another life I could've liked Kirara."
This time it was Kaiser's turn to groan as he facepalmed himself from his own musing.
After Kirara had left, he stayed silent for a few moments and thought to himself while he remained seated at the diner table. His thoughts went back to his childhood during the early days of Gosha village and how he was in the past. He was alone in a place that did not seem to want to accept him as he only had his little sister, Rinko, and Tatsuro keeping him company, but now... it seems that no matter how hard he tries to push people away, they always seem to want to be around him. Maybe this is what having a place to belong feels like? He pondered that for a moment before dismissing the thought as foolish and dumb.
He was content being alone, so why should he care if others were with him? All he wanted to do was train by himself until he became strong enough to finally defeat the demons that plague this world, so he didn't need anyone else, so he shouldn't need anyone else, right? Kaiser got up from his seat at the table and paid his check as well as leaving a massive tip for Kirara as he head back home.
A/N: Well that was interesting for our young hero. I hope that I was able to show the inner turmoil and thoughts of Rinko who on the outside was a stoic and calm person but in reality is actually clumsy and quite delicate when it comes to things of a more social aspect. I didn't want to drag the confession on as I wanted Kaiser to stay true to his honesty and blunt approach to things as I felt like this would be the perfect moment me to tie up that loose end. And so Rinko is 2nd in the harem as she will fill the Nagging Childhood friend who has the lonest crush niche with Kaiser but this won't mean that her character Arc is finish as later on she will have her time to shine.
As for the next Chapter well...things are about to get crazy so tune in next time...
Chapter 15
Reflections in Blood for the Unforgiven.