My Enigmatic Life

    Early in the morning, the four of us leave off early to head to Yoko's teacher's house. Oba had made some lunchboxes for us last night, so we didn't have to wait up for them this time. 

"So, would you say that this teacher of yours is strong, Yoko?"

Naoya asks Yoko as we walk down the dimly lit sidewalk, it's about two in the morning. So the sun isn't up quite yet.

"Definitely. I've never sparred with him to really get a good look at his skills, but from what I can feel from him, he's plenty strong."

What she can feel, eh? I can't say for sure how much that's worth, but I trust Yoko's feelings. 

"By the way Govvy."

"Yes?"

"Why are you carrying Akane on your back?"

Like Naoya says, Akane is riding on my back, asleep. 

"Oh. She's never had to wake-up this early before, so she's still pretty tired.", I explain, "So she asked me to carry her, and here we are."

Yoko frowns disapprovingly at me.

"You shouldn't be coddling her like that, Aniki."

Naoya smiles at his sister's indignation.

"Don't mind her, Govvy. She's just jealous that you haven't let her have a piggyback ride."

"Of course I am. It's not fair that she gets one and I don't."

Well, she certainly didn't beat about the bush for long, did she? 

"Have you ever thought of asking nicely?", I poke.

Naoya chuckles at my remark.

"He's got you there, sis."

Yoko says nothing, obviously beat, but she does express her sentiments by pouting angrily. 

How cute. 

  We arrive at a large, traditional style Japanese house. So, this is where Yoko's teacher lives.

"Not a bad place.", Naoya remarks. 

We walk up the path, and stop at the door.

"So this person is going to be training you and Naoya-senpai?"

Akane, who's now awake and on her feet, asks me.

"Yeah. He's supposed to be rather strong, so I'm sure we'll learn a lot from him."

Yoko pauses, looking a bit reluctant.

"I should let you know, Master is a bit.... weird.."

Weird, eh? That shouldn't be a problem. 

"We're odd ourselves, so that'll be no big deal.", Naoya echoes my thoughts. 

Yoko nods, and goes to pull on the ringer....

"Yoko-chan! Welcome back. As per usual, your very presence brings light to my day."

A bloke with pure white hair dashes out of the house and grabs onto Yoko's hand firmly while being down on one knee. 

"Good morning, Master."

Yoko carries on as if this is a regular occurrence. So, this is what she meant by him being weird.

"I'm like you to meet some people, Master. This is-"

Yoko's teacher makes a bee-line to Akane, re-enacting his scene with Yoko. Something tells me that he's pulled that move many a time. 

"Good morning, miss. It's not everyday that a man sees such a beautiful flower such as yourself."

"Umm...", Akane says.

Sensing the she's obviously uncomfortable, I free her hand from his grasp. 

"Sorry, but she doesn't take that well to strangers." , I explain. 

The bloke looks at me with blatant disgust. You'd think that he was looking at a rotting carcass. 

"Who the hell are you, brat?"

"Shouldn't you introduce yourself before asking for someone's name?", Naoya retorts. 

He gives Naoya the same gaze he gave me. Yoko tries again to make introductions 

"Master, I'd like you to meet my older brother, Colen Naoya."

"Charmed..", Naoya mutters. 

"Then there's my older cousin, Colen Daisuke."

"Good morning, it's nice to meet you."

"And finally, my friend, Chikara Akane."

"Nice to meet you.", Akane bows.

Our supposed new teacher looks Naoya and I over before turning to Yoko and putting his 'charm' back on.

"Alright, Yoko-chan! Why don't have take Akane-chan with you to the training room? I want to talk to these two alone for a while, okay?"

Yoko looks a bit concerned at the thought, but she eventually yields.

"Come on, Akane."

"Right..."

The two of them head in-doors. And Teacher barks a command at us.

"Follow me."

We do as he says, following him to the back of the house. When we get there, he stops and does an about face.

"Listen here, you shits. My name is Yonaguni Nariki, got that?"

What an amiable individual.

"However, you two will be referring to me as Boss Master Yonaguni, you hear me?!"

"That's not happening."

"Like hell we'll do that, jerk!"

Naoya and I immediately deny the prospect of that. No way.

"Shut up, you ugly bastards!", Yonaguni yells, "I bet that you two think that you can get any girl you want just because you're tall and handsome, right?!"

"Did you just call us both ugly and handsome?", I ask incredulously.

"He's mental, Govvy. Don't put to much thought into it."

"YOU TWO ARE THE RETARDS!"

"Oi, don't use that word. Have some respect." , Naoya rebukes.

Yonaguni glowers at Naoya before continuing. 

"I'll have you know this; my training will be cruel and demanding. Not because that's how it is normally, but because I hate you two. The quicker that you quit, the quicker I get to be alone with Yoko-chan again."

Suddenly, I feel very uncomfortable with leaving Yoko unsupervised with this git.

"If I'm leaving, I'm taking my sister with me.", Naoya snarls.

I'm one step ahead of you, mate.

"Better yet, let's bounce now. We'll just have to find another teacher to train us. Let's get Yoko and Akane so we can-"

Before I can finish, I'm rudely interrupted by someone grabbing me by the back of my head and slamming me into the ground. Someone's sitting on my back! It's-

"What?! How did you-"

Yonaguni! But I could have sworn that he was just in front of us! How did he get on top of me so quickly?! 

"Govvy! You wanker! What the hell are you doing?!"

Yonaguni still has me by the head, so I'm unable to see what happening properly. But honestly, what little I see I can't believe. Yonaguni flicks a pebble into Naoya's stomach. 

"Guh!"

He collapses, doubling over in pain as though he's been shot.

"Naoya!"

A pebble? This tosspot knocked the wind out of Naoya with a pebble?!

"I hope that you shits realise now who you're dealing with.", Yonaguni says menacingly, "You two are less than dirt here, and you'll be treated as such."

He slams my face into the ground. 

"Well? I'm waiting to hear you say yes. Or are you two to scared to speak?"

I can't with my face in the ruddy dirt, you arse. 

"Damn you....", Naoya grunts painfully. 

"Still talking tough, eh? Hmph. I'll fix that."

Already prepared for what was coming next, I'm surprised when it never happens.

"Ah! Akane-chan! Don't worry about this, it's just some- GLACK!!!"

Akane? Suddenly the weight on my back has been lifted, and I can hear the sound of someone choking. Quickly getting to my feet, I turn to see Akane picking up the pillock Yonaguni by the throat with one hand. 

"You worm. What were you doing to Daisuke-nii?"

Her red eyes tell me that her RSP mode has been activated. And I know what activated it too.

"Akane, let him go."

Yonaguni isn't putting up a fight, but it's obvious that he's struggling to get air.

"Why should I? I saw how he was bullying you, and he hurt Naoya-senpai. I should wring his neck."

Akane ear-to-ear grin can't hide her cold, heartless tone. If I gave her the word, she'll kill the bastard on the spot.

"I know, but let's just let it be, alright?"

Akane looks at me, and then hurls Yonaguni away, who lands perfectly on his feet. Although, he's heavily gasping for air. 

"Naoya. Are you good?", I ask, lending him a hand.

"I've certainly been better, but I'll live. I'm guessing that the strength Akane just displayed was how that other guy died, right?"

"Yeah..."

I wasn't planning on introducing Akane's Red Spirit Power to him like this, but whatever. Things just happen sometimes. 

"That insect didn't hurt you two that badly, right?", Akane asks with a smile. 

The both of us give her the thumbs up. Yonaguni, who finally recovered from almost being strangled, stumbles over to us. 

"Uh, A-Akane-chan? Is that how strong you are normally?"

"Don't speak my name, you filthy pig. Not unless you want to die."

How does she sound so terrifying with such a big smile? It's astounding.

Yonaguni slumps over, clutching his chest. What a character he is. 

"A girl spoke to me so cruelly.... And yet she shows the two losers kindness...  This world is so unkind to me."

"What an idiot...", Naoya groans.

Yeah, and he's our new teacher. Isn't that just wonderful?