Lia was about to leave her room and find Himeko for her first day of training but, a knock came at her door. Lia answered it and it happened to be Himeko.

"Himeko, I was just going to find you just now."

"Perfect timing then," Himeko replied.

Lia looked over at the box Himeko was holding.

"What's in that box?"

Himeko placed the box on Lia's bed and opened it up. It revealed a white hakama and purple half kimono.

"It's your first day of training," Himeko began. "You need hakama in order to properly train."

"Thank you."

Lia put on her new training outfit and went over to the mirror to see how it looked on her. She then put her hair up in a ponytail and she really transformed into a warrior. Not the girl who was always so weak before. But looking at herself brought back memories of the time when she first met Kazuki. She held the amethyst gemstone necklace Kazuki gave to her.

"This sure brings back a lot of memories," Lia began. "Kazuki was wearing this exact outfit when he came to save me and even gave me this necklace too. Ever since then, I've always wore it. Everyday."

"It's our districts gemstone," Himeko said. Each district has one and are very powerful. Ours is the Amethyst and it looks like Kazuki left it in your care."

"What kind of powers does it have?"

"Not even I know that," Himeko replied. "I'm pretty sure it has the power to protect and to grow stronger. So many yokai and other aliens are after it. The twenty gems combined is very powerful. I've heard before the Komatsuzaki clan was attacked, my father was the one who protected these gems."

"What exactly happened to the Komatsuzaki clan? I want to know. I've been here for four years now."

"Ah," Himeko quickly changed the subject. "You noticed the change in colour with Kazuki's hakama pants when you first met Kazuki just now, didn't you?"

Lia was slightly confused by the sudden change of subject when she mentioned her Father.
"Yes but what I want to know is..."

"The pants are symbolic here. The white ones that you're wearing now represents peace. You won't fight unless you're forced to protect. The purple ones, are the neutral ones. They vary depending on the district's colour. They're usually only worn here but you also only fight if there's a threat to the plant."

"I see," Lia responded.

"But there's also a third colour. Black. We only wear the black ones to bring war. District 10 is the exception to this since they're district's colour is black but that means they're kimono will also be black too. A truly frightening district."

"Oh so the white and black ones are for travelling purposes," Lia observed. "Peace and war. Explains why Kazuki wore the white ones. He came to save me."

Himeko led Lia outside the mansion and it was then that Lia realized that there were two swords attached to Himeko's waist instead of the one katana she always wears on duty.

The warm rays of the sun hit the two of them as they continued walking through the estate until they came to a place that was surrounded by trees.

"The beet place to train is surrounded by trees," Himeko said. "There's enough shelter from them so you don't tire yourself out from the sun too early." Himeko then took off the short sword and threw it to Lia. "Here."

Lia started at it for a few moments but then attached the short sword to her hip.

"That wakizashi is the sword all low-level warriors start out with before they can join the twenty protection districts. They all train under someone in their desired district, but how long it takes them before they can get accepted depends on the person themselves. Now draw your sword and come at me. I want to see if you can cut me."

Lia drew her sword and saw Himeko as her opponent standing before her who hasn't drawn her sword yet. After four years of training at the academy, she could finally feel how powerful Himeko really was. It was like she was up against a demon just by sensing her power and she knew Himeko was someone who wouldn't go easy on her; however, Lia still didn't want to hurt Himeko. She thought she could either go after her arm or her abdomen. But since she didn't want to risk cutting Himeko's arm off, she decided on going for her stomach. Lia composed herself and Himeko narrowed her eyes at Lia, trying to intimidate her. Lia then launched herself at Himeko who quickly drew her sword and quickly blocked Lia's first attack. Himeko was quick to leave a shallow cut on Lia's chest. Lia then stepped far back away from her and put her hand on her chest. She pulled it away and her hand revealed her own blood.

"That's not good Lia," Himeko shouted and walked towards Lia. Lia fell to her knees in response and Himeko was standing over her. "I admit your first attack had power and it was very well controlled but the problem is, you were afraid as soon as I blocked it. Your reaction should have been quick to block my first attack but, you were afraid and that fear blocked your ability to react. That is why it was easy for me to cut you."

"Why would actually cut me," Lia asked. "I thought you were going to train me on how to fight."

Himeko pointed her sword at Lia and the gentle wind began to sway her long blonde hair to the side, allowing it to move with the wind. "I did say I wanted you to cut me, did I not? I expect you to come at me with the intent to hurt me and to protect yourself from being hurt by me. If you can't do that, then how do you expect to protect others?

Himeko was about to strike Lia again so Lia began to run but she appeared right beside Lia at the speed of light. She landed a strike on Lia's sword and that was enough to send her flying but she was able to gain control to land on her feet. She began to breathe heavily so she stabbed the ground and kneeled onto the ground while hanging onto her sword. Himeko again used that technique to appear in front of the near exhausted Lia.

"How?" Lia tried to speak in between her heavy breathing. "How can you...be so fast?"

"Speedo (スピード). A speed technique that all protective warrior aliens can use. Something that you too will acquire. In a month's time, I plan to have you gain that ability as well as your power. But for now, you need to focus on landing a cut on me. I'll give you some words of advice. When you block, don't let me cut you and when you attack, you cut me. Do not hold back."

Then Himeko swung her sword at the ground and Lia responded by grabbing her sword and running away again but it was meaningless, Himeko just appeared beside her again.

"Lia, when will you learn. You can't run from me. It's pointless."

Himeko was about to get another hit in but this time, Lia was able to block it.

"That's good. Now don't let me cut you."

Both Himeko and Lia were now swinging and blocking each other's attacks. Himeko was starting to see the determination in Lia's eyes to not run away. They locked swords but were interrupted when Kazuki appeared.

"Kazuki," Lia said with a smile.

That moment that distracted Lia gave Himeko an opening to knock Lia's sword right out of her hands, causing it to land at a distance from her. Himeko was then about to land another hit on Lia until Kazuki quickly appeared behind her and grabbed her arm.

"That's enough Himeko."

Himeko then dropped her sword, realizing how hard she's been on Lia. Lia then dropped to her knees, dripping with sweat and breathing heavily. Kazuki then kneeled beside her and gave her some water. Lia then looked up towards the sun and relaxed her hand at her side. Kazuki wiped the sweat off her forehead with a handkerchief but then noticed the dried blood on her hand.

"Oy," he said. "You're bleeding? Himeko, what happened here?"

"We were just training, that's all. Nothing to worry. Anyway, what are you doing here?"

"Oh." Kazuki held up a basket. "I thought we could all have lunch out here."

The three of them ate some sandwiches out under the cherry blossom trees that had their blossoms being blown away by the wind. After they were done, Lia leaned against the tree and rested her eyes.

"Himeko," Kazuki quietly said to her with his gaze turned towards Lia. "I understand that you're training her but aren't you being too hard on her?"

"You worry about her far too much. She actually has the potential to become very strong." Kazuki smiled and turned to face Himeko again. "What makes her so special to you? A simple human girl?" Himeko paused and came to realization and whispered to Kazuki. "You haven't actually been you know what with her?"

Kazuki just nodded and then Lia opened her eyes.

"If you're tired," Kazuki said to Lia. "You could come back with me and rest."

Lia just smiled. "It's alright Kazuki but, I'm going stay with Himeko out here."

Kazuki just nodded and the gathered up the empty water bottles. "I'm going to head back. I'll be back in an hour with some more water for you two." Then Kazuki just got up and left.

"What was that all about," Lia asked.

"He cares a lot about you." Himeko gave Lia a mischievous smile. "Say, do you have a crush on him?"

"What!"

"So is that a yes."

Lia covered her face and blushed a little. "Yes."

"Really! Now tell me, what's so special about my brother?"

Lia giggled a little. "Well you see. Back in Italy, I used to be married and have only had one boyfriend who I ended up marrying. So I never had feelings for anyone except him. But then, after I was diagnosed with Cancer. It devastated him but I of course, saw it coming. Growing up, that became something I was used to. Being sick, in and out of the hospital was a common occurrence. I was done with it all and gave up on life and just accepted my fate. Then about two weeks before I was supposed to die, I met Kazuki and I've never seen someone so beautiful in all my life. His purple eyes really caught my attention."

"He has my mother's eyes."

Lia's eyes widened with a joyous surprise. "That's the first time I've ever heard you mention your mother."

"Well, I don't know anything about her since she was taken from me when I was a baby. Along with my father and Kazuki's late wife 200 years ago. I only know what they looked like through photos. But continue on!"

"I didn't know Kazuki had a wife."

"Yeah but she died 200 years ago so I haven't met her either. Me and Kazuki are the only surviving members of the clan. But please continue with your story."

"Okay." Lia smiled feeling slightly jealous but also a little sad when she discovered he had a wife. Then shook it off since she was also married. "He claimed he could heal me and it gave me some hope. He then gave me the district's gemstone necklace and gave me time to think about his offer. But after a couple of days, realizing how weak I was. I slipped out of bed and left my husband a note, then stupidly left the house and ran to find Kazuki. This was in the middle of the night and I was so weak, I almost collapsed and was almost raped by these two drunk guys who appeared to be on drugs. Kazuki then showed up just in time and I could feel how powerful her was. He then put his hand through one of those guy's chest."

"Wait," Himeko said. "He actually killed some human guy?"

"Yes but then I collapsed due to his overwhelming power and how weak I was. He carried me to the hospital so I could spend my last days with my family." Lia smiled and brought her knees to her chest. "I really miss my younger sister, Silvia. I wonder if she's in Japan yet. But anyway, I died and Kazuki brought me onto an Alien spacecraft and brought me back to life but I didn't actually wake up until I was in the hospital here. It took so long to get my strength back after coming back from the dead."

Himeko and Lia laughed.

"Even though I was dead at the time. I think I could slightly hear still. Maybe my soul was out of my body but, there was something very demonic wanting to devour my soul and I think Kazuki fought it. He got very hurt trying to protect me. But I've had so much fun here. He'e actually confessed to me at the Cherry Blossom festival."

"What!" Himeko then grabbed Lia's shoulders, shaking her a little while laughing. "What did you say?"

"I was such an idiot and was so shocked that I didn't give him an answer."

"What!" Himeko then laid on the grass and put her feet up against the tree. "Hey, have you heard of soul marking?"

"No, what is it?"

"Well basically it's an ability aliens have. You would call it finding your soul mate in the human world. So the moment when you two met each other's eyes, you would have been marked."

"Eh?"

Himeko nodded. "Yeah, like for an example. Me and Kaito have been marked for a really long time but we're just too busy to get married and have kids so, we just continue to date each other. But the fact that Kazuki confessed to you and you seem to have really strong feelings for him since you two met, proves you and him have been soul marked."

Then Himeko got up and whacked Lia's arm.

"Come on, lets continue our training."

"Alright."

After the girls had time to talk and were both refreshed. The day went on where Lia improved and was able to block Himeko's attacks much better. Finally, she was able to get Himeko's arm to lose a bit of control and she was able to land a shallow cut on Himeko's cheek.

"Himeko! I'm so sorry! Are you alright?"

"Yeah." Himeko smiled. You were finally able to land a cut on me. Day one is now complete."

Himeko and Lia made their way back to the house with the sun setting behind them.