Chapter Four

Kai, Nomaru and Raion continued winning battles, until they got to the semi-final round. Kai vs. Nomaru and Raion vs. Neji. Nomaru had been winning at first but – since Kai was faster – she had been trapped within a genjutsu. She had been taught how to break them, but the overwhelming pain of being stabbed by multiple kunai blocked her mind from remembering how to do it.

This led to her defeat.

With Raion and Neji, it was purely a battle of taijutsu seeing as they cancelled each other’s kekkei genkai out. Before long, Yuki had to call the fight since both of the students refused to back down. Neji’s hair was out of its weird, low ponytail and his clothes were scratched and torn with blood dotting the once-clean fabric. Raion was covered in cuts and bruises, a bruise forming on her cheek and blood dripping down her lip. Her clothes her torn as well and her pinkie was probably sprained if not broken.

After evaluating both of the kids, Yuki had decided that Neji would be moving forward since he had been less injured. That did not bode well for Raion and she watched the Kai vs. Neji fight sitting on the sidelines with a glare and a pout while Jinsei tried to cheer her up. But, he didn’t need to bother once the fight was over. Kai had been able to get close enough to Neji to touch him and cast the genjutsu on him.

The only reason Kai had been using genjutsu where you actually had to touch the victim was because it used less chakra and wasn’t as powerful. When the battle was finally over, the Academy nurse tended to them all before they were allowed to leave. They had skipped lunch but since only two hours were left of school, Yuki decided to let them leave and eat and then go and sleep to replenish their chakra.

Kai thought about waiting around for his younger siblings before deciding that they would do fine without him and that he was too hungry to wait. Sighing, the purple haired boy continued on his way down the dusty streets of the village before turning into a dango shop. It was a quick meal, with Kai enjoying the quiet shop and the friendly servers.

When he was done, he decided to just spend the next hour strolling around the village. He had decided he’d head back to the Academy to pick up his siblings, and then they’d all head home. Just in time to endure the hell of a dinner their mother had planned.

Sighing at the coming headache, Kai asked a villager for the time before he headed towards the Academy, his mind blank and his face expressionless. When Amai and Tenmetsu saw their older brother, they sweatdropped at the pissed off aura he radiated.

“Nii-san, what’s wrong?”

“Kansui.” He grunted,

“Oh, that jackass.” Tenmetsu nodded in understanding before his eyes lit up and he smirked, walking away from his siblings to sling an arm over a girls shoulder. She had dark purple hair and lavender eyes, her entire demeanor shouting shy and nervous.

She turned to look at Tenmetsu in utmost confusion with a blush spreading over her cheeks. Unable to hear what his brother was saying, Kai turned to Amai enquiringly.

“That’s Hinata Hyuga. She’s a year above us. Tenmetsu saw her at lunch and well….I think he enjoys flirting with her due to her reactions.” Amai shrugged and Kai narrowed his eyes, looking back to where his brother was talking animatedly with his free hand waving. Hinata was staring at him in confusion, her face getting redder and redder while she subtly tried to get out from under his arm.

Letting out a small sigh, Kai walked over to his sibling and stared at him for a moment as he stood behind the two younger ninja. Letting out another small sigh, Kai reached forward and picked him up by the back of his shirt, pulling him a few inches off the ground and turning him around so their eyes met.

Tenmetsu gulped at Kai’s stony expression, his light blue eyes half lidded. “Um….what’s up, nii-san?”

Raising an eyebrow, Kai watched as Tenmetsu gulped and tapped his pointer fingers together. “I’m sorry, won’t do it again. Swear it.”

Kai stared at him for a few more seconds before dropping him and flicking his eyes to Amai. Immediately Tenmetsu scurried over to his sister, calling a ‘sorry!’ to Hinata.

Hinata, meanwhile, was looking up at the purple-haired boy who had gotten the new boy off of her. She had never seen him before, and judging by Tenmetsu’s words, he was his older brother. He was about six inches taller than her and his clothes were completely black, making his pale skin and light blue eyes stand out starkly.

He seemed to radiate a dominate aura, making people want to listen to him. Hinata blushed as his eyes flicked to her and he tilted his head slightly before he spoke in a low, smooth monotone. “Sorry about my brother. We’ve only been in Konoha for three days. I’m Kai Kyuseishu.”

Hinata smiled nervously, her eyes darting around after meeting his eyes for a few seconds. “I’m Hinata Hyuga. W-where are you f-from?”

Kai blinked at the stutter before answering. “Kumogakure.”

Hinata stiffened and Kai narrowed his eyes at the movement before he sighed. “My mother’s from here. We’re not too bad, you know.”

Hinata glanced up at him uncertainly, remembering back when she had almost been made captive by the Cloud Village and the results that left her uncle dead and her cousin hating her guts.

Kai stared back down at her silently before rolling his eyes. “Our rivalry is stupid. I play no part in my village’s actions.”

Hinata nodded slowly before she glanced over to Tenmetsu and a girl who could only be their sister. Both were yelling at one another, their eyes sparking wildly. Kai followed her gaze and sighed lowly at the common sight. As if they felt his stare, both siblings froze and snapped their eyes to Kai to see him staring at them blankly.

They instantly straightened, ignoring each other and heading over to their older brother. Looking back down at Hinata, Kai nodded. “It was nice meeting you, Hinata-chan. But, we’ve got to leave now. Goodbye.”

Kai turned, walking away with his siblings following him on either side, sending parting glances to the Hyuga. Hinata stared after them uncertainly before turning and heading towards the Hyuga compound, her mind entranced by the Kyuseishu siblings.

When they made it home, all three ninjas were greeted by the scent of their mother’s cooking. Drooling, Tenmetsu led the way to the kitchen and blinked at the shining tile and counters.

Kai stared around for a moment before his eyes landed on his mother, seeing flecks of flour on her face and what looked like a ramen noddle in her hair.

Giggling, Amai stepped forward as Kari closed the door to the oven. Turning to her daughter, Kari blinked as Amai started cleaning up her face and pulling a noodle from her hair.

Smiling at her three children, Kari started to speak. “Hisu and Kansui will be here in an hour. Go and get ready. And Kai, what happened to you?”

Kai blinked, looking down at himself and seeing the dust from the training field and a few spots of dried blood coating his collarbone.

“Nii-san and his class were sparring today.” Amai stated, already heading out of the kitchen.

Kai frowned at the blood, wondering who it had come from before remembering that he had kicked Neji away and caused him to cough up blood.

Staring back at his mother, Kai shrugged casually before following Amai’s example and leaving the kitchen with Tenmetsu right on his heels.

Kari sighed, shaking her head in amusement before turning back to her cooking.

~

“Look on the bright side, at least that new kid beat him!” Jinsei pointed out, walking backwards in front of Raion. Her eyes flicked to his face and narrowed.

“It doesn’t matter. I still lost to him.” She growled, ruby red eyes angered and flaming.

Jinsei stared at his best friend, Ikari letting out a whine from where he sat on his head. Sighing, the Inuzuka turned forward and waited until Raion stepped beside him. Slinging an arm around her shoulders, the slightly taller boy grinned at her.

“How ‘bout we got to the BBQ place, then? My treat.”

Raion’s eyes lit up and she stared at her friend with sparkling eyes. “Really?”

Jinsei smiled, nodding. “Yeah. It’s been awhile.”

“Yay! Let’s go!” She grabbed onto his hand, pulling him quickly down the streets she had long since memorized. Jinsei felt a small blush rise to his cheeks but quickly fought it down, following after his longtime friend.

After they had ate, they quickly headed back to the Todoroki compound, Ikari placed in Raion’s arms as she snuggled him. Her attitude had increased immensely and she practically radiated happiness compared to the brooding, angry one she had before they ate.

It’s so easy to make her happy again. Jinsei observed, smiling at the sight in front of him.

Walking into Raion’s home, both of the Academy students headed instantly into the dining room where most of the family usually gathered. Kosuto and Shikayo were both there, a Shogi board placed in between them as Shikayo finished his move.

Both boys glanced up as they entered the room, Kosuto raising an eyebrow at Jinsei’s presence.

“Is your mom on a mission or something?”

Nodding, Jinsei sat beside Raion, Ikari placed within her lap. “Yeah. I’ll be here for like a week.”

“Isn’t Shikayo here for three days?” Raion questioned, making her brother nod.

“Awh, it’s like a big ole sleepover~” She cooed, snorting at herself and causing the three boys to roll their eyes. Reaching forward, Kosuto did his next move on the board, ignoring his sister.

Ignoring her brother as well, Raion turned to Jinsei, her hand scratching Ikari behind his ears. “So, what’re we doing again today?”

Jinsei frowned, thinking back for a moment before shrugging. “Nothing that I can remember. A nap could be in order. And a shower. Yuki-sensei really let us beat people up today.”

“I’m still pissed I didn’t beat Neji.” Raion growled, crossing her arms over her chest and causing Jinsei to sigh in exasperation.

“Kai beat him, so at least he didn’t win. That’s something, ain’t it?”

Kosuto glanced over at the older two, pursing his lips. “Kai? Isn’t that the other new kid? There was two in our class today, and they were really annoying.”

Shikayo nodded. “That Tenmetsu guy is a pervert. And Amai is….troublesome.”

Glancing over, Raion nodded. “Yeah. Kai’s really good at genjutsu. He beat everyone easily, even if he was using a weak illusion. Wonder what was in it.”

Jinsei shrugged before getting up, offering a hand to Raion. Walking out of the dining room, they called a goodbye to the younger two before going through the secret door in the study and disappearing downstairs.

Within half an hour they were both showered and laying on Raion’s bed, their minds slowly drifting into unconsciousness. Neither noticed that they were cuddling each other, or the observant eyes of Ikari as he watched them from the end of the bed.

~

Nomaru took the backstreets home, knowing that Sora would no doubt seek her out for crushing her so easily. It wasn’t her fault that the girl wasn’t as skilled in ninjutsu as she was.