A and K Chapter 6: The Melody of Rivalry

Kei sits at his table. He holds his head in his hand as his elbow sits on the table. Drank way too much last night, he thought. His head pounded like he was a bass drum being hit with a mallet. Shigure walks out of his room quietly, her hair a mess. She wore what she had worn last night, and comes out and sits at the table.
Shigure: We drank way too much.
Kei: Yeah.
Shigure: If I, um, said anything...
Kei: You don't remember what happened last night either huh?
Shigure: Not really...
Kei: Then let's just leave it at that.
Shigure nods. They both sit there waiting for their headaches to pass. Despite the mood, Shigure speaks up to break the quiet air.
Shigure: So, you live alone?
Kei: Yeah, mostly.
Shigure: Why's that?
Kei: No reason in particular.
Shigure: What do you mean mostly?
Kei: I'm watching over a kid for kind of the same reason as you.
Shigure: She lost someone?
Kei: Both her parents died in a fire.
Shigure: Oh my...
Kei: I've already spoken with someone about her, and I decided to let her stay here.
Shigure: That so...
Kei: I don't know...
Shigure: I'm moving in.
Kei: ...huh? Hold on.
Kei props up his ears, and wipes his face with his hand, trying to wake himself up a bit.
Kei: Okay, what did you just say? Because I swore...
Shigure: I'm. Moving. In.
Kei is stunned by what she said.
Kei: What?! Why!?
Shigure: Not so loud...Kei, Lexi and you wanted to have pups, but you never did, right?
Kei nods.
Shigure: I took care of my siblings, cousins, and nephews, I'm good with kids.
Kei: But that...what about your place?
Shigure: Its being taken over by someone else.
Kei: Huh?!
Shigure: I was already planning to move out.
Kei: You were already going...but why?
Shigure: Kei, they don't need me in that house anymore. They're old enough to take care of themselves. If they need me, they can come find me.
Kei: But you want...
Shigure: I'm not leaving a child in Athena and your hands.
Thanks for the vote of confidence, he thought.
Shigure: I'm going to move in here with you, and that's decided.
Kei: ...I'm not going to win this argument, am I?
Shigure: Nope.
She smiles, knowing Kei would let her have her way despite all the protests he had.
Kei: Fine, we'll figure things out.
Shigure seems happy to know she'd be moving into this place. Kei isn't as thrilled, knowing that he'd be having to rearrange some things so three people could live in the home. There was only two rooms in the entire place.
Kei: You and Alexandria can share the same room.
Shigure: No.
Kei: Huh?
Shigure: A couple should share the same room.
Kei: HUH?!
Kei holds himself back from freaking out at that. She was pushing hard for both of them to be in the same room?
Kei: But we're not...I thought...you said...I said...
Shigure: Do you have a problem with me staying in your room?
Kei was having a hard time squirming out of this one. The chance for something happening in his, or soon to be their, room, just jumped exponentially. She was pushing for them to be a couple.
Kei: Isn't it bad for a guy and girl to stay in the same room Shigure?
Shigure: Do you think I'm not attractive?
Kei: No! No, you're a beautiful woman, but...
Shigure: Good, then there's no problem.
Kei: What does that have to do with anything?!
Shigure stands up and sits beside him.
Shigure: We have to look like an actual couple for Alexandria's sake, don't we? So the mom and dad always sleep in the same room.
Kei: This isn't some game of 'doghouse' we're playing, this is serious!
Shigure: Who said I wasn't serious?
Kei gulps. She's gotten really aggressive, he thought. She was pressing hard to be in the same room. He hears at that moment the sliding doors open.
Athena: Meow! We're here!
Oh thank god, Kei thinks. Alexandria and Athena walk in to see Shigure sitting there.
Athena: Meow? Who's thi...
Athena thinks for a moment.
Athena: SHIGURE!
Athena looks absolutely giddy to see her.
Athena: Its so good to see you again Shigure!
Shigure: Likewise.
Athena: You've come to visit Kei as well?
Shigure: Actually, I'll be in Kei's care for an undisclosed amount of time.
Athena: Meow?
Shigure: Kei is my bodyguard right now.
Athena: Meow! Okay! I understand. Kei is an excellent bodyguard! He saved me once.
Kei: Athena, that wasn't even...
Athena: So there I was, drowning in the ocean.
Kei: Not even, it was a pool.
Athena: Some mean creature had chased me in.
Kei: You fell in.
Athena: Kei heroically leaped to my rescue and spared me a watery death.
Kei: I used a net.
Shigure can't help but laugh as the two go back and forth. Shigure knew Athena was one to dramatize stories, to the point she'd falsify information to make it look good. Alexandria just looks at Shigure as the three of them talk. To Alexandria, she seemed nice, and that's all that appeared to matter to her. Shigure notices her staring, Alexandria quickly looks away.
Shigure: Its okay, I won't bite you.
Alexandria walks over and looks at her. She cocks her head.
Shigure: Do you like my ears? I'm a black labrador breed.
Alexandria: Labr...?
Shigure: My name is Shigure, its nice to meet you.
Alexandria liked her, a lot. She spoke softly and she gave off a very friendly vibe.
Alexandria: Can I sit in your lap?
Kei is stunned by how quickly she endeared herself to Alexandria. Damn, he thought, you are good with kids. Shigure nods, and she quietly sits down.
Shigure: You really are a pretty little girl. Did Athena do you hair?
Alexandria nods.
Athena: She looks like a rabbit, right?
Shigure nods.
Shigure: Indeed she does.
Kei's ears perk up. He decides to get up from the table.
Athena: Meow?
Kei: Stay here.
Kei says it sternly. Kei walks to the back. Something was off. He couldn't be sure, but his ears were picking up on something. He opens up a hidden compartment in his ceiling and grabs a sword with two tassels attached to the hilt. He walks outside into his backyard. Nothing, Kei thought, false alarm? He hears a rustle. Kei begins to growl.
Kei: Show yourself, I know you're here.
Kei knew exactly what bush the person was hiding behind. Three kunai emerge and soar towards Kei. With skill and precision, he defends himself from all three. The young woman jumps out of the bush. Her black dougi and hood kept her face and body hidden.
???: At last, I've found you.
Kei: That's strange, because I've never seen you before.
She removes the head to show a bowl-cut black-haired girl with a triangle scar on her face. Her brown eyes stare at him. Kei recognizes her immediately.
Kei: So, you've returned, Aria.
Aria: Indeed.
Kei: You really have a bad habit of returning from the dead.
She flashes a smile.
Aria: Each time you kill me, I get a bit stronger.
Kei growls. He remembers the scenario all too well. Aria, tasked with the mission of killing him. He hadn't known who had been the person to place the bounty on his head, but he wasn't about to roll over and die for him. During the war, the two had met on the battlefield. The scar was all too memorable. He defeated her, but he refused to kill her.
Kei: Funny, last time I remember, I had you down for the count.
Aria: Indeed, you left me for dead. Shortly after though, I was rescued by a comrade.
Figures, Kei thought, the goddess of luck shines down on you again.
Kei: You are one lucky human.
Aria pulls out her a small blade through which to fight against him with.
Aria: Talking to the beastkin who once slaughtered one hundred men with one hand, that's not saying much.
Kei growls once more. That wasn't something he took pleasure in. Killing wasn't a sport. The hundred men he slaughtered was to protect himself. War was a grizzly beast, even the blood of a thousand would not satisfy it.
Kei: Why are you here, Aria? You know as well as I do I'll only defeat you again.
Aria: Actually, my mission isn't about you.
Kei is slightly surprised to hear that considering everything their rivalry had.
Kei: Hm?
Aria: You recently, for lack of a better word, adopted a young human girl, did you not?
Kei: What does she have anything to do with this?
Aria: Lot of mysteries surrounding that girl.
Kei: ...
Aria: But for whatever reason, a man hired me to retrieve her for him.
Kei: Retrieve her? To what end?
Aria: He refused to say. I don't need to know his motives though. Getting another shot at you is all I need.
Kei brandishes his sword.
Kei: Very well, come at me, I'll send you back home to your employer with your tail between your legs.
She charges at him, and their blades collide. Despite her speed, Kei easily matches her. The sparks fly like a fourth of july sparkler. There was no hesitation. She moved trying to strike his vital points and with each strike, Kei would counter. The two continue until she manages to land a hit. Leaving a cut on his face. She backs away. Kei looks at the blood-stained cheek. He wipes it off.
Aria: That's one strike for me.
Kei takes a deep breath then takes his stance. His feet close together in a line. Aria knew this style. It was his unique style. One firmly rooted in kendo and other arts.
Kei: Attack me, if you dare.
Aria decides to wait. Last time he did this, it was in the throngs of their final battle. She lost. She had gotten an easy hit in, however, and she believed that today she would fell the beastkin that had plagued her for the last year, stopping her at every trun.
Aria: Today, you die, Kei.
She charges in. Kei lifts his blade. She goes low to avoid the blade. Last time, he had done that. She reasoned that she could avoid his blade if she watched carefully. To her surprise, a knee greeted her gut. Stunned, she backed away, only for Kei to turn his blade around and thrust it into the bottom of her chin. Forcing her to leave the ground for a second and drop from mid-air with her whole body hitting the ground. After a couple of seconds, the stun wears off and she props herself up using her arms.
Aria: You are just as deadly as you were then.
Kei: My blade was the bait, and you took it. You still underestimate me.
He turns his blade back around. His expression serious, he walks towards her.
Kei: I could kill you if I really wanted to.
He stops a short distance from her.
Kei: You are still greatly inexperienced for combat.
Aria: You're sparing my life again?
Kei: Did I ever utter the word death to you? I have my job. Protecting Alexandria and Shigure. And as Mitch and Lexi as my witness, I shall see to it that no harm befalls them. Now retreat, today is not your day.
Aria picks her body off the ground.
Aria: I see. A word of warning then.
Kei: Hm?
Aria: You have no idea what you're getting yourself into.
Kei waits for her to finish.
Aria: You are my greatest rival, but those that come after me will be even more powerful.
Kei: Let them come.
Aria: Someone as brazen as you, should wait until I'm finished.
Kei: ...
Aria: I strongly suggest you look into the things that have happened in the past. Have you ever heard of the NOL?
Kei recalls them. He remembered they used to be all over his city, until it fell apart. A group calling themselves the MOR had begun to pick up the pieces and begun restructuring. Aria pulls a white ball from her dougi.
Kei: I have.
Aria: Believe me when I say, the library is open.
She throws the white ball, creating huge puffs of smoke. Kei does not make the attempt to follow her. He waits and watches as the smoke clears to see her having vanished. His ears had already picked up on the sound of her fleeing. The library is open, he thought, what does she mean by that?
Category:A and K
Category:Novel Chapter