Kuro's Will (52)

Kyo had just left the Royal Palace after training for a few hours. He went to the Beta Squadron Station to make sure there weren't any missions he was missing out on. He got there to see Ako looking at the bulletin board.

The bulletin board holds a variety of flyers that have various missions and rewards written on them.

"Yo, Ako!" Kyo said.

Ako smiled a little. "Hey."

Kyo looked at the board with her. "Looking for a mission?"

She nodded.

"Where's Kuro and Maki? I thought they were your squad?"

She turned to him. "They are, but Kuro has spent the last few weeks in the wastelands training his ass off. Maki's overseeing his training as his healer."

Kyo looked down. "He's probably mad about what I said to him. I was too emotional."

"There's no need to feel bad about it. Kuro needed that."

Kyo looked at her. "What do you mean?"

"Kuro uses you as motivation. Your actions makes him strive to do better. His father was a Knight as well."

Kyo frowned. "Was?"

Ako nodded. "It happened about three years ago. Kuro had just become a Delta Knight, and his father was a Beta. There was a large fire downtown. Kuro was with his father, Volt, when it happened. There was a crowd of people yelling and pointing at the building. Maki and I were also in the crowd with our parents. The building was completely ablaze, and there were people still inside. Volt rushed towards the building with Kuro trailing behind. Kuro stayed outside in front of the crowd and watched as his father saved more than ten people. Eventually there was one last person stuck inside. We stood out there, waiting. A little girl came running out the exit but Volt was still inside. He yelled out to Kuro to rush inside and help him. He was likely stuck somewhere. Everyone started looking for another Knight to go save Volt, Kuro was the only one around. But he was frozen solid from fear. He didn't move. After a few more minutes his father stopped calling for help, and the building collapsed in front of him. Kuro felt responsible for his father's death. But everyone who saw him that day started calling him a coward, they belittled him, told him that he killed his father and how he'd never amount to becoming half the person Volt was. Since that day, Kuro made it a goal of his to surpass Volt as a tribute to him and become an Alpha, since his father never did."

Kyo balled his fists and cursed himself. "This is all my fault."

Kyo ran out of the station and headed to the wastelands. He found Kuro out there training intensely. "Kuro!"

Kuro stopped what he was doing and looked up at Kyo. He scowled.

Kyo landed on the ground a few feet away from him.

"What do you want?" Kuro said flatly, "I'm busy."

Kyo looked down in regret. He looked back at Kuro. "I heard about your dad."

Kuro's eyes widened a little for a mere moment. He looked away.

"I'm sorry." Kyo said.

"Don't be. That incident was a long time ago. What you said the other day made me think about it all over again. And you were right. I was being a coward."

Kuro looked back at Kyo frowning. "I consider you as my rival. I'll always make sure that I'm stronger than you."

Kyo matched his same energy. "You're wrong, I won't lose to you again."

"Hmph." Kuro turned around and continued what he was doing.

Kyo started flying back toward the city. He landed and started running in the direction of the Royal Palace. *"I don't have time to do any missions now. I have to focus on catching up to Kuro first!!"*

 --

Maki continued watching Kuro train. "What is it with you two?"

Kuro was swinging his sword. "I watched Kyo fight that day. He was several times stronger than when he fought me. He's trying to get stronger than me. I won't allow it. His body is easily trained. He learns in weeks what takes normal people years to learn. But I'm a quick learner too."