Rikunai: Genesis

Chapter Nine: You Won't Walk Alone

School had resumed for the students of The Academy who had left for the forest exercise. In roughly two weeks, the proctored duels between students studying to become members of the Order of Elementals would take place.

And Tiomoyo was mildly terrified.

Recently, Tiomoyo had mastered a secret technique of his that he wasn't willing to show his peers, but he knew this technique he had invented completely on his own was only tactically useful. Against most of the class, this technique alone would give him the proper edge to overcome anyone who didn't have the same drive and power as the top fifteen percent of the class that included people like Kiki, Amy, and Sasame. Despite the fact an outsider might consider Tiomoyo's duel with Sasame to be a victory on his part, Tiomoyo knew that if it came down to a deathmatch, versus a simple training exercise, Sasame could definitely kill him. He didn't take pride in his "victory". Because of this, Tiomoyo knew he had to learn something, something that could give him the edge he needed to stay ahead. He would do anything to gain his weapon, even if it meant fighting Kiki Akimicha herself, someone who he knew was leagues ahead of him in raw power and even further ahead in tactical ability. However, he didn't care. If a nobody like him had to fight royalty, then so be it.

This is the resolve Tiomoyo wished to have as he anxiously paced through the halls of The Academy Year 8 building to his algebra lecture. The ten-year structure of The Academy mirrored the Western style of education but more compactly and efficiently.

"Tiomoyo?"

Startled, Tiomoyo spun around and fumbled with some textbooks in his hand as Gyra tapped his shoulder.

"Oh-"

"Did I scare you?" Gyra chuckled as he leaned his back against the painted concrete walls of the corridor, seemingly not caring for the time crunch to get to class.

"I'd rather not have a heart attack in the middle of the hallway, dude." Tiomoyo laughed to himself and adjusted his textbooks. "What's up?"

"I don't think I've had the proper chance to congratulate you."

"Congratulate me?"

"Well of course. Your team won the exercise." Gyra's eyes lowered as shadows enveloped them. His medium-length spiky orange hair fell in front of his face as he smirked. "I have a ways to go, don't I?"

"I think it was unfair to have Guy, Kiki, and Amy on our team. Comparatively, the odds were stacked against you, and your team still did pretty damn good. Don't sell yourself short." Tiomoyo patted Gyra on the shoulder, instantly retracting it as something deep within his psyche sent a shiver down his spine.

"I don't need your pity, I need your strength," Gyra replied as he moved his hair out of the way, revealing his deep brown eyes. His smile softened as he chuckled to his best friend. "You were able to keep up with and force Sasame off a literal cliff. How?"

"It wasn't anything special, it was just-"

"I know what she is capable of. She's... She's not like what people think."

"I understood that much when I fought her." Tiomoyo went to continue his train of thought, but then a realization hit him. "Wait, you spent time with her?"

Gyra turned around and cracked another smirk as he tilted his head. "Oh? Well yes, yes I did. She's a little strange, but there's definitely more to her than meets the eye."

Tiomoyo narrowed his eyes. "Interesting."

"Why?"

"Nothing."

Gyra burst out laughing as he smacked the wall in joy. "You seem a little curious about her, huh? Well don't worry, I'm not interested. I prefer blondes."