19,382 Hc- The wind rushed off the waves of the Perona ocean and across the white sands of Kamikochi's southern coast, fluttering in through the doors of the only building sitting on the stretch of shore and washing over the two men standing inside. Dripping with sweat and poised against each other inside the small stone-walled dojo, the two men panted with exhaustion as they each stared through the guard of their forearms. "Is that all you've got?" Said one of the men who was clearly the older sparring partner. His shaggy brown hair was streaked with gray as it fell around his shoulders, and his skin was certainly not that of a young man's. Yet despite this, the older man's physique was that of a clearly seasoned fighter. He stood shirtless in the center of the room, his chest covered in scars that spoke of countless journeys and trials that made up his life. He stood strikingly tall and his shoulders were as wide as two or even maybe three men. He was truly a beast of a man, a man named Gado Umitasora.
From behind the guard of his arms Gado's deep blue eyes were intensely focused on the other man in front of him, a man who happened to be his own son, Taiyo Umitasora. "I can tell you're holding back," Gado said through deep breaths to his son who stared back at him with the same intense glare. Taiyo, Gado's oldest child at twenty-one years of age, stood before his Father with a physique and stature that was almost as impressive. Just slightly shorter than Gado, he still stood taller than most men, and in the same fashion his shoulders were almost as broad. Unlike his Father, Taiyo kept his hair short and paired with a scraggly, somewhat patchy beard that made his youthfulness more than apparent. Taiyo gritted his teeth as his Father taunted him, although the day was supposed to be nothing more than routine training, something else had left Taiyo's mind conflicted. "No answer?! Fine!" Gado belted as he rushed in toward his Son looking to land a blow. As he began his attack the old man moved at what seemed like an almost inhuman speed, and as he did the air around him filled with an ominous blue glow. Gado's eyes flashed with color as he charged in, his normally dark blue eyes lit up with the same iridescent blue glow that had surrounded his body, the glow of his Ki…
Taiyo responded in kind as the old man approached with his fist raised and ready to strike. Taiyo held his guard steady as he summoned the strength he needed to defend himself from the oncoming attack. The air around his forearms began to glow brightly, yet unlike his father's, the Ki that poured from Taiyo's body was a deep shade of unsettling red. Taiyo's Ki wrapped not only around his forearms but around his feet as well, cementing him in his position as Gado's fist came hurling towards him. Like the sound of cannon-fire, the space inside the dojo echoed with the impact of Gado's blow against Taiyo's defense, it was the unmistakable sound of two MesukiroUsers. Who were wielding the Nikugan, and embroiled in battle. A clash of blue and red Ki filled the air around the fighters as the force of Gado's aura pushed down upon his Sons. Taiyo had expected his Father to land the blow, but instead of pulling back and striking again, Gado had held his fist where it had landed against Taiyo's Forearms and continued to increase the pressure of his Ki as the brilliant blue aura spilled out around them. "Dont just block, fight back!" Gado yelled as his face contorted and he thrust his fist past Taiyo's guard.
Without hesitation Taiyo released the Ki around his feet and just narrowly dodged the blow from his Father. The sound was deafening as Gado's closed fist sailed past Taiyo's face, leaving streaks of his aura dancing through the air. Taiyo quickly sidestepped and restored his guard as he let Gado's own momentum pull him forward. As Gado turned back around to once again face his Son, it was now Taiyo who took the offensive. "Tch…" Gado clicked his tongue in annoyance as Taiyo swung at him wildly. "You hesitated. You should have struck me as soon as you dodged," Gado began saying calmly while he deflected each and every one of Taiyo's blows as if he were swatting away a swarm of flies. "You side-stepped me on purpose… and even now your blows are weak… Stop holding back!" Gado's frustration had boiled over, and in one swift and fluid motion his leg swung up from the ground wrapped in blue Ki and landed directly into Taiyo's ribs. Gado had taken advantage of an opening in his Son's wild punches and the resulting blow sent Taiyo reeling across the floor of the dojo like he was a child who had been struck down.
The crack of his own ribs and the sound of the impact had caught Taiyo off guard, he had failed to anticipate his Fathers attack and couldn't use his Ki to soften the blow at all. His body folded around his Fathers leg as he sailed through the air across the dojo and into a rack of practice swords and other weapons. The wooden and metal sparring tools clattered to the floor around Taiyo as he clenched his fist in aggravation. "I know you'll stop holding back if I piss you off enough," Gado's voice echoed off the walls around him as Taiyo tepidly stood back up, clenching the spot his Father's foot had struck. Within seconds the impact spot had already turned a grotesque purplish color, and as blood began to leak from his lips, Taiyo's rage finally took hold. It didn't matter that his Father was taunting him deliberately or even that he was doing it so openly. Gado was right, and Taiyo simply had a difficult time controlling his rage.
Like a cornered and injured animal Taiyo began lashing out. With a bellow of anger and the glow of his dark red Ki filling his eyes, Taiyo rushed forward with the same inhuman speed his Father had displayed, cracking the floorboards of the dojo underneath his feet as he did. Red wisps of Ki filled the air around him as he began a barrage of attacks against his Father once again, except this time the blows couldn't simply be swatted away. Gado reassumed his guard and a smirk of satisfaction spread across his face as he watched his Son charge in. Each strike and block between them rang out and echoed through the dojo loud enough to shake the walls around them. Gado no longer deflected the blows casually, the weight of each strike from Taiyo could no longer be ignored. Gado gritted his teeth with a smile as he watched his Son fill with rage. Despite his anger, Taiyo's strikes had become more precise, more forceful, more effective. With each blow he increased the force and speed until Gado was forced to take a step back, putting him truly on the defensive. "That's it! Show me that strength! Use your anger!" Gado cheered as he continued to be pushed back. Only narrowly managing to either block or dodge each blow, but his cheering on of his Son had momentarily broken his own concentration and the second his words had finished leaving his lips he could see an oncoming strike from Taiyo that he knew he was out of time to fully block. Wrapped in red glowing aura, Taiyo's fist swelled with power as it slipped past Gado's guard and toward his face, but just before the blow could land, hesitation once again cut through Taiyo's fury.
Just as his fist closed in, Taiyo's mind flashed with recent images and memories of his Father. The image of his Father hobbling down the stairs in the early mornings after their training, and of him injuring his back after trying to carry a load of lumber meant for house repairs. The memories of his Father always stating how much his strength has declined since his 'younger days' and lastly the image of his Father from when Taiyo was a child, Strong, poised and full of vigor. The thought of his Fathers past compared to the older man who stood before him, drained Taiyo of all his rage and frustration. Just before his decisive blow could land, all of the strength had been sapped from his fist and with a look of defeat in his eyes, what could have been the strike that led to his victory, fell short.
Gado reacted swiftly and promptly. He could see the very moment Taiyo's attack lost all its strength and despite his age, he wasn't so old that he couldn't react. Gado now easily swatted away Taiyo's fist before it could land, leaving his Son wide open. Gado planted his feet and pulled back his fist as it wrapped in brilliant blue aura. Unable to recuperate in time, Taiyo's eyes went wide at the sight of the attack his Father was about to deliver. Unlike his Son, Gado showed no hesitation in taking the victory for his own, and with tremendous power his fist came sailing forward, and landed directly in Taiyo's gut. Taiyo had tried to raise his defenses. Just before Gado's fist could land, a pool of red Ki formed around his abdominals but it was of no use. Like a gust of wind flowing through a pile of leaves, the strength of Taiyo's Ki was forced aside by his Fathers. Every ounce of air was pulled from his lungs as his Father struck. Once again Taiyo could hear the sound of his own ribs cracking as his feet were pulled from the ground.
Gado's strike to the gut shot Taiyo across the dojo, this time crashing through the swinging front doors and onto the rough beach outside. He rolled across the sand until he came to a stop laying on his back just a few feet from the shore, the water now just barely washing over his shoulders and arms. He was almost unconscious, his gut screamed in pain as the spot where the blow landed rushed with blood. Once again the spot quickly turned into a ghoulish sight. He gasped for breath, the fight was over. Gado stood inside the door of the dojo looking out at his defeated opponent, covered in sand and motionless as the water lapped at his head. With his aura wrapped around his feet, he crouched and then leapt through the air as if gravity was losing grip on him. In one leap he bound across the beach landing directly over the young man, the sand crashing out around him.
Gado looked down and paused for a minute as Taiyo looked back up at him, water blurring his vision and salt stinging his eyes as the waves kept creeping up. The old man lifted his gaze and looked out over the ocean, crossing his arms as he spoke next, "It's insulting you know… That you won't go all out against me anymore." He said in a calm yet stern voice. "I've trained you longer than anyone else and for some reason after you graduated you stopped really sparring with me.... and you never spar with your sister anymore either. On top of that, I was hoping you would help me continue training your brother but that stopped too after you finally became a Sentoki. I know you're gonna black out in a minute but you can hear me now, right?" Gado asked. "Y-yeah..." Taiyo whispered through the pain, barely able to listen to his Father lording over him as blood leaked from his mouth. The old man continued speaking, "I'm your Father Taiyo, It's my job before it's anyone else's to make you ready for this world, but I can't do that if you won't be earnest with me… This is the last time we're going to spar you and me," he said, the tone in his voice now becoming even more serious. Gado crouched down and punched his fist into the sand, just inches away from Taiyo's face, the blue glow of his Ki sprawling out wildly. Taiyo struggled to breathe as the old man leaned in closely over him, "I'm done with training you until you're ready to fight mefor real." Gado growled. Taiyo let out a deep sigh and could no longer win the battle against the crushing pain, finally blacking out. His second loss for the day... As his son slipped away into unconsciousness, Gado took his fist out from the sand and slowly picked him up. Slinging Taiyo's arm over his shoulder, he carried him past the dojo and away from the beach. Heading up the narrow dirt path that led towards their home…
A few short hours later, after dropping off his stubborn and still unconscious eldest son at home and calling for a medic to treat his wounds. Gado decided to check in on his second oldest child, his Daughter Hikari Umitasora. After a short walk, Gado had arrived at the nearby Sentoki School known as the famed Kaika Temple. Established in the year 16,386 Hc, Kaika Temple has stood as the pinnacle of Sentoki education and history for almost three millenia. Nestled along the southern coast of Kamikochi between the shore and one of the high reaching cliffs that litters the southern region, the Temple serves as the base for almost all of Sentoki operations. The path from his family home led to a small entrance, rarely used by anybody else. As Gado passed under the narrow archway, the sight of the Temple quickly opened up to the brilliant and impeccable landscape that it was so well known for. Often called one of the marvels of the world, Kaika Temple had been deliberately carved away from the surrounding cliffside, leaving the Temple enclosed by three towering red walls. It had been carved from the cliff from the top down, giving the buildings and features the unique aspect of all being crafted from one solid piece of stone and attached to the bedrock below. Due to this method of construction The buildings of Kaika Temple were all of one matching red color, making the sight truly one to behold. Even the red cliff walls themselves had been made into part of the school. Balconies, spires, walkways, and platforms lined the walls above the Temple grounds, eventually leading up to the top of the cliff where the nearby Capital, Do'Kobu City, could be seen looming overhead. The Temple covered eight miles of the coastline, cutting almost two miles back into the cliff, making the Temple and School feel more like its own small city than anything else.
As Gado made his way through the winding streets and past the rows of intricately carved temple buildings filled with history books, Sentoki relics, and students of all ages, he reminisced about his younger days as a student and how the Temple never seemed to change. As he passed through the crowds of others on the street, he was surrounded by not only humans but by the wondrous different races of Yokai that had come to live in Kamikochi over the years. The Kitsune, the race of kind, fur-clad and incredibly intelligent women. The Lycadd, the brave and boisterous Wolf-people. Akuma, The blue-skinned and enigmatic group. Oni, the towering and industrial peoples that helped build the Temple long ago, and even the occasional Byakko, the reclusive and proud Cat-like people as well. Small populations from each of the wondrous races had made their homes across Kamikochi, living in peace and prosperity with The Sentoki Nation.
The temple was abuzz with not only its usual daily commotion, but also with the busyness that came along with the upcoming Placement exams for this year's graduating Sentoki class, which his daughter happened to be a part of. The Placement Exams were easily the most celebrated event of the year throughout Kamikochi. Citizens from all over the nation and even the nearby nation of Inohara gathered in both Kaika Temple and Do'Kobu city to witness the emergence of the budding Sentoki students who would go on to become the beacons that guided and protected their way of life. The Exams were still just over a week away, but already those who came to observe had begun piling in from the countryside and other major cities. Posters had begun to go up, showing support for the students who had already distinguished themselves amongst their peers and were poised to go further than others during the exams. It was common each year for the citizens and those who observed the event to choose favorites and cheer on the future Sentoki that they felt truly embodied the future that they wished to protect. Clubs and fan groups formed, chants and banners were erected, and often the kind of support and admiration that was cultivated during the event would follow a Sentoki throughout their career.
After his short trek, Gado had arrived at one of the many training grounds that were scattered in and about Kaika Temple. As he approached, heat radiated from the entrance of the training area, clashing with the cool breeze coming off of the ocean. A number of young women and even a few young boys had gathered around the entrance, their faces washed with a look of awe and amazement as they peered in. Flashes of white and green bounced off the walls surrounding the training grounds, spilling out into the street and lighting up the ground around the children's feet. "That's Hikari… I'm gonna be rooting for her this year!" said one of the young voices as Gado walked past them and stepped inside, smiling as much as he could as he began to watch his middle child showcase her skills.
Hikari Umitasora, the most promising student of this year's graduating class trained constantly in order to hone her skills, and unlike her older brother Taiyo, Hikari rarely showed any restraint in her battles. With her long flowing white hair that bounced around her shoulders, she effortlessly fluttered across the ground, seemingly floating on the air as she did. She was dressed in simple attire of a loose fitting blue shirt, paired with white linen pants and matching white sandals that resembled the same ones her father liked to wear, and at nineteen years old, her reputation as a Mesukiro User already preceded her. Her tanned skin glistened as she strode across the battlefield toward her opponent, her face embellished with a devilish grin that could only be explained by her love for fighting, while her eyes beamed with nothing but thrill and ambition. Gado watched with pride as he sat off to the side and quietly observed. His daughter Hikari was the spitting image of her Mother and she carried herself in the exact same way…
"I will make you move!" Hikari shouted as she rushed across the battlefield toward her opponent, another woman who appeared to be a good amount older than the young Umitasora daughter. As Hikari charged in, her eyes flashed with the color of her Ki. Her irises glowed with a captivating silvery white light and as they did, her Ki of the same color formed and swelled around her hands. Yet unlike her Father and brother's Mesukiro, the Nikugan. Hikari wielded the Gensogan, the eyes that could control nature itself. The Ki around Hikari's fists gathered and concentrated quickly, but before she reached her opponent, the Ki seemed to change form and all of a sudden Hikari's fists were wrapped in a blazing and brilliant white flame. "Here it comes!" Hikari yelled as she began her barrage, swinging wildly at her opponent as her flames trailed behind each punch. Her opponent either dodged or blocked each swing with ease as she firmly planted her feet in the ground, not so much as even taking a step back while Hikari attacked. "Ugh! Stop toying with me Kyuen!" Hikari shouted as she gritted her teeth and kept on with her assault. After a moment of frustration, Hikari changed her tactics and chambered her leg to release a deadly kick in the direction of her sparring partner, aiming straight for her face.
Hikari's opponent smiled mischievously, yet she still didn't budge. As Hikari's foot approached, wrapped in silvery-white Ki, the woman named Kyuen simply tilted her head and leaned backwards a bit, letting Hikari's foot just barely sail by. Unlike her other strikes, this one from Hikari had not been wrapped in burning flames. Instead, as soon as Hikari's kick reached its full extension, a burst of what seemed like pressurized air released from the sole of her foot. The gust of air that just faintly held the glow of Hikari's silvery Ki cracked like the sound of a whip. Making Gado wince a bit as he watched from off to the side. Kyuen's smile grew from mischievous to almost sadistic as she watched Hikari change elements mid-fight. "Nice try!" Kyuen bellowed as she quickly responded in kind. Before Hikari could pull back her leg, Kyuen had already grabbed her by the ankle. As Kyuen leaned forward again she used her grip on Hikari to pull her in closer and with her other hand she delivered a devastating blow to Hikari's gut. Kyuen was the tormenting kind of teacher, a strong and brutal woman who had no patience for others weaknesses or brazen antics. The blow she had delivered wasn't even infused with her Ki, she had delivered just a normal punch, yet it still pulled the air from Hikari's lungs. Hikari doubled over with her ankle still in Kyuen's grip and before she could react in the slightest, Kyuen's fist which was still pressed to Hikari's body began to glow with a greenish hue
A small but violent explosion of green flames erupted against where Kyuen had already landed a blow, striking Hikari once again and pushing her backward across the ground as Kyuen released her grip on her leg. Hikari fell backwards with the force of the attack, hitting the ground and gasping for air as she tried to recover. As Hikari struggled to gain her composure and catch her breath a bellowing laughter came from the sidelines of the training grounds they were using, causing Hikari to feebly lift her head and see her Father approaching from off in the distance. "You never let up, do you Kyuen?" Gado shouted as he began approaching the two of them. "So she can get too comfortable like Taiyo? What good would that do her?" Kyuen replied as she walked over to her opponent who had yet to get up off the ground. "You might be at the top of your class, but I'd be lying if I said you didn't have a long way to go before reaching the Four Goddess Squad," Kyuen stated as she lorded over Hikari. Hikari looked back up at the woman who had spent so much time training her throughout her life. The sun behind her darkened the silhouette that stood over her, but she could still see Kyuen's condescending smile as she dangled Hikari's ambitions in front of her. For years Hikari had strived to even come close to Kyuen's level of skill and discipline, and to most it would seem that Hikari's efforts had paid off quite well given her reputation as an exemplary student, but for Hikari it was hardly enough.
"I remember watching Annika train you with the same ruthlessness when it was time for your placement exams back in the day," Gado said as he finally reached where the two women were. Kyuen simply rolled her eyes in response, "well if she's going to do well she needs to keep improving. Her placement exams are in just over a week and no niece of mine is going to embarrass herself by doing poorly," Kyuen said with a scoff as she quickly turned on her heel and began walking away from Gado and his Daughter. "It's kinda nice to hear she had to go through the same torment from mom back in the day," Hikari whispered with a soft smile as her Father knelt down and helped her up. Gado brushed some of the dirt off his daughter's back as she stood, laughing to himself a bit at the feeling of nostalgia that washed over him. "Your Mother gave Kyuen hell, believe it or not Kyuen's probably going easy on you compared to what your Mother used to put her through… even though she'd never admit it," Gado said with a chuckle. Kyuen had all but left the training grounds, walking away and standing under the same archway Gado had entered through, her long stark black hair resting against the bright orange floral Kimono that she always wore. On her hip sat a long and daunting Katana-like blade that almost never left her side and matched her just as daunting expression. Yet despite her intimidating demeanor, her bright green eyes carried an almost stoic and protective feel that she could not hide whenever they fell across another.
"Don't listen to your Aunt, you're gonna do great during the placement exams," Gado said with Fatherly affection as he pulled his daughter into his side and wrapped his arm around her, giving her a squeeze. Hikari hugged her Father back, leaning into him for support as she did. "Plus I'd say that you've gotten a lot faster recently, huh?" Gado asked as he patted his daughter's shoulder. "Not fast enough apparently," Hikari retorted begrudgingly, holding the aching spot in her stomach and continuing to try and catch her breath. "I don't think you have anything to worry about," Gado replied, trying to reassure his daughter. "The placement exams are just an assessment. Sure it's the final stage before becoming a full fledged Sentoki, but it's almost more of a formality… Headmaster Hiro as well as most of the city and school are well aware of your skills, and no matter how the placement exams go, I'm sure you'll have a bright future as a Sentoki ahead of you…" Gado continued on saying as the two of them walked off the training ground and met up with Kyuen under the archway. "What's for dinner?" Kyuen bluntly asked Gado as he and Hikari approached. "Oh, I picked up some great cuts of Oni-hog yesterd-", "Fish sounds better tonight," Kyuen replied, cutting through Gado's response and seemingly his plans for dinner as well. "Fish it is then I guess…" Gado said sheepishly as Hikari snickered to herself beside him.
A few miles northwest of Kaika temple and atop one of the high-reaching plateaus that covered the coastline of southern Kamikochi, Gado's final and youngest child worked tirelessly at achieving his own ambitions. Eiji Umitasora, a young and enigmatic man sat inside of what appeared to be an excavated underground site. Unlike his Father and brother, Eiji did not possess the mountainous physique like the other men in his family, in fact he was much thinner with a leaner build. But much like his Father, Eiji kept his shaggy light brown hair at shoulders length. His face was thin and despite being only seventeen years old, his greenish-brown eyes carried the wisdom and knowledge of a much older man. Much like his older sister, Eiji was an esteemed student, with his academic skills at times surpassing that of his own teachers, but there was one fundamental difference between Eiji and his family. Unlike Hikari, Taiyo or his Father and Kyuen, Eiji had yet to open his eyes.
"Find anything new?" asked the voice of another young man as he looked back over his shoulder to see Eiji who was studying a wall full of inscriptions and carvings. The two of them were over a mile underground. Around them, the recently excavated room had been lit up by several strange glowing crystals. The crystals in question were known as Ki Crystals or Ki Stones and could be commonly found across Kamikochi, employed in a myriad of ways. Eiji, who had been kneeling down trying to transcribe a small passage, stood up and let out a long sigh. "Nope, nothing new at all. Everything on these walls is texts and history that we've already recorded, and none of it points toward this being a Kami temple." he added with an audible disappointment in his voice. "It's been almost a year and we haven't uncovered anything significant since we found this place! But I just know my theories aren't wrong…" Eiji continued to complain as he moved towards the center of the room where a number of makeshift tables sat filled with scribbled maps and stacks of books. "I just know there has to be a Kami temple in the area… I've seen it referenced in old texts and scripts!" Eiji said as he stood over a roughly sketched schematic of the underground temple ruins and what had been excavated so far, his eyes scanning over all of the rooms that had been checked off and marked as 'Explored'.
The Kami; A group of Demi-God-like beings who came to the planet over eleven thousand years in the past and helped shape the Sentoki way of life, have now all but disappeared, leaving behind only traces and fragments of their knowledge and wisdom. "I just know it has to be here somewhere…" Another sigh let out from Eiji's lips as he stared at the small number of rooms on the map that had been left unchecked. "Only three more rooms left to explore, and the excavation team said they think this is the base of the temple, they couldn't find any more passages that led any further down," Eiji said to his friend who had joined him in standing over the table. Rei, Eiji's classmate and lifelong friend, felt sympathy for his disappointment, and wanted just as much for Eiji's theory to prove correct. "Well… technically four rooms, but one of them is unsafe," Rei said casually in reply as his dark black hair obscured his face. "Wait what? Who told you that?" Eiji asked in surprise as his eyes scanned the map for another room he might have missed. "It's not charted on the map," said Rei as he pointed toward one of the many hallways that led away from the main chamber they were in, "It was at the end of that hall, but the excavation team said that part of the Temple and the ground surrounding it was highly unstable. There's a specialized team coming to look at it in a few days, but until then even the normal excavation guys won't go near the area," Rei informed his partner, somewhat confused that he wasn't already aware. Eiji just stared curiously at the dark hallway his friend had pointed to, lost in thought at what might be hidden away from him. "Wait… but one of the special teams members is gonna be able to transcribe whatever's in that room!" Eiji blurted out in realization, knowing that the special excavation team was willed with scholars and laborers alike.
"We worked for almost two years just to discover this place! And we've spent another whole year transcribing this entire temple and were just supposed to let someone swoop in at the end and possibly make the big discovery? Really?" Eiji continued to rant as he scrunched the maps in his hands. Rei looked at his friend with concern, while it was true the two of them had worked tirelessly for almost three years now, the discovery of the temple alone was enough to fulfill Rei's own pride, but he knew all to well that Eiji had been holding out for something more in his search for the truth. Throughout their lives Eiji had always been driven to discover the answers to anything he didn't know, and his drive and passion for such discoveries was almost immeasurable. He had seen his friend repeatedly bury himself in studies and research for weeks at time just to discover answers to even the most trivial of questions, as if it were some kind of compulsion he had no control over. "Eiji… just finding this place was a huge achievement for students like us… it's just one-" Rei stopped mid-sentence. He could see the tension already brewing under Eiji's normally calm demeanor, and he knew all too well why this was such a sensitive subject. "You don't get it Rei… neither does your brother… the two of you opened your eyes at a normal age like everyone else… but me… I'm stuck behind everyone…" Eiji said somberly as he leaned farther over the table and tried to keep himself from getting too emotional. Rei reached out to console his friend but before his hand could reach him, Eiji had already turned away and began to gather his things.
With a bit of a stammer, Rei nervously mumbled the words, "It... it's not everyone Eiji… plenty of people don't…" Eiji stood up straight, whipped around, and stepped forward. His face now distraught with frustration as he began to raise his voice, "Tch! It's everyone I know! It's everyone around me! My whole family, my friends! Don't try to tell me I'm just supposed to be okay with not living up to that!" Eiji yelled, now face-to-face with Rei as his anger boiled over in a flash. Eiji stood there panting and waiting for Rei to say something. His friend knew how sensitive a subject it was for Eiji, and how left behind he felt, "...You know I didn't mean it that way," Rei mumbled as he let his shaggy black hair fall across his face in shame. Eiji knew all too well that he had overreacted. Rei and his Brother Ren had both been Eiji's best friends since childhood and they certainly didn't deserve to be the target of his rage.
Eiji turned back and began packing his things once more. "I- sorry, I didn't mean to blow up… it's just getting harder and harder, especially as the whole city and everybody gets ready for the placement exams." Eiji had stopped putting away his things, he just sat on the ground holding his tools and scripts. "If… if I can't open my eyes… then I just want to be able to do something else significant… I thought this temple would be it…" He muttered with a blanket of defeat that covered his voice, but before Rei responded, his demeanor seemed to shift just a bit in the most discreet of ways.
He squatted down next to his sulking friend firmly placed his hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze, but before he could speak, Eiji had already lifted his head and interjected. "Hey Ren…" Eiji said with a small and coy smile. "How did you know?? I didn't even say anything yet!" Ren chimed in response as a surprised smile washed across his face. Eiji let out the smallest bit of what felt like forced laughter before looking his friend in the eyes. One of them blue, the other one red. "Rei never touches people unprompted," he said as he finished putting his things away. "Damn it! How do you always know!" Ren said with a laugh of his own as the two of them stood up together. Ren reached out and brushed the dust and dirt from the day off from Eiji's dark green shirt, "No more sulking Eiji… Rei will let you get away with that but I won't have it," Ren said as he stepped back and began to gather his own things as well. Eiji let out a sigh trying to shake off the moment he had let sour the air between them. He slung his backpack over his shoulder, "I'm gonna head to the dojo for a bit… sorry again for blowing up like that," he said to Ren, who had finished up gathering his things. "You don't have to apologize, Eiji." Ren replied with a warm and comforting tone before throwing his arm over Eiji's shoulder and walking him out of the temple ruins.