The crowd could only stare as Rakaia had made his entrance. His eyes still locked on with Saitou's as he still held his fist in his grip, saving Luna from getting knocked out by the leader of the Viper Brothers.
Saitou could only growl as Rakaia's presence annoyed him. "You know, I thought after being dumped in a trash bin you would have thought twice about showing your face around me again," Saitou spoke to him as Rakaia remained silent. "But here you are, once again; ready for another beat down. I just didn't think you would want the whole school to watch. You really are one for humiliation." Saitou's words didn't seem to faze Rakaia as he continued to keep his mouth shut.
"What you're not going to say anything?" Saitou continued to run his mouth. "Come on, you must have something you want to get off your chest, you're just going to…" Saitou was cut off as Rakaia's fist met with the side of his face, knocking the leader of the three brothers into the ground, catching the attention of everyone around him.
Saitou's body quickly dropped as he quickly rolled backward, recovering quickly as he quickly wiped the side of his mouth as he felt the sting of Rakaia's punch. He gritted his teeth as he growled at the teen in front of him.
Rakaia glanced back at Luna as he spoke to her. "Who would have thought that I would end up saving you?" He stated as Luna just looked up at him for a minute and lowered her gaze for a moment. Rakaia noticed this as he kept his attention on the celebrity. "You ok?" He asked her.
"It's no big deal," Luna replied trying to stand up but slumped back down against the tree. "Just let me catch my breath." She told him as Rakaia didn't believe her words and saw the damage that Saitou had done to her.
"No, I got this." Rakaia's eyes returned to his opponent, this time directing them towards Kaitou and Maitou. "You'll just get in the way if I have to keep saving you because you don't know when to sit out." Rakaia continued.
"Yea, like you're one to talk," Luna replied as she gain a few more seconds of rest. "You're the one who kept getting saved by me."
"Wouldn't that be worst for you?" Rakaia shot back. "A prizefighter getting saved by the same person you kept saving?" He reminded her as Luna directed a small glare towards him.
"Oh give me a break; I just let my guard down a bit," Luna said standing up completely now. "I don't need someone like you thinking that you saved me because I needed you to." Luna retaliated.
"That's not how it looked to me." Rakaia countered. "If I hadn't stepped in, you would have gotten your face punched in." Rakaia hit her with another comeback insult as Luna stood next to him, her eyes planted squarely on the two that Rakaia was looking at as well.
"Details, "Luna replied as she cracked her knuckles and got ready for another go. "I won't slip up again; just make sure you can hold your own this time." Luna shot back.
Rakaia side-eyed her for a split second before returning his gaze back to the remaining two Viper Brothers. "Say less, just make sure you know what you're doing this time so I won't have to jump in." Rakaia returned.
"Trust me, you won't," Luna stated as she quickly charged towards Kaitou catching him off guard. His surprised look told everyone he wasn't ready for Luna when she got serious. Her speed increased as she got close to him in a matter of seconds. Their eyes locked as Kaitou looked at the professional fighter that pulled her arm back in mid-motion and delivered a hard punch to the side of his face, knocking him off of Cana, staggering him completely.
Luna didn't let up on the attack. She continued her onslaught with a fury of punches, kicks catching Kaitou at every turn before she spun around and pressed her foot into Kaitou's chest, knocking him past Maitou, all the way back to Saitou.
"Kaitou!" Maitou shouted as Rakaia ran towards him.
"Look right in front of you!" Rakaia shouted as he leaped in the air and pressed his knee on the side of Maitou's face before spin kicking him away as well, Maitou mimicking the same action that Kaitou did and fell at Saitou's feet.
Rakaia landed next to Luna as she knelt down to retrieve Cana. "You alright?" She asked as Cana coughed a bit, but nodded approvingly at the question. "Come on, let's get you up," Luna stated as she wrapped one of Cana's arms around her neck and wrapped her other arm around Cana's waist, helping her to her feet.
Rakaia stood in front of the two as he eyed Saitou. "It's just you and me now Saitou, what do you say we actually settle this one for real. Me and you, one on one, no interference, no friends, you can use all the cheap shots you want though; it won't matter." Rakaia proposed as he pointed at Saitou who only gritted his teeth as his brothers gathered themselves and stood beside him as well.
"You really think you can take me after one lucky shot kid?" Saitou growled at Rakaia.
"One shot is all I need," Rakaia smirked at him.
Saitou couldn't help but snicker at Rakaia's comment before he took a step forward. "You really think you're something don't you?" Saitou began. "How many times do we have to beat you down before you actually get it?" Saitou ranted on. "You are nothing compared to us, runt. You're just as weak as the rest of these fresh meats that enrolled here. You are…"
"Just one match, one on one; yes or no." Rakaia ended his conversation. "I don't care about any of that, I just want to fight you one on one. Right here, right now." Rakaia stated as the crowd began to whisper amongst themselves as Saitou and his brothers looked around and noticed that people were talking. "You said it yourself, you wanted to embarrass me, Cana and Luna for crossing you, what better way to settle this than right now, in front of the crowd that we have," Rakaia spoke as Saitou could barely contain himself as Rakaia was turning the crowd's fear around into excitement.
"Come on Saitou let's give them a show." Rakaia balled his fist up and got into his own standard fighting stance. "Just say when." He told him as Saitou was now seething as the crowd looked at him, awaiting his response to Rakaia's proposal.
"Come on, fight him one on one!" Some people in the crowd screamed. "Yea, are you scared you can't-do it without your brothers!" Some other people shouted. "Be a man and fight! One on one! One on one! One on one!" The crowd followed up in chants as Rakaia stared at Saitou, his expression as serious as ever as Saitou clearly frustrated by all that was around him snapped.
"You think you deserve a fight against me! You've lost twice already! There's nothing I have to prove to the likes of you or anyone in this pathetic crowd! You want to fight me you're going to have to deal with me and my brothers!" Saitou screamed at him. As he finished his sentence Kaitou and Maitou charged at Rakaia as his eyes narrowed at the two Viper Brothers coming towards him.
Luna was still holding Cana as they approached as she narrowed her eyes as well. Cana gritted her teeth as the two boys made their way towards Rakaia. The crowd all screamed and gasped as the Viper Brothers and Rakaia were about to go for another round with a conversation speaking with their fist.
"Here they come." Rakaia thought as he braced himself for the two brothers that were charging his way. "Guess I'm on my own with this one." He continued to think as Kaitou and Maitou continued to get closer to him.
"Stop right there!" Mariko shouted stopping the two boys in their tracks, gaining attention from everyone in the surrounding area. Her eyes scanned the area as she looked at the many students that were not attending their studies and the culprits that were causing a scene. Her body trembled with anger as her lips curled up. A dark purple aura began to surround her body giving her a monstrous creepy look causing the students to step back in fear.
"Two seconds...You all have two seconds…" She spoke slowly, but clear enough for everyone surrounding her could hear her. Fear began to plaster itself on the faces of the students that stood in the courtyard, even Kaitou and Maitou quickly backed down. "Starting now, if you're not in class by the time I count to two…All of you will be spending the rest of the school year after school repaving the parking lot!" She screamed as students began to scramble across the courtyard, tripping over each other as Mariko turned her head from left to right to see her students race into the school building.
"ONE!" She shouted as students began to pick up their speed as they made haste into the building quickly dispersing themselves into their respective classes. "TWO!" Mariko shouted as she viewed her surroundings once again, a small smirk spreading across her lips as a satisfied smile crossed her face as she grew proud of her work as the only remnants of her students that remained were the ones who were involved in the altercation.
"So now I just have to deal with you." Mariko walked up to the group. "I clearly remember me telling you guys that there will be no unauthorized fights in this school." She reminded them. "Unsanctioned bouts are prohibited and it's not going to bend just because you two…" She eyed Rakaia and Saitou. "Seem to be harboring a grudge between one another."
"But Mariko, I…" Rakaia tried to speak.
"Rakaia, I don't want to hear it," Mariko responded. "I'm disappointed, but not just in you; all of you; even you Luna." Mariko turned her gaze towards Luna who was still holding Cana up against her. Mariko couldn't help but sigh at the sight that framed itself before her eyes. "Just look at you." Mariko walked up to both Luna and Cana. She rubbed her hand on both of their faces and eyed them up and down and sighed again. "This is something I can't let slide, I need you two to go to the nurse's office, now," Mariko instructed.
"But Ms. Imuran." Cana tried to interject.
"No buts Cana, I'm not joking; I need you both in the nurses' office now to make sure there are no serious injuries," Mariko spoke over her as she turned her head towards Kaitou and Maitou. "You two as well, I don't need any of my students walking my campus hurting because they are too headstrong to listen to their principal." She finished as they both looked at her.
Kaitou and Maitou looked at each other before they turned their looks back to Saitou. "You don't tell my brothers what to do," Saitou spoke for them. "They're not weak like those sorry scraps you call fighters over there." His eyes locked on Mariko, who just narrowed her eyes at Saitou's. "They don't need your half-ass doctors putting Band-Aids on their wounds," Saitou growled as Mariko placed one hand on her hip as she eyed the oldest teen out of the three.
"Is that so?" She responded. "Then should I also call your parents and tell them how disruptive you've been thus far?" She asked him directly as she placed her right hand on her hip. "Or better yet, should I call the Kofu police department and notify them about the disturbance you caused." She threatened as both Kaitou and Maitou froze in place, but Saitou remained unmoved.
"You wouldn't dare," Saitou grumbled.
"Would I?" Mariko simply responded. "How many counts do you think would be placed against you due to the fear you put into your fellow students, the cameras around this school are enough proof to show, how juvenile you act. The assault that you inflicted on your fellow students will also be taken into account as well Saitou. My best suggestion to you is to listen to my words and understand that I am trying to give everyone at this school a fair chance." Mariko explained to him as both Kaitou and Maitou began to look nervous as Mariko explained how their experience with the law would work.
"I'm pretty sure your brothers don't want to go to jail and neither do you. I personally don't want to put you in that situation but if you continue to act this way towards my students, you're underclassmen, then you will leave me no choice but to step in and take action against you as your principal." Mariko made sure to make herself very clear as she spoke to the oldest brother as he glared at her.
"Ha, whatever!" Saitou laughed as he looked over at his little brothers and motioned them over to him. "As I told you, my brothers don't need help from you or your half-ass doctors; they're fine and we don't need pity from someone like you. Your threats are just like the students you keep in this school, hollow." Saitou smirked at her as Mariko's serious expression didn't falter, nor did it waiver at Saitou's insult.
"You don't have the heart to turn in someone like me." He ended as Mariko's eyes narrowed at her rouge student.
"Try me." She replied as Saitou turned his back to her and began walking away from the scene with his brothers following behind him.
"Hollow words, Imuran, hollow words." Saitou and his brothers walked off of school grounds leaving Mariko standing there glaring at her students with Rakaia, Cana, and Luna standing behind her watching as the Viper Brothers disappeared around the corner.
-Nurse's Office-
Cana and Luna were sitting in a nurse's office. The white walls and the equipment around the room were evidence enough. Along with two white beds and a curtain that divided the two for privacy. Cana sat on the bed with Luna standing beside her with one arm down by her side and the other on her hip. In front of Cana was a Chocolate skinned nurse, wearing the usual nurse's garment. Her golden eyes peered down at Cana as she concentrated on tending her wounds. Her long white hair flowed down to her lower back with a few braids lying over her shoulder.
"There you go." A female nurse stated as she smiled brightly at Cana as she managed to bandage up Cana's cuts and tend to her bruises. "You should be fine now; there was no serious injury; so there's nothing you should have to worry about." She continued to smile at her.
Her dark-skinned appeared clear and healthy as Cana looked her up and down before she surveyed the nurse's work. "Wow, thanks a lot" Cana spoke kindly to her as she stood up and stretched a bit. "I guess I could have done without the fighting today, but hey what can you do right?" Cana turned her head towards Luna.
"Well for starters, you could not go looking for a fight." Luna joked with her. "You would have been in some serious trouble if I hadn't shown up. "
"Yea, I guess you're right." Cana placed both hands behind her head. "Or next time I'll just get rid of the first two so I won't have any setbacks when I go for the third one." Cana twisted as she turned her sights to Luna.
"You should be more careful though." The nurse spoke to her. "Although you didn't sustain any real injuries, I can't say you will be this lucky next time." She expressed her concern for her. "Unsanctioned fights are just as unpredictable as official fights; I don't want my fellow students making it a habit to see me in the nurse's office." She finished as Cana side her for a second.
"Fellow students?" Cana repeated. "Hey, come to think of it. I never saw you before, are you new here?" Cana asked her, curious as to who her nurse actually was.
The girl shook her head slowly. "No, not at all; my name is Alicia, Alicia Anjel and I'm usually tending to the upperclassmen at this academy and sometimes at the Kofu hospital whenever they need help," Alicia answered her.
"Upperclassmen?" Luna stepped in, crossing her arms. "Then why are you tending to Cana, if you're supposed to be helping the upperclassmen with their injuries. "Luna asked as Alicia was more than happy to explain.
"Well for now with the crime rate increasing throughout the city, Hospitals; all over Kofu, are requiring assistance from the medical staff from all academies," Alicia explained.
"But you need to make sure you have nurses on hand just in case something happens at the school," Luna added in conversation as Alicia nodded her head to her statement.
"Yea, so as of right now South High Academy is short, due to the fact that they sent over half their staff to help out." Alicia finished as she went to put her equipment away for later use.
"Wow, have things really gotten that bad?" Luna asked her.
"I'm afraid so," Alicia replied. "Nobody knows why, but the tension between the Kofu Police and the gangs have only gotten worse, even Police are beginning to use excessive force." She stopped to turn her head towards the open window. "It's sad though, it's like a jungle out there, or becoming one at the very least." Alicia's eyes saddened a bit.
"Yea, it's like no matter what; every time you turn on the news it's something gang-related or…" Cana's sentence was finished.
"The police making themselves look like the hero is trying to persuade everyone that they have everything under control." Luna sighed.
Cana nodded. "I guess this is why everyone has to stay on their toes so they won't get caught up in anything unnecessary."
"Exactly." Alicia turned towards the two girls. "I'm sure that Ms. Imuran has already told you this, but please be careful from now on," Alicia told them. "Even though this time was nothing but a couple of scratches and bruises, going in a handicap fight with the Viper Brothers isn't a smart idea." Cana couldn't help but accept reality as she nodded her head at Alicia's words. "If you do run into them again, please make sure to try and avoid fighting them and not challenge them to a back alley brawl." She ended as she quickly turned her attention towards the office door as it swung open, revealing another nurse with a sense of urgency on her face.
"Alicia! Alicia! Come quick! We got a really bad one on our hands!" The nurse alerted as Alicia's eyes quickly shared the urgency expression as she quickly turned towards Cana and Luna. "I have to go, but please don't do anything too reckless from now on. Take care of yourselves." She waved to them as she ran out of the room, following the nurse that came to her. "What's the status?" The two girls heard her say as she disappeared around the corner making it impossible to hear the rest of the conversation.
Cana took a deep breath as she turned her attention to Luna. "I guess she really does have her hands full."
"It's not surprising really, especially how things have been the last couple of days," Luna responded to her. "In most cases, it's normal to have a large group of doctors waiting just in case something like this would happen. XMA was no different." She shook her head as Cana looked at her, eager to hear what she had to say.
"Is it just as bad as it is outside?" Cana asked her as Luna turned her attention away from her and looked out the window, just as Alicia previously did.
"XMA or Extreme Martial Arts is something brutal and can be life-threatening if you aren't careful, it's a fun sport, especially when everything is going smoothly and everyone is keen on making sure the fighters get out unharmed; but…" Luna paused for a minute causing Cana to tilt her head to the side in confusion.
Luna was a bit lost in her own mind as she began to explain the league to Cana. A few moments passed as her mind continued to drift into the past. "Luna…," Cana called her name as Luna didn't even notice that she was balling up her fist in an angry manner. "Luna…" Cana called her again but still didn't get a reaction. "LUNA!" Cana yelled her name, this time snapping Luna from her thoughts as she blinked in confusion.
"Huh?" She looked at Cana for a second.
"You zoned out on me," Cana told her. "You were telling me about the XMA and then you just blinked out, are you ok?" Cana asked her as Luna looked at her for a second and then gave her a smile and a nod.
"Yea I'm fine, I think I just have a headache or something; we did do a lot today," Luna said slightly laughing it off as Cana could only sit back and take Luna's word for it.
"Yea, I wonder how Kaia's doing in Ms. Imuran's office." She lightly stretched again as she laid back on the nurse's bed. "I hope he isn't giving her a hard time." She added as Luna raised an eyebrow at her last sentence.
"Don't you mean, you hope that she isn't giving him a hard time?" Luna crossed her arms again. "She seemed pretty mad when she showed up this time around." Luna pointed out as she kept her eyes focused on Cana.
Cana couldn't help but let out a small laugh at Luna's statement. "Hardly, Kaia is probably giving her a bigger headache than yours right now." She giggled as Luna appeared confused. "Don't think too much about it, but Ms. Imuran is a big softy at heart, she won't do anything unless she absolutely has to. If anything, she's probably giving Rakaia the lecture for the four thousandth time." Cana sat back up, looking at Luna with a smile on her face.
"I can hear it now." Cana continued to giggle at the possible situation Rakaia was facing at the moment. "She's probably saying. "How many times do I have to tell you, you can't go around fighting people on campus?" Cana mocked her principal the best way she could; which causes Luna to snicker a bit as well. "Or, Rakaia listen to me; fighting doesn't solve anything, why can't you put all that energy towards your schoolwork?" Cana and Luna both laughed at her attempts to imitate their principal.
"Does he really act like that?" Luna asked her. "I know it's only been a couple of days, but from what I do know. He seems a bit…Cocky, or overconfident; or from my personal experience…A jerk." Luna stated her mind replaying the incident of her meeting with Rakaia the night before, making sure not to tell Cana about their run-in.
-Luna's quick flashback –
"Your emotions are clouding your mind, making it easier to read your every move," Luna told him as she dodged another one of Rakaia's punches. "You're not even looking at who you're fighting; you're just swinging like some kid throwing a tantrum." Rakaia tried to kick her, but Luna leaned back away from his attempt and retaliated with a punch to his stomach, causing Rakaia to drop to his knees instantly. "End result every time." She stood in front of him as he coughed a bit, holding his stomach as he tried to catch his breath. "Lay off those guys, you'll never be able to beat them fighting like that." Luna ended as she stood in front of a Rakaia for a few more seconds.
"What do you know?" Rakaia muttered, gaining a narrow glance from Luna as she stood over him. "What? Just because you're a pro fighter you think you can just waltz in here and give me a one-on-one session, screw you!" Rakaia looked up, an angry glare shooting towards Luna. "I don't need your help, I don't need you here!" Rakaia quickly leaped up, grabbing Luna by the arm catching her off guard as he slung her over his shoulder and down onto the ground.
-End of Flashback-
Luna shook the image from her mind as Cana began to speak again. "Sometimes he can be…" She spoke in a low tone. "But normally he's laughing, having fun; going out and enjoying life, watching the exhibition fights, and cheering you on whenever you popped up on TV," Cana admitted.
Luna's eyes widen a bit. "Huh? What? Me?" Her confused shocked expression was noted. "Wait, you can't be serious. He was cheering me on? You're joking right?" Luna asked her.
"No I'm serious," Cana interjected. "Rakaia couldn't wait to see you fight when XMA came on." Cana stood up. "He would always glue himself to the TV and watch you win your matches, he's a big fan of yours Luna honestly, probably more than I am." Cana finished as Luna's eyes remained in shock as she lightly bit her lip while tearing her eyes away from Cana.
"He sure didn't seem that way when he saw me." Luna pointed out as she brought her eyes back to Cana. "It was almost like he didn't want me here, your reaction was better than anything he's given me so far." Luna's expression returned back to normal as Cana thought about it for a minute.
"I don't know, he could have been embarrassed, I mean you did save him when we first saw you." Cana pointed out as Luna looked at her for a second and thought about it. "Maybe, that's not how he wanted you to see him when he got the chance to finally meet you." Cana thought for a second and shrugged her shoulders. "Don't worry though; I'm sure he'll come around." Cana ended.
-Mariko's Office-
"I want him now!" Rakaia banged on Mariko's desk. "Set it up, Mariko!" Rakaia shouted as Mariko leaned back in her chair with her head resting in her hand as she looked at the upset student.
"Rakaia, for the millionth time, no." She answered him. "I'm not going to allow you to fight Saitou, especially with the grudge you two have going on now." She told him as Rakaia gritted his teeth at her. "It's not safe Rakaia, it's one thing if it was a regular one-on-one match between two respectful students, but this is beyond that; I don't want someone getting hurt because of your personal issues. " She finished.
"Then stop the match if it gets out of hand." Rakaia shot back as Mariko just leaned against her desk, her elbow resting on top of it with her head lazily resting in the palm of her hand. "Come on Mariko! You got to make this match! You said that the only way we can officially fight is if we make it official." Rakaia argued.
"I also said unauthorized fights are prohibited." Mariko shot back. "But you didn't hold up to your end so why should I hold up mine and give you what you want?" Mariko shot him as a serious glare as Rakaia quickly shut up and stood silently in front of her head, his eyes no longer meeting hers; the flare that he had when he came in had dissipated. "You bluntly disobeyed not only me but the rules that I personally set for this school in order to keep things from getting out of hand and you want me to reward you for that." Her voice was stern as Rakaia knew he had no words to counteract hers.
"That's…Not." Rakaia couldn't find the words to say to Mariko as she kept her glare on him.
"You think that just because this school embraces students who want to train and become better fighters gives you a reason to just go out and do whatever you want? No! That's not what this school is for Rakaia." Mariko's glare darkened a bit. "Physical strength is one thing, but this school also stresses the fact that knowledge is just as important. You can't just fight your way out of this school Rakaia, it takes more than that. A lot more." Mariko explained.
"Your grades have slipped far beyond failing." Mariko began to list off. "You're not showing up to classes and training in the gym, you're starting to get into more and more fights lately." Mariko nearly jumped out of her seat as she slammed her hands on top of the desk. "Dammit, Rakaia I am not your mother!" She shouted at him. "I need you to focus! And find something important in life to strive for!" Mariko added on.
"Fine!" Rakaia managed to shout back. "I don't care what it takes, just make the damn match official!" Rakaia got in her face. "I know this school is more than just fighting, but that doesn't make it right for what he did. You're actually letting Saitou get away with everything!" He barked. "I didn't even start the damn fight, I came to save Cana!" He growled as he and Mariko were locked in a stare-down.
"You said I didn't abide by your rules, but I didn't go around bullying my classmates trying to prove a point." Rakaia continued on. "I was attacked twice by Saitou off campus just so you couldn't do anything about it and now he attacked Cana and everyone's XMA's starfighter and you're just going to let him get away with that?" Rakaia pressured as he backed Mariko into a corner with his words. "If you want me to study more, fine I will; if you want me to listen more I will, but I just want you to make it official!" Rakaia breathed as the two were face to face with neither side backing down.
The two stood there for a few moments before a small smile crept on Mariko's face as she slowly backed away with a slight laugh, leaving Rakaia looking perplexed.
"Huh?" Rakaia uttered as he saw Mariko walk away from her desk for a moment. "Mariko?" He called out to her in confusion.
"You really want to fight Saitou that bad huh?" Mariko asked him as Rakaia's confused expression remained on his face. "Fine, I'll write it up and make it official, but you have to do something for me." She stated as Mariko came back to her desk with a piece of paper in her hand.
"Anything, just name it." Rakaia shot back with excitement.
"I want you to get out of this," Mariko told him as Rakaia's confused expression returned to his face.
"Huh?" He tilted his head at her.
"I want you to get a better life than this. I want you to perform at your best, in the ring and out and make something of yourself." Mariko, spoke as she placed the paper on her desk. "That's what I want from you. To find something other than fighting, something that's important to you and not anybody else." She stated as she left one of her students speechless as he watched her sit down at her desk.
"The match will be held in one week, giving you both time to train as much as you need to." Mariko smiled at him. "But in return, you keep your word and become more than just a fighter; win, lose or draw." She told him. "This is the only chance you get against Saitou, after this; that's it, no more bouts. I will inform him of his upcoming match against you. Do we have a deal?" Mariko finished as she held out her hand towards him.
Rakaia looked at her for a second and nodded his head with his game face smirk spreading across his lips as he accepted Mariko's hand and shook it. "Deal." He stated as both principal and student locked eyes with one another accepting the other's proposal, now wondering what would await Rakaia in a week's time.