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$str = "<b>~Here you go, off to compete~ <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>~Nerves stack up inside of you, getting closer and closer to bursting~ <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>~Will you pop? Or will you get yourself evened out?~ <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>~*~*~*~ </b><p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>The bright sun rays slipped through the octagon shaped windows and shined right into my eyes. I woke up <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>squinting with an explosion of bright orange and red colors behind my eyelids. This is why I should sleep with a <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>pillow over my head. I quickly took the pillow out from under my head and slammed it over my face. \"Five more minutes,\" I grumbled. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>It only took a mere five seconds before a distinct sinking feeling shot down my spine. I shot out of bed, my pillow flying somewhere in my room. \"The sunrise!\" I shrieked. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Oh no, no, no, no, no! <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>The sunrise is supposed to be the start of the training day. All the students wake up, eat breakfast in the <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Mess Hall, and are expected to be lined outside in the grass field by the time the sun is up. Here the rays have just blinded me and I'm still in bed and my pajamas. In other words, I'm not just late, I'm super late. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>The morning gong rang, sealing my fate. A gong sounds off to signal the start and end of a training day, <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>without fail, every single morning. The fact that I'm still in my disheveled state when I heard the gong means how badly things will be for me later on. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>I quickly rushed to my dresser and tried to keep it together while I changed into my workout clothes. The <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Kitsune Clan assigned every student an outfit to train in... and a purple nightgown wasn't part of the ensemble. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>\"How can I be late?\" I shrieked to myself, \"I've never been late before! This is impossible!\" <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Once I was dressed in my proper clothes, I skidded out of my room and down the hallway of my sector <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>house. \"Cassie-Chan! Yami-San! Luna! Are you guys here?\" I cried out. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Where were my teammates? Surely they didn't just leave me alone. Cassie or Yami are always the ones who <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>wake me up, it's been that way since day one. I've only been at this clan a month, just like my other four teammates. The five of us are considered 'fresh meat' in the clan and if a fresh meat is late for training... <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>I remembered the punishment that Kuroi once told me about: <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>\"One time I saw a kid do eight-hundred push-ups,\" Kuroi said gravely. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>He's my sector leader who has been here the past three years, the only senior member among us in Sector 7. \"Eight-hundred push-ups?\" I questioned back to him. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Kuroi nodded. \"He had to do two-hundred of them on his tongue.\" \"No way,\" I gaped. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>\"That's physically impossible,\" Yami then stated. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Kuroi shrugged his shoulders. \"Hey, I'm just telling you fresh meats what I saw.\" <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>\"What happened to the kid who had to do it?\" Cassie inquired, joining in my curiosity. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>My team leader threw both his hands up. \"I'm pretty sure he's dead.\" The memory ended. Oh no. I'm gonna die. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Forget calling out for my teammates. I ran to the front door, slid it open hastily, and nearly tripped out the <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>door. Maybe if I make it to the grass fields in time, I can just stand there I've like been there the whole time. But this is a shinobi clan, which makes all my teachers highly trained warriors themselves. There's no way I'm gonna slip past people of their level. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>The brisk fresh air hit my face and sent a layer of goosebumps down my arms. It was the beginning of September, the month where summer bids farewell and autumn says hello. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>I bounded down the steps of my sector house and skidded to a stop. In front of me were all five of my <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>teammates, just standing there on the front lawn of our sector house. There was Sector 7's leader, Kuroi Kaze, Teruko Cassie, Hanran Nigaru, YamiTsuki, and Yami's little sister, Luna. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Speaking of Luna, the little kid was the first one to notice me. \"Morning, Tabby-Chan!\" she exclaimed with a smile on her face. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>I looked at Luna with widened eyes. \"What are you so happy for?\" Surely she knows that our whole sector <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>was late for training and now we're all gonna die. Surely! <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Luna blinked a few times, even scratched her pixie-cut head of jet black hair. \"I guess I'm happy because I had egg drop soup for breakfast,\" she then answered, \"and I'm happy that Cassie-Chan let me brush her hair, 'cause it's really soft and stuff. Oh, and I'm happy that the bruise on my arm turned purple because I love purple! Yeah, all these things are great.\" She smiled. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>I smacked my palm to my forehead. \"No, Luna. We're all gonna die!\" I hissed. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>She looked left, looked right, left again, and back at me. \"Right now?\" <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>\"Don't you see? We're late for training, Luna! It's way past sunrise. Now we're gonna be punished by one of <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>the teachers, and it'll probably be Sensei Akira because she's the scariest.\" I huffed out a big breath of air. Why do I have to explain this stuff, she should know what her fate is. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Yami, Luna's older brother, stepped over closer to his sister and myself. \"Um, Tabby-Chan, you didn't see the <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>note I left you, did you?\" he asked me. I shook my head no. \"Oh, well I left you a note explaining that Sensei Akira left our sector a note,\" Yami explained. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>\"Ha! You left a note about leaving a note! You're so funny, bro,\" Luna chuckled. I don't recall ever seeing a note. \"I never saw one,\" I told him. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Yami bowed his head once. \"My apologies, Tabby-Chan. I thought you would see it. Nigaru-San was the first <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>one to wake up and he saw that Sensei Akira put a note on our door. She told us not to show up for training and <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>to meet her outside the sector house at 6:00 sharp.\" <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>My eyes drifted up to the skies overhead. \"That's like, forty-five minutes away,\" I awed. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Yami nodded. \"This was the first morning ever where you could have slept in. I thought you would have <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>wanted to. Sorry for making you panic.\" Yami was genuine, as he always was. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>He was my best friend in the clan, only a year younger than me at twelve compared to my thirteen. He was a <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>great companion, even if he was a little odd at times. Yami had bright silver hair and pale white skin. The best thing about him were his chocolate brown eyes; they always gleamed with care and concern. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>\"It's okay,\" I finally sighed, remembering how to breathe at the same time. \"I was just scared, that's all. But <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>it's alright.\" <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>\"Scared? Ah come on, Tabby-Chan!\" Luna exclaimed. She began to bounce back and forth on her heels and balls of her feet, until Yami held her down by putting a hand on her head. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>The little girl was the youngest member of this clan at eight years old. She was Yami's sister, however, the two <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>looked nothing alike. Where Yami was pale, Luna's skin was a dark tan. She was short and on the scrawny side, <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>with wild hair that went in every direction. It was always amusing to see the two stand side-by-side knowing that they're related. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>\"So what if I had written a note about Yami writing you a note?\" Luna then asked me. \"Then that would <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>mean that I wrote a note about writing a note. Ooh! And Sensei Akira wrote the original note, so that's three <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>notes.\" <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Yami patted his sister's head. \"Sorry sis, but that's not our biggest concern right now,\" he said. He turned <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>back to me, \"So what do you think is going on? I don't see any other sectors waiting outside, I think we're the <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>only ones Sensei Akira wanted to see.\" <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>I looked around me to see if he was right. The Kitsune Clan is a huge school that goes on for miles and miles, all surrounded by a jutted stone wall. There are thirteen sector houses, each built with pagoda-styled roofs and <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>wood and bamboo. The Kitsune Clan divided their students up into thirteen sectors, each sector with seven members each. All the houses are lined up in a row, therefore I would have seen if any other students were standing outside. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Yami was correct, the only ones out here were the six of us. We were Sector 7, one member short of a completed team. I thought about my answer to Yami's posing question. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>\"I have no idea,\" I yawned. Yeah, I didn't think about my answer for too long. Luckily, it didn't take long for the answer to present itself. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>There was a shift in the morning air. I don't know what exactly changed, I just know that something in the <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>present atmosphere wasn't the same as before. There I was, standing outside with my heart racing and <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>tiredness still in my bones. Yami and Luna were standing right in front of me, with Cassie not too far off, and <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Kuroi standing with his legs apart and arms crossed like some big shot. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>The only one who was quite a distance away was Hanran, the middle boy of our sector. Hanran was the type of guy who not only liked his space, he demanded it. He was farthest away from everyone with his back to us. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Actually, Hanran is what tipped me off in the first place. He turned his head and looked in Cassie's direction. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>\"Nigaru-San?\" Cassie asked after a long moment went by with Hanran still staring at her. Like me and Yami, Cassie and Hanran were close in age as well. She was sixteen and he was seventeen. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Hanran continued to be silent, however, he began to take slow and cautious steps towards us. \"It's time,\" he said in a very low voice. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Before I could ask what Hanran meant, Luna threw her arms in the air and exclaimed, \"I've got it!\" \"Got what?\" I asked her. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>\"I remembered the real reason why I'm so happy! It's because Nigaru-San caught a frog and he let me hold it. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>It was all slimy 'n stuff and squishy,\" Luna answered. Her brother shook his head. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>\"That was three weeks ago,\" Hanran merely pointed out. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>\"I know, I've been happy about it ever since,\" Luna grinned. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>That was all there was to say about that subject. What Hanran was referring to became obvious; Akira <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>appeared before us, the teacher we were waiting on. Just like that, our Sector 7 was in the presence of the <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Kitsune Clan's second-in-command, Akira Miyamoto herself. The woman had her fighting uniform on; a black cat suit with a crimson red sash, and two matching red straps over the shoulders to make an 'X' shape. These were not her usual clothes. She was dressed for battle. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Oh no, I realized, she's dressed for battle! <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>\"Hey Sensei, whaddya doing here so early?\" Kuroi then asked. For the first time that morning, I heard my <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>sector leader speak, and he still had the same brash and rude tone as last night. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Akira merely lifted an eyebrow. She slid a hand into her red sash and showed a silver kunai was between her fingers. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Kuroi cleared his throat. \"I mean, uh, morning Sensei.\" He knew that kunai threat was for him. I smirked on the inside; my team leader always tries to act like a big shot. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Everyone else was polite with their greetings, all except Hanran who chose to stay silent. Big surprise. \"I'll <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>make my point right now,\" Akira then said, her voice loud and clear. \"You're all coming with me to Viper <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Country, we're going to the Black-Sho Clan for Battle Month. We depart in fifteen minutes. Pack light and take <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>your weapons with you. Once your fifteen minutes are up, meet me at the front gates of the school. Do not <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>make me wait on you, Sector 7.\" <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Once Akira finished speaking, she turned on her heels and started to walk in the opposite direction of the sector houses. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>\"Wait!\" Yami shrieked. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Akira turned her head around and eyed him. \"What?\" <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Just one look from our teacher, and Yami was frozen with fear. \"U-uh-um,\" he stammered. He shook his head <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>and got himself together. \"Sensei, what exactly is Battle Month? I've never heard of this.\" <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>The shinobi woman didn't even blink. \"Kaze-San knows,\" she answered simply. \"Let him explain it.\" <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>After that, Kuroi came undone. \"Oh spirits, why do I gotta explain it?\" he growled, \"I mean, it's enough that <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>I've gotta mentor these fresh meats, now I've gotta clue them in on the obvious, too?\" <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Whish! <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Kuroi fell to the ground with a loud bang... a kunai jammed through his shirt and keeping him pinned to the <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>ground. He thrashed about, trying to loosen the kunai from the compacted dirt, but it wasn't working very well. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>I had to stop myself from laughing out loud. This was too rich! <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>\"Now you six only have ten minutes to pack,\" Akira then stated. She eyed Kuroi especially, \"Better talk fast.\" With that, Akira walked off. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>\"I swear!\" Kuroi hissed from the ground. He was a big guy; 5'10\" in height and built like a bear with all his <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>muscle. It was funny to think that a simple kunai from Akira's belt could keep him on the ground. But that <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>wasn't a surprising occurrence for Kuroi Kaze. He was the one at this school with a \"bad boy\" reputation; he <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>used to be the only one in Sector 7 until the rest of us joined about a month ago, after all. The only thing Kuroi <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>cares about is being badass which means he's a guy who just wants to fight and brawl all the time. He's so <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>annoying! <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Kuroi did manage to get himself unstuck. Except, now his shirt has a big hole in it. Just like all the other shirts he's had on when Akira threw a kunai at him. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>~*~*~*~ <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>We made our way back inside the sector house without a word. Once we were inside, it didn't take long for the chatter to start. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>\"Are you gonna tell us about Battle Month?\" I asked Kuroi. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>He scoffed, \"Do I look like I wanna waste my time explaining stuff to you?\" <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>\"You had no problem popping off to Akira,\" Hanran then commented. He spoke with his same indifferent <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>tone of voice. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Kuroi ignored the middle boy. \"Yeah, whatever. Battle Month is the biggest waste of time, ever.\" <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>\"Yes,\" I said, \"but what is it?\" <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>My team leader probably figured that we weren't going to stop pestering him. He went into his room (which <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>we separate by room dividers) and chose to talk when he wasn't in the open with the rest of us. \"Battle Month <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>is like a tournament. It's held by the thirteen ancient clans spread across the five countries that make up Shaaku <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Den.\" <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>I exchanged looks with Yami. We both had no idea what he just said. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>\"Wait, I'm confused, is Kaze-San telling us a story? 'Cause so far it's pretty dang boring,\" Luna commented. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>She looked hopelessly lost. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Yelling came from Kuroi's room. \"I'M TELLING YOU LOSERS WHAT BATTLE MONTH IS!\" he shouted defensively. <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Luna didn't know why he was upset. \"So tell us, old man!\" <p style=\"margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;\"></p>Kuroi stepped back out into the hallway with a new shirt on.";
echo htmlWrapThing($str,10);
<b>~Here you
go, off t
o compete~
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>~Nerves
stack up
inside of
you, getti
ng closer
and closer
to bursti
ng~ <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>~Wil
l you pop?
Or will y
ou get you
rself even
ed out?~ <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;">
</p>~*~*~*~ </b>
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>The brig
ht sun ray
s slipped
through th
e octagon
shaped win
dows and s
hined righ
t into my
eyes. I wo
ke up <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>sq
uinting wi
th an expl
osion of b
right oran
ge and red
colors be
hind my ey
elids. Thi
s is why I
should sl
eep with a
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>pillow
over my he
ad. I quic
kly took t
he pillow
out from u
nder my he
ad and sla
mmed it ov
er my face
. "Five mo
re minutes
," I grumb
led. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>It
only took
a mere fiv
e seconds
before a d
istinct si
nking feel
ing shot d
own my spi
ne. I shot
out of be
d, my pill
ow flying
somewhere
in my room
. "The sun
rise!" I s
hrieked. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;">
</p>Oh no, no
, no, no,
no! <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>The
sunrise is
supposed
to be the
start of t
he trainin
g day. All
the stude
nts wake u
p, eat bre
akfast in
the <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>Mess
Hall, and
are expec
ted to be
lined outs
ide in the
grass fie
ld by the
time the s
un is up.
Here the r
ays have j
ust blinde
d me and I
'm still i
n bed and
my pajamas
. In other
words, I'
m not just
late, I'm
super lat
e. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>The m
orning gon
g rang, se
aling my f
ate. A gon
g sounds o
ff to sign
al the sta
rt and end
of a trai
ning day,
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>without
fail, ever
y single m
orning. Th
e fact tha
t I'm stil
l in my di
sheveled s
tate when
I heard th
e gong mea
ns how bad
ly things
will be fo
r me later
on. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>I q
uickly rus
hed to my
dresser an
d tried to
keep it t
ogether wh
ile I chan
ged into m
y workout
clothes. T
he <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>Kitsu
ne Clan as
signed eve
ry student
an outfit
to train
in... and
a purple n
ightgown w
asn't part
of the en
semble. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>
"How can I
be late?"
I shrieke
d to mysel
f, "I've n
ever been
late befor
e! This is
impossibl
e!" <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>Once
I was dre
ssed in my
proper cl
othes, I s
kidded out
of my roo
m and down
the hallw
ay of my s
ector <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>ho
use. "Cass
ie-Chan! Y
ami-San! L
una! Are y
ou guys he
re?" I cri
ed out. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>
Where were
my teamma
tes? Surel
y they did
n't just l
eave me al
one. Cassi
e or Yami
are always
the ones
who <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>wake
me up, it
's been th
at way sin
ce day one
. I've onl
y been at
this clan
a month, j
ust like m
y other fo
ur teammat
es. The fi
ve of us a
re conside
red 'fresh
meat' in
the clan a
nd if a fr
esh meat i
s late for
training.
.. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>I rem
embered th
e punishme
nt that Ku
roi once t
old me abo
ut: <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>"One
time I sa
w a kid do
eight-hun
dred push-
ups," Kuro
i said gra
vely. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>He
's my sect
or leader
who has be
en here th
e past thr
ee years,
the only s
enior memb
er among u
s in Secto
r 7. "Eigh
t-hundred
push-ups?"
I questio
ned back t
o him. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>K
uroi nodde
d. "He had
to do two
-hundred o
f them on
his tongue
." "No way
," I gaped
. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>"That'
s physical
ly impossi
ble," Yami
then stat
ed. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>Kuro
i shrugged
his shoul
ders. "Hey
, I'm just
telling y
ou fresh m
eats what
I saw." <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>
"What happ
ened to th
e kid who
had to do
it?" Cassi
e inquired
, joining
in my curi
osity. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>M
y team lea
der threw
both his h
ands up. "
I'm pretty
sure he's
dead." Th
e memory e
nded. Oh n
o. I'm gon
na die. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>
Forget cal
ling out f
or my team
mates. I r
an to the
front door
, slid it
open hasti
ly, and ne
arly tripp
ed out the
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>door. M
aybe if I
make it to
the grass
fields in
time, I c
an just st
and there
I've like
been there
the whole
time. But
this is a
shinobi c
lan, which
makes all
my teache
rs highly
trained wa
rriors the
mselves. T
here's no
way I'm go
nna slip p
ast people
of their
level. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>T
he brisk f
resh air h
it my face
and sent
a layer of
goosebump
s down my
arms. It w
as the beg
inning of
September,
the month
where sum
mer bids f
arewell an
d autumn s
ays hello.
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>I bound
ed down th
e steps of
my sector
house and
skidded t
o a stop.
In front o
f me were
all five o
f my <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>tea
mmates, ju
st standin
g there on
the front
lawn of o
ur sector
house. The
re was Sec
tor 7's le
ader, Kuro
i Kaze, Te
ruko Cassi
e, Hanran
Nigaru, Ya
miTsuki, a
nd Yami's
little sis
ter, Luna.
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>Speakin
g of Luna,
the littl
e kid was
the first
one to not
ice me. "M
orning, Ta
bby-Chan!"
she excla
imed with
a smile on
her face.
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>I looke
d at Luna
with widen
ed eyes. "
What are y
ou so happ
y for?" Su
rely she k
nows that
our whole
sector <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>w
as late fo
r training
and now w
e're all g
onna die.
Surely! <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>
Luna blink
ed a few t
imes, even
scratched
her pixie
-cut head
of jet bla
ck hair. "
I guess I'
m happy be
cause I ha
d egg drop
soup for
breakfast,
" she then
answered,
"and I'm
happy that
Cassie-Ch
an let me
brush her
hair, 'cau
se it's re
ally soft
and stuff.
Oh, and I
'm happy t
hat the br
uise on my
arm turne
d purple b
ecause I l
ove purple
! Yeah, al
l these th
ings are g
reat." She
smiled. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;">
</p>I smacked
my palm t
o my foreh
ead. "No,
Luna. We'r
e all gonn
a die!" I
hissed. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>
She looked
left, loo
ked right,
left agai
n, and bac
k at me. "
Right now?
" <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>"Don't
you see?
We're late
for train
ing, Luna!
It's way
past sunri
se. Now we
're gonna
be punishe
d by one o
f <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>the te
achers, an
d it'll pr
obably be
Sensei Aki
ra because
she's the
scariest.
" I huffed
out a big
breath of
air. Why
do I have
to explain
this stuf
f, she sho
uld know w
hat her fa
te is. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>Y
ami, Luna'
s older br
other, ste
pped over
closer to
his sister
and mysel
f. "Um, Ta
bby-Chan,
you didn't
see the <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;">
</p>note I le
ft you, di
d you?" he
asked me.
I shook m
y head no.
"Oh, well
I left yo
u a note e
xplaining
that Sense
i Akira le
ft our sec
tor a note
," Yami ex
plained. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;">
</p>"Ha! You
left a not
e about le
aving a no
te! You're
so funny,
bro," Lun
a chuckled
. I don't
recall eve
r seeing a
note. "I
never saw
one," I to
ld him. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>
Yami bowed
his head
once. "My
apologies,
Tabby-Cha
n. I thoug
ht you wou
ld see it.
Nigaru-Sa
n was the
first <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>on
e to wake
up and he
saw that S
ensei Akir
a put a no
te on our
door. She
told us no
t to show
up for tra
ining and
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>to meet
her outsid
e the sect
or house a
t 6:00 sha
rp." <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>My
eyes drift
ed up to t
he skies o
verhead. "
That's lik
e, forty-f
ive minute
s away," I
awed. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>Y
ami nodded
. "This wa
s the firs
t morning
ever where
you could
have slep
t in. I th
ought you
would have
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>wanted
to. Sorry
for making
you panic
." Yami wa
s genuine,
as he alw
ays was. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;">
</p>He was my
best frie
nd in the
clan, only
a year yo
unger than
me at twe
lve compar
ed to my t
hirteen. H
e was a <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>
great comp
anion, eve
n if he wa
s a little
odd at ti
mes. Yami
had bright
silver ha
ir and pal
e white sk
in. The be
st thing a
bout him w
ere his ch
ocolate br
own eyes;
they alway
s gleamed
with care
and concer
n. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>"It's
okay," I
finally si
ghed, reme
mbering ho
w to breat
he at the
same time.
"I was ju
st scared,
that's al
l. But <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>i
t's alrigh
t." <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>"Sca
red? Ah co
me on, Tab
by-Chan!"
Luna excla
imed. She
began to b
ounce back
and forth
on her he
els and ba
lls of her
feet, unt
il Yami he
ld her dow
n by putti
ng a hand
on her hea
d. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>The l
ittle girl
was the y
oungest me
mber of th
is clan at
eight yea
rs old. Sh
e was Yami
's sister,
however,
the two <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>
looked not
hing alike
. Where Ya
mi was pal
e, Luna's
skin was a
dark tan.
She was s
hort and o
n the scra
wny side,
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>with wil
d hair tha
t went in
every dire
ction. It
was always
amusing t
o see the
two stand
side-by-si
de knowing
that they
're relate
d. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>"So w
hat if I h
ad written
a note ab
out Yami w
riting you
a note?"
Luna then
asked me.
"Then that
would <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>m
ean that I
wrote a n
ote about
writing a
note. Ooh!
And Sense
i Akira wr
ote the or
iginal not
e, so that
's three <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;">
</p>notes." <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;">
</p>Yami patt
ed his sis
ter's head
. "Sorry s
is, but th
at's not o
ur biggest
concern r
ight now,"
he said.
He turned
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>back to
me, "So wh
at do you
think is g
oing on? I
don't see
any other
sectors w
aiting out
side, I th
ink we're
the <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>only
ones Sens
ei Akira w
anted to s
ee." <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>I l
ooked arou
nd me to s
ee if he w
as right.
The Kitsun
e Clan is
a huge sch
ool that g
oes on for
miles and
miles, al
l surround
ed by a ju
tted stone
wall. The
re are thi
rteen sect
or houses,
each buil
t with pag
oda-styled
roofs and
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>wood an
d bamboo.
The Kitsun
e Clan div
ided their
students
up into th
irteen sec
tors, each
sector wi
th seven m
embers eac
h. All the
houses ar
e lined up
in a row,
therefore
I would h
ave seen i
f any othe
r students
were stan
ding outsi
de. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>Yami
was corre
ct, the on
ly ones ou
t here wer
e the six
of us. We
were Secto
r 7, one m
ember shor
t of a com
pleted tea
m. I thoug
ht about m
y answer t
o Yami's p
osing ques
tion. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>"I
have no i
dea," I ya
wned. Yeah
, I didn't
think abo
ut my answ
er for too
long. Luc
kily, it d
idn't take
long for
the answer
to presen
t itself.
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>There wa
s a shift
in the mor
ning air.
I don't kn
ow what ex
actly chan
ged, I jus
t know tha
t somethin
g in the <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;">
</p>present a
tmosphere
wasn't the
same as b
efore. The
re I was,
standing o
utside wit
h my heart
racing an
d <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>tiredn
ess still
in my bone
s. Yami an
d Luna wer
e standing
right in
front of m
e, with Ca
ssie not t
oo far off
, and <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>Ku
roi standi
ng with hi
s legs apa
rt and arm
s crossed
like some
big shot.
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>The only
one who w
as quite a
distance
away was H
anran, the
middle bo
y of our s
ector. Han
ran was th
e type of
guy who no
t only lik
ed his spa
ce, he dem
anded it.
He was far
thest away
from ever
yone with
his back t
o us. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>Ac
tually, Ha
nran is wh
at tipped
me off in
the first
place. He
turned his
head and
looked in
Cassie's d
irection.
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>"Nigaru-
San?" Cass
ie asked a
fter a lon
g moment w
ent by wit
h Hanran s
till stari
ng at her.
Like me a
nd Yami, C
assie and
Hanran wer
e close in
age as we
ll. She wa
s sixteen
and he was
seventeen
. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>Hanran
continued
to be sil
ent, howev
er, he beg
an to take
slow and
cautious s
teps towar
ds us. "It
's time,"
he said in
a very lo
w voice. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;">
</p>Before I
could ask
what Hanra
n meant, L
una threw
her arms i
n the air
and exclai
med, "I've
got it!"
"Got what?
" I asked
her. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>"I
remembered
the real
reason why
I'm so ha
ppy! It's
because Ni
garu-San c
aught a fr
og and he
let me hol
d it. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>It
was all s
limy 'n st
uff and sq
uishy," Lu
na answere
d. Her bro
ther shook
his head.
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>"That w
as three w
eeks ago,"
Hanran me
rely point
ed out. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>
"I know, I
've been h
appy about
it ever s
ince," Lun
a grinned.
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>That wa
s all ther
e was to s
ay about t
hat subjec
t. What Ha
nran was r
eferring t
o became o
bvious; Ak
ira <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>appe
ared befor
e us, the
teacher we
were wait
ing on. Ju
st like th
at, our Se
ctor 7 was
in the pr
esence of
the <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>Kits
une Clan's
second-in
-command,
Akira Miya
moto herse
lf. The wo
man had he
r fighting
uniform o
n; a black
cat suit
with a cri
mson red s
ash, and t
wo matchin
g red stra
ps over th
e shoulder
s to make
an 'X' sha
pe. These
were not h
er usual c
lothes. Sh
e was dres
sed for ba
ttle. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>Oh
no, I rea
lized, she
's dressed
for battl
e! <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>"Hey
Sensei, wh
addya doin
g here so
early?" Ku
roi then a
sked. For
the first
time that
morning, I
heard my
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>sector l
eader spea
k, and he
still had
the same b
rash and r
ude tone a
s last nig
ht. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>Akir
a merely l
ifted an e
yebrow. Sh
e slid a h
and into h
er red sas
h and show
ed a silve
r kunai wa
s between
her finger
s. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>Kuroi
cleared h
is throat.
"I mean,
uh, mornin
g Sensei."
He knew t
hat kunai
threat was
for him.
I smirked
on the ins
ide; my te
am leader
always tri
es to act
like a big
shot. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>E
veryone el
se was pol
ite with t
heir greet
ings, all
except Han
ran who ch
ose to sta
y silent.
Big surpri
se. "I'll
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>make my
point righ
t now," Ak
ira then s
aid, her v
oice loud
and clear.
"You're a
ll coming
with me to
Viper <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>C
ountry, we
're going
to the Bla
ck-Sho Cla
n for Batt
le Month.
We depart
in fifteen
minutes.
Pack light
and take
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>your wea
pons with
you. Once
your fifte
en minutes
are up, m
eet me at
the front
gates of t
he school.
Do not <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>
make me wa
it on you,
Sector 7.
" <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>Once A
kira finis
hed speaki
ng, she tu
rned on he
r heels an
d started
to walk in
the oppos
ite direct
ion of the
sector ho
uses. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>"W
ait!" Yami
shrieked.
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>Akira t
urned her
head aroun
d and eyed
him. "Wha
t?" <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>Just
one look
from our t
eacher, an
d Yami was
frozen wi
th fear. "
U-uh-um,"
he stammer
ed. He sho
ok his hea
d <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>and go
t himself
together.
"Sensei, w
hat exactl
y is Battl
e Month? I
've never
heard of t
his." <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>Th
e shinobi
woman didn
't even bl
ink. "Kaze
-San knows
," she ans
wered simp
ly. "Let h
im explain
it." <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>Af
ter that,
Kuroi came
undone. "
Oh spirits
, why do I
gotta exp
lain it?"
he growled
, "I mean,
it's enou
gh that <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>
I've gotta
mentor th
ese fresh
meats, now
I've gott
a clue the
m in on th
e obvious,
too?" <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>W
hish! <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>Ku
roi fell t
o the grou
nd with a
loud bang.
.. a kunai
jammed th
rough his
shirt and
keeping hi
m pinned t
o the <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>gr
ound. He t
hrashed ab
out, tryin
g to loose
n the kuna
i from the
compacted
dirt, but
it wasn't
working v
ery well.
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>I had to
stop myse
lf from la
ughing out
loud. Thi
s was too
rich! <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>"N
ow you six
only have
ten minut
es to pack
," Akira t
hen stated
. She eyed
Kuroi esp
ecially, "
Better tal
k fast." W
ith that,
Akira walk
ed off. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>
"I swear!"
Kuroi his
sed from t
he ground.
He was a
big guy; 5
'10" in he
ight and b
uilt like
a bear wit
h all his
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>muscle.
It was fun
ny to thin
k that a s
imple kuna
i from Aki
ra's belt
could keep
him on th
e ground.
But that <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;">
</p>wasn't a
surprising
occurrenc
e for Kuro
i Kaze. He
was the o
ne at this
school wi
th a "bad
boy" reput
ation; he
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>used to
be the onl
y one in S
ector 7 un
til the re
st of us j
oined abou
t a month
ago, after
all. The
only thing
Kuroi <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>c
ares about
is being
badass whi
ch means h
e's a guy
who just w
ants to fi
ght and br
awl all th
e time. He
's so <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>an
noying! <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>
Kuroi did
manage to
get himsel
f unstuck.
Except, n
ow his shi
rt has a b
ig hole in
it. Just
like all t
he other s
hirts he's
had on wh
en Akira t
hrew a kun
ai at him.
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>~*~*~*~
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>We made
our way b
ack inside
the secto
r house wi
thout a wo
rd. Once w
e were ins
ide, it di
dn't take
long for t
he chatter
to start.
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>"Are yo
u gonna te
ll us abou
t Battle M
onth?" I a
sked Kuroi
. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>He sco
ffed, "Do
I look lik
e I wanna
waste my t
ime explai
ning stuff
to you?"
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>"You had
no proble
m popping
off to Aki
ra," Hanra
n then com
mented. He
spoke wit
h his same
indiffere
nt <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>tone
of voice.
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>Kuroi ig
nored the
middle boy
. "Yeah, w
hatever. B
attle Mont
h is the b
iggest was
te of time
, ever." <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;">
</p>"Yes," I
said, "but
what is i
t?" <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>My t
eam leader
probably
figured th
at we were
n't going
to stop pe
stering hi
m. He went
into his
room (whic
h <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>we sep
arate by r
oom divide
rs) and ch
ose to tal
k when he
wasn't in
the open w
ith the re
st of us.
"Battle Mo
nth <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>is l
ike a tour
nament. It
's held by
the thirt
een ancien
t clans sp
read acros
s the five
countries
that make
up Shaaku
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>Den." <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;">
</p>I exchang
ed looks w
ith Yami.
We both ha
d no idea
what he ju
st said. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;">
</p>"Wait, I'
m confused
, is Kaze-
San tellin
g us a sto
ry? 'Cause
so far it
's pretty
dang borin
g," Luna c
ommented.
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>She look
ed hopeles
sly lost.
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>Yelling
came from
Kuroi's ro
om. "I'M T
ELLING YOU
LOSERS WH
AT BATTLE
MONTH IS!"
he shoute
d defensiv
ely. <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>Lun
a didn't k
now why he
was upset
. "So tell
us, old m
an!" <p style="margin: 0px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 15px;"></p>Kur
oi stepped
back out
into the h
allway wit
h a new sh
irt on.