Chapter1
A girl walks down a dark twisted path. Suddenly a mysterious shadow creeps up on her. Slowly the girl turns her head as she feel a cold breath on her spine, which sends a chill throughout her body. Her body reacts and she starts to run as fast as she can. A pebble on the road makes her trip, sending her to her knees. The shadow-like figure creeps closer to her. A scream locked in her throat as the shadows stand in front of her.
A voice pierced through the darkness. Her name repeatedly rings throughout the darkness. The figure vanishes from sight into the thin air. The voice remains calling her back to reality. A voice so familiar yet hard to place.
“Aura, wake up. You are going to be late. Hurry up; you do not want to be late right. So wake up, already.” Her mother’s voice woke her senses and snapped her back to her reality. The morning sun was shining in her white bedroom. The room seems to almost absorb and bounce off the walls.
“Mom, five more minutes. Please.” Aura moans. She pulls her bed sheet over her head “That’s all I need,” she says, sticking her hand out.” Five more minutes, please Mommy.” Her mother pulls off the bed sheet and shakes it out. Aura’s dark brown eyes hurt from the rays of the sun targeting her face.
“Out of bed and down stairs in ten minutes. Got it?” Her mother says as she walks out the door. Oh yeah, Jose is here for you.” Her mother says poking her head out a minute later. Aura jumps out of bed and runs to the bathroom.
“What, Jose is here already? Mom you could have told me earlier” Aura says rushing into the shower. Noise of the shower water could be heard from downstairs. Downstairs an average height boy with blue eyes and slick blonde hair with black highlights drink a cup of orange juice. His long thin finger taps the counter-top. He chuckles as Aura’s mother comes down the stairs.
“She still isn’t up?” he chuckles” I would have come earlier then.” Aura’s mother chuckles. He drank a bit more juice; Aura’s footsteps can be heard clearly.
“Kisa-chan, how have you been? It’s been sometime since we have talk.” The teen says kindly. Aura enters the kitchen and sees a familiar face sitting down
“Jose-kun, I’m fine. Arigato” Kisa says, “How’s your family doing?” Jose shrugs in a so-so fashion
“You know how things are in my family.” Jose turns around to see Aura watching him. “Don’t you know it’s rude to stare, Aura” Jose jokes. ”You do know that we are going to school not the mall right.” Jose points out as Aura looks at her outfit. A tight blue blouse with black loose jeans. She has little gold earrings on with a silver bracelet that someone close to her heart gave her.
“What’s wrong with my outfit?” Aura asks innocently as she sits on the stool next to him.
Her light brown hair brushes on Jose’s shoulder. Aura slowly turns to Jose and gives him a light kiss on the cheek. “Are you ready to go?” Aura says softly. Kisa shakes her head.
“This routine is getting too old. Aura let the boy relax for once. Jose, you’ve been late for three years now cause of this so take her to school already.” she sighs “You two better hurry up if you don’t want to miss the next bus.” Aura and Jose run out the back door and run to the bus stop three blocks away.
The bus pulls up to the stop. Jose looks at Aura and shakes his head. Aura laughs as they both get in the bus. Jose and Aura sit down near a window.
Aura looks solemnly out the window. Her eyes looked sad. I wish my life could be as normal is anyone else. The only thing that I could do is act normal. She glances over to Jose, as he seems to looks around. It’s weird how Jose always seems to be at peace though it has been hard for the both of us to be calm after last semester. Aura remembers how it all started. She leans her head back and flashes back to the time moment in time that changed her life.
Her father and her grandfather had just finished training Jose and herself for the day. The two students went inside while her father helps grandfather clean the family shrine. Inside her mother was waiting for them with refreshments. Her mother’s slightly dark skin reminded Aura of the way her father’s relatives treat her mother. It bothers Aura that her mother never defended herself forms these remarks. A soft thunck was heard in the garden. Aura’s father yelled for an ambulance. Her grandfather died of a stroke. She mourned for her grandfather and vowed that she would become one of the best that she would create a name that the heaven would hear. Aura opened her eyes slowly, trying to push away the memories of her grandfather. A small smile crept on her face. I did it, Grandfather, I’m one of the youngest female fighters, hope your watching me.
Jose turns around to face Aura. He nudges her ribs. “You’ve been sleeping late again, haven’t you?” he asks, searching Aura’s face for a response. Aura shakes her head and nudges him back.
“I’ve been distracted lately with the exams and training to keep my title.” She responds, “I’ve been split in two.
“Wait what exams? We haven’t been to school for a week and now you worry about exams. Exams ended last month. Are you feeling okay?” Jose asks worriedly
Aura sighs and hits Jose lightly in the head. ”This exam is not from school but from my dad. Thanks to you and your camera, my dad thinks that my movements in the last torment were a little out of shape.” she breaths little” So now I have to study the crawling leopard and snake dance again.”
Jose shakes his head.” The snake dance is a little hard on the hands. I could easily beat crawling leopard with firefly sword dance.” Jose smirks. Aura laughs at Jose. “The firefly sword dance means that you would need two swords and you can’t even handle one sword.”
Jose touches his heart” Ouch, That hurts.” He says. Aura chuckles, “Remember what my grandfather would say when you would complain” Aura says, nudging Jose. Jose shakes his head with laughter. “Oh yeah, I remember he would stand up and point to the sky “Jose says
“Remember, in this world, we live to fight and fight to live.” They say together. Aura burst out laughing. Jose chuckles. “You never could stop laughing when he said that.” Jose sighs,” I wonder what he would say about us now.” Jose looks up. Aura looks at Jose and pokes his stomach.
“He would be disappointed in you and your stomach. How could you be thin but eat like a sumo wrestle.” Jose groans and points back at Aura. “Well looks whose talking, Ms. Stuff Her Face All The Time. Anyway," Are you going to start this month with another one of your famous plays, Poor Ivan almost had a stroke" Jose laughs with a hint of resentment. Aura watches the play of emotion on his face.
" Jose you know as well as I do that Tori had needed someone's help. It just happened to be me and not Rin." Aura says that name with sadness " But anyway,Ivan got over it and so should you."
A shadow passes by Aura then stops. A tall slender teen stops and stares at Aura with his light green eyes bright from the reflection of the sun. His raven black hair neatly combed .
" If there is anyone more beautiful than you then show me them." The guy says sweetly to Aura
" Ivan" Aura says with a hint of laughter in her voice. Jose looks away in disgust.
"Ivan, you and Jose need to stop fighting. He's my best friend and you," she says looking at him in hidden hate " are my boyfriend so comprise or something." Jose sighs and gets up.
" If you two love bird can please move so I that can get out." Jose says in disgust. Aura stands and walks out of the bus. Ivan and Jose follow her off the bus. Jose walks away from Aura and Ivan to a large metal gate.
He walks away as Aura stares at him. She waits until he walks out of sight.
" Ivan dear," she says pulling him away from the path into a line of trees " Why do you continue to be around when I don't what you to be near me." Aura pokes hard on his chest. " You are nothing but a two timing jerk. If I was not in such in a good mood, I would-"she says with anger in her voice.
"What did I do to deserve this cleverly colorful words?" Ivan interrupts, smiling cooly.
"What did I do he says WHAT DID HE DO?" she says loudly "I'll tell you what you did wrong, you with that "girl". You were to busy to notice me at the door. How am I suppose to trust you if you do things like that?"
Ivan chuckles and sighs.
"What is so funny, Ivan?" Aura asks angrily, glaring at him. Ivan shakes his head. "Why on earth would I betray the woman most important to me? Besides the fact that the person in that you saw was my twin brother Yuki, he was probably was with his girlfriend or something. You mean more to me than life itself. I love you, silly." Ivan says, slowly drawing closer to Aura, "Aura you are the only woman for me, didn't you know that? I ask Yuki to take other so you and I could be together."
"Oh"
"So am I forgiven?"
"I'm sorry my love. I didn't know. I guess I should trust you more." Ivan smiles and kisses Aura's nose.
"It's okay, just trust me. I would never hurt you."
The school bell rings loudly throughout the schoolyard. Aura leans on Ivan
"Guess we have to go in now."
"Yeah I guess so. Let's go."
They walk lean on one another.