Chapter 1
“So, what shall we do?” Chief D asked them.
Team Kai, well the remaining, had been called upon in front of the chiefs. It had been four days since Mira Nagami and Elias Alvares were missing. Four agonizing days for all of them.
Gio looked at Kai, trying to gauge his reaction. He then looked at his son standing next to him, also with a hard face.
“Why are you asking us this que-” Gael started but got cut off by his mentor.
“We should let everyone know that she’s dangerous.” Kai muttered out looking down, not making eye contact with anyone around. Gael and Ares looked at Kai with widened eyes.
“But master Kai-” Ares started but Kai ignored and continued.
“I suggest putting up posters warning everyone. Not only has she run away, she harmed an esteemed chief and stolen a deceased body.” Kai said, still staring intently at the ground.
What was he even supposed to do?
“D-doesn’t mean that she’s harmful! Sir you know that-” Gael spoke up this time as his eyes watered in frustration, as he tried to collect himself.
“I agree, we have to find her. She’s just hurting, we know how Mira is. She’s just stupid sometimes. Dad- I- please, don’t declare anything out yet!” Ares begged looking at his father.
His father sighed, not knowing what to do. He had never seen his ‘tough’ son being this vulnerable. He looked at the other chiefs to see what their faces said, but they were all neutral.
“I also stand by them.” Nina finally spoke up as Gael and Ares looked at her in surprise. She shook her head slightly at her father’s hardened glare. But even she knew that he knew, Mira couldn’t harm people. She might have been a loser, but she was kind hearted.
“Mira’s not dangerous. Like Ares said, stupid, but not dangerous.” Nina sighed out, not meeting her dad’s eyes. Defending Mira was on none of their radars. But she would have to agree that calling her a danger to society would be a slight exaggeration.
“We could wait and see if she comes bac-” Chief A said, looking pitifully at his son.
Kai looked up finally to meet chief A’s eyes.
“No, Mira did not have any powers till now. And as soon as she got hers, she chose to use it for wrong. It might be a slip up, but it’s too risky in my opinion to let her wander around especially if she’s capable of harming her own father.” Kai said with a neutral expression.
Gio sighed feeling helpless. He wished he could somehow fix everything and make it better. Looking at their faces, he could just feel the hurt.
“Sir-”
“But sir-”
Gio stopped Ares and Gael from speaking any further. He was a chief after all, he shouldn’t make decisions based on his personal feelings. That would be unjust. He had to step up.
“No, I agree with Kai. Whatever she’s upto, I think it’s quite dangerous. I suggest we put out posters warning everyone.” Gio said as Gael’s eyes widened yet again looking at his dad.
“Dad, what are you saying? You’ve seen Mira, you kno-”
“I’m sorry son, but I will always do what’s best for my kingdom.” Gio said with a slight frown as a tear dropped from Gael’s eyes.
“Well do I get to have a say? She was my daughter after all.” Chief B said.
“She was your daughter like you said, would that not cause bias?” Chief E spoke up.
He looked at him and shook his head. With a little smirk he said, “Not if I want her captured. I suggest that whoever finds her, captures her because a menace like that shouldn’t be around. She murdered someone, daughter or not. My love for Ahana always comes first.”
Chief G and Chief A narrowed their eyes at him, then looked at their sons and back at him.
“Tone it back Giveon, we don’t have to take an unnecessary route out-” Chief A said and Gio nodded in agreement.
“Exactly, she’s your child Chief.” Gio slightly glared.
“Mira is not a murderer. She would never even think about hurting Elias. He- E- Elias- he-” Ares started but shut up.
Elias died.
Why were those the hardest words to utter out loud.
“She is twenty everyone, not a child. So she knew exactly what she was doing. The truth will come out one way or another, so why bother sugarcoat it for the commoners-” Chief B said with confidence as Gael and Ares’ frustration grew more and more.
“SHE DIDN’T FUCKING KI-” Gael screamed but got cut off by Kai.
“I agree with Chief B. There’s no point in trying to protect our own personal feelings. As shinobis, it is our duty to put our kingdom before ourselves. And what she pulled is unforgivable. I-” Kai looked around at the chiefs and bent her head forward. “I apologize sincerely, she was my student after all. Any punishment you decide, I will fully support. Mira Nagami is a criminal and there’s no denying it.”
Gael and Ares stared with their mouths agape.
And Nina, should she not be pleased with the fact that Kai was so easily disregarding Mira? But she wasn’t. She truly wanted it, but when Mira actually deserved it. Not like this.
“Kai have you lost your fucking mind?!” Gael asked ignoring everyone and turning to Kai, facing him directly instead of the chiefs.
Kai had been around Gael since he was a tween. He had seen Kai train day and night with his dad and grow to be what he was today, and had always thought of him as a role model. Everything he did, every time- he worked hard or had accomplished something he had secretly hoped his parents, and Kai would be proud of him.
Seeing him like this, was something he had never expected.
This man had never shown a single flaw to him.
A big brother he never had.
“Gael, you are still too young to understand these adult matters. As a ninja, Ahana always comes first. Not your family, not your friends, and definitely not a criminal.” Kai said matching his glare.
“She’s not- I-I am so disappointed in you Kai. What are you even saying?! Mira is not a criminal, and I’ll find her and bring her back at any cost I don’t give a shit what you dumbass elites think. I don’t need anyone to help me out, especially you dumbfucks. Fuc-”
“Gael.” Gio warned with a glare which caused him to shut up.
He stormed out instead.
“I’m with him.” Ares said following Gael’s lead, ignoring his dad’s calls.
The room fell silent with awkwardness.
“You are lucky I’m in a good mood to ignore what your son just pulled Gio.” Chief B said with a slight smirk as Gio’s face hardened.
“I don’t care what he says or does, I will never let you harm my boy Giveon, so do not dare insinuate that you will.” He glared as Chief B laughed slightly.
“Relax, Gio. Relax. It was just a joke.” He said with amusement as Gio stared intensely at him.
“I am as relaxed as I have ever been. Let’s focus on the matter at hand chief, I wanna go to my son to check on him.” Gio said.
“May I, sir?” Kai asked. Gio stared at Kai for a brief moment, then spoke.
“Please do not speak ill of Mira Nagami, that seems to be a trigger for him.” Gio requested and Kai hesitantly nodded. Nina also excused herself and ran after Kai.
“Sir!” She called out as he turned around.
“Do you really think Mira is dangerous?” Nina asked.
It sucked. But they were twins. They were always together. And all her life she had waited for the moment to be away, to be triumphant, for Mira to be disgraced.
And yet,
it sucked.
Kai looked at Nina, contemplating what to say. The girl looked worried to say the least. He bent forward, matching his eye level to hers and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“Don’t worry Nina, everything will be okay.” He smiled whilst he muttered out the lie. He was their teacher, and yet he failed to protect them. The mental turmoil he was going through was something he did not understand who to share with, who could possibly fix everything and make it better.
Nina nodded after a slight pause and soon walked away without any other questions much to his relief.
Kai then started flashing around to get to Ares and Gael, and he did. They were just a few minutes away standing at the heart of their town. He found them standing next to Kenji who was glaring harshly at him.
“What the fuck Kai?!” He said with a moderately loud tone catching the attention of a few glances.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Kai sighed out. There were lingering eyes of the nosy Ahanians, God he hated attention.
“Why did you- do you even know what you just did? Mira- She’s- she can’t hurt a fucking fly bozo.” Kenji stopped and looked around at the crowd forming.
“What I do in matter regards to my students is none of your business Kenji. Gael, Ares, may I speak with you.” Kai said, moving on from the topic as Kenji’s expression grew tougher.
“Of course you’ll speak to me like that. Kai, you have actually lost your mind. Mira is no-”
“You wanted it like this did you not Kenji? Why the fuck do you even care?” Kai glared as Kenji angrily walked towards him shoving past Ares in the process.
“What are you gonna do Kenji? Hit me?” Kai asked menacingly as Kenji smirked.
“I wanna do more than just fucking hit you. You actively put Mira’s life in danger-”
“She’s the one who’s dangerous. And like I said, I don’t need to explain myself to you. I am doing just to Ahana, it’s not my fault you’re vision is blurred with emotions. Mira needs to be captured and punishe-oomph”
Kai glared at the ground angrily as soon as Kenji’s fist came in contact with his cheeks.
“You’re a pussy.” Kenji said. Kai glared intensely.
He hated scenes, and they both had successfully created one.
“Kenji. Back off before you regret it. I don’t wanna deal with your shit-”
Kenji smirked and pushed him again as gasps and murmurs started echoing.
“WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO KAI? COMPLAIN TO THE FUCKING CHIEFS?!” Kenji laughed darkly.
“Fucker.” Kai mumbled. He concentrated his energy on the ground beneath Kenji which started to engulf him. Kenji quickly retaliated with a wooden puppet coming out of his pocket which started cracking and turning to increase in size.
It turned to Kai and started releasing metal spikes towards him. Kai himself slid under the ground himself to avoid it.
Once he had done so, he was swallowed into a small space created underground. He then started generating fire.
Kai quietly listened for the puppet’s sounds from beneath, and as soon as the puppet had stopped above the place he was resting under, he opened the ground back up and blasted the thing with his fire.
Kenji, who had barely managed unburying himself tried to charge another weapon at Kai but then he noticed the chiefs walking towards them.
“For once Kenji, be a fucking good shinobi. Think of Ahana, not yourself. Mira Nagami is a disgrace, whether you like it or not.” Kai said, about to charge at Kenji when Gio appeared in between the two of them.
Kai’s ignition immediately went out as he stared at the ground shamefully instead to prevent looking at the angry Gio.
“What is going on? With all of you?! I can’t with that one getting angry already.” He said pointing at Gael. “And now my other two- I-”
He sighed frustrated, and rubbed his forehead.
“It’s okay Gio, they are our kids after all.” Chief B smiled a little at them.
“Kenji, Kai, I am very disappointed in the two of you. But I’ll deal with it later. We have important things to do but be ready, you both are in for it now.” Gio said angrily and walked back to the other chiefs.
They all stood together facing the crowd.
“We wanted to announce that collectively-” Gio said, looking sadly at his son and Ares. “We have decided that Mira Nagami is a danger to Ahana. Anyone who can find her, stay safe. If she’s found, wherever she is, she is to be thrown into a cell indefinitely.”
Gael and Ares glared at the announcement and Kenji scoffed.
“We will make formal announcements, posters and telecast it all over Orachi and Ahana. Your safety is our main priority.” Chief C said looking at the fearful crowd.
Gael walked away with Ares again as the crowd started shit-talking his friend.
“I knew that girl was a menace.”
“She should be captured immediately.”
“I heard she harmed her friend.”
“She’s such an insolent girl.”
Gael was one step away from snapping, when Kenji rested a hand on his shoulder and led him out of the way. They needed to get out of here.
Kai watched the three of them walk away and also decided to take his leave. He looked at Gio once again, and gave a slight nod and left.
He flashed away from the crowd, entered his house and looked around at his training field.
A part of him still hoped, that she would be here training or more so annoying him. He had never hated this place more. It was too drab, too boring and had no Mira in it.
He ran his hand through his hair frustrated.
He walked towards the corner of his field and stomped on the ground, opening the passage. He jumped through and the opening immediately closed.
He walked through the tunnel for quite a while until finally reaching the middle.
“Hey.” Kai said as he came face to face with the three of them.
“Good job all of you. It worked, they have no suspicions on Kai anymore.” Gio appeared out of thin air, with a slight smile on his face. He walked upto Gael and put pat on of his cheeks twice lovingly.
“So, what’s our plan moving forward now that we’ve convinced the people and the chiefs that we are not associated with her?” Ares asked. Kenji looked in between Kai and Gio.
Just then, Silo slithered through the tunnel and wrapped herself around Kai’s shoulder.
“Did anyone see you?” Kai asked the snake and then sighed. The others looked at the interaction with curiosity.
“Mira’s not in Ahana.” Kai said and let Silo go after giving her a treat. “Thank you Silo.”
“She has to be in Orachi then.” Gael said and the others agreed.
“From now on, master Gio will ensure that any missions related to Orachi is handed over to us. We will simultaneously carry out Mira’s search and the work handed to us.” Kai said. They all nodded.
“Gael, Ares you both have to go apologize to the chiefs for the way you acted. It would really help them move on from the Mira Nagami topic, or they might keep suspecting that you guys are at least trying to pull something.” Gio said as Ares nodded.
Gael’s lack of reaction caused Gio to knit his brows.
“Son-”
“I know dad, I know I gotta do it. It just sucks that he’s actually so amused by the situation. His own daughter’s missing for fuck’s sake. I hate talking to that shitwhack, let alone apologize.” He said angrily then looked at the others before calming down. “But I’ll do it, for Mira.”
“Are we sure she won’t be harmed? By the announcements about her being dangerous?” Ares asked hesitantly.
“No, in fact most people would be scared now and stay away from her. Hearing that she made a chief go unconscious is not something anyone will take lightly.” Kenji smirked a little at what Mira had done. Gael smiled too thinking about that.
“She really made her dad faint first time she ever used her powers.” Gio said, also amused.
Kenji looked at Kai with a glint in his eyes and spoke up, “That’s my girl.”
Kai in a split second narrowed his eyes at Kenji.
“She’s not your girl.” He said grumpily as Gio tried to hide his amusement. Ares and Gael just took it nonchalantly.
Kai started to walk away whilst Kenji watched him intensely. He had never seen Kai this disheveled. The kid was too young when their parents died, and Kenji had convinced him back then that they went on an adventure mission to the moon so they’re going to take time coming back. He was excited even back then.
He felt a slight tug looking at him like that.
Fuck.
“Yo Kai!” Kenji said stopping his brother, who turned around with a glare to look at him. “When we find Mira, I’ll tell her everything you said today.”
Kai’s glare softened and a miniscule smile graced his lips as Kenji laughed.
“She wouldn’t be too happy with you.” Kenji said.
Kai turned back around taking leave. He better load up on grapes then.
