The morning started just like any other for the Kiryuin family. With the matriarch making her way over to her little son's room. It was December 20th, his birthday. Kazuma Kiryuin was a positive and calming influence on the CEO. She loved him to bits.

She knocked on his door, it was marked with his name in bold lettering. She opened it and saw her little boy lying on his bed, asleep.

"Kazuma, darling, time to get up," she informed. He shifted a bit, his little hands rubbing his eyes.

"Mmm… Mom? Why's it so… hahhh…" he yawned. He sat up, his golden-brown eyes and dark green hair unique and odd. He was so adorable looking all bedraggled like this.

Mama drew the curtains open, and the bright sunlight filled my room, I squinted, my eyes shifting to get used to the new light. Mama smiled down at me and I got up.

"Mama? Is today my Kamui day?" I asked, my smile stretching on my face. Mama always liked my smile, Satsuki-nee liked them too. Mama smiled.

"Of course, darling. I've been working tirelessly on it," she said.

"What does… 'tirelessly' mean? Are you a car?" I asked, not sure what it meant.

Mama started to laugh and my cheeks started to burn, "It means I worked for a long time on it, Kazuma-chan," she explained. I scoffed and crossed my arms. That only made Mama laugh even more.

I never got to know my real Mama or Dad. It didn't matter, because today was Kamui Day! Mama always said it was a special day where we bond with these cool clothes called Kamui, and if they accept us, we get cool powers and stuff!

Like a superhero, but way cooler! I followed her and she led me to a room with a white wardrobe in it. It was a little taller than her and taller than me by a good couple inches. Mama taught me all kinds of words and numbers and told me never to go outside without her, Satsuki-nee, Rei-san, or Nui-chan. But now that I was getting my own Kamui?

Maybe I could finally go outside and make my friends! I've been training my whole life for this moment! I swung the doors open, seeing a white military-like uniform and smiling.

"Is this mine?" I breathed in awe.

"Why yes, Kazuma, it's yours," Mama confirmed. I reached out and took it, and it looked like it was asleep.

"Hey! Mr. Kamui! Wake up!" I yelled, shaking it a bit. Mama tittered and I turned around. I was a little distressed, a new word that Mama taught me. She strode over to me, her maroon eyes shining in the light of the room.

She gently took my arm, holding it in her cold hand.

"This may hurt a little bit, okay? So be strong and brave for me, can you do that?" She asked.

"Yes! Anything for you, Mama!" I chirped a bit, bracing myself for the pain.

Mama took up a small knife and cut my hand and pressed it onto the Kamui, I didn't make a single sound that would indicate pain. The silvery-white Kamui writhed, the sleeves lapping up the crimson liquid from my palm.

"Finally! Some blood!" a voice unlike Mama's or even I's rang out, it sounded like a man's voice, rough and cracking.

"Hurry up and put me on! C'mon kiddo! Do it!" It seemed that the voice was coming from the Kamui itself. I did so, and it felt oddly warm and I looked down at him.

"So… what's his name?" I asked, my head cocked to the side.

"That's for you two to decide, Kazuma," Mama said.

I smiled down at my Kamui. His eye flaps looked up at me.

"I like the name Kibonochi, means Hope's Blood, you're pretty young, so I'll help ya out,"

"Nice to meet you, Kibonochi!" I greeted.

I stood in front of my sister, it was seven years ago since Kibonochi and I had bonded. Satsuki was taller than me, with long bluish-black hair and gunmetal blue eyes, her brow was furrowed in concentration.

We were in kendo gear, her hair was tied back and my hair was flowing free, a greenish-black color rather than the bright viridian of my youth.

I smiled calmly, my practice blade perched in my hands, I loved training with Satsuki. She was serious and straight-laced, a born ruler. I turned out to be a lot more relaxed, finding swordsmanship as my talent. I grew taller, my eyes still the same shining brown. We exchanged blows.

"You're too rigid, Satsuki! You have to flow!" I advised, clashing hard with her. She had plenty of power behind her strokes, but she treated her blade as a tool rather than an extension of her body.

"That's easy for you to say, Kazuma!" she shot back, pinning myself so close to her. I smirked and broke the clash, backflipping away. We stood across from each other, circling calmly like vultures wheeling in the sky. Our expressions tense and calculating. The room was deathly quiet.

We both stared at each other, daring each other to finish this. Satsuki raged forth, and I clashed with her again, fluidly catching her blade and disarming her. It clattered to the floor and she bowed in respect to me.

"You're always improving, Kazuma, it's admirable," she stated, her normal scowl being replaced by a small grin. I smiled. Satsuki always smiled around me, but when we were around Mother… she seemed to want to take me somewhere else.

What was wrong with Mother and Satsuki? Did they get into an argument? I certainly hope not, but I can't afford any slip-ups today. Today I wanted to go outside without anyone with me, and experience the outside world by myself.

It all depended on if I could convince Mother to let me go, Satsuki seemed to want me to figure out a way to convince her.

"Remember, Kazuma, exude maturity and confidence like you do when we duel," she advised. I nodded, steeling myself and clenching my fists. Satsuki smiled at my determined expression. Part of me didn't want her to go. She was more important to me than she ever realized.

Something about all of this felt off like I shouldn't have these feelings for my sister… or maybe she wasn't my sister after all. Everything felt off, artificial, maybe not there. I went to the REVOCS corporation's main base around a lull in Mother's schedule. I already told her about my arrival.

The main base was bulbous with a tall tower in the center, like a needle thrusting into the heavens, it was blue, shining in the sunlight. A booming metropolis was centered around it, with offshoots and whole boroughs. I stepped up to the entrance, a lot of the employees saw me walking up and all lined up to salute me.

I just wanted to see my mother, not cause a rally. I never really liked all the attention. I walked up to the elevator, my eyes locked onto the button for the top floor. I pressed it, and I knew she was waiting for me, Kibonochi was oddly silent, rarely talking to me. I stepped out of the elevator, seeing Rei-san waiting.

"Hello, Lord Kazuma," she greeted.

"Hello, Rei-san. I assume my mother is waiting for me?" I asked.

"Yes sir, she is," she answered.

This was not a level playing field for me to exploit my sarcastic charms but I cannot waver. The office beyond was somewhat enclosed with the desk and chair practically dominating the room upping the dreadful feeling of intimacy. This was not a level playing field for me to exploit my sarcastic charms but I cannot waver. This was for my future. Mother was sitting languidly at her desk, her fingers typing madly at her tablet and her concentration intense.

I stepped carefully over to the chair in front of the desk, small and plastic, almost uncomfortable. Mother looked up from her tablet and smiled. Her grin putting me at ease despite the intense pressure in the room.

"Ah! Kazuma, you wanted to speak with me?" she asked, a little too amenable. I was still wary, she could still dish out punishments without me even realizing it. I clasped my hands together.

"Yes, it pertains to the matter of… letting me go outside without anybody? I-I mean no disrespect, but… I've been training and training with your promise of letting me go once I was ready, well, I believe that I am," I stated, Mother's smile widened and she got up from her chair, standing in front of me and tipping my face up to look into her eyes.

"Kazuma, this world is dangerous, full of perils and unseen outcomes, what if you get hurt?" she asked, looking at me with that stupid saccharine smile and those maroon eyes that were so unlike Satsuki's.

"Then I will learn from them, I will learn from the scars the world gives me and use that pain to further better myself. I am not a child anymore, and I do not expect life to be so easy, I just hope you can understand," I refuted, wanting out as soon as humanly possible.

I stood, turning my back and looking over my shoulder, "I'll go to Honnouji Academy and go help Satsuki, I'll be in the area," I snarled, fed up with all of these isolations. At least I'll be with my friends in a place where I don't have to be the dutiful son.

One place that held the truth to my origins. I had to find out who I was, being a mystery even to myself wasn't my idea of how to live my life.

Honnouji Academy was the brainchild of Satsuki, for an unknown purpose. It was a dog-eat-dog world here, and I had my Quick Draw Blade, Kouheisei. Kibonochi was on me, and I shouldered my blade, whistling cheerily. I saw someone being pursued by Ira Gamagori, the tall, tanned, and intimidating man that was Satsuki's self-titled right hand.

He was striding easily, his smile wide, and a spiked whip was in his hand. The victim was a smaller boy, carrying an odd gray uniform and running hard, I grabbed my hilt and smirked, my eyes focused on him.

I started to dash towards the boy, my hand shooting my sword out of the sheath. *SHERRRRRRIPPPPP!* the boy's uniform tore and a small red string entered Kibonochi's chest flap. I sheathed Kouheisei, shining bright in the sunlight.

It slid in with a satisfying sheathing scrape and chinking sound, the warm wind blew stiffly. White subtitles showing my name breezed in on the wind.

[Kazuma Kiryuin?]

"Lord Kazuma?! What are you doing here?" Ira gasped, bowing hurriedly.

"I'm just here to find my origin, it is my objective, but I'd like to assist in the advancement of my sister's plan," I stated robotically, almost without emotion.

"Understood, what about this traitor?" Ira asked, roughly picking up the smaller boy and thrusting him towards me.

He was shaking, scared that I'd hurt him, "Let's talk," I stated, pulling off Kibonochi's coat and wrapping it around him.

"Th-thanks!" the kid squealed.

"You'll find that I am far kinder than my sister," I sighed, leading the boy inside behind me, seeing the other students gathered around and whispering. I was making an example of this boy by being kind and benevolent. Rulers must be both if they are to keep their people in line. This boy was named Genki, and he was fed up with being downtrodden.

"It's… it's so stupid! I mean, asinine!" he stammered.

"Genki, I care not for formalities… but I understand your rage at being reduced to being a footstool, you can stay, but if you test this kindness, I will not hesitate to cut you down," I snarled, my hand automatically placing itself on my sword's hilt.

"T-thank you, sir! You- I! Won't forget this!" he stuttered, running into the commuting crowds of the academy, in a new uniform.

"You're too kind, kid. I wonder why?"

"Kibonochi, I must be the benevolent half to Satsuki. This place is brutal, and it's good to make examples, both well and unwell," I stated somewhat chidingly.

"Mmr… makes sense to me,"

Ira rejoined me, leading me to the office of the Student Council, they controlled everything. I followed him reluctantly, knowing at least three out of the four 'Elites'. I liked the group, and they liked me well enough.

"Sir, are you certain that you want to go looking for where you came from?" Ira asked.

"Are you questioning me, Ira Gamagori?" I snarled, my brown eyes growing harsh and my lips downturned into a scowl. More severe than even Satsuki's. Ira seemed to balk at that, and I smirked in reaction to it.

"I will go wherever I am required to find out the truth. For now, I will stay here," I decided, marching into the elevator to the higher levels of the school, only meant for the Elite Four and my darling 'sister.'

The elevator was fast, with only a few seconds inside it to make it to the top. Ira led me further within. I decided to play a little bit of a joke on Satsuki, she was probably stressed with all the governing of the school. She and the others were sitting or in Ira and I's case, standing. A girl with bright pink hair and matching eyes made eye contact with me, I motioned for her to be silent. She smirked and nodded.

I crept up behind Satsuki's chair, my hands went over her eyes and I let out a chuckle.

"Hehe… guess who?" I asked.

Satsuki brushed my hands off and stood, smiling, making the others bow and me to just start smirking like a lunatic. She was wearing her regular uniform, and I was wearing my Kamui.

"I heard about your kindness about the traitor. May that be because you're a little soft-hearted?" she asked. I smirked wider.

"As if, I wanted to make a good first impression on the student body!" I answered snidely. Satsuki chuckled.

"There's the Kazuma I know, all sarcastic and oddly charming," she said, and my face burned with a blush.

"Well, where else was I gonna go?! Back to Mother? Hell no, seriously… I was bored," I sighed.

"Bored? Hm… I seem to remember a certain someone liking my little brother, I wonder…" she surmised, her smile wider and my cheeks burned hotter.

"Satsuki, whatever you're doin' Stop, please," I mewed. How could she know? How in the hell… Nonon you bitch!

Nonon glanced over at my expression and shook her head no. So it wasn't her. The boy with dark green hair and silver eyes named Uzu was snickering the whole time. I just wanted to leave at this point.

I turned and started to march away, my embarrassment reaching levels of impossibility. I was just about to leave when...

"Kazuma!" Satsuki called.

"What?" I snarled back, not bothering to turn around.

I turned anyway, seeing Satsuki, grinning like a criminal and laughing a bit to herself.

"Just kidding with you on that, you're a pretty guarded person, I'll concede that," Satsuki giggled, her smile wide and making my heart soar. She didn't know, but Ira and Uzu did, as they were my friends that knew about my stupid crush on her.

Even if she sees me as a brother, I had enough evidence to find out that we weren't related. One: My hair is a blackish-green. Two: My eyes are golden-brown, not blue or maroon. Three: The two of them are paler than I am! I know only those three things, my real parents, and that I was adopted. Everything else is just one gigantic blank where what happened to them and why they just decided to abandon me.

Even why I'm a natural poet with a blade is a mystery to me, too. There are a lot of answers to be found and so little time to find them. I ended up seeing another room, another place to lay my head down and forget my troubles for once.

Satsuki did think of everything. My room was spacious and functional, the older I get, the more my tastes become minimal. I only had what I needed to survive. I only needed the bed and a desk and a chair to sit at. I laid on my bed, wrapped in the covers. I needed some rest.

Except, Satsuki came in, she took me by the arm and led me out silently.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Introducing you to the rest of the student body," she answered.

"Okay? So… what do I do? I need to say a speech, right?" I wondered, Satsuki smirked.

"If you want to, I won't stop you," She reasoned, I smiled. We both stepped out of the elevator, high above the courtyard below. We both presided over them.

"STUDENTS OF HONNOUJI ACADEMY! My brother, Kazuma, as many of you may know, had arrived earlier this morning!" Satsuki announced, her voice carrying surprisingly well from up here.

I stepped forward, my hand on my sword's hilt, gently smiling. I looked down at them.

"Can I make this more… equal?" I asked.

A set of stairs came down to the ground and I started to descend, my steps cracking down. I stood among the masses.

"Hello! I'm Kazuma Kiryuin! Or… just call me Kazuma, I have no preference," I announced, and the students stared at me in shock. They looked at me like I was some sort of anomaly. I just stared right back at them in slight confusion.

"Anywho, I'm here to find some answers about myself, and also assist in governing this fine institution, or extreme hell hole for some of you," I said, earning some laughter. My smile widened, this was gonna be cake.

For some reason, I never once closed my bathroom door to take a bath or a shower, and my breath would quicken whenever I heard that word. Even looking at the dials. I had no idea why I was stuck in that position of panic. All I remember of that night was the sound of burning and cracking wood, and warm arms picking me up and carrying me away from it all. Then I ended up here, with no idea who I was before Mother.

Did my parents love me? Was my name something else? Was I even theirs to begin with? I didn't know and I wanted to find out. I laid in the bathtub, musing about a lot of the questions I had. Maybe the answers were closer than I ever thought before.

Kibonochi was my only source of somewhat close friendship, Ira and Uzu were my friends as well.

I couldn't shake those odd bubbly feelings for Satsuki, though. Every time I look at her I see some sort of smile, a more relaxed posture, less formality. Even if I was any different, like my violent self that always shows up when I get enraged or too frustrated, would she still see me?

I wish Satsuki felt the same way, that would make this less awkward. The warm water was a small comfort more than anything, I hated being so weak-willed. It felt good to let loose, to tear up an opponent. To finally feel the rush of someone going full-force against you, holding nothing back and expecting nothing less. To finally drop the facade and become who I was underneath it all.

I touched my back, feeling two long ribbons of scar tissue. I still don't remember how I got them, but looking at how jagged and rough they look, maybe the person who did it to me was having a hard time keeping me still? Then again, who did it? I had so many goddamn questions! Can't someone just answer them already instead of being a bunch of dicks about it?! No, calm down, Kazuma, no need to be frustrated...

I got out of the tub, drained the water, brushed my teeth, and pulled on my pajamas. I only wore the bottoms, because I liked being soft and warm, and being shirtless underneath warm covers felt better than wearing a shirt. Maybe this whole 'finding myself' thing won't be so bad. I'm already well on my way, I just have to play my cards right. I hated thinking about bigger pictures, but I had to if I wanted to survive long enough to get my godforsaken answers.

I soon drifted off, my breathing neutral and my eyes closed. 'Goodnight, Mom… Dad… wherever you guys are…' I thought, finally surrendering myself to the silver seas of sleep. What I saw in my dream was something familiar. A window being lashed with violent rain, lightning flashed violently, thunder roared mightily.

Laying beside me was Mother, but there was something wrong, I couldn't place my finger on what exactly.