It's now been four weeks since Kirijo has decided to train Hikaru, Michiyo, Alex, and Souhei to become the Titans. Days started to blur together for the four, and their classmates will tell you...to them it seemed like Hikaru, Souhei, Alex, and Michiyo were in a world of their own.
It was a Monday morning, Michiyo quietly, but swiftly made her way to class. She did finish her homework and had Hikaru's with her. Michiyo had a feeling that Hikaru would not show up to class this morning. As she made it to her desk Michiyo started to get ready for class. Right about that time Alex and Souhei walked in. The two walked to their desk, which had been moved to near Hikaru and Michiyo. For Souhei he sat in front of Hikaru while Alex sat in front of Michiyo.
"Ah Micchy is RuRu not coming?"Alex asked
"Stop calling me Micchy please," Michiyo said "And no I don't think so, the weather outside is nice for a nap."
Souhei looked outside and sighed.
"Ah, lucky Hikaru is a genius..."Souhei replied
"SoSo you do know that Micchy is a genius also."Alex replied
"Photographic memory isn't something to be so proud of..."Michiyo replied
The two boys looked at each other when they noticed the girl's change in personality. The two boys sat in the desk and prepared for their day full of lessons.
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Hikaru Sawamura took in a deep breath of the fresh air, and stretched. To Hikaru this was the life. She couldn't think of anything more relaxing. She was laying on a awning. Her feet were hanging off, and she dangled them happily. This was Hikaru's nap spot, it was quite and —however loud voices woke Hikaru up....well most of the time it was quite.
"You should just shut up!"A voice shouted
Hikaru heard something crunch against the ground. Hikaru rolled over on her side and tried to ignore it. She wasn't one for getting her nose into other people's problems...but Hikaru had the gnawing feeling coming on her again. Hikaru sighed and rolled over where she could see what was happening. She saw a boy getting pushed down into the dirt by a group of kids.
"Why can't you just realize that no one likes you?"the leader said
With that the kids left. Hikaru watched as the boy got up and dusted himself off then he started to walk under the awning. Hikaru used this time to size up the boy...he had brown hair and ruby eyes. He seemed like someone who would be afraid of his own shadow.
"Why can't people like me?"he asked
Hikaru sighed and started to kick her feet of the edge of the awning.
"Does it really matter if no one likes you?"Hikaru asked
Hikaru sighed as she saw the boy look around then up at her. Hikaru sat up and rubbed her eyes, then scratched the back of her head.
"I want friends..."the boy said
"Che, if you want friends don't follow around those types of people. Find people who share your likes and dislikes...you'll find them...the people you fit in with."Hikaru replied
"Um...I don't know you..."the boy said
"Sawamura Hikaru...but you can call me Hikaru."Hikaru said
Hikaru then slid off the awning and landed on the ground.
"What's your name?"Hikaru asked holding out her hand to the boy
"My name is Sato Kurmori. But you can call me Kurmori." The boy replied taking Hikaru's hand
The wind started to blow, as Kurmori smiled at Hikaru.
"Hikaru-Nii, what are you doing out here while classes are going on?"Kurmori asked
"Napping, school boring...but it's the best place to sleep."Hikaru said "Now I've gotta find a new sleeping place....if you see Michiyo Inoue or Alex Grey you didn't see me got it!?"
Kurmori nodded and smiled.
"You got it Hikaru-nii..."Kurmori said
Hikaru stuck her hands in her jacket pocket and walked off.
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Souhei Yamazaki looked up from his math assignment and looked out the window. He couldn't help but feel something was wrong..
'Why do I have this nasty feeling?'Souhei wondered
The class ended and Souhei got up and stuck his hands in his pants pocket. He then slowly started walking out of the room.
"Oi, SoSo where are you going?"Alex asked trying to steal lunch from Michiyo's lunchbox.
Michiyo slapped Alex's hand and turned to Souhei.
"Are you going to look for Hikaru?"Michiyo asked
"Guess so."Souhei replied walking out of the classroom
Michiyo turned to Alex and said:
"Shouldn't you be going and looking for Hikaru to?"
Alex pouted as his last attempt for Michiyo's lunch box failed and replied:
"Eh, RuRu and SoSo tell me to stay with you...the two of them probably wanted to talk about something serious..."
'Something serious?'Michiyo asked
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Souhei walked up to the roof and over to a shaded corner. Souhei sighed when he saw Hikaru sprawled out in the corner. Souhei walked over and nudged Hikaru with his foot.
"Oi, wake up."Souhei replied sitting down beside Hikaru
Hikaru sat up and rubbed his head.
"Why'd you kick me?"Hikaru asked
"Really, that's the only thing you care about."Souhei replied
Hikaru sat his arms in his lap then said:
"It's bothering you also?"
Souhei sighed then rested his back against the wall.
"Titan hu? We know nothing about Kirijo except what your twin brother and friend in Japan figured out...not only that we are just going along with him blindly..."Souhei said
Hikaru didn't reply, but thoughts were racing through Hikaru's mind.
"I've noticed you've started to watch him...are you anazlying him?"Souhei asked
"Everyone has little things that make them different. For Michiyo it's the way her eyebrow twitches when we tease her to much before she stabs us in the ribs. The way Alex rubs his lips together when he is hungry and itching to steal some food...the way always seem to find me when you're worried about something."Hikaru replied
Souhei felt his anger rise, so he punched Hikaru over the head.
"Ow Souhei...we were having a nice conversation-"Hikaru started
"What's your plan?"Souhei asked
Hikaru stood up and stretched.
"Keep following Kirijo, see how much he can teach me...then if I don't like where it's going or the finish product I'll handle things then the way my Senpai Jun and Ryosuke taught me.."Hikaru replied with a smirk.
"How come when you say that I feel like we might be going to jail..."Souhei asked
Hikaru turned to Souhei.
"Nah."
Souhei sighed and stood up then grabbed Hikaru by the collar of his blazer and started to pull Hikaru behind him.
"Oi, Souhei where are we going?"Hikaru asked
"To class you genius idiot."Souhei replied
"How can I be a genius and an idiot?"Hikaru replied
"SHUT UP YOU KNOW THAT!"Souhei shouted
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Kurmori was walking down the hall when he saw Hikaru being pulled by the back of his blazer by a familiar boy.
'Hu? Hikaru-Nii knows Souhei..."
Kurmori watched as the two interacted...it was then Kurmori saw two more people come up. Kurmori knew these two also.
"Michiyo Inoue and Alex Grey...they know Hikaru-nii also??"Kurmori asked
Kurmori watched as Michiyo elbowed Hikaru in the ribs sending the boy squatting on the ground holding his ribs. Souhei and Alex raised their hands in defense from Michiyo. Michiyo sighed then handed Hikaru something wrapped in a handkerchief. Hikaru jumped up and grabbed the handkerchief and unwrapped it. Kurmori was curious to see what was in the handkerchief. Kurmori was shocked to see it was a lunch box. Kurmori slowly walked up to the four.
"EH, Micchy you don't make me lunch."Alex cried
"That's because you never asked me."Michiyo replied
Hikaru dug into the lunchbox happily.
"Micchy this is amazing!"Hikaru cheered stuffing his face.
Michiyo smiled as she watched Alex and Souhei try to steal some lunch from Hikaru. Hikaru turned his back to the two and then wrapped his arm around his lunchbox.
"This is my meal go get your own."Hikaru said
"Come on Hikaru we're a team share!" Souhei replied
"Yeah RuRu, SoSo is right! Sharing is caring!"Alex replied
"Not when it comes to food!"Hikaru replied
Kurmori walked over to the four then he cleaned his throat. Hikaru looked up from his food and replied:
"Ah Kurmori, what are you doing here?"Hikaru asked
"Eh, Ruru you know Mori?"Alex replied
"Yeah we met today."
Michiyo sighed then said:
"Come on you guys we need to get to training."
"Eh schools already over?"Hikaru asked
"Yeah you idiot."Souhei relied as he shouted at Hikaru
"oops I was only planning on sleeping through English and history...but stuff happened."Hikaru replied
"Where are you guys going?"Kurmori asked
"To my dad's sports clinic these three idiots are working on gaining strength back into body parts they injured while playing baseball."Michiyo replied
"Do you mind if I come?"Kurmori asked
Alex glanced at Kurmori quickly. For some reason he didn't like the boy.
"Do you even play baseball Mori?"Alex asked
"No, but people say I'm a fast learner."Kurmori replied
"Well it's up to my dad if you get trained with us or not."Michiyo replied
The five walked in their classroom got their books and backpacks and started walking to the sports clinic. Souhei, Hikaru, and Alex noticed how Kurmori was watching them closely almost like he was observing their every move.
'Why do we collect creepy people?'The three thought
They got to the clinic and started their work outs. Kurmori tried to do the leg lifts like Hikaru with the same amount of weight but he stopped once Michiyo and Hikaru came over.
"You'll break your leg! Hikaru is working with 75lbs on her bad leg and 95lbs on her good leg."Michiyo replied "You haven't had any training so you'll do more harm than good."
"Why are you doing this kind of exercise?"Kurmori asked
"It's tightening the leg muscles in my legs and once I finish here I go and Jog, with Alex and Souhei."Hikaru replied
Kirijo walked in at this moment and saw the boy. Kirijo walked over to the kids.
"Michiyo you brought a friend over?"Kirijo replied
"No father I did not!"Michiyo replied
"Hey what are me, Alex, and Souhei?"Hikaru asked pointing to the three said kids
"A project."Kirijo replied
"Baseball idiots..."Michiyo replied
"Like daughter like father."Souhei whispered to Alex
"I am Kurmori Sato, nice to meet you sir. I want to learn to play baseball like Hikaru-nii, Alex-nii, and Souhei-nii!"Kurmori replied
Kirijo laughed then he replied:
"I like your fire kid...and sure I'll teach you baseball...but for you to catch up with those three baseball idiots as my daughter said you would have to devote every hour, second, and minute of your life until you turn twenty. Then you might be where they are now...but by then they would have surpass this mark."
Hikaru, Alex, and Souhei sighed.
'Wasn't there an easier way to tell him no?'The three thought
"Dad!"Michiyo cried
"I don't believe that sir. I believe I can catch up."Kurmori shouted
"Well then...Hikaru, Alex, Souhei, Michiyo...I want you four to listen as well as you Kurmori. You five are out of school for four weeks thanks to spring break. I'm doing a training camp. We're heading to the country side! This will see if the training has payed off...and young Kurmori you will be in shadowing these three. Anything they do you will do. Also I have a present for you three Alex, Hikaru, Souhei....During this training camp you will actually get to play with baseballs and work on your baseball skills."Kirijo replied
"Annoying man say what?"Alex asked
Hikaru and Souhei tried not to laugh, but they were failing.
"This training camp all the restraints that were placed on you by the doctors for your surgery to heal will be off and done with."Kirijo replied "You three can go all out!"
Hikaru, Alex, and Souhei smiled...they would finally be able to play baseball again.
"NOW GET OUT OF MY CLINC I'M CLOSING UP!"Kirijo shouted
Alex, Hikaru, and Souhei walked home together, well after they stopped for ice cream.
"Alex do you trust Kirijo?" Souhei asked
"Eh, JiJi? Not really he isn't all that interesting."Alex replied
"Do you feel worried about what he's planning for us?"Hikaru asked
"RuRu, I don't like it when I don't know what people are planning."Alex replied
Souhei, Hikaru, and Alex stopped walking and turned to each other.
"So we are in one mind and one accord that something is fishy about Kirijo wanting us to become Titans. Also now we have to worry about Kurmori..."Hikaru said
The three started back walking to their houses.
"Che, Mori is going to slow us down."Alex said
"There is no way he can keep up with us."Souhei replied
"Even so, we're not going to hold anything back. He swore he was going to catch up. Let's give him a taste of what our true powers are."Hikaru replied
Souhei ate his ice cream then glanced at Hikaru.
'Sometimes I wonder if there are two Hikaru's living in one person, but then I realize I don't know what all he has gone through.' Souhei thought
The three finally came to the cross roads.
"I'll see you two tomorrow!"Hikaru said turning right
"Bye RuRu SoSo."Alex said going left
"Bye you two." Souhei said going straight
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Hikaru walked into the front door of her temporary house. She sat her gym bag down by the door and took off her shoes. She then sat them in the closet near the door.
"I'm back!"Hikaru shouted
About that time two sets of feet were heard coming for Hikaru. Hikaru looked up to see her two new little siblings.
"HIKARU!"They cheered
Hikaru smiled as the two grabbed her around the waist.
"How was training?" Amy cried
"The usual."Hikaru said pulling her gym bag back on her shoulder
"When are Alex and Souhei coming back over?"Keith asked
"Not sure."Hikaru replied
Mrs. Blackwell walked into the living room where the three had made it to.
"Hikaru welcome home. Does your knee hurt?"She asked
"No Mama. Oh I'm leaving tomorrow to go on a training camp with Alex, Souhei, Michiyo, and Kirijo...I don't know when I'll be back."Hikaru replied as Keith jumped on her back
"Hm...well make sure you pack enough clothes and I'll prepare you some snacks to take with you...just make sure Alex doesn't eat all of them this time."Miss. Blackwell said
"I won't make any promises."Hikaru replied
"Amy you and Keith go and do your homework now that Hikaru is home."Miss. Blackwell said
"FINE!"The two shouted
The two ran up stairs and Hikaru followed them at a slower pace. When Hikaru made it to her room she opened the door and fell on her bed. She didn't know she had fallen asleep until she heard a knock on her door. She looked to her door to see Mr. Blackwell standing there.
"Ah sorry Hikaru did I wake you?"Mr. Blackwell asked
"Nah, just a power nap...Did you need something?"Hikaru asked
"Oh right this came in the mail for you." Mr. Blackwell said
Hikaru reached and took the manila envelop from him. Hikaru looked at it and noticed it was from Japan.
"It's from Japan."Hikaru said
"Japan, it sure traveled a long way."Mr. Blackwell joked
Hikaru tore into the mail and was shocked at what it was....
"What is it Hikaru?"Mr. Blackwell asked
"It's a all expense paid scholarship to Inashiro...They are also paying for my medical bills..."Hikaru said
Mr. Blackwell knew who Inashiro was after Yuuta told him the story of how Hikaru injured his leg.
Hikaru ignored the presences of Mr. Blackwell as she read over the letter.
'Dear Mr. Sawamura Hikaru,
We are truly sorry for the pain and suffering our school's baseball team has placed upon you. During the game against us, even though you were on the opposite side, our coach was moved by your plays. Our players also seemed to like your playing style also. Our ace Narumiya Mei and Captain of the baseball team Harada Masatoshi have expressed great desire for us to send you this scholarship to our school. You are quite the topic around our baseball diamond. Our team was sadden by your injury. But after hearing you had gone to America to get a operation to get your injury fixed our boys became more excited for your return. Even if you do not accept this scholarship Inashiro will still pay for your medical expense since it was Inashior's fault for the accident. We have also been informed you have a twin brother you are very close to who is also going to Seido, I think he was the pitcher that struck out our ace Mei out with three consecutive inside pitches...Sawamura Eijun if I remember correctly. If you are afraid of leaving your brother behind we will be honored and willing to extend him a scholarship to Inashiro also. Our school is made for the best. You are one of the best, and can be trained to become even better. If you come to Inashiro you could become stronger than anyone at Seido.
Sincerely,
Masamoto Takashi
Principle of Inashiro
Hikaru griped the letter in her hands. Never in her life has she been so angered, shocked, and confused. Inashiro just offered her a full ride, and her brother. She knew that Inashiro could cure her brother of Yips....but she couldn't betray Seido. She had so many friends and memories there...that would be like walking out on your family...what was Hikaru to do....Hikaru took the letter folded it and tucked it in her night stand drawer. Hikaru looked up to see that Mr. Blackwell had left...and had went back down stairs.
"HIKARU SUPPER IS READY!"Mrs. Blackwell shouted
Hikaru grabbed her brace off the bed and slipped it on her shorts covered knee. Then she started to walk out of her room and down to eat.
'What do I say to them? Better yet what do I do?'Hikaru thought