Domon peeked through the glass window in the schoolroom's door. There she was... the love of his life! and sometime rival, Fuuko. He exhaled impatiently. Curse this after-school tutoring... it made things so much more difficult in order to just "happen" to walk by and go home with her.

"Ishijima?" inquired a voice. An adult voice.

He gulped as he turned around. Drat. He was going to be punished for loitering around school after-hours... he hoped he wouldn't get detention. His mother would kill him... Fuuko might, too.

"Yes ma'am?" he asked humbly. Those who knew him as "Domon the Oni" or "Da Strongest" wouldn't have recognized this meek person, submitting quietly to the authority-figure before him.

He wondered vaguely why this teacher knew him by name. He had never seen her before.

"I am Kage Houshi," said the woman. She inclined her head towards the trio inside the classroom, who were oblivious to fact they were under discussion. "I notice you're a very strong young man." Domon beamed.

"I also notice you've been watching Kirisawa Fuuko," Kage Houshi added.

Domon's eyes widened in horror. Was this woman implying that she thought he was going to stalk Fuuko and hurt her? Never! He opened his mouth in protest. "Fuuko-chan isn't just any girl. On a good day, she can---" he began, but clamped his mouth shut as Kage Houshi continued, ignoring his comments on Fuuko's character.

"Kirisawa is in danger. A young man by name of Kurei is often seen hanging around Kirisawa's tutor." Kage Houshi's eyes were stern and cold. "This Kurei is a very dangerous man, who would do serious harm to Kirisawa if given half the chance. He is currently plotting to attack her soon."

Domon clenched his fists in rage, completely forgetting what he had said earlier about Fuuko's capable character. "Just point him out," he snarled. "No one will get away with that!"

Kage Houshi smiled to herself and reached into a pocket. She withdrew a small ring. "This is the Saturn's Ring," she said. "If you wear it, your strength will be greatly increased. I want you to go out and practice with it. In the near future, it will be of necessity to protect your friends."

Domon grabbed the ring and nodded. "Hai!" he said, a determined look set on his face. "When that Kurei dares show up around here, I'll show him a thing or two!" He raced off to the schoolyard, hoping there would be someone with whom he could pick a fight.

"Fuuko," said a voice. The girl turned around to see a woman dressed in black.

"Yeah?" inquired Fuuko.

"My name is Kage Houshi, and I have some distressing news to tell you," the stranger said. "That girl in your tutoring session, Yanagi, is in danger."

Fuuko's eye twitched. Who would dare hurt someone as harmless as Yanagi? They weren't particularly good friends-- they hadn't even met before Kurenai had tutored them. But it was the thought that counted.

"The man who has targeted her is named Kurei," Kage Houshi continued calmly. "He is a man of interesting powers and capabilities."

"It doesn't matter," said Fuuko flatly. "I'll flatten him into the ground."

Kage Houshi laughed. "You don't understand at all. He has powers beyond your comprehension. He is a Flame Master, and as such, it would be foolish to go up against him with nothing but those little needles you seem to favor."

Fuuko looked a bit concerned. How did this woman know her weapon of choice? It seemed she had been doing her homework...

"This is the Fuujin," said Kage Houshi, withdrawing it from her pocket. "I'll lend it to you, for the purpose of defending your classmate."

"What an ugly thing," laughed Fuuko. "I wouldn't be caught dead wearing it."

"Don't laugh until you see what it's capable of," warned Kage Houshi, with a smile. She put it on, and with one easy motion, had lopped a nearby tree in half with a sharp blade of wind.

Fuuko's eyes widened. "It looks interesting," she murmured. "Show me how it's used..."

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