I don’t want to fight! Keitaro’s second thoughts

Keitaro seemed puzzled as he stared at his hands. Had he just shot a stream of water from his hands? Keitaro looked up to see Mizu was staring down at him with wide eyes.

“Did I just do that?” he repeated as Mizu put her hands back down. The older girl nodded, and by now Nariko was beside Keitaro’s older sister. Keitaro looked up at Nariko.

“And you just made lightening come out of your hands,” he stated. Mizu sighed as she picked up Keitaro.

“Come on, Keitaro,” she told him. “We really should get home. Mom’ll get mad at us if we’re out much later.” Keitaro yawned as he took a hold of Mizu’s neck, evidently forgetting their experience just a few seconds ago.

***

Mizu sat on the floor of her living room playing some kind of Mario on her N64 when Keitaro finally left the bathroom.

“Mizu?” he asked, sitting beside her. Mizu paused the game and turned to her younger brother.

“Yeah?” she asked, putting the controller down. Keitaro casually picked up the controller, then un-paused the game.

“Can you tell me just what happened tonight?” he asked as he made Mario jump into a body of water and start swimming. Mizu shook her head as she grabbed the game controller back.

“Not really,” she answered. “I think Tenshi might be better at that.” Keitaro frowned as he watched Mizu playing the game.

“Who’s Tenshi?” he asked. Mizu didn’t turn her eyes from the screen.

“Tenshi Shinzuino,” she answered. “She’s had her powers a lot longer than I have. I can probably bring you to meet her tomorrow.” Keitaro put his hand to his mouth and yawned.

“I think I’ll go to bed,” he began. Mizu rolled her eyes.

“Keitaro, it’s 8 o’clock pm on a Friday night,” she told him, but Keitaro didn’t pay attention.

***

Tenshi sat on the couch of her living room as she drank a cup of tea. A storm was raging outside, and the rain was hitting the windowpane in back of Tenshi.

“But how could there be another Kami of water?” she asked herself as she set her tea on the coffee table in front of her. “It just doesn’t make sense.” Tenshi sat still as she tried to come up with reasons that there was another water Kami, when she remembered something she was told when she first got her powers.

“For every good Element Kami, there’s also a dark counter part,” she said to herself. “Each is supposed to be evil, however there was one that was purified before he was killed during the war, although we don’t know which one that is.” Tenshi sighed. “I’m not sure Keitaro would be that one, though. He’s just a little kid; he has plenty of time to become evil.”

***

Keitaro stood at the edge of the pool in his backyard dressed in swim trunks. His cat, Landlady of the Universe, sat beside him.

“Are you sure this is a good idea, Landlady of the Universe?” he asked. “I mean, it’s really cold! I could freeze into an ice cube like when cartoons fall through the ice on lakes in the winter!” Landlady of the Universe simply trotted off and back into the house. Keitaro sighed, and was about to jump in, when someone grabbed his arm.

“You don’t think you’re going to jump in there, are you?” Mizu asked. She was still dressed in her pajamas, a pink long-sleeved shirt with white lace around the neck and soft pink pajama pants. Keitaro sighed. “Go back in and get dressed. I’ll bring you over to meet Tenshi and the others.” Keitaro nodded as he turned around and headed towards the door.

***

“Mizu, who are the other Element Kamis, anyway?” Keitaro asked as he and Mizu headed towards Tenshi’s mansion. Mizu thought for a minute.

“Well, besides Tenshi,” she began. “There’s Nariko Hikarino, and Chiyu Kaze.” Keitaro stopped walking.

“Did you just say Chiyu Kaze?” he asked, and Mizu nodded.

“Don’t get any ideas, you little maggot,” she added. Keitaro frowned, but listened anyway, or as far as Mizu knows he did.

***

“This is him?” Nariko asked, staring at Keitaro. Keitaro stuck out his tongue.

“You’re the mean girl in the mall that tried to make Chiyu shop with you!” Keitaro accused, and Nariko hmphed as she leaned back, her arms folded.

“Speaking of Chiyu, where is he, anyway?” Tenshi asked Mizu. Mizu folded her arms.

“Why are you asking me?” she answered. “Why would I know where he is? Why don’t you ask Miss Stuck-Up over there?” Mizu pointed her finger over to Nariko, and the blond stuck out her tongue.

“Well, at least I care about him,” she countered. “You wouldn’t care if he was pushed off a cliff.”

“Just like you wouldn’t care if I were pushed off a cliff?” Mizu shot back. Mizu and Nariko both glared daggers at each other when Keitaro finally piped up.

“Will you two please be quiet?!” he demanded. Mizu looked over at Keitaro surprised. She finally sighed and nodded.

“You’re right; this is stupid,” she stated, and she sat back down next to her younger brother. Nariko, however, didn’t seem to want to let it go, but whatever might’ve been said was interrupted by Tenshi. The Kami of Spirits took her attention over to Keitaro who was now fidgeting nervously.

“Are you sure he has the same powers as you, Mizu?” Tenshi asked, and Mizu nodded. “But he’s so young. He can’t be ten!” Mizu shrugged.

“He’s seven,” she stated. “But just because he’s young doesn’t mean he can’t be a Kami. Geeze, he’s already annoying enough without having powers.” Keitaro stuck his tongue out at his older sister.

“And proud of it!” he exclaimed. He then sneezed, causing a jet of water to come out from somewhere he couldn’t quite explain, and the carpet was soaked. Keitaro laughed nervously under the stare of the older girls. “Okay, so I don’t have a handle on it, but I just got `em yesterday; what do you expect? And besides, I want explanations!” Both Mizu and Nariko looked to Tenshi at this, and Tenshi blinked, then shook her head.

“Hey, don’t look at me; I can’t give you the whole story!” the multi-color-haired teen stated. “I did talk to the gods that had survived, though, and they told me the basic story.”

“And that is?” Mizu asked, getting impatient. Tenshi took a deep breath before she started.

“Well, according to them, our former selves were gods and goddesses, if you can believe it,” Tenshi began. “But there was some huge war among the ‘good’ and the ‘bad’, and somehow, our immortality powers were stolen, and BAM, we’re down like Wyle E. Coyote on the edge of a cliff. Well, they didn’t say that last part, I added it, but you get what I mean.” She then looked at her watch and seemed worried. “Chiyu should be here by now. Where is he?” Mizu scoffed.

“Knowing him?” she asked. “He’s probably still asleep.” Nariko glared over to the water kami.

“Don’t start with me,” she warned. “Water conducts electricity, after all. One lightning bolt and you’re down.” Mizu stuck her tongue out at the blond, but before anymore could be said, Keitaro tugged on Mizu’s sleeve.

“I’m hungry!” he complained, and Mizu blinked. Tenshi stood up.

“Well, come on, Keitaro; I have plenty of food in the kitchen,” she stated, and Keitaro followed her out of the room. Mizu and Nariko just sat, not saying anything. After a little while, Mizu looked over to Nariko.

“Just why do you hate me so much?” she asked. Well, this definitely caught Nariko off guard.

“What?” she asked.

“Why do you hate me so much?” Mizu repeated, and Nariko blinked. It took her a little while, but she finally came up with the answer.

“Do you really wanna know?” the blond asked, and Mizu nodded her head. “It’s because Chiyu likes you. He WANTS to spend time with you. He’d rather I’d jump off a cliff. Well, that’s not entirely true, but I guess you know what I mean.” Mizu rolled her eyes.

“I could care less about that idiot,” she replied. “If he really does like me, good for him, but the feeling is definitely NOT mutual.” Nariko blinked a few times, taking in what Mizu had just said. “By the way, DO you know where he is?” Nariko looked in deep thought, then smiled.

“I haven’t got the slightest clue!” she exclaimed, and Mizu fell out of her seat. Keitaro and Tenshi walked out of the kitchen, Keitaro with a box of some American-import cereal. It had english writing so none of them could really read it, but Keitaro wanted it anyway. He and Tenshi were having a very important conversation.

“So, you mean I’m a super hero?” he asked as he stuffed several small fruit-shaped things into his mouth (authors note: in case you didn’t get it, he’s eating Berry-Berry Kix, my favorite cereal). Tenshi sweat dropped, not able to really answer this question. Mizu rolled her eyes.

“You heard what Tenshi told us earlier,” she stated, and Keitaro nodded as he stuffed more cereal into his mouth.

“Yes, but I am at the stage where super heroes are cool,” Keitaro stated. “If what Tenshi says is true, then I used to be a god. But I’m not anymore; I just have the powers.” Mizu and Nariko looked at each other, and Mizu shrugged.

“I guess that’s true,” Nariko stated. “But, if you went around saying you were a super hero, I don’t think many people would believe you. This isn’t some animé or manga, where people with weird powers walk along the streets using them freely, after all.” Everyone stared at Nariko.

“And you read manga like that?” Mizu asked. Nariko shrugged.

“I read manga,” she stated. “Just not where people with weird powers walk along the streets using them freely… Okay, I really beat up that point, didn’t I?” Tenshi and Mizu nodded. Mizu then looked at her watch and stood up.

“Keitaro and I’d better go; Mom set up a lunch with some of her friends and their kids and we will NEVER see the end of it if we’re late,” she stated. She was about to pull Keitaro out when he looked down at his cereal box.

“Can I take this with me, Tenshi?” he asked, and Tenshi nodded.

***

Mizu walked along, looking for the restaurant they were supposed to eat at, while Keitaro reached down into his cereal box for any signs of cereal left. Mizu finally stopped in front of some American place labeled in english but then under it, it had the Japanese translation.

“Pizza hut?” she asked. “Sounds really… nice.” She and Keitaro walked through the door and looked around.

“There’s Mom!” Keitaro stated as he tossed down the empty cereal box. As they came closer, however, they recognized another person at the booth, squeezed between a vibrant red-head and a purple-head. Before Mizu or Keitaro could react, however, their mother saw them.

“There you two are!” she exclaimed, making room for them to sit down. “Where were you? Well, that’s not important. Anyway, these are the Kazes. Haruko and her husband Taji, and their daughters Satu and Megami, and their son Chiyu. And these are my kids, Mizu and Keitaro.” Mizu took her gaze off their dinner guests and to her mom.

“You’ve always wanted to say that, haven’t you?” she asked. “To introduce everyone like they don’t know each other?” Sakura blinked.

“You already know them?” she asked, and Mizu shook her head.

“No, just Chiyu,” she replied, and Chiyu took the rest.

“We’re in the same class at school,” he stated, and Keitaro decided to pipe up.

“And Chiyu really…” he started, but Mizu covered his mouth with her hands.

“Not now,” she told him while the younger boy struggled to get his older sisters hands off of his mouth. “Not ever!” Keitaro finally bit Mizu’s hand and she took it off his mouth. It was silent until Mizu looked up at the TV that was turned onto some soap opera or something. Whatever it was, it was interrupted by a special report.

“Several mysterious figures in cloaks have been terrorizing downtown Shinjuku,” a female reporter stated. “Residents are cautioned to stay inside until this can be taken care of.” With that, the show came back on. Mizu sweat dropped, but waited a teensy bit before she piped up.

“May I be excused?” she asked, but didn’t wait for an answer, but just stood up and took off.

“Ditto,” Chiyu stated as he squeezed by Megami and followed Mizu. Keitaro blinked.

“Hey, wait for me! I have powers, too!” he exclaimed and took off in a panicked run to catch up with them. Sakura looked at Haruko and Taji for an answer, but they both just shrugged

***

“Is it just me or are we ferociously out-numbered?” Mizu asked as she shot a jet of water at a Dark One, and it disappeared. Chiyu finally took off a small hurricane which had picked up about five Dark Ones and they fell to the ground, disappearing.

“I’d go for the second one,” he stated. “They just keep coming back for more. If we keep fighting like this, we’ll eventually wear ourselves out!” Meanwhile, Keitaro just stood by, watching with terror. Mizu glared at her little brother as she destroyed another Dark One.

“Uh, hello! Earth to Keitaro!” she exclaimed. “You have powers, too; help us!” Keitaro shook his head, the look of terror still on his face.

“I don’t wanna fight!” he exclaimed. Tears started forming in his eyes and rolled down his cheeks. A few hit the ground, and there was a huge explosion. What looked like a whirlpool formed and swept up all the Dark Ones. When it cleared, there wasn’t one to be found. Mizu and Chiyu blinked, then turned around and stared at Keitaro. Realizing just what happened, Keitaro grinned sheepishly.

“Um, pizza anyone?” he asked.

***

Mizu, Chiyu and Nariko sat in the audience of one of Tenshi’s concerts, waiting for it to start.

“And then, BAM, just like that a huge whirlpool forms and sweeps up the Dark Ones!” Mizu finished her recount of that afternoon to Nariko. Nariko blinked in confusion.

“Wow, I didn’t think Keitaro could be THAT powerful,” she stated. Chiyu looked around.

“Where is Keitaro, anyway?” he asked, and Mizu shrugged.

“I think he said something about seeing Tenshi about a box of cereal,” the water kami stated. “I swear, he is hooked on whatever that cereal is that he was eating!” Keitaro soon squeezed past his sister and sat in the empty seat next to Chiyu, a new box of cereal in his hands. Keitaro sighed as Tenshi finally started singing. His eyelids slowly began to droop and he began to fall over until he had his head laid comfortably in Chiyu’s lap. Chiyu looked ready to wake him up, but Mizu shook her head.

“No, it’s best to leave him,” she answered. “Besides, I’m sure you’ll attract a lot of girls like that.” Chiyu raised his eyebrows.

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” he asked. Mizu grinned but said nothing as she listened to Tenshi’s song.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

(I’ve decided to do a different ‘next time’ thing)

Mizu: Next time on Shinki no Kami. A really popular japanese acrobatic act is coming to Shinjuku. But Tenshi isn’t exactly keen on Kamlyn Yuki, the star performer. Could Kamlyn really be one of the bad guys? Tune in to the next part and you’ll find out!

(authors note: okay, two things. A) I like that preview better than the other one so that’s probably how I’ll do it from now on and b) the song Tenshi sung, titled ‘It Just Doesn’t Work that Way’ is of my own creation. It’s the first song I’ve ever written, so please give me feedback about it!)