AGE OF SHADOWS (war at dawn)

Shinra and Sora were now in a restaurant, Shinra was eating Miso paste with barbecue chicken, six empty bowls were on the side, Sora on the other hand was eating gyudon and maki rolls.

"This tastes like heaven, you need to give it a try Sora ", Shinra said after downing his bowl of pasta.

"There are not as good as gyudon ok?", Sora said.

" Jeez what are you saying, Miso paste is made only for the royal ones like me ", Shinra grin.

" Really? ", Sora then swallow the last of his maki rolls," hey, Shinra ".

*Umm* Shinra look at the brown haired boy, "what?".

"About that boar, why was it chasing you?", Sora questioned.

" Are you asking me that? ", Shinra frown at Sora," I was minding my business when it suddenly hopped out of a bush and started chasing me, it was insane ".

" Now I see, so you were the one who drove him insane ", Sora smile with his eyes closed.

" What!? I just told you that... ".

"I wasn't talking to you Shinra", Sora opened his eyes.

This made Shinra to frown," then who are you talking to? ".

A snake crawl out of Sora's shirt and rest on Sora's head, "I was talking to her", Sora said with a closed eye smile.

Shinra's eyes widen in horror upon seeing the snake," what the hell are you doing with a snake!!? ", Shinra fell off his seat, this raised commotion in the restaurant.

***

"Damn, my neck hurts, those old men sure are aggressive", Sora was rubbing his neck, Shinra was placing his hand on his cheek which had a palm print.

"It was all your fault, what were you thinking carrying a snake along with you?", Shinra ask.

" It's not just any snake, it's a Habu", Sora informed.

" I don't care! A snake is a snake, you can call it by whatever name you wish", Shinra point at Sora in an aggressive way.

"Stop yelling, it's childish".

"Being childish is way better than being weird".

" I'm not weird ok? ".

" Yes you are ".

" I'm not ".

" You are ".

" Why you!! ", Sora was now annoyed.

*Crash*

*Ugh* Sora and Shinra gasp, an elderly man was on the ground and a kōjin level ninja was standing there glaring at the man on the ground.

"Know your place you old geezer", the ninja spat out.

" I am really sorry sir", the old man apologized.

" What the? ", Shinra was staring in bewilderment.

"Grampa! Grampa!", a little boy rush up to the old man on the ground, "why are you so mean ", the little boy said to the ninja.

" What? You little squirrel, I will teach you not to talk to an adult like that ", he pulled the little boy off the ground by his shirt.

"Put... Me... Down, you junk", the little boy was kicking.

" Kei! ", the elderly man called out, he was still on the ground.

"Man, this is stressful", Hayate was a good distance away, he was leaning on a tree watching the whole scene, a blonde girl was sitting on the tree branch, "this won't work, it's only going to turn out like the others, beside, who would want to confront Ichigo ", Hayate was staring at all the ninja that was present there.

"You must not give up hope yet, Hayate, and if this doesn't work then there will be other methods", the blonde said.

*Huff* " even if it turns out well, I hate working with anyone, and not to talk about babysitting some punk", Hayate frown.

" Hey, what were you blabbing about? Brat", Ichigo was still holding the boy above the ground.

"Put me down... Put me down", the little boy begins to tremble in fear.

"What wrong? Don't tell me you are already scared", Ichigo glared at the boy, "don't worry, I won't be too hard on you", Ichigo grin, he was a bulky guy with red hair and bleach colored eyes.

"Hey, you old coop with the weird look".

*Ugh* both Hayate and the blonde look over to the person that speaks.

*Uhm* Ichigo look down and frown, "you brat, who do you think you are?", Ichigo seemed irritated as he glanced forward.

"It's Shinra Akatsuki, now show some recognition for Lord Shinra", Shinra was standing in the opening with a wide smile on his face, Sora was standing beside Shinra with a lazy and stupid look on.

"It seems like someone showed interest", the blonde rest her chin on her hand.

"Shi... Shi... Shinra! What do you think you are doing?", a genin whisper yelled from his spot.

"Do you know who you are dealing with?He's a kōjin can't you sense it", another genin piped in.

" I don't care who or what rank he is, I'm not going to sit back and watch him treat this boy and his grandpa like they are trash! You all can be a frightened rats cuz of his status as a kōjin, I have lost all that respect the moment he lay your hands on these citizens ", Shinra was now annoyed.

" You idiot! You are only... ", one of the genin started but was cut off.

"Be quiet!", Ichigo bark at the genin, "hey, brat", he turn to face Shinra and Sora, "are you trying to mess with me?".

"No... Not at all", Sora said.

*Huh* " Sora ", Shinra whispered.

Sora raised his hand and point at Ichigo, "you are a coward, an excuse for a kōjin, you are nothing but a scumbag, what kind of ninja will bully the one they are meant to protect?".

*Tch* Ichigo was pissed," you brats better get out of my sight before I pulverize you!".

" We are not going anywhere until you put the boy down and apologize for your act", Shinra ball his fist.

" What!? Apologize?", Ichigo was puzzled by the teens.

" You heard him right big guy ", Sora was as calm as a cucumber.

"That kid, he seems really calm", Hayate was staring at Sora, he then shifted his gaze to Shinra, "the other one is a hothead" *hmm*

"Yeah, and I like him already, he reminds me a lot about you as a teen", the blonde smile.

" Seriously? Hikari? ", Hayate look up at her.

*Hmmm* " no, you will have to make me do that ", Ichigo said quietly.

" I see, if that's how it is, kōjin or not, I am not going to sit back and lay low!", Shinra charge after Ichigo.

" Shinra! Wait ", Sora called out but it was too late, Shinra threw a powerful midair kick, Ichigo crouch evading Shinra's attack.

"Not yet!", Shinra place his hands on the ground and attack Ichigo with a spin kick which Ichigo easily evade *ah!!* Shinra was knocked over to where Sora was standing.

"Stay back let me take care of things here", Sora said to Shinra.

*Tch* " that bastard ", Shinra got off the ground and brushed his thumb on his nose," you idiot ".

"Don't tell me you are scared already, I thought you want to save this brat", Ichigo tighten his grip on Kei.

*Ah!* " Put me down... You are crushing me", Kei forced out.

" Kei! ", his grandpa was shaky.

"Why you?", Shinra grit his teeth.

"This is getting out of hand, just put the boy down", Sora said.

" Are you saying something? I was not listening... So please say it again ", Ichigo was being sarcastic, Shinra rush off again and started throwing punches at Ichigo.

"(He just keep rushing in, I bet he even has a plan)" *Huff* Sora sigh.

*Ha ha ha ha ha* " is this the best you got? ", Ichigo continue dodging the attacks.

*Arrr* Shinra was getting frustrated, "(dammit, he's dodging my attacks like it's nothing, and the fact that he's a kōjin and way stronger than even captain Kai is off the hook)" *tch* Shinra threw a kick yet his leg went through thin air *huh* " where did he go? ", Shinra was stunned.

" Hey! Shinra! He's right behind you ", Sora alerted him.

*Ugh* Shinra gasp.

*Ha ha* "to late", Ichigo hit Shinra from behind launching him into the air.

*Ah!!!* Shinra soar through the air and landed in a drum, "hey let me out! Sora! Sora!", Shinra was wiggling his legs in the air trying to get out of the drum.

"That kid is nothing like me, Hikari", Hayate frown at the sight of Shinra.

"(Man you are something else)", Sora thought as he watch Shinra struggling to get out of the drum.

"What's up brat? What are you waiting for?", Ichigo ask with a smile.

*Hmm* "(all I need to do is to get the kid from him, but why, this is the first time I have seen a kōjin acting this way)" *huff* "(there will be time for that later, right now the safety of the kid is my top priority)", Sora prepare himself to attack.

There was now a crowd watching them, Sora dash after Ichigo and threw a powerful punch, Ichigo sidestep as Sora's fist went by, Sora made a spin replacing his attack with a kick.

*Hehe* "too slow", Ichigo dodge the kick, Sora strike with the second leg but Ichigo caught it with his free hand.

"(Just as I expected)" *Hm* Sora smirk, the snake crawl out of Sora and went for Ichigo's neck, taking his chance Sora launched a kunai at Ichigo's left hand that was holding Kei.

*Ugh* everyone gasp at the sight.

*Hmm* "(he pretty smart)", Hayate thought.

"(Damn, launching a snake and a kunai at once, to stop his attacks I have to release them, that's what is plan is, this kid is a jōnin level ninja... But he thinks like a kōjin, right)", Ichigo smirk," such low prank don't work on me ", Ichigo disappeared before the snake or kunai could get to him, he then appeared a few yards away, "nice try, but not nice enough".

"Really".

*Huh* Ichigo gasp upon hearing Shinra's voice," what? ", in the place of Kei was now a scarecrow," a replacement technique ".

Shinra was now standing in front of the elderly man and Kei, a chain was wrapped around Shinra's right fist.

"What just happened?", Hikari ask in disbelief.

" What happened is that this two are masters of deception, before the boy attack Ichigo, he noticed that the other one was already breaking the drum open with a kunai, his main purpose was to distract Ichigo until his friend get out of the drum and act, and when he got out, he went for the kid knowing Ichigo was planning on how to counter the snake and kunai ", Hayate explained.

" But, I still didn't see him move so how was he able to replace the kid with a scarecrow and get out of there without being detected? ", Hikari questioned.

" Those who can't wield their reiketsu to perform techniques remain as a genin, so they focus the use of reiketsu on their speed, agility and stamina, if not for my eyes, I would have been fooled as well, just like Ichigo and the rest of you ", Hayate said," (this boy is good, is speed is far more than the speed of a normal genin)".

*Wow* " that brat sure is amazing", Hikari smile.

" At least he used his brain ", Sora whispered to himself.

" (To think that I was fooled by a genin, that's such a disgrace)", Ichigo smile.

" Hey! Old man, little boy, get to safety, because Shinra Akatsuki is about to go wild", Shinra said with a smile and they obeyed, " ok Sora ", Shinra unwrapped the chain and started spinning it around skillfully with both hands," time to create a reputation for ourselves, it's going to be the first step of becoming a ace ninja, we are going to kick the ass of a kōjin right here right now ", Shinra said with excitement and determination.

*Ugh* everyone was shocked.

"Man, how did I even get to know you?", Sora questioned.