Can't Fight Fate

"Isn't she just a beauty son?! Look at her, and she's all yours!"

"Yeah. I can see that. It's..different."

Standing in the middle of the driveway was a old worn out car. It was definitely dated, the paint was peeling off and it looked like it had seen some miles. Hiroshi was grateful for his first car, even if the thing looked like a death trap on wheels. At the least if nothing else it ran okay.

"Now, while people may say why not get a 'newer' car, why bother with that when you can get something cheaper and just as reliable?" Hiroshi's father went on.

I don't know about that part.

"-And its definitely a chick magnet."

Probably more like a repellent.

"-But I'm sure it'll work out." Greg said, clapping his adopted son on the shoulder before heading outside. The moment they closed the door to go inside, the rims of the car fell off.

* *

"Dude, come on, you're not going?"

"Really not interested."

Hiroshi didn't see the big deal about parties, then again he didn't like people like that for the most part. Didn't mean he didn't know how to interact and mingle when he wanted or needed to, it simply just wasn't his scene. His friend, Takeru on the other hand was the opposite. Which was fine, Hiroshi just wasn't the type to really follow any particular crowd.

"We'll, that sucks. Your loss man." They shrugged. "Going to hang out with your little girlfriend?"

"She's not my girlfriend. And I don't know." Hiroshi opened up the locker getting a few things out. "I got things to do anyway."

Takeru nodded a bit. "Sure the H man will have plenty of stuff to keep them busy. I don't understand ya half the time, but you're..just you. But that's what I like about you."

"Thanks." The other young man said closing his locker.

Takeru seemed thoughtful for a moment, then:

"I heard the new History sub has a nick rack. You see yet?"

Hiroshi face palmed.

* *

"Johnson! You little piece of shit!"

Hiroshi didn't even pay the voices any mind, his book back being carried as he looked almost bored. There was about several guys, seniors from the looks of it, they seemed to have come from a foot ball game.

They sighed a bit once the crowd formed. "Seriously? Don't you guys have something better to do?"

"Don't give me that crap!" The leader snarled. "Because of you, we lost a valuable player."

"They brought it upon themselves constantly trying to bully people. But you're a few fries short of a happy meal yourself pal." Hiroshi shrugged. "Just leave me alone and others alone and I don't care what you do with yourself."

"Is there a problem?" A older male teacher came within view.

"Nah. I was just leaving for the day. Have a good one."

As Hiroshi walked away, the others fumed. They would have to get back at them somehow later.

* *

Hiroshi was doing his usual thing of wandering Tokyo. Did he have a particular destination in mind? Not really. He just wanted to get out the house and travel a bit, even if it meant going a bit aimlessly. It helped him think and kept him busy so he did it often.

As he was traveling, he heard the sound of voices. This wasn't out the ordinary but the few sentences he did catch caught his attention, and trusting his gut which served him well in the past(we'll, not always) he followed it. It lead him to a park, there weren't much of any people there. However, on a bench he noticed a crowd and the same sentences that brought him here in the first place coming all the more clear.

"Aww, is she going to cry again? I bet she is."

"Not as tough without your big brother huh?"

Hiroshi frowned. He hated bullies. It was that reason he got into so much trouble in school because of his fights, and had unfortunately gotten a bit of a 'delinquent' reputation even if it was hardly fair.

He came closer, seeing the crowd and what seemed to be a young girl that couldn't be older then twelve from the looks of it. Her clothes were odd, if Hiroshi didn't know any better he would think she was a cosplayer or something. Then again, you never really knew with all the craziness that went on.

"Man, picking on a little kid. You guys are real badasses."

This interruption from Hiroshi caused some of the others to turn their way. "This ain't any of your business."

"It became my business when you guys were broadcasting it in public, and picking a little kid." Hiroshi came closer, hands shoved into his pockets. Though on the surface he seemed bored, even calm he was a bit angry. "Look. I don't want to have mess up your face more then it already is, so just leave the kid alone."

A few of the people focused more on Hiroshi after that, while one of them went right to Hiroshi's face. "You don't want to fight pretty boy. Trust me."

"Pretty boy, that's original. I don't want to fight, but I will if you push me." Hiroshi said calmly.

"Leave it, Daisuke." Another one of the leaders lackeys, which Hiroshi guessed took it up the ass nightly. "Don't waste any time with them. We have better things to do anyway."

'Daisuke' seemed to think then nodded. "I'm not going to waste my time. Consider yourself lucky."

Hiroshi ignored them as he and his gang walked away, seeing the girl rubbing her eyes from her tears. There was a strange animal that was trying to comfort her, which didn't notice Hiroshi sit on the other side of the bench.

"Hey, you okay?"

"I-I'm fine." The girl said, wiping her eyes. "Thank you.."

Hiroshi grinned. "Hey no problem. I wasn't just going to sit and let them do what they wanted. Who were those guys? And where are your parents? You seem kind of young to be by yourself.."

The girl shifted a bit, she had calmed down but was still a bit withdrawn. "..That was Daisuke and his gang. They don't like my brother much, I'm sorry I'm not suppose to tell everthing to um..people I don't know. I don't have any parents, its just me and my brother. He's by here. I have Shara to protect me." She had referred to the small, strange animal of hers.

"Oh." Hiroshi said. "We'll, I guess I could stay here until he comes back." Personally, he didn't think it was a good idea to do that. Besides, Shara seemed so small, it didn't look like she could defend herself let alone anyone else. But looks could be deceiving. "Name's Hiroshi by the way."

"My name is um..Eiko. It's nice to meet you.." The strange creature looked at Hiroshi almost as if examining him, he found it a bit odd.

"Eiko, who's your friend?" A young man stepped onto the scene, Hiroshi noticed the usual looks and he was beginning to think this just wasn't a cosplayer get up. But again who knew in Japan.

"Hiroshi, he kept me company while you were gone. Daisuke came again..."

The young man had a flash of anger. "..It's not his territory, we have the right to be here too and so does anyone else."

What the hell are they talking about? Hiroshi was confused, but he figured there was a long story that was one of his business. Never the less, the older brother came forward and extended a hand.

"Thank you for that. My name is Dachi."

Hiroshi looked at it, then shook his hand. "Hey, no problem. I couldn't just leave her alone. Anyway, you obviously have it covered so I'll leave you guys be. Take care."

"Bye Hiroshi!" Eiko waved to them.

"Later kiddo." They gave a half wave in response, then went on their way.

I'm not sure what the hell happened..but I get the feeling I'll see them again..

Hiroshi decided to pay his friend Fumitsuki a visit, if she was even home. Once he got to their house, he knocked on the door and waited.

It was Fumitauki's younger brother, Takumi who answers the door "Oh, you." he says. He never really liked Hiroshi for some reason and he never made any attempts to hide that face "If you're looking for Fumitsuki, she's not here." he says in a short tone. Infact he was thrilled with his sister either. He was always jealous of Fumitsuki, because She was special, She has a tail and She was chosen to be the new Nixa. Something he always resented in her "She's out with some friends from school. I don't know where." he states, not acting like he cared. Even though he was jealous of her power, he still loved her, even though he often tried to hide it.

Hiroshi didn't care for Takumi either, but then again it had do with how he treated him in the first place. He wasn't the type to like taking crap from other people though he did try to be civil for the rest of the families sake with mixed success.

"Thanks for the heads up. See you later." Takumi didn't want him there, and he didn't want to be around Takumi so the feeling was mutual. Hiroshi guessed he'd find some other things to do, not really feeling like going back home.

He did think back to those two people he met, it made him curious about them and what had Dachi meant by territory anyway? Maybe he'd find out one day, if he met them again that is. Which he had a strong feeling he was going too, it was just a gut feeling and he could easily be wrong. He had been before.

Fumitsuki was easy to find, she was at the local burger place with two of her school friends. They were talking about guys, some they wanted to be with, others they wanted to smack. Mostly the guys who made fun of Fumitsuki's tail. Her friends didn't mind, but there were others who made fun of her, which hurt her feeling pretty badly. She even thought about asking her parents to remove it. But they always talked her out of it, saying that was part of who she was and most of the times, that was good enough for her.

It took a bit, but Hiroshi did finally find Fumitsuki who was hanging around her other friends. He was happy to see her, though he wished some of the assholes left her alone about her tail.

"Hey. Small world after all huh?" He greeted as he came over.

Fumitsuki looks over to Hiroshi "Oh, hi Hiroshi." she says "What brings you out here?" she asks. Some of her friends thought he was 'to die for!', but she never seen him as more then just a close friend. She knew it was partly because he was different that he didn't make fun of her tail and mainly because he wasn't that kind of person.

Hiroshi found himself a seat, making himself comfortable. "Not much, just wanted to see where you were up to. I was just wandering before, nothing too exciting." He more saw Fumitsuki as a friend too, though if it would always stay that way he didn't know. Who knows. If it happened, it happened but it would be boring if you knew the future, right?

Since Fumitsuki saw Hiroshi as a brother figure, more then anything else, the chances of her falling for him were very slim. She nods "Yeah, it's kinda slow here too. But hey, that's not all bad news, right?" she laughs, referring to the fact that it being slow ment that they wouldn't need to 'Hero Up' and fight baddies.

Hiroshi wasn't worried about it, if something was meant to happen, it would happen. And if it didn't, it wouldn't. He wasn't a believer in 'fate' or whatever, but he did think everything happened for a reason. Besides, even if he did, once a girl saw you as a brother you were pretty much dead to them romantic wise in most cases.

 "I guess not." Hiroshi said with a simple shrug. "I kind of like the slower pace, leaves time for other things." 

Fumitsuki nods "Yup. We were also talking about the class trip to the country side." she says "I would So love to go, but my job here keeps me from going." she says with a frown. As far as her friends and most everyone else knows, Fumitsuki works at an office building as a cleaning lady, that way it doesn't seem odd that she's always out late at night.

Hiroshi understood that much, but his job was more of 'odd' jobs. If you needed something fix or tinker with he could give it a try but nothing solid as in consistent hours or anything. "Yeah, I hear ya. I like Tokyo well enough but I do want to travel outside of it at least once."

Fumitsuki nods [color-cyan]"Yeah, yeah. I know what you mean."[/color] she says "Being cooped up here for so long and one starts to go crazy." she points out "Maybe I Will go for that school trip." she says, thinking "Sometime away might do me some good." she was nodding.

Hiroshi had to more or less agree to that. "Yeah. We're going have to Both get out together one of these days. Not sure where, but I'm open for about anything."

Fumitsuki jumps up "Hey, why don't we go out tonight?" she asks "We can use your new car to get to a camp site that's away from the city." she says, really excited about the trip that she already made up in her mind.

Hiroshi knew what his old man be thinking if he told him, so he might keep it somewhat vague on purpose. Or not. The worse that would happen is that he would embarrass him like which seemed to happen every other time.

"Sure. No home work or anything else to worry about and it could be fun." His car wasn't exactly the best but it wasn't like Fumitsuki cared and it got the job done he guessed. If the thing didn't fall apart or anything on him he would be fine.

Fumitsuki jumps up "Okay girls, I'll see ya all later!" she says as she looks to Hiroshi "I'll see ya later this evening to being our adventure." she says as she starts out home, to pack a few things for the trip.

Hiroshi watched her leave then headed back home, he had things to take care of as well.
* *

A few hours later, Hiroshi showed up to his friends house with his car, parking it. Then he went to the door and knocked and waited for a answer.

The door opens and once again, it was Takumi. It was like that little troll just Waits by the door for Hiroshi to show up "You again." he mumbles "I suppose you're here for my sister?" he asks "Well, she's upstairs in her room packing." he says, moving out of the way.

Fumitsuki was, indeed, upstairs. She was, for the most part, packed for a nice camping trip. Her parents trusted Hiroshi and had no problems with them going on a camping trip together. Fumitsuki looks over "Oh, Hi there, Hiroshi!" she says, smiling "I'm almost ready to go. Just a few more things and I'll be ready to go." she says.

Hiroshi like usual, ignored Takumi for the most part as he went to Fumitsuki's room. "Hey." He greeted his friend. "Take your time there's no rush."

Fumitsuki nods "Of course there is. My brother's driving me crazy. Asking me all kinds of strange questions about our camping trip." she says as she finishes stuffing afew more things into a suitcase "There! I'm finished!" she claims, triumphantly, looking at Hiroshi "Now we can go." she says with a smile.

Hiroshi chuckled. "Not surprised at all. Anyway let's go ahead and get a move on." He left down the stairs and once again ignored Fumi's brother like he usually did. The two didn't like each other, it was more because of Takumi's attitude in general to him.

He helped her get her things inside the car, then when they were both inside started it up. "So what all did you bring anyway?"

Fumitsuki shrugs "Afew things here and there. Mostly a change of clothes incase I need it." she says as she tosses her suitcase in Hiroshi's car "I also brought afew swimsuits, because I Know we're going swimming, right?" she asks.

"Yeah, there's a lake where we're going to camp so I brought some swimming stuff myself. Took me a minute to think but found the Perfect spot." Hiroshi waited for her to get settled and buckled up before driving off, thankful there wasn't much of any traffic for the trip.

When they got there, they'd find themselves farther away from the noisy city where it was more quite in the few forest areas around. There was a small lake nearby, but it was big enough for decent swimming in. Hiroshi stopped the car and got out, getting his things or helping Fumitsuki with them as needed.

Fumitsuki jumps out and makes a bee-line towards the lake "Yeaaa! Lets go swimming!" she exclaims, but then screeches on the breaks! She looks around and notices there's no place to change into a swimsuit. For That matter, she Just realizes that she didn't pack a tent either.

"Hang on a second." Hiroshi got the rest of the things from the car's trucks, a tent which he set up before too long. "If you want you can change in the tent..did you bring one?"

He didn't think she did come to think of it.