Chapter 1: Kuro's amazing strength.

Kuro awoke to the sound of uncoherant chattering. He layed for a second, his eyes closed trying to allow his body to wake up as well. After a moment he decided that he was awake enough. He opened up his eyes and looked around. There beside his futon stood his bright blond haired brother, Shinjay. He shook his head and thought about his own appearance.

Kuro was average height for his age, which was seven years old, and had a child's build, not to built up with muscle but not scrawny. He had long chestnut brown that fell lankily around his face, he usually kept it brushed back and the back pulled into a tight pony tail. His golden brown eyes shown with the intelligence that he held.

He looked up at his younger brother and inwardly chuckled. While he, Kuro, looked like any normal elvian villager his brother looked the oppisite. He had lightning yellow hair and electric blue eyes. He was short for his age and his build was light as though he were made to dodge and skoot around people.

Kuro stood up and told Shinjay to go away, he needed to get dressed. Shinjay complied almost instantly. Kage slipped into his black ge that he always wore. He pulled his hair back and took his normal black piece of cloth and wrapped it around the hair pulled back at the back of his head. He walked out of his and Shinjay's room into the room where they ate.

His mother walked in carrying a plate of fire cooked fish. She sighed, "I hope you boys enjoy this, It took me a while to cook." Mika was just as beautiful as she had ever been. Her pale face had a few wrinkles and she looked a little more tired but seemed happier than she'd ever been. She smiled adoringly at her children.

Kuro looked at the fish and his face fell, "Fish? Aw man! Why do we always have fish? Can't we have real meat, like pork and ham and stuff?"

Mika let out another sigh and placed the plate between her sons who ate it, even with the arguement. "Kuro, you know that we can't afford to buy pork and ham and the cost for a pig is amazingly high." Besides the fact that she hadn't touched pork ever since she ahd become pregnant with Kuro.

Kuro sighed and ate his fish, "Alright mom." He looked through the square whole in the wall that worked as the window. He looked out of it and almost fell out of his chair. "Oh no! Gotta go mom. Yoshi-sensei wanted us to get there early today. Love ya." He gets up and runs out of the door.

Shinjay looked at his mother and gave her a sad look, "I wanna train too!" his voice was full of the need he had. Mika sighed, her second son could never train because of his lineage, he was after all a lightning demon. She had found out as soon as she had brought him home from the woods.

Mika smiled at the child, "Yoshi-sensei only takes one student from each family." she lied to her child.

Kuro reached the clearing where all of the other people stood. He ran up, "Sorry I'm late Yoshi-sensei."

A taller black haired boy with muscles and a fine ge said loudly, "It's okay we don't expect much from the bastard child."

Yoshi-sensei, who was a well built man who looked to be slightly past his prime, glared at the boy, "Shiro-kun that's enough."

Shiro looked at Yoshi-sensei innocently, "I'm sorry."

Kuro walked up to the circle, slightly peeved now, and looked up to Yoshi-sensei and said in an abashed voice, "I forgot and I apologize."

Yoshi-sensei smiled at him, "It's alright Kuro. Now today we will be sparring." He said addressing them all, "But not like we normally do though, it will be in tournament format. The first match will be...hmmmm...Kuro-kun vs. Shiro-kun."

Kuro's head dropped as he entered the circle reserved for sparring. He picked up one of the many dull practice swords made of wood. Kuro sighed, he was in no way a bad fighter but everyone knew that Shiro was the best in the group. He raised his weapon and face Shiro who did the same.

Yoshi-sensei looked back and forth fromt he two, "Are you two ready?" They both nodded at him. "Usual rules, first to strike three times wins. Ready...Fight!"

Shiro seemed to fly at Kuro, his blade thrusting foward, and Kuro barely had time to step to the left. Shiro stopped on the area Kuro had been only a split second before. He swung his sword to his right, but Kuro had his sword ready to block.

Shiro grinned, "Guess the little bastard is a little better than I thought."

Kuro's body tightened, " What did you say?!"

Shiro swung his sword toward's Kuro's leg which he had left exposed. Kuro was to impeded by his anger to block and was struck in the leg. Yoshi-sensei pointed to Shiro, "One hit Shiro-kun."

Kuro jumped back and re-formed to his stance. Shiro followed suit. Kuro jumped at Shiro, just as Shiro did a few moments ago, except Kuro's sword was aimed behind himself instead of thrusting. Shiro smirked as he swung his own sword towards the undefending Kuro, but Kuro changed direction right before he could be hit and swung at Shiro's unprotected back.

"One hit Kuro-kun!" Yoshi-sensei yelled."

Kuro back up again and this time they started circling each other. The both charged and hit each other in the leg. "Tie hit. Tie score! First strike wins!" Yoshi-sensei seemed excited.

Shiro seemed stressed. He had never beent this close to losing and winning at the same time. One slip could leave to his defeat. He had to distract Kuro. "Hey Kuro! At least you have some strength. Unlike your father who deserted us! You can never be a warrior, it's in your genes to run away."

Kuro's muscles tightened again but he felt stronger. He launched at Shiro, faster than ever before and Shiro looked shocked. He pulled up his sword to block but Kuro's strike hit Shiro's sword and it broke it in two. The attack didn't stop and it hit his entire body. Suddenly a shallow cut opened up on Shiro's shirt and body.

Yoshi-sensei looked at Kuro with amazement. He gulped and said in an amazed voice, "I...I think that's enough for today."

Kuro nodded an placed his sword witht the others in the pile. His smile was huge and he walked towards his house before anyone could say anything.

Later that day Yoshi stood before the elders. He had told them of Kuro's attack this day. The elders were discussing what to do with him.

"We can't let him live, at least not here." "He's part of this villlage, we must let him live here." "We can't!." "How about this, if anything ever happens to his mother we kick him out, no matter what." "Agreed. That is what we shall do."

Yoshi looked on in confusion.