Story #1: Another Morning in Kaimon!

It begins another usual morning in Japan. As the streets of Tokyo is blustering with life of the mundane, life is as normal as it can be.

Then there's the very unusual town of Kaimon...Actual location, sort of a question not many in Japan is willing to answer. Some say a tad bit close at the left of Tokyo or was it Osaka?

Wait, Kyoto maybe? ...Let's just move on.

Founded by a pirate of the Tokugawa shogunate, the town only got weirder from then on throughout its history. For most of the country, the less said about Kaimon, the better.

But of course, we're treated to a usual morning in such a place. Specifically, in the eastern side of town known as East Kaimon...

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The Onimada carpentry and family medical clinic, an old small three story building between various small businesses and shops. Home to the Onimada family, a well known family of carpenters with an infamous reputation.

Yeah, they’re still trying to fix that last part. If it was only easy...

"Uggghhhh…." A young man with short spiked hair with brown eyes groans as he pulls himself up from his pillow, revealing a scar that goes across the bridge of his nose. Maxtaro Onimada, youngest of the Onimada family. High school student, ex-delinquent, a real smartass at times. He turned to see his alarm clock blaring at early morning, narrowing his eyes with irritation as the alarm continued to blare on. With a fist, he slammed it at the snooze button and retreated back to his futon bed. "Ten minutes...Just ten extra minutes…" He muttered to himself as he closed his eyes. Maybe his next dream would be on a trip to a sunny beach. Yeah, those ten minutes will be worth it...

Only for him to be jarred awake as his bedroom door is suddenly kicked off its hinges, a larger figure having just kicked it down!

"Rise and shine, Maxtaro!" Kenshin Onimada shouts with a grin entering the room as an annoyed Maxtaro only gave a glare in return. Kenshin Onimada, Maxtaro’s older brother. Full time carpenter, high school graduate, retired delinquent leader, all stupidly strong!

"...You do know that's the fifth door you kicked down this week?" Maxtaro said bluntly as he forced himself to rise to his feet from his bed. He looked at the sorry state of his bedroom door, scratching the back of his head. "Damn, you know Dad's gonna kill you for this...Again.”

"Oh come on, little brother." Kenshin said with that smile still on his face, his eyes beaming with enthusiasm. "You know I can't help it when we got a new job to do!"

"Right right, you and Dad found a new building to fix up." Maxtaro replies as he stretched his limbs, yawning before his face turned to a scowl. "But still, don't kick down the freaking door! Now get out so I can change for school!" He shouted as he walked by Kenshin to head to the bathroom. "Goddamn every freaking day now." He muttered to himself followed by grumbling as Kenshin gave a chuckle.

"Man, I love doing that." He said with a smile.

After a routine of cleaning up, Maxtaro changed into his school uniform; a black gakuran uniform with jacket and slacks. A vertical blue stripe on the center of the jacket with two horizontal stripes near the sleeve cuffs. Maxtaro as always never bothered to button the jacket up, showing an untucked t-shirt underneath. He soon head down to the small kitchen of his home, eying at his parents sitting at the table.

"Dad, he did it again." Maxtaro said rather bluntly. “I thought we set ground rules on that.” He couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “ I guess not.”

"Oh jeez, Kenshin kicked the door down again?" Maxtaro's father Hiro said as Maxtaro only nodded with an added frown in response. Hiro Onimada, patriarch of the Onimada family, an honest carpenter...A man you seriously don’t want to screw over. "Don't worry, I'll get him to fix it by the time you get home today."

"Yeah, and please use the stronger hinges this time." Maxtaro responded with a sigh. "I think Kenshin got even stronger...Somehow." He then grabbed a piece of toast as he headed to the building door. "Alright guys, gotta go to school. See ya both later."

"Ah, Maxtaro." His mother Miki said with a slightly raised hand. Miki Onimada. Matriarch of the Onimada family, decent doctor, world class snarker. "Before you go, I want you to have this." She then pulls out a smartphone, much to Maxtaro's surprise, his eyes widening in surprise. "Hiro and I are thinking that you really need a new cell phone-"

"Holy crap-Thank you Mom!" Maxtaro said excitedly as he takes the phone from her hands to her annoyance. "I never thought I've seen the day you'll get me a-Wait, what?" He said in confusion as he notices the scuff marks on the phone, numerous old text notifications, and the random medical related apps on the screen. "I do appreciate this, Mom, but level with me here...Are you seriously giving me your old phone?"

"H-Hey! What's wrong with it?" Miki ask with a very defensive tone. "It's not a bad phone!" She added to her protest, all while holding a new phone to boot. "As a clinic doctor, I need to use better equipment!” She soon gave pause. “...Though I haven't gotten all my contacts in yet...And I haven't installed my apps on there at all…"

"Miki, I told ya to do it when I bought the damn thing." Hiro said with a concerned look.

"I-I was going to eventually!" Miki said with a rather embarrassed look. "...Maxtaro, can I ask for a favor?"

Maxtaro only gave a nonchalant wave as he check out his sorta new phone. "Yeah, I guess. Just hold on a sec, got some apps to delete. I don't think I need this rectal thermometer for dummies app-"

"W-Wait a minute!" Miki cried out. "Don't do anything just yet! I need that phone!"

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Meanwhile, at another part of East Kaimon, specifically the neighborhood area, the Hino residence and its rather barely repaired dojo stood ready for another day. A young woman and heir to the dojo itself has just finished putting on her school uniform!

"We really need a new uniform." Kyoko said quietly as she adjust the black ribbon on the front of her seifuku uniform; white shirt with the Kaimon colors of black and blue adorned on the collar and cuffs with a blue skirt. It's a fine uniform...But a tad old fashioned these days.

"Seriously, what kind of budget are we running to not get blazers?" She said with a sigh as she pulled up black socks that ends just below the knee. Kyoko Hino, high school student, karate black belt, a fierce tigress with a soft spot for cartoons nobody talks about!

"Kyoko, breakfast is ready!" Her mother called from below.

"Yeah, I'll be there in a second!' Kyoko shouted as she tied her long black hair to a low messy ponytail, held by a long tightly wrapped red ribbon. "Well, time to start another day." She said quietly before cracking a smile. She heads down the stairs upon leaving her room, noticing her father Yuu standing at the main hallway. "Oh, what's going on, Dad?"

"Oh, Kyoko." Yuu said with a rather depressed look, holding several slips of papers. Yuu Hino, dojo master, loving father, suffers a rather misinterpreted reputation! "Well, these are the new recruitment slips that came in." He said with a sigh.

Kyoko couldn't help but gave a confused look. "Really? Then why the gloom?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. "Isn't that a good thing?" She then notice her little sister Miyu walking out of the bathroom.

"You know Dad." Miyu said. "He wants new students, but he's getting rather annoyed they're mostly street punks." Miyu Hino, youngest in the Hino family, skilled swordsman, and subtly suffering from height woes! “They can’t help but think Dad’s a total badass for beating people up.”

Kyoko confusion then suddenly changes. "Oh! That's true!" She said with a light smacking of her palm.

Yuu then gives a scowl at this reveal "Miyu!" He cried out. "You actually want me to accept these?! You do realize we're getting a pretty shady reputation in our dojo, right?!" He then bit his lip. “And again, I had my reasons to beat up those people back then-Uh, just don’t do what I do!”

Miyu could only cringe as her father only grew more distraught by the mere seconds. "Okay okay, I'm just saying." She replied back, with a shrug and sigh. "I mean, either we take them in and have people assume the worst of us or watch the dojo be empty like the last few months…" The three altogether could only grimace at the past memories of a very very empty dojo.

It wasn't long for Kyoko to speak up. "Dad, I hate to say this, but you probably need to accept those applications." She said with a gloomy tone. "It's getting kind of sad we're not getting new students if you're too picky…"

Yuu simply gave a long winded sigh. "You...You are right." He said quietly...Before returning to a pleading tone as he hands the various papers to her. "Which is why, I'm entrusting this to you, Kyoko!"

"That's the spirit-Wait, what?!" Kyoko shouted. Her mother then shouts from the kitchen once more.

"I really hope you guys like breakfast, because I burnt the rice again!"

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Elsewhere, at the Mori Household and metalworks, Baku Mori prepares his day. Preparing his day while not wearing a shirt of all things.

"...Baku, you are going to school wearing a shirt, right?"

Baku could only give his little sister Kana a bewildered look as he packs his school bag. "Kana, I'm not an idiot. You know the air conditioner is broken." Baku, Maxtaro’s best friend, fellow ex-delinquent, yet prone to be a hardass to people he dislikes. He only gave a frown as he notices Kana looking away as if she's trying to choose the right words. "Y-You're scaring me…"

It wasn't long for her to finally say something. "I know, but I've been noticing something...Have you been shirtless the last few days at home, just to send selfies to your girlfriend?" She finally said, rather to the point.

"Kana!" Baku blurted out in shock.

"I-I'm sorry! Kana said with an embarrassed look. "It's just that Maxtaro said-"

Baku only gave an irritated growl. "Why am I not surprised? Look, just because Maxtaro said that doesn't mean he's serious."

Then a shout from outside is heard. "Hey Baku! Stop taking selfies and put a damn shirt on! We leaving or what?" Baku could only give a small pause.

"...Kana, do me a favor while I get dressed. Get me a hammer...And look away the moment I head outside." He mutters before leaving the kitchen. It took Kana several second to register that.

"...W-What?!" She said with shock.

Moving on, Maxtaro stared at his new sorta phone. Still his mother's mind you! He noticed Baku, hastily buttoning a dress shirt as his uniform jacket is loosely hanging on his shoulders, heading out to meet him. "Hey, why the long face?"

"Yeah, give me a reason why I shouldn't knee you right in the jewels." Baku said bluntly as he puts on his jacket, leaving the collar open.

Maxtaro only gave a smile. "Cause you love me like a brother." He noticed Baku giving a dry chuckle.

"Hoho, you're just really testing how far that excuse works." He said as the two give a bumping of fists. "Seriously though, give my sister ideas, I will kill you."

"Whatever man, can we just go already?" Maxtaro ask as he points to the scrapyard entrance. "Your mom is beating the crap out of your uncle for selling food around here again."

They heard a crash followed by high pitched wails. The two then hear the voice of a woman clearly in an unforgiving mood. "What did I tell you bout selling crap at my place again?! I oughta shove those durian shells up your-" Followed by even more crashing noise much to the cringing reaction from Maxtaro and Baku.

"...I seriously don't know how your old man can sleep through all that noise." Maxtaro muttered, eying at Baku’s father sleeping soundly on a nearby hammock by the house..

"It's a thing of his." Baku replied bluntly. "Let's go." The two then quickly walked away as they began to walk to school. Not long after, the two walked in the mostly empty streets. "Say, I noticed you got a new phone." Baku said with a chuckle. "Bout time."

Maxtaro gave a frown. "Yeah...Too bad I'm keeping this phone for today until my Mom gets all her junk outta her old phone."

"Wait, your Mom is making you take her old phone?" Baku asked with much confusion. "Ain't that kind of awkward? I can get if she bought ya an older phone, but this?"

Maxtaro didn't paid attention as he begins to ready his temporary phone for a selfie. "Right, so going to take a selfie for a wallpaper on my actual phone for tomorrow." Baku then grabbed Maxtaro by the arm.

"Whoa Maxtaro. I know you can be a lot of things, but narcissist ain't one of them." He said, right to the point. "Come on, a selfie of yourself as the wallpaper? That's sad, man."

"Wait, what?! I'm getting this from the guy who sends topless selfies to the pervy girl?!" Maxtaro shot back in an incredulous tone.

Baku could only stammered at...That rather harsh truth. "Can you get off my back about that-agh!" He growled before calming himself down. "Look, single person selfies as a wallpaper is...Just too depressing in my opinion." He replied with a growing calmness. "This is more like a group thing with that kind of stuff."

Maxtaro gave a pause but soon nodded. "Huh, never thought of it that way. Come on, let's do one together. Best buds count, right?"

"Right." Baku said with a returning nod. The two then set the phone pointing at them, only to hesitate. "...This is too awkward with just us."

"Y-Yeah…" Maxtaro said back as the two chuckled nervously as they place the cell phone away. "I think we need more people. How bout Kyoko and Nagase?" Baku then pulled out his own phone.

"Good thinking, I'll call Nagase and see-" Suddenly, a thrown rock hits him square in the hand. "Agh! Son of a-" He gasps as his dropped phone hit the ground hard. "Oh crap!"

Maxtaro looked at the direction the rock is thrown. "Who did that-Oh." He grew baffled at the sight of street punks...An army of them in fact, all led by some multi-colored mohawk wearing weirdo holding more rocks. "Well, never thought I start my morning like this. What the hell do you guys want?"

"Aw hell, my phone…" Baku said in shock as he looked at his dropped phone.

The mohawk thug then raises his voice. "Onimada and Mori! I, Mohawk Jim, declare war because of your-" He never finished as Baku in a fit of annoyance, hurled a trash can that smacked Mohawk Jim right in the head, knocking him out cold. How very anti-climatic!

"Boss!" The small army of punks cried out as they tend to their wounded leader. "Mori, what the hell?! He wasn't even done talking!"

"Shut up! You assholes better pay up for this phone!" Baku cried out only to be confused. "Wait, who the hell is Mohawk Jim?"

Maxtaro shrugs. "I'm just as lost as you are. Didn't we ran into someone of that name recently? I'm hitting blanks here."

Baku nearly open his mouth only to pause. "Yeah, I'm getting nothing too…Really, you'd think this would be obvious." Maxtaro nods as the two ponder, ignoring the roaring of the punks close by as they scream out various things, from concerns to insults.

"Boss, get up! Oh god, he's frothing at the mouth! You two are dead, you hear?! Stop ignoring us dammit!"

Baku then snapped his fingers. "Got it, we made fun of his mohawk a few nights ago!"

Maxtaro smacked a closed fist at his palm as Baku says this. "Yeah, that's right! It just look so stupid, we-Ohhhhh." Maxtaro muttered as he soon looked at the bloodthirsty group. This wasn’t exactly an unfamiliar situation for our duo, as until a year ago, they were once a very infamous pair of delinquents with targets on their backs. Apparently, the various people that they angered don’t believe much in retirements. "So Baku, should we fight or should we run?"

"Get those bastards!" The group roared out as they charge towards our heroes!

"Yeah." Baku said before suddenly running off to the other direction. "Totally run!"

"Damn right!" Maxtaro shouts as he follows suit, the large gang beginning to chase the two.

"Kill em!"

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Not too far off…

"Who the heck is Mohawk Jim?" Kyoko asked herself as she sorted out one of the many applications she's been checking since leaving her house, walking the way to school. "Who names themselves after a hairstyle?" She sighed as she moves on to the next application. "This is ridiculous. Five applications already rejected. This really can’t be it." Kyoko couldn't help but feel dejected at such pickiness on her part. "This suuuuccckkks." She bemoaned herself as she buried her face with these slips of paper. "No wonder why Dad couldn't decide, these guys so far are lame." She let loose a long sigh. "I'm going to need some help sorting this out...Well, Nagase's place is just by the corner, so maybe she can-"

"Aghhh! Go down already!" A voice cried out, loud enough to spook Kyoko, ponytail raised up in brief terror.

Kyoko, shocked and confused, rushes to the voice. "Eh?! Was that Nagase?! What's going on-" She nearly tripped out of seeing that her closest friend Nagase is in no real trouble, the bespectacled brunette merely arm wrestling against her older brother on a worn out tree stump in their yard.

But it's an epic arm wrestling match mind you.

"Gaaaahhh!" Nagase cries out as she puts all her strength only to see her older brother Akira barely moved an inch. Nagase Omiko, a total dork with super strength, she once tore a whole textbook in half in just a second...Her parents were impressed! "Why won't you go down?!"

Akira rolled his eyes. "Just give up already!" He said with a lot of irritation in his tone. "Are you seriously going to do this for a donut?!" Akira Omiko, a giant of a man, with a rude attitude to match! He then spots Kyoko, too baffled to make a response. "Oh, hey Kyoko." He said rather nonchalantly, waving his free hand in greeting. "Sup?"

"Kyoko!" Nagase shouted with excitement followed by more straining. "Good timing! Help me win this!"

Kyoko only stood in silence. "...Uh, how exactly?" She noticed Nagase pointing towards her with her free hand.

"Like, hit him with that fold up chair next to ya!" Nagase replies.

Kyoko only raised an eyebrow. "...In an arm wrestling match?"

Nagase quickly gave an exasperated look. "Can't you see I wanna win this?!" She screamed out in frustration before her phone close by gave a sudden vibration. "What-" She is then rocked by a sudden jerk as Akira suddenly slams her hand down, winning the match.

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"Akira wins!" Their father Renji shouted in booming joy. "Sorry Nagase, rules are rules!"

"N-No fair!" She cried out. "I was distracted I tell ya!"

"Jeez, take your loss like a real adult, Nagase." Akira said bluntly as he snatched the last donut from the box on the table before walking to his moped. "Nobody likes a sore loser!"

"Hey!" Nagase shouted with a growl. She then stares at Kyoko with teary puppy-like eyes beneath her glasses. "Why is life unfair?"

Kyoko gave a sigh. "...If it makes you feel better, I bought a pastry for you-"

"Bye Dad, love ya!" Nagase said, back to sudden joy in her tone as she walked up to Kyoko to the latter's surprise. "C'mon, gimme some of that sweetness!" She followed up with a wave of her hand like a dog begging for a treat.

"Please, stop that." Kyoko said, growing red in the face. "This is getting awkward…

The two then walked back to the streets of Kaimon, as Kyoko took a look of envy at Nagase. The taller girl wearing the Kaimon uniform but her legs were of focus. Long slender legs that wore long dark colored socks that reached to her thighs and red sneakers.

"...How in the world did you get that height?" Kyoko muttered in disbelief.

Nagase simply gave a grin, pastry between her teeth. "I probably got some neat genes."

"Whatever, just help me out with these." Kyoko said with a sigh as she hand Nagase a few applications. "Bet you don't have being too picky as a gene because I can't choose any of these violent idiots."

Nagase then finishes her treat with a big bite as she looks at the applications. Her usually expressive and joyous green eyes suddenly gave a rather baffling look before narrowing in skepticism beneath her glasses. "...Please tell me you didn't pick Mohawk Jim."

Kyoko instantly shook her head. "Nope, didn't even consider it once." She then gave a surprised expression. "Wait, you know him?"

"Well, not really." Nagase said. "I heard he came by the wrestling gym and asked my Dad to train him...He got mad when Akira laughed at his hair and stormed off."

"Ugh, that's your brother alright." Kyoko said with a frown. "He can't hide brutal honesty the way you can't really control your strength." She then gave an intriguing look upon recollection. "Say, what happened back there? It looks like you got distracted." Nagase couldn't help but giggle as she pulled out her phone.

"Turns out Baku just sent me a picture!" She said with a smile, revealing a series of strange back and forth selfies. "Shirtless during the morning, how bold! Totally forgiven even though that made me lose!"

"...You can't be serious." Kyoko said bluntly. "I thought Maxtaro was kidding when he mentioned about that selfie game you two are playing last night."

"Hey, it doesn't hurt to try new things in our relationship." Nagase retorted. "Besides...I send him pictures of my legs in return. I'm in the lead too!"

Kyoko only shook her head in disbelief. "Why am I listening to this?! Just be quiet and sort these applications out!"

Nagase then gives a smirk. "...And at times, I send pictures of my midriff." She snickered upon seeing Kyoko's cringing reaction. "Haha, you really need to loosen up a bit!"

"While I say you should rein in it once in a while." Kyoko replied with a sigh, biting her lip in annoyance towards her dilemma. "I guess I'll have to wing it and get...Whoever seems the least crazy in these slips."

Nagase gave a shrug. "We can always try drawing out names in a hat." She then gave a small frown. "...I'm sorry, that really sounds stupid, even for me."

"No...To be honest, I was thinking about that myself." Kyoko said with a tone of shame. "Why is this so hard-"

"Those two are around here somewhere! Let's find em and kill em!"

The two girls paused as they notice not too far are several thugs looking around the area, paying no mind to them. Well, more like too busy focusing their bloodlust on a certain pair but whatever!

Kyoko then finally began to speak up. "...They better not be talking about-"

"Onimada and Mori are dead for messing with the Mohawk Jim Gang!"

"Ugh...Unreal." Kyoko quickly muttered under breath, a palm over her face.

"Say wha?" Nagase said with disbelief. "He actually calls his gang that? He's terrible at names!"

"Who said that?!" The two then froze stiff as it wasn't long for the man himself to show up. Bandages covering his face...Yet that mohawk still stands out. "Wow, I should have known you of all people would mock me after that embarrassing rejection." He said bitterly before pointing an accusing finger at Nagase, much to her confusion. "What, your brother laughing at my hair ain't enough, Omiko?!"

"Hey!" Nagase said with a frown. "Don't lump me with my idiot brother!"

"Shut it!" Mohawk Jim cried out. "For all I know, your stupid boyfriend is probably in cahoots with you, wrecking my face with that trash can!"

"Baku did that?!" Kyoko and Nagase said with shock. Nagase then pondered, a hand on her chin. "You'd think Maxtaro would have done that to be honest." She said in confusion.

“Then again, this is Baku we’re talking about.” Kyoko retorted. “I’m surprised this guy is still standing.”

"W-Whatever!” Mohawk Jim stammered, clearly embarrassed. “You two are coming with us!" He followed up with authority and bravado in his tone. "So you can watch us beat down Onimada and Mori by force!" He gave a rather typical evil laugh as the two girls are mostly unimpressed at this level of petty evilness.

Kyoko simply paused before just nonchalantly ripping up Mohawk Jim's application, a very blunt expression on her face as he gave a shocked expression at her actions. "Well, you just made my job easier. A flat out no thanks for you."

"W-Wait Hino! M-Maybe I was a little too hasty!" Mohawk Jim said with a nervous chuckle, as he attempted to save face. "I totally forgot about applying to your pop's dojo! Forget what I just said there!"

Kyoko then gave a very frustrating sigh. "Okay, you already manage to be one of the most irritating people I had to run into this morning, but I'm going to be blunt and honest here." She took a deep breath. "My Dad and I are pretty sure we're not teaching some violent jackass in a rainbow mohawk! Get a damn haircut, you're embarrassing to look at!" She shouted, at the top of her lungs no less.

There was a full minute of shocked hesitations from many upon those words leaving her mouth. Even Kyoko herself is in a state of awe and horror.

"...Pretty please?" She asked politely.

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Few minutes later…

"Get those two!"

Kyoko and Nagase could do nothing but flee in terror as the Mohawk Jim Gang gave chase. Never knew a man with a mohawk would be so grudging!

"Geez, couldn't you say that when he doesn't have an army?!" Nagase shouted.

"I didn't think he'd be growing that big of a grudge!" Kyoko snapped back as the two took a sharp turn into an alley. "Besides, how in the world did he get like forty guys?!"

"I'd rather run away than find out!" Nagase responded as they bemoan their very lousy start of a morning! "Do we even know where we're going?!"

"Of course!" Kyoko cried out only to bite her lip. "...Sorta?!" She shook her head. "Just trust me-gahh!"

A pair of hands suddenly took hold of the two, as they are dragged to a small open corner. Both then reacted quickly, as Kyoko slams her elbow right at her assailant's side while Nagase smashed hers at the wall.

Only then did they notice that they had just struck Maxtaro and Baku, the former holding his side while the latter rubbed his sore head.

"Agghhh…" Maxtaro groaned in pain. "Jeez Kyoko, didn't even bother to check?"

Baku simply gave a frown, eyeing at the cracks on the wall where his head was driven into. "Ow."

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" Nagase exclaimed quietly. Kyoko however walked right past her to confront Maxtaro.

"Maxtaro, what did you do with that guy?!" Kyoko asked, with an accusing look. "He was already looking like he was going to tear your head off! Now he's after me and Nagase!"

"Excuse me?!" Maxtaro said incredulously. "How was I supposed to know that mohawk idiot there has a short fuse?! Besides, I bet you said something to tick him off too!"

"...Okay, you got me there." Kyoko finally admitted, biting her lip nervously again. "Seriously, he's that thinned skin…We seriously aren't going to wait this out right?" The four then stood in silence as it slowly dawned upon them that no, Mohawk Jim isn't going to stop hunting them down.

"...Never thought this would happen." Baku muttered.

Maxtaro only gave him a glare. "You didn't need to throw a trash can at him, ya know!"

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Some unknown time has passed, as our main four could only be idled at their dark corner, weary as they heard the distant of shouting thugs that continue their hunt for the four.

"Ughhhh, this is insane…" Maxtaro said as he decided to lay on the concrete floor in exhaustion. “These idiots are taking forever to leave.

"I know Maxtaro…" Kyoko said tiredly as she leaned her back against the wall. "Can't take much more…"

"Ugggghhhh." Nagase moans as she kneels on the ground, head looking up at the skies. "How long has it been since being trapped here?"

Baku simply looks at his watch in annoyance. "It's been three minutes." All four could only fume in sheer utter silence upon knowing this fact. Maxtaro then sat up.

"Alright, enough of this! We gotta get out of here!" He shouted. "I don't know bout you guys, but I'm not going to be late to school because of this idiot!"

"You're right, Maxtaro!" Kyoko replied with similar fervor. "I mean, we've gone through worse as a team!"

"Huh, I never realize how many times we've gotten ourselves in trouble." Baku said with a pondering expression.

"Yeah!" Nagase said with a nod before looking at Maxtaro and Kyoko. "So, fearless leaders, what shall we do?!"

Instantly, both Maxtaro and Kyoko gave shrugs. "No clue." They both said bluntly, their fiery edge suddenly shimmer down to near coldness. Kyoko then grunted in annoyance.

“Hold on!” She said, looking at Maxtaro and Baku. “Don’t you two usually just fight your way out of this kind of crap before?! Why aren’t you doing that instead?!”

Maxtaro frowned. “Kyoko, I’m done with that kind of thing, remember?” He rolled his eyes. “I did told you I was serious about retiring from delinquency.”

Kyoko still remained unimpressed. “So tell me why I heard you beat up a gang last week then, huh?” She said in a deadpan tone, arms folded.

“...Other than jumping me, they were talking trash about my favorite soda.” Maxtaro replied rather bluntly to the utter surprise of the girls. “They had it coming, nobody talks crap about Dragon Cola.”

Nagase turned to Baku. “Wait, how bad did he hurt them?” her eyes widen as Baku simply widen his arms open. “Dammmnnnnn…”

“Yep.” Baku said. “Like half of them are probably going to enjoy drinking their food with a straw for days I bet.”

Maxtaro chuckled nervously. “Okay! Enough about my poor choices, my decision stands!” He pointed at Kyoko. “So what’s your excuse? You can probably beat them up too!”

Kyoko simply gave a guilty look. “Well yeah...But I don’t want to, since it’ll just attract even more weirdos to my dojo…” Kyoko muttered, twiddling her fingers. “My Dad’s been getting really stressed out about that…” The two then looked at Baku and Nagase, the latter two being taken aback.

“Don’t look at me.” Nagase said as she shrugged. “I’m not happy about hurting people really.”

“I would just throw fists and get it over with…” Baku eyes then averted the gazes of Maxtaro and Kyoko's. “But I really don’t want blood on my uniform.

An awkward silence arose for a bit after such a bafflingly yet honest answer.

Kyoko groaned as her palms rested on her face. “Oh my goddddd, we’re trapped here…” Suddenly, a thought came to her as she snapped her fingers. "Wait Maxtaro, we can call your brother instead!" She said quickly. "I mean, he was a delinquent warlord before he graduated! Maybe he can shut these guys out!"

"Yeah, right!" Maxtaro pulls out his phone only to pause. "...I rather not call him." He then gives a nervous chuckle. "If I told him, I'm gonna say this section of town is going to be a wreck by the time he's done."

The four couldn't help but gave a audible gulp, already visualizing the aftermath of destruction only Kenshin Onimada can create. It is something words alone can't describe.

"Please, don't call him." Nagase pleaded. "I get night terrors just thinking about what he did last year!" She then notices Maxtaro's phone. "Wait, you finally got a smartphone?"

"It's his mom's." Baku said bluntly.

Nagase narrowed her eyes in disappointment. "Really?"

"Wait a minute." Maxtaro then position his phone for a picture. "May as well do it here. Everyone pose." The four then smile and make peace signs, until Kyoko shook it off in shock.

"Wait, why are we taking selfies?! We need to get out of here!" She cried out. "I mean, we're not seriously thinking about just fleeing, right?!" The others then look at her with a blank stare. "...Right?"

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"I can't believe we're resorting to this."

Kyoko continued her grumbling as our main four sneaked their way back to the streets, using a rather large cardboard box as a cover. "This is ridiculous, Maxtaro. Why the cardboard box?"

"Don't rag on the box." Maxtaro sharply retorted back as he led the way as eyes looked at the odd sight before ignoring them in general. "I've seen this work in a video game...And several military operations."

"He ain't kidding." Baku added. "There's a documentary about it on TV."

"...The more I learn." Kyoko muttered to herself. "Can't even ask for a normal morning-Nagase, can you please stop fiddling around with your phone and move?! I know you're taking selfies behind me and we don’t have time for that!"

"Sorry, but since Baku's phone is broken, I'm so taking this advantage!" Nagase said with a grin. "No offense, Baku."

"Looks like I'll be paying for lunch next time." Baku said quietly, fuming all the while about this fact. "...Screw it, can we just beat up this asshole-"

"No!" Everyone said sharply.

"Dude, it's a cracked screen." Maxtaro said with annoyance in his tone. "Let it go!"

"It's my phone, Maxtaro!" Baku sharply replied. "Because of that, I'm like five images behind Nagase!"

"Six actually!" Nagase added, much to Kyoko's grunt of displeasure.

"Baku, keep your cool cause this cardboard box is keeping us from getting wrecked out there unless you won't-"

"Hey Boss, did that moving box just talked?"

The gang stood still, blood freezing over. An awkward sight sight arose as various class skipping punks now swarm around the gang in hiding, civilians looking in confusion. How in the world did these punks didn't notice the box till now is a mystery!

"Wait, maybe they'll think it's nothing!" Kyoko whispered.

"Wait, wasn't there a documentary about the qualities of boxes in military stuff?" The voice of Mohawk Jim asked in confusion. "...Should we check it out?"

Maxtaro gave a frustrating sigh. "Damn. Looks like we'll do plan B! Nagase, flip something!"

"Got it!" Nagase shouted as she busts out of the box, shocking the group of punks. "Gaaahhhh!" She roars as she heads to the closest parked car and with a burst of sheer strength, flipped it onto its side with a loud crash. The crowd is stunned at the sight. "Alright, what's next-Hey!" She cried out as she chased after her friends, having used the distraction to flee. "Wait up!"

The thugs simply gave a glassy stare until Mohawk Jim shook his head. "What the hell, get em!" It wasn't long for the Mohawk Jim Gang to suddenly give chase as the four made a mad dash through town!

"Oh man, they're gaining on us!" Kyoko shouted with a look of worry on her face.

Nagase gave a groan. "I know...there was that food truck nearby! I should've flipped that!"

"Cut the chatter, there's a bus!" Maxtaro cried out as he points to a moving bus nearby. "Hey, stop the bus!" He could only fume as he is ignored. "Baku, get his attention!" Baku nodded as he took a sudden sprint...To bash his fist against the window."

"Hey driver!" Baku shouted. "Stop or I'm gonna break something, pronto!" The bus then takes a screeching halt much to the surprise of Kyoko and Nagase.

"That actually worked?!" They cried out only to get on the bus in a huff. "Driver, step on it!" Kyoko roared out.

"Eh?" The driver asked in confusion. "B-But don't you know-"

"Please!" Nagase pleaded as she notice the large mob heading towards the bus. "Just do it!" The driver gave a frown but proceeds to push the gas. "Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Haha!" Maxtaro laughed with an air of arrogance as he stares at the back window, looking as the gap between the bus and the mob is getting bigger. "Good luck chasing us, you mohawk wearing prick!"

"Yeah!" Kyoko said with a evil grin as she proceeds to rip up what remains of Mohawk Jim's application. "Reap what you sow, chasing us with that bad temper-"

Suddenly, with barely several seconds having been passed, the bus took a stop. "Alright, last stop for the morning commute, everyone!" The bus driver called out. He then notice the shocked looks of our four heroes. "...I-I'm just d-doing my job…" The four then turn to see Mohawk Jim slowly catching up, then turn back to the confused driver with glares. "S-Sorry?"

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Five minutes later...At another part of town.

"...Why did I even bother going to school today?" Ryo Hondo mumbled to himself, his group of friends looking at him with surprise at his rather depressed statement. "I could just drop out and work full time at the fireworks store…What's so great bout school anyway?" Ryo Hondo, a classmate and vitriolic friend of the four friends. Total delinquent and a piss poor student!

"Why it's obvious Ryo!" His best friend, Gen Saito said with a laugh and optimistic smile. "Cause school is part of that spice we call youth!" With that, it wasn't long for an annoyed Ryo to put Gen in a full nelson hold. "Gah! I'm just saying!" Gen Saito, Ryo’s partner in crime, ever optimistic, and is surprisingly strong for a ramen delivery boy!

"Stop smiling bout it then!" Ryo snapped back as he strengthen his hold. "This is stupid, I should just skip class today. At least I won't look like an idiot there." His childhood friend, Tae Yamanashi, gave him a sad look.

"Don't say that, Ryo." She said, before giving a small smile. "Besides, there's more to school than just classes...Like me." Tae, ill-tempered newspaper delivery ninja, wears long skirts to hide a rather unhealthy amount of weapons!

Zoey, Ryo's sister simply raise an eyebrow. "Uhhh, it's not like you can help him study, since you got similar test scores." With that, it wasn't long for an annoyed Tae to put Zoey in a sleeper hold. "W-Wait, what did I say?!" Zoey Hondo, ...A very dangerous ditz when it comes to fireworks, enough said.

"Shut it!" Tae shouts as she gave irritated growls. "Talking bout my grades like that, I oughta!" But what truly fuels Tae's anger is far more than her lousy test scores. It's the fact no one in town will ever realize she's dating Ryo, no matter the obvious clues.

It's kinda sad really.

"Wait, what do you mean anyway?" Ryo ask in confusion as he kept his hold on Gen. "Tae, that's a stupid reason to keep going to school-"

"Gah, idiots!" Tae shouts in response to Ryo's lack of foresight. "You Hondos are idiots!"

Gen gives a chuckle. "Idiots gotta stick together-Ow, that hurts."

"Please just shut up." Ryo muttered. With that, those four are sorta our second set of heroes but we probably won’t see that much of their exploits! “...I swear I feel like someone really hates us or something.” Ryo said with a sigh before hearing a loud crash. "The heck-" He could finish as Maxtaro suddenly zoomed right past him. "Onimada-" He is cut off again as Kyoko suddenly zipped past him. "Okay, what's-" A crash is heard as Ryo and pals turn to see both Baku and Nagase suddenly throwing various items lying about, from trash can to sign fixtures, onto the open street before rushing past the other group. “...Seriously, what the hell is-”

"Wait!" Nagase shouts as she heads back...To grab the nearest largest sign only to hurl it right into the junk barricade before running back to Baku. "Let's go!" The two then leave in a full rush, as Ryo and gang grew baffled at those events, Ryo himself fuming.

"...That can't be good." Tae muttered as she release her hold on Zoey. "What's with them?"

"Tch, typical for Onimada." Ryo said bluntly as he let go of Gen from his full nelson. He stared at the large barricade in annoyance. "Probably did something stupid again-" Then the barricade pile of junk suddenly exploded as the Mohawk Jim Gang bursted through by the masses.

"Gaaaahhh!" Ryo and crew screamed in horror and confusion as they fell victim to the stampede. As the dust clears, the four are seen lying on the ground twitching.

"...Again, why bother going to school again?!" Ryo roars out as he lies face down on the street floor.

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"Oh god yes, I can see the gate!" Maxtaro shouted in joy. He is right to be as he saw the school gate of Kaimon High School not too far off. With that said, the gang finally took a massive breather. After all, they did nothing but run all morning! "I almost didn't think we’d make it!"

"Damn straight!" Baku said between gasping for air. "I think we threw enough junk to block them off-Nagase, we don't need to keep doing that! Leave the car alone!"

Nagase gave a pout, already crotching to lift said car onto its side. "W-We don't know that!"

Kyoko gave an exasperated sigh. "Nagase, just calm down and-Ahhh!" She cried out in shock as she is suddenly grabbed from behind from Mohawk Jim. "Son of a-"

"Aha!" He cried out in glee, much to our heroes’s chargin. "Thought you four can escape from me?!"

"Oh good grief!" Maxtaro shouted in annoyance, clenching his hands into fists. "How the hell did you catch up to us, you freaking dropout cockroach?!"

"Simple, I called a cab!" Mohawk Jim replies with a haughty laugh. "Bet you didn't see that coming!" The four are shockingly caught off guard of something so ridiculously simple yet so surprisingly effective.

"Seeing how that's mundane...Yeah, we didn't see that coming." Baku admitted with a blunt tone. "How did we not see that at all?"

"Well, it's too late! I got your girl, Onimada, and unless you give yourself-" Mohawk Jim was quickly silenced as Kyoko slammed the back of her head at his bandaged face, followed by a elbow to the chest. As he released his hold, she turned and knocks him flat on his ass with a spinning back kick. She ain't assistant instructor and heiress of the dojo for nothing! Maxtaro, Baku, and Nagase stood in stunned silence at the rather quick display of competence.

"Whoa, remind me not to make you mad." Nagase said with a surprised expression.

"Geez, he's a total wimp!" Kyoko cried out while feeling the need to shudder. "Still gives me the creeps touching me like that!"

"Owww!" Mohawk Jim shouted in pain as he slowly got up. "You bitch-" Again he is knocked down on his ass as Maxtaro simply came up and landed a punch right at his chin.

"Please, just shut up." Maxtaro muttered. "Such a cockroach. You okay, Kyoko?"

"Y-Yeah…" She answered with a frown. She looked at the barely conscious Mohawk Jim in disgust. "He's still twitching…"

Baku then out of nowhere smashed a trash can right at Mohawk Jim's twitching form. "Not anymore he's not." He bluntly said in a deadpan tone.

"Baku!" Everyone cried out, horrified at the unnecessary coup de grace he added in..

"What?!" Baku protested. "He totally deserve that-" A crash is heard as the Mohawk Jim Gang finally destroyed the last of the various junk barricades.

"There they are! Get em!" They roared out as they rushed towards our heroes!

"...I should've flipped more cars." Nagase bemoaned as Baku took her by the arm as the gang ran to the school gates. Upon closer inspection, they spotted the teacher in charge, their own homeroom teacher of all people, standing close by smoking a cigarette.

"Tao!" Maxtaro shouted out. "For the love of god, help us!"

Jin Tao only gave a sigh while other students nearby grew more baffled at the sight. "Son of a bitch, this again?" Tao-sensei, homeroom teacher, teaches history, a very surly drunk! He then pressed a switch as the gate began to close. "You kids get your butts over here pronto before this closes!"

"...Leave it to Tao-sensei." Kyoko said dryly before her school bag suddenly burst open as her various application forms flew right out to her horror. "Oh no! My applications!" She cried out, only to watch and cringe as the sea of papers are soon trampled by the bloodthirsty gang...So bloodthirsty in fact they just unwittingly trampled their boss!

"Oh god!" Mohawk Jim cried out being drowned out by the footsteps of the mob.

"Ugh! I'll never get those back again…" Kyoko bemoaned.

"Forget about it, Kyoko!" Maxtaro shouted as they continued their rush. "It's not worth it!" Then he heard a clatter as his phone, still his mother's, suddenly fell out of his pocket to his absolute shock. "Oh hell! My mom's phone!"

"Maxtaro, no!" The gang cried out in horror as the moment they slip past the gates, they finally notice Maxtaro turning right back to get his sorta phone back. "You idiot!!" It wasn't long for Maxtaro to realize upon picking up his phone that yes, he's in between a rock and a hard place.

...For someone who isn't too bad of a student, he is kind of dumb at times.

"I regret everything!" Maxtaro cried out as he narrowly avoids attack after attack, phone in hand.

"Die Onimada!" A random thug in the background screams out.

"Hell no!" He reply back as he continues to dodge everything thrown at him. "Jeez, I need some freaking miracle here-" As if he cast a spell, the rear of the mob suddenly exploded as bodies flew in the air.

"Yeah, that's right!" Ryo roared out as he and his merry group of angry friends have long succumbed to pure vengeful spite, attacking every member of the Mohawk Jim Gang like a shark on a pack of fish. "See how you like being trampled on!"

Maxtaro simply gave no words. "Uhhh, I guess I should thank him later…" He muttered in disbelief as it appeared the sudden distraction has gotten the thugs off his back!

"Maxtaro, come on!" Kyoko shouted out, as she climbed to the school gate, extending a hand out. "Grab my hand!"

Maxtaro ran and makes a leap towards her. Upon grabbing Kyoko's hand, a large explosion rocked the background to the shock of many.

"What was that?!" Nagase shouts with bafflement.

"Hondo family fireworks." Baku mutters. "Enough to make an action flick."

“Haha!!!” Zoey cried out from afar as more bodies flew into the air from the blasts of fireworks that no civilian should really own. “Taste my fiery balls of fury!!!”

"Oh." Nagase said bluntly, no longer surprised at the display of cartoonish violence unfolding before them. "How could I forget-"

"Can you two please help us?!" Maxtaro and Kyoko scream out in annoyance. After pulling Maxtaro in, the four collapsed and simply stared at the large smoke coming towards them. They winced at the unpleasant smell of chemicals. But all in all, they made it...

"You know...I think we're in the clear." Maxtaro said with awe at the sight. Then as if life wants to defy such a simple sentence, the battered remaining mob of the Mohawk Jim Gang crashed against the gate.

"Aaahhhh!" The four cry out as they quickly back crawled away from the gate.

"Oh come on already!" Kyoko cried out in exasperation. "What does it take to get rid of them?!" Then Tao walked up to the closed gate, hands in his pockets.

"Alright, you all aren't supposed to be here!" Tao said firm and sternly. "Go home and wait till your suspensions are done!” He also gave a scowl. “And leave those kids alone, this is pathetic!"

"Oh yeah, so what?!" One of the thugs cried out. "What can you do anyway?!"

Tao gave a sigh with a roll of the eyes. "Well...I can just call the cops, for starters." As if magic had been cast, the gang suddenly dispersed, everyone having decided to drop their grudges!

"Sorry bout that Onimada! We're just playing! Please don't tell your bro about this!" Various voices of all kinds were nothing but this kind of spiel. It appears even in Kaimon, nobody wants to mess with the cops!

"That...That was surprisingly anticlimactic." Maxtaro admitted with the others slowly nodding as they rise to their feet.

"So?" Tao said before turning away. "Get your asses in class already. We're gonna start in ten minutes." With that said, life resumed as always. That's Kaimon alright!

"Thank god." Kyoko said with relief as she turns around to head inside. "But this is going to be hard to tell my dad the news…"

"I wonder if Mohawk Jim is going to drop this." Nagase said with a pondering expression as she followed suit.

"Who cares?" Baku said bluntly. "I'm just glad we kicked his sorry ass."

"Right…" Maxtaro said feeling annoyed as he stared at the gate before turning around with the others. "He better not show up again."

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Outside the school grounds…

"Wait...Don't leave me…" Mohawk Jim groaned, still prone, as his gang walked away, some limping or carrying the injured. One of the members then approached him, giving a nervous chuckle.

"Yeah boss...We all kinda had this thought and we all decided to go our separate ways” The member said with a nervous chuckle. “Having a gang named after a hairstyle is...Kinda lame."

Mohawk Jim gave a shocked expression. "W-Wait, we can talk this out-"

"Oh sorry man!" The ex-member quickly said, looking at his exposed wrist. "I'm late...For stuff! Talk to ya later!" He then leaves, leaving his former leader lying there injured and so utterly confused..

"...Son of a bitch." Mohawk Jim muttered until he noticed the feet of Ryo and his pals right in front of him. He looked up, seeing a very pissed off Ryo cracking his knuckles. "Uhhhh, no hard feelings, Hondo?" He finally said with a nervous expression.

"Tae," Ryo said bluntly as he squats down to glare ever closer at the mohawk wearing idiot. "Got a knife?" As if on command, Tae then pulled one out.

"Always." She replied, to the point.

"Well then, looks like you need a haircut." Ryo then said with an evil smile as he took the knife in hand. “So bald or crewcut?”

"Noooooo!" Mohawk Jim cried out that can be heard many blocks away as he suffered the greatest hit to his dignity...Yikes.

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In Kaimon High School, class numbered 12-K…

"Yes!" Maxtaro said as he slumped onto his seat. "Finally, we can get this morning behind us!"

"You said it, Maxtaro." Kyoko said as she laid her head down the desk. "Anything to forget those last hours."

"Aw man, the camera is busted!" Baku muttered bitterly as he fiddled with his broken phone. He turned to Nagase and sighed. "Guess I gotta pay ya lunch."

"Yeah!" Nagase said with a burst of joy, raising a fist in the air. "Best news, ever!"

"Hang on." Maxtaro said as he grabbed his phone. "Get together guys, we're going to do this right." The four then gather and gave smiles as he took another group selfie. Having genuine selfies not fueled by peril and threat of violence is actually refreshing! "Now, just need to send that to my actual phone and-"

"Hey!" Tao shouted as he walk up to Maxtaro and yanked the phone from his hand. "No phones when class is starting!" He then puts it into his pocket. "I'm holding onto this till the end of the day!" Maxtaro and gang look on with bafflement as Tao walked back to the front.

"...God damn, this morning blows." Maxtaro muttered.

"Yeah…" The gang muttered in sadness.

And we end another morning in the town of Kaimon, hate to see how the full day goes!

“What?! We’re late anyway?!” Ryo roared out as he and his group made it to the gate only to see it closed. "Why the hell did I even bother to show up?!"

To be continued!