Water Blaze

Chapter 1

Flashback...

"Maen(ma-en), either you get up already or I'm going to bath you on your bed. You choose!"

Aimaengel forced her eyes open, tilted her head towards her bedroom door to re-check if it was locked, bolted up, and the security chain hooked securely on its place because no doubt her mother, Melody, wasn't joking on her threat. If she won't be down for breakfast the next minute, she will be giving her a bed bath--minus the soap and sponge.

She glanced around her room, she was lucky she had a brother and not a sister. She had the privilege to have a room by herself and decorate it the way she wanted. She loves the color blue. It reminds her of the sky and ocean.

She lazily gets up, stripped herself from her pj's and headed straight to the bathroom.

She washed her face and looked at herself in the full body length mirror on the wall. A lady with hazel brown-eyes, straight and silky hair that reached her lowest rib and a tiny rose-colored mouth stared back at her. Her body once had extra bulks but is now like a chiseled stone, and her complexion where once it had been a color of deep gold, had faded to the palest brown, all these due to the extensive medications she had undergone as a child.

She quickly showered, and brushed her teeth. It was Sunday so she chose to wear white racer-back shirt with angry bird printing in front just above her left chest, paired it with purple Capri pants, and grabbed a white sneakers which is half opened at the back part with only a strap.

She went downstairs to find her brother, Alexander, wolfing down his breakfast. He really has a bottomless stomach, yet he is able to maintain his very good physique because of his swimming hobby, and they both jog at dawn.

She opened the fridge and took out the milk carton and filled a glass which she put in the microwave. She scooped fried rice to a plate, stole a slice of mango from her brother-she got a glare for that-and took off to heat the beef siomai in the oven.

Once she's done mixing her dip, she plopped down the table, taking with her a bowl of raw chopped cauliflower.

She's on her second bite when she noticed the white bandage on Alexander's upper left arm just above the elbow peeping from the hem of his t-shirt sleeve.

She strategically circled around the table while her brother is focused on his food and without warning, she grabbed her brother's elbow--making him wince the tiniest bit of fraction she would've missed if she's not only paying him close attention--and hiked his sleeve up to his shoulders. She can see a hint of blood slanting from the middle of the bandage down for maybe 3 or 4 inches. She gasped.

"You are hurt!" it's not a question. "Xander, what the hell happened?" that's the question.

She had the feeling she sensed him stiffen a millisecond before he pulled an 'I-don't-care' stance.

"Umn, Angel? I'll tell you when you're ready."

Angel. A name her brother doesn't permit anyone to call her except him. It was his pet name for her. Anybody else call her Maen or in her full name.

"Alexander Gillian de Dios. Why should I need to get ready first before you tell me what happened to your arm? Wait-did you fought with someone that's why you're injured?"

"Well-ah-I-"

"WHAT!?"

"Well, we can say that, but it's not really a fight per se. Just-"

"Why on earth would you let somebody hurt you Xander? You're a Katana master for goodness sake."

"It's not that easy to dodge when who you're fighting is someone you don't want to hurt."