Episode Two: Flame against Fujin, Dangerous Temptations!

Recca recalls the late events in his life as he runs (to who knows where…maybe he’s off to…HAPPY LAND!) to school. Just recently, he met up with a mysterious lady called Kage Houshi. She forces him to realize his power, the power to produce flame from his hands. In the process, Recca meets a girl, Yanagi Sakoshita, who possesses the ability to heal. He promises to himself that he will protect her, his Hime, as his Princess’ ninja.

"HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMMMMMMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Yanagi freezes in place as she hears her new friend, Recca’s, nickname for her.

"HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMMMMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" ( I think he had a little too much caffeine… )She turns around to observe the horde of students heading off to their prison (… I mean school, sorry about that ^_^ Well, at least I was close). No one. No, wait. What’s that? A surprised gasp flies from her mouth. Recca waves his hands wildly as he attempts to reach her by pushing himself off one student’s head to another, like stepping stones. "Accidentally", he knocks down his *good friend* Domon in the process.

"Recca!!! You monkey!!! Get back here!!!" Recca disregards the dissatisfied complaint from Domon.

"Recca-kun!" Yanagi whispers to herself as Recca slowly makes his way to her. Suddenly he stumbles atop the head of an unfortunate student. His arms flail uncontrollably as he falls to the ground to be trampled by the stampede of pupils on their way to receive their much "valued" education. Domon taunts Recca when he falls but is quickly silenced as he, too, is dragged under the stream of people (although personally, I think Recca may know something about that...).

Pop! Recca appears before Yanagi with a wide grin stretching across his face. Recca kneels before her. "Your ninja, Hanabishi Recca, presents himself to you, Hime"

"Recca-kun," Yanagi smiles. And time stops (Pluto, didn’t they tell you not to do that? It TOTALLY disrupts the time continuum! : Þ But it’s *FUN*!!! Oh fine, take away all the joy in my life. Now if you’ll please excuse me, I’m going to go to my corner and sulk. Humph! ).

Echoes of various "You are…?" ‘s travel through the throng of students and they all turn to the two figures of Yanagi and Recca. From his flattened position on the ground, Domon completes the phrase for everyone. "You’re *her* ninja?"

Silence. Yanagi and Recca are the center of attention. Yanagi glances around uneasily. She gives a small embarrassed grin and slowly backs away from where Recca kneels before her. She whips around in the other direction and sprints for cover. Recca, for his part, glances up from his humble position and pursues the fleeing Yanagi. "Hime! Wait!" (You forgot your glass slipper! No, that’s Cinderella…)

Behind the retreating figures, gossip flies through the crowd.

"Did he say that he was *her* ninja?!"

"So he must have meant…."

"…..that Sakoshita-san defeated Recca-kun?!?!"

The shocked group gazes after the disappearing pair.

Shortly after, Yanagi and Recca relax under the comforting shade of a leafy tree eating their lunch. Yanagi asks Recca to pick a different name to call her, but he refuses saying that she *is* his Hime whom he will protect.

Yanagi looks away from him, troubled. Suddenly a large shadow falls over them (IT’S GODZILLA!!!!!!!), easily blocking the sunlight. Domon (the big bad man) lifts Recca into the air by his collar.

"Do you mean to tell me that this little girl managed to beat you senseless before I did?" he hisses while turning his head to direct his glare at Yanagi. He carelessly tosses Recca into a nearby trash can. Yanagi protests that it wasn’t what everyone thought and Recca confirms her answer. Domon demands to know the real reason.

Recca doesn’t reply for a moment…. then he snaps his head up to meet Domon’s stare, and answers…

"WHY WOULD I TELL A NOSE-RINGED MONGOLOID LIKE YOU?!?!?!?"

And then, Domon sees red. He lunges toward Recca. (RED LIGHT!) Domon freezes.

"OW OOH OW OWIE OUCH OOH EEE OWW OWWW OWWWW OWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!" Welcome ladies and gentlemen. I present to you….. Domon! Your entertainment committee for tonight! As you can see, he has chosen to dance for you! This special dance is called "Have-to-keep-jumping-or-else-those-ninja-stars-are-really-gonna-huuuuuurt!!!" (Everybody, now!) Recca presents his own little victory dance before Domon. Angrily, Domon declares that Fuko will not tolerate his actions.

Recca stops in his tracks, turns around, hoists Yanagi on his shoulders, and runs for it. They escape to the roof of the school. There, they unexpectedly meet up with the previously mentioned Fuko. Fuko is furious that she did not succeed in defeating Recca before Yanagi did. There is a short fight between them before Recca traps Fuko in a net, informing her that the reason he was Yanagi’s ninja was not because he was defeated. He just felt like it.

Later, Fuko assaults a tree to work off her rage. Kage Houshi watches, hidden from Fuko’s view. After a while, she emerges from the shadows and walks to Fuko offering a gift, the Fujin. At first, Fuko refuses the offer. Then, Kage Houshi shows her the power stored in the Fujin…

Back at Kouran’s (the evil, crazy, I-wanna-live-forever person) office, he discovers that a girl saved a boy at a construction site… a girl with possible healing power.

Recca races to answer the telephone. Fuko’s voice threads through the receiver requesting his presence at the school. At first, Recca commands her to go to sleep, but then Kage Houshi takes the phone, telling him to arrive quickly. Recca races toward the school, passing by Yanagi although he doesn’t notice.

Recca arrives at school, only to find Fuko eagerly awaiting a fight with him. The challenge begins as Kage Houshi acquaints him with the fact that the Fujin on Fuko’s wrist possesses her and urges her to battle. Recca dodges Fuko’s attacks while trying not to hurt her much. Yanagi appears on the scene only to run off for help. Kage Houshi stops her by knocking her unconscious. However, as Yanagi awakens, she pleads to a mysterious figure standing before her to aide Recca at the school. Upon completing her request, she faints again.

Meanwhile, Recca is locked in battle with a…mentally disturbed… Fuko. Fuko launches an attack that Recca cannot avoid. Just as it nearly strikes him, Domon saves the day…. er…. night. He tells Recca that Yanagi is safe, but unconscious. Fuko attacks again. Recca tumbles out of the way. Domon stubbornly takes the hit. Both Recca and Fuko are mystified. Domon slowly makes his way to Fuko accepting every blow she throws at him. When he reaches her, he collapses on his knees, still holding onto her arms. Domon begs her to stop as a tear drips down his cheek. The eye on the Fujin glimmers and releases its power on Fuko.

Kage Houshi gasps <<She’s gaining control>>. Fuko clutches at her head and implores Recca and Domon to help her. She looks at Recca pleadingly. Recca races to his friends, but Kage Houshi beats him to them. Fuko shrieks, and Domon falls to the ground. Her moment of sanity is lost.

"So close to saving her. What are you going to do now?" Kage Houshi taunts. Recca’s fury encompasses him, and he brings out his flame. Fuko watches, shocked. Domon regards the flame from his fallen position. Fuko recovers quickly. "And now, you die."

The powerful wind from the Fujin speeds toward Recca. He lashes out his fiery fist…

End of Episode 2