Second Life of The Takashi Clan

The moment Zack jumped out of his car, he watched the new kid, Kade, park his flashy red Camaro behind and casually step out.

Zack's jaw dropped with disbelief. He barked. "Dude, why did you follow me home?"

"I thought we could work on the history report together." Kade grinned, lightly punching Zack's arm. "Gotta get that thirty percent of the final grade, huh?"

Zack narrowed his eyes at Kade. "You want to be the token overachiever already?"

Kade frowned. "If I want a shot at Yale Med School, yes."

Zack pressed his lips together and nodded. Should have guessed. "No, I'm going to go with a C minus."

Ignoring Kade's frown of disapproval, he swung around and marched for the front door.

"Look, I didn't get the chance to tell you this at school, Zack." Kade spoke as they walked into the house. "I... I think I'm your father. No, I believe I am."

Zack paused and turned to Kade with a stare of confusion.

Kade took a deep breath. "I've been trying to tell you all day, look, when Mariana and I died—"

Zack instantly felt a rush of anger. "How'd you know my stepmom's name?"

"Because I'm literally your father." Kade said, meeting his eyes.

Zack's heart raced. He should have seen this coming; the Akugan must have found him and sent this guy to hunt him down.

Zack focused his mind energy on Kade's, but the link shot electricity through Zack, and he bit back a yelp.

It was some kind of a mental block.

Kade was speaking, but Zack had other things in mind.

He held his hands behind his back and pushed a distress button on his keychain. 

Kade snapped his fingers in Zack's face. "Hey, are you listening to me?"

"Uh, yeah, dude." Zack nodded.

Kade frowned. "Look, I get it, you know I'm your dad, and yeah we're practically the same age. But calling me 'dude' is just weird. Just call me Kai." 

Zack winced.

But Zack took a step back just in time for Saul to throw a net over Kade. 

They both wrestled Kade to the floor, pinning him down.

"Hold him, Zack!" Saul shouted.

Five minutes later, Kade was sitting in their secret bunker, tied with ropes and mouth taped shut.

Saul held a flashlight to Kade's face.

"Hmm, aren't you a little young to be in a gang?" Saul asked. "The Akugan recruits are just getting younger every day."

Kade only let out a muffled mumble.

Zack emptied Kade's backpack on a table; he found some notebooks, pens, and a wallet.

"What were you thinking, bringing this clown into our home?" Saul asked as he stepped up next to Zack. "Akugan spies could be anyone!"

"I didn't know he was following me." Zack replied.

Saul pointed the flashlight in Zack's eyes. "Where were you last night?" 

Zack held up his hand and shook his head, trying not to laugh. "Definitely not watching Real Housewives."

Classic.

Saul froze, letting the flashlight drop. 

"What did I say about reading my mind without permission?" Saul asked.

"Like I told you the day I moved in," Zack said. "I can't stop myself from reading your deepest thoughts."

"Yes, you can; you're just lazy and apathetic."

"That's the same thing. Can we go through this guy's stuff already?"

Saul opened Zack's wallet and took out his ID.

Zack sniffed the plastic card, and Saul shot him a look. "This is brand new." He said.

Saul picked up a gold credit card. "At least we know he's not trying to rob us."

"And he definitely did his homework." Zack flipped open a book filled with clippings about his dad. Hiis chest twisted when he saw the article about the car accident, and worse, some of his own public records. 

"And I'm not proud of what I found." Kade said behind them.

Way too close.

They turned around.

Kade stood, free from his bonds, and holding a stern look. His ropes appeared to have been ripped off. 

Saul quickly drew up a kunai to Kade's throat. "Not another step."

"You let my son turn into a complete juvenile." Kai accused Saul.

"Do you have amnesia or something?" Zack snapped. "I'm not your—"

But Kade was still glaring at Saul. 

"Who are you, really?" Saul asked.

"I am Kai of the Takashi Clan." Kade said. "We were descendants of great healers and warriors. We swore to protect the medallion of Amaterasu with our lives."

Zack echoed Kade's words in his mind. It was unbelievable.

"You want to kill me?" Kai asked. "Do it? I'll just keep coming back, over and over again. I trusted you with my son because I saved your life once... I can't remember the full details, but you owed me a debt."

Saul dropped the kunai, in shock. "Kai?" He breathed. "It's really you."

Kade rolled his eyes and looked at Zack; he stepped forward. Zack leapt back.

"No!" Zack cried.

"Zack, it's okay." Saul cautioned.

"My father died; I saw it happen!" Zack snapped. "He has to be lying."

Kade started to explain. "Zack, I know it sounds strange, but there's a reason why you can read minds; it's a gift from the medallion."

Zack stood his ground, glaring at him. "I don't want to listen to anything you have to say!"

Then he stormed out of the bunker. 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Zack woke up with the usual buzzing headache. The moment his eyes opened, a flood of other people's thoughts rushed in.

Too bad the internet didn't offer remedies for curses.

Downstairs, he froze upon seeing Kade flipping pancakes. When one went midair, he spun, and the pancake landed inside the pan.

Zack's breath caught.

It was the same move his dad used to do.

Kade glanced at him. "Morning, son—I mean Zack," he said, quickly catching himself.

"Why are you stealing our food?" Zack asked flatly.

He felt a tap on his back and looked to see Saul walk past. "Good news, Kai is going to live with us. That way you two won't be separated."

Zack frowned. "Are you kidding me? You trust him because he can recite the family's oath. For all we know, he could be a spy."

"Zack, I can hear you."

"Well, you're meant to."

Saul shook his head. "It's strange, yes, but that kid's your father, and we're going to have to accept fate."

Fuck fate.

After a quick breakfast, I jumped into my car, and Kade climbed into the passenger's seat.

Zack glared at him in surprise. "Don't you have your own car?"

"I wanted us to talk as you drive," Kade said.

"Get out!" Zack snapped.

"No," Kade said firmly.

Zack drove, but not in the direction of school.

"You're going the wrong way," Kade pointed out.

"So?"

Zack scoffed under his breath. "Of course."

"What?"

"You're a pro at skipping school too. What's next? Robbing a supermarket?"

Zack didn't respond to him. He had bigger things in mind, and school wouldn't fix them. Kade kept saying something, then suddenly grabbed the steering wheel.

"What are you doing?!" Zack screamed as the car spun a full three-sixty, tires screeched, and they nearly hit another vehicle, causing the owner to swear at them. 

His heart raced as he shakily grabbed the wheel; when he hit the brakes, the car screeched to a stop. 

When he managed to look at Kade, who looked pissed off.

"Are you insane?!" 

"I don't think you heard me clearly." Kade's voice dropped, sharp and low. "You are going to school."