Hello there! This is a Female Kazu X Spitfire love story in case you ignored the description. I apologize beforehand for any grammatical/spelling/punctuation mistakes and feels killing.

Kazumi spent half her childhood being bullied by Ikki and the other half being in his shadow. And to be honest, she didn't know which she preferred. She loved Ikki; he was her best friend, after all. But she didn't like being second best to everyone because of him. The only time she could ever win was in a foot race, but what good did that do her? No one cared if you could run faster, it only mattered if you were on top, and on top was him, not her.

She remembered when the first time she put on AT's she nearly killed herself multiple time just trying to go forward. And she remembered how when she saw Ikki ride for the first time he beat one of the best Storm Riders in the area. How she felt when she was doing a little better, like she could almost fly. How she was forced to watch from the ground as her friend soared above the clouds. When she finally gained a tiny bit of confidence in herself, only to have it shattered by the one closest to her. When had she become so pathetic?

When she tried to prove herself by taking on the Yaooo!, she didn't know it would end with Ikki in the spotlight once again. She knew why, of course, and held nothing against him. In fact, she was proud. But that didn't mean it didn't bug her that she was completely useless.

But then he appeared.

Kazumi was breathless as that man came down from nowhere, engulfed in flames. He introduced himself as Spitfire, King of the Flame Road. And of course, he came for Ikki. But even so, she was memorized. Never before had she seen someone so intense, so

passionate that Kazumi felt like if she stood too close, she'd get burned.

Time after time again he kept appearing at their matches, and she was sure it was to watch her friend because, let's face it, why come to watch what was second best?

There was nothing special about her, and she wanted to change that. She swore she'd find her own road, a road different from Ikki. And she did. It wasn't until Spitfire spoke to

her, and not Ikki, that she knew it was the fastest and second most 'free' road: the Flame Road -no, Spitfire's road. Her road.

Nothing could have made her happier. She found a different path from Ikki, and she learned that the reason Spitfire kept coming to watch them was not because of him, but because of her. He wanted to watch

her. She didn't know why, but she didn't care, because for the first time in a very long time, to someone she was not 'second best,' she came first.

"Kazu, come over here." Spitfire ordered with his thick cockney accent.

Standing up off the ground from taking a rest during training, Kazumi obediently went to her mentor's side. "What is it?"

Without looking at her, Spitfire said, "Tell me, what do you see?"

Kazumi turned to cast her eyes on what the Flame King was staring so intently. She raised an eyebrow at the view of the city below. Not really understanding what he wanted she said, "Um, well, I see the lots of buildings. Tall and short. The sun's setting behind them.. Oh! And I see someone had a wreck on the bridge. That's unfortunate..."

Spitfire sighed almost disappointingly. Kazumi suddenly felt really stupid. What had she missed? "That wasn't it, was it?" It wasn't really a question, she knew she got it completely wrong. Spitfire didn't give that particular sign of 'seriously?' unless the level of incorrectness was worthy of it.

"Well," he began, "I can't really say it was wrong, just that you missed the point by a long shot."

"Then...?" Kazumi questioned.

"You see, Kazu, anyone can look at it and say what it is. Buildings, sunset, a wreck, for example," she rubbed the back of her head and gave a sheepish laugh, "but what they fail to do is not to look, but to see."

"See?"

"Yes. For example: I see endless possibilities. Countless roads and chances to get from one place to another. Unlike you, I see with a Storm Rider's eyes. You still doubt yourself, so you don't let your eyes truly 'see.' Your feelings of inferiority are chaining you to the ground, preventing you from flying. I want to break those chains. I want to help you see with the eyes of a Storm Rider. To fly."

Kazumi gazed up at the more mature man, his orangey-red hair being ruffled in the wind. What this man has already done for her is more than she could ever repay, and he still wants to do that much? For someone like her? She dropped her head, face hidden by her long, golden hair. What had she ever done to deserve such kindness? Spitfire was clearly not the type to do something like put up with a bratty kid for endless hours out of pity... so why?

Confusing and negative thoughts kept swirling in her mind until completely vanishing when a large, warm hand is placed atop her head. Looking up, surprised azure eyes met blazing red ones that held such gentleness and understanding. "Don't worry about thing that hold you down, Kazumi," Spitfire began, his voice calming the storm inside her body. "Just aim for the sky without worry, because no matter what, I swear I'll be right here for you."

Kazumi felt as if she was about to cry but held it back. After all, there was no need to cry, he just vowed to help her with it all no matter what. And that was more than enough. Reaching up and pulling her beloved beanie lower, she whispered with a voice full of trust and happiness, "Yeah."

True to his word, Spitfire showed Kazumi the sky. He took her hand and as she followed him, she could truly see the Flame Road. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever witnessed. The time she spent with Spitfire became precious to her beyond measure. She never wanted it to end. The chains keeping her to the ground were almost completely broken, but then that day came, and her whole world came crashing down...

"Spitfire, where are we going?" Kazumi called out curiously.

The tall man turned to look at his disciple as they made their way from building tops to the ground and up to the sky again. "Didn't I tell you? We're going to my house." He said casually, as if it was obvious.

"Eh? Why there?" It was not what she was expecting. She assumed that they were going to a new place to train.

"Because we need to talk." His voice held a seriousness that she had not heard before.

When they got to his apartment (it was actually bigger than her house, seeing as it was one for rich people and had two stories and was very modern), he sat her down on his white couch and went to make them some tea. How very British of him, she thought.

As she took in her surroundings, she was amazed. She never guessed he would live in a place like this, seeing as he worked as hair stylist. He must be better at his job than she thought due to the fact everything was top class. A big flat-screen TV, top floor and perfect view of the city, a beautiful white grand piano. Kazumi was intrigued at that last one, being surprised yet again. She had no clue he could play piano, or maybe he was one of those people who had one just for the hell of it, she didn't know. Still, she figured a person wouldn't have such a good one unless they could at least play more than chopsticks, which was something she couldn't even do.

Spitfire came back, handing her a mug filled with hot tea. As she took a sip, she noticed that he didn't have any for himself, but before she could ask why, he said, "Kazumi," he immediately had her full attention. Spitfire hardly ever used her real name, (as did everyone) usually only when he was angry with her or something, "what I'm going to say will be confusing and slightly unbelievable, but please listen to the end."

She nodded her head. "Okay?"

Whatever Kazumi had expected to hear, this wasn't it. The Flame King proceeded to tell her about the origins of Air Treks and the people who made them. What the Tower of Trophaeum really was. About the first and second generation of Gravity Children. The original and new Sleeping forest. Sora and Kilik. The truth behind the Regalia and the roads they represented. Tool Toul To's - the Tuner's - purpose and standing. Genesis. He told her who he was. What he was. Revealing his past with the utmost care and detail.

And all she could do was stare at him with eyes wide and mouth agape.

The guy wasn't lying when he told her it'd be hard to believe. Even so, she knew he wasn't lying. Spitfire never lied, and he never would. So he was a genetically modified child created by the makers of AT's and raised under zero-gravity conditions with AT's from birth in Trophaeum for the sole purpose of being able to use their product to their full potential - a Gravity Child? She could roll with that. That wasn't what had her baffled.

She waited until Spitfire was done before she spoke, "I don't understand."

The man ran a hand through his gorgeous hair. "I know it's hard to believe, but-"

"That's not it."

He looked at her, confused. "What?"

"That's not what I don't get. I believe everything you told me, but..."

"Then... what is it?" he seemed to see nothing beyond what he told her as something she couldn't fathom.

"I don't understand why you're telling me all this." She stared at the empty mug in her hands. "While it's true that you've been kind enough to take me under your wing and teach me about the Flame Road, I don't see any reason to trust me with information as important as this. I may be a member of Kogarasumaru, but I'm not Ikki. I'm not the next Sky King; the one Genesis is so set on. In fact, I'm pretty sure that as far as Simca is concerned, I don't even exist."

Spitfire knelt to the floor in front of her, taking away the mug and set it aside, making her look at him. His eyes were serious, as was his voice when he spoke, "The reason I told you has nothing to do with Simca or Ikki. It's because you need to know so you're prepared."

Her face showed the pure confusion she felt inside. "Prepared for what?"

He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could someone crashed through the ceiling.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Kazumi had no clue as to what was happening. All she had managed to gather was that Sora had a twin bother - Nike - and they were both twisted bastards. Sano - the 'Aeon Clock' - showed up and was fighting with Spitfire for their lives against them. Oh, and apparently the reason Spitfire had told her all that was because he wanted to make her the next Flame King - or Flame Queen, if you will.

However, before she could make sense of anything, Mimasaka appeared and took an attack to protect Sano, killing her. And somewhere after that she found herself being pick up by strong arms and carried off, away from the battlefield.

She couldn't think. She could barely even breathe as Spitfire placed her on the hard ground in an ally. She was somewhat aware of the man in front of her taking off his Flame Regalia and setting them beside her, only to then proceed to take off her AT's and somehow manage to squeeze his much larger feet into them, complaining all the while.

She didn't regain her senses until she heard him say: "I need to return quickly, or else..."

Kazumi reached out a bruised and bloody hand, grabbing onto his coat and choking out, "Spit... You...!"

Spitfire took her hand, prying it off gently as he said with equal gentleness, "I am only but a spark,"

What are you doing?

"However, someday, even someone like me..."

I don't understand...

"Will be able to ignite another..."

You already have...

"That's all that I wanted to say."

Don't leave me!

The Flame King released her hand reluctantly, not wanting him to go, either. How he wished he could just stay right where he was and ignore everything else. But life's a bitch, he thought bitterly as he gave the battered girl on the ground one last smile before turning and jumping up into the sky, heading back towards the battle that awaited him. Kazu was safe, and that's all that mattered. He could go greet his fate with his mind at ease with knowing that one simple thing.

SPITFIRE!

"Hey... I'm glad... I knew you'd find this file... Hello, Kazu... Ikki..."

Every team they've ever com across from Sabeltiger to Genesis stood/sat in Kogarasumaru's hideout, watching the file on the 'read' Spitfire left for them in his home server. It was a recording of him, before he died.

"Unfortunately... by the time you see this... it'll already be too late for me..."

Kazumi stood closest to the projector that played the file on the wall. She was the one that found it, after all.

"I will... no longer be apart of this world..."

Murmurs of shock and wonder were heard from where she stood wanting to punch them all in the face for talking. She wanted to hear without hindrance, and they were too loud. It finally took Agito's threats to shut them up.

"I'm sure that you all... know everything by now..."

His face was right there. Right in front of her, albeit on a much larger scale. If she took only a few steps and reached out her hands, she could touch it, but she'd only feel the wall. And though his voice was solemn, he was speaking with that mesmerizing accent of his. So smooth and comforting. It was as if a blanket was being wrapped around her. (A/N: I'm in shock. Look, I've got a blanket! #couldntresist)

"Have your wings broken... Ikki?"

Ikki? Why him? Why was it always him?

The recorded Ex-Flame King raised and hand and rubbed his neck, smiling that stupid grin as he continued with awkward humor, "Ah! But you know, if I'm not dead, then don't watch the rest of this! It's embarrassing!" Spitfire them seemed to notice something off camera and then practically screamed like a girl saying, "WAH! A roach. It's a cockroach! Ah, insecticide! Did I get any on the camera?!"

Kazumi pulled off her beanie and gripped it tight. He's not tense at all...

Spitfire sat himself down again and continued once the roach was gone. "Okay. Now that it's all come down to this, where should I begin?"

How about the part where you forgot to mention you planned on dying?

"Ikki. Kazu. Do you... remember the day I first met you?"

It's kind of hard to forget something like that. After all, you did have everyone worried you were gonna burn the school down... idiot.

"But, you know... Ikki, the truth is... I knew about you long before that..."

Something inside of Kazumi began to crack.

"..."The New Wind King Training Project" One day, Simca suddenly brought it up. That's right. When I first heard it I was astonished."

More.

"I had not... intended... for any of this."

Deeper.

"Simca and I... didn't want to fight with Kilik."

Louder.

"If you had become Genesis' top rider and things went well, it would have been possible to avoid war with them. That was because we were depending on your ties of friendship. Specifically with Sleeping Forest's leader, Crazy Apple. But..."

No matter how much she swallowed, the lump in her throat would not go away.

"At the Behemoth match... while shouldering everything, you... had said... "Shouldering everything I will fly!" At that time Simca and I felt something ache in our hearts... Something we had forgotten... The dispute with Sleeping Forest... Genesis... The Sky Regalia... None of it mattered."

If it didn't matter, then why?

"Your great wings had awoken the wind inside of us... and the need to fly."

God, you're so cheesy...

"Can you... No, can both of you remember... Before this pointless battle... Surely... certainly..."

Yes... Because it was you who showed it to me in the first place.

"Ikki. I'll ask you one more time: Are your wings broken? Hm?Are they really?"

I'm fine, thanks for asking. Not.

Ikki then went on to get really hyper and infected everyone else. They decided that from now on he'd be the Storm King of the Hurricane Road. She was both happy and proud of him, but it still hurt. While they were going on about something about 'on the battlefield,' Kazumi heard Spitfire speak again. He was quieter, as if he didn't want everyone to hear. And as she turned to look at him, her heart nearly jumped out of her mouth when it seemed like he wasn't just looking at a camera, but at her.

"Now that that's over with... How are you? Worried? I think I started a good fire, right?"

Kazumi bit her lip as the corners of her mouth stretched into a sad, yet genuine smile and tears threatened to fall from her eyes. "Dumbass..."

I do believe I have grown a beard...

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