"Cooking is so fun. Cooking is so fun. Now it's time to take a break and see what we have done." A young girl sang as she flipped the last pancake on a frying pan. Her white flower dress, though soft and fluttery, was not attire a girl normally wore while cooking. This was balanced only by her pink apron and scarf that was tied to her long pink hair. Bright blue eyes glanced over the stove top, examining the layers of pancakes she had already cooked.
Her skin flushed pink when a pair of arms embraced her.
"Mi-rei-chan!" The man said gleefully, excitement practically dripping from his voice.
"Breakfast is almost done, daddy." Mirei smiled, enjoying her father's warmth.
"I can't wait! You make the best pancakes in the world! Kisses for the pancake princess!" The girl giggled when he repeatedly kissed his daughter's cheek, causing her body to glow a bright pink.
"S-stop it daddy! That tickles!" She struggled to shake him off, but it was all in vain. He held her in place after some playful torment, resting his chin on top of her head.
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot. We're going to have some special guest coming by soon, so make some extra pancakes for them too."
"Special guest?" Her eyes narrowed, a hint of irritation passing through them. She directed her glare at the black haired man that stood several feet taller than her, brown eyes trying hard to hide guilt. "Not another girl, is it?"
"Ah…well, you see, about that…"
Her cheeks puffed in a cute pout, turning away with her arms crossed. "Hmph. I'm not making food for another girl."
"N-now, now, Mirei-chan, let's be reasonable. I swear, she's not like the other girls I have brought here, honest. She's…an old friend of ours. So please, please, please be a good girl. Just for today. I'll buy you ice cream and cake after today."
Mirei was not a dumb child by any means. She knew her father well enough to know this was something big if he was bribing her with ice cream and cake. "Daddy…who is this old friend?"
"A-ah…no one special!" The sound of the door bell rang throughout the household. "Oh, I didn't expect them to come so soon." He quickly darted for the front door, his daughter following in quick pursuit after turning off the fire on the stove. She was very suspicious now.
"Tell me what is going on! Who is this friend you keep…" Her words died on her lips when the door opened, revealing a face she never wanted to see again.
Long black clothes outlined her curvy body, enchanting viewers with both her majesty and ruthlessness. Black and gold jewelry adorned long blonde hair that cascaded over one of her cold, grey eyes. "Aaron." She greeted him with a voice that could either steal a man's heart or cripple it.
Despite the serious tone in her voice, Aaron had eyes that conveyed genuine joy for the woman's arrival. "Shirona-chan, darling! You still look lovely after all these years! How about a little sugar for old time's sa—OW!" His attempts at an embrace were effectively ended with a swift uppercut.
Fear quickly turned to anger as Mirei lunged at the woman in defense of her father. But before she could blink her arms was twisted behind her back and her cheek was smashed against the wall. Though she was quick to move, the child that woman was with was quicker. The resemblance in him and the woman's demeanor was matched both by their dress code and cold dispositions. Emerald eyes spoke for the violet haired boy: Don't mess with his mother.
"Calm down, Kojiro. That's your sister you're roughing up." Aaron pleaded softly. The boy did not budge until Shirona nodded, casting a dark glare on the now intimidated girl. "Shall we take this to the kitchen? We're having pancakes!" His smile grew wider when he saw the hesitant look on her face. Kojiro seemed hungry as well, but did not wish to convey his opinion in front of mother. "Come on, you know you want it." He winked suggestively at her, making her cheeks blush lightly, but not from the suggestive comment.
Shirona's hands twitched, ready to slap the pervert when her stomach grumbled loudly. Now her blush was a sign of embarrassment. She feigned a cough to cover it up, attempting to maintain some dignity. "Very well. We will discuss the details with the children at the table. And Aaron…put some clothes on." She stalked towards the kitchen, trying hard not to remind herself that he was only wearing blue and grey shorts and a mischievous smirk.
Minutes of setting up and more cooking later, the family sat at the circular wooden table eating Mirei's pancakes. It was a very quiet breakfast. Mirei caught Shirona giving small glances at her and Aaron, not sure how to take her emotionless glances. However, it was never a good sign. At one point, her mother stared at her for a long minute before putting down her coffee cup, releasing a sigh.
"Aaron…"
'Oh boy…' Mirei knew that disappointed tone was targeting her. Some imperfection she was going to point out.
"Yes honey?" Aaron smiled, ignoring the glare that was shot at him.
"Have you taught her anything useful as of late?"
Mirei opened her mouth to comment, but the let-him-answer look she received was more than enough to keep her quiet. She really hated that. But Aaron smiled as he always did. "A child can learn a lot in five years. Not only can she cook the best pancakes in the world, but now she even washes her hands after using the bathroom!"
"Daddy…!" Mirei's body burned several shades of pink, slumping in her seat in an attempt to disappear.
"I didn't leave her to you so you could raise her to be someone's housewife. Kojiro's only eleven and can already use his abilities at a mature level. What will she do when humans strike out at her, give them friendship pancakes?"
Aaron paused, tapping his fork against his chin thoughtfully. "That's not a bad idea…"
"Be serious Aaron…"
"We could call it 'Friendcakes'!"
"Aaron…!"
"And the main ingredient could be the power of love!"
"AARON!" Shirona slammed her hands on the table, both children jumping in their seats. "We're talking about a matter of life and death! These children must be ready for the hateful world out there."
"You worry too much. The humans love us. Just because Mirei-chan isn't human doesn't mean she will automatically be hated. The Pokénoid revolution ended over ten years ago. Besides, no one can hate Chanseys. I mean, look at these cheeks!" Aaron pinched Mirei's soft cheeks and began to stretch them. They were surprisingly elastic, stretching a few inches. It did not hurt the girl very much, but it was a very irritating feeling like her senses were being stretched. When released, it smacked back into place, stinging her and leaving a very dark red tint on her cheeks.
"That smarts, daddy…" The elastic girl rubbed her cheeks, expanding in an adorable pout. For the smallest of moments, she could swear her mother was giving her a glance of adoration. Someone as dark as her could not possibly be a fan of cute things, was she?
"You still don't understand the world we live in. Chanseys like you are too damn happy to see the truth."
"And Gardeviors like you are so super serious. You have got to be the unhappiest empath ever. But that's why I love ya; your serious face is super cute."
"Stop dodging the subject." As much as she tried to look annoyed, her blush was betraying her facade.
"See? You're even got that cute blushing thing going. You're such a tsundere."
"What the hell is that suppose to mean?" Once again, Shirona could never understand his weird terms and expressions. She ignored it when he called his daughter Mirei-chan, but tsundere? She was just as lost as Kojiro was, but Mirei's light chuckle cued her to some strange inside joke.
"Nevermind. But I guess you're right, we should get to the topic at hand." The man made an elongated sigh. "It's been a long time since we've went to bed together, so I suggest we take things slow and—mmph!" He was effectively silenced by the most accurate pancake toss he had ever seen. It took a few seconds for him to swallow the food, trying hard to hold back a laugh.
"I'm talking about custody of the children you imbecile!"
Mirei gasped with shock. Did that mean she might end up living with her mother? And worse yet, she would be leaving her father. She wanted to avoid that at all cost. "I don't want to leave daddy!"
Aaron sighed heavily. He knew the news would hurt her badly. But it was for the best. "I don't want to leave you either, Sugarfluff. Daddy will have to go away for awhile, so you will have to stay with—"
"DON'T SAY IT!" Mirei screamed, tears now rolling down her face. "I don't want to leave you! Don't make me go with mommy!"
"Ugh, Mirei…" Aaron knew she was going to have a problem with the decision. The poor girl did not like her mother very much. He could understand how she felt though; Shirona could be very harsh and cold, especially with her children. As much of an ice queen she made herself out to be, it was not out of spite or hatred, but that of a mother that did not want her children to be weak or taken advantage of. But she was far more violent then than she was now, but some scars don't heal that easily.
"I have an idea." Everyone's eyes were directed to Shirona. "If she wants to stay with you so badly, then she has to prove that she can handle the kind of life you will be living. If she can defeat my son in a challenge of his choosing, then they can stay with you." Kojiro seemed almost heartbroken at the idea of leaving his mother, but kept silent. "However, if she loses, she will leave with me."
"I believe we should let them decide that for themselves. Right you two?" Aaron nodded at both Kojiro and Mirei, who nodded back in response.
"In that case…I will challenge sister to a battle. If she can defeat me, I…I will stay with father..." The words left Kojiro's mouth like acid. He shot a fierce glare at Mirei, who tried her best to avoid eye contact.
"And Mirei…?" Shirona tossed a small glance at Mirei, truly curious on her answer. It was obvious she was not a fighter and would easily lose. Even she should realize that there was no way she could beat him in a hundred years, let alone a day. She would most likely refuse the challenge.
Mirei felt stuck between a rock and a hard place. She never had to raise her hand against anyone in her entire life. But…she felt something the moment Shirona struck Aaron earlier that made her bold enough to actually want to strike someone, and it was her mother of all people. She had no idea something like that was within her, but that was not enough to handle someone like Kojiro, who had much fighting experience. She was scared. Very scared. "I…"
Aaron caught on to her fear and feigned a cough, cutting through the thick tension in the air. "Hey, hey, we got all day tomorrow to think about it. We're still a family, so let's not worry about this stuff now. Kojiro…" He placed a gentle hand on top of his son's head. "You don't have to be so serious. You're just like your mother, super serious and awesome."
"Uh…tha…thank you…" Kojiro was embarrassed and flattered, quickly fixing his hair back in place. He was not used to compliments, which Shirona used very sparingly.
"That's fine. We have a hotel to book, so we shall be on our way. Let's go, Kojiro." Shirona stood up, walking towards the door with her child.
"Okay. Take care." Aaron waved. Mirei sighed, glad she was going away.
Shirona walked slower than normal towards the front door, her son casting worried looks. "We will be at the Goldenrod hotel."
"I copy."
"…I will be waiting for word of the decision."
"I'll send a message."
"I'm going."
"See you tomorrow."
With great hesitation, she opened the door to let herself out. "Until next time…"
'Why can't she just be more honest? It's cute, but seriously…' Aaron knew what she really wanted, but the woman was just too proud to admit it. "You know, we have a spare room down the hall…"
"I appreciate the offer." She sped down the hall and into the room, the smallest hint of appreciation in her eyes.
Kojiro did not follow, too surprised at his mother's actions. Normally, she was cool, mysterious and powerful. He loved and respected his mother completely. But she was different whenever father was around. Both he and Shirona were powerful empaths, mother being one of the most powerful psychics in the world. Soon, he too would be as powerful as her. Whenever she was with Aaron, her composure would change into something calmer and warmer. Whatever the reason, it baffled him. "Mother is certainly acting strange…"
"That's one way to look at it." Aaron laughed, happy that the family was back together, even if it was temporary. "Isn't this great, Mirei? Now we can spend some time with…Mirei?"
Mirei did not like this, not at all. That feeling of terror she felt whenever she was with her mother returned in full force. She could never forget the suffering that woman put her and Aaron through. The memories of seeing him crying alone at night would forever haunt her. It felt like she was living a nightmare all over again. Ignoring her father's cries, she burst out front door and ran off, seeking a place that was nowhere near Shirona.
She pushed her longs as hard as her light body could handle, blind with tears. Her run through the city did not last long as she tripped and slammed on the ground hard, the wind getting knocked out of her small body. Arms burned with asphalt friction, which thankfully protected her face. "Ow…" She sniffed, her wounds bleeding lightly. Both her body and her heart were hurting. "It hurts…it hurts daddy…" The ten year old did not move for a few minutes, quietly sobbing.
After having a good cry, she stood up and glanced at her surroundings. She did not want to return home, but being stuck in a dark alley did not help either. Not only was she sad and hurt, but now alone and scared. She was used to being around her father and happy faces. She was afraid of the dark as it is, but being alone only made things worse.
Now that she noticed, she was not alone.
At the corner of her eye, she saw someone leaning against the wall next to a trash dump. Surprisingly, he did not look more than a three years older than her, but was badly injured. Cuts and bruises littered his body, sleeveless silver shirt and midnight blue pants soaked in blood. Breathing was shallow and haggard, weakened from whatever just transpired. More blood gushed from his forehead, staining his sandy blonde hair. The kid was dying.
"Oh no. I have to do something." Chanseys were Pokémon famous for their powerful medicinal aid. Aaron was an amazing doctor who never gave up on a patient and helped anyone he could. Mirei adopted this trait and cherished it as one of her connections to her father. Just as her father would do, Mirei took to the challenge and went to aid the injured boy.
As she drew closer, his hand shot for her shoulder and grappled her onto the ground, locking her wrist down. Golden eyes stared fiercely into her scared blue ones. She was very confused, not to mention feared for her life. "P-p-please calm down. Y-y-your wounds will get worse." She noticed something else while staring up at the violent boy. Everything from his forearms to his fingertips was pitch-black and furry, as were the area around his eyes, tracing to the back of his head. His nails were long and sharp and a small steel mound was forming on the back of his palms. Upon closer inspection, it was clear he was not wearing a shirt at all; it was a thin layer of fur. Just like his hands, his chest had a metal mound in the center.
This person was a Pokénoid, just like her.
"Who are you?" The boy questioned.
"Mi…M-Mirei!"
"What are you trying to—ugh..." His knees buckled, face twisted with pain.
"Please be still. I'm going to help you." Though the boy was aggressive and hostile, she could not ignore him. Ripping out parts of her dress, she began wrapping it around his stomach wounds, which to her horror, were stab wounds. The boy released a pained roar when she pressed the cloth on his injuries, but pushed on to help him recover. This would not be enough, but it would keep him alive until she found a better place to heal him. Somewhere like her house. 'No. I don't want to go back there. I will have to see…' No matter how much she feared and despised her mother, the boy's pained expression, his silent plea for help called out to her very soul.
She did not want him to die, that was her highest priority. Failure was not an option. "Come with me. I will take you to my house. My dad's a doctor, he will help."
The boy wanted to protest, but once his eyes locked onto Mirei's, he could not refuse the once in a lifetime offer. "…Leo."
"Huh?"
"The name's Leo."
She was surprised at first, but then gave him a wide grin. "Nice to meet you, Leo. I'm going to take care of you, so don't you worry." The boy said nothing else while he let himself get carried to Mirei's house. Not like he had much of a choice.
Half an hour later, an exhausted Mirei stepped inside the house with an injured Leo leaning against her. "Daddy, I need your help!"
"Mirei-chan! Where have you been for the last-whoa!" Aaron froze upon sighting a bloodied and bandaged boy hanging onto Mirei's shoulders. He had a grave feeling what happened. Before anything else, he grabbed that boy and swiftly walked him to his medical room. "What injuries did the boy have?" He asked, laying him on a bed.
"He had a really bad stab wound on his stomach, and lots of cuts and bruises. Please save him."
"Already on it. I could use a cute assistant though." He smiled as he realized she did not even need the invitation, already pulling out the bottles required for the process.
The hours put into healing Leo paid off, who was now resting peacefully. As Aaron finished wrapping up the rest of the used bandages and medical kits, he observed Mirei sleeping in a chair, her head resting on Leo's bed. For Leo to be that badly hurt, the kid must have been involved some heavy situations. He was going to have to keep careful watch for the kid.
"Thank you." Leo groaned, his eyes fluttering open.
"I'm only doing my job. I would thank her when she wakes up. She went through a lot of trouble to keep you alive."
Leo was quiet, a thoughtful look on his face. "I should not be alive right now." He gazed at his hands, still wondering how he was still able to see the light of day.
"That's true. Those stab wounds got some of your major organs. Even if you're a rare Lucario Pokénoid, you should have died long ago. Even someone with my skills would not have been able to perform a miracle like that."
"Then how did you do it?"
"I didn't." The boy grew confused, so Aaron elaborated. "That girl of mine has a gift no one can copy. They call her the angel child around here since anyone she's with is blessed with great luck. The fact she, the daughter of a skilled doctor, found you at the most critical time should be proof enough of how powerful it can be. The more determined she is, the luckier she gets. Your chances of survival were extremely low. Crazy, huh?"
'Angel child. I was saved by an angel.' Leo's eyes shifted to the girl sleeping next to him, a soft smile appearing on his lips. 'That…sounds nice.'
"I bet you're thinking its nice being saved by an angel, aren't cha?" Aaron grinned sneakily when he saw Leo's eyes shot open, his face burning with embarrassment. The poor boy stuttered in his defense, every word coming out as coherent gibberish. "Relax kid. I'm just having fun with ya. Besides, you're not completely healed, so I wouldn't get worked up if I were you. Rest up." Before Leo could say anything, Aaron left the room, leaving the two alone.
As Leo lay in bed, he continued to stare at Mirei for what felt like hours. He been through many battles before and had a few doctors look after him, but never did someone like her save him before. His heart began beating faster as he continued to look at her, his chest tightening. His hand carefully reached out for hers, making his heart racing even quicker. He had no idea what he was doing, his hand resting on top of hers. The true surprise set in when Mirei's fingers interlocked with his own, the very image of an angel holding hands with a demon.
"Please be okay, Leo…"
'Even in her sleep, she still…' If he wasn't so worried about waking her up and scaring her, he would have pulled her into a crushing hug. But he had to restrain himself. 'I don't know what you see in someone like me, but your actions won't be forgotten.' As his eyes closed, he lovingly tightened his hold on her hand. "My life is yours, Mirei."
Several hours later, Mirei awoke to find her hand wrapped around Leo's. To add to the embarrassment, Leo had subconsciously embraced her in his sleep. Her body reached a level of blushing that emitted a faint glow in the dark room. She quickly, but carefully, made her escape from his embrace without waking him up. Though she hated her glow-in-the-dark blush, she could at least see her way around close objects. It was definitely her most embarrassing Pokénoid trait.
The last thing she remembered was applying the last roll of bandages around Leo's torso before passing out. She had a feeling it was a little too warm and comfortable to be sleeping on someone's bedside. The more she thought about it, the harder her heart beat against her chest. Her body was filled with a powerful warm feeling, something she had not experience with anyone except her father. There was something about Leo that called out to her. He was so strong and cool, never once crying throughout the painful healing process. It made her feel weak in comparison, crying over a few scratches. Someday, she wished to be a like that. She really did not wish to leave his side, admittedly comfortable with the way he was holding her, but it was late and she had a lot of thinking to do about tomorrow.
Speaking of tomorrow, Kojiro's challenge was not yet accepted, but she had a feeling canceling it for an alternative idea was out of the question. She was not good at much else outside of baking and playing nurse by her father's side, and there was no way Shirona would accept a baking contest. There had to be a way she could stay with her father without putting herself in danger. Considering how close Kojiro is with their mother, there was no way he was going to take it easy. To make matters worse, Kojiro had been training under Shirona's harsh regime for years, so he would easily outclass her in a real battle. What could she do? What should she do?
Walking past Aaron's room, Mirei's sensitive ears picked up voices through the door. It was definitely her father's voice, but also her mothers. Curious, she carefully placed her ear against the door, careful not to make a sound. 'What could they be talking about this time of night?'
"…Mirei's not ready. You should have been training her properly." Shirona chided with a low tone.
"She deserves a childhood. Her awakening is not for a good while, and I wanted her to enjoy what she's got before she gets training. Besides, you're better at that sort of thing than I am." Aaron spoke with a very soft, but serious, tone. Something Mirei recognized whenever he was getting down to business.
"But she's closer to you than I could ever be. You have a far better chance." There was something different about Shirona's voice, something deeper and softer. It could not possibly be regret, could it?
"Come on, don't say it like that. She just needs to warm up to ya. You had been rough with her in the beginning."
"The end justifies the means. It does not matter how she feels about me. All that matters is that she gets stronger as quickly as possible. Once the awakening begins…"
"Shirona, please stop talking like that." Small movement could be heard from inside, as well as Shirona groaning.
"Don't…make this complicated."
"Then why aren't you resisting?"
"…I won't repeat myself."
"But I might not see you again."
"…What?"
"I've decided. I'm moving to Arcadia. I'm going to uncover the truth of everything once and for all, and find a way to save this world."
"You won't be able to do it alone."
"I won't involve you and the kids. I care about you all too much to take that risk."
"Then at least take Kojiro with you. He is especially skilled and will most definitely be helpful. He's strong enough to handle himself."
"I'm not worried about being strong enough or not, that doesn't matter. What matters to me is protecting everyone I care about."
"Aaron…"
"Yes?"
"K-Kojiro and Mirei will be hurt if something happens to you. So make sure you keep yourself alive."
"And what about you?"
"Just because we're no longer married does not mean I wish ill upon you. I'm going to save this world and our kind my own way."
"Ahem, separated, not divorced. We're still married."
"Not the point."
"But it's not too late to change. You don't have to go through with this. We can still get together."
"I have already gone too deep, and our paths are too different. That is why we cannot be together."
"In that case, how about tonight, Shirona? We don't have to be enemies now, do we? Just for tonight. I've missed you." It was quiet for a moment, soon followed by some more shuffling with what Mirei could only assume was the bed sheets. Shirona had muttered something, but Mirei could no longer hear them. She could feel a faint warmth emanating from the room, as well as heaving breathing, but could not discern what was happening. It did not seem like Aaron was in any danger, so she continued onto her room.
Only to find Kojiro leaning on a wall next to her room, staring with a cold expression.
The two stared at each other, an uncomfortable tension forming between them. She never really got along with Kojiro, who was perpetually attached to Shirona. He shared her twisted and dark views, hating humans with a passion. Like his mother, he too was a Pokénoid of a Gardevoir, very powerful psychic empaths. Nothing could be hidden from him, and he could exploit everything and anyone necessary to help his mother's goals. He was cold to everyone except his mother, but especially humans, Aaron and herself. That made their bout tomorrow especially troubling. He might cripple her or do something worse.
Kojiro wore dark themed clothes like his mother, but it was a formal suit that made his look very handsome and sophisticated. His hair was very long for a boy, reaching past his chin and hanging like a curtain. Hidden behind his bangs was a ruby encrusted jewel embedded on his forehead, the 'third eye' that helped channel his psychic abilities. With his sharp eyes, he had killer looks and attitude most girls would be attracted to, but he had no interest in such things. He only wanted to be by his mother's side and help realize her dream: a world where Pokénoids could be free and live in peace from humans.
"Make it easier on yourself, and give up, sister. You cannot defeat me." Kojiro's voice chilled the air, shaking Mirei's already fragile courage. Mirei could swear she stopped breathing. "I can feel your doubt, your weakness, your fear. Don't embarrass yourself in front of your precious human-loving father."
Mirei swallowed the lump in her throat, trying her best not to be intimidated. "D-don't talk about our father like that! There's nothing wrong with liking humans! They're just like you and me!"
"Hollow words from an ignorant child. Humans are inferior creatures that have long outlived their time. In due time, you will learn your mistake." His lips curved into a small grin, one that foretold a painful fate. "I will make sure of that."
Mirei wanted to cry. So badly she wanted to cry. Her body shook, pure fear grabbing her by the throat. She wanted to leave, but his predator eyes stayed her, freezing her with a mere glare. There was no way she could face someone like him. It was impossible.
Two large hands held onto her shoulders, making her gasp. "You talk pretty big for such a tiny little man." Mirei immediately recognized the manly voice, quickly regaining her composure. She looked up to see Leo grin defiantly against her brother. That boy was way too cool.
Kojiro growled, glaring dagger at Leo. "This does not concern you, outsider."
"Mirei IS my concern. I don't know what this fight is about, but I'm not going to let you bully her just to impress your ego. She's tougher than you give her credit for, but I bet it's pretty hard to see with your head so far up your ass."
"Silence." With those words, Kojiro flicked his hand and an invisible wave of energy rushed at the two. Leo pulled her back in time to absorb the force of the blow, which pushed him back.
'This guy's pretty ballsy. What to do…' He looked back to see that Mirei was pretty shaken, her hand trembling in his. That was when he had an idea. "Ready Mirei?"
"Ready for wh-wha!" Mirei sucked in a breath as she was lifted off her feet and cradled in his arms, sufficiently swept off her feet in both senses. Before she knew it, Leo bolted down the hallway and out the door, Kojiro following quickly in pursuit.
It was deep into the night, pitch-black except for the street lamps hanging from tall poles and the stars in the moonless night sky. Leo leapt out the hallway, dodging another psychic strike. It quickly turned into a standoff, Leo with the damsel in distress and an irritated Kojiro. "I have decided. I will not wait until tomorrow, sister. I will crush you and your boyfriend here and now." His third eye crystal turned into an amethyst color, a violet hue covering his entire body. His body slowly lifted off the ground, purple lightning circling him. He was serious.
Apparently, what Kojiro said was more shocking than what he was about to do, at least to Mirei. "B-b-b-boyfriend!"
"Now is your chance to beat him." Leo whispered, holding her shoulders.
"W-what!" Mirei did not know which was worse: Leo trying to send her against a deadly Kojiro, or that he did not reply to the boyfriend comment. However, this was not the time to worry about the latter, though she still wondered about that. "I can't fight someone like that! There's no way!"
"I will soak up the blows and leave an opening. Do whatever I tell you to do exactly when I say it, and you will beat him."
"But that's too—"
"On the count of three."
"B-b-b-but I can't—"
"Three!" Instantly Leo bolted forward, charging against the psychic Pokénoid. Mirei went along with the plan, not entirely sure how she was going to defeat someone as powerful as him. As waves of psychic energy rush at her, Leo punched against the forces with knuckles tat glowed with a white aura.
Kojiro narrowed his eyes. 'He's using aura force to deflect my attacks. That boy has had many battles.' He was not very impressed, but that boy did have a lot of promise. "I'm done with you." Using one of his hands, he wrapped Leo with a bundle of psychic energy, tossing him to the side. The Lucario Pokénoid was flung onto the floor, but rolled back onto his feet.
"Leo!" She was about to run to him when he tossed a glare at her.
"I TOLD YOU TO KEEP GOING, NOW MOVE!" Leo was not angry at her at all, but needed her to actually attack. With his wounds agitated, it would reopen if he was not careful. He had a feeling Kojiro knew that which was why he did not use the full extent of his abilities on him. Kojiro was powerful, but Leo had a secret weapon even he would not be able to counter, and Mirei was part of that plan.
'Leo's scary!' Though she wanted to help him, Kojiro would interfere. She had to try something. She continued to push forward, praying that Leo was alright.
"Begone child, you are no match!" With the wave of his hand, a purple crescent shaped force shot at Mirei.
She was about to stop and block when Leo shouted at her. "KEEP MOVING!"
'Easy for him to say!' The attack was about to hit her when a white sphere collided with the psychic attack, cancelling each other out. Mirei noticed that Leo was in crouching position, his hands thrust forward and smoking. Did he just save her with that strange power? She continued running, no clue on what she could possibly do.
Kojiro took a moment to assess what was going on with his enemies mentally. Leo's surface thoughts were to protect Mirei and to not agitate his wounds too much. Even for a tough guy like Leo, he could not use his attacks too much in his weakened state. That was something he could use to his advantage. For Mirei, on the other hand, she was easy pickings. Her emotions were full of confusion and doubt, no important surface thoughts to notice. That's when he had a fun thought; there was no need to use his powers against her. He would humiliate her enough so she would never want to face him again.
The main problem was Leo, which he would have to put out of commission.
Kojiro pointed two at Leo with two fingers, who barely had time to register what he was doing. A thin, violet beam shot like a bullet, piercing through Leo's upper chest. Crippling with pain, Leo crumpled onto the floor. "One down…" Kojiro clenched his fist, a wicked smile plastered on his face as he glanced at Mirei. "One to go."
As Mirei saw Leo fall and bleeding from his wounds, her body froze. It did not look like Leo was going to get back up. Even worse, Kojiro looked like he enjoyed hurting him. Her body shook with an uncontrollable sensation, a burning passion. The fear and doubt she had was wiped away in an instant, replaced with something much fiercer. If she was a stronger person, none of this would have happened. If she continued to feel scared, she would not be able to protect anyone she cared about. She remembered what Aaron said not too long ago.
"I'm not worried about being strong enough or not, that doesn't matter. What matters to me is protecting everyone I care about."
'I…agree father. You're right. So what if he is stronger than me, or better than me. If I give up here…then it is all over.' With a sudden burst of energy, she dashed forward at Kojiro, her fist raised. She may not have been as strong as Leo or her brother, but she would be damned before letting someone she cares about get hurt.
"Hmph, a foolish mistake to attack me head on." Kojiro was prepared to counter attack when a sudden, throbbing pain exploded on the back of his head, knocking him forward. It felt like a metal stick just slammed into his head. As Kojiro glanced behind, he noticed a young woman with red hair and teal eyes wielding a metal battle pole, clad in baggy, dirty clothes. She had a very slim, well built frame and a fierce aura. At the corner of his eye, he saw Leo grinning at him, though still in horrid agony.
Leo had backup.
Another surprise met him as he regained focus on his primary opponent; Mirei. Her fist landed a critical hit on his chin. That combined with the bash to the head was enough to knock him unconscious, slumping to the ground.
By the time Mirei registered what just happened, Kojiro was already unconscious. That girl, whoever she was, immediately rushed to Leo's aid, Mirei following closely behind. The mysterious girl tossed her a strange glance. "Who the hell are you?"
"Ka…Kasumi, relax. This girl, Mirei, saved my life." Leo hoisted himself on Kasumi, who nodded thankfully at Mirei.
Mirei bowed respectfully. "Nice to meet you, Kasumi. Let's bring him inside, my father can—"
"N-no, I will be fine. I've already troubled you guys enough as it is. Besides, I won't die from this."
"Leo. They're still chasing us. We need to go." Kasumi informed.
"Understood. Mirei, I—" Before Leo could finish, Mirei attacked him with a quick kiss. Leo's jaw slacked open, speechless. Kasumi was reasonably surprised.
Mirei blushed brightly, keeping a smiling face. "I love you, okay? So you have to take care of yourself. I will be very mad if anything happens to you. Kasumi? Please take good care of him."
"Yeah, yeah, don't remind me. Come on lover boy."
"Ah, wait, I…ah…" Leo was blown away, unable to respond the way he wanted to as he was dragged away. Blushing horridly, the best he could muster was a thumb's up. "Ah…y-you too, Mirei."
Mirei's smile grew wider, getting his message clearly. But as she saw him off, something occurred to her. Leo taught her courage and strength. She did not want that to go to waste. After all, she wanted something to remember him by other than the tingling sensation on her lips. "I'm going to get stronger, Leo! A lot stronger! Even stronger than you! Next time, I will protect you, okay!"
Leo smiled widely, liking the tough tone of her voice. He gave another thumb's up and a fleeting glance. "Stay tough, angel girl."
Kasumi raised an inquisitive eyebrow at the obviously love-struck Leo. "Angel girl? When did you start getting romantic?"
"S-shut up! I didn't give her that nickname!" Technically, it was angel child, but he would keep that bit to himself.
Mirei continued to wave goodbye as they disappeared around the corner, tears dripped down her face. She had no idea if she would see him again, but never wanted to forget the first boy she loved. He was everything she wanted to be. She had a surprise for her father when she saw him.
The next morning started off with a big surprise from Mirei. "…You WHAT!" Both Aaron and Shirona stared at Mirei in shock, swearing they misheard her.
"I want to learn how to fight like my father. I beat Kojiro last night, so that means I get to stay with him." Mirei could not stop smiling at everyone's expressions, especially her father's. Kojiro was too ashamed to say anything. The last thing he wanted to do was make excuses. A loss was still as loss, his bruise a constant reminder.
Shirona was silent for a moment, everyone giving her curious glances. "…Very well. A deal's a deal. Kojiro? I expect you to do what Aaron ask if you in my absence and continue getting stronger. Understood?"
"Y-yes mother…" Kojiro felt very sick. The last thing he wanted was to help the 'enemy', but he would do what mother asked of him without fail.
"Mirei?" This time, the air was tense. The two never got along, and this would be an especially awkward moment. Shirona cleared her throat, also not sure how to say what she wanted to say. Aaron's expectant smirk was not helping her nerves. She knelt down to Mirei's level, making eye contact. "The world is full of dangerous idiots, and your father is an especially big idiot."
"Hey!" Aaron raised his hands in defense. Mirei narrowed her eyes angrily.
"But…" Shirona bit her lip, finding it especially hard to say what she was about to say. It made things even harder that she might not see her children for a long time, if ever again. It was very painful, even for her. "But I'm…" Her voice cracked suddenly, surprising everyone. She cleared her voice again and rubbed her eyes, holding back as much emotion as possible. "I'm very proud of the person you have become. So…watch out for your idiot father, and work together with Kojiro, okay? I haven't been a very good mother, but it was all necessary. I…will miss you as well as Kojiro and your father."
Mirei had never been more shocked in her life. Did her mother actually say something…nice? To her? She did not know whether to feel happy or sad, but both were coming out all at once. Without thinking twice, she flung her arms around Shirona and hugged with all her might. She might have been a ruthless mother, and still did not like her too much, but she was still her mother and at least trying to make things up. "I will miss you too, mother."
Shirona could not move an inch, too surprise to do anything. She was not expecting that at all. Mirei even called her mother. It was a wonderful feeling. Her eyes were warm and blurry, tears of joy coming out in rivers. Before she knew it, her arms automatically moved without her consent, embracing her daughter. Kojiro soon joined the group hug, also wanting to enjoy his last embrace with his mother. They held each other for a few short minutes, enjoying their only moment with no walls between them. The three broke the hug, Shirona giving a glare at Aaron who gave her a snide smirk.
"W-what is it? I have something in my eye, if you must know."
"It's called happiness."
"Shut up, Aaron." She couldn't help but smile. Damn Aaron and his light-hearted jokes. "That reminds me…you have got to be the most idiotic, foolish, insane and pathetic man I have ever met in my entire life. And…and I…"
"Yes?"
Shirona swallowed hard, not wanting to seem weak in front of her children, even if it was already obvious. "What's that?" She pointed out the nearby window.
"What?" The two kids turned to see what she pointed to, but did not see anything. By the time they heard Shirona whisper something followed by a strange wet sound, they turned back around to see Shirona looking away from Aaron with her arms crossed, thoroughly embarrassed. Aaron was blushing as well, but seemed happier than anything. What could have happened?
"Nice." Aaron said.
"Silence, you." It was more halfhearted than she wanted to let on, but at least she got her point across. "It's time for me to go. I wish you all well." With that, she swiftly made her way to the door, waving what might be her final goodbye to her family. They waved back at her, able to hear a small conversation outside.
"Ma'am, are you alright? Why are you crying?"
"SILENCE!"
Aaron released a full, hearty laugh. That woman never ceased being so cute. "Alright kids, let's get ready. We're going to be moving soon, so pack your things."
Kojiro was clueless, but Mirei already knew the news of their new, dangerous life. "Where are we going?"
"We're moving to a special little school called Arcadia."
English/Japanese name translation
Aaron (Has not changed)
Shirona - Cynthia
Kojiro - James
Leo - Wes
Kasumi - Misty
Mirei - Rui
Author note: This is a complete remake of Bushido League featuring better characters, plot, structure and features two main character with their own story arc tied together. However, because of the popularity of the original Bushido League, I will keep it there and begin preparations to continue it.