Author's Notes: HELLO HELLO, I'm just gonna explain a few things before we get started haha. This is an Android Alternate Universe, meaning that Exkaiser and Fighbird(Katori) both use android bodies instead of their normal mecha forms. (Sad I know)(They might later on idk). All you really need to know is it started as a joke between me and my friend because someone mentioned Fighbird took place 9 years after Exkaiser and we grew headcanons from there about them being in the Space Police together. Eventually it evolved into a ship dubbed secret-sempai-ship, where sempai comes from lol, and the rest is history. There's a bit of tweaking here and there and its mostly just for kicks and giggles so don't take it too seriously; after all the shows aren't super serious themselves anyway haha. Anyway, enjoy however you please!
It'd been at least a year since Katori had returned. Kenta and Haruka were older now, though only about two years since the gap between when Katori left and when he came back was about a year. The two however still seemed the same, only slightly taller and still fighting as usual. The Professor looked the same as he always did and Yoshiko still lived inside the Amano Laboratory. Katori didn't seem to change, his cheerful self and helping with their 'Amano Peace Labs' jobs at preserving peace rather than appearance. While Katori had returned, his other friends hadn't come with him this time. The minute Satsuda heard that Katori had returned, he immediately went to check on his police car, the one Guard Star had inhabited and the same one that Satsuda had befriended. Needless to say, he was quite disappointed to find his car a typical non-sentient police unit.
Haruka was glad Katori had returned. She knew in her heart that their 'niichan' wouldn't abandon them, even for a long while. Kenta claimed that he did too, though Haruka wouldn't put it past him to forget about things like that. They taught Katori more about Earth and such during the duration of his stay, and everything seemed to go back to normal, for them at least. Niichan was home and everything was going swimmingly, though she would've liked to see Ace Baron and the Guard team again. Even Guard Wing with his stubbornness. However, the normal life she enjoyed soon shifted in an entirely different direction.
She'd been cleaning some portion of the house until moving into the basement. Champ was wrapped around her shoulder and watched her work, occasionally lending a paw where it was needed. The basement was surprisingly not as dirty as the upstairs, but still hunks of machine parts and other junk littered the main floor. She never really knew what Grandpa was thinking most of the time when he built his projects, nor did she know if he even knew how to 'clean'. One of these days she'd give him a full lesson.
Haruka had wandered downstairs with her cleaning supplies until she heard voices in one of Grandpa's many rooms. It wasn't that odd for Grandpa to be down here, nor anyone else who lived in the house. However, what caught her attention was the content of the conversation. Katori's voice spoke up from one of the rooms, though it was muffled. She couldn't help her curiosity, plus if she were caught for snooping she'd have an alibi of cleaning the basement, and sneaked over towards the door. She leaned against it a little and pressed her ear to try and hear what they were saying.
"I appreciate your efforts Professor… if you need help please let me assist you," Katori sounded excited, though she then heard Grandpa's laughter cut through.
"No problem! I'm excited to finally build 'Miracle Android Number Two'! Though I've yet to come up with a name for this model…" Haruka blinked. Another android model? Why would they need another one? She leaned eagerly against the door and Champ scampered and perched himself on top of her head.
"This one is a little bit smaller than you, though by a few inches. Hopefully your friend wouldn't mind too much." Friend?
"It's alright, sempai won't mind. He's very excited to meet all of you!" Sempai? Katori never mentioned he had a sempai before. Haruka frowned, just what exactly was going on here with Grandpa building a new android model and Katori having a sempai? It just didn't add up. Nonetheless she stayed pressed against the door frame to listen further.
"Ah, that so? I'm sure Ms. Kunieda would be eager to examine him as well. " Amano laughed, "Any superior of yours must be an interesting guy."
"Yeah, sempai's wonderful! I'm sure we'll all get along just fine." Katori sounded cheerful, though that was normal for Niichan after all. Haruka was still puzzled. Why go to all this work? He could just inhabit a vehicle like Ace Baron or the Guard team. She frowned and stood up, tapping her foot in thought. Before she got anywhere, the door opened and Katori stood right behind her.
"Ah, hello Haruka and Champ!" She nearly jumped, Champ clinging to her shirt as she whirled around to face Katori. He was smiling, his usual normal smile, and tilting his head towards her. She felt her face get red from being caught, but awkwardly coughed into her hand.
"H-hello Katori-niichan…" She smiled sheepishly.
"What are you doing down here? Did you want to help the Professor?" Katori asked, tilting his head. She shook her head vigorously before giving a strained laugh.
"No! I'm just doing some cleaning! Well I've got my work cut out for me so see ya!" With that she turned on her heels and fast-walked away from Katori. She left him puzzled, but she heard him walk down the other way of the hallway. She breathed a sigh of relief, though Champ looked at her then back at Katori.
"I'll be sure to figure out this whole thing, Champ," Haruka turned towards the small monkey, who simply chirped a reply she couldn't understand. First thing she had to do was find Kenta.
Surprisingly Kenta was down in the basement as she began finishing her actual cleaning. Katori's mystery visitor could wait until she was done. The boy was carrying a few boxes to the other end of the hanger where the Fire Jet was stationed. The jet was inactive for now; they only used it if they were needed overseas now that Draias' threat was gone from Earth. Kenta noticed her as she entered the doorway inside the hanger.
"Hey Haruka, and Champ too!" He called out to his cousin, who gave him a halfhearted reply. Champ scampered off her shoulder to visit Kenta, who sat on the floor and laughed as the monkey crawled up his shirt and sat on his shoulder. Haruka approached him as well, though she bit her lip a little. Maybe she should bring it up with Kenta? After all, he was much closer to Katori than she was in retrospect. They had been what you could say 'partners' while Draias was still around, but Haruka liked to believe niichan liked her better.
"Hey Kenta…" She started and the boy looked up at her with his attention.
"Yeah, what is it? Do you want me to do your chores again? 'Cause I'm not," Kenta chuckled at his cousin and Haruka gave a large huff.
"That's not what I was going to ask! I don't need your lazy help," She grumbled.
"Hey, I'm not lazy! I'm moving around important stuff for Niichan and Grandpa!" Kenta retorted, pouting back at his cousin. Haruka glanced back at him and shook her head.
"Whatever. Anyway, I came to ask if you heard about Katori-niichan's… sempai? And what Grandpa was doing with some android?" Kenta blinked before cracking a grin.
"What, no one told you?" He laughed and Haruka frowned.
"No one told me what?" She demanded, stomping her foot a little. Her cousin laughed, but waved a hand at her in some attempt at calming her down. It only made her more irritated.
"Fine, fine, calm down! Grandpa's building an android for Katori-niichan's sempai or whatever to stay in while he's visiting; I guess he's really cool. Niichan said he's super strong and has been to Earth before. I can't really think back on the last time giant robots were around besides Niichan's friends. Anyway, I guess he and Katori are really close, like really you know what close. From what I got from Niichan at least." Kenta explained. Champ curled around his shoulders and he lightly petted the monkey. Haruka stared at him for a moment. If they were really close, why hadn't Niichan mention him before? Plus she'd never seen any other giant robot like Fighbird and the others before either. She was truly puzzled.
"How come he never mentioned this before?" She asked crossing her arms. Kenta shrugged.
"Dunno, I think he mentioned that his sempai gets embarrassed about it so he doesn't talk about it. He told me to keep it a secret, but I heard he's coming once Grandpa finishes the Miracle Android Number 2 and Grandpa's pretty close to being done." He fiddled with Champ's tail while talking and the monkey gave small ooks and chirps at the boy. Haruka was still lost but sighed to herself. It wasn't like Niichan couldn't have any friends but how close was really close? She didn't want to ask, but she was curious.
"Hmph, okay, thanks Kenta." She mumbled before holding out her arm, "C'mon Champ let's go." The monkey swiveled his head and jumped off Kenta's shoulder. He climbed onto Haruka's arm and returned to his place on her shoulder. Kenta stood up and dusted himself off.
"What are you even doing? It's not like you to move around stuff," Haruka teased and it was Kenta's turn to frown.
"Hey, I'm helping Grandpa and Kator-niichan like I said before! Why don't you go do whatever you were doing before?" Kenta stuck out his tongue at her and she returned the gesture. Haruka turned on her heels and started walking in the opposite direction to head back upstairs, leaving Kenta to finish whatever it was he was doing before. Katori's sempai… he sounded interesting. Something in Haruka's gut told her that it was a bad idea, but she simply sighed. According to Kenta, she'd find out soon enough anyway.
She was a bit miffed that Katori never mentioned anything to her before, but he'd told Kenta about it. Didn't he trust her? She was going to ask him right now. She'd march right up to him and tell him to explain everything. Though Haruka knew Katori would smile his regular smile and calmly explain whatever it was that was going on. Why was this guy deciding to visit now anyway? Too many questions and not enough answers.
Haruka found herself turning in the direction of Grandpa's workroom. She wanted to see this android for herself after all, and maybe squeeze something out of her grandfather. She probably should've brought some tea with her for him, since he usually got so wrapped up in his work he forgot to take breaks easily, but for now she'd just bring herself and Champ. She peered inside the doorway where she had seen Katori walk out of.
Professor Amano was hunched over a table, a heat mask placed over his face as he welded some sort of metal together. Katori had returned it seems, holding onto the metal to keep it steady for him. Haruka guessed that the heat of the metal, unlike regular humans, didn't bother him. The perks of being an Android really did shine throughout Katori. The android noticed her in the doorway and gave a light smile in her direction.
"Hello again!" He yelled over the sounds of screeching metal. Professor Amano lifted his welding torch and heat mask.
"Ah, hello Haruka. What brings you down here?" He asked as Katori set down the heated metal and retrieved a cloth for the Professor. Haruka shifted on the balls of her feet, unsure of how to put her question. 'I was spying on you and I heard all about this Android of yours' wasn't exactly an icebreaker in that sense.
"Well… uh, Kenta told me that we're expecting someone… and I just thought I'd see what the whole 'Android' project was about," It was partly the truth. Kenta would probably get in trouble for breaking his secret, but Haruka wasn't really concerned with her cousin's worries. Katori and Amano gave each other a look before they both turned back towards her. The air in the room seemed a little tense, but Katori eventually spoke up.
"Yes, I'm sorry we never mentioned it before. It was going to be a surprise." Katori spoke up before Amano chuckled slightly.
"I'm surprised you were able to keep a secret from Haruka," He teased though he earned a glare from Haruka and immediately flipped his heat mask down again.
"Well, uh, I'm almost finished. I need to attach this piece and input some data modules as well as your design." Amano gave a half wave before disappearing further into the room with the metal piece, though Katori and Haruka heard him yell something and a loud clanking noise. Haruka sighed to herself, frowning back at Katori who still held his smile. She wasn't really surprised at this point.
"So tell me what's going on then," Haruka encouraged and Katori blinked and nodded.
"Well, I guess it's ok considering you know about it now," He smiled and pulled a chair from the side of the room for her to sit on. He plopped himself on the ground right in front of her, and Haruka took the seat she was given. Champ nestled himself in Katori's lap, the android playing with his tail a little while the monkey chirped back at him.
"Sempai is my superior back in the space police. He was my mentor for a very long time, and he's really great. He's been to Earth once before, and he said he wanted to visit some people here as well as myself. I've told him all about you and the Professor and everyone and he's excited to meet you all." Haruka's frown still remained on her face, though she avidly absorbed the information she was fed.
"So… how much do you like your sempai then?" Haruka asked, Katori tilting his head a little at her question," Kenta mentioned it before… you guys are 'close' or something." Katori paused for a moment before responding.
"The most!" He answered cheerfully.
"…what?" Haruka raised an eyebrow and Katori just seemed to laugh. She was a little irritated, but she couldn't stay mad at Katori. She sighed and brushed her skirt idly over her legs.
"Okay then… well when is he supposed to be here?" She asked.
"A few days after Amano finishes the android. It'll take awhile before he gets here." Katori nodded and lifted Champ onto his shoulder. The monkey chirped a little and Katori chirped back, though Haruka wasn't sure what they were saying to each other.
"Alright niichan… but what about the Guard team and Ace Baron?" She asked, crossing her arms a little. If his 'sempai' could come, why couldn't they? Katori blinked and frowned a little, as if lost in thought.
"Hmm. I could ask them, but I'm not sure if they're busy or not." He tapped at his chin with a finger. Haruka's shoulders slumped a little. Didn't the Guard team or Ace Baron want to come back? They could've just stayed here like Katori… then again, it wouldn't be very fair to them since they could rarely be in robot mode and poor Ace Baron would be stuck inside most of the day. Katori intruppted her thoughts after a moment.
"I'll have to get in touch with them, we'll see if they can come too," He smiled and Haruka returned it. The android stood up and patted Haruka on the shoulder.
"Don't worry, you'll love sempai! He's really great," He smiled at her and she gave a weak one back. She still wasn't sure about this, but what could she do now? It wasn't like she could stop it anyway. Haruka wasn't even sure why she was getting worked up about it, it was just Katori's sempai. Somehow though the way Katori talked about him made her jealous, though the sole reason why she couldn't put her finger on it. She didn't even know his name! Haruka sighed and got up from her chair.
"I'm going to start lunch. Grandpa probably will want some tea too," She said and Katori nodded.
"If you need help I can-"
"No! I mean, no that's… fine. Just help Grandpa, okay?" Katori was an awful cook, from the horror stories she'd received from Kenta and her grandfather. He'd offered to cook while she was on an overnight field trip and it had almost ended in food poisoning. Good thing there had been leftovers in the fridge at the time… Katori blinked but smiled and nodded. Haruka sighed to herself and made her way back upstairs. He'd be here in a few days, and she'd have to be patient and wait until then for Katori's sempai. Then she'd learn who exactly this guy was.