Notes

Yep, I'm back to the Soldiers already. This story involves hanging plot threads, but just to look into them, not to fix them. Botan, for example. We really don't know much about her; all I could find for her personality traits was "sadistic". That leaves a lot of leeway for exploring her morals, her objectives, her insecurities, etc. I've never liked writing for characters like that; it's like working with an OC, except you have to pay attention to background details for it that you didn't even write. But characters with psychic powers? Well, that's a different story.

This fic is basically finished...but I'm not sure how often I'll update yet. I'm thinking weekly, but that's kind of a rough guess. If you'd prefer faster updates, feel free to let me know-but I'll be working on other stories too, so there's no way it'll be daily or anything.

Final note: for the purposes of this story, Chin's wife has passed on. ...I keep forgetting that she, uh, exists. :/

Chapter 1: A New Beginning

It had all been going so well, back then.

Saiki may have been an ass, but he knew what he was doing. He knew their little group had been in danger; he knew how to escape it. He researched ways to get the power they needed to strike back. He not only found the Orochi, he figured out how to release him, something no one in this era still thought possible. He realized the key to it all was Ash Crimson, his own descendant...and he knew just how to manipulate the boy into doing what he wanted.

You know. Until the end there, when the boy erased his existence.

She still couldn't understand it. Why would Crimson do something so reckless, so stupid? He "liked this world", he said...but he had already foiled Saiki's plan. All Saiki was trying to do at that point was start over. And if Crimson could stop him then, couldn't he have stopped him later instead? Sometime when it wouldn't wipe them both off the face of the earth?

And then he would have had the power...

That's what threw her the most about the whole thing. When Crimson had taken back control from Saiki, he'd gained untold power - power over time itself - and he wanted nothing to do with it. The boy had held the world in his hands...and he chose to cut them off instead.

That wasn't what Botan would have done.

That wasn't what Botan would have done at all.

She had known from an early age that she was special. Ever since she was a toddler, and her guardians had been yelling at her...and she'd made them her first puppets, out of instinct and just long enough to calm them down. They quickly came to fear her power, so she hid it from them, needing their protection and wanting their love. But she developed the skill in secret, and within a few short years, the puppeteer could make just about anyone dance on her strings. Saiki was a master of manipulation; Botan was manipulation itself.

Yet for all her power, she had always felt inadequate. She knew that she, personally, didn't have much power at all. She couldn't fight. She couldn't benchpress more than twenty-five pounds, and she couldn't harness her chi or cast any sort of magic. She couldn't think her way out of much, either. She was clever, but not witty, and she certainly wasn't smart. She didn't even understand her own abilities, after all...not completely, not even after all these years.

For example, Botan had no idea why, when the rest of the world had forgotten Ash Crimson, she remembered him perfectly.

It wasn't the first time that had happened, either. She and her comrades had been meddling with history; they were bound to screw up a few things here and there. But she remembered how things used to be, every single time. Thanks to her powers (probably? how could she know?), Botan's memory was inviolate.

She'd like to know more about her ability, of course. But that wasn't really what she wanted. What Botan wanted was power. Always had been, always would be. On her own, she could control people...but she would still be weak. With the right people, she could become strong; with the right people, she could control the world.

Saiki and his followers had given her that. And since they'd had the same goals, she hadn't even had to control them. Now, they were gone...and she was alone again, stranded centuries from her homeland in a place she still barely understood.

But she wouldn't let that stop her.

She had rested. She had regrouped. And now, she would restart. She would join another group with power, another that could take control. And then they would ascend with her, and give her the power she wanted...whether they wanted it or not.

She just had to find them...

"Thank you! Thank you, everyone!"

Athena Asamiya, still Japan's #1 idol, bowed and called out to her fans with the same warmth she always had. Her fans, however, didn't respond with as much warmth as they usually did. Her performance - her voice, her dance moves, even her memory of her lyrics - was a little off tonight. The audience knew it, and they weren't too happy about it. She knew it too, of course...and she also knew the reason why.

Her partner didn't, though.

Hey Athena, what's going on out there? Are you alright?

The idol's smile wilted, and it took all her willpower not to scowl right there in front of everyone. I have ASKED you, Sie, not to contact me onstage, she replied, gritting her teeth. She would've been annoyed even if she hadn't been feeling the pressure.

Yeah, but you don't usually struggle like this, her fellow psychic pointed out. Seriously - what's up?

Now Athena sighed, doing her best to keep it from the audience. There's something out there tonight, Kensou. Something evil. I can feel it.

Really?

Yes, she told him, getting a bit annoyed with him again for not having felt it himself. It's a distant presence, so I can't pinpoint it...but it's THERE, right in this audience. And it wants something.

Hmm, Sie "said" back. Then he went silent, like he was putting her on hold. He didn't speak again until right after she'd turned back to the crowd (of course). Okay, I asked Master Chin. He can feel it too, but he says it's weak and unsteady. He'll keep an eye on it, though, so RELAX. After all, if it's weak, it's nothing we can't handle, right?

Well...I suppose...

Definitely. You're getting so strong these days you could probably do it on your own - without even stopping the concert! And if you can't, we're right back here for you. Me, Chin, the kids...even Kaoru's here tonight.

Yeah! We're all rooting for you, Sis!

Stop eavesdropping, Bao, Sie snapped, and Athena couldn't help but giggle.

...Sie, you're absolutely right, she agreed, her cheer coming back in spades. Whether I'M strong enough or not, together we can do anything!

That's right! Kensou encouraged. Now come on, Athena. Give 'em one more song. Send 'em home happy!

Right. The big finish. The idol smiled, not that Kensou could see it. And I know just how to do it...

Why the hell did I come here?

This last bit wasn't telepathy, though. It was just a stray thought, made by a very bored and increasingly frustrated Botan. After a number of dead ends, she had decided to research the contestants from King of Fighters, the tournament she'd forced Rose and Chizuru to hold way back when. Some of those people could flatten buildings when they got pissed off enough.

The ones she'd ended up interested in, though, were the Psycho Soldiers. They didn't have as much raw strength as some of the others...but they, too, could manipulate the mind. They were psychics, in fact, and could probably do more with it than she could. But the one thing she had complete confidence in was her own mental ability. No matter what they could do, the puppeteer knew without a doubt that she could make them do it for her.

Botan's research had taught her that Asamiya was not only the most powerful of the group, but also the only one who appeared in public on a schedule. So she'd decided to go to one of her concerts, to see if she could scout her out. But really, what had she expected to see here? The girl wasn't here to use her powers; she was here to sing.

And she's not even that great at THAT, the woman grumbled to herself, crossing her arms and agreeing with the crowd's lackluster reaction.

"All right, everyone...it's almost time for me to go," Asamiya called out. Some people groaned or booed, but not very many; another muted response. "Before I do, though, I want to sing you one more song. A special song, one close to my heart...and I hope it's close to yours, too."

With that, she launched into a beautiful love ballad, powerful but painfully sappy. The crowd cheered louder than they had in an hour, but Botan just groaned and rolled her eyes. Legend had it the idol had written this song about Kyo Kusanagi, back when she'd still had a crush on him. (Kyo had even been questioned about it once. He'd had no comment...but he'd also had Yuki on his arm at the time, so it only made sense.)

Resting her head on one hand and her elbow in the other, Botan decided to ride it out, not wanting to fight the crowds as she left. But to her surprise, she started to warm up to the soulful, heart-wrenching song. Eventually she even caught her head nodding to the beat. She shook herself and smirked, musing about how control could come in many forms.

When it was over, the audience roared in approval. Botan stood and clapped with them, just to keep up appearances (it was easier this time, though). "Thank you so much, everybody. Thank you. ...thank you," Asamiya called out, her voice getting quieter with every word.

Then she clasped her hands, closed her eyes, and bowed her head.

Botan raised her eyebrow as the crowd's cheers died down, replaced by curious mumbling. Then her eyes widened as an aura appeared around the psychic's form, wreathing her in purple light. She's going to use her powers! the woman thought gleefully, hungrily. Finally, she's going to SHOW me something...!

But Asamiya didn't just show Botan what she could do.

She told her.

I want all of you to know how much I appreciate you, said a voice inside her head. You're some of my greatest fans, and without my fans I'm nothing. You've stuck with me through thick and thin, and I know you always will...and I'll do the same for all of you. I promise.

The voice ended...and, after a second of stunned silence, the entire audience exploded in cheers.

Except for Botan.

Instead she actually fell to her knees, slack-jawed and staring in awe. She just...she just spoke to ALL of us. Thousands of people, all at once...using only her mind. She could barely talk to one person's mind that way! And even that could only happen after she'd taken it over...!

"Thanks again, everyone! I love you all!" Athena called, grinning wider than she had all night. Finally, she struck a pose. "Psycho Soldier, Out!"

And then she Teleported offstage.

It was a long time before the crowd started milling out of the arena - and a whole lot longer before Botan finally got to her feet. It was power like she'd never dreamed...power she hadn't thought humanly possible. Was Asamiya even human? Who was this girl?

...and how soon could she have her...?

End Notes

Sorry, people-Botan just didn't feel like a pure-evil stereotype to me. I tried to give her some nuance here...but I didn't want to shoehorn it in, so I also tried to keep it subtle. Hopefully I struck the right balance.

So, there's the setup. Girl meets girl, girl wants to...take over girl?, girl...wants to take over the world. Happens every day! But Athena's no mental slouch herself, and she's not going down without a fight. Will Botan win? Will she be defeated? Or will things get a bit more...complicated than that? See you next update!