"See ya!"

- Tin-Tin, The Crow

"Good night, sweet prince!"

- Joe Cox, Robocop

"They'll have to catch us first."

- Viper

A colossal black tornado was engulfing all of Windbloom. Nagi's trump card for taking over the kingdom had slipped out of his grasp and was turning into a sign of the apocalypse. The screaming winds could be felt all the way to the balcony of Chaldea's royal palace several countries to the south.

King Kazuya and his Otome were left with only one choice. He had been sitting on Chaldea's throne for less than a week, and now Akane had to race to the frontlines of the world's end for his sake. They watched the tornado grow from the balcony with matching looks of fear on their faces.

Akane knelt to her king with her head hanging low. Hesitating, Kazuya held out his right hand so she could kiss the activation ring on his knuckle. She stood back up and, in return for her kiss, he lightly pressed his lips to the tiny malachite GEM on her ear. The device beeped quietly as Akane's servant uniform started to shimmer. The king politely looked away while she transformed.

Her uniform disappeared to reveal her body glowing in bright crystal energy. A second later, she was fully equipped in the Pure Heart Malachite Robe. Kazuya knew it was safe to look when he felt her hypersatin-laced fingers brushing against his cheek.

For a time, they simply looked at each other. Akane tried to smile. Kazuya tried to hide his trepidation. The tornado's shrill music slowly grew louder in the distance.

They wrapped their arms around one another, desperate to reassure each other. Without saying a word, they nestled together and shared a real kiss.

Akane slowly pulled her head away after the embrace. Her eyes nervously peered off toward the darkness.

"I have to help Arika and Mashiro," she said in a timid and worried voice. "But I don't know what I can do, Kazu."

The young king sighed to relieve his own fear. His fingers rested under Akane's chin and gently drew her attention back to his face. He forced himself to looked brave.

"You can try your best."

Akane slowly shook her head and peered downward. She was struggling to find her resolve.

"But I've never had to fight something like this before. I don't even know what I'll be fighting in that thing. If I'm not strong enough, you'll... die."

Kazuya pulled Akane closer in his arms. His palm touched her Robe's recon microphone ears and brushed down the back of her brunette Egyptian bob cut. In primitive Earth terms, she was his Cleopatra. He didn't care that Cleopatras didn't exactly have the greatest track record when it came to life expectancy.

"You have this power because I connected my life to yours," he whispered to comfort her. "If anything happens, we'll both die. Together. We have nothing to lose now."

Akane blinked as her fear faded. She almost giggled as a thought crossed her mind. She looked into her king's eyes cheerful and renewed.

"Mahya must have figured me out. She knew the only way I'd ever make a good Otome if you're the one I had to protect. I'll have to thank her... if I can find her in that mess."

"So what are you waiting for?" Kazuya gave his Otome an encouraging nod as he gathered his own resolve.

Akane backed out of his arms and raised her striped tail-ribbons into their flight arrangement.

"Right! Wait for me, Kazu! I'm going to put an end to this!"

The golden armor discs that formed her gauntlets, anklets, collar, and belt lit up with energy and steadily lifted her off the ground. She turned to give her king one last smile, then launched over the marble balcony and soared toward the storm in the distance.

Kazuya watched proudly as Akane turned into a tiny white speck in the dark sky and joined hundreds of her Otome sisters from other kingdoms and noble households. His devoted handmaiden, his ferocious guardian, his shining white star, charging into battle against overwhelming odds to save the world, and protect her love.

Author's note: I was trying to put Akane and Kazu-kun's oft tragic relationship in both a bleak and optimistic light because that's the aesthetic I like. But I probably just made it really sappy and cheesy.

Author's note 2: hey Link I was thinking when this is all over maybe we could spend some time together.