As the newly name Atsuko Maeda ran down the cave, she could feel the air getting warmer and warmer.
'How could this be?' She asked herself. As far as she knew the cave was only on the surface of the long forgotten planet. Little did she know that as she continued she was travelling deeper and deeper underground.
After what seemed like an eternity, Atsuko Maeda saw a dim light up ahead. She ran ahead knowing that her beloved was close by. She ran until she entered a magnificent cavern. There was not a single spot of darkness as the crystals growing from the ground, ceiling, and walls illuminated a bright light. Maeda Atsuko could also see little glowing balls flying around all over the place. As she looked closer, she saw that these glowing balls where actually creatures, ones not native to Earth as she remembered it, but recognized them all the same.
'Kirara!' She thought as she looked upon the amazing sight. The kirara danced around as they did in the realm of the forever stage. No two of the kirara look alike, though there was one thing at she had realized. The Kirara were created from idols and reflected them. Be it either by mimicking their hair styles if they are unique or in a few cases, the kirara reflected the inner animal of the idol.
The glowing crystals were something she also recognized. The crystal known as Dualium, a crystal that interacts with an idol's aura. With the right amount of aura and Dualium, an idol would easily be able to enter the forever stage. But there has never been a greater concentration of Dualium than right here.
As she marveled at the sight around her, she heard a growl coming from behind her. She slowly turned around and was met face to face with the largest kirara she had ever seen. The kirara was a light green kangaroo as big as a large fridge and was smaller than a really large fridge (get the reference and it's that big). It growled as it hopped closer and closer until it was almost nose to nose with Maeda Atsuko before it stopped.
The kirara sniffed the air almost as if it was trying to ascertain the new person as a threat. After about a minute of the kirara sniffing her, Atsuko Maeda had to jump back as the kirara licked her face. As Atsuko was trying to move the saliva away from her eyes, the kirara made some noise as if it was laughing.
Once it was done laughing, the kirara hopped away before stopping and looking back at her with a look that seemed to ask if she was coming or not. Not knowing what to do Maeda Atsuko followed the kirara hoping that it would lead her to her beloved. As they turned around an outcrop of Dualium, she saw a giant statue made of Dualium. Each person in the statue was an ex member of AKB48, specifically the original members who helped with the Ascension, the Kami 7. There was the original Takahashi Minami with her signature bow in her hair. There was also the original Yuko Oshima, Yuki Kashiwagi, Mariko Shinoda, Mayu Watanabe, and Haruna Kojima.
But in the center of the group was the largest and most dazzling statue of herself. The kirara seemed to flock around the statue in large numbers. But it was the figure at the base of the statue that sent Maeda Atsuko into a river of tears. As she looked upon the figure kneeling at the statue, her mind began trailing back to when she was in high school. A muscular foreigner boy being introduced to her class, their times outside of class teaching Japanese, the love that developed, their Kiss, and the promise they made together.
*Flash Back*
"It's been so much fun being with you this whole time. Even though it was only a short time ago that we first met, I can't imagine my life without you. I love you…" A high school girl said with a high pitch voice before a high school boy cut her off with a deep voice.
"Stop, don't call me by that name. That name ties me back to the horrible nation I came from, a nation of lies, war and destruction. Not the same as this nation of honor, peace, and tradition." Once he had said that the boy tilted his head down.
"You know you can change your name. Your new name would be a name that represent your new life and your new home." The girl said as she lifted up his head to look him in his tearful brown eyes.
"I would appreciate it if you would name me. You helped to make me into a respectful man in the eyes of this nation, it would only be right."
"Very well, I'll name you Ito, Ito Maeda."
"Maeda? But isn't that your family name?"
"Yeah but aren't you my family?"
"Yeah but.."
"No buts, you are mine just as I am yours."
"Ok then I'll be doing this properly then." Said the man as he got down and kneeled before her.
"Forever will I be your Ito, I will protect you. I will fight for you. I will even lay down my life and my death for you. So long as you will be my Suko as well." The man in black said as he knelt down and took off the ring he wore. A single silver band with seven crosses engraved on it.
Forever I will be your Suko." She said with a smile as he gently placed his ring on her finger.
*Flashback End*
As she twisted the ring on her left hand, she saw the kirara that she was following approached the kneeling figure. It jumped and looked like it was trying to kick the kneeling man but right before the kick would have connected, the kirara faded and revealed to be on the sleeveless left arm of the kneeling man. If Maeda Atsuko looked closer she could see the kirara was a moving tattoo on the arm of the man and right above that was a symbol she would never forget. A symbol that he had adopted as his own from an anime years ago. A shield, with three S's across it and just one phrase underneath,
"Rebels Against the Americas." Maeda Atsuko whispered in a baited breath. Seemingly, as her voice had broken a curse, the figure on the ground began to move. As he stood up, Atsuko Maeda saw a man around the age of 16 with skin easily darker than most people.
"Suko?" He asked in a deep and raspy voice, as if his voice hadn't been used in years, which it probably hasn't. His face held an expression of confusion. The last time he saw her was on the day the war ended, when she had entered into the forever stage.
At the mere mention of her name, the tears began to well up in her eyes. "Ito!" She cried out as she ran straight towards the newly named Ito. With a leap she jumped into his arms and cried tears of joy. As Ito realized that this was truly his Suko, he began to cry as well.
"Ito, I'm so sorry that I left. I needed to stop the war before it destroyed the world. Sensei Sensei never told me that you also gave up something. It pained me day after day for all these years to not being able to be with you." Ito squeezed held her more as if believing that she would disappear if he let her go. In a sullen voice he asked her,
"Did he say when my curse would be revoked and I would be able to be able to return to the theatre with you and the others?" Suko was actually shocked that he would ask about the future so soon after her return. She moved away from him and lifted up his chin so that their eyes were level with each other. In a soft voice she spoke to her.
"There is a war coming, according to Sensei Sensei. The war will end with the side of AKB being victorious, but at great cost. Many innocent and civilians will be sacrificed in order to protect AKB. Sensei Sensei has agreed to revoke your curse allowing you to pass on or even go to the forever stage right after the war ends if you are able to prevent the loss of hope for many. Just by AKB being under your protection, the DES would be hesitant to engage due to your previous history." After hearing this, Ito only had one word to say.
"Why?"
"It's because one of the girls has the potential to be on the same aura level as the original Kami 7, according to Sensei Sensei." Suko said surprising Ito. If even a single person had the idol had half the aura of the seventh member, they would have the power to capture the hearts of the toughest leaders of the DES. With a sigh Ito looked in Suko's eyes with determination.
"Suko, I have been guarding the door of the theatre from outside since you opened its door all those years ago. I haven't been able to hear the music for so long, after this is all over, I'll come and guard the stage like I used to do." As he said this, golden stars appeared in his eyes. He shook his head and said. "But let us not dwell on the matter. Sensei Sensei brought you back for a reason and this war must truly be big in order for the both of us to be needed. AKB isn't the same as the last time you told me of your successor. They have protected entertainment more times than I can count but they still are missing the point. Mariko's last successor graduated all because the 13th entered the realm of the nova. She lost sight of the point of AKB and has set her sights on finding out what happened to her sister." Ito told her as if he were talking to Mayu.
"Moh, don't talk to me like I'm a kid." Suko said as she stomped her foot down.
"Ok, ok, we leave in a minute. Let me put on my stuff." He said as he walked towards a corner of the cave that Suko hadn't noticed before. On the wall of the cave, was an outfit that she recognized from the war. Black pants, white shirt, and a golden school jacket. On the right sleeve, Suko could see the flag of war time japan. On the other sleeve, well there wasn't a sleeve. Instead there was a single vambrace with the same SSS logo engraved in it. On the back of the jacket was the letters AKB and underneath that was the number 48, all of which was written in pink block lettering. Below all of that was the word SUKO written in purple capital English letters. There was also a pair of black sunglasses that looked like the recon glasses he used to wear.
While Ito got changed into the outfit that Suko had seen on the wall, Suko walked over to where there was two old world microphones lay on top of two pillars. On one pillar the microphone rested on a purple pillow and on the other the microphone rested on a vibrant green pillow.
"What is this thing?" Suko asked aloud as she picked up the one that rested on the purple pillow. She pressed a button on the microphone and a glowing purple blade emerged from the bottom end of the microphone.
"I see you found your micsaber." Ito said as he came back garbed in the black pants, jacket, vambrace, and the pair of recon sunglasses. "Be careful with that. It's the weapon that the successors use to defend themselves."
"You will teach me how to use this right?" She asked him with a determined look in her eyes.
"Of course I will. It's the same as using a katana." He said as e waled right past her to the other podium. Picking up the microphone on the green pillow, he activated it to make sure it was still in working condition. Seeing that the condition was good, Ito deactivated the sword and put it in a pocket on the inside of his jacket.
"Kirara come out." Ito said. In response the green kangaroo jumped out off of Ito's skin. "GO and tell Mariko to bring my platform with her. Don't ask what I'm talking about because I won't say. If she decides to ask tell her the truth, the knight is escorting one of the Kami7 home." As he said this the kirara vanished into thin air to the surprise of Suko. She didn't realize how close of a connection he had with his kirara.
As he started walking out of the cave, he stopped to look back. "Well are you coming or not, Suko?"