Y'know, Bunny, I think I'm finally starting to get you...

"I came here to ask you to come back. I can't do this without you. You knew that, and yet you still left. There's no point in being a hero if my partner isn't there right beside me. So please, come back." Kotetsu got on his knees, bowing before Barnaby's feet.

"Get up, old man. You're embarrassing yourself. Besides, it's too late—" Barnaby's sentence got cut short, as Kotetsu suddenly grabbed hold of his leg.

"I'm begging you… Barnaby… I need you to understand how much you mean to me."

"Stand up."

Kotetsu slowly rose to his feet, following Barnaby's orders.

"I'm not so sure what you see in me, but for now.." he averted his eyes, not finishing the rest of his statement.

Kotetsu didn't need Barnaby to finish to understand what he meant. Grinning, he embraced Barnaby in the tightest hug he could manage. Barnaby rolled his eyes, pushing him off.

"This calls for a celebration! I'll go get some drinks!" Kotetsu yelled cheerily, running out the door. "Be right back!"

"Take your time. Literally." Barnaby shut the door after him, taking a seat in a chair and clicking on the TV with a remote control. The Hero TV announcer guy's voice boomed all around the halls, louder than usual.

"It seems we've got a sticky situation on our hands! Just when you thought it was over, and when it seemed as if the heroes had everything under control, a surprise twist appears!"

Barnaby found himself leaning in closer, drawn to the events on the screen. He was so focused that he didn't even turn away when Kotetsu suddenly came bursting back in.

"Hey.. Bunny.. Mind lending me a few dollars?" he laughed nervously, walking in and leaning his arm on the chair Barnaby was sitting in.

"We might have to call off our little 'celebration'…" Barnaby said, trying to hide the disappointment in his voice.

"How come? Did something happen?"

Without saying a word, Barnaby limply pointed a finger to the TV, and Kotetsu's eyes followed, growing bigger as he realized what was happening.

"Kaede?"

Not wasting another minute, they both sprung into action.


"Well, look who just showed up onto the scene! Wild Tiger, Crusher of Justice, and his partner Barnaby Brooks Jr., who worried us with a sudden disappearance, are now here and ready to go!"

"Eh? Tiger's back?" Blue Rose's eyes lit up, as she watched the duo pull up in their two-seater.

"Don't you mean to say 'Barnaby's back'?" Fire Emblem nudged her arm.

"Oh… Right. Yeah! Barnaby's back!" Smiling, Blue Rose tried to play it off as best she could, but everyone could see right through it. Tiger was the only one she cared about.

Hoping out, Tiger and Barnaby ran towards most of the other heroes, in front of the burning building.

"Where is she?" Tiger asked frantically, looking back and forth.

"Where is who? Rock Bison and Sky High are trying to save the people inside-"

"I meant KAEDE! Where's Kaede!"

"Calm down! Don't yell at her!" Barnaby stood in front of Blue Rose protectively. "She didn't do anything! I know you're upset, but she's not the one to take it out on."

"Well then…" Tiger glared, cracking his knuckles and preparing himself. "I guess I'll just have to take it out on the person who's standing in front of me."

"What good would it do if you hit me? Your powers aren't gonna come back yet, and I know you just used them recently."

"Then why am I even here?" he growled, kicking the ground and throwing his hands up in frustration.

"You're overreacting. Just seconds ago, you were happier than ever. And now…" Barnaby took a few steps towards him, reaching out to touch his face, but Tiger swatted his hand away.

"That was before I found out that my daughter was trapped in a burning building! You can tell me to calm down when you have kids and when you've experienced what I've been through! But you haven't, so maybe you should shut your mouth!"

"Tiger! Stop!" Dragon Kid and Fire Emblem both reached out to hold him back before he did something drastic.

"It's okay," Barnaby held his hands up, like he was surrendering. "He's just worried about Kaede. He won't hurt me…" Moving closer to him, he lifted up Tiger's cover and his own to stare into his eyes. "Right, Tiger?"

Tiger clenched his teeth in anger, and then softened his expression when Barnaby leaned in to kiss him lightly on the lips.

Everyone looked on in horror, confusion and disbelief as they watched the two go at it. Millions of people watching the screen on giant buildings stared in wide-eyed confusion as they witnessed the heroes sharing a tender moment.

"Is… is this foreal…?" Blue Rose felt a chill run down her spine, heart broken.

"You know," Barnaby started after he was finished, holding Tiger's hand, "I never really understood why you were still so nice to me, even after I put in my best effort to be mean. I wondered why you never hated me back, even though I made it clear that I wanted nothing to do with you. But I'm slowly starting to realize that the only reason I was so cruel to you was because I loved you. I was scared, and I didn't want to let anybody in, so I made you think that you were bothering me and bringing me down. I'm sorry. The truth is… I need you just as much as you need me."

Tiger couldn't believe it. Was this really Bunny talking?

"I thought you couldn't stand me…"

Barnaby smiled, giving Tiger a hug and whispering in his ear. "I'm good at pretending."

Just when I thought I had you all figured out… You go and do something like this…

Why is Tiger so angry? Why was Kaede was in a burning building in the first place? Why did Barnaby decide to kiss him on national television? Tune in next time. ^^