Another chapter. It was going to happen eventually.

Chapter 3: Back to Normal

Kokurai slowly got back up, still feeling the effects of the last blow. Byakurai was still stuck in wonder, at how Kokurai still hadn't gone back to normal.

But thats impossible, unless...No! That can't be it! I'm pretty sure that it hasn't been long enough, he thought. But just in case, I have to be extra careful. There's no telling what he'll do in this state.

Kokurai picked up a piece of a ruined building, and threw it at Byakurai. He reacted just in time, and cut it in half with his sword.

I guess that there's only one thing left to try, and it might be too risky, he thought. But I guess I really don't have choice anymore. If I let him keep rampaging like this, then everyone on Earth will be lost!

"Kokurai!" he called. "Remember me? Your best friend in the entire world!"

Kokurai stopped destroying the landscape, and looked at him. For a moment, he could see a reflection of the former Kokurai in them, before his eyes turned a mindless red color again. He would just have to keep trying, until he broke through. He figured that more people would make the effect greater, and then he thought about them.

With Kiyomi and Koibito...

"How do you think that they're doing right now?" Kiyomi asked. "The boys, I mean."

Koibito sighed for a moment, and then shrugged. "Well with any luck, Kokurai is back to normal and he and Byakurai are on their way back now."

Kiyomi stretched herself some on the hood. She thought about many things, but one thing that she thought about more was her and Kokurai's kiss. It was purely instinctual, but she couldn't help but feel a pool of emotions when it happened. She didn't know what it meant, so she made a mental note to ask Koibito about it later. She felt a whoosh of air and thought that it was the breeze, until Byakurai spoke.

"There isn't much time left," he said in a low voice. "I found out a way to bring back Kokurai."

"What about the tail thing?" Koibito asked.

Byakurai laughed sheepishly. "There were some...complications."

Kiyomi giggled some.

"Anyways, we need to remind him of his past to bring him back," Byakurai stated. "Important things, I mean."

"Ok," Kiyomi said. "But how are we gonna get there?"

"Same way I did," Byakurai explained. "Instant Transmission! Just grab onto my hand, and hold tight. One of you might want to jump on my back though."

Kiyomi jumped on Byakurai's back and Koibito grabbed his hand.

"Alright here we go," he said as he put a two fingers on his forehead. He closed his eyes to concentrate for a moment, until he found the locked on to Kokurai's power.

They disappeared for a moment, and then reappeared in the sky. Kiyomi almost let go, but held on tighter.

"I think you might want to let go some, Kiyomi," Byakurai said, blushing furiously.

"Why?" she asked, not really paying attention.

"Just look closely," Koibito said, also a little red in the face.

Kiyomi laughed a little when she realized what she was doing, and immediately loosened her grip. They laughed nervously a little bit, before snapping back to reality when Byakurai blasted another building piece.

"Remember what we need to do," Byakurai reminded them.

"Alright," Koibito said. "I'll go first."

She cleared her throat some.

"Remember me Kokurai!" she yelled as loud as she could. Kokurai focused on her. "Remember that time when you pushed the car out of the way when I was about to be hit? You saved my life that day, and it pretty much solidified our friendship!"

Kokurai thought on it some, grabbing his head with one hand and rubbing it, as if he were confused or having a headache.

"I'll try again," Byakurai announced. "What about the time when we first met, and it was a fight in karate class? You almost kicked my ass and it was only because I was older that I won?"

Kokurai had both of his hands on his head now, and was shaking it furiously, like he was trying to get rid of an outside influence.

"My turn," Kiyomi said. She gulped some. "Do you remember when we kissed earlier?!"

Kokurai was now going insane. He was stomping on the ground, making mini craters each time, and roaring loudly. It seemed as if he was actually regaining control of himself.

"I know how to complete it," Kiyomi said. "Just fly me close enough to touch him."

"But that might be dangerous!" Byakurai warned her.

"But its better than doing nothing!" she argued. "Just do it or I'll make sure that the rest of your life and the afterlife are going to be the worst things that you ever experienced!"

Byakurai sighed. "Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you."

He soared quickly to him.

"This is fine," she told him. "And I would prefer that you didn't look."

"Why?" Koibito asked.

"Because I said so," Kiyomi replied.

They both sighed and closed their eyes. Kiyomi sighed, too. She leaned forward as far as she could, until her lips met the side of his muzzle. He started roaring loudly, and shrinking.

"We can get away now," Kiyomi told them.

Byakurai flew away, keeping his eyes fixed on Kokurai's rapidly shrinking form. As he shrunk, he became more human like, but the golden aura never left. When he was back to normal, he was naked, and his eyes were missing pupils, and his hair was a beautiful golden color. He saw them and waved, and then collapsed, the golden aura disappearing and his hair becoming black once again.

"You're almost there," Byakurai whispered.

After Byakurai wakes up...

"Uggh," Kokurai groaned. Every part of his body hurt. "Where am I?"

"You're at my house sleepy," Koibito's voice said.

Kokurai still couldn't see very well and had to wipe his eyes a couple of times. What he did see looked like Koibito's bedroom, and he felt like he was resting on her bed.

"What happened?" he asked, not remembering what happened before he blacked out.

"Well, you..uh," Koibito tried to explain.

"You fell asleep after we got up to the mountain," Byakurai said quickly.

"I guess thats why I woke up here," Kokurai said, not really believing Byakurai. So I guess me kissing Kiyomi was just a dream.

"Excuse me and Byakurai for a second," Koibito said. "I need to talk to him for a moment."

"Ok," Kokurai said, exhausted. "Thats fine."

Koibito grabbed Byakurai roughly, with an audible "Ow!" coming from him. They closed the door behind them, leaving Kokurai and Kiyomi alone in the room. They sat in awkward silence for a couple moments, not making eye contact. Kokurai was the first one to say anything, after he sat up.

"So..." he muttered.

"So..." Kiyomi repeated. "About last night..."

"I didn't mean to beat up Jaku so bad, if thats what you're talking about," Kokurai said. "But to be honest, he kind of deserved it."

"It was kind of harsh," she said.

"Don't tell me your sweet on him," Kokurai said in his usual joking manner. "I don't think I'd be able to take it!"

"No, thats not what I'm talking about," Kiyomi giggled. "I meant when we, um, kissed."

"Oh," Kokurai said. So I did kiss her!

He tried not to show his excitement over the kiss, and instead, kept his straight face.

"Yeah," he said, not really talking about it.

"I didn't mean to do it," she said quickly. "It was a force of habit."

"Well you don't have to apologize," he said. "It was kind of nice. I enjoyed it."

Kiyomi blushed. "You really did?"

"Yeah!" he answered. Then, without meaning to, he blurted out, "Doyouwannabemygirlfriend!"

"What?" Kiyomi asked. "I couldn't quite hear you."

"Do you want to be my girlfriend," he said slowly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Well, thats great!" Kiyomi said. "I've always kind of liked you."

"Thats awesome!" Kokurai said. And this time, he couldn't hold in his excitement.

With Byakurai and Koibito...

"YAHOO!" Kokurai's voice roared from behind the door. Byakurai shook his head.

"Why did you lie to Kokurai about him being an ape?" Koibito asked, angrily. "I think that he has a right to know!"

Byakurai sighed. "I think that he has the right to know, too. But if we told him that he became a giant ape and destroyed an entire city and killed many people in a rampage, how do you think that he would react?"

Now it was Koibito turn to sigh. "I guess that you have a point. But you have to tell sometime! Sooner or later he's gonna figure out that you've been lying to him."

"I know, and I've got a time figured out for when, but now is not that time," he finished. "Now if we're done here, I need to tell him something."

He walked past Koibito and entered her bedroom again, seeing Kokurai and Kiyomi laughing and sitting together.

"Kokurai, we need to leave," Byakurai said, suddenly.

"Why?" Kokurai said. "And where are we going?"

"We're leaving because something came up," he explained. "And we're going to my old, planet."

"Planet, as in alien planet?" Kokurai asked, excitedly. "I've always wanted to go to outer space! Its one of my lifelong dreams!"

"Yeah, thats part of the reason," he said. "I promise that I'll explain everything when we're in space."

"Ok," Kokurai said. "When are we leaving?"

"Whenever you're ready," Byakurai said. "I've already talked to your dad about it, and he said its fine."

"That old man would want me out of the way," Kokurai grumbled. "Anyways, how are we getting there?"

"My own spaceship," he said. "Don't worry its safe, my grandma made it a long time ago, and she's one of the smartest people to ever live!"

"Thats awesome!" he exclaimed. His expression suddenly darkened. "But what about Koibito and Kiyomi?"

"Unfortunately, they're staying here," Byakurai explained. "Its too dangerous."

"You're not leaving here without us!" Koibito said. "I told you that I wasn't letting you leave my site until you told us the truth!"

"But you don't have permission to leave," Byakurai argued.

"I'm almost an adult and I'll be going to college next year," Koibito retorted. "I can go anywhere I bloody well want too!"

"What about Kiyomi?" Byakurai tried.

"I'll tell her parents that she's attending a college program with us, and is staying with me to see what its like!" Koibito said after a while. "Its exactly the kind of thing that she would do!"

"Well you have me beat there," Byakurai sighed. "You win. I'll take you into space, but I'll have to change the ship some to accommodate for two extras."

"We depart in two weeks time!" he announced. "Make sure that you've got everything packed and said goodbye to everyone that you want too!"

"Alright!"

And here's to another chapter. As a side note, all other stories are on hiatus until further notice. Just to get some more ideas that would actually make sense. BTW, power levels will not be shown every chapter.