A far from ordinary morning started at Airship 2. It started with Gareki, refusing to get up when the sheep told him to. According to the street thief, it was his right to finally sleep in for once. It was something he hadn't done since he was eight years old. However, the sheep did not agree with him.

Knowing second-mode (tickling) wouldn't work on Gareki, the sheep went straight into third-mode.

Nai, who was up and awake, looked clearly worried when his friend was rolled of the top bed and plunged to the floor. The face-plant looked extremely painful, to Nai, yet Gareki jumped to his feet and would have scolded the sheep if he hadn't been knocked back to the floor by a second sheep.

"Wake-up! Wake-up!" the second sheep ordered as he grabbed Gareki's right ankle. Angry insults and threats emitted from Gareki's mouth as he was dragged across the floor, outside the room, and down the hallway.

An hour later, Gareki finally managed to escape from the sheep and plopped down at the breakfast table, next to Nai. The latter seemed to have forgotten the whole incident. He was eating while kicking his feet under the table, happily. Gareki growled shortly. The freaking animal could have helped him, but no. Instead he rushed to Yogi's room to give him a morning hug.

Ignoring the odd looks the others gave him, Gareki started to plate up as many food as he possibly could then, as he buttered his toast, he wondered if they were allowed to get off the ship. The past few days the outside world had been a huge no-go-zone for both him and Nai, who didn't seem to be bothered with it. The half-Niji loved playing with the sheep all day.

Gareki emitted a sigh of boredom. If only he could go into town and buy some clothes instead of having to wear Yogi's ridicules old clothes. Only the idea already creeped him out.

Hirato glanced at the two guests over the edge of his glasses as he took a sip from his orange juice then placed the glass down and said; "We will conduct a more thorough examination once we arrive at the Research Tower."

Gareki snapped from his moody thoughts and looked up, surprised. Did that shitty four eyes just say they were allowed to get off the ship? He couldn't wait. He would escape and run off to the nearest town as fast as the wind. Suddenly, another thought snapped through his mind.

"I guess it's not exactly human experimentation, but still.. they better treat him nicely or else…" Gareki shot a side-glare at the raven haired captain as he pulled onto one of Nai's lavender-colored spikes, for no reason.

Hirato sighed shortly then said; "Don't worry, Mr. Gareki, they will. Especially after those threats you threw at them the other day. I'm pretty sure they still have nightmares about it."

Gareki sensed the sarcasm in the dark haired ship Captain's voice and shot a glare at him. He would have added something witty, but Yogi's sudden scream caught everyone's attention.

"AAGH, Gareki-Kun! You threatened the higher-ups?!" Gareki nodded with a proud look which increased Yogi's panic attack. The latter's face turned pale as he harrumphed; "THEY will not let this slip easily!"

"Yogi!"

The blond subordinate snapped from his panic attack and addressed his eyes to the source of the voice, Hirato. The raven haired man had his eyes closed, tiredly. One would expect a twenty-one year old would act more mature, but not Yogi. He could be so dramatic sometimes.

"Be vigilante out there," Hirato finally said, breaking the short silence.

Yogi nodded vigorously then asked, curiously; "But what will you and Tsukumo-Chan be doing, sir?"

Hirato brought back his orange juice to his lips and replied as he side-glared to Gareki; "We'll do our best to sooth the higher-ups and persuade them to NOT arrest Mr. Gareki. In the meantime, I hope you will behave."

Gareki scratched his ear, nonchalantly, pretending he had not heard the Captain.

At the Research Tower, Gareki learned escaping wasn't as easy as he thought. The old doctor had been waiting for them on the Research Tower's landing platform and threatened the teen to knock him down if he dared to run away. Nai even latched onto his arm, making it even more impossible to escape. Yogi in the meantime, darted his eyes around like a cautious cat, hoping he wouldn't have a run in with a certain pink haired doctor.

Gareki and Nai were taken to an examination room where Gareki had to go first to show Nai it wasn't scary. While his friend was being poked and prodded, Nai sat on a nearby chair, looking very frantic and worried. He didn't like the sight of all the 'weird white stickers'(electrodes) that were put on Gareki's chest. He also sensed his friend was annoyed with it all and rather wanted to be somewhere else. The raven teen kept grumbling and scolded at the doctor a couple of times.

After being examined properly, the doctor told Gareki the lab reports showed no physical abnormalities, though, the same thing couldn't be said about his personality.

"I'm taking this crap off!" Gareki scowled then pulled all the electrodes off his chest with one swift movement, which looked very painful to Nai. Then it was the latter's turn.

While waiting outside for his two new friends, Yogi suddenly heard an all too familiar voice behind him. He spun one-eighty and came face to face with the one guy he desperately tried to avoid, Akari.

With his back pressed up against the wall, Yogi tried to keep space between him and the pink haired doctor. However, Akari closed the gap by walking forward.

"I hope for your sake you're putting on a fresh patch every morning…" The pink haired man grabbed the blonde's chin, not quite gently then took a closer look at the patch on his left cheek. "The reaction can be terrifying if you don't take it seriously."

"O-Okay…" Yogi tried to say, but it was hard since Akari was still holding his chin, firmly.

While piercing his pink eyes deep into Yogi's purple ones, Akari said threatening; "If you don't take this seriously, we may have to resort to a more painful remedy."

Yogi's heart thumped frightfully in his chest. He knew exactly what the doctor meant with that. The treatment he wat referring to still haunted him in his dreams. Yogi felt his knees weaken as he tried to step away then fell to the floor.

"I-I'll go change it…right now…" Yogi promised then quickly stormed away. Akari wondered whether he should follow and check if Yogi really was going to change his patch, but suddenly the examination room door opened.

"Hey there, doc!" Gareki greeted with a lopsided grin as he and Nai exited the examination room. "Seen any weird cherry blossom petals lately? Or has anyone thrown buckets of water on you, perhaps?"

The pink haired doctor pierced his eyes coldly into the young teen's eyes then said, ignoring the questions; "I assume the doctor advised you two to have a little lie down?"

"Yeah, but we won't be needing it, right Nai?" Gareki looked at his Niji friend who nodded in reply. The raven haired teen then looked around and said; "We will probably investigate this place instead. It's not like you shitty adults allow us to make a trip to the nearest town."

Akari narrowed his eyes suspiciously then grumbled; "Please try not to do anything irresponsible, especially since Nai is here. We don't want him to get caught in dangerous situations, do we?"

Gareki watched the pink haired doctor leave then stroked his chin and wondered what counted as ' irresponsible'. He then smirked and looked at Nai and asked; "Hey, Nai, have you ever wanted to ride a basket down the stairs?"

Nai looked at his thief friend, questioned.

It wasn't very difficult for Gareki to find a laundry basket big enough for two people. The nurses were happy to help out. They didn't even ask any questions, which was very convenient for Gareki.

"Sit!" Gareki ordered after he and Nai reached the top of Research Tower's stairs. The latter looked at his friend questioned. Gareki rolled his eyes then pointed at the laundry basket on the floor. Nai hesitantly stepped into the basket then sat down, knees up, looking frightfully down the flight of stairs. Gareki pushed the basket forward then kept it balanced as he said; "Hold on tight, Nai!"

Nai felt a tight knot at the bottom of his stomach, but refused to show it. Gareki was cool. Gareki was strong, and never afraid. He just wanted to be just like Gareki. He trusted Gareki. Sure, this game looked dangerous, but if it was really dangerous, would Gareki really let him do this?

"Ready, Nai?" Gareki smirked into the half-Niji's ear. Nai quickly grasped the sides of the basket then swallowed anxiously but nodded as well. "Here we GO!" Gareki jumped in last minute then the basket with him and Nai in it, flew down the flight of stairs with rapid speed. Nai's frightful screams were drowned by Gareki's cheerful screams. "WE'RE FLYING!"

Yogi, who had put on a new fresh allergy patch then went looking for his friends, sauntered down the long hallways, past the stairs. Suddenly…

"YOGI! HELP!"

Yogi halted in his tracks. Was that Nai? Screaming for help?

"YOGI, DUCK!" Gareki shouted, but it was already too late. The basket with him and Nai still in it crashed into the blond Circus subordinate, knocking him over.

"We're so sorry, Yogi!" Nai cried.

"BUT NOT REALLY!" Gareki laughed as they skid with basket and all further down the hallway.

Yogi turned out to be fine, but the same thing couldn't be said about Gareki after the laundry basket with him and Nai comes to halt after collusion with Akari, who just emitted one of the examination rooms to see what all the commotion was. Akari's eyebrow twitched and Gareki knew that was his cue to run away, cackling madly.

Despite the rage burning inside him, Akari refused to lose his stoic demeanour in front of the nurses and trotted after the teen with angry firm steps while scolding the boy's name repeatedly.

Nai, who was left behind by Gareki, got up then went to Yogi for a hug. Gareki's new game hadn't been fun at all. All it had done was hurting his entire body.

It had taken a while, but Akari finally managed to catch up with Gareki and corner him up against a wall. He would have given the teen the worst talk of his life if they hadn't been interrupted by one of the nurses. She looked quite shyly as she handed Akari a note then quickly bolted.

"Great!" Akari scowled after he read the message on the note. Without as much as a warning, the doctor pressed one hand against the wall, next to Gareki's head, blocking him from getting away then said; "I've been summoned for some stupid video conference with the higher-ups and those ridiculously childish Circus Captains, and I bet it's about you. You better behave from now on or else I will tell them what you've done to that poor Niji."

Gareki glared unimpressed at the pink haired man before him then said; "Actually, I think they wanna talk about Nai. They better not suggest hurting him, or else..

"Behave!" Akari said without letting Gareki finish his threat. He then penetrated his eyes coldly into Gareki's and said; "Or else I will dissect you and use bits of you for human experimentations!"

Gareki threw a major eye roll at Akari as he walked off then sighed and stroked his chin, pondering what he should do next. He then suddenly remembered something.

"Oi, Nai!" Gareki bursts inside the room with gusto. Nai, sitting on the floor looked up from the extremely childish jigsaw puzzle Yogi gave him to play with. Gareki walked toward him then grinned; "The old geezer said something about you being an animal. What did he mean with that?"

Nai looked startled then dropped his eyes down and stuttered; "Well…

"You seem human in every way," Gareki grinned then suddenly his eyes widened as if an major idea struck his mind. "That's it! You have the ability to transform, am I right?"

"Huh?" Nai looked at his thief friend with a muddled expression.

"Well, do it! Transform!" Gareki said insisted. "I wanna see how you do it. Come on!"

Nai's big red eyes started to swim in tears as he looked up at Gareki, who casted over him with his tall frame and smirked manically. The half-Niji shrunk to half his size and quivered in fear.

"Do it now!' Gareki ordered impatiently.

"I don't even know what 'transform' means!" Nai suddenly wailed and broke into tears as he recoiled to a tiny ball on the floor.

Yogi, who just walked in loaded with snacks, instantly went into hysterical helicopter parent mode and rushed over to the half-Niji, exclaiming at Gareki; "AAAH, what did you do this time?!" Then almost smothered Na into a hug; "Don't cry, Nai-chan!"

Gareki rolled his eyes at the blond combatant then replied, casual; "All I asked him to is to transform into an animal. I mean, that's what they say he is, right?"

"What makes you think he can transform on command?"

Gareki shrugged; "I just thought he could. I mean, that woman at that mansion transformed into an monster."

"It doesn't work like that with Nai-chan!" Yogi exclaimed then proceeded hugging the half-Niji's head.

"Then how does it work?!" Gareki looked very irritated. He then thought for a moment and sighed; "You know what, never mind. I'll just ask that shitty four eyes myself."

And with that, Gareki strutted off.

Yogi only had left both Gareki and Nai alone for a few minutes as they took some fresh air in the evening breeze. They had been locked up in the Research Tower for hours and Akari had finally given in for a quick stroll in the Research Tower's garden. Yogi got a call from Hirato and by the time he returned in the garden, Gareki and Nai where gone.

The poor combatant's heart dropped, fearing the guests who he was responsible for had been taken by Varuga. He only had a few options. Get back inside and tell Akari what happened, call Hirato and ask for permission to search for them, or gather all his courage and go look for them without permission.

Yogi decided to go for the third option. He knew the other two options would result in some very painful punishment. The blond combatant took in a deep breath of air and rushed away.

Meanwhile…

"Look!" Gareki pointed at the ground to show Nai what he just had discovered.

Nai crouched down next to his friend and spotted a trail of large footprints in the mud then tilted his head and frowned; "Who made these?"

Gareki shrugged; "Probably something OR someone with very big feet." It took a few minutes for it to sink in then his eyes lit up. "It must be from the legendary bigfoot." Enthusiastically, the raven haired teen continued following the trail of footprints. Confused as he was, Nai followed, pondering what a bigfeet was.

Fifteen minutes later the trail came to a stop and so did the two 'adventurers'. They looked around for a moment then suddenly Nai latched onto Gareki and whispered; "Someone's coming."

Gareki tried to squirm himself free from Nai but suddenly froze when he heard rustling in the nearby bushes. He then pushed Nai behind him, rolled up his sleeves, and charged away with a battle scream.

"Ga…" Nai tried to whisper but then a frightened scream echoed through the woods, coming from the direction Gareki disappeared into. The poor Niji's heart thumped in his chest then suddenly, a young man with long silver hair and excessive amount of patches on his face emitted from the bushes, ran past Nai and disappeared into the dark. His scream slowly faded away into the distance. Nai tilted his head and frowned; "Who…"

Gareki jumped from outside the bushes and groaned disappointed. The man got away, unfortunately. But he would definitely keep his eyes open. There had been something about the guy that couldn't be trusted.

With that thought in mind, Gareki ordered Nai to follow and strutted away. He didn't get far though, because he felt a sudden pull at the shrubs of his neck. The young teen objected then realized the strong pull belonged to no one other than Akari, who looked quite angry.

"Why did you tackle my assistant?!"

Gareki tried to squirm free, but after he realized it was futile and made him nothing but exhausted, he finally gave up and shouted; "I had no idea it was your assistant, did I?! You should be asking him instead what he was doing out here in the middle of the night!"

Akari's eyebrow started to twitch in irritation then grumbled; "I rather like to know why you two are out here, instead of your room like I told you to!"

"Taking some fresh air, remember?" Gareki snorted.

Nai scurried closer, shyly, then said with tiny voice; "We saw a trail of very large steps. Gareki said it belonged to bigfeet."

"I said, bigfoot, you idiot." Gareki groaned irritated.

Akari dragged in a deep heavy breath to calm his nerves then said between clenched teeth; "Bigfoot doesn't exist!"

"Yeah, people would probably say the same thing if I told them I fought a Varuga then got abducted by crazy people with weird powers who call themselves Circus!"

Akari drew in another breath then grumbled; "Only because Varuga exist, doesn't mean there is a bigfoot!"

"Are you sure about that, Mr. Researcher? Have you ever thought you would cross path with a boy that can transform into an animal?" Gareki smirked then looked at Nai and harrumphed; "Nai, transform, now!"

Nai backed away, bemused.

Akari smacked the back of the raven haired teen's head then grumbled; "Get back inside you two before I turn you into an bigfoot myself!" He ushered the two back to the Research Tower then looked around and mumbled; "Now where did Yogi go to?"