The next week after the late-night confessional, Kio and Ritsuka were sitting in the park, Ritsuka talking to Natsuo and Youji.
"I told him..." he said dully, ears drooping. "I told him the truth, about me and Soubi... about fighters and sacrifices."
Youji grinned "What did he say?"
Ritsuka sighed and turned away slightly "He didn't believe me of course. Thinks I'm mad, unhinged by Soubi's death..."
Natsuo grinned and wrapped an arm around him "There's nothing wrong with being mad! As long as you aren't alone..."
"Yeah and you aren't alone, you've got us! And Kio..." Youji completed from his other side.
"LOVELESS!" A strident voice called, cutting across their conversation. Ritsuka jumped, half-turning to look around, seeing a pair of figures striding towards their little group. He knew immediately that they were there for him. This time though he had no Soubi to protect him. He could not fight, could not resist. This was the end.
The pair squared up to the three and Ritsuka stepped forward.
"I am Loveless. What do you want with me?"
"We are here to take you away." The other member of the pair replied, smirking, crimson hair flowing out behind him in the wind.
Youji stepped forward, Natsuo echoing his movement. They took a pace in front of Ritsuka, flanking him.
"You are here because you think he has no-one to defend him, but you're wrong. We won't let you take our friend away. We are Zero."
"And we declare a battle by wordspell." Natsuo finished.
"We accept." The raven-haired woman replied "We are Dauntless. We fear nothing and have courage. You puny children cannot hope to withstand our attacks."
Youji pouted "Hey! We are not children! We're sixteen!"
The crimson-haired man spat at them as if the words were venom "Constrict, rift, rend apart..."
Youji glared "Go on Natsuo..."
"Turn away from us, destroy yourself, scattered to the wind..."
"Destroy. Grass as emerald razors, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, SEVER!"
Youji flinched and Natsuo looked over in return but Youji flapped a hand, indicating him to continue.
"Rain washes away the grass, drops as acid burn your skin, stopping breath..." Natsuo retorted immediately.
The woman gasped softly, restraints binding her visibly.
"Defence!" Roared the crimson-haired man.
Ritsuka called "Youji! What you did to Soubi!" Youji turned to grin.
That wasn't spells, I did that myself..." Ritsuka glared and Youji stuck his tongue out and turned back.
"Blades pierce the hands, the feet, knocking you to the floor, blood pours forth flowing in crimson torrents to the ground..." Natsuo fired at them.
"DEFENCE! Winds rip away your attacks, freezing winds to steal the heat, to steal the very breath from your lungs!"
"Fire flicks over your limbs, the winds cannot touch us, warmed to gentle summer breezes... heat intense as a volcano, trapped in the heart of the flame, your veins turn to desert..."
The woman let out a terrible cry as she was bound completely from head to foot. The man bowed his head to silently acknowledge their defeat, picked her up and carried her away.
"DON'T EVER ATTACK RITSUKA AGAIN!" Youji called after them, hugging Natsuo close and kissing him.
Ritsuka hugged them both "Thank you. Well done Natsuo. Though Soubi beat you on his own once." He smiled in sad pride of a past achievement, a past trophy win.
"We know, that's why we wanted to get even better!" Youji explained simply, grinning.
Ritsuka smiled tightly, then slowly walked back to Kio who was sitting on a bench, eyes wide, mouth open.
"Still think I was making it up?" he asked, not looking at him, voice tight with pain.
Kio got up and hugged him tightly "No..."
