SEVEN- Rivalry

Location: Los Angeles, United States

Population: 4 Million

This information was being relayed through the ear piece that Richard had been wearing. Kido who had been listening had closed his eyes to concentrate, as everything bombarded him at once. Meilin did speak of a possible enemy amongst Border, but to think the enemy had been standing right beside them all this time. He put his hands over his face, as he could feel the frustration rising. Richard had to deal with a neighbor alone, and So Young was too busy with taking down llgar's to give any aid.

"Richard can you handle the situation?" Kido asked, as his hoarse voice echoed to Richards's ear piece. Richards's eyes slightly turned to listen, and replied that he would handle the situation to the best of his abilities. Richard twirled his blades around in his hand, as he leaned down a little to get a better perspective of what Aimerick would do.

"Brave, or should I say foolish." Aimerick replied, as he too with his spear pointed it at Richard. This standoff would last a few seconds, as they both ran towards one another. With each second the blades of both the spear and the sword would clash, and each clash resounded as a eulogy to their shattering friendship.

For Aimerick to protect his home country Karith was important to him, while Richard wanted to protect the world that he lived in. They both gazed at each other, as each dodge and slash of the weapons came closer to cutting one of them down. Richard felt his feet give way, as the spear came down at him. He put out his arm towards the ground, as he lifted the sword as fast as he could to take the force of the spear coming down upon him.

"Looks like your luck has run out." Aimerick said, as he ran towards Richard with his spear pointing towards Richards's chest. Richard was prepared to lose his combat body. He felt the spear making contact, as he tried to dodge the spear point. He felt the side of his waist getting clipped, as Trion began to leak out. Aimerick placed the spear to the side to take a good look at Richard before making the final blow. The spear was moving so fast around Aimerick that Richard would have no chance to dodge any of his attacks. The first few attacks destroyed Richards's combat body, as his physical body replaced the combat body. Aimerick took this chance, and made his spear of Trion extend towards Richard. This only gave Richard a few seconds to prepare as he managed to grab the spear before it hit him. Aimerick saw this, and with full force threw Richard into the side of a building. Richard made a mistake of extending his arm forgetting his combat body had been destroyed to take the blow. In full impact, he felt something crack. He squinted his eyes, as he felt the pain hit him. He had to pull himself out of the rubble, as Aimerick approached him. He managed to push himself to his feet, as his arm dangled to the side. Richard, now was in trouble. Was he going to die here?

"Die." Was all Richard heard, as the spear came at him. He had no way of evading it this time, as he closed his eyes to take the attack. A few seconds passed, and nothing happened, and Richard opened his eyes.

"Sorry Richard, I was a bit late." A voice said, as the black cloak with Border on it fluttered in front of him. It was Shinoda with a grin on his face. His two blades were glowing, as he made several motions that created separate blades that pushed Aimerick back. Richard sighed, as he fell to his bum. He was saved, just barely.

"To think that you would kill James and use his appearance as your own." Shinoda said, as Richard could sense a sense of sadness in his voice. Richard recalled that Shinoda had gone to school with a few of the members of Border, and it was possible that James had been one of them. He didn't know Shinoda though, like Kido did.

"Aimerick, it is time to retreat." A young man with red hair, and red eyes was standing not too far from them. Both Shinoda and Richard didn't even sense him. He gave a V-sign, and laughed at Aimerick. Aimerick on the other hand wasn't as thrilled to see him.

"Surprised!" He said, as his eyes squinted a little. He looked so familiar, but Richard couldn't recall who he was exactly for sure. He smirked, as his lips puckered. Aimerick who was standing not too far off, took a few steps back.

"Agathon." He spoke, as the man with red hair turned his head towards Aimerick, and jumped up and flipped. He climbed up the side of a building that was broken into several distinct pieces. At the top he leaned one leg on a large piece of rubble, and was looking down upon both Shinoda, and Richard. Aimerick stood right beside him, as he to begin his climb up the building.

"It was nice to see you again, Richard." He gave a small smile, as Agathon with the palm of his hands opened a portal that looked like a black hole. He was the first to disappear, and Aimerick soon followed. His white uniform that still glistened with the image of a snake emblem on it. He too disappeared, as his head turned a little before disappearing to look at Richard one more time.

Location: San Francisco, United States

Population: 1 Million

Konami took in a few deep breathes, as she saw the destruction that lay before her. The bridge she had been fighting on was the landmark of this city. It was destroyed in several distinct places, which left it barely standing. She began walking slowly as she passed several bodies of Bamsters that she had destroyed earlier that were scattered all over the bridge. She picked into her right pocket, and pulled out a red bean bun that was still perfectly intact. She slowly with careful hands opened it from its wrapping. Her smile widened, as the wrapping carefully was removed. Her face brightened, as she slowly lifted it up towards her mouth to take a bite. Her mouth watered, as her eyes now began to twinkle, but before she could take bite, the ground below rumbled, and her face changed to joy to anger. An llgar was above her, and it had disturbed her eating her red bean bun. Her face turned red, as the ground shook from an explosion. Her hands slipped from the red bean bun in her hand, as it fell slowly to the ground. She reached desperately for the red bean bun, but her hands missed. It fell to the ground with a plop, and her face changed to sheer agony. She summoned her trigger, and began to climb up the barely intact bridge, and she jumped off the beam and with a swipe of her words cut through the llgar. It blew up in the air, as she slid down with the help of a beam of the bridge. She still felt steam blowing from her head, as she looked down at the red bean bun that was on the ground. It was a tragedy, as tears welled up in her eyes. She was about to break down, but a hand landed onto her shoulders. She turned to find a young girl with her brown hair in two buns with a ribbon tied on each side looking at her.

"Yumi." She said, as she was beginning to cry, and Yumi's face gave a sigh of disbelief. Konami was very diligent in combat, but her composure was lacking. She dug inside her bag which was on her left side, and her face brightened when she found what was looking for. She pulled out a red bean bun still in its packaging. She patted Konami on the head, and Konami looked up from her sobbing. Her face brightened, as Yumi placed the red bean bun into her hands.

"Yumi, I love you." Konami said, as her crying had stopped now. She opened the red bean bun with gentle hands, as she took a bite. Her eyes glittered like no tomorrow, and Yumi sighed. Konami was hard to get along with, and many other Border agents had complained about her. Unfortunately for her, she ended up being Konomi's partner.

It was a year or so ago when she met Konami. She was still a child at the time too. Yumi had her own group and they were A rank. Saito and Ryo were her teammates, and Kido ended up adding Konami to the group without everyone's consent. Her level of combat, and learning was impressive, but she didn't fit with any other groups, so she ended up with Yumi's group for a year and half. Her group didn't accept her, and she was rejected from everyone. She was left alone, and never invited to any meetings, or get invited to spend quality time with the group. Others have claimed she was a loner, and anti-social, but Yumi was the one who took the time to get to know Konami. She didn't' lose her family to the neighbors, but she had lost her home during the invasion. She was found by Shinoda, and ended up being a part of Border.

"Yumi." Konami said, as she hugged Yumi around the waist. Yumi was startled slightly, and she lost her footing. They both fell to the ground in a thud. Yumi ruffled Konami's hair, and Konomi in return laughed. They were like sisters in better terms was what she thought. There was also something more, perhaps a rivalry for who is the best. Yumi pondered a little more, as the sound of a helicopter approaching got louder. She and Konami both stood up, and cleaned the dust from there bottoms. They both looked up into the sky that was clouded with smoke, and ashes.

"Such a sad sky." Yuki said, as her hair waved back and forth. The ashes that continued to fall throughout the city continued on even after the neighbors had stopped the invasion. Karith had backed away from invading, and any of sign of Aimerick was gone. The helicopter landed, and four people jumped off, as more people began to appear. They were here to clean up the remaining neighbors that were still destroying parts of the city. There was also emergency aid that was sent out to find and aid in civilians that were still alive.

"Lance." Yumi looked at a young man who was putting his hand through his hair. He had his hair up like Elvis. He gave a smile with his white teeth showing slightly. Yumi felt her face twitch slightly, and gave out a slight sigh. He always carried around his electric guitar at the Base, and pretended to be Elvis.

"What up Yumi, Babe." He said, with a wink. Yumi put her hand up, as to say no. He approached her with disappointment, and he leaned down close to her face. Her face turned a slight pinkish red, and then with a swift hand motion hit him across the face. He fell to the ground in slow motion, as his whole body shifted with the force of the slap. The rest of his squad weren't surprised, as all of them ignored what happened.

"That's cruel Yumi." Lance replied, as he placed himself into a sitting position. He put his hand on the side of his face where Yumi had hit him. She was holding back her anger at this point. Konami who had been standing close to Yumi had slowly walked away. She kept some distance from the group, as the rest of the group got reacquainted again. Yumi saw this, and knew it would be difficult to change this behavior.

Location: Los Angeles, United States

Population: 4 Million

Richard was sitting in the ambulance with his arm in a stretcher. Shinoda was leaning against the door, as the paramedics were working on Richard. They put an IV in, and were checking his vitals. Richard said he was fine, but Shinoda gave him a glare, and he agreed to do a full check at the hospital. He put a hand over his face, and rubbed his temples, as he felt a burden being placed upon him. It was probably true what Aimerick had said that he trusted too easily. He in the end had been used due to it. He didn't share much Intel on Border, but Aimerick had enough to know what ran Border.

"James was an old friend of mine." Shinoda said, as he looked at Richard.

"I figured as much." Richard said, as both of their eyes met. The paramedics could feel the tension, and said it was time to move Richard to the hospital. Shinoda gave the go ahead sign, as Richard sat inside of the ambulance. The door closed, as the ambulance began to move. Richard was told to lay down, as the paramedics worked on him. He agreed, as he laid down onto the bed. He looked up at the ceiling of the ambulance, as the siren rang through the city. The invasion had come to an end, but in the end there was more questions than answers.

Kido who had been sitting in the control room was also quiet, as the whole control room was still in chaos after the invasion had ended. Many people were trapped, injured, or had passed on during the invasion. Kido felt uneasy, as he knew that there would be more politics involved once the cleanup had ended. Would they listen this time?

It took a few months for the country to clean up the damages, and estimate the costs. More than thirty thousand people had died, with a large portion being military. There was about ten or so injured in the Border's side, but no deaths. Richard had been the one that was severely injured. Kido got the full report, and he had four broken ribs, a puncture in one of his internal organs, a broken arm, and bruising throughout his whole body. He would remain hospitalized for a while, not that he complained. Kido went to visit him in his room. He was sitting propped up, and eating chocolates. He beckoned Kido to come in. Kido knew Richards carefree attitude, and found it a bit annoying.

"I decided something important." Kido handed Richard a folder, as he accepted it. He opened it up, and began to read, and then he looked up at Kido abruptly.

"What is the meaning of this Kido?" he asked, and Kido gave a small smile, as he handed Richard a pen.

"Sign it." He said, and Richard didn't know what to say. It's not what he wanted, but he knew this was something Kido had pushed for. He could not decline it, and he took the pen. He signed the paperwork, and accepted the position. He was the official Border director of the first United States Border base that was now being placed in Los Angeles. He would be watching the construction once his wounds have healed.

"The things I do for you."

Characters:

Kido: Commander and chief of Border in Mikado City. An original character form the World Trigger series. He is an antagonist in the original series, but in my story we will take another approach.

Konami: Original character in the World Trigger Series. In the original series she is a mentor towards Yuma. She has long strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes. She is childish, short-tempered and naïve.

Shinoda: In the manga, he is seen as the strongest normal trigger user. He later becomes Border's General Manager, and mentors Kei Tachikawa.

Richard: A politician who was a part of the Marines. He joins the fight to protect the United States from the invasion of neighbors.

James: Friend of Richard that later becomes his enemy. He turns out to be a neighbor that came to Earth to gather data for his country on the other side.

Yumi: A young girl with brown hair in two buns with a ribbon tied on each side. A team member of a A rank group that Konami had been involved with in her earlier days.

Lance: A young man with Elvis Presley's hair. Carries around an electric guitar.