OT: FinallyI can speak! Thanks to the reviewers, esp. Daydreamer9... kudos to you! Now, KT-AL-NT is rated K+ and T for the facility of any parents who have their kids reading this... be advised reader, it's your choice.

I again state that the respective characters are the respected properties of thier respected creatorsand companies, including me! (maybe not for Yayoi and some other names but, I also respect their creators)

Battle Phase 1-11: The Return of the Original Layer Prince

"Let me introduce our next contender... he has won his admission by a minor slip, but he's okay, for a college student. Let me introduce Ichiro Takahashi and his angel, Kokuro!"

A smart glassed man went to his chair, his angel sporting the same cool school uniform as any public school had.

"And now, his challenger..." Asuka called "Oh dear... is this true?" She asked the board behind her and they agreed on something. "Apparently, this Deus had won his admission many times before... and it has been a year and a half since we last saw him... introducing our returning favorite, the prince of evasion, welcome back, Kotaro Kobayashi and Wizard!"

The crowd cheered as Misaki and Miharu wondered.

"Kotaro, a Deus!"

They watched as he went into the arena, a determined look on his face, with a familiar angel.

"Wizard? It can't be!"

He sat down, and they readied themselves.

"You seem to be on edge..." Ichiro called.

"Not quite... I returned, not because I wanted to, but because I need to... so I can feel what I wanted to feel, so I can do what I wanted to do..."

"But times had changed..." his foe spoke "Let's see if you can cope with it..."

"Angel Entry!"

The two introduced their angels to the layer.

"Deuses ready..."

The two readied themselves.

"Angelic... fight!"

The fight was on. Wizard was fighting with the grace that was uniquely, Ohjiro's (but there's a possibility that Ohjiro was the second) but, there were differences, for Wizard allowed his foe to come closer than his former Deus.

"Kotaro..." Misaki called, apparently this one was something big, and it was a secret.

"Interesting... I know that someone had been in the layer before, but..." Miharu noted.

"I need to tell her... I need to say it to her... she'll beat me up if I did not..." those thoughts came by Kotaro's mind as Wizard continued the evasion.

"Still cold?" his foe asked. "Let me warm you up with a bit of textbook flame throwing!"

Kokuro suddenly conjured up fireballs which he hurled towards Wizard, which he blocked efficiently by activating his shield- the "soul barrier".

"Two can play at that game..." Kotaro thought, and Wizard placed into action, hurling energy balls at the opposing angel.

They were well into the fourth minute when Kokuro made his first slip- letting the foe slip behind him. He couldn't move as Wizard patted his back with an energy ball, blasting 15 off his life energy and sending him skidding forward. Wizard attacked again with the same move, blasting off random amounts of energy off his foe until it had 15 left. Kokuro and his Deus were now tired from the attack.

"Heh... that was just a slip" his foe said "let's see how you'll cope with this! Kokuro, Flamethrower!"

And as ordered, the angel unleashed a wave of fire, passing thru the barrier and scorching Wizard a bit, removing 30 off him in the process. Then Kokuro charged, punching Kotaro's angel with fire punches. Then Wizard began to counter, with energy punches of his own. Then, Kotaro saw an opening, and ordered Wizard to use a full-force, well placed punch on the foe's midsection. A few milliseconds later, the punch took effect, not only blasting the rest of Kokuro's life energy, but also blowing him off the layer.

"My return is complete..." Kotaro said to himself as Asuka declared the winner.

As he arrived at his designated waiting area, he was approached by none other than Misaki, Miharu tagging behind.

"The only reason I did this is that..."

Misaki suddenly slaps the boy.

"Why did you do that, Suzuhara?"

"Misaki..." Misaki spoke; head bowed "Have you forgotten what you're supposed to call me?"

"Misaki..." the boy called.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Um... can you forgive me? Because I was still unsure about myself then... but now..."

His words were stopped by Misaki's hand.

"It depends..." she began "if your testimony is good..."

"It means that if your reason is good, you know..." Miharu added, shrugging.

The three sat on the far chairs as another battle raged on the layer: Yuuki and Sera VS Fujiko and Princess.

"In reality, Ohjiro and I knew each other for a long time- I was his favorite cousin... and we together built Wizard..." Kotaro began to explain.

"Cousins? No wonder, you look like each other, but only a bit..." Misaki wondered "But how did he have Wizard in the first place?"

"Since Hatoko entered in the tournaments, I promised myself not to be in the layer, so I could help her a bit... so I gave him to Ohjiro for while... and I was still unsure about myself then... if I will continue or not- for Hatoko's sake... I don't want to give her any trouble as her brother..."

"I see..." Miharu concluded "You didn't want to bother your sister as a fellow Deus- because you might end up as rivals- I personally hate sibling rivalry... and what other reason did you say about being unsure?" she asked.

"I was unsure... of why I wanted to be in the layer..." Kotaro added.

"What made you return then?" this time Misaki.

"Because of someone... now I can fulfill my needs, while paying attention to a friend..." Kotaro concluded, stealing glances at Misaki.

"Eh..." Miharu came in, grabbing the boy and placing him in another seat. "Now explain it to me, Kobayashi..." she began, adjusting her glasses to suit the tone "It's Misaki, isn't it? It's her that your reason to return is stated... have you had or do you have any..."

Her speaking was cut by Kotaro's hand.

"It's not what you think!" Kotaro hushed "Misaki and I are just- just-..."

"I know the feeling..." Miharu replied, upon the stammering Kotaro. "Wait here... and I mean here..."

Miharu went to Misaki's seat.

"Misaki, are you okay?" Miharu asked her silent friend.

"Miharu, I know I have not told anyone this before but I'll tell you..."

Misaki then whispered something, and it shocked Miharu.

"Well... well... well... I see the point... its better when your friends engage in an activity that all of you love- like Angelic Layer. Next thing you know, Tamayo may be playing as well..." Miharu noted.

"Speaking of Tamayo, I haven't seen her anywhere..." Misaki also noted.

"You're right, I looked at the crowd but not even a sign of her... seems strange..." Miharu also noted.

A few minutes later, the match was ended, with a victorious Yuuki coming in.

"I can't believe I did it! Wait till my mom hears..." Yuuki said "By the way Miharu, tell your mom thanks too..."

"Um... she'll hear about it..." Miharu replied to the daughter of one of her mom's best friends.

She then went back to Kotaro, smile on hand.

"Well... feel free to go near... as long as Tamayo is not here, might as well go on..." Miharu said and gestured, with Misaki waving back.

Then the PA system called again.

"Will # 6 & 15, please come to the layer at once..."

Now the hooded Deus stood up, and placed a choker on her neck. She touched some sort of switch on it, and she came up to Misaki's place.

"You'll be surprised..." she said "when you really get to see me... so I'm wishing you good luck..."

She then left, mystifying Misaki.

"Who was that?" Miharu asked, not knowing that one of Japan's newest Deuses passed them by. And her name: Tamayo Kisaki.