Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Super Sentai. I only own my original characters and story.


In just three seconds, Ryouta found himself on the ground, his cheek red from the sudden punch. The others just looked on in shock as Akane stood over him. He looked up at the MoriRed, a sheepish smile on his face. "I guess that's a 'no'..." he said, only to coward when she leaned forward with a glare.

"This better be some sick joke, Ryouta," she scowled," I don't want you anywhere near me or my sisters." She stormed off.

Shota was about to chase after her but stopped when he saw Kiku looking at him, her eyes yellow behind her glasses. He nervously pursed his lip before facing her. "K-Ki-"

"I don't want to hear it!" the MoriYellow snapped, cutting him off. He looked at her in surprise, seeing how it's the first time she ever raised her voice towards him.

She made her way to the others and took hold of Tomoko. "I'm taking her home." She cradled her sister before taking her leave. "Tell the teacher she can't make it."

Satoshi and Kyoko looked after the girl in worry, seeing how they're all shaken by the revelation. They looked over towards the two brothers, unsure what to say to them. Kyoko took hold of Satoshi's arm. "Come on. We can't be late." She led him to the school, leaving the two alone.

Ryouta fell back onto the ground. "We screwed up."

Shota knelt down, his expression solemn. "I didn't think Kiku-chan would be mad at me for that... We won't be able to help them at this rate..."

"We'll figure something out, Sho. We promised each other, didn't we?" He got back to his feet.

"Are you going to man up and talk to Akane-san?"

At this, the older brother slunk back down. "Maybe not a great idea when she's like this..."


Hiro extinguished the fire in the Home Simulation Room before a punching bag was launched across the room by a swift kick. He sighed. "Akane. It's best to calm down," he chided. "Your wolf is coming out."

Akane took in a few deep breaths as flames surrounded her arms. "Out of all people... It has to be that idiot..." she muttered angrily.

"You do know that the company doesn't have any control of it. Maybe there's a reason those two were chosen to take the roles of Orange and Green."

"Well the Spirits have some explaining to do if they're letting him fight. What were they thinking?!" She angrily punched another bag just as the robot set down the first one.

"It's best to give him the benefit of the doubt, Akane. Being angry at him forever isn't healthy."

"Well how the hell can I not be angry? He was there, Hiro. He was there and did nothing to help. You really think I can forgive him for something like that?"

"Even then, it's best to find the reason why he was chosen. You have to have trust in your teammates if you want the family to be kept safe."

"Having him here is not safe, Hiro. You know how Tomoko is when things trigger her. Having him around will have her retreat again and we can't have that."

"You need closure."

"As if he'll give it to us." Akane stormed out of the room.

Hiro sighed as he rested his hand on his head. "Guess it will take a lot for those two to get through to her."


Dorgon looked at the book, now seeing the photographs of the Ueno brothers on the once blank page. "So two more have awakened. I'm surprised they've shown themselves after this long. A shame I didn't get to go through with the experiment."

"A waste of my Ooteshitas if you ask me," Harpy hissed.

Dorgon waved off the snap before looking into the flames. "But I am indeed curious. Their appearance has formed some tension in the team. Perhaps we should observe and see if we can strike."

Harpy folded her arms, peering into the flames. "You're always stalling, Dorgon. Wouldn't it be best to strike now?"

"Not when their abilities as warriors are unknown. We have to see how much of a threat those two are before we take any action. Let's just hope they're rookies so we can find the right opening."

The blue elite scoffed with a roll of her eyes, showing displeasure of waiting. "I really don't understand your interest in them, Dorgon. You never acted like this in previous battles against that family." She walked off towards her quarters. "Just call me if you want to use my Ooteshitas for your dumb experiment. I need to hone my skills in case the Master asks for my presence in the battlefield."

Dorgon gave a small nod, not taking his eyes off the projections.


Kiku bit into a strawberry and cream sandwich as she put on her boots, seeing how she can't miss the second half of school. She looked back towards the stairs, her eyes showing concern. She took the sandwich out of her mouth. "Ji-nee! I'm heading off to school!" she called," Make sure to get to work if you have a shift today!" She went through the front door, taking another bite of her sandwich but stopped mid-chew when she saw Shota waiting at the gate.

The boy looked up from his Cuff when he heard the door open. He held his hand up for a small wave. "Y-yo, Kiku-chan," he greeted albeit nervously.

Kiku closed the door before making her way down the steps and towards her friend. She glanced back towards the house before nodding her head in the direction of the school. Before the boy could even register what she motioned towards, she turned on her heel and walked off. He quickly adjusted his backpack and followed after her, staying a few steps behind to give her some space.

"I-I wanted to say sorry about this morning, Kiku-chan," he said," I wanted to tell you earlier but Jou said to wait until an emergency." He realized she wasn't going to respond, making him continue. "I-I know you're upset. Jou told me since he's still related to your partner. I was scared to fight, but I wanted to do it to protect you. I-I figured that if I had powers like you, I'd be able to protect you since you got hurt a few times. N-Nii-san-" He was cut off when the girl abruptly stopped, making him bump into her shoulder. "K-Kiku-chan?"

"You're such an idiot…"

"Eh?" He froze when she grabbed his shirt collar, her glasses falling off as she glared at him. He froze when he saw glowing yellow irises and sparks surrounding her pupils.

"I don't need anyone protecting me, Shota. Especially you. Do you even know what you're getting yourself into?"

"I-I just wanted-"

"No, Shota. You were given a choice. You could have chosen the safer one rather than risking your damn life for someone who's already gone through training and know what it's like to be put into dangerous situations."

"But I-"

She held up her hand, almost slapping him. "Not another word," she snapped before storming off.

Shota looked at her retreating form, his gaze solemn at her being upset at him. A small robot in the shape of a bear cub climbed onto his shoulder, letting out small chirps. "I know, Jou... But what can I even do to make it up to her...?"


Hotaru gently combed her fingers through Akane's hair as they were in the idol's bedroom. The red warrior showed up abruptly and simply dragged her girlfriend to her room, only to seek comfort when they reached the bed. Hotaru decided not to question it, seeing how something must have set the red-clad girl off for her to not say anything the whole time.

"You okay, wolfie?" she asked, twirling some of Akane's hair around her fingers. She heard nothing but mumbles against her chest, making her sigh. "Don't want to go to class today?" Akane shook her head, not wanting to look up. "Just let me know if you need anything." She found the hug tightening and returned the gesture.

She heard her phone ring and reached out to her desk to grab it, making sure to not disturb her girlfriend. She looked at the Caller ID, furrowing her eyebrows at the name. She answered. "Hello?"


Ryouta tensed when he heard the idol's voice as he sat at the rim of the Square's fountain. "Y-yo, Ooshiro. Sorry for calling so suddenly."

"You should be apologizing since you haven't called in four years. But do you need something?"

He pursed his lips at her tone, seeing how she still shows anger towards him. Seeing how one of the more kindhearted that he knows is making some distance, he had no choice but to be blunt. "I want to talk to Akane. She hasn't been answering my calls and I'm pretty sure she doesn't want to see my face right now."


Hotaru's gaze fell towards her girlfriend, now understanding the problem. She sighed. "She's busy right now. You can call her later."

"I... I see... Thanks anyway, Ooshiro."

"Sure. And Ryo-kun?"

"Yeah?"

"Just grow some balls rather than calling me next time." She cut off the call before letting out a deep sigh. She looked down at her wolf, gently combing her fingers through Akane's hair to comfort her more as she hummed. "Guess you're still hurt from it, wolfie..."


Ryouta looked at his phone before scratching the back of his neck. "Even Ooshiro telling me that..." he muttered to himself. He scrolled through his contacts, trying to see if anyone would be able to help him get through to the girls.


"S-sorry for being stuck at home again..." Tomoko murmured as she helped Shichi clean the house.

The robot looked away from the windowsill he was dusting before the screen on his face offered a reassuring smile. "It's fine, Tomoko-sama. You have your reasons. I was given direct orders that your wellbeing is important since you're all still healing. It's my job to help whenever I can." He folded up the duster before placing it into his chest compartment. He took a seat on the couch before patting the seat next to him, beckoning the girl to sit.

Tomoko hesitantly took a seat next to the robot, seeing how he's worried enough to sit her down for a talk.

"Are you still shocked from this morning?" he asked, receiving a small nod. "Would you like to talk about it?"

Tomoko pursed her lips, her hands fiddling with the shorts she changed into for cleaning. "Is Onee-chan okay...?" she asked quietly.

"Hm? Akane-sama?" He leaned back, trying to figure out what to tell the small girl when it came to the eldest's anger. "Hmm... She was a little pissed off this morning and left after using the simulators downstairs. She hasn't returned since, but the GPS on your Cuffs locate her with Hotaru-san's bracelet." He noticed the worry on the girl's face. "You shouldn't worry right now, Tomoko-sama. You know your sister always goes to her whenever she needs someone to talk to."

"Is she still blaming Ryouta-san...?"

The small robot was caught off guard by the question. He tilted his head. "Nn... I'm not sure what you mean by that..."

"Mama didn't tell you?"

"I don't think so. I know Akane-sama isn't on good terms with him, but I'm not sure about her blaming him for anything."

"I see..."

The doorbell rang, prompting Shichi to get off the couch. "I'll be right back." He went to go answer the door, only to find Satoshi. "Ah. Takahashi-san."

The boy smiled when he saw the robot. "It's been a while, Shichi-san." He reached into his schoolbag to fetch out a folder. "I came over to drop off Tomoko's homework." He held it out for the robot to take.

"Ah. Thank you. Sorry for the trouble, Takahashi-san. You're always over bringing her homework."

"It's fine. Kyoko and Chi-chan wanted to do it but they were called into rehearsals. Ah. How is Tomoko feeling? Kyoko said she looked terrified after that monster attack. I hope she's not fighting since she was close to having a fit."

Shichi shook his head. "There haven't been any issues so far. But she's starting to feel better. Thank you for always taking care of her, Takahashi-san. We really appreciate having someone to watch over her during school. But we apologize for any inconvenience she may cause. You know how she is."

Satoshi's smile turned solemn. "Yeah. But just let her know I want to do this for her. It's a gentlemen's job to keep his lady safe."

Shichi smiled at the boy's attitude and gave a nod. "Of course." He soon spotted something over the boy's shoulder and stopped. "Ah."

Satoshi turned to find Ryouta leaning against the fence as if to wait. "You're the one from this morning."

Ryouta looked at him, recognizing the boy as well. "So you're one of Chibi's friends." He held out his hand. "We haven't properly introduced ourselves. Name's Ryouta Ueno. Unofficial member of the team."

Satoshi looked at his hand, taking a few moments to think before accepting it, making sure his grip was firm. "Satoshi Takahashi. One of the Top 5 in the Kendo team."

The orange warrior took note of how protective he is of the girls and pulled away. "No need to have your guard up like that. I'm not here to hurt anyone. I want to talk to Chibi."

"I'd appreciate it if you call her by her name."

Ryouta sighed. "Okay. I want to talk to Tomo-chan. I figured that if you're here to drop off homework, she should still be home."

"Why should we let you talk to her? She almost had a panic attack when she saw you."

"I have my reasons. But I need permission from Shichi, not her classmate."

Shichi quickly stepped in between the two, seeing how Satoshi is getting angry at the older boy. "There's no need to start a fight, you two. Let's be civil about this."

"Shichi?" Tomoko stepped out to the front door to check on the robot, only to find Satoshi and Ryouta with him. "Eh?"

"T-Tomoko."

Ryouta took a step back before holding out his hand. "Y-yo, Chibi. You feeling better?"

Tomoko tightly gripped the door frame as she looked at the boy, her eyes a mix of orange and green as she didn't have her glasses on when she's home. "Y-yeah..." She looked over towards Satoshi. "Th-thank you for dropping off my homework... I should be back tomorrow."

Satoshi looked at her, seeing how she implied for him to leave. He glanced back over to Ryouta who was keeping his distance before looking back at his friend, giving a small nod. "Tell me if you need anything, okay?" He gently petted her head before taking his leave, shooting Ryouta a warning glare on his way to the gate.

Once he was out of earshot, Tomoko looked at Ryouta. "Are you here to see Onee-chan...?"

Ryouta shook his head. "It's best to give her some space. She's been ignoring me all day so I guess I should let her breathe before talking to her again."

"I see..."

"Is it okay if we can talk, Chibi? It's okay if you don't want to. Just hear me out."

Shichi quickly stepped in. "W-wait a minute. Tomoko-sama is in no shape to-"

"It's fine, Shichi," Tomoko said, making the robot look at her.

"A-are you sure?"

"Hiro is downstairs cleaning so he'll come up if anything happens."

The small robot hesitated, unsure if it's right to leave her with the college student. He looked at his charge. "If you say so... But I'm staying with you. I'm rusty with combat but I simply cannot leave you alone. Understood?"

Tomoko gave a small nod, knowing the robot can be overprotective at times.


Kiku toggled with the joystick as she sat in the arcade, trying to blow off some steam. She pressed a few buttons for a combo, taking away the last of her opponent's health points. She sighed as a crowd of people looked on in amazement. "Are they even trying...?" she muttered to herself.

The player selection screen popped up, making her look at the screen to find a new opponent. She selected her usual character and watched her opponent scroll through the options. Once one was chosen, they were taken to the duel scene, the announcer's voice blasting through the speakers to start the fight.

She watched her opponent, seeing how the character keeps moving back and forth as if to wait, punching and kicking the air every so often. "A rookie...?" She moved forward, jumping over her opponent before landing a kick.

"W-wait! I still need to get all of the controls!"

She furrowed her eyebrows at the voice. She landed another punch. "Shota. You shouldn't be playing without practicing as a single player," she chided through the machines. She grabbed Shota's character before throwing him.

"E-eh?! That's possible?!"

She sighed after landing the final strike. She stood up before going to the other side of the machine. "You really think an enemy would wait for you?" she questioned," Even I didn't have that handicap and almost died."

The MoriGreen stood up. "E-even so, I still want to fight! Nii-san and I have been training!"

Kiku eyed her friend, seeing how he's still hesitant when confronting her about the situation. She went back to her seat. "If you can win at least one round, I'll teach you."

Shota looked her like this. "R-really?!"

FINISH HIM.

He heard the pained cry of his character, losing another round. "W-wait! I wasn't-"

"Monsters don't wait for you to be ready," Kiku said flatly before starting the final round.

"W-wait!" He quickly sat down before grabbing the joystick to dodge.


Shota slouched against the machine after seeing the large "YOU LOSE" sign on his screen. "That was too brutal..."

Kiku leaned against the side of the machine, offering her spot to another player. "That is real life, Shota." She grabbed the back of his shirt collar before dragging him off the bench. She went over to one of the candy crane games and tapped her phone against the reader, starting the game.

Shota watched as the MoriYellow started at the machine, taking in the movements of the conveyor belt on the bottom. She pressed the buttons to grab and release the candy, only for a small pile to fall into the winning basket. She took put the treats into her school bag before tossing a box towards her friend. Shota stumbled to catch the box and followed the girl to some more crane games.

"I never knew you were good at arcade games, Kiku-chan," he said.

"I only come here once in a while. Tou-chan taught me how to play when we moved here and I picked up on it." She snagged a box of Pocky, allowing the crane to take it to the door. "I come here from time to time when I need to cool off. Sometimes I go to the Lab but I have to be with Nee-chan to go in." She opened the box and bit into a piece, holding out the box. "Want one?"

Shota looked between his friend and the box before accepting a piece. "Th-thanks..."


Ryouta cringed when he took a sip of his coffee. He quickly placed a sugar cube to mix in before tasting it again. "I don't know how my parents can drink this stuff..."

"You'll get used to the taste. I had it saved for Akane-sama in case she had to do some research, but I can't really put it to waste," Shichi said with his hands on his hips.

"I suppose not. But that's surprising. Akane drinking coffee."

"Only when she has to work over what she usually does. She's starting to drink more after they started fighting. She's too busy to make small talk."

"Ah..." Ryouta gave a small nod in understanding before looking at Tomoko who was quietly sipping her tea. "Chi-" He stopped himself before regaining his composure. "Tomoko. I wanted to talk to you about what happened. I know it's sensitive territory for you guys, but just know I'll be here for you three this time. Having these powers can let us protect you." He reached into the pocket of his hoodie to take out a robotic bear. "Kuu told me everything and I hated myself for leaving you girls alone. Leaving Akane alone when she needed me."

Tomoko looked at him, studying his features for any lies or uncertainty. Her gaze went towards his eyes and noticed an orange tint in them. She set down her drink before standing up, facing the college student. "You should be telling that to Onee-chan four years ago. Why you weren't by her side. Why you had to make Hotaru-san shoulder all of Onee-chan's pain. Why you didn't even apologize to us or even talk to us after Mama and Papa died!" Tears streamed down her cheeks as she continued to raise her voice. Shichi took notice and quickly rushed to her side, keeping her steady in case she was to collapse.

"T-Tomoko-sama. You shouldn't push yourself," the robot said worriedly.

"Onee-chan was suffering! She's always making sure everything is okay, but we all know she never takes care of herself for our sake! She needed someone to go to and you left her!"

Ryouta looked at her, surprised to see her raise her voice towards anyone. His fists clenched before he stood up and faced the girl. "I know that!"

"Then why?!"

"Because I was too weak!"

Tomoko stopped and looked up at him, unsure if she heard his words correctly.

"You really think I wouldn't beat myself up for what happened? What was I even supposed to do in that situation? Akane asked me to be her friend and I blew it because I didn't know how to help her when you were taken. What should I have said to her? What could I have done after we ended everything? How could I have even faced her after you broke down the last time you saw me after that incident?!

"Kuu told me everything. About you, about your whole family having powers and bring dragged into this war. He told me that I can't talk to you or Akane or show myself unless I really had to and saving you when you were surrounded was the only way for me to talk to you. I want to make things right and the only way to do that was to take the Cuff and fight for you girls. I know I can't be forgiven, but I'm doing it anyway to prove myself!"

"You should have said so earlier, idiot," a voice snapped.

The three looked at the front door to find Akane with her arms folded, her eyes glowing red with flames at her pupils. "A-Akane." Ryouta quickly stepped away from Tomoko, seeing the anger in the MoriRed's eyes. "I-I can't expl-"

"Don't bother. You said enough." She looked over towards her younger sister to find tears staining her cheeks. "Tomoko. Go to your room. Takahashi must've dropped off your homework so it's best to catch up," she said firmly.

Seeing how it was more of an order than a suggestion, Shichi quickly led Tomoko upstairs to her room. "I-I'll be down to get dinner ready," he said before they disappeared up the stairs.

Ryouta nervously pursed his lips before looking at the MoriRed. "Akane-"

"I don't blame you for not being there, Ryouta," she said, catching him off guard.

"What?"

"We needed you. Otou-san wasn't enough to make us feel protected. I only blamed you because you didn't run after her. If you did, she wouldn't have been taken."

"I-I know and I'm sorry. I just... I just thought I didn't have the right to... Since you ended everything by then."

Akane tightly hugged her arms. "I didn't want to lead you on. It wouldn't be fair to you if we stayed together while I had feelings for someone else, Ryouta. It just felt wrong so we had to end it so there wouldn't be too much tension. I'd prefer we forget it ever happened, but I guess that won't happen."

Ryouta pursed his lips and gave a nod. "I really meant it when I said I want to make it up to you, Akane."

"How is this any different than back then? Do you think it's easier now because you have powers you can't control?"

"I'm trying, Akane. I'm really trying this time. She was surrounded and didn't want to get her friends hurt. Sho and I saw it and had to step in. Both of us know that you can't lose her again so we had to. You have to believe me, Akane."

"You do know this will be hard for you and your brother, Ryouta. Fighting Nightshift is nothing like playing those videogames. Kiku thought the same thing at first and almost got herself and Tomoko killed. Once they learned the reality of this war, they trained to make sure they don't put themselves in that kind of situation again by underestimating the enemy."

"I know that. Why else have we been fighting thieves? We wanted to train ourselves and making sure that we could at least learn how to keep someone safe."

"That's not enough, Ryouta! This is a war we're talking about! The enemy has been after our family for generations and killed our parents in the middle of the night so the three of us would be defenseless against their attacks. The only reason why they keep persisting is because they're after our powers. Powers that no other humans have and can change the fate of humanity in an instant. They're always trying to find ways to kill us, finding ways to turn the tables on us. They're going to aim for Tomoko sooner or later and we can't risk losing her to them. We almost lost her four years ago, Ryouta. Do you know how terrified we were when we found out she was somewhere being beaten and tortured for something she had no idea she possessed? Hell, I almost killed my best friend because I couldn't control my anger and fear of losing her. You don't understand how serious these battles are nor will you."

"Then trust me with that kind of information. Why they're after your sister. Why they keep trying to kill your family. I don't want to be the guy who chose not be there for those who needed me. I want to show you guys that I changed and will always be here for you. When Kuu told me you were fighting those monsters out there, I knew there was a reason why Sho and I were called. You girls need help and we want to give it to you. That's why I want you to trust me this time and let me fight with you."

"How do I know you're not going to just run away this time?"

"I'll prove it to you. Prove that the two of us are worthy enough of protecting you girls."

"We don't need protection, Ryouta," she snapped," You're talking to people who have been training their whole lives."

"Even so, we want to prove that we can keep up and follow you girls by your side. We might not have as much experience as you, but we're willing to put in the work."

"You're too persistent."

"But I have to if I want to prove my point."

The front door opened as Kiku walked in, Shota behind her. She stopped when she saw her sister and Ryouta in the living room. Shota didn't seem to react in time and bumped into her. "S-sorry!"

"Slow reaction time. Minus ten points," Kiku chided flatly, only to receive another apology. "Minus one for apologizing excessively." Shota quickly shut his mouth before he could apologize again. Kiku sighed before looking at Akane. "Were we interrupting something, Nee-chan?"

Akane looked between her sister and Ryouta before she shook her head. "No. You're not. Ryouta was just about to show himself out."

Taking the cue, Ryouta quickly went to the front door. "Sorry for bothering you girls. Um... We'll call." He brushed past Kiku and took hold of Shota's arm. "Come on, Sho. Guess we should go through that training again."

"E-eh? S-sure..." Shota gave an apologetic grin to Kiku before taking his leave.

Ryouta stopped before he could close the door, not facing the girls. "Akane. That person you liked that time... Does she feel the same?"

Akane stopped when she heard the feminine pronoun, seeing how it's the first time someone outside the family has confronted her about it. She took in a deep breath. "Yeah. She confessed when we graduated."

Ryouta slowly nodded. "Good for you." He raised his hand for a wave. "I'll see you later. If you don't mind." He closed the door behind him, leaving the two girls alone.

Kiku looked at her older sister. "Guess you guys had that talk?" she asked, receiving a small nod. "Do you trust him?"

The red warrior softly shrugged. "I just don't know..." She stepped back when her sister held her in a hug.

"Will we...?"

"That's what I want to know..."


Ryouta leaned against the fence. "A girl, huh...?" he murmured," That would explain a lot..."

Shota grew worried as he looked at his brother. "Nii-san..."

The MoriOrange straightened himself before walking off. "Come on, Sho. We have some training to do."

"O-okay..." Shota followed his brother but stayed a few steps back, looking back at the house. "Kiku-chan... I wonder if she'll be okay with this soon..."


A/N: So that was Chapter 11. Took a while since I had some school projects to work on. I know it's a lot of word vomit but it does go into details about Akane and Ryouta as well as Kiku and Shota. Chapter 12 should give some closure between them and I do hope to find a way to incorporate a good fight.

Translations:

"Nii-san" is a way to refer to an older brother. Shota's way of using the term is similar to Kiku's where he omits the "O" at the beginning, but uses the honorific "-san" as he is more timid and formal with others. (If I ever use "Nii-chan" in future chapters, that might be an error on my part due to using the less formal honorific more often so I apologize in advance.)

Next chapter should be the first ending of this subarc and I might put in more of Ryouta's usual personality in later chapters since the plot asked for a more serious approach in these next few chapters. Also a step forward for Akane being more open and possibly concluding her tension with Ryouta as they were revealed to be a couple prior to the series.

Until next time, じゃね~!