Vollkommen: The Day Off Part 3: The Pleas of a parent - Kimishima's worries!

Meanwhile, at the same time when Strife was having his date with Tomoyo...

Death decided to pay Chris and Alito a visit to obtain information about the visiting time in the Akiba Hospital, but found out that they were not there.

"Where have they gone?" Death asked bluntly.

"Chris and Alito just departed to Nikkoustar. Apparently, the Kimishima family requested Chris's help as they fear that Hikari might have gone too far with her methods in improving her performance." Tsubasa replied.

Death frowned. "Hikari has seriously gone way too far this time. Tsubasa, set me the coordinates to Nikkoustar."

"Is your body able to take the massive pressure?" Tsubasa worryingly asked.

"I have dealt far worse...besides, I want to pay Chris and Alito a visit." Death frowned.

Seeing Death's genuine concern for his allies, Tsubasa nodded.

"Shouldn't I join in, brother?"

A deep, gruff voice echoed throughout the command room as a big, familiar figure in Death's eye approached him.

"I was wondering where have you gone, figured that I should join in?" the Red Rider grinned.

"I was just about to call you via Dust..." Death chuckled.

Nikkoustar

"Hey...isn't that, Despair and Ruin? That means, Death and War!" Alito waved hello.

The Pale and Red Rider could be seen riding upon their trusty steeds as they sighted Chris and Alito waving hello upon the currently empty roads of Niwa Town.

As soon as Death and War banished their steeds...

"What brings you here?" Chris wondered in amusement.

"Well, I wanted to find out the visiting time in Akiba Hospital. You know, wanna pay *cough* Mikako *cough* a visit. That's when I found out about your whereabouts; Hikari's pretty much corrupted by her own success and fears, ain't it?" Death replied.

Chris knew that there might be a possible bond forming between the pale rider and the former Center Idol, but decoded to entertain that later.

"I'm afraid so...That shows how screwed up she is. Parents will normally pinned their blame among themselves when it comes to behaviours that their offspring cannot control...As a person who will continue to honor the Fuschia's last will despite me letting go of my past, Alito and I cannot allow history to repeat itself." Chris frowned.

"Going against her own value by abandoning her friends in pursuit of passion and being the best...If that isn't dishonorable, I don't know what is..." War frowned.

"She's not dishonorable, War. Hikari is just...lost. Misguided, and fearful of failure. The paranoia is creeping into her, waiting to consume her should she make a false step. That false step, will be when Hikari unleash the Center Novae while her own moral code is screwed." Alito shook her head.

"Even then, that's way too far. I get that 'I'm going to do my best to attain so and so, or die trying' mentality, but if that mentality leads to Hikari not giving a damn about the stakes at hand, and even claimed that she will control the Novae when it's clearly NOT a one-men show...She needs help." Death frowned, clearly not happy at Hikari's progression.

"Good news, though. Our team bonding with Nagisa Motomiya and Chieri Sono caused their popularity to increase thanks to yesterday's performance for Kenkyusei-only members." Chris reported.

"Good...that's a breather, for now. But we ain't gonna count our chickens before they hatch." Death nodded.

"Definitely. Since you're here along with War, why don't you stick around for a bit? We might probably need some help along the way; this ain't gonna just be the two of us - it's not gonna be enough." Alito requested.

"I wouldn't say no to that." Death answered without hesitation.

War silently nodded.

Entrance to the Kimishima Household.

*Ding Dong...Ding Dong...*

"That's a fine surrounding if you ask me, almost as quiet as that of my home...without the deathly atmosphere..." Death mumbled.

A few seconds later, the door opened, and a middle-aged woman with grey hair, small nose, reddish-brown eyes, a slightly wrinkled appearance, approached Chris and co. She was wearing plain, orange dress.

"You must be...who Miss Katagiri mentioned, right?" the woman wondered.

Chris and Alito nodded in reply.

"And these two are our fellow allies that we happened to bump along the way. They too will be able to help you, I reckon." Chris replied.

"Ah...welcome, everyone. I'm Hikari's mother, nice to meet all of you." she responded with a smile.

Living Room

After Chris and co acquainted with Mr Kimishima, Hikari's grandmother and grandfather, Mrs Kimishima sighed...

"I suppose Miss Katagiri have told you the reason for why we requested your help?" she hoped.

Chris exhaled with smooth consistency. "Yes...Mrs Kimishima."

Hikari's mother shook her head. "I...I just do not know what to say...Call it a mother's instinct, but I knew that Hikari's over-zealousness will end up getting the best of her. I know that I shouldn't deny her the motivation to become an aspiring idol but...but I just couldn't do what I can to tame that fiery heart of hers..." Mrs Kimishima shook her head, tears brimming over her eyes as she tried to regain her composure by gasping.

"Mrs Kimishima...You are not to blame, Mrs Kimishima. Neither is it Hikari's fault either. We know about her paranoia, her fear, and the factors that might threatened to consume her, and we're going to help you." Chris firmly replied.

"R...Really?" Mrs Kimishima's eyes lit up with hope.

"You can have my Lady's word for it." Alito nodded.

"We have all the plans ready for DES's final assault. Mr. Sono, the formal president of the Zodiac Company, has turned over a new leaf, and the DES will have nothing to lose now." Death explained.

Mrs Kimishima became hopeful, her smile brought untold relief to the Kimishimas.

"My reason for requesting your help, is because I know that your abilities have been known far and wide. And I heard that you have the gadgetry to shorten the travel time over to Akibastar immensely. I was hoping that we can join you in persuading our daughter..." Mrs Kimishima looked on hopefully.

Chris placed his hand on her lips, deep in thought as she closed her eyes.

Moments later...

"I got an idea." Chris signalled.

"Huh?" the Kimishimas wondered.

Chris signalled War, Death, and Alito to huddle in a circle to discuss their next plan.

"What? Are you sure this plan will work? Both Plan A and Plan B?" Death wondered.

"Plan A, The Balance will be maintained, no one will be hurt if the Kimishimas could persuade her, right? Even if Plan B has to happen, our attacks will open up her mental barrier as we hauled the Center Novae's ass, and the Kimishima's message will be well absorbed into Hikari." Chris nodded.

"This might just be our shot at fully getting Hikari back to full sanity and health before the Elections next month, where the DES will be fully ready." Alito agreed.

"If Plan B happens, as long as the Center Novae is blasted by exceedingly strong attacks from our weapons, Hikari's coordination will be disrupted and unable to focus on materializing the Novae. Leading to an opening where we can bring her back down to Earth." Chris explained.

War nodded silently, for so long as no one is hurt in the process, and that Hikari's sense of honor could be restored, anything goes. Even if 'Plan B' has to happen, War knew that it will be largely due to Hikari's paranoia, and they will do anything to get her back.

He knew that compared to Abaddon's plan of unleashing the Apocalypse prematurely, Chris and Alito's plan will be honorable because no one will be hurt.

"Well, I suppose since my brother agrees, we should give it a go. Even if plan A fails, at least there's plan B to back it up. Are you sure, that in the event of B, you have all your secondary weapon and primary weapon skills ready?" Death followed.

"Rest assured." Chris confidently nodded.

"Right...this is the point where we're gonna say this...might as well take the risk, and haul ass like we have never haul ass before." Death nodded.

Chris turned to face the Kimishimas...

"In the end, no matter how many friends Hikari will snub, she will never snub a parents and grandparents. So for now, we will be heading back to Akibastar...to pay a visit to Hikari." Chris followed.

"This is it...either way, it's a win-win situation...I can smell it. Hikari...we're gonna open up your eyes, one way or another!" Chris clenched her fists as she frowned with utmost determination...