Hey guys, sorry for the long wait. I've lost my internet for a while so I wasn't able to work on my stories. But now it's back and I'm ready for some action...Fanfic action!
Anyhow...Cue disclaimer!
I don't own Kamen Rider Kabuto or Lagrange: The Flower of Rin-ne, those belong to their creators. This is for fun, not profit.
Chapter 12: Cloudy Skies, Followed Kamogawa
After Issei had left the Novumundus base, he soon made contact with Dark Decade as he showed him footage of the giant flower that had appeared in the sky as a result of the three Voxes.
After watching it, Dark Decade couldn't contain his laughter as he chuckles and laughs loudly.
"Truly incredible! The power of the Vox is truly beyond words! Almost makes me wish I could've seen it in person." Dark Decade said.
"As much as I agree with you, my lord, I think we should discuss what our next step is going to be now that they have awakened." Issei told him.
"Oh yes, of course." Dark Decade said before he coughs in his hand. "Well, considering how powerful the Vox is, it seems like a waste to let them fall into the wrong hands. So I think it's best that we bring those girls into the fold."
"Is that so?" Issei asked with a smirk. "Do you want me to let you do so yourself?"
"As much as I love the idea of that, I'm still busy right now. So I'll leave that to you, Issei. But remember, I want them alive and unharmed, understand?" Dark Decade asked.
"Of course, my lord. It will be done." Issei bowed his head.
"Good. I expect to hear from you soon." Dark Decade said as he ended the transmission.
Issei had put away his communication device as he walked into the darkness.
"Guess I should get things ready." He said as he disappeared in the darkness.
(Play Next Level by YU-KI)
(Instrumental) (As the song begins the screen is covered by insect wings which soon fall apart revealing Kamen Rider Kabuto in Masked Form. The next show Kabuto in Rider Form arrives being by Worms. He gets ready for battle as the next scene shows him riding on the Kabuto Extender.)
(Kimi ga negau koto nara. Subete genjitsu ni naru darou. Erabareshi mono naraba.) (Kabuto continues to drive in a wide open area in which he is soon replaced by Souji, Hiyori, Madoka, Lan, and Muginami walking in different paths. The next is a meteor crashing into a city.)
(Bousou wo hajimeteru.) (The next scene shows how many Worms can disguise as normal people. The scene soon shows lights in the sky by a tower.)
(Sekai wo moto ni modosu ni wa mahout. Jikan ga nai.) (Scene shows Souji on his bike, getting off, and walking away. Meanwhile a ZECT van was going to a Worm attack scene.)
(Moving Fast. Kokoro mo. Tokei hashirase.) (Hiyori looks at her family photo. A child Madoka, was looking at the ocean. Lan was working at Hiroshi's restaurant but was clumsy carrying the dishes. And a child Muginami was feeding a young weak Villagulio.)
(Ashita no sono saki e) (Souji was standing back-to-back with Kabuto Masked Form. Next, a child, Souji and Hiyori, was crying at their parent's funeral.)
(Kimi no tonan tatakau tabi. Umarekawaru. Nani mieru. Speed koeteku motion.) (Kabuto uses Cast Off and transforms into his Rider Form. He shows off his Clock Up as he runs past the frozen explosions.)
(Ittai jibun negai. Dare no tsuyosa. Shinjirareru.) (Hiyori cried as green slime dropped from the ceiling.)
(Kousoku no vision minogasu-na. Tsutie koreru nara.) (Kabuto starts fighting in Clock Up before the screen is covered by insect wings and soon the logo.)
(Many years ago)
On a planet filled with junk and waste, snow was falling from the sky. Walking on a dirty beach was a young girl.
The girl was Muginami as a child wearing ragged and dirty clothes and her hair was messy and dirty as well.
Muginami was walking on the beach for a while before she heard her stomach growling as she stopped walking. She then brings out a small bag and pulls out the only food she had, an apple but was already eaten leaving only the core with a small amount of flesh.
The young Muginami was about to eat the apple core but stopped as she spotted someone a few feet in front of her.
It was Villagulio as a teenage boy, he was unconscious and lying on the dirty ground as the water reached his feet. He was also lightly wounded and his clothes were lightly damaged as well.
Upon seeing the unconscious Villagulio, Muginami couldn't ignore him as she walked to his side and knelt down to him.
Villagulio soon woke up and soon turned to the young Muginami. Seeing the state he was in, Muginami broke her apple core in half and offered a piece to the weak Villagulio.
Villagulio looked at the girl in confusion, and Muginami took a bite of her half and nodded to the fallen prince saying it was alright to eat it.
Villagulio struggled a bit but managed to take a bite of the other broken apple and chew on it, and Muginami nodded at him as she was determined to help him.
(Back in the present)
The present day, Muginami soon opens her eyes as she is sleeping in a medical room in the Pharos facility.
Muginami looked around the room before she placed a hand on her head before she noticed a seagull looking at her as it was standing by the opened window.
When Muginami sat up, the bird flew away. She then noticed a table with a tray of food beside her bed and her eyes were mostly set on the apple. Muginami then noticed a note on the table which was a message from Madoka as her name was written on it.
'I don't get you, Muginami. What's with you?'
The Riders along with Madoka and Lan were riding on a water taxi as it was carrying them back to Kamogawa.
Tetsu was seated on the floor as he was wiping his Yaiver with a piece of cloth to clean it as Sasword Zecter was on his shoulder.
Maito was listening to some music with his headphones as he was sitting on the railing as TheBee Zecter was on his head.
Mirai was seated on a chair and was spinning her Grip in her hand as Drake Zecter was on her shoulder watching her.
Madoka was leaning on the railing with a piece of bread in her hand as she used to feed the flying seagulls but had a depressed look on her face.
Souji was beside as he was drinking a can of soda while leaning back on the railing as Kabuto Zecter was on his shoulder, after he stops drinking his can he notices the look on Madoka's face.
"You know, Mado-chi, you've been depressed after what happened last night. Do you want to talk about it?" Souji asked.
"Souji-nii…" Madoka mutters before she sighs and throws another piece of bread. "In all honesty, I'm just not sure how I'm feeling right now."
"I told you, didn't I?" Lan told her as she was seated on another chair reading a book about whales. "I did say you shouldn't have put too much faith in her."
"You really don't mince words, don't you?" Tetsu said as Sasword Zecter nodded in agreement.
"Do you agree with her?" Madoka asked and Lan and the others turned to her as Maito removed his headphones. "That everything I do is ultimately for my own selfish reasons. Do you guys also think of me that way?"
"Well, do you think so?" Souji asked.
"Of course not!" Madoka said before she slowly became depressed again. "Of course not, but...It's true that Muginami didn't ask me to get revenge for her…"
She then remembers Villagulio's words after he had abandoned Muginami.
"Because you're a parasite."
"But Giuvigiuvio said horrible things to her!" Madoka said.
"I thought Vervilgio?" Maito asked.
"It's Villagulio." Souji and Lan said.
"How could she still take his side? How could she get mad at me for wanting to slug him one? What is wrong with her?" Madoka asked as she leaned on the railing.
"Obaa-chan once said this...blood is thicker than water, but the heart is another matter." Souji said as he took a sip of his soda. "In other words, even if Villagulio was scum, and even if she's not related to him by blood, in her heart she still considers him like family."
"I understand that, but still…" Madoka said as she took a bite of her bread.
Souji then notices a few things closing in on her.
"Hey, Mado-chi, you may have to ditch the bread." Souji told her.
"Eh?" Madoka said before the seagulls began to gather and flock around her for the bread. "Hey, stop! This one's mine! It's mine!"
"I tried to warn you." Souji said as he drank his soda.
Muginami had gotten off the bed and took off the robe she was wearing as she changed into her casual outfit.
As she was changing both Shozo and Moid were in the cafeteria as they discussed about her as they were having coffee.
"Shouldn't we detain her?" Shozo asked. "Whatever her reason, Muginami's actions yesterday were nothing short of hostile."
Muginami soon left the medical room holding the apple in her hand.
Along with his coffee, Moid was having a plate of pudding with fruits around it.
"I searched for the planets aligned under the polyhedron, but I couldn't find her Star Registration code. This implies that she comes from Planet U-Go, a remote penal colony." Moid told the commander as he picked up his spoon to begin stirring and mixing his pudding with the fruits.
"And?" Shozo asked.
"Unfortunately, that planet did not sign the Organball Human Rights Treaty." Moid answered.
"Meaning?"
"Any misstep in dealing with her could have unwanted repercussions on the interplanetary diplomatic scene." Moid told him as Shozo began to drink his coffee. "And besides, you were monitoring their conversation, weren't you?"
Shozo narrows his eyes and Moid soon adds cream to his coffee.
"In Le Garite, grown-ups stay out of fights between children. Is it different on Earth?" Moid asked and Shozo sighs as he puts his cup down.
"One more thing. About the strange phenomenon that occurred with Vox Aura…" Shozo said and Moid stopped mixing his food. "Research facilities worldwide observed the emission of an abnormal amount of energy. What were those flowers that rained down back there-?"
Moid stops him by raising his hand in front of Shozo and says.
"Don't get me wrong. We don't know everything about the Vox either, Captain Tadokoro." Moid then picks up a spoonful of his mixed food and eats it, and Moid smiles as he enjoys it and Shozo narrows his eyes as the closed eye man dodges another question from him.
In her lab, professor Haruka was looking at pictures of Caucasus in his battle against Kabuto. Haruka then brought out a picture of the Gold Rider's civilian form. Despite her best efforts she couldn't find any info about this man, not even a date of birth nor a medical record.
She thought back to her conversation with Souji during that night.
(Flashback)
After his encounter with Caucasus, Souji had contacted Haruka to see if she knew anything about him. But…
"What do you mean you have no idea about this guy?!" Souji asked.
"It's like I said. I never heard about this gold Rider before, nor did I make any other beetle type Zecters besides Kabuto and Gatack." Haruka told him.
"But professor, if that's true, then how did that Rider get his hands on a Zecter?" Souji asked.
"Good question. I'll look into things on my end. You just focus on your own." Haruka told him.
"Alright." Souji said as the transmission had ended.
(End of flashback)
"But still, how this man got his hands in a Zecter concerns me. Especially since I can't find any info about him. But I shouldn't forget about this either." Haruka then brought out a picture of the giant flower that appeared in the sky last night which was the result of the three Voxs being close to each other.
"I know those girls told me those Vox machines weren't ordinary, but to think that something like this would happen. Just what is the secret behind those machines?" Haruka wonders out loud before she sighed and leans back on her chair. "I just know I have a lot of paperwork to do…"
(Back with Souji and the others)
The water taxi that Souji and his friends were on had arrived at the boat dock as they soon got off it, and waiting for them was Souji's sister, Hiyori, was waiting for them. They then walked together.
"Just what does she see in Vigiuviguio anyway?" Madoka said as she had her hands behind her head.
"It's Villagiulio." Lan corrected her.
"You should probably give up Lan. She'll never get his name right." Souji told her.
"Agreed…" Hiyori said.
"His hair is messy and he's very rude." Madoka said.
They then arrived at the clothing store where Hiroshi and Villagiulio were fighting over the jacket that Villagiulio now wears.
"And his taste in fashion sucks! I thought Uncle Hiroshi was the only one in the universe who'd want a coat like that! How wrong I was." Madoka said.
"Well you do have a point there." Souji said.
"Especially since they were fighting over it." Hiyori said.
They then arrive at another part of town and Madoka continues to go on.
"How could Muginami fall for someone like him? It just doesn't make any sense. Don't you think so, Lan?" Madoka asked as she continued to walk but stopped as she heard no answer and soon turned to Lan as she stopped walking as well as the others turned to her.
Lan was looking down at the ground.
"Lan?" Madoka said.
"What's wrong?" Souji asked.
"He didn't used to be like that." Lan said as her friends blink to hear that. "The Villagulio I knew...wasn't like that when he was the crown prince of De Metrio."
They were surprised to hear that as they shouted.
"Prince?!"
(Meanwhile)
On board his ship, Villagulio was admiring the beauty of Earth before he looked at an apple in his hand and soon took a bite out of it.
Eating the apple and simply enjoying the taste of it, it reminded Villagulio of his time with Muginami.
(Flashback)
"Stop! You damn brat!" Said a marketer as he was chasing after a child Muginami while carrying several apples, which she most likely had stolen from him, in her arms as she was running away with the fruit. "I said wait!"
As she was running, Muginami trips and falls to the ground as the apples she was carrying fell out of her arms.
Muginami quickly stood up on her hands and knees and began picking up a few of the apples before the angry merchant grabbed hold of her hair and picked her up as he showed the poor orphaned girl an angry grin on his face.
The merchant then looks closely at her face as he chuckles as he was going to enjoy making her pay for stealing from him, and that only frightened Muginami but held the two apples in her arm close and tight to her chest.
The merchant then begins to beat on her by first starting with a punch as everything turns dark…
A beaten and bruised Muginami was now walking on the beachside with a dejected look on her face as she had lost the apples.
She soon arrived at a small and old hut which serves as her home and where she was giving shelter to the banished Villagulio. Muginami opened the door but saw that Villagulio was now gone and was nowhere to be seen.
Muginami was both surprised and saddened that Villagulio was now gone as she lowered her head in sadness.
She then sat down leaning on the wall of the hut as she was alone once again, but she soon heard the door opening and looked and saw Villagulio had returned.
Villagulio was wearing the same ragged clothes of Muginami, and his face was bruised like hers.
Muginami was surprised to see him like that before Villagulio showed her a half-rotten apple in his hand as Muginami stood up and Villagulio showed her a smile.
Muginami walks to him and grabs hold of Villagulio's clothes as she leans close to him. Villagulio was surprised by this but soon understands that she must have felt lonely without him.
(End of flashback)
In the present day, Muginami was on top of a building of the medical facility she was staying in with the apple still in her hand as she was looking at the clear blue ocean and skies.
It was now after class in Madoka and Lan's school, the girls along with the Riders were seen standing by the front gate of it. Lan then begins to tell her friends about Villagulio's background as well as her history with him.
"I see." Souji said in understanding. "So Villagulio was the crown prince of De Metro but was banished when the war broke out and was presumed dead. But before all of that, he was a childhood friend of both you and your brother."
"Yes." Lan nodded. "He was a few years older than me, but we used to play together every time he visited. He was like a second brother to me."
"That's a little hard to believe considering how he treated that Muginami girl." Mirai stated.
"And I find it hard to believe that guy is a prince." Maito said. "I mean aren't princes supposed to be pretty boys wearing fancy clothes and with a pure white horse as a pet?"
"Maito, I highly doubt this is the time for jokes." Tetsu said as he and the others gave him a narrow look, which caused the Wasp Rider to blushed as he rubbed the back of his head and averted eye contact with them.
"Okay...My bad...jeez…" Maito mutters.
The others then turned back to Lan.
"Well, a baka's joke aside, it sounds like this Villagulio is a different man than the boy you once knew. What would have caused him to change?" Mirai asked.
Lan flinched before she placed a hand on her arm and lowered her head, and they could tell that it's something she doesn't want to talk about.
Mirai sighed as she rubbed the back of her head.
"Never mind. Guess it's something you won't want to talk about." Mirai said.
"Yes, it is...Thank you for understanding." Lan said before she looked up at the sky. "Everyone thought he would be the one...Not just the people of De Metrio. But the people of Le Garite do too. Including me. We all believed that he and my brother Dizelmine would bring peace to the Polyhedron."
"No way! Villagiuvio really that great of a guy?" Madoka said as she wasn't convinced by that.
"Wow, Mado-chi. You've almost got his name right there." Souji said before he turned to Lan. "But by the sound of it, things must now be rough between you and Villagulio, along with your brother."
"Yes. The last time I remember him smiling was when De Metrio and Le Garite were still close allies. That was a long time ago." Lan said with some sadness in her voice.
Souji and the others notice that, and figure that despite Villagulio being now an enemy to her, she must still care about him.
"Kyouno!" They heard a familiar voice to Madoka, Lan, Hiyori, and Souji as they turned and saw it was Machiko, the Jersey club's homeroom teacher.
They saw her wearing a two piece swimsuit with a jacket and shoes and was holding a fishing net in her hand.
"Yes?!" Madoka said as she turned to her teacher as she walked in front of her.
"That's where you are!" Machiko said.
"I'm sorry. I was late because I had some space issues to deal with...Oh wait, school's already over." Madoka said before Machiko brought the fishing net in front of her as she slammed it to the ground.
"Never mind that. Jersey Club, move out!" She told them before she set her eyes on the Riders. "Oh Tendou's here too. Good, you and friends come with me as well."
"Okay…?" Madoka said as she grabbed hold of the net.
"Why? What's going on?" Souji asked before they heard girls screaming from afar, and by the sound of it they were having trouble right.
Machiko smirks to hear that.
"Get moving boys and girls." She told them.
They then turned at each other as they wondered what's going on.
(Flashback)
A few years after meeting Villagulio and leaving the planet, Muginami had joined him on an attack on a military outpost along with a group who were still loyal to him.
Smoke was appearing out of the military base as gunfire was heard inside.
Inside the base, a slightly older Villagulio and Muginami wearing clean and new clothes were running together. Muginami tries her best to catch up to him but ends up falling on the ground.
As she looked up, Villagulio offered his hand to her as three of his loyal followers were behind him as they were looking at Muginami as their ship soon arrived.
Villagulio smiles at Muginami and she smiles back as she grabs his hand as Villagulio helps her stand back up as they run to the ship.
(End of flashback)
Muginami had left the base and was now walking on the beach of Kamogawa. She was bare footed as she was carrying her shoes with her other hand as she felt the warm sand beneath her feet.
She soon stops as she arrives at the Kamogawa girl's high school.
Machiko had brought the Jersey Club members and the Kamen Riders to the school's pool, where the swimming club were having some trouble right now.
The members of the club were in the pool trying to catch some eels that were in it but were having some trouble as the girls screamed as the slimy and slippery eels cling onto their bodies.
As the Riders and the Jersey Club members were watching them, Machiko explains why those eels were in the pool to begin with.
"So let me get this straight: The Cooking Club is planning to host an eel barbecue party at school in two days...but when the fish shop brought over the eels, they dumped them into the school pool thinking it was being used as a fish preserve, right?" Madoka asked as Lan and Maito were looking at a flyer of the said barbecue party.
"Now that was pretty careless of them." Maito said.
"Agreed." Tetsu said in agreement.
"We need the Jersey Club's help to retrieve the eels." Machiko said.
"And the reason why we are here is because…?" Souji asked.
"Minus the other girl with you, we need some actual men to help. We managed to catch most of them, but…" Machiko said.
There were times that the eels often flip into and out the girls' swimsuits. Four of them managed to bring several of the eels out of the pool and into a wooden bucket but were panting as they could still feel the eels' clinging on their bodies or digging into their swimsuits.
"As you can see, the girls are starting to lose their spirit." Machiko said as she and the others were looking at that group.
"Understandable." Souji said.
"By the way, where's Muginami?" Machiko asked and they flinched to hear that. "Isn't she a member too?"
"W-Well…" Lan mutters before Madoka says.
"We don't need her! The six of us can easily manage! Let's get this over with, everyone!" Madoka said as she charged towards the pool to catch the eels.
"No, Madoka! Don't run along the poolside. It's dangerous!" Lan told her as she followed Madoka but ended up slipping on a small puddle of water and falling backwards to the ground.
"Itai…" Lan mutters as she sits up and rubs her head.
"You really should've followed your own advice. Here." Souji said as he offered his hand to Lan.
"Thank you." Lan said as she accepted his hand and Souji helped her stand up.
Hiyori walks to her brother's side.
"Hey, Onii-chan." Hiyori whispers to her brother. "Did you notice it too?"
"Yeah. I did." Souji nodded.
"Hey, Souji-nii!" Madoka calls out as Souji turns to her. "Come on! Aren't you going to help?"
"She has a point there man." Maito said as he walked to the pool as he took off his shirt, which showed off his masculine body as the girls noticed as they blushed. "We're already here so we might as well help."
"Agreed." Tetsu said as he walked to the pool holding a fishing net in his hand. "It wouldn't be honorable as men if we don't help these girls out."
Souji sighed.
"Alright, let's get this over with." Souji said as he took off his shirt which showed off his slender but yet masculine body.
His muscles weren't exactly large but were still well maintained. Seeing that body of Souji's caused the girls in the pool to blush, and Lan herself blushed before she covered her eyes and turned away from him.
As the other clubs of the school were practicing and training, Muginami was in the classroom of hers, Madoka, Lan, and Hiyori.
She was in front of her desk as she traced her hand on it and smiled.
Madoka roars as she runs beside the pool as she gathers the eels with her fishing net in it.
Lan was on the other side as one of the swimming club members picked up an eel and handed it to her.
"Here..."
"Got it." Lan said as she grabbed hold of the eel but then it slipped out of her hand and began to dig into her shirt as she gasped on how slimy and wet it was. "Hey, stop it!"
Maito was in the pool as he managed to catch several of the eels in his hands.
"Catch ya! But man these eels do look good. Wonder if they'll let me join in that barbecue?" Maito said as he looked at the eels in his hands.
"Hey, Maito!" Mirai calls out to the Wasp Rider as he turns to her and sees a wooden bucket beside her feet. "Throw them over here!"
Maito blinked before he nodded.
"Okay, here you go!" Maito said as he threw the eels at Mirai.
As the eels were heading towards her, Mirai was able to quickly catch the eels one at a time and threw them in the bucket with extraordinary skill and accuracy, and after the last eel was in the bucket, Mirai wiped her hand on her forehead and some of the girls in the swimming club admired on how cool she was.
"Oh wow, that was so cool!"
"Not only is she pretty! But she handle those eels like a pro!"
"I want to be her when I grow up!"
"Dang girl, those were some badass moves." Maito said as he whistled.
"Thanks. I have an uncle who's a fisherman. We used to go fishing all the time when I was kid." Mirai said as she looked at the eels in the bucket. "But still, why am I even doing this?"
"Hmm...You said something?" Maito asked as Mirai sighed and flicked her hair.
"It's nothing. Just gather your next catches for me." Mirai told him and Maito gave her a thumbs up.
"You got it." Maito said as he began to gather some more eels.
Tetsu holding his fishing net in his hand had his eyes closed as he focused on his other senses and saw the eels' swimming pattern in the pool.
Tetsu then assumes his stance as he brings his other hand to the fishing net's handle almost like he was about to draw a sword out of its sheath.
The moment one of the eels jumped out of the water, Tetsu opens his eyes as he draw his sword/fishing net as he skillfully uses to catch that eel and many others as they were thrown in the wooden basket and with that Tetsu sheath his sword/fishing net as he wipes his hand his forehead.
"Not even a challenge for me." Tetsu said. Unknown to him is that a few of the girls were admiring how cool he was as they were blushing.
"He's so cool!"
"He must be a samurai if he was able to do that with a fishing net."
"Yeah! He must be!"
Madoka was now running on the other side of the pool as she continued to gather eels in her fishing net. Lan was seen carrying a bucket of eels in her hands but she ended up falling on the ground and the eels fell out of the bucket and were now on top of her getting her uniform wet.
"No, get off of me! My brother will lecture me if he sees me like this!" Lan told the eels.
Souji was in the pool when he caught one of the eels in his hands.
"Onii-chan, over here!" Hiyori calls out as Souji moves towards her and hands the eel to Hiyori.
"You got it, Hiyori?" Souji asked.
"Yeah, I got it. Don't worry." Hiyori said as she walked to a nearby bucket.
Souji then goes back to catch the eels. The girls in the swim club were admiring him as they talked to each other.
"Oh wow...So that's Madoka's cousin and Hiyori's brother. He's such a handsome guy."
"Yeah, and look at that body of his. You can definitely tell he's been working out."
"You know, from what I've heard he's apparently a really great cook as well."
"Man...I'm so jealous of Madoka and Hiyori! To think they get to live with such a hottie!"
Souji then turns to the girls who were admiring him with a narrow look.
"You know I can hear you right?" Souji asked and the girls flinched.
"Oh sorry! Please, don't mind us!" She told him as they went back to catching the eels.
"Girls…" Souji said as he went back to catching the eels as well.
Machiko was watching them work as she was sitting on the lifeguard chair.
"Hey, come on!" Madoka calls out to her teacher as she looks at her. "Don't just sit up there! Help us out, Machiko-sensei!"
"Say, Kyouno." Machiko said.
"Hai?"
"Tell me...Where's your jersey?" Machiko asked as she turned to Madoka.
Madoka blinked before she looked and saw that she was still wearing her uniform and not her jersey.
"And your signature topknot?" Machiko asked again as she used her hand to form a topknot on her hair.
Madoka notices that as well as she places a hand on her head.
"What happened?" Machiko asked as Lan began to slowly sit up and Souji overheard her as he climbed out of the pool. "I'm just curious. Did you leave it behind somewhere? Your Jersey Club spirit, that is."
"She does have a point there, Mado-chi." Souji said with his arms folded as he walked to Madoka as she turned to him. "I've kept it quiet for a while, but I notice you've been acting off since this morning. And now you haven't noticed you were wearing your uniform instead of your jersey. What's going on in that head of yours?"
"Oh, not you too, Souji-nii. I already have Muginami telling me weird stuff about…" Madoka said before she realizes something as she remembers Muginami's words last night.
"You haven't considered my feelings in the least! No one asked you to get revenge for me!"
Souji notices the look in her eyes and understands that Madoka has realized something.
"Obaa-chan once said this...Sometimes a cloudy heart can block one's view on the world and those around them. And it seems like your heart was also clouded, right?" Souji asked.
"Yeah. That's right…" Madoka mutters as Lan walks to her.
"Madoka?" Lan calls out as Madoka lowers her head.
"I wasn't listening to her. Muginami was telling me how she felt all along." Madoka said.
"That's right." Souji said. "I was angry at Villagulio as well, but there was some truth to Muginami's words. We probably should've considered how she felt about it."
"Then you know the drill, right?" Machiko asked as the three teens looked up at her. "If you realize that you were wrong…"
"Apologize right away!" Madoka said.
"When you make up your mind…" Machiko said.
"Act on it!" Madoka said as she made a fist.
"But finish this job first, okay?" Machiko said and Madoka nodded.
"Lan, Souji-nii, how many are left?" Madoka asked.
"I think there might be one more in there." Souji answered.
Madoka then charges to the pool screaming to catch that last eel.
"Madoka! Watch out!" Lan told her.
But Madoka slips on a puddle of water and falls into the pool, Lan was worried before she closed her eyes as Madoka fell into the pool water as splashing sounds were heard.
Lan soon moves to the edge of the pool as Souji calmly follows her.
"Madoka?!" Lan calls out.
"Don't worry, she's fine." Souji said.
Madoka jumps out of the water as the last eel was wiggling in her hand as she caught it.
"Score!" Madoka said.
Souji chuckles to see that.
"Now that's more of the Mado-chi I know." Souji said.
After gathering all of the eels, the Vox pilots and Riders, with Souji and Maito wearing their shirts again, are now in the school's club house as Madoka rushes to the Jersey Club's room with the others following her.
"I don't have any spare bra and panties, but I have to put on my jerseys!" Madoka said as she ran up the stairs.
"Wait, Madoka!" Lan calls out as she follows Madoka.
"Man that girl sure runs fast." Maito said as he and the others followed them.
"Oh please. That's nothing." Souji said.
"I can't!" Madoka said as she ran in the hallway. "She didn't care if Villagiuvio hated her, Muginami still wished to protect him!"
"Almost!" Lan said.
"That means Muginami was full of Jersey Club spirit! And I just picked a fight with him, forgetting what was more important! I have to get back to Pharos and tell her!" Madoka said.
Madoka soon arrived at the club room and opened the door, but to her and everyone's shock they saw Muginami was in the room as she was seated next to the table holding a tablet in her hand.
"Muginami?" Hiyori said in shock that she's here.
"Well...This is awkward…" Maito mutters.
"No. I think this might be the perfect chance for them." Souji said.
Both Madoka and Muginami were staring at each other in silence, and Madoka soon hardened her resolve and was going to tell her and at the same time Muginami stood up and…
"Madoka, listen.../Muginami, I…" Both girls stopped once again before Muginami spoke first.
"Um...You first, Madoka-chan." Muginami offered her.
"Huh? Uh...Well...Hmm…" Madoka said before she scratched her finger on her cheek. "You see...Uh…"
Madoka started to breathe in and sneeze loudly.
(Later)
It was now the afternoon and the sun was slowly beginning to set. The Riders, Vox pilots, and Hiyori had returned to Hiroshi's restaurant as Madoka and Muginami took a bath together.
"Taking a nice bath at home is definitely better than using the showers at school." Madoka said as she enjoys the warm soak in the bath.
"You know, I never took a bath when I was a child." Muginami said.
"Huh?" Madoka turns to her.
"A place where all the garbage, trash, hatred and despair in the universe end up. That's the kind of place Planet U-GO, my birthplace, was like." Muginami explains as she leans back and looks up, and Madoka lowered her head as it was saddening to hear. "There was only winter. A thick cloud endlessly hung over our head. It was a monochrome land."
Hiroshi was in the kitchen cooking dinner for everyone while the Riders and Hiyori were seated on different tables before Maito sneezed as he started to shiver.
"Man this sucks...Why do the girls have to be the first ones to take a bath?" Maito asked.
"Because as gentlemen, it's only appropriate to let them go first." Souji said as he drank a cup of coffee.
"I know that but still…" Maito mutters.
Souji then saw Lan, wearing her military uniform, walking towards the door.
"Lan?" Souji calls out as Lan stops. "What's wrong? Aren't you going to take a bath with Mado-chi and Muginami?"
Lan smiles at him as she shakes her head.
"I see. Then how about you and me bring them some towels?" Souji asks and Lan blinks.
"No one trusted each other. We were all desperate to protect our own selves. It was all we could do to survive. As far back as I could remember, I'd only known suffering. I didn't know there was anything else in this world." Muginami said before she picks up a small amount of water in her hands and looks at her reflection in it. "Until I met him."
"Villangiulion?" Madoka asked.
"Villagiulio…" Muginami corrected her. "He taught me how to smile."
She then remembers walking with Villagiulio on her homeplanet and remembers him smiling at her while she blushed and lowered her head.
"How to be happy, to be sad...How to love someone...He was the only reason I kept on living. That's why I…" Muginami said as she let the water fall out of her hands and brought her hands together. "I'm sorry, Madoka-chan!"
Madoka then hugs Muginami which was much to her surprise.
"I should be saying that. I'm sorry, Muginami." Madoka told her and Muginami was only silent.
Unknown to them is that both Souji and Lan overheard their conversation.
(At night)
After they had their baths and ate dinner, Hiroshi offered the Riders and Hiyori to spend the night in his place which they accepted. Souji would sleep with Hiroshi in his room, Maito and Tetsu in a guest room, Mirai would sleep in Youko's old room, and Hiyori would sleep with Madoka in her room.
In the guest room, Maito was fast asleep as he was snoring loudly which kept Tetsu awake as he covered his ears with his pillow.
"Grrr...Out of all the people I could've roomed up with, why does it have to be him?" Tetsu growled.
In Muginami's room, she was still awake as she put on her clothes and picked up her suitcase and left her room.
Muginami stops at Madoka's room as she turns to the door and nameplate. She then placed her fingers on her lips and placed it on the nameplate.
She then turns her attention to Hiroshi's room where Souji was sleeping in. She was half tempted to see his face one last time.
Despite their differences, Souji somehow resembles Villagiulio to her in some ways.
But Muginami just left the building, opening and closing the door quietly so no one could hear her.
Muginami was now walking on the beach.
"Where are you going?" Muginami looked up as Lan, wearing her pajamas, was standing in front of her.
Muginami was a little surprised to see her, but kept on walking forward.
"Do you have somewhere to go?" Lan asked.
"It's none of your business, Lan-chan." Muginami stated as she walked past her.
"Yes, it is." Lan said and Muginami stopped walking. Lan then turns to her. "I'm the princess of the planet that deposed Villagiulio. I don't expect you to accept me. But Madoka, Souji, and everyone else is different. Don't hurt their feelings by leaving without a word. Don't you know that you're already like family to them?"
"There's no way they would…" Muginami said.
"You are family, Muginami!" Both Muginami and Lan were surprised to hear that voice as Lan turned and saw Madoka walking towards them. "We live under the same roof and share our meals. We've slept side-by-side and taken a bath together! Of course we're family! And if Souji-nii was here, he would agree."
"Are you listening, Muginami?" Lan says as she moves to Muginami and grabs her shoulder as Muginami turns to them showing tears in her eyes and both Madoka and Lan were surprised by that.
"But I did such a terrible thing! To Madoka, Lan, and even to Souji…" Muginami mutters as Lan stares at her and Madoka smiles. "Can I really stay in this town with you all? Is it really okay?"
"Of course! That's why these are my words too. Along with Souji-nii and everyone else too." Madoka said before she brought out the letter she had given to Muginami this morning.
Below its first message it said.
'Thank you for thinking about me. Muginami.'
Madoka then flips it around and shows several more messages.
'I've already forgiven you for stealing my belt, Muginami. From the man who walks the path of heaven.'
'I hope to eat your cooking again. From Hiyori.'
'Sure people make mistakes sometimes. But it's all part of being human. Maito'
'Instead of looking towards the past, we should look towards the future together. Tetsu.'
'Honestly what you did was stupid. But I can understand wanting to help your family. From Mirai.'
"And from me, thank you for becoming my family." Madoka told her and Muginami was even more surprised as she continued to cry as he placed her hand on her mouth and dropped her suitcase before she fell on her knees and cried in her hands.
Madoka knelt down to Muginami and placed a hand on her shoulder. Lan was looking at them before she spoke.
"But...I didn't get to take a bath."
"Huh?" Madoka turns to Lan as her cheeks are a little red.
"To be honest, I wanted to take a bath with you too." Lan mutters.
"Come again?" Madoka asks as Muginami stops crying and turns to her as well.
"In...In Le Garite, when someone becomes part of your family, everyone must take a bath together!" Lan loudly told them as Madoka and Muginami smiled at her.
"I don't think that's true." Muginami said as she wiped away her tears.
"Yes, it is!" Lan said as she began to take off her clothes. "I, Princess Laffinty, made the rule! So the three of us...have to bathe together!"
"Isn't going completely nude here a little too bold?" Muginami asked as she stood up and Lan realized what she had done as she turned away from them and placed her shirt in front of her body.
"No, it's not. Let's do it right now!" Madoka told them and both Lan and Muginami were confused before Madoka pointed at the ocean. "We have a huge bathtub right here."
Lan and Muginami turn to the ocean as well before Madoka begins to take off her clothes.
"I'm going in...first! Yay!" Madoka said as she ran into the water.
Muginami smiles as she decides to follow Madoka's example and she takes off her clothes as she throws in the air.
"Well then, I'm going in second!" Muginami said as she ran into the water as Madoka was waving at them.
"H-Hey! Wait for me! Here I come!" Lan said as she ran into the water as well.
The three Vox pilots then begin playing in the water as they splash at each other.
Unknown to them is that Souji was hiding behind a tree in a distance from where they were.
He was secretly following Muginami as he figured she was going to leave without a word, and when Lan told them they have to bathe together, he quickly turned away before she took off her clothes.
Hearing them laughing like that made Souji smile before he decided to leave to respect the girls' privacy.
(Days later)
In the restaurant both Souji and Hiroshi were admiring the girls' new uniforms as they were standing in front of them.
"Oh, how cute!" Muginami said.
Madoka, Lan, Muginami, and Hiyori were wearing matching waitress uniforms; they were wearing light blue dresses with a white apron with white socks and black shoes.
While Muginami was looking down at her uniform, Madoka wasn't so sure about this look as she looked at it from different angles.
"Thank you!" Muginami said.
"Well, you're all working so hard. Take it as a token of my appreciation." Hiroshi told them.
"I have to say, Oji-san, for once you have good taste." Souji said.
"Of course...Wait! What do you mean for once?!" Hiroshi shouted at his nephew as Souji turned away from him and whistled.
"You can't be serious?" Madoka said as Souji and Hiroshi turned to her. "You expect us to wear this at work? It's so embarrassing!"
"That's not true, Madoka-chan! You look like a waitress!" Muginami said.
"Yeah, and you look really cute in it." Hiyori said.
"I concur with that." Souji said in agreement.
"Y-You think so?" Madoka said as her cheeks turned red and placed a hand on her head.
Lan was still a little embarrassed about this outfit as her cheeks were red.
"I'm a bit embarrassed, too." Lan mutters as Muginami walks to her.
"It doesn't suit you very well." Muginami told her and Lan was upset to hear that as she turned away from her.
"Maybe I shouldn't have stopped you from leaving." Lan grumbles.
"I mean, you have to have the right curves in the right places." Muginami said as she placed her hands on Lan's chest which was much to her surprise.
"Hey, what're you doing?" Lan asked.
"There...That's more like it, huh?" Muginami said.
Both Hiyori and Madoka were smiling at them before they turned to the clock in the restaurant and both girls screamed as they saw how late it was.
Both Lan and Muginami notice the time as well before the four of them begin to take off their uniforms, and Souji turns away and Hiroshi covers his eyes with his hand before they throw their aprons at them.
They soon change into their school uniforms as they run out of the building.
"Hey, what about breakfast?" Hiroshi asks.
"We'll just take this!" Madoka said as she and the others had a piece of bread for their breakfast.
"We're off!" They all said as Souji and Hiroshi watched them leave.
Souji then turned to his uncle as he shrugged.
"Guess we should get things ready for the lunch hour." Souji said.
"Yeah. That's probably for the best." Hiroshi said in agreement.
To Be Continued…A Lolita in Kamogawa
And there you have it, I hope you like it. Review to tell me what you think of the story.