Disclaimer: AL and CCS belong to their respective owners and anyone else with permission to their rights. Unfortunately I cannot claim to belong to the group of either of these lucky people. Instead I belong to a third group that many of us here belong to, and that is the group of wishful dreamers who write fanfiction using the anime/manga and characters created by others. I cannot even claim to own my OC's seeing as how many are the children of existing characters.

BATTLE TWO

"Are you ready?" asked a computerized voice of the Layer, once all the cables and cords had been put in the right places, and the switch was flipped from OFF to ON.

It was a peaceful Sunday morning, three weeks after Yuri had first made Kokoro. Yuri nodded, as she put on her visor and extended out its wings, despite knowing that the computer could not see any physical movements she made. Her deep emerald eyes sparkled with excitement as she impatiently shoved her hair out of her eyes. Though this digital ritual was not new to her anymore, after almost three weeks of constant practice with her Angel in the virtual lab at the local Piffle Princess Training Center under Kari's guidance, this was Yuri's first battle in her very own room. She had just finished setting up her late birthday present a couple of hours ago after eating breakfast and making sure that all her homework for the next day was finished; a Virtual Layer with Internet connections, complete with holographic projections of your opponent's angel and the randomly selected arena for the Layer.

This new edition of the Practice Layers had just come out recently and Yuri was already sure she was one of the first ones to have gotten her hands on it. It pays to wait for birthday presents, she thought. Yuri turned to the computer screen in front of her and slightly shifted her head so that her mouth was over the voice activated Layer. "I am ready," she said out loud.

"Very well. Now connecting to the Virtual Layer database." Thirty seconds later the computer announced, "Connection complete. Your randomly chosen opponent is . . . Deus Aria Saregam and her Angel, Sonora."

The Virtual Layer was a fairly recent creation launched by the Angelic Layer team. It worked similar to the Internet, Deuces from all over the world could battle each other "online" without ever having to be in the same room together, just like people could "talk" to each other on line over Instant Messaging services and likewise. It gave playing Angelic Layer a whole new dimension. Though official tournaments still consisted of the original Layers where both Deuces had to be present in body, spirit, and mind, this new Practice Layer was gaining popularity fast among Deuces who liked to practice at home because of the way you could fight another Deus without either having to leave the comfort of one's own home. A Deus's opponent could very well be on the other side of the world, but neither would have to meet each other, ever. But the best part about these Virtual Internet Layers was that they could also function as a normal Layer, so you could use it to fight your friends, as well as unknown people, if you wished.

Yuri fought hard to contain her anticipation and stay in her seat. My first real opponent, she thought with a silent squeal, someone I don't know, someone I can only reach through a Virtual Internet Layer connection, someone who'll only know me through an Angelic Fight. We'll never find out where each other lives, or our ages, or anything. Once we fight, we may never find each other ever again, and in time we'll forget this battle ever took place. This isn't just a practice battle against my friends at Piffle Princess, it's really happening!

The computerized voice interrupted Yuri's thoughts by rudely beeping once before giving its message, "Deus Aria has agreed to visual portrayal, is the agreement mutual?"

Yuri thought it over. Visual portrayal was when both Deuces agreed to having a picture of themselves be projected in the egg-shaped, winged chairs reserved for the battling Deuces so that they could see one another. Though she did not have a picture of herself handy, the Layer computer could easily scan her right now exactly the way she was, and her image would be projected into Aria's side of the connection. In return, she'd get to see what Aria looked like. Yuri got up out of her Deuces' chair and walked to the right corner of her room where a floor-length mirror stood. Except for her new Layer, which took up the entire left side of her room, everything in her room matched. The mirror was circular in shape, bordered with dark mahogany wood, made to match her mahogany sleigh bed engraved with vines of ivy, her mahogany desk complete with a mahogany hutch, and her most favorite piece of furniture, a mahogany bookshelf that had been passed down quite a few generations on her dad's side of the family. It was beautiful, with carvings of ancient spirits and symbols. Since her father was the head of his clan, the Li clan, back in China, he always had first pick to the best heirlooms. When she and her family had moved to America, Yuri had left all her furniture behind except for this bookshelf. Then after coming here, she had made sure that all of her new bedroom set matched the elegant bookshelf. Yuri turned her attention to the mirror and looked over her reflection. Currently she was bare-footed, wearing dark navy jeans, and a plain white t-shirt. Basically she was dressed for comfort, it was Sunday afternoon and all her homework was done, so her mother had let her open her present, which had just been purchased yesterday when it had been released worldwide. Her chestnut hair, similar to her father's dark brown, falling over her shoulder and back, all the way down to her waist, hung in graceful waves. Her soft and kind green eyes were a total carbon copy of her mother's, or so she was told. Since Yuri's mother was in England, taking care of some private business Yuri knew almost nothing about, Yuri had not actually seen her in a few years, ever since she and her father had moved to China from Japan, and was sadly, beginning to forget what she looked like. Unless she was angered, Yuri's eyes forever showed amiability and good humor.

"I repeat, is the agreement of visual portrayal mutual?"

Yuri whipped around, drawing her attention away from the mirror and back to the Layer and its computer. She made her way over and sat down before saying, "Yes. I would like to request a scan."

"Very well. Now scanning. Scanning completed. Now retrieving images of Deus Aria Saregam. Images found. Now projecting. Projection complete. ENTER THE ANGELS!"

Whoa, you sure work fast. She looked across her Practice Layer. Sure enough, on the other side, an image of a girl sitting in a Deuces' chair appeared. The girl had light hazel eyes that showed both friendliness and competitiveness. Her black hair was cut to chin length, but it layered down to her shoulder, and her skin was a dark mocha brown. All Yuri could see of her clothes was a sleeveless periwinkle top. When she saw Yuri, she smiled. Yuri smiled back. She guessed if they could see each other's movements, then the Layer's computer also worked as a web-cam, a type of video camera for computers that people could use to see and talk to their relatives on the other side of the world. Unfortunately, unlike the Layers at Piffle princess, Practice Layers made for homes could not carry sound from one Deus to another, so Yuri would not be able to converse with Aria orally. Of course, digital text messages could be sent, like on cell phones, only the process was a lot easier because the Deuces had access to a real keyboard. The computer beeped again and showed a message to Yuri. It said: "I'm so happy to be battling you! Let's both give it our best! –Aria"

Yuri made a hasty reply using the keyboard located in front of her chair. "Yes, I am happy to fight you too. Shall we begin? –Yuri"

In reply, an Angel suddenly entered the Layer across from Yuri, flying through the air. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she made a great show of her grace and beauty by performing a series of cartwheels and then landing perfectly on both feet. The Angel looked exactly like her Deus, wearing a periwinkle gown that flowed off the right shoulder all the way down to the ground, but with a few exceptions; her hair was a light blue, and she had golden eyes. In addition, her skin was deathly pale. The computer beeped again and Yuri looked at the screen. "Show them the power of music. Let them hear our song. Sing Sonora! Angel Fall In!"

Yuri recognized it as Aria's Entry Phrase. Not bad, she thought, it's probably better than mine, which I badly need some time to work on. Oh well, here goes. Yuri took her Angel out of her pocket and threw her in, before typing her Entry Phrase. "Heart of the Angels, guide me and Kokoro to victory! Angel Fall In!"

Yuri winced, as she looked it over. In all honesty, her entry line sucked. First of all it seemed kind of impolite, demanding victory form the "Heart of Angels". Not to mention it sounded very similar to the new Champion's Entry Phrase; "Angel Wings, please guide me and Hikaru". I'll just have to do with it for now; I can fix it later, she thought with a sigh. At least Kokoro is at her best. Yuri concentrated on her Angel as her toes hit the Layer and she fell to her knees with just as much, if not more grace than Sonora. Yuri smiled, for she saw all those hours of hard work on practicing Kokoro's entry had finally paid off. Kokoro's eyes were closed, and her face tilted down. Her cherry-blossom pink hair billowed behind her, but since she was kneeling down, the fact that it fell down to the floor when standing could not be seen. Kokoro nodded once, still with her eyes closed, before her eyes flashed open, revealing their enigmatic dark ruby shade. The Angel stood up slowly, using her hands to lever herself off the ground. Once she was up, her back was iron-rod straight, showing no sign that she had been hunched on the ground just a second ago. She was wearing black leather pants, a knee-length and sleeveless magenta Chinese-style top with two slits on either side up to the thighs, and a silver chain down her hairline from which hung a ruby-pink gemstone between her two eyebrows. Matching the silver chain, Kokoro had on large silver hoop earrings, three on each ear, with dangling clusters of pink beads, two silver bangles, one on each hand, beaded with round pink jewels, a silver chained necklace from which a heart shaped ruby pendant hung in the hollow of her neck, and lastly, silver anklets with ruby and pink balls, that made a chiming sound every time Kokoro moved her feet. Kokoro went barefoot, as if to accentuate her anklet's presence even better. Her hair shone like silk, let free all the way down past her anklets. In Yuri's opinion, Kokoro was the most beautiful Angel ever created. She was perfect, created for offense more than anything; Yuri had won all her battles so far against her friends and other local Deuces at Piffle Princess. The only one she had not yet fought was ironically, Kari, the girl who had introduced her to Angelic Layer. But that was only because Kari had told Yuri to wait until the first ever Angelic Layer Tournament of the United States opened. Now that she had finally begun international Angelic battling online, Yuri was determined to let her record of never losing stand. She would do well in the upcoming tournament, even if it meant Kari's defeat. But for now she had some training to do. Let's do this together, Kokoro, Yuri told her Angel.

"ANGELIC FIGHT!" announced the computer.

All of a sudden, Sonora came rushing at Kokoro, raising her hand to deliver a punch. Kokoro easily dodged, and aimed a kick to Sonora's side. Her leg made contact and Sonora faltered, her health counter decreasing.

This just gets easier and easier every time, thought Yuri just a tad bit smugly.

Kokoro now went in for another kick. Sonora recovered and with record speed, dropped and dodged Kokoro's kick, then squeezed under Kokoro's legs, sliding between them, on her knees, to the opposite side. Surprised, Yuri saw Sonora was now behind Kokoro, with Kokoro's back facing her. Yuri gasped and willed Kokoro to turn around, but she was too slow. Sonora swiftly got up and ran back a little before charging towards Kokoro so fast that she was a light blue blur. One moment Kokoro was just standing there, then the next moment she was flung to the far side of the Layer, the impact almost, but not quite, making her lose because of a Layer Out.

Yuri stared open-mouthed. Sonora was most definitely a speed type Angel. A very speedy speed type Angel. If she wanted to win this, she'd have to be more careful. Fortunately Kokoro did not lose because of a Layer Out, and was still in the game. Yuri suspected this had to do with the emphasis on Sonora's speed. Because she had such great speed, Sonora's other stats must have suffered terribly, including her offensive ability, and, Yuri hoped for her own sake and Kokoro's, her defensive ability. Sonora was simply too light and too weak to throw Kokoro out, or cause any lasting damage, just like Yuri's hero, the Champion's angel, but Misaki definitely had a lot more experience than Aria. Honestly speaking, Kokoro had the upper hand in this battle. Yuri almost showed her thoughts by smiling but stopped herself just in time. Kokoro was an Angel created with prominent offensive power. Though Yuri had given her some speed too, most of her makeup was based on attacking, not dodging attacks made by other Angels, nor withstanding them. Kokoro had almost zero defensive power, but that would not really matter if Yuri stayed focused on an incessant and strong attack. Happily, Yuri put her plan into action as Sonora came rushing towards Kokoro again.

First Yuri willed Kokoro to stand up and wait. Sonora came just as she had before, but this time Kokoro's front was facing her and she was ready. As soon as Sonora came within a few inches of Kokoro, Kokoro started pushing forward with a flurry of sharp kicks and punches, slowly, but steadily, driving Sonora back as she tried valiantly to evade Kokoro's flailing limbs. Finally the time had arrived. Sonora stood just centimeters away from the edge of the Layer. Desperately she tried aiming a kick to Kokoro's head with her right leg, but that last movement left her wide open for Kokoro's double kick with both legs, to Sonora's other leg. Sonora was knocked off balance, as was Kokoro. Both Angels fell out of the Layer, Sonora just a few seconds before Kokoro. As Sonora fell, she disappeared, but Kokoro stayed behind, lying face down on Yuri's blue carpet.

"LAYER OUT!" announced the computer, "the winner is Deus Yuriko Li!"

Now Yuri waved at her opponent with a smile before Aria's image dissolved.

"Good job, I enjoyed fighting you very much, such a lovely experience. I feel I have learned a lot here today. –Aria" came the message onto the computer screen.

Yuri replied, "You fought really well. Sonora is so fast! It was a really tough battle for me. I hope we can meet each other again some day. –Yuri"

After the message had been sent, the computer screen went blank and all leftover holographic projections disappeared. "Would you like to continue?" asked the computer.

In answer, Yuri turned off the computer switch, thinking one battle was enough for now, got up, walked over to Kokoro, and picked her up. We won, she thought with a smile, and it's because I trusted you. I knew that if you'd fall, I'd make sure the other Angel fell first. We have a long ways ahead of us, Kokoro, with upcoming tournaments and all, but I'm sure we'll do fine together. I don't ever want to lose!

Yuri looked her Angel over. Kokoro's eyes were closed, and her face had a peaceful look to them, like always. Looking at Kokoro now, after just having tasted the sweet taste of victory, Yuri's mind wandered to that fateful day three weeks ago when she had walked into the local Piffle Princess store, oblivious of the beginning of something so profound, words could not be used to express it. She had witnessed a marvelous battle that day, and much of her battle today had been inspired by the moves she had seen Hikaru and Artemis perform. Some day we'll become just like them, Kokoro, Yuri told her Angel, let's practice hard, okay?

Little did little Ms. Yuriko Li know, that she would be facing a challenge soon. A challenge that she would be hard-pressed to overcome. A challenge that might just prove to be a bit too much for her . . .

Thirteen year-old Rya Shikari's fingers flew across the black and white keys of her piano as she vigorously practiced her scales, chords, arpeggios, cadences, and finger exercises. After the last scale, Rya took a break for a moment so that she could lean back from her piano seat and check the time on the kitchen clock. It was 4:00PM. Rya sighed. She still had a whole forty-five minutes to go, even though she'd managed to make her warm-ups last fifteen whole minutes.

"Rya!," called a female voice from upstairs, "Why can't I hear the piano? I told you, no breaks until the hour is up. Heaven knows how little you've been practicing thanks to that beastly game. If you don't start focusing more on what's important, I'll be forced to take severe action!"

Rya sighed again before opening her music to the right page. She looked at it with distaste for a moment, then lifted her hands and placed her fingers gently on the piano. Someday my mother will see that Angelic Layer isn't just a game to me . . . it's my life. My Angel is closer to me than I've ever let anyone come, and Angelic Layer is the most important thing for me right now. No thing, nor no one can change that, not even my mom making me practice piano for double the time I need to.

And with that, Rya charged into her piece. Her music would sound beautiful and uplifting to anyone listening to it, but it held no appeal to her ears. To Rya, the song she played was simply another device of torture her mother had come up with to stop her from doing what she loved best; playing Angelic Layer alongside her Angel, Artemis.

Forty-five minutes later, a rather annoyed and irritated Rya made her way swiftly back up to her room, trying hard to avoid being seen by her mother, who would surely assign her some other useless task to do in order to further prevent her from practicing Angelic Layer. I haven't been able to practice for so long now . . . ever since that battle at Piffle Princess three weeks ago, and besides, that wasn't all that great seeing as how we never even got to finish! I've barely had a chance to try out my new Layer, which I got almost a week ago!

"Rya!"

Rya heaved a long sigh. Of course, she thought grimly, no lenience for me, ever. Not even with the Nationals just a few weeks away. Not even if I were to drop dead right here and right now. No Angelic Layer for me. Not even if I need to practice at least once in a while if I ever want to hold my title as tentative Champion. Rya silently cursed.

Rya slowly made her way to her mother's bedroom, from where she had heard her calling. "Yes, Mom?" she asked at the doorway.

Mrs. Shikari stood inside her walk-in closet with the door slid wide open, staring at the huge collection of Southeast Asian clothes hung on multicolored hangers. She turned around when she heard Rya come in. "Oh hello dear. I just wanted to remind you that we're going to a dinner party at Aliya's tonight. Her parents invited us you see, and—"

"It would just be plain rude not to accept the invitation, am I right?" Rya finished.

Mrs. Shikari smiled at her daughter. "I'm so glad you understand . . . ."

"Yes, Mother. Now, anything else?"

"Oh yes. Your father will be home any minute from grocery shopping, and we'll leave as soon as he comes. Please start getting ready."

"What time is this so-called "dinner" party anyway?" Rya asked incredulously. "Normally we don't eat until 9:00, maybe 10:00!"

"Rya honey. It's 6:00 already, and today's Sunday. Dinner will most likely be served early seeing as how people have to go to work tomorrow. So don't make a fuss, okay?"

Rya resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Oh by the way . . . did you finish all your homework for school tomorrow?" asked Mrs. Shikari.

"Of course."

And with that, Rya walked out of her mother's bedroom, trying not to sound or look like she was angry until the last moment when she stepped into her bedroom and slammed the door shut, cursing again silently.

Rya looked over her room, a plain, undecorated, and fairly large room made to look small by oversized furniture, until her eyes stopped to rest on her Angel, Artemis, sitting with her eyes peacefully closed, unaware of the turmoil raging inside her Deus.

Rya looked away from Artemis and to her Layer. It was the newest model, a Layer with Internet connections. It had taken forever to convince her parents to allow her to get one, and even after that, they rarely allowed her to use it because apparently it interfered with Rya's "already decreasing intellectual capacity", proven by a comparison of her math grades overall in the first two quarters of the school year; there was more than an 8% difference between the two grades, which was the same as 50% in Rya's parents' eyes. First quarter Rya had received a 110.2% A plus. This last quarter she had gotten a 100.4% A. The drop of a "plus" was more than enough to set her parents off. Rya's ears still rang from the three to five hour lectures she had gotten the week report cards had been sent home.

Math may be important, but it isn't everything. I'm sorry Artemis, I've neglected you for so long now. Please don't be angry, I promise we'll practice tonight, after the stupid dinner party, no matter how long I have to stay up.

Practicing by night was nothing new to Rya. Often because of the strict rules her parents set for her, the only time she could practice in peace was at night when everyone was asleep. No matter if it was a weekday and she had school the next day, Rya always made sure not too much time elapsed between practice sessions. She never felt guilty, or if she did, it was an emotion Rya hid well.

Tonight . . . thought Rya looking at Artemis, with a small glimmer of hope in her heart, right before she began getting ready.

Yuri went downstairs to the kitchen after her battle with Aria to get something to eat. She was starving It was four in the afternoon already and she had skipped lunch because she had been too busy setting up her new Layer.

"Hello Yuri, how's it going?"

Yuri looked up from her frantic raid of the pantry to see her father's gentle dark eyes watching her with interest. "Oh hi, Dad," Yuri said, slightly puzzled. Syaoran, her father, was smiling, something he did rarely. "What's up?"

Syaoran's smile disappeared, but his face was still soft and his eyes seemed to sparkle with joy. "Your mother called today."

Yuri let out a squeal. "Mom?! What'd she say? Come on, tell me!"

"Easy there," Syaoran said to his daughter, not unkindly. "Sakura will be coming to join us here tonight. This time, she is going to stay."

"For how long?" Yuri asked, trying to keep herself from being too excited in case of disappointment.

"I already told you, she's coming to stay. Until you grow up most likely."

"You're kidding!" exclaimed Yuri. She started dancing around the room. The only time she'd ever been this happy was the day she had made Kokoro. "Finally, the normal life I've always wished for!"

"Yes," said Syaoran, "we will stay in America from now on together as a family. No more moving around, alright?"

"Yes!"

"Oh and your mother's flight comes in around eleven at night, but you have school tomorrow."

"So?" asked Yuri, "I can stay up that late, and if it bothers you, I'll sleep in the car on the way. It's been over two years since I last saw Mom, I can't miss picking her up from the airport. By the way . . . why is Mom coming on such a short notice?"

"Well," said Syaoran sheepishly, as if he were trying to hide something, "because . . . well . . . she just called me today informing me that she was leaving England." Trying to change the subject quickly before Yuri asked too many questions, he added, "Should I go out and get something for us to eat? We might as well have our dinner now since neither of us had lunch."

"Why didn't you have lunch? Anyways, it doesn't matter, get the take-out pizza, okay? It's really good and we haven't had in such a long time," stated Yuri all in one breath.

"Okay, I'm leaving right now then if that's okay with you. Will you be able to take care of yourself?"

Yuri rolled her eyes. "Dad, I'm thirteen now, a real teenager."

"That's what I'm afraid of," muttered Syaoran, causing Yuri to break out in giggles. He went to the kitchen counter and picked up the keys, seeing something that looked somewhat like a very old book, with a faded tan leather binding, protruding out from a half opened package, out of the corner of his eye. A panicked look came across his face. Not noticing Yuri's intent gaze, Syaoran made a sudden movement to flip over a few bills and sales papers that had just come in the mail today, so that they covered the book. With a small sigh of relief, Syaoran turned around.

Yuri quickly looked back to the pantry in front of her, trying to pretend that she had not just saw her father covering up a mysterious looking package.

"Well then," said Syaoran, breaking the odd silence that had fallen between him and his daughter, "I'll be back. Take care of yourself, and for heaven's sake, close that pantry! I'm going out to get food right now."

"Oh right," Yuri said, embarrassed, as she awkwardly shut the pantry door. "Bye."

Syaoran turned to the garage door, went in, and locked the door behind him. Once she heard the garage door open and the car engine start, Yuri quickly made her way over to the counter, turning over the bills and other mail Syaoran had used to poorly cover up whatever he had been trying to hide.

Suddenly the front bell rang. Yuri jumped. Hastily, she re-covered the package and ran to answer the door. When Yuri opened it, her heart came close to stopping altogether out of fright. "Dad! What are you still doing here? I mean—er I mean I thought you had gone to get the pizza."

Syaoran laughed nervously. "Yeah, but I forgot the check book and I need it to buy the pizza."

"Yeah sure Dad . . . I'll go get them." Yuri ran back to the kitchen where all the keys hung on a small rack nailed to the wall. She quickly picked out her father's set of house keys and took them back to him.

"Thanks," muttered Syaoran taking the keys, "So you will be alright then?"

"YES! Now go before the pizza gets cold. We still have to pick up Mom, don't we?"

"Of course. See you then."

"Bye Dad."

As soon as Yuri heard the door lock behind Syaoran, she ran once more back to the kitchen. What was my Dad trying to hide? A book? Well I'll see soon enough . . .

"Have you finished the final preparations?"

"Yes," replied Ohjiro Mihara to his "niece", Misaki Kobayashi, sitting across from him.

The two were in a large and comfortable hotel room, somewhere in the U.S. There were two beds in the room, and while Misaki lay down on one, Ohjiro sat on another. There were two other people in the room, and they sat around a small circular table in front of the beds.

"All that's left now is the introduction," joined in a man sitting at the table. He was once a famous and respected scientist, but now hardly anyone knew his name. He was Ichiro Mihara, known as Chief Icchan in the past.

"It was pure luck that we were finally able to release Angelic Layer here without going bankrupt." The speaker this time was the other person sitting at the table, former Angelic Layer Champion, Shuko Mihara.

"I totally agree, Mother. I just don't understand though . . . how did Angelic Layer lose popularity in Japan? It was doing so well!" Misaki's eyes took on a confused look.

"Well," started Ohjiro.

"Here, allow me to explain." Icchan looked at Shuko. When she nodded he continued, turning his gaze to Misaki. "Angelic Layer was popular in Japan until you defeated your mother, and even for a couple of years after that. But then a couple of busybodies, mostly parents worried about their kids' futures, started speaking out against controversies regarding Angelic Layer. Was it really healthy for young adults getting ready to go into the real world to think there was nothing wrong with controlling another being, even if it was only a little doll that could neither talk nor think for itself? When we dubbed the controllers of our Angel dolls, "Deuses", it seemed like a great idea. Deus literally means "God" and an Angel's controller is in a way like it's God. Do you understand what I'm saying so far?"

Misaki nodded slowly. "Parents were worried that their kids were taking on "God-like" abilities, such as controlling an Angel, without realizing the responsibilities behind it all."

"Exactly!" exclaimed Icchan. Though his step-daughter often seemed thick, even now when she was a grown woman with kids of her own, she was a lot smarter than she let on. "They thought that soon enough their kids would start expecting even their fellow humans to do as they willed."

"But that's not at all the case," Ohjiro said.

"Of course not, Angelic Layer was created purely as a fun past time!" Shuko looked indignant. "People were just unable to understand that!"

Suddenly the hotel door burst open and in walked Kotarou Kobayashi along with his fourteen-year old son, Koji.

Icchan made a signal to the other people in the room, telling them to hush. He didn't want Koji overhearing anything he shouldn't. Just because he was already a great Deus, proof of his mother, grandmother, and aunt's blood in him, and because he was closely related with the original creators of Angelic Layer, didn't mean that he should have access to any information about the Angelic Layer Production Committee that the public shouldn't know.

"Hey guys, what's up? Thought of anything new for the tournament yet? I saw a few kids playing on those Internet Layers today. They're like an instant hit already!" Koji smiled at his family. His mother smiled back, his father looked worried behind him. But his grandparents, and great uncle, just kept their faces blank.

"Um . . . is anything wrong?" asked Koji.

"Nothing," said his uncle in an attempt to sound reassuring. "We were simply discussing the upcoming tournament."

"Oh yeah," said Koji, "You know, it's odd how we only recently thought of releasing Angelic Layer here in the U.S. seeing as how big of a hit it was back home. At least from what you tell me."

"Uh . . . yeah," Ohjiro looked uncomfortable.

Shuko came to his rescue and tried changing the subject. "Koji dear, are you enjoying our little vacation here? And are you planning on participating in the tournament that will take place here?"

"Of course!" Koji exclaimed as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Got our family's rep to keep, haven't I?" he looked around at the older adults for approval. Most of them just smiled weakly, but Misaki made an attempt to lighten the mood.

"Give it your all, Koji! Good luck and make us proud! You know, technically Angelic Layer's already been out in the U.S. for over a year now. Even though there's been no official tournament, people have already voted on favorites who they think are most likely to win. I just fought who they call the "tentative" American Champ the other day. She was a really great Deus. You can tell her heart's into Angelic Layer. You'll need to practice hard if you even want to dream of challenging someone like her!"

"Right, Mother. I take it if I win, I'll be facing you, my own mother?" Koji grinned.

"Actually . . ." began Ohjiro, "I've been wondering about that too Misaki . . ." He looked over to Misaki.

"Oh-san," Shuko said gently, "even though your mother has already given a few free unofficial fights to a couple of people," at this Shuko frowned slightly in Misaki's direction, but her twinkling eyes showed that she did not really mean it, "we've decided that from now on, only the most experienced of Deuses will have the honor of facing the Champion."

"Oh I see," Ohjiro said taking the hint.

"Yes," was all Shuko said in reply.

Koji looked over from his great uncle to his grandmother in bewilderment. What on earth is going on with my family? I sense that they're keeping a few too many secrets from me. Oh well, I'll just have to show them. Nothing concerning Angelic Layer is ever safe from Koji Kobayashi!

END BATTLE TWO

A/N: Okay . . . I have quite a few things to say. Today is 8/21/04 and I've reposted both chapters in their fully edited version. There should now be no large mistakes in either chapter, and very few minor ones.

I also added a LOT more to the end of this last chapter, and I suggest that if you read the first version only, that you go back and read this. (I'll also mention this in chapter 3 just in case.)

Finally, I just wanted to say that this story will ultimately be about four different Deuses and only three of them have been introduced so far; Yuri, Rya, and Koji. The final one will make her/his appearance in a couple more chapters, and meanwhile I'll keep switching scenes from the three already there.

I hope you all enjoy this story, I've got a lot planned, and the plot's only started to unfold. I only ask that if you read, then please also review. I'll more than gladly accept constructive criticism and suggestions for improvement.