Hey, what's up minna-san? I hope you're all doing great, because you reviewed! I don't have lots of time to ramble, so I'll get right on with my thank-yous:

LITTLE RABBIT F/LRPLI: I'm so sorry I forgot to mention you in my last set of thank yous!!! Please accept my most sincere apologies. As to what Icchan means, keep reading, it'll come up in a later chapter. Thanks for the review!!!

SUBSTANTIVO: Oi, sweetheart, you have me in a pickle!!! I read your story over on FP.com and I don't think I'll be able to finish it tonight!!! *wails* I'll have to wait until tomorrow... this sucks. So we don't like Sam? It figures; not everybody can be good, you know. There have to be evil ones too. I have read some of your updates... but I promise I'll read the rest just as soon as I'm done here, okay? I love you and thank you for the review!!!

MUGEN: Oh, thank you so much!!! I'm glad you like Celeste and Destiny so much! And the possibility of my posting the actual drawings of them online is getting more and more favorable so watch out for that. And as for the action, that'll be in approximately two chapters, this one included. So that means that when you've finished this one, there'll be only one more until the action starts. Thanks for bearing with me... me slow...

JASON Q: Oh, my gosh, I really appreciate the support! Makes me feel special, ya know? And don't worry the action is coming soon, real soon, like after the chapter after this one soon. So, please, please, PLEASE be patient! Arigato for the review!

LI'AIN: Awwwww, since you said please, here it is! And if you really want to use this fic on your site, then e-mail me, and we'll talk, okay? Thanks for reviewing!

JAMFASE: Thank you for reading! It's always my pleasure to provide quality entertainment. And I'm writing already! And I'd love to check out your Angelic Layer fic when I have time, cuz my mom limits me way too much.... and I have practically no life outside of FFN *j/k*. I don't wanna suffer, so read already! See I added a chapter! And there will be more. So please don't make poor Chrissie-chan suffer! *shivers*

Okay that's all for thank yous! I mean to get them all written in on every chapter when I update and I will. I do not own Angelic Layer, Icchan, or Ogata, CLAMP does, but any and all O/C's belong to me. Shoplifters will be prosecuted! On to the next battle!

*BATTLE 5*

The next morning, Piffle Princess U.S.A. and its extensive Practice Center were open bright and early, to beat the morning rush. All of the clerks, cashiers, and salespeople were busy in both places. The manager, however, was busy attending to business of another sort.

"So Piffle Princess U.S.A. is doing quite well?" Ryoko nodded.

"You got that right, Chief Icchan. I never dreamed that Angelic Layer would be so popular among American kids. They're just as bad as Japanese kids are," she said, leaning back into her comfortable leather office chair. Her entire office was abstractly decorated, right down to the black lacquered telephone on her laminated black white and red desk.

Geometric shapes in accented neutral tones graced the walls randomly and were even sprinkled on the carpet. Personally, Ryoko had wanted a change from the sickeningly sweet color scheme of the rest of the place. If she didn't have a change, she was sure she would barf at the startling array of pastel colors surrounding her daily in the store. But the pastel colors seemed to attract customers to Piffle Princess U.S.A., and customers were always a priority.

"New toys will always intrigue children Ryoko," Icchan said with a smile from the screen of the videophone, rousing Ryoko from her musings. "Remember that. OGATA, WHERE ARE MY NOODLES?!" he barked suddenly.

"Ano... you're still on poor Ogata's case, huh?" Ryoko chuckled at her supervisor's command.

"Yes. But back to the point. That girl you were telling me about, Madison Williams? What have you observed so far?"

"Just that she's not what she seems. But I have a hunch that she'll be coming in today. I have the entire staff on alert."

"Good, just what I expect of you, Ryoko. That's just why I put you in charge of Piffle Princess U.S.A. You have never let me down. Don't disappoint me."

Ryoko's eyebrow twitched violently at the sinister glint of Icchan's glasses. "Yes, sir, Chief Icchan. You have nothing to worry about," she swallowed.

"Good. That's just what I like to hear," he said, just as Ogata came rushing in with a cup of instant ramen noodles.

"Here, you are Chief Icchan. I hope you like them," he said timidly, handing the cup to Icchan. Icchan took a sniff under the lid and froze.

"Ogata... WHERE IS THE HOT CHOCOLATE?! I TOLD YOU TO ADD CHOCOLATE POWDER TO THIS, DIDN'T I!?" he bellowed as Ogata cowered before him.

"I'm sorry Chief Icchan! I'll get it right!" Ogata ran out the door wailing for hot chocolate powder.

"Um, Chief, isn't chocolate in ramen kinda, oh, I don't know, gross?" Ryoko said, her face slightly green.

"My dear Ryoko, my stomach does not discriminate," he informed her coolly. "Now I really must go. I expect a report on Miss Madison soon, got it?"

"Got it." The screen went blank and Ryoko sighed in relief as the door to her office opened.

"Ryoko, Madison is here. What should I do?" Shota said, poking his head in the door.

"Nothing. I'll take care of it. Thanks Shota." She got up and walked out of the office, spotting Madison by the door, apparently putting away her cell phone. She looked up and saw Ryoko, waving as she headed over to her.

"Hi, Ryoko!" she said, hugging the manager.

"Good morning, you! What can we do for you today?" Ryoko asked.

"I came to practice Angelic Layer today."

"Oooh... so you made your Angel, nee?"

"Hai. I mean, yes."

"You speak Japanese?" Ryoko was surprised.

"Yeah, my dad is Japanese." Sensing some reluctance, Ryoko turned her line of fire back to Madison's Angel.

"Well, can I see your Angel?"

"Sure!" Madison pulled her Angel out of her bag and handed her to Ryoko.

"Ryoko, this is my Angel, Celeste," she introduced.

"She's really cute!" Ryoko exclaimed, rubbing her cheek against the Angel's. Then she took a good look at her battle costume.

"Her armor is pretty good too. I especially like the color. It makes her look like a mystic or something." It'll definitely be an advantage in the layer. It protects all of the key points of attack, she added silently to herself.

"Thanks, I made it myself." Ryoko handed Celeste back to Madison then led the way over to the entrance of the Angelic Layer Practice Center.

"This is the Practice Center. All you have to do now is go to the counter and ask for the amount of practice time you need. For today, get two hours," Ryoko instructed. Madison nodded and walked up to the counter where a lady dressed in a whimsical nurse-like outfit with wings stood behind a computer.

"Welcome to the Angelic Layer Practice Center! What can I do for you?" she asked pleasantly.

"I would like two hours of practice time, please," Madison replied.

The woman took some information and handed Madison a key. "You'll be in Practice Room Sixteen. Good luck!"

"Thank you!" said Madison as she turned to find her assigned Practice Room with Ryoko in tow.

"I didn't know that you wanted to come with me to practice, Ryoko," she quipped.

"Of course I do! What kind of coach would I be if I didn't?" Ryoko replied, tossing back her side swept shiny black ponytail.

"Wait a sec... since when did you become my coach?" Madison asked confusedly.

"Since now! Isn't that wonderful?" Ryoko was beaming.

"I guess, but I--"

"Don't be silly! You need someone to show you the ropes of Angelic Layer! And I'm just the person to do it!"

They reached the practice room and Madison fitted the key into the lock, unlocking the door. Ryoko bounced in behind her as she stood and stared at the practice room. It was decorated in cotton-candy pink and lemon yellow with a round ceiling. A strange looking glass table and two dumpy white egg-shaped chairs with little yellow wings sat in the middle of the room. In a corner, a television and a stereo system sat waiting to be used by the room's occupants.

"Wow, this is nice," Madison commented looking around. The color scheme was very relaxing; definitely not a distraction, which would make it easy to stay focused on practicing.

"Okay, let's get started," Ryoko said briskly. She sat in one of the chairs and motioned for Madison to take a seat in the other. The girl did so, placing her bag beside her chair.

"First thing you do is make sure that Celeste has on her Angel cord. You can't control her without it." Madison checked that Celeste's Angel Cord was firmly in place, then nodded, waiting for her next set of instructions.

"Now you put your visor on." Picking up the strange headgear, Madison fitted it over her head, arranging her orange bangs around it.

"I can't see anything. How does this all work?" asked Madison as she adjusted the cord running from the visor.

Ryoko pursed her lips. "Basically," she said, " an Angel moves according to her Deus' will. In other words, your Angel reflects your heart. Whatever you're focused on, your Angel will act accordingly."

"So I have to focus only on Celeste when we battle other Angels?" Ryoko grabbed the girl into a suffocating bear hug.

"Oh, you catch on so fast! I can tell you'll be good at Angelic Layer!" she exclaimed. Then she whipped back into serious mode. "Now let's get started. Flip the switch on the right side of your visor."

When she flipped the switch, the wings on Madison's visor opened and she was now able to see through the lens.

"Awesome! I can see now," she said. Ryoko chuckled dryly.

"If you couldn't, then there'd be a problem," she retorted. "Now place Celeste in the Layer."

The minute Celeste was standing in the Layer, she opened her grey eyes, blinked twice, and winked slyly at her Deus.

"Wow, it seems you're already ahead," Ryoko commented, impressed at this premature accomplishment.

"How did I do that?" Madison exclaimed, fascinated as she gazed at a smiling Celeste.

"I told you. You wanted Celeste to wink at you, so she did. The visor and the cord communicate a Deus' will to her Angel."

"So in order to move around, I just have to will her to move the way I want?"

"Wow, you're good." Ryoko's face was a mirror of over exaggerated admiration, however honest she was being. "So what're you waiting for? Get to it! You've got a lot of catching up to do as it is, kiddo."

Madison opened her mouth to ask what Ryoko meant by that, but the coach cut her pupil off.

"Practice now, questions later," Ryoko instructed sternly. And so, with Ryoko's encouragement, Madison began her training as an Angelic Layer Deus.

* END OF BATTLE 5 *

Now that Madison's begun, how far will she go? And will a new acquaintance help? Well, you'll just have to see next battle! Ja ne!