Part 5…..

The sun rose on New York, New York the Saturday of the Angelic Layer International Championships. Chris Presley and Tim O'Brian were knocked out in Box 15 on top of Madison Square Garden. On the table between the two friends was Tim's cell phone with five missed calls from his mother and a purse belonging to Alicia Sherron, the only other American to pass the preliminary rounds the night before. She had left to spend the night with her parents at a hotel down the street. It also gave her a chance to get away from the hordes of media that roamed the arena looking for interviews all night. A camera lens was almost flattened against Tim's nose when he woke up.

"And here he is," the man holding the device was heard saying. "One of only two Americans to survive the grueling opening round. How does it feel, Tim? Have any choice words for your rival, Wyatt?"

Tim only had one eye open in the direction of the camera, with his face plastered against the pillow on the sofa. Even in his dazed state, Tim realized this to be more than just media, but a cameraman working for the company putting on the reality show Mr. Kakashi had spoken of. With his half-baked wits, he was able to mumble. "This show is gunna suck…don't watch a minute of it," and buried his head farther into his pillow. After a few moments, the cameraman gave up and turned his attention to Chris who was equally unwilling to submit to consciousness just yet. The interviewer stammered on, but Tim was lost in his own thoughts. He was a champion among champions, he thought. Not only had he advanced, but he had a perfect record to date. He was no longer the underdog, which in his opinion was the way it should have been all along. But some things didn't quite add up. Team USA? It was only natural that he be included on it, but he hadn't been. Why? The no longer contender Wyatt Reser had ignorantly said it was because of a lack of skill on Tim's part, but Tim had proved otherwise. There was something else. The lack of information on his and Misaki's Angel and exclusion from the team could not have been a mistake. Tim decided to ask Mr. Kakashi about it the first chance he got.

For the moment though, Tim's stomach growled loud enough to be picked up by the sound recorder the cameraman was holding. He was tremendously hungry. Tim had no idea what time it was, but imagined it was quite late in the morning. He was in no hurry to wake up though, since the first matches wouldn't be starting until at least 7 that night. As it was, Tim would have at least two more matches, since the remainder of the tournament was double elimination, meaning even if he lost the first round he would have a shot at the championship. He wasn't worried though. With a record of 3-0, he had been ranked third, second only to Ohjiro and Misaki, who had also cleared the first round flawlessly, but had done it quicker to win the tie breaker.

The camera guy left without any quality material, and Tim rolled over onto his side to see Chris waking up just enough to make conversation. " Mornin'…" Tim said, and his stomach gave another growl. "Got anything to eat?"

"You fight your best, leave Christie to do the rest!" came a voice from behind the sofa, in the direction of the kitchen. Tim shot up to see Christie in the doorway holding a stack of pancakes a mile high in one hand and a mound of bacon in the other. She smiled sweetly and brought what would become breakfast over to the two.

"How did you-" Tim stammered.

"The room is being rented out by ALCo, of course I could get in. They let me off a couple of hours this morning since I worked late last night." She yawned. "It's something else working with four hours of sleep…"

Tim dug into the pancakes at once and Christie sat down beside him. "I had to get you out of quite a mess last night," she said with a sigh. "Apparently you were wanted for a bomb threat?"

Tim almost choked. "But I shaid I DIDN haf a bomb," he said with his mouth full.

"Chew before you talk, hon," Christie said, "but it's ok. We were able to clear things up when they realized you weren't really a threat. What the hell were you doing coming through the main entrance anyway?"

"It's a long story." And Tim didn't feel like explaining. "Pass the bacon, would ya?"

Christie reached for the plate across the table and her eyes met Chris's, who had also begun to help himself with some grub. "And this is Chris, I presume?" she said with a smile. "It's nice to meet you," and held out her hand. Chris took it and busied himself with eating again.

"He's really cute," Christie said to Tim, just loud enough for Chris himself to hear, and he scowled which really did nothing more than to vindicate Christie's comment. His previously neatly combed blond hair was now more of a frayed mess, and he wasn't wearing his glasses yet. It was the first time Tim really got a look at his powerfully fierce light brown eyes. For his age, it was surprising how wise and knowing a look he had, with a hint of pain hidden deep inside. Tim smirked. "Yea, he's a cute kid for sure. A knuckle head sometimes too."

"Hey! That was uncalled for!" Chris exclaimed and Tim grinned at him. Even though they had only officially known each other for a few weeks, it was hard for Tim not to think of him as his own little brother. He had always been an only child, and he had always wanted someone to pick on playfully while he was growing up. That was one of the appeals Angelic Layer had to him. Wolfwind was almost family considering how lifelike he was. Sometimes Tim would practice playfully with his Angel by turning on music and having Wolfwind dance to it. It was just something he found enjoyable at times.

The two boys ate non-stop for about an hour. The two Chris-s soon warmed up to each other, talking, too technically for Tim to follow, about Angelic Layer topics. Tim had no idea about wireless brainwave receptors or response lag time, and so let the two jabber away as he helped himself to fourths and fifths. When they were sufficiently stuffed, Christie cleared the table. Tim checked his watch to find that it was already 11 AM. Christie returned, this time wearing company identification around her neck.

"Well I have to get back to work, I'm a tad late as it is. You fight your best tonight Tim," she said, and wrapped her arms around his neck. She gave a wink to Chris. "You look after this idiot, ok?" she said, and Chris saluted sharply.

"Yes ma'am!"

Christie left the room and Tim sat back down and rubbed the last traces of sleep from his eyes. Chris borrowed Tim's cell phone to call his parents to check in, and while he walked out the door to get better reception, Kakashi walked in. "Ah! Mr. O'Brian, it's good to see you're up! Congratulations on your success last night."

"Thank you," Tim replied politely. He noted a hint of alcohol on the older man's breath. Tim gave an involuntary inquisitive look, and Kakashi picked up on it. "Oh, yes," he chuckled, "I was given the honor of meeting the main Japanese AL executive last night. He's quite a loose cannon, especially when influenced by his candidate's success and a shot of sake…"

Tim remembered his Japanese friends and assumed that Kakashi had also met them. "So Misaki and Ohjiro are well then?" he asked.

"Yes. Quite well. They're out touring the city as we speak and paying their respects to…well, you know…" he trailed off. And yes, Tim did know. How could he not? The whole country had changed since that day. He had only been 5 at the time, but the weight of the situation had not been lost on him. He had a personal connection even, as Christie, his best friend growing up, lost her own father in the north tower as it collapsed. Since then, there had only been minor operations over in Europe, before the headman had been caught and tried for crimes against humanity. Tim remembered it clearly as it if it had been yesterday, as did much of the country. Tim gave his own mental respects to the casualties of that day, but that was 10 years ago, and it was time to focus on the task at hand. He remembered he meant to talk to Mr. Kakashi ASAP.

"Um, Mr. Kakashi, sir, I've been meaning to ask you. Why was I-" at that moment Chris barged in out of breath.

"Tim, bad news. You're fighting the top ranked Chinese first round tonight. He had the flu for the first round and only managed to scrape a 2-1 record. His only loss, though, was to Ohjiro, and even that was close. We've got our hands full tonight."

Tim didn't pay it much attention. "Do you have any stats on him?" he inquired.

"Oh yea, tons. Here," he said and dumped what seemed to be a loosely bound encyclopedia. What it turned out to be were 3 binders full of information on his new Angelic Enemy. "He's a defense type," Chris explained, "but very disciplined. You won't find many open spots on this guy, and when you do, it's usually a trap. Look at this."

Chris pulled out a transparency that at first seemed like a regular sheet of plastic, but soon began flicking images. Even from afar Tim could tell it was footage of an Angelic Fight. Chris put the page in front of Tim on top of the black binder to give the high-resolution video paper give its full effect. What Tim saw was somewhat more impressive. On the screen was his next opponent fighting in China. The Angel, at first glance, looked like a speed type, with a small nimble looking frame. Defense types were like this nowadays though. Designers liked a short, sturdy body with a low center of gravity that wouldn't get pushed around easily. There was some intense fighting going on, and it seemed like Anvil, the Chinese champion's Angel was taking a beating, but to Tim's surprise he suddenly let his guard down. Seeing this, the other combatant seized the opportunity to make an attack, and lunged forward. His fist hit dead center in Anvil's chest, and for a moment nothing happened. Then, out of nowhere, his fist exploded, and with it his entire right arm. The attacking Angel flew backward and was immediately knocked out. Moments later, Anvil was declared the winner.

"The arm isn't the worst of it," Chris went on. Apparently it, and other Angels who suffered the same attack, were declared unfit for combat afterwards, and haven't fought since. Whatever he's doing hasn't been found to be illegal yet, and so he's kept on fighting.

The slightest trace of worry entered Tim's mind. "You say he went 2-1. And the two he defeated, are they-"

"No," Chris interrupted. "Anvil has yet to use this attack in this tournament. His 2 wins were just a series of well executed attacks, and his loss to Ohjiro was too fast for it to come out."

Tim thought it over. "Show me more," he said, and Chris was happy to oblige. For the next two hours Tim studied the new menace, and especially examined what seemed to be his special attack. It came out of nowhere, but how? Each time the first attack was delivered in a different place on Anvil's body, and the explosion followed, so it wasn't something that had been planted. It seemed like the perfect secret weapon. However, Tim noticed one flaw in the system. While each of the Angels attacking was rendered useless, Anvil himself took a blow, knocking him to the ground for an extended period before he could pick himself back up. If Wolfwind could somehow just survive that explosion, he would have an excellent opportunity.

Tim didn't leave the table until he was confident he knew everything about his new opponent. Kakashi was not of much help, assuring him, "You'll find a way to beat him, lad, I'm sure of it." At about 1 PM, Alicia entered to the room and asked Tim for a practice session. She was wearing her Angelic Layer Team USA windbreaker at the time, and Tim was reminded again about his question to Kakashi, but he wasn't around. Alicia was a generally kind person, and Tim was glad she had made it through with him without the others. He had seen her fight with her Specialty type Angel, Miracle, and had not seen anything spectacular so far, but she was a tough opponent who got the job done when she needed to. Specialty meant she was rather well rounded, with a focus on technique, meaning her attacks were not very fast, or even that powerful, but sharply precise and timed perfectly to maximize the result. She would be facing Ohjiro in the first round quarterfinals, and since Wolfwind was as similar as one could get to Wizard, it was smart of her to ask Tim for a match.

Tim got up off the sofa and looked out over the arena through the spotless pane window that surveyed the entire site. Only a few fans had decided to come out early, or stay throughout the tournament, so it wouldn't be that big of a deal if they made use of the main stage. Christie, no doubt, would be able to work things out for them.

They walked down the corridor, and this time took the elevator to the lower floor. From here they walked through a hallway that passed the locker rooms of both the New York Rangers and New York Knicks before opening into an entrance tunnel that revealed the entirety of the show floor. As they walked towards the Layer, a team of engineers hurriedly finished their technical inspections and lowered the two opposite battle pods for Tim and Alicia to enter. A pair of security guards neglected to check the pair's identification as they passed, which was somewhat sloppy, but understandable as both Deus were National Idols. There was no mistaking who they might be.

Chris got on the line with the viewing room, and within moments a plain white layer was displayed on the great circular surface in front of the two combatants. There was no need for any special scenery, since that was mainly developed for the fans viewing pleasure. While each Deus would have to adjust their fighting style to a new environment, each Deus competing at this level knew how to exploit every advantage a new setting might give them. A plain layer would do fine for practicing.

Miracle focused on a textbook counter to any sort of speed type Angel. She stood motionless for a time observing Wolfwind's movements, trying to find a pattern that could be anticipated. Unfortunately for her, Wolfwind was not reckless enough to give away such information, and instead stood his own ground as well. He walked calmly in Miracle's direction, only pausing about a foot away from her position. Their eyes were deadlocked for a moment, tense and electric. It reminded Tim of the old Westerns, and if he had learned anything from them, it was always the more accurate shot that won, not necessarily the fastest. Tim planned his strategy in milliseconds, and with blinding speed, Wolfwind lurched forward. His right arm swung back, and then rocketed towards Miracle's face. She was fast enough, and his fist met her open palm with a crash. Miracle's open hand swung upward towards Wolfwind's abdomen, but Wolfwind anticipated the counter and caught the blow in his hand. Both attacks had been delivered in the blink of an eye, and, using the momentum of both, Wolfwind swung upward and over Miracle's head. For a moment, their hands were locked, with Wolfwind vertically upside down directly above Miracle. It didn't last long, as Wolfwind flipped forward fast, bending Miracle's arms backward. She was off guard and in an awkward position. Wolfwind released his grip while he spun around to deliver as thundering spin kick to Miracle's back. She was sent sprawling, yet the damage was kept to a minimum since the majority of Wolfwind's momentum had been traveling opposite the direction of the attack. Both Deus grinned as Miracle regained her footing. She stood up and took a defensive stance. Suddenly, Tim had flashes of Anvil in the same position, fending off attack after attack. In his mind, an explosion ripped through Wolfwind's body.

Wolfwind lunged forward carelessly, attacking high where Miracle was most guarded. His opponent responded quickly, blocking the attack and countering with a knee into Wolfwind's gut. He didn't fly far, but the damage was critical. Tim, however, was not focusing on the match in front of him anymore. In his head flashed pictures of his upcoming match, and the destruction Anvil had inflicted on his previous opponents. A bead of sweat escaped down Tim's brow.

"What was it?" he thought. "How come no one can figure it out!"

Again Wolfwind attacked with machine gun speed and accuracy, but all of them were blocked, dodged, or landed too softly to be of any real worry to Alicia. Wolfwind retreated as the counter assault ensued.

"There has to be something I've over looked, but what?" Tim thought. He was frustrated and, for the first time, worried about the outcome of the match. Losing was not that huge a deal, but if Wolfwind, in effect, died, it was too much. He would have to win as quickly as Ohjiro, which he doubted was possible, or find a way to survive. He was angry he hadn't thought of a way yet to do this, and it showed on the layer. Wolfwind was not fighting well and was getting knocked back across the layer. He was almost helpless.

Tim was no longer grinning, but Alicia smiled with determination. She was more than happy to dethrone a King of the Layer and the top ranked American Deus, even if it was just for practice. She knew that if she won this match, her real match would be no sweat, and a wave of confidence swept over her. However, she wouldn't get the chance. Out of nowhere, the round buzzer sounded. Stunned, the two fighters paused. Mr. Kakashi walked onto the floor.

"That's enough for now. I don't want either of you to be tired out before your respective matches tonight. Take a break." Tim could tell it was more than a suggestion.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead. Alicia acknowledged the match well fought, and Tim shook her hand. Some broken applause broke out throughout the arena from those who had been watching as they walked back to the entrance tunnel. Alicia went right when the hallway branched off, while Kakashi and Tim went straight. Kakashi wasted no time.

"That wasn't you fighting out there. Something's wrong. What is it?"

Tim was reluctant to show that he was worried. "Its nothing I can't fix in time," he said. "I'm sure there's a way to beat him without sacrificing Wolfwind."

Kakashi glanced over at him. "I'm sure you're right."

They walked in silence until they came to the elevator, but Tim didn't lose his thoughtful persona.

"Was there something else?" Kakashi asked.

"Hm? No…" but Tim remembered his question from earlier. "Well, yes. I've been meaning to ask you, Mr. Kakashi: Why I was I not included on Team USA like the other champions?"

Kakashi looked at him with very serious eyes and nodded. "We had better have a talk in my office, Tim," he said, and they walked into the elevator. When they reached the luxury box, they continued down the hall until they came to a glass sliding door with etched lettering on the front that displayed Kakashi's full name with the title "Angelic Layer Corporation America - Vice Director" in bold print.

At a word from Kakashi, the door slid open to reveal a very spacious room. Kakashi walked to a window similar to those in the luxury box and looked out over the arena. He motioned for Tim to sit in a chair facing the same window.

"I'm sorry if it bothered you much, Tim, but your exclusion from the team was for your own good, and, frankly ours as well." Tim was puzzled, and Kakashi went on.

"You were never a team player, Tim. You've always thrived on your own personal skills. That's evident from your previous experiences in other sports and games. However, that wasn't reason enough to exclude you. The decision came once we observed the other members who had won their regional championships. You met them all yesterday. You especially met Wyatt, which was the main reason you were not selected for the team."

He turned around to look Tim directly. "We were not comfortable putting you two on the same team. He is a very charismatic person, and had the three girls under his wing the moment they met. You, to him, were a threat. We didn't feel it would be best that if over the past few weeks while Team USA practiced together that tension was lingering. We also felt that, well, Tim, you are our only hope at winning this tournament. Wyatt had skill, don't get me wrong, but we felt you were the most talented of the five. We needed your head in the game, undistracted by petty rivalries. Keeping you away from the others for as long as possible seemed like the best course of action."

Tim nodded. It seemed to be an odd sort of logic, but it was enough to put his mind at rest. It wasn't because Tim's skills were sub par after all. But Kakashi wasn't finished. He cleared his throat and looked back over the arena.

"That wasn't all though, Tim. In the long run, our goal was to keep you, and more importantly, your Angel out of the media as much as possible."

"I don't understand," Tim replied. And frankly, he had no idea what the old man meant.

"Of course you don't. Let me explain as best I can: Your Angel, along with one other in this tournament is of exceptional interest to the Corporation. There seems to be…an anomaly in their design. Something different. Something special. It's very difficult to explain, but it seems your Angel has begun to develop something."

"What is it, Mr. Kakashi? What's inside of Wolfwind?"

Kakashi took some time before answering, and when he did it was almost a whisper.

"A soul, Mr. O'Brian."

"A what!" Tim blurted. What the man had just said didn't make any sense.

"A soul, Tim. We don't understand it ourselves, but you saw evidence of it yourself last night. Remember your match with Wyatt? That last sequence of attacks was extraordinary. We in the viewing room watching it a dozen times before your friend Christie confirmed something we had only seen twice before in Japan, and once during one of your matches during your regional championships. What we saw was, in that final moment, there was no direct connection between your brainwave commands and your Angel's headset. The register flat lined. No commands were coming from you, yet Wolfwind attacked anyway. However implausible it seems, our conclusion is that Wolfwind attacked by his own power. Of course, this was interesting to us, but it would be even more so to the media, so this information has not been released yet. You're already an idol, Tim, the last thing you need is more media attention. It's the same story with your Japanese friend, Misaki. She and her Angel also seem to have this rare bond…" He paused again and seemed lost in thought. "It's nothing to worry about now though. You just focus on getting through the next round. We expect very interesting things to come from you, Mr. O'Brian."

Tim left the room pensive as ever. He almost thought Kakashi was a quack for suggesting that his Angel might have developed anything close to what would resemble a soul but it didn't prevent him from looking at his Angel in a new, more reverent light. How was it possible? There was no way of knowing, and he decided it wasn't worth worrying about while more pressing matters, like his next match, still loomed ahead of him. He went back to the suite, sat down with Chris's stack of information, and sifted through it for a third and fourth time. Christie came up with food at one point, and even some inside information on Anvil she wasn't supposed to release. It didn't help much, as Tim was mainly focused on its special attack that so far no one could explain. Only 3 more hours left before the match started. There had to be something he was missing…