"Hitomi?" Hitomi's mother opened Hitomi's door, where she saw her
diligently sewing on the floor. "It's almost midnight, are you done yet?"
"Yeah mom!" Hitomi laughed as she fitted her armor onto Ikaya, "Look!"
Hitomi's mother smiled. Out of the Angel armor cloth from the toy store Hitomi had made a very lovely outfit for her angel. The silver haired angel wore a white shiny top with no sleeves, that went all the way up her neck, yet didn't cover her belly button. It had a large, green, elevated circle in the middle of it. She had a pair of green armor pieces on her wrists and knees. On her hands was a pair of white gloves with green tips on the fingers and tops. She wore a white pair of shorts that went halfway down her thighs, and there was only a small view of skin before it met a pair of long white boots. On her feet were a pair of large green, armored shoes that sparkled in the light of Hitomi's room. From the back of the top came two large skinny cloth pieces that stuck out for a short while, then folded over. The ends had pointed tips and a green, elevated circle was on each of them. Hitomi's mother smiled at the large green bow Hitomi had put in her angel's hair, and waist, and from the bow in her hair came a pair of green angel cords with small, points at the ends.
"It looks great," Hitomi's mom beamed and gave back Ikaya to Hitomi.
"It's a her, Mom," Hitomi huffed, "Not an it!"
"What did you name her?" Hitomi's mom asked, rolling her eyes.
"Ikaya." Hitomi eyes twinkled at the sound of the name.
"She's lovely," Hitomi's mom laughed, "But now it's time for bed."
Hitomi pouted. She had wanted to play with Ikaya a bit more, but her fatigue took over and she got into bed. She placed Ikaya on her night-stand and kissed her goodnight. Hitomi's mother did the same to Hitomi and she then turned out the lights.
"Good night," Hitomi whispered to Ikaya, "my destiny."
*** That morning Hitomi ate her breakfast at an alarmingly fast rate. Her mother and Tasuki watched her with an odd expression. "Don't choke," Tasuki teased.
Hitomi shot him a look, "Only when I see you."
"Now, kids," their mother gave them a warning look and they both returned to their food. "So," Hitomi's mom started to clear the dishes as Hitomi started to pack up her backpack. "Why the rush?"
"I want to catch the daily Angelic Layer Morning Match at the Mall Square!" Hitomi swallowed the last of her food and started to clear her plate. "I might as well watch the pros fight," she turned off the water after the plate was clean and placed it in the dishwasher, "After all, Ikaya and I are going to be one's someday."
"I see that you'll be a modest champion," Tasuki smirked. "When you do make it big, can I tell people that I'm your brother? It would be such an honor."
Hitomi fumed at him and was about to explode when her mother, spotting danger, stepped in, "How is your angel going?"
"I've finished all of her," Hitomi smiled, regaining her sunny disposition. "I can't wait to start practicing,"
"Are you going to show your friends?"
Hitomi paused, "No," she said. Tasuki did a spit take with his miso soup.
"What?!" he yelled. "You share everything with your little "group!" "
Hitomi shot him a death look but then returned to her backpack. "I just want something to be special for only me." she stated plainly, "Something different."
Hitomi's mother smiled. "All right," she said. "But you better get your butt to school. I'll start the car."
*** After what seemed like forever, Hitomi arrived at the Mall and ran to the main square. She couldn't wait! When she got to the square she saw hundreds of people, some with their angels, watching the match. It was already a minute into it, but Hitomi managed to squeeze through the crowd with Ikaya to see the screen. When she finally got a good look at the screen, she gasped!
It was the Legendary Lightspeed Suzuka vs. Angel Zefie! Suzuka led by legendary 5th grader, Hatako Kobayashi! Suzuka was dressed as a female ninja with a fish net body stocking under her huge sleeved leather outfit. She had a short black skirt on and long black boots and gloves. Her blue hair was put into a high ponytail where a bell hung, a disguised angel cord.
Angel Zefie was a veteran angel, and had made it to the Nationals last year. Her deus was a girl that looked to be a year older than Hitomi, in a red and black uniform. Zefie, however, had long white hair that reached the ground and a long white skirt. She wore a baggy white tank top with long flowing sleeves starting at her elbows. From her neck two white angel cords protruded.
So far Zefie was at 60% health, while Suzuka was at 75%. Zefie looked tired but Suzuka was keeping her cool. Zefie's deus was looking scared, while Hatako remained calm. Out of no where, Zefie charged at Suzuka. Zefie jumped into the air and with her leg extended, fell towards Suzuka. Rapidly she began to spin in a circle, again, and again, and again.
"THIS IS IT FOLKS!" the announcer cried, "ANGEL ZEFIE'S AURA KICK!"
Hitomi gasped, "LOOK OUT!" she yelled to Suzuka. People turned to look at her, but Hitomi was too busy watching as Suzuka, in a flash of light grabbed Zefie's leg and threw her across the layer. In a spectacular crash, Zefie's damage gauge went to 0 immediately! Suzuka, without lifting a finger, had won the match! "YES!" Hitomi yelled loudly, and, she could have sworn that she saw Ikaya smile faintly as well.
***
Although Hitomi didn't want her friends to know she played Angelic Layer, she brought Ikaya to school. Throughout the entire day she kept Ikaya in her desk, making sure no one else saw her. During lunch she kept her in her backpack and when people asked her about what she was always fiddling with under her desk, she made up lies, like she had lotion, or was reading a book.
By the end of the day, Hitomi was exhausted from hiding Ikaya. As she said goodbye to each of her friends, she remembered that she had told her mom that she was going to Piffle Princess to practice with Ikaya. Angelic Layer was really popular at her school, so she had done some eavesdropping and had found out how to practice while not at home. Since her mom knew where she was going, she had approved of it, but not with much enthusiasm.
"Goodbye!" Kanako yelled to Hitomi as her car drove off. Hitomi waved and waved and waved, until finally Kanako's car turned the corner. The minute Kanako was out of sight, Hitomi started walking down the street. She gingerly opened her backpack and took out Ikaya. As she walked down the street toward the Training Center, she wondered about Angelic Layer.
"I wonder how I'm going to make Ikaya move on the Layer like on TV," she thought. She then stared down at Ikaya, and smiled, "But no matter what I'm sure that you'll come through for me." Hitomi held Ikaya close to her, "We'll do just fine,"
"ICCHAN GO BOOM!" Hitomi jumped a foot as Icchan came flying down from a telephone pole, attached by a telephone wire, and flying in the air like a bird. He swooped down at pointed at her, while still in midair. "WHAT WAS THAT, YOUNG LADY?" Hitomi looked at him oddly, "GETTING CUDDLY WITH OUR ANGEL I SEE?" Icchan put on a dreamy voice, "Oh Ikaya, I know you'll come through for me! I wuv you!" Hitomi started to back off from Icchan. He quickly caught this, "WHAT'S THE MATTER? COME ON!" he unlatched himself from the wire and laughed, "People with a sense of humor call it sarcasm." He faintly smiled, "Haven't used that line in a while."
Hitomi's head went on its side, "What do you mean?"
"N-nothing!" he quickly covered, "Uh...wonderful weather we're having!"
"You bet," Hitomi smiled as they began to walk down the street. Icchan sighed a sigh of relief.
"So how's your angel coming along?" he asked as they crossed the street.
"I've finished her!" Hitomi smiled, pulling out Ikaya.
Icchan took Ikaya in his hands, gingerly, and looked her over, "You did a great job." Icchan looked over her frame, "That's odd," he looked at Ikaya's joints skeptically.
"What?" Hitomi asked, looking over Icchan's shoulder.
"She's a lightweight model," Icchan began, still turning over Ikaya in his hands. "But she's built for power,"
"Yeah," Hitomi said, "What's wrong with that?"
"Nothing," Icchan started to bend the legs, "It's just that usually heavyweight angels are power, and lightweight angels are speed." Icchan smiled and handed Ikaya back to Hitomi, "Not the other way around."
"Parameters don't matter," Hitomi said sternly, "It's all about the heart that a deus puts into their angel."
"You've already learned Step one of Angelic Layer," Icchan smiled and patted Hitomi on the head. "So," he said as they turned the corner. "What did you name her?"
"Ikaya."
"That's a good name," Icchan looked down at her, "You're like her but different,"
"Like who, Masamichi?" Hitomi turned around to see the most annoying boy in her homeroom coming towards her, Sanosuke Korato. She hated the way his untidy brown hair was always messy, and how his blue eyes matched hers. "Who're you talking to?"
"Mr. Icchan," Hitomi huffed and turned around, "Mr. Icchan meet, WHAT??!!" Hitomi realized that Mr. Icchan had disappeared, from right behind her.
"Looks like you're losing your mind, Masamichi," Sanosuke laughed. But he wouldn't have laughed if he had seen Icchan scurrying into a nearby tree. Hitomi huffed.
"If you're just here to bag on me," she turned her nose upward, "Then you can leave." She turned on her heal and started to storm the other way.
"Hey, wait up Masamichi!" Sanosuke yelled to her, and, being the Captain of the Track team, he quickly caught up with her. "What's that in your hand?" he pointed to Ikaya, still in Hitomi's hands. Hitomi quickly tried to hide her.
"Nothing," She started, but Sanosuke had already seized Ikaya from Hitomi. "Hey give her back!"
Sanosuke was looking at Ikaya strangely, "I didn't know you played with dolls, still, Masamichi," he scoffed.
Quickly, Hitomi snatched Ikaya back, and stuck out her tongue, "IKAYA IS NOT A DOLL! She's an angel, Mr. I Know Everything About Nothing!"
"You like Angelic Layer?" Hitomi turned around rapidly, as she heard another voice, but this time she smiled. It was Kimiko Korato, Sanosuke's twin sister. Hitomi and she were friendly acquaintances, and they had Physical Science and History together. Hitomi always was interested by Kimiko's long curly, died dark blue hair and black eyes, wondering if her mom would let her dye HER hair. She had never approached Kimiko, as people almost always surrounded her. "You like Angelic Layer?" she asked again.
"Y..yeah!" Hitomi sputtered out, looking at Ikaya, blushing at the fact that she had been caught staring.
"Me too!" Kimiko smiled and dug into her backpack. After about a minute, she pulled out a pink, Piffle Princess Pouch, and unzipped the zipper. With great carefulness, she pulled out a beautiful, blue Angel. "Her name is Spira!" Kimiko smiled. "She's a speed type, lightweight!" Hitomi could tell why. Spira was short, thin and had long legs. She was a bit taller than Ikaya but not much. Her hair was blue, like her deus's, but a lighter, electric blue. It was short, only to her shoulders, but shined brilliantly. She had a ponytail of hair on the top of her head that went down to her mid-back, and from the gray band that she kept it in, two shining silver angel cords came down. Her outfit astounded Hitomi. She wore a blue bikini top with silver ruffles on her chest. She also wore a short blue skirt around her hips that started just below her navel. On her elbows there were blue sleeves that held onto her arms with elastic. She had silver flowering sleeves coming from her shoulders, and she wore ten silver rings, one for each finger. On her feet were a pair of blue sandals, and gray knee-high stockings.
"She's beautiful," Hitomi breathed, looking at the glamorous angel. Although Spira was beautiful, she quickly snapped out of her trance, in order to show off Ikaya. "This is my Angel," she handed her gently to Kimiko. "She's built for--"
"Power," Kimiko cut her off.
Hitomi was stunned, "How...could you tell?"
Kimiko smiled, "When you're as into Angelic Layer as I am, you can tell at a glance." She gave Ikaya another look, "But it's strange."
"I know," It was Hitomi's turn to cut Kimiko off, "She's a lightweight, but she's built for power. I just made her that way," she huffed, "It doesn't matter about parameters, it's the heart of the deus and angel that makes a winning team."
"I wasn't going to say that," Kimiko smiled, and Hitomi looked at her oddly, "It's that it doesn't seem she's ever been in a battle."
Hitomi blushed, "Well, you see," she laughed, "I'm just a newbie. I've never even played." she turned toward the street, "I was just on my way to go practice."
"Well then you can practice with us!"
"Really, Korato-san?"
"Please, call me Kimiko!"
"All right, Kimiko-Chan!"
"Oh, Hitomi-chan, you and I are going to have so much--"
"EXCUSE ME!" Sanosuke screamed at the top of his lungs to stop the girl's "powwow". After a couple seconds of silence, he finally spoke, "What do you mean us?" he gave Kimiko a reproachful look.
"Like you don't want to come," Kimiko eyed him, smirking, "I so know that you're a huge fan of Angelic Layer. You're always watching the matches at the mall." she shrugged playfully, "I don't see why you just don't buy your own angel!"
Sanosuke blushed and Hitomi giggled. Seeing Hitomi, he quickly retained his jaunty air, "So I may have glanced at a match or two while I was passing, that DOES NOT make me a huge fan!" he breathed heavily and turned on his heals, "Everyone knows Angelic Layer is for girls."
"Not true!" a shout stopped Koutaro in his tracks as they heard the voice billowing from behind them. Hitomi was forced to turn one last time around to see a girl and boy, both with white blonde hair and stunning green eyes on the curb. It had been the boy that had spoken. He had his hair slicked back with some sort of gel and was wearing the Eriol Academy High School Blue Uniform. The girl that was with him had her hair in an untidy short ponytail and was wearing the Eriol Academy Middle School Green Uniform. Around the girl's neck was a camera and Hitomi noticed this girl from her Homeroom class. She sat next to her. Megumi Tendo. "So not true!" the boy yelled again. Hitomi guessed he was a Sophomore.
"Who are you?" Sanosuke asked, looking at him indignantly.
"Keiichi Tendo," he introduced himself. "Junior at Eriol Academy High School." Hitomi had been a year off.
"And I'm Megumi Tendo," Megumi introduced herself cheerily. "Eighth Grade at Eriol Academy Middle School."
"And what you said about Angelic Layer being only for girls," Keiichi sifted through his bag, "Well then what's THIS?" with a flourish he pulled out what seemed to be a streak of green, but when Hitomi looked closer, she saw it was an Angel.
A male angel, at that. Hitomi knew they were sold, but they were rarer, and more expensive. Hardly ever seen. This one was tall and well built. He had pale skin, and long blonde hair that reached his shoulders. He had long bangs, and around his neck was a forest green choker, with an angel cord hanging from it. On his arms were long flowing green sleeves that were connected to long see-through green trench coat. He wore baggy camouflage pants, and a sleeveless green shirt that went up to his neck. He had black combat boots, and green fingerless gloves. He wore green see-through goggles over his eyes, which were closed serenely. "His name is Danichi," Keiichi brought Hitomi back to reality. "He's a heavyweight, built for Defense."
"He's SOOOO cool!" Kimiko squealed looking at him.
"I agree, he IS cool," Hitomi smiled, fawning over Danichi as well.
Quickly Kimiko pulled out Spira, "This is my Angel!" she put her forward. "She's a lightweight, built for speed."
"And this is Ikaya," Hitomi smiled, pulling Ikaya out. "A lightweight, built for power!"
Keiichi looked at Hitomi oddly then smiled, "I see that you believe in your angel, and not in its parameters."
"You bet!" Hitomi smiled.
"See, Sano?" Kimiko smiled, with hearts in her eyes, "Keiichi plays Angelic Layer, and he's way more of a guy than you'll ever be."
Sanosuke grew red and gritted his teeth, "WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?"
"Nah nah!" Kimiko stuck out her tongue.
"Why you--"
"And I'm the photographer for the Angelic Layer Monthly Newsletter!" Megumi interrupted their brawl, showing off her digital camera. She then walked over to Hitomi and smiled brightly, "Can I take a picture of Ikaya for the Newbie column?"
"Sure--" Hitomi started but then stopped. She looked at Megumi strangely, "Wait," she looked Megumi down and up, "how'd you know I was a newbie?"
Megumi smiled, "I just looked at your Angel," she said, "I can tell these sort of things."
"Well," Kimiko threw her arm around Hitomi, "You can take a picture of her in action! We're going to the Piffle Princess Training Center to go practice! Want to come?"
"Sure!" the brother and sister simultaneously said, and Sanosuke grumbled that he'd come along too.
As the five walked away from the curb, laughing and talking, Icchan smiled, while still in the tree. "Step two of Angelic Layer learned," he grinned, "Finding good allies."
*** Hitomi was overwhelmed when they got inside the practice center. It was pink, just like everything else associated with Piffle Princess, and there were a bunch of registers with Piffle Princess Employees behind them. Hitomi was so amazed at the huge room, that she didn't notice that her comrades had gone ahead. "Coming Hitomi?" Kimiko yelled to her.
Hitomi quickly snapped out of it, "Eeek!" she squealed and ran to catch up.
"We'd like to rent a practice center, please." Keiichi smiled. "An hour and a half session please."
"Ah, I know you," the woman behind the desk smiled. "You're Keiichi Tendo, the winner of the Tournament we hosted last month."
"Really Keiichi?" Hitomi became starry-eyed, "That's SOOOO incredible!"
"Oh please," Keiichi rubbed the back of his head modestly, "It was a small tournament, only about 35 deuses."
"Thirty five???!!!" Hitomi squealed. "That is the coolest!"
"Ahh..." Keiichi smiled taking it all in. Megumi huffed and cut in.
"One practice room please," she growled.
"Card or Cash?" the cashier giggled.
"Card?" Hitomi asked.
"She means your Angel card," Kimiko commented. She opened her wallet and took out a pink lined card with an Angel Egg on the top of it that had the words, ANGELIC LAYER on it. On it, it had her name, KIMIKO KORATO, and her Angels Name, SPIRA. "Card," Kimiko handed the woman her card and the woman scanned it.
"I'll be taking 300 points off your card, is that okay?" she asked. Hitomi froze.
"YOU DON'T HAVE TO TREAT ME!" she quickly yelled to Kimiko. "I don't want you to lose points because of me!"
"Oh please," Kimiko put the card back in her wallet after it was scanned. "300 points isn't even one battle," But Kimiko still noticed the worried look on Hitomi's face, "Hey, it's really okay Hitomi-chan."
"Well..." Hitomi grimaced.
Kimiko rolled her eyes, "Hey to pay me back, treat me to a Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cone."
Hitomi froze, smiling, "Your favorite Ice Cream is Mint Chocolate Chip?"
"Yeah," Kimiko smiled.
"Me too!" Hitomi laughed.
"Well, then we'll have some together!"
"You'll be in room 2," Kimiko turned around and took the key from the cashier.
"Thank you ma'am," she bowed and Hitomi did the same.
"C'mon, Mr. Modest," Megumi sighed and she pulled Keiichi by the ear into the practice room. Sanosuke rolled his eyes and trudged into practice room behind them.
*** Hitomi gasped with delight at the practice room. It had a large layer in the middle of the room and couches were around the layer. Food was set out and a Kareoke machine was at the corner of the room. Kimiko quickly ran over to the layer and placed Spira on one of the seats. "I CALL DIBS WITH HITOMI!" she yelled and Keiichi huffed.
"But I wanted to show her some new moves."
"Too slow!" Kimiko stuck out her tongue. She smiled at Hitomi. "Quick Hitomi, put on your goggles."
"Ri..right!" Hitomi stumbled and put down her bag on one of the couches. She took Ikaya in her hands and ran over to the vacant seat. She placed Ikaya on the layer and put the goggles that were attached to the layer on her head.
"Now what?" Hitomi asked, puzzled.
"Press the button on the side of the goggles," Kimiko instructed. Hitomi did so and gasped.
"Wow, I can see something!"
"Good, cause if you couldn't, it would be a waste of 300 points." Kimiko laughed. "Now take Ikaya in your hands." Hitomi picked Ikaya up gently. "Now I'm going to turn on the layer." Kimiko switched something under the table and a light force field appeared around the layer. Hitomi gasped. "Now watch me closely," Kimiko instructed. Every bit of Hitomi's attention was on Kimiko. Kimiko took a deep breath and threw Spira into the forcefield! Kimiko then looked like she was concentrating hard. The minute Spira was completely inside the force field, her eyes opened(they were blue) and she did a fantastic air somersault to land on the layer gracefully. Hitomi clapped.
"That was amazing!" she laughed. "How can I do it?"
Kimiko smiled, "To move your angel in Angelic Layer you have to think and visualize your angel's movements." Hitomi nodded, listening closely, "Now, you're going to have to throw Ikaya into the layer and imagine her landing on her feet."
"All right here I go!" she took a deep breath and then threw Ikaya into the layer. Hitomi concentrated hard. She visualized Ikaya landing. She thought to Ikaya desperately, 'Land, land!' Ikaya entered the force field and opened her green eyes. Hitomi concentrated with all her might. Ikaya was falling, Hitomi didn't try a somersault or anything fancy, she just wanted her to land. 'Land, land!' she thought. Ikaya was getting close to the ground. Hitomi concentrated as hard as she could and...
...she landed. Not very gracefully mind you, she had stumbled and almost tripped, but she had landed! Hitomi felt great. Her first practice and she could already make her angel land inside the layer.
"Great job!," Kimiko smiled. "Now, I'll yell out commands and you have Ikaya do them."
Hitomi nodded and refocused her attention back to the layer. "Punch Right!" Kimiko yelled, Hitomi concentrated and Ikaya did the action. "Kick Left!" Another move executed. "Run!" Ikaya ran around the layer, "Jump!"...
After about an hour and fifteen minutes Ikaya had gotten used to basic layer movements, punching, kicking, running, jumping, aerial attacks, and Kimiko had even showed her some new moves. "Thanks Kimiko," Hitomi smiled. "This was really great help for Ikaya and me."
"Don't mention it," Kimiko smiled, "You've got a knack for this game too. I've never seen a deus get used to Angelic Layer so fast," she paused, "Except her..."
Hitomi looked at the befuddled look on Kimiko's face. "Her who?" she asked.
"Misaki Suzuhara," Keiichi cut in, "Deus of Hikaru."
"HIKARU!?" Hitomi squealed. "She's the reason I built Ikaya!"
"Really?" Megumi asked, "Can I put that in the column?"
"Yeah!" Hitomi smiled, "She taught me to defy the odds, and it doesn't matter what your parameters are, or your emphasis," she hugged Ikaya closely, "It's all about the heart of the deus and the angel."
"Aww...how sappy," The five heard a harsh voice from behind them and they wheeled around. In front of them were three girls, wearing blue and golden uniforms. They looked to be Sophomores in High School, and they didn't look friendly. The one who had spoken, was in the middle of the three. She had long black hair in a ponytail and was VERY tall. Almost 6"1'. Her green eyes were looking menacing. The ones next to her looked like her flunkies. The one to her left had dark brown hair in braids, had hazel eyes, and wore a big blue bow on the top of her head. The one to the tall girl's right, had short blonde hair, with a small bon-bon ponytail on the right side of the top of her head. "Oh please," the black haired girl snorted, "Only losers think that."
Hitomi grew red in the face and got furious, "That's not true!" she yelled. "Look at Hikaru!"
"Hikaru's got skills," the girl smirked, "You...hmmm...what's the word I'm looking for," she taunted Hitomi, "oh yeah! Don't."
Hitomi was REALLY angry now. She was ready to punch the girl right in the face, when Keiichi, sensing danger, stepped forward.
"Our time is not up," he said flatly, "Please leave."
"But you left the door open for us, so courteously," the girl laughed. She pointed to the open door.
"No, we didn't!" Megumi said, astonished. "I remember that I locked the door! They lock automatically!"
"But my paperclip here," the girl held up a bent paperclip. A lockpick, "Says otherwise."
"We heard that Keiichi Tendo is practicing in here," the blonde girl finally spoke, "And Akari-chan wants to challenge him to a match."
The black haired girl, now revealed as Akari smirked, "Not like you'll last more than five minutes," Akari made her way over to Keiichi and seductively pushed his chin up with her fingers, "So," she smirked, "How about it?"
"No," he said, quite frankly.
"What?" Akari backed off.
"It states in the rules of Angelic Layer, that a match must be confirmed by both deus's, or the pursuer of the match may be suspended from Angelic Layer," he said, keeping a straight, poker face.
Akari looked flustered, even mad, until she noticed the rest of the group behind him. Her expression changed, and she smiled, "Maybe you'll be more willing, once I introduce myself and my friends to your..." she paused looking for the words, "Posse." Akari went over and shook Hitomi's hand, "I'm Akari, and she's Fuko," she pointed to the blonde girl, "And she's Usada," she pointed the brown-haired girl. "And you are?" she asked to everyone.
"Hitomi Masamichi," Hitomi stared the girl down, she was still mad.
"Kimiko Korato."
"Sanosuke Korato."
"Meg...Me...Megumi Tendo," Megumi finally spit out, and Akari smiled making her way over to Megumi. Hitomi watched her carefully. Although she and Megumi were the same age, she felt like an older sister to her.
"Ahh...so you're wonder boy's sister?" Akari smiled and put out her hand. "Pleased to meetcha."
Megumi was a little scared but she stuck out her hand all the same. They were about to connect...
"GOTCHA!" Akari snapped the strap from Megumi's neck, causing her digital camera to fall onto the plastic floor...
"MY CAMERA!" Megumi lunged for it, but it was too late. The camera had been smashed. The LCD was in pieces, and the lens was bent and cracked. Only the memory card survived. Megumi looked at it for a couple seconds, her eyes tearing up, and then she whispered...ever so silently..., "How could you?"
Keiichi's face was burning. He sprinted over to Akari and held her up by the uniform collar, "YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT! LITERALLY!" he pulled back his fist to punch her when Akari spoke.
"How about we settle this in a match?" she smiled, "If I lose than I'll buy your sister a new and even better camera," she laughed, "But if you lose than I do nothing, and your sister has no camera."
"I'll just tell the authorities," Keiichi insisted.
"I'll just deny it," Akari smiled, "As will my girls. You have no proof, except your own word." Keiichi grimaced, "It's the layer or nothing."
"All right," Keiichi threw her down, "I'll fight you."
"Not alone you won't!" Hitomi butted in., "I'll fight too!"
"And me too!" Kimiko stepped in.
"Fine," Akari shrugged, "Us against you. Best two out of three."
"I'll sign us up for structured battles," Fuko collected their angel cards with a smirk and went out the door.
"I'll have to go with her," Hitomi said sternly, "I don't have an angel card yet, and I have to pay."
Hitomi walked out the door, leaving the menacing group and ran for the register that Fuko was at. The cashier was scanning each of their cards and Fuko was telling her the right teams and match-ups. Hitomi stepped forward, "I'm in it too," she said to the cashier, "How much?"
"250 yen please," the cashier smiled and Hitomi paid from her change purse. The cashier entered Hitomi's name and Angel name into the computer and she gasped. "Oh my!" she was delighted, "So many popular deuses. I simply MUST announce this over the intercom." Before Hitomi could say no the woman grabbed her microphone and started, "ATTENTION ALL DEUSES AND SPECTATORS! ATTENTION ALL DEUSES AND SPECTATORS! THERE IS A TEAM TOURNAMENT FIGHT ABOUT TO BEGIN IN TOURNAMENT ROOM C! I REPEAT, TOURNAMENT ROOM C!" Hitomi got a little nervous, knowing that people would actually be watching her match, "THE FOLLOWING DEUSES AND ANGELS WILL BE FIGHTING THERE TODAY. FIRST MATCH! HITOMI MASMICHI AND ANGEL IKAYA VS. USADA SABASHI WITH ANGEL KUNORAI!" People at first looked at the speakers oddly, wondering who Ikaya was, but when Kunorai was introduced, at least half the room got up to go watch. "SECOND MATCH!" the woman continued, "KIMIKO KORATO AND ANGEL SPIRA!" More murmurs from the crowd. More got up to go watch, "VS. FUKO HANABASHI AND ANGEL CHAN-CHAN!" A lot of boys blushed and ran to the tournament room. Hitomi pouted and Fuko smirked, "AND FINAL MATCH, POSSIBLY THE MOST EXCITING ONE OF ALL, KEIICHI TENDO AND ANGEL DANICHI," Hitomi sweatdropped when she heard every girl in the building squeal and stampede towards the tournament room, "VS. AKARI MORONE AND ANGEL RONSA!" A lot of people in the waiting room gasped and got up to go watch. Hitomi guessed that Akari was pretty well known. She smiled at the match-up. Good, she thought, Now he'll be able to get revenge for Megumi! Soon the entire waiting room was cleared out. Hitomi guessed everyone was at the tournament room.
"Well," Fuko smirked, "Shall we go?"
"Yeah!" Hitomi lowered her eyes and started to walk with Fuko into the Deus's entrance room. Fuko stayed a little in front of Hitomi, and Hitomi eyed her angrily every second.
"By the way," Fuko turned around to face Hitomi. Hitomi had to stop herself on a dime to stop from running into Fuko, "Good luck."
Hitomi froze and gave Fuko and odd look. Good luck? she thought. This girl was friends with one of the meanest people she had ever met. What in the world was going on?
"Against Usada," she gave Hitomi a stern look, "You're going to need it."
With that, Fuko turned on her heel and continued to walk down the hall. Hitomi looked at her, eyebrows raised. Was Usada really good? I mean, she seemed so timid, nothing like the usual champion type. Was she better than Ikaya and her? Hitomi lowered her head. She had only played for about an hour. Maybe she wasn't ready. Hitomi breathed deeply for a bit, then snapped back to her senses. 'No way!' she thought. 'It doesn't matter about experience! I mean, look at Misaki Suzuhara! She had almost 0 experience when she started Angelic Layer!' With that in her mind, Hitomi ran forward to catch up to Fuko.
*** "FASTER OGATA, FASTER!"
"SIR I'M GOING AS FAST AS I CAN!"
"IF WE'RE NOT AT PIFFLE PRINCESS IN 5 MINUTES THEN I'LL KILL YOU!"
"AHHHH! YES SIR!" Poor Ogata had been forced to take his psychotic boss to Piffle Princess, after rescuing him from the tree. But it was taking longer then most would have expected, as Ogata had no vehicle. Instead, Icchan had insisted that they hitch hike. Unfortunately, no one really WANTED to pick up a lab coat wearing, crazy glasses wearing man, and his assistant, so poor Ogata had been forced to jump on the top of cars. But even this was made worse, by the fact that Ogata had to jump to a different car almost every minute, as Icchan instructed. And the worst part was that Ogata had his crazy boss tied to his back. "Sir, can we PLEASE take a break?" the unfortunate assistant whined.
"OF COURSE NOT, OGATA!" Icchan yelled, "I TOLD YOU, IF YOU'RE NOT AT PIFFLE PRINCESS IN 5 MINUTES THAN DEATH TO YOU!" he stopped and glanced at his watch, "MAKE THAT 4 MINUTES!"
"AHHHH! I WON'T FAIL YOU SIR!" And the poor Ogata continued to jump from vehicle to vehicle...(You'd think he'd just quit...)
*** Hitomi took deep even breaths, from her nervousness, in the waiting room, where Keiichi and Kimiko had joined her just moments before.
"Don't have a spaz, Hitomi!" Kimiko laughed, "It's just a match."
"But it's my first match!" Hitomi insisted, "And there are people watching!"
"Well what would you have watching?" Keiichi smirked, "Furry creatures?"
Hitomi blushed and Kimiko giggled, but after that she still saw that Hitomi was worried, "Don't worry!" Kimiko reassured her, "You'll kick butt for sure!"
"Yeah..." Hitomi tried to assure herself, but she then remembered Fuko's words, 'Against Usada, you're going to need it.' What did that mean? Akari seemed to be the leader, so her Angel was probably the strongest, and Fuko was very out there, the perfect type for a powerful angel, but Usada, Usada seemed calm and reserved. She hadn't even talked during their first meeting.
"AND NOW!" Hitomi was taken out of her trance by the booming voice of the announcer, "WE BRING YOU A TEAM MATCH OF GARGATUTAIN PORPORTIONS!" the entire hall cheered with excitement, and with a gulp, Hitomi could tell there were a lot of people.
"Hitomi, you're on!" the next thing Hitomi knew, Kimiko had pushed her forward, and she was in the Tournament Room. Hitomi thought she was going to faint when she saw the amount of people watching. Almost every seat was taken, and there were almost 200 seats! Hitomi noticed that the layer was bigger than in the practice room, and that the seats were in the air and looked like giant eggs, with wings. Finally, after admiring the room she looked across the layer, and for the first time noticed Usada looking calm and serene with an Angel in her hands. It was dark at Usada's side so Hitomi couldn't see her angel clearly.
"FOR THE FIRST MATCH!" Hitomi turned upwards to see a man in an egg seat as well, announcing from a microphone, "IN THE EAST CORNER, WE HAVE A VETERAN DEUS WHO'S A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH, THE VIOLET DANCER, USADA SABASHI!" Many people in the hall cheered as Usada walked up to the layer, stepped inside the egg, put on her angel goggles, and floated upwards. Hitomi knew that no one in the room would know her name, and that when she was announced she would get any applause. She didn't really mind, but she would feel odd.
"AND IN THE WEST CORNER, A NEWCOMER TO THE LAYER, HITOMI MASAMICHI!"
Silence.
Just as Hitomi had expected. She blushed and started to make her way up to the egg, when she heard a sound.
Clap, clap, clap, "GO HITOMI! Whoop! Whoop!" Someone was cheering for her! But who? It was a girl's voice and it was coming from the left side of the auditorium! Hitomi tried to look around but she couldn't see well. Another girl and a boy joined in. "Hitomi! Whoop! Go Hitomi! Kick butt! SEND HER TO HELL YA LITTLE CUTIE!" People started to join in. It was like a disease, spreading through the audience, one by one! Soon the entire hall was chanting, "HITOMI, HITOMI, HITOMI, HITOMI!" Hitomi almost cried right there. With confidence, she jumped into her egg and thrust her goggles on. Whoever the girl who had started the cheer was, she sent her thanks to.
Little did she know who the girl was...
"That was really nice, Misakichi," Koutaro Kobayashi smiled.
"YEAH!" Tamayo Kizaki, crazy Kung-Fu Master exclaimed, "I CAN IMAGINE A BOOK BEING WRITTEN ABOUT YOU!" Tamayo grabbed her friend by the shoulder and thrust her hand out, "The Champion Deus who helps Newbies achieve fans!" Waterfall tears began to fall from her face, "It makes me want to cry thinking about it! MARRY ME MISAKICHI!"
"EEEKS!" the trademark phrase of Misaki Suzuhara escaped that very person's lips. Yes, the champion of the layer, Misaki Suzuhara had been the one started the cheer for the newbie Hitomi. "It was nothing really," Misaki grew red, "I just wanted to help her out. I know what it feels like to be a newbie."
"But this girl," Koutaro looked down at her, "She seems confident."
"Not confident," Misaki shook her head, "Faithful. She believes in her angel," Misaki looked down at Hitomi, who was rising into the air. "She's going to be a fierce fighter."
"AS MOST OF YOU PROBABLY KNOW," the announcer continued, "ANGEL KUNORAI IS A BALANCE TYPE, LIGHTWEIGHT MODEL! SHE'S SO GRACEFUL SHE AND HER DEUS HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE NICKNAME THE VIOLET DANCER! THEIR MOVES EVEN RIVAL KAEDE SAITOU'S ANGEL BLANCHE!" The crowd cheered again, "BUT HERE'S SOME INFO ON ANGEL IKAYA!" the crowd cheered again and Hitomi burst with happiness, "THIS IS IKAYA'S FIRST SANCTIONED BATTLE! TOUGH LUCK SHE HAD TO GO AGAINST ONE OF THE LAYERS BEST DEUSES!" People still cheered, as if showing their support for Ikaya, "BUT IT SEEMS THAT THE CROWD DOESN'T CARE!" the announcer laughed, "IKAYA, A STRANGE ANGEL, IS A LIGHTWEIGHT BUILT FOR POWER!"
The crowd murmured amongst themselves. "That's an odd choice," Tamayo scratched her head, "Aren't power types usually Heavyweight?"
"It doesn't matter," Misaki smiled, "All you have to do is believe in your angel."
"But does she have a chance?" Tamayo asked, "I mean she's going against Usada Sabashi! And that is NOT cool!"
"Experience doesn't make any difference," Misaki insisted, "You should know that from me, Tamayo-chan."
"I guess you're right," Tamayo blushed.
"But still," Koutaro's face screwed up with concentration, "It's going to be a tough battle for her." Both girls looked at him oddly. He quickly began to explain, "You see, Kunorai is so light on her feet that she evade almost any attack, and can maneuver around the other angel in no time flat," his brow furrowed, "Ikaya might not be able to catch her."
Misaki looked worried, while Tamayo refused to give up her cheery disposition, "YEAH RIGHT! IKAYA WILL FIND A WAY! After all," she grabbed Misaki and Koutaro by the necks, "SHE HAS THE TKM LEAUGE ON HER SIDE!"
"T...K...M?" Misaki asked timidly, blushing.
"Tamayo, Koutaro, and Misakichi of course!" Tamayo laughed. Koutaro just blushed.
"Look!" Misaki shouted, making Tamayo drop them both, "The match is about to start!"
It was true. Hitomi and Usada were both up in the air and had readied their angels. The announcer had gotten a nod from both of them, and then shouted to the crowd, "ANGEL START!"
*** "WE'RE HERE!" Ogata breathed heavily as they reached Piffle Princess tournament room C. "And with 30 seconds to spare."
"Ogata," Icchan's eyes lowered.
"Yes Chief Mihara?"
"I want you...to..."
"Yes Chief?"
"Get me a snowcone!" Icchan commanded and Ogata facefaulted.
"I thought you needed something important..." He sighed.
"SMART MOUTH ASSISTANTS WHO DON'T FOLLOW THEIR CHEIF'S ORDERS CAN TAKE TEN LAPS AROUND THE BUILDING!"
"Who said that? Not me!" Ogata quickly ran off to find a snowcone.
"IF YOU'RE NOT BACK IN 5 MINUTES I'LL PERSONALLY RING YOUR NECK!" Icchan yelled after him, but once Ogata was out of hear shot he turned to the layer. "Now, Hitomi, what have you got yourself into?"
*** Back on the layer, Hitomi was shaking from head to toe. Her first match, and from what she had heard, Usada wasn't a pushover. Couldn't she have had an EASY opponent for her first battle? Was that too much to ask? But Hitomi had no time to pity herself, as Usada was already launching her angel into the layer.
Kunorai gracefully glided down to the layer, not trying anything fancy, but her beauty and grace was more than enough to make up for it. Her feet touched the ground and Hitomi gasped at how beautiful she was.
Kunorai was definitely a violet angel. She had long flowing violet hair and long purple skirt that went down to her ankles. On her chest was a purple spiked armor plate with spikes on the top of it, and light purple armor plates that outlined her "breasts". A single purple sphere hung from the plate and under it was a purple tank top that was connect to her neck by three strings, strung with purple beads. On her arms were two sets of flowing sleeves that had elastic banding that attached to her arms. She was a very skinny angel, and small too, about as small as Ikaya, maybe a little taller.
Hitomi was overcome by the angel's beauty. It was the most beautiful angel she had ever seen. If SHE had made Kunorai, she wouldn't dare fight with her, afraid that her fragile and pale skin would be hurt. But, squinting at the layer she saw a small but VERY noticeable feature on Kunorai.
She had bear ears! Purple bear ears at that. They protruded from her head out of her head, and were hard to see, but Hitomi could tell they were there. Also, she had bear paws as well! And bear feet! It was like she was part bear, part angel. It didn't take away from Kunorai's beauty, but it made Hitomi's eyebrow go up. The crowd who was cheering at the image of Kunorai on the screen above the layer, didn't seem to mind, so Hitomi assured herself that she wouldn't either. The crowd stopped cheering for Kunorai after a while, and Hitomi knew it was her turn to jump into the ring.
Hitomi mustered up her courage, and swallowed the butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She took Ikaya in her palm and gently threw her into the layer below.
Hitomi immediately concentrated hard and Ikaya flew down to the layer. Hitomi, again didn't try anything fancy, but when Ikaya hit the layer, she had her strike a fighting pose. Ikaya bared her fists and stood on tip toe, to show Kunorai, who was strangely standing limpy across the layer, that she meant business.
"WELL," the announcer bellowed, "IT SEEMS THAT ANGEL IKAYA IS READY FOR A FIGHT! SHALL KUNORAI COMPLY?" The crowd cheered and Kunorai continued to stand still. The announcer, getting another nod of ready from both of them, raised his hand high in the air, "ANGEL BATTLE START!" a buzzer sounded as he brought his hand down, and Hitomi clenched her fists together.
The first few seconds of the match were of dead silence. She's not moving. Hitomi noticed, after a second or two. I...I have to make the first move!
Ikaya leapt forward and held her fist out to contact with Kunorai's face. Her fist was centimeters away from Kunorai's face, when Kunorai shifted her head with such grace, that Ikaya sailed over her. She's fast, Hitomi thought, but she retraced that thought, She's not THAT fast, she's just....graceful. I have to find a way to break her rhythm! Ikaya began failing punches at Kunorai, one after another, Kunorai continued to dodge them.
"GAH!" Tamayo cried, "She's missing every punch! Kunorai is too fast!"
"No," Misaki quietly said. Tamayo turned to Misaki slowly, "Kunorai is a balance angel. When she was made, her deus could either choose mostly power, or mostly speed." Misaki paused, "I can tell, from the way she's dodging, that Usada chose power." Tamayo gaped at Misaki. "I actually believe...." Misaki's forehead wrinkled, "That Miss Masamichi's angel has more speed than Kunorai."
"But then why is Ikaya missing?!" Tamayo, not wavered, shouted.
"It's because Ikaya has no grace," Koutaro spoke up and Misaki nodded.
"Her deus is inexperienced, she only knows simple moves," Misaki stated, "She has not yet learned her angel's proportions or abilities. All she knows is brute force, and..." Misaki gave a worried sigh, "she cannot win like that."
Meanwhile in the audience...
Ikaya continued to throw punches and kicks at Kunorai, missing every time. "Every kick or punch she throws is throwing her off balance," Yuki looked worriedly at the match. "She needs a couple second to regain it. Miss Sabashi is waiting for the opportune moment."
"What opportune moment?" Sanosuke asked, dumbfounded.
"When Ikaya puts out the most force in a fit of frustration and completely loses all momentum." Yuki turned her gaze to Usada, who was looking at the match, unmoving. "I'm frightened."
Hitomi was beginning to get worried. Why am I always missing? Even if Kunorai is fast, at least one of my punches should have made contact... What am I doing wrong? Ikaya threw another kick at Kunorai's face, only to have it dodged.
"IT SEEMS IKAYA'S FORCE ISNT' ENOUGH FOR "THE VIOLET DANCER"! DEUS HITOMI MASAMICHI, HOW WILL YOU SURVIVE?"
"Hitomi isn't realizing that brute force isn't enough," Kimiko sighed watching inside the waiting room on a TV in the corner.
"Your friend can't win against Usada," Akari stated plainly.
Kimiko glared at Akari, "Hitomi WILL win! She'll figure it out!"
"I hope so..." Keiichi watched the Television grimly. "C'mon Hitomi..."
*** What's wrong? What's wrong? WHAT'S WRONG!? Hitomi became disgruntled. She kept missing! Why? Kunorai just kept dodging and dodging! She WOULD hit her! In a fit of anger, Ikaya through a giant punch, one that would have knocked any angel out of the layer, only to have Kunorai move gracefully out of the way and have Ikaya fall completely over and roll across the layer!
"WATCH OUT! IT'S COMING!" Yuki stood up and screamed from the audience.
"HITOMI!" Icchan yelled from the stands. "WATCH OUT!"
But it was too late. Kunorai turned on her heel and jumped into the air. She started to come down on Ikaya's frail body, still vulnerable on the layer. I have to get out of the way... But Hitomi was immobilized by fear. She couldn't move, she couldn't think. All she could do was scream, "IKAYA!"
With the force of a ton of bricks, Kunorai came down on Ikaya, smashing her straight in the stomach. Groans were heard from the crowd as Ikaya's damage points dropped down to 40%. "OUCH THAT'S GOT TO HURT!" Hitomi heard the announcer say. "Kunorai came down like a dive bomb on poor Ikaya! Can she stand?"
Hitomi gasped at the damage Ikaya had been given. Damage reports were coming up on her goggles. She felt tears form in her eyes. No...Ikaya....I didn't mean to get you hurt....maybe I should just give up...it would be best... for y--
"DON'T GIVE UP MASAMICHI!" Hitomi turned around in her egg to see Sanosuke yelling from the stands, "IF YOU GIVE UP, THEN I'M GOING TO TELL ALL THE KIDS AT SCHOOL THAT YOUR A BIG WUSS WHO DOESN'T BELIEVE IN HER ANGEL! SO GET YOUR GOOD FOR NOTHING BUTT OUT THERE AND KICK THAT ANGEL ALL THE WAY FROM HERE TO HONG KONG!"
Hitomi stared at Sanosuke for a second, confused, but then smiled warmly at him. She nodded and returned her attention to the layer. This isn't over Ikaya, get up! Let's go again! With much difficulty, Ikaya feebly stood, and Kunorai again remained still.
"WOW, ANGEL IKAYA IS STANDING! NOT MANY ANGEL'S COULD STAND A DIVE BOMB FROM BALANCE POWER ANGEL KUNORAI!"
Hitomi froze, You mean, she isn't emphasized on speed? Her balance is power? Then why did I keep missing if she's just as fast as I am? Hitomi remembered her last punch, how she had fallen over...because of excessive force! She had it figured out! Every time Kunorai dodge, because of all the force she had put behind Ikaya's punches and kicks, she had been thrown off and not had been able to counter fast enough. Well, I've figured it out, but now what? Hitomi thought long and hard until she finally thought of a plan and was ready to execute it.
"Give up now!" Hitomi heard a small voice calling out to her. She looked across the layer to see it was Usada who had spoken. This was the first time Hitomi had heard her speak, and she noticed that her voice was small, but harsh at the same time. "You can't win, you might as well give up."
Hitomi smirked, "NEVER! Ikaya and I will fight to the end, no matter how graceful or powerful your angel is!"
"But you're going to lose!"
"I believe in Ikaya, we WON'T lose!"
"How can you believe in your angel, it's a bunch of mechanical parts and wires!"
"No way!" Hitomi angrily stood up in her seat. "Angels have a soul! I know it!" Usada looked at her oddly. "Ikaya's got the soul of a loyal friend who doesn't care what others think of her! She'd never give up on me, and I'm not about to give up on her!"
Usada looked at Hitomi for the longest time. "You're crazy! Angels aren't like that!" Hitomi saw something sparkle on Usada's face, and noticed she was crying. "HOW CAN SOMETHING LIKE A TOY HELP YOU AND BE YOUR FRIEND WHEN REAL PEOPLE CAN'T?!"
Hitomi was taken aback by the comment. "Usada...." she whispered.
"WHAT'S THIS?" the announcer yelled and Hitomi turned to the layer. Kunorai had turned around and was walking towards the crying Usada. Kunorai stopped inches away from the edge of the layer and held up her arms to Usada. Usada stopped crying for a second and looked down at the angel that wanted to embrace her deus. Usada looked at Kunorai and said quietly, "But how...?"
"It's because you wanted someone to comfort you!" Hitomi said to Usada from across the layer. "You thought it and Kunorai reached out to you. She understands your pain, because she knows what your pain is." Usada looked up at Hitomi, dumbfounded, and Hitomi smiled, "She's someone you can talk to."
"Understands my pain?" Usada looked down at Kunorai, whose arms were still outstretched, and smiled. "Let's go Masamichi, this match is far from over!"
"Right," Hitomi smiled. Kunorai regained her silent stance and Hitomi decided that now was the best time to execute the plan. Ikaya struck another fighting pose and stared Kunorai down. Let's go Ikaya!
In a sweeping motion, Ikaya ran forward and unleashed another punch at Kunorai. Kunorai did a sweeping left dodge and everyone gasped, but then, in another sweeping motion...
Ikaya made a sideways punch that connected straight with Kunorai's face! The crowd cheered to see Ikaya make contact, but Hitomi ignored them. While Kunorai was off guard, Ikaya quickly did a sweeping kick that sent her sprawling across the layer. Then, with amazing force, Ikaya jumped up into the air and brought down the same dive bomb kick that Kunorai had used on her just minutes before! WHAM! And that brought Kunorai's damage gauge down to 20%!
"WHAT A COMEBACK! ANGEL IKAYA HAS JUST USED THE SAME DIVEBOMB KICK AS KUNORAI TO BRING THE FRAGILE ANGEL DOWN TO 20% HEALTH! HOW WILL KUNORAI COMEBACK?!"
The crowd cheered immensely and with only 2 minutes remaining on the clock, the tension was beginning to build.
"I can't believe it!" Tamayo cheered, "She's like a mini Misakichi!"
"Mini Misakichi?" Koutaro asked sweatdropping.
"GO HITOMI, SEND YOUR OPPONENTS TO HELL! TKM IS ON YOUR SIDE!" Tamayo screeched through the hall, making Koutaro and Misaki fall over.
Usada looked horrified at the events, then smiled, "I see you've found a little grace." she gripped the bar on her seat forcefully, "Fine! Then it's just you and me!" Kunorai then got up on her feet, and struck a fighting pose. Ikaya put up her fists and stood ready and waiting for the attack.
"GO KUNORAI!" Usada yelled to the layer and Kunorai lunged forward, fist raised.
"IKAYA!" Hitomi shouted and Ikaya followed suit, running towards Kunorai with her fist outstretched.
"IT'S AN ALL OUT, NO TRICKS, FIST TO FIST SHOWDOWN FOLKS! KUNORAI HAS NO MORE TRICKS UP HER SLEEVE AND IKAYA DOESN'T SEEM TO EITHER! THE ONE WITH THE MOST FORCE WILL WIN THIS MATCH!"
"KUNORAI!"
"IKAYA!"
In a split second the fists connected and both angels fell backwards onto the layer! Sparks flew and in a split second they were both sprawled on the ground.
"MY GOODNESS! WHICH PUNCH MADE THE MOST CONTACT? LET'S SEE!"
Everyone in the stadium turned to damage screen, where on the damage bars was the word, CALCULATING. The crowd held their breath, and Hitomi felt her heart stop. Then, so suddenly the results appeared.
The hall burst into applause when they saw that Ikaya still had 5% health left, while Kunorai had been reduced to 0! Hitomi was so happy she almost cried. Usada looked down at the layer and shook her head. Both chairs lowered and Hitomi picked up Ikaya lovingly. "Thank you for doing such a great job for me Ikaya." Hitomi looked over to see Usada, on the brink of tears, holding Kunorai.
"Ahh....," Tamayo sighed, "She's sad she lost."
"No," Misaki interrupted her. She turned to Tamayo and smiled, "Those are tears of joy."
"I'm sorry Usada," Hitomi finally said, when she had made her way over to Usada, "I'm sorry I hurt Kunorai."
"That's all right," Usada looked up and she was smiling, but crying at the same time, "You're the better deus, you deserved to win!"
Hitomi looked at her, stunned, "But you're a big shot deus around the Kanto region! You have way more experience then I do!"
"But you believe in your angel," smiled Usada, "Even when there seemed no way to win, you still kept fighting!" Usada looked down at her lap. "I could never do that."
"But I had help!" Hitomi insisted. Usada looked up at her, her eyebrows raised, "From my friends," Hitomi smiled, "Without them, I really WOULD have just given up."
Usada did not smile, she just continued to cry and look down at her lap. Hitomi stared at her long and hard, "What's wrong?"
"Remember during our fight when I said that dolls couldn't be your friends, when even people can't?" Usada wiped away her tears, and Hitomi nodded, "Akari and Fuko aren't really my friends. They just use me to win team matches and be their flunky." Usada's eyes became glassy, "I'm just a pawn. It all started when I won my first match." Usada's eyes glazed over, as if she was remembering the moment, "Akari and Fuko saw me, and asked me if I wanted to go to Akari's house with them to practice. At first it was fun," Usada laughed, "We swam, ate, played games, played with our angels. But then," Usada grimaced, "They started to get mean. They yelled at me whenever I didn't win a match, called me a lame player," Hitomi's fingers balled into fists, "I have no real friends. I've never had any real friends. I guess I started playing Angelic Layer to find some, but instead I found dictators, not friends."
Hitomi looked at Usada sympathetically, then put her hand on her shoulder, "If you want, I can be your friend!" Usada looked up at her astonished.
"You mean...even after all that Akari did?"
"Yep!" Hitomi smiled, "Friends don't hold grudges!"
Usada stared at Hitomi for a while, then smiled a huge smile, and followed Hitomi out of the room.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
FINALLY! Chapter three complete! God, I hated this chapter. It was TOO long! 24 pages on Microsoft Word. Oh well! You have a taste of the important characters, but the fun is only beginning!
Next Battle: Kimiko vs. Fuko – The Gold Clad Warrior- Kimiko's Defeat?- Ready? ANGEL START!
PS: For full views of all angels' armor visit my fanfiction page for the links!
"Yeah mom!" Hitomi laughed as she fitted her armor onto Ikaya, "Look!"
Hitomi's mother smiled. Out of the Angel armor cloth from the toy store Hitomi had made a very lovely outfit for her angel. The silver haired angel wore a white shiny top with no sleeves, that went all the way up her neck, yet didn't cover her belly button. It had a large, green, elevated circle in the middle of it. She had a pair of green armor pieces on her wrists and knees. On her hands was a pair of white gloves with green tips on the fingers and tops. She wore a white pair of shorts that went halfway down her thighs, and there was only a small view of skin before it met a pair of long white boots. On her feet were a pair of large green, armored shoes that sparkled in the light of Hitomi's room. From the back of the top came two large skinny cloth pieces that stuck out for a short while, then folded over. The ends had pointed tips and a green, elevated circle was on each of them. Hitomi's mother smiled at the large green bow Hitomi had put in her angel's hair, and waist, and from the bow in her hair came a pair of green angel cords with small, points at the ends.
"It looks great," Hitomi's mom beamed and gave back Ikaya to Hitomi.
"It's a her, Mom," Hitomi huffed, "Not an it!"
"What did you name her?" Hitomi's mom asked, rolling her eyes.
"Ikaya." Hitomi eyes twinkled at the sound of the name.
"She's lovely," Hitomi's mom laughed, "But now it's time for bed."
Hitomi pouted. She had wanted to play with Ikaya a bit more, but her fatigue took over and she got into bed. She placed Ikaya on her night-stand and kissed her goodnight. Hitomi's mother did the same to Hitomi and she then turned out the lights.
"Good night," Hitomi whispered to Ikaya, "my destiny."
*** That morning Hitomi ate her breakfast at an alarmingly fast rate. Her mother and Tasuki watched her with an odd expression. "Don't choke," Tasuki teased.
Hitomi shot him a look, "Only when I see you."
"Now, kids," their mother gave them a warning look and they both returned to their food. "So," Hitomi's mom started to clear the dishes as Hitomi started to pack up her backpack. "Why the rush?"
"I want to catch the daily Angelic Layer Morning Match at the Mall Square!" Hitomi swallowed the last of her food and started to clear her plate. "I might as well watch the pros fight," she turned off the water after the plate was clean and placed it in the dishwasher, "After all, Ikaya and I are going to be one's someday."
"I see that you'll be a modest champion," Tasuki smirked. "When you do make it big, can I tell people that I'm your brother? It would be such an honor."
Hitomi fumed at him and was about to explode when her mother, spotting danger, stepped in, "How is your angel going?"
"I've finished all of her," Hitomi smiled, regaining her sunny disposition. "I can't wait to start practicing,"
"Are you going to show your friends?"
Hitomi paused, "No," she said. Tasuki did a spit take with his miso soup.
"What?!" he yelled. "You share everything with your little "group!" "
Hitomi shot him a death look but then returned to her backpack. "I just want something to be special for only me." she stated plainly, "Something different."
Hitomi's mother smiled. "All right," she said. "But you better get your butt to school. I'll start the car."
*** After what seemed like forever, Hitomi arrived at the Mall and ran to the main square. She couldn't wait! When she got to the square she saw hundreds of people, some with their angels, watching the match. It was already a minute into it, but Hitomi managed to squeeze through the crowd with Ikaya to see the screen. When she finally got a good look at the screen, she gasped!
It was the Legendary Lightspeed Suzuka vs. Angel Zefie! Suzuka led by legendary 5th grader, Hatako Kobayashi! Suzuka was dressed as a female ninja with a fish net body stocking under her huge sleeved leather outfit. She had a short black skirt on and long black boots and gloves. Her blue hair was put into a high ponytail where a bell hung, a disguised angel cord.
Angel Zefie was a veteran angel, and had made it to the Nationals last year. Her deus was a girl that looked to be a year older than Hitomi, in a red and black uniform. Zefie, however, had long white hair that reached the ground and a long white skirt. She wore a baggy white tank top with long flowing sleeves starting at her elbows. From her neck two white angel cords protruded.
So far Zefie was at 60% health, while Suzuka was at 75%. Zefie looked tired but Suzuka was keeping her cool. Zefie's deus was looking scared, while Hatako remained calm. Out of no where, Zefie charged at Suzuka. Zefie jumped into the air and with her leg extended, fell towards Suzuka. Rapidly she began to spin in a circle, again, and again, and again.
"THIS IS IT FOLKS!" the announcer cried, "ANGEL ZEFIE'S AURA KICK!"
Hitomi gasped, "LOOK OUT!" she yelled to Suzuka. People turned to look at her, but Hitomi was too busy watching as Suzuka, in a flash of light grabbed Zefie's leg and threw her across the layer. In a spectacular crash, Zefie's damage gauge went to 0 immediately! Suzuka, without lifting a finger, had won the match! "YES!" Hitomi yelled loudly, and, she could have sworn that she saw Ikaya smile faintly as well.
***
Although Hitomi didn't want her friends to know she played Angelic Layer, she brought Ikaya to school. Throughout the entire day she kept Ikaya in her desk, making sure no one else saw her. During lunch she kept her in her backpack and when people asked her about what she was always fiddling with under her desk, she made up lies, like she had lotion, or was reading a book.
By the end of the day, Hitomi was exhausted from hiding Ikaya. As she said goodbye to each of her friends, she remembered that she had told her mom that she was going to Piffle Princess to practice with Ikaya. Angelic Layer was really popular at her school, so she had done some eavesdropping and had found out how to practice while not at home. Since her mom knew where she was going, she had approved of it, but not with much enthusiasm.
"Goodbye!" Kanako yelled to Hitomi as her car drove off. Hitomi waved and waved and waved, until finally Kanako's car turned the corner. The minute Kanako was out of sight, Hitomi started walking down the street. She gingerly opened her backpack and took out Ikaya. As she walked down the street toward the Training Center, she wondered about Angelic Layer.
"I wonder how I'm going to make Ikaya move on the Layer like on TV," she thought. She then stared down at Ikaya, and smiled, "But no matter what I'm sure that you'll come through for me." Hitomi held Ikaya close to her, "We'll do just fine,"
"ICCHAN GO BOOM!" Hitomi jumped a foot as Icchan came flying down from a telephone pole, attached by a telephone wire, and flying in the air like a bird. He swooped down at pointed at her, while still in midair. "WHAT WAS THAT, YOUNG LADY?" Hitomi looked at him oddly, "GETTING CUDDLY WITH OUR ANGEL I SEE?" Icchan put on a dreamy voice, "Oh Ikaya, I know you'll come through for me! I wuv you!" Hitomi started to back off from Icchan. He quickly caught this, "WHAT'S THE MATTER? COME ON!" he unlatched himself from the wire and laughed, "People with a sense of humor call it sarcasm." He faintly smiled, "Haven't used that line in a while."
Hitomi's head went on its side, "What do you mean?"
"N-nothing!" he quickly covered, "Uh...wonderful weather we're having!"
"You bet," Hitomi smiled as they began to walk down the street. Icchan sighed a sigh of relief.
"So how's your angel coming along?" he asked as they crossed the street.
"I've finished her!" Hitomi smiled, pulling out Ikaya.
Icchan took Ikaya in his hands, gingerly, and looked her over, "You did a great job." Icchan looked over her frame, "That's odd," he looked at Ikaya's joints skeptically.
"What?" Hitomi asked, looking over Icchan's shoulder.
"She's a lightweight model," Icchan began, still turning over Ikaya in his hands. "But she's built for power,"
"Yeah," Hitomi said, "What's wrong with that?"
"Nothing," Icchan started to bend the legs, "It's just that usually heavyweight angels are power, and lightweight angels are speed." Icchan smiled and handed Ikaya back to Hitomi, "Not the other way around."
"Parameters don't matter," Hitomi said sternly, "It's all about the heart that a deus puts into their angel."
"You've already learned Step one of Angelic Layer," Icchan smiled and patted Hitomi on the head. "So," he said as they turned the corner. "What did you name her?"
"Ikaya."
"That's a good name," Icchan looked down at her, "You're like her but different,"
"Like who, Masamichi?" Hitomi turned around to see the most annoying boy in her homeroom coming towards her, Sanosuke Korato. She hated the way his untidy brown hair was always messy, and how his blue eyes matched hers. "Who're you talking to?"
"Mr. Icchan," Hitomi huffed and turned around, "Mr. Icchan meet, WHAT??!!" Hitomi realized that Mr. Icchan had disappeared, from right behind her.
"Looks like you're losing your mind, Masamichi," Sanosuke laughed. But he wouldn't have laughed if he had seen Icchan scurrying into a nearby tree. Hitomi huffed.
"If you're just here to bag on me," she turned her nose upward, "Then you can leave." She turned on her heal and started to storm the other way.
"Hey, wait up Masamichi!" Sanosuke yelled to her, and, being the Captain of the Track team, he quickly caught up with her. "What's that in your hand?" he pointed to Ikaya, still in Hitomi's hands. Hitomi quickly tried to hide her.
"Nothing," She started, but Sanosuke had already seized Ikaya from Hitomi. "Hey give her back!"
Sanosuke was looking at Ikaya strangely, "I didn't know you played with dolls, still, Masamichi," he scoffed.
Quickly, Hitomi snatched Ikaya back, and stuck out her tongue, "IKAYA IS NOT A DOLL! She's an angel, Mr. I Know Everything About Nothing!"
"You like Angelic Layer?" Hitomi turned around rapidly, as she heard another voice, but this time she smiled. It was Kimiko Korato, Sanosuke's twin sister. Hitomi and she were friendly acquaintances, and they had Physical Science and History together. Hitomi always was interested by Kimiko's long curly, died dark blue hair and black eyes, wondering if her mom would let her dye HER hair. She had never approached Kimiko, as people almost always surrounded her. "You like Angelic Layer?" she asked again.
"Y..yeah!" Hitomi sputtered out, looking at Ikaya, blushing at the fact that she had been caught staring.
"Me too!" Kimiko smiled and dug into her backpack. After about a minute, she pulled out a pink, Piffle Princess Pouch, and unzipped the zipper. With great carefulness, she pulled out a beautiful, blue Angel. "Her name is Spira!" Kimiko smiled. "She's a speed type, lightweight!" Hitomi could tell why. Spira was short, thin and had long legs. She was a bit taller than Ikaya but not much. Her hair was blue, like her deus's, but a lighter, electric blue. It was short, only to her shoulders, but shined brilliantly. She had a ponytail of hair on the top of her head that went down to her mid-back, and from the gray band that she kept it in, two shining silver angel cords came down. Her outfit astounded Hitomi. She wore a blue bikini top with silver ruffles on her chest. She also wore a short blue skirt around her hips that started just below her navel. On her elbows there were blue sleeves that held onto her arms with elastic. She had silver flowering sleeves coming from her shoulders, and she wore ten silver rings, one for each finger. On her feet were a pair of blue sandals, and gray knee-high stockings.
"She's beautiful," Hitomi breathed, looking at the glamorous angel. Although Spira was beautiful, she quickly snapped out of her trance, in order to show off Ikaya. "This is my Angel," she handed her gently to Kimiko. "She's built for--"
"Power," Kimiko cut her off.
Hitomi was stunned, "How...could you tell?"
Kimiko smiled, "When you're as into Angelic Layer as I am, you can tell at a glance." She gave Ikaya another look, "But it's strange."
"I know," It was Hitomi's turn to cut Kimiko off, "She's a lightweight, but she's built for power. I just made her that way," she huffed, "It doesn't matter about parameters, it's the heart of the deus and angel that makes a winning team."
"I wasn't going to say that," Kimiko smiled, and Hitomi looked at her oddly, "It's that it doesn't seem she's ever been in a battle."
Hitomi blushed, "Well, you see," she laughed, "I'm just a newbie. I've never even played." she turned toward the street, "I was just on my way to go practice."
"Well then you can practice with us!"
"Really, Korato-san?"
"Please, call me Kimiko!"
"All right, Kimiko-Chan!"
"Oh, Hitomi-chan, you and I are going to have so much--"
"EXCUSE ME!" Sanosuke screamed at the top of his lungs to stop the girl's "powwow". After a couple seconds of silence, he finally spoke, "What do you mean us?" he gave Kimiko a reproachful look.
"Like you don't want to come," Kimiko eyed him, smirking, "I so know that you're a huge fan of Angelic Layer. You're always watching the matches at the mall." she shrugged playfully, "I don't see why you just don't buy your own angel!"
Sanosuke blushed and Hitomi giggled. Seeing Hitomi, he quickly retained his jaunty air, "So I may have glanced at a match or two while I was passing, that DOES NOT make me a huge fan!" he breathed heavily and turned on his heals, "Everyone knows Angelic Layer is for girls."
"Not true!" a shout stopped Koutaro in his tracks as they heard the voice billowing from behind them. Hitomi was forced to turn one last time around to see a girl and boy, both with white blonde hair and stunning green eyes on the curb. It had been the boy that had spoken. He had his hair slicked back with some sort of gel and was wearing the Eriol Academy High School Blue Uniform. The girl that was with him had her hair in an untidy short ponytail and was wearing the Eriol Academy Middle School Green Uniform. Around the girl's neck was a camera and Hitomi noticed this girl from her Homeroom class. She sat next to her. Megumi Tendo. "So not true!" the boy yelled again. Hitomi guessed he was a Sophomore.
"Who are you?" Sanosuke asked, looking at him indignantly.
"Keiichi Tendo," he introduced himself. "Junior at Eriol Academy High School." Hitomi had been a year off.
"And I'm Megumi Tendo," Megumi introduced herself cheerily. "Eighth Grade at Eriol Academy Middle School."
"And what you said about Angelic Layer being only for girls," Keiichi sifted through his bag, "Well then what's THIS?" with a flourish he pulled out what seemed to be a streak of green, but when Hitomi looked closer, she saw it was an Angel.
A male angel, at that. Hitomi knew they were sold, but they were rarer, and more expensive. Hardly ever seen. This one was tall and well built. He had pale skin, and long blonde hair that reached his shoulders. He had long bangs, and around his neck was a forest green choker, with an angel cord hanging from it. On his arms were long flowing green sleeves that were connected to long see-through green trench coat. He wore baggy camouflage pants, and a sleeveless green shirt that went up to his neck. He had black combat boots, and green fingerless gloves. He wore green see-through goggles over his eyes, which were closed serenely. "His name is Danichi," Keiichi brought Hitomi back to reality. "He's a heavyweight, built for Defense."
"He's SOOOO cool!" Kimiko squealed looking at him.
"I agree, he IS cool," Hitomi smiled, fawning over Danichi as well.
Quickly Kimiko pulled out Spira, "This is my Angel!" she put her forward. "She's a lightweight, built for speed."
"And this is Ikaya," Hitomi smiled, pulling Ikaya out. "A lightweight, built for power!"
Keiichi looked at Hitomi oddly then smiled, "I see that you believe in your angel, and not in its parameters."
"You bet!" Hitomi smiled.
"See, Sano?" Kimiko smiled, with hearts in her eyes, "Keiichi plays Angelic Layer, and he's way more of a guy than you'll ever be."
Sanosuke grew red and gritted his teeth, "WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?"
"Nah nah!" Kimiko stuck out her tongue.
"Why you--"
"And I'm the photographer for the Angelic Layer Monthly Newsletter!" Megumi interrupted their brawl, showing off her digital camera. She then walked over to Hitomi and smiled brightly, "Can I take a picture of Ikaya for the Newbie column?"
"Sure--" Hitomi started but then stopped. She looked at Megumi strangely, "Wait," she looked Megumi down and up, "how'd you know I was a newbie?"
Megumi smiled, "I just looked at your Angel," she said, "I can tell these sort of things."
"Well," Kimiko threw her arm around Hitomi, "You can take a picture of her in action! We're going to the Piffle Princess Training Center to go practice! Want to come?"
"Sure!" the brother and sister simultaneously said, and Sanosuke grumbled that he'd come along too.
As the five walked away from the curb, laughing and talking, Icchan smiled, while still in the tree. "Step two of Angelic Layer learned," he grinned, "Finding good allies."
*** Hitomi was overwhelmed when they got inside the practice center. It was pink, just like everything else associated with Piffle Princess, and there were a bunch of registers with Piffle Princess Employees behind them. Hitomi was so amazed at the huge room, that she didn't notice that her comrades had gone ahead. "Coming Hitomi?" Kimiko yelled to her.
Hitomi quickly snapped out of it, "Eeek!" she squealed and ran to catch up.
"We'd like to rent a practice center, please." Keiichi smiled. "An hour and a half session please."
"Ah, I know you," the woman behind the desk smiled. "You're Keiichi Tendo, the winner of the Tournament we hosted last month."
"Really Keiichi?" Hitomi became starry-eyed, "That's SOOOO incredible!"
"Oh please," Keiichi rubbed the back of his head modestly, "It was a small tournament, only about 35 deuses."
"Thirty five???!!!" Hitomi squealed. "That is the coolest!"
"Ahh..." Keiichi smiled taking it all in. Megumi huffed and cut in.
"One practice room please," she growled.
"Card or Cash?" the cashier giggled.
"Card?" Hitomi asked.
"She means your Angel card," Kimiko commented. She opened her wallet and took out a pink lined card with an Angel Egg on the top of it that had the words, ANGELIC LAYER on it. On it, it had her name, KIMIKO KORATO, and her Angels Name, SPIRA. "Card," Kimiko handed the woman her card and the woman scanned it.
"I'll be taking 300 points off your card, is that okay?" she asked. Hitomi froze.
"YOU DON'T HAVE TO TREAT ME!" she quickly yelled to Kimiko. "I don't want you to lose points because of me!"
"Oh please," Kimiko put the card back in her wallet after it was scanned. "300 points isn't even one battle," But Kimiko still noticed the worried look on Hitomi's face, "Hey, it's really okay Hitomi-chan."
"Well..." Hitomi grimaced.
Kimiko rolled her eyes, "Hey to pay me back, treat me to a Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cone."
Hitomi froze, smiling, "Your favorite Ice Cream is Mint Chocolate Chip?"
"Yeah," Kimiko smiled.
"Me too!" Hitomi laughed.
"Well, then we'll have some together!"
"You'll be in room 2," Kimiko turned around and took the key from the cashier.
"Thank you ma'am," she bowed and Hitomi did the same.
"C'mon, Mr. Modest," Megumi sighed and she pulled Keiichi by the ear into the practice room. Sanosuke rolled his eyes and trudged into practice room behind them.
*** Hitomi gasped with delight at the practice room. It had a large layer in the middle of the room and couches were around the layer. Food was set out and a Kareoke machine was at the corner of the room. Kimiko quickly ran over to the layer and placed Spira on one of the seats. "I CALL DIBS WITH HITOMI!" she yelled and Keiichi huffed.
"But I wanted to show her some new moves."
"Too slow!" Kimiko stuck out her tongue. She smiled at Hitomi. "Quick Hitomi, put on your goggles."
"Ri..right!" Hitomi stumbled and put down her bag on one of the couches. She took Ikaya in her hands and ran over to the vacant seat. She placed Ikaya on the layer and put the goggles that were attached to the layer on her head.
"Now what?" Hitomi asked, puzzled.
"Press the button on the side of the goggles," Kimiko instructed. Hitomi did so and gasped.
"Wow, I can see something!"
"Good, cause if you couldn't, it would be a waste of 300 points." Kimiko laughed. "Now take Ikaya in your hands." Hitomi picked Ikaya up gently. "Now I'm going to turn on the layer." Kimiko switched something under the table and a light force field appeared around the layer. Hitomi gasped. "Now watch me closely," Kimiko instructed. Every bit of Hitomi's attention was on Kimiko. Kimiko took a deep breath and threw Spira into the forcefield! Kimiko then looked like she was concentrating hard. The minute Spira was completely inside the force field, her eyes opened(they were blue) and she did a fantastic air somersault to land on the layer gracefully. Hitomi clapped.
"That was amazing!" she laughed. "How can I do it?"
Kimiko smiled, "To move your angel in Angelic Layer you have to think and visualize your angel's movements." Hitomi nodded, listening closely, "Now, you're going to have to throw Ikaya into the layer and imagine her landing on her feet."
"All right here I go!" she took a deep breath and then threw Ikaya into the layer. Hitomi concentrated hard. She visualized Ikaya landing. She thought to Ikaya desperately, 'Land, land!' Ikaya entered the force field and opened her green eyes. Hitomi concentrated with all her might. Ikaya was falling, Hitomi didn't try a somersault or anything fancy, she just wanted her to land. 'Land, land!' she thought. Ikaya was getting close to the ground. Hitomi concentrated as hard as she could and...
...she landed. Not very gracefully mind you, she had stumbled and almost tripped, but she had landed! Hitomi felt great. Her first practice and she could already make her angel land inside the layer.
"Great job!," Kimiko smiled. "Now, I'll yell out commands and you have Ikaya do them."
Hitomi nodded and refocused her attention back to the layer. "Punch Right!" Kimiko yelled, Hitomi concentrated and Ikaya did the action. "Kick Left!" Another move executed. "Run!" Ikaya ran around the layer, "Jump!"...
After about an hour and fifteen minutes Ikaya had gotten used to basic layer movements, punching, kicking, running, jumping, aerial attacks, and Kimiko had even showed her some new moves. "Thanks Kimiko," Hitomi smiled. "This was really great help for Ikaya and me."
"Don't mention it," Kimiko smiled, "You've got a knack for this game too. I've never seen a deus get used to Angelic Layer so fast," she paused, "Except her..."
Hitomi looked at the befuddled look on Kimiko's face. "Her who?" she asked.
"Misaki Suzuhara," Keiichi cut in, "Deus of Hikaru."
"HIKARU!?" Hitomi squealed. "She's the reason I built Ikaya!"
"Really?" Megumi asked, "Can I put that in the column?"
"Yeah!" Hitomi smiled, "She taught me to defy the odds, and it doesn't matter what your parameters are, or your emphasis," she hugged Ikaya closely, "It's all about the heart of the deus and the angel."
"Aww...how sappy," The five heard a harsh voice from behind them and they wheeled around. In front of them were three girls, wearing blue and golden uniforms. They looked to be Sophomores in High School, and they didn't look friendly. The one who had spoken, was in the middle of the three. She had long black hair in a ponytail and was VERY tall. Almost 6"1'. Her green eyes were looking menacing. The ones next to her looked like her flunkies. The one to her left had dark brown hair in braids, had hazel eyes, and wore a big blue bow on the top of her head. The one to the tall girl's right, had short blonde hair, with a small bon-bon ponytail on the right side of the top of her head. "Oh please," the black haired girl snorted, "Only losers think that."
Hitomi grew red in the face and got furious, "That's not true!" she yelled. "Look at Hikaru!"
"Hikaru's got skills," the girl smirked, "You...hmmm...what's the word I'm looking for," she taunted Hitomi, "oh yeah! Don't."
Hitomi was REALLY angry now. She was ready to punch the girl right in the face, when Keiichi, sensing danger, stepped forward.
"Our time is not up," he said flatly, "Please leave."
"But you left the door open for us, so courteously," the girl laughed. She pointed to the open door.
"No, we didn't!" Megumi said, astonished. "I remember that I locked the door! They lock automatically!"
"But my paperclip here," the girl held up a bent paperclip. A lockpick, "Says otherwise."
"We heard that Keiichi Tendo is practicing in here," the blonde girl finally spoke, "And Akari-chan wants to challenge him to a match."
The black haired girl, now revealed as Akari smirked, "Not like you'll last more than five minutes," Akari made her way over to Keiichi and seductively pushed his chin up with her fingers, "So," she smirked, "How about it?"
"No," he said, quite frankly.
"What?" Akari backed off.
"It states in the rules of Angelic Layer, that a match must be confirmed by both deus's, or the pursuer of the match may be suspended from Angelic Layer," he said, keeping a straight, poker face.
Akari looked flustered, even mad, until she noticed the rest of the group behind him. Her expression changed, and she smiled, "Maybe you'll be more willing, once I introduce myself and my friends to your..." she paused looking for the words, "Posse." Akari went over and shook Hitomi's hand, "I'm Akari, and she's Fuko," she pointed to the blonde girl, "And she's Usada," she pointed the brown-haired girl. "And you are?" she asked to everyone.
"Hitomi Masamichi," Hitomi stared the girl down, she was still mad.
"Kimiko Korato."
"Sanosuke Korato."
"Meg...Me...Megumi Tendo," Megumi finally spit out, and Akari smiled making her way over to Megumi. Hitomi watched her carefully. Although she and Megumi were the same age, she felt like an older sister to her.
"Ahh...so you're wonder boy's sister?" Akari smiled and put out her hand. "Pleased to meetcha."
Megumi was a little scared but she stuck out her hand all the same. They were about to connect...
"GOTCHA!" Akari snapped the strap from Megumi's neck, causing her digital camera to fall onto the plastic floor...
"MY CAMERA!" Megumi lunged for it, but it was too late. The camera had been smashed. The LCD was in pieces, and the lens was bent and cracked. Only the memory card survived. Megumi looked at it for a couple seconds, her eyes tearing up, and then she whispered...ever so silently..., "How could you?"
Keiichi's face was burning. He sprinted over to Akari and held her up by the uniform collar, "YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT! LITERALLY!" he pulled back his fist to punch her when Akari spoke.
"How about we settle this in a match?" she smiled, "If I lose than I'll buy your sister a new and even better camera," she laughed, "But if you lose than I do nothing, and your sister has no camera."
"I'll just tell the authorities," Keiichi insisted.
"I'll just deny it," Akari smiled, "As will my girls. You have no proof, except your own word." Keiichi grimaced, "It's the layer or nothing."
"All right," Keiichi threw her down, "I'll fight you."
"Not alone you won't!" Hitomi butted in., "I'll fight too!"
"And me too!" Kimiko stepped in.
"Fine," Akari shrugged, "Us against you. Best two out of three."
"I'll sign us up for structured battles," Fuko collected their angel cards with a smirk and went out the door.
"I'll have to go with her," Hitomi said sternly, "I don't have an angel card yet, and I have to pay."
Hitomi walked out the door, leaving the menacing group and ran for the register that Fuko was at. The cashier was scanning each of their cards and Fuko was telling her the right teams and match-ups. Hitomi stepped forward, "I'm in it too," she said to the cashier, "How much?"
"250 yen please," the cashier smiled and Hitomi paid from her change purse. The cashier entered Hitomi's name and Angel name into the computer and she gasped. "Oh my!" she was delighted, "So many popular deuses. I simply MUST announce this over the intercom." Before Hitomi could say no the woman grabbed her microphone and started, "ATTENTION ALL DEUSES AND SPECTATORS! ATTENTION ALL DEUSES AND SPECTATORS! THERE IS A TEAM TOURNAMENT FIGHT ABOUT TO BEGIN IN TOURNAMENT ROOM C! I REPEAT, TOURNAMENT ROOM C!" Hitomi got a little nervous, knowing that people would actually be watching her match, "THE FOLLOWING DEUSES AND ANGELS WILL BE FIGHTING THERE TODAY. FIRST MATCH! HITOMI MASMICHI AND ANGEL IKAYA VS. USADA SABASHI WITH ANGEL KUNORAI!" People at first looked at the speakers oddly, wondering who Ikaya was, but when Kunorai was introduced, at least half the room got up to go watch. "SECOND MATCH!" the woman continued, "KIMIKO KORATO AND ANGEL SPIRA!" More murmurs from the crowd. More got up to go watch, "VS. FUKO HANABASHI AND ANGEL CHAN-CHAN!" A lot of boys blushed and ran to the tournament room. Hitomi pouted and Fuko smirked, "AND FINAL MATCH, POSSIBLY THE MOST EXCITING ONE OF ALL, KEIICHI TENDO AND ANGEL DANICHI," Hitomi sweatdropped when she heard every girl in the building squeal and stampede towards the tournament room, "VS. AKARI MORONE AND ANGEL RONSA!" A lot of people in the waiting room gasped and got up to go watch. Hitomi guessed that Akari was pretty well known. She smiled at the match-up. Good, she thought, Now he'll be able to get revenge for Megumi! Soon the entire waiting room was cleared out. Hitomi guessed everyone was at the tournament room.
"Well," Fuko smirked, "Shall we go?"
"Yeah!" Hitomi lowered her eyes and started to walk with Fuko into the Deus's entrance room. Fuko stayed a little in front of Hitomi, and Hitomi eyed her angrily every second.
"By the way," Fuko turned around to face Hitomi. Hitomi had to stop herself on a dime to stop from running into Fuko, "Good luck."
Hitomi froze and gave Fuko and odd look. Good luck? she thought. This girl was friends with one of the meanest people she had ever met. What in the world was going on?
"Against Usada," she gave Hitomi a stern look, "You're going to need it."
With that, Fuko turned on her heel and continued to walk down the hall. Hitomi looked at her, eyebrows raised. Was Usada really good? I mean, she seemed so timid, nothing like the usual champion type. Was she better than Ikaya and her? Hitomi lowered her head. She had only played for about an hour. Maybe she wasn't ready. Hitomi breathed deeply for a bit, then snapped back to her senses. 'No way!' she thought. 'It doesn't matter about experience! I mean, look at Misaki Suzuhara! She had almost 0 experience when she started Angelic Layer!' With that in her mind, Hitomi ran forward to catch up to Fuko.
*** "FASTER OGATA, FASTER!"
"SIR I'M GOING AS FAST AS I CAN!"
"IF WE'RE NOT AT PIFFLE PRINCESS IN 5 MINUTES THEN I'LL KILL YOU!"
"AHHHH! YES SIR!" Poor Ogata had been forced to take his psychotic boss to Piffle Princess, after rescuing him from the tree. But it was taking longer then most would have expected, as Ogata had no vehicle. Instead, Icchan had insisted that they hitch hike. Unfortunately, no one really WANTED to pick up a lab coat wearing, crazy glasses wearing man, and his assistant, so poor Ogata had been forced to jump on the top of cars. But even this was made worse, by the fact that Ogata had to jump to a different car almost every minute, as Icchan instructed. And the worst part was that Ogata had his crazy boss tied to his back. "Sir, can we PLEASE take a break?" the unfortunate assistant whined.
"OF COURSE NOT, OGATA!" Icchan yelled, "I TOLD YOU, IF YOU'RE NOT AT PIFFLE PRINCESS IN 5 MINUTES THAN DEATH TO YOU!" he stopped and glanced at his watch, "MAKE THAT 4 MINUTES!"
"AHHHH! I WON'T FAIL YOU SIR!" And the poor Ogata continued to jump from vehicle to vehicle...(You'd think he'd just quit...)
*** Hitomi took deep even breaths, from her nervousness, in the waiting room, where Keiichi and Kimiko had joined her just moments before.
"Don't have a spaz, Hitomi!" Kimiko laughed, "It's just a match."
"But it's my first match!" Hitomi insisted, "And there are people watching!"
"Well what would you have watching?" Keiichi smirked, "Furry creatures?"
Hitomi blushed and Kimiko giggled, but after that she still saw that Hitomi was worried, "Don't worry!" Kimiko reassured her, "You'll kick butt for sure!"
"Yeah..." Hitomi tried to assure herself, but she then remembered Fuko's words, 'Against Usada, you're going to need it.' What did that mean? Akari seemed to be the leader, so her Angel was probably the strongest, and Fuko was very out there, the perfect type for a powerful angel, but Usada, Usada seemed calm and reserved. She hadn't even talked during their first meeting.
"AND NOW!" Hitomi was taken out of her trance by the booming voice of the announcer, "WE BRING YOU A TEAM MATCH OF GARGATUTAIN PORPORTIONS!" the entire hall cheered with excitement, and with a gulp, Hitomi could tell there were a lot of people.
"Hitomi, you're on!" the next thing Hitomi knew, Kimiko had pushed her forward, and she was in the Tournament Room. Hitomi thought she was going to faint when she saw the amount of people watching. Almost every seat was taken, and there were almost 200 seats! Hitomi noticed that the layer was bigger than in the practice room, and that the seats were in the air and looked like giant eggs, with wings. Finally, after admiring the room she looked across the layer, and for the first time noticed Usada looking calm and serene with an Angel in her hands. It was dark at Usada's side so Hitomi couldn't see her angel clearly.
"FOR THE FIRST MATCH!" Hitomi turned upwards to see a man in an egg seat as well, announcing from a microphone, "IN THE EAST CORNER, WE HAVE A VETERAN DEUS WHO'S A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH, THE VIOLET DANCER, USADA SABASHI!" Many people in the hall cheered as Usada walked up to the layer, stepped inside the egg, put on her angel goggles, and floated upwards. Hitomi knew that no one in the room would know her name, and that when she was announced she would get any applause. She didn't really mind, but she would feel odd.
"AND IN THE WEST CORNER, A NEWCOMER TO THE LAYER, HITOMI MASAMICHI!"
Silence.
Just as Hitomi had expected. She blushed and started to make her way up to the egg, when she heard a sound.
Clap, clap, clap, "GO HITOMI! Whoop! Whoop!" Someone was cheering for her! But who? It was a girl's voice and it was coming from the left side of the auditorium! Hitomi tried to look around but she couldn't see well. Another girl and a boy joined in. "Hitomi! Whoop! Go Hitomi! Kick butt! SEND HER TO HELL YA LITTLE CUTIE!" People started to join in. It was like a disease, spreading through the audience, one by one! Soon the entire hall was chanting, "HITOMI, HITOMI, HITOMI, HITOMI!" Hitomi almost cried right there. With confidence, she jumped into her egg and thrust her goggles on. Whoever the girl who had started the cheer was, she sent her thanks to.
Little did she know who the girl was...
"That was really nice, Misakichi," Koutaro Kobayashi smiled.
"YEAH!" Tamayo Kizaki, crazy Kung-Fu Master exclaimed, "I CAN IMAGINE A BOOK BEING WRITTEN ABOUT YOU!" Tamayo grabbed her friend by the shoulder and thrust her hand out, "The Champion Deus who helps Newbies achieve fans!" Waterfall tears began to fall from her face, "It makes me want to cry thinking about it! MARRY ME MISAKICHI!"
"EEEKS!" the trademark phrase of Misaki Suzuhara escaped that very person's lips. Yes, the champion of the layer, Misaki Suzuhara had been the one started the cheer for the newbie Hitomi. "It was nothing really," Misaki grew red, "I just wanted to help her out. I know what it feels like to be a newbie."
"But this girl," Koutaro looked down at her, "She seems confident."
"Not confident," Misaki shook her head, "Faithful. She believes in her angel," Misaki looked down at Hitomi, who was rising into the air. "She's going to be a fierce fighter."
"AS MOST OF YOU PROBABLY KNOW," the announcer continued, "ANGEL KUNORAI IS A BALANCE TYPE, LIGHTWEIGHT MODEL! SHE'S SO GRACEFUL SHE AND HER DEUS HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE NICKNAME THE VIOLET DANCER! THEIR MOVES EVEN RIVAL KAEDE SAITOU'S ANGEL BLANCHE!" The crowd cheered again, "BUT HERE'S SOME INFO ON ANGEL IKAYA!" the crowd cheered again and Hitomi burst with happiness, "THIS IS IKAYA'S FIRST SANCTIONED BATTLE! TOUGH LUCK SHE HAD TO GO AGAINST ONE OF THE LAYERS BEST DEUSES!" People still cheered, as if showing their support for Ikaya, "BUT IT SEEMS THAT THE CROWD DOESN'T CARE!" the announcer laughed, "IKAYA, A STRANGE ANGEL, IS A LIGHTWEIGHT BUILT FOR POWER!"
The crowd murmured amongst themselves. "That's an odd choice," Tamayo scratched her head, "Aren't power types usually Heavyweight?"
"It doesn't matter," Misaki smiled, "All you have to do is believe in your angel."
"But does she have a chance?" Tamayo asked, "I mean she's going against Usada Sabashi! And that is NOT cool!"
"Experience doesn't make any difference," Misaki insisted, "You should know that from me, Tamayo-chan."
"I guess you're right," Tamayo blushed.
"But still," Koutaro's face screwed up with concentration, "It's going to be a tough battle for her." Both girls looked at him oddly. He quickly began to explain, "You see, Kunorai is so light on her feet that she evade almost any attack, and can maneuver around the other angel in no time flat," his brow furrowed, "Ikaya might not be able to catch her."
Misaki looked worried, while Tamayo refused to give up her cheery disposition, "YEAH RIGHT! IKAYA WILL FIND A WAY! After all," she grabbed Misaki and Koutaro by the necks, "SHE HAS THE TKM LEAUGE ON HER SIDE!"
"T...K...M?" Misaki asked timidly, blushing.
"Tamayo, Koutaro, and Misakichi of course!" Tamayo laughed. Koutaro just blushed.
"Look!" Misaki shouted, making Tamayo drop them both, "The match is about to start!"
It was true. Hitomi and Usada were both up in the air and had readied their angels. The announcer had gotten a nod from both of them, and then shouted to the crowd, "ANGEL START!"
*** "WE'RE HERE!" Ogata breathed heavily as they reached Piffle Princess tournament room C. "And with 30 seconds to spare."
"Ogata," Icchan's eyes lowered.
"Yes Chief Mihara?"
"I want you...to..."
"Yes Chief?"
"Get me a snowcone!" Icchan commanded and Ogata facefaulted.
"I thought you needed something important..." He sighed.
"SMART MOUTH ASSISTANTS WHO DON'T FOLLOW THEIR CHEIF'S ORDERS CAN TAKE TEN LAPS AROUND THE BUILDING!"
"Who said that? Not me!" Ogata quickly ran off to find a snowcone.
"IF YOU'RE NOT BACK IN 5 MINUTES I'LL PERSONALLY RING YOUR NECK!" Icchan yelled after him, but once Ogata was out of hear shot he turned to the layer. "Now, Hitomi, what have you got yourself into?"
*** Back on the layer, Hitomi was shaking from head to toe. Her first match, and from what she had heard, Usada wasn't a pushover. Couldn't she have had an EASY opponent for her first battle? Was that too much to ask? But Hitomi had no time to pity herself, as Usada was already launching her angel into the layer.
Kunorai gracefully glided down to the layer, not trying anything fancy, but her beauty and grace was more than enough to make up for it. Her feet touched the ground and Hitomi gasped at how beautiful she was.
Kunorai was definitely a violet angel. She had long flowing violet hair and long purple skirt that went down to her ankles. On her chest was a purple spiked armor plate with spikes on the top of it, and light purple armor plates that outlined her "breasts". A single purple sphere hung from the plate and under it was a purple tank top that was connect to her neck by three strings, strung with purple beads. On her arms were two sets of flowing sleeves that had elastic banding that attached to her arms. She was a very skinny angel, and small too, about as small as Ikaya, maybe a little taller.
Hitomi was overcome by the angel's beauty. It was the most beautiful angel she had ever seen. If SHE had made Kunorai, she wouldn't dare fight with her, afraid that her fragile and pale skin would be hurt. But, squinting at the layer she saw a small but VERY noticeable feature on Kunorai.
She had bear ears! Purple bear ears at that. They protruded from her head out of her head, and were hard to see, but Hitomi could tell they were there. Also, she had bear paws as well! And bear feet! It was like she was part bear, part angel. It didn't take away from Kunorai's beauty, but it made Hitomi's eyebrow go up. The crowd who was cheering at the image of Kunorai on the screen above the layer, didn't seem to mind, so Hitomi assured herself that she wouldn't either. The crowd stopped cheering for Kunorai after a while, and Hitomi knew it was her turn to jump into the ring.
Hitomi mustered up her courage, and swallowed the butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She took Ikaya in her palm and gently threw her into the layer below.
Hitomi immediately concentrated hard and Ikaya flew down to the layer. Hitomi, again didn't try anything fancy, but when Ikaya hit the layer, she had her strike a fighting pose. Ikaya bared her fists and stood on tip toe, to show Kunorai, who was strangely standing limpy across the layer, that she meant business.
"WELL," the announcer bellowed, "IT SEEMS THAT ANGEL IKAYA IS READY FOR A FIGHT! SHALL KUNORAI COMPLY?" The crowd cheered and Kunorai continued to stand still. The announcer, getting another nod of ready from both of them, raised his hand high in the air, "ANGEL BATTLE START!" a buzzer sounded as he brought his hand down, and Hitomi clenched her fists together.
The first few seconds of the match were of dead silence. She's not moving. Hitomi noticed, after a second or two. I...I have to make the first move!
Ikaya leapt forward and held her fist out to contact with Kunorai's face. Her fist was centimeters away from Kunorai's face, when Kunorai shifted her head with such grace, that Ikaya sailed over her. She's fast, Hitomi thought, but she retraced that thought, She's not THAT fast, she's just....graceful. I have to find a way to break her rhythm! Ikaya began failing punches at Kunorai, one after another, Kunorai continued to dodge them.
"GAH!" Tamayo cried, "She's missing every punch! Kunorai is too fast!"
"No," Misaki quietly said. Tamayo turned to Misaki slowly, "Kunorai is a balance angel. When she was made, her deus could either choose mostly power, or mostly speed." Misaki paused, "I can tell, from the way she's dodging, that Usada chose power." Tamayo gaped at Misaki. "I actually believe...." Misaki's forehead wrinkled, "That Miss Masamichi's angel has more speed than Kunorai."
"But then why is Ikaya missing?!" Tamayo, not wavered, shouted.
"It's because Ikaya has no grace," Koutaro spoke up and Misaki nodded.
"Her deus is inexperienced, she only knows simple moves," Misaki stated, "She has not yet learned her angel's proportions or abilities. All she knows is brute force, and..." Misaki gave a worried sigh, "she cannot win like that."
Meanwhile in the audience...
Ikaya continued to throw punches and kicks at Kunorai, missing every time. "Every kick or punch she throws is throwing her off balance," Yuki looked worriedly at the match. "She needs a couple second to regain it. Miss Sabashi is waiting for the opportune moment."
"What opportune moment?" Sanosuke asked, dumbfounded.
"When Ikaya puts out the most force in a fit of frustration and completely loses all momentum." Yuki turned her gaze to Usada, who was looking at the match, unmoving. "I'm frightened."
Hitomi was beginning to get worried. Why am I always missing? Even if Kunorai is fast, at least one of my punches should have made contact... What am I doing wrong? Ikaya threw another kick at Kunorai's face, only to have it dodged.
"IT SEEMS IKAYA'S FORCE ISNT' ENOUGH FOR "THE VIOLET DANCER"! DEUS HITOMI MASAMICHI, HOW WILL YOU SURVIVE?"
"Hitomi isn't realizing that brute force isn't enough," Kimiko sighed watching inside the waiting room on a TV in the corner.
"Your friend can't win against Usada," Akari stated plainly.
Kimiko glared at Akari, "Hitomi WILL win! She'll figure it out!"
"I hope so..." Keiichi watched the Television grimly. "C'mon Hitomi..."
*** What's wrong? What's wrong? WHAT'S WRONG!? Hitomi became disgruntled. She kept missing! Why? Kunorai just kept dodging and dodging! She WOULD hit her! In a fit of anger, Ikaya through a giant punch, one that would have knocked any angel out of the layer, only to have Kunorai move gracefully out of the way and have Ikaya fall completely over and roll across the layer!
"WATCH OUT! IT'S COMING!" Yuki stood up and screamed from the audience.
"HITOMI!" Icchan yelled from the stands. "WATCH OUT!"
But it was too late. Kunorai turned on her heel and jumped into the air. She started to come down on Ikaya's frail body, still vulnerable on the layer. I have to get out of the way... But Hitomi was immobilized by fear. She couldn't move, she couldn't think. All she could do was scream, "IKAYA!"
With the force of a ton of bricks, Kunorai came down on Ikaya, smashing her straight in the stomach. Groans were heard from the crowd as Ikaya's damage points dropped down to 40%. "OUCH THAT'S GOT TO HURT!" Hitomi heard the announcer say. "Kunorai came down like a dive bomb on poor Ikaya! Can she stand?"
Hitomi gasped at the damage Ikaya had been given. Damage reports were coming up on her goggles. She felt tears form in her eyes. No...Ikaya....I didn't mean to get you hurt....maybe I should just give up...it would be best... for y--
"DON'T GIVE UP MASAMICHI!" Hitomi turned around in her egg to see Sanosuke yelling from the stands, "IF YOU GIVE UP, THEN I'M GOING TO TELL ALL THE KIDS AT SCHOOL THAT YOUR A BIG WUSS WHO DOESN'T BELIEVE IN HER ANGEL! SO GET YOUR GOOD FOR NOTHING BUTT OUT THERE AND KICK THAT ANGEL ALL THE WAY FROM HERE TO HONG KONG!"
Hitomi stared at Sanosuke for a second, confused, but then smiled warmly at him. She nodded and returned her attention to the layer. This isn't over Ikaya, get up! Let's go again! With much difficulty, Ikaya feebly stood, and Kunorai again remained still.
"WOW, ANGEL IKAYA IS STANDING! NOT MANY ANGEL'S COULD STAND A DIVE BOMB FROM BALANCE POWER ANGEL KUNORAI!"
Hitomi froze, You mean, she isn't emphasized on speed? Her balance is power? Then why did I keep missing if she's just as fast as I am? Hitomi remembered her last punch, how she had fallen over...because of excessive force! She had it figured out! Every time Kunorai dodge, because of all the force she had put behind Ikaya's punches and kicks, she had been thrown off and not had been able to counter fast enough. Well, I've figured it out, but now what? Hitomi thought long and hard until she finally thought of a plan and was ready to execute it.
"Give up now!" Hitomi heard a small voice calling out to her. She looked across the layer to see it was Usada who had spoken. This was the first time Hitomi had heard her speak, and she noticed that her voice was small, but harsh at the same time. "You can't win, you might as well give up."
Hitomi smirked, "NEVER! Ikaya and I will fight to the end, no matter how graceful or powerful your angel is!"
"But you're going to lose!"
"I believe in Ikaya, we WON'T lose!"
"How can you believe in your angel, it's a bunch of mechanical parts and wires!"
"No way!" Hitomi angrily stood up in her seat. "Angels have a soul! I know it!" Usada looked at her oddly. "Ikaya's got the soul of a loyal friend who doesn't care what others think of her! She'd never give up on me, and I'm not about to give up on her!"
Usada looked at Hitomi for the longest time. "You're crazy! Angels aren't like that!" Hitomi saw something sparkle on Usada's face, and noticed she was crying. "HOW CAN SOMETHING LIKE A TOY HELP YOU AND BE YOUR FRIEND WHEN REAL PEOPLE CAN'T?!"
Hitomi was taken aback by the comment. "Usada...." she whispered.
"WHAT'S THIS?" the announcer yelled and Hitomi turned to the layer. Kunorai had turned around and was walking towards the crying Usada. Kunorai stopped inches away from the edge of the layer and held up her arms to Usada. Usada stopped crying for a second and looked down at the angel that wanted to embrace her deus. Usada looked at Kunorai and said quietly, "But how...?"
"It's because you wanted someone to comfort you!" Hitomi said to Usada from across the layer. "You thought it and Kunorai reached out to you. She understands your pain, because she knows what your pain is." Usada looked up at Hitomi, dumbfounded, and Hitomi smiled, "She's someone you can talk to."
"Understands my pain?" Usada looked down at Kunorai, whose arms were still outstretched, and smiled. "Let's go Masamichi, this match is far from over!"
"Right," Hitomi smiled. Kunorai regained her silent stance and Hitomi decided that now was the best time to execute the plan. Ikaya struck another fighting pose and stared Kunorai down. Let's go Ikaya!
In a sweeping motion, Ikaya ran forward and unleashed another punch at Kunorai. Kunorai did a sweeping left dodge and everyone gasped, but then, in another sweeping motion...
Ikaya made a sideways punch that connected straight with Kunorai's face! The crowd cheered to see Ikaya make contact, but Hitomi ignored them. While Kunorai was off guard, Ikaya quickly did a sweeping kick that sent her sprawling across the layer. Then, with amazing force, Ikaya jumped up into the air and brought down the same dive bomb kick that Kunorai had used on her just minutes before! WHAM! And that brought Kunorai's damage gauge down to 20%!
"WHAT A COMEBACK! ANGEL IKAYA HAS JUST USED THE SAME DIVEBOMB KICK AS KUNORAI TO BRING THE FRAGILE ANGEL DOWN TO 20% HEALTH! HOW WILL KUNORAI COMEBACK?!"
The crowd cheered immensely and with only 2 minutes remaining on the clock, the tension was beginning to build.
"I can't believe it!" Tamayo cheered, "She's like a mini Misakichi!"
"Mini Misakichi?" Koutaro asked sweatdropping.
"GO HITOMI, SEND YOUR OPPONENTS TO HELL! TKM IS ON YOUR SIDE!" Tamayo screeched through the hall, making Koutaro and Misaki fall over.
Usada looked horrified at the events, then smiled, "I see you've found a little grace." she gripped the bar on her seat forcefully, "Fine! Then it's just you and me!" Kunorai then got up on her feet, and struck a fighting pose. Ikaya put up her fists and stood ready and waiting for the attack.
"GO KUNORAI!" Usada yelled to the layer and Kunorai lunged forward, fist raised.
"IKAYA!" Hitomi shouted and Ikaya followed suit, running towards Kunorai with her fist outstretched.
"IT'S AN ALL OUT, NO TRICKS, FIST TO FIST SHOWDOWN FOLKS! KUNORAI HAS NO MORE TRICKS UP HER SLEEVE AND IKAYA DOESN'T SEEM TO EITHER! THE ONE WITH THE MOST FORCE WILL WIN THIS MATCH!"
"KUNORAI!"
"IKAYA!"
In a split second the fists connected and both angels fell backwards onto the layer! Sparks flew and in a split second they were both sprawled on the ground.
"MY GOODNESS! WHICH PUNCH MADE THE MOST CONTACT? LET'S SEE!"
Everyone in the stadium turned to damage screen, where on the damage bars was the word, CALCULATING. The crowd held their breath, and Hitomi felt her heart stop. Then, so suddenly the results appeared.
The hall burst into applause when they saw that Ikaya still had 5% health left, while Kunorai had been reduced to 0! Hitomi was so happy she almost cried. Usada looked down at the layer and shook her head. Both chairs lowered and Hitomi picked up Ikaya lovingly. "Thank you for doing such a great job for me Ikaya." Hitomi looked over to see Usada, on the brink of tears, holding Kunorai.
"Ahh....," Tamayo sighed, "She's sad she lost."
"No," Misaki interrupted her. She turned to Tamayo and smiled, "Those are tears of joy."
"I'm sorry Usada," Hitomi finally said, when she had made her way over to Usada, "I'm sorry I hurt Kunorai."
"That's all right," Usada looked up and she was smiling, but crying at the same time, "You're the better deus, you deserved to win!"
Hitomi looked at her, stunned, "But you're a big shot deus around the Kanto region! You have way more experience then I do!"
"But you believe in your angel," smiled Usada, "Even when there seemed no way to win, you still kept fighting!" Usada looked down at her lap. "I could never do that."
"But I had help!" Hitomi insisted. Usada looked up at her, her eyebrows raised, "From my friends," Hitomi smiled, "Without them, I really WOULD have just given up."
Usada did not smile, she just continued to cry and look down at her lap. Hitomi stared at her long and hard, "What's wrong?"
"Remember during our fight when I said that dolls couldn't be your friends, when even people can't?" Usada wiped away her tears, and Hitomi nodded, "Akari and Fuko aren't really my friends. They just use me to win team matches and be their flunky." Usada's eyes became glassy, "I'm just a pawn. It all started when I won my first match." Usada's eyes glazed over, as if she was remembering the moment, "Akari and Fuko saw me, and asked me if I wanted to go to Akari's house with them to practice. At first it was fun," Usada laughed, "We swam, ate, played games, played with our angels. But then," Usada grimaced, "They started to get mean. They yelled at me whenever I didn't win a match, called me a lame player," Hitomi's fingers balled into fists, "I have no real friends. I've never had any real friends. I guess I started playing Angelic Layer to find some, but instead I found dictators, not friends."
Hitomi looked at Usada sympathetically, then put her hand on her shoulder, "If you want, I can be your friend!" Usada looked up at her astonished.
"You mean...even after all that Akari did?"
"Yep!" Hitomi smiled, "Friends don't hold grudges!"
Usada stared at Hitomi for a while, then smiled a huge smile, and followed Hitomi out of the room.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
FINALLY! Chapter three complete! God, I hated this chapter. It was TOO long! 24 pages on Microsoft Word. Oh well! You have a taste of the important characters, but the fun is only beginning!
Next Battle: Kimiko vs. Fuko – The Gold Clad Warrior- Kimiko's Defeat?- Ready? ANGEL START!
PS: For full views of all angels' armor visit my fanfiction page for the links!