Chapter VII: Some Old Friends Return
In the interim, Ishizaki and the rest of the Jubilo Iwata were in the middle of a very strenuous training, although the day had a high probability of getting wet; the sky was slate-gray.
-Under this sky no one would really like to train –said a team member.
-At all… I'm not looking forward for a thunderbolt to strike on us and leave us crispy –said Urabe, joking, but Ishizaki gave him a censuring look immediately.
-Don't say that, Urabe… It's not funny, you know –Ryou had been quite in a bad mood because of what he had talked with Shinobu and the others. However…
-Stop chatting and start training! –shouted one of the technical assistants to the team.
Later, Ishizaki was eating a light lunch (he wasn't really hungry…Oo), when someone called his name.
-Huh? Ah, hi, Wakabayashi-kun… -said the Monkey Boy when he saw his friend.
-Hi. Did you know?
-Know what? You know that ninety-nine percent of the times I'm the last one to know what happened.
-Well, today before daybreak Misaki-kun… -and he told the rest in whispers so the other people couldn't listen to what he said.
-Gee… So the trouble's begun.
-Yeah. And I'm asking myself if something happened to Tsubasa and Sanae.
-Why's that?
-Misaki-kun told me this morning what I've just told you, and if one of our enemies is Pierre, that is to say, Taro's old rival, I just can't figure out who could be after Tsubasa or Anego…
-It's Sanae, dude…
-Sorry.
-I can only think of one person that Tsubasa doesn't get along with, and it's not Hyuga.
-Who, Ishizaki-kun?
-If we're talking old rivals, I think it must be Carlos Santana.
-That great guitar player?
-Don't be stupid! I mean the other Carlos Santana. The soccer player.
-Gee… Who'd say that at last you used your head for something more than cutting your hair and blocking shots? –said Genzo sarcastically, remembering the time when he and Ryou were soccer rivals because of their schools.
-Don't bother, birdbrain.
-What a mood…
-Whatever. I only said what I thought… At any rate, once it's a decent hour to make a call, I'll call Tsubasa-kun to ask him how things have been in that side of the world.
-Sure… It's still too early in Spain. I reckon you should call him at… -Genzo checked his watch, which still had German time. -…Six A.M, Barcelona time.
-And what's that in Shizuoka time?
-Two P.M.
-What a snag… Well, I already said it and I'll do it, in a couple of hours.
-A couple of hours?
-Sure. Although it doesn't look so, it's barely noon.
Meanwhile, Kai was having lunch in Nankatsu High, where he studied. His friends were quite happy, since they were about to win the city's soccer cup, but he was fairly somber.
-Hey, Kagei, what's happening with ya, dude? You look as if you were mourning –said one of his teammates.
-Just ignore me. I'm not in a good mood.
-Why's that?
-It's personal.
-Did your girl leave you? Or did Mito fight with you?
-You know as well as I do that I'm single, that Komichi and I never fight because we're only friends, and please leave me alone –answered Kai, with daggers in his eyes.
-OK, OK… You don't have to kill me, Kagei.
But Kai didn't answer. He was very worried, although he didn't know that Misaki had to save one of the Black Archangels. But once again his premonitions were there, although they weren't painful as before.
He stood up from the table, picked up his lunch things and went to the classroom, which was almost empty; a girl with metal-rimmed glasses was reading there.
-Hi, Komichi-chan –he said when he went in, since the girl was his closest friend (almost like Sanae for Tsubasa in the olden times, only that they didn't have a crush on each other :P)
-Kai-kun… What happened? You've been very out of sorts.
-People who talk behind your backs…
-Well, it looks as if some catastrophe was about to happen.
-Almost –answered Kai, sitting down in his place. "You're very perceptive, buddy."
-If you have something to tell me, do it. I won't tell anyone.
-I'm afraid that not even you can know it, buddy. It's very personal…
-OK. I don't like to insist.
Komichi and Kai met for the first time when the kid entered Nankatsu Junior High. He had learned many of his soccer abilities thanks to his friends ;) and the girl was part of the school's tennis club, but while they practiced different sports, they were great friends. People said they were a couple, but they didn't want to be one; they were happy as they were.
-At any rate, don't vent your anger on me, Kai. I haven't done you anything for you to answer me with such fury. By the way, did you know that Vitalis was closed yesterday?
-Yeah –answered Kai. –I've heard something about it.
-I see… Man, I so wanted a soda float yesterday…
-They're OK, but I know a place where they're much better.
Yup; he meant Demizu Ice Cream Parlor, the one that belonged to Sanae's family. However, Kai didn't say anything else, until class began again, and later he had soccer training.
-Pass the ball, Kagei!
-OK! –but after passing the ball, a pain attack, just as before, attacked the Messenger of the Shadows.
Of course, the practice stopped when the team members saw Kai on the floor and they took him to the lockers.
-C'mon, Kagei, answer me –said the trainer, grabbing the lad's arm. But just how they come, the attacks go away, and Kai was there, lying on the bench, exhausted.
-Sir… don't worry; I'll be OK… -although that wasn't true; Kai had had a feeling like the ones he had years ago, when without knowing, he was the Kage no Tsukai.
-But Kagei… If you have those attacks, shouldn't you go to the doctor? –said one of his teammates.
-No… I already went, and they don't have a specific cause. I can only endure them and wait. C'mon, don't waste your time; we have a very important game very soon. I'll reach you in a sec.
The soccer team members went to train, while Kai stayed there, resting.
"Just like before… My intuition is back. But this time, I saw it clearly… I saw a being dressed in black, along with many dark beings, and I saw the Kami no Tsukai ready for battle… But the weirdest thing of all was that… I saw Imawano-san and the others ready to fight too, including myself! Will the Black Archangels and the Messenger of the Shadows return? And if they do, in which side will we be?" –thought the lad, while he recovered his breath. However, he heard someone coming near and he sat up straight. Immediately Komichi went in, scared.
-Kai-kun! I heard you had had an attack… Was it one of those petit mal attacks you had before?
-Yes, Komichi-chan. And I'm afraid that like before, I've got a baaaad feeling.
Meanwhile, Ishizaki had already talked with Tsubasa and told him what had happened with Taro and Wataru. The Kami no Tsukai seemed worried and to finish it off, he confirmed Ryou's suspicions. In those moments, the Japanese soccer team's defense line player was at home, thinking in what he knew and what he had to tell the others.
"Tsubasa had a fight already, and against none other than Santana… No one's gonna have an easy fight, if my suspicions are correct. Let's see, if Santana attacked Tsubasa and Misaki fought with Pierre… Then I'll have to figure out who can Hyuga and Wakabayashi's rivals be, although there'd be someone missing… But I don't have the slightest idea of who could that be."
But his phone rang and Ryou answered the phone.
-Hello? Ishizaki speaking.
-Hi, Ryou-chan.
-Hi there, precious. How has college been?
-Fine, but I've been bored. Why don't we go out?
-I think it's a great idea, and more since it's been a while ever since we last went out. See you at the movies?
-OK… I want to see something romantic.
Ryou grimaced and sighed, resigned. Whenever they went to the movies, Yukari loved to see romantic, moving movies, while he liked more something with a little action in it. But he loved Yukari, and that was why he sacrificed himself for her in those matters.
-Well, please check what they're playing in the movies. See you later.
Knowing that maybe Taro or Genzo would pass by his house to see if he had talked with Tsubasa, the Archangel of the Earth left a message stuck on the door of his apartment: "Went to the movies with Yukari. Won't be late. Ishizaki."
He was on his way to the movies, when something hit his back, making him fall.
-What the…? –murmured Ishizaki while he turned, and it was a big surprise when he saw that who was behind him was someone well-known.
-Well, well… You haven't changed at all, ape man…
-But, what in the world are you doing here?
-Let's say… I came to "greet."
"Man… It's right now when I need reinforcements…" –and what he didn't know was that that night… there would be a lunar eclipse.
-C'mon, let's fight! –said the one that was there.
-No thanks. I have a very important date… And if I don't get there, I'll lose the girl of my dreams, dude.
And why should you worry about losing her, if you die and the New Genesis occurs? Everyone is going to die; that is the fate you don't want to accept. Now have a taste of my Apocalypsis!
Yup; Santana was the one. But he didn't count with the Monkey Boy did what his nickname meant; he evaded the attack with a jump, and countered it with his Fury of the Earth.
-I see you're not a fool, but you're too weak! –and with his kathars, Santana hit Ryou squarely. The Archangel of the Earth hadn't still formed the barrier, but while he was on the floor, acting unconscious he made it, and with another jump he stood up, seizing his Axe.
The battle continued, and little by little night came, but neither the Archangel nor the Antiarchangel were going to give up. Meanwhile, Yukari was still waiting for Ryou, and the movie she had wanted to see with him had begun a long time ago.
-Where can Ryou be? I know he usually arrives late, but not that much –said the young woman to herself, while she kept on waiting, but she met with someone Ryou knew: Jinko. Although in the beginning she distrusted her because of what Kumi had told her, now she knew her better and she got well with the doctor.
-Ah, Nishimoto-san… Hi –said the doctor, tired after a hard day's work.
-Ah, hi, Jinko-san.
-Hey, haven't you seen Ishizaki-san perchance?
-No, and we were going to see a movie.
However, Jinko's face went white.
-Something the matter? –asked Yukari innocently.
-No, it's nothing. Bye –and the young doctor ran away. While she ran towards where she thought the Archangel of the Earth was, she took out her cellphone and called Shinobu, telling him what Misaki had told her and her bad hunch.
-…I'll go see where Ishizaki-san is; I think he's about to lose, and he needs help, although there's not much that I can do.
But what with neither Jinko not the others counted… Was that the eclipse had begun, and Tsubasa, in that moment, in Spain, was remembering his conversation with Ishizaki…
-If the battles have begun, and this matter of Santana and Pierre is no coincidence, then we'll need allies, or reinforcements… And luckily Shinobu and the others are willing to help us… -said the young man to himself while he trained with the team, and said the words he had to say. –I wish the Black Archangels come back, but without forgetting that they are the ones that make their fate exist…
And in France, Germany and Japan, a miracle began.
Wataru was studying; Tooru was revising some blueprints; Rairyuu was practicing his fighting style; Kai was talking with Shinobu in Vitalis y Jinko was still running, but each and every one of them had a pain attack, just like in the past, y and when it ended… None of them was the same ever again.
-What happened…? –said Wataru, while Azumi dragged him out of the classroom once again.
-Another attack, dude.
-You don't say… I can feel it; I can feel my old powers back.
-What? That means you're again…
-Yeah, but this time, I'm not here to destroy, but to protect –said Wataru, whose hair changed its color.
-Wa, Wa, Wataru-kun… -Azumi pointed at the young man's hair, petrified.
-What happened?
-Your, your hair… It's not black anymore…
-Don't be surprised, Azumi-chan. That just means that I'm not the Osorezan Wataru you know –and to finish it off, the guy with the palsy stood up as if nothing. –I may be who I am, but this time my powers won't be in favor of the New Genesis, but I'll fight to the end to save this planet and the once I love.
He said all this in whispers… And when she saw Wataru standing up like a normal guy, with his hair a rich dark chocolate color and that energy which came from darkness but fought for the light, Azumi remembered why she had liked Wataru from the first time she met him.
Meanwhile, in Germany Tooru had passed almost by the same, but his secretary didn't notice it. He felt his old power flowing thru him, and to prove it he turned into a wolf, all this without Brigitte seeing it.
-As people say, I've turned a page.
Rairyuu, who was alone in his apartment, felt his old speed and agility back, and showed it with ease when he made a hole in the sandbag he had in his room. However, he avoided the sand falling out of the bag with his powers; it was obvious that the Archangel of Thunder was back.
Shinobu and Kai, who weren't exactly in Vitalis, but in Shinobu's office passed thru the change too, but this was something quite new for Kai, since you must remember that he was the Kage no Tsukai only for a night… And the powerful current of power left him speechless.
-What, what's happening? –he said, while he saw what happened amidst the pain attack.
-The Messenger of the Shadows isback… -said Shinobu, as he saw that Charon's Sword appeared in Kai's hands, while he was passing thru his own ordeal, and in his case, the most notorious change was that he didn't need his dark eyeglasses anymore, since he really used them because his eyes were very sensible to the light.
-But this time Kuro won't get away with this –said Kai, with the Kage no Tsukai's voice, which was now his very own (his voice changed some time after the Final Battle) and was very sure of what he said.
And I'm not going to mention Jinko, who after suffering the pain attack, rant to an alley and teleported to here she felt that Ishizaki was. Just as she had feared, Santana had cornered Ishizaki. Both of them were quite hurt, but Ishizaki was worse than Carlos.
-Black Fire! –the Archangel of Darkness, who had just returned, attacked Santana and took Ishizaki out of there.
-What…? You? –said the Archangel of the Earth, surprised. Don't tell you came to finish me off!
-Don't be an idiot, Archangel of the Earth. I may be a Black Archangel, but my fate isn't under Kuro's control anymore, so figure it out...
-Well, well, well, so now the Black Archangels are back. You should know well that the Black Guide is going to make you pay your failure with blood! Apocalypsis!
-Don't bother! Black Fire! –and Santana's attack had been deflected easily!
-Oh, right. The Black Archangels were stronger and more experienced than us –murmured Ishizaki, ashamed. –But I'm not going to stay behind.
-Well said. Let's attack at the same time!
-OK! –and Jinko and Ryou attacked at the same time with their weapons, leaving Santana injured.
-You won today… -and the Antiarchangel disappeared. The victors went back to normal and Ryou vanished the barrier.
-Oh, no! Yukari's gonna kill me! –said Ryou once he checked the time.
-Run; she's still at the movies –Jinko replied.
-Arigato, Jinko-san –and the guy ran away, although he hadn't healed his injuries.
Meanwhile, in the Ozora house (in Shizuoka), Daichi was doing homework, while Natsuko was embroidering some tablecloths. However, the boy wasn't alone; although no one could see it (except Daichi, of course), Shiro, still very weak, was there.
-Shiro-san… You think my brother's OK? –said Daichi in a whisper, since he didn't wan his mother to know he was talking with the being in white.
"I hope so… He's our only hope."
-Is it me, or is it cold here? I'll close the window.
Daichi got up and closed his bedroom's window, but he saw that the moon was about to disappear.
-Wow! A lunar eclipse!
Without realizing, the youngest Ozora (for now) had shouted, and Natsuko got scared. Nonetheless, she looked thru the window and remembered what Shiro had said.
"They will only return… In the black moon… If the Tsukai wishes… it…"
-I wonder if Tsubasa thought about allies or reinforcements… If it's so, then I'll feel safer… Although I hope the "black moon" means an eclipse.
-Mom! Did you see the eclipse?
-I did, Daichi. But don't distract yourself; you have to finish your homework.
-But I already did, mom.
-Oh, really? –but the doorbell surprised both mother and son.
-Coming! –Daichi ran to open the door, just to see that Misaki was there. –Hi, Misaki-kun. How are you?
-Better, thanks. And you?
-Ditto.
-Misaki-kun –said Natsuko, going downstairs, while the soccer player was already in the living room. –How has your rehabilitation gone?
-Much better. Imawano-san is an excellent doctor.
-Have you know if something strange has happened?
-Well…
-Don't worry; I already know that my big brother's a superhero –said Daichi. –Or well, not really a superhero, but some kind of heavenly savior.
-How is it that…?
-Daichi already knew something y and I had to tell him –Natsuko explained.
-Well then… I had to fight again.
-What? If you can barely walk, I think.
-Thanks to this –and carefully, the Archangel of Water extended his wings.
-Wow! –exclaimed Daichi, surprised.
-Don't be so surprised; Tsubasa-kun has wings too, and I don't mean his name. And one of our allies, Wataru, just called me. He said that the Black Archangels are back.
Natsuko's face showed mixed feelings.
-And what did he say?
-He said that even though he had recovered his old powers, this time he wasn't against us, but with us.