5- Battles of Love

Corona sighed to herself, as she sat alone with Venus by the stairway in the castle.

"I just don't get it," she said.

"What?" Venus asked. She had noticed her Rider's mood, but was reluctant to bring up exactly what she thought the problem was.

"Glint," Corona said. "She's all over Hunter. Well, not just Hunter. She follows Igneous and Lumen and Magma around too. She's always asking to watch them train, hoping to see them take their shirts off when they sweat. Of course most of the guys are more than willing to entertain her. She really has some nerve moving in and acting this way."

"I can see," Venus said. "I think maybe she's just excited. She always was a fan."

"I guess…" said Corona, sounding defeated.

"You know," Venus added, "With Aqune and Sparkle and their spiders away, I thought it would be interesting for us to be the only girls around for a while. But in the end, I guess crowds are to be expected in a castle."

"Hmm…" Corona said. "It would be good to avoid the crowds for a while. Maybe and Hunter and I can go on a date, somewhere private."

"Good idea," Venus agreed.

"Hmm…" began Corona. "Well, Hunter might not want to. I guess it doesn't even have to be a date, exactly. We could go shopping, maybe. But, I don't think he really likes that either."

"Why wouldn't he want to go on a date?" Venus wondered. "I know he really likes you."

"I… I hope so," Corona said. "Well, I'll ask him, then. I might have an idea!"

"Ask what? To who?" Corona turned around to the sound of Hunter's voice.

"Hunter, when did you get here?" she asked nervously.

"Just right now," he replied. "I was looking for you."

"Oh," Corona replied. She was still a bit embarrassed. "Hunter, I wanted to ask you a question, actually."

"What's that?" he asked.

"How about we go on a date?"

"Wha-" He wasn't exactly expecting to be asked that. Still, he smiled. "Sure, why not? But if there is another attack, dealing with that has to come first."

"Really? That's great!" Corona replied.

Venus too was glad that worked out so easily.

Glint, on the other hand, was viciously chewing on her sleeve a distance away.

"H-How did that happen?" she grumbled. "It seemed so easy."

"Because Corona is Hunter's girlfriend," Magma answered, who was also watching.

"That can't be…" Glint replied.

"It is," Igneous said.

"Then… let's follow them!" Glint declared. "I… I need to get to the bottom of this."

"That's called being nosy," Richter spoke. "And it's a very bad idea."

"No! No it's not!" Glint declared. "Come on, you guys have to be at least a bit interested, right? I mean, you were all watching. We can hide so that no one sees us."

"That's still reckless," Magma replied. "But… I suppose it could be fun."

"Are you serious?" Igneous asked.

"Well, I'm serious!" exclaimed Glint. "You're all coming. Get Lumen too!"

"I wonder where we should go," Corona spoke. It was great and all that she asked him, and he said yes, but maybe she should have put a bit more thought into this date, she realized.

"Well, where do you want to go?" Hunter asked.

"Hmm…" Corona began. "Some place pretty. But also fun."

"Then, pick one," Hunter replied. "Even though I've been here for a while now, you know more about the Inner World than me."

"I guess so," Corona realized. "Wait, I know!"

"Where is this place?" Hunter asked. They had been traveling for a bit of time. Finally, the pair had stopped at what looked to be a sea-side town.

"Fushuwa," Corona said. "It's a fishing town, right by the river that leads to Nuuma."

"Woah!" Hunter exclaimed. "Look at that waterfall!"

It was a tremendous fall, but the most interesting thing about it was that the water streamed upwards instead of down.

"Yeah," Corona said. "It's one of the Inner World's most famous sites."

"It would be awesome to go surfing, don't you think?" Hunter spoke.

"Surfing?" Magma wondered. He and the others were crammed together behind a building. "That's not a great idea for a date."

"It's because Hunter isn't interested in her," Glint chimed in.

"No, it's because Hunter often thinks like a child," Lumen answered. His gaze was quickly averted from the Spider Rider couple when he saw a group of girls walking nearby. "Anyway, I've found something else to do. You guys enjoy your spying."

At that, Lumen dashed away.

"Hey, Hunter, did you hear something?" Corona spoke. "Those voices sounded familiar."

"Hmm… I don't think so," Hunter said. "Anyway, do you want to try surfing?"

"Uh… I've never done it before," Corona answered. She wasn't completely opposed to the idea, but it did feel a bit impractical. "We don't have surfboards, though."

"No," Hunter replied. "We have spiders. Shadow, Spider Out!"

Shadow was released from the manacle.

"Absolutely not, Hunter!" the blue spider declared. "I will not risk my life on that ridiculous waterfall."

"It can't be that dangerous," Hunter argued.

"Yes it can," Shadow responded.

"Guys, no fighting today!" Corona interrupted.

"Sorry…" said Hunter.

"Looks like surfing is out of the question," Corona announced. "So, instead, let's get something to eat. I hear they have some really nice restaurants here. Maybe I can even get some ideas for new recipes."

"Yeah!" Hunter exclaimed. "Food sounds great."

Knowing Hunter would like the idea, Corona smiled.

"What place here is good?" Hunter asked.

"Actually, I never ate here," replied Corona. "Though, I've heard of a place that's really trendy. Why don't we try that?"

"Okay, sure," Hunter agreed.

"Isn't that place really expensive?" Magma asked, looking at the building the two had entered.

"Yeah, it is," Igneous replied. "But I've always dreamed of taking a girl there."

"I'm here," Glint said. "Take me."

"It's not a date when all of us are here," replied Igneous.

"It's alright. We should go in anyway," Glint argued. "How can we see what's going on from outside?"

'These guys are all morons,' Richter thought to himself. 'Good at battle, but hopeless at everything else.'

Both Corona and Hunter stared at their menus, exasperated.

"Do you know what any of this stuff is?" Hunter asked. Of course, he wasn't quite an expert on Inner World dishes.

"Maybe this… no wait…" Corona stuttered. "Either way, the prices…"

"I'm not sure this was such a great idea," Hunter sighed. "I guess we'll have to go with the cheapest thing, and hope it's edible."

"I suppose," Corona replied, sweating.

"Uh… L-look…" Igneous stuttered. At a table in the middle of the restaurant, Lumen sat with the girls from earlier.

"They're stealing Lumen!" Glint exclaimed.

"No, not that," Igneous replied. "And not so loud. If Hunter sees the prince here, that will blow our cover."

"Alright, do something," Magma suggested.

"Yeah," said Igneous, who rose from his seat. He walked over to the prince's table.

"What do you think you're doing?" Igneous asked, only realizing after that his voice was raised.

"Igneous, I'm entertaining the ladies, of course. Now, I know you must be jealous, but please give us some space."

"It's not jealousy, it's…" Igneous stuttered.

"Uh… you guys?"

Igneous sighed in defeat, seeing that Hunter and Corona were standing there staring at them.

"You followed us here?" Corona wondered.

"Yes," said Igneous. "It really wasn't my idea, though. I apologize."

"Hey, it's alright," Corona replied. "Our date wasn't going so well anyway."

"But whose idea was it?" Hunter asked, looking at Magma accusingly.

"Hey, it wasn't me!" Magma shouted

"It was me!" said Glint, who ran up to him. "Hunter, can we try dating next? I promise it will turn out better than today."

He looked at her, confused, then his face turned serious. "Sorry, Glint. I didn't know you were interested, but, Corona is the only girl I want to date."

"Hunter…" Corona said. Hearing that made the whole day worthwhile to her.

"Well… if you get bored of Corona…" Glint continued.

"Were you even listening?" Richter asked.

"Hey, everyone," Corona began, hoping to change the subject. "Since we're all here, let's find a better place to eat."

"My thoughts exactly," Hunter replied, as his stomach started to growl.

AN: Just want to take note of the fact that I'm assuming they left for Nuuma from a different spot in the previous story. So, Hunter wouldn't have gone to Fushuwa like in the anime.