Chapter 7

These last days passed really fast… I can't believe tomorrow is the fight, I feel relieved… or… maybe not… I have all these mixed feelings about the upcoming battle. I can't wait to see Agito again… feel him close, even though we're enemies I can't help myself but wonder … if we lose… will I be able to talk to him?... to ask his forgiveness?... will he forgive me?... will he look at me with his accusing eye and tell me I lost all chances of ever having any contact with him?... I jerk up when I hear a horn behind me.

"It's green idiot. Move"

I like driving motorcycles… I like feeling the wind… ever since I got the fang regalia I've been unable to fly… It's not like I miss it, even seeing the birds flying over me seem just annoying… Driving a bike at high velocity on a clear road is very different from flying… guess I can't explain it… it's something that one can only understand when he tries it. I'm heading to the Under Colosseo right now… just as a presence, Sano always takes care of everything so I only go there because I'm the head of the team. To tell you the truth I hate that place… it's just entertaining for the bystanders. It's like a game to them, they come and see us fight… a spectacle for people that are too weak to fight or simply enjoy seeing us beat each other to a bloody mess. When I fight I always just immobilize my opponent… these kids are only looking for glory without realizing how harsh the life of a bird actually is. If you fly too high, if you become too cocky , if you try to spread your wings in the territory of other birds you will lose them. Oh… I'm already here? I slowly go to the door and open it.

"Is it allowed!? Will the great fangs receive soft flesh tonight!?" The moment my life changed.

I go down the stairs and look at the main ring.

"Do you find this amusing?" The moment I lost the joy of fighting.

I look around… everyone is busy because they want to prove how strong we are by showing the helmets of those we defeated... I think it's annoying but this is what the team wants so I don't really care, though I still think our helmets look stupid… sigh, who chose them anyway?

At the far end, where the big screens that show the fights in the different cubes are, is the stage where Burning Heaven will perform. Yoshito is doing the last sound checks… heh he actually looks serious for a change. I go towards him and wave… he just smiles and winks at me before getting back to work. He doesn't take his music lightly like some artists do. He cares about the quality of his music and the entertainment of his fans… I can't help but smile back at him. I turn around and look at the exit …

"Live with the consequences of having my title" The moment I lost my wings and Agito in order to gain… sigh… I look around me… this is what I inherited… this battle ground and the Fang Regalia… I gained strength of course… I evolved as a beast… I look at my hand and the chain that dangles from my wrist… is this all I can evolve into?... Somehow I used to think I could become better…

"Is everything alright?" I look at the girl with the sweet voice.

"eh?... ow yah" Gorgon Shell gently smiles… sometimes I really wonder what she sees in that … how did Agito call him?... oh yeah, Iron homo bastard.

"Well look at you… you're actually laughing" eh? What did she mean by that? "Lately you've been a little tense. I'm glad to know you're better"… so that's what she meant… I guess I didn't realize I was acting weird… but she does see behind false smiles easily…

"Yeah I'm OK. How's work? I hope Sano isn't working you too hard" she blushes… yah… that did come out kind of wrong didn't it?

"You know Sano. He always clears his schedule when Behemoth has a fight"… that actually means that she has to do the work since she's his assistant… "Please excuse me"… I didn't even realize she was called… sigh she's so formal sometimes.

I head for a chair where nobody can notice me … maybe I can take a nice nap. I look at all the people around me wearing the Behemoth emblem with so much pride… If they even knew for what a stupid reason I chose our name. When we all gathered to decide the name of the new team… well… all the names that came out were so random … then I remembered a passage from a book Akito recommended a while back… it was a police occult book and had many references from different religions… one was from the Islamic Bible… two great beasts that God allowed to exist… the Behemoth which ruled the land and Leviathan which ruled the sea. Not many know about Agito's special Leviathan Fang… mostly because the witnesses didn't live to tell about it… so calling us Behemoth was a pathetic desperate attempt to still have a connection with him… but the others liked it.

Truth be told I was never interested in forming a team… but one day Spitfire asked me for a favor… to meet with Migratory Bird Simca… I never found that girl interesting so I accepted just because Spit asked me.

"Ne Akira kun we have to go or we'll be late"

I'm living with Ren until all the madness fades out. After I left G-Men I had to find a new place to live. The apartment is small but Ren sleeps on the bed and I sleep on the couch in the living room. We somehow manage to get along day by day with the money I gained while working for the special forces. It's just temporary though because I already found 2 apartments in a nice area… but until we can both move in I'd rather stay close to her in case the Chinese mob tries to get revenge on her.

"Fine let's go" I get the helmets and walk out the door. Ren has been trying to cheer me up but it's not like she can… ever since I fought Agito I noticed that I'm slowly starting to close my heart, mostly because if I didn't I'd probably die of a heart ache… when I closed the cage I created, I also brought up a wall around me… it's not like I can't feel compassion, friendship, pain… I just can't feel love… you know that feeling that makes you smile when you wake up in the morning… that feeling of euphoria that you get when your heart starts beating like crazy because the person you love just smiled at you.

We reach my bike that I managed to save from my old life… since Ren has problems with AT's I prefer we travel like this. When we finally reach the meeting point I realise that Simca is late so we just sit around. I look at the birds around us… they are so annoying… they're reminding me of what I lost… the freedom o the sky... I don't mind my current position, not like I know what the future holds for us… but these birds that are so weak and still dare to fly above the head of this beast pisses me off.

"… You like birds?" … yah… I'm crazy about them… so this is the girl all AT riders have to hear of at least once in their life.

"So you're that "Simca". I've already heard about your business from Spitfire." hmm it's started, the rain of blood and molted feathers.

"I… really like this park." I've been coming here for years in these days "Especially since right now is the season in which the doves shed their old wings and grow new ones" I used to come because I knew these small birds would fly again knowing that out of this rain of blood they would find strength "The pitiful wings not only break easily but also have thick veins inside of them," I take a bird that is randomly falling around and break one of its feathers "so when they fly like this, they continue to spout out blood without stopping due to the centrifugal force"

Now that I think about it I can't remember everything we talked under that rain of blood… I really didn't care about that girl, not that now anything changed, but I was really enjoying the scenery. I think I told her an ancient mayan legend about how different creatures can't all live together since it's simply not their nature. That's when she asked me "Please raise those small birds well" I really hated the way she considered herself the protector of AT riders, their savior as if they wouldn't be able to find strength without her help. But I accepted, having a future as the head of a team was as good as any.

"Your commission… I'll do it. The job of hunting the little birds before they fly out to C-class." Their wings would prove their strength at that stage… they would fall and have them broken "… is for the beasts who walk the earth" after all even in that legend the birds were killed by the land beasts. I guess it's only in my nature to hunt the annoying birds that fly over my head. We should leave… keeping Ren in the open while there are still hit men after her may be too dangerous… I should really finish tracking all of them down.

"… Ren" she bows politely. I hope Migratory Bird didn't misunderstand the reason I accepted… I don't care if birds fly … I just hate the fact that the weak ones just linger around near earth in a pathetic attempt to prove they can fly… they should just stay on land.

"I hate… birds."… hmm did I just realized it?… "The unnecessarily vague annoyance over my head… They are so weak that they can only writhe about on the earth when their wings are broken."

After the battle with Agito I became cruel with everything and everyone around me… it took me a while to get over the shock of having lost all I treasured in my life.

"WOOOOOO what a lazy ass leader we have!"… I look towards the person of that impertinent phrase ready to beat the crap out of him… oh… it's Mitsuru… first time I met him he was a short tempered punk… didn't really change much though… anyway he got involved with a gang that G-man was supposed to immobilize… short tale nice kid gets involved with wrong crowd that uses his AT skills… I let him go, he wasn't on the list of people to capture… so when he heard I was forming a team he wanted to pay me back. He's a great rider and nice company… most of the time… but anyway I'm glad we're on the same side.

"I'm the leader of this team and you're my subordinate. So I can do what I want and you can do what I say. Now my minion bow before thy master" he looks at me trying to understand if I'm serious or not while I'm trying to hold back from laughing… He goes in front of me and bows… I really didn't expect that… WHAT THE FUCK… I ended up with my legs in the air and looking at the ceiling. The little punk tilted my chair over.

"There you go your majesty." I get up in the blink of an eye and charge towards him… damn fast reflexes… I missed him and now I'm running after him like crazy around the entire arena. I suddenly feel the ground under me missing when I realize Sano took me by the back of the collar.

"We wouldn't want our leader to get tired before the big fight with the Fang King now do we?" … the fight is tomorrow…

"But the…"

"No buts what are you doing here anyway? Go home and rest you went through hard training yesterday."… hard?... haha you have no idea the hell trainings I went through with Agito because of his psycho brother… but since it's no use arguing with him when he's serious, better go home.

"Alright I'm going, I'm going… just tried to be a good leader here"

"That would be a first!" I hear Mitsuru yelling from the other side of the arena… I charge towards him but Sano get's me by the collar again…

"The exit is the other way Leader"

Sano came as a present from Simca for our agreement… and of course he came with the beautiful and deadly Gorgon Shell. Sano is a weird one… in no fight has he ever needed to show he's true powers… but I sense he's hiding them… great powers that should be feared… he sometimes gives me the feeling I should watch my back even though I know these reactions have no fundamentals… I kind of wonder why he's Simca's lap dog… and what he's truly after.

"Alright I'm going, I'm going." I go towards the exit door and turn around "Thanks for all the hard work Behemoths. See you tomorrow" I exit with a general cheering behind me… they're good guys…

I look up to the stars… dazzling… they are so beautiful tonight… I wonder what Agito is doing. I get on the bike when I hear the door opening… it's Ren… how did she get here? I look at her feet and see the AT's… her feet must hurt… they look burdened.

"Let's go home." I give her my helmet. She takes it and sits behind me quietly… it's strange but I've learned to read her silence. We quickly reach her apartment… she gives me a good night kiss on the cheek and I wait until she's inside and safe before going home.

When I reach the door of my apartment I hear a door open.

"Akira kun, welcome back"

"Oh Hy Naoko chan. Everything alright?" This is the sweetest neighbor I have.

"Yes thank you. Here I made this for you" She gives me a bowl of carbonara witch I take with a big smile… mmmm I was kind of getting hungry. "I thought you might be hungry" she reads my mind with a sweet smile. I look at her bandaged wrists as I take the food. Naoko is a very sweet girl that lived with an abusive boyfriend… in order to face every day she started cutting herself… not in order to commit suicide, she'd never leave her baby… Needless to say I beat the crap out of that shit face and I am now trying to help her in every way I can. She helps with the cleaning after the surprise and unwanted parties I sometimes receive from the members of my team and makes delicious international food that she prepares with out most love and care… last day I had gulash. She still does it… cutting herself that is… I guess it became a habit and a way to not fall into numbness. I have no right to judge her but I try to make her know in every way that she will always have me to lean on if she'll ever need to.

"This couldn't have come at a better moment. Thanks."I could barely finish the phrase when little Yuky starts crying.

"I'm sorry I have to go"

"Oh don't worry about it. Mind if I come later and play with him? I'll get him nice and tired so that you can sleep well tonight"

"You are always welcomed Akira kun but now go and eat before it gets cold." She says with a gentle motherly smile.

"I will" I open the door and head right for the table. MMMMMMMMM delicious as always. I eat everything as fast as I can and wash the bowl before heading to Naoko's door. She lets me in and I immediately play with Yuki. He's such a smart little guy and such a fast learner for a 3 year old kid. I have a lot of small talk while Naoko chan hurries around the house like a little working bee… she reminds me of Akito when she's like this. Once Yuki is nice and tired I put him in the crib and head towards the kitchen to help out… not like she lets me… every time I try to do something she pulls me by the hand to the nearest chairs and pushes me on it saying … Now sit… how can I not listen when she does it with such a stern voice?

"I heard you have an important match tomorrow"

"Yes… kind of"

"You'll meet someone special?" she asks with a tender smile.

"What? "

"You always have a melancholic smile when you're thinking about that friend … Agito was it?" yeah I guess I do… hmm I'm not very good at hiding it am I?

"Make sure to settle everything out with him. Ok? I want to see a happy smile next time you think of him"

"Yes " I say with a surrendered voice at which she gently smiles back. She understands my feelings not from what I say but from my expression… she comprehends my pain better than anyone else and strangely enough I don't feel weak around her but… safe. I enjoy her company and she accepts this wreck of my former self as if I were her own child.

"You should go and rest. Thank you for coming."

"OK. Call me if you need anything. Good night"

"Good night Akira kun" She raises on the point of her feet and kisses my forehead. Before going back I take a look in the crib and make sure Yuki kun is warm and sleeping, wouldn't want him to catch a cold.

Once I get to my apartment I feel a cold air embracing me… this place is so empty. I sit on the bed and look at my precious picture again… I was smiling… I was happy… truly and completely happy. I fall asleep with Naoko's words in my head… will things between us actually settle tomorrow… Agito?

I wake up and look at the ceiling… it's tonight… I look at the clock just to notice it's 5 pm. Sano was right, I needed rest… I didn't even notice I was this tired. I take a fast shower and get dressed before storming out the door…

"Good luck Akira kun!" I hear Naoko's voice.

I reach the Colosseo in time for the final preparations.

"Everything is almost ready" I hear Mitsuru behind me " Are you?"

"Of course. Let's finish this fast" I spend the last hours on a nearby roof looking at the clouds and trying to guess the way they will change under the wind. I hear some AT's getting near and notice two legs near my head.

"It's time"

"Alright" I get up and follow Bandou kun inside the Colosseo and get into position.

"Welcome Kogarasumaru. To we, Behemoth's Main battle field "Under Colosseo"" Always the same… the crowd starts the ruckus and the little birds get scared. Agito is still composed… actually kind of annoyed that his team mates get so easily impressed.

Mitsuru signals the technicians and all the helmets fall from the bulldozer creating a cemetery … maybe more like a memorial to the teams that came upon our fangs.

"Those are the AT's and helmets that those … who've challenged "Behemoth" have bet in the parts war" this is pathetic… we are a strong team why did I let them put up such a shameless scene? I head towards my cube… I can't wait anymore. I go on the other side of the entrance and try to calm down my heart. I close my eyes in hopes that no one would see the struggle inside me.

"Hey" Agito's voice penetrates the wall around my heart sending shivers throughout my entire body… NO… I can't … I'm Behemoth's leader… I SHALL NOT FALL UNDER YOUR FANGS AGITO… I look at him… Whoever got the bright idea of getting the enemies wet before starting the fight is a fucking genius. God he's gorgeous when he's wet… makes me wanna… FUCK… He's my enemy… I will win this… I have to.

"Let's finish this. Put it on the line. That thing I lent you for two years!" Yeah you lent it to me… that's why I will prove to you that I am stronger.

"I'll have you return it! The symbol of the eight kings, the regalia of the Bloody Road!"

It has begun.

If anyone wants to know

Naoko - honest

Yuky - snow or lucky