Thank you to Exhile87 for correcting some typos/inconsistencies!
III. You Found Me
And you never left me no messages
You never send me no letters
You got some kinda nerve
Taking all I want
ONE FULL MOON later and he's not any closer but instead further away and although he's tried countless times to bring it up with her, she merely shakes her head no. She walks away before he can retaliate, making it clear the subject is not up for discussion. With Mitsuru staying at the base of Tartarus and himself up there climbing there's no time to talk about them. Hell, he isn't even sure if there is a them to talk about.
Feeling angrier than he has in awhile, Akihiko swings his fist as hard as he can at the fleeing enemy. He knows full well Mitsuru is watching their battle and maybe that's what makes him do so. The blind swing misses and the next thing he knows he hears Yukari's shriek.
"Senpai, watch out!" Yukari shrieks.
Akihiko looks up and sees a Merciless Maya rushing towards him. He doesn't have time to think or act, so instead he braces himself for impact. He feels a strong shove and the impact pushes him onto the ground.
It feels like everything happens in slow motion when he sees Hamuko pull the trigger and her persona appears. Orpheus lands the critical blow on the last foe, causing it to disappear into the darkness.
Akihiko watches her with mixed emotion and it isn't until then when he realizes the way she delegates orders reminds him of Mitsuru. Then he's reminded of the days they would train on the first floor. Back then they never dreamed they would make it this far even though in retrospect this is nothing in comparison to the rest of the tower.
"Hamu-tan, that was amazing!" Junpei cheers loudly. Akihiko isn't sure if it's his body or ego that hurts more.
"Are you okay, senpai?" She asks him, rushing to his side.
His eyes fixate on the ground, clearly ashamed at his lack of focus. "Y-Yeah…sorry about that."
Her hand extend towards him catches his eyes and for a second he contemplates accepting her help. He decides that accepting her help would show that he needs her, needs to rely on her. So instead he dusts himself off and stands up on his own, ignoring her obvious frown. Right when he thinks she's going to reprimand him for not paying more attention during battle, she stands tall and asks if they're ready for more. Junpei and Yukari ask how she's still so energetic when they've encountered over twenty shadows now. She merely laughs proudly.
And all Akihiko can think is, maybe Mitsuru was right. Maybe she is better suited as leader than him.
The next two days are spent recuperating from training. With Junpei and Yukari tuckered out, Akihiko sits quietly in the living room. He isn't fazed when he hears Mitsuru walk down the stairs. She stops at first like she's changed her mind, then shakes her head and walks towards him and sits in the arm chair.
No one says anything for a few seconds, then they hear footsteps down the stairs and someone else comes to join them. "Akihiko-senpai, did you want some tea?" Hamuko asks him from the kitchen.
He flinches for a second but manages to respond casually, "No, thanks."
When he hears the water pouring in the background he figures he's in the clear, but then Mitsuru's assuming glance catches his eye. "You seem to be getting along with Arisato." The words are like a stab to his chest.
"Does it matter?" He replies.
"Hardly." She replies casually. "It's as I said before: there's nothing between us."
He opens his mouth to talk about what happened one month ago, but he's silenced when Hamuko joins them. She takes a seat next to him on the sofa and suddenly it's incredibly awkward. With the elephant now physically in the room, he prays Mitsuru will fold and retire for the night, but he's proven wrong when she doesn't budge an inch. Then suddenly it's a game of chicken and he doesn't want to lose.
Hamuko must be very dense when it comes to affairs of the heart because she doesn't seem to notice the chilly atmosphere in the lounge. Instead she flips on the television and begins browsing channels like she doesn't have a care in the world. Nothing of interest catches her eye and she sighs. This goes on for roughly fifteen channels and Akihiko starts to get a headache from all the bright colors, but then she sees something that interests her.
He isn't surprised when she stops at the cartoon channel, but is when she gets off the couch and sits herself on the floor in front of him. Just to watch Pheonix Ranger Featherman R.
"This show is amazing!" Hamuko cheers, transfixed. Right when Akihiko thinks this can't get any stranger, she turns to him and adds, "Wouldn't it be cool to dress up and fight like that?"
He thinks before responding (both a blessing and a curse), and opens his mouth to reply. "Uh...sure." He secretly wonders if that's the reason she buys them all sorts of crazy outfits to fight in.
It's strange when Mitsuru leans forward and excuses herself for the night and walks back to her room. Akihiko can't figure out know why, but by now he's getting tired of thinking. Instead of questioning it he leans back in the sofa and gives his brain a chance to relax.
"Oh! Akihiko-senpai, this guy reminds me of you!"
He turns to the television and sees a hero clad in red throwing punches. "Why him?"
"Cause he's Red Hawk!" She exclaims, her eyes never leaving the television. "He's so strong and in-charge."
"But he's the leader," He replies. "That doesn't make sense. I'm not the leader, you are."
She casts him a questioning glance, then looks back to the screen. "Oh? Oh yeah, that's right...Then you can be Black Condor! Junpei will be Blue Swan, Yukari will be Pink Argus and Mitsuru-senpai will be White Swallow. You see, Red Hawk never let his feelings affect himself in battle, Black Condor loves to fight but prefers things to work out without violence, Blue Swan is comic-relief but can be serious when he needs to be, Pink Argus is naive but cheerful, and White Swallow is a spoiled rich girl who uses her wealth to help the team. "
His sudden laugh catches her off guard. "Really?"
"I mean, from time to time they argue and butt heads, but at the end of the day it's their differences that make them stronger. They make the perfect team!" Her reassuring smile makes him forget how to frown.
He gets up from the couch and joins her on the floor. He never realized how comfortable the floor was. "Perfect team, huh?"
"Yep!"
"So what's this episode called?"
She makes a fist a throws it into the air excitedly.
"Here Comes a New Challenger!"