Chapter 3

At The Crossroads


Yui ran away from the Yuuki residence as fast as she could to calm herself and think. "What the hell is this? Everything is out of order!", she thought in confusion. She didn't know whether to be sad or angry about Rito's sudden departure. Today, she expected to have fun with her friends then she would volunteer to buy juice for everyone and drag Rito away under the pretense of needing his help to carry it all. After that, she would confess her feelings for him before returning to their small group, no matter what his answer may be.

That was how it was supposed to happen and she should be at peace now because she finally worked up the courage to be honest with her feelings before going to college. But no, Rito had to disappear before her plan was set into motion and she had to find out about his real thoughts through a gadget!

Suddenly, her foot slipped on a discarded can and she landed on her butt ungracefully, making her wince in pain. Unable to bear the pressure any longer, she stood up and shouted "Rito, you idiot!" before she kicked the can with all her might and it swerved towards the trash basket nearby, much to the amazement of the bystanders. She huffed heavily, relishing the momentary relief and the sense of triumph at her perfect aim.

"Wow, nice shot, as expected of my little sister!" A familiar voice from behind her commented, making her jump.

"O-onii-chan?!" she said as she turned in surprise. "W-What are you doing here?"

Yuu raised an eyebrow. "I should ask you the same question. I thought you're going to meet your friends at the mall? Don't tell me…" his eyes narrowed in suspicion as he studied her profile. Yui gulped nervously as she waited for the rest of his sentence. "You got lost?" he asked with a smile.

Yui blinked a few times before she blushed and exploded, "A-As if I am, stupid brother!"

Her fair haired brother chuckled at her delayed reaction. "Sorry, sorry. I was just joking." Yuu grinned, with his hand on his hip. "Anyway, you should hurry up and go to your meeting place." he reminded, glancing at his wristwatch briefly. "You can't miss this chance to confess to your beloved Rito-kun, right?" he raised his eyes, expecting to see her beet red face and her hands waving in denial but instead, he saw her angry and almost, tearful expression. "H-Hey-"

"It's too late. Even if I go there, I won't see him." she admitted, her hands clenched into fists. "That stupid Rito… he's already gone for good!" Tears fell from her eyes as she said those words and she felt angry at herself for being so affected. She knew from the start who Rito loved the most but snatching away the chance to stir his feelings, even if it's just a little, was too cruel of him. Trying to shake off her frustration, she paced in the middle of the sidewalk, unmindful of the curious stares around her.

"W-W-Wait! Hold up." Yui said, watching his sister walk back and forth in rising concern. "What do you mean gone? Did he… did he die?" he asked in a whisper.

"What?! No!" Yui exclaimed, as she stopped and reared her head towards him. "He just packed his bags and went to planet Deviluke! He wanted to become the number one man in the universe so he could marry Lala." Her voice caught in her throat at the mention of marriage. Ignoring the pang of jealousy in her heart, she resumed her agitated pacing. "Seriously, he should have stayed put today. He completely ruined my plan for a perfect closure!" she huffed indifferently.

"Eh~ I doubt about that." Yuu said, placing his arms behind his head. "Knowing you, you would have gotten tongue-tied at the last moment and then result to shouting angrily at him to hide your embarrassment." He laughed.

Yui clutched his collar threateningly, blushing at the realistic scenario he painted in her head. "Stop laughing already! Are you my ally or not?" she hissed.

He breathed, sobering a little. "Who knows?" her brother answered with a shrug. "So are you ready to give up yet? On Rito-kun, that is." he asked seriously.

"Huh? Give up?!" Yui pushed him away as if the suggestion itself repulsed her. "I can't do that! I know my feelings are unrequited but still, I want him to know so I can't give up yet!" she said fervently. "No matter what I-" her speech halted midway as an answer came to mind and her eyes widened in realization. That's right, the only way she could let him know (aside from waiting for his return) was by following him to planet Deviluke in person! After that, she would go back to Earth with her simple desire fulfilled. Her hand clutched her blouse as her heart thudded in excitement. Yes, this was something she had to do. It was too early to mope around when she hadn't done anything yet.

"Sorry, onii-chan. I-I have to go now! Bye!" Yui hastily turned on her heels and ran but after a few paces, she looked back and shouted, "Nii-chan! Don't go on another women hunting spree, okay?" she waved her hand and continue on her way.

"She's kidding. She's kidding." Yuu said with a smile as the women nearby avoided him.

He scratched his head in wonder of his sister's swift mood changes. "Women." He said in exasperation, then stared at her retreating figure with a fond smile. Personally, he didn't want her to be hurt but this was something his sister decided to do so all he could do was watch over her and let her experience life at her own pace. With this, she would have no regrets and still have the will to move forward, he thought.

Putting his hands in his pockets, Yuu whistled happily as he walked on the other direction to meet his current girlfriend, Akiho. He decided just now to tell her what he had learned about Rito because her sister Haruna might come to the same conclusion as Yui.


Upon exiting the gates, Yami turned to Saruyama and the gang and bowed her head in farewell. Before she could turn away, Saruyama said aloud, "Wait! I thought you're going to eat with us."

The girl shook her head in response. "It's out of the question. I have something to do." She said in her usual serious tone then she jumped up the roof before Saruyama could persuade her otherwise. Later, once she was in a secure location with a bag of her favorite taiyaki in hand, she fished her mobile phone out of her pocket to make an urgent call.

After saying the precautionary password, she was patched into a secure line and she said, "It's me, Golden Darkness. I want you to do something for me."


Meanwhile, as per Mio's suggestion, they went to her workplace to think about Rito's sudden departure over free cakes and iced tea. The manager greeted them in welcome and one of Mio's fellow waitresses led them to a secluded corner of the café and took their order. Neither of them said a word until their snacks arrived and the waitress was out of earshot.

"So… what do you guys think about Rito's decision?" Mio asked with barely contained excitement. "I think it's very romantic of him!"

"Romantic?" Ren snorted. "Call it selfish. How dare leave my princess behind and make her cry? It's- it's unforgivable!"

"Yeah, yeah." Risa took a piece of cake into her mouth. "But I recall you were almost on the verge of tears yourself." she said, pointing the fork towards him.

"Ha?! No, I'm not!" Ren denied hotly. "A manly guy like me would never-"

Risa waved her hand dismissively. "Deny it all you want but I'm sure his words touched you." She coughed and said in her imitation of Ren's voice, "Just wait and see, Rito. We'll make you regret saying that! Sounds familiar, eh?" she smiled slyly.

Refusing to admit it, Ren drank his iced tea and pointedly looked away. He cursed himself for letting that guy needle him into answering his challenge though it was only a recording. He should have nodded and remained unfazed but instead he spouted things that made it seem like he wanted to please him. Damn it.

"Now, now. play nice you two." Mio said as Risa snickered and took another bite of cake. "How about you, Saruyama? What are your thoughts?" she asked, while adjusting her round rimmed glasses.

Saruyama looked up from the cake he was gobbling up fast. "Oh, well, I think that guy has finally grown up." He cut a small piece, circled it around his plate to get more icing and popped it into his mouth. "I think this is the first time he took a stand for something he wanted for himself." He gulped down his iced tea and gave a satisfied sigh. "I'm happy for him but I'm also kinda jealous. He's out there having a grand quest on his own while I…" he shook his head. "Seriously, that guy is really… unfair." He admitted with a hint of sadness in his voice.

He thought he was done feeling insecure and jealous of his best friend but that wasn't the case. When they graduated from high school, he had decided to become a better and more successful man than Rito but how can he measure up to his best friend embarking on a journey to be the future King of the universe?

"Damn it, you set the bar too high, Rito you bastard!" Saruyama thought in frustration. Finally, he noticed the hand waving in front of his face and brought him back to his senses. He looked around and saw his companions' worried faces. "Ah, sorry, you guys had to hear that. Forget about it! I'm just rambling that's all!" He laughed awkwardly then he raised the glass to call the attention of a nearby waitress for another drink.

"I-It's all right, Saruyama-kun! I understand because actually I-I'm jealous, too!" Mio confessed, her hands clasped in front of her. "I'm jealous because Yuuki will see different worlds that are beyond our imagination! He will taste diverse delicacies, wear an array of costumes, fondle female breasts of different races..." she said while flexing her hands excitedly. "Oh! Oh! Can you imagine it, Risa?" she turned towards her best friend with sparkling eyes.

"Totally!" Risa replied in the same vein. "It's a vast universe out there so breasts would vary for sure!"

The girls chattered about the breasts they have fondled so far in full detail and exchanged theories of how different breasts in outer space could be. Saruyama eventually joined in the conversation to take his mind off the ugly feelings in his heart.

Meanwhile, Ren covered his face in shame with his hand. He didn't know how their talk about jealousy took the turn for the worst. More than anything, he wanted to leave and pretend not to know any of them but unfortunately, he was stuck by the window. He could slip under the table but his pride won't let him. Damned manly pride.

Carefully, he sneaked a peek between his fingers and saw the increasing number of heads turning towards their table. He cleared his throat deliberately twice, hoping his companions would take the hint. But when both attempts went unnoticed, he finally lost his temper and hit his hand against the table. "Can you please stop talking about vulgar things in public?!" he exploded.

The trio took note of the Memorzian prince's flustered expression and then, burst out laughing. "Ah, you should see your face, Ren-kun. Priceless!" Risa breathed, wiping away her tears from laughing too much. Realizing that he had been played, Ren crossed his arms in annoyance and glared at them. He couldn't believe the nerve of these earthlings to subject him to such awkwardness.

"Sorry, Ren-kun. We got carried away." Mio said, sticking her tongue out playfully.

"You should have join in, too, you know." Saruyama said, nudging Ren with his elbow. "It's normal for guys like us to talk about vulgar things, right?"

"Not at all." Risa countered, waving her hand dismissively. "Only perverts do that, Saruyama."

"Hey! I thought you're on my side." Saruyama whined which brought the girls into another fit of laughter and Ren managed a small smile at their silliness.

As things settled down, the trio leaned back in their cushioned seats and stared at the ceiling. "You know… I think it would be great if we could have a grand adventure like Yuuki, neh?" Risa said dreamily, as she stared at her outstretched hand above her head. Ever since she got to know the existence of other worlds, she began to yearn for more than just an ordinary life for herself. But as she is now, it's just an impossible dream.

"Yeah…" Mio and Saruyama said in agreement.

Ren sighed as the silence stretched on and the trio got lost in their own depressing thoughts. "Argh! You guys are hopeless! If you want it that badly then you can come to my planet." He offered casually. As soon as the words left his lips, the trio froze and slowly faced the Memorzian prince gawping.

"What? Did I say something wrong?" Ren asked, feeling uncomfortable under their intense stares.

Risa was the first one to recover. "Sorry. I just remembered you're also an alien." She said, the sparkle in her eyes returning.

"Me, too. I was so used to having you around that I forgot as well." Saruyama agreed.

"Well, I remembered but I didn't expect you'd make such an offer to us, Ren-kun." Mio said in wonder.

"You guys…" Ren looked away, miffed at their low opinion of him. "F-Forget I asked then! You- you forgetful humans!"

"No! No! We'll go with you!" the trio grabbed onto him and pleaded repeatedly until Ren gave in because they were making a scene in the café again. At his assent, the trio shouted in glee and started to bombard Ren with questions about his planet's society, culture and also about his family. Then after deciding on the departure time and place, the trio went home to pack their things and felt excited with the prospect of facing a new path together. Ren, on the other hand, ran a final system check on his spaceship before he went to sleep to chat with his twin sister Run within his subconscious about Rito's message for her and about tomorrow's departure plans.


Before exiting the grocery store, Oshizu looked from left to right for any dogs. Seeing none, she stepped out of the store and walked down the road with a bag of groceries in hand. Mikado-sensei had been in the operating room since that morning and as the new assistant, Oshizu decided to buy some snacks and cup noodles for the doctor to eat once she comes out of room. Actually, she would like to prepare a rice meal for lunch but the cooking gadgets in the doctor's kitchen looked far too complex to use. For now, she could only make hot water pour down a cup with just a push of a button.

"I wish I could cook wonderful meals for sensei someday." She thought with a sigh. After all, she owed the doctor for making her an artificial body and gave her the chance to live and feel like a normal human on earth. Being an assistant was great, too, because she could wear a white lab gown over any dress and it could hide her exposed legs and arms well much like her old white kimono.

Distracted with her own thoughts, she bumped into someone's shoulder by accident. "Ah, sorry." She apologized but the figure simply walked on. Confused, she looked back and recognized who it was. "Haruna-chan!" she called but the girl didn't seem to have heard her. So instead, the ghost girl ran ahead of Haruna and let out a loud "Boo!" and caused the blue-haired girl to scream and land on her butt.

"Hello, Haruna-chan!" Oshizu smiled and offered her hand to help the bemused girl up.

"Mou, Oshizu-chan. You scared me." Haruna said then she grabbed onto the girl's hand and patted the dirt off her skirt.

"Sorry. You were spacing out so I did what I do best: scare people." She chuckled behind her sleeve. "Anyway, it's unlike you to space out, Haruna-chan. Is something wrong?"

Haruna raised her eyes and saw her friend patiently waiting for her answer. Right then, she felt that she could confide in her because Oshizu had always looked out for her and supported her feelings for Rito. "Uhm, Oshizu-chan, may I talk to you for a bit?" she asked hesitantly.

The ghost girl's face brightened up but before she could say yes, her wristwatch beeped a few times. "Excuse me." Oshizu said then she rolled up her right sleeve and pushed a button to connect the call. The two girls leaned closer and soon, Mikado-sensei's voice was heard.

"Oshizu, come back to the clinic right now. It's an emergency." The doctor said then they heard crashing noises on the background before the line was cut off.

"Uwaa, sensei's in trouble! What should I do now?" Oshizu panicked, looking from Haruna and then her wristwatch.

Haruna raised her palms to pacify her friend. "It's fine, Oshizu-chan. You can go on ahead and-"

The ghost girl shook her head vehemently and said, "No! I can't just leave you. You need my help, too, so that's why- that's why- ummm…" she tried to think of a solution but her rising panic prevented her from thinking straight. All she knew was that her mentor and her friend are equally important to her.

The short-haired girl smiled and took her friend's hands in hers to calm her down. "Hey, how about we go to Mikado-sensei's clinic first and then, we'll talk. Is that okay with you?" she suggested, giving her hands a light squeeze.

The solution made perfect sense and Oshizu found herself nodding in agreement with a thankful smile. She never really liked the idea of choosing between the two important people in her life, she thought.

"Let's go." Oshizu said then together, they rushed back to the underground clinic only known to a few trustworthy extraterrestrials and humans acquainted with Mikado-sensei.

Upon arrival, the light above the operating room indicated that a procedure was still ongoing and sure enough, they heard another crashing noise behind the operating room door. Cautiously, they called out for the doctor before they opened double doors slightly and peeked inside the room. There, they saw a huge murky green octopus with black beady eyes, a spiral-shaped siphon and an inverted 'A' with a dot on each side embossed on its forehead (or mantle). It sat atop the operating table with its four tentacles attached to a machine via tubes while the other half destroyed the nearby equipments and spread the pea green slime oozing from its pores around the room as the patient wiggled and groaned in pain.

"Finally, you're here!" They heard the doctor say before blocking their view inside the room. "Oh! Hello, Haruna. I didn't know you were coming. Anyway, it's kind of dangerous in here with all the scalpels and tools flying around so just stay put. Oshizu, get out of your body and help me restrain the other tentacles with your powers."

"Right away, sensei." Oshizu answered then, she closed her eyes and promptly left her body to assist the doctor in her spirit form. "Take care of my body for me." She said to Haruna before she slipped through the door and hovered beside her mentor.

Haruna watched in trepidation as Oshizu pointed her arms towards the unruly tentacles and succeeded to restrain its movements by some invisible force. All at once, Mikado-sensei manipulated a robot to attach tubes on each protruded pore underneath the tentacles. The octopus bellowed as the tubes sucked out more slime from its pores. It tried to free itself and Oshizu tried her best to maintain her hold, however, the mental strain was too much and before the last tentacle could be attended to, her control collapsed and the last tentacle smashed the robot to pieces.

"Tsk. That's the last of my robots." Mikado-sensei mumbled. "Are you okay, Oshizu?"

"Yes." Oshizu said weakly, massaging her temples. "I'm sorry for losing my hold, sensei. I'll try again in a short while."

"It's okay. Don't worry about it," replied the redhead doctor.

Oshizu's smile disappeared when her gaze went past the doctor and saw Haruna moving towards them. "Stop, Haruna-chan! You can't be in here. It's too dangerous!" Oshizu said in alarm as she flew to her.

"I know but I want to ask Mikado-sensei some questions." Haruna said.

"Now?" she squeaked. The short-haired girl nodded and Oshizu had no choice but to relent and keep a watchful eye on the patient's movements.

"Mikado-sensei, why is the patient conscious? Can't you just put her to sleep?" Haruna asked in a whisper as she stood beside the doctor.

The female doctor shook her head. "Sorry but it can't be done. In a sleep state, an Agualion's body becomes impenetrable and even those protrusions under her tentacles disappear." The redhead explained. "Hence, she has to be conscious all throughout the procedure."

Haruna frowned. "Then what about painkillers? The patient has been groaning in pain for a while now." she said in concern.

"I have injected it into her system but it seems the poison in her body is countering its effect." She sighed. "I'm afraid that if she continues to delay removing the poison from her system, she'll remain in constant pain and die from it."

Haruna stared at the helpless creature and noticed its free tentacle flicking weakly and its black round eyes glistening with tears. Her heart went out for the creature but she didn't have the psychic ability to restrain it like Oshizu or any healing power. Nevertheless, she wanted to help ease its pain. She closed her eyes and pondered on the situation. "If Rito is here, what would he do?" She thought then after a few heartbeats, she opened her eyes with her mind made up.

With her gaze fixed on the suffering patient, she asked, "Neh, sensei. What's her name?"

"Well, according to the one who brought her here, it's-" Mikado-sensei perused the chart for the information. "It's Aleschka from planet Agualion."

With that, Haruna approached the ailing patient and almost immediately, the octopus' beady eyes locked on her with its free tentacle posed threateningly as she got closer and closer. The sight of its intimidating figure sent a shiver of fear running down her spine and made her steps falter. Though she had encountered extraterrestrials before, this was the first time she purposely approached one. Doing this was dangerous, she knew that much but she couldn't ignore the hurt in the creature's eyes so she pressed on with bated breath. "Rito, please give me courage." She thought.

"Calm down, Aleschka-san. I mean you no harm." She tried to assure the patient but once she walked within range, the octopus snatched her up by the waist with its slick tentacle and lifted her off to the ground.

"Haruna-chan!" Oshizu exclaimed in alarm. She raised her arms to release her power however Mikado-sensei stopped her and told her to wait a little longer. Reluctantly, the ghost girl stood down and kept her guard up in case the situation got out of hand.

"What are you doing here, human?" Haruna heard a slightly guttural voice in her head. "Have you come here to kill me as well?" it asked before tightening her grip on the girl's body.

Haruna struggled to breathe. "No! You're wrong!" Haruna thought in earnest, hoping the creature would understand. "I want to help you, Aleschka-san!"

"Help me?" Haruna heard the patient cackle inside her head. "Liar! Humans don't help! They murder and destroy anything in their path! The likes of you- the likes of you-!"

Just then, Haruna gave an openmouthed gasp as Aleschka's memories flowed into her consciousness. There she saw the flashes of cruelties man had inflicted against sea creatures, including their relentless dumping of chemical wastes in the ocean. She heard the cries of anguish unknown to man and felt the pain, anger and frustration of the patient as if it were her own. Aleschka wanted to put an end to it, however, as she was bound by the intergalactic rule of staying a mere spectator on Earth, she had no choice but to let the vile criminals get away and to watch the primitive versions of her people in Agualion die around her.

Through the alien's eyes, she understood that Aleschka wanted to save the ocean by filtering the contaminated water with her own body. In time, this practice finally taken its toll and as the poison raked her body and rendered her body useless, her anger for humans and for her own helplessness intensified.

Tears fell from her eyes unnoticed, forgetting about her own predicament. "I'm sorry, Aleschka-san." Haruna thought repeatedly as she sobbed uncontrollably. She had heard that such things were happening through the news but it shocked her to see just how cruel humans could be with her own eyes. Her heart cried out for the poor, helpless creatures that humans believed to have neither voice nor feelings. She couldn't blame Aleschka in harboring hatred for her race; her desire to get even was justified. But she couldn't let the alien to suffer a painful death when all she did was protect the oceans she love so much- oceans that human had taken for granted for so many years.

"Aleschka-san, please don't let yourself fall victim to the poison and live! Aren't you dissatisfied that those evildoers are still out there?" Haruna pleaded.

Seeing the girl's genuine feelings through their telepathic connection, the alien loosened her hold a little. "Why are you asking me to live?" she asked, her beady eyes studying the human girl in her arm closely. "Aren't I your enemy?"

Haruna opened her eyes and stared directly at Aleschka's eyes. "No, you're not. Actually, I admire you for holding back for so many years. Despite your anger, you never raised a hand against my people and instead protected the waters on your own. You're amazing, Aleschka-san. That's why I want you to live longer."

"But it hurts." she whined piteously.

"I believe you can bear with it, Aleschka-san." Haruna smiled, her words strong and sure in her head. "Don't worry, I'll be here with you and we can talk about your ocean friends."

Something stirred behind the unblinking eyes of Aleschka and soon, she placed Haruna back on the floor gently. The girl staggered a little but she managed to keep her balance. "What's your name, brave human child?" Aleschka asked in a gentle voice.

"I'm Haruna. Haruna Sairenji."

"Haruna, I'm ready for my treatment now." Aleschka said then she stretched her free tentacle alongside her other arms. At her submission, Haruna turned to Mikado-sensei and gave her a thumbs-up. Her signal made the two sigh in relief when the five minutes of tense waiting in silence ended without further incident. Working rapidly, the doctor and Oshizu attached the tubes manually while Haruna continued to communicate with the patient soothingly in her mind.

Later that day, after the poison was removed and Aleschka returned to her healthy, translucent appearance, Mikado-sensei moved her to one of the rooms to recuperate and to monitor her condition. As the door closed behind them, Haruna dropped down on her knees, overcome with relief.

"Wah! Haruna-chan, are you okay? Are you hurt?" Oshizu asked frantically as she rushed to her side.

Haruna smiled wryly. "I'm okay, Oshizu-chan. I'm just hungry and-" she looked down on her slime-covered clothes and crinkled her nose. "… sticky."

Oshizu chuckled. "Come on. You need a bath, young lady." Then she took Haruna's arm over her shoulders and helped her out of the clinic and into the bathroom with an immense claw-footed bathtub. As Oshizu filled the tub with lukewarm lavender-scented water, Haruna shimmied out of her sticky clothes.

"I'll take that." Oshizu said, taking her dirty laundry from her hands. "Now get in the tub while I wash your clothes. I'll be right back."

With a fond smile, Haruna watched her scamper out of the room before she settled into the bathtub, closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath. Her muscles relaxed as the aroma of lavender filled her senses. It felt so good to just lie there and not think about anything. Soon, Oshizu appeared and offered to help Haruna wash her hair and back, with which the other girl accepted thankfully. They talked about the visions Aleschka showed and exchanged ideas on its causes and possible solutions.

"By the way, I'm also amazed at the extent of Mikado-sensei's connections here on earth." Oshizu commented, as she scrubbed Haruna's shoulders gently with a soft mesh. "I never thought she had acquaintances in the government. Did you?"

"I had no idea." She replied honestly. "Anyway, I'm glad because now Aleschka-san can work with the government to catch the abusers of the ocean. I think she'll love her new job." The image of Aleschka placing locators on unknowing ships like a secret agent brought a smile to her face. "Yup, she'll love it for sure."

Oshizu smiled, happy to see her friend was back to her usual self. Though, she wanted to let this good mood to last, they still had something important to discuss. Clearing her throat, she tried to change the subject. "Say, Haruna-chan. You said you wanted to talk to me earlier. If you're ready now, I'm ready to listen." She prodded gently.

Her smile faded into a serious expression as she remembered her dilemma. Squaring her shoulders, she took a deep breath and told Oshizu everything from Rito's departure to planet Deviluke up to Lala's invitation to follow him to space. Oshizu listened to every detail of the story and found herself increasingly confused at Haruna's indecisiveness. She had known of Haruna's not-so-secret love for the tangerine-haired boy and even cheered her on. "Their feelings are mutual so isn't it natural to follow your heart in this situation?" she wondered.

"I see, so that's what happened." Oshizu said, as Haruna fell silent. "So… what's stopping you from accepting Lala-san's invitation? I mean, I expected you'd take it right away since Rito-kun likes you and Lala-san approves of your feelings for him."

Haruna averted her gaze, fiddling her thumbs nervously. "Well… Planet Deviluke is a faraway and an unknown land to me. I'm not confident I could make a living there because all I've known until now is how to survive here on Earth. What if I become a burden instead? What if I fail to support Yuuki-kun? I'm not like a genius like Lala-san. I'm just… an ordinary human."

The ghost girl noticed Haruna's hunched shoulders, clearly showing her lack of self-confidence. She let out a deep sigh. "Hey, Rito-kun is also an ordinary human but look at him- he dared to leave Earth in order to change himself." Oshizu pointed out. "That's proof enough that being a human can't limit your potential."

When Haruna continued to look unconvinced, Oshizu held her clasped hands. "Look at me, Haruna-chan." She implored. Honest blue irises met her wary blue ones. "I'm sorry to be harsh but you have to stop doubting yourself like this! It won't do you any good. I know you're feeling scared but I see a lot of spirit in you. You're braver than you think. You just faced a threatening alien today, remember?" Oshizu smiled encouragingly. "We all know you're a great girl, Haruna-chan and I'm sure Rito-kun would love to have you by his side."

"But what if I fail him?" she whispered.

"Will you give up if ever that happens?" Oshizu countered quickly. At that, Haruna shook her head with tears clogging her throat. She realized that even if she failed or made mistakes, she would never give up. Rito taught her that and a whole lot more. All at once, a feeling of peace settled on her whole being and she knew she had found her answer.

"Thank you, Oshizu-chan." Haruna faced her, with the usual sparkle in her eyes. "I've decided, I'm going with Lala-san to planet Deviluke." With this, the two girls hugged each other and parted laughing as they started to imagine Rito's reaction when he finds out everyone he dedicated the video message to would follow him to Deviluke.


Sudden beeping noises awaken Rito with a start. He looked about the room groggily. He could have sworn he heard beeping noises but now, it was gone. Thinking it was only his imagination, he plopped back down his bed to continue his slumber. As soon as his head hit the pillows, a flying screen beeped loudly before his face, jolting him into wakefulness. "Ow!" he groaned, as his forehead hit the screen in his shock. Blinking away the tears, he squinted at the contraption quizzically. "What do you want?" he asked as it continued to beep and hover before him.

The device simply flashed a red button on its green screen repeatedly. Seeing no other option, Rito pressed the button and watched as Zastin appeared on the screen.

"Good morning, Muko-dono." Zastin greeted politely. "I took the liberty of setting an alarm clock for you since time here in Deviluke is different from Earth. I am also hoping that during our stay here, you'd still continue with your morning exercises. After all, this is an opportune moment for you to keep your strength up." He smiled. "A servant is stationed outside your quarters to take you to the nearest training room or if you prefer a scenic view, try one of the gardens. After that, I'll help with your preparations before joining the King for breakfast today at 0700 hours. That is all. Good day, Muko-dono." He bowed with his hand over his chest then vanished from the screen.

Before the screen fell, Rito caught it between his hands and saw the Devilukean time indicating 4:00am. With a quick calculation, he had at least three hours to spare before seeing the King. The thought of meeting Lala's dad again brought back a familiar sense of apprehension. For one, he didn't know what to expect about his training with the King. Hell, he even uttered such bold words during their last conversation. And two, well, their father was scary beyond all reason.

With a grunt, he quickly got off his bed to follow Zastin's advice and work off his growing nervousness. Despite Momo's reassurance last night, he still feared of letting the King down or something.

"Argh! This isn't the time to doubt myself." He said aloud to convince himself then he proceeded to change into his exercise attire- a lime green sweatshirt, black jogging pants and rubber shoes. After strapping the weights on his wrists and ankles, he picked up his sword and slung a small knapsack on his back containing his water bottle, face towel and other essentials.

The moment Rito opened his bedroom door, an attendant was there just as Zastin said and he appeared to be eager to escort him anywhere. Considering that he wanted to relax his nerves, Rito asked him to lead him to the vast landscape garden below the balcony of his room.

"Right this way, my prince."

The attendant led him through a ridiculous number of hallways and stairs before they emerged at their destination. "Is there anything else I could do for you, my prince?" he asked.

"Err, I'm fine for now. Thank you!" Rito said with a smile.

After the attendant left, Rito scratched his head in wonder. He found that living in a castle and having people at his beck and call would take some getting used to. Squaring his shoulders, he turned around and marveled at the lush garden before his eyes.

Rows of trees with multicolored trunks bordered the whole area and at the center of the garden was a Grecian inspired gazebo with its marble pillars, stairs and gold trappings. Well trimmed bushes with colorful little flowers were planted at its base and a moat surrounded it, making it seem like a separate island of some sort. Then on each side of this canopy, fountains stood a few feet away. Apart from letting out jets of water, colorful firefly-like lights flit through the air. To say that the place took his breath away was an understatement. It was, by far, the most exquisite garden he had ever seen in his entire life. It was nothing compared to the park garden in their neighborhood or the ones they visited during their field trips back on Earth.

Eager to get started, Rito strode towards the gazebo, climbed its steps and placed his knapsack on the bench. Rummaging through his bag, he found the hair tie with a red flower design, gathered his front bangs and tied it up neatly. His sister gave the hair tie as a joke but when he discovered it helps keep his hair out of his eyes while exercising, he decided to use it often. He looked ridiculous in it, even Mikan said so, but he got over being embarrassed and just enjoyed the sight of the confused faces he passed by in their neighborhood.

Done with his preparations, he got down the steps and did some stretching and a number of jumping jacks and push-ups while carrying his sword. It felt a bit weird doing it out in the open because back on earth, he couldn't do so without exposing his secret training or getting arrested. As he worked up a sweat, he became more energized as he felt the weight of his sword. Zastin instructed him to learn to become one with his sword and at that moment, he felt it strongly. Later, he carried his sword over his shoulders like a foot soldier and ran laps along the Olympic-sized oval pathway around the garden's perimeter.

The cool wind swooshed past his cheeks as he panted for breath. Sweat dripped down the side of his face and his back, his heart pounding with the effort. Yet, he pressed forward eagerly with a smile on his face. Running always gave him a certain thrill that he could go anywhere on his own two feet. Upon reaching the end of his fifth lap, he slowed into a jog for the final lap before he stopped for some cool down exercises.

"Hah!" Rito exhaled with his hands on his hips one last time. Satisfied with today's work out, he clutched his sword and made his way back to his things. "I could stay here all day." Rito thought as he sat down and stared at the garden in contentment as sunlight slowly illuminated the place. While he brought the water bottle to his lips, a rustle in the bushes below caught his attention. With his senses alert, he waited for a few seconds and the rustling noise came again.

Zastin warned him not to let his guard down especially now that he was introduced as the future prince consort. Silently, he unsheathed his sword, got down the steps and watched the bushes for any sign of movement. Among the little flower buds, he noticed a huge pink flower with yellow pollen, quivering.

Scooping water from the moat, he splashed it over the flower to force it to reveal itself. He backed away as the flower shook violently and jumped out, revealing a little girl with long light green hair. He prepared for an attack but the child simply whimpered and tried to get the water off her eyes but the dirt in her hands made it worse. She was soaked through her dress and her cheeks were caked with dirt. Taking pity on the girl, Rito stuck the sword on the ground and ran back up the gazebo to get his knapsack.

"Here, let me help." Rito said then he gently wiped off the dirt from the girl's face with his face towel. "Look up." He instructed as the child continued to squint her eyes. When she appeared not to understand his words, he tilted her chin up and pointed upwards. With a nod, she looked up and Rito dropped a few droplets of water into her blue eyes to clear away the dirt and then wiped away the excess water.

"I'm really sorry. I thought you were- uh- somebody else." Rito said as he washed away the dirt in her hands. He continued to talk in that soothing voice to put the girl at ease with a stranger like him. Luckily, the child didn't seem alarmed and just watched him curiously as he took care of her and mumbled words she couldn't comprehend.

"There! All done." Rito declared. The child made no response and remained gazing at him. "What is it? Is there something on my face?" he asked, awkwardly touching his face but still, nothing. He scratched the back of his head in thought then he noticed her eyes move. Experimentally, he shook his head from side to side and as expected her eyes followed his movement. "Oh, I see. Is this why you're staring at me?" he said, pointing at his hair clip. "You're thinking it's weird on me, don't you?"

Before the child could react, Rito sensed an attack from behind and he swiftly scooped the child into his arms and dodged to the right. Something crashed into the bushes and from the top of the child's head, he saw a huge blade attached to braided red hair and it's trying to break free from the bushes. At that split second, he realized an assassin of Yami's caliber was present nearby.

"My sword-" His eyes searched for his weapon and saw it lying on the ground near the enemy's blade. "Tsk. I shouldn't have let it go." He thought, blaming his usual carelessness. His attention snapped back to the child as she whimpered in his arms, her blue eyes wide with fear. "My sword can wait. This child's safety is my priority." He resolved.

Rito smiled down at the child to calm her down. "Hang on to me, okay?" he whispered, hugging the child closer. "Don't worry, I'll protect you."

As the blade dislodged from the bushes and attacked again, Rito avoided it the second time and made a run towards the grove of trees. Keeping his eyes on the approaching blade, he ducked the moment it struck and it got caught in the multicolored tree trunk before him. Taking this opportunity, Rito ran deep into the woods and hid the little girl behind the first row of thick bushes he saw.

"Stay here. I'll be right back, okay?" Rito patted her head gently before he took off in the opposite direction. He zigzagged his way through the trees, feeling an ominous presence chasing him from behind but at the last turn, the blade appeared in front of him and grazed his left arm. If he were a second too late, it would have stabbed his chest.

"Damn it." he muttered under his breath, leaning against another tree. Being unarmed had him at a disadvantage in this area. He had to get his sword but getting it would mean leaving himself exposed. One wrong move and it was over for him. Mentally shaking his head, he slapped his cheeks and took a deep breath. "I can do this!" He thought positively. Fixing his gaze on where his sword was, he positioned himself and then, he raced towards the base of the gazebo.

The moment he stepped into the clearing, a spiked cannonball attacked him insistently, leaving holes in the grassy ground as Rito dodged and stayed nimbly on his feet. Thanks to Yami's constant attempts on his life, his body became accustomed to evading long-range attacks.

Finally, grabbing the hilt of his sword, he swiveled around and moved to confront his shadowed opponent. Considering the trajectory of the attacks, his enemy would be hidden in a high place. The cannonball charged towards him and at the precise moment, Rito jumped up as it hit the ground and crossed the length of hair like some sort of aerialist. As Rito came close to the hidden figure up the tree, he let out a battle cry and jumped to strike down the enemy with his sword but his opponent- a girl with short red hair and violet eyes- countered his attack with her arm-turned-blade easily.

"Not bad at all, Rito-sama." she said with a smile. Rito couldn't stay in the air for long after that attack, so he swiftly kicked the girl in the stomach and used the momentum to back flip and land safely on the ground below.

"Kicking a girl in the gut isn't gentlemanly, you know." the girl tutted but Rito ignored her jibe and resumed a fighting stance. "Who are you? What do you want from me?" he demanded, staring at the girl in the black gothic garb defiantly.

The redhead girl chuckled at his show of spirit and jumped down from the tree, her hair retracting back to its normal braid. Apart from body transformation, this girl's attire was somewhat similar to Yami's but instead of a skirt, she wore shorts and her top had a hood on it with the exact star-shaped gap symbol on her chest.

He swallowed hard, thinking that if this girl was similar to Yami then he couldn't be careless or he would lose his life right there and then. He tightened his grip on his sword and his shone with a determined glint. "I can't die just yet." He thought, clenching his jaw.

The assassin eyed him with interest while savoring the candy in her mouth. "You really can't relax, can you?" she smiled, running her fingertips across the blade as it changed into a sword. "If you want answers that badly then you better keep up with me, my prince."

Her boot tapped the ground before she disappeared in a blur and Rito raised his sword just in time to deflect her first blow. His heels dug into the ground, a gust of air erupted from the impact. "How wonderful. You're not as weak as I thought." her tongue flicked over her lips excitedly, before she backed away and swung her sword repeatedly against his.

Rito met her with equal vigor, not wanting to give her a slight advantage. The sound of metal clashing and panting breaths filled the space between them in their deadly dance of swords. However, the more they exchanged blows, the more he became aware of the lack of blood lust in her sword. It almost felt like he was sparring with Zastin and not fighting to the death like he expected. Just then, he stepped on a stone and lost his footing for a second. "Shit." He cursed and as if by slow motion, he saw the girl smile slightly with her arm raised to deliver a fatal blow he couldn't avoid.

"That's enough!" a shout ripped through the air and a wall of vines emerged from the ground between the two fighters. Rito was pushed backwards and began rolling on the grassy ground with his arms shielding his face. He was breathing heavily once he came to a stop. He couldn't tell whether the timing of it was fortunate or not because it might be a second assassin.

Cautiously, he raised his head and saw a pair of black boots before him. His gaze traveled upwards and recognized it was Momo dressed in a black and green halter dress. He opened his mouth to say something but her quick glare shut him up. So instead, he got on his feet, patted the dirt away from his clothes and watched his sister-in-law confront his attacker.

The girl's arm returned to normal and she schooled her face to that of surprise. "Oh, good morning, Princess Momo." she greeted the approaching princess with a deep curtsy. "It's a great honor to have you join us today…" her voice faltered as Momo's right fang protruded from her lips and her purple eyes contracted to slits.

"What's the meaning of this Mea?" Momo asked in a quiet, deadly voice. "Have you finally succumbed to your true nature?"

Mea shook her head in denial. "Not at all, Princess Momo. I was just curious about him, that's all." She replied, smiling innocently.

"Then keep your curiosity in check! Your attack on Rito is tantamount to treason." Momo snapped. "If you pull a stunt like this again, I'll be your opponent and I assure you, even though you're Nana's personal bodyguard, I won't hesitate to kill you." She threatened, the vines in the ground moved ominously for effect.

Her blood lust gave Rito goose bumps but Mea stood her ground, seemingly unperturbed. "Hmm~ that won't be good. I really love my job right now." she said thoughtfully. "Please pardon my rudeness, Princess Momo. I won't do it again."

After a few tense seconds, the third princess let out a tired sigh. "Don't tell me. Tell that to him." Momo entered numbers into her D-Dial then her vines retreated back into the ground. "Don't forget to clean up this mess you made."

"Yes~" Mea said then she jumped and landed before Rito with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, my prince. I won't attack you out of nowhere ever again." She extended her hand. "Can we still be friends?"

"Ah, of course." Rito clasped her offered hand, accepting her offer of friendship since Mea was a personal bodyguard like Zastin. "I hope we could spar like this again someday. You're a worthy opponent, just like someone I know." he said then his eyes turned gentle at the thought of Yami.

Mea caught that look on his face and instinctively, her hands pulled him closer and she kissed him passionately. For a moment, Rito was too shocked to even react and just felt her tongue push something down his throat. "Guh?!" he pulled away and stared at her with a terrified expression. "What did you-"

The redhead flicked his forehead to cut him off. "Don't look like that. It's just candy." She smirked at his bemused expression. Slowly, her finger traced the line of his jaw then over his lips. "I hope you like the taste. It's the best there is here in Deviluke." The light tap on his lips sent a jolt of awareness through his body. He blushed to the tips of his ears at the double entendre of her words. So, to maintain a little dignity, he averted his gaze and tried not to think about the sweet taste lingering in his mouth.

"See you later, my prince." Mea blew him a kiss before she left the garden jumping away. Once she was out of sight, Rito turned to deal with Momo and he drew up short because there she was standing with her hands on her hips and her eyebrows drawn together in silent accusation.

"You natural flirt." She said, enunciating every word.

"Huh?" He gaped at her words. "Wh-what the hell did I do?!"

"I took my eyes off you for one moment and you find yourself with another girl." The princess said as she poked his chest deliberately with each word.

"I-It's not like that!" he denied hotly.

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Really? But all throughout the fight you were watching her every move-"

"T-That's because I didn't want to get killed!" Rito reasoned out but she continued her tirade as if he never interrupted.

"-and you even kissed her in my presence."

"It was forced I tell you!"

"Ah~ even though you already have Lala-nee-sama-" she shook her head in disbelief.

At the mention of Lala, he completely lost his cool. "Like I said, it's not like that at all!" he shouted desperately. His words echoed in the stillness of the garden. "Oh crap! I shouted at her. What should I-" He raised his head and saw Momo stare at him for a few more seconds before bursting into a laughing fit.

He stood there, flushed and indignant. He felt like a fool for always falling for that same conversational trap. Silently, he watched the third princess laugh gaily at his expense. "Oh well. At least she's having fun." He thought wryly before he turned away to retrieve his things.

Momo sobered up a bit. "Hey Rito, wait up!" she said, chasing after him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make fun of you. It's just that you scared me today so that's my revenge." she explained in a matter-of-factly tone.

"It's fine. I'm not angry anyway." He tightened the knot and slung the knapsack over his shoulder. "Actually, thank you for stepping in like that. If you hadn't, I'd have more than just this graze in my arm."

Momo froze and finally noticed his torn sleeve. "Wait. You're injured?!" she caught his left arm and inspected his wound. "That girl… she dared cut your skin…" her voice shook with rage. "I knew it. I should have killed her-"

"Whoa, stop right there!" Rito cut off her threat immediately. "It was my fault for being careless, not hers."

His explanation fell on deaf ears as her dark aura started to surround her and her face began to assume a menacing look. Doubtless, she would carry out her threat. She's a chip off the old block, after all. Panicked, Rito did what any desperate man would do to distract a girl from her bloodthirsty thoughts- he bent down and kissed her forehead.

Fortunately, his sudden display of affection snapped Momo out of her dire mood and heightened the color on her cheeks. "Did you just-"

"Yeah, I did." Rito pointedly looked away, feeling the heat rise in his neck. He had no choice. It was either that or be responsible for a meaningless bloodshed. He cleared his throat. "Anyway, don't say such scary things, Momo. It's just a scratch."

Without waiting for her response, he started to walk back to the castle. Damn, he hated himself for getting so easily worked up. One minute, he was at peace and now he felt like a ball of nerves. Ugh. "By the way, how did you know I was here, Momo?" he asked conversationally, as Momo caught up and walked beside him, grinning.

"Oh. Celine told me." She answered gaily as they turned the corner. "I picked up her cries for help in my D-Dial so you should thank her." She added, showing off her phone.

"Eh? Who's Celine?"

Momo inclined her head towards glass door and he recognized the little girl he saved earlier. Upon their approach, Celine stood up and ran towards them, crying. In her haste, the child stumbled forward and she would have hurt herself if Rito hadn't been there to catch her. He picked her up and welcomed the sobbing girl in his embrace.

As her tiny arms wrapped around his neck, he felt a stab of guilt for inadvertently forgetting about his promise to get back to her. Hell, he was already making his way back to the castle. He closed his eyes, burying his face in her hair. "I'm sorry for leaving you alone." He murmured softly against her ear. "I'm right here so you're safe now." he pressed his lips against her baby-soft cheek in reassurance. He held himself still to work out the tension out of his body, as if the child is draining it all away from him.

Then drawing from his experience in taking care of his sister, Rito started to rock her gently back and forth in his arms, calling her name and telling her how brave she was and that everything would be okay. They stayed like that for a moment until Celine snuggled closer in his chest and fell asleep with a thumb in her mouth.

"I see your charm works on little girls as well." She commented, watching the two of them with a knowing look.

"I-It's not like that!" Rito whispered, flustered. "Please, don't say such things in front of a kid."

"Just kidding." Momo chuckled, getting a kick out of making him squirm. "Anyway, I'm surprised Celine took a liking to you. Maybe she thought you're from the same species as her."

Rito blinked. "Eh? How did she-"

The princess grinned and pointed at the top of his head. It was then he remembered his hair clip and that he was wearing it the whole time. He took it off quickly and ruffled his bangs in place. "For the record, I'm just wearing it to keep my hair away from my eyes." he said defensively, as he shoved the accessory into his pocket.

"If you say so." Momo replied blithely.

"Err… so where are Celine's parents?" he asked, changing the subject. "Are they in the castle?"

Momo shook her head sadly. "She doesn't have parents."

"You mean she's an orphan?" he whispered.

"Not exactly." At his confused look, Momo decided to share with him Celine's history. "Actually, Celine used to be this huge sunflower in my greenhouse. But for some reason, she evolved into an infant form a few months ago." she said, with her hands behind her back.

"Such a phenomenon was unheard of, you see. That's why some of the servants here were afraid of her. I think there were even instances when kids of visiting dignitaries bullied her, too." Her voice shook with bitterness as she stared down at her shoes. "I tried to take her with me to protect her but Celine always runs back to hide in this garden. She won't even let me know that she's in trouble." She paused, raising her eyes towards him. "So, imagine my surprise when I heard her cry for help today. That's the first time she ever reached out to me and it's all because she wanted to save you."

"I see. So that's how it is." He stared at the little bundle in his arms fondly. Somehow, knowing about her past made him want to take care of the little girl himself during his stay at the castle.

"Hey, Rito."

"Hmm?"

"Don't forget about my harem plan, okay?" Momo said in a serious tone. "I'll make you mine, I swear it."

At her blunt words, Rito sputtered as his face turned beet red. He stared down at Celine and luckily, she only stirred in her sleep at his reaction. "W-what brought that on?" he whispered in a rush.

Momo shrugged. "Oh nothing. I just wanted to say it aloud." she smiled. "Shall we go?"

Without another word, Rito followed her back inside the castle and up to his room. Once they arrived in front of his bedroom door, Momo took the sleeping child in her arms so that Rito could prepare in peace. For this, Rito was thankful and before they left, he pressed his lips on the child's forehead with a murmured promise to see her later. Momo teased him about giving her another kiss and as usual, Rito flushed and fled inside his room to leave a giggling Momo behind.

Inside his room, Zastin was already waiting with the other butlers from last night and thankfully, they didn't probe about his bedraggled appearance and simply whisked him into the bathroom since they were behind schedule. And in the next half hour, Rito left everything in his butlers' capable hands and listened patiently at Zastin's last minute reminders. Despite the ruckus going on around him, he felt calmer now about facing the King than he was a while ago and it's all thanks to his crazy little morning adventure.


Meanwhile, Mea entered her mistress' quarters and found Nana brushing her long pink hair in front of the mirror. "Oh, good timing, Mea. Could you tie my hair up into twintails, please? It's almost time for breakfast with Papa." Nana instructed, then she closed her eyes and let another servant put make up on her face.

"As you wish, Princess Nana." Mea replied, picking up a silver brush nearby.

"So… where have you been so early in the morning, Mea?" she asked, after the servant finished putting lip gloss on her lips. "I looked for you but you weren't in your usual hide outs."

"Hmm… I went to meet Rito-sama in the East Garden." She answered casually, curling the end of her right ponytail.

Nana stiffened at the mention of his name. "I see. So… what do you think of him?" she asked cautiously.

Mea considered the question for a moment and said, "He's a beast in the making."

"Ugh, what did you do now to get that idea? No wait, don't answer that." Nana retracted as she saw the mischievous grin on Mea's face reflected in the mirror before her. "Seriously, Mea. Stop taking unnecessary risks. If Momo finds out-"

Mea smiled wryly and Nana knew her warning was already too late. She massaged her bridge of her nose, trying to calm down. "I told you time and again, stop provoking Momo. Someday, she'll want your head and I won't be able to protect you." She said in exasperation.

"That's all right, princess. I can take care of myself." Mea said in a self-assured tone with which Nana answered with a snort.

Silence fell between them as Mea finished with her task and let her mistress assess her overall look in the mirror. "Mea, about that Rito character… Is he as great as Ane-ue believes him to be?" she inquired, fiddling her thumbs nervously.

Mea closed her eyes for a moment and recalled that morning's events and how her own sister described him over the phone. "Yes." she replied honestly. "I believe your sister made the right choice."


After cooking dinner, Mikan went to set the table and out of habit, she took out plates and utensils for four people. Once she realized this mistake, she scolded herself for being absentminded and returned the two extra sets on their proper places. Looking at the seats that her older brother and Zastin used to occupy made her heart squeeze painfully. She had no doubt that they would return and they would eat meals together again but the thought of enduring the sight of the empty seats from that day on was unbearable. Turning away abruptly, she went to the backyard where Lala had been cooped up since that afternoon.

Sliding the door aside, she saw the huge white tent set up and Lala's shadow was reflected every time sparks flew from her welding rod. She stepped closer and announced, "Lala-san, dinner is ready!"

"Okay, just a sec!" The welding immediately stopped and Lala stepped out of the tent. Rolling her shoulders back carefully, she looked at the starry sky above thoughtfully. "Wow, its nighttime already. Time sure flies, doesn't it?" she said without averting her gaze.

Following her gaze, Mikan agreed and the two shared a moment of comfortable silence. "Lala-san, are you going somewhere, too?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.

Lala looked at her and smiled. "Yup, I'm going home to follow Rito!" she said excitedly. "Though Rito said I have to wait but I want to be with him after all."

"Can I come with you?" Mikan asked suddenly.

"Eh?" Lala blinked. "But what about your parents and your school?"

"Don't worry. My parents will agree because you're practically part of our family. Also, my school's still on semestral break so I have time to spare." Mikan insisted. "Please, Lala-san. I want to see Rito, too!"

Lala considered her request for a few seconds then she placed her hand over her sister-in-law's shoulder and said, "Okay, let's go together."

Mikan hugged her in delight. "Thank you, Lala-san!" she said tearfully.

"You're welcome." Lala said, pleased to make Mikan happy. "Come on, our dinner might get cold."

When they finished eating, Mikan went to her room right after to pack her things for their journey ahead. She didn't know long she would be staying there but at the back of her mind, she felt that wherever her brother was, she would stay with him even if it meant not returning to Earth. People would call it separation anxiety or a bad case of brother complex but she didn't care. After all, rules on Earth didn't apply in planet Deviluke. Their prejudices won't reach her there.

She was taking down shoes from the shoe rack when the door bell rang and her father's voice came from the doorway. "I'm home, Mikan~!" Saibai shouted, dropping his duffel bag on the floor. He was dressed in his usual dark blue shirt, jeans and red headband on his head.

"Welcome back, father." Mikan greeted briefly before turning back to her task of picking the right shoes to bring with her.

"So, uh, why are you looking through the shoe cabinet?" her father asked awkwardly, as he removed his shoes. He wasn't that close with his daughter because he was always away due to his work but he expected a bit more enthusiasm from her since they'll be living together in his apartment (if he could convince her later).

"I'm trying to decide which shoes to bring with me." Mikan answered, eyeing her red mary janes and her black buckled ballet flats.

His ears perked up at the thought of her packing up her things. "Why? Are you going somewhere?" he asked with a broad smile, expecting her to declare that she would be going away with him, her father.

"I'm going with Lala-san to planet Deviluke." She replied.

It took a moment for Saibai to absorb her words and when it did, his mouth hung open in shock. "What?! P-planet Deviluke?! But what about school?!"

"I'll come back before our break ends." She replied casually, deciding to bring four pairs of shoes- two flats, her sturdy rubber shoes and her high heels for special occasions. "But if I like it there then I'd stay with onii-chan." She added, while putting the other shoes back in the cabinet.

"No, you can't do this, Mikan." Saibai pleaded, wiping his forehead in a nervous gesture. "You're still too young to go that far away and-"

Mikan took her father's hands in hers. "I'll be all right, Papa. Geez, you worry too much." She chided gently. "I just want to make sure onii-chan will be okay. Besides, he needs me to keep him in line. He's too kind for his own good." She huffed.

Saibai smiled at that. His wife used to say that to him before. "Well, if you're sure about this…"

"Yes, I'm sure." She replied confidently.

Her father gazed at her face searchingly before he dropped his gaze and sighed. "All right, you can go but-" He paused as Mikan tried to stop herself from squealing in delight. "You have to tell your mom about this yourself, understood?"

"I'll tell her right away!" Mikan beamed at him. "Thank you, Papa!" She picked up her shoes from the floor and ran up the stairs to her room to make the important phone call.

Saibai merely scratched the back of his head as he watched go. "My kids have decided to leave the nest, huh?" he thought with a sigh. Just then, Lala chose this moment to poke her head out of the living room door.

"Welcome home, Rito-papa. Would you like a cup of tea?" she offered cheerfully.

Saibai smiled. "Yes, I'd like that very much!" He replied. Taking his bag off the floor, he made his way into the living room and determined it was the right time to have a formal conversation with his future daughter-in-law about life, love, and marriage.


Rito studied his reflection in the mirror as he clasped one of his cufflinks in place. Dressed in a crisp white shirt, buttoned waistcoat, black frock coat and gray flannel slacks, he looked like he would be attending another ball, not a simple breakfast. If he had his way, he would eat in his comfortable t-shirt and pants but Zastin would throw a fit since he believes that every meeting with the King was a special occasion.

The commander tapped his shoulder lightly and together, they left the room. Guards escorted them through the hallways, into the tube transporter leading to the exclusive dining room of the Deviluke family- the Quartz Room. As the double doors slid open, Rito thought they travelled into a crystal wonderland. Everything in the room, from the snowflake patterned floor up to the large fancy chandelier overhead, was made of blue and white crystals. As he took the first tentative steps inside the room, his heart pounded nervously because he felt like he was walking on air. Below his feet, he could see the people in the pathways below while the walls and ceiling reflect the city outside the castle gates and the morning sky respectively.

Rito wondered if the wall was as smooth as glass or if it was there at all, his hand reaching out to answer his curiosity but a discreet cough snapped him back to the present and reluctantly, he withdrew his hand and followed the butler to the elegant long table.

Without a word, he was led to the chair at the right hand of the King's seat while the twin princesses were on its left, looking pretty in their pastel colored sundresses. After exchanging brief smiles with them, the double doors opened again and the King of Deviluke strode confidently into the room with his black feathered cape fluttering behind him. Everyone inside the room greeted the monarch with deep bows and curtsies and the King acknowledged it with a slight nod of his head then he took the seat at the head of the table.

Once the royal family and Rito were settled, the different delicacies Deviluke had to offer were wheeled inside the dining hall and laid out presentably. Through Rito's eyes, everything looked strange and colorful. He hoped that these dishes would taste better than the ones Lala made for him in the past. Suddenly, the image of a glowing black jelly with a single eye flashed in his mind and his body shuddered. He fervently wished it wouldn't taste as bad as that. Of all things, he didn't want to pass out in front of his future father-in-law.

Sensing his discomfort, Momo asked her father if she could change the view. The King nodded his assent and with a few taps on her arm chair, the view in the walls transformed into a forest with towering trees and crawling vines with glowing exotic flowers. Rito found it beautiful and asked where it was and the third princess said it was a real time view of the Vixan forest in planet Plantas.

Then he listened with growing amazement as Momo explained the room's mechanics like how the images were taken, why it was called the Quartz room, where the jewels were taken to construct it, among others. It kept them occupied while the palace food taster sampled each dish in their presence.

Once he deemed the feast was safe to consume, Momo excitedly gave her recommendations on what dishes Rito should try first and even shared some interesting trivia on the flora ingeniously used as ingredients. Sometimes, Nana would join in the conversation when animals were involved. These exchanges put Rito at ease and he found eating breakfast with the royal family wasn't as stifling as he thought it would be. Plus, Momo's recommended dishes were surprisingly delicious (though it was already cold).

Meanwhile, the King was silent all throughout the meal yet Rito knew he was actively following the conversation if his body language was any indication. In his silence, Rito became more curious to know the plans the King had in store for him. However, Zastin warned him not to mention his training (or anything related to matters of the state) because the Deviluke monarch preferred to enjoy his precious mealtime with his family in peace. So, he held his tongue and tried his hand at being patient.

After a while, the dishes were cleared and they sipped their ptisane (a Devilukean tea) in companionable silence. As he lifted the delicate teacup to his lips, he concluded that today's breakfast was a success. He enjoyed the meal, he didn't pass out and he was able to converse without stuttering like a fool. It was like the time he spent on worrying and being nervous was unnecessary.

"Rito Yuuki." The King said, as leaned back in his chair with his legs crossed.

"Yes, sir?" Rito asked, placing the cup down before his hand shook.

"Are you absolutely certain you want to undergo the royal training as my successor?"

"Yes, I am." He answered with the same determination as before.

"Very well." The King nodded, his face impassive. "Come stand beside me. You, too, Zastin." he ordered, before pressing a button in his arm rest to swivel his chair around. The two men hastened to obey his command and then the King cocked his head towards the butler by the door and said, "Send them in."

The butler bowed and placed his hand over the scanner to reveal the three men standing behind the double doors. The one on the left, with golden eyes, spiky red hair with orange highlights and a white theater mask sitting precariously at the side of his head, instantly brightened up at the sight of His majesty.

"We're back, my liege!" he greeted, making a beeline towards the King's seat. He was dressed in an oversized black straitjacket style top, knee-length khakis and sneakers. By Rito's estimation, they were about the same age but he couldn't be sure since aliens age differently from humans. "We came as soon as you called for us. Did you miss us, by any chance?"

Before the teenager got any closer, the muscular man with tanned skin on the right, grabbed him by the collar. "Mind your manners, Samhain." He drawled, his voice sounded deep and almost guttural. He looked every inch like a primitive Indian warrior with his long raven black hair decorated with beads and feathers, his face painted with fierce black stripes and his breechclout. The notable differences were he had a huge axe on his back instead of a normal bow and arrow and he had a pair of bull horns on his head.

"All right already. No need to get so grabby." Samhain twisted free from his grip. "Seriously Behemoth, all you had to do is ask."

Behemoth crossed his arms over his naked chest and snorted. "Oh, really?" his red eyes seemed to say with a lift of his bushy eyebrow. This stance made him look taller and intimidating yet Samhain looked at him with a glare of his own.

"That's enough, you two," scolded the taller man in the middle in a well-modulated voice. He has bobbed silver hair with purple tips, pointed elf ears and crystal blue eyes. Dressed in a flowing white robe, he gave off a serene aura synonymous to those early century prophets. Upon hearing his words, the two men shared one last look of animosity before they trailed behind the silver-haired man and knelt down before the King in respect.

"We, the generals of planet Xenos, have come to answer your summons, your Highness." The silver-haired man said without raising his head. "It is a great pleasure to stand before your presence."

The King smirked at his statement. "Is it really?" he asked dubiously. "You haven't visited me ever since the war ended despite my countless invitations. If I hadn't threatened you, you wouldn't have come here on your own accord."

"You wound me, your highness. I was only busy maintaining the King's peace in planet Xenos and the other planets under my jurisdiction. Surely, you understand that." Alistair answered sincerely.

The King studied him for a moment. "You may all stand now." he said finally, with a flick of his hand.

"Generals, I'd like you to meet my future son-in-law and heir to the throne, Rito Yuuki." He introduced, patting the young man behind his back. Rito gave a slight nod of acknowledgement as the three men regarded him in silence. He felt uncomfortable under their scrutiny but he returned their gazes unflinchingly.

"Rito, standing before you are my most trusted generals who helped me win the Galaxy Unification Wars. Remember their faces because for the next three years, they will be your royal tutors." The King revealed casually, while all eyes turned to him in shock. Clearly, the summoned generals were not informed of this and a tense atmosphere filled the room as they waited for the King's next words.

"You will be taken in a secret military base of Alistair's choosing and you will master your lessons there. Once they deem you're ready for the field, you will help maintain the peace and make a name for yourself. Only when you have accomplished these, you may return to marry my daughter and ascend the throne on your 21st birthday." He smiled proudly, liking the grand plan he laid out. "Now, do you have any questions?" he asked, looking sideways at Rito.

"Ah, I was under the impression that the royal training is done here traditionally, Sir." Rito replied, slightly confused.

"Tradition? Bah!" The King scoffed. "Times have changed, Rito. You will rule not only over planet Deviluke but also the entire Milky Way Galaxy and I believe my generals here are more than capable of honing you into the successor I expect you to be." He said confidently with a sweep of his hands. "Alistair here will teach you about Intergalactic laws and public administration. Behemoth, on the other hand, will be in charge of your advanced combat training and lastly, Samhain will train you to be an excellent battle strategist."

"With all due respect, Sire." Alistair interrupted politely. "What about our duties to planet Xenos? We can't just-"

"Are you saying you can't do it, Alistair?" The King countered, flicking his tail. "Is it wrong of me to expect so much from you?"

The insinuation behind his words made the Alistair's lips twitch. "Pardon my interruption. I was merely stating a concern." He reasoned calmly. "But since you have so much faith in me, I will do my best to meet your expectations, your Highness."

"Good." The King smiled. "Now, prepare to leave in an hour."

"As you wish." Alistair said in acquiesce then the three bowed in unison. Samhain paused in the doorway and looked like he wanted to say something but then he changed his mind and left the room with the other two.

Rito followed their departure with his eyes. It was clear to him that the King and that Alistair guy had some issues. Hell, the air was practically crackling with tension as the two men exchanged brief words. He cast a sideways glance at Zastin and wondered if he knew the reason behind it, since he fought in the war, too.

"Zastin." The King called once the door closed behind the generals.

"Yes, my Lord?" Zastin replied, as he knelt before the King.

"I'm assigning you as Rito's personal bodyguard and I also expect you to teach him about Devilukean History, Culture and Etiquette- just like you did for my daughters."

"Certainly, my Lord."

"Wait, Sir. What about Lala? Who will protect her if Zastin's coming with me?" Rito asked in concern.

The King waved his hand dismissively. "Once she comes home, she'll be safe here." Seeing his gawping expression, he smiled slyly. "What? Did you honestly think my willful daughter will stay put on Earth without you? You have a lot to learn, kid." He said, amused to see the boy's flustered face.

"Uhm, Papa?" Momo said hesitantly as she stood on her father's right side.

"Yes, Momo?" The King replied, turning his chair to face her.

"I-I'd like to go with Rito as well!" she announced suddenly, her hands clasped in front of her.

"What?!" Rito and Nana exclaimed at the same time but Momo didn't pay them any attention and continued to stare at her father squarely.

"I want to have an adventure, Papa! I want to see the outside world and learn new things just like Mama and Lala-nee-sama." She explained, her purple eyes bright with enthusiasm. "Please, Papa? I promise I'll be on my best behavior there." She implored, fluttering her eyelashes for added effect.

The King studied her for a moment and sighed, "Do what you want." he said.

"Yay! Thanks Papa!" Momo beamed, clapping her hands happily.

Nana stood up from her seat abruptly. "Wait! Why does Momo get to go out? I'm the second princess!" she protested, pointing at herself for emphasis. It wasn't like she wanted to go on that hopeless quest but it was annoying to see her sister get what she wanted every time she acted cute and get all teary-eyed. It was clearly a calculated move but she couldn't understand why everyone (including their father) fell for it every single time. It wasn't fair. She always had to prepare a reasonable speech before she got anything.

Meanwhile, the King simply sat there with a neutral expression, obviously used to the twin's bickering.

The third princess faced her sister with an innocent smile. "Well, as the second princess, you have the duty to help Lala-nee-sama once she returns home. You were the one who took over her responsibilities while she stayed on Earth, after all." she argued easily.

"Yeah, but you know Ane-ue's duties as well so you can stay here." Nana replied, staring at her sister.

"Oh come on, Nana." Momo scoffed. "Why would you even want to go? You don't even like Rito."

"Momo!" Nana blushed guiltily. She caught Rito's surprised face and she turned her gaze away. "Well, he's still not good enough for Ane-ue!" she admitted, crossing her arms haughtily.

Momo lift a single eyebrow. "Really? How could you tell?" she asked with a note of suspicion.

Nana stomped her foot angrily. "I just know all right?!" she fumed, her voice up a notch. "And besides according to my source, he's- he's a beast in the making! A beast!" she said, pointing at Rito accusingly. However, her final outburst was met with a sudden silence, much to her confusion.

"A beast, hmm? I think that's a good moniker." The King said thoughtfully, breaking the silence. "Don't you think so, Zastin?"

"Yes, Sire."

"Oh, say it again, Nana." Momo smiled teasingly. "It sent chills down my spine." she said, shaking her shoulders animatedly.

Nana flushed in embarrassment. She hated it that her concern wasn't taken seriously. It made her feel like an idiot. Worst of all, Momo had that triumphant look on her face. Damn it!

"Fine! Don't say I didn't warn you all!" she stormed out of the room in a flurry of skirts.

Momo sighed. "May I be excused as well, Papa?" she asked, facing her father again. "Don't worry. I'll go and talk to her." As the King gave his permission, she bobbed a curtsy and left the room gracefully.

After the door closed, the King let out a good-natured laugh. "Hmm, you've made quite an impression on my daughters as expected." he commented before jumping off his chair. "Well then, I'll leave you to your preparations. See you in an hour, Rito Yuuki."


Later that morning, the preparations were done and Rito found himself standing under Zastin's spaceship entrance to bid his farewell to the King and the second princess. He knelt before his future father-in-law and said solemnly, "I'm going now, your highness. I'll be back on our appointed date as a changed man."

The King placed his hand over Rito's head gently and said gently, "Go forth bravely and be strong. May the stars guide you back safely, my son-in-law."

His encouraging words warmed him from the inside out. The King's approval meant so much to him than he realized. "Thank you, Sir. I really appreciate it." he said, his voice rough with emotion.

Meanwhile, the twin sisters hugged each other in farewell. "Are you sure of bringing Celine along? It's a military base you're going to, not a nursery." Nana asked, eyeing the child in her sister's arms worriedly.

Momo smiled. "I know. But only I can take care of her and besides, she's attached to Rito, aren't you, Celine?" she said, smiling down at the girl who mewled in response.

Nana sighed in defeat. "Geez, I still don't know what you see in him to go to these lengths." She grumbled, shaking her head. They had their differences but she couldn't accept the fact that Momo was putting herself in danger for someone like him.

"Don't worry, once we come back, you'll see." Momo winked. "Bye, Nana."

As Momo turned to say goodbye to their father, Rito stood in front of her and almost immediately, she crossed her arms and glared at him. Unlike her sisters and father, she was determined to hold her judgment until he had proven himself.

"Look, uhm-" Rito started, standing there awkwardly. "I know you don't like me very much but still, thank you for being honest with me, Nana." He smiled. "As I am now, I'm still not enough. But I'll try my best to be worthy of your sister, Lala." He declared while staring directly in her eyes. Despite of her initial dislike of him, she could tell that his determination to succeed was genuine. She almost wavered. Well, almost.

Nana clutched his silk tie and pulled his head down so she could whisper in his ear, "Words are wind, Rito Yuuki. If you fail in your quest, don't show your face here ever again."

"I'll keep it in mind." Rito replied then he straightened his tie as she let him go. "Take care of yourself, Nana." He smiled sadly then he put his hand to his chest, bowed and walked back to the waiting entrance. He felt disappointed they're parting ways in such a bad note. Looking at it positively, as early as now, he learned that not everyone would approve of him as the successor. The only answer he knew to redeem himself in their eyes was to survive and return to Deviluke as promised.

He stood between Momo and Zastin and then, a flash of blue light teleported them into the ship's control room. After the coordinates of their destination were set, Rito shouted the command to blast off and in a few seconds, the ship was sailing through the cosmos with the generals' spaceships and their escorts flanking them from all sides.


Later that evening inside a private office, the King was pacing over his wide oval table while perusing state documents in his hands when Vega, his secretary, came through the door and announced the arrival of Lala with her guests and her wish to have an audience with him.

Wearing his usual smirk, the monarch jumped off his table, tucked the documents in its hidden drawer and tapped his foot twice on the floor to make the table disappear beneath the floor and be replaced with comfortable couches. He had been looking forward to this meeting since Rito made that bold pronouncement of becoming his worthy successor. Seating himself regally at the chair with an elaborately carved backrest, he motioned for his secretary to let them in with a simple flick of his hand.

As soon as the door opened, Lala burst into the room with her three earthling friends in tow. "I'm home, Papa!" she said cheerfully, waving her arm in greeting. Lala hurried to his side and pecked his cheek while her companions stood awkwardly inside the room.

The King smiled. "Welcome back, Lala." He said then his gaze turned to the other three. "Welcome to you as well, friends of my daughter. Please have a seat." He continued, pointing at the empty couches before him.

The girls settled in the plush black velvet couches, Lala and the girl with short blue hair sat on the left couch, while the black-haired beauty and a young brunette were on the other. Having instructed Vega to bring some snacks and a hot pot of ptisane for their guests, the secretary left the room without delay.

"So…" The King leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs. "May I know your names, lovely ladies? I believe we haven't been properly introduced."

"Oh, uhm, I'm Haruna Sairenji, your Highness." Haruna said politely.

"I'm Y-Yui. Yui Kotegawa." Yui answered nervously.

"And I'm Mikan Yuuki, Rito's younger sister and your future daughter-in-law. I'm pleased to finally meet you, Sir." Mikan said, bowing her head in greeting.

"Oh, the pleasure is all mine." He smiled, committing their names into his memory. "So, what brings you all here in Deviluke?"

"Actually Papa, we came here to see Rito!" Lala replied excitedly. "In his message, he told us he'll be here for the royal training. So here we are!"

The King kept his expression neutral. He had surmised that this would be their intention for coming but he had a different plan in mind for them. And the first thing he had to do was burst their bubble of expectation. A knock came on the door and Vega wheeled in a tray of baked sweets and hot ptisane for the guests. He served the treats in the coffee table deftly and the girls accepted it graciously. For a moment, Lala happily stuffed her mouth with the familiar treats and told her friends that she loved eating it since her childhood.

Once her sweet tooth was satisfied, Lala turned to her father. "So Papa, where is Rito staying now?" she asked, looking at him expectantly.

The King put down his cup first before answering. "I'm sorry to disappoint you but Rito is no longer here." He stated. "I've sent him away a few hours ago."

Her face fell. "What do you mean you sent him away, Papa?" she asked, confused.

"You are all aware that Rito wanted to become my successor, correct?" At their nod, he continued. "Well, in order to prepare him for that important role, I sent him on a distant planet to train with my loyal comrades and your sister Momo. Don't worry. He'll be back in three years time… hopefully."

Lala was silent as she absorbed everything her father said. A day without Rito felt like a part of her was missing. She was only able to keep her loneliness at bay with the hope of seeing him today and the knowledge that he was within reach. But now, that hope was gone and she had to endure three years of living without him. She felt someone hold her hands and when she looked up, she barely saw Haruna's face through the haze of her tears.

"Will he come visit here for vacation, perhaps?" Mikan asked calmly though she looked pale.

The King shook his head dramatically. "It's in our agreement not to see or contact anyone besides his companions." he explained.

"T-Then we came here for… nothing?" Yui squeaked in disbelief.

"If that's the only thing you came for then… yes, it is." The King said bluntly.

"Where did they take him, Papa?" Lala asked hoarsely.

"I don't know." The King lied.

Lala looked up and saw in his eyes that he had no intention of revealing anything to her. It was the same look he had when he took her away forcibly and threatened to destroy Earth if Rito failed to win the gamble. She tore her gaze away, unable to bear looking at his impenitent face. She thought after that incident, her father wouldn't make decisions behind her back anymore. She was clearly mistaken.

Lala stood up from her seat shakily. "Then I'm going to find him. Goodbye, Papa." She said tersely and turned her back on him. Her companions also rose from their seats to follow her.

However, Lala had only taken a few steps towards the door when her father called her complete name in a sharp, commanding tone. Reluctantly, she stopped in her tracks but she did not face him lest she say something she might regret.

"It is a heavy responsibility to take my place as the King of Deviluke and Emperor of the Milky Way Galaxy and your fiancé knows that. He also understood that he has to get stronger to protect this kingdom and all those important to him. That's why he sought my help. I did warn him that the training will cost him his life but that boy… he was so determined to try." He said with a hint of wonder in his voice. "Rito has found his purpose and is willing to risk his life to fulfill it. So now, I am asking you, the first princess and future queen of Deviluke, have you found your purpose?" he asked in a serious tone. "The same goes for the three of you." He added at length, turning his gaze at the three girls before him. "You can all stay as long as you want to think things over. Our capable staff will see to it that all your needs are provided for. And once you have found your resolve, come to me without hesitation."

After a brief silence, Lala continued to walk out of the room and this time, the King didn't stop her. Meanwhile, the trio excused themselves politely with curtsies before they went after their distraught friend out of the office in quick, short strides.

The door closed firmly behind them and finally, the King let out a tired sigh, massaging the bridge of his nose. This had been a long day for him. He could only hope his little speech bolstered them to think seriously about their future, especially his eldest daughter. It hurt him to see that betrayed look in her eyes but it was for the best. It was the right time for them to realize that they weren't children anymore and that their decisions after today could alter the course of their lives forever.

"You don't want them to go, do you, Sire?" Vega asked silently, as he handed a cup of ptisane to his liege.

"It's such a waste not to put their loyalty to good use." The monarch took the cup gratefully and left its calming aroma waft through his nose. "After all, loyalty is invaluable to a King." he lifted his cup in silent salute and took a deep, satisfying gulp. He sighed in contentment as the liquid trailed a burning trail down his throat and warmed his insides.

"Very well said, Sire." Vega replied with a knowing smile. "Very well said."


Back in the spaceship, Rito had just come out of the conference room as his meeting with the royal tutors concluded. It was decided unanimously to commence his training program tomorrow while they were en route to the distant planet of Valentia.

Upon tapping his password, the white metal door of his quarters slid open. He trudged inside, loosened his silk tie and hung it at the hook beside his door. Then, he unbuttoned his waistcoat and cufflinks with deft fingers. All he wanted now was to get enough sleep for tomorrow. As he threw his waistcoat in the nearby clothes basket and started with his shirt buttons, he heard a sneeze.

He whipped around and was shocked to see Momo sitting on his bed bare naked, with her right hand scratching her nose. He covered his flushed face with his hands in his usual flustered manner. "Momo! What the- how did you get in here?!" he asked frantically.

"The answer to that can wait." She replied sweetly. "But first, continue what you're doing. I love a good strip tease."

Rito could almost imagine her smirk as she said those words. He gulped. "W-Why are you here? Do you have another message for me?"

"Of course not, silly." she said with a giggle. "I'm here to see you."

"C-Can't you do that with your clothes on?!" he exclaimed in frustration. He was starting to think having Momo around was a bad idea.

Without warning, he was pushed against the door and her soft naked form pressed against him in the most delicious manner. It excited him but he would die first rather than to admit it. Shakily, his hands shot out to push her away by the shoulders. "Momo-" he croaked, trying to gain some semblance of control. But the princess was determined to make him lose it. With half-closed eyes peering at him, her fingers trailed along his extended arm lightly.

"Come on, don't be shy." Momo crooned, making the hairs on his neck stand. "I'm sure you're tired today and I can make you feel good." She said suggestively, slipping her right hand through the gap in his shirt. "Oh shit." He thought, as his breath catch in his throat. As her hand brushed against his left nipple, his body jerked instinctively.

To his relief, the lights in his room turned red as the alarm blared loudly all throughout the space ship. As he snapped back to his senses, he backed away from her sensuous touch and opened his door. "Sorry. Duty calls!" he said then he stumbled out of his room in a hasty escape. He didn't stop running until he was in front of the control room door. Panting heavily, he buttoned his shirt up and ran a nervous hand through his hair. Once he was satisfied he looked decent enough, he opened the door and strode towards Zastin to be updated on the situation.

It turned out an unknown spaceship had caught up with them and General Samhain and his crew were presently dealing with the threat with their own battle drones. Through the ship's window, Rito could only see flashes of light and small explosions from afar.

Curious about the lone attacker's identity, he gave the order to enhance the image of the attacker's ship. However, the instant the ship came to view and he read the ship's name printed on its body, he stiffened in alarm. It's the Lunatique.

"Connect me to General Samhain's ship right now!" he barked and one of his crew hastily obeyed his sharp command.

A few seconds later, the line connected and Samhain's face appeared on their screen. "Don't disturb me now, kid, I'm about to-"

Rito cut him off and said, "With all due respect, Sir. I'm asking you to stand down."

"What?!" Samhain exclaimed, incredulous. "Don't you know who we're dealing with here? That's the ship Lunatique and that means-" he tried to explain as if Rito were an idiot but he beat him into it.

"It's Golden Darkness' ship, I know." Rito completed. "I'm asking you to stand down because she's my friend."

Samhain stared at him doubtfully. "She's your friend? How is that even possible?"

Zastin, who was standing in Rito's side, cleared his throat and said, "It's true, General Samhain. Golden Darkness is Muko-dono's ally."

The red-haired general studied them for a moment, trying to see the truth behind their words. He had always known the Golden Darkness as a lone and dangerous assassin. It was the first time he heard of her having allies. He snorted, hating that the chance to have a face-off with such an opponent was put to a stop. "Fine. I hear and obey." He said glumly before the line went off.

"Establish connection with the Lunatique." Rito ordered, eyeing the screen worriedly as the disturbance up ahead disappeared and the remaining battle drones returned to their commander's ship.

The connection was established but the screen was a static black and white. Panicked, Rito leaned over the railing and called out. "Yami! Yami, can you hear me? Are you okay? Yami!"

Just then, the screen cleared to reveal Yami's emotionless face. "I'm here, Rito Yuuki. My ship suffered minor damages but I'm fine."

Relieved to see her unhurt, Rito sighed in exasperation. "Geez, I did say I'll see you soon but this is way too soon." He said, shaking his head.

Her lips quirked, showing a hint of a smile. "You're my target so I can't let you out of my sight." She reminded.

This time he chuckled in amusement. It was always a wonder how she could remain unfazed as if she wasn't attacked just a few minutes ago and still have the gall to deliver her usual threat. Only Yami can do that, he thought.

"It's good to see you, Yami." Rito said, smiling warmly at her. "Come, we have much to talk about."

After that, he instructed his crew to open dock 6 to accommodate her ship and then, he rushed out of the control room and into the said docking area to welcome his former assassin turned friend, Golden Darkness. In his haste, he didn't notice the pink-haired princess following him discreetly from behind.


Momo hid behind one of the supply crates, curious to know the reason behind Rito's agitated behavior. She was close enough to see his full figure waiting anxiously as an unfamiliar spaceship landed inside the docking area 6. Soon, a burst of air erupted as the ship's door opened and a girl with flowing yellow hair jumped down gracefully. A sudden spike of apprehension seized her as she noticed the girl's garb was similar to that of her sister's bodyguard, Mea.

Rito ran to the blonde girl eagerly but then, he lost his balance and his hands landed on her breasts as he toppled over her. In a split second, he was sent flying by one of her fist-shaped hair. Momo was about to leap out of hiding to attack the newcomer when suddenly, his laughter rang out.

Momo watched silently as Rito jumped up to his feet and massaged his left cheek. He said something to the blonde girl as he walked towards her. The princess thought it was a pity she was too far to hear his words clearly. So instead, she observed and tried to guess their conversation from their reactions.

Just then, the newcomer used her hair to get a paper bag inside her ship then she thrust it towards him. Rito looked inside the packet and exclaimed in delight. He said something again and the girl stiffened and brought one of her fist-shaped hair towards him.

He closed his eyes, expecting a blow but when none came, he took a peek and saw the fist change into an open palm, as if inviting a handshake. Carefully, he reached out and the moment his hand closed over the hand-shaped hair, it turned back to just being hair and Rito held it gently. He said something to her again, like a compliment, and the girl's cheeks flushed and her hair turned back into a fist and punched him in the stomach. He landed on his butt, laughing while the girl looked away, miffed. Once Rito sobered, he stood up, reached into the packet in his arms and handed her a piece of bread. The girl took it gratefully and together, they walked away eating.

The princess stepped out of her hiding place and stared at their retreating figures thoughtfully. She didn't fail to notice the look the newcomer gave him while Rito chattered away by her side.

"Another rival appears, huh?" Momo smiled, her eyes bright with mischief. "This is going to be fun."


A/N: Another chapter done! Wooh! So, what do you think of it so far? C'mon, don't be shy and tell me your thoughts~ (pokes your cheek)

By the way, the other aliens who appeared in this chapter are original characters. (e.g. Aleschka and the royal tutors)

Honestly, thinking of new names and describing locations is difficult! I had to search for names related to demons and try to make an ordinary room technologically advanced! Ugh. Yeah, it was hard but still, it was fun writing it! I think this is the longest chapter I have ever written! haha! XD

So yeah, thank you all for reading and watch out for the next installment! Haha! (winks)