Warren and Grimmjow were locked in deadly midair combat, with Grimmjow swinging wildly at the Rider. Warren was dodging all of Grimmjow's strikes, his Zanpakuto not even in its Shikai state yet. Ryuji and Kat showed up as the DynoLiner drops them off not too far away from the fight.
"Damn, this is bad!" cursed Ryuji
"Yeah! Sensei is hogging all the action!" whined Kat.
"You guys couldn't take Grimmjow even if you wanted to…but Sensei, he could probably take on all of the Espada at once," said Benitora in awe.
"I've seen what he can do. You're right about that," confirmed Ryuji. His eyes widened when Grimmjow threw a cero blast at Warren, but widened even further as Warren caught the cero and threw it back at Grimmjow, hitting its mark.
"OK, I'd need a lot of Rinki to catch a blast like that," said Kat
"You'd need the Rinki of ten RinJyuKen users to catch that. Five GenJyuKen masters won't have trouble" said Ryuji.
"Oh, my! This is terrible!" shouted Hikari. "They'll wreck the place! What can we do!?"
Ryuji was about to answer when he was nearly floored by an immense Reiatsu. Looking up, he saw Warren placing his hand over his face. "It's time I finished this," said Warren. Benitora's eyes widened as white fragmented energy began to gather in Warren's hand. Ryuji too was surprised as the white fragments of energy formed into a demonic skull-like mask with black eyes, spikes on the chin, and a pair of long, sharp horns. Warren's eyes then started to change, as his irises turned gold and the whites of his eyes turned pitch black.
"No way…" Ryuji was stunned as well as Hikari.
This was Warren's latest secret. A little bit of Damien, his demented other personality, had influenced him to find more power, so he went to the darker side of the Shinigami…
He practiced something that was considered a taboo amongst the Soul Society. He had gained the power of the Hollow and made it his own. He became…
"Let's do this," said Warren as he slid the mask over his face.
A Vizard.
"PREPARATIONS FOR THE FINAL TEST"
Hikari appeared frightened by Warren's mask. It seemed evil and sinister in appearance and it discomforted her. Benitora placed a comforting hand on her shoulder to calm her down as he too witnessed the change. The twins, however, were reacting more to the Ki/Reiatsu Warren was releasing in his Vizard form.
"Hey, Ryuji," Kat asked her twin brother, "Did you know about this?"
"No, I didn't," Ryuji could honestly say. He knew Warren was a Shinigami, but he never knew his friend and superior was a Vizard. 'What else are you hiding, sempai?'
"Heh," spat Grimmjow. "So, you've decided to go all out, huh, Shinigami?"
"That's right," said Warren. He then corrected, "And I'm a Vizard now."
"Tell me," said Grimmjow, "Before I slice your head off, what is your name? You seem to know mine so I think it's only fair that I know your name too."
"I am known by many names," said Warren. "But under the circumstances…Captain of Squad 9 of the Gotei 13, Warren Smith." Suddenly, he blurred from Grimmjow's sight.
"Huh?" Grimmjow looked around in bewilderment before letting out shouts of pain from several blows impacting his body at once. It was like being stoned by a hundred rocks at once and the 5th Espada was being tossed around like a rag doll. The bone crushing blows could be heard echoing through the air and they sounded devastating.
Ryuji's eyes narrowed as he tried to catch a glimpse of Warren. They turned gold like Benitora's for a second as he pumped some Genki into them but then they turned back to normal once he saw a blur of Warren's image. Kat too tried to locate Warren but was barely successful. All she could see was a blur. Benitora could barely see Warren too and Hikari could only see Grimmjow being beaten up by an invisible force (Warren).
Grimmjow received a crushing blow to the face that cracked his mask's remains before his head snapped back into place. His eyes were filled with fury as he tried to locate the Vizard, "Come out!" he demanded. "Come out and face me!"
"OK," said Warren as he reappeared but in his open palm was a pitch black Cero, "You see me, so see ya!" He sent the blast flying at Grimmjow and the Espada crossed his arms in front of his face to defend himself from the blast. It didn't just slam into him; it engulfed him in its wake. The beam burnt at his skin and clothes and once it ceased, Grimmjow was now missing his jacket and a large portion of his hakama. He still had a tight grip on his Zanpakuto.
"Bastard…" growled Grimmjow. He then prepared to release his Zanpakuto but before he could say a thing, Warren had appeared before him and grabbed his mouth shut with his hand.
"Sorry, but there's no way you're performing a release right here," said Warren with a knowing smile under his helmet. He then opened his mouth wide and released a blast of pitch black energy straight into Grimmjow at point blank range. Grimmjow's eyes widened as he saw the blast come at him.
BOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!
Hikari covered her ears from the loud explosion, as did the twins. Benitora shielded Hikari from the shockwave using his body as he pulled the blushing girl close to his chest and turned his back the explosion.
"Ow…" Kat groaned. She had a ringing sound in her ears. "Hey, you okay?"
"What?" Ryuji shouted back. "I can't hear you!" He too had a ringing in his ears.
"Speak up!" shouted Kat.
Hikari watched the exchange of the temporarily deafened twins with some mild amusement before turning her attention back towards the fight. Grimmjow was still in Warren's grip and now the Vizard had the tip of his sword aimed directly at Grimmjow's throat. "Looks like this is the end, for you," said Warren coldly.
"I agree," said a new voice. Warren looked up to see a man floating not too far away from him and Grimmjow. He had dark skin, his hair in dreadlocks, wore bandages around his eyes, and wore a long sleeveless coat and white hakama.
"Kaname Tosen," growled Warren. It was one of the traitors that had sided with Aizen, the other being Gin Ichimaru. "Traitorous bastard! What are you doing here?!"
"As much as I dislike him, I cannot allow you to kill Grimmjow," spoke Kaname.
Warren glared at the former Captain. "Fine," said Warren. He then kicked Grimmjow, sending him flying at Kaname to catch. "Take him and leave. I can't stand traitors so you better get moving."
Kaname nodded at his replacement and used Garganta to transport him and Grimmjow back to Hueco Mundo.
Warren reached up to his mask and removed it, allowing it to shatter and the fragments to fly in the wind as he descended, his eyes turning back to normal as his feet stepped onto the ground. Hikari looked intimidated by him as Ryuji and Kat stared at him in confusion.
"Did you know that guy?" asked Ryuji, referring to Tosen.
"A long time ago," said Warren cryptically. "Come on, let's get out of here before someone shows up and asks too many questions we can't answer."
"Right," agreed Kat. "Let's go." She regarded Benitora and Hikari. "You both too. Let's scat."
As they ran from the scene, Hikari eyed both Ryuji and Kat with suspicion. She knew Warren was a Shinigami with awesome powers and that Benitora was an Arrancar and former Espada, but Ryuji and Kat seemed to be more involved in this than they should and knowledgeable about these strange occurrences. She knew Ryuji and Warren to be friends and that Kat was Ryuji's sister, but there had to be something that the twins weren't telling her. She was determined to find out what their secret was.
Time Skip, Several Days Later, on a Saturday Afternoon...
Kenzaki was walking back and forth in front of Neko's room. So far, the damage to their relationship had been repaired. Though Kat wasn't happy, she was relieved to see the light in Neko's eyes returning. At least, in her opinion, Kenzaki was good for something.
In Kenzaki's hand was the velvet box containing the ring he'd wanted to give to Neko when he originally proposed to her. The last time she'd declined but after hearing how much she loved him while he was unconscious, he felt hopeful that this time she would say yes.
Regaining his bearings, Kenzaki faced the door and raised his hand to knock but before his knuckles could rap against the surface of the door, he heard Neko say, "Come in. The door's open." Kenzaki blinked as the door slid open and he entered. Neko was just coming out of the shower, wearing a terrycloth robe and drying her long hair with a towel. Kenzaki blushed a little as he saw her like this and his nose could pick up her fragrance. The robe fell off her left shoulder slightly, revealing the milk white skin and he gulped. She blushed and pulled that part of the robe back up and tightened her belt.
"So, what's up?" Neko asked her boyfriend as she turned to face him.
"Neko, I've been thinking a lot…about us," said Kenzaki.
"Uh-huh, OK," said Neko, acting like it wasn't a big deal.
"And well, we've been through a lot haven't we?" asked Kenzaki.
"Well…" began Neko. She took a seat in front of her vanity mirror and began to use a hairdryer, before she started brushing and braiding her hair. "I guess we have. I mean look at how we met and then fought alongside each other these past 2 years. Not to mention the obstacles we've made for ourselves." Her shoulders felt stiff. "Ken-kun, could you rub my shoulders for me?"
Kenzaki blushed before nodding, "H…hai…" Kenzaki went over and rubbed her shoulders and she purred sultrily.
"You have very nice hands…" purred Neko. She purred further and began to moan too. "Oh, right there. Yes, that's it."
"Neko…what do you see in the future for us?" asked Kenzaki.
"I'm thinking hunting bounties and making more money," smiled Neko.
Kenzaki frowned. "Is that all?"
"And having a family…" said Neko dreamily.
Kenzaki smiled slightly at that, "So, you do see us having a future together? Not just hunting bounties?"
"Well, yeah. I mean why have a life together if we're not willing to move forward into the future?" She then placed her hands on his and kept them in place on her shoulders. "Ken-kun, do you love me?" asked Neko.
"More than anything," answered Kenzaki.
"So, why don't you get to the point and propose again?" suggested Neko.
Kenzaki's eyes widened. "That obvious huh?"
"I saw the bulge in your pocket. It's the ring, isn't it?
"Um sure…it's the ring," said Kenzaki, blushing slightly. She let go of his hands and turned around to face him. He was down on one knee in front of her with the box opened to reveal the ring. "Neko, will you marry me?"
"Stand up," ordered Neko. He did as told and she stood up as well. Neko smiled and leaned up to give Kenzaki a soft peck on the lips before licking his right cheek.
"OK, I'm confused," said Kenzaki, blinking. "Either that was a very sexy 'no', or I had food on my cheek."
Neko giggled, "In my family that's how a girl accepts a proposal."
"So that means…" began Kenzaki, still not catching on.
Neko kissed him and licked his cheek again. "Want me to do it a third time?" asked Neko.
"It'd help," replied Kenzaki, smiling.
Neko rolled her eyes, "That means I'm accepting your proposal. I've had a lot to think about. In a way I've redeemed myself when I decided to become a Rider. I think I was already redeemed when we beat Sauron the first time."
"So…" began Kenzaki. "Come on, Neko, I wanna hear the words."
"Of course I'll marry you, you big idiot!" shouted Neko as she jumped and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Daisuki, Ken-kun."
Kenzaki returned the hug but then a question was nagging at his mind. He had to ask, "So, why did you finally decide to say yes? I thought you wanted to wait until you were fully redeemed."
Neko pulled back to look into his eyes, frowning sadly, which caused Kenzaki to feel concerned for her. "You're right," she began. "I do wish to redeem myself, but…"
"But?" he prompted.
"Ken-kun…" She looked at him seriously for a moment, "While we were apart, I did a lot of thinking and soul searching…about me, about you, about us... and I realized something." She paused for a second before continuing, "I still wish to redeem myself," the smile returned to her face, "But now I realize now that I don't need to take that journey alone anymore," she hugged him close, "Because I got you now, by my side."
"Neko-chan…" he closed his eyes as he embraced her, "I'll follow you to the ends of the Earth if I have to."
"Oh, Ken-kun…" she sighed, closing her own eyes to enjoy the embrace.
The moment was sweet, tender…and was about to be ruined…
"YEAH!" Buraki shouted as he burst into the room, followed by an elated Kumiko, an excited Shiori, and the rest of the Imagin coming to congratulate the newly engaged couple. To them, Kenzaki and Neko's relationship was like watching a soap opera and now it had reached a climax.
Kenzaki glared at the group as his Violet Fierce Ki began to flare out. "Damn it! Can't you bastards see I'm trying to have a precious moment here!? I'll kill all of you!" roared Kenzaki as he pounced on his teammates.
"OW! MERCY!"
POW!
"Itai!" Kotonoha cried as she fell on her rear. She was wearing a white t-shirt and black shorts. "Kat-san!" she whined as she rubbed the spot Kat had hit, below her ribcage.
"Get up," ordered Kat, who was wearing black shorts and a sports bra. "Your opponent won't wait for you to recover so you have to be quick about it." Kotonoha did as told and got into a stance. "Alright, get ready." Kat got into a defensive stance as Kotonoha charged and threw her fists at the RinJyuKen artist. Kat blocked with her forearms and pushed her back. "You got the offence right," said Kat, "But…" She ducked under a swing and slammed her elbow into Kotonoha's stomach, sending the girl falling, "You're still sloppy when it comes to defense."
Kotonoha rubbed her back and got back to her feet. She wondered why she was punishing herself like this and getting beaten up by Kat and then she remembered that she was doing this for Ryuji. Without Athena's help, she was useless in a fight. Rina and Siera had magical powers and the human girl didn't want to lose to the demon and god princesses.
Kat gazed at Kotonoha. 'She must really love Ryuji if she's gonna let herself get hurt for him,' mused Kat. Kotonoha had approached Kat for training and Kat was only happy to accept. Kotonoha already knew the basics from Ryuji but for further training she knew she had to go elsewhere since he didn't want to hurt her. She wasn't a porcelain doll but Ryuji couldn't help but treat her as such. She was precious to him.
Kat, however, had no qualms in hurting Kotonoha in training. She followed a simple motto: "No pain, no gain."
Kotonoha went on the offensive and Kat backed away whole dodging from side to side. When she was pushed against the wall, Kat jumped and raised up both legs to kick Kotonoha in the chest and then she grabbed the girl by the shirt and used a Judo throw on her to toss her onto the ground. Kotonoha hit her head hard and groaned in pain when she hit the tatami covered floor.
This room used to be Ryuji's and used for training, particularly sparing. The mats were soft and could break a person's fall by absorbing the impact. Still, a hard fall like that was painful and for someone like Kotonoha it was particularly painful.
Kat stood over the girl and held a hand out to her. Kotonoha accepted the help and was pulled back to her feet. Kotonoha winced a little and Kat frowned, "I think you must've sprained something."
"I guess," Kotonoha agreed. "So, shall we continue?"
"No," Kat shook her head. "We're done for tonight and I don't think you need anymore bruises." Kat was worried about what Ryuji would do if he found bruises on his Kotonoha. "Let's go take a bath," Kat offered.
The bathtub was big so it could accommodate the two girls as they soaked in the hot water. Herbs were added to promote healing and to make the bruises fade away. Kat loved to soak in the bath, especially with Rose. The two girls sat on opposite ends of the tub, both with their hair tied up and towels on their heads.
"Ah, this is the life," Kat stretched. "I love a nice hot soak after a good workout."
"Yes, it's very nice," agreed Kotonoha.
Kat had a perverse grin planted on her face as she looked at Kotonoha's naked form. Her eyes were locked on her future sister-in-laws ample bust. Kotonoha took notice of this and tried to cover her breasts with her hands but Kat was faster and was on her. The water in the tub splashed around as Kotonoha struggled from Kat's grasp as she let out a few shrieks from having herself groped and molested.
"Kat-san, yamette!" shrieked Kotonoha as Kat began to squeeze her.
"Woah, you're as soft as I remembered," grinned Kat as she continued to squeeze the flushed girl's breasts.
There was a knock at the door. "Who is it?" asked Kat as she moved her hands away from Kotonoha and backed away from the other girl's personal space.
"It's Rose, and you got a phone call," said Rose.
"OK, give it here," Kat said. Rose opened the door and strode over to the tub, handing Kat her cell phone. "Who is it?"
"Well, I think its Kenzaki, but it said "Baka-Okami" on the caller ID," Rose said.
"Oh, then its Kenny," smiled Kat. She placed her cell phone against her ear, "Talk to me, Kenny."
While the two weren't exactly friend, Kat could be friendly when in the bath. The herbs had a calming affect on her. It was possibly the fumes coming up from the hot water.
"Listen to this," said Kenzaki. He was silent and Kat heard a click on the other end. She thought he had hung up but then heard something.
"Of course I'll marry you!" Kat's eyes widened when she heard her sister's voice.
Kenzaki then came back on. "That was a recording from earlier today…HA!" laughed Kenzaki before the line went dead.
Kat's left eye twitched as she dropped the phone onto the bathroom's cold floor. Kotonoha and Rose looked upon the RinJyuKen artist with concern before she let out a shriek, "WHAT THE FUCK!?"
"WHAT THE FUCK!?"
Athena, Cathy and Bobby were all the living room when they heard the shriek. Cathy looked up from her magazine and sighed, "Looks like Mama is angry again."
"Geez, Big Sis sure is loud," said Bobby as he returned his attention back to his videogame.
Athena just spoke, "She must've gotten some bad news."
"I…GIVE UP!" Kat yelled as she tossed her notes into the air. "I can't take it anymore!" It was a day after she got the call from Kenzaki and his gloating to her about Neko FINALLY accepting his proposal. That was why she couldn't focus on her studies. That damn laughter was still in her mind, taunting her.
She was at the dining room table, studying with Rose, Cathy and Bobby. Well, she was trying to study and wasn't having much success. Rose and Cathy looked at Kat with concern as she planted her face on the table.
Bobby chuckled, "So, Big Sis is having trouble with hitting the books, huh?"
"Screw you, Bobby," Kat muttered as she gave her partner the finger.
"Kat!" Rose scolded. "Language!"
"Oh, come on, Rosie-chan," Kat whined as she pointed out, "Cathy-chan has heard worse from when we had all those villains in one place." She planted her face in her book, "This…is…hopeless!"
"I guess you're out of practice when it comes to school, huh, Mama?" asked Cathy.
"I never really paid attention in school," Kat shrugged. "I got by to not fail so I didn't end up in summer school." Kat really enjoyed summer vacation and didn't want to miss it because of school. "I mean, who came up with THAT? Summer school? That is a violation of all that is good and pure in the world."
Rose rolled her eyes. Kat could be melodramatic. Even someone like Kat enjoyed lazing around in the pool, floating aimlessly on an inner tube.
"Your grades haven't been that good lately," Rose said, remembering some of their tests. Rose always got good marks and Kat…well, she was satisfied as long as she passed. "I mean I've seen how motivated you are when you're scheming but you fall asleep in class."
Kat answered, "I wasn't into school. That's why I dropped out."
"You dropped out?" Cathy said in surprised. "But you said-"
"No, you cannot drop out," Kat snapped. "Just because I quit school, doesn't mean you should either."
"Yeah, coz Big Sis is a hypocrite," Bobby added. Kat tossed a book at his head. "Ow."
"There has to be an easier way," Kat said to herself. She then smirked. "An easier way…hm…"
A dark figure leapt over the gate of Sakakino High. The figure was obviously female and covered from head to toe in black. She made her way towards the school entrance.
"OK, the test answers should be in the staff room," she said to herself as she rubbed her hands together. Snapping her fingers, she vanished and then reappeared in the staff room. Despite the room being dark, she could see clearly since her eyes were made for this. "Now, let's see…" She tiptoed silently and looked around for where the test questions and answer keys could be.
She then came upon a large shape and frowned. "Right…like that isn't obvious enough." She rolled her eyes. "OK, let's see if I can still crack a safe." She was about to touch the safe when the lights came on. "Crud." She spun around to see Warren and Rachel at the door with Warren's hand on the light switch. "Double crud."
"Looking for these?" asked Warren as he held up a brown envelope. The thief snarled. "I'll take that as a yes."
"And take off that mask. We know it's you, Kat," said Rachel as it was the most obvious thing in the world. The thief reached up and pulled off her black mask to reveal that it was indeed Kat.
Warren snorted, "Stealing test answers? You really have gone too low."
"Well, can you blame me?" questioned Kat. "My last placement wasn't that good."
"Which doesn't add up," spoke up Rachel. "You're supposed to be a telepath, right?" Warren had informed her of the others' abilities. "I mean why can't you get the answers out of your classmates' heads?"
Kat placed her hands to her hips, an annoyed expression on her face, "Do you know how difficult it is to pinpoint one mind with the right answers when there are so many damn thoughts floating around, thinking of different answers? There's too much mental interference."
Rachel blinked. That kind of made sense, sorta.
"Why not try studying?" suggested Warren.
"Do I look like a studious kind of girl?' scoffed Kat. "Puh-leaze! I enjoy scheming compared to studying. I like to hit the plans compared to hitting the books. I like to have fun and not get bored to death."
"Right…" Warren rolled his eyes.
"So, you gonna report me?" asked Kat. "If you do then I can just go back to my own world."
Warren smiled mysteriously, "I…have a better idea."
Kat didn't like the sound of that and gulped.
The following day, at school, students were still hard at work, studying for the upcoming finals. Siera and Rina seemed to have the most difficulty since they were new at this school, world and its educational system.
"I don't get any of this," said Rina grimly. The two princesses were in the library trying to get some work done with little success.
"I don't get this either," added Siera. Both princesses were looking over their class notes. They were intelligent in their world but all this was beyond their understanding. The classes Siera had trouble were English and Mathematics while Rina was having trouble with both World and Japanese History.
"Well, you better," said Otome. She had befriended the two girls. "I mean if you fail more than three subjects you'll have to attend school during summer break."
"Summer…" Rina began, feeling nervous.
"School?" finished Siera, scared by the idea. Neither girl wanted to attend school for summer vacation. If they had to attend school in summer, that meant they would miss many chances to spend time with their prospective husband.
"No way!" exclaimed Rina. "No way am I gonna fail this!"
"Well, you got a lot of work to cover," Otome pointed out. "You all joined us late so you got a lot of catching up to do."
"Thanks for the warning," Rina muttered.
"I got an idea," suggested Siera, "We can ask Kotonoha and Ryuji to help us study."
Rina was happy to study with Ryuji, but she wasn't looking forward to studying with Kotonoha. The two didn't get along too well. "I'm not sure about that."
"I'm sure they'll be happy to help us," smiled Siera reassuringly.
Ryuji could sense Kotonoha's irritation rising when Rina and Siera came over to Radish to request them of something.
"So, do you mind if we study at your place until finals?" asked Siera. The Princess of the God Kingdom was the most diplomatic and Kotonoha respected and liked her more compared to Rina who would shamelessly throw herself at Ryuji.
"You want to study…" said Kotonoha slowly. "With us?"
"Yes, so can we?" inquired Rina.
Kotonoha was breathing hard. She had come to terms with a lot of emotions. Before she had never gotten angry but well that was before she ever fell in love. Now in love with Ryuji, she was possessive of him and suspicious of other girls who showed interest in him. She feared they would try to steal him away like Sekai had done so with Makoto.
"Excuse me," said Ryuji politely as he took Kotonoha by the hand. Rina stared coldly at the contact. "We'll be right back." He dragged her away into the back room and locked the door.
The back room was mainly used for storage space and it was private too. This was where Kotonoha and Ryuji could talk without drawing attention to themselves. Sekai and Makoto had also used this room for their private little romps.
"Koto-chan, I need you to calm down," said Ryuji cautiously as he stood before his seething girlfriend.
"Did you see the way Rina was looking at you?" said Kotonoha accusingly. "She was undressing you with her eyes!" Ryuji frowned deeply. He knew Kotonoha was hard to reason with when she was angry. She was a lot like him since his anger could turn into something dangerous if left out of control.
"Koto-chan, listen to me," he said, cupping her chin. She looked into his blue eyes which glowed under the dim light of the room. "Listen to me, OK?" She fell silent at his gaze and was comforted by his touch. "Do you have any doubts that I love you?"
"No," she whispered without hesitating.
"Well, then there's no reason for you to be threatened. I'm not like Itou who's gonna go after the next girl who shows interest in him," said Ryuji reassuringly. He let go of her chin and then pulled her into an embrace.
"Oh, Ryuji-kun…" she closed her eyes, murmuring his name softly.
Rina was taking a sip of her cappuccino as Siera enjoyed a banana split, licking off the chocolate sauce at the corner of her lips. The Demon Princess checked her watch and looked around in frustration. 15 minutes had passed since Ryuji and Kotonoha left them to go and discuss things. She stretched her neck to see where her chosen fiancé and that other girl were. "Just where are they?"
"Just be patient, Rina," advised Siera. "Maybe they're discussing our offer."
"Or making out," said Rina spitefully. She didn't hate Kotonoha, but she was her rival in love. She really did like Ryuji but he didn't seem like he wanted to give them a chance beyond friendship.
"Hey, there they are," Siera pointed. Rina looked and gawked. Both looked disheveled with their work uniforms wrinkled and hair a mess. Ryuji's braid was undone and the left strap of Kotonoha's top was sliding down her shoulder. Both wore large satisfied grins on their faces which pissed Rina off.
"OK, you can study with us tonight," agreed Kotonoha. "Ryuji-kun convinced me."
"Great…" Rina said through clenched teeth.
"We get off work in a couple of hours," said Ryuji. "You don't mind waiting do you?"
"No," Rina shook her head. "We sure don't." She narrowed her eyes at the love bite Kotonoha was sporting on her neck, barely concealed by the choker.
It was later that night when the quartet arrived at Kotonoha's home. Siera and Rina were walking behind the happy couple. So far, Siera had resigned herself to accept that Ryuji had indeed chosen Kotonoha as his future bride. She saw how utterly in love they were and didn't want to upset them. She considered Kotonoha her friend and they could sit down and have a pleasant chat without involving the engagement or Ryuji.
Rina, however, wasn't one to give up. She'd been trained for this. She was going to take Ryuji as her husband, even by force if need he. He was strong and deserved a strong wife. Someone as weak as Kotonoha was undeserving of a prize like Ryuji. Despite feeling sympathetic for Kotonoha because of her miscarriage, she had moved on after Kotonoha managed to recover both physically and emotionally, resuming their rivalry over Ryuji. There could be only one winner. Sides, Ryuji could always take Kotonoha as a mistress anyway or even a second wife. Rina would be No.1 in the end, and not No.2.
"Tadaima," said Ryuji and Kotonoha in unison as they opened the door. From the living room the couple could hear a loud commotion. Sharing looks of worry, they entered the house with Siera and Rina straggling behind. Nothing could prepare them for this.
"Please don't drink straight from the bottle, and use a coaster!" yelled out Loki in frustration at the two odd men drinking in the living room with bottles of alcohol between them and cups on the table. Well, they weren't really strangers. In fact they were very familiar.
"Oh, look who's back, Freddy!" grinned a large man in a robe.
"Oh, it's our darling daughters and their fiancé!" replied the thin man who was drinking as much as the large man. Loki was trying to perform damage control. Kokoro was laughing at the antics of both men as Athena laid on the couch, completely drunk. Eros was passed out on the floor.
The two men, despite hiding their true forms, were in fact the King of the Demons and the King of the Gods from another realm.
"Ryuji-niichan! Onee-chan!" Kokoro greeted, "Okaeri!"
Ryuji's left eye twitched as he stared at the two men, drinking alcohol in his girlfriend's living room like they owned the place and showing little to no restraint. Both Rina and Siera covered their faces in mortification and embarrassment at their fathers' antics.
"Oh, daddy…" Siera moaned.
"Pop, what if your subjects saw you now," groaned Rina
Right now, Ryuji himself couldn't believe that these two men were kings, much less a demon and a god. Guess idiot fathers drinking themselves silly were multiversal.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU BOTH DOING HERE!?" screamed Ryuji furiously, his hands covered in ice which formed into sharp claws.
"Oh, Ryuji, thank goodness you're here!" Loki knelt at Ryuji's feet in relief. "They just barged in and insisted to be served with alcohol."
Kotonoha frowned, "It's not my father's collection, is it?"
"No, I went to the store to get some and well…" Loki gestured to the drunken kings, "The rest is history."
"Nii-chan, Onee-chan, these uncles are really fun!" Kokoro giggled.
"See, the little girl knows what fun is!" Eustace laughed.
"She's also a minor," Ryuji pointed out, "And what happened to Athena and Eros?"
"They got talked into a drinking contest," Loki answered bluntly.
"I…will not…lose…" Athena slurred.
"Say no more," Ryuji palmed his face. "Girls, do you mind dragging your dads out of here?"
"How are we going to do that?" asked Rina and then she witnessed as Ryuji formed a cub made of ice in his hand. "Oh?"
"They might get more than a hangover after this," said Ryuji before he took a swing.
BAM! BAM!
Both kings were now lying on the floor with large lumps on their heads and with swirly eyes. Ryuji banished the club and looked to the girls. "Take them away, please," Ryuji requested.
"Guess no study session tonight, huh?" asked Siera as she grabbed her father's leg and dragged him to the door.
"Guess so," Ryuji nodded.
"Well, maybe next time," said Rina as she grabbed her own father's arms and dragged him to the door with her. "OK?"
"OK," Ryuji nodded. "Take care now," he waved as the two princesses dragged their unconscious dads out of the house. Kokoro waved goodbye to them and closed the door.
"Oh, thank goodness they're gone!" Loki cried in relief. "Now, to clean up this mess!" There were empty sake bottles and cups all over the floor. He started cleaning up the living room.
"You do that," nodded Ryuji.
"Kokoro-chan, you shouldn't let strangers in," scolded Kotonoha.
"But Loki knew them," Kokoro answered innocently. "I thought it would be okay, plus they're funny."
"Then why am I not laughing?" muttered Ryuji.
"Ryuji-kun, shouldn't you be worried about assaulting kings?" asked Kotonoha in concern.
"I don't think they'll remember a thing," Ryuji said nonchalantly. "I mean if they do wake up with headaches, they'll just think they partied too hard and having monster hangovers."
"Well, if you're sure," said Kotonoha.
"So, let's get some studying done," said Ryuji with a large grin. Kotonoha noticed that it was big and wide and realized that he'd planned this.
"You planned this to get rid of Rina-san and Siera-san!" Kotonoha stated.
"Well, I didn't plan it, but it was a convenient enough excuse," shrugged Ryuji. "So, let's go!" He grabbed Kotonoha and then carried her bridal style as he made his way up the stairs to her room. He pushed open the door and then slammed it shut with his foot. He then tossed Kotonoha onto the bed and she looked at him in surprise.
"We're not studying, are we?" asked Kotonoha.
"Sure we are," grinned Ryuji as he got on the bed and straddled her. "We'll be studying human biology."
And with that he kissed her.
Kotonoha was wiping the sweat off her face as she and Ryuji walked to school together. It was a sweltering morning and it was discomforting for the dozuki wielding girl. "It's so hot…" Kotonoha said as she fanned herself with her hand.
"I'm feeling fine," said Ryuji with a shrug.
"Of course you'd be fine," frowned Kotonoha. Her boyfriend had ice powers so he wasn't at all affected by the heat. She held up her ice crystal heart pendant. "I'm surprised this hasn't melted because of this heat."
Ryuji snorted, "It's gonna take more than this heat to melt that." He'd made it using his ice powers so natural heat like this wouldn't melt it.
Kotonoha got an idea and rubbed the crystal against her face to cool herself down. It provided a measure of relief but it wasn't enough. Noticing how his girlfriend desperately needed to cool down, he pulled her close against him and spread his cold Ki around the two of them. She blushed as she walked closely against him. She should've thought of this before.
"You could've asked me to help cool you down," stated Ryuji. "I do have ice powers."
"I know, but…"
"I can keep my powers a secret and keep my girl cool," said Ryuji with a smile. Kotonoha returned his smile with a warm one of her own. He was such a good boyfriend, and useful too during hot days like this.
"Hey, mind sharing?" the couple heard and turned to look at Kat and her family trying to beat the heat. They all held umbrellas for shade but it weren't very affective. Kat added,
"Come on, we're dying here."
"Just copy my powers," said Ryuji.
"Excuse me, but I can't do that anymore," frowned Kat. "Neko got my power copying powers. I can only copy the powers of whatever I shapeshift into."
"Then shapeshift into a snowman," joked Ryuji.
"Oh, go screw yourself!" hissed Kat.
Kotonoha pleaded, "Ryuji-kun..."
"OK," Ryuji nodded and extended his ice cold Ki to envelop his sister and her family. Kat gave a sigh of relief and a thumbs up out of gratitude.
"Thanks," grinned Kat before smacking Ryuji in the back, causing him to nearly fall forwards.
"Itai," groaned Ryuji. "Come on, let's get to school and-"
"RYUJI HASUMA!" a voice roared.
"And deal with idiots," Ryuji finished. Before them was a generic student with a large and muscular build, wearing the KLLA armband.
"RYUJI HASUMA! TODAY YOU WILL-!"
POW!
He was immediately knocked out when Ryuji tossed an ice ball in his face. The ice ball melted by Ryuji's will, leaving only water in the guy's face.
"Woah, you didn't waste time," Cathy admired Ryuji's handiwork.
"Let's go before we're late," Ryuji said in a bored tone.
"Good idea," Rose agreed. "Maybe they can turn on the air conditioner in class."
"Or not," Rose groaned as she fanned herself with her hand. The air conditioner was busted and during such an important time. The heat wave was getting to everybody, especially Kat, who looked just about ready to strip off her uniform just to beat the heat.
"Ugh! It's so hot!" complained Kat as she began to unbutton her uniform top.
"Hey, we're in class!" Rose scolded as she stopped her beloved Kat from committing indecent exposure.
"I just hope we get to use the pool today," groaned Kat as she planted her forehead on the desk.
"Is she okay?" Hikari asked as she looked at her psychotic friend in concern.
"Yeah, usually she's groping someone by now," Nanami commented.
"It's the heat," Rose said. "She doesn't like it. It's starting to annoy her, really, and well she isn't someone you want to see annoyed."
"Well, at least she doesn't go around beating people up," Nanami stated.
"Wonder how Sekai and the others are doing in their class?" asked Hikari.
"Well, it's only fair that they're feeling as lousy as we are," said Nanami as she wiped the sweat off her forehead.
"Don't bet on it," mumbled Kat.
"It's so damn hot…" complained Neko as she fanned herself. Both she and Kenzaki were walking to school together and it was sweltering.
"I wouldn't know," said Kenzaki. "It all feels the same to me." Due to his metal skin, he didn't really feel heat and cold like others.
"Lucky you. I feel all sweaty and sticky. I mean my uniform is sticking to my skin" whined Neko.
Kenzaki looked over and saw that it really was sticking to her skin, showing off her body. "I'm not lucky. Trust me; I want to feel something like this."
"I'm just glad our classroom has an air conditioner," sighed Neko.
In Ryuji and Kotonoha's classroom, the students were feeling just as uncomfortable due to the heat, and so close to final exams too. None of them were in the mood to study and were trying to beat the heat by fanning themselves with their notebooks.
The only people who weren't being affected by the heat were Ryuji and Kotonoha. It made sense since Ryuji had ice powers and was sharing the aura with his fiancée.
"Ryuji-kun," Kotonoha whispered, "Maybe you should share the wealth?"
Ryuji looked around the class at their fellow classmates who looked ready to die because of the intense heat. With the busted air conditioner, everyone else was sweltering. It wasn't fair since Ryuji and Kotonoha looked comfortable. "I don't want to expose my powers," Ryuji whispered back.
"I don't think anyone will notice, and I think they are getting irritated already."
Ryuji sighed and said, "For you." He then concentrated his Ki to expand around the classroom and thus chasing away the heat.
"Wow," Otome let out, "Did they fix the air conditioner already?"
"I guess so," said Makoto.
"Oh, good," grinned Taisuke as he felt relieved. "Now it's nice and cool."
"Yeah!" added Vash.
"Good, now put your shirts back on," Sekai deadpanned.
Setsuna glanced at Ryuji and smiled a little. She knew she had him to thank for this. She'd studied his abilities and found out about his ice based abilities. It wasn't too hard for her to figure out that he was responsible.
Kenzaki and Neko walked in, with Neko sighing in relief when the cool air brushed against her. "Ah, this feels good," sighed Neko happily.
"If you say so," nodded Kenzaki.
Neko thought it was the air conditioning and not her brother, but Kenzaki knew better. However, he just decided to let her think what she wanted.
Rina and Siera entered the classroom together, looking tired and haggard. It looked like their fathers had really been a hassle for the two of them.
"Hey, Rina, Siera," called Ryuji. "How are your dads?"
"They're fine," said Siera.
"Are they sober?" he asked further.
"With hangovers to boot," answered Rina. "They don't even remember what you did."
"Well, after what happened, they're lucky I didn't do worse," Ryuji said with a frown. He knew those men were going to make him choose their daughters to marry as soon as possible, despite proclaiming that he'd chosen Kotonoha.
Warren came into the classroom and everyone quickly took their seats. He gave a sigh of relief and mentally thanked Ryuji for providing the classroom with a cooler and more comfortable environment.
"OK, I know you're all been working hard for the upcoming finals," said Warren. "So, we'll be doing some reviews for class today. But first, I'm going to take attendance."
Later that night, a man was roughly tossed onto the rooftop of a building. The one responsible for bringing him there was none other than an Imagin resembling a squirrel. It had black skin and patches of brown fur with a long and bushy tail.
"Hey, what are you doing!?" the man shouted.
"Hey, you were the one that said you wanted to get into this university," the Squirrel Imagin chuckled. "Now that you're here, the contract is complete!" The green portal opened up within the man and the Imagin prepared to dive in.
"Chotto matte!" Ryuji shouted as he performed a double flying kick with Loki that slammed the Squirrel Imagin onto the ground. The Imagin snarled at the two who'd dared to stop it.
"Oi, who the hell are you two!?" the Squirrel Imagin shouted.
Before Ryuji could speak, Loki got in the first word, "Let us say this from the start, you will not get away!"
"Hey! Hey!" Ryuji pushed his partner aside. "It's my line first, then yours!"
"Oh, I forgot." Loki rubbed the back of his head and bowed apologetically. "I'll try and remember next time."
The Squirrel Imagin tilted its head to the side before turning its attention back to the man who had made the contract with it. The portal was still open. It laughed. "See you suckers later!" it jeered before diving into the portal to the past.
"Kuso!" cursed Ryuji as he ran to the man with his time ticket. He held it above the man's head and the date on it was 26th March 2007. "Hey, what does this date mean to you?" Ryuji asked the man.
The man took a look at the date and answered, "It was the day I found out I failed my college entrance exam."
After getting the necessary info he needed, Ryuji slipped the ticket into his pass before wiping it across his belt with a call of, "Henshin!" His gunmetal Plat Form armor formed over his body. He summoned the DynoLiner which quickly sped past and picked him and Loki up for a trip into the past.
26th March 2007
The young man was among many hopeful students who'd tried to enter this university. However, when he saw that his number wasn't among the ones posted on the bulletin board, he became upset and gritted his teeth. "Damn it," he growled. "All that work for nothing!" Sand poured out from his body and then reformed into the Squirrel Imagin. The monster's appearance caused the rest of the people to riot and panic in a frenzy as it began to attack anyone it could get its hands on.
"Oh, time to destroy!" the Imagin said gleefully as it produced acorn bombs and tossed them all around. They exploded when they fell, causing people to scream out in fear. "Ahahahahahah!" the Imagin laughed. "Nobody will stop me now!"
Suddenly, it heard the loud trumpet of an elephant and looked up to see a portal form with train tracks coming out of it. The DynoLiner rode along the tracks and then something jumped out of it. It was Ifrit in his Plat Form and riding upon the Machine Dyno-Breaker. He sped towards the Squirrel Imagin and threw a fist that smashed it to the ground before he pulled over. "This is gonna be easy," snickered Ifrit as he dismounted from his bike. He pressed the black button on his belt, activating the Form Switch, before swiping his Dyno Pass over the buckle.
"SABRE FORM!"
The additional armor pieces appeared around him before snapping onto his suit. Finally, his 'mask' slid over his helmet and then snapped onto his faceplate. The slits flashed red, signaling the finished change as his gauntlets and boots also changed to match the color of his armor.
He removed the DynoGasher bars from his belt before assembling them one at a time. The Imagin got back to its feet and let out a growl before tossing its acorn bombs at Ifrit. They exploded, concealing the Rider in a cloud of smoke.
"Heh, too easy," the Squirrel Imagin said but then it was surprised by a figure running out of the smoke cloud, wielding a sword made from the assembled DynoGasher. It had a black blade with a red jagged edge.
"HYAH!" Ifrit shouted as he rushed at the Imagin, dodging more of the monster's bombs. When he got within range, he swiped at the Squirrel Imagin using his sword, causing sparks to fly when his blade made contact with the creature's body. He didn't give the Imagin an opening or a chance to fight back as he continued to attack with all his might and rage.
"GO TO HELL!" Ifrit roared as he threw a kick into its chin which sent the Squirrel Imagin falling flat on its back.
The Present
There was a knock at Kotonoha's door. She was expecting Ryuji to be back by now. They were supposed to be studying tonight. She went and opened the door and smiled warmly at who was on the other side. "Oh, Makoto-kun. Konbanwa."
26th March 2007
"Time for extinction," said Ifrit as he waved the Dyno Pass over his belt.
"FULL CHARGE!"
Energy zigzagged from his belt buckle after he tossed the Dyno Pass away. The energy transferred from his belt to his sword, which began to glow brightly. He then bent his knees before charging at the weakened Squirrel Imagin. Once he got in range, he slashed his enemy several times. The Squirrel Imagin let out cries of pain from each slash before he used one last overhead slash to slice it down in half. The Imagin exploded and yelled out in anguish as a result from the vicious finisher.
"Heh, that was too easy," said Ifrit, proud of himself as he hefted his sword upon his shoulder.
'Ryuji, you should get back to Kotonoha-san soon,' said Loki in his mind. 'You have another study session with her tonight.'
"I know that," snorted Ifrit. "You don't have to tell me twice." He then made his way back to his time train.
Ryuji opened the door and sighed, revealing the Sands of Time behind him as his DynoLiner sped off. He was back in the present and in Kotonoha's house. He'd gone to the past earlier to take care of an Imagin. He felt a little sore from the fight but then said, "Ah, it's nothing a nice warm bath can't fix." He eyed the stairs that led up to Kotonoha's room. "But, first, I'm gonna visit Koto-chan's room and give her a kiss." He smiled. As he slipped out of his shoes and into his house slippers, he failed to notice the two extra pairs of shoes that were on the floor before he made his way up the stairs.
Ryuji wanted to surprise Kotonoha so he took hold of the knob and gave it a twist before pushing it open. He smiled widely as he said, "I'm home!" in a cheerful voice, hoping to give her a surprise greeting after his return. What he found made his blood run cold.
He was there, sitting at a small table with his Tenshi-chan.
Makoto Itou was there sitting with Kotonoha, alone…and both were smiling and laughing.
Ryuji's smile fell.
"Ah, Ryuji-kun!" Kotonoha let out in surprise as Makoto stared, suddenly feeling afraid for his life when he saw Ryuji's eyes on him. From the coldness he could see in Ryuji's ice blue orbs, he thought he was going to die right there.
Ryuji looked to the floor, his bangs covering his eyes as he said, "I see…you've got company." His fist was clenched and he was clutching the doorknob tight while his shoulders trembled. "I'm sorry if I disturbed you." He then stepped back as he pulled the door and slammed it shut with a loud bang.
Makoto let out a sigh of relief, "Wow, for a moment there I thought he was going to blow up." He took a look at Kotonoha who looked stricken. "Kotonoha?" She stood up suddenly and ran to the door. She opened it up to see Sekai carrying a tray that had a teapot and some cups on it.
"I finished making the tea," Sekai smiled but then Kotonoha rushed past her. "Huh?" She looked towards Makoto who just shrugged.
Ryuji was at the front door, reaching for the doorknob when Kotonoha's hand grabbed his wrist. She gasped and recoiled as she felt the sudden chill. It was cold like ice. Speaking of ice, a coat of it was starting to cover the doorknob and spread on the door itself. "Ryuji-kun?"
"Why is he here?" Ryuji asked without turning to face her, the ice spreading further. He repeated, "Why is he here?" He repeated the same question, "Why is he here?"
"Ryuji-kun, Sekai-san is here too," said Kotonoha. "They just came to study for the finals."
"But you were alone with him, talking with him, smiling with him, and laughing with him," Ryuji pointed out, his hand about ready to crush the doorknob. He let his grip slack as his hand fell away. "Aren't I good enough to make you smile and laugh?"
Kotonoha stared, realizing what was wrong. She knew Ryuji was jealous of what he saw and she also knew that he was possessive of her. What surprised her was that he didn't attack Makoto at the sight of him. He just walked away. She'd half expected Ryuji to barge in and assault Makoto but he hadn't. He cared for her feelings and didn't want to upset her.
She smiled and then wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, her cheek pressed against his back as she embraced him. "There was nothing going on between him and I," she spoke, reassuringly. The ice that spread all over the door receded and turned into frost energy that returned to his hand. "What Makoto and I had is over. We're just friends now."
"I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions then," he apologized as he turned around in her embrace, returning her hug with a gentle one of his own. Her chin rested on his shoulder. "I just…don't want to lose you or see you get hurt by him again."
"It won't happen," she told him. "The one who holds my heart now isn't him anymore." She pulled back a bit gaze into his eyes, "It's you, now and forever." He smiled at her words and she smiled too at him before closing her eyes and hugging him close once more.
Sekai and Makoto spied on the two and she frowned before slapping his shoulder. "Ow! What was that for?" he remarked.
"Because you're not romantic anymore," Sekai huffed before she walked up the stairs. Makoto stared at his girlfriend in bewilderment before staring back at his ex-girlfriend and her boyfriend. He hated being compared to someone like Ryuji but he had to admit that the other boy was earning points, despite his rough and tough exterior. Ryuji caught him staring and gave him the finger which Makoto took offence to but then he followed Sekai back up the stairs and into Kotonoha's room.
When they were sure they were alone, the couple shared a kiss before Kotonoha took his hand and ran up the stairs with him to study for final exams.
Now with all four teens in Kotonoha's room, Makoto kept glancing uncomfortably at Ryuji who was just sipping tea while reviewing his schoolwork with Kotonoha. Right now they were studying English and Ryuji proved to be able to speak and understand the language better than any of them. Of course that was only because he claimed to have spent a few years living in America. Still, it was undeniable that he would be able to get a 100 in the upcoming English final.
"Sekai-san, I think Loki has some cookies in the kitchen. Would you like to come with me to help find them?" asked Kotonoha.
"Sure, Kotonoha-san," smiled Sekai to her friend. Both girls then left the room, leaving a panicking Makoto alone with Ryuji. Ryuji finished his cup of tea and put it down on the saucer before he gazed at Makoto with intense blue eyes. Makoto gulped and felt like he was going to wet himself because of the fear he was feeling rising within him. Cold sweat rolled down his pale face as he trembled under Ryuji's intense stare.
Did Kotonoha purposely leave Makoto alone with Ryuji out of revenge? Was it her plan to have Ryuji murder Makoto in this room? Makoto was thinking of all the horrible things Ryuji could do to him right now and his trembling intensified.
"Stop shaking, you're making an ass of yourself," commented Ryuji. He showed no emotion on his face as his lips were in a straight line, neither smiling nor frowning. It was completely neutral. His eyes, however, told a different story as they narrowed.
Makoto swallowed his spit and opened his mouth but no words came out. Ryuji rolled his eyes, disgusted by the lack of conversation. Did Makoto expect to get attacked by Ryuji if he said the wrong thing? It was entirely possible. Ryuji did have a reputation for beating up people for less but those were all speculations.
"If you're not going to talk then close your mouth," advised Ryuji, "That is if you want flies to nest in there." Makoto closed his mouth.
Makoto read Ryuji's body language, searching for any signs of hostility. He had to be careful. Even though Ryuji had lost in his fight with Kenzaki, he'd shown how skilled he was in the martial arts. Though he wasn't at Kenzaki's level, he was close to be able to last that long with the other martial artist. Also, Ryuji had beaten a lot of people in less than 10 minutes, like those three groups that idolized Kotonoha, Siera and Rina, out of simple annoyance. One wrong move or word could place Makoto in the hospital in an instant.
"You really don't like me all that much, do you?" asked Makoto.
"Wasn't it that obvious by now?" remarked Ryuji as he scanned his notebook and textbook. "After what you did to Koto-chan, you should be grateful that she hasn't sent me to maim you."
"But you forgave Sekai!" argued Makoto. "Why can't you do the same for me?"
Ryuji's eyes narrowed dangerously and Makoto realized he'd just crossed a line he shouldn't have. Ryuji questioned, "Why? You dare ask why?" Makoto mustered up his courage to give an answer.
"Yes, I dare!" Makoto snapped.
"Because you're her EX!" yelled Ryuji, clenching his fists tightly and Makoto blinked.
"That's it?" Makoto inquired. "It's because I'm her ex?"
"You're not just her ex. You were her first love," Ryuji continued. "No matter what I do, she'll always have a spot for you in her heart. Even though you'd broken her heart, a part of her still cares for you and…"
"You feel threatened by me," Makoto finished, realizing the source of Ryuji's contempt and jealousy. Ryuji was afraid that Makoto would steal Kotonoha's heart again.
Ryuji fell silent. He didn't want to admit that a weakling and bastard like Makoto was a threat to him but whenever he saw her smiling as she spoke to Makoto, it pained her heart. "She still smiles when she talks to you."
"She smiles when she talks to you too," Makoto reminded.
"It's not the same," Ryuji shook his head. "No matter what I do, you'll always be her first love and it just…pisses me off!" He slammed his fist on the table.
Makoto didn't know much about Ryuji's past but from a talk he had with Otome after she'd collected stuff about Ryuji for a Social Studies assignment, he'd learnt that Ryuji never experienced love like this before. It was his first time being in a real and meaningful relationship. Kotonoha was his first love and he wanted to keep it that way.
"Yes, I did have feelings for Kotonoha," said Makoto. Ryuji looked up at him and he continued, "But, well…things change." Ryuji remained silent, prompting Makoto to go on, "And I fell in love with Sekai." He admitted, "And lied to Kotonoha about it, betraying her, and breaking her heart without a second thought." Ryuji's gaze softened as he detected a hint of regret in Makoto's voice. "Now I see that she's happy with you. For some crazy reason she's happier with you than she ever was with me. I just can't compete with that. So I decided to try and make my relationship with Sekai work."
Ryuji listened to Makoto's words. They sounded sincere but he still had his doubts about the other boy. "How can I trust that you won't betray Sekai too?"
"Let's just say a mutual friend of ours had a good and long talk with me," replied Makoto, referring to Warren. Ryuji smiled. Warren's talk must've been really beneficial if it helped Makoto see the error of his ways. When Makoto saw that smile he relaxed.
"OK, I'll accept that," said Ryuji. Makoto was relieved. "But," added Ryuji in a harsh tone, thus causing Makoto to freeze, "If you ever break Sekai's heart like you did Koto-chan's, and betray her without a second thought; I will hunt you down and put you in the freezer." Makoto gave a rapid nod at the threat. Ryuji smiled. "Good, I'm glad we had this chat."
The door swung open with Sekai carrying a plate of cookies. "We've got cookies!" announced the ahoge-haired girl as she went over and sat down next to Makoto, setting down the plate on the square table. Kotonoha too entered and sat down next to Ryuji, leaning against his shoulder with a smile. She was glad that Makoto was fine, but he looked oddly tense. She gave Ryuji a look and he just shrugged in response.
"So, what's next?" asked Sekai as she munched on a cookie.
"How about Biology?" suggested Ryuji. Kotonoha turned green at the mention of the subject. She remembered when they had recently dissected frog and she'd fainted. "Or not," he added, seeing her look of discomfort.
"Maybe we should try History," suggested Sekai carefully. "World or Japanese History?" she asked.
"Does it matter?" asked Kotonoha. "Warren-sensei teaches both."
"OK, World History it is then," said Sekai as she opened up the textbook. "It's funny," spoke Sekai. "Whenever he talked about World War 2, it was like he was actually there."
Ryuji gave a mysterious yet knowing smile at her comment. 'That's because he was there.'
"Makoto-kun, more tea?" Kotonoha offered as she held up the cup to him.
"Yeah, sure," Makoto accepted. His eyes darted over to Ryuji for a brief second before he took slow and calming sips.
Kat was outside of the apartment building. She had her phone against her ear. Her mysterious employer had decided to make a call.
"OK, I can't go through with this plan anymore," said Kat, a hint of regret in her voice. She hated going back on deals but circumstances had changed.
"I must insist that you do," replied Nanimo.
"Sorry, I only agreed because I thought my sister wouldn't need him anymore and could get over him. I was wrong."
"I am sorry, but you have no choice in this matter," said Nanimo.
"Are you threatening me?" hissed Kat. "I don't like being threatened."
"And I don't like my plans being ruined by some little girl who thinks she has power. I am actually a little surprised; coming from a family of such power, your lover is actually quite frail."
Kat's eyes widened. She hissed, "Don't even think about it. If you touch her, I swear I'll…"
"You'll what?" interrupted Nanimo. "Kill me?"
"I've done it before, I can do it again."
"I know, that's why I hired you. But I assure you, it is quite difficult to kill a dead man."
Kat let out a sigh. "If I kill Kenzaki, you will leave my girls alone?"
"No harm will come to them," assured Nanimo. "The plan will proceed as scheduled. I have the bait procured; all that is left is for you to lure the wolf to the trap."
"Bait? What bait?" asked Kat.
"Nee-chan! Help!" cried Neko over the phone.
"Neko-chan!? You bastard! Let her go!" snarled Kat.
"Not until our deal is complete. You have one hour to bring him here, or the girl dies."
"Grr…Fine!" Kat growled as she accepted the deal.
"I knew you'd see it my way. I'll see you in one hour." Then the line went dead.
"Damn it," cursed Kat. "Sorry, Neko-chan." She had to tell Kenzaki about this. Hopefully, he could restrain himself from killing her long enough until they saved Neko.
Shadow Element 13: Well, now Neko and Kenzaki are engaged. Glad everything worked out for the two. I wonder how badly Kenzaki will react when he discovers what Kat had done?
ZK Chromedragozoid: I expect Kenzaki to explode for what Kat did. I mean she was working for the enemy without even knowing it.