AN: After having a very Buguese/Aqune-centric chapter, now you get some Hunter/Corona development.

47- Corona's Love

"Great that you're back, but there's no time to celebrate!" That was Magma's voice, and Aqune understood what he meant.

"Oracle's Kindness!"

She transformed into her Spider Rider armor.

'And… it's now or never,' she thought to herself. Actually, she was rather excited over what she was about to try. "Oracle Key!" Aqune's power was increased, when she unleashed the Key's power for the first time, just like Hunter could do.

"Aqune, your form!" Hunter exclaimed. Aqune quickly proved it was more than her form that had changed, as she jumped into battle, plowing down at least ten Insector soldiers with a single attack.

"We have to get past them," she declared. Though, Aqune felt bad for attacking them, when they were probably fighting their hardest to bring their people sunlight. But there wasn't really a choice in the matter, and she was making sure not to badly hurt them.

"I know!" said Hunter. "And we will!"

The Spider Riders fought fiercely, and Corona couldn't help but notice how amazing Hunter and Aqune were together. They were easily the two strongest. They looked so natural out there, fighting back-to-back.

'We really needed Aqune,' she said. 'Still… why does it hurt so much to watch them?'

Corona couldn't just stand around angsting though. An attack came her way. Quickly, Corona evaded the blow, and fired an arrow at the Insector. That attack was enough to knock him out.

She sighed, relieved. She couldn't let herself be caught off guard.

Very soon, that entire fleet of Insectors were taken out. A few who still remained were too terrified to continue fighting, and fled.

"Alright! We did it!" shouted Hunter.

The other Riders were celebrating too.

"Thank you so much, Aqune," said Hunter. "We needed you, you know?"

"You're welcome," she said, smiling. "I'm glad I could be of help."

"Why did you come back here, though?" asked Igneous. "Didn't Buguese take you away?"

"Yeah. That creep," Magma commented.

"Yes," said Aqune. "But after that, he let me go. Oh, and you probably already noticed, but I also have this."

Aqune de-transformed from her Key state, and held it out in her hands.

"An Oracle Key!" Hunter exclaimed. "That's amazing!"

"Now we have three of them," said Lumen.

"Here, Hunter," said Aqune. "You should hold onto this."

"Alright," Hunter replied, taking it from her.

Watching that exchange just bothered Corona even more. Aqune noticed Corona's expression, and was curious about it.

Hunter then ran up ahead.

"Alright!" Hunter shouted. "Next is Mantid's fortress, and the last Key!"

"W-wait!" Aqune yelled. But it was too late. Hunter ran into the barrier, and was shot back.

"Ow!" he exclaimed, studying his newly acquired bruises. "What was that?"

"I meant to tell you," Aqune replied. "Mantid surrounded his fortress with a barrier to keep you guys out."

"No way!" Hunter yelled, and ran towards it again, the results the same as the first time.

"Hunter!" Corona yelled.

"Somehow, I don't think that's the best approach," said Shadow.

"I… I know," Hunter mumbled, but he was frustrated.

"Let me try," Aqune spoke. "Once, I broke through a very strong barrier with Buguese."

She looked sad though, when she said that. Not that there was anything romantic or fun about that time, so she shouldn't have looked back at it as a good time, she realized.

Pushing those thoughts away, Aqune went to the barrier, and held her hand to it, prepared to push through. But she was shot back as well.

"Why?" she thought out loud. "What kind of barrier is this?"

"Are you okay?" asked Hunter, going to her side.

"Yeah," Aqune said. "But this is not going to be easy."

"Never give up!" Hunter yelled. "I know we'll find a way."

"You're right," Aqune said, happily.

But then, from the other direction, they heard more soldiers approaching.

"Really?" Lumen asked, not wanting to deal with that.

"Oh man," said Hunter. But he had to stay optimistic. "Well, we'll handle these ones as well! Come on, everyone!"

"Right!" Magma and Igneous both answered.

Most of the Riders rushed in behind him. But Corona couldn't.

'What am I doing?' she wondered to herself. 'Hunter isn't letting anything bring him down. That's the way he always is. Yet I… I'm just standing here feeling sorry for myself. If Hunter and Aqune really are a couple… would that be the end of the world? I know that's not true. Mantid casting the world into darkness is really what I should be worried about.'

"Corona!" It was Aqune.

"Huh?" Corona replied.

"What's wrong?" Aqune asked.

"It's nothing!" Corona answered. "I need to fight. I need to be strong, just like Hunter is. Aqune, shouldn't you be by his side now?"

"We all should," said Aqune. "Because we're a team." But confusion showed in her voice. "I thought you would be the first one to follow after him. I could always tell, you and Hunter had a very special bond."

"I don't really know," Corona replied, though Aqune's words surprised her. "Even if we did… Hunter is the second coming of the Brave, you know. He's destined to be with the Oracle's reincarnation, because the first Brave loved her."

"With me?" Aqune replied. That was the first she'd heard of such a prophecy. "Corona, you're wrong," she said. "A prophecy is just a story. But people can find their own paths. I think, Hunter found you, probably before he and I even met. And I found… Buguese." She looked down, sadly. "Though, I don't think we'll ever meet again."

'That's true,' Corona realized. Had Aqune ever actually been in love with Hunter? Maybe that was only her assumption, because the two got along so well. But even if Hunter didn't love Aqune, did he love her? It wasn't just Aqune who thought that. Her mother saw something between them too.

"I'm going to help," Aqune declared. She ran off to battle.

Corona still stood there, watching for a moment. Hunter was thrown down by an enemy before her eyes. Like the last group, they seemed to be targeting Hunter above everyone else. But yet, Hunter got right back up. She saw Hunter turn his head, and his eyes met hers. Was Hunter waiting for her? That's what she felt. Then Corona couldn't stand there.

"Hunter!" she called. "Sorry!"

"No problem," Hunter replied. "I was waiting for you. We need you so we can win!"

"Yeah!" Corona replied, smiling.

By Hunter's side, Corona began to face enemy after enemy. Maybe she wasn't as strong as Aqune was, but she was no pushover, and was having no trouble.

'Hunter…' Corona thought to herself. 'I love you. I don't know for sure how you feel about me, but that doesn't change my feelings. Right now, I can't tell you that. I'm still a bit too afraid, I guess. But after this is over, after we win, I promise I will tell you.'

It wasn't much longer before this fight came to an end.

"Great work, everyone," Igneous congratulated.

"Thank you for helping, Corona," said Hunter.

"No problem," Corona replied. "You know, you're always amazing. No matter what the obstacle, no matter how much pain you're in, you always fight. It's wrong if I don't do the same."

"That's the spirit!" replied Hunter. The boy then looked up ahead.

"Hunter, what's with that serious face?" Lumen asked. He was hoping for a chance to breathe, after facing two fleets of Insectors in a row.

"Now, we have to get through that barrier," replied Hunter. "There's no time to rest."

While this was happening, Sparkle, Hotarla and Grasshop were still making their way to the scene.

"We're almost there, Princess," Grasshop said. 'Which is great, because I'm getting tired of walking,' he thought to himself. Sadly, there wasn't much room on Hotarla's back. Sparkle looked too cute riding atop her spider, so he wouldn't think to kick her off.

"Everyone, wait for me!" declared Sparkle. "And please be safe!"