Leo was sitting in his and Kyo's room. Kyo wasn't there. He said he needed to go somewhere. Leo thought it was something else. He believed that Kyo couldn't stand to be in the same room as him. He couldn't really blame the red-eyed samurai. Hell, he didn't even want to be with him right now. The door slowly opened, but Leo paid little mind as Reika walked in. "Hello, Leo-san," she greeted.
Leo didn't respond.
"You're feeling depressed right now. I shouldn't be surprised. But it could be worse." Leo looked up. He muttered something incoherently. "Excuse me?" asked Reika.
"How could it be worse?" Leo repeated. After what had happened, he doubted that anything could be far worse.
"According to history, you didn't stop your attack on Kat. You killed her and went on to kill the others. In the end, your friends, the Teen Titans, were forced to put you down." She then looked at him. "But you stopped the attack. You changed history, something that you've done once before. Just remember that, Leo-san" said Reika as she left. Leo was left alone to think of her words. Was she telling the truth, or lying to make him feel better? He was unsure but maybe she was right.
He needed to ponder more deeply.
Episode 52: Mended
Next to come in were Yuusuke and Futaba. The couple sat down in front of the depressed Knight. "Leo-san… we just wanted to… to thank you," said Yuusuke.
"For what?" asked Leo. Why would they come to thank him after he nearly tried to kill them all?
"You saved us two years ago," said Futaba. "When the Mibu first came to attack Kyo, they found me first. You, Yuusuke and Kyo came to my rescue. You and Kyo stopped them while Yuusuke got me to safety. If not for you, I'd be dead."
"And after the Mibu attacked the school, you were the one who brought me to Midori and the infirmary. Then you stopped Kyo from hurting anyone. Everyone in this school owes their lives to you," said Yuusuke. "Please get better soon Leo-san." The two turned and left.
He remembered that day when he and his sister worked together to stopped an Akuma possessed Kyo. That had been one tough fight and both of them had been close to losing their lives.
"I haven't seen him this depressed since he got a bad review in a magazine," said Kat honestly as she sat in the cafeteria of the girls' dorm with Jinx.
Jinx asked, "What happened?"
-FLASHBACK-
"I CAN'T LIVE IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE!"
"FOR KAMI'S SAKE! IT WAS JUSTONE BAD REVIEW! NOW GET A GRIP AND PUT THE KNIFE DOWN!"
-END FLASHBACK-
"Oh, nothing much," Kat shrugged. She wasn't about to tell Jinx how her brother had overreacted over a bad review.
"Do you think I should talk to him?" Jinx asked.
"Are you sure?" Kat asked.
"Yes, I am," said Jinx. "Look, he lost his focus and concentration because of what Kid Flash did. He saw Kid Flash kiss me and that's why that thing took over."
"Glad to see you taking responsibility," commented Kat.
"I'm serious, OK!?" Jinx snapped. She then spotted Sanae. Kat followed her gaze and turned in her seat to see her coming.
"Sanae," said Kat as she stood up.
"Is he alright?" Sanae asked.
"I...can't say right now," Kat said honestly. "You need to give him time, though."
"But he needs me," Sanae insisted.
"He needs time to recover," said Kat. "Don't worry about him. He'll pull through."
"Are you sure?" Sanae asked hopefully.
"Yeah," Kat nodded before she murmurred, "At least, I hope so."
Kanai was sitting on a bench in the middle of the school courtyard when Takada and Hikaru walked up to him. "Hm?" He looked at them. "What is it you want?"
"Drop the act, Baihu," Takada said. "We know it's you."
"What...?" Kanai's eyes widened.
"I should've relied more on my nose," grinned Hikaru. "When I really focused, I smelled something like a tiger. A very old tiger. That's you."
Kanai sighed. He should've known this would happen. Standing up, his form shifted until he assumed his Baihu Beast Spirit form. He was a humanoid tiger with snow white fur and gold stripes. He sported clawed gauntlets and wore black pants with white armor plating that also had gold stripes on them. He wore shoulder pads resembling the paws of a tiger and he had sharp gold spikes running down his spine. His toes had claws and he had long saber teeth to complement his already frightening form.
"I guess this is where you're going to seal me," said the Baihu Beast Spirit. Takada's response was to slide his Category Ace card into his buckle and fastened it to his waist.
"You got that right! Henshin!"
"CHANGE BYAKKO!"
Kat's cellphone rang and she flipped it open. Her eyes widened as she saw the screen. There was a Beast Spirit response, two in fact. She recognized Hikaru's signature but the other one was another Royal. It had to be the one they were looking for. There was also Pluto's signal, which meant he had transformed and currently fighting the King of Diamonds.
"Sanae, Jinx! Stay here!" Kat told them before running off to follow the signal. She activated her belt at will and took out her Category Ace: Change Suzaku card. If this was a Royal, Pluto was going to need her help.
"BULLET! RAPID! FIRE!" The Byakko Revolver shouted after Pluto scanned the cards. "BURNING SHOT!"
He fired a barrage of fireballs at the Baihu Beast Spirit but they were deflected as the monster rushed him. Once it closed the gap, the Baihu Beast Spirit sent Pluto flying with a devastating claw swipe. The white tiger Advent Knight went tumbling along the grass, in pain.
"I will not be sealed!" the Baihu Beast Spirit snarled. "Do you hear me!? I will win the Battle Game and this world will be mine!" Hikaru had already been defeated and knocked out by the Baihu Beast Spirit's power. "And not even the Black Joker will be able to stop me!"
"Oh yeah!" Pluto slid his Category Queen into his Advent Absorber.
"ABSORB QUEEN!"
"We'll see about that!" He scanned the Fusion Peacock card.
"FUSION JACK!"
Now donned in his gold Jack Form armor, Pluto shot to the air and fired at Baihu. While his assault did do more damage than before, it wasn't as significant as he wanted it to be. He then swooped down to slash at the Baihu Beast Spirit with his gun's blade but the Baihu Beast Spirit leapt up and grabbed Pluto by the throat before slamming him to the ground. The force of the impact caused the ground to shake and Pluto grunted in pain.
"You might have a stronger body because you took the power of my brother, but it matters little. You are still, after all, only human," said the Baihu Beast Spirit as he brandished his wicked claws. "Now, just die for me."
"SPINNING ATTACK!"
The Baihu Beast Spirit was violently thrown off Pluto when he was hit by a drill kick. He went tumbling and then he snarled as he looked to see who had dared to attack him. Crouching, and posing dramatically with her knees bent was Advent Knight Mimic.
"Are you OK?" Mimic asked Pluto whose Jack Form had deactivated. She helped him up.
"Just sore. Where's your brother?" he asked.
"At the moment he's of no help to us. But that's OK. I can handle this," she said as she took out her Category King. The Baihu Beast Spirit saw this and let loose a deafening roar. The shockwave tore the King of Hearts out of Mimic's hand and it landed on the grass a distance away. "Hey, my card!"
"I will not let you seal me! NEVER!" the Baihu Beast Spirit roared and he swung his arms down, shooting energy slashes. The attack hit both Pluto and Mimic, causing sparks to explode off their suits as they were violently sent soaring. "I WILL BECOME THE CHAMPION AND YOU WILL DIE!"
In his room, Leo's head shot up. He could sense that his sister was in danger. "Onee-chan!" he gasped. He got off the bed and went to the door. He stopped as his hand touched the knob. He turned his head to gaze at his Seiryu Buckle and his Category Ace that was sitting on top of it on the desk. He remembered what had happened, what he'd almost did, and how he'd allowed the card's evil to take over. To use it would mean endangering the others but right now his sister needed him.
He remembered that his volatile emotions were what allowed the Beast Spirit to take control of him, but now he was focused. He was sure of what he needed to do-of what he had to do. He went over to the desk and picked up the buckle and card before turning towards the door.
"Hang on, Onee-chan. I'm coming," he whispered under his breath.
Pluto and Mimic fired their weapons, the Byakko Revolver and Suzaku Arrow at the Baihu Beast Spirit, but their attacks didn't seem to stop his advance. He let loose another roar which threw them into the air before they crashed against the ground again. This time, their armors deactivated and they were forced back to human form. Kat was bleeding, her green blood dripping from her wounds as Takada tried to stay conscious.
"Now, to finish you both off," said the Baihu Beast Spirit savagely as his claws glowed. "The finishing blow." He swung his claw and unleashed the energy slash attack at them. However, instead of hitting his intended target, Hikaru jumped in the way and shielded them. Green blood splattered the ground as the female Beast Spirit screamed. She collapsed and in her weakened state reverted back to her true form.
"Hikaru!" Takada shouted. This wasn't what he expected from a Beast Spirit, even if she was an ally.
"Ow..." Hikaru whimpered as she lay on the floor. "I think I shouldn't have gotten up from my catnap."
"Idiot..." scowled Kat.
"Hmph," scoffed the Baihu Beast Spirit. "Once more then." He prepared another attack, but this time he wouldn't be able to release it.
"RAIJIN!"
A bolt of lightning struck the Baihu Beast Spirit out of nowhere, stunning him.
"FUUJIN!"
A tornado whipped up from under the Baihu Beast Spirit's feet and tossed him into the air. The tornado then turned into blades of wind which slashed him around before roughly depositing him on the ground.
Kat's eyes widened, "...That was..." She turned to gaze at her brother who was walking into the courtyard. "Otouto..."
"Leo..." Takada uttered.
"Okaasan said this: those who abandon honor are garbage, but those who abandon family are worse than garbage," Leo quoted.
"You..." the Baihu Beast Spirit growled.
"For a moment, I lost sight of what was important," said Leo. "This time, though, I won't lose my sight or myself again. Henshin!"
"CHANGE SEIRYU!"
Leo ran through the energy field and exited as Advent Knight Draco. He drew his Seiryu Blade and slashed at the Baihu Beast Spirit who parried the blow with his claws.
"Do you really think you can defeat me in your Ace Form?" the Baihu Beast Spirit snarled his question.
"Why not? I've beaten a Category King like this and I didn't even have to use my cards," retorted Draco. "And believe me, compared to him, you're not even a challenge."
"What!?"
"FUUJIN!" A burst of wind blew the Baihu Beast Spirit away and then Draco drew out his Fusion Eagle card and slashed it through the Seiryu Absorber.
"FUSION JACK!" The gold projection swept over his body, covering his chest and faceplate in gold armor and equipping him with wings. The wings spread as he flew at the Baihu Beast Spirit who used his energy slash attack at him. Draco's response was to use three cards and slash them through his Seiryu Blade's card reader.
"METAL! TACKLE! MACH!" The energy slashes didn't do any damage as they hit and his boosted speed allowed him to cross the distance to land a devastating shoulder tackle into the Baihu Beast Spirit's chest, sending him sprawling.
"And again," Draco drew and slashed two cards.
"SLASH! THUNDER!" the Seiryu Blade announced, "LIGHTNING SLASH!"
"Hyah!" Draco swooped in and slashed his enhanced Seiryu Blade across the Category King and he roared in agony as green blood was spilled. Draco landed on his feet and turned to face the weakened Beast Spirit.
Takada and Kat watched stunned as Draco battled against the Beast Spirit and seemed to be winning. He wasn't wasting moves and was doing decent damage. Still, Draco would need to defeat it and seal it.
"This is the finisher!" Draco took out his Category King and was about to scan it when he hesitated. He stared at the Category King of Spades, the Evolution Qinglong. He recalled what had happened the last time. No, he couldn't hesitate. He needed to push those volatile feelings back and focus on the present.
"EVOLUTION KING!"
His armor glowed gold as his cards all flew out of his deck and glowed as well as they orbited him. They then slammed into his armor, fusing with him as each card evolved a portion of his armor. First he gained enhanced armor for his legs, followed by enhanced armor for his arms, then his torso and finally a new helmet with additional horns that made it look like he was wearing a crown.
He opened his right hand and the King Dragon Blade materialized out of thin air. He grasped it tightly in his hand. He then looked at the Undead who charged at him. It slashed at him again but he countered and his King Dragon Blade. The Baihu Beast Spirit's claws were shattered by the sword. Draco then punched the Beast Spirit across the face and the force sent him flying across the grass.
Draco's Category 10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace card all flew out of his armor and he caught them. One by one, in order, he slid them into his King Dragon Blade.
"SPADE 10!"
"Okaasan said this," Draco began as he advanced on the Beast Spirit.
"SPADE JACK!"
"SPADE QUEEN!"
"That when you plan to begin something..."
"SPADE KING!"
"...Always plan to finish it until the very end..."
"SPADE ACE!"
"...Because...that is the true strength of your resolve!"
"ROYAL STRAIGHT FLUSH!"
The human-sized holographic projection of his cards lined up between him and his target. With a roar not unlike that of a dragon's, Draco charged through the projections, gaining power and speed with each card he ran through. Once he was within range, he unleashed all the power he'd gather in a single downward stroke, hitting the Beast Spirit across the chest. The Baihu Beast Spirit let loose a loud and strangled roar before collapsing on his back and exploding. Once the smoke cleared and the blaze subsided, the Beast Spirit laid defeated on the ground with his buckle open to signify his defeat.
Draco took out a sealing card and tossed it at the defeated Beast Spirit. He watched as the card stuck to the torso and sucked up the Beast Spirit as the body broke down into green energy that was absorbed into the card itself. Once the body was gone, the card hovered in place for a moment before flying back into Draco's hand.
"King of Diamonds: Evolution Baihu," Draco read. He turned to face Kat and Takada before deactivating his buckle. The energy projection popped out and swept over him, stripping him of his suit. "Tadaima."
Kat smiled and stood up, "Okaeri nasai, Otouto-chan."
Meanwhile, back in Jump City...
The Tower's alarm blared and the Titans all went to the large viewing screen in their common room/Ops Centre. There was an attack in the middle of the city and the cause of it shocked them.
"Desmond..." Raven uttered. It was Advent Knight Shadow and he was commanding the Beast Spirits to attack people.
"Titans, let's go! We need to stop this now!" Robin ordered as he led the team to the exit. Raven just stared at the screen. Had he been taken control by his Category Ace? Was this why he was acting like this? Could he be under the influence of the Genbu Beast Spirit. If that were the case then she was going to save him.
Leo and Kat had both gone back to the dorms to rest and get her injuries looked after. Also, to clean off the green blood. Takada had volunteered to pick Hikaru up. The female Beast Spirit was still injured and unconscious.
Takada dropped the sealing card on Hikaru's body and watched as she was sealed inside. Her body turned into green energy and swirled into the card as it sucked her in. He could almost see the look of betrayal on her face but he ignored it. The card then spun and returned into his hand.
Even if she had been an ally, it didn't change the fact that she was a Beast Spirit and his job was to seal them. The Beast Spirits could not be allowed to home free. This world belonged to humanity and Takada intended to keep it that way.
Meanwhile, Desmond was tied up to a chair in the middle of an abandoned church. He was unconscious. Then so, if he was here, who was the one wreaking havoc in the city? Something just wasn't right here. Something more was going on here.
KRC: I know it has been years and now this fic has been revived! I was thinking of going back and finishing some old fics that need to be concluded. It might seem rushed and you might hate me for it, but it's how things go. Life goes on but we still need to look to the past. I do hope you appreciate what I'm doing. Anyway, I'm gonna work at concluding this whole thing as I was supposed to 4 years ago.