Title: & Bunny – chapter three
Author/Artist: Cheza-chan
Pairing/Characters: Kaburagi Kotetsu/Barnaby Brooks Jr.
Rating: PG-15 (overall R)
Genre: Alternate Timeline; science-fiction; superheroes.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, and I definitely don't own the sponsors that they wear.
Summary/Notes:Taking Ben's advice, Kotetsu decides to separate himself from Hero TV and the Heroes of Sternbild (deviated from the original storyline after ep. 15; updated a bit after watching ep. 16).


"Are you sure?" Kotetsu arched an eyebrow. It was Saturday, and Kaede was accompanying him as he shopped for Karina. He hadn't outright told his daughter it was for Blue Rose, but he mentioned the ice Hero's name. "A co-worker of mine said she'd never been to Oriental Town before. She insisted I bring something back. She's also a fan of Blue Rose," was the story he'd gone with.

Kaede was holding a pair of earrings for him to see. "Are these the kind of things you wanted me to buy you?" Kotetsu asked, his other eyebrow rising to join the first so they created a look of questioning.

"Maybe." Kaede turned away, but Kotetsu's hand appeared to take the jewelry away. He studied it and couldn't help but smile when it finally dawned on him. Silver studs with a design of a blooming blue rose. He turned the trinkets over in the palm of his hand. "Blue Rose, huh?" Kotetsu grinned at his daughter. "I'll buy 'em."

"She'll love them," Kaede chirped.

"Don't forget to pick out something for yourself. I don't know when I'll be coming back for another visit." The lies continued tumbling out. He was going to stay with Kaede, but he had to reveal everything first.

"I'm just glad you came." Kaede smiled up at him before turning back to the display cases. "Finally," she added.

Kotetsu pressed a hand to her head, laughing when it was swatted away. What was one more lie on top of another? All he had to do was hide out in his apartment, away from prying eyes. 'Bunny doesn't know where I live. He probably could find out, though…' Antonio was the only one to ever visit, and was also the only one with the knowledge of his so-called "retirement". There was a lingering problem: he still didn't have a job.

Kaede turned away from the center counter, hands in the pockets of her jacket. Kotetsu studied her, curious to know what was on her mind that made her frown.

"I know what I want," the young girl stated softly. "I want to go to Sternbild. To the New Morghen Area. We can ice skate together. This way, you get to stay." Kaede shook her head as she read her father's expression; he was going to protest.

It didn't stop Kotetsu from voicing his thoughts. "Are you okay to come back by yourself?"

"If you want, you can ask Grandma if she wants to come with us. That way, we can both return together."

"Kaede. That plan only works if she says it's okay." Kotetsu sighed, shuffling his feet. Looking past the minor, technical details, it was a sound plan—he expected no less from his daughter.

"She might even let me go by myself." Kaede continued staring him down, despite their difference in height.

Looking out from beneath his hat, Kotetsu smiled in defeat. "Fine."

"Thank you!" Kaede threw her arms around his waist.

Kotetsu placed a hand to her back. The perks of defeat were nice, but then he still had to suffer the aftermath, when his world came crashing down. After paying for Blue Rose's earrings, he and Kaede left the department store, heading home to tell Grandma the plan.

X

Anju declined, however, stating that she had to watch the house and tend to the fields. She reassured Kotetsu that Kaede would be fine by herself coming back. Kotetsu was still a bit reluctant, but he tossed his luggage into the back of the rental car. Kaede had a backpack, which remained in her lap as she buckled herself in. He grinned at her after climbing in behind the wheel. "Ready?"

Kaede returned his grin. "Ready!"

The train station was their first stop, and then it was off to Sternbild.

X X x x x X X

"Kotetsu told you he was coming back today?" Antonio questioned. He and Barnaby were in the locker rooms, collecting their belongings. Still in his bodysuit, he watched as the young man pulled on his jacket.

"No. You made that assumption on your own because I informed you of the news without specifying his exact day of return. He told me next week, so that could be… tomorrow, but I highly doubt that." Barnaby turned away from his locker, sparing Rock Bison a quick glance. The older man seemed ready to jump out of his skin, sitting stiffly on the bench. "Is there something you know, that I don't?"

Antonio shook his head vehemently. "No! Nothing."

Barnaby didn't believe him, but there was no time for an interrogation. Lloyd was waiting for him outside; there was an interview with an audience that needed attending. Without another word, he took his leave.

Antonio waited until he was sure he was alone before springing up from the bench and heading to his locker. He searched for his jacket, pulling his phone from the lower pocket.

x x x

Kotetsu had just parked—he felt more comfortable now that he was back in his own vehicle—when he heard his phone. He took it out, quickly sliding his thumb across the screen to accept the call. "Hello?"

"Where are you?"

"A 'hey' would be nice, y'know."

"Where are you?" was repeated.

Kotetsu climbed from the SUV, smiling as Kaede did the same on the other side. "New Morghen."

"You are back!" Antonio exclaimed.

"Not on purpose. Kaede—"

"Barnaby just told me—"

Kotetsu froze, his car door still open. "You haven't told him anything, have you?"

"No. But that kid's not easy to fool." Rock Bison crossed his free arm over his chest, tucking his hand beneath the other appendage. "You really should tell him, Kotetsu. It's going to be messy when he finds out. I'm not ready to be caught in the middle of that…"

Kotetsu grinned, following after Kaede as she hurried into the building. "I don't want to burden him with my problems. He has his own."

"Kotetsu." Antonio shook his head. "Stop keeping things bottled up inside. Something like this… it's important!"

"Sorry, Antonio. I'm going to skate with my daughter. Later!" Kotetsu ended the call, rushing ahead to the elevator Kaede barely managed to keep open for him. He smiled apologetically at the other occupants, adjusting his hat as the doors finally slid close.

x x x

Antonio turned away from his locker and froze at the sight of the blond standing in the doorway. He was glad he'd put his phone down; it would probably be on the floor. With a one out of three chance that it was the new King of Heroes returning for something forgotten, he got the blond whose look of guilt would probably make a wanted criminal turn himself in. Unfortunately for Antonio, the mask was not in place.

"Were you talking with Tiger-kun?" Keith inquired, taking a step into the room.

"I was," Antonio replied, quickly turning his back to his comrade-slash-rival. He shuffled around the items in his locket, mindful of his phone, hoping the silent message of "don't ask me anything" would be conveyed.

"Is he really coming back today?" Keith didn't get the message.

"He might be," Antonio ground out, taking note that the voice sounded closer.

"Why didn't you say anything? We need to plan a 'welcome back' event!"

"Wha—" He spun around, almost tripping over the bench that separated him and the other Hero.

The 'hurt puppy' look had vanished, replaced with a blinding smile. "He's been gone a week," Keith continued. He spread his arms. "We should proudly welcome him back. We're… like a family now. The points are still there, but we do it because we're Heroes."

Antonio scoffed, turning back around, but not to purposely give Keith his back. He began removing his bodysuit. "That's easy for you to say. You were once the King of Heroes. You dropped one spot. Me? I'm at the bottom."

"I'm not as concerned with that as before." Keith ducked his head, smiling. "We should all be as amazing as Tiger-kun. He's not in it for the points—he never was." His smile faltered a little as the silence hung in the air, but remained. His steps light, Keith backed out of the locker room. "Thank you."

Antonio looked over his shoulder, but the blond was no longer there. A whisper sent to him on the wind. With a shout, he punched the metal frame before him. Rock Bison groaned as he stared at the bent metal, realizing what he'd done; Agnes would have his head.

x x x

Kotetsu smiled, watching Kaede interact with other children on the ice. Feeling uneasy, he shot a wary glance upward at the rebuilt dome. Antonio's conversation still bounced around in his head and he wanted all traces of it removed. 'Bunny doesn't need my problems weighing him down.' He pushed away from the wall, gliding across the ice.

Kaede glared at him as he drew near—a warning to stay away—and Kotetsu bypassed her, grinning as he went. 'I'm still not cool enough to be seen with, huh? That means I got some work to do!' He performed a quick spin before beginning his lap around the rink.

x x x

Barnaby kept a calm face as he excused himself from the interview. He smiled at the man, tapping his left wrist, which lay hidden beneath the sleeve of his jacket. "Duty calls."

"Ah! Well… By all means!" The interviewer sat up straight; the audience let out a collective groan of disappointment.

Barnaby bowed, walking out of the room without a backwards glance. A van had replaced the black sedan and he knew he was in Saito's hands now. He began undoing his jacket, removing it while climbing into the large vehicle. Barnaby couldn't help the small smile that crept onto his face as he listened to Saito's screaming instructions. He glanced right, picturing Kotetsu grimacing. What am I doing?With a sigh, he flipped down the mask of his suit, tuning into the news of the current hostage situation. New Morghen Area. "Is my bike ready?"

"Of course!" Saito's voice screamed.

The cycle was void of its sidecar, as it should be. 'Next week,' Barnaby told himself as he swung his leg over so he straddled the powerful machine. The engine roared to life and he tapped the side of his helmet, receiving the exact coordinates. "The ice rink again?" Last he'd heard, Tony was eagerly awaiting the day he could start at Hero Academy. Barnaby lifted his leg, placing his foot on the pedal, and sped off into the city after the back door of the van fell open for him.

X X x x x X X

Kotetsu gritted his teeth, trying not to make any noise. He could they be this unlucky? Three masked figures glided around the rink, collecting anything valuable from the adults that lined the wall. Gathered in the center of the rink, surrounded by two more masked men—each carried an assault rifle—were the children. Kotetsu had lost his watch, beaded bracelet, and his wallet, all of which were materialistic; he couldn't afford to lose Kaede. He took a break from glaring to sweep his gaze across the ice. Kaede stared pleadingly back at him, trying to remain as calm as she could. He desperately wished that he could take action, but what good would two minutes do him?

"Mama!"

Kotetsu's eyes widened, the blade of his skates digging into the ice as he forced himself to stay put.

Having cracked under the pressure of the current situation, the blond-haired boy continued to wail; he knew there was danger and believed that his mother would help.

"Be quiet, brat!" The muzzle of the rifle nearest to him was now pointed at the boy.

Staring down the barrel of a gun didn't help the situation any, and he only increased his screams. The mother had slid to her knees on the ice, face buried in her hands as she also sobbed.

Disgusted, Kaede bumped her way through the crowd until she was mere inches from the weapon, standing protectively in front of the smaller child. Kotetsu felt his heart leap into his throat. 'Kaede… What are you doing?'

"He won't stop crying if you point that at him," Kaede admonished, her glare fierce. "You have what you want! Let him have what he wants! It's not like he's going to run off and tell. Some of us…" For a brief second, a glimpse of sadness could be seen in her brown eyes, but was quickly replaced with animosity. "Some of us don't have moms!" His scowl visible, the gunman raised the rifle and Kaede cringed, turning away. Her intentions were to shield the smaller figure, but the blow never came. The barrel of the rifle was bent backwards, now facing its holder. Kaede lowered her raised shoulders, slowly turning back around. The sniffling blond also peeked over her shoulder. "Wild… Tiger."

Domino mask in place, Kotetsu smiled down at her. "You were very brave. I'll take things from here." Kaede nodded absently. His smile vanished as he faced the assailant, replaced with a scowl. "You're less than a coward. Why would you even dream of hitting a child?" The man flew across the rick, crashing into the bordering, sponsor-covered wall after receiving a blow to the stomach. Kotetsu made quick work of the second rifleman, destroying the weapon in the process. The remaining masked men were mere lackeys, a fact proven as they became cornered by the adults.

"Tiger-san!" Kaede grabbed his arm, demanding his attention.

Kotetsu smiled reassuringly, lowering himself to one knee; his time was almost up. "Get the children out of here. I trust you can do that." Tears welled up in her eyes and Kotetsu wanted nothing more than to embrace her. "I know you can do it."

Kaede nodded, scrubbing at her eyes with the back of her hand. "I can!" He released her shoulders and she immediately took the teary-eyed boy's hand. "Let's go," she told him, her voice soft and gentle. "Your mom's waiting." Kotetsu continued to smile, even as his powers faded.

Kaede had just handed the blond off to his mother when she heard the pained yell. She spun around, quickly regaining her balance, and her hands flew up to cover her mouth. Wild Tiger was sprawled on the ice, the gunman standing above him, bent rifle held high for another strike. "Tiger-san!"

Kotetsu's head was still spinning from the sudden blow, but he heard the shout. 'Kaede… Please go!' He lifted his head, squinting through his haze of pain to find her exact location.

"Washed up… Good for nothin'… has been Hero!" the first gunman roared, bringing the weapon down.

"Otou-san!"

Kotetsu's eyes widened. He found her, but in that brief moment, his daughter disappeared from his sight. Kotetsu spun around, still sprawled on the ice, his elbows keeping him propped up. Her body outlined with a blue light, Kaede had crushed the rifle; continued to crush the rifle until it snapped in two. The masked man fell onto his backside, awkwardly scrambling away, screaming as he slipped and slid along the ice. Kaede dropped her arms to her sides, fingers slowly unfurling from their fisted state as the light around her faded. Her legs fell out from beneath her and she crumpled onto the ice.

"Are you okay?" Kotetsu placed a hand to her shoulder, forcing her to look back at him.

Kaede giggled, the sound weak. "I should be asking you that, Tiger-san."

A sudden onslaught of flames forced him to take her into his arms, shielding her against the heat. The fire spread through the rink, almost with a purpose, melting the ice and sinking the masked figures beneath its choppy, freezing waters. The ice beneath the hostages remained intact, considerably thickened by Blue Rose. Kotetsu lifted his head, searching. Rock Bison, Dragon Kid, Sky High, and Origami Cyclone all assisted in getting the hostages to safety. Fire Emblem and Blue Rose racked up their points as they apprehended the bad guys.

"Thank you," Kaede murmured, slipping the long arms from around her shoulders. "I'm going to… look for my father." She hurried to the edge of the ice, leaping onto another solid piece.

Kotetsu's apprehension melted away once she was safely with the other rescued hostages. Shakily, he rose onto his feet. Melted ice was not the sturdiest, and he wouldn't have been Kaburagi Kotetsu if he didn't take advantage of the situation. Gravity became his friend after slipping on the wet ice, but he found himself supported by strong arms.

"You stole my spotlight, Kotetsu-san," a haughty voice spoke. "The least you can do is perfect your pose."

Kotetsu grinned at the blond holding him upright. "That's your job, isn't it, Bunny? I don't have time for poses."

"I have several magazine articles and posters that say otherwise," Barnaby argued.

"Guilty." Kotetsu grimaced, lifting a hand to his head where he'd been struck.

Barnaby's smile turned into a frown as he noticed the slight trail of blood that stained Kotetsu's temple. It was a rare sight. "Let's get you downstairs and looked at."

"I… might have been hallucinating, but I think my daughter's a NEXT…" Kotetsu took a step forward, but found Barnaby's arm barring his way. He immediately realized why: the rink was still melted in some places. "Oi, Blue Rose!" The ice queen looked up, finding it easy to glare at the man waving at her from a distance. Her stomach, however, flip-flopped in nervous excitement. Kotetsu, his arm high, pointed down in front of him. "If you don't mind, we'd like the rink back!" He grinned.

"Stop teasing her." Barnaby bent his knees a little, slipping one arm around Kotetsu's back while the other went to his knees so he could lift the older man from the floor. "All that time you spent at the gym—it feels like it's for naught."

"I haven't put on weight!" Kotetsu protested, arms crossed over his chest as he was carried into the stands.

With the rink cleared, Blue Rose went to work. She slipped her guns back into their holsters and flashed a winning smile at the camera crew.

"Kaede should be downstairs. I need to get to her." Already making his way to the hallway as he spoke, Kotetsu wrinkled his nose and stopped, taking a seat in order to untie his skates.

"I assume she's with everyone else," Barnaby replied, glancing at the dark hallway. "You said she was—" Green and white filled his vision and he watched Kotetsu disappear into said darkness. "—a NEXT," he finished with a sigh.

The mask was gone when Kotetsu emerged from the elevator. 'Antonio. He'll stay with her.' He looked for his bull-suited friend, easily spotting him above all others. And sitting on Rock Bison's shoulders was Kaburagi Kaede. The possibility that she was searching for him, too, was high.

Kaede was set back onto the floor and immediately ran through the crowds to reach her father. "Otou-san! You're hurt!"

Kotetsu knelt, letting her gently cup his face in her hands. "Papa really is pathetic," he laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "In all the excitement when Wild Tiger showed up, I tripped and fell over the wall, hitting my head. I missed everything."

"Tiger-san saved me," Kaede whispered, averting her gaze for a few moments. "I wish I could thank him."

"I'm sure he knows," Kotetsu chuckled, his hands covering hers. 'My brave little girl.'

Kaede's hands tightened against his face and she looked as though she had something to say, but no words were spoken. There was also something he would have liked to ask her, but their attention was directed elsewhere when Barnaby approached them. Kotetsu snuck a glance out of the corner of his eye; there was no excitement on his daughter's face at seeing Barnaby. 'Maybe it's all too much for her.'

Barnaby easily fell into character, pretending not to know the small family. "Kaede, I presume?" He smiled when the girl's eyes widened. "How can I not remember? Your father leaves quite an impression. Kotetsu-san, you really should get that looked at." Barnaby indicated to his temple. "We have doctors waiting."

"He's so stubborn," Kaede scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "He probably wants it to get infected. I hope he knows that I won't look after him if he gets sick."

Kotetsu laughed nervously, "Fine. Point me in the right direction, Hero-san."

"Barnaby's fine," the blond corrected.

At the same time, Kaede said: "It's Barnaby."

"I can't win for trying. An—Rock Bison! I need your help. Take me away from this perfect couple." Kotetsu lifted his arm, waving his hand to get Antonio's attention. "Barnaby, look after Kaede for me, please."

Kaede looked from her father's retreating form back to the suited King of Heroes. She folded her hands in front of herself, bowing deeply. "I'm sorry," she said after straightening up. "I need to be with my father. I'll continue to support you, Barnaby!" Smiling, the young girl took off, ducking through the crowd. She caught up with Kotetsu, slipping her hand into his. Kotetsu grinned.

Barnaby's eyes clouded over as old memories surfaced. He lifted his hand, curling then uncurling his fingers, remembering Kotetsu's warmth even through the suit. He turned away, heading to where he might be needed. Forced into a chair, Kotetsu caught a glimpse of the familiar helmet before it disappeared and the pink points he'd dubbed as 'bunny ears'. He hissed, cringing away from the cotton ball full of antiseptic that dabbed at his forehead.

X X x x x X X

His hat hid the Band-aid fairly well, but it was scar—that would soon become nonexistent—Kotetsu would be proud of. He waited on the platform with Kaede, hands shoved into his pants pocket. The train would be departing in a few minutes, but neither of them wanted to move. The whistle blew and Kotetsu freed a hand, placing it to his daughter's back, pushing her forward. "Get on," he mumbled. "Aniki will be waiting for you when you get back home."

"They say home is where the heart is. I have… two homes. Can't I stay in Sternbild a little longer? Until tomorrow?" Kaede held the straps of her backpack tightly, kicking a stray piece of balled up paper. "I brought extra clothes, just in case…"

Kotetsu chased the ball of paper, picking it up to properly deposit it in a nearby trash can. He returned to Kaede's side. "In a week, you can come back. I'll even come home to get you. When I do, promise me that we'll have a serious talk. You can spend the weekend, since you still have to go to school."

Kaede stepped ahead, moving across the platform until she stood directly in front of her father. Freeing a hand from her backpack straps, she extended her pinky. "Promise me."

Kotetsu's stern look softened and he hooked his pinky with hers. "I promise."

The porter stepped out of the door nearest them, silently questioning them with his eyes. Kotetsu slid his hand away from Kaede's, turning her around to guide her to where the older man waited. The task of getting her onto the train was passed to the porter, and he waved once she disappeared within the passenger car. Kaede hurried to her seat, scooting across it so she could stare out of the window. She pressed her hands against the glass, never once breaking her father's gaze. Kotetsu continued to wave, his grin so wide it was becoming almost painful. He didn't stop until the train was no longer in sight.

Now alone, Kotetsu realized it was time to head to Hero TV to face the music. He could at least give Karina her earrings before getting bombarded with questions; and, if he knew Sky High and his enthusiasm, a possible party. With a smile, he exited the station, heading for his car.


A/N:Wee~ Sorry for the update delay. Though I didn't quite say how often I'd update, it still feels late... *shrugs* The reason why… this past weekend, I was too busy living it up at Otakon! (who was there?) xD Then, since I was still on vacation… spending more money AFTER the convention had finished all over Baltimore then Virginia. Also~ I'm heading for Rock Bison/Sky High (Ivan belongs with Edward, nyaa~), so they needed some air time. *runs away*

*runs back* THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE KIND WORDS AND REVIEWS! They made me go ^_^ (but 10x wider)