Pain drifted through the cracks in the darkness. Aki tried to shut it out, tried to distance himself from the sickening agony, but something stopped him. A voice. Someone called out to him. He couldn't make out the words, couldn't place the voice. Haru...?

Aki's eyes fluttered open. Harsh light blinded him. A figure bent over him, too tall to be his brother. Double images floated in front of Aki, and he struggled to focus. Finally, the colors and shadows came together. Gora leaned over him, brows knit together. His heart skipped a beat at the unexpected sight of the man that he and his brother had admired for so long—but he didn't have time for this! Aki had to make sure Haru was okay—

His hand moved to his neck instinctively, reaching for the lunar ornament that granted him power. Broken metal shifted beneath his fingertips. No. It couldn't be…. His hand trembled with shock, and he looked down to see his ordinary student uniform stained with dirt and blood.

"Where... where's my brother, Haru?" He choked the words out, trying to sit up. Nausea crawled into his stomach, and his arms shook with effort. A hand pushed against his shoulder, holding him down. Panic flared inside of Aki. He shoved against Gora's hand. "I need to see Haru, please! Let me go! I... I need to know if he's okay..." Tears stung Aki's eyes as he struggled against Gora's iron grip.

"Easy, there," Gora soothed, frowning. "You're brother is going to be okay. He's with Yumoto—but you're in no shape to be up and about right now."

"I'm fine, just please let me go see him—he needs me!" Aki tried to pry Gora's hand off of him without any luck. Gora was as strong as the twins had imagined.

"You're not fine! Just look for yourself..." Gora nodded toward a pile of discarded, once-white towels. Crimson blossomed in dark stains across them and smudges of blood marred the onsen floors. "You were hit in the head. Hard." After a few more moments of Aki struggling, Gora added, "how would your brother feel if you made your injuries worse? You need to rest. The bleeding hasn't even stopped yet. Yumoto will take good care of your brother, I promise. You two will both be fine."

Yumoto? What did that idiot blond know about—

Aki stiffened. One of the last things that he'd seen was Battle Lover Scarlet running to his fallen brother. He stopped struggling, choking back panic.

No.

He couldn't be.

Horror dawned over Aki. Yumoto was Scarlet. And that meant... that Haru was in the hands of the Battle Lovers. Helpless. Hot tears streaked down his cheeks, and he fought against Gora with renewed desperation. He managed to slip out from Gora's grasp with a monumental effort and sprang to his feet. Aki ran for the onsen door, desperate to save his brother, but his legs wouldn't obey him. The room swayed and wavered. Black spots danced across his vision. His legs struggled and trembled beneath him. Aki tried to ignore it and push on, but they gave out from under him and he went down with a yelp.

Warm arms wrapped around him, trapping him against a broad, strong chest. Gora shifted, one arm slipping behind Aki's knees. Before he could protest, he was lifted like an unwilling bride and carried back to the bench. His hands shook with fear, and his vision clouded with a fresh wave of tears. "Please, please don't hurt him," he sobbed, twisting and trying to get free. "Please—I'll do anything! Just... just don't hurt Haru..."

Gora raised an eyebrow, studying Aki. "Hurt him? No one is going to hurt him—we are trying to help him. Here—" He set Aki back down on the bench with unexpected gentleness. One hand rested on Aki's chest, ready to hold him down again. "Let me check your head."

"I know what Yumoto is—"

"A brave young boy?" Gora's eyes narrowed.

"A Battle Lover! I know that he's a Battle Lover… so please, just… please don't let him hurt my brother…." Aki didn't even try to fight against Gora anymore. He knew it was hopeless, but he had to at least try begging for his brother's life. He didn't care about his pride anymore. Haru didn't deserve more pain. He'd suffered far too much all ready.

Gora sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. He was quiet for a moment and took his hand off of Aki's chest. Sitting down on the bench, his eyes fixed on Aki. "I know what you are, too."

Aki's hand went back to the broken lunar ornament. The pieces still clung to the bow of his scarf precariously. "Not… not anymore." He pulled his dirtied scarf off, and cradled the ruins of everything he had worked so hard for. A crack ran straight through the crescent moon.

"Look, I don't know why you and your brother hurt people, but Battle Lovers aren't like that. They help people. Even people like you."

Aki scrubbed the tears from his face, the hysterical fear slowly disappearing. He took a moment to catch his breath. When he spoke, his voice only wavered a little. "You promise Haru will be okay?"

Gora's expression softened. "I promise. Now will you let me look at your head?"

"Okay." Aki sat up, wincing as the room spun. Gora's arm wrapped around him to support him, though, and he leaned forward to inspect the back of Aki's head. After a moment, Gora helped him lie back down and leaned close to look into each of Aki's eyes. His face was mere inches away. Aki suddenly felt lightheaded in a way that had nothing to do with his injuries as Gora's breath tickled against his cheeks.

After a moment, Gora pulled back, looking satisfied. "I think you'll be all right," he said. His eyes strayed to Aki's bloodstained clothes, and he frowned. "We should get you cleaned up, though."

Aki tried to nod, but the motion sent pain shooting through his head and he abandoned the gesture. "All right," he agreed, struggling to sit up. He fumbled with the buttons of his jacket, fingers shaking.

Gora hesitated, looking torn. "Here," he offered, "let me help." Steady, calloused hands replaced Aki's trembling ones. He tugged off Aki's ruined clothes, and they dropped to the onsen floor. Aki shifted, suddenly self-conscious. He was nude in front of the young man that he and his brother had idolized even as children—the man whose prowess as a former Battle Lover was nothing short of legendary. His cheeks burned, and Gora mercifully handed him a towel to tie around his waist. Gora offered a hand to Aki and helped him over to the shower.

It was beyond embarrassing that Aki couldn't even take care of the simple task of washing the blood off his skin. Gora hovered nearby, more patient and helpful than Aki deserved. He turned on the shower, offered Aki a bar of soap. Aki washed himself off, awkward silence falling between the two. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt rough fingers slide through his hair, and got a faceful of shampoo bubbles as he turned.

Gora held his sudsy hands up in a peace offering. "Easy," he soothed. "Your hair is light-colored… so it'll stain if I don't get the blood out. I'll be gentle."

Aki's face burned, especially at those last words, and he obediently turned back around. "Thanks," he managed, sure that he must be as red as a tomato. Gora's fingers slid through his hair again, working in the shampoo. Despite the calloused, rough texture of his hands, he was as gentle as he promised. Aki winced as his palms brushed over the injury on the back of his head, but Gora didn't apply any pressure. He patiently let the shampoo and the hot water work their magic.

When Aki finally found his voice, he had to ask. "The monster… is it…?"

Gora's hands stopped for a moment. "The Battle Lovers took care of it."

"Oh. That's good." Even though he and Haru had given The Actor his power, Aki's shoulders slumped with relief at the news. He had worried that the rogue monster might come back to finish them off. Awkwardly, Aki added, "the Battle Lovers—are they okay?" He still resented them for getting in their way when he and his brother only wanted what had been denied to them for so long, but they had rushed to help Haru when The Actor struck him down. And they were helping him, now.

Gora chuckled and rinsed his hands under the running water. The shower washed the suds from Aki's hair and skin, leaving him clean once more. "You underestimate them, you know," Gora told him. He moved to turn off the shower, and crossed his arms. "They argued a little bit, but tricks like that don't work for long on true friendship and love."

Aki rolled his eyes. It was a terrible idea—dizziness swarmed him.

"If you get to know them, you'll understand." Gora offered him a hand up and helped him back to the bench. He stepped away for a moment and returned with a warm, dry towel. After drying Aki's hair, Gora set the towel around Aki's shoulders. "I'll get you a robe. Wait here."

It wasn't as if Aki could do anything else in his condition. He dried off and hugged the towel close for warmth. A soft robe draped across his shoulders, and Aki looked up. "Thank you… for all of this." Gora really was as wonderful as he and his brother had always believed. It felt surreal.

Gora shrugged off the praise. "It's the right thing to do."

Aki pulled the robe on gratefully. He looked up at Gora, weighing his next words. "Is there any chance I could see my brother?" he whispered. He searched Gora's expression.

Gora considered him for a moment. "You're Akihiko, right?" he asked.

Aki nodded warily.

Gora smiled for the first time since Aki had woken up. "You really care a lot about your brother, don't you?" He looked… touched.

Aki looked toward the door of the onsen, wondering if Haru really was okay. "He's my whole world."

Gora's smile grew, and he set a hand on Aki's shoulder. "You won't be able to walk, but… if you aren't opposed to a little help then you can go see your brother."

"Really? Oh, thank you!" Aki jumped to his feet, legs wobbling only a little. Relief flooded through him. Gora moved close, picking him up with ease, and Aki gasped in surprise. He clung to Gora for fear of falling. The former Battle Lover chuckled and walked through one of the onsen doors to another part of the bath house. Hushed voices murmured nearby, and the Earth Defense Club came into view. They hovered near a hastily set futon. On top, Haru rested with a blanket tucked around him. He wore his pale school uniform as well, and Aki's eyes wandered to the solar ornament around his brother's necktie.

The broken metal pieces were crunched out of shape. The red stone lay shattered.

"Haru—Haru, are you all right?"

Aki struggled to get down, desperate to reach his brother. Gora tried to help him down, shaking his head, and Aki shouldered his way past the Defense Club, ignoring the distrusting, irritated looks that most of them gave him. Yumoto radiated only genuine concern, though. He lingered near Haru, and looked up in surprise when he heard Aki.

"Oh! Your brother is all right, don't worry. Thank goodness you are both okay!" He beamed at the twins, looking truly relieved. Guilt twisted inside of Aki. He and his brother had been so quick to hate Yumoto… and yet the ditzy blond was the one most worried about them when their own monster had struck them down. It didn't make sense.

Aki didn't bother replying to the blond, though. He knelt at Haru's side, searching fearfully for the damage. Bruises flowered along Haru's right arm and temple, but no blood marred his uniform. Haru blinked, looking between Aki and Gora. He shook his head as if to clear it, and pulled Aki into a tight hug. Aki clung to him. He didn't care what the others thought. He didn't care that he was in the middle of the onsen, or what Gora might think. "Are you okay?" he whispered, scrubbing away tears.

"I'm okay," Haru told him, smiling. He hugged Aki fiercely back, nuzzling into him. "But you… I saw all the blood." The color drained from his face. "Are you really okay, Aki?"

"I'll be okay," Aki whispered, just grateful to have his brother back.

The Defense Club relaxed around them, and Gora stepped closer. He frowned, but before he could speak, the sound of a scuffle echoed through the onsen.

"How could you defile a place like this with your loveless presence, Dadacha! Is nothing sacred to you? This is a house of love!"

"Loveless? Why you…. Out of my way—where are my twins? Stop pulling!"

Something crashed into one of the walls, and a green flying squirrel shot through the room with a winded pink wombat not far behind. "Stop him!" The wombat pointed at Dadacha as he glided to the twins. Aki froze fearfully, suddenly keenly aware of how many Battle Lovers surrounded them. The Battle Lovers didn't listen, though. One ignored the wombat entirely and another rolled his eyes. Two demanded to know where the hell the wombat had been, and Yumoto let out a joyous shout before hugging the exhausted creature.

"No, let me go—we need to stop…!"

"My poor twins! Are you hurt? What happened?" Dadacha clung to Aki's shoulder, and a horrified gasp escaped the squirrel when he caught sight of the back of Aki's head. "Aki… what in the world happened?"

Aki's hands shook, and he clung to his brother even tighter. Dadacha would find out the truth one way or another. There was no point in lying. "Dadacha… we aren't idols anymore…." Haru's arms tightened around him reassuringly. Aki could almost hear his twin's thoughts. It's okay. I'm here, I'll always be here. We're not alone.

"What? Don't joke about something like that! Why would you say—"

Aki pulled off the shattered remnants of his lunar ornament, and pushed it into Dadacha's small hands. He struggled to find the words, afraid to look into the squirrel's eyes. Dadacha had been the closest thing to family that the twins had besides each other. But… they were useless to Dadacha now. He couldn't stand to see the rejection. Aki didn't dare look at him.

"Somebody grab him, come on!" The wombat struggled in Yumoto's arms, but the dark-haired boy—Atsushi?— shushed him.

"You weren't even here—you missed everything! Shhh!"

Dadacha sighed. Aki tried to steel himself for what must come next. He wasn't prepared when a tiny hand settled on his shoulder. "Aki… I'm just glad you two are safe."

Aki couldn't believe it. He blinked in shock at Dadacha. "But…"

Haru was just as stunned. He sat up abruptly despite Yumoto's protests, one arm around his brother as he tore of his ruined ornament as well. "But we failed! We ruined everything…. Now, now it was all for nothing!"

Dadacha's nose twitched. "Well, it is a pity, but it's not the end of the world. And it's not the end of my idols."

"What?" The twins asked in unison.

"Stop him!" The wombat tried one last time to wriggle his way free of Yumoto's death-grip hug.

"I suppose it was about time for you two to power up," Dadacha mused. The ruined metal disappeared in a flash of purple light, and in their place two new pieces appeared. A crescent moon with a blue stone, and a sun emblem with a red stone shone on the new ornaments and a small silver crown adorned each. That was new.

"Ooh, neat!" Yumoto kept a tight grip on the wombat and leaned over to admire the new solar and lunar ornaments with excitement shining in his eyes. "You guys powered up, too!"

For the first time, Dadacha seemed to take note of his surroundings. He looked straight at Yumoto, then down at the pink wombat in the blond's arms. Blinking, he returned his attention to the twins. "…I missed a lot, didn't I?"

"You have no idea."