Tigress and Bunny

by MewStar0013

Fem!Kotetsu and other genderswaps. The call of justice. Katsuko Kaburagi knows this like all the other heroes in Sternbild. But what if the world she knew changed before her eyes? She obtained a new suit and sponsors, went a step up in the hero business, and even gained a partner along the way. But can she really handle this egoist of a "bunny"? Will all end well? Read and Review!

6. Chapter 6

Heeeeeyyyyyy, everybody! How ya all been doing? I'm guessing good since I can't hear any of your responses XD Anyway, thanks to all of you who recently joined the story and to those who reviewed! You guys are the best! Updating this story and my other ones won't be too difficult because my school will be ending second semester on the seventh of June. Which means I'll have more time to update and work on stories! I'll look very forward to that! ^_^ And as an awesome treat, I'm rolling two episodes into this chapter! So this one is gonna be wicked long! I hope you're all ready for that!

Alright, let see what's gonna happen in this story, folks! I hope you're all ready!

Disclaimer: Tiger and Bunny is under the rights of Viz Media. I am only fulfilling a request.

~Episode Six: Fire Be Thy pet, But Thy Master is Many!

---

"-So then I scored a B on my Science test! Mom, a B! That's has to be the best I get in Science-!"

"Ah, yeah . . . That's great, dear."

"And if that boosts up my grade, I'll be able to go on the school trip-!"

"Really? Huh, where's it going to? And for how long?"

" . . . Hey, mom?"

"Hm?" Katsuko held her phone between her shoulder and cheek, all the whiling stirring fired egg and rice together into a simmer dish. Multi-tasking in the kitchen of her home wasn't too big of a hassle, and getting a chance to talk to her daughter over the weekend wasn't bad either. They could talk as long as they wanted, since it was Friday and it was only a little over ten o'clock. "Sorry, what it is, Kaede?" Asked Katsuko, pouring an orange sauce into the mix.

"You sound tired or something. Are you sick?" Asked her daughter, a little worried.

"O-Oh! No, no I'm fine, honey," Katsuko put on a smile and cleared her throat. "It's just work's been a little hard on me since I've been working over-time more and more. I haven't been sleeping much, is all."

"Mom, you need to get some sleep. Don't work too hard, please." Said Kaede.

"I will, I will. I promise you I'll head to be early tonight. I'm just gonna eat my dinner and get ready for bed." She turned off the stove and bought a plate out of one of the kitchen cupboards, pouring the steaming rice onto it. "By the way, have you had dinner yet?"

"Yeah, just finished before I called you." Replied Kaede, trying to hide a yawn in her voice.

Katsuko smiled. "OK. Well, I say you should get some sleep too, kiddo. You sound ready to pass out."

"You do too, mom." Chide Kaede, though she complied. "Alright, I'm going. You get some sleep too, OK mom? Love you."

"I promise. I love you too, baby. Goodnight." Hanging up, the brunette picked up a pair of utensils and a cup of milk she poured in earlier and took her dinner to the living room. Placing the hot plate and glass of milk on the table, she switched on her television and dug into dinner. Eating with the TV sounds in the background, Katsuko spooned herself another mouthful just as the talk shows started.

"So our next talk-of-the-talk is that sizzling kiss between Sternbild's newest rookie, Barnaby Brooks Jr. and our very own veteran hero, Wild Tigress."

Swallowing the rice hard, Katsuko listened with a nervous sweat collecting on her head.

"After the arrest of the diamond-coated thief, Pauly, it seems that the rookie of this heroic couple wanted to share a little victory with his power-feisty kitten!" The screen enlarged to show the footage of Barnaby and Katsuko, locked in an embrace with the blonde kissing his blushing partner with abandonment. The brunette's arms were wide out behind her and the only thing keeping her from falling over was Barnaby's arms around her waist. As he almost dipped her, Katsuko pulled herself away from his arms and looked at him in panic. Shaking her head, she turned away and bolted, leaping onto a metro that passed by and gone in a second.

The Barnaby on television stared at her for a second, before he turned to the camera and flipped his hair, throwing a teasing smile.

"Oh, she's shy. You know women at her age are like. They never want to show affection in public and all that. Isn't she just endearing?"

"Endearing my ass!" Katsuko grabbed the nearest thing she had- her chopsticks- and threw them at the television, just as her "boyfriend's" face was swiped back to the talk show, the hosts talking animatedly about how the two of them looked cute together. "I-I can't believe that jerk actually did that . . ." She bought her hand to her lips, face burning as she remembered how her feet were swept away, how her head spun, and the sensation of every part in her body tingling. It was as if that was her first kiss.

"No . . ." She said to herself again, placing her face in her hands. "I haven't been kissed by anyone else besides Tomoharu-" At the mentioning of her late husband, Katsuko groaned and shook his head. "It feels as if I'm cheating on him. No . . . No, I promised myself that I would never fall in love with another man. Tomoharu was . . . Is, the only one. . ." Sighing, she looked up to her collection of family photos, sadly looking at the photograph of a man in his early twenties with raven-black hair and hazel-brown eyes, dressed casually and waving to the camera with a bouquet of tiger lilies in hand.

"I just had to buy these for you, Katsuko. They're just like you; Strong, vibrant, and beautiful. . . I love you, Katsuko."

"I love you too, dear. But . . ." Barnaby's face came to mind and with a crumpled face, she rolled to lie on her couch. "Why I can't I get Mr. Showboat out of my head? I can't actually like him, right? He's a major pain in the ass, and he's always putting me down!" She sighed and switched to lying on her back, raising her legs in the air. "Well . . . I guess sometimes, he can be . . . OK. But that doesn't mean anything! He can't just go kissing me whenever a camera's around! Even if it's for the show!" She shouted in frustration, tugging at her hair.

"My relationship with Wild Tigress?"

Katsuko sat up and stared at the television, a personal-interview with Barnaby taking place.

"I'll be honest with you," Barnaby sighed and crossed his arms. "She can be a little bit hard to handle. We do have a few arguments and she will get mad at me for little things."

Katsuko growled and stood up, walking to her television and ready to yank the cord from the electrical outlet.

"But . . . She's not a bad person either."

A tan hand stilled. The televised Barnaby fixed his glasses and smiled.

"It's her personality and nature that makes her amazing. She's selfless when it comes to saving people and she strives to be a hero that's always willing to help. When I'm with her . . ." The rookie laughed softly and gave a faraway look. "Words can't really describe how I feel when I'm with her. I swear, I have never met anyone that can par with Wild Tigress. She's just . . . A woman beyond all comprehension."

Heart thundering, Katsuko backed away from the TV and fell back on her couch, silent. Sighing after a long while, she picked up her remote and shut off the TV, thinking over what had happened. Barnaby was a real contradiction. One second, he could be belittling her, make her feel worthless. But the next second, with her chin graced by his fingers, or his words of honesty that meant no harm, Katsuko could believe and trust him. Even with pointing out her faults, he was able to bring out the best of her in a new light, and vice-versa. They balanced each other.

" . . . The jerk." Katsuko concluded, blushing before yawning and looking at her watch. "Might as well hit the hay already. I promise Kaede." Standing up, she turned off the kitchen and living room lights and walked up the stairs, preparing for bed. She stopped at her hallway window, narrowing her eyes as she saw a red dye sweep over the city. She looked up at the sky, scrunching her nose at the blooming-red orb in the sky.

" . . . A red moon?"

---

". . . We'll just be focusing on Barnaby today. Don't worry about Tigress."

"Right!"

Huffing, Katsuko scowled behind her domino mask, leaning back in her seat and taking a sip of her water bottle. She couldn't see the reason for being at this studio in the first place so early in the morning. They were only taking photos of Barnaby. Why did she need to be here?

'Emotional support?' She suggested to herself, before scoffing and glowering. "Yeah, right."

"Aw, don't leave the old gal out. You'll hurt her feelings." The "old gal" in question balled-up her fists, holding herself back from knocking out Barnaby's teeth. She grabbed a magazine and looked to seem she was not listening. While Barnaby and Lloyds were still conversing with the photographer, she looked around and spotted Barnaby's phone. A wicked idea formulated in her mind. With a giggle, she turned on the phone and snapped a photo of herself blowing a kiss with a wink, messing with the cellular device a few more times before placing it back where she found it. Unable to remain quiet, she giggled behind her hand, congratulating herself for her prank.

"What's so funny?"

Balking, the elder NEXT picked up the newspaper quickly and laughed aloud.

"I was just reading the funny pages!" She forced a laugh. "Man, these things almost kill me! Bunny, you can't say they're not, am I right?!" She giggled and waved the paper about, her hands only to be grabbed by Barnaby's.

"Bunny-?"

"I've seen these guys before." Muttered the blonde. Confused, his partner folded the paper and looked at the front page, recognizing the three men in the news article.

"Hey, yeah, you're right!" Katsuko agreed, a spot where her chest was hit with a bullet stinging a little. "You saw them on your first day here in Sternbild. Man, I can't believe you remember that . . . Among other things." Coughing awkwardly, the amber-eyed hero looked down, remembering when Barnaby had caught her before she fell waist deep in stalagmites made of ice.

"Most people would."

Puffing her cheeks at his tone, Katsuko stared at the article with intent.

"Well, when you caught as many bad guys like me, all of them seem to blend together." She counted, only to be given the roving eye of sarcasm.

"Yeah, or your memories going. It's always said to be the first to go in age." Hearing no back talk, Barnaby looked back at her, surprised to see a compassionate yet surprised look in her face.

"It says that all three of them were burned alive in their cells. . ."

Barnaby shrugged. "Gee, what a shame." He said with no remorse.

"That's all you can say?" Asked Katsuko, cocking a brow. Barnaby shrugged again.

"What else is there?"

" . . . You really are a spoiled little rich boy, aren't you?" Not stopping at Barnaby's gasp, Katsuko stood with a furious aura around her. "Three men died! It doesn't matter who the hell they are!" Everyone turned to her as she yelled at an astonished egoist. "I thought it was our job to save people's lives! We care for everyone, even for those who have done wrong! Citizen or criminal, everyone is human! No one deserves to die without question or chance! That's what a true hero knows!" She screamed.

"Save your sermons for someone who wants to listen." Countered Barnaby, his ego bruised by the fact that the brown-haired woman had made sense. However, his pride was too large for him to admit it.

Katsuko nearly pounced on him, the beast inside her ready to claw his eyes out.

"Hm? . . . Yes, Wild Tigress will be sent over right away."

Hands almost curled, Katsuko looked over to Lloyds talking in his phone, Barnaby doing the same.

"No, Barnaby's tied up at the moment. You need to make do with Wild Tigress . . ." Lloyds began to chuckle hardily. "Yes, yes she is very resilient. . ."

"Mr. Lloyds . . ." Katsuko gulped, a bad feeling in her gut. "Just . . . What's up?"

---

"AHHHHHH!"

Wild Tigress braced her metallic arms before herself, gritting teeth as she could feel the raging typhoons of fire, the colors of orange-red, gold, and thermal-blue raced passed her. She held back another grunt as the power intensified, every pore in her body sweating and her chest squeezing from the heat. Finally, it all stopped at once, and Tigress crouched forward with her hands on her knees, panting as steam rose from the metal of her suit.

"Wow, you look way more hot than before, Sweetie," Throwing her visor over her eyes, Katsuko threw a skeptical look at the older woman dressed in a mix of a dark red leotard and cocktail dress, flames and companies marked along her suit and a mane of bubblegum-pink hair trailing behind her. Eyes mixed between pink and purple seized up Wild Tigress behind a red, blue, and white mask.

"Err . . . Sure?" Shrugging and wiping sweat off her face, Wild Tigress got up and walked over to bench where she left her stuff, pulling out a large bottle of water and drinking half. She sighed and wiped her mouth after taking the huge gulp of cold and chilling water.

"Too hot for ya, Sweetie?" Asked the fire powered hero.

"Kind of. Man, did you have to go so heavy on me?" Asked Katsuko, pouring the rest of the water on her to cool down her cheeks, eyes stinging from the heat.

"Sorry," The hero flipped her hair with a sigh. "I'm only trying to clear my name of murder."

"I'm sort of with ya on this, Natalie," Katsuko patted damp soot out of her hair before looking over her green scanner for any scorch marks. "When I read the paper, all I heard was that the criminals were burned alive here," She waved her hands around the prisons cells as they were hosed down by water. "I just didn't know they would add you to the suspect list."

"It's only reasonable," The two NEXT turned over to the group of scientist and a police commissioner. "With what has happened in recent events, it's only natural to add Fire Emblem as our top suspect. No other human or NEXT out there could manifest flames as intense to kill three adult men."

"I can get pretty cranky if a guy stands me up on a date, but burning them alive is so not my style," Natalie inspected her nails whilst pursing her lips. "But, if you can't take my word for it, then I guess I have no choice. After all, I do get my chance to spend time with Sweetie." She threw a kiss to Tigress, who blenched in return.

"So why am I the one who has to help with this?" She grimaced at the melting cell bars and burnt stone, reminding herself to not upset Natalie on a bad hair day. "Why not just use a dummy or something?"

". . ."

"Huh?" Katsuko walked over to Saito, head to the group of scientists and bent over, cupping her ear. "Come again?"

"I volunteered you for this experiment in order to demonstrate your suit's capabilities," Whispered the squat scientist. "Perhaps you'll appreciate the new suit I designed for you. Without it, you would have been poached like an egg." He laughed mischievously, the sound barely surpassing a whisper.

"Glad to see you're amused." Deadpanned Katsuko, Sato laughing once more.

---

"Not enough data? Unbelievable!" Shouted Natalie in dismay as she, Agnes, and Katsuko walked along the metal fence of the prison courtyard, inmates given a chance to get some fresh air playing soccer nearby. Those who lived in the prison with good behavior were free to do what this wish outside, so long as they didn't go beyond regulations. "How much more data do they need?" Asked the pink-haired hero, now dressed in a shimmering coat with feathers and stylish accessories.

"Just a few more days, and then you'll be back on HERO TV, Fire Emblem," Agnes assured, turning to Tigress. "Speaking of which, I expect you to be here by eight o' clock for another day of data collecting."

"W-What?!" Katsuko sputtered. "Why the Hell do I have to be here?! I have things to do too, you know!"

"Besides standing by your boyfriend and "looking pretty", you'll be free. And you'll be free for as long as I want you to be until we clear Fire Emblem's name," Her boss threw a warning glower. "Unless, you can vouch for her and say you killed them all."

"You know, you said that in such the nicest way, I'd almost believe you." Shot back Katsuko, shrinking away when a growl vibrated between red painted lips. "Fine, fine. Retract the kitty claws, that's my thing."

"So, do think that they're right?" Both fuming women turned to Natalie, the pinkette looking up at the sky with one hand struck at her side, her legs crossed over one another like a model's. "Could they're actually be a NEXT behind all this?" She shivered, turning on her toes with her free hand striking up, as if to slap the clouds. "It's scary to think that there's someone out there with more sizzle than moi!" She shuddered. Even if it was said with such a flaunting tone, Katsuko could catch the fear in her eyes. Natalie actually looked scared.

"Don't worry about it," Grinned Katsuko. "If push comes to shove, I'll be there to bail ya out. . . Provided that I can save up my next thousand pay cheques." She noted.

"Oh, Sweetie!" With her lungs nearly squeezed out, Katsuko gasped for air as Natalie pulled her into a bone-crushing hug, her arms waving wildly as her face squished with the fame-themed heroine's chest. "You are the most darling friend a gal can ask for! I'd kiss you if I didn't have these hot lips saved for another!"

"Th. . . That's fine! H-Hey, c-can't. . . Haaa, b-breath here!"

Something of a scuffle of police guards passed the three women, all of them looking up as they heard an alarm go off with people dashing to the courtyard. Katsuko looked at Agnes, who nodded in conferment, and the three of them followed the officers.

The minute she spotted the flames, Katsuko didn't waste a single second with whipping off her brown coat, buttons popping everywhere.

"Out of the way!" She shouted, people falling back as she threw and swatted her coat over the man's burning body. "I got you! Hold on, just hang in there!" She shouted, grabbing the man once the flames died down. She laid him on the ground, beating his chest a few times before checking his breath. Cursing, she performed CPR, blowing air into chapped lips, before pulling back and besting his chest again. "Hey, hey wake up! Please!" She shook him in her arms, trembling when receiving no response. The man was dead, hair and clothing charred and eyes lifeless. "No. . . ." Whispered Katsuko, trembling and closing her eyes. 'How could I have let this happen?'

Something made the hair at the back of her neck shoot up, her head turning just before a shadow on top of a building fled. Glowing with a hundred-fold strength, Katsuko threw herself into the air and gave a kick-start into the air, souring to the building a looking about. Bare, not a soul in sight, she cursed under her breath, scolding her paranoia. She was unaware about the pair of eyes that watched her from a loaded truck.

---

The fingers running through her hair were getting annoying. Glaring, Katsuko moved her head from Natalie manicured nails.

"Ya mind not doing that?" She asked, looking to the window as the driver of the impressive red car pouted and moved back to her cell phone, making a turn at a green light.

"Well, at least this second attack clears you of any suspicions."

"So, they're sure it's the same perp who flamed the others?" She asked, glancing at the silent Katsuko.

"Same method, same location," Responded Agnes through the telephone. "You were with me and Wild Tigress the entire time, so who else could have killed the second?"

Biting her lip, Natalie glanced back her companion, watching those dimmed amber eyes soften, remembering the man dying her arms. How bad it must've been for Katsuko, to have a life slip right through her fingers. Maybe she wished she could have been quicker. Maybe there was something inside Katsuko that was telling her she could have saved the man, yet there was something else telling her a flaw that threw the blame upon herself, as if she had killed the man herself. Huffing, Natalie ended her call with Agnes and returned to driving, making up her mind.

"I'm jealous of you sometimes, you know that?"

Blinking from her thoughts, Katsuko looked at the heiress for Helios Energy in wonder.

"Wha-?"

"I mean, you're sweet to everyone," Began Natalie, crossing over a bridge. "You don't lie to people and you go as far as to smashing a building in two or ruining a perfectly good outfit just to save a life. You make every day last. You take "you only live once" to a whole entire level!" Smiling, Natalie beamed at her. "Not to mention you have Handsome wrapped around your little finger and you're close with someone as gorgeous as Hottie!"

". . . Hottie?"

"You know," The smokey-eyed woman batted her eyes with a dreamy sigh. "That hunk with wavy brown hair, sexy green eyes, and that accent- God, that accent!" Natalie swooned, love struck. "Whenever he speaks, casual, on the field, mad, I just melt on the spot!" She cooed. It took Katsuko to calculate who Natalie described, gasping.

"Y-You mean Antonio?!" She asked in surprise, flinching when Natalie giggled.

"Of course, him!" The pink-haired NEXT nodded. "Don't you think he's simply the most wonderful man in the world?"

'I hope that's a rhetorical question.' Katsuko thought with a nervous sweat bead rolling down her head. "He's. . . alright. I mean, I've been around with him since high school, but I wouldn't say he's the best." She shrugged.

"Pity," Natalie sighed. "You just don't know how lucky you have it. He always wants to be around you," Natalie suddenly looked despondent, casting her eyes to her rearview mirror. "He always runs out the door when he sees me. He must hate me. . ."

"No, no, no! Don't say that, Natalie!" Katsuko shook her head with a nervous smile. "He doesn't hate you, no way! It's just. . . Well," Katsuko bit the tip of her tongue, musing up the right words. "You. . . Come on a little too. . . Bold. I mean, you grab his ass whenever you see him, Nat. What do you think that says to him?"

"It's all fun and games, though," Natalie defended. "A-And I just can't keep my hands off it. It's so sexy-"

"Natalie," Katsuko wagged a finger pointedly. "I don't date much, but from what I know, guys don't like it when you make a grab for their behinds. It sends the wrong message."

Sighing, like a student would from a teacher's lecture, Natalie gave a wiry smile. "Huh, and here I was trying to cheer you up," She sat back straighter, looking at her reflection once more. "I think I understand. Maybe I should simmer down a little more around him."

"Hey, can I ask why?" At Natalie's cocked brow, Katsuko explained further. "Why Antonio? 'Cause of his looks? . . . Which you so vividly described."

Humming lightly, Natalie stopped at a red light and rummaged through her glove compartment, pulling out something.

"Swear not to show or tell anyone this?"

Nodding, Katsuko leaned forward as Natalie unfolded the paper in her hands, revealing a picture of a young high school girl, black hair curly and wild and huge, red-framed glasses over her eyes. She also had bucked-teeth with a case of pimples on her face and she was dressed bland and long clothing, a frown on her face.

"Who's the kid?"

Natalie smiled sullenly.

"You don't like my glasses?"

Katsuko gaped, looking back at Natalie and the girl in the photo.

"That's you?!" She gasped. Giggling bitterly, Natalie nodded.

"I looked like this every day. In high school, I was all about engineering and science. I was the girl that got teased for her looks and smarts. When I got my NEXT powers, it made things worse. Since my power was so cliché, so unoriginal, people teased me more. I did what every other NEXT did; went to the Hero Academy and graduated. I thought everything would get better once I became a hero. But," Pear-pink eyes stared at the teen Natalie, her ears still recalling the cruel laughter of her classmates. "No luck. I didn't get many sponsors and I didn't do so hot in the King of Heroes League. My career was going down the toilet. But. . . Then a I met Hottie. . ."

---

"No. . . No, this doesn't work at all!"

Grumbling, Natalie, with her curly black hair restrained by a rubber band and her large glasses nearly dangling off her nose, scrubbed furiously at the design of her new contraption with an eraser. The page ripped in half and she sighed.

"Not again," She whispered, rolling the ruined paper into a wad and pulling another one from her sketch book. Off from work, a few months after she joined HERO TV, she decided to work on the next idea she kept down. Unable to snuff out her love of engineering, sat on the edge of a fountain in the middle of Sternbild National Park, drawing the shape of the machine's twin exhaust.

"Oh my, God! That can't be Natalie Geek-mour, could it?!"

Fingers freezing, Natalie didn't dare to look up from her sketching as three pairs of high-heels stepped in front of her.

"Oh, it is! The nerd decided to get outside for once!" Squawking laughter rang out, Natalie turning smaller, hoping to hide herself from the world. She thought she had seen the last of these girls when she left high school.

"What, can't see through those thick lenses, Geek-mour?"Her glasses were yanked off her face, and Natalie gasped, falling to her knees at the lost of site. The laughs rang out again, high and screeching, just like Natalie remembered. Tears began to fill her eyes, herself wishing that she could sink into the ground. "Aw, Geek-mour is going to cry! Is that the most pathe-"

A series of screech blared out, but no laughter was with them. Unable to see, Natalie blinked with her blurry vision, only able to hear a huge splash and the girls sputtering in rage.

"W-What was-! Y-You big brute, how dare-!"

"¡Cállate, estúpida mujer! ¡Eso es lo que te pasa por tratar a alguien tan mal, sin ninguna razón!"

"What? What the Hell are you-!"

"¡Fuera de aquí antes de que te meto volver allí, puta!"

Screaming could be heard yet again and Natalie gaped as she could see the outlines of the mean women run away. She sat on her knees, gulping when a large figure stepped in front of her.

"Señorita, ¿está bien? Ellas no le hicieron daño de todos modos, ¿verdad?" Asked the person, the rich and deep voice sending a shiver down her spine. Rather than being afraid, the young NEXT felt safe around her savior, despite not understanding a word he said.

"Um, I'm sorry. I-I don't know what you're asking." She responded slowly, hoping the stranger understood.

"Ah, sorry. Spanish is my first language, so I use to speaking like that," Apologizing humbly, the stranger suddenly smacked his forehead. "Oh, your glasses. Hold on a second," The specs were placed over Natalie's eyes once more, the latter blinking and looking up once her vision cleared. "There we go. Is that better?"

He looked too exotic to be from Japan. Caramel-tan skin corded with muscles trailed her eyes to his own, meeting pools of green as lily pads. Wavy brown hair trimmed to his high cheekbones, those eyes looking over her with concern.

"V-Very better." She managed to reply. The stranger held out his hand to her and Natalie took a few seconds to take it and yelp as she was pulled up to her feet effortlessly. Whoever this man was, he was strong. His muscles weren't just for show.

"Good. When I saw those women messing with you," The man shook his head with a smile. "I just couldn't stand it. You look like you did nothing to them."

"Th-They're just some classmates from school. They always teased me back then." Replied Natalie, trying to brush off the event.

"That's still not right." Sighing, the man leaned on his hip. "You're a hero now, so that means you gotta defend yourself, even against old bullies."

"How do you-"

"We work together," The man interrupted, scolding himself as Natalie flinched at his rough words. "Sorry, I forgot that we don't talk much at work, right? Damnit, Katsuko says I gotta pay attention to this stuff. Pfft, she's one to talk, considering she's late," At the younger NEXT's confused look, the man decided the best way to solve this was with a handshake. He grabbed Natalie's hand and shook it firmly. "I'm Rock Bison, but my real name's Antonio Lopez. You're. . . Fire Emblem, right?"

"Y-Yes," Natalie held her hand to her chest, dizzy from the red rushing to her cheeks. Antonio was by far the nicest man she ever met, willing to defend her when they hardly knew each other. His looks weren't too shabby either. "B-But my real name's Natalie Seymour. O-Oh! Thank you for defending me too, by the way. I have no idea how I can repay-"

"Don't worry about it," Antonio waved his hand with a hearty grin. "Like I said, they didn't have a good reason for messing with you. You seem nice enough." He looked to the side and picked up the paper Natalie dropped, checking out the designs. "Are these yours?" He asked, pointing at the different types of machines along with a few doodles of dressed and jackets.

"Yes, pl-please give them back," Natalie sighed, her cheeks a dull pink. "Th-They're no good. They just show that I'm not cut out for any of this," She sat back on the fountain's edge, smoothing out the creases of her long skirt. "I'm one of the lowest ranking heroes in the League. My designs in machines and fashion are all a flop. I even let people who picked on my years ago do it all over again," She sniffed, her eyes stinging with failure. "I'm so. . . So ugly, too! Why can't I just give up on all this! So much is bringing me down, yet I keep going! What the Hell is wrong with me?!"

Another warmth sat next to her, a hand on her shoulder making her turn to the side. Antonio looked confused himself, yet his eyes were serious.

"Well, that should be obvious, yeah?" He asked, confusing the newbie further. "You don't want to give up. You don't care if all this shit's being hurled at ya. You keep going 'cause you're strong. It's like, uh. . ." He slapped his head a few times, searching for the right words. "It's not what counts on the outside, it's what's on the inside? Something like that." Antonio looked back at her with a grin. "So, I guess what I'm saying is you have to keep using that strength, you know? Don't let anyone else stop you from doing what you love and just be. . . You. At least be the person you want to be. And you're not ugly," He flashed another smile. "Girls with glasses are pretty cute, you know?"

"Y-You think I'm cute?" The rookie blushed, warming up to his words. "Y-You think I'm str-strong, too?"

"Yeah, why not?" Antonio smiled, unaware that Natalie was swooning with blushing cheeks. Natalie was happy, and looked better than she did before. "Just take that strength, and use it. You can do so many things with it, that no one will ever mess with you. Do what you know, be who you are, whatever you hold inside, bring it out and make it reality," He stood and stretched, smiling back at the flustered rookie once more. "I know you can do it, Natalie. You're capable for it." He said. Face red, Natalie nodded, looking to her lap.

"I-I will. . . Th-thank you. . . Hottie."

"Huh?" Antonio cocked his head. "What'd you just say?"

"I-I mean-!"

"Tony!"

The both of them looked up to see a woman around Antonio's age waving at them, her short brown hair bouncing near her shoulders and she jumped and waved about for Antonio's attention. "I'm here! Let's get going before we miss the movie!"

"I'm coming!" The foreigner quickly turned to Natalie and gave another smile. "See you around, Natalie. Remember what I said, yeah?" He then began to run to Katsuko, the both of them running from the park whilst Antonio began to rant. "Where the Hell have ya been, Katsuko? Geez, you always forget-"

As their voices faded away, Natalie held her sketch book to her chest, smiling despite her large teeth.

"You got it, Hottie."

---

"Ah, man," Katsuko slapped her forehead. "I almost forgot about that. That must've been a long time ago." She reminisced.

"It was. But yet, that day changed my life," Natalie sighed with nostalgia. "After that talk, I strived to use what I know. I invested into my own company with my machines and made Sternbild what it is today. I created multiple clothing lines and made Helios Energy into a national empire. I even took care of myself and now look at me; I'm totally fabulous!" She giggled, flipping back her rose-pink tendrils."And it's all thanks to Hottie. If he didn't talk to me, I'd probably be working in a strip mall outside of Sternbild, smearing my sketch book with tears." She flashed a stunning smile Katsuko's way. "You have strength in you too, Sweetie. I see it every time you fight. So, don't let today beat you up, OK? I know you're stronger than that."

Unable to say anything, Katsuko looked back at her lap, touched by Fire Emblem's words. Out of anyone she knew, she would have never guessed that Natalie of all people would be giving her advice, and some good advise at that. She looked at her hands and fisted them, faintly recalling the caking blood that smeared her fingers from the man's lifeless body. She was in a mess.

"Hey, can you pull over here, Nat?" She asked suddenly, close to Sternbild Park.

"Really?" Natalie pursed her lips. "But, we're not even close to your place."

"I know, but I feel like taking a walk," The brunette shrugged. When the car stopped, she pulled herself out and tipped her hat to Natalie. "Thanks."

"You gonna be alright, Sweetie?"

Forcing a little smile to sooth her worrying under-hero, Katsuko nodded.

"Sure, I'll be fine." Closing that door behind her, she sat her legs over a railing and pulled her feet to the other side, beginning to walk along a path of trees.

"Hey."

She stopped and looked back at Natalie, who winked with flirty eyes.

"Sure you don't need someone to snuggle up with?" She giggled. "You know, a bed partner?"

"Ha, pass," Katsuko laughed with a wave. "No offense, but you're not exactly my type. That, and if word got out to the Media, Bunny and Tony will get jealous." She winked back.

"What, they never heard of a foursome?" Tittering, Natalie sat herself back in her car and drove pass. "You're loss, Sweetie. Buh-bye!" She signed off. Katsuko waved back before fixing the collars of her jacket and walking back to the path. She looked up at the sky, smiling as snowflakes began to flitter from the sky. Enjoying herself, she caught a few with her tongue and sighed, glad to be at peace with herself.

Her ears suddenly twitched, catch an odd sound. It was like a rock rubbing against metal, followed along with the heavy falls of trees. She turned her head to the side, her eyes dilating at the sight of the head of a fighter plane's painted face looking at her, a mechanical android towering over her. She breathed once before diving forward, just as rounds of missiles hit the spot she just stood.

Rolling to her feet, Katsuko activated her communicator wristband, running as fast as she could as the machine perused after her with bullets firing at her.

"Mr. Saito!" She shouted at her communicator urgently, crying out as bullets nearly grazed her ankles. "Mr. Saito, please come in! I need my suit, like pronto! Please, pick up! Please!" She jumped over a fence and screamed when a missile almost had her. She hid herself behind the wall of her bridge, panting as the cold air in her lungs caught up with her. Her wristband suddenly blinked and she answered it with relief.

"Mr. Saito?"

"No, it's me," Huffed the annoyed voice of Barnaby. "I don't appreciate you messing with my phone." He sighed, glaring at the prank photo that permanently locked as his desktop photo.

"What?!"

"Don't ever do it again, OK? It's not funny," The blonde almost sounded as if he were whining. "Goodnight and goodbye."

"Wait-wait-wait-wait-wait! Bunny, just hold on and listen to me, please! A giant robot's chasing after me and I don't have my suit! You have to get Mr. Saito and get over to the park right now!"

"Fat chance of that happening, old bag."

"Huh?" Katsuko gasped. "B-But I'm serious, here! You have to help me-"

"No I don't. Listen, when I said I was done with your dumb games and stupidity, I meant it! I'm not falling for the same trick."

"But, Bunny-!"

"And just how many times must I say it? It's Barnaby! Not Bunny!" Growling, Barnaby pulled his communicator a good few inches away from his face, hoping the distance would give volume to his voice. "Get it through your head and call me when something really important is happening. Whatever apology you have, just save it."

"To Hell if I'm gonna say sorry to you at a time like this!" Shouted Katsuko, crying out as an explosion quaked by. "OK, OK! I'm sorry for tricking you the last time, but that was for your birthday, for crying out loud! I just wanted to show you that I cared! Now can you show me that you care by getting your ass down here and helping me out of this mess?!"

"Right. And now I'm gonna show you how much I really care in the next five seconds. After that, you can go ahead and talk to the dial tone all you like. Later." Just as he promised, the dial tone rang into Katsuko's wrist device, causing her to curse aloud and shriek for her life as she ran once more with the robot after her.

After another range of bullets flew at her, Katsuko flew backward on her feet and somersaulted into the air, scrapping her heel to the floor to stop her sliding escape. Glaring at the smirking robot, she stood on her feet, cracking her knuckles.

"OK, you asked for it." She warned, balling her fist and rising her hackles.

". . . See ya!" She suddenly threw a peace sign and ran from the scene before her pursuer even knew it, buying her time to race back onto the road. Catching the blur of a red sports car, she began running in its direction. "Natalie! Nat, pull over, damnit!"

"Huh?" Stomping on the brakes, Natalie blinked in surprise when Katsuko reached her passenger window, huffing and puffing. "Decided to take up on my offer?" Giggled the flame-theme hero, only to cry out as she was pulled out of the car and squatted to the front of the car, just as a shower of bullets broke the skin and windows of her car.

"Freakin' jackass!" She screamed, her voice flared with a Southern scorch. "You know how much this car cost me, asshole!"

"Natalie, can it!" Shouted Katsuko, couched with her hands covering her head. "Use your powers and fry the bastard if you're so mad!"

"Why can't you?" Asked Natalie.

"I need to save mine! It only lasts for five minutes, remember? Use yours to get us out of this mess!"

"No way, you yours since my car is already being used as a shield!"

Both women stopped, releasing that the fires had stopped.

"Out of ammo?" Wondered Natalie allowed. Tilting her hat, Katsuko peaked over the hood of the ruined car.

"Let's find out." She whispered, stepping out and glaring at the war bot. With a sudden ringing nose, the beast of machinery suddenly lifted a flame thrower and shot a plume of blue fire at Tigress, the latter screaming and back-tracking.

"No! Damnit, it still has some juice!"

"Ah, well," Sighing, Natalie's eyes turned into a startling color of bright blue and she started a fire at the palm of her hand, chucking it at the spouting fires. The tail of the little fire ball enlarged and struck at the blue flames, only to die out under the heat. Natalie gasped and shouted when her waist was grabbed and she was leaped back.

"Move!" Shouted Katsuko, glowing with strength as she maneuvered the stunned NEXT and herself out of the way.

"I-It just snuffed out my flames like nothing!" Gasped the pinkette, steadying her own feet as when she and Katsuko were at a safe distance. "No way. . ."

"Nat, whoever's in that suit, it's gotta be the murderer." Warned Katsuko. Realizing this, Natalie narrowed her eyes, clutching her hands into fists.

"I'll distract it while you destroy it." She said. Nodding in agreement, the both of them charged in different directions, Fire Emblem gathering a fury of flames into her palm and casting it upon the machine, the beast shooting its own attack and unaware of the pouncing Tigress. With a wild cry, the brunette grabbed the head of the machine and pulled with all her might, riding the thrashing robot like a bull rider. With a grunt and twist of the arms, Katsuko ripped the head of the robot's head and threw it in another direction.

"Now that was sexy." Natalie purred as Katsuko jumped of the machine with dancing sparks along its interior. With her eyes turning into slits, she gnawed on her teeth at the familiar person manning the controls.

"You!" She gasped, somehow able to recognize the man from somewhere. Strobe lights struck directly at them, the man cursing before another blinding light was lit. Wincing, Katsuko rubbed her eyes and glared at the scraps of metal. The man had left when the second light was flashed.

"Oh, it's Handsome!" At Natalie's exclaim, Wild Tigress turned with wide eyes, stunned to see Barnaby race over on their dual motorbikes.

"Bunny?" She questioned, before crossing her arms, feigning annoyance. "I was wondering when you had time to fit "save girlfriend" into your busy schedule."

"I would have squeezed you in at nine, but then my dinner was delayed. Lucky you." Replied Barnaby sarcastically as he stepped off his ride, the Apollo Media transportation truck and a few police cars stopping by. "Where's the culprit?" He asked, looking around.

"Got away," Katsuko sighed, taking off her hat and patting out her sweaty locks. She suddenly made a face when her rolling sweat stung something on her head, her fingers brushing something sticky and burnt. "Crap, the bastard must've misfired and got me when I wasn't looking." She grumbled, grimacing as she testily felt her burn.

"Keep doing that and you'll leave a scar," Sighing, Barnaby pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and grabbed Katsuko's shoulder, bracing her body to become stiff as he leaned forward and dabbed at the blood that seeped through her burn.

Stilled by his hypnotic green eyes, Katsuko's breath caught in her throat, startled by Barnaby's gentle care. Her bones felt so lax, melted by the touch of long fingers wrapped by a thin cloth. Her breath wavered from her throat as her pulse broke from its steady cadence.

Even past his annoyed temper, Barnaby felt a swell of worry deflate from his gut. If he hadn't shown up a second later, Katsuko and Natalie could have been goners. Katsuko would have received more than just a burn. Whatever had made him call Apollo and drive to Sternbild Park as quickly as possible, he didn't admit he was thankful for it.

"Um, thanks." Katsuko settled with, snapping Barnaby from his thoughts.

"Thank nothing." He sighed, pulling away the small rag. "Come on, let's talk inside."

---

"It just doesn't make sense," Katsuko lightly tapped her forehead, minding the bandage that guarded her small burn. "I know I've seen that man somewhere but. . . . I just can't pin-point it." She mused.

"I told you, you were losing your memory," Barnaby sighed, pulling himself up and ready to leave. "I'm going. I had enough of this."

"Ooh, wait up, Handsome! I need someone to walk me home!" Gushing, Natalie skipped after him while Katsuko glared.

"Why do I feel mad about. . . That?" She asked herself, watching as Natalie yipped at the rich hero like a puppy while Barnaby shook her off, trying to contact someone on his cell phone. Green jealousy almost sunk into Katsuko's blood, but then she shook her head. "Am I becoming a jealous girlfriend?. . . Wait, I'm not even his real girlfriend so why would I be jealous?" She said to no one, groaning as she looked to Saito, who was fiddling with his own phone. "Guess it'll just be you and me, Mr. Saito."

". . ."

"Sorry, what?" Katsuko asked, Saito trying a little louder.

"You were trying to call me a little while ago, weren't you?"

"I was," The veteran nodded and leaned on the couch of the truck's lounge. "Where were you, anyway? I almost got killed a few minutes ago." She sighed.

"That's just it. I nearly got killed myself." Explained the short engineer. Everyone stopped and looked over to him, the scientist looking a little squeamish. "The company elevator got stuck between doors. I'm very claustrophobic and I was totally freaking out." He explained. Remorseful, Katsuko sat next to him, patting his shoulder.

"Sorry to hear that, Mr. Saito," She said thoughtfully, getting a small smile in return. "I don't blame your fear. Elevators get stuck a bunch of times and it doesn't help that they're so freakin' small and cramped. . . That's it!" She suddenly announced, hugging a surprised Saito. "Mr. Saito, you are the man!"

Everyone at her in confusion, even as she stood on her feet and slapped her fist to her palm.

"Yeah, yeah! I should have seen it sooner!" She exclaimed. "Bunny, it was the elevator maintenance guy! That one from Fortress Tower, during the bombing scene!" She pointed out. Her partner's eyes glinted knowingly, slowly calculating.

"If he was trying to get rid of you, then-"

"Exactly! Which means-"

"Then he could be-"

"Right, you know it, partner!"

"Then it all makes sense."

"Huh?" Natalie whipped her head at the both of them, her eyes flickering at their words like hot pink-colored ping-pong balls. "What do you two get? Can someone fill me in on what's going on?"

"You two need to hurry." Whispered Saito.

"Damn straight, we do!"

"Mr. Saito, get our suits prepared quickly, please."

"Just what in the world is going on here and how come I'm not getting it?!"

---

Gliding across the Sternbild highways with Natalie clinging to her like a monkey wasn't the most comfortable ride of Wild Tigress's life, but it was better than the flirtatious hero clinging to Barnaby. Why that was the case, Katsuko had no idea.

"Step on it, Bunny!' She urged from her seat, earning a cynical look Barnaby threw behind his mask.

"You're one to talk. You'll just get in my way since you can't use your powers now. You still have an hour left before you can use them again." He muttered. Katsuko waved her free hand.

"As if that matters," She boasted, cracking her knuckles. "I'll stop this guy with my bare hands. Just you watch."

"Sure, I'll watch you fail."

"Hey!"

"I hate to break this lovers' quarrel," Fire Emblem broke in, her arms securely around Wild Tigress's neck. "But can someone tell me what idea had the both of you have some sort of mind-telepathy moment?" She asked.

"The perp is trying to silence anyone who saw him at the bomb episode," Barnaby explained, narrowly driving past a few oncoming cars. "He failed to hurt the old bat here, so now he's going after his next targets." He said. Natalie gasped, her hand flying to her gaping mouth.

"Next targets? Who!?"

Glowing blue eyes narrowed behind a data screen, Barnaby firing up the horsepower of the motorbikes.

"Agnes and the others." He muttered, before skidding his bike to a lurch when they made it to a public media building. With no time wasted, the three NEXT ran to every floor they could climb of the property's parking lot and Barnaby spotted a n expensive car hurdling to the open air. He caught it before it landed heavily, shrugging at Agnes.

"You alright?" He asked, his boss sighing with relief.

"Besides almost dying, just fine." She said. Fire Emblem helped her step out of the car just as Katsuko and Barnaby stared toe-to-toe with the bomber's new contraption, the man glowering at the both of them.

"Freakin' meddlers." He growled. Wild Tigress rolled fingers to her palm, her scanner checking the area.

"Nat, get Agnes out of here. Bunny and I'll take care of this creep." She said.

"Tigress, you-" Agnes winced, hold her slightly damaged arm.

"Come on, honey," Natalie persuaded, helping her walk. "Let's let our fine couple here take care of this brute, yeah?" She asked, carefully leading Agnes out of the fighting area.

"I'll get rid of all of ya!" Shouted the terrorist, aiming his weapons at the heroic duo.

"Don't count on it!" With precision, Barnaby and Katsuko dodged and swerved themselves out of firing range, the blonde running spinning his quick kick, knocking the criminal from his means of weaponry. The man groaned in pain as the couple stood before them.

"Had enough?" Asked Barnaby.

"Nice work, Handsome!" Natalie cheered. "Oh, you too, Sweetie."

"Right," Katsuko rolled her eyes, nonetheless grinning at the villain. "Alright, scum bag! You're coming with us! Just take it nice and easy, ya hear?"

"Just turn me in already, ya bitch." The man growled, turning his back. Katsuko would have given him a good piece of her mind had she not seen that something was wrong with her partner. His entire stance went rigged, and his face plate removed to reveal wide and glassy eyes. The rookie looked to be in total fright. Katsuko blinked.

"Bunny-?"

"Ouroboros. . ." Barnaby whispered hoarsely, taking a step closer to the man. His hands shook at his sides and his ears painfully heard Silent Night ringing out through his memories. Flashes of what showed dead bodies made his spine wrack heavily as he stared at the tattoo on the back of the man's neck.

"That tattoo on your neck. It's an Ouroboros, isn't it?!" He shouted, frightening Katsuko, Agnes, and Natalie with the anger waver within it. "What is it? Some kind of crime syndicate? " He suddenly picked up the man by the neck, the bomber struggling like a fish out of water as he dangled in the air. "Who's the man who wares that same mark on the back of his hand?!" His voice was laced with anger, ferocity that darkly chilled the women of the room. "Answer me!" He growled, his emotions running on white-hot rage.

The man gave a breathy and smug chuckle, sneering at the angered blonde. Snapping, Barnaby hurled him to the floor, a good feet away from the group. He began to stalk to the man, looking ready to kill.

"Whoa-whoa-whoa! Easy there, Bunny! Put the rabbit claws down," Katsuko warned, walling herself between the man and the impassive hero. "Don't do something you'll regret-"

"I won't regret this." Muttered Barnaby, trying to pass Wild Tigress, but with no luck. He growled at her, warning her. "Out of my way, old bat."

"No, not until you calm down." Katsuko rebutted.

"I am clam." Barnaby snarled.

"Yeah, and have a million-dollar apartment in upstate Sternbild," Katsuko sighed, holding one hand to Barnaby's heaving chest while the other flipped her scanner from her eyes, rare-colored eyes looking at him with seriousness and concern. "Look, I know you're angry right now. I know you're frustrated. No use is gonna come from any of those emotions now. I understand-"

"You wouldn't," Barnaby casts his eyes away from hers, unable to look into those eyes that knew much more than what he should have known. He did not dare to look, finding it hard to when the owner of such wise eyes was his idiot of a partner. "You wouldn't understand at all."

"And just what wouldn't I understand?" Asked the brunette softly. Barnaby's shield cracked for a second, his whisper quivering.

". . . You could never understand. . . What it's like to lose the ones you love the most. . . To have them taken away from you, without a good reason. . ."

The blow struck Katsuko painfully, her wise eyes suddenly filling with tears as she remembered her husband's peaceful face as his casket was lowered into the ground from a day too long ago to remember.

"Alright, alright. I'm stopping you two before you guys get a divorce," Fire Emblem sighed, stepping between the two before another fight would break out. She knew she had to stop it, before whatever significant trust they had in each other crumbled. There was a sudden scream, and the three heroes turned to see Agnes captured by the mad man, a gun held to the blonde's head.

"Masks off and hands in the air, or the girl gets her head blown off." He threatened. Stuck between losing Agnes and a hard place, Natalie and Barnaby removed their masks, they and Katsuko turning the smirking man.

"There we go." He snickered.

"Just what are you playing at?" Asked Katsuko, eyeing the gun to make sure the trigger remained still. "Why kill the guys at the prison cells? What does burning them alive have to do with any of this?" She asked. The man's face crossed with confusion.

"What the Hell are you talking about?" He asked.

"I mean the three guys burned alive in their cells around a few days ago. And the guy today, too," Katsuko narrowed her eyes. "Why'd you do it? It makes no sense if you want to kill me, Agnes, and the others."

"The Hell?" The man reeled back, the barrel of his gun dangerously on Agnes's temple. "I don't know what you're talking-"

"Save it," Katsuko spat. "Just cut the crap and tell me why-"

"You cut the crap, bitch! I don't know what the Hell you're talking about!" Enraged, he pointed his gun at Katsuko. "I'll just go ahead and shut you up. Say Blondie, take a good look as I kill your bitch in front of ya!" The trigger pulled and Katsuko's nose twitched. Her eyes widen when the gun was knuckled away from the man's hand by a burst of blue and green fire, everyone jumping back at the new assault.

Katsuko turned as a cold wind took over, everywhere around her becoming red. She and those representing NEXT looked up to one of the tallest buildings of Sternbild, catching a slim and slender figure shadowed with blue and green flames.

Eyes that resembled golden ores widen. "What the-"

Another burst of flames turbinated from the figure and before anyone can move, the bomber was on fire. In horror, the heroes and Agnes stood in shock and fear as the man before them was burned alive, screaming in agony as the searing tongues of death ate at him.

A chord of anger struck within Barnaby and with a wild bellow, he ran after the man, jumping over the buildings in an unimaginable sense of rage.

"BUNNY!" Screaming, Katsuko fired off her grappling hook and flew herself to a building, searching the city of crowing lights for Barnaby. She whipped her head one way and cried out when her wrist was grabbed, her entire body bought to Barnaby.

"You made me loss him!" He shouted, his hand nearly snapping Katsuko's wrist in two. "You made me lose that goddamn bastard!"

"B-Bunny, stop!" Shouted Katsuko, crying out when her wrist was viciously tugged. "For Christ's sakes, calm down! Bunny, you're hurting me!" She screeched in pain, tears filling her eyes as she stared into Barnaby's eyes. Eyes misting with anger died down, realizing what he had caused. Katsuko whimpered, softly batting her wet eyes. "P-Please, calm down. . . . Please, Bunny."

Every part of Barnaby's body trembled with anger. His feet swayed before he landed on his knees, taking his startled partner with him. His lungs shook with uneasy breaths, his styled and curly hair soaked with swear and his eyes stinging.

"You don't get it. . ." He muttered, shaking his head. "You would never get it. Ouroboros. . . Ouroboros. . ."

"Bunny, please let me help you," Taking her hands in his, despite her injured wrist, Katsuko whispered to him gently, seeing that he looked angry and confused. "Tell me who this Ouroboros is. Tell me why you snapped like that? Please, open up to me, Bunny. Let me know what happened. Please. . ."

"You wouldn't get it. . . You could never get it. . ." Barnaby repeated this like a mantra, his voice in a dull and painful monotone.

"I would get it if you told me," Katsuko whispered, slowly bringing her arms around the shaken Barnaby's back and pulling him close, resting his head to the crook of her neck, stroking his back. "Please, Bunny. Just what did this "Ouroboros" do?"

Barnaby was already at a lost in his own crumpled state of mind. With a mix of a pained sigh and sob, he shut his eyes tightly.

"Those bastards. . . They were the ones who murdered my parents!"

---

The next day was not the best for Katsuko. After reporting the dead bomber case and separating from Natalie and Barnaby, she was bought back to her routine as a regular hero. Several days passed with no sign of her "boyfriend", no one having a single idea of his whereabouts. It was really worrying the daylights for everyone. No one seemed to take it harder than Lloyds.

"Oh, this is just great. Now Barnaby's suddenly disappeared and this is just making everyone else look bad," The old man sighed as he paced around with his cell phone to his ear, Katsuko watching him. Another mission was about to start and waiting and pacing in the heroes' lounge seemed to be all they could do. Still no word came from Barnaby. "He's been a modeled employee ever since he graduated from the Hero Academy. And now he's playing hooky. He's rubbing off you in the wrong way, Tigress."

"Hey, it's not my fault!" Katsuko shouted, yet her anger only seethed down from whatever it was trying to build itself on. "No one can be blamed here. . . No one can blame Bunny for what he's going through." Prior a few hours ago, Katsuko and Natalie had a talk about why Barnaby broke down. From what the flirty NEXT gathered, Barnaby's parents had been murdered, a four-year-old Barnaby the first to discover the bodies of his parents on the night of Christmas Eve.

---

"It looks like the ties with the bomber and the burnt criminals are starting to make sense now, huh, Sweetie?"

"What do you mean?"

"I think the best way to put it would be this:"Lose lips sinks ships." If you had someone who's revealing something very nasty or personal, wouldn't you want to find some way to keep them quiet? Even going as far as burning them alive?"

"So Ouroboros sent that guy to. . . Oh man!"

"Right on the dot, Sweetie."

"But what does this have to do with Bunny?"

"You still don't get it? Sweetie, Ouroboros was the crime syndicate that murdered Barnaby's parents. Killing off all of those men ripped away chances for Barnaby to get any information from them. Can't say I blame him though. I mean, can you imagine losing your parents at such a young age as four-years-old, then forced to live with that baggage all your life?"

---

Katsuko glanced at her gloved hand, her wedding band almost tingling around her ring finger.

---

"We all have something we have to live with."

"I didn't peg you as the heartless type."

"It's not like that. I'm just saying it could be a part of Bunny's past that were not meant to touch."

---

"Maybe he needs this sort of break," Katsuko mused, lolling her eyes to the shivering young boy dressed in what could look like Barnaby's suit. "And maybe we should find another guy to play Bunny's part before this one wets himself."

"If you can find one, be my guest," Sighed Lloyds. "Although, we do have our alternative."

Katsuko tilted her head. "Who?"

"Me."

The both of them turned to see Blue Thorn leaning against the doorway, looking very unsatisfied.

---

Wild Tigress grumbled bitterly under her breath as she forced a smile on her lips, waving to the millions of people that cheered Blue Thorn's name as she and the Prince of Pop himself stood on a stage, a crime solved in a matter of a few minutes because of the both of them.

"Another job done." Huffed the amber-eyed heroine, turning on her hip and waving to a few other people.

"You don't seem too good about it." Kyle gave her a look whilst flipping his sky-blue hair to cause a few girls to sway. "What's the matter? You're making Mr. I-Art-More-Higher-Than-Thee sleep on the couch after a fight?"

"What's with everyone and the marriage jokes?" Grumbled Katsuko.

"You answered my question with a question. Not cool, Tigress," Pouting, the younger Next turned to her fully. "Seriously, what's wrong? All I heard was Barnaby went on hiatus or something."

"He has something bothering him," Katsuko shrugged, not wanting to expose something her partner wouldn't want out in public. "And it's not my fault, for once."

"Fine, don't tell me." Sighed the Blue Thorn.

"Why'd ya ask?" Katsuko shot the silent boy a glance before she grinned wildly. "Oh, this is just cute! You're hero-worshiping Barnaby, aren't you? Aww, that's adorable!"

"No way! Shut up!" Half shouting this with a blush, Kyle waved his fists at her while Tigress giggled behind her hands, finding a furious Kyle to be really cute. "I'm serious here!" Crossing his arms, he turned his back to her. "Get off my stage, Tigress. My show's gonna start soon."

"Fine, fine," Katsuko waved her hand, before walking to the boy and kissing his cheek, startling the boy himself and the crowd. "And thanks for doing this. Bunny would have appreciate it." Waving to the crow one last time, she stepped off the stage. Back on the lighted area, Kyle tugged on the collar of his outfit with a deeper shade of red on his cheeks.

"Moron, I didn't do this for him. . ."

---

Sighing wistfully, Katsuko gently laid her Wild Tigress scanner and headgear, smiling sadly at the piece of her armor. Alone in the darkness of the heroes' lounge, all of the pain in her heart seem to be finally bought to wake. Thoughts of where her egoist of a bunny could be worried her, and a small part of her hoped that he was alright, wherever he was.

"That was a marvelous event, Miss. Kaburagi. You're help certainly did good for the charity event."

Jumping, Katsuko turned and laughed nervously when she saw Lloyds and Maverick, her boss glaring while the older gentleman smiled.

"Oh, uh, heh-heh."

"Show some respect to the man who decided to give your career a second chance, Tigress." Lloyds warned.

"R-Right!" Agreeing, Katsuko saluted the grey-haired man of importance, though the gesture was sloppy. "Th-Thanks, sir! You rock!"

Lloyds groaned openly at his charge's reply at his while Maverick chuckled his eyes twinkling behind his glasses.

"I should be thanking you for all your hard work, Miss. Kaburagi," He said warmly, striding over to Katsuko's headgear. "And I should be apologizing for barging in here, unannounced."

"It's no problem, sir," Katsuko shrugged.

"I'd like to thank you for all your hard work," Continued the CEO. "Miss. Kaburagi, would you be willing to go with me somewhere tonight?" He asked.

Katsuko looked back at him, arms crossed at her chest. "What did you have in mind?"

---

Katsuko looked around the human-sized capsule, her mouth slightly agape and her eyes wide and wondrous.

"Huh, not the five-star dinner I pictured," She said to herself, before turning to Maverick and Saito. "So, you wanted to take me here, to the labs?" She asked.

"You're looking at a highly-concentrated oxygen chamber that Dr. Saito recently made. A prototype, in any case," Informed Maverick. "It's suppose to restore your health. And I thought this would be a good chance for the two of you to test it out."

"The two of us?" Asked the confused heroine, turning when the doors behind the three of them slid open, Barnaby walking in. "Bunny!" She exclaimed, running over to him without a second thought and cupping her hands on his face. "You're OK, thank goodness," She smiled softly, surprising Barnaby so much that it sent his cheeks ablaze. "Don't pull some sort of disappearing act again, OK? You really had me worried."

"You were worried?" Barnaby tilted his head, his shoulders almost slumping to relax into Katsuko's hands.

"M-Maybe," Katsuko pulled her hands away, blushing herself yet still maintaining to smile. "Oh, of course I was. I care a lot about you, Bunny, don't you get that?" She asked, her eyes quizzedly looking at him. "Now where have you been? What's with all this hiatus business?" She asked.

"Our young Barnaby has been exhausted, as of late," Maverick walked to the both of them, placing space between the super hero couple and placing a hand on Barnaby's shoulder. "He needed to take a break. I apologize you had to handle those criminals with other heroes you aren't use to working with. You and Barnaby have been working together for a while now, yes?"

"O-Oh! It's no trouble!" Katsuko waved her hands. "I've actually worked with Blue Thorn before so there wasn't any trouble," She threw her care-free smile to the silent blonde. "I'm just glad you're feeling better now, Bunny." She said. Barnaby looked away, looking as reserved as he was on the first day he and Katsuko became partners. It worried the older hero, making her wonder if the younger Next really was OK.

"Those bastards. . . They were the ones who murdered my parents!"

She swallowed down an unpleasant feeling in her gut, trying to forget Barnaby's crushed words. Barnaby did have a reason for a break. She just hope that wouldn't interfere with their job.

---

Yet somehow, Katsuko was left to wait for her partner after testing the oxygen chambers. And she grew more and more impatient as she sat on the Lonely Chaser of the double motorcycle, her arms crossed behind her head as she scanned the sky with her headgear. The bike shifted yet she didn't look up.

"Have you been waiting long?"

"Just get on the bike," She muttered back, sitting up and stopping. Circles were bagging around Barnaby's green eyes and he looked out of it, his skin a shade too pale than normal. "Hey, did you have a nightmare or something?" She asked, remembering when Kaede was little and had a lot of them.

"That's none of your concern." Barnaby muttered.

"To Hell if it isn't," Katsuko shot up. "Just tell it to me straight, Bunny! You don't have to hide it in, it's only gonna hurt you more!"

"Just tell me where we're supposed to go already, old bat." Muttered the rookie, having enough stress on him from his nightmares. The last ones were so vivid and clear. A family living room before him was on fire, the Christmas tree in the middle tumbling down by the hideous spread of flames. The bodies of those he loved laid dead in blood, a pair of orbs as bright as the sun smirking at him as a figure loomed over the corpses with a gun in hand. Branded on the back of the shadow's hand was the mark of Ouroboros. Before Barnaby could get a closer look, the fire burnt away everything, leaving him nothing but ash.

He was so close to figuring out who the culprit was, yet it slipped out of his fingers just like that. Just how much longer would he be wrapped in this web of deceit? When would all of it come to an end?

"Fine, fine." Sighing and seeing she was getting nowhere, Katsuko gave the directions and informed Barnaby as they drove. "The cops are gonna infiltrate a crime syndicate that's been selling illegal drugs for a while. They want the heroes to stand by for a while at the site."

"They're insane!" Muttered Barnaby, his mind roaring at the words "crime syndicate."

"Tell that to the higher-ups," Katsuko shrugged. "Until they give the OK, we stay put. So don't go running off like you did last time. I mean it this time, Bunny." She said firmly, watching the shoulders of her partner's tense. She sighed. This was gonna be another long night of work.

---

"Hello, heroes," Agnes said to the League of Heroes as all of them gathered around the abandoned church, the nighttime sky hiding them all from the eyes of their targets. "We know there are five criminals held up in that church. They're heavily armed and very dangerous. They may also be NEXTs, so watch out. Just to be safe, the police have set up road blocks and sealed off every entry point around the area." Agnes spoke to them in a grave voice. "Listen; the police have been tracking this syndicate for months. You cannot let them get away. HERO TV's reputation is at stake. Or in layman's terms; do a good job and get a huge rack-up on points."

---

"Hey, that sounds awesome!" Wild Tigress exclaimed, shooting a grin to Barnaby. "Ain't that right? You love points!"

Silence met them, and Katsuko sighed, trying to think of something else.

"Hey, you know what? That NEXT with the blue and green flames might show up, if these guys are in leagued with Ouroboros," She said, earning a gasp from her partner. "Yeah, turns out that guy could be like an assassin, killing off ex-members and criminals to keep them quiet. With any luck, he can show up and you can get your answers. You'll feel a little better then." She said, almost hopefully.

"Better?" Barnaby rolled his eyes, hiding the excitement in his blood. "Why do you think that'll make me better?"

"With how you broke down a few nights ago, I wouldn't be surprised," Sighing, Katsuko removed her scanner and walked over to Barnaby, placing her hands on his shoulders and looking up at him. "Bunny, I know how important this is to you. I know you're just itching to get down there and see if any member of Ouroboros is actually there, even just a grunt. But you gotta face facts; work comes first. Saving people comes first. Revenge comes later." She lightly grasped his shoulders, staring at the motionless gems situated on his helmet. "But that won't do you any good either. Bunny, I'm sure your parents wouldn't want you to be doing this. . . I'm sure if they could, they would tell you that living like this wasn't their dying wish."

Staring back at those sad and golden eyes, Barnaby would have believed her.

"I don't need your sympathy," He muttered, his body weighed down by grief and regret. He didn't dare to let Katsuko in. Letting a person into his heart, the darkest recesses of something so fragile, it would kill him inside. And the last person he wanted to tell everything to was Katsuko, a person, as he told himself over and over, would only ruin things for him.

Katsuko sighed, stepping away and slipping her mask over her eyes. "It's not sympathy. It's me caring about you."

"And why would you care?" Muttered the blonde. Katsuko smiled a little, realization finally making itself real.

"Because you're my friend."

The church's side suddenly exploded into a wasteland of blue and green flames. Wild Tigress and Barnaby gasped at the site as thousands of scattering fire arrows struck the building, sending it in a wild crazy of a hungry fire.

"What the Hell was that?!" Shouted Rock Bison through the airways.

"Is that who I think it is?" Asked Fire Emblem with certainty in her voice.

Katsuko stepped back and looked up, cursing as she saw the full-view of their arsonist. A sweeping white cape flew behind him, the person dressed head to toe in the vibrant colors of the sea and stones. His face was hidden by mask with a palm design, large eyes bulging from the sockets.

"It's him. . ." Katsuko whispered, giving Barnaby no other reason than to run at top speed after the man, his anger fueling his strength. Muttering under her breath, Katsuko took charge in another direction, picking up speed.

"Katsuko! What are you doing!?" Shouted Rock Bison as he caught site of her galloping figure.

"What does it look like?! Bunny's got some business with an assassin while I gotta get these dolts out of here! The masked guy's gonna kill 'em if we don't do something!" Shouted Wild Tigress, prancing over the many buildings to the church. "Get with the program, Tony!" She dove herself into gun fire, prepared for the worst. A shiver ran down her spine suddenly, a haunting voice sweeping everywhere.

"Good evening, my fellow heroes," The voice welcomed, sending all who heard into a trance, making them look up and listen to him."I do hope you can hear me. The justice you seek is nothing more than a hollow fallacy."

"What is he-"

"Ignore him." Said Wild Tigress bluntly, honing her scanner to look over the area. The criminals were stumbling out of the old building, some burnt and injured from the attacks.

"You call yourselves "heroes", yet you can neither save nor punish anyone." The mask man was close, his fires of Hell following after him like a long veil. Even as Blue Thorn tried with all his strength, his ice guns could not smother the fire. "Your so-called "bravery" is all in vain. Why do you even bother trying?"

Katsuko fisted her hands, angry at the assassin and herself. Another man she and Antonio saved had died on them. The brunette had made it too late to revive him. Something inside her drove her to stand and scream into the sky.

"If you want true justice, only I can give it to you."

---

Barnaby's suit began to dim, his powers almost reaching their limit. Even with Good Luck Mode, he was unable to land a scratch on the man. He panted as his strength dwindle from him, his scouter losing itself.

"Such a shame," Pointed-toe shoes landed a few feet away from him, enlarged eyes looking down on him."Is the show already over?" He asked, patronizing the exhausted hero.

"Are you part of Ouroboros?" In labored breath, Barnaby looked at him with vengeance. "Answer me!" He demanded. The man cocked his head, the straight and mechanical scowl on his face mocking the rookie.

"If I were, what would you do to me? Catch me and rip off my suit?" He sneered monotonously, swaying with hand movements. "Tear my body limb from limb?"

"DAMN YOU!" Roared Barnaby, throwing a sucker punch, yet only hitting air. The man glided the other way, the bulkier NEXT's breath stilling in his throat.

"There's the answer I expected," He whispered, jumping into the air with grace Barnaby had never seen before. "I understand the justice you and your hero pals believe in only takes you so far. It's all a façade." He threw a shower of flames, revealing an stature of an archangel behind him. "My name is Lunatic and you see," His eyes turned into orbs of fire as he conjured a bow and arrow and flames, aimed directly at Barnaby. "I follow my own code of justice."

Barnaby flinched, the arrows almost struck. Suddenly, a line of light whizzed through the air and wrapped itself around Lunatic's hand, stopping him. He held back a gasp.

"Hands off my boyfriend, ya psycho bastard!" On top of another building, Wild Tigress stood in the neon glory of her suit, holding onto her zipline gun. "You call what you did back there justice?! Well I got another word for it!" She threw her arm back with her human-defying strength, sending Lunatic hurdling to her. She wrapped her elbow around his and bought him close, glaring so threateningly that her styled ears could have pulled back in hostility. "MURDER!"

Lunatic chuckled darkly, twisting his arm under the strength of the super woman.

"Murder?" His free hand cupped her face, almost scaring her. "You have a peculiar way of looking at things, my dear."

"I'll take that is a compliment, but that's still not gonna stop me from kicking your ass, palm-face!" Growled Tigress, the inner beast within her clawing for a fight. Lunatic spat, pulling away with his flames covering him.

"I know you are Wild Tigress. And let me assure you, Miss. Tigress, I will remember you!" With blue fires following in his wake, Lunatic vanished into the blood-red sky, Katsuko looking up just as he proclaimed one last warning. "Fear not. We shall meet again, Miss. Tigress. Wherever there is darkness in this damned world, I shall be there to snuff it out." As his body had vanished, so did the rest of him.

"Damn it!" Barnaby cursed, punching into the solid cement of the old building. "So close!"

"Bunny, I thought I told you to not run off," He glared venomously at his partner, hating the fact she was hiding a knowing look behind her headgear. "You're lucky Rock Bison was able to capture one of the criminals, alive." At his surprised look, Katsuko smiled as her suit's glow went out. "Wanna go pay him a visit?"

---

Early in the afternoon, Katsuko tapped her feet together as she waited for Barnaby outside the criminal's hospital room. After a rough two hours, Barnaby stepped out, a frown on his lips.

"What happened?" Asked Katsuko, standing up. "Did he have a tattoo?"

Barnaby shook his head, and with a long sigh, Katsuko dove back into her seat.

"Damn it. So he wasn't a part of Ouroboros. Same must be for the rest of that drug team." She shook her head as the green-eyed hero sat next to her on the cushioned bench.

"There's no point beating ourselves over it," He sighed. "We'll just have to wait until the guy wakes up. Then, we'll ask more questions." He leaned his chin into his hands, opening his eyes to Katsuko's small smile. "What are you smiling about?"

"You said "we"," Her smile widened and she reached over to ruffle curly blonde locks. "That means you're opening up and letting me help. Doesn't surprise me, since we are friends." She told. Barnaby scoffed, though that didn't kill that small and hidden smile on his face. A friend. That almost felt nice. "But still. . . That guy was killing criminals with some twisted way of "justice". . . Lunatic. . ."

"I follow my own code of justice."

Fear not. We shall meet again, Miss. Tigress. Wherever there is darkness in this damned world, I shall be there to snuff it out."

"My name is Lunatic."

Katsuko hummed and tilted her head, not noticing a pair of nearby doors sliding open. Barnaby, however, stood up immediately.

"I'm sorry to have bothered you on such late notice, sir. I'm sure your schedule is busy enough as it is."

"It's quite alright, Mr. Brooks," Replied the man, tall and pale, dressed in a dark suit with pale yellow-green hair tied into a wavy ponytail. "This is a part of my job, after all."

"Being a judge must be a tough gig," Katsuko stood and bowed respectfully to him. "'Specially since you take care of my cases when I cause collateral damage," Laughing weakly, she lowered her head a little more. "Still, thank you for all your work, Judge Petrov . I-I'll stop rambling now."

"It's fine. Katsuko Kaburagi, yes?" The judge tilted her chin upward, smoothly smiling at her. "Well, I can assure you, Miss. Kaburagi, there is no trouble when I handle affairs involving yourself. And besides, we judges are here to serve the Justice Bureau and those who are innocent until proven guilty."

"R-Really?" Katsuko smiled, despite flustering under the judge's gaze. "Man, if only there were more people like you out there. Maybe crime would die down a little. Well, 'course that means I could lose my job." She giggled lightly, Judge Petrov only shaking his head with a wistful smile.

"You are indeed an interesting woman," He settled with, straightening his chin and adjusting his elaborately designed tie. "Well, I should return to my office now. I still have a few more trails to handle at the courthouse so I must prepare myself," He bowed to the both of them, one finger twirling his long hair. "If there is anything concerning either of you, please do not hesitate to come to me. I am here to help." Nodding to them, he walked away with a saunter in his step.

"Man, that guy is just too cool for words. So nice." Katsuko smiled, placing her hat over her kitten ears.

"Right." Barnaby started to walk off, prompting his partner to follow him.

"Hey, what's with the attitude?" She asked, trying to look at Barnaby and noticing his impassive look. "I just said Judge Petrov was being nice. You don't agree? Wait. . ." A grin crept onto the veteran's face. "You're jealous! Admit it!"

"Admit what? That you should dress more age appropriately?"

"Quit dodging the main topic!" Katsuko accused. "Ever since you saw that magazine that showed me kissing Blue Thorn on the cheek while you were off on your own, and with me complimenting Judge Petrov just now, you've been jealous!" She smirked in victory. "Ha! You so care about me! I knew it! I just knew it!"

"If I said yes, would you shut up?" Muttered the blonde, jealousy and annoyance occupying his state of calm.

"Maybe," Katsuko sang, a skip in her step, laughing as Barnaby shook his head. "Hey, if it makes you feel better, I have no interest in either of them. Kyle's too young and bossy, and the judge is. . . Well, I don't know. He's nice but, there's something bugging me about him, too."

"Can't date someone older than you?"

"I'm going to take that as a serious question," Amber eyes rolled to florescent lights. "I just don't know, OK Bunny? Let's just settle with that. Point is, you just admitted you care about me." She smiled sincerely, stepping in front of the young man and wrapping her arms around his neck. "That is so sweet," She moved to kiss him chastely, but something caused her hand to twitch. She moved her hand, catching the glint of her engagement ring. Sighing, she stepped away, surprising Barnaby. "Y-Yeah, real sweet. . ." She repeated, almost sensing that her deceased husband had just watched what happened. A wave of guilt hit her.

"If that puts your deluded mind at rest, by all means, think what you like," Barnaby shrugged, growing uncomfortable with the silence. If he looked closer, he could almost see that Katsuko was worried about something. A vibe within him told him to change that. "Let's get going, old hag. We have to make a lunch appearance at that new restaurant by one, remember?"

"A-Ah man, you're right!" Nodding quickly, she grabbed Barnaby's hand and dragged him out of the hospital with a sprint. "Let's get going, Bunny!"

Seeing her perked up, a smile almost clinked onto the cocky blonde's lips.

"Slow down or you'll break a hip!"

"Not cool, Bunny! Not! Cool!"

---

Barnaby: Hi, I'm Barnaby. The member of Tigress and Bunny who five pairs of the same type of glasses-

Katsuko: And I'm Katsuko! The member of Tigress and Bunny who loves to bite right into candy! And- hey, what the Hell are you doing in the next episode intro, Bunny?!

Barnaby: According to the higher-ups, they want us to do at least one of these together. Justs sit back and watch, will you?

Katsuko: Hey, no fair-!

Barnaby: Let's see- What? A Hero campaign? With these guys? You have to be kidding me.

Katsuko: Looks cool to me. But oh man, Origami Cyclone looks so down for some reason. Whoa, that guy's trying to suffocate her! Just hang on, Origami! We'll help you out! Next time, on Tigress and Bunny; Everyone de. . . Des-serves-

Bunny: You're hopeless. Next time, on Tigress and Bunny; Everyone Deserves a Second Chance.

Katsuko: You should start giving me those, Bunny.

Barnaby: Don't hold your breath. To you viewers, see you!

Katsuko: Yeah! Bye for now!

---

Finally! I have this chapter done! And all it took were two episodes of Tiger and Bunny, one night of no sleep, and thirty-five pages on Microsoft word. Whew! I'm glad to have all this covered. Well, please leave your comments for me, please! I'm off school so I'll be able to update this and other stories more regularly! I'll see you guys next time! Please read and review and I'll catch you all later! Happy Summer!

This is me saying, Peace!