Oh, I wonder what Lunar Princess Ranni could possibly be doing here...

Time: xxxx Location: yyyy

The office door slammed open.

"Rough day, boss?"

Her only answer came in the form of a growl as she strode through the booths, not even bothering to reply to her subordinates' greetings.

"Jeez, that bad, huh?"

"Shut it, Obito," she said in reply and, reaching her own office's doors, all but kicked it open, striding in and slamming the door closed behind her with one hand, her other three making trembling fists as she did and another growl ripped free from her throat.

Lips set in a scowl, she went around her desk and all but threw herself on the chair, her back hitting the normally comfy leather with an explosive sigh.

She raised an arm, dropping the light blue limb on the desk and her finger begun an angry tapping rhythm.

"This can't be allowed to go on," she murmured as two of her free arms formed a triangle and she let another sigh as she begun thinking.

That bitch, Marika, had refused her. Again.

Why, if I could get my hands around her perfect, flawless neck, why I would… Ranni, through sheer force of will, suppressed another growl and, frowning, tried to think of a solution.

And much as she would like to do so, beating the bitch black and blue was out of the question.

They were too evenly matched and the fight could go either way. And if she didn't like her present circumstances now, what with having to occasionally interact with the blonde bimbo, forced to work and work under her?

Out of the question. It would set her back way too much.

So no.

She chewed on her lip, raising an arm and gnawing on her thump.

"But then, what am I to do?"

Ranni stilled.

For a horrible thought entered her mind.

Surely not. It need not come to that, surely?!

Seeking to distract herself, and using her high level clearance, with but a few swipes of her arm and a small application of will, the message was sent, and the calculations were done in an instant, the automated systems scanning deep through her essence, seeking her credentials and permissions.

And finding what they were looking for, they allowed her access, feeding her the requested info.

In front of her, a holographic projection or something like it, sprang into existence and within it a 'real time' feed of her subject of interest played, while beside Yuha, at a sidebar the analysts and precognitives predictions were shown in abridged form, with more info but a swipe away, showing the man's most likely projected path.

A path that was already beginning to not be 100% certain, no doubt due to his awakening power.

Glancing at the fight and then at the projections, Ranni's eye flew wide open, and she paled.

Then, I'm left with no choice…

Closing the screen with a frustrated sigh, she took a steadying breath and through mental pathways, contacted a number she had no intention to.

Not anytime soon, at any rate.

Much sooner than she would've like the line was established.

"Yes?"

Hearing her nasally voice, Ranni grit her teeth and clenched her arms upon seeing the haughty looking yellow-eyed bitch and her tiny smug smile.

"Oya?! Why, if it isn't Ranni, what can I do for you, dear."

The way Yotsuyu said it, it was clear Ranni's feelings were mutual.

Taking a deep breath and choosing not to curse the woman. This time. She spoke with as much calm as she could.

"I'm calling in my marker. The big one."

At this the black-haired bitch's eyes widened, and she let out a soft gasp, her revealing kimono sliding a touch downwards, exposing even more flesh, and yet Ranni's eye remained fixed on the woman's own.

"Oya? Truly? Why, I thought—"

That I'd hold it over you forever? Why yes, yes, you were right. But times change and I have a need of your talents and contracts. A need greater than seeing you continuing to suffer, knowing Damocles' blade hangs over your whore of a neck.

"Cut the crap," Ranni said with a swipe of one of her arms. "I don't have the time, or the patience for your games."

"Huh…such a bore, as always, Ranni, dear," the woman with the flower ornament in her hair said, shaking her head. "But if that is your wish, very well. What do you need of me?"

She spoke and Yotsuyu's eyes widened more and more with each word out of Ranni's mouth, the woman paling even more by the end, as she licked her lips.

"T-that last thing I can most certainly do, b-but as for the rest…"

"Will you do it? Yes or no. If you'd prefer, I could keep this mark instead."

Yotsuyu gritted her teeth and Ranni knew she had her.

For in this, both of them were too similar.

Neither wanted to owe and be held under the yoke of another.

And, even if the bitch was unworthy, Ranni could only but praise her taste.

Their business concluded. Ranni terminated the call and sighed, crossing all four of her arms underneath her ample chest and leaning back in her chair.

Now all that was left was to wait.

…and that was always the hardest part.

Blast threw another kernel into his mouth, a languid smile on his face as he watched the fight down below.

And he had to fight the urge to giggle, as Blizzard, like the good people all around him, had looked at him with wonder and apprehension, wondering and then nervously concluding that no, it couldn't possibly be him.

Probably some great fan or something.

Hiding in plain sight was always a favorite of his.

As the new rising star got captured by the subterranean woman's sand tentacles—

Wow, she must be freaky in bed.

Blast threw yet another kernel into his mouth, chewing and wondering if and how young Zero would get out of this.

Not that it mattered to him either way, for the mole people would become their allies either way and their eternal fight against monsters would get just a little bit easier.

Still, he couldn't help but wonder what 'God' was up to. After all, for it to be silent for so many days in a row where even if allies from across this universe and others all but ordered him to take a day off?

It left him with an uneasy filing.

He threw another kernel.

Well. At least he got to meet with Sweet Mask again, the kid still a walking bag of issues and his rage at humanity forming an alliance with 'monsters' and his wrath towards the young hero fighting below had been most amusing.

As had been the man all but demanding the young hero below be prohibited from advancing into B-rank, much less A-rank and above, at least until Blast vetoed it.

The meeting between the two would be interesting…

As the Queen descended towards him, Yuha's struggles redoubled, and not even a push towards stage ten for less than a blip of an instant—and all the agony that brought—even that wasn't enough to break free from the pillars of silica.

And the tiny cracks that started to spread were cold comfort, for he wouldn't break free in time.

He was out of options.

I can't lose.

The woman's fist closed in, and at this distance, even a normie would be able to see the white of her eyes.

I won'tlose!

And yet, what could he do? Even in this hyper-accelerated mode of thought, mostly due to adrenaline, panic, and his own physiology, there was little he could do but watch his own defeat approaching.

A slow growl started to slip past his seemingly frozen lips as the Queen inched closer.

I won't lose!

He roared, struggled, and a spark, a desperate spark, a mad gambit, came to mind.

It was all he had left.

In but a few subjective seconds, Shivara's punch would knock his lights out.

So, what did he have to lose?

I need…I need a shield…

His lips slipped into a serious scowl, his eyes shining, glowing with determination and all around his body, light shone.

Yuha's perception of time returned to normal and the sound of a fist hitting metal radiated outwards alongside a proud, defiant scream.

Kisha, could but watch the proceedings with wide-eyes, squirming in place, trapped between shame and duty.

Shame, for she was a terrible subject to either her mother or her King. Failing to inform either of the other's abilities.

And duty…duty to both, for not doing so, was in fact what was expected of her.

Still, glancing at the intensely staring scary one. She bit her lip.

This was supposed to be myrole! A tiny part of her couldn't help but whine.

Yet, by the looks of things, neither her King nor her mother needed the help after all.

And Yusha gulped as her the duo exchanged tremendous earth-shaking blows, some of which she couldn't even see with her own eyes, only able to do so due to the help of the machinery of the stadium's creator and the slowed down replays he'd installed for the common citizens.

'Ba-dump! Ba-dump!'

She shivered.

And that monster was her soon to be lord's old teacher? She shuddered to even think, to even wonder what terrible dreams of carnage and blood-lust no doubt filled the man's mind. Who no longer found all this terribly boring.

Hiii! How are they that strong?! Even with this new strength, I can't even see them half the time! Hiii! I wanna go home and play some relaxing romance games! And today is the release date of 'My Mikon Romance' as well…

Yeah.

Kisha shivered and clenched her hands, the limbs resting upon her naked thighs.

There were things man was not meant to know.

So, with a deep breath, she focused back on the fight, her eyes almost popping out of her skull when her mother unveiled one of her most sacred techniques, a thing only priestesses of the earth, or priestess to be knew the mechanics off.

And even Kisha, with her status as an inheritor, knew scarce little about the ability beyond the fact it was terrifying.

For the earth itself transformed into your obedient hands…

So, it came as no surprise to her, seeing her lord at last be snagged by a couple of the silica tentacles. Her disappointment was another matter, something personal and quite traitorous to boot.

This is how it ends, then. Still, a far greater showing than any of us expected and—

She gasped.

For right as defeated was supposed to embrace Yuha in an earthen tomb, a light shone. A familiar light and a defiant yell.

Her eyes darted towards the scary one, and the small smirk that could be seen on the tiny woman's face.

Shivara's mouth hung low as she hovered in the air for that brief instant before gravity reasserted its hold.

And stared.

Stared at her punch, the punch that was supposed to finally knock her annoyingly resilient husband.

The punch that was stopped by the man's upraised, and freed, leftarm.

Shivara ignored her smarting limb and the thin lines of blood trailing from where her limb made contact with the silver seeming material, her eyes fixed on the almost perfectly spherical and silver looking shield.

The shield that was covering most of Yuha's left arm and then the braces and armor pieces covering the rest of the man's body, while a fearsome and somewhat translucent dragon helmet covered Yuha's face.

Yuha's whose eyes glowed just like his almost perfect armor. Almost, for at the edges of the armor and shield both, tiny glowing protrusions could be seen.

Are those drills?

The same structure visible in place all over the armor, forming patterns.

"Don't you know, Shivara?" the man asked as the exploded hands of silica all around them continued to drift downwards, her control over them broken.

Impossible!

Yuha pushed her arm back, making her wince as the tiny drills spread across the shield's surface dug deeper into her fist.

Where is he getting this strength?!

"The Dragon Saint's shield is unbreakable!" Yuha said, and his smirk dropped. "And a Saint is at his strongest when, he's fighting for Athena!" Yuha roared and Shivara's eyes flew wide as her man's aura ignited into a blazing green, even the drill tips emerging from his skin at place, making it hard to see.

"Blaze! My Cosmo!" the man roared and flew towards her, a fearsome punch smashing into her chin, knocking her head backwards, and her last sight before blacking out for an instant being that of a fearsome dragon rushing towards her.

Crossing his arms, and gazing down, the Saint watched as this most fearsome of foes crushed back down into the ground, the woman jerking back to consciousness as she did with a pained gasp.

Pity. I'd hoped she'd stay down.

Still, he was a Saint—Yuha—and thus, he would win this and bring glory to Athena—Tatsumaki—

His [Cloth] flickered in and out of existence and Yuha—The Saint—grimaced.

I'm running out of time!

Still, as the Queen rose to her feet…

"Ho? You're still standing after this? I praise you, Queen of 'the ones who dwell underground'," he said, inclining his head in a regal nod.

"H-huh…y-you are m-most surprising, husband," the woman said with a weak grin, and raised trembling arms in front of her face. Ready, and still wiling to fight.

His [Cloth] flickered again, and he cursed, for his body was too bruised to keep going for much longer—He was approaching his time limit with Kaio-ken—he needed to finish this, while he could still stand.

"I see," he said, offering another nod and then his [Cloth] shifted. "I commend you for your spirit, but, do you think you can take another blow from the Phoenix Saint?" he roared and dove downwards, the flames of the immortal beard spreading behind him.

"No!"

"Momma!"

Twin voices seemed to cry out in fear from afar, but he was the Saint! The punisher of the wicked. He cared little and as he descended, Cosmo—Spiral—flickering in and out of existence around him, alongside his [Cloth], the Saint's smile widened as Shivara's face paled with fear and her eyes closed in defeated acceptance.

A furious roar left his lips…

And he tackled the surprised woman, just as the last bits of spiral evaporated from him, lifting them both into the air, and before she could recover, shifting her around so that she faced away from him and Yuha's hands immobilized her hands and necks, while his legs, threading around the woman's thighs, held those in place too.

"W-what?"

Ignoring the agony in his body, Yuha pushed to stage ten and held it, while at the same time he used a technique owning to his namekian heritage, and grew. Not much, just enough to comfortably hold the very surprised Queen.

"W-what is this…"

"Your…defeat…my lady," Yuha said with a tired grin, powering through the pain and surprising the woman.

The Queen starting to struggle for a few seconds before giving it up as useless and a tired chuckle escaping her lips.

"You mean, you didn't intend to kill me?"

It was Yuha's turn to chuckle.

"Of course not, but, I knew, that on some level you still mistrusted me, us. So, why not take advantage of that?"

A relieved giggle escaped Shivara's lips.

"Mmh~ I'm pleased to hear that, husband, but, despite how pleased I'm at both your kindness and your…interest," the incorrigible woman ground her read against his crotch, making him gasp. "I have to ask. You've captured me, yes, but how long do you intend to hold me? Or rather, how long can you keep this up?"

Yuha grinned.

"Long enough to win."

"Hoh?"

His eyes narrowed in concentration and with an ominous sound, golden thin bands of rapidly spinning ki shifted into being all around them.

One kienzan on each side as well as one below and above. All aiming at the Queen and him.

"This is—"

"Something that can cut through rock and steel with ease and will cut through your weakened flesh like butter. I suggest you surrender, my lady."

The woman whimpered.

"B-but, you'll be cut too!"

"Yes, but you forget, I can regenerate."

"Ah…"

"Indeed."

The Queen's shoulders slumped as much as they could in Yuha's grip and she nodded, before, a moment later. "I surrender…" she said in a small, defeated voice, and the crowd exploded. The sounds of cheering almost deafening as Yuha dismissed the Kienzan and rapidly shrunk down, dropping all the way down to a stage two Kaio-ken.

"Eep!"

And promptly shifting the no doubt just as tired redhead into a princess carry as he lowered them to the ground, helping the blushing, statuesque woman to her feet with gentle motions.

"Zero. Zero. Zero!"

"Shivara. Shivara. Shivara!"

The crowd continued to chant.

"Are you okay, my lady?"

She giggled, looking to the side. "Y-yes, I do believe, I'am," the beauty said, before a melancholic smile spread across her face.

"My lady?"

The woman startled, before her usual confident smile replaced the sad one.

"I-it's nothing, sir Yuha…" the woman said, apparently having rightfully deduced that with his victory, their shotgun marriage was all but canceled.

He opened his lips.

And yet.

In that instant.

Deep within him, in the place where his [limiter] was supposed to be, the fates swirled. And once again, Yuha consciously noted the nigh pleading feather-like touch, imploring and pointing towards the Queen.

His first instinct was to scoff.

And yet…the whispers had helped him save Kisha, had they not?

He sighed and a frankly, stupid idea sprang to mind.

But, at the very least, it wouldn't be permanent or binding.

"My lady."

Shivara glanced at him with eyes that held only the barest hint of moisture at their edges.

He smiled. "Worry not, all is not lost," he said, sprouting the first bullshit that sprang to mind…and that sounded right. He winked, and the woman gasped.

"Y-you mean?"

"Patience."

"Y-yes! O-of course!"

"Ladies and gentlemen," Eyelashes roared, expression still as flat as ever. "Why I can't believe it! What a stunning conclusion to a most thrilling match! Everyone! Another round of applause for our combatants and—"

Yuha relaxed, ignoring Eyelashes words with practiced ease, a relieved grin spreading across his cheeks.

And yet, despite how much he longed to do so.

He did not fall back, nor did he sit down.

After all, that was not something that Zero would do, now was it?

So no, grinning and tired, Yuha smiled and waved at the crowd for a while before crossing his arms and standing tall next to Shavira.

Before at least, the roars of the people started to subside and Eyelashes along with some other dignitaries, some familiar faces in tow, approached.

"Some few words from the hero of the hour?" the man asked, and leaned the microphone towards him.

"I'll be honored," he said, and contrary to what no doubt the man was expecting, he snatched it from the brunette's grasp with fast movements.

"Hey—"

But he'd already spun around, mic firmly in his grasp.

"Listen up everyone!" he roared, and the crowd fell silent.

"I'm the hero known as Perfect Zero, but you already knew that," he said with a grin and the crowd chuckled, indulging him. "I could say any number of words and nice sounding platitudes, but, this is not who I am, it's just not how I roll," he said and lifted a bit of the ground, a fire beginning to blaze in his blood.

"So, I'll start by saying this. While I'm honored by Queen Shivara's words and proposal both, I can not in good conscience accept it," he said and the woman's expression crumbled. "But."

"BUT!" he roared, rotating around, thankful that the mic was cordless as he completed a circle, staring at everyone in the crowd.

"I can not in good conscience abandon our new allies, not when I'm sure there's a good reason for the Good Queen's insistence that I marry her," more like he was betting on his instinct. "so, and until a replacement is found, one that will be accepted by her and her people both, I will serve as King—"

Shivara and her daughters gasped in excitement.

"Consort. There to protect our new allies' way of life when needed, but otherwise not interfere or poke my big nose where it's not needed," he said, pointing with a finger at his sniffer, causing a new round of chuckles. "And this brings me to what I really wanted to talk to you all about. Listen up!" he roared.

'Thump-Voomp! Thump-Voomp!'

His necklace glowed and he let go of the microphone, holding it aloft with his mind's hand as his left hand was held rigid downwards and his other rose, fist clenched but for his stretched thump and index finger.

Pointing towards the sky.

"Those who fear, those who doubt that peace is impossible, that justice will not prevail, to you I say, grit those teeth and fight for it. Fight for what is right!" he roared, and the whole of the arena seemed to brighten. "And if you still doubt, if you still fear? Well, then. Believe in me, who believes in all of you!"

The crowd started to cheer.

And Yuha, grin in place, heart hammering in his chest, grinned and in a slight mental haze, spun around, facing the other half of the crowd and lowered his arm slightly, before, with his bicep perpendicular to the ground—

'Voomp! Voomp!'

His necklace burned, and around his shoulders and falling down his back a blood red cape with fire like tattered ends materialized, a cool sunglasses wearing bearing skull in the middle of it.

Right where Yuha's thump pointed.

"And if you still doubt yourself and feel you can't do it? Remember, you will stumble, you will fall, but all you have to do is to follow in my footsteps and the path I spin open for you. For I am Heaven Piercing Zero! And together we will Pierce the Heavens!"

"Zero! Zero! Zero!" he dropped the mic towards a wide-eyed Eyelashes who scrambled to catch it as he stared at the crowd. Smiling.

Mosquito Girl, in the midst of bandaging some of her worst wounds so as to buy time for her reserves to recover and she could start the regeneration process, stared at the tv-screen.

Entranced.

And then a fire blazed in her eyes.

Right. What had she been thinking, doubting herself?

Even if her path was doomed, hopeless, it still mattered little, for she could open a path for those that followed. And prove that yes, even a monster could be a hero.

And even if no one remembered her? What did it matter, that wasn't what should matter to a hero. The smile of the children and the men and women she'd already managed to save were thanks enough.

Thanks, and the reason to keep going. To try and atone for her past mistakes.

Staring at Zero's skull bearing back, she nodded with conviction.

In her mind's eye, the man stood some dozen meters ahead with his back to her, arms crossed and watching the expanding infinity in front of them.

Not turning to look at her, and yet, his voice sounding both warm and encouraging.

"Can you keep up?"

She gritted those teeth!

Just you wait, sir Zero! I'll make you proud of me!

Blast's whole visage had paled. His bucket of popcorn slipping from nerveless fingers. For he at least had his answer.

Up above the center of the stadium, a swirl of, no doubt, invisible to anyone else, clouds could be seen, and in the center, in the eye of this 'storm' an eldritch face gazed down.

And somehow Blast knew where it's focus where.

He followed the mental line down and paled further.

For 'God' was right above Zero.

Judging him. Appraising him.

Now I know why it's been a quiet couple of days…

Metal-Bat turned towards her, smile on his face, one that Nisha, despite her better judgment, found herself reciprocating.

"See?! I told you he would win and everything would turn out well. Why did you doubt me?"

Her eyes fell on the scary green one.

Why indeed…

"Oh, I can't wait," the idiot besides her said, causing her to focus back on him with an arched eyebrow.

"For what?"

"To tell my little sis all about this, of course!" the man replied indignantly, and Nisha sighed, deciding to utilize the one technique capable of shutting the man up in regards to his sister.

"She'll no doubt—mpf! Mpf…" before reaching over and pulling her idiot into another kiss, the man calming down and settling into the kiss.

Who would have thought that she, a princess of the royal line, would've fallen for an idiot like this? And yet…

She broke the kiss and her eyes shone with mischief, causing Metal-Bat to pale.

"N-now, Nisha, w-wait," he stuttered, with a weak grin, no doubt having an idea of what she planned, but with a giggle she pulled down the lapels of his shirt, exposing the man's neck and—

Proceeding to add a few extra hickeys to her idiot.

"Not in publiiiic!"

The wheels of fate turn.

Again, not Cosmo, merely Spiral masquerading as Cosmo.

And yeah, I'm sure that Yuha's words and actions will have no repercussions. /s Rolls eyes.

Also to those confused, at the Saint-Yuha bit, i tried to show how his self-brain washing was inherently unstable and started to fail, not sure how well it worked but oh well...