With the FTO holding Selece in front of it like a prize winning salmon, Hikaru's options were limited. If she used magic, Umi would surely be hurt, and Auto Shield would protect Eagle. If she attacked with her sword, she might be able to get around Umi and attack Eagle directly, but she didn't want to. Just like Nova, Eagle was a good person deep down, only easier to reason with. And as such, she decided to use all the information she had gained in the past two days.
"Eagle!" Hikaru yelled out, making sure he could hear her. "We don't have to fight!"
There was no response from the FTO, as Eagle kept his speakers off, "Hikaru… I love how you always try to look for the nonviolent way out…"
Without a response, Hikaru continued, "Listen! I heard from Hotaru about your illness!"
"Nani?" Eagle gasped, still keeping his voice off. "How could she have found out about it… unless!"
"Hotaru told us!" Hikaru continued yelling. "He said you are trying to become the pillar not just to help Autozam, but to save your life!"
"Eagle," Geo's alarmed voice came through the coms, "how could he have found out about that?"
"I can think of a few ways…" Eagle gritted his teeth, before finally turning on the speakers. "Hikaru, if you truly are aware of my reasons for becoming the pillar, why do you still stand in our way? I promise you, if your commander knows so much about me, he should know I want no harm to come to the people of Cephiro!"
"Because Hotaru has a plan to cure you!" Hikaru yelled, causing Eagle to gasp again. "I don't know who the next Pillar will be and I don't know the details of his plan! But I know we can fight it out after we have all talked together if you're not satisfied!"
Turning off the speakers again, Eagle spoke to Geo, "I'm going in. Please hold the lady Magic Knights for me."
"Are you not going to listen to the plan?" Geo asked, having heard about the promise of the cure.
"Too many variables," Eagle pointed out. "I might as well try and see if I succeed my own way first."
Steeling his heart, Geo responded, "All right."
Without a warning, Eagle threw Selece at Rayearth as hard as he could. As the crimson Mashin received the cobalt one, the FTO quickly accelerated past them, flying over to the Sanctuary's barrier. Once right next to it, Eagle began to fire his Vulcan on the spot he had mapped out earlier. Seeing what Eagle was doing and knowing Clef was holding up the barrier, Hikaru knew she couldn't waste time.
"Umi… Umi!" Hikaru tried to get her friend's attention.
Stirring up slowly, Umi responded weakly, "Hikaru?"
"Thank goodness," Hikaru sighed, before getting serious. "I need to go and stop Eagle; you think you can fly on your own?"
"Sure…" Umi nodded, before flying away from Rayearth.
As Hikaru flew after Eagle, her way was quickly blocked by the green GTO. Seeing the speed and build of it, Hikaru could tell this foe was just as dangerous as Eagle's mech.
"This red Mashim must be Hikaru…" Geo muttered to himself, before sighing. "I knew this wouldn't feel good."
Without hesitation, Hikaru resummoned her sword, before grabbing it with both hands. Her blade was wreathed in flames that burned white hot, as the aura of her Mashin flared bright red. Knowing the speed at which her foe could move and the shields they possessed, Hikaru knew she had to strike hard and fast.
"Flame Arrow!" Hikaru yelled, casting her spell onto her sword.
With the flames around her blade growing even larger, Hikaru swung sideways. A wave of bright blue flames flew towards Geo, before forming into a giant flaming dragon. Geo's eyes widened in horror as it approached, causing him to cover up instinctually with the GTO's arms. As the flaming dragon hit, warning sirens and lights began to beep inside the GTO as the Auto Shield overheated. However, just as he feared for the worst, the shields managed to pull through.
Realizing he was okay, Geo looked around before whistling, "Amazing… Eagle!"
"Are you all right?"
"Yeah, but she's pretty strong. I'll send you the data from that attack," Geo answered, before getting more serious. "It is too fast to dodge and came close to tearing through the shields."
Knowing this wasn't a game, Geo took aim with his rocket launcher and fired at Hikaru. Swapping settings on his rocket launcher, he began to fire smaller caliber rockets with yellow tracer trails. While their power wasn't as great as the orange ones, their speed was four times faster. Using the maneuverability of his upgraded mech, Geo stayed within a safe distance from Hikaru while continuing to squeeze the trigger.
As the rockets flew in from several different directions in unpredictable patterns, Hikaru struggled to block them all. While her own barrier kept her safe, the explosions were bright and loud, making it hard for her to tell where her foe was. At first she figured she could just wait till her foe would run out of ammo, but then an orange, much larger rocket appeared right in front of her.
"Aaaargggh!" Hikaru yelled in pain.
With quick reflexes, she had managed to block the rocket with Rayearth's shield, but the explosion had blown the top half of it off. Realizing her foe could change the power of their attacks on the fly, Hikaru knew she was in trouble. While it seemed obvious, she knew she shouldn't have underestimated an opponent with actual guns.
Seeing Hikaru was immobile, Geo dialed back the force of his attacks again, not wanting to outright kill her. But within that moment of distraction, he was surrounded by green winds.
"Winds of Admonishment!"
While the Auto Shield kicked in and the engines were fine, the GTO was restrained and blinded by the emerald air currents. As such he didn't see as Fuu flew back to her friends from behind GTO.
"Fuu-chan!" Hikaru yelled happily, seeing her friend was alright.
Waving her arms in elegant motions, Fuu extended her hand towards Rayearth and Selece, "Winds of Healing!"
Green wind and light surrounded the two mechs, quickly healing the Mashins and the pilots inside of them. The burns and dents of Selece were buffed out, while Rayearth's broken shield was restored to its full glory.
"Thanks, Fuu," Umi smiled, feeling like she could fight again.
"You're not hurt, Fuu?" Hikaru asked
"I am all right," Fuu smiled. "I did as Terra did and healed myself first."
With her friends alright, Hikaru turned towards her foes once again. The GTO was still restrained by Fuu's spells while the FTO was still attacking the Sanctuary's barrier. With no one else around to defend the Sanctuary, Hikaru knew it was all up to them.
"Umi, Fuu, take care of things here."
"Right!" The two Magic Knights nodded.
Using the thrusters on Rayearth's back, Hikaru let out a massive blast of fire behind her before flying towards the GTO. As the trail of flames she left behind passed GTO, Geo could see Hikaru heading towards Eagle even through the green winds. Putting his engines on full throttle, Geo broke out of the Winds of Admonishment, before chasing after Hikaru.
But before he could reach her, the blue Mashin appeared before him. He was about to fly around it, as the appearance of this blue mech reminded him of Hikaru's earlier attack. But as the blue aura around Selece grew out and shone brightly, Geo could not see a way around her. He was being challenged and he couldn't back off.
"…I must rescue Ascot," Umi repeated to herself, before looking at the green mech before her. "But if I cannot stop you, then I stand no chance against Luna! Which means, I must defeat you!"
Gathering all her magical energies into her left fist, Umi threw her hand forward with all her might.
"Ice Blade!"
A huge barrage of blades of ice, water currents, and blue beams of energy flew out of Selece's hand, peppering the GTO. Although the barrage was heavy and Geo could feel the spell pushing GTO back, his Auto Shield seemed to hold up. He couldn't fire back, lest he be shredded by the spell, but he could go around it. Just as he was about to plot a course around Umi to strike her from behind, he heard a second voice from behind him.
"Emerald Cyclone!"
A second magical barrage struck him from behind, this time of green winds and glowing sickles of air. Receiving multiple attacks from both directions, the warning lights of GTO quickly lit up, before the shields gave in. The GTO was struck by the crossfire of the two rapid-fire spells, receiving multiple breaches to its hull, wings, and shield generators. Geo yelled in pain as the mental energy system fed the overload of the energy back to him. The only reason he wasn't completely fried or eviscerated, was because his foes stopped firing.
As the green mech began to fall, Umi and Fuu quickly flew in to catch it.
Holding onto their defeated foe, Fuu looked over to where Hikaru was flying, "One down, another to go."
Reaching her target, Hikaru braked forcefully while inside Rayearth, before yelling, "Stop it!"
Hearing the voice behind him, Eagle stopped firing upon the barrier, before facing the leader of the Magic Knights. Having registered the speed at which she had flown over like a rocket, Eagle couldn't help but be impressed.
"That Mashin is pretty fast too," Eagle stated calmly to his enemy.
"Eagle you don't have to sacrifice yourself like this! I am sure Hotaru will be able to help you and your planet!" Hikaru stated, pressing her hand against her chest.
"Do you really believe he is that saintly?" Eagle asked dryly. "He may know of a way to save my life, but that won't guarantee he can save Autozam. Can you really trust in him when you say his plan is any better than mine?"
Though Hikaru trusted her friend, she couldn't completely refute Eagle's words. She didn't know what Hotaru had planned for Autozam, nor did she even know where he was at this moment. But right now, she felt like she knew Hotaru well enough that he wouldn't betray her expectations.
Before Hikaru could give her answer, a bright flash could be seen coming from the Sanctuary's central tower. Looking up, they could see a huge lime-green burst of energy, followed by the sound of a loud explosion. Activating his scouter, Eagle scanned the eruption of energy, registering a familiar biosignature.
"These readings…" Eagle gasped his eyes widening as he looked at the hole in the tower. "Commander Hotaru?"
"What do you mean by everything?" Hotaru quoted his shadow, while keeping an eye on both of his kidnappers, and his new spell charged.
"I mean we are not here to assist Debonair," Romeo clarified, before looking at Hotaru snootily, "nor was I born out of your guilt like you so rudely assumed."
"We have only tried to prioritize your happiness, Hotaru darling," Stella bowed while bringing her hands together. "I am sorry for keeping secrets from you."
"Forget keeping secrets from me, what about Debonair!" Hotaru yelled, still not buying. "There is no way you could have kept all this a secret from her!"
"Yes, we have," Romeo said with utmost calmness and certainty. "We were both around before she was, allowing us to discuss my plan in peace. Though after that it wasn't so easy. If we ever spoke of the plan she would hear about it, so we had to be misleading. And as for your vampiric devotee over there, hiding her thoughts from Debonair wasn't easy, but her obsession with you kept her mind busy."
Turning towards Stella, Hotaru could see her gray cheeks flush deep red. Though her appearances were almost an exact match of Alcyone, Hotaru could never imagine her making such a schoolgirlish expression. Nevertheless, even if their story was to be believed, there was still one more detail left.
"What about your heart then?" Hotaru asked, giving a mean side-eye to Romeo. "How could she not have read yours?"
"For that, I can only thank you, my liege," Romeo smiled widely, before bowing down deeply and exaggeratedly, extending his arm to the side. "For it is your heart that Debonair is unable to read."
"Me?" Hotaru asked, finally lowering his arm. "How come? Is it because this body belongs to Aston?"
"No, it is entirely because of you, Martin," Romeo said with a smug voice, before walking around his creator at a respectable distance. "You see, I do not quite remember who said it, because you do not, but you know how they say that people wear masks? Not physical ones, but ones that hide their true personalities from others."
Thinking back on his real-like knowledge, Hotaru nodded, "The face we show to the world, the face we show to our family, and the face we only show to ourselves."
"Exactly!" Romeo said proudly, doing a sharp turn, before pointing a finger at Hotaru. "But you my brother, you wear more masks than anyone in the world."
Before Hotaru could deny this, Romeo began to speak in an ever increasingly excited voice and dramatic gestures, "You are a businessman, pretending to be an orphan, pretending to be a delinquent, pretending to be a bodyguard, pretending to be a hero, pretending to be a child!"
"—But I am not pretending anymore!" Hotaru butted in, feeling like he was being called out.
"You're right!" Romeo agreed, grabbing hold of Hotaru's shoulders. "And that's the beauty of it! While Debonair may become more and more aware of our thoughts with each layer removed, WE become more and more powerful, as your heart opens up!"
Hotaru's eyes widened, as things began to make sense, "You… you weren't being powered up by my guilt. You were…"
"Able to fully develop as you got closer to your true self! Exactly!" Romeo yelled excitedly, before pulling the shorter Hotaru into his embrace. "Oh, you have no idea how good it feels to have you finally being honest with yourself!"
"And you showed me that memory because…"
"Because I knew it would help you remove that childish mask you had put on!" Romeo added, sounding a bit peeved about that one. "I know I could have tried being nicer about it, but I know you respond better to negative reinforcement than positive. I was right, wasn't I?"
Being talked to all of a sudden, Stella nodded reluctantly, "Yes, it did work as you said…"
Before Hotaru could debunk this, Romeo continued, before pulling away from the hug, "And! I also know that there are still more masks to take off… Isn't that right, Vider?"
"Vider…?" Hotaru blinked confused, not having a clue what Romeo spoke of, until it clicked. "That's… That's my old online username…"
"Yes! Another mask to put on to hide your identity!" Romeo yelled, clenching his fists ecstatically. "But this one, not to keep your heart locked up! But to allow you to live out as your true self!"
"True self?" Hotaru asked, before his eyes widened.
Sensing the emotional explosion inside his creator's heart, Romeo couldn't hold back his demonic laughter, "Hmhmhmhmhm-hahahahaHAHAHAHA! That's right! That is the man who I have been waiting for!"
"Hold on…!" Stella interrupted, having completely lost the direction of the conversation. "What is an online username? And who is Vider?"
"He is Vider!" Romeo said, extending his arms towards Hotaru like presenting a new car. "A man with bottomless hunger, unsurpassable greed, and limitless ambition!"
As Romeo continued ranting, his body started glowing deep-purple, as his excitement increased, "Whose lust for women is unquenchable, who lies as naturally as he breathes! He whose sadism knows no bounds and whose cruelty baffles the imagination! A true demon in the guise of a man!"
"A true edge-lord more like it," Hotaru griped while covering his face in embarrassment.
Hotaru reminisced back to the days of his late teens and late twenties, when he would frequently use the alias of Vider. The name was a combination of the words devil, spider, invader, etc. He would frequent online sites and carry his weight around like a demon king, discussing about things like torture, slaves, villains, plans for world domination and governance, etc. He couldn't deny any of Romeo's earlier ramblings, nor was he proud of it.
With Romeo having my memories, I should have figured he would also have access to my browser history…
"Edge-royalty more like it!" Romeo clenched his fist proudly. "You cannot deny that you didn't enjoy it! The way your mind came up with ideas for conquering different worlds! The way to creatively hurt people and manipulate them! The way you always saw the mistakes of different villains coming from a mile away, and how to fix them!"
"But I have left that life behind me…" Hotaru sighed while rubbing his forehead, not feeling like he had the energy for this conversation.
"Yes, but not of your own volition!" Romeo pointed out, looking into Hotaru's eyes compassionately. "Had it not been for all the setbacks, you would not have turned your back on all your dreams and desires!"
Listening to his shadow's passionate speech, Hotaru recognized the setbacks Romeo spoke about as Martin's late twenties. After graduating from university as a bachelor of business administration, he had sought to start off his career in business management. Of course, he hadn't thought of jumping into a lead position from the get go, but to work his way up the corporate ladder, no matter the means.
But instead of starting from the bottom and working his way to the top, he hadn't even been able to take the first step. For six long years, Martin had struggled to find employment of any kind. No matter what he tried, no matter how many hundreds of jobs he applied to, no matter the counseling he was given, no one hired him. After six years of unemployment, he had finally managed to get himself a job, but by that point, the damage had been done.
Finally having disposable income, Martin had been satisfied with just being employed. He didn't dare to risk losing his job after so many years of trying, and as such paid all his attention on doing it right. Even when he did his best, his monstrously high ambitions and expectations became but a memory, as he struggled to meet the monthly quotas. In the end, he lost his will to try and shoot for the stars, and just accepted his lot in life until the day he died. But now…
"You can try and deny it, but I feel it in your heart," Romeo smiled warmly, placing his hand on his chest. "You yearn for the chance to live out those dreams again! And this time, you are not alone in making them happen, for I am here to help you!
"…What exactly have you got in mind?" Hotaru asked, starting to have a hunch as to what Romeo was planning.
"Quite simple. We will do what Debonair never could. Kill the Magic Knights and obtain the Proof of the Pillar!" Romeo declared.
"Figured as much…" Hotaru sighed, feeling his headache get worse. "But have you completely missed the part where becoming the next Pillar is the exact opposite of what either of us wants? If either one of us tries to do whatever we want with it, Cephiro will crumble since we are distracted by other things!"
Nodding slowly, Romeo admitted that Hotaru's worries had some merit, "Yes, I had those same thoughts myself a decade ago, but that is only if one of us becomes the Pillar."
"Only one of us can be the Pillar!" Hotaru yelled. "If it was possible for multiple people to be the Pillar of Cephiro, they already would've done it!"
"Maybe, but you see, Cephiro has never had a pillar quite like us before," Romeo pointed out. "We may be two separate minds, but we share a common heart. We, Vider and Romeo, are two halves of the same person, Aston."
Realizing what Romeo meant, Hotaru slowly began to see the benefits of his idea, "So… We would be able to share the burden of the Pillar between us by taking turns. One of us takes care of the planet, while the other enjoys the life and luxuries that are brought forth by nigh omnipotence. And with the Magic Knights gone, literally no one will be able to stop us."
"And best of all, we do not have to worry about one of us betraying the other!" Romeo exclaimed proudly. "Since the person in charge of praying is technically in charge of everything, the other doesn't have the luxury of growing lazy."
"One of us prays, while the other plays…"
"Exactly! And imagine the sorts of luxuries we shall have! All the foods and drinks, all the power, all the worldly possessions we have ever wanted! We can have all the entertainment, all the women, no… all waifus we have ever desired!" Romeo exclaimed, clenching his fists while drooling lustfully.
Though Stella had sat back and listened to all this quietly, this last part she had to object, "Wait… That was never our agreement!"
"Silence slave!" Romeo yelled out, pointing his finger at her threateningly. "You are better off knowing your place and serving us! Because at best you are disposable goods that can be easily replaced!"
"Do NOT talk to her like that!" Hotaru snarled at his shadow, causing even Romeo to jump. "She is the only thing I have left of Alcyone…"
"Buddy, Alcyone doesn't matter anymore!" Romeo whispered loudly. "Once we become the Pillars of Cephiro, we can have hundreds of Alcyones!"
"…Or I can have the original back," Hotaru thought about it, realizing he could always wish to have her brought back to him.
She may have left me and I may have intended to let her go, but what if I just took her back in by force? She left because she was afraid Cephiro would not accept her the way she is. But if me and Romeo are the Pillars, then I can just force the world to accept us! I can have Alcyone and all the benefits of being the Pillar, while also enjoying a life of ultimate luxury! Though my schedule will be full having to balance all three…
As Hotaru was getting lost in his thoughts, Romeo stared at him resentfully, "Seriously Vider, you're still thinking about her?!"
"If I am to seize the opportunity to have everything in the world, I might as well share it with her," Hotaru said willfully. "She has been through a lot because of me and I cannot stop loving her…"
"HAH! Oh please! 'What she has been through'? You have any idea what I've been through for you!" Romeo yelled, deeply insulted, before sharing another memory. "Like said before! This plan has been ten years in the making!"
When I first appeared on Cephiro ten years ago, I was but a small child-like imp with itty-bitty horns on my head. My head was full of memories of someone else, someone who reminded me of myself but wasn't, and I deeply admired. I started traveling in order to find out answers, as I remembered your words echoing in my head, keep going forward.
The war between those resisting Zagato and those sided with him was in full swing, so I was able to go mostly unnoticed. Using clothes left behind on battlefields, I was able to fashion myself some crude garments. It took me a while to understand where I was, but over time your memories of this place allowed me to piece things together. Realizing where I was, what I was, and where you were, I was ecstatic, but also overwhelmed.
The land of Cephiro, a world where dreams could come true, a fantasy world you had dreamed of reincarnating in! But you weren't here. You were still on that other version of Earth, living your miserable day to day life. Because we were in different worlds, I couldn't sense you in my heart, but I knew you were still moving forward to make a better life for yourself.
To follow in your footsteps, I decided to try and make the most of me being in this world. I made contact with people, pretending that I was a fairy or sorts, but I was quickly called out by the actual fays. If you think the Japanese are bad with foreigners, you should see Cephiroans when dealing with monsters. Especially ones that can talk. I had to run for my life, which wasn't as easy as you'd think, for I had no magic! I wasn't able to learn it either, for I had no teacher!
But, just like you, I am the resilient type and did not let this perturb me, for I would survive. While I had no shelter or place to call a home, Cephiro's climate was pleasant all year round. As for food, Cephiro has an abundant selection of edible plants with the wackiest of fantastical fruits. As such I was able to live on my own, relatively far away from human settlements. I tried building my own huts and homes, but the longest I was able to live in one was a month before it was wrecked by a monster. Hence, I decided to stay on the move instead of staying in one place for too long.
This all lasted for about a year, until one day, I was contacted by none other than Princess Emeraude herself. She appeared before me as a vision, asking who I was and where I had come from. Once I had shared with her what you already know, she vanished, telling me we would talk again later.
It was sometime after that I made my second attempt at contacting people, while hiding my horns with a scarf I had found in the forest. Instead of going for a village, I aimed for a singular family living in isolation as woodcutters. Their young daughter judged me harmless and in dire need of help and some fresh clothes. She took me to her home where their family accepted me, gave me food and shelter, and let me live with them. At first, they asked me about the scarf and I told them it was a memento of my mother, which allowed me to keep it on.
But as weeks went by and the wars grew worse, paranoia began to settle in everywhere. One day when we were on a shopping run in a nearby town, one of the guards forced me to take off my scarf to prove I wasn't a spy. All the hospitality that I had known from my adoptive family till then, disappeared in an instant. I was forced to flee and return to the wilderness once more.
Left alone, I was contacted by Emeraude again, with her this time revealing to me our true identity as her son Aston. I asked her why we had been abandoned on Earth, but she refused to tell me. Our conversations from that point on were short and infrequent, as she could only talk to me when her powers allowed her to. But regardless, over the next several years, we discussed how it would be possible for both you and me to become the next Pillar. It would not be a perfect solution to the Pillar system, but it would be significantly better than having a single person bear the weight of the entire world.
Naturally, I didn't let Emeraude in on what I was planning to do to Cephiro afterwards, but that was all according to plan. Unfortunately, for that plan to work, you would first have to come here. So, I waited, knowing you would one day find your way to this world. For if there was one person in the world who could figure it out, it would be you!
But before that could happen, I needed to survive until then. While the wars eventually grew less violent due to the drop in population, the world itself began to turn less hospitable. The natural food and water sources I had survived on turned rarer and rarer, until they were all gone. I had to start hunting, but then animals became less common and harder to trap. In return, the monsters became more and more frequent, forcing me to stay on my toes every day. But I needed to survive.
I resorted to stealing food from villages at the dead of night, which wasn't too difficult with our sneaking skills. Sometimes I would get caught, forcing me to fend for myself, but I had already grown strong enough that I didn't have to run. As monsters kept getting more and more frequent and started attacking the towns and villages, the humans kept upping their security. Eventually getting food became so hard that I had to do the unthinkable. I needed to survive, by any means necessary.
I started luring unsuspecting people into places I could ambush them in, before killing and eating them. I wasn't picky about my targets, for I needed to survive. Granted adults made for heartier meals, which meant less death. But being the little imp that I was, I was better off hunting prey close to my own size. Naturally I kept all this a secret from Emeraude. She didn't have to know what I had to resort to, in order to survive.
Then, finally, after ten years of surviving in this world, I could feel my heart finally reconnect with you. I was so happy I couldn't believe it! And not much longer after that, I finally became able to use magic as you did! All I had to do now was to find you. But by the time I did, you had changed…
"You used to shamelessly exploit people like it was a routine and go through women like shoes!" Romeo ranted, finishing sharing his memories. "But now you just keep thinking about one woman when you can have them all! I thought you were just using the hospitality of the people living in this pile of rock for lounging and food, but you really have gone soft!"
Having listened to Romeo rant for what felt like an eternity, Hotaru was stunned in place by what he had heard. His mind was overloaded by pity, disgust, sympathy, anger, and shame. Romeo was right, for while he hadn't enjoyed his life in Japan, his life had been good compared to his shadow's. He was sickened by Romeo's actions, but knew that if put in the same scenario, he would probably have done something similar to survive. His anger flared out, as his shadow spoke crudely of Alcyone and himself. But what truly left him paralyzed, was the shame he experienced as he remembered the actions of his past self.
"You said it yourself, Vider. You have nothing left to lose," Romeo reminded him in a softer tone. "You were never meant to be a hero, but a villain. So just embrace that fact and let's turn this world into a paradise for us!"
"…And Hell to others," Hotaru continued, quoting something he had written on a message board a long time ago.
"Exactly!"
As Romeo waited for Hotaru's response, they were both interrupted by the sounds of battle from outside. Looking out the window, Hotaru could see the FTO and Rayearth battling, remembering that Autozam was still attacking the Sanctuary. While Romeo could feel a twinge of concern coming from Hotaru, he didn't charge in for the battle, but instead turned towards Stella.
"Stella, do you know how to contact others with telepathy?"
Shivering as she barely even knew the man in front of her anymore, Stella reluctantly nodded, "Yes, I do…"
"Please connect me to Hikaru and Master Mage Clef," he requested politely yet sternly.
"…Please touch my shoulder," Stella instructed the brunet man, before turning her back to him.
With Hotaru placing his hand onto Stella's shoulder, Stella concentrated on the people around her. As requested, she connected the thoughts of herself, Hotaru, Clef, and Hikaru, catching the attention of the latter two. In the throne room, Clef instinctually looked up towards the antechamber of the Proof of the Pillar. Outside, Hikaru felt a shiver go down her spine, almost failing to block Eagle's plasma wrist sword.
With Stella staying quiet, Hotaru spoke calmly, "Hikaru, Clef, listen to me!"
(Hotaru, where are you?!) Clef gasped.
(Hotaru-san! I'm so glad you're okay!) Hikaru yelled. (We need to stop Eagle from getting into the Sanctuary!)
"It doesn't matter and you're wrong," Hotaru spoke over them with authority. "Clef, lower the barrier and let Eagle in!"
(But—!)
"To find the Proof of the Pillar he needs to be able to move around in the Sanctuary! For that he must get out of his mech, at which point we can capture him. Clef, tell Lafarga and Lantis to be ready for him. Hikaru, you follow after Eagle and help others flank him!"
(...Alright!)
Moments after Hotaru pulled his hand away from Stella, Romeo screamed, "Why are you helping them! You have any idea how much effort I have put into trying to get those Magic Knights killed!"
"If I know you as well as I know me, quite a lot," Hotaru said casually. "But I cannot just allow them to die for my sake. Not after everything they have done for me."
"And what have they done for you!?" Romeo asked, furrowing his hairless brow. "Your friends, your family, your lovers, your caretakers, your teachers! EVERYONE was but a tool for you to get what you wanted! It was the same with those girls as you tried to get to where you are right now! What exactly have they done to you, for you to start caring about other people now!?"
"…It's not that I never cared about people," Hotaru stated stoically, a small tear appearing in the corner of his eye. "Unlike in this life, I was born into a world filled with people who loved me. My mom, my grandparents, my innumerous uncles and aunts on both sides of my family, my older cousins, my friends; they all gave me their support throughout my life. Because of that, I grew complacent, thinking that no matter what happened, no matter what I did, I would always have someone to fall back on."
Looking at his hand, Hotaru imagined the old photographs of his friends and family that he had had in his previous life. Pictures of faces that he would never again be able to see, people who he would never again be able to meet. Though the pain of their loss was immense, he shed no tears.
"And yet when I died, I kept living my life the same as always. Using and abusing the good will of others, thinking no matter how bad things got, I would always have someone to fall back on. Whether it was the people at the orphanage, the teachers at school, the few classmates I hung out with," Hotaru paused, before looking at Romeo, "or even myself."
Looking at Romeo, Hotaru could see the demon's face turning pale. He was sweating and panting heavily, not out of anger, but out of confusion and denial, as she felt sickly and dizzy. His body convulsed as his horns peaked out from underneath his skin, as his body rejected Hotaru's feelings.
"…I only realized how wrong I was, eighteen years too late," Hotaru admitted ashamedly, looking at his poor delusional shadow. "That is why I cannot turn my back on those girls, for they reminded me of the importance of human relationships. Without them, I may have never realized how much I truly loved Alcyone and just forgotten about her like so many others. They have my eternal gratitude."
Panting heavily and crouched over due to the pain, Romeo stared up at Hotaru through steamy eyes. He was disgusted and sickened by the unfamiliar feelings pouring out of his creator's heart. Was this the man he had looked up to his entire life? Had he really grown this soft and caring, only due to the influence of the Magic Knights?
"…Besides, your plan was flawed to begin with," Hotaru added with a heavy sigh.
"Flawed!?" Romeo yelled, his purple eyes flaring out. "How could my plan be flawed!?"
"The Proof of the Pillar only accepts someone it deems worthy. And like you said, we are demons," Hotaru said matter of factly, disappointed in himself. "While ruling Cephiro like immortal gods at a playground would be fun, it isn't to be. We would simply be rejected by the Proof of the Pillar, and spat out like used gum."
"T-That's not true!" Romeo yelled through his stomach cramps, while standing upright. "We are worthy! I can prove it to you! We just need to open the door!"
"Even if the door were to be closed, the Proof of the Pillar would just seek out the one it deems worthy," Hotaru pointed out, referring to his old memories of the show. "But if you insist on proving me wrong…"
Seeing Hotaru raising his hand up and pointing it towards the heavy metal door at the end of the room, Romeo and Stella quickly hurried behind him. A lime-green sphere of light formed in Hotaru's hand, as he charged up his new spell.
"Uranium Cannon!"
A bright flash and a loud bang rocked the antechamber, as the nuclear spell struck the metallic door. While the door had been designed to hold back any intruder, even its protections had their limits. Prepared to fire another shot as soon as the smoke cleared, Hotaru was surprised to see a gaping hole where the door used to be. While the door was intact and laying on the ground, the wall and frame around it had crumbled. While he was surprised by the power of his new spell, what he saw beyond the hole surprised him even more.
From the hole shone a blindingly bright, light-blue light that overwhelmed everyone in the antechamber. Even before they could get used to the brightness, they could all hear the loud sound of rushing water echo out of the chamber. As the light finally faded slightly, they could see a stone pillar with a floating golden pedestal above it. The pillar was surrounded by powerful surging water currents that flowed up towards the ceiling. Above the pedestal, floated a glowing, golden yellow, and perfectly round sphere.
"The shape of the crown… Has changed!" Romeo exclaimed excitedly, as his eyes and smile widened staring at it.
"That means you can become the next Pillar!" Stella gasped in every sense of awe.
"…Either that or Hikaru and Eagle are close by," Hotaru said skeptically, quelling his excitement, before turning to Romeo. "Are you sure you are willing to risk it?"
Romeo's heart beat loudly from his ever growing nervousness, as his other half made a fair point. However, after everything he had been through, after everything he had done, after everyone he had betrayed; there was no turning back. Keeping Tungsten Defense active just in case, Romeo started walking towards the light in front of him. Though his feet felt heavier than lead (no duh) and his stomach was still cramping, he kept going forward. As he stepped onto the turbulent waters, the currents grew stronger, until he was standing directly on top of the waters.
Hotaru was forced to close his eyes, as the water currents surrounded Romeo completely and a bright light almost blinded him. Hearing the merciless turbulent waters and an ear-piercing metallic sound, he gritted his teeth while imagining the gruesome end of Romeo. As the sound of rushing water dissipated, Hotaru sighed deeply, feeling like he had lost someone important to him. His worries were forgotten, upon hearing heavy footsteps coming closer.
"Look!" Stella yelled, shaking his shoulder.
Opening his eyes, Hotaru couldn't believe his eyes. With his clothes in an even worse condition than before, with his remaining hair wet and slick, Romeo walked out of the chamber. In his hand he carried a golden glowing sphere about the size of a soccer ball. Though he looked like he had just gone through Hell, there was a victorious and predatory grin on his face.
"I told you we were worthy…" Romeo smirked as he walked in front of Hotaru.
Feeling threatened for the first time since getting his adult form back, Hotaru stayed on guard as Romeo approached. But as far as he could tell, there was no hostility in his shadow's approach, only the level of smugness he would expect from himself in this scenario. Staring at the orb in disbelief, Hotaru watched as its shape began to slowly transform into something else.
"The Proof of the Pillar is not as picky as one might think. As long as one has a strong enough heart, anyone can become the Pillar!" Romeo yelled victoriously, his teeth showing through his smile. "The only thing truly stopping someone like us becoming the next Pillar, was the protection left behind by Princess Emeraude. And Debonair already trod on that landmine!"
Before Hotaru could respond, Romeo quickly threw his head down, looking at the floor, "YOU HEAR THAT, YOU BITCH! I have played you since the moment you were born!"
"…But should someone like us become the Pillar?" Hotaru asked, still overwhelmed by everything going on.
"What does it matter? This is Cephiro! The world where the will of one rules over all!" Romeo exclaimed, his grin turning more and more monstrous. "Ever since its inception, the Pillar system has been susceptible to its own shortcomings! It was only a matter of time till someone like us came along and learnt to abuse it! One heart, two wills!"
As Romeo spoke, the golden sphere split into two as if by mitosis. The two smaller spheres then began to warp and invert on themselves. Instead of a crown or a sword, the Proof of the Pillar turned into two, glowing, donut-shaped objects. The shapes slowly became more and more refined and sharper, until forming two nearly identical bracelets. The bracelets were golden and thick, almost looking like large wristwatches. Their bands were segmented into large scales, like bodies of centipedes. At the top of each bracelet was a large round gem, each one surrounded by four red rubies. One of the gems was lime-green, the other deep purple, signifying their owners.
"Sure, we might not be able to create the most stable of Cephiros, but where is the harm in that?" Romeo said casually, his voice warping deeper and more distorted. "It was about time these people learnt to live with a few natural disasters! After all, the only thing we need to worry about is our own happiness!"
Tearing his eyes away from the bracelets, both Hotaru and Stella saw Romeo's skin begin to crawl and shift. His body began to bulge out and grow, as his form became larger and more disproportionate. At first Hotaru thought Romeo was summoning his spikes, until he saw his face begin to distort as well.
"Imagine it, Vider! Every single one of our fantasies brought to life! Thousands of beautiful women, magical creatures, and monster girls of any kind, serving our every whim and urge! All the foods, wines, desserts, drugs, and fantastical sensations within our disposal! We could have all the treasures, works of art, gemstones, gold, palaces, yachts and private airships we could ever dream of! We can even force Debonair to bend a knee to us and make her our pet!"
As Romeo listed off everything he could think of, his posture grew hunched and the shape of his head became longer. His hands became larger and his fingers thicker, with his nails turning into sharp black claws. From underneath his remaining, long dark hair, a pair of huge, black, feathered wings sprouted out. His tattered clothes now looked like a black robe, haphazardly wrapped around him.
"We can maim, torture, and torment our people and servants to our hearts' content, without anyone being able to stop us! Imagine every sadistic scenario and twisted idea you have ever had! They will be reality and our right to carry out! Whether we bathe in their blood or hunt their young for sport, the Pillar system will protect us! And if the peasants amass an uprising against us, we can simply wipe them out with our bare hands and replace them all afterwards!"
In addition to Romeo's horns turning sharper and jagged, a second pair of ram-like horns grew from the back of his head. His lengthening jaw and facial features began to resemble those of a jackal, with his long sharp teeth shining silver. The demon's purple eyes expanded and stretched out, forming into red, vicious looking compound eyes. His pointy ears stretched downwards, resembling the ears of a goat. The only thing that could possibly even hint at the demon having resembled a human at some point, was his slightly tan, warped skin.
"We will live forever in perfect bliss and gratification! We will be free to enjoy our kingdom till the day we are bored of it! Maybe we will even summon new batches of Magic Knights just to toy with them! Or fuck it! Maybe we can even travel to other universes! Our Paradise, their Hell!"
As Hotaru could sense Stella shivering in fear behind him, he did his best not to let his smile be shown. Though he knew it was wrong, there was something very tempting about Romeo's proposition. Whether his shadow was being twisted by the Proof of the Pillar or by all the possibilities both of them were thinking of, Hotaru wasn't sure. Even if he weren't to do all that, he would still be given the auspicious title of the Pillar, something even he could never have dreamed of.
Seeing the temptation in his eyes, Romeo offered the bracelets to Hotaru, "You always said; if you had the money, if you the power, if you had the influence, if you had the status, or if you had the opportunity, you would conquer the world. Now, you have the power and status, and this, is the opportunity."
Looking at the lime-green gemmed bracelet and then up into the red compound eyes of his inner demon, Hotaru spoke, "While the temptation is there, it is diminished by the loss of all things I would be giving up in exchange. I refuse."
"The loss?" Romeo tilted his bestial head. "The loss of what exactly! You are gaining everything!"
"Yes, but losing everyone," Hotaru corrected his self-reflection. "I would lose the respect of all of my friends, say goodbye to all those who got me this far, and I don't think Alcyone could ever forgive me."
"Oh BOOHOO!" Romeo let out an unearthly howl. "You don't need to concern yourself with the feelings of a dead woman!"
"…Dead woman?" Hotaru's eyes sharpened.
"Nova and Debonair," Romeo grinned, slowly leaning over Hotaru, "under my guidance, took Alcyone hostage after she fled home."
"You did what!?" Stella screeched, her gray skin turning pale.
While Stella wanted to throw herself at Romeo's throat, she found herself unable to take another step closer. For the figure standing between them, was exuding an aura of absolute dread that even eclipsed that of the one holding the reins of the world.
"They wanted to make sure you would comply with orders once they captured you," Romeo continued chuckling, before finally standing up right, almost reaching the ceiling. "Of course, that was just another case of me playing them for fools. But considering that termagant Debonair has probably been listening to this conversation all this time, the cat is out of the bag now."
"…You think she has killed her?"
"Right. There is no one left for you to worry about anymore," Romeo said calmly. "She probably killed her right after finding out about my betrayal. She is quick to put two and two together, and even quicker to dish out executions."
"That's impossible!" Stella objected, pressing her hand against her heart. "If she had died, then I surely would—!"
Before Stella could finish, Hotaru interrupted her with a wave of his hand, "…You obviously do not know enough about villains."
Hearing the bone chilling calmness in Hotaru's voice, Romeo raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"
"To kill her out of spite right now would be beneath her," Hotaru deduced, keeping his heart steeled and calm with sheer willpower. "To wait till I am there to see her die; that is what she would do. For otherwise, she would simply be admitting defeat, without any sense of satisfaction."
Without another word, Hotaru turned around and began to walk towards the hole in the wall he had blown up earlier. Seeing the only person he had ever respected turn his back to him, Romeo's anger flared up as his sharp teeth gnashed together. But even as Hotaru could feel the hostility of his shadow radiating from behind him, he did not turn around.
"Are you really doing this!" Romeo snarled angrily. "Are you really going to turn your back on everything that life has to offer, just because of some NOBODIES! I didn't spend TEN YEARS preparing all this for you, just for you to grow SOFT!"
"I didn't grow soft. I grew up." Hotaru stated, stopping in his tracks. "There is more to life than instant gratification and getting everything you want. It is also about making sure everyone you care about is happy and safe too."
"Then what about my happiness! Do you not care about me?!" The demon roared, its voice echoing throughout the upper floors of the Sanctuary. "I went through Hell and high waters for you! I suffered starvation, frost burns, monster attacks, and solitude for a DECADE! All so that I could bring you this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, to live out your dreams! And you will throw it all away for a woman the likes of which you can find any day of the week!"
Turning to give Romeo a side-eye, Hotaru stared at him disappointedly, "No. You don't get it. I can conquer Cephiro any day I choose! But Alcyone? One only comes across a woman like her every other lifetime."
"You mean you would throw away the world for just a woman you love!?" Romeo roared in disbelief.
As Hotaru started silently walking away again, the demon couldn't help but grit its sharpened silver teeth and dig its sharp claws into its palm. While his frustration was immense, the sense of defeat was even greater. Looking at the two bracelets in his other hand, the demon eventually lowered his head.
"My god that is so stupidly manly…" He sighed.
As Hotaru was about to reach the opening created by Uranium Cannon, he was interrupted by the sound of splashing water. Looking back to where the metal door had stood, he saw Romeo and his wings covering the entire hole of his second shot. As the demon turned back towards him and walked over, Hotaru saw the Proofs of the Pillar back on the pedestal.
"I am not going to try and rule this dump on my own," Romeo griped, his demonic form looming over the paladin. "Even I am not that crazy. But neither are you."
"What changed your mind?" Hotaru inquired, while looking up at his shadow.
"Nothing. This is revenge," Romeo said in a deep voice, staring down with his compound eyes. "You will never again have the opportunity to rule Cephiro freely as its Pillar. And I can guarantee you; you will regret your decision of turning your back on me."
"…We will see about that," Hotaru smirked.
Placing his giant clawed hand onto Hotaru's chest armor, Romeo snarked back, "Don't go blaming me when you realize you wasted your future saving the villainess."
Like autumn leaves rustled by a bitter wind, Romeo's body undulated before turning see-through. The ghostly figure then fell upon Hotaru, before being sucked into his being. Placing his hand where Romeo's hand had been, directly over his heart, Hotaru couldn't help but feel slightly proud of his shadow. Not many little brothers would go through so much for their older siblings.
Walking through the several holes he had blown through the crystal tower and stepping over their molten edges, Hotaru reached the outer wall. Looking beyond the stony peaks of mountains and the stormy clouds above them, he gazed out into the dark abyss that surrounded Cephiro. With renewed vigor and purpose, he prepared himself to fight that abyss.
"DEBONAIR!" Hotaru roared into the distance. "I know you have something I want back and I am coming to get it! You wish to try and kill me, go right ahead! But if you do as much as harm a SINGLE hair on Alcyone's head, I promise you! Death will not save you from my wrath!"
As he was about to take flight, he felt a cold and delicate hand grab hold of his wrist. As there was no need to guess who it was, Hotaru didn't bother to turn around, for his heart could not bear to see what was behind him.
"Please… Don't go!" Stella pleaded, sobbing terrified. "As powerful as you are right now, …you stand no chance against Debonair… without the Proof of the Pillar! She will kill you!"
"And what is it that you want me to do?" Hotaru asked quietly.
"Please, stay with me," the vampiric woman asked, hugging him from behind. "...I love you."
Using Steel Strength, Hotaru spread his arms, prying Stella off of him forcefully, before rising up into the air with Aluminum Flight. With his heart all set and ready to go, he gave one last look at Stella, who looked up at him with tears in her eyes.
"I am sorry, but I cannot love you without loving Alcyone, and I can only love her as a whole," Hotaru stated firmly. "Take care of yourself while I'm gone."
Before Stella could object one more time, the man she had been created for flew into the horizon, "HOTARU!"
Author's Afterword: This… might be the most divisive chapter I have written thus far, and it is not because of the Of Mice and Men reference in the title. Romeo's betrayal of Debonair was teased a few times throughout the story, so I don't think anyone is upset about that. But Hotaru's past being revealed might be a tough pill to swallow. I have sprinkled a lot of foreshadowing into these chapters since the beginning on numerous things. But this one was admittedly foretold by the best hidden ones.
Another reason why Hotaru's past and darker side being brought out may turn people off, is because he has been our point of view character. Someone we can relate to. Someone we can imagine ourselves as when traveling and interacting with our favorite characters. But as the saying of three faces goes, there is always a side to a person that you will never know about.
Now that Romeo has returned to whence he came, I hope he will have left a lasting impression on everyone. He was an interesting character to write about and I hope he at least managed to out stage Debonair till the very end. But while his cruelty, sadism, and malevolence have left us, their source still remains.
As for the future of the series, I am excited to get to work on the next chapter. While these past two chapters have been on the mental image board for a while, the next chapter is the one I have been thinking about the most. Bar the season finale, of course. Hotaru has been sitting on the sidelines for far too long now, and I think we all agree it is time for him to see some action again.
As always, reviews and speculations are welcomed and appreciated. I am glad to have once again received plenty of reviews. My thanks go to our recurring anonymous Guest(s?), James Birdsong and Antoinette Veronica for your reviews on the last chapter!
