MPK: This fight from the anime is the funniest to me~ (EDITED)

It was another clear day at Southern Cross High School. So clear, that the entire Night Flight Drama Club came together outside to do some stretches in the courtyard. Even when the entire school was watching them.

Sarina blows a whistle, "Alright everybody, pair up!"

"I-I feel like the entire school is watching us." Niika reiterates.

"Probably because they are." Jaguar tells her, "Come on, don't be shy! You can be my partner since Tiger is still recuperating from yesterday." As she says that, Tiger waves to them from a nearby bench.

"Kazuma-kun, why don't you pair up with this guy?" Sugata starts to introduce the boy who just walked over, "This is Aoki Tsubasa-kun. He's an honorary member. He's normally with the cycling club, but he's good with tech stuff. He usually handles things like setup, lighting, and sound." The bluenette then whispers, "Don't worry, he doesn't know. We have a lot of honorary members like him, but there's still only a select few of us who know about cybodies and The Glittering Crux."

"To be honest, I don't think they'd believe us if we told them..." Kazuma sighs.

"Hi." Tsubasa greets shyly. "I apologize for the lack of attendance."

"He'd do great on stage!" Jaguar and Tiger jump up when they see him. "You can never have enough handsome faces." The two speak in unison. Tsubasa backs away from them, but with each step he takes they follow.

"No way. Being backstage is plenty for me. I really can't act, so..."

"We'll hold your hand and guide you!"

"Uh, no. That's...not..." Kazuma grabs Tsubasa's arm.

"Would you guys cut it out? You're embarrassing the poor guy! Besides, you should be sitting down Tiger-chan! You still need to recover." When Jaguar walks Tiger back to the bench, Kazuma rests his attention on Tsubasa. "And you! How do you think you're gonna appeal to the girls muttering like that? You need to build up your confidence!"

"Sorry..."

"It's fine. That's exactly why Sarina-senpai is making us do these exercises. Let's go go!"

"All right, put your back into it! The drama club's not just any culture club! Our plays are how we do battle!" Sarina shouts as everyone starts stretching in pairs. Sarina pairs herself with Wako, Takuto with Sugata, Niika with Jaguar, and Kazuma with Tsubasa.

"But why are we doing it outside?" Takuto complains.

"Fanservice, duh." Sarina deadpans.

"Fanservice? Really?" The redhead observes all the students watching them from the large windows above.

"My brother would kill me if he saw me right now..." Niika cries.

"Well just think about it. There's only a 99.5% chance that he'll see you before we're done-" Niika glares his way, "What?! Don't believe in the .5%!?"

"Hold on Kazuma. The sound guys need some help." Tsubasa says jogging over to them. He then climbs a ladder to help them put speakers up on a nearby pole.

Just then the ground starts to rumble, "Whoa. Earthquake?"

"Tsubasa-kun!" Kazuma then looks toward his new acquaintance. Tsubasa had fallen off the ladder he had just climbed, and plummeted to the ground, almost hitting Kazuma in the process. If it wasn't for the use of his first phase, Kazuma would've been on the ground injured just like Tsubasa. The whitenette begins to feel guilty that he did nothing to help cushion Tsubasa's fall.

"Let's get him to the infirmary!" He is the first to volunteer to take him to the nurse's office and does so with Sugata's help.

"Ne, Kazu-kun." Kazuma slightly blushes at the new nickname given to him by Niika. "You stopped time earlier somehow, didn't you? How did you do that? W-Was it your first phase?"

"Maybe." He doesn't confirm or deny it. "But what about you? Have you figured out your first phase yet?"

Niika crosses her arms and pouts, "Maybe. Hmph." Kazuma blushes a little more after seeing her cute reaction.

"Touchè."

"Heh? Kazuma likes Miss Takashiro. Who would have thought?" Sugata closes the door infirmary door behind him.

"Why would you say that, Sugata-kun?" Niika asks completely clueless.

"Yeah! W-Why would you say that? W-Which is completely inaccurate by the way!" Kazuma stutters making Sugata laugh wholeheartedly. Niika gives him a look of confusion.

"So how is he?" Niika interrupts.

"Tsubasa-kun? Right, he's fine. He's really lucky, all he has is a few bruises...and a lot of bandages..." He continues to laugh to himself.

"Is that so? Thank goodness." Kazuma sighs in relief.

Sugata crosses his arms, "Oh yes. Miss Takashiro, Arata is also in there."

"What!?" Niika almost bolts inside after hearing that, but Sugata grabs her by the arm.

"Arata told me not to tell you but, he knew I would tell on him anyway." Niika tries to get away but to no avail. "So he wanted me to tell you not to worry about him and he'll promise to explain later."

Niika sighs as he lets her loose, "Fine. But only if it's nothing-"

"NIIKA WATCH OUT!" Kazuma once again uses his first phase not only to save himself but Niika this time, pulling her backward into his chest. The door they were standing in front of, the school nurse's office, had violently swung open and had almost hit the both of them. Sugata narrowly scoots over, because he was not really in the way.

"-serious?" Niika just barely finishes her sentence.

"Was that Arata-kun? I didn't even hear him coming. You must have some good ears, Kazuma-kun." Sugata says looking in the direction of the runaway.

"Uh, thanks." Kazuma releases his hold on Niika after seeing her against his form. His face is completely flushed.

"Ah, he ran away." The school nurse, Ms Okamoto, mumbles surfacing from the room as well.

"Kazuma-kun, you are really red today. Maybe you should go get your temperature taken. I'm sure Ms Okamoto would love to do that."

"Shut up, Sugata!" Sugata laughs once more.

'But seriously, was it just me or did Arata have a different...aura around him?' Sugata then thinks, 'No, maybe it's just my imagination...'

"You should really stop trying to hide it."

"Be quiet." Arata says quietly gripping his shirt. Ever since the earthquake, his chest had started to feel tight. Almost a burning sensation, and he didn't know what to do.

"It's because you're hiding it."

"I said be quiet you!" Arata had gone to the nurse, thinking she would know how to help. But she didn't seem to know anything about it. Her only suggestion was pills for heartburn.

"Which is not anywhere close to the real problem. The source of the earthquake combined with the guilt of your secrecy, it's not healthy for your body. If you'd just let me out..."

"Shut up! I don't want to hear anything else from you!" Arata clutches tightly onto his short brunette locks, wanting to get rid of the voice, even though he knows he can't.

Arata runs into the science lab, which seems to be a potential safe haven. Upon walking inside, he checks to see if any of the chemicals in the medicine cabinet were destroyed during the earthquake. "Nothing so far. But..." He decides to thumb through the bottles, looking for a potential cure for his pain.

"Can I help you with something?" A warm but slightly cold feeling hits Arata, like an Autumn breeze. He turns around to find a black-haired girl in a lab coat trying to glare at him through her glasses. For some reason, Arata relaxes just by looking at her, almost completely forgetting about the pain he was previously in.

"Miss Keito?" Arata says quietly, but she still hears him.

"Takashiro Arata-kun?" Her glare lightens upon him, but only slightly. "Call me anything you like, but please refrain from calling me Miss. Class president, Club President~"

"Then, Keito." Her glare disappears when Arata says her name without any honorifics. He gives her a warm smile, something he doesn't often do. "No objections huh? Keito it is then." Arata turns back to the cabinet before he can notice her reaction.

"What are you doing here?"

"Checking on the bottles. I thought some may have been damaged in the earthquake. It seems like they're fine though." The brunette tells her halfheartedly.

"Well look at you. If you're willing to do something so trivial, you might as well join the science club." Keito stands beside him. "They are. Thank you...There are some missing though." Arata steps back to give her some room in front of the cabinet.

"They did?" She nods.

"Someone has started taking chemicals from the club room without permission. We need to find a way to stop them."

"Really? That's awful." Arata elects to hide the fact that he was planning to steal from the room too. "What exactly did they take?"

"A couple viles of hydrogen peroxide, but that really isn't the issue. I'm more concerned about the bottle of Mandrake they took."

"Mandrake?" He questions.

"The Mandrake love potion. The captivating scent is able to enthrall the opposite sex. The only thing about it is that it's fatal for a teenager to drink it and try to use its effect."

'Was that proven? Or is that a speculation?' "So practically speaking, the potion is worthless to teens. But that means instead for adults~"

"Precisely." Arata combes his hair back with a hand. "Arata-kun, if you see that bottle anywhere you need to let me know immediately."

"Yes, Ma'am." Keito then walks away into the back room. Arata takes that as his time to leave the room.

"You like her."

"No, I don't. I~"

"I know, there's only one girl you'll ever need...Bullshi~"

Arata wanders the hallway as the voice starts to speak again. He tries to block its words out of his mind. But once he does, there's another earthquake, and right on cue, the pain he had just forgotten about returns. "Damn it."

"It would be a lot easier to handle if you'd just let me out and stop trying to hide the mark."

"Shut up, Anaki."

After school at Cafe Eater...

"Niika! There you are, you won't believe this!" Sarina waves her over, "Come here! Sit!"

"What's wrong?" Niika sits down next to her. Most of the drama club members are there. Wako, Sarina, and her are on one side of the booth, and Kazuma, Sugata, and Takuto are on the other side respectively.

"Remember that new girl from earlier Hina-chan? She's gone crazy! Almost every guy in the school has gone completely head-over-heels in love with her!"

"I get she's popular, but does she really have to flaunt it like she does?" Wako asks sipping her drink slowly.

"Yeah, I mean kissing random boys through the glass, blowing kisses, winking!? Not to mention sending a letter to almost every guy in our class. What is she trying to do? Turn the school into her own reverse harem!?" Sugata smacks Kazuma on the back of the head with the letter he had received.

"You're too loud, Otaku."

"It's the smell," Takuto says looking out the window. "It's really potent, almost too potent..."

"The smell?" Niika repeats.

"I agree. But apparently, it doesn't work on all the boys. It didn't work on us." Sugata points out.

"True." Kazuma sips his drink.

"Whatever it is, whenever I smell it in the area, the North Island seems to shift." Wako squeezes her cup.

"How do you know that? Oh, it's because you're a maiden right? You can sense that kind of stuff?" She nods at Takuto.

Sarina places a book on the table, "But back to the girl. Here, everyone take a look. I found it in the school yearbook. Except this one is over ten years old."

"Ten years old? But isn't that Hina-chan right there in that picture?" Niika points to it.

"Right, that's what I thought. But look at the name. This girl's name is Midori Okamoto."

"They do look the same. It has to be her." Kazuma sticks his tongue out, "The school nurse? Ew."

"But this is from years ago." Sugata tries to defend, "Maybe it's her niece or something."

Wako looks at him, "There's a Star Driver with a first phase that lets them turn back their age, remember?"

"That's right! So it really could be her...Ew." Sugata sticks his tongue out too.

Kazuma rolls his eyes, "Copycat..."

"So it's the Crux. The nurse must be a part of it." Takuto pinches the bridge of his nose.

"That kind of power involves a strong distortion of space and time. She must be causing the earthquakes by abusing it. Since the North Seal was broken, the North Island's volcano has been restless. In the worst case, it might even erupt."

Wako squeezes her cup tighter, "If this island were damaged by an eruption from the North Island, it would only get worse from there. If Hina doesn't know that she's connected to the earthquakes, that would be even worse." Sarina covers Wako's hand with one of her own in a comforting way.

"An eruption!? A cybody can do damage like that?"

Kazuma looks at Niika seriously, "It can. And it can do much worse. Especially depending on the cybody. Which is why I suggest you should get more informed about what we're dealing with here before you even think about activating yours."

"True." Sugata agrees, "Compared to the rest of us, Miss Takashiro seems to be quite ignorant of the situation we're in." Niika looks down at the table offended. What they say is true, but it still makes her sad to hear it in such a blunt way.

"So I'm the most useless person out of everyone, huh?" Niika felt tears developing in her eyes. Takuto frowns while everyone else just stares at her. At least until Sarina comes to her rescue once again.

"But that's what you're here for! To become better educated about The Crux so you'll be able to help us out in the future!" She tells her with a determined smile.

"Right. I didn't mean it like that. There's just a lot we still need to inform you of." Sugata tries to cover for himself.

"O-Oh, I see..." Niika then looks up seriously. "Then please start by answering this. If she is a member of The Crux, then she obviously has a motive behind whatever she's using her first phase for. But what does it have to do with sending letters to all the guys in our class? Why target the school like this?"

"I don't think they're necessarily targeting the school. It's more about most of the males within it..." Sugata says, "The pretty boys, to be exact."

"You guys are thinking too much about this. Why would any girl send love letters to her favorite guy or guys?" Sarina then continues not waiting for an answer, "She's probably going to try to...do them."

"Do them?" The boys say in unison.

"Do them?" Wako and Niika do the same.

Sugata instinctively rips the letter that has been sitting under his hand. "What? Not your type, Sugata-kun?"

Sugata fake smiles, "I have a fiancee."

"I thought that's just what your parents decided?"

"Let's not sweat the details."

"Well then," Kazuma says standing up holding his love letter in between his fingers, "Someone should go over there, and see what The Crux is really planning. I'll just pretend to accept and go check it out."

Sarina narrows her eyes, "I knew it, even you got one."

Wako narrows her eyes too, "Just what were you planning to do with it?"

Sugata folds his arms and smirks, "Isn't it obvious? He was going to do her, of course."

"What?! That's not what I was gonna do!" Kazuma pleads, "I was just going to get any information I can on her and the~"

Takuto scoffs, "See? He really was going to do her."

Niika frowns, "That's selfish behavior, Kazu-kun." Her words hit him like a sword in his chest.

"That's not true! The only one who's interested in her is Takuto! If it's not me it would've been him!"

"What!? Don't bring me into this!" Takuto when starts to sweat.

Niika raises an eyebrow suspiciously. "It does sound like something he would do..."

"Huh!?"

"But you did!" Kazuma takes out his phone, "He was even the first one to show me her picture before I met her. Look!" The whitenette shows the girls who all narrow their eyes at the messages Takuto had sent Kazuma.

"TAKUTO." Takuto is trying to escape under the table. "YOU RED-HEADED BAKA!"

Then from her place on the booth, Niika kicks him, where the sun doesn't shine.

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

In the end, Takuto is still the one who ends up going. After their little conversation, Kazuma loses his will to go, his pride takes a huge blow due to Niika's previous words. He is also convinced by Sugata that he isn't Hina-chan's type, "allegedly".

Niika doesn't trust Takuto going alone. Just the thought of it made her uneasy for some reason. So that night, she navigates herself from among the trees like she had done nights before. She follows Takuto to the spot where he is to meet Hina, aka Ms Okamoto Midori-sensei. Once there, she carefully climbs down the cliff and sits on a tree branch that is nearby.

"So you got my letter?" Hina arrives sitting next to Takuto on the outdoor bench.

Takuto shows her his letter, "It was pretty hard to resist."

"Was it?" She giggles.

"But the thing is, a lot of other guys got these. Even my friend Sugata." The redhead takes out another letter from his pocket, "This one was in Sugata's desk. How can I take you seriously, when you send letters to other guys?"

"Oh, it's nothing to be concerned about." Hina coos, "It wasn't a lot. Just the ones I like."

"And how many do you like?"

Hina begins to stroke his hand gently, "That's my secret!"

'Oh no!' Takuto begins to think, 'Her scent is really starting to get to me! She actually smells good!'

Meanwhile, in the tree looking down upon them from above, Niika scowls. She had a feeling that Takuto would end up flirting with Hina, instead of interrogating her like he was supposed to. The way they are interacting with each other, makes Niika's chest feel tight. "Tch, I thought he was just getting info~" Niika's cheeks puff up with anger, "He really is a Baka..."

Niika's eyes sadden as she moves closer to the edge of the branch trying to get a better view. As soon as she leans forward, there is another earthquake. Niika gasps at the violent shaking and almost falls completely out of the tree. Her arms hang on for dear life. She was literally out on a limb.

Ignoring Hina, who had grabbed onto his arm tightly, Takuto senses there was something wrong nearby. But when the ground stills, Hina holds Takuto's face in place, keeping his attention on her. He stares downward, "Those tremors have been happening a lot recently. If the volcano up north blows, we're all in trouble."

Hina gives him a seductive grin, despite what had just happened. "Don't think about scary things. Let's just have fun together." She puts a hand on his cheek.

After pulling herself back into the tree successfully, Niika sees Hina and Takuto about to kiss. She looks away in disgust, clicking her tongue. "Tch!"

Takuto indeed hears that. He smirks before resting his attention on Hina. 'Yes, yes. Back to work as usual...' "Are you causing these earthquakes? This power of yours is going to cause a disaster, if you don't know."

Hina speaks between her puckered lips, "So what? Is causing earthquakes against school rules?"

"I guess not. But you know it could kill us. Right?" Takuto leans back away from her. "Selfishness isn't a quality that I find attractive. Sorry, Hina-chan. But I don't think that I'm your type either."

"Ugh!" Hina groans. When she suddenly stands, Takuto stands up too. "Let me tell you something. Whoever beats you is going to take command of The Glittering Crux!" Hina smirks sadistically, "The fights are only going to get harder. Prepare yourself, Galactic Pretty Boy!"

"I'm already prepared for anything you've got."

"I'm disappointed, though." She then says skipping away, "I really wanted to get a taste of you."

Takuto sighs before sitting back down on the bench. He closes his eyes after stretching his arms and legs and jerking his head back. "She's gone now. You can stop eavesdropping, Midori no me."

Niika properly drops down from the tree, "How long did you know?"

"The whole time." He says without looking, "You and I are connected, Midori no me. I'll always be able to sense where you are at any time I please."

"Liar." Niika crosses her arms, "You probably heard me almost fall off the tree when the earth shook." The redhead tries to hold back a laugh.

"You fell down? Ha! That's what you get for wanting to spy on me." Takuto chuckles, "I told everyone I could handle the situation on my own. Why did you follow me?" He leans back on the bench, laying an arm around the backside. "Were you that worried about me?"

"No." Niika states bluntly, "I knew you couldn't be serious enough to do what we told you. I followed you to make sure you stayed on task. That's all." She unconsciously puffs her cheeks. "Once again, you weren't. I knew I was going to find the two of you flirting!"

"You're not even ashamed of yourself are you?" Takuto looks up at her in amusement. "How does it feel to be jealous?"

"Pfft! I wouldn't know, because I don't feel it!"

"Is that so?" The boy chuckles again, "Good, because there's no reason to. I wasn't hitting on Hina-chan, she was flirting with me. It felt way too weird, to be hit on by an older woman. Even if she's using a first phase to make herself younger."

"Using her power to make teenage boys fall for her...that's a really selfish thing to do!"

"And I told her that. Just like you would've if I hadn't." Takuto leans forward again, restless. "I've learned that you can be a brutally honest individual, Midori no me."

"...I'm right, aren't I?" Niika turns away from him. She steps over to the edge of the cliff and leans on the railing. When Takuto goes to stand beside her, Niika continues. "Flirting with the enemy...even wanting to "do her"...Why do you always do such idiotic things? Baka." Takuto grips a hand on the railing while the other rests in his pocket.

"First of all, I do not want to "do her". That's only in your imagination, Midori no me." Takuto clarifies, "And more importantly, why does it bother you who flirts with me? Only jealous girls would worry about that." Niika scowls and grips the railing tighter than she had been.

"S-She just doesn't...seem good for you. Y-You should be with someone more your type."

Takuto's red eyes try to peek at Niika's face without getting too close. "And just what is my type? Hmm?" He asks playfully. Niika blushes, brushing a strand of hair back.

"...What exactly is your type?" She asks quietly but in a frustrated tone.

"Not Hina-chan. So don't worry." Niika seems relieved. Takuto notices this and a small smile picked at the corners of his lips, "My type is...someone I still don't know well enough, to know what my type is yet."

"Heh? That makes no sense!" Niika pouts, "Isn't that just another way of saying you don't know?!"

Takuto's smile widens slightly, "It may not make sense to you, but it makes perfect sense to me." Unable to handle his staring, Niika looks away with a redder blush. "Maybe you'll understand when you're a little older, Midori no me." He jokes to keep the conversation lighthearted.

"...Maybe." Suddenly the wind picks up and blows gently around them. Niika leans further over the railing, letting the breeze flow through her hair. "There it is again."

"There what is?"

"That breeze. You know, the one you feel just before a new season begins. It's almost like a mix of the two seasons together, the one that just passed, and the one that's coming to say hello. A girl I once knew taught me that. In this case, it's Spring and Summer. Spring is telling Summer to come and make the flowers bloom some more, and Summer tells the Spring to leave so that she can do so." She smiles to herself, "The feeling of it all is so calming and so peaceful. It helps me forget everything. Where I came from, where I am now...I can let it just take me away from it all." Niika leans back into the wind once it changes direction.

"It can do all of that?" Takuto blushes slightly. "Wow, I wish I could feel like that."

"Oh, but you can!" Niika takes his hand and puts it up against the wind, "Relax. Just close your eyes and let it embrace you. You'll see." Fighting the bigger blush on his face, Takuto does as Niika tells him to. He takes a deep breath to calm his nerves and closes his eyes. When he reaches out to feel it, Takuto jerks his hand back after feeling a tickling sensation on his fingertips. "Don't be afraid. It wouldn't hurt you. Just reach out and welcome it~" Takuto tries again. This time he welcomes the tingling feeling as it flows through his fingers.

"Amazing..." Takuto trails off opening his eyes. He feels the wind surround him and then die down a bit.

Niika's smile brightens, "I know right!?" She asks her smile seeming more and more genuine. Takuto looks away with embarrassment. When Niika notices she is still holding on to him, she lets go. "Sorry! I just...just uh~" The brunette messes with her fingers, at a loss for words.

Just then both of them hear someone grunting loudly on the beach below them and look down. "Kazu-kun? What's he doing down there?"

"It looks like he's sparring, by himself." Takuto says, "That guy, his attacks are still so reckless."

"You've got to give him some credit. He can fight really well."

"Even so, how he fights is too out of control. If he's not careful, he could end up getting someone really hurt, with just one mistake. He could even hurt himself." Takuto tells her as they continue to watch below them.

"Ah! Hah! Urrrr-ah!" Kazuma grunts in frustration as he spars alone somewhere along the coast of the beach. He is so focused on getting his movements right, that he doesn't notice the boy that approaches him.

"Fujimoto Kazuma-kun." The boy audaciously stands in front of him. Kazuma glances over to find that it is Niika's older brother.

"Takashiro Arata-kun!" He answers back playfully, "What are you doing out here?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Arata says bluntly, folding his arms.

"Oh, just a little sparing. Gotta brush up on my skills!" Kazuma continues to speak in a whimsical tone. He is amused at Arata's straightforwardness. He could tell that Arata wanted something. "How about you, Onii-san?"

"Heh? You're planning to fight someone?" Arata asks, ignoring his question. "Who's that good of a fighter around here that you need to do a little training before facing them?"

Kazuma's expression darkens, but his tone stays the same. "None of your business."

"What? Did I touch a nerve? Did I make you angry, Kazu-kun?" Kazuma raises an eyebrow at the nickname no one else bothers to call him but Niika.

'So this is about her?' Kazuma thinks. "You're obviously here for a reason, Arata-kun. What do you want?" Arata's expression stiffens. There is silence before Arata speaks again.

"Fight me."

"What?" Kazuma questions unexpectantly.

"I said fight me. Is that too hard to understand?" He walks over to the set of wooden swords Kazuma had brought with him, picking out two.

'He's a dual wielder?' "Arata-kun. I can tell you're the type who doesn't fight unless there's a really good reason for it. What are you trying to accomplish?"

"What? I can't just help you spar? I'm not as weak as I look~" Arata drops the innocence in his tone when both boys' eyes clash. "Fine. I want you to fight me right now, with everything you got. And if I win," Arata narrows his eyes. "You'll stay away from my sister."

"What!?" Kazuma shouts, "Why? I haven't done anything wrong!"

"It's what you will do that concerns me." He explains continuing to glare, "I need to protect Niika, but I can't do that with you and your little group of friends around. The less of you the better."

"But then why just focus on me?"

"Oh no, please don't be offended by this. You're just who I'm starting with."

"Arata, don't do it."

'...Not you again. Go away.'

"I'm serious this time, Arata. Don't fight him, it's a really bad idea."

'And why is that?'

"Because to be honest, he'll beat you."

'Why you little~'

"Not only that, but his heart, it's corrupted."

For the first time, Arata decides to listen to what Anaki has to say. He stares at Kazuma, who is starting to snicker loudly. "So, you think you can beat me, and I'll leave her alone? That's all there is to it huh?"

"There's a darkness in Kazuma's heart. So much so, that it has corrupted his spirit. I don't know what made him this way, but I can sense that his cybody, Alphonse, is also affected by it. Someone blinded by that type of dark anger lurking inside of them is dangerous."

"You vaguely amuse me, Takashiro Arata. I'll give you that!" Kazuma's voice deepens like it does in Zero Time, but he continues impishly. "Usually I don't waste my time on pathetic, stubborn people like you. But your cynicalness amuses me. The fact that you're getting cocky about this amuses me further." Kazuma takes a starting position, "If you really think you can do it, try me. This'll be fun."

'His cybody Alphonse? Wait, Kazuma's...a Star Driver?!'

"-Uh duh. Can't you sense the mark right there on his chest?"

Arata frowns at Anaki's know-it-all attitude. The brunette does feel an unfamiliar power just inches away from him. He swears he can faintly see Kazuma's mark, peaking out from the collar of his shirt, glowing dark violet. 'Hold on. You mean to tell me that this guy is that important?'

"Very important! He's one of the legendary warrior Star Drivers, like you. And also like you, he's powerful! And from what I can sense he's got some serious skill too! That's why I'm telling you to back off. But...he insulted you just now, didn't he?"

"You who-Hello? Having regrets already, Arata-kun?" Kazuma shouts to him, ready and waiting. Arata narrows his eyes more and readies himself. "You challenged me. What are you waiting for? A whistle?"

'That's right. Which is why I definitely won't back down now.'

"I get it. The least you can do is prove that you're not weak. Go get 'em, Arata!"

"Okay!" With that, Arata launches himself Kazuma, engaging in battle.

Niika jumps over the railing beginning the climb down the side of the cliff towards the beach. "Niika! That's dangerous!" Takuto exclaims. When she doesn't listen, he reluctantly follows her down the same way. When they reach beach level, they stop a short distance away and continue to watch the fight.

It was like fencing for the two boys. The first person to be touched with a blade lost. They do this 3 times. The first point goes to Kazuma, and the second to Arata. But the 3rd battle...

"What's wrong Arata? Can't keep up!?" Kazuma shouts between thrusts, "You look like you can barely hold on to that sword!" The whitenette teases harshly, attacking one of Arata's swords more than the other. 'He's a dual wielder, if I can get rid of one of his blades, this duel is over.'

"Oh really?!" Arata shouts back, doing his best to block Kazuma's erratic but forceful movements. "Then why haven't you knocked it out of my hand yet?"

The sword flies into the air, landing some feet away. "You were saying?" Kazuma says with a sly smirk on his face after his success, "Since you're a dual wielder, this is the end for you. I win."

"When did I ever say I was a dual wielder?" Arata's eyes held a certain gleam that made Kazuma gasp in surprise. "I can fight with one sword, just as well as I can fight with two!" Arata then begins to attack Kazuma a lot more fiercer than before. With each time their blades cross, Kazuma starts to lose balance as Arata's attacks force him backward. Somewhere along the lines, Arata picks up his lost sword and once again attacks him with both. But as he does, his attacks become a little reckless, almost like Kazuma's were. This is an advantage for Kazuma, Arata is leaving himself wide open. Kazuma suddenly trips and his knees hit the sand. Just then Arata raises his blades higher, "Final Blow!"

Arata swings the blades and traps Kazuma's head in an X shape. Kazuma grimaces, "Looks like, I win." Arata leans forward, "Now stay away from~" Arata stops mid-sentence, feeling something hard pressed against his torso.

"Not quite." Kazuma grins as Arata realizes that his sword is underneath him, aimed at his stomach. "Looks like it's a draw." He backs up and stands up facing Arata, who is still dumbfounded that Kazuma has got him. "So, I guess I'll still be hanging around your sister. You won't be the only one protecting her." Kazuma smiles mockingly before holding his hand out for a handshake, "So let's get along, ne?" Arata scowls at his hand still in confusion. His expression then darkens as his bangs fall in front of his face. He reaches his hand out to him, but when he does, he only slaps Kazuma's hand away. He stares at him seriously. "Why you gotta be so rude?"

Arata then looks him straight in the eye, his tone of voice menacing. "I won't get along with you!"

FAR AWAY...

"Open the Cybercasket! APPRIVOISE!"

Mau yuki wa hoshi no kakera

tentai ni te wo nobashite

ikikau negai kanjiteiru ne

subete wa ima MONOKUROOMU no naka...

"Oh no!" Niika clutches her chest and gasps in pain, alerting everyone she is there. Takuto leaps over to support her.

"Midori no me!" The redhead exclaims worriedly. The other two still do not know about the painful process. Niika's, Takuto's, and Kazuma's marks all glow at once. "It can make you hurt this bad?!"

"Niika!" Arata yells throwing down the weapons and rushing to her side. "What's wrong with her!?"

Kazuma supports her on the side Takuto leaves free. "It's your first phase, isn't it?" She nods slightly. Just then there is an earthquake, but they all barely notice.

"First phase? Niika~ah!" Before Arata can reach out, he is also suddenly hit with a wave of severe pain.

Takuto is alarmed when Arata suddenly is face down on the sand. "ARATA-KUN!" He leaves Niika's side to help him sit up but is rejected by Arata's hand.

"D-Don't come near me!" Arata shakes the sand out of his hair. He clutches his shirt in similar manner to his sister. "I said go away!" Just like Takuto, the other two quickly become aware of the situation, growing suspicious.

"Onii...sama?" Niika mumbles softly.

Kazuma cradles her slightly to try and soothe her, "Your sister is concerned about you. I think you should tell us what's going on..."

"You're the last person I want to hear that from!" The three flinch at his yelling. "Don't lecture me on what I need to do!"

"-WELL SOMEBODY NEEDS TO!"

"Anaki~" Arata's eyes shut due to Anaki's voice booming through his head.

"I WON'T LET YOU HIDE THIS ANYMORE! YOU WON'T DESTROY YOUR BODY BECAUSE YOU WANT TO HIDE THIS FROM EVERYONE INCLUDING PEOPLE CLOSE TO YOU! YOU'RE GOING TO SHOW THEM THE TRUTH, AND ITS GOING TO BE TODAY!"

Just as time stops moving, a golden light illuminates from Arata's chest. A mark in the shape of a Z connected to a backward Z reflects onto the sand. The three bystanders analyze Arata in disbelief.

"TODAY ARATA. YOU WILL NOW SEE ZERO TIME!"

Niika flinches before she opens her glowing green eyes, "The door to another dimension has been opened..."

"What...is...this...?"

Trapped inside a bubble, Arata questions Anaki while scanning the area around him. He instantly feels that he's entered a whole new world, a new reality that he wasn't yet used to.

"This is it Arata! We're in Zero Time! It's just how I remember it to be..."

Arata takes in the sight. A big open space, where the sky resembles a galaxy smothered by clouds. The ground looked like glass, reflecting above, and making it seem like the space continued forever. In the very middle of the sky is a mechanical mechanism, a contraption of gears with symbols rotating in the center of them. And on the ground just below it...is a robot?

"NOT ROBOT! CYBODY! LIKE ME!"

"Cybody? Wait, that's what a cybody looks like?" Arata asks.

"Yeah! But don't worry about that thing there, it's not important. It's not even that pretty. I've seen better ones, LIKE MYSELF!"

"Shut up, Anaki."

"Sexy Blue Eyes has entered Zero Time? Now I've seen it all! Not that it's a bad thing..." A shiver goes down Arata's spine as he turns to his left.

"I recognize that voice. No way," Arata gulps, "Watanabe-san?"

"Shh! Don't call me that here! It's President to you! As of right now at least."

"Pres...ident?" Arata blinks profusely. With a sassy smirk, President floats over closer to him. Arata cover his cheeks with a hand, trying to hide his embarrassment. "What's with the mask? And that...outfit..."

"Seductive right?" Arata respectively turns his body away from her.

"Arata, get away from her! She's part of The Crux!"

"...Are you serious?"

"Yes! See her pin? It's their symbol!"

"It's true." Arata stares at the pin and frowns, "How creative..."

"Oh, you like this? I thought it was always pretty bland myself...but it gives me certification to drive Betraida." President flips her hair back, "Which reminds me, if you're here, you must have a cybody. Who's yours, Arata-kun?"

"Well..."

"DON'T TELL HER ANYTHING! FRIEND OR NOT, SHE'S STILL AN ENEMY HERE!"

"...Nice try." The short-haired brunette hears Anaki sigh mentally.

"Heh? Always so cold, aren't you, Arata-kun?"

"I'm approaching The South Maiden." They then hear a huge clash and direct their attention down below. The cybody Anaki insulted is moving towards someone in a bubble which he realizes is his classmate Wako.

"So she's the South Maiden? Damn Arata, everyone you've met must have a role to play in this..."

"Shut up, Anaki."

"...and there he is." President mutters. "Okay, first timer. Catch a glimpse down below." It is then Arata sees them. Way down below the cybody, there are three figures. One of them is being carried held up by the other two.

"Takuto, Kazuma...And Niika!"

"I knew it! They must be them! Three of the other legendary star drivers!"

"I'll handle this one. Take care of Midori no me, Kazuma-kun."

Kazuma scoffs, "You better know what you're doing this time, Galactic Pretty Boy." Kazuma jumps away with Niika, floating upward in a bubble. Once they're at safety, Takuto transforms.

"APPRIVOISE!" Takuto disappears when Tauburn breaks into the space seemingly out of thin air. Takuto appears inside the blue orb upon the cybody's chest, "Dazzling the stage! Ginga Bishounen! Tauburn!"

"WOW! TAUBURN! I LOVE YOU! Sigh, he still got it after all this time..."

"SHUT UP, ANAKI!"

"See that, Arata-kun? There it is, the hidden 22nd cybody, the legendary Tauburn." President announces, "It gives me chills every time it comes out."

"And Takuto...will drive that thing?"

"Yup! He's the Galactic Pretty Boy!"

"Wow! That was amazing!" The driver of the unknown cybody admires, "Too bad this is the end for you...Galactic Pretty Boy!"

"Now, let's do something I didn't get to do last time!" Tauburn bangs on its chest orb, "Star Sword, Emeraude!" It pulls out a green energy sword from its chest. "Star Sword Saphir!" It then pulls out a blue energy sword. Tauburn switches to a fighting stance, waiting for its opponent to engage.

"He had two star swords this whole time?!" President shouts, "Oop. Professor Green has her work cut out for her this time..."

"Who?"

President's bubble connects with Arata's so she can lean on his shoulder. "The driver of that cybody. She is going to fight Tsunashi Takuto."

"Come now, let me have a taste!" Professor Green shouts when Tauburn attacks. The cybody somehow rolls into an armadillo-like shell, protecting itself.

"She must have realized that the combined force of the two star-swords is too much for her cybody to handle. Tch, always hiding." Kazuma mutters angrily watching only a little bit of what was going on. The whitenette is more concerned about the barely conscious girl that lies in his arms. "Niika...Niika-chan? Wake up." He coos softly seeing her twitch a little. When her emerald eyes open, he sighs in relief. "Thank god. I know that getting to Zero Time takes a little out of you, but it shouldn't take that much out of you, you know? Are you okay?"

Niika removes Kazuma's hand from her forehead. The brunette girl is more worried about what is happening on the ground. "What's going on?"

"We're in Zero Time. Takuto is fighting again, although it's Hina, aka Okamoto-sensei this time. And she's going even wilder with her first phase." Niika stands properly with Kazuma's help and begins to watch the battle.

"She can see the future." Kazuma looks at her questioningly, "That cybody, it seems to give her the power to see several seconds into the future in Zero Time. That's not fair!"

"A psychic cybody...I'm telling you they're all trouble."

"Because of Yoddock's power, I can see you! I can see you!" Professor Green teases out loud multiple times, annoying everyone. At the right time, the enemy cybody, Yoddock, goes in for an attack. "Arm Bomber!" Tauburn is sent back flying several times.

"Takuto seems to be getting his butt kicked again." Kazuma growls, "That moron, can he ever do anything by himself?" He starts to activate his mark when Niika stops him.

"Wait! I think...he can handle this." His arm slides back down to his side, "Look!"

"Mode change!" After a few seconds, Yoddock becomes idle and Professor Green is completely silent.

"She stopped?"

"...That sculpted chest...Mmm, slender waist! Ooh, what'll be next... " Everyone began to hear Professor Green's muttering, "The collarbones...His arms and neck...So Yummy..."

"No way...Is she getting distracted? By Takuto?!" Kazuma makes a face.

"Galactic Pretty Boy! Now's your chance! Destroy it while she's distracted!" Niika shouts down to him.

"Right! I'll fight with all I've got!" Takuto moves his energy swords into position, "Flair! Galactic. Cross. Slash!"

"Oh, crap! Oops!" Professor Green curses as Tauburn swings at Yoddock, not having time to block or dodge. The X-shaped attack perfectly slices it into fours. It then blows up as Tauburn turns around to see what damage he has done. Takuto is utterly dumbfounded by how easily the enemy cybody is defeated.

"Wait, what? That's it, seriously?"

"That woman...how could she screw herself that badly?" President slaps her forehead, "She truly is one of those."

When Zero Time started to disappear Anaki's voice rings in Arata's ear.

"See Arata? This is what Zero Time is like. One of these days, you and I will fight like that. So be prepared."

"..." And then everything goes blank.

Arata opens his eyes just in time to notice the light from his mark fading away. He is standing in the spot where he was kneeling on the sand. "Anaki..." He murmurs by the ocean's currents. "So this is what you meant?"

"Who is Anaki?" Arata turns back to face the inquisitive redhead who has his arms folded. Next to him, his sister, who is now back on her feet, thanks to the person beside her, the whitenette. They all eye the short-haired brunette male with suspicion. With a couple of blinks, Arata is now able to see each person's cybody mark, probably because his finally had been activated. This also means that they can see his as well. He sighs in defeat, knowing that he can hide it no longer.

"So, the three of you are legendary star drivers, huh?" Arata backs up enough so he is at a distance away from everyone. "Then Kazuma was right. I was wrong. It looks like, we're all going to have to learn...to get along."

"So then it is true." Kazuma glares.

Niika frowns worriedly, "Onii-chan, are you a Star Driver?"

And so the adventure of life goes on.