Reviews:
Guest DCDGojira: Glad you liked it
Nexus240: I appreciate it, friend. I'm glad you think so.
lordri25may2001: That's a good idea that could work. I like the Link Vent card idea and could come into play in GX when Elfnein shows up. It could be like a final trump card that gets stronger depending on how many Riders are assisting. Your second idea is intriguing, and perhaps I can make it work later down the lane. Right now I feel like it would be a bit out of place but in later seasons I could make it work. A bit of a spoiler but not really. Ryuga vs Miku Shénshòujìng will happen but it might be different than what you might think. You'll see for yourself. As for romantic couples. There hasn't been much time in the story, at least so far, to develop new ones. The ones that are established are being worked on but I'll slowly introduce new ones as the story progresses. And hey, don't worry about it. I love when people express themselves about how they feel about the story. It motivates me to keep on uploading more chapters when I see people genuinely enjoy the story.
HanzoHasashi98: Miku went too far with Hajime, but you have to keep in mind the poor girl's best friend keeps coming close to near-death situations and she's being hunted down by Femme lol. We'll see what Hajime thinks in the chapter.
Chapter 32
Calm Before The Storm
A few hours after Section Two had received the files from Ouja regarding the children of FIS, Yosuke was skimming through them on his phone as he walked around the cemetery. It was late in the day, and the orange skies contrasted with the dark skies that came with nighttime. The moon serves as a reminder of the catastrophe heading their way.
Maria and this Serena girl he just recently learned about are both from Ukraine, scavenging around as war took away their family and home.
Atticus and Jades are from Greece. They come from a very poor family and were barely able to get by. Their father died and their mother committed suicide after she suffered a miscarriage. Atticus was the first Kamen Rider Gai. Yosuke deduced he was the brother that the current Gai killed and stole the deck from.
Andreas Kagatsuchi. His real last name was Nkazella. Coincidentally enough, he was from Greece too. More specifically, he was neighbors with the Demetrious siblings. His parents were abusive toward him. Jades and Atticus took him with them until they were taken by the FIS.
Raiden Amaterasu, real surname Chikage. He was born into a middle-class family. But his parents were in debt to the Yakuza. Eventually, they had to sell everything they had, including their son. He was rescued by the FIS when he was being transported to Osaka.
Kirika and Shirabe's files were fairly vague. For Shirabe, her family was killed in a car accident that left her an amnesiac. However, it is confirmed that her given name was Tsuki. But other than that, the rest remains a mystery.
Speaking of mysteries, Kirika had almost nothing on her file. Whether her parents died in an accident or not, he couldn't tell. But according to Hajime, he learned that Kirika was an orphan from a very young age. The only connection she had with anyone was Hajime, which would explain why she felt so betrayed by him for forgetting her. Speaking of which...
'I'll have to ask Adachi to show me the medicine he was forced to take.' He thought to himself.'He received it just before Kirika went missing, supposedly. I wonder if FIS had his doctor give him that to make him forget about her and make their jobs easier?'
And finally, there was the encrypted file. He suspected that it belonged to the other deceased brother but there was no way to know for certain. Sakuya and Aoi were working restlessly to decrypt it. Ouja was quite the hacker, he had to admit. But if that bastard had put himself through the trouble of making it hard for them to access that file, it meant that it was extremely important. It could help them figure out Gai's connection to FIS.
As to how Ouja knew what was going on and how he got his hands on those files, he didn't know. And it certainly didn't make him feel less paranoid. He knew for sure Ouja had to be working with someone. He had too many resources and was way too informed to be working alone. That's why he had come to the cemetery today. To visit his friend's grave and clear his head. But as he noticed, he wasn't the only one. Tsubasa was sitting down in front of Goro's grave, hugging her knees. She had brought him fresh flowers, as she had mentioned she would. He smiled, heading over to check on his friend.
"Hey." Yosuke greeted, his eyes reading Goro's gravestone.
"Did you know I'd be here?" Tsubasa rubbed her puffy eyes, a clear indication she had been crying.
"Sort of. But I was going to visit him today either way." Yosuke took a seat on the ground next to her, crossing his legs."I usually just end up here on the days I don't make space for an actual visit. I just roam around to clear my head. I used to do that with Akira's grave. It's as if...I'm looking for an answer."
"What kind of answer?" Tsubasa asked.
"I don't know." Yosuke shrugged."Sometimes everything is so confusing that it's hard to tell what's important. What about you? Why are you here today?"
"I usually visit him on Tuesdays and Thursdays, remember?"
"Oh, right." Yosuke remembered."I forgot. Sorry."
"It's fine. With all this stuff going on, we're all a little stressed. And on top of that, what Ouja sent us today..."
"I wonder what his motive is? It can't be just that he wants the war to keep on going, right? He doesn't strike me as that shallow of a person." Yosuke rubbed his chin."But...it aligns with my current investigation. Sorry, maybe we shouldn't talk about this stuff here..."
"Right. But...investigation? Are you finally deciding to go on the path of a detective? Just like your father?"
"Well...I was thinking about it." Yosuke confessed, a glint of passion present in his eyes."Especially since we're close to graduating. And eventually, once this whole thing is over...and we can finally live in a world where Symphogear and Kamen Riders are no longer needed, I'll need something to do. You have your idol career."
"I think that's a wonderful idea." Tsubasa smiled, but her smile suddenly dropped, catching Yosuke off guard.
"Something wrong? You can tell me." He gently grabbed her hand.
"It's just..." She shook her head, hiding her face with her hair."I'm a sword...A sword doesn't cry-"
"Cut the crap, Tsubasa." Yosuke cut her off sternly."You're not a sword. You're a person. And like any other person, your emotions are important. I understand. I understand that it's crucial for us to not let our emotions cloud our judgments. But the moment we suppress those emotions, we become no better than Ouja is. So if you want to cry, cry. And as your friend, I want to know what makes you feel sad. So please...tell me."
"Yosuke..." Tsubasa glanced at him, her tears now clearer due to the sunset."I just can't help but think...how many friends we've lost...First Kanade and Akira...now Goro is dead too. It just...gets me thinking...And what Adachi said earlier today..."
"About us dying at any point?"
Tsubasa nodded, tears glistening in her eyes."I remembered the day when we fought Fine...the last thing on my mind was any of you dying. It was just another day. And when the dust cleared and we all gathered around...I know I shouldn't be thinking like this. I mean, we're warriors. It's a given that we put our lives on the line when we fight, but I can't help but think about what would happen if you were to die. I can't lose another close friend...I don't know what I'd do. I-"
"I've been feeling the same way." Yosuke admitted, gently squeezing her hand as he stared at the grave."It's all I think about sometimes. Essentially, I'm the leader of our group when we're on the battlefield. I carry all of your burdens and worries. But...sometimes I also think I'm not a good enough leader. And that I'll lose another person under my watch."
He closed his eyes, grimacing as he remembered the day he watched another friend day in his arms."Goro saved my life. I was supposed to be protecting them all, and yet I was the one who needed protection. One of my guys died on my watch and I couldn't do a damn thing about it. Every time we get in a fight, I worry about what could happen to Adachi, Sakamoto, Yukine, you, or Tachibana. It scares me to death. But then..."
He shifted his gaze over to her, a smile gracing his features."I think about how the rest of you are feeling. If I'm scared, how would you guys feel? I look at my fellow Kamen Riders. Adachi is a kid who got dragged into something that's way beyond his head. And despite that, he's still fighting without fear because he doesn't want Tachibana to carry that burden alone. Sakamoto spent most of his life on the battlefield only to get used by Fine alongside the most precious person in his life. He fought tirelessly by himself just to protect Yukine and for a world where they could be happy. Every time I think that I feel like I'm able to do anything. My burden doesn't compare to theirs. I made a promise to Goro to defeat Ouja and I made a promise to Akira and Kanade to destroy Odin and end this war. And I'm not doing before I fulfill those promises."
"Yosuke..."
"It's okay to be scared. It's okay to be sad or angry. You don't have to hide it from your friends. I honestly love every chance I get to see what the real Tsubasa is like underneath her tough exterior. Don't think about who could die. Think about what we can do to make more memories together. About what you'll do when the fighting finally stops. But...as Sakmoto often says, one step at a time. For now, we have to stop FIS. And tell you what, when that's over and done with, how about we go to a fancy restaurant? Just you and me. My treat, of course."
"My, Yosuke..." Tsubasa covered her mouth."If I didn't know you any better, I'd say you're asking me out."
"Maybe...I am..." He trailed off, adverting his gaze.
"W-what...?"
"Maybe I am." He repeated a little louder, his cheeks blushing."I want to take you out somewhere far away. Steal you away from your responsibilities. Somewhere where we can be...ourselves. I hear Okinawa is the perfect place to go at this time of year..."
"Yosuke..." Tsubasa gasped upon hearing his soft words."What are you...saying right now...?"
"I know I might die with a few regrets. It's possible, after all, considering my position as a Kamen Rider. But I want to make the list as short as possible." He glanced at her with a solemn expression."Have I ever told you that I love you?"
"You have, yes." Tsubasa slowly nodded.
"Not as a friend or sister." He clarified, feeling his cheeks heat up as did Tsubasa's."I mean...I love you. Romantically, that is. Sheez, I thought I made it pretty obvious. Is everyone in our social circle dense like this?"
"But...I-I mean, why are you-"
"Telling you this now?" Yosuke shrugged nonchalantly."As I have said, I want to die with as few regrets. I look at Goro's grave and I can't help but think that the same thing could happen to me. I'm...sure he had his regrets. So until this war is over, I want to live without them. I know this isn't helping you, but I just wanted to let you know how I feel. I never said anything because your dad hates me. And don't even get me started on your grandfather."
"My father doesn't hate you." Tsubasa furrowed her brow."I think...wait, is that what's been stopping you? I thought it was a joke."
"It's not. He doesn't approve of me as being your friend, much less being anything else. Besides, you're an idol. You can't be in a relationship, otherwise, your fans might kill me. And...you probably don't feel the same way about me."
"What are you talking about?" Tsubasa pulled on his arm, forcing him to look in her direction."Of course, I love you too. But...you don't want to go through with it, right?"
"At least not yet." He nodded."I realize it's very unfair to dump this on you all of a sudden. But I've always wanted to say it. Ever since we were kids. But...I just want you to know how I feel. I'll face your father one day. Once we can take it easy for a bit. I'll show him that we Yanagis are more than we seem and I'm worthy of his daughter. And maybe then he'll give me his blessing. But we have more important things to worry about now, don't we?"
"We do." Tsubasa agreed. Although it hurt her to not move on with their relationship, she understood where he was coming from. He wanted to express his feelings but also make sure it didn't interfere with their mission. Though she would have appreciated it if he didn't throw the idea of him dying."I'll wait as long as it takes. And I'll fight alongside you to protect what's dear to us. We're not losing anyone else."
"Amen to that." Yosuke reached for under his shirt, pulling out the two Promise Rings tied in a string. He untied one of them and offered it to Tsubasa."Take it. I know it was greedy of me to have hog them for myself."
"This is..." Tsubasa's eyes widened upon reading the letter embedded in the ring."Kanade's?"
"Yeah. Akira was going to give it to her. It's a Promise Ring, meant to give to someone special to you that you want to one day marry. Or something like that." Yosuke's blush intensified."Not that I'm proposing to you, or anything. I just...thought you should have it since it was Kanade's. Honestly, sometimes when I have one of those days where I think everything is hopeless, I look at these rings. They give me hope. Because they would have wanted us to keep going forward, just like Goro would."
"Thank you for entrusting it to me." Tsubasa closed her eyes, bringing the ring close to her heart."But...you could have given it to me way sooner, you know?"
"Sorry." Yosuke chuckled. The pair sat around for a few more minutes, saying their prayers. Once they were done, Yosuke checked his wristwatch."We should get going. Want me to walk you home?"
"I'd love that. But what about you? Shouldn't you get home as well?"
Yosuke shrugged, grabbing her hand as they said their goodbyes to Goro's grave."I have some work to do. It's going to be a busy night for me. But until then, I don't mind spending some more time with my favorite person in the world."
"Such a flatterer." Tsubasa giggled in amusement."I didn't expect that from you."
"I suppose I am full of surprise," Yosuke said, rolling his eyes. The pair walked home, enjoying their conversation about their plans for the future.
Inside Terunosuke's department, the three brothers sat around the living room, watching television.
"Andreas, did you end up installing those cameras by the girls' dormitory like I asked?" Kuwana asked the youngest sibling.
"Yup!" Andreas nodded as he snacked on some gummies."Right inside the bushes so no one notices it!"
"A camera? Why?" Raiden asked, finishing his third can of coffee in a row.
"Lydian Academy is where those Symphogear and Kamen Riders attend, right? And from what we know, Tachibana Hibiki lives in the dormitories there. We'll keep our eyes on her for a while. By doing so, we'll be able to monitor her movements."
"But why?" Raiden quirked a brow.
"I'll be honest with you two." Kuwana leaned forward."You two are no match to face all Symphogear and Riders simultaneously. Your previous fights with Ryuki prove that. So I came up with a plan. You two will pick them apart one by one."
"I see. Ryuki likes that Symphear girl." Raiden realized."So by keeping an eye on her, we'll also be able to follow her if she were to fight with the others."
"Correct." Kuwana nodded."If you guys can kill one of them and get stronger, you'll be able to get ahead of them. Not a bad plan, right?"
"You're so smart, Teru-nii-chan!" Andreas praised his brother, accidentally dropping some of his gummies on the floor.
"Damn it, Andreas." Terunosuke stood up to grab the bag of gummies from him."Why the hell can't you eat like a normal human-"
"Don't hurt me, brother!" The green-haired boy recoiled, using a pillow to cover himself.
"I'm...not going to do anything to you, weirdo." Kuwana muttered, taking the bag of gummies away."Seriously? You're still all jumpy after all these years? What was it that happened to him again, Raiden?"
"According to Jades, his family was extremely abusive." Raiden grimaced."They did all kinds of terrible things. So ever since then, he gets like that when one of us raises our voices at him."
"Give me a break. Aren't you a man, kid?" Kuwana scoffed."Besides, that was years ago. I'm sure your shitty parents are dead by now. Lucky you. Now come on."
"Just give him some time." Raiden suggested."He'll calm himself down."
"Sure." Terunosuke sighed, going back to the couch."But he'll have to get over that trauma of his. He won't survive like that."
"Teru-nii...I've been meaning to ask you something."
"What is it?"
"How...are your parents? You never spoke of them before. At least, not in a good manner. Do you hate them? Were they abusive too?"
"Abusive? Far from it. They never acted like I existed. All they did was work all fucking day long. Never had time for me." Kuwana grunted, cracking open a can of beer."All they ever did was tell me to study and study. I could never go out to play with the other kids. And after I escaped from FIS, it got worse. I wasn't allowed to leave the damn house other than to go to school and back."
"Did they ever ask what happened? The years when you were in the facility?"
"Of course they did. I had to give a statement to the police. But I couldn't say anything specific. FIS has called me and told me if I revealed any info on them, they would kill all of you." Kuwana responded easily."But...what the hell did they care, anyway? I was better off in the facility. It was...the only time I ever felt special. I felt like I could have a true purpose. Serena...made me feel like I was alive. That's why one of the reasons why I despise Jades so much. Coming back to reality...I never went insane. Back to the mundane everyday world where people looked past me as if I didn't exist. But...I did learn something during my time at FIS."
A small grin appeared on Kuwana's face."I came to understand that I'm superior to all these people around me. That I'm meant to do something more. I'm supposed to be special. Serena believed in me, after all. And that's the mentality I had through high school and college. I graduated at the top of my class, with honors. I even scored a job as soon as I graduated college. But...it never filled that void left in my heart. So I cut off ties with my parents and decided to live on my own. But for what? So I could slowly wither away in a fucking company? Where I'm undermined and not recognized for my talent?"
He gritted his teeth, crushing the can in his hand."I'm supposed to be the best of the best. And yet I'm just another piece in the clockwork we call society. I'm not a Kamen Rider. No matter what I do, I will never be somewhere better than where I'm at. So I decided to just give up and let things play out as they are."
"You...gave up?"
"The world we live in is hard, Raiden. Andreas. If you don't have something that makes you unique and apart from the rest of the cattle, you'll drown yourself in the agonizing game we call life. That's just how it is. People are forced to accept it because they can't deny it. But for you, it's different." Kuwana threw his can of beer at the floor and headed to snatch away Andreas' pillow."You guys can change everything with that wish. You can wish for anything, right? All you have to do is win the game. You can wish for Atticus and Serena to come back to life. For all of us to be happy together."
Andreas was about to open his mouth, but Kuwana narrowed his eyes at him."But you can't do it with the mentality you have right now! You're supposed to be warriors! Do you think the enemy is going to let you have a fucking mental breakdown?! No! They'll kill you the first hand they get! So man the hell up and face the music! Because guess what, if you don't, then you'll die just like Serena did! You're the only ones who can make their deaths count! If you see an opportunity, grab it! Take it! No brother of mine will settle for mediocracy, always aim for higher!"
After his outburst, Kuwana was left panting for air, his brothers completely baffled. Andreas looked in Raiden's direction, silently asking what to do.
Raiden knew that part of that rant was directed at him. He knew that Terunosuke didn't trust Andreas to be the one to do what needed to be done for them to get their wish. So the burden...it had to be carried by him. No matter what he had to resort to, he had to get that wish. Even if it meant fighting his own siblings.
'Someone has to do it...right...?' He noticed his hands trembling.'And it has...to be me...'
Raiden stood up, his hands balling up into fists."You're right, Teru-nii. We have to do this. We're the only ones who can make a change."
"Raiden?" Andreas looked at him with tearful eyes.
"You're right. This world is unfair. If we stay idle, we will never get another opportunity like this." Raiden's gaze portrayed confidence and determination."We will defeat the other Riders. No matter what. We'll save our family."
"I know you will. After all..." Terunosuke began walking away, a twisted smile adorning his face."We are brothers. We'll get back at Jades for what he did to us."
Andreas, however, seemed a little unsure about the whole plan. He was questioning if this was really the right thing to do. He didn't want to fight the others.'I hope Kirika and Shirabe are okay...'
The next day, at Lydian Academy, the students were enjoying their lunch in between classes.
Hajime stared at Hazuki and Miku as they seemed to have a serious conversation.
"They've been talking for a while now, haven't they?" Yumi noted, sitting next to the dark-haired boy."You really made her mad, didn't you, Hajime-kun?"
"I guess. I don't know what made her so mad, though. I mean, I only said the truth." Hajime frowned, sipping on his apple juice."I only said that she's lucky she doesn't get to fight."
"Dummy." Chris groaned across from him."Do you realize how it feels like to be in her shoes? I can relate to her since I felt the same when Takeru and I were separated. You should apologize to her."
"I thought about it, but..."
"But?" Shiori arched a brow, indicating him to go on.
"I don't want to apologize." Hajime crossed his arms, stubbornly refusing the idea.
"Huh?!" Yumi gave him an incredulous glare."What do you mean?!"
"If you apologize to someone, you're pretty much indicating that you're wrong, right?" Hajime began explaining."But I'm not wrong about what I said. Sure, it's insensitive, I guess. But not entirely wrong. Besides, she didn't have to go off on me like that. I've been very nice to her. But sometimes she acts a little off."
"Off?" Takeru inquired.
"She's always keeping her guard up when I'm around her and Hibiki-san. It's hard to explain. But it feels as though...she doesn't want me to get more personal with Hibiki-san."
"Uh...Miku's always been overprotective when it comes to Biki." Kuriyo supplied."And honestly, we didn't exactly have the best first impressions of you."
"Yeah, we thought you were a delinquent." Yumi said, not at all ashamed of saying that."But you're nice. Though, Miku is another matter entirely. Maybe...she thinks you'll take Hibiki away from her!"
"There's no way it's something that crazy." Chris shook her head."Maybe Hajime here says more insensitive things like that and that's why Miku is so weary of him. So go ahead and apologize. Stop being a child about it."
"Hell no, I'm not apologizing." Hajime refused."Maybe if I did something wrong, I would. And besides, why does Miku-san make it into such a big deal? It's really not. She just doesn't like me. I know that's what it is. I've had a feeling since day one."
"But you have to think about how stressed Miku must be." Takeru tried to reason with him."She's been searched by that psycho girl that allegedly comes to our school. Not only that, her best friend, which has come to death plenty of times, is currently in the hospital and being examined for using her powers when she's not supposed to. Which, by the way, if she does it again, she may very well die. So try to put yourself in her perspective, Luitenant."
"Sheez..." Chris gaped."I...didn't expect that from you. That's very thoughtful of you, babe."
"Of course." Takeru grinned with a lopsided smirk."I'm good at giving advice."
"What do you say to that, Hajime-kun?" Yumi pressed, grabbing his tray and moving it away from him.
"I...I guess you make a fair point." Hajime finally caved in."I guess she must have a lot on her mind and I said something I shouldn't have..."
"So you'll apologize?" Shiori tilted her head with a hopeful tone.
"Maybe not for now. You know, give her some space." Hajime grabbed his food back."But I will."
"Miku tends to be a little petty when it comes to arguments." Yumi nodded."When she got mad at Hibiki, she went through the effort of cleaning up their bottom bed just so she could avoid her. So giving her some space is a good idea."
"If that's the case, what's Kaburagi doing?" Chris pointed at Hazuki, who was now chuckling along with Miku.
"Flirting, if I had to guess." Shiori responded, scratching her cheek."At least everything ended well."
"I wonder what's going on over there." Hajime pointed at a table a few tables away from them. A group of students was surrounding a crying lilac-haired girl.
"Hey, isn't that-"
"That's Nakahara." Takeru fully turned around in his seat."She's my tutor."
"Really?" Hajime deadpanned at him.
"What?"
"Nakahara, what, smartass? There are like a thousand Nakaharas in this school. Be specific."
"What, you don't know her, Hajime-kun?" Kuriyo asked, receiving a shake of his head."That's one of the most popular girls in the school. She's friends with pretty much everyone. Chiaki Nakahara, second year."
"Not everyone." Yumi giggled.
"Wonder why she's bawling her eyes out, though." Chris couldn't help but wonder. She didn't like the girl, but she was always doing anything but crying, so this struck her as odd.
Takeru spotted one of his classmates walking by and hollered her over. A girl with light green hair in a ponytail, Yuki Godai."Godai-chan! Over here!"
"Huh? What's up, Sakamoto-san?"
"Do you know what's up with Nakahara-chan?" Takeru asked in curiosity.
"You heard about that girl dying, right? Natsuki Shibuzawa? She was friends with Nakahara-san. Really close friends. And finding out she was murdered..."
Hajime clenched his fists, lowering his gaze as memories of seeing Shibuzawa die in front of him invaded his mind.
"I see..." Takeru trailed off, nodding in understanding."Gotcha. Thanks for telling me."
"No problem. But...do you guys think it's true? Do you think there's a murderer on the loose here at school?"
"Don't believe that shit." Chris frowned at her."There's no way any of the students here would be capable of that. Don't worry. You're safe."
"Yukine-san...yeah, you're right. Well, I'll be off then. See you guys back in class!"
With that, the girl continued on her way and abandoned the tense atmosphere that had formed at their table thanks to the news.
"Shit...I can't believe I couldn't save her..." Hajime gritted his teeth in frustration.
"We didn't know she was going to kill her." Takeru quickly said."It's no one's fault. It just happened."
"But...I wonder if she'll try to kill us next?" Kuriyo voiced her concern."I mean...she's looking for Miku, right? But she had no qualms in killing Shibuzawa-chan like that..."
"That's why we'll protect you." Chris reassured her."Tsubasa and Yosuke are talking to the principal. They'll be doing background checks on everyone and will take the necessary measures to ensure your safety. They'll install cameras around the school and whatnot."
"I for one am not worried." Shiori's cheeks turned red."Not with Yanagi-senpai protecting us."
"He was so dreamy~." Yumi also blushed."And cool! He was like an anime protagonist arriving late at the scene and saving everyone~!"
"Hah!" Takeru snorted."I'm sure he'll love to hear that. You should let him know how much you appreciate him saving you."
Meanwhile, at Miku and Hazuki's table, their conversation was much more pleasant and light-hearted than with their peers.
"I can see why you'd worry so much about Hibiki-chan, given what you've told me." Hazuki continued chuckling."So she falls asleep in class and the teacher goes ballistic on her? That's quite a sight."
"Yes. Though I tried to help her and keep her out of trouble, it doesn't work." Miku giggled."She can be a bit of an airhead sometimes."
"But that's our Hibiki-chan." Hazuki nodded, folding his arms."But her actions are we let to her getting hurt, right? She tried protecting you guys from that serial killer that murdered that girl?"
"That's right." Of course, Miku couldn't tell him about Hibiki's real condition, so he had to use what happened to create a story for him to believe. Little did she know, that while he was unaware of Hibiki's problem with her Gungnir, he was aware of the rest.
"Well, Miku-chan, the way I see it, it's in her nature to help those around her." Hazuki rested his head on his palm."Be honest with me. Do you think she'll stop that? Regardless of what you tell her?"
"No..." Miku dejectedly said, her gaze on the table."I just...wish she didn't have to fight...I know she has to and all. But..."
"Unfortunately, this world is not that kind." Hazuki sighed, his eyes averting to the side."It forces kind and good people like Hibiki-chan to fight. And those of us who can't fight, we're left powerless, watching on and praying that our friends get to live another day. I understand your pain very well, Miku-chan."
"What are you doing, Superstar?" Loki pondered in his mind.
'The right thing.' Hazuki responded before going back to Miku."People are forced to battle because of evil. I think I told you this before. Evil is what forces humans to fight. And it's the kind of world we live in. Sometimes I wonder what a world without evil would be like. But wouldn't it be wonderful? If there was no evil and people could live peacefully? And be happy. No one would ever have to fight. No one will have to suffer. That's my dream."
"A world without evil...where Hibiki wouldn't have to fight..." Miku repeated, a smile forming on her face."That sounds like a wonderful world. If only that could happen."
"Maybe it will. Who knows." Hazuki closed his eyes."But enough about that. Why don't you go back with the others? Let things settle down between you and Hajime-kun and then you can work things out."
"You're not coming with us?"
"I have some things to do." Hazuki shook his head. He proceeded to take a few steps before freezing in place."Ah...Miku-chan?"
"Yes, Haz-san?" Miku tilted her head, her curiosity piquing when she noticed his bashful expression.
"I...well, I was wondering if...you'd like to come to watch a movie with me later today after school?"
"Oh." Miku gasped in realization."Sure. I'd love to."
"Great. I'll see you after school then." He gave her a small wave and continued on his walk, hands in his pockets.
"Hey, Hazuki. Is there something wrong?"
'No. Why do you ask?'
"Come on, Superstar, you don't have to lie to me." Loki cooed, his tone teasing."I'm literally inside your head. And I'd like to think I know you as a person. We've known each other for...what, almost 10 years now? So go on. Tell uncle Loki what's wrong?"
'If you're inside of my head, you should be able to know what I'm thinking.' The wielded of the Ryug Deck pointed out, receiving a scoff in return.
"I don't want to violate your privacy, Hazuki. Besides, I want YOU to tell me about your problems. It would be like...a sign of trust, I suppose."
'It's just...I've been thinking of asking Miku-chan out for a while now.'
"So go then. Have fun. She's into you but she may need a little push."
'But I've been thinking...do you think she'll come to love me for who I am? And if so, would she still love me after finding out the truth? About me being Ryuga and our plan to save humanity?'
"Ah. And here's what's eating away at you." Loki hummed to himself."Well, I don't see why she would reject you if she were to find out you're Ryuga. I mean, you did save her life countless times."
'And I've tried to kill her friends.'
"But you didn't. Besides, you helped them save the world from Fine and such. A good deed never goes unpunished. As for the latter, I think she would understand as well. I mean, you were trying to get her into that mindset. About making a new world without evil where humans can live their dreams."
'But the means...I don't know if she'll think the end justifies the means...'
"She'll understand. Trust me. If she wants to keep her best friend safe, she'll realize that this is what we need." Loki proclaimed."So just relax. And leave everything to me. We're the saviors of humanity, Hazuki. Never forget that. The world needs us."
"Yeah...you're right, Loki. But are we really going to stay out of this fight? Between Section Two and FIS?"
"For now, I guess. Realistically, it doesn't concern us at the moment. They're having petty squabbles and we're only interested in the major fights that will surely come in the future. Our little friend seems to have had some fun but we can leave her be. We don't need to spend our energy and resources carelessly. We can teleport but our power is limited."
'So we need to find a way to be able to get close to either group. If we can leave a portal mark in one of their bases, we can keep a closer eye on things...'
"That and remember I still have an ace up my sleeve." Loki's ethereal form smiled mischievously."You'll see. We'll turn this upside down."
Nakaha kept a close eye on Hazuki as he exited the cafeteria. Once he was gone, her eyes darted over to the girl he had been talking to.
Meanwhile, FIS had parked their VTOL somewhere in the forest outside of the city to take a break and refuel. Maria was taking Nastassja out into the wilderness for a stroll, with Jades accompanying them. His arms were bandaged but were now covered in special gloves that would absorb any type of impact or damage he should sustain so his arms can heal properly.
"How are you feeling?" Nastassja asked as she eyed the burly man.
"They're a bit itchy but they're fine. The doctor said they might leave some mild scarring, but it is what it is." He flapped his arms around as demonstration."One more day of rest and I'll be able to go look for the kids."
"Are you sure you don't want us to go with you?" Maria frowned in concern."I mean, going by yourself like that..."
"It's fine." He shook his head."It's my lies and my negligence that caused this. So it's up to me to fix it. All this time...I thought I was doing the right thing. But I wasn't. I couldn't save Serena and because of me Atticus is dead and Terunosuke hates me. If there's something...anything...that I can do for you guys, it's getting Raiden and Andreas back home safe and sound."
"Would you be willing to carry that cross all by yourself?" The one-eyed woman questioned."It's quite the burden to carry all by yourself."
"If it's for them, I'd do anything. You know that...Mom." Jades turned to Maria."I'll get them back to you...before you run out of time and become Fine. I promise. Even if it's the last thing I do."
"Jades-nii..." Maria stopped, turning her body to fully face him."Please don't do anything reckless. If I become Fine, I want you to take care of them in my stead. I know I haven't been much help to us. Compare to you, my resolve is quite weak and my determination isn't something I'm proud of."
"Weak? Maria, you're everything but weak." Jades comforted his sister as he placed a hand on her shoulder."I'm not as strong as you make me out to be. I nearly gave up once already...And I was such a fool for thinking that. I almost left you all by yourselves. You've been doing all you can and handling the situation well. Despite me being the reason you'll become Fine, you still forgave me. I'm the one who should be apologizing. I can't do anything to save you...Not even revive Serena..."
"I'm sure Serena wouldn't want to be revived if it meant you guys killing each other for that wish." Maria shook her head."You're all precious to us. That's why...I want you to keep looking after them. Our siblings are still immature, and naive, but we love them all the same. Please, look after them."
"Maria, I-"
"That won't be necessary." Nastassja moved her wheelchair to face the oldest children."Maria, you harbor not the slightest trace of Fine's soul. You're simply the kind girl I've always known. So, no, Jades. You didn't do anything wrong."
"W-what do you mean...?" Jades couldn't hide his shock.
"To put it simply, Fine's soul failed to reincarnate in any of the potential vessels." Nastassja elaborated."That means that neither Shirabe nor Kirika will become Fine either. They're all clean."
"So...none of us..." Maria stammered, lost for words.
Jades felt himself tear up, a smile slowly growing on his face."They'll be okay...They'll continue to be them, right...?"
"That is correct."
The silver-haired man covered his eyes, crying in joy at the news."Thank God...Thank God...Maria!"
Maria yelped when she felt Jades grab her by her sides to spin her around."J-Jades-nii?!"
"I'm so glad!" He beamed."You'll continue being you! Maria Cadenzavna Eve and no one else! I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders! Alright! Now I'm all pumped up! We'll get Raiden and Andreas back, no matter what!"
"Brother..." Maria couldn't help but tear up as well. She hadn't seen him this happy in a long time.
Nastassja closed her eyes, a faint smile manifesting on her face.'They deserve this moment of happiness.'
However, somewhere nearby, Dr. Ver was eavesdropping on the conversation."I see. So that's how it is. I suppose it's a given that I'm not the only one holding on to a secret, right, Nastassja?"
The doctor glanced at the Alternative Zero Deck, pulling out a card."Psyco-Rogue. So I finally unlocked this card. I have 3 in total but I have not yet reached the full potential of this Deck. What other secrets does it contain, I wonder?"
And that's another chapter done. This one is a bit slower than the others and focused on characters reflecting and talking to each other. As the title suggests, the calm before the storm, as after the next chapter, there will be fights going on constantly since we're approaching the end of this season. Secrets will be revealed and long-awaited fights will occur. I'll try to get started on the next chapter but I will be taking the week to study for midterms. So the next chapter will probably come next Saturday or Sunday. It all depends. Anyway, if you enjoyed this chapter, feel free to leave a review. Have a nice weekend!