Guest: Este muchacho me llena de orgullo.
Akira: He'll come back. He's just not in the main story at the moment. But he will come back don't worry.
SoutaAmetsuchi: Sorry, I can't see the image.
primenidus: The show must go on.
lordri25may2001: Yeah, it's funny because they're in a warzone right now but it's not that bad in comparison to what's happened. Don't worry about the partner. I have something in mind. Also, you might find a surprise further down the chapter. About Raphael, for now, we know his abilities revolve around the sword he carries. What kind of sword is it? Only time will tell.
Blitzdigital: Si, aun que tecnicamente no tienen nada que ver con lo que hizo Bragard, pues almenos intenta limpiar su nombre y pues basicamente tiene su cara. Y si, algunos lo tratan fatal, pero se aguanta ya que si los lastima, terminara siendo igual a Bragard y decepcionando a Elfnein. Allister esta en busqueda de su presa, y si, ahora esto es una pelea de tres bandos, ya que los Desastres no tienen alianza con los Iluminados. Y ya veremos quien se nos va. No puedo decir mucho sobre el team. O cuando ocurrira.
Tenzalucard123: Bragi is...special? Yes, special. But with Hajime gone, they need his help, even if he is a little weird like his dad.
Cyclonerider: Well...I guess it's not really a spoiler. But none of them will. Well, actually, one of them will. But I can't say who or how. But in this story, using the Unite Vent is kind of like a bad guy thing since it means you've killed another person. That's why they kept the Abyss Deck away instead of one of them forming a contract with Abyssodon. It's not moral, at least for them. Meanwhile, you have the bad guys killing people left and right and stealing their powers. Which suits them. Yes, Bragi is in a peculiar spot right now. Especially when it comes to Hajime. We'll see how their relationship develops as the story progresses.
Chapter 83
A Painful Past
"We're home!"
It was late at night when the plane had landed on Okinawa. Timezones be damned, Kuroiwa thought. But he had a big smile on his face as he entered the restaurant and spotted his sister washing the dishes.
"Oh, you're here!" Seiko turned off the faucet, wiping the water off her hands, rushing to the Adachi siblings, engulfing them both in a big hug."I'm so glad...I'm sorry you had to go through all of that pain. But don't worry. We'll be taking care of you."
"That we will." Chisa entered through the door, carrying a few groceries in her hands."Hamaguchi, put these away for me, will you?"
"You got it, Aunt Chisa." He nodded, grabbing the bags and going to the refrigerator.
"Thanks for having us here." Setsuna managed a weak smile, grabbing Hajime's hand."We appreciate your hospitality."
"No need for that, sweety. You both are like family to us." Seiko pinched her cheek. She noticed Hajime hadn't said a word, his gaze glued to the ground. She didn't know the details of what happened, but Hamaguchi had told her more or less what he went through."Anyway, take a seat. I'll whip some ramen for both of you. You must be starving. Don't worry. It's past 10. So no one really comes around at this time. But we close at 11 in case anyone gets hungry for a midnight snack."
"We are." Setsuna chuckled, rubbing her tummy."Let's take a seat, Haji."
"Yeah..." Hajime whispered, following his sister to the table. Hamaguchi emerged from the kitchen, dancing around and holding out his hand.
"Why are you so happy?" Seiko asked, eyeing him suspiciously.
"I touched Kirika-chan's breast! Her boobs!" He beamed as if he were a kid in a candy store. Setsuna deadpanned at his behavior, but Seiko didn't find this anymore amusing."I am never washing this hand again. I am-"
"What did I say about not harassing her?" She grabbed his hand, forcing it into the sink and spraying water, much to his dismay.
"No! No! But her boobs!"
"I had forgotten he was a big pervert," Setsuna muttered, stifling a chuckle. Hajime just stared, his expression unchanging.
The door opened, with the sound of a bell catching their attention."S-sorry for coming in so late. I just got out of work..."
A girl with shoulder-length brown hair entered the restaurant, exhausted.
"Endou-chan. Rough day at work?" Seiko asked.
"Yes...The load was too much for me, but fortunately, the manager knows a place where I can work that won't be as demanding." She chirped, mustering some of her remaining energy to smile."It's a maid cafe. I'll be applying tomorrow since there's no school."
"Endou-chan in a maid cafe?" Kuroiwa whistled."Now that I gotta see. You'll have a lot of boys drooling over you."
"I really don't think so..." She chuckled sheepishly."I am not attractive. You're just exaggerating."
"Are you serious?" He deadpanned, shifting his gaze over to Hajime."Hajime, what do you think? Doesn't she look like the type of girl anyone would naturally want to protect at all costs?"
Endou scanned around the restaurant, noticing the siblings sitting in the corner. When she laid her eyes on Hajime, her heart skipped a beat."Wait...Hajime, you said? As in Hajime Adachi?"
"Yeah, that's him."
"Oh, wow!" Endou clasped her hands together."I heard so much about you. You're the best friend Kuroiwa-kun keeps talking about!"
"H-hey!" Kuroiwa protested."Don't tell him that. It's embarrassing..."
"Aw, don't be so shy." Endou giggled, approaching the table and bowing."My name is Amber Endou. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Amber?" Setsuna blinked."Isn't that..."
"Not very Japanese, I know. But my parents just loved that name and picked it for me." She giggled cutely, covering her mouth.
"Ah, I see! My name is Setsuna Adachi! But you can call me Setsuna." Setsuna bowed slightly."And this is my brother. You know his name already."
"Hello..." Hajime did a small wave."Adachi is fine..."
"Well, Setsuna-chan, I hope you don't mind calling me Amber then." Endou offered a warm smile."So, are you two visiting Okinawa?"
"Uh...Something like that..." Setsuna muttered, her shoulders deflating.
"They'll be staying with us for a while." Hamaguchi said, sitting next to Hajime, hands behind his back."So you'll be seeing them around."
"Oh, I see." Endou nodded in understanding."Well, I don't want to impose, so I'll take a seat somewhere else..."
"It's okay!" Setsuna raised her hand."You can sit with us. Right, Haji?"
Hajime blinked, confused as to why she would ask him that question.
"I think she wants to know if you're comfortable with her keeping us company," Hamaguchi whispered in his ear.
"Oh. Yeah. That's fine." Hajime shrugged."I don't mind."
"Really? I appreciate your kindness." She bowed again, taking a seat next to Setsuna in front of Hajime. She watched him with great interest as he idly tapped on the table, seemingly unaware of her stare.
"Take a picture. It lasts longer." Kuroiwa wagged his eyebrows, making the brunette blush.
"N-no! I was just thinking of asking a question, that's all!" She blushed, waving her arms around frantically.
"A question?" Hajime raised a brow, curious.
"You two are from the city, right?" She rubbed her arm with a bashful expression."How is it? I always wanted to go there. It's been a dream of mine for a long time."
"Is that so? But Okinawa is a pretty cool place, isn't it?" Setsuna tilted her head.
"It's a beautiful and peaceful place to live." Endou nodded."But one can say it gets boring. It's only fun for tourists since they often visit the beach. But for regular people like us, this place can feel like a birdcage."
"Oh, yeah. When I first came here, I was bored as hell." Kuroiwa nodded rapidly."Like so bored. But there are a lot of things to do."
"Well, I'm sure Hamaguchi told you about the city." Hajime began, leaning back on his chair."But it's okay, I guess. A lot of traffic and a lot of people when you're trying to ride the train to school."
"I bet it's more modern and cleaner than the one we have here." Endou flushed, picturing it in her mind.
"So you're a country girl that wishes to go to the city?" Setsuna asked.
"I am..." She admitted, giggling."I'm sorry. I know I must seem like a country bumpkin to you guys. But I just really want to go there. I am saving money right now so I can attend university there and explore Tokyo. But as you can see, this current job I have is very demanding...Good thing there's no school tomorrow. I can do my homework then."
"We can help you." Kuroiwa leaned forward, resting cheek on his palm."With your homework. I mean, I assume you still gotta go to work until you get hired at that cafe, right? So let us help you so you don't have to worry about it."
"O-oh no! Don't worry about that. I wouldn't want to make you do that!" She quickly shook her head, causing Setsuna to giggle."I'm just...I'm not worth the trouble..."
"Why do you say that?" Setsuna frowned.
"I..." Endou trailed off, closing her eyes.
"It's okay." Hajime reassured her."We don't have to talk about that."
"Let's focus on the food then!" Hagamuchi beamed upon seeing his sister bringing in a tray holding 4 bowls of ramen. The group ate their meal in silence, tired after a long day. Setsuna yawned after finishing her bowl, rubbing her eyes drowsily.
"You poor thing. You must be tired." Seiko smiled, going toward the door and flipping the side from open to close."I'll take you to bed. You'll be sleeping with me. Hamaguchi will sleep with your brother."
"Will...he be okay...?"
"Don't worry. I'll take good care of him." Kuroiwa winked at her."Leave it to me."
"I should probably get home soon. My mom is probably worried." Endou checked her flip phone.
"It's quite late." Seiko hummed as she looked up toward the clock."Why don't you let the boys walk you home?"
"Ah, no need for that..." She shyly muttered.
"Nah, I can go." Kuroiwa shrugged."I can't let you walk all alone at night, can I?"
"I'll go too." Hajime stood up as well."I...need the fresh air. I've been stuck in that plane for too long."
"You sure? You should rest. Your injuries..."
"Injuries?" Endou's face scrunched up in concern.
"He's a soldier." Kuroiwa elaborated."He got wounded in battle. Nothing life-threatening, of course."
"A...soldier...?"
It wasn't exactly a lie, Hajime thought. They were all essentially soldiers, taking orders and being deployed on missions. But now he supposed he wasn't one, since he quit."I'm fine. Besides, I need to clear my head a little."
"Thank you." Endou bowed."Both of you are so kind."
"No problem!" Kuroiwa waved his hand dismisivally. Hajime just gave a slight nod. The trio exited the restaurant, walking down the empty streets under the moonlight. Hajime had to admit, he felt slightly intimidated by how small everything was. The buildings were much smaller than back in Tokyo, and the streets felt narrower. And there were barely any people walking by when in Tokyo people would still be cruising around, even at 11 at night.
"You know..." Kuroiwa began, stuffing his hands in his pockets."I don't know if I would want you to go to Tokyo all alone, Endou-chan."
"Why do you say that?" She cocked her head to the side.
"The city...changes you." Kuroiwa closed his eyes."Unless you're born there, it will change you. It always does. And I wouldn't want a kind girl like you to change for the worst."
"You're saying it because of Kagura-san." Hajime guessed.
"That's...your elder sister, right?" Endou asked, receiving a nod.
"Yeah. Aunt Chisa's biological daughter." Hamaguchi nodded."For someone who's not from the city...it changes you drastically. And...I don't want you to end up like my sister, honestly. Like a complete prick."
"Oh. I see." Endou muttered."I don't want to change who I am either..."
"But I said alone!" Hamaguchi grinned."I'm sure Hajime and our friends will be more than glad to help you when you get there!"
"Really?!" Endou gasped, beaming in excitement as she grabbed his hands."Is that true, Adachi-san?!"
"I..." Hajime blinked, instinctively pulling back."I...I suppose..."
"I'm sorry. Did I make you uncomfortable...?" Endou shrank slightly at the idea.
"No. No, it's just..."
"He's going through a lot. So he doesn't like too much close contact." Hamaguchi vaguely explained, but the girl seemed to get the idea.
"I see. Forgive me if I overstepped." She bowed apologetically."Well, my house is just around the corner. You can leave me here if you want."
"Got it. Say hi to your mom for me." Hamaguchi waved as he shifted on his heels.
Hajime managed a nod while the girl waved at him, following Hamaguchi close behind.
'He feels...like he's a little like me...' She clenched her chest.
"Sorry for dragging you out this late like this." Hamaguchi addressed his best friend, waiting for him to catch up.
"It's fine. I don't think a lot of crime goes on in this town, but it feels wrong to let a girl walk alone at night. Anything can happen."
Hagamuchi smiled at that. He was glad Hajime was still caring and kind. After hearing what happened before he picked him up, he was worried he had become cold and emotionless. But while he wasn't as vocal or emotional as before, traces of the old Hajime were still there.
"I think she might be into you." Hamaguchi wagged his eyebrows suggestively.
"Is that so?" Hajime hummed, his expression unchanging."I sure hope not. For her own sake."
"Is it because of Tachibana-chan? You guys are technically still dating, right?"
"I...it's complicated." He trailed off."We didn't leave on a good note. So it's hard to say. But I hope she moves on from me. She deserves better."
"You think so?" Hamaguchi pursed his lips, wanting to hear him out but chose to just listen instead of asking questions.
"Yeah. I didn't have it in me to break up with her. So I thought she would, but she never said anything." Hajime glanced down at his arms, noticing they were shaking. His breathing was ragged, and was sweating."I'm just a failure. A bad person. She deserves someone better than me. So does Endou-san. I don't deserve to be loved...I-"
"It's cool." Hamaguchi wrapped his arm around his shoulder."We don't have to talk about it. I was just making conversation. But we can take it one step at a time. But for now, how about we go to bed? I prepared a futon for me. You'll take the bed."
"But that's your-"
"Nope! I don't want any excuses!" Hamaguchi shook his head, leaving no room for argument."You're taking the bed and that's final. And don't worry. If you have a nightmare or need someone to talk to in the middle of the night, don't hesitate to wake me up. I'll always be there. Except if I'm in the bathroom. So if you don't see me, just wait for me and I'll come back, okay?"
Hajime was about to protest, but he realized that once his mind was made up, Hamaguchi wouldn't take no for an answer."Thank you..."
"But yeah...I feel bad about that girl. It's not a mystery, but you probably won't find out since you're not really from here." Hamaguchi gazed back to his friend."Endou-chan was in a very abusive relationship with a scumbag. He would verbally abuse her, push her around, make her feel like shit."
"Really?" Hajime scrunched up his face in disgust."How repulsive...How can anyone do that to a sweet girl like her."
"I guess there's just a lot of evil people in this world."
"Evil..." Hajime repeated, thinking back on Hazuki's words.'Is that what he meant back then? Is this what he's trying to prevent?' "So what happened?"
"Eventually, everyone in town found out. I beat the fuck out of the guy, naturally. And we drove him out of Okinawa." Kuroiwa spat with disdain."He lives in Kansai now or some shit. They were dating for a while. Even before I got here."
"But...if he was abusive to her, why did she stay with him?"
"Who knows?" Kuroiwa shrugged."We never got a direct answer. Maybe it's because she felt intimidated by him and was afraid of angering him. Maybe she was deluded that he loved her or just desperate for affection. Or it could be that she hoped he would one day become a better person. I think...sometimes people are so deeply in love, that they don't realize that the other person might be harming them in some way. You get what I mean?"
"Not really." Hajime hummed, trying to think of an example.
"Mmmm. Guess it's better that way." The bluenette shrugged."This means everyone you know is in a happy, healthy relationship. Anyway, ever since then, Endou-chan has been having really low self-esteem issues. It's like she thinks she was the one at fault. Like all of the problems came from her. We've been getting her back on track, but it's a work in progress. So if she says anything that may catch your attention as odd, feel free to correct her. She needs to understand that she has great value as a person and that we all cherish her. Kind of like you."
"Like me...?"
"I know you're blaming yourself for what happened." Kuroiwa stopped in his tracks, forcing Hajime to look in his eyes."And I won't berate you saying how that was out of your control. But just because of that, it doesn't mean you're worthless. Or that you don't deserve to be happy."
Hajime remained silent, lowering his gaze and offering no words.
Kuroiwa sighed, a small smile gracing his features."Let's go home. We can go fishing tomorrow. Just like old times."
"What?! Maria's team?!" Tsubasa gasped upon hearing the news. They were on their way to pursue the director after securing the chemical plan and were several miles away from the location where the other team was."But even with Jades and Amaterasu there, their LINKER won't last long since it's not tuned to them."
"Shit. Trouble." Yosuke clicked his tongue.
"We can't turn back now." Takeru furrowed his brows."We've got a mission to do. We must leave the rest to the other team."
"Hopefully the Third doesn't screw things over." Chris huffed.
"Hey, cut that kid some slack. He'll pull through." Takeru shook his head."That said, let's get this mission over with so we can go help the others."
The group nodded. All they could do now was wait until Stefan, the boy Hibiki had saved, took them to where the director had fled in a car.
"So, are we letting our pet do the work?" Raphael asked, sitting down on the ground."Or are we also jumping in? Honestly, I don't feel like fighting right now."
"We'll only engage in combat if they attack us." St. Germain said."Remember, this is an experiment. Speaking of experiment, I believe it is time to bring them out, no?"
"Oh yeah. Our newly evolved Mirror Monsters." Prelati smirked maliciously, reaching for her skirt pocket and pulling out a few gems from within. She threw the gems at the ground, and two metallic beings emerged, taking the shape of Tiger and Raia. Once their appearance was formed, they adopted their color schemes, except they displayed more of a monstrous appearance.
"What the fuck...?" Tiger blinked, baffled at what he had just witnessed.
"Ah...What a beautiful day!" The Tiger counterpart exclaimed."Thanks for releasing us out to play, Masters!"
"You're welcome." Prelati nodded."Now, let's see how our Shadow Riders perform."
"Shadow Riders...?" Maria parroted.
"Indeed. These Riders are copies of the originals and mixed in with Mirror Monster properties. We created them based on Bragard's research and the remaining energy he had stolen for his Overall."
"Why just two?"
"They are still a work in progress." Raphael explained."But so far, they're better than the originals in one way."
"Yeah? Why is that?!" Tiger lunged at his clone, wielding his Destvisor. However, to his shock, the Shadow Rider was suddenly equipped with his Destclaws, easily parrying the axe and slamming his boot against Jades' chest, launching back.
"Because they are made from a very particular material." St. Germain said."But overall, they are also homunculi."
"Homunculus too...?" Shirabe repeated.
"So like the Second, you made your variation of a Homunculus. This time, using Mirror Monsters." Alternative clicked his tongue."Certainly impossible. But not for the Bavarian Illuminati. I can see why you've been giving the Second so much trouble. So they can recreate their weapons and such without even having to activate the abilities like regular Riders do."
"That's what makes us cool." Shadow Raia declared, giving them a thumbs down."We're faster than you, stronger than you, smarter than you, deadlier than you, and cooler than you. We will kill you and take your bodies for ourselves."
"I can't believe they took Bragard's design for the Mirror Monsters and improved on them this much..." Bragi breathed, stunned."Maria-dono! Let's go after that giant snake!"
"We'll take care of our doppelgangers!" Jades declared as he and Raia rushed in to fight their monster doubles.
Which left Kirika and Shirabe to focus their attention on the Alchemists ahead. They used their boosters to enhance their speeds, heading straight for the man in front of the group.
"Aw, come on!" Raphael sighed, reluctantly drawing upon his golden sword. He easily sidestepped, avoiding Kirika's scythe, and focused his attention on Shirabe's yo-yos. She wrapped them around his blade, trying to disarm him, but his grip was too much for the girl. In a swift motion, he pulled her into his arm and started twirling around with her as if he were dancing."Nice girls are good dancers. My father taught me that."
Shirabe growled, unfolding her twin tails and sprouting two giant buzzsaws, forcing him to jump back. He rose his head, watching on as Kirika descended from the skies with her scythe. He smacked the scythe out of her arm with one swing, grabbing her hand and kneeling on one knee, kissing her hand."A splendid move. Perhaps if you had been a bit faster, I would have been in danger, my young lady. But not a bad attempt."
Kirika went for a kick, but Raphael simply blocked with his forearm. He dropped his sword on the ground, bending his knees to avoid having his head cut off by Shirabe's saws. When the girl twirled around, he grabbed her arm and spun in place before throwing them both away.
To their surprise, the throw hadn't been hard enough for them to not recuperate and get back on their feet.
"Don't worry, ladies." Raphael giving them a bow."I will not harm you. I have a policy of not hurting women. You see, my father taught me that a man must treat a woman with respect and be gentle with them. So if you insist on fighting me, I will do my best to limit myself to dodging and blocking your strikes."
"Ever the gentleman." Cagliostro purred."You're so lucky, St. Germain."
"I wonder about that..." She sighed, rubbing her temples."Can you just get this over with?"
"Don't underestimate us!" Shirabe threw hundreds of saws at him.
Alpha Style: 100 Saṃsāra
"Oh, dear." Raphael chuckled, raising his sword and doing a full circle with it around him, creating a ring of golden energy. The ring expanded in size, blocking the buzzsaws and destroying them.
"No way-desu!"
"Like I said, I will only block. Fortunately, my sword can nullify any attack it touches." Raphael splayed his hands."Do not misunderstand, my fair young maidens. I do not underestimate your strength. I recognize you as worthy rivals. However, I believe a man should never raise his hand against a woman, no matter what. There is no greater disgrace than that. You see, women should be treated with utmost respect since they have the gift to give birth and bring life to the world. My motto is...WOMEN ARE QUEENS!"
"Huh?!" Kirika and Shirabe both exclaimed in unison.
"Damn right, we are." Prelati chuckled, enamored by his words."Now you're speaking facts."
"He's so dashing, isn't he?" Cagliostro smiled.
"Kiri-chan..." Shirabe muttered to her sister."This guy..."
"Yeah..." Kirika nodded.
"He's a prince charming/desu!" They both blushed, hearts appearing in their eyes.
"Ah, man. Not this again..." Raphael rubbed his nape."Sorry, girls. You're both lovely ladies in your own rights, but let's limit our relationship as rivals, yes?"
"That man..." St. Germain bit her lower lip."We should have sent him to fight one of the Riders..."
Meanwhile, Maria and Bragi stood back to back, bracing themselves for the serpent's attack. And attack it did, from the ground, launching them both in the air and aiming to devour them.
Bragi clicked his tongue, grabbing Maria's leg and tossing her out of the way. The jaws of the serpent close around his legs, biting off part of his body.
"Bragi-kun!" Maria screamed in concern.
"Don't worry about me!" Alternative winced in pain, feeling his body regrow his severed parts back. He landed on the ground, but suddenly felt weak and fell on one knee."What the...?"
"Are you alright?!" Maria rushed to his side.
"Yeah, I'm just...Feeling tired all of a sudden..." Bragi grabbed his chest.
"Elfnein-chan said you use up your stamina if you regenerate too much too fast." Maria unsheathed her dagger and stared up at the beast."Take a rest. I'll take care of things now."
"I will not." Alternative huffed, standing back on his feet by using his Slashdagger for support."That monster is strong. It's withstanding our abilities like they're nothing. You won't do much better than me."
"Then do you have a plan?" Maria asked.
Bragi grinned under his helmet."Yeah. I remember Takeru-dono and Yosuke-dono said they killed, or rather, destroyed one of the Second's bodies by combining their powers together in one attack. Let's combine our powers and attack in unison."
"Sure. Sounds good. But how do we get in synch?"
"Don't forget who you're talking to, Maria-dono." Alternative drew a card from his Deck, waving it around.
"Heh. Full of surprises, I see." Maria nodded."Let's do it then, Prince."
"Aw, stop it. You're making me blush." He fidgeted in place, completely overlooking the fact that she had already charged ahead."Oi! Wait for me!"
Link Vent
Maria was engulfed in a silver aura while Alternative was engulfed in a darkish aura as they rushed the Yohualteputztli in unison. Maria summoned her daggers, creating a circle around them as Bragi conjured several dark matter spheres, creating a tornado of darkness and silver.
Catastrophe Tornado
The serpent was hit across the mouth, destroying its jaw as the tornado shredded through its tough body. However, several copies of the serpent emerged from its body before merging back into it, somehow restoring its body as if it had not sustained any injuries.
"What the hell?!" Maria gasped in shock."It regenerated?!"
"No...No..." Alternative gritted his teeth."It...it's a fucking Divine Weapon!"
"Huh? You mean like-"
"Yeah, like Zeke." Alternative swallowed the lump in his throat."Damn...This just got a hell of a lot harder. Right now, it sacrificed a version of itself from a parallel universe to make it so it never suffered any form of damage. We can't beat it. The Boy Wonder isn't here, so there's that. So our next best chance is to use Takeru-dono's weapon to kill it."
"What?!" Tiger gasped, currently being grabbed by the neck by Shadow Tiger."T-their attack...?"
"It didn't work. Too bad." Shadow Tiger raised his claws, but was interrupted by Raia as he rammed into him with his Evildiver."Ouch! What the hell?! Shadow Raia! What are you doing?!"
"Trying to hit him, dumbass!"
Shadow Raia had somehow morphed into Evildiver itself, chasing Raia as they took off into the air.
'So not only can they use our abilities, but they can become our Advent Beasts themselves?!' Raia clicked his tongue.'This is bad...'
"Oh? The experiment worked?" Raphael stopped all of a sudden, leaving him open for a kick by Shirabe across his face. He stumbled backward, falling on his rear at the unexpected attack. He blinked, touching the edge of his lips and noticing he was bleeding. He eyed Shirabe, who glared in defiance. But smiled, causing the girl to tense up."Young lady...your attack was truly sublime. I see the Symphogear don't disappoint. But I've had enough playing around for now."
Vanishing from his place, he reappeared back with his group.
'I didn't even see him move...' Shirabe noted, slightly terrified and not daring to think what would have happened if he fought back against them.
"So...all good, Milady?"
"Yes. "All good", as you say." St. Germain nodded."At long last, we finally attained Divine Power without the intervention of a God. After doing that, mimicking Bragard's idea wasn't as hard as I had originally thought."
"I guess he wasn't that big of a deal after all." Cagliostro winked at the prince."Just like his son."
"Why you-!"
"Bragi-kun, we must retreat!" Maria hollered, already jogging over to Kirika and Shirabe, who were carrying Aoi and Sakuya respectively.
"But I..." Bragi clenched his fists.
"Are you going to come and fight us?" Prelati asked, raising a brow with a sardonic smile."Well, come on then. Basically, you sure look like you want to."
"Bragi-kun!" Shirabe grabbed his hand, pulling him along."Let's go!"
"Listen to your girl." Raphael stared down at the prince with a blank expression."If she's had enough, she's had enough."
"Tch! Shut the fuck up!" Bragi drew a card from his Deck and scanned it.
Gravity Vent
Using his left arm, he lifted several rocks around the area and hurled them at the Yohualteputztli, stunning it in place. A few more rocks flew toward the Alchemists, by St. Germain blocked them with a barrier.
"Ara, Ara. They're running away." Cagliostro rose her brows in surprise."I didn't expect the Little Prince to run."
"Well, he is part Carol too." Prelati surmised."So it stands to reason that he's a bit more...level-headed."
"Whether that's the case or not, it hardly matters." St. Germain said, watching as the Yohualteputztli took chase after the group."They can't kill it. If the Messiah is not here, then they're doomed to fail."
However, the serpent dissolved into particles, returning to St. Germain's hand.
"Hey, what gives?" Cagliostro pouted."We're not going to chase them down?"
"There's no reason to pursue them. We've completed our objectives." St. Germain explained."That should be enough for now. Remember our priority."
"Right. Tiki." Raphael nodded, pulling out his phone and Airpods."Well, I'll go back to watching my movie. If you must tell me something feel free to poke me."
The Alchemists turned back toward the auditorium to recover the Autoscorer.
"This is my village," Stefan informed the group as they slowly entered the village.
"Yeah...I've been here before." Takeru muttered, leading the group with Yosuke on his right.
"You...have?" Stefan blinked."Wait...that hair...I recognize you. Weren't you one of those mercenaries? From years ago?"
"Yeah..." Takeru nodded, forcing a grin."That's me. The lone survivor for the Breaker Alliance."
"But...you're working with the government of Japan..." Stefan scrunched his face up in confusion.
"A long story. But let's focus on the important details for now."
Chris frowned at his dismissal. She could tell he was feeling distressed being here. No doubt he had fought battles all across Val Verde in the past. Perhaps even in this village here. She wanted to grab his hand, but the sound of arguing could be heard. The group stopped near the edge of a small hut, hiding in the darkness and peering to see what was going on. The director was holding an innocent woman hostage, his arm around her neck.
"Let her go! Right now!"
"You...you're one of the Breker Alliance members. I met you when you were a child." The director chuckled, splaying his left arm to show them what was happening. Several Alca Noise and Mirror Monsters were surrounding the area, keeping the people in a circle and preventing them from moving."You're a traitor to Val Verde, boy. But if you come here and die like the wretched dog you are, then I might consider letting these people go. So no funny business, brats."
"You bastard! Have you no shame!" Yosuke snarled.
"It's how the world works, kid." The director guffawed, unaware that one of the kids in front of him had vanished."So why don't you get on your knees and with your hands up and I won't have to kill any of these-"
Suddenly, the director was hit with a ball in the face, forcing him to release the hold of the woman. Stefan kicked his soccer ball again, striking the man in the nose for good measure, and grabbed the girl's hand, dragging her along.
"Is everyone in Val Verde a suicidal maniac?!" Yosuke couldn't help but grin, running ahead as he transformed into Knight.
"It's part of our charm. Girls love the Don Quixote type, ain't that so, Chrissy?" Takeru smirked, turning into Zolda as the girls were clad in their Symphogear.
"Whatever you say, my brave knight." Chris rolled her eyes, smiling.
The group got to work immediately, dispatching the Alca Noise before they could react and pushing the Mirror Monsters away, using their Seal Cards to block and prevent more from coming through. However, the director had recuperated, and was seeing red."YOU LITTLE BASTARD!"
A Noise spawned in front of Stefan, prompting him to push the girl out of the way and save her. The Noise wrapped its tentacle around his leg, immediately starting to decompose it.
"FUCK!" Zolda tried to rush to help, but a Spider Mirror Monster spewed cobwebs at his hands, preventing him from moving. He frantically looked around, and the only person close or that could reach Stefan in time was Chris."CHRIS! SHOOT HIS LEG OFF!"
"H-huh?!" Chris gasped."B-but-"
"JUST FUCKING DO IT! HURRY!" He bellowed.
"GOD DAMN IT!" Chris screamed at the top of her lungs, raising her gun toward his leg and pulling the trigger.
"NO!" A purple-haired woman rushed from within the crowd toward Stefan."Why?! Why did you do that?!"
"Because of me." Zolda undid his transformation, approaching the distressed woman."I gave the order."
"You...YOU!" The woman saw red, lunging at Takeru, but Tsubasa and Hibiki held her back."You murderous piece of shit! You're one of the mercenaries that were there that day! You killed hundreds of people!"
"Yeah. I did." Takeru nodded, emotionless."And I'm the one who gave her the order to shoot."
"Takeru..." Chris breathed, baffled.
"You must understand she had no choice." Tsubasa tried to dissuade the situation."The moment the Noise grabbed him, it was too late. It was shooting his leg off or letting him die."
"I know! I know it was the right choice! But that doesn't make it right! But this murderous bastard! Has no right to decide that!"
"Hey, that's enough-"
"Chris. Stop." Takeru held his arm out."She's right. It was my decision. So hate me. Put all of your anger and hate onto me. I'll gladly take it."
"Huh...?"
"Your hate and resentment. I'll carry it with me." Takeru repeated."So...I won't ask you to thank us. Or anything like that. But at least just...be glad he's okay. He will get to live another day, which can't be said about other people here."
The woman noticed the ring in his hand, then the one Chris had."You're...engaged...?"
"We will be." Takeru's features were graced by a warm smile."Not yet. But hopefully soon. I know I did bad things here. And I can't take them back. I realize that. So...I want to spend my energy and time into making life better for others. That's why we're here. To end the conflict. So...don't blame her, okay? Blame me. I'm the one who ordered it. So I'll gladly carry that guilt. Besides, what's one more guilt to the tons I'm carrying already."
Yosuke was astonished by his words. He sounded so...mature, for once. But he understood the pain he was carrying. And yet, he stood tall, willing to carry Chris' burdens. He knew she would blame herself for what happened, so he decided to step up as a man and protect her. He admired that about him.
"We should transport him as soon as possible." Tsubasa said, addressing the woman."You may come with us. Sakamoto, Yosuke."
"We'll put him on the back." Yosuke nodded. The boys got to work, carefully putting Stefan on the back of the truck as Tsubasa started the engine.
"Why...?" Chris placed her forehead against Takeru's back, grabbing his hand."Why are you doing this? Taking all the guilt for yourself?"
"Well, it seems to me that you have plenty already." He said, brushing her fingers gently."Besides, I'm your boyfriend. What am I supposed to do? Let you be the one to blame?"
"What about you?!" Chris raised her voice."Why are you always thinking about me?! You've always been like this! Putting me above you!"
"Yeah. I love you. So?" Takeru turned around to face her, grabbing her hands and resting his forehead against hers."I don't regret it. Besides, like I said, I'm already used to carrying guilt. All the people I killed...the wars I fought...Killing my own comrades. But...I got to save you. And those children. And I will never regret that. That's why I don't mind putting you above me and making you my priority. Because you're the best thing that has EVER happened to me. And I'm glad to have you with me."
"I'm happy too." Chris hugged him tightly."And thank you...I don't know what I would do without you."
"That's mine line." Takeru kissed the top of her head.
"You can kiss on the way to the hospital." Yosuke remarked dryly."Get on."
"Fine, fine." Takeru chuckled, guiding Chris to the car and helping her up. He sat beside her, staring at Stefan with a blank expression on his face.'Sorry. That's another apology I have to remember.'
"Damn it!" Bragi punched the wall out of frustration."I can't believe I ran like that..."
"We should be glad we're okay." Maria placed a hand on his shoulder. Their group had retreated to HQ successfully, securing Aoi and Sakuya without either of them being harmed."And thanks. For saving me."
"You're my teammate. Of course, I would save you." He sighed, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed."Besides, I can regenerate. The Second stockpiled me full of lives. So don't think too much of it."
"Maybe so, but this regeneration abuse stuff has to stop." Elfnein planted her hands on her hips."Look at you! You look like you're ready to fall over! You don't have unlimited lives! If you run out, you-"
"Cut him some slack, Elfnein-chan." Aoi offered a smile."He saved us. He was of great help."
"Yeah. We almost died..." Sakuya sighed in relief."Several times, in fact..."
"Mainly because someone forgot to put their computer on mute." Aoi reprimanded him.
"I said I was sorry!"
"Now, now. Let's just focus on the work at hand." Genjuro chuckled before turning serious."So...that monster is the same as what Zeke became."
"Yeah. A Divine Weapon." Bragi nodded with a grim expression on his face."When I saw it, I could see a few glimpses from the Second's memories. It's impervious to normal attacks and can restore itself from any kind of damage. We'll need Takeru-dono's Divine-infused weapon.
"But he's on a mission with the others right now." Tobias frowned."And making another weapon like that might take some time..."
"So in the meantime, we're sitting ducks, basically." Bragi clenched his fists."I'm sorry...I should be able to do more than this, but..."
"Don't sweat it." Kirika reassured him."We'll figure something out next-Oh...right."
"I'm sorry." Elfnein hung her head."If we had enough LINKER, you guys could fight whenever you wanted."
"You're doing the best you can." Jades ruffled her hair, regarding the prince with his gaze."All three of you. You really surprised me back there, Bragi. Thank you."
"It's not a big deal," Bragi muttered, blushing slightly.
"Heheh. Seems like you're doing a good job at raising him, Elfnein-chan." Jades joked, causing the girl to blush in embarrassment."Not bad."
"Of course she is. She's my Auntie, after all." Bragi rose his chin high with pride."She only knows how to do the best."
"I'm still not used to the whole aunt/nephew relationship thing." Raiden commented."She looks like she could be your little sister."
"Maybe. But biologically, she's my mother. So there's that. Besides, you're the one into her."
"You're a complex individual, aren't you?" Maria giggled, but the dichromatic-eyed boy simply beamed in return.
"I am glad to be different from the rest." He planted his fists on his hips."My family is a bit complicated, but I am happy to have someone that cares so much about me."
"Bragi-chan..." Elfnein beamed, wrapping her arms around his torso, her head barely reaching up to his chin.
"Come on, Auntie...you're embarrassing me in front of the others..." He blushed, feeling the stares from his teammates. Shirabe, in particular, stifled a giggle, which he found surprisingly cute.'How peculiar...'
Meanwhile, the Riders and Symphogear rode their way over to a hospital, Tsubasa taking the wheel and going full speed with Yosuke in the passenger seat.
Chris, Hibiki, Takeru, Stefan, and his sister rode in the back. The young man was unconscious after passing out from the pain. Yosuke had patched him up as best as he could and stopped the bleeding, but he required medical attention soon. The tension was palpable. Takeru recognized this woman. She had been there when everything happened. He thought she died, at the time. But now it was as if his past was coming at him with a vengeance.
He sideglanced toward Chris, noticing she was deep in her thoughts, no doubt regretting what had happened. He often blamed her for what happened, saying that it was her neglect that allowed his group to sneak in the bomb that ultimately killed her parents. A thought that hunted him down for years. But he couldn't ponder on that. Not anymore. What happened, happened. And it wasn't his fault. He couldn't have known or done anything about it.
"I don't understand why you ended up being engaged with...one of the people that caused that incident." Sonia, they had come to learn her name, muttered.
Chris was about to protest, but Takeru shook his head. She was right. In her eyes, he was a monster and a villain. He couldn't just force her to think otherwise.
"They're quiet," Yosuke noted, looking at the group from the rearview mirror.
"I can't blame them." Tsubasa sighed."It feels like it's been tragedy over tragedy lately."
"You're right. It's been a while since we've...caught a break, I suppose. Hopefully, when this Val Verde business is over, we can relax for a bit."
Before they could continue their conversation, their communicators went off."Tsubasa here."
"We've picked up a great number of Alca Noise at Escalon Airport." Genjuro's voice came through."I sent Maria-kun, Jades-kun, and the others there along with Bragi-kun. We don't know how much longer their LINKER effect will last, but if the Bavarian Illuminati attacks again, the Riders will need the help."
"Understood." Tsubasa replied."We'll head there once we drop off the injured civilian somewhere he can be treated."
"Fuck that. Go now."
They gasped, taking a look at the mirror and noticing Takeru glaring at them from behind after having listened in to the conversation."We don't know how strong these guys are. The others are going to need the help. So I'll go and take the civilians with me to the hospital. I know a shortcut we can take and know the terrain well enough. So I should have been the one driving to begin with."
"I'll go too." Chris chimed in."It...doesn't feel right if I just up and leave."
"Fine with me." Takeru nodded."What about you two? And Hibiki-chan."
Hibiki frowned, not knowing whether this was smart or not.
"You're the leader now." Yosuke closed his eyes."It's a good call. There is no need for all of us to go to the hospital together and leave the others alone. Sure. Tsubasa, pull over."
"Got it."
Tsubasa pulled the car over, and both she and Yosuke jumped out and activated their transformations along with Hibiki.
"Be careful." Tsubasa advised."We don't know if there are any stragglers."
"Don't worry. We got this." The amber-eyed boy winked at her."Just make sure the others are safe, yeah? That's an order."
"Don't overdo it." Knight patted him on the shoulder before they rushed back to where they came from.
"We'll see you soon." Hibiki waved at them before chasing after them. Takeru smiled, proceeding to head for the driver's seat.
"Glad to see she's hanging in there."
"Yeah..." Chris trailed off, hugging her legs. Sonia hadn't said a word, bewildered at Takeru's behavior. She didn't understand why he was so hellbent on helping them when he was one of the people who aided in the constant wars in the country. She decided to ignore her thoughts and simply chose to grab her brother's hand in an attempt to comfort him.
At the same time, the Bavarian Illuminati had gathered around Tiki, discussing their plans.
"So...what now?" Raphael asked, sitting on the ground and playing Castle Crashers on his phone.
"Is that game really that fun, Raph? I see you playing it a lot." Prelati squatted next to him.
"Sure is, Lady Prelati." He grinned, offering her his phone."Wanna play?"
"Enough playing for now." St. Germain cleared her voice, earning their attention."To answer your question, Raphael, we will take her back to Japan. The Lodgemaster has prepared a Relic that will revive her."
"I can't imagine Tiki will be too happy to see the Mistress again." Raphael added."You know how jealous she is. Anyway, I can't believe we didn't get to meet the Messiah. I wanted to see him too."
"Basically, me too." Prelati nodded.
"And me!" Cagliostro sighed."I can't believe he's become so popular lately, despite none of us having met him."
"Naturally." St. Germain folded her arms."He defeated Bragard. And while Bragard may have been a pretentious child, he was a force to be reckoned with. There is a reason why he was giving us and Fine so much trouble in the past."
"And yet, he went and lost to a child." Raphael pointed out."Normally, I'd say he lost because of his arrogance. But this is the Messiah we're talking about."
"One of the two." Prelati reminded him.
"Yeah...Two Messiahs are alive at the same time. Now that's bizarre. But this one is working with Loki, isn't he? To bring about Ragnarok."
"Which makes him an enemy as well." St. Germain stated."Fine and Bragard are no more. And we triggered the fall of America. All we must do is crush the Divine Disasters of Valhalla and those who oppose us."
"And it all starts with her." Cagliostro eyed the Autoscorer.
"Basically, it's necessary to weave human history into the correct form."
"That's right." The white-haired woman nodded."No one in this world should be oppressed. Our final goal is preventing Ragnarok from happening and destroying the Antichrist that has arisen from hell."
"Sounds poetic." Raphael said, standing back on his feet."But still..."
"You're not satisfied with leaving things as they are, are you?" Cagliostro adopted a sly smile."Neither am I. How about we take a little walk and pay a visit to our new playmates?"
"Sure." Raphael shrugged."I want to fight a Rider. So let's try not to use the Shadow Riders too much."
"Are you sure it's wise to go without waiting for the Lapis to be completed?" St. Germain rose a brow, receiving a shrug from the silver-haired man.
"Shouldn't be a problem." Cagliostro gave her a peace sign."We can manage. Besides, I've spent most of my life telling lies. From now on, at the very least, I want to be honest with myself."
"Now that sounds deep." Raphael clapped wholeheartedly."Then, as a gentleman, I shall escort you to the battlefield, Lady Cagliostro."
"My gentleman~." She purred, leading the way as they both left Prelati and St. Germain alone with Tiki.
Takeru could see the hospital ahead. Not a sight he wasn't used to. He had been here countless times in the past. He hadn't driven in a while, much less in the rough terrain of Val Verde, so he was being careful not to shake the car too much. But what he saw up ahead forced him to step on the brakes, nearly causing Chris and Sonia to hit the back of the car.
"Hey! What the fuck?!" Chris screamed, but then her jaw dropped. The hospital was infested with Mirror Monsters all around them. Civilians were gathered around in a circle, mostly children and women."No way...But the Old Man didn't say anything about this!"
To their surprise, the Mirror Monsters in front of them stepped aside, forming a path for the car to follow. With no other choice, Takeru stepped on the pedal, following the path until they reached the gates of the hospital. He put the car in parking, turning off the engine.
"What's going on?!" Sonia gasped, glancing around as her heart sunk."What is this...?!"
"Finally. You made it. If you're wondering why your systems couldn't detect them, I simply jammed any signal coming from this place. So no one can communicate."
From the hospital, a young man with a feminine face and slick black hair emerged, using a cane to walk. Now, Allister was wearing a black cloak with the symbol of two snakes circling each other forming an S symbol, and biting the tail of the other."Welcome, welcome. Chris. Takeru."
"Allister!" Takeru clenched his fists."You bastard!"
"Why are you here?!" Chris demanded, provoking a laugh from the assassin.
"To finish my contract, of course." He supplied."And well, it was relatively easy to take over this place. I just had these monsters kill all the soldiers and the men. And I figured someone would show up here."
"What do you want?! Release these hostages!" Takeru took a step forward, but a Mirror Monster raised its arm, threatening to cut off a woman's throat.
"Careful, Takeru. No need to be rash." Allister wagged his finger."I want to fight you. That's all. And you're lucky I am in a good mood. If you stay here alone to fight me, I will let Chris here get these hostages out of here with no strings attached. However, should you refuse, I can just order them to kill everyone here. You might save a few, but will you really be okay having it in your conscious that you could have saved all of their lives?"
Chris gulped, scanning their worried and frightened expressions
"Fine." Takeru responded."You want me? You got me."
"Are you insane?!" Chris yelled."It's a trap! I won't let you fight him by yourself!"
"Then what?! We transform and try to save as many people as we can?!" Takeru snapped, startling Chris with his tone. He had rarely ever yelled at her, and he sounded so urgent too."I can't do that! I can't sacrifice these children's lives for the sake of fighting together! So take them out of here!"
"Takeru..."
"Please...I want them to have a future." Takeru pursed his lips."I couldn't save so many people before. I want to at least make sure these innocent people have a future. Trust me. I can handle this prick. Not to mention, I don't feel like fighting so I won't make this long."
"Bold words," Allister remarked.
"You'll be by yourself." Chris reiterated.
"Yeah. I can handle myself. Don't worry." He gave her a thumbs up."Just leave this to me. Get these children and their mothers out of here for me. Then I'll catch up."
"Okay..." Chris clenched her chest."I will. Just...be careful. Okay? I love you."
"Yeah. I love you too, my love." Takeru nodded."Of course. I promised you I would never abandon you. And I won't break my promise now. Now get going, Chrissy. Allister, let's go far from here. I don't want them to be caught in our battle."
"Sure." Allister nodded."Feel free to use the trucks to transport them out of here, by the way. As soon as our battle starts, I'll call them off. Just in case."
"Yeah, yeah. Just keep your word."
With that, Takeru and Allister proceeded to head to the back entrance of the hospital compound.
"Where is he going?!" Sonia asked.
"He's saving all of you!" Chris yelled.'Now help me get these people on those trucks! We don't have time to waste!"
"How courageous of you to walk to your demise, Takeru." Allister chuckled, trailing behind Takeru as they walked far from the hospital."Really, I am impressed. Why, though?"
"I want to give those people a chance to live." Takeru confessed."Back when my parents found me, they could have just left me there. But my mom took me in. And my dad, as much of an asshole as he was, he trained me to be a soldier. They gave me a chance to live. Just as I had a chance to live, I want others to have the same as well."
"I guess that's why you saved Chris and those children back then, right?"
"Yeah...Something like that."
"How noble. You never fail to surprise me. I like that." Allister snorted.
"But this is a good chance. I wanted to fight you since I couldn't fight you properly before." Takeru glared at Allister, and if looks could kill, the assassin would have been long dead."I will never forgive you monsters for what you did to Andreas and Goro!"
"Like I said, nothing personal. Goro just happened to get in my way to kill Yosuke. As for Andreas..it was truly unfortunate. But this is a Rider War. This is normal. Besides, it will all be fine. You will see them again in the new world."
"New world...New world?" Takeru frowned."Miku-chan was right. Do you realize how insane this sounds? You want a new world without evil by getting rid of the human ego? The free will? You sound like you're part of a cult!"
"Who cares about that? You will have everything you want. You will have your parents. A happy life with Chris. Who wouldn't want that life?"
"Sorry. But I am not about to give up my free will for a fake world where you guys ruled over." Takeru stopped in his tracks."This is far enough. The Monsters."
"I'll keep them around for a bit." Allister smiled."I wouldn't want anyone to interrupt our fight. Don't worry, as long as Chris plays nicely, no one will die. Well, no one except you."
"Yeah right. You're the one who's going down." Takeru reached for his pocket, grabbing his Deck."How many times have we fought now?"
"It's hard to say. But in hindsight, our battles haven't been exactly fair."
"First one you attacked me by surprise, fucker."
"No hard feelings. Fine just wanted me to set an example." Allister mused."The second one was during the Kadingin incident. Kind of. Odin interrupted us. Then during the Frontier, I fought you and Yosuke. Then all of your friends."
"Later on, we fought again, but I had Survive and you didn't." Takeru remarked."So yeah...we never had an equal fight."
"Then let this be our first and last proper fight." Allister took out his Deck, his V Buckle materializing around his waist."You are a stepping stone, Takeru. I will defeat you for the sake of Hazuki's plans and a new world. Your death will serve as the beginning of our eternal paradise."
"I'm not going down. Not until I beat you. And even if I go down, I promised you, didn't I?" Takeru inserted his Deck in his V Buckle."I won't go to hell all by myself. I'm taking you with me. Henshin!"
"Thank you very much. God, you're so perfect." Allister licked his lips with a twisted smile, inserting his Deck into his V Buckle. "Henshin!"
Energy versions of Magnugiga and Venosnaker appeared behind their masters. Venosnaker slithered around the ground while Magnugiga fired several missiles that rotated around the area. Venosnaker opened its jaws, attempting to devour Takeru, and the missiles homed in on Takeru as both monsters entered their bodies.
Ouja cracked his neck, eyeing Zolda like a predator would a prey."So...shall we begin this horror show?"
"Ready when you are." Zolda raised his visor, both Riders taking a battle stance.
And that's the end of the chapter. So, new enemies. Shadow Riders. If you've watched Power Rangers before, they are basically the Psycho Riders. I named them Shadow Riders since there are a bunch of things called Psycho or have psycho in their names, so I decided to make it different. Secondly, we're going to keep seeing glimpses of Okinawa and how the Adachi siblings are doing. By the way, Kuroiwa using Abyss is coming up soon. If you want, feel free to drop any card ideas you may have for him in his Survive Form. Next chapter, we return to a classic fight. Zolda vs. Ouja. Who will win? Who will survive? Stay tuned to find out.