Chapter 12: Realization (Part 1)

“I’m glad I can speak again...but man, three days is way too long of a stay. Thanks a lot, Eagle eye...I definitely wanted to be bound to the hospital bed,” said Reito, looking up at the ceiling while lamenting his extended stay at the hospital with folded arms.

It was quiet, kind of unnerving to him, in all honesty. So, he felt it necessary to talk to himself to break the silence.

“Nice and quiet here though, Shion hasn’t even dropped by to see me. Then again...she’s got another friend to look out for, now, so I guess it ain’t that strange.” He turned over. “Oh well, guess I did get what I wanted. All I could think about was havin’ a nice day or two of peace and quiet all to myself since startin’ school again. So,” he said, looking out the window, “why...do I feel so...weird? I’ve spent hours loungin’ around in my dorm without so much as the slightest feelin’ of discomfort... So what’s this empty feelin’...?”

The image of his peppy yellow-haired schoolmate popped into his head.

“Kinda wonder how she’s holdin’ up...”

As he started to get lost in thought, his phone rang bedside. Upon picking it up and looking at it, he noticed the caller ID “Old Bat” on the screen. “Tch. Seriously? Right now?” He questioned, running a hand down his face. Oh well, might as well get this over with, he accepted as he brought the phone to his ear, “Ya got Reito, and no, I’m not dead.”

“Nya-ha-ha! You alwaysh know howda stardacall!” She cackled as she slurred and butchered her words. “How’smyfavorigranshun~?!”

“I’m your only grandson. What’s the deal, anyway, callin’ me when you’re half cut like this? I can barely make out a word you’re sayin’,” he brought to her attention. Then again, not much different from when she’s sober.

“Oh whashdeharm? My own fwesh and bloodsh, winding the tiddle of one of da Twop Two swongesth in Kita? There’sh nogrewter time tocelebrate witdhawoundodwinks!! Nya-ha!!”

Damn it, Shion! Why the hell do ya always have to tell her about this stuff?

“Looks wikemytrainish, (Hic), paid off after all, huh,huh huuuuhhh?! Hee-hee-hee~”

He rubbed a hand down his face with a look that screamed, “I’m so over this”. “Yeah, Retribution and Aura sure did a lotta good when I was gettin’ my shit rocked. Though, to be completely honest, without her teachin’s I would’ve been screwed, he admitted, looking to the side.

It was true, without those factors, he wouldn’t have been able to get out of a lot of close calls. Not to mention it helped him develop a new technique.

But if I told her that, she’d just tease me about it all day. Actually...while I’ve got her on the phone… Oi, I’ve got a question.

“Hmm? Dunbeshy, spillitmishter! (Hic)!”

As old as she is and still such a boozehound... Ugh! “Well, as ya already know, Aura ain’t exactly the easiest to draw out, and even when I do, it’s usually only on a single body part-”

“And whoosh fault ishh, (Hic), dat~?” She teased.

“Y-yeah...I get it, I didn’t listen that well when ya were teachin’ me.” He continued, looking longingly at his clenched fist. “All of a sudden, when I was fightin’, the stuff covered my entire body. Not only that, but it made me a hell of a lot stronger too… It was like I was a different person… You’re the only person I know who can do that no problem. So why was I able to do it then?

“...Ah, I thought that’d whadshe meant. (Hic)! What you’re referring to is called “Aura Skin”,” she elaborated, sobering up, “and as to why you were able to use it with only the bare minimum knowledge about it... Well, let me ask you this. What were you feeling; emotion wise, I mean?”

“Emotions...? I remember that, clear as day. I was pissed off. The guy I was swappin’ hands with got under my skin so bad that I had nothin’ else on my mind but the desire to pound his face in! Before I knew it, I was givin’ him the business, even though I couldn’t even lay a finger on the guy before that. I was even able to use the slashin’ Aura effect, even though I can only control the internal and blunt effects.”

“I see.... Another question coming your way. Why do you think I told you to take a breath before every seperate use of Aura?”

“Lemme see...to calm myself, right?”

“That’s partly the reason, but primarily it’s so you can hone your focus. Aura is— at its core—just Life Energy. Even though all living things in the world possess it, drawing it out requires, one, the knowledge that you have, and two, the ability to focus the power around your body by shutting out everything but you and the target, and make the energy visible when you strike or defend. And with Retribution Fist it should also allow you to repel anything with the use of refined palm strikes. But when you add emotion to the equation, things get a bit more...complicated.

“Complicated like...?”

Anger, sadness, happiness, despair, and many others are the key. Imagine Aura flow like water through a closed gate. At your level, you can only leak a bit of water out each given time, and no more, but, when feeling and emotion at its zenith, when you can think of nothing else but that, you unlock the means to pry the gate fully open and let the water flow out seamlessly. In a nutshell, the process of shutting out your surroundings happens naturally, and from there you’re given full control of your Aura for a limited time, it’s more or less the same principle as when people perform herculean feats when trying to save someone.”

“So, that was it. This Aura stuff is more intense than thought... Hey, Granny, got a favor to ask. Fightin’ that guy made me realize...I seriously suck. I can barely hold a candle to the former number four… My Path’s somethin’ I can work on myself, but…I wanna know more, y’know, about Aura…and Retribution. When I get a big enough break from the Academies, could I...come to Okinawa to get more trainin’? I’ll listen this time...promise.”

There was a substantial pause from his grandmother. The grandson who tried to avoid her for the longest and ignored the majority of her teachings was asking for her to help him out in sincerity. She didn’t even know how to respond at first, but she recovered and gave him his answer.

“Nya-ha-ha! What kinda Granny would I be if I refused a request like that?! In fact, you didn’t even hafta ask, I’ve been wanting to see your face since you left for the City! You’re welcome at my dojo, anytime. You have my word, or my name isn’t Kirie Mitsuki! Just remember to hone my style as much as you can for advertisement! With your help, I’ll be crawling with young disciples!”

He closed his eyes and looked down with a smile. “Yeah, yeah. Just don’t die before I get there, ya fossil.”

“Sixty five and running isn’t even close to middle aged in my book, I’m basically still in my prime! One more thing, I may have made a martial art centered around it, but I doubt I’m the only person in the world who knows about the concept of Aura. I’m sure there are probably some people stronger than you in the upper schools that can use it like it’s just breathing. So if you find them, get ‘em to help you out. The more you learn about it, the stronger you’ll get when I train you again!”

A knock on the door caused him to turn his head. “Must be Shion. Uh, gotta go Granny, y’know how to reach me.” he said, ending the call before addressing the knocking. “Kay, come on in.”

The door flew open, accompanied by Neigh and Chikara dashing past it.

“Who’re those dashing visages rushing through the door at your time of waking?!” Neigh exclaimed, throwing back his lab coat and striking an exaggerated pose. “Well, we’ll tell ya! I’m a man that needs no intro, but I’ll give you the pleasure of one anyway! The dashing white hot flame that burns in a dark world, lighting it up! The heart and soul of the Academy’s very own Science/Mechanical Division, and the undisputed greatest mind in the world, Neigh Banner-!”

Chikara followed suit, assuming a similar pose. “And an ever growing pillar of power! The ‘Bottomless’ in my nickname doesn’t just go for my stomach! When I chow down, I don’t even know how strong I can get! It’s the former Treasurer rising from the ashes to surpass his former rank, Chikara Zeno’o, and right now-!”

“This highly acclaimed, ass kickin’ duo is here to support your recovery!!” They proclaimed in unison.

“.............” Reito just looked on, tilting his head.

“Kickass! That was uber nice Zeno’o,” Neigh praised, giving Chikara a strong armed handshake, “you’re a natural! Hey, whaddya say about joining the Division as my apprentice after you graduate?! A guy like you would be super helpful, I bet you’d catch on fast too!”

“Thanks a ton, but I’ve gotta turn you down,” he respectfully declined, “I’m no good at all that complex stuff. Food and brawling is all I know, sorry.”

“I see… Kinda sucks, but it’s alright. Still, that was a nice entrance. They did them in every iteration of Super Sentai Rangers I can think of, so when I find a chance, I always try to replicate that flashy “The hero has arrived!” sorta style.”

“...If supportin’ my recovery is code for “Let’s geek out about anime and poses all day”, then I guess you’ve definitely got the base covered,” Reito snarked with a straight face.

“Glad to see you up and about, kid. What’d you think about the intro? Too stiff, too much exaggeration? Wait, don’t tell me, not enough exaggeration??!!” Neigh gasped.

Reito waved his hand back and forth with a sigh. “No, of course not,” he said with flat sarcasm, “it was perfect. You’re definitely the genius ya make yourself out to be. In fact, I feel better just from having watched it. Thanks a bunch, you two.”

“I knew it’d do just the trick! Glad I could help!”

...I can’t tell if this guy’s super smart or incredibly dumb…

“You really mean it?” Chikara asked, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. “Thanks, man! When I ran into Mr.Banner while on the way up to visit you, he shot the idea at me, and he made it out to be super cool, and even told me it’d get you back on your feet, I’m glad it worked!”

“And you’re too gullible. Is all that muscle goin’ to your brain? Just say no next time,” mumbled Reito.”

“Anyway, nice job! You and Evie were great out there! Going blow for blow with Forte isn’t anything to scoff at, and you even landed a blow or two on Gold,” Chikara said, punching the air, “you were all, hah! Take this, full power! Y’know?”

“Errm...I don’t think I ever yelled “hah” or “Full Power” durin’ that fight, but I get what ya mean...I guess…”

“And you’re pretty resilient too,” admitted Neigh, “you took a real beating, I mean you reaaaaalllly got pummeled back there! I mean, you got THRASHED! It was not a pretty sight in the slightest!”

“Tell me about it,” Chikara chimed in. “Gold pounded you into jelly! You were barely even recognizable when the medics took you away. You were all swollen and puffy, your face looked like a blowfish! You-!”

“I get it!” Reito growled, pointing at the two. “I got my shit pushed in bad, I know! Can we move on?!” Looking closer at Neigh, he noticed a trademark accessory missing from his person completely. “Not carryin’ your pillo- I mean...Ms.Mari around with you this time, Teach?”

“Ahh, you miss her too kid? Man, I feel you,” he told the boy with a shrug,” but Baki was so insistent on wanting to hang out with her that I just couldn’t refuse, and since I’m not one to get in the way of quality female bonding time, I left them alone for the time being, although it pains me. But, this time apart will make our bond stronger!”

I wouldn’t be surprised if she ripped that thing apart in a jealous fit of rage. Maybe he really is dumb. Reito wondered.

“But back to the topic at hand, nice job with the Nei-Sphere usage. Of course, they’re of my creation,” Neigh boasted, cupping his chin, “so they couldn’t be anything else but useful!”

“I just did what I had to do to keep myself from takin’ as much damage as I could, but a lot of good that did me. Still, they were pretty helpful 80% of the time, and they’re a breeze to use. Thanks for makin’ ‘em.”

“No need to thank me, just doing my job. Speaking of thanks,” Neigh changed the subject as he patted Chikara on the back, “this one’s been dying to tell you something.”

Reito raised an eyebrow. “What, are ya gonna tell me about how I’m the key to savin’ the human race as we know it because of some sorta prophecy some 1000 year old Machine God passed down? If so, I gotta say, there’s no way in hell am I upholdin’ it. Too much of a hassle.”

“Huh?” Chikara blinked. I don’t really get it, but it’s nothing like that. I’m not even here to ask you about that weird energy, you don’t seem to have much control over it anyway,” he corrected before looking down to his feet, “it’s just...I wanted to thank you, you’re a real pal…”

“Yeah well- Wait...‘Thanks’... ‘Pal’? What are ya on about, did I miss somethin’ after I got knocked out?”

“Don’t tell me you forgot? Come on, remember? When Gold lost his cool and started his tirade, he said some harsh things about Evie, Forte and I, like how we were wasting our time, and were useless. And for a second...I might’ve actually believed him… See, I’m always down to fight, no matter what the situation, but it’s because I wanna get stronger as fast as I can. My Path’s a Boost Type, the weakest type, and all it does is make me stronger and a small speed boost.

“Ain’t that more than enough to compete with most?” The injured boy question.

“Gra-ha-ha, figures you’d think that! To most it would look that way,” he laughed, looking down once more, “but it’s not really that impressive in the face of abilities that are just outright stronger or have more uses. Evie’s Sudden Storm, Forte’s Rhythm Bond, Gold’s Enhanced Sense, and even your Delayed Impact, you guys were all gifted with way more useful powers than I was. So while I may look strong to everyone else, to me...I’m just...plain weak. This isn’t the first time that Gold’s talked down to me, so having been said constantly his words really started to weigh on me, and they still do now. But...then, during the match, you stood up to him and defended all of us, even though you just met us. You couldn’t win on your own, yeah...but you got angry for our sake and gave it all you had, and I think that was real cool of you!” He exclaimed, flashing a thumbs up.

“Hmph...don’t read too deep into it, ya stupid Meat Tank,” Reito rejected his thanks as he turned away, “I only did that because I couldn’t stand him actin’ so high and mighty, never even liked guys like that back in Hokaido. So don’t bother callin’ me ‘pal’, ‘buddy’, ‘compadre’, or anythin’ that gives impression that the two of us are “friends”. Because at the end of the day, I did it because I wanted to for pure self satisfaction! Got it, bub?!”

Chikara and Neigh just looked at him before the former spoke up. “Yeah, I do get it, Usodachi…you're one of those...a total tsundere! It’s just like you said, right, Mr.Banner?!” He exclaimed, slamming his fist into his palm and turning towards the aforementioned man.

“Exactly! He definitely fits the bill, that’s some grade A tsun if I’ve ever seen some, and believe you me, I’ve seen a ton!” The man snapped as he agreed with the boy. “He’s not exactly what you would call a “classic tsundere”, he’s more in line with the “new age” kind, y’know, the kind that invite you to the roof to feed you the lunch they made, only to throw it in your face in embarrassment and go “Y-YOU IDIOT! IT’S NOT LIKE I MADE THAT FOR YOU OR ANYTHING! A-A-AND IT’S NOT AS IF I LIKE YOU, SO D-D-DON’T GET FULL OF YOURSELF, BAKA! BAKA! BAKKKAAAAAA!” Just like that!”

“Ohhhhhh, so it’s all just a front! Awww, you don’t hafta be so embarrassed about it, buddy,” Chikara happily pat him on the back.” No matter what you say, I know what you really mean. We’re more than cool!”

“Ouch! Do ya have gunk in your ears?! I told ya not to call me that, and if you’re gonna pat me on the back, control your strength, I don’t wanna be here any longer than I hafta! And you, ya shitty Teach!” He shouted as he pointing to Neigh, “why the hell are ya eggin’ him on?!”

“Fa-ha-ha! Sorry, sorry, I just thought it’d be funny, and I was right!” Neigh rolled across the floor, trying to catch his breath. “Whew! That was good for a laugh! Welp, I’ve seen you up and about,” he said, getting up to his feet and moving towards the sliding door, “so I’d best be gettin’ back to my station, you can’t run the show without the star after all.”

“Wooow...modesty is just second nature for ya, huh?” Reito snarked, monotone.

“I do try! In fact, maybe I’m being a little too modest!”

“..............”

“Meh, swing and a miss, these things happen,” Neigh shrugged, sliding door open, “oh, and another thing, kid. That Energy that you threw around, it’s kinda cool… but how you’re using it doesn’t even hold a candle to the way the king does. Ciao!” He bid goodbye as he slid the door shut from the other side.

“W-wait, ya mean the king uses Aura- Oi! I said, wait! Come back!” His calls were to no avail, as Neigh had already left. “Damn it, that shitty Teach, ya can’t just say somethin’ like that and then leave me hangin’.

“That’s just the way he is, kinda boorish and super eccentric, but it works for him. Plus, he’s mega fun to be around, right?”

“Well, there’s definitely never a dull moment when he’s in the room, I’ll say that. Still, he said the King can use Aura a lot better than I am, so I gotta wonder, what kinda guy is the king of the City?

“What kinda guy is he? Well, if I had to say…he’s real kingly, y’know?”

“......Well, obviously… That comes with the job.” Reito responded as he slumped back in his bed. “Nevermind. If I spend enough time here, I’m bound to meet him eventually anyway.”

“Of course! He’s gotta address the promoted students at Ascension day, so you’ll get to see him for sure! And speaking of students, that reminds me,” he said, turning around to make his way out of the room, “I’ve got some place I’ve gotta be in an hour or two, so I’d better get going. But, one more thing.”

“What is it this time?”

“Even though I said I wouldn’t ask, I am kinda curious about that energy. ‘Aura’ is what you called it, right? Judging from what Mr.Banner said, it’s something that others can use too, and in that case, I’d better learn a countermeasure to it. So when you get outta here, let’s fight again, it can be a spar, or a super serious match, I don’t care, I just wanna learn more about it. What do you say?”

Reito leered at first, but before he knew it his lips curved into a slight grin. “Heh, what a self servin’ bastard. That’s just a roundabout way of sayin’ ya wanna swap hands again. You’re lucky ya happen to be speakin’ my language. Fine. Anytime you’re down to fight, I’m your guy. just don’t get too sad when I end up puttin’ ya onto your back.

“Not gonna happen, I’ve gotten a lot stronger since I lost to you. So hopefully you don’t get discouraged when you can’t cut it against me,” he boasted before his smile disappeared.” And...weird question coming your way… You wouldn’t happen to know anything about Onos in Capital City...do you?”

“Uhhh...nooo…? He lied through his teeth, a chill running over him. “All those guys are six feet under, dude… Why wouldja even ask somethin’ like that?”

His smile returned. “Guess people must’ve seen something else...huh… Well, if that’s the case, sayonara!” He departed, closing the door.”

“That...was almost bad…,” he breathed out heavily, “he could’ve asked me anything else but that, I can’t just out Shion. Glad he’s super gullible, had I been talkin’ to anyone else, they would’ve been able to tell I lied, clear as day. I swear...that guy,” he said to himself as he rested his arms behind his head, “I’ve never met a more headstrong idiot in my life. Still, it’s kinda weird…when I saw those two, that empty feelin’ faded a little… Maybe I could get more out of a longer stay here...I think there’s somethin’ seriously wrong with me…”

He had no time to linger on his confusing state of mind, as his phone began to ring once more. Slowly bringing it to his face, he looked at the caller ID and answered immediately. “Yo, it’s been a minute. Ya didn’t go rogue, did ya?

“You wish!” Shizuka answered, jokingly. “If I just up and left one day, who’d make sure you don’t end up getting yourself killed?”

“Touché. But seriously, where ya been? I thought I’d end up gettin’ a visit from ya, but no dice, I even tried callin’, but I got voicemail every time.”

“Sorry, sorry, that’s why I called you just now, would’ve rung you up sooner but,” she explained, her voice getting more cheery with each second, “I was hanging out with a girlfriend all day!”

“Girlfriend, you and her? I’ve heard girls click faster than guys do most of the time, but to this extent? Didn’t know ya were one to bat for the same team, but things change I guess. Don’t worry, I support the two of ya 100%, just don’t make me tag along as a third wheel, okay?

“Idiot! You know that’s not what I meant!” She shouted, making him pull the phone away from his ear. “Can’t you go one second without snarking?”

“If I don’t do it at least one a day, I’d explode. Trust me, it wouldn’t be pretty. But seriously, I’m happy for ya, seems like ya had a blast.

“Hee-hee-hee, it wasn’t that fun. Compared to you, all she had was a broken arm and a bruise or two, so she healed a lot quicker. After that, we ended heading to a mall on the Azuma side of the City! We bought a ton of stuff, caught a movie, and ate the best strawberry shortcake at this nice little cafe, besides having to hit her upside the head from trying to cop a feel one or two times, it was awesome!”

“That last part definitely sounds like her.”

His tone was the same as always, but in actuality, he had the biggest smirk plastered on his face, even though he didn’t know it himself. Unlike him, Shizuka wasn’t opposed to the idea of friendship, but for obvious reasons, she couldn’t go about gaining it through normal means, so it made the boy glad to hear that she was having fun with someone other than him.

“That side of her that I saw during your fight seemed like some kinda weird fever dream, because when we hung out, she was back to her hyperactive pervy self. Her goofy smile is just as infectious as ever, too. It’s a relief, to be honest, I didn’t think someone like her could get that angry, let alone sad. I’m…just glad she’s ok.”

“That’s…nice.”

“Oh? Could it be? The legendary bushy haired loner, Reito Usodachi is actually worried about someone else besides me and himself? Wow, didn’t think you were such a big softie~~,” she teased.

“N-no! Course not! Shut it! It’s just…she pretty much did most of the work against that guy, so it was cool to hear that she was holdin’ up. Ermm...she didn’t happen to mention me at all…did she…?

“...If you count her turning away and clicking her tongue or saying ‘That idiot, hope he swallows a nail.’ every time I so much as hinted towards you, then yeah...she asked a bunch.”

He swallowed as he put a hand over his throat. “Ouch...just hearin’ that hurts. She’s still pissed at me?”

“Are you kidding? Why wouldn’t she be? You froze up in the middle of the climax of the fight, not only that, but you tried to just up and quit on her, even I wanna punch you through a wall right now.”

“That’s…fair I guess… Beatin’ that guy meant a lot more for her than me.”

“You know what you’ve gotta do, right?”

“...Walk right up to her and act like nothin’ happened? Right…right?”

“I meant, you’ve gotta make amends, stupid. Text me an hour before you get out, we can head to her place after that.”

“.........”

“Look, Rei, technically you’re only tagging along with me to a friend’s place, and I know I told you what you have to do, but I’m not gonna force you to do it, you don’t have come if you don’t wanna, but if you do, then just be ready to say what you need to say. I’ll let you mull it over, ok? Catch ya later,” she hung up.

“Apologize, haha...yeah...that should be easy,” he laughed, sitting up, “I mean...it’s just the Lightnin’ Bug, that short stack Kunoichi that’s always goofin’ off! It’s not like when she’s angry she shouts with all the force of a mountain lion’s roar, and her glare definitely doesn’t make me wanna piss myself… Haha…haha…. Yeah, right. She’s gonna fry me like a fish.

“It’s really stupid how when ya don’t want it to, a couple hours seems like forever, but when you want it to, one of ‘em’s like a minute.” Reito lamented to Shizuka as they walked up a flight of stairs, “Kinda wanted to stay longer.”

“What’re you on about? I specifically remember you saying the only thing you liked about the hospital was the food. Don’t tell me you’re getting cold feet?”

“Uhh...n-no...nothin’ like that,” he denied, swallowing a lump as he straightened his glass, “I was just startin’ to think, that bed was pretty comfy. I really can’t wait to say sorry to her!”

“Mhmm...soooo your knees are just spazzing out from excitement then,” she teased, looking down at his wobbling legs.

“Y-yeah! That’s exactly it!”

In no time, the two stood in front of Evie’s door. It would have been indistinguishable to any other door in the dormitory if not for a ninja scroll hung from the frame.

“Well, we’re here,” Shizuka said, looking over to him, “since you’re the one with the apology, knock first.

Slowly, he took one step, then another, the time between each movement he did felt like an eternity, but he eventually got in front of the door and started to knock. However, before he could actually come into contact with it, he drew his hand back and placed both on his stomach as he bent over. “Ow, fuuuck! My “Can’t apologise without feelin’ killer pain” sickness is flarin’ up! Better not try it this time, let’s just come back in say, a month or someth-!”

She grabbed him by the shirt collar. “Do I look stupid to you? Come on, it’s not as hard as you’re thinking it is. All you’ve gotta do is look her in the eye and say, ‘I’m sorry for almost running away.’. See? Easy.”

“You weren’t on the recievin’ end of her outburst. What if she rips my head off, or puts a kunai in the back of my head?! And anyway, I thought ya said I wouldn’t be forced, that I could choose not to?!”

“I doubt any of that’ll happen…probably. At any rate If you wouldn’t have come in the first place, I wouldn’t have to force you right now. You’re already here, so what’s the point in turning tail now? I’m just making sure you finish what you started.”

“Oi. What’s with that pause before the probably?!...Well, technically, I only started it today, so I can finish it tomorrow. Ciao!” He exclaimed as he tried to retreat before being pulled back once again.

“Okay, Rei, how about I give you an ultimatum? You don’t want to talk to her because you’re afraid of her when she’s angry...right?”

“T-That’s not exactly it- urk!” He slowly turned his head to see her flashing her shark-like teeth in a smile, accompanied by a vein appearing on the side of her face.

“You already told me that you would walk with me to go see her and fess up, and if you don’t hold to that, I’ll get pissed! It’s my anger versus hers. Whose would you rather feel the full force of, I wonder?”

Her tone was soft and sweet, not matching the vibe she gave off in the slightest. The boy knew at that moment that if he didn’t comply, an even worse fate would be waiting for him. Sweating profusely and fearing the worst, he ran towards the door and started knocking on it vigorously. “H-hey! Lightnin’ Bug! It’s been a minute, hasn't it?! Lemme in already, I’ve got somethin’ to tell ya! Please!!”

Locks could be heard being undone as before the door slowly creeped open. The boy expected to see the girl standing behind it, but oddly, she wasn’t behind it. As he stepped forward to make sure she wasn’t just standing on a side of the entrance, Evie swung down from her ceiling with her eyes closed.

“GUUAAAHH!!” He stumbled back, stunned as he hit the railing of the floor and slumping to the floor.

She didn’t fall, as she was hanging from the door frame by her feet. Her eyes opened as she looked towards Shizuka. In an instant, they lit up, accompanied by a huge smile as she jumped forward with open arms, glomping her. “Shizu, Shizu, Shizuuuuu~! Hiya! How’d you like my hanging entrance~? Pretty Nin-Nin, huh~?” She asked, rubbing her cheek against Shizuka’s.

“Sha-ha-ha! For sure! The perfect amount of unnerving and cool. Perfect for a kunoichi, ” she returned. “Glad to see you’re still alright!”

As Reito watched the two show each other friendly affection, one thought came to his mind. ...Is this the legendary “Girl’s Love” that always happens in manga? It’s...weirdly hot...wow! His face reddened a bit as he completely misinterpreted the situation.

“Don’t be shy, come on in! There’s something I’ve been working on that I wanna show you!” The short girl exclaimed as she pulled Shizuka in her dorm room by the arm.

He got up and blinked, dazed. She had greeted Shizuka, yes, but she’d completely ignored his presence. No yellin’, not even an insult, he thought, walking in after them, I’m smart enough to know what’s going on. Normally she’d jump at the first chance to get under his skin. but right now was probably so mad that he didn’t even show up on her radar. It was a quiet rage, and even though he didn’t take the brunt of her fury, this approach freaked him out much more. I wish she’d have just tore into me the second she came outta the door. Still, she left the door open for me, so I guess she still doesn’t mind me comin’ in...?

Getting a look at her living space, it was a lot like his new one, of course, aside from a few things. There were ninja scrolls hanging from the walls, but they weren’t just thrown up at random, they were placed a set distance away from each other. The bed she had was normal, aside from a Chinese dress, bunny girl costume, and the maid outfit she’d previously worn hanging above a futon. Near the couch was a desk with a sewing machine on it, and a 4 and a half foot stand with 3 sheathed katanas in sword holders sitting upon it.

Anyone would be able to tell that she lives here, He thought, looking around,

Letting go of the Shizuka’s hand as she sat atop the bed, Evie went digging through her closet to bring out both a shrine maiden, and a pink nurse’s outfit. “Lookie here! I just finished these a few minutes ago! Whaddya think?”

“Woah! These look just like the real thing, nice! Although you might have to do a check on the nurse one, I think you made it a little too big to fit you.”

“Oho, so you’ve noticed, like I thought you would,” she said, shoving the bigger costume to the forefront, “it’s bigger because this one’s made for you~~!”

Shizuka blushed as she moved back. “M-m-me?! Stop joking, there’s no way I could pull something like that off!”

“H-Hey...Lightnin’ B-”

“Don’t be silly, you’re uber cute, Shizu! I’m 101% sure that you’d wear it 10 times better than I ever could! In fact, you can try it on while you’re here!” She insisted, moving towards her friend while ignoring Reito’s mumbling call.

“I’m talkin’ here… Hey...list-”

“S-Stay where you are! Stop, I’ll send you through the roof if you try to take my shirt off! Seriously, quit it!” She shouted to no avail, as the girl had already started pulling on her shirt.

“Listen...I’m tryna say somethin’. Oi...oi,” the Impact boy mumbled again and again before looking up and breathing in. “HEY, LIGHTNIN’ BUG! QUIT IGNORIN’ ME ALREADY!!! I’M STANDIN’ RIGHT HERE!!!”

The two girls stopped what they were doing. Finally spoke up...I knew you could do it. Shizuka thought as she turned towards him with a smile. This is something you put on yourself, so I didn’t wanna help you with it. You got her attention with that for sure.

Evie slowly glared at him. “Hmm...? Oh...you've finally spoken up, Mr. Scaredy Cat, nice of you to join us…,” the short girl addressed him in a cold, unfeeling tone. “I’m surprised to see you here...I thought you’d just run away again.” Her tone was ice cold, and a scowl occupied her face.

...I’m definitely not tellin’ her Shion stopped me from doin’ just that. “Look, I know I messed up. You went outta your way to help me...to give me a better chance to beat that eagle eyed bastard, and I almost spat in the face of that gesture by runnin’ away...I admit that much. For gettin’ me through that, I wanna say thanks… But, that’s only half the reason why I’m here...I’m not really the type of guy to know how to word an apology… Truth be told, besides Shion, I haven’t had a single friend since a few months before I came to the City, so I’ve never been in a position where I’ve had to apologise for anythin’ this big in while. I mean, I fuck up alot, but...this is probably the biggest time, ever.”

“...Your point, Reito?” She asked, opting out of using the nickname she gave him.

“My point...is while I wouldn’t go as far as to say we’re friends, you’re probably about as cool a girl as they come. At the same time, I respect ya as the stronger fighter… What I’m tryna say is...I’m sorry, okay?! Sorry for almost costin’ us the match… Sorry for almost wastin’ the trainin’ ya gave me, sorry for bein’ a shitty, no good partner, and sorry for bein’ an ultra-idiot-bastard, okay?!!” He shouted with his head down

She blankly stared at him for what felt like forever to Reito. But soon enough, she walked up to him. As he heard her footsteps, he looked up to see her holding a hand out with a straight face, looking for a handshake.

I didn’t think it’d be that easy, he thought, taking her hand. Whew! She was right, that wasn’t as bad as I- Huh? Lightning was emitted from her hand, chaining to his body out of nowhere. “GUGUGUAAAAAHHHHH!!!” He cried, retracting his hand as the shock surged throughout his body with smoke escaping his mouth shortly after.

Looking at the state he was in, her scowl quickly changed to a smile. “Evie Style Lightning Release: Joy Zapper! Hee-hee-hee! Now I forgive you,” she told him, bending down as she held her sides, “hehehe! Wow, Tochi, you’re nothing else if not a riot! Seriously, I can’t breathe!”

Reito shook his head rapidly. “WHAT THE HELL, DUDE?!”

“That was a good one, you didn’t expect a thing! Sha-ha-ha!”

“Um...I’m...completely lost…”

“Hee-hee-hee, sorry, not sorry! That was just something I just had to do. Honestly, I was so mad, I didn’t know if I was ever gonna talk to you again, so I had Shizu help me set up a little payback. And it was soooo worth it!”

“You guys were in cahoots all along?”

“Bingo! Sorry about that, Rei. She was so insistent on it, I thought I might as well give her a hand. Besides, it’s not like it was for no reason.”

He knew she was right, so he just stuffed his hands in his pocket and looked away. “I guess… As much as I wanna, I can’t be mad at you two.”

“For now, we’re cool as ice. But if you even so much as think of making me mad again..well…lets just say...that’ll be the last day you ever do anything… Get it?” Evie threatened with a piercing glare and her previous icy tone.

“Yeesh! Y-yes Ma’am!” He shuddered.

“Good. Glad we’re clear on that,” she said, sitting down on her bed, “now, let me apologize...to both of you.

Hmm? What does she hafta say sorry for? He wondered

“I lied. I told you guys I’d been shaking because I was nervous about the match, when all along, I’ve just been really scared of fighting Gold… He…just reminds me too much of my papa… I could’ve just let you face off against him on your own, but some part of me...just wanted to overcome him, or more like, I was tired of being scared. I wanted to beat him no matter what, so I butted in and made it a team match without even considering what you wanted. Sorry.”

...So that’s why she cut in on my one on one.

“I thought that if I could just get past him, then maybe, I’d be able to go home and stand up to papa for treating me so horribly. And while I still don’t think I’d be able to do it...I’m glad I could at least overcome someone that reminded me of him...it’s like a step before the big one, I guess you could say. You see, I wasn’t the super cool kunoichi in training that I am right now. I was moreeee, hmm...how do I put this...?” She struggled to find the words before taking down her hair and holding it up in pigtails. “I was more...like this!”

“Okay? You…had twintails?” They questioned, genuinely confused.

“Yep!” She exclaimed as she let go of her locks. “Back then, I never really had anyone I could really call a friend. Mama was always there for me at home, but at school...I was bullied and ignored most of the time. If that wasn’t enough, I still had extra afternoon studying that papa forced on me, so 75% of my life was completely miserable... With all of that, my Path awakened around the time I turned 14, and it didn’t really stop anyone from rejecting me...If anything, it just made things worse...papa even calls it witchcraft… A little bit after that, I ran away to the City. But y’know, it’s kinda weird...but I’m sorta grateful for it all in the end.

“Huh? Why? Are ya some kinda masochist or som-!” He interjected before being elbowed in the side by Shizuka.

“Hee-hee. No, nothing like that. Even though I didn’t enjoy it, that part of my life made it possible for me to come here,” she said, bringing her arms up,” Maestro’s a blast to be around, and he’s really sweet too, he even made these arm guards for me. Kara’s a fiery numbskull, but he’s super understanding and helps me train anytime I ask. Mr. Banner’s awesome, and when I do see Ms. Shindou, which isn’t often, she’s a no nonsense mature compliment to him, it’s funny, pretty sure might even see him as way more than a boss, if you know what I mean. Gold’s...a bit of a jerk, but I’ve had more fun at school and in the Council in 2 months than I’ve had in the entirety of my time overseas. I met you guys here too. I’ve never had a really close girlfriend, so being with you is really refreshing, Shizu!”

“...The feeling’s mutual,” she smiled.

“And Tochi… At first, I didn’t really know what to make of you. To be honest, I thought you were just some scrawny sad sack loner loser. Your plain face and the way you dress really didn’t do much to prove me wrong.

“...Are you trying to get punched?”

“But now that I’ve gotten to know you, I can say I was wrong. You’re friendlier than I thought, and fun to tease to boot. I haven’t seen reactions that funny from anyone but Maestro! Other than that, you’re also a guy who would go out of your way to defend the values of others, even though you don’t know them that well. When you stepped up to face Gold and got that huge power-up, you didn’t say it to me directly...but you said that I was worth something...that living the way I am is amazing. It was cool of you, you’re actually a pretty nice guy when it comes to it. I’m glad we’re friends…”

“Tch. There ya go, makin’ assumptions just like that Meat Tank did. Are ya stupid or somethin’?”

“Rei!”

“Now look here,” he growled, pointing at Evie, “I didn’t do that for anyone but myself! That guy just rubbed me the wrong way is all! The fact of the matter is, I haven’t considered you, Meat tank, or Loudspeaker as anythin’ more than annoyances, and you’re the most annoyin’ one of all! So stop talkin’ like we’re all buddy-buddy, because we’re not! Capiche?!”

She peered at him for a few seconds before bursting into laughter. “Hee-hee-hee! Seriously, you’re such a tsundere!...There were people back home who called me the same thing and just told me to go away because they didn't wanna be bothered. But when you do it, you stay right beside me, even though I never stop teasing you. To top it off, you don’t even reject me when I call you by the nickname I gave you. Even though I fully expected you to go, ‘Oi, ya stupid Lightnin’ Bug, the name’s Reito! Ya hear?!” Just like that.”

“Urk! I-I mean,” he started, turning away from the two, “if I didn’t let ya call me that, I felt like you’d just mess with me even harder. I hate that name! Always have!”

“Oh, is that really it, Tochi? I think she’s got you pegged there,” Shizuka teased.

“C-come on! You too, Shion?! Gimme a break! Two against one ain’t fair at all!”

“What I’m trying to say is...you two are important to me...and I lied to both of you,” the kunoichi apologized, “I should’ve told you about it sooner...but I didn’t want you to worry about me. I felt like I would’ve been an annoying inconvenience…”

While she bowed her head in apology, Shizuka raised a hand. “You…,” and gave the girl a hard slap on the back of the head, “idiot! What were ya thinkin’?!”

“Owie! That hurts!” She winced, grabbing her head, “You hit like a truck, Shizu!”

“I’m glad it hurts. That’s the reason ya lied to us? God, that was dumb as hell! Ya told me yerself, we’re friends. Pretty sure that means we can tell each other anything, no matter what. I even asked ya beforehand.”

“Dude, your Yakuza’s showin’.” He brought to her attention.”

“Shit! Ahem...lost myself there. Point is, we’re cool. If something’s bothering you, let us know. That’s friendship 101. If you didn’t know, now you do!”

“She says that, even though after me, you’re the only other friend she’s had,” he brought up.”

“Want me to slug you?”

Before she could punch him, Evie jumped towards the girl with open arms. “OH, SHIZU! I LOVE YOU TOOOO~~! LET’S GO OUT ALREADYY-! NGH!” Shizuka didn’t stay in her path for long though, as she’d stepped back and allowed the girl to hit the wall instead.

“You and the wall would make a better couple. I’m not into girls anyway. Remember, Bolt Brain?”

Evie slid down and got up, shaking her head. “This goes beyond playing hard to get. It’s something else entirely. Could it be...you’re a shy punk girl?! How rare! Come on, there’s no need to be! Although, that side of you is super cute too~! Heh-heh-heh~!”

“I’m not a punk girl, or shy about any of this. Did you even hear me? God, you’re a pain,” she sighed, a smile slowly forming, “but...I still think you’re best this way… And just between us,” she whispered in her ear, “Rei’s not the best with girls, something to do with trouble back home. So he’s probably never gonna tell you how he really feels… Just be patient with him, kay?”

She gave a thumbs up and a smile. “Roger, Roger!”

“What’re you two whisperin’ about?” He asked.

Shizuka nonchalantly put her hands behind her head and beamed. “Oh, nothing! Don’t worry about it.”

“That sounds even more suspect! ...Whatever I guess, nevermind!”

Evie stood up and looked up to the boy. “All you need to know is that one other thing came out of this, besides us becoming the top 2 in Kita?

“And what’s that?”

“Because I was so scared of him, I thought I’d never surpass Gold, ranking wise. I was fine with just lagging behind him for the entire school term. But now that I’m where I am right now, I think I can finally say I have a concrete goal. Besides being able to be me, I wanna become the greatest ninja in the City...no, the world. So great, that no one in the entire multiverse will know the name, Evie Tanaka!”

He raised an eyebrow. “Really think ya can? If ya wanna be Hokage, you were born in the wrong time frame, no, wrong universe.”

“Hmm, Hokage? I guess you could say that’s the goal. Of course, the real world version of that would be if I were to become queen of the City. Catch my drift?”

He understood what she was implying immediately and bared his teeth. “The only thing I’m catchin’, is that ya think anyone other than me is gettin’ to be the ruler of this place. Fat chance! You’re not beatin’ me, so you’d better reach your goal another way!”

“N-o-p-e! Sorry about that, but I’ll be taking that title. And if you get in my way, I’ll take you down easy!”

“Are ya makin’ fun of m-?!”

She lightly tapped a fist on his chest, gazing up to him with a grin. “Guess that makes us rivals, huh?”

“Pfft, you’re barely even on my radar,” he deflected, turning away from her, “but if ya wanna call yourself my rival...I give a damn.”

She shot him a teasing grin. “As expected of the guy I partnered up with, even though you admitted that I was a better fighter than you.”

“Sh-shut up! Grrraaaaahh! Seriously! So annoyin’!” He lashed out before calming down. “Anyway,” he dug into his pocket to bring out the forehead protector she’d given him, “here ya go. I never got to give this back.”

She looked at the headwear, then to him, and back to it again. Her smile gradually turned into a half one, and her eyelids sank low. “Ah...right! Sorry I made you wear this, hee-hee. I know it was pretty embarrassing for you, so...I’ll just take it back…”

She spoke in her usual tone, but he noticed a hint of sadness in it. During the time they spent fighting together, along with her confiding in him and Shizuka moments ago. The people she made connections with meant alot to her, along with the things she’d made out of passion. So it wouldn’t be a bad assumption to make that if she made something for someone, it’d make her feel a trite dejected if they didn’t keep it. She most likely sees it as them saying, “Thanks, but no thanks.” And at the same time, rejecting her efforts to get closer to them.

“...Actually...on second thought,” he said, putting the item back into his pocket as she reached out for it, “maybe I’ll keep it. I’m not gonna wear it, but hangin’ up on my wall seems like a pretty good move. You’re not gonna become the head honcho of this City, because that’s my spot. But, that other dream ya have seems pretty realistic. So do it already, so I can look at the headband in a few years and be able to say I knew the greatest ninja in the world, personally! I mean, a ruler’s gotta have a cool history and some merit, right?”

She paused. He denied their friendship, but he wanted to keep the gift she made for him as a reminder of the time they spent getting to know each other. He was untruthful about some things, that she knew for sure, and he was really good at looking like he meant what he said. But when she looked at him this time, she could tell that he was telling the truth, that he thought that she really could be the greatest ninja in the world. So she did the first thing that came to mind, lunging forward to hug him.

“Tochi… TOCHII!!”

“Ahhh! What are ya doin’”?! Get off! I never said ya could latch onto me!”

She looked up to him with a smile. “You did...indirectly! Come on. What’s with you saying all that cool stuff, motivating me all protagonist-like? If you keep talking like that, I might just fall for you!”

“As if, shrimp,” he scoffed, turning away, “I’ve gotten used to your little teasin’ game. Still, this has gotta be your weakest try and get me red in the face yet. I know you’re into girls.

“That so...then how about this,” she whispered into his ear, “today’s pair are black… Shocking, right?”

He jolted back with a reddened face, covering his ear. “Wh-wh-whaaaat?! Don’t just say somethin’ like that to a guy!”

“Awww, and here I thought you’d gotten used to my ‘Little teasin’ game.’. Guess not, huh? Stupid! You can’t even tell when a girl’s joking. You seriously got my heart racing a couple of times! Man, you really are an ultra-idiot-bastard!”

Shizuka picked her up by the back of her dogi. “What did you tell him? I told you to cut out all the pervy crap!”

“Hee-hee~ I could try until kingdom come, but it wouldn’t do any good. Haven’t you heard the saying? Pervin’ out is the heart’s job!” She declared, holding up a peace sign.

“...You’re hopeless,” she sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose.

“Tell me about it,” he agreed, heading towards the door, “couldn’t have said it better myself. I’d say I’d like to stick around...but I wouldn’t. I’m gonna catch up on some alone time in my room, smell ya later.”

“He’s right! We’ve got somewhere to be!” Evie exclaimed, grabbing the outfit she made for Shizuka, giving to her, shoving them out of her dorm and closing her door at super speed. “Tochi and I have somewhere to be!

He looked down, flabbergasted. “Huh?! When did ya even grab my hand? Wait, nevermind that! Why’re ya grabbin’ my hand at all?!

Shizuka looked around, bewildered at her speed. “What are y-?”

“Oh, don’t worry, it’s not like it’s a date or anything~ There’s just someone else I know who has to say sorry. This time, to both of us.”

“Huh? But I don’t know anyone who I- Wait...don’t tell me…,” he looked at her in a cold sweat to see her nod, “him?! No! No way! I don’t wanna see that asshole again for as long as I’m breathin’!”

“So you’re onboard? Great! Get ready, cause here! We! Gooo!!!” She shouted, jumping over the guardrail and dashing out of the complex gates with Reito hanging on for his life.

“HOLD UP! I NEVER AGREED TO THIS! THAT GUY SUCKS! SHIONNN!! HELP MEEE!” He shouted, g-force hitting his face before his voice faded into the distance.

Somewhere, deep down, Shizuka felt a tad left out“…Whatever, it’s for the best, anyway. No need to have my presence cause a panic again.” She held the costume out in front of her, blushing. “CUTEEEE!! AM I ALLOWED TO WEAR SOMETHING LIKE THIS? REALLY?! THANK YOU SO MUCH EVIEEEE! AHHHHH!!” She squealed in her head before stopping to check her surroundings. “Not like anyone will know if I try it on in my room...right?”

Before she could head back to her dorm, she quickly turned around with a leer. She looked around, but no one was there.

“That’s weird...that sounded like footsteps. No one trying to attack me...maybe a cat…?”