#(ASAKA AND KAI DYNAMIC IS SO GOOD. THEY JUST BOTH DONT LIKE EACH OTHER LOL

[universestreasures]

@crimsonkaiser​​ (Plotted Starter)

“With a boost from Bicorn, go Barking Cerberus! Finish him off!” 

The command from the assassin springs the holographic images from the units projected from the helmets of the motion figure system to life, the multiple-headed beast charging force and striking Dragonic Kaiser Vermillion straight into the chest. A smirk doesn’t leave her face as the sixth and final damage is dealt successfully, it growing larger as it is placed into the Damage Zone. Not even a heal trigger could have saved Toshiki Kai at this point. She still had her Nightmare Doll Alice and a Skull Juggler standing in her right Rear Guard column, both having been powered up by a double Stand Trigger, ready and waiting to attack.

She completely decimated him, decimated the guy who she constantly had to struggle with for Ren’s attention. It was a shame Ren wasn’t here to witness such a triumph. Surely she would have praised her for taking down the Narukami user, especially considering her win rate against Toshiki Kai was slightly lower than his victory rate against her. The struggle between the two for who was the third member of the team or the alternate continued on, but Asaka is happy she once again showed him that she is a force to be reckoned with and deserves her place on this team.

And yet...her victory felt...somewhat hollow. The teen had noticed it during the game, the lack of Kai’s usual striking intensity. He didn’t misplay or anything of the sort. To the other Asteroid members who spectated the match, or those who would watch the recording later to analyze their fight data, he seemed to be playing normally. But to Asaka, who has battled him on the surface of the Planet Cray plenty of times before, he definitely wasn’t putting his all into it. 

And she had to know why. Ren’s didn’t need any weak links that could bring the whole team down and thus potentially compromise their next National Championship victory or whatever plans Ren had for the team. That’s why she walks over to him after removing her helmet, grabbing him by his black jacket collar aggressively and bringing him towards her.

“What was that?” Her voice is low and cold, but true flames of anger could be seen seeping behind Asaka’s icy hues. The intensity in the air was so much that the other Asteroid members could be seen leaving the room, knowing well to get out of the way unless they stay to face the wrath of The Assassin. “You put no effort into that game. It was like you weren’t even trying. Such a piss poor performance, even in a practice game, is a disgrace to Team AL4. You’re lucky Ren wasn’t here.”

And Asaka fully planned on telling Ren the results of her little investigation. It was her duty to make sure her leader stay informed about things, especially regarding Toshiki Kai since she didn’t trust him since the second they. Was it because she was envious of the attention and favor Ren gave him? Perhaps, but there was always something about him that didn’t fit right with the culture of this place. It...It was almost like he wasn’t meant to be here and was meant to be somewhere else. 

“So, what’s your deal? You’ve been acting different since our last match of the first day of this years Nationals, since we battled those weaklings Team Q4. The others might not have noticed it, but I sure have.” Her grip tightens as she gets closer, Asaka fight into the face of the taller teen. She may not look it, but she had become pretty observant over the years. She sort of had to be when you had people like her teammates who were all hard to read, the situation forcing Asaka to learn to read subtle changes in body language or facial expression. And she can tell just from how he’s been that he’s been acting different, and she has a hunch as to why that may be. 

“Don’t tell me that decimating that Q4 twerp at the Nationals to the point where he cried like a baby in front of the entire world is throwing you off. Since when have you ever cared about your opponents? I thought you were rather incapable of it considering you lack a heart.” She takes the chance to strike more blows, the ever opportunistic Assassin making sure that what she is going to say will sink in. “If you don’t shape up real quick, you might see yourself getting kicked from this team. We have no need for weakness on Team AL4, and we both know Ren would agree.”

After all, losing a single official match was enough to evict someone from AL4. That was the high standard she, Kai, and Tetsu had been held to for years. Loses were unacceptable to those who were at the highest level of the organization, no matter if they had been childhood friends with the leader or not. Everyone had to fight for their place here, Toshiki Kai included.

~