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#anyway this was one of the request someone gave me teehee thanks!
d4jamso · 10 months
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Mermaid Byers and Prince Mike having a little meetup :)
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Mistake: Rafe Cameron x reader (pt. 5)
Summary:  You, a pogue and Rafe Cameron, a kook are friends of benefits, secretly of course. But what happens when you get pregnant?
Pairings: former rafe cameron x reader // currently John B x reader (wonder how long teehee) 
**MISTAKE MASTERLIST**
A/N: I named this Mistake, so it would be easier to list on my masterlist! Hope you guys are holding on because this is the beginning of a rollercoaster of emotions. 
A/N: I hit 1000 followers last night. It was a happy thing to wake up to this morning. I know I say this all the time but I truly mean it from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU SO SO MUCH. When I got back into writing months ago, I never thought I would make it this far or that any one would even read my writings, but you guys have proven me wrong. Thank you to everyone who follows, likes, reblogs, comments, or just lurks on my page. lol I love you guys so much. You ALL are beautiful human beings <3 
Tag list is at the end. Let me know if you want to be added xx
OBX Tag list
Criminal Minds Tag list
The Vampire Diaires/The Originals Tag list
Supernatural Tag list
All of my works Tag list
**MASTERLIST**
Requests: OPEN {CLOSED}
I am currently taking requests for:
The Vampire Diaries/The Originals
Elijah Mikaelson
Damon Salvatore
Criminal Minds:
Spencer Reid
Derek Morgan
Supernatural (I’m only up to season 2, so please don’t request something with spoilers)**
Sam Winchester
Dean Winchester
Outer Banks (Netflix):
John B Routledge
JJ Maybank
Rafe Cameron
********************************************************************************************NOT MY GIF, CREDIT TO OWNERS
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Instead of getting ice cream, the two of you agreed to go on the date. So, John B went home to shower and get ready and you did the same. Just as you were about to dry your hair, a knock sounded on your door. John B never knocks and he’s early.
“coming!” You call out, walking toward the door. When you open it, Rafe’s standing there with a small bouquet of flowers.
He scratches the back of his neck and gives you a smile, “Hey.”
“Hey…” You glance over his shoulder and then back at him, “What are you doing here?”
He motions inside and you nod, opening the door wider and stepping out of the way before closing it behind him.
“I wanted to bring you these to apologize for the other night proposing like I did. I also wanted to see if you’d go to the Midsummer’s party with me?” He set the flowers on your counter and faces you.
“Midsummer’s party? I’m a pogue I can’t go to that. That’s for you guys.”
He shakes his head, “I want you to go as my date. You can meet my family properly. It’ll be fun.”
You bite your lip, “I don’t know Rafe.”
“Please? I want you to go with me as my date. I don’t want to take someone else.” He takes your hands in his, “I want you by my side, walking in. It’s kind of a big deal for us. My dad’s the guest of honor.”
“When is it?”
“This weekend.”
You shake your head, “I don’t have anything fancy enough to wear, Rafe.”
“I’ll take you shopping. We can go Friday after your doctor appointment. Spend the afternoon on the mainland like we used too; lunch and shopping, on me?” His eyes are pleading, “Please?”
You finally nod, agreeing, “Okay. Fine.” You’d actually completely forgot about your appointment. Good thing Rafe remembered. 
“I’ll pick you up at 10 Friday morning?” 
“What time is my appointment again?” You pour some water in a vase and set the flowers down in it, setting it on the kitchen table. 
“uh...” He pulls his phone out, checking the calendar, “It’s at 11, but they said they wanted us there at 10:30 for paperwork.” He shows you his phone, pointing to the appointment. 
You look at him, impressed, “You’ve got a calendar?” 
His cheeks flush pink, “I didn’t want to miss anything. I put it in the calendar when they told us at the hospital. It’s obviously a good thing I did because you didn’t remember.” 
You laugh and nod, “I’m pretty sure I was on pain meds when they told me so, I’m off the hook for that one.” 
He chuckles, “you were pretty out of it. Anyways, I’m heading to play golf at the club, so I’ll see you Friday morning?” 
“10 o clock sharp.” 
He smiles, “Bye.” Before stepping out and closing the door behind him. 
~
An hour later there was another knock at the door. You looked in the mirror and fluffed your hair before heading toward the door. There stood John B in one of his nicer shirts and one single flower.
You smiled at the sight, “Hi.”
“Hey.” He hands you the flower, “Saw this on the side on the side of the road and I know how much you love them.”
You put the flower to your nose, “You know me so well.”
“So, I have the whole evening planned.” He holds his arm out to you, “Shall we get going?”
You giggle, grabbing your purse and loop your arm with his, “Yes we shall.”
He leads you to the van, opening the door for you and helping you inside. He closes the door and rounds the van to get in the driver side.
You slip on your seat belt as he starts the van.
~
He pulls into the driveway of the chateau and you look over at him, “John B what do you have planned?”
He gives you a smirk, “You’ll see.” He hops out of the van and leads you out to the dock. Inside his boat is a cooler, blanket and a small basket. “We are going to have dinner on the water tonight. I know how much you love the sunsets on the water.”
You smile and look up at him, “Sounds amazing.”
He steps over into the boat and then holds his hand out for you, which you take, and he helps you step over into the boat. He starts the boat as you slip your shoes off and put them in your bag, tying your hair back. He makes his way down the boat, untying it from the dock and then pushes from the dock. As he takes his seat, you go to your usual spot there in front of him and sit down.
~
He drives around through the marsh a little before picking the perfect spot to watch the sunset over the water.
You stand to go help him with the anchor, but he stops you, “No ma’am. I’ll do it.”
You laugh and sit back down, “Okay, captain.”
He drops the anchor and makes sure it’s secure, “There. Now we can eat.” He jumps down off the front of the boat and lays the blanket out before taking a seat and patting the spot next to him.
You jump up from your seat and sit next to him, “So what’s on the menu?”
He smiles sheepishly, “Nothing fancy but peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.”
“Please tell me it isn’t the same bread JJ ate the other day with the mold on it?” You scrunch up your nose in disgust.
He chuckles, shaking his head, “No. I went out and bought new bread.”
You nod, laughing, “Okay good.”
~
The two of you enjoyed your meal, talking and laughing. The sun began to set over the water and gave off an orange glow. He’d fixed himself against the boat and let you slip next to him, head on his chest.
“Y/n?” He asks.
“Yes?” You tilt your head to look up at him.
His finger traces shapes on your back, “Do I have a chance? I mean with you?”
You look down for a second, gathering your thoughts and then look back up at him, “Yeah. Maybe.”
“So if I wanted to..” His finger goes under your chin, “If I wanted to kiss you, you wouldn’t pull away?”
You glanced at his lips, then back at his eyes, shaking your head, “I won’t pull away.”
Slowly the two of you met and your lips connect. This wasn’t like the first time you two had kissed. He’d caught you off guard in the worst moment but this. This wasn’t unexpected. You were ready for it and to be honest, you didn’t want it to stop.
His hand moves to your cheek and you sit up, hands going into his hair as you swing your legs over his lap, straddling him. His body sits up a little, hands in your hair then hands at your back, pulling you closer to him. Your hands are in his hair and at his neck. You didn’t want him to pull away.
He slowly lays you back down on the blanket and hovers over you. Your hands tug at his shirt and he pulls back a little. Both of your lips are red and swollen and breathing heavily, “Are you sure?”
You nod, “I’m sure.” and pull him back in for another hungry kiss. You two make love right there on the blanket as the sun sets slowly behind you.
~
You don’t remember falling asleep but the sound of a phone ringing and the sun rising above you are what woke you up. You groan and try to move, but something’s holding you there. When you open your eyes, you’re met with John B’s face. His mouth slightly opened. You gently traced marks on his bare chest, “John B…” You whispered and began peppering his chest with kisses.
He slowly stirs, pulling you closer to him, “Well good morning..” He smirks.
“Good morning.” You smile, kissing him, “Your phone is going off.”
He groans, “It’s not important. Lay back down.” He says as you try to get up.
“I have to see who it is.” You laugh, pulling away from his body and slipping on his shirt, grabbing his phone from the small compartment at the wheel, “It’s JJ.” You say walking back over to him and handing it to him. You start picking up the clothes and then take a seat next to him.
“Hello?”
“John B! Where the hell are you man? We had plans to go fishing. We’re all waiting here at the dock for you!”
He groans, running his hand over his face, “Shit, JJ I completely forgot. We’ll be there soon.”
“We? Who’s we? Are you with-”
“Bye JJ!” He quickly hangs up, both of you bursting into laughter.
“Oops.” You laugh, handing him his boxers and shorts. Leaning over you press a kiss to his lips, “We better head back.”
He pulls you onto his chest and kisses you, “They can wait a few more minutes.” Let’s just say it was longer than a few more minutes.
~
The two of you managed to finally pull away from each other and get dressed. You had tried giving John B back his shirt, but he shook his head, “Looks better on you.”  So, he went shirtless.
As he drove the boat, you sat on his leg, fiddling with his hair. You could see the pogues waiting on the dock at the Chateau as you drove up.
“is that y/n?” Kie asked as you guys got closer, pushing her glasses down on her nose.  
“Holy shit! Dude!” JJ laughed when he realized it was you on his lap and in his shirt, “No fucking way.”
“So, this happened?” Pope asks, grabbing the edge of the boat as John B drifts in, holding it while Kie and JJ stepped in, then jumping in his self.
“Nice one dude!” JJ says, holding his hand out for a high five.
You roll your eyes and John B slaps it away.
“Okay we forgive you for being late.” Pope says, taking a seat.
Kie raises an eyebrow at you and you get up from John B’s lap and go to sit next to Kie to give her all the details.
~
“That sounds so romantic!” Kie gushed.
You giggle and nod, “It really was. I mean the night was perfect. I couldn’t have asked for a better first date with John B.”
“So, I take it you have your answer then? You’re picking John B?” Kie asks, looking at the front of the boat to make sure the boys weren’t listening. They were focused on fishing.
Biting your lip, you look at John B. He laughed at something Pope said and glanced back over his shoulder at you, flashing a smile. You returned the smile and then looked at Kie, nodding, “He’s it for me.”  
~
As you guys made your way through marina, another boat passed by. You were seated on John B’s lap as he drove, his arm wrapped around your hip.
“I think that’s Topper and Sarah.” JJ says, “That boat is like 50 grand. easy.”
“It is a nice boat.” Pope adds. “Guess that’s what you can drop 50 grand on when you’re a kook.”  
You watched as Sarah tilted her sunglasses at you two, shaking her head before turning her attention back to Topper. “What was that about?” You ask, looking at John B.
“Not sure. No telling with the kook princess. Maybe she’s just jealous of us or something.” He gives your hip a squeeze and kisses your shoulder.
You nod but can’t help but look back at the boat as they passed by. Was it because of Rafe or something else?
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tyongf-nct · 4 years
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Hello love I saw you opened your requests again! Can I request a YangYang X fem reader smut? YangYang is being bratty and acting up. Thank you💖
This is just an excuse for me to write bratty sub yangyang and dom reader so i thank you teehee. i really enjoyed writing this one so i hope you like it!!
dynamic: yangyang x female reader
warnings/tags: smut, sub!yangyang, brat!yangyang, dom!reader, use of sex toys, light bondage, risky sex, orgasm denial, ruined orgasms, pegging, penatrative sex (male receiving)
~
Yangyang chuckled as you secured the belt around his hands, effectively pinning his arms above his head and to the bedpost. You rolled your eyes, giving his chest a light slap before double checking the restraint.
“What? You think I’ll escape?” He smirked, obviously pleased with himself. You stayed silent, refusing to take the bait with his bratty comment. He was the same way every time; he’d be so cocky and sure of himself, taunting you with his words and a satisfied face until you actually started touching him. Then he turned into a whiny little baby that begged to come. By now you barely registered what he was saying before the begging started, but sometimes you listened in just to know how to punish him later.
“Oh, I know you won’t try. But I think it’s a lot more fun when you can’t, isn't it?” You grinned. His confident expression faltered for a moment, throat working as he gulped before plastering on another smirk.
“Maybe I will this time. Maybe I’ll dom you,” he said with determination. You laughed at his attempt of seeming intimidating, cooing and patting his cheek the way you know annoyed him.
“Sure you will sweetheart. Just lay back and relax, would you?”
Yangyang huffed but did what you asked, of course. He was a sub at heart, no matter how much he tried to overpower you with a bratty attitude, the willingness to comply always shone through.
Once he was a little more settled in, you grabbed the vibrating bullet-shaped toy from beside you. Yangyang was already starting to squirm, the need to be filled overwhelming him. You smirked, watching the way he struggled to get comfortable with his arms pinned above his head.
“Not so confident now, huh?”
Yangyang groaned, rolling his eyes but not responding as he watched you slick up the toy with lubricant. You brushed your fingers along his tiny pink hole as well, loving the way his skin glistened as he clenched around nothing.
“Getting desperate?” You practically sang, almost cackling at the irritated look Yangyang gave you.
“Shut up,” he groaned. You almost spanked him but decided what you were about to do was punishment enough.
“Spread your legs, baby,” you commanded. He whined at the pet name, doing exactly as you asked and opening his bottom up for full view. You turned the switch on, feeling the vibrator buzz to life as you brought it to his hole to start teasing. You ran the toy up and down his crease to get him used to the feeling, relishing in his small whimpers and constant movements of desperation.
“Stay still and I’ll put it inside,” you said. Yangyang quit moving at once, planting his bottom down on the mattress as you started to ease the tip inside. The toy was pretty small, not much preparation needed considering it wasn’t much wider than your own finger. A small bulb attached to the end allowed a stopping point so it wouldn’t get stuck inside him, the perfect little torture device for you to stick in your bag for an overnight trip to a hotel with the boys. The door wasn’t even locked, any one of them would be able to walk in and see Yangyang so vulnerable like this, and he knew it. In fact, he was the one who told you how much he liked the risk of getting caught. It only fed your ego more knowing he’d get excited at the possibility of someone else observing you controlling him.
“Oh shit,” he moaned. You had put the small vibrator completely inside, his muscles relaxed around it from months of practicing with toys. He clenched every few moments, though, enjoying the way the tip of it brushed his prostate. It was just long enough to reach his most sensitive spot but not big enough to overwhelm him. The perfect tool for orgasm denial, although he didn’t know that yet.
“How does that feel?” You asked. He groaned, nodding enthusiastically as you slid the toy in and out at a slow pace.
“I need you to say it, baby,” you reminded him of the rule. Vocal consent always.
“It-it feels good. So fucking good,” he cried. You smiled, heat rushing through you at the excitement of pleasuring someone else. Your arm worked as you fucked him a little faster, his eyes rolling back as you reached his prostate again and again.
“No more bratty comments?” You remarked. He huffed out a laugh, evidently unable to come up with much of a response as you penetrated him with the toy. You reached your free hand to his cock, standing hard at attention and already leaking some precome. Yangyang almost sobbed at the sensation of you stroking him with a slicked up hand, two extreme sensations at once as he lay there helpless.
“If you don’t be quiet one of them will hear,” you jerked your head towards the door. Not that you cared—in fact, you really wanted one of them to barge in.
“S-so what?” He panted. You chuckled, nodding your head as if to say, “Touché.”
“Y/n, I think I might come soon. No wait, I’m definitely gonna come soon,” Yangyang whined. You weren’t surprised, he never lasted too long like this anyway. But you had a plan.
“Really? Hmm, well, that’s too bad. You won't be coming any time soon, actually,” you faked concern, pulling out the vibrator and taking away your hand just as he sputtered out a “What?”
“Why?” He whined, bucking his hips up in desperation. He looked fucking gorgeous like that, spread out and freshly fucked as his now angry red cock bounced in need of attention. His face was scrunched up in a mix of pain and pleasure, the ruined orgasm battling with the nerves likely on fire inside of him.
“Well you wanted to be a little fucking brat, earlier. You think I wasn’t listening to what you were saying? This is your doing,” you smiled sweetly. Yangyang groaned loudly, definitely loudly enough to be heard next door and your head turned towards it as a reflex.
“Who cares about them!” He shouted, interrupting your thoughts. “Please, please y/n, I’m sorry. You know I was kidding, please just fuck me,” he cried. You pouted, mocking him just a little before bringing the toy back to his hole. He sighed in relief, features relaxing as you pushed it back into him again. You scooted off the bed once it was completely inside, wiping your hands on his abandoned t-shirt before picking up your phone and purse.
“What the hell are you doing?” He groaned.
“Oh, Xiaojun texted me about twenty minutes ago, asking if we wanted to go out for dinner. I told him you weren’t feeling well. Don’t you dare come until I get back, okay?” You said. Yangyang’s eyes widened, his head jerking off the mattress as you made your way to the door. You were tempted to leave your phone out and film the entire thing, but being confident he wouldn’t come while you were gone was so much better.
“You’re leaving me here? Like this?” He shrieked. You grinned, nodding and opening the door. He whined, bucking his hips up desperately as the toy vibrating mercilessly inside him, his cock untouched and slapping against his stomach.
“See you when I get back!”
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ijo4shua · 4 years
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hiyaa, can i request a lil scenario where you’re on a picnic date with seokmin and he keeps holding your hand and just being the absolute cutest 😖😖
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[gif is not mine]
picnic date scenario
with seventeen's seokmin/dk
[requests are open]
pairings: seokmin/dk x female reader
genre: fluff
warning: none
a/n: i got you <3
"Where are you taking me?" you giggled as your boyfriend, Seokmin, lead you up what seemed to be a hill.
"Just trust me," he cheerfully responded.
"Well, it's kinda hard not to ask questions when I literally can't see anything!"
Before heading over to the "surprise location," Seokmin had blindfolded you to ensure that the surprise wouldn't be ruined.
"Okay, you can take the blindfold off in 3.. 2.. 1.." he said, clearly overwhelmingly excited.
You eagerly removed the blindfold and gasped.
In front of you was a laid out blanket with all kinds of yummy food and drinks spread out on top of it.
Along with this, was Seokmin's guitar, which made you even more excited.
"Babe, I can't believe you did th-" you started, but stopped after meeting eyes with your boyfriend who was now holding a bouquet of flowers right in front of you.
Your heart fluttered at the sight.
"I- um- There's no special occasion, but I just really wanted to do this for you," he said shyly, almost completely unable to look at you in the eyes. "I hope you like it."
Without any hesitation, you jumped into his arms and squeezed him tight, "Of course I love it!"
You could hear his heart racing, "Really?"
You pulled back and looked him in the eyes, "Yes, this means so much to me. Thank you."
He smiled and pulled you in for another hug, "Anything for you."
Those words gave you butterflies in your stomach and you couldn't help but wonder how you got so lucky to have someone like him in your life.
After a few more seconds of you two just hugging, you adjusted your head and only then realized just how gorgeous the view was.
"Oh my gosh! Wait, where even are we?" You excitedly said as you pulled away and looked around.
The sky was blue and the grass on the hill was bright green.
The area was completely empty and quiet enough for you to hear all the birds chirping.
You couldn't help but feel relaxed and at peace.
"Um, this is kind of a secret spot that me and the boys found not too long ago," he responded. "We come here a lot when we need time to heal."
You looked over at him, feeling a tad bit concerned.
"Is it okay that you brought me here?" you asked, hoping you weren't crossing any lines or invading anybody's space.
He gave you a comforting smile, "I wouldn't just bring anyone here, baby. If I'm being completely honest, the boys encouraged me to bring you here."
Your eyes widened, "What? Why? Why me?"
Seokmin couldn't help but laugh at your reaction, "Don't worry about it. We can talk about it after we eat."
You looked back at the all the food laid out on top of the blanket and you swore you heard your stomach growl.
Before responding, Seokmin grabbed your hand and held it in his. "Let's eat, baby."
You nodded in agreement and sat down.
-
After what seemed like hours of just eating and talking, you noticed how Seokmin's hand almost never left yours.
And if he wasn't holding your hand, he had his hand over your shoulder or even had it rubbing your back.
Of course, you had no complaints, but he seemed more touchy than normal.
"Hm, you seem a lot more touchy today, babe," you teased.
His eyes widened, "Oh my gosh, I'm sorry! I'll stop!"
He moved his hands and started scooting away.
"No, no, no! I like it!" you laughed as you reached for his hand and scooted closer to him. "I really like it."
"O-oh, okay," he said, sighing in relief.
"But, I am curious as to where this is all coming from," you said as your thumb began to rub circles over his hand.
He placed his other hand over yours and just stared at them, "I don't know. I just can't seem to stay away from you."
Your heart began racing and weirdly enough, you could feel your eyes starting to well up.
"It's almost as if I feel incomplete if I'm not holding your hand or even just near you," he said, swaying your guys' hands back and forth.
He looked up at you and noticed that your eyes were red and getting watery, "Baby, are you okay?!"
You wiped eyes and immediately grabbed for his hands after, "You just make me feel really happy and safe."
He smiled in response, pulled your hands to his mouth and kissed your knuckles before letting them go and reaching for his guitar.
"So, you know how you asked me why the boys encouraged me to bring you here?"
You nodded, recalling the conversation you had not too long ago.
"It's because when we first found this spot, I told them that one day, when I know I've found the right girl, I'd bring her here and tell her that I love her," he started as he positioned himself and his guitar. "It seems that I'm not the only one who thinks I've found the right girl in you."
You were speechless to say the least.
It was almost as if you had forgotten how to talk and even breathe.
"I love you, Y/N," Seokmin said, placing his hand over yours.
Your heart melted at his words.
Althought you've known for quite awhile that you were in love with Seokmin, you never had the courage to tell him, afraid that it was too soon or the feelings weren't mutual.
Yet, here you were.
It felt like a dream.
Everything was perfect.
"I love you too, Seokmin."
His eyes sparked at your response.
He then leaned in and planted a very soft kiss on your lips before pulling away and smiling.
You smiled back, feeling your cheeks heat up.
He took a deep breath and adjusted his hands on his guitar before beginning to strum.
"She said 'baby I'm afraid to fall in love'," he began to sing. "'Because what if it's not reciprocated?'"
Your hand moved over your mouth, shocked at the realization of what he was singing for you.
"Honestly" by Pink Sweat$
He looked up at you as he sang with his beautiful and soothing voice, never losing his bright smile.
You took a deep breath and smiled back, "That's my boy."
a/n: omfg i got so soft while writing this, it lowkey hurt haha. anyways i hope you enjoyed it and it turned out the way you wanted it to! thank you for requesting teehee.
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sadisticsmiles · 6 years
Text
Beyond a Thief’s Power Episode 14
The Alliance of Thirteen
             It was the afternoon a few days later inside Le Renard Noir. It was an inauspicious day for the guys due to the heat coming into the city. The air conditioner was on full blast, but like every blazing wave arriving before summer, there was not enough cool air for their exhaustion and heavy pants to go away. The sweat dripping from their bodies was what regulated their bodies from the thermal flow.
           Hiro slumped down in his seat in front of the bar counter with his arms stretched out on it while his eyes were closed. "Ugh..." He felt like he was going to pass out soon. "It's... so hot... We're practically dying from the heat...!"
           Riki looked at the youngest member of the team. He was sitting on a seat around the side of the wooden counter and attempted not to complain about the hot atmosphere. "If we're gonna die from the heat anyway, I'd rather fall onto Mitsuki's boobs since they can wrap me into a marshmallow heaven. You guys can dive into the ocean if you can't take the heat wave."
           Kenshi closed his eyes and sweat-dropped. "...I'd prefer shaved ice in a bowl, which Boss is making for us but... If that's what you want to have instead, Riki, I won't say anything about it. I'm just hungry right now, so I'm still waiting like everyone else. Water's nice and all, but let's have some without a salty taste, okay?"
           "Gross," Takuto cracked a comment at the leader of the Black Foxes. "I can't believe you would talk about your wife's chest at a time like this, Riki. She's not a pillow for your convenience during hot weather. And seriously, marshmallows?" His expression and tone of voice became monotone. "How cliché can you be? You're making fun of Mitsuki that way, so don't say anything further about them, will you? You know, you can be pretty insensitive, seeing as it's been part of your personality even before you met her." A smirk appeared on his face. "You should've stopped nine years ago, yet you’re still going on with the perverted remarks? Man, you're not as mature as a lot of people think. All the other women who glance at you would be disappointed if they heard you, not counting magicians of course." His indifferent facial appearance came back in an instant.
           Riki reconsidered what the programmer told him about his wife, and pondered about everything else before he spoke. "You've got a point there. When I think about it, everything about her is more like mochi to the touch." He shook his head. "No, wait. Her skin's a lot softer than that, and she feels nice, too." A confident smile formed on his visage. "I don't know if I should say this or not, but every part of her relaxes me. Hugging her is great, but I also like having her on me when we're together, especially when we're on the bed."
           At that moment, all eyes (Takuto, Kenshi's, Hiro, and Sayuri's) turned towards Mitsuki, who was indeed standing behind her husband with a sweet smile and her large eyes were opened. She was holding onto a few grocery bags in her left hand, and another set in her right one. Kenshi's eyes widened; Hiro's perked up as he kept laying his head down on his folded arms; Sayuri had her reserved and calm expression from before. As for Takuto, he was just... Well, a lot like Sayuri.
           "Uh, Riki?" Takuto asked, averting his gaze towards the former government official.
           Riki did not lose his smile. "Yeah?"
           Instead of telling him that Mitsuki was behind him, the hacker simply answered with a, "You shouldn't have said that." He glanced at the dark purple-haired magician.
Besides, he thought, she's right behind you.
           Riki blinked once and turned his head around to his left, finally seeing his cute yet beautiful wife. He smiled awkwardly. "...Hi there, Mitsuki."
           "...Riki, we need to have a chat about this at home." Mitsuki had closed her eyes when she told her husband that. But her smile was still etched onto her face like a tattoo on a person's body. "Thanks to what you said about me, I'll let you know the details about tonight's mission later before we go on it."
           Riki's eyes widened; he was flabbergasted at the last sentence. "What? A mission? Can't we talk about it now?"
           "No." There was Mitsuki's faint smile again before she turned around to leave.
           Riki got up from his seat and followed after her. "Wait! Mitsuki!"
           After they exited the restaurant, Takuji walked in. Smiling in a friendly manner, he added, "Well, they seem to be having a good time from what I heard down the street. Love sure is surprising when it comes to a human man and female magician, unlike how Asuka and I are both magicians. It must be the most splendid thing ever to hear a guy say debauched things every day."
           Kenshi tilted his head to his left. "Does that make male magicians like yourself pure or somethin'? It sounds like you guys don’t really… you know,” his face was flushed in embarrassment, “take part in stuff like that.” Then the firefighter gulped, letting his eyes move to his right without a head motion. “…”
           The mint-haired young man continued to smile and closed his periwinkle eyes. “You can say we’re more decent than you would believe. Then again, it’s not like we don’t have any knowledge about the things that are done in private. You don’t have to get so nervous about erotic topics, though. Besides,” he raised his right forearm up, “from what my employees have said—and most of them are otakus—adult visual novels for ages eighteen and up are all the hype now, especially… Hehe.” His laugh was unanticipated for Kenshi and Hiro, as the latter raised his head up and the both of them were puzzled. “Gal games."1
           Hiro's eyes widened. "You mean the type of visual novels targeted towards males? The ones that have mainly female characters in them with a few—even a very limited amount of male characters to add to them, right?" He quickly understood what the editorial department CEO meant. "There are some anime adaptions based on them, which have gotten pretty popular during our current century. From the beginning—one of my favorite series, Da Capo2, one of the most lighthearted series with some drama in it, which makes it a must play/watch. I really ship Junichi and Nemu, despite the relationship they have. Teehee." Hiro giggled. "Sorry, Sakura!" He stuck his tongue out slightly in a teasing manner, giving a wink from his left eye. There's also To Heart, Kanon, Air, along with some others." He stopped for a second before continuing. "Oh. But I wish Ina☆Koi3 had an anime adaption so I could listen to the music and compare the soundtrack to the visual novel! The artist makes the characters so cute, and I just adore the opening so much! I even have the Ina☆Koi fandisk, and I can't wait for the next gal game to come out! Go, Swirlpool!4 And we can't forget about Nursery Rhyme and Itsuka, Todoku, Ano Sora ni. by Lump of Sugar,5 either!" Hiro's face lit up with an air of rising euphoria. The subject of galge added fuel to his elated fire and gave Takuto, Kenshi, and Sayuri something to say about what he told them.
           "So," Takuto paused, "you'’re a closet fan of gal games. What else do we not know about you, Hiro? By the looks of it, you seem to play a heck lot of them. Is this how you expanded your knowledge of females, and..." He blushed, quivering in his own thermal energy. "...what happens between a man and a woman? Just so you know, I'm not c-curious about that!!" His expression was now furious as he kept his flustered facial expression. "You hear me?!"
           A cat smile appeared on the college student's visage. "Well, I do love the H-scenes if they're steamy enough. The seiyuus also have to appeal to my sense of hearing as well, you know. Before ever continuing an eroge of any kind, the characters' voices are important. For example, if any of the girls have voices that are too high, too low, too quiet, too annoying, etc., they just throw the entire game off." He seemed as though he were scolding someone with his VN lecture. "I mean, what's the point of selling a galge if the characters have inadequate voices? It's a waste of hiring those seiyuus if their pitches aren't perfect! No matter how great a company's reputation is for their works, they shouldn't hire just ANYONE; there needs to be a sense of moderation when it comes to picking the correct person to voice a girl or guy in a visual novel! Second, the plot should be consistent to the description given by the staff. When things get peculiar in a gal game, players don't have much of an interest in it, even if they do play through to the end. Art is essential, too. The character designs and backgrounds are the best when drawn to fit a fictional setting. They also establish the mood and atmosphere of the game, and—" Hiro smirked. "—I'm very picky when it comes to my hobby, so if I get a VN that doesn't match my criteria, I stop playing and I'll throw it away afterward. If I feel like it, I'll just sue some companies for making a rip-off in the first place. Or I'll wait until something happens. In truth, I go to this website where I can request something, and if I get a reply accepting my request, it gets done in a short amount of time. I don't believe miracles can easily exist, but to me, that website gave me some I'll never forget."
           Takuto's eyes narrowed in a nonchalant way. "Thanks for ranting, you 2-D women loving maniac. You're even worse than a co-worker of mine when it comes to visual novels. Anyway, how is it that you have them at your place? You never seemed to have a geeky vibe during all these years."
           "Kenny bought them for me," Hiro replied without another thought.
           "Huh?" Takuto was confused while still having an uninterested expression on his face.
           Sayuri blinked four times with her archetypal quiet state on her face. "Kenshi bought inappropriate games for you? When was this?"
           "During my senior year of junior high," Hiro casually answered. "I was fourteen back then. Speaking of which you and Rina were also the same age as me, weren't you, Sayuri?"
           The orange-haired magician nodded. "Affirmative. But…I can’t imagine you as the type of person who would play adult-oriented games, Hiro. It doesn’t suit your image. In addition, you were at a very young age when you started, so…” She gaze downward, then looked up. “…this means you’re a rule breaker. In other words, some sort of rebel. I do not comprehend since I never knew about this side of you before now. Perhaps I do not know your true self, after all.”
           “Um…” Hiro was having difficulty coming up with his next words. It felt like he was beginning to have some trouble after he had realized his own feelings towards the young woman. At the same time his heart palpitated, and he knew he was blushing. “I-I guess you have a point there, Sayuri. Maybe I shouldn’t have put Kenny through an ordeal like that, but you know, I was trying to l-learn more about different parts of Japan’s subculture because it’s my home country.”
           On no…! he shouted in his thoughts. I can’t speak normally to Sayuri! What do I do?! Ah, it’s getting hot in here! My body can’t take this any longer. Someone help me…!
           At that moment, he could feel himself becoming dizzy—dizzier with each second passing by. His body swayed back and forth, and from side to side, until he flopped down gradually onto the counter he had laid on earlier. His eyes were closed and he was slowly breathing.
           “Hiro!” Sayuri, Kenshi, and Takuto shouted in concern; Takuji, on the other hand, was a little surprised at what had occurred.
           Kenshi placed his right hand on Hiro’s back. His expression was serious and focused. “He’s still alive… He probably got overheated from the heat pouring in from the outside. We should let him rest upstairs in his room.”
           Takuto shot a cool and relaxed glance at the firefighter. ”It’s also hot in the bedrooms. We let the windows open to give some light in them, remember? If we take him to his bed, he’ll feel the blaze scorching his posterior body region. What good will that do, Kenny? We need to cool him down and hydrate him.”
           Sayuri was frantic. She was uncertain as to what she could to do help Hiro regain his senses, but came closer to the youth’s right. She placed her left hand on Hiro’s face, and her right hand on top of his head. She also had a worried and sad look on her visage. “Hiro…” Regardless of the time and place, she allowed her wings to shoot out, compelling Takuto and Kenshi to move back from their seats as a result. Then, Sayuri’s radiant wings began to flap, sending moderately cool winds inside Le Renard Noir.
           The spiky-haired brunet’s eyes slightly widened as astonishment displayed on him.
           Sayuri… he thought. She truly and honestly cares about Hiro. Is it because they knew each other before everyone in the Black Foxes met her? Or, Kenshi sensed an undesirable sensation brimming in his chest, specifically where his heart was, is it something… more? Did their friendship grow while I wasn’t aware of anything that may have happened between them lately? What if… they’ve fallen in love with each another? What am I supposed to do about the likelihood of the two of them developing feelings for the other? Do I… let them know about my own feelings, or do I leave the option of never letting Sayuri know how I feel about her?
           Takuto lowered his eyes at Kenshi and whispered. “Oi, Kenny. You’re letting it show on your face. What if Hiro had seen you? Still, he is unconscious for the time being, but you should hide your feelings a little. You never know what can happen when facts and knowledge are spread around. That’s why you might as well keep yourself composed until this is all over.”
           Kenshi’s flustered expression was transparent enough for anyone to read him as he whispered back. “I-I know, Takuto! G-Geez. What’s with you these days? You’ve been bringing up strange things whenever we talk.”
           An amused look was on Takuji’s face.
           I wonder if I should do anything while I’m here, he thought. I haven’t interfered on my own accord, but it looks like another interesting banter is going on. Sayuri’s paying Hiro Sarashina her undivided attention, while Kenshi Inagaki is anxious about being near them. Hmm. Takuto appears to be the type to observe and take notice on what’s going on. As expected from Rina’s former boyfriend. He’s become a renowned figure for some time now. Not that I’m ready to tell that to him, though. It’d be better if he found out later. The question is: Will the magicians outside of Neon such as myself be able to be of help to this world, which is full of humans—whether they’re corrupt at heart or sincere enough to gain a magician’s trust—and survive through to the end of the approaching fates we’ll have to confront? Hahaha, this is getting corny for someone like me when the results aren’t even given out by none other than…
           The mint-haired magician took out something from his magic pocket, pulling out something from his home in Neon. What was revealed in his hand was a clear drink with what seemed to be small, shredded coconut shavings (?) with something else that looked like mini assorted multi-colored jelly fillings in it. The liquid and tiny solids that were like floating tapioca balls lying internally in the Collins glass as were both vivid and breathtaking to the human eye. Maybe not only to humans. Either way, it was spectacular as it existed only in Neon, the world of magicians. With that said, Takuji walked forward and teleported to where he was behind the counter, setting the beverage in front of the unconscious art student.
           “Come on, wake up now,” he smiled. “You should be fine after getting that fresh breeze. Plus, I’ll be getting some pizza done soon, so take a gulp out of my wife’s blend, Hiro. Sayuri has to leave soon, anyway, so hurry and wake up already.”
           “Mm…” Hiro stirred a bit but slowly opened his eyes as if he had just been shook by Atsumu in the morning for breakfast. He blinked once and looked at the winged magician’s visage. “Sayuri?” He sure did look sleepy. “Did you fan me?”
           Sayuri nodded with her concerned expression still on her face. “You should drink what Takuji brought for now. I have to do make some runs in the Human World until tonight. Takuji will relay the detail of tonight's mission later on."
           Hiro nodded as a reply. "Be careful, okay? Even though you're not a thief and you're occupied with your own goals and objectives, I still think of you as a part of the Black Foxes. Everyone does. No only you, but Takuji and every other magician who are good at heart. When I think about it, we wouldn't be where we are without you guys."
           Kenshi chuckled. "That's true. Saionji may have been the first one we encountered thanks to Riki for falling for her at first sight, but she didn't become a member until years later after Rina's arrival. I guess you guys have plenty of tasks to finish while you're here on Earth, huh? Must be taking a long time since we have far more people than Neon, albeit how large your world is compared to ours. There’re too many sinister people out there to get rid of, but what you guys decide to do with them is up to you, and we'll support your decision, even if it's the worst-case scenario."
           Takuto frowned. "Maybe what we need is for more magicians to act as undercover police agents, seeing as the authorities don't do a lot. While we can't precisely will a rapid change to happen and lower our diverse populations by a number of death penalties on criminals, we'll just have to wait for an era where very few people plot against the good."
           Atsumu and Rina came out of the kitchen shortly after, with the wavy-haired brunet carrying a tray that had glass bowls of shaved ice with different flavors in them; Rina had a few glasses full of drinks on a separate tray. They may have been late, but better that than not showing up.
           "Well we certainly heard a lot, didn't we?" Atsumu grinned broadly. "Yet, the development of events was really intriguing. I felt bad for Riki, but Hiro's rant on visual novels was great, too." He set the bowls on the counter in front of the guys, giving Hiro some 'special treatment' for passing out moments ago. Sayuri glanced at this kind gesture and vanished when Hiro stared at the shaved ice that finally arrived.
           After the winged magician was out of sight, Rina smiled gently and placed Kenshi and Takuto's drinks in front of them. Atsumu took the tray the Magician of Power carried and went back into the cooking area to put them away, before coming back. Takuji had already gone inside to start on the pizza for the group, happily placing the small, circular, and flattened dough in the oven. Then, he adjusted the settings on the machine.
           Takuto glanced at his ex-girlfriend and asked, "Were you even in the kitchen while we were talking about all this stuff? I mean, before the complaints on the weather today?"
           As Rina kept standing behind the counter, the smile on her face did not go away. "No. I was resting at home. I thought I'd stay there until I was well enough to come back here."
           The hacker of the Black Foxes scooted over to his right and patted the seat he previously sat on. "Take a seat."
           Rina's entire expression became softer and she instantly teleported behind the stool Takuto's hand was on. In response, the latter took his hand off, placing it on the counter next to his bowl of light green shaved ice. The blonde magician took her seat and a fuzzy and warm sensation sprung from her chest.
           Hiro took a bite of his grape-flavored shaved ice. The air between the past couple had spread to where he and Kenshi were. His eyes were closed by the time his spoon was in his mouth. "It's so cozy~. I wanna go to sleep but I need to eat this to get my stamina back. What should I do?"
           Kenshi sweat-dropped. "Keep eating your ice, Hiro. And don't forget about your drink. You already passed out once today, so rehydrate your body. We wouldn't want you to miss out on the mission."
           "Hai~!" The twenty-one-year-old youth obeyed and continued to eat at a moderate pace to avoid a so-called 'brain freeze' from happening. He also took a sip from the beverage Takuji took out for him, and his eyes widened in amazement. "Wow! This tastes really good! I suddenly feel refreshed and better than I usually do. It's like everything's so clear and bright, and I'm so positive. I... I'm feeling a lot of awesome emotions at once, it's surreal!"
           Kenshi's eye widened. "Woah, what's in that drink? Hiro's getting so energized! Are there... more gemstones? Wait." He paused. "How did I come to that conclusion?"
           "Because there are," Takuto and Rina said together.
           "Heh?" The firefighter was baffled.
           "That's correct~!" Takuji exclaimed mildly as he walked out from the kitchen, holding the small six-inch pizza that was divided into six pieces for everyone in Le Renard Noir. "Since la boisson was prepared in Neon, it's only natural to have gemstones in something like this, especially to rejuvenate oneself. To be honest, no magician has ever allowed a human to drink or eat something from Neon before. You're kinda lucky to have passed out when you did, otherwise I wouldn't have pulled this from my house." He explained further. "The benefit of our food and beverages is that you gain more than you would believe. Should your body be exposed to magic, so too will parts or even all of you begin to alter into a finer being. Anyway, let's eat." He took a slice of pizza from the top right corner and bit into the slice he was holding.
           Atsumu strolled into the dining area and took a glance over the mint-haired magician's shoulder. "Wow, the pizza smells better than the ones I bake, and it has a better air to it. I wonder what ingredients you used to prepare it. I think I'm about to drool from looking at it. You were making it so fast I could barely see a thing! Plus, there's the fact you were so blurry, I was getting dizzy from watching you do every single thing! Slow down, will you?" His shoulders slumped once he finished what he was saying.
           Takuji closed his eyes. "Not like I can help it, though. I am a magician after all. What I do depends on my being. My mood also comes into play, and how I'm feeling will influence the things I do. So, there's that."
           Takuto narrowed his eyes in stoic-like annoyance. "Give him a break yourself, Beardface. You were being too attentive on what he was doing to quicken what you had decided to do, and man were you gross just now. Magicians aren't like us most of the time. They're meant to be the perfect beings in their own way, but it doesn't mean perfection is key."
           Rina blinked. Is this really how Takuji is in the Human World? His demeanor is so different than what I anticipated.
           "At least there are different ways to consider the concept," the Magician of Power added to the conversation. "Still, we're supposedly known for being 'perfect' in others' eyes. We hear different comments about us, but what's been said shouldn't get in the way of what we do."
           "I'm starving, but that's pretty coolio," Hiro beamed. "Haha!" He took his slice of pizza from the bottom left side he was facing. "Perfect or not, you guys seem like it anyhow. That's what great about you all, and I'm glad you're here." Placing his pizza slice into his mouth, he was fully enjoying the taste with a blissful expression on his visage.
           Kenshi smiled lightheartedly. "Can't say I don't agree, but I like how even magicians have flaws to them. It makes me feel closer to you guys because we have some stuff in common, whether it's just a tiny portion or not. Who's to say we can't get along?" He took his slice and the first bite lifted his spirits up. "Wow! This tastes incredible, dude! Oh, man. I wish you would use ingredients from Neon every day to make food like this! Boss's cooking pales in comparison to yours, Takuji! Mm!" In a matter of seconds, the firefighter gobbled down the slice of pizza. "Think you can make some more? Having one slice and shaved ice with a cool drink to accompany a meal is definitely not enough to fill anyone's stomach—magician or human. I'm grateful enough to eat what you make. So, uh, thanks."
           "Hey!" Atsumu immediately flipped his head towards Kenshi; he was offended by the spiky-haired brunet's comments. "My cooking's not that bad! I try very hard to please everyone with the food I make!"
           "Well if you need some more food to fill your stomach, alright," Takuji opened his eyes and smiled casually. "We still have some time before nighttime comes for the mission to be initiated. I'll get some more for you guys and add some other food to the menu."
           "Awe—" Just as Kenshi was jubilantly answering, Hiro cut him off.
           "Yay!" The college student was glad as well to be able to get more food. "An all-you-can-eat buffet! Magic style!"
           "Looks like Hiro's happy," Takuto noted. "He's having so much fun eating, he won't care about becoming a glutton."
           Rina kept smiling faintly. "As long as he's content, he'll be going on the mission with us."
           "H-Hey..." Kenshi trailed off. He was a bit disappointed no one was paying attention to him.
           Atsumu sighed unhappily. "Now you know how I feel. Serves you right..."
           The two brunets were obviously in the same boat, but the restaurant owner was the one who had a more melancholy atmosphere to him. Of course, who would not be when their cooking gets insulted by someone they trust as a comrade? Either way, they were both hurt by their small group of friends gathered inside the place. In addition, it was going to be a while before they got over their depression and somewhat childish anguish.
  XXX
             It was already dark out during the early hours of the night. Inside Le Renard Noir, everyone was gathered for details on the mission; rather, it was a bit of a review.
           "Here's the plan for this mission," Takuji began. "Since we'll be going to this museum that was once a huge mansion for some wealthy aristocrats, Sayuri, Rina, Mitsuki-san, and I will knock all the 14K members guarding the exterior. That will give you guys a chance to go in, but there will also be some inside, so make use of your best combat abilities. Once you all (the Black Foxes) go in, Sayuri and I will round up all the members from outside and bring them to the police station, which has been upgraded to fit in more law breakers. They will face punishment, as did all the other criminals who have been caught, especially since the magicians from Neon came to the Human World. We do have a few friends who are now manning the prisons, so they'll place whatever judgment they choose on those fiends."
           Hiro raised his right hand. "Um..."
           Takuji kept smiling. "Yes?"
           "I think Kenny wants to say something," Hiro smirked, passing the speaking authority to the sniper.
           Kenshi had a solemn and conflicted expression on his face. "Well... Something came to mind just now about what you said. I was wondering..." He glanced at the mint-haired young man. "...are you... By 'placing punishment' on these people you've caught, does that mean that you'll... kill them for what they've done?"
           "You said it yourself that you would support whatever decisions are made. Thus, they're for the guys in charge of the stations aka prisons to decide," Takuji replied coldly. His expression matched his tone of voice. "You wouldn't care about what happens to those criminals, would you? When you think about your main objective, the reason for the Black Foxes' existence isn't to pity the villains who steal from or harass and harm others, but to bring a sense of peace and justice back to the ones who have been wronged. However, you guys mainly concentrate on artworks and other valuable things. If we don't concentrate on the mission tonight, we'll miss our chance of finding Nao-san."
           Kenshi nodded with a lowered head. "Yeah..." He looked up once more. "But... How are we supposed to do that? We don't know where she lives, so it'd be impossible to meet with her."
           Takuji grinned smugly. "It's actually simpler than you'd expect. This morning, Sayuri and I met with our advisor in the Human World about how we can get to her."
           "What?" Hiro's eyes were ready to pop out.
           Kenshi blinked. "Heh?"
           Takuto replied. "Well, it's not so surprising after what we've all been going through recently. Nao's a powerful magician and she's most likely to have concealed the location of her man's house with her magic. Rina's book was also unable to detect anything, so I'm pretty certain that thanks to the Human World's blockage against most of the magicians' powers, it might also be blocking other magicians' abilities to find one another—maybe even their books' knowledge."
           "However, there's a chance of locating any magician if there's a strong connection between two or more magicians," Rina announced. "It doesn't always work, so perhaps Nao-san set up a barrier after regaining her memories. Anyway, we should listen to Takuji's information since it'll prove to be a big help to us."
           Takuji's smug grin was still plastered on his visage. "As I was saying, we were told that a thief will appear inside the museum. Apparently, he has an interest in the Black Foxes, so he'll break in to catch your attention in tomorrow's news, but we'll have to prevent this from taking place. After all, we're trying to meet him tonight since he knows where Nao-san is. Thus, he'll be the key to finding her. We'll need to send two people to encounter him, so how about sending Hiro and Takuto?"
           Hiro's eyes widened again. "Huh? Me and Takkun?"
           "That's right," Takuji laughed menacingly. "He's going to break into a window from the top upper middle room on your left. Each of the left and right sides of the three stories have three rooms, so there's six for every layer of the house. Therefore, the total number of rooms equals eighteen. In order to successfully get to him in time, everyone else has to barge into the mansion and fight the 14K members before you two go inside. Sayuri and I will go in after we come back from delivering the ones that are knocked out. It shouldn't be so difficult with Rina and Mitsuki-san around. Besides, Swillving will be back in action with her dynamic powers and sharp blade. Make sure to speak with the guy, as well. We need to convince him to take us to Nao-san."
           Takuto said, "I'm not much of a speaker when it comes to a lot of people, but I'll see what I can do. Hiro's gonna have to back me up, anyway."
           "Ugh," Hiro frowned. "Takkun, you're so hopeless. What's the use of having Rina's book fused with your laptop if you're not going to do your part in this?"
           "It's not like it was for nothing," the hacker answered in his stoic voice. "I'll tell him some stuff, but don't forget that we're both going to speak to him."
           Sayuri, who had been staring at the sequence of events in the bar, said, "Let's go. We can't stay here forever."
           Atsumu nodded. "That's right. Justice needs to be done to those triad members. We can't let them get away with what they've done, whatever they may have been involved in. I'll be waiting here like always for you all to return safely so we can enjoy dinner together, no matter how late it is."
           Everyone else nodded and a white light signaled their teleportation and departure to the museum without allowing them to be caught by the 14K members.
  XXX
             With the four magicians' combined powers, the bountiful amount of men associated with the 14K triad were quickly put to sleep, and their bodies collapsed onto the ground.
           Riki gave a nod and stated, "It's show time!"
           The six members of the Black Foxes dashed in; Takuto and Hiro followed as the strategy had called for. With two bright lights—a vivid tangerine one representing Sayuri's powers and a medium sea green for Takuji, the two magicians of fate teleported themselves and the 14K members that were lying outside to the police station.
           Meanwhile inside the museum, the triad members were rapidly being beaten by Riki and Kenshi's martial art skills, while Mitsuki had summoned her weapon's spirit Swillving, a lovely and beautiful lady with long, sea green hair reaching to her feet and imperial red eyes. The weapon in the dark purple-haired magician's hands was a naginata and with each swing, there was a swift attack that hit a bundle of mafia members; Swillving used quick movements and was hard to perceive, hunting down the males in black suits before returning to her master's side. Rina had gone up ahead, leading the hacker and the youngest member of the Black Foxes upstairs after the other three. Once they were on the second floor, she joined the fighting and hit some of the 14K guys with generations of earth and crystals, sending forth many brown stones along with those crystals with an aesthetic nothing the planet could compare to.
           Mitsuki had already gone to the top and third floor, which was being handled by Takuji and Sayuri. The latter pair fought with a combination of thin glowing needle-like structures (Sayuri), and dark metal bits and pieces (Takuji). It took a mere matter of seconds for them to defeat the last group of 14K members. Shortly afterward, a resonating bright, white light surrounded the mansion and the mafia men, and the magicians of fate disappeared to imprison the new batch. Everyone else met on the uppermost floor, allowing Takuto and Hiro burst into the middle left room while the other four waited for their OK.
           Hiro shut the door behind him and the team's hacker to witness the male thief's arrival, which was in...
           3...2...1...
           The glass shattered as a man with purple hair wearing a black suit intruded into the luxurious room. Unlike what they had expected, Hiro and Takuto saw another figure with the male. The second person was in the purple-haired man's arms, and had long, silver hair. From the looks of it, there had to be a girl in the guy's arms.
           So he wasn't alone, Takuto remarked in his mind. He had his laptop in his left hand which was bent over to his side.
           But why is there a girl with him? Hiro questioned in his thoughts as he glanced at Takuto, who met his gaze.
           The light blond shrugged and they both looked back at the two in their far front.
           The purple-haired man had wavy hair and when he raised his head, he opened his eyes, revealing French beige eyes. When his gaze met the two Black Fox members', he was surprised. "..."
           "Hyosuke, what's wrong?" The girl in his arms lifted her head to look at his face, soon following the direction of his gaze to her right. Unlike Hyosuke, she was not surprised to see Takuto and Hiro standing the room they were in. She had ruby red eyes and wore a dark midnight blue long sleeve blazer that was unbuttoned with a white button-down shirt underneath, a palatinate purple tie around her collar and a matching midnight blue miniskirt resembling a school uniform which was completed with black near-knee-length socks and a pair of brown loafers. She blinked and asked, "Are you... the Black Foxes...?"
 XXX
             With everyone including Sayuri and Takuji gathered within the room, they began to converse with Hyosuke and the silver-haired girl.
           "So you see," Hiro said before laughing. "Haha. How should we explain this? We were expecting only one person to come to this museum. It turns out there are two."
           Takuto seemed no different than he usually was with his aloofness. "We needed to meet you, anyway. There's a reason for this encounter tonight, but it looks like we should be asking both of you."
           Takuji closed his eyes and sweat-dropped. "Akio-sama sure did leave an important detail out, didn't he? To think Miyuki was also going to be here. What an interesting turn of events." He sighed, opening his eyes to gaze at the pair who came in from the window. "I must say, it is nice to see you again after three years or so."
           Miyuki, the silver-haired girl, placed her left hand on her hip. "Likewise, it's good to meet you again, Takuji." She looked at the others. "Although, it seems like I've seen a few more familiar faces. It looks like you've met up with a third of our group from high school. Including you and myself, it now makes two-thirds, instead of one." She lowered her eyes towards everyone on her right before glancing back at the mint-haired magician. "Moving on, what exactly did you guys come here for? It seems that it's something important, since you (Takuji) and Sayuri went to meet a member of the Juujouchi family to prevent us from making our way out of here. Well, you did save us some trouble in waiting for your (the Black Foxes) appearance, so thanks."
           "..." Sayuri was staring down at the floor. She looked as if there was something on her mind, and it was as though she were lost in thought.
           While Hiro did not see the orange-haired girl's expression, Kenshi did.
           Sayuri... he thought. It looks like she's having a hard time bringing Nao up, but I'm positive she wants to see her again. They did live together after all, but does Miyuki also have a connection to her? I'll have to do something, so here goes nothing.
           Without any hesitation, Kenshi stepped forward, displaying a stern expression on his visage. "Our plan's already changed, but look. The reason we came to confront you guys is because we believe that you can take us to Nao Aozora. We actually have some things to talk about, but we're likely to need to enlist her help on a battle we'll have to go through in the near future. Think you guys can do us a favor and let us meet her?"
           Takuto was not pleased, and had a wrathful look on his face. Plus, his eyebrows were drawn together. "Hey, Kenny! I was gonna do the talking before you said anything! And you left some parts out, you know!" He turned towards Hyosuke and Miyuki, and his expression quickly became indifferent. "Sorry, but Nao might be the key to defeating a certain woman. If so, the magicians residing in the Human World won't have to die from that woman's powers. I have a theory that Nao has a strategy to defeat her, so we HAVE to meet her and find out if she does have one. She may be a ray of hope for us, and for your..." He shifted his gaze from Hyosuke to Miyuki who was on the former's left.
           "Girlfriend," Hyosuke told the group. "Miyuki's my girlfriend. So uh, I have something to ask too." He stared intently at Takuto. "Do you also know about my brother?"
           "...Yeah." Takuto's reply came about a few seconds later after he had paused. "And we know about his relationship with Nao. There's a possibility he's being protected by her, and perhaps, she's using her magic to protect you two."
           Miyuki's eyes widened. "...Nao-san..." She lowered her eyes once more.
           Hyosuke smiled sadly. "Well my brother does hold the strongest love for Nao-san, even if he hasn't conveyed everything he feels towards her, and I've also sensed that Nao-san has been trying to do more than enough for everyone in the house, which includes our parents. Maybe there's more on her mind than my brother knows, so we'll take you guys to our home. Both of them are there right now, after all. It's a token of my thanks for letting me see you guys. From the looks of it, six of you are probably members of the Black Foxes." He turned around. "Stay behind us. We'll lead you there."
           "Sayuri," Miyuki called out to the orange-haired magician. "I'll explain things to you later." She turned around and stayed by her boyfriend's side.
           Sayuri was staring at Miyuki's back before averting her gaze down again. "..."
           Hiro glanced at her, but did not say anything. Surely, there were some things he and the others did not know. After observing the college student's concern for Sayuri, Takuto placed his right hand on and patted Hiro's back. Everyone faced the direction of the couple they had just met, and all five magicians emitted different vivid, glowing lights before the entire bunch teleported to the Kujo residence.
           After they got there, Hyosuke opened the door with a key and allowed Miyuki to go before him and the rest. Then, he shut the door behind them and looked at the others with a serious and intense gaze. The Black Foxes and magicians of fate knew immediately that they had to wait for the purple-haired man's signal before going into the living area.
           Hyosuke stepped into the living room which included the kitchen and dining furnishings. Miyuki, on the other hand, stayed behind with the other eight persons.
           With a broad grin on his pretty visage, Hyosuke announced, "Bro! Nao-san! I'm home! There are also some guests here to see you two! Especially Nao-san!"
           "Hyosuke?" His brother's eyes were slightly raised at seeing his younger brother after he came out from the kitchen. Then, he lowered his eyes, allowing them to return to his normal gaze. "Why are you alone? Where's Miyuki?"
           Hyosuke closed his mouth. "Um..."
           Nao relaxed her shoulders and breathed out. Then, she steadily opened her aquamarine eyes and turned her head to her right toward the Kujo brothers. "Ara. Hyosuke, you said you brought guests, didn't you? Miyuki’s with them, I suppose."
           "Y-Yeah," Hyosuke answered, sweat-dropping. "But uh... We brought eight of them with us." He glanced at the man with smokey topaz hair. "So, Taiga, try not to get too shocked, okay?"
           Unfortunately, the underground doctor was already astonished at hearing the amount of people who were in their home. "Eight?! Hyo, what's going on? Why did you two bring so many people into our house? If Mom and Dad were here right now, they'd be surprised, too." He then shouted, a chiding expression on his face. "What are you thinking bringing them in here?! We can't have them stay here at night!!"
           "C-Calm down, Taiga..." Hyosuke pleaded with a worried look. "They just want to talk with you two, alright? It's pretty important, too. There are other magicians along with the Black Foxes."
           "The Black Foxes?" Taiga frowned. "Don't tell me you actually met with them."
           Hyosuke laughed awkwardly. "Uh, yeah. We just happened to be in the same place tonight."
           Nao glanced at the dark hallway to her right where Hyosuke had entered from. "Miyuki, you all can come out now. It'll be fine. I'd like to speak with your guests as well, so feel free to come in and sit yourselves down."
           Miyuki, the Black Foxes, and the magicians of fate walked into the room. Nao was slightly surprised to see the magicians who had arrived with Hyosuke and Miyuki, but smiled shortly after. "It looks like we have some familiar faces," she noted in a kind voice. "Welcome."
           Though the members of the Black Foxes were seated, Sayuri and Takuji stood. Sayuri still seemed distant and somewhat depressed, causing the mint-haired magician to place his left hand on her back. However, there was still no sound response from her as she stared at the floor.
           Nao instantly saw her expression but glanced at the others. "What would you all come to talk about?"
           Riki frowned. "It's quite complicated, but I think you already know the situation the magicians here are in, Aozora. We need your help, and Takuto believes that you have a plan to defeat the woman who's trying to kill off the magicians on Earth. Sayuri's willing to put an end to her deeds, and it was thanks to her that we found out about what was really happening to the magicians on the planet. We also know that you were the one healing them not too long ago. Without your powers, I don't think any of the magicians can survive this fight against that woman. I'm sure you need help bringing her down, so will you please aid us in doing so? I know it may be selfish of us to ask for your cooperation, Aozora." He bowed in his seat across from Nao.
           Nao was slightly stunned by Riki's action, and so were Taiga, Hyosuke, Miyuki, and everyone else in the Kujo home.
           Then, the white-haired magician asked, "Do you all have any other reason to defeat her? I know who she is, but to think you would bow to me, Riki-san... It's so surprising, I don't know what else to tell you right now."
           Riki nodded. "I see. Then—"
           "There is another reason!" Sayuri exclaimed with a firm voice and determined facial expression.
           Everyone turned towards the orange-haired magician.
           "Sayuri?" Miyuki was puzzled when she heard her friend shout.
           Sayuri's eyes narrowed. "Ains... Three years ago, Ains was stolen. By none other than that woman."
           "...!" Rina's eyes widened.
           Everyone else's did as well, except for Taiga, Nao, Hyosuke, Miyuki, Takuji, and Mitsuki's when they heard what Sayuri told them.
           "No way..." Kenshi breathed.
           "Rina's weapon was stolen...?" Riki inquired.
           "But how?" Hiro asked. "Ains is such a powerful weapon that there shouldn't be any way of taking it away. Plus, Rina is..."
           Takuto's shock soon turned back to a nonchalant form and since he already had his laptop opened sitting on his lap, he looked back at the screen. Then, he searched for Rina's profile. "Though Ains shouldn't have been taken away from Rina, it seems like a lot went on."
           Rina swiftly turned her head toward her ex. "Takuto, why are you looking at my profile?!" By the sound of her voice, her great shock, and astonishment, it was as if she did not want him and most of the others to find something out.
           "What?" The hacker glanced at the blonde magician. "You're making a big deal out of it already. Am I not allowed to look through the information you gave me? We are partners, after all. Also, didn't you want to help me because of that?"
           Rina frowned. "I did but... Can't you wait a little before reading the rest?"
           Takuto's eyes lowered. "You don't seem like yourself. If you're not going to let me read on about you, what good will that do? Ains was taken from you, wasn't he? Don't you want him back since he's the entity residing in your sword?"
           "Listen to what I have to say," Sayuri commanded. "Not just me, but Rina as well. It's something that also links to what's happening to the magicians on Earth." She gazed at her best friend with staid eyes, but there was something in them as she pleaded, “I can’t do this without you, Rina… Takuji can’t, either.” At that point, her voice was breaking.
           The human men, Miyuki, and Rina were surprised to hear the vulnerability in the orange-haired magician’s voice.
Rina nodded in response. “Un.”
           Although Takuto wasn't displaying how puzzled he was, he decided to do what the female Magician of Fate said. So did the others.
           "It was an incident that took place at Rina's trial," Sayuri explained as her eyes narrowed. "Truthfully, it was bad timing that he was stolen. In fact, there's no doubt that woman waited for this all to happen."
  ~December 19, 2003~
             It was a winter day in Neon. Snow fell from the sky outside but the sky itself was clouded with a somewhat dark—yet mild, gray scene overshadowing the capital city. As it appeared, it was not a brilliant day for someone. It just so happened to be an unfortunate day for Rina. Rina Tokuhara.
 —The trial room somewhere in the palace—
             There was a circle in which several family members of the Eight Great Families were gathered around to survey the trial; some were missing. Those included Manjuki Saionji, the current head of the Saionji family; Nao Aozora’s parents, her cousin, and even a few members of the Juujouchi family were among the ones present. Despite not being a member of one of the Great Families, Sayuri was also with the crowd, concerned for Rina.
           The first queen and former princess of Neon was the “judge” of the trial, or at least the one in charge of it. She had long, French violet hair reaching the bottom of her feet and shoes, and topaz yellow eyes. She was also very beautiful and even had a magnificent outfit to contribute to her beauty and the judgment process. Her husband stood next to her left, and he was very handsome with his ultramarine hair and true blue eyes.
           "We are here today to commence the trial of Rina Tokuhara," the queen, whose name was Haonowa Suzushiro began. "Due to her engagement in a relationship with a human man during her stay in the Human World while under the age of eighteen, we have called her down here. Please note that she has not yet graduated from high school, and the man she has fallen in love with is currently twenty-one years of age as of this year, which adds the detail of an age gap of over three years. We have a rule that only permits the maximum age difference of one year, two months between a man and woman, the former of which is permitted to be the older one in the romantic relationship. It goes without saying that we do not allow any humans to be romantically involved with magicians, as well. As these rules have been broken by one of our own, it is unforgivable to let this go on. Yet, I must question the one at fault." She stared at Rina with a look without any warmth and compassion. "Do you, Rina, take responsibility and admit the truth?"
           Rina gazed into Queen Haonowa's eyes with a resolute look and said, "Yes. It's true that I have committed myself to being with Takuto. Thus, I chose to be with him, despite breaking the laws of this world full of magicians. I also know that we aren't close in terms of age, but I still wish to be with and see him. He has already severed the relationship between us, but I won't stop loving him because he is precious to me. Takuto is my most important treasure, whether we're apart from one another or not. I do not regret falling in love with him, even at the expense of my own life. Therefore, I do not mind if I am to be executed here in Gemstone Palace."
           Sayuri's eyes widened with a mix of several emotions for her best friend. "Rina..."
           It was too sad to have to watch the Magician of Power she had a close bond with to receive the most severe punishment right in front of her eyes. Not only hers, but also Rina’s family's and the other Great Family members that were in place of “witnesses” and a jury.
           "So I see," Haonowa responded. "Very well, then. I shall inflict the execution penalty on you right here and now for breaking Neon's sacred laws. Tragic as your demise may be, you were a well-known and respected magician, as well as a member of the Tokuhara family. Why did it have to be you, I wonder? If this had not happened, you wouldn't have to be killed by my hand. However, I cannot allow any sentiment to get in the way of justice." She raised her right hand and was about to direct her attack on the blonde magician when suddenly...
           The sound of the double doors in the back of the room was heard. Someone had burst in; it was Kousuke Suzushiro. He had recently married his high school girlfriend months ago, and was now the current and third king of Neon. He had pure white hair, the clearest silver eyes, and wore a long, white button-down shirt and a pair of black pants with black dress socks and dress shoes. What's more was that he was also Haonowa's grandson.
           Everyone was either slightly surprised or composed and reserved. Queen Haonowa and her husband, however, did not have an alteration in their expressions.
           "Please reconsider this, Haonowa-san!" Kousuke pleaded as he walked forward ahead of where Rina stood. "If you kill Rina, you'll take her away from her parents. They'll no longer have their daughter, and will experience the same anguish as you and Minato-san did after Mother and Father died from the curse. You shouldn’t do something cruel as to take away another set of parent’s child, Haonowa-san. They shouldn't have to suffer like this!"
           Haonowa did not waver from hearing Kousuke's words. "Kousuke. This is what the law requires me to. Do you not understand that we as the people of this kingdom and world, are not supposed to break the laws for order must be maintained at all costs? Are you willing to disobey what has already been set for us? As the king of Neon, will you risk everything to save a guilty person from their own punishment?"
           "Haonowa-san, I cannot back down from what is right," Kousuke answered. "What you are doing will only accumulate something worse than what you and Minato-san've already gone through. You won't be able to forgive yourself if you do this. As Neon's current king, I want to spare you of becoming miserable over what you are about to do. Didn't you love Mother because she was the daughter you had given birth to years ago when things became peaceful for our world? Do you not think killing Rina would be similar to how Mother was taken away from this world? She's also a married couple's daughter. If she dies, you won't be able to face Shizune and Hajime’s family anymore. The bonds of our family and the Tokuhara's and Hachisachi’s will be forever broken. Do you truly want any of that to happen?"
           "..." Haonowa narrowed her eyes. She gave no reply to her grandson's question.
           Rina was not sure what she could do, but she was at least touched by hearing the white-haired king of the magicians stand up for her and her family. "Kousuke..."
           In turn, Kousuke turned around from his left side and smiled. "Don't worry, Rina. I'll make sure to save you, so you can get back together with the guy you're in love with. Trust me—" Suddenly, an excruciating pain took over his heart—his eyes widened for a few seconds and he collapsed onto the floor.
           Everyone's eyes also widened and they rushed to Kousuke's side. Rina hurried over, leaving her sword as to not cause any misleading scenarios. Haonowa and her husband, Minato, also ran towards their grandson's side. It was quite a frantic situation and as Kousuke was taken to his bedroom, a portal opened in the courtroom. With that, someone—a woman with long, black hair and red eyes came and went after Rina's sword: Ains. Her presence caught Sayuri's attention and she flew quickly towards the woman, but to no avail as she had been struck by the sword belonging to her best friend. The orange-haired magician barely managed to survive from an overwhelming attack filled with malice; as soon as Sayuri had been hit with Ains, the woman disappeared and closed her portal. Takuji had rushed to his partner's side shortly after noticing she had been ambushed.
           He rapidly teleported in a dash from where Kousuke was taken to recover to Sayuri. "Sayuri!" He held her body in his arms, narrowing his eyes. "Sayuri, stay with us! Asuka will heal you, so wait a bit, okay? I'm sorry we weren't paying attention, but I won't let you die!"
           Takuji's girlfriend [at the time], Asuka Suzushiro, knelt down by Sayuri's injured body and started to heal the wounds filled with blood. Her healing abilities gave off a bright purple glow. Sayuri fainted from the pain that was fading away and was soon taken out of the palace to the Aozora home to rest in her bedroom until she regained consciousness.
           For the most part, Rina was acquitted, and soon went back to her normal life. As a result of what had occurred, she had let go of returning to the Human World until years later. Sayuri had also went back to attending high school with her, Takuji, Miyuki, and their other schoolmates. Eventually, they all graduated and moved on with their lives. Thanks to Kousuke's intervention, Minato and Haonowa had altered the laws Rina broke after the trial. They now had given permission for some female magicians to fall in love with human males, and an age difference of seven years or less with some exceptions and abilities that had to be sacrificed, but the requirements for both partners to reach the age of eighteen and graduate from high school still remained.
             "As Takuto said, a lot of things had taken place after Ains was stolen by that woman," Rina added. "It may have been a careless mistake for me to leave my sword alone, but no one could afford to cause a conflict with the first rulers of the royal family in order to save my life from being executed. Kousuke interfered with the trial to do so, and because of him, we're all grateful.”
Sayuri continued. “I've been honing my powers, and Takuji's been doing the same, so we trained together. Consequently, my personality has changed from what it used to be like in order to become stronger for Rina's sake. At any rate, we still haven't been able to get Ains back from that woman."
           Takuji glanced at Sayuri and smiled. "You wouldn't believe how energetic and clumsy she used to be. Now, she's pretty similar to Takuto, aside from his short temper. Hehe." He laughed.
           "Is that true, Sayuri?" Hiro asked. Sayuri nodded as a response before glaring at her former training partner. "Oh, wow... So you really were cheerful back then! Just like the persona you had at the café."
           Sayuri frowned sternly. "When I was working there, it wasn't even close to how I used to be. After being hit by Ains and recovering from the attack, I gradually became how I am today. What has been lost cannot be restored so easily. That's what I've learned after getting injured to the point I couldn't move my body. After trying to get Ains back repeatedly, I got wounded again the night the owner of the café was in trouble, but it wasn't as aching as it was over three years ago."
           Hiro inquired further. "To do that, you'll also need more power, right? So we'll need Nao to do get to the goal."
           Takuto looked down at the floor. “That explains Rina’s powers weakening even though you were able to find a temporary solution to restore them before.”
           Sayuri nodded. "Even if Nao-san doesn't wish to cooperate with us, I'll sacrifice myself for Rina's sake. Ains should not be misused, but he's suffering because of that woman, and she is letting her partner wield him at the moment. Takuji and I can't do this alone, though. Since you said you'd come with me to this battlefield, I can't give up on this."
           "Sayuri..." Kenshi sniffed. He had tears in his eyes. "You're such a good friend...!"
           "You don't have to cry, Kenny," Takuto pointed out.
           "I-I'm not crying..." Kenshi retorted; then, he took a tissue from the box on the table and blew his nose. "I'm just getting sentimental, that's all."
           Takuto frowned nonchalantly. "Same thing in your case."
           Mitsuki looked down at her lap. "It wasn't until sometime after the trial ended that I received a call from Manjuki about what had happened. Because of that, I kept it a secret from you all, except for Riki." She looked at the hacker of the Black Foxes. "Takuto, I'm sorry for not telling you most of all about it. Though I knew you and Rina were suffering from the past, I couldn't bring myself to say anything."
           "I should apologize, too," Riki said. "I've watched over you for a long time, but it was hard to confront you about it. As time passed by, it grew more difficult to bring up. Sorry, Takuto."
           Takuto glanced at the eldest couple in the house. "It's not your fault. I was too rash about everything that happened between Rina and I. So, you guys don't need to apologize to me."
           Rina smiled softly as she gazed at her former lover. She glanced at Nao and said, "Nao-san. We can't let her (the woman) have her way here, or anywhere else. If our lives end, this world will no longer be protected by anyone. The people we care about won't be able to defend themselves against a being as strong as her, and we won't be around to help them. This must be dealt with no matter what, and we need you to save the universe we live in. Can you not give us an answer as to whether or not you'll lend us a hand?"
           Nao looked at Rina before shifting her gaze downward. "...Of course I know, but the amount of power to defeat her may push us past our limits. And yet, when I reflect back on how I came to be here, it reminds me that even I have a score to settle with her. As we're already being forced to face her sooner than I had anticipated, my answer..." She smiled contently. "...is yes." Then, she looked at everyone. "I give you all my hand in defeating this woman."
           "Nao..." Taiga, who had observed and heard the whole conversation, knew he could not stop his girlfriend from her decision. He walked over to her, and placed his left hand on the idol's corresponding shoulder.
           Nao looked up to meet the underground doctor's gaze. "Taiga..."
           He stared at the aquamarine eyes his lover had before shifting his eyes towards the Black Foxes. As he gazed into Riki's eyes, he told everyone in the living room, "I'll help as well."
           Riki's eyes widened. "Taiga..."
           "I'd rather not lose Nao to this fight," Taiga spoke in a composed manner. "Nor do I want to lose Hyosuke and Miyuki. They're my family, and the only ones I have left besides my parents. If they're going to cooperate with you guys, I'm going with them. Even so, I can't let go of them. You should already understand that feeling as the leader of the Black Foxes. Do what you can to protect your loved ones."
           Hyosuke's face lit up. "Bro..." He held Miyuki's right hand in his left.
           The silver-haired magician [who was taller than Mitsuki] gripped her boyfriend's hand. "So we have an alliance with everyone here."
           "Actually," Riki said, "we have another member of the Black Foxes waiting for us to get home. He's more or less the boss of the group, but he doesn't participate in and fight during our missions as much as he used to."
           Takuji smiled casually. "That makes thirteen of us in this alliance. Though, who would have thought everyone would gather like this? It really is the work of fate."
           "You say that a lot, Takuji," Miyuki uttered.
           The mint-haired magician glanced at Miyuki and kept on smiling. "Well, it's true. If Akio-sama hadn't pointed us in your direction, we wouldn't have reunited and met up like this."
           "Anyway, it's about time we head back," Riki stood up from his seat. "We shouldn't keep Boss waiting too much." He looked at Taiga and Nao to finish what he had to say to them. "Thanks. It really meant a lot to us. I'm glad you agreed to join us in this battle, Taiga, Aozora."
           Nao smiled back. "You should address me by my name, Riki-san. I feel insulted that you would call me by my surname."
           "Maybe another time," Riki replied. "I'm still not used to calling you by your given name. But rest assured, I don't actually hate you or anything. Really."
           "Wait." She held her right hand up and stared into the black-haired man’s eyes. "You and Mitsuki-san should at least know this before your departure." She glanced at Mitsuki. "Manjuki needs you two more than you both believe. She’s your family, after all."
           The dark purple-haired magician gazed attentively at Nao. “..”
           The Black Foxes and magicians of fate then left the Kujo residence and the sound of the door closing was soon heard. Hyosuke went to lock it.
           Nao looked up affectionately at Taiga, holding his left hand in hers, and putting her visage close to it. "Everything will be okay, Taiga. I'll protect you and everyone else."
           Taiga smiled back fondly at his girlfriend. "Yeah. I love you, Nao." As he leaned down to kiss her from where he was standing, they were soon interrupted by none other than Hyosuke, who had returned.
           "Whoa, don't start kissing here!" the purple-haired man shouted. "You're embarrassing me, Bro! And we haven't had dinner yet, so wait 'til after we're finished eating before you get to it!"
           Nao smiled at Hyosuke's reaction. "Ara, Hyosuke, you're back."
           "Nao-san, don't ignore me!" Hyosuke pouted.
           As Nao giggled, Taiga smiled and laughed.
           "Seriously, what's with you two?" Hyosuke asked. "You guys are so mean."
           Miyuki came out from the kitchen and tilted her head to her right. "? Hyosuke, come help me set the table."
           "Alright," was the purple-haired man's reply as he strolled toward his silver-haired girlfriend.
  XXX
 1)        Gal games are also known as bishoujo games/galge, whereas LLFTX is a counterpart; an otome game, or the portmanteau: otoge.
2)        Da Capo is a visual novel by Circus set on the fictional island of Hatsunejima and centers around the never wilting cherry blossom tree.
3)        Ina☆Koi is a gal game by Whirlpool, and is the company's first project.
4)        Swirlpool is my shout out to Whirlpool. They have a beautiful art style for the characters and backgrounds.
5)        Lump of Sugar is another visual novel company focusing on producing gal games. They also produced Tayutama -Kiss on my Deity-, another one of their visual novels that has gotten an anime adaption in 2009. However, as this fanfic is set before that year, I did not include Tayutama. However, keep in mind that some of my shout outs do not match up with the fanfic’s timeline.
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