Chapter 5

"The Homecoming"

Part Two

(Behind the Scenes)

After the regiment gave a salute in front of the castle for His majesty, they left the grounds and marched towards the barracks for a brief respite. With each step, their energy burst anew and their faces glowed with pride and happiness for a job well done. Their smiles reached from ear to ear (some are even teary eyed) because they're back home- just as Commander Rito has promised to them. Suddenly, one of them roared their battle cry and the others followed suit, raising their fists in triumph. Indeed, it was a day of joyous celebration and they couldn't wait to be dismissed for the day and be with their families once more.

Yami watched them from the sidelines with Celes (Rito's familiar) with a tender expression on her face. She knew how much this homecoming meant to them. Despite the odds, they have survived and remained true to their sworn duty. As a warrior, she felt proud to call them her comrades-in-arms.

Her gaze turned back towards the castle and once she saw Rito and their escorts ushered inside the castle entrance without incident, she accompanied Celes to its assigned resting grounds within the castle.

A palace attendant led them to the West Garden and hidden within a thick foliage of trees and vines, there stood an igloo-shaped dome facility. Despite its small scale appearance, the inside was a huge safari where Celes can roam freely.

"Behave yourself, okay?" Yami said, stroking behind the beast's ear. "No fighting with the other animals." She reminded and the black lion met her touch with a satisfied groan.

The familiar stepped inside the biosphere and looked around curiously, its ears twitching as various natural sounds came from different directions. She looked back on Yami and flicked its head as if to invite her in.

The blonde girl shook her head. She would love to spend time with Celes but she couldn't let her guard down just yet. She has to return to Rito's side as soon as possible. She is his sword and shield no matter how much he rejects the idea.

Suddenly, Celes raised its head and let out a fierce growl. Then, it dashed back towards them with its hackles raised in anger. The animal's intimidating approach was enough to scare the poor attendant out of its wits. He shrieked in fear and went outside running, leaving Yami alone to deal with it.

Standing fearlessly before the advancing beast, Yami spread her hair on each side of the entrance to prevent Celes from going outside. The animal stopped before her and growled again, obviously agitated.

"Calm down." Yami said, eyeing the animal evenly. "Show me what you see." She knelt before the animal in a silent plea.

After a little pacing, Celes finally gave in and settled the jewel on its forehead against hers. She felt a slight pull in her consciousness and then, she saw an army of hostile robots all around her- or rather, Rito. She was seeing everything through his perspective.

Then, she heard his thoughts transmitted to Celes through their mental connection as master and familiar. "Don't come here, Celes. I'll be fine."

The connection was cut as Celes moved back and growled again. The animal understood the order from her master clearly but she was dissatisfied.

"So, it has started, huh?" Yami thought as she stood up. Back when they first received the order to return home, Alistair and his fellow tutors had expressed the possibility of having a final simulation test. Like Celes, she was also instructed not to help Rito in any way. It was an important battle to determine his worth as the future ruler of the realm.

Rito is ready for this. He's stronger now and he can fight on his own. She understood that in her head but she couldn't dismiss the feeling of anxiousness in her chest.

In her eyes, he is still Yuuki Rito, the human with a kind heart- her target.

She sighed and stroked the animal's head comfortingly. "Don't worry, I'll watch over him for you." She said serenely, "So, be good and stay here. We'll check on you later."

Celes whined a little but it licked the side of Yami's cheek in assent. "Come back." It said in her mind telepathically.

Yami smiled slightly. "Yes, I'll come back with him. I promise." She whispered and then, she turned to ran back to the castle in haste.

Celes watched her until she disappeared from her sight and then, she gave one last growl before running deep into the forest to wait for their return.

The moment Momo broke the vial and the flowery scent reached her nostrils, she felt like her consciousness was sucked back into her body and the impact made her bolt upright and inhale large amounts of air.

"Ugh... haa…!" Tears fell from her eyes as she coughed and endured the thudding pain in her head. Waking up from a nightmare is better than to this, she thought. As the waves of pain waned, she finally became aware of someone stroking her back in a comforting manner.

"Take deep breaths… That's it. You're doing great…"the girl whispered soothingly. Momo followed wordlessly and through the haze of her tears, she saw a blurry image of a blue-haired woman beside her.

She blinked back her tears to get a good look at her and when their eyes met, the princess immediately recognized who it was.

"Haruna-san…?" she stared at the girl in awe. "You're Sairenji Haruna-san, right?"

She had seen her face in the worn out class picture Rito carried with him all the time. She had known her name for a long time because it always comes up in the rare moments Rito-san would talk about his past. Haruna Sairenji… Rito-san's first love.

Surprised, Haruna answered instinctively. "Why, yes. That's me." she smiled kindly. "How are you feeling?"

The princess quickly wiped her tears away and flashed a reassuring smile. "Oh, I'm okay now. Thank you." She said after checking her body's condition. Then, she went back to staring at the girl again unabashed.

Dressed in a turquoise cocktail dress and matching rose clips on her hair, Haruna looked lovely, warm and gentle like the sky in a spring's day.

As expected, she's a worthy candidate, she thought while nodding with satisfaction. Moreover, she's here. Lucky~!

Haruna fidgeted under her approving gaze. "Uhm… May I know your name as well? I believe we haven't been introduced yet." She said gently, curious as to how the girl knew her name.

Realizing too late how strange it was for her to stare, Momo chuckled behind the back of her hand in a demure fashion. "Oh, I'm sorry. That was rude of me. I'm Momo Velia. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Haruna-san." She smiled sweetly, taking the puzzled girl's hands in her grasp firmly.

"Momo Velia..." The name rang a bell in her mind. Her eyes fell on the girl's spade shaped tail and it quickly dawned on her. "Ah! You're Nana-chan's twin sister!"

"Ding dong! You got it!" Momo winked playfully. Her skin is a little tanned but her resemblance to Lala and Nana was unmistakable upon closer inspection.

Haruna bobbed a curtsy. "Welcome back, Princess Momo. I'm pleased to meet you, too. I've heard so much about you from your sisters." She smiled.

The princess gave a slight nod in response. "Just call me Momo-chan. We're friends now and then, I'll keep calling you Haruna-san from now on. Is… is that okay with you?" Momo asked hesitantly, looking at her with wide-eyes.

Nana told her how cunning her sister was for acting cutely to get what she wants. Now that it's directed at her, she understood why most people give in. It's because Princess Momo is just too cute!

Before Haruna could answer, a child's cry rang out. Startled, the two girls turned to see the flower girl clutching her head and crying in pain on the other bed nearby. A lady with black hair tied in a chignon and wearing a modest purple chiffon dress swiftly came to the child's aid and tried to calm her down with whispered reassurances and gentle strokes on her small back.

"Celine…" Momo knew exactly what the child was going through and she suddenly felt angry at her father for subjecting this little girl to such pain. "I'll scold him later for this." She thought vindictively.

The third princess tried to stand up but her strength hasn't gone back yet. She wobbled at her feet and Haruna was quick enough to catch her and offer some support. Once she got her balance, she murmured her thanks and then, they approached the other bed together.

"Papa! Papa! Papa!" the little girl cried over and over. At their approach, the lady in purple stepped aside and let Momo take her place beside the little girl.

"It's okay, Celine." Momo said, stroking the little girl's back. "It will be over soon. Hang in there." Then, her hand emitted a warm, yellow glow. "Yes, take deep breaths… slowly… that's a good girl."

Soon, the child's loud cries calmed down into sobs.

The lady in purple, disliking the idea of doing nothing in that situation, retrieved a pink cat plushie from a drawer nearby. It was one of her own and the reason why it's there was because she felt at ease hugging it while consulting Haruna about various things in that clinic.

Momo watched her curiously as she stood before the sobbing child with a stuffed toy in hand. She wondered what she would do with it.

The lady hesitated for a moment but the child's sobbing prompted her to throw her embarrassment aside, to place the plushie in front of the little girl and to sing, "Pain, pain, go away~!" repeatedly while moving the plushie's arms in a shooing motion.

That seemed to do the trick. The moment Celine raised her teary eyes and saw the cat plushie, she stopped crying and watched the plushie with growing interest.

"Nyaa~ Nyaa~ are you okay, Celine-chan?" it asked. Celine wiped her tears away with the palm of her hand and gave a little nod in reply. "That's great! You know what? I-I have chased away the pain like this- Shoo~! Shoo~!"

Celine giggled a little as she watched the pink plushie act clumsily in front of her. "Wow! That's a cute smile! Neko-chan is happy when Celine-chan is happy!" it said, patting the child's cheeks gently. "So, no more tears and give Neko-chan a big hug, okay?" the plushie opened its arms like so, and Celine hugged the plushie in reply.

Such a heartwarming scene made the girls sigh with relief.

"Neko-chan is a really nice cat, neh?" Momo patted the flower girl's head softly. Then, she faced the two girls formally. "Thank you for looking after us. We are indebted to both of you." She bowed in thanks.

"I-It's fine. It's our pleasure to help." Haruna replied.

"We're only doing our duty. It's no big deal." The lady in purple answered casually, though her cheeks were a bit red.

Celine moved closer to Momo, peering shyly from behind the cat plushie. "W-who are they, Momo-nee-chan?" she peered at the ladies curiously, especially the one who gave her the cat plushie.

The third princess smiled. It appears Celine hasn't recognized them at all. Well, she's still too young to remember faces from worn out pictures, she thought.

"Oh, that's right. Celine, they are Sairenji Haruna-san and Kotegawa Yui-san." Momo introduced the two girls respectively. "They are Rito-san's precious friends from Earth."

The sudden mention of his name made the girls blush a deep red and Momo took note of their reaction. "Hmm~"

"Mauu! Really?" Celine face brightened up in delight. "Then, can I call you Haruna-nee-chan and uhm, Yui-nee-chan?" she asked the two girls in turn eagerly.

Both girls readily agreed however, Yui still looked confused by the abrupt turn of events. Like Haruna, she was surprised because the girl knew her complete name and even their connection to Yuuki-kun.

"Wait, how did you know my name? I haven't introduced myself to you yet." Yui asked abruptly.

"Hmm?" Momo tilted her head to the side. "Rito-san told me about all of you, that's why." she revealed with an innocent smile on her face.

"I-Is that so?" Yui said, crossing her arms defensively. "And why would he tell you about us?" she inquired, unconsciously using the voice she uses during an interrogation. The sight of her pink hair felt familiar but she quickly dismissed the feeling and glared at her. She's certain she hadn't seen the girl before in her life and she can't allow her to use Yuuki-kun's name so casually.

"Yui-san." Haruna placed a hand on Yui's shoulder as she sensed a hostile vibe from her friend. "She's Nana-chan's twin sister, Momo Velia. She went with Yuuki-kun on his journey, remember?"

"Ah, I see." She nodded. With just a glance at the girl, she knew that what Haruna said was true. Still, she remained staring at her guardedly. As far as she's concerned, she's still a stranger. "I'm sorry. I'm trained not to trust too easily. I hope you understand."

"Perfectly~" Momo answered cheerfully then she noticed the signet ring on Yui's finger. "Oho~ what do we have here?" she thought. As far as she can remember, only those who are qualified to serve the royal family have it. And for her to go that far would mean…

"It puts me at ease that Rito-san has a friend like you, Kotegawa-san." She added with a smile, baiting her deliberately with her choice of words.

Yui heard a slight emphasis on the word "friend" but Momo's smiling countenance remained unchanged so, it might have been her imagination. Still, she felt annoyed that she calls Yuuki-kun by his first name so easily.

"Hmph." With a flick of her head, she averted her gaze.

Momo's eyes twinkled, finding her standoffish attitude quite amusing. It was enough to confirm this girl's feelings towards Rito-san. No woman will venture to an unknown planet and dedicate her life to the service of the throne or get jealous of another female for mere friendship alone.

With that thought in mind, the third princess raised her voice in exclamation. "Oh! Speaking of Rito-san, what happened after we left? Is he all right?" she asked dramatically.

Yui and Haruna visibly stiffened and Momo found it really cute. Their reactions tickled her sadistic heart. She wanted to tease them more. Ah~ drawing out their real feelings for Rito-san will be super fun~! she thought as she laughed inside her head.

"What do you mean, Princess Momo? Did… Did something happen to Yuuki-kun?" Haruna asked, clutching her chest in worry.

Judging from their looks, they really had no idea that Rito was put into another trial by her father, the King. Momo almost regretted dropping the bomb unto them without warning. Well, almost.

Celine lowered her gaze and tightened her hold on the stuffed cat in her arms as she remembered the earlier events. "I hope Papa's okay…"

"Papa?" Yui asked in bewilderment. The child was calling for her Papa earlier, too. But they're talking about Rito right now, aren't they?

The two girls waited for Momo to offer an explanation but the princess simply comforted the little girl.

Haruna looked at Yui and her friend urged her to say something. "If she doesn't talk, I'll make her." Her eyes seemed to say.

With her mind made up, Haruna spoke up. "Actually, we were on our way to the Grand Ballroom when we saw you and Celine-chan being wheeled to this clinic. I'm a doctor-in-training so, I decided to help out first. That's why…" She looked at her pleadingly, her hands clasped in front of her chest. "Could you tell us in detail what happened in the Grand Ballroom? Please, Momo-chan."

"If he's in trouble, please tell us." Yui clenched her hands into fists, holding herself back from grabbing the younger girl to get the details. It would be no surprise if those who oppose his enthronement would appear now. She became aware of that possibility when she started studying in Deviluke. Not everyone approved of Rito's succession but she trusted him enough to be true to his promise and to shut up his opposition with his own power. She won't forgive him if he goes down so easily. She had worked so hard to make it this far to see him.

Momo watched the play of emotions on their faces in silence. Rito feared that they hated him for leaving suddenly and yet, here they are. It was touching to know they cared for him this much even though they haven't seen him for three years. As expected, Rito-san has a good eye for women, she thought in wonder. Having revealed the depth of their feelings, Momo decided to reward them.

After a whispered exchange with Celine, she placed the little girl on her feet and then, took out her D-Dial. She punched a few keys and her mermaid dress instantly changed into her signature green halter dress. Next, a green laser light appeared from her phone to survey the room they're in and it zeroed on the optical chart hanging on the wall nearby.

The girls followed her movements wordlessly. They were still at a loss on what she's trying to do.

Momo took down the chart and with a slight push on the wall; a part of it sank and flipped over to reveal a hidden circuit board. She grinned triumphantly after inspecting it. Without delay, she had her mini laptop materialize from her D-Dial and hooked it up to a port. Satisfied with her preparations, she sat down on the floor, cracked her fingers and proceeded to secretly hack into the system with astounding typing speed. Haruna and Yui were taken aback. The third princess looked totally in her element at that moment.

"I got it~!" Momo cheered aloud after a moment. Then, she faced Haruna and Yui with a smile. "Sorry to keep you waiting. I think explaining would take some time so, let's just see it for ourselves, okay?" she winked and with a click, the whole room transformed into a 3D space overlooking the Grand Ballroom.

"Kyaa!" Yui exclaimed as she found herself looking down on the Grand Ballroom below. "W-w-what's this?!"

Haruna looked pale as she saw how high they were situated while Celine sat down excitedly to see what's going on below them.

"Don't worry. I just projected the images captured by the cameras surrounding the Grand Ballroom to construct this 3D view of it." Momo elucidated with a sweep of her hand. "Now, let's take a closer look."

Momo typed another set of commands on her keyboard and the image suddenly moved and the two girls landed on their butts as if they felt the room move as well. Soon, the image settled and they were close enough to see a masked figure and their friend, Saruyama (now a Memorzian General) fighting with an army of hostile robots. The sound of clashing metal and cheers from the crowd of nobles echoed in the room.

"Is that…" Yui slowly stood up and watched the masked figure with a familiar hair of orange hue.

"Yuuki-kun?" Haruna covered her lips as she choked back her sobs. It's been a long time but she'll know his figure anywhere.

"Papa!" Celine exclaimed in delight as she got up and ran towards him.

"Celine, wait!" Yui called out in alarm. She had only taken a few steps and all of a sudden, she saw a torn robot body headed towards the child's direction. Yui moved to protect the child but she hit something unseen and she fell on the ground.

"Look out!" she shouted frantically as she struggled to get on her feet again.

Celine stopped in her tracks to look over her shoulder and to Yui's (and Haruna's) surprise, the debris went through the child harmlessly.

"What's wrong, Yui-nee-chan?" the child asked as she retraced her steps, totally unaware of the danger she was just in.

"What just-" Yui stared at the approaching child and then, at the shivering mass of metal debris behind her, confusion written all over her face.

"Yui-nee-chan?"

Despite her confusion, Yui quickly checked the child's body over for any sign of injury. Celine giggled as she felt her searching touch rather ticklish. The instant she saw her smiling face, Yui felt her body go weak with relief and she embraced the child for support and assurance.

"If it was real, this child would have- she would have-" she didn't finish the thought and simply tightened her hold on the kid.

"Are you two, okay?" Haruna asked anxiously as she got close. She was too fixated on Rito's fighting figure that she was unaware of anything else. It was Yui's scream that caught her attention and like her friend, she was shocked to see the debris pass through the child as if she wasn't really there.

As Celine felt Yui tremble, she began to stroke the older girl's head gently, much like how her surrogate father, Rito, does to comfort her. "It's okay, Yui-nee-chan." She said in her small voice. "There's nothing to be scared of in here, right, Momo-nee-chan?"

The question brought Momo out of her trance. "Yes... Yes, that's right. Like I said, all of this is just a projection." The princess pressed a key and they were back in the clinic. Yui then realized she stumbled because of the chair nearby. Once the two girls understood, Momo put the projection back on.

"Here, Celine-chan. You dropped this." Haruna handed her the cat plushie and the child squealed with delight, apologizing to the toy for leaving it alone.

"So, uhm, are all Earthlings naturally kind and selfless?" Momo blurted out. She was frankly surprised to see Yui protect Celine. They were just acquaintances. It reminded her too much of how Rito would risk his life to protect others, be it strangers. It's a trait of his that she loves and hates at the same time.

At their silence, Momo laughed awkwardly. "Ah, never mind that. Sorry for the weird question." She smiled, trying to cover it up.

Haruna and Yui exchanged glances at her question.

"I wouldn't say all." Haruna admitted honestly. "But I believe there is goodness in all of us, not just Earthlings." She stood up and smiled gently at her.

"But if you're asking about Rito, well, he's always been that kind of idiot from the start." Yui said with a reminiscent smile afterwards.

"From the start, huh?" Her interest was piqued. She had always wanted to know about Rito's life on Earth in the past.

Once Yui noticed the princess' stare, she quickly got up and brushed the hem of her dress, fighting the urge to blush. "So, what are we actually seeing now?" she asked all business-like with her arms folded.

Despite her curiosity, Yui's defensive stance discouraged Momo from probing any further.

That's a shame. Anyway, I'll have plenty of time to investigate later, she thought, then turned her attention back to her laptop screen.

"To answer your question, what we're seeing now is the final simulation test Papa prepared to challenge Rito." The third princess started to explain as she adjusted their view of the ballroom again. "Actually, these kinds of tests are done only with the conscious mind of the participant." She tapped her temple with the tip of her finger for emphasis. Then, her expression turned grave. "However, Papa didn't separate their consciousness from their bodies this time. Hence, any damage they will incur from this simulation will have a direct toll on their real bodies."

"What?! Why would the King do that?" Yui asked, confused because she had always thought the King favored Rito. It didn't make any sense.

"We have to stop this!" Haruna flinched as Rito took a punch from one of the robots but then, he quickly retaliated with a slash of his sword and went to attack another hostile.

Momo shook her head sadly. "We can't interfere with this fight. I don't know what Papa's intention is. The outcome of this fight will all depend on Rito-san."

"That kind of thing is-" Yui began.

Unable to bear the tension anymore, Celine, who was watching their conversation, put down the doll and broke her silence.

"U-Uhm!" she interrupted and it was enough to get the attention of the two adults. "You don't have to worry, Yui-nee-chan, Haruna-nee-chan!" the little girl stood in front of the two and took one of their hands in her grasp. "Papa will win! He will definitely win because he is the number one man in the universe!" she declared with a hint of pride and awe in her voice.

That single phrase and her earnest expression were enough to put the girls' hearts in a calmer state. It was Rito's promise to become the number one man and his return to Deviluke is proof that he had fulfilled that promise.

A look of understanding passed between the two girls. Yes, how could they have forgotten that?

Together, they smiled at the young flower girl and apologized for their behavior. Celine's flower petals twitched a little and she noticed that the tension in the air was gone. She felt pleased that her words got through and they're all friends now.

"I still have questions for you but-" Yui hesitated as the child cast her earnest blue eyes towards her. Even Haruna cast a wry smile towards her friend as if to plead with her to let things slide for today.

Yui sighed in defeat. She can't say no to those eyes now, can she? Finally, she faced the waiting princess head-on. "Please take us to the best seat in the house, Princess Momo."

The princess smiled sweetly. "Roger~!" she answered, too happy to oblige.

Yami stood atop a banister overlooking the Grand Ballroom and watched the fight unfold with her arms crossed and a serious expression on her face. Watching him take down his enemies without hesitation made her body itch to join him in battle but she had her orders. But if he gets careless in this fight and got himself killed under her watch, she'll be very mad at him.

"Wow~ this is a very nice spot." A familiar chirpy voice said and as Yami glanced sideways, she saw her sister Mea standing precariously at the edge; her hair acting as a hook to support her weight and her hand shading her eyes as if to get a better view of the fight below.

"Is that really the "Beast" Yuuki Rito? My, my, he sure has changed a lot." Mea hoisted herself up the banister and faced her older sister. "Do you think I'll have a chance to fight with him again?" she wondered aloud, tilting her head sideways with a finger against her cheek.

"That reminds me-" Yami's blonde hair wrapped around her sister's body and pushed her against one of the pillars. The younger girl flinched but remained smiling at her enraged sister. The people nearby scurried away for fear of getting caught up in their fight.

"What's up, Yami onee-chan?" she asked innocently even when Yami's blade was against her throat.

"Once Princess Momo knew of our relation, she told me that you tried to ambush Yuuki Rito the last time he was here." Yami said quietly. "Why did you do that? You knew full well who he is to me and to my mission."

"Calm down, onee-chan." Mea said as she felt the bonds around her tighten. "How else will I get the nano-tracker into his body?"

Yami blinked. "Into his body?" she asked, baffled. "I asked you to put a nano-tracker on his ship."

"Yeah, but that was a booooring way to do it." Mea pouted in protest. "So I tried to ambush him and then, I gave it to him through a deep kiss. "Kiss and make up", isn't that how it goes?" she smiled again, unperturbed by what she just confessed.

"A k-kiss…?" Flustered, Yami retracted her blade and released her sister from her hair hold. Of course, she knew what a kiss is. She had read that it's a normal action for earthlings. Still, it made her irritated for some reason.

Mea watched her sister's face contort like she's swallowing a bitter pill. Her lips curved into an amused smirk. She couldn't blame her; she did play with her prey.

Feeling her eyes on hers, Yami cleared her throat. "Why did it have to be a kiss? You could have injected the tracer through that wound you gave him." Her lips thinned unconsciously upon the memory. It wasn't like her to carry a grudge. It was already in the past but still, she didn't like the idea that her sister dared to wound him despite knowing that he's her target and that she kissed him as if she permitted it.

"That's so mean, onee-chan! I'm not as sadistic as you think I am." Mea pouted rebelliously. "I've changed my ways, you know."

Yami sighed upon seeing no trace of regret on her sister's face. Rather, the gleam in her eyes suggests that she rather enjoys this exchange. With a shake of her head, she said, "Just don't be reckless. If you do a stunt like that again-" she let her words hung in the air unfinished, her crimson eyes sharp and unforgiving.

"Eh~ That's no fun." Mea complained, placing her arms behind her neck casually. Ignoring her sister's furious glare, she chuckled. "What are you worried about, onee-chan? I'm sure the Beast has honed his fangs enough to subdue me."

Yami stubbornly stayed silent.

"Hoh~ What's this? No retort?" Mea flashed a knowing smile. "I see. So, he has grown that much. It must have been lonely for you, neh, Yami onee-chan?" she teased.

"Lonely?" Yami dismissed her claim with a click of her tongue and turned back to watching the skirmish below. "He's my target, nothing more."

"So she says." Mea shrugged her shoulders. It's a given in their profession that once an assassin fails to kill a target, it's over. Her sister might still be thinking that she is still carrying out her mission but she has long deviated from that path ages ago.

Back when she was still known as "Golden Darkness", the mere mention of her name inspired fear. Making it into her hit list already spelled their death. Even those who saw her appearance met their end in her hands. And now, the general public knows her as the DPC's "Angel", which is kind of ironic in her opinion. Not that she can judge, she's the second princess' personal bodyguard despite being a former assassin.

"Neh, Yami onee-chan~" Mea called out, clinging to her sister's arm. "Since you don't want me to launch a sneak attack on him, how about we have a little match some time instead? That's not a bad deal, isn't it?"

Yami smiled faintly. "I accept your challenge."

Upon hearing her words, a familiar thrill shook Mea's body. Yes, her sister may not be an assassin per se right now but she's still as formidable as ever. That alone is enough for her.

In her excitement, Mea hugged her sister while jumping in place. "It's a date then!" she answered, feeling utterly pleased. "Welcome back, Yami onee-chan!"

Yami nodded in silence as her cheeks reddened. Urged to respond to her feelings in some way, her free hand stroked her younger sister's head clumsily. Mea relaxed against her touch and smiled secretly. She felt happy to be reunited with her strong yet hopelessly awkward big sister.

Momo set off to work. With rhythmic typing noises, the shot jumped from one camera view to another, zooming in and out to give them a perfect view of the fight as if they were actually inside the simulation arena where Rito and Saruyama are currently fighting for their lives.

The two girls were seated on the floor, eyes glued to the spectacle onscreen. They haven't seen anything like it. It was a breathtaking experience to see everything up close. More than that, they were entranced with the new Rito before their very eyes.

To Haruna, Rito is a shy, gentle and reliable man. To Yui, he's not only clumsy and shameless but also, the kindest of all the boys she'd ever known (though she wouldn't admit it out loud). But they couldn't match that image to the fighter in front of them. There was nothing kind or gentle with the way he defeated his enemies with his sword.

Robots dropped to the floor as if their strings were cut. Rito's body glided through midair, avoiding attempted hits to his person skillfully. He moved so fast his hair appeared like a fierce flame and his white mask looked like it came straight out of a nightmare with speckles of black and luminous green substance from the robots he killed on its surface. At first, Yui was impressed but as the fight dragged on, his masked face became painful to watch.

"Mauu~!" Celine jumped enthusiastically, her worry replaced by excitement for watching her guardian fight bravely. "You can do it, Papa!" she cheered.

"I… I can't watch this anymore." Yui mumbled as she looked away. Her body shivered slightly as clashes of metal continue to fill the air. She loves Rito but she can't bear to watch this ruthless side of him. Everything about it felt unreal.

Haruna's expression softened. "What's wrong, Yui-san?"

"Nothing! It's not that I'm scared or anything, okay?!" Yui said defensively. "It's just- are we sure that's him? How can he be Yuuki-kun? He's- he's not like that!" she stared at her hands clasped on her lap. "He can't be the Yuuki-kun we know..." her voice and her lips trembled slightly with unease. It's a possibility that always lingered at the back of her mind. Her studies were a perfect distraction from such thoughts. But now, she can't stop herself from fretting over it.

"It'll be okay. Yuuki-kun is Yuuki-kun." Haruna said. "That's just my opinion, though. You can find out how much he has changed once his fight is over."

Yui expressed her relief through her face. "That's right. Finding out the truth is my expertise." She murmured then she chuckled lightly. She is no longer a powerless girl of Earth but a would-be royal adviser, an upholder of the law. Haruna is mature enough to accept her beloved no matter what while she denied what's before her eyes. How embarrassing.

Yui slapped her face twice with both hands to dispel her dreary mood. "I'm sorry. I lost myself for a moment there." She said with her usual spark back. "Don't worry, I'll find out for our sake."

Seeing her friend's determined face, Haruna relaxed and brushed her hair to the back of her ear. It was then that Yui seized her hand and held it firmly. Her brows furrowed in concern as Haruna's hand felt cold and shaky to her touch.

"Ah, so you noticed." Haruna cleared her throat awkwardly. "Ï talk big and yet I'm worried about him and can't stop shaking. So, you're not alone, Yui-san."

"How about we say a little prayer then?" Yui suggested, remembering how they end their chat sessions in her clinic through the years. At her friend's surprised stare, she blushed and blurted, "W-What? I mean, that always does the trick, right?"

Haruna placed her other hand over hers and said, "Yes, I think that's a great idea."

As the two girls joined hands to draw strength from each other and closed their eyes in prayer, the third princess watched them from afar. She recalled that Rito-san also meditates in prayer before he goes to the battlefield.

She twirled a few strands of her pink hair around her finger, lost in thought. To believe in a higher being was something she couldn't relate to. She grew up believing that Devilukean is the superior specie in the whole universe. Still, she found their belief moving and beautiful. It encourages one to hope, to love and to help others.

It was exactly these traits that enabled Rito to restore the faith of the people in war-torn planets to the Devilukean throne. It was difficult but he was able to accomplish it. She's unsure whether his origin had anything to do with it but she believes that having like-minded allies would be vital to achieving peace and prosperity all throughout the kingdom.

The first step is to gather his trustworthy friends from Earth and it would be marvelous if they could be part of his harem, too. Hit two birds with one stone, as they say. At that, she laughed mischievously.

Her gaze fell on the two again, her purple eyes glittering with a strange light. She doesn't know how they ended up in their kingdom. It might be divine providence or maybe her father played a role in it but it doesn't matter. She's excited to meet the earthlings that intrigued her so and to get the ball rolling on her harem plan.

After Nexus was safely docked and their tasks taken care of, Rito's trusted deputies, Tristan and Hyzark, were on their way to one of the passages leading to the Grand Ballroom. They were wearing their regimental uniform tailored for this specific occasion. The design is similar to their commander's but of a different color. Tristan's in impeccable white while Hyzark's in black, making his spotted yellow skin more pronounced.

Their rank of colonel was embroidered on their shoulder boards, medals decorated their left chests, and a round buckled belt framed their waists and secured their ceremonial swords to their sides. All the guards they chanced upon along the way actually raised their hands in salute.

They returned each greeting with a calm nod. But once they were out of sight, Hyzark would tug the high collar of his uniform much to his companion's annoyance. Unable to bear it anymore, the elfin's hand shot out in a flash and smacked the Felitrian's hand away from the collar.

"Would you please stop that? It's unsightly." Tristan said, frowning.

"Shut up! I told you I'm not used to this kind of clothing but you didn't listen." The Felitrian snapped. "Seriously, what's up with you? You didn't care about keeping appearances before. Tch. I should've ignored you and worn my usual armor." he grumbled. He looked down at his attire and grimaced. The uniform may be tailored for him but it felt tight and uncomfortable.

Tristan rolled his eyes. "Quit complaining. If you want to be introduced as our pet then, be my guest."

"Wha-!" Hyzark quickly seized the other by the collar, his fangs bared menacingly. "You- you take that back! My armor's design is the pride of our race. How dare you-"

"So what?" the elfin male interrupted, his blue eyes impassive. "In case you have forgotten, you're here to represent the battalion with me, Hyzark, not the Felitrian race that rejected you."

Hyzark let out a growl, his cat ears perked up. "Damn you. Why do you have to remind me that every single time?" he asked crossly.

"That's because you're so defensive about your race when I'm only telling the truth." Tristan said with a frown. "They abandoned you so, it's about time you moved on and quit acting like an idiot."

Hyzark blushed in shame as the fight in him slowly ebbed away. As always, he was right and that made him feel worse. "Tch. I really hate this part of you." he grumbled, releasing his on him hold with a push.

This time, the elf laughed mockingly. "Yeah, well. You're not the first to say that about me." He shrugged nonchalantly, "Are you calmer now? If not, you can go back to the ship."

"I don't take orders from you." The Felitrian said with a glare then, he turned on his heels.

The elfin male watched him stalk off. He could almost imagine him gritting his teeth as his footsteps resounded in the empty halls, like a child throwing a tantrum. Just then, Hyzark stopped and glanced over his shoulder, "Are you coming or what?" he asked briskly.

Tristan responded to his gaze with a shrug of the shoulders. The other snorted and continued on his way. The sight of the Felitrian's back made a little smile lift the corner of his mouth. This was exactly the reason why he left his uncle and Planet Valentia. He finally found the people who would listen to his truth and never leave him behind.

He quickly caught up to him and as they walked side by side, Hyzark spoke. "I'm sorry about earlier. But anyway, back on topic, I hate this suit and I wish you let me keep my face mask on."

"So that's why you're really pissed." The other commented.

"Shut it!" he snarled, "There are a lot of scents in the air here. I don't like it."

As he said this, his nose twitched and then, three guards appeared down the hall, patrolling. The two deputies regained their composure and answered the salutes as they passed by.

At a safe distance, Tristan said, "We'll be staying here from now on so, you can start getting used to it today."

"Easy for you to say." He replied glumly. "You don't know what's it's like to be overwhelmed by different scents all at once."

"Then, you just have to concentrate on a familiar scent." he lowered his voice a notch. "You can sniff me all you want. I don't mind."

"Well I do! And quit making me sound like a fucking pervert!"

They bickered until they stood before the door leading to the balcony. Hyzark hesitated. He could hear noises and a whiff in the air told him the kind of crowd waiting on the other side of the door.

Seeing his discomfort, Tristan retrieved something from his pants pocket surreptitiously.

"Here." he said, handing over a black face mask.

Upon seeing it, Hyzark snatched it from his hand and put it over his nose and mouth. As soon as the clasp locked behind his head, the air seemed to clear and he could only detect his companion's scent. He took a deep breath. Until now, it bothered him that an unpleasant guy like him has a calming scent. It was a mystery.

"You should have given it to me earlier." He said reproachfully, his voice sounded a bit muffled behind the mask.

"And miss the chance to piss you off?" Tristan chuckled. "No, thank you."

Hyzark groaned. "Remind me again why I put up with you?"

"That's easy." The elf grinned and snapped his clenched fist over his heart. "'We're comrades brought together by fate. No matter what happens, our bond will remain strong.' Isn't that what you said before, comrade?" He answered with a smug look on his face.

"You… You…!" His body shook with embarrassment. He can still remember that scene. The elf tricked him into thinking that they were trapped and were going to get killed in the crossfire. Not wanting to give up, he uttered those passionate words. Tristan burst into laughter right after and he found out that their situation wasn't that desperate. The humiliation he experienced that day remains fresh in his memories.

Hyzark reined in his anger and opened the door. He had enough of the elf's teasing for one day. He stepped inside the upper balcony and walked through the crowd in quick strides. He just wanted to get his task done so he could strip out of his confining clothes and be ready to face his commander as himself. He stopped mid-stride as he heard a collective gasp around him. He looked sideways just in time to see Commander Rito save a Memorzian general from getting stabbed.

As the nobles around him clapped, his chest swelled with pride. "That's our commander for you." He thought to himself.

He continued on his way when suddenly, he bumped into another individual. Instinctively, his hands reached out to steady the other person and then, utter the apology at the tip of his tongue. However, as the person's scent reached his nostrils, he felt a familiar sense of unease and it prompted him to back away in alarm.

His eyes focused on the woman with dirty blonde hair and pouty red lips. She's wearing a sexy glittery off-shoulder maroon one-piece with a long slit on the side exposing her right leg. Any normal male would have been distracted by her beauty but not him. "Who are you?" he asked sharply, eyeing her guardedly.

The woman's eyebrows rose in surprise. "You don't know who I am?"

That comment confused him. He can't recall meeting a woman like her. But her scent-

She took a step forward and he took a step back unconsciously. Upon seeing that, the woman chuckled, "Don't be afraid. Haven't you heard of the idol group "Blue Metalia" before?"

At his blank look, the woman sang a few lines in a low voice (lest the others hear it) while swaying her hips to the beat. However, he continued standing there without an ounce of recognition.

"Still no? That's interesting." She said, her red lips curved into a smile.

"Risa-chan~!"

Hyzark jumped a little at the unexpected voice then he saw a masked woman with dark brown hair in double buns running towards their direction. Wearing flats and a maroon cocktail dress, she easily closed the distance between her and the blonde girl. Once she passed by, her scent didn't trigger any bad reaction from him though.

"Geez. I told you not to leave me behind." The brunette protested with her hands on her hips. "And what are doing without your mask on? Run-chan will get mad if you get mobbed again." Without a pause, she forced a similar mask over her friend's face and framed her hair to go perfectly with it. While they were distracted, Hyzark mentally took note of the names he heard from their conversation so that he could do a background check later. They don't look suspicious but it's a necessary precaution.

Once satisfied with her handiwork, the other woman backed away with a smile. "That's much better. Now, let's go. Run-chan is waiting for us."

She pulled her by the arm but the woman Risa made no move to follow. Instead, Risa nodded her head towards his direction and the other girl finally noticed his presence. "Hmm~ So, who's the handsome guy over there?" she asked, looking at Hyzark curiously. "Your new suitor perhaps?"

"That's out of the question." Hyzark immediately denied before Risa could reply. "I'm Hyzark von Fritzer of Planet Felitria, deputy commander of the Nexus. I live only to serve the commander." He said proudly as he snapped into attention.

"Oh~ a military man, huh? Not bad, Risa-chan." The girl in double buns said in approval.

"Hmph. You didn't have to deny so strongly. I'm hurt." Risa said in mock disbelief. "Well, I can't blame him, Mio, since he doesn't know who we are at all."

"Ehhh?!" the other girl, Mio, exclaimed, her eyes as wide as saucers. "You don't know about our idol group, Blue Metalia?" she asked, pointing at him with a trembling finger.

At his nod, she looked like she was shot in the chest as she staggered backwards.

Hyzark frowned. "What? I don't know what the big deal is."

"It is a big deal!" Mio said passionately. Then, she rummaged through her dimensional tote bag and retrieved CDs, posters and other promotional materials of their idol group. Once she had an armful, she approached the Felitrian male and shoved everything she was holding towards him.

"Oi. Oi. I don't need this!" Hyzark protested, overwhelmed by the amount of idol merchandise in his arms.

"Don't worry. Consider it as our welcome gift." Mio said as she clung to her friend's arm. "After all, you're a part of Yuuki-kun's army, right?" she added with a smile.

"Eh? Yuuki…kun?" That gave him pause.

Yuuki Rito. That's his commander's full name. For her to call him without the title "commander" meant… Something in his mind clicked. At that point, he finally noticed that the two women before him lacked the trademark tail of a Devilukean. "You're Earthlings!" he declared, although belatedly.

His realization made the two women giggle.

"Took you a while to figure that out." Risa smirked, making the Felitrian blush with shame.

"Now, now, Risa-chan, be nice. Anyway-" Mio said, getting her friend's attention with gentle bump to the hip. "It's nice to meet you, Sir Hyzark. We'll go on ahead. We've kept our friend waiting long enough."

"Tell us what you think of our idol group next time, okay? I'm sure we'll meet again." Risa said with a wink.

"Wait!" he yelled but his plea fell on deaf ears as the girls continued on their way and disappeared into the crowd.

He sighed and looked at the merchandise he's carrying in distaste. It wasn't his thing to look into pieces of popular culture like this "Blue Metalia" but if it's necessary to clear his suspicion of the blonde woman, he doesn't have a choice.

Right then, Tristan arrived, humming happily while taking leisurely steps. "Oh, you're still here, Hyzark? Thanks for waiting, comrade." he said, patting his co-deputy in the back good-naturedly.

Hyzark shrugged his hand away. "Shut up. That's not-"

"What this?" the elf peered into the bulky materials in his companion's arms and whistled. "Wow, I didn't know you're a 'Blue Metalia' fan, too."

"What do you mean, 'too'? I don't even know them." he grumbled.

"You don't- pfft!" The confused and angry look on Hyzark's face struck the elf as hilarious. "Oh, this is precious! Hahaha! Your jealousy knows no bounds!" he covered his mouth, his shoulders shaking with uncontrollable laughter.

"What's so funny?" Hyzark said with a scowl. He didn't like being made fun of.

"Don't you remember?" Tristan sniffed, wiping a tear off his eye. "The Blue Metalia is Rito's favorite idol group."

While the nobles cheered noisily, a masked woman with long light blue hair with two points sticking out was staring at the scene dreamily with her chin resting on her entwined arms on one of the banisters of the upper balcony.

"Rito-kun is so amazing." She thought as she sighed and watched the continuation of the fight attentively.

"Hmph! What a total show off. I can do that, too." Her brother replied in her head. "If I was there, I'll easily overshadow him and I'll bask in the love and attention of the audience!" He chuckled excitedly.

The girl rolled her eyes in response. "Yes and then, you'll get carried away and maybe get us both killed." She replied in her head.

"What the-? When have I ever put our lives in danger?"

She smiled sweetly. "Do you really want me to conjure all those memories, brother dear?" she thought with a hint of warning.

Her brother laughed awkwardly. He knew better than anyone about the dangers he exposed himself and his sister in the past three years. "Better concentrate Run or you'll miss the show." He said, hoping to distract his sister.

Before she could reply, a pair of hands crept from behind her and fondled her breasts. She would've have hit the attacker with a quick backward stab of her elbow, however, with just a pinch at the sensitive part of her flesh, she gasped and went weak at the sensation. There were only two people who knew her weak spot so well.

"Both of you were talking again, huh? So defenseless." Her attacker whispered in her ear teasingly. Her lips trembled as she recognized the voice.

"Fuuuuuck! Not this again!" her brother cursed, his voice breathless. They share the same body so, whatever she is feeling her brother is feeling it, too.

Her hands sought to stop the groping but she was trembling so much, she couldn't put force on her grip. "Risa- S-stop it-!" she protested weakly. When her friend showed no intention of stopping, Run clamped her hand over her mouth and surrendered to her fate.

With another pinch, Run let out a muffled moan and she sank down on the floor, quivering. She had done it again. After three years, she was supposed to have grown immune but her body is designed to be too responsive. No matter how much she wills her body to obey, pleasure always wins in the end. This is a consequence of belonging to the Memorzian race. Their passion burns as bright as the desert sun in her home planet.

"Heh~ our Run-chan really is the cutest." Risa praised while looking at the trembling girl with fondness.

Mio nodded her head enthusiastically. "Undoubtedly, Run-chan has one of the best breasts we have ever fondled in the entire cosmos!"

"Shh!" Run shushed her with a finger to her lips. She looked around and luckily, everyone nearby was too distracted to care about them. She sighed in relief. She can never handle how vulgar her friends are in public. With tearful, hot pink eyes, she looked up and glared at them, "Geez! I told you guys before to stop doing this in public!"

"I can't help it when you always leave yourself exposed." Risa shrugged, regretting nothing. "At least now, you're ready for the real thing." She smirked.

"Ready? Ready for what?" Run asked in confusion as she got on her feet.

She smirked. "To become Yuuki's woman, of course."

"Wha-" Run blushed at her bold words. "Me? As Rito-kun's woman?" she said with a trace of wonder in her voice. Her eyes shifted to the screen, showing the masked boy of her dreams.

"I won't allow it! Over my dead body!" Ren was complaining inside her head. "We're still sharing the same body, Run! So, don't even think about it!"

"Well, if it's for Rito-kun… I'll give him everything." She thought dreamily, her body shivered in excitement. "We can do this… and that…Nhn!"

"No! Damn it, Run! Stop imagining it! Argh! Stop! I hate youuuu!" he wailed as he retreated into the deep part of her consciousness and disappeared.

Run giggled in response to her brother's hysterics. It was always amusing to unsettle her brother like that.

"I guess Ren's against it, huh?" Risa said as her friend's eyes regained its focus.

The idol nodded. "I thought of many scenarios until he had to retreat at the back of my mind." She giggled like a mischievous child.

"Uwaa~ poor, Ren-kun." Mio said, shaking her head in sympathy.

"Well, I've learned from the best." Run answered with a wink. "With him gone for a moment, I can watch Rito-kun in peace. Come and see!"

Run dragged Mio by the arm and eagerly went back to her place by the banister to watch her beloved fight valiantly. Risa watched them from behind wordlessly. It was like she was seeing the 17 year old Run and Mio, not the famous intergalactic idols they have become. Then, her gaze shifted towards the big screen as Saruyama's face appeared. It was the same for their friend Saruyama. He's known as one of the great generals of Memorze this year and now, he's fighting alongside Rito with a happy schoolboy grin on his face.

Based on their reactions, she could easily picture that the rest of their friends watching this from somewhere have the same joyful expressions on their faces.

Risa sighed. "I wish I could feel the same way they do." She whispered under her breath, as her finger fiddled with the jade bracelet on her left wrist absently. For a moment, she remembered the man Hyzark and thought that things were going to get complicated if she isn't careful.

"Risa-chan?"

"Hai. Hai." She smiled to hide her earlier preoccupation. "So, what did I miss?" she asked, joining them by the banister. As her friends chattered away, she looked towards the brave tangerine haired boy on the screen and thought, "I wish you came back sooner, Yuuki…"

The sharp clicking of heels against the floor echoed down the empty corridor as Mikan and her Devilukean friend, Aerin, walked. They were walking as fast as their heels would allow them. They headed to where a tube elevator was located and it would take them directly to the Grand Ballroom of the castle.

"Aerin, can't we slow down a little? He's not going anywhere." Mikan said as she hurried after her friend.

"I know. But you've been telling me about him for so long I want to meet him in person already!" The redhead said excitedly without slowing her pace.

Mikan chuckled. "I wish I'm as enthusiastic as you about this."

"Pssh! What are you talking about?" Aerin scoffed. "Haven't you seen your face in the mirror since graduation day? You're practically glowing with happiness."

"What? No, I'm not." Mikan denied, though her cheeks looked a bit pink.

"Let me prove it then." Aerin stopped walking and faced her friend. Then, she flipped her mobile phone open and set it to hologram mode. A light blue screen appeared from her phone where she can project anything she wished. Mikan stared at the redhead uncertainly. She has no idea what her friend has hidden up her sleeve.

"Here's Exhibit A." Aerin said and a picture of Mikan's phone was taken, showing herself and her brother as the wallpaper. "Putting his photo as your wallpaper is a sign of devotion."

"I just like how I look there, okay?" Mikan said defensively. "And besides, how did you open my phone? It's password protected!"

"No good, huh? Then here's Exhibit B!" the redhead said, completely ignoring Mikan's question. This time the picture showed Mikan sitting on a bench in a garden alone. She was wearing her chef attire and was staring intently at her phone.

Upon seeing it, the brunette went pale. It was only after graduation when she was allowed to wear that palace uniform. She can only think of one instance when she went to that garden alone. "You did not…" she said, almost like a whisper.

"And you thought no one was looking, right?"

With another click, the picture moved. It wasn't a still picture like she thought at first. It was actually a video taken from behind a bush nearby. The shot looked shaky so it was taken by Aerin herself. Mikan grew panicky. "Delete that, Aerin! I'm serious!"

She made a grab for the phone but her friend easily dodged her and held the phone higher. Mikan saw herself in the video looking around cautiously as she stood up from the bench. "I'm sure no one will hear me here." She heard herself say.

"Stop this, Aerin! We're not kids anymore!"

Mikan made another desperate attempt to get the phone but Aerin evaded her again and put a fair distance between them. "Oops! That was close. We're just getting to the good part…"

The video played again and Mikan heard herself say clearly, "Welcome back, Rito!"

Her face immediately turned beet red and her skin turned prickly with embarrassment. This can't be happening to her. With a determined look, she took off her heels and carried it in her hands.

"Oh shit." Aerin thought nervously.

"Aerin!" Mikan called as she dashed towards her friend. She knows what will happen next in the video and she'd rather die than let anyone see it. She should have trusted her instinct when she felt another presence back then.

Seeing her charging form, Aerin hastily took off her heels, too and ran off as fast as she can. This time, the video kept playing, much to Mikan's dismay.

"Ah. But he wants me to call him my brother so…"

"Stop!"

"Welcome back, Rito o…onii-san! Hmm, that sounds too formal. Maybe a casual one, will do?"

"Stop it!"

"Rito-nii? Rito nii-chan? Rito aniki? Ah!"

"You're so cute in here. Why don't you just admit it?" Aerin laughed, enjoying the situation that they're in. They looked ridiculous running barefoot in their cocktail dresses like a pair of boisterous schoolgirls. Fortunately, no one was around to witness how they made a spectacle of themselves today.

They turned the corner and the tube elevator was within sight. The fear of her brother seeing that embarrassing video has pumped adrenaline through her veins. Then, as the distance between them shortened, Mikan took a gamble and jumped to tackle her friend down to the carpeted floor. They might get injured but she didn't care. A scar heals easily; a shattered image doesn't.

The impact made Aerin lose her balance and slacken her grip of her heels and her phone. They wrestled a little on the floor, each struggling to get the upper hand as the phone slid towards the elevator entrance. But by some stroke of bad luck, the door opened and Zeric stepped out of the elevator in his courtly attire and emerald robe. Their laughter died down as the phone hit his shoe and as he looked down, he saw the video of Mikan as she smiled and said in a cheerful voice, "Welcome back, Rito onii-chan!"

The leaves rustled on the background. "Who's there?!" the Mikan on the video asked and then, the video ended.

Mikan lost all her strength. It was over. Her shame is exposed to the most disagreeable person in her life. She wanted to disappear right there and then. "Aerin, you idiot!" she cried, thumping her friend's back lightly.

Once her friend stopped hitting her back and got off her, Aerin sat up and edged closer to her with an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry, Mikan. I was just playing around, you know. I'll get rid of the video, I promise!"

With as much dignity she can muster, Mikan stood up wordlessly and put on her heels. Once she was presentable, she approached Zeric with a neutral expression. Meanwhile, Aerin followed her with a worried, guilt-stricken face.

"Hand it over." Mikan said coldly, with her hand extended with her palm up.

"Hmph. Who's forgetting their manners now?" Zeric said in his usual haughty manner. When the girl made no response, he snorted and offered the phone back.

Mikan snatched it from his hand and walked past him to get on the tube elevator. He gritted his teeth angrily. He didn't like getting brushed off like that. No one has the right to ignore him, especially a mere human like her.

"Oh, I can't believe what I just saw there! Now I understand why you're so defensive about your brother." He said, baiting her to react. "Do you want to know why?"

Within a few seconds, the lift arrived and Mikan motioned her friend to get on first with single flick of her head. When he saw that she intended to leave without another word, he stopped the elevator door from closing and pressed on. "Wait, let me tell you why, human. It's because… you have a serious case of brother complex, that's why!" he sneered at her. "How disgusting."

"Shut up, Zeric! How dare you-" Aerin started to shout but the brunette raised her hand to silence her and faced the insulting young man squarely, her back stiff with pride.

"So what if I am?" Mikan answered in a clear and even tone, her golden brown eyes alight with challenge. "It has nothing to do with you."

The blow of her words seemed to render him motionless and Aerin took that chance to push him off the elevator door. Mikan and Zeric maintained eye contact until finally the door closed and it took the two girls to their destination.

"Mikan?" Aerin called as the brunette stood still while clutching the phone tightly in her right hand until her knuckles turned white. Concerned, the redhead reached out and placed her hand over Mikan's right hand gently. "I'm really sorry about this, Mikan. This is all my fault."

"Is it really wrong?" the brunette asked quietly.

"What is?"

"Is it wrong to love my brother this much?"

"No, no, no. Of course not." Aerin rushed to explain. "He's your brother so it's natural. Heck, even I love him though I haven't met him yet." That comment made Mikan chuckle which is a good sign hence, she pressed on. "Don't listen to that jerk Zeric. He knows nothing about you and your brother. He's the disgusting one, not you. Never you, you hear me, Mikan?"

"I hear you." Mikan smiled. "Thanks, Aerin."

"By the way, about that video…"

"Delete it." Mikan replied quickly, handing over the phone.

"Guh. I knew you'd say that."

Upon seeing her friend's crestfallen expression while clutching her phone, Mikan sighed. "Fine. Just promise me you won't show it to anyone else."

Her words immediately brightened her face and she engulfed the other girl in a warm hug. "Thank you!" She said repeatedly, jumping up and down. "I can't bear to lose this precious piece of my Mikan collection."

The second the words left her lips, Aerin froze up, realizing her mistake. The brunette's hands lay heavily on both her shoulders, preventing her escape.

"Mikan Collection...?" Mikan smiled ominously, making the other girl break out in cold sweat. "I'd love to hear more about that..."

"Eek!"

The moment they were gone, Zeric hit the elevator frame with his clenched hands, leaving a slight dent on the metal. He was livid with anger. He deliberately insulted her and yet, she had the nerve to look down on him, just like that time two years ago. Damn it.

He pushed away from the frame and started pacing from left and right. His Devilukean tail whipped dangerously from side to side indicating his agitation. He doesn't understand her at all. She's just a mere human but she dares defy him all the time. It angers him when she disregards him or when she looks unperturbed about anything. She is nothing, an insignificant existence, and yet-

"Welcome back, Rito onii-chan!"

His chest felt tight. That was the third time he saw her with such an elated expression. He even doubted for a second that it was her on the video. Strangely, it was that expression on her face pissed him off the most.

"What's so great about her brother anyway? He's also a human so he's weak, just like the rest of them!" he grumbled inside his head. "He's a false king, a murderer-!"

"It has nothing to do with you."

He stood still as he clenched his hands into fists. It pisses me off… it pisses me off… IT FUCKING PISSES ME OFF!

He hadn't felt this disturbed in ages and it's all because of a human.

Someone tapped him by the shoulder. "What?!" he vented out as he turned to look.

Tayla stared at him in shock, with her hand still in the air. "It's me Zeric. What wrong with you?" she demanded, her eyes bright with hurt.

"Shit." He thought and he swiftly changed his expression into an apologetic one. "I'm sorry, Tayla. I didn't mean to do that."

"Since you're so preoccupied, I'll just go on my own." The heiress avoided him and headed towards the elevator.

"No wait!" he caught her by the waist and hugged her close. "Don't be like this, Tayla. You know I need you." He murmured against her ear.

Tayla shivered with delight. "Say that again." She crooned.

"I need you." He repeated in the same deep voice and this time, he bit her sensitive earlobe playfully and made her moan.

"All right. You're forgiven but-" She faced him and leaned against his chest. "If you do that again, you'll have to be more convincing." She bit her bottom lip.

He smirked. "You know how I love convincing you." He replied and jerked her close so their crotches touched for a brief, forceful moment. Her icy blue eyes darkened with desire in an instant. He knew he had her then and it made him smile inside.

They stepped inside the elevator and kissed passionately. While Tayla was distracted by his kiss, he pressed a floor number with a quick detour already planned in his mind. This is what he liked about Devilukean women. They are so willing to dance in his palm because of his good looks and distinguished family name. And this heiress is the best woman he had caught in his grasp.

For moment they gasped for air, Tayla wrapped her arms around his neck, her face red with desire. "Zeric…" she moaned his name seductively. By some trick of light, he saw Mikan's face flushed with happiness in his mind's eye. His hold on the heiress' arms tightened involuntarily.

Tayla flinched in pain but before she could moan a complaint, his lips plundered hers once again and she lost herself in it.

"I'll make you acknowledge me." He resolved as he took delight in assaulting Mikan's lips in his mind. "I'll make you feel regret, Yuuki Mikan."

As the royal couple kissed, the Grand Ballroom seemed to shake as the sound of clapping and cheering echoed inside the hall. It was a joyous moment for the Devilukean Kingdom. Media from all over the galaxy were broadcasting the event on a positive note. The engagement of their beloved first princess and the mysterious commander of the DPC would be the hot topic for the next few days. Despite the cheerful mood over there, the atmosphere inside Haruna's clinic was too quiet for comfort.

Momo fiddled with a lock of her hair musingly. To be honest, it was a shock to see that look on Rito-san's face. It was her first time to see that expression and she felt jealous and perhaps, a little unsure about her harem plan. Their strong love for each other was obvious and that makes it more difficult to proceed. She cast a worried glance at the two girls watching the screen with conflicting emotions on their faces. It seemed to her she wasn't the only one shaken.

"Yui nee-chan, are you hurt?" Celine asked innocently, her tiny hand went to catch the tear on Yui's cheek.

"Eh?" When she realized she was crying, Yui wiped her tears away. "I-I'm fine! Something just got in my eye." She reasoned, her voice was rough with emotion.

The third princess packed her laptop back to her D-Dial and the room changed back to a clinic. For now, she can only give the two girls some space to take everything in.

"Let's go, Celine. Let's greet Rito-san on his victory." Momo invited.

"But…" Celine hesitated, not wanting to leave the older girl.

Yui ruffled the child's head gently. "Go ahead. Take care of Neko-chan for me, okay?" she smiled though it didn't quite reach her eyes.

The flower girl nodded, embracing the stuff toy closer. She didn't understand the mood in the room now. Momo stroked the top of her head gently and when she looked up, she saw a reassuring smile on the princess's face and that put her mind at ease.

"See you later, Yui nee-chan, Haruna nee-chan." The little girl said with a wave. The adults waved back and after a brief nod, the third princess led the girl outside the room.

Once the door closed, Yui stared at the closed door blankly. She knew she had to follow them soon and see him face to face.

"I guess we better go, too. Right, Haruna-san?"

She turned and saw Haruna's tear streaked face. Her expression mirrored her own feelings about everything.

"Hey. Stop that. We knew this day would come. We knew! So why-"

She recalled how happy the royal couple looked at each other. There was no space for her to interfere and seeing that felt like a sharp slap to her face.

Her vision became blurred and she quickly covered her eyes with her hand. "Tsk. How can I calm down now?" with trembling lips, tears fell from her eyes unchecked. For three years, she clung to the hope that he will look her way and her image will fill his eyes. Just once is enough. If it can't come true then, what on earth was she here for?

Haruna hugged her close and the two of them clung to each other, crying. It was as if the dam of their emotions broke and their tears fell like rain.

"I hate this, Haruna-san!" Yui said with a sob. "I… hate this-!"

Haruna couldn't speak. Tears clogged her throat. She could only tighten her hold on her friend so they could weather this storm of emotions together. There are no words she could say that could bring them both comfort. They know the end to this painful love. She closed her eyes. But knowing it didn't make it hurt less.

Mea saw the royal couple kiss and she whistled in appreciation. "Oh wow. See that, Yami onee-chan? Now that's really hot." She teased.

Her older sister ignored her comment but her cheeks appeared a little flushed.

"Hmm~" Mea put her finger on her chin in contemplation. "I wonder if he'll let me kiss him again."

Yami frowned. "Don't count on it. That kiss three years ago was a one-time thing." She said flatly.

"Oh, so he has his guard up, huh? That will be tricky."

She sighed in exasperation. "You really don't give up, do you?"

"Well, you know how I love challenges." She smirked. "He has become quite a splendid warrior. He doesn't need your protection now, does he?"

Surprisingly, her older sister smiled. "I wonder about that." She said before turning on her heels and walking away.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Mea asked, fearing she made her sister mad with her joke.

Yami paused and looked sideways at her. "To fulfill my promise." She answered cryptically and with that, she hastened her steps and disappeared from the hall.

"A promise, huh?" the redhead unwrapped the candy from her pocket and stared at the glistening red orb of sweet. "Ah~ I'm curious but my little princess might be looking for me." She popped the candy into her mouth and moaned.

Once she opened her eyes, she caught sight of a young male wolf looking at her. As their eyes met, he averted his gaze but he kept glancing at her shyly. "On second thought…" She licked her fingers seductively, making the young wolf blush.

"It's time for a little stress relief~"

The elevator door opened and the girls immediately noticed the crowd gathered around the balcony, cheering. Luckily, a huge screen was put up so even though they're at the back, they can see what was happening below. They arrived the moment Rito caught her beloved Lala in an embrace.

"Aww! We missed the fight!" Aerin said in a disappointed tone. "Well, at least we're in time for the romantic finale. Right, Mikan?" she added, without taking her eyes off the screen.

"Yeah." She answered absently.

Through the screen, she saw her brother for the first time in three years. He has become taller and muscular. His tangerine hair looked as spiky as before but with his mask on, he looked like a different person altogether.

But the moment he revealed his face to Lala, she caught her breath. He still had the same bright smile and his eyes were the same golden brown color she remembered. This time, his eyes no longer have that shade of doubt. It mirrored the clear state of his heart.

And just like he promised, he returned as the best man she had always believed he was destined to be. Seeing him there, happy and safe, made the heavy weight she never thought she was carrying until then to disappear completely.

"You think we can get closer to congratulate them personally? I'd really love that and-" Aerin finally took a good look at her friend and found her crying beside her. "Mikan? What's wrong?"

"I'm fine-" Mikan answered, trying to calm down. She felt so relieved she can't stop her tears. "I'm just… glad he's safe-" her voice cracked as she sobbed again.

"I'm happy for you, Mikan." Aerin murmured as she hugged her sobbing friend. "So, as I was saying earlier, think we can go greet them personally?"

"Not yet." Mikan sniffed, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I have to test if he's really my brother through my cooking." She said with her usual composure.

"So strict."

"Let's go." Mikan said and then, they weaved their way back to the elevator from whence they came.

The newly-engaged couple gave a final wave to their adoring public before they retreated to the privacy of the royal balcony. Once the red drapery fell, the King returned to his special seat at the center of the room.

Rito raised Lala's hand to his lips and then murmured, "I'll be back." The first princess nodded in assent and backed away respectfully. Everyone present in the room was silent as the prince consort made his way towards the King's seat.

Upon reaching the appropriate distance, Rito placed his clenched fist over his heart and kneeled before the monarch in a snappy fashion.

"Greetings, Your Highness. I, Yuuki Rito, have returned having fulfilled my vow to become the best man in the universe. If there is any doubt, I'm more than willing to defend my title and my honor before you. You have my word."

After his little speech, everyone was surprised when the King laughed out loud.

"That was some speech, boy!" The King exclaimed, his sharp eyes gleaming with laughter. "Alistair taught you to do that, didn't he?"

"Yes, he did. He said it's important to be well-versed in the art of diplomacy." Rito answered with a lopsided grin.

The King laughed again. "He always loved being long winded in his speeches." He commented. "But at least with you, you mean what you say."

"Thank you, Your Highness." Rito humbly accepted the compliment.

"It doesn't work well with the ladies though." He smirked, taking the glass of champagne offered to him. "Long winded words don't get you into a girl's pants, believe me." he added then he gulped the drink in one go.

"I appreciate your advice, Your Highness but…" he glanced towards Lala's direction and smiled at her. "I'm happy with what I have right now."

In a matter of seconds, the King's arm went around his neck and he whispered on his ear, "You better keep your hands off, hmm? We don't want to break tradition now, do we?"

His voice sounded quite ominous, even the audience nearby shuddered in fear. But Rito turned his head and met the King's gaze squarely.

"I love her, Your Highness." He declared in a clear voice. "I won't make a mistake that will take me away from her again."

There it was again. The spark of courage he saw in his eyes still burned as bright as ever. The King grinned and said, "After three years, you haven't changed that much, kid." He patted the prince's back amiably which kind of puzzled the youth.

"Starting tomorrow we'll see what you got. So, be prepared."

"Yes, Sir!"

"And by the way…" The King placed his hand gently over Rito's head. "Welcome back, my son-in-law."

A mix of pride, happiness and relief surged inside his chest. Years had passed but still, tt meant so much to him to be accepted by the father of his bride and the most powerful monarch he has ever known.

"I'm back." Rito answered back, his throat felt tight with emotion.

As if sensing that he's about to cry, the King ruffled his hair and said, "What are you getting emotional for?" he teased. "Well then, I'll see you later. Your room is the same as last time and the attendants will escort you there later."

Rito nodded his head, not trusting his voice to sound even at that moment. With that, the King snapped his finger and Vega, the King's secretary, announced that the King is leaving so everyone took a bow and the monarch left the room with his coat fluttering smartly behind him.

While the King and his secretary were walking down a hallway, they saw two girls coming towards their direction. It was none other than the third princess Momo with the little girl Celine walking hand in hand.

When Momo raised her eyes and saw her father for the first time in three years, her eyes glistened with tears. "Papa…" she said as they saw them approach.

The third princess kneeled on the ground as a sign of respect. "I have returned, Papa. Have you been well?" she said politely.

"I am now." The King replied then he stroked the top of her head. "You did well on your own, my child. Your mother and I are proud of you."

"Really?" Momo smiled brightly. It was a rare compliment she got from her father. He wasn't the showy about his affection so she always appreciated moments like this.

Consumed by her happiness, she embraced her father tightly. "Thank you, Papa! I missed you so much!" she cried. She felt like she was a little girl again in his arms.

They stayed like that for a moment before the King cleared his throat and they backed away from each other.

"So, is she the child you brought with you?"

"Yes. Celine here has grown so much since she came with us." Momo said, drawing the child to her side to show her off. "Do you remember him, Celine? He's my papa, King Gid Lucione Deviluke."

Cradling the stuffed cat in her tiny arms, the child meekly bobbed a curtsy and said, "Good day, Your Highness."

The King acknowledged her greeting with a nod. "She talks now, too."

"I know right?" Momo smiled and nuzzled the child's cheek, making the little one giggle. "She can express her thoughts fluently and do things on her own. She's our little princess aren't you, Celine?" she blew against the child's neck, tickling her.

"Kyaa! Stop it, Momo-nee-chan!" the child giggled again as Momo continued to tickle her.

"You raised her well, as expected of my daughter. "

"I didn't do it on my own, though." Momo replied, sobering a bit. "Celine, go on ahead of me. You can sense where Rito-san is, right?" she kissed the kid's forehead and let her run on ahead with the stuffed cat in tow.

Once she was out of earshot, the third princess looked at her father again and this time with a stern expression.

"Rito-san has worked hard for both of us but still, you did a cruel thing to him today." She said in a reproachful tone. "You could've just welcomed us warmly from the start."

"But Princess Momo-" Vega started to interrupt but the King raised his hand to shut him up. The third princess searched his face and seeing that he had no intention to defend himself, she dropped her gaze and sighed tiredly.

"I see you you're still as stubborn as ever, Papa. When will you tire of the bad guy act, hmm?" She chuckled, shaking her head in exasperation. "So, did everything go according to your plan?" she inquired, "You never did like politics, Papa."

Her unexpected comment made the King laugh in amusement. "Haa… you really are my daughter." He smirked. "Why don't you see for yourself? Think you can figure it out?" He asked, looking at her challengingly.

"Oh, I don't know~" she pouted cutely. "If there's a reward, I might think about it…"

Her father flicked a finger against her forehead. "Brat. Now, run along. You're wasting your time playing coy with me."

The third princess giggled. Her father never really bought her acting even once. They're too alike to be able to deceive each other with superficial acts. Nana doesn't know it though and that was the amusing part.

"By the way, has Lala-nee-sama succeeded in inventing a machine that will turn your body back to its original state?" she asked casually. "I want to have a dance with you in your original height, Papa."

"She did. But I'm still enjoying my childlike body so much. The ladies dig it, you know." He winked playfully.

Momo gasped in mock surprise. "Papa! If Mama heard you say that…"

"Too late." The King then pointed towards his right eye and on closer inspection, Momo noticed the special contact lens on it.

"Is it…?" At his nod, Momo brightened up. "Hello, Mama! I'll talk to you soon!" she said happily.

"She said she looks forward to it." He repeated the message he heard on his earpiece. "Now, go. I'll see you at the luncheon."

"Yes." The third princess hugged her father again. "I love you both." She whispered against his earpiece. Then she got up, bobbed a curtsy and walked briskly down the hallway to follow after Celine. The King watched her go until she disappeared from his line of sight.

"That was really sweet of you, my dear." He heard her voice from the earpiece.

"I knew you'd want to see that look on her face."

Sephie chuckled. "You act as if you don't. I can't wait to come home soon..." Her voice sounded wistful in his ears.

"You better hurry or you'll miss a lot more."

"Be good, my dear." She reminded playfully.

He smirked. "You too, darling." He said then he took off the earpiece and the contact lens on his eye and handed them over to his secretary for safekeeping. Without another word, they left the hallway side by side, anxious to continue with the next part of their covert preparations for the future of the Devilukean empire.

As soon as the King left, Rito was surrounded by the high-ranking Devilukean officials present in the room, hoping to gain his favor. He couldn't concentrate on them though for his eyes were constantly looking for Princess Lala.

Meanwhile, the Blue Metalia members watched as the prince consort tried his best to deal with the crowd gathered around him.

"Yuuki-kun looks like he'll be stuck there for a while." Mio said with a tinge of regret, twirling her face mask absentmindedly.

"I'm sure they won't let us through. You know how those people look at us." Risa replied meaningfully. Truth be told, some royal officials consider themselves superior. Though Blue Metalia is a famous intergalactic idol group, most of them didn't care. Inside that room, they weren't considered special so masks to hide their identities were useless there.

On the other hand, the Memorzian Princess was silent. She couldn't hear anything else but the rapid beating of her own heart. She still couldn't believe that the Beast was right before her eyes. Two years ago, when she first saw the covert footage of the Devilukean Peace Corps, she knew by some sixth sense that its commander (Beast) and Rito-kun was one and the same person. Hence, she had followed all the news concerning the DPC on television like it's her favorite sitcom. She enjoyed the privilege of knowing his whereabouts unlike Lala and the others living in the palace. But now, she doesn't have that leverage. They all know who he is now and he has proposed to Lala. The confidence that she had about knowing more about Rito-kun than the others is dwindling little by little.

"What do I do now?" she thought nervously.

"Don't tell me you're having cold feet now, Sis. This isn't like you." Ren said but she didn't answer.

"Hello, lovely ladies! I'm back!" Saruyama said enthusiastically. "Did you watch the fight? I was really awesome in the arena, right?" He flexed his arm before them, hoping to impress them.

"You were awesome. Yay." Risa said halfheartedly.

"Ouch. Come on, why all the hate? I'm hurt." Saruyama complained.

"Welcome back, Saruyama-kun! You did great back there." Mio quickly reassured their male friend.

"Thanks." He smiled then he looked at the bored Risa and the unresponsive Run respectively. "So, why the long faces? Rito's back now, you know."

"We're thinking on how we can get Yuuki-kun away from there." Mio replied, pointing towards the prince's direction. "But we don't think the elders would let us."

Saruyama pondered the situation for a moment. "Then why not let Run-chan lead the way? She is the Princess of Memorze." He said reasonably.

A few seconds ticked by before realization hit them. "Ah! That's right!" Mio and Risa said in unison then they both burst out laughing.

"Haa… This takes me back." Risa wiped the tears from her eyes from laughing too much. "Do you remember that time in the café where you worked before?"

"Yes! We totally forgot that Ren is a prince back then." the bespectacled girl added reminiscently.

"Yeah, yeah. Go on! Laugh all you want! Hmph!" Ren grumbled inside her sister's head.

"So what do you say, Run? Are you up for it?" Risa asked, finally looking at the quiet princess beside her.

"Run?" Mio called out when the princess hadn't responded.

"Rito-kun has become really manly, hasn't he?" The princess finally spoke.

"Appearance-wise, yes." Risa acknowledged. "But we have to get to know this new Yuuki Rito first, right?"

"Do you think he'll be pleased with me?" Run asked without taking her eyes off of him. "Have I… become the woman Rito-kun imagined me to be?" she voiced out the lingering doubt she had in her heart.

Risa smiled gently. "Why don't you ask him yourself?" she grabbed her arm and pulled her along as she walked towards the circle around the prince.

"Wait, Risa-!"

Mio quickly fell into step with them followed by General Saruyama. Once they reached the outer circle of people, Mio cleared her throat and announced their presence.

"Excuse me~ please make way for the Princess of Memorze, Run Elsie Jewelria."

Run felt like panicking when the officials started to make way for them reluctantly. As they weaved their way through the crowd and she saw the calculating looks she got from the higher officials, her hands grew cold with apprehension. She's not ready yet. In her mind, she hadn't achieved great things as compared to Rito.

"I'm sorry, Ren."

"No, Run! Don't!"

She tickled her nose with her hair and as she sneezed, her consciousness switched with her brother Ren. Her brother looked about him and realized the state he's in. He quickly bowed his head and avoided eye contact.

"What the hell is this?! You really changed into me now of all times?!" he screamed angrily at her sister inside his head.

"I'm sorry, brother. But you have changed so much compared to me. I can't face him now." She cried.

"Then you should have let me takeover earlier! Did you really think I'd like him to see me in a dress?!" he gritted his teeth, angry at his sister for running away and for subjecting him to this humiliation. "If he finds out it's me, I'll-"

"I wore the voice changer so it'll be fine." Run quickly reassured him. "Just act like me, Ren. That's it."

"Shit. Shit. Shit. Shiiiittttt!" Ren cursed repeatedly inside his head. He knew what acting like her meant and he didn't like it. Not one bit.

"We're here, Ren." Risa said under her breath, knowing about the moment the twins switched. Before Ren could respond, the last line of people stepped aside and finally, the four of them made it in front of their dear friend, Rito. After sharing a look, Mio and Risa greeted the prince consort first with a curtsy.

"Sawada-san! Momioka-san!" Rito called out in surprised delight. "It's a pleasure to see you both!" He said as he took their hands and kissed it chastely in turn.

"Still the gentleman, I see." Risa teased.

"I always strive to be one." Rito replied easily with a grin of his own.

Risa looked him over from head to toe. Upon closer inspection, he has become quite a catch and he has become a smooth talker, too.

"You could've told me they're here, Saruyama." Rito said towards his best friend but the general merely shrugged in response.

"Then that would ruin the surprise, right?" Saruyama smirked. "Not to worry. There's plenty more where that came from!" He laughed out loud, feeling proud of himself for knowing something Rito doesn't.

"Congratulations on your engagement with Lala-chi! I'm happy for both of you!" Mio said excitedly, preventing Rito from inquiring further.

"Thank you." He smiled. "I'm glad you made it here. I thought you'll be in a concert in Planet Crona today?"

The bespectacled girl pushed her glasses to the bridge of her nose. "Fufufu! Indeed, we have a concert in Planet Crona today but we moved it to- Eh?" she stopped in mid-sentence as she processed what he just said. "Did you just-"

"Wait, back up." Risa twirled her index finger in a rewinding motion. "You… know about our concert schedule?" she asked in astonishment.

At that comment, Rito scratched the back of his head in that bashful way they remembered so well. "Yes, well, actually I'm… erm, one of Blue Metalia's fans." He admitted with a blush to his cheeks.

Mio and Risa staggered backwards. They felt like a bullet just went through their hearts. A manly and bashful Rito was a deadly combination. He looked so adorable!

They turned towards Ren (dressed as Run). It's time for them to tap out and switch players. They both pat his shoulder on each side and whispered, "You're turn."

"Wherever our leader goes, we go, you know." Risa told Rito upon recovering.

"So may we present our leader, the princess of Memorze, Run Elsie Jewelria." Mio added with a flourish.

"Shiiiiiitttttt! I'll get them for this!"

"Get your act together and hug him like how I do it." His sister instructed inside his head, totally ignoring his rejection of the idea.

"Welcome back, Rito~!" he said (in Run's voice) and jumped into his arms in feigned delight and excitement.

He can hear the two girls cooing behind him but he knew they were actually laughing at him in their heads. "Damn it."

"Say, 'I missed you so much!'"

"I missed you so much!" Gag. This is disgusting. Ren thought.

After a brief hug, they parted and Rito stared at the idol princess intently. Ren started to fidget under his scrutiny. Did he do something wrong? Was his real identity exposed? Fuuuuck, what now?

"What's wrong, Rito-kun?" he asked sweetly in his sister's voice.

He smiled gently at her. "I'm just amazed you're here. I've only seen you from afar when you happen to have a concert in the planet where I was temporarily in."

"He attended one of my concerts?"

"You attended one of my concerts?"

"Of course!" he affirmed enthusiastically. "I'm happy you have found what you wanted to do the most, Run."

"…"

"A-aren't you disappointed with me?" Ren asked the question his sister has been dying to know and got him in this situation in the first place.

"Eh?" his eyebrow furrowed in confusion. "Why would I be? You've accomplished your reason for being an idol, haven't you?"

"Ah… That's right… How could I have forgotten that?" Run mumbled inside his head.

"My reason for being an idol?" he parroted his words, obviously not following what Rito (and Run) was saying.

Rito chuckled. "I've watched one of your interviews before and you said you wanted to touch the hearts of everyone through your songs..." He gingerly touched the tips of her sea green hair. "…and you did. You are loved across the galaxies. I've heard your name and your songs wherever I went. And more than that… Your voice has saved me, Run."

"It did?" she asked, crying now.

"It did?"

"It did." Rito replied, smiling warmly at her. "As expected, you have become a great woman. I'm proud of you, Run." He confessed then he lifted a lock of her hair for a kiss.

Ren was speechless. His gesture of tenderness made him catch his breath and caused the tips of his hair to tingle. He wanted to insult him; to say that he's a flirt and a liar but the look in his eyes shut him up. He cast his eyes down. Rito is proud of his twin sister and he felt guilty for thinking of ruining that moment for them.

He can hear his twin sister crying in his head now. She is regretting her reckless switching with Ren. She kept on apologizing for doubting herself. She felt like she had betrayed Rito-kun's faith in her.

"Stop crying already. You can make it up to him next time." He mentally scolded her.

"Hug him, Ren."

"No."

"Hug him for me, please…" she pleaded, which she rarely does. "Please do it for me."

"Thank you, Rito-kun…" Swallowing up his pride, he pretended to have tears in his eyes and embraced Rito just like his sister wanted him to do.

"Thank you, Ren."

Ren, on the other hand, felt strangely dissatisfied about the whole thing. Though his twin and Rito are happy to see each other, what about him? What does he get out of all this? If Rito knew it's him, he would never look at him in the same way and the moment this thought crossed his mind, he felt something sharp pierce his chest. Strange.

"What about my brother, Ren?" he blurted out as they parted again for the second time.

"Hmm? What about him?"

"He has become a cool and amazing man, hasn't he?" he asked, looking at him expectantly.

"Ren, huh?" he paused for a bit. "I have no doubt he has become one. It's Ren, after all." He placed a finger against his lips. "Don't tell him I said that though. He won't like it."

"Why not?" Ren protested a bit too strongly. At Rito's startled eyes, he changed tact. "Uhm, I mean, Ren might appreciate it, too, Rito-kun."

"I doubt that but..." At her disappointed face, he laughed and ruffled her hair. "All right. I'll tell him so next time." He quickly reassured her.

Ren's face brightened up. Though he wouldn't admit it out loud, Rito's words of promise made his heart skip a beat.

"Ren~"

"Shut up."

"Ane-ue, what are you doing back here?" Nana asked her older sister who was huddled at the back of a wall. She had been there crying her eyes out upon seeing her father and Rito have their moment. "He's looking for you."

"I can't let them see me like this." She said, her voice was hoarse from crying so much. "I'm the future queen, I must be composed." She stated though it seemed like she was saying it to herself rather than her sister.

Nana sighed. "You're saying that now? You already cried on national television just a while ago."

"Guu… I know. But that's different. Now, the room is filled with Papa's important allies. I can't expose myself like this." She said as she blew her nose daintily in her handkerchief.

Nana stared at her sister and indeed, she looked like a crying mess. She was far from the elegant and joyful princess everyone's accustomed to seeing in public.

"All right. I'll tell him you'll meet him at the luncheon. So, go and freshen yourself up. You have one hour." Nana said in compromise.

"Thank you, Nana! You're a lifesaver!" Lala kissed her sister's cheek in gratitude. "Tell him I'll see him later and that I love him so much, okay?"

"Wha-? There's no way I can-"

She had no chance to protest because Lala was already out of the room in a flash. Nana stood there, wondering how she would deliver the message to the prince consort. Just thinking about the words made her burn with embarrassment.

She slapped her cheeks twice. "What's the matter with me? I'll just repeat Ane-ue's message to him. It's no big deal." She reprimanded herself.

"But first…" she looked from behind the wall and saw that Princess Run is still talking with the prince consort. "I have to get him alone."

Once the third princess composed herself, she emerged from behind the wall and approached one of the attendants nearby to give him instructions. Soon, the attendant sounded the bell and asked everyone to proceed to their guest rooms until they are called for the start of the luncheon.

After the announcement was made, all the advisers and imperial guests bowed respectfully before the prince consort and expressed their desire to talk with him more at a later date. Rito returned their bow and graciously accepted their invitations.

Once they were escorted out of the room, Nana approached the prince consort in a dignified manner. Her lips were set in a frown as she eyed him critically. Three years had already gone by but he's still an enemy in her eyes.

Rito hadn't flinched under her intense stare. Actually, it was refreshing to see the same set of purple eyes alight with anger. Momo's eyes were always bright with mischief. It was a welcome change of pace but he wouldn't tell her that though.

They met halfway and when they were at an appropriate distance, the prince consort bowed and said, "I have returned safely, Nana."

"I can see that. But to me, it's still not enough to prove that you're the best fit for Ane-ue." She replied with brutal honesty. "Who knows? She might even divorce you because you have changed so much from the boy she knew from three years ago." She smiled haughtily.

Despite her sharp words, Rito found himself smiling fondly at her beloved's little sister. "I'm relieved that you're by Lala's side. I know she's safe because she has you to watch over her, Nana."

Nana blushed at the unexpected compliment. "D-don't think you can butter me up with such words!" she poked his chest in anger. "I'm watching you, Yuuki Rito. If anything happens to Ane-ue, I'll hold you personally responsible." She warned him with a glare.

"I'll do my best not to betray your trust in me, Nana." Rito vowed with his fist over his heart.

"Hmph."

"Speaking of which, where's your sister, Lala?" he looked behind her, expecting to see Lala to pop out of nowhere.

"Ane-ue went to prepare for the luncheon later." Nana answered. "She told me to tell you that she'll see you later and… uhm…" she fidgeted a little.

"And?"

Nana met his eyes and saw him watching her curiously. She glanced away in embarrassment. She chided herself for hesitating. The more she delays, the more she seems suspicious. But it really felt awkward to tell him the "L" word.

"She also said that… err-" she gulped down nervously. "I- no, I mean, she, l-l-lo-"

"Rito-san~!"

"Papa~!"

The chirpy voices of the second princess and Celine broke the tension as they barged into the room together. Almost immediately, Momo saw Rito's surprised face and Nana's embarrassed one staring at them.

"Oh! I'm sorry for disturbing." Momo said in apology. "Please continue with your love confession, Nana."

"C-c-confession?! Who would?!" Nana stammered in denial. "I'm just here to deliver Ane-ue's message!"

"Really~?" she let her voice drag on to imply that she doesn't believe it.

Nana glared at the silent male beside her. "What are you doing?! Go tell her!" she hissed.

"Yes. She was just telling me about Lala's message. I haven't heard the last part yet though." Rito explained calmly.

"I see. Then please do tell him, Nana. What's the last part?" she said in a curious tone.

"Ngh." Nana was taken aback. "Err… she also said-"

"Yes…?" Momo smirked and that pushed Nana over the edge. Years had passed and her sister still has the knack to make her angry and defensive for no reason at all.

The third princess whipped about and shouted, "She also said she loves you so much, all right?! There! Happy now?!" She looked like she was about to cry as she said it. She wanted to die of embarrassment.

"Yes, I am. Thank you, Nana." Rito smiled gratefully at her and that made her blush all the more.

Momo laughed in amusement. "You haven't changed much, Nana. I can't believe you're still-"

"Not another word from you, Momo." Nana glared at her sister that she hadn't seen for so long. "Or I swear I'll make you regret it."

"Uwaa~ scary." The third princess said in mock fright.

"Hmph." Nana straightened her skirt and bowed politely at them. "I'll see you both at the luncheon. Good day." With that, she left the room without a backward glance. Meanwhile, Momo covered her mouth, trying to contain her giggles.

Rito stared at Momo in silent reprimand. "What?" she asked innocently.

"Go."

"But-" Momo started to protest but Rito shook his head and urged her to go with his eyes.

"Fine." She finally relented with a pout. "Come on, Celine. Let's make up with your Nana-nee-chan." She said, hoisting the child (together with the stuffed cat) up in her arms.

"Wait! Papa! Kiss!" Celine said, stretching her arm out eagerly while clutching her toy with the other.

Rito came closer and kissed the child on her forehead. "You did great today, Celine. I'll see you later."

"Yes, Papa."

"How about me? Where's my kiss, Rito-san?" Momo teased in her usual way.

And to her surprise, Rito leaned down and kissed her on her forehead, too. She stared at him wide-eyed. It was rare for him to go along her selfish wishes.

"That's my thanks for your help earlier." Rito said awkwardly, his cheeks flushed. "I'm happy that you're both safe."

Her face brightened up with happiness. Her awkward, caring and bashful Rito-san really is the best. She can't wait to have him for herself soon.

"I love you, Rito-san~!" She chirped.

Rito sighed. "You always say that. Now, go!"

After a while, Rito stood before the door of the room he stayed in three years ago. It was oddly sentimental of the King to send him to the same room.

He touched the door gingerly as he remembered the first time he came to Planet Deviluke to meet the King and to start his journey to the unknown. A lot has happened to him since then; he fought countless battles and experienced an array of emotions he never experienced before. It wasn't easy but even if he turned back the time, he would still choose to go on that journey.

He opened the door and he found a familiar figure sitting at the center of the canopied bed. Her long, golden hair and fair skin was in stark contrast to the burgundy red bed sheet and overhead drapes.

He closed the door behind him and walked towards her like a moth drawn to a flame. They stared at each other quietly, never breaking eye contact. Soon, his body started to shiver with remembered dread.

He never liked fighting against anyone. His conscience always bothered him after each fight. At first it was just a mental struggle but soon, it began to take this physical form once the adrenaline wore off. It was always a struggle to get back in shape.

Rito stopped at the edge of the bed- questioning, pleading with his eyes. There's only one way for him to deal with it after each fight.

She opened her arms wide and her hair wrapped around him gently and carried him towards her.

Once they were within touching distance, she cupped his face and placed his forehead against hers. Rito closed his eyes and like always, he tried to match his breathing with hers.

But like a broken record, his mind started to recall the sound of screaming and the suffering in the battlefield. He gasped and began to tremble violently. He struggled against his bonds; He felt terrified by the flashbacks in his head.

Then amidst the darkness, he heard her voice. "Concentrate on my voice. Concentrate. What you're seeing now is not real." She said in a calm and soothing voice. "Breathe with me… inhale… exhale…" she repeated those words over and over until he finally responded.

Tears leaked from his eyelids. "Tell me… please tell me what I am-"

"You're not a killer." Came her whisper against his ear. "You're not a killer, Yuuki Rito."

Slowly, the tremors raking his body seized and left him feeling weak and drained. He opened his eyes and found her staring at him with concern. He was still hanging in the air, held together by her golden hair.

"Say it again for me, Yami…" he said in a hoarse tone.

She wiped his tears away with gentle fingers and cupped his face in her hands once more. She looked at him squarely, her ruby eyes gleaming with conviction.

"You're not a killer, Yuuki Rito." She said again in an absolute tone.

He smiled at her thankfully.

Those are the magic words that kept him from falling apart.

A/N:

Hooray for the new chapter! So how was it this time? Care to share you opinions?

Ah, sorry about the constant switching from one perspective to another. I hope it didn't confuse you. There's just so many characters I wanted to cover in this chapter. Haha!

By the way, I'd like to apologize for the very slow update of this story. Real life has been quite hectic recently since I decided to have a major career shift. Still, I'll do my best to finish this. The succeeding chapters are already planned out until the end. So please bear with me~!

Anyway, thank you for dropping by! I hoped you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Haha!

Till next time~! Ciao!

- Keira

Point of Clarification:

* The name "Blue Metalia" doesn't refer to Run alone as it is in the canon. I used it to refer to Run, Mio and Risa as an idol group.

* Run and Ren have the same hair color here.