Summary: [Unfinished/Incomplete] When Hachiman met Itsuki, he knew he met trouble. When Kazu literally bulldozed him, he realized life couldn't go back. And Agito? Yeah, that made things worse. A Hikigaya Hachiman character exploration in snapshots, delving into Air Gear lore and off-topic ideas included.

Rating: T

Characters: Wanajima Agito/Akito, Mikura "Kazu" Kazuma, Minami "Ikki" Itsuki, Hikigaya Hachiman, Kawasaki Saki, Noyamano Ringo, Hiratsuka Shizuka

Tags: slice of life, sports, shounen, drama

Disclaimer: Characters are property of Watari Wataru, Ito Ogure.

[1]

"Looking down from here, you can see a lot of defective goods keep defiling this beautiful planet with their own wills. No different to scum."

"However, even those defective goods are living very hard. Seriously, I am also defective goods, just like them."

"No matter how hard they've been laughed at, they are still the ninety-nine percent of bugs that created this planet. This world belongs to those bugs."

"I will make you - all the defective goods - fly."

[1]

"Oi, Hikki, are you doing anything tonight? Maybe you could come with us to do something, un? There's an exclusive movie, and there's some sort of event stage at the shopping center next door! Please?"

The only response was a muffled response from a face buried between arms. Yuigahama Yui's excitement was uncontainable, but that was a part of her charm, her friends told her. Though, with this said friend, she wasn't sure if he was being sarcastic each time he said it. She pouted as she poked at the tired body. She grinned as she managed to elicit a "Gah!"

He swatted her hands away as he raised his head and groaned, bags lining the lower edges of his eyes. "I'm sorry, Yuigahama, but I have things to do, as usual."

Hikigaya Hachiman, by nature, could only have been described as self-absorbed, observant, and lazy (to summarize? Narcissistic). Conversely, he could have been written off as someone who loved to ignore the world and breathe in his own as he danced, endlessly, with the winds surrounding Chiba, looking for friends in the highest of places. Not that Yuigahama knew that.

She frowned, her eyes downcast as she looked away. His excuses never changed. They both knew that, at least. "Oh… okay. But please… maybe this weekend? There's something Yukinon and I want to get to, but… it feels wrong to go without you, you know?"

He winced. "Yeah, if you're talking about morning to afternoon. But after six, I have to get going."

Yuigahama shed the frailest of smiles as she walked back to her friend group, and Hikigaya Hachiman paid little attention to people muttering how he should have been grateful for her offers and how a loner like him wasn't going to go anywhere in life so he might as well enjoy his youth. He slipped in some earbuds and yawned quietly.

Hikigaya Hachiman was scum. Truth. Hikigaya Hachiman put himself above others, unquestionably. Truth. Hikigaya Hachiman didn't enjoy his life. Truth. Hikigaya Hachiman had no dreams to chase. Truth. Hikigaya Hachiman obviously never wanted to be involved with his peers and live a 'fulfilling' life, like they led. Truth. Hikigaya Hachiman did nothing at night and stayed at home to avoid social interaction. Half-Truth.

Hikigaya Hachiman had nothing going for him. Lie.

The wind bit through his hair, cold and ruthless. He sighed. Of course he should have listened to Komachi and worn a hat. A gust of wind made him look up and he caught sight of a familiar half-grin half-snarl.

"Yo. You're late, trash." Hikigaya chuckled at the greeting. Agito's spitfire attitude never rested. "Don't give me that look, you wimp. I could smell your blood two blocks away. The wuss has been asking about you."

Hikigaya sputtered. "Do you guys just think I can just waltz on over to here from Chiba?"

The younger of the two fixed him with a dead, disinterested look. "We travel further on a daily basis more often than not."

A light rang in Hikigaya's head. Slowly, he asked, "...Are any of you guys passing school..?"

"Hah. I am. The mountain pig might be, and the wuss is probably teetering on the edge. The smaller fatso is actually smart, and karasu isn't anywhere near idiocy. Hentai-kamen and the rest of the girls are passing for sure, since they don't really cut; two of them are athletes, after all. We take the exams whenever they're thrown at us, we just never bother to take them during class."

Hikigaya facepalmed. Ah. "Unfortunately for you guys, I don't really have that luxury. I never have. Wait, have you guys been doing that since middle school?! How did you guys even get accepted into high school; attendance is mandatory!"

"Aah, we just have the flaming homo fix that issue for us."

"Who?"

"Aeon Clock. Hm… you'd probably know him as Sano Yasuyoshi." Hikigaya choked. Again.

The two of them rolled into Ueno Park. Absently, he noted that it was a beautiful season, with many trees freshly blooming. He just hoped the place would survive the night; Itsuki was at it again, throwing water everywhere. Hikigaya sighed as he kicked the ground and established a barrier in front of his form, maintained after every stride and step, preventing any entry as he sped up to greet his team's captain.

"Taichou," he nodded. "Please refrain from getting me wet; I don't wish to go home all covered in water and whatever else might be floating about."

Itsuki laughed as he clasped a hand on Hikigaya's shoulder, dissipating the wind wall with a casual touch. He envied his leader's abilities. "Come on, Hachi, you need to loosen up. A little water never hurt anyone."

Hikigaya begged to differ but he kept his lips sealed shut in an awkwardly fake smile.

"Ikki's right, you know." Ringo's smiles were often the kindest thing he'd ever had directed at him amongst the group. "You'll never really grow if you don't spread your wings." The kindest, but also perhaps the most sadistic. She was the most knowing, after all: the and you have such big shoes to fill was left unsaid but heard nonetheless.

"Hai, hai." Hikigaya grimaced with a sigh. He didn't come all this way to do nothing, he supposed, and began to glide atop the water, his ATs not even two centimeters above the surface. "Let's get going then, Noyamano."

She pouted. His flesh resisted the urge to flush at her prettiness; it didn't help that she winked at him and laughed as they glided away. Her form was as perfect as ever, he noted. Her precision had become much more natural and the way she walked spoke of injury, but not too much of one.

All along the way to their place, she teased him and he continued his silence. She said that, in a way, it was cute and he almost facepalmed. It wasn't as if her antics were unfounded, he mused, as the two of them were close; enough to have been on first-name basis, but it wasn't his style.

It hurt to not be able to do this every night like they did. But he had responsibilities. Namely Komachi, but he did have other things to cover (his thoughts flashed to three girls in particular, and a bunch of rather meddlesome, troublesome idiots… including a teacher who produced more headaches for him than hangovers for herself).

His leisure was interrupted by another presence, rudely barging in on his thoughts. A destructive gale burst towards him and he moved. As his body twisted and leaped, he landed, palms pressed against the surface, and dodged the waves of water and wind that threatened to maim him. He felt more than heard the distant complaints. "Stop being so distracted, trash; if this was a battle, you'd have been killed three times over!"

"Tch," he muttered. He hadn't even heard the Fang King slip his way into watching distance, but he supposed that was par for the course; the younger boy had been bred to be a natural rider. Hikigaya lifted a leg to absorb the next few 'fangs.' "Gimme a break, geez!"

He grumbled and felt a poke, the only warning that Ringo was going to hit him next. The force of her kick sent Hikigaya crashing back to shore as he moaned. "That was good, Hachi. You absorbed the brunt of the impact pretty well, but your recovery was awful. There's a lot of catching up to do, ne?"

Hikigaya said nothing as he charged to meet her on the water's edge, avoiding the bursts of wind Agito sent his way. Eyes closed, he calmed his breathing and swung his knee up. Countered. Vibrations shook the surface and he used the same knee to push her back as he lifted up his leg. The force of his axe kick swung waves so harsh that Ringo took two jumps back. He smiled; improvement. Then he grimaced as he felt something hit his cheek and embraced the cold embrace of water soaking his hair and clothes. Dang. His eyes twitched as he felt himself black out.

Hachiman woke to an unfortunately unnursed headache that threatened his sanity. He bit back from letting looser than a sailor's cabin as he winced and cradled his head, eyes closed as he lay on his back. His voice croaked, "Was that… okay..?"

"You got your ass kicked by Ringo and Agito again." Ah, yes; answer: no. No, it wasn't okay. It was improvement, but not enough.

Why were cities so full of violence, he thought. He wasn't sure if it was a good thing that he became accustomed to beatings; then again, he wasn't sure if it was some hidden fetish. Hiratsuka-sensei hit him all the time, and the Yukinoshita sisters cut with their words, too. "Yeah. I did. Hurt less than last time, but I definitely missed the number of the truck that hit me. Mikura, how do you put up with this?"

Kazuma laughed. "You get used to it. I've been chasing Ikki since I was a kid, you know? I mean, you've only been with us a few months… probably almost a year now, yeah? You see him. You're not an idiot like me, so you definitely can see it."

And as much as he hated to admit it, Hikigaya did. He admired Itsuki. He had all the flair in the world, all the over-the-top flamboyance and charm, topped with genuine curiosity and the understanding of how social circles operated and why he wanted to blow them apart, not step aside from them.

Minami Itsuki was the kind of person that Yukinoshita Haruno wished she could have been. The kind that Hayama Hayato would envy and despise, or that Yukinoshita the younger thought she could never become. He was also someone who, if Hikigaya was being honest, could connect with his sister and Yuigahama on a wavelength he was completely alien to.

Said Itsuki was dancing around the water, the road, the trees; he made Ueno a casual walk in the park, all while dancing uninhibited. His lack of restraint was tantalizing to watch, especially when it became clear that there were so many hours of practice behind each movement. From the way he walked, jumped, and tilted, to the way he stopped or rolled; they carried with them his road, his conviction.

And more than that, it was so easy to see why he was the closest to the Sky King. He embodied the wind and tore through the currents with a tenderness that could have been mistaken for malevolent. Almost like a storm. Yet in spite of all that, there was something simple that could not have been missed. Not even by the blind. It was a feeling, an aura, that bled into permeation as soon as one felt the sky in his presence.

Minami Itsuki loved riding AT.

Hikigaya Hachiman wished he could have said the same. He liked it well enough, but he just didn't have the same grasp on tricks that any of the others did, nor did he embrace it with open arms and spend most of his night hours practicing. And even if he did, he doubted that all his efforts would have produced results that were like this.

Not that any of this made Itsuki a god or anything. It was his 'thing,' but it made him unique. Not special. And in some ways, that tore from his image and made him a person; he wasn't just someone Hachiman saw on a screen perform cool tricks or do neat things. He was just a boy.

Itsuki was the kind of person that Agito loathed but respected until that respect bled into intrigue and open-hearted satisfaction. Itsuki was someone that Noyamano crushed on, that Mikura chilled with, that Onigiri shared his delusions with, that Buccha dueled. But to Hachiman, Itsuki had only ever been someone who was lonely, in spite of the circle.

He always wanted someone to understand, Hikigaya assumed.

Just like him. Someone, or something, out there, had made it so this bright star was afraid. Oh, he trusted people and lived his life second by second, embraced everything in it to their fullest. The slivers of indecision were rare and so slight. But Hachiman heard them. The pangs of loneliness.

He wasn't sure how many of the others heard them, but he was jealous because if they did, they stuck by Itsuki when times got rough.

Hikigaya shook his head and glanced to his side. Throughout the entirety of his mental tangent, Kazu had said nothing; he was a thoughtful guy himself, and probably the most respectful and amiable of Kogarasumaru's members.

Shame that he also seemed the most distant to Hikigaya.

"...Why did you guys tell me to join you?" Why was he here?

Kazuma and Hikigaya danced along the city walls, licks of flame trickling behind them. The former hadn't answered yet. He didn't want to upset Kazu, so Hikigaya played along and let the night consume him as he blinked, the city lights and sounds tearing down the paper walls of his insecurities. He heard his heart pounding, his breathing a sharp distance from the surround-sound of Tokyo, but much clearer than the rest of the world.

"Mikura?" They stopped at the height of a building, both of them sat on a fence as they peered down upon the crown jewel of Japanese cities.

The blonde boy didn't look at him, his eyes focused only on the moon. His finger reached out as though he was trying to cup the night sky's gem. "I wanted to talk to you tonight because I think that, among all of us here, you remind me the most of me. You always look like you're nervous. Like you're afraid of something going wrong. You give me this feel like you're not sure if you belong."

It was true. Hikigaya did feel all those things. He nodded and Mikura went on, "And that's how I felt. There was so much pressure on me a few years ago. I know, it sounds bad - that much pressure on a kid stuck in junior high and unsure of where he's headed in life? Normal. Not something special or to cry about. But really, for someone who, until recently, wasn't sure if he was even going to make it to high school, to see his friends after he turned sixteen? Yeah; bad combination, I'll tell you.

"Honestly, you've probably heard rumors about us, yeah?" It wasn't a question that begged for an answer, but Hikigaya nodded anyway. The other boy didn't even notice. He just laughed to himself quietly haunted. Kazuma voice did not turn hoarse but it felt empty when he picked up the story from there.

"I don't know if you recall that moment when the world lost itself a few years back, when gravity tore up." He did. And he knew, because he was watching on the internet, that it was because of Itsuki.

Kazuma rubbled the bad of his neck as he thought about how to go on. "Ah," the Flame King suddenly stopped. "I'm telling this story a bit out of order. Can't tell you the whole thing though; it'd take too long."

"But," he shrugged, "I guess you'll find out someday. I doubt you'd be bored by the story - Ringo says you like to read a lot. Anyway, there was a whole slew of reasons for us to fight. And one of them was a friend of ours."

"Back then, Spit, ah, Spitfire, he was… an older rider. He… well, he passed away around that time. And right before that, I just found out, without warning, that he intended for me to inherit the title of Flame King. And it wasn't just a matter of inheritance, you know. We were fighting for our lives back then, and I couldn't even call myself a C-class rider. Then I had to go and fill these shoes," Mikura chuckled as he lifted a leg, his Regalia glowing with the moon's touch.

Hikigaya resisted the urge to smack the other boy for his pun. Mostly because there was a flash of true grief that sparked between the other boy's wheels, a slow dancing that lit the night aglow as though candlelight manifested remained quiet as he processed what Mikura was telling him. The other boy sat patiently, watching his crewmate contemplate and struggle, much like he did years before.

When the blonde heard Hikigaya release a breath and pull his knees in, he continued, "We might look like a team that's collecting talent, but honestly, talent just finds us. But it's not like we expect the world from you. Your predecessor was a cool guy; he'd probably call you a kid barely out of your diapers, but you're older than I was when you started this, and you have a better intuition. We're not looking for soldiers - we never have - but we're looking for the lost to wander in."

Not long after, Hikigaya found himself on the way home, having opted to dance his way through the night rather than take the train back. An act of teenage rebellion; the pursuit of freedom, he told Mikura. The latter had laughed, hunched over, clutched his gut, and patted Hikigaya on the back as he wished him luck.

The click of the door behind him as he whispered "I'm home" to a dead house. As he collapsed beneath the sheets, he thought about how he was going to explain the bruise to the girls tomorrow.

"What happened to your face?!" Isshiki's shriek hurt; worse, it made him wince, his muscles aching as he did so. "Are you okay?"

He raised a brow, and a finger to his lips, as he whispered "Shh."

It wasn't like it had gone unnoticed. But before Isshiki spoke up, people simply ignored him. They kept their muttering to a minimum, though it was evident. But then it became much more apparent. Dang. He really didn't need this all today.

She puffed her cheeks, cutely, but annoyingly. He tried to stifle a laugh but it came out more like a cough. "I'll tell you some other time. You do realize you basically alerted everyone to actually pay attention to us, right? You should go ahead; the school president shouldn't be seen with someone like me except when it's necessary, you know?"

Her eyes widened before they narrowed, her vision zoned in on him. What? Was using her catchphrase poor taste? Confused, he waved a hand in her face. He had no idea what displeased her, but he wasn't about to listen to the majority of it. "Just stop by after school, or something. That way, I can tell all of you at once."

Before giving her another chance to retaliate, he walked past Isshiki and up into his classroom. Met with silence, he only assumed that the news had already reached the area, but they had waited to test its veracity. That, and he supposed it didn't help that Isshiki had literally shouted it right outside the room. Tch. He ignored the commotion as he sat down.

Hayama and his group stared and muttered rapidly, though the head of said group seemed awfully quiet and eager to listen. His eyes, however, betrayed just how curious he was and Hachiman had no doubt his inquisitive nature wasn't about to let him refuse a crack at the class weirdo.

He had to watch out for that one.

Tobe, Miura, and Ebina all seemed unsure what to make of him. But he knew what to make of them. He withheld a snort and didn't even deign to look at the rest of the class as he pulled out a light novel from his inner pockets. Onigiri had said it was a good one but the other boy's tastes were eccentric to say the least. Not a minute later and his quiet was interrupted.

Expectedly, Yuigahama came bumbling over, her voice frantic as she reached out to poke his cheek. "Hikki, are you okay? Are you getting bullied? You know I can help, right?"

Totsuka, not far behind, also pulled up a chair. "Hachiman, you can tell us."

His heart melted at the sight. Well, would have, had he possessed one. Instead, he grunted and let out, "It's nothing. Well, it's a bruise. But it's nothing. You two shouldn't be worried about lil ole me; honest."

The two of them didn't really need to concern themselves; it wasn't like a bruise was the end of the world. He'd come in with worse before, he thought. Though, he conceded, a lot of those were concealed. Hikigaya looked into two sets of puppy-dog eyes bursting at the seams with hints of tears. And sighed.

"It's okay, really. It's not something to be concerned about." In a lower tone, he said, "You guys shouldn't be hanging around me so much; your friends are looking at us."

Strangely, the two of them looked at with indignance. Something was brimming on the edge of Yuigahama's lips, but Totsuka pulled her away. Hikigaya wished he was dreaming because he knew he heard the faintest of sniffles, but no one said a word. Hiratsuka-sensei walked in after what felt like an hour, and Hikigaya felt himself nodding off.

When he woke up, the classroom was empty. Ugh. Was it P.E.? Or had he slept through the whole day… He yawned and stretched, his body much better off than it was in the morning. Cracking his neck had him yelp in pain as he looked at his phone. Oh, good, he thought. The day hadn't been wasted away.

Hmm… What to do? The question had so many answers. Was today really a good day to just do nothing? The hallways were empty, too. He heard the murmurings of classrooms as he passed closed doors, words just a blur as his feet tapped away at the ground in his pursuit of happiness. Everything felt so slow. So choking. He needed an out.

The rooftop was clear, though the sky sat a sadder blue, the clouds a fleeting wisp of joy like the fluttering of a sundress tinged with an unexpected drizzles. Huh. Chiba didn't seem this way before. Was it always so small? His hands hurt from how hard he gripped the fence as he peered upward, his gaze hoping to catch something - anything - in the distance.

Maybe the sky just needed a friend today. He wished he could have flown. Hikigaya heard the sound of wheels as he moved his leg and realized he'd been wearing his AT the whole time. Huh. He didn't remember rolling to school. Had he forgotten? No, he thought. He biked. He was sure of it. If he had ridden his AT, people would've noticed. Said something. His eyes widened. That meant...

"...Hikigaya, are you listening?" Crap. He wasn't. He blinked. His eyes couldn't focus on the board, and the shadow loomed threateningly over him.

"Care to remind me again what we're learning about?" Ouch. The grip on his shoulder made him gasp. Shakily, he used his eyes, hopefully conveying his message as he couldn't muster the strength to beg his teacher to stop. Agito had nailed him with an axe kick last week and the bones only started to set correctly recently. Hiratsuka-sensei's eyes narrowed as she pursed her lips.

"Meet me in the teacher's lounge after class. Oh, and detention." Well, at least he was saved for the moment. He saw Kawasaki give him a sincere look of pity as she looked at the part of his shoulder their teacher touched. Hikigaya smiled weakly at the girl and shook his head. Unfortunately, it was only a bit of pity in that look. Both strong-headed females were going to give him so much more after the day. The thought almost made him shiver as he nursed his shoulder.

Hikigaya also ignored the looks that he knew Yuigahama were giving him and he groaned internally as he thought about how much he knew Hayama was going to bug him about this. For an aloof jerk, Hayama always followed his curious whims whenever it regarded him. But, he supposed, there were genuine political reasons for higher profiled people to keep a target on his back. He didn't know how much his classmate knew, but Hayama always seemed to have some suspicions.

The rest of the day blazed by as Hikigaya stewed in his thoughts. And like a good, faithful, decent student, he showed up to the teacher's lounge as he had been requested and met with the face of death that sat still upon her throne.

He idly played with his fingers and avoided looking into the woman's eyes. How could he explain this mess to sensei? When was the detention going to be held? And how many did he have to serve? Kogarasumaru had another event in another week, and he'd been told that he had to show.

"So," she started. "Care to tell me why your shoulder felt like you had a chunk of flesh ripped out of you? Or why you're so stiff you're the equivalent of half-mast Were you having certain kinds of thoughts as your precious sensei was holding you?"

He didn't even flush; in fact, he had to hold back a laugh. Her potty mouth had nothing on Agito's. "Well, that's because I injured myself. Normally, you just hit my face and you don't really put pressure on my arms or shoulders when you grab me, but er… well, that spot's a bit tender at the moment."

To her credit, she didn't wince or turn away. Her gaze was even. She glanced around and made sure no one else was in the lounge as she lit up a smoke. "Hikigaya, you really are nothing but trouble, huh. You think I don't know how broken bones feel or how badly you must've tanked some force? Because trust me, considering what I used to get up to, I'm almost certain I've been hit the same way, and I was cleared to be out of school for at least a week. That injury felt older than a few days, and from what I know, you've hardly ever missed school. So, try again."

Her urgency struck a chord in him; perhaps, he realized, she was actually worried about whether or not her was getting into trouble. He wondered if it had to do with her job security, considering most people saw him as a student that she had taken under her wing. But he really didn't know how to go about it. So he went with the best lie: the truth. "I get into fights all the time because I'm in a gang and we like to rumble."

His deadpan disclosure was almost ruined by his desire to smirk as his teacher hacked and coughed, her brain unable to compute the information. Then,it seemed that everything caught up at once. Sensei was close to hyperventilating. "Come again? Are you insane? No, scratch that; I knew that already. What were you thinking?"

Somehow, he managed to control his voice as he leaned in to whisper, "You wish; yes, we both know I'm insane, and what was I thinking? Who knows; I was blacked out and woke up, given pretty much a not-really ultimatum to join." He left out some key details, but hey; he loved to tell stories. He just hoped Hiratsuka was getting the one he wanted her to see.

"Who would threaten a kid like you?" What kind of crowd did you get hooked into, Hiratsuka did not say. "Why would you even go along with it; you have so many resources!" You're acquainted with the Yukinoshitas and Hayama Hayato; what about police? "How are you going to handle this?"

"The world's a scary place, sensei. And besides, I don't need people to protect me. Especially when there's no need for protection."

But she wasn't having any of it. She refused to let him go. Slowly, red and orange began cutting into the edge of his peripherals. Evening already, huh. Ah. Making it to club was going to be impossible; he supposed that Yuigahama informed the rest of them about his detention and meeting anyway. He blinked and roused himself from his stupor and saw how shaken his teacher was and in that moment, he came to a conclusion. Hiratsuka Shizuka was admirable. Because no matter what her motivation, she was trying. Whether or not she truly cared, she did something. And that was more than most people in the world.

But, his heart clenched. He didn't know how much he could trust her. Teachers had obligations. And people were snakes, vipers under the flowerbed, once the scent of petals and pollen danced away. "Sensei, I'll take whatever detentions you have to give me. And I promise that I'll tell you, eventually."

Nervously, she nursed an elbow as she chewed her bottom lip. He knew she was gleaming into his eyes and looking for answers. She wasn't going to find any. And after a few minutes, Hiratsuka-sensei understood, resigned. "Alright."

His walk out of school hadn't been so melancholy before. At least, not any walk out of Soubu. The sun was dancing along the horizon, which meant that Kawasaki was still at work. He checked his phone for any emergencies and immediately stuck the device back into his pocket. Komachi hadn't texted him or left any messages. Others, though, had. He ignored them joyously and stifled a yawn.

With one last thought as to how he wanted to deal with his current mess, he sighed and started walking downtown to keep his promise. Better late than never, he told himself.

While the streets of Chiba were safe and beloved, at least by Hikigaya Hachiman, loyal Chiba native, there were sections of the prefecture that were less than reputable or at least seen that way. And the place he just walked into was one such place. At least, at some point.

The bar wasn't as dingy a place anymore. The fact that it was a weekday also helped his mood, Hikigaya thought. Fewer customers made it easier for him to secure some time with Kawasaki, who, perhaps deservedly, was glaring daggers into his heart and head.

"Yo."

"Didn't I tell you to take care of yourself?"

"And didn't I tell you that I did and will?"

"That half-torn shoulder and the bruised cheek don't make you look alright to me."

He tsked with a grin. "Not what you said last weekend when your hands couldn't keep off said shoulder and cheek."

Kawasaki Saki was a girl filled with vibrancy and vitriol and many other flavors of life. However, Kawasaki Saki was also an easily flustered individual who was still not used to being so close to someone like Hikigaya Hachiman. As such, the young girl flushed an absolutely adorable red.

At least, that's what his eyes told him. And what he told her with that same cheeky grin still on his face. She hmph'd and turned to wipe another glass, the redness on her cheeks intensifying as she walked away. He caught the manager snickering at them from afar and smiled back with a small wave.

Small mercies for the rare people in the world that put up with him, Hikigaya thought as he watched Kawasaki hasten to serve other patrons. It took a whole dreadful eight minutes before she returned to him; he clutched his chest and told her how much he missed her. She hit him lightly on the head.

"It's embarrassing to hear you talk like that," Kawasaki muttered.

"Yeah, well, as my Tuner, you and I have gotten pretty cozy, haven't we? I mean, you're the only person I could show certain parts of me to. So thanks for that, and I hope you don't mind that I'm not looking to ditch this relationship anytime soon." Hook, line, and sinker. Without a single untrue word, he mused.

Hikigaya Hachiman was treated to one of his favorite views in the world: a completely flushed Kawasaki Saki whose mouth flapped open and closed, constantly, as though mimicking a fish was the only thing she could accomplish. Before, there was still canvas left to dye red. Now, not so much. It was a great feeling, being able to tease her like this.

Her breathing stabilized after a minute, for the most part. Her asking questions was cute, he reasoned. Attempting to play things off and come off cool only made her seem warmer. "So was it the shark or Crazy Apple? Ah, so both of them. Hm… you didn't shatter any parts recently, have you? Honestly, you can afford them, but..."

"Nah, I didn't crack anything but this frame of mine. Would you still like to tune it back to perfection?"

"Hmph."

"That's not a no." She pouted and turned and couldn't help but laugh. He was lucky, he supposed, to have gotten to know her. That she accepted to be his Tuner. To be his friend. "I'm glad we can talk like this now. I mean, we're not best friends or anything but I remember when we got to know each other, things just got off the wrong foot."

"No one really starts off the way you do. And you stupidly said something you didn't mean." They both knew what she was referring to.

"Just because I was teasing at the time doesn't mean it's not true, now." His smile was crooked. Cracked with imperfect teeth and awkward lines atop skin that didn't know how to shift into anything but small grins at best. But Kawasaki Saki liked to look at everything about Hikigaya Hachiman and knew that though he was a liar, he only told truths. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Before she could respond, he pecked her cheek and left.

The walk back to the Hikigaya household chilled him, the winds calling for him to sprint his way through town. His bike felt so lackluster some days. But wearing his ATs here was just too unsafe. None of his team lived close enough, and there was no reason to really inform the world that the next Rumble King was already here.

Speaking of arrivals, he hadn't even managed to say "I'm home;" as soon as he opened the door, he heard the thumping and let out an "Oof!" as Komachi tackled him to the ground.

"Baka! Aho! Hentai! Hachiman!" Her fists thumped against his chest. "Do you know what it's like to find out you're in so much trouble from Hiratsuka-sensei? From Yuigahama-san?"

He flinched and hugged his little sister closer, rubbing her back as he did so. Komachi was right; but really, she had been sleeping when he came home and he was still asleep when she left for the morning. Not that it made the situation any better, nor was it an excuse.

"That last one isn't an insult… Hey! Ouch, stop that, Komachi, that cheek doesn't hurt that much anymore, don't make it hurt again!" At least she stopped crying. Instead, she glared at him for coming home so late. Her eyes demanded: Explain yourself. "Listen, it's not as bad as it sounds. And I have a reason for being late, you know. I was with Kawasaki for a while."

Silence. His sister's mouth dropped open, a small 'o' forming as her eyes widened. He shook his head; every time he mentioned spending time with a girl, Komachi became ecstatic. Him? He grimaced, knowing what was about to come. She knew that he'd been spending more time with Kawasaki, but he hadn't been upfront about it, much less told her that he was the one instigating any meetings or activities.

"TellmetellmetellmeTELLME."

"Whoa, whoa. Calm down there, Komachi… And I will. Over dinner, okay?" She shot up and off into kitchen quicker than he blinked. Some things never changed.

Hikigaya Hachiman was not a nice person. Hikigaya Hachiman was also terrifying. Those two facts were upheld and acknowledged with the utmost conviction by every human said to have met him. Fortunately for him, some humans also believed that he was more than described. Included in such a set was Kawasaki Saki.

Others in that category included Soubu High's student council president, an annoying pair of Yukinoshita siblings, a pink panda, Earth's sweetest little angel, a punch-hungry, date-starved teacher, and the local prince superman who couldn't have played the part of Bruce Wayne to save his own life. Which was why all of them were gathered on one special day, stunned into silence as they witnessed said Hikigaya Hachiman and Kawasaki laughing together and holding hands.

Though holding hands was most certainly the least troublesome thing about the two when they were found. In a classroom. With no windows. By themselves. In the dark.

The elder Yukinoshita sister smirked in glee. The younger sulked and paled. The teacher in the group felt her soul leaving her body - really, Hikigaya Hachiman of all people managed to obtain what looked like a secure, growing relationship before she had! - and the blonde seemed lost in thought. The youngest of the group sniffled, and the last two people crumpled into outright tears. One in pain and the other in joy. Or so it seemed.

It hadn't been intentional. Sort of. They all agreed to meet to group, in order to hunt for Hikigaya. Fortunately, they caught him. During the process of which, they passed by a school room that had been… put to use by the young boy and girl.

Said girl shrieked when she realized that there were people in the doorway; Hikigaya, startled, took his school uniform's jacket and threw it over his partner's shoulders.

"So… Hikki… Are you two uhm… I mean… Ah…"

"I'd love to tell you it wasn't what it looks like, but honestly, I have no idea how many of you guys would believe me. So instead, I'll just say this: it's what it looks like." Redder than a tomato wasn't enough to describe Kawasaki's face as she buried it into Hikigaya's shoulders. That neither of them let go of the other's hand was missed by none.

He forced the observers out so that they could (sort-of) cover most of their dignity. Kawasaki was still ripe with nervousness as he let them back into the room and she avoided looking at everyone else. It seemed, though, that the females, as one, glared at the fact that they maintained their status of interlocked fingers. Their comfort with one another also seemed to, at least to Hikigaya, activate a green look on most of the female's faces. Huh. He didn't know what to say to that.

The still awkward silence was interrupted by a brief cough and cheery wave from Totsuka, though not lessened by the tension that sat itself between them all. Well, Hikigaya thought. Cleaning up the mess earlier was better than doing it later. "...How much do any of you guys know about ATs?"

Most of them were thrown for a loop at his question. One of them, however, spoke calmly and easily, with a grace that would have given her class, if not for the radiant aura that embodied the hunt that poured out from her eyes.

"That it was intended to be an energy solution, given the fact that our conversion rates are awful, and that our utilization and optimization has been mediocre to say the least. They're also ridiculously expensive, destructive, and highly desirable. Even low-end parts can sell for quite a bit. Oh, and that they're pretty trendy, too, I guess. They're retro, but not." Of course Haruno was more familiar with the classified information than the common sense one, he laughed.

Hiratsuka's visage shifted into one of understanding. Weirdly enough, she smiled though her gaze was sympathetic toward Kawasaki."So that's what you meant by being in a gang."

The implicit I approve wasn't spoken or heard because she didn't, but Hikigaya knew that reality was a much better alternative to the things his teacher had originally envisioned.

"Aah." The others didn't get it, strangely. At least, he amended, they looked like they didn't. One could never be sure when it came to people; everyone wore three faces after all. Still, he expected some level of recognition. He thought all of them would've known about ATs by now; the global-scale battle (which was not WWIII… though had it gone on for a year or more, it might have become such) was televised everywhere.

"Explain."

"Demanding, aren't you, Yukinoshita?" The chill in the air was almost tangible; the entire time he'd known her, he presumed she possessed her own Infinity Atmosphere. Her ability to mold the weather, if not that, was some sort of psychic ability that he wished to study.

Oops, he thought. He must have zoned out because everyone was staring. Waiting. "Ah, well, people who use ATs are called 'Storm Riders.' You can run freely, solo, if you want; millions do that. But a lot of the times, the night's kind of lonely and the skies… well, they're not empty, but they're filled with emptiness."

"You could have just said that most of these 'Storm Riders' formulate groups, you know. Though, I am surprised that you would conscript your own services to such voluntary anti-loner tendencies." The haughty look would have been more attractive if it hadn't been marred by the tilting of Yukinoshita's head. Evidently, the confusion was ruining her judgment. "But why would you call it… a gang. In spite of what the world may think, how you act, or how you appear, you're not a neanderthal; using that label has terrible connotations."

Hikigaya looked at the rest of the group. "You guys wouldn't get it. Well, maybe Hiratsuka-sensei. You were probably one of the first-generation kinds of riders, right sensei?" He didn't wait for confirmation as he continued, disregarding the resignation in his teacher's face. But there was also a distinct lack of disappointment or even disapproval. With that, at least he knew someone was a potential ally. "You're right that it doesn't seem like me. But I guess even weirdos like me have quirks. This just happens to be mine and it happens to involve people. There are somethings I can deal with when I get what I want. Plus, I'm not a genius like some of you guys. I need help, too."

His words were met with narrow stares; he grinned and clutched Kawasaki's shoulder even tighter. The girl would have flushed more at his touch if she hadn't already been filled with scarlet. No one seemed to take his nonchalance well. How ironic that he had to put up with theirs all the time.

He laughed and waved his hand about, his dead gaze piercing the onlookers. His face scrunched up in thought and he carefully explained, "Most crews just want to have fun, but not everything's fun and games in a sport like AT. One misstep is lethal, and with adrenaline comes danger. Crews fight one another all the time, for parts, for pride, and for pleasure.

"You guys probably saw what happened in the wake of that destruction that ravaged the world when Minami Itsuki and Noyamano Ringo fought Takeuchi Sora and Noyamano Rika. But Yukinoshita, both of you, and I suppose Hayama, too, know what really went down a few years ago."

He flashed them his signature smile; the one that was quickly becoming mistaken for anything but a grimace. "It's true; what was televised was a battle between two AT crews, fighting to the edge of the earth, for the earth. However, that was nowhere near the whole truth. They were not the only ones at the world's end. Hundreds; no, thousands of fights involving probably tens of thousands of others were going on all at once. And most of the other fights went unnoticed considering those pairs were the peak of combat."

The vitriol with which those words were spat made Yukinoshita the younger take a step back. Hayama seemed equally unnerved, as did Totsuka. Surprisingly, Yuigahama did not quiver. Hiratsuka looked away and Haruno clenched her elbow.

But then Kawasaki hugged Hikigaya of her own accord, unprovoked by any touch from him, and all the women were, dare he say it, incensed. For just a moment. Then their expressions softened as they heard her cry. It seemed like it did not occur to any of them that the very thought of Hachiman being in danger was something to cry about; to be shocked, stunned, or concerned, yes. To be outright frightened? Moved? Inconceivable.

Nevertheless, one of them would dare to mock someone who showed such genuine care towards Soubu High's infamous loner. Particularly not when he looked at said girl like the sun shone out of her skin; he cradled her like the world's most important gem. They all melted as Hikigaya willingly shifted Kawasaki into his lap and embraced her; he didn't know what to make of their looks. Particularly not after he rubbed the shaking girl's back and kissed the crown of her head as he let silence sit inside the room.

His broke it softly as he picked up the story, his face paler, whiter, more pained than any of them had thought possible. "People died. It wasn't a joke. People died. And honestly, that's half the norm. Those battles I was talking about? People hung onto their every action, their every twist. But to people like me, that's nothing but the everyday. Maybe not to that extent, but to some degree."

Hikigaya paused to gather some breath. He hadn't been aware he was so agitated. Saki eased into him and the tension dissipate as she whispered for him to relax. His eyes thanked her quietly before he turned his attention back to the breathless audience. "I wasn't joking when I said one misstep could be lethal. Usually, those are accidents. But in the middle of a battle, one accident is all it takes for murder to be written off. So yeah, I call my crew a lot of things. That doesn't mean we're not really a gang."

Hayama Hayato's look could only have been described as thoughtful, though what lay under the surface of that charming face, Hikigaya Hachiman could only imagine. "So, then, Hikitani-kun, how long have you been a, ah, 'Storm Rider,' as you put it?" What's the name of your organization was clearer than the moonlit sky. Can you afford to be my enemy anymore?

Hm. The cogs were starting to come together. Admirable but amateurish.

"Ever since I started school here, you've been keeping an eye on me," Hikigaya said, avoiding Hayama's questions entirely. "But I think I'm beginning to see why. Was the Hayama family one of the investors into the tech?"

Hayama's smile never left his face. No one needed to hear a word to know the answer. Yukinoshita the senior shifted uncomfortably; slightly, but he caught it. So, the Yukinoshita family lent their support for the Hayama family to go forward - was it money? Clearly, though, Yukino knew nothing about it.

Interesting. Why not? She was only mildly problematic and the same age as Hayama Hayato - so what made Yukinoshita Yukino unacceptable? The silence that had been longstanding became unbearable and he noticed how lax Kawasaki had become. She was getting tired; this definitely wasn't the best way to spend one of her few days off, he thought. Hikigaya sighed. Better finish this. "Was there anything else you wanted to ask?"

At this point, Isshiki's wooden voice pierced his senses. He had forgotten she was even there. "Senpai, what does Kawasaki-senpai have to do with all this?" Why didn't you tell us? Me?

The little fox was much more aware of her environment than people gave her credit for; a trait that Hikigaya liked about her. Everyone else blinked and whirled their heads toward the girl in said boy's arms, almost having forgotten about her.

It was interesting to see them jump back to reality, he thought. Yuigahama and Yukinoshita the younger glared at his tactics but surprisingly, Totsuka and Hayama chuckled at his diversion. Yukinoshita the older had a calculating gaze as she measured the other girl but her expression was otherwise unreadable. Hiratsuka, who, by all means, normally would have looked the most jealous, was in actuality not.

Perhaps half a year ago, Hikigaya Hachiman would have been flustered by the question or grimaced at being confronted. As it was now, he was neither of those things. Instead, he grinned at the student council president's trembling, pouting lips as he rested his head on Kawasaki's. His gaze sharpened as he met their own. "That's rather personal, don't you think?"

The unheard dagger slipped between their ribs as the message slowly sank into each member of the audience: I don't trust any of you.

Hikigaya Hachiman was not a nice person. True. Hikigaya Hachiman was a mean person. False. Hikigaya Hachiman was cruel. Fact. Hikigaya Hachiman was merciless; fiction.

He was many things and contradictory was one of them. Still, he was fair in his manners. All of the members of his audience that day took his words to heart, but only some of them recognized his decision and his intent.

Only Totsuka, Yuigahama, and Hiratsuka understood that his conversation with them was his farewell. A choice made long before the act itself had. At first, the rift was unnoticed by the tenants of Soubu High, but it quickly escalated; rumor was wildfire and whispers were the timber. Soon, everyone knew that it had been three weeks since he had appeared at the Service Club. Four since his 'revelation.' As such, Hikigaya Hachiman had since opened up quite a large portion of his time and became increasingly bored.

And he was lonelier than he thought.

He missed how closely distant those people were. But he didn't regret his decision. No, he reminded himself. It was better. Safer. More logical. His reputation, he knew, grew worse by the day. Slowly, he was becoming recognized in social media and search engines.

Oddly, Hiratsuka attempted to be even closer to him, in her own way. She cornered him. Professionally, of course, and they reminisced. She was a first generation rider, as he'd guessed. Unfortunately, her story was cut short; she had shown him how her legs were riddled with scars - he flushed, not that he was ever going to admit that! - and wore the weight of a journey unfinished.

Her movements made much more sense and pensive distance from the world made even more. He wondered how badly she felt the loss of the sky. The thought hurt so badly, he hadn't dared to ask. He turned to other topics instead; other avenues of escape, arbitrary as they were, that somehow enraptured her though nowhere near the same degree.

She was delighted. His teacher gave him much more career advice and took him much more seriously in class. In fact, he'd noted that she hadn't made him rewrite any papers at all recently. Hikigaya assumed that she now understood his distressed soul-searching. After all, future prospects weren't necessarily going down the drain, but infamy hurt and would continue to hurt.

Especially because he told her just who his captain was. Her skin, pale as it was, went two shades whiter when he told her his crew's name. His teacher broke down into tears and laughed as she gently slapped his shoulder.

Good luck.

The look on her face hadn't been sarcastic or caustic or teasing or cruel or even expectant. The whisper was so easy, so pure, so forwardly humane that he was taken aback by how much their relationship had grown.

He was stunned by her honesty and, for the first time, truly smiled her. Thanked her. Then got slapped by her as he told her that if she was this genuine with the men she wanted to see, she would never have been wanting for partners to begin with. (They shared a laugh after that.)

But reactions like hers were the outlier - not that he had expected differently.

Haruno, however, surprised him the most by keeping absolute distance. It frightened him. Tremendously. She was not someone who packed her bags and left her prey. No. This wasn't backing off; this was some sort of tactical retreat, and he saw, from afar, how much Hayama and Yukinoshita were also affected.

The two had reconciled; publically, at least. Privately, he assumed that all three of them were digging around for more information about him. And the assorted cast that tagged along with him from time-to-time, now that they had finally noticed he knew people outside of them.

They had roped in some helpers, too. Quite a few people from his previous social circles were following him. Or had been, at least. It seems that they didn't dare to interrupt how seamlessly Hikigaya transitioned from awkward school boy to nonchalant, regular teenager who hung out with (beautiful) girls and had 'bro,' 'normie' moments with other guys.

Such as this occasion.

"Something bothering you?" Noyamano's finger poked his cheek. "I didn't come all this way to be ignored, you know?" If Isshiki was watching, he had no doubt that she was blowing up, though Ringo's imitation was mild and definitely unintentional.

"Hm? Ah, it's not much. I just… well, you know how things have been at school. It's hard to have a life outside of AT when the others you're with don't use AT. It was different before. I mean, I wasn't even a rider back then, but I've seen what happens. What happened. Things just aren't the same now. And not only that," he closed in and whispered, "several of the people I am acquainted with have families high up - you know what that means, Noyamano."

It was interesting, watching the delightful girl's face shift from teasing to sombre. She could only imagine. Her friends had followed her into the sky. They trudged into the abyss of their own accord. And the very thought that the people he associated with were part of the reason for her misery didn't anger her. Instead, it only shifted her desire to hug his arm even tighter. "How sad."

Her voice almost moved him; its timbre sent chills down his spine and he caught himself staring at her. He looked away in apology.

"You're too sweet," she whispered back softly, laughter spilling out of her rather pink lips. He flushed just a little bit more and the two walked further.

His own laugh barked out, starkly contrary to hers, his voice haunted. "Me? Sweet? As if. The only thing sweet about me is the amount of MAXX Coffee I manage to consume."

His companion huffed her cheeks and exasperatedly commented on how stubborn he was. He laughed again.

They walked around his beloved Chiba for a while until he suggested a park. Noyamano raised a brow as if to say, Really? He pressed a finger to his lips and her brows furrowed. Parks weren't quiet places by nature and this one wasn't as they stepped into its confines.

It wasn't much, but it was something special. To him, at least. The grass was no greener than anywhere else, the trees were not taller, and the equipment not any more durable. But along every inch of this park was where he took off. He had crawled, then walked, and eventually ran in this space. And more.

Hikigaya pointed out all the places he'd first learned to do tricks, how he always took off the swings, and where he first fought for himself as a child. The Gravity Child beside him smiled as she listened, half full of sorrows and wist, the other half full of envy.

Noyamano sighed as her back pressed into the bench, her hand intertwined with Hikigaya's in a show of support. She was a nice girl, he told her. Just nice enough, though. Not nice enough to remind him of a certain nice girl. At her raised brow, he said nothing but rested his head on her shoulder. She didn't mind.

She saw the bags under his eyes and shushed him, ignoring the whispers of the passersby and everyone else at the park. Ringo wondered why he hated to acknowledge his weakness but was still so open about it. It made little sense to her. The loneliness was taking its toll on him, and his wings ached, dull and beaten. But the good thing, she thought, was that he didn't look defeated or resigned.

In fact, she thought, he was handling it better than Ikki and Kazu. The weight of kingship seemed natural on both of the two. But in reality, that was only what they wanted everyone else to see; and to those that saw further, they knew that the storm and flames both quietly chilled into their evening lulls.

It was not a question of skill, talent, or work ethic but rather a testament to their mental faculties. Neither of them were insane but, she mused, no one was ever asked to be born or asked when they were given demands. Tasks Herculean were miserable but great; epic but sorrowful and the idea that two boys held the weight of the world on their shoulders as they fought Takeuchi Sora was mind-boggling to them and terrified them. Yet they jumped in, more on faith and adrenaline and succeeded.

The result? They often woke with fever and seemed to crumple inwards and retreat. In spite of the estate of Genesis and Kogarasumaru having reached monumental heights, they crashed downwards not after the Battle of Trophaeum and Ikki had chosen to keep his pockets light, his hands tightly gripped around his crew and whatever stragglers wandered in.

Kazu was someone who had never been labeled courageous or strong; coward and craven had often been his monikers as a child.

Hikigaya on the other hand was still trying.

And because he wasn't as good as either of the more seasoned kings, it made a difference. All the difference, really.

There was no shame in him; or rather, no shameful bone in his body. He groveled, he kneeled. He walked and stopped to pause at the world that surrounded him. It wasn't entirely that he was different from them, Ringo thought as she brushed the boy's hair out of his face. He twitched slightly; she hid a giggle.

Hikigaya, like Itsuki, did not mind the social structures of the world; like Itsuki, understood what they were and represented. But he was not as talented as the Storm King, even if his grasp of the world was sharp. Hikigaya was not as athletic or dedicated as Kazu, not as diligent or valiant in any of his efforts, though both of them enjoyed racing one another and relishing in the other's weaknesses.

Noyamano Ringo was a curious girl and she wondered just what it was that made Hikigaya Hachiman this way. He had no relation to any of the legacy Riders, no special Tuner, no particular skills that stood outside the ordinary as far as ATs were concerned.

She supposed he was a thrill. She liked those. On occasion.

Sometimes, she wished that she loved them instead of the wall of passion that she reverently slammed herself against day-in and day-out. But no one ever chose who they loved. They simply did.

She glanced at him and noticed that he seemed taller when he sat up. He yawned and stretched, rubbed his eyes as he kept them on the sun with a worship that she saw in herself only when Ikki was near. She wouldn't have been surprised if he was barely aware she was by his side. "You've really come a long way, Hachi. Really."

"Have I? I don't feel very much different. If anything, I only feel worse about myself."

"It gets better. Sort of. Things get better, at least. I can tell; your wings aren't as small as before."

She was confident, he gave her that much. It warmed him. The two of them sat in quiet for some time until Noyamano broke the silence. "What do you plan on doing, you know? You're not dropping out, are you?"

"Nah. My parents wouldn't like it. Nor would my sister. But I don't know if I'll go to university or anything like that. Might just be easier to get into a trade, but... " he huffed. "I don't think I'd be suited for that. I dunno. Hey, promise me you won't laugh?"

Noyamano nodded.

"I know I always joke around and say that I'll be a househusband or something like that, but really, being a NEET scares me. I mean," Hikigaya clenched his fist and shut his eyes, "I feel like I'm already like that some days, and it scares me."

He took a deep breath before continuing and squeezed her hand. "I always wanted to be a teacher and a writer at the same time - you know, helping Japan's future by day, killing it with bad writing by night. Kind of lame, I know."

"No, Hachi," Noyamano paused, "that's great. We… well, most of us, our futures are up in the air. Agito can always run back to the cops or armed forces - no one would dare deny him - or just go to university. Ikki… well, he could get a scholarship if he really wanted to. Onigiri and Buccha probably won't go, but Kazu-kun's on the fence. His sister went, and she thinks he needs it. He doesn't want to disappoint her. Emiri's already pushing for university and Yayoi's almost certainly a lock if she chooses. You already know what Kururu's future is."

It was odd that Kazuma was still so wishy-washy on things that concerned him, but Hikigaya understood. To some extent, at least. He may have loved Komachi an inexplicable amount, but by no means did she dictate his life and vice versa. The others were somewhat understandable as well. Onigiri, for all his smarts, held academia in high disdain and much preferred business applications; his wealthy paramour provided enough for him to drive said wealth to greater riches.

Of course, it did not escape his notice that she said nothing of herself. Cocking one eye as he caught her in his peripheral, he asked softly, "What about you?"

She looked shyly at the sky and stayed quiet, but gave his fingers another squeeze. Slowly, she melded into his side as she leaned her head on his shoulder. It was an odd sight, but her discomfort was obvious, though thankfully no one else stared at them long enough to shout at him. Noyamano didn't know, he thought. Then again, it wasn't hard to see why.

Noyamano Ringo was a cute, pretty, perky personality and had a beautiful complexion to match. She had long locks that were thick, but not too much; they were straight but bent with the wind. Tall, but not too much, were words that could have been attributed to her, too. There was a bit of madness, however, that came with the Sonia Road and her pension for acrobatics, her love for adrenaline and her rush to succeed, to excel, at everything (including school).

But Gravity Children were just products grouped by project and were not expected to age well. They were batteries and the failed replicas of Brain Chargers. They were less, but better in some ways. Though not all of them. And as all dolls, even if the plastic of their skin did not rot, they were never intended to have been playmates forever. Even the oldest of them, a man by the name Blackburn or so Hikigaya had heard, seemed more than just rundown by forty-five.

And of those children, project N-22 was supposedly the 'most perfect' of her batch: created with a purpose that she completed. One that was long buried beneath her adopted mother's name. Even the next conceivable gate to her future, the ascension of project SA-503B, had been blown apart after Itsuki pummeled him to his knees.

In short, there was nothing left for her but for her to decide.

Freedom, however, did not seem to quite agree with her. But Hikigaya Hachiman was disinterested in problems that were not his; still, as perhaps a friend of Hikigaya Hachiman's, the boy knew that she welcomed any form of support. So he squeezed her fingers back and slid them inside his pocket.

Noyamano let out a yelp and a stammer as she took her hand back and hit his shoulders as he laughed.

"'My God, my God; why hast Thou forsaken Me?'" Kawasaki whispered against his skin as she often did as she cried. In turn, he hugged her like he was wont to do and shushed her, kissing the crown of her hair as her tears waited to dry. "'Yea, though I walk into the shadow of the valley of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.'"

The workers of Tool Toul To often quoted lines from Scripture and Christianity, but he wondered why when their origin began with science. Not that he voiced it aloud. To the young woman in his arms, he whispered back, "In Penny Lane there is a barber showing photographs of every head he's had the pleasure to know. And all the people that come and go stop and say 'Hello.'"

The Beatles were her favorite but he wasn't quite sure why. Not that he disliked them, but more so because Kawasaki Saki was a good girl who kept her head down and did the things she needed to do, chased the things she wanted, but resigned herself to being swept under the rug. Except, it seemed, when it came to her taste in music and in men.

Her few friends that were not named Hina or Hachiman strongly attempted to persuade her, many times, that the new rush of Japanese and Korean pop stars were the sensations that were now but would be more timeless than her tastes, so she might as well convert herself. At least, that was what they argued.

Then again, they also told him to, in not so polite words, buzz off and disappear because he was a bug unworthy of Kawasaki Saki's attention. Her vitriolic backlash towards her own acquaintances warmed his heart.

Hikigaya wondered where all that confidence seemed to run whenever she was alone with him. Was it because he had known her for so long that she was willing to be weak with him? To lay her walls and defenses aside in the hand of someone whose very beliefs conflicted with hers?

Or, he thought, was it because that was the expected conformity between Tuners and Kings? After all, unlike other Storm Riders, they were more in tune with their limbs and mostly in tune with their elements. It made sense, logically. But perhaps it was because they shared a semblance of friendship that grew from a long-term acquaintance. He glanced at her shivering form but made little move to comfort her until she showed the need.

"Is there anything wrong with Taishi or Keika?"

She glanced at him, roused from her stupor and shook her head. Funny how she was the quiet one between the two of them; she made him seem, at times, more sociable than he was because he had to both at once read her wishes and speak to respond.

And yet none of that helped in this situation. It was odd.

"So," he drawled, "what exactly is it with you today?"

The teasing in his voice was playful; she knew it to be so. Even still, she broke down into further tears.

He let her cry out her emotions.

"I don't know what I'm doing, Hachiman."

"No one does, Kawasaki. No one really does. Plans don't survive first contact. Every second is another collision, hence, all plans go awry. And nothing stays its course."

"You sound smart when you talk like that," she teased back, her sniffling paused by her desire to choke back her laughter.

"I sound smart, huh? I guess that's good enough."

She slapped his shoulder again and hugged him. "Will you stay the night?"

"'Evil be thou my good.' Have you heard the line before, boy?"

"No."

"Shame. You'd like the story; Paradise Lost, John Milton. Published in the 1600s. A bit overhyped and overblown, but still one of the best poems in English history. Particularly of the modern variety. Also, put my force inside that kick. And adjust yourself three degrees to the left."

He grit his teeth and pried himself off the ground. Then dropped himself back down to avoid the massive shockwave that tore through the air and vomited from feeling the one that rang along the ground. How was it possible to create such a solid defense? This two-pronged retaliation worked wonders.

Hachiman wasn't sure what possessed Kilik to seek him out, but he knew he had to have been possessed to have continued after the first session. The feeling of the insurmountable, unsurpassable, stood above him, eyes glaring down as though he were being judged from a pedestal. Or perhaps another dimension altogether.

What about this was even fair?

With a heavy gasp, he heaved himself upwards. He panted, his hands barely keeping him propped up as he reached for water. In between sips, he asked, "Has Itsuki ever even beaten you?"

Kilik didn't look up as he turned another page. "Yes."

Hikigaya paused, eyes narrowed. Semantics. "No way. Maybe he's beaten your strategy; maybe he's defeated you in some contest. But I highly doubt he's ever taken you on and won."

A sharp sound - laughter? - crackled from the elder's lungs. "Seventy points. Perceptive, but lacking. Why did he win? How? In what context; you have a grasp of some things but are ignorant in many. But fret not; you're doing well. Only the shark's child sees like you, at least from your ragtag bunch."

Kilik looked Hikigaya dead in the eye, even as he sat calmly on what seemed like his throne. "Victory comes in many forms - Itsuki's victory over the virtual version of myself counts, but alas, he has never truly bested me."

He honestly doubted that anyone had. This man had taken on the wolf that stalked the heavens and walked away; limped more like it, but had come off a victory nonetheless, with much less help and much more weight on his shoulders.

That his sky was stolen and he condemned to the pitiable Earth was nothing but a miraculous set of circumstances. Truly, the Gravity Child called a 'success' was unfathomable at his peak. Even now, he was nothing but staunch opposition.

A question that had been haunting him came to the forefront of the boy's mind and passed through his lips before he stopped himself. "Would you ever have taken the sky for yourself?"

The Gaia Rider paused. For a moment, Hachiman thought the man wasn't going to answer. A ghost a smile danced on his stoney skin. "No. I never had need of such a gem; the only ones I ever wanted to hold between my fingers were those sparkling treasures I called family members."

Not a trace of shame or embarrassment littered his voice. "Perhaps, though, I should have."

"What do you mean by that?"

Kilik shook his head. Then stopped, his cross-bearing eyes scrunched in concentration. This time, a genuine smile broke its way onto his skin and he closed his book and walked over toward the teen. "This knowledge is uncommon, though not to the inner members of Genesis or Sleeping Forest. Some of the Kogarasumaru members know, too. As such, you should as well learn it now; you've stepped into Yoshitsune's shoes nicely, in spite of your flaws and inabilities."

His words cut but were not insulting. To the Gem King, it was nothing but the simple truth. Hikigaya managed to prop himself up so that he could sit and leaned against one of the gravity chamber's walls.

Kilik's gaze was distant but his words harsh and to the point.

"I could have killed Sora, but I spared him. Twice. In fact, if I had truly been the monster I should have, then the only Gravity Child of my era was to be me." He didn't even twitch at the child's surprise. "And yet, I screamed and pushed at the scientists. They did not listen until Doctor Minami interceded on my behalf. Or rather, Sora's.

"And then there was that moment where, in my wit and determination, I thought I had saved the world from a terrible fate, only to have that victory stolen by a thief who bears that goddess' name. In truth, however, if I had stayed back even a moment longer and lashed out, Nike would never have reached me in time. It was my arrogance that was my undoing then, and I learned.

"But alas, still the wolf took from the child who spared it." There was such heartbreak in him that Hachiman wasn't sure which of his next words disturbed him the most. "Firstly was his freedom; second was his will. Third was the woman he loved. And fourth was his life."

Hikigaya felt ill at the reminder that this seemingly invincible superman was nothing more than a battle simulation stored with the last of Kilik's memories uploaded to an extremely private network on the Read servers. Said simulation sensed the boy's discomfort and addressed it with dismissive ease. "You already know that I cannot leave this chamber; what remains of me cannot escape here."

That fact did not make Kilik seem any less of a sight.

What was frightening was that this chamber wasn't even the ideal for one who preferred the Gaia Road. Certainly he was the best made from his generation of Gravity Children but it was only Noyamano Ringo that flourished in full within the depths of Trophaem's hell. The Gem King admitted that he originally was never able to muster even eighty percent of his original strength here - before he was injured. Ever since then, he hadn't managed to utilize sixty percent of his strength and death dropped him to a mere forty. Fifty on a lucky day such as this.

Which showed Hachiman just how bizarre the world was. It was a testament to how fortunate that their universe followed a timeline, a path, in which Minami Itsuki's most powerful skill was one that outright countered Takeuchi Sora.

His thoughts were cut apart but an abrupt interruption: "What do you make of Minami Itsuki, Hikigaya Hachiman?"

Why do you want to know? He looked up at the white-haired man and eased himself into the wall a bit as gravity lightened. Silence passed between them, traded like relief while in reality an underlying tension even harsher than the g-force was searching the boy's soul. Meanwhile, the regal features which adorned the man's handsome face gave nothing away. Truly like stone, Hachiman mused.

"He's someone who has talent, I suppose," was what he told Kilik. "He has the king's disposition in a way. Like you but not." Like Takeuchi, he didn't say. Not that he needed to. The man's frown and narrowed eyes told the schoolboy he already knew. He decided to change the direction of the conversation; he wasn't going to get under the King's skin anytime soon. "He rides the wind the same, but chases the storm differently. There is passion and there is dispassion; he hasn't shown any dangerous tendencies or concerning ones. In truth, I suppose it's all a part of growing up that he's never shown anyone."

Half-truths were the full truth sometimes. Particularly where, and when, people were concerned. There was no way that the stresses his team captain endured were as trying as the ones a typical person his age would. Itsuki had never been one for school - exams, papers, and structure did not bode well for his flexible mind. Yet he worried much about the future of his friends and cared for their everyday needs with an extensive care embedded into his tendencies. As such, Itsuki himself was irony.

And these were facts that were mundane to Kilik, that grated on his nerves. But still, he did not grit his teeth. Instead, he smiled at the boy. As much as a twitch of the lips counted as a smile, which, on Kilik, was more than just difficult for people not named Noyamano Rika.

"Your eyes are as good as mine."

Hachiman's fingers stilled. It was the first time anyone had ever complimented his eyes. And it was done so casually, too. If it was someone he was attracted to, perhaps he would have flushed like the schoolchild he was. But this wasn't someone he was attracted to. Nor was it just anyone. This was a man who used words like strings and cut them whenever they made sense.

What was he playing at? This was Kilik. He did not give out compliments; he judged, he metered, he reckoned and he measured. Even the smallest of pebbles were never left unturned in this man's gaze. The boy struggled to find the right word. "Thanks."

"The praise, however, should not go to your head. Do not think that just because you see, you understand. That is where you differ from Itsuki. He feels more than he sees; he immerses more than he knows. And yet, here you are; a nobody. Quite literally - without any relation to a notable rider - and still you have shown a unique set of skills and talents.

"You are more than you appear to be, as all humans are wont to. But you are less than, when you try. The paradox is clear; the more you put in, the less you receive. 'Diminishing returns,' I believe the term is called. That is something you do not share with either of us. You grow, but slowly. And in the end, that growth amounts to almost nothing. No, worse; it is less than nothing because the gap between you and people like me only grows.

"Surely you see it yourself; the sessions with me show that you have tremendously keen instincts and comprehension. And yet, while your skills have grown and stretched themselves, you yourself have not. Perhaps because in the beginning you seek to master your arts rather than to learn them? Owning the fundamentals so that anything else is considered extraneous?"

He understood almost immediately. Hikigaya wasn't surprised that his words were double-edged. Mocking was in his nature just as it was Takeuchi Sora's; Kilik, however, abided by his sense of 'justice.' That justice was stalwart, much like the nature of the Wolf of Mibu: Aku Soku Zan. Hachiman's questionable talents and dispositions, his inability to commit, to act, to be, was an impunity against Kilik's very essence.

That Hachiman was so similar to him must have grated on his nerves, too. Not because he loathed the younger, but perhaps because he envied him. And all of a sudden, things made so much more sense. The metaphorical light in his head that shone clouded almost immediately with distaste and a mocking, cruel parity that convinced Hikigaya he needed to lash out back at the man.

Fighting fair was stupid, but fighting stupid was a fair way to die; so to escape that end, he was going to press every edge he held in his bleeding hands.

"This was never about Itsuki."

Kilik didn't even glance at the child as a small, grating laugh escaped him.

Funny, that. His back never seemed so small. It was a stark contrast compared to just minutes before, when the other male had been as immovable as a mountain.

"Why do you think I'm more than I am?"

"Because you are."

"Let me rephrase that: Why do you think I should try and make Noyamano Ringo love me?"

"Because you're in love with her!"

If the gravity chamber had been like any other room, it would have shattered into fragments so small that perhaps only its atoms and quarks would have remained. As it was, it did not even budge under the strain.

"No I'm not." It was a soft reply, but strong. There was no need to repeat the words. Quietly, Hikigaya laughed. "History repeats itself, right? I get it. We've reached the point where you lose yourself to madness; fitting. Shakespearian and yet truthful. But only if we're talking about glasses half full. You see yourself in me. You see Noyamano Rika in Ringo; you see Sora in Itsuki. But we're not the same."

His voice grew as he raised himself. Even though Kilik's back was toward him it felt as though he was looking into the elder's eyes. "She loves Itsuki and one day, Itsuki will grow to love her. He will. You think that just because Noyamano and I get along all the time in here, we're like that everywhere. Newsflash, Gem King: we aren't. We're friends. Close? Perhaps by some definitions. Distant by others.

"I don't hate her. She doesn't hate me. And I repeat: we seem to like one another. But that does not mean what you think it does. For all your genius, for all your insight, you're really not me." It was at this moment that Hachiman's voice crackled in marvel. Delight was most certainly not the elation he was experiencing, though it could have been said that it was an unstoppable desire of his pursuit of airing the genuine. He pressed on, unrelenting.

"But when all is said and done, our affair is one of curiosity and not one of passion. Noyamano and I, we just don't understand one another. Friendship isn't forever; it ebbs and flows. Waxes and wanes. We're trying to make it there and see if it can last. All we want to know is how much we can trust each other. So you see, Kilik, I'm not you."

Hikigaya got up and walked out and never bothered to look back to Kilik's grieving face. Once that was locked into his past. One that held onto a false hope.

Because even though Takeuchi Sora wasn't the Sky King, he was the sky. Once, he had been everything to Kilik; closer to him than his own twin, and he knew, too, that Sora felt much the same. Once, he had longed for that boy. But as they became men, he knew that instead of Sora, his heart lurched for someone else. Sure, it had been out of spite and jealousy from words and enthusiasm. But upon just seeing her, all those emotions melted in a wave of desire. And that longing warred with envy and he found himself at a fork in his road where neither path could have been taken.

So he walked a third and took the safe choice: he never made any. And when he had done so, the damage was irreversible.

Perhaps his cause was lost to begin with. Perhaps it wasn't. Regardless, his words, his actions, his existence, were all met by the oldest friend of man and "Kilik" was swept away into those waiting arms.

Hachiman knew this not because he knew anything from the man's mouth, or Takeuchi's, or Noyamano's, or any from anyone's confessions. But he had read between the lines long enough and bled through the many logs of data and stories with reckless abandon because he himself figured out long ago that he wasn't Kilik.

But he might have once been met with the same fate, had he not seen it himself.

The chilly air of Tokyo haunted Hikigaya Hachiman and he found himself wandering the streets until he saw other riders. Their spirits raised his and he smiled to himself. They were so carefree, he thought. How lovely. He walked past them and continued walking with no intention of stopping anytime soon.

When he finally checked his watch, he noted that it was past midnight and he grimaced. Fortunately, he had told Komachi that he wasn't going to be around much this weekend and that he was staying over a friend's place - his sister all but shoved him outside and told him to stay over for as long as he liked.

He didn't have any such place at all. But that had never stopped Hikigaya Hachiman.

His legs stretched themselves and he rode easily between the buildings and danced until he felt that he couldn't walk anymore and collapsed into the comfort of a tree. His eyes shut themselves and he felt tired, weary of the weight that others wanted to give him.

Why was the sky so heavy? He never wanted any of these burdens; then again, he conceded, no one really did. Among Kogarasumaru, there was not a single King who wanted to wear a crown at all. They all simply loved their craft too much to pass the chance to do more with it. Idly, he wondered if that was the nature of man or the fault of fear itself.

It was a little past sunrise when he woke and he groaned into the morning as he mentally kicked himself. Hikigaya wasn't sure why he thought spending the weekend with the intent to be concealed in a chamber with Kilik of all people seemed to pass the 'good idea' checkbox but he supposed he'd done worse before. However, there was no chance he was going to return.

With little left in him, he sighed and dragged himself over toward the Noyamano residence. After it had been well into the morning, of course. He even brought with him some offerings: doughnuts and coffee, some bread buns, too.

Noyamano Ringo unlatched the door with a breathy huff as she scrambled to keep some semblance of presentability with her twintails loosely locked and he glasses thrown onto her dazed face.

"Yo."

He didn't even flinch at the slap; he lifted the bags and pushed past his teammate, walked into her dining room table and dropped off his sacrifices.

"What are you doing in Tokyo of all places?"

"I think that's rather personal."

"Not when you're in my house it's not."

"Technically, this house is under Noyamano Rika's name."

"Technically, I can throw your ass into the streets and let you freeze."

He paused. "Please don't let me end up a homeless bum for a few more hours? I won't stay the night anyway. Probably. I have school tomorrow, you know. Oh, and thanks for the table."

The side of his head hit the surface as he watched Ringo's cheeks huff in annoyance.

It felt like pins and needles all over his face and neck when he yawned and stretched himself upward. No one was home, but there was a note thanking him for the food and drinks. Komachi texted him saying she was going to be out until later that evening and as usual, neither of his parents were going to be home anytime soon.

He checked his messages from his remaining contacts of his decimated circle of contacts. Surprisingly, Hiratsuka-sensei was going to an omiai. Totsuka was practicing tennis as usual. Saki wasn't working but had to take care of Keika.

Hikigaya sent the last person a text: Can we hang out later tonight?

Her response came almost instantly. Sure.

As his fingers hit the 'Send' button on a simple message of :), the door to the Noyamano house opened and he found himself looking at the face he had left in a capsule of Trophaeum. Only, it was on another person. Her eyes were sombre and not full of life, he thought.

Before he could get a word in, she spoke. "Your eyes don't look much like his."

He noted that she didn't say 'ours.'

As he studied her face, he couldn't help but be taken aback by her expression. He sipped his tea and told her, "I don't suppose they would."

"No, I guess not." She looked like a smile was meant for her face and that the frown that currently occupied it had better places to be. Namely on the boy's face instead.

"So, uh, what are you here for? No one's home."

She laughed. Hollowly. It might not have seemed such a way if one only watched her body and her facial expressions, the way she carried an energy about her, but if one saw past the plastic that was the human body's willingness to lie, it was simple to see how uncomfortable she was. Almost as though she had never worn anything but that mask except for the briefest of times.

Hikigaya Hachiman, of all people, would have known such a look.

Her eyes were fixated on him as she smiled and he wondered how easily emotions came to her considering it seemed like she wore them as though they could be thrown away at a moment's notice. "I just wanted to finally meet the boy my brother who captured my brother's interests. It's not often that he cares."

Ah. So that's how it was. He supposed it wasn't hard to figure out, with a brother like hers. Then again, she was also somewhat friendly terms with the Crazy Apple. And was definitely on 'friendly' terms with Itsuki. But why was she curious to seek him out here?

Or, he thought to himself, he wasn't important enough to chase except while he was in the city. Which made quite a bit of sense. He knew that she knew of his position in the hierarchy of Storm Riders; she wasn't stupid, wasn't ignorant, and wasn't someone who seemed to let opportunity float by. But even if he was the Rumble King, it wasn't as though he had any value to someone like her.

He wasn't sure how to respond to her words. They probed and searched and admittedly, a small sense of indignation flared in him. Not that he was going to show that. His voice dry and sarcastic, he spoke: "He should. Especially with a cute little sister like you."

She giggled into one of her sleeves and slapped his shoulder and he was struck again by his earlier hypothesis. Not just how quickly her mood seemingly changed or how smoothly. Her actions belittled her temperament and he felt the anger even though she had been gently playing about. Her level of self-control told him just how visibly she was Kilik's twin.

He continued, gauging her reaction as he did so. "God knows I wouldn't last a day if my little sister went without being embarrassed by how much I care. Also, by the way, you're too good for a guy like him, even if you are being a wonderful little sister. You don't have to apologize for him, you know?"

"I don't need your pity." Her eyes were light but her words an edge. "I'm here out of my own curiosity; don't you dare think I'm not my own person, little prince."

"You don't, but if a lady asks, what kind of gentlemen denies? And I'm not a prince; but if I was a prince, shouldn't I be looking out for you anyway, my queen?"

Another frown slipped onto her skin, though it was much more of a pout. Her facial fluctuations put him on edge and he couldn't help the tapping of his fingers. "You're sharp but way too serious. You're not as fun as Karasu-kun."

"I've heard a lot of things about me and him," the boy said mildly. "Not that I mind so much anymore. It's old news. Frankly, it's tiring just rehashing the same subject."

"Perhaps," she conceded.

They sat there for some time and basked in each other's presence. Well, at least one of them did. Hikigaya Hachiman was a healthy young male who was not against the company of attractive females but an innate wariness had long since been trained into him. Thus, he was not at all comfortable with how easily the Migratory Bird made her nest in the Noyamano household.

While he had little doubts she was an enemy to them, he had no idea if she was one to him. And he certainly did not want to make her one. But then a thought struck him. A thought that had haunted him for months and was forgotten until he thought of his previous night.

"So tell me, then. What do you make of me, Pledge King candidate? Or is the title Pledge Queen, as all the runners for said title are or were ever only women?"

She jerked in surprise and lifted her own mug of tea to take a sip, her sleeves covering her lips and lower face. Was she smiling? His question interested her, he supposed, because she responded to it. "You know as well as I that Sumeragi Kururu has assumed that crown and is unwilling to give it up. It is her life."

It was known that Hikigaya Hachiman was a curious person. However, having never met him, Simca was undoubtedly in the dark about just how much. As such, she had no preparation for his next words.

"Perhaps," he said, mirroring her earlier response. "But the Pledge is the only Road where there can be twins. Or more accurately, the only Road where more than one King can truly seat the throne and access the Regalia simultaneously. It's something that draws eyes, ears, and even noses; it's a Road that turns heads because, well, I suppose it is one run by many. As someone who thinks a lot, it's no secret that I possess many questions."

She nodded along, that same playful eye-smile dancing along her lips. Every action, he reminds himself, is just an illusion. And yet, it was impossible for him to avert his gaze. He watched how she molded her skin and controlled every twitch and flush. He also knew she understood that she had drawn his eyes in; so he allowed himself to play prey. They sat together in quiet and stared into each other's eyes.

Then, all of a sudden, the string was cut and the swallow found itself in the maw of a rusted cage. His words darted past her defenses and dragged her to the earth, much like she once did for another raging beast. There was not even the barest hint of a change in inflection as he released his bait.

"And who better to ask; it was designed for you, after all."

Clack. The Migratory Bird hissed, scalded by her dropped tea. This time, her anger was genuine. And in the briefest instant, her instincts flared and her attitude shifted into attack mode. Once prodded, animals were wary. After that second passed, she changed again into that cheery self, though the pretense was never faker than before. Her hands found themselves cleaning; her eyes found themselves attached, stuck.

Hikigaya sipped calmly his own drink. This time, he hid his own smile as he watched her. The question of "How?" was so obviously on her lips. He cracked his neck. "You learn a lot of things when you walk the streets at night. The internet is also a powerful source; forums galore, don't you know?"

At her glare, he raised his hands. She wasn't a fan of his joking. Then again, not many were. He took another sip and spoke again. "Just kidding. It was hard to figure out but is rather easy to see. Well, as long as all the parts are together. Oh, and I suppose I should apologize; after all, I said something incorrect before. The position of Pledge candidates haven't always been women; just the ones the world knows about. Much like the position of Thorn."

His smile turned calmly predatory, if one could have called the smalled upwards quirk of lips a smile. He sipped his tea again. "The Pledge obviously wasn't for you. Not specifically."

Then she laughed; it was a beautiful sound. At least, when it started. It descended into a frantic stream of noises, choked with tears and a tint of madness as she tilted her head back. He wondered what her eyes saw in that moment, just before she whirled and turned her attentions back to him, her voice hysterical. This time, she was able to vocalize her displeasure.

"How? How," she repeated. "You can't tell me you just 'found out.' That's not how things work. Stop laughing! You, you're infuriating. There was nothing to see to begin with. Sora made sure that the Ouranos Configuration data was scrapped almost immediately; before we'd even left the Tower."

The only response she received was a nonchalant shrug that asked, What can I say?

It was the straw that broke the camel's back. Simca had never met someone so strange before, and as her emotions ran high, so did her thoughts. How could someone like this exist? Their first meeting and he had gotten under her skin; the same way that Sora used to. The same way Kilik did. And he wasn't even trying.

She saw in his eyes nothing but genuine curiosity and a desire to learn; not a desire to use the knowledge but a pointless passion, a drive that sought to know for knowing's sake. A useless thirst, but one that was pursued with skills that did not match in the least bit. It was almost like a dissipating wind that drew in others, only to let them go.

Fitting, that he ran along the Over Road.

Her mind wheeled back to the discussion she had with her brother over the night and recalled how wistful his expressions seemed. There was something about this Hikigaya child that attracted her brother. At first, she thought it was how she viewed the little crow. She was wrong. Very much so.

It was not even his mind, his eyes, or even his view and perception. It was the mere existence of this creature that seemed to blow things out of proportion by keeping them just under the cusp of expectation. A maddening experience, she supposed.

He went beyond intelligence; it was almost uncanny how much Hikigaya Hachiman seemed to be aware of things he shouldn't have possessed even the scent of. This level of intuition wasn't deeper or more profound than Karasu's, Sora's, or her brother's. But it was just so different. How was she supposed to handle this?

All of his jumps were consistent and logical.

It might have taken a large part of faith, insight, and reasoning to get to where he had arrived, but the decision making was laid out clearly almost as though such a feat were commonplace. And that was something she wasn't used to.

It wasn't like understanding the wind or learning how to ride out a new trick. Things like that made sense in their own ways. He made things make sense in his way. But, she thought to herself, he wasn't an idiot; he knew he was an outlier but not a genius. So what was the point of this? The idea that all of this came forward from the smallest seed of curiosity wasn't right. This bordered on obsession.

As she took another look at the boy, she tuned out how distant his gaze was, lost in his own world even as his senses observed her. He mouthed the words to songs and tapped his fingers along the table almost as though he were the one nervous here. Her eyes widened as the truth peeked out; he was nervous! How did he manage such a facade?

She studied him a bit more and came to the conclusion that he was hesitant not out of fear of her but a fear for himself; he was afraid to disappoint himself, of being unable to sate that hunger of his. She didn't dare to call it selfish. He was being honest in his expressions, but only when people bothered to look. This was madness. Even looking at him began to drive her breathing into a heaving, weary motion.

And yet, underneath everything that he portrayed, was made to seem, and exuded, was an undeniable layer of softness to his eyes. Almost like a kindness that felt like dying embers that glowed beneath the veil of an eclipse.

His concerned look made her snap. It wasn't pity but it was close enough that she felt too suffocated. Her voice turned to shouting and she slammed her palms against the table. "You're crazy. You're absolutely crazy. You make no sense at all. You have no idea what you're talking about and no idea what it even means."

"That's why I'm asking."

She bit her lip and sighed. The crosses in her eyes came to the forefront and were inhuman at that moment. For the first time, it seemed as though she were actually looking at him. Not for the rumors or the words that passed through mouth and ears, but at just who exactly sat in front of her. Steady, she told herself. Steady. God, why was she so emotional?

Resignation lined the softness of her words as she found some semblance of control. "How did you figure this out? Rika never knew, nor did Falco; even most of the Gravity Children don't know. The handful that do are down to a count of three. Nike never understood, after all."

"Interesting. Even the infamous Makigami Ine doesn't know?" She flinched. He caught the fact she hadn't said that three living members knew, but as she searched him, she saw that he wasn't keen on telling anyone else. Perhaps, she thought, Hikigaya's selfishness was her saving grace in this instance.

"Well, I can't say I was ever a twin or born for someone else. But what I can tell you is that I'm just me: Hikigaya Hachiman, seventeen years old, male, lives in Chiba, and is just another rider. I'm not a god. And I'm not a genius. I just use these eyes I was born with. Brain cells happen to exist in all persons, though to what degree they are being used and explored seems highly variant."

His voice seemed to make the beautiful woman angrier. Or at least, that's what he thought. He didn't want her to explode so he went on, "Really, all I had to do was look at Noyamano Ringo and her part in making the Storm Regalia. The fact that Tool Toul To is a network is a dead giveaway. The fact that anyone can run the same Road is another. The fact that there remain so few Regalia is the last; because that's the trap. But in truth, how I figured it out was just by talking to your brother.

"He's weak." There was no use in skirting the heart of the matter. "Undoubtedly stronger than me, still, but with respect to his former strength? Much weaker. But as I did some thinking, I realized that even if he was at one point the strongest Gravity Child, matching his peak compared to his current form made no sense. But no one would ever have noticed; no one would have cared.

"No one but Takeuchi Sora, of course." Simca pinned him with a stare; the younger returned it in kind. "That wolf would have known what kind of mountain he was facing and while he was a wildfire that had to be put out, he was someone whose burning wouldn't have averted his gaze from a cold, staunch truth. One that was already known was that Takeuchi Sora was weaker than Kilik; definitively so, even after his 'ascent' to becoming the Wind King. It was something I'd guessed at but that preacher confirmed how much so last night - he claimed that he could have killed Takeuchi twice.

"But moving back to the point, Takeuchi kept Kilik around both for rivalry and spite, but also because he saw something in that genius brother of yours. Something that he had to have shared, something he knew he could make use of. And so I started thinking: what do Kilik and Takeuchi Sora have in common?

"The first clue was obviously that you were sets of twins. However, I was thrown off for the longest time by the idea that you tuned your brother and Nike tuned Sora. That's an easy answer, a simple solution." The Swallow looked away. She was not ashamed by her past, he noted, but not pleased by it either. "But then I remembered how much Itsuki got angry whenever Nike was mentioned in the same sentence as you; almost as though he thought you belonged to him. And then everything clicked from there.

"Kilik and Takeuchi were not just battle partners; but what could that relationship have been? What ran so deeply that they felt at peace with one another when they had friends and siblings that moved in tandem with them? The answer was not easy to come to at all, particularly because I had in my mind something that I wanted to see, rather than seeing what they so wanted to keep hidden.

"But I persevered and played your matches many times over; so much so that one might have called me obsessed. And still, I did not find anything for, perhaps, several months. It didn't when I reviewed with Itsuki or Agito. Ringo joined me sometimes, you know. I made it a habit to watch these videos everywhere. Even Noyamano the eldest didn't see it." Hikigaya chuckled darkly, his smile wrought with fond remembrance. "They all just thought I was the ultimate fanboy. Yet I kept insisting that there was something I was missing.

"As I watched film after film of your oldest battles, it occurred to me that they almost never fought together. Oh yes, they participated in the same games but never usually with the same opponent. And so calling them 'battle partners' was little more than insult to some who saw how strong they were individually; but if you looked at how easily they trusted one another, the message was clear: I can take care of this.

"Which meant that a foundation of sorts existed, with the key being this: they fought to the utmost of their current capacities, yes. Only, those were much smaller wells than the one the frog thought he had been born in. But why? Why would they never use their full strength? Among the conclusions I arrived at, it occurred to me that they were both insulting asshats. No offense. But that couldn't be it." Hikigaya scratched the back of his head as he yawned and leaned back. He still felt tired and speaking his thoughts out loud to a stranger was more tiring than he wanted it to be.

"I'll admit it took some time. A bolt from blue hit me as I thought of how my own Tuner and I interacted, but that seed stayed hidden for some time. But this thought didn't: what deeper relation could there be as partners than the Pledge? After I some reflection, it seemed obvious - they were the other's Tuner. Again, I had to remember that nothing says you can't run more than one Road. And I thought that was it. I was impressed; more than that, I guess. But then one day with Kilik, I noticed how deep his sorrows ran. The expression he made was something I'd never seen across human skin."

Hikigaya Hachiman had never many friends; thus, the few he had were cherished to their fullest and all relationships in general were optimized and maxed out in ways that he could view, understand, and use them. And yet among them all, he realized that he had always felt distant to everyone. Isshiki. Totsuka. Hiratsuka, though that gap was closing. Kawasaki Saki and Noyamano Ringo were his highest confidants aside from his sibling, but even Komachi was distant to him.

Due to that epiphany, the nature of Sora's and Kilik's relationship seemed to right itself as the paradigm by which he saw it shifted into its natural place. Grief was something he thought that he understood, but truth be told, Hikigaya Hachiman was young and naïve and had never felt such close connections die off.

The former Gem King's anguish burned its image into his brain, almost an equal obsession to Hachiman's own search for himself. After all, if they were similar, then he had every right to be concerned; regardless of what he had told Kilik within the past twenty-four hours, he knew that while they were not the same, they could have been.

And so he researched everything about the man he never would be.

He blinked and as he noticed that his voice stopped. His tea had also gone cold. He coughed and dealt the final blows. "The one thing I realized was how important it was to look at your relationships. Biologically speaking. Because you all were sets of twins, your genetics were matched for a larger portion than most of the others. And if Nike and you could tune one another and vice versa with your siblings, the only logical explanation was that each of you can, did, tune one another. Or rather, were made to tune each other."

She lost her breath and paled three shades, the blood entirely gone from her system. Hachiman wasn't finished. "The secret to the Forest of Trophaeum is that you were all designed one set of wings. In other words, you can run the Wing Road, as can Kilik; this was made obvious by Nike's theft of Kilik's Regalia and using it to evolve the Gaia Road whilst being a forerunner of the same path his twin took. Q.E.D.; thus ends my inquiry."

The tension in the air was suffocating. Simca looked as though she were about to cry. Hikigaya felt a twinge of self-loathing creep its way throughout his left atrium and a weight of lead tug at his lungs. But he could not bring himself to avert his gaze. Instead, he did something he only ever did with Saki and Ringo.

His fingers found themselves over hers and he clenched them, squeezed warmth into her cold palms. Simca's eyes were deadened but not gone. In place of her previous vibrancy was a paranoia that could only have been described by one word. Human.

Hachiman shushed her until the hiccups were out. His words after were mere whispers. "You still exist. You are who you are. Just because you were something doesn't mean you are that same something, Migratory Bird."

"I came here wondering who you were; but now I know."

"And who is that, exactly?"

She just smiled at him.

Simca left the premise not long after but before she did, she left a suggestion that he come back to Tokyo to visit her. The offer was tempting, he told her, but not advisable. She looked upset by the notion but the two of them knew it was a far chance that he would ever come just to visit her. If he wasn't going to come to her, she said, she would have to go to him; but only when he was near enough. She might have been the Migratory Bird, but she had no interest in nesting where there was no space to nest.

He sighed. What a mess, the boy thought to himself. But at least something came out of this trip to Tokyo.

As he wandered the streets and buildings, he found himself lost in a sea of buildings and unfamiliar faces with a yearning to head home. So he did.

The train home held another surprise for him: a young, perky brunette that wasn't someone he spoke to too much. She sat quietly alone and he felt inclined to make conversation with her in spite of his loner tendencies; he ascribed it to the fact she looked so out of sorts and seemed to be the type of person that others would prey on.

"Shiromeguri-senpai, what are you doing so far out on your own?"

"Ah, Hii-chan." Who the hell was Hii-chan? He turned to leave. "Wah, don't go!"

He sighed and sat down and felt a hand patting his head; Hachiman resisted the urge to flush. "It's okay to feel embarrassed, but don't be. I'm just your senpai; come on, you can tell me anything!"

"Sorry," he said, not really meaning it, "but that's not true. After all, you'd go off and tell Haruno things she doesn't need to know."

The girl huffed. "Who do you take me for? I wouldn't do that."

He cast a suspicious glance at her puffed cheeks. "I respect you as my senpai, but I can't give you answers to things that don't belong to you."

"Fine, fine." This girl was too easy-going. "Well, anyway, I'm surprised you're so far from Chiba. I haven't seen you talking to Yukino-chan, Yui-chan, or Iro-chan recently. You talk to Sa-chan though, so I guess that's good. But what are you doing all the way here?"

"We just happened to part is all. Conflicts of interest; I'm sure you've had your fair share of split ways. As for my being here, I just happened to have some business."

"Hii-chan is so adult!" The way her voice squeaked drew far more attention than it should have; when people saw who said it and to whom, he received no small amount of hatred. Looks of disgust and whispers and pointed fingers were no strangers to Hikigaya but even he had lines drawn.

"Shirogmeguri-senpai, please."

"Okay, okay," she giggled. "But really, you need to learn to relax. I wouldn't let anything bad happen to my kouhai!"

As she said that, she bundled up close and hugged his arm, beaming up at him with the whitest teeth. Truly, a devious mind beneath all those layers of cute, he thought. If he hadn't known that she was like this before she met Yukinoshita Haruno, he would have attributed these traits to her.

But Shiromeguri Meguri had been a known quantity since he enrolled in Soubu and all his attempts to evade her attention were often made a mockery and over the years she and he had established a strange relationship of sorts. Some could have described it as senpai-kouhai; others would have said onee-san to otouto. He described it as simply what is was: a mess.

The two of them got off at the Chiba station before they parted ways and he rolled along the streets with an easy quiet to his strides. It was nice to be home.

He let time fly as he closed his eyes and rode through his hometown. The winds danced about him as he whirled and twisted; he made sure to avoid as many people as he could, particularly any of those that recognized him. When the sun finally began to settle behind some clouds, he checked his watch and sped off toward the Kawasaki household.

His fingers keyed a message to double check: We still good?

The response was almost instant: Yeah.

Hikigaya smiled. They hadn't been able to meet much after school these past two weeks due to her younger brother falling ill as well as the fact that Hachiman had been called to Tokyo four times, three of which were by Kilik.

But now, there was little worry that the man would be so insistent upon seeing him. Or so he hoped. The boy shook those thoughts from his head as landed gently in front of his secret hideout. He knocked and was greeted by a tackle from his favorite child in the whole world, her laughter filling his ears as he tickled her and scooped her gently into his arms. Hachiman greeted the eldest child of the house and the two of them shared smiles that lost themselves into the night.

"Isshiki, what are we doing?"

"Isn't it obvious, Senpai? I still need a bit of practice."

Frustrated, he huffed an annoyed sigh. "I can't keep doing this, you know."

Startled, she glared at him. "Hey, it's not like these sessions are entirely useless; besides, we are productive most of the time. Don't snort. And I don't ask you all the time."

"You mean they're productive for you. And yes, you do."

"Fine; on both accounts. But I ask because you're never around. How else am I supposed to see you?"

It was a fair point. He had been avoiding her and she wasn't dumb enough to forget how it started, or when, and he knew she always wanted to know just why. So she picked up ATs herself and tossed away the premise of 'practice dates' for genuine practice at something.

Overall, a good tactic and decent execution. The main issue was that her stance was countered by his indifference. However, from time to time, he did give in. No more than twice a month at best, but no less than once.

Image was a motivating factor, he supposed, but it mattered little at this point. Most of Soubu knew he had a falling out of sorts with his previous acquaintances. Still, the masses had to be informed that Isshiki wasn't an easy target.

For all her shortcomings and his desire to leave her, it really was his fault that she ended up with so much to juggle. And the fact that she knew this and used it against him was somewhat heartwarming.

"So where are we going today; a park? A skating rink?"

"How about a park? But first, let's go shopping. My wheels are getting kind of weird. They uhm, feel kind of funny, and so I think that I might need new ones."

That surprised him. It hadn't occurred to Hikigaya that Isshiki had actually been practicing; at least enough to the point where her wheels became worn. It had only been three or so months and the girl was swamped with work, student council responsibilities, and classes.

He smiled at her and she blinked. Slowly, a redness flushed itself out across her skin and she began to fidget. "What. Do I have something on my face? Please don't tell me I missed some acne."

Hikigaya laughed. "It's nothing like that. I'm just glad you've found the sky. Come on."

The scarlet didn't leave her skin as she held onto his arm. Seeing the girl this embarrassed made him chuckle as she swatted at him. Rather than take her to his usual place, he took Isshiki to a medium-sized store. Her surprise at how many options for everything reminded him just how overwhelming it was to him when he began to show interest in ATs.

"What do you mostly practice on?"

"Ah, I only have the one set; you know, the one we bought together when I started. I wanted to get another, but I wasn't sure if I'd mess up, you know? Even though AT are cool, messing with them seems a bit scary," she admitted. "I can kind of see why you didn't think this kind of stuff was for us."

He understood that. Once the adrenaline wore off, reality set in and the sheer phenomenon of Air Trek was nothing short of heart-pounding psychopathy. He had warned them all in his monologue revelation that ATs, Storm Riders, were no joke. They thrived on the line of life and death and it looked like Isshiki was nowhere near that line just yet.

"But," she continued, "I think it's great that this technology exists in the world. And that it's being used everywhere, you know? It's dangerous and scary and has a lot of faults, but really, if people start young, start now, it'll become normal."

Isshiki smiled at him and spread her arms in a circular motion. He noted how conflicted her smile was. "Ne, Senpai, don't you think it's a bit like coding? I mean, how people are talking about how much it's taken over the world; that in twenty, maybe fifteen, or even ten, years that coding literacy will become a necessity."

Ah. Did she feel forced into this? "You know you don't have to practice AT. It's not about being like everyone else or keeping up with the times; this is different. Your analogy is good but not parallel; coding doesn't carry an inherent physical risk, unless you're always typing for absurd hours, which you aren't. ATs will never be 'for everyone.'"

If this were a fairy tale, Isshiki Iroha would have donned a relieved look, smiled at Hikigaya Hachiman, and leaned into him. Perhaps give him a light peck on the cheek; or perhaps grabbed his hand and dragged him off as they explored more of the shop, the streets of Chiba, and greater heights for her AT skills. But, as it was, it was not such a story.

Instead, Isshiki Iroha seemed upset with him, for reasons that the boy did not understand.

"What?"

"Don't you think that's kind of sad though?"

"Not really, no. Life isn't about fairness; everyone isn't good at everything. Everyone doesn't have access to everything. Forget ATs; there are many people who struggle with walking and breathing and there are others with different kinds of handicaps. What makes this one worse than the rest?"

She didn't have an answer and after some time muttered, "Never mind."

The two of them did not speak much after that. Only when necessary.

"Say it again, trash!" Agito's eyes blazed, a fury to them that wasn't unheard of nor unseen, but a tenacity that seemed invigorated by Kazuma's nonchalance.

Kogarasumaru had been through a number of years and they took their toll. Said team was growing rife with arguments every now and then and most of the time it had been jokes and harmless teasing. However, there were some days when the tension burst.

"I said that at the rate we're going, we have no future. We're just a pale imitation of Genesis and Sleeping Forest. We don't even ride for fun anymore. Don't give me that shit, Agito. You're not a moron like me; if I can see it, then you've been seeing it for some time."

It was true. Half-true. They rode for fun but they battled for victory.

"If you want to leave, pansy-flamer, go then. Because I don't see exactly why you're freaking out about things now. We're not gathering Kings on purpose; you've known that forever. Don't compare us to them. We've always just done what we wanted."

The other half of the truth was that while they battled for victory, they did not engage in battle as often as they could have. Kogarasumaru was a team of exploration. It offered shelter, strength, and the unknown. At its core was the Storm King that drew the other elements in; but those elements, once within the storm, were not kept at bay. They clashed with one another and created a second storm inside the first as they watched one another.

This never happened in either Genesis or Sleeping Forest, perhaps, because they all had the same goal. Or rather the team was presented with just one.

But Kogarasumaru was no such team. Above everything else, they had but one rule: All for one. A simple concept; a common thought. Except that it was embodied in an unusual manner: they covered one another together and did not stop each other from pursuing what they desired. They were, as some called them, organized chaos.

They did not follow one lead except when all agreed to it; they allowed all to follow their own hearts. And it worked, for the longest time. But for Mikura Kazuma, it seemed that this time had run through.

Perhaps it was the stress of adulthood. The choice to continue to commit these countless nights with the friends he had known since childhood had been so easy to embrace as someone who was only fifteen. But as someone who had lived past his eighteenth birthday and realized that his school tenure was at an end led him to greater uncertainties.

He had confided in them the inescapable fault of accepting the fact that he wasn't sure where his future lay; that he wanted to go to university was one thing, but his ability to do so wasn't so high.

Or it might have been the fact that he had grown weary of running, the very thing that defined his life. His outlook on things was no longer to run from them but rather to charge toward them.

It clearly showed in his Road.

"Kazu."

"...Yeah?"

"If you felt this way for a long time, why didn't you say something. Aren't we brothers?" Itsuki's voice was soft. His eyes were weak with anger.

"It's because we're brothers, Ikki." Tears started to track themselves down the blonde's face. "How am I supposed to say I don't feel like I belong in this family anymore when I've never known any other?"

Instead of reassuring his best friend as to why he should have stayed, Minami Itsuki went out of his way to launch an offense; an affair of truth was a dagger not in the dark but slipped cleanly between the ribs during the light of day. "Why are you still here?"

The Flame King's face twisted with anguish and he ran off, the ground lit ablaze as he tore through Tokyo. He was a blur, a speck, in the space of a moment.

"Fuck!" Anger hissed from Agito's mouth as he repeated profanities the boy disappeared in the opposite direction. No one bothered to chase him either.

Small blessings that neither Emily nor Yayoi were here tonight. Then again, they hadn't come by for some time, he thought. Hikigaya Hachiman's gaze was solemn as he watched how still Minami Itsuki kept himself. The eye of the storm wasn't the calmest place. In truth, it was where the most wretched sat, unable to move out of the fear that the storm would close in; afraid to watch it all dissipate and see the wreckage left in its place.

Ringo hugged her lover from behind and he melted into her touch. The two of them cried together and Hachiman found himself wheeling away, in the direction that Kazu had gone.

There were only a few places that the boy would have disappeared to. It wasn't hard to figure that he vanished to the rooftop of East Side.

"Hey."

The blonde didn't even bother to look up. "Hey."

The irony of the situation wasn't lost on Hikigaya. He sighed as he sat down next to his teammate. "Mikura, I know you're not interested in going to college. I know you're not interested in school. So what is it that you want to do with your life?"

"I don't know."

That's not an answer was what Hachiman wanted to say. Instead, he said, "From what I've seen, you're too caring. You're not selfish enough."

They both knew it was true and let the quiet night bite at them. Hachiman's voice dropped, but it was neither comforting nor consoling. "You tried to patch this hole between the others and yourself using me and excuses but the truth is that for a long time, you weren't sure if you belonged. It's more than just where you're going; it's about who you are. Right now.

"I know you've never felt like a King but you've earned the name. You deserve your crown more than mine. Don't you remember? The moron who became a qualified meme for being the only King who lost his debut official battle as a member of Kogarasumaru?"

Kazuma laughed. "You know that's only true because they caught you falling after you got your ass handed to you by Nue. Who was literally born to ride and has been doing so since he was a kid. You did well as before that. Don't kid yourself; I was the one who scouted you, remember? I know you didn't lose until then."

"Doesn't change the fact that I lost or the fact that it was humiliating. And is now immortalized on the internet. Across one hundred or more languages and several hundreds of millions of views in thousands of videos. Point is, people had expectations for me then, and I let them down. But that wasn't the end of my life so it shouldn't be the end of yours."

Mikura clenched his fists. "You're right. I can't deny that. But I'm not like you guys. I have no confidence in myself or my skills. I just can't be the same way the rest of you are; so self-assured, so forward."

Hachiman laughed. "I don't know who you're watching or if you've forgotten but just because I look like I know what I'm doing doesn't mean I actually know what I'm doing. No one really knows, Mikura. That's why experience is the teacher of all things; because we only have one chance, one shot to make every jump. But every stroke we miss still is a spot on the canvas, and we just have to keep writing, keep painting. But anyway, whatever you choose, I want you to know that the team is here. Even if you have to walk away, you don't have to go."

Wisely, the Rumble King sought to keep his own hypocrisy from leaping out. Looking at his friend wasn't like looking in a mirror, but everyone faced the bubble called adulthood sooner or later and reality wasn't something everyone could escape from or had the privilege to bypass. Hikigaya wasn't one such person and neither was Kazuma.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Kazu's eyes never left the moon and just like so long ago, he reached out as though to cup it. The boy's breathing had long since settled from ragged pants into a soft, steady lull. "I don't know why I'm so scared all the time though. I just don't get what I'm going to do. All my life, I just wanted somewhere to be. Some place, I guess. And even though I found it, it feels like it's not forever for me."

"It's not forever for anyone. Agito is the youngest of us but funnily enough, he's the only one who's ever had a 'real' job. Onigiri doesn't count; he's a businessman and that's a self-imposed career. Don't forget that the world doesn't revolve around you, Kazu."

A soberingly dejected look entered his eyes as he finally cast them away from the glowing orb high up. He looked down at the empty field and the walls worn with scars from his early years of riding. He almost missed Hikigaya's next words.

"But, remember that your world is you."

They registered themselves slowly and Kazuma found himself lost in thought again. By the time he recovered and shook himself from his stupor, his friend was gone.

On the other hand, Hachiman found himself strolling the underground of Tokyo's sewers where he knew that the remains of Behemoth still lurked. Udou Akira had become a cop once again and the band of over a thousand members had largely been inactive. Except, of course, in the depths of the sewage that was the Monster's Cage.

Agito showed no signs of letting up on his fervor as he charged his many opponents until not a single other was willing to step up to him.

With a sigh, Hachiman rolled up to him and lifted his leg to absorb the gale aimed in his direction. "Hey."

"What did that pansy have to say? Sorry?"

"Nah, you know as well as I what this whole thing's about, Agito. And really, you can't blame him. He can't put his life on hold for anyone. He shouldn't. If you think about it, he's just a normal guy in a world of extraordinary. Just like me. Aside from Itsuki, Mikura and I are the only full humans in the core of this team."

The original generation of Kogarasumaru hadn't been forgotten by anyone in the AT world, but they were no longer, for the most part, considered the modern Kogarasumaru; they hadn't been since Emily Adachi shattered a femur and Onigiri had showed his face in the eCommerce business space as the up-and-coming next Mark Cuban or Mr. Wonderful.

Because of such, they had retired early and taken others with them. Onigiri and Buccha, while still members and friends, were not so tight that they could have been considered the heart of Kogarasumaru, much like Adachi and Nakayama.

"What was Kogarasumaru going to look like to anyone not from the second generation of Riders? To anyone outside of Japan?"

The younger king gritted his teeth. Then he lunged. His kicks were snarls of frustration, every whip and grind an act of defiance. The glow that lit his golden eyes reminded Hikigaya not of a shark or a dragon but a feral cat that looked to tear apart its prey and feast upon its remains as it leapt from side to side.

Hachiman counted himself lucky to have been the negator of Agito's biggest offense and danced about the blows that, when the inevitable happened, were going to land him in a hospital. "You can do better than that, can't you?"

Unfortunately, Agito wasn't the type to be taunted by words but by actions. His attacks, while overwhelming and numerous, were not the least bit uncalculated. Hikigaya shivered under the younger's stare before he charged in himself, the wind dancing about his fingers and the earth beneath him bent to his whims.

Shocked was not the word that Agito expected to describe himself in that moment.

Jade Road: Infinite Tremor. Rumble Road: Wall. The fusion of both techniques wasn't something that had ever been seen before.

"How?" The gears were turning kilometres a minute and it was clear as day that the boy did not mean 'How did you learn it' but rather 'How long have you been able to do this?'

To which Hikigaya shrugged. "I forgot. It wasn't that hard to learn. Hard to use though."

"That priest is probably rolling in his grave; the wolf doesn't know either, does he?"

"Kilik thinks I still haven't done it, yes. And Takeuchi Sora might know who I am; I don't know what goes on in that man's head. But I have no idea what he knows of me."

"Does the fucking crow know you've basically learned the functions of the Hurricane Road? You've always shown the ability to be a defensive mastermind and when we remade the Regalia, you used the Ram Jet with ease which was why we thought you ran the Over Road."

Hachiman laughed as he kicked the ground again. "I'm not sure. I don't think I see the same space as him though. I'm not a child of dimensions like those three are. That's basically a prerequisite for anything related to inheriting the Storm King title."

"How sick must your existence be," Agito muttered, aware that the other King was able to hear him, "to have so much at your fingers and yet be so far from the goal?"

"I never wanted the sky, silly crocodile. You never wanted the Fang either, remember? It's just something I have; not who I am. 'One who wants what they do not possess searches in madness; one who has what they do not want wallows in loneliness.'"

"'But those who have sorrows and solitude sear the earth with scars.' Fuck! Your brain is so annoying sometimes, you hikikomori."

"Hey! I take exception to that. I'm no NEET. Fuck's sake, I live in Chiba and I'm in Tokyo right now, away from my beloved little sister!"

"... I take that back; you're a disgusting siscon." Agito pinched his nose. "And don't think you're directing me around the questions. When did you earn a king's disposition? You were never this comfortable on your own. The only one that sees you often is probably the pansy, myself, the crow, and the apple."

"Sharp as ever. Would you believe me if I said it was from me watching films?"

"Hell no."

"Then it's from me watching you guys in person."

"This shit isn't something you just 'pick up.' Now try again."

Hikigaya sighed. Persistent little guy, he thought. But not wrong. "The one who taught me how to wield the Gaia Road was Kilik; you've deduced that already. You guys all showed me your own. But to conduct myself, I guess, I could say that I learned the ropes from a former King. Or rather, some King candidates."

"The fucking perverted swallow?" There was something funny about a child's incredulity. Particularly one as profane as Agito. "She's smart and she can run, but she's not a King of any run but the Ring Road."

"That was fast," he commented. "But only partially correct. You're right that she's a specialist of the Ring, but she's got knowledge of almost every Road out there. After all, Genesis was collecting Kings like Sora collected corpses."

Tired of laying about, Hikigaya stood up and yawned. He stretched his legs and kicked the ground. "But more than that, as one of the first members of Tool Toul To and a first generation Gravity Child, she's seen almost every kind of ride and wheel out there. Not that everything was through her, though. I asked Aeon, too. And Benkei. And I saw videos of Yoshitsune, Nike, Kilik, talked to Blackburn, Nue, and even that Noyamano kid, Ume."

He sped off around the slope of the inner maw shaped like a skating rink and launched himself into the air repeatedly, snippets of his voice cutting in and out of Agito's ears as he whizzed by. "I've asked runners from almost every Road out there. I didn't really mean to gather a storm; I just wanted to know. I just wanted to understand."

Genius came in all shapes and sizes; and Hikigaya Hachiman wasn't a genius. Smart, perhaps. Insightful, maybe. Arrogant in some respects; overly conscious and careful in others. Paranoid in everything. He did was the very personification of Schopenhauer's most famous line: Talent hits the target no one else hits; genius hits the target no one else sees.

The answers he found were always there to begin with. Sometimes they were more carefully hidden, sometimes accidentally exposed. But regardless, nothing he did or learned was profound. Just unorthodox in practice. After all, if one ran into a wall, why would they not circumvent it by going above, below, or around? Why go through it?

And it was in this moment that Wanajima Agito realized that Hikigaya Hachiman was truly a human. For a wise man once claimed that the only slayer of monsters were men; and that was something that the older boy carried close to his heart. Akito and Lind were both shaken by his ability to comprehend the world about him.

Internal whispers and questions about Hikigaya's intuition drove Agito toward madness and in a swift passing, the Twinkle Eye project burst forward. Hikigaya eyed the slumped over form of the Fang King warily and backed off as he stood up. A look of recognition flickered through his eyes as he met those of the new persona. "Hey. Your name's Hikigaya, right?"

"Mm. Who're you? You're not Akito."

Lind stared at him, puzzled. "You know I'm the Brain Charger."

"Yeah, but who are you? I know of your existence and I've seen one clip of you fight but it was only seconds and your image was too blurry. I've heard things here and there. But now I want to hear you."

The Sonia Road rider grinned. "You're not a baby like most of the others. I like you. My name is Lind; remember it well. Or don't. Won't matter for long, really. You won't see much of me, I'm afraid. The last time I surfaced must have been two years ago. Or maybe a year and a half? Either way, this might be our first and only meeting."

"Thanks, I guess. And that's a shame. You seem relaxed, unlike everyone else in this team."

"Nah. That's the one thing I have to say to you. You're part of the reason why this team has seen some new light recently." Lind sighed. There was an air of maturity that manifested itself in the way the Brain Charger moved. He laughed and smiled; he was a breath of freedom that swept over the now-quiet rink.

Hikigaya hadn't even noticed that everyone else had cleared out. His eyes snapped back toward the freeform movements and he wondered how differently the twins' lives would have been if, in fact, the dominant spirit of the body wasn't a child at all.

Lind continued, "Kogarasumaru has been great for these two babies but it won't be forever. They know it. I know it. And I think that today was just a kick in the face they needed. So, the question isn't about them. It's about you. You're more than you seem, I think. But at the same time, you're not."

"That is distinctly close, almost exactly so, to what Kilik said about me some time ago. He also did say that you were the sharpest of the bunch but I guess that's part of being an 'edgy' boy, isn't it?"

Hikigaya was met with a laugh. "I suppose it is. But he means something different. For me, you seem like you're still an outsider walking in. Maybe my eyes see the world different, but the world of AT has been everything to me since before I was born. It was decided for me, you know? And I embraced it. But you? You're nothing like that at all."

A softness crossed the younger's features and Hikigaya stared, eyes scrunched as he picked at it. It wasn't a look of relaxation or bliss, or one of resignation. It wasn't a series of constant inflection either that seemed to mute itself but an airing of hidden expressions. Bluntness. He continued, "When you see something, you peek in, back off, and analyze, then return. Your intuition isn't bad, but it isn't built for anything like this and yet you notice things that maybe, just maybe, couldn't have been found by people like me on top of noticing the things that we do."

"So what does that mean to you?"

"That you're a boy who knows he has flaws, knows he has strengths; believes in himself, privately, but professes to the public that he doesn't. You put on airs and downplay yourself not to hide your assertiveness or to discourage how wicked you appear on the inside but to show the world that it's right: you are what they make you out to be. But that you are more than what you seem. And in the end, all it does is make you another fish in the pond because you don't see that the entire world's like that.

"It's not wrong to call you smart. It's not wrong to call you arrogant. But it's not wise to call you ignorant when that truth is only half the meter. You know there's always more. You just want to bury your head in the sand so you can let the storm pass and pretend you did well for yourself when in reality, you've avoided doing anything at all. You just want to coast.

"But you don't. You act like you do, but you don't. And that's the scariest act of all; everyone knows, so no one knows. You're hiding in plain sight." Lind paused, then his voice softened as he kept his eyes on the Rumble King. "And you're a bomb waiting to go off and you don't want anyone around you when that happens. But you're scared. Too scared."

Hachiman was quiet for some time. Then he laughed, his voice quiet as he walked away, his whisper lost to the winds of the underground tunnel. "Heh. For someone so vibrant, your eyes are as dull and murky as my own."

"Hachiman." Her voice was so brittle that it came out more as a croak than a whisper.

"Hm?"

"...Nevermind." She sighed as though an immense weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

He paused, willing to comment but then decided against it as he shook his head.

Neither of them moved for some time, stewing in the aftermath of sheets and pillowtalk. Slowly, fingers began to stir against his back and they traced letters, words, and then sentences. She pressed her body into his as she hugged him from behind. It was painful.

Painful to acknowledge that they were no longer the children they once were; painful to acknowledge that he still made her heart pound but not move. She didn't dare consider any further whether or not it had always been this way. Instead, she smelled the fumes and lied to make the truth a bit more colorful: this was always who Hikigaya Hachiman was.

He never hid from her and she never hid from him, even when it strained their relationship. At least, that was the pretense for their intercourse. But lately, even to someone like her, she started to see that every fragment of their fabrication had been swept under a carefully lain rug. A terribly placed one.

"Do you want to break up?"

"Only if you want to." His reply was swift, calm, and not the least bit resigned. It made her heart hurt and she clutched onto his form just a little bit more. Why wasn't he torn up about this?

She repeated the question. "Do you want to break up?"

"Why do you want the answer to a question that you can barely bring yourself to voice?"

"Just tell me already."

"Fine. I don't want to break up."

"Really."

"Yes. Really. I just told you that." He sighed and turned to face her.

She noted how he looked right at her and felt herself chilled instead of warmed. The pinkness that adorned her cheeks, she mused, must have been there out of habit than want. His pupils were a deadly grey that shook her to the core. She laced her fingers between his and gave them a squeeze.

"You know that this game of cat and mouse isn't going to work with me."

"And you know, Hachiman, that this game of pretend only works when two want to play house."

He paused and gave her a measured glance. His eyes roved up and down her body as they searched not for its beauty but its language. She was tired, and it showed. "If you want to break up with me, don't try to get me to do it. We both know that playing house wasn't my idea to begin with, even if I find that I like it now."

She bit her lip and cursed him, her fists pounding against his chest as she screamed into it. He was totally unfair, she thought. That was a low blow! Then again, to him, perhaps there was no such thing.

There was, in fact, nothing. Absolutely nothing. Except an insurmountable amount of worries. Insignificant ones and large ones alike. Kawasaki Saki was a girl like any other and also, at the same time, not. Among those feelings that surged within her was the typical feeling of not being good enough for her partner. The inadequacy that lined her life peered above and plastered itself on her resume as a student, a Tuner, a sister, and a person.

It escaped her notice that such worries and weaknesses were present in all persons, even though the fact, had it been stated, would have undoubtedly warranted a quick "Of course!" from her lips.

Not one good reason existed for her and Hachiman to separate and yet, there were no reasons for them to remain. His nonchalant demeanor had always been nothing short of heartwarmingly profound; almost as though he knew youth was nothing but a phase, a lie constructed to misdirect the attentions of children, particularly those of closed mind. But now, it seemed a stab, a thrust, a slice; a wound of many cuts that spurted from it a fount of blood.

Kawasaki Saki did not know whether or not she was in love with Hikigaya Hachiman. Words did not explain their relationship; they did not define it, either. For in so many facets did they explore one another as well as redefine the meaning of 'other.' In the context of themselves, they often found that they were part of a world that few were privy to.

Their thoughts were neither joined nor connected, but they shared with one another with but the simplest glances and gestures and translated their immutable words into a language broken into bits and pieces comprehended by touch and passion. Saki had never known such a layer of closeness until she became Hikigaya's Tuner.

He was not her first, but he was most certainly, of the three, the absolute best. Skill, tenacity, honesty, ferocity, laxness, and vigor all blended themselves behind such cold, cruel eyes that melted into a lull of warmth that she found herself walking toward, akin to such smoldered embers. The realization that he was a hurt child just like her should not have warmed her so, she had thought, but she was drawn more than a moth to a flame. His tangents were inescapably seductive and she found herself latched onto him.

And over the years such a connection blossomed. Now, she thought, there were surely no words or ways to convey exactly what they were but it was clear who they were. And were not, with and without one another. She shivered again and pressed herself even deeper into the now-sleeping boy. Idly, she wondered just what it was about him that made her numb not to his faults but to his good points.

Perhaps, she mused, it was nothing to begin with and she constructed it to be something.

Her heart sank with a weight that it had begun accustomed to and she closed her eyes and submitted herself to the darkness that threatened to swallow not her alone but the entirety of her visions, past, present, and future alike.

Kawasaki Saki was not a happy woman; but there was nothing in her life that fell out of her expectations. It was a life that was not entirely worth the despair she so valiantly fought from day-to-day; some would have told her that it was silly of her to possess such thoughts.

Hachiman would have been one of them in his younger years. But as it stood, the two of them slept under the watch of the night and tucked away each other's sorrows in the comfort of unknowing dreams.

Kawasaki Saki dreamt of a murky future. Hikigaya Hachiman dreamt that his clear-headed one would clear itself from his memories.

[1] All these lines are by Takeuchi Sora (Air Gear, Chapter 335) in his speech to the world broadcasted across the globe as the precursor to his battle with Ikki.

Notes and Acknowledgements

1. gabriel blessing - Wabisabi

I have no excuses or words for this. I started this sometime in 2019 and wrote the majority of this story in November and December after starting to work on a novel. Somehow, this diverged from an in-depth story and exploration of Hachiman as just the Rumble King into my thoughts about Air Gear lore onto paper. This is not well-done but I want to get it off my chest.

An intricacy between each of the characters was initially drafted but discarded and I had originally planned on having Hachiman with Ringo but then as I thought of their dynamics, I found that they worked better, conceptually, as friends. Not 'the one that got away,' but perhaps. The spark is there but simply not touched upon - both of them enjoy the company of the other, though only so much, as I wanted to stress with Kilik.

They are not immune to flares of strange jealousy or desire, but each of them know their place. Hikigaya is with Saki in this broken relationship that changes over the course of this, though as this is pretty much unfinished, there isn't much to explore there. The overall motif of their spark is that there is hope between them but it flickers and dies and what they thought was between them isn't all that it seems, particularly as the two of them begin to develop different visions of the future and different visions of each other.

I actually wanted to make Isshiki a more humanizing factor in this and have her be the piece where it is blatantly obvious that she still is attached to someone who no longer is okay with said piece in his life. Eventually, she was meant to crack his defenses and become genuine friends with him (obviously, I never got that far).

The sisters Yukinoshita and Hayama Hayato were people I wanted to actually get deeply involved in the politics of AT as you may have guessed; the main proponent would have been Kogarasumaru's relationship with Sano Yasuyoshi (Aeon/Iron Clock). Perhaps a part of me, in looking back at this, tapped into my memories of the 1986 movie Stand by Me.

I never even got close to incorporating all the Air Gear characters I wanted, but I suppose I could write other fics in this universe eventually. There may even be a time I come back to this and fix it for its flaws or even turn a story out of it. For now, I can't seem to find a future for it.