Chapter Nine: Only Need Five Percent
S.T.A.R.S Development Base Alpha, Forest of Ice
May 10th, 2036 (Present)
The air was thick with the smell of wet earth and melted ice, a stark contrast to the frozen wasteland it had been just hours earlier. Heavy breathing echoed through the clearing, and where the ground was once encased in ice, only puddles and steam remained. Yozora and T.LAC stood together, their presence exuding a power that felt completely different from just two hours ago.
Yozora took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling slowly, before exhaling with such force that the very air around them seemed to tremble. The others felt a shiver run down their spines as the force of his Toro spiraled around him, igniting his Hindo in a blazing aura of power.
His cold, glowing eyes, like neutron stars, locked onto Selene, his glare cutting through the distance between them. "So... all this time," Yozora began, his voice low and dangerous, "you kept me from being who I really am." His words were sharp, laced with anger. "You and my fa—" He stopped, his expression hardening further. "No... you and Zephyr."
Without waiting for a response, Yozora turned to T.LAC. "T, let's bounce. We’re done here. I know exactly who to go see for the rest of our fragments."
T.LAC, now standing even taller and more imposing than before, his body radiating physical power, nodded in agreement. His smirk widened. "Zora," he said with a glint in his eyes, "one sec."
T.LAC swaggered over to Blair, who immediately looked around nervously as he approached. His towering frame cast a shadow over her, and his presence was overwhelming. Leaning down, his hands casually in his pockets, he grinned mischievously.
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"Where's that boy toy Captain of yours?" T.LAC teased, his voice dripping with confidence. "Next time you see him, tell him I said, 'Bow, Bow.' Remember me now?"
Blair's face flushed bright red, her eyes widening in shock as recognition dawned on her. The memories of who these two young men truly were hit her like a ton of bricks. "Shit, shit, shit!" Blair muttered, shaking her head in disbelief. She was blushing furiously, trying to compose herself. Nervously, she pointed her index fingers toward one another, her voice becoming breathy. "Oh my... are you old enough now?" she asked with a coy wink, unable to hide her flustered excitement.
In the background, Selene facepalmed, her frustration and shame clear as she watched the scene unfold. The situation had spiraled completely out of her control.
Unfazed by Blair’s antics, Yozora shot into the sky, his expression cold and focused. His mind was locked on the next step—rescuing Mara. No distractions, no more delays. The air crackled around him as his Toro flared, igniting the space where he hovered. He wasn’t the same boy from a few hours ago.
T.LAC, kneeling down slightly, gathered his own energy before launching himself into the air with an effortless push, catching up to Yozora. "Let’s go, brother," he called out, his voice filled with determination. The two ascended together, leaving behind the chaos and confusion they had caused.
As they soared higher, Yozora glanced down one last time at the base below—the place where he had been molded, deceived, and kept from his true self. His chest tightened with a familiar pain, the weight of his emotions mixing with the memories of the parents he had once loved so dearly. But that love was now a fractured thing, tainted by the lies they had kept from him.
With a hard glare, Yozora whispered, "Cerulean." His katana materialized in his hand, the blade glowing with a soft, cerulean light that rippled with raw energy. Holding it with purpose, he raised the weapon in the air. "Form Seven: Rift."
In a single, fluid motion, Yozora slashed through the air, the blade cutting through space itself. A tear opened in reality—a swirling, shimmering portal that seemed to vibrate with the energy of the Toro. The rift was sharp, a gateway to another place, another moment.
Without hesitation, Yozora stepped into the portal, disappearing from sight. T.LAC followed immediately, his confidence unshaken. As they passed through the tear in reality, the portal closed behind them with a snap, leaving the Forest of Ice empty, still, and eerily silent.
Together, their power surged like an unstoppable storm, and the Forest of Ice, once a place of control and training, was left far behind in their wake.