I let out a long yawn as I trudged downstairs, the increasingly familiar creak of the old steps under my feet marking the start of another day. The sunlight crept through the gaps in the blinds, throwing stripes of light across the dusty living room floor.

The house was quiet, except for the muffled voices and occasional bursts of laughter coming from the basement. As I rounded the corner and poked my head downstairs, I stopped and pressed myself against the wall with a smile. The scene before me starkly contrasted the tension-filled evening we had the night before.

Izumi and Mina were stationed in front of the TV in our basement, which was currently playing a grainy recording of some old WWE wrestling match. Izumi was on the edge of her seat, cheering on a wrestler as he bounced off the ropes and performed an exaggerated slam on his opponent.

"Come on! Come on! Yes!" Izumi shouted, throwing her fists into the air as if she were right there in the ring with them. Her energy was infectious, even if it was spent on something as scripted as pro wrestling.

Mina, on the other hand, was the picture of nonchalance. Her eyes occasionally flicked to the screen with mild interest before returning to the history book she'd borrowed from my collection in her lap. Despite her initial discomfort with my sister, the two had hit it off oddly. Mina's cold exterior had melted just a bit, a small smile playing on her lips every time Izumi reacted to the screen. It was as if Izumi's excitement was a language Mina could understand, even if she didn't speak it herself.

Izumi's gaze was locked onto the television, where larger-than-life characters with muscles upon muscles carried out their choreographed combat dance. She'd always had an affinity for pro wrestlers' over-the-top antics and exaggerated personas. I suppose it wasn't all that different from the magical girl shows she was so fond of, the ones I'd catch her watching in the early morning hours when she thought no one else was awake.

Izumi punched the air as her favorite wrestler executed a perfect dropkick. "Did you see that, Mina? That's the Thunderclap Tornado Dropkick! I bet it'd be awesome to do that in real life!"

Mina's response was dry, a smirk touching her lips as she closed the book with a soft snap. "It certainly looks... impactful. But this is all staged, isn't it? The outcome is pre-decided."

Izumi scoffed, tossing a pillow at her new friend. "Doesn't make it any less cool. The skill is real, even if the fights aren't. You gotta appreciate the art in it. It's like telling a story with their bodies!"

Mina caught the pillow, her green eyes sparkling with a challenge. "Perhaps, though I believe real skill in combat is in the strategy and subtlety, not just the spectacle."

Izumi turned to her with eyes alight as if this was the most important topic in the world. "Yeah, I hear you! But hey, it's not just fighting, it's... it's like storytelling with bodies and action. You can't tell me you don't find that even a little bit cool."

Mina pondered that for a moment, tilting her head slightly. "Maybe," she conceded. "It's... different."

"Plus, strong guys are pretty great, right?" Izumi nudged Mina with her elbow, a cheeky smile spreading across her face.

"Maybe for you," she blushed. "My tastes are a bit different."

Mina's words were carefully neutral, but her cheeks tinged pink, betraying her stoic façade. It seemed my sister's relentless energy could breach even Mina's reserved armor. I watched, a silent observer of the tentative friendship blooming in our worn basement.

Malina had clearly left them to their devices to bond or clash or do whatever it was that girls their age did. It seemed to be working. Izumi's rowdy enthusiasm was met with Mina's reserved curiosity, forming an incredibly endearing bizarre chemistry. Sochi had left with Malina in the night, but Mina had stayed for what was effectively Izumi's first-ever sleepover party.

I leaned against the doorframe, unnoticed, my thoughts drifting to Rai-chan's warning. It still felt like something about Mina and their family was off, and the pieces didn't quite fit together. But the easy rapport building between her and Izumi made me second-guess my suspicions. Could I have been imagining things? Just a bit too paranoid? Was I overreacting?

My stomach grumbled, reminding me of more immediate concerns as I sniffed the air. The familiar smell of reheated leftovers wafted from the kitchen. As I navigated toward the source, my body moved independently, propelled by hunger. Dad was at the stove, stirring a pot of what looked like last night's stew. The signs of our living conditions were all around—patched-up furniture, second-hand kitchenware, and the meal itself, a reminder that we had to make everything last. The luxury of our bounty was a temporary salve, not a solution.

"You're up," Dad said without turning, the spatula making gentle clinking sounds against the pot. "Hungry?"

"Starving," I admitted, eyeing the bubbling stew. "Smells good."

He chuckled. "Leftovers often taste better the next day. Flavors meld together." He filled a bowl and handed it to me.

I took a grateful sip, the warmth spreading through me. Dad's cooking was a kind of everyday magic I had appreciated more as I got older.

The stew was humble, a mishmash of whatever vegetables and scraps of meat our two families could pitch in, but it was seasoned with Dad's care and experience. Carrots and potatoes floated amidst tender chunks of meat, rich and savory broth, hinting at garlic and rosemary. I scooped up a mouthful, letting the heat and the spices chase away the morning chill. It was the kind of meal that didn't just fill your stomach but seemed to warm your soul.

Dad leaned back against the counter, watching me eat for a moment. "Plans for today?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Some last-minute shopping for the move. I need to pick up a few things. Then maybe, uh, help around the house." I wasn't entirely sure about the first part—Rai-chan had been quiet since her cryptic warning last night—but the latter was true. The house always needed work, and it gave me an excuse to keep an eye on Mina and Izumi.

He nodded, his eyes drifting to the doorway where Izumi and Mina's laughter trickled in from the living room. "It's good for Izumi to have friends around her age. Especially now, with everything happening."

"Yeah," I said softly. I didn't add that I was worried about the kind of change Mina and her family might bring. Not yet. Not until I had something solid to go on.

The kitchen fell into a comfortable silence, filled only by the sound of the bubbling stew and the distant chatter of the girls.

Dad finally broke the quiet. "Ikki… Jae did follow up on the incident the other day. The gang members we turned in talked. They said you managed to… hijack one of the abandoned Terran mechs near the truck and joined the battle beside Yomotsu-Shikome."

I swallowed and froze in place. I had a sneaking suspicion that it was on the way, although I'd hoped my involvement would've slipped through the cracks. I'd pretended that the only thing I did that day was lockpick the cage and take out one of the thugs opening the truck to take us hostage.

How was I supposed to explain that I'd found a mysterious magitech symbiote in a briefcase and used it to remotely hijack a dilapidated mech?

Rai-chan had advised me to keep her a secret, her existence a card held close to my chest.

"Must've been a fluke," I offered weakly, hoping he'd take it at face value. "I just... did what I could with what was there. That's all."

Dad studied me, his gaze penetrating. "A fluke," he repeated, the word hanging in the air like a challenge.

I met his gaze, trying to project innocence. "Yeah. Fluke."

"You're telling me you managed to crawl into a complicated, abandoned, multimillion dollar… er, credit piece of Terran magitech, and you just... made it work? On a fluke?" Dad's voice was even, but there was a steel to it that told me he wasn't buying it.

My spoon hovered mid-air, stew dripping back into the bowl. "Dad, it was a desperate situation. You know I've been fiddling with magitech and stuff..." My voice trailed off, knowing full well the gadgets I tinkered with were nothing compared to a machine made for war.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Ikki, I know you're smart. Dangerously smart. God knows you and your sister are just young and clever enough to get yourselves in trouble and give me heart attacks. But a Terran mech? A model that's been out of active service for the last decade? That's not something you can just 'fiddle' with and make fly just by winging it."

The corners of my mouth turned down, caught. The stew in my bowl had gone from comforting to a lump in my throat. "I guess I got lucky?" I tried, but the look on his face said that wasn't enough.

He put his spatula down and folded his arms, leaning against the counter with a weight that felt like it pulled the whole room's attention to him. "Luck is winning a raffle, Ikki. That was something else entirely. Look, I'll be straightforward with you. Jae caught a few snippets of you maneuvering that thing on the dashcam, although he's quietly destroyed the footage. A lot of Terra's elite pilots with hundreds and thousands of hours of flight time would struggle to do what you did. And you want me to believe that was your first time piloting?"

The question hung in the air, demanding an answer I wasn't ready to give. It was a knot in my stomach, tightening with every second of silence. Dad knew machines. He knew the gap between reading a manual and commandeering a war mech in one go was absolutely enormous. And he knew me and that I tended to leap before I looked.

I looked down at the stew, then up at him. "I... I don't know, Dad. I just... It felt intuitive? Like the machine was... guiding me." That wasn't a lie, not really. Rai-chan had been in control, her presence in my head steering my actions.

Dad's face softened slightly, his brows furrowing in concern rather than skepticism. "Guiding you," he repeated softly. It sounded like he wanted to believe it, even if it made no sense. Maybe because he wanted to hold onto the idea that I was still just his kid.

"Yeah, guiding me," I echoed.

He sighed again, a long exhale that seemed to carry all his world-weary worries.

My throat felt dry. "Dad, I—"

He held up a hand, cutting me off. "I don't need to know the details. Not yet. You'll tell me whatever the hell happened back there when you're ready." There was a firmness in his voice that didn't invite argument. "But I want you to promise me something."

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"Anything," I said, relieved but anxious.

"Be careful. Luck, talent or whatever it is you've got that let you do that," he gestured loosely with his hand, "they can make you a target. People might want to use you, on Earth or on Terra. The Terrans... they're good folks, but they're desperate. They've been fighting a war for so long. If they see you as a resource, they might use you. Just... be careful, okay? Just... be smart. Smarter than you think you need to be."

I nodded, feeling the weight of his words like a mantle on my shoulders. "I promise, Dad."

He gave me one firm nod, a silent agreement sealed between us, and turned back to the pot, signaling the end of the conversation as he scooped out two heaping bowls of stew. I took the bowls from him, a silent understanding flowing between us —a father's concern woven into a moment that was so normal, so ordinary.

"Take them down to your sister and Mina," Dad said, breaking into my thoughts.

I nodded, my hands steady as I balanced the bowls, the stew's aroma a tether to the here and now. I made my way down to the basement, the murmur of the television growing louder with each step.

I could hear Izumi's voice brimming with that energetic bravado as I descended the stairs. "If I were a wrestler, I'd be the unbeatable champion by now."

Mina's reply was a quiet chuckle, the sound almost alien coming from someone so composed. "Overconfidence is a flimsy shield."

I lingered at the bottom of the stairs, watching them. With her unkempt black hair and spirited grin, Izumi contrasted with Mina's well-groomed, shimmering Terran gold locks.

Izumi didn't notice me right away, too caught up in defending her hypothetical wrestling title. "Flimsy Schmimsy. I'd take that shield and smack the lights out of anyone who dared challenge me!" she declared, striking a pose on the couch.

Mina raised an eyebrow, her green eyes glinting with mischief. "Is that so? And what would your wrestling name be, oh unbeatable one?"

"Uh..." Izumi faltered for a moment, caught off-guard. Her eyes lit up as she found her answer, a fierce kind of joy sparking within them. "The Empress of Hell! 'Cause no foolish mortal can escape my realm once they're in the ring with me!"

I had to suppress a laugh as I quietly approached them. It was such an Izumi thing to say—over the top, a touch dramatic, but undeniably her. It was moments like these that I wanted to freeze in time, to keep her as she was, fierce and untamed before the world could change her.

Mina clapped her hands in mock applause, a genuine smile touching her lips. "I would pay to see that. Underworld Empress versus the world."

Izumi puffed up with pride. "Yeah! And I'd have a killer outfit too. Black and red, with a cloak that moves like shadows. Nobody would ever forget the Empress of Hell."

"Sounds formidable," Mina conceded with an amused nod. "And what about you, Ikki? If you were a wrestler, what would they call you?"

Izumi finally snapped her head at me, the moment stretching out as she realized I'd been standing there with two bowls of stew in hand. "Wha! Bro! You're supposed to make an entrance, not sneak up like a ninja!"

Caught in the moment, I hesitated, a smile tugging at my lips. "Me? I'd be… the Stormbringer Thunder Sovereign!" I declared, setting the stew bows down in front of them before striking a dramatic pose with one hand held up in the air. I let out a maniacal chuckle meant to be over the top.

Izumi snorted, and Mina's lips twitched in a restrained smile, both of them clearly caught between amusement and second-hand embarrassment.

"The Stormbringer Thunder Sovereign?" Mina repeated, her tone teasingly skeptical.

"Yes!" I said, rolling with it. "For I am the tempest that whispers doom, the lightning that dances on the edge of darkness! My foes tremble as the very air they breathe becomes a harbinger of their defeat!"

I could feel the blush creeping up my neck, but there was a strange exhilaration in the theatrics, a brief escape from the weight of secrets and silent burdens.

"Lo!" I continued, arms spread wide as if embracing an invisible audience, "With every step, clouds gather; with every breath, the skies darken! For I am the sovereign of the storm, the overlord of overcast, the regent of the raging winds! The very heavens bow to my will, and the thunderous applause of the gods herald the Young Master's victory!"

Mina was outright smiling now, a crack forming in her composed exterior, and Izumi laughed hysterically. "You're such a dork," she said through her giggles.

"But a dork with flair," I shot back, winking at her as I mock-flicked my hair.

Just then, the hum of electronics whispered in my ear, Rai-chan's flat, robotic tone slicing through the mirth. "Host Ikki, your heart rate has increased. Are you engaging in cardiovascular exercise?"

"No, Rai-chan, just... entertaining my sister," I answered.

"Entertainment increases endorphin levels. This is beneficial. Proceed."

…Was that sarcasm just now?

I couldn't be sure. Rai-chan's flat, robotic affect made it almost impossible to tell if she was being facetious or just stating facts.

Shaking her comment off with a smile, I dived in for the tickle attack I had been plotting since I saw Izumi's guard drop. "O unworldly Empress of Hell! Prepare to face the might of the heavens! Of the Stormbringer himself!" I announced, aiming for her sides with wiggling fingers.

Izumi shrieked with laughter, squirming and trying to fend me off, her elbows swinging and knees kicking up in a futile defense. "No fair! You can't use the element of surprise!"

Mina watched us with a quiet sort of amazement, her lips curved in a gentle smile that told me she was enjoying the playful chaos.

There, in the glow of the television, with Mina's quiet laughter chiming like soft music, I let the world narrow down to this basement room, to the safety and comfort of family and new friends. I was leaving soon, stepping through a portal to another world. Still, I'd carry this moment with me—a reminder of what I was fighting for.

As I pinned Izumi's wrists, her laughter turned to gasps for air, begging for mercy. "Okay, okay, I yield, O great Stormbringer!"

Mina stepped in with another giggle. "I believe the Empress of Hell needs a break."

Rai-chan chimed in again. "Excessive laughter can lead to shortness of breath. Oxygen levels nominal. Endorphin levels high. Recommendation: Continue these 'tickles' periodically for mental health benefits."

"Mercy!" I crowed triumphantly, easing back. "The mighty sovereign is benevolent today."

Izumi, panting and still giggling, shot me a look that promised revenge at a later date. "You'll pay for this, brother mine. My vengeance will be swift and terrible."

I just grinned, standing in front of her with my hands on my hips. "Bring it on, O dastardly Empress."

I stepped back, watching as Izumi tried to compose herself with her face flushed from exertion. She'd be plotting her sweet revenge when I came back to visit, no doubt, something creative and unexpected. I'd look forward to it.

Mina's composure and cool, suspicious attitude had fully crumbled now, her facade replaced by warm chuckles and a relaxed posture. She seemed less like a visitor and more like a part of the patchwork family we were stitching together in this reclaimed piece of the city.

I glanced at the clock, noting how time had slipped past us unnoticed. "I should head out to that new convenience store before it gets too late."

"Are you searching for anything in particular?" Mina asked, a softness in her voice that hadn't been there the night before.

"Nah, just looking to see if they've got anything that'll make life on Terra a bit easier," I replied, feeling a small burst of sudden excitement at the prospect of starting fresh. "Got any tips?"

Mina suddenly looked thoughtful, her gaze drifting as she considered. "Avoid the flashy. Sometimes, the simplest tools are the most reliable. And always have a backup plan. Magitech is wondrous, but it isn't infallible."

I nodded, taking her advice to heart. "Backup plan. Got it."

She smiled, and there was a wisdom there that went beyond her years. "And Ikki? Thanks for everything."

I waved goodbye to them, stepping through the remnants of morning light spilling through the half-closed blinds. "Keep an eye on each other, you two," I called back over my shoulder, a half-joke that didn't quite mask my genuine concern.

"We will," Mina said, her voice carrying a newfound warmth.

My hand paused on the doorknob, feeling the cool metal beneath my fingers, and I glanced back one last time. Izumi was already plotting her revenge with an impish glint in her eye and Mina... Mina was smiling at me. A beautiful, honest-to-goodness genuine smile that reached all the way to her sparkling eyes.

I stepped through the doorway and into the kitchen, where Dad was cleaning up. He looked up, his expression a mix of pride and concern that seemed permanently etched into his features these days.

"Got everything you need? Ready for the day ahead?" he asked.

"Yeah, Dad. I'll be fine," I said, giving him a reassuring smile. I knew he worried—about the move, the unknowns of Terra, about me leaving him and Izumi even if it was temporary.

He nodded, accepting my confidence, and I felt the shift between us—the unspoken acknowledgment that I was growing up, that things were changing.

I grabbed my jacket, and the door clicked shut behind me, sealing away the warmth of the family home. I pulled my collar up against the brisk wind and started down the steps, a flicker of anticipation dancing in my chest.

For a moment, just a brief second, I considered turning Rai-chan's HUD on. But no, not now. This morning was mine, and I wanted nothing more than to enjoy the crisp air and the bustling sounds of the city coming back to life.

So, with my hands in my pockets and a smile lingering on my lips, I made my way outside, where the world was still damp with the morning's kiss.

The city streets were waking up, stretching out with the groans and grumbles of early traffic. I listened to the muffled conversations of passersby, the sharp tang of coffee drifting from an open café door with a 'Grand Opening' sign on it. I navigated through the throng with a practiced ease, weaving between the spaces that opened up between people like stepping stones.

My thoughts kept trailing back to last night again. Mina's tense posture and her eyes darted around the room as if mapping escape routes at the dinner table. She was a mystery, and it intrigued me. Was I being paranoid? Overprotective? Could I trust her to look after Izumi and vice versa?

I shrugged off the last threads of doubt. I had more immediate things to focus on – supplies for Terra, saying my goodbyes, and savoring the last few days here. I picked up my pace, energized by the hustle of the waking crowd.

Suddenly, Rai-chan's voice cut through the morning air, dragging me out of my reverie.

"Ikki," her tone was unusually urgent, "I am detecting multiple high velocity vehicles approaching rapidly from several directions."

The words barely had time to settle before the sound reached my ears – engines roaring like caged beasts finally set free. I turned just in time to see them, a pack of motorcycles tearing through the streets. Their riders were clad in leather emblazoned with aggressive, brutal iconography. Iron crosses flanked by lightning bolts stood out on their vests, with skull masks and helmets that gave off an air of menacing rage.

One of the riders locked eyes with me for a fraction of a second too long, and at that moment, I knew we weren't just bystanders anymore.

As they passed, one biker lobbed something into the air—a bottle, trailing a malignant orange flame behind it like a comet's tail. It smashed into an opening storefront with the sound of shattered hope, and flames erupted instantly.

Panic broke out around me, the crowd's morning lethargy shattered by fear. People ran screaming, the bikers laughing as they sped up, throwing more firebombs.

The air was instantly thick with smoke and the acrid smell of burning. I stood frozen for a moment, my heart slamming against my ribs with a force that threatened to break free.

"Administrator Ikki," Rai-chan's voice was a beacon of calm in the chaos, "I recommend immediate action. Your safety is at risk."

I immediately took cover, ducking into an alleyway as another firebomb exploded, painting the morning sky with streaks of orange and black. Adrenaline surged through me, my mind racing for a plan. I couldn't just run blindly; I needed to make sure Izumi, Dad, and Mina were safe. My heart clenched at the thought of them alone and unprotected.

My eyes scanned the pandemonium, looking for any sign of authority. Still, we didn't have a proper police force yet and had barely set up a pseudo-constabulary with what they could spare from the National Guard.

Another explosion rocked the street, a car alarm wailed, and my mind flashed to Izumi. "Rai-chan, are any groups heading towards our place?" I demanded, my voice rough with sudden terror.

There was a pause, a split second that felt like an eternity, before she answered, "Negative. Their current trajectory suggests they are targeting main commercial areas. Your domicile remains safe for now."

"Rai-chan, can you hijack them? Take control?"

There was a brief pause, the milliseconds stretching into eternity. "Negative, Administrator Ikki. Their systems are isolated. Manual driving, with no electronic interfaces to exploit."

I grit my teeth, frustration boiling over. My mind whirred with the possible scenarios—stay hidden, run home, find a way to help?

An echoing boom snapped my head up, and I saw a new terror unfolding. A second group had joined the fray, reinforcing the chaos with their own barrage of firebombs. The street became an inferno, the fire reflecting in the shattered glass littering the pavement.

An eerie realization hit me hard; they were strategic, cutting off routes, trapping people, and creating a ring of fire that left only panic in its wake. This was no mindless rampage; it was orchestrated, a calculated strike to terrify and control. This statement was meant to reignite fear in the hearts of citizens trying to reclaim their city from years of darkness.

My fists clenched as I backed further into the shadows, the fear becoming a simmering rage. I had to get back. I had to make sure they were safe.

As I turned, ready to make a break for it, another firebomb sailed through the air, heading straight for my alley. Instinct kicked in, and I dove for cover behind a dumpster, the heat of the blast washing over me.

"Rai-chan, map out a path—"

But my words were choked off as the world erupted into blinding light and searing heat, the roar of the flames drowning out everything else.