Aicon walked through a forest outside of the hidden leaf until he heard a familiar noise, the opening of a portal. As he turned to face the new arrival, he saw a familiar face. A man with golden hair, green eyes, and a yellow aura flowing around him like flames.
"Tarro," Aicon said with a smile, "have you come to join my cause? I'm sure there's a place for you in the new world."
"Just come quietly Aicon," Tarro sighed, "the Supreme Kai of Time wants me to bring you in alive so you can answer for your crimes, but she's given me permission to kill you if I must."
"You and I both know that's not going to happen, so why don't you just leave if you won't join me?"
"You know I'm not going to do that."
"So be it," Aicon laughed, "just know I gave you every chance to save your own life."
As Aicon ascended to the sky, Tarro followed, his eyes locked onto his target, and he could swear he saw an ominous glow coming from Aicon's blood red eyes.
—•—
Raiko sat with Harumi, holding her close on his bed, kissing her cheek softly.
"I'm tired of hiding who we are Raiko," Harumi whispered, "I'm tired of these stupid rules."
"As am I," he sighed, "I want you here every day."
Harumi slowly moved Raiko's hand to her belly, "This is yours Raiko," she whispered, kissing him softly.
Raiko returned the kiss, "They'll find out soon enough," his soft voice made her smile.
Though Raiko was nervous, he didn't let it show, even though Harumi could see right through him even without the use of her Byakugan. She knew her husband better than anyone else, including Azuki. To ease his nerves she pulled his shirt off and pushed him onto his back and laid herself beside him, propping herself up on her elbow. She slowly traced a finger along a scar on his chest, thinking back to the past, back to when they were a pair of teenagers who found themselves alone, with just a little too much time on their hands.
—•—
The punches from Tarro didn't phase him, the energy blasts didn't hurt him, and the slap to his face, that Tarro had for some reason even bothered to try, did nothing. Aicon hadn't moved against him yet, he had simply floated there, taking the blows, waiting and laughing as Tarro struck as hard as he could.
"Fight damn you!" Tarro yelled, "You wanted this, so fight!"
"So be it," Aicon laughed, moving faster than Tarro could comprehend, burying his knee into Tarro's stomach, forcing him to double over, before delivering an axe handle punch into his back, sending Tarro toward the ground, his aura flickering like a match that was nearly burned out. Before he could hit the ground, Tarro's aura reignited, electricity flared around his body, and he flew back toward Aicon, throwing a single punch with his right hand and landing it directly on the M on Aicon's forehead.
Aicon grabbed Tarro's wrist and aimed his hand at his golden haired enemy's chest, charging up an energy blast.
—•—
Azuki sat in her room, watching the lightning over the forest outside the village. The sky was clear, but still that golden and blue lightning kept striking in the sky. She could swear she had heard something from Raiko's room, but decided not to check on them just yet. With a soft sigh she closed her door and crawled into her bed. Once she pulled a blanket over herself and grabbed one of her many her stuffed animals, she reached between her bed frame and her mattress to pull out a book.
—•—
Tarro fell to the ground, creating a crater from his impact, as he stood again he heard a voice call out to him.
"Tarro stop," Kira called out to him, "join us, Aicon is right."
He stared at the M on his sisters forehead, "Kira, you're alive, and you've joined that criminal?"
As Aicon landed behind him, Tarro's golden aura began to turn red as his anger surged, as did his hair and eyes.
"Join us Tarro," Aicon said with a smile, reaching his hand out to Tarro, "help us create the new world."
"You've corrupted my sister," Tarro growled, turning to face him, the red aura burning around him, "you've killed the time patrollers we sent to find you, you've destroyed worlds, and you think I'd join you?"
Tarro rushed forward, striking with as much force as he could, his punch sent out a shockwave that destroyed trees around them. With another punch, he knocked Aicon back a step, with his third Tarro's fist was caught and he was thrown to the ground. As he tried to stand, Aicon grabbed him and threw him high into the air before unleashing a massive beam of red energy toward him, which to Tarro's surprise, was easily dodged. Tarro charged again, only to be met by his sister, who now also had red eyes and hair, along with the burning red aura.
"You've reached this level as well Kira?" Tarro asked, knowing that his sister was far weaker than him the last time they met, but now he could feel that her power had surged beyond his.
"I've surpassed you with Aicon's help," Kira sighed, "leave now brother, this isn't a fight you can win."
"I can-" Tarro began, but he was cut off by Kira.
"No Tarro, you can't. Look at the facts, he hasn't even left his base form, and you. You're using your god form and can't even touch him unless he allows it."
"Kira, I can beat him. I will kill him for what he's done to you."
"He saved me Tarro, from that demon we fought. I'll give you the choice one last time. Join us, leave, or die. The choice is yours." Kira said, determination in her eyes.
Tarro knew he was beaten, even in this form, he knew he couldn't fight them both and win. He knew now that he couldn't handle Aicon on his own, and now he even wondered if he could handle Kira. His resolve was broken for now, his pride was left in ruins. All he could do was stare at his younger sister, and that damned Majin mark on her forehead.
—•—
Azuki, upon seeing a red pillar of light ascend toward the sky from the forest where the lightning had been, ran to Raiko's room and threw open the door. Her adoptive father was already asleep, but Harumi bolted upright, activating her byakugan on pure instinct.
"Azuki?" Harumi whispered, "What's wrong?"
"J-just a bad dream," Azuki sighed, clutching her stuffed animal, "can I sleep with you two tonight?"
"Of course," Harumi said with a smile, moving over so Azuki could fit between them, "we'll have to get used to this anyway."
Azuki didn't bother questioning what Harumi meant by that and squeezed between the two, laying on her back while Harumi snuggled up to her and pulled a blanket over the trio.
"So," Harumi whispered as she positioned Raiko's arm to hold Azuki and looking down at the girl's clothes, "you sleep in Raiko's sweater?"
Azuki nodded, "looks like you do the same thing," she whispered back, noticing that when the two had gotten ready to sleep, Harumi had thrown on some of Raiko's pajamas.
"Azuki," Harumi whispered again, "in the morning, I have something to tell you."
Azuki simply nodded as she drifted off to sleep.
