Issues

Night Two Hundred And Thirty Four

Age 1991

Gladiolus City...

The Arena...

Olf let out a small gulp as he stood up on the floating planet looking down at the stands below.

It was the day after the speech. Many people were still trying to process everything. Leo was silent not saying anything as he folded his arms. All the civilians were back in their stands. In fact... There were even more. Originally it was most of the Gladiolus civilians and some out of towners who wanted to see the match. But after the stunt lady Aka pulled now every Gladiolus civilian was in the stands and there were so many more people from other cities that came here.

So many in fact that there weren't enough seats and many people had to stand.

The arena was packed for once.

An the planet they had built was back in the air fixed up after Ken shattered it to pieces.

All the Enforcer Captains, Vice Captains, as well as the normal Enforcers who were here, were all seated in their on seats as well. They were mostly silent. Jackson wasn't in a Vice seat but Katrina was still in her Captain seat. Mary was sitting next to the Squad Two Captain but she was also surrounded by the four sacred beasts who refused to leave her alone much to her annoyance.

Lastly...

Down in the boxes all the recruits could be seen.

Even the ones who lost and were kicked out. Many all glared at the Squad Six box. Mostly Ken. Though she wasn't the only one who was getting hate. A lot of people also blamed Wave Long the one who had stabbed her in the first place. He got off basically scot free and a lot of recruits didn't like that.

Many hated Ken because she was a Bestia Macht. Something that killed people. Something that single handedly beat them all down like it was nothing. A wild beast that could kill. Wave's hate was something else though. And unlike Ken he didn't seem to be able to simply ignore it as he slowly backed up and looked around with wide fearful eyes.

In the Squad Six Box the typical Recruits could be seen. Hero Law, Daughter Law, Light No Last Name, Kitsune Nine, who was still fused with Irene and was a lot more panicked that she could be stuck like that, Shelly Kaen, who was finally out of the hospital, and of course Ken Red, who was looking casual.

They were all acting in their own ways...

Ken was being very casual flashing smiles to all the glares that were sent her way. She was also hanging off of Shelly's arm gripping it tightly. Shelly wasn't paying attention to Ken and was biting her lip going over ideas and plans on what would be coming after that big speech that happened yesterday which she had seen on the T.V. Light was holding a new and better gun that was far stronger than his last but he had a large frown on his face as he checked on it. He didn't like it as much as his old one and was getting used to the weird clunky feel it had in his arms. Kitsune was busy biting her lip and staring down at her hands doing her best to force her body to unfuse. It didn't work. Lastly Hero stood next to Light ignoring the three other girls in his Squad as he held the hand of Daughter.

Hero seemed better. Like Ken he had a smirk on his lip as people would sometimes glare at him. He was also talking to Daughter and didn't seem to care about what was going on around him.

"So the games are still going on?" Daughter asked.

"I guess." Hero shrugged. "I'm pretty glad. It means I can still win."

"Hero you're not going to win. I am." Ken said rolling her eyes.

"Are you even in the games still." Shelly asked flatly.

"I... Oh God! Did I get kicked out?" Ken asked with wide eyes. "I didn't even get to fight Hero, or Kitsune, in their new power ups! N... No! Shelly. Fight me!"

"No."

"I'm glad you three are being so casual." Kitsune sighed.

"Oh cool Kitsune is channeling his inner Irene." Light said clicking a few things on his gun.

"Oh God!"

Hero threw his arms behind his head as he stared up at the planet. "I don't remember who's up next but I know it's not me so."

"Speaking of fights..." Kitsune muttered a frown crossing onto her face. "Hero... You're going to be fighting Ava. You know that right. Are you going to be okay?"

"I'm pretty strong. Maybe not as strong as Ken, or you while you're fused but I feel like my power is at least near hers." Hero shrugged.

"That wasn't what I was asking. I have no doubt that in terms of power you and her are at least near each other. I was referring to if you can even fight her." Kitsune said reaching out and placing a hand on Hero's shoulder only for him to seemingly jump and slap the arm off of his shoulder as he backed away. "Or is that going to happen everytime you try and fight a girl?"

"Hero... What happened to you?" Shelly asked frowning. Hero didn't say anything as he threw his arms behind his head and began to whistle. Shelly stared at him with a bigger frown. She turned to look over at Ken. "You know something right." She asked flatly. "You and Kitsune."

"Uh..."

'This child has far to much energy for even an Orion. The power it has is to much. By my command as Lucifer the strongest Angel I will kill it, the mother, and the father. Hero Law. Lillian Aka. I sentenced you both to death for creating a threat to the Multiverse.'

The words replayed through Ken's mind. "...No?"

"Liar!" Shelly gripped Ken tightly by the ear dragging her down as Ken began to yelp in pain. "I'm tired of always being left out of the loop. I'm at least more important that Light. I get not telling him shit but come on! It's me!"

"It's... Complicated." Ken sighed moving Shelly's hand off of her ear. Ken frowned for a moment before she took Shelly's hand. "I... I want to tell you but I think it's best if Hero tells you himself."

Shelly stared at Ken for a moment but let out a sigh. "Fine. But only because you said it."

"Get a room-"

"Shut up Light!"

Meanwhile...

In the Enforcer stands they all rested...

Next to Squad Six Sif rested her eyes closed as she was sleeping. Katrina though. She had a huge frown as she stared at Dawson, Jackson, and Nick, who were all resting in front of her.

"I told you already. She's lying." Jackson sighed. "We never-"

"I believe you." Katrina frowned.

Nick ran his one arm through his red hair as he let out a sigh. "I don't get it though... Why would she lie about being pregnant?"

"Likely to try and force the marriage." Dawson sighed. "If Jacksons father finds out which he did since that went out across the Red Nation, than Jackson will be forced under the Storm family to marry her."

"He can just say no though right?" Nick asked.

"It's not that simple." Jackson said shaking his head. "If my father says yes and Aka says yes then thats that. Even if I don't show up to it we'd be signed off. I'd become Jackson Storm-Aka. And she'd gain access and support from the Storm family. Rather I like it or not. In fact I could never see her once we're married and she'd still have access. It's a completely political marriage. One not built out of love."

"Then... I don't see that downside?" Nick frowned. "You become Jackson Storm-Aka you get a piece of the Aka family, you don't have to love her, and you can still do whatever you want?"

"I can't." Jackson said shaking his head. "It's true we won't love each other and I don't ever have to act around her. The issue comes with I'm married... I can't marry Katrina then... I love her... And we can't have a family or a kid... Worse yet Aka is very like to request a heir. Especially after that stunt she pulled, meaning I'd be forced to..."

"Then... Why not just announce how it's fake."

"Because who knows what she could do in retaliation if I called her out on it."\

"Jackson is right. It's to risky." Dawson frowned. "She's basically in control of the entire Nation right now..."

"Well." Jackson said frowning. "There could be some way out of it... I have less than a week before the Ages change and it becomes Age 1992... No matter what I'm going to be stuck with being married. That said... I could avoid her and go into hiding and in nine months when no baby shows up or she's not changing they'll know something is up. It'd be a way to call her out without actually doing anything. She could still retaliate but it'd be way less than me just calling her out in front of everyone."

"The three of you are thinking to small." Neil the Squad Five Captain said letting out a sigh and getting the three Enforcers to turn to her. "I'm sure your Captain has already figured it out as well."

"What?" Jackson, Nick, and Dawson, turned to look at Katrina who had her lips clenched into a tight line her arms folded and a scowl on her face.

Neil allowed the smallest hints to cross onto her face. "You know." She said slowly. "Aka has always been quiet clever at getting people in check mate. By announcing to the world she was carrying your child it would force you to marry her no matter what you did. And with her power you couldn't say anything back to her. Of course you then run into the issue of what would be stopping you from dying in the fields or going missing before you can finish your marriage. If she never had a child because you went missing or died people would very quickly see through it. Even if you were only gone for a few months many would put it to together that her stomach wasn't changing."

"Y... Yeah. That's what we're saying." Nick nodded. "Jackson can-"

"Oh my God." Dawson said slowly getting what she was suggesting.

"N... No..." Jackson said his eyes going wide. "S... She didn't... Not even... She... There's no way."

"What?" Nick asked frowning. He seemingly didn't get it.

"She's... She's already pregnant." Dawson said clasping his hands together.

"What!"

"That's one option." Neil admitted. "It's that or she plans on dragging Jackson away soon to create. Of course there is that chance she already has it in her and she was telling the truth that she was carrying a child by lying about who the father was."

"T... That wouldn't work though right." Jackson said shaking his head. "B... Because the child wouldn't look like me-"

"I wonder." Neil said her grin growing even larger. "Jackson Storm has white hair. Lady Aka has red eyes... It makes me think. Is there anyone we know with white hair and red eyes... Someone who also has the DNA of a Storm inside of them?"

"...Hero... No..."

***

Meanwhile...

Oleander City...

Underground Prison...

"This is your cell." A Black Coat said leaving the door open as Master Storm stepped in.

He didn't seem to be that bothered by the heat as he took a seat on his bed.

"My, my, my..." A voice commented. "This is the last place I would expect someone like you to end up at."

Master Storm looked up finding Key was sitting across from him in her own cell. The woman who was captured. The one who was in love with North. Wife of Jack Frost and a member of the Organization.

"Oh how the mighty have fallen. I take it you lost your little game." She asked smugly.

Master Storm gave a small smirk. "Actually. I just started playing."