The Break

Night One Hundred And Eighty Three

Age 1991

Gladious City...

The Arena...

"I can't believe I got stuck with you..." Vil sighed.

"Oh my where is everyone else..." Serenity asked looking around with a wide eyed look.

Both her and Vil now stood in the massive stadium where everyone else had been. It was mostly empty save for a few people that were still in the bleachers. It was likely that they went to eat food since the break was on right now. Serenity, or maybe William, whatever his, or her, name was at this moment, was looking a little different now. She had cut her hair off leaving it at shoulder length, and she was dressed in a more modest maid outfit rather than the other version since she was partnered with a fourteen year old boy. Her hair also had a few random high lights in it. From a distance thanks to her new hair color, style, and duel eye color, most people wouldn't even assume she was Serenity unless they were to get close and stare at her face.

As for Vil he was in a simple trench coat doing his best to try and look cool, with a half face mask, a hat, and sunglasses, but he simply stood out more, since he was a fourteen year old boy dressed in a super sketchy outfit... If not for his young age people might have actually tried to stop him and ask why he was dressed in a sketchy way, but most just figured it was a kid, being a kid. Though to Vil he was certain he was hidden.

They were an odd sight though that was for sure.

"I can't believe Hero placed me on a mission with you." Vil sighed.

"Neither can I." Serenity grinned her red eye seeming to glow as her hand twitched. "After all you killed me. You don't even get how much I want to rip you limb from limb, tearing you to pieces."

"Hey! Viper's already batshit crazy, and also dresses in a lewd way, so get your own thing you copy cat!"

Serenity let out a soft giggle. "Right. I'll try to help myself. So what is the mission exactly?" She asked cocking her head to the side.

"Ash has the 'M' Crest. Or rather he had the M Crest." Vil said shrugging. "I don't get how it works but it was able to place these things in people who don't have powers... So you now have it and when we're ready you'll activate the 'M' Crest that is within you now."

"And when I do..."

"When you do the mission will really start... And we'll use the chaos to finish our goal... We're going to assassinate the Empress of the Red Nation!"

***

Meanwhile...

The Cafeteria...

"You're not going to spend some time with your own Squad Hero?" Mary asked cocking her head to the side.

"They're... Better off without me right now." Hero said sheepishly.

After the many, many, many matches that had happened they were finally having a big break. Many people, both the Enforcers, and the civilians, had moved up to a large area in the stadium where many, many tables rested. Several Squads were all seated around. Many were staying with each other but a few decided to sit with other people. Light, and Irene, were off sitting with Squad One, Light likely because he used to be a member of it when he was alive, and Irene, since her brother was on it. The ice girl was even talking the Vice Captain. Shelly and Ken, were sitting at their own table and for once weren't fighting instead both girls were sharing a massive bowl of ice cream.

Hero however was seated with Squad Two. Mary Law the Vice Captain, Kong Blight, brother of Dawson Blight, and Captain of Squad Two, Hella, Brave, Fate, Thorn, and Curron, all recruits, also set around them. The rest of the members of Squad Two were on other tables. Jackson, Katrina, and Dawson, Hannah, and Santa, were the only members of Squad Six on their own table. Kitsune was still missing.

"Do you not like your Squad?" Kong grunted.

"I do." Hero said throwing his arms behind his head. "I've known them for nearly a full Age, and had to fight alongside them several times. I trust them with my life."

"I see." Kong grunted. "That's good. It's best to like your team."

"You seem happy around your team." Mary noted.

"I guess." Hero shrugged. "The recruits of this Squad are pretty strong though aren't they."

At this point Thorn had fought and won, Fate had fought and won, Hella had fought and won, only Curro, and Brave haven't fought yes.

"Of course we would be strong compared to someone like you." Curron announced loudly. "For we are one of the three strongest-"

"Curro don't be rude." Brave said flatly pushing Curro down.

Hero let out a small snort as he watched the teen lay back with a blank look on his face. "Isn't Curro the strongest recruit on your Squad?" Hero asked.

"He is." Hella nodded. "But he's also a softy."

"I am not!"

"Yeah you are." Fate hummed.

Thorn simply blinked a few times not saying anything. She was kind of a creepy girl... Not ever really moving or even eating. Flowers were blooming all along her skin as she seemed to suck in the sunlight much like a plant would. Well... Not sunlight since the sun was blocked out by those typical black smog clouds. Rather it was like she was pulling in the many flowers and powering herself off of the light from the artificial lighting...

Hero cut into his food slowly scooping it into his mouth. "So... Who do you think is going to win?"

"Me obviously!" Curro announced.

"Me." Brave shrugged pushing Curro back down. "Even if Curro is the strongest he's a total dumbass so I could beat him-"

"Hey!"

"I think if I had to guess who the winner is..." Hella hummed. "As much as I would like to claim it is me... I'd actually say it's either going to be one of the three Seraphins..."

"The three Seraphins..." Hero's mind went to Ken, who had somehow grown massively in power gaining new powers, and still had her transformation, as well as began talking to an Ava from another world, Davi, someone who Hero had a lot of questions for, and that Ava girl, who was able to see the change in time much like he had been able to... "I guess I can see it." Hero hummed.

"Do you not think you can win?" Mary asked cocking her head to the side.

Hero gave a small shrug. "Don't get me wrong... I'm going to try and get as far in these games as I can. I wanna fight Kitsune if I get the chance. But I don't know if I'll be able to make it all the way there... Plus two members of my Squad are massive cheaters... I thought I had bull crap main character powers but Ken, and Shelly, take the rules and throw them out of the world. Speaking of which." He slowly turned to look at where Ken, and Shelly were. "I wonder what they're up to... I might need to have a talk with them."

Over at the table with Ken and Shelly they had somehow finished the entire massive bowl of ice cream... Any on lookers would have to wonder how these two girls were still so small.

"Can you really hear voices in your head?" Shelly asked suddenly.

"Yeah? Why... Do you not believe me?" Ken questioned shooting Shelly a dirty look.

"I guess I believe you..." Shelly sighed flipping her hair. She folded her arms and let out a heavy sigh. "I just thought Hero was crazy going on, and on about those voices he heard..."

"Hero's weird..."

'Does your Hero have a weird savior complex as well, and also some weird desire to keep growing?' Ava asked letting out a hum inside of Ken's head.

"Mute button." Ken stated in a flat tone knocking on her head. "That means you don't talk."

"Ken you're getting weird looks."

"If it makes her be quiet I don't care."

'It does not make me be quiet.'

Shelly stretched out popping several of the muscles and bones in her small frame. "So how much stronger did you get?"

"I didn't really get stronger." Ken frowned resting her head down on the table. "Rather my skills just went up... So referencing more of Kitsune's shows, and books, if I had a Battle Power of 100, I'm still at 100, I just can now do a lot more things. Like making mini barriers around myself, and using the energy to slice and smash... Why? Jealous you're getting left behind?" Ken grinned.

Shelly frowned flipping her hair. "Don't be a fool... I'm leagues above you."

"Didn't I have to save you?"

"I saved you from turning into that monster form, so we're even." Shelly huffed. "You'll see when I finally get a chance to fight as soon as this break ends."

"Speaking of the Games coming back..." Ken's grin vanished as a serious look seemed to cross onto her face. She looked past Shelly's shoulder over at the table behind Shelly. The pink haired girl turned and saw what Ken was looking at. A table with the three members of Squad Five. Ken's silver eyes were locked onto Ava. The version from this world and not the one in her head. "Next match is Sera, and Ava right..."

"Yeah..." Shelly nodded. "Are you worried about Sera..."

"A little bit." Ken admitted. "You're friends with Emma right? The two of you are from the same city that got destroyed. Sera is also a friend of Emma's... I don't know why but... I just have this weird feeling... Every time I look at Ava... It makes me sick."

'I suppose that might be why you also seem to dislike me.'

"No I dislike you because you're in my head."

'Oh... I want to go back to Hero's head... He was nice and always treated me right.'

"He's right over there... Just float to him or something..."

'First of all... It doesn't work like that. Secondly. I'm talking about the cooler Hero. Hero Otoko.'

"I never met Hero Otoko, and yet I dislike him already."

"Ken please stop talking to yourself..." Shelly sighed. "I do think you have a right to be worried about that Squad Five chick though... She's weird... Like me and Hero she noticed something... I still don't get what that was or why the three of us noticed... She's also a Seraphin... Though she feels really off... I can judge you, and Davi but her... Where as you and Davi are like staring at an oncoming beast ready to devour me, she's like falling into a colossal sized nest of billions of ants... So much power broken apart into many layers... It's... It's weird..."

"Is that what her power is like..." Ken asked giving a small frown. "I guess I can see why that would feel off..."

"Yeah... It's not normal." Shelly said shaking her head. "But... It's nothing compared to this other feeling I've gotten."

"W... What is that?"

"I'm not sure... Something else..." Shelly said. "I felt it earlier... Two people that shouldn't be here... They left... But now I feel like two more people are coming... Something just feels off-"

"Like what?"

Both girls suddenly let out loud yelps when they heard the voice. They turned finding Hero was standing next to their table now.

"Whoops... Did I scare you?" He asked letting out a loud laugh.

"N... No!" Both girls huffed.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to." Hero laughed. "Are you two okay."

"I suppose so..." Shelly said looking away.

Ken didn't look at him though instead looking past his shoulder. "Hey Hero... Kitsune wants you."

"What?" Hero turned around and found at the very back, near the ramp, that led outside of the stadium Kitsune Nine was standing. The teens arms were folded and he cocked his head when Hero saw him. "I guess he does..." Hero hummed. "Well I'm gonna go see what he wants."

"Yeah you do that... We'd prefer if you'd leave anyways... There's a reason we're sitting by ourselves."

"Right, right." Hero began to walk to Kitsune but stopped when he noticed Kitsune had turned and walked down the ramp. Hero gave a small frown but kept going.

It didn't take long before they left the arena, and left the large city. They made their way out in the snow near the spot where Hero fought Hella, and Kitsune fought Ash. Out here there would be no one around... Finally Kitsune stopped.

"Hero."

"Kitsune?" Hero asked frowning. Kitsune rarely called him by his name usually claiming him to be a Devil Arm. "What's wrong-'

Kitsune drew his blade flames exploding around him as he fired towards Hero slashing out with his sword. "Die."