Confrontation

Ryo managed to zoom past traffic in the Virgo District on Sumire's motorcycle with ease. However, instead of wanting to return immediately with empty hands, Ryo stopped by the local shopping plaza closest to April's estate to purchase a small gift of appreciation for her carefree hospitality and acceptance. He parked Sumire's motorcycle on the side of a one-way road and gazed into a tropical-colored garden-like vista where alien and human adults and children relaxed reading books, laying on the orange grass, and ate various foods.

It didn't come off to Ryo at first, but exploring the Virgo District was something he had wanted to do ever since Sumire drove him to Sunlight HQ. But he didn't want to go alone. He wanted to share his experience with someone like Sumire, but her schedule conflicted with Ryo's free time. Instead, Ryo wanted to delegate the position to April after wanting to purchase her a token of appreciation.

One of the local gift shops, named Haufert's, caught Ryo's attention with tiny intricate cute animated animals positioned through its windows to attract fellow shoppers. Ryo entered the shop, greeted by a bell chime to indicate a new customer. Stacks and rows of neatly lined cute animal figurines, plushies, posters, books, and other trinkets lined up the stores. Even multicolored alien animals were prominent in the store. The sounds of parakeets chirping soundly was like music in Ryo's ears as he browsed through the rows of accessories and trinkets.

Suddenly, Ryo caught something that he knew April would enjoy. He found a guitar pick with a white cat's paw that accounted for two of April's closest passions and affections for music and her pet that he had yet to witness. He noticed that it was also part of a keychain with a brass-colored chain, which was an extra pleasant addition. He touched it and felt its holographic laminate texture as he rolled his fingers across. He had never played guitar before, so he couldn't envision if it was comfortable to hold.

"That's a n-n-nice choice," A light-pitched voice rang near the cashier's countertop. A crimson-skinned human approached the edge of his cashier table with one massive detail that made him completely disparate from others at first glance. He was a red-colored cyclops alien with two ear stalks above his head. He had a hunched back and rubbed his hands together as Ryo grabbed the guitar pick from one of the rows of accessories. "W-W-Welcome to Haufert's. I-i-is this your first time here?" He stuttered, blinking nearly every second. Every consecutive blink made a wet skin-touching noise that was louder and more audible than another audible blink.

"Yeah," Ryo said calmly. He knew that aliens were a common race in Aries, and he wanted to take the time to get used to that fact.

"Since i-i-it's your first-time h-h-here, your first p-p-purchase gets twenty percent off," Haufert informed Ryo. He used his slender long fingers to play with a galactic superhero bobblehead while speaking to Ryo. Several papers lazily taped onto his countertop also showcased several discounts if more items were bundled together. Overall, Ryo's first impression was that his gift shop was somewhat shady appearing, but he had a kind first appearance. "Will you pay in d-d-dollars? Yen? Rupees? I can t-t-take any kinds of money…"

"I'll pay in yen," Ryo said, placing the guitar pick on the countertop. "How much?"

"T-T-That'll be four-hundred and fifty yen," Haufert said, holding his slender hand out. Ryo placed the required yen in his hand and he bowed in respect before accepting it. He turned around and placed Ryo's yen in a safe deposit that automatically converted its change into dollars, the standard Aries currency. "T-T-thank you. Come back s-s-soon."

Before Ryo left, he saw a stack of newspapers reading local and recent news regarding information in the Virgo District. He took the guitar pick and examined the cover of the local newspaper, seeing the disaster car crash that had happened in an abandoned factory. Recent evidence had an unexpected turnout, revealing that the accident was a failed terrorist attack by the Japanese Yakuza. Weapons were recovered on the scene providing evidence of a link between the Yakuza, but no particular motive had been identified.

Shit, Ryo thought. They're looking for me.

Ryo snatched a copy of the newspaper, believing it would be vital evidence for Sunlight HQ regarding the incident and his assailants from Asahikawa. He patiently made his way out of Haufert's gift shop before an unsuspecting somber voice stopped him in front of the store.

"You're in a hurry," Natia's voice rang clear as day. She leaned against the side of Haufert's gift store with her arms crossed together, pivoting on the concrete walls with her foot. She kicked herself off and stole Ryo's copy of the newspaper with a swift slash of her hand. She then blocked the exit path where Ryo was about to leave with her slender dark-skinned leg. "Got something to say?"

Ryo acted reasonably calm, but he was growing exhausted of Natia's disingenuous attitude. Her unnecessary and unreasonable hostility only made him want to ignore her, but he knew she was up to no good. "Did you follow me here?" He asked with a cowling gaze.

"You're surprised?" Natia replied, scanning her eyes through the cover of the newspaper. "Maybe it'll teach you to not eavesdrop next time. Think of it as karma."

"I don't have time for this," Ryo said, gently shoving Natia's leg aside to descend the stairs. However, before he finished stepping down, he realized that the guitar pick he purchased was missing. He turned back and noticed Natia flaunting it towards Ryo with a smirk on her face. "Give it back," Ryo ordered while stepping back up the stairs.

Natia scoffed, continuing to taunt Ryo with the guitar pick by flipping it with her hand. "What makes you think a rookie as you can command me? You should know your place in Sunlight before you-"

"Don't give me any of that shit," Ryo interrupted with a nightmarish and tiresome expression on his face. "We're not in Sunlight. Give it back."

"I'll give it back… only if you tell me the truth about yourself," Natia insisted on a dilemma between them for an exchange of goods. She approached Ryo and shoved her face close to his with a threatening and menacing gaze into his eyes. Her eyelids were closing in suspicion over Ryo's identity.

"I'm sick of your cryptic bullshit. You're already getting yourself in shit you don't belong in. First, you have these pathetic moments where you're on edge and the whole world's drawn to you. Then you make impulsive decisions like eavesdropping on private conversations that have nothing to do with you. You're just as pathetic as your sister, always dipping her toes in places where she doesn't belong." She ranted with a terror-stricken gaze.

"And you're the one blaming us for something that we didn't do to Iran," Ryo retorted, reminding Natia of her unreasonable hatred for Japan. "Didn't think I heard that part? You have no right to hate Sumire or me for that, and you know it."

Natia groaned in disgust, shoving Ryo backward with her palm. "Then you're mistaken," She clarified, placing the bottom of her palm on her forehead. "I'm actually glad my country's fucked. All the rapists, pedophiles, and stalkers there deserved to be killed. But at the same time, I was taken from the only things that I had ever loved. Things that people like you would never understand."

Natia's unexpected influential factors of Iran's effect on her personality were things that Ryo never expected her to share. After hearing of the negative overbearing effects that the criminals of Iran had on Natia, Ryo wasn't sure if he should feel sympathetic or pitiful for someone as audacious as Natia. "Then if I wouldn't understand, why bother telling me? If you know Sumire and I have nothing to do with your home, then why blame us?"

"Cause I have nothing else to blame," Natia explained, placing her hand on her hip. "Let's get one thing straight. Out in this world, people have a purpose in their lives and put their heart and soul into it. But the moment that the purpose slips, your heart and soul comes crumbling down. You think finding another purpose is easy? I realized that after my home was fucked, it's only a kill or be killed world. The only way to be the killer in this situation is to grow stronger. If I can't blame anyone, then I'll never get my revenge."

"Revenge? For who?" Ryo asked.

Natia latched onto Ryo's white-collar, dragging him in with her eyes nearly popping out in veiny aggression. "You! You and your fuckwad sister. You're all the reason why my home's gone. You-"

"Stop saying that," Ryo slapped Natia's hand aside, swiping the guitar pick from her grasp. "You know we're not responsible. There are better things to do than to get revenge. Just be happy you're alive," Ryo explained, stepping down the stairs once more. "I had to learn that the hard way."

"With Sez Fuma?" Natia unexpectedly brought up, knowing it would rile up Ryo's emotions. "Yeah. Don't think I forgot. With a shitty reaction like that back at HQ, I don't think I'd ever forgotten."

"Don't say his name." Ryo returned to Natia, towering over her to jam his threat into her system.

"Sez… Fuma." Natia goaded as she smirked. She dropped the newspaper on the concrete.

Ryo couldn't deal with Natia's reckless and cocky attitude. As he placed the guitar pick in his right palm, he squeezed his right fist and delivered a swift punch to Natia's cheek. However, she caught his fist before it landed, creating no distance or flinch of her facial muscles. She gripped his fist tightly and shook her head in shame in response to Ryo's sudden attack.

"Big mistake," Natia remarked, lifting her left hand towards her tank top strap. "You asked for it." Natia's left palm smacked a part of her strap, summoning an entire massive array of jet black nanomachines to magically appear on her body. Mini individual dots that were similar to the carbon fiber material on Ryo's V2 nanosuit began to build themselves across her dark skin, covering it up with a sleek jet-black design.

A custom implemented variant of a nanosuit suddenly formed over her entire body, but its sleekness suddenly turned jagged with sharp edges. Neon goldenrod-colored shoulder blade pauldrons jutted out behind her, revealing two twin turbines with flight capabilities. Her nanosuit's slim black helmet assembled itself, covering her entire face. A golden thin visor appeared where her eyes once were, and two neon golden horns that resembled dragon fangs assembled themselves above for her helmet ornament.

Before Ryo could even attempt escape, Natia jabbed Ryo in the stomach with brutal force to send him flying towards the top of an apartment complex's tower. He soared through the air before slamming his back against concrete. Before falling he grabbed a metal pole attached to the side of the building, holding onto it with his dear life as he gazed down ten stories from the apartment complex. The guitar pick remained in his right hand, and he placed it in his pocket for safekeeping. His heart pounded profusely, as there seemed to be no method of escape.

Natia leaped up into the air and collided with the side of the apartment building, latching onto it with a magnetic device located on her left palm. "What's wrong, Nakai?" Natia taunted. Her visor created a mechanical gas mask-like filter to her provoking voice. "Where's your nanosuit now, huh? Can't do shit without it, right?"

"You're one to talk…" Ryo retorted, disgusted at Natia's unfair advantage. "You started this."

"No, you started this!" Natia shouted, pointing at Ryo's face with each statement she made. "You and your sister. You both started this!" She soared forward with her ignition turbines, grabbing Ryo and dragging him into the air. Ryo shouted in fear as Natia gently tossed him on the roof of the complex building.

She safely landed on top of him, creating a massive dent on the concrete and a shockwave of air to surge through the skies. Natia gazed into her armored hands, clenching them tightly to project her strength outwards."Fighting me will only make me stronger. This is what I was born for. This is what I was meant to do." She insisted.

Ryo spat congealed blood across after attempting to relax his wounds by staying still. "Then you need to find a new hobby," Ryo joked around, believing Natia's idiotic goals were not worth the risk. "Because deep down, you know that blaming others won't help. You're just refusing to accept it."

"Scum," Natia madly insulted, soaring towards him with her right fist raised for a punch. "You and Sumire are both scum!"

Ryo concentrated on his strength and posture, remembering his physical combat training from the Yakuza days. He caught Natia's armored hand and redirected it to the center of his chest. The moment her fist connected with it, a surprise caught Natia off guard; Ryo's V2 nanosuit that had been examined for evidence began constructing itself in front of her eyes. As the goldenrod crest ornament settled on Ryo's head, his entire body was covered in the plated nanosuit.

"What?" Natia shouted in bewilderment as she attempted to release her fist from Ryo's hand. "But that's impossible! How could you have it on you?"

"Didn't think I'd leave with it, did you?" Ryo's filtered voice quipped back as he ejected his ignition boosters towards Natia, sending the both of them flying in midair.

As she began to shove Ryo's tackling improvisation move away from her, Natia's body shot through Ryo like a lightning bolt at sonic speed, reappearing behind him with the initiative to attack. She had mastered using her ignition boosters to accelerate at light speed, which only took her less than a second to travel through space.

Before Ryo could react, Natia lashed her foot out, striking Ryo in the back and sending him flying towards the Virgo District's roads. District civilians who were close to the point of impact screamed and began fleeing away from the mayhem. Knowing his status as a Sunlight member, he wanted to make sure no one was hurt from their clashes.

"Is that the best you got, Yakuza boy?" Natia's filtered voice echoed as she firmly stood on the edge of another building. "Man, Sez would be disappointed that he raised such useless little shits like you. Isn't that what happened? Isn't that what he is to you?"

Ryo stood his ground and recovered from his devastating fall. "And what exactly is this world to you?" He asked from a distance. "You act like your home is all that you had. You gave up on life before you were even given a chance to live it. Now you blame others because of something we had no control over? How egotistical of you to think that we're responsible for you giving up your life in the present."

"Shut up!" Natia screamed, darting towards Ryo at lightning speed once more. This time, Ryo slid his right leg back and caught Natia's shoulder with his arms. He stopped her in her tracks and slammed her down on the asphalt pavement. Natia swiped back with her leg, pinning Ryo onto the ground and creating a reversal tactic. She began pelting Ryo's tactical helmet with solid jabs and punches, to where Ryo attempted to block them all.

"How else will I grow stronger if I have no one to hate?" Natia declared as she continued raining down punishing blows. "What makes you think you know a thing about me? What makes you think you know my pain? My hatred? My sadness? You think I want to live like this? There is no other way out!"

"Then you'll just have to find out for yourself!" Ryo shouted, pinning one of Natia's hands to the side as she rained down another punishing attack. He slammed his armored first against Natia's visor and ignited the booster on his feet against her chest, sending her flying back against the pavement with a fiery pulse of energy. "Find out my way," Ryo spoke before soaring through the skies to catch Natia's armored body. He gained more altitude as Natia's weakened figure failed to retaliate. Ryo held her tightly before diving headfirst through the roof of an abandoned building to powerbomb her to her defeat.

Ryo and Natia both shouted at the top of their lungs as both of them collided with the building's roof. They broke through several desolate apartment buildings that were planned for deconstruction. Each consecutive blow against their heads occurred when they crashed through each floor of the building. At the end of the collision, they plummeted in the center of a small grassy plain, causing dirt and muck to detonate with their combined weight. Ryo released Natia after they both were rendered battered from his diving attack. They both laid next to each other, too exhausted to battle any further.

"I do know your pain," Ryo said to Natia, removing his tactical helmet by forcing the suit to do so with his brain. The neural interface link with Ryo's brain was much more compact and effective from the V2 nanosuit, to which Ryo could take advantage of his combat prowess from the Yakuza times to defeat Natia.

"You… don't know anything… Nakai." Natia's fatigued voice rang clear.

"And you don't know Sumire!" Ryo retorted, standing above her as Natia's tactical helmet removed itself as well. Her face was slightly bruised and scratched from Ryo's diving attack. "I spent nine years running away from my pain until she saved me. She cared for me for years and I never took notice. All because I spent years blaming myself for the pain that I created on my own accord. I couldn't function. I couldn't sleep. I only knew that I caused everything, and I was responsible for hurting so many people.

Natia laid against the dirt, breathing heavily as her eyes glanced directly into Ryo's soul.

"So don't say I don't know jack shit about your hatred or sadness," Ryo continued. "You're right. I may not know you, but you don't know a thing about me or Sumire either. How about instead of blaming others, you take control of your own life? Because that's what I'm trying to do. It took me nine years, and I'm starting to believe in myself."

Ryo pressed on his chest to deactivate his nanosuit, reverting to his original and standard clothing. "Jinni was right. I should never have let the past affect who I am now. Although it took me a while to get it, I think I finally did. I've lived my entire life being taken advantage of by Sez and I've forgotten what it feels like to live a life. I've spent my entire life hating others that I forgot what it means to be kind. And now that I'm still alive, I'm going to use that opportunity to make things right. Are you just going to sit there and blame others for the rest of your life, or are you going to take responsibility?"

Natia slowly closed her eyes and mouth, resting gently against the dirt. Ryo watched as she maintained her steady resting position without uttering a single word back.

"Forget it," Ryo finished, turning his back against Natia to return to her motorcycle in the shopping plaza. He slightly slumped from his back injuries as he collided with multiple solid hazards many times, but breathed in to endure the aching pain. "Just know this. If you want to mess with Sumire, you're going to have to get past me. Let's see if you can handle fighting me daily because I won't stop until you shove off. You can be sure of that. Try me."

As Ryo began to slowly tread towards the shopping plaza, Natia's voice stopped him from leaving.

"Hey." Natia feebly called, opening her eyes.

"What?" Ryo impatiently asked, reverting his gaze to Natia's weakened body. Seconds passed without her uttering a word. A glimpse of light shone on top of her darkened face, illuminated from the sunset shining from above their collided floors. The sudden change in emotion made her aura less intimidating and more strikingly peaceful.

"See you soon." Natia plainly said, closing her eyes while resting soundly.

Ryo suddenly believed that his attack had rendered Natia unconscious. He wondered if he would be in deep trouble for injuring her so suddenly. He treaded back and began to lightly panic. "Hey," He called, kneeling next to Natia. "Hey, wake up! Are you okay?"

"I am awake, you bitch," Natia irritatingly muttered, slightly opening her eyes while being annoyed by Ryo's unnecessary hounding. "Just let me rest. Go. Do whatever you were about to do before I stepped in your life."

Ryo stood up and respectfully followed Natia's orders. But before he left, he turned to say one final thing. "I don't regret that you stepped into my life," He clearly stated. "Because if it wasn't for you, I don't think I would have noticed how important Sumire is, or my life for that matter. So, thank you." He then returned to the shopping plaza with the guitar pick present resting carefully in his pocket, preparing to return to April's estate before the sun had finally set.

The gentle windy breeze brushed against Natia's battered face as she laid back in infinite tranquility. There was something about what Ryo had said that altered her mindset, for she knew that everything he had poured out was true. Natia's straight mouth had suddenly arisen to a wistful, yet optimistic smile over the reevaluation of her life. The sunset's orange blend of tropical light continued to set forth on her skin, and she believed the light was the beginning of something that changed within her.

"Not bad, Ryo..." Natia whispered.