"Are you okay, sugar drop?" He asked tenderly. Her eyes were still gleaming after seeing Nocturne's unmasked face, her mind stunned still by his features. "He's beautiful, Daddy." She whispered. "He's beautiful." Hikaru smiled, secure in the knowledge that his daughter was mostly unfazed by the trauma. "You need to stay here, okay? Do not move from this place. No matter what." She nodded, totally unquestioning of her father's intent. He drew his gun once more and began to make his way up the road until Gunk blocked his path. "I'm sorry, sir, but I cannot allow you to vacate these premises." Gunk calmly said. "I'm a cop. This matter belongs to Tokyo Metro. That…beast…is my responsibility. Now stand aside." He attempted to slip by, but Gunk raised a hand to stop him once more. "I cannot let you leave, sir. Your service is noble and appreciated, but this situation is best suited for superheroes." Hikaru looked up with vigour in his eyes, and Gunk realised there was more to this

"Really? Thanks, that's…pretty cool." Kon could barely contain his anxious jubilance. "Was I keeping you from something?""Nothing that couldn't wait.""Sorry, I'll just, um…sit down. Over there." He uncomfortably pointed at the couch behind him. "Take care, sir.""Please, don't call me sir. Just call me Hikaru." Kon nodded a little too enthusiastically at Hikaru's words as he walked backwards to the couch. With that, Hikaru made his way up the hall, a small smile having grown on his face, and returned to his thoughts about the Crusaders that Kon had distracted him from.That night…No less than twelve minutes ago had Akuma's Servants stated their message through the hijacking of every TV signal in Tokyo. Their exact words were as follows:"Citizens of Tokyo, these words are for your ears. We are the Servants of Akuma, and we act solely in accordance with his will. He wishes us to bring blood, we bring blood. He asks us to beget fire, fire will rise. Both are sure to fill the streets

That night…No less than twelve minutes ago had Akuma's Servants stated their message through the hijacking of every TV signal in Tokyo. Their exact words were as follows:"Citizens of Tokyo, these words are for your ears. We are the Servants of Akuma, and we act solely in accordance with his will. He wishes us to bring blood, we bring blood. He asks us to beget fire, fire will rise. Both are sure to fill the streets on this night. Throughout the city, we have placed explosives, and after thirty minutes, their detonation will bring about the death of hundreds. Do not try to stop us. None may circumvent Akuma's awesome will. And do not be set in unease by these results. Soon you will see his rule is the end to all our pitiful struggles on Earth. He is the gun, and we are his bullets. All of Japan…that is his target."Naturally, the Crusaders did not respond well to this announcement and moved out immediately, donning the costumes that had been sent to them by DSA agents from their base

With each other's words said, their philosophies fully exchanged, they dashed at one another. The light of their swords left streaks in the air as they zoomed ever closer. Their blades collided with each other in a cross shape, their equal force of movement locking them in place when they met at the midpoint of their mutual run towards each other. In mirroring movements, they both raised their respective blades to take another swing, getting only the same result. Rather than attempting a sword-based attack once more, Kenseijin head-butted Kemono through the space above their meeting blades, sending Kemono stumbling back and giving Kenseijin the edge. The direction and momentum of Kenseijin's slashes had Kemono struggling to protect himself as he stumbled back and swung his weapon to keep the blue blade from striking his red armour, the sword saint not slowing down as he pushed him further with every attack. Soon Kemono was backed into the base of the statue, and it was that concrete b

Los Angeles…Agent Alderman stood in the living room of the penthouse with a man carrying a pair of suitcases. The man's moustache matched his neatly combed brown hair, his blue eyes standing out against his pale face that had only recently been reacquainted with the sun's light. Beneath his button-up red flannelette shirt he wore plain white, and below that were simple jeans and runners. His eyes moved around the room, absorbing every detail and allowing his mind to quickly familiarise itself with the layout."Feel good to be out and about?" Alderman asked the man."Unbelievably so." He answered, showing his Texan accent. "I appreciate gettin' the week to get back in touch with the world. See what's changed, what's stayed the same, what's goin' on right now…and, of course, I appreciate bein' given this opportunity. I ain't gonna screw this up, I swear.""I'm certain." Alderman recognised the chattering that came down the hall behind the closed metal door. The man looked up with sligh