If there was one lesson in life I give anything to learn...it'd be patience. I am admired by many but idolized by few. It takes some getting used to when you take my original lifestyle and change it to this mess. Without patience, I would be reckless. Without patience, lives would be lost. Without patience...

I could lose my mind...

Danzaiver no Densetsu

A Hero Like no Other!

Act Five: Aura

"Tickets?"

Haku stood beside her locker as she looked at Ichiro's hand that held four tickets. "Tickets to what, Ichiro-kun?" She asked him while leaning on her locker. Her health had gotten better in the past week and it seemed like Ichiro couldn't recall or care about what had happened during the fire. Haku's eyes rested on the burns on his right arm.

"Tickets to the Comic-Con! I had to twist a leg or two to get these tickets." Ichiro replied with a wide grin. "You'll go with me of course right?"

Huh? He wants me to go with him!? As in a date? What the...I can't! This isn't proper! It's the Comic-Con! What the hell am I gonna go dressed as, Danzaiver? No way!

"Koneko-kun will be coming as well, right?"

"Oh..." Haku lowered her gaze and her shoulders slumped. Of course Ichiro wouldn't forget about the little orphaned boy. But then, Haku would be leaving her job of Danzaiver for a few hours...maybe even the whole day! Could the city really give her one day off? Haku doubted it but her chin was lifted by Ichiro.

"Haku-san?"

"Umm..." Haku blinked and bit her lower lip, averting her gaze away from Ichiro's brown eyes. "Right...What day is it?"

"You'll go!?"

Haku's eyes widened as he looked excited. His tone of voice suggested that he didn't believe that she would consent to an outing with him. Ichiro placed a palm on the locker next to Haku. On one side was her open locker door...on the other side was Ichiro's arm. "I-Ichiro-kun..." She stuttered as he leaned close to her. "Ichiro-kun I have class!"

And with that, she held up her binder and blocked Ichiro's face. She ducked under his arm and scurried down the hallway like a little mouse weaving in between the students in the hallway. Ichiro watched her run off and sighed, rubbing his hair. The fourth unaccounted ticket was then swiped out of his hands by Leiko.

The obnoxious leader of the Gray Wolves looked down at the ticket then to Ichiro with a look of shock and confusion. "Comic-Con? Who the hell goes to a Comic-Con!?" He jabbed Ichiro's ribs. "We don't go to Comic-Cons dammit! What the hell!"

Ichiro sighed loudly, rubbing a hand across his forehead than through his hair again. "Maybe I feel like it?" He asked Leiko with a frown. "You know...you don't have to be such a jerkwad about it, you know."

"Hah! Is that the best you can come up with Ichiro? Is that honestly the best you can do? Man..." With sudden speed, Leiko placed his hand behind Ichiro's head and slammed it into the lockers. He cringed in pain as his cheek was pressed up against the cool locker door. Leiko leaned in close to his ear, smiled devilishly and whispered "I wouldn't try to be what you're not made to be, Ichiro-kun. So...Sayanora."

Ichiro felt the hand pressed against his head leave and turned to watch Leiko disappear into the crowd of students rushing to get to class. From that crowd came Natsumi. She rushed over to him and placed a hand on his cheek. "Ichiro-san! I saw what that idiot did and that wasn't fair at all! Intimidating you like that when there were too many students around for anyone to care. I'm surprised that someone like him knows such a tactic." She folded her arms over her chest with a look that screamed mock surprise.

"Natsumi-san." Ichiro looked at her with a frown. "Sometimes I wonder how much work I'll have to put into getting the idea of me not agreeing with him into Leiko's head. I've always wondered why he can take hits to the head with no problem." He folded his arms behind his head and leaned his back against the locker. "He doesn't have a brain. It's one big rock."

Natsumi laughed and poked at Ichiro's side. He looked at her cautiously and she lowered her gaze. "So... Ichiro-san...Are we...Are we no-"

"No." Ichiro cut her off and Natsumi cringed in reaction. "Natsumi-san, it's never going to happen. Not ever again." He gazed at her green eyes and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I told you, it might be a decision you'd regret but you went and did it anyway. I'm too shook up about it. I..."

"You...You selfish bastard!" Natsumi slapped his cheek and his head went back to the locker. He watched Natsumi run away down the now empty hallway.

Ichiro sighed and walked into a bathroom. Checking out his face in the mirror, he sighed again.

"Matching bruises..."

It was after school and Haku was perched atop a high rise building surrounded by cloth and other crafts. Masao watched her curiously and ventured over to tap her shoulder. She looked back up at him and smiled shyly. "Ichiro-san invited me to the Comic-Con along with Koneko-kun. Would it be all right if I went...? I know I'm a hero...but, I'm also a teenager when you think about it."

She looked back at the cloth. "How do you deal with the two personalities?"

Masao smiled and sat down beside her. "You turn them into one. However, I don't expect you to do that so easily. You're not even halfway to becoming a true hero. Kokoro..."

Haku smiled widely and her eyes suddenly lit up as if relishing in a pleasant thought. "Kokoro must have done it. He must have become the true Danzaiver..."

Masao laid a hand on her shoulder and stood up. "Haku...Promise me you'll do your best."

"Eh? Of course I will!" Haku nodded.

Yamato handed a picture to Aku. "My lord, I know you wish for a male vessel but I could not help but notice the youthful energy in this choice. The president of the Danzaiver fan club and self-appointed sidekick, I present to you Minako."

Aku looked down at the picture. He nearly gagged at the sugary goodness that was Minako and her obsession with Danzaiver. "She'd make a better wife than a vessel but...I'm sure I can learn how to twitch my hips and giggle." He glared at Yamato's poor choice.

"I'll look for another one immediately but I have already sent...Sphinx." Yamato replied quietly.

"..." Aku waved his hand to dismiss Yamato.

The boy frowned and turned to leave. That Sphinx had better kill something...

Haku held onto Koneko's hand as they approached the building where the event was taking place. She looked down at her outfit and adjusted it as best she could. She didn't know an ANGeLS uniform would be so tight. She must have gotten a measurement wrong.

"At least the hair is right..." She murmmured, "Do I make a good Hina?"

Koneko looked at the graphic novel, then looked to Haku. "You make a better Rika than a Hina." He replied to her, looking at Haku's chest and the chest of the Hina character in the comic. He laughed lightly.

"Koneko-kun!" Haku knelt down and rubbed his head. "You make a good Goku."

The little boy grinned widely then pointed over at Ichiro. The older boy had showed up with a red headband and a white gi. Haku was clueless as to what he was dressed up as. "Ryu! Street Fighter Ryu! Haku-chan, you don't play video games?"

Haku lowered her gaze. A memory of her and Leiko at the arcade past her gaze and she slowly shook her head. "No. I don't play video games. But, if he's a fighter, he suits you Ichiro-san!" Haku looked back up to him and nodded her head.

Ichiro smiled in return and presented the tickets to the ticket holder. Ichiro kept the idea of Leiko there in the back of his mind neatly tucked behind his common sense. He led Haku and Koneko around and together they posed for pictures. Haku felt her heart sink though when a girl dressed in a school girl outfit with long black hair, one side had a braid, approached them. She recognized her as Minako. Haku had to remind herself that Danzaiver knew Minako and Haku Seigi didn't.

"Ryu-san, Hina-san! Together now!" Minako held up her camera.

Haku felt Ichiro's arm rest around her shoulders. "Come on Haku-chan! Peace!" He held up the V sign. Haku, her face red, did the same while smiling nervously.

Minako took the picture but sighed. "Her smile is weird..." She murmmured. "I'm sure though if Ryu posed with me...It'd be a great photo!" She emphasized this by wrapping her arms around Ichiro's.

"N-No way! Get off of him!"

Haku shocked everyone including herself with her voice. Minako stared at her wide eyed and Ichiro gave her look that screamed questions and lectures later on that night. Haku bit her lip and was about to apologize when glass shards fell around them as a large creature crashed through a window. She pulled Koneko close as Ichiro did the same for both her and Minako.

The creature looked like a giant lioness but it had the wings of an eagle. Haku frowned and could tell this was another bakemono. Come on everyone, she thought, panic! Of course, as if on cue, they were surrounded by panicking people. She was happy to be swept into the crowd away from Ichiro and the others. It made her job easier. Disappearing behind a display, Haku pulled out her pendant.

"Henshin, Danzaiver!"

Ichiro was able to keep a hold of Koneko but he lost both Minako and Haku to the crowd. He frowned heavily and picked the boy up. "Point out if you see them!" Ichiro explained to him as they maneuvered around the crowds. Koneko suddenly shivered in fear and pointed in one direction. Ichiro looked and all he saw was Yamato.

"That boy...That boy is perfect! Give him to me!" Yamato yelled and charged over to them.

"Hell no!" Ichiro turned and ran back to the crowds. Yamato jumped and sailed over them and landed directly in front of them. Ichiro growled under his breath and moved Koneko to his back. He held his fists up and started off with a front kick, followed by two quick jabs and a roundhouse kick. Yamato easily blocked the front kick and the first of the two jabs. The second jab scratched his face and he felt the blood run down his face. Confused, he was then kicked. It seemed as though he didn't care about the bruise but was more worried about the scratch.

"You'll pa-" He was then cut off by the Sphinx crashing into him. Ichiro turned to look at Danzaiver. The hero waved his finger and smirked having thrown the Sphinx at Yamato.

"Get the child out of here!" He yelled.

"I'm not being pushed to the side again! Let me help! I helped you last time!" Ichiro yelled.

"Here I am." Ichiro turned to look at Leiko and Minako. The girl looked to Ichiro and held her arms out.

"I'll take him." She offered. "If it's to help help Danzaiver-chan, I'll help!"

Ichiro couldn't help but smile and gave Koneko to her. "Be good." He told him before standing beside Ichiro. Minako ran out with him.

"Ichiro and I will take care of Yamato. You...take care of whatever that thing is."

"Got you!" Danzaiver dashed out and picked up the Sphinx and swung it around again. He threw it up to the ceiling, drew his sword and jumped up. He blocked an outstretched claw as he soared up and on his way down, Danzaiver cleaved right through the Sphinx.

Ichiro and Leiko double teamed Yamato. When the Black Serpent leader would dodge one punch, he'd be met with another strike elsewhere. He quickly grew tired of it and did something neither one of them expected. He faded completely from sight. Both of them turned to look at Danzaiver. Neither of them knew that it was Haku Seigi under the mask using a man's voice. Then, in a flash, Danzaiver disappeared.

Ichiro managed to find Haku before leaving the building. He took her by the hand, finding her hiding behind a display and led her outside to where Minako and Koneko were. They exchanged goodbyes with Minako and together headed home.

After dropping Koneko off at his home, Haku quickly pulled Ichiro aside on the fire escape. "Listen...Ichiro-san...about what happened..."

"I was so worried when you disappeared...Haku-chan...I was afraid I might lose you like we did Kokoro-san." Ichiro looked at her with a face full of worry lit up by the full moon.

"Ichiro-san, please listen!" Haku looked at him sternly. "There will be times where I'll disappear and you won't know where I'll be. I want to tell you...to not worry when that happens, and I'll always come back. No matter what."

Ichiro slowly shook his head. He placed his hands on her shoulders and said quietly, "I will worry." He then pulled her into a tight hug.

Haku's eyes widened and she wanted to immediately pull away from the hug. She felt his warmth, his strength, his heartbeat. Haku wanted to run away from it all. However, she felt herself slowly sink into his aura and let herself be enveloped by it.

Chibi-Ake and Friends Episode Nine

The even bigger Revival!

Ake-chan: Just me today wishing everyone a happy summer! I've been busy with college a lot this year being a class rep and all...But I plan on getting at least one of these stories done this summer! Bah! Iku yo!