Catching Up: An Air Gear Fanfic

Chapter Twelve: All Of Them Together

Previously...

There was a knock on the door. Ikki groaned and twisted the doorknob. 

"I told you, just--" He flinched. It was a girl, with bistre hair and aquamarine eyes. She took a picture and hung her camera around her neck. 

"I'm a photographer, and also a King-class AT Rider," she said. "I heard that this area is Team Kogarasumaru's turf." 

"I'm the leader," Ikki said. "Um, I'm sorry. Who are you?" 

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry." The girl saluted to him. "My name is Max Hirose. And I need a place to stay."

Now...

Ikki just stared at Max. "You can stay here as long as you like. I hope my sisters don't mind." 

"Is it the paparazzi again?" Nue slipped off his chair. "Because I'm gonna go out the other way." 

"Nue, it's a photographer," Ikki said. 

"From the paparazzi? Okay, I'm outta here!" 

"It's just a photographer!" Ikki clarified. "Kid, you can come in." 

Max sighed. "Good. I'm kinda getting cold." She stepped inside and Ikki closed the door. "Nice place you have." 

"Thanks, but I don't own it," Ikki said. 

Max set her belongings on the mat. "What's your name again? I forgot. You know, short-term memory loss." She chuckled. 

"My name is Ikki Minami, the Sky King. You should meet the rest of my teammates, but it's night already, so, sorry." 

"Minami?" Max raised an eyebrow. "Are you related to Prof. Rinta Minami?" 

"Yes, he's--How should I say this?--um." Ikki exhaled. "He's my father." 

"Wait, does that mean--?" 

Ikki shrugged. "I really don't know, actually. Why?" 

"I'm Brain Charger No. 6: Hydra." 

Ikki looked at Nue and looked back at Max. "How many Brain Chargers are there?" 

"Fourteen," Max said. "I thought you know about this." 

"I really don't know anything about this." 

"Oh, sorry. I thought you should know since you're the son of a renowed professor." 

"Maybe I should look it up," Ikki suggested. 

"Great idea. Let's do that."

"Nue-kun, where the hell are you?" Akane was about to crush her phone into pieces when she found out that Nue was gone from his house and locked it. "I've been waiting for a whole fucking hour." 

"Don't blame me! Ikki called me to go to his house to play video games," Nue complained. "It was really fun." 

"You're not helping!" 

"Why didn't you call me earlier?" 

Akane bumped her head on the door. "Never mind that. I'm going there." She shut down her phone. "Did anyone stalk us?" 

Naoki scanned the area. "Nope. All clear." 

"Good. Coz I'm going to kill them if they did." 

"Jesus Christ, stop acting so scary," Rhodri whined. Akane hissed at him. 

The bush next to Lind rattled wildly. Lind hauled out the thing that was in the bush. It wasn't a thing. It was a person. 

"Spade, you fucking asshole!" Akane screeched. "Why the hell did you plan to stock us, huh?"