Catching Up: An Air Gear Fanfic

Chapter Sixteen: The Fight for the Iron Regalia

Nue couldn't believe what Akane just told him. "Aoko Ueno challenged you to get the Iron Regalia back? Are you crazy? You're hopeless without your Regalia!"

"I don't care," Akane said seriously. "I just want it back."

"Hmph. Suit yourself." Nue took a bite from his sandwich. Akane sighed desperately.

Now Nue-kun blames me for accepting Aoko's challenge. I'm not doing the wrong thing, though. I want my Regalia back.

"I'll just sleep." She jumped flat on her bed.

Aoko looked at a picture in awe. It was her and another girl with magenta hair with jagged ends, a scar on her right eye, ruby eyes with slitted pupils, and an eye patch that covers her left eye. They were having a good time that day.

"I see," she murmured under her breath. "You want revenge? Is that all you want?" She slapped the picture on the table.

"What's going on?" A boy popped up from the darkness. Aoko slid the picture to the side.

"Nothing, Shogo," Aoko said. "I'm stressed out, that's all." She fell on her bed. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Shogo gave her a quick kiss on the temple and walked out.

*Ten days later*

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" Team Kogarasumaru (without Agito/Akito/Lind and Nobunaga) and the Higashi Junior High Track Team (without Ringo) were crammed inside Ton-chan's miniature, red car. Buccha can't fit in there so he has to sit on the top. They were complaining because they were squished by each other.

"Shut up!" Ton-chan pressed the horn on the wheel. "I can't concentrate!"

"You need a bigger car," Ikki said. "And a driver's license."

"Hey! Stop complaining in there!" Buccha punched the roof of the car. "Akane-san is not gonna win without our support!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. We got that." Kazu punched back as a response. "Ton-chan! Hurry up!"

"Don't yell at me! It's not my fault I can't drive that good!" Ton-chan whimpered.

"Whatever." Kazu rolled his eyes.

*Underground Zone*

Ikki and co. saw Akane lying on the floor. Ikki looked down on her. "Thank God, you're not dead."

"Why do you think I am?" Akane panted, wiping sweat with her sleeve. "I'm tired. I don't think I can do this."

"That's nonsense, Akane-chan," Kazu said. "We're here."

"Thanks." Akane felt her confidence coming back. "I feel better now."

"How was Agito's training?" Ikki asked. Akane groaned automatically.

"He nearly killed me," Akane answered. "Literally." She started stretching. "Are Lind-sama and Nobunaga-kun here?"

"He came with Ringo, Rika-nee, Mikan, and Ume-chan," Ikki said. "Where's Nue?"

"With Simca-chan and Kana-san," Akane said, massaging her neck. While doing that, Aoko appeared from the opening.

"Impressive, huh?" She displayed a devilish smile.

"Yeah, so impressive," Akane said bitterly. "Let's get this over with."

"Catch me if you can!" Aoko rocketed to the entrance. Akane chased her after, which caused a wild uproar from the audience.

"Ooh, the fight for the Iron Regalia!" DJ Plugman announced cheerfully. "Wow, this is gonna be one hell of a badass fight from the ladies!"

"Damn," Kazu cursed. "I almost forgot that he's here, too."

Akane wind up at a large battlefield. Aoko was nowhere to be seen.

"That little--" A pair of wheels smacked her to the wall. Aoko was already on the far side of the battlefield.

"Over here!" Aoko sang lightly.

"There's no way I'm going to chase you from there." Akane swept her flap over her head, presenting a scar on her right eye. "Slate Scissor!" She twisted her chains in form of a cross. Aoko bounced high to the ceiling.

"Ugh, I missed," Akane mumbled, running out of breath. "I'm so tired. I want to sleep, but I can't. Need to keep my eyes wide open." She yawned. No. Not now. I can't...I can't...

"Sorry for the time," Aoko said innocently with a hint of wickedness. "Guess you have to forfeit, huh?" She drew her lips to Akane's ear. "If you do, the Iron Regalia is mine forever."

"Akane!" Rhodri wailed from the top row. "Don't do it! Keep going!"

After a few seconds, Akane was laughing. But it wasn't a joking kind.

It was a villainous kind.

"Hm?" Aoko elevated an eyebrow in puzzlement. "I thought this isn't funny."

Nue chewed on his thumb. "Oh no."

"What?" Ikki immediately gripped on his forearms. "What's bad about Akane laughing like an insane maniac?"

"That is not Akane," Nue said shakily.

"I'm confused." Ikki rubbed the back of his head. "If that's not Akane, then who is it?"

"The ex-Iron Queen lost her mind!" DJ Plugman clamored, banging on his counter. "Wait, that's not the Iron Queen." He zoomed in. "That's--"

 A girl with magenta hair with jagged ends, a scar on her right eye, ruby eyes with slitted pupils, and an eye patch on her left eye sticking up her middle finger at Aoko. Aoko almost fainted.

"Shit," she cursed out loud.

"Miss me, you piece of crap?" the mysterious girl growled, rolling up her sleeves. "I'm going to take you down and I'm taking my Regalia back."

"Yeah right." Aoko scoffed. (A/N: Galina style XD.) "You're going to lose anyway."

"How can you be so sure?" the girl demanded. "You betrayed me, Aoko, for that boy who wanted the Iron Regalia for his sister." She gritted her teeth and bawled, "I hate you!"

Aoko tightened her fists. "Tch. I love him more than anything. That was the best choice I made in my life."

"Whoa, wait a second." Kazu tapped on Rhodri's shoulder. "Akane has a split personality, like LInd?"

"Yeah," Rhodri said simply.

"Who is that?"

Rhodri drank a medium amount of water. "Her name is Devon. The Scarred Chain."

"An incredible moment here, everyone!" DJ Plugman was getting teary-eyed. "The Scarred Chain is back from hiding!"

Trivia Time!

"Shogo" means "suspcious", "lucky sign".

Ikki: Ferrari-chan has a split personality?

Nue: Yeah.

Ikki: So, only two? Or three?

Nue: There are actually three. The last one is a Tuner. She's a pacifist, like that kid. What's his name again?

Ikki: Akito.

Nue: Yeah, him. Except she's more tomboy than girly.

Ikki: She's the complete opposite of Akito. Yay! Mikan has someone to play video games with!

Nue: Stop getting off-topic!

Me: Hello.

Ikki: Vera-chan, what's with the Devon persona?

Me: What?

Ikki: Never mind.

Me: Okay...

Ikki: Next chapter on Catching Up: An Air Gear Fanfic! The Scarred Chain and the Crowned Link!

Nue: Uh, hello?

Ikki: Who's the Crowned Link?

Me: You'll find out.

Ikki: Stop saying that!