[Corruption, Tokusatsu Themes, Roboticization]

"It's been such a long time since I've been back here. I wonder how Hiro's doing? Maybe she's still the same old adorable dork..."

A young lady was currently standing in a penthouse that had been rented for her and her alone, all while sighing a little as she looked out at the city of Mimoto with a somber look in her eyes. It really had been a long time... Eleven years, was it? She had to leave school early due to her career, so she didn't get to see what the rest of her class decided to do...

Her hair was long and silver, with a bit of her hair tied into tails to make her look extra cute. Combine that with her gentle white nightgown, and she looked like she was ready to stand on stage. All while her somber blue eyes peered out on the nighttime scenery, her heart slamming against her chest. Would she even accept her return? Or would she just look the other way and ignore her... Like everyone that heard her songs?

She heard a subtle sound, and immediately spun around before lifting her foot off the ground and nearly striking her assailant with a roundhouse. A mild bit of sweat ran down her face, before she softly smiled. "Don't you know that it's rude to just come inside without knocking?"

"My my. I suppose so. But there's nowhere for me to sit, so I had to get a little creative."

The one that had come to visit was a blonde woman with a red dress. Baroness Bat, who smiled despite the sharp heel that was currently pointed at her throat. "I'd appreciate it if you lowered your foot, Miss Kaname. I don't wish to bring you any harm."

"Forgive me for being cautious. You've trespassed on my personal space, after all." The silver-haired woman said, before lowering her leg ever slightly. "If you really did want to hurt me, you would've done so already. So, what is it? What are you planning, Vampire?"

"Perceptive." Bat giggled, bowing gently. "White Angel, Setsuna Kaname, I am Baroness Bat of Golden Freedom. And I want to offer you a welcome home gift. Something to lift your spirits, so you can enjoy life to its fullest." She said, reaching into her bosom and pulling forth a single golden ring.

Setsuna rolled her eyes. Great, a weirdo. Then again, she had encountered her fair share of weirdos overseas. Being an international idol meant that you had to deal with a lot of weird types that just didn't take no for an answer. "Let me guess. It's going to brainwash me, then you can puppeteer me around on a stage and humiliate me? Sorry to disappoint, but I've already been through that at least twice before."

"My, being an idol is a much more difficult job than I ever could've imagined." Bat chimed, before backing away as she split apart into a small cloud of bats. "But no. Use this ring as you see fit. Toss it away, or use it to make your dreams become a reality. It's all up to you."

Setsuna watched as all those bats quietly disappeared one by one, the last one winking as she disappeared. All while she was left with the ring and nothing else. It prompted her to look down at the ring and slowly examine it...

...Well, it couldn't hurt to hold onto it. Maybe she'd find a good reason to use it.

---

"Mikai."

Mikai froze as the lights turned on. She thought that Hiro wouldn't be awake at this point. It was really early in the morning, and she didn't want to bother her. So she had just snuck out of bed so she could get some breakfast. It didn't help that she really couldn't sleep, because it was awfully quiet in her dreams...

"Y-Yeah, Hiro?" The sandy-haired young girl said as she turned back towards her partner, a guilty grin on her face. It's not like she had done anything bad. She just felt a little ashamed for having been caught.

Hiro was in her pajamas, decorated with several chibified Natura Couleur characters, and really didn't look like she was angry. She just looked tired. "Next time you wake up early, just shake me. Waking up early just means I get more time to shake myself awake before work." She said, passing right by the young girl. Not even really admonishing her for what she had done, just asking her to show some courtesy.

"Ah. Yeah, sure." Mikai said, nodding idly. All while she kept on looking towards Hiro. All while her mind was still on what had happened a few weeks prior. "Uhm... Are you sure you should be working?" Considering what had happened, it was a very valid worry...

"My arm is okay. Ouroboros hasn't shown herself lately. And I've been specially requested to guard a VIP. So unfortunately, yes, I should be working." Hiro said as she took a seat at the kitchen table, her gaze turning towards Mikai once more. "What about you? You've been awfully distant since the day you first encountered Ouroboros."

Ah. Alright, she saw straight through her. "...I just don't wanna bother you, Hiro." She muttered as she took a seat at the table, burying her face in her hands. "I don't want to cause you problems and make your arm problem even worse. I don't want to make life hard for the people that I keep near and dear..." Even with all the positive reinforcement that she had received from her enemies and her friends, the fact still remained that she felt empty and aimless. And that meant that she was weighing down her friend...

"You really can't avoid giving me problems, Mikai. But that's okay."

The sandy-haired girl's eyes lit up a little as she looked at Hiro. And she saw such an uncharacteristically warm smile on her lips. A smile that told her that everything was alright. "I-It is? But I thought..."

"We're partners, Mikai. My trust in you means that I accept that you give me those problems, because your performance... And your character, outweigh all the negatives. And I trust that you think the same of me." Hiro explained, before reaching for her morning cup of coffee. All so she could take a small swig and let the warmth wash through her bit by bit. Aaaahhhh... It felt so nice to wake up to a warm cup like this. It made her feel like she could take on the world.

Mikai nodded. And yet... She wasn't sure if her trust was as strong as Hiro's. Had she paid her back enough? Maybe she should just think less about it and do her best. That's what Chimera would want her to do, wasn't it? Come to think of it, it had been a few weeks since Chimera started to dig into her psyche to try and figure out why she was so empty, why hadn't she returned yet?

Hiro just softly shook her head as she watched Mikai lose focus. That girl could drift off into her thoughts at any moment, and it was a miracle that she was actually able to converse with her on such a regular basis. "Anyway, I should get going. I'm supposed to meet with the VIP soon." She said, stretching as she got up from her chair and whipped her arm forward. "Huanglong, if you would."

In a matter of seconds, a subtle golden energy poured from the gauntlet on Hiro's arm only for it to sink into her clothes and transform them into a fresh uniform that made her look as spiffy as possible. All while Mikai watched with a mild bit of shock and awe. She could do something like that..?

"Mikai." Hiro said as she turned towards her partner. "I trust that you'll be able to help me later. So when I call you, please pick up. Then you can get a chance to meet this VIP. I'm sure you'd like her." Whenever she talked to Mikai, she felt this warmth inside her. And it was everything she needed to do a good job.

"Alright. Have a good day at work!" Her young partner chimed, waving goodbye to her as she walked out the door, out into the snowy weather. All while Mikai quietly collapsed on the table in front of her....

She still hadn't had the chance to talk to her seriously about all this bad Atlas Corp stuff. Why couldn't she just ask her about that too..? Not only did she feel like a burden, but she felt like Hiro was hiding something. It was mildly frustrating...

...How strong was that bond of theirs anyway, if they were hiding things from one another like this..?

---

"Thank you, and come again another time if you run into more trouble!"

Mina rolled her eyes as she stepped out of the weird horny store. Who could've thought a place like that was good for getting all that Jõtai stuff out of her? At this point, she had run into far too many problems with her own runaway ambition and need to seek glory... So it was good that she could get it checked. Even Doctor Charlotta couldn't help with that.

"Are you feeling alright, Mina? Nothing's hurting or anything, right? I can check your temperature if you need it." Her close knit friend, Rika, was obviously concerned. Considering the fact that the Jötai effects were supposed to be permanent and everything, obviously she'd be worried about her friend for getting it removed. "Just tell me if anything's wrong, alright?"

"Calm down, Rika." Mina said, looking up at the tall and adorably buff cheerleader that had stuck to her through thick and thin. "I'm fine. I just feel a little sluggish, but it'll probably go away. Then..." She paused, before shaking her head. "You mind carrying me back home?"

"Of course I don't mind, Mina!" Rika smiled as she quickly lifted Mina into her arms, before sprinting down the road. She was happy to help her out no matter what! Whatever she wanted, she was there to help and support her. Just like Mina had been there to help and support her in the past!

Mina smiled, all while slowly putting her hand on her thigh. Why did it feel like she didn't want to run anymore..? It was... No, she shouldn't worry about it. That Ganguro girl told her that she'd probably experience some mild discomfort. It'd go away...

Yeah. It'd all go away...

"Well, that's one down."

Ero said as she stretched while standing in the alley behind the porny shop, flipping a single medal with a second medal imprinted upon its surface. "And that makes... Oooohhhh... About another hundred Jõtai we still need to pluck?" She muttered, sighing a little. Of course Mama had to give her the more tedious task. Why couldn't she be the one that plucked Jõtai factors from people and she was the one that looked into all this business with the Darkness?

Just as she flipped it into the air, a masculine hand grabbed it and pocketed it. All while the owner of said hand leaned against the wall right next to her, a thoroughly dissatisfied look on his face. "We're getting nowhere at this pace, Ero." He said, looking slightly over his shoulder. "We have the tech we need to hunt down the Monsters that still plague this city. Why aren't we heading out?"

"You want to be frozen like last week, Hayato?" Ero said as she swiped the medal back, flipping it up and down once she had it back in her hands. "That girl, Yuuki? She wasn't too happy once you explained everything to her. And you don't want to run into her again if she were to find out that you still want to go the difficult route."

Hayato narrowed his eyes, his teeth automatically clattering. "Don't remind me." He muttered, before clearing his throat and slamming his fist against the wall. "We can't afford to wait, Ero. The longer we wait, the less we'll be prepared. We're going on the offensive. NOW."

"Fiiiiiine, but don't complain when we end up in trouble because somebody decided to let his hatred get the best of him." Ero said, stretching a little as she pocketed the medal. "Who're we hitting, anyway?"

His frown turned to a satisfied grin, as he divulged his plans. They'd cut off a Jõtai factor, right after it had taken form...

---

"I can't believe it. We're actually going to meet an idol! Not just any idol either, it's the White Angel..!"

"You're a lot more excited than you'd normally be, Tsubasa. What's so important about this White Angel?"

"Yeah! What's with the White Angel? Is she really that White?"

The mood took a dramatic shift as Mikai opened her mouth, with both of her friends staring at her as if she had just said something that was beyond any and all taboos. "What?" Not that she knew what she was saying was a bad thing.

"Please be careful with what you say, Mikai. You never know what kind of people might be lurking in the shadows." Yumeko said, gently patting her friend on the head. Ah, she was so precious. Maybe a little too precious. An outburst like that could probably result in her getting into some really bad trouble.

Tsubasa's expression was hidden behind his fogged up glasses. She had a point, the angel didn't really need to be that white nor was she that white. If anything she was beige. Maybe eggshell? But it wasn't really the kind of question that you just asked, because it was part of a stage name. But at the same time, she had been the one that asked him to join her for this little event, so it'd be really rude to correct her...

Mikai blinked as she looked at her friends, before letting out a nervous laugh. "It's fiiiiiine. Probably." She chimed as she wrapped her arms around them. "Now come on! Hiro's waiting!" She chimed, dragging them both along. She really wanted to see that VIP, especially now that Tsubasa seemed so enthused to meet her!

Getting backstage wasn't a real issue, as Hiro had already talked with the staff. They were told that if a sandy-haired girl with too bright a smile compared to the brain between her ears arrived, that they were to show her towards the rooms backstage. She'd take care of her then. She wasn't that dumb, was she? Was her smile too big?

Either way, they made it to the room that was dedicated to housing White Angel, and Mikai didn't hesitate for a moment. She slammed open the door. "Helloooooo!" She cried out, with Yumeko and Tsubasa both looking suitably embarrassed.

"Y-You're here early, Mikai! Don't look! Don't you dare look!"

"Aha, so that's the girl you were talking about? I thought she'd be taller, with how much praise you've been pouring her way!"

The scene within the room was one to behold. Two adult women, around the same age, were currently posing in front of a full-sized mirror. It was easy for Mikai to tell that the silver-haired woman in the puffy dress that made her look a lot younger was the VIP. Because there was absolutely no mistaking the skunk-striped woman that served as her partner for anybody else.

And that very same woman was currently busy trying her best not to melt from embarrassment, as she was wearing a dress that was almost identical to the silver-haired woman's. She even had her hair tied up in the same way, which made it look like she had cute and short twin-tails. Hiro was beyond ashamed, and the fact Mikai was looking at her was making it incredibly difficult for her to handle the situation.

Tsubasa stared into the room for approximately two seconds before retreating, gasping and panting. Not only had one of his idols showed up in her famous outfit, but Hiro... Hiro was adorable. No, she was beyond adorable. She was beautiful. And that beauty was really hurting his heart, because the memories of her controlled self were still fresh in his mind. So not only was he overjoyed, but his weak heart was also telling him to flee. Despite the fact that he knew she wouldn't hurt him...

Yumeko just shook her head. Somehow the lot of them had wandered into yet another difficult situation. But at the same time, it was a relief. It meant that Mikai could get a breath of fresh air. After how down she had looked the last few weeks, a winter incident like this would be perfect. One where she could just enjoy shenanigans with Hiro.

"Wow! You're really pretty when you don't wear a suit, Hiro!" Mikai chimed, giggling at the sight of her partner squirming even more thanks to her positive words. "You must be that White Angel lady! Nice to meet you, I'm Mikai!" She said, walking over to the actual idol with a hand outstretched.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Mikai. Hiro's told me quite a lot about you." Setsuna said, shaking Mikai's hand after gripping it a little tightly. All while casting a single glance at her 'copycat'. "Isn't that right, Hiro? You had lots and lots to tell me about her. How she's been there for you when you needed her the most. Why don't we go through everything from the beginning, since you spent so much time chatting about her?"

"You're trying to kill me. You came back from overseas specifically to kill me. There's no other reason you would want to tease me that much." Hiro's tone was heavy, as she tried to hide behind the mirrors and hide from her partner's gaze even more than she already was. "I thought it was strange that I had to be a bodyguard for somebody. But then it turned out to be you. Why'd it have to be you?"

"Awww. That's no way to talk to an old classmate." Setsuna giggled, turning back towards Mikai. "I don't imagine Hiro's told you this, Mikai, but we actually went to school together. I had to drop out for the sake of my career right before the final year, but I'm really glad to see that she's still doing great. Especially when she's scored somebody as cute as you."

"Scored?" Mikai tilted her head. "...Ooooh. No, it's not like that! We're just heroines, that's all!" Right, scored meant bagging a partner. Not that kind of partner, the sexual kind. At least, that's what Tsubasa's stories told her. "What was school like for you two? I wanna hear, I wanna hear!" It's not often that she got to hear about good parts of Hiro's past. Maybe she could get a taste for the kind of bond that Hiro held near and dear!

"She teased me every single day over everything I loved! It's like she hated me! There's no way she'd take interest in all those things!" Hiro cried out, glaring out from behind the mirror. "You even took my Shining Ace figure, I can't believe I forgot all about that!" From shame straight to hate...

"I did? I thought I gave that back to you?" Setsuna said, putting her finger up against her cute plump lips. "Ohhhh... Ooops! Well, it should be back home. I'll get it to you once we're done here, okay, Hiro?" She put her hands together in a praying position, to try and beg for the tiniest bit of forgiveness.

"It better be okay. Otherwise..." Hiro muttered, the hate in her eyes growing...

Mikai chuckled a bit as she watched the two converse, before walking a bit towards the door leading out of the room. "She seems nice." She said, looking at Yumeko and Tsubasa as she let the two old friends get acquainted with each other again.

"She's... Different." Tsubasa muttered, pushing his glasses up. "I wouldn't say she's nice, exactly, but she seems to have a lot of history with Hiro. That's..." He paused, clearing his throat. "That's truly wonderful. Ah. Uhm." He stuttered, before slipping his way into the room. "Excuse me, Miss White Angel?"

As he went to try and join the discussion in his own way, Yumeko looked at Mikai and watched her slowly walk off. "What's the matter, Mikai?" She was concerned. The girl didn't usually just bow out of a conversation like that. She would join and find a way to enjoy every little aspect of it...

"Oh, I just didn't want to get in the way. Hiro seemed like she was having a lot of fun." She chimed, though it was clear that her tone was hollow. It lacked the same kind of joy. Almost as if she felt hurt by the sight.

"She definitely was having a lot of fun, wasn't she? She really doesn't need you, Mikai..."

Yumeko's eyes widened as a muddy-haired girl appeared from what seemed like nowhere. How? Where had she come from!? She wasn't supposed to be here! "K-Kimiko? What are you doing here?" She asked, twitching slightly...

"She doesn't need me..." Mikai muttered, not even phased by Kimiko's sudden appearance. "Yeah... You're right, Kimiko. She should have fun with the ones that matter to her. I'm just her partner, I've only known her for a little bit..." She muttered, all while she slowly walked off. "Sorry, Yumeko, Kimiko. I'm just gonna get some air. I'll be back in a bit..."

Just like that, Mikai left. Leaving Yumeko all alone with the muddy-haired girl that had actively been tormenting the heroine for the last few weeks... No, from the moment that she had made her presence known. "Who are you, Kimiko? Why are you trying to tear her friendships apart?"

"I'm Mikai's best friend. And who are you, Yumeko?" Kimiko said without missing a beat, smiling from ear to ear. "You know so much about her. You even know when all these enemies appear, telling her when she's needed Isn't that a little suspicious?" She giggled, putting her hands behind her back. "If I didn't know any better..."

Yumeko's eyes had sharpened into a glare that was strong enough to make some of Kimiko's hair fall off. "Leave. Now. I don't know what you are, but you won't get your way. Mikai's friendships are stronger than you make them seem." She was this close to doing something she would regret. All because of this horrendous presence in front of her.

Kimiko giggled. And she vanished as soon as the girl blinked once more, leaving nothing behind but the haunting sound of her giggling voice. She came and went, just like that. A ghost in every sense of the word...

The black-haired girl was left in silence, as she slowly clenched her fist. There's no way that she was going to allow that girl to ruin her friendship with Mikai... No, it wasn't her friendship that was on the line. It was Mikai herself.

There's not much time left. There's no way that she was going to let that bitch win...

---

"WHITE ANGEL! WHITE ANGEL! WHITE ANGEL!"

The concert had finally begun. And that meant it was time for the idol to take the stage. She was in high spirits too, all because of spending plenty of time together with Hiro. It was such a wonderful time, really filling her with energy that would make these next few hours the best they could possibly be...

Slowly but surely, the stadium floor opened up to reveal White Angel in all of her glory. She even had a pair of beautiful white wings on her back, as she waved to the crowds while putting her microphone right up to her lips.

"HEEEEEY EVERYOOOOOONE! I'M SO GLAD YOU COULD MAKE IIIIIT!" She cried out, with the crowd meeting her enthusiastic cry with so much glorious cheering. It almost made a tear run down her cheek, it was the best thing she could've possibly hoped for. Such a powerful crowd..!

"WHIIIIITE ANGEEEEEEL!" Tsubasa cried from his seat, a kiss on his cheek. Oh, he was on cloud nine. He was beyond ecstatic. Everything that could go right had gone right. And it was only going to get better. He knew that much, because he had already heard about her plan!

Mikai was watching from the top of the stadium, stretching as she watched the winter stars above. It was for the best that she watched from a distance. Hiro wouldn't need her. She could handle it all herself. She was sure of it. But at the same time, she still wanted to hear this song...

The lights in the stadium went out for a moment, before White Angel started to giggle as smoke started to billow forth. "I'VE GOT A REAL SPECIAL TREAT FOR YOU ALL TONIGHT, BOYS AND GIRLS OF ALL AGES! A SPECIAL SURPRISE THAT YOU'LL ALL ENJOY!"

One by one, the lights focused on the figure that was rising from below. A figure that was nowhere near as elegant as White Angel, but one that was just as beautiful in her own right. And one that brought much confused cheer from the crowd. They didn't know White Angel had a partner..!

Hiro wanted to die. The spotlights were all on her. She was on the same damn stage as her classmate. Her bully, even. She was happy to have seen her gone, and the fact that she just kept on teasing her to this day reminded her why she was happy that she left! How the hell did she rope her into this?!

...It was because she had always wanted to stand on a stage like this. And she had always wanted to sing. But she knew she wasn't the type that could endure it. So she decided to pursue her studies instead, becoming a loyal member of Atlas Corp... and everything just kept on piling on after that. Really, maybe she should've pursued the role of an idol.

"TONIGHT ONLY, YOU'LL GET TO HEAR MY DUET WITH MY TRUE RIVAL! WHITE DEVIL!" White Angel screamed to the crowd, and the crowd screamed in turn. It was a wonderful experience for everyone involved. Everyone except Hiro, considering what shame she had to endure.

As the lights shone down on both of them, Setsuna giggled and looked at Hiro. All while turning off her microphone for a second so they couldn't hear her. "Hiro. You were the one to inspire me to go down this path. If not for your interests, I wouldn't have had the courage to go through with everything."

Hiro did the same, narrowing her eyes. "...What are you getting at? You don't mean to tell me that you actually liked all the things you teased me over?"

"Heavens no. But you were courageous enough to go to school and actually engage in those things. That was all I needed to go down the path of an idol. They loved me too, so it's thanks to you that I'm here." Setsuna explained, as she lowered her head a bit. "And it's why I have to do this. Why I have to sing with my own voice, instead of just lip synching along to the newest hits my producers cook up."

The skunk-striped 'idol's eyes widened as she realized what was currently wrapped around her old classmate's ringfinger. A Jõtai! How could she have missed that!? "Setsuna, don't!"

"LET'S SHINE, EVERYONE!"

The scream from White Angel's lungs peaked the volume of her microphone and the speakers, as she was surrounded by a golden glow. She let her wish come true, and was consumed by the Jõtai in the process. Granting her wish came at a cost, and it was a steep one. And most of the audience realized what was going on too, as a collective gasp echoed out.

"W-White Angel..!" Tsubasa cried out as he watched the golden energy around her slowly crack. He couldn't believe it... She was a Jõtaijin too! How come all the ones that he crushed on eventually ended up corrupted?!

The golden energy vanished completely, revealing White Angel's new form. A metallic beauty, a perfect angel of steel. She looked like a mass produced idol, yet at the same time she had the kind of presence that made her stand out. This time, she would be singing with her own voice. A piercing voice that would reach straight into the hearts of all of her fans!

"GOODBYE, WHITE ANGEL! AND SAY HELLO TO IDOLIZER!" The mechanical idol screamed into her microphone, the symphonic sounds of her voice echoing out. "LET MY SONG REACH YOU ALL! LET IT REACH DEEP INTO YOUR HEARTS! YOU'LL NEVER FORGET IT! EVER!"

Sprouting from her wings were several speakers, each shooting out soundwaves made from the booming presence her voice had. She was going to make sure that the entire stadium heard her voice. They weren't going to escape her love. They weren't going to escape a thing..!

The effects of her song were almost instantaneous. Most of the crowd started to cry out in delight as they were consumed by the same sort of metal that their idol was, with each of them growing identical as their metallic bodies spouted domes around their heads, turning them into loyal Pawns that were super fans of the idol.

Tsubasa tried to fight back against the influence of the song, but as soon as the dome formed around his head, he was made to submit through the sound of her voice echoing around inside his head. His beloved White Angel had become even better than he ever could've imagined. Now she was the show-stealing Idolizer..!

"IDOLIZER! IDOLIZER!"

The Pawns in the audience screamed in unison, as their metallic bodies changed. They weren't ordinary pawns, as evident by the slight slice into their domes. They were Bishops. And as Bishops, they should support their Mistress. Which was why their bodies were now covered in the same sort of speakers that were sprouting from Idolizer, making her song echo out from them as well, turning more and more into Bishops just like them..!

Mikai watched from above as the sound of that voice was really getting to her. It was bouncing around inside her empty body, prompting her to back away a bit. She couldn't... She couldn't focus..!

And thanks to her lack of focus, she ended up losing her footing..!

"Mikai, you idiot..."

Or at least, she would've. If not for Yumeko being there when she needed her the most. That black-haired girl that she had saved... The black-haired girl that gave her the scarf that symbolized their bond...

"Yumeko... I... I..." Mikai muttered as tears started to well up in the corners of her eyes. She didn't know what to say. She just knew that she had done something bad. Why else would she be here to admonish her like that..?

Her black-haired friend gave her a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek, right before patting her on the head. "Don't worry about me. And don't worry about Hiro either. Just be there for her soon, alright?" If everything went as it should, then...

"Setsuna... Why?!"

Meanwhile, inside the stadium, Hiro was suspiciously not being targeted by the sound of the infectious song. The winged idol in front of her didn't care about transforming her. And that was enough to make her cry out for an answer!

"Why?" Idolizer said with a smile, as her wings continued to pump out her voice while letting her converse on a more personal level. "I wanted to sing with you, Hiro. My voice was never my strong suit. It's something that the industry brutally made me aware of after I joined. But I could dance. I could make it seem like I could sing. And now I really can..." She explained, before giggling and having her eyes turn to hearts. "And thus, I want to hear you sing. All of these Pawns, these minions... They'll all be free. If you can sing better than I can. Good luck though, I don't think you can sing better than the perfect idol!"

It was a challenge straight from the girl that had brought her so much grief. A challenge from a girl that had peeled away layers upon layers of her true feelings. All so she could hear Hiro surpass her. It was a childish way of getting straight to her heart. But that's the kind of girl Setsuna had been. Everything revolved around teasing Hiro. Not unlike what Qilin would've done...

"If I have to sing, then..." Hiro muttered, before slowly raising her arm... Only to lower it and shake her head. "No. I'll do it your way. It's only fair, you told them that we'd have a duet. At least I can uphold my half of that."

The lights all focused on Hiro as she stepped into the middle of the stadium. Her heart was beating. All while so many minions were staring down at her. All while the cameras were rolling. She knew that Qilin and the others were going to have a field day with the footage once everything was said and done. But right now, her thoughts weren't on them. Her thoughts were on one thing and one thing alone.

It was on singing from the depths of her heart, and making one of her meager dreams come true.

"Listen to my song..!"

The sound of Hiro's voice spread throughout the stadium. It shouldn't be anywhere near as powerful as Idolizer's voice, how it had boomed throughout each and every single fan. And yet, thanks to nothing but the will in her heart and the wish that she held near and dear...

Little by little, her song replaced Idolizer's. The speakers that were plastered all over the various Bishops ended up playing her song instead, as she kept on singing like her life depended on it. She wanted them all to listen to her. She wanted them all to acknowledge her. To watch her and hear her..!

To hell with the shame that she had felt before. She sang her heart out, her cheeks flushing red with every syllable. She wanted them all to hear. She wanted them to be freed through nothing but the power of her song..!

And Idolizer watched every single moment, smiling as Hiro made her dreams come true. All while her own wings were playing Hiro's song as well. Even she had been charmed by the same song.

Mikai watched from up above, currently being caressed by Yumeko as she watched it all unfold. Hiro... Hiro was this powerful when she put her mind to it..?

...Even if she didn't need her, she had to admit that this song was beyond beautiful. It made her heart tremble with delight. So much so that she couldn't see the faintest glint of light from the other side of the stadium roof...

Hiro's song came to an end, and sweat ran down her brow. She dropped her microphone, and very nearly collapsed. It was actually a lot harder to sing with everything she had. And suddenly, she didn't envy Setsuna so much. If she had to try and make it sound like she was singing while dancing and bringing attention to herself, then she was working herself half to death even with that kind of effort.

"You did well."

Idolizer caressed Hiro's head after catching her, smiling down at her. She was more than pleased with her performance. It was a performance for the ages. Especially considering the woman hadn't sung in front of that many people before...

"...You planned all of this, didn't you..?" Hiro muttered as she looked up at Idolizer, narrowing her eyes. "You wouldn't have done all of this if you just wanted to dominate people. You're too much of a tease to go all the way..."

Idolizer's digitized eyes let her pull off a >U< expression, as she gently let Hiro lie down. "Maybe I just wanted to see you sing. Maybe I wanted to give my best friend a little chance to breathe and relax. Maybe this, maybe that. What's important is that you had fun." She said, all while stepping into the spotlight once again.

"NOW, IT'S TIME FOR THE ENCORE! AFTER THIS NUMBER-"

The light went out, sending a shock through Idolizer, Mikai and Hiro at the same time. All while the slightest glint flew from the other side of the roof, all the way down to the bottom of the stadium. Landing right in front of the robotic star herself.

Idolizer's optics widened, but by that point it was already too late. The glint grew into a bright golden light before a single shot rang out. And after that deafening shot, the only sound that remained was a medal harmlessly falling to the ground... Followed by the unconscious body of one Setsuna Kaname...

The lights turned back on, each light focusing on a green-haired young man wielding an unorthodox firearm, his face partly obscured by the visor that he wore. All while he reached for the medal that had just plinked out of his target.

"You... Who are you..?!" Hiro shouted as she tore off her idol outfit, slamming her hand onto her gauntlet. "JOUCHAKU!" She transformed in the blink of an eye, immediately launching an assault on the young man that had shot her friend..!

He avoided her strike, backflipping away from her as the various lights kept focus on him. "I'm doing what should've been done long ago. Cleansing this city of any Jõtai... Of any Monsters that dare cause harm!"

Mikai's body immediately started moving as she noticed Hiro getting into a fight, leaping off the roof of the stadium as she wordlessly transformed to Blast Eagle, slamming straight to the ground without much damage. "Hiro!" She shouted, flames cracking forth from her armor as she transformed into Flame Lion almost immediately after that...

"RELEASE YOUR DESIRE - INKSTER!"

Though she didn't get much further than that before a colorful pool formed in the grass in front of her, allowing a familiar looking ganguro girl to emerge from the mess of colors. Ero. Kouta's friend... So if he was her friend, why was she using his power..?!

"Sorry, Mikai." Ero said, winking a little as she pointed towards her visor-clad partner. "We're doing a little cleanup. And I can't let you stop us from getting away. We work hard for these medals, you know?" She didn't even bother hiding their motives. What was the point?

Hiro grit her teeth as her body started to spark. Green sparks, showing her emotions and her power running out of control. "THUNDERBOLT!" She shouted, using that energy to jet forward to try and slam straight into the young man that had gotten in her way.

"RELEASE YOUR DESIRE - CHASER!"

The young man met her attack head on, grabbing her fist and letting the energy pour in through him. All while his eyes glowed a subtle golden, before he let loose a primal roar and tossed her back, letting some distance build between the two again.

"ERO! ENOUGH FOOLING AROUND! WE'RE DOING THIS, NOW!" The visor-clad youth said as he thrust his arm downward, revealing a gauntlet wrapped around it. A golden high-tech gauntlet with a slot for something medal shaped, with the screen on the gauntlet currently depicting 'CHASER' written in glorious lettering.

Ero giggled, before flashing a peace sign in front of one of her eyes. "Alright! Guess it's time to show our stuff. Watch carefully, Mikai!" She said, as she spun in place three times, only to come to a stop as she revealed the same sort of gauntlet as her partner...

"EroDriver..." The gauntlet even announced itself with a seductive voice, a voice that only grew more intimate as Ero inserted a medal that caused it to release a moan, right before letting loose a familiar word...

"DESIRE UP! HOPPER!"

Hiro's eyes widened as she forced herself to turn around and face the girl amidst the paint, watching her get consumed by golden colors in a matter of mere moments. There's no way... Hopper?! She was gone, and this girl had her powers!?

Colors that quickly sank into her body as carapace revealed itself underneath her skin... No, that wasn't carapace. That was metal. It was golden hued, just like the color that was sinking into her. And from that metallic shell, several more parts of her body were revealed to be made of metal. Her legs, her arms, her chest, everything about her was made of metal... Even her face washed away to reveal a grasshopper-style helmet, with a pair of stylish looking drills forming from the drill that had stuck out of the side of her head...

Mikai didn't recognize most of her body, but Hiro did. That was definitely Hopper. Or at least, a crude mockery of it. She was a lot more stylish, and that was only emphasized by the wings that grew from the girl's back. She couldn't believe her eyes...

"Making her grand debut, after ten years of absence, it's Hopper!" Ero chimed, before winking with one of her now more insectoid eyes. "Well, let's not steal that fine name. Let's try Hopper System 2nd and call it a day, mmm?" She giggled, before the paint underneath her started to fade away. "You're all clear, Hayato!"

Hayato rolled his eyes as he flicked his wrist, making another medal pop out from his jacket. "Always about that spectacle instead of what's really important..!" He grit his teeth, all while sliding his medal into his EroDriver's slot.

"DESIRE UP! HOPPER!"

Responding to the cry from the other EroDriver, Ero started to steam before her body burst apart. Or rather, the significantly more mechanized parts of her body flew off her and magnetized towards her partner, where they immediately snapped onto his body as it was covered in a golden undersuit. All while the now-significantly less armored Ero giggled as her much lighter armor allowed her to use the extra power to form a scythe, leaving her properly equipped for the next bout!

Hayato's transformation was a lot less drastic compared to his partner's. He was still human, after all. But thanks to the parts from her, he was able to arm himself. Especially as his coat turned a deep shade of hateful red, as his visor was replaced with a more hopper-like mask that flew straight from Ero's helmet. Once all the parts had been attached and merged with the basic undersuit,  he let one hand brush through his hair before crossing his arms and letting two brand new claw-like pistols appear in his hands.

"JõtaiKiller, Hayato! Get out of my way, or I'll erase your Jõtai factor too!"

"And JõtaiKiller, Ero! Time to have a bit of fun, maybe put your Jõtai factor on the line!"

Neither of the two heroines were even close to prepared for a fight like this. Mikai had already had her heart hurt by having older friends turn against her. But new friends? She didn't expect to fight Ero, much less to have her be part of some... Jõtai factor-relieving duet!

Hiro couldn't believe that two punk kids like them would end up with Hopper's powers, or at least with a version of her transformation gauntlet. "What did you do to her?! WHAT DID YOU DO!?" But right now, she didn't see things with any sort of sense. Right now, she just wanted to rip them apart and get some answers. Her emotions wouldn't allow her to show them any sort of mercy..!

Hayato flicked his wrists, letting a medal roll out of his coat's sleeve as it slotted straight into his pistols. "REVEAL YOUR DESIRE - INFERNAL!" The pistols released the same erotic voice as the EroDriver, right before they shifted from a pair of mere peashooters to a pair of hip-mounted chainguns, allowing him to slam another medal into his EroDriver's slot. "RELEASE YOUR DESIRE - IDOLIZER!"

The armored heroine weathered the storm of flaming bullets that started to fire off at her, screaming violently in rage as her arm spasmed. And the sound of Setsuna's digitized voice echoing from Hayato's hands only served to make her even more violent. Especially as she watched some of those Bishops touch down in front of him to serve as a sort of shield. "HUANGLONG! PROMOTION!"

As Hiro dealt with the young man that had shot her friend, Mikai was forced to face off against Ero, her body trembling in dissatisfaction. "I don't want to do this, Ero! Just get out of my way!" She shouted, the light pouring from her chest as she reached inside. "CHOU HENSHIN!" And then drew her Unicorn Blade, because there's no way that she could afford herself to go easy..!

"Oooo, you're going all out with that thing already!" Ero chimed, before spinning her scythe around for a moment, slamming the tip into the ground to knock a medal loose from a slot in her forearm. "Then I can't afford to take you lightly, Mikai! If I let you get over to him, then you're going to tear him apart!" She giggled, as she slammed the medal into her EroDriver. "RELEASE YOUR DESIRE - MAMA!"

Just as Mikai was about to get on the offensive, Ero had already met her head on, scythe coming slashing for her head before she even had the chance to blink. Her body moved on its own, putting the Unicorn Blade in between her head and the other blade, knocking her back in the process. All while a subtle shade of red started to fill the white parts of her armor. "You... You..!" She cried out. She didn't want to fight. But she also didn't want Hiro to get hurt. The least she could do was to trust her and deal with the threat in front of her!

"Yep, there's what I was afraid of!" Ero cried out as she slammed her EroDriver, making the Mama medal pop out before slamming it back in. And before Mikai knew what happened, she had vanished once again...

"DESIRE RELEASED - MAMA!"

The voice of the driver echoed behind Mikai, who couldn't move in time to react. All she could do was cry out in pain as it felt like she had just been hit by a truck. She was lucky that she hadn't lost her head, but the slashes and gashes that quickly broke through her armor left her on the verge of passing out...

Only for her heart to slam against her chest, and the armor forced itself back together. Now tinted a violent red, as she turned towards Ero with her blade growing big and filled with light. "YOUUUUU..!" She saw an enemy. And she was going to destroy the enemy..!

Ero laughed as she narrowly avoided a swift decapitation at the hands of a berserking enemy. "HOW'S ESCAPE LOOKING, HAYATO? WE GOOD?"

Hayato grit his teeth as he was forced to keep up his barrage. All because of Hiro having promoted to deal with his onslaught. The bullets at this point were little more than peas being fired at her. But it was still better than letting her go unopposed. If he didn't do anything, then-

"SAINT- SAINT- SAINT- SAINT- ALL SAINTS ON!"

In her rage, Hiro didn't hesitate to unleash her entire arsenal. It was why all of her violent energy was gathering in her chest. "DESPERADO!" She even took advantage of the overclocking feature of her armor, turning her green energies red... And then black, courtesy of the influence of her infection. "DESPERADO SAINT BUSTER!"

Hayato's eyes widened in shock as he reinserted the medal in his EroDriver. "DESIRE RELEASED - IDOLIZER!" The voice rung out, and right before the beam fired, he used the pied piper-nature of the digitized voice to gather a shield of Bishops in front of him, each of them beaming 'his song' in turn to try and make it possible for him to fight back against the beam...

But once it fired, there was no stopping it. It just poured forth with no remorse, tearing apart the stage as the blackened rainbow beam smashed straight through the defenses that he had put in front of him. It was only thanks to the wall that he was able to fight back against the beam, his chainguns letting out "DESIRE REVEALED - INFERNAL!" as their bullets turned into a stream that was more akin to a laser rather than anything...

And once the beam started to die down, since Hiro could only fire it for so long, he struck. "Shatter, Pawn Syndrome!" He shouted as he fired at the pawns themselves. Not to use them as shields, but as projectiles. He let the bullets from his chainguns slam into them and give him what little cover he could afford, all while Hiro's beam was winding down and leaving her vulnerable..!

Hiro directed her beam towards the human projectiles fired towards her, but at that point it was too late. With that mild moment to breathe gained, Hayato had taken the opportunity to take off, using the propellants in his boots to give his enemy the slip.

Ero chuckled as she parried another blow from the enraged Mikai, before spinning her scythe one more time so she could insert another medal into her EroDriver. "It's been fun trading blows with you, Mikai, but my partner's gone. So I'll be gone as well!" She cried out, right as the medal slid into her gauntlet.

"RELEASE YOUR DESIRE - SMOKER!"

The enraged Jõtaider slashed through Ero, but it was already too late. Her body turned into little more than smoke... And without an enemy, her body immediately let go of her grudge. Resulting in her armor returning to normal... And then shattering, leaving Mikai to fall onto her knees as the pain of what she had been forced to endure slammed right through her.

Hiro wasn't in much better shape. She might not have been hurt that badly, but she was definitely not a victor either. She just slowly managed to regain her composure, before looking at her gauntlet. "Huanglong. Get Byakko. We need information on these JõtaiKillers. Yesterday!"

Mikai watched as Hiro took control of the situation. All while she slowly let the emptiness well over her. Emptiness that only grew stronger and stronger as she fell onto her side, as a single thought filled her slowly fading mind.

Hiro really didn't need her, if she couldn't even manage to help her when it mattered most...

---

"This is all wrong... This is all sorts of wrong..."

Yumeko wandered back and forth. Seeing Mikai like this. Growing more and more violent with every fight she endured. Growing more and more distant. It wasn't healthy. And neither was how everything was playing out.

"Christmas is approaching... And with every day that goes by, Mikai's chances dwindle more and more. There has to be something I can do. Something to out gambit that thing..."

The black-haired girl muttered to herself, before she slowly came to a stop. There was exactly one thing she could do. But she knew that it would have consequences. It had grave consequences in the past. But could she afford to try again..?

...If it meant that Mikai would be alright, then...