Episode 10: "The Trio's Promise"

Sui Yakumo
"Y'know, for someone who was held
prisoner for as long as you were, you shook off the rust pretty quick, Yo."

Sui looked over his shoulder toward Yo while still fighting.

Yo Kuronaka
"Well, yeah...I never got much of a break. They had me training around the clock."

Tsuki Iroha
"Huh? What do you mean?"

Tsuki joined in on the conversation.
Of course, while still fighting off the enforcers of 24 City.
Even while deep in conversation, the trio were still perfectly in-sync.

Yo Kuronaka
"It was all to become a 'hero.'
Whenever your stats would improve, the goddess would praise you."

Sui suddenly froze, standing still for but a moment.

Sui Yakumo
"Gotta be honest, I don't understand any of what you just said."

Yo Kuronaka
"It's okay. I don't get it either.
I don't know why I let myself get tricked like that..."

(Back then, it was like being a kid and playing games.)
(The village and the goddess meant everything to me.)
(But not anymore...)

Yo Kuronaka
"It's starting to feel like everything's becoming clearer."

Tsuki Iroha
"Oh! Does that mean you remember XB then!?"

Tsuki's voice was filled with expectation and anticipation.

Yo Kuronaka
"XB?"

Tsuki Iroha
"Huh?! Wait, did you forget what XB is?"

Sui Yakumo
"Are you kidding me?!"

The two instantly started sulking.
Their movements slowed, which left them wide-open to attack by enforcers but...

24 City Enforcer
"Gah!!"

Sui managed to regain his composure in time and effortlessly kicked the enforcer away.

Tsuki Iroha
"You know, you were like, a really strong XB player!
The best of all of us, actually!"

Sui instantly perked up upon hearing those words.

Sui Yakumo
"C'mon, Tsuki. Don't joke like that. I was the best!"

Tsuki Iroha
"As if! The only thing you got going for you are those broad shoulders of yours, Sui.
Yo was better than the both of us at batting!

Sui Yakumo
"Well, what I'm saying is even at batting I'm..."

As the two continued to bicker, Yo couldn't help but interject.

Yo Kuronaka
"Wait, wait, wait. What even is XB?!"

Tsuki Iroha
"Huh? Oh. Uh...how to explain this...
XB is XB!"

Tsuki was drawing a blank, but then thought a bit harder.
That's when the enforcers decided to strike.

Tsuki dodged them with ease before turning to Yo with a smile and said...

Tsuki Iroha
"Y'know what? Now's not the time!
I'm sure it'll all come back to you eventually!"

Yo Kuronaka
"Easy for you to say, my memories are all a mess.
And I still have no idea why I lost them to begin with."

This time, enforcers attacked Yo from behind.
Spotting them ahead of time, Tsuki used Yo's shoulders as a springboard and lept over him, delivering a flying kick straight to their noggins.

24 City Enforcer
"Agh!!"

And as Tsuki landed gracefully...

Tsuki Iroha
"Eh, don't worry about it too much.
Yo and XB are like two peas in a pod!"

Yo Kuronaka
"You're acting like me and XB are one in the same. If it was
something that important, I feel like I shouldn't have forgotten it so easily..."

Sui Yakumo
"It's okay, man. Don't mind her.
She's always like that."

Tsuki Iroha
"We should play some XB once we get out of here!"

Tsuki said cheerfully.

Yo Kuronaka
"Huh?"

Tsuki Iroha
"You used to say it all the time! Practicing XB is about getting your body to remember it with muscle memory.
So even if your mind has forgotten it, I'm sure your body still does! And I'm positive it'll all come back to you if we just play a game!"

(I... said that?
I don't remember saying anything along those lines, but it doesn't sound wrong.
I mean, the three of us fighting in perfect sync just proves it.)

Tsuki Iroha
"So, just take it easy for now. You don't need to worry.
Not about your memories, about XB, or even about us."

Tsuki said that with a gentle smile.

Sui Yakumo
"Ha. Honestly, I never really had to worry about you from the very start.
Not that it stopped us, since you're the type who'd always make us worry... but somehow, you'd always just shrug it off and resolve everything with a straight face."

Sui chuckled as he punched the enemies away with great force.

Sui Yakumo
"I mean, I don't think I need to continue worrying over you all the time, so y'know what? I'm just not gonna do it. Figure everything out yourself."

Tsuki Iroha
"Ah, Sui... You're just being stubborn. I know past that hard exterior of yours you're happy he's back!"

Tsuki looks back at Yo.

Tsuki Iroha
"Everything else can wait. We just need to focus on getting back down to the surface. Then we can play some XB!
And soon, you'll start to recover your memories. Nothing will change what we are: friends chasing after the same dream, side by side!"

Friends...
That word shot like an arrow straight into Yo's heart.

Yo Kuronaka
"Friends...chasing after the same dream?"

Sui Yakumo
"Finally! This is the last of 'em!"

Sui shouted with excitement behind them.
Simultaneously, the last of the 24 City enforcers were blown away.

Tsuki Iroha
"Phew. Well, that's that!
Awesome work, Yo!"

Sui Yakumo
"Hey, how come you're hyping him up and not me?!
Pretty sure I took care of most of 'em! Were you even keeping score?!"

Perhaps due to the sheer sense of relief after the battle, Yo couldn't help but burst out laughing at the two of them bickering.

Yo Kuronaka
"Haha..."

Seeing Yo laugh, Tsuki and Sui couldn't help but join in alongside him.

Tsuki Iroha
"Hey, how about this? In celebration of our reunion, let's make a promise!"

Yo Kuronaka
"A promise?"

Sui Yakumo
"Huh? What are we even making a promise for?"

Tsuki Iroha
"Let's see... How about 'we hope Yo gets back to the surface safe'?''

Sui Yakumo
"What the heck?
Tsuki, that's not a promise! That's just a wish!"

Tsuki Iroha
"Who cares about the small stuff right now?
It doesn't seem right to be setting lofty goals for ourselves at a time like this."

Tsuki puts a fist forward as she speaks.

Sui Yakumo
"Gah, fine..."

Despite looking utterly dumbfounded, Sui thrusts his fist out to join Tsuki's.

Tsuki Iroha
"C'mon, Yo! Fist out!"

Yo Kuronaka
"Huh? What are we even doing?"

Tsuki Iroha
"We're making a promise! A special little pact between the three of us."

(The three of us, huh...)

Yo Kuronaka
"So, I just hold out my fist?"

Tsuki Iroha
"Yuppers!"

Seeing Tsuki nod happily, Yo mimicked the two of them and thrust out his fist.

Yo Kuronaka
"Like this...?"

Tsuki Iroha
"Bingo!"

Sui Yakumo
"Man, I'm feelin' kinda awkward here... Oh, whatever."

Tsuki Iroha
"You feeling that, Yo? That rush of power?"

(Honestly, I can't feel much of anything.
But...
With our fists together like this, I can feel everyone's body temperature.)

(It's such a simple pose.)
(But, the longer we hold it, the more it starts to feel... right.)

('We hope Yo gets back to the surface safe' Huh.)

Yo Kuronaka
"..."

(There's no real basis for it, but it feels doable.
No matter what happens next, I feel I could make it happen.)

Which is why Yo secretly whispered in his heart.

('I hope all three of us get back to the surface safe...')

Yo secretly changed his wish.

Eiji Todoroki
"Hey, you three! How long are you going to keep fooling around over there?!
We need to get moving!"

From a short distance away, Eiji Todoroki called out to the three of them.

Eiji Todoroki
"Stop wasting my time! Do you know how much money I can make in just a few seconds?"

Looking around, the others had already defeated the enforcers of 24 City.
Amongst them stood an amused Kazuki, his gaze fixed firmly on the three who stood with their fists together.

Tsuki Iroha
"Sorry, sorry!
C'mon, you two! Stay alert!"

The three withdrew their fists and began following after Kazuki and the others.