"Must go faster."

"Must go faster."

"Must go faster."

Sato and Toshi were driving across town. Mamoru was in a child seat in the back, sleeping and blissfully unaware of what was going on. Sato wove in and out of traffic, trying to get to the high school as quickly as possible at Toshi's insistence.

"Please Stop Pressuring Me!" Sato snapped at Toshi, "I'm already stressed out as it is!"

Toshi was in the passenger seat holding the sides of his head and doubled over, "Well, it's getting worse! Which means whatever is going on is going to happen soon, so you need to get there NOW."

Sato spared a sideways glance at Toshi, "I still don't get what you are talking about."

"I don't get it either!" Toshi hissed through gritted teeth, "God called it 'serendipity'. The force that keep correcting things so they match up with my world. I don't know why but I can feel when a correction is coming. Something big is happening and I'm afraid I know what it is."

Sato winced as he cut someone off and waved at the very annoyed driver in the other car, "Sorry!" The other driver responded with several rude gestures.

Toshi pointed, "Down that way! Whatever it is, it feels like it's coming from behind the school, not IN the school."

Sato clutched the wheel tightly as he turned as directed, cutting down a one way street the wrong way, "I'm risking getting a ticket here! Can you at least tell me why?"

Toshi undid his seat belt as he got ready to jump out of the car, "My guess? Naora died in the other world, but she lived in this one, because I interfered and saved her life." He pointed, "Just pull right in there onto the grass."

Sato tensed up as he jumped the curb behind the school annex. This was as far as a car was going to get onto the school property from this direction. The bump caused Mamoru to wake up and start to cry as the car came to a halt as close to the gate through the fence as possible.

Sato looked at Toshi with a look of dawning realization, "Wait... are you telling me-"

Toshi cut him off and spoke with a grim undertone, "I think she's gonna die."

Toshi leapt out of the car.

Everyone had backed WAY off.

Nobody was going to get anywhere near Naora and Mieko as these two cut loose on each other. It was one hell of a fight. It was something one would see out of an action movie, or a professional mixed martial arts event. However, if you were to ask anyone what was going on specifically, nobody would be able to say, as both combatants were moving faster than any eye could follow. Later, people would say this was the moment that Hinako was dethroned as the toughest girl in school.

People would disagree as to who inherited the title.

Nobody had ever seen Mieko lose her shit before, but she was clearly pissed. This fight was personal. The thing was, she wasn't that good on the offensive. She had practiced mostly soft style, with defensive blocks and ways to incapacitate your opponent. She was trying to kick Naora's ass out of rage and it was throwing her off her game.

Naora, on the other hand, didn't WANT this fight in the first place. She didn't want Hinako hurt. She didn't want to fight Mieko. She just wanted to be left alone and deal with her own problems. As such, she wasn't giving this fight her all.

The end result was a fight where the two were mostly evenly matched.

However, just because they were evenly matched didn't mean that it wasn't dangerous to be near them. Mieko would let loose a series of rapid fire punches which Naora would dodge by falling back repeatedly, then Naora would try a snap kick to Mieko's head which would miss. Those behind Mieko would swear that they could feel the force from the attack pushing the air itself, even from twenty feet away. It wasn't so much as a fight as a dance. A dance where one screw up could put someone in the hospital.

Or put someone in the morgue.

This is what Toshi was thinking when he came tearing around the corner, the itching in his teeth getting worse with every step. As the fight came into view, Toshi had a brief moment where he remembered the conversation he had outside the principal's office, so long ago. He had made that very threat to her and now it was haunting him. He was contemplating if he needed to try and make time stutter. He'd prefer not to, judging that it apparently can be caught on camera, but he wasn't about to let Naora die.

He never got a chance.

Naora's back was towards Toshi so Mieko saw him first. Her first thought was that it was going to look bad for Naora, considering Toshi's sister was out cold on the ground. Her second thought was, that Toshi wasn't the type to be impressed by who was strongest. Her third thought was, Toshi would be so much more angry Naora if Toshi thought this was all her fault.

Mieko left herself open.

Naora was shocked that Mieko didn't block the blow. She expected to have to do a follow up with her other hand and connecting with Mieko's shoulder took Naora off guard. Especially the way Mieko crumpled from the blow and fell to the ground. Naora's reflexes kicked in as she wondered why Mieko was making such a big show of it. Naora had already lifted her foot and was prepared to bring it down HARD on Mieko, when Naora paused, ~Something is not right.~

Is what Naora was thinking just as she heard a familiar voice shout, "DON'T!"

Naora's heart sank as she spun around to see Toshi, running as hard as he could, pushing his way through the crowd in an obvious attempt to break up the fight. She glanced over to where Kenko and Madoka were tending to the fallen Hinako, and then behind herself to look at Mieko. She was crouched on the ground, dramatically clutching her shoulder.

For the span of a single heart-beat, Naora could swear that she saw Mieko smirk.

Toshi jumped in between Mieko and Naora, holding out his hands out flat towards both. He looked from one to the other, to make sure they didn't continue the fight. He tried to say something, but he was having problems thinking straight. He thought at this point the feeling of impending doom would go away, but instead it was only getting worse.

He rubbed his forehead and squinted hard. Something wasn't right, "Please stop." He said weakly, unable to focus on anything more intense than that.

Naora went pale. She knew this looked bad, but it wasn't her fault. She just needed to be able to explain what happened. Toshi would believe her. She just-

Kenko stepped in-between her and Toshi, arms folded as Kenko glared at Naora, "What is your problem? Why are you always causing trouble?"

Naora blinks, "Me?"

Mieko stood up, holding the shoulder where Naora hit her, while hamming it up, "I'm sorry Toshi."

Toshi turned to look at Mieko, "Why?"

"This fight." She pointed between herself and Naora, "I started it."

Naora blinked and was completely surprised at Mieko's confession.

Mieko continued, "But after Naora took down your sister, I felt compelled to protect her."

Toshi suddenly felt a wave of conflicting emotions. He was upset that Hinako was hurt by Naora. He also saw that Naora was winning and the Oh Toshi inside him found that to be extremely attractive. Then he was worried about Mieko. Then he was worried about Naora. Then he found it exhilarating that they were obviously fighting over him and he wanted them to KEEP fighting. Then he was disgusted with himself for even thinking that.

And the serendipity was still pounding in his head.

Whatever was going on, it wasn't over yet. He couldn't figure it out and he didn't have time. He just wanted Naora to be safe.

"Just Go."

Naora stagger back as she heard those two words come out of Toshi's mouth. It hit her harder than anything Mieko or Hinako could have thrown at her. There was an instant where the pain was obvious on her face, but she quickly got that under control.

Toshi noticed and knew something was wrong. He was having a hard time thinking, but it occurred to him, maybe he was making the wrong call. However, before he could change his mind, Naora spun on her heel and started stalking off. As she did, the rest of her crew fell in step behind her. All Toshi could do was stare at her back as she walked away.

The itching in his teeth suddenly stopped.

Kingo watched the whole affair unfold from a safe distance.

Ikemoto elbowed Kingo in the side, "Can I cook or what?"

Kingo nodded, "I... am impressed. You caused this whole thing with one rumor?"

Ikemoto snorted, "Humph. What? You think Kenko is the only one around here who knows which ears to whisper in?" He gestured to the crowd that was starting to break up, "You said you wanted a wedge driven between Naora and Toshi. When I heard what bullshit Kenko was trying to spread about Okuda, I saw an opportunity and I took it."

Kingo looked at Ikemoto, "Remind me never to piss you off."

Ikemoto smirked up at Kingo, "Hey. We're friend, right? Been through everything together." He started to frown slightly, "And... as your friend... I need to say, are you SURE about Naora? I mean, not more than a few weeks ago, Madoka was your entire world and now..." Ikemoto glanced over at Madoka helping Hinako stand up, then back at Kingo, "Now you're all like, Madoka-who?"

Kingo turned to Ikemoto and put a hand on his shoulder, "I'm sure. Naora isn't as bad as everyone thinks. I don't know if we're meant to be together, but I sure as hell feel like we are."

Ikemoto frowned even more, "I'm with you until the end. I'm also your friend and I would feel like crap if I didn't tell you that this feels like a really bad idea."

Kingo smiled and squeezed, "You're more than that. You're my best friend." He gave Ikemoto's shoulder a pat, "But I feel like I've been given a second chance and I am not going to pass this up."

Ikemoto's expression turned conflicted, then he abruptly gave Kingo a hug, "You're my best friend too!" Ikemoto couldn't help but notice Kingo tense up at the hug. Something was off about him lately, but oddly enough, he seemed a lot happier then he used to be. Ikemoto squeezed a bit tighter then let go, while hoping that in the end, whatever was going on was for the best, "So what you waiting for?"

Ikemoto jogged his head in the direction that Naora had walked off the school grounds.

"Go get her."