Taikosaku Arena
The crowd went silent as the Captain walked towards a badly beaten Miyabi and grabbed her by her throat.
The other members of Berryz Koubou, especially Risako, were telling her to stop, that it was over, but it seemed like she wasn't listening at all.
That was the first time the students of Taikosaku saw the Captain. She was wearing a green colored suit, and a mask that covered her entire face, but that still didn't make her look intimidating because she was, you know, short. Although everyone in the arena could feel a strong aura emanating from her petite body.
"I'm sorry Miyabi." the Captain told her. "You should have given up when you had the chance."
"That voice... Y-You're not Saki!" Miya said as she also noticed the missing mole on the Captain's shoulder.
"Yes. And no..."
***
"Berryz Koubou Ranking Tournament? What's this?" Maimi asked as she showed a flyer to her lunch mates.
"It's a fashion show." Mai answered. "Want some tickets?"
"The flyer says free admission." said Maimi. "And free popcorn too."
"Oh? That event? Risako-chan told me that it's an annual thing. But this is the first time it's going to be public." Airi replied.
"Miya told me about that before. She said that they hold it to determine who the Captain will be." added Megumi. "Miya reached the finals last year. She was able to take the Captain to the limit but fell short because she didn't have enough power left after fighting Maasa."
"Finally, we might see who the Captain is." said Kanna.
"Captain? Who's that?" asked Maimi.
"She's the leader of Berryz Koubou, Maimi-chan." Kanna answered.
"But no one knows who she is Maimi-chan. No one ever saw her before." added Erika. "And they say that she's never been replaced."
"She's a legend like the Kappa." said Chisato. "I bet she's a giant, bigger than Kumachan and Maasa-chan combined!"
"A-Actually, Risako-chan slipped one time. She mentioned a certain 'Saki' person as their captain. But there are a lot of Saki's here in Taikosaku. I have one in my class but Nakki couldn't be the Captain, she's a nice person. She even lets me copy her homework sometimes." Airi told them. "Oh, and Kappas are real. I have one at home."
"Hmmm. I have a Saki in my class too but it's impossible for her to be a member of Berryz and be the captain because she's short and she's friendly." said Maimi. "Anyway, it says that the tournament will start after school hours. I'm not sure if I can be there to watch the earlier fights. You girls should go ahead."
"No need to be in a hurry Maimi. By the time you get there, I'd be the new Captain already." Miyabi said as the Berryz passed by their table.
"What are you talking about Miya? I'll be the next Captain!" shouted Momo.
"Did you forget that you're paired with me in Round one Momo?" Maasa asked. "I won't let you beat me like when we play that boxing game."
"I didn't forget Maa-chan. That's why I'm going to beat you quick so I'll have enough gas to fight Miya, Kuma-chan and Captain." said Momo.
"Why are you taking me out of the picture already?" Chinami asked. "I've got some new techniques you girls don't know about. And it's a lot more effective than your secret butt attack!"
"Everyone knows that you'll give up once Miya hits you with one punch." said Yurina.
"That is, if she can hit me! I'm not like you Kumai-chan. You're so big, you can get hit even if you hide behind a mountain!"
Maimi and the others slowly vacated the table and watched from a distance as tension started to build among the Berryz even before the start of the tournament.
"Aren't they supposed to be friends?" Maimi asked.
"Who knows?" Airi said as she shrugged her shoulders. "Momo-chan looks cute in that monkey suit though..."
The bell to signal the end of the lunch period rang. The girls went back to their respective classrooms and decided to meet up after class and go to the arena together, except for Maimi, who had to take some remedial classes for an hour.
A few hours later, the final bell announced the end of classes for that day. Majority of the students headed to the arena to watch the tournament while Maimi headed to the library for remedial classes. She saw someone she was not expecting to be there…
"Sugaya-chan? I thought...Aren't you supposed to be in the ranking tournament?"
"I have remedial classes too, so Kumachan gets an auto-win in Round one. She's probably gonna be paired with Miya in Round two so I'm okay being here."
"I see. So, let's go there together after this class?"
"Why? You don't know the way to the Arena?"
"H-How'd you know?"
"Well, the school map you're holding have isn't updated. The Arena isn't included there yet."
"Oh. Never noticed that."
"Okay. I'll go with you."
"Thanks."
"No problem."
"Do you think Miya can win?"
"Miya will win."
***
"Stop it Captain! You already won! Don't hurt Miya anymore!" Risako shouted from the side of the ring. "Come on, help me stop her!"
Risako didn't know that the other Berryz already tried to do that earlier. They even went as far as going inside the ring, but they too were attacked by the Captain. And they were hurt. Risako attempted to go in but Maasa grabbed her arm.
"But I need to help Miya!"
"Don't be crazy. You know you can't make a difference." Maasa told her. "I don't think even the six of us combined can stop her."
"But..."
"That voice...You're not the Captain! You're not Saki!"
"What are you saying?" the captain asked her. "I am Saki."
Miya reached out and pulled the mask that was covering the Captain's face. At last everyone aside from the Berryz saw who the Captain was.
"That's...not the Captain!" the other Berryz said in disbelief.
"Who are you?!" Miya asked. "Wait, you're that girl from the other class!"
"Nakki?! Nakki's the captain?"
"You know her Airi-chan?" Maimi asked her.
"Yeah. Najakima Saki is from my class. But I never expected her to be a member of Berryz. And she's the Captain too! This is a surprise!"
"That technique she is using. That is the legendary Fujin Seiken, right Fujimoto-san?" Shin asked.
"Right. And I thought it was already extinct. I guess I'll have to be the one to put an end to it." replied Miki. She was trying her best to control her temper because she saw how Saki beat up one of her students like a rag doll. Nakajima saw Miki glaring at her.
"What are you looking at?" she asked.
"Hey you! Hurt her some more and I'm going to kill you." said Miki.
"All talk, no action. Go ahead and try old woman!" Saki replied.
"Fuck you!"
In the blink of an eye, Miki was already in the ring running towards Saki. Saki let go of Miya and threw a punch aimed at Miki. Miki didn't bother to dodge because she knew it was out of range but suddenly, she felt like she was being hit more than once. She dropped to her knees even before reaching Saki and passed out.
"Weak. Now where were we, Miyabi?" Saki said as she turned around. She saw that Miya was already out of the ring and being attended to by nurse Junjun. She looked back at Miki and she saw that she was also already taken out if the ring and someone else was standing in her place.
"They're your friends. And this tournament wasn't supposed to be this violent. You didn't have to hurt them that much. Why did you do it?" asked Maimi.
"Oh, so you're the hero they were talking about. I don't know what advantage you have against the others. Well, except your legs. And your..."
"Why'd you do it?!"
"Come on, let's see what you've got."
"I'm going to make you apologize to them." Maimi said as she charged her Ki.
The two of them vanished. Ordinary people wouldn't be able to follow their movements and they could only see sparks on the ring. Maimi and Saki were preparing for their final attacks but before either of them could land it...
"Nakki, stop!"
Maimi and Saki appeared in the middle of the ring, with Maimi's fist a few centimeters away from Saki's face and Saki's nails grazing Maimi's neck.
A girl riding a mini bike approached. After parking her mini bike, she stepped into the ring. She was wearing the Taikosaku uniform and she was also wearing a cap with the Berryz logo.
"You've done well Nakki." the girl told her as she clapped. "Thank yo..."
"Why did you interfere? I could have finished her off, Captain."
"Who said you could talk back to me?!"
Upon saying those words, the new girl lightly poked Saki in the forehead and unbelievably, it threw Saki out of the ring. She was about to slam into one of the walls. Luckily, the arena had some safety measures. An airbag activated before Saki hit the wall to prevent any more injury. She was alive but unconscious.
"Who are you?" Maimi asked. "Why'd you do that to her?!"
"Who am I? Why I'm the Captain of Berryz Koubou. I just used Nakki to show off what the Fujin Seiken can do. And now that she's done it, I don't have any use for her anymore."
Maimi slapped her and the Captain's cap flew off.
"Ouch! That hurts, Maimi-chan. That really hurts."
"S-Shimi-chan? It can't be. You're..."
"Yes. I'm the real Captain of Berryz Koubou. And I am also the successor of the Fujin Seiken, which is superior to your Raikou Taikyokuken. Foolish Miya thought she could beat it using her mediocre Raikou Taikyokuken skills. Nakki here, is just a trainee. But look at what she did to the others and to one of your senpais. I think she even gave you a hard time, didn't she." Saki said, noticing the trail of blood at Maimi's lips.
"What do you want?"
"I want you to join Berryz Koubou. If we combine our powers, we can do whatever we want! If you join us, we can rule this school, then we can take over the neighboring schools as well. Then we take over Japan. Then the world."
"What if I refuse?"
"That's simple. I'm going to erase you from existence." Saki said as she picked up her cap and placed it back on her head. "You don't have to make a decision now though. I'll give you two weeks to think about it so you can, you know, train all you want. I know you well Maimi-chan. You're going to refuse and we're going to fight each other anyway. Also, the rest of the Berryz should be okay by then. I want them to witness how I defeat you. Revenge is sweet."
"Why? What did I do to you?"
"Don't think that I have a grudge because you humiliated my friends and because you called me short, Maimi-chan. It's something more than that."
"Why?"
"You'll know why."
"W-wait!"
That was all Maimi could say as she watched Saki walk away from the ring. Even if she knew that she didn't have a chance against her, she wanted to take her on right then and there. But she felt something different, something she only felt when she was fighting Shun.
Saki looked back at her and strange markings appeared on her face, the same markings that appeared on Shun during the succession battle...
"Do you think you can kill me again Maimi?"
The mark of the Devil Gene