Prizmatic Hope #7: What's That?! A Ninja Festival!

Zaphiel's death and the successful restoration of the city's security system spelled victory to the Turquoise Foundation. The Deviant threat and the Valhalla invasion were neutralized and thwarted thanks to the brave heroes who fought against them. Nicole also helped the foundation when she heard that Zaphiel has been cornered in Polaris Sanctuary and he was holed up in an empty alley. However, Daiki felt empty and sad after Gabbie's disappearance. He felt that he could not save her, and all he could do now is to look after her elder sister Amy, who also felt the same too.

Meanwhile, Hayato held a city-wide festival to celebrate the coming of summer and the defeat of the Serpentine Cartel. Espers and humans alike enjoyed the festivities that the festival offered, from food, games to cultural displays. Kotaro was very excited because he really loved festivals and he often went to festivals with his elder sister Akashi, who was one of the very few female sumo wrestlers. Since he's not spending his time with his elder sister, he decided to go to the festival with Daiki, Hiroki, Amy and Lucy.

"Thanks, I guess.. the happiness of this festival should, help me cope with the loss of my sidekick and love interest" said Daiki in a rather somber tone.

"Come on! Turn that frown upside down and let's enjoy the MATSURI together! Hahahahahahah! Asore asore!" said Kotaro. He was very passionate as he walked with his friends. He danced in excitement as he heard the taiko drums beating.

In the festival, Daiki met up with Akiko and Yukiko again. They were dressed in an orange and cyan yukata respectively, and they reminded him of the Freezeburn Enestal. They wondered why the swordsman felt sad today. "What's got into you today, Daiki? You don't look so good?" said Yukiko.

"Yeah, you should be fired up today! Come on, don't give me that look!" said Akiko. The redhead was very concerned about Daiki's wellbeing. She then gave Daiki a candied apple to cheer him up.

"Mm.. looks delicious" said Daiki before he took a bite out of the candied apple. The sweetness cheered him up a bit as he enjoyed the apple that Akiko gave. "Mmm… so sweet! This reminded me of the freshly-picked apple from the crops near Lake Meridian! The coating wasn't so hard to bite through too!" said Daiki as his mouth was filled with bits of apple and sugar.

"The apple's from Aomori actually. We came from there, same hometown as a pretty famous Esper guy with black hair and red eyes. You know, the one who brought down Krait Energies and fought Dark Nightmare 2 years ago? He was in the headlines back then because, Dark Nightmare itself was a very formidable Deviant" said Yukiko.

"Huh? Dark Nightmare?" asked Daiki.

"We don't know much about it, but from what I heard it was like the great grandaddy of all Deviants. For now it's already sealed but, rumors said that a certain someone is trying to reawaken it. Hearing it gave me and my bestie Akiko the creeps though, because we don't want our beloved land to fall into darkness" said Yukiko. Daiki was scared as well, because to him Dark Nightmare is like the Revenant, the same thing that destroyed his kingdom.

"Oh dear, I'm glad I didn't met that thing. I would shudder in fear before it" said Daiki in a rather somber tone.

Kotaro dashed towards Daiki. He was very excited and he had a small paper platter filled with takoyaki on his left hand. "Mmm… the takoyaki they served here is sooooo delish! You should try one!" said Kotaro before he shoved a takoyaki into the sorrowful knight's mouth. He would slowly chew and swallow it, and Daiki himself has never tasted something like this before. It was a cuisine alien to him. "It had a chewy coating, and a juicy bit of an octopus tentacle inside. Say, what is this?" asked Daiki.

"Takoyaki. It's one of the specialties served in festivals, aside from yakisoba, bananas dipped in chocolate and candied apple. How was it?" asked Kotaro.

"Mmm.. it was delish! I think I want more, and I'm curious on what kind of food they served here. Anything else?" said Daiki. The red jacketed ninja smiled and took him around the festival. Daiki and Kotaro ate a lot of food served in the festival, and to his surprise the grilled squid reminded him of his home back in Neil Island. The islanders once hunted fishes and squids for food with their sharp teeth and shark-like senses. However, they did not cook them before eating as they prefer their food raw.

"Also, I heard you saved Gabbie and other people a few times. I was amazed upon hearing that because I never expected you to be an awesome and strong fighter like me and my friends Hiroki and Lucy. We fought against Valhalla agents and Deviants alike, and I want you to become my sidekick. You know, we could fight alongside each other! I hope that helps you and curse you from your loneliness and grief" said Kotaro.

Daiki cried tears of joy upon hearing that. "I accept you as my sidekick, and we will fight together to find Gabbie and defeat whoever took her away last night!" said Daiki. Kotaro was delighted to hear that. Daiki and Kotaro then unsheathed their swords and swore an oath of friendship.

"We will fight against Valhalla, and find Gabbie together, no matter what happens next! We will decide the ending of the story!" said Daiki.

"We will become the fangs that will tear through injustice and all kinds of evil! In order to protect this planet, we'll use the secret power we inherited. When two hearts come together, we'll fight hard for the future we believe in!" said Kotaro.

"When we save Gabbie, it'll become three hearts!" said Daiki.

And so, Daiki and Kotaro became partners. They will fight together to find and rescue Gabbie and end Valhalla's twisted ambitions for good, even if Zaphiel and the Serpentine Cartel are already defeated. Not long after that, the CEO of Valhalla herself, Freia Edelfelt sent a video to the Turquoise HQ. It contained a message from her.

"Guten tag, you insufferable dummkopfs. In case if you ask vere Gabbie is, she's in good hands with us. Zaphiel and his Serpentine Cartel may have failed us, but ve are not done yet. Ve have done some experiments with her, just like vat ve did before vith Claire Mason. For now, ve have released her in Azure City. I dare you to find her, or else…" said Freia.

"There vill be something much, much vorse vaiting for you lowly schweinhunds. Hahahahahaha… let ze game begin! I will enjoy watching zis one, before ve move to my next phase of plan, to revive our fallen kamerads from the ancient times.. with ZIS! My beloved Hideo vill be happy to see zis as he deals with zat Takahitsuji bastard back in Aomori!" Freia continued. On her hand was Gabbie's Aurora's Breath pendant.

"Not good.. that thing is a Lumian artifact! What are they planning to do with it?!" said Irene.

A video call from Marika came after the ransom video that Freia sent has ended. "It says here in my late mother's research log, the pendant was a heirloom from the Rainbow Tribe of Lumians. It was said that Aurora Angelus' soul was contained inside of it. For generations, the pendant was held by the tribe's descendants. Should it fall into the wrong hands, it could unseal the souls of the Deviants that Aurora Angelus slain during the Great Lumian War eons ago. That is why the pendant has been entrusted to the Desjardin clan. The last remaining descendants of the Rainbow Tribe" said Marika.

"Call Daiki, Kotaro, Hiroki and Lucy in. We're going to look for Gabbie!" asked Irene to her boss, Hayato. The dragonic knight and the ninja in red rushed back into the building. "Looks like our time has come! Get ready, get ready, get absolutely ready!" said Kotaro.

"Gabbie, I'm coming for ya! We fought together before against Deviants and the Serpentine Cartel, and this time, I'll save you for good, and I will not let you slip away again!" said Daiki.