AO Road

[Dac]

Road. A competitive sport that spans the history of the AO Kingdom. A vigorous test of wits and strength. It is said that those that excel in Road are stronger than warriors in battle, more cunning and devious than politicians in the royal court. To partake in the sport of Road is to establish yourself as an elite, one who has the potential to change the winds of fate. It was because of this that the Grand Road was initiated; an international competition among Road players across the entire world. To win the Grand Road bestowed honor, fame, and fortune. Those who became part of the Grand Road were like kings in and of themselves.

Teams clash, dreams are broken, and fated heroes are born.

Who is fit for the Grand Road?

The battle begins in the AO Kingdom.

[Dac]

A furious blow, one that would have easily smashed through stone, hit the young man's blade. The force of it blew him off his feet, slamming him into the ground. He issued a cry of pain as his mind clouded with agony.

"Stand!"

The bellow came from a hulking figure, as wide as two grown men and as tall as a small tree. He stared down at the young man, the fierce aura around him billowing out like flames from his body. The young man could not rise to such intensity. His body gave up even as his mind tried to piece itself back together. His hand loosened and the blade he had held clattered onto the ground in despair.

"I see. You can't." That was the warrior's simple response. He thrust his blade point-down into the ground and retreated from the battle with a sweep of his red cloak.

"Tch. Today's guy is a dud too."

They were in the training grounds of the AO Army. A girl and a man, standing in the shadows of the outer ring of pillars, watched the new entrant shakily crawl onto his knees.

"Ah...I wasted my time," continued the girl. "What's wrong with this ****ing army? Bringing in a bunch of idiots like that kid..."

"They say there's a shortage of new talent flowing into the Army," said the man, his eyes still on the boy in the stadium.

"Shortage of new talent, hm?" mumbled the girl, her eyes narrowing. "Probably that shitty old man's fault."

"You two are here again?"

A third voice suddenly rang out from the shadows. A tall man with long blue hair framed around his sharp, elegant face walked out, his white robe fluttering from the movement.

"Speak of the devil..." said the girl, a smirk appearing on her face.

"Are you still trying to steal new recruits?" said the tall man, showing them a relaxed smile.

"Shut up, you shitty old man. You lost the game fair and square," said the girl, walking up and poking him in the chest. "The great general of the AO Army, D-Force, wouldn't try to weasel out of a debt now, would he?"

"If it came to handling the annoying orphan, Sunzhine, and her lackey Mithral..." D-Force replied with a flick of his finger on the girl's forehead.

"Lackey?" said Mithral bewilderingly.

"Well, it's not like it matters right now. You just keep bringing in a bunch of trash," said Sunzhine with a shrug. "Are you trying to test my patience or something, you dirty rat?"

"Haha. Only you would do something that devious."

"Heh. Compliments won't get you anywhere, but you can keep praising me, dog."

"I wouldn't mind, but that's not what I'm here for. The Army is starting its training session, so I'll have to ask you to leave."

"Still trying to keep those worthless strategies a secret? Don't you have anything better to do?"

"If you think they're so worthless, then why don't you join us? I'm sure the Army would only benefit from your cooperation."

"Hah! A sweet-talker like always. But no. I only work with strong people. I don't give a shit about your trashy trainwreck of an army," said Sunzhine with a light wave of her hand.

"Ouch. That hit right in the heart." A wry smile appeared on D-Force's face.

"Hmph. You're no fun anymore," said Sunzhine, her short purple hair fluttering as she swept past the general. "Let's go Mithral. We're leaving."

"W-Wait. I'm a lackey?"

"Of course you are, you ****ing piece of shit! Now get your *** in gear!"

"H-Hold on. I never heard anything about this..."

"Who do you expect to be the lackey? Me? Do you want to die, you little shit?"

"N-No! That's not what I meant..."

The two continued arguing as they left, their voices echoing down the long passageway to the outside. D-Force smiled and turned back to the training grounds. The mess from the mock battle was being cleaned up and the regular recruits had started coming onto the field.

The training grounds. It was one of the famed assets of the AO Army. At its top was a large field filled with varying natural elements; long bushes of grass, mossy foliage, jagged rocks. The terrain had been specially constructed to allow the recruits to train under any circumstances. Far enough out into the field, and one could enter caverns of ice, or perhaps, the volcanic cores.

Below this field, the training grounds continued into several levels. Each level had its own function, such as a long obstacle course for endurance, a level of monsters for battle experience, and hot springs for recuperation. A training facility that had been generated solely because of the high density of magic that swelled up from the center of AO Castle. The crux of the kingdom.

It was also this extraordinary concentration of magic that made the AO Kingdom the perfect place to host Road games.

D-Force watched as the regular recruits began their warm-up exercises. Although Sunzhine had been quite snarky about it, her points were perfectly valid. War had already passed through the kingdom and the current era was one of peace. However, the previous wars had taken away the lives of many soldiers, reducing the pool of natural talents that would be available for the army to fold into their groups. The Road games were also a cause for worry; being an international sport, many Roaders chose to leave the kingdom and enter the global stage. It was true that Road had its origins in the AO Kingdom, but the foreign countries had quickly invested their resources into the sport. There were many nations that had stronger influence and attraction for those who aimed for the Grand Road.

As a result, much of the talent pool had been diluted in AO. Generation after generation of relatively peaceful citizens made it difficult to find soldiers with innate abilities for combat. Training was enough to propel many newcomers to adequate levels, but hard work took time and effort. Many who joined the army only did so to acquire the pension that was included in service for their hungry families. Some were fine soldiers, but many in poverty-stricken areas were only used to surviving. They had no ambition, no real sense of loyalty, and as such, they exerted only enough effort to keep their families from starving. The influence of their poor environments, their decaying families, it broke the minds and hearts of many. They were soulless people, people who had given up on life.

D-Force sighed. AO's high culture was flourishing and it was well-known for its breed of exceptionally revolutionary and intelligent people. Politics, science, even religion; the arts of the mind constantly evolved in AO. There was no doubt that the kingdom had strong international impact. However, that meant that more and more of AO was becoming tied to foreign nations. At this rate, its concentration of excellence would be dispersed, just as with the Army. Diluted, weak, and needing constant training.

"Well, I guess that's the problem with being too benevolent. Isn't that right, Ranma?" D-Force looked up at the AO Kingdom seal that adorned the outer ring of pillars.

Yes, AO was growing weaker. It was growing weaker because it had grown too strong. The balance was tipping and nature was trying to correct itself. AO would grow weaker and weaker until it fell apart. That was how kingdoms ended. That was history in the making. Decay, desolation; everything had an end.

But D-Force was not worried. It was true that the current generation had a lack of talent. It was true that AO's future looked quite bleak. However, its present was glorious. AO was at the height of its Golden Age. At the very least, D-Force wanted to make sure that AO left its mark on the world before crumbling.

"And I think you'll be at the frontlines, Sunzhine," murmured D-Force. He reached into his pocket and felt around. Realizing that it was empty, he then reached into his robe and pulled a sheet of paper from his inner pocket. "But, you still have some work to do."

__________________________________________________

"Damn that geezer!"

Sunzhine's fist slammed into the countertop, causing the plate of barbeque skewers to fly into the air.

"I'll kill him..." she hissed, crumpling the paper in her palm. She growled and flung the paper sharply behind her.

"They're that strong...?"

"No. It's just rubbish," said Sunzhine, picking up a skewer and tearing at the meat. "That shitty old man let me see the paper and then switched it at the last second. This is just a coded list of famous retarded girls."

"So the distraction didn't work after all. But still, I didn't think he would be able to pull a number on you," said Mithral, grinning.

"****! I heard that his eyesight was getting worse, but that bastard must've started the rumor himself!" Sunzhine viciously snapped the skewer in half with her teeth.

"What do we do now?"

"Nothing," said Sunzhine, taking a deep, calming breath. "That shitty old man might've stopped me from getting the names of AO's new Road team, but that just confirms my other suspicions."

Sunzhine swiped her thumb across the tip of her tongue and grinned.

"I see. Looks like we don't really have to worry then."

"Nope. We have plenty to worry about. The fact that the shitty old man didn't want me to read the list means he's got some ****ing strong team on his hands. It's going to surprise the shit out of everyone."

"Isn't that bad then...?"

"Pretty much. But it's fine. That list will get into my hands one way or another," said Sunzhine, devouring another meat skewer. "And while we're waiting for that, all we have to do is get together an even stronger ****ing team."

"That's all we have to do? You don't sound like it, but you're really an optimist, aren't you Sunz?"

"This shitface. You're wrong. I'm a ****ing pessimist. That's why I can say that there's a 100% chance that AO's best will get its ****ing *** kicked by a nobody team that came from nowhere."

Sunzhine stuffed the rest of the meat into her mouth and stood up.

"Let's go Mithral. We wasted enough time here."

"Uh...wait..."

"What?"

"I was wondering if you could order another plate...I didn't get to eat any of the meat."

Sunzhine stared at him for a moment in complete silence.

"Pay for it yourself, you ****ing shit."

Mithral quietly ordered another plate and ate, all the while thinking how cruel Sunzhine was for eating all of his food and then leaving.

[hinata--chan]

O my gosh I love it .
Hehe was laughing so much .
D is F*ing Awesome
And Sunny is a bad *** . Wouldn't want to make her mad.

[Dac]

"Down with the Ranma Force! Oppressors of society! Listen to me, citizens of AO! This is the true face of your kingdom!"

A man with a megaphone yelled from atop a box as he flashed a screen of magic behind him. Images of loan sharks, royal officials, and violence strobed at a lightning quick pace. The man's voice grew stronger as people began to gather and form a large ring around him.

"The Eddy Faction again?"

"They've been gaining a large amount of support recently," said Sunzhine, glancing back at the crowd. "Well, they do raise some good points."

"It's true that some of it is hard to deny...But it's impossible to completely stomp out corruption in a kingdom as large as AO. Why can't they understand that?"

"Huh? Why are you still thinking like a ****ing kid, Mithral? They're fully aware of that. They know that there's no way to magically make everything perfect. There's no such thing as a rose-colored world. But no one thinks like that. No one thinks, how can we make the world a better place? They think, how can I make my life better?"

Sunzhine pointed a finger at the raptly listening crowd.

"Those kinds of people, they're the ones that have shit happen to them. They're the ones with bad luck, bad families, bad futures. Even if there's only a 0.0000001% of the worst shit happening to a person, in a kingdom as large as this, that 0.0000001% is at least one person. And to that person, it won't be a freak accident. Something that happens only to the complete outliers, that's so uncommon and unnatural that we consider it a freak of nature; to them, it's reality. It happened to them and they believe that it'll happen again. That it happens to everyone. Because those people will be looking for other people who share the same fate. Birds of the same feather flock together. And then those flying shits will squawk together, complaining and hoping for change. Their squawks get mixed with other squawking, and pretty soon, you can't tell the difference from one flying shit to another. They're all the same. That's when they have power. That's when there's so many of them that something has to be done to quell the noise."

"Hearing it from your mouth, it just sounds like you're sick of it," said Mithral as they started walking again down the road.

"Of course I'm sick of it. All of us want our voices heard; that's why freedom of speech is so enticing. But what we don't notice is that our voices sound different from how we think it sounds. And to others, it probably sounds like shit. It's especially ****ing annoying when I hear people talk just to hear themselves talk."

"And you don't get sick of your own words...?"

"**** no," said Sunzhine with a smirk. "My voice sounds ****ing fantastic."

"Really...sometimes, I just don't know what to say to you," said Mithral with an exasperated smile.

"You shouldn't be worrying about my voice in the first place," said Sunzhine. She jabbed a thumb back at the crowd. "It's them you should worry about."

"The people?"

"No. The Eddy Faction."

"You really believe that there's a Ranma Force?"

"I really don't give a shit. But the Eddy Faction is growing using that rumor as a foundation. That's the key point here."

The Ranma Force. Supposedly a secret royal force commissioned by King Ranma to regulate the conditions of the AO Kingdom. Their jobs were to smooth out political relations, untangle diplomatic policies, streamline economic progression, and eradicate crime.

A group of assassins.

That was the myth behind the Ranma Force. Assassins that pinpointed influential corners of society and struck, changing the social climate should it stray from its original path.

Oppression.

Limitation.

Suppression.

Those were the duties of the Ranma Force.

The Eddy Faction was an underground rebel organization that sought to fight against the Ranma Force. They believed that the AO Kingdom was filled to the brim with corruption, that underneath its bright-white exterior was a grimy, scum-filled grave of corpses, secrets, and exploitation. Their influence had appeared just a year or two ago, targeting the poverty-stricken, underprivileged lower class of AO. The growth in their support and range had gotten such that even the royal commissioners and police forces had started to take notice. The Eddy Faction was difficult to subjugate, however. Its leader, a mysterious individual believed to be the titular Eddy, could never be found in any connection with the faction's membership. In fact, the faction was a maze in itself, as if a monstrosity had suddenly appeared and extended its tentacles out to random people. As if an idea had suddenly spread into their minds, like a virus.

"There's no doubt that the Eddy Faction is growing stronger everyday. I would even say that, at this rate, they could probably lead a revolution in two or three years," said Sunzhine as the two entered the market district. Around them, street stalls were ostensibly presenting their goods, the owners yelling out loudly to gain attention for their products. It was far more crowded here than in the outer area of the district, with a river of people moving back and forth in tight weaves. The sound made it difficult for Mithral to hear Sunzhine, so he had to lower his extremely tall body in order to make out her words.

"Are you saying they might start a war?" asked Mithral.

"Nope. These peace-loving shitheads don't know a thing about fighting," said Sunzhine. "If they did, then the Army wouldn't be so starved for new recruits right now. A direct confrontation of force would be the worst possible outcome for the Eddy Faction. Put a group of desperate people with a shitload of problems together and you'll just get conflict. That's why the propaganda is all information. There's no call for real action. They just want to lay the seeds of doubt."

"What are they planning then?"

"If they want a bloodless revolution, they have a perfect platform to do so," said Sunzhine with a twirl of her finger. "After all, only the elite are allowed to participate."

"You mean the Grand Road? You think the Eddy Faction is preparing for the Grand Road competition?" asked Mithral with an edge of surprise.

"Of course. Although it doesn't even have to be the Grand Road. They just have to have the best Road team in AO. Once they accomplish that, then they have the influence. They have the reputation. They'll have the admiration of the general public and the attention of foreign nations. If you can see it from that angle, there won't ever be any direct moves made against Ranma or his conglomerate. Ranma will just have all his power stripped from him, little by little."

"But...how? How would they get a team strong enough to beat AO's? You even said that D-Force probably has the strongest team already."

"That's right, dumbass. There's no doubt that D-Force has a strong ****ing team. But if you think about it, where would he have gotten that team from? The regulars of the AO Army. Not the new recruits. The main force. Because they're the ones who've had the best training, who rose in the ranks through sheer ability or effort. Everyone in the main force is automatically given higher-class privileges. Having a death sentence on your head is a gold mine," said Sunzhine, rubbing her finger and thumb together.

"Then that makes it even more unlikely that the Eddy Faction could put together a strong team. If AO already has the best, then what can the Eddy Faction possibly get?"

"The same thing as us, you retard. The dregs."

"You mean..."

"That's right," said Sunzhine with a furious scowl. "The next step would be to check the lower class or the rejects. Find the hidden talents. The ones that passed under the radar either because of corruption or disability. And the Eddy Faction has a perfect incentive for them to join. Those ****ers want to use their talents. Give them the recognition they want. And the shitty dregs get a chance at making a difference in AO. Fix the shit that screwed them over. Get a piece of revenge. I don't want to admit it, but as it is now, the Eddy Faction probably has all the talents left in the kingdom gathered up in a little circle jerk."

"That's why none of the new recruits were up to scratch..."

"Yep. Those ****ers stole them all. That's also why we can't find shit," said Sunzhine, kicking viciously at the dirt road. "Still, at the very least, we know that D-Force won't get anything better than he has right now. Since he's still looking, that means his team is missing something. He's looking for something better. But, that doesn't mean their team is weak. No, it means the team is so strong that he has to comb through the whole ****ing kingdom with a toothpick to find someone worth replacing with."

"This is looking more and more hopeless for us..." said Mithral dejectedly.

"Heh. That's ****ing right," said Sunzhine, swiping her thumb on her tongue. "But that's fine. It wouldn't be any fun if it wasn't like this. Beating the shit out of people who have stacked odds. There's nothing that gives me better satisfaction."

"I don't know whether I should be cheered up or depressed by that..."

He had chosen his targets carefully. The girl and the man were in deep conversation, so much so that they had already bumped into three people without noticing it. The large man wasn't looking at the woman for some reason; that left a blind spot. He knew that she had her purse in her left pocket because he had seen her at the restaurant earlier.

The man had used all of his money already. The girl was also an easier target.

"But where are we going to find anyone for the team if the Eddy Faction's taken everyone?"

"That's why we're walking through the streets, you ****ing shit."

He was staring down the path before him. He could see the shifting patterns of the people's movements. In just three more seconds, he would have an opening.

"But if it's as hopeless as you said..."

Three.

"No, you said it's ****ing hopeless. I, for one, think it's ****ing impossible."

"Sunz..."

Two.

"We need a ****ing miracle to pull us out of this shit."

One.

He dashed. He dashed with such speed that in the instant that the space was clear, in the instant the people in the streets had taken only half a step, he was already at the girl's side. In that fraction of a moment, his hand moved expertly into her pocket and snagged the purse, as lightly as a feather, and then he was gone. His dash carried him six steps ahead of the pair as he nonchalantly placed the purse into his own pocket.

"But you know, I'm a pessimist. There's a 0% chance that we won't get a miracle," said Sunzhine with a yawn. There she went again. Leaving things to luck and fate. But Mithral knew that it was just a ruse. Someone who relished in victory over advantaged foes didn't feel so because of divine intervention. It was because she was able to the beat the odds with her own strength. It was certain that Sunzhine still had an ace hidden in her sleeve.

But then again, knowing Sunz, she might just leave it to luck for the hell of it, thought Mithral with a crooked smile. Unpredictable. That was also Sunzhine's calling card.

"So? When are we going to see this miracle?"

"If I knew that, it wouldn't be called a ****ing miracle, now would it, smartass--"

Suddenly, a shock ran through Sunzhine's body. She stopped in her tracks as her senses immediately concentrated on the pulsing magic presence.

My purse.

Her hand slipped into her pocket.

It's not there.

There was no mistake. Sunzhine looked ahead and spotted the glowing aura of her purse. She had constructed a magic spell on all of her belongings so that should they ever be stolen, they would radiate a magical aura for tracking purposes. Currently, her purse was in the pocket of a young boy walking several steps ahead of them.

But when? How? This kid took my purse without me even noticing? And he got that far away before the aura spell kicked in?

This was no ordinary thief. As far as she could tell, there were no traces of magic having been used. Somehow, this person had accomplished this incredible feat with only his physical abilities.

Could it be that this thief...

"This little bastard," snarled Sunzhine, a maniacal smile appearing on her face as her eyes gleamed with rage. "You have the nerve to pickpocket me...?"

"Sunz. What are you do--" Mithral's eyes widened as Sunzhine's hand rose into the air and began gathering wisps of purple energy. "SUNZHINE, DON'T!!"

It was too late. The magic dispelled from Sunzhine's hand with a bang and the swirling purple particles flew above the crowd ahead of them, forming a substantially-sized disc. From the disc, a wheel protruded from its surface, then the tip of a bodykit--

A fully equipped gocart fell from the sky, smashing into the crowd below.

"SUNZHINE!!!" screamed Mithral as the crowd burst into panic, running from the cloud of dust that arose from the gocart's impact. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?"

"Tch. I thought so," said Sunzhine, lowering her hand.

"What do you mean you thought so!? You probably just killed someone there with your gocart!" shouted Mithral over the cries of the astonished shoppers.

"Not a chance," said Sunzhine with a confident smirk. "He wouldn't have let that happen."

"What?"

Mithral turned back as the cloud of dust began to settle. Amazingly, everyone underneath the gocart's target range was unharmed. Nothing had been squashed underneath the vehicle's fall.

"That's...impossible."

But Sunzhine had seen it. The magical aura had flickered in the instant the gocart had been summoned. There were several people lying on the ground, looking dazed and confused. It was obvious what had happened.

Just a single second and he was able to get them all to safety.

And now the aura was moving away. Flickering, appearing from one place to another in the blink of an eye.

"Let's go Mithral!"

"What? Where? What's going on Sunz--?"

"Shut up, you ****ing shit and follow me! He'll be out of our reach if we let him get away any further!"

"Who?! Who are you talking about!?"

"Team Member #3," said Sunzhine with a lick of her thumb.

The miracle had come.

[hinata--chan]

Oooo getting exciting ! Wonder who it is

[Dac]

A short one for length issues.

____________________

Weihnachtsmann took in deep, lung-bursting gulps of air as he tried to control his breathing. The faster he was able to regain his regular breathing pace, the faster he would be able to start running again. His legs were burning like coals, no doubt because of that go-cart that had fallen from the sky. Where had that thing even come from anyways? He didn't know, but it had been a close call. Saving that woman and her daughter from underneath the go-cart's shadow had required more strength that he usually used. It was this that was the main cause for his legs' condition.

But he had saved them. He didn't regret that. Wiping the sweat from his brow, Weihnachtsmann hopped from the rooftop he had been resting on and fell to the alley underneath. He bent his knees upon impact and rolled, stifling the recoil that might've cracked his bones. He jogged down the alley at a normal pace, trying hard not to attract attention. Once he was out of the residential area and back into the main streets, he dipped into the moving crowd seamlessly, without a single jostle or touch disturbing anyone in his path.

Once he was covered, Weihnachtsmann pulled the purse from his pocket and deposited the money in his hands. He quickly stuffed the coins back into the purse as an outrageous number flooded onto his palm.

"Wow...was she a noble?" thought Weihnachtsmann as he carefully transferred the money bit by bit into his other pocket. From the way the girl had been talking, he wouldn't have guessed it. But he supposed it made sense. The tall man must've been her bodyguard then. Weihnachtsmann shuddered at the thought of what would've happened had he been caught during the thieving.

"Ok. All done. Now...the purse..."

Weihnachtsmann felt the material and decided that it could be sold for quite a high price. It was made of smoothly woven fabric that felt like water on his skin. But Weihnachtsmann felt uneasy holding onto evidence any longer than he needed to. He rubbed the purse between his fingers as he gave the matter some thought.

Eventually, he decided that it wasn't worth the risk. The money was more than enough and being greedy wasn't how he liked doing things. Making sure that no one was in his throwing path, Weihnachtsmann lightly tossed the purse to the side and did not look back as it hit the ground.

With the purse gone, there was only one piece of evidence left to dispose of.

______________________________

"That cunning little ****er..."

Sunzhine sucked air between her teeth. It seemed she'd been getting outsmarted all day. In front of Sunzhine, there was a small bakery, permeating the air with its warm, doughy scent. Getting herself tripped up by these little tricks was putting her in a sour mood.

"W...What's going on?" panted Mithral as he finally caught up.

"He spent the money already," said Sunzhine, eying the bakery. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a chocolate bar, biting into it viciously in irritation. There was no way the kid knew about the magical trace. If that was so, he would've neutralized the remaining traces on his hands instead of just tossing the purse. He probably had a sense of paranoia that compelled him to get rid of the evidence. A careful thief. One of the most troublesome.

The only route Sunzhine had now was to depend on the magical trace particles that had rubbed off from the coins. Unfortunately, their magical aura was so slight that as soon as he got a certain distance away, she wouldn't be able to sense them anymore. The time window was very small. If the thief had kept running at the speed he had been going earlier, he would have easily gotten out of range from the trace. But if by chance, he had slowed down...had relaxed his guard...

"Bingo, you little *****."

Sunzhine smirked and licked the last bit of chocolate from her fingers.

"Mithral, you're pretty familiar with the area, right?"

"Y-Yes...I am," said Mithral, in-between gasps.

"What's west of here, about half a mile away?"

[Dac]

Weihnachtsmann lifted the barrier of cloth from the doorway and entered the room. It was actually a storage facility for the construction company down the road, but they had put it out for rent, partially for a side profit and partially because of their sympathy. The room's availability was split into four six-hour shifts, allowing for each group to have enough time to sleep and rest before leaving for their jobs, wandering the streets, or begging.

Currently, the storage room was being used by two families. A mother and her four children, and an old woman with a thin, little boy. The mother worked in the evenings while the old woman took care of the children at a nearby soup kitchen. Neither knew of each others' pasts or situations, but they had grown close as a family simply due to their proximity to one another in the storage facility.

It was to them that Weihnachtsmann delivered the last bit of bread he had from his purchase.

Years ago, the legend of Robin Hood had reached AO; a righteous thief that stole from the arrogant higher-class to provide for the impoverished. The thief society of AO had undergone a massive movement where many began to steal for righteousness, donating their stash to social welfare organizations and homeless shelters. Many thieves began to work for certain families, being promised a cut of the percentage in return, or some other service.

Of course, the Robin Hood movement quickly went out of hand. Righteous thieving became the excuse of all thieves, whether they were truly righteous or not. Their actions were put into constant debate, which made court prosecutions absolute nightmares in sentencing and appeals. Thieves that worked for other families were frequent causes of relationship problems, sexual abuse, and violence; many used desperate families in order to construct slave-like hierarchies. As a result, the AO royal commissioners had been forced into seclusion for years on end, quietly infiltrating the thief society and gathering substantial amounts of evidence that eventually eroded away the Robin Hood movement and made the Robin Hood defense less sympathetic to future juries.

But, even as the Robin Hood movement faded away, Weihnachtsmann did not give up on the ideal. The one who had taught him how to steal, the one who had given him a way to survive in the harsh streets, had also taught him that stealing solely for one's own sake was an act of selfishness, a complete abandon of one's humanity. It was where one subjectively decided one's importance over another's; where one passed his/her suffering to another person.

"Well, I'm not saying it's a bad thing. If you're at death's door, then you could care less about whether or not someone else suffers. And someone who's fed regularly is much more capable of enduring hunger than someone who is on the brink of starvation. But passing on that suffering...it adds a little blackness to your heart. Listen well, kid. The moment you steal, for whatever reason, is when you've justified the action to yourself. The moment you steal solely for yourself is when you've justified that you're worth more than someone else. It's when you have pure arrogance. It's fine if you want to feel that way; sometimes, it's true. You're better than the other person and you deserve better. But, the problem comes when you can't distinguish your true self from the blackness covering your heart. Spreading that out to someone else...it makes it easier to keep a hold of who you are. Of what you're worth."

He stole to survive.

But he also stole for others' survival.

At first, Weihnactsmann had tried to provide for everyone he could. He stole frequently and gave a share to the first needy person he saw. But then, he gained a reputation as a Robin Hood thief and quickly became sought out by countless people. Most had been vultures, people who feigned helplessness in order to filch resources from others. Weihnactsmann could not keep up with the number of people asking him for help, nor could he tell the vultures apart from the truly needy. He began to go weeks without food, at one point collapsing in the streets from malnutrition and fatigue.

With his face sunk halfway into the mud, he could hear his mentor's voice in the background:

"Ranma, you're a mess. Didn't I tell you to keep a hold of who you are? If one person could provide for everyone, then who would be poor? Who would be needy? You stupid brat."

He could see the condescending grin on his mentor's face.

"Well, have you had enough? No one said losing sight of yourself is a bad thing."

Weihnactsmann stared with blank eyes at the mud swallowing his body.

"Give up, kid. Thinking that you can take care of others when you can't even take care of yourself? Don't get so cocky...well, that's not a bad thing."

"I..." murmured Weihnachtsmann, his fingers raking trenches in the mud.

"If you had kept everything you had stolen, you would've made it out of these slums. You could've gained a normal life. Others suffer just the same as they always have, but you gain a future. Not a bad deal, I think."

"I...want to help people."

"What kind of fool thing is this kid saying?"

"I...want to help them live. Like you did...for me."

A small stream of tears dripped from Weihnachtsmann's eyes.

"I...I...want to be strong like you."

But no one had been there to hear his words. His mentor had left him years ago. Weihnachtsmann was a young man now.

He was alone in a world that crushed the weak.

When he had finally woken up, Weihnachtsmann had been in the storage facility. The woman had found him in the rain, half-dead, and had brought him back and nursed him to health.

Being fed hot soup and cared for by a motherly hand...

Who had he been kidding?

Who did he think he could save?

But he would not stop stealing. It was all he had. Weihnachtsmann decided that he would simply donate to the homeless shelters. At the very least, he could contribute, even if it was just a little bit.

The rest, he had promised to the mother who had saved him.

A year's worth of food.

"Thank you, Weihnachtsmann. But you've really done enough for us. You don't have to go the full year."

"No. I'll finish it," said Weinachtsmann happily as he handed the loaf of fresh bread over to the mother. "You saved my life after all."

"Dear, all I did was feed you..."

"That's more than enough," said Weihnachtsmann. The mother returned his smile and patted him gently on the head.

"You're a good boy."

"Today was a big haul. So I was able to get some good meat today," said Weihnachtsmann, taking a package of well-marbled slices of beef from his bag.

"Meat! It's been long since the children had meat..."

"And," said Weihnachtsmann, lowering his voice to a whisper. "I was able to reserve a honeyed peach cake for Granny's birthday."

"What! How? They're so expensive..."

"Like I said, there was a good haul today."

"Weihnachtsmann...you're not doing anything dangerous for this money, are you?"

"O-Of course not! It's just our team found some really rare items during our scavenge today! One of the workers is thinking of retiring with his share."

Yes. Weihnachtsmann was posing as a treasure hunter.

"I see..." said the mother, looking at him with a small hint of suspicion. "If you say so..."

"So, this is the food for this week. I'll come back next week for the last batch," said Weihnachtsmann, flinging the empty bag over his shoulder.

"Come by tomorrow. We'll all have the meat together then."

"Will do," said Weihnachtsmann quietly, being careful not to wake the sleeping children. He waved goodbye and brushed the cloth barrier aside to leave. The storage facility was actually one of many in a cluster building. Once he left the room, he had to walk through a short hallway to reach the exit.

"Mmm...I'll be a little lonely after my debt's cleared," thought Weihnachtsmann as he went through the hallway. The truth was that he liked being with the mother and her family. It felt warm and happy everyday, even though everyone was struggling to make end's meet. The mother and Weihnachtsmann had agreed on a year because, with less food expenses to account for, the mother would be able to purchase a cheap home from her friend after the year was over by working her multiple jobs. The mother had invited Weihnachtsmann to live with them, but he was sure that he wouldn't be visiting them anymore afterwards. A year had been long enough. Soon or later, his occupation as a thief would be discovered. He couldn't imagine how much guilt the mother would feel over that. A naturally kind and good-hearted person. Weihnachtsmann had seen so few in the slums of AO that he felt a pang in his heart as the end inched closer and closer.

"Well, maybe I'll go visit for Granny." The old woman knew plenty of stories and tales that had long been forgotten in AO. He was always excited to hear the next tale that she could remember.

"Alright, I guess I'll go home now," announced Weihnachtsmann, stretching as he exited the building.

"And where would your home be?"

Weihnachtsmann froze at the deep, male voice. Blinding lights suddenly flashed into his face, shooting off from a rumbling purple go-cart.

The girl in the driver's seat was laying back with her feet resting on the steering wheel. She lazily took a chomp of her chocolate bar and smirked.

"Yo, you ****ing *****. Finally found you."

[Dac]

Weihnachtsmann's mind raced. In the midst of a single second, his legs had already bent and prepared to dash away. In the next second, he had rocketed forward, shooting past the go-cart.

And in the last second, his waist collided with an enormous hand.

"Got him!" yelled Mithral as he threw Weihnachtsmann into the go-cart's back seat, and then hopped into the passenger's.

"Alright, good," said Sunzhine. She shifted into reverse and sped backwards at a demonic speed. Weihnachtsmann struggled to sit up, his body feeling like jello from the slight concussion to his head.

Too late. Sunzhine shifted back into drive and the go-cart was off again. At these speeds, if Weihnachtsmann tried to escape, he'd probably skin his whole body in the process. Realizing that he was trapped, Weihnachtsmann's mind completely shut down in panic.

"W-What are you going to do to me?" asked Weihnachtsmann, his voice trembling.

"Oh great, we have a shitty pussy thief," said Sunzhine with a snort. She took a bite of her chocolate bar and turned into an empty alley. "Mithral, where's the nearest exit?"

"Turn right at the next turn and go straight three alleys."

"Explain the situation to him then," said Sunzhine, tossing something into the backseat. Weihnachtsmann blinked and hesitantly picked up the object.

It was a badge. But not just any badge. On the badge was the famous...

"Kingdom Seal..." breathed Weihnachtsmann, violent tremors running through his body. OH MY RANMA! "You-you guys are part of the R-Royal Army..."

"You have a good eye, shitty thief. Stealing from a military officer," said Sunzhine menacingly, kicking the accelerator for another burst of speed. A few seconds later, they blasted through the alley and onto the highway exit.

The AO Kingdom highway system was designed for general use by high-class society. Those in the lower-class generally could not afford the magic fuel needed to keep magomobiles running, so it was strictly a privilege for the wealthy. Weihnachtsmann shuddered as the highway sloped higher and higher, until the entire slums could be seen below him in a bird's eye view. They were still going at ridiculous speeds, even for magomobiles. Weihnachtsmann could barely keep his eyes open from the air buffeting his face.

"Mithral. You mind telling this shitty thief what the punishment is for stealing from the Army?"

"Any crime committed against the Royal Army is considered treason of the highest order and requires national court prosecution for sentencing. As a result, crime is considered more stringently under court observation, but stealing is one of the major crimes that can be committed against the Royal Army. Average sentencing for theft from the Army is twenty years in prison, but in the case of stealing from a military officer, it increases to fifty years. If prosecution proceeds in the prosecutor's favor, then the chances are likely that sentencing will be life in prison, or perhaps even death by magical execution."

Weihnachtsmann's face was so white that it was a wonder that he didn't faint from the absence of blood in his head.

"Well, should I press charges or not?" said Sunzhine in a sing-song voice. "Since you not only stole from a military officer, but also a cute, adorable girl like me, you'll probably be killed on the spot. Oh, you daredevil, you. Any last words, you shitty thief?"

"Ah...Ahh...hhhh." Weihnachtsmann's mouth was open, but his voice was strangled by his locked throat.

"It's looking good," whispered Mithral as Weihnachtsmann began foaming at the mouth.

"Well, you're in luck, shitty thief. I'm a kind, caring individual," said Sunzhine loudly, snapping a piece of chocolate into her mouth. "The vastness of my heart is compelling me to forgive you and give you another chance."

"R-Really!?"

"**** no. Shut the **** up, you little *****. You stole from me and you expect leniency? I'll ****ing kill you."

Weihnachtsmann wilted into the backseat, huddling his knees to his chest.

"But, I'm a reasonable person. If you have anything you'd like to offer for your life, I'll consider it."

Weihnachtsmann's head popped up at Sunzhine's words.

"I-I can steal anything for you! I've even stolen from the Royal Museum once," said Weihnachtsmann, making up the biggest lie he could think of. The Royal Museum was notorious for its ancient magical security system, which was considered the best in the world. Having stood in AO for one thousand years, it had yet to have a single burglar escape with any of its contents...

"Oh? Impressive. In that case, I'll let you live."

"Really!?"

"...is what you thought I'd say? Stealing from the Royal Museum is easy."

...except for Sunzhine.

"Eh?"

"There's so many things in there that even if you steal something, no one notices," continued Sunzhine, ripping open another chocolate bar package. "I stole the Sunny Go Mach-5 from there."

Sunny Go Mach-5?

Weihnachtsmann's eyes riveted to the seat below him. The door handles. The windshield. The spoiler on the back.

"Obviously, you've never been to the Royal Museum," said Sunzhine, snorting again. "You think magomobiles existed one thousand years ago, you shitty thief?"

For the first time since his collapse a year ago, Weihnachtsmann wanted to be buried alive so he could cry his tears of shame in peace.

"Your thieving is useless. That's all you have, isn't it, you shitty piece of trash. Why don't you just die already? Your life has no value. You might as well just be a banana peel. No, a banana peel has more worth than you because it has such a depressingly inane mechanism that it's funny. But you're not funny."

"What does that have to do with anything?" said Mithral in a low voice. The gloomy air around Weihnachtsmann was so heavy that it was almost as if rain clouds were forming around him.

'"Well, well. If the ****ing garbage here has no use whatsoever, I guess there's no point in this discussion," said Sunzhine, yawning. "You. Garbage. What's your name?"

"...Weihnachtsmann."

"A ****ing nobody like you thinks you can take the legacy of the greatest housebreaker in history? Forget it, Helge-chan."

"Helge...?"

"That's right. From Hailaga, meaning 'dedicated to the gods.' You're going to be my slave, Helge-chan. Be grateful that you get a chance to serve someone as great as me."

"...I don't like the way you defined Helge."

"Mithral. Tell this ****ing Helge the deal. Since you have no ability in anything useful whatsoever, you'll just have to accept whatever we give you."

"We have a proposition for you," said Mithral, turning in his seat to face Weihnachtsmann.

"...W-what proposition?" asked Weihnachtsmann shakily. This lady was vicious and immensely cruel. What kind of torture would she offer him in exchange for his life?

Mithral glanced at Sunzhine to affirm her decision. She didn't look back and calmly snapped another piece of chocolate with her teeth.

"We will give you complete amnesty. Your crime will be forgiven and no charges will be pressed. In addition, we will offer you a full military pension."

Weihnachtsmann sat stunned at the words he had just heard. What? What? What?

"You were helping that family in the storage facility, weren't you?" said Sunzhine suddenly. "A full military pension is enough to get you and whoever else you want out of those slums and easily into a comfortable life."

A full military pension. That was the equivalence of being raised into high-class society. Settling for middle-class meant that he could still live comfortably with one, no, two large families without any risk or danger.

It was a dream come true. It was a godly gift.

A future.

They were offering him a future with no suffering in exchange.

He couldn't believe it. There had to be a catch.

"...What would I have to do?" asked Weihnachtsmann. Although he asked with restraint, his mind was already ready to accept whatever was thrown at him. Forget the catch. It didn't matter even if he had to kill himself in the process. It was enough to bring the mother and her children out of the slums. It was enough to let Granny live the rest of her lives in peaceful bliss.

Weihnachtsmann knew his mentor would laugh at him for even thinking of sacrificing himself for others.

But it was his way.

"Join our team," was Sunzhine's simple response.

"Team...?" Surprise flooded Weihnachtsmann's body. What was she talking about? A team? A military team? Did she possibly mean the legendary Ranma Force?

"Have you heard of Road, Helge-chan?"

"Road? No...I haven't."

"It's a sport. A competitive sport. I want you to join our team."

A sport. Like catch ball? Like racing in the streets? This couldn't be right. There was no way it was that simple.

"Yeah, like that," said Sunzhine.

Weihnachtsmann had no idea what was going on.

"This ****ing Helge. Do I really need to explain everything, you ****ing little shit?" said Sunzhine, pressing hard on the accelerator. The skyscrapers of AO's high society were passing by in a blur as they raced through the highway system. Sunzhine quickly shot through gaps between various magomobiles, eliciting honks and shouts from the other drivers.

"Uhm...can you...please..." said Weihnachtsmann, digging deeper into the seat as Sunzhine continued accelerating.

"Sunz...this is...pretty fast..." said Mithral, feeling a twinge of fear at the speed with which they were closing the distance on the cars in front of them.

"Shut up, you pussies. Now listen up. I'm not going to say this again. You're a shitty thief. Thieving is ****ing useless. You're wasting your time doing that shit. Never ****ing do it again and join our team. That's all you have to ****ing--"

Sunzhine's words were abruptly drowned out by the sound of a booming, melodic chorus. To the left of the go-cart, a large magomobile van had caught up to Sunzhine, containing a group of men who were singing uproariously off-tune to a song on the radio.

"ANDDDD YOU'REE THE ONE I SEE, YOU'REEE THE ONE I NEEDDD, WON'T YOU BEEEE WITH MEEEEEEEEEEEE!!"

Sunzhine's eye twitched as the men sang at the top of their lungs. Their magomobile swerved in rhythm with the song, shifting dangerously close to the Sunny Go. Without a single word of warning, Sunzhine jerked her steering wheel hard, smashing the Sunny Go Mach-5 into the side of the van.

"What the hell!?" One of the men leaned out his window and looked down at Sunzhine.

"Hey, you ****ers. Shut the **** up! Your singing sucks, your ****ing magomobile sucks, and your ****ing shitty song sucks!"

"Babe, I don't know what your problem is," said the man, grinning down at her. "But hey, I'm a nice guy. You apologize and I'll forget this ever happened. It's hard to be mad at a pretty chick like you."

"Suck this guy's ****," said Sunzhine, jabbing her thumb at Mithral.

"I'd rather suck your cute little tits, babe," said the man, licking his lips.

"Heh." Sunzhine responded by ramming their magomobile with such force that it nearly spun out into the other lane.

"You *****!"

"Bite me, ****whore!" said Sunzhine, giving them the finger.

The man pulled back from the window and gestured at the driver. A moment later, the van tackled the Sunny Go, forcing it into the guard railing. Sparks flew from the go-cart's side, showering Mithral with painful bits of metal.

"Ow! Ow! OW!"

"Still waiting for that apology, babe," said the man, peeking out from the window again.

"These ****s," sneered Sunzhine, steering the Sunny Go off the railing. "Helge-chan. Pull out the armrest in the back seat."

"W-What?" whimpered Weihnachtsmann, his hands covering his head.

"Pull the ****ing armrest out, you worthless bag of shit!"

Weihnachtsmann scrambled to the armrest and pulled it out from the seat. He blinked as a small baton-like object fell from inside.

"Hand me that," ordered Sunzhine. Weihnachtsmann leaned over and dropped the baton onto her outstretched hand. "Hey boys..."

Sunzhine put two fingers to her lips and blew the men a sexy kiss.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" said the man, his eyes widening feverishly. The other men in the magomobile howled in agreement.

Sunzhine smiled sweetly and leisurely aimed the baton at them.

An enormous blast of energy exploded from the baton, engulfing the magomobile. An instant later, the magomobile burst into flames and soared into the air. It flipped twice before smashing back onto the highway, bouncing into the approaching magomobiles and causing more sounds of crackling glass and splintering metal.

Sunzhine tossed the baton back onto the armrest and turned back to the road.

"Like I was saying..."

"Ranma, Sunz. This is going to ruin our savings..." said Mithral, massaging his temples.

"Ah...ahhhh..." uttered Weihnachtsmann as he trembled at the destruction scattered behind them.

"I don't know what happened. Blowing up in the middle of the street! I told them their magomobile was shitty."

Weihnachtsmann had never felt such fear for a person's smile in his entire life.

[Dac]

"Ghh...I think I've died at least twenty times..."

"I'm not a cat. I don't have that many lives..."

"It'll be fine, Helge. I'll make sure that we never have to go in this go-cart again...or more like, I'll be driving from now on and forever..."

"Who's driving what you ****ing pussy? I'll kick your ***."

After a hellish ride that felt more like a nightmare than anything else, Sunzhine had finally stopped the go-cart and released her prisoners. Mithral and Weihnachtsmann had immediately collapsed onto the ground and were now on the verge of making out with the dirt like they were star-crossed lovers.

"I never want to ride in a magomobile ever again..."

"It's not the magomobile, it's the driver...Look what you've done, Sunz! You've traumatized this boy for life!"

"Shut up, you whining ****s and get your ***** moving!"

"Ok..." said Weihnachtsmann in a watery tone. "Where exactly are we g...g...goOOOAAHHH!?"

"What's wrong, Helge?"

Weihnachtsmann's mouth was flapping up and down as he stared at the towering mansion in front of him.

"HUGE! THIS PLACE IS TOO HUGE!! What the heck is with this mansion!?"

"Huhuhu, now do you get it, ****ing Helge?" said Sunzhine with a grin.

"Too high...the difference between the military and civilians is too high..."

"Behold! The mighty symbol of the great Sunzhine de AO! LUCKY SUNNY HOUSE!" announced Sunzhine with her hand outstretched towards the mansion. It was an enormous building, stacking at least four stories high. The berth of the building was at least six times larger than the average home in AO. It was a dazzling white mansion, with amazingly detailed nouveau deco covering its sparkling clean surfaces. It was strange to see such an ornate building standing in the middle of the city, and even stranger for there to be a freshly green lawn with horticulture extending out to the concrete streets.

"Why is such an amazing thing in between a bunch of apartments..." mumbled Weihnachtsmann.

"Ahem. Realtor issues," said Mithral in an off-hand tone.

"Oh, Sunzhine! You're back."

Weihnachtsmann's attention turned in the direction of the voice, which came from a hulking figure standing in front of the Lucky Sunny House.

"Well, if it isn't ****ing Hearty," said Sunzhine, grinning.

"Here, pizza," said Hearty, walking over and handing a box to Sunzhine. Seeing him up close, Weihnachtsmann realized that the only reason Hearty looked large was because of the massive white cloak that was resting on his shoulders. It looked heavy and cumbersome, but the man underneath it seemed to be bearing the weight well.

"Oh? Perfect! I was getting hungry," said Sunzhine, taking the box from him. "Hey, Mithral! Hearty gave us some pizza, so get that shitty Helge-chan in the house! Oh, what were you doing here anyways, Hearty?"

"Ahh, sorry. I came by to talk to you about something, but it seems like you're busy now. I'll come by later when you're free."

"Alright then. Mithral! HURRY THE **** UP, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!"

"Well, I'll be off then. See you later, Sunzhine. Mithral. And the young man too."

Hearty gave a short bow with his head and then started walking away. Weihnachtsmann thought he looked a little cool with that white cloak fluttering behind him, as if he was dragging along a white sea.

"Hm? Was this crack here in the street before...?"

"Crack?" echoed Mithral, his voice suddenly ominous.

"Crack?" repeated Sunzhine.

"Yeah, there's a bunch of cracks in the street...huh. I didn't see them befo...eh?"

Weihnachtsmann's eyes followed the cracks, which seemed to be deepening and spreading as they grew closer to the source. Eventually, his eyes led him straight to the rolling white waves of Hearty's cloak.

"Huh? Where did all these cracks come from...?"

"Shit...Sunz!"

"HEARTY!!!!" screamed Sunzhine at the top of her lungs. "HEARTY, STOP! YOU'RE GOING TO--!"

But it was too late. In the blink of an eye, the relatively peaceful scenery in front of Weihnachtsmann turned into an image that could've been pulled from the ruins of a nuclear explosion.

All of the buildings surrounding them collapsed, as if some giant invisible hand had come forward and knocked them down. Glass, concrete, and metal broke into shards, spraying down at the cracking street. It was as if an earthquake had run through the area, cutting through like butter and spreading destruction. Weihnachtsmann couldn't believe his eyes. The sight before him was too impossible to comprehend.

It was as if the very path that Hearty walked gave birth to chaos.

"Oh? Ahh...not good," said Hearty, finally noticing the havoc behind him. "I always forget when I leave Sunzhine's house..."

A wooshing noise reverberated in Weihnachtsmann's ears. He froze as the world around him seemed to be sucked into Hearty, like a vortex. Weihnachtsmann suddenly realized that this area was covered in something, covered in a layer that made everything darker. This something was being absorbed into Hearty's body.

What in the world...what is going on!?

"Mmm...delicious. Thank you, Sunzhine! It would've been troublesome if I had kept it on for too long."

"Why would you even need to turn it on in the first place, this ****ing retard!" mumbled Sunzhine, tossing away a piece of debris that had fallen on top of her.

"Ah...Sunz..."

"What do you ****ing want, Mithral?"

"...The pizza."

It had been squashed by a felled electricity pole.

_______________________________

"W-Who-WHO WAS THAT!? Wh-Why did everything get destroyed!? Wha-WHAT--"

"Calm down. Here, have some pizza."

"Oh...thank you," said Weihnachtsmann, taking the messy slice of pizza. "WAIT NO, THAT'S NOT THE PROBLEM!"

"His name is ♥♥♥, aka Hearty. He's a Roader."

Sunzhine said this while sitting on a worn out couch with a half-bitten chocolate bar in hand. They had entered the mansion, which surprisingly had been completely empty. It was only until they had reached the basement that any signs of inhabitation were seen. In the basement, there were towers of books and papers all over the place, scattered among bottles, strange powders, and various other items. All in all, the basement seemed to serve its purpose as a storage room to the most extreme. Yet, it seemed here was where Sunzhine and Mithral dwelled, guessing by the two scrunched up cots in the corner.

"T-That person i-is a Roader?" asked Weihnachtsmann.

"That's right. Don't be so surprised. Powers like his aren't uncommon among other Roaders," said Sunzhine, taking a bite of her chocolate. "But it's quite a power, isn't it? This mansion has a magical barrier on it that suppresses all abilities and forms of magic. Anyone who enters here only has the strength of a normal human unless I permit it. But, that damn Hearty always forgets when he leaves...that little shit!"

Sunzhine crammed the rest of the chocolate viciously into her mouth after uttering her final comment. She took a deep breath, seemingly in order to calm herself.

"He's quite famous with the financial division of the government," said Mithral, preparing some tea with a beaker and burner. "The number of times they've had to remodel this place because of him..."

"Ah..." A connection was made in Weihnachtsmann's mind. "So that's why this place looks so out of place from the rest of the area...it's the only house that hasn't been destroyed by Hearty."

"Bingo. And as a result, we got it for a ridiculously low price," said Sunzhine, smirking. "Well...I suppose that ****ing Hearty has his uses after all. They can't really do much to him, since he's a famed Roader."

"It couldn't be..."

"Yes...I don't want to admit it, but..."

"That's right. I'm the one that introduced Hearty to the neighborhood!" said Sunzhine, laughing heartily.

This person...is so selfish...

The thought crossed both Mithral and Weihnachtsmann's minds.

"I think...I need to reconsider this..." mumbled Weihnachtsmann, inching towards the door.

"I see. Go ahead. Reconsider. Then leave. Or whatever else you were going to do." Sunzhine accepted a cup of tea from Mithral and sipped it. "But what will you do then?"

"Huh? What do you mea--"

"You know exactly what I mean," said Sunzhine, dropping a couple blocks of chocolate into her tea. She stirred it with smooth, graceful motions. "After you've refused our offer, where will you go? Back to the storage facility with the mother and her two children? Back to thieving for scraps of meat and day-old bread?"

"That's...what's wrong with me going back to that?" asked Weihnachtsmann, unable to face Sunzhine's stare.

"Everything is wrong with it," said Sunzhine. "It's true that you're a good thief, but how long before you slip up? How long before the authorities are able to catch you? Or, perhaps more plausible, how long before that mother figures out what your true job is?"

Weihnachtsmann bit his lip. He couldn't deny it. All of those possibilities had been floating around in his head for the past couple of days. Having gotten a small fortune out of Sunzhine's purse had been enough to make him optimistic, but if he went back to the days of thieving and hiding, how long would he survive? Sunzhine herself had caught him with no effort at all. How long would it be before the authorities saw him as a real problem and took action?

In either case, it wouldn't be long before Weihnachtsmann cover as a treasure scavenger would be blown. But that didn't matter. Who cared if one person lost trust in him? It was just one less mouth to feed for. It was just one less burden on his back. He could survive on his own, without caring for anyone else. It would be easier...

But he hadn't taken that route. He had made things harder for himself. He had sacrificed his freedom in order to be leashed by chains. Chains called family.

I...

And even if he refused here, what would keep Sunzhine from not reporting Weihnachtsmann? In any case, she had already threatened him before. Whatever he did, if she truly wanted him on the team, she would be able to accomplish this through any means necessary.

There was no way out.

Weihnachtsmann was trapped.

"I..."

"I'll tell you one thing. I swear that I will never hand you to the authorities. You can be assured of that."

Weihnachtsmann blinked at Sunzhine's words. What had she just said?

"W-Why..."

"It's no use to me if my slave is unwilling. Forcing someone to do something against their will is inefficient," said Sunzhine, calmly sipping her tea. "It would be better if you just see the benefits of this situation and accept them."

Weihnachtsmann did not answer. The lines on his forehead wrinkled as he mulled over his options. Sunzhine slowly unwrapped another chocolate bar, her eyes never leaving the young thief's figure.

"If you're afraid that I won't keep my promise, then how about this?" Sunzhine took a box on the tableside next to her and opened it. Inside were masses of gold AO coins, equaling an amount that would probably keep Weihnachtsmann fed for over ten years. "I'll give you all of it. And 10,000 more of the same."

"Sunz! That's everything we hav--"

Sunzhine quieted Mithral with a glare. She turned back to Weihnachtsmann and tossed the box at his feet. The coins spilled out, making a small mound on the ground. "And I'll let you leave. With that amount, you could probably even clear your criminal record by bribing the police. You could easily get that mother and the rest of her family out of poverty and into a comfortable living space. You could party all day and all night and still have money left over before you die, as long as you restrain yourself slightly. And, with all of my money gone, you'd leave me poor and destitute, just as you are right now."

Sunzhine chomped into the chocolate bar and chewed.

"That's your option. If you're uncertain, take it and go. I won't stop you. Even if you're stopped, what would it matter? It would've happened anyways, no matter what choice you made."

Weihnachtsmann knelt down and touched the coins. They were real. Real gold coins. Only the high-class of AO society used these, and even among the high-class, such an exorbitant amount was rare. He could become an aristocrat. He could do everything he had planned without getting involved with someone as dangerous as Sunzhine.

It was more than a godly gift.

It was as if Weihnachtsmann was being offered to become a god himself.

He swallowed the painful lump in his throat and continued feeling the coins. He could take it. He could leave. He knew that the only reason they had caught him earlier was because he had been tired and off-guard. They could repeat that scenario if they ever found him again, but right now, when they were all sitting comfortably in the room, they wouldn't be able to catch him. He could escape. He could steal their magomobile. There was a chance. It was all too possible for him to make off with the money.

"You can take this option," continued Sunzhine. She finished her tea and set it on the tableside. "But if you do, then the second option will never be in your grasp again. The second option where you refuse the money. Where you refuse something that only 0.001% of the entire kingdom has at their disposal. In exchange, you can hear me out. I'll tell you about a world that you don't know about. About a world that nobody normal will ever be able to enter. In exchange, I will be the one that gives you a future."

It was obvious what he should do. Take the money and run. It was obvious that this was infinitely the better choice. Screw that world! With this, he could accomplish everything he wanted to do! He could become a king in this world, right now!

But Weihnachtsmann didn't answer. In his mind, the strolling figure of Hearty was playing again. The mass destruction that had been laid by his footsteps. The sheer impossibility of it...the sheer awe he had felt then. And he remembered how Sunzhine and Mithral had captured him. He remembered how easily she had found him, how easily she had caught up to him. How easily she had destroyed a magomobile and part of the highway.

Frightening beyond anything he had ever seen. More amazing than anything he had ever experienced. Every emotion he had felt, it had been at the very extremes. The glimpse of the world that Sunzhine was offering him, it had been too much for him to handle. It was too much for someone like him, who was just a lowly thief. Just a lowly human that was struggling to live in a lowly world.

But...

But...

In exchange, I will be the one that gives you a future.

Weihnachtsmann clenched his fists over the gold coins. There was no way he could choose that answer. His body was rejecting it. His mind was screaming at him to accept it.

There was only one thing that he could say.

"Please. Show me the new world."

[Dac]

"Alright, let's get started."

Sunzhine waved her hand, casting sparkles of light to dance from her fingertips and into the air. The light gathered up, until they were a round mass of pure blue, before spreading out into a large intangible rectangle in mid-air.

"Uhm...Ms. Sunzhine..."

"You can call me Master, Helge-chan."

"...Master. Why am I strapped to a chair?"

Rather then strapped, it would be more accurate to say that Weihnachtsmann was forcibly bonded to the chair. Thick leather belts, thick to the point that Weihnachtsmann wondered how many cows had been pressed together to make such thickness, were wrapped around his body, biting into his skin like the tightening coil of a boa constrictor. Every other inch of his body, from his neck down to his toes, were strapped in some way or another. Just breathing was making Weihnachtsmann feel nauseatingly claustrophobic. It was a wonder that the frail wooden chair didn't snap in half with all this pressure.

"Hm? Isn't it obvious, Helge-chan?" said Sunzhine, tilting her head.

"Eh...no, not really. I don't see why I should be tied up like thi--"

"Really? You really think that, Helge-chan?" continued Sunzhine, tilting her head further.

"...Yes. I don't--"

"Really?" said Sunzhine, her head bent at such a sharp angle that any normal person would've broken their neck.

"...You don't trust me."

"Jeez, this Helge-chan," said Sunzhine, waving her hand exasperatedly. "That's not it at all!"

"Huh? Then why..."

"I mean, it's not like some shitty thief stole my purse and made off with all of my money," said Sunzhine, blinking innocently. "Money that was supposed to be used as my living expenses for this entire month."

Sweat began dripping down Weihnachtsmann's face. Although Sunzhine was saying all this with a cute, soft voice, the pressure in her words was more unbearable than the leather belts.

"Hmm, and then it's not like this shitty ****ing thief spent all of that money so he could look cool in front of some starving mother and her children," said Sunzhine, nodding her head seriously. "That's right...Helge-chan isn't a ****ing MILF-freak, right? I mean, it's not like what you did was basically rob a poor defenseless girl in order to get closer to a family so you can prey on their helpless little children..."

"Why am I being depicted like that!?"

"Iya...Helge-chan, it's a good thing you're not anything like that guy," said Sunzhine in a monotonous tone. "I mean, if I saw that guy, I'd break his legs, tear off his pixie stick, and make him watch a cute chihuahua devour it."

All the blood left Weihnachtsmann's face.

"Hm? Still some complaints, Helge-chan?"

"...No, Master."

Mithral was half-weeping inside for the poor boy, and half cheering for himself. Thank god this demon had a new playtoy.

"Alright, let's get started!" repeated Sunzhine, tapping the floating rectangle with her knuckles. Instantly, the blank screen vanished and was replaced by a detailed diagram.

"Nice to meet you! This is Sunzhine, ex-member of the AO Army and widely-proclaimed genius bishoujo! Today, I'll be talking about the competitive sport called Road."

"EX-MEMBER!? You're not in the military!?" shouted Weihnachtsmann.

"Helge-chan, shut the **** up. You're ruining my presentation."

"You promised me a full military pension..."

'Eh? I don't remember that shit. Oh, Mithral, it was you, right? What the **** are you doing telling this little faggot lies? You're such a bastard, you know that?"

Mithral raged inside for not being able to defend himself.

"But, don't worry, stupid Helge-chan," said Sunzhine, flicking her hand so that a pointer made of white-blue magic particles assembled at her fingertips. She tapped it against the diagram as she continued her presentation. "Road is one of the most popular sports across the world, and perhaps the first sport to have reached the international stage. It's also AO's most famous invention, having been created by ancient AO kings in order to settle foreign disputes in a relatively peaceful manner. Now, I say relatively peaceful because, compared to wars, Road is quite tame. There are specified rules and it is impossible for someone to die. However, the mechanics of the sport do require physical combat, which means that it's quite easy for you to get injured or even psychologically scarred."

"...This doesn't sound anything like catch ball."

Sunzhine pointed her finger at Weihnachtsmann and applied an excruciating dose of pure lightning onto his body.

"GYAAHHHH!!!"

"Now that this ****ing Helge-chan has quieted down, I'll continue. The reason that AO was able to substitute direct war with the sport of Road is because of Road's similarity to a military campaign. The players are essentially part of an army that does battle with another army for dominance. Of course, this is why those who excel in Road are considered to have prime qualities for warfare; strength, intelligence, instinct, and luck are all necessary components to rise in the ranks of Road. There are several stages for Road. As of now, we can only enter the national Road competition. That is, within AO. The national Road competition of AO is named after Road's original title: The Road of Kings and Conquer, the Way of Soldiers. Shortened to Ring Cows."

"Ring...Cows?"

"That's right. You think it's funny? Try and laugh at a national-instated title, I dare you." Sunzhine's face was twitching from the effort she was putting in to hold back her own laughter. Eventually though, she couldn't restrain herself, and ended up rolling on the floor in humorous agony for ten minutes.

"Haha...aha...hoo. Always gets to me."

Weihnachtsmann couldn't bring himself to laugh, else his ribs would literally end up cracking from the leather belts.

"But Ring Cows is just the start, Helge-chan. Beyond Ring Cows, there is a greater platform. The place where all great Roaders go. There, the Roaders are of such skill, of such intensity in talent, that we can only describe them as the elite. Remember this, Helge-chan. A normal person may be able to reach greatness through hard work and luck. But a Roader has already reached greatness. Those at the top have reached the point where they can no longer be called human. Becoming a Roader means you have the ability to surpass all others around you. That's what I'm offering to you, Helge-chan. A chance to become one of the elite, a chance to stand above everyone else. And not alone. But with people like you, who struggle for their own reasons. Their own desires."

Sunzhine smiled and whacked the rectangle with her pointer.

"The Grand Road. This is where you'll find your future, Helge-chan."

My future.

It was simply a name. A name in the AO language. It said "Grand Road." But for some reason, Weihnachtsmann couldn't tear his eyes from it. For some reason, he couldn't stop himself from being transfixed by it.

What's wrong with me? What...what's this feeling? My chest is throbbing...but it doesn't hurt. It's...

"The leather belts."

"Eh?"

"Sunz, you tied him too tight. The blood isn't circulating through his body anymore."

Weihnachtsmann looked down to where Mithral's finger was pointing. The entire lower half of his body had turned numb and pale.

"GYAAHH!!!"

"Now, I've explained the broad sense of Road. I'll be moving onto the finer details of its mechanism now."

"I CAN'T FEEL MY LEGS!"

"Helge-chan, do shut up. You're ruining my concentration."

"Sunz! Get these belts off! What did you do to them!?"

"Mithral, you too? For ****'s sake, all of you, shut the **** up!"

"MY FAMILY JEWELS ARE SHRINKING!!!"

"SUNZ, THE BELTS!"

"...Ahh. AHHHH. AHHHH SHUT UP, YOU ****ING SHITHEADS!!"

Needless to say, Sunzhine removed the belts. Her method: blowing them up.

________________________________

Road. The sport's mechanics were simple enough. Two teams would go against each other on a playing field. They would go down a lane which had defensive structures on both sides. By taking down these defensive structures and destroying the base at the end of the lane, one team could win the match.

The defensive structures were called Towers. Based off sentry towers in battlefields, these Towers were able to retaliate against the other team to some degree. They utilized highly concentrated magical beams that would pierce through the player's shield and damage them directly. No physical damage would occur to the player; rather, the magical beam would only create the sensation of pain. Sunzhine stated that enough hits from the Tower could cripple a person with sheer mental abuse. Even top-ranked Roaders dared not to get hit by a Tower unless the situation desperately called for it.

The players essentially act as generals. Their duty is to engage in the main conflict and rally their troops.

In Road, the troops are given to each team at the beginning of their formation. All troops hold equal strength and abilities during a match. The only differences are how they are utilized and manipulated by the players. Sunzhine stated that the troops were magosynths, or living, breathing creatures created through the synthesis of various magics. Thus, the troops would not be robots or mindless puppets. They would have their own souls and minds, meaning the act of governing and leading them became crucial to the sport.

The players are much stronger than the troops. At the beginning of a game, each player has the option of choosing a class. By choosing a class, they gain benefits, skills, and weapons unique to that class. Because of that, while the act of choosing a class is optional, those who do not choose a class are at a severe disadvantage. For example, an offensive class receives extra damage output and a skill that significantly increases damage when activated. To activate special skills, the player must defeat a number of troops, absorbing their life energy for skill usage. This life energy also permanently increases the player's stats, such as strength or maneuverability, depending on their class and sub-class.

Players cannot be killed by the weapons in Road. Instead, they are granted a shield, which can take damage from the weapons given to a class. These shields deteriorate as they take on more damage, eventually breaking down after a certain point has been reached. At this point, the player is considered true critical. During the true critical state, the player will "die" if a specific amount of damage is done by another player. During true critical state, the player is invulnerable to any damage; it is only the magical calculation of damage from the weapon that is considered. When a player is "killed" while in true critical state, the player will dissolve from the battlefield and be placed in stasis for a specific time period. This time period grows longer the stronger the player becomes.

A team is allowed to surrender or wait until their base is destroyed. "Killing" another player gives significantly more life energy than killing troops. As a result, battles usually occur between the players themselves as opposed to the troops they govern. The troops are generally used to weaken defensive structures or to threaten the opposing team. While one troop cannot match against a player, many troops can pose a threat to a single player.

Ring Cows has three levels of Road competition. The first is a single lane, for 3-man teams. The second is a double lane, for 4-man teams. The third, and the only true competitive phase of Ring Cows, is a triple lane for 5-man teams. The triple lane field was only accessible by those who had won a certain number of games in the single and double lane. Becoming top in the triple lane makes one eligible to enter the Grand Road.

Those were the basic rules of Road. There were more complicated and detail-specific rules that Sunzhine mentioned, but Weihnachtsmann could not keep everything he heard in his head.

"So, does this ****ing Helge-chan get the rules yet?"

"...I think so. Actually, no, I'm pretty sure I have a good grasp of it. And now, I've reached a conclusion."

"Mm? What's that, Helge-chan?"

"THIS SPORT IS DANGEROUS! EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!" yelled Weihnachtsmann, his legs shaking uncontrollably. "THIS ISN'T WHAT I WAS THINKING WHEN YOU SAID JOIN A SPORTS TEAM!"

"What is this stupid shithead saying? Of course it's dangerous," said Sunzhine, tilting her head again. "Otherwise, it'd be no fun."

"No, no, no, no! Dangerous doesn't mean fun! In fact, dangerous is usually the opposite of fun! I'm not exactly sure, but there's a loophole in this game that could cause a player's death, isn't there!?"

Sunzhine paused at that statement for a moment. She had suspected it from the very beginning, but she was now seeing it more and more frequently. This shitty Helge-chan was sharp. A dumbass, yes, but sharp nevertheless. It was true that there were methods to kill players in Road. However, it took great effort and resulted not only in lifelong disqualification from the sport, but also severe punishment through AO law. But there were still records of numerous incidents where players had died in the process of playing Road.

This ****ing Helge-chan is smart, but he's smart in all the wrong ways.

Sunzhine answered Weihnachtsmann with a shrug.

"So what if there is? You changed your mind now, Helge-chan? I've already told you about the new world. Are you scared now? Going to shit your pants? Want a bottle, wittle Helge-chan?"

"No...that's not..."

"Oh, I see. Why didn't you say so before, Helge-chan? The sport just doesn't suit, huh?"

"Y-Yeah! That's it. It's not my type of sport! I don't have the build for that kind of sport. I'm not an elite. I'm not special. I couldn't possibly be a Roader."

"Yeah, yeah! You're so right, Helge-chan. You're just a no-good, two-bit thief after all. You're just a loner who doesn't even have a family. Who doesn't have any ambitions and who's fine with just sitting in a storage facility and listening to old stories from a ****ing hag that probably doesn't even have any teeth left. You're right, Helge-chan. You're no good for Road. You should just quit. Just leave now. Forget all of this ever happened. Just go back to that storage facility, to your days of thieving and scrounging for food."

Weihnachtsmann gritted his teeth. For the first time since he had arrived at Sunzhine's house, his eyes were hard and fierce. His gaze was burning into Sunzhine, like the force of the sun itself.

"What's wrong with that?" said Weihnachtsmann, his voice cold and sharp. "What's wrong with just sitting and listening to an old hag? WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT, YOU ****ING *****!"

"I didn't say there was anything wrong," said Sunzhine, grinning at him. "If you like it so much, why don't you go back to that trashy place, you scum."

"Shut up."

"Don't worry. We won't miss you for long. We'll be happy that you're off in a better place, in that ****ing garbage slum or wherever the **** you lazy around at."

"Shut up!"

"What's wrong, Helge-chan? You mad?" said Sunzhine, her grin growing wider.

"My name is Weihnachtsmann," said Weihnachtsmann, his fists balled, his face contorted with rage.

"Oh, is it?" said Sunzhine coolly. Her grin had vanished and was replaced by a contemplating seriousness. The tension between the two was thick enough to have been a wall.

"Even if I was willing to play Road, I would never team up with you," spat Weihnachtsmann.

"Hmm, really? Who else but me would take a piece of shit like you?" said Sunzhine, flashing her teeth.

"Stop it! Enough!"

Mithral stood in between the two, his hulking hands holding each of them back by their arm. Sunzhine snorted and tore her sleeve away from Mithral's grip.

"Ok. I don't care. I'm wasting my time with you," said Sunzhine, turning away from Weihnachtsmann. Weihnachtsmann still felt the anger coursing through his veins. But now, there was also something else mixed in.

...Sadness? No...fear? No, that's not it either. What is this...this icy feeling...?

It was the cold, hard stone of regret in his stomach.

Why!? Why would I regret something like this!? I didn't even want to come here...they kidnapped me! And all she's been doing is badmouthing me this entire time! What does she know about how I live? What does she know about me!? Why should I risk my life just because she says so!

But even though he said that, the feeling didn't stop. It smoldered there, hardening into a core. It felt as if it would stay in his stomach for the rest of his life. A ball of ice as hot as coal.

Why...? I've never even played...I don't even know what it really is...

Road.

Weihnachtsmann's eyes widened.

Thump.

Thump.

...Why? What's...this throbbing...

Road.

The word made his heart beat.

It beat angrily, fiercely.

Violently.

"Fine."

The word pulled Weihnachtsmann out of his trance. He realized that Sunzhine had started moving away to the opposite side of the basement. She turned around once there was a large distance between the two of them.

"Sunz...?" Mithral was also confused by Sunzhine's sudden action.

"I'll show you. Just once. What Road is all about."

Sunzhine's eyes were no longer taunting or condescending. They were flat and dull. Emotionless. It frightened Weihnachtsmann more than anything else had in his entire life. That stare. That intensity.

Thump. Thump.

Why...? WHY!?

"Road...is where the line is drawn." Sunzhine raised her hand. "It's where you distinguish yourself from others. Where you become your own person."

She closed her hand and made a tight fist. The gaze she gave Weihnachtsmann was sober...almost tragic.

"Helge-chan...no. Weihnachtsmann. What do you see in yourself?"

Myself...?

Just as the words reached Weihnachtsmann's ears, Sunzhine vanished.

No.

She hadn't vanished.

She had just moved.

So quickly that Weihnachtsmann didn't even realize she had moved. To him, she was still standing at the other side of the basement.

Yet, she was standing right in front of him.

"Su-De-Ran."

Flash Point Maneuver.

Sunzhine hesitated for only the slightest of seconds.

"Yu-Ju-Hi."

Single Break Strike.

Sunzhine's fist flew into Weihnachtsmann's face. It was a normal punch, just the flat area between her knuckles and the first finger joints colliding with Weihnachtsmann's nose.

It was normal...

But--

"HELGE!"

The blow made a sound like an explosion. It was loud enough to rupture Weihnachtsmann's eardrums. The force of the punch blurred his vision, as if the wind was cutting through his eyes. The pain that had flared in his face disappeared--his face could not feel anything now. A wave of white-blue spread out from Weihnachtsmann's head, fading as it reached the ground and the walls. Where it touched, cracks appeared, deepening into crevices, shattering the material into splinters. Where Weihnachtsmann's head had been, the same vertical position on the wall behind him seemed to be carved out, until a massive crater appeared on its surface.

Sunzhine's punch, the motion of it, it was normal. But the force was enough to destroy every part of the basement behind Weihnachtsmann's body.

Without a word, Weihnachtsmann collapsed. He fell forward, limp, lifeless. He did not say anything when he crashed into the ground.

By then, everything had already turned black.

[Dac]

"Su-De-Ran? Yu-Ju-Hi? Are you crazy, Sunz? Why would you use something like that on Helge!?"

Fifteen minutes had passed since Sunzhine's attack on Weihnachtsmann. Mithral had taken Weihnachtsmann's beaten body and placed him in one of the upper rooms, only to come back down and see Sunzhine seated at the couch, calmly sipping hot chocolate.

"Those techniques aren't even allowed until you enter the Grand Road. There was no reason for you to use them!" shouted Mithral. Su-De-Ran and Yu-Ju-Hi were foundational techniques for combat magic, and thus became a prerequisite for entrance into the Grand Road. They were restricted from use in Ring Cows and other lower Road competitions due to their potency and inherent lethality.

"Isn't it obvious why I used them, Mithral?" said Sunzhine, slurping the hot chocolate. She gave Mithral an exasperated look that bordered on the point of pity. "I wanted to hit him."

"You could've killed him!"

"If I wanted to kill him, I wouldn't have held back," said Sunzhine, twirling one of her short purple bangs around her finger. "I don't understand why you have such a stick up your ***, Mithral."

"I don't understand why you had to go that far! Why did you provoke him? What were you trying to accomplish?"

"The same thing I've been trying to do this entire time, Mithral. Get him on our Road team," said Sunzhine. She took a chocolate-covered biscuit stick and began stirring her hot chocolate with it.

"By pissing him off? By nearly killing him!? Do you really think you have to do this to get him to play Road?"

"Yes. I do." Sunzhine said this calmly, without a speck of hesitation in her words. "You don't understand because you're not seeing Helge-chan. But then again, that's about what I expect from a tactless airhead like you, Mithral."

"Not seeing Helge? What are you talking about?"

"That's why you're just a ****ing Mithral. Helge-chan's like a child, you know?"

"Of course he is. He's just a kid. Look at how frightened he was from the beginning."

"That's not what I mean," said Sunzhine, taking a sip of hot chocolate. "He's already found things important to him. He's found out how to fend for himself and has an idea of how the world works. In that case, he's about as much a kid as you or me, Mithral. Cowardice has nothing to do with it."

"Then what are you getting at?"

"What do you think his life was like? As in, what he did every day. His normal routine."

"Well...wouldn't it mainly be thieving? And supporting that family in the storage facility."

"Anything else?"

"...Sleeping?"

"So, out of all the things you can see Helge-chan doing, all you see is thieving and sleeping," said Sunzhine, licking drops of hot chocolate from her lips. "You think he's a ****ing bum, eh Mithral?"

"No, that's not..."

"Kidding. Of course that's all we can see him doing. What else can he do? He lives in complete poverty, in the slums of AO, one of the worst and neediest districts in the kingdom. Without money, he can't be educated. Without money, he can't go watch a movie. Without money, he can't do much of anything. From what we know, he works alone and he shares his spoils with a family. I don't understand why he does that. In his case, it's ****ing stupid. Even if he got lucky thieving from me yesterday, there's no way that he gets that kind of fortune everyday. If he did, he wouldn't have been jumping at our offer. Based off his physique, at best, he steals enough to feed himself. But he shares that with the family in the storage facility. His calorie consumption is extremely low, which means he can't have much energy to spare. It's not so much that there's nothing else he can do, even if that is the case. It's more that he can't do anything else but steal and sleep. If he did anything more, his body wouldn't be able to take it. His diet prohibits it. His lifestyle restricts him."

"What about friends...?"

"None. Highly likely, anyways. Survival is the primary concern in the slums. Only Helge-chan would be fool enough to risk his own life for the benefit of someone else in that place. Even if by chance he did find someone who was as altruistic as he was, well, then that person would have either been working with him to steal from me today or he would've come here to save Helge-chan by now. But neither has happened."

Mithral stopped as he noticed something strange in Sunzhine's sentence. "Wait...you used the magomobile to catch Weihnachtsmann instead of magic because you wanted to cause a commotion? You blew that magomobile up at the freeway to make your trail more visible...?"

"Hm? What are you talking about, Mithral?" said Sunzhine slyly, her lips forming a small grin. Magomobiles, especially the beast of a machine, the Sunny Go Mach 5, were extremely noisy, meaning that Weihnachtsmann's abduction had probably been noticed by the family in the storage facility. If Weihnachtsmann had a friend or friends that supported him, they would've heard from the family. By destroying the magomobile in the freeway, there was a trail left behind that they could've used as a lead. The highway was generally far faster than going through the district streets, as it was meant to be an express lane. However, the slums were such a detestable place that the highway curved away from the district in such a manner that the distance was doubled, if not tripled. In its most extreme case, running a straight line through the slums could potentially be faster than taking a magomobile. Not to mention that Sunzhine's house was on the border of the slums and the kingdom's higher districts.

But no one had come. And knowing Sunzhine, she was monitoring the area around them in addition to the house itself.

"Beacuse he has no friends, he values that family even more," continued Sunzhine. She dipped another chocolate-covered biscuit stick in her hot chocolate and then snapped it with her teeth. "He's truly devoted to them."

"...That's why you provoked him." To confirm that fact.

"He found out that we're not in the military. That means we can't give him a military pension. Before that, we offered him free money. A substantial amount. Yet, he didn't take it. I provoked him by insulting his treasured "family." But aside from venting his emotions, nothing changed. He stayed and didn't move. He waited until I used Su-De-Ran and Yu-Ju-Hi on him, and even then, he didn't do anything to defend himself."

"That's..."

"Strange," finished Sunzhine, setting her hot chocolate down on the tableside. "Helge-chan is a strange one. From his words, the reason he listened to us was because we gave him a chance to bring him and his family out of poverty. But from his actions, he could care less about that."

"Then, what's his real goal...?"

"That's why he's a child," said Sunzhine, smirking.

"I don't understand."

"Think about this then, Mithral. Why steal? Helge-chan is fast, so he would be of great use to a courier service in the lower-class districts where magomobiles are rare. Although the pay is rubbish, it's much more than he would probably get from stealing and far more consistent. Helge-chan is a healthy young boy. He must have a great immune system and he's sharp, if not naive and inexperienced. Truthfully, being a Robin Hood thief is probably the hardest and least rewarding occupation he could have in his current state. But he chooses to be a shitty thief instead of anything more."

Mithral was about to open his mouth, but then stopped as he realized what his question was. Why? That was exactly what Sunzhine was expecting. That was the question that Sunzhine wanted him to find the answer for.

It was the answer that would reveal Weihnachtsmann's goal.

"Hm. Seems like my genius is rubbing off on you," said Sunzhine, standing up from the couch. "But you're still a ****ing idiot. Now figuring that out is something I can't even solve."

"...Give it a rest, Sunz."

"I plan on doing that," said Sunzhine, heading off to her bedroom. "If any of you ****ing disturb me, I'll slash off your ballsack."

And with that beautiful remark, Sunzhine slammed the door shut with enough force to sprinkle dust down from the ceiling.

______________________________________

A severe concussion. It was surprising that the blow hadn't snapped his brain stem. That would have been the physical conclusion towards Weihnachtsmann's unconscious state.

But the mental side had to be considered. The speed at which Sunzhine appeared in front of Weihnachtsmann was certainly a shock. In fact, it may have even been mentally stressful; the processing of Sunzhine's movement was only through his eyes. His mind had not processed the information, meaning that while his body realized that Sunzhine had moved, Weihnachtsmann's consciousness had been completely unaware of it. The contrast, the contradicting signals from both body and mind may have been disconcerting enough to have contributed to Weihnachtsmann's unconscious state.

But there was also the almost instantaneous processing of Sunzhine's strike. The fist that had seemed to be almost frozen in time in comparison to the speed at which she had appeared in front of him. A fist that held such power, such killing intent, such intensity, that Weihnachtsmann's entire body had feared it. It rejected the blow, it wanted to avoid it so badly that his muscles separated partially from his skeletal structure. Internal bleeding occurred.

But the most important part was Weihnachtsmann's mind.

Its impression of Sunzhine's strike.

I'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtod ieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingt odieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoin gtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgo ingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'm goingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI 'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodi eI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingto dieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoing todieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoi ngtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mg oingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI' mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodie I'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtod ieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingt odieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoin gtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgo ingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'm goingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI 'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodi eI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingto dieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodie

In the end, none of the aforementioned factors were truly involved with Weihnachtsmann's falling unconscious.

Rather, it was simply his mind shutting down in order to protect itself.

Weihnachtsmann had been unconscious even before the blow had actually come into contact. A blow that had stopped just as the barest particle of skin from Sunzhine's fist had touched his nose. A collision at a subatomic scale, one that should have had no visible effect at all in terms of human proportions--

It had eradicated the basement. Just the displacement of air and magic from Sunzhine's fist had been like a series of missiles.

It was no wonder that Weihnachtsmann fell unconscious.

It was inevitable.

Even with healing magic from Mithral, it was remarkable that Weihnachtsmann awoke just a mere two hours later. Not that the wounds were the problem. But rather, that a mind that shut itself down out of pure fear would be so willing to come back.

"Nnn..."

"Good. You've woken up. I was worried that you'd be out for the rest of the day."

Mithral, seated next to the bed on a wooden chair, held out a cup of hot chocolate. Weihnachtsmann attempted to raise his body up through his torso alone, but was forced to lean back on his elbows in order to support himself into a sitting position. His hands shook as he reached out for the hot chocolate, his vision blurry and a sour taste permeating the inside of his mouth.

"Take it easy. All your wounds were healed, but there's still some magical residue that might be making your body feel heavy. Not to mention your body had quite the shock. It'll take time before you're fully recovered."

Weihnachtsmann's lips parted so that he could speak, but only an inaudible gurgle came out. He closed his mouth and took a sip of the hot chocolate, intending to moisten his dry throat--

"Cough! Cough!"

In an instant, his throat rejected the liquid, causing him to sputter all over the bedsheets. Mithral took the cup from him as the coughing fit wracked through his body. When at last, the fit subsided, Weihnachtsmann gasped for air, his lungs feeling like they had shriveled into beans.

Mithral's face hardened at the response. It had been quite a while since Sunzhine had last used Yu-Ju-Hi and Su-De-Ran. The fact that Weihnachtsmann was affected to this degree meant that Sunzhine's control over the technique had slipped. The attack had truly been dangerous, both on Weihnachtsmann's and Sunzhine's part. Improper use of Su-De-Ran could have caused Sunzhine's legs to explode, probably leaving behind a tattered mess of flesh below her knee joint. Likewise, Yu-Ju-Hi could have burst every knuckle in Sunzhine's hand, which, in addition with the compression from her fist, would have riddled her hand with bone shrapnel, crippling it for life. In both cases, the end result was an extreme, but it was such an extreme that magic would not be able to cure it. The residue from the high magic ratio involved in the techniques would have rejected all but the most ludicrously powerful healing techniques.

Just the thought that Weihnachtsmann could have been comatose for the rest of his life made Mithral clench his fist. What reason could Sunzhine possibly have had to utilize such risk? What did she see that he couldn't, that warranted such a dangerous move?

"I'm sorry. I didn't think Sunz would take it this far. I'll provide you with proper compensation when you leave."

"No...it..."

The words came out shakily, as if they were newly born. Weihnachtsmann clenched his mouth, clearly trying to hold back the nausea warping his senses. Mithral placed a hand on his shoulder, motioning for him to lie back down. Weihnachtsmann sunk back into the bed, his face expressionless as he closed his eyes. The muscles in his face had all gone slack, unable to sustain even the slightest bit of emotion.

"Don't blame yourself. This was entirely our mistake," said Mithral. The words that Weihnachtsmann had tried to say were "It wasn't her fault. It was mine." It was not something that a normal person would have said in this situation. But Weihnachtsmann was not normal. Mithral had come to realize this as he looked back on what he knew about the thief. His character in general was passive, to the point that he would become acquainted with and invest time into the ramblings of his kidnappers. He had never blamed them for kidnapping him. In fact, he had even offered them his services at some point. Just from the fact that he was risking his life by taking on the role of a Robin Hood thief was enough to depict the boy's kindness.

He was a rare figure in a kingdom that had developed a cold, almost neglectfully hierarchical society.

A society that would have told him, when he begged on his knees, "It's your own fault for not making your way."

"You're poor because of your own laziness. Why don't you try doing something to deserve money?"

"Why should we give you anything when you don't even try to better yourself?"

"If only people like you weren't sucking our government's funding..."

"Don't associate yourself with people like him. They're dirty, disgusting leeches."

"It's because you're weak that you can't win."

"It's because of you that your life is miserable."

"The only reason you're trash is because you don't do anything to change."

A society that refused to show mercy. A society that prided the individual over the collective. Where the elite were so because they were strong and the destitute were so because they were weak. Where anyone could grab success if they tried; where anyone would fall into despair if they did nothing.

In a society like this--

Weihnachtsmann was the reason for everything that could be wrong.

He had resisted earlier because Sunzhine had provoked him. He had lashed out and rebelled in anger. But now, his body unable to endure any sort of emotion at all, had reverted to its naturally despondent state.

In the end, Weihnachtsmann was a shitty brat with no future.

"I don't know why Sunz did that," said Mithral, cradling the lukewarm cup in his palms. "I was furious at her just a little while ago. I trust Sunz, but sometimes I can't understand what she's thinking."

Weihnachtsmann didn't answer. His body had started to recover its functions properly now that he was awake. His mouth felt looser and the barest trickle from the hot chocolate had flushed the dryness from his throat. Mithral's words no longer sounded like they were muffled and the heaviness on his eyelids was fading. The reason he didn't answer was because he couldn't think of what to say. The memory of what had happened was starting to resurface in his mind.

"I'll show you. Just once. What Road is all about."

That's what she had said. And just a moment later, she had nearly murdered him. Normally, one would've thought that Sunzhine had just thrown a tantrum after being rebuked by the thief. But Weihnachtsmann couldn't accept that as truth. He couldn't harbor any hatred for Sunzhine at the moment.

Because she had shown him. She had fulfilled her promise.

That one blow.

The blow that had made his heart beat like crazy--

That had frightened him, awed him, destroyed him--

The feelings that, little by little, had been seeping into him after he had met Sunzhine and Mithral.

The feelings that had intensified when he had met Hearty.

The feelings that had stirred when Sunzhine had explained what Road was.

What Road meant to the people.

To the world.

A chance to become one of the elite, a chance to stand above everyone else. And not alone. But with people like you, who struggle for their own reasons. Their own desires.

"Mr. Mithral..."

"Mithral's fine."

"...Can I ask you something?"

"Of course. You must have a lot of questions," said Mithral, setting the cup on a nearby desk. "Speak your mind."

"Why...why are you two so fixated on Road? What are your reasons for wanting to play Road?" asked Weihnachtsmann in a faint voice. Mithral paused at the question. It hadn't been what he had expected. He had assumed that Weihnachtsmann would've asked about why Sunzhine had hit him. Or maybe about how he could leave and how he would be compensated. After all that had happened, Mithral had expected Road to be the furthest thing from Weihnachtsmann's mind. Something that he would want to reject.

But he was asking about it.

He was still open to hearing about Road.

Mithral stayed silent for a moment before releasing a heavy sigh and taking his seat on the wooden chair again. He reached back and scratched his head, trying to find the right words to start with.

"Actually, we were only half-lying earlier. We're not members of the military now, but both me and Sunz are ex-military officers. We've left the military for quite a while, but it was such a big part of our lives...I guess we can't really dissociate ourselves from it."

"You two were officers...?" Mithral smiled at the comment. Being an officer in the military garnered you high privileges and status. Clearly, Weihnachtsmann had been thinking they were normal soldiers who had some influence with the higher-ups. Mithral took a deep breath as he leafed through the memories in his mind.

"Yeah...we were officers. We were high-ranking officers, actually. I was a Major myself, but Sunz was even higher up. She was a Colonel."

"What!?"

"Surprised?" said Mithral, chuckling. "Although you're probably too young to know about this, but Sunzhine was a crucial figure in AO's DDOS Wars. Her title on the battlefield was the Laughing Strategian. In circuses, the clowns are one of the most important parts of the performance. They're the ones that relieve the audience from the tension of acrobatic tricks and animal stunts, the ones that maintain the flow of entertainmet. That's why, to many, Sunz was also called the Clown. She was in the background, never one of the main performers, but always had her hands in the battle. Her contributions to the war were so great that, if she had wanted, Sunz could have become the next General of the AO Army."

"No way..."

"But Sunz didn't take the position. After the war ended, she left the military and surrendered her status, all of her royally-decreed privileges, and any other power she held at the time. She left AO Kingdom after that, disappearing from the scene so she could travel the world."

"Surrendered...why would she do that? If she was as great as you said, the General position would've made her one of the most powerful people in the kingdom!"

"I don't know either. I stayed in the military because I was comfortable with my position. In a time of peace, I didn't have to work to put food on the table. I could simply enjoy the rest of my days in luxury and relax."

Mithral paused for a moment and closed his eyes, looking as if he was mulling over a particularly significant memory.

"But then, Sunz came back. The moment she came back to AO Kingdom, she asked me to join her in forming a Road team. I refused."

"Eh? Refused?"

"I couldn't join her Road team while keeping my position in the military. After Sunz had left, they promoted me to Colonel, meaning I was one of the prominent figures of the Army. Naturally, if I wanted to play Road, I would be representing the AO Army's team."

"But then...why are you--?"

"Of course, Sunz didn't give up. She pestered me over and over again, trying every dirty trick she could think of into getting me to join."

"Ah, why's that sound so familiar..."

"In the end, we had a conversation that made me reconsider."

Why are you staying in the military, you ****ing shit?

Because I'm comfortable with where I am right now, Sunz.

Comfortable, huh? You don't look like it. In fact, you look like total shit.

Why wouldn't I be comfortable? The kingdom is in peace right now, so I'm getting paid for doing nothing. I have a nice house and I even picked up a fun hobby. You ever hear of something called paintball?

So?

Huh?

So what? So you're keeping well-fed. So you're able to do things that you couldn't before. So you're living the easy life like a ****ing boss. So what? What the **** does that have to do with anything?

So, I'm satisfied with my life--

Satisfied? So satisfied that you have to list out what's great about your life when you're asked instead of taking the initiative and bragging first? So satisfied that you have to reject my offer by reminding yourself how good life is?

Don't put words in my mouth. I'm fine with the way things are--

Oh really?

Yeah. Really.

I haven't seen you for a long time, Mithral. But before I left, I knew you pretty well. And I don't know if you've changed into a completely different person or something, but let me tell you this, Mithral. That face of yours right now?

It doesn't look satisfied at all.

"Sunz was right. I hadn't realized it myself. But I was tired of the life I was living. Everyday, I was doing the same thing over and over again. Everyday, I was being given a life by the military that I worked for. I had everything I could possibly want...but in the end, I felt empty. I felt like I was stale air."

Empty.

For some reason, that single word resonated with Weihnachtsmann's heart. It throbbed at the word, as if it was a blade that had stabbed through his chest.

Why...?

Empty.

Why do I...?

Feel so empty?

"But I didn't give up my position. Even if I felt empty, that was no reason to give up a set life. It'd be like giving away a bar of gold for a bar of copper. I just couldn't do it."

But of course--

Sunzhine hadn't given a shit.

"She barged into D-Force's office and demanded that he release me from duty. When I got there, I saw Sunz being held back by ten soldiers, magic circles going off and wreaking havoc in D-Force's office. She was shouting so loudly that a crowd had started forming and it was like the room was flooding from all the curses and insults Sunz was throwing out. I couldn't help myself. I started laughing. Everyone looked at me like I was crazy, but I couldn't stop. It was so long since I had laughed like that, that I ended up choking from laughing too much. And the whole time, Sunz just ignored me and kept shouting at D-Force."

"What the hell..." said Weihnachtsmann. But he could understand Mithral's feelings; right now, his lips were unconsciously forming into a smile.

"I resigned on the spot. I knew that I was being an idiot, giving up one of the highest positions of power in the entire kingdom. But I didn't regret it. Sunz is too much of a troublemaker. I couldn't just leave her alone to do whatever the hell she wanted."

Mithral leaned back on his chair, stretching to get the blood flowing back through his stiff body. He ran a hand through his hair as he continued talking.

"I don't know what Sunz wants from Road, but for me, I'm doing it because I know it'll be fun. I know that if Sunz is there, I don't have to worry about feeling like stale air. That's about all there is to it."

"I see..."

"I don't want to sound like I'm trying to force you onto the team. Sunz is aggressive and crazy. She does things that just make me want to hide in a closet and never come out again. If you join us, that's the kind of trouble you'll get into. In the end, Sunz will probably make your life a living hell compared to what it is now. Whether you want to take that risk is up to you. Whether or not you want to play Road is up to you too. But one thing I'll say is that even if Sunz is like that...there's one thing you can count on her for. You can be sure that no matter what, Sunz won't let you down."

Weihnachtsmann started to say something, but then felt his mouth grow slack. Suddenly, the heaviness from before had swept back over his body. His eyes shut immediately and he could barely keep his ears working as his body began to fall asleep.

"You look tired. It's probably because your body is starting to process the residue. I'll leave you alone now. Get some rest."

The last thing that Weihnachtsmann heard before his body faded into slumber was the clinking of a cup and then the soft click of a door shutting close.

[Dac]

A room made of white stone that cast blue shadows. The architecture had been meticulously carved into rippling waves, like the colorful crests of a clamshell. It extended from the wall behind D-Force, small shafts of light in between each wave revealing the bright exterior of the shining AO Kingdom. He sat in a crystal chair at a crystal desk, calmly scribbling stacks of paper with ink.

This was the office of D-Force, General of the AO Army. It was around noon, meaning that D-Force was deep into the paperwork and bureaucratic processions needed to maintain the Army's stability and progress. Although it was tedious work, it was necessary work, which meant that he went at it with the diligence and efficiency that had come to be expected from the General.

However, it was for this reason that the arrival of a guest quickly obtained D-Force's full attention.

"Hearty," said D-Force, raising his head. You have no idea how glad I am to see you.

"Working hard, aren't you D?" said Hearty as he waltzed into the office, his white cloak fluttering behind him and seeming even more overbearing than usual in the bright interior of the room.

"Have you eaten yet?"

"Oh, don't worry. I had my fill before coming here," said Hearty, his smile revealing sharp, glinting teeth.

"Good. I'm a little attached to the room now," said D-Force, setting down his pen. "I heard that you visited Sunzhine today. How is she doing?"

"Quite healthy. I feel sorry for Mithral though. He's Sunzhine's ***** through and through now."

"Well, we'll remember his sacrifice."

"Oh, and I gave her the pizza. I don't think she liked it though."

"That was the point. She tried to steal something from me recently, so I wanted to get back at her," said D-Force. "So, she didn't like mushroom and anchovies, did she? I'll have to send a hundred to her house later."

"Mmm...I should go by and have a bite to eat."

"Wait a day at least."

"Ok..."

D-Force leaned back in his chair and folded his hands into a tent over his raised knee. "I heard that she's found a new member for her Road team."

"You're really in with the times. I think he just arrived at her house a couple hours ago. Where do you get your information from?"

"You'd get a more definite answer if you asked me where I don't get my information from."

"Wah...privileges of the General." Hearty hopped onto D-Force's white couch and burrowed into the soft seats.

"So? How was he?"

"Nothing special," said Hearty, his voice muffled by the couch. He popped his head back up and adopted a thoughtful expression. "He was pretty normal. Actually, I'd say he's below average. He's not worth worrying about. Actually, he's not even worth thinking about. That's what I got from him. Spineless wimp, I think."

Hearty paused for a moment and closed his eyes, as if he was calling on the image of Weihnachtsmann.

His lips formed into an ominous grin.

"He looked pretty tasty though."

"Control yourself," said D-Force as cracks began to appear in his spotlessly white office. Hearty hastily wiped the drool that had been trickling from his mouth and the cracks ceased their advancement.

"Sorry."

"With all her criticism towards the new recruits, I was hoping you'd have a higher opinion of the person she picked," continued D-Force. He moved aside a sheet of paper and seemed to be quickly scanning its contents. "Although, I won't be foolish enough to say Sunzhine's lost her touch. There's no doubt that there's more to this new teammate of hers. If his worth could be picked out by sight, then I would have taken him in already."

"I think you give Sunzhine too much credit," said Hearty, lazying on the couch. "She's just a crazy chocolate addict, you know? I invited her to dinner once, but she wouldn't even touch the meal I prepared."

"Spare me, Hearty," said D-Force. A cup of coffee had suddenly appeared in his hand. He tossed the paper aside and took a dignified sip from the cup. "At first, she revitalized the declining chocolate industry in AO, but after she left the military and lost her wages, she's been destroying it with her magic. At this rate, cacao beans will become extinct."

"I think the same could be said about you and coffee beans, though."

"I don't see the connection. I respect coffee," said D-Force, taking another sip.

"You drink just as much as she--"

"I moderate myself," interrupted D-Force. "There's no danger of coffee bean extinction, anyways. I wouldn't allow it."

"What's that?" said Hearty, sniffing at the air. "Vanilla?"

"It's my special blend."

"Can I--"

"Hearty, there's something else I wanted to discuss."

"Ok. But about the coffee--"

"Forget about the coffee," said D-Force, his cup refilled in the blink of an eye. "This is important."

Hearty frowned, but made no complaints. It wouldn't get anywhere, anyways.

"We've found Eddy." The statement made Hearty's eyebrows skyrocket.

"Well, it's more accurate to say we've found sign of him," said D-Force, swirling the coffee in his cup.

"Playing hard to get, is he?"

"Ranma wants him captured immediately."

"Sounds about right. He's been causing a lot of trouble, hmn?"

"I'll get you the necessary information. I take it that I can leave the rest up to you?"

Hearty swiveled around on the couch so that his feet were on the ground. He tilted his head towards D-Force so that their eyes met.

"Eddy's not really to my taste...are you sure you want give the job to someone like me?"

"I can't use anyone else. I don't want to cause a commotion."

"I'm a Roader myself, you know? If I snoop around, you'll get the same results."

"You're as far as I'm willing to minimize. Unless you have someone else you want to suggest?"

"Why not Sunzhine?" said Hearty, grinning. "She's used to being low-profile."

D-Force became silent. It was as if he was now a statue; his eyes did not blink and the intensity of his glare was causing sweat to appear on Hearty's face.

The next instant, an ear-shattering bang blasted through the room as Hearty's body smashed into the white space above the entrance.

"This isn't a joke," said D-Force, his voice holding such menace that it was as if the room was becoming filled with its dark aura. "Don't you dare say such a ridiculous thing again."

"I'll keep it in mind," said Hearty, falling to the ground. He picked himself up with a little difficulty, his legs wavering from the force of the collision.

"Then go."

Hearty bowed his head and left the room without another word. D-Force set down his empty cup and returned to his papers.

The next instant, the white office was as spotless and undisturbed as it had been when Hearty had first entered the room.

[kakashiswife]

wow.. DD is scary. Poor Hearty Sunny kicks butt and Mithy WeiWei! I don't think you know what you're in for

Parts I like: , Pizza, chocolate, and COFFEE!

Nice job Dac

[Dac]

@kawi thank you although I really want to get out of this exposition arc already...

Announcements!

AO Road production rate will be decreasing as of today. I'm a lazy man , sorry! However, I'll be trying to get the newest chapter out ASAP, which should wrap up the current set of events.

In the meantime, Ring Cows is in need of teams! Those that want to be in the Ring Cows competition, submit your names! Further details will be provided later. Just remember that submission = giving me permission to do whatever I want with you . Of course, if you don't submit, you might just get picked at random .

For now, there are teams of three, so you can submit with two other people or go solo and hope you get matched up with good teammates!

I'm also open to nominations. If you just hate this one jerk on the forums, stick his name in here! Or if you're feeling a little for someone, see if you'll get the 0.0001% chance of finding romance in a fictional story!

[kakashiswife]

Ring Cows? Is that part of this story or a different story o.o. I just wanna know what DD is up to...

[Dac]

Ring Cows? Is that part of this story or a different story o.o. I just wanna know what DD is up to...

Ring Cows is the current national competition for Road in AO.

[kakashiswife]

Ha.. I totally missed it. Thanks. I guess should pay better attention ~ on that note, I'll join! Good luck and I want more!

This is a complicated game you've set up here.

[Dac]

For clarification's sake, AO's currency ranges from copper, silver, gold, and platinum coins. Paper bills are the lowest form of currency and used by very low-class individuals or for small change. One gold coin is equal to today's market price of 1,000 USD, or 758 euros, or 620 British pounds, or 81,250 Japanese yen.

Also remember to submit/nominate!
http://www.animeotaku.info/forums/sh...l=1#post756301

You can submit/nominate team names too! Or your own dream team of AO members! Hurry before I make up more horrible team names like in today's chapter.

___________________

Sunzhine's eyes opened as she heard the slight creaking of her bedroom door. That damn Mithral. What had he not understood about getting his ballsack slashed off? Rubbing her eyes sleepily, the ex-officer of the AO military rose from her bed and prepared to lash out angrily at the intruder--

Weihnhactsmann slipped through the door and stood before her.

You...son of a *****! She could almost see Mithral standing behind the door with a self-satisfied little smirk on his face. Sunzhine sighed deeply and violently scratched her mussed, purple hair.

"So, it's Helge-chan. Feeling good enough to get off your *** already?"

Weihnachtsmann didn't react to her sharp tone. He licked his lips for a moment, as if he was carefully deciding what words to start out with. Then, abruptly enough to surprise Sunzhine, Weihnachtsmann bowed his head in apology.

"I'm sorry. I misunderstood you. You were just thinking of my well-being and I took it the wrong way. I'm sorry for being angry at you."

Weihnachtsmann kept his head bowed, suddenly feeling the hairs on his neck standing on end; he was sure that Sunzhine was glaring at him intensely for his words right now.

"Is that all?"

He jumped at the sudden question. Is that all? Is there something else I was supposed to say? Weihnachtsmann hurriedly tried to find something he could spit out before the situation got worse.

"No. I was arrogant and selfish and I didn't realize how disrespectful I was being to your kind offer. I was wrongly suspicious of you and I caused you lots of trouble. I'll make sure that something like this doesn't happen again. I'll be in your care from here on, so please guide me well."

"I think you're misunderstanding something, Helge-chan," said Sunzhine reaching over to her bedside table and plucking a chocolate bar from a glass bowl. She unwrapped the very top of the bar and slipped it in between her teeth. "I wasn't asking that because I wanted more groveling. I said that because it's laughable to think you have to apologize to me for anything."

"Eh...?"

"In the end, you haven't learned a thing, have you?" said Sunzhine. A small smile peeked out from behind the chocolate bar. "Well, I suppose that's all I can expect from a shitty thief. The moment you realize something's beyond your control, the moment you feel like you're cornered and trapped, you just get on your knees like a servant and beg. You've never been caught, so you've never had to endure the humiliation of defeat. You've never had to swallow your pride and build it back up little by little. You've never been caught because you never wanted to feel like that, never wanted to be in that kind of a situation, so you try and run away even before anyone's on your trail. If I had to say it simply, you're worse than a beaten dog that runs with its tail between its legs. You're a dog that licks your master's hand because you're afraid to do anything else."

Weihnachtsmann bit his lip to keep his silence. Although her words were stabbing and painful, there was none of the anger that he had felt earlier in reaction to these words. That was because Weihnachtsmann was fully aware of what kind of person he was. He knew that what she said was true because that was personality he himself had decided to shoulder. That was how he had decided to live his life, just so he could prolong his happiness for one more day, one more hour, one more second.

It was a careful, calculated life. But it was also one where the balance was thin, where the slightest mistake meant he could never climb back up from the pit he fell into. All he could do was keep on hoping that the people ahead of him would continue to outstretch their hands out to him.

"Keh. Staying silent again? Where's the little outburst you broke out earlier, eh?"

"...That was my mistake. I was impatient, so I didn't think through what you were saying and just went off on my own--"

"Hah? Helge-chan. Shut up."

Weihnachtsmann closed his mouth. It was as he thought. He had gone too far earlier. He had lost control of himself for an instant and now there was an immeasurable gap between him and Sunzhine. Although Mithral had assured him that Sunzhine would be understanding, it was understandable that Sunzhine wouldn't give a shit about his apologies. There were merely excuses and what had been done could not be reversed.

To put it simply, Weihnachtsmann had refused her generous offer. Not only that, but he had attacked her for her generosity. He had literally bitten the hand that had tried to feed him.

It was understandable that she would be wary. It was understandable that a single bite was all it took to break any trust built in between.

"Helge-chan. I hope you understand that you and I are on completely different levels," said Sunzhine. She broke a small square from her chocolate bar and popped into her mouth. "Our strengths, our lifestyles, even our personalities clash. We're not compatible and even if you're interested in considering our offer now, there's only going to be conflict in the future."

Weihnachtsmann's head sunk lower. How would it seem now? To have so vehemently refused before, but to come back crawling for forgiveness, like a crying child. It was disgraceful. It was a sign of his weak, fickle nature. But Weihnachtsmann had come to a decision as he recovered from his bout with Sunzhine. Or rather, he had come to this decision because of their bout.

He had decided that he would become a Roader.

He didn't know why he felt such a desire. He wasn't sure why the mere mention of Road stirred his heart now, like a storm in his chest. But it was because of that he wanted to join Sunzhine's team.

He wanted to know what Road was hiding that his spirit so desperately craved.

But that was not the only reason. Sunzhine had already listed the many benefits of becoming a Roader. She had offered it to him, literally pushed it onto him because it was something that could only improve his life as it was. In that sense, Sunzhine had been infinitely patient and kind to him. It was only his naivety that had caused him to believe Sunzhine was an enemy.

But now it was too late.

Actions spoke louder than words. There was nothing he could do to reverse the past.

"You and I are different. Do you understand?"

"...Yes." Weihnachtsmann clenched his fists. The matter was over. He had tried his best, but this was as far as it could take him. This was his punishment for taking things too lightly. Realizing the futility of the situation, Weihnachtsmann came out of his bow and turned to leave.

"I told you that there was no need to apologize. People are different. That's not something we can change. And it's not something that we have to change. You see things differently from me and I see things differently from you. What's wrong with that?"

"...Huh?"

Weihnachtsmann couldn't understand. What was she talking about now? Sunzhine sighed again and pulled away the covers from her legs. She climbed out of her bed and walked up to Weihnachtsmann.

"See here. You're taller than me," said Sunzhine. She was right. Although Weihnachtsmann was not taller by a large amount, he had to bend his head down to meet Sunzhine's gaze. "No matter where you look, it'll be at a higher point than me. No matter where I look, it'll be at a lower point than you. I have to look up at you and you have to look down at me. What we see is different."

Suddenly, Sunzhine whipped her leg out and smacked Weihnachtmann's ankles. He cried out in pain and fell onto his knees, his legs throbbing.

"And now things are reversed. You're looking up at me and I'm looking down at you. We can finally see what it's like in each other's positions." Sunzhine chewed the rest of her chocolate bar calmly before continuing. "But, look. To get you down there, I had to use force. I had to subjugate you. I had to bend you to my will. To settle our differences, we have to break each other first. If that's what has to be done, then I'd rather we just leave our differences as they are. You can look your way and I'll look my way. That's all I want. So there's no point in apologizing. There's no point in saying you were wrong. Because I'm not right. I'm not wrong either. I'm who I am and you're who you are."

Sunzhine pointed her finger at Weihnachtsmann's watering eyes.

"You piece of shit. I told you that I don't want anyone on my team who doesn't want to be here. If you think that you have to be like me, that you have to be in my favor to be on the team, you're dead wrong. Who do you think I am? I'm Sunzhine, the ex-Colonel of the AO Army, the Laughing Strategian, the Clown of War. You're five trillion, seven billion, four hundred-thousand million years too early to doubt my evaluation of you. If you think you're useless, you're right. If you think that you're a shitty thief getting nowhere, you're right. If you think that the only thing leaving a spot open for you on my Road team is my good graces, you're ****ing right. But you're also ****ing wrong. Because I'm not a retarded ***** that'd pick a shitty useless thief off the ****ing street because he's easy to **** around with."

Sunzhine swept past Weihnachtsmann and plucked her coat off from a chair near the door. Thrusting her arm into one sleeve, she turned her head back slightly so that one eye drilled into Weihnachtsmann.

"I named you Helge-chan after Hailaga, which means 'dedicated to the gods.' You think just anyone can serve a god? Don't get so conceited, you ****ing trash. Whatever you think about yourself is worthless in front of me."

Sunzhine whipped the door open and stepped outside. She shot a look at Mithral who was looking down at his feet, chagrined.

"That enough for you, you ****ing shitty excuse for a lackey?"

"It's my loss," said Mithral, shrugging his shoulders. "Who knew you could be so caring?"

"What's mine is mine," said Sunzhine, baring her teeth. "Get the **** up, Helge-chan."

Weihnachtsmann stood up and faced Sunzhine. His eyes were resolute as he answered her call:

"My name is Weihnachtsmann."

"Like I ****ing care, you piece of shit," said Sunzhine, grinning.

_________________________________

"So, what do we do now?"

The three of them had retired back to the basement, where Sunzhine was currently sitting on a soft-cushioned chair she had seemingly apparated from nowhere. Weihnachtsmann and Mithral were sitting on the scrunched-up cots, one of which Weihnachtsmann had found out was his.

"I prepared the perfect cots for you two, so sleep well, you ****s."

Even if the material was quite smooth and soft, and the overall structure sturdy without being stiff, a cot was still a cot. Weihnachtsmann wished she'd at least supplied some nice bedding, but she had simply laid down a dirty, limp blanket.

"We have three people on our team with Helge," continued Mithral. Sunzhine yawned and scratched her feet absentmindedly. "We can enter the single-lane competition for Ring Cows. But before that, I think we should--"

"Helge-chan needs training," cut in Sunzhine, crossing her legs. "I'm sure he didn't understand all of the rules. Also, he doesn't have any experience in something like Road."

"Exactly. So, we'll need to fix up a practice schedule for Weihnachtsmann before--"

"So, we'll be having our first battle next week," said Sunzhine at the same time as Mithral. Mithral froze as Sunzhine's words were processed by his brain.

"What?"

"What better way to get experience than to actually experience it?" said Sunzhine, leaning back into her chair, stretching her arms high above her head.

"Sunz! Helge isn't ready for an actual fight yet--"

"Practice will only get you so far," said Sunzhine, holding a finger up. "Learning the subtleties of the rules can only happen on the battlefield. Not to mention that the real thing is completely different from theory. I think we can all agree on that?"

Mithral grudgingly maintained his silence. Even if that was true, that didn't mean that they had to rush Weihnachtsmann into the middle of things with no warning or preparation. In fact, doing things that way would probably make things worse in the end. But Sunzhine had said that their first battle was in a week. He felt that was still too early, but it was possible that Weihnachtsmann could receive proper training in that time period.

"But how are we going to get into a battle, anyways? Registration for Ring Cows is already over, not to mention that even if we did manage to register on time, we'd be no match for any of the teams on the roster--"

"Oh, don't worry about that. Everything's already decided."

"...What?"

Sunzhine grinned in such a way that both Weihnachtsmann and Mithral felt teeth-chattering shivers run down their spines.

"Sunz, I don't know what you're thinking, but I really think we need to reconsider our options--"

"Sunzhine, I agree with Mithral, I don't think I'm ready yet for an actual battle--"

"You ****ing candy-*****. Relax," said Sunzhine, ignoring all of their complaints. "Let Mommy Sunzhine take care of everything."

___________________________

It was a strange sight seeing five muscular men bowed down on the ground, as if they were stricken with a bout of diarrhea. The sweat pouring from their skin and the shivering their bodies were experiencing only supported the fact that these men probably had lost control of their bowels.

But, the truth was that all five men were completely healthy. Instead, they were bowing because of the incident that had occurred just a few hours ago. The incident that was now being succinctly summarized by the magic video message floating above their heads. A certain purple-haired girl was the speaker:

"But wow, it sucks to be you, huh? Your group of cocksucking pansies were completely overwhelmed by a cute little girl with volumes of style! And that magomobile was blown to smithereens too. I bet it must've cost a lot, a large magomobile like that. I think it was probably three times the size of my go-cart. Ah, the money that must've gone up in flames! I'm really sorry and all, so I hope you're not holding any grudges on me. It was self-defense after all. Ah, it must suck having such ****ing idiots in your group, huh? Getting something that was probably worth 3,000 gold coins turned into a total scrap heap. Well, it's ok. I think if you sold the remaining parts- oh wait, what am I talking about. Everything's beyond repair. Sorry, but really, it was just self-defense. You can't blame me, right?"

The animosity radiating from the figure before the five men, standing on top of a glowing disk of light, would have rotted flowers, made little children cry, and ruined the economy if it was allowed to go rampant outside.

"Anyways, I'm really sorry for what happened. But that's not what I want to talk about. I know this will probably hurt, especially after losing a magomobile worth 3,000 gold coins--oh sorry! I didn't mean to remind you! It's just 3,000 gold coins, right? I mean, it's not like 3,000 gold coins is worth a fortune or anything. It's just small change! Haha, wow, 3,000 gold coins. I'm sorry, I'm mentioning it again! But man! 3,000 gold coins! I can't believe you'd be stupid enough to leave that in the care of a bunch of ****-ups! Ah, I'm not saying you're really stupid. I think you're a fine person. But damn! Only a retard would've let those idiots hold onto anything important! I mean, even babies can tell when someone's going to drop them instead of cradling them gently! Maybe you're getting a little senile in your old age or something? I guess you should check into AO Hospital. I'll even get you in on a sweet deal! You'll come out brand-spanking new! Like your magomobile was! The 3,000 gold coins one!"

The five men were burned badly, their clothes in blackened tatters and their skin blistered and bleeding in large patches. But even with such pain running across their muscled bodies, they still hunched over the ground like scared animals, enduring the pain in hopes that it would satiate the flaring anger that was pulsing in front of them.

"Yeah, so let's get back to business at hand! Real sorry to say this, especially after your loss (the 3,000 gold coins one), but I'm going to pressing charges against you and your goons. Sexual harassment charges. You saw the recording, right? Oh, they were after my cute little tits! It probably would've turned into rape if I hadn't blown up the magomobile. You know, I'm not really a prudish girl. I don't mind when men look at me. But I expected some decent gentlemen coming from your team! What have you been teaching these hopeless virgins? You know, just because you never got laid in your life, you can't teach others to recklessly step over physical boundaries. I don't want to do this, really, I don't! I don't think you had any bad intentions. Maybe these ****ers were just the bad apples in your batch. So, tell you what! I'll drop the charges! Actually, what am I talking about! I'm going to sue these guys for everything they're worth! Since, I bet you want to punish them, right? You need to whip some *** once in a while! So, I'm actually doing you a favor! I mean, sure, you're going to have to cover their debt and their bail fee once they get slammed, but what's money in the face of bringing up some misguided fools into becoming strong, chivalrous men!"

The purple-haired girl on the screen tapped her fist against her palm happily to express her eager desire to help.

"But hey, I don't know. Legal fees could get pretty serious. I'd really like to help you correct these guys of their evil ways, but financially, I don't think I can support you. But, hey! You know what? I recently got my own Road team together! I think you know what I'm saying...right?"

The purple-haired girl's face suddenly enlarged as she closed in on the camera.

"I'm posting all of this on the internet. Your whole group is going to be shamed and your reputation is going to go down the drain. Who's going to sponsor your *** then, huh, you little ****er? I can tell right now, you're mad, huh? Come and get some then, *****. I can't wait to have you kissing my feet for mercy."

The purple-haired girl backed away and displayed a cute, bright smile as she waved cheerfully.

"Buh-bai!"

The video message squeezed itself until it vanished in a small burst of magical light, which erased any traces of the video message having been sent and displayed. A vein throbbed so violently on Justinus' temple that it looked as if a worm had crawled into his skull and was thrashing around in agony.

"Get out of my sight," said Justinus quietly. His voice was tinged with such fury that the burns on the muscled men seemed to inflame in reaction. They cried out fearfully and scrambled away, tripping over one another and inflicting further abuse on their bodies.

"I take it that was Sunzhine," said Kogure from behind Justinus. The slim, blue-haired man grinned as he stepped out of the shadows. "I think the Clown's the only one that's ever made you so angry."

"It had to be that *****..." growled Justinus, scratching the gray bristles on his chin aggravatingly. The oldest out of the regulars on the team, Justinus was part of the OTC, one of the largest Road teams in all of AO, second only to the Army itself. Due to the size of the OTC, the members had been split into several subgroups and subteams, allowing for inter-team competitions in order to pick out the best of the best. Out of the 259 teams in the OTC, Justinus and Kogure were part of the 5th highest ranked. Their group was called The Alpha Males.

"Find out how those damn fools got past our selection process!" barked Justinus, scaring a nearby aide. She bowed at his command and rushed off to fulfill his order. Kogure winked at her as she passed, causing her to blush and hurry off at a faster pace.

"Just calm down, Justinus--"

"How can I calm down after being mocked like that!" hissed Justinus, forcefully trying to contain his anger. "Anyone else...anyone else but her!"

"Hey now! Don't insult my darling in front of me."

The two Alpha Males turned to find the third regular member of the subteam. A tall, elegant man with flaming red hair stepped forward with light, but deliberate steps, his sharp and equally red eyes fixing on Justinus.

"Even if it's you, Justinus, I can't let that slip by," said Roommate, flashing a small smile.

"You obsessed freak. Your little girlfriend is extorting us, if you can't tell!" snarled Justinus.

"It's not an extortion, Justinus. It's just another one of her lovely messages to me," said Roommate, chuckling smugly. "'I was attacked by a bunch of brutes! I need your warm and loving embrace! I want to use the battle as an excuse for us to meet!' Oh, Sunzhine. You're so precious."

"There he goes again," whispered Kogure to Justinus. "What's with his crazy Sunzhine complex again?"

"Apparently they lived together for one day and he fell head over heels for her," whispered back Justinus.

"Really now? The Clown must be a piece of work--"

"But, really. Sunzhine. If you wanted to meet me, you could have just asked me directly. You're quite the shy one..."

"So, ignoring this guy, what are we going to do, Justinus?"

"What are we going to do? We'll refuse of course. There's no need for us to waste time with trash like her."

"All joking aside, gentlemen. I think that's the wrong course of action," said Roommate, dropping his overly pretentious tone of voice.

"Oh, you're being serious now?" said Kogure, smiling wryly.

"As much as I love Sunzhine, this is too much for a joke," sighed Roommate, rubbing the back of his neck. "Her threat is serious. If this gets out on the web, we'll probably be excised from the OTC."

"Well, what do we do then? Accept?"

"Of course," said Roommate, grinning. "What have we got to lose?"

"Do you understand what you're saying, Roommate?" said Justinus. "Even if she does have a Road team now, we're fifth in the OTC. Battling her will be like crushing ants."

"Exactly, gentlemen. Beautiful and charming as she is, Sunzhine has given us a great insult with that message of hers. If we want to pay her back, why not on the battlefield?"

"But it's no fun if we just fight it out," said Kogure, putting his hands behind his head. "Even if she is the Clown, her team's going to be a complete novice."

"Well then," said Roommate, a coy smile playing on his lips. "How about we give her a little wager?"

[Dac]

*I just realized I never described what everyone was wearing. hopefully, the beginning helps to remedy this a little, although i prefer to let your imaginations construct the image . im not being lazy, i swear.

_____________

"Alright, let's get started with your training."

They had gone back into the basement, which had been fully repaired of its damage while Weihnachtsmann had slept. It was almost sickening how accurately the room had been put back into its original state; the basement was as messy as ever. Sunzhine had donned on her usual set of a blouse, shorts that cut off slightly above the knees, and her beaten beige coat. Yawning, she bounced onto the worn out couch again and prepared to bring up the magic screen. Mithral stood a little ways from her, still as massive as a bear, and wearing a set of silver robes that only bolstered his intimidation.

"First off, let's review. I'm sure a lot of this went over your poor little head, Helge-chan, so I'll point out some important basics."

"Eh? No, I pretty much got everything..."

"You're such a bother, Helge-chan. But I guess you can't help it. Don't worry. Mommy Sunzhine will go slow."

"No, like I said..."

Mithral clapped Weihnachtsmann on the shoulder and shook his head. The former thief swallowed his words and looked up at the magic screen.

"Like I said before, Roaders have the option of choosing a class for themselves. There's a whole mess of benefits for choosing a class, so if I ever see you skimp out on a class, I'll ****ing murder you."

The magic screen switched over to a list of various classes and subclasses. Sunzhine waved her finger, causing further notes and labels to appear on the screen.

"The three main classes are Offense, Defense, and Support. They all work on a point distribution system. Meaning you can't have hybrids of offense, defense, and support skills. Each subclass only utilizes points relevant to their class."

"What do you mean by points...?"

"I'm glad you asked. The truth of the matter is, there's no equality in Road. All skills, abilities, and class enhancements are point-based from your original state. Meaning, if you have more physical strength than your opponent, you'll be still be physically stronger than them if they have same offensive subclass as you. It's important to recognize subclasses while you're in battle so you can gauge your opponent's strength before engaging."

"I see..." said Weihnachtsmann, his eyes poring over the various subclasses and their lists of enhancement points. A few examples of subclasses would be like this:

Offense Tree > Subclass >
- King's Sword
- Cursed Wand
- Distant
- Mount Keeper
- Madman
- Hammer Brute

Defense Tree > Subclass >
- Ward
- Broken Shield
- Golem
- Fortification
- Kool-Aid Guy
- Wall That Cannot Be Broken

Support Tree > Subclass >
- Rising Down
- Fake Reality
- Freezing Phoenix
- Angel's Advocate
- Tortoise and the Hare
- Walls Will Break

The King's Sword was commonly referred to as Knight, due to the all-rounder nature of the subclass. The King's Sword receives a moderate boost in all offensive areas, such as strength, accuracy, speed, range, and other attributes, but as a result, has no particular strong points. The subclasses were all balanced in this way: having strengths that would suit an Roader's individual strengths and weaknesses, but also containing deficits that could be exploited by others.

Now he understood why Sunzhine was being so particular about these classes. Understanding the full advantages and disadvantages of subclasses was no doubt a key part of the Road sport. In an even-sided match, the characteristics of the subclasses would become highly important. No doubt with this sort of system, each subclass had another subclass that could counter them and vice-versa.

"In that case, I should choose a subclass that works with my own abilities and strengths," murmured Weihnachtsmann. Both Mithral and Sunzhine raised their eyebrows at that. As expected, Weihnachtsmann had quickly caught onto the essence of the matter. If you were physically strong, then choosing a subclass that increased your strength even further would be to your advantage.

"That's correct," said Mithral, nodding. "For me, being large and sturdy, I usually take a Defensive Class. Sunzhine has the most skill and power over offensive magic, so she takes a magic-based subclass from the Offense Class."

"My strengths..." Weihnachtsmann mused over what his strengths could be.

"You're a shitty thief," snorted Sunzhine. "Your strengths aren't that hard to pinpoint."

"I guess it'd be speed?" said Weihnachtsmann. He looked up at the magic screen and scanned the list of subclasses. "Then...an Assassin subclass would be good for me."

The Assassin subclass. It granted high mobility, high attack rates, and high accuracy in exchange for abysmal range and strength.

"Excellent," said Mithral in agreement. Being a thief, Weihnachtsmann had high stats in all three of those areas. The point-based system of class enhancements would only boost these already strong stats.

"Wrong," said Sunzhine, rummaging through a bag of chocolate pretzels.

"Eh?"

"What?"

"I said you're wrong. Both of you ****ing idiots." Sunzhine tossed a couple pretzels into her mouth and chomped furiously. She swallowed and then grinned lazily at them as she said," I expected this from Helge-chan, but I didn't think you'd be that stupid, Mithral."

"What are you talking about, Sunz? You have to take the subclass that plays to your strengths. That's why you take a magic subclass and I take a defensive subclass. There's nothing wrong with Weihnachtsmann's choice--"

"Dumbass," cut in Sunzhine. "What are we going to do by making a scurrying little weakling even faster? Even if they can't catch him, he'll be completely useless in battle. A disgusting coward like Helge-chan will always want to run away by instinct anyways; why should we encourage that?"

"Hey!"

"Even if Helge-chan does run away--"

"Mithral...you too...?"

"What other choice does he have? Even if we give him a strength class like Hammer Brute, he'll still be weaker than other offense-class Roaders..."

"That's right," said Sunzhine, munching on another handful of pretzels. "Helge-chan is extremely weak. This is partially due to his terrible diet and also partially due to his wimpiness. Seriously, you call yourself a man, Helge-chan? Get the **** out of here."

"I'm not that weak..."

"You're weak in comparison to other Roaders, who are usually in top physical condition," said Mithral gently.

"You're even weaker than a cute little girl like me. Aren't you ashamed?" said Sunzhine, batting her eyes at him.

"Sunz..."

"I'll admit, you're quicker than most and you have a good sense for your surroundings," noted Sunzhine with a tone of approval. "But, you're weak. So weak. If you could somehow buff up five-thousand times what you currently are, then maybe we'd stand a chance."

"That's a little extreme, don't you think!?"

"It's not. Although I said earlier that there aren't hybrids in class enhancements, that doesn't mean hybrids don't exist."

"Eh? What do you mean...?"

"If you can't have a hybrid class enhancement, then you just become a hybrid yourself. For those who use the offensive class, a good deal of them try and improve their stamina and endurance so they can last longer on the battlefield. Others might even drink potions and undergo certain diets in order to increase their vitality." Sunzhine raised her arm and jerked back her coat sleeve.

"See this?" said Sunzhine, flexing her arm. Weihnachtsmann's eyes bulged as hard, defined muscle appeared from Sunzhine's thin limb. "I'm military-trained, so I'm pretty sturdy myself. I've had to do a couple experiments to strengthen my resistance to magic though. Of course, Mithral's gone through more of it than me, since he's in the Defensive Class."

Mithral was inflicted with such a violent shudder that Weihnachtsmann thought he was having a seizure. What did she do to you, Mithral!?

"And so, that's how you make a hybrid," said Sunzhine, covering her arm again. "You increase the base stats you have in your original body and then shore up your weaknesses with class enhancements. Most Grand Roaders are hybrids in that form."

"But even though I say weaknesses, hybrids don't usually have a true weakness like your lack of strength, Helge-chan. Like I said before, Roaders are considered to be the elite. Even though they usually have something that far surpasses normal human boundaries, at the very least, the rest of their abilities are at the high-end of normal limits. It's rare for there to be a defect like you around."

"Sunz, defect is a little..."

"But, consider yourself lucky, Helge-chan. In exchange for the defects that a normal Roader wouldn't have, your strengths are at a higher level than most Roaders. And you're fortunate enough to have just the right kind of strengths. In fact, I think only you could use a subclass like this...it's as if it was made for you..."

"Sunz, what are you--"

"Mithral. What's one of the least-used subclasses in the Offensive Tree?"

"The least-used subclass? That's probably the..."

Mithral opened and closed his mouth in silence as realization struck him like lightning. It was insane. It was ridiculous. It was like being at Death's Door and deciding to kick the Grim Reaper in the ***.

But...

But...

"That...that could work," breathed Mithral, his brows furrowed. "I can't believe it, but that could actually work..."

"What are you talking about, Mithral?" asked Weihnachtsmann. He was getting shivers from the devilishly excited stare emnating from Sunzhine's eyes.

"One of, if not the least-used subclass in the entire Offensive Tree. The Madman subclass!" announced Sunzhine gleefully. "It grants the highest strength ratio in the entire class tree! But, because of its ridiculous strength steroid, it has to have an appropriate balancing factor. Everything else is sacrificed in return."

"Sacrificed...? You mean--" started Weihnachtsmann, his eyes riveting to the stats on the screen.

"A decrease in all other offense-related stats, especially steep in accuracy and awareness," clarified Mithral. "It's risky...very risky. Most Roaders don't bother as accuracy and awareness aren't something you can really train. They're things you gain through experience and natural talent. They're also extremely important in battle. If you can't hit your opponent, if you can't sense their killing intent...It's far more devastating to have those stats reduced. The gain in strength isn't comparable."

"If it was someone else other than you!" said Sunzhine, clapping her hands together. "You, whose highest strengths are solely in accuracy and awareness! Living the life of a thief did you one good, didn't it!?"

"W-Wait, so that means..."

"Exactly. You take the Madman subclass," said Sunzhine with a cackle. "Even if your other stats are reduced, you'll still be even with other Roaders because of your gain in strength! You could almost say that you were the weakest Roader because you only had god-gifted skills. Weak to a godly degree!"

"I...I see," said Weihnachtsmann, going over the facts. "But...will it really be alright reducing all of my other stats...?"

"It'll be fine. Trust me, Helge. For once, I completely agree with Sunzhine," said Mithral. His eyes held the same excited gleam as Sunzhine's. "Your base stats can take the blow. There's no one else that could use this subclass so effectively...! This is your subclass, Helge!"

"Madman. Not really appropriate," remarked Sunzhine, smirking. "But that's what makes it even better."

"No one will see it coming."

_________________________________

Madman.

This is my subclass.

One of the riskiest subclasses in all of Road. If Weihnachtsmann's couldn't live up to Sunzhine's expectations...everything...he would be complete fodder in the face of his opponents.

He would be destroyed.

He would be wrecked.

Crushed.

Killed.

Thump. Thump.

Weihnachtsmann's heart wouldn't stop racing.

"Well, that's for now, anyways," said Sunzhine, standing up from the couch. "The real reason that the Madman subclass isn't used is because, no matter how it seems, it's actually a low-ranked subclass. Only someone on the bottom end of the food chain would be willing to take a risky gamble for a win. Only people at the bottom end up in situations where they need to take risks."

Sunzhine waved her hand, causing the screen to dissipate into fading, blue particles. She walked over to an overstuffed desk in the corner of the basement and began rummaging through one of its enormous drawers.

"Now that you know the concepts, how about we look at the real thing?"

Sunzhine held out a bundle of black clothing.

"What's this?" asked Weihnachtsmann, taking the bundle.

"Your uniform," replied Sunzhine. "In Road, you have to wear a uniform. Not only because it represents your team and provides a sense of unity, but because uniforms have the necessary structures in them for the shields, damage calculation, and stuff."

Weihnachtsmann unfolded the bundle and held it out. It was a black one piece with a large zipper that ran down to the crotch area. There were large metallic disks on the shoulders, chest, elbows, and knees, and what appeared to be large sockets in the middle of each disk.

On the back of the uniform, there was a giant, super-deformed character mascot of Sunzhine, winking innocently.

"...What the hell is this?"

"Mmm, too cool isn't it, Helge-chan?" said Sunzhine, nodding with extreme satisfaction at the uniform. Weihnachtsmann was about to say something back, but froze as Mithral shot him a sharp glance.

"...It's very cool."

"Well, put it on already. We can't have you practice without the uniform on."

"...Yeah. Right," said Weihnachtsmann, staring miserably down at the uniform. This mascot would be on his back for the rest of his life...

"You don't need to take everything off," said Mithral before Weihnachtsmann started to stripped down. "You just want a good amount of skin exposure so the uniform's sensors can convey signals to your body properly."

"Are the sensors in these sockets?" said Weihnachtsmann as he pulled off his shirt.

"That's partially right..."

"The sensors spread from those sockets. The sockets are receivers and amplifies the magic happening during Road games," said Sunzhine, taking off her coat. "There's a lot of complicated things happening, so there's no need for you to exert yourself, Helge-chan."

"...Thanks. but I just wanted an idea of how these things function when you're on the battlefiel--"

Weihnachtsmann stopped as Sunzhine finished unbuttoning her blouse and slipped it off her shoulders. The thin material floated down like a feather and drizzled into a silky puddle on the ground.

"..."

"..."

Weihnachtsmann reeled back as a geyser of blood shot from his nose. Mithral, averting his gaze with a red face, fared slightly better. Sunzhine looked at them appraisingly, her small mounds wobbling.

"Ho...? Enjoying what you see?" said Sunzhine, a cat-like expression appearing on her face. She put one hand on her hip and pulled away her other hand, giving the two males full exposure to her half-naked body.

"Sunzh-M-Master...please, stop!" stammered Weihnachtsmann, his hands hastily trying to stymie the flow of blood dribbling down his face.

"Sunz...don't you have any decency?" muttered Mithral.

"Hah? Why should I care what you guys are looking at?" said Sunzhine. Both Mithral and Weihnachtsmann caught the implications of that statement.

So we're not worth caring about, huh...?

"In any case...Sunz. Put those away..."

"Why? Are they making you uncomfortable, you little virgin?" said Sunzhine, grinning at Mithral.

"RANMA DAMN IT, YOU'RE GOING TO GET US ARRESTED WITH THOSE MOSQUITO BITES!" screamed Weihnachtsmann. "LISTEN TO MITHRAL AND PUT THEM AWAY! THEY'RE DISGUSTING, HOW CAN YOU EVEN CALL YOURSELF A WOMAN!"

"Like I said, why should I care what you guys think?" said Sunzhine. Suddenly, two large and soft-looking globes bounced out of Sunzhine's chest. "Those weren't my real breasts anyways."

The false chest lay at Sunzhine's feet, having been discarded by her with a quick sweep of her hand.

"..."

"Ranma, Sunz," said Mithral, covering his face with his hand. "Would you please have some modesty?"

"Wait a minute, Mithral," said Weihnachtsmann, staring at Sunzhine's chest. "...Wait a minute."

"Helge..."

"Just...wait."

Sunzhine watched with an amused expression as Weihnachtsmann studied her breasts with intense concentration. She slowly lifted a hand to one of her soft globes and then pulled it off with a little flash of magic. Weihnachtsmann's face was stricken with horror as she dropped the fake breast onto the ground.

Sunzhine leaned over until she was level with Weihnachtsmann's ears.

"You're a pervert."

Weihnachtsmann's training was postponed for two hours so that he could huddle on the floor, a broken man. After he recovered from his psychological distress, he came back to the basement with a single question on his mind:

"Why were you undressing in the first place!?"

[kakashiswife]

I sunsun!
Poor Justi
And this Mysteriously charismatic Roommate : Sunsun what are you feelings for him?

Go Dac! The Road 'game' seems to be well thought out by you. I can't wait to see how it works! There's a lot of cursing in this AO Drama @.@

WHAT in the world is DD and Hearty up to!?