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The dimmest shimmers can blossom into the brightest stars, ones capable of outshining even those before it. Just given some patience and courage. That's what Kira learned, throughout her journey with her one and only childhood friend and rival.
"Any second now..." she fiddled with a tanocan between her fingertips, waiting patiently. Waiting for something. Or someone.
Just outside of her father's lab, on a familiar battlefield where it all begun.
Sensing someone else's presence, Kira turned around, coming face to face with her childhood friend, "Ah! There you are!" She welcomed them with a warm smile, happy to finally see them again.
Looking at them now, they've certainly changed ever since the beginning of their journey. Before it was hard seeing their lips in anything but a frown, their hair used to be long and unkept, their eyes held no life behind them.
But now.
They looked as if they burned just as bright as the battle stars they've taken on and overcame, even brighter she could say.
A smile just as bright as them. Every time she looked into their eyes, she felt a burning passion sparked with true dedication.
"Took you long enough! Haha!"
She let out a laugh, so happy seeing her rival- no, her best friend so filled with life unlike before. It felt like they were an entirely different person, or perhaps it reminds her of how they were before everything happened to them.
"You've really come so far! I mean look at you! Being champion of all Tanorio! What bring the champ here?"
They just shrugged, nonchalant at the notion of having such a title.
Reminding Kira, even if they might be champion, they're still her friend.
Through tough battles, challenges and setbacks, they've faced it all head on and with courage and diligence. She admired them deeply. She couldn't help but smile as brightly as they did.
"Classic Captain Cryptic. Though... if you're here... How about a battle? I mean it'd be an honor to battle THE champion of Tanorio in the flesh! And by the look in your eyes, it seems you're here for just that."
Kira and their best friend circled each other, slowly moving to their place in ready for a battle. She grasped her tanocan tightly, looking at her best friend, her rival one more time.
They've truly changed all for the better.
Their previously unkept hair, now cut and well groomed, signifying their freedom from the past that weighed them down, the circles underneath their eyes not so dark as before, their lips turned right upside down into a smile.
"Get ready! Cause I'm not holding back! Show me how far you've come, show me that passion you've built for yourself!" Kira excitedly pointed to them before sending out her first tanorian.
...
...
A fierce battle commences.
Between them, she truly felt the difference of they were before, strength unseen before, it felt like she'd uncovered a side she would've never thought. The thrill of battle fueling the fire within.
On the battlefield, one of their tanorians had landed a critical hit against her own, knocking it out in one hit.
"Ouch! - Spicing things up, are we? As expected from my best friend!" Kira excitedly retrieved her fainted tanorio back into it's tanocan.
...
Even if she was currently losing, it felt exhilarating. She would've never thought it would be so exciting to lose, yet she was always having a blast with them.
She always challenged them throughout their journey as it was just invigorating as it was, if not even more.
"Ha! Take that! You're not the only one who can dish out heavy hits!" Kira shouted out, upon knocking out one of their tanorians.
Continuing of the battle, Kira felt her blood pumping, her heart pounding with every move she yelled to her tanorians against theirs. Pushing her to very limit no one could ever pull to her.
With every hit, every attack, it just felt like just the two of them. Just the two of them like before. Just like when they were kids.
"Agh! I almost had you there!" Kira laughed, just enjoying the battle at hand.
Soon, Kira was down to just her very partner. Her very starter, the start of her journey with them as a whole. Now against their own.
One would think she'd pull the victory, but honestly, she didn't care whether or not she won or lost.
"It's been a while since I've been backed into a corner like this... But don't think I'm giving up just yet!" Kira took a deep breath, clutching her fists to focus her mind back onto the battle.
From her pocket, she showed of a special gem given to her by proving her strength from the Battle League, holding similar strength to that of the battle stars.
"Alright, Ignidall! Let's show, Mochi what we can REALLY do! That spark for battle!" Kira's Ignidall felt a surge of energy and light surround them, soon undergoing the same Guardian Reversion she's seen the battle star's very strongest tanorians undergo.
It howled with vigor once transforming.
Of course, to match along with her. Mochi did the same, engulfing their Jespirit with energy and strength. It roared across the battlefield, nearly knocking Kira off her feet, yet she remained firm.
"Show me that inner spirit within you, Mochi! Give me your best shot!"
With one last turn deciding the tides of battle between them...
Before they knew it... It was all over.
...
"O- Oh wow... That... was... seriously AWESOME! You really are the strongest in like the whole region! Seeing it for myself is actually surreal!" Kira could barely keep her body from just jumping with joy.
"I mean, you've knocked me right off my feet and I was giving you everything I had!- Everything... I had..." Kira felt so giddy, giggling and laughing with ecstasy, running over to them with open arms. Which they happily give into the embrace. After tightly holding onto them, squeezing them within her arms, she pulled away with a smile. "Well, champion of Tanorio. What do you wanna do now?"
...
"Of course you'd wanna eat! Haha, I wouldn't expect anything from my rival!" Kira let out a hearty laugh, she knew her best friend better than anyone, it wasn't much of a surprise to hear them suggest they eat. She always loved eating with them and so did they. Holding their hand, they begin to walk towards the benches nearby.
"I could use some fries right about now, I dunno why. I'm just feeling it." She truly didn't know why she wanted fries out of anything, they're just fried potatoes. They decide to catch a quick taxi to Nikido city for a bite Grubhog, while just enjoying each other's company in the wait. Kira bombarding Mochi with questions about battling and just how it's like being champion now.
Just two couple good friends enjoying one another's company above all else underneath the stars in Tanaku village.