Ikazuchi narrowed his eyes at the front door of the safehouse, where Teshii stood confidently with a single finger raised.
"Well… what's this genius idea, Teshii?" he asked, clearly unimpressed.
Teshii responded with a smug grin. "Before we get to my idea, I think we should go through the other attempts first."
Ikazuchi's eye twitched in irritation. "Are… are you serious?"
"But most importantly…" Teshii added, suddenly walking over to Hikari – who was already blushing the moment he approached – and stopping right in front of her. "How are you, babe?"
Hikari gave him a warm, beaming smile. "Amazing, babe."
Ikazuchi frowned, completely thrown off, and turned to Hikari. "Hikaru, why did Teshii just call your sister babe? I only remember him saying he only flirted with her just to annoy you."
Hikaru let out a heavy sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Well… you see, Ikazuchi… Teshii and my sister are dating now."
Ikazuchi blinked in genuine surprise. "Seriously?"
"Yeah," Hikaru nodded, his voice deadpan as he looked away. "I can't believe I just said that out loud."
Suddenly–
Hikari stepped toward her brother, grabbing one of the bags from his hand and turning to Teshii with a bright smile.
"Here you go, Teshii! I got your favourite – mochi!"
Teshii's eyes gleamed behind his crimson shades the moment he heard the word mochi.
"Really?! Thank you, babe!" he said, taking the bag with excitement and peeking inside. "Amazing! You really do know me well, babe."
Hikari giggled proudly. "I really do."
Then–
Reito, who had been quietly observing, spoke up. "Hey. If we're still serious about helping Sora fly… can we try my idea now?"
Teshii, still holding the bag of mochis, raised an eyebrow behind his shades, intrigued.
"Oh? What's your idea, Sub-Zero?"
A few minutes had passed as Reito finalized his plan to help Sora fly.
Everyone stood below, staring upward in awe at the towering ice sculpture Reito had created – an enormous slide sculpted entirely from shimmering ice.
It stretched skyward with an incline as steep and dramatic as a ski-jump ramp, though far grander and sharper. The icy structure rose at least thirty metres into the air, its base wide and fortified with layered frost. The climb was glossy and angled, lined with faintly glowing blue energy pulsing beneath the surface. As it rose higher, the slide narrowed into a razor-smooth track, built to generate incredible speed.
Hikaru stood frozen, eyes wide in astonishment.
"W-Woah…" he muttered, barely able to take it all in.
"I see…" Teshii said beside him, clearly impressed but still smug. "This is a very good idea… but not as great as mine, though."
At the peak of the glacier slide stood Reito and Sora. Sora was positioned right at the edge, nervously peering down the massive drop.
"U-Um… Reito?" he mumbled. "You… want me to go down that?"
"Yeah," Reito replied, standing beside him with arms crossed, calm as ever.
Sora blinked. "You do realize I'm not a snowboarder, right?"
"You don't need to be," Reito said flatly.
He stepped forward, his tone cool and confident as he pointed down the icy slope.
"The angle gives you speed. The wind will follow as you descend. The curve at the end–" he gestured toward the launch at the slide's bottom, "–will catapult you into the air. That's when you take over. Use your Element."
"Take over?" Sora asked, tilting his head.
"Yeah." Reito nodded. "Use the momentum to control the wind. Glide. Fly."
"I mean…" Sora mumbled, eyes still locked on the daunting slide. "It could work."
He stepped cautiously toward he very edge, looking down the steep incline. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath.
"I got this… I got this."
At the base of the glacier slide, the rest of the group watched in anticipation as Sora prepared to launch.
"I really hope he does it this time," Mei said, watching intently.
"Yeah…" Hikaru nodded, then turned toward Teshii. "Hey, Teshii, what's your – uh…"
"So, do you like this flavour, babe?" Teshii asked, cheerfully holding a mochi right in front of Hikari's face.
Hikari leaned in and took a bite. "Mhm! This one's really good, babe."
Teshii beamed. "Love you!"
"Love you too!" Hikari replied instantly, smiling brightly.
Hikaru just stared at them, deadpan, holding back an exasperated sigh.
Are they seriously flirting right now?
Everyone – except for Teshii and Hikari, who were still busy flirting – kept their eyes on the top of the glacier slide where Sora was about to take off.
He stood at the edge, breathing heavily, counting down under his breath.
"Three… two… one…"
Sora dropped onto the icy surface–
SHHHHHK!
–sliding rapidly as the wind howled around him. The ice beneath sang beneath his momentum, a high-pitched hiss echoing through the air as he raced down the gleaming slope.
"WOOOOAAAAAHHH!" Sora screamed, clinging to his balance as he shot downward.
The ramp came into view – steep, angled, and glinting in the sunlight. His eyes widened as he approached it.
Okay. Okay. Calm yourself, Sora. Once I'm in the sky, I'll use the Element of Wind. Just ride the momentum…
Then–
FWOOOSH!
Sora shot off the glacier ramp and launched into the air, limbs outstretched. He raised his hand, trying to harness the wind surging around him from his rapid descent.
And then…
He started to fall.
The wind slipped through his grasp. Panic set in. He looked down – and saw the ground rapidly growing larger in his vision.
"Aaaaaaaahhhh! SOMEONE, SAVE ME!" Sora screamed as he plummeted.
Haruto stepped forward without hesitation, raising his hand. Water surged from his pouch and shot into the air, forming a large rippling cushion beneath the falling Sora.
SPLLOOSH!
Sora crashed into the cushion of water, now submerged and flailing as he struggled to hold his breath. Haruto calmly lowered his arms, guiding the cushion down as the water returned to his pouch.
Sora collapsed onto his knees, drenched and gasping for air.
Everyone – except Reito, who still stood atop the glacier slide – rushed over to him.
Hikaru crouched beside him. "Hey, Sora! You okay?"
"Y-Yeah…" Sora panted, soaked and winded.
"You almost had it there," Moriya said encouragingly.
Sora stood slowly, shaking the water off. "I really thought I had it… I don't even know what went wrong."
Then – Teshii's voice cut through the moment.
"Then let me be the one to tell you, Zephyr."
Everyone turned to face Teshii, who was still holding Hikari's hand, his playful expression now serious.
"I'm going to be straight with you, Zephyr," Teshii said, tone firm. "You have a very lazy mind."
"Huh?" Sora blinked, confused.
"Hey, Teshii! Isn't that a little harsh?" Hikaru said.
"Nope," Teshii replied casually, nodding toward the glacier where Reito stood with arms on his hips. "I'm just stating facts. You said the wind was too strong for you to control."
"Yeah," Sora nodded slowly. "I did."
"Then explain this – how were you able to create a cyclone against Chameleon?" Teshii asked. "You controlled it perfectly. Yet now you say the wind is too strong? That doesn't add up."
Everyone's eyes widened as realization dawned.
"He's right," Haruto said. "Sora was able to control that cyclone easily."
"Exactly," Teshii said. "Which means you can do it – you just aren't pushing yourself to."
He let out a scoff. "We've got an Element afraid of women and too lazy to master one of the most powerful forces in nature."
Sora lowered his head, guilt washing over him. "S-Sorry…"
"Oh, don't be," Teshii replied, his voice softening. "That's what we're here for – to help you grow. And now… I think it's time we try my idea."
He looked around the group, then turned to Moriya and Ikazuchi.
"Unless… either of you have a genius plan for getting Zephyr airborne?"
Moriya shook his head, still chewing on a nearly empty snack bag. "I don't."
"Nope," Ikazuchi said, arms folded.
"Perfect," Teshii grinned. "Well then… let's go!"
He threw an arm around Hikari's shoulder, pulling her close.
Hikaru raised an eyebrow. "Let's go? We're not doing it here?"
"Nope," Teshii said smugly.
"Then where?" Haruto asked.
Teshii turned to him, flashing a sly smile behind his crimson shades.
"You'll see."
He then leaned over and gently kissed Hikari on the temple.
20 Minutes Later…
Whoooosh!
A soft breeze swept across the mountaintop as the Elements stood near the edge of a massive cliff.
"Um, Teshii…" Hikaru muttered beside Mei, glancing around nervously. "Why are we here?"
The cliff jutted out from the mountainside like the broken fang of a sleeping giant – massive, jagged, and unforgiving. A sheer drop loomed beyond its edge, swallowing the horizon in a breathtaking panorama of valleys, winding rivers, and distant forests, all bathed in the golden light of dusk.
At the cliff's edge stood Teshii and Sora.
Teshii had his arms confidently on his hips, letting the wind whip through his fleece jacket and crimson sunglasses. Beside him, Sora was on his knees, peeking down over the edge with a horrified look. His whole body trembled.
Because the drop?
It was at least a hundred metres straight down.
Sora slowly scrambled to his feet, backing away from the edge with panic rising in his chest. He turned to Teshii, voice shaking.
"Mr. Teshii? Why… are we at a cliff?"
Teshii scoffed, clearly unimpressed. "Why? That's a stupid question, Zephyr! We're at a cliff because you'll have more space to fly. The more space, the better."
"And how exactly is Sora supposed to fly off a cliff?" Ikazuchi asked with arms crossed, visibly unconvinced.
Teshii turned to him with a smug grin. "Easy. Zephyr is going to jump off the cliff and fly."
Silence.
SKREEEEEE!
An eagle soared above, letting out a piercing screech as if punctuating the absurdity of the moment.
"I'm sorry," Sora muttered. "I'm gonna WHAT?!"
"You're going to jump off the cliff, Zephyr," Teshii said nonchalantly, as though it were the most obvious and harmless suggestion in the world.
Then–
Haruto took a step forward.
"Okay. I'm going to the bottom to make sure Sora doesn't fall to his death."
"NO!" Teshii barked, his voice echoing through the cliffside.
Everyone froze in place.
His tone dropped several degrees. Cold. Commanding.
"You better stay where you are, Tsunami," he said sharply. Then he pointed at the others. "And that goes for every single one of you."
"Even us?" Mei asked, blinking.
"Nah," Teshii said, more casually. "You and Hikari can do whatever you want. Just don't jump off the cliff."
Sora, still shaking, stared at him in disbelief. "But Mr. Teshii, what if I die?"
"You won't," Teshii waved him off. "I just want you to actually try, Zephyr. Try harder. Stop being lazy about controlling the wind. And besides…" He smirked slightly. "Even if you fail, I'll be there to save you."
Hikaru raised an eyebrow. "You'll save him?"
"Yes!" Teshii nodded with confidence. "I've got a way."
Then–
Teshii turned sharply to Sora. "Well? What are you waiting for, Zephyr? Jump!"
Sora stood at the very edge, eyes wide with fear, staring down at the heart-stopping drop. He gulped hard, his legs trembling.
"M-Mr. Teshii, I really don't think I should–"
"Oh f*ck's sake!" Teshii snapped. "If you're not going to jump, then I'll just push you!"
And without any further warning–
Teshii shoved him.
"Aaaaaaaaah!"
Sora's scream echoed down the cliff as his body plummeted from the ledge, flailing helplessly against the open air.
TO BE CONTINUED!!!