Chapter 2: He's Weak

Araki's purple eyes popped open and he sat up quickly...he...he was in his bed? He had passed out on the floor...did one of them put him up here?

He grabbed his phone and opened the camera app. He gasped as more of his hair was silver..."This can't be happening!" He thought and looked at his hands.

He hated having to do this...but he needed to talk to Gora...alone. He dialed the older Hakone's number and asked when he was available to talk with him. Luckily, Yumoto was out with the other Defense Club members today, so Araki quickly got ready and went to the Kurotama Bath House.

Gora looked at his brother's friend with sad eyes as Araki was welcomed in, "Araki-kun, Yumoto told me what happened."

"H-he did?" Araki looked down in shame, "G-Gora-san...I-I don't want to turn into Tungsten! Hireashi tricked me when I was fifteen...m-my parents died in a car accident...I was angry at the world! He came to me and told me I could get revenge on the world for taking my parents...a-and then I agreed to work for him."

Gora looked at him...Hireashi tricked him? He studied the first year...he was scared...scared of the unknown.

"A-and then I trained...I was told that Yumo-chan was my enemy and that he needed to go!" He finished and Gora nodded, "Araki, it's not your fault."

"Gora-san! Look at my hair!" Araki cried, "It's turning silver again! I don't want to become a monster again!"

"Don't worry...I promise you, that I won't let that happen." Gora reassured him and Araki nodded, "T-thank you..."

He jumped as he saw Yukiteru coming in with his sai out. "Please don't kill me!" He spoke quickly and Yukiteru shook his head, "I'm not going to kill you, Araki."

Araki looked at them, "I-I'm sorry, I have to go now..."

The two watched as the younger one walked out and Yukiteru sighed.

Araki sighed to himself as he walked outside, he gasped as he bumped into someone. "Watch where you're going!" Akihiko's voice cried and Araki gasped, "Sorry...Melty Luna..." He hissed out Akihiko's VEPPer name and Akihiko looked at him.

"What were you doing at Gora-san's place?" He asked and Araki rolled his eyes, "None of your business." He turned to walk away and Akihiko smirked, "You'll work with us someday, Tungsten."

As he heard that name, he ran off and Akihiko looked at Dadacha.

"How could he be the most feared one from Hireashi, but yet he's terrified of us now?"

"Aki, he's not Tungsten...Hakone Yumoto has tricked him into being good-cha." Dadacha told him and Akihiko smiled, "Well, we'll just have to bring him back to our side, now won't we?" He asked as he rubbed a finger under Dadacha's chin.

Araki ran and ran, he gasped as he saw Yumoto and the others.

"Araki-kun!!" Yumoto cried and Araki smiled as he walked to them.

"Hello, Yumoto..."

Atsushi looked at him, "Your hair!"
"I know..." Araki frowned, "VEPPer wants Tungsten, they did this to me, Kinugawa-kun!"

"They did?" Wombat asked and Araki nodded, "Y-yes...Tungsten, stared at me in my mirror! It wasn't my own reflection!"

Atsushi and En exchanged looks and Wombat looked at Araki.

"Don't panic. They want you for something and they know how to make him appear." Wombat began to explain, "You can't let them take over you like that. You need to remember that love is on your side, which is something they don't have."

Araki nodded and looked down...he was a fool...he should have never made a deal with Hireashi...but Hireashi was gone now.

"I-I have a confession...I made a deal with Hireashi a year ago after my parents died...he tricked me into believing that I could have revenge on the world for taking my parents...and yet...I almost killed a person who would become my friend." Araki told them and Ryuu looked at him with wide eyes.

"Y-Your parents died...and that damn fish tricked you...?" He asked in shock and Araki nodded, "Yes...I hate for that to be true, but it is."

Io looked at Araki, "You didn't know that he would do that, but you really should have asked to see a contract."

"Really Io?" Ryuu asked, "He's been through a lot, why would you expect a fifteen-year-old to ask for a contract to read?"

Io turned bright red and Araki smiled, "It's okay, Naruko-san..."

Yumoto looked at him with tears in his eyes, "A-Araki-kun, that's terrible!! How did you live without your parents?!"

Araki would smile and hug him, "It was hard...but that's why I was mad at the time...I didn't know what to think, but now I do, and now I know that I won't let Tungsten take over me again!"

"Good!" Yumoto giggled and Araki sighed, "There's another thing I've been meaning to tell you..."

"What is it?" Atsushi asked and Araki bit his lip, "V-VEPPer...they...they want you all gone."

"What?" Atsushi asked in shock and Araki repeated himself, "VEPPer wants you gone! They don't want you to interfere with their plans anymore...and that's why they want Tungsten back. They want me to do their dirty work so they can sit back."

Yumoto growled, "Then we won't let that happen! We'll stop them before they can get you!"

Atsushi and En nodded.

"T-thank you..." Araki smiled and looked down, "Lord Tungsten, awaken for us!" Salty Sol's voice yelled and Yumoto looked up, "It's them! And they have a monster too!"

"Everyone! Time for Love Making!" Wombat yelled and Araki pushed Yumoto away.

"You two can't have Tungsten! He's not me and will never be!" Araki screamed and Yumoto ran to his friends. They quickly transformed and Scarlet ran to Araki.

"Scarlet, get away!" Araki hissed and Scarlet looked at him with wide eyes. "A-Araki-kun?"

"Please! I'd rather myself get hurt and you guys stay safe!"

Salty Sol and Melty Luna smiled at one another, "Star Monster, get Scarlet!" Salty Sol yelled and Araki growled, "Leave him alone!"

"Then awaken again, Lord Tungsten, we know you're in there!"

"No!" Araki screamed and clutched at his head. "NO! I-I don't want t-!"

"ARAKI-KUN!" Scarlet screamed as his friend's hair turned silver. Epinard and Cerulean grabbed Scarlet and Scarlet began to scream, "NO LET ME GO! ARAKI NEEDS ME!"

"If you go to him, he'll kill you!" Vesta yelled and Araki...no Tungsten smirked, "Let him come near me...it'll make the VEPPer's life easi-NO! GO AWAY!"

"He's fighting it!" Epinard gasped and watched as Tungsten hit the ground clutching his head. "N-no! G-Get out of my head! I-I don't want to hurt anyone anymore!"

The VEPPer growled as their plan failed once more and Scarlet ran up to Araki...they also watched Scarlet heal the student...

"You may have won again Battle Lovers..." Salty Sol spat and Melty Luna added, "Once we have Tungsten under our full control, you'll be destroyed."

As they disappeared, they laughed and Araki looked up at them with a scowl on his face...they won't ever take control of him...ever!

��S��S