After the battle with Molecule, the Elements – now joined by Daichi – wandered through the golden waves of the Tottori Sand Dunes.
The dunes stretched out beneath the cloudless sky, endless and shimmering like a desert dream. The wind kicked up small spirals of dust, dancing briefly before vanishing again into the sunlit air.
From the top of one towering dune–
"READY?!"
Ikazuchi shouted, a wide grin stretched across his face, goggles slightly askew, his energy as wild as the wind itself.
"Y-Yeah…" Reito muttered, adjusting his stance atop a borrowed sandboard, calm and composed despite standing on a literal angle of doom.
And with that–
They launched.
Ikazuchi whooped as his board shot forward, kicking up a trail of sand behind him like lightning slicing through a storm. He leaned forward, arms spread wide, his blonde hair flying in the wind.
"YEEEAAAHHHHH!!"
He shouted so loud that a nearby family of tourists jumped and scrambled to pull out their phones.
Reito, meanwhile, glided down after him–
Trying his best to keep balance as his board skimmed down the slope.
Then–
"WOAH–!"
Reito wobbled, lost his footing–
And landed face-first in a dramatic puff of sand.
Ikazuchi glanced back mid-ride, grinned, and shouted:
"Loser!"
While Ikazuchi and Reito continued their chaotic sandboarding adventure, Moriya wandered the dunes with far less enthusiasm.
Each step felt like a battle – his feet sinking into the golden sand as though the earth itself wanted to swallow him whole.
He glanced left. Then right.
Nothing but sand.
Moriya lets out a huge sigh.
I really don't like this place… There's not a single plant I can admire.
With a long sigh, he trudged forward, his expression darkening as he glared up at the sun–
As if it had personally offended him.
Damn you, sun.
Then–
He froze.
There it was.
A patch of green.
"…Grass?"
His eyes widened.
His heart skipped.
In the distance – just beyond a rise in the dunes – a small patch of lush green grass shimmered beneath the sunlight. The wind shifted ever so slightly.
He could smell it.
Water. Leaves. Life.
Moriya's pupils dilated.
And then–
He ran.
He dashed across the dune like a man possessed, his green hair whipping wildly in the wind. Sand flew in every direction as his boots pounded the slope.
A tourist blinked, pointing.
"Woah! Look at that guy!"
Moriya cleared the final slope and skidded to a dramatic halt–
And there it was.
A small oasis – nestled perfectly between two dunes.
A natural spring surrounded by thick grass, soft reeds, and a crystal-clear pond.
Moriya dropped to his knees, breath heavy, heart full.
He collapsed face-first onto the grass, arms outstretched like a starfish of peace.
"…It's not much," he whispered into the earth. "But it's still plant life."
Meanwhile, Haruto walked through the vast expanse of the Tottori Sand Dunes, wiping sweat from his forehead with back of his arm.
Damn it… it's way too hot.
Each step felt heavier than the last as the heat shimmered off the golden waves of sand.
Then–
Something in the distance caught his eye. He squinted.
What is that?
His pace slowed as the shape became clearer.
Wait… is that a building?
He moved closer, eyes widening.
Hold on a minute… isn't that the Sand Museum Hikaru mentioned?
The Sand Museum stood like a sculpted mirage at the edge of the dunes, where the wild sea of golden sand met the calm precision of modern architecture.
From afar, the building looked almost as if it had been carved out of the desert itself – a sleek yet earthy structure with smooth sandstone walls that curved gently, echoing the natural contours of the dunes around it.
Its colours – soft beige, golden-tan, kissed by sunlight – blended so well with the landscape it almost seemed to rise organically from the earth.
A polished stone pathway led up to the entrance, flanked by minimalist sculptures made entirely from preserved sand – fragile yet enduring works of art that shimmered in the light.
Haruto stopped at the edge of the path, eyeing the structure with mild intrigue.
Hikaru said the museum was great…
He shrugged.
"Might as well check it out."
As Haruto approached, the smooth sandstone gave way to the cool shadow of the entrance.
The main doors – glass, sleek, and spotless – offered a glimpse inside: dim lighting, soft spotlights, and rows of incredible sand sculptures lining the interior like some hidden treasure trove.
Above the door, etched in elegant metal letters:
'The Sand Museum.'
Haruto took a breath.
Then stepped inside.
While Ikazuchi and Reito enjoyed their chaotic sandboarding – well, mostly Ikazuchi–
Moriya lounged peacefully in an oasis, and Haruto explored the depths of the Sand Museum.
Meanwhile, Hikaru and Daichi stood at the edge of the dunes, overlooking the vast shimmer of the Sea of Japan.
It was quiet.
CRASHHH!
Only the sound of waves slamming against the shore broke the silence.
Then–
"Hikaru!"
Hikaru glanced sideways. "Hmm?"
Daichi, arms crossed, watched the horizon.
"Can you tell me more about the Order of the Elements?"
Hikaru blinked, then gave a slow nod.
"Yeah… like I mentioned before, the Order of the Elements is a secret organization."
Daichi nodded.
"That's right – you did say that earlier."
"The Order was founded by three people: Satoshi Ogata, Reina Ogata, and… Teshii."
"What are they like?" Daichi asked.
Hikaru squinted at him.
"Why do you want to know about them?"
Daichi chuckled.
"it's just a habit of mine."
"A habit?"
Daichi nodded.
"Yeah. I have a tendency to learn about the people I'll be working with. Helps me get a read on them."
"I see…" Hikaru said, clearing his throat.
"Well, Satoshi and Reina – they're a married couple. They're strict but incredibly fair. Very supportive."
"A couple, huh…" Daichi muttered, almost to himself.
He looked at Hikaru again and asked.
"How about this Teshii guy?"
Hikaru rolled his eyes.
"Oh, that guy?" Annoying. Loud. A total pain in the ass. But yeah… he's also one of the founders."
Daichi blinked. "Really? He didn't seem like that kind of guy."
Hikaru let out a sigh.
"Yeah. He may act like a clown, but he's strong. Stupidly strong. No powers, yet he can take down us and actual mutants in a fight. He's a martial arts freak. And…"
Daichi raised a curious brow.
"And?"
Hikaru clenched his jaw. "…And he's dating my sister."
"Wait – seriously?"
"Yes. And I absolutely do not approve."
Daichi chuckled.
"Why not?"
"Because the idea of Teshii – that guy – becoming my brother-in-law is already a nightmare. Just imagine it. Him showing up at family dinners, constantly annoying me, reminding me he beat me up… every damn day."
Daichi let out a small laugh.
"Is that so, huh?"
CRASHHH!
Another wave slammed the sand, sending sea spray drifting through the breeze.
Daichi's eyes stayed fixed on the horizon.
"How about the others? Can you tell me more about your team?"
Hikaru offered a small smile as he looked out at the horizon, the waves rolling in under the golden glow of the setting sun.
"Sure… Let's start with Haruto – the Element of Water. He used to be a performer."
Daichi tilted his head, intrigued.
"A performer, huh?"
"Yeah," Hikaru said with a nod. "Teshii and I met him during a festival. We were on a… double date."
Daichi blinked.
"Double date?"
"I was with the girl I like – Mei. Teshii was with my sister," Hikaru explained, his tone a mix of fondness and irritation.
Daichi smirked.
"I see… What happened after that?"
Hikaru's smile slowly faded.
"Teshii met Haruto's older brother that day. His name was Mamoru."
There was a pause.
Daichi raised an eyebrow. "What happened?"
Hikaru exhaled deeply, the memory weighing heavy in his voice.
"…He was killed."
Daichi's eyes widened.
"What?"
"Mamoru was killed by a mutant during the festival. It happened so fast – no one expected it."
"Damn…" Daichi muttered, crossing his arms, his expression darkening with sympathy.
Hikaru nodded slowly.
"Yeah. It hit Haruto hard. He lost it… almost drowned the whole festival in grief."
Daichi stared at the horizon, the crashing waves echoing the weight of the stories he'd just head. His brows furrowed with sympathy.
Then, he turned to Hikaru again.
"How about the one with the green hair?" he asked. "He seems… interesting. Like he's part of the tribe or something."
Hikaru glanced at Daichi and chuckled softly.
"That's because he is."
Daichi blinked and quickly turned to him.
"He is?"
Hikaru nodded.
"Moriya is part of a forest tribe. They live deep in the woods behind Mei's family estate."
"I see… so Moriya – the Element of Wood – is literally from the forest."
"Yep," Hikaru smiled. "He's not exactly the most modern guy. But he's a good person. Strong, too."
Daichi nodded thoughtfully.
"And then… there's Ikazuchi – the Element of Thunder."
CRASHHH!
Another wave slammed into the shore.
"What's he like?" Daichi asked. "Because… just from looking at him, he seems like the angry one."
"You'd be right." Hikaru smirked. "Ikazuchi is the angry one in the group."
But then his expression softened.
"But…"
Daichi raised an eyebrow."
"But?"
Hikaru's voice dropped, more somber now.
"Just like Haruto… Ikazuchi also lost someone to a mutant."
Daichi's eyes widened. He looked back out to the sea, quiet for a long moment.
"…It must've been hard for both of them," he muttered. "To lose someone they love to monsters like that…"
"Yeah," Hikaru said quietly. "It was hard. But me and the others… we try to help them. As much as we can."
Daichi clenched his fists slightly.
"These mutants…" he muttered. "They… simply can't be forgiven."
Hikaru glanced sideways at him.
"Y-yeah," he murmured, but his voice lacked certainty.
I can't say that for all of them…
His mind drifted back – to the time he trained alone with Teshii.
He remembered his words, said with uncharacteristic calm:
"Don't assume every mutant is evil."
"Some of them never even wanted to be born as mutants."
Hikaru stared quietly at the horizon, letting those words swirl in his mind.
Then–
Daichi spoke up again.
"What about that ice guy?"
"Reito?" Hikaru echoed with a smile. "Yeah… we actually found him pretty recently."
"You have?" Daichi raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"Yeah," Hikaru nodded. "And… he has a pretty interesting story."
Daichi tilted his head.
"How come?"
"Well… Mei's family maid – Yuki – lost her son sixteen years ago."
Daichi's eyes widened as he quickly turned to Hikaru.
"Wait… don't tell me–"
Hikaru gave a solemn nod.
"We went to the Shaolin Temple to find the Element of Ice. That turned out to be Reito. And when I connected the dots… I realized that Reito was Yuki's son."
Daichi's expression softened, a small smile forming on his face.
"Must've been some family reunion then."
"It was," Hikaru said. "We were all happy for them. Yuki… she cried. Reito, too – even if he tried to hide it. It was a moment we'll never forget."
Daichi's smile grew warmer – until Hikaru's tone shifted.
"Except for one…"
Daichi's gaze narrowed slightly.
"Huh?"
Hikaru's smile faded into a quiet concern.
"Teshii didn't smile. Not even once. His expression… it was cold. His eyes–"
Hikaru hesitated.
"–looked dead."
CRASSHHH!
A wave slammed into the sand, echoing the silence that followed.
Daichi finally spoke, his voice low.
"…That sounds really concerning."
"Yeah." Hikaru nodded slowly. "I don't know what's wrong. But if something is going on with him… I want to help him."
Daichi looked over at him, the corners of his mouth tugging upward.
"You're a great friend, Hikaru."
Hikaru offered a quiet smile in return – then turned the conversation.
"How about you, Daichi?"
His eyes were curious now. "What's your story?"
Daichi blinked. Then looked back out at the sea, the setting sun glinting in his red eyes.
For a moment, he didn't answer.
Then–
He chuckled.
"Hikaru…"
"Yeah?" Hikaru said.
"…Have you ever been in love?"
TO BE CONTINUED!!!