The Core Rank… Those words rang in Akira’s pointed ears. She stared up at Tatsuo.
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” She exclaimed.

Tatsuo paused before he spoke.
“I do not ‘kid’…” he said flatly.

Akira shook her head in disbelief.
“But why would one of you guys be here already? I’m doing my job right, aren’t I?” Akira demanded.

Again, Tatsuo paused. He looked at Matt, who was speechless.
“We need you to come with us and see if you’re really the Core Rank’s missing link of the Divine Sephiroth.” Tatsuo explained.
“You mean the Core of the Divine? Who suspected that?” Akira asked.
“General Moric Heng,” Tatsuo replied.
Akira clutched her fists.

“I’m going to kill that retard Moric! I hate that guy…” she muttered to the shadows.
“Well, that ‘guy’ is trying to save us all before it’s too late.” Tatsuo told her.
“Oh, really… How do you figure that? What good is it to take him away? What’re they going to do, experiment on him?” Akira questioned.
“No: DNA. Blood tests, just simple procedures.” Tatsuo assured.
“I refuse to let you take him!” and just as Akira said this, there was a crashing noise coming from outside the alley they were hiding in.

The three of them rushed out to see what had happened. What they saw was an impressive sight. There was a giant gap in a department store that had been slashed effortlessly. Smoke escaped the gap and flowing into the darkening sky. Akira glanced around until she found the source of the slash: Soul Pawns…big ones.

“Matt, stay down. And whatever you do, do not move!” Akira ordered.
With that, she charged out into the light; a large scythe burning with flames appeared in her hands. Tatsuo gave him a menacing glare, one of which Matt thought meant the same thing as Akira’s verbal order. He cowardly hunched his shoulders and went back into the shadows.
“Tatsuo, we’ve got to slay these Pawns or else these people’s souls will be eaten!” Akira warned.

Tatsuo gave a single nod.

One of the Pawns finally noticed Akira and Tatsuo. They looked like long, black snakes made of shadows and fog. Their heads were a skull that featured eyes, nose, mouth, and fangs. Its hands resembled the arms and claws of a T-Rex. The leader reared its ugly head back and signaled to another Pawn. It was suddenly heading…towards Matt.

Akira grunted in disappointment and ran to the Pawn, stopping it in its tracks.
“Pawn of the Devil’s Left Hand, I command you to stop!” She shouted.
The Pawn looked down at her and cocked its head blankly. Without considering fighting her, it continued on toward Matt. It was time for Tatsuo’s turn.
Tatsuo disappeared and reappeared by a smoky fog in front of the Pawn. Then he appeared on top of the Pawn, confusing it. He slid down the Pawn’s back while slashing it with his long katana. It screamed in pain as foggy human-like figures escaped the creatures’ back, scattering everywhere. As they did, the Pawn’s skull disintegrated and the whole monster disappeared. Matt, whom was still watching from the shadows, wanted to fight as well. But he didn’t know how… How did they think that he was the strongest one of all yet he didn’t have a clue about how to unleash his ability? Just how is he supposed to live up to what they allegedly expected out of him? As all of these questions flew through his mind, Matt suddenly became very outraged.

He began to shake in dissatisfaction and disturbance at himself. For the very fact that he could not believe in himself was going to end, and it was going to end now… so, unbeknownst to Akira and Tatsuo, whom were still fighting, Matt began to glow a bright blue color. The dark and murky alley way was vibrantly lit, with Matt’s suddenly-released power. Around him, the ground shook. He stared in astonishment at the power that was being emitted… Was he truly releasing all of this energy and pressure? No…

Suddenly, another foggy, human-like figure emerged from Matt’s body. His body, meanwhile, was suffering from intense and persistent pain, but he couldn’t scream, not even make a little peep. Somehow he thought he heard himself shout for Akira, who heard him and stared. Tatsuo also looked, and his dark eyes widened in utmost fear.

“Matsumoto-kun…?” Tatsuo gasped with visible fright.
“Matt!” Akira yelled while running back to him.
“What’s- happening to me?” Matt thought.
Suddenly he was out in the battlefield. Actually, he and someone else were. They looked exactly like him… What was going on? Matt thought. If he wasn’t in his body, how could it be moving? And how could he do all of these moves while fighting?

One of the Pawns charged at Matt. He saw it, but the other part of him was quicker. The quicker one winked at Matt and charged back at the Pawn. From what Matt could see, the other he had an interchangeable weapon; it looked like a long staff with a lengthy blade at the end. The weapon had intricate details, and it looked like there was some type of letters on the wooden part of the staff.

With the malicious-looking weapon, he jumped up at least ten feet into the air, dived toward the Soul Pawn, and slashed at various places in one moment’s time. It looked as if he were moving in blurs, so fast you couldn’t really see him… As if he was defying time by all means. Suddenly Matt himself felt the need to jump in.

He literally jumped in, almost copying the other part’s moves. They each landed on opposite sides of the Soul Pawn while it screamed in agony, light escaping the slashed crevices they made.

In about three seconds there were only two Soul Pawns left to sever. Together, Akira and Tatsuo slashed one up after their shockwaves had faded a little. Meanwhile Matt and his counterpart, if you will, sliced and diced the remaining one. They were victorious.

Yet somehow no one else knew of it. The street that had been turned into their battlefield was deserted; they were alone. Except for one girl named Amaya Hitomi.

Matt stared at her, and she stared back with suspicious, narrowed eyes. It took him a while to figure out that she was staring at until she swiftly ran past him and demolished the last Soul Pawn that they had missed!
Matt stared at her. She wore a black miniskirt and a purple blouse. Her long black hair flowed down her back, blowing in the wind.
“Amaya-chan…?” Matt said.

Amaya deliberately strolled towards him. She almost scared him a little; there was a rumor that if anybody messed with her, as quiet as she was, that anybody was dead. He jumped when she got in his face, but suddenly the other part of him skidded in front of him and Amaya, blocking her.

“Whoa, back off lady!” Matsumoto 2 said.
Akira and Tatsuo marched up to them.
“Who are you?” Tatsuo asked Amaya.
“Matsumoto Sakuraba, you’re positively DEAD!” Amaya shouted in Matt’s face.
Apparently she didn’t hear Tatsuo; Akira instinctively reached for her scythe again, stunned by Amaya’s attitude.
“Me? Wh-what did I do?” Matt asked.
“Don’t play dumb with me!” Amaya told him, shoving a finger in his face.

The other part of Matt swiped her finger away.
“Knock that off! Whatever you think he did, he didn’t! It was probably me.” He confessed.
“No,” Amaya said snottily.
“Amaya,” Matt said softly, “What’s wrong?”
Amaya’s shoulders stiffened at his tone.
“You’re… not scared?” Amaya remarked.
“No. Should I be?” Matt asked.

Unexpectedly, Amaya burst into laughter. Akira, Matt and his counterpart laughed too. Tatsuo just looked confused.
“Why is this particular matter to be laughed at?” He asked.
“Tatsuo-kun, I’ve no idea. Just go along with it.” Akira whispered in his ear.
“Ah, right.” Tatsuo murmured.
“Now, I know what you two are here for.” Amaya said, pointing at Tatsuo and Akira.
“You…do?” Akira said.
“Yeah- him, of course, and whoever that is.” She replied.

They all looked at Matt’s counterpart, who stared back with confidence.
“I guess I must explain myself…” He assumed.
“Yes.” Everyone chorused.
“Well, you see, I am Matt’s, err… well, counterpart. He summoned me whenever he needed aid in the battle, all the while trying to figure out what he was expected to do. So, I came in reply. He summoned me through courage and compassion, as… corny as that may sound.” He explained.
“Oh, that explains it, I guess.” Amaya said thoughtfully.
“Hm… yes, but what shall we call him, for the sake of confusion?” Tatsuo asked.
“Good question…” Akira said.

Matt tapped his foot in deep thought. They all rested their chins in their hands and thought and thought.
“Why don’t we call you,” Matt began, examining him, “Raiden?”
“Raiden…?” He repeated. “I like it: Raiden Sakuraba-sama!”
Matt laughed. “How about we just stick with Raiden for now, eh?”

Akira snapped a look at him.
“Are you serious?” She asked him.
“Maybe,” Matt said softly.

Akira gave a miserable and frustrated sigh.