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Okay, again hoping to distract you at least a little from the bullshit happening in NYC that will one way or the other affect everybody, here's the conclusion of "Worth"! When a warrior really begins their journey, the first step is either a quiet one or loud and bold. Shinri Muto intends to volunteer to go to one of the Hells -- literally! -- in order to save those held captive and meant to be sold for Lilith's horrid annual Auction. But as hard that initial step is for the warrior themselves...

...it's even harder for their loved ones to accept!
---

"Worth" -- Part Two of Two!

--1--

Shizuna and Shinri Muto's family had grown slowly and steadily in recent years, and that isn't just because Mama Shizu virtually adopted the Inazuma Fighters. It also wasn't simply because Shizuna had fallen in love with both Kikyo Sakai and Homare Miyano, who stayed here over half the days of the week...ahem, overnight! Mama Shizu, true to her nature, couldn't help but adopt others into her family she felt as much love for as she did her only son. She had many dogs and cats and even a few lovely birds in the household, and to say that the house could get noisy at times was an understatement. Shizu and Shin didn't mind, though, and both might have loved his 'little brother' Marco -- a Golden Lab the lady found lost and alone not too long ago -- the most. The son of a gun had grown so fast ever since he was made part of the family.

Right after Shinri told his mother what he intended to do, it suddenly got REALLY quiet in spite of the extended family all through the house. All those creatures of the gods felt a sudden and dramatic spike of emotional tension and could only pause. Marco looked to his beloved mistress and his brother and back again as he wondered what the heck was going on. For a pregnant moment, Mama Shizu was stock still...until she finally blinked...and carefully said, "Shin, you can't be serious. I mean, really, you can't be...!"

Shinri had expected this. He damn well dreaded how awkward and difficult this was gonna be. Still, he found his courage and responded, "I am, mom. Enko-dono said she and others needed to consider good volunteers for infiltrating Lilith's cult, right? I want to volunteer for this mission -- !"

Shizuna interrupted with a virtual explosion of emotion: "Do you have any idea what you're saying?!? Never mind that what we talked about yesterday involves altering your damned memories...it's about inserting into a cult you know absolutely nothing about! It's about the possibility of going to one of the Hells!"

"Mom, I totally understand! It's also about going to a 'safe zone' or whatever you'd call it in the Maijin Realm. Nothing happens to any of Lilith's mortal followers when they go there, right?"

Shizuna, unfortunately, got louder as she nearly yelled, "Anything could happen in circumstances like that! I've heard all the horror stories about Lilith and her cult! They're pure freaks!"

Shinri began, "Look, I know the risks of volunteering for something like this -- "

Shizuna barked, "Do you, son?! Do you honestly!?!"

It got really quiet again as the mother and son stared at each other. Shin damn near wanted to falter -- no! No, he couldn't do that, and so he lost his own cool in spite of his total love and respect for his mother. He yelled back, "YES! I already knew all the risks that come with simply being an Inazuma Fighter! I'd only be taking as many risks as you and the rest of the team do almost every day!"

Shizuna paused with surprise, but only for a couple of beats. She tried to say, "B-but we're talking about something completely different -- !"

Shinri became more and more adamant as he demanded, "Are we, mom??? You put your life on the line for innocent people you don't even know all the time! All the Fighters do, and I'm part of the team, remember?!?"

Mama Shizu completely loved her son, as well. She had always respected Shin's wishes to become part of the team, as well. But...that didn't change the fact that Shizuna NEVER liked the idea of Shin putting his life on the line in all the ways she and the rest of the team did. She was simply being a mother, which meant everything...HE meant everything to her, and that was why she was still felt elemental resistance burn in her beautiful soul. She began much more weakly, "B...b-but you're still new to the team...you're still a -- "

"Please don't tell me something I already know. I know I'm a rookie, mom. I've had the training thanks to you and Tobikage-dono and Buki and Marika. I have the training, but I've got to start getting the experience sometime, right?!"

Shizuna had to really reach inside to assert herself, and she sternly said, "Young man, I'm your mother, and -- !"

But her son very quickly snapped, "Don't you begin to pull that card with me."

Shizu REALLY stared at her son with disbelief. "Excuse me?!"

Shinri took a step toward his mother and declared, "I didn't want to start some gods-damned argument with you, mom. I'm simply paying you the respect of telling you I want to volunteer for this. I want to do something important that will save lives who'd be condemned by that monster Lilith. You may be my mother, but I'm adult! I'm a man, and I'm not asking for your approval or your permission for this, dammit!"

Shizu's eyes were nearly as wide as Marco's as she was floored figuratively and emotionally by the strength in her son's passionate words...and Shin was just as shocked by the fact he put his foot down so strongly!

"I...!" Shin quickly bowed before the most important woman in his life as he felt like total crap. He groaned, "D-duomo sumimasen, mother! I-I've never talked to you that way before...I've never wanted to, but...!"

"Son, don't apologize." That made him look up...and he was so taken aback when he saw his mother gazing at him with absolute melancholy. She managed, "Please don't be sorry...because you're right. You are an adult. You are a man...and you inherited so much from your father, gods rest his soul. I...I'd be a fool and a hypocrite if you needed my permission to do the right thing.

"I mean, I never asked your permission when me and your father agreed I had to leave the Setsushi Annihilators to make a better life...even with all of the risks." She gracefully stepped to one side a couple of paces as she looked back upon both of their remarkable lives. "I had to do what was right for the both of you. I had to do what was right for Soraya and Fubuki and everyone that might Natasha nearly killed them. Me and the rest of the team have always been ready put ourselves at risk all of the time doing what's right...

"...and you are part of our team, son. But..." Shizuna's gorgeous face broke with anxiety and sadness as she moaned, "I am your mother, and it's not easy to really accept that you want to take as many risks as I do. I only want what's best for you. I want to protect you!"

Shinri solemnly looked back at the woman who bore him into life and said solemnly, "I know, mom. I know."

"The thought of you putting your life on the line...gods, it hurts so much, I can't even begin to say. It was horrible enough to see you threatened by the Seasonal Queens, and you weren't even part of the team yet. Those bitches took you and hurt you to get revenge on us...!"

Shinri looked down at the carpet and interrupted quietly, "I recovered from that, mom. I did get..."

But the young man stopped himself very briefly as he simply thought of things he couldn't ever confide to his mother. Or anyone else. He thought: Those monsters did so much worse than hurt me. I'm trying to recover, but...! How does a young man recover from the pure shame of being violated as harshly as he was? Of being raped so brutally and repeatedly? To be made to feel not simply helpless...but to feel like he wasn't a man at all? To feel worthless?

In spite of everything and his total love and respect for his mom, he kept that pain bottled in as he finished, "...I did get better. I really did." Desperate to stop thinking about what he had gone through, he said with sudden lightness, "Hey. If it helps anything...seriously, I don't want anything bad to happen to me, too!"

It was an awkward moment right after he made that joking comment...but Shizuna found the strength to laugh, and her son laughed with her. Yet there was still so much anxiety on his mom's face. And so much anxiety within them both.

Shinri finally made his case with much quieter passion. "Mom, I just want to follow the example you and the rest of the team set. I want to pull my own weight and really do some good. I...

"...I want to make you proud of me, mom...!"

It was completely quiet once again as Marco watched the mother slowly, lovingly move to his brother. Shizuna said with pure truth and emotion: "I am proud of you, young man. Make no mistake, I am absolutely proud of you. I'm sure your father is looking upon you with true pride, too.

"I'm so honored you told me what you want to do, Shin. I'm so blessed you want to be a man and do what's right." Tears slowly began to fall down Shizu's perfect cheeks. "But as your mother...I'm so terrified for you."

Emotion had reached its peak for them both at this moment as the mother was really trying to find the strength to let her adult son follow his heart...to at least briefly let him go, but it felt like complete hell to do so. He felt just as bad. Maybe even worse.

Shinri gently took his mother's shoulders in his big hands. He told her with all of the hope in his heart, "I-it'll be all right, mom. Besides...another volunteer might be chosen for this mission, right? So this whole talk would be kind of moot, wouldn't it?"

Shizuna managed to giggle a little...she snarkily said, "Well, if you don't mind, I'll be praying they'll choose someone else!" A brief, sweet pause, and then Mama Shizu smiled. But her eyes expressed everything but happiness. "You don't need my permission, young man. Do what you know to be right. No matter what happens, I love you. I'll always want what's best for you, forever and ever...!"

Shinri damn near broke into tears too and said with heavenly earnest, "I love you too, mom."

They held each other tight for a very long time as Marco simply gazed at them...

--2--

Somewhere else, later that evening. Shinri met a man and woman in a quiet conference in a Chiba park...it was Tobikage Koyanagi and Enko Inazuma, the two people responsible for the creation of the Inazuma Fighters. The Sensei Tobikage asked, "Was it difficult, Shinri-kun?"

Shinri sighed heavily and answered, "Not as difficult as I thought it would be. Mom said I didn't need her blessing, but...but I know I broke her heart. I'm not feeling much better."

Tobi nodded. "If it helps, we also feel like hell, young man."

Enko looked upon him with total empathy and said very softly, "I wouldn't blame Shizu-chan if she hated us both for..." For once, the bold blonde who imparted so much of herself upon her daughter Fubuki was at a loss to say anything more.

Shinri's brow crinkled and he asked, "For what? I never told mom that you two already recommended to the Vanquishers and the Slayers Organization that I be the one to infiltrate the cult." Both Tobi and Enko thought that Shin would be perfect since he was a tiefling. He wouldn't be looked upon with much suspicion or interest compared to a full blooded Human. Also, since he was still a rookie, that made Shinri a true unknown to the rest of the world...unlike his high profile teammates. "I did say I was going to volunteer, but..."

Tobikage frowned and asked, "You lied to her, son?"

Shinri said bluntly, "I didn't lie. I did lie to my mom more than once when I was a kid. When I was really young and really stupid."

Inside, Shin still lamented there was so much he hid from his mother not only about Tobi and Enko supporting him, but about his being violated by the Queens. He thought: I am a man. I...I want to think that. I want to finally believe that I'm a man.

M-maybe I will someday.

Shinri said lamely, "I just...happened to not mention either of you. That's all!"

Enko, the veteran Vanquisher, tenderly considered the young warrior and said, "Shin-kun...I love you and I need to ask you one more time. You're totally sure?"

Shinri nodded deeply. "Yes, Enko-dono. I really do want to make my mom proud of me, and I've got to start my journey to serving virtue sometime." He almost laughed. "Hmf. I always thought my start on that road would be a lot more exciting than this...!"

Tobikage advised him warmly, "Young man, we can both tell you from professional experience you ought to be careful what you wish for...especially if it's excitement! Come." He gestured, and all three of them moved deeper into the park. There was no one else in the immediate area as the Sensei said, "Chikage-chan and Kiki-chan should be done with their scans of the catering company employees tomorrow morning. They already reported to us there's a Hellgate in their main garage. That will most assuredly be your 'in' to the Maijin Realm. Tomorrow night, the high level Telepaths will begin imparting the template upon you."

Shinri nodded. "Me and mom will have told the rest of the team what I'm gonna do before that. The light bewitchment still shouldn't be for too long, should it?"

Tobikage answered, "Thus far, the mystics told us that ideally, the spell should last about ten days. That will hopefully be enough time...!"

--3--

Back to the present, two weeks later. The Asagi sisters, Meiko, Jotarao Miyamoto and his fellow Rangers Kyosuke, Saito, and Sanji and Tien Li Oda were traveling on a shuttlecraft to Chiba. Kyoko finished, "That is how the Inazuma Fighters infiltrated the Cult of the Goddess, Jotaro-dono."

Misa looked up from her smart phone and reported, "Fubuki-chan just got a message from Shinri-kun. He saw many of the prisoners in the Bordello, including Takeru-kun!"

Kyoko nodded and said coolly, "And now the Fighters have started reaping the rewards of their efforts. We must support them in every way possible."

Jotaro asked Misa, "Is my boy all right???"

Misa answered, "He should be, sir, but Shinri-kun could only say he saw him and the rest of the captives. T.K. will be all right after we rescue him and the rest and bring them back to Earth!"

Jotaro, still so anxious, said quietly, "I hope to meet this man Shinri-san and thank him for all of the risks he's taken."

Tien Li reassured gently, "You should have the chance, Jo-kun. And very soon now...!"

Things happened in blessedly short order after that. As Kyoko said, they had the means to reach the Bordello -- by the Hellgate in the main garage of the catering company. The combined force of heroes that included the rest of the Fighters, the Asagi sisters, and the Slayers Organization stormed the place...not so regretfully, the cultists the heroes weren't forced to kill in self defense committed suicide rather than betray their 'Goddess of Lust'. No great loss. Some of those heroes dared all to literally drive a catering truck through the Hellgate into Lilith's territory on The Other Side and very quietly saved Takeru Miyamoto and twenty more captive men being held and 'prepared' for the Auction. Everyone including Shinri escaped and returned to Earth with little effort...but with the disturbing knowledge that Lilith was close to the infernal Oe family, and they even saw that bitch Mizuki Oe in the Bordello, too! So much for any hopes that the sister of Ryo Oe would never be seen again. Many of the heroes had to wonder about the worrying implications as the Hellgate and the catering company were thoroughly demolished. After that, it was just a question of finding the right law enforcement officials to give them the computer hard drives containing important intelligence about Lilith's terrible Cult. None of the heroes expected much, though, since those followers knew how to cover their tracks in the most insidious ways.

Thankfully, everyone was certain that Lilith and the forces of evil would never, ever know that this victory came about because of the critical help of an Inazuma Fighter named Shinri Muto...a young man who strove to do what was right as he hoped to escape the shame he held secret in his heart.

The End!
---
This story isn't just for and , but for ...he'll understand!

Giving credit where it's due!
XNALara created by Dusan Pavlicek; XPS by Dusan and XNAaraL

Models:
Shinri Muto and his mother Shizuna Muto, again by their creator !

Description
Okay, again hoping to distract you at least a little from the bullshit happening in NYC that will one way or the other affect everybody, here's the conclusion of "Worth"! When a warrior really begins their journey, the first step is either a quiet one or loud and bold. Shinri Muto intends to volunteer to go to one of the Hells -- literally! -- in order to save those held captive and meant to be sold for Lilith's horrid annual Auction. But as hard that initial step is for the warrior themselves...

...it's even harder for their loved ones to accept!
---

"Worth" -- Part Two of Two!

--1--

Shizuna and Shinri Muto's family had grown slowly and steadily in recent years, and that isn't just because Mama Shizu virtually adopted the Inazuma Fighters. It also wasn't simply because Shizuna had fallen in love with both Kikyo Sakai and Homare Miyano, who stayed here over half the days of the week...ahem, overnight! Mama Shizu, true to her nature, couldn't help but adopt others into her family she felt as much love for as she did her only son. She had many dogs and cats and even a few lovely birds in the household, and to say that the house could get noisy at times was an understatement. Shizu and Shin didn't mind, though, and both might have loved his 'little brother' Marco -- a Golden Lab the lady found lost and alone not too long ago -- the most. The son of a gun had grown so fast ever since he was made part of the family.

Right after Shinri told his mother what he intended to do, it suddenly got REALLY quiet in spite of the extended family all through the house. All those creatures of the gods felt a sudden and dramatic spike of emotional tension and could only pause. Marco looked to his beloved mistress and his brother and back again as he wondered what the heck was going on. For a pregnant moment, Mama Shizu was stock still...until she finally blinked...and carefully said, "Shin, you can't be serious. I mean, really, you can't be...!"

Shinri had expected this. He damn well dreaded how awkward and difficult this was gonna be. Still, he found his courage and responded, "I am, mom. Enko-dono said she and others needed to consider good volunteers for infiltrating Lilith's cult, right? I want to volunteer for this mission -- !"

Shizuna interrupted with a virtual explosion of emotion: "Do you have any idea what you're saying?!? Never mind that what we talked about yesterday involves altering your damned memories...it's about inserting into a cult you know absolutely nothing about! It's about the possibility of going to one of the Hells!"

"Mom, I totally understand! It's also about going to a 'safe zone' or whatever you'd call it in the Maijin Realm. Nothing happens to any of Lilith's mortal followers when they go there, right?"

Shizuna, unfortunately, got louder as she nearly yelled, "Anything could happen in circumstances like that! I've heard all the horror stories about Lilith and her cult! They're pure freaks!"

Shinri began, "Look, I know the risks of volunteering for something like this -- "

Shizuna barked, "Do you, son?! Do you honestly!?!"

It got really quiet again as the mother and son stared at each other. Shin damn near wanted to falter -- no! No, he couldn't do that, and so he lost his own cool in spite of his total love and respect for his mother. He yelled back, "YES! I already knew all the risks that come with simply being an Inazuma Fighter! I'd only be taking as many risks as you and the rest of the team do almost every day!"

Shizuna paused with surprise, but only for a couple of beats. She tried to say, "B-but we're talking about something completely different -- !"

Shinri became more and more adamant as he demanded, "Are we, mom??? You put your life on the line for innocent people you don't even know all the time! All the Fighters do, and I'm part of the team, remember?!?"

Mama Shizu completely loved her son, as well. She had always respected Shin's wishes to become part of the team, as well. But...that didn't change the fact that Shizuna NEVER liked the idea of Shin putting his life on the line in all the ways she and the rest of the team did. She was simply being a mother, which meant everything...HE meant everything to her, and that was why she was still felt elemental resistance burn in her beautiful soul. She began much more weakly, "B...b-but you're still new to the team...you're still a -- "

"Please don't tell me something I already know. I know I'm a rookie, mom. I've had the training thanks to you and Tobikage-dono and Buki and Marika. I have the training, but I've got to start getting the experience sometime, right?!"

Shizuna had to really reach inside to assert herself, and she sternly said, "Young man, I'm your mother, and -- !"

But her son very quickly snapped, "Don't you begin to pull that card with me."

Shizu REALLY stared at her son with disbelief. "Excuse me?!"

Shinri took a step toward his mother and declared, "I didn't want to start some gods-damned argument with you, mom. I'm simply paying you the respect of telling you I want to volunteer for this. I want to do something important that will save lives who'd be condemned by that monster Lilith. You may be my mother, but I'm adult! I'm a man, and I'm not asking for your approval or your permission for this, dammit!"

Shizu's eyes were nearly as wide as Marco's as she was floored figuratively and emotionally by the strength in her son's passionate words...and Shin was just as shocked by the fact he put his foot down so strongly!

"I...!" Shin quickly bowed before the most important woman in his life as he felt like total crap. He groaned, "D-duomo sumimasen, mother! I-I've never talked to you that way before...I've never wanted to, but...!"

"Son, don't apologize." That made him look up...and he was so taken aback when he saw his mother gazing at him with absolute melancholy. She managed, "Please don't be sorry...because you're right. You are an adult. You are a man...and you inherited so much from your father, gods rest his soul. I...I'd be a fool and a hypocrite if you needed my permission to do the right thing.

"I mean, I never asked your permission when me and your father agreed I had to leave the Setsushi Annihilators to make a better life...even with all of the risks." She gracefully stepped to one side a couple of paces as she looked back upon both of their remarkable lives. "I had to do what was right for the both of you. I had to do what was right for Soraya and Fubuki and everyone that might Natasha nearly killed them. Me and the rest of the team have always been ready put ourselves at risk all of the time doing what's right...

"...and you are part of our team, son. But..." Shizuna's gorgeous face broke with anxiety and sadness as she moaned, "I am your mother, and it's not easy to really accept that you want to take as many risks as I do. I only want what's best for you. I want to protect you!"

Shinri solemnly looked back at the woman who bore him into life and said solemnly, "I know, mom. I know."

"The thought of you putting your life on the line...gods, it hurts so much, I can't even begin to say. It was horrible enough to see you threatened by the Seasonal Queens, and you weren't even part of the team yet. Those bitches took you and hurt you to get revenge on us...!"

Shinri looked down at the carpet and interrupted quietly, "I recovered from that, mom. I did get..."

But the young man stopped himself very briefly as he simply thought of things he couldn't ever confide to his mother. Or anyone else. He thought: Those monsters did so much worse than hurt me. I'm trying to recover, but...! How does a young man recover from the pure shame of being violated as harshly as he was? Of being raped so brutally and repeatedly? To be made to feel not simply helpless...but to feel like he wasn't a man at all? To feel worthless?

In spite of everything and his total love and respect for his mom, he kept that pain bottled in as he finished, "...I did get better. I really did." Desperate to stop thinking about what he had gone through, he said with sudden lightness, "Hey. If it helps anything...seriously, I don't want anything bad to happen to me, too!"

It was an awkward moment right after he made that joking comment...but Shizuna found the strength to laugh, and her son laughed with her. Yet there was still so much anxiety on his mom's face. And so much anxiety within them both.

Shinri finally made his case with much quieter passion. "Mom, I just want to follow the example you and the rest of the team set. I want to pull my own weight and really do some good. I...

"...I want to make you proud of me, mom...!"

It was completely quiet once again as Marco watched the mother slowly, lovingly move to his brother. Shizuna said with pure truth and emotion: "I am proud of you, young man. Make no mistake, I am absolutely proud of you. I'm sure your father is looking upon you with true pride, too.

"I'm so honored you told me what you want to do, Shin. I'm so blessed you want to be a man and do what's right." Tears slowly began to fall down Shizu's perfect cheeks. "But as your mother...I'm so terrified for you."

Emotion had reached its peak for them both at this moment as the mother was really trying to find the strength to let her adult son follow his heart...to at least briefly let him go, but it felt like complete hell to do so. He felt just as bad. Maybe even worse.

Shinri gently took his mother's shoulders in his big hands. He told her with all of the hope in his heart, "I-it'll be all right, mom. Besides...another volunteer might be chosen for this mission, right? So this whole talk would be kind of moot, wouldn't it?"

Shizuna managed to giggle a little...she snarkily said, "Well, if you don't mind, I'll be praying they'll choose someone else!" A brief, sweet pause, and then Mama Shizu smiled. But her eyes expressed everything but happiness. "You don't need my permission, young man. Do what you know to be right. No matter what happens, I love you. I'll always want what's best for you, forever and ever...!"

Shinri damn near broke into tears too and said with heavenly earnest, "I love you too, mom."

They held each other tight for a very long time as Marco simply gazed at them...

--2--

Somewhere else, later that evening. Shinri met a man and woman in a quiet conference in a Chiba park...it was Tobikage Koyanagi and Enko Inazuma, the two people responsible for the creation of the Inazuma Fighters. The Sensei Tobikage asked, "Was it difficult, Shinri-kun?"

Shinri sighed heavily and answered, "Not as difficult as I thought it would be. Mom said I didn't need her blessing, but...but I know I broke her heart. I'm not feeling much better."

Tobi nodded. "If it helps, we also feel like hell, young man."

Enko looked upon him with total empathy and said very softly, "I wouldn't blame Shizu-chan if she hated us both for..." For once, the bold blonde who imparted so much of herself upon her daughter Fubuki was at a loss to say anything more.

Shinri's brow crinkled and he asked, "For what? I never told mom that you two already recommended to the Vanquishers and the Slayers Organization that I be the one to infiltrate the cult." Both Tobi and Enko thought that Shin would be perfect since he was a tiefling. He wouldn't be looked upon with much suspicion or interest compared to a full blooded Human. Also, since he was still a rookie, that made Shinri a true unknown to the rest of the world...unlike his high profile teammates. "I did say I was going to volunteer, but..."

Tobikage frowned and asked, "You lied to her, son?"

Shinri said bluntly, "I didn't lie. I did lie to my mom more than once when I was a kid. When I was really young and really stupid."

Inside, Shin still lamented there was so much he hid from his mother not only about Tobi and Enko supporting him, but about his being violated by the Queens. He thought: I am a man. I...I want to think that. I want to finally believe that I'm a man.

M-maybe I will someday.

Shinri said lamely, "I just...happened to not mention either of you. That's all!"

Enko, the veteran Vanquisher, tenderly considered the young warrior and said, "Shin-kun...I love you and I need to ask you one more time. You're totally sure?"

Shinri nodded deeply. "Yes, Enko-dono. I really do want to make my mom proud of me, and I've got to start my journey to serving virtue sometime." He almost laughed. "Hmf. I always thought my start on that road would be a lot more exciting than this...!"

Tobikage advised him warmly, "Young man, we can both tell you from professional experience you ought to be careful what you wish for...especially if it's excitement! Come." He gestured, and all three of them moved deeper into the park. There was no one else in the immediate area as the Sensei said, "Chikage-chan and Kiki-chan should be done with their scans of the catering company employees tomorrow morning. They already reported to us there's a Hellgate in their main garage. That will most assuredly be your 'in' to the Maijin Realm. Tomorrow night, the high level Telepaths will begin imparting the template upon you."

Shinri nodded. "Me and mom will have told the rest of the team what I'm gonna do before that. The light bewitchment still shouldn't be for too long, should it?"

Tobikage answered, "Thus far, the mystics told us that ideally, the spell should last about ten days. That will hopefully be enough time...!"

--3--

Back to the present, two weeks later. The Asagi sisters, Meiko, Jotarao Miyamoto and his fellow Rangers Kyosuke, Saito, and Sanji and Tien Li Oda were traveling on a shuttlecraft to Chiba. Kyoko finished, "That is how the Inazuma Fighters infiltrated the Cult of the Goddess, Jotaro-dono."

Misa looked up from her smart phone and reported, "Fubuki-chan just got a message from Shinri-kun. He saw many of the prisoners in the Bordello, including Takeru-kun!"

Kyoko nodded and said coolly, "And now the Fighters have started reaping the rewards of their efforts. We must support them in every way possible."

Jotaro asked Misa, "Is my boy all right???"

Misa answered, "He should be, sir, but Shinri-kun could only say he saw him and the rest of the captives. T.K. will be all right after we rescue him and the rest and bring them back to Earth!"

Jotaro, still so anxious, said quietly, "I hope to meet this man Shinri-san and thank him for all of the risks he's taken."

Tien Li reassured gently, "You should have the chance, Jo-kun. And very soon now...!"

Things happened in blessedly short order after that. As Kyoko said, they had the means to reach the Bordello -- by the Hellgate in the main garage of the catering company. The combined force of heroes that included the rest of the Fighters, the Asagi sisters, and the Slayers Organization stormed the place...not so regretfully, the cultists the heroes weren't forced to kill in self defense committed suicide rather than betray their 'Goddess of Lust'. No great loss. Some of those heroes dared all to literally drive a catering truck through the Hellgate into Lilith's territory on The Other Side and very quietly saved Takeru Miyamoto and twenty more captive men being held and 'prepared' for the Auction. Everyone including Shinri escaped and returned to Earth with little effort...but with the disturbing knowledge that Lilith was close to the infernal Oe family, and they even saw that bitch Mizuki Oe in the Bordello, too! So much for any hopes that the sister of Ryo Oe would never be seen again. Many of the heroes had to wonder about the worrying implications as the Hellgate and the catering company were thoroughly demolished. After that, it was just a question of finding the right law enforcement officials to give them the computer hard drives containing important intelligence about Lilith's terrible Cult. None of the heroes expected much, though, since those followers knew how to cover their tracks in the most insidious ways.

Thankfully, everyone was certain that Lilith and the forces of evil would never, ever know that this victory came about because of the critical help of an Inazuma Fighter named Shinri Muto...a young man who strove to do what was right as he hoped to escape the shame he held secret in his heart.

The End!
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This story isn't just for and , but for ...he'll understand!

Giving credit where it's due!
XNALara created by Dusan Pavlicek; XPS by Dusan and XNAaraL

Models:
Shinri Muto and his mother Shizuna Muto, again by their creator !