The first rays of dawn filtered through the thin curtains of the Starlight mansion, gently rousing Hoshino Ryuji from his sleep. The first thing he noticed was his wife's absence, and he immediately knew where she had gone. Deciding to stick to his morning routine, he headed to the kitchen before anything else.
The kitchen greeted him with its usual silence. He reached for the coffee pot, brewing himself a cup as the rich aroma filled the air. Taking a sip, his eyes wandered over the counter, and an old memory tugged at him.
El Burdigato Supreme.
It had been two years since Akira made that absurd dish for the cooking competition, yet Ryuji could still recall the taste as if it were yesterday. A laugh escaped him. "That kid… makes something like that and then refuses to cook at home."
After that day, Akira had only cooked occasionally, always with the excuse of being too busy. But when he did, the food was unforgettable. Ryuji took another sip of coffee, his smile fading into something softer, more thoughtful.
Ryuji sighed as his thoughts lingered on his son. Akira was a genius at almost everything he tried, but struggled socially. He rarely connected with others outside a small circle and barely interacted with kids his own age.
"At least he still plays with Erika and Iori from time to time. If not for that, I'd really be worried," Ryuji muttered before taking his coffee and heading to the basement, where the rest of his family was.
As he neared the secret arena in the basement, the sounds of clashing magic grew louder. Knowing his wife's prowess, Ryuji could already predict the outcome. His only hope was that she would go easy on their son.
The secret arena stretched out before him, illuminated by a cold, steady light. Yuki stood at the center of the arena, her arm extended, sending volleys of glittering ice crystals hurtling forward. Across from her, Akira zipped through the air on a rocket-powered hoverboard of his own design, barely avoiding each strike. A few shards clipped him, only to shatter against a glowing barrier that pulsed around his body.
Leaning casually against the railing, Ryuji sipped his coffee as though watching a morning show.
"Morning," he called out, his voice cutting through the noise. Neither combatant paused, though Akira spared him a fleeting glance.
"Hey, Father! Did you get the tickets? Ouch! Mother, wait!" Akira asked excitedly, only to be bombarded by ice spears from his mother.
"Don't get distracted during a fight! How many times must I tell you that?" Yuki scolded, shaking her head in exasperation.
"We'll talk later, Akira. First, finish your fight," Ryuji said with a smile, though he hesitated briefly about mentioning the tickets.
The air sparkled with frosty shards as Yuki calmly raised her hand, conjuring another volley of crystalline spears. Each one curved with precision, chasing her son's movements.
Akira's hoverboard zipped sideways, weaving through the barrage. The few shards he couldn't dodge slammed into a glowing violet barrier that flickered into existence around him.
Yuki sighed, her expression almost motherly even in combat. "I still don't understand why you insist on using your toys in a magic duel."
Akira, grinning despite sweat on his brow, leaned sharply and spun the hoverboard around one incoming shard. "Because as long as I control it, it's my power!, Now I will show you my new master piece."
He snapped his fingers. The ground below rumbled as a massive magic circle lit up, summoning forth a towering machine. Ten feet tall, armored in dark plating, and modeled after a Zaku, the robot's red mono-eye glowed ominously.
Both of Akira's parents were momentarily stunned when the ten-foot-tall robot appeared.
"Oh… you actually made it," Yuki said, her eyes widening in surprise. She knew her son wanted to make his own mecha for a long time, but she never thought he would make it this soon.
Akira grinned proudly. "Hehe, yes, I finished it just yesterday. It might not be a true mecha yet, but it's the first step."
"Why a Zaku, though?" Yuki asked curiously. "I thought you liked Gundams." Ever since her son had drowned himself in anime, she'd unwillingly picked up quite a bit of knowledge about them herself.
Akira smirked. "Zaku is cool too. And besides, I named this one Za-kun."
As if on cue, the robot emitted a deep mechanical growl, a machine-like sound resonating through its chest as its mono-eye glowed.
Then Akira raised his arm dramatically and shouted, "Go, Za-kun!"
With a metallic roar, Za-kun charged forward, its fist swinging toward Yuki. A translucent barrier flared into life around her, absorbing the impact without even cracking.
"Not bad," Yuki admitted, almost surprised.
Meanwhile, Akira shouldered a massive sci-fi weapon, the ominous red glow of an M6 Spartan Laser humming to life. "It's about time I beat you, Mother! Za-kun buy me some time!"
To keep her occupied, Za-kun let out a metallic roar as its arms shifted, mechanical plates sliding open to reveal dual Gatling guns, unleashing a storm of bullets. Its shoulder-mounted pods hissed open, firing a volley of guided missiles into the fray. The battlefield shook with explosions, smoke, and the shriek of gunfire, but all of them were blocked by a barrier.
Yuki only shook her head softly. "Relying too much on them is not a good thing."
She raised her hand. A glowing circle appeared above her palm, then burst into a wave of crackling electricity. The EMP-like pulse spread instantly, the hoverboard, railgun, and Gundam all sputtered, sparked, and died.
"Wait...WHAT!?" Akira flailed as the hoverboard short-circuited beneath his feet.
The machine dropped like a stone, but with a grunt, Akira twisted midair, reinforcing his body with a burst of magic before landing safely in a crouch.
Akira blinked in disbelief. "But… I made them to be mana-resistant!"
"Maybe not resistant enough," Yuki said with a shrug, with a teasing tone.
Akira pointed accusingly at Yuki. "Mother! You destroyed my stuff again! I worked hard on those"
"Hey, it's your own fault for bringing them into battle," Yuki said with a cool tone. She raised her hand, power crackling around her. "Now… let's fight for real."
Akira stared at the remains of his precious machines, then smirked despite himself. "Fine then. Guess it's time to get serious."
His aura flared to life, as the real magic battle had just begun.