The area is on the outskirts of the city where Kousuke was plying his trade and practicing his capabilities well beyond the fear of collateral damage or being discovered by the boys who like to launch metal things that hurt a lot into his body. The area was already a mess from the variety of training techniques, experiments, and heaven knows what he has been doing.

A manifestation of a figure in white appears in a tree near to wherever Kousuke was currently that would likely be familiar to him. A white tuxedo and a dark hair tone despite his spiritual essence obscuring color in general. The figure's expression was bored and a little depressed as he watched whatever Kousuke was doing right then and there.

"You're pushing yourself quite hard lately Kousuke. I can feel it whenever you do these sessions. the ghost says almost too casually to the Earth Knight.

As the ghost appears Kousuke suddenly jumps a couple of feet into the air and stares at it in surprise. "Don't do that! You startled me!" he shouts sweat coming off of his faces as lands and stares at the uninvited guest. Walking over to his rucksack Kousuke takes out a bottle of water and downs it as he looks at the ghost quizzically. "Well I can't really help pushing myself hard, I need to make sure I'm strong enough to deal with whatever is going to try and turn me against the senshi." He replies thinking back on the dream he'd had the night Ama had stayed over, the memory was not a good one and without realizing it he involuntarily crushed the bottle in his hand dumping about half the content onto his arm and pant leg.

"T-that's cold." he complains, lightening the mood slightly. "Anyways, I need to get ready. I'm planning on venturing out further from the city to see if I can talk with the youma that roam around out here. I figure they must be getting by without eating humans somehow so maybe they can be reasoned with." He explains as he stares slightly sadly at the water, he'd only gotten to take one sip.

"Besides practice is a good thing, I don't see why it's something that would worry you."

"That dream wasn't of you." the ghost says with a reluctant sigh. He shimmers and disappears, before landing on the ground in front of Kousuke. He looks at the landscape where Kousuke's training had shifted and disrupted the world around him, before chuckling slightly at the incident with the water spill.

"What you saw was what used to be my body, before I was killed and taken control of by Beryl. While it is certainly something to consider a threat, I believe that in time you and the senshi along with the male guardians will be able to overcome it. As for your plan to negotiate...it's a noble idea." he says, a tinge of skepticism evident in his voice. He had less of an opinion that youma could be so easily handled with negotiation.

"As for my concern about your training, do remember that you need balance, and to form bonds with those whom you would call ally and friend. Self training alone will not bring you to the apex of your potential. Your heart must grow along with your soul and your body."

Kousuke looks at the ghost with a slightly mystified expression though it seems as though a weight is lifted off his shoulders as the ghost tells him that the one who killed the senshi was not destined to be him. After hearing this Kousuke falls onto his ass and lets out a sigh of relief. "That's a relief, I guess that has been really eating at me." Kousuke admits as he closes his eyes and takes several deep breaths.

"If your body is still floating around it's no hard feelings if I kill it right?" Kousuke asks as the ghost as he opens his eyes and his gaze settles on the ghost. "Us winning isn't simply something you 'believe to be true' it's something that is going to happen. We aren't allowed to fail." The Earth Knight was someone who was unwilling to allow doubt to enter his mind. Once one started doubting something then all you could do was spiral downward, and he couldn't afford that.

Though when the spirit mentions his training Kousuke simply laughs. "Hahaha, our bonds are being established by being high school students and hanging out, and besides my contribution is to do something impressive in order to move the others to actually doing something." He says with a smile. "Come on, a man's gotta be able to pull his weight and I can't rely on the others for that."

"Of course...it's not mine anymore so I cannot hold you to guilt if you destroy it. Quite to the contrary, it is necessary for the security of the world going forward, and it will allow you to potentially recover the Golden Crystal which is also an important item of power, potential, and even a piece of you." the ghost of the Earth King says calmly, almost too accepting of the prospect of the destruction of at least his former corporeal form.

The Earth King quietly smiles as Kousuke proceeded to elaborate on his belief and rhetoric about victory, friendship, and bonds.

"True, a man should certainly be able to bear his burden and more if he chooses. But you cannot let it break you. Your importance is hard to state enough. Tell me something, Kousuke, you fight because you believe it is your purpose, but what is your dream? Is it simply a path of victory in conquest, or do you have a vision of the world you wish to achieve?"

"Well that's good." Kousuke says with a sigh of relief. "To be honest I wasn't really sure how I was going to break it to you that I was probably going to have to destroy it one way or another." He admits as he looks at the field he had been training in. "By the way, this golden crystal thing, the old you has it? Can I use that to find him?" Kousuke asks. After all if this guy was dangerous enough to hurt the Senshi Kousuke had to get him before he could find them.

The faces of the dying moon senshi flash through his mind and Kousuke's eyes resolve. Ama was never going to meet this man if he could help it. The Knight of Earth would clean up his predecessor's mess and none of the senshi would need to come to harm." These were the thoughts running through his mind.

Though he is snapped out of his thinking by the next question. What was it that he wanted the world to look like?...He wasn't really sure. "Too by honest, not a clue. I don't really know why this power was given to me, after all I was perfectly happy in the status quo before all of this began, and too be honest if monsters weren't trying to eat my friends and family I don't really think this world would be so bad." Kousuke admits, after all Kousuke had lived a life mostly free of real major problems he had a family that loved him, talent at the thing he loved, a wonderful girlfriend and a stable financial situation. It seemed greedy to ask for anything more.

He says back on a patch of grass that seemed out of place in this waste. "When the moon senshi and I talked to our parent, do you know what she asked for from this victory?" He asked. "She wanted to see Spring. Maybe I'm just someone with no vision, but I can't really imagine a world much different from this one. But a world where she can be smiling out in a field during the spring...that's a vision and goal I can hold onto." He says with a content smile. "It's strange isn't it? What love does to people? Suddenly it's not just about you anymore, there's a whole new set of conditions to achieve a happy ending. But even if I can't imagine a better world I'm sure she can, so I will protect her until she can make it happen."

"No, the crystal is too clouded by the darkness in order to easily track it, at least at your current level of strength. TO rush into that battle alone would be to meet your own demise. I was once like you and I thought I could handle things on my own, and the end result is my body was stolen from me to be the animated corpse you once dreamed of." the Earth King's ghost says calmly before listening to Kousuke's humble worldview. It was admirable and it made the ghost believe that perhaps the young man had his own distinct worthiness as his successor.

The image of smiling in a spring field was all too familiar. The Earth King's visage contorts to that of a smile before it fades again to an expression of neutrality.

"You and I are more alike than you could know. Love is...something that drives us to a higher ambition than we may have wanted on our own. Perhaps it gives us additional meaning to labor in the creation of a better future not just for oneself, but for another. As long as you can keep an eye on how your actions may impact others while trying to fulfill the wish of another, then you will have succeeded where I have failed." Endymion says calmly, having thought of his own mistakes of the past. Kousuke gave him hope however that he could do better, that he could succeed where he himself had failed.


The discussion would be disrupted by a powerful presence. The Earth itself trembles, and Endymion's presence seems to forcibly fade from the area as if another power's disruption made it impossible to remain. From the wood, a man with long hair and a military-like uniform manifests. He sings what sounds like a battle song though the language is unknown. Kousuke would feel the Earth tremble and even wane to the approach of this man.

When he gets close enough to Kousuke, the man smiles slyly, as he pauses, arms down and looking at the young Earth Knight.

"So, this is the boy whom calls the Earth constantly, to disrupt nature's perfect order for his own whim. Also, one of the ones whom slew my brother in combat." he says with a slight chuckle.

"I look forward to the day we clash blades boy. But I am a man of both honor and patience, and to overwhelm you when you are ill-prepared is not my way." he says as he gestures with his hand. "How rude it is to be one whom holds a sway over the Earth and disrespect her face by marring it so brazenly." he says, glaring at the numerous broken trees and large chunks of ground having been taken out.

Upon hearing that he couldn't use the crystal to track the former Earth Knight he frowns, a little disappointed. "So what's next?" He asks the king as he lays back. He knew that they'd be fighting those strong guys, but beyond that he didn't really see an end game for all of this. "Well I suppose greater minds than mine will figure out what comes next I'll just need to be skilled enough and strong enough when the time comes. It'll be good to put this practice to use." he says though when the Earth starts to tremble and Endymion is forced away Kousuke sits up, startled.

As the new man appears before him Kou looks at him curiously. "You're one of the zodiac?" He asks curiously though when the man begins monologing at him he assumes he is correct.

"Well it's nice of you to decide not to pick me off while I am tired, maybe you aren't such a bad guy after all, if you weren't trying to destroy the world or something you might even be popular." He says relaxing, in truth Kousuke couldn't win a fight in his current state. He was too tired, though he could probably run away very fast if it came down to it.

When the man mentions him calling Earths power on a whim he exhales in frustration. "You know people keep telling me that, but I am who I am if the Earth wanted someone who wouldn't practice with the powers or who would have deep and philosophical ponderings about it then it shouldn't have given them to me." he states. In the end he was the Earth Knight, this is what he had decided to do and if they wanted him to stop they could take the powers back...well he'd probably keep going anyways, he might get killed if that happened.

"Anyways I don't think I need to take advice from you on how to treat the earth given how it shrinks back from you." He points out. Though after thinking for a moment he decides to ask something he had been wondering for a while. "Hey, why are you all doing this? Is there some benefit to destroying the Earth and humanity for all of you?" He asks.

"Leo." he says with a confident smile when Kousuke had asked if he was a Zodiac. When he listened to Kousuke's remark about destroying the world his eyes narrow slightly. The thought of simply destroying the world was offensive to him, and the body just understood so very little...

"I can't understand why the Earth would choose one so reckless as you." Leo says with a slight scowl, but the comment about how the Earth shrinks back from him made Leo smile wryly. The other man looks at the small scale devastation and holds one hand in the air, his hand and fingers rigid.

"The Earth hardly shrinks back from me." he says as he releases a pulse of energy. The ground itself rumbles alive as the large holes begin to be filled once more as the soil becomes loose. Destroyed rocks begin to come back together, while broken trees begin to mend righting themselves upright and begin to regrow bark and leaves that were once lost, returning to a living or undamaged state as the case may be.

"Those of Lunarian blood understand so little of the world and of brotherhood..." Leo says while his magic goes to work undoing most of Kousuke's damage from his training purposes. "We don't seek to destroy the world, but to rather restore the order that once was held during the Golden Kingdom." he says confidently with a sincerity that even Kousuke would have to admire. As he stops he turns back to the younger male with a distant look in his eyes.

"I have observed humanity over the years. Breeding like rabbits with no regards for the Earth itself and consuming without offering in return. I have witnessed where those who were considered less fortunate would wither and die in the more remote regions of the world while the 'blessed' would grow fat and weak. Children, women, innocents would die and be treated with indignity, violence, and worse fates while the richer observe in their trivial distractions." he says, reflecting on much of the world's less glamorous truths during the era before the Obelisks.

"The world withers and dies beneath the pollution of your vehicles and factories. Your wasteful human culture would just break the world and turn it into a lifeless rock like the Moon. We are working to set things right to purge those of Lunarian corruption. Those who have the strength to act to make change are blessed and their Elysian heritage long buried comes to grant them the strength to do so." he says in defiance.

"Two countries who fight over a piece of land on the Earth concede to the victor in the end. This is no different. We will take the world back from the Lunarians and restore the Golden Kingdom to it's true magnificence without the foolish mistakes of the past."

"Dunno why the earth chose me, but it did. If you have such faith in it then I assume you'd trust it's choice. If you think you know better then I don't really think there is a point to this discussion." Kousuke points out. He did not enjoy being mocked and this man was merely spouting his own self indulgent philosophies. "You don't like me much huh?" Kou says with a grin.

"Well I don't understand much about what you are talking about, but like you said I'm kinda ignorant. Though..." As he looks at the newly grown greenerly he can't help but ask. "If you are simply forcing your will on the world I don't see much of a difference between you and us. If you can grow and revitilize the world wouldn't your time be better spent doing that? And if that display was simply wasting the earth's power to illustrate a point then you are even more wasteful than me."

As the man looks down on his with disgust Kousuke's smile finally turns into something serious. "You might be right, humans blight and destroy the world, they hurt each other, and they do all sorts of horrible things, but there is no crime in trying to survive. Leo what is a hero?"

"Interesting that it would choose you when her true mistress walks the Earth." Leo says with a ponderous expression. "I respect you young one, but I admit I am also resentful of you due to the role you played in my brother's demise. I will wait until a battlefield of honor before I claim his vengeance, as is the way of a true warrior." he says calmly. When Kousuke asked about how he forced his will on the world, Leo couldn't help but to chuckle softly.

"I don't force the world but I seek to serve it. There is much you don't know yet but you have the potential to see everything for what it is. The energy I use is my own. Lady Virgo will revitalize this world to it's true glory during the kingdom of Elysion...the old world will die and give birth to a beauty that defies words in your language...a...nenphania..." he says with a wistful chuckle.

"Survival is an act of courage and defiance. There is indeed no harm in it, but there is also the fact that you can make decisions to join the correct side and assure your survival." he says. The question on what makes a hero made the older man think for a few moments. His expression softens slightly as he begins his answer.

"A hero is one who will fight against the norm or against difficult odds to achieve a greater goal. Whether that goal is 'good' or 'evil' is subjective to those impacted. The world views us as evil because we strike a previously 'false peace' to establish the control needed for the rebirth of the Earth. We believe we are trying to create a better world. There will be losses along the way but they are needed for growth. Those who make the choice can become the heroes of a new order to rid the Earth of a stagnant era. Of course you are a hero to the cause of the old civilization. But as I imagine, your eyes may open to the truth in time. Perhaps one day we can be brothers in arms and work to recreate the world the way it originally was in all of it's magnificent splendor. Surely you have seen it by now in visions, have you not?"

"True Mistress of Earth? I thought Endymion was the king?" he replies with a bit of confusion. Though it doesn't last long. His confusion turns into a grin as they move over to discussion the nature of the man's powers. "I still don't get why you can't just start restoring the Earth with what you got so far. It seems like instead of sending monster to trash parks and buildings your efforts would be better spent actually trying to fix the planet. This kinda violence is only going to beget more of itself." He points out, humanity wasn't going to sit on its haunches and get destroyed. He was confident that this would escalate in the near future.

When the man tells Kousuke what he thinks a hero is Kousuke smiles. It wasn't too far off of his own thoughts. "Heroes are people who do something grand and who achieve what others cannot. It is true that there are going to be true that history may favor the winners, but the heroes will be remembered by both sides, their deeds being one of the things that never fades."

Kousuke begins stretching and his fragment of the golden crystal appears in his hand and then turns into a sword. "A decision to betray what you believe in order to survive is exactly the opposite of what a hero should be doing. That being said, heroes fight for a lot of reasons. So I'll make you a deal, if you can convince the moon and venus senshi, with words alone to change sides I will trust in their wisdom." He tells the man with sweeping gesture of his hands.

"I may seek to be a hero, but I also will trust in the wisdom of those wiser and greater than I, because in the end while there are heroes on both sides they all share one thing in common."

"All heroes are fools."

"There's more to it than you could know." Leo says calmly in response to Kousuke's confusion about the King. "Formerly, the Earth Senshi was promised the hand of the Earth Prince in marriage during the peak of the golden millenia. It is a time honored tradition that to break would spell the certain doom of Elysion by the Prophet. Endymion dared defy tradition and prophecy and the results speak for themselves. Endymion was the prince whom betrayed his lineage and his destiny to pursue the lunar princess. All paid the price of selfishness." Leo says calmly as he looks into Kousuke. His expression was one of sincerity with no sign that he was trying to deceive or otherwise manipulate the young one.

"To heal to Earth only to have it ruined by those of Lunarian blood? It is better to wipe the slate clean and rebuild from scratch. Your world has nothing we want to capture or retain. However I also accept that if the Lunarians find a way to overcome us then they are the ones worthy to keep this world by their strength of will. Something I have yet to find on the countless battlefields I have been on."

When Kousuke retorts his answer on heroism and a deal to convince the Venus and Moon senshi, he chuckles just a little. The sword drawn causes his eyes to narrow for a moment, but he decides to category Kousuke as not a threat currently.

"Heroism is subjective and an overused moniker. While you are not entirely unreasonable in that you will listen to others, a hero is also a person who knows where they stand without others. Sometimes the right thing to do is difficult and will draw the ire of others." he says as he looks away. The area had been mostly restored from the spells of Leo, and the zodiac decides that he had enough of what was here.

"Consider your path carefully. Should you decide to remain at odds with us, I will look forward to the day we clash blades, regardless of the outcome." he says as he leaps into the air, his appearance beginning to fade.

"Until then, show me your strength. I will be watching."

And with that, the eccentric zodiac disappears.