AN: This is what happens when you binge-watch Love Live and Kamen Rider Black RX on the same night. This is also what happens when the plot idea practically overrides other chapter plans for Comes the Night and Tyrant. Also, this is what happens during really slow days at work but that's another story…enjoy.
Masked Family
Chapter One: Door of Dreams
Outside the Tokyo Dome, everything was still.
The third Love Live event had ended hours ago with the headlining act being the final performance of the School Idol Group from Otonokizaka Academy: μ's. Although they had made their decision to disband a year earlier, public expectation and excitement had allowed them to perform at the event as before they left the industry for good.
"Is the coast clear?"
Peeking around the corner, 18 year old now-former idol Honoka Kosaka nodded at her friends as they smiled at each other in relief. Although they were now a technically defunct unit, that didn't seem to have stopped the legion of fans they had somehow managed to pick up from all over the world. Indeed the mere mention of their names as headliners for the Love Live had drawn fans from all over the world to support them, though they were steadfast in their decision to end the group. After all, Sunny Day Song was now one of the highest ranking Idol songs worldwide and had finally managed to topple Futo's school idol unit on the charts for several months now. It was nice to finally have some time to relax and reflect on all that had happened in the past few months and think about the days ahead.
Maki Nishikino, Rin Hoshizora and Hanayo Koizumi would still be attending Otonokizaka Academy as third year students while helping the Idol Research Club to prosper and grow. Eli Ayase's sister, Arisa, and her own little sister, Yukiho, would be continuing in their duties as second year members and nurturing the first year students that had come in. Eli had a semi-steady job as a ballet instructor in the still-recovering Zawame City and was putting all of her years of hard work to good use, though her students regularly complained that she was being too harsh on them. Nozomi Tojo was always near and her fortune telling abilities had made her successful as a business consultant of sorts. According to Eli, she was receiving many propositions but had turned them all down. Nico Yazawa, after much soul-searching, had finally realised her passion wasn't being an idol but performing in front of an audience and had enrolled into a prestigious voice training academy in Zawame and was due to start in a few weeks.
Her childhood friends, Kotori Minami and Umi Sonada were staying in Otonokizaka for a few more months as they weighed their options. Kotori, in particular, was debating studying overseas as the fashion school had sent her another letter of offer. Australia wasn't as far away as America but it would mean she would be away from them for most of the year. Honoka grumbled under her breath at this as it wasn't fair that the school could just send her another offer, even though she had declined the first time. Of course, Kotori would say that she didn't formally decline the offer and had just postponed it until after she had graduated...which probably would account for the hasty phone call she had made after the concert in the auditorium. Thinking about it now made her smile softly. On the other hand, Umi would be training hard in archery for selections for the Japanese Archery Olympic team.
For a moment, the nine of them looked up at the starry sky and smiled in contentment. There were no more practices to attend, no more steps to memorise and no more songs that needed to be sung. Everything was peaceful and quiet.
"Kotori, you've grown up into a fine young woman."
The sudden voice startled them and made them all look around for the source, especially Kotori as she knew that voice from somewhere. As they calmed down somewhat, they could hear slowly approaching footsteps as the speaker stepped into the light. He was a solidly built man, about the same age as Honoka's father, wearing light clothes and a dark leather jacket that contrasted with his grey pants. Lines creased his face and his strange belt buckle reflected the external light off the twin red gems. Whoever this strange man was, he seemed to have a dangerous aura around him – like he was always ready to spring into action. His expression was grim but it slowly melted into a smile as he saw the girls; strangely, it was an expression that was reflected on Kotori's face.
"Kotaro!"
With a squeal of delight, Kotori ran into the welcoming arms of her cousin and grinned broadly as he enveloped her in a tight and warm hug. She hadn't seen him for her entire career as a School Idol as he was overseas working but he had sent her a few postcards from the places he had visited. She had always wondered how someone freelancing as a helicopter pilot could find work in places as remote as the middle of the Sahara Desert or deep within the Amazon Rainforest but her mother had always said there were people that needed to go somewhere. Interestingly, the locations also seemed to correlate with an incident in the area with wild reports that some sort of armoured attacker had been seen but this was mainly relayed by the drunks of the area. Releasing her cousin, she looked at him critically and smiled as she assured herself that nothing untoward had happened to him. Turning to her friends, she beamed happily and bounced on the spot in excitement.
"Guys, this is my cousin Kotaro Minami. He was overseas for the past few years but now he's returned. How long are you here for and have you told Mum about it?"
Kotaro Minami, also known to some as Kamen Rider Black RX, rubbed the back of his neck nervously. For the past three years, he had been ruthlessly hunting down the remnants of the Crisis Empire that were led by the dangerous Dictator Bloody. Their plots had spanned from poisoning the Amazon River to kidnapping the Egyptian Prime Minister and holding him in the Sahara Desert but he had always been there to stop them in their tracks, with help from time to time. Thanks to his relentless search, his forms had grown more powerful and had evolved extra attacks, which was rather helpful with his Robo Rider form. The last battle had been in the ruins of Yggdrasil Tower in Zawame City where he had received help from the Armoured Riders against a plot that would have covered the world in Hellheim's fruits once again. Interestingly, there weren't any held grudges from the so-called 'Battle Royale' that had happened around the revival of the Badan Empire.
He hadn't even intended to be in Tokyo today but one of his contacts had acquired information regarding what was shaping up to be one of their most dastardly plots yet – to kidnap members of his family and forcibly transform them into kaijin. Although his real parents had been killed by Gorgom when he had been born, his step-father Soichiro had given him a few phone numbers regarding his surviving family members. Recalling how nervous he had been when speaking to the then newly appointed Director Minami, he smiled again at his cousin and her friends. Casting an eye around the area, he hoped his call for assistance had gone through and that the proper figures were coming towards him. He certainly didn't want a repeat of what had happened in the seemingly abandoned theatre outside Sydney.
"Yes, Kotori, I have told your mother about me being in town. She sent me to pick all of you up, though it may be a bit of a tight squeeze with all nine of you and your costume changes."
Honoka smiled lightly, relaxing as she realised that Kotori had often talked about her cousin in the past. Of course, she hadn't properly been listening most of the time but recalled her telling them that he was always overseas for business. A small part of her mind also wondered why their names were so similar but she supposed it didn't matter. Amazement soon turned to puzzlement as she wondered, rather predictably aloud, how he knew they would be performing at the Love Live if he had been overseas. Catching everyone face-faulting at her question, she looked around and shrugged innocently. After all, it made sense that Kotori's cousin wouldn't have known they were performing in the Dome as he had been overseas but…he had just said that he had spoken with her mother so…and her brain was finally catching up with the rather air-headed thing she had just said.
"Don't be so hard on them, Kotaro. You'll manage somehow."
Turning at the new voice, Kotori's eyes widened as she saw a man who she had only seen in photos – Takeshi Hongo, an amazingly smart man who had been in the same class as her grandfather but had been forced to drop out after spending a weekend away. She didn't know much about him except what she had been told, though she had heard a strange rumour that he had been seen near the site of one of the rumoured underground 'Badan' attacks that had been in the news a while ago. Kotaro walked up to greet his senior and began discussing things with him as everyone else crowded around her, asking her questions about them. Rin was the most insistent, the energetic and feisty third year student wanting to know more about the two and what adventures her cousin had had. Not even when she had been torn between going overseas to study fashion had she been under so much pressure and she closed her eyes as her composure began to crack. Fortunately, any explanations on her end were quelled by another voice that boomed out through the air.
"Minami Kotaro, this is where you meet your end."
Thunder rumbled overhead as a massive lightning bolt smashed into the ground metres away from where they stood. Terrified, the girls huddled together and shrieked in fear as Kotaro and Hongo stood in readiness. The energy coalesced into a slim man wearing what appeared to be a blood-splattered lab coat and a pith helmet. Around his waist was a decaying leather belt which held a simple, two-pronged dagger and a single-shot pistol, the belt buckle displaying some strange sort of symbol that almost looked like the eagle of Shocker; the evil organisation that had operated from the shadows. Kotaro glanced at Hongo, knowing his identity would soon be revealed to his cousin – something he had been avoiding for quite some time. Kotori was too young, still too innocent, to be introduced into the darkness in him and the evil he had been battling overseas and her friends would be caught up in the destruction.
On the other hand, if he didn't reveal his identity, the media would be up in arms of the brutal deaths of Japan's idols…and the Crisis Empire would easily pin the blame on him. Years of work would be gone in an instant and he would be forced to spend the rest of his life on the run. No, as much as he hated to do it, revealing his identity was the only way for Kotori and her friends to survive. He only hoped, though the hope was fading fast, that the other Riders he had contacted would soon be arriving. He knew how strong the man in front of him was and what he was capable of. Hongo was good backup but his cyborg body was starting to weaken against the constant wear and tear. Privately, Kotaro hoped that when the time did come for an upgrade, Hongo wouldn't bulk up his body with more layers of armour.
"Who…who are you?"
The figure sneered at Eli and withdrew his dagger, twirling it around in the air in front of him. Strange humanoids dropped from the sky, as if called by some unheard command. They were dressed in uniform grey jumpsuits and were wearing what looked like hocky masks to conceal their faces. Silently, they spread out to encircle them – trapping the girls and the two men.
"I am the Ultimate Commander of the Crisis Empire! I am Dictator Bloody! RX, you will meet your doom here! There is no escape!"
Kotaro growled as the hairs on the back of his neck stood up – a sure sign that an energy barrier had been deployed. He had been caught in one of these traps before and knew what to look for to disable it. Unfortunately, the means to do so would be outside the barrier and what it looked like was only known to him and a few other Riders. He shifted his stance slightly, opening his jacket at his waist to reveal the Sunriser Belt and the twin King Stones that were set on it. Fighting at night would mean he couldn't use his Robo Rider form effectively but, fingers crossed, he would make do with his normal form and Bio Rider. He tensed up as he felt someone grab onto him but relaxed when Kotori's scared voice rang in his ears.
"Kotaro, what is going on? Who or what is RX?"
Shaking his head, he pulled his clothes free from Kotori and looked at her. She was so small, so fragile in her training clothes, eyes shimmering with unshed tears. All of them were the same, delicate flowers that had to be protected at any cost. Closing his eyes, he thought back to the end of the so-called 'Showa vs Heisei Rider Battle' and how Kouta Kazuraba, Kamen Rider Gaim, had shielded a single flower from what would have been a devastating attack. His determination then to protect all forms of life had been crucial in getting through to Hongo that the newer Riders knew what they were doing in protecting emotions first. Avoiding looking at the hurt and confusion in her eyes, he looked at her friends once more and noticed, with pride, how close they seemed to each other. That strength would serve them well in the future and would guard their minds against the revelation to come. Looking at Hongo once more, he nodded slowly.
"Kotori…I will explain later, I promise. Hongo, we don't have time."
Hongo nodded once and stepped back to allow his junior to take the lead. He had received a call from the daughter of an old friend out of the blue, asking him to help with movement of her daughter and her friends from the Love Live event in Tokyo Dome. Although he wasn't really one for the newer styles of music and the trend of school idols, he had watched a part of the concert and, much to his enjoyment, had found their performance stirring something inside him. Willing his Typhoon belt out of his torso, he stood side-by-side with Kotaro as he started the transformation process.
"Henshin!"
Kotori's eyes widened as brilliant glows enveloped the two men, temporarily shutting off the spotlights around them. Shielding her eyes against the intense light, she could just make out what appeared to be heavily stylised armour sliding over their bodies, encasing them in strange suits. Blinking the afterimages from her eyes as the lights illuminated the area once more; she heard the surprised and shocked gasps of her friends as they took in the sight in front of them – the widespread urban legend of the Kamen Riders made real in an instant. The figure on the left – Hongo, she thought – was dressed in a black bodysuit with silver gloves, boots and a red belt with twin stripes running down his sides. His torso was covered in stylised armour that was similar to the thorax of a grasshopper and his helmet was modelled after the insect. Kotaro, on the other hand, was clad in a more streamlined uniform in shades of green and black. His helmet was modelled after a grasshopper as well, though with larger eyes and a smoother mouth-plate. There seemed to be a solar panel on his chest, above his twin stone belt buckle.
Though his armour seemed to be slightly less flashy, Kotori could see the power that was surging beneath the plates as steam escaped from the cracks. Her mind was in turmoil and she didn't know what to think. Her cousin and an old family friend had just changed into, if the urban legend was to be believed, superheroes. She had seen a few recordings of the Beat Riders in Zawame City and Eli and Nozomi had told her of them but she never thought this would happen. Shaking her head to clear the lightness in her mind, she wondered what other surprises the night would throw at her…before realising she really didn't want to know the answer to that.
"I am the Child of the Sun!"
Kotaro ground his teeth together as he held his pose, knowing Kotori's image of him was crumbling away. He didn't know what she knew about the Kamen Riders, if she admired them as the heroes they were represented as in the urban legends or if she hated the destruction they seemed to cause wherever they went. However, now was not the time to be thinking of such distressing things and he banished them to the back of his mind. Gorgom had ensured he would never have a normal life and the Crisis Empire had ensured he would never find lasting peace but that was soon to change. Dictator Bloody was in front of him and he didn't want him to slip through his fingers at the last second. Tonight was the night where everything would finally end and, for a moment at least, he would find peace.
"Kamen Rider Black RX!"
TBC…
