"Damn, I still can't get used to this thing," Mion muttered as she rolled her right shoulder. She looked herself in the mirror, in her underwear. Despite the arm appearing flesh and blood, she knew that the right arm she now wore was an artificial, cybernetic prosthetic made to replace the one she had lost.
It looked real and felt like her old arm thanks to Dr. Magi's expertise in cybernetics. However, peel off the artificial skin, and the true mechanical appearance would be revealed. Honestly, if it weren't for them, she'd be one-armed for the rest of her life. Well, it was the price of fighting evil and one of her battle scars that she would have to bear.
The Priest had outclassed them, beaten them, and would've killed them if they hadn't fled. It had been one of those days when they couldn't help but feel like they had disappointed Shinichi. He had given them the powers of the Legendary Riders, but had failed to win against an enemy. However, Shinichi had been more worried about their well being than about whether or not they had won or lost.
A lot had changed in the village. For starter, a monument had been built in the village square to honor the heroes who had saved the world from Savage. Also, the junkyard was being cleaned up so the land could be used to build a new base to replace the one that had been destroyed. It would be a bigger, better, and grander than before. The Basement under Irie's Clinic and the Dungeon under Shinichi's Genovian dungeon would be additional outposts for them.
The Gaming Club had indeed come far since the days when they just played games after school. The first time they had become heroes was when they had saved the village from Takano's insane plan. Now, they had saved the world. Talk about moving up in the world. With their identities as Kamen Riders exposed to the world, there was nobody who didn't recognize them. In hindsight, maybe revealing themselves in public like that might not be the best idea in the world. However, it was too late and there was no point in regretting it. The world had changed.
Of course, the reporters and press conferences were something Mion would rather do without. However, it was Mion's duty to represent Hinamizawa as the head of the Sonozaki Clan. Her grandmother was probably rolling in her grave with all the breaks from tradition, but the world as they knew it had changed. It was time to move forward.
"Mion," her mother, Akane, called. "Are you decent?"
Mion quickly pulled on a robe and tied the sash around her waist. "Yes, Mom." The door slid open and Akane Sonozaki entered. Despite being in her late forties, she was still a stunning woman. She was shocked to have learnt about her daughter's secret, and had demanded an explanation. Akane should've known as much. All the weird happenings started around the time Shinichi Banabara showed up in Hinamizawa. Akane couldn't blame the boy for all that had happened, but she couldn't deny that the boy was a magnet for trouble. It was the only conclusion she could make since he was always in the middle of trouble, fighting, as Kamen Rider Showa. However, Akane could not deny that he was a hero. And not just him, but some of the youths of their village as well.
The two sat down in the seiza position, facing each other. Akane bowed her head. This may be her daughter, but she was the new Clan Head, and deserved to be respected. However, Akane and her husband would still guide her. Even with her experiences, she was still just getting started at being the Clan Head and would need their guidance and advice to make the right decisions.
"How was your day?" Akane asked.
"It's fine, really," said Mion. "Although, we needed to dodge reporters at the university."
"They want more interviews?" Akane questioned. Mion's frown deepened.
"It's just the same thing," said Mion. "It's been months since that day. They really should move on."
"That day, as you call it, was the day this world was freed from a tyrant," said Akane. "If it weren't for you and your friends, this world would still be under his control."
"I know, but still, it's old news now. We won, people can return to their normal lives. They don't have to crowd us all the time. I mean, just a few congratulations and pats on the back were enough," said Mion.
"You're heroes. It's expected," Akane commented.
"Well," Mion shrugged, "I wish we could just go back to having secret identities. It's too bad we can't just go back in time and undo it."
"Why not?" Akane asked. Mion had told her about ARMOR and their technology to travel through time.
"There are rules, Mom," said Mion. "The Doctor told us about fixed points in time and us revealing ourselves is said to be a fixed point that must always happen. There are also events when time is in flux and can be changed, which I still don't get."
"Sounds complicated," said Akane.
"Yeah, it is," said Mion. It was like that time Shinichi's self from when he was 5 years old came to their time and Shinichi had to send him back so that there wouldn't be a damaging time paradox. "But as wacky as the Doctor is, he was a great help against Savage. Helped us to pull ourselves together and keep fighting."
"And you won," said Akane. She glanced at Mion's right arm which was covered by a sleeve. She almost didn't believe it was cybernetic, until of course Mion had to show her by peeling back some of the skin. She also learnt that Shinichi had his arms and legs replaced with cybernetics because of an incident with an old enemy.
"Yeah, but there are still bad guys running loose all over the world," stated Mion. "That's why we're all over the place now."
"Earth's Greatest Heroes," said Akane.
"Mom..." Mion whined, blushing. "Don't call us that. It's embarrassing."
Akane patted Mion's head, "But I'm just so proud of you. So proud of how strong you've become and yet still able to keep your heart warm." She knew that the Head of the Sonozaki Clan needed to harden their hearts for the position. They couldn't show weakness. It was tradition. Mion, of course, had earned the respect of the Clan. She was a Kamen Rider, which was a huge honor in itself. Ever since everyone learnt that Kamen Rider Showa came from Hinamizawa, they all wondered if the village was a breeding ground for the armored heroes.
"Thanks, Mom," said Mion.
VWOORP!
"Wait, what was that?" Akane blinked.
VWOORP!
Mion heard it too. It sounded familiar.
VWOORP!
There it was again. That sounded repeated itself again and also they saw in the corner of the room something appearing. It was tall, red, and resembled a telephone booth. Once it was fully materialized, it stood before them. Akane had seen phone booths before, but she had never seen one appear out of thin air. As for Mion, it reminded her of the Doctor's TARDIS, a blue Police Box.
The door opened and Alan stepped out, "And you're home!" He blinked as he noticed the greenettes. "Oh, Mion! Mrs. Sonozaki! Hello!" Shinichi and Rena also stepped out together.
"Alan, seriously, your TARDIS needs to have the navigation controls checked," reminded Shinichi.
"You said Hinamizawa," said Alan defensively, "We're in Hinamizawa." Shinichi squeezed the bridge of his nose.
"Rena?" Mion asked. "What's going on? And since when did Alan have a TARDIS."
"It's a long story," said Rena, "And sorry for barging in. We've just got back from a trip."
"In a telephone booth?" Akane asked. "But that would be a very tight fit."
Alan grinned and offered, "Want to take a look inside?"
"Later," said Shinichi. "Right now, I think we need to move the TARDIS someplace else."
"Can't," said Alan. "She's anchored to rest."
"Rest?" Shinichi asked.
"We've been all over the Multiverse almost non-stop. The poor girl's probably tuckered out," said Alan. He snapped his fingers and the door closed.
"Multiverse?" Akane asked. "In a telephone booth?"
"Box," Alan corrected. "Telephone box."
"Well, you can't just leave it in my room," frowned Mion.
"Oh, come on, you'll barely even notice it," grinned Alan.
"How can anyone not notice that?" Mion pointed at the bright red phone box.
"You'd be surprised," remarked Shinichi. In the few times they had landed, the TARDIS would appear out in the open and nobody would bat an eye. Of course, sometimes it would be noticed as it stuck out like a sore thumb. Fortunately, being anchored, nobody could move it from the spot. It was something the Doctor had a problem with his TARDIS when enemies stole it. Alan's TARDIS could not be taken or hijacked without his permission. The security protocols were just too strict.
"So, travelling through the Multiverse, huh?" Mion questioned as she sat at the low table in the sitting room with her guests.
"And time and space," Alan added. "It's how we got here."
"And you got yourself a TARDIS," said Mion.
"Built it myself," Alan grinned proudly. "And she works like a dream."
"Except for the part when we sometimes don't land where we planned," Shinichi remarked.
"At least we're not upside down," Alan shot back.
"Ugh, don't remind me," groaned Shinichi. "I never thought such a thing was physically possible, but we live an impossible life."
"That only happened once."
"How long has it been for you since we last saw each other anyway, Alan?" Mion asked the Green Lantern/Multiversal Time Traveler.
"A while," said Alan vaguely. Mion cocked an eyebrow. Vague and unspecific.
"Hey, what about me!?" Bazel piped up from Alan's arm. "Didn't you miss me?"
Mion looked at the sentient armband. Like the ring, Bazel was part of Alan and had stuck onto him since that fateful day. They had trouble getting along at first, but now Alan and Bazel were good friends. Bazel was also talkative. When he started, he could barely stop, but he knew when to be silent.
"And how long have you guys been traveling?" Mion asked curiously.
"Well, we started today, technically," said Shinichi. "It was just a few hours ago, relative time."
"'And for you?" Mion questioned.
"Almost two months," Rena answered. "And we saw a lot of things and met a lot of people." Mion looked at Rena. She had changed. The girl so afraid to leave the village was already out travelling the Multiverse. Then again, Rena had grown up a lot and while she still believed in Oyashiro-sama, she was no longer controlled by the fear of the 'curse'.
And it was all because of Shinichi. The guy had changed their lives in more ways than one. Six years ago he was just some kid with amnesia, and then he revealed he was a cyborg from a project to make super-soldiers, designed by a madman for the sole purpose of being a terrorist organization's ultimate weapon.
But then he abandoned the organization and when they started causing trouble he fought back, with his team.
"So, Mion," began Alan as he pulled out his Sonic Screwdriver. "Has your new arm been giving you any trouble?"
"No," said Mion ae she patted her right shoulder. "Works like my old one. Sometimes I forget it's not even real."
"Well, that's good, but have you been seeing Dr. Magi for maintenance?" Alan asked.
"Of course," Mion stated. "I don't want it to fail me when I need it."
"True," Alan said as he scanned her right arm. "You know, I could upgrade it if you like."
"Maybe after you fix the TARDIS' navigation," retorted Shinichi.
"Can I see it?" Mion asked. "Inside of it, I mean."
"Why? You've seen the Doctor's TARDIS," said Shinichi. "Bigger on the inside."
"I know. I just wanna see Alan's TARDIS' interior," Mion said firmly.
"'Well, what's the harm?" Alan grinned. "It's not like it's just gonna fly off without warning."
Shinichi and Rena groaned.
"You just had to say that, didn't you?" Shinichi asked rhetorically. Alan was tempting fate.
"Well, this is my TARDIS," said Alan as he showed Mion the inside, with Shinichi and Alan behind her. "This is the main control room."
"Looks almost like the Doctor's," said Mion.
"Well, yeah," Alan rubbed the back of his head. "But I did personalize it."
"I can tell," said Mion. "So, Multiversal time and space, huh?"
"Eyup!" Alan said. "There's almost nowhere we can't go!"
"How big is it on the inside?" Mion asked.
"It's big. Wery, very big," said Shinichi. "The bedrooms are through that door, to the left and down the hallway," he pointed to the control room's exit.
"There's a library, an observatory, a swimming pool, an amusement park..." Rena listed.
"An amusement park?" Mion's eyes widened. "You managed to fit one in here? How?"
"It involved shrinking it so it could fit through the door, and then making it grow back to full size," said Alan. "There's also a holodeck like from Star Trek."
"You thought of everything, didn't you?" Mion grinned.
"Not everything," said Shinichi as he leaned against the console. "This thing has a habit of landing us in the middle of trouble, or causing us trouble."
"But sometimes it's just fun," Rena grinned. "I saw so many cute things." She had a room on the TARDIS dedicated to the cute alien things she had collected on their travels. "And made so many new friends." Shinichi and Alan weren't about to mention when Rena's obsession for cute things nearly landed them in big trouble when she had almost kidnapped an alien prince.
"Well, I'd stay for the tour, but maybe some other time," said Mion.
"Busy?" Alan asked.
"I got a meeting to attend to with the village council," said Mion. "The work of a Clan Head is never done." She went for the door...
SLAM!
But it slammed shut in front of her.
"OK, Alan," deadpanned Mion. "Very funny. Now open the door."
"I didn't do that," said Alan as the time rotor started up, the green light within glowing brightly as it flashed. "And I certainly didn't do that!" Alan went to the console and so did Shinichi who was checking things.
"What's going on!?" Mion yelled.
"Unscheduled take off!" shouted Shinichi. "Rena-chan, you and Mion better hold onto something. It's lift-off!"
"But I can't-!" Mion began.
"Up, up and away!" Alan shouted as the TARDIS' began to dematerialize.
VWOORP!
VWOORP!
VWOORP!
"ALAAAAAAAAN!" Mion screamed.
ALAN "THE TRAVELER" SMITH
SHINICHI "THE RIDER" BANABARA
RENA RYUUGU
AND MION SONOZAKI (NEW COMPANION)
IN
"THE DOMED CITY"
Mion grabbed Alan by the collar of his jacket and shook him back and forth furiously. "Land this thing, right now!" she demanded.
"I can't! Not right now! We're flying in the middle of the vortex!" shouted Alan. "And please stop shaking me!"
"Mii-chan, settle down," placated Rena. Mion sighed but still kept a scowl as she released Alan's jacket.
"You might as well relax, Mion," said Shinichi. "This is a time machine."
"Exactly. Once we land, I'll set the coordinates again so that we can return back to when we took you by accident."
"I certainly hope so," said Mion, arms crossed. "I'm not even properly dressed."
"Don't worry about that. We've got a wardrobe," Alan smiled.
"A wardrobe?"
"Did we just land?" Mion asked. She had exchanged her robe for more practical clothes. She was wearing a yellow tank top with blue jeans and a blue leather jacket. On her feet were black boots.
"Yes, just moments ago while you were getting changed," said Alan.
"So, where and when are we?" Mion asked.
"Good news, we're back in Hinamizawa," said Alan as he read the coordinates on the screen.
"And the bad news?" questioned Mion.
"It's the year 2990," said Alan.
"1,000 years!?" Mion screamed. "You took us to Hinamizawa, 1,000 years into the future!?"
"Pretty much. Well, how about we check it out?"
"A future version of Hinamizawa," whispered Mion. That was unbelievable. Even after 1,000 years, it still stood. "Let's go."
"There's that adventurous spirit," Alan grinned. "Let's go, crew! Up, up and away!"
The door opened and they stepped out of the TARDIS. They stood outside a city, a futuristic city, with tall buildings of metal and glass. However, the city was contained within a dome, which seemed odd. The surrounding area were forests.
"That's Hinamizawa?" asked Mion.
"Hinamizawa and Okinomiya," said Alan. "Both the village and town have merged and grown into the Great City of Hinamizawa."
"Come on!" Rena took Shinichi's hand excitedly. "Let's go inside and check it out!"
"The Great City of Hinamizawa, population 2,000,000," Alan stated. "It's ruled by its own government body, it has great schools, healthcare, and provides jobs for all classes."
"Sounds like a dream," awed Mion.
"It was a dream but it became a reality," Alan smiled. There was a gate they needed to pass through. "Looks like this is the way in."
"But no guards," said Rena.
"Must be automated," suggested Shinichi.
"Well, the door's opened. No need to stand on ceremony," said Alan. "Let's take our first step into the Great City of Hinamizawa."
The four stepped through the gate, but then all of a sudden alarms blared as the lights inside glowed red. An energy field closed off all exits and they realized that they had just walked into a trap.
"What's going on!?" cried Mion.
"I don't think we're welcomed," Alan frowned. He then spotted armed soldiers coming towards them. They were dressed in black body armor, with helmets and facemasks that concealed their faces. "And there's our welcoming committee." The energy field came down and the soldiers drew guns on the four travelers. "Let me do the talking," he said to them. He stepped forward, "Hello, I'm-"
"Hands on your heads and get down on your knees!" the leader commanded, his rifle pointed at Alan's forehead. "Now!"
"OK!" Alan did as told, surprising Mion. Shinichi and Rena also did as told.
"Just do it," hissed Shinichi and Mion complied, reluctantly.
The leader stepped forward and pulled out a s portable scanner. He scanned Alan and Rena, which the scanner confirmed, "OK, both of you are pure flesh and blood." He then scanned Shinichi and Mion, and this time the scanner gave him a different indication. "Cybernetics," he scowled. He ordered as he pointed to Alan and Rena, "Take these two to the holding cell." He then pointed at Shinichi and Mion, "But take these Cyber-freaks to the Anti-Cyber cell."
"Wait!" Alan wanted to argue as Mion and Shinichi were dragged to their feet. Special EMP-cuffs were put on their wrists after their arms were put behind their backs.
"Leave Shin-kun and Mii-chan alone!" Rena shouted.
"Shut up and come with us," ordered the leader. "We've got some questions to ask you." He added, "Oh, and welcome to the Great City of Hinamizawa."
Alan and Rena were put in chairs at a table, inside of a room with metal walls but no windows. The camera was staring at them.
"Where do you think they took Mii-chan and Shin-kun?" Rena asked, whispering to Alan.
"I'll ask," said Alan. The leader of the soldiers entered the room. "So, are you a Captain?"
"Sargeant," the leader corrected as he sat down. He removed his helmet, and revealed that he had long blonde hair. Finally, he removed his facemask, which surprised Rena.
The sergeant was a woman, a very attractive woman. "I'm Sargeant Miyako Tomitake of the Japanese Self-Defence Force." The facemask must've had a voice filter to disguise her voice and make her sound masculine.
'Tomitake?' thought Rena.
"I'm Alan Smith, and this is Rena Ryuugu," Alan introduced.
"Where are our friends?" Rena demanded.
"I'll ask the questions here," stated Sgt. Tomitake sternly. "Where are you from?"
"We're travelers," said Alan. "We just saw this city and wanted to check it out."
"So, not refugees?" asked Sgt. Tomitake.
"Refugees?" Rena asked. Sgt. Tomitake shook her head.
"Nevermind. Now, tell me, what were you doing with a pair of spies," said Sgt. Tomitake.
"What makes them spies?" Alan asked.
"I said I'll be asking the questions here," she repeated. "But if you must know, we suspect them to be spies because they are using cybernetic augmentations."
"Is that a crime?" Alan asked.
"It is here. Nobody in this city possesses any form of cybernetics; neither implants nor prosthetics," Sgt. Tomitake informed them.
"Wait, no cybernetics?" asked Rena. "So what happens when someone needs a new arm or a leg?"
"We use cloning," said the leader. "We take some DNA, and then grow a new arm, leg or whatever body parts they might need as a replacement."
"That is brilliant," Alan smiled. "Humankind, advancing." He asked, "So, what's wrong with using cybernetics anyway?"
"Because, only they use cybernetics," the leader frowned sourly.
"Stop pacing and relax," said Shinichi as he leaned against the wall.
"How can I? We're in prison!" Mion snapped.
"Jail, actually. You'd be surprised how often this happens to us," replied Shinichi. "Now just sit down or those guys are gonna come in and shoot us."
"Right," Mion relaxed and sat down on the bench. "Alan's gonna try to bust us out."
"With diplomacy, hopefully," said Shinichi. "He'll convince them we aren't dangerous."
"Still, why are they locking us up for having cybernetic limbs?" asked Mion. "I mean, I thought it'd be common to them by now."
"Maybe it's religious," Shinichi suggested. "Maybe they think it's unnatural."
"That's prejudiced," frowned Mion in disapproval. Shinichi shrugged and Mion wondered what had happened to Hinamizawa in 1,000 years.
"Doesn't make it untrue," said Shinichi. "There was a place we visited where cyborgs weren't even considered people. They had as much rights as androids, which wasn't much."
"Cybermen? Cybermen? Are you serious?" Alan questioned.
"Don't you know? We're at war with the Cybermen. The Great City of Hinamizawa is the only stronghold left with Japan's surviving population." said Sgt. Tomitake.
"We do a lot of traveling," Alan excused. He looked at Rena. She remembered the Cybermen, even though she had only encountered them briefly. "So, when did this war start?"
"2965," answered Sgt. Tomitake. "That's when it all started. They came without warning, attacking the major cities. The whole world was united and fought back, but the Cybermen kept adapting to our tactics and weapons. Even when we cut their numbers down, they replenish themselves by capturing our own and converting them into new Cyber units."
"So, that's why you're untrusting of anyone with cybernetics," Alan concluded.
"Cybermen have been sending partially converted spies into our midst for years now. We managed to capture and subdue them before they could do too much damage, even built scanners to detect any cybernetic implants belonging to them. Other cities weren't as lucky as they were infiltrated and taken over from within. If you venture out of the forest surrounding the city, all you'll find is a wasteland and cities turned into Cyber-Citadels," explained Sgt. Tomitake.
"Sargeant, Please, believe me when I say that our friends are not in league with the Cybermen. They aren't spies," defended Alan.
"We're following protocol here. But if they are indeed not spies, we can let them go. However, we would need to know how they came across their cybernetic enhancements."
"That is going to be a long story..." said Alan.
"Shin-kun was and Mii-chan were kidnapped and turned into a cyborgs but they escaped before they could be reprogrammed," Rena answered.
"Or not," Alan corrected.
"Escape? Do you expect me to believe that?" questioned Sgt. Tomitake skeptically. "Nobody can just escape the Cybermen. It's impossible."
"Actually, Shinichi's been known to do the impossible."
Mion and Shinichi were taken out of the cells, had their clothes taken, leaving them in their underwear. At least these people were decent enough to not make them go out in the nude. They were then strapped down to metal tables as a red light scanned them before displaying their insides on a nearby computer screen. The scans showed what Mion's right arm looked like, all the wires and circuits that made up its insides. Shinichi's scan was more detailed as it showed all the modifications done to him over the years by GIN-SHOCKER, even highlighting the inactive neural implants that allowed the organization to control him.
Soldiers then came in as the straps unlocked themselves. Sgt. Tomitake stepped forward and said, "Your friends managed to vouch for you and convince me that neither of you work for the Cybermen." At the mention of Cybermen, Shinichi's frown deepened and his brows furrowed. "But we still can't let you move around freely. What I want to know is what your names are."
"Shinichi Banabara," Shinichi answered.
"Mion Sonozaki," Mion answered. Sgt. Tomitake blinked.
"Mion Sonozaki?" the Sergeant repeated.
"Yeah," Mion confirmed. "That's my name."
"Don't make me laugh by claiming to be the Mayor. That's a bad joke," Sgt. Tomitake admonished. Mion blinked. Now it was her turn to be confused.
"Mayor?" Shinichi and Mion repeated. Their clothes were thrown on the floor.
"Get dressed," Sgt. Tomitake ordered. She and the soldiers left the examination room as the two got dressed.
"Cybermen? Here?" Mion questioned. "I thought they were wiped out during our battle with the Religion of Crime."
"They were," Shinichi confirmed. "But still it's weird that the mayor shares your name."
"Maybe it's my descendant," Mion suggested.
"Yeah, maybe," Shinichi said. "Come on, hurry up so we can meet up with Rena-chan and Alan."
Behind the grille of an air duct, something was watching them, observing them, studying them before it walked away. It was small, barely noticed, and this quality helped it to collect vital intel without being detected.
"Shin-kun!" Rena cried as she hugged her boyfriend. "You're OK!"
"Of course I'm OK," Shinichi smiled. "No thanks to you," he glared at Alan.
"OK, for the record, I didn't even know there was a war," defended Alan. "Mion, what about you? Did they hurt you?"
"Just my dignity," Mion grumbled.
"I don't understand why you need to complain," said Shinichi. "You look fine." She smacked his arm.
"Pervert," Mion smirked. She addressed Alan, "So, humans on Earth are at war with the Cybermen?"
"There are strongholds in every country with the remaining human population. All the countries are united, sending soldiers out on the frontlines to fight the Cybermen," said Alan.
"But this has been going on for 25 years," remarked Mion. "We took down the Cybermen easily."
"Because we had super-powers. Guess they don't have that kind of advantage nowadays," said Shinichi. "A lot can happen in 1,000 years."
"But how are the Cybermen back?" Mion asked.
Alan smiled, "Want to visit the library?"
Sgt. Tomitake put herself in charge of driving the visitors to the library. They were put inside a special armored vehicle and everyone except for Alan sat in the back.
"So, how did a pretty woman like you end up joining the army?" Alan asked.
"My parents were in the military, and so were my grandparents and my great-grandparents. Just following in their footsteps," said Sgt. Tomitake. "My brother was in the army too."
"Was?" Rena asked.
"He was KIA," said Sgt. Tomitake. "I heard he died by sacrificing himself, taking out a squad of Cybermen with an anti-Cyber grenade." There was a tone of sadness in her voice.
"I'm sorry," Rena said sympathetically.
"It's fine," said Sgt. Tomitake. "He died with honor by doing the right thing. He died for the world. Of course that was when those damn Cybermen started upgrading themselves to be immune to the grenades, so we developed new methods to take them out." She stopped the truck. "We're here, the Great Hinamizawa Library."
"You use that word 'Great' a lot, don't you?" Shinichi asked. The Sergeant didn't answer. They entered the library, and they saw loads and loads of books. There were shelves filled with them, of all types of genres.
"What are you looking for?" Sgt. Tomitake asked.
"Just catching up on our reading," Alan answered. "Don't worry. We're not trying to find valuable Intel." Sgt. Tomitake narrowed her eyes at the joke.
"I'll be outside," said Sgt. Tomitake. "Call me if you need anything."
"Alright," Alan smiled. "I will."
"OK, here are books about the Human-Cybermen War," said Mion as she put the stack down on the table. "Seriously, a lot of people wrote books on one topic."
"A lot of people have different theories and points of view," said Alan as he grabbed the first book on the stack. "Everyone, grab a book and study. We need to know more about these Cybermen." He started flipping through the pages. Mion wondered if he was actually reading them when she remembered he had super-speed.
"Well, we know that Shiro couldn't have made them. He's dead," said Shinichi.
"We can't be too sure," said Alan. "But to be safe go find any entries about Cybermen before 2965. Hopefully there's some recorded history in digital format."
"I'm on it," said Shinichi as he went towards the computers.
"People still use books in this day and age?" Mion asked, impressed and wonderment at the size of the library.
"The written word on bound paper is still a classic, Mion," said Alan. "When I can, I'll show you the biggest library in the universe."
"Yeah, like I'm gonna travel with you," Mion rolled her eyes.
"You'll never know," smiled Alan. He turned to Rena. "Rena, are you OK?"
"It's so horrible," said Rena. "This war business."
"It'll be fine, Rena," assured Alan. "A problem means that there's a solution. We'll get to the bottom of this."
"I know," Rena smiled faithfully. "Because you're with us."
The lights started to flicker and so did the computers.
"This can't be right," said Alan. That was when the lights went out.
"Who turned off the lights?" Rena asked.
"The power grid's down."
"That's not good, is it?" Mion questioned.
"The power grid is what keeps this city running," said Alan. "That includes the dome which protects it and the gates that keep the Cybermen out. With the power grid out..."
"The Cybermen can get in," Shinichi concluded grimly. "That is if they haven't infiltrated already."
"Sergeant!" Alan called.
"We have this under control! The backup generators will be online soon!" Sgt. Tomitake told them.
"That is if you still have backup generators," said Alan. "You have a citywide blackout, no lights or power, and nothing powering your security system. In other words, the city's a sitting duck for the Cybermen." He focused his hearing. He could hear marching of metal feet. "And they're coming."
Rows and rows of Cybermen were lined up, marching towards the city. Their eyes were black and soulless, their stance rigid and firm. The sounds of their metal footsteps as they marched could cause people to freeze in terror. The Cybermen were a nightmare as their metal bodies made them nigh-indestructible. But that wasn't what made them scary. What made them scary was what they really were. They were humans once, but everything human about them was purged, replaced by cold steel and artificial parts.
And they needed to add more to their numbers. They needed spare parts.
And the city had an abundant supply of them.
"Sergeant, you need to call all your soldiers to set up a defence against the Cybermen," Alan commanded. "We need to protect the city and its citizens."
"Who are you to give me commands?" Sgt. Tomitake asked.
Alan grabbed a book and flipped a page to show a picture. "I'm the Sentinel." Sgt. Tomitake looked at the picture and gasped. She looked back and forth between them, unable to believe it. "How about I do this?" His ring flashed and the green energy wave spread over his body, clothing him in his uniform. "Convinced, yet?"
Sgt. Tomitake put down the book and looked at Shinichi, Rena and Mion. "Who...who are you people?"
"Your only hope of survival," answered Shinichi. "Your only hope of not becoming one of them."
"And the first thing we need to do is find out what's causing the blackout and then getting the power back on," said Alan. "Mion, Rena, could you head down to the main power station?"
"Come with me. I know the way," Sgt. Tomitake said to them. She asked Alan, "And what will you do?"
"Sling my ring around and scrap some Cybermen," said Alan.
"Me too," Shinichi volunteered. Sgt. Tomitake seemed skeptical but if they were who they claimed to be than she had no choice.
Mion and Rena were being driven to the power station by Sgt. Tomitake. Going along with them was a squad of JSDF soldiers, armed with laser rifles and riding in jeeps. If this blackout was caused by Cyberman sabotage, they needed to be ready for combat.
In the truck, Sgt. Tomitake spoke, "So, Alan really is the Sentinel?"
"Is that so hard to believe?" asked Rena.
"He's a legend, and so are the Kamen Riders," said Sgt. Tomitake. Rena and Mion smiled knowingly. "A thousand years ago there were Cybermen but they didn't appear again until 25 years ago. Where did they come from?"
"They were created by a madman with delusions of grandeur," said Mion. "They were part of his vision of the perfect society."
"But no emotions?" Sgt. Tomitake asked. "No free will."
"His vision, not the right vision," reiterated Mion. "He tried to become King of the World, but he ended up as dirt under our feet."
"And how do you know?" Sgt. Tomitake asked.
"Can you keep a secret?" Rena asked.
"It depends. If it's a risk to national security, I'll have no choice but to report it," she said.
"We're time travelers," said Mion. "And those Kamen Riders you were talking about, they're us."
Meanwhile, near the entrance of the city, Shinichi and Alan stood with the rest of the army.
"I can't believe we're fighting Cybermen again," said Shinichi. "How long has it been since the last time we tangled with those toy soldiers?"
"Remember, it's been 1,000 years so they're more advanced now," Alan cautioned. "Their weapons are probably strong enough to kill you."
"I'll remember that," said Shinichi. He asked. "Can you see anything?" Alan floated up and scanned beyond the dome with his super-vision. He caught sight of the marching metal men.
"Yes," said Alan.
"How many?" Shinichi asked.
"More than this army can handle if they didn't have us," said Alan. "Are you ready?"
Shinichi pounded his fists, "I'm always ready."
"Time travelers? You expect me to believe that?" Sgt. Tomitake questioned in disbelief as they neared the power station.
"No, but you can trust us," swore Rena.
"And you can trust Alan and Shin-chan to protect the city," said Mion.
Sgt. Tomitake wanted to argue that she and her men could protect the city. However, she couldn't deny that Alan was the Sentinel after he had just transformed in front of her. "And are you really Kamen Riders?"
"You'll see," said Mion. The truck stopped.
"We're here," said Sgt. power station was a huge building which provided energy for the whole city. The lights were off too.
"Is the place automated?" Mion asked as she exited the vehicle with Rena and Sgt. Tomitake.
"Mostly, but it's also staffed with humans for maintenance," said Sgt. Tomitake. She activated her rifle's flashlight and handed hard hats with flashlights on top to Mion and Rena. She ordered the soldiers, "Shoot anything that moves that isn't us."
"Yes, Sir!" the soldiers obeyed as they followed behind their sergeant and the two civilians.
They entered the building through the front entrance. Without power, the entire place was dark. Fortunately, their flashlights led the way. They went down a corridor and came across bodies sprawled over the floor. They were the power station's technicians. Sgt. Tomitake carefully went to examine them. She checked for a pulse and shook her head in disappointment. She stood up and turned to face everyone.
"They're dead," she informed them. "That means there is something here."
"A Cyberman?" asked Mion.
"Possibly, but the scans would've detected it and it could never have entered," said Sgt. Tomitake.
"What if the Cyberman was built in the city?" Rena suggested. Sgt. Tomitake silently nodded. That would make sense. Nothing to stop a Cybermen being built within the walls of the domed Great City of Hinamizawa.
"Let's keep moving," Sgt. Tomitake ordered.
The soldiers were getting ready to fight. Alan grimaced. War and battles were just so unpleasant, even if they're unnecessary.
"Hold your fire," Alan ordered. Sgt. Tomitake had put him in charge. He started walking towards the gate.
"Sir, what are you doing?" one soldier, a young man, asked.
"I'm going to try some diplomacy and negotiate with the Cybermen," said Alan.
"Do you think it will work, sir?" the soldier asked.
Alan answered honestly, "No, but it'll buy us some time." He went out the gate to see the Cybermen already in front of the domed city. He counted them all. 5,000 Cybermen. That was 5,000 killing machines ready to invade. He also noticed their design which was so much sleeker than the model Shiro had built. Their chestplates sported noticeable pecs and abs. They also seemed to be wearing dark, rubber bodysuits with plate armor attached to their arms, legs and torso. Their helmets bore the same blank expression, all identical, with black soulless eyes and a horizontal line for the mouth. On top of their heads were the standard handlebars of the Cybermen which rose up from their 'ears' and then bend at a right angle to connect like a basket's handle. He looked for the leader, the one who would have some defining marks, and found him. It was the one with the black handlebars.
Alan stepped forward and stood face-to-face with the Cyber Leader. "I assume you're the one in charge."
"Affirmative," confirmed the Cyber Leader. He scanned Alan. "You are not human."
"Yeah, that's right, and last time I checked your conversion doesn't work on non-humans," said Alan. "An issue of incompatibility."
"Incompatible subjects will be deleted," the Cyber Leader threatened.
"You attempt that, and you'll be scrapped before you can even fire a shot," Alan rebutted. "How about we make a deal? Get off this world, every one of you, leave Earth and it's people alone, and live in peace on another planet, never bothering anyone again."
The Cyber Leader looked Alan in the eyes and said, "Negative. The Cybermen must survive. Humanity is flawed, it must be upgraded and perfected."
"And you think you're so perfect?" Alan questioned.
"We are immortal, we lack weaknesses, in conclusion we are perfect."
"Weaknesses? You mean emotions?"
"Affirmative." Alan scoffed.
"Typical cold logic of machines," Alan remarked. "Cold and logical but unintelligent." He asked, "You realize threatening this city is the same as threatening your lives."
"Explain."
"You hurt them and I bring the hammer down. This city, these people, they are all under my protection."
"Irrelevant. We are the Cybermen. We are superior. In conclusion, we will win."
"How about you search your memory banks and learn who and what I really am? Then decide if you stand a chance," Alan warned.
"Is that the main control room for the power grid?" Mion asked, pointing to the door ahead.
"Yes," confirmed Sgt. Tomitake. Mion smiled.
"Alright, that's all I needed to know," said Mion. She went forward and kicked the door open. That was when her lights shone on what was causing the blackout and she recoiled at the sight. Crawling all over the controls were small, robotic creatures which resembled ticks.
"Cybermats!" exclaimed Sgt. Tomitake.
When Sgt. Tomitake, Mion and the soldiers saw the Cybermats, they were prepared to fight. When Rena saw them, however, her eyes sparkled as she exclaimed, "Kawaii!"
Sgt. Tomitake asked Mion, "Is she alright?"
"You get used to it," said Mion, neither denying nor confirming. "Rena, focus. We have to get rid of these things."
"I guess. Maybe I can take one back home after I kill it," smiled Rena.
"...You do that, Rena."
"AAAHHHH!"
A sudden scream alerted them and they all turned to see one of the soldiers fall. Standing there was a Cyberman and its hand was sparking with electricity.
"You will be deleted," the Cyberman stated.
"Rena, take care of the Cybermats," Mion ordered. Rena saluted. "I'll take care of this." She performed her henshin pose. "Alright, here we go. Rider...Henshin!" The Typhoon Belt materialized around her waist and the fan spun, energy radiating as her armor materialized. She then declared, "I am...Kamen Rider #1 (Ichigo)."
Rena also transformed as she cried out, "A...MA...ZON!" Her eyes glowed red and her body morphed to become the Jungle Warrior, Amazon Rider. She then leapt in and attacked the Cybermats. They fought back, but they weren't as tough as Cybermen. Amazon's claws and fangs would make short work of them.
Kamen Rider Ichigo spoke to the stunned soldiers and said, "Support me from the rear." She went into a martial arts stance. "I'm taking this thing down."
"With your bare hands?" Sgt. Tomitake exclaimed in disbelief. "That's insane! It's impossible!"
"I'm a Rider! I make the impossible happen!" Ichigo shot back as she dashed towards the Cyberman. She threw a punch but it caught her wrist. That didn't stop her as she landed a kick into its stomach, sending it staggering back. It shot a bolt of electricity at her but she dodged as the bolt went sailing past her. The soldiers also ducked, knowing how fatal it was to be hit. Lunging forward, she landed a headbutt into its chest that sent the Cyberman staggering before following up with a roundhouse. The hallway might be narrow and may not allow much mobility. But it was still wide enough for Ichigo to use her moves as well as the moves of the Rider whose powers she was now wielding.
"Time to finish this!" Ichigo declared as she clenched her right fist. "Rider..."
"Delete," the Cyberman spoke as it charged towards her.
"PUNCH!" Ichigo drove her fist into the Cyberman's chest and sent it skidding back. There was a dent where her fist connected and cracks surrounding it. The Cyberman was starting to spark and convulse due to the damage it had received. "And now..." She performed Ichigo's signature pose and then dashed forward. She leapt up and then launched herself at the Cyberman with a flying kick. "RIDER KICK!" Her foot connected with the spot she had punched, sending the Cyberman flying before it exploded. Ichigo landed on one knee and smiled before dusting off her hands in satisfaction. She then looked at her right arm and smiled.
"Rena!" Ichigo called and then she saw that Amazon had a Cybermat between her jaws, clenched in her sharp teeth.
Sgt. Tomitake was stunned. These girls were telling the truth. They were indeed time travelers and the Legendary Riders.
"Sergeant-san," Amazon addressed Sgt. Tomitake after spitting out the Cybermat. "Can you get the power grid working again?"
"It'll take some time," said Sgt. Tomitake. "Let's just hope we can get the backup systems online at least and pray that nothing important is damaged." She ordered her men, "Let's move, people! We got a city to get back online!"
Meanwhile, back outside the dome, Alan was still 'negotiating' with the Cybermen. They were standing still, scanning their memory banks for any information on Alan. Alan could see the data scrolling along their soulless black eyes.
Alan then received a call on his ring as Rena reported, "Alan, the power grid is back online." He smiled. That was all he needed to know.
"And now the power grid's back online," said Alan. "Which means..." The lights of the buildings inside the dome came back. "You shall not pass."
The Cyber Leader looked Alan in the eye and Alan could feel that it was glaring at him. It then turned back to the other Cybermen and they did an about face before marching away.
Shinichi stepped up behind Alan and asked, "What? No battle? They're just withdrawing."
"The power grid's back on and so are all the Anti-Cyber measures. If they tried to enter now, their circuits will be fried, and they know that. Their main purpose is to survive, so trying to break in now would be counter-productive."
"So, all's well that ends well, huh?" Shinichi asked.
"Couldn't you ask for anything better?" Alan smiled. "Now, let's pick up the girls and go back home."
"So, we're just gonna leave? We're not going to stay and help them fight?" Mion asked as they headed back to the TARDIS.
"Humanity has a way of persevering and surviving," said Alan. "Right now, right here, this is where history is made. We can't interfere any further than we already have. And plus I see good things happening in the future. Humanity will beat the Cybermen, like we did a long time ago."
"I guess you're right," smiled Mion. "Would've loved to meet the mayor."
"Because she's your descendant?" Rena asked. "That would be weird."
"Maybe next time," promised Alan. "But let's get you home, Mion. The mayor can't become mayor if you're not where you should be."
"Hey, I've been wondering," said Mion. "How did the Cybermen come back?"
"That's simple," said Alan. "Who else besides Shiro had contact with the Cybermen and would possess the technology to rebuild them?"
"The DALEKs!" Shinichi, Rena and Mion answered together.
"Exact-a-mundo!" confirmed Alan and then he frowned. "And I'm never saying that again." The Doctor had said it was lame, and he was right.
"So the DALEKs rebuilt the Cybermen? Why?" asked Mion.
"Who knows? Maybe we'll find out someday," said Alan. "But let's get you home. You have a meeting to attend." He started pressing buttons and flipping switches to get the TARDIS started.
Shinichi began, "Up!"
VWOORP!
"Up!" continued Rena.
VWOORP!
"And away we go!" Alan finished as he pulled the lever.
VWOORP!
-THE END-
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