"I hate waking up in the morning." I say under my breath as the showerhead stops in the other room, signaling that my brother is done showering and its time to get my butt out of bed. My twin brother, Sam, is always the first awake, he has been forever. He's also an annoying little crap with a talent for conjuring terrible puns from thin air. Despite that, I'd be lost without him. He provides levity when my life seems to get its darkest. He's been going to a seperate school from me since last year, which is probably in both of our best interests.
My mom drives me to school as always. I make a beeline for the cafeteria and wait for my friends there.
The first to show up is Ling. He's got an average build, not big and not small. He's quiet, but every action he makes carries an almost visable sense of wisdom and patience. He only speaks when he needs to and ya know what? That's just fine in my book.
Then, Camden shows up and oh boy I have no freaking clue how to describe the walking mental paradox that is my friend Camden. Let me put it this way, it worries me a lot when he goes more than two minutes without being weird to the point of incoherence. Almost every time he speaks, he says something that makes my brain stomp on the brakes and ask some very odd questions. He's a funny guy though, so whatever.
Camden, Ling, and I sit and talk until 6:30 or so when we go meet up with our two other friends.
There's Reeves, who I can only describe as the lovechild of a computer nerd and a 80s guitarist. He's clever and has a good brain in his skull, but he commands attention every time he enters a room.
And last, but most definitely not least, is Faith. She's a recovering goth and our resident badass. She's got a wit as sharp as a knife, a bright and understanding personality, and could clearly kick my butt across the cafeteria by wiping her shoe on my jeans.
If this had been a normal day, I'd spend some time with them and maybe head to the school library later on, but today was about to be anything except normal. Ling, Camden, and I had just arrived when the sound of crumbling brick shook the building, followed by a large set of gutteral, animalistic shrieks. Any normal person would've started running like lightning, but as I just established, me and my friends were anything, but normal. Of course we ran towards the noises and climbing through the dust of the collapsed wall were creatures I knew well, but I thought were pure fiction.
"No..." All five of us stood stock still at the five unnatural horrors emerging from the white dust cloud. All of the monsters were awkward mummyesque things, tripping over their own feet. Possessing only a single eye and a gait like a toddler, they had an almost palpable aura of strength. They were Trash Yummies, creatures from the Kamen Rider shows I enjoyed so much.
Sitting on the floor between the monsters and us was a set of five belts of varying types. I also knew these well enough. The one in front of me was the Blay Buckle with the Change Beetle and Time Scarab Rouze Cards. The one in front of Camden was the Odin Advent Buckle with the GoldPhoenix Contract Deck already placed in its clip. In front of Ling was the Ketaros Zecter and the Kabutick Rider Brace. Placed before Reeves was the OOO Driver with the Taka, Tora, and Batta Medals already in their proper places. Last but not least was Faith, who had the White Wizard Drive with the White Wizard Change Ring to its right.
"This is gonna sound nuts, but everyone grab the belt or brace in front of you and throw it on. I'll explain everything else in a second!" None of my buddies hesitate for a moment, they each nod and stride confidently forward towards their belt (Or in Ling's case a wrist strap.) After mine is clipped on, I slot the Change Beetle.
"Henshin!" I pull on the left handle and a voice rises from the belt : "Turn Up!" The Kamen Rider Blade armor formed over me and fasten into place with a satisfying metallic clank. I swipe the Time Scarab Rouze Card : "Time Scarab: Slow." Time beyond me and my friends slows to a drunken crawl.
"Okay, Camden: Slide the golden-orange deck case out of the belt and slide it in again, then move your arms slowly apart around your waist." He does all of those things without missing a beat. He copies my transformation phrase : "Henshin!" A burst of white light and soft feathers envelops him and when it disappears the Odin Armor has encased him. He turns to me and starts spouting excited gibberish:
"Camden, I need to help the others, hold up a sec." I turn to Ling. "Clip that plastic beetle into the brace and slide it into a parallel position with your forearm." Ling follows my instructions with godspeed. His brace speaks its own transformation phrase: "Henshin : Change Beetle." The Ketaros armor covering him in a flurry of hexagonal plates.
"Reeves, push the coin holding bit into a diagonal position and swipe that gold and black device down the belt. Then, hold it to your chest." He stumbles for a second trying to figure out which end to push down, but figures it out quickly enough. He also copies the transforming motto: "Henshin!" Holographical images of the Taka, Tora, and Batta medals appears in front of him and collide into a single image that then floods over Reeves, replacing his form with OOO's.
"Faith, that jewel ring goes on your right ring finger, Once it's there, swipe it in front of the red-outlined, clawed hand symbol on the belt." She slides the ring on quickly and holds the ring in front of the claw-like glyph. "Now, put both of your hands down at your sides." The mystic circle appears above her and flips over itself multiple times, causing the armor to appear.
"Are you all ready to fight for our lives?" I turn towards the Yummies as Time Scarab's effect begins to fade.
"Let's kick some tail!" Camden screechs to the heavens.
"You know it." Ling says calmly, flicking back the short cape on his outfit as he enters a fighting stance.
"Ready if you are." Reeves says as he locks eyes with me.
"Same here." Faith also looks at me.
"Then, let's go kick some ass." The effect of Time Scarab has completely disappated, the Trash Yummies stumbling towards us on their rubbery legs. All five of us charge the monsters at the same time.