Aftermath

Chapter 1 - Reunion

It had been 2 years since the great Galactian War. World relations had been strong in the eyes of spectators, but behind the scenes they had been unstable and crumbling for years. Finally, a meager misunderstanding blown out of proportion launched something even larger than a World War. A Galaxy War. Chojins from all over the universe were called into action for their respective planets. Then, their ranks and wrestling achievements meant nothing in the battlefield. At that moment, they were soldiers, albeit powerful ones.

The battle had taken 12 years before a resolution could come into play, far longer than any of the scholars predicted. Many lives were lost and former wrestling teams had been separated by the drafts. Finally, a ceasefire had been agreed upon when the many planets involved found themselves with increasingly fewer soldiers, without any end in sight. Still, the tension amongst planets remained intense, with barely a nudge required before another violent confrontation would occur.

Now, with the soldiers just now finally reacquainting themselves with the prospect of a normal life, there was a dark shadow looming in the horizon. He had watched the meager squabbles escalate to the full blown attack, had witnessed the entire 12 years of wanton death and destruction, and the short but welcomed time of peace.

It was now time to make his entrance, and use his powers to reignite the lust for blood. He had gathered his forces, it was now time for a new war. A holy war, and he would become the God his soldiers fought for.

"Man.. I can't believe it's been 14 years.." Mantaro Kinniku sighed and passed a hand through his auburn hair. His return to Muscle Planet after the Galactian War had been a welcomed shock to his peers and family. None ever thought he was going to survive. Whether or not it was luck or his secret power that kept him alive out there, the one formerly known as "Kid Muscle" had returned a changed man.

Echoes of the haunting memories had stolen his child-like innocence, and truly his family didn't know whether to be thankful of his newfound maturity, or frightened by the shadows that haunted their youngest Kinniku's heart. The aging Suguru, who had been far too old to be drafted, recently suggested to his son that he returned to Earth and look for his friends, all of whom he had lost contact with during the war.

Terry had been the last one he spoke to.

"Been a long time since you've seen this planet, eh, my boy?" Suguru patted his son on the back.

"Are you sure the government's not going to have a problem with this?" Mantaro stole a glance at his father before returning it to the window. He placed one hand on the pane. "...I wonder if I'll be able to find Rinko... Or Terry or Dik Dik...so many people I knew were from here.." He pressed his forehead against the cold glass. "They can't all be dead.."

"Of course not!" Suguru said loud and obnoxiously, patting his boy harder on the back. "Now no thinking such dark thoughts until they're confirmed, alright?"

"I remember this place..." Mantaro reminisced. "This was where I landed the first time I came to Earth."

Suguru nodded enthusiastically. "That's right, son. This was also where you met Meat-"

Mantaro averted his gaze and Suguru went silent. It still pained both to speak of the young but talented trainer's name. The boy who had gone through so much to be by the sides of both Kinnikus had suffered such a violent death few would speak of it. The cruelty shown in those death-dealing actions renewed the animosity between Muscle Planet and Skull Planet.

Although Bone Cold, who had been released in return for his war efforts, had not been involved in that surprise attack, if Mantaro saw him standing there at that instant, he would slay the other without a second thought.

It was that knowledge that frightened the prince. War had changed him in ways years of wrestling could not.

"I wonder if Rinko still lives by here..." Mantaro began to walk in the direction her house used to be, but stopped when he noticed his father right behind him. "Dad, would it be alright if I went alone from here? If I find anyone I know, we'll have years of catching up to do.."

Suguru froze in his tracks and chuckled nervously, rubbing his eyes. "Of course, my boy. Actually...this would be the perfect opportunity to go swing by England to see how Robin Mask's doing. Surely he's survived the war. I doubt they'd have let him in due to his age and even if they did, he's survived a decapitation so what's a war, eh?"

He opened his eyes to find himself talking to thin air. Mantaro had already walked off without him.

There it was, Rinko's house, just as he remembered it.

Even now, after having stared down the barrel of guns and held such weapons to people he once used to protect...he was still afraid to knock. He always loved Rinko, he never stopped. And he always knew what a buffoon he came across as whenever in her presence, whether or not he ever meant it. His motives were pure, even if his methods hadn't been.

Taking a breath, he knocked lightly on the door. For those brief seconds, time stood still.

And what met his awaiting gaze shocked him more than any possible scenario he could have mentally conjured.

It was Terry Kenyon, dressed in overalls and a cowboy hat, standing on the inside of that door.

"Kid...?" the Texan's blonde hair was a bit longer and was tied back in a ponytail, but he still had the tough gaze and chubby features of the young man Mantaro remembered.

"Terry..?" Mantaro could only stare in shock for a moment, before stepping forward and embracing his former best friend. "Wow! I can't believe I've finally found you!" He pulled back, the chill of what Terry's presence here must mean not having quite sunk in yet. "So what're you doing here?"

"Who is that, hun?" Rinko peered out from behind Terry. "Mantaro!"

The Kinniku prince could not believe his eyes. Even now, over a decade older, she was still as beautiful as she was the day he departed back to Muscle Planet, back when the war had been predicted to only last a few months.

But one very, very big change he noticed immediately was her belly protruding slightly from a comfortable T-shirt. That silently answered every question he had in his mind, and dashed any hopes of a future the two might ever have.

"H-hey Rinko," Mantaro waved weakly, then pointed at her stomach. "I see... You've got a kid on the way..?"

Rinko rolled her eyes. "As tactful as always. Good thing I am indeed pregnant or I'd have to repaint the house with your blood."

Terry laughed heartily and patted Mantaro's shoulder. "She dun mean that, ya know how dem pregnant women can be. All the hormones ragin'.." Her harsh slap on the back of his shoulder only instigated another laugh. "Well, whata'ya standin' out here for? Come on in, we've got years of catching up to do!"

"I hope you don't mind me just appearing like this. I wasn't even sure if anyone still lived here.." Mantaro stepped into the cluttered albeit homely living room.

"Nah, it's nothing. I'm glad to see ya!" Terry walked with a limp over to the loveseat. "I've barely seen anyone since the war."

"You mean, you haven't seen Dik Dik or Wally?" Terry shook his head. "Checkmate? Jeager? Kevin?" Nope. "Ricardo?"

"Now, I have seen him," Terry sighed as he sat down on the edge of the loveseat and rested his hands on his knees. "About...four or five years ago, I think. In the newspaper, something about how he snapped during battle and went on some murder spree, killin' everyone in sight, friend or foe. Last I heard of em' he was institutionalized. Something about a long-standing fight with schizophrenia, or something along those lines. Frankly, I can't believe you didn't piss yourself out in the battlefield and haul ass outta there," Terry admitted as he laid back against the loveseat and kicked his feet up on the coffee table despite harsh retorts from Rinko.

"I can't believe you and Rinko got together.." Mantaro looked between them both.

"Yeah I know, it's strange what war can bring.." Terry raised one hand, showing the gold band on his finger. "I had been real injured during a gunfight that happened right north of here. If I wasn't a chojin it woulda killed me, but fortunately Rinko here found me all passed out and half dead on the floor. Musta' looked real sexy, eh?"

"He laughs now, but he had some serious injuries," Rinko stated as she eased down onto one of the couches and invited Mantaro to sit beside her. He did. "I really thought he was going to die for awhile there. But, as you can see, he recovered. During that time we got to know each other and.." She placed her hand lightly on her belly. "The rest is history..."

"Wow..." Mantaro wasn't sure whether to congratulate them on their relationship, or whether to curse Terry from stealing the girl he longed for since first arriving on the planet. Even now, he saw Rinko as the only possible girl he'd ever be with. As annoyed and disgusted as she often got with him, Rinko was the only girl who sincerely seemed to care. He doubted he'd ever find a girl like her again. But at the same time...maybe she was better off with the type of man who could better care for her.

He still felt jealous, though.

There was a long, awkward moment of silence which was finally dispelled by a light cough from Terry. "Well... Have ya heard anything' about the chojin crown tournaments being restarted again?"

The kinniku prince shook his head. "Really? I haven't heard anything about it."

All chojin tournaments, including the Chojin Crown, had been halted when the plane that held the McMadd family had been blown out of the sky by radical anti-war terrorists. They had believed that chojin wrestling someone instigated the hostilities and that, once the tournaments stopped, somehow all soldiers throughout the galaxy would put their guns down and opt for debating over tea and crumpets.

Needless to say, their extreme efforts resulted only in each individual member being tracked down and executed. Personal rights such as the right to an attorney were sacrificed during the last half and most brutal part of the war.

"Yeah, supposedly now there's a whole new, anonymous, sponsor who's going to run the entire Chojin Crown," Terry nodded enthusiastically. "You gonna join?"

"I don't know..." Mantaro sighed, massaging his forehead. "I don't think so.. I'm so sick of violence, you know?"

"Yeah, I understand...I'm going cuz the tournament'll be good for me. Help me control my violent impulses," Terry flexed his arms. Mantaro opened his mouth to ask about what he meant by 'violent impulses' but was cut off. "It'll keep me in shape, and the money's real good if ya win. I'll be able to provide mah baby with everything he or she needs. And heck, maybe you'll see the others there! At least come and watch."

The kinniku prince nodded slowly, leaning back against the soft cushioning of the sofa and smiling at Rinko and Terry. "Heh.. Maybe I will go. It'd be nice to see the others again. Hopefully they all made it. When does it start?"

Terry held up two fingers. "Two weeks."

Author's Notes: This fanfic is based off of a dream I had yesterday night. It's slightly AU as you can tell. I have some ideas for it, most or all of them based from the dream, but there are some blank spots here and there. Hopefully, my well of inspiration won't run dry, but unfortunately I can't promise updates that will be frequent and not sporadic. How does the story seem so far? Don't worry, many more characters will be to come, but some will not be the same men Mantaro remembers.