I suppose I should be listing copyrights here, but if I said that I didn't own any of the original source and cameo characters that appear in this work of fiction, and that they belong to their respective owners, many of which belong to sunrise or whatever company owns Onmyou Taisenki, I suppose that would be enough, right?
"Surely this couldn't be real..." muttered an exasperated Rikari "I mean, stuff like this only happens in anime or manga, or when I'm in a fantasy world, right? How did I get into this mess in a world that was supposedly ignorant to magic?"
It had been a normal day, same breakfast routine, same day at school, same trip home, as routine as things could get for him. The morning had started out with a fine mist, which settled later that day. The weather was very much a sterotypical cool spring day... Those trees with pink flower petals, whatever the denizens of this world called them, were also in bloom, and it seemed there was a festival going on in town at some point in the near future, too.
"Hey, are you okay Rikari?" Rikari flinched
"Huh? Of course, Riku-sempai, why are you asking?"
"Because you have this feeling about you that says otherwise."
'Yikes, I need to remember to keep myself aware around this guy, he's sharp.'
"And there's really no need for the -sempai, why do we have keep going over this?"
"Because I transfered here last week. You're pretty much an upper-classmen to me, even if we are in the same grade."
"If you say so. Anyway the festival is tonight. Are you going with anyone?"
"Actually, no. Are you asking me to come with you because Momo is being a forced tsundere towards you?"
"Erm, what?"
"Nothing... Nothing at all. Anyway, I'll go with you."
So, the rest of the school day passed by like normal. Riku and Rikari walked home together. Momo was nowhere to be found.
"Riku, I'm going to stop by my place on the way home, okay? I'll come by your place once I've gotten changed, and we can kill time if we have to before the festival or something."
"If you say so, Rikari."
And so Riku left the party for a bit. Rikari proceeded to finish walking home. Momo suddenly showed up after he left.
On the way back to his house, Rikari ran into a strange guy with a moped, who, upon noticing the "charm" Rikari was fidgeting with in his hands, gave him a weird wristband and a supposed holder for it.
"Whew, today was tiring. I guess I should probably get changed. I also wonder what these things that weirdo guy, Masaomi or whatever his name was, gave me are actually for. Oh well, I guess it won't hurt to use them."
Rikari's outfit changed from school blazer and uniform to casual wear. Having donned his typical puffy black sleeveless vest, white and gold tee-shirt, and black cargo pants, Rikari headed towards Riku's [strike]house[/strike] appartment complex.
When he arrived, he found that Riku was talking to a rather... jerkish kid with glasses. Why was he even wasting his time on this guy?
"Riku! How long 'till the festival still? Also that guy you were just talking to was a jerk."
"Erm, maybe an hour or two. Also that 'guy' has a name and didn't seem like much of a jerk to me."
"Really? He just treated me like I was trash. I wonder if you're just special."
"Ehehe, I'd rather not think that."
"Hey, Riku?"
"Yes?"
"Thanks for being my first friend when I moved here. I'm not very good at making them." "Well, I'm glad I was able to help with that, I guess..."
"Anyway, what should we do while we wait for the festival? Are there any cool places you could theoretically show me that you haven't already?"
"Well I guess there is ONE place."
"Really? Do tell."
"There's this shrine nearby that I used to play at when I was little."
"Oh? I never noticed one nearby, is it in that bamboo glade?"
"Wow, you're sharp. It actually is."
"Wow, I figured nothing was back there. Would you mind showing me over to it?"
"Sure, why not. Just let me leave a note to Grandpa about going out first."
Boys are in transit...
"-And that's how I ended up with this outfit."
"Wow Rikari, you sure do know some intresting people."
"Intresting? Ple~ase. Fubari was hardly intresting. I mean he's still a friend for life and I keep in contact with him, but he was a complete hikkikomori without me or Fain-chan around. I'm glad she is still there to keep an eye on him."
"Sounds like he had a pretty rough childhood before you'd met him. Anyway, we're here." "I see... I guess we should probably go in. Lead the way!"
The boys traversed the bamboo path to the shrine...
Upon arriving at the shrine, and after walking straight past the Heaven-style barrier that affected neither of them, Rikari noticed something.
"Oh boy what's this?"
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
"Can't you see it, Riku?"
"No, I can't. What are you talking about?"
"This seal here that says 'barrier'."
"I have no idea what you're talking about Rikari."
"If you say so, Riku."
"Oh! There's my Grandpa, maybe he can tell you what it is!"
"Riku, why have you brought an outsider to the shrine?"
"I still have no idea what you mean when you say that. Anyway, this is Rikari. We met last week after he moved in nearby. We're also in the same class at school. I was going to introduce you two sooner, but he keeps missing you."
"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Tachibana."
"Well, at least he has manners."
"Fufufufufufufufufu! What do we have here? A heaven-style barrier? Let's smash it, Tsukumo! Shikigami, Summon!"
Suddenly there were rice paper walls floating in the sky and it looked like reality had been warped.
"Aogane no Tsukumo, Kenzan!"
"Quick! You two should go hide in the shrine! As for you two... Challenge accepted."
Mr. Tachibana threw what looked like a card at the shikigami and the character for flame appeared mid-throw, shortly bursting into flames thereafter. Of course it had no real effect. Then he tried the same approach with blade character cards. Then poison, but those got reflected.
"Grandpa!"
"what a waste... You're wasting all these Toujinfu"
'So that's what they're called! I'm noting this for later, assuming my memory isn't wiped and this isn't a dream.'
"Is what you're protecting that important?"
Riku let out a short gasp as he turned around to find something that resembled Rikari's good luck charm, save for the bell.
"This is... what?"
"Riku, why is there a drive in the shrine?"
'Oh my. It seems that I can't get through. Might as well just sit back for a little bit.'
Riku began to reach for the object in question.
"Tsukumo! Break past the barrier!"
"Got it!"
As that was said, the barrier broke.
"Erm, Riku, I think your grandfather is straining himself to keep that barrier that you didn't seem to notice earlier up." "..."
"Go! [Da!-Ri!-Da!]"
As the kid moved his... Device, red lines appeared, after which, the giant bug-shikigami-thing attacked while Riku continued to reach for the drive.
"Gasp!"
"Why do I even bother making comments. Listen if anybody needs m-WAIT WHAT'S HAPPENING."
"Finish them, Tsukumo! [Ri!-Shin!-Da!-Ri!]"
"Hissatsu! Kandata no Sadame!"
Tsukumo then let loose a beam-thing.
"What was that just no-Woah!"
"WHAT IS GOING ON RIKU I AM ALMOST SCARED."
"AGAIN WITH THE SILENCE."
The Shrine was then hit by the attack.
Meanwhile, Masaomi was at the festival, and the pillar fell in both directions. He promtly ragequit the festival and left.
Back at the dilapidated shrine...
"Surely this couldn't be real..." muttered an exasperated Rikari "I mean, stuff like this only happens in anime or manga, or when I'm in a fantasy world, right? How did I get into this mess in a world that was supposedly ignorant to magic?"
"Grandpa!"
"Don't worry. He just used up all his chi energy"
'So that's what magic runs off of here. Noted.'
"Urg! Th-Those drives! You bastards, you were both Heaven-style Toujinshi?"
"Erm what?" "I-I don't know... I..."
"Then what's with those round drives?"
"This is... This is...!"
"Riku... And Riku's friend... Rikari was it?"
"Grandpa!"
"Ugh... The ordinance"
"The what?"
"Hurry up and bring out your shikigami, I can smell that you both suck!"
"Urgh... Move your drives!"
Mr. Tachibana threw a card that turned into the character for lock, and suddenly both drives transfigured into actual Drives. At which point, all the seals on both drives both broke. Along with the brass and crystal bells.
"Damn it I was going to use that to tie my hair ba-WHAT IS HAPPENING."
Suddenly, on Riku's screen: "As expected of the descendant of the Originator..." At which point both screens turned to the side.
"[Shin!-Kan!-Da!-Ri!]"
"Erm I'm going to copy you now... [Shin!-Kan!-Da!-Ri!]"
Suddenly bright lights and teleportation.
"Erm... Riku... Oh boy where am I..."
"So, who did I get this time? Are you the one that summoned me, Byakko no Sentsa?" "Erm, I suppose." "What kind of response is that?"
"Well, I'm not really sure what happened, but if you're a shikigami, I'd sure appreciate your help."
"Well, are you going to make a contract?"
"Erm, sure." "WHAT I CAN'T HEAR YOU"
"Erm, I mean, BYAKKO NO SENTSA, I'LL MAKE A CONTRACT WITH YOU"
"Now that's more like it!"
"Oh by the way, all we shikigami can do is fight, just thought I'd note it. Anyway, I accept your contract!"
Cue flashy summoning scenes, complete with Sentsa's being a bastardized version between Kogenta and Kibachiyo's entries.
Byakko no Kogenta, Kenzan!
Byakko no Sentsa, Kenzan!
His fur was a bright gold, with his stripes being white as pure snow. What he was wearing could only be compared to Kogeta in terms of his pants and belt, which were both different colors, silver pants and a black rope, respectively. His shirt only went to the top of his mid-rift, showing off his finely-toned abs quite nicely. And his tail bell was more... diamond shaped (As in a square, not the cut you'd find on a ring). And made of a clear metal, if that was even possible. He was about the same height as kogenta to boot. However some of his hair was tied in the back into a pony-tail, where as Kogenta had shorter hair. He pretty much looked like a more mature Kogenta.
"So, you're the one? Thought you could make use of me, huh?" Kogenta cracked his neck "Well, then, I'm fighting a really strong opponent, am I?"
"Hey I can't let you have all the glory, Kogenta!"
"Sentsa? How long has it been since we've last seen each other?"
"I'd say at least thirty earth years."
"T-TWO Byakko shikigami? H-He can't be... If I can beat both of them, my style rank will skyrocket! Do it, Tsukumo!"
"I have no complaints about my opponent."
"What? It's just a big cicada."
"Yeah and we're both Byakko. Wanna crush it?"
"You know it!"
"Bring it on."
"Then... I really will cut lose!" Tsukumo flew foreward and hit both Shikigami square in the gut a few times.
"Hey! Why aren't you breaking any In even though you summoned me?"
"In?"
"Don't tell me you summoned me without knowing how to use that Drive..."
"No way..."
"Hurry up! Move the Drive!"
"[Shin!-Kan!-Da!-Ri!]"
"It's here! It's here! It's here!"
"Erm, I sppose what Kogenta is saying to Riku applies to me too, Sentsa?"
"Yep."
"Well, I don't actually know any of your In, so I'm going to take a guess and do this... [Shin!-Ri!-Da!]"
"It's here! Setsumaru, Sanjou!"
"What."
"Wow you go straight for the kill, don't you?"
"Erm, what In did I just break?"
"You summoned my sword!"
"I can see that."
Tsukumo lanched an attack, but it was a bit too late. Kogenta had delivered a punch, and Sentsa had placed quite a few cuts.
"Time for the finale! Break the In louder! And with more effort!"
"Gotcha! [Shin!-Kan!-Da!-Ri!]"
"Hissatsu! Kogetsukenbu!"
Kogenta split into multipule crescent moons and attacked the Cicada-Shikigami.
"I want some of this action too! Try breaking some more random In till you get one!" "
Well, I guess I can try! [Shin!-Kan!-Da!-Ri!]"
"Hissatsu! Furumunkikkudansu!"
Sentsa ditched his sword and delivered a flurry of kicks to the Cicada-Shikigami.
Both attacks hit the Cicada-Shikigami head on, and then he died, his name appearing mid-air and disintegrating.
The enemy Toujinshi looked like he was about to die for a few seconds, dropped his drive, and flat out left, asking where he was, and whatnot.
"Not too bad. Pulling a Hissatsu technique on your first fight"
"U-um... Um..."
"What is it?"
"Thanks."
Kogenta's face turned a slight shade of pink "Sure."
"You weren't too bad either, guessing some of my In and all..."
"Dumb luck, I assure you. Albeit having some similar In to Kogenta is a plus. Anyway... Riku, since your grandfather is incapacitated, we should get him to the hospital at some point, though I doubt it'll do any good. Do you mind if I stay over at your place while he's gone? I kind of live here by myself and don't own much anyway and I can pay rent if you REALLY want me to."
"Now really isn't the time to be discussing this stuff, but for now, sure."
"Sweet. I'll go pack."
Later.
"By the way Riku, do you have the means to make hard boiled eggs?"
"Yes, why?"
"Good. I like them. A lot."
TO BE CONTINUED.