Disclaimer: I do not, repeat, DO NOT, own Ryuusei no Rockman or any elements of other anime included in this story. I wish I did. __ __ -hides from lawyers-
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Summary: Taking place a short time after the events of RnR 3 / Megaman Starforce 3, strange crimes were taking place. It is the targets that raise serious attention at WAZA; the targets are people capable of Denpa-Henkan. But the perpetrator, or perpetrators, are not as they appear to be… And why do one of them know a certain important someone among our heroes? And what is this strange feeling about him they're getting…?
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WARNING: This follows the gameverse, but also has ties to the anime version This is ALSO a potential anime crossover. There are chances of elements from BLEACH, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, Katekyo Hitman Reborn!, and a few potential other anime and games in this story. If you like these anime and games, then COOOOOOOOOL~. If not, you're welcome to join the ride.
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Chapter 1: Hunters Are The Hunted, First Verse
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It was a rather sunny day in Kodoma Town. The sun was shining, animals were playing about, Misora Hibiki's new single was being broadcasted on the LCD screens, and… Denpa viruses were wreaking havoc on the hanging train? Oh yeah, that's pretty normal.
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyah!! Somebody help me!" A random, run-of-the-mill citizen screeched as she was hanging out the edge of the doorway, hanging for her life. An onboard Satella Police officer who happened to be on the train reached for her, only to fall short of her grip and to catch the attention of several Mettena viruses – they didn't look too happy.
"Damn it! If I could just--!" He never finished the statement at the Mettena stated to strike at him, causing him to lose his grip on the pole he was hanging on, and he too was hanging for his life. Looking angered, one of the Mettena struck the edge of the doors, cleaving the edge of the door and florr into little pieces, sending the two humans to their imminent doom.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!", the young woman screamed.
'Looks like this is the end…!', the Satella Policeman squinted.
Suddenly a strange noise and 2 beams of blue and pink were seen.
Rockman and Harp Note were able to catch the two falling people in the nick of time, several yards from hitting the ground.
"Phew! That was a close one!" Warrock exasperated from Rockman's Hunter VG on his wrist.
"I know! This was the third time today, too.", Harp, Harp Note's guitar sighed.
"Well's there's no point in complaining about, you two. But still…"
"Ano… you could let go now, mister.", the woman stated, surprising Rockman for a second.
"Oh, sorry.", Rockman replied sheepishly, as they both let the two down, and came to the Satella Policeman.
"So, this is the third time this happened, you said?", the Satella Policman asked, concerned.
"Yeah, it was so weird! Mo~", Harp sighed.
"What could cause viruses to go nuts like this? It so weird…" Rockamn asked to no one in general.
And then a wurring noise was echoing and closing in on the group, with a familiar "GOYOUDA, GOYODA, GOYODA, GOYODA!!" could be heard.
Rockman and Harp Note had instantly displeased looks on their faces, while Warrock could be heard saying, "Aw, HELL no…"
Guess who? It was Detective Goyoda in all of his limited glory. "HUH?! Damn it!" Late to the scene AGAIN!", the Detective spazzed while kicking his car door.
"Ano… what's wrong, Detective?" Harp Note asked, cautiously also preparing for the worst.
"Oh, I'll tell you what's wrong! Three times, there were strange virus attacks! Three times, the Satella Police are late! And three times--!!", the Detective looked up, and suddenly his voice became grave.
"…And three times the viruses suddenly disappear without a trace. Look."
Complying, the other five, Subaru, Warrock – who materialized –, Misora, Harp Note and the Satella Policeman looked up, only to find the evacuated wrecked train completely deserted, with anime-like blinking lines to emphasize the statement.
A collective "EEEEEEEH?!?" was accounted for.
"What is going ON?!", Warrock screamed, clutching his head in frustration.
"Got me.", the Detective sighed. "But something tells me that it's highly unlikely that the viruses suddenly got smarter."
"What exactly are you implying, Detective Goyoda, sir?", the policeman meekly inquired.
"Well, call me crazy…" "Already on it.", Warrock whispered, only to be smacked on the head by Subaru (who is still Rockman at this point), whining in return.
"…But I personally think someone's pulling the strings on this thing. I've never seen viruses act so violent and then just disappear without a trace before by themselves. It's too unlikely."
"But who could do something like this, I wonder…" Misora trailed off.
Suddenly, the four human's Hunters beeped, and the insignia for WAZA was displayed.
The image then switched to a video recording of Shidou Akatsuki, more commonly known as Ace at times.
"This is a message to all Satella Police members and Project – TC members! We have a situation. Those of you who receive this video are to report to WAZA immediately! This is not a drill! Repeat, this is NOT a drill!"
And with that, the feed disconnected.
"Let's go!" Subaru stated, and he and Misora hopped onto the Wave Road and sped towards WAZA.
Detective Goyoda and the Satella Policeman got into the Detective's car and sped off as well, leaving the scene to a mysterious figure, all alone.
The only thing one could see was the figure's chin, which revealed him to be light-skinned, with split-ended snow white hair covering the left side of his face. He had a whizzing cigarette in his mouth.
"So… they started to follow the bread crumbs, eh?" His frown slowly turned into a small smirk. "This'll be too easy." The figure chuckled darkly. "Now to do my part."
And with that the figure suddenly vanished.
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The scene alters to the outside of WAZA, where Rockman and Harp Note de-transformed, and met up with, to their surprise, Shidou at the front door.
"Hey, guys!" Shidou beamed his big smile almost non-human. "You guys are looking lively."
"We could say the same!" Misora beamed back. "Ever since the Meteor G incident, we've haven't seen you or Acid at all."
"Oh great, you brought up his name…", Warrock grunted.
"That remark will not be forgotten so easily, Warrock.", Acid replied as he suddenly materialized, scaring the AM Seijin. "GAK! Don't do that!", Warrock yelled angrily.
"So… what's going on, Shidou-san?", Subaru inquired.
Shidou's smile turned into a serious face. "Alright. Follow me."
After going into an elevator and going all the way to the 57th floor, to the group's, minus Shidou and Acid, surprise, there were others in the room.
"Gonta-kun! Class President! Utagai-san! Juro-san!... Tsukasa-kun!" Subaru exasperated.
"It's been a while, Subaru-kun.", Tsukasa smiled. "It sure has., Subaru beamed.
"It's a Denpa-Henkan extravaganza!" Warraock remarked, impressed.
"Of course, not everyone's here yet, but we'll have to do. Jack, Queen Tia, and a few others will be arriving late."
"But Luna can't Denpa-Henkan, can she?", Misora cocked her head. "That isn't the main concern. I'll show you."
He began to walk back to the elevator, stopping in mid-step, catching everyone by surprise. "You may not like what you see."
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The group descended to the 45th Floor; the Hospital Wing.
The group checked in with the reception desk and walked all the way to the end of the hall.
They opened the rather large door, and both humans and EM Beings alike were in horrified shock. Even Taurus, Wolf and Tsukasa looked pale.
"Oh my God…" Wolf whispered, his ears drooping. "You can say that again.", Ox uttered.
"What… happened?" Subaru's eyes shrunk. He looked like he was going to throw up.
Before the group were Cancer Bubble and Goat Kung-Foo, both in cryogenic healing chambers, both in particularly bad shape. But were covered in extensive bruising and bandages, even in Denpa-Henkan. They were both unconscious.
"Hey, they're…! Uhhhh…", Subaru gasped in surprise, then stammered. Turns out he forgot their names.
"Kenta Yagi and Chiyokichi Kasami, respectively. Also known as Goat Kung-Fu and Cancer Bubble.", Shidou read off a clipboard.
"So they both can Denpa-Henkan? So why are they… you know…", Tsukasa questioned, and eyebrow ridged.
Shidou gulped slightly, signifying something, but said "To be honest, I'm not quite sure. But it's very unusual; it's as if both the human and Wizard counterpart for both Cancer Bubble and Goat Kung-Fu were… how should I put this…", he trailed off, putting a hand to his chin.
"'Assimilated', perhaps?", Acid inquired. "Uh, sure, let's go with that." Shidou beamed, causing everyone to weird out or facefault.
"It's as if the two core consciousnesses for both of them were forcefully fused together. It's as if their souls were mixed together. It's unlike anything I've, let alone anyone else, ever seen before. But as far as I can tell…"
He pointed at Goat Kung-Fu. "…They're not doing too well. Not after what I was able to scrap together…"
"Ano…", Utagai trailed after raising his hand. "What is that entail... exactly…?", he trailed off.
"Using satellite footage, I was able to detect that these two were fighting someone or something really, and I mean really powerful. They were in a lot worse shape than right now, trust me."
Turning back to the chambers, he continued. "But from what I was able to tell, they weren't fighting viruses or another EM Being…"
"Well that rules out viruses… wait, did you say not an EM Being??", Harp bursted.
Warrock scratched his chin. "Suddenly, this just got my attention. Heh heh heh." Subaru silently smacked his face. "Warrock, for God's sake…"
"It is interesting actually, because from what WAZA was able to distinguish, which was very little, by the way…" Shidou trailed off.
Everyone started to lean slightly.
"This being… is human."
"…EEEEH!?", everyone basically yelled in surprise, causing Shidou to plug his ears with two fingers, looking disgruntled.
"Trust me. I'm just as confused as you are. But what really confused me was the appearance of our 'perpetrator'."
The video feed on the screen of the room revealed footage of a robed figure fighting hand-to-hand with Goat Kung-Fu.
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Goat Kung-Foo was fighting vigorously against a figure draped in a dark blue hood and robe. From what was visible, the figure had green bangs hang from the crown of its forehead and sideburns. His hands, covered in white bandages, revealed the figure to have light, almost pale skin.
They appear to have been fighting at an edge of Dossy Lake, thus attracting attention from frightened tourists who scurried away from the fight.
"Hmm. Looks like we have a… how should I say it… a 'captive' audience…? Heh heh heh heh…", the figure chuckled.
Goat's eyes flashed with anger, ever so slightly. "You touch one hair on any of them, and you'll pay with your life!" Goat yelled, obviously angered.
"Wonderful! Your anger is simply exquisite! Yet you are so terribly misguided.", the figure suddenly disappeared for a second to Goat's surprise.
He suddenly looked down, and saw the figure crouched down inches from him, and suddenly slammed his fist unto his jaw.
"You were wide open, my friend. Wide open."
Before Goat Kung-Foo could retaliate, he was met with a powerful axel kick to the cranium, while his shrouded opponent was in the middle of a handstand, thus kicking him face-first into the grassy soil.
Goat Kung-Foo struggled to get up, obviously in severe physical pain.
"This isn't one of your precious 'Wave Battles', my friend. This is war.", the figure said, saying the word 'war' venomously.
Goat Kung-Foo was panting hard. "This… pain… it's unlike… anything…I…"
"Let me guess. 'Unlike anything you've felt before'? Please. That's just so droll of a response. But if you think this pain is bad, try this on for size."
Confused for only a second, Goat Kung Foo's eyes visibly shrunk as he felt an excruciatingly painful jab in his stomach. This was obvious as Goat started screaming bloody murder, while the figure's bandaged fist emitted an eerily green, almost lightning-like flame, which was starting to cleave into his Denpa-flesh.
"Ooooooh, this scream… not sweet enough but it'll do.", the figure muttered drolly as Goat Fung-Foo's screaming ceased, for he then removed his fist, dropped him to the ground like a ragdoll, and kicked him into Dossy Lake at his skull like he was a soccer ball.
Then the figure opened a swirling black portal by wagging his right pointer finger. As he walked in, he only muttered one word.
"Disappointing."
As he left, two or three bystanders dove into the lake to help fish out the poor child, who was basically drowning although Denpa lifeforms can breathe underwater, while others either contacted police or stood there in shock, most children among them scared half to death.
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"…And there you go.", Shidou solemnly stated. "The same thing virtually happened with Cancer Bubble." He looked to the chambers. 'Poor kids…'
Everyone else in the group looked totally in awe, horrified awe.
"Wait, there's still one thing I don't understand.", Luna asked.
"Oh? What's that?", Shidou asked.
"I can understand everyone else, but I can't Denpa-Henkan. I mean, there was that accident, but…"
"I understand that, Luna, but please understand. According to what he also gathered, Kenta-kun was attacked before he assumed Denpa-Henkan. This leads me to believe that anyone related to the process is at risk of danger. Including you, Luna.", Shidou replied.
"R-really?", Luna gaped, scared with her hands in front of her mouth.
"Unfortunately…", Shidou began.
"Then what about Kizamaro-kun? He's in Ameropa visiting family right now; what happens if--" Subaru inquired.
"He, along with his family, are under surveillance guard of WAZA's Ameropa branch. He and Pedia have been hanging with you guys for a while now; I wouldn't be entirely surprised if he became a target.", Acid stated monotonously.
Subaru, Luna and Gonta paled slightly. "Don't worry.", Shidou stated. "He's the least likely person to be targeted, but even so we're not taking chances.", Shidou explained. "For all we know--"
Suddenly the alarm began blazing, as sirens alarmed.
"WARNING! WARNING! UNIDENTIFED INTRUDER ON THE PREMISES! WARNING! WARNING! UNIDENTIFED INTRUDER ON THE PREMISES! THIS IS NOT A DRILL! REPEAT! THIS IS NOT A DRILL!"
"What?!" Shidou practically blurted out. "An intruder?! NOW?!", Ox yelled over the siren. "500 Zenny says that it's that guy from before!", Warrock boasted. Wolf and Taurus looked like they were in on the 'bet'.
Everyone, minus Luna, Denpa-Henkan'd and zoomed to the entrance of the infiltrated headquarters, seeing a lone, cloaked figure.
The figure appeared about 6 feet tall. Not much was distinguishable except for the lower half of the figure's face revealing pale skin. A lone cigarette was dangling out of the left side of his mouth, partially obscured by white hair.
The members of Project-TC, the Satellite Server, tensed, as the opposing figure made no moves. Until finally…
The figure's right hand slowly stated moving, pulling off the cloak.
Rockman, Harp Note, Ox Fire, Cygnus Wing, Wolf Forest and Gemini Spark – both halves-, even Luna who was observing from behind the glass door, were surprised by the figure's identity.
The figure was a male young man, about Shidou's age- maybe younger-, with snow white hair jutting in several directions, with hair spiking down the left side of his face. His eye, once closed opened to reveal a deep cerulean shade of blue. He wore jeans and a white T-shirt reading "NICE VIBE" in giant charcoal black letters. He wore two katana-like blades on his waist behind his back in an X-shaped fashion. Both blades had furry tassels and their handles were wrapped in a cyan cloth.
Acid Ace, upon seeing the figure, even though it wasn't visible was shocked. 'No! It couldn't be…!'
Finally, the figure made his move by slowly wrapping his hand around the cigarette, inhaling and blowing smoke in the group's direction. His facial expression showed cold disinterest.
"Shidou Akatsuki…", he finally said. The other Denpa-Henkan-ers were surprised after calling their 'leader' by name. Acid Ace took a small step back, taken aback by the statement.
"And you are…?" The figure's eyebrows burrowed slightly. "Oh come now, Shidou Akatsuki. You mean to tell me you don't recognize me?"
Acid Ace's posture basically screamed the kind of stance one assumes as if their worst fears have come to fruition.
"No way… Is that… really you, Fubuki?" A bead of sweat was visible on his cheek.
Everyone else looked really confused. "Uh… do you know him?" Harp Note inquired.
"But you… I thought… we thought you were…" Acid Ace, Shidou trailed off.
"Dead? Please. You and those foolish siblings, even that moronic King, were too absorbed by the incident to learn what really happened on that day. Stupid is as stupid does, if you as me.", the figure, Fubuki, shrugged.
"And what's that supposed to mean?!", Acid Ace yelled back. "…Perhaps you might have the capacity to guess while you suffer a painful death, I suppose."
Before Shidou could register what that meant, the white-haired young man literally warped in front of the white Satella Policeman, and slashed him twice at the stomach with both swords; no one saw it coming.
Then the figure kicked the falling man in the head with his shin, casting over Acid Ace like a football dummy.
Wolf Forest, enraged, attempted to sneak behind the human, only for Fubuki to whirlybird-kick the lupine man at the side of his skull, knocking him down. Fubuki's visible eye revealed a look of absolute annoyance. "Sneaking up on me – bad idea."
He then turned around, disappeared in the midst of twisting his waist, and reappeared socking Cygnus Wing in the nose and taking the opportunity of his opponent's shock to ram the hilt of the blade in his right hand into his enemy's skullcap, landing the avian warrior face-first into the ground, the beak of his helmet stuck in the hardened and metallic earth.
"Looking surprised at my way of fighting – an even worse idea."
Rockman, Gemini Spark and Harp Note were frozen in place, in utter aw of the scene, in just 20 seconds, three qualified members of the Project-TC, three Denpa-Henkan lifeforms, were all down for the count, picked off like flies by a single human. A powerful human at that. Even Warrock, battle-hungry as he is, was in a state of shock.
But that didn't stop Ox Fire. Gonta starting running at an incredible speed, holding his arms like he was cradling a football. "OX…!!"
Ox Fire changed Wave frequencies at the last second, baffling the white-haired young man. "!!"
Ox Fire reappeared behind his target, still running. "…TACKLE!!"
Ox Fire, clumsy as he is, revealed a more intelligent side of him as his spilt-second plan landed the first successful blow on the WAZA intruder. The human's body bounced of the ground three times from the force, and somersaulted in midair and landed crouched on his feet to avert a fourth, leaving a small trail of earthen dents and dust trails.
"Well,… didn't see that coming…", the figure grumbled.
"HA HA HA!! Not so tough now, are ya?!" Ox Fire gloated, laughing loudly. Rockman and Harp Note smiled openly slightly. Perhaps they stood a chance, not that Acid Ace, Wolf Forest and Cygnus Wing slowly, but surely, got back up.
Gemini Spark- both With and Black - took the opportunity to sneak to either side of Fubuki and yelled "ROCKET KNUCKLE!!" simultaneously.
"Sneak attacks don't usually succeed twice in a row you know!" Fubuki retorted before disappearing again. This time it looked like he disappeared with an afterimage.
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A lone figure, the only visible part of the vision being his mouth line, chin, neck and part of his left shoulder revealed white skin, a black robe with a white trim, and small protrusions of spiked orange hair. "That move…"
He gritted his teeth and grabbed for something apparently located on his right shoulder, off screen.
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The scene returned to Fubuki disappearing in mid-attack of the Rocket Knuckles. Both fists clashed and the Gemini twins winced, their arms returning to them.
Fubuki returned behind Gemini White, smashing his hard in the back to the head with the blade's hilt in his left hand.
Before Gemini Spark Black – Hikaru – could retaliate, he felt a sting feeling in his chest as a blade carved through his chest area. The pain of the attack forced Gemini Spark to pulse out, leaving an unconscious Tsukasa on the ground clutching his stomach.
"So… anyone else want to try my patience?", the albino-haired man questioned, his visible eye with a glazed look.
"OX…!!" Ox Fire exclaimed, charging towards Fubuki and disappearing again.
"Not this time!", Fubuki yelled, warping again behind where Ox Fire would reappear, thus shocking everyone still conscious.
"Look out! Gonta-kun!!", Luna yelled from the doorway. Fubuki, luckily for her, paid no heed.
Ox Fire was stabbed in the back by the blade in his left hand, and whilst the big Denpa cross yelped in pain, Fubuki began murmuring something so fast, no one could understand him, until…
"Hadou 11. Tsuzuri Raiden! (Lit. "Bound Lightning")", he yelled as he struck the hilt of the plunged blade with the tip of his other sword, conducting powerful electricity, electrocuting Gonta's and Ox's combined form with an enormous amount of lightning.
Ox Fire began screaming at the top of his lungs, as the force of the attack cancelled the Denpa-Henkan and knocked both boy and alien-Wizard thing unconscious, Gonta barely breathing.
"Now to finish this. Say your prayers, fatty.", He sais as he pulled the sword that was previously impaled in the warrior off the ground and readied both blades above his head.
To everyone's shock and horror as no one could make it in time, all seemed lost.
"GONTA –KUUUUUUN!!" Rockman, Harp Note and Luna yelled, off screen, as in slow motion, the blades inched closer to the fallen boy.
Wolf Forest, Cygnus Wing, and most importantly, Acid Ace looked horrified. Acid Ace, even though he couldn't do a thing, ran towards the scene, yelling, "FUBUKIIIIII!!!"
And suddenly, when all hope was lost…
"GETSUGA TENSHOU!!" (Lit. "Cutting Moon Heavenly Fang")
A lone, cleave-shaped cyan blast of energy came speeding towards Fubuki, who blocked it almost effortlessly, but warped away about 40 feet from Gonta's body from the attack's force.
Rockman, Harp Note, Acid Ace, Wolf Forest and Cygnus Wing, and Luna separately, stood amazed at the sight before them.
A tall, male figure with short, spiky orange hair wearing a black kimono pants with a white stripe at the neck and fold appeared, clutching a strange black cleaver wrapped with white bandages at the supposed handle of the blade, which was indented.
The male figure had serious chocolate-brown eyes, and a slight scowl. He was staring Fubuki down, his sword-holding hand tensing.
"Hey, you. What's going on here?"
He turned his head slightly, towards the group behind him. "So… I take it you guys can see me, huh? I'll explain later."
Suddenly, War-Rock, Harp, Acid, Wolf and Cygnus materialized beside their partners. "Who is this joker?" War-Rock muttered.
Fubuki looked less than pleased. "Orange hair…"
The way he stated the last statement caused the robed man to squint and raise a brow. "Come again?"
"Large Zanpakuto…"
The Project-TC members looked confused. "Zanpaku…to?" Subaru repeated to himself.
"And the unmistakable stench of a powerful Hollow..." This caused to figure to tense in surprise, his eyes visibly shrunk slightly. "What… did you just say?"
Fubuki cracked a small grin. "There's no mistake. You're him. You're…", he began as he readied his blades.
And the screen turned black.
"…The Substitute Shinigami, Ichigo Kurosaki."
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…TO BE CONTINUED …
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Next Time: Hunters Are The Hunted, Second Verse
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So how was that for a cliffhanger? Alright, if you like it, please read and review! :3