Chapter 1: We Interrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Lives
Fiction City was, at least to most of the American population, a strange place. Crime was lower per capita than almost every city in the country; that's not to say there was no crime, it consisted mostly of designer drugs and was marketed towards the great number of artists who called Fiction City home. And as the name implies, that was most of the population. Artists, authors, even a few scientists and engineers originated from the place, earning the city quite a bit of extra fame.
That wasn't to say it was particularly liked. Pretentiously smart people weren't always the easiest to get along with, a city of them even moreso. The amount of insufferable gloating only worsened when the radical new DREAM Laboratory opened, promising to change the world like nothing ever had before.
And in a way…they were right. But not in the way anyone would've expected.
…
"Alright, I'm off!" Nolan called over his shoulder.
"Have a nice day!" his mother called after him, not looking up from her crossword as he walked out the door.
Strolling down the street, Nolan Sutherland glanced around at the bustling city, as was his habit. Things seemed to be much the same as always, with people roaming about, trying to get to their destinations like him, not at all interested in anyone else. Although, there was something in the autumn air besides the usual chill. Some sort of…charge. An excitement.
"What'dya think DREAM's gonna show off tonight?"
"Dunno. Must be confident about it if the tickets are so cheap."
Nolan smirked to himself, feeling in his pocket for one of the aforementioned tickets. Sure, he didn't need it quite yet, but better to have it now than potentially forget it later. The young man wasn't all that scientifically inclined, but the upcoming demonstration was worth a lot of extra credit.
A bump on his shoulder jolted him out of his musing, making him look around. A girl in a light purple sweater continued in the opposite direction as he quickly checked his pockets again. Nothing missing.
Soon enough he reached the Cup of Monte Cristo coffee shop and entered, sparing a customary chuckle over the name. It took rather little to amuse him. "Hey Saul," he greeted, waving.
"Mornin', Nolan," the man behind the counter replied, flipping a towel over his shoulder and peering at him with ice blue eyes. "What'll it be today, the usual? Or something a little…unusual?"
Nolan tilted his head, his own grayish-blue eyes narrowing. "Hm…eh, what the hell, I'll try the unusual. Tonight's a special occasion, might as well lead up to it with something different."
"Alright," Saul shook his head in amusement. "You know you'll have to get coffee sometime, right? Anyway, this is a new recipe I'm trying out," he grabbed a sheet of parchment paper and opened the display of various baked goodies, grabbing crispy golden scone dotted with brown, "Everyone's all about pumpkin spice this and pumpkin spice that. This is what I call 'Apple Pie in a Scone.'"
"I'll stick to drinks that I don't have to worry about burning me, thanks," deadpanned the man, even as he paid for the pie-scone and took it, heading for a table.
"Suit yourself," the barista shrugged, pouring and doctoring himself a cup of coffee before coming over to sit with him. "So, I know the lab's opening tonight and it's a big deal, but it'll also cut in on our study time. Do you wanna come over here after work, do our crap and get to the lab? We could always to it tomorrow, too."
"Eh, yeah, I think it's probably best to just get it over with. Don't have that much left myself."
Over the past few months, the two students had been studying together, helping each other with their weaker subjects and bonding somewhat over the ones they liked. Nolan was particularly skilled at math, which Saul disliked, while Saul was far better at history. They shared an English class together, which was where they'd initially met. Before long, they'd realized that their respective part-time jobs were close by each other. Saul, of course, worked at the Cup of Monte Cristo, while Nolan tended the shelves and register at a bookstore, the Store of Stories.
While a penchant for punny names wasn't something to be overly proud of, Fiction City was stuffed to the brim with such stores.
"Well, in the meantime, my shift starts in a bit, so I gotta go," sighed Nolan, standing up, "Thanks for the pie-scone. Seeya later."
"Sure thing." The barista downed his cup of coffee and went back behind the counter as another customer entered. "Welcome to the Cup of Monte Cristo! Can I interest you in a Bittersweet Revenge Latte?"
Waving goodbye, his friend departed, heading down the block towards the Store of Stories, slipping in through the employee entrance and greeting one of his coworkers. Soon enough he was wandering the shelves, making sure everything was where it should be, helping out customers and tending the register when needed. It was the same thing, day after day, rather monotonous.
Honestly, that suited Nolan just fine. Simple drudgery left him time to think and imagine, and occasionally do some reading of his own.
All things considered, he was happy for the life he had. A pair of supportive parents, a good mind and a decent job was a lot more than what could be said for a great deal of the world.
His eye alighted on a poster on the far wall, depicting Superman holding up a book and giving a thumbs up. Underneath was the caption, 'Reading is Super!' which had him suppressing a laugh. Sometimes it was just a bit too easy to make him laugh.
Giving it another look at the famous hero, however, he bit his lip, frowning. Was it enough to have a simple, enjoyable life? If I had power like that, he pondered, Would I use it to help people like him?
Glancing around to make sure no one was buying anything, he stepped out from behind the counter and headed into the shelves, winding up in the philosophy section. Only a city as pretentious as Fiction would have one big enough to get lost in.
He ran a half-hearted eye over the titles, from 'What We Owe Each Other' to Machiavelli's 'The Prince," but nothing really stood out to him.
Yeah…like I could just figure out what I'd do just by reading about philosophy. Nolan sighed and scratched his head. It's not like I can just find out anyway, so I guess it'll just stay unanswered…
…
Saul sighed as he set the broom and pan aside, giving his hands a quick wash before heading back behind the counter. "Heading home, boss?" An older man, his head a shiny bald, gave him a crinkly smile as he donned a beaten brown bowler hat, his impressive mustache twitching.
"I am, Saul," he replied warmly, donning his coat. "Amy's still not feeling very well and I wanted to get her some soup. You've got the key and I trust you to watch the shop for the last few hours of business. You're going to the grand opening, I presume?"
"It's extra credit for science, and I need all the help I can get there," the younger man replied with a shrug. "Have a good one, Frank."
"See you tomorrow, Saul." The older man tipped his hat and left with a whistle.
Saul handed out a pumpkin spice latte and scone to a girl in a purple sweater and rubbed his hands together as she left. Checking the store, he found it to be empty and moved to the back to set up the next day's coffee and baked goods. They were boring tasks, things he'd done for almost two years at that point, and the familiar motions allowed his mind to wander.
Frank and Amy were good people and a good family, unlike his own. Sure, his parents left him plenty of money, more than enough to take care of himself with a wide margin for treats…if he cared to use it. But they didn't care to be around him, and he refused to use their cash. The house and cabin were paid out of their account, which left him with dealing with his food and hygiene.
Sure, Saul could've lazed around, played the part of an easy-going, careless playboy who sucked money out of his family like a parasite, become the kind of asshole who would find great success in Hollywood. He was not that kind of person.
Which was why he worked in a coffee shop eight hours a day, even on school nights.
It cut into his study time and practice, but it was worth it. The owner and his daughter were good people, baking and making coffee was easy and somewhat fun (especially when he was allowed to try out some of his recipes) the pay was good, and he got all the free coffee he could ever drink.
Plus, his math grades had started dropping. Normally, that wasn't a good thing, but it had led to him studying together with a student in his English Class, Nolan Sutherland. They weren't too similar, except for their love of literature, with Saul majoring in Literature and History and Nolan likewise in Literature, with a minor in Math. Saul preferred to run around and roughhouse, while Nolan was more of a 'head in the clouds' sorta guy.
He was also one of the few people Saul could comfortably call a friend. That exclusive membership extended only Frank, Amy, and a few of his tutors before they'd left.
Just then, the door opened and the man himself stepped through. He waved at Saul and wandered over to a table, pulling out various notebooks.
"Evening, Nolan!" Saul called from the back. "You want anything?"
"Just a brownie and some water," he replied, "Come on over when you're ready for this."
Scooping a few cold sandwiches, brownies and a cup of lukewarm coffee for himself, the barista took the tray over to the table and sat down. Pulling out a notebook and a text, he cracked both open and clicked a pen. "So, letters in equations; how the hell do they work?"
"Well, the letter is a stand-in. It's supposed to signify that it could be any number. So we have to figure out which number it Is, so that the equation is true-"
"-That, I know," Saul cut across quickly, "But when there are thirty or forty characters all lined up and divided, how the hell am I supposed to keep track of everything?"
"…One step at a time…"
It went on like that for some time, the two working together to solve the problems in the book. Before they'd realized it, the hour they'd allotted for studying had passed and it was time to head to the grand opening. Saul cleaned the dishes as Nolan packed his notebooks away and together, they followed the crowd down to shiny, futuristic dome of DREAM Labs.
"-yo, you hear DJ DC's throwin' a party? It's gonna be hoppin' bro!"
Saul traded a dry look with Nolan. "Apparently, there's going to be a 'hopping party' later."
"Sounds exhausting."
Sharing a chuckle, the two of them continued on down the road, joining a stream headed in the same direction. As expected, the line from the gate extended all the way down the block, a majority consisting of students and reporters. Nolan grimaced, but sighed as they settled in for a long wait. The line advanced at a crawl, excited chattering getting louder as they grew nearer to the gate where they met a balding black man with a salt-and-pepper beard. "Good to see you two made it," he greeted with a smile, marking something down on a clipboard.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world, Professor Irving," Saul replied with a low chuckle, "Not with my grades as they are."
"Hey now," the Professor shook his pen at the younger man, "Don't be so down on yourself, you've improved in the last two months. Keep it up, and you'll pass with no problems. And don't forget to thank your friend; good ones are hard to come by." He winked at Nolan.
Nolan shrugged. "Sometimes it feels like they're hard to come by in general."
Saul grunted ambiguously as they continued with the crowd, stopping near the middle of an open park area. Before them, besides about two hundred people, there was a stage and a podium littered with microphones. Several sciency types stood at the back, looking very proud of themselves as a man, lithe and blonde, hopped up on stage. "Welcome, everyone, to the Grand Opening of my pride and joy, DREAM Labs!" He announced grandly to raucous cheers. "As you all know, I am Doctor Stephen Langdon and it has been a long, hard journey to get here…but we succeeded when others thought we would fail and tonight…tonight, we step into a world where dreams are made real. And it couldn't have happened without the tireless work of all the people who've dedicated their lives to science, and the advancement of humanity as a whole."
As Langdon went around introducing the members of his science team, the two heard a quiet scoff behind them. Turning to look, they found Professor Irving shaking his head. "You don't approve, Professor?" The taller of the two boys asked.
"Of the science, yes. Achievement should always be celebrated," he waved a dismissive hand at the stage, where Dr. Langdon introduced an Asian woman named Lisa Chau. "Of this? This dog and pony show? No, I don't. Science should be about helping people, not because you want to be a celebrity."
"You can't be both?"
Irving hummed. "It's just my opinion, boys, don't worry about it. And pay attention to these people, there'll be a paper on them next week."
"Oh, goody," sighed Nolan, grimacing with his back turned to the professor.
"Least some of 'em are hot," Saul grunted, pulling an apple from his jacket and taking a bite out of it. They stood for an hour longer, listening intently as the scientists blabbered on and on about their groundbreaking work and how important it would be; until, finally, it was over. "Well, I've got work tomorrow and I'm tired."
"Yeah…" mumbled Nolan, yawning, "Unless they're gonna bring out something cool, I'm gonna head home…"
They didn't. Saying their goodbyes to Professor Irving, the two threaded their way through the crowds, heading for the gate. Once past, the streets opened up and they were allowed to breathe again. "So, you want to study some more tomorrow? Not much else going on…" Saul offered, rolling his shoulders.
"Eh, sure, why not."
However, as they put on more distance, a loud, ominous hum filled the air, making them both jump. They looked around in confusion, but the sound filled their heads, making it hard to think. "Is that…from the lab?" asked Nolan, wincing.
Spinning around, they beheld DREAM Labs glowing from within, beams of multi-colored light lancing into the sky. "…That's not good," Saul licked his lips nervously. "I think we should run."
"Agreed!" The shorter young man turned and sprinted away, trying to put as much distance between himself and the lab as possible, Saul pulling ahead slightly. They stumbled as the ground shook and a catastrophic roar split the air, a blinding shine lighting up the night like a new sun. Slowly, they looked at each other before turning, lifting a hand to shield their eyes.
A tsunami of light burst outwards from DREAM Labs, carried on the terrified screams of thousands, engulfing everything in its path…including them.
"Oh shit!"
As the energy crashed over them, sinking past their skin and into their very being, the two boys each experienced conflicting sensations and emotions; peace and fear, lust and rage, hunger and satisfaction, pure happiness and unending sorrow.
Carried on the wave of energy, Saul crashed into the ground and knew no more.
Nolan, on the other hand, was not so lucky. As the wave knocked him over, sending him tumbling end over end, he managed to grab hold of something and pull himself up into a sitting position. He shook his head, gritting his teeth and squinting into the colors. However, his eyes flew open as far more sights flooded into his brain, like countless shards of glass reflecting different scenes. It was too much to parse at once, but as they subsided, something else loomed in his vision, towering over him and pressing down on his soul.
A cross stood before him, flames roaring from its surface and suffusing him with an almost painful heat, its light leaving him unable to look away.
And around that cross, hidden in the shadows, were dozens of glowing, bulbous eyes, gazing back into him.
Then it was all gone, and he was sitting on the sidewalk again, under the night sky and clutching a telephone pole. The air felt still and stagnant after the tumult a few moments ago, but Nolan gasped and panted it in, suddenly soaked in sweat, trembling, his heart beating in his ears. He climbed to his feet, shaking, trying to think past the images he'd seen. Under any other circumstances, he might have brushed off that last image as some figment of bad taste, but this was just too weird to ignore. He looked around, blinking in the darkness. "H-hey…Saul?" he called out weakly, "You there?"
He stumbled forward, squinting and trying to clear his vision. A jolt of panic ran through his body when he saw his friend lying still on the ground and ran over to him. "Saul?!" he asked, shaking his shoulder, "H-hey, get up!"
Saul stirred slightly, groaning, but remained unconscious. Even so, that small amount of response helped quell Nolan's panic. Biting his lip, he grabbed his friend under the shoulders and began to drag him away; definitely not easy, as Saul was a lot heavier, but Nolan heaved him towards a nearby tree, propping him up against it. "Shit…now what…?" he muttered to himself, looking around.
A police car rushed past, heading towards DREAM Labs with the sirens blaring.
"I'd better get home," he mumbled, rubbing his face, "Mom 'n dad might be getting worried…" Thus he set off, legs still shaking.
…
Fortunately, he made it home safely and let himself in. Mercifully, his parents were asleep, so that was one less stressor to deal with.
Even as he got ready for bed, moving about automatically, the things he'd seen in the explosion began drifting to the forefront of his mind again.
It was like something had cast a stone into a pond, kicking up countless distortions and waves, each reflecting something slightly different. He gritted his teeth as he tentatively tried to recall one of them.
An image of Superman, an ominous scowl on his face, eyes glowing red as he stood over the body of some…purple-suited man with a white face and wide, ghastly grin.
Nolan blinked. I don't remember ever hearing about Superman getting that angry. But that doesn't tell me anything. He tried again.
A man in a red and gold suit of armor flying through the sky, launching missiles from hidden compartments and firing lasers from his palms.
"Who the hell…?" he asked himself, blinking. The news had never mentioned anyone even remotely looking like that.
And then that cross returned and he stiffened, hugging himself tightly. There was undoubtedly something sinister about that image, even besides what he remembered from history.
However, this time, as he examined the memory, he focused on the eyes that had accompanied it. That scene drifted into view, as fresh as when he'd first witnessed it, but now, he found himself looking at it from different angles. Standing around the burning cross were men in suits of armor, all with different designs, styles and colors, but all with similarly large, round lenses on their helmets, evoking an insectoid appearance. Looking at these figures warmed him slightly, the convulsive shivers from remembering the cross dying down as he observed them.
"Who are they?" he asked himself.
Much to his surprise, he was answered. The scene shifted, one of the armored men turning towards him. The long tails of a coat flapped about him, the open front revealing a ruby breastplate and a similarly jewel-like mask, embossed in silver.
"The Cross of Fire…is a symbol of evil that endures through the ages. But it's also a symbol of those who turn against that evil. Who take a stand against it and fight for the people it preys on. It is the symbol…of the Kamen Riders."
…
Saul awoke with a groan, clutching his aching head as he sat up, confusedly nudging the tree he was leaning against. Struggling to his feet, he heard wailing sirens on the air but saw the streets were empty of even vagrants. "…The hell is going on?" he muttered, rubbing his forehead. "Why am I so tired?"
Shaking his head to clear it, he began to march home, grunting quietly as his sore body protested the action. By the time he had staggered to his front porch, he was sweating profusely and panting, nearly collapsing against the door as he fumbled for his keys. Merely unlocking it proved a challenge that he had to conquer, doing so and walking inside, making sure to lock it behind him.
Barely able to slip off his shoes as a wave of exhaustion hit him, Saul forwent the stairs and tumbled onto a paisley couch, his last conscious thoughts fading before his head hit the cushion.
That night, he dreamed of teeth. Teeth and Fire.
STF
NS: And thus begins something I've wanted to do for a while. Well several things. A collaborative SI, and a DC fic involving Kamen Rider. To all you people on QQ, I wanna thank my friend Soleneus for agreeing to do this with me. Y'all should check him out. In a lotta ways he's a better writer than I am.
Sol: I'm prettier. But seriously, I've been wanting to do a DC story for awhile and I couldn't resist when NS asked me to collab on this with him. I mean, we've been writing together for literally years, it had to happen eventually.
NS: Yeah, so, while I'm posting this in the NSFW section, there prolly won't be that much lewdness for a good while. We ARE trying to do this a tad seriously. Well, as seriously as possible when you've got Karate Bug-men.
Sol: Plus, it's just getting started, so pairings and other such things that come with them are a while off. First, we got to establish the setting, characters, friends, foes, love interests…the list goes on. But, knowing NS, there'll be some freaky shit in good time. I mean, it's not like I'm the most platonic writer, either.
NS: Don't worry, QQ won't mind. XD
Sol: …Anything else to add?
NS: Nnnnope. I'm good.
Sol: Alright. Well, I hope you enjoy this and look forward to more, 'cause more is definitely coming.
NS: (Prolly not that soon though…)
Stay Awesome!