DISCLAIMER: I OWN WHAT IS MY OWN.

Kamen Rider Tsukiyo: Return to the Equilibrium

By Corvus no Genmu the Prince of Slumberland

Strike of the Thunderstorm

"Monsterra are different than humans… never mind the shape or form, there is a key difference between humans and monsterra, both Lightwalker and Darkstalker… Monsterra, no matter the breed, are born into their power… unlike humans, they are classed as soon as they are brought into this desecrated world… humans though… had a the ability to increase their power to unprecedented levels… should they live long enough to access it…"

Daini's eyes were closed as he breathed in the smell of scented smoke from the lit fireplace. Wood, as rare as it was in a non-monsterra form, was a rare commodity reserved for people far richer than he so old charcoal and lumps of coal had to serve his childish need for warmth and light in the otherwise darkened library. Many of the usual lanterns were kept dark, the light of the fireplace and the moon serving Daini well in the late hours of the night.

Gallon, having no love for the stink of smoke, had retired to his own chambers, a tome of some kind carefully carried away in his hands, leaving only Daini and the siblings von Gerdenheim. Though twins by birth, the brother and sister pair looked anything but related to one another. Emily, who was by all appearances no older than Daini himself and so unable to serve as one of his joint guardians, was dressed in attire that was ancient by modern standards of New-Eden but fit her style well. Her brown hair was pulled back into twin pigtails that fell down to her ankles. She was curled up in her own chair with a large book resting upon her lap, one decorated with numerous pictures and conversations.

Her brother Victor was very different. He absolutely towered over her, and everyone else for that matter. He had a shock of shaggy blonde hair on his head and though he had enough muscles on him to earn a fair favor in a fight against a Golem-unit mechaniloid, Victor was best described as a gentle giant. He rarely left Emily's side, or Daini's whenever he was home, and served a silent vigil over them both but was often seen tending to the numerous tomes that filled the library with a gentle care belying his great size. At the moment, he was sitting on the floor beside Emily, more than tall enough to look at the wonderful illustrations of the book as Emily taught him some new words.

Daini rose to his feet and walked over to a shelf, replacing the book he had finished reading. He glanced over the shelves and visibly brightened as he reached up and grabbed a thick volume from high above him. The book fell back into his hands with an audible thud and Daini hefted it up to gaze over the cover. He blew at it to rid it of some dust and visibly started at the title.

"History of the Silver Millennium…? Third Edition…" He shrugged and walked over to reclaim his chair. "Sounds interesting…"

Emily glanced up as Daini sat down and her eyes widened marginally at the sight of the book. She reached over and touched Victor's shoulder, bringing her brother's attention to Daini. Without a word, Victor stood to his feet and walked away, casting a backward glance at the oblivious Daini, who never took note of the concern on Victor's otherwise stony face.

The Museum was something of an outdated place. Not truly open to the public, the Museum is actually a section of Cyberdynne Central, specifically located in the "Tower of Shadow" in the city's southernmost border. It wasn't so much a place of history as it was a place of storage of random artefacts scattered about Neo-Urth. Machines of old were absolute but books, sources of information of the Past-that-Was, were an immeasurable treasure. Whatever other pieces of the forgotten Past were valuable but were placed haphazardly about the Museum with care only placed on putting them in their proper wings and halls.

Though the day had only just begun, one of the Museum's curators was busy at work over a newly gained piece for the weaponry wing. Charles was not by any means an important man but he liked to think himself as such and wasn't afraid to be boastful at any given opportunity.

At the moment, Charles was gushing over the newest piece to his wing like a child on sugar-high.

"My word! This armor is in perfect condition but its age, its design! It has to be at least several hundred years old if not older! And the sword! It's shining with-Ouch! Oh my finger…" Charles sucked his finger, not bothering to notice the faint trail of blood flowing from the tip of the sword to the helmet resting at the top of the open crate.

"Blood…"

The eyes of the helmet shined as it slowly floated upwards, changing from a dull blue to a shining red. Red like freshly spilled blood. Charles gasped and hurriedly backed away before turning horrified eyes to the sword in his hand for he had been sure to release it from his grasp. Instead, his hand tightened on the sword's hilt, veins visibly popping up beneath the flesh.

"Souls…"

The crate crashed apart from the inside and the full set of armor was revealed as a ghostly visage melted into place between the floating segments, giving them actual form to cover and protect. Charles stared in mounting horror as the chest armor twisted and warped upon itself until a fanged visage appeared on its surface, with gleaming golden eyes twisting about before focusing upon him with the ghostly face mirroring it. The armor stepped forward, beckoning with a hand and the sword in Charles' hand came flying into its own.

The poor man had only just begun to scream before the armor was upon him, sword piercing through flesh and bone and cutting deep into the soul with voracious laughter echoing the empty halls.

"Why are you so skittish this morning, Shock?" It was morning the next day and Daini and Hedgeshock were making their usual trek towards school with the small bioid acting more hyperactive than usual, looking about as though she expected something to burst out of the shadows of the towering skyscrapers around them.

Hedgeshock shot her human friend a wide-eyed glare. "How can you even ask that?! In less than a month we've had more Darkstalker attacks than in the past year!" She shivered, sparks dancing along her quills. "Daddy's been so overworked just keeping track on the Thunder District I can't imagine what the other Maverick Hunters must be going through after last night! Oops!" Hedgeshock clamped her plug-shaped hands to her mouth.

"Last night?" Daini's eyes narrowed behind his sunglasses, frowning behind his surgical mask. "What happened last night?"

"Oh my oversized audio unit… Okay, you can't tell this to anyone, okay! Not another soul!" Hedgeshock pointed at Daini with an electrified hand.

"You're the only one I talk to anyway, Hedgeshock. What's happened?" asked Daini.

Hedgeshock glanced about, checking if any other reploids were in audio range before whispering to Daini, "There was another attack last night, this time in Cyberdynne Central! The entire Museum staff was killed!"

"The Museum?" Daini stood on his toes, looking to the south where the building nicknamed the "Tower of Shadow" for its black surface stood. Cyberdynne Central was two building in one, divided to stand on opposing borders, the "Tower of Light" to the north with the "Tower of Shadow" in the south. No one fully knew what transpired inside the two buildings but there were plenty of rumors and heresay. It was in these two structures that the Ruling Council resided and for an attack to occur there…

"Weren't there any Hunters on patrol?" asked Daini.

Hedgeshock shook her head. "None of the Maverick Hunters are even allowed to enter the Towers without permission from the Council. Only the basic pantheon soldiers were there." She snorted at that for it was infamously known that the pantheon-type mechaniloids were next to useless in a serious fight.

"They're sure it was a Darkstalker?" Daini asked carefully. "Not a Maverick?"

Hedgeshock repressed a shiver at the very idea. "No thank the Maker… No, whatever did it…" She shook her head and looked up at Daini. "You know my dad right?"

"We met…" Daini visibly paled at that memory of their first meeting. Kind and caring father he might be, Pegasolt Éclair was also extremely protective of his adopted protégé.

"Then you remember that he used to be a member of the Dark Hunters right?" Daini nodded in agreement. Contrary to the Maverick Hunters which acted as shields against Maverick and Darkstalker attacks within the borders of New Eden, the Dark Hunter actively went out into the other quadrants of Neo-Urth to hunt Darkstalkers down. As far as he knew, excluding ex-members like Pegasolt, there were three such Dark Hunters out there right now, which in itself was actually a good thing.

To even be considered into the ranks of a Dark Hunter, one had to slay no less than seven A-Class Darkstalkers, within or outside New Eden's borders. Few could survive against one but seven? To be a Dark Hunter was to be a member of the elite, the crème of the crop, whose orders came second only to the Council.

"Yes, both he and Panter Flauclaws were known as the Lightning Strike. They bagged a lot of high bounties back in the day. So what?" asked Daini.

Hedgeshock glanced once more at the shadows and siddled closer to Daini. "So, daddy says he's only seen the higher class of Darkstalker attack with such abandon! At the very least, there's a B-Class running loose in New Eden!"

"What?!" Daini shook his head. "That's impossible. Nothing short of D-Class should be able to break through the shield."

Hedgeshock nodded in agreement. "I know, I know! But it did, somehow!"

Daini shook his head, his thoughts whirling about in his head. "C'mon. We better get to School before we're late. I'm sure the Hunters have it under control."

"No, we don't have the situation under control, god damn it!" Laser fire lit up the night, turning inky blackness to blazing red as reploid Hunters ran for their lives, firing their weaponry into the darkness as they went. Laserlight bounced impossibly from hardened steel as demonic laughter echoed in the black night, cold iron slicing armorlike flesh with ease.

"We need immediate back-up! I repeat, we need immediate—" Oil sprayed forth from a mouth pierced from behind. The top half of the soldier's head went flying, the body falling lifelessly to the ground though the SOUL core remained active within its cooling shell.

The ghostly visage of a murderous samurai stood over the devastation with obvious distaste marking both its faces. Glimmering amber orbs looked to the sword, listening to its silent rantings for blood of mortal flesh, not the poor substitutes that were thrown against them. It was used to this though, having spent countless years, immeasurable centuries bound together like brothers. Where the sword craved for fresh blood and death, it was the armor's will and desire for something more than easy pickings, more than simple kills. It desired hardship, it craved for strife…

It wanted a challenge.

And it was about to get one.

The sword came up just in time to deflect a length of chain that would have bound itself tight to the Demon Samurai's neck. Another came after it but the specter was already leaping back out of range, gleaming eyes staring into the shadows as an armored form came leaping out, palms extended to it.

"Sonic Swarming!" Ultrasonic waves burst from the hands of Tsukiyo, but the specter stood firm against it, an unamused frown spreading on its ghastly face. The sword twirled lightly for a moment, gauging the enemy before them even as Tsukiyo did the same, reaching down and pulling forth the Rook Crystle and calling forth his ally with the small whistle's howl.

Aluc's eyes shined blue as he cried, "C'mere, Ravage Rook!"

Tsukiyo held up his arms just in time as the twin weapons appeared onto the scene with a wolf's howl, snapping themselves tightly to his wrists. He lowered his arms, quickly taking an attack stance with the Ravage Rook claws at the ready even as the voice of his weapon's soul spoke to him from within his mind.

'Oh no… Pup, we've got to get out of here, you're not ready to fight against this Darkstalker!'

Tsukiyo SF ignored him, charging forward with a feral roar, claws swinging at unseen speeds through the air. The armor danced back from the charging Rider, sword deflecting each and every strike with ease. The ghostly samurai's earlier frown stretched slowly into a demonic grin matched by its facial chestplate. It slowly began to speed up, smiling growing wider as Tsukiyo SF matched it strike-for-strike until it abruptly roared in demonic exstacy, unleashing a wave of dark energy from its sword too fast for Tsukiyo SF to dodge and too powerful to block.

The Rider was sent flying back with the Ravage Rook claws disengaging from his arms and teleporting back whence they came. Now reverted back to Null Form, Tsukiyo stood shakily to his feet, one clawed hand clutched tight at his chest as he struggled to breathe.

The ghastly armor frowned at this, its earlier excitement now gone as it regarded its suddenly weakened foe. It flicked its sword partner back to its sheathe despite its horrid shrieks to cut their opponent down while he was weak. It turned to regard the brightening sky and suddenly understood.

"Tommorrow night…" Tsukiyo stared up in shock as the Demonic Samurai glared at him with all four eyes. "At the eastern shore of the Inland Sea… you will be there and we will finish this."

"… And if I refuse?"

The armor actually laughed, its humanlike head filled to the brim with a monster's fangs open and loud in its humor. "You won't. You think I don't recognize that stench about you?" It leered at him with golden eyes. "Hiding amongst the sheep will not protect you. I will slaughter this entire city but I will have my challenge with you, Moon Child!" The Demonic Samurai faded out of sight leaving naught but its dark laughter echoing in the rising dawn.

"What in the Maker's name happened to you?!" gasped Hedgeshock, staring with wide, disbelieving eyes at the apparent injuries on Daini's body, particularly how he favored his chest and was labored with his breathing. "Did Adam and his gang of thugs beat up on you again?! Masters of the Playground my sparkplug! I'll make them into living lightbulbs once I'm through!"

"It's alright Hedgeshock. Just a bad day with Gallon is all…" Daini winced at the memory. 'Emphasis on bad… I've never seen him so angry…'

"Jeez, he went all out on ya didn't he? Why do you insist on being his punching bag anyway?" asked Hedgeshock, truly unaware of how strong Daini was on his own merit as he refused to raise a hand against anyone, even those who wished him harm in the first place.

"It makes him happy." Daini started to shrug but winced as he pulled a sore muscle. "Ouch…"

Hedgeshock sighed, shaking her small head as she took Daini by the hand. "C'mon tough guy let's at least have the School's nurse have a look at you."

"What will we do, Gallon?"

The wolfish man looked up from the cup of coffee he had been staring into for the last several minutes as though the answers lied within the darkened reflection of himself. Emily was standing worriedly in front of his usual table in the library, bare of any books lest he damage them with an accidental spill, and her brother towering over her, his usual grim frown even deeper than usual.

"What can any of us do?" he asked in return, taking a swallow of his drink. "We might as well be wearing target signs on ourselves the moment we step outside these walls and besides that…" He lifted up a hand, frowning in concentration. His eyes began to glow as his frown turned feral, sweat beading upon his brow until, at last, soft nails turned into wicked claws before receding back as quickly as they appeared. Gallon was gasping from the effort and took a shaky drink of his coffee. "Unless called, we can't access our full power on our own."

"Then it's all in Little Dai's hands…?" whispered Emily, sounding meek and afraid for her adopted little brother.

"No. Victor will help Daini. If Daini call for Victor." Her brother's voice rumbled like a thunderstorm but it brought a blazing smile to Emily's face

"The pup's pride was wounded in that last fight," retorted Gallon, "If there's one thing he inherited from his mother it's that damn ego."

"He's not as bad as that, Gallon," chided Emily.

"Hrmph. I suppose not. He's too damn kind is what it really is. He didn't care so much that he lost more that I was injured as a result. He didn't know that the Guardian Arms could do such a thing to us." Gallon sighed, looking out into the city below. "I'm worried that the fool will not call for us, should he have need of our strength."

A sudden echoing whistle rang throughout the halls, touching the ears of those meant to hear their calls. Gallon glanced up and smirked as Victor himself stood tall, cracking his knuckles loudly.

"Well, well… the pup's not as foolish as I thought he'd be."

Purple lightning danced around Victor's body, artificial flesh peeling back as thick iron bolts applied themselves to his neck. Thick leather stitches pulled themselves taut as muscles swelled with renewed power beneath pale, dead flesh. His bleached blonde hair stood on end as he roared like a man born anew as a monster, his great fist colliding with a thunderbolt of power before his body burst into neon purple energy and took off into the city, changing shape and form as he traveled through the air until, at last, he met with his caller.

The Water District was better known as "The Pond" by the residents of New Eden but by those outside of the city's borders, particularly by the monsterra that roamed the other Quadrants of Neo-Urth, knew it as the Inland Sea. It was here that all breeds of aquatic fauna and flora could survive for the special properties of the oversized lake allowed fresh and salt water denizens a perfect habitat. Here was every fisherman's dream and every aquatic monsterra's haven though few could survive the journey to the Eastern Plains of Chalice, let alone pass the guarded borders of New Eden itself.

Large as the Water District is, it was all its two designated Guardians/Maverick Hunters could do to maintain a daily patrol. It was for this reason that Tsukiyo's opponent chose the Water District's shores as a place of battle between them. Here, the two could face one another without restraint and without wasting their time and power dealing with outsiders hoping to interrupt their battle.

The water was starting to lap at Tsukiyo's feet as he stood silently at the shore, his golden visor reflecting the falling sun until, at last, day fell into night. Blue spectral fires ignited in the air around him as he turned, watching the small orbs gather tightly together to form his adversary. The crimson armor appeared first, its gleaming yellow eyes shining as its fangs spread into a vicious grin that was soon matched by the ghostly visage of its spectral wearer.

It stood without fear, well out of physical striking range of Tsukiyo as it regarded the younger warrior.

"Your name… so that I may write it on your tombstone!" The Rider's shoulders stiffened but he stood firm.

"Kamen Rider… Tsukiyo."

For the first time, surprise marked the poltergeist's ghastly face. "I see… taught by the wolf but carrying your own legacy… then it's only fair you know the name of your killer…

"I am Bishamon!" Tsukiyo dodged to the side as Bishamon's blade sliced through the air. Laughing with its strange echoing voice, the poltergeist pressed for the attack, forcing Tsukiyo to dodge every swordstroke that came his way.

'This is bad!' Tsukiyo ducked beneath a headcutter. 'He's playing with me, I know he is.' A barehanded grab and twist, Tsukiyo jumped back and away. 'He matched me stroke for stroke in Schneider Form and was strong enough to break the bond between the Ravage Rook and I!' Stone ruptured under the force of a demonic sword's deadly swing. 'So how… how can I defeat the Demon Armor of Hanya!?'

'Idiot boy…' The voice of Aluc rang in his head as the mechanical bat spoke to him through their bond. 'What good is all the speed and cunning of a wolf in a fight for power? For dominance?!' A madman's laughter in the dark. 'Cast away your base assumptions of your limitations; become the storm and strike him down idiot boy!'

'Storm…' Another near-hit, too close for comfort to his jugular to be ignored. Tsukiyo jumped back, standing dangerously close to the shore of the Inland Sea. A twitch of the fingers and a deep purple Crystle was in his clawed hand. Shaped like a fist and made seemingly of amethyst, the Crystle made a deep sound like a pipe organ as Tsukiyo blew it.

Aluc's eyes shined purple as he cried, "C'mere, Juggernaut Knight!"

Tsukiyo held up a hand just in time as a massive warhammer appeared onto the scene with a thundercrack. The hammer's shaft was longer than Tsukiyo was tall and the hammer itself was carved in the shape of a golem's face with a pair of tick bolts sticking out from the sides of the head. As a whole the weapon, Juggernaut Knight, was colored a dark royal purple to match the changes of his armor. Just like with Schneider Form, the Moon Pawn Gauntlets were bare, the purple gems shining brightly. However, the arms remained unchanged while the armor protecting Tsukiyo's chest had changed to match the color of his new weapon and appearing even moreso like the chest muscles of a human body.

He was now Tsukiyo Panzer Form.

Bishamon stood back, its blade held relaxed in its hands as it stared at the sudden change, a faint glimmer of recognition shining in both its eyes. It rushed forward and suddenly darted to the side, watching in small amusement as Tsukiyo PF brought his hammer down with a roar, "Giga Brute!" The demonic poltergeist's grin widened on its horrific armor, matched by the ghostly visage of its face. The attack was strong enough to create a crater several yards wide and nearly just as deep.

"Powerful… but…" Bishamon ran forward, blade at the ready. "Too slow!"

Tsukiyo PF turned, shouldering the Juggernaut Knight without any obvious concern. Bishamon's humanlike face frowned and soon turned to agony as lightning suddenly arced out from Tsukiyo PF's body, striking the nearest metallic source which happened to be the demonic samurai's bloodthirsty blade.

Bishamon leapt back, staggering on the sand as electricity fizzled out across its armor. "You… hehe…" Bishamon shook its humanoid head, the face on its chestplate smiling a fanged rueful grin. "You are more intelligent than I gave you credit for boy… You match me for speed with the wolf but not in power… so you substitute the wolf for the golem and exchange your speed for a defense impenetrable by the likes of one such as I… HAHAHAHAHA!" Bishamon's heads tilted back, laughter roaring from their mouths as the blade seemed to shine with unholy delight. "This is it! The challenge I've been waiting for all these years!" It took another ready stance, sword at the ready. "One last attack! One final strike to prove who shall live and who shall die this night!"

"Bring it." Tsukiyo PF pulled out the Savage Bite Crystle and blew it shrilly as Aluc's glimmering purple eyes shined brighter.

"Savage Bite!" The mechanical bat flew upwards to the Juggernaut Knight and bit down upon its pommel. The purple gems adorning the Moon Pawn Gauntlets lit up with a sudden intensity as lightning danced around the massive hammer. Bishamon charged forward, grinning madly before suddenly jumping back and away from Tsukiyo PF, completely out of range of his attack, or so it thought.

"Thunder Breaker!" The Juggernaut Knight pounded into the sand, sending great clouds of it rising into the air as the ground beneath cracked apart in wide arcs as lightning flowed through the earth before rising up into the air, attracted by the one primary source available to them.

Bishamon.

Tsukiyo PF hefted the massive hammer over his shoulder, watching the last of the admittedly impressive lightshow fade off, leaving naught but the armor and weapon behind, the ghostly apparition that served as the body gone without a trace.

The sword was badly cracked and looked ready to break to pieces with the armor not much better but Tsukiyo PF saw the eyes glaring at him, broken fangs spread in a angry snarl.

"I… lost…? Impossible!" Tsukiyo PF remained silent, standing before the Soul Armor beneath his helmet. The armor's scowl twisted, shifting into a devious smile. "Boy… don me… you've earned the right… You know of my power! … With my strength added to your own, you will be unstoppable!"

Tsukiyo PF stared down at the armor for a long time. Lightning began to dance along the Juggernaut Knight.

"No."

The hammer came down.

Bishamon's piece shattered to pieces which soon turned themselves to smoke on the playing field of the chessboard. A pointed chin rested upon an upturned palm, shining blue eyes half-lidded as they gazed upon the board and the remaining pieces. Though there was an air of boredom around the shadowed figure, there was a serious light in the eyes that stared at the Tsukiyo piece.

"Cunning of the Wolf…" A blue wolflike figure appeared behind Tsukiyo's piece. "Power of the Storm…" A hulking humanoid figure colored in shades of purple appeared beside the first. "That leaves just one more…" A final piece appeared behind the pair, black and shapeless though the cold eyes saw more. A sharp claw reached out and tapped the piece's head in silent wonder before tapping the space before Tsukiyo, watching as another piece manifested itself as a massive swarm. A malicious grin in the dark.

"Yes… She'll do nicely…"

To Be Continued...

Next time… on Kamen Rider Tsukiyo: RttE...

One Shot to Pierce the Waters