The words did indeed strike fear into the group. With ease, one Zodiarts had found a way to counter all of the KRC's offense.
"You'll never get away with this!" JK yelled from the side.
Brooding Corvus looked at him, crossing both arms. "Taunting the monster that can kill your "Heroes" in a minute isn't a good idea. So i'd shut up."
"How about you make me!" JK countered with. The whole group stared at him. What could their flashy friend have up his sleeve?
Corvus just cackled. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
"How about you see for yourself."
"Will do."
Brooding Corvus takes a divebomb towards JK, who sprints out of the way. JK turns and winks at Shun, then starts to run away from the school. What could be his plan?
5 minutes later, his plan seems as subtle as a truck hitting you dead on.
Jk stood, as he had wasted all of Brooding Corvus' energy. Corvus was tired out. And it was the perfect time for the Power Dizer to break out!
The big yellow and black monster of a machine full on tackled Corvus, sending him flying. He proceded to throw him around like a rag doll. Finally, he slammed Corvus into the ground and stomped on him. Corvus reverted back to human form.
Faust crawled over to Slash and Tobi and stood up.
"You think you're bumblebee striped robot will keep me down? You watch." Faust said, trying to cackle, but then choked.
"Lets go man lets go! You don't wanna die do ya?" Tobi bounced up and down. Slash picked up Faust and put him around his neck.
"Hey. KRC." Slash looked over. "You guys are strong. But i'd train. We have shit you'd never imagine." Slash looked at Yuki, Tomoko, and Miu and smiled. "But you've got some nice ladies." Slash and Tobi walked away from the school.
The group all looked at eachother, then to Kengo, Ryusei, and Gentaro. And they realized that they are in for a ride.
The group were back in the Rabbit Hutch as Gentaro was testing out Vortex. They needed to be prepared for Corvus and friends. Gentaro was not having trouble picking up all the weights they brought, so Vortex seems to be a good switch for battle.
"Do you think we can beat them?" Miu said. She didn't want this to be hard. She didn't want to lose Kengo. Right now, Utahoshi was getting attended to at the local hospital, but the group were told they would be called.
"Miu, I..." Gentaro started. He honestly didn't know. Brooding Corvus was stronger than most Zodiarts they've faced combined.
"Gentaro!" She stood up from her seat. "I...I need to know! I don't want to lose Kengo! He already has bad health!" If one battle can tear her up like this, what would happen if they face 2 or more?
"Kazashiro." Ryusei stood up. "Utahoshi will be okay. He knows what he's doing. Atleast, i hope he does. Just don't worry so much about it." Ryusei walked to her and put his arm on her shoulder.
At that moment, Tomoko had a look of sadness on her face. She also stood up.
"Oh, i have to. Um. Go." She put on a fake smile. "Just some small errands." She turns away. Ryusei looks to her.
"Ohh, how about i come with you?" He says cheerfully. Again, Tomoko looks sad. Even hurt.
"No, i'll be fine. Bye." And she storms out.
"Oh...Alright, then, Nozama." Ryusei says quietly. "I have to go errand some runs-Or, run some errands WHATEVER i gotta go!" Ryusei runs out of the Hutch, chasing after Tomoko.
"They looooove eachother~!" Yuki said jovialy.
Tomoko was walking home, crying softly. She knows Ryusei likes her...Well, she did. Does she still? She doesn't know. Why can't he just say it already? She wanted to know. Then she heard familiar footsteps.
"TOMOKO!" Ryusei ran up to her. "What happened back there?"
"Ryusei, I...Do you like me?" She blurted out.
"Do I like you? Uh, of course! You're my friend." He flashed a smile.
"No, Ryusei. Do you, you know, LIKE me?" She asked. She looked up at him to see his smiling face. It always cheered her up when he was around.
"What do you me-"
He was cut off by Tomoko's lips pressing against his. It was a warm feeling, both litterally and...Not. She let go.
"Can you answer now?" She said, both questioning him and seducing him.
"I think actions speak louder than words." With that, they went back to kissing. Any doubts she had about Ryusei before are gone. She knows now that he is for her. She broke the kiss real quick.
"But Ryusei. I don't want to go too far, okay? We can show our love for eachother in other ways." She said. He nodded.
"I would never think of doing anything you wouldn't want to. I respect you, Tomoko. I honestly do." Ryusei said. He pulled her in for a quick embrace. She smiled.
"Ryusei, i've always been shunned. They've always called me a creepy goth girl. Nobody's ever liked me, before the KRC. And, it's just, i don't want-"
Ryusei put a finger on her lips. "Tomoko, listen. I will never leave you because you like the color black or anything like that. You're an amazing girl. Never forget that." He put one arm around her.
"So, what should we do now?" Ryusei said. But right after that, they both got texts from Miu. They both read:
|Subject: visiting kengo
we can visit kengo now so get ur asses ovr 2 the hospital room 1337|
Ryusei and Tomoko nodded, and headed to the hospital.
The sign read "Welcome to Besu e no hinto hospital"(all in Japanese of course. Ryusei and Tomoko walked to the front desk.
"Hello, welcome to Besu e no hinto Hospital!" The girl at the front desk said, fake smile plastered on her face.
"We'd like to see Utahoshi Kengo." Ryusei said.
"Ahh, room 1337."
When Ryusei and Tomoko got there, the whole KRC was there, including Ohsusgi!
"Ohsugi!" Tomoko yelped in surprise.
"You're here too?" Ryusei asked.
"Ohh, yeah! I've known Kengo for a while now! I've always care about his health." Ohsugi said, smiling. "Though, i have to go. Take care!"
"Bye!" they all said, and Ohsugi walked out.
"That was awkward." Ryusei said, then chuckled.
"You missed half of it." Kengo said, chuckling. He leaned up more on his bed. "Atleast he gave me some money."
"That helps." Tomoko says, smiling. She walks over and hugs Kengo, then walks sheepishly back to Ryusei as he puts his arm around her. Kengo nods when he sees that.
"Ryusei and Nozama. Who would've thought?" Kengo says, chuckling again. Nozama blushes as Ryusei also nods.
"Jealous, Utahoshi?" Ryusei says with a sly smile.
"You have your lover, i have mine."
"Sooo...How bout some TV?" Gentaro pipes up. Now that Ryusei has a girl, he feels a little alone. Although, he has Yuki. But they wouldn't work together.
The whole group agrees, and the hospital tv is put on.
Meanwhile...
Something had crash landed onto an empty area close to the Lighthouse. What crawled out of it? A man in a robot mask.
Tachibana crawled out onto the surface world, and laid there. He choked. He was knocked out of the air by something brown. He glanced over. His satellite had two giant holes in it. Curved holes. Holes fit for...Horns.
If Tachibanas eyes weren't mostly stationary, they would've went wide. He knows what caused this.
"Tachibana-ra!"
Tachibana looked over. Someone. Something was standing over him. A monster, that looked like a...goat? No. A ram. Two curling, sharp horns for the mettallic/furred beast on two legs before him.
"You've been helping Ryusei-ra!"
Tachibana sighed. "I've helped you as much as I can, Ryusei."
"ACKNOWLEDGE ME-RA!"
Tachibana was grabbed by his neck.
"His this how you want your death to be? Master to Ryusei-ra, Tachibana-ra found dead by what he fought so much to stop? What he helped stopped? DO I LOOK STOPPED!"
Tachibana was flung into the air. And with that, two horns drove deep through his body, and slid right down on to the monsters head. He flung Tachibana into the light house, then jumped away.
"Good bye, "Master"! Kyahahaha!"
The monster had hopped away from the lighthouse and to a tall, dark building. He smashed down the door, to see 4 familiar faces. Tobi, Faust, Slash, and Shouichi.
"Is that a..." Tobi started.
"Zodiarts..." Faust continued.
"Horroscope." Slash ended
"A pleasent surprise." Shouichi started, that fake smile never leaving his face. "Sit down."
"Shouichi-ra." The Horroscope started. "I don't sit."
"Then why are you here?" Shouichi asked. "If its to kill me, my 3 henchmen will get rid of you." With that, Slash, Faust, and Tobi transformed.
"No. I don't care about your highschool students. Shouichi-ra, i want to join you." The Horroscope said. "You offer great power and money."
"That i do." Shouichi said. "But we have to get rid of other Zodiarts employers. I want everyone to come to me if they want power. Got it?"
"Got it, master." He then turned to the 3 highschool-evolved zodiarts. "And if you guys think you rule me, think again. Im second in charge now. Got it!" He grabbed Slash by his neck, and glared at the other two.
"Got it!"
"Good...So when do I start?" The horroscope asked.
"Tomorrow. Until then, take care." Shouichi said, and slightly laughed.
Ryusei's Meteor switch rang out. He pulled it out.
"Tachibana?"
The rest of the group looked at Ryusei.
"Ryusei...Lighthouse..."
Tachibana sounded hurt.
"Tachibana, what is it?"
"Lighthouse...NOW!-Kyah!"
That sounded bad.
"Guys...I have to go. Gentaro, can i borrow the Massigler?" Ryusei asks.
"Ryusei, let me take you. This sounds important."
With that, Gentaro and Ryusei ran out. They transformed, both of them, and took the Massigler to the lighthouse. TO THE LIGHTHOUSE!
By The time Meteor and Fourze got there, it was almost too late. Almost.
Meteor unhenshined, and didn't move. The sight was horrific. Tachibana, the man who's helped him on his mission of helping his friend, was in a pool of his own blood. The blood already darkened from the amount, and his metal face looked smashed and bashed in.
"T...Tachibana..."
"Ryusei...im sorry..."
"Tachibana..."
"Now you can transform...willingly...i can't hold you back..."
"Tachibana! You never..."
"No, its...Gah! Its..."
Tachibana grabbed Ryusei's hand.
"Ryusei...he's out there."
"Who?" Ryusei said, gripping Tachibana's hand.
"...Aries."
Ryusei's eyes widened.
"Ryusei...Check the satellite."
"No...Tachibana!"
"Good...bye."
Ryusei's eyes widened. He then walked to the satellite, and pulled out a box. He opened it. And it...Was a module for the Meteor Driver. Meteor Storm. There was a paper that described how it worked. But on the back of the paper?
'Im Sorry'
Thats all it said. I'm Sorry. Two words but it meant his whole story. Sorry for holding Ryusei back. Sorry for not agreeing. Sorry for forcing him to fight...Sorry for giving him strength. Sorry for helping him meet the KRC. Sorry for making him who he is.
Sorry for being a great man.
"TACHIBANAAAA!"
Chapter 4: Tachibana's Last.