Carter, a Phantom's Sharp Nose and a Reliable Partner.
Downtown Tomoeda, late afternoon.
"Found you." A man wearing a tidy black tuxedo quipped as he spotted his prey several yards down the busy sidewalk. His target was a woman with dark hair who was in her late twenties. She wore a short sleeved brown leather jacket over a thin white undershirt, as well as jeans and a pair of black, high heeled sandals. The woman strutted through the thick crowds of people, seemingly unaware that she was being followed.
The woman suddenly turned right, heading to what she must've assumed to be a less crowded back alley where she wouldn't have to deal with the thick throng of people. It was all too perfect for the grinning Phantom.
The Phantom immediately ducked into the alley after his target, swerving through several turns down the tight path. It wasn't too long before he realized he had lost track of his quarry. "How?" He gasped, sniffing the air like dog. Her scent was still heavy in the air. So heavy in fact, she could have been right next to him.
Shing!
The man suddenly heard the sound of soft feet hitting the ground behind him and he turned, finding the tip of a needle thin blade pointing in his face. "Why are you following, Gnome?" The woman shifted the point of her rapier to Gnome's throat as she smirked.
"My dear Empousa…" The cornered Phantom held up his hands in surrender. "I am merely a messenger, nothing more." He attempted to explain, the scrutinizing gaze of the female Phantom forcing his adams apple to drop slightly from fear.
Empousa glared at the cowardly Phantom, disgusted, but she pulled her sword away anyway, turning it over in her hand and pulling it toward her hip as if she were sheathing it, the blade seemed to burst into dark pinkish flames before disappearing. "Very well."
Gnome sighed in relief and immediately pulled himself together. "Eh hmm. Now then, I have been sent to inform you of our Superior's great displeasure in your recent actions."
"What are you talking about?" She sighed, annoyed. "I as I said I would. I stalled the Wizard so you and the rest of your wretched band could go about your business. I informed your "superior" that my only purpose coming to this city was to fight him and I have done my part."
"Sloppily." Gnome added which Empousa retorted with another glare and her waiting hand immediately going back toward her side, reaching for her sword. "My superior's words not mine." He quickly explained. "Though you did allow Gargoyle the time to follow through with his tasks, you did not properly "finish off" your own." Gnome assentuated the last point by running his finger over his throat.
"I drained the Wizard of his mana and left him defeated where he lay, he was hardly a threat to you after that." Empousa waved off the accusation.
"Then you will have to explain how he was able to catch up with Gargoyle once again, destroy him and then have the power left to save the Gate from completely falling into despair…please!" The cowardly Phantom quickly added in the please, for safeties sake. Empousa raised an eyebrow at the comment and placed a finger on her chin thoughtfully.
'So he still had mana even after my attack. And he made sure to use it for finishing off Gargoyle. Admirable.' She thought to herself, impressed by her rival's resolve.
"As it stands, your slip up has cost us another comrade and gate to that wretched Wizard and we demand…" He held his tongue as the blade came back out, now resting against his jugular.
"You demand nothing of me, pest." Empousa spat, utterly tired of the Phantom's very presence. "I take no orders from you or your superior. I am here under my own discretion and will fight the Wizard as such. Understand?" Gnome nodded rapidly and she lowered her blade once more. "As for Gargoyle, if he couldn't defeat a wizard who only had a minimal amount of mana at his disposal then it was no wonder he was defeated."
'Minimal?' Gnome pondered, the gears in his head turning. "I see. Then I shall take my leave then." Gnome turned on the heels of his feet, crossed his arms behind his back innocently and marched away. 'The wizard's scent still lingers around her, it's not much but it's enough to track him down.' A sly smirk spread across the Phantom's face. 'A wizard with no mana is so much easier to kill.'
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Daidoji Mansion
"So, Mr. Carter Hughes, is it?" Sonomi Daidoji scrutinized the young teacher as he sat opposite her in the large manor's cushy living area. Carter sipped from the tea that was set out for him as he put on a mask of sheer innocence.
"Yu-sensei is fine, Daidoji-san." Carter said with a smile. "It's what I have the kids call me."
"Very well, Yu-sensei." Sonomi agreed. "It's funny I never expected that the teacher they would get to replace my daughter's retired English teacher to be so…young." She said the last part with a perplexed stare, not sure of what to make of the teacher even younger than herself.
"Ah, yes I expected as much." Carter sighed expecting this. "As you would believe I am fresh from graduating from college with a teaching dregree and I just so happened to be fairly fluent in several languages. So, when I was offered this rare chance to teach overseas, I was ecstatic to get started."
"Well you certainly sound like you have the attitude to match that energy, but with your physical condition I can't understand." Carter grimaced and looked to Sakura and Tomoyo, who nervously signaled with their eyes for him to improvise. After he had collapsed from mana drain, the girls had no choice but call for Tomoyo's chauffeur to pick them up. They made up a quick explanation on how that had just found him collapsed and tried to explain it away as a defect of his anatomy.
"Ah…well, my condition was at its worst when I was younger and I have long since beaten it. Now it just comes whenever I push myself just a little too hard." He quickly improvised.
"So when my daughter and niece found you?"
"I had set this day out for a little sight-seeing and as I was making my way back home a when spell had suddenly overtaken me. Just a little too much excitement was all." A bead of sweat fell down his face but he kept up his reassuring smile. Sonomi looked the man over once more.
"Very well." Sonomi apparently bought the story getting up to leave. "Would you like me to have my chauffer drive you home?"
"Oh no, no." Carter quickly turned down the generous offer. "After a spell like that I have to retain my dignity somehow so I think I'll just walk home and enjoy some fresh air." Sonomi shrugged and left the room.
"Ah, we'll show Yu-sensei out mother. We have something we need to talk about for the next class." Sonomi nodded and lead the two girls, plus the magician, out.
"What, did I give too much homework?" Carter joked but he immediately hushed up at the concerned looks the two girls gave him. "Okay, okay what would like to know?"
"What happened to you Yu-kun? Why did you suddenly collapse like that?" Sakura asked the obvious question.
Carter sighed and stuck his hands into his pocket. "I had a run-in with a particularly powerful Phantom, named Empousa." He explained, a slight chuckle in his voice.
"You seem happy about this." Kero popped his head out from Sakura's bag and stated confused.
"Ahh, well. She and I are aquainted, sort of." He explained and then saw that his young friends still didn't understand. "I fought her once before, years ago. She beat me then too."
"There's a Phantom that strong?" Sakura seemed utterly shocked.
"Ha. Surprised? Not everyone is unbeatable, Sakura-chan. And for us magic users, she is a definite threat. That fainting spell earlier, she caused that. She has the ability to drain mana from magician's like us. Coupled with her beyond human ability with a sword, and she is a force to be reckoned way." Carter remembered back to how soundly he was overpowered by his rival and smiled.
"Sounds like you respect her." Tomoyo noticed, and Carter blinked having forgotten how observant the young heiress was.
"You could say that. She's definitely not like most Phantoms. I guess that's why I find her…fascinating." His eyes appeared distant, almost lost in thought.
"Yu-kun?" Sakura looked up into his blue eyes bringing him back from his thoughts.
"Ah, gomen. Seems I've rambled on too much and it's getting late." He bowed to his two students and waltzed down the long drive way to head home.
"Are you sure you won't need a ride home?" Tomoyo called concerned. Carter turned and smiled, walking backwards while lifting up his arm and gripping his bicep.
"Daijobu! After that little powernap I'm in peak physical condition!" He called cheerfully and turned back straight, continuing his walk home but with a slight grimace on his face. 'I'm still running nearly empty with magic though. If another Phantom attacks…' He shook the thought away. 'It's fine. Just need a good dinner, a long sleep and I'll be back to peak fighting condition in no time.'
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"Damn it! Why did I park Winger so far away?!" Carter moaned as the late afternoon became twilight, the street suddenly lacking in its day time traffic and the street lamps beginning to glow to life. Normally, Carter would just have to use his Connect ring to open a portal home or summon the Machine Winger to his side, however with his limited amount of mana he was feeling particularly frugal with his spell usage so he formulated the most efficient plan to be just locating his precious motorcycle and from there "connecting" home so he wouldn't be exposed for too long. Although, it's not without merit to believe that even the most efficient plans to go awry.
"Pardon me, sir." Carter stopped dead in his tracks as the all too familiar sensation he got around corrupt mana raised several alarms in his head. Carter turned, spotting a properly dressed man smiling at him, with a bow the man's form was instantly clouded by a cloud of purple mist. Carter didn't even take the time to look at his ambusher's appearance he was already making a break for it, desperate to not get into a losing battle.
A loud rumbling could be heard behind him, and he turned back just in time to see that the Phantom had disappeared. No, not disappeared! Right where the Phantom had just been standing was what appeared to be a quickly dug hole like what a rodent might make, except Carter didn't want to meet the rodent that could up turn solid asphalt like that.
Rumble. Shing!
"Crap!" Carter slid to a halt as the tip of a wide bladed trident shot from the ground inches from his feet. The street started to rumble again as the ground gave way and the tip of a bright orange corkscrew like head came into view. The screw started rotating rapidly like a drill, pushing even more dirt aside as the Phantom freed itself of its hiding spot. Its wide body was bright orange, with a green eyed face at its center. Its head indeed resembled a corkscrew, however the tip of the screw was bent forward so that resembled a tall hat, like what fairy tale dwarves wear. His feet further simulated this as they were bent upward, elf like. The cute features ended there as the more monstrous features became prominent. His arms were equipped with long, serrated blades that ran up the length of his forearm and his body was packed together in thick muscle that was decorated by multiple teal colored gems. The Phantom crossed his trident wielding hands behind his head and bowed once more.
"Greetings, ring-bearing mahousukai. I am the Phantom Gnome." He introduced himself politely. "Ah, or would you prefer the title Kamen Rider better?"
"Damn!" Carter cursed. The Gnome knew exactly who he was which made it plain to see that he must've felt very confident about winning this fight if he felt he could reveal himself like that. Carter passed the Driver ring over his buckle.
Driver On! Shabadoobie touch to henshin!
Gnome tutted disapprovingly. "Please do not try to resist. I would prefer not having to waste my energy on a weaker opponent." He remarked arrogantly. Carter didn't retort, but only looked at each of his element rings carefully. Land or flame would be best to fight off the Phantom, but that would mean using up more mana for the fight. He could try Hurricane. The Phantom seemed like its specialty was digging so escaping by air seemed like the better choice. Carter was about to slip the ring onto his finger when he noticed the Phantom sniffing the air.
Sniff! Sniff!
The Phantom wafted the air toward him with his hands, taking in some unknown scent completely. "There now. I have memorized your scent. You will not be able to escape me now." The Phantom chuckled to himself pleased. "I smell other scents as well. I wonder…could one of these scents lead me to that other pesky magician I've heard about?" If the monster's face could smirk it was certainly trying to do so, Gnome knew it had Carter trapped. If he escaped now, the Phantom would just move on to whoever else owned the scents he was smelling, and whether one of those scents were Sakura or not didn't matter, Carter knew he couldn't let the Phantom go and wreak havoc somewhere else. He was out of mana, and out of options.
"Ah, bugger it!" Carter shouted as he ripped off the Hurricane ring and passed the Flame ring over the scanner.
Flame, please! Hi, hi! Hi-hi-hi!
Carter's body was coated in flames as he dashed through the magic circle, leading in with a flying roundhouse kick that the Phantom warded off with his trident. Carter pressed his offence further, leaping back at Gnome slamming his elbow home straight into the Phantom's chest. Gnome reeled slightly but managed to stand straight once more and stabbed rapidly with his pike. Carter ducked the first couple of stabs and then managed to smash the trident away with an upward snap kick and then send the weapon flying from Gnome's hands with a follow up kick to his grip. Gnome growled angrily, the gems on his body glowing bright green. Carter had only enough time to cover his head with his arms as several rapid fire blast of green energy bolts exploded from Gnome's body.
"I wanted to end this quick and painlessly, but now that you have annoyed me more than I expected you to, I now feel I must make your execution last as long and as painfully as possible." Gnome threatened, moving toward the floored wizard with a vengeance. Carter responded by pulling out a new ring and passing it over his buckle.
"That's funny cause now I want to end this as quick as possible."
Bind, please!
Several miniature magic circles formed at Gnome's feet as the Phantom looked on in confusion. It suddenly realized its danger as several steel chains sprang from the magic portals and pinned its arms to its sides and held the Phantom in place.
"Finale!"
Cho-inee. Kick Strike! Saikoooo!
Carter set his boot ablaze and dashed toward his trapped opponent. He bounded into a quick somersault and leaped into the air, his blazing boot leading in a flying front kick.
"I-I won't die like this!" Gnome screeched desperately. The blades on his arms suddenly began to glow with red energy and he shattered his bindings with a quick flick of his arms. Twin crescent shaped projectiles flew from his slashing arms, spinning end over end through the air and hitting Wizard dead in the chest, canceling his attack and sending him painfully crashing to the ground.
"Gaaahh!" Carter gripped his chest in pain and attempted to get back up to his feet but a heavy boot slammed back down on his torso, pinning him down.
"Now, slow and painful execution." Gnome snarled, slamming his foot into Carter's chest several more times before kicking him in the side to send him sliding into a nearby wall.
"Hack!" Carted coughed up blood inside his helmet, the pain in his chest becoming two fold from the onslaught. Still, Wizard attempted to find some manner of leverage on the wall he laid against and hoisted himself back onto his unsteady feet.
"What, back for more!?" Gnome cackled as he retrieved his trident. Carter defiantly took a stance, preparing to rush back into the fight. "Just die already!" Gnome yelled in frustration as the gems on his body flared to life once more.
Defend!
Carter threw up his shield as the energy bolts bombarded against his magical defense. The shield held out only slightly as cracks began appearing across the magical projection. Still Carter held on, pouring what little mana he had left behind the shield.
"If I get take down here, then whose going to help Sakura-chan protect her city." More cracks appeared on the shield as Carter's mana began to run out. "I absolutely can't die!"
"Shield!" A dome of pink energy suddenly enveloped the exhausted Wizard, absorbing the remaining energy bolts. Carter looked on stunned, dropping his crumbling shield. An arrow of silvery energy suddenly flew past his protective dome, hitting Gnome square in the chest and sending him flying back.
"Yu-kun!" The Shield dropped as Sakura instantly ran to Carter's side, followed by Keroberos and Yue, who still held his magic projection bow in hand. "Are you hurt?"
"Uugh…just some broken ribs…I think." Carter gasped through his words, holding his hand to his chest again. While Sakura was busy tending to her friend, Gnome had pulled himself together long enough to realize he was greatly outnumbered.
"Hhheeee!" He shrieked as he stood up and began rotating rapidly like a drill bit. "I didn't plan on fighting more than just the weakened Wizard! I'm getting out of here!" He quickly flipped over through the air so that his pointed head pointed down, the street gave way all too easily under the pressure exerted by the man sized drill bit.
"It's getting away!" Kero growled, getting ready to give chase. He then stopped dead when he sensed his mistress was using another of her cards. Sakura had not turned around, but her staff was pointed back toward the escaping Gnome.
"Shot! Target that Phantom!" She commanded and the card appeared at its mistress's call, summoning a large orb of angry red energy that instantly pursued the cowardly Gnome into his escape route.
Boom!
The street suddenly exploded in a hail of dirt and debris as the Phantom was sent screaming into the air by the force of the explosion. He landed heavily, still chattering fearfully.
"Sa-Sakura-chan?" Carter actually started pulling back in slight fear as the normally gentle Card Mistress turned toward the downed Phantom with an expression Carter had never seen on her before. Her expression didn't appear particularly angry. She didn't frown, she didn't scowl but her aura just seemed to exude an all encompassing sense of danger. Her guardian's also nervously moved aside as she stepped past them.
"Aaaawwww! Save me!" Gnome retrieved several black stones and threw them in Sakura's war path. Several Ghouls grew from the black stones and instinctively leveled their weapons in defense of their master. Sakura didn't even hesitate to summon a new card to her hand.
"Arrow!" A petite girl in a blue outfit and pudding basin styled hair appeared at Sakura's side, her short bow in hand. The Arrow summoned a blue energy bolt to her hands and nocked it into the thin string of her bow. She took aim at the charging Ghouls and fired, her single arrow instantly splitting into dozens. The Ghouls had no chance as the volley of blue energy bolts rained down on them and literally demolished their stone bodies instantly. Carter, Kero and Yue gocked at Sakura's sudden brutality as the Ghouls each exploded in turn and left one, either stubborn or just plain unaware Ghoul to stand guard over its cowering master. With a wave of her wand, Sakura dismissed Arrow and held out one last card. "Power!"
Smash!
Without even breaking her line of sight on Gnome, Sakura backhanded the waiting Ghoul with her Star Wand, shattering the beast with the super human strength provided by the Power. Gnome only stared up horrorstruck as the last of his familiars exploded in defeat.
"You hurt Yu-kun." Sakura stated coldly, getting a two handed grip on her staff. Gnome chattered fearfully as the Card Mistress raised her empowered wand overhead. "You attacked him when he was unable to properly defend himself. You're nothing but a coward!"
"Wooooaaaaaaaaa!" Carter could only hear Gnome's final screech as the staff fell and the street was filled with a deafening boom and a huge dust cloud rose up, blocking the three's view of Sakura and Gnome.
"You're an unforgivable coward." Sakura's soft voice drew the Carter and the two guardians to uncover their faces from the dust, finally noticing the Card Mistress once again. "But, I still can't bring myself to finish you like that." The dust finally settled enough for the group to finally see Gnome, still cowering but very much alive and unhurt. Sakura lifted her staff from the crater she created at Gnome's feet and lowered her head in shame. "Even though you're unforgivable, I won't stoop to your level and attack you while you're weak and afraid." Tears had started to fall down the young, and gentle, girl's cheeks. An armored glove ruffled her hair and pulled her close to him as she cried into his side.
"Ah, Sakura-chan is much better than that." Carter comforted. "She's my kind and incredibly reliable partner, after all." Sakura looked up to his helmet covered face and he nodded, reassuringly.
"Hee-heeeeeeeeeeeeee!" Gnome had started thrashing on the ground as he attempted to crawl, pitifully back into his hole.
"Unfortunately, we can't let him get away. He's seen mine and Sakura's faces. Who knows what kind of damage he could do." Carter gently passed Sakura over to Yue as he readied his Kick Strike ring once more. "I have just enough mana to finish him off."
"That will not be necessary."
As if she had fallen from the sky, Empousa nimbly landed at the foot of Gnome's escape route, her rapier in hand. Gnome howled like a cornered animal and leaped back, apparently more terrified of the female Phantom than he was of the gathered crowd behind him. "Em-em-em-Empousa!"
"Hello, little rat. I believe I had just told you hours ago that I would fight the Wizard under my own discretion." Gnome instantly jumped to his feet, his trident once again in hand as he swiped wildly. Empousa easily parried each of the skill-less stabs without needing to move anything but her demonic black sword arm. "Good, I too have no taste for killing off an opponent who lacks the will to fight back." She then pointed her blade down, slipping it between the gaps of the trident's three prongs and with a skillful twist, sent the spear from Gnome's grasp. Still the cowardly Gnome continued to flail his arms about wildly.
"Aw. AW AWWWWW!" His arm blades began to hum to life once more as red energy built along their edges.
"Look out!" Carter warned, recognizing the attack. Too late it seemed as the crescent shaped blast struck the female Phantom and sending a new gust of debris flying into the air. "Empousa…" Carter muttered, downfallen.
"Your concern is touching, but unnecessary." Wizard, Sakura and the two Clow Guardian's instantly jumped apart as the Phantom suddenly appeared at Carter's side. Though, she was now dressed quite drastically. Her magenta full body armor was now gone, leaving the Phantom now wearing a very short armored tasset skirt with a light magenta sash falling down across the front of the skirt. Her torso lacked any kind of armor save for a brassier like strip of metal covering her chest. Both her gauntlets and boots remained but the swordswoman now lacked any of her proper armor, yet she seemed to step ever more lightly for it. "Have you already forgotten the bite of my Reppu Gari, Wizard?" Empousa giggled as he looked away embarrassed for letting his emotions get the best of him. "Still…" He suddenly felt an hand clasp his helmet by his chin. He stared wide eyed behind his visors as Empousa pulled his face close to her lips.
"Hoe…" Sakura, not to mention her two guardian's stared dumbfounded as the Phantom had just kissed Carter through his mask and looked even more shocked as a golden light started to race from the gap where Carter and Empousa's lips met to across Carter's armor. Empousa released the shocked magician who also had just realized what was happening to him.
"My mana…" Carter gripped his hand tightly as the strength had returned to his hands. "It's been restored." Empousa rubbed a gentle hand down Carter's cheek as she stepped past him to stand before Gnome once more. "I'm returning what I took earlier today, as apology for putting you through this." Gnome squealed and the gems on his body flared to life, propelling several bolts of green energy toward the proud swordswoman.
"Hmph." Empousa tutted unimpressed and then began twisting her wrist rapidly, turning her blade into a spinning windmill of silver. The bolts struck Empousa's defensive tactic, but instead of exploding the bolts caught on her blade, empowering it with green energy.
"Reverse Fang!" Empousa sliced her blade across the ground and then arced upward, sending a green blade like projectile of her own running across the ground like a sharks fin and slicing through the cement. Gnome threw up his arm blades in defense but was sent flying backwards, his weapons destroyed as the blades fell to pieces at his side. Empousa then raised her sword up, placing her open palm up beside it.
"Reppu Gari!" With a mighty shout, Empousa literally slid forward, her speed actually causing a jet stream to appear in her wake. She slashed her foe once across the side, and then slid to a stop. But a second Empousa suddenly appeared, slashing Gnome across the back. And another, cutting into his side again. This pattern continued, as several Empousa's appeared one after another, stopping where their attack struck only for another to appear.
"She can clone herself?" Kero deduced shocked. Carter shook his head a chuckle in his voice.
"No, that is proof of her perfect technique. What Gnome is being attacked by are her after-images that have not yet vanished before our eyes." And just as Carter finished explaining, Empousa's after images ceased leaving only one standing before the beaten Gnome.
"Todomeda!" Her blade covered in magenta fire, Empousa stabbed forward, impaling Gnome. He could only howl in pain one last time before she retracted her blade, letting him crash to the floor and explode in defeat. Empousa brought her rapier to her side once more, allowing it to vanish in a sheath of flames. The female Phantom turned to her audience who watched her battle with looks of pure awe. She giggled and lifted a finger to her painted on lips, blowing a kiss there way.
"I hope to see you again my admirable rival. And you as well, fascinating little Mahou Shoujo-chan." And with one last veil of magenta of flames, she disappeared.
"She's…stronger than any of the Phantom's we've seen thus far." Kero stated, mouth wide.
"Her speed and technique are beyond human." Yue agreed, for once showing a lack of composure.
"She's incredible." Sakura could only state.
"She's so dreamy!" Carter squealed, his hands clasped together like a fan girl. His friends turned to him, their eyes giving him incredulous looks. "What?!" Carter demanded back at them defensively.
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"Ah man! What a night!" Carter griped as he plopped down on the couch located in his apartments living area. "What a day actually." He added. Starting with getting pulverized by Sakura for hiding out in her dressing room, then the fight against Gargoyle, getting pulverized once again by Empousa, nearly running himself ragged on low mana and then one last pulverizing by Gnome. He felt like he had been placed in a blender set to "pulverize". "Yo, pla-monster-tachi. Could you bring me one of those healing salves from the back?" Garuda and his brothers nodded to his command, racing to the medicine cabinets to retrieve the magic elixirs their master had brewed in case of emergencies. As Garuda and the others were busy with the salves, Golem saddled up to his master's side, carrying a white package about as big as he was. "What have you got their Golem?" Carter picked up the gorilla like familiar and set him on his shoulder while he began tearing at the parcel's packaging. Inside was a small box which Carter curiously popped open.
"Aroo roo!" Golem called in excitement while Carter eye's only widened in awe.
"A mahouseki." Carter picked up the flawless, bright red stone, bringing it eye level. He stared into its scarlet surface practically hypnotized by its luster. He could feel…an all consuming power billowing from deep within.
Roar!
"Waaahh!" Carter practically jumped from his seat, the red stone flying from his grip. It would have fell crashing to the floor had the ever motivated Golem not sprang up, catching its new material before it could be damaged. It then turned on its master, grumbling angrily at how he almost damaged such a perfect commodity. "Ah gomen!" He apologized sheepishly. He then noticed a tiny card was inside the box. He lifted it up so he could read.
"From this point on, you must become even stronger."
-C. Verner
"C. Verner?" Carter repeated, not recognizing the name. He then stared at the red stone his familiar was holding closely, remembering its promise of power had practically hypnotized him. He then placed a hand to his chest, a worried look in his eyes.
"Dragon, are you trying to tell me something?"
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The night was so quiet, far too quiet for the lone individual who scowled down at the peaceful city. Perched atop the very top of the Tokyo Tower, paying the wind and height no mind at all , stood a dark haired young man dressed in a dark red changshan jacket and black slacks. His scarlet eyes scowled at the boring city. More than anything else in the world, he found this city boring. The nice smiling people, the colorful shops and streets, even the gentle sway of magic this tiny city seemed to give off. Boring!
But, recently, something had come to this city. Something that could help stave off his boredom. He smirked at the slightly crumbled newspaper gripped in his hand, the front page showing a picture of a nearly destroyed orphanage and several smiling children making heroic poses for the camera. Copying this defender of hope. This Kamen Rider. Maybe he could provide the young man with a degree of entertainment for once. The article suddenly burst into flames, becoming black ash in the wind.
"Saa, ore-sama no showtime daa."
bum! Bum! BUM! Man! I actually like this chapter more than I was expecting. I figured I put too much into it. Sakura showing her badass side. A proper showing of Empousa's skills since I didn't want the last chapter to drag on too long. And the introduction of my own version of probably my favorite villain from the series. Woot!
P.s.: I find I cannot think of any good theme music for Sakura as well as Sakura and Wizard teamup battles. Could I get some recommendations?
Please review and I do not own and you know the rest.