DISCLAIMER: The following story is based on fanfiction.Kamen Rider Zi-O, and the Kamen Rider series in general are properties of TOEI, TV-Asahi, and Ishinomori Productions. Soul Calibur is property of Project Soul and Bandai Namco. The Witcher series is property of Andrezj Sapkowski and CD Projekt Red. Ultraman Orb, and the Ultra Series in general are property of Tsuburaya Productions and TV-Tokyo.
Please support the official release of Soulcalibur VI, which will be this October 19.
Ep. 010: Cast Off ~A.D. 2018~ [キャストオフ 〜2006年〜/Kyasuto Ofu 2006-nen〜]
"Transcending history and the world, a tale of souls and souls, once again eternally retold..."
(*Opening: "Gimmick Zone" by Hiroyuki Takami of access*)
[~Sobieru machi ga sakebu kage wo~] (In a strewn city of echoing shadows)
[~Atsumete yami o tsukisasu~] (Scattering and piercing the darkness)
[~Kouritsuku kiseki no kakera wo~] (A dream wanders in search)
[~Motomete yume ga samayou~] (Of a frozen miracle sword)
[~Tozasa rete ku yoru wo~] (The night that is being shut down)
[~Terasu tsuki ni soreta~] (Losing sight of the illuminating moon)
[~Kieta ashita ga irodoru~] (I will catch the afterimage)
[~Zanzou o tsukamae ni yuku~] (That the disappearing tomorrow is colored)
[~Sen kira reta setsuna wo kizu-goto saratte~] (I scoffed a scar with every moment passed)
[~Yobisamasu negai wa eien no senritsu~] (Hope is eternal melody that evokes)
[~Nidoto wa modosenai kiseki wo koete ku~] (Going beyond miracles that can never be returned)
[~Yami o saku hikari o nusumidase~] (Take the light that splits the darkness)
[~Break out, Gimmick Zone!~]
A.D. 2018
(2018年)
Taki investigated the meteorite in Shibuya. As she looked around on the meteorite, she felt an ominous presence as if she is being watched.
Within moments, the creature showed up - Another Kabuto.
"Not another imitation Rider...", Taki sighed in her chagrin.
"Who are you calling an imitation, toots?!", Satoshi, Another Kabuto's host, replied rudely.
*Ryuuseimaru!*
"I will send you back to whence you came.", Taki takes out both Rekki-Maru and Mekki-Maru, to which it transforms into the Ryuuseimaru, in its separated long and short blade forms.
Just as Taki is about to charge at the Another Rider, he suddenly disappeared.
*Clock up!*
What Taki did not know that Another Kabuto uses an ability called "Clock Up", superhuman speed that allowed him to move faster than the eye can see. In Another Kabuto's point of view, everything around him slows down as if time itself is flowing slowly while Another Kabuto himself can move faster.
"He's fast... But, I can't see him.", Taki panted. "In that case..."
Taki is now prompted to take out her Galaxy Riser to go Fusion Time, as a freeze-time transformation sequence is triggered.
*Let's go! (looped version of the Brinstar music from the original Metroid)*
A projection of a sundial with an hourglass appeared behind her. The hourglass rotates around the sundial, whereas the sundial itself rotated counterclockwise. Taki grabs the G7 Type-S Ridewatch, then turned the watch's dial and pressed the switch...
*(Digital beeping) G7 Type-S!*
...the Ridewatch is then placed on the bottom right slot of the Triwatch Holder. And by doing so, a clockwork with the symbol of G7 Type-S appeared on Taki's right. Taki then grabbed the G7 Icarus XYZ Ridewatch, rotated its dial at 90 degrees and pressed its switch...
*(Digital beeping) G7 Icarus XYZ!*
...the G7 Icarus XYZ is inserted at the bottom left slot of the Triwatch holder. A clockwork projection with G7 Icarus XYZ's sigil appeared on Taki's left. And, lastly, the kunoichi catches the final Ridewatch for the fusion transformation; the Huntress Ridewatch...
*(Digital beeping) Huntress!*
...after activating it, the Huntress Ridewatch is loaded at the top slot of the Triwatch Holder, the clockwork with Samus's signature "S" from her Screw Attack symbol appeared in front of Taki. Taki then uses the Galaxy Riser to scan the three Ridewatches inserted on the Triwatch Holder, in a similar function like that of the O Scanner used by Kamen Rider OOO.
*Huntress, G7 Icarus XYZ, G7 Type-S: Galaxy Fusion! (Arm Cannon charging noise)*
[Galaxy Riser indicator marquee: GALAXY FUSION]
Taki circled her hands with the Galaxy Riser on her left hand. As for her transformation call, she yelled, "I'll carve...my own fate!", she raised the Galaxy Riser upwards and pulls the trigger.
*Fusion Time! (triumphant heavy metal guitar solo ending with Samus Aran's Appearance Fanfare) Galaxy Armor! *
The Huntress, G7 Icarus XYZ, and G7 Type-S Armors appeared on the three clockwork projections. They began disassembling to give way for Taki's new armor. The Huntress Armor uses shin and foot guards, chest armor and the bulky shoulder pads, both bear the likeness of Samus's Varia Suit; the only main difference that the shoulder pads are smaller than those from the Varia Suit. The G7 Icarus XYZ Armor uses the arms and the EXO-Barometer chestpiece, and the G7 Type-S Armor's component uses the leg armor and overall bodysuit. Then, the helmets of the three Armors fused together - with its base color being red (much like that of Samus's helmet in her Power Suit), the faceplate borrows the elements of G7 Type-S and G7 Icarus XYZ.
The armor components from the three Rider Armors merge with Taki to form the suit of armor, whilst being covered with gears derived from a clock. The suit-up sequence ends with Taki now in the suit, and then a kanji writing that says "Ginga" (銀河), which means "galaxy" then places itself on her visor.
Now donning the Galaxy Armor, Taki makes use of Huntress's ability to use the Speed Booster, a modular ability used by Samus's Power Suit. Thus, a speed-fight between Taki and Another Kabuto ensued, they speed around the battlefield to the point they can't be seen by other people until Taki manages to pin down Another Kabuto with a Shinespark technique.
As Another Kabuto is pushed back, Zi-O and Geiz in their Rider Forms appeared in a nick of time. It seems that Fubuki informed the two of Another Kabuto's location.
"An Another Rider?!", asked Sougo.
"Watch out, you two. That Another Rider can't be seen while he moves faster.", Taki warns the two.
In response, Geiz quickly took out the Drive Ridewatch as he rotated its dial. "You don't have to tell me twice, Taki.", he said and then activates the watch..
*(Digital beeping) Drive!*
He puts in the Ridewatch on the left side of his Zikuu-Driver, unlocking it and then spinning the belt at 360 degrees which activates Armor Time.
*Armor Time! [Drive Driver voice] Drive! [Ridewatch voice #2] DRIVE!*
Now assuming Drive Armor, Geiz evens the odds by fighting Another Kabuto in super speeds. Taki tags along in the middle of the speed battle as the Huntress Ridewatch granted her the modular ability from the Power Suit that is the Speed Booster. Unfortunately for Sougo, neither of the Legend Rider watches in his possession don't have the ability to utilize superhuman speed, as he finds himself in the receiving end of a friendly fire from Taki and Geiz while fighting Another Kabuto at fast speeds invisible to the naked eye.
Taki slashes Another Kabuto with Ryuseimaru in Gattai Mode before Geiz manages to stop the Another Rider dead in his tracks. This gives the two warriors an opportunity to stop Another Kabuto once and for all.
Using the Galaxy Riser, Taki scans all three Ridewatches in her Triwatch Holder. Geiz then presses the two Ridewatches inserted in his Zikuu-Driver.
*Finish Time!* / *Finish Time! Drive!*
Taki conjures the Power Suit's Arm Cannon on her right hand, Geiz then spins his Zikuu-Driver and charges at Another Kabuto.
*Hissatsu! Time Burst!*
As Geiz charges to throw a flying kick at Another Kabuto, the Tridoron appears from out of nowhere and circles both him and the Another Rider, where Geiz is launched by Tridoron in a ricocheting fashion while delivering a lot of kicks before he sends Another Kabuto straight to Taki.
*Time Galaxy!*
Taki fires a Phazon-supercharged Hyper Beam on Another Kabuto, obliterating the Another Rider in the process, reverting back to its human host.
Zi-O stood up back to his feet, he had no idea that Taki and Geiz successfully defeated Another Kabuto.
"Did you guys beat that Another Rider?", Sougo shook his head.
However, Taki senses a malign presence coming nearby.
That said malign presence causes to stop time, freezing Taki, and even Zi-O and Geiz on the scene. And one of the Time Jackers made his presence known - Swortz.
"It's those Time Jackers...!", Geiz can still speak while unable to move by the time freeze Swortz caused.
Swortz looked at Satoshi, his guinea pig for Another Kabuto. He sighed coolly when he looked at the sight of the Kamen Riders interfering with his agendas.
"How absurd... ", Swortz looked at Zi-O, Geiz, and Taki before pushing the three back to a corner. "To think your attempts in defeating our Another Riders will only further the path to Oma Zi-O. It's ironic why you [Geiz] would help Zi-O not knowing that he will become the tyrant who took everything from you!"
Just before Swortz can activate the Another Kabuto watch, his time freeze is undone...by none other than Woz!
"It's him...!", Taki exclaimed at Woz's presence.
"Woz...", Geiz likewise recognized the prophet's presence.
For strange reasons, Woz came here not just because he wants to preserve the history of Oma Zi-O, he will go in lengths in protecting Sougo until he becomes a king. Geiz on the other hand, having recognized the prophet being the fanatical servant of Oma Zi-O, is hostile towards him. Taki, likewise, is less trustworthy towards Woz, knowing what is his true intentions are. Even the Time Jackers have no love for Woz either, as Swortz looks him in the eye.
"You... Why would you go so far to protect him?", Swortz isn't thrilled to see the prophet, asking him why would he protect Sougo, the young man who is fated to be the ironfisted overlord that is Oma Zi-O.
"Why must you insist changing history by creating these hideous imitations?", Woz throws back Swortz's question right back into the latter's face with his own. "Your feeble attempts in meddling with the past has only postponed the inevitable.", Woz then uses his own telekinetic abilities to send Swortz and Satoshi (Another Kabuto's host) flying and said, "Never show your face before me and my overlord, you insolent ruffians!"
Taki, Geiz, and Sougo powered down their suits. Then, a confrontation between Geiz and the prophet ensue. Geiz wonders why Woz saved him, to which the prophet simply states he is doing a favor for someone and insists that the impulsive youth reconcile with Sougo as his future master values Geiz as a companion.
("I'd agree what one of the Time Jackers said... Why would Woz go so far to protect Sougo?"), Taki thought to herself, bringing up Swortz's words to the prophet earlier.
Despite Sougo seeing Geiz and Tsukuyomi as friends, the latter admits that he has no interest in befriending the high-schooler, being aware of the possibility of him being the overlord who took everything from him.
"Why should I be friends with him?", said Geiz. "And you would go so far to protect him so he could become Oma Zi-O."
Geiz walked away, leaving Sougo, Taki, and even the prophet Woz confused. Woz couldn't help but smile.
"I also have important matters to attend to.", Taki uses her ninpo to teleport herself away from the scene, wisely choosing to ignore the situation between Sougo and Woz.
Woz likewise disappears from the scene, leaving his own master alone. But not before sighing in disbelief, seeing if how his master being usually at the receiving end of bad situation where if Sougo can really change his own destiny, something that the prophet himself being exactly concerned of.
Two weeks later...
Meanwhile at the rugby football field, where Hikarigamori's rugby club continue their practice for their match which will be a week from now.
In order to mitigate the rugby club's woes, they hired someone to double both as the trainer and coach for the team.
The coach made his presence known before the players, and the coach is revealed to be Aizawa. Yes, that Aizawa Shinya.
It seems that a man with experiences back in the JSDF will have the chances of working as a trainer. Aizawa appears to fit with the criteria, but his personality towards the players is between that of a strict army drill sergeant and a martial arts master, more particularly the drill sergeant part.
Aizawa introduces himself before the players...
"My name is Aizawa Shinya, your new trainer and coach for your team. From now on, you will refer me with only one word, that is "sir". Do you bunch of Looney Tunes understand what I am saying?"
The players answered, "Sir, yes sir!", albeit sheepish.
"Louder!"
"SIR, YES SIR!"
"If you ladies survive my training, you will become warriors in the battlefield, ministers of war praying for victory. But, until that day, you are nothing but the lowest form of lifeforms in the face of the Earth! You are all anomalies in the face of humanity. I am cold, and I don't care if you all don't hate me. But, the more you fear and despise me, the more you will learn!", Aizawa continues to channel his strict, yet-harsh drill sergeant personality to his players. "Do you people understand?"
"Sir, yes sir!"
"Louder!"
"SIR, YES SIR!"
Natsu, along with her master Taki watched the whole players' first day of training from the higher bench of the field.
Taki doesn't seem to like the idea Natsu had in mind by bringing the vigilante man to work as Hikarigamori rugby club's coach/trainer, along with verbally and physically the players don't help matters either.
"Natsu, are you sure allowing Aizawa to work as the school's rugby club coach and trainer?", asked the veteran ninja. "I have a feeling that those young men couldn't stand that kind of abuse..."
"Don't worry, Aizawa-san knows what he's doing.", Natsu reassured. "I told him not to go overboard while keeping things subdued."
Natsu reveals that she asked Aizawa to train the players to reignite their spirits as football players. Aizawa once mentioned that he used to play football during his days in prison, where he finds fun in all the mayhem experienced by players from the wild goose chase to no-holds barred chaos.
Now that Aizawa is the trainer to the players, they are in for a world of hell once they undergo this gruesome training for the whole week before the match.
For the first part of the regimen, the players run a 5 lap around the field. And those who go far behind, and stumble on the ground are subjected to the punishment of 50 push-ups, with the worst number being at 100.
While watching the players train, Taki and Natsu are approached by a man - Kagami Arata.
"Are you the ninja called Taki?", asked the young man.
"Yes, I am. What do you want from me, stranger?", the demon huntress replied.
Kagami presents a gunmetal gray/red pocketwatch to the ninja, and by looking at it, it originates from 2006, and it has the ZECT symbol - the Kabuto Ridewatch!
Kagami continued, "It belonged to a friend of mine, he got it from a kid named Tokiwa Sougo. And he's giving it back to him, so he asked me to give it to you."
Taki accepted the Ridewatch, hoping Sougo can use it to defeat Another Kabuto.
Before Kagami can take his leave, the ninja asks him about his friend, "I want to ask you one more thing... Who is this friend of yours holding onto this watch?"
"He only refer himself as the one who "walks in the path of heaven, the one who will rule over all".", Kagami said, referring to his friend with this familiar catchphrase.
The man left, having sense how the phrase rang in Taki's ears, it's no surprise that Sougo and Tendou appear to have something in common. Likewise, Goro's bravado is almost at the same level as Tendou's.
By the time Sougo arrived to watch the rugby club's training, Taki presents to him the Kabuto Ridewatch, and reminds him of an important task.
"A Ridewatch? Taki, where did you get that?", asked the high-schooler.
"Save your words.", the demon huntress replied. "You know what time it is..."
A.D. 2006
(2006年)
Sougo, Geiz, and Taki took to their Time Mazines and head back to 2006 to deal with the threat of Another Kabuto.
After Satoshi/Another Kabuto killed off his fellow gang members and the police, he uses his newfound powers to cause a killing spree. In the wake of the murders he committed, he points his fingers into the sky like the original Kamen Rider Kabuto.
*Time Mazine!*
The three Time Mazines arrive on the scene as Zi-O and Geiz in their respective Rider forms along with Taki donning the Galaxy Armor jump out of their mechas, ready to confront Another Kabuto.
*Armor Time! [Drive Driver voice] Drive! [Ridewatch voice #2] DRIVE!*
Geiz wastes no time to wait for Sougo to do something as he changes into the Drive Armor and fight Another Kabuto at fast speeds. Taki followed after, not long before reminding Sougo to use the Kabuto Ridewatch.
"Use the Kabuto Ridewatch, Zi-O. You will most likely match Another Kabuto's speed with no worries!", Taki instructed.
Sougo then took out the Kabuto watch, he rotates the watch's dial at 90 degrees before activating. "I've got a feeling this will work out!", he said.
*(Digital beeping) Kabuto!*
Zi-O then loads the Kabuto Ridewatch on the left side of the Zikuu-Driver, he then unlocks the belt and then spins it at 360 degrees, which then activates Armor Time.
*(Electronic beat) Rider Time: Kamen Rider Zi-O!*
Within moments, a projection of the Kabuto Zecter appears along with the Kabuto Rider Armor pointing its fingers in the sky. The Rider Armor disengages as it is then merged on Zi-O, along with the katakana writing on the visor that reads "Kabuto" (カブト).
*Armor Time! (Electronic beat mixed with Kabuto Zecter post-Rider Form noises) [Kabuto Zecter voice] Change Beetle! [Ridewatch voice #2] KABUTO!*
Woz then appears all of the sudden as he proclaims the arrival of Kamen Rider Zi-O Kabuto Armor.
"Rejoice! The one to inherit all Rider powers, the King of time who will rule over the past and the future. And his name is Kamen Rider Zi-O Kabuto Armor!"
Afterwards, Woz closed his book and left. Zi-O in Kabuto Armor then points his fingers into the sky in the same way the original Kabuto did.
Now that he has Kabuto's powers, when he first attempts to do Clock Up, things went pretty awry.
*Clock Up!*
Zi-O Kabuto Armor carelessly speeds around the battlefield, hitting both Geiz, Taki, and Another Kabuto. To Taki's chagrin, she had no idea that Sougo is still having a hard time controlling the clock up ability.
*Clock Over!*
"What was that?!", Geiz shook his head, at the same time angered when Zi-O attacked him by accident.
Taki intervened. "Calm down. The boy doesn't know yet the potential of Kabuto's powers, but he'll eventually master it.", before turning her attention to Sougo. "Zi-O, you need to match the pattern of Another Kabuto's speed when using Clock Up. But, keep in mind, you'll only have 10 seconds to move faster than the speed of light."
"Right, I've got the feeling that this will work out!", Sougo again reassures that he can master Kabuto's powers.
*Clock Up!*
Both Zi-O Kabuto Armor and Another Kabuto engage in a speed battle, where both combatants move faster than the naked eye. This time, Sougo gets the upper hand as delivers lightning fast attacks in less than 4.7 seconds. Before Clock Up ends, Sougo pressed all the Ridewatches buttons inserted on his Driver.
*Finish Time! Kabuto!*
Another Kabuto attempts to charge at Zi-O, while Sougo is still facing away from his opponent. He then unlocks his Zikuu-Driver, and spins the belt...
*Clock Time Break!*
Zi-O surprises Another Kabuto with a counterclockwise spinning roundhouse kick. Another Kabuto gets a "kick" written in katakana (キック) branded on his face before exploding to its defeat.
Satoshi is knocked unconscious by the impact of Zi-O's finisher, and the Another Kabuto watch is destroyed for good.
Before returning to the present, Sougo finds Tendou in the Bistro La Salle, where he introduces himself as an individual from the future. The youth presents to him a blank Ridewatch, where one day he will come to claim it in the future. But, he asks Tendou to find the ninja Taki so she will receive the watch in his stead, which is the result of the casual loop where the said event will happen in the future.
A.D. 2018
(2018年)
Taki, Sougo, and Geiz returned back to 2018. With an altered timeline is created where Kamen Rider Kabuto never existed.
Somewhere in the big city...
(*BGM: "Orbnica" Soundtrack from Ultraman Orb*)
A wanderer in a leather jacket and a cowboy hat walked amongst the crowded sidewalk whilst playing a harmonica.
Later, he stopped by in the park as he played that harmonica, which drew the attention of people who felt relaxed and soothed by the melody of the man's music.
After finished playing the music, the person who sat beside the wanderer asked. "Wow, you're awesome mister. Is that some kind of harmonica?"
"Yes.", said the mystery man.
"May I ask your name?", the other stranger continued.
And the wanderer reveals himself as, "Gai... Kurenai Gai."
Ridewatches count:
-Taki: 8 (G7 Icarus XYZ EX-Strike Armor, G7 Type-S, Grease, Huntress Creator Gamer, Jiraiya, Rewind, Bike, Phone)
-Zi-O: 7 (Zi-O, Build, Ex-Aid, Fourze, Kabuto, Ryuki, Bike)
-Geiz: 6 (Geiz, Ghost, Drive, Faiz, Bike, Phone)
-Tsukuyomi: 1 (Phone)
-Fubuki: 3 (Fuin, Phone (x2))
Ridewatch Profiles
Tsukuyomi, Sougo & Geiz: It's time for the Ridewatch Profiles!
Sougo: We're going to show you the Ridewatch of this chapter! (Takes out the Kabuto Ridewatch, rotated the dial and pressed its activation button.)
Ridewatch voice: (Digital beeping) Kabuto!
Sougo: (Presses the Ridewatch's button for the second time)
Ridewatch voice: Cast Off shite chou kasoku! Beetle no Rider wa... (Clock ticking noise) Kabuto da! (translation: "Cast Off and accelerate! The Beetle Rider is...Kabuto!")
Tsukuyomi: Kamen Rider Kabuto
Geiz: Kamen Rider Kabuto has the power of superhuman speed faster than the eye can see, in the form of the ability called "Clock Up". Using the Kabuto Ridewatch not only grants access to Kabuto Armor, it grants the ability to use Clock Up to fight enemies faster than you can imagine!
Sougo: Tune in next time!
On the next episode...
(次回挿話)
Another wave of Malfested creatures from the past once again attack the present. When Malfested colossi attack major cities in Japan, then came a giant of light called an Ultraman.
The giant of light, Ultraman Orb... Is he a friend or a foe?
Next time on Taki Gaiden, Episode 11: The Prayer of Orb ~A.D. 2018~.
Author's Note:
I'll be taking a break this Friday, and I will resume by Monday. So far, this is the first time I'll take a break from writing during the long weekend.
I looked in RoseShrimp's reviews of this story, this is about the similar one from Zedreamcast, but a bit more well-elaborated and civil. And, I admit to the flaws of my works when I replied in one of his reviews. And like what he and Gadget the Critic (formerly GaoGod) mentioned, the only problem is one of my OCs (i.e., Goro) stealing the spotlight. Granted, Goro is one of the few polarizing characters in my works. Gadget the Critic and I already talked about this, and yeah. At first Goro was intended to be my work's equivalent to Kuroto, but completely deconstructed the fact that he's the protagonist and a good guy, but does detrimentally unscrupulous acts to the point he's an edgy take of an anti-heroic "sue", and RoseShrimp considers that a character derailment. Since this story now currently focuses on Taki (both the 2018 and 1586 ones), Goro rarely appears in this story, whereas his and Taki's future daughter Fubuki guiding her with the awareness of changing the future. Regardless of said character derailment, it's still possible to tone down his [Goro's] edgy character. While I take a break during this Friday and during the weekends, I'll take my time improving my chapters of this current work.
And after I publish the next chapter by Monday, I'll be taking a break again the following Wednesday, and back again on Friday. So, that will buy me some time looking deeper into Soulcalibur VI's story mode in how I will going to adapt it into my story.
The rugby football subplot will still continue in the next chapter. Like what I said before, it's inspired from the Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu episode where Sosuke subjects Jindai High's rugby football club in a boot camp style training for their game. But here, Aizawa's approach is similar, but a subdued version, he doesn't curse at the players; going so far to refer the players as a bunch of Looney Tunes.
Days left before Soulcalibur VI's release: 2