I do not own Ranma ½ or Kamen Rider Den-O. Those belong to their respective creators and not me. I am not getting anything beyond enjoyment out of this work. I hope you all enjoy this work as well.
Kamen Rider Ran-O
By Ten-Faced Paladin
Chapter 14: Rise of Momo Sword
The Toad Imagin rested atop one of the buildings that resided in Nerima. It was in a real conundrum at the moment. His contractor had wished to be popular like her friend Akane, but apparently having a bunch of boys chasing her wasn't enough. Having a martial artist after her had to be enough for it. After all, that was the only reason everyone knew Akane. She was popular, but not for good reasons.
"Why couldn't I get an easy one? This is taking too long," The Toad Imagin sighed. "Gaoh-sama will not be pleased by the delay."
Looking over the streets, the Toad Imagin wondered where he was going to find a martial artist who was interested in Akane. The only ones he knew were either lusting over Akane or lusting after some other girl, claiming that it was love.
"Humans can be so stupid," the Toad Imagin sighed. It then perked up in sudden thought. "Stupid? That's perfect! That guy is as fickle as he is dumb!"
Cackling to himself, the Toad Imagin leaped away towards his destination: Kuno Mansion.
--
-Elsewhere-
"This is probably one of the most popular shopping areas in the district," Sayuri explained giddily as she clung to Tenma's arm. "It's perfect for some people who want to shop, hang out, or…date."
After Ranurataros(Ranma fused with Urataros) and Tenma had saved Sayuri from a group of perverts, the teenage girl had suddenly become gooey over the boy from the future. Using her offer of a tour to keep an eye out for the Toad Imagin, Tenma accepted it. Still, he was suitably creeped out by being so close to Sayuri like he was. In the future, Sayuri had helped baby-sat him and Ranko while they were younger. As such, Sayuri was somewhat of an authority figure. Seeing her as a blushing teenager on his arm was very strange.
Several stores away, Ranma watched the pair and the area around him. He and Tenma had both agreed that he would use this as a way to look out for the Toad Imagin. Of course, since he was under the influence of echoes of the Full Synchro with Urataros, Ranma would often flirt with almost any pretty girl he saw. It wasn't until the imprints wore off did Ranma get serious about his task.
'It's a shame,' Urataros sighed through their link. 'Your technique is quite impressive, Ranma-kun. You were reeling them in quite easily.'
"Urataros, we have a job to do," Ranma frowned. "We can flirt later."
'Yeah! It's time to kick some ass now!' Momotaros agreed. 'That stupid frog won't know what hit him when I get through with him!'
'Nii-chan!' Ryutaros cried from his own link. 'Can we use Full Synchro when you fight? I want a turn!'
'I would also like to test my mettle with this technique!' Kintaros agreed. 'Our combined strength will make our opponent cry!'
Ranma gave him his answer, "We'll have to work on the side effects, though, but we'll work on that later."
Meanwhile, Tenma was having his own mental conversation, 'Tenma, you are acting like a real gentleman. Oh, I am so proud of you!'
'Not now, Deneb,' grumbled Tenma mentally. 'I'm only doing this to get an Imagin. Besides, this is Sayuri. She used to baby-sit me!'
'But this is her teenage self, Tenma. She's a girl now, not that bossy woman you keep thinking about.'
'Different age, same person,' replied Tenma. 'What's the difference?'
"AIREN!" cried a happy voice.
Both Ranma and Tenma heard the voice and both groaned, 'Ah, HELL NO!' Sure enough there was Shampoo. She was on her bike riding towards Tenma, thinking it was her 'airen'. She frowned when she saw Sayuri but as she was about to glomp Tenma, she was shocked to see Ranma walk up to them. She squeezed the brakes and stopped.
"There are…two airen?" Shampoo blinked, looking between Ranma and Tenma.
Tenma was about to deny it, as rudely as possible, since this girl had chased him a while back just for looking like Ranma. Of course, Deneb would have none of that and all of a sudden, Tenma's hair lengthened with a green streak in it and his eyes turned green. Deneb was in control now.
"Oh, heavens no," said Tenma Green. "I'm Tenma. Tenma Mizuno. I'm a friend of Ranma's from out of town. It's a pleasure to meet you. You must be Miss Shampoo. I've heard so much about you!" He reached into his pocket and presented her a piece of candy with his Imagin face on the wrapper. "Would you like some candy?"
Ranma slapped his forehead at the display. Deneb sure picked the right moment to go on his little 'want to be friends' trip. Shampoo blinked at the offered candy in confusion, but took the offered treat anyway. Taking the wrapper off, she popped the candy into her mouth.
"Aiyah! Is very good!" Shampoo smiled. "You make?"
"Yes!" Tenma Green grinned. "I put all my heart into it!"
"Ah. You on date with friend of Akane?" Shampoo asked. "Shampoo then take Airen and we go on double date!"
"No!" Ranma shouted. "We're a little busy here at the moment!"
"But, Ranma!" Tenma Green argued. "Shampoo isn't bad! Why can't we let her hang out with us? She seems really nice!"
'Because she'll pull some stunt to make Pop marry her!' Tenma shouted mentally. Deneb was always looking at the best things in people. Shampoo could be friendly, but she was always too busy trying to force Ranma to marry her.
"Shampoo is very nice!" Shampoo nodded rapidly gripping Ranma's arm, she made sure her he wouldn't get away. "Tenma very smart! We go on double date!"
Ranma withheld the urge to growl. He was supposed to be on the lookout for an Imagin and now Shampoo was getting in the way. Now how was he supposed to tell her to go away without hurting her feelings or getting her mad? Usually the timely appearance of a fiancée would do the job, but neither Akane, Ukyo, or Kodachi were making an appearance.
'What does it take for this bimbo to take a hike?!' Momotaros raged through his link before he charged forward to take the driver's seat.
Ranma's hair suddenly slicked back before his eyes turned crimson, "Ore Sanjou!"
Ranma Red turned to face Shampoo with his temper coming to the boiling point. He gripped his hands and readied to explode on the girl again. She never got a subtle hint and only being direct only got in her thick skull.
However…
"AIYAH! SPIRIT AGAIN!!" Shampoo cried.
"Eh?" Ranma Red blinked.
"Let Airen go!" Shampoo cried as she pulled out her bonborri. Gripping the two weapons, she charged forward with the intent of pounding Momotaros out of Ranma's body.
"Wagh!" Ranma Red cried as he dodged a strike which broke solid concrete. "What the hell-?! What are you doing?!"
"Freeing Airen!" Shampoo shouted. "Leave! Airen and I go on date!"
"Listen, you crazy broad! I don't like you! Just take the hint and leave!" snapped Ranma Red.
Sayuri and Tenma could only watch helplessly as Shampoo tried to pound Ranma Red to the ground. Sayuri sighed in reluctance and said, "This happens a lot here."
"So I gathered," Tenma Green nodded.
--
-Kuno Mansion-
The Toad Imagin hadn't wasted any time in getting to his destination. He was crouching on the ledge of the surrounding wall, looking in. From what he knew of Sayuri's memories, one could tell where a Kuno was by the loud noises; either from the son's poetry and loud proclamations or the daughter's stupid laugh.
"Prepare thyself!" a male voice filled with arrogance shouted from the inner yard.
"And that would be Mr. Dumb," the Toad Imagin chuckled to himself. "What wonderful timing!"
Leaping off the wall, the Toad Imagin crouched before leaping up again. His muscles powered his leap up to the roof of the impressive house. Scaling over the rooftop, the Toad Imagin peered over the edge. Sure enough, the idiotic heir of the Kuno family was slicing up training dummies while shouting he would defeat some foul sorcerer. Well, that or join forces with the valiant knight of Nerima. The Toad Imagin really didn't have a clue what he was talking about but he still had a job to do.
"Oh honorable warrior!" the Toad Imagin called as he crouched onto the edge of the roof.
"Hark! Someone calls?" Kuno called as he looked around to see who had called him.
"Up here."
Kuno looked up at where the voice had come from. His eyes landed on the Toad Imagin on his roof. Gasping, he gripped his bokken and raised it up. "Aha! A foul demon challenges the Blue Thunder, Tatewaki Kuno?!"
"Oh of course not," the Toad Imagin laughed. "I am just a simple spirit. I have come to ask for your assistance, noble samurai."
"Ah, then your search has achieved fruition!" Kuno postured. "What quest does a spirit have for this noble warrior?"
'Hook, line, and sinker,' the Toad Imagin thought before he began his lie. "I have been contracted by a fair maiden to make her desired for her beauty. However, she feels that her beauty is wasted on commoners and hopes that brave warriors such as yourself would come to admire her."
"Ah, such a demure maiden," Kuno sighed. "To seek the attentions of a warrior such as myself. Spirit, where may I find this maiden?"
"Allow me to give you her profile," the Toad Imagin snickered as he drew a flyer he kept from his earlier attempt to bring admirers for Sayuri. Flicking his wrist, the flyer was thrown into Kuno's waiting hand. The delusional upperclassman read over the information and managed to receive it in record time.
"Ah, I recognize the face of Akane's friend Sayuri," Kuno nodded. "So this beauty wishes to achieve the same kind of beauty as Akane Tendo and the pigtailed girl. A wonderful quest I shall be happy to help Sayuri with."
"Well, you'd better move quickly," the Toad Imagin laughed. "You aren't the only one who will be interested in this young lady."
"Egads!" Kuno cried. "If she were to be sullied by unworthy hands…I must rescue her! Then I shall receive her thanks! I am off!"
With that, Kuno charged into the house and straight for the front door. The Toad Imagin watched him go before he broke out into wild laughter. He rolled around on the shingled roof, attempting to keep from rolling off and caving his ribs in at the same time.
"Oh man!" the Toad Imagin laughed. "What a moron! Humans are so easy to fool! Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"
Later…
"Brrr," Sayuri shivered suddenly.
"Something wrong Sayuri-chan?" Tenma asked in concern. "Are you cold?"
"No," Sayuri denied. "I just got a bad feeling all of a sudden. I don't know why."
Tenma had long since kicked Deneb out of his body and back to the ZeroLiner. He really didn't want his partner to ruin his image with his overly-friendly display and his insistence of giving away his candy, which was good and all. Still, Deneb could at least ask permission before he did anything. Deneb just thought he was doing good in Tenma's favor. More often than not, Deneb would embarrass Tenma with his antics.
They'd left Ranma behind when Ranma Red was being chased down by Shampoo. He would find them later right after he shook off a persistent Amazon.
"So, what do you want to do now?" asked Sayuri. Tenma considered an answer. He knew he had to stick around to see if he could catch the Toad Imagin. On the other hand, he was still getting used to his old babysitter wanting to date him. Fortunately, he didn't have to decide when Murphy's Law suddenly came into effect.
"Hark! Rejoice fair Sayuri, for the Blue Thunder has arrived for you!" announced Kuno with a handful of flowers. The pair, and everyone who had heard, turned to see that it was indeed Kuno standing several feet away from them. Sayuri withheld the urge to groan while Tenma frowned.
"And here comes another member of the legendary Wrecking Crew," sighed Tenma. This was weird. Kuno was usually obsessed with his dad's female form and Akane. Why was he trying to woo Sayuri of all people? Sure she was attractive, but still…
Tenma's answer came when the Toad Imagin came around the corner, snickering to himself. The future Saotome frowned as Sayuri squeaked in fear and gripped Tenma's arm tightly.
"There she is, Kuno," the Toad Imagin laughed. "It looks like another guy got her. You'd better think fast before he tries something."
"Your words bear truth!" Kuno frowned as he pointed his bokken at Tenma with a frown on his face. "You! You believe you are worthy of the fair Sayuri's affections? I challenge you for the right to date her!"
Sayuri groaned and massaged the bridge of her nose. She was beginning to understand why Akane hated Kuno so much. The guy was so fickle! Did he really think every woman he met desired him? There wasn't a single girl in Furinkan who didn't hate him and wish him serious bodily harm.
"Well, looks like the stories of his lunacy weren't exaggerated," Tenma sighed as he stepped forward. "Listen, Kuno, that toad thing behind you tricked you! It's only trying to make you go for Sayuri so it can cause some real damage. You're being played for a fool!"
"Lies!" Kuno shouted. "I see the truth! Obviously you plan to trick me so you may take Sayuri for yourself!"
"I don't have to fool you," Tenma frowned. "You delude yourself all the time so you save me the trouble."
"I will silence your insults!" Kuno frowned as he raised his bokken. "Prepare thyself!"
Kuno dashed forward with the intent to strike down Tenma and take Sayuri into his arms. Tenma sighed as he watched the delusional fool in front of him. In his life, Tenma had seen Kuno Sr. and Kuno Jr. (as miraculous as the young man's existence was) attack his father or himself several times. The pair was as delusional as ever; convincing themselves that the Saotomes were the reason the women they lusted after didn't like them. As such, Tenma knew the Kuno fighting style back and forth. He could tell when a Kuno attacking him from a mile away and was usually able knock them just as far without much thought.
Tenma dodged the swipes easily. He had fought older Kunos so a younger Kuno would be no problem. He'd been trained by his dad so he knew it was only a matter of outsmarting Kuno and that wasn't too hard either. He twirled around on his feet, mimicking Ryutaros' dancing movement before going in for Kuno's weakness. The guy may be a formidable martial artist, but only when he was armed. He struck hard at Kuno's wrist with a chop that caused him to drop his bokken. Tenma caught the bokken before he struck again, grabbing Kuno by the front of his robe and pointing the tip of Kuno's bokken to the startled samurai-wannabe's neck. Sayuri gaped. She'd seen Ranma and others just typically knock Kuno out, not disarm him and use his own weapon against him.
"If you have any sort of honor, you will yield," Tenma hissed, eyes narrowed.
"I fight on!" Kuno roared as he drew another bokken from his robes and swiped at Tenma.
A loud wooden clacking noise echoed as two wooden swords met in combat. Tenma wasn't exactly surprised at Kuno's actions. He knew from stories that Kuno would proclaim how honorable he was, but he would openly two-time girls he claimed he loved and use tricks to try and win. Some incidents included his actions during the Ultimate Weakness Moxibustion incident and when he tried to find out what Ranma was afraid of. Kuno's honor system was a lot like Genma's, only he took the effort to at least look like he upheld it.
Dodging several strikes, Tenma started moving into a sword style similar to what Momotaros would use; aggressive and fast. Kuno was a deep traditionalist and would stick to his standard kendo forms to the end. He was skilled, but there was no flexibility. Tenma's Momosword style (his name for it) was wild with no set movements, so it was hard to predict. Slashing in short but wide strikes, Tenma lay several strikes into Kuno's sides.
"That doesn't (Ow!) hurt!" Kuno bellowed, but the shaky knees gave truth to his words.
"Heh," Tenma smiled. "Well, I have bigger fish to fry .So, in the words of Momo-nii, prepare to see my hissatsu attack! Part 2!"
Raising the bokken, Tenma charged much like Momotaros would towards Kuno. The wobbly upperclassman tried to defend himself, but Tenma was moving to fast. Unleashing a slash from the right, Tenma broke Kuno's bokken and struck his left shoulder. Tenma continued with a strike at Kuno's right shoulder before he finally finished it with a strike to Kuno's hard head. The bokken shattered on contact, but it was enough. Kuno stumbled back, seeing stars, before he fell back onto the ground out cold.
"Wow!" Sayuri gasped. She was definitely impressed. It seemed that Tenma was as good as a member of the Wrecking Crew, but he didn't seem to have any of their usual problems. Well, if he was related to Ranma then he might be in an engagement. She certainly hoped that wasn't the case. Tenma was certainly a yummy one.
"Darn," the Toad Imagin groaned from his seat. "This is taking to long! Gaoh-sama will not like this!"
"Gaoh?" Tenma blinked. "Who-?"
"It's taking too long!" the Toad Imagin ranted. He gripped his crossbow and hoisted it up. "I'll have to change the odds so this loser can win!"
"Prepare to work hard for it then," Tenma frowned as he reached for the Zeronos Belt. He didn't have many qualms about Sayuri seeing him change. He knew others had seen his father change so it didn't seem to be a big deal to him.
"Tenma!" he heard Sayuri cry out before a pair of feminine arms gripped his own arm. "We have to run!"
"Huh?" Tenma blinked before the girl began to drag him away. "Hey, wait! Stop!"
"Get back here!" the Toad Imagin shouted as he hoisted Kuno over his shoulder and began to chase the pair who were trying to avoid him.
Sayuri was running for her life, dragging Tenma who was still gripping his Zeronos Belt tightly. The girl was sure fast when she needed to be. Maybe living in a town filled with constant chaos had conditioned some of the normal inhabitants to run fast before they got hurt.
Tenma was wondering about this Gaoh character the Imagin mentioned. Who was he anyway?
--
Ranma Red panted as he finally got away from Shampoo. "OK, we finally lost her," said Ranma Red, relieved. He walked out of the public restroom in the park.
'That's not all we lost,' Ranma replied. 'We lost Tenma and Sayuri.'
"Hey, if your kid is anything like you, he can handle himself," Ranma Red responded gruffly.
'He can, but what about Sayuri? We need to find them,' Ranma told his Imagin partner.
All of a sudden, a purple haze of energy pushed Momotaros out of Ranma and in his place was Ryutaros, taking on the identity as Ranma Purple. He had his signature cap on and a streak of purple hair.
'Ryutaros?' Ranma questioned. 'What are you doing?'
"Let me help, nii-chan!" said Ranma Purple excitedly before he snapped his fingers. "Everyone, fall in!"
All of a sudden, hip-hop music began to fly and Ranma Purple's gang of break dancers showed up to assist their boss, dancing out in front of Ranma Purple.
"OK, guys!" Ranma Purple grinned. "Find Sayuri-chan and Tenma-chan!" He snapped his fingers and the R-Boys (Ryutaros' Gang) all obediently followed orders and danced away from the park. "And now we go too, nii-chan! Then we can go Full Synchro!"
Ranma was wondering if having Ryutaros help was a good idea.
--
Sayuri and Tenma hid in an alley as the girl panted. Tenma handed her a handkerchief. "Here, use this to wipe the sweat off your face."
"Thank you," she said and then she saw the embroidery. It was a white handkerchief with blue flower patterns on it. "Wow, this is beautiful."
"It's from my mother," he told her, a pained expression on his face. "She gave it to me."
"Thank you," Sayuri said, "But I can't use this if it's so important."
"I don't mind. Anyway, I think they're gone," said Tenma as he looked out the alley. Of course, he was wrong when the Toad Imagin dropped right in front of them, throwing Kuno to the ground. Sayuri screamed and backed away.
"Nowhere to run, brat. This is a dead end!" the Toad Imagin declared. Tenma narrowed his eyes and decided NOW it was his time to fight.
"Yeah, your end!" Tenma frowned as he wrapped the Zeronos Belt around his waist. Hitting the switch on the top, a flute-like noise cut through the air. Grabbing one of his Zeronos Cards, Tenma raised it up with the green side out first. "Henshin!" He slid the card inside his belt buckle.
"Altair form!"
Tenma was covered in the bodysuit of Zeronos with the dual-track helmet appearing on his head. The Y-shaped front and back armor appeared with the green sidings before attaching to his chest and back. Finally, a pair of bull heads traveled down the armor on his face before locking into place as eyepieces.
"Tenma?" Sayuri gasped in shock. She wasn't alone either. The gathered spectators were all gasping and pointing at the armored Rider. Of course, they were also pointing and making comments of their own.
"Is that Den-O?"
"Nah, it's the other one!"
"What's his name?"
"I think it's Zeronos!"
"I want an autograph!"
"Let me say this from the start," Zeronos AF spoke as he drew the handle of the ZeroGasher. "I am really pissed off!"
"Like I care!" the Toad Imagin growled before he fired off several bolts from his crossbow.
Acting fast, Zeronos AF completed his ZeroGasher and allowed it to change into crossbow mode. Taking aim, he fired several bolts of his own. The opposing projectiles collided in the air before exploding. The audience cried out in shock and got far from the battle area, but they weren't running away. Most of the teens in the audience were furiously taking pictures of the action.
"Stop getting in my way!" the Toad Imagin yelled as he charged at the opposing Rider.
"Make me!" Zeronos AF shouted as he dashed at his opponent. The two met in the street and began attempting to take each other down. Zeronos AF quickly switched his ZeroGasher into its sword form. Swinging widely, Zeronos AF aimed to take down the Imagin once and for all. Sadly, the Toad Imagin was still as agile as ever and it leaped over the strikes.
"You couldn't do it last time kid," the Toad Imagin laughed. "What makes you think you can do it now?"
"Simple. No distractions!" Zeronos AF shouted as he charged again.
That was when the hip-hop music started. From the crowd a group of hip-hop dancers danced into the scene. They started to move to a familiar beat which was Ryutaros' signature. The people weren't sure where to give their attention and were switching between the Rider and Imagin to the dancers.
"What the!?" the Toad Imagin exclaimed as he saw the dancers. "What's going on!?"
Zeronos sighed. "Ryu-nii."
Finally, Ranma Purple leapt over the crowd and went into a tuck roll as he hit the crowd. His gang all stood behind him as he danced away, showing off his moves. When he was done, he snapped his fingers and pointed at the Toad Imagin. "Are you going to let me beat you?"
"What!?" shouted the Toad Imagin as Ranma Purple produced the Den-O Belt and Hyper Pass.
"I don't hear an answer!" Ranma Purple grinned before fastening on his belt and pressing the purple button. He tapped the Pass to his head before shouting "Henshin!" and swiping the Pass over the belt. Lucky for him, the cap hid his face from the audience plus he had his back to them.
"Gun Form!"
The base form of Den-O appeared over Ranma Purple's body in a flurry of light. Then, the extra armor appeared in the air. The red chest plates unfolded into the purple ones while the yellow and black plates fastened to his back. The purple plates fastened to his chest before a purple dragon slid down his face before unfolding into a purple and pointed visor.
"Mind if I destroy you know?" Den-O GF asked as he pointed at the Toad Imagin. "I don't hear an answer?"
The audience was now getting extremely excited. Cell phone cameras were flashing as they took in the image of the armored hero. It was lucky that Den-O GF had his back turned to everyone and his hat was covering his face at the time. Otherwise he was going to be mobbed at the soonest opportunity.
The Toad Imagin now knew he was in a fix. The only reason he escaped the two Riders last time was because he had a distraction. Now, this probably wasn't the case. He was trapped in the middle of a street with people all around. Even if he managed to get away, one of the people there would probably point out which way he went. He was stuck up a certain creek without that much needed paddle…and a boat.
Looking around, the Toad Imagin spied Sayuri watching in rapt fascination. A sudden grin appeared on his warty face as he saw her.
"You know," the Toad Imagin chuckled as he eyed both Kamen Riders. "Since Sayuri now has two tough martial artists with her…I'd say this contract is complete!"
"No you don't!" Zeronos AF shouted as he charged with his Zerogasher.
The Toad Imagin wasn't the mood to listen. Using its powerful legs again, he leaped straight over Zeronos AF. Landing on the ground, the Toad Imagin charged at the surprised Sayuri.
"I gave you what you wished for," the Toad Imagin grinned. "Now I'll take what I desire."
Spreading his arms, the Toad Imagin split Sayuri down the middle, revealing the green vortex between the sides. With the portal open, the Toad Imagin turned to face the two Kamen Riders.
"Better hope you can find me in the past, Riders," the Toad Imagin smirked. With a last wave, he leaped through the vortex.
"No!" Zeronos AF cried as he ran towards the collapsing girl.
"Aww! No fair!" Den-O GF whined. "I didn't get to use Full Synchro with Nii-chan!"
Both Riders ran up to Sayuri and produced tickets for their personal trains. Holding them up to her head, the image of the Toad Imagin appeared with a date on the front. From what the two Riders could see, the date had read September 17th 2007.
"Sayuri," Zeronos AF spoke seriously. He gripped the young woman's shoulder to catch her attention. Holding up the card, he continued, "What happened on this date?"
"Last September?" Sayrui asked. "Umm…."
-Flashback-
Sayuri felt her heart beating a mile a minute. Today was the day. She was going to finally confess to the boy who made her heart beat like crazy. He was a little older by a year, but that was okay. He was captain of the soccer team, so it was sometimes a little hard for her to see him. She had a note for him in her hand and she was heading to the soccer field to find him.
Exiting the school, she found that there were some other girls waiting by the soccer field. All of them looked upset for some reason or another. It didn't escape Sayuri's notice that they all had a note or a bento in their hands.
"What's going on?" Sayuri asked with some confusion.
"You're going to confess to Takeda too?" one of the girls asked with a huff.
"Um…yes," Sayuri nodded. "Why do you ask?"
"Because we were going to as well," another girl huffed. "Only he's not here."
"Then where is he?" asked Sayuri in confusion.
"CHAAAAARGE!"
To Sayuri's shock, a mass of boys charged around the corner of the building and seemed to be targeting one student coming out of the doors. To Sayuri's further shock, it was Akane who was about to be mobbed. She was about to give a cry of warning, but the mob was already upon her.
CRUCNH!
POW!
WHACK!
It was over just as fast. All the boys were on the ground groaning in pain and trying to get back up again. Sayuri dared to look closer and found that right next to her feet was Takeda, captain of the soccer club. Sayuri blinked slightly in confusion.
"He's busy chasing after that spoiled brat Akane," one of Takeda's admirers huffed. "Honestly, what do they see in her?"
Sayuri barely heard the grumbles of resentment from the other girls. She was busy trying to keep her heart from shattering. The boy she was crushing on wouldn't want to listen to her at this point. He was too busy listening to his hormones and being an idiot like Kuno.
It wasn't fair. She didn't even get a chance.
-End Flashback-
Sayuri sniffled as she revealed the significance behind the date, "It wasn't fair! What made Akane so special? What made her so great? Just because Kuno wouldn't let anyone date her? She acts like a violent spoiled brat and people still dote on her! Ranma's the best thing that ever happened to her and she treats him like dirt! Why do people want her so bad?! She's a spoiled brat!!"
Zeronos AF could only say one thing with a sigh, "I guess people ONLY see what they want to see…" He added, "Maybe you should talk with Akane about this too. If she really is your friend, she may understand." He then summoned forth the ZeroLiner as Den-O GF summoned the DenLiner. Both trains of time exited their portals and flew down to the streets. The crowds could only gasp and point with their camera-capable cell phones again at the sight. The two Riders then leapt up and entered their time trains, headed towards September 17th 2007.
-September 17th 2007
Sayrui sighed as she and the other girls watched the Hentai Horde attempt to get themselves back together again. She had long since torn her letter up. She didn't want to end up dating a complete pervert.
As she and the other girls were waiting for the boys to get up so they could berate them, sand began to fall out of Sayuri's uniform. She watched in confusion before the sand began to compile into a solid body. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw the body of the Toad Imagin come together.
"Eeeeeeeek!" Sayuri screamed as she backpedaled away from the rising Imagin.
The other cheated and angry girls were quick to act the same way. They all began screaming and running for their lives. The Toad Imagin just grinned with its large mouth as it grabbed the crossbow off of it's back.
"Now," it grinned. "How to best mess with time?"
As the Toad Imagin began stalking past the downed boys, there was someone leaning on the wall next to the school. He was donned in a brown jacket and hat. In his hand was a silver pocketwatch. Unlike the previous times this person had been seen, a frown was etched on the visible features his outfit allotted.
The Toad Imagin continued on its merry way until it began to hear a familiar tune. Looking to the other end of the soccer field, the DenLiner and the ZeroLiner roared out of twin portals. They sped past the Toad Imagin, forcing it to turn around. Once he was turned, the Toad Imagin found himself staring down at both Zeronos AF and Den-O GF.
"You're not getting away that easily," Zeronos AF frowned as he held his ZeroGasher on his shoulder.
"Got you now," Den-O GF laughed as he put his DenGasher into its gun form.
"You think so, eh?" the Toad Imagin chuckled as it hoisted its crossbow up. "Put your words where your mouth is!"
With that, the Toad Imagin began firing several bolts. Both Riders dashed away from the path in which the arrows flew. Zeronos AF made his ZeroGasher into its crossbow form and both Riders began to open fire on the enemy Imagin.
"Woah!" the Toad Imagin cried as it dodged the shots. Still, its arm and shoulder armor got nicked and chunks were blown off. "Watch it!"
"That's kind of the point!" Zeronos AF shouted as he continued shooting.
"This is fun!" Den-O GF laughed as he fired haphazardly at the Toad Imagin. His shots were hitting near, but because the purple Rider was dancing about, he was tearing up the soccer field as much as he did the Toad Imagin.
"You think this is fun?" the Toad Imagin growled. "Then let me show you what I think is fun!"
Hoisting his crossbow up, the Toad Imagin let loose a barrage of arrows. Den-O GF fired back, destroying several of the arrows which were flying at him. Still, his shots were proving too slow as more arrows flew at him.
"Agh!" Den-O GF cried as several arrows impacted against his body. The force of the hits knocked him back, preventing him from moving.
"Ryu-nii!" Zeronos AF cried as he dashed to help his father/brother/fellow Rider. "Are you okay?" he said as he helped Den-O GF to his feet.
"Stupid frog!" whined Den-O GF childishly. "Not playing fair." Zeronos AF chuckled. Same old Ryutaros.
The Toad Imagin decided that now would be a good time to escape. Making a huge leap, it headed away to cause some damage. The two Riders were quick to follow. They both took up the chase after him, with Den-O GF shooting carelessly at its retreating form. A few chunks of the school and surrounding buildings were blown off, but missed the Imagin.
"You're not getting away!" Den-O GF shouted and with a snap of his fingers the DenBird started speeding up behind him. Den-O GF leapt up, did a back flip, and mounted his vehicle before racing off after his opponent.
"Wait for me!" Zeronos AF cried out. Reaching to where his mouth was by reflex, he fired a sharp whistle into the air. A roaring engine cut through he air before a new motorcycle raced out of an alley. It was constructed in a similar way to the DenBird, but instead it had a pair of golden horns sticking out of the front. This was the motorcycle of the ZeroLiner known as the ZeroHorn.
Zeronos AF quickly mounted the motorcycle before he gunned the engine and took off after the Toad Imagin and Den-O GF
Both Riders roared down the streets as they raced after their target. Den-O GF was still shooting wildly, but wasn't getting any better. Zeronos AF couldn't use his weapon since it would require two hands at the moment and he wasn't experienced enough to drive without hands yet.
"Uncle Yuuto made this look so easy," Zeronos AF grumbled. "Deneb! Switch!"
'Roger!" Deneb saluted in Zeronos AF's mind.
Zeronos AF reached to his belt, easily keeping his balance since the road was straight and he was able to keep one hand on the handlebars. Pulling the card out of his belt, he reset it before flipping the card to the yellow side. With a fluid motion, he slipped it back in.
"Vega Form!"
Sand poured from Zeronos AF and formed into Deneb. The friendly Imagin, knowing that seating was limited, quickly placed his hands on Zeronos AF's shoulders before he transformed into a cape with his hands attaching to the shoulders. The black chestplates appeared over the green Rider's chest before revealing Deneb's face. The bull eyepieces vanished before drill pieces combined in the centre of Zeronos' face and opened to become a star-shaped visor.
"I will say this from the beginning," Zeronos VF stated. "We're running out of road!"
Sure enough, a construction sign was quickly passed stating wet asphalt. Looking ahead, Den-O GF didn't even slow down as the construction site came closer.
'What?!' Tenma cried. 'Move! Jump! Do something!"
"Oh dear!" Zeronos VF cried as he tried to find a way out. "This is not good!"
Den-O GF wasn't even paying attention before he suddenly found his vehicle stopping and his body still moving. Zeronos VF wasn't far behind. Both modes of transportation were stopped dead by the wet road material. Unfortunately, neither of the Riders was fastened to their bikes and instead went flying. Den-O GF and Zeronos VF both crashed to the ground on the opposite end of the construction zone.
"Ow," Zeronos VF moaned. "Well…we stopped."
'Yeah. Great job, Deneb,' Tenma sighed sarcastically.
"Oh! Thank you, Tenma!" Zeronos VF smiled, missing the sarcasm entirely.
"OOOOWWWWIIIEEEE!" Den-O GF whined. "No fair! No fair, no fair, no fair!"
'Ryutaros, please calm down!' Ranma tried to plead with the childish Imagin. This was probably one of the trickiest Imagin he had to deal with yet. Of course, Ryutaros wasn't taking kindly to the tricks it was pulling.
"But it's not playing fair, Nii-chan!" Den-O GF whined.
'Then why don't you let one of the others have a turn?' Ranma suggested. He had seen mothers try the sharing tactic with their kids before. Besides, it seemed like Ryutaros wasn't the best choice against a crafty Imagin like this one. 'That way, if we meet another cheater again, you'll know what to do.'
"Ummmmm," Den-O GF considered. That sounded like a good idea. After all, games were no fun unless you knew how to win. "Okay!"
Purple energy shot out of Den-O, taking the Gun Form armor with it. Den-O stumbled a little as he tried to catch his breath. Even though it was Ryutaros who got hurt, he felt the aches as well. Grabbing his Hyper Pass, Den-O ignored the pain and reached to his belt.
--DenLiner--
"Owwieee," Ryutaros whined as he appeared on the train of time again. He had apparently hurt himself worse than he thought. "I don't feel so good."
The occupants found the limping Dragon Imagin and gasped in shock. He was moving a little erratically and there was a big bump on his head. The other three Imagin, Hana, and Naomi stared in stunned shock before Ryutaros collapsed into one of the seats.
"Ryutaros!"
"Ryu-chan!"
"Ryuuta!"
"Brat!"
All the occupants raced to the young Imagin's side as they tried to check on his position. Hana was trying to get him to look into her eyes while Naomi gently touched the bump, bringing painful whines from the Imagin. Urataros, Momotaros, and Kintaros all tried to get in close so they could help. Urataros tried to get a view while Kintaros had grabbed a napkin and tried to get some air to Ryutaros by using it as a fan.
"Don't tell…Nii-chan or…Nee-chan," Ryutaros mumbled. "Don't wanna…make 'em…worry."
"Oh, Ryu-chan!" Naomi sobbed on the brink of tears.
"What is this noise?" the imperious voice of Sieg asked from the opposite end of the baggage car.
"Urusei!" Momotaros snapped, stomping towards the swan Imagin. "The brat's hurt bad and I was about to go and kick that teme's ass!"
"Bringing harm to a child?" Sieg gasped. He instantly walked to Ryutaros' side. While he may have considered the purple Imagin childish, he had a way of growing on people. Perhaps it was because Kasumi found him so precious. Still, Ryutaros was a child and even if he knew the risks of fighting, intentionally bringing harm to a child was unforgivable.
"This is a villain beyond compare," Sieg growled. "I will punish this fool!"
"Oh no!" Momotaros growled, gripping Sieg's shoulder and staring him in the eye. "This bastard is mine!"
Shoving Sieg back, Momotaros dashed towards the back of the train. His body erupted in a flaming red aura as he moved. The group could only watch as his body seemed to turn into solid red power before it faded out of sight. Of course, they knew where he had gone.
He had gone to Ranma.
--Nerima--
Den-O took a breath as he gripped the Hyper Pass. His entire body began shaking as he felt Momotaros coming in for the fight. His presence felt stronger though. It quickly reminded Den-O of what was going to come next.
"Full Synchro eh?" Den-O chuckled. He pressed the red button on his belt, letting the song of DenLiner begin playing. As he gripped his pass, he didn't realize that it was starting to glow red. "Sounds good to me."
"Momo Sword Form!" the belt cried as Den-O swiped his Hyper Pass over its centre. The additional armor for Den-O appeared over him before spinning around and then snapping on before the red metal peach slid over his face and split to become his visor. The transformation didn't stop there, however, as Den-O's boots and gauntlets turned the same shade of red as Momotaros and gained his black tribal markings. The black markings were also present on his chestplate and along the edges of his visor. Going into his usual pose, Den-O MSF shouted, "Ore, Sanjou!" in a voice that sounded like Momotaros and Ranma speaking as one.
"Ranma-sama!" Zeronos VF gasped in awe.
'All right, Pop!' Tenma cheered in thought.
"That's new," the Toad Imagin frowned.
Looking up at the Toad Imagin, Den-O MSF growled angrily. He then crouched slightly before leaping straight up. With Momotaros and Ranma fused together, this new Den-O had all the abilities of both Imagin and Human. Den-O MSF leaped to the rooftop where the Toad Imagin was waiting.
"I've got a bone to pick with you," Den-O MSF growled. "And I'm at my climax, so you're going down!"
"Just try it!" the Toad Imagin cried as he reached to his belt for his DenGasher pieces.
His arms moved at Amaguriken speed, gripping the DenGasher pieces. Tossing all four into the air, he grabbed the first two pieces and snapped them together. Holding the combined pieces up, the third piece snapped onto it perfectly, making it a handle. Flipping it over, the final piece snapped into place for the sword configuration. When it was finished, the entire device flashed a bright red before changing into a large red scimitar with a red handle. The hand-guard was pointed and the blade had red decorations with black markings. Near the tip of the blade was a second point, acting like a hook.
"Heh, not bad," Den-O MSF nodded. "Let's see it in action! Ikuze, ikuze, ikuze!"
Dashing forward, Den-O MSF aimed to take the Toad Imagin down. The warty Imagin managed to begin firing several bolts from his crossbow. Den-O MSF dodged each bolt as if he had gotten visions from the future before deflecting several more with his sword.
"Try again!" Den-O MSF laughed as he got within striking distance of the Toad Imagin.
"I will!" the Toad Imagin growled as it aimed for a severe kick with its muscled legs.
"Hup!" Den-O MSF grunted as he gripped the Toad Imagin's shoulder before leaping up. Using the Toad Imagin as a pedestal for movement, Den-O MSF landed behind the confused Imagin. The opposing Imagin hadn't even had time to completely turn around before getting slashed with a large sword.
"Agh!" the Toad Imagin bellowed, stumbling away.
"I'm only just getting started!" Den-O MSF laughed as he charged. He pressed his attack, slashing the Imagin again and again.
At first it looked like Momotaros' usual hack and slash style, but if a trained kendo artist watched the battle, they would say otherwise. Each of the sword strikes were timed perfectly to maximize damage and minimize any holes which might appear in his defense. The aggression fit Momotaros to a tee, but the skill being shown was Ranma's for sure. This was the power of Full Synchro, showing the cooperation of both human and Imagin fighting as one.
Each powerful slash made the Toad Imagin reel back further. Den-O MSF just continued the barrage of strikes until he suddenly stopped. The Toad Imagin struggled to stand as it caught its breath.
"Why…why'd you stop?" it asked in pained confusion.
"Heh," Den-O MSF snorted before he reached out and gave a firm poke to the Toad Imagin's chest.
The Toad Imagin stumbled back, confused over the simple technique. Attempting to get a new footing, the Toad Imagin felt no ground beneath his feet. Falling back, the Toad Imagin wind-milled his arms in an attempt to regain balance bring himself back to solid ground again. Sadly, the efforts were not enough and soon the Toad Imagin had fallen off the edge of the building.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" the Toad Imagin screamed as the concrete came closer to the concrete ground below.
WHAM!!
Den-O MSF peeked over the edge of the building and snickered. The Toad Imagin had made a perfect imprint on the solid ground like in all those American cartoons about the coyote chasing after that roadrunner. He wasn't dead, but he was definitely in pain.
"Oh, so you're a tough guy, eh?" Den-O MSF nodded. "Okay, if you can take the hits then I don't have to play games with you then."
Leaping off the edge of the building, Den-O MSF landed on the ground lightly. He watched the Toad Imagin struggling to his feet, attempting to bring his weapon back up again.
"I…will not…fail…GAOH-SAMA!" the Toad Imagin bellowed as he struggled to his knees.
"Oh, so you're working for someone?" Den-O MSF blinked as he raised his Hyper Pass. It had turned red and had a peach insignia similar to what Momotaros wore on his belt. "Good! Now I know who to send the ashes to!"
Taking the Momo Pass, Den-O MSF swiped it over his belt, "Full Charge!"
Dropping the pass, streams of red fire shot from the belt and into the large scimitar which Den-O MSF gripped in his hand. The blade began to look like it was made of flames rather than steel as more energy poured into it.
"Just for you, I'm gonna show a new hissatsu attack," Den-O MSF grinned in anticipation. "My hissatsu attack, revised version: Anything Goes!"
Thrusting forward, the sword flew from Den-O MSF's hand and spun like a disk of fire. It collided directly with the Toad Imagin, digging into his body with a steel grinding noise. Den-O MSF then directed his hand upwards, sending the sword spinning up with the Toad Imagin along for the ride.
"Waaaaaaagh!" the Toad Imagin cried as he flew through the air.
"This is just the beginning!" Den-O MSF cried as he began directing the sword again. The sword flew away from the Toad Imagin, letting him begin falling back to earth again. However, the sword flew back at the Toad Imagin, cutting through it diagonally from the right before making a U-turn and cutting the Imagin diagonally from the left.
"And for the climax!" Den-O MSF cried as he redirected the spinning sword again.
Moving above the falling Imagin, thee sword dove straight down. The Toad Imagin didn't even notice when the weapon cut him right down the centre. The wound shone brightly before the Toad Imagin exploded in a crimson haze of fire.
"Yatta!" Den-O MSF cheered as he caught the falling sword, allowing the red fire to extinguish. "Now that was my best climax ever!"
Gripping his belt, Den-O MSF pulled the item off, undoing his transformation. His body shattered in red fire, the image of Momotaros being seen faintly before it vanished. When the energy cleared, Ranma could be seen standing in the place of the armored hero. There weren't any obvious signs that Momotaros had left any imprints.
"Hey, Pop!"
"Ranma-sama!"
Ranma turned and saw both Deneb and Tenma running towards him. He had obviously changed back since he saw the battle had ended. It was hardly surprising since there was no way anyone would miss the explosion that ripped through the air.
"Decided to leave things to me?" Ranma grinned. "You okay?"
"Yeah," Tenma nodded. "It was just a small motorcycle accident. Is Ryu-nii okay?"
"Um…," Ranma frowned. After fusing with Momotaros, he had gotten the unedited view of Momotaros' experience since his last possession. "No. He isn't. The accident knocked him on the head really hard. He collapsed on DenLiner. I don't know how he hid it."
"Oh my goodness!" Deneb cried out in shock. "We must see to him! He might be seriously hurt!"
"You got that right," Tenma nodded urgently. "Why are we waiting here Pop?!"
"Waiting on you guys," Ranma nodded as he drew his Hyper Pass. "Let's get going!"
"Roger!"
"Let's go!"
As the two Riders and lone Imagin dashed for an open space, they didn't know that they were being watched. From an alley, a lone figure was stepping out from the shadows. This being was green-skinned and wearing clothes reminiscent of the old days of Arabia. On his shoulders, thighs, and shins were bronze pieces of armor that looked like it was fashioned from a large lamp. The shin and thigh pieces looked like they were from a lamp's base while the shoulders looked more like centre of the lamp. Running down the right arm was the lamp's spout while the handle reached down the left. A purple turban rested on his head while the fabric concealed his face except for a pair of red eyes.
This was the Genie Imagin.
"Gaoh-sama," the Genie Imagin spoke, resting his hand on a device hidden beneath the turban fabric. "The Toad failed to destroy either Rider, but he created an opportunity to reach our goal. DenLiner and ZeroLiner are on their way."
'"Excellent," a deep voice responded from a radio device hidden in the Genie Imagin's turban. "Follow them. The others and I will meet you there."
"As you wish, Gaoh-sama," the Genie Imagin nodded.
Cutting off the link, the Genie Imagin turned his legs into green smoke before taking off in flight after the two Riders.
Dashing to the Furinkan soccer field, the tune which signaled the DenLiner rang as the portal opened. The familiar train of time slid out and came to a stop in front of the pair. One of the passenger car doors opened wide and Hana leaned out of the opening.
"Over here, guys!" she called out.
"Is Ryutaros okay?" Ranma asked in deep concern.
"He's okay," Hana replied. "He just has a bump on his…look out!"
Ranma and Tenma both turned around to see what their friend was talking about. Their views were filled with a pair of fists. One was made of stone and the other was made of wood.
"Gah!" both Saotomes cried as the force of the blows sent them colliding into the side of the DenLiner.
They looked up to see their attackers. Unsurprisingly, they were Imagin. One looked like it was made out of gray stone. Its shoulders looked like the top of a castle while its head looked like its tower. A single eye was visible. It wore a blue cloak on its right side and had a gray ponytail running down its back.
The second Imagin looked like a living tree. Moss ran down its legs while green branches sprouted from its shoulders. Apples actually were visible in the branches and a green mass of leaves sprouted from the top of its head. This Imagin's eyes were hollow, but somehow it was still able to see.
"Tenma-kun! Ranma-sama!" Deneb cried as he saw his contractor and friend being attacked. Sadly, he was in no position to do anything about it.
Deneb was being held back by a monstrous Imagin. It had scaled legs and a furry torso. Its right arm was similar to a lion's but a scaled left arm occupied its twin. Its head looked like a goat's, but the horns were coiled and looked cracked. This Imagin was also holding Deneb back from assisting his friends.
"Let go of me, Imagin!" Hana shrieked as her own attacker managed to get her from behind.
This fourth Imagin looked like a clown from hell. It was skinny, but was wearing a red and yellow clown suit with polka dots on it. It had white gloves and big shoes. On its right shoulder, a few balloons were floating from its shoulder. However, a skeleton was hanging over its left shoulder. A burlap sack-looking head occupied its shoulders with scary clown paint on. A sadistic smile and blank narrowed eyes occupied the facial features.
"Hoo hoo hoo!" the Imagin chuckled as he hefted Hana away from the open door. She thrashed, but couldn't use one of her devastating punches.
"Tower, Orchard, Chimera, Clown, enough," a deep and commanding voice called from the sides.
Tenma and Ranma were gripped by the Tower and Orchard Imagin while Chimera and Clown held their own hostages. All four turned in the direction of the voice.
Two figures were walking towards the DenLiner and the four hostages. One was the Genie Imagin, but the other one was a human. He was someone who was just leaving his prime and had dark black hair which was tied up tightly. He looked Japanese, but had a scar over his right eye. The hairs near his temple were only beginning to turn gray. He was dressed like a Feudal Era Damiyo. The clothes he wore were bronze and black, but only made him look more dangerous.
"We have the train now," the man smiled. "We don't need these interferences."
"Hey!" Ranma growled.
"Hmm," Tenma frowned. "You must be Gaoh."
"Correct," the man, dubbed Gaoh, nodded in amusement. Much like the adult would acknowledge a child. "I am he. I assume Toad had slipped a couple words."
"Yeah," Tenma frowned. "He seemed pretty intent on making sure he didn't disappoint you."
"Ah, and he succeeded in the end," Gaoh nodded. "Loyalty like that is hard to find."
"So what is it you want?" Ranma frowned. "If you want to sit here and talk then let us go!"
"What I want…is this magnificent train," Gaoh smirked. "I've been looking for one for a while. It may not be mine, but it will suit my needs for now."
Walking forward, Gaoh and the Genie Imagin headed to the open door of the train. Ranma and Tenma struggled, but the Tower and Orchard Imagins were proving too strong. As the Genie Imagin stepped inside, Gaoh stepped out again.
"Drop them," Gaoh ordered. "They are no threat now."
The four Imagin nodded and tossed their hostages aside. All four then crowded to the entrance of the DenLiner and entered. As the Clown Imagin got on board, being the last, he giggled loudly before patting his behind at the recovering four. An obvious insult.
"Bye bye!" the Clown Imagin laughed as the door shut.
A loud whistle echoed from the DenLiner. Ranma was already on his feet and running towards the entrance of the DenLiner.
"Let me in!" Ranma shouted. He gripped the edge of the door and yanked it with all his might. Unfortunately, the door was fastened tightly.
The DenLiner whistled again before beginning to move. Ranma wasn't going to give up without a fight. He continued to yank and pull with all the strength his muscles and ki could afford him. Sadly, the DenLiner was built for assaults from beings much stronger than any human could be.
"Ranma!" Hana cried as she managed to get up. "You have to get off! It's dangerous!"
Ranma looked at where the DenLiner was going and saw that the portal to where the sands of time existed was opening and he was heading right for it. Cursing to himself, Ranma leaped off and landed on the ground. Turning to see, he felt his stomach sink as the DenLiner vanished through the portal.
"Pop!" Tenma cried as he raced over to his father. "You okay?"
"Yeah, fine," Ranma frowned. "But something tells me that bad guys having their own train of time is a bad thing."
"Yes, Ranma," Hana frowned, watching the portal close. "It is a very bad thing."
To Be Continued…
A/N: I'M BAAAAAACK! After so long, we have an addition and a beginning to the Ran-O version of Ore Tanjou!