Author's Note: Hi guys, Ghost here, here we go! Well, it's good to have a new story; a bit of context, Grey and I watched the original OOO 10th Anniversary movie and thought it was a good movie, but we felt like it could've been better. We are both fans of the series and want to respect it as much as possible. So please enjoy our rendition of the OOO 10th Anniversary movie.
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Co-Writer GreyKing46
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We do not own these characters. All rights belong to Shotaro Ishinomori, Ishimori Productions and Toei Company
"Where...am I?"
A weakened voice asked within a dark void.
"It's so dark. Can't. See." The voice asked again as it tried to crawl out of the darkness. "Wait. Is? Is that light?" The voice asked itself, seeing the pinpricks of light within the end.
The voice crawled, its dulled senses slowly coming back as it could feel...rubble. Stone. Concrete. Metal. Its fingers straining as it felt the light pierce through.
The fingers of the voice reached out to the light and felt something sturdy. A large rock, pinned under the larger boulders as the faintest bits of light pierced through the darkness.
"It's. Outside. I can. Just push it." The voice groaned as their hand pressed and pushed against the stone, straining as best as they could.
Until.
Crumble, crumble
Freedom.
The hand reflexively winced at the sight of the sun as it emerged from the coffin of stone.
"Where-Where am I?" the voice asked as its owner revealed itself.
Just... A singular floating arm.
It was a right hand of an arm; it had withered black flesh, near the end of the arm were tattered black bandages and a hollow gap, red finger segmented armour on black clawed fingers, with the first and middle finger bearing two golden rings, on the back of the palm were red with gold-edged plate-metal. On the forearm, were gradient-coloured-styled metal, primarily red with yellow to green edges; the metal seemed to be styled and layered over like feathers with a single solid red bird with yellow and green gradient-edged wings.
"Why? Why am I back?" The arm asked itself, looking around with its lack of eyes, but able to perceive its surroundings. "What happened here?"
The surroundings were a war zone, buildings were demolished, roads were upturned, and vehicles were destroyed. All around the arm looked like hell. There were no people around that it could see. "This cannot be. It should've been-. Wait, my Medals!" The arm spoke to itself, as its fingers clenched and looked inwards.
Inside its 'body', was a cluster of silvery coins, on the backs were 'X's while on the front were engraved depictions of various animals.
However, three stood out to the arm. Three pure ruby red medals, each depicting a bird of some kind. One had large wings and three tail feathers, the second had surrounding plumage that took up the majority of the coin with the outline of a head, thirdly was a smaller winged bird but the bottom of the coin's engraving prominently showed its taloned claws.
"Three. There's...three? How are there three?" The arm thought to itself. "The Hawk...It was cracked. How is it whole again?"
The arm returned its sight outward and looked around. "I have to go; this doesn't make any sense."
'Sight' was an odd word to use, of course, but still. The arm began to fly through the air, floating down the street. The darkness hiding it... seeing the broken city around him.
The arm looked around, trying to find any noticeable landmarks...but no, there was nothing around here. The landmarks and buildings were horribly broken.
"What...happened here?" The arm asked itself, approaching the place. A small place, but a place it knew.
All the while, the arm was thinking back.
He had died. Stopped living... if you could call this living. Helping E*&^*... E"*$*%*... Why could he not remember his name?!
Everything was so blurry. So faded. Like he had awoken from a dream.
He had died helping his friend. That he knew, even if faces and names were escaping him.
He had been brought back, nearly two years ago. Temporally. In the body of a fake, a puppet that barely held him together. And this happened again two years later. How long since that second, temporary, resurrection and now?
He did not know.
"Urgh, my mind." He thought to himself. "I need to find. Someone."
He approached a small place, a small cafe.
The front wall was broken, a sign broken. But the building remained standing, it had a front small garden with a mosaic patio, a brown tiled roof and dirt-covered yellow painted walls with wooden supports.
"It's. Still here. C-Cous. C*^*&$£." The hand spoke as it strained trying to remember the full name.
His memories.
Why was it so scrambled? He felt so tired, weak. His body, his form, felt like it couldn't stay together.
"Hnn! Too hard. To remember." The arm thought to himself, as he floated towards the broken door and tried to look inside. If there was anyone here to give him any help, it would be welcome.
He floated in silently, looking around the abandoned and destroyed restaurant. This felt... it felt WRONG!
It felt like a horror movie.
He could faintly remember...people here. In different clothes.
The arm looked around and could imagine 'ghosts' of people speaking in a muffled tone, though they were speaking clearly.
Flash
Happy. Talking to people sitting at tables. Eating food from dishes.
There were ghosts enjoying themselves as they were enjoying the random decor and people behind a bar.
Flash
The tables were upturned or destroyed; the people were gone. Any decorations there were long since burned away or turned to dust.
The arm looked at the bar and counter area, thinking hard about the people who were there.
Flash
The arm remembered a young woman, black-haired and wearing kimonos, pirate costumes, a princess dress, having fun with...some people. People that the arm couldn't place.
Flash
The bar was destroyed, smashed in half and looted. Anything there was just...rubble.
He turned to the stairwell that went to the upper floor and he could remember a...taste?
How could he remember a taste? It was...cool. Cool and stiff. But it lingered in his mind. His arm body floated to the stairs to recall those thoughts.
Flash
He remembered something. He was crouched over, biting into the cool item. It...was something. An ice popsicle. With these people. He would be talked to in a smiling manner. And the muted sound of laughter.
Flash
The hand shuddered in confusion and fear, how much could this taste and sensation linger on his mind...or lack thereof. Why did it hurt to think about these things?
One name flowed through his mind though.
HIS name.
Ankh.
"My. My name. Ankh. How could I forget?" Ankh thought to himself as he turned around and headed out of the building. "How did this come to pass?"
rumble~
"What was that?!" He hissed, spinning around. Looking around in horror.
His lack of eyes, but perceptive ability allowed him to jerk around to find the source of the rumble. And soon, saw figures in the coming distance. Dark leathery-skinned humanoids, bound in bandages, featureless faces with small rivets in their body that seemed to hold the bindings in place.
"Yummies? They've come back? So many." Ankh whispered and looked at himself. "Damn it, I only have my Cores and a handful of Cells."
The 'Yummies' as Ankh put them, were shambling and wandering around like zombies as they were looking for something...or someone.
Ankh had to float away, there was no way he could survive-
"Gyaaaah!" The Yummies noticed him, pointing and shambling towards the severed arm.
"Damn it!" He snapped as he felt threatened. There was no way he could get out of this, the building behind him and the Yummies in front of him.
Whoosh!
Ankh had to escape, he had to survive. He had to find E^&*! "Hnn! Damn it! Why can't I remember?"
Suddenly a fridge came flying through the air, crushing the Yummies. The fridge moving stupidly fast, almost like it was fired from a cannon.
"Gah! Wh-what was that?" Ankh gasped as he barely dodged the flying fridge and was shaking...this seemed. Familiar. Something strong enough to launch such an appliance. Suddenly a powerful hand grasped him and dragged him away. "Who are you? Where are you taking me?" Ankh snapped, jerking about and trying to get free.
"I'm saving you!" The figure responded, hearing Ankh's voice.
"W-Wait. I know your voice." Ankh whispered as he heard her. A woman. "Hi-Hina?"
Running through the streets, Ankh in her hand, was a young woman, with long dark brown hair with brown eyes, wearing light blue shirt and dark green trousers, well work sneakers and a work tattered backpack slung over her shoulders.
"Y-You're-" Ankh began to speak as she was running.
"We can talk later. We need to run!" Hina answered.
"R-Run? Why? H-Hina! What's going on! Why were their Yummies back there!"
"It's because he is back!" Hina explained, trying to keep a fast pace, ducking behind a building before deadlifting a large chunk of debris to slow them down.
"He? He who?" Ankh asked... only to hear explosions.
"OOO." Hina answered simply, looking behind her as large dust clouds began to settle, and figures began to emerge from them. The sounds of battle come through the clouds.
Fist coming through the dust was a green armoured humanoid. Lime green feet, black plated shin guards with black polished jewel kneecaps, ridged green outer thigh guards; a leaf green-plated torso that was segmented at the pectorals and insect legs acting as ribs and a solid green stomach, in the centre of the chest was a large yellow gemstone in a silver hold. Around its waist was a silver and gold belt with a large golden buckle with a second yellow gemstone. Its arms and shoulder guards were black and dark green, with insect legs coming from the shoulders, green binding to hold the spiked bracers in place, with the right arm having a pair of light green claws as a weapon. And finally, was the head, which was insectoid in design, a silver jawline with a dirty yellow mouthguard, a large pair of visor-like green eyes, a green middle with a black forehead and top that had both antennae and stag beetle horns protruding from the top.
The second that came through with a screech to its feet was another monster. Black booted with silver studs up the shin guards and kneecaps with brass clasps with spikes holding them in place. A three-segmented body-suit colour of orange with jagged black stripes on the right-hand side, a dull white centre with grey lightning bolt markings and a black left-hand side with silver studs. Around the waist was the same silver and gold belt and buckle and in the centre of the chest was the same yellow gemstone and a silver chest piece. Strong abs for its stomach, a black open vest with bone-like studs and two black paws with extended claws over the pectorals and shoulders. Studded back bracers with brass holdings that connected to large black claw-like weapons on the backs of the creature's hands and black gloves. And finally, the head, this time feline in design; silver jawline with a bright yellow mouth, a black forehead and top that had a red outline on the nose and two red eyes, silver ring studs in the forehead, cat ears and brass-coloured dreadlocks forming from the back of the head.
Stomping forwards was a large heavy-set humanoid, white toed grey boots with hexagonal plating, grey shins with heavy red and ivory white markings, grey kneecaps and thigh guards with white tusk-like markings over the top, overlapped dark-grey thigh guards that looked like a samurai's leg protection with two pairs of tusks clasping the guards around the waist. Around its stomach was the silver and gold buckle with the yellow gemstone, along with the yellow gemstone embedded into its chest. The torso itself had overlapped triangular silver plating that went down to the crotch area, red markings for what could be seen due to the density of the armour. Around the chest were heavy-looking white-grey and dark-grey plating with multiple tusks protecting the ribs, heavy dark grey shoulder guards and top upper arms. The right arm was all dark grey with more overlapped armour and bracers with elongated pentagonal protrusions at the front with a dull ivory white horn protruding from the front and grey gloves. The left arm was bone and ivory white with red markings, a large bracer with two tusk-like protrusions that were actually gun-barrels. And finally, the head, was dark grey in design with a light grey centre that looked like a trunk, two small tusks with a singular horn coming from the forehead and black visor-like eyes
The fourth was a woman shaped humanoid, black heeled boots, silver arrow-shaped edged black shin guards with suction cup studs, up along her tight fitted black legs were even more suction cup studs in two lines that went to her waist, a silvery-white stomach and crotch area, the silver and gold belt around her stomach with the yellow jewel in the centre of her chest which resembled a pair of D-Cup breasts and a silvery blue eel wrapped around her neck and went between the cleavage. A dark-silver-blue cloak with ocean markings, a fin-styled popped collar with octopus tentacles down at the bottom of the cloak that went to her legs. And finally, her head, more aquatic-creature styled, a silver chin and mouth, purple visor-eyes on a grey head with an orca merged on top with two small red eyes.
And finally, the last figure who was fighting them. A black body-suited figure, wearing black boots with golden clasps around the ankles, silver kneecaps with spherical green and white halves on the kneecaps, silver thigh-guards with more balls that were half green and half white; black bracers with more silver metal with similar orbs and silver shoulder guards with single green and white orbs. Over the chest was a green ventilated chest guard with a silver clasp going over the left-hand side with a large green and white orb in the centre of the left. A black helmet with a yellow jawline, silver mouth guard, and a black 'U' shaped visor with a green and white orb design on the forehead. And around their waist was a strange belt buckle, primarily silver with a large golden knob on the right-hand side, a silver coin slot on the left-hand side and a black centre. And in the centre was an opened orb with a green bottom half and a top white half and a glowing white ball in the middle. He looked like a silver knight.
"HA!" The black-suited knight-looking figure proclaimed as he fought them, using a strange black and silver rifle, its barrel had a golden line that went to the same-coloured orb that adorned the armour, with a bullet pod near the front, a lighter grey colour by the back and the trigger grip and a slot near the top with a viewing screen as it showed more silver 'Cell Medals'.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
But he was not alone. He had ten, twenty, maybe even thirty people fighting alongside him. A wearing similar armour, only with red and white stripes across their frame. Almost like caution lining.
"Birth?" Ankh asked.
"Yes, they've been fighting with us for ages." Hina explained. "That's Mr Goto, leading the charge. Date is back at base. Now come on, we have to get going. They can't hold the Greeed for long!"
Birth. Goto. Date.
All words which caused memories to resurface. Faces and times together flowing back.
He remembered the boy who tried to prove himself. The doctor with a mission to save his own life. A company that wanted to expand human desire.
"Hina... Where are we going?" he asked weakly as the girl got onto a bike.
"The only safe place for now. So, hold on." She encouraged, before driving off. Drove off into the setting sun, towards a large building in the middle of the city. A building with the name 'Kougami Foundation' plastered up front.
He still had many questions. The arm known as Ankh was lost, confused, and felt like he was missing something.
Or someone.
But for now, he let his consciousness fade. Let himself rest. Not knowing, the adventure that was to come.
Kamen Rider!
OOO!
10th Core Medal Resurrection!
REVISED!
We arrive in a large, fancy, room. Decorated with expensive paintings and lavish furniture. Hina was sitting on a sofa, biting her nail nervously as she looked at what sat in the middle of the room.
A pile of silver Cell Medals that moved slowly, a soft red light shimmering from its shape.
"Hey, is he doing better?" A tough-sounding male voice asked as two men walked into the room
"Mr Goto! Mr Date!" Hina cheered, standing tall "You're back!"
"Yeah, we're, hnn. Doing as well as we could." A younger man responded, holding his side.
The first man had short-spiked hair with a moustache and chin beard, wearing a dark blue shirt over a long-sleeved white shirt, a pair of jeans and black combat boots. He seemed to be in his late forties or early fifties but kept himself in shape.
The younger man had short brown hair that covered his ears, wearing a dirty white shirt with a black combat vest, green padded trousers and combat boots. He seemed to be in his early thirties and lean with defined muscles.
clink, clink.
"Sounds like he's enjoying the Cell Medal bath." Date, the older man, spoke jokingly.
"Yes." Hina nodded as she reached into her jacket and pulled out another red medal, one that showed a hawk "Did you two find the other two?"
"You know it, Hina-baby." Date joked as he held his hand up, showing one red medal with a condor.
"We never imagined he'd burst out of the building like that when the process finished. Let alone dropping so many of his medals." Goto added, holding up a red medal with a peacock depicted.
The three nodded at each other, before throwing the medals into the pile of Cell Medal's, the red light growing brighter.
Gulp. Gulp, gulp.
The pile of medals seemed to 'gulp down' the medals and began to fully form again. Slowly emerging, Ankh grew out and began to feel more 'alive'. He had grown a body; he was now wearing a pair of black leather shoes, long red jeans with some golden loops on his left hip, a black belt with a silver buckle, a black T-shirt under an open white button long-sleeved shirt, but the right sleeve was red, 'merged' with his arm. His human appearance was that of a young man with right-swept blonde hair that covered his right eye and a near-shaved left side.
Ankh slowly grew out and began to feel more 'alive'. 'Six Cell Medals. It's been a while. But how? I thought they were destroyed.' he thought to himself, this time giving his mind time to heal. To stabilise itself.
For him to remember.
The restaurant, Cous Coussier. It had been his home for nearly a year. The people who'd come and go. Hina. The two Births, Goto and Date. The battle for the Core Medals. The struggles, the pain. Everything. And the one person he was ashamed of forgetting.
The one he gave the seal to. The one he had fought alongside. The one he had battled against, at times. The one he made the deal with. The one who had taught him to be humans and what being ALIVE meant. The one man he would consider a friend, a brother.
As he fully formed and stood tall, absorbing the remaining Cell Medals into himself, Ankh looked at Goto, Date and Hina and with his human voice, he asked one simple question. "Where. Is. Eiji?" He almost hissed out, panting as he looked around the room.
The three people looked at each other and frowned. They didn't know how to respond, that was clear. A mix of joy, sadness and guilt flashed across their faces.
"I SAID. Where. Is. Eij?!" Ankh snapped. And once again, they did not answer.
However, another person did.
SLAM!
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANKH!" A powerful and enthusiastic voice proclaimed. And in walked a man wearing an emerald-green satin suit with a white button shirt and black tie, with a green pair of trousers and black shoes. He had slicked-back black hair, brown eyes and a few wrinkles around his face.
"Kougami...!" Ankh glared.
"This is such a miraculous day! A rebirth ten years in the making!" The man cheered, a wide grin across his face as a woman walked in behind him carrying a white frosted cake covered in feather-like decorations and the words 'Happy ReBirth-Day Ankh' written in red icing.
The woman had neck-length brown hair, wearing a green T-shirt with a thin golden necklace, a long pair of blue trousers that hugged her legs, and a pair of black flat-heeled shoes.
Ankh walked forwards toward Kougami in a rage, he never thought he'd hear his celebrations or see his face again.
...
And then he stopped any and all thought and movement.
He thought he'd never hear it again. Because he had died.
He had DIED!
His core had SHATTERED!
How was he here?!
He looked at his red arm and shuddered and shook it before he clenched it tightly. "What. Happened?"
"Well, it started some months to a year ago." Mr Kougami explained. "Shortly after Eiji returned from Center City, and a battle alongside other Riders against Foundation X. The information of that adventure is not important, outside your memories being implanted in another cloned body and having a second pseudo-revival as our Eiji went and gained a second new set of every Greeed's medals." Kougami explained as he gave a sigh, pulling out a silver and green soda can "Perhaps it would be better to give some visual aid as well." He commented, popping the tab of the can causing it to transform.
The can opened and flipped the green section turned into grasshopper legs, the tab of the can pointed forwards to act like the grasshopper's antennae, small yellow eyes, and a sliding part reflected the legs.
Creek. Creek.
The little Batta candroid croaked as it produced visual aids with a hologram of what happened.
*flashback*
We find Kougami in his office several months ago, wearing a blue version of the suit he was wearing in the modern day. He was smiling joyfully, almost like a child, as he looked down at the two coins before him.
One was a dark grey Core Medal with a golden ring, showing the picture of a rhino upon it. The other was a pale blue one with a golden ring, showing the picture of an electric eel coiled around its picture.
"At long last! The two, final, tenth medals have been found! SUBARASHI!" Kougami cheered in joy, opening a box be held in his hand. The box holding shattered glass into three piles: one red, one yellow and one green. "Finally, all five sets have their tenth medals! Oh, if only the King's TaToBa had not been destroyed."
"I am very sorry about that, Mr Kougami sir." A kind voice smiled, a young man entering the office. The young man looked very out of place in such an expensive office, dressed in a way most would consider a hobo.
"Eiji, my boy! Welcome back." Mr Kougami spoke as he saw the young man.
Eiji, the young man, had shaggy short brown hair, wearing a red, yellow and green gradient-dyed poncho with grey and blue beads sewn into them over a loose well-worn red shirt with a pair of loose baggy trousers and a pair of well-worn and repaired sandals.
"It's good to see you." Mr Kougami responded.
"It's good to be back, sir." Eiji nodded as he approached the man, pulling out a book and setting it on the table "Here are my research notes from my latest journey." He said softly, his face showing how... Thoughtful he was being.
"Thank you, Eiji. This will help immensely." Mr Kougami responded as he took the research with gentle hands. "This journey will soon be over."
"Yeah." Eiji nodded with a smile, looking down at his hand.
A red hawk medal, split in half.
'Ankh... It's nearly time.' Eiji thought, closing his hand around the medal "Er... Mr Kougami? I think I've-"
"SUBARASHI!" he yelled, standing tall "You have thought of another method to restore damaged, even destroyed, Core Medals?! Truly marvellous, Eiji! This desire of yours is truly wonderful!"
Eiji chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his head. "You know. But yes, I think I've got something."
"That is wonderful!" Kougami repeated again.
"I-What are those?" Eiji asked, blinking as he looked down at Kougami's desk.
"THESE, my dear boy?!" Kougami yelled, Eiji not even phased by his boss' antics "As you know, long ago, the original OOO, my ancestor, had the Core Medals created by alchemists. Ten medals were created, for each set. And then one... Was plucked away. Giving life to the Greeed, that missing piece creating an unending desire. An impossible, black void of completion unable to be achieved in their wildest dreams. Long ago, before your final battle, I have you the king's Taka, Tora and Batta medals. Destroyed, unable to withstand your power at the time, I had the pieces gathered. And only a few weeks ago, after long years of searching, my people had found the Sai and Unagi medals that completed the other two sets!"
"So, if we had all these, all those years ago, then the Greeed... Wouldn't have had to die? Because their desires would have been fulfilled, they would have been complete?" Eiji asked.
"Who's to say." Kougami shrugged, being honest and true, as he sat down. Slight remorse in his voice "They could have, and all that death could have been avoided. But it also could have killed the Greeed, in their own way. As without desire, life cannot exist. It is meaningless, after all. Living in and of itself is desire. They could have become but hollow shells, without their desire."
"I see." Eiji sighed.
...
"You have... Been thinking about this a lot, Eiji?" Kougami asked, leaning forwards.
"It's been ten years." The young wanderer sighed "Ten years of searching. Of reminiscing. Of thinking about what I could have done differently. Of thinking of those battles, and those I fought against as well as alongside. And I have faced mirrors, copies, shells in their likenesses again and again. ... Yes sir, I HAVE been thinking a lot."
A silence fell upon the two. But not an awkward one. One of understanding, and solace.
...
"Wonderful, Eiji my boy. Truly wonderful." Kougami grinned "But do not be trapped in the storms of the past. You know this, the stagnation that lacking desires can cause. And how being trapped in the sea of history can capsize your boat of desires if you do not pay attention to the winds leading to the future."
"I know sir, I know." He nodded "You still have all the medals I left with you, right?" Eiji asked.
"Eiji my boy, I am hurt!" Kougami gasped in an over-dramatic fashion as he reached into his desk and pulled out several... Books. Black books worth light blue inscriptions upon the front.
Opening the first book revealed it was a coin holder for core medals, two pages that held twelve slots each. Each page being made up of four rows of three. The first row on the left page had the hawk, or taka, red Core Medal alongside the peacock and condor medal. The second row had three yellow medals, one depicting a lion as well as one with a tiger, or the Tora Medal, and a cheetah. The third row had three green medals, a stag beetle as well a praying mantis and a grasshopper, or Batta. The fourth row was the blue medals, a killer whale as well as an electric eel, the Unagi Medal, and an octopus.
Meanwhile, on the right page, the first row had the three grey/silver medals, the Rhino also known as Sai, the Gorilla and the elephant. And that was all that was within this book. However, all of these Medals, unlike the other Core Medals seen so far, had silver rings.
Opening the next book showed the gold-ringed Core Medals again. The first two rows on the left page were the Red medals, followed by two rows of yellow. The opposite page had two rows of green medals followed by two unique sets. The first was an orange set of medals, showing a cobra, a turtle and a crocodile. The second set of new medals was a repeat of the Taka, Tora and Batta medals, only the animal depictions were highlighted by a layer of gold.
Opening the third book showed the left page having two rows of grey medals and two rows of blue medals, with the right page covered in three rows of purple medals and a singular pterodactyl medal in the fourth and final row of the page.
"All there, my boy." Kougami assured.
Eiji walked over and looked at the Medals it was like looking at old friends for the first time. "Don't worry. We're going to save you."
"Oh? WILL you, Eiji my boy?" Kougami asked with a grin "How pray tell, will you do so?"
Eiji was silent as he reached into his clothing. The clinking of metal could be heard for a moment as he grasped something. Pulling his hand out, he then reached down and gripped the silver-ringed Taka Medal.
Removing it from its slot he held it up, as well as showing the item he had grasped from within his clothing. It was another Taka medal, this one with a black metal ring. The sight of it caused Kougami to lean forwards in intrigue.
"With these, sir." Eiji smiled.
*Time skip*
We now arrive in a lavish high-tech lab. Technology like you would never imagine lining the walls.
There were computers and devices that looked like bubble tubes that held the Core Medals and scanned them, replicating them on tables.
Core Medals were placed all around the room, the golden-rimmed ones. Meanwhile, the silver-rimmed medals were all placed within a large machine connected to a wall, the Core Medal's set up in several small circles. On the wall opposite it was a copy of all of the silver medals and the dinosaur medals, these were the new ones Eiji had brought back with the black rims.
And in the middle of the room... Was a large stone coffin of sorts.
It seemed to be a large rectangular stone box, ornately designed with elongated hexagonal carvings at the base, and plain rectangle protrusions at the top that were mirrored on both long sides of the coffin while latched onto the lid. The lid itself was possibly the most detailed and ornate; three concentric perfect circles with extra circular lines around the outside, while the middle ring had two grooves for outer rings and a small raised flat circle platform. But due to the age of the coffin, there were noticeable cracks and weathered marks that had worn the strength of the coffin away.
Scientists were working hard, making sure to take each careful step to not mess up. This was too important. And they *knew* of the dangers that the Greeed possess. But this is what they were paid for, so they couldn't complain too much.
"So, Eiji my boy, explain to me what this plan of yours is?" Kougami asked as they stood behind a glass wall, looking in on the lab while devices were attached to the coffin.
"The king's coffin, the SEAL that he became and once held the Greeed, is overflowing with Core Energy. Even after being empty for ten years." Eiji explained "Over my journeys I've learnt a LOT about Core Energy and how the Core Medals work. Not in a practical sense, but in an understanding."
"Hmm. And?"
"And, sir, the Core Energy is what makes up the Cores. Crystalised energy, basically. Using the medals created by Foundation X and Zeus, we may be able to draw out the Core Energy from the coffin and manipulate it to repair damaged and even destroyed medals." Eiji explained.
"SUBARASHI, EIJI!" Mr Kougami cheered at Eiji's ingenuity. "Then we have to try this at once!"
"Calm down, sir." Eiji chuckled "They are still setting everything up. If we rush; who knows what could happen? We could end up making a monster worse than the Greeed."
"True, true." He sighed, nodding "Well, when they ARE ready, best not to test it on Ankh's medal then?"
"Yeah." He nodded "We have the King's TaToBa medals to use as a test. And beyond them, the remaining two medals of each coloured set. Only one holds their consciousness, so as long as we don't repair them, we will be fine."
"Then, Eiji my boy, let's see where this desire of yours ends!" Kougami grinned before gasping, and clapping "That reminded me of something!" Reaching to the wall he spoke calmly as he pressed a button "Ms Satonaka, could you come down, please? I think it is time for the present!"
"A present?" Eiji asked as Ms Satonaka walked in holding a fanciful wrapped gift with a red, yellow and green tri-bow, presenting it to Eiji. "Thank you?" As he opened it and looked inside...as his eyes widened. "A-Are these?"
"That's right. New Core Medals." Mr Kougami answered.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Today, a new OOO can be born!" Kougami cheered, slapping his hand against Eiji's back.
Little did they know, inside the lab, a small pulse came from the coffin.
*Time skip*
The scientists went weeks working on the equipment, working hard and careful. Making sure the energy flow would be safe and directed correctly. Making sure every safety measure would be accounted for.
And finally... It was time. Time for their first test.
Eiji was with the scientists, Mr Kougami and Ms Satonaka behind protective glass and the computers for the creation of the new Medals.
The tech began to start up, power flowing through the machines.
Lights filled the room, sparks escaping the connected Core Medals as they flowed into the coffin. Said coffin glowed a bit, an almost magical wind flowing through the air.
Before the energy then rushed through the room, towards the three destroyed 10th medals. The destroyed Taka, Tora and Batta Medals.
The energy in the room filled. Boiling, growing, sparking and more.
Blinding light. Absolutely blinding.
...
And eventually, the light faded. Revealing the results.
...
The Core Medals. Still sitting there.
Still broken, cleaved down the middle or shattered.
Taka.
Tora.
Batta.
They were still no closer to being made than before.
"NO!" Eiji yelled, punching the glass "Why didn't it work?!"
Mr Kougami and Ms Sakonata flinched as they saw Eiji punch the glass...almost seeing it crack from it. "We're dealing with 800 years' worth of lost technology, Eiji. There's going to be a margin for error somewhere."
"It's been... It's been ten years. We've failed so many times already." Eiji grumbled "I've failed too many times. I just... I want my FRIEND back."
rustle
"Huh?" Everyone gasped in shock, seeing the Core Medals shake inside the room for just a moment.
Mr Kougami and Ms Sakonata looked at each other and then at Eiji. "Eiji...say that again. Tell us your desire." Kougami asked.
"I..." Eiji blinked "I... want. My friend back!" Eiji repeated.
The Medals began to shimmer and shake, reacting to Eiji's desire. This was what was needed. It was all well and good for the means of the Medals to be made, but it needed a reason to be made. A desire.
...
Suddenly Eiji sprinted, rushing into the room.
"Eiji!" Kougami yelled.
"We were missing a vital part of Core Energy!" Eiji said as he approached the sarcophagi, looking around "Desire! Core Energy needs to be shaped by will and desire! It needs to have a purpose! Fire won't cook anything unless you put something above the flames, fuel is useless if you don't put it in an engine, a computer won't do anything if you don't program it! If this is going to work, we need Desire to command the Core Energy! To direct it to our end result!" As he spoke Eiji was connecting a few wires from the machine and sarcophagus, attaching them to himself "I'll do it!"
"Eiji! Wait!" Ms Satonaka called out in concern as the machines began to glow and activate. "Mr Kougami?"
"Do you not see it? His resolve is strong. He needs to do this." He explained seriously.
"But... This hasn't even been TESTED!" She snapped gently.
"Then perhaps this is what we need right now." Mr Kougami answered simply.
"Start it up again!" Eiji called out, looking down at the machines.
The scientists looked at Mr Kougami with concern and worry. But with a simple nod from their superior, they began the experiment and powered up the machines.
'Ankh. Come back to me. Come back, my friend!' Eiji thought to himself, holding that desire fresh in his mind. 'Come back... To all of us!'
zzztz!
The computers began to power up, the Medals were glowing and shaking in Eiji's hands as he was powering them with his desire...but it wasn't painless.
He was screaming. Screaming in pain and agony, his body shaking as the powers washed over and through him.
...
And the machines began to beep.
"Do you think he can handle this?" Ms Satonaka asked as she stood next to her boss and saw the Cell Medals and sarcophagus rattle and shake.
Warning alarms suddenly began to blare, the room almost shaking as the sparks grew brighter and smoke began to fill the room.
"The machines are working too hard, Sir! This amount of desire cannot be diverted!" The scientists proclaimed.
Lights began to glow and shine. Yellow. Blue. Green. Grey. Red. They were all forming and shifting.
On the table, the 10th red, yellow and green medals began to reform. They began to take shape once more.
...
As were the medals on the other side of the glass, the medals that were supposed to be outside the device's radius.
"Sir! Look!" Ms Satonaka said as she pointed at the medals, Kougami listening.
The medals they had with them, on a table, were the medals destroyed by Eiji using the power of the purple medals in the battle against the Greeed. Three of green, yellow, grey and blue. As well as two red. The final one, the one holding Ankh's mind, was far higher in the building. Kept safe in Kougami's office to avoid any accidents.
"Incredible." Kougami muttered, "Eiji's desire is so powerful the device is much stronger than it should be, repairing the Core Medals that should be out of range!"
"But... But sir! Four of those medals hold the minds of the Greeed!" Satonaka pointed out in concern "If those are repaired, then they will return! We should stop it!"
What they did not know, what the three humans could NOT have known, was that something else was happening as well. Something more than just the repair of the Core Medals.
...
The coffin, the seal that had ONCE been the body of the ancient King who had been the first OOO, began to change shape. It began to glow and alter its very form.
The stone began to warp and change, slowly sprouting limbs as the centre changed from a solid coffin rectangle to that of a man's torso, rounded shoulders and armoured feet could be seen at the beginning, with a helmeted head that was slowly coming into form.
But the armoured form quickly began to fade, revealing a human underneath.
Eiji continued to scream, not knowing of the events behind him.
It was an older man, with long black and greying hair, and worn muscles that were under long clothes.
"No way!" Ms Satonaka gasped.
"This is impossible. It can't be." A scientist spoke in shock and worry, all the while Mr Kougami was looking in stunned shock and excitement.
"Aaaaahhh!" One scientist yelled out; the set of nine Core Medals being pulled together alongside the Cell Medals.
"We have to shut it down!" Another scientist proclaimed.
To which a hand reached out and caused the energy to flow through.
The scientists screamed as they were all sent flying, falling unconscious or having machines fall on them.
Eventually, Eiji was sent flying, crashing into a wall, as the energy transfer ended.
"Where... Am I?" The older man growled as he took a step forward, his hand having sent the energy. Placing a hand against the wall, he felt the glass crack underneath his fingertips "Core... Medals?" He asked as he looked left and right. Looking at the silver and black ringed medals... And roared, absorbing them.
The two sets of red, yellow, green, grey, blue and the singular set of purple medals all flew into his form, the man's body flashing as he absorbed them... And he spotted them. The five medals on the experiment table.
Yes, five.
A red Taka, yellow Tora, green Batta, silver Sai and blue Unagi medals. The tenth of each set of medals.
And he grabbed them, absorbing them.
"What's... Going on?" Eiji asked as he pulled himself to his feet
SMASH!
Everyone's attention looked to the side, the wall of the building exploding out as four silver figures were escaping. The four Greeed, in bodies made of pure Cell Medals, were escaping. Not even fully formed yet, but with all nine of their original set, they were escaping as their minds returned to them.
"No!" Eiji yelled.
"The Greeed." The old man frowned "I will get to them in time. I will not fail, this time."
Mr Kougami, Ms Satonaka and Eiji looked on in fear. They knew who this was. More so the first than anyone here.
The belt buckle had a long black round-edged rectangle with three slots, a series of concentric blue circles in the centre, silver lines at the top and bottom of the buckle, and a silver back circle with blue markings.
"Hmm?" The old man hummed as he turned around.
Eiji attached the belt buckle around his waist as he stood up, a long silver belt wrapped around his waist. Eiji frowned as he reached into his clothing, pulling a belt buckle from his outfit
"I won't let you do this. You're the ancient King, and I'm not going to let your desire end the world." Eiji spoke as he grabbed three Core Medals from his clothing. Two blue and one red, all depicting sea creatures.
"That. Is MY belt." The old king snarled, walking towards Eiji.
"Aaaaahhh!" A scientist screamed, stuck under some rubble... As a computer fell towards him.
"Look out!" Eiji gasped, his eyes widening as he rushed to free the man...
ZZZZZTZZZZ!
"Gaaaaaaahhhhhh!" Eiji screamed as the King fired a blast at his back.
"There are NO pretenders to MY Kingdom." The Old King proclaimed as he lowered his hand and tried for the belt around Eiji's waist as sparks washed over Eiji's body, the young man falling backwards. The King gripped the OOO Driver, catching Eiji's weight for just a moment... And finding it would not be removed.
For a few seconds, the man just stood there, inadvertently holding an unconscious Eiji up by his belt buckle.
...
"I see." The king frowned "It has bound itself to you. No matter. I will have another." And he released his grip, Eiji slumping to the floor.
thump
The Old King turned to Mr Kougami and his scientists. "You. Where are your Alchemists? You will build me another Driver."
...
"SUBARASHI!" Kougami roared as he walked out towards the old king, his arms spread wide "HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Welcome back to the land of the living, the first OOO! The ancient King who ruled Europe! My ancestor! I am Kousei Kougami!"
"'Kougami'? So, my family reached beyond my knowledge of the world. 'Happy Birthday' indeed." The King smiled darkly as the two shared a hug. Even as others, most of who had rushed to Eiji's side, felt a sense of... Wrongness from the act.
"Yes, it has been 810 years since you were sealed away!" Kougami explained as he broke the hug "Oh, this is truly wonderful! Seeing a man of such immense and powerful desire! I never even imagined this as possible! There is so much you could teach us about desire, and lost technology! Oh, the ways life and humanity will evolve with this knowledge!"
"Evolve?" The king asked "Desire is for no such thing. It is a weapon and conquest."
Ms Sakonata looked on at this in worry as he said that. There was nothing 'good' coming from this man. But what was the difference? Between the Alchemist who tried to destroy the world years ago, Dr Maki attempting to destroy all life and now this man who sees desire as a weapon...it might be easier?
"What did you say?" Kougami frowned, looking disgusted at his ancestor.
"I said, that desire is only used for conquest. For ever reaching control. A weapon that I utilise!"
"You can't honestly believe that; without Desire the future can only be stagnant and unevolved. You cannot be serious in using Desire for such a destructive reason!" Kougami answered.
"Idiot! The greatest kings and all empires are built on the backs of war, conquest and power!" The King shouted at his descendent. "I cannot believe that you are my kin."
"And you are too single-minded to see the larger picture," Kougami answered, as the Old King pushed past and walked out, grabbing his clothes slightly.
"Where the hell are you going?" He called out.
"To find my Greeed!" He answered angrily and left.
Mr Kougami stood there in stunned silence as his ancestor left. And if he was this driven before...what wrath would he bring now 810 years later?
His attention soon turned to Eiji, who was still unconscious on the floor.
The hologram soon changed, showing Eiji in a hospital room, resting with monitors keeping track of his vital signs.
Mr Kougami looked on at Eiji, seeing the young man lying in bed asleep. There was nothing more he could do right now, the Greeed and his ancestor were running loose...and this cold not be good.
"Eiji!" Ankh yelled as he ran at the hologram... And rushed through it "What-Hologram. Grrrr! WHERE IS HE?!"
"Eiji-Boy is safe. He's in a secure and protected location." Mr Kougami answered.
Eiji grabbed his collar and growled. "That doesn't answer anything!"
"He's in the company's hospital, a few levels above us." Ms Satonaka frowned.
Ankh glared and released Kougami's collar, hissing at him. "Fine."
"Let us go see him." Hina suggested calmly.
"If you're willing and ready to go." Ms Satonaka responded.
"Take me to the idiot!" Ankh ordered.
"Again?" Goto deadpanned.
"Because his stupidity led to this again! He could have been killed!" Ankh snapped.
"Of course, Ankh." He responded. "Please, follow us."
The group walked away, heading deeper into the company.
Little did they know what was happening across town.
*Elsewhere*
We arrive at a nearly broken activities club with entertaining items. Pool tables, music stations a couple of TVs. But all the furniture was upturned and torn.
Here, we see four figures lounging around.
The Greeed.
The place where the four beings of desire were relaxing.
In their human forms.
First was a brown slicked-back haired young man with tanned skin and green eyes, wearing a black shirt, a green leather jacket with silver buttons and zips. A pair of green jeans and black shoes, dark black leather-strap bracelets with silver clasps and a silver ring on his first finger on his left hand. He was currently playing a game of pool.
The second was a long blonde-haired young man, wearing a black and white cap, a yellow t-shirt with black sleeves, a brown open vest with light coloured flowers, dark brown nearly black shorts, long brown socks with floral patterns on them and a pair of yellow and brown sneakers. He was currently filing his nails to an almost sharp claw.
Next was a short-gelled black-haired young man, wearing a dark-grey leather jacket with silver studs, a grey string vest, a pair of black trousers and a pair of flat grey sneakers. He was currently cradling a large jar of sweets and smiling as he was on his newest sweet.
Lastly was a young woman, with long brown hair with a braid going down her left bang, wearing a blue button shirt that rested over her C-Cup breasts, a pair of blue trousers, and navy-blue heeled shoes with silver clasps. She was currently having a drink from the remaining bottles from behind the bar.
"Those damn humans. We couldn't find Ankh because of them." Uva huffed, the man in green growling as he played pool.
"Don't worry, Uva. We've got our Medals back. We're our human selves. We've got time." The yellow-dressed man, Kazari, responded casually.
"Hmm! Hmm! Yeah. And now. We've got all the free sweets we want!" The grey-clothed, Gamel, responded; still stuffing his face with sweets.
"Mezool~! Mezool~! Try these!"
"Not now, Gamel." The blue-dressed woman, Mezool, frowned "I agree with Uva. We need to get Ankh. We need to get his medals. We need to get the King what he wants. Otherwise, we will never get our tenth medals back."
"That bastard. I can't believe he's back too." Uva growled as he aimed for a pool ball.
Clack!
Clunk.
"We can't go against him. He knows us too well." Kazari answered.
"He has our tenth medals, things we thought to be destroyed, hanging over us. Unless we get him what he wants, we will never TRULY be complete." Mezool commented, blowing bubbles "Once he has what he wants we can either kill him or leave. I'd rather not see his face EVER again."
"True. God, I don't know who's worse. The King or Maki." Uva commented.
"Considering the 'good doctor' wanted to kill us all, and the King wants to rule it all. It's a tough one." Kazari responded.
"But he also wants to become a god. Makes it even harder." Mezool huffed.
"Mezool~! Look at this!" Gamel called as he rushed over, carrying a tablet which was playing a music video.
"What is this?" Mezool asked in confusion.
"Just watch." He smiled.
Mezool sighed, resting her palm against her chin. Just watching the childish cartoon play with the music in the background.
It was...cute. In a weird way. She continued to watch with Gamel and had a small smile.
"Tch. Those two." Uva grumbled as he looked at them, soon turning to the pool table again.
Clack
Thump
"Damn." He growled.
"You need to calm down, Uva. You'll give yourself a 'Core-Attack'." Kazari said, making a joke about a heart attack.
"What else can we-?" Uva glared.
Thunk
The door opened as an old man now wearing a new set of clothing.
It was the old man from earlier. The King of ancient time. The man who was the first OOO.
He was wearing a red and black suit, a dark green shirt and a black tie, his messy white hair had been trimly cut and tied back, holding himself with an air of superiority.
"Greeed." He spoke to them. His tone was uncaring. Not seeing them as anything more than just... Things.
"Your Highness." They stopped what they were doing and turned to him. However, there was clear bitterness and anger in each in their voices.
"You're slacking off here. Like peasants. When this world needs to be conquered." The King glared as he saw Gamel holding the tablet in his hand...which was still playing the music video and soon snatched it.
"Hmm." Gamel flinched as he lost it.
Come on everyone, it's time to-!
SMASH!
"Useless waste of metal." He snarled and frowned at the marvels of modern technology, smashing it in his hands.
"No!" Gamel yelled out.
King OOO glared right at the childish Greeed and halted him in his tracks. "Get these stupid things out of your head. Or do you not want your Tenth Medals?"
"Yes, Your Highness. Poor Gamel was just enjoying some entertainment. Psyching himself up for another search." Mezool lied, trying to save face.
She frowned as they were forced to obey.
*Flashback*
We reverse back to several months ago, as the piles of glowing medals rushed through the city. Slowly taking shape as the Greeed as their revivals solidified.
"H-Hnn! Graaa!" Kazari's yellow body growled as he was coming forth from the medals.
"Argh!" Uva's green arms began to form as his voice strained to form.
"U-Urgh!" Gamel's head grunted as he was slowly forming.
"A-ah!" Mezool's legs stepped forwards as she continued to form.
"Where...Where are we?" Uva asked as his Cell Medals finally stabilised, covering his nine green Cores inside his body.
"Is? Is this? Are we back?" Gamel spoke as his own Cell Medals formed over the nine grey Cores in his body.
"We're. Back. Haha! We're back!" Kazari laughed happily, his yellow Cores hidden away.
"Our Cores. We're complete again!" Mezool smiled as her blue Cores were covered.
"But... We died..." Uva whispered in thought.
The Greeed looked at each other at Uva's comment. Realising that he was right, but right now they didn't want to voice it.
"Maybe someone fixed us?" Gamel asked childishly.
"Who cares! We're back!" Kazari cheered.
"How..." Uva whispered, remembering the pain. Medal after medal after medal being forced inside his form.
"Mezool!" Gamel smiled, hugging the blue Greeed in his arms, happy to see her again.
"Yes, it's good to see you too, Gamel." Mezool responded, hugging back and stroking his head.
"We can do what we want! We can collect more desires now!" Kazari smirked, clenching his fist tightly with a smile. "We can have more! More! MORE!"
"More sweet things!" Gamel cheered, his arms rising up to the air and freed Mezool.
"Is that all you think about?" Uva deadpanned.
"Err..." Gamel looked at Mezool.
"Besides me, Gamel." Mezool patted his cheek with a kind touch.
"...OOO?" Gamel responded, looking around.
"Where?!" Uva yelled as he looked around, almost sounding afraid.
"Th-there." Gamel pointed as he saw a figure that they thought was long gone.
"That's... Not the OOO-Boy..." Mezool blinked in horror.
"If I recall. He does not think about one thing for long. Becoming obsessed with whatever fickle enjoyment he sees at that moment." The ancient King hissed.
The four Greeed backed up in fear, that voice. That horrible voice. That man who made them. The man who stole their Tenth Medals. The Original OOO.
"Y-You're alive?" Kazari asked, stepping forward a step and ready to bear his claws.
"Yes. Revived. Alongside you." He said, the old man's eyes flashing gold and purple for just a moment.
The Greeed flinched and moved back by just a half-inch. "We have our Medals. All nine of them! We're strong enough now!"
"Really?" The Ancient King responded. "Did you forget what I can do? How you're bent to me?"
"That was when you had the power of OOO!" Uva snapped "You may have used the tenth medals to defeat us then! As well as three Yummies spawned from you, as powerful as any of us! But you are a mere human now!"
"If that's true...why don't you strike me down?" Ancient OOO responded, goading them on.
Gamel roared as he charged forwards bringing his arm down for a powerful strike.
Ancient OOO looked at Gamel, seeing the young child-minded Greeed rush at him and dodged out the way, striking him through the stomach with a solid punch before kicking him to the ground.
As he punched a purple light surrounded his hand, and a primal screech filled the air. A screech that sent chills down the spines of all the Greeed.
Gamel flew through the air, bouncing across the ground... As most of his form began to degrade.
"Is that all?" The ancient King asked, showing he had grabbed four of the silver medals in his hand.
"Gamel!" Mezool gasped in horror, as the armour on Gamel's torso and arms faded away into rough-looking brown and maroon leathery skin.
"M-Mezool. Mezool!" Gamel whimpered and shuddered as he was wounded and weakened, looking up at her like a scared child.
"You son of a bitch!" Kazari roared as he attempted his speed to get into a blind spot.
However, as he approached... Twelve purple medals emerged from the king's body, three with black rings, as they all glowed. Like a warning.
"Hck!"
SCREECH!
Kazari halted as he saw the medals. "Th-the hell? Maki?!"
"I do not know who that is." The king said as he reabsorbed the twelve medals. "But I see. You've all had an 'adventure' while I was gone. One that lead to the purple medals being used. They will certainly be useful."
"S-Stay away from us!" Uva warned him, his arm shakily pointed at them. "We are not dying again!"
"Well... Would you rather... Live?" The ancient King said as he raised his hand... And showed another gold-ringed Batta medal. Uva's tenth medal
"M-My tenth. I thought-" Uva whispered.
"They were destroyed? You would think that. I hid them away. I wouldn't destroy such valuable materials. My Alchemists did such great work before they died." Ancient OOO responded. "I had to protect them." As he spoke, he then pulled out the other tenth medals. A Tora, Sai and Unagi.
The three remaining Greeed looked on in shock. *All* their Tenths were there. They could be whole again. It was enticing, their fullest forms could be brought back again.
King OOO sucked the Tenth Medals back into himself as he looked down at Gamel. "Now, I hope that you're all smart enough to know who is in charge." As he brought out Gamel's taken Medals and clinked them in his hand. And then with a casual throw, they all passed into the large Greeed's body. Reforming his armour.
Gamel was full with nine Core Medals again, they all looked towards King OOO with fear, but they had to listen. He had the Purple Medals and a means to break their own. They had to follow him again. Despite all their instincts to say 'no'. But self-preservation won out.
"I need a new OOODriver." Was all the King said. "So, you will assist me in gathering what is required to make one. Once it is complete, you will have your medals once more."
"You promise?" Kazari glared.
"Of course. I'm a king of my word." He answered. "Come, we have work to do."
*End flashback*
"Now. I have found out where the ore needed to craft the OOODriver is located." The king said as he slammed a knife into a map on the wall, showing it was near the waterfront "Go. And get all of it."
"Mezool's good at getting stuff from underwater. She can-" Uva spoke before being stopped.
"All of you will go there." King OOO ordered. "Now."
"Let's just go." Mezool sighed, standing up and entering her Greeed form.
King OOO saw them all transform into their Greeed forms and leave their club. He looked at the modern technology around him and scoffed at the idea of this all. "Weak. Decadent." He took a pool ball in his hand and rolled it into the pocket after several clicks on other balls. "The future is soft. They know nothing of TRUE desire."
He slowly clenched his fist... As the table imploded on itself.
*Elsewhere*
"Eiji..." Ankh frowned as he and the others arrived at the hospital a few minutes ago. Watching the man, unconscious, in bed.
"See? He is safe." Kougami spoke respectfully. "Still asleep."
Ankh turned to him, preparing to make a snarky comment... But stopped. The look in the man's eyes...
It was a look he was not used to the old man having.
It was...shame? Regret? This was the first time he actually saw that on his face.
Ankh lowered his arm and sighed. Nothing he would say would not change what happen.
"Tch. Damn it." he hissed, sighing deeply... But accepted it. The way it was. After all, he didn't have too much of a choice.
...
"At least he's alive." He said darkly, sitting on the windowsill.
"Yeah." Hina agreed with a frown.
"And the damn king is back. The old fossil. Causing so much chaos. Again." Ankh hissed as he remembered. The betrayal. The pain. How he betrayed the other Greeed, how he sides with the King just for his own desires only to be betrayed.
"Yes. We've been doing our best. But the Birth system is not strong enough to defeat one Greeed. Even with the forces president Kougami has created." Goto sighed.
"We've done our best. And working on an upgrade. But it's taking time." Date added "We were hoping Eiji would be back soon but-"
"But he's not." Ankh spat out "Just great. ... And, hey. You haven't told me how I got back."
"Well, Ankh my boy. The feedback from the incident bathed the entire building with Core Energy. Powered by Eiji's will, his desire." Kougami explained calmly "While it took some time, your core slowly mended itself. We had to bring the parts together, and feed you Core Medal's to assist the process, but you came back together. However, when we started giving you your Core Medals as you neared completion you..."
"You screamed in pain and burst out of the building, flying away. Your Cell Medals falling away as you broke down into just an arm." Hina explained.
"...I. Tch." He groaned as he heard that, flinching and turning away.
Suddenly noises filled the air. The group looked to the side to see a strange silver and red like robot rush towards them. The Taka Candroid.
"Taka Candroids?" Ankh whispered
"What is it?" Hina asked as the Taka Candroid began to show a hologram.
From the hologram they saw the Greeed going to the lake, scouring for something.
"Grrr." Ankh snarled before storming out of the room.
"Ankh, where are you going?" Goto asked.
"Where do you think?" He snarked back, before erupting his wings from his back and flew off.
"Goto, let's go!" Date called.
"Right!" Goto nodded and the two Riders ran out.
Hina wanted to see them off, but she gently held Eiji's hand and gave it a reassuring touch. "We'll be back, Eiji. Then...the cafe will be open again." She whispered.
"We better get to my office, Hina. Ms Sonozaki, yourself and I will be safe there." Kougami commented.
"Of course, Sir." Ms Sonozaki responded.
"Erika...I'm worried." Hina admitted.
"Don't worry, they know what they're doing." Erika answered, reassuring her.
*With the Greeed*
They were near the waterfront where the ore for a new OOO Driver would be found. The ore itself was incredibly hard to mine, but with their abilities, it shouldn't take too long...But the problem was that it was deep under the water.
"Well, we're here." Uva spoke.
"You're up, Mezool." Kazari continued.
"Afraid to get your paws wet, cat?" Mezool rolled her eyes.
"Unlike you, I can't swim!" Kazari glared.
"Hmm...Could I drain the water?" Gamel asked, kneeling at the shoreline.
"Oh, Gamel. That's sweet of you. But there's too much water here. And you'll pass out." Mezool reassured and praised him.
"Well, you going to get to it?" Uva frowned.
"Maybe. Or maybe I'd like to play and do some 'shopping' first." Mezool joked, her voice cocky as she walked past Uva. Mocking both him AND Kazari.
"Just get the damn ore." Kazari groaned.
"Oh fine!" Mezool sighed, falling backwards into the water.
SPLASH!
Gamel looked on at Mezool, seeing her dive into the water and swim away. He let out a little whimper as he saw her go.
"Stop whimpering, she's in her element." Uva answered.
"Mezool..." Gamel mumbled.
"You are a child." Kazari mocked.
"You shut up!" Gamel frowned, getting up and glaring at Kazari.
"Or what? I can out-speed you, remember?" Kazari warned.
"Not if your feet can't touch the ground!" Gamel stomped his foot, making a crater.
"No wonder you lost ten years ago. You cannot get along for more than four minutes." A familiar voice called out before a series of fireballs came rushing down onto them.
"You!" Uva growled, the three Greeed easily taking the strikes... As a few rainbow feathers fell to the floor.
"Miss me?" Ankh frowned as he landed moments after, gripping his Greeed arm. His human form's eyes glaring. He was at a disadvantage, he knew. Only six medals? Unlike the others, he would be unable to hold his Greeed form. And he was physically weaker as well because of said missing medals.
"Hardly. You look like crap." Uva answered, brushing his body off.
"Really? You're the one judging me?" Ankh joked "Because you're still ugly as sin, even WITH all your medals."
"Let's not get into a fight...yet. Not that it's good to see you, Ankh. But you know who's back." Kazari responded.
"Yes." Ankh hissed, flames licking his body "Ten years ago... We did battle. Over 800 years ago, we did the same. Both times I sided with OOO. Both times, we went our own ways because of your base desires. To achieve my desire, I changed sides several times in that battle ten years ago but in the end, I sided with Eiji. He helped me achieve my desire and I believed in his ideals. You all wished to be complete. We were in different paths."
"We remember." Uva hissed.
"... The first fight, however?" Ankh frowned "I SHOULD have fought with you. The temptation of what the King promised me 800 years ago made me betray you. Maybe the five of us together, as well as those three Yummy you summoned from his desires, would have allowed us to achieve victory. Maybe not. But we all know his desires were poisonous and all of us hated living under his rule." The bird Greeed looked down at his hand, as it shook with rage "So that is why... Why I don't understand you right now!"
"Understand, what?" Gamel asked curiously.
"WHY WOULD YOU SIDE WITH THAT MADMAN?!" Anhk snapped "Why?! After what he did, what he tried to do, what he wanted?! You're complete! Just go with what you want to do! I wouldn't GIVE a crap if you did and let OOO fight you by himself! Watch Eiji fight you! But... WHY?! Why fight alongside GODA?!"
The three remaining Greeed looked at each other and then back at Ankh, unaware of Goto and Date was hiding away.
Down in the water of the lake, Mezool swam down and used her underwater vision to scan for the ore. The water was clear for the most part before it went deep down.
Once she saw what she needed? She used her powers to unleash high-pressure streams of water from her hands, cutting through the ground.
This was her element. Unmatched by any of the Greeed or modern human technology, dust and debris forced themselves up and into Mezool's vision, but she could see through it. Sand, silt, darkness; it mattered not while underwater, it was like looking at a crystal-clear day for her.
The ore was murky but shimmering and glistening. Silvery blue and black.
'Just a matter of time.' she thought.
We hurry back to the surface, as the stare-down continued between Anhk and the other three Greeed while Date and Goto watched in secret.
"Why?" Kazari asked.
"Seriously?" Uva continued. "We want to become whole."
"To be... Whole?!" Anhk frowned "You are complete! You have your nine medals!"
"He has our Tenths." Gamel answered simply.
...
"What?"
"Are your feathers in your ears? Goda has our Tenth Medals!" Uva clarified.
"How?! They were destroyed?!"
"We thought that too. But he has them." Kazari answered. "We've seen them. And they resonate with us, Ankh. They're real."
"We help him make OOODriver, and then we get our medals." Gamel said simply.
"... Are you guys stupid?" Anhk glared.
"Gamel is. We aren't." Uva answered.
Ankh groaned as he didn't let his eyes leave the three. And Gamel getting insulted by Uva's comment. "As soon as he gets what he wants. He's going to take back our Medals! You can't trust him!"
"Take our medals... He'll hurt Mezool?!" Gamel gasped.
"Yes, he will hurt Mezool. And you. And Kazari. And Uva! He's MADE of Medals! Duplicates of our medals made over the years! He wanted ALL of our Medals to become a God! You think that he won't do that again?!" Ankh snapped. "He betrayed ME all those years ago! Ripped the medals out of me after I defended him! Do you think he will be happy with just one of each Core this time?! He will want ALL of them!"
"We've got no choice, Ankh. As soon as we're whole again...We'll kill him." Kazari answered. "He doesn't care about modern tech. He's blind right now."
Ankh frowned, flames around his fist as his hand clenched "You are all fools. I will stop you!"
"Try it, feather-brain." Uva answered. "We outnumber you. Three to one."
"In more ways than one." Kazari answered their nine medals to Ankh's six.
They could sense how weak he was.
"I'm still smarter than you." Ankh answered.
"Not by enough." Uva responded.
"Won't hurt, Mezool!" Gamel roared before shots were fired at them.
Date and Goto rounded the corner, both wielding BirthBusters.
"Gah! You two? You're still alive?" Kazari remarked.
"Haven't stopped fighting yet!" Goto responded as they both attached a BirthDriver.
"Let's go, Goto bro! Time to make bank!" Date called as he pulled out a Cell Medal, flicking it into the air.
"HENSHIN!" The two proclaimed as they slotted their Cell Medals into their Drivers and turned their golden dials.
Pop!
Pop!
Two large pops filled the air as bubbles surrounded them, spinning around them as the silver and green orb surrounded their beings and started to set up armour all around their forms. Eventually, the orbs flashed away revealing that Goto bad become Kamen Rider Birth, while Date was Proto-Birth.
"Okay. You've gotten a sliver of a chance." Uva remarked as he rushed forwards at Ankh as the bird boy summoned an aura of flames.
"I've got the old guy." Kazari commented as he ran towards Date.
"Birth will fall!" Gamel roared as he stomped towards Goto.
"Looks like we need to kill you, again." Goto frowned as he quickly inserted a new card into his belt and twisted the final again.
dRiLl ArM!
Forming over Goto's right arm was a rectangular bracer with a three-tier-circle drill with a blue clasp as he threw a strike right into the Heavy Animal Greeed. "Ha!"
"Grr!" Gamel snarled as he took a step back.
Uva and Ankh continued their fight, with Ankh taking to the air with his flames surrounding him.
"Get back here, you chicken!" Uva roared, giving two layers of insults, as he unleashed green lightning from his horns.
Ankh had to dodge out of the way, getting shot with that intense lightning would no doubt send him to the water. Which is probably where Mezool was and something he did not want to go near. Nor could he let that 'chicken' comment stand.
The damn bug was going to get deep fried!
CLASH!
CLASH!
CLASH!
"Gah! You're still a tough bastard!" Date grunted as he was fighting Kazari, whose speed was overwhelming him.
"You're a fun, small, little cat toy." Kazari mocked.
Chink!
pop
bReAsT cAnNoN!
"Err-" Kazari looked down as Date fired.
"SHOOT!" Date roared as a giant green energy burst through the air from the cannon unit that came out of his chest.
The energy glowed through the air, consuming Kazari for a few moments...
...
...
And when the energy faded away, Kazari was barely injured.
Date gulped as he saw the little damage that he had inflicted upon the Greeed. But he was not backing down.
"Nice trick. Would've been boring if you didn't use it before." Kazari remarked. "Your little man-made systems aren't enough to beat us Greeed."
"No. But we won't stop trying!" He answered, punching Kazari in the face.
Which DID knock the cat Greeed back. But only because he was caught by surprise.
"Not a bad hit." Kazari grunted as he lunged forwards.
Back under the water, Mezool managed to get enough ore that The King needed. Maybe with this, they'd be able to get their Tenth Medals back.
'Here.' she thought, holding the large torso-sized rock as she began to swim towards the top. 'This is so damn heavy. Gamel would've been able to help me lift this easier.' She thought to herself as she swam upwards.
As she emerged from the water... She saw the battle before her.
'...What the hell happened while I was under?' She thought with a deadpan expression in her tone. "Huh? Ankh?"
"Mezool." He frowned "I thought you had more-GAH!"
"Direct hit!" Uva cheered as Ankh came crashing down to the ground.
"Uva! I was talking to-! Never mind, I have the ore!" Mezool snapped.
"Good! Then let's finish these punks off!" Kazari smirked as he gave a mighty swing, Date being sent flying with sparks soaring off his armour.
"GWAAAAHHH!" He yelled, rolling across the ground.
"Mezool!" Gamel cheered as he threw Goto into Date on the pile.
"I call dibs on Ankh's Medals!" Uva smiled darkly.
"This... Is not how I saw this going." Goto hissed, gripping the BirthBuster tightly.
"Neither did I." Date groaned.
"Get. Off of me." Ankh grunted, trying to get up while pushing the other two away. He attempted to stand tall, panting. This... This might be it. But he wasn't going down without a fight.
He looked around, glaring at the four Greeed as they approached him. Walking in a cross formation, towards the centre of the X. This was it.
'Eiji...' he thought, his clawed hand closing...
vvvvr~!
"Huh? What's that?" Kazari asked as they all heard the sound of a motorbike approaching.
"Who could that be?" Mezool frowned.
"It can't be." Ankh mumbled... And a small grin spread across his face "That idiot."
VVRRRR~!
VRMM!
Rushing out into the air was a RideVender bike, a sleek black and yellow bike with a strange semi-circle-designed front part. And atop it?
A lone man. Wearing loose, baggy clothing.
He landed, driving around his three wounded heroes. Doing rings to push the Greeed back.
When they backed up enough, the bike came to a stop. The man sat up straight, removing his helmet to reveal...
Eiji
"Hino!" Date gasped.
"H-He's awake!" Goto smiled.
Eiji removed the helmet and smiled. "Sorry, I'm late. I slept in a little."
"You dumbass!" Ankh called out as he fell backwards, sitting on the ground with one of his legs laying limp in front of him while he had the other going up as he leaned forwards so he could use his knee as an arm rest, "Took you long enough!"
"Sorry, sorry." Eiji smiled as he got off the bike, setting his helmet on the bike "Leave this to me."
"Yeah, yeah. You do that Hino... I need to rest." Date mumbled as he and Goto let their transformations end.
"Be careful. They're tough." Goto warned.
"Don't worry. I've got some new tricks." Eiji smirked, attaching the OOO Driver.
"My, my, if it isn't the OOO-boy. Hmm, and it looks like you haven't aged a day." Mezool commented.
"Mezool." Eiji said with a nod.
"It's weirdly good to see you again, OOO! It's finally time for payback! For what you did to me before Maki filled me with Core Medals!" Uva smirked, raising a fist in anger.
"I am sorry that happened to you, Uva. I wish I could have stopped it." Eiji admitted "Especially looking back."
"Tch, like you wanted to 'stop breaking' my Core Medals with your Purple ones? Remember that?" Kazari responded.
"I'm sorry about that too. I do want to help. Truly." Eiji responded. "Consider this, me trying to make up for it."
"We must do this. We want to be whole. You won't stop us. OOO!" Gamel called.
"I hoped I could." Eiji admitted... As he pulled three medals out of his clothes. Two blue ones and a red one.
"Huh? What are those Medals?" Uva glared. "Wait...they're not-?"
"Yeah, they are."
Chink! Chink! Chink!
Clank!
Eiji had slotted the Medals into the OOO Driver around his waist, tilting it to the left so it was at a slant; and pulled out a circular device with golden yellow rings and a silver screen in his right hand as he scanned the Medals.
Clink!
Clink!
Clink!
"Henshin!" He spoke calmly as three rings appeared around his waist, two blue and one red.
Three concentric circles surrounded Eiji, all with golden-edged coins forming around him. First was a blue Medal depicting a shark.
SAME!
Second, was another blue medal, but now depicting a whale.
KUJIRA!
And lastly was a red Medal depicting a wolf-fish.
OOKAMIOU!
The three Medals merged together to form a solid black circle depicting the three animals on Eiji's chest.
SARAMIUO!
Eiji was now in a black bodysuit with black shins and boots with red markings that looked like clawed feet, rounded red kneecaps, red lines going up to his shin-guards, protruding fin-like thigh-guards and lines that went to the red bottom third of the chest ring.
SA! RA!
His forearms had blue and silver bracers that looked like a whale's head that depicted its teeth, blue lines going up along his upper arms to his black shoulders with slightly blue protrusions. And finally, a black helmet with a blue shark-like frame with orange-red visor eye
MI! UO~!
His eyes glowed as Eiji raised his left arm in front of him, his elbow bent inwards like he was blocking, while his right arm was behind his back. A fighting stance, a bit of a strange one, as he took a deep breath.
Kamen Rider OOO stood there, powerful. Ready for battle... reborn!
To Be Continued
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