Gatekeepers Encore
"Kaidenpo!"
"Gatekeepers, move out!"
"Ryokai! AEGIS!"
The bus rolls out, Ruriko, Megumi perched on the roof, Bancho his usual dreaded backseat-driver.
Shun strolls along a riverbank, juggling the occasional pebble on the toe of his shoe.
The bus slam-brakes. Ruriko wobbles. Megumi steadies her. The side of the bus opens. Gatekeepers spill forth. Multiple rings of varying colours open, slowly revolving.
A blade of grass drifts on the calm river, spiralling over a pot-hole while Shun lies down on the grass and stares into space, almost at peace.
Ruriko is sending out shots as quick as she could make them. Megumi is a step behind with a green, triple-ringed Gate. The defective barriers that flare briefly, though not always readily, was her work, guarding the Gatekeepers from return fire. The Gate of Enchantment did well to delude the Invaders into misconceptions of isolation, causing them to separate into more manageable groups. Bancho wasn't achieving much, but a number have already succumbed to Kaoru.
Megumi drove green wedges into the furthest clump, clearing a momentary way for the arrow right behind it, straight to the Core.
On the bank, Shun was looking at his Earth Defence licence. Suddenly, he picked himself up and hurled it out in one perfect motion. "Plop". It was a stupid picture anyway.
"Hmph." Yes. She was good. The Invaders screamed their silent death-cry and died a myriad of crystals in the sun.
Shun turns his back on the dancing light upon the water and goes back to his dorm.
Behind them, an ambush. A wall of Invaders reared, threatening to swallow them. Ruriko notches an arrow. Megumi prepares a barrier. Kaoru and Bancho took up their stances. Then, before any of them did anything, the wall collapsed and dusted the floor with Invader crystal remains.
Ruriko lowered her arms. Megumi pushed up her glasses. Kaoru relaxed. Bancho exclaimed surprise enough for all of them.
"Please excuse me desu," Reiko peeked out from the transport. "What's going on masu ka?"
"Someone's interfering again. How rude." Megumi scowled, annoyed. She could have sworn she'd felt something that time, as could Ruriko.
"It's okay, Reiko-chan. We got them."
* * * Ochiai-san struggled with a box of files, trying to close the door at the same time. Ruriko, Kaoru and Bancho would have gone up to help, except who should drop by at that moment but the Koucho-sensei, their Shirei.
Bancho's cry was choked off.
"Let me take those, Ochiai-san."
"Thank you, Shi… Koucho-sensei."
"No, I should thank you for finding these for me."
The two girls, wearing weasely expressions, peeked around the corner until they were gone, then slowly took their hands off Bancho's mouth. He launches immediately into complaints that neither paid attention to. Instead, they were too busy over Ochiai-san's love-life.
"Isn't that just sweet? This is great! Ochiai-san and Shirei…"
"It is good that they're coming along…" Ruriko was sincerely glad.
"Ne, Ikusawa-senpai, when are you and Ukiya-senpai going out?"
"Na… nani?" Ruriko flushed.
"He's in a rough spot now. What he really needs is a caring, considerate girlfriend to cheer him up! What are you waiting for?"
Ruriko laughed uneasily. "Ee, but he is closer to Megumi-chan these days."
"You can't say that," Kaoru protested. "That's only because of Kageyama-senpai! You mustn't give up your love so easily! If you love somebody, you shouldn't be afraid to tell them how you feel or fight another for them!"
"Kaoru-hime!" That is the most touching thing I've ever heard!"
There goes Bancho with his tears of happiness again. It's a mystery as to how anyone could put up with him. Then again, maybe Kaoru doesn't notice.
* * * "Invaders!"
"Geeto, Open!"
"Kaoru Punch!"
"Kurogane no kabe."
"Hikarinoya!"
"Gatekeepers!"
"Ryoukai! AEGIS!"
Shirei watched them leave with an unreadable expression.
"Whoa! Bite me, this rocks!"
"Wow! It's better than I've ever imagined!"
"This needs a celebration. Geeto!"
A brilliant yellow circle opens on the ceiling, showering golden light into every corner, giving everything a supernatural glow.
It faded into the usual dark, gloomy underground command as Shirei opens his eyes. He must have dozed off. He stretches in his chair and pulls up to his work. The pile of documents was pathetically thin for ten years, especially considering the events. Still, the work was daunting. He couldn't leave it to Ochiai-san either, because he had no idea what he was looking for or hoping to find.
* * * …I can give you anything you desire. Power beyond imagining… see…
She saw.
A man, the most powerful, the most feared, swathed in bandages and a purple robe, a sword sheathed by his side. He was unmatched and unmatchable, so great was his influence, so surely did the fires of hell blaze in his eyes. And then, she was he. More powerful than anyone, more powerful than all. She had the power, with her Gate, to crush anyone at will. Nobody dared deny her. Far, far suppressing Ruriko, Shun, Kageyama, even Yukino. She was Invincible.
- But I would still be your tool. -
… I can give you anything you desire. All the Happiness in the world… see…
She saw.
A girl, rich, pretty, intelligent, with anything her heart could desire at her fingertips. She was adored and esteemed by all, friends and teachers alike. Everyone saw how good she was. Everyone knew. Everyone understood her. Then, it was she. Rich, pretty, intelligent, showered with love and praise, acknowledged everywhere. Everyone respected her. They humbled themselves before her. Even Ruriko. Shirei, even Kageyama.
- But I don't want him to bow before me. I want to chain him up and slap him myself. -
Immediately, it was so.
- By myself. With my own strength.-
… I could give you anything you desire. The love you've always envied… see…
She saw.
Ukiya Shun, Ikusawa Ruriko, surrounded by admirers day in and out, swamped with love letters and chocolates and valentines, always with a vanguard chorus, "senpai, senpai", regularly asked on dates. Then, looking at each other, blush and stutter and shuffle their feet, shy and unsure, pushed together by supporters, surprised, blushing. And it was her in the arms of Ukiya Shun, staring up at the face blushing madly and leaning in with puckered lips.
- This is crazy. I don't even like Ukiya Shun, -
The blonde stranger appeared, red and blue eyes twinkling, and laughed.
… You are very interesting, Megumi. I think I will like you…
- It's not mutual. -
More laughter, smug.
… No, I guess not…
She woke, fumbling for her alarm.
"Megumi!"
"I'm up!"
She was Kurogane Megumi again, with chores to do before breakfast and school. She dressed and hurried, trying hard to remember what it was she was just dreaming, and failing.
* * * Special Committee emergency meeting. In the middle of a test, too. Megumi muttered darkly. Across the room, Ruriko resolutely put up her hand. Megumi sighed and hoped there will be a make-up.
The teacher looked at Ruriko and nodded his permission. Not even the teachers knew what the Special Committee was about, only that it was directly controlled by the Koucho-sensei and its members to be given all sorts of concessions. The Gatekeepers stood up quietly and handed in their incomplete scripts.
"Your finals are coming," Megumi heard the teacher whisper to Ruriko. "Don't you think you'd better quit all these clubs and concentrate on studying?"
"I wish I could, sensei." Ruriko smiled helplessly. "But they need me there. I can't quit now."
"Liar." Megumi mumbled. "You love it too much."
Ukiya watched the seats empty and pretended not to notice.
"They don't give up, do they." Ruriko looked grimly at the mutant broadcast Invader, similar to the ones they'd once fought, a black transmission tower with red klaxon speakers and streaks of red swishing across its structure. Multiple Core.
"Don't miss this time."
To her surprise, Ruriko heard and replied.
"I won't."
Ruriko was sure she's scarred for life. Never will she forget that horrible moment when death looked her in the eye and chuckled. Never. And what a horrifying laugh! It was amused, terrible to see in a blank, faceless fiend.
They had started fighting, and they were better prepared this time, shifting straight into their new organisation, a co-ordination of defence and offence. Multiple Cores gave the Invader collective ability to split and merge, playing evasive. It didn't matter.
Reiko's job was confusion. Ruriko and Kaoru took offence and Megumi was in-charge of all their covers. They made satisfactorily short work of it, combining attacks for added power and fragmenting the structure as possible. The sudden flood of Invaders was alarming, considering not a year ago they had seen an entire population go up a black-hole with their very eyes.
Ruriko doubted very much in her mind how much more of these battles they could take on. The Invaders, she dared not share, seem to be getting stronger with each fight, bolder, and even faster. It was as if they were beginning to figure out the Gatekeepers.
The last remaining Core gathered its troops and in a ditch effort, became a shark-headed missile. Ruriko picked up her bow and arrow. Everyone was tired, but ready. Just a little closer… come on, Invader scum. She reached for her Gate…
And the world fell apart.
A black Gate opened between her and the Invader, swallowing it whole. Masaka! Did she…??? Ruriko screamed, dropping her weapons as if they bit her, stumbling back into Megumi. Kaoru and Bancho yelped.
"Ka… Ka…!!"
This thing, humanoid, tall as a man, appeared, enveloped in a light mantle, and looked silently at the two girls atop the AEGIS bus. She could feel the other girl shaking. The face was bone-white and featureless save a dark glittering oval where the left eye should be, crying twin streaks of scarlet. It chuckled. Ruriko screamed.
"A black Gate? You are sure."
"Hai! Sou desu!"
"I saw it with my own eye!!! It must be Kageyama!!!!"
"Masaka!"
"Taihen desu!"
"I… wouldn't be so sure…" Ruriko cringed miserably. "It… could have been… me…"
"Impossible, Ruriko-hime!!"
"Ikusawa-senpai! It couldn't have been you! You're good now!"
"So you think."
"It has to be Kageyama!!! Come back for more, eh?? Didn't get enough of Bancho the last time, huh?? I'll show you!! Bring it on!!! I'll beat the daylights out of him again!!!"
"You didn't even get close to him, barbaric fool."
"Kaoru-chan… Bancho…"
"Daijoubu, senpai! I'm sure you'll never open the black Gate ever again!"
"Just you wait, Kageyama!! Kageyama!! We're coming to get you!!!"
"Ahem."
The rubble quieted and looked expectantly at Shirei.
"Let's not jump to conclusions." He said calmly. "Shadow, a.k.a Kageyama Reiji, isn't the only negative Gatekeeper we have known."
"Nani???!!!!"
"Anyone with Gate powers can open the negative gate if they choose. Hmph."
"Shirei, if it's not Kageyama, who could it be?"
Shirei linked his hands thoughtfully.
"I have no idea."
But Megumi caught his eye. "Liar."
"We must not overlook any possibility." He told the troupe sternly. "It could have been the thing you saw, or." His face darkens.
"Until we make sure, Ikusawa, I'm afraid we'll have to put you under strict surveillance."
"What??? Shirei! You can't do that to senpai! She's innocent! I know she is!"
"We don't know that." Megumi muttered, keeping her ideas to herself.
"You can't arrest Ruriko-hime!! I won't allow it!!"
"It… it's okay, Bancho. Really… they're not arresting me, just... watching."
Amidst the protest, Megumi thought about the red-and-blue eyed stranger and the hand in the black-hole.
It chuckled.
Ruriko screamed and went limp. Megumi trembled, trying to hold on to her.
"Che." The face moved to Megumi. The dark 'eye' glinted evilly. "Don't turn out like her."
Megumi paled further, if that was possible. She had heard that voice before. But where?
Author's Rambling Notes:
Resonance: Wind in the Reeds
Shishio cameo this ep. Waaii, Shishio-sama *-*
Shirei has far too many secrets. His name, for one.
I liked the image of Kageyama chained up for Meg to slap. It's funny.
UkiyaxMegumi would make an interesting couple, as would UkiyaxKageyama. Come to think of it, there's no GK yaoi, which is very strange for Anime fics.
The "you're very interesting" conversation routinely occur between me and interloping fic characters. They never get the hint. Most have taken up permanent residence.