Shinji's One Wish
By: StriaghtedgeWingZero
Shinji makes a wish for a family upon a shooting star which gains him a better family made up of various people from other universes
I own nothing
Beta read by TOAT
Chapter 22
Separation part 2
Ororo and Blink appeared in Cairo, Egypt via her portals. While she wore her usual black leotard attire fashioned with a shawl hood with three water canteens, Blink wore a green leotard, with brown bladed gauntlets on her wrists, and a shawl hood to protect against the hot sun as well as two water canteens strapped to her.
Storm furrowed her brow, a frown forming on her face as she took in the view of the desert, with the large pyramids in the distance. She grew up on the streets here, scraping and thieving to survive on the mean streets of Cairo. Taking out a radar device she moved it around trying to get a signal.
"The anomalies Reiko detected originated here, in the last place I ever hoped to be." Storm said, almost in a despondent tone.
"This was your home once, wasn't it?" Blink asked her.
"For a time, yes."
Blink noted the uncomfortable tone in the X-Woman's voice and decided to drop the subject. They both proceeded on their trek through the desert, little did they know from the distance on a ridge, the pair were being watched from afar.
By Umar were two individuals. One was a petite, bone white-skinned woman wearing black robes, and carrying two scimitars at her side, and the other was a muscular man with a large mohawk with a yellow, sleeveless jumpsuit with a silver belt around his waist, goggles over his eyes, and was equipped with silver hand gauntlets. The man was snarling and growling at the white-haired, dark-skinned mutant.
His name was Hurricane. Long ago, he had been in a standoff with Storm and the X-Men. The last time he was in Egypt, he nearly crushed her life in his hands, if it wasn't for her husband, and her friend Wolverine, stabbing him from behind and leaving him for dead on the Nile. Now, she was here again in his sights, and this time neither man was here to save her from his fury.
"Have patience," Umar said, breaking him from his vengeful thoughts.
"Grrr." the large man growled.
"I know you're eager for revenge, but be patient Hurricane. Your time is coming."
"But she's vulnerable; no X-Men, no family, no husband. Just that pinkish twig she's with. I'll snap her in two!" Hurricane growled.
"You'll get your chance, just let Storm and her sidekick reach the excavation site. There, I will spring my trap."
"If there's not a tomb uncovered there, it will be hers. Then, I'll go after her damned husband!" the man declared.
"The Dragon Ninja has already been…disposed of. You need not be concerned with him anymore. Go now, they're nearing the site. They won't see you coming."
"What will you do, Mistress?" asked the hooded woman.
"I must see to other preparations regarding the rest of the Ikari Clan. The adults will be gone and the children will be helpless and soon, their precious island will be all but defenseless," Umar stated.
With a wave of her hand, Umar created a moving portal that engulfed her, disappearing from sight. The two that were left behind proceeded, with Hurricane using his power over the winds to create a sandstorm to cover their tracks.
Meanwhile, Storm and Blink were nearing the source of the anomaly, taking sips of water at every interval. The heat was more unbearable than it was in pre-Second Impact days thanks to the effects of Second Impact severely damaging the ozone layer. The pair reached a large excavation site that still held unmanned equipment and not a soul in sight.
"Search for anything out of the ordinary, but be careful," Storm instructed her.
"Right," Blink replied.
Storm moved the radar in a circular motion with the signal bouncing up and down and going in and out, furrowing her brow and smacking the device to make it work properly. Blink was searching through the machinery which remained intact. All of this seemed too strange. Why would an excavation team leave fully operational equipment active and unsecured?
"Something is not right," Blink murmured.
"My thoughts exactly," Storm added, feeling the winds suddenly shift around the area. A massive sandstorm kicked up all around the area. Storm did her best to shield herself with her cape and Blink did not have the luxury of outerwear. Instead, she manipulated her teleportation energy to redirect some of the wind elsewhere.
"Mu ha ha ha," a voice echoed from the winds.
"That voice. Is it… Grrr! Show yourself, Umar!" Storm ordered, ready to fight.
"Umar?! The same witch bitch that worked with Sinister?! Oh, I have been waiting to get some payback!"
The winds lessened slightly to allow two silhouettes to be visible. One large and one small. Storm used her own wind powers to scatter the sands coupled with rain to cut through the sands.
"Ha ha ha, you haven't lost your touch, Storm," a familiar voice spoke, shocking the mutant.
"No, it can't be?!" Ororo gasped, recognizing the thick male voice.
"So, you remember after all. I'm touched." the same voice uttered.
"Who is that?" Blink asked, seeing the sandstorm die down.
From the thinning sandstorm, the two figures began to emerge. The first figure was a large, muscular man with a mohawk and goggles.
"Hurricane! You're still alive!" Storm exclaimed, her eyes flashing white, powering up her lightning.
"Hello, Blink. It has been some time." said the hooded woman, getting a confused look from the mutant.
"Um…do I know you?" Blink asked.
In response, the female pulled back her hood, revealing a bone white-skinned woman with long, grayish hair tied in a ponytail. She had red eyes and elven ears.
"Lady Vermin! So the High Evolutionary succeeded after all in giving you a humanoid form." Blink said.
"You know this woman?" Ororo asked.
"Believe it or not, I met her when she was once an intelligent rat while I was held captive by the High Evolutionary. I escaped, of course, thanks to Magneto, but I thought she died when the lab exploded."
"That lab exploded because of you!" Vermin hissed.
"No, because the High Evolutionary has a god complex and overestimated himself and my abilities!" Blink countered.
"ENOUGH!" Hurricane roared, not wanting to hear anymore.
"Umar had saved me from death's door, specifically to perform a task: Finishing what I started years ago!"
"Not today, Hurricane. You're in my domain now!" Storm declared.
"Enough talk! Time to make this place your grave!"
"You first!"
Storm's eyes turned white and storm clouds covered the skies of Egypt, signifying her power. To the citizens of Egypt, it meant that their fabled wind goddess had returned. Blink manipulated her teleportation energy and materialize it into javelins. Vermin took out her scimitars and charged straight at Blink.
The battle had begun
(Tokyo-3 Botanical Gardens )
Shinji, Kusano, and Li were spending the day at the Tokyo-3 Botanical Gardens. Shinji had promised Kusano he'd take her to the botanical gardens after training. And, true to his word, he brought her here on a very busy day full of people. The little blonde girl was running around the walkway, happily causing the flowers to bloom instantaneously, much to the dismay of Shinji and his servant.
"Ah, Kusano," Shinji sighed, seeing his sister using her power very excitedly.
Fortunately, there weren't that many people in the gardens today.
"Master Shinji, are sure it's wise for us to be out in public?" Li asked him. "NERV still has you classified as a deserter and are still looking for you."
"I know Li, but I doubt they'd expect me to come here. NERV or Gendo has always had a one-track mind; they think they know me. Not quite." Her master answered.
"Besides, I've been promising Ku to bring her here. And I've got you with me. What do I have to worry about?"
"Mm." she hummed.
"Come on, we have to keep her from "expanding" more plant life."
With that, Shinji jogged after his energetic little sister as she unintentionally kept making flowers bloom and shine. Even more to the point where tree trunks thickened as Kusano ran right under them.
RUMBLE
"Kusano, slow down."
"Hehe. Hehe. Hehe." Ku giggled as she ran around the garden area, causing more flowers to bloom.
"Come on, big brother."
Shinji caught up to his excited little sister, picking her up, and setting her on his hip while she wrapped her arms around his neck. The two continued along the pathway with Shinji's servant following close behind.
Little did they know, someone about Shinji's age had been observing the pair from afar, waiting for the right moment to introduce himself. The trio was observing every rare tree they passed, from redwood to the rare dragon trees.
"Wow!" Kusano gasped. "We don't have these trees at home."
"Well, Ku, maybe they'll let us take a branch to plant." her brother suggested.
"Master, unfortunately, they will not allow anyone to touch the trees," Li informed, pointing at a sign.
Shinji frowned in disappointment and Kusano pouted, which in response caused her to unconsciously grow the tree a few inches taller, causing some leaves to detach from one of the stems, landing on Shinji's shoulder.
"Huh," Shinji chuckled, plucking them from his shoulder and pocketing them.
"That…is not against the rules," Li said, walking alongside her master.
"Let's keep this between the three of us, Ku. I'm sure grandmother would love a dragon tree in the gardens."
"Yeah, she would." Kusano agreed.
Shinji smiled at his little sister, but that smile turned into a frown as he sensed something. They were being watched, but by who or what? Training with his father and uncle had allowed Shinji to develop a keen sense of awareness and honed his instinct well.
"Master, is something the matter?" Li asked, seeing his expression change.
"Oh, it's nothing. Uh, Li, take Kusano and go through the rose garden maze," Shinji ordered, setting the girl down.
"Master?"
"I'll be with you shortly. There's another large tree I'd like to check out."
"As you wish."
The two departed, much to the confusion of little Kusano, and Shinji looked around, seeing few people in the building, but kept up his guard. He cursed himself for not bringing his weapon, but still, he wandered around, looking at every sort of plant, tree, and large flower. He stopped short of a large, curved, thick tree with the sunlight from the glass ceiling above shining brightly upon it.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" a voice said.
Shinji turned to see a boy around his age, with white hair, albino skin, and red eyes, wearing a school uniform.
"When the roots of a tree are planted deep, there is no reason to fear the wind," the boy said. "Obviously, this tree has very thick roots."
"Huh. Sounds like something my mother would say." Shinji replied. "She's a nature enthusiast."
"Indeed, this tree is strong, obviously well taken care of, with the water going through its roots and the sunlight beaming upon it. With the best and most tender of care, most things can last forever," he said.
"Hmmm…"
"So, are you here all alone, or are you with someone?" the boy asked curiously.
"I'm here with my little sister and a…uh…family friend," Shinji answered. "Are you here with someone, as well?"
"No, I am here all alone," the other boy answered.
"I see. I'm sorry-"
"Don't be sorry. Alone isn't always a bad thing."
"It is from my perspective. That the constant feeling of loneliness is haunting, which is why I'm happy and thankful that I have my family." Shinji said, looking over at Kusano and Li.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't get your name."
"How rude of me. My name is Kaworu Nagisa." he bowed.
"My name is Shinji…" he started to say.
"Ikari, right?" Kaworu cut in. "Former pilot of Evangelion Unit-01, former Third Child, and deserter/defector."
Shinji tensed, readying himself for a fight, but Kaworu put up a hand.
"Be at ease, I did not come here to fight or bring you in. In fact, NERV doesn't know I'm here."
"Then why are you here? Did you know I would be here?" Shinji questioned, narrowing his eyes, not letting his guard down.
The white-haired boy merely chuckled, putting his hands in his pocket.
"I just got through a sync test, Dr. Akagi giving a long-winded lecture, the First and Second Children not being able to sync with their Evas properly, and Unit-01 not working at all without you."
"I am never getting back inside that damn thing!" Shinji growled.
Kaworu merely smirked, which unnerved Shinji. Wasn't he loyal to NERV? Was this some kind of ploy to let his guard down? Either way, he was more than ready to strike first and hard if NERV's newest pilot tried anything.
"In the long run, it will no longer matter. But I sense that you are about to have your challenges soon enough Ikari." Kaworu stated.
Before Shinji could ask what he meant, his phone vibrated, and he answered it while not taking his eyes off the white-haired boy.
"Hello?" answered Shinji.
("Shinji, this is Reiko. Is everything okay?") the family physician asked.
"Everything is…fine, Reiko," Shinji replied.
("Good, you need to come home right away. Your father and grandfather have gone missing!") Reiko said urgently.
"WHAT?! WHAT HAPPENED?!"
("I'll explain when you get here. Just come home right now. I've already sent Betra for you, Kusano and Li.")
"Okay, I'll go get them."
Shinji hung up.
"Family emergency, I take it?" Kaworu asked him.
"I…have to go. I'm sorry, Nagisa."
"Don't worry. We'll meet again."
Shinji warily looked at the white-haired boy before going to get his sister and servant.
"We'll meet again, but it won't be a pleasant meeting," Kaworu chuckled with a sadistic smile.
(With Rei and Elena in forest mountain)
"Come on, Rei, this way!" Elena called, taking the lead on their journey up the mountain, carrying some equipment in one bag.
"I am coming," Rei said, dressed in hiking attire, carrying backpacks.
"Ms. Kyoshi said this way to the Falcon Wildzord's nest inside the mountain. If we're lucky, we might see it." Elena said, excitedly running up the slope.
"Slow down, Ms. Elena. This girl is very excitable."
"We could've asked Shadow to teleport us here," Rei suggested.
"Master Shadow doesn't quite trust you. He believes you to be a spy for NERV. Plus, he's in the training simulation room with Red She-Hulk and Cammy."
"I am not. I chose to serve the Ikari family for Shinji, and him alone." the girl replied.
"I know. You'll have to go long way to convince his brother and his sisters that you can be trusted." Elena said.
"But Master Ryu and Ms. Ororo seem to trust me."
"It's the rest of the family you'll need to convince. Come on, we're close to the relay point. Once there, we can set the radar dishes."
"What are they for again?" the blue-haired maid asked.
"According to Tadashi, this device is to detect anomalies in the sky and on the ground and jam enemy communications in the event we're ever found. And I think we were."
Rei stopped short at that fear gripping her.
"NERV…knows."
"Apparently, yes. While Tadashi and Miss Amagi have been busy preparing the island's defenses, they sent the others to do the same on other parts of the island. They aren't taking any chances."
"That is understandable. The commander is relentless; he will do anything to achieve his ends."
"My father fought against people like that attempting to control our village through sheer brute force." the white-haired girl explained.
The pair continued on their task heading to the designated spot and began to set up the relays. The Eagle Wildzord flew above them, making them aware of its presence, but it wasn't the only Wildzord; the Bison Wildzord charged forth, causing the ground the quake most violently. Even though they were on the mountain, they were rocked by the shockwaves the Bison Wildzord generated.
"Rahhh!" it roared.
RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE
Fissures and impact craters were forming in the ground. The Bison Wildzord continued its path, its ground-quaking session ceasing.
"Well, Bison Wildzord is in quite a hurry today. Even more so than usual." the white-haired commented.
"Indeed, let's finish up and return to the…" Rei began to say but trailed off as she saw something down below.
"Rei?" Elena asked.
In the close distance in between one of the fissures made by the Bison Wildzord, Rei noticed a cave had been unearthed.
"What is that?"
"What's what?" Elena asked, walking up to her.
"Over there!" Rei pointed to the cave between the deep fissures.
"I see it, too. An undiscovered cave. Come on, let's go see what's inside."
The pair gathered their equipment and went down below. Seeing there was no easy way down, Elena produced a rope from her bag, tied to a large spike, and lowered it down below. The pair descended carefully, one at a time. They both cautiously approached the large opening. Upon entering, they saw it was dark and empty. Elena grabbed a nearby torch and used a stone to spark a flame, lighting the darkness. The pair saw the ground was scorched and littered with animal bones and armor pieces, with lots of rocks and pebbles.
"What could this place be?" asked Rei.
"Come on, let's explore," Elena said, moving forward. "We might find treasure or artifacts down here, or maybe cave drawings."
"Cave drawings?"
"You know, cave drawings from prehistoric cavemen."
A large question mark formed above Rei's head.
"I'll explain later," Elena told her. "I can't believe you don't know what a caveman is."
The pair moved cautiously and carefully, looking on all sides for any hidden traps. After a few more steps, they happened upon a stairway leading down. Both girls looked at each other and nodded to travel further.
"Oh, this is so exciting. I feel like Lara croft," Elena said. "Or Indiana Jones."
"Who?" the blue-haired girl asked.
"Don't you watch TV or play video games?! Oh, wow, NERV really screwed up with you. Not giving you one ounce of enjoyment. That'll have to change when we get back to the castle." Elena muttered.
"Hmmm, something is on these walls." Rei noticed odd writing on the walls.
"Something is up ahead." Elena pointed out.
The pair happened upon a larger, wider cavern, filled with pots and old vases and broken weaponry and armor pieces, but in the center was an altar.
"What's up there, I wonder?"
"Elena-san, look at this," Rei called, looking up at the wall
What her fellow servant was looking at was a large mural. The large painting featured giant animals (obviously, the Wildzords), an army of animal-themed warriors on one end, and on the other side were hordes of monsters with a giant, horned monster leading the charge here centuries ago," Elena surmised.
"Warriors, apparently protectors of this island, perhaps, fought a great evil here."
Rei walked around, finding more drawings. This time of two animal constructs; one was made up of a black lion, a condor, a saw shark, a buffalo, and a jaguar, and the other was made up of an alligator, a hammerhead shark, and a wolf, both of which were fighting the horned monster.
Rei was instantaneously reminded of the falcon animal constructs that defended the island from the 15th Angel. She had wondered what forms would other Wildzords take.
"Incredible," she whispered.
"Hey, Rei, come up here! Take a look!"
Rei looked up and saw that her fellow servant was on the altar, making her way up the steps. Reaching the top, she saw Elena standing in front of two oval-shaped objects made of gold, but different colors in the center, one blue and the other white.
"What could these be, I wonder? Strange-looking belt buckles?"
"Or perhaps they are something else. We should take them back to Miss Amagi and Tadashi. Maybe they can figure these out." Rei suggested.
"Good idea."
Both girls took their findings and exited the way they came. Had they stayed to look further around the chamber, they would have noticed more drawings. Drawings that depicted warriors wearing winged armor.
(With Kenshin Suzuka Kanazawa)
"This is not what I had in mind for family time," Kenshin said with his sword drawn out.
"What did you have in mind, darling? A nice family picnic?" Suzuka replied with her own sharp wooden sword out.
"That would've been really boring, father," a young boy uttered with his katana out and standing close to Kenshin.
He was in his mid-teens, had Kenshin's red hair, but was a shade darker, and the same color of eyes, but had a different facial structure. His outfit was also similar to Kenshin's, but it was light blue.
His name was Kenji Himura, the Son of Kenshin. And right now, Kenshin, his wife, and his son were currently surrounded by monsters. Large, purple, lanky monsters with underdeveloped wings (Van Gelf Ninja Gaiden).
"Rggh." the beasts all snarled at them.
"These beasts, these fiends were the cause of the disturbance," Suzuka said, gripping her sword hilt.
"Hasn't Uncle Ryu killed them all when he defeated the archfiend?"
"Yes, he did, but apparently, he missed some." Suzuka quipped.
"Well, let's finish what he started. Yah!"
"Kenji! Wait!" Kenshin yelled.
But it was already too late. Kenji struck first using a very familiar technique.
"Hiten Mitsurugi Style! Ryutsuisen!"
Kenji jumped into the air, gripping his sword tightly, and swung it down on the shoulder of one of the Van Gelf, cutting off its arm, then swung his sword underhanded and cut at the waist, ending its life.
"His form still needs a little work," thought Kenshin, charging in himself.
SLASH!
SLASH!
SLASH!
SLASH!
SLASH!
SLASH!
Kenshin with smooth, lightning-fast precision, cut down five of the fiends, their bodies spilling out green liquid serving as their lifeblood.
"Still the show-off, huh, Dad," muttered Kenji, kicking a fiend and then slicing its head off.
Suzuka moved in a sensual, sexy dancing motion, avoiding and blocking claw strikes, then striking with underhanded and vertical motions, cutting them down in droves.
CUT!
CUT!
CUT!
"I hate to admit it, but she moves more fluidly than Mom did." Kenji thought, moving from a claw strike only to get hit from behind.
"Kenji, keep your concentration on the enemy!" his father admonished while slashing a Van Gelf.
This went on for a good two minutes until she was hit from the side by a bigger Van Gelf, this time one with full-grown wings, followed by five others.
"Sraggh!" the larger Van Gelf snarled.
"You're big ones."
The Van Gelf attacked quickly, but clumsily as one jumped away in a perfect twist flip. She retaliated swiftly by charging forth and, with one swift swipe, she cut off an arm and wing, then blocked an attack from another one coming from behind. Another Van Gelf was about to attack from the side until Kenji, much to Suzuka's surprise, got its attention to focus on him. While this was going on, a certain woman of darkness was watching and waiting.
"That's right, fools, keep going. You're almost there."
Kenshin was still in the midst of clearing the Van Gelfs in his area and slightly glanced at his wife and son beginning to work together.
"Perhaps there is hope for this family after all," Kenshin mused, cutting down two more fiends.
"How does Ryu deal with these demons? Hiten Mitsurugi Style! Ryukansen!"
Kenshin swung his sword in a direct upward spin attack, decapitating the heads of six fiends that surrounded him.
Kenji and Suzuka began working in shocking good tandem.
"Kenji!" Suzuka yelled, ducking a swing.
"You don't need to say anything. I need to be one to…whoa! Apologize." Kenji said, blocking a strike.
"What?!"
"You see, I didn't make it easy on my father when my mother died, I was so angry and sad that I took it all out on him, even though her death wasn't his fault. He was right to send me to his master." Kenji stated.
"At first, I thought he wanted to be rid of me, but after some sound words from Master Seijuro, looking at things from a certain point of view- Yah!"
SLICE! SLASH!
"Sraghh!"
"I realized he was in deep, deep mourning. He loved my mom more than anything and he had lost far too much before he met her, and he didn't think he had it in him to let anybody in again…until met you."
"I know. Yah! CUT! Your father impressed me with godlike skills and amazed me with how kind he is. The legendary Battousai, the Manslayer. A man whose name would make most tyrants, despots, and dictators piss their pants."
Suzuka impaled two Van Gelf fiends at the same time while Kenji sliced the hand and head off another fiend.
"But you're a legend yourself, Twilight Suzuka, an assassin of the stars," Kenji replied.
"Hiten Mitsurugi Style! Kaze Ryu!" Kenshin yelled, gripping his sword in an underhand motion. Spinning his body around in a twister motion, cutting down the remaining fiends all at once on his end.
"We're almost clear, hmm?"
In the distance near the lake, a small, glowing circle appeared among the bodies of dead fiends. Approaching cautiously, the samurai examined it. A Van Gelf fiend slowly crept up on the legendary Manslayer.
"Srggh!" it growled.
SLICE
SLASH!
Without looking, Kenshin sheathed his blade while the fiend fell down dead with its head and hand cut off.
"You were blocking my light, but what could you be?"
The last of the fiends were going down in tandem thanks to Kenji and Suzuka.
"Kenji, I didn't mean to make it feel like I took your mother's place. I know she was a very special woman to your father." Suzuka spoke softly.
"That wasn't it-" Kenji answered.
"It was it. You've never experienced such loss at a young age. And for this-"
"Father," said Kenji, cutting Suzuka off and looking in the direction of his father, wondering what he was doing.
Kenshin kneeled for a closer look. Sure enough, the object glowed and expanded, encompassing the red-haired swordsman.
"What the hell? What is this?"
"Kenshin! Father!"
The wife and son pair rushed to Kenshin's aid to save him from his predicament.
"You humans are like mice," a voice echoed throughout the area.
"What was that?"
Suzuka got in close and the substance that encompassed her husband also got her, creating a dome.
"Ngh!"
Both assassins tried to fight their way out only for the substance to get stronger. Then, it started to glow brightly.
"Mother, Father!" yelled Kenji, slashing at the dome.
"Kenji, get to Animaria! Quickly!" Kenshin ordered him.
"Father! Father!" the boy cried out, still slashing.
And in a flash, the bubble dome vanished, taking both of his parents with it.
"NO, NO! DAMN IT!" Kenji cried, tears leaking out of his eyes, slamming his sword down.
From a distance, a certain dark sorceress was smirking.
"That's two down. That just leaves the weather witch and the old earthbag. Then, there are those living, mechanical animals to deal with lastly." Umar mused.
Umar put a hand to her chin in contemplation.
"I might have something or someone that helps with that. Then, it'll be just the helpless little children. I must prepare my army, but before that, I'd better see how Rokubungi is fairing." Umar said. "And there is the matter of the rats hiding within NERV that he doesn't know of."
With that, Umar vanished.
(Animaria Castle)
"Dr. Amagi! Master Kenshin and their signals have disappeared!" cried out one of the techs.
"What? Are you certain?" asked Reiko, getting a shake of the head yes.
"What in the hell is going on? First Ryu and Sanger vanish, and now Kenshin and Suzuka."
"What's the status on Ororo and Blink?" Reiko asked.
"Their signals are still active, ma'am," one of the techs reported.
"We're going to need to recall them back to the island," Reiko said. "Contact Ororo now!"
"Yes, ma'am."
With that, Reiko walked out of the control room and made her way back to the lab.
"What in the world could be going on? Could this be the work of Umar?"
Entering the lab, she found her assistant Tadashi and Yui dressed in a lab coat, staring at something quite peculiar on the table.
"Tadashi, Ms. Yui," said Reiko, getting their attention.
"Ah, Reiko, you might want to take a look at these," Tadashi said.
Reiko stepped in for a closer look and gasped.
"Are those what I think they are?" asked Reiko, getting a nod.
"Ayanami-san and Elena-san found them while they were putting up the equipment around the mountain. Apparently, the Bison Wildzord went full-on stampede mode in one of the mountainous regions again, and caused several quakes and fissures, uncovering a hidden cave." Tadashi explained.
"Miss Amagi, what are these supposed to be?" Yui asked.
"The ancient armors of Animaria," Reiko answered.
Before Reiko could explain what they were, a tech burst into the lab.
"Dr. Amagi! We lost contact with Ororo and Blink!"
"What? Not them, too!"
"It's true! Lady Kyoshi just left for Egypt, but we lost contact with her, too!"
"Ugh, can things get any worse? No, wait, I withdraw the question."
"There's such a thing as called tempting fate, you know," Tadashi said mirthfully.
"Handle things here," Reiko said, leaving the room.
"I know a little something about that," Yui muttered, examining the buckles.
A slight low rumbling from the far side in a larger section of the laboratory interrupted her and Tadashi's examination. Something was moving. Something the size of a building. Curious, Yui went over to the area and gasped. It was a large, mechanical green gorilla with red eyes (Gorilla Wildzord). The mechanical animal was hooked up to large, blue liquid containers on both his right and left sides.
"Grah," the Gorilla Wildzord grunted almost impatiently, looking down at the green woman.
"Incredible."
"You don't wanna get too close to that guy. He's…um…kind of grouchy." Tadashi said, pulling her away.
"He's another Wildzord?" Yui asked.
"Yeah, the Gorilla Wildzord. He got into a bit of territorial dispute with the Shark Wildzord when he was near the waters, and, well…have you ever seen a shark fight a gorilla?"
"No, but I have seen an old movie where a giant monkey fought a giant lizard," Yui replied.
"Oh, so did I, the older movie and newer version from the Americans. Anyway, his dispute with the Shark Wildzord left him with severe damage, so we brought him here to be repaired."
"Grahh!" Gorilla Wildzord huffed.
"Easy buddy, once we know you're all better, then you can go back outside, provided you can play nice with the other kids!"
"Rahh," Gorilla Wildzord grunted in response.
"Easy now, there's a lady present ."
"Raghh!"
"Maybe you'll think twice next time you plant your banana tree close to the Shark's waters. Silly ape." Tadashi countered, pulling Yui away back to the examination table.
"You can understand him?" Yui asked, getting a nod.
"Kyoshi had taught me to understand them, to look beyond their physical forms. The thing about us scientists is that we always have the tendency to scratch the surface, examining every layer of what we see before us, but failing to look within. Looking for questions to answers no one is asking."
Yui looked a little insulted; her being a very passionate scientist, it was her sworn duty to uncover the mysteries of the unknown.
"I didn't mean to insult you, but it's how it is. And deep down, you know I'm right. Sometimes, it's best to look for a new angle when comes to something that cannot be explained."
"And these?"
"If these are the ancient armor of Animaria, then it's going to require a lot of power to activate and find worthy wearers."
"Why not Rei and Elena?" Yui suggested.
Tadashi thought about that for a moment.
"We could, but in some cases, they would have to be chosen by the spirits within."
"They have animal spirits?" Yui questioned, incredulously and in disbelief.
"Yes, it's gonna take a lot of power to wake them up, and our walking battery charger has gone back to her homeland, but there are two other ways."
"And that would be?" Yui asked, wondering who could just be powerful as Storm.
"Our own Shadow is the fastest thing in the family, his power is a bit similar to his mother's. The only difference is he can't conjure the weather on the fly as she can." Tadashi explained. "And the second option…is, well, you."
"Me?"
Before any more words could be said, the Gorilla Wildzord was kicking up a fuss again.
(Cairo Egypt)
The battle between Storm and Hurricane, Blink and Lady Vermin continued. Dark clouds covered the skies of Egypt as wind and thunder roared in between the clouds. Hurricane was conjuring larger-than-elephant-sized vortexes and launched them directly at the Cairo native; however, Storm countered with a large wind vortex of her own.
VOOSH! CLASH! CLASH! VOOSH! VOOSH!
Hurricane grunted as he pushed forward.
"Hurricane has gotten considerably stronger." Storm said, wincing, matching her wind powers with his.
"What's the matter, little girl? Running low on steam already?" Hurricane taunted, pushing forward.
VOOSH! VOOSH! VOOSH! VOOSH! VOOSH!
"Gyahh!" Storm yelled, pushing forward with much more force.
The intense winds clashed, tearing the sands and skies apart. Lightning was striking everywhere as if the Egyptian gods themselves were battling it out.
(A/N: Anyone wants to see an Eva story featuring the Egyptian Gods from Yu-Gi-Oh!, let me know.)
Meanwhile, Blink was holding her own, with the newly-evolved Lady Vermin, using her energy daggers to combat Vermin's scimitars.
"You're better than I expected." Vermin complimented, clashing her blade with Blink's energy dagger.
"I've had training from an assassin and an old lady. The old lady was pretty mean." Blink replied.
Blink ducked a swing and hit a double kick, then changed her daggers back into javelins and tossed them at Vermin, who narrowly avoided lest she be transported to some random place.
Vermin dove at Blink, clashing once more, and both find that they had become evenly matched. But Blink was more agile and more trained in hand-to-hand combat thanks to Kyoshi. Blink back-elbowed Lady Vermin and she hit a swift uppercut in retaliation.
"Ugh!" Blink grunted, hitting the ground.
"Surprised?" Vermin grinned.
"You've got some moves, but you'll have to do better than that."
Blink kicked up and formed twin energy swords of her own and struck quickly. Vermin used her own quickness to counter, and both mutants clashed until they were deadlocked.
"What was that about doing better?" Vermin questioned mirthfully.
"Grr."
The lightning and winds continued to roar violently the clash between Hurricane and Storm was a stalemate as she tried to figure something out as the winds began to tear at her attire and her skin.
A sudden memory flash popped into her mind. A memory of when she and Ryu trained together and he had taught his wife one of his most useful techniques.
(Flashback)
"Are you sure you want to do this, Ororo?" asked Ryu, standing in an open field on the outskirts of his village. "This technique, the art of the wind blades, requires a lot of energy and concentration. Some of the elders in my clan had difficulty mastering this."
"Your father, too?" asked Ororo.
"No, he mastered it on the first try. I, on the other hand, had to try at least three times before I could fully perfect the technique," he answered.
"Let's see if I can do better," she said.
"This should be fun," Ryu murmured.
Ororo called forth the power of the winds. With one outstretched hand, she concentrated hard as the air circled around her, and then she made various hand signs shown to her by master Genjiro at the behest of Ryu showing her worth to the Dragon clan. She repeated the hand signs multiple times before feeling a strange energy course through her.
"Mmm," she grunted focusing on making the air as sharp as a blade.
Ryu remained silent as he watched the mutant's progress and was impressed; it took him at least several days to gain ninpo control.
"Yah!" she fired into a nearby tree, only for a branch to fall down.
"Uhg." Ororo stamped her foot in frustration.
"Don't give up. Do it again." Ryu encouraged.
Ororo summoned the winds and formed the hand signs again, this time quicker. The winds began to sharpen, and she once more felt the spirit energy rise within her once more. Raising up her hand again calling forth the wind blade.
"Basara!" She yelled throwing it.
SLICE!
This time, she cut down the top of the tree.
CRASH!
"I…I…I did it!" Ororo cheered successfully.
"Well done," Ryu praised.
"The professor always taught me to control my powers, lest they control me. And instilled in me the importance of self-control. Never have I thought I could develop techniques with my powers in such a way."
"You've taken your first step into a much larger world. And there's still much for you to learn should you wish to go further."
Ororo grabs his hand in response.
"For you, I will," Ororo assured.
"Good, remember the wind in any environment can be used to your advantage, so long as you know where to aim it," Ryu explained.
"I'll remember that."
"I hope so because you're going to be a part of the Dragon Clan very soon."
(End flashback)
"I know what I must do," Storm thought.
To Hurricane's surprise, she broke off the stalemate of wind vortexes.
"What the hell?" Hurricane questioned.
"It's time for a different tactic," Storm murmured, her eyes glowing white.
Storm began to call forth some rain and hail. The temperature began to drop from hot to cold, or as cold as it could get in the desert lands of Egypt.
"You think a little cold snap is gonna save you?! Think again, weather bitch!" Hurricane bellowed, forming a basketball-sized ball of wind between his hands, and threw it at the X-Woman, who narrowly avoided it as she went through the hand motions, channeling the energy within her.
"Focus, Ororo, focus!"
Thunder and lightning boomed furiously in the skies as the winds began to increase and sharpen around her. Hurricane called forth his own wind powers and managed to strike her.
"Ugh!" She grunted, crashing onto the ground and getting a mouth full of sand.
"How's that sand tasting?" taunted the muscle-bound mutant.
With Blink and Vermin, Vermin managed to kick Blink back into the excavation site. Blink used her power to portal out while Vermin managed to land gracefully on the ground.
"You think you can hide from me, Blink? My new form has heightened my senses, to surpass that of any mere human, meaning I can smell you."Vermin snarled.
"Can you smell a rock?!" Blink's voice echoed throughout the site.
On cue, a rock was thrown from the opposite side and struck her side. Lady Vermin growled and ran towards the middle of the site.
"Where are you?!"
A flash of light pinged at the entrance of the tomb.
"Oh, I see, you want to be buried with the rest of the mummies. I'll be happy to oblige."
With haste, Lady Vermin rushed inside, only for Blink to pop out using her portals from behind. Without wasting a second, she tossed her energy javelins at the entrance and exploded on impact.
BOOM BANG!
"Falling for the oldest trick in the book. I guess you're not that intelligent after all." Blink quipped.
Meanwhile, Storm was enduring and blocking Hurricane's viscous wind-powered strikes. Storm was waiting for the right opening. With one hand, she gathered the spirit energy within in combination with her own mutant power, capturing the sharpening winds in her hand.
"It's done."
Storm collapsed to one knee, bowing her head, muttering something under her breath. Believing he had won this battle, Hurricane approached slowly, ready to finish her off once and for all.
"Are you praying to the gods of Egypt? They ain't helping you here, bitch!" the man taunted.
"I need no gods!" Storm growled.
"Hayabusa-style! Art of the Wind Blade! Bashara!" Storm echoed at the top of her lungs, nearly the entire land hearing her cry.
She waved her arm in a vertical slashing motion. Firing an invisible blade cutting through the top half of the muscular mutant. Slowly but surely, Hurricane fell in two pieces. Storm rose to her feet, making certain he was dead.
"Rest in pieces," Storm quipped, her eyes flashing white.
With her battle over, she flew back to the excavation site, where Blink was waiting on her partner.
"Where's Lady Vermin?"
"Exterminated," Blink replied.
"I see, so now-"
WHOOSH PING!
A bright light appeared underneath their feet and with a yelp, they were sucked through, vanishing from sight. Out from the shadows, Umar stepped out with a smirk on her face.
"It's all coming together. Soon, Animaria will be defenseless and soon Animaria's power the Star Child's power will be mine." She grinned.
(Ikari Castle)
Dark clouds gathered in the skies of Animaria, above the castle. In the courtyard in her own personal shrine, the priestess and eldest daughter of the family, Kikyo was on her knees, meditating. She could feel the energies around her, giving her strength and calming her mind, and then she was hit with sudden flashes.
Her mother disappeared.
Her father disappeared.
Her aunt and uncle disappeared.
Her grandfather lying on the ground.
The Wildzords suddenly turned to dust.
A large-scale battle to determine the fate of the island.
Eyes snapping open, Kikyo stood from her spot and looked to the sky as pitch-black clouds to begun loom over the island.
"Darkness is coming," Kikyo murmured.
Shinji, Li, and Kusano had just returned to the castle, earlier than expected. They were informed by Reiko of the adults' disappearances, much to Kusano's fright that her mother and father were gone.
But Reiko assured the young girl that they would be back and that she and Tadashi were doing everything they could to find them and make sure they would return home. So, until then, they would have to wait. Shinji begrudgingly agreed as he made his way to his room, with Li following closely. Opening the door, Shinji sighed as he sat down on his bed.
"You are troubled, master," Li said with concern in her voice.
"I am Li. Mother, Father, Grandfather, Grandmother, Uncle Kenshin, and Aunt Suzuka. They've all disappeared into thin air. How? Why? This doesn't make any sense." he said.
"And the boy you met earlier,"
Shinji turned to her in surprise that Li had noticed since she was busy keeping a very energetic Kusano company.
"I observed your interaction with him, master. And when we boarded the ship, you were quiet on the way home."
"You are very observant, Li. That kid was from NERV. His name is Kaworu Nagasia, and he's the Fifth Child." Shinji informed.
"And do you suspect that he may inform NERV that he encountered us?" his servant asked, getting the shake of the head no.
"Maybe, he didn't seem overly loyal to NERV. That still makes me uneasy, I sensed something is really off about him." Shinji finished.
Li remained silent at her master's words,
"Or maybe I'm just overthinking this. Father always taught me the importance of patience. I just need something to take my mind off of this."
"Then allow me, my master, to fulfill your wish," Li said, standing up from the bed to his surprise.
"Li."
To his further shock, she began to strip off her Chinese dress, exposing her D-cup breast and her boots, leaving only her panty and stockings.
"Li, what-" Shinji got out before she pushed him down to the bed with a look of lust on her face.
"My master, allow me to take your troubles away. Please use me however you wish."
Shinji blushed heavily as her breasts rubbed up against his clothed chest. While he wouldn't have minded having sex with his beautiful servant, the problem was his siblings, Dr. Amagi, and his birth mother was still in the castle, not to mention his other two servants and guests. And any of them could barge in at any given moment. Shinji could barely think as Li fully straddled him. Finally giving in, he kissed her. Before Li could continue, the alarms rang.
RING RING
On the outside, a vast array of VTOL gunships, carriers, and mobile vehicles were headed toward the island in full force. Their destination: Animaria.
End chapter
End notes: I know it's been a million years since this has been updated and Wing Zero has been dealing with a lot. Taking care, of health issues, family work, and trying to get my foot in the door somewhere. But here is SOW chapter 22 the end of the separation arc. I thought about, creating a separate one-shot detailing where the adults are going, but of course, they'd be going to different worlds different anime, mainly from my man TOAT's stories. But pretty much we're entering the home stretch and I have to say I'm surprised, I thought for sure my brother Gunman would eventually get back to SBW and finish it before I finished this, so G if reading please get back to it. The next chapter is the battle of Animaria or Animarium begins, Infinity War style. Who should lead the battle on NERV's side? What surprises will Umar have in store for the remaining family members? Other stories are being worked on now. So Read Review and stay prime