Prologue 3: Dancers In Shadow
Meanwhile, back in the past, the situation wasn't much better. For the dimension was also growing unstable. And at this very moment, a mysterious figure was standing outside the 104 Tower, surveying the scene.
"The closed city of Shibuya… hmm. Interesting choice. Perhaps he too also walks the path of shadows." He said to himself.
He looked around a bit before thinking to himself. "But still, something feels off. All my investigations suggest this place is unstable, throw in mysterious connections to other worlds… it'd be best that I don't stay here much longer."
As he was thinking, the building to the right of him started emanating a purple aura. Quickly focusing on it, he unsheathed his blade.
"A fissure in space! Is something going to come out of it?!" He shouted as the building formed a hole in its side, causing someone else to come out.
"Where am I?" The unknown person said. "This scenery seems familiar. Ah yes, this must be Japan in the past."
"You. Who are you?" The first unknown person said before putting his blade as his throat.
The latter stayed silent, as if he was unintimidated by the former's threat.
"That kanji on your chest… I'm guessing you're not some monster from another dimension." He said.
"My name is Strider Hiryu, and you are?" He said.
"Hotsuma. That's all you need to know. Are you implying that you've come from another time?" He said.
"It's currently the early 21st century, is it not?" Hiryu asked.
"Yes, yes it is." Hotsuma replied.
"Have you seen a suspicious woman? Someone in green chinese-styled clothing, practices martial arts?" Hiryu asked again.
"I have not. It's just the two of us here. I've seen records of travelers that come from the past and future before, I assume you're one of them?" Hotsuma asked.
"To you, I come from the future. You can choose to believe me or not; I don't really care." Hiryu replied.
"If so, then that enormous hole in the wall should lead to…" Hotsuma said before he was interrupted by the portal lighting up again.
The two quickly faced the portal and readied their weapons, preparing to fight whatever came out of it.
"Could it be her?!" Hiryu said.
"We don't know yet, just prepare yourself." Hotsuma said.
The two braced themselves for whatever horror appeared out of the portal next, only for a young woman to pop out instead.
"Apparently not. Who are you?" Hiryu said as he put his cypher away.
"The uniform… are you a Shinobi as well?" Hotsuma asked.
"Is this Shibuya? Who are you two?!" She responded.
The woman quickly shut herself up when she saw Hotsuma, knowing something was up, he spoke to her.
"Is something wrong?" Hotsuma asked.
"You… you wouldn't happen to be with the Shinobi agency, would you?" She asked.
"I had a feeling you had government ties. My name is Hotsuma, I have done work for the agency in the past." He responded.
"Hotsuma, I knew it! But what in the world is going on?" She thought to herself.
The woman walked up to Hotsuma and proceeded to ask him a question. "Where have you been hiding all this time? And that blade… did you reconstruct it?"
Hotsuma stepped back in response to this question. "I wasn't aware I was hiding. And if it's the Akujiki you're after, then I must apologize, I have no intentions of parting ways with it. It is a dangerous blade, I can't entrust it to anyone but myself."
"Akujiki, the cursed blade that devours men's souls, linchpin of the Ariake Seal." She said before Hotsuma was taken back.
"What? Who are you and how do you know of it?" Hotsuma asked.
"My name is Hibana, just another Shinobi the agency makes use of. If you're wondering about how I know about the sword, I've seen the agency's files, it's held by the leader of the Oboro Clan, no?" She responded.
Hotsuma stood there in silence, he had known this woman for less than a minute and somehow, she knew all about him.
"Hotsuma… keep in mind that she may come from another era as well." Hiryu replied, after his silence where he was just baffled by the two.
"Good point Hiryu. If what you say is true, Shibuya is…" Hotsuma said before he got cut off.
"Another era? Care to wipe that smug expression off your face and explain?" Hibana asked.
"I suspect you come from a future soon after this current age. From your perspective, you've traveled to the past." Hiryu said.
"What?! I'm… in the past? I was just out on a mission and now you're saying I traveled through TIME?!" Hibana said, quite shocked.
"You asked where Hotsuma had been in hiding. So, in your era, this man is no longer around I take it?" Hiryu asked.
"I'm… not?" Hotsuma asked.
HIbana stayed silent, for she feared what could happen if she disclosed too much, but after a while, she spoke up and removed her mask. "I believe you. After all, you're standing right here in front of me. And here I thought it was supposed to be a simple mission… today is not my day."
"I see… an attempt to gain my trust by showing your face. All right Hibana, I trust you as well." Hotsuma said.
"Thank you, it makes things easier." Hibana said.
"It's best we don't interfere with each other. We should both return to our own eras." Hiryu said.
"Do we just jump back in, is it that easy?" Hibana asked.
Before they could do anything however, someone else came through the portal and appeared right in front of them.
"Eyaahh! What the heck?! This is messed up!" She said as she brushed herself off. "Well, THAT was wiggy. What on Earth is that hole? The ground and walls here are all made of stone… where am I? And who are you people?!"
"That's what we're wondering. Exactly who you are and where you came from." Hibana said.
"Something's not right, Master never said a shinobi should never reveal her name lightly…" The young girl thought to herself.
Hiryu scratched his chin and looked the girl dead in the eyes before speaking. "That outfit… do you happen to know anyone by the name of Taki?"
"Huh? What do you mean by that? My name's Natsu of the Fa-Mu Clan, trained in Musoh-Battoh-Ryu." She said.
"Fu-Ma Clan, Musoh-Battoh-Ryu, you've come from the past haven't you?" Hiryu asked.
"The past? Are you okay mister? I came from this morning, just like you." Natsu said.
"Hiryu, do you have a hunch?" Hibana asked.
"I met your master on a previous mission. She came from the year 1600." Hiryu responded.
"So, you're saying this shinobi girl might have come from over four hundred years in the past?" Hotsuma said.
"Whoa whoa, hold on a minute. Someone from Fu-Ma Village, who knows the ways of Musoh-Battoh-Ryu, who's not me…" Natsu said before she slowly came to the realization of who she was talking to. "Are you Strider Hiryu? Tell me everything you know about that woman! My master went missing and I'm trying to look for her!"
"The shinobi I met returned to her own world. I have no reason to believe she's here." Hiryu responded bluntly.
"So I missed her.. crap. So, lemme guess, you all go warped here through time too? How do we get back then?" Natsu asked.
"I'm from here, so I'm fine." Hotsuma said.
Both Hiryu and Hinaba stayed relatively silent until Natsu shouted. "You don't know how?! ARE YOU FRICKING SERIOUS?!"
Just then, another pair had shown up to meet with Hotsuma.
"Are you sure this is the meeting spot Kage-Maru? Shibuya's sealed off, you can't just exactly waltz in whenever you like." One of the pair asked.
"Akira, we're meeting with the leader of a combat unit with ties to the government, for someone like that, such steps are to be expected." Kage-Maru said.
"Still, is it a good idea to bring ME along to a place like this?!" Akira asked.
"You've fought that metal thing in battle before, you're no simple bystander." Kage-Maru said.
"You mean Dural?" Akira asked.
"V-Dural to be more precise, not quite the same as the real Dural." Kage-Maru replied.
"Not the real Dural? What do you mean by that?" Akira asked.
"We'll save the talk for later Akira, our first priority is tracking our targets down." Kage-Maru said.
"Understood, so who exactly are we meeting?" Akira asked.
"A modern day ninja like myself. Quiet and reserved, but exceptionally skilled." Kage-Maru said, looking Akira right in the eyes.
Akira then grabbed Kage-Maru's head and turned it towards the four ninja's that were standing near the building.
"Come on, you nut balls! How am I gonna know what's going on if you don't talk to me?! Do you seriously not know the way back?! Or are you just that incompetent or are you just that stubborn?!" Natsu began shouting as Hiryu, Hotsuma and Hibana tried to put up with her high energy and motor mouth.
"Quiet and reserved, huh?" Akira said, with a tinge of sarcasm in his voice.
"Don't even start with me, Akira. The person we're meeting is a man." Kage-Maru replied bluntly.
"So what, did he bring his girlfriend or something? Anyways, we'd better check this out." Akira said as Kage-Maru stared at him with an intense glare.
The two proceeded to walk on up to the four ninja's as Natsu was still talking.
"C'mon! You can just jump right back in, right? What are you waiting for?!" Natsu said.
"How exactly are you planning to get back to your own time, Natsu?" Hibana said.
"It's not like we have equipment that'll allow us to set the destination." Hiryu said.
"Argh, I don't even know what you're talking about and it already makes me sick!" Natsu said.
It was at that moment Akira and Kage-Maru took a moment to stop and stare at the stupidity that was going on in front of them.
"It seems there's some kind of dispute going on here. Ninja, ninja, ninja… Kage-Maru, are ALL of these people ninja?!" Akira asked, shouting.
Kage-Maru stayed silent to Akira's question.
"I'll… take that as a yes." Akira said, not knowing how to exactly respond.
"Who's there?" Hibana asked.
"Oh good! FINALLY someone who looks like a proper ninja!" Natsu proclaimed, much to the other ninja and Akira's chagrin.
"Are you Kage-Maru of the Hagakure?" Hotsuma asked.
"I am, I thought you said you were coming alone." Kage-Maru told him.
"That was the plan, yes. But it's best I explain what's going on here first." Hotsuma said.
Akira facepalmed and said. "Oh boy, I've got a bad feeling about this…"
Hotsuma explained the situation to them as best as he could and as quickly as he could.
"You're saying you arrived in Shibuya from various times in the past and future? Am I expected to believe that?" Kage-maru said.
"It's the simple truth." Hiryu said.
"I actually believe you. I was caught up in a similar battle once. The past, present and even alternative realities and futures were involved." Akira said.
"You know… that sounds an awful lot like something my master said happened to her once…" Natsu said.
"Hotsuma, what's your plan?" Kage-Maru asked.
"I probably ought to report this to the Shinobi Agency." Hotsuma said.
"The Agency, huh? I'm not from the same timeline, so it's best I don't get involved." Hibana said.
"If we're talking about government agencies, then how about Shinra? They helped out with a battle of ours a while back." Akira said.
"The special ops unit that deals with supernatural phenomenon? Come to think of it, this might be right up their alley." Hotsuma said.
It was at this moment that the portal began to act up once again.
"Hm? Hold on! The portal is looking a bit… strange." Hiryu said.
The six looked at the portal and got into fighting positions before something popped out.
"What the? Is that a robot?" Akira asked, confused.
"Strider Hiryu detected. Target will be obliterated." The robot said before sticking his weapons out.
"Strider? Hiryu, is this metal man here your friend? He seems to have it in for you." Hibana asked.
"Solo The Assassin. He used to serve under a man named Meio." Hiryu responded.
"Looks like he followed you here." Hotsuma said.
"So does that mean the hole is connected to Hiryu's era right now?" Natsu asked.
"That's most likely the case." Hiryu said.
"You've run from your end long enough Hiryu, it's time I finally put you with the rest of the Striders." Solo said, arming himself.
Hiryu simply unsheathed his Cypher and got into a battle stance. "We've fought before Solo, you know how this will end. But by all means… take your best shot."
Solo said nothing and began taking fire and Hiryu, who weaved and dodged around the attacks like they were nothing. Leaving the other five standing there impressed.
"Woah. He's just like Master said." Natsu thought to herself.
"Ouroboros!" Hiryu shouted as two mushroom shaped bipedal robots surrounded him.
Hiryu used this opportunity to press the attack on Solo, who had begun using his missiles in an attempt to slow him down. Unfazed, Hiryu began cutting through them one by one until Solo had to reload them. Seizing the opportunity, Hiryu began slashing at Solo as the latter managed to block his attacks, Solo then fired his gun at where Hiryu was standing and he jumped away, managing to avoid getting hit.
"Enough games Strider, this ends now." Solo said as he aimed his weapon at Hiryu.
"Very well, let's see what happens next." Hiryu said as he ran towards Solo.
Before Solo could react Hiryu had grabbed him and thrown him into the air, several images of him attacking the robotic assassin all at once, only for three to connect as Hiryu shouted out.
"RAGNAROK!" Hiryu shouted and Solo fell to the ground.
"Cannot complete mission. Retreating for now." Solo said as he went back into the portal.
"Where'd he go?" Kage-Maru asked.
"He jumped into the big hole in that building. Wait a minute, if you went in there and followed him…" Akira said before Hiryu cut him off.
"I'd return to my own time?" Hiryu asked.
They remained there in silence until Hiryu spoke up.
"I'm going in after Solo." He said.
"It's true that right now, you'd likely be able to return to your own era." Hotsuma said.
"Who knows when this hole will close… I'm going too. I still have a mission to complete." Hibana said.
"Natsu, what's your plan? You're the only one that comes from the past, right?" Akira asked.
"I guess… I'll be frank, I'm not understanding any of this, but whatever happens happens." Natsu said.
"Let the current take you, and the truth will surely find you." Kage-Maru said.
"I'll go first." Hiryu said as he walked up to the portal.
"All right then, so long Hiryu." Hotsuma said.
"Farewell." Hiryu responded.
Hiryu then entered the portal and disappeared. Not knowing if he would be seen again.
"Oh crap, that's right! I was gonna talk to Hiryu about something." Natsu said.
"What?" Kage-Maru said flatly.
"I need to ask more about that shinobi from Fu-Ma Village he said he met. Right! I'm outta here too. See ya!" Natsu said. "Hiryu, wait for me!"
And just like clockwork, Natsu jumped into the portal after Hiryu, not knowing if she would see him.
"Phew… she's a party and a half. Anyways, I'm off as well." Hibana said.
"I think it's for the best that neither of us report this incident to the Agency." Hotsuma said.
"You may be right. But just one word of advice, that sword of yours, the Akujiki." Hibana said.
"What about it?" Hotsuma asked.
"I think it's best if you keep hold of it." Hibana said as she walked towards the portal.
"I hadn't planned on giving it up… Hibana, are you trying to say something?" Hotsuma asked.
"No, nothing. Goodbye, Oboro clan leader." Hibana said as she jumped into the portal as well.
And just like that, after Hibana had jumped into the portal, it closed itself up and the hole in the building undid itself.
"That shinobi… just what was she trying to tell you Hotsuma?" Kage-Maru asked.
"I couldn't say." Hotsuma replied.
The three then turned to the now closed building.
"So, the road connecting the past and future has been closed." Kage-Maru said.
"It's for the best." Hotsuma said.
"I'll admit, I didn't expect this when I got up this morning. Anyways, back to business." Akira said.
"Very well, Hotsuma. I wish to speak with you about Dural." Kage-Maru said.
"Very well. She was a cyborg formerly used by S.I.N, a division of the criminal organization Shadaloo. She was provided to them by J6… are you following all of this?" Hotsuma said.
"Yeah, they went ahead and started mass production on them. I fought a whole bunch of them." Akira said.
"Turns out S.I.N.'s leader… and I heard that someone sntached up all of the Dural models." Kage-Maru said.
"I have intel saying they, alongside another unrelated unit, were loaded up onto a ship, one that's already left port. The Queen Zenobia, sources say it's resting at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea." Hotsuma said.
Kage-Maru and Akira could only stand there in silence until Akira spoke up.
"Wait a minute, one unrelated unit… something tells me that the Kirijo Group may or may not be involved." Akira said.
"AKIRA! We are not asking them for help!" Kage-Maru shouted.
"I didn't say we were going to!" Akira shouted back.
"What business do you have with them?" Hotsuma asked, confused.
"Let's just say, you don't wanna know Hotsuma." Akira said, trying to steer the conversation away from them.
"Anyways, that's all I report to you on the matter." Hotsuma said.
"I'm grateful for your help Hotsuma." Kage-Maru said.
"Not at all; I'm in the Hagekure clan's debt. But I will say this: Don't throw your life away unnecessarily. Akira Yuki, if you want to remain a simple fighter, then it's best you don't get involved." Hotsuma said.
"Hey, Dural is my business to remember? I've fought her before. Regardless, that ship has set sail in more ways than one. There's no turning back for me now." Akira said.
"I see, in that case, I have nothing else left to say." Hotsuma said.
"Thank you again, Hotsuma. Akira, let us be on our way." Kage-Maru said.
"Gotcha, see you around Hotsuma." Akira said.
Akira and Kage-Maru quickly left as Hotsuma stood there, wondering about what Akira said.
"I really ought to look further into this strange incident in Shibuya. As Akira suggested, perhaps I'll look into the special ops unit Shinra, and maybe what he said about the Kirijo Group could prove useful. They do have two Anti-Shadow Weapons after all." Hotsuma said to himself.
Hotsuma suddenly felt himself get blinded as flashes started appearing around him.
"Wh-what?! This power… could this be a "rift"?! So the incident now really was–!" Hotsuma said before he was interrupted.
Before Hotsuma could finish his sentence, he was suddenly carried away in a flash of white light, not knowing where he would wind up next.
