I'M STILL ALIVEEE
oOoOoOo indicates the start of flashback
This represents current time-line's thoughts
This represents thoughts in the current section's time-line.
oOoOoOo
"Cut the cameras." Kido said quietly, as he took in Shinoda's expression. "End the match."
Azuma nodded as the screen swiftly focused on Miwa's irritated face while he announced that the allocated time for the match had ran out.
oOoOoOo
It was the same hysterical look his friend had worn during the first invasion.
Fear of the unknown.
He'd been weapon-less when Rindou found him, Fujin grasped in trembling hands long after Mogami's communications had been cut.
5 years later, even with Kogetsu in hand, his eyes radiated fear.
His panic was well hidden, but to the ones who'd fought through the first invasion, it was blindingly obvious.
Rindou could see his friend scrambling to understand whatever he was seeing, just before he blanked out.
oOoOoOo
Kyoko remembered that look.
It was the same face he'd made when they'd found Miwa, minutes after Jin had passed by the same boy.
At the time, he'd been careful to maintain a calm expression, but she'd caught a glimpse of the undisguised panic when he'd first realised the body Miwa had been cradling was stone-cold.
At that time, he'd schooled his face back into its usual façade.
oOoOoOo
Kazama's serene face stared at him from behind Kyoko, Scorpion pressed against her neck.
Kikuchihara face was turned away, but Shinoda's would have recognised the brunette anywhere.
That meant that it was Utagawa's blade pressed against his neck.
Despite his incoming decapitation, Shinoda couldn't help but catch Kyoko's eye.
Her eyes were just as wide when they'd first met during the invasion, but trust had replaced the fear that had once filled her eyes.
He wondered if the terror in his eyes had been the last thing Mogami saw.
oOoOoOo
Its was hard.
Hard to know that every step, every second would cause yet another death, add another yet body to his ever-growing pile.
He gazed at her mournfully, torn between her wide eyes and the pipe that she wielded.
The same eyes he'd made-
To offer her Kogetsu would practically be a death sentence and yet if he left her alone - He shuddered.
Had this been how Jin felt? To know the outcome and be forced to bear it?
The roaring of yet another gate opening forced his hand.
Shinoda thrust the trigger into her hand, hilt first, wrestling the yowling cat from her grip.
His heart sank as a rabbit emerged.
A rabbit wouldn't be much problem if he was alone, but with a terrified cat in hand and equally terrified civilian behind him, he was beginning to doubt himself.
You should, his mind said snidely. Mogami died for you.
As did many more-
He flinched, lurching forwards.
The rabbit turned it's blank gaze towards him.
Instinct kicked in.
He raised Escudo automatically, blocking off the main road.
1. If the enemy is in range, so are you.
He ducked as the rabbit swung at him, slamming its fist into a nearby house, startling the poor cat.
2. If it's worth shooting at, shoot twice.
Smiling grimly, he drew Kogetsu, slashing at trion soldier.
As the rabbit crashed to the ground and the rubble settled, he heard soft clicking.
3. If it can go wrong, it will.
He spun to see what had to be Murphy's law in action.
A Marmod hulking over the girl, mandibles clicking menacingly.
oOoOoOo
She held on to Ujicha fiercely, free hand wrapped around a rainwater pipe she had scavenged.
She'd been walking for what seemed like ages, heading in the direction of the city centre while hiding from the strange monsters lurking around.
She'd barely reached the main road when she'd come to a halt, face to face with a solemn man dressed in a coat resplendent to the military dress uniforms despite the sweltering weather.
Kyoko froze as he studied her, waiting with baited breath as his gaze swept over her.
She'd seen enough alien flicks to know that being wary of other survivorswas always the best bet, lest they turn out to be aliens in disguise.
She relaxed as his features softened in concern - surely an alien wouldn't be able to fake such emotions, right?
Her thoughts were interrupted by the increasingly familiar sound of roaring, yet another portal crackling into existence.
She froze, staying stock still even as he tore Ujicha out her grasp and all but forced a small rectangular object in her hand.
Her heart plummeted as the hulking alien lumbered towards them, it's blank gaze directed at them.
oOoOo
Her mouth hung, slack-jawed, as she stared at the man dodge the alien's blow, calmly taking it in stride, maintaining his iron-clad grip on her parent's cat.
She would have watched on longer if she hadn't recognised the tell-tale clicking.
He should have paid more attention-
An oversized roach-like alien eyed her as it skittered across the pavement, fluorescent eye clearly focused on her.
Kyoko risked a backwards glance at man who had somehow drawn a sword from a similar contraption that he had passed her, before coming face-to-face to the oversized-roach, it's surprisingly sharp mandibles raised in attack.
In the face of death, a stupid plan is better than no plan.
Mimicking the man's stance (sans the cat), she willed the sword to appear, begging the luminescent blade to make an appearance.
Despite the alien's lack of facial features, it managed a look of comical surprise as it's mandibles clanged against her blade, bouncing off harmlessly.
Seizing the opportunity, she swung at alien, slashing at its lone eyeball, drawing back as the alien folded into itself, collapsing.
A second blade erupted from it's eye, pale green vapour streaming from the wound.
How desperately he wanted to just cut his way through these weird, inhuman things just like he had with the Marmod-
She shrunk at the blade's sudden appearance, pulling back.
His solemn expression broke into a soft smile, dark eyes illuminated to a faint emerald by the steady stream of vapour, before turning back to the main road.
When Kyoko caught up with his long strides, his eyes were still light, even though the green vapour had long since petered out.
oOoOoOo
The match was over, so why was he still here?
Utagawa stiffened as Shinoda turned his head, flinching softly when he realised that the Director's eyes were set in a blank stare.
He paused, as did the rest of the battlefield, turning to stare at the Director's disturbing gaze.
He almost dropped Scorpion when Shinoda swept his gaze across everyone, eyes completely devoid of emotion.
"Director?" Utagawa whispered.
If Shinoda had heard him, he gave no indication.
Scorpion was slippery in his hands now, and he struggled to keep a proper grip on it, not wanting to accidentally drop it.
He was getting unnerved now, and he'd stiffened up completely behind the Director, his feet rooted to the ground.
He wanted to leave, to hide from this - this completely dead-eyed Director, to run or plunge Scorpion through him and get some eye-bleach or whatever.
There was something wrong with this scene - everyone's gaze was locked on the Director, yet he could feel the pricking feeling of what seemed to be hundreds of eyes staring back at him.
It was like someone - no, something else, was there.
oOoOoOo
Fear raged through his mind as he dismissed theory after theory - Kazama had them cornered, but that wasn't nearly as important as what he was focused on.
There wasn't any real reason to be scared anyways - they were just soft outlines of trion.
Yet his heart had hammered and his body stiffened at the sight.
For the first time in 5 years, Shinoda was afraid.
Oh, he'd been slightly nervous during the battle against Enedora, not quite sure whether the Neighbour would rise to his challenge, but the bait was too good and he'd been easily taken care of.
Even the battle during the trip to the Neighbourhood had seemed relatively fun.
But this - this was just like when Mogami had-
oOoOoOo
His head spun when he woke up.
Patches of black dotted his vision, and as his head slowly cleared, Shinoda strained to hear the conversation enveloping him.
"It was like the First Invasion again-"
"We need to call off the conference-"
"We cannot call off the conference." Kido said, voice tight.
"He needs treatment!" Kyoko insisted.
"We need Masafumi to-" Karasawa started, stepping forwards diplomatically.
Shinoda sat up just in time to see Kyoko round on Karasawa angrily.
"Katsumi, you acorn." She hissed. "One more word, and I will stab you."
The man sat down, mollified, as Kyoko turned her attention Kido.
"As for you," she snarled, "I will carve that stupid car of yours into a million little pieces if that's the last thing I do."
Silence reigned as the room tried to process what had just happened.
Shinoda took the opportunity to smile sweetly and say hello.
As the people in the room flushed an unflattering shade of red - except Kyoko (and Rindou, he supposed, but that was due to his friend's lack of shame)- and muttered a few choice words, he turned up the charm as high as he dared and flashed an even brighter smile at Kyoko.
"Thank you for your assistance, Miss Sawamura." he said, his smile miraculously still in place. "Your interest in my well-being was most flattering."
Ah, blast. Now he sounded like an idiot.
Rindou certainly thought so, and let his feelings be known with a sharp jab.
Shinoda actually flinched at the jab, his ribs smarting painfully where Rindou had poked him.
Sufficient to say, it did not go unnoticed.
Kido was as blunt as ever.
"How long do we have?" He demanded, eyes narrowed in appraisal.
"Two hours."
"Half an hour." He stared at Shinoda expectantly.
When nobody moved, he pushed Shinoda in Kyoko's direction.
"Don't just stand there." He said coldly. "Go talk with the reporters! I've already told them that we're going to have an informal meet at the hall - I'll have Tachikawa bring down your things in half an hour. And take Miss Sawamura with you - I need someone to make sure you actually get to the hospital."
Woah! I hope this makes up for the shortness of the last chapter, though it kinda sucks that I didn't get to write Lead Kogetsu in.
Past-me was going to use Lead Kogetsu in a deleted fight scene, but it wasn't really flowing well and I wanted to give more thought into it.
Also: Shinoda's accepted Mogami's death as not his fault in this fic, but it doesn't stop him from wondering whether he could have saved Mogami, especailly since Mogami was Jin's father figure.
Jin, Kido and Rindou will a surprisingly big role in the creation of Fujin.
Lastly, please rate and review! What did you enjoy? What dd you hate? What did you find mediocore?