Sea of Tranquility: Locusts on the Wind
Chapter 6: Brave New World
The Pit, Aokigahara…
Once again, Hayato Ichimonji sat before Dr. Rung, G.I. Joe's bespectacled chief psychologist.
"Professor Katsuhiko Yano?"
"That…was my old name."
"I see. You now refer to yourself as Hayato Ichimonji, is that correct?"
"Yes! I already told you a thousand times!"
Dr. Rung read the briefing given to him by the other psychologists.
"Why did you react as if that documentary told a fictional narrative?"
"Documentary?! Everybody knows that Transformers, Ultraman, Kaiju, and Mobile Suits are fictional characters! You couldn't even fool a child with that nonsense!"
Dr. Rung paused, feeling insulted somehow.
"I'm afraid that isn't the case here. Let's move on. Ichimonji, what were your last memories before you found yourself at the warehouse district?"
"I told you, a bar in Ginza, the year 2007."
"Any memories before that?"
Hayato gulped, knowing the story he'd tell would sound insane.
"The year 2005. Hongo killed me. He was brainwashed by Shocker."
"Hongo as in Takeshi Hongo, your colleague at the university?"
"Yes, except we were only romantic rivals in this life. Hongo killed me. Asuka stumbled upon him, the shock broke his brainwashing, and he turned against Shocker. So they turned me into a cyborg as well to kill Hongo. Then Shocker kidnapped Asuka, and we both worked together to rescue her."
Hayato laughed a broken laugh.
"I sound insane, don't I?"
"In any other circumstance, yes. But in this case…."
"What?"
"It might be a side effect of prolonged exposure to the Witchblade."
"Asuka's bracelet? The thing Shocker's after?"
Dr. Rung's explanation was interrupted by Asuka's sudden arrival.
"Katsuhiko! Are you alright?! Can you remember everything?"
"Asuka. I'm sorry… I'm not the husband you knew."
Asuka hugged him.
"I know what Shocker did to you and your friends. I can't blame you for trying to keep us safe."
Dr. Rung turned to Asuka.
"Ms. Yano, you're just the person I needed to ask."
"Doctor, is he cured?"
"I fear your husband might be suffering some severe mental trauma. He believes he's a reporter from the year 2007 by the name of Hayato Ichimonji. There are no records of any living persons by that name. He also mentioned meeting you and Takeshi Hongo in the year 2005."
"2005? But Yano and I would've been five years old! And Hongo would've been three!"
"Which brings me to my main questions: Have you seen visions of another person's life? Strange visions of worlds similar to ours but with several key differences?"
Asuka paused in realization.
"I saw… visions of another woman. Ever since I put on this bracelet."
Hayato and Dr. Rung stared at her in surprise.
"Could you describe them for us?"
"Her name was Masane Amaha. She was from Tokyo, but Tokyo underwent a great disaster in her world. Whatever it was, it turned people into monsters, and this shadowy group tried to control them by making clones of the Witchblade. The original Witchblade chose Masane as its bearer, and in the end, she sacrificed herself to save the city and prevent it from moving on to her daughter."
"Asuka…"
"I saw a strange vision too!"
A familiar voice announced.
"Hongo?"
"I saw myself practicing for a race with Mr. Tachibana when a Shocker spider monster abducted me. They turned me into a Kamen Rider, just like now, only I managed to escape with the help of a Professor named Midorikawa. He was later killed by the monster, and his daughter overheard our arguing and thought I killed him."
"That's just like what I remembered!"
Hayato thought.
"Do you remember the year?"
"I can give you the entire date, Doctor. April 3rd, 1971."
"1971?! That long ago?"
"Yes, Doctor. If the professor's gone crazy, then so have we."
After a moment of thinking, Dr. Rung spoke.
"It appears that my hypothesis was correct. Each of you got a psychic glimpse into a parallel universe."
"Parallel universe? What does that have to do…."
"Professor Yano, or rather, Hayato. I must remind you that you are now in a world where giant robots and monsters are actual facts of life, not works of fiction to entertain children and young adults. Therefore, the possibility of inter-dimensional communication must not be ruled out."
"Inter-dimensional communication?"
Asuka asked, trying to make sense of it all.
"In simpler terms, Ms. Yano, I believe your artifact is a psychic viewscreen of sorts into the multiverse. Anyone exposed to it for a prolonged time, such as you, your husband, and his colleague, will see glimpses of events that transpired in different timelines, with varying degrees of difference."
"I… I didn't realize it was that powerful."
Asuka muttered.
"No wonder Shocker wants this bracelet. If they learn from their mistakes in other timelines, they'll be virtually unstoppable!"
Hongo reasoned.
Sarah entered the room.
"Asuka Yano. Your presence is required."
"What's the matter?"
"Riders Keisuke Jin and Shigeru Jo require your assistance. It appears Shocker has cloned the Witchblade and is testing it against them."
"Just like in the vision."
Asuka remembered.
"I'll go."
She affirmatively responded.
Hayato and Hongo moved to join her.
However, Sarah stopped them.
"Only Ms. Yano for now. General Abernathy wants to ensure you're cleared with the Doc first."
"They have my approval."
"Are you sure, Dr. Rung?"
Dr. Rung grimaced.
"Yes, Agent Fukamachi. I will send a detailed report to the General and Admiral shortly. For now, it is my judgment that the Witchblade is no mere historical artifact and that such a weapon of mass destruction mustn't fall into enemy hands. If Shocker has succeeded in making even an inferior copy, then we are already on the brink of defeat!"
JGSDF convoy en route from Mount Hakone…
"Listen up, villains! I am the warrior of justice, Kamen Rider Stronger!"
"Another one?! No matter, I'll crush you underfoot like the insect you are!"
A mass of BATs charged at Stronger and tried to dog-pile him!
Not a wise move against a quarterback.
Stronger grabbed one of the charging BATs and used it as a club to swat away the rest!
"You're going to need much more than that to kill a rhinoceros beetle!"
"Would this suffice?"
Cobra Commander snidely shot down Stronger's taunt with a Virgo Mobile Doll that rose from camouflaged cover.
"A Mobile Doll? Seriously?!"
"A gift from our friends in the colonies. Good Lu-"
SHCCK!
THUD!
Cobra Commander's prized Mobile Doll only had a second to intimidate its opponents before it was anti-climatically beheaded and fell over uselessly.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"
An unearthly screech followed as the disgruntled terrorist leader cursed his misfortune over the loudspeaker.
Before Stronger could register what had just happened, a blue blur darted past him and struck at Keisuke!
Keisuke, already deflecting bullets with his Ridol Whip, quickly turned to parry!
"Like my new outfit, honey?"
"Ryoko?!"
Ryoko Mizuki was now clad in a revealing blue outfit with an enormous crescent blade sprouting from her wrist!
However, her sultry appearance and tone did nothing to make Keisuke forget her crimes against his father and himself!
Ryoko and Keisuke crossed blades several times, with his Ridol Whip appearing woefully inadequate!
"Hey! Wait your turn, you crazy broad!"
Insulted, Ryoko snarled at the insolent Machine-Gun Snake.
"He's my ex. Why don't you go play with Beetle Boy before I shove that minigun someplace special?"
Emasculated, M.G. Snake shut up and turned his weapon on Stronger.
Seeing this from a distance, Stronger picked up a beaten BAT and held it in front of him while charging at the bullet-spouting reptile!
Seeing no further hostiles, the remaining JSDF troops ran for safety and called in reinforcements!
Unfortunately, so did Shocker.
"Lady and Gentlemen!"
The quarreling pairs turned their attention to the bombastic arrival of Cobra Man, who was now holding the JSDF troops hostage!
"If Mr. Jin and Mr. Jo would be so kind as to peacefully surrender before I make some delicious yakitori out of these soldiers?"
He demonstrated by blasting a few puffs of flame from his snake-themed flamethrower hand.
"Really?! A hostage trade-off?! How you never let me have any fun?!"
A disappointed Machine-Gun Snake whined.
"Think carefully, Keisuke. I gave your father the same deal. He chose poorly."
Keisuke gritted his teeth in anger at his treacherous bride-to-be.
"Don't do it! He'll kill us all anyway!"
A young soldier shouted.
Cobra Man kicked the brave soul in the face.
"If they refuse, I'm starting with you."
The monster said with a stern yet perfectly calm voice.
The bloodied private defiantly spat a drop of blood into the reptile's face!
Enraged, Cobra Man readied his flamethrower…
… only to be distracted by the sound of approaching motorcycles!
"Takeshi Hongo! Katsuhiko Yano! Damn you both to hell!"
"Don't forget about me!"
A transformed Asuka jumped forward and stomped Cobra Man in the face, using him as a stepping stone to attack Ryoko!
"Hurts, doesn't it?!"
The young private taunted as he and the other JSDF troops resumed their retreat.
Asuka's heel blade had inflicted a large cut on Cobra Man's face!
It bled slightly, mirroring the wound he had inflicted on the private!
"Nobody makes a fool out of me!"
The Shocker agent yelled as he shot bursts of flame at the Riders, who skillfully dodged them!
"Henshin!"
Hongo and Hayato grunted as they jumped from their bikes and landed on their feet.
Hongo no longer wore the Shocker Rider's yellow scarf and black uniform, replacing them with a more heroic red scarf and blue armor!
Hayato's armor also appeared to have de-aged, losing the cracks and scratches sustained in two years of heavy combat and regaining its former lustrous shade of green!
The now-armored Riders posed dramatically as they challenged Cobra Man!
"You were about to burn that kid alive! We won't let that stand!"
Hongo yelled.
"That 'kid' signed up for this! It was bound to happen sooner or later!"
Cobra Man taunted back!
"If it's a slaughter you want, have your fill!"
Hayato yelled.
The Double Riders charged at their opponent!
"If I can't have yakitori…."
Cobra Man thought as he discarded his empty flamethrower…
"…I'll have the sashimi!"
…and drew an urumi whip-sword in its stead!
Elsewhere, Ryoko and Asuka traded quips as they crossed blades.
"I see you don't have any marital problems!"
"Yeah, that tends to happen when you don't work for an evil organization!"
With his crazy ex-fiancee distracted, Keisuke snuck off and ran to help Stronger!
"Shigeru! Catch!"
Keisuke pressed a button on the Ridol and tossed it at Stronger!
In mid-air, it transformed from a rapier to a metal staff!
Stronger seized it and thrust one end into a barrel of M.G. Snake's minigun!
He struck one hand against the other, sending an electric shock down the Ridol and into the minigun!
BOOM!
The weapon exploded, literally disarming Snake!
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"
The monster screamed as violet blood trickled from his wound!
Kamen Riders X and Stronger jumped into the air!
"Double Kick!"
Machine Gun Snake disintegrated into a fiery explosion!
"Snake!"
Distracted by his comrade's demise, Cobra Man became easy prey for Rider 1's new technique!
"Rider Throw!"
Hongo grabbed Cobra Man and physically flung him a great distance!
"How can those brats be this strong?!"
Then, Cobra Man realized he was about to collide with the disabled Virgo.
"Aw, Shi-"
BOOM! SPOOOOM!
"Did he explode twice?!"
Hayato asked after seeing two separate blasts in the distance.
"I think he hit something."
The force of the explosion knocked Keisuke, Shigeru, Asuka, and Ryoko backward!
As the combatants regained footing, Ryoko slowly realized that the odds weren't in her favor.
"That all you've got, Yano?"
She defiantly taunted.
"I can see why you wanted to marry her, Jin."
Asuka chuckled.
"Stupidest decision of my life."
Keisuke angrily snarled.
"This is why Yuriko and I decided to go steady."
Shigeru sighed, exasperated by recent events.
"That reminds me, where's Kiriko?!"
Keisuke sternly interrogated Ryoko.
"Traitors get what they deserve."
Keisuke threateningly approached Ryoko with the Ridol drawn in its Whip-sword form!
"Stop it, Jin!"
Hongo and Hayato arrived at the scene.
"She killed-"
"Kiriko's been extracted by the Joes. She was the one who informed them of the warehouse meeting, which I interrupted. That incident led to Hongo and me meeting all of you. When Cobra turned against Shocker, Abernathy sent an operative by the codename 'Snake Eyes' to extract her. She's on the aircraft carrier USS Flagg as we speak."
Hayato explained.
"That's impossible! I killed her with my bare hands!"
Ryoko snarled back.
"You work for a bunch of mad scientists. Shouldn't be too hard to create an optical illusion."
Hongo taunted Ryoko.
"How do you know all this?"
Keisuke asked Hayato.
"Abernathy's been listening to our comms this entire time."
Hayato nonchalantly stated.
"Uncool, Professor."
"He asked, General."
Before the banter could continue, a gray portal materialized behind Ryoko!
"Not again!"
Hayato and Asuka yelled in unison.
The five heroes tried to make a move, but a powerful gunshot forced them to back off!
A masked knight carrying a shotgun and wheel-like shield with a serrated edge emerged from the portal as Ryoko retreated into it!
"We shall meet again, Riders. Sooner than you'd expect."
The knight warned.
"Who the hell are you?!"
Keisuke challenged him.
"Call me Apollo. Apollo Geist."
To be continued…